cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolving Concepts of Leptin

Leptin is a 16-kDa peptide hormone released from adipose tissue that regulates the balance between energy intake and energy utilization by binding to hypothalamic receptors and modulating appetite control centers in the brain. Occupancy of central leptin receptors also increases activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which stimulates energy expenditure in peripheral target tissues through a process called ‘adaptive thermogenesis’. Through coordinated regulation of these two systems, leptin functions to match rates of energy expenditure with energy intake. Leptin also functions to preserve energy reserves during starvation by lowering body temperature, basal metabolic rate, and limiting hypothalamic support for reproductive function. As such, leptin is a peripheral signal that acts centrally to integrate a complex array of behavioral and metabolic systems that function to maintain energy homeostasis when food supplies are adequate and ensure survival when they are not.
Impact of timeliness of breast radiotherapy on health outcomes in early breast cancer

6591 Background: The objective of this study is to understand the impact of timely radiotherapy on disease-free survival (DFS) in early breast cancer patients ages 65 and above. Methods: The study ...
The RP-p53-Mdm2 pathway: a new link to genetic integrity?

Deregulation of the cell cycle (cell division) has long been known to contribute to the induction of cancer. Similarly, disruption of protein synthesis (cell growth) has also been shown to lead to several pathological conditions including cancer.1 The tumor suppressor p53 is pivotal in inducing cell cycle arrest in response to DNA damage, and it has recently been recognized that p53 also plays a role in linking cell division with cell growth by sensing nucleolar stress.2 When there is stress to ribosome biogenesis, and thus protein synthesis, several ribosomal proteins (RPs) such as RPL11, RPL23 and RPL5 have been shown to interact with Mdm2 and inhibit its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity towards p53. This leads to p53 stabilization and activation and enables cells to stop cell cycle progression in the absence of functional ribosomal biogenesis conditions.3 This places p53 as an important regulator of both the DNA damage and protein synthesis pathways and suggests the coupling of these two processes may be important to preventing oncogenesis.
Synthesis and characterization of the dimercury(I)-linked compound [PPn]4[(Re7C(CO)21Hg)2]. Oxidative cleavage of the mercury-mercury bond leading to carbidoheptarhenate complexes of mercury(II), including [PPN][Re7C(CO)21Hg(S=C(NME2)2)].

The reaction of [PPN]3[Re7C(CO)21] with Hg2(NO3)2·2H2O in dichloromethane formed the complex [PPN]4[(Re7C(CO)21Hg)2] ([PPN]4[1]), isolated in 60% yield. Analogous salts of [1]4- with [PPh4]+ and [NEt4]+ were also prepared. The crystal structure of [PPN]4[1] showed that two carbidoheptarhenate cores are linked by a dimercury(I) unit (d(Hg−Hg) = 2.610(4) A), with each individual mercury atom face-bridging. Oxidative cleavage of the Hg−Hg bond in [1]4- was effected by 4-bromophenyl disulfide to form [Re7C(CO)21HgSC6H4Br]2- ([4]2-), by I2 to form [Re7C(CO)21HgI]2- ([5]2-), and by Br2 to form [Re7C(CO)21HgBr]2- ([6]2-). Oxidation of [1]4- by ferrocenium ion (2 equiv) in the presence of tetramethylthiourea resulted in the derivative [Re7C(CO)21HgSC(NMe2)2]- ([7]-). The molecular structure of [PPN][7] was determined by X-ray crystallography. This is the first example of a carbidoheptarhenate−mercury complex with a neutral ligand on mercury, and ligand exchange was demonstrated by displacement with triethylphosph...
Western Fly Ash Research, Development and Data Center

With financial support from utilities and ash brokers, the Western Fly Ash Research, Development and Data Center was established under the aegis of the North Dakota Mining and Mineral Resources Research Institute in August of 1985. Research will be performed by the two North Dakota universities in Grand Forks and Fargo. The fundamental objective of the Center is to enhance the knowledge base of the properties (chemical, mineralogical and physical) and reactions of the coal by-products (principally fly ash, but including bottom ash and FGD waste) produced in the Midwestern and Great Plains regions of the US. Most of the study specimens will be high-calcium (ASTM Class C) ash derived from low-rank lignite and subbituminous coals mined in North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming, although ash from other regions and coals is also being studied. The enhanced knowledge base should lead to more widespread utilization of these by-products [1,2] or, where this is necessary, to their safe and cost-effective disposal [3]. Fly ash is an inherently variable material. The variability is due to differences in the inorganic components of the source coal, in the coal preparation and combustion conditions and in ash collection and handling methods. Because no two utilities have all of these factors in common, each plant’s fly ash is unique, and may vary itself with time. If one wishes to draw generic conclusions on this material this must be done by applying statistical procedures to a large database. Preparation of such a database incorporating several thousand western fly ashes (WFA) is a principal Center activity. The following data are being entered into the database for each ash studied: source coal; boiler/generator; collection conditions; handling/beneficiation; physical properties; ASTM C 618 results; bulk chemical composition (including actual Na20, K20 and MgO); mineralogy. A portion of the support of the institute is allocated for research performed by faculty and students at the two universities. There are two current research topics under investigation: (1) mechanisms for pozzolanic and cementitious activities of WFA; (2) sulfate resistance of WFA. Future research is planned in the following areas: (1) development of pozzolanic activity tests relevant to WFA; (2) understanding the leaching behavior of WFA in light of its cementitious properties.
A review of research on pulse detonation engine nozzles

Experimental and computational studies on nozzles for pulse detonation engines are reviewed in this paper. Direct comparisons of the results from various studies are not possible due to differences in the system parameters (nozzle shape, length, expansion ratios and ambient pressures) as well as the detonable mixtures considered. However, several common trends in the observations are noted. In addition, an attempt is made to reconcile apparently contradictory observations made in some previous studies. Whether the nozzle is pre-filled with a detonable mixture or with ambient air is an important factor in the interpretation of previous results. Research needs in this area are also discussed.
The association of serum vitamin D concentration with serious complications after noncardiac surgery.

Background Vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem. Epidemiological studies demonstrate that vitamin D is both cardioprotective and neuroprotective. Vitamin D also plays a substantial role in innate and acquired immunity. Our goal was to evaluate the association of serum vitamin D concentration on serious postoperative complications and death in noncardiac surgical patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of 3509 patients who had noncardiac surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus and had a serum vitamin D measurement. The relationship between serum vitamin D concentration and all-cause in-hospital mortality, in-hospital cardiovascular morbidity, and serious in-hospital infections was assessed as a common effect odds ratio (OR) by using a multivariate generalized estimating equation model with adjustment for demographic, medical history variables, and type and duration of surgery. Results Higher vitamin D concentrations were associated with decreased odds of in-hospital mortality/morbidity (P = 0.003). There was a linear reduction of the corresponding common effect odds ratio (OR 0.93, 95% confidence interval, 0.88-0.97) for severe in-hospital outcomes for each 5 ng/mL increase in vitamin D concentration over the range from 4 to 44 ng/mL. In addition, we found that the odds versus patients with vitamin D 36 ng/mL (i.e., 2nd-5th quintiles); the corresponding estimated ORs were 0.65 (99% confidence interval, 0.43-0.98), 0.53 (0.35-0.80), 0.44 (0.28-0.70), and 0.49 (0.31-0.78), respectively. However, there was no statistically significant difference among individual quintiles >13 ng/mL. Conclusions Vitamin D concentrations were associated with a composite of in-hospital death, serious infections, and serious cardiovascular events in patients recovering from noncardiac surgery. While causality cannot be determined from our retrospective analysis, the association suggests that a large randomized trial of preoperative vitamin D supplementation and postoperative outcomes is warranted.
An Automatic Well-Logging Replay System Based On C/S Mode

Well-logging is of great worth in Petroleum Industry. Since the traditional well-logging-drawing methods have many limitations, an automatic well-logging replay system based on C/S mode is designed and implemented.The system replay automatically on client with the well-logging data got from server database. Comparing with traditional methods, this system works more quickly, has higher precision ,and information share is more convenient. It improves work efficiency of researchers greatly, therefore the application of this system is promising and valuable.
Therapeutic Small Molecules Target Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins in Cancers with Deregulation of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Cell Death Pathways

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) has unveiled genomic deregulation of various components of the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in different types of cancers. Such alterations are particularly common in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC), which frequently display amplification and overexpression of the Fas-associated via death domain (FADD) and inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) that complex with members of the TNF receptor family. Second mitochondria-derived activator of caspases (SMAC) mimetics, modeled after the endogenous IAP antagonist SMAC, and IAP inhibitors represent important classes of novel small molecules currently in phase I/II clinical trials. Here we review the physiologic roles of IAPs, FADD, and other components involved in cell death, cell survival, and NF-κB signaling pathways in cancers, including HNSCC. We summarize the results of targeting IAPs in preclinical models of HNSCC using SMAC mimetics. Synergistic activity of SMAC mimetics together with death agonists TNFα or TRAIL occurred in vitro, whereas their antitumor effects were augmented when combined with radiation and chemotherapeutic agents that induce TNFα in vivo In addition, clinical trials testing SMAC mimetics as single agents or together with chemo- or radiation therapies in patients with HNSCC and solid tumors are summarized. As we achieve a deeper understanding of the genomic alterations and molecular mechanisms underlying deregulated death and survival pathways in different cancers, the role of SMAC mimetics and IAP inhibitors in cancer treatment will be elucidated. Such developments could enhance precision therapeutics and improve outcomes for cancer patients. Clin Cancer Res; 23(6); 1379-87. ©2016 AACR.
A residual feature-based replay attack detection approach for brainprint biometric systems

Brainprint biometrics, as an emerging biometric technology, have recently gained increasing attention based on the assumption that each individual has unique memory and knowledge that are capable of providing distinctness from others. Like all other biometric methods, adversaries can also circumvent and compromise brainprint biometric systems, for example, by incorporating small-scale noises into the brainprint template to synthesize a faked input. To address this security vulnerability, we propose a novel replay detection approach by taking advantage of noise residual features to detect if the input is adversely modified and generated by adding noises onto a legitimate brainprint template. Specifically, the proposed approach consists of two separate stages: the identity recognition stage, which uses the convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify the input brainwaves and thus verify the identity of the user; and the replay detection stage, which uses the ensemble classifier to detect if the brainwave signals have been compromised and manipulated by using noise residual features. Experimental results show that the proposed approach can effectively detect the replay attacks to the brainprint biometric systems, while maintaining a rather high level of user identification accuracy.
Melanoma genome evolution across species.

Cancer genomes evolve in both space and time, which contributes to the genetic heterogeneity that underlies tumor progression and drug resistance. In human melanoma, identifying mechanistically important events in tumor evolution is hampered due to the high background mutation rate from ultraviolet (UV) light. Cross-species oncogenomics is a powerful tool for identifying these core events, in which transgenically well-defined animal models of cancer are compared to human cancers to identify key conserved alterations. We use a zebrafish model of tumor progression and drug resistance for cross-species genomic analysis in melanoma. Zebrafish transgenic tumors are initiated with just 2 genetic lesions, BRAFV600E and p53-/-, yet take 4–6 months to appear, at which time whole genome sequencing demonstrated >3,000 new mutations. An additional 4-month exposure to the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib resulted in a highly drug resistant tumor that showed 3 additional new DNA mutations in the genes BUB1B, PINK1, and COL16A1. These genetic changes in drug resistance are accompanied by a massive reorganization of the transcriptome, with differential RNA expression of over 800 genes, centered on alterations in cAMP and PKA signaling. By comparing both the DNA and mRNA changes to a large panel of human melanomas, we find that there is a highly significant enrichment of these alterations in human patients with vemurafenib resistant disease. Our results suggest that targeting of alterations that are conserved between zebrafish and humans may offer new avenues for therapeutic intervention. The approaches described here will be broadly applicable to the diverse array of cancer models available in the zebrafish, which can be used to inform human cancer genomics.
Cardiovascular Manifestations of Hepatitis C Virus

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a prevalent condition associated with numerous extrahepatic manifestations. Epidemiologic studies have found that HCV is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, in particular with carotid atherosclerosis, cerebrovascular events, and coronary heart disease. The mechanisms involved encompass a chronic systemic inflammatory state, insulin resistance, and a potential, direct infection of the vascular endothelium. Sustained virologic response with interferon-based regimens is associated with reduced cardiovascular events, although this must be validated with newer direct-acting antivirals. This clear association between HCV and cardiovascular events may have significant economical and public health implications.
Low-Power Wideband Analog Channelization Filter Bank Using Passive Polyphase-FFT Techniques

Polyphase-FFT (P-FFT) techniques allow for low power implementations of high performance multi-channel filter banks by utilizing computation sharing like a standard fast Fourier transform (FFT). Additionally, it enables a longer “effective window length” than is possible in a standard FFT. This characteristic breaks the trade-off between the main-lobe width and the side-lobe amplitudes in normal finite impulse response filters. Thus, P-FFT techniques have been employed for the channelization of wideband input signals in high speed digital communication receivers. In this paper, we present a prototype analog P-FFT based filter bank in discrete time that is used to channelize wideband input signals so as to reduce the speed and dynamic range requirement of the ADCs. The four-channel I/Q prototype is implemented using TSMC’s 65 nm GP technology. Based on passive switches, the design operates at high speed, consumes low power, and offers high linearity performance. The measured transfer function shows >38 dB side-lobe suppression at 1 GS/s operation. The average measured IIP3 is +25 dBm differential power and the total integrated output noise is 208 $\mu V_{\mathrm{ rms}}$ . The total power consumption for the P-FFT filter bank (eight-channels total) is 34.6 mW (34.6 pJ/conv).
A typology of consumers’ familiarity and experience of organic cotton apparel

In recent years, people have been increasingly motivated by ethical consumption and accordingly, products featuring environmental claims have obtained unprecedented popularity in various retail sectors. The apparel industry is no exception, offering a variety of environmentally friendly products to satisfy the preferences of socially responsible consumers. Among these, one of the most representative and popular products could be apparel made with organic cotton which is grown under sustainable farming practices (Lin, 2010). However, it is reported that familiarity with organic cotton is considerably low among consumers (Ha- Brookshire & Norum, 2012). This could be problematic, especially to organic cotton product retailers, because familiarity or perceived knowledge is an essential factor in consumers’ decision-making process (Alba & Hutchinson, 1987). In order to provide a clear overview about the influence of product familiarity on consumers, this study developed a typology of consumers based on familiarity level with organic cotton and identified differences among subgroups in their purchase behavior.
Electrical percolation threshold of magnetostrictive inclusions in a piezoelectric matrix under simulated sintering conditions

Magnetoelectric (ME) composites can be produced by embedding magnetostrictive H particles in a piezoelectric E matrix derived from a piezoelectric powder precursor. Previously, using a bi-disperse hard-shell model (Barbero and Bedard in Comput Part Mech, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40571-017-0165-4 ), it has been shown that the electrical percolation threshold of the conductive H phase can be increased by decreasing the piezoelectric E particle size, relative to the H phase particle size, and by increasing short-range affinity between the E and H particles. This study builds on our previous study by exploring what happens during sintering of the ME composite when either the H or E particles undergo deformation. It was found that deformation of the H particles reduces the percolation threshold, and that deformation of E particles increases inter-phase H–E mechanical coupling, thus contributing to enhancing of ME coupling.
Simmering to the End (January 2015–June 2016)

By January 2015, the Ebola outbreak was clearly in decline. Liberia and Guinea both had falling caseloads. Sierra Leone had high case levels at the start of 2015, but soon these too began to fall. On March 5, 2015, Liberia released its last known Ebola patient. In mid-March 2015, Sierra Leone launched a new 3-day, nationwide lockdown to find and contain the last few cases. Things looked very positive. But then, in a pattern that would repeat itself in the coming months, a new case suddenly emerged in Liberia. The virus began to show an extraordinary ability to reemerge from undetected chains of transmission. It also became clear that the semen of survivors remained infectious long after the survivors had recovered. In October 2015, a frightening new twist occurred when a UK Ebola survivor developed Ebola-related meningitis almost 9 months after she had recovered from the disease. Despite numerous setbacks and flare-ups, the West African Ebola outbreak was declared officially over on January 14, 2016. Sadly, the very next day – January 15, 2016 – a new Ebola case was detected in Sierra Leone. New cases then began to emerge in Guinea and Liberia. Another round of containment and contact tracing commenced. Finally, by June 9, 2016, all of the new cases had resolved and the 2013–2016 outbreak came to an end.
Classification Algorithms in Adaptive Systems for Neuro-Ergonomic Applications

Adaptive systems typically comprise components that interrelate and interact to enable the whole system to respond and adjust to changes in the environment, operator, and task in order to regulate or maintain a level of performance or homeostasis. In so doing, they enable a degree of individualization and customization for many technological innovations such as managing the use of automation. Adaptive systems often involve some kind of feedback or closed-loop which requires a criteria for determining invoking thresholds, as well as some type of classification algorithm that models the type of changes to which the system has to adapt. This paper outlines the issues, considerations, and challenges associated with classification in adaptive systems, and reviews several algorithms that implement the feedback loop in neuro-ergonomic applications. These include logistic regression, Naive-Bayes, artificial neural networks (ANN), and support vector machines (SVM) techniques.
Multiple-Component Systems

So far, the systems that have been considered have been implicitly defined as having a single component. In the study of biological systems, this is not a particularly useful simplification. Not only are most of the systems of concern comprised of a number of different materials but frequently the amounts of these materials change as a system changes state because of chemical reactions that take place. Therefore, it now becomes necessary to consider explicitly the various components that make up a system and what their relationship will be to the free energy of the system.
Cortical steady-potential shifts in conditioning

Cortical steady-potential shifts obtained from nonpolarizing electrodes chronically implanted in freely moving cats and rats reveal cortical activation related to urgency of response to unconditional and conditional stimuli. Such shifts appear relatively independent of activation in the rhythmic electrocorticogram and are related to higher levels of activation. Shifting is found to be modulated by drive and level of learning, suggesting a correlation with the proposed reaction potential of Hull. Both approach and avoidance “urgency” are reflected in the onset slope and amplitude of SP shifts in a manner suggesting modulation of cortical activation by the effects of behavioral regulation of stimulus conditions.
Recruit symbiosis establishment and Symbiodiniaceae composition influenced by adult corals and reef sediment

For most reef-building corals, the establishment of symbiosis occurs via horizontal transmission, where juvenile coral recruits acquire their algal symbionts (family Symbiodiniaceae) from their surrounding environment post-settlement. This transmission strategy allows corals to interact with a diverse array of symbionts, potentially facilitating adaptation to the newly settled environment. We exposed aposymbiotic Pseudodiploria strigosa recruits from the Flower Garden Banks to natal reef sediment (C−S+), symbiotic adult coral fragments (C+S−), sediment and coral fragments (C+S+), or seawater controls (C−S−) and quantified rates of symbiont uptake and Symbiodiniaceae community composition within each recruit using metabarcoding of the ITS2 locus. The most rapid uptake was observed in C+S+ treatments, and this combination also led to the highest symbiont alpha diversity in recruits. While C−S+ treatments exhibited the next highest uptake rate, only one individual recruit successfully established symbiosis in the C+S− treatment, suggesting that sediment both serves as a direct symbiont source for coral recruits and promotes (or, potentially, mediates) transmission from adult coral colonies. In turn, presence of adult corals facilitated uptake from the sediment, perhaps via chemical signaling. Taken together, our results reinforce the key role of sediment in algal symbiont uptake by P. strigosa recruits and suggest that sediment plays a necessary, but perhaps not sufficient, role in the life cycle of algal Symbiodiniaceae symbionts.
Energy Efficiency Optimization of Integrated Energy System Considering Carbon Emissions

With the increasing of energy consumption, it is important to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Integrated energy system can effectively improve energy efficiency by coupling multiple energy sources. In order to further improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, this paper proposes an energy efficiency optimization model with power to gas system (P2G). The energy supply cost and overall energy efficiency of integrated energy system are improved by hybrid energy storage system, which increases the system's wind power consumption rate by 11.2%. And the optimization strategy proposed in this paper increases the total energy efficiency of the system by 7.3% and reduces the total carbon emissions by 15.1%.
What is Fair? Exploring Pareto-Efficiency for Fairness Constraint Classifiers

The potential for learned models to amplify existing societal biases has been broadly recognized. Fairness-aware classifier constraints, which apply equality metrics of performance across subgroups defined on sensitive attributes such as race and gender, seek to rectify inequity but can yield non-uniform degradation in performance for skewed datasets. In certain domains, imbalanced degradation of performance can yield another form of unintentional bias. In the spirit of constructing fairness-aware algorithms as societal imperative, we explore an alternative: Pareto-Efficient Fairness (PEF). Theoretically, we prove that PEF identifies the operating point on the Pareto curve of subgroup performances closest to the fairness hyperplane, maximizing multiple subgroup accuracy. Empirically we demonstrate that PEF outperforms by achieving Pareto levels in accuracy for all subgroups compared to strict fairness constraints in several UCI datasets.
Distance Traveled to Head and Neck Cancer Provider: A Measure of Socioeconomic Status and Access.

ObjectiveImproved head and neck cancer survival has been associated with traveling farther distances for treatment, potentially due to patients seeking higher-quality facilities. This study investi...
Management of Early-Stage Esophageal Adenocarcinoma by Endoscopic Spray Cryotherapy in the Setting of Portal Hypertension With Varices

The use of endoscopic spray cryotherapy to manage pathological conditions of the esophagus has become increasingly common. This mucosal ablation technique is believed to carry a lower risk of bleeding than other modalities. A 71-year-old woman and a 64-year-old man with portal hypertension and varices were diagnosed with invasive esophageal adenocarcinoma during routine variceal surveillance. Staging by endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography was uT1N0M0 in both patients. They each underwent mucosal ablation using liquid nitrogen cryosprays with no adverse events. Both cancers completely resolved with 2 treatments, and neither patient has shown recurrence of neoplasia during follow-up observations for up to 2 years.
Efficient OpenMP parallelization to a complex MPI parallel magnetohydrodynamics code

Abstract The state-of-the-art finite volume/difference magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) code Block Adaptive Tree Solarwind Roe Upwind Scheme (BATS-R-US) was originally designed with pure MPI parallelization. The maximum problem size achievable was limited by the storage requirements of the block tree structure. To mitigate this limitation, we have added multi-threaded OpenMP parallelization to the previous pure MPI implementation. We opted to use a coarse-grained approach by making the loops over grid blocks multi-threaded and have succeeded in making BATS-R-US an efficient hybrid parallel code with modest changes in the source code while preserving the performance. Good weak scalings up to hundreds of thousands of cores were achieved both for explicit and implicit time stepping schemes. This parallelization strategy greatly extended the possible simulation scale from 16,000 cores to more than 500,000 cores with 2GB/core memory on the Blue Waters supercomputer. Our work also revealed significant performance issues for some of the compilers when the code is compiled with the OpenMP library, probably related to the less efficient optimization of a complex multi-threaded region.
Risk and Compliance

Many organizations are facing complex risk management issues and are ill equipped to sufficiently mitigate risk in a focused manner. Studies have shown that an astonishing 57% of senior level executives label “risk and compliance” as the two top categories they feel least prepared to address (Quantivate, 2019, para. 1). Consequently, only 6% of directors maintain confidence that their organization is effectively managing risk (Guis, Mieszala, Panayiotou & Poppensieker, 2018, para. 4). With so many organizations facing an existential risk management crisis, this beckons the question how many organizations have implemented a mature information security risk management program through the use of a focused risk assessment to drive the creation and maintenance of the information security program and are enforced through IT auditing (Streff, 2019). The existence of assessing risk and using the results to create and maintain the information security program and enforcing through auditing are listed in order or relative importance. This paper will aim to discuss the importance of each pillar and explain the reasoning behind the priority between the three concepts.
Fighting a losing battle? Countering terrorism financing in Nigeria and Somalia

In the past decade, terrorist attacks in Africa have increased in frequency and lethality. Cutting off funding to terrorist groups is one important way to reduce these attacks. This research focuse...
Military dissent in the United States: are there lessons from Latin america?

The civil–military relations of the Trump Presidency became increasingly troubled. The President attempted not only to involve the military in partisan politics, but also in counter-protest operati...
STEM doctoral students’ skill development: does funding mechanism matter?

A substantial monetary investment supports STEM doctoral students in the United States (U.S.) through a variety of funding mechanisms (e.g., fellowships, research, and teaching assistantships). However, we have limited knowledge of how students’ funding influences their development of career-relevant skills during graduate school. Using survey data from STEM doctoral students (n = 719) across 35 highly ranked U.S. institutions, we use exploratory factor analysis and nested multivariate regression modeling to understand how students’ primary funding influences development of: (a) research skills; (b) teamwork and project management skills; (c) peer training and mentoring skills, and (d) communication skills. We find significant differences in students’ self-reported development for all four career-related skills based on their primary funding type. Students with research assistantships reported higher research and teamwork and project management skills than those with teaching assistantships. Yet, students with teaching assistantships reported significantly higher development of peer training and mentoring than students funded via all other types. Students funded via external fellowships reported lower skill development than students funded primarily by research assistantships across all four career-relevant skills. Doctoral students' development of career-relevant skills are not uniform across primary funding types. Particularly, the perceived benefits of external fellowship funding (i.e., prestige, autonomy, increased pay) may come at the cost of fewer opportunities to develop skills important for career success. STEM graduate education scholars, practitioners, and policymakers should consider and ameliorate the varied impacts that funding mechanisms can have on graduate students’ development of career-relevant skills.
At the heart of the interoception network: Influence of the parasubthalamic nucleus on autonomic functions and motivated behaviors

Abstract The parasubthalamic nucleus (PSTN), a small nucleus located on the lateral edge of the posterior hypothalamus, has emerged in recent years as a highly interconnected node within the network of brain regions sensing and regulating autonomic function and homeostatic needs. Furthermore, the strong integration of the PSTN with extended amygdala circuits makes it ideally positioned to serve as an interface between interoception and emotions. While PSTN neurons are mostly glutamatergic, some of them also express neuropeptides that have been associated with stress-related affective and motivational dysfunction, including substance P, corticotropin-releasing factor, and pituitary adenylate-cyclase activating polypeptide. PSTN neurons respond to food ingestion and anorectic signals, as well as to arousing and distressing stimuli. Functional manipulation of defined pathways demonstrated that the PSTN serves as a central hub in multiple physiologically relevant networks and is notably implicated in appetite suppression, conditioned taste aversion, place avoidance, impulsive action, and fear-induced thermoregulation. We also discuss the putative role of the PSTN in interoceptive dysfunction and negative urgency. This review aims to synthesize the burgeoning preclinical literature dedicated to the PSTN and to stimulate interest in further investigating its influence on physiology and behavior.
Long Wave Model Independent of Stability Criteria

Stability conditions for hydrodynamic models can be exceeded if the appropirate terms in the governing equations are approximated with implicit differences. If, in addition, the coefficient matrix for the resulting matrix equations is designed to be time invariant, an efficient simulation technique results. These features are exploited in a finite element-finite difference model of water circulation. The technique, which solves the vertically integrated Navier-Stokes equations, is used to simulate the circulation in a natural embayment where stability requirements for existing techniques would significantly restrict the size of the time step.
Heparin vs Heparan Sulfate

This chapter discusses heparin which is a highly sulfated polysaccharide used clinically as an anticoagulant. It can be obtained as a relatively inexpensive reagent which is available for use in a variety of research programs. The heparin-binding property is extensively used in the purification of proteins by heparin affinity chromatography which at the same time suggests further experiments that may define the effects of added heparin on the activities of the protein in question. Heparin has innumerable effects on the growth and biological activities of cells in culture. Understanding these heparin–protein or heparin–cell interactions is quite a complex task and requires thorough understanding of many underlying factors, which at times, become a tedious task for scientists involved in these studies. This chapter summarizes the widely dispersed literature on a number of prototypic heparin-binding proteins. The discussion is confined to proteins from heparinoid-producing species, namely the eukaryotes. An attempt is made to address the biological significance of the heparin-binding capacity of every protein and to place the heparinoid–protein interactions into a true physiological perspective.
Exploring the Link between Knowledge Management Performance and Firm Performance

The resource-based theory of the firm attributes superior firm performance to organizational resources that are valuable, rare, irreplaceable, and most readily reproduced. Aligned with this theory, the dissertation examines the widely expressed notion that knowledge management (KM) competencies form a critical organizational resource that contributes to firm performance. Specifically, this dissertation addresses the question: can KM pay off? Using the findings of an independent research company and the data from Compustat, this dissertation empirically examines the relationship between KM performance and firm performance in terms of both accounting and market measures. Matched Sample Comparison Group (MSCG) methodology is employed to test the research hypotheses. This study contributes to the KM literature by going beyond case studies and opinion surveys in providing empirical evidence of the importance of KM. It contributes to the finance literature by studying previously unexplored link between financial performance and KM performance. It also contributes to management practice by furnishing evidence that superior KM does indeed predict superior firm performance.
Generalizing the Discrete Timed Automaton

We describe a general automata-theoretic approach for analyzing the verification problems (binary reachability, safety, etc.) of discrete timed automata augmented with various data structures. We give examples of such data structures and exhibit some new properties of discrete timed automata that can be verified. We also briefly consider reachability in discrete timed automata operating in parallel.
FDR and the Soviet Union: The President's Battles over Foreign Policy

Throughout his presidency, Franklin Roosevelt was determined to pursue a peaceful accommodation with an increasingly powerful Soviet Union, an inclination reinforced by the onset of world war. Roosevelt knew that defeating the Axis powers would require major contributions by the Soviets and their Red Army, and so, despite his misgivings about Stalin's expansionist motives, he pushed for friendlier relations. Yet almost from the moment he was inaugurated, lower-level officials challenged FDR's ability to carry out this policy. Mary Glantz analyzes tensions shaping the policy stance of the United States toward the Soviet Union before, during, and immediately after World War II. Focusing on the conflicts between a president who sought close relations between the two nations and the diplomatic and military officers who opposed them, she shows how these career officers were able to resist and shape presidential policy-and how their critical views helped shape the parameters of the subsequent Cold War. Venturing into the largely uncharted waters of bureaucratic politics, Glantz examines overlooked aspects of wartime relations between Washington and Moscow to highlight the roles played by U.S. personnel in the U.S.S.R. in formulating and implementing policies governing the American-Soviet relationship. She takes readers into the American embassy in Moscow to show how individuals like Ambassadors Joseph Davies, Lawrence Steinhadt, and Averell Harriman and U.S. military attachs like Joseph Michela influenced policy, and reveals how private resistance sometimes turned into public dispute. She also presents new material on the controversial military attach/lend-lease director Phillip Faymonville, a largely neglected officer who understood the Soviet system and supported Roosevelt's policy. Deftly combining military with diplomatic history, Glantz traces these philosophical and policy battles to show how difficult it was for even a highly popular president like Roosevelt to overcome such entrenched and determined opposition. Although he reorganized federal offices and appointed ambassadors who shared his views, in the end he was unable to outlast his bureaucratic opponents or change their minds. With his death, anti-Soviet factions rushed into the policymaking vacuum to become the primary architects of Truman's Cold War "containment" policy. A case study in foreign relations, high-level policymaking, and civil-military relations, FDR and the Soviet Union enlarges our understanding of the ideologies and events that set the stage for the Cold War. It adds a new dimension to our understanding of Soviet-American relations as it sheds new light on the surprising power of those in low places.
Role of Elongation Factor G and a Protein Factor on the Release of Ribosomes from Messenger Ribonucleic Acid

Abstract The process of ribosome run-off from messenger RNA in the presence of puromycin, elongation factor G and an additional factor was further studied. Formation of run-off ribosomes (release of ribosomes) from naturally occurring polysomes was measured by following the conversion of polysomes into 70 S ribosomes. The optimum concentrations of Mg2+ and NH4+ for this process were 5 to 8 mm and 70 to 80 mm, respectively. Fusidic acid and sparsomycin were inhibitory. Since sparsomycin has been found to inhibit the release of the nascent polypeptide from the ribosome in the presence of puromycin, it was postulated that the substrate for this enzymatic release of ribosomes would be the complex of messenger RNA, ribosome, and unesterified transfer RNA. For the release of ribosomes from this complex, the simultaneous presence of elongation factor G, GTP, and the additional factor were necessary. The release of ribosomes from messenger RNA was accompanied by the simultaneous release of transfer RNA from ribosomes. The 70 S ribosomes released from messenger RNA were further dissociated into their subunits (30 S and 50 S) by the presence of initiation factor three. These ribosomes were biologically active in a MS2 phage RNA-dependent amino acid incorporation system. These observations support the hypothesis that elongation factor G and an additional factor play a role in the process of ribosome run-off from messenger RNA at the end of the cistron or abortively at the middle of the cistron.
Adaptive sidelobe blanker: a novel method of performance evaluation and threshold setting in the presence of inhomogeneous clutter

The adaptive sidelobe blanker (ASB) detection algorithm consists of a cascade of two detectors: an adaptive matched filter (AMF) followed by an adaptive coherence estimator (ACE). The ASB has been shown to be effective at mitigating false alarms due to the presence of clutter inhomogeneities. This paper addresses two issues: how to choose thresholds for the component AMF and ACE detection algorithms, and how to predict the performance of the ASB in the presence of a given amount of clutter inhomogeneity, for which no general analytic closed-form solution exists. Two proposed methods of threshold choice aid the system designer in quantifying the losses that are incurred by use of the ASB.
Heterogeneity of Signal Transduction by Na/K-ATPase α-Isoforms: Role of α2 Na/K-ATPase

Na/K-ATPase α1 subunit is a ubiquitous transmembrane ion transporting enzyme. More and more studies provide evidences that α1 Na/K-ATPase mediates signal transduction through Src tyrosine kinases u...
Look-ahead value ordering for constraint satisfaction problems

Looking ahead during search is often useful when solving constraint satisfaction problems. Previous studies have shown that looking ahead helps by causing dead-ends to occur earlier in the search, and by providing information that is useful for dynamic variable ordering. In this paper, we show that another benefit of looking ahead is a useful domain value ordering heuristic, which we call look-ahead value ordering or LVO. LVO counts the number of times each value of the current variable conflicts with some value of a future variable, and the value with the lowest number of conflicts is chosen first. Our experiments show that look-ahead value ordering can be of substantial benefit, especially on hard constraint satisfaction problems.
An analysis of combined surface and volume diffusion processes in crystal growth: II. Asymmetric capture at steps

Abstract We consider the terrace-ledge-kink model of crystal growth, and formulate coupled volume and surface diffusion equations. These govern the flow of growth units from a supersaturated fluid phase, through a stagnant layer, and across terraces to a series of parallel steps on a crystal surface. We obtain a steady state solution and the growth rate of vicinal surfaces with equidistant steps when each step can exchange growth units with its two adjacent terraces at unequal rates (asymmetric capture). Diffusion to an isolated step is considered in detail since the resulting surface current determines the general form of the growth rate vs supersaturation curve, and gives precise information on the parabolic region of this curve. Three regimes of diffusion are observed depending on the relative surface and volume diffusion rates, and on the rate of exchange between the fluid and the surface. For an isolated step, small surface diffusion rates and slow exchange define a regime where volume density gradients are negligible, and the classical Burton, Cabrera, and Frank expression for the surface diffusion current is valid. Intermediate surface diffusion and exchange rates cause significant volume density gradients, and nearly cylindrical density contours surrounding a step. Very large surface diffusion and exchange rates cause large portions of the surface to act as a catchment area for a step and the volume density contours assume a nearly planar geometry. Asymmetric capture kinetics at a step influence the geometry of the diffusion field only in the latter case of very large surface diffusion rates. For an array of parallel and equidistant steps, the parabolic region of the growth rate versus supersaturation curve is sensitive to the various diffusion and exchange processes. It measures the distance at which neighboring steps can interact. Changes in the shape and extent of this region with the thickness of the stagnant layer (or the rate of stirring) allow an experimental determination of the model parameters.
Vitamin E toxicity.

To the Editor.— The article by Hittner et al1 extended some of their previous observations concerning the relationship between the retinopathy of prematurity and pharmacologic vitamin E therapy. The authors, however, reach what we consider are incorrect conclusions concerning the relationship between vitamin E status, patient survival, and vitamin E toxicity, and they provide the reader with recommendations that are not substantiated by the data presented. The major concern is the error in the comparison of the two groups of infants in their table 4 (page 243), the "control" infants (oral vitamin E therapy alone) and the "treated infants" (combination of intramuscular and oral vitamin E therapy).
Effect of x-ray dose on mortality and skin transplantability in mice receiving F1 hybrid marrow.

SummaryThe 21-day LD50 under the conditions of X-irradiation used is approximately 600 r. Irradiation of CBA mice followed by intravenous administration of bone marrow suspension from Cb x CBA F1 hybrids resulted in little or no 21-day mortality at 110, 330, 660 and 770 r, but in almost 100% mortality at 550 r. Homografts of Cb skin into the surviving mice were accepted by the mice at 660 and 770 r dose levels but not by mice at 0, 110 and 330 r dose levels. None of the marrow-treated mice at 550 r survived long enough to be skin grafted.
Trends and Future perspective of Electronic, Electro-Optic and Magnetic Materials

The approach and challenge of innovation through cross-discipline research will be presented to demonstrate the feasibility of achieving major advancement in both fundamental science understanding and capability enhancement. Specific examples will be given to illustrate the approaches and benefits from inspired and fostered innovations in electronic, electro-optics and magnetic materials and devises development.
Early Education Services for Children with Handicaps--Where Have We Been, Where Are We Now, and Where Are We Going?.

There have been many sweeping changes in early education for handicapped children during the last 30 years. This article describes some of the developments in service delivery, parent/family participation, staffing roles, training, and product development during that time. Evidence of effectiveness of early intervention programs and Information on the cost of providing services is presented. The impact and capability of some early childhood model projects is discussed. Information on the need for services for young handicapped children and the availability of services is presented and the outlook for the future considered.