cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Troubling Role of Federal Registration in Proving Intellectual Property Crimes

The government relies upon federal registration of intellectual property as prima facie evidence of valid rights when prosecuting trademark counterfeiting and copyright infringement offenses. The inference of validity arising from registration, well established in civil and administrative proceedings, raises constitutional concerns in the context of criminal proceedings, particularly where validity of the rights is an element of the offense. The federal statute establishing the crime of trademark counterfeiting requires proof of a federal registration but makes no reference to proof that the registration or underlying common law trademark rights are valid; whereas, the federal crime of copyright infringement is understood to require proof that a valid copyright exists but does not require proof of registration. This Article posits that Congress intended validity of intellectual property rights to be an element of both crimes and, against that stance, questions the government’s method of establishing that element with proof of a federal registration. To the extent the inference of validity arising from federal registration operates to relieve the government of its obligation to prove each element of the relevant offense beyond a reasonable doubt, use of this evidentiary tool violates the constitutional rights of criminal defendants. These rights are at risk unless proof of the basic fact - federal registration - renders existence of the inferred fact - valid intellectual property rights - more likely than not. The 'more likely than not' test hinges upon the rigor of the registration examination procedures in place in the Trademark and Copyright Offices, respectively. This Article outlines those procedures and notes the serious difficulty in drawing a conclusion of validity from the cursory nature of the copyright registration process and the less troubling, but still problematic, validity conclusion based on the trademark registration process. Defenses that challenge the validity inference trigger similar constitutional concerns if criminal defendants must carry the burden of persuasion, or in some instances, the burden of production, on such matters. With criminal sanctions on the line, courts should respect the limits of a federal registration as a proxy for proof that valid intellectual property rights exist in the first instance.
Genomic characterization of a pathogenic isolate of Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveals an extensive and dynamic landscape of structural variation

Abstract The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been extensively characterized for many decades and is a critical resource for the study of numerous facets of eukaryotic biology. Recently, the analysis of whole genome sequencing data from over 1000 natural isolates of S. cerevisiae has provided critical insights into the evolutionary landscape of this species by revealing a population structure comprised of numerous genomically diverse lineages. These survey-level analyses have been largely devoid of structural genomic information, mainly because short read sequencing is not suitable for detailed characterization of genomic architecture. Consequently, we still lack a complete perspective of the genomic variation the exists within the species. Single molecule long read sequencing technologies, such as Oxford Nanopore and PacBio, provide sequencing-based approaches with which to rigorously define the structure of a genome, and have empowered yeast geneticists to explore this poorly described realm of eukaryotic genomics. Here, we present the comprehensive genomic structural analysis of a pathogenic isolate of S. cerevisiae, YJM311. We used long read sequence analysis to construct a haplotype-phased, telomere-to-telomere length assembly of the YJM311 diploid genome and characterized the structural variations (SVs) therein. We discovered that the genome of YJM311 contains significant intragenomic structural variation, some of which imparts notable consequences to the genomic stability and developmental biology of the strain. Collectively, we outline a new methodology for creating accurate haplotype-phased genome assemblies and highlight how such genomic analyses can define the structural architectures of S. cerevisiae isolates. It is our hope that through continued structural characterization of S. cerevisiae genomes, such as we have reported here for YJM311, we will comprehensively advance our understanding of eukaryotic genome structure-function relationships, structural diversity, and evolution.
Coproduction of place and knowledge for ecology with the city

Ecology with the city is a transdisciplinary pursuit, combining the work of researchers, policy makers, managers, and residents to advance equity and sustainability. This undertaking may be facilitated by understanding the parallels in two kinds of coproduction. First, is how urban systems themselves are places that are jointly constituted or coproduced by biophysical and social processes. Second, is how sustainable planning and policies also join human concerns with biophysical structures and processes. Seeking connections between coproduction of place and the coproduction of knowledge may help improve how urban ecology engages with diverse communities and urban interests in service of sustainability.
Policy Implications of Australian Ageing: The Greying of a Young Society

Australian population ageing is moderate by Western country standards but there are major issues emerging in national policy debates. The proportions 65+ will double and the proportions 85+ will more than quadruple by 2050. The first concern is the long-term trend to earlier retirement from work along with a nearly universal dependency on publicly funded age pensions rather than on private savings and superannuation. New mandatory superannuation guarantee scheme will ease some of the financial pressure from income dependency. Secondly heart, musculoskeletal, cancers, mental illness and digestive diseases are high cost conditions but musculoskeletal and mental conditions are a higher cost for women than for men. About two thirds of health expenditures are spen on the tenth of the population 65+ which indicates an issue of control of health costs through appropriate servicing. Third severe handicap rates reported in national surveys have stabilised over time to cover the last 3 or 4 years of life. Over two thirds of the remaining years of life al age 65 are currently spent free of handicap. Aged care services have shifted in focus from intensive options like nursing homes to less intensive options like hostel care and home and community care. There is about a two thirds risk of ever entering a nursing home or hostel at age 65. Consequently long-term care financing is one of the most urgent issues in Australian aged care policy.
Global regularity of N-dimensional generalized MHD system with anisotropic dissipation and diffusion

Abstract Motivated by the anisotropic Navier–Stokes equations that have much applications in studying fluids in thin domains, in particular meteorology and oceanography, we study the magnetohydrodynamics system with generalized dissipation and diffusion, considering different exponents of the fractional Laplacians with logarithmic worsening applied to different directions and components of the solution vector fields. The results indicate that it is possible to regularize the flows by anisotropic dissipation, some components in various directions allowed to be below the critical exponents in the expense of others being above.
Kurzfristige und langfristige Effekte von Nachrichten auf politische Informationsinteressen

Lasst man Wolfgang Donsbachs wissenschaftliche Laufbahn Revue passieren, fallen mindestens vier Beweggrunde auf, die seine Forschung besonders stark vorangetrieben zu haben scheinen. Ganz zuvorderst steht ein Wille, Forschung zu betreiben, die von demokratiepraktischer Relevanz ist – Forschung, die vielleicht nicht immer ‚Wissenschaft als Fruhwarnsystem’ ermoglicht, wohl aber soziale Missstande offenzulegen hilft, wie sie durch Kommunikation entstehen, aber auch durch sie uberwunden werden konnen.
Children and Bread in Time of War

This article analyses Deborah Ellis' Breadwinner Trilogy (also known as the Parvana trilogy), in terms of its awards from the Jane Addams Peace Association. In particular, it considers how the novels promote peace and social justice, broaden understanding of cultures of the world, provide models of children who solve problems courageously and invite discussion of gender equity and the effects of war.
A Novel Testing Apparatus for Tribological Studies at the Small Scale

A novel flexure-based biaxial compression/shear apparatus has been designed, built, and utilized to conduct tribological studies of interfaces relevant to MEMS. Aspects of our new apparatus are detailed and its capabilities are demonstrated by an investigation of two interfaces for MEMS applications. Tribological tests may be performed with normal and tangential forces in the μN to N range and relative sliding displacements in the nm to mm range. In this testing range, the new experimental apparatus represents an improvement over existing techniques for tribological studies at the small scale. Keywords— MEMS, Friction, Mechanical testing.
Some observations on the speechmaking of governor Nelson A. Rockefeller

(1968). Some observations on the speechmaking of governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. Today's Speech: Vol. 16, No. 4, pp. 57-64.
Nonobstetric Abdominal Pain and Surgical Emergencies in Pregnancy

The focus of this article is the evaluation and management of pregnant patients with nonobstetric abdominal pain and surgical emergencies. The anatomic and physiologic changes that occur during pregnancy can cause difficulties in interpreting patients' signs and symptoms in emergency departments. This article reviews some of the common causes of nonobstetric abdominal pain and surgical emergencies that present to emergency departments and discusses some of the literature surrounding the use of imaging modalities during pregnancy. After a review of these changes and their causes, imaging modalities that can be used for the assessment are discussed.
An Analytical Look at Anti-Americanism

Anti-Americanisms in World Politics. Edited by Peter J. Katzenstein, Robert O. Keohane Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2007. 368 pp., $55.00 (ISBN: 0-8014-4517-0), $24.95 paper (ISBN: 0-8014-7351-7). “Yankee Go Home—and Take Me with You!” This slogan, observed at an anti-US rally in the Philippines, exemplifies the ambivalent attitudes of some critics of the United States. (The complete story behind this quote can be found in Kiester and Kiester 1999) The message also captures a central puzzle in Peter Katzenstein and Robert Keohane's Anti-Americanisms in World Politics . Although increasing numbers of people criticize the United States and reject its international influence, many of these same people continue to embrace US culture and purchase US products. Anti-Americanism is a polarizing topic that tends to produce explanations based on catch phrases like “racist envy” and “cultural imperialism.” Increasing anti-Americanism has been documented by dozens of polls in recent years, and this information has fueled both speculation and research into its causes and implications. Anti-Americanism has been depicted as based on prejudice akin to anti-Semitism (O'Connor 2004) and as failing to consider the rich diversity of US culture (Markovits 2007). At the other extreme, Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies (2002) argue that US cultural dominance has spawned a “hamburger virus” that eradicates indigenous cultures everywhere. Moses Naim (2003) posits two distinct strains of anti-Americanisms: “murderous anti-Americanism” in the radical Islamic world and “anti-Americanism lite” in Europe. Citing the importance of system structure in promoting the current negative climate, Farheed Zakaria (2004) argues that anti-Americanism fills the ideological vacuum left at the end of the Cold War. In this context, Katzenstein and Keohane have advanced the study of anti-Americanism by leaps and bounds with this tightly crafted volume. They establish a much needed framework for the analysis of anti-Americanism, and they begin the difficult task of assessing its impact in a systematic way. One of the most important innovations in Anti-Americanisms in World Politics is the adoption of the plural …
An economic analysis of periodic vehicle inspection programs

Abstract Preliminary data are presented on the cost and effectiveness of an annual automobile emission inspection system. Using a least cost linear programming model it is shown that several retrofit devices are more economically efficient than inspection as a control strategy. It is then argued that the annual emission inspection is not a very good enforcement strategy either. A side-of-the-road inspection system is shown to be theoretically preferred.
VDR Haploinsufficiency Impacts Body Composition and Skeletal Acquisition in a Gender-Specific Manner

The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is crucial for virtually all of vitamin D’s actions and is thought to be ubiquitously expressed. We hypothesized that disruption of one allele of the VDR gene would impact bone development and would have metabolic consequences. Body composition and bone mass (BMD) in VDR heterozygous (VDR HET) mice were compared to those obtained in male and female VDR KO and WT mice at 8 weeks of age. Male mice were also evaluated at 16 weeks, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation was evaluated in VDR female mice. Additionally, female VDR HET and WT mice received intermittent PTH treatment or vehicle (VH) for 4 weeks. BMD was determined at baseline and after treatment. MRI was done in vivo at the end of treatment; μCT and bone histomorphometry were performed after killing the animals. VDR HET male mice had normal skeletal development until 16 weeks of age but showed significantly less gain in fat mass than WT mice. In contrast, female VDR HET mice showed decreased total-body BMD at age 8 weeks but had a normal skeletal response to PTH. MSC differentiation was also impaired in VDR HET female mice. Thus, female VDR HET mice show early impairment in bone acquisition, while male VDR HET mice exhibit a lean phenotype. Our results indicate that the VDR HET mouse is a useful model for studying the metabolic and skeletal impact of decreased vitamin D sensitivity.
Data-record-size requirements for adaptive antenna arrays

We investigate the data-record-size requirements to meet a given performance objective in interference suppression and direction-of-arrival (DoA) estimation problems. For interference suppression problems we consider the MVDR (minimum-variance-distortionless-response) beamformer evaluated under desired-signal-present and desired-signal- absent conditions. For the former case we adopt as the figure of merit the ratio between the output variance of the ideal and the estimated SMI (sample-matrix-inversion) MVDR filter, while for the latter we examine the inverse of the corresponding ratio of the output SINRs (signal-to- interference-plus-noise ratio). For DoA estimation problems we consider the conventional and the MVDR DoA estimation algorithm and we adopt a spectrum-based performance measure that is given as a function of the ratio between the estimated and the ideal spectrum. For all cases, we derive closed form expressions that provide the data record size that is necessary to achieve a given performance confidence level in a neighborhood of the optimal performance point as well as expressions that identify the performance level that can be reached for a given data record size. This is done by utilizing close approximations of the involved probability density functions (pdfs) and Markoff-type inequalities. The practical significance of the derived expressions lies in the fact that they are functions of the number of antenna elements only while they are independent of the ideal covariance matrix which is not known in most realistic applications. As a byproduct of the above developments we derive close approximations to the pdf of the output SINR of the MVDR beamformer when the latter is estimated in the presence or in the absence of the desired signal.
Dynamics of monodisperse linear entangled polymer melts in extensional flow: The effect of excluded-volume interactions

We present an extension of the Rouse-CCR tube model for linear entangled polymers, by incorporating interchain repulsive excluded-volume interactions, to interpret extensional viscosity data of narrow molecular weight distribution polystyrene melts in strong extensional flows. The expression for the stress tensor is also adapted to account for modifications of the effective tube diameter due to flow-induced chain stretch. Despite its simplicity, the resulting model correctly captures the extensional rheological behavior of linear entangled monodisperse polystyrene melts already published in the literature.
Metastasectomy of Combined Liver and Lung Colorectal Cancer Metastases

The liver is the exclusive site of metastasis in approximately 30% to 50% of patients with stage IV colorectal cancer, whereas lung metastasis occurs in 10% to 20% of patients. No single study has specifically addressed the predictors of survival after resection of synchronously diagnosed lung and liver metastases. Patients who undergo metastasectomy for simultaneous lung and liver metastases have a reported 5-year survival rate of approximately 40%. The prognostic significance of simultaneous presentation of lung and liver metastases (versus temporally separated presentations) is unclear. Other proposed predictors include short disease-free interval, patient age, and lung as first metastatic site. A paucity of data has led to a clinically driven treatment approach that recognizes the survival benefit for complete resection of disease, particularly when disease responds to systemic chemotherapy. Simultaneous or sequential resection of liver then lung metastases enables good long-term survival.
Critical Infrastructure Resilience: A Baseline Study for Georgia

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security (GEMA/HS) partnered with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) to assess critical infrastructure and community-level resilience from the perspective of various critical infrastructure sectors. The goal was to establish a baseline understanding of current practices to create a picture of the strengths and weakness of the overall system. Based on a literature review, a review of current resilience initiatives, and interviews with statewide and Savannah-area critical infrastructure representatives, eight general recommendations for increasing resilience in Georgia were determined, including strengthening partnerships, identifying and encouraging strong leadership, encouraging trusted and secure information sharing, exercising for resilience by including more mid-managers and operators and inviting participants from across jurisdictions and sectors, encouraging continuity of operations planning, enhancing public awareness and outreach strategies, increasing cybersecurity efforts, and encouraging local governments to perform social vulnerability assessments to anticipate the impact of functional needs and other vulnerable households.
Selective use of chest tubes in thoracotomies for congenital cardiovascular procedures

Abstract Background . Advantages and complications have been reported from the use of chest tubes (CT). To reduce the incidence of complications we have employed a selective use of CT in thoracotomy for congenital cardiovascular procedure; ie, in absence of air leaks and fluid to be drained, no CT was inserted. Methods . The lung was reexpanded and air evacuated during the chest closure. Early and 6 hours chest roentgenograms were performed on every patient. This study retrospectively reviews the results of this selective approach in 546 patients operated on between 1980 and 1998 mainly for patent ductus arteriosum ligation, pulmonary artery band, aortic coarctation, Blalock–Taussig shunt. Four hundred and eighteen patients did not receive a CT at the initial surgery (group I), and 128 patients received a CT either before or at surgery (group II). Results . 40 patients in group I developed an air or fluid collection large enough to require a CT. Only one patient had complication, from an undetected hemothorax. Nine patients in group II required another CT, and one patient developed a pneumothorax upon pulling out the CT. No death in either group was related to the use or lack of use of the CT. A total of 378 CTs and collecting chambers were saved. Conclusions . A selective approach to the use of CT in thoracotomies for cardiovascular procedures can be employed with minimal complications, more comfort for the patient, and cost savings.
The photochemistry of 3-nitrobenzoyl and 4-nitrobenzoyl azides: possible reagents for photoaffinity labeling.

— The photochemistry of 3- and 4-nitrobenzoyl azides was studied to examine their suitability for use in photolabeling procedures. These aroyl azides absorb light in the near UV-spectral region. Their irradiation leads both to photo-Curtius rearrangement with formation of the analogous isocyan-ates and to generation of nitrenes by loss of nitrogen. The chemical and spectroscopic properties of the aroyl nitrenes indicate that they are singlets in their ground states. These singlet nitrenes insert rapidly into unactivated, aliphatic carbon-hydrogen bonds, trap nucleophiles, and add to olefins to form aziridines with retention of stereochemistry. Photolabeling agents based on these azides may offer some advantages over conventional agents for the labeling of lipophilic sites.
A slide down a slippery slope – alpine ecosystem responses to nitrogen deposition

Background: Nitrogen (N) deposition in the Front Range of the southern Rocky Mountains has been increasing for several decades, and has exceeded the critical load for several ecological metrics.Aims: Our objective was to predict potential future ecological changes in alpine zones in response to anthropogenic N deposition based on a review of research from Niwot Ridge, Colorado.Results: Empirical observations and experimental studies indicate that plant, algal and soil microbe species compositions are changing in response to N deposition, with nitrophilic species increasing in abundance. Biotic sequestration of N deposition is insufficient to compensate for greater nitrate production, leading to the potential for acidification and base cation loss.Conclusions: Changes in biotic composition in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems have important impacts on ecosystem functioning, including a lower capacity to take up and neutralise the acidifying effect of anthropogenic N, increasing phosphorus limitation ...
FACILITATION OF SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION BY EGL-30 GQALPHA AND EGL-8 PLCBETA : DAG BINDING TO UNC-13 IS REQUIRED TO STIMULATE ACETYLCHOLINE RELEASE

We show that neurotransmitter release at Caenorhabditis elegans neuromuscular junctions is facilitated by a presynaptic pathway composed of a Gqalpha (EGL-30), EGL-8 phospholipase Cbeta (PLCbeta), and the diacylglycerol- (DAG-) binding protein UNC-13. Activation of this pathway increased release of acetylcholine at neuromuscular junctions, whereas inactivation decreased release. Phorbol esters stimulated acetylcholine release, and this effect was blocked by a mutation that eliminates phorbol ester binding to UNC-13. Expression of a constitutively membrane-bound form of UNC-13 restored acetylcholine release to mutants lacking the egl-8 PLCbeta. Activation of this pathway with muscarinic agonists caused UNC-13 to accumulate in punctate structures in the ventral nerve cord. These results suggest that presynaptic DAG facilitates synaptic transmission and that part of this effect is mediated by UNC-13.
CROSSING-SYMMETRIC EXPANSIONS OF SCATTERING AMPLITUDES, THRESHOLD BEHAVIOR, AND ASYMPTOTICS.

A two-variable, explicitly crossing-symmetric expansion of the scattering amplitude is discussed for the two-body scattering of spinless particles (with arbitrary masses). It converges simultaneously in the physical regions of at least two channels, has the correct threshold behavior, and allows for amplitudes growing asymptotically as arbitrary powers of $s$ and $t$. The expansion is based on the representation theory of the group $O(2,1)$ in a basis not corresponding to any subgroup reduction and making use of Lam\'e functions.
Regulation of polyadenylation in hepatitis B viruses: stimulation by the upstream activating signal PS1 is orientation-dependent, distance-independent, and additive

Abstract Hepatitis B viruses replicate by reverse transcription of a genomic RNA which harbors terminal redundancies. The synthesis of this RNA requires that transcription proceed twice through the polyadenylation (pA) site which, in mammalian strains, is flanked by the variant hexanucleotide UAUAAA and a T-rich downstream domain. These core elements are by themselves virtually defective in 3' end processing and require multiple upstream accessory elements which regulate pA site use. In ground squirrel hepatitis B virus (GSHV), one of these signals (PS1; -215 to -107 relative to UAUAAA) is transcribed only at the 3' end of genomic RNA and as such is analogous to retroviral U3 sequences. PS1 cooperates with other signals to enhance pA site use to very high levels and can be further sub-divided into two regions (A and B) which contribute equally to 3' end processing. Critical residues within PS1B have been localized to a 15 bp A/T-rich stretch which displays homology to other known upstream activating signals. A 15 bp segment within PS1A which has the identical A/T content but a divergent primary sequence plays a diminished role in processing. Furthermore, PS1 can activate GSHV core element usage autonomously. This stimulation has been shown to be additive since multiple copies of PS1 progressively increase polyadenylation, a phenomenon which also demands that PS1 exert its influence from a variety of distances from the hexanucleotide signal.
Laser photodissociation of s-tetrazine: Product vibrational excitation

Abstract The photosensitive and thermally unstable molecule s-tetrazine decomposes to yield one nitrogen molecule and two HCN molecules. Following pulsed irradiation of tetrazine vapor at 492.3 nm, we have observed time resolved infrared fluorescence from HCN(001). In a similar experiment, small quantities of CO 2 were added to the sample cell, and we observed infrared fluorescence from CO 2 (001) populated by VV energy transfer. From fluorescence intensity measurements, we have been able to estimate the amount of excitation in certain product vibrations. We conclude that ≈ 1% of the HCN is produced in the (001) state, and the “equivalent” of ≈ 0.1 quantum of N 2 vibrational excitation is excited. This latter figure may include some excitation of HCN (ν 1 ), but the measured energy transfer rate coefficients are consistent with N 2 excitation. The small amount of HCN(ν 3 ) and N 2 vibrational excitation is surprising, as the photodissociation is exothermic by more than 100kcal/mole.
Hypothalamic and Medullary Lesions Caused by an Aliphatic Triamine Unrelated to Goldthioglucose

A single subcutaneous injection of 3,3′-methyliminobis-(N-methylpropylamine) caused edema and necrosis in the hypothalamus and medulla oblongata of rats, mice, and gerbils. Most other aliphatic triamines were ineffective. The lesions were very similar in character and distribution to those caused by goldthioglucose or bipiperidyl mustard. When compared to closely-related analogs, the biological activity of each of these three compounds is determined by a highly specific chemical structure, yet they have no structural similarities to each other. These data cast doubt on the theory that goldthioglucose causes lesions and, eventually, obesity by binding to a hypothalamic glucoreceptor. Alternatively, the localization of brain damage in hypothalamus and medulla has been attributed to proximity to median eminence and area postrema, and to the lack of a blood-brain barrier in the latter structures. This theory is supported by our finding that artifical disruption of the blood-brain barrier in the cerebral cortex induced the localization of necrosis from the triamine in that area. Furthermore, these experiments provide evidence for the role of ischemia in the development of necrotic triamine-induced lesions.
Some lessons from the studies of renal biopsies in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Abstract The authors have studied relationships of renal structure and function in more than 100 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), aged 13–55 years (mean, 30 years) with diabetes for 1–30 years (mean, 19 years). The authors confirmed the unique nature of the diabetic lesions that, in constellation, occur in no other disease. It was found that increased fractional mesangial volume (Vv Mes) is strongly associated with decreased glomular filtration rate (GFR), proteinuria, and hypertension and that all patients with overt diabetic nephropathy have Vv Mes in excess of 0.35 μ m 3 / μ m 3 . This relationship results from constriction of the capillary lumen and filtration surface as a consequence of increased Vv Mes. Global glomerulosclerosis (scarring) is common in IDDM patients as appears related to ateriolar hyalinosis. Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis is a rare lesion in these patients. Having a single kidney (transplanted IDDM patients) is not associated with accelerated lesion development. The presence or absence of microalbuminuria (MA), per se , does not predict underlying glomerular structure, which may vary from the normal range to a level of pathology bordering on that regularly associated with overt nephropathy. However, when MA is associated with hypertension, or reduced GFR or both, urine albumin excretion (UAE) generally exceeds 40 mg/24 hr, and glomerular pathology is always present. The authors concluded that diabetic nephropathy is a unique renal disorder that cannot be caused by hemodynamic factors alone. The authors further conclude that MA becomes a predictor only when other features of overt nephropathy are already present and that serious diabetic glomerular lesions can be present in patients with normal UAE.
Toxicological significance of renal Bcrp: Another potential transporter in the elimination of mercuric ions from proximal tubular cells

Abstract Secretion of inorganic mercury (Hg2 +) from proximal tubular cells into the tubular lumen has been shown to involve the multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2). Considering similarities in localization and substrate specificity between Mrp2 and the breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp), we hypothesize that Bcrp may also play a role in the proximal tubular secretion of mercuric species. In order to test this hypothesis, the uptake of Hg2 + was examined initially using inside-out membrane vesicles containing Bcrp. The results of these studies suggest that Bcrp may be capable of transporting certain conjugates of Hg2 +. To further characterize the role of Bcrp in the handling of mercuric ions and in the induction of Hg2 +-induced nephropathy, Sprague–Dawley and Bcrp knockout (bcrp−/−) rats were exposed intravenously to a non-nephrotoxic (0.5 μmol·kg− 1), a moderately nephrotoxic (1.5 μmol·kg− 1) or a significantly nephrotoxic (2.0 μmol·kg− 1) dose of HgCl2. In general, the accumulation of Hg2 + was greater in organs of bcrp−/− rats than in Sprague–Dawley rats, suggesting that Bcrp may play a role in the export of Hg2 + from target cells. Within the kidney, cellular injury and necrosis was more severe in bcrp−/− rats than in controls. The pattern of necrosis, which was localized in the inner cortex and the outer stripe of the outer medulla, was significantly different from that observed in Mrp2-deficient animals. These findings suggest that Bcrp may be involved in the cellular export of select mercuric species and that its role in this export may differ from that of Mrp2.
Unpacking Social Hypersensitivity: Vulnerability to the Absence of Positive Feedback

Navigating social life requires accurately calibrated sensitivity to external feedback, thus extreme sensitivity to external feedback may be maladaptive. Using a daily diary design, the authors investigated whether the relationship between social hypersensitivity and daily events predicted level, lability, and reactivity of both self-esteem and affect. Relative to their less sensitive peers, socially hypersensitive people exhibited lower levels of self-esteem and greater negative affect and experienced greater fluctuations in self-esteem and negative affect. Although most people were negatively reactive to the presence of negative feedback, socially hypersensitive people were negatively reactive to the absence of positive feedback as well. The authors argue that reactivity to the absence of positive feedback is a fundamental, heretofore untested aspect of what makes social hypersensitivity a pernicious orientation.
The effect of brownian motion on particle size analysis by sedimentation

Abstract The influence of Brownian motion on the results of particle size measurements obtained by gravity sedimentation methods has been investigated by mathematical simulation of the process. It is shown that the effects can be directly correlated with an effective mean Peclet number (which expresses the ratio of settling velocity to diffusive velocity) for the particular system. For very small Peclet numbers, diffusion effects dominate in all cases and sedimentation methods should not be used. For larger values of the Peclet number, the errors introduced by Brownian motion are most important for very narrow and very broad distributions. In general, the effects can be reduced by increasing the sedimentation height, but it must be remembered that this will lead to increased settling times and may increase errors due to other factors such as thermal convection.
Passivity Analysis and Passivation of Interconnected Event-Triggered Feedback Systems Using Passivity Indices

Abstract In this paper, passivity and passivation problems for event-triggered feedback interconnected systems are addressed. We consider passivity in two event-triggered control schemes based on the location of the event-triggered samplers: sampler at plant output and sampler at controller output. For both schemes, we first derive the conditions to characterize the level of passivity for the interconnected system using passivity indices. The event-triggering condition proposed guarantees that these indices can be achieved. Then the passivation problem is considered and passivation conditions are provided. The passivation conditions depend on the passivity indices of the plant and controller and also the event-triggering condition, which reveals the trade off between performance (passivity level) and communication resource utilization.
NIST and standards for calorimetry

Abstract The present article describes briefly some of NISTs more recent work on calorimetric standards. New reference-quality measurements of the enthalpy of solution of aqueous sodium chloride, obtained with an adiabatic solution calorimeter, are presented and compared to a previous equation of state for NaCl(aq). Other calorimetric standards that are discussed are potassium chloride used for solution calorimetry and reference materials used for calibration of enthalpy-increment and heat-capacity calorimeters, namely synthetic sapphire (α-Al 2 O 3 ) and copper.
Predicting Systems Performance through Requirements Quality Attributes Model

Abstract Poor requirements definition can adversely impact system cost and performance for government acquisition programs. This can be mitigated by ensuring requirements statements are written in a clear and unambiguous manner that reflects high linguistic quality. This paper introduces a statistical model that uses requirements quality factors to predict system operational performance. This model is created using empirical data from current major acquisition programs within the federal government. Operational Requirements Documents and Operational Test Reports are the data sources, respectively, for the system requirements statements and the accompanying operational test results used for model development. A commercial-off-the-shelf requirements quality analysis tool is used to determine the linguistic quality metrics for the requirements statements. Following model construction, cross validation of the data is employed to confirm the predictive value of the model. In all, the results establish that requirements quality is indeed a predictive factor for end system operational performance; and the resulting statistical model can inform requirements decisions based on likelihood of successful operational performance.
Attracting (& keeping) the best and the brightest: an entry-level course for experienced introductory students

This paper addresses the design of an exciting introductory course for entering college students who have some programming background. The key innovation of the course is the introduction of material pertaining to experimental graph reduction and dataflow architectures for highly-parallel computers. The success of the course is attributed to interesting, well-integrated material and the use of visually-oriented interactive simulators for the architectures.
A cytokinin binding protein from higher plant ribosomes.

Abstract Two types of cytokinin binding sites exist on higher plant ribosomes. One of these, a high affinity site, binds cytokinins at low concentrations, is saturated at one cytokinin molecule per ribosome, is specific for substances with cytokinin activity, and is readily washed from the ribosome with 0.5 M KCl. The binding moiety has the characteristics of a protein and binds cytokinins apart from the ribosome.
Voyeur: graphical views of parallel programs

Voyeur is a prototype system that facilitates the construction of application-specific, visual views of parallel programs. These views range from textual views showing the contents of variables to graphical maps of the state of the computational domain of the program. These views have been instrumental in quickly detecting bugs that would have been difficult to detect otherwise.
On the psychometric function for contrast detection

Abstract The frequent current use in probability summation calculations of equations of the form. P = 1 − (1−γ)exp[−(I/α)β] to represent the psychometric function for contrast detection is based on two assumptions: (1) γ can be changed without affecting α and β (the high-threshold assumption) and (2) β is the same for all pattern-detecting mechnisms (the homogeneity assumption). Results of yes-no, rating-scale, and forced-choice experiments contradict the high-threshold assumption: estimates of α and β covary with γ. Contrary to the homogeneity assumption, bipartite fields yield lower values of β than do 12 c/deg gratings. Some consequences of these findings for probability summation calculations are discussed.
Detection of H+, H2+, and H3+ with silicon barrier detectors operating in the dc mode

Abstract Silicon barrier detectors have been used to detect H + , H 2 + , and H 3 + by using the detector as a dc current amplifier. Measurements were made in the energy range 2 to 35 keV. The gain of the detector was a linear function of energy for H + energies in excess of 3 keV. The value of ϵ (energy per electron-hole pair) for incident protons was 4.26 eV obtained with zero voltage across the silicon crystal.
Partial atrioventricular canal defect: the early and late results of operation.

Abstract Thirty-five patients underwent repair of a partial atrioventricular canal defect and have been followed for a mean of 8 years. Seventeen patients had either moderate or severe mitral incompetence prior to operation. The mitral valve was treated as a bileaflet structure. The cleft in its anterior leaflet was closed in each patient in whom the valve was incompetent. The septal defect was closed with pericardium, and the coronary sinus was left in the right atrium. Two patients required reoperation, 1 to close a recurrent septal defect and 1 to replace a mitral valve that had been competent for the first several years after the initial repair. All 33 survivors remain in New York Heart Association Functional Class I. Nineteen patients have no mitral incompetence, and the remaining 14 have only mild incompetence. These data demonstrate that excellent late results from repair of partial atrioventricular canal are possible when the mitral valve is managed as a bileaflet structure.
Computational modeling of individual differences in behavioral estimates of cochlear nonlinearities.

Temporal masking curves (TMCs) are often used to estimate cochlear compression in individuals with normal and impaired hearing. These estimates may yield a wide range of individual differences, even among subjects with similar quiet thresholds. This study used an auditory model to assess potential sources of variance in TMCs from 51 listeners in Poling et al. [J Assoc Res Otolaryngol, 13:91–108 (2012)]. These sources included threshold elevation, the contribution of outer and inner hair cell dysfunction to threshold elevation, compression of the off-frequency linear reference, and detection efficiency. Simulations suggest that detection efficiency is a primary factor contributing to individual differences in TMCs measured in normal-hearing subjects, while threshold elevation and the contribution of outer and inner hair cell dysfunction are primary factors in hearing-impaired subjects. Approximating the most compressive growth rate of the cochlear response from TMCs was achieved only in subjects with the highest detection efficiency. Simulations included off-frequency nonlinearity in basilar membrane and inner hair cell processing; however, this nonlinearity did not improve predictions, suggesting that other sources, such as the decay of masking and the strength of the medial olivocochlear reflex, may mimic off-frequency nonlinearity. Findings from this study suggest that sources of individual differences can play a strong role in behavioral estimates of compression, and these sources should be considered when using forward masking to study cochlear function in individual listeners or across groups of listeners.
Enhanced winds and tidal streams in massive X-ray binaries

The tidal effects created by the presence of a compact companion are expected to induce a stream of enhanced wind from the early-type primary star in massive X-ray binary systems. In this paper, two-dimensional gasdynamical simulations of such streams are presented. It is found that the wind enhancement is a sensitive function of the binary separation, and develops into a tidal stream as the primary approaches its critical surface. For typical system parameters, the Coriolis force deflects the stream sufficiently that it does not impact directly on the compact companion but passes behind it. The density in the stream can reach values of 20-30 times the ambient wind density, leading to strong attenuation of the X-ray flux that passes through the tidal stream, providing a possible explanation of the enhanced absorption events seen at later phases in the X-ray observations of massive X-ray binary systems such as Vela X-1. In contrast to the time-variable accretion wake, the tidal stream is relatively stationary, producing absorption features that should remain fixed from orbit to orbit. For systems with a strong tidal stream, the large asymmetry in the accreting wind results in the accretion of angular momentum of constant sign, as opposed to systems without streams, where the sign of the accreted angular momentum can change.
Trade Tax and Exchange Rate Coordination in the Context of Border Trading: A Theoretical Analysis

Active cross-border (illegal) trade in many African countries has meant that producers of exports, and importers as well, direct their activities in accord with marketing-board prices, foreign trade taxes, and the convertibility of currencies. This paper demonstrates how these factors interact with the costs of border trade to determine the geographical direction of exports and imports. The economic costs that ensue when the relevant national economic policies remain uncoordinated among neighboring countries are discussed, and procedures for pertinent policy coordination are outlined.
A new green synthesis method of CuInS2 and CuInSe2 nanoparticles and their integration into thin films

A new preparation method for CuInS2 and CuInSe2 nanoparticles synthesis is described without using any organic solvent. Heating Cu, In, and S/Se precursors dissolved in water for 30 min in a microwave oven in the presence of mercapto-acetic acid leads to monodispersed chalcopyrite nanoparticles. No precipitation of these nanoparticles is observed after several months at room temperature. These new materials have been thoroughly characterized to confirm their compositions, sizes, and structure without any filtration. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed particle sizes below 5 nm. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) confirmed the chemical composition of these samples. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed a chalcopyrite-type structure with crystallite size of about 2 nm. No difference has been observed between batch and continuous synthesis processes. Cu x InS2 and Cu x InSe2 nanoparticles, with x < 1, have been also synthesized and identified. Simulation using a commercial software confirmed the difference between copper poor (Cu x InS2) and copper rich (CuInS2) chalcopyrite structures. Conventional spray deposition techniques have been used to form relatively thin films on solid substrates.
Synthesis of Al/Al3Ti two-phase alloys by mechanical alloying

We have mechanically alloyed mixtures of elemental powders to prepare fine-grained two-phase Al/Al3Ti powders at the compositions Al-20at.%Ti and Al-10at.%Ti. Hexane was used to prevent agglomeration of the powder during mechanical alloying. Carbon from the decomposition of the hexane was incorporated in the powder and reacted with titanium to form a fine dispersion of carbides in the final hot-pressed compact. We consolidated the mechanically alloyed powders by hot pressing. Yield strength and ductility were measured in compression. At 25°C, the compressive yield strengths were 1.25 and 0.6 GPa for the Al-20at.%Ti and Al-10at.%Ti alloys respectively. The ductility of the Al-10at.%Ti alloy exceeded 20% for 25 < T < 500°C.
Fabrication of large arrays of high-aspect-ratio single-crystal silicon columns with isolated vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube tips.

This paper describes the fabrication of large arrays (106 units in 1 cm2) of 100 µm tall, single-crystal silicon columns with submicron tip cross-sections. The columns are formed using thin film deposition and growth, reactive ion etching, and deep reactive ion etching. The columns can be either slightly tapered or have pencil-like morphology with nanoscaled tip diameter (41 nm). Conformal thin film coating was used to substantially and uniformly modify the porous structure and, thus, vary by orders of magnitude the fluid permeability of the structure. Gaps between the vertical pillars were varied between 9 µm and 50 nm. Isolated 45 nm diameter, 5 µm tall plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposited multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were grown on the top surface of the columns using a 7 nm thick evaporated Ni film as catalyst. Field emission characterization of the resulting structure was conducted and it is in agreement with scanning electron micrographs of the MWNTs.