cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do Young Children Reverse Ambiguous Figures

Most adult observers tend not to reverse ambiguous figures if they are not informed about the ambiguity of the figure. The question was asked whether very young children who have rarely, if ever, seen any kinds of ambiguous figures will reverse if uninformed, and also how they will behave if they are informed. It was found that 3 and 4 year olds never reverse when presented with two different kinds of ambiguous figures when uninformed, and only some do even when informed; further, those that do reverse do so only once or twice over a 60 s inspection period. These results are interpreted as further confirmation of an earlier finding with adults--that reversal is not simply a matter of prolonged inspection of an ambiguous figure leading automatically to neural satiation. Instead, cognitive factors such as utilization of memory and intention are implicated.
Coupled Replicator Equations for the Dynamics of Learning in Multiagent Systems

Starting with a group of reinforcement-learning agents we derive coupled replicator equations that describe the dynamics of collective learning in multiagent systems. We show that, although agents model their environment in a self-interested way without sharing knowledge, a game dynamics emerges naturally through environment-mediated interactions. An application to rock-scissors-paper game interactions shows that the collective learning dynamics exhibits a diversity of competitive and cooperative behaviors. These include quasiperiodicity, stable limit cycles, intermittency, and deterministic chaos-behaviors that should be expected in heterogeneous multiagent systems described by the general replicator equations we derive.
Use of radiation in biomaterials science

Radiation is widely used in the biomaterials science for surface modification, sterilization and to improve bulk properties. Radiation is also used to design of biochips, and in situ photopolymerizable of bioadhesives. The energy sources most commonly used in the irradiation of biomaterials are high-energy electrons, gamma radiation, ultraviolet (UV) and visible light. Surface modification involves placement of selective chemical moieties on the surface of a material by chemical reactions to improve biointeraction for cell adhesion and proliferation, hemocompatibility and water absorption. The exposure of a polymer to radiation, especially ionizing radiation, can lead to chain scission or crosslinking with changes in bulk and surface properties. Sterilization by irradiation is designed to inactivate most pathogens from the surface of biomedical devices. An overview of the use of gamma and UV radiation to improve surface tissue compatibility, bulk properties and surface properties for wear resistance, formation of hydrogels and curing dental sealants and bone adhesives is presented. Gamma and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) irradiated ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) exhibit improvement in surface modulus and hardness. The surface modulus and hardness of UHMWPE showed a dependence on type of radiation, dosage and processing. VUV surface modified e-PTFE vascular grafts exhibit increases in hydrophilicity and improvement towards adhesion of fibrin glue.
Developmental Toxicology Studies of Fluoxetine Hydrochloride Administered Orally to Rats and Rabbits

Abstract Developmental Toxicology Studies of Fluoxetine Hydrochloride Administered Orally to Rats and Rabbits. Byrd, R. A. and Markham, J. K. (1994). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 22, 511-518. Pregnant Fischer 344 rats were given fluoxetine orally at dose levels of 0, 2, 5, or 12.5 mg/kg on Gestation Days (GD) 6-15; pregnant Dutch Belted rabbits were given 0, 2.5, 7.5, or 15 mg/kg orally on GD 6-18. Cesarean sections were performed on rats and rabbits on GD 20 and 28, respectively. In rats, maternal toxicity was indicated at 12.5 mg/kg by depression of weight gain and food consumption. Fetal viability, weight, and morphology were not affected at any dose level. Maternal and developmental No Observed Adverse Effect Levels (NOAELs) in the rat were 5 and 12.5 mg/kg, respectively. In rabbits, weight loss occurred at 2.5, 7.5, and 15 mg/kg. Food consumption was also depressed at 7.5 and 15 mg/kg; abortions and maternal mortality occurred secondarily to anorexia and cachexia at 15 mg/kg. Fetal viability, weight, and morphology were not affected at any dose level. A NOAEL for maternal effects was not established in the rabbit; the NOAEL for developmental effects in the rabbit was 15 mg/kg. Based on these data, fluoxetine did not exhibit any toxicity toward the developing rat or rabbit conceptus at doses that were maternally toxic.
Fiber Bundle Pushout: A Technique for the Measurement of Interfacial Sliding Properties

An experimental technique for the measurement of interfacial sliding properties in fiber-reinforced materials is presented. The technique involves pushing a bundle of fibers simultaneously through a thin section of the composite. Using this technique, sample averages are immediately available, eliminating the need for repeated single-fiber tests. The technique is particularly useful for composites that contain small-diameter fibers. Salient features of the technique are demonstrated through tests on a CAS/SiC composite.
Experimental evidence for non-redox transformations between magnetite and hematite under H2-rich hydrothermal conditions

Abstract Transformations of magnetite (Fe II Fe 2 III O 4 ) to hematite (Fe 2 III O 3 ) (and vice versa) have been thought by many scientists and engineers to require molecular O 2 and/or H 2 . Thus, the presence of magnetite and/or hematite in rocks has been linked to a specific oxidation environment. However, the availability of reductants or oxidants in many geologic and industrial environments appears to have been too low to account for the transformations of iron oxides through redox reactions. Here, we report the results of hydrothermal experiments in mildly acidic and H 2 -rich aqueous solutions at 150 °C, which demonstrate that transformations of magnetite to hematite, and hematite to magnetite, occur rapidly without involving molecular O 2 or H 2 : Fe 3 O 4 (Mt) + 2H (aq) + ↔ Fe 2 O 3 (Hm) + Fe (aq) 2+ + H 2 O The transformation products are chemically and structurally homogeneous, and typically occur as euhedral single crystals much larger than the precursor minerals. This suggests that, in addition to the expected release of aqueous ferrous species to solution, the transformations involve release of aqueous ferric species from the precursor oxides to the solution, which reprecipitate without being reduced by H 2 . These redox-independent transformations may have been responsible for the formation of some iron oxides in natural systems, such as high-grade hematite ores that developed from Banded Iron Formations (BIFs), hematite-rich deposits formed on Mars, corrosion products in power plants and other industrial systems.
General Cardiology Perspective: Decision Making Regarding Revascularization of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Disease in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) Trial

The interest in the diabetic population undergoing coronary revascularization began with the reporting of the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation (BARI) trial in 1996.1 In patients with multivessel disease, a post hoc analysis demonstrated a significant survival advantage for patients in the coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) arm compared with those undergoing balloon angioplasty. This striking finding sensitized the cardiovascular community to the unique nature of diabetic coronary disease. A comprehensive meta-analysis of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus CABG trials before the drug-eluting era has confirmed the BARI findings.2 Over the next decade, there were tremendous advances in medical risk factor modification, particularly the widespread use of statin drugs and improvements in therapies for glycemic control. The BARI 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) investigators posed the next important question about optimal management of coronary disease in patients with less severe symptomatology than those enrolled in the multivessel PCI versus CABG trials.3 About 80% of patients were either asymptomatic or had stable class I/II Canadian Cardiovascular Society angina. In this trial, the comparison was now between prompt revascularization on top of optimal medical therapy (OMT) versus OMT alone. BARI 2D heralded in a new era in National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute–sponsored trials by exclusively studying patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. BARI 2D demonstrated no difference in 5-year mortality between the prompt revascularization and OMT alone arms (11.7% versus 12.2%; P =0.97) as well as no difference in 5-year rates of the combined end point of death, myocardial infarction, and stroke (22.8% versus 24.1%; P =0.70). The most efficient way to evaluate the impact of BARI 2D on practice is to evaluate the patients studied and the interventions that were applied. ### The Patients BARI 2D randomized patients with demonstrated ischemia who were either asymptomatic or who had mild to moderate symptoms. …
Imaging apomorphine stimulation of brain arachidonic acid signaling via D2-like receptors in unanesthetized rats.

Because of the important role of dopamine in neurotransmission, it would be useful to be able to image brain dopamine receptor-mediated signal transduction in animals and humans. Administering the D1–D2 receptor agonist apomorphine may allow us to do this, as the D2-like receptor is reported to be coupled to cytosolic phospholipase A2 activation and arachidonic acid (AA) release from membrane phospholipid. Unanesthetized adult rats were given intraperitoneally apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg) or saline, with or without pretreatment with 6 mg/kg intravenous raclopride, a D2/D3 receptor antagonist. [1–14C]AA was injected intravenously, then AA incorporation coefficients k*—brain radioactivity divided by integrated plasma radioactivity—markers of AA signaling, were measured using quantitative autoradiography in 62 brain regions. Apomorphine significantly elevated k* in 26 brain regions, including the frontal cortex, motor and somatosensory cortex, caudate-putamen, thalamic nuclei, and nucleus accumbens. Raclopride alone did not change baseline values of k*, but raclopride pretreatment prevented the apomorphine-induced increments in k*. A mixed D1–D2 receptor agonist, apomorphine, increased the AA signal by activating only D2-like receptors in brain circuits containing regions with high D2-like receptor densities. Thus, apomorphine might be used with positron emission tomography to image brain D2-like receptor-mediated AA signaling in humans in health and disease.
ESTROGEN INDUCTION OF PLASMA VITELLOGENIN IN THE KEMP'S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE (LEPIDOCHELYS KEMPI)

Abstract Estrogen stimulation of the production of the yolk protein precursor vitellogenin was demonstrated in immature Kemp's ridley sea turtles. 17β-Estradiol injection elicited an increase in serum estrogen, protein, protein phosphorus, and total calcium within 7 days. Associated with these changes was the appearance of a single, dimethylformamide-precipitatable, 205-kDa estradiol-induced serum protein, which became the predominant serum protein identified by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The effects of estradiol injection were maintained for 3 months following termination of estradiol administration, despite a decline in serum estrogen levels. Although studies in other species have indicated that changes in circulating vitellogenin levels can influence thyroid hormone transport, no changes were observed throughout the study in total blood levels of thyroxine or triiodothyronine or protein binding of these hormones. We conclude that in the immature Kemp's ridley estrogen induces the synthesis and secretion of a vitellogenin which resembles that of other reptiles, but which does not influence thyroid hormone transport. The prolonged presence of vitellogenin in the blood may be due to a lack of an active ovarian uptake mechanism in these immature animals.
Optimized ejector-diffuser design procedure for natural gas vapor recovery

A procedure for designing optimized ejector-diffuser systems for recovering natural gas vapor from oil storage tanks is presented. The system utilizes high pressure gas from the separator to entrain the ambient pressure gas from the tanks and then pumps the mixture to the sales line. The analysis predicts the minimum separator pressure and the optimum nozzle Mach number and ejector area ratio required to accomplish this task. The results of a parametric study suggest that this system is feasible and that the higher the required ejector compression ratio the more critical is the use of an optimized design.
Preparation of microporous films with sub nanometer pores and their characterization using stress and FTIR measurements

The authors have used a novel technique, measurement of stress isotherms in microporous thin films, as a means of characterizing porosity. The stress measurement was carried out by applying sol-gel thin films on a thin silicon substrate and monitoring the curvature of the substrate under a controlled atmosphere of various vapors. The magnitude of macroscopic bending stress developed in microporous films depends on the relative pressure and molar volume of the adsorbate and reaches a value of 180 MPa for a relative vapor pressure, P/Po = 0.001, of methanol. By using a series of molecules, and observing both the magnitude and the kinetics of stress development while changing the relative pressure, they have determined the pore size of microporous thin films. FTIR measurements were used to acquire adsorption isotherms and to compare pore emptying to stress development, about 80% of the change in stress takes place with no measurable change in the amount adsorbed. The authors show that for sol-gel films, pore diameters can be controlled in the range of 5--8 {angstrom} by ``solvent templating``.
Effect of Probe Frequency and Gender on Click-Rate-Induced Facilitation of the Acoustic Reflex Thresholds

This study evaluated the effects of probe frequency and gender on the click-rate-induced facilitation of the acoustic reflex thresholds (ARTs). ARTs were measured by delivering clicks at the repetition rates of 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300/sec. The probe tones were 226, 678 and 1000 Hz. Rate-induced facilitation (RIF) was calculated for each subject, for each of the probe tones, by subtracting the minimum ART from the maximum ART. The mixed MANOVA on the RIF revealed no significant main effects or interactions for gender or probe tone frequency. However, paired comparisons revealed that the RIF values obtained from male subjects with the 1000 Hz probe tones were significantly lower than those obtained from the female subjects with all the probe tone frequencies. The results suggest that RIF can be studied with higher probe tones, but gender differences need to be considered if the probe tone is 1000 Hz.
Sensor and Numerical Simulator Evaluation for Porous Medium Desiccation and Rewetting at the Intermediate Laboratory Scale

Soil desiccation, in conjunction with surface infiltration control, is considered at the Hanford Site as a potential technology to limit the flux of technetium and other contaminants in the vadose zone to the groundwater. An intermediate-scale experiment was conducted to test the response of a series of instruments to desiccation and subsequent rewetting of porous media. The instruments include thermistors, thermocouple psychrometers, dual-probe heat pulse sensors, heat dissipation units, and humidity probes. The experiment was simulated with the multifluid flow simulator STOMP, using independently obtained hydraulic and thermal porous medium properties. All instrument types used for this experiment were able to indicate when the desiccation front passed a certain location. In most cases the changes were sharp, indicating rapid changes in moisture content, water potential, or humidity. However, a response to the changing conditions was recorded only when the drying front was very close to a sensor. Of the tested instruments, only the heat dissipation unit and humidity probes were able to detect rewetting. The numerical simulation results reasonably match the experimental data, indicating that the simulator captures the pertinent gas flow and transport processes related to desiccation and rewetting and may be useful in the design and analysis of field tests.
Spread of Fire Effects Between Rooms: A Computational Model

A methodology is presented for computing the spread of fire effects such as heat, smoke, and other combustion products between rooms in a multi-room fire scenario. The methodology extends the Harvard Computer Fire Code V for computing the dynamic history of a fire in a single room to connecting rooms by adding the appropriate flow physics. Finally, an example is presented where an object is burning in a room which is connected to a second room via a door way. The evolution of the hot layer and vent flows are discussed, and compared to the same evolution of a single room structure.
32nm yield learning using efficient parallel-test structures

The continuing rise in the number and complexity of test structures required to characterize every new technology generation demands at least a commensurate increase in test throughput. At IBM, various 32nm yield test structures are being tested on a functional test platform using customized Source Measurement Units (SMU) that allow parallel current measurement on up to 100 pins. This novel method improves test throughput as much as 9X over traditional parametric testing while offering current measurement resolution down to 100 fA. The test structures described herein help accelerate yield learning by enabling characterization of yield-loss mechanisms and rapid evaluation of yield improvement actions.
The Variability of IPO Initial Returns

The monthly volatility of IPO initial returns is substantial, fluctuates dramatically over time, and is considerably larger during "hot" IPO markets. Consistent with IPO theory, the volatility of initial returns is higher among firms whose value is more difficult to estimate, i.e., among firms with higher information asymmetry. Our findings highlight underwriters' difficulty in valuing companies characterized by high uncertainty, and, as a result, raise serious questions about the efficacy of the traditional firm commitment underwritten IPO process. One implication of our results is that alternate mechanisms, such as auctions, may be beneficial, particularly for firms that value price discovery over the auxiliary services provided by underwriters.
HERESY: a hybrid approach to automatic schematic generation

An automatic schematic generation system called HERESEY is presented, which represents a well-engineered combination of algorithmic and rule-based approaches. Equipped with a set of carefully-chosen evaluation criteria, HERSEY is able to generate high-quality, reasonably general classes of schematic diagrams in an efficient way. A novel levelization algorithm that can detect and resolve arbitrary cyclic structures of a circuit is described. An example schematic generated by HERESY, together with its computational efficiency is also presented.
Face recognition based on fractal dimension

An approach for face recognition was proposed based on features called fractal dimension in this paper; it is an efficient representation of natural texture. A grayscale image can be divided into many non-overlapping blocks and the fractal dimension can be computed in every single block to keep better performance of representing subtle texture with fractal dimension when it was applied to present facial image. Experiments on ORL face database displayed promising results and they demonstrated that the size of block affect recognition rate.
Supercritical carbon dioxide swelling of fluorinated and hydrocarbon surfactant templates in mesoporous silica thin films

Abstract The penetration of compressed CO 2 in hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon regions of concentrated surfactant mesophases are interpreted from differences in the CO 2 -processed pore expansion of mesoporous silica thin films templated by three surfactants containing varying degrees of hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon functionality. Ordered silica thin films are synthesized for the first time using the 16-carbon (C 16 ) partly fluorinated surfactant, 11,11,12,12,13,13,14,14,15,15,16,16,16-tridecafluorocetyl pyridinium bromide (HFCPB), as a templating agent. Silica films templated with surfactants containing a 8-carbon (C 8 ) fluorocarbon tail (3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,8-tridecafluorooctyl pyridinium chloride (HFOPC)) and a 16-carbon (C 16 ) hydrocarbon tail (cetyl pyridinium bromide (CPB)) and HFCPB (C 16 ) are processed in compressed CO 2 (69–172 bar, 25 °C and 45 °C) during synthesis. CO 2 processing results in significant pore expansion for films templated with both fluorinated surfactants, while pore expansion is negligible for the hydrocarbon templated material suggesting that preferential CO 2 penetration occurs in the ‘CO 2 -philic’ fluorocarbon segments of the surfactant template. The effect of substrate surface energy on the final uniformity of the dip-coated films is studied by varying the substrate from unmodified glass to a fluorocarbon-capped substrate. The ability to create dip-coated thin films on low surface energy substrates through favorable interaction of surfactant template tail with the substrate surface functional groups is demonstrated.
Optimization-based strategies for the operation of low-density polyethylene tubular reactors: nonlinear model predictive control

In this work, we present a general nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) framework for low-density polyethylene (LDPE) tubular reactors. The framework is based on a first-principles dynamic model able to capture complex phenomena arising in these units. We first demonstrate the potential of using NMPC to simultaneously regulate and optimize the process economics in the presence of persistent disturbances such as fouling. We then couple the NMPC controller with a compatible moving horizon estimator (MHE) to provide output feedback. Finally, we discuss computational limitations arising in this framework and make use of recently proposed advanced-step MHE and NMPC strategies to provide nearly instantaneous feedback.
Expression of cholera toxin B–proinsulin fusion protein in lettuce and tobacco chloroplasts – oral administration protects against development of insulitis in non-obese diabetic mice

Lettuce and tobacco chloroplast transgenic lines expressing the cholera toxin B subunit-human proinsulin (CTB-Pins) fusion protein were generated. CTB-Pins accumulated up to ~16% of total soluble protein (TSP) in tobacco and up to ~2.5% of TSP in lettuce. Eight milligrams of powdered tobacco leaf material expressing CTB-Pins or, as negative controls, CTB-green fluorescent protein (CTB-GFP) or interferon-GFP (IFN-GFP), or untransformed leaf, were administered orally, each week for 7 weeks, to 5-week-old female non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. The pancreas of CTB-Pins-treated mice showed decreased infiltration of cells characteristic of lymphocytes (insulitis); insulin-producing beta-cells in the pancreatic islets of CTB-Pins-treated mice were significantly preserved, with lower blood or urine glucose levels, by contrast with the few beta-cells remaining in the pancreatic islets of the negative controls. Increased expression of immunosuppressive cytokines, such as interleukin-4 and interleukin-10 (IL-4 and IL-10), was observed in the pancreas of CTB-Pins-treated NOD mice. Serum levels of immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1), but not IgG2a, were elevated in CTB-Pins-treated mice. Taken together, T-helper 2 (Th2) lymphocyte-mediated oral tolerance is a likely mechanism for the prevention of pancreatic insulitis and the preservation of insulin-producing beta-cells. This is the first report of expression of a therapeutic protein in transgenic chloroplasts of an edible crop. Transplastomic lettuce plants expressing CTB-Pins grew normally and transgenes were maternally inherited in T(1) progeny. This opens up the possibility for the low-cost production and delivery of human therapeutic proteins, and a strategy for the treatment of various other autoimmune diseases.
STUDIES ON FATTY LIVER INDUCTION BY 4-AMINOPYRAZOLOPYRIMIDINE.

The effects of the adenine analogue, 4-aminopyrazolopyrimidine, on lipid metabolism in mouse liver have been studied in an attempt to ascertain the mechanism by which this drug causes fatty livers. Injection of I mg of APP caused an increase in the total liver lipid of 3- to 4-fold in 24 hr, which was almost entirely accounted for as neutral lipid. There was a small increase in the cholesterol content of treated livers, but no change in the amount of phospholipid. Treatment with APP inhibited the incorporation of acetate-C14 into lipids of liver slices in vitro, but had little effect on the oxidation of acetate-C14 and palmitate-C14 in vitro. The plasma lipid concentration was decreased by APP treatment, and this was caused by a drop in triglycerides and cholesterol, whereas phospholipids and FFA did not change. Palmitate-C14 was taken up less well by livers of mice treated with APP than by livers of control mice. Although APP caused a profound inhibition of incorporation of orotic acid-C14 into RNA, the incorporation of glycine-C14 Into liver and plasma proteins was not diminished. The hyperlipemia normally elicited by Triton WR-1339 was inhibited by APP, which strongly suggests that this compound inhibits the secretion of triglycerides from the liver.
Policing prostitution in an era of human trafficking enforcement

Prostitution and commercialized vice have been variously prioritized as urban crime problems across U.S. history. In response, lawmakers have historically been guided by a prohibititionst view where people selling, buying or facilitating the sale of sex are considered to be immoral and criminal. In recent years, public concern about the trafficking of persons for sex has reframed prostitution and the expectations of government response. The U.S. federal government and all fifty states have passed legislation that is guided by an abolitionist view of prostitution where people who are forced or coerced to sell sex are redefined as victims. State, county and municipal police officers are now receiving training on how to identify human trafficking cases and investigators are being trained to investigate and prepare cases for prosecution. Despite these efforts under the new legal regime, confusion exists about how sex trafficking differs from prostitution and correspondingly necessitates different types of law enforcement responses. Adding to this complication is the fact that in many major cities the responsibility for identifying and eradicating human trafficking has fallen to the same group of investigators who are responsible for enforcing vice and prostitution laws. As a result, prostitution enforcement is expected to change as police increasingly focus on identifying sex trafficking victims. Using data on police arrests for prostitution from 1980 to 2012, we examine the impact of federal and state anti-trafficking legislation on the local enforcement of prostitution. Our findings inform debate about legal reform as a response to urban crime problems and illustrate the complexities of policy implementation and interpretation.
Ketones Step to the Plate: A Game Changer for Metabolic Remodeling in Heart Failure?

It is increasingly recognized that metabolic remodeling is integral to heart failure (HF) development and progression.1,2 In particular, impairments in the ability of cardiac mitochondria to oxidize fatty acids have been noted, along with an increase in glycolysis that is uncoupled from glucose oxidation.3,4 This overall reduction in the myocardial oxidative capacity is purported to be the root cause of energy deficiency in the failing heart. Although past research has focused primarily on myocardial use of glucose and fatty acids, the heart is an omnivore and capable of oxidizing other substrates such as lactate, ketone bodies, and amino acids. The current understanding of the contribution of lactate, ketone bodies, and amino acids to cardiac metabolism is limited, particularly in the setting of HF. In this issue of Circulation , 2 independent studies provide new insights into the reliance of the failing heart on ketone bodies for energy supply. Proteomics analysis in mouse models of HF by Aubert et al5 and metabolomics analysis of end-stage human failing hearts by Bedi et al6 demonstrate strong and concordant evidence of increased ketone oxidation in the failing heart. Articles, see p 698 and 706 Ketone bodies, that is, acetoacetate, β-hydroxybutyrate (βOHB), and acetone (in low abundance), are produced in the liver and used in peripheral tissues as an energy source when glucose is not readily available because of either a limited exogenous supply or impaired insulin signaling or when fatty acids are in surplus, which occurs in marked activation of lipolysis. On entering the cell, they rapidly form acetyl CoA via a series of reactions catalyzed by βOHB dehydrogenase (BDH1), succinyl-CoA:3-oxoacid-CoA transferase (SCOT), and mitochondrial acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 1 (also known as thiolase), as shown in the Figure. All enzymes are present in the heart, and …
Bubbles, Crashes, and Sterilized Central Bank Intervention

We study the efficacy of sterilized foreign exchange intervention in a model where exchange rates are pushed away from their fundamental level by a rational bubble. The bubble is sustained by uncertainty about the post-crash price and about the market absorption capacity. We show that the bubble will be sustained in equilibrium if there is a reasonable probability that the bubble might burst in the first period. We then examine how sterilized interventions can change the equilibrium. In particular, we compare announced with secret interventions, when the central bank intervenes only once in the life of the bubble. We find that the degree of central bank commitment in bringing the exchange rate back to its fundamental level is crucial to determine whether the central bank will prefer to announce the intervention or keep it secret. We also study the conditions under which it is optimal to follow a state-dependent strategy where intervention takes place whenever the spot rate diverges from fundamentals by a set amount. Finally, we show that the central bank must gradually increase the size of interventions under a continuous intervention strategy.
Measurement of Experimental Boundary Conditions for CFD Validation of a Supersonic Jet in Transonic Crossflow.

To complement a code validation data set acquired previously for a supersonic jet exhausting transversely from a flat plate into a subsonic compressible crossflow, wind tunnel boundary conditions have been experimentally measured. Practical hardware limitations prevent measurement acquisition at the position of the computational inflow and outflow planes, so instrumentation must be placed where feasible and the computational approach adjusted to accommodate such realities. Wind tunnel calibrations provide flow angularity and nonuniformity data that can be extrapolated to the computational inflow plane. Wall pressure distributions in the test section characterize the downstream change in Mach number as the test section blockage increases. Boundary layer properties were measured from velocity profiles and surface shear stress measurements at one location on the wall from which the jet would exhaust. A code validation strategy is outlined to incorporate the experimental boundary conditions into jet interaction simulations.
TAXONOMY AND MORPHOLOGY OF COLLETOTRICHUM SPECIES PATHOGENIC TO STRAWBERRY

The morphology of both conidia and setae of C. fragariae, C. gloeosporioides, and C. acutatum isolates from strawberry were compared and found to be distinct for each species. Strawberry leaf agar was an excellent medium for the production of morphologically uniform conidia typical of a species. Conidial shape was more useful than size in species determination. C. fragariae is not synonymous with C. gloeosporioides as proposed by von Arx. Isolates of C. gloeosporioides that did not form the teleomorph were reliably identified by conidial and setal morphology alone. Radial growth of C. acutatum from 21-30 C was significantly slower than that of C. fragariae and C. gloeosporioides. At 33 C only isolates of C. gloeosporioides that did not produce the teleomorph grew well. Isolates of C. acutatum that formed a red pigment in culture are discussed.
The Influence of Family of Origin Relationships on Career Thoughts

Family of origin relationships are an important influence on career decision-making. The current study investigates the relationship between family cohesion, expressiveness and conflict and dysfunctional career thoughts. The Family Environment Scale - Form R (Moos & Moos, 2009) measured the family environment and the Career Thoughts Inventory (Sampson, Peterson, Lenz, Reardon, & Saunders, 1996) measured dysfunctional career thoughts. Participants were undergraduate students at a large Southern University. The results found that higher levels of family conflict and lower levels of family expressiveness were associated with higher levels of decision-making confusion, commitment anxiety, and external conflict. Implications for career counselors are discussed.
Analysis of design process for mass customization based on axiomatic design

In this text, the theories of axiomatic design were introduced, and the process of product development for Mass Customization was divided into common development process and fast design process. The methods to realize the two processes were given out in this text.
The change of CD4~+ T-lymphocyte cell count with anti-virus treatment in 116 newly diagnosed AIDS patients,Henan

Objective To analyze the change of CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell count with antiretroviral therapy(ART) in newly diagnosed AIDS patients.Methods One hundred and sixteen newly diagnosed AIDS patients were under ART treatment in Henan,2009.We categorized the patients into three groups by CD4+T cell counts before ART,the group with CD4+T cell counts of 100-350 cells/μl,20-99 cells /μl and lower than 20 cells/μl,respectively.The CD4 cell counts were measured again after 2 and 5 months of ART treatment.The analysis of variance(ANOVA) was used to compare the changes of CD4 cell counts for different groups by SPSS 14.0.Results The mean values of CD4 cell count were significantly increased after 2 months of ART treatment for newly diagnosed AIDS patients with prior CD4 counts of 100-350 cells/μl[from(197.66±67.59)/μl to(316.81±128.81)/μl],20-99 cells/μl[from(46.62±18.71)/μl to(178.71±135.34)/μl]and lower than 20 cells/μl[from(9.39±5.10)/μl to(84.93±64.33)/μl],respectively(P0.05).However,there was no additional improvement after another 3 months treatment in any of the three groups.ART treatment efficacy was poor in AIDS patients with low CD4 counts before the therapy.Conclusions The early detection and treatment of HIV infection is critical for the efficacy of ART.
Current Postoperative Pain Management Protocols Contribute to the Opioid Epidemic in the United States

There is growing concern about the emergence of an "opioid epidemic" in the United States, where the abuse of opioids has had a devastating impact on public health and safety. Around 250 million prescriptions for pain medication are now written each year in this country, and 46 people die from an overdose of a prescription pain medication every day. A very strong correlation has been shown to exist between therapeutic exposure to opioid analgesics and the abuse of those drugs. In addition, opioid-related adverse events are a leading cause of preventable harm in hospitals and, as a result, these events have become a focus of attention for the Joint Commission, which has issued a Sentinel Event Alert on the safe use of opioids. A variety of government organizations and expert groups, such as the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Acute Pain Management, now recommend multimodal analgesia and weighing the benefits and risks of systemic opioids. The Joint Commission also has recommended that strategies for pain management include a patient-centered approach that takes into consideration the accompanying risks and benefits--including the potential risk of dependency, addiction, and abuse.
Luminal epidermal growth factor preserves mucosal mass of small bowel in fasting rats

1. Fasting causes atrophy of small bowel mucosa which rapidly resolves with luminal feeding. This effect of enteral nutrient may be mediated by stimulation of growth factor secretion. We therefore evaluated whether luminal administration of epidermal growth factor, a peptide hormone found in gastro-intestinal contents and trophic for small bowel mucosa, would prevent the mucosal atrophy associated with starvation. 2. Adult rats were: (i) fasted for 3 days, (ii) fasted and then refed for 1 day or (iii) fasted and then refed for 2 days. During the 2 days before study, animals in each group received infusions of epidermal growth factor (2.5 micrograms/day) or diluent alone into distal jejunum. 3. Epidermal growth factor treatment of fasted animals resulted in a tripling of mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity (P < 0.001) and a doubling of mucosal DNA content (P < 0.001) in the jejunum, values similar to those of refed animals. Epidermal growth factor infusion in refed rats resulted in a further doubling of mucosal ornithine decarboxylase activity (P < 0.001), but no additional increase in DNA content. Effects of epidermal growth factor infusion were generally greater in jejunum than ileum. 4. In conclusion, luminal exposure to epidermal growth factor prevents starvation-induced mucosal atrophy in the small bowel, but does not enhance the mucosal growth associated with refeeding. Effects are greatest at the site of administration. Luminal epidermal growth factor is a potential mediator of the indirect effects of nutrient on mucosal growth in the small bowel. Enteral administration of epidermal growth factor holds promise for preventing atrophy and maintaining mucosal integrity in starved and post-operative patients.
Changes in Pre- and Post-Exercise Gene Expression among Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Introduction Decreased insulin sensitivity blunts the normal increase in gene expression from skeletal muscle after exercise. In addition, chronic inflammation decreases insulin sensitivity. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an inflammatory state. How CKD and, subsequently, kidney transplantation affects skeletal muscle gene expression after exercise are unknown. Methods Study cohort: non-diabetic male/female 4/1, age 52±2 years, with end-stage CKD who underwent successful kidney transplantation. The following were measured both pre-transplant and post-transplant and compared to normals: Inflammatory markers, euglycemic insulin clamp studies determine insulin sensitivity, and skeletal muscle biopsies performed before and within 30 minutes after an acute exercise protocol. Microarray analyses were performed on the skeletal muscle using the 4x44K Whole Human Genome Microarrays. Since nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) plays an important role in T cell activation and calcineurin inhibitors are mainstay immunosuppression, calcineurin/NFAT pathway gene expression was compared at rest and after exercise. Log transformation was performed to prevent skewing of data and regression analyses comparing measures pre- and post-transplant performed. Result Markers of inflammation significantly improved post-transplantation. Insulin infusion raised glucose disposal slightly lower post-transplant compared to pre-transplant, but not significantly, thus concluding differences in insulin sensitivity were similar. The overall pattern of gene expression in response to exercise was reduced both pre-and post-transplant compared to healthy volunteers. Although significant changes were observed among NFAT/Calcineurin gene at rest and after exercise in normal cohort, there were no significant differences comparing NFAT/calcineurin pathway gene expression pre- and post-transplant. Conclusions Despite an improvement in serum inflammatory markers, no significant differences in glucose disposal were observed post-transplant. The reduced skeletal muscle gene expression, including NFAT/calcineurin gene expression, in response to a single bout of exercise was not improved post-transplant. This study suggests that the improvements in inflammatory mediators post-transplant are unrelated to changes of NFAT/calcineurin gene expression.
Pareto based optimal sizing and energy storage mix in ship power systems

The weight of onboard equipment represents a major concern in transportation systems. In ship power systems, in addition to weigh concerns, some loads are frequently demanding high power for short time durations. Thus, adding energy storage is mandatory to smooth the effect of these loads. This paper introduces a methodology based on Pareto concept to optimally size and select the mix of different energy storage technologies. The problem is formulated as a multi-objective Optimization (MOO), where two objectives are considered. The first is to minimize the voltage fluctuations on the buses and the second is to minimize the total weight of the Energy Storage System (ESS). Three candidate energy storage technologies were considered; lead acid, lithium ion batteries and Super-capacitors. The Pareto Front (PF) was obtained using Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithms II (NSGA-II). The results show the feasibility and computational efficiency of the proposed methodology.
Biologically Active Secondary Metabolites from the Fungi

Many Fungi have a well-developed secondary metabolism. The diversity of fungal species and the diversification of biosynthetic gene clusters underscores a nearly limitless potential for metabolic variation and an untapped resource for drug discovery and synthetic biology. Much of the ecological success of the filamentous fungi in colonizing the planet is owed to their ability to deploy their secondary metabolites in concert with their penetrative and absorptive mode of life. Fungal secondary metabolites exhibit biological activities that have been developed into life-saving medicines and agrochemicals. Toxic metabolites, known as mycotoxins, contaminate human and livestock food and indoor environments. Secondary metabolites are determinants of fungal diseases of humans, animals, and plants. Secondary metabolites exhibit a staggering variation in chemical structures and biological activities, yet their biosynthetic pathways share a number of key characteristics. The genes encoding cooperative steps of a biosynthetic pathway tend to be located contiguously on the chromosome in coregulated gene clusters. Advances in genome sequencing, computational tools, and analytical chemistry are enabling the rapid connection of gene clusters with their metabolic products. At least three fungal drug precursors, penicillin K and V, mycophenolic acid, and pleuromutilin, have been produced by synthetic reconstruction and expression of respective gene clusters in heterologous hosts. This review summarizes general aspects of fungal secondary metabolism and recent developments in our understanding of how and why fungi make secondary metabolites, how these molecules are produced, and how their biosynthetic genes are distributed across the Fungi. The breadth of fungal secondary metabolite diversity is highlighted by recent information on the biosynthesis of important fungus-derived metabolites that have contributed to human health and agriculture and that have negatively impacted crops, food distribution, and human environments.
Evaluating a Lithium-Seawater Battery on Gliders

AbstractNeutral-buoyancy vehicles demand high-density energy sources and lithium is light with high oxidation energy. PolyPlus Battery Company has developed a prototype lithium-seawater battery that is attractive for powering long-duration autonomous oceanographic vehicles (floats and underwater gliders). These batteries were tested in the laboratory and at sea.PolyPlus batteries use “Protected Lithium Electrodes” with proprietary “windows” protecting the volatile lithium anode from water while passing lithium ions. The cathode reduces oxygen dissolved in seawater, or hydrolyzes seawater to produce hydrogen. Not requiring additional electrolyte, fuel, or pressure cases, these cells have impressive weight advantages. Good electrode–seawater mass transfer is required but can increase drag and be impeded by biofouling.Tests assessing robustness of the PolyPlus batteries in oceanographic use, evaluating mass transfer issues, and observing biofouling impacts are reported. In sea trials, two cells were tested f...
Large-scale, real-time 3D scene reconstruction on a mobile device

Google’s Project Tango has made integrated depth sensing and onboard visual-intertial odometry available to mobile devices such as phones and tablets. In this work, we explore the problem of large-scale, real-time 3D reconstruction on a mobile devices of this type. Solving this problem is a necessary prerequisite for many indoor applications, including navigation, augmented reality and building scanning. The main challenges include dealing with noisy and low-frequency depth data and managing limited computational and memory resources. State of the art approaches in large-scale dense reconstruction require large amounts of memory and high-performance GPU computing. Other existing 3D reconstruction approaches on mobile devices either only build a sparse reconstruction, offload their computation to other devices, or require long post-processing to extract the geometric mesh. In contrast, we can reconstruct and render a global mesh on the fly, using only the mobile device’s CPU, in very large (300 m $$^2$$ ) scenes, at a resolutions of 2–3 cm. To achieve this, we divide the scene into spatial volumes indexed by a hash map. Each volume contains the truncated signed distance function for that area of space, as well as the mesh segment derived from the distance function. This approach allows us to focus computational and memory resources only in areas of the scene which are currently observed, as well as leverage parallelization techniques for multi-core processing. Furthermore, we describe an on-device post-processing method for fusing datasets from multiple, independent trials, in order to improve the quality and coverage of the reconstruction. We discuss how the particularities of the devices impact our algorithm and implementation decisions. Finally, we provide both qualitative and quantitative results on publicly available RGB-D datasets, and on datasets collected in real-time from two devices.
Keterikatan Fatwa Kepada Mazhab Syafi’i: Analisis Terhadap Fatwa- Fatwa Jemaah Ulama Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Istiadat Melayu Kelantan

Generally, religious rulings (fatwa) in Malaysia are based on Shafi’ite madhhab as adherence to provisions of enactments of respective state in Malaysia. However, recently there are changes in fatwa. This might be due to development of education system, exposure of ulama and public to openly discussion of islamic rules, public interest and their necessity to a certain view as a wise solution that meets the reality and contemporary needs. Therefore, the article attempts to analyse factors that lead to upholding of Shafi’ite madhhab in fatwa as well as to identify rooms for other views of other madhhab in issuing such a fatwa. This is a library research whereby primary sources is a collection of fatwa of Religious council of Kelantan. Those data then have been analysed by using content analysis method. The findings of this research are, the restriction to Shafi’ite madhhab in Kelantan is confirmed in taking place of previous years, however in nowaday there is a room for different views of other madhhabs. In addition, there are recent changes of fatwa due to consideration of maqasid al-shariah (objectives of Shariah). It is also observed that responses of Religious Council to questions are in accordance to the local need and up to date. It also deal with wisdom as reflected to its members of fatwa authority and social needs. Keywords: Shafi’ite madhhab, religious rulings/fatwas, jemaah ulama of kelantan