cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inverse laminar boundary-layer problems with assigned shear The mechul function revisited

Abstract : An inverse method is presented for accurately determining the pressure gradient distribution for specified wall shear in a two-dimensional laminar boundary layer. In the inverse formulation, the pressure gradient is treated as a dependent variable that is only a function of the streamwise coordinate. The method presented here is a reformulation of the mechul function scheme of Cebeci and Keller with additional techniques to increase the stability of the solution. These techniques include the use of fourth order splines to approximate normal derivatives and three point backward finite differences for the streamwise derivatives. Partial pivoting is also used in the solution of the block tridiagonal system resulting from the linearized equations of motion. The solution is obtained using the Newton iteration method. Numerical examples are presented for self-similar and non-similar solutions. (Author)
Social, thermal, and temporal influences on isolation‐induced and maternally potentiated ultrasonic vocalizations of rat pups

Sensory and temporal factors have been demonstrated to be involved in the regulation of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) of young rats. Sensory cues include thermal, olfactory, and tactile modalities. Temporal factors include the time spent in isolation. The goal of the present research was to examine the interaction of these factors in both isolation-induced and maternally potentiated USV. Maternal potentiation of USV occurs when a brief interaction with the dam, even a passive (anesthetized) dam, elicits an augmented vocal response to a subsequent isolation, with rates of USV in rat pups well above those emitted in standard isolation tests. We found that passive maternal potentiation of USV did occur under all conditions tested. Neither a 30-min prior isolation nor high ambient temperature prevented an increase in USV rate over the rate of the original isolation. After 30-min isolation at warm temperatures when the rate of USV had fallen to zero, the pups increased vocalization in the presence of the dam as well as in the subsequent isolation. Temporal and thermal factors also interacted significantly in regulating the level of the USV emitted by the pups during the first isolation, in the presence of the anesthetized dam, and during the second isolation.
Using Preservice Teachers to Improve Computer Skills of At-Risk Alternative High School Students

This research examined the impact of preservice teachers delivering individualized instruction of basic computer skills to at-risk, ethnic minority alternative high school students in an urban school district in South Texas. The alternative high school students' achievement of computer skills, motivation to use computers, and self-efficacy as current and future students was assessed. University preservice teachers taught a keyboard/computer skills curriculum developed specifically for this collaborative teaching and learning project in 10 1-hr-long sessions 2 times a week over a 5-week period. A series of 2 by 2 repeated measures analysis of variance showed achievement gains as measured by a survey instrument within the treatment group. This small, preliminary study supports the use of preservice teachers in the delivery of an individualized, computer-based program of instruction for at-risk students.
Adaptive tracking and regulation of a wheeled mobile robot with controller/update law modularity

A new adaptive controller is developed for wheeled mobile robots with parametric uncertainty in the dynamic model. The main theoretical contribution is the modular manner in which the control law and parameter update law are designed. This feature allows for design flexibility in the selection of the update law, and can be exploited to improve the transient response of the adaptive controller. The proposed controller also has the important feature of being applicable to both the tracking and regulation problems. The modularity of the adaptive controller is experimentally demonstrated on a K2A Cybermotion mobile robot that has been modified to allow for the implementation of torque-level control inputs. In particular, the adaptive controller with a gradient update law is evaluated vis-a/spl grave/-vis a least-squares update law.
Development of sequence characterized amplified genomic regions (SCAR) for fungal systematics: proof of principle using Alternaria, Ascochyta and Tilletia

SCARs were developed by cloning RAPD-PCR amplicons into commercially available vectors, sequencing them and designing specific primers for PCR, direct sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Eighteen to seventy percent of cloned RAPD-PCR amplicons were phylogenetically informative among closely related small-spored Alternaria spp., Ascochyta spp. and Tilletia spp., taxa that have been resistant to phylogenetic analysis with universally primed, protein-coding sequence data. Selected SCARs were sequenced for larger, population-scale samples of each taxon and demonstrated to be useful for phylogenetic inference. Variation observed in the cloned SCARs generally was higher than variation in nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and several protein-coding sequences commonly used in lower level fungal systematics. Sequence data derived from SCARs will provide sufficient resolution to address lower level phylogenetic hypotheses in Alternaria, Ascochyta, Tilletia and possibly many other fungal groups and organisms.
Characterization of iron oxide-silica nanocomposites in flames: Part II. Comparison of discrete-sectional model predictions to experimental data

A discrete-sectional model accounting for particle formation by chemical reaction and growth by coagulation and condensation is developed to predict the evolution of the nanocomposite aerosol size distribution in a multicomponent iron-silicon system in a flame. Particle formation by nucleation of the vapor is represented by an Arrhenius-type rate expression, with the rate constant being obtained from experiments and simulation results reported in the literature. Precursor vapor concentrations and the second aerosol volume moment predictions are compared to laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and light scattering intensity measurements from experiments described in Part I20 of the paper. The results elucidate the important formation and growth mechanisms of nanocomposite ferric oxide-silica particles in flame reactors. The role of operating parameters such as precursor characteristics and temperature profiles on the final product characteristics is established.
EVOLUTION OF THE MESOAMERICAN MOTHER CULTURE

An ongoing debate about Early Formative cultural elaboration in Mesoamerica is based largely on claims about where innovations originated and when different regions influenced each other. One view is that Gulf lowland populations called "Olmec" by archaeologists made a number of key innovations and that their influence on contemporary societies stimulated the rise of Mesoamerican civilization. Another view is that multiple regions participated equally and all made innovations that became the legacy of later Mesoamerican societies. Additional empirical work will help resolve some of the issues raised by this debate, as Cheetham and Blomster (2010) have recently suggested in this journal. Explicit theory can also help move the discussion forward.
Manganese transporters Yfe and MntH are Fur-regulated and important for the virulence of Yersinia pestis.

Yersinia pestis has a flea-mammal-flea transmission cycle, and is a zoonotic pathogen that causes the systemic diseases bubonic and septicaemic plague in rodents and humans, as well as pneumonic plague in humans and non-human primates. Bubonic and pneumonic plague are quite different diseases that result from different routes of infection. Manganese (Mn) acquisition is critical for the growth and pathogenesis of a number of bacteria. The Yfe/Sit and/or MntH systems are the two prominent Mn transporters in Gram-negative bacteria. Previously we showed that the Y. pestis Yfe system transports Fe and Mn. Here we demonstrate that a mutation in yfe or mntH did not significantly affect in vitro aerobic growth under Mn-deficient conditions. A yfe mntH double mutant did exhibit a moderate growth defect which was alleviated by supplementation with Mn. No short-term energy-dependent uptake of 54Mn was observed in this double mutant. Like the yfeA promoter, the mntH promoter was repressed by both Mn and Fe via Fur. Sequences upstream of the Fur binding sequence in the yfeA promoter converted an iron-repressible promoter to one that is also repressed by Mn and Fe. To our knowledge, this is the first report identifying cis promoter elements needed to alter cation specificities involved in transcriptional repression. Finally, the Y. pestis yfe mntH double mutant had an ~133-fold loss of virulence in a mouse model of bubonic plague but no virulence loss in the pneumonic plague model. This suggests that Mn availability, bacterial Mn requirements or Mn transporters used by Y. pestis are different in the lungs (pneumonic plague) compared with systemic disease.
Preliminary validation of the North American Protestant Fundamentalism Scale

The literature on Protestant fundamentalism is characterised by instruments that are unidimensional, largely assessing Christian orthodoxy, and use inconsistent conceptual definitions. The present study presents an effort to develop and test an instrument using Ammerman’s definition of North American Protestant fundamentalism as a multidimensional construct that includes four components: inerrancy of scripture, evangelism, premillenialism, and separatism. This model was confirmed statistically, and clear evidence of reliability and both convergent and divergent validity is presented. Relationships with other variables, while clearly showing overlap in anticipated directions, also show enough non-shared variance to justify continuing to view fundamentalism as a separate construct.
Precision bounds in superresolution processing

A rather large class of problems involving the determination of an object function from observation is linear-inversion problems for which unique solutions exist but that have the property that any signal-processing algorithm designed to approximate the exact solution too precisely is unstable. This is because the problems are ill posed. The precision attainable in a class of such problems is treated here abstractly in terms of a concept called a linear-precision gauge, which essentially involves an ordered family of linear estimators. Fundamental properties of linear-precision gauges are demonstrated and discussed. A major portion of the paper is given over to applying the linear-precision gauge concept and results to Fourier imaging problems that can occur, for example, in radar and tomography.
A general blow-up result on nonlinear boundary-value problems on exterior domains

In the first part, we study several exterior boundary-value problems covering three types of semilinear equations: elliptic, parabolic and hyperbolic. By a unified approach, we show that these problems share a common critical behaviour. In the second part we prove a blow-up result for an inhomogeneous porous medium equation with the critical exponent, which was left open in a previous paper.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication in the absence of integrase-mediated dna recombination: definition of permissive and nonpermissive T-cell lines.

Functional retroviral integrase protein is thought to be essential for productive viral replication. Yet, previous studies differed on the extent to which integrase mutant viruses expressed human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genes from unintegrated DNA. Although one reason for this difference was that class II integrase mutations pleiotropically affected the viral life cycle, another reason apparently depended on the identity of the infected cell. Here, we analyzed integrase mutant viral infectivities in a variety of cell types. Single-round infectivity of class I integration-specific mutant HIV-1 ranged from
Realistic radio range irregularity model and its impact on localization for wireless sensor networks

In the research of wireless communications, prototypes and measurements on real test-beds provide insights and fundamental information for a realistic tuning of simulation models. Recently there has been an increasing interest in exploring one of the critical fundamentals: the realistic radio range irregularity (RRI) model. This research builds on the IEEE 802.11, and investigates such a practical RRI model according to the measurements made under various settings. Using the RRI model, a set of representative localization algorithms are evaluated and compared. Through detailed analysis and extensive simulations, the paper points out how the localization performance is affected by the use of simplistic models. Moreover, some algorithms performing well under simplistic models do not work in real world settings. The RRI model reflects and highlights the weaknesses of those algorithms and allow the design of countermeasures. This paper introduces a constrained-greedy forwarding radio propagation method to remedy the negative effects encountered under actual operating environments.
Fast calculations of dyadic Green's functions for electromagnetic scattering in a multilayered medium

Abstract In this paper, we introduce a novel acceleration method for the calculation of dyadic Green's functions for the mixed potential integral equation formulation of electromagnetic scattering of scatterers embedded in a multilayered medium. Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method.
On the mechanism of action of griseofulvin in dermatophytosis

Guinea pig hair absorbed or adsorbed with griseofulvin was less efficiently hydrolyzed by the extracellular and cell-bound keratinases of Trichophyton mentagrophytes than untreated control hair. The same observations were made using hair from guinea pigs treated orally with griseofulvin. This antibiotic and 3 related compounds had no effect on the active sites of the keratinases. The results of these studies support the hypothesis that resistance to dermatophytic attack is the result of griseofulvin incorporation into keratinous structures causing substrate modification.
The role of estrogen in the regulation of luteal progesterone secretion in the rat after day 12 of pregnancy.

Pregnant rats, hypophysectomizedhysterectomizedon day 12 (day 1 = insemination), secreted progesterone (P) at about 50% of the day 12level for 3–5 days. Daily treatment with estradiol100 μg (E100) but not with E25 or E50, from day 12 today 20, of such rats, restored P secretion until day 16to that of intact pregnant rats; on day 17 a drastic, permanent fall occurred. E100 had no effect afterovariectomy, and did not change the metabolicclearance rate of P. This E100 effect was absent indecidual tissue (DT)-bearing, or hysterectomizedpseudopregnant (PSP) rats, and in pregnant onesbefore day 11. When pregnant rats were hypophysectomized-hysterectomized on day 10, and weretreated with rat placental luteotrophin (rPL) (in theform of day 12 pregnant rat serum: “PRS-12”) ondays 10 and 11, however, E100 increased P secretionabove that found with either PRS-12 or E100 alone. DT-bearing PSP rats, similarly operated on on day 12and treated with PRS-12 on day 12, responded in thesame way to E100. In these rats also t...
Heat Transfer to the Highly Accelerated Turbulent Boundary Layer With and Without Mass Addition

Heat transfer to highly accelerated turbulent boundary layer with and without mass addition, presenting data in terms of Stanton number vs Reynolds number
Turbo equalization for doubly-selective fading channels using nonlinear kalman filtering and basis expansion models

We present a turbo (iterative) equalization receiver with fixed-lag nonlinear Kalman filtering for coded data transmission over doubly-selective channels. The proposed receiver exploits the complex exponential basis expansion model (CEBEM) for the overall channel variations, and an autoregressive (AR) model for the BEM coefficients. We extend an existing turbo equalization approach based on symbol-wise AR modeling of channels to channels based on BEM's. In the receiver an adaptive equalizer using nonlinear Kalman filters with delay is coupled with a soft-input soft-output (SISO) decoder to iteratively perform equalization and decoding. The adaptive equalizer jointly optimizes the estimates of the BEM coefficients and data symbols, thereby automatically accounting for correlation between data symbols and channel tap gains. An extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) chart analysis of the proposed approach is also presented. Simulation examples demonstrate that our CE-BEM-based approach significantly outperforms the existing symbol-wise AR model-based turbo equalizer.
A 125MHz burst mode 0.18/spl mu/m 128Mbit 2 bits per cell flash memory

We describe the design of a high performance 2 bits per cell flash memory device capable of 8ns synchronous access rate capable of operation at up to 125MHz in burst mode and asynchronous page mode access rate of 14ns. The device is fabricated on Intel's 0.18/spl mu/m ETOX/spl trade/ VII Process technology.
Bulk power system reliability assessment considering protection system hidden failures

In power system planning and operation procedures, bulk power system reliability assessment plays an important role. The current practice of such assessment generally assumes that protection systems are perfect, and the effects of protection system hidden failures are ignored. Recent research, however, shows that protection system hidden failures have been recognized as a contributing factor to power system cascading outages. To evaluate bulk power system reliability considering the impact of protection system hidden failures, this paper proposes a systematic methodology that is based on a breaker-oriented system network model including detailed substation configurations and protection system schemes. An analysis of hidden failures in major protection system components is conducted. Based on the results of this analysis, this study focuses on the effects of hidden failures in circuit breaker trip mechanisms (CBTMs). The probabilistic model of the CBTM is built, and a hidden failure effects analysis procedure is developed to obtain contingences resulting from CBTM hidden failures. Such contingencies as well as other contingencies resulting from independent outages and common-mode outages are subjected to a security-constrained adequacy evaluation approach to evaluate system reliability. The proposed methodology is demonstrated with a breaker-oriented 24-substation reliability test system. Evaluation results show that protection system hidden failures downgrade the system reliability level due to the fact that they lead to the outages of undamaged equipment following initial system disturbances.
PROPAGATION OF VACCINIA VIRUS IN THE RABBIT FETUS

1. A method is described for propagation of bacteria-free vaccinia virus in the rabbit fetus. 2. For the production of severe generalized infection, affording a high yield of virus, the following conditions were found to be favorable: the use of 24 day fetuses, a virus dosage of 10,000 adult rabbit skin units, injection into multiple sites, and an incubation period of 4 days in utero. 3. Under these conditions the virus was found to disseminate widely in the infected fetus, being recoverable particularly from liver, lungs, brain, skin, placenta, and kidney. 4. Under varied conditions of virus dosage, fetal age, and incubation period, all grades of reaction were observed in the fetus, ranging from the mildest infection, with only an occasional small lesion demonstrable, to generalized vaccinia with pocks in nearly every organ of the body, and often death. 5. It was shown that the virus could be carried in serial passage through fetuses. A series of 27 such passages was made by using fetal skin for subinoculation at each transfer. Similarly, two other strains of the virus were evolved in shorter series of transfers by using respectively fetal brain and fetal liver as the subinocula. 6. The passage strains maintained their identity and titer, as judged by the intradermal inoculation of adult rabbits. However, these strains underwent a significant reduction in their capacity to infect by the scarification method, and the lesions induced by intradermal inoculation were much milder than those produced by the parent strain. None of the passage strains manifested properties characteristic of the so called neurovaccine strain, despite the frequent use of intracerebral inoculation in the fetuses. 7. In explanation of the reduction of virulence of the passage strains, it is suggested that a given suspension of virus may be considered as consisting of particles of varying degrees of virulence, and that when cultivation is carried out in highly susceptible tissues a relative overgrowth of the less virulent elements is permitted, so that apparent attenuation results.
Optical Intensity-Based Measurement of Multipoint Hetero-Core Fiber Sensors by the Method of Time-Differentiation in Optical Loss

In this paper, we propose the multipoint optical intensity-based measurement of tandem connected intrinsic fiber-optic sensors by means of monitoring time-differentiation in optical loss. The use of hetero-core sensors can make it possible that a simple optical intensity-based measurement combined with a time-differentiation method could be facilitated for the multipoint measurement because the hetero-core technique has a low insertion loss and a sizable loss change in the tandem usage. Addressing multi-sensors has been successfully demonstrated including one displacement sensor and two contact sensors, which are located along a single transmission line in real-time basis. The gait system is also efficiently improved to monitor the knee flexure and the sole contact sensors located in a single transmission line with a mirror at the terminal end of fiber in order to simplify the measurement system for unconstrained monitoring.
Cysteine dioxygenase: structure and mechanism

Cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) catalyzes the oxidation of cysteine to cysteine sulfinic acid, which is the first major step in cysteine catabolism in mammalian tissues. Crystal structures of mouse, rat, human and bacterial CDO have recently become available and provide significant mechanistic insights. Unlike most non-heme Fe(II) dioxygenases, coordination of the Fe in CDO deviates from the 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad archetype and instead adopts a His3 facial triad. This change is expected to have an influence on oxygen activation by the catalytic site. The structures also reveal the presence of a cysteinyltyrosine (Tyr157-Cys93) post-translational modification near the active site. Kinetic studies of mutant CDOs reveal that the cysteine residue is less critical than the tyrosine for enzyme activity. Inconsistencies about the details of the active site and the nature of substrate binding exist and are discussed. Herein we review the structural biology along with relevant kinetics studies that have been conducted on CDO for insights into the reaction mechanism of this novel non-heme iron dioxygenase.
Serum response factor mRNA induction in the hypertrophying chicken patagialis muscle

Gene expression in the stretched chicken patagialis (Pat) muscle has not been extensively examined. This study’s purpose was to determine the Pat muscle’s expression pattern of serum response facto...
Sexual violence and its health consequences for female children in Swaziland: a cluster survey study

Summary Background Despite concern, few studies have been done about sexual violence against girls younger than 18 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa. We report the prevalence and circumstances of sexual violence in girls in Swaziland, and assess the negative health consequences. Methods We obtained data from a nationally representative sample of girls and women aged 13–24 years from selected households in Swaziland between May 15, 2007, and June 16, 2007, with a two-stage cluster design. The questionnaire examined demographics, type of sexual violence that took place before the respondent was 18 years of age, circumstances of the incident, and health-related conditions. Information was gathered from 1244 women and girls (response rate 96·3%), of whom 1242 provided retrospective responses to questions about sexual violence. We used regression models adjusted for relevant demographics to estimate the odds ratios for the associations between sexual violence and health-related conditions. Findings 33·2% (95% CI 29·9–36·7) of respondents reported an incident of sexual violence before they reached 18 years of age. The most common perpetrators of the first incident were men or boys from the respondent's neighbourhood (32·3% [28·8–36·1]) and boyfriends or husbands (26·2% [22·2–30·7]). The first incident most often took place in the respondent's own home (26·1% [21·6–31·2]). Sexual violence was associated with reported lifetime experience of sexually transmitted diseases (adjusted OR 3·69 [95% CI 1·78–7·66]), pregnancy complications or miscarriages (3·54 [1·47–8·55]), unwanted pregnancy (2·92 [1·87–4·55]), and self-report of feeling depressed (2·30 [1·70–3·11]). Interpretation Knowledge of the high prevalence of sexual violence against girls in Swaziland and its associated serious health-related conditions and behaviours should be used to develop effective prevention strategies. Funding UNICEF.
Regional Fractional Ventilation by Using Multibreath Wash-in 3He MR Imaging

This study demonstrates the feasibility of a multibreath wash-in hyperpolarized helium 3 MR imaging approach to ventilation imaging in human subjects; in doing so, it reveals ventilation differences between patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and healthy subjects and corrects several sources of potential bias in ventilation measurements.
Distribution of Force in the Medial Collateral Ligament Complex During Simulated Clinical Tests of Knee Stability.

Background:Pivot-shift injury commonly results in combined anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)/medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury, yet the contribution of the components of the MCL complex to restraining multiplanar rotatory loads forming critical subcomponents of the pivot shift is not well understood.Purpose:To quantify the role of the MCL complex in restraining multiplanar rotatory loads.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:A robotic manipulator was used to apply combined valgus and internal rotation torques in a simplified model of the pivot-shift examination in 12 cadaveric knees (49 ± 11 years). Tibiofemoral kinematics were recorded with the ACL intact. Loads borne by the superficial MCL (sMCL), posterior oblique ligament (POL), deep MCL (dMCL), and ACL were determined via the principle of superposition.Results:The POL bore about 50% of the load carried by the ACL in response to the combined torques at 5° and 15° of flexion. The POL bore load during the internal rotation component of t...
Gender Differences in Predictors of Quality of Life at the Initiation of Radiation Therapy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To evaluate gender differences in quality of life (QOL), demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics. DESIGN Prospective, observational. SETTING Two radiation oncology departments in northern California. SAMPLE 185 patients before initiation of radiation therapy (RT). METHODS At their RT simulation visit, patients completed a demographic questionnaire, a measure of QOL, and symptom-specific scales. Backward elimination regression analyses were conducted to determine the significant predictors of QOL . MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES QOL, gender, and 20 potential predictors . FINDINGS In women, depressive symptoms, functional status, age, and having children at home explained 64% of the variance in QOL. In men, depressive symptoms, state anxiety, number of comorbidities, being a member of a racial or ethnic minority, and age explained 70% of the variance in QOL . CONCLUSIONS Predictors of QOL differed by gender. Depressive symptom score was the greatest contributor to QOL in both genders. . IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Nurses need to assess for QOL and depression at the initiation of RT. Knowledge of the different predictors of QOL may be useful in the design of gender-specific interventions to improve QOL.
Vascularization and the gliding mechanism of free flexor-tendon grafts inserted by the silicone-rod method.

The two-stage silicone-rod technique for flexor-tendon replacement was performed in the forepaws of twenty-four mongrel dogs and in the hands of four chimpanzees. The graft and sheath complex was studied at intervals from two weeks to one year after the second-stage replacement, by injection of the vascular tree with silicone compound and by histological techniques. Revascularization was well developed by four to six weeks after replacement. At four to six months, parietal and visceral sheaths, connected by an elastic areolar membrane, were well differentiated and highly vascularized. The reticular mesotenon served as a non-restricting, gliding bridge conveying vessels to and from the tendon. Many longitudinal and transverse connecting vessels were present in the closely adherent, thin, transparent epitenon (visceral layer). These vessels, as well as intratendinous vessels, were present throughout the entire length of the tendon, which in the chimpanzee is as long as a human flexor tendon.
Interactions of Water with Mineral Dust Aerosol: Water Adsorption, Hygroscopicity, Cloud Condensation, and Ice Nucleation.

Mineral dust aerosol is one of the major types of aerosol present in the troposphere. The molecular level interactions of water vapor with mineral dust are of global significance. Hygroscopicity, light scattering and absorption, heterogneous reactivity and the ability to form clouds are all related to water–dust interactions. In this review article, experimental techniques to probe water interactions with dust and theoretical frameworks to understand these interactions are discussed. A comprehensive overview of laboratory studies of water adsorption, hygroscopicity, cloud condensation, and ice nucleation of fresh and atmspherically aged mineral dust particles is provided. Finally, we relate laboratory studies and theoretical simulations that provide fundemental insights into these processes on the molecular level with field measurements that illustrate the atmospheric significance of these processes. Overall, the details of water interactions with mineral dust are covered from multiple perspectives in thi...
Spatial Distribution Patterns of Hypera postica in Kentucky Alfalfa Fields

The spatial pattern of Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) in Kentucky alfalfa fields was investigated using Taylor's and Iwao's distribution functions as statistical models. Field counts of the insect in 2 contiguous plots where the populations were relatively low conformed to an overdispersed pattern. However, at a 3rd plot where the density was high, numerous population aggregates were formed and they dispersed in the direction of randomness. Randomness also increased with development of the larvae, partially owing to mortality caused by the 2 parasitic Bathyplectes spp. For all stages the variance was proportional to a fractional power of the mean. Taylor's power function b varied with environment. Use of one-quarter square foot samples for estimating egg populations had little effect on the skewness of the distribution. Two transformations are offered for stabilizing the variance of overdispersed field counts. However, only the square root transformation stabilized the variance of counts in the plot where the populations were randomly dispersed.
Experimental study on deformation and bearing capacity of composite foundation with concrete-cored sand-gravel piles under high embankment load

The composite foundation with concrete-cored sand-gravel pile,which is composed of the concrete-cored pile,the geosynthetic-reinforced gravel cushion and the foundation soil,is a new technology combined with the better drainage and consolidation characteristics of the sand-gravel piles,the high strength vertical capacity of the pre-cast concrete piles and the stress diffusion of the reinforced cushion,fitting for the depth mud soft soil ground with high water content.A series of field test data including surface settlement,layered settlement,lateral displacement,pile-soil stress ratio,load transfer of pile body,strength and bearing capacity under high embankment load in one project are introduced and analyzed.The research results are very important to the study on the work mechanism of the composite foundation with concrete-cored sand-gravel piles,and to the project design and construction.
Progress in technology and catalysts for kettle-type slurry HDPE process

The CX process of Mitsui and the Hostalen process of Basell for HDPE production are introduced. The characteristic and disadvantages of different catalysts for the slurry process are summarized for comparison, including the PZ and RZ catalysts of Mitsui, the BCH and BCE catalysts of Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, the XYH catalyst of Liaoning Xiangyang Chemicals Group, the TH and Cr-series catalysts of Basell, and the JM-1 catalyst of Liaoyang Petrochemical Company. Some advices on the development and application of HDPE catalysts for the slurry process in China are proposed.
Cloning and Expression of Rat Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 8 Reveals a Distinct Pharmacological Profile

The metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR) cDNAs were originally cloned from rat, except for the mouse cDNA clone encoding mGluR8. Mouse mGluR8 couples weakly to the inhibition of adenylate cyclase, thus hindering the characterization of its pharmacological properties. We isolated a rat mGluR8 cDNA that encodes a protein of 908 amino acids.In situ hybridization revealed prominent mGluR8 mRNA expression in olfactory bulb, pontine gray, lateral reticular nucleus of the thalamus, and piriform cortex. Less abundant expression was detected in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, and mammillary body. Glutamate evoked pertussis toxin-sensitive potassium currents inXenopus laevis oocytes coexpressing mGluR8 and G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channels. mGluR8 was also activated by the group III-specific agonistl-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid; (2(S),1′(S),2′(S)]-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine, which has been frequently used as a selective group II agonist; and the nonselective agonist (1(S),3(R)]-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid but not by the group I-specific agonist 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine or the group II-specific agonist [2(S),1′(R),2′(R),3′(R)]-2-(2,3-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine. The agonist profile in order of potency was [2(S),1′(S),2′(S)]-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine ≈ l-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid > glutamate ≫ [1(S),3(R)]-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid, with EC50 values of 0.63, 0.67, 2.5, and 47 μm, respectively. Both the group I/II-specific antagonist (R,S)-α-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine and the group III-specific antagonist α-methyl-amino-phosphonobutyrate inhibited mGluR8. The pharmacological profile of mGluR8 is distinct among mGluRs but closely matches that of presynaptic inhibition in some central nervous system pathways. Thus, cellular responses mediated by both group II and III agonists may in some cases reflect activation of mGluR8 rather than multiple mGluR subtypes.
Social cognitive perspective of gender disparities in undergraduate physics

A synthesis of sociopsychological theories and research to establish a framework for exploring pathways and targeted interventions for the low representation of women in post-secondary physics.
Electric Power Supply Options for FIRE

The FIRE experiment 1 will present a net electric power demand approaching 1000MW for 10's of seconds, repeated once every 2 hours, delivered to the load via thyristor AC/DC converters which exhibit a widely varying power factor. The issues associated with the supply of such a load from the utility grid can be divided into two categories:.
Federal Public Health Service: In Retrospect and Prospects

In this article, I offer a retrospective case study about my early, short-term work within the U.S. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and then my later, longer-term work within the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where I endeavored for two decades largely to help our nation's schools improve health and associated education outcomes. First, for context, I briefly portray the nature of our related political and public health systems. I then frame this retrospective by illustrating how my serial employment within other public health system organizations led to, and then resulted from, my work within these two federal public health agencies. To represent the many talented individuals in each organization with whom I had the good fortune to work, I name only one in each organization. I then characterize how these individuals and organizations progressively shaped my work and career. I conclude by speculating about prospects for academic institutions to more purposefully prepare students and faculty to work within federal government public health agencies.
Structures of NS5 Methyltransferase from Zika Virus

The Zika virus (ZIKV) poses a major public health emergency. To aid in the development of antivirals, we present two high-resolution crystal structures of the ZIKV NS5 methyltransferase: one bound to S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and the other bound to SAM and 7-methyl guanosine diphosphate (7-MeGpp). We identify features of ZIKV NS5 methyltransferase that lend to structure-based antiviral drug discovery. Specifically, SAM analogs with functionalities on the Cβ atom of the methionine portion of the molecules that occupy the RNA binding tunnel may provide better specificity relative to human RNA methyltransferases.
More money, more family: the relationship between higher levels of market participation and social capital in the context of adaptive capacity in Samoa

It is important to understand the effects of higher levels of market participation on the resilience of mixed-subsistence communities to climate change. Climate models predict that the Pacific Islands and other regions with mixed-subsistence communities will experience increased climate variability, including more frequent cyclones and prolonged droughts. Authors suggest that development agencies should help to increase levels of household market participation, or the proportion of household output that is marketable, in rural communities because those households with more financial assets are better equipped to respond to climatic disturbances [Pettengell, C., & Oxfram, P. G. (2010). Climate change adaptation: Enabling people living in poverty to adapt. Oxfram International Research Report.]. Other authors suggest that, because all socio-ecological systems are inherently vulnerable, increasing financial assets may not reduce the vulnerabilities of rural communities to natural hazards [Lauer, M., Albert, ...
Canine Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Enhance Clot Formation and Delay Lysis.

Autoimmune diseases increase the risk of thrombosis. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are webs of DNA and protein that may mediate thrombosis in autoimmune diseases. Human and murine studies s...
Reconceptualizing Work and Building Ruddick's Feminist Solidarity Transnationally

I offer a reading Sara Ruddick's account of feminist solidarity as grounded in her reconceptualization of “work” in order to suggest that she provides a framework for transnational feminist solidarity that offers an important augmentation to other contemporary theories of transnational feminist solidarity. Feminist solidarity, according to Ruddick, forms through struggles to work. But what she means by work has not been fully appreciated in the literature on Ruddick. Scholars who focus solely on maternal thinking or even the work of mothering obscure the fact that such work is just her prime example of the reconceptualized notion of work she develops. I unpack her notion of work and show how it functions in a theoretical account of transnational feminist solidarity and feminist resistance movements.
State of the Art in Methods and Representations for Fabrication-Aware Design

Computational manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing hold the potential for creating objects with previously undreamed-of combinations of functionality and physical properties. Human designers, however, typically cannot exploit the full geometric and often material complexity of which these devices are capable. This STAR examines recent systems developed by the computer graphics community in which designers specify higher-level goals ranging from structural integrity and deformation to appearance and aesthetics, with the final detailed shape and manufacturing instructions emerging as the result of computation. It summarizes frameworks for interaction, simulation, and optimization, as well as documents the range of general objectives and domain-specific goals that have been considered. An important unifying thread in this analysis is that different underlying geometric and physical representations are necessary for different tasks: we document over a dozen classes of representations that have been used for fabrication-aware design in the literature. We analyze how these classes possess obvious advantages for some needs, but have also been used in creative manners to facilitate unexpected problem solutions.
Deletion of Slc26a1 and Slc26a7 Delays Enamel Mineralization in Mice.

Amelogenesis features two major developmental stages—secretory and maturation. During maturation stage, hydroxyapatite deposition and matrix turnover require delicate pH regulatory mechanisms mediated by multiple ion transporters. Several members of the Slc26 gene family (Slc26a1, Slc26a3, Slc26a4, Slc26a6 and Slc26a7), which exhibit bicarbonate transport activities, have been suggested by previous studies to be involved in maturation-stage amelogenesis, especially the key process of pH regulation. However, details regarding the functional role of these genes in enamel formation are yet to be clarified, as none of the separate mutant animal lines demonstrates any discernible enamel defects. Continuing with our previous investigation of Slc26a1-/- and Slc26a7-/- animal models, we generated a double-mutant animal line with the absence of both Slc26a1 and Slc26a7. We showed in the present study that the double-mutant enamel density was significantly lower in the regions that represent late maturation-, maturation- and secretory-stage enamel development in wild-type mandibular incisors. However, the ‘maturation’ and ‘secretory’ enamel microstructures in double-mutant animals resembled those observed in wild-type secretory and/or pre-secretory stages. Elemental composition analysis revealed a lack of mineral deposition and an accumulation of carbon and chloride in double-mutant enamel. Deletion of Slc26a1 and Slc26a7 did not affect the stage-specific morphology of the enamel organ. Finally, compensatory expression of pH regulator genes and ion transporters was detected in maturation-stage enamel organs of double-mutant animals when compared to wild-type. Combined with the findings from our previous study, these data indicate the involvement of SLC26A1and SLC26A7 as key ion transporters in the pH regulatory network during enamel maturation.
Development of High-Throughput Screening Assay for Antihantaviral Therapeutics.

Humans acquire hantavirus infection by the inhalation of aerosolized excreta of infected rodent hosts. There is no treatment for hantavirus diseases at present. Therapeutic intervention during early stages of viral infection can improve the outcome of this zoonotic viral illness. The interaction between an evolutionary conserved sequence at the 5′ terminus of hantaviral genomic RNA and hantavirus nucleocapsid protein plays a critical role in the hantavirus replication cycle. This unique interaction is a novel target for therapeutic intervention of hantavirus disease. We developed a very sensitive, tractable, and cost-effective fluorescence-based assay to monitor the interaction between the nucleocapsid protein and the target RNA sequence. The assay was optimized for high-throughput screening of chemical libraries to identify molecules that interrupt this RNA–protein interaction. The assay was validated using a library of 6880 chemical compounds. This validation screen demonstrated the reproducibility and ...
Computer-assisted structure manipulation : Studies in the biosynthesis of natural products

Abstract A computer program (“REACT”) that simulates chemical reactions by manipulating representations of structures has been utilized to study biochemical reactions. Biosynthetically plausible sterol side chains were generated and the number of plausible isomeric sterols were calculated. Possible label distributions in structures resulting from the biochemical conversion of a humulene precursor to some known fungal metabolites were followed by studying different biochemical pathways.
Vagally mediated gastric effects of brain stem α2-adrenoceptor activation in stressed rats

Chronic stress exerts vagally dependent effects to disrupt gastric motility; previous studies have shown that, among other nuclei, A2 neurons are involved in mediating these effects. Several studies have also shown robust in vitro and in vivo effects of α2-adrenoceptor agonists on vagal motoneurons. We have demonstrated previously that brainstem vagal neurocircuits undergo remodeling following acute stress; however, the effects following brief periods of chronic stress have not been investigated. Our aim, therefore, was to test the hypothesis that different types of chronic stress influence gastric tone and motility by inducing plasticity in the response of vagal neurocircuits to α2-adrenoreceptor agonists. In rats that underwent 5 days of either homotypic or heterotypic stress loading, we applied the α2-adrenoceptor agonist, UK14304, either by in vitro brainstem perfusion to examine its ability to modulate GABAergic synaptic inputs to vagal motoneurons or in vivo brainstem microinjection to observe actions to modulate antral tone and motility. In neurons from naive rats, GABAergic currents were unresponsive to exogenous application of UK14304. In contrast, GABAergic currents were inhibited by UK14304 in all neurons from homotypic and, in a subpopulation of neurons, heterotypic stressed rats. In control rats, UK14304 microinjection inhibited gastric tone and motility via withdrawal of vagal cholinergic tone; in heterotypic stressed rats, the larger inhibition of antrum tone was due to a concomitant activation of peripheral nonadrenergic, noncholinergic pathways. These data suggest that stress induces plasticity in brainstem vagal neurocircuits, leading to an upregulation of α2-mediated responses. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Catecholaminergic neurons of the A2 area play a relevant role in stress-related dysfunction of the gastric antrum. Brief periods of chronic stress load induce plastic changes in the actions of adrenoceptors on vagal brainstem neurocircuits.