cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Partial reversal of phencyclidine-induced impairment of prepulse inhibition by secretin.

Background Secretin is a “gut-brain” peptide whose neural function is as yet poorly understood. Several clinical studies have reported modestly increased social interaction in autistic children following intravenous secretin administration. Very recently secretin also was administered to schizophrenic patients and found to increase social interaction in some individuals. Methods In light of this finding, we assessed the ability of secretin to reverse phencyclidine- (PCP) induced impairment in prepulse inhibition (PPI), a leading animal model of sensorimotor gating deficits in schizophrenia. Results Similar to atypical antipsychotics, secretin (1, 3, 10, 30, and 100 μg/kg) partially and dose-dependently reversed the PCP-induced deficit in PPI without significantly affecting baseline startle when administered intraperitoneally (IP) 10 minutes following IP administration of PCP (3 mg/kg). Conclusions This finding may be relevant to observations of antipsychotic efficacy of secretin in schizophrenic patients as well as our previous report that systemically administered secretin is capable of modulating conditioned fear, even at quite low doses.
Plant Regeneration from Mesophyll Protoplasts of Eggplant

Summary Protoplasts were isolated from young leaves of eggplant (S melongena cv. Florida Market) with a solution containing 1% cellulase R-10 and 0.2% Macerozyme R-10. They were cultured in KM basal medium (Kao and Michayluk, 1975) supplemented with 0.9 µM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and combinations of 0.5 to 5 µM naphthaleneacetic acid and with 0.4 to 4 µM benzyl adenine at 25±2 C in darkness. Viable, dividing protoplasts were obtained only from plants illuminated with 7500 lux for 16 h at 26 C. Cell wall regeneration followed by cell divisions were observed in 30 to 60% of the protoplasts in the presence of all growth regulator combinations after 6 days of culture. However, colonies (0.2 mm diameter) developed from only 0.2% of the total cells after 14 days in culture. Profuse green callus formed after 4 weeks on MS medium (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) supplemented with different combinations of growth regulators. Shoots developed from 10-20% of calli on media containing MS medium supplemented with 1 µM indoleacetic acid/20 γ-γ-isopentenyl adenine and 1 µM indoleacetic acid/15µM benzyladenine.
Nonproteolytic incorporation of protein ligands into human alpha 2-macroglobulin: implications for the binding mechanism of alpha 2-macroglobulin.

alpha 2-Macroglobulin (alpha 2M) is a complex tetrameric protein of 718 kDa. In native alpha 2M, each of the four subunits contains a thiol ester between the side chains of Cys949 and Gln952. Cleavage of the thiol ester with small nucleophiles destabilizes the native conformation and causes a major conformational change in alpha 2M, which leads to exposure of receptor binding sites and a change in electrophoretic mobility. Recently it has been shown that nucleophilic cleavage of the four thiol esters in alpha 2M is a reversible process with energy requirements dependent on the nucleophile [Gron, H., Thogersen, I. B., Enghild, J. J., and Pizzo, S. V. (1996) Biochem. J. 318, 539-545]. The present study is a further investigation of the properties of alpha 2M with cleaved thiol esters and the potential for incorporation of protein ligands at the site of the thiol ester. The thiol ester in alpha 2M was cleaved by NH3. After removal of excess NH3, the alpha 2M derivative was incubated with excess protein ligand (hen egg lysozyme or bovine insulin) at 23, 37, or 50 degreesC, leading to covalent incorporation of the ligands in alpha 2M as analyzed by SDS-PAGE, gel filtration, and centrifugal microfiltration. Receptor binding studies and native pore-limit PAGE confirmed that the alpha 2M derivatives with ligand incorporated remained in the receptor-recognized, "fast" migrating conformation. This is the first demonstration of nonproteolytic, covalent incorporation of protein ligands into receptor-recognized alpha 2M.
Preparation for Terrorist Threats: Explosive Devices

This article is part of a collaborative effort by experts in the field of emergency preparedness to complete an overview begun by the late Michael Shannon, MD, MPH, on the current challenges and future directions in pediatric disaster readiness. This particular article, "Preparation for Terrorist Threats: Explosive Devices," will promote a greater awareness of explosive devices as significant terrorism threat and pertinent clinical considerations in caring for pediatric victims of explosive injury.
Quantum effects in biology: Bird navigation

Abstract Birds possess a physiological magnetic compass, enabling them to make correct directional choices during their migratory flights. The biophysical basis of this compass remains unknown. One of the two major hypotheses postulates that birds use a light-induced radical pair reaction involving coherent spin evolution of two electrons as the foundation of their magnetic compass sensor. This hypothesis has received significant attention during the past decade. Here, we review the growing body of chemical, biophysical, behavioral, and neurobiological evidence suggesting that this quantum-based mechanism may indeed form the basis of the avian magnetic compass.
Radiation induced phosphorus segregation in austenitic and ferritic alloys

Abstract The radiation induced surface segregation (RIS) of phosphorus in stainless steel attained a maximum at a dose of 0.8 dpa then decreased continually with dose. This decrease in the surface segregation of phosphorus at high dose levels has been attributed to removal of the phosphorus layer by ion sputtering. Phosphorus is not replenished since essentially all of the phosphorus within the irradiation zone has been segregated to the surface. Sputter removal can explain the previously reported absence of phosphorus segregation in ferritic alloys irradiated at high doses 1,2 (>1 dpa) since irradiation of ferritic alloys to low doses has shown measurable RIS. This sputtering phenomenon places an inherent limitation to the heavy ion irradiation technique for the study of surface segregation of impurity elements. The magnitude of the segregation in ferritics is still much less than in stainless steel which can be related to the low damage accumulation in these alloys.
Generation of a tumorigenic milk-borne mouse mammary tumor virus by recombination between endogenous and exogenous viruses.

Twonovelexogenousmousemammarytumorviruses(MMTV),BALB2andBALB14,thatencodesuperantigens (Sags) with Vb2 1 and Vb14 1 specificities, respectively, were found in the BALB/cT mouse strain. BALB/ cT females were crossed with AKR/J males to generate F1females. Foster nursing of BALB/cT mice on (BALB/ cT 3AKR/J)F1mothers resulted in the generation of a new mouse strain, BALB/cLA, that had acquired a new exogenous MMTV (hereafter called LA) with a Vb6 1 /Vb8.1 1 -T-cell-specific Sag. Sequence analysis of the long terminal repeats of the BALB2, BALB14, and LA viruses indicated that LA virus resulted from recombination between BALB14 and the endogenousMtv-7provirus.Mtv-7is expressed only in lymphoid tissues but not the mammary glands ofMtv-7-containing mouse strains such as AKR. In contrast, LA virus was highly expressed in the mammary gland, although it had thesag-specific region fromMtv-7. The LA virus, as well as different recombinant viruses expressed in the mammary glands of (BALB/cT 3 AKR/J)F1 mice, acquired a specific DNA sequence from BALB14 virus that is required for the mammary-gland-specific expression of MMTV. Since the Sag encoded by LA virus strongly stimulated cognate T cells in vivo, selection for recombinant virus with theMtv-7 sagmost likely occurred because the increased T-cell proliferation resulted in greater lymphoid and mammary gland cell infection. As a result of the higher virus titer, 80% of BALB/cLA females developed mammary gland tumors, although the incidence was only 40% in BALB/cT mice.
Cathode ray tube bleed resistor reliability—a case study

This paper describes, and gives a mathematical analysis of, the performance of two makes of CRT bleed resistors which exhibit markedly different characteristics under heat soak conditions. By examining the observed resistance changes with temperature, and relating these to the Arrhenius equation, the reaction activation energies can be determined. Further analysis of the power consumption characteristics of the resistors leads to the establishment of resistance-time curves for both makes of resistor. These indicate very different conclusions than might otherwise have been drawn from initial test data. Finally the Monte Carlo' simulation technique is used to determine the most likely survival characteristics in a field situation, and a quantitative assessment of the reliability of CRTs using these bleed resistors is given. The construction of the resistor body is common to both makes and comprises a resistor substrate enclosed within an overcoat which is in turn encapsulated in epoxy. One make (type A) is a glass thick film structure, whereas the other is a polymer thick film system.
Mining literature for protein–protein interactions

Motivation: A central problem in bioinformatics is how to capture information from the vast current scientific literature in a form suitable for analysis by computer. We address the special case of information on protein‐protein interactions, and show that the frequencies of words in Medline abstracts can be used to determine whether or not a given paper discusses protein‐protein interactions. For those papers determined to discuss this topic, the relevant information can be captured for the Database of Interacting Proteins. Furthermore, suitable gene annotations can also be captured. Results: Our Bayesian approach scores Medline abstracts for probability of discussing the topic of interest according to the frequencies of discriminating words found in the abstract. More than 80 discriminating words (e.g. complex, interaction, two-hybrid) were determined from a training set of 260 Medline abstracts corresponding to previously validated entries in the Database of Interacting Proteins. Using these words and a log likelihood scoring function, ∼2000 Medline abstracts were identified as describing interactions between yeast proteins. This approach now forms the basis for the rapid expansion of the Database of Interacting Proteins.
The Structure of Uncultivated Wilderness: Land Use Beyond the Extensive Margin

This paper presents an agent-based model of shifting cultivation that explains patterns of land use and forest structure beyond the extensive margin of agriculture. The anthropological literature is first examined in order to specify key aspects of farming group preferences vis-a-vis food requirements. Two existing theories of shifting cultivation are then addressed to motivate the present formulation, which integrates household production theory and the concept of optimal rotation originating in the forestry literature. It is argued that the cycling of secondary vegetation by shifting cultivators represents a form of rotation analogous to the foresters' case. The model developed explains the empirical observation that individual agents use multiple rotation ages, and it does so for the nonmarket case, which is consistent with the institutional environment of many indigenous peoples and colonists. The paper concludes with an application to the problem of rural violence in Brazil and with suggestions for extending the framework to the policy arena of global change.
Tumor suppressor gene networks as molecular targets for developing new cancer treatments

We have investigated the role of Rb in chromosome segregation based on the study of hsHec1p. Importantly, Hec-1 is a novel critical protein in M phase progression. We have shown that inactivation of Hec-1 by microinjection with anti-Hec-1 monoclonal antibodies led to cell death due to abnormal chromosomal segregation. Similarly, inactivation of scHEC-1 gene in yeast leads to lethal phenotype. In most cancer cell lines, expression of HEC-1 is highly elevated. Based on these preliminary results, we plan to address how Hec1p plays during chromosome segregation in mammalian cells and how we can use Hec-1 as a molecular target for developing small molecules that inactivate it function as potential therapeutic agents. On the other hand, germline mutation of the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCAl and 2, has been linked to familial breast cancer. To exploit the importance of this interaction toward the development of new anti-breast cancer agents, we plan to use this pathway as therapeutic targets. Disruption of the interaction between BRCA2 and Rad51 or BRCAl and RadSO complex will render the cancer cells sensitize to traditional chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
A Climatology of the Structure, Evolution, and Propagation of Midlatitude Cyclones in the Southeast United States

AbstractThe seasonal and interannual variability of the structure, evolution, and propagation of midlatitude cyclones in the southeast United States are studied using a composite analysis. In the upper levels, the composites show that the axis of the wintertime upper-level trough remains north–south oriented and propagates eastward along 40°N, while the summertime upper-level trough has a much slower propagation at a farther north latitude and an axis that is tilted in the northeast–southwest direction. Upper-level circulation changes are consistent with a shift from wintertime “cyclonic behavior” to summertime “anticyclonic behavior” midlatitude cyclones. Significant changes in the low-level structure and precipitation patterns of midlatitude cyclones ensue from these upper-level changes. While the winter composite is characterized by eastward-propagating midlatitude cyclones that extend deep into the subtropics, the summer composite is characterized by semistationary midlatitude troughs that only briefl...
Meter placement for real-time monitoring of distribution feeders

This paper identifies the data requirements for real-time monitoring and control of distribution systems. It points out that in addition to having supervisory control and data acquisition on switches and control equipment, methods are needed to obtain an accurate estimation of data needed for feeder automation functions. A meter placement method is proposed for this purpose. It is shown that the measurements from such a metering scheme can be used with a state estimator to provide the real-time data needed for real-time monitoring of a distribution system.
Protruding atheromas in the thoracic aorta: a newly recognized source of cerebral and systemic embolization.

Up to 40% of stroke patients do not have an obvious etiology for their illness. Because transthoracic echocardiography is often negative in these patients, there has been increasing enthusiasm for transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) as a newer tool for evaluating patients with embolic disease. In a study of patients referred because of unexplained stroke or transient ischemic attacks, the most common finding was protruding atheroma in the aortic arch. In a case control study, protruding aortic atheromas were found in 33 of the 122 patients with emboli (27%). Mobile components to the atheromas were found in 11 case patients, and there were no mobile components found in any control patients. It is also possible that protruding aortic atheromas may play a role in patients with other sources of emboli (e.g., carotid disease). Atheromas may also cause emboli during catheterization, balloon pump placement, and cardiopulmonary bypass. The pathological composition of the lesions seen on TEE has been atheroma with superimposed thrombus. The correct treatment for patients with embolization due to protruding aortic atheromas has not yet been determined, although anticoagulation may play a role, since the mobile components to these lesions appear to be thrombus. We have recommended surgery for several patients. However, the operation is a major one with major potential complications, including aortic dissection. TEE should be done in patients with unexplained emboli, and it may also play a role in patients with other sources of embolization. TEE should be considered in elderly patients or those with extensive vascular disease before cardiac catheterization or heart surgery. In addition, cannulation techniques during bypass can be modified to avoid atheromas. The ideal medical and/or surgical approaches to patients with protruding atheromas remain to be clarified.
The Permittivity of Water Under High Dielectric Stress

Water is an attractive dielectric for the intermediate storage of electrical energy in compact pulsed power systems. A high relative permittivity of about 80 and a high dielectric strength of more than 1 MV/cm, allow for energy densities greater than 3 J/cm3. However, for very high field strengths the relative permittivity of water is no longer a constant. Early analytical calculations and more recent simulations predict a rapid drop for fields exceeding 1 MV/cm. Changes of the dielectric permittivity can also readily be seen in a change of the index of refraction which in return offers a possibility to evaluate the temporal and spatial distribution of the applied electric field. Measurements on the dielectric permittivity at low frequencies are difficult for high electric fields. We investigated the changes in the refractive index of water for light in the visible spectrum at 632.8 nm (4.74-1014 Hz) in a pin-to-plane electrode geometry by means of a Mach Zehnder interferometer. Voltage pulses as short as 20 ns and up to 90 kV were applied. The applied voltage corresponds to a maximum electric field of 4 MV/cm in the gap. A high speed camera with a temporal resolution of 3 ns recorded the fringe patterns. To assess changes of the refractive index we had to distinguish between different effects as they arise from the Kerr-effect and changes in temperature. The results show that for electric fields of more than 3 MV/cm the theory of the Kerr-effect can no longer sufficiently describe the experimental results suggesting a strong polarization of the medium.
Efficient and prioritized point subsampling for CSRBF compression

We present a novel cost function to prioritize points and subsample a point set based on the dominant geometric features and local sampling density of the model. This cost function is easy to compute and at the same time provides rich feedback in the form of redundancy and non-uniformity in the sampling. We use this cost function to simplify the given point set and thus reduce the CSRBF (Compactly Supported Radial Basis Function) coefficients of the surface fit over this point set. Further compression of CSRBF data set is effected by employing lossy encoding techniques on the geometry of the simplified model, namely the positions and normal vectors, and lossless encoding on the CSRBF coefficients. Results on the quality of subsampling and our compression algorithms are provided. The major advantages of our method include highly efficient subsampling using carefully designed, effective, and easy compute cost function, in addition to a very high PSNR (Peak Signal to Noise Ratio) of our compression technique relative to other known point set subsampling techniques.
Application of Analytic Wavelet Transform for Signal Detection in Nyquist Folding Analog-to-Information Receiver

One of the challenges in Cognitive Radio (CR) is efficiently monitoring a wideband radio frequency (RF) spectrum in order to identify unoccupied bands. Compressive Sensing (CS) has recently been proposed to address this problem. Typical CS techniques, however, involve random projections followed by a computationally intensive signal reconstruction process. Since spectral monitoring does require full signal reconstruction - only identification of occupied regions to avoid - we propose a novel spectrum monitoring approach based on the Nyquist Folding Receiver (NYFR) in conjunction with the Analytic Wavelet Transform. The NYFR performs analog compression via a non-uniform sampling process that induces a chirp-like modulation on each received signal. This induced modulation can be measured using time-frequency analysis techniques to determine the original RF band of origin without full signal reconstruction. This paper investigates the feasibility of using the Analytic Wavelet Transform to perform NYFR information recovery in support of CR wideband spectrum sensing.
The Federal/State Criminal Prosecution Nexus: A Case Study in Cooperation and Discretion

Contemporary studies of prosecutorial decision making at the state level are infrequent, and even fewer studies examine the discretionary decisions of federal prosecutors. In addition, virtually no scholarly literature examines the growing overlap between federal and state criminal jurisdiction. This paper advances both theoretical and empirical understandings of the organizational and political contexts in which prosecutorial discretion takes place by exploring the nexus between federal and state criminal jurisdictions. Drawing on interview research in a large urban area with several active federal/state cooperative prosecution programs, we suggest that these cooperative relations open new avenues of discretion for local and federal prosecutors; limit the authority of other court actors, including state judges; and erode the distinctions between federal and local criminal jurisdiction.
Total quadruple photoionization cross section of beryllium

In a quasiclassical framework, we formulate the quadruple ionization by single-photon absorption of the Coulomb five-body problem. We present the quadruple photoionization total cross section of the ground state of beryllium for energies up to 620 eV. Our results for energies close to threshold are in agreement with the Wannier threshold law for four-electron escape. In addition, the agreement of our results with a shape formula provides support for the overall shape of our total quadruple cross section. Finally, we find that the photon energy where the maximum of the total photoionization cross section occurs for single, double, triple, and quadruple photoionization of H, He, Li, and Be, respectively, seems to follow a linear relation with the threshold energy for complete breakup of the respective element.
Monovalent cation conductance in the ryanodine receptor-channel of sheep cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

1. The ryanodine receptor protein of sheep cardiac muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes functions as a ligand-regulated ion channel following solubilization with the zwitterionic detergent CHAPS (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]-1- propane sulphonate); purification by density gradient centrifugation, reconstitution into proteo-liposomes and incorporation into planar phospholipid bilayers. 2. In the absence of divalent cations, measurable conductance is observed with the group 1a cations and with some larger organic cations. In symmetric 210 mM solutions the following conductance sequence was determined: K+ greater than Rb+ = NH4+ greater than Na+ = Cs+ greater than Li+ much greater than Tris+. 3. Other organic cations, e.g. TEA+, do not produce measurable current under these conditions. 4. Single-channel conductance saturates with increasing ionic activities of K+, Na+ and Li+. Saturation curves are described by Michaelis-Menten kinetic schemes with the following values of maximal conductance and apparent dissociation constant: K+ 900 pS, 19.9 mM; Na+ 516 pS, 17.8 mM; Li+ 248 pS, 9.1 mM. 5. The channel displays only minor differences in permeability amongst the group 1a cations. Relative permeability, monitored under bi-ionic conditions, yields the following sequence: Na+, 1.15 greater than K+, 1.00 = Li+, 0.99 greater than Rb+, 0.87 greater than Cs+, 0.61. Under similar conditions the permeability ratio of NH4+ to K+ was found to be 1.32 and that for Tris+ to K+ was 0.22. 6. The K+ conductance is reduced by low concentrations of the impermeant cation TEA+. Block appears as a smooth reduction in single-channel current amplitude and the degree of block is dependent upon applied voltage. These observations are consistent with a single-site blocking scheme in which TEA+ has access to a site within the voltage drop of the channel from only the cytosolic face of the channel protein and interacts with a site located approximately 90% of the electrical distance across the channel. The zero-voltage dissociation constant for TEA+ block is 50 mM. 7. Single-channel conductance measurements in mixtures of K(+)-Na+ and K(+)-Li+ reveal no anomalous behaviour as the mole fraction of the ions is varied. 8. With monovalent cations as permeant species, the sheep cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptor protein functions as a poorly selective, ligand-regulated channel. Under the conditions described here the channel functions as a single-ion pore. It is proposed that discrimination is largely dependent upon the strength of interaction of the permeant ion with a binding site in the conduction pathway.
Applications of Remote Image Sensing with the NASA Massively Parallel Processor

Satellite observing systems are producing image observations of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere with spectral and spatial resolutions that result in data rates that current general-purpose computing systems are incapable of processing and analysing. As a result, current processing systems have been able to analyse only limited amounts of image data with less than optimal algorithms for generating high-quality geophysical parameters. A massively parallel processor (mpp) is operationally available at NASA/GSFC for routine image-analysis applications. Research studies with the mpp are being pursued in the area of interactive spatial contextual classifications for the land thematic mapper data, automatic SIR-B stereo terrain mapping, icemotion detection, faint-object image restoration and other general purpose ocean and land image-processing systems. Several applications are presented comparing the mpp products with enhancements of imaging data with standard image-processing methods. Finally, a work-station parallel processor for space station on-board image processing will be described.
Weevil Viewer: An interactive mapping application for geographic and phenological exploration of Wisconsin's primitive weevils

Geographically referenced faunal surveys are essential for land managers, conservation biologists, and entomologists to understand the distribution and diversity of organisms in the landscape. Further, the provision of faunal surveys through online and interactive mapping tools may generate new insights into species occurrence and location, ultimately leading to better informed decisions about how best to manage these species and their habitats. With these considerations in mind, we developed Weevil Viewer, an online, interactive mapping application for displaying the results of a faunal survey conducted on the four primitive weevil families found in Wisconsin. Design of Weevil Viewer was informed by Shneiderman's information seeking mantra, providing a pair of map overviews that can be filtered or zoomed iteratively by species, location, and time to glean new insights into the faunal distribution and diversity as well as to identify potential sites for future surveys. Weevil Viewer continues to be popula...
RF CMOS-MEMS capacitor having large tuning range

Several CMOS-MEMS tunable capacitors have been designed, fabricated and tested. Large-tuning ranges and high Q values are achieved. The structures were made from the CMOS interconnect stack using a maskless CMOS micromachining process. The 1/sup st/ generation capacitors were fabricated using Austria Microsystems (AMS) 0.6 /spl mu/m and Agilent 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS process. These devices have a measured nominal capacitance of 209 fF and a measured quality factor 28 at 1.5 GHz. The capacitance change is measured from 209 fF to 294 fF within a 24 V control voltage, and 72.4 mW power at 1.5 GHz. 2/sup nd/-generation tunable capacitors in TSMC 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS process have larger tuning range and more power efficiency than the 1st generation designs. For these new designs, 3.52 to 1 tuning range has been measured with tuning from 42 fF to 148 fF within a 12 V control voltage, and 34 mW power at 1.5 GHz. This recent design has a measured Q of 52 at 1.5 GHz. Electro-thermal actuation is used for all tunable capacitor designs. The essential differences between this work and prior work are the CMOS compatibility and using a maskless CMOS micromachining process.
Chemical composition and nutritive value of some tropical by-product feedstuffs for small ruminants — in vivo and in vitro digestibility

Chemical composition and nutritive values of by-product feedstuffs (BPF) used for small ruminants were evaluated. Four BPF from groundnut shells (GNS), maize cobs (MC), cassava peels (CaP), and citrus pulp/peels waste (CPPW) were used to prepare complete diets fed to goats and sheep in separate trials. Twelve goats and 16 sheep 16–18 months old weighing on average 12.96±0.28 and 14.05±0.18 kg, were divided into three and four groups, respectively, and used in two separate growth and digestibility studies. In vitro digestibility trial was carried out. In vivo and in vitro data were compared. Chemical composition of BPF differed in nutrient contents. MC had the least crude protein content (3.4%). CaP and CPPW had low NDF and ADF. GNS and MC were higher in cell wall constituents. Voluntary DMI was expressed as g/kg live weight (LW) per day and this ranged between 58.0–62.0 g/kg LW per day in goats and 70.0–83.0 g/kg LW per day in sheep. DM and CP digestibility were better (P>0.05) in goats fed CaP diet compared to the other BPF. NDF digestibility was better (P>0.05) in the GNS fed group compared to MC and CaP groups. GE was lower in CaP fed goats than in the others. Nutrient digestibility of the four by-products was better (P>0.05) in sheep that received CPPW diet. Other by-products (GNS, MC, CaP) digestibility followed the trend observed in goats. Net gas production, DM, NDF and OM digestibility and metabolizable energy (ME, MJ/kg of DM) were significantly different among the BPF (P<0.05). GNS had low net gas production than MC however, gas production was highest in CPPW followed by CaP. The low NDF values in CaP and CPWM indicated that they contain more soluble materials which ruminants can benefit from. In in vivo trial, goats and sheep performed better with rations formulated from CaP and CPPW compared to other BPF such as MC and GNS. However, the high gas production observed shows that care has to be exercised in feeding them to animals at high levels to avoid accumulation of gases and fermentation products which could lead to displaced abomasum and acidosis. The results indicate that estimates of digestibility are of use for BPF evaluation and these estimates can be readily accomplished by the in vitro techniques available. In conclusion, in vitro OM digestibility for GNS, MC, CaP and CPPW were higher compared to the in vivo digestibility.
Electromagnetic Band Gap Synthesis Using Genetic Algorithms for Mixed Signal Applications

A novel electromagnetic band gap (EBG) synthesis method for mixed signal applications is presented. In this method, a genetic algorithm (GA) is utilized as a solution-searching technique. One of the main advantages of the proposed method is an automated design procedure for EBG structures that meet given design specifications. For this purpose, the GA method is combined with multilayer finite-difference method (M-FDM) and dispersion diagram (DD) method. The M-FDM is a circuit-based simulator for computing the Z-parameters of planar structures, while the DD method is a plot of the propagation constant versus frequency. The EBG synthesis method introduced in this paper consists of three main parts namely: 1) GA, which generates populations of EBG structures and evaluates fitness functions using band gap response results from DD; 2) M-FDM, which analyzes the EBG structures generated by the GA and links the analysis results to DD; 3) DD, which calculates band gap frequencies using the EBG structure analysis results from the M-FDM and links the calculated stop band frequencies to the GA for fitness checks. For the verification of the suggested method, EBG structures having various specifications have been designed using the EBG synthesizer tool described in this paper. The designed EBG structures have been modeled and simulated using M-FDM. The EBG structures have also been fabricated and measured in the frequency-domain. The corresponding frequency-domain simulations and measurements have exhibited band gaps as per the design specifications used to synthesize the EBG structures.
Insider/Outsider dilemmas in the development of an appalachian self-care health education program.

This case study examines the process whereby a community based self care health education program was developed and implemented in a poverty struck coal mining region of southern Appalachia. 1 of the principle dynamics explored here in depth is the tension between "insiders"; (persons who know the area but may not be well versed in program planning implementation or evaluation) and "outsiders"; (persons who may be professionally prepared for mounting programs but are hampered in their ability to adjust to or handle the vicissitudes of an unfamiliar social or cultural situation). 2 different approaches to education are described in detail: mounting "health activation" classes for adults and the development and implementation of a self care oriented school health curriculum the school program being the more successful 1. The program is dubbed "Coal Country Health Education Program" and was initiated in 1977. Background details presented include the diverse meanings of the term "self care" involvement of health educators in self care programs health problems of coal country the nature of health activation and community efforts goals of the program and its implementation. Suggestions as to how the tension that developed between the insiders and outsiders on this project might have been better managed include the encouragement of local community participation in curriculum development or some form of program development to elicit a sense of committment and ownership from local personnel willingness to modify outside material to suit local needs taking into account strongly felt community needs and balancing the staff with nonprofessionally trained local community persons and professionally trained outsiders. Insiders help gain community acceptance; outsiders are more likely to be successful at programmatic adaptation and innovation to meet local needs. (authors modified)
Selling Security: Trade-Offs in State Regulation of the Private Security Industry

A hallmark of the modern era has been the state and its monopoly control of force — not just within its territory, but also abroad. States have exercised control over the force that emanates from their territory by marshalling the violent services of their citizens in citizen armies (restricting their use on behalf of other states or non-state actors) and regulating trade in weapons and other instruments of violence (Thomson 1994; Avant 2000; Krause 1992). Increasingly, however, citizens have begun to market their violent services along side weapons systems. In the 1990s private security companies (PSCs), touting themselves as legitimate, law-abiding corporations, sold military and security services to states and non-state actors all over the world. How does the thriving market for force affect states’ ability to control force?
Rule of Law against the Odds: Overcoming Poverty and the High Cost of Compliance in the Developing World

The sociolegal compliance literature, which suggests that compliance is motivated by fear, duty, or social license pressure, relies on assumptions that are often specific to the developed world. Are developing world conditions, including low state capacity, not conducive to regulatory compliance? Along the open India–Nepal border, I examine variation in compliance with wood-taking regulations in contiguous conservation areas located in different countries. I find that widespread poverty, which makes the cost of compliance for large swaths of the population extraordinarily high, significantly reduces compliance rates. I go on to show that there are policies that even cash-strapped, weakly-institutionalized states can adopt that make compliance more affordable. These policies, and the resulting programs, are associated with much higher levels of compliance.
Natural Ground-Water Discharge of Orthophosphate in the Ttialatin Basin, Northwest Oregon

Orthophosphate concentrations in the Tualatin River of northwest Oregon have historically been high enough for the formation of seasonal algal blooms in the lower slow moving stretches of the river. Past work to decrease phosphate levels concentrated on limiting agricultural runoff and reducing effluent from water treatment plants, yet phosphate levels have remained high. Close examination of the Willamette Silt and underlying Hillsboro Formation in the Tualatin Valley has revealed that phosphate is leaching from the substrata into the overlying drainage system through ground-water discharge. Hillsboro Formation samples from subsurface borings as deep as 330 m contain up to 3.17 mg/1 orthophosphate as measured by saturated pastes. Three distinct zones of phosphate concentrations are recognized in the HBD-1 core drilled at the Hillsboro airport; the top 65 m average 0.3 mg/1 orthophosphate, the next 60 m average 1.22 mg/1, and the bottom 138 m average 0.1 mg/1. Reductions in orthophosphate concentrations below a depth of 150 m correspond with the presence of small vivianite nodules and crystals, and increased abundances of magnetite, both which persist to the base of the Hillsboro Formation. Changing redox conditions with depth along with phosphate complex adsorption onto iron oxides in the shallow zone best explain the observed relationships between phosphate, vivianite, and magnetite concentrations in the sediments. Observations in other borings from the central and western Tualatin Basin support the above hypothesis. Naturally large phosphate concentrations leaching from the Hillsboro Formation and into the Tualatin River drainage system will always keep the river at risk of accelerated seasonal algal growth.
Modifying Merger Consent Decrees: An Economist Plot to Improve Merger Enforcement Policy

This short article analyzes a proposal that merger consent decrees should include a review and modification provision that would give the agency the ability to petition the court to order further relief if the consent decree fails to preserve or restore competition and protect consumer welfare in a reasonable period of time after the merger is consummated. This review and modification process would help to protect competition and consumers from insufficient, poorly designed or otherwise ineffective consent decrees. It would place more of the risk of failure on the merging parties who claim to the agency that the merger will not harm competition and that the remedy is sufficient to cure the agency’s concerns. The merging firms then would be incentivized to provide more efficient and effective remedies at the HSR stage rather than bear the risk of potentially more costly remedies, disgorgement and other relief later on. This allocation of risk to the merged firm also would help to deter the post-merger exercise of market power achieved or enhanced by the merger. For the same reasons, it also would increase the deterrence of anticompetitive mergers. The article analyzes the structure of the proposal, its goals and benefits, potential relief provisions if modification is required, and potential criticisms.
Adaptive Integrated Optical Bragg Grating in Semiconductor Waveguide Suitable for Optical Signal Processing

ABSTRACTThis article presents a methodology for an integrated Bragg grating using an alloy of GaAs, AlGaAs, and InGaAs with a controllable refractive index to obtain an adaptive Bragg grating suitable for many applications on optical processing and adaptive control systems, such as limitation and filtering. The refractive index of a Bragg grating is controlled by using an external electric field for controlling periodic modulation of the refractive index of the active waveguide region. The designed Bragg grating has refractive indices programmed by using that external electric field. This article presents two approaches for designing the controllable refractive indices active region of a Bragg grating. The first approach is based on the modification of a planar micro-strip structure of the iGaAs traveling wave as the active region, and the second is based on the modification of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots of an alloy from GaAs and InGaAs with a GaP traveling wave. The overall design and results ...
Role of medical therapy in the management of acromegaly

Medical therapy plays an important role in the management of patients with acromegaly and is commonly used adjunctively after surgical resection of the pituitary tumor. Generally, surgery alone provides a 50 to 70% rate of cure; however, the outcome depends on the experience and ability of the surgeon and the characteristics of the tumor. The role of postsurgical medical therapy is to achieve long-term biochemical control of the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) axis. In some patients, medical therapies may be implemented sooner as primary or preoperative therapy. Somatostatin analogs have been the mainstay of medical therapy for acromegaly. The somatostatin analog octreotide produces normalization of IGF-I in approximately 50% of patients but is associated with gastrointestinal adverse effects, including the development of gallstones. Octreotide requires thrice-daily subcutaneous administration. Long-acting formulations of somatostatin analogs (octreotide LAR, lanreotide) are at least as effective and as well tolerated as short-acting octreotide. Unfortunately, some patients are suboptimally responsive to or become intolerant of these agents. Pegvisomant belongs to a new class of agents known as GH-receptor antagonists. This novel agent competitively binds to the GH receptor, blocking IGF-I production. Pegvisomant is highly effective in achieving normal IGF-I concentrations and in reducing signs and symptoms of acromegaly, even in patients resistant to previous treatments. Pegvisomant has been proved safe and well tolerated and has no effect on gallbladder motility. GH levels remain elevated. Transient elevations in liver enzyme levels require monitoring but rarely necessitate termination of therapy. Normalizing IGF-I concentrations with pegvisomant also may have a beneficial effect on carbohydrate metabolism and cardiovascular risk.
Extending the Consequentiality of “Invisible Work” in the Food Justice Movement

ABSTRACTQuestions regarding what is consequential for communities are critical for the study and design of learning. Answering these questions requires knowledge of how the social world functions to make certain ideas, practices, and identities visible and potentially valuable. In our longitudinal, participatory design research project, we work with a group of resident-activists seeking social justice for their historically marginalized community. Our aim was to develop new tools (e.g., a software application) and understandings that could make learning consequential. Without making the differential scales of influence and values of participants' work visible, possibilities for consequential learning—learning that extends across multiple positions and perspectives in practices such as community organizing—would be limited.
The Origins, History, and Future of the Federal Reserve: “To Establish a More Effective Supervision of Banking”

Although bank supervision under the National Banking System exercised a light hand and panics were frequent, the cost of bank failures was minimal. Double liability induced shareholders to carefully monitor bank managers and voluntarily liquidate banks early if they appeared to be in trouble. Inducing more disclosure, marking assets to market, and ensuring prompt closure of insolvent national banks, the Comptroller of the Currency reinforced market discipline. The arrival of the Federal Reserve weakened this regime. Monetary policy decisions conflicted with the goal of financial stability and created moral hazard. The appearance of the Fed as an additional supervisor led to more “competition in laxity” among regulators and “regulatory arbitrage” by banks. When the Great Depression hit, policy-induced deflation and asset price volatility were misdiagnosed as failures of competition and market valuation. In response, the New Deal shifted to a regime of discretion-based supervision with forbearance. 100 th Anniversary of the Jekyll Island Conference Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Eugene N. White Rutgers University and NBER Department of Economics New Brunswick, NJ 08901 USA Phone: 732-932-7363 Fax: 732-932-7416 white@economics.rutgers.edu
Design and construction of broadband THz quarter wave plate

We report on the design and construction of a broadband quarter wave plate for use with time domain terahertz spectroscopy. We use the principle of a Fresnel rhomb for its construction, and show tests on its performance in polarization measurements. Article not available.
CCID: Articulating a Design-Thinking Center for Multimodal Communication

In higher education institutions, writing in the disciplines (WID) and writing across the curriculum (WAC) programs are commonly received reluctantly by other disciplines and programs (Perelman). The context for these programs - servicing schools and departments but remaining apart from them - creates problems for facilitating effective service. At the University of Nevada, Reno, a new program began in 2015, called Composition and Communication in the Disciplines (CCID) and focusing on building student writing, presenting, and multimodal communication. To counter disciplinary reticence about such programs, CCID uses design thinking at its relational heuristic. In this context, design thinking serves as a means to engage with diverse disciplines and modes of communication active on campus while avoiding the perception of imposed disciplinarity. Although a number of scholars have written about the parallels between design and writing (Purdy; Norman), design thinking has yet to be used as part of a writing program in this way. This panel presentation includes a short overview of CCID, followed by details of how and why this design thinking-based, multimodal communication program is developing. Hepworth will focus on how design thinking is used to teach the building of effective multimodal student presentations. Mays will focus on how design thinking can be used to enrich writing, encouraging students to see it as active engagement with dynamic audiences. Macauley will discuss design thinking as an opportunity to improve student agency and self-efficacy as communicators.
Deliver or wait with late preterm membrane rupture

While ACOG recommends delivery for all women with ruptured membranes after 34 weeks' gestation, a new study finds expectant management may be the way to go.