cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forcing open TRP channels: Mechanical gating as a unifying activation mechanism

Transient receptor potential (TRP) proteins are cation channels that comprise a superfamily of molecular sensors that enable animals to detect a wide variety of environmental stimuli. This versatility enables vertebrate and invertebrate TRP channels to function in a diversity of senses, ranging from vision to taste, smell, touch, hearing, proprioception and thermosensation. Moreover, many individual TRP channels are activated through a surprising range of sensory stimuli. The multitasking nature of TRP channels raises the question as to whether seemingly disparate activators gate TRPs through common strategies. In this regard, a recent major advance is the discovery that a phospholipase C (PLC)-dependent signaling cascade activates the TRP channels in Drosophila photoreceptor cells through generation of force in the lipid-bilayer. The premise of this review is that mechanical force is a unifying, common strategy for gating TRP channels. In addition to several TRP channels that function in mechanosensation and are gated by force applied to the cells, changes in temperature or alterations in the concentration of lipophilic second messengers through stimulation of signaling cascades, cause architectural modifications of the cell membrane, which in turn activate TRP channels through mechanical force. Consequently, TRPs are capable of functioning as stretch-activated channels, even in cases in which the stimuli that initiate the signaling cascades are not mechanical. We propose that most TRPs are actually mechanosensitive channels (MSCs), which undergo conformational changes in response to tension imposed on the lipid bilayer, resulting in channel gating.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Top-Cited Journal Articles in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Importance Citation analysis is a bibliometric method that uses citation rates to evaluate research performance. This type of analysis can identify the articles that have shaped the modern history of obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN). Objectives To identify and characterize top-cited OBGYN articles in the Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science’s Science Citation Index Expanded and to compare top-cited OBGYN articles published in specialty OBGYN journals with those published in nonspecialty journals. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional bibliometric analysis of top-cited articles that were indexed in the Science Citation Index Expanded from 1980 to 2018. The Science Citation Index Expanded was queried using search terms from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s 2018 certifying examination topics list. The top 100 articles from all journals and the top 100 articles from OBGYN journals were evaluated for specific characteristics. Data were analyzed in March 2019. Main Outcomes and Measures The articles were characterized by citation number, publication year, topic, study design, and authorship. After excluding articles that featured on both lists, top-cited articles were compared. Results The query identified 3 767 874 articles, of which 278 846 (7.4%) were published in OBGYN journals. The top-cited article was published by Rossouw and colleagues inJAMA(2002). Top-cited articles published in nonspecialty journals were more frequently cited than those in OBGYN journals (median [interquartile range], 1738 [1490-2077] citations vs 666 [580-843] citations, respectively;P Conclusions and Relevance This study found substantial differences between top-cited OBGYN articles published in nonspecialty vs OBGYN journals. These differences may reflect the different goals of the journals, which work together to ensure optimal dissemination of impactful articles.
Preventing Cell-to-Cell Propagation of Thermal Runaway in Lithium-Ion Batteries

It is presumed that heat generated from a trigger cell under thermal runaway (TR) in multi-cell Li-ion batteries is transferred to adjacent cells mostly by convection of ejected hot matter (and to a lesser degree by direct contact and radiative heat transfer). Therefore, venting the energized materials (ejecta) from the battery compartment should prevent cell-to-cell TR propagation. However, engineering solutions to vent ejecta from TR of an individual cell fail to prevent TR propagation, subsequently causing battery fires. Real-time in situ FTIR spectroscopy of ejecta from a cell driven into TR demonstrates that large amounts of carbonate esters are already vented from the cell before it goes into TR. The vented hot gases cool down and condense on top of adjacent cells. Subsequently, when the trigger cell reaches TR, this condensate ignites, transferring heat and potentially driving the receiving cells into TR. Computational fluid dynamics and thermal simulations of this pathway support the experimental findings. Numerical results indicate that a fraction of the solvent vented from the trigger cell is sufficient for efficient TR propagation. Our results shed new light on thermal propagation in multi-cell Li-ion batteries and suggest novel methods to prevent TR propagation.
Momentum managing epidemic spread and Bessel functions

Starting with the power law for the total number of detected infections, we propose differential equations describing the effect of momentum epidemic management. Our 2-phase formula matches very well the curves of the total numbers of the Covid-19 infection in many countries; the first phase is described by Bessel functions. It provides projections for the saturation, assuming that the management is steady. We discuss Austria, Brazil, Germany, Japan, India, Israel, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and the USA, including some analysis of the second waves.
Digital evidence experts in the law enforcement community: understanding the use of forensics examiners by police agencies

Mobile phones are often used in criminal enterprises as well as by individual offenders. In criminal cases, almost 80–90% of the cases criminal computer forensic examiners work on are related to child pornography (Nodeland et al. J Crim Justice Educ 30:71–90, 2018). In an effort to fight electronic crime and to collect digital evidence for criminal acts, law enforcement agencies are incorporating the collection of tools for analysis of digital evidence, also known as computer forensics, into their law enforcement infrastructure. Police agencies are challenged with the need to train officers to collect digital evidence and keep up with large and evolving technologies such as computer operating systems and cell phone technologies. Digital evidence is now being used to prosecute all types of crimes. Skilled officers and examiners are needed to examine this critical need in the criminal justice system. This research surveyed 59 (N = 59) Texas police agencies in their use of digital forensic examiners. The findings reflect that numerous agencies often use a part-time police officer/examiner to investigate the digital evidence that comes into the agency that can limit the expertise in the agency. Implications for this research are discussed.
A High Gas Transfer Efficiency Microfluidic Oxygenator for Extracorporeal Respiratory Assist Applications in Critical Care Medicine.

Advances in microfluidics technologies have spurred the development of a new generation of microfluidic respiratory assist devices, constructed using microfabrication techniques capable of producing microchannel dimensions similar to those found in human capillaries and gas transfer films in the same thickness range as the alveolar membrane. These devices have been tested in laboratory settings and in some cases in extracorporeal animal experiments, yet none have been advanced to human clinical studies. A major challenge in the development of microfluidic oxygenators is the difficulty in scaling the technology toward high blood flows necessary to support adult humans; such scaling efforts are often limited by the complexity of the fabrication process and the manner in which blood is distributed in a three-dimensional network of microchannels. Conceptually, a central advantage of microfluidic oxygenators over existing hollow-fiber membrane-based configurations is the potential for shallower channels and thinner gas transfer membranes, features that reduce oxygen diffusion distances, to result in a higher gas transfer efficiency defined as the ratio of the volume of oxygen transferred to the blood per unit time to the active surface area of the gas transfer membrane. If this ratio is not significantly higher than values reported for hollow fiber membrane oxygenators (HFMO), then the expected advantage of the microfluidic approach would not be realized in practice, potentially due to challenges encountered in blood distribution strategies when scaling microfluidic designs to higher flow rates. Here we report on scaling of a microfluidic oxygenator design from 4 mL/min to 92 mL/min blood flow, within an order of magnitude of the flow rate required for neonatal applications. This scaled device is shown to have a gas transfer efficiency higher than any other reported system in the literature, including other microfluidic prototypes and commercial HFMO cartridges. While the high oxygen transfer efficiency is a promising advance toward clinical scaling of a microfluidic architecture, it is accompanied by an excessive blood pressure drop in the circuit, arising from a combination of shallow gas transfer channels and equally shallow distribution manifolds. Therefore, next generation microfluidic oxygenators will require novel design and fabrication strategies to minimize pressure drops while maintaining very high oxygen transfer efficiencies.
The Influence of Shan-Wu HVDC System on the Operation Characteristics of Hubei Power Grid

The ±800kV Shaanxi-Wuhan HVDC system (hereinafter referred to as Shan-Wu HVDC system) with will be put into full operation in 2022. To improve the strength of the receiving-end grid and strengthen the optimal distribution of electric energy, the 1000kV Central China double-looped AC network will be put into operation simultaneously. The short-circuit current, power flow distribution, transient stability and voltage stability characteristics of Hubei power grid will be greatly affected by Shan-Wu HVDC system and the double-looped AC networks. This paper analyzes and calculates the short circuit level, power flow distribution, transient stability and voltage stability characteristics of Hubei power grid after Shan-Wu HVDC system is put into operation, and the corresponding operation management measures and optimization suggestions of power grid structure are given.
Research of the Effect of Macrogeometric Structures on the Melt Front Using Simulation

In plastics processing, sizing procedures in many cases form a compound system, which cannot described in analytical form. Nowadays, interacting flow behaviours of complex geometries are almost solely solved in simulation software. These are capable of mapping phase transitions in injection moulding. During the process, the tool cavity is filled with an expansion flow. As a result, a stretching flow develops on the surface of the melt front, resulting a high degree of orientation. In addition, the shear stress in the layers next to the wall also changes the confrontation of the molecules. Inside the melt front, on the other hand, there is a much smaller degree of orientation. In addition to the velocity gradient, there is also a temperature gradient. However, it should not be forgotten that the flow of the melt front is also greatly affected by the quality of the tool surface. Based on all this, a complex shell-core structure is formed in injection moulded products. The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of the macro geometric structure formed on the mould insert on the progress of the melt front. The simulation results were tested in practice with the same parameters.
Fever in the Returned Pediatric Traveler

Global mobility has been steadily increasing in recent years. The assessment of the febrile child returning from international travel is a diagnostic challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected international travel and made evaluation and management of the sick returned traveler more challenging. Children visiting friends and relatives abroad remain at higher risk of infection compared to tourists. This review presents a guidance on the initial assessment of a traveling febrile child including interpretation of medical history, physical examination, and laboratory findings. Important clues to etiology include exposure to different infectious agents, incubation periods of pathogens, and prophylaxis regimens and vaccines received. Early identification of potentially life-threatening and highly contagious infections is essential. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology, evaluation, and management of specific travel related infections such as malaria, typhoid fever, dengue fever, viral hemorrhagic fever, rickettsiosis, leptospirosis, schistosomiasis, gastrointestinal, and respiratory infections.
On the rotational symmetry of 3-dimensional $κ$-solutions

Author(s): Bamler, Richard H; Kleiner, Bruce | Abstract: In a recent paper, Brendle showed the uniqueness of the Bryant soliton among 3-dimensional $\kappa$-solutions. In this paper, we present an alternative proof for this fact and show that compact $\kappa$-solutions are rotational symmetric. Our proof arose from independent work relating to our Strong Stability Theorem for singular Ricci flows.
KondoCloud: Improving Information Management in Cloud Storage via Recommendations Based on File Similarity

Users face many challenges in keeping their personal file collections organized. While current file-management interfaces help users retrieve files in disorganized repositories, they do not aid in organization. Pertinent files can be difficult to find, and files that should have been deleted may remain. To help, we designed KondoCloud, a file-browser interface for personal cloud storage. KondoCloud makes machine learning-based recommendations of files users may want to retrieve, move, or delete. These recommendations leverage the intuition that similar files should be managed similarly. We developed and evaluated KondoCloud through two complementary online user studies. In our Observation Study, we logged the actions of 69 participants who spent 30 minutes manually organizing their own Google Drive repositories. We identified high-level organizational strategies, including moving related files to newly created sub-folders and extensively deleting files. To train the classifiers that underpin KondoCloud’s recommendations, we had participants label whether pairs of files were similar and whether they should be managed similarly. In addition, we extracted ten metadata and content features from all files in participants’ repositories. Our logistic regression classifiers all achieved F1 scores of 0.72 or higher. In our Evaluation Study, 62 participants used KondoCloud either with or without recommendations. Roughly half of participants accepted a non-trivial fraction of recommendations, and some participants accepted nearly all of them. Participants who were shown the recommendations were more likely to delete related files located in different directories. They also generally felt the recommendations improved efficiency. Participants who were not shown recommendations nonetheless manually performed about a third of the actions that would have been recommended.
What Good Is a Theory of Freedom That Allows Forced Labor? Independence and Modern Theories of Freedom

The observation that propertylessness effectively forces individuals to accept employment is not new. What is most new in this book is the central role this observation takes in a theory of status freedom. This chapter compares the theory of status freedom outlined in this book with the modern literature on freedom. It argues that recent literature on freedom has paid insufficient attention to status freedom2 and that a concern for status freedom as ECSO freedom or independence would make theories of freedom more plausible. The following chapter (chapter 8) discusses independence in the context of modern liberal-egalitarian theories of justice.
Simulation and Control of a Multi-Stage Batch Operation with Measurement Constraints

This paper presents the simulation of a multi-stage batch operation, such as sputtering. The objective of the research is to examine the effect of different sampling strategies on the overall control of part-to-part quality, not the control of the continuous processes that occur during each stage. Selection of a sampling strategy is difficult because the measurement system for the operation is constrained in such a way that sampling control variables at each stage simultaneously is not possible. At individual stages, supervisory controllers are implemented to maintain part-to-part quality. Hence, the process and its simulation are completely discrete since it is the behavior of the supervisory loops that are studied. The immediate results of this research indicate that the strategies that repetitively sample every other stage are superior to the other methods considered. Additionally, these results may direct the development of intelligent sampling strategies that will not be static and fixed, but will strategically sample stages in order to better maintain overall product quality.
A Combinatorial Scheme for Developing Efficient Composite Solvers

Many fundamental problems in scientific computing have more than one solution method. It is not uncommon for alternative solution methods to represent different tradeoffs between solution cost and reliability. Furthermore, the performance of a solution method often depends on the numerical properties of the problem instance and thus can vary dramatically across application domains. In such situations, it is natural to consider the construction of a multi-method composite solver to potentially improve both the average performance and reliability. In this paper, we provide a combinatorial framework for developing such composite solvers. We provide analytical results for obtaining an optimal composite from a set of methods with normalized measures of performance and reliability. Our empirical results demonstrate the effectiveness of such optimal composites for solving large, sparse linear systems of equations.
The invertebrate deuterostomes: an introduction to their phylogeny, reproduction, development, and genomics

Publisher Summary The invertebrate deuterostomes comprise approximately 10,000 species of marine animals distributed throughout the oceans of the world. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies suggest that the deuterostomes include only the echinoderms, hemichordates, and chordates. Among the echinoderms, sea urchins are most widely used for developmental studies. Sexual reproduction is by far the most common mode within the group. Although sexual reproduction is predominant, reproduction by asexual budding occurs in a number of groups that have colonial forms, including pterobranch hemichordates and the colonial ascidians. Experimental work with invertebrate deuterostomes has played an important role in developmental biology, cell biology, and genetics. The ability to produce vast numbers of synchronously developing embryos (using methods that are best developed with sea urchins) facilitates a wide variety of biochemical and molecular biological approaches, from protein purification to complementary DNA (cDNA) library construction. Genomic resources are being developed from a variety of these organisms because of the utility of invertebrate deuterostomes for developmental analysis and their close phylogenetic relationship to vertebrates. The draft genomic sequences of two invertebrate deuterostomes, the related ascidians C. intestinalis and C. savignyi , are released. A useful feature of invertebrate deuterostome genomes is that many genes appear to be present in single copies that are found in multiple copies in vertebrate genomes.
REVISIÓN DE LIBROS Tuberculosis Victorino Farga y José Antonio Caminero. Tercera edición. 2010. 483 paginas Editorial Mediterráneo, Santiago y Buenos Aires

El estudio de medicina en la Universidad de Chile en los anos 60 exponia a los estudiantes a una serie de discrepancias aparentemente inexplicadas y sin solucion. Ilustrado esto por ejemplo, por la magnifica e inigualable docencia clinica impartida por nuestros profesores, la cual contrastaba con la falta absoluta de textos locales y en castellano, que permitieran utilizar y reflexionar sobre esta experiencia a traves del tiempo. Similarmente, el conocimiento y el buen juicio de los docentes eran a menudo limitados en la resolucion de problemas clinicos, por el primitivo e ineficaz desarrollo de los laboratorios destinados al apoyo de la practica medica. Esta ultima falencia, era muy clara en el diagnostico y tratamiento de las enfermedades infecciosas, en donde las endocarditis bacterianas, las bacteremias y las meningitis con cultivo negativo eran desafortunadamente la regla mas que la excepcion. Es en parte por esta historia que la aparicion y la lectura de la tercera edicion del texto Tuberculosis de los profesores V. Farga y J. A. Caminero produce una considerable satisfaccion. La publicacion de una tercera y ampliada edicion de este libro es una manifestacion de la alta calidad de su contenido, de la perseverancia de los autores en continuar haciendo accesible su dilatada y renovada experiencia a una audiencia que la necesita y de la creacion de un mercado que hace factible la comercializacion de este tipo de obras medicas tan oportunas para los paises de habla castellana. En la obra los autores, ademas de exponernos a su importante experiencia en el manejo de la tuberculosis, imparten una equilibrada vision sobre lo que deben ser las contribuciones de la clinica, el laboratorio y la radiologia al diagnostico y tratamiento de esta enfermedad. En 25 capitulos y 483 paginas presentan ademas de la clinica de la enfermedad, adecuados y precisos elementos de inmunologia, microbiologia, patologia e epidemiologia, que son fundamentales para entender la evolucion de esta enfermedad en el individuo y la comunidad. Ademas los autores usan todo este conocimiento para iluminar la racionalidad de los pilares del diagnostico y el tratamiento de la tuberculosis como son la reaccion cutanea a la tuberculina, la baciloscopia y el cultivo y las determinaciones de la susceptibilidad a los antimicrobianos.
Direct mode coding for bi-predictive pictures in the JVT standard

The direct mode can considerably improve coding efficiency of Bi-predictive pictures within the JVT standard since, by exploiting the correlation that may exist between pictures, it can effectively represent block motion without having to transmit any motion information. Until recently the only correlation that was exploited was temporal correlation which, unfortunately, implies that the motion and timestamp information for previous pictures are available in both the encoder and decoder. In this document we introduce an alternative method for calculating the direct mode parameters using spatial correlation. Our method can achieve similar coding efficiency to the temporal method, while at the same time reducing memory requirements and without requiring timestamp information. In addition, improvements on the existing Rate Distortion Optimization related to Bi-predictive pictures within the JVT coded are also presented.
UNILATERAL MULTICYSTIC KIDNEY IN INFANTS

Four infants are reported with unilateral replacement of the kidney by large cysts. These cases and six similar ones found in the literature show: (a) a large abdominal mass producing pressure symptoms only; (b) a normal contralateral kidney; (c) progressive increase in size of the mass; (d) adequate renal function after resection of the involved kidney.
Memory energy characterization and optimization for the SPEC2000 benchmarks

With an increasing focus on low power computing devices such as PDA's, energy has become an important criterion for optimization. Power mode control of memory devices has the potential to significantly reduce energy consumption, for a moderate increase in execution time. Prior studies have explored the benefits of many schemes for DRAM power mode control. In this work, we present a framework for estimating the optimal energy savings that can be obtained under various constraints. We also analyze the memory energy consumption patterns of a set of benchmarks drawn from the SPEC2000 suite and establish that energy consumed during power mode transitions is a significant component of DRAM energy. We characterize the memory access behavior of these benchmarks by studying their inter access times. Based on our analysis, we revisit existing mode control schemes and fine tune their performance. In particular we propose a history based mode control policy, which performs better than the existing schemes in most cases.
A design methodology for fuzzy controllers and comparison with an optimal PD controller for a nonlinear control system

This paper presents a method for designing fuzzy logic controllers by using the experience of human operators and/or control engineers. This five-step method, involving a fuzzy logic controller, uses a modified fuzzy associative memory (FAM) approach. The Magnetic Ball Suspension Problem (a nonlinear system problem) is used for illustrative purposes. Comparisons with an optimal PD controller in the linearized and nonlinear cases are made with the result that not only is the fuzzy logic controller more robust than the optimal PD controller in the sense of stability, but it also provides better performance for a given performance index. >
Heterogeneous Computing [Guest editors' introduction]

This introduction to the special issue discusses the value of heterogeneity its applications in computing.
Cesaro's integral formula for the Bell numbers (corrected)

M. E. Cesaro (1885) gave a quite remarkable expression for the Bell number --the number of partitions of an n-element set -- as a definite integral. This note is an exposition, correcting a typographical error in the original.
Effects of sediment pulses on bed relief in bar-pool channels

To further develop prediction of the range of morphological adjustments associated with sediment pulses in bar-pool channels, we analyze channel bed topographic data collected prior to and following the removal of two dams in Oregon: Marmot Dam on the Sandy River and Brownsville Dam on the Calapooia River. We hypothesize that, in gravel-bed, bar-pool channels, the response of bed relief to sand and gravel sediment pulses is a function of initial relief and pulse magnitude. Modest increases in sediment supply to initially low-relief, sediment-poor cross-sections will increase bed relief and variance of bed relief via bar deposition. Modest increases in sediment supply to initially high-relief cross-sections, characteristic of alternate bar morphology, will result in decreased bed relief and variance of relief via deposition in bar-adjacent pools. These hypothesized adjustments are measured in terms of bed relief, which we define as the difference in elevation between the pool-bottom and bar-top. We evaluate how relief varies with sediment thickness, where both relief and mean sediment thickness at a cross-section are normalized by the 90th percentile of observed relief values within a reach prior to a sediment pulse. Field measurements generally supported the stated hypotheses, demonstrating how introduction of a sediment pulse to low-relief reaches can increase mean and variance of relief, while introduction to high-relief reaches can decrease the mean and variance of bed relief, at least temporarily. In general, at both sites, the degree of impact increased with the thickness of sediment delivered to the cross-section. Results thus suggest that the analysis is a useful step for understanding the morphological effects of sediment pulses introduced to gravel-bed, bar-pool channels. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surgical management of rhinosinusitis in endoscopic-endonasal skull-base surgery.

Background Endoscopic-endonasal skull base surgery (ESBS) provides an important approach to select pathologies. There remains a paucity of data, however, regarding morbidity in patients undergoing ESBS with comorbid acute rhinosinusitis (ARS), a fungal ball (FB), or chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Methods A retrospective database review between January 2008 and January 2013 identified 35 patients with concurrent skull-base pathology and refractory ARS, FB, CRS, and CRS with nasal polyposis (CRSP) who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and ESBS. Results Two of 35 (5.7%) had an FB, 3 of 35 (8.6%) had ARS, 19 of 35 (54.2%) had CRSP, and 11 of 35 (31.4%) had CRS. Five of 35 (14.3%) were staged procedures whereas 30 of 35 (85.7%) underwent concurrent ESS and ESBS. Four patients (80%) who were staged carried diagnoses of an FB and ARS. Two patients in the concurrent group required revision ESS for recurrent polyposis. There were no cases of intraorbital or intracranial infectious complications. Conclusion Management of the paranasal sinuses is paramount to maintain healthy sinonasal function in patients undergoing ESBS. In our experience, most cases of CRS and CRSP can be surgically managed at the time of ESBS without increased risk of intracranial infection. Patients with ARS at the time of surgery or an FB should be staged to avoid postoperative ESBS morbidity.
Age dependent changes in Na+−K+, activated ATPase activity of locust rectum

Na+−K+, activated ATPase showed an increase in activity at the beginning of the 5th instar and adult life. This was followed by a relatively constant level of activity which, in larval preparations only, was not maintained but decreased with the onset of metamorphosis.
Density effect for the ionization loss of charged particles in various substances

The density-effect correction δ(β) for the ionization energy loss of charged particles has been evaluated as a function of the particle velocity for a total of 278 substances, including 98 cases of elements of the periodic table (12 gases and 86 condensed materials, including liquid hydrogen and graphite of three different densities) and 180 chemical compounds and substances of biological interest (13 gases and 167 liquid or solid substances). In the calculations, up-to-date values of the mean excitation potential I and of the atomic absorption edges hvi were employed as input data for the general equations for δ(β) previously derived by Sternheimer.
Moral and Nonmoral Freedom in Kant

Many scholars, in view of the close link that he draws between morality and freedom, argue that Kant does not think that there are free choices between nonmoral ends. On this view, Kant only posits a freedom to resist our desires and act morally. We are still responsible for immoral choices because we always have the power to act morally. Henry Allison has opposed this reading by arguing that Kant grounds a notion of nonmoral freedom in the Incorporation Thesis. In this paper, I criticize Allison's argument and then try to replace it with an alternative that grounds nonmoral freedom in morality.
Managed Consumerism In Health Care

The future of market-oriented health policy and practice lies in “managed consumerism,” a blend of the patient-centric focus of consumer-driven health care and the provider-centric focus of managed competition. The optimal locus of incentives will vary among health services according to the nature of the illness, the clinical technology, and the extent of discretion in utilization. A competitive market will manifest a variety of comprehensive and limited benefit designs, broad and narrow contractual networks, and single-and multispecialty provider organizations.
Fungal endogenous rhythms expressed by spiral figures.

Culture zonations in two fungi, Nectria cinnabarina and Penicillium diversum , are expressions of endogenous rhythms. These culture zonations may take the form of either concentric rings or Archimedes' spirals. The rhythm in N. cinnabarina is noncircadian. The rhythm in P. diversum is relatively insensitive to temperature and has a period of approximately 24 hours. The lack of a demonstrable mechanism for phase shifting suggests that this rhythm may also be noncircadian.
Determination of arsenic in plant tissue using a slurry sampling graphite furnace

Abstract Commonly used methods of arsenic (As) determination in plant material require dissolution of tissue in strong acids prior to analysis. Progress in the graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) technique has made the determination of metals in solid samples possible. This study was undertaken to evaluate the possibility of As determination directly in ground plant tissue using GFAAS. The Perkin‐Elmer Model 4100 ZL atomic absorption spectrometer with Zeeman background correction and AS‐70 autosampler has been used for analysis. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and com (Zea mays L.) tissues samples containing various As levels were used as test materials. Before injection of the plant slurry into the furnace, the ultrasonic agitator was used to mix the slurry in the autosampler cup to assure uniform distribution of plant powder in the whole volume of liquid. The furnace program contained a pyrolysis step using palladium as the modifier. The GFAAS method was compared with the hydride generat...
Characterization of Interaction of Water in Epoxy by UV Reflection Spectroscopy

Water uptake in diglycidyl ether of butanediol (DGEB) epoxy cured with 4,4‘-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) was studied using UV reflection spectroscopy. There is a progressive shift to longer wavelength of approximately 13 nm for the DDS reflection peak at 338 nm upon exposure to water, apparently due to hydrogen bonding of water to DDS through the SO2 group. The fraction of hydrogen-bonded DDS through SO2 with water was estimated by spectral deconvolution, and subsequently the fraction of hydrogen-bonded water to DDS through SO2 was obtained. When the epoxy is saturated with water containing 9 wt % of epoxy, the SO2 group in DDS is fully hydrogen bonded, while 32% of absorbed water is hydrogen bonded to the SO2 group of DDS. Since hydrogen bonding of water to the tertiary amino group of DDS does not show up in UV reflection spectra, the fractions of hydrogen-bonded water are smaller than the values published recently by NIR studies, which account for both types of hydrogen-bonded water.
Regulation of the F plasmid tra Y promoter in Escherichia coli by host and plasmid factors

Abstract F plasmid DNA transfer (tra) gene expression in Escherichia coli is regulated by chromosome- and F-encoded gene products. To study the relationship among these regulatory factors, we constructed low-copy plasmids containing a Φ(traY′-'lacZ)hyb gene that couples β-galactosidase and Lac permease synthesis to the F plasmid tra Y promoter. Wild-type transformants maintained high levels of β-galactosidase over a broad range of culture densities. Primer extension analysis of tra mRNA from F′lac and Φ(traY′-′lacZ)hyb strains indicated very similar, though not identical, transcription initiation sites. Moreover, Φ(tra Y′-′lacZ)hyb gene expression required both TraJ and SfrA, as does tra gene expression in F+ strains. β-Galactosidase activity was reduced ≈30-fold in the absence of TraJ, which could be supplied in cis or in trans. In a two-plasmid system in which TraJ was supplied in trans by a lac-traJ operon fusion, Φ(tra Y′-′lacZ)hyb expression was a linear, saturable function of traJ expression. Enzyme activity was reduced ≈ tenfold in sfrA mutants. That reduction could not be attributed to an effect on the TraJ level. Several other cellular or environmental variables had only a modest effect on Φ(traY′-′lacZ)hyb expression. Hyperexpression was observed at high cell density (twofold) and in anaerobic cultures (1.2-to 1.5-fold). In contrast, expression was reduced twofold in integration host factor mutants.
Using exploration history to estimate undiscovered resources

Inference about deposits left to be discovered in a partially explored oil field that require only assumptions about the randomness in the exploration procedure are considered. Unbiased estimators, estimators based on partial likelihood methods and confidence procedures are proposed.
Local buckling of steel sections under cyclic loading

Abstract In order to understand the influences of local buckling under cyclic loading conditions, experimental studies were carried out on W8 × 10 A-36 structural steel members subjected to selected monotonic, cyclic and non-proportional loading paths under combined axial force and bending moment. Test results show that strength of the member deteriorates after local buckling. The critical deformation capacity for the cyclic loading condition is lower than 60% of the value for the monotonic pure bending condition. The influence of local buckling on the behavior of pure bending for monotonic and cyclic loading condition is small, but the one under monotonic bending with a large initial axial strain as well as the one under combined bending and axial for both monotonic and cyclic loading condition is serious. A simple analytical model, based on the stress resultant plasticity model developed earlier at the University at Buffalo for predicting cyclic post-local buckling behavior, has been proposed. This model utilizes the cyclic post-local buckling moment-curvature relationship, and can describe the strength and the stiffness deterioration which are the important factors in the cyclic post-local buckling behavior of thin-walled structural members.
Reciprocal Regulation of Mammalian Nitric Oxide Synthase and Calcineurin by Plant Calmodulin Isoforms

Calmodulin (CaM) is the primary mediator of Ca signal transduction processes in cells. Unlike animal cells, plant cells express multiple CaM isoforms. One cloned soybean CaM isoform (SCaM-4) half-maximally activated mammalian nitric oxide synthase (NOS) at 180 nM while another (SCaM-1) served as a competitive antagonist (Ki ≈ 120 nM) of this activation. The reciprocal was true for the protein phosphatase calcineurin (CaN); SCaM-1 half-maximally activated mammalian CaN at ∼12 nM, and SCaM-4 competitively antagonized (Ki ≈ 70 nM) its activation. The reciprocal enzyme activation and competitive inhibition exhibited by these plant CaM isoforms suggest that their differential expression in cells could allow selective activation of some target enzymes and the selective inhibition of others. This may allow for a branching or bifurcation in the Ca2+-CaM signal transduction pathway and to alterations in cell function.
Determination of flow regime and gas holdup in gas–liquid stirred tanks

This work provides an in-situ method for determining the flow regime in a lab scale gas–liquid stirred tank reactor based on optical probe measurements. Tapered (conical) end optical fibers, which can distinguish which phase their tips are surrounded by, were employed over the whole range of practical operating conditions achievable in our Chemical Reaction Engineering Laboratory (CREL). After checking for sources of error associated with the rise and fall times of the measured signals, gas holdup and bubble count profiles were obtained by processing the time-series data with appropriate in-house developed algorithms. The data were presented in terms of the two dimensionless numbers, the Flow Number (Fl) and the Froude Number (Fr). All experiments were executed with an air–water system but the technique can be employed with all liquids and gases. The results suggest that the optical probe, when strategically positioned, can successfully and readily determine which state of dispersion the reactor is in. This reveals the technique׳s potential usefulness as an important research and control tool.
Evolution and demise of the Last Interglacial warmth in the subpolar North Atlantic

Detailed faunal, isotopic, and lithic marine records provide new insight into the stability and climate progression of the last interglacial period, Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5, which peaked approximately 125,000 years ago. In the eastern subpolar North Atlantic, at the latitude of Ireland, interglacial warmth of the ice volume minimum of substage 5e (MIS 5e) lasted � 10,000 years (10 ka) and its demise occurred in two cooling steps. The first cooling step marked the end of the climatic optimum, which was 2–3 ka long. Minor ice rafting accompanied each cooling step; the second, larger, step encompassing cold events C26 and C25 was previously identified in the northwestern Atlantic. Approximately 41C of cooling occurred between peak interglacial warmth and C25, and the region experienced an additional temporary cooling of at least 1–21C during C24, a cooling event associated with widespread ice rafting in the North Atlantic. Beginning with C24, MIS 5 was characterized by oscillations of at least 1–21C superimposed on a generally cool baseline. The results of this study imply that the marine climatic optimum of the last interglacial was shorter than previously thought. The finding that the eastern subpolar North Atlantic cooled significantly before C24 reconciles terrestrial evidence for progressive climate deterioration at similar and lower latitudes with marine conditions. Our results also demonstrate a close association between modest ice rafting, cooling, and deep ocean circulation even during the peak of MIS 5e and in the earliest stages of ice growth.
Predicting University Preference and Attendance: Applied Marketing in Higher Education Administration.

A multi-attribute attitude model, based on the efforts of Rosenberg and Fishbein, was used to determine whether a multicriteria scale can be used to predict student preferences for and attendance at universities. Data were gathered from 241 freshmen attending five state universities in Ohio. Responsents were asked to weight the importance of 18 selection criteria and evaluate seven universities using those criteria. These data were processed through the model, and the results were compared to the respondents' preference ordering of the universities. The results indicate a high level of predictability, particularly for highly ranked universities. Implications for the marketing of higher educational institutions are discussed.
Electrical Impedance Imaging Of The Body With Nonlinear Reconstruction

In this paper, we survey existing various impedance techniques and we propose to develop a new imaging technology, computerized impedance tomography (CIT),for imaging the thorax. By applying high-frequency current and measuring its distribution, it should be possible to reconstruct the impedance images of the body noninvasively and nondestructively for the frontal plane, the transverse plane, and eventually three dimensions. We overcome difficulties in the reconstruction procedure due to nonlinear and nonplanar current paths by solving Laplace's equation numerically in our model for every iteration and by using a nonlinear back-projection reconstruction algorithm to obtain the impedance image iteratively. Results of our simulation study with computer-generated phantom objects in the computer model indicate that reasonable impedance images in one transverse plane of the thorax can be obtained with 8 current projections. We discuss advantages and disadvantages associated with impedance imaging, the computer model, important variables affecting the quality of reconstructed impedance images, and back-projection algorithms used in reconstructing impedance images. We present reconstructed impedance images with 8 projection angles and different projection methods. We summarize numerical aspects, computer requirements, and limitations of impedance imaging. We also discuss the future of impedance imaging.
How bacterial ADP-ribosylating toxins recognize substrates

ExoS and ExoT are bifunctional type III cytotoxins of Pseudomonas aeruginosa that contain an N-terminal RhoGAP domain and a C-terminal ADP-ribosylation domain. Although they share 76% amino acid identity, ExoS and ExoT ADP-ribosylate different substrates. Using protein modeling and site-directed mutagenesis, the regions of ExoS and ExoT that define substrate specificity were determined. Regions B (active site loop), C (ARTT motif) and E (PN loop) on ExoS are necessary and sufficient to recognize ExoS targets, whereas regions B, C and E on ExoT are necessary but not sufficient to recognize ExoT targets, such as the Crk proteins. A specific Crk recognition motif on ExoT was defined as region A (helix α1). The electrostatic properties of regions A, B, C and E define the substrate specificity of ExoS and ExoT and these interactions can explain how other bacterial ADP-ribosylating toxins recognize their unique substrates.
Growth, rubber, and resin evaluation of two-year-old transgenic guayule

Abstract Guayule ( Parthenium argentatum Gray) is a desert shrub that is a source of hypoallergenic, high-quality latex and rubber. Improvements in rubber content and yield have been made through conventional selection techniques. Further improvements are being attempted by transforming guayule with one of three genes encoding various allylic diphosphate synthases in the rubber biosynthesis pathway. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of these transgenes on growth, rubber and resin production, in field-grown guayule. Tissue culture-generated transgenic plants of the lines AZ 101, AZ-2 and N6-5 were planted in two field plots in 2001 and 2002. In both plots, plant height and width were measured monthly. Branches from each plant were sampled every four months starting at one year of growth. Resin and rubber were quantified by gravimetric analysis after being sequentially extracted with acetone (resin) and cyclohexane (rubber). The 2001 plot was harvested at the end of two years of growth. Transformation had no significant effect on growth of AZ-2 and N6-5 in the two years of the 2001 planting and the first year of the 2002 planting. In the 2001 planting, transformation appeared to have a drastic effect on the height and width of transformed AZ 101 compared with its empty vector control; however, the field in this study was not randomized and lacked non-transformed controls. In the 2002 planting, which was randomized and contained both positive and negative controls, the AZ 101 transformants were significantly larger than the empty vector AZ 101 control, but were not significantly different from the non-transformed controls. In the 2001 planting, resin concentration increased throughout the year up to January 2003, but decreased by the time of harvest in March 2003. Rubber concentration, on the other hand, was high in May 2002, but decreased throughout the summer, before steadily increasing during the winter months.
Visual quality assessment algorithms: what does the future hold?

Creating algorithms capable of predicting the perceived quality of a visual stimulus defines the field of objective visual quality assessment (QA). The field of objective QA has received tremendous attention in the recent past, with many successful algorithms being proposed for this purpose. Our concern here is not with the past however; in this paper we discuss our vision for the future of visual quality assessment research. We first introduce the area of quality assessment and state its relevance. We describe current standards for gauging algorithmic performance and define terms that we will use through this paper. We then journey through 2D image and video quality assessment. We summarize recent approaches to these problems and discuss in detail our vision for future research on the problems of full-reference and no-reference 2D image and video quality assessment. From there, we move on to the currently popular area of 3D QA. We discuss recent databases, algorithms and 3D quality of experience. This yet-nascent technology provides for tremendous scope in terms of research activities and we summarize each of them. We then move on to more esoteric topics such as algorithmic assessment of aesthetics in natural images and in art. We discuss current research and hypothesize about possible paths to tread. Towards the end of this article, we discuss some other areas of interest including high-definition (HD) quality assessment, immersive environments and so on before summarizing interesting avenues for future work in multimedia (i.e., audio-visual) quality assessment.