cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning to selectively learn for weakly-supervised paraphrase generation

Paraphrase generation is a longstanding NLP task that has diverse applications on downstream NLP tasks. However, the effectiveness of existing efforts predominantly relies on large amounts of golden labeled data. Though unsupervised endeavors have been proposed to alleviate this issue, they may fail to generate meaningful paraphrases due to the lack of supervision signals. In this work, we go beyond the existing paradigms and propose a novel approach to generate high-quality paraphrases with data of weak supervision. Specifically, we tackle the weakly-supervised paraphrase generation problem by: (1) obtaining abundant weakly-labeled parallel sentences via retrieval-based pseudo paraphrase expansion; and (2) developing a meta-learning framework to progressively select valuable samples for fine-tuning a pre-trained language model BART on the sentential paraphrasing task. We demonstrate that our approach achieves significant improvements over existing unsupervised approaches, and is even comparable in performance with supervised state-of-the-arts.
Heuristic-Guided Reinforcement Learning

We provide a framework for accelerating reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms by heuristics constructed from domain knowledge or offline data. Tabula rasa RL algorithms require environment interactions or computation that scales with the horizon of the sequential decision-making task. Using our framework, we show how heuristic-guided RL induces a much shorter-horizon subproblem that provably solves the original task. Our framework can be viewed as a horizon-based regularization for controlling bias and variance in RL under a finite interaction budget. On the theoretical side, we characterize properties of a good heuristic and its impact on RL acceleration. In particular, we introduce the novel concept of an "improvable heuristic" -- a heuristic that allows an RL agent to extrapolate beyond its prior knowledge. On the empirical side, we instantiate our framework to accelerate several state-of-the-art algorithms in simulated robotic control tasks and procedurally generated games. Our framework complements the rich literature on warm-starting RL with expert demonstrations or exploratory datasets, and introduces a principled method for injecting prior knowledge into RL.
Practical Near Neighbor Search via Group Testing

We present a new algorithm for the approximate near neighbor problem that combines classical ideas from group testing with locality-sensitive hashing (LSH). We reduce the near neighbor search problem to a group testing problem by designating neighbors as "positives," non-neighbors as "negatives," and approximate membership queries as group tests. We instantiate this framework using distance-sensitive Bloom Filters to Identify Near-Neighbor Groups (FLINNG). We prove that FLINNG has sub-linear query time and show that our algorithm comes with a variety of practical advantages. For example, FLINNG can be constructed in a single pass through the data, consists entirely of efficient integer operations, and does not require any distance computations. We conduct large-scale experiments on high-dimensional search tasks such as genome search, URL similarity search, and embedding search over the massive YFCC100M dataset. In our comparison with leading algorithms such as HNSW and FAISS, we find that FLINNG can provide up to a 10x query speedup with substantially smaller indexing time and memory.
Moving on from OntoNotes: Coreference Resolution Model Transfer

Academic neural models for coreference resolution (coref) are typically trained on a single dataset, OntoNotes, and model improvements are benchmarked on that same dataset. However, real-world applications of coref depend on the annotation guidelines and the domain of the target dataset, which often differ from those of OntoNotes. We aim to quantify transferability of coref models based on the number of annotated documents available in the target dataset. We examine eleven target datasets and find that continued training is consistently effective and especially beneficial when there are few target documents. We establish new benchmarks across several datasets, including state-of-the-art results on PreCo.
Infinite distance and zero gauge coupling in 5D supergravity

In this note, we prove that for all five-dimensional supergravities arising from M-theory compactified on a Calabi-Yau threefold, points of vanishing gauge coupling lie at infinite distance in the moduli space. Conversely, any point at infinite distance in the vector multiplet moduli space is a point of vanishing gauge coupling. This agrees with expectations from the Tower/Sublattice Weak Gravity Conjecture, the Swampland Distance Conjecture, and the Emergence Proposal.
A role for the Erk MAPK pathway in modulating SAX-7/L1CAM-dependent locomotion in Caenorhabditis elegans.

L1CAMs are immunoglobulin cell adhesion molecules that function in nervous system development and function. Besides being associated with autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, impaired L1CAM function also underlies the X-linked L1 syndrome, which encompasses a group of neurological conditions, including spastic paraplegia and congenital hydrocephalus. Studies on vertebrate and invertebrate L1CAMs established conserved roles that include axon guidance, dendrite morphogenesis, synapse development, and maintenance of neural architecture. We previously identified a genetic interaction between the C. elegans L1CAM encoded by the sax-7 gene and RAB-3, a GTPase that functions in synaptic neurotransmission; rab-3; sax-7 mutant animals exhibit synthetic locomotion abnormalities and neuronal dysfunction. Here, we show that this synergism also occurs when loss of SAX-7 is combined with mutants of other genes encoding key players of the synaptic vesicle cycle. In contrast, sax-7 does not interact with genes that function in synaptogenesis. These findings suggest a post-developmental role for sax-7 in the regulation of synaptic activity. To assess this possibility, we conducted electrophysiological recordings and ultrastructural analyses at neuromuscular junctions; these analyses did not reveal obvious synaptic abnormalities. Lastly, based on a forward genetic screen for suppressors of the rab-3; sax-7 synthetic phenotypes, we determined that mutants in the ERK Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) pathway can suppress the rab-3; sax-7 locomotion defects. Moreover, we established that Erk signaling acts in a subset of cholinergic neurons in the head to promote coordinated locomotion. In combination, these results suggest a modulatory role for Erk MAPK in L1CAM-dependent locomotion in C. elegans.
Exploring The Security Issues in Home-Based IoT Devices Through Denial of Service Attacks

Internet of Things (IoT) has infiltrated the digital realm, and critical efforts are being made to create robust security for these technologies. However, with increasingly sophisticated attacks, it is essential to understand IoT device security in depth. We orchestrated Denial of Service (DoS) attacks for four different IoT devices through network flooding to understand the device vulnerabilities from the network level. We conducted our experiment in the lab environment using other IoT devices, including the Amazon Echo, a smart light-bulb, a smart camera, and a smart garage door opener. We used Raspberry Pi as the main target to access other network devices with different protocols to conduct the DoS attack. We generated the DoS attack using Kali Linux installed in a virtual environment. This experiment demonstrated that hackers might exploit sensor vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized network access and use user data through various IoT devices. We proposed an effective Intrusion Detection technique using a combination of machine learning classifiers and deep learning. The machine learning models include logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, and support vector machine to detect and mitigate the attack. The outcomes show the algorithm which presents the highest degree of attack detection accuracy. Our findings also show that DoS attacks continue to be a significant concern even with improved technologies and security protocols. Finally, we provide design implications to address such critical security flaws.
Effect of hypoxia on heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity during hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes mellitus

Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus exhibit impairments in autonomic and cardiovascular control which are worsened with acute hypoglycemia––thus increasing the risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Hypoxia, as seen with the common comorbidity of sleep apnea, may lead to further autonomic dysfunction and an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias. Therefore, we hypothesized that heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) would be reduced during hypoglycemia in adults with type 1 diabetes, with a further decline when combined with hypoxia. Subjects with type 1 diabetes (n = 13; HbA1c = 7.5 ± 0.3 %, duration of diabetes = 17 ± 5 yrs) completed two 180 min hyperinsulinemic (2 mU/kg TBW/min), hypoglycemic (~3.3 µmol/mL) clamps separated by a minimum of 1 week and randomized to normoxia (SpO2 ~98 %) or hypoxia (SpO2 ~85 %). Heart rate (electrocardiogram) and blood pressure (finger photoplethysmography) were analyzed at baseline and during the hypoglycemic clamp for measures of HRV and spontaneous cardiac BRS (sCBRS). Hypoglycemia resulted in significant reductions in HRV and sCBRS when compared with baseline levels (main effect of hypoglycemia: p < 0.05). HRV and sCBRS were further impaired during hypoxia (main effect of hypoxia: p < 0.05). Acute hypoxia worsens hypoglycemia-mediated impairments in autonomic and cardiovascular control in patients with type 1 diabetes and may increase the risk of cardiovascular mortality. These results highlight the potential cumulative dangers of hypoglycemia and hypoxia in this vulnerable population.
Indole‐3‐Aldehyde

Indole-3-aldehyde reactant: 288 ml. (274 g., 3.74 moles) of freshly distilled dimethylformamide catalyst: 86 ml. (144 g., 0.94 mole) of freshly distilled phosphorus oxychloride reactant: 100 g. (0.85 mole) of indole product: indole-3-aldehyde Keywords: acylation
Environmental justice and international environmental law

Environmental justice lies at the heart of many environmental disputes between the global North and the global South as well as grassroots environmental struggles within nations. However, the discourse of international environmental law is often ahistorical and technocratic. It neither educates the North about its inordinate contribution to global environmental problems nor provides an adequate response to the concerns of nations and communities disproportionately burdened by poverty and environmental degradation. This article examines some of the root causes of environmental injustice among and within nations from the colonial period to the present, and discusses several strategies that can be used to integrate environmental justice into the broader corpus of international law so as to promote social and economic justice while protecting the planet’s natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
Online autonomous guidance system for remote experiments in control engineering

The importance of laboratory experiments in control engineering education could never be overemphasized. Since the equipment and personnel resources are sometimes scarce, the so-called "remote lab " is developed in the last decade to provide every student the opportunity and freedom of experimentation. However, during the practice, it's found that students are in bad need of teachers' guidance when they doing remote experiments; but teachers could not be online all the time. In order to solve this dilemma, the concept of intelligent online autonomous guidance system is introduced and discussed in this short paper. And a simple demo system is also built within the WAVES (Web-based Audio/Video Education System) Lab of the University of Arizona to show the feasibility of this approach.
Reliability and Validity Evidence for the Middle School Self-Efficacy Scale.

This study was designed to obtain validity evidence for the Middle School Self-Efficacy Scale, a measure of self-efficacy, outcome-expectancy and intentions and goals in career decision making or m...
Compulsive buying and branding phenomena

The purpose of this paper was to explore the impact of brand variables such as brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand attachment, and perceived brand quality on compulsive buying behavior. A self-administered questionnaire, containing demographic items and items related to compulsive buying, brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand attachment and perceived quality, was used to collect data. Participants were 269 US university students at a large mid-western university (138 men, 131 women; mean age = 21.96). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and MANOVA/ANOVA. Reliability of all scales was acceptable. In the current study, 18 % of the participants were classified as compulsive buyers. Women showed higher compulsive buying tendency than men. Participants with greater compulsive buying tendency scored higher on brand attachment and brand loyalty and lower on brand awareness; there was no difference in scores on perceived brand quality. Results support that brand variables such as brand awareness, brand loyalty, and brand attachment are related to compulsive buying behavior. New perceptions and implications for both academicians and practitioners are provided.
Relación entre la edad materna avanzada y la morbilidad neonatal en el Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza: Enero -Octubre del 2012

OBJETIVODeterminar si existe relacion entre la edad materna avanzada y la morbilidad neonatal en el Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza.MATERIAL Y METODOEstudio tipo cohorte, comparativo, analitico, retrospectivo. Se utilizo una muestra de 2771 recien nacidos entre Enero y Octubre del 2012, de los cuales fueron 460 de madres mayores de 35 anos y 2311 de madres entre 20 y 34 anos. El analisis estadistico utilizo SPSS 21.0 y se incluyo la prueba de chi cuadrado, siendo un valor de p < 0.05 considerado para la significancia estadistica.RESULTADOSEl 1.3% de los recien nacidos de madres anosas presentaron trisomia 21, en comparacion con un 0.13% en las madres de 20 a 34 anos (p < 0.001; RR: 10.16 IC 95%: 2.5 - 40.8). El parto por cesarea represento el 51.52% en el grupo de mayores de 35 y 37.78% en el grupo control (p< 0.001; RR: 1.75 , IC 95%: 1.43 - 2.14). No se hallo diferencia significativa al comparar el resto de morbilidades en ambos grupos, siendo estas la Enfermedad de Membrana Hialina (p=0.824),Sindrome de Distres Respiratorio (p=0.448), Sepsis Neonatal (p=0.309).CONCLUSIONESLa edad materna avanzada se asocio con una mayor tasa de cesareas y mas riesgo de tener un hijo con sindrome de Down. No se evidencio que la edad materna avanzada se asocie al aumento de la morbimortalidad neonatal. (Horiz Med 2014; 14(2): 22-26).
Mixed-mode circuit simulation: an emerging CAD tool for the design and optimization of power semiconductor devices and circuits

This paper reports on an advanced mixed-mode circuit simulation in which circuit-level switching simulations are performed and the semiconductor equations are solved consistently with circuit equations. As a demonstration, mixed-mode circuit simulation was used to study the dynamics of unclamped-inductive switching (UIS) of a scaled vertical power MOSFET structure. The parasitic bipolar transistor parameters, including the p-base charge and area were varied to study the effect of bipolar turn-on on the UIS switching characteristics and to optimize the device design for maximum UIS avalanche current capability. The simulation results are shown to be in excellent agreement with the measured data. Experimental data was obtained for scaled power MOSFETs fabricated using refractory metal/silicide source and gate contact technology. >
Etiology and pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and related multisystem diseases

Abstract It is now possible to construct a reasonable hypothesis for an infectious etiology and pathogenesis of RA and related multisystem rheumatic diseases. This has been done here using evidence from the clinical course and natural history of RA, recently studied animal models, the many immunologic abnormalities in these diseases, the pathologic tissue characteristics, and the few data available on efforts at direct culture of organisms. It is proposed that an infectious organism, a viable external agent, is the initiating or persistent cause of RA, and that this agent directly and indirectly results in the phenomena of immune complex disease, hypersensitivity, and autoimmunity. The organism is probably nonspecific; i.e., the disease may be initiated by various agents, such as bacteria, virus, infective particle (“L” form), phages or slow viruses (some may enter cells and compromise the genetic apparatus, resulting in synthesis of “foreign” antigen by the host cells), mycoplasma, or even physical agents. Chronic viral infection may act as an adjuvant in the patient's immunologic apparatus, with consequent involvement of most tissues and organs, and so can be a multisystem disease. There are known instances of acute arthritis that closely simulates rheumatoid arthritis and that results from viral infection. Unfortunately, at present most of the supporting evidence for a clear infectious etiology of RA is circumstantial. However, the evidence is very extensive and persuasive and remains the most probable etiologic hypothesis and most promising investigative approach to these diseases that are so often disabling and tragic in their consequences.
Anxiety and Humanization

Traditionally and historically anxiety has been associated with the disruptive symptoms of psychopathology. An absence of anxiety has been related to psychopathic personality and to personality inhibition or alienation. Our society currently fosters impersonality, isolation of feelings from behavior and awareness, and relatively diminished anxiety. As a result, conditions of impaired humanization and interference with the process of identity formation are present. Humanization may be dependent upon sufficient anxiety to permit socialization and consequent caring about oneself and others. Social action programs are presented as anxiety-stimulants and as therapeutic for both individuals and social problems.
Legally reasonable security requirements: A 10-year FTC retrospective

Growth in electronic commerce has enabled businesses to reduce costs and expand markets by deploying information technology through new and existing business practices. However, government laws and regulations require businesses to employ reasonable security measures to thwart risks associated with this technology. Because many security vulnerabilities are only discovered after attacker exploitation, regulators update their interpretation of reasonable security to stay current with emerging threats. With a focus on determining what businesses must do to comply with these changing interpretations of the law, we conducted an empirical, multi-case study to discover and measure the meaning and evolution of ''reasonable'' security by examining 19 regulatory enforcement actions by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over a 10 year period. The results reveal trends in FTC enforcement actions that are institutionalizing security knowledge as evidenced by 39 security requirements that mitigate 110 legal security vulnerabilities.
Multilayer structures with highly directional absorptivity for solar thermophotovoltaics

We explore an approach to enhance the efficiency of solar cells using photonic nanostructures for solar ther-mophotovoltaics. Our focus is on designing photonic nanostructures that can provide broadband absorption in a narrow angular range for solar thermophotovoltaic systems which do not employ sunlight concentration. We consider structures consisting of an aperiodic multilayer stack of alternating layers of silicon and silica on top of a thick tungsten layer. The layer thicknesses are optimized to maximize the angular selectivity in the absorp-tivity for both TE and TM polarizations. Using such an approach, we design structures with highly directional absorptivity for both polarizations.
Crystal-momentum-resolved electronic structure of solids using resonant soft-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) has been observed in graphite and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) above and below their K edges. Below the core threshold, inelastic-loss features are observed, which disperse linearly with excitation energy, but as the excitation goes above the core binding energy, nonlinear dispersive effects are observed in graphite but not in hBN. We show that these two effects, which have previously been thought of as separate processes, i.e. resonant X-ray Raman scattering (below threshold) and RIXS (above threshold), are in fact described by the same physics of coherent fluorescence. Very good agreement between experiment and simulated RIXS is achieved using a simple one-electron framework. The role core-excitons play in the RIXS process is examined in finer detail, by using narrow-band excitation. Our results indicate that core-hole effects play a minor role in the RIXS observed from graphite but are more pronounced in hBN.
Flavor enhancement of reduced fat cheddar cheese using an integrated culturing system.

Mild cheese flavor in reduced fat Cheddar cheese was enhanced by using an integrated starter culture system. Three cultures, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris SK11, L. lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis JVI, and Lactobacillus casei 7A, were carefully selected to obtain a nonbitter, mildly acid, buttery flavored cheese. Cheeses were produced from all possible combinations of these cultures with the constraint that L. lactis subsp. cremoris SK11 was used as the primary acid-producing culture. Cheeses made with SK11 were compared to cheeses produced using an L. lactis subsp. cremoris commercial starter culture. Cheeses were ripened for 150 days and periodically sampled for chemical, microbiological, and sensory analysis. Cheeses produced with L. lactis subsp. cremoris SK11 had substantially lower bitterness intensity than the cheeses produced with commercial starter culture. L. lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis JVI significantly increased diacetylacetoin and acetate concentrations. Sensory ...
Development of cloning vehicles from the Streptomyces plasmid pFJ103

Abstract A 20-kb plasmid, pFJ103, was isolated from a strain of Streptomyces granuloruber . A restriction endonuclease map of the plasmid was constructed. A Streptomyces gene that specifies resistance to the antibiotic thiostrepton was subcloned into Escherichia coli plasmid pBR322, inserted into pFJ103 and transformed into Streptomyces ambofaciens protoplasts. Two classes of transformants were obtained. One carries the pFJ104 plasmid consisting of the entire pFJ103 with the 1.8-kb thiostrepton resistance gene insert. The other carries the pFJ105 plasmid consisting of the 2.9-kb replicon segment of pFJ103 with the same thiostrepton resistance insert. A gene for neomycin resistance together with the entire E. coli pBR322 plasmid were cloned into pFJ105. The resulting E. coli-Streptomyces bifunctional vector, pFJ123, transformed both E. coli and Streptomyces . The small size of pFJ105, its ease of isolation, and efficient transformation of Streptomyces protoplasts establishes it, and its derivatives, as useful plasmid cloning vehicles for fundamental and applied studies
Overcoming Geographic Innocence in Geography Education

Abstract This article deals with the issue of providing geographic training to prospective teachers from the perspective of a secondary school teacher who also teaches a social studies methods course. Research in educational journals provided a background for describing the lack of geographic training among social studies teachers. While the National Geographic Society's alliance network is addressing this issue among practicing teachers, there is still a need to include some geography training for preservice teachers. Suggestions are offered for including geography within the context of the social studies methods course. A plea is also made for geography professors to include the new National Geography Standards in their courses, especially in introductory courses.
The connexin43 gene is responsive to oestrogen.

Connexin43 is the major protein of gap junctions in heart and smooth muscle including the myometrium. Molecular cloning of the connexin43 gene reveals a similar organization to that exhibited by other connexin genes: the 59 untranslated region is interrupted by an 8.5 kilobase intron. The promoter region preceding the first exon contains a TATA box and AP-1 and AP-2 sites. In addition, a series of half-palindromic oestrogen response elements is present in this region. When this promoter is linked to the reporter gene luciferase, it drives the expression of luciferase constitutively in HeLa cells transfected with this luciferase-connexin43 promoter fusion construct. When the same cells are cotransfected with oestrogen receptor cDNA, an upregulation of luciferase expression by oestrogen occurs in a cell-specific manner.
GaAs MMIC reliability studies

Three types of GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) were RF high temperature accelerated life tested to determine the median time before failure (MTBF). Life testing was performed under the d.c. bias conditions and RF input power levels the MMICs would be expected to use under actual operating conditions. the accelleration condition was to raise the base-plate temperature high enough to result in degradation in approximately 1000 hours at the highest test temperature. Because the MMICs were designed for power applications, the input signal level was large enough to cause approximately 1 dB compression. Device failure was defined as a 20 per cent decrease in output power as measured at 125°C, or room temperature when the temperature control system was turned off. Under these conditions the MTBF extrapolated to a channel temperature of 125°C varied between 8 × 103 hours and 2 × 105 hours depending on the MMIC type. The primary failure mode appeared to be surface leakage currents under the passivation layer.
Subunit composition and Ca2+-ATPase activity of the vacuolar ATPase from barley roots

Abstract The vacuolar ATPase was purified from a tonoplast-enriched membrane fraction from barley ( Hordeum vulgare cv CM72) roots. The membranes were solubilized with Triton X-100 and the membrane proteins were separated by chromatography on Sephacryl S-400 followed by fast protein liquid chromatography on a Mono-Q column. The purified vacuolar ATPase was inhibited up to 90% by KNO 3 or 80% by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCI). The ATPase was resolved into polypeptides of 115, 68, 53, 45, 42, 34, 32, 17, 13, and 12 kDa. An additional purification step of centrifugation on a glycerol gradient did not result in loss of any polypeptide bands or increased specific activity of the ATPase. Antibodies against the purified holoenzyme inhibited proton transport by the native ATPase. Two peaks of solubilized Ca 2+ -ATPase were obtained from the Sephacryl S-400 column. A peak of Ca 2+ -ATPase copurified with the vacuolar ATPase during all of the purification steps and was inhibited by NO 3 − and DCCI. It is proposed that this Ca 2+ -ATPase is a partial reaction of the plant vacuolar ATPase. The second Ca 2+ -ATPase was greatly retarded on the Sephacryl S-400 column and eluted after the main protein peak. It was not inhibited significantly by NO 3 − or DCCI. The second Ca 2+ -ATPase is a major component of ATP hydrolysis by the native membranes.
Multitouch tablet applications and activities to enhance the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorders

In spite of great improvements in early diagnosis and interventions, most children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are unlikely to live independently when they reach adulthood. We have been conducting research on novel computer-based interventions with the goal of promoting social skills. Working with 26 children with ASD, their teachers, and other stakeholders, we have iteratively developed a set of activities based on applications that run on multitouch tablets. Our observations suggest these activities increased pro-social behaviors such as collaboration and coordination, augmented appreciation for social activities, and provided children with novel forms of expression.
Importance of the Sedimentary Matrix for Anaerobic Oil Degradation by Marine Bacterial Assemblages

ABSTRACT The microbial conversion of petroleum hydrocarbons is increasingly employed in bioremediation efforts. In marine sediments, oxygen levels are characteristically depleted, so anaerobic degradation coupled to sulfate reduction dominates. Prior studies have noted that anaerobic degradation is much reduced in the absence of sediments. In this study, a simple centrifugation protocol was used to extract sediment porewaters to obtain a sediment-free bacterial assemblage capable of anaerobic hydrocarbon degradation. In addition, the factors in sediment that were important to degradation rates were determined. Experiments were designed to differentiate among the effects of increased surface area associated with individual grains in sediments, differing levels of organic constituents in sediments and water, and disparate microbiota within the sedimentary matrix and those free living. Anaerobic alkane degradation, sulfate levels and bacterial community structure were monitored over 90 days in five treatment...
Synthesis and Characterization of a New Three-Dimensional Organically Templated Zinc Phosphate, Zn6(PO4)4(HPO4)(H2O)(H3NCH2CH2NH3), with a Chain of Corner-Linked ZnO4 Tetrahedra

The title compound, Zn6(PO4)4(HPO4)(H2O)(H3NCH2CH2NH3), was synthesized at room temperature under acidic conditions. Large crystals for structure determination were grown hydrothermally at 170 °C. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c (no. 15) with a = 19.129(6), b = 5.0304(7), c = 21.148(6) A, and β = 103.27(1)°. The structure is an open framework of PO4 and ZnO4 tetrahedra with two types of one-dimensional channels along b (the larger are occupied by the ethylenediamine dication whereas the smaller contain water and hydroxyl groups). There is extensive Zn−O−Zn bonding in the structure in the form of dimers and infinite chains of corner-sharing ZnO4 tetrahedra. The compound can be fully dehydrated at 380 °C and is stable up to 450 °C.
A guanine nucleotide-dependent regulatory protein couples substance P receptors to phospholipase C in rat parotid gland.

Abstract Electrically permeabilized cells of rat parotid gland, prelabelled with [ 3 H]-inositol, synthesized [ 3 H]-inositol phosphates (IP 3 and IP 2 ) when stimulated with α 1 -adrenergic, muscarinic-cholinergic, and substance P receptoragonists. Non-hydrolyzable analogues of GTP (GTPγS and GppNHp) also stimulated [ 3 H]-IP 3 formation by permeabilized cells and they potentiated the stimulation by receptor-agonists. These effects of guanine nucleotides occurred only with GTP analogues and only in permeabilized cells indicating an intracellular site of action. NaF stimulated [ 3 H]-IP 3 accumulation, an effect that was not entirely attributable to the ability of F- to inhibit (1,4,5)IP 3 degradation. These results suggest that a guanine nucleotide-dependent regulatory protein couples Ca 2+ -mobilizing receptors to phospholipase C in parotid gland.
Variational approach to pulse propagation in parametrically amplified optical systems

A variational method to study pulse propagation and soliton formation in dissipative, nonlinear, and dispersive optical systems with parametric amplification is presented. The method clearly shows the important role that the frequency chirp plays in determining the nonlinear pulse dynamics and it is able to predict the emergence of a Hopf instability for the phase-locked solitary pulses observed in numerical simulations.
But I thought it was Mickey Mouse: The effects of new postevent information on 18-month-olds’ memory

Abstract Two experiments examined the effects of postevent information on 18-month-olds’ event memory. Experiment 1 ( N =60) explored whether children’s memory was reinstated when action information was eliminated from the reinstatement and only object information was introduced. Experiment 2 ( N =48) examined children’s recall when either (a) information about the objects’ target actions was replaced with new action information or (b) the original training objects were replaced with new objects. In an elicited-imitation paradigm, children were trained to perform six target actions, watched a video reinstatement 10 weeks later, and were tested for recall 24 h after reinstatement. Two results were found. First, a video reminder eliminating action information reinstated children’s memory as effectively as a video containing object and action information. Second, children were reminded of their past training when during reinstatement action information was preserved and new objects were presented but were not reminded when object information was preserved and new actions were presented.
Cloud retrieval algorithm for the European Space Agency's Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment

ABSTRACT The Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) on board the ERS-2 satellite is an across-track nadir-viewing spectrometerwhich measures solar light reflected from the Earth's atmosphere and surface in the UV visible. The cloud retrieval algorithmpresented here combines spectral threshold tests on GOME's broad-band radiances ('-450 nm spectral resolution) with thefitting of reflectances to GOME's moderately high resolution spectra (0.4 nm) in and around the 02 A band to retrieve cloud-cover fraction, cloud-top height and cloud optical thickness. The algorithm utilizes the latest 02 spectroscopic data and featuresdynamical updating procedures to provide global threshold sets of GOME reflectances. Auxiliary information is obtained fromGOME measurements of the Ring effect and the degree of polarization of the Earth's radiation field.Keywords: Cloud detection, cloud retrieval, satellite remote sensing, GOME 1. INTRODUCTION Satellite instruments measuring atmospheric change in the UV, visible and infrared spectral range are strongly influenced by thepresence of clouds in Earth's atmosphere. Failure to account for this presence can result in large errors in the interpretation ofmeasurement data. Reliable cloud detection techniques are therefore crucial for monitoring the Earth's atmosphere from spacein nadir viewing mode.The European Space Agency's (ESA) Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment is an ESA core instrument on board the secondEuropean Remote Sensing (ERS-2) satellite.1 GOME measures reflected and back scattered radiation from 238 to 794 nm atmoderately high resolution (0.2 nm in the ultraviolet and 0.4 nm in the visible and near infrared). The variable swath width ofthe across-track scan provides ground footprints from 40x40 km2 to 40x 320 km2. The largest swath width, which is obtainedin the standard mode of operation, provides full global coverage in three days. A summary of the characteristics of GOME's
Effect of bioflavonoids quercetin and curcumin on ischemic renal injury: a new class of renoprotective agents.

BACKGROUND Nonimmune renal injury plays an important role in acute and chronic rejection by triggering an injury response through cytokine and chemokine release. Bioflavonoids are agents with potential immunosuppressive and renoprotective properties. We studied the effects of quercetin and curcumin, two bioflavonoids, on ischemia-reperfusion in the rat. METHODS Rats underwent 30 min of left renal pedicle occlusion with simultaneous right nephrectomy and were pretreated with quercetin or curcumin. Serial serum creatinine was measured, and renal expression of the chemokines regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and allograft inflammatory factor (AIF) was quantified by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS Pretreatment with quercetin or curcumin resulted in preservation of histological integrity, with a decrease in tubular damage and interstitial inflammation. On day 2 after ischemia-reperfusion, quercetin pretreatment decreased the mean serum creatinine level from 6.5+/-1.4 to 3.3+/-0.5 mg/dl (P=0.06). On day 7, the creatinine level for control animals was 7.5+/-1.5 mg/dl, which was significantly decreased by pretreatment with quercetin, curcumin, or both together (creatinine levels: 1.6+/-1.3, 1.8+/-0.2, and 2.0+/-0.4 mg/dl, respectively; all P<0.05 vs. untreated). By semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, RANTES, MCP-1, and AIF were detected at high levels in kidneys on day 2 but not in normal kidneys. Pretreatment with quercetin or curcumin strongly attenuated this expression. CONCLUSION Quercetin and curcumin reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury and its inflammatory sequelae. The bioflavonoids hold promise as agents that can reduce immune and nonimmune renal injury, the key risk factors in chronic graft loss.
Quantitative and morphologic analysis of bacterial translocation in neonates.

Objective: To elucidate the mechanisms of bacterial translocation in animals fed a conventional formula by correlating transmucosal bacterial passage in vitro with the structural characteristics of the neonatal intestinal mucosa. Design: Newborn rabbits were randomized to receive a conventional formula or breast milk. Bacterial translocation to the mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, and spleen was quantitated after 7 days, and transmucosal passage of bacteria was measured in vitro using the Ussing chamber. The mucosal membranes were examined by light, transmission electron, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results: Bacterial passage was rarely seen in the breast milk-fed animals in contrast to the formula-fed animals. Unlike the normal-appearing membranes from breast milk—fed animals, the epithelial cells of formula-fed animals were vacuolated but healthy, with normal polarization and microvillus border by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Villi of formula-fed animals were less densely packed than those of the breast milk—fed animals. Bacterial adhesion, internalization, and transmucosal passage were seen only in membranes from formulafed animals. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated bacteria incorporating into the epithelial surface through an active phagocytic process, with rearrangement of the actin cytoskeleton. Once internalized, these bacteria were seen within the cytoplasmic vacuoles and subsequently in the submucosa. No bacteria passed between epithelial cells. Conclusion: Morphological changes in the intestinal mucosa of formula-fed newborn rabbits may increase permeability to bacteria. (Arch Surg. 1994;129:1184-1190)
Influence of Replicated Subsamples and Subsample Heterogeneity on the Linear Index of Food Selection

Abstract In descriptive studies of prey preference, relative abundances of prey often are calculated from a series of replicated subsamples and total sample sizes are estimated rather than counted. When this is done, the apparent statistical power of the linear index of food selection (Li = ri - pi, where ri and piare proportions of prey taxon i in the gut and habitat, respectively) is artificially inflated. Additional biological variability, due either to environmental heterogeneity or to differences in feeding behavior among individual predators, will inflate further the apparent power of the index and also will produce underestimates of the degree of feeding selectivity. To correct for these problems, expressions that allow for subsampling designs and biological heterogeneity are provided for the standard error of the linear index and the associated degrees of freedom. The ratio of observed sampling variance in relative abundance to that expected for random sampling allows measurement of heterogeneity ...
Foraging fram animals as biomonitors for dioxin contamination

Abstract Studies carried out in California, following a fire which involved a pentachlorophenol wood treatment plant have indicated that low concentrations of dioxins and furans in soil can lead to bioaccumulation in chickens and cattle which are in contact with the soil. These compounds were found to distribute into various tissues of the animals and into the eggs of the chickens. A significant change in congener profile and isomer pattern was seen when comparing soils to tissues. Source tests of local incinerators showed quite different congener profile than was seen in soils. Concentrations found in animal products used as food suggest the possibility of excessive human exposure based on modest consumption assumptions.
Assessment of potato breeding progress in the USA over the last century

Potato (Solanum tuberosum subsp. tuberosum) production has increased six-fold (per unit area) in the USA since the 1920s. Direct comparison of potato cultivars released during the past century can help us understand how potato breeding has contributed to these production improvements and to other important traits associated with marketing and utilization. Our objective was to study trends in potato genetic improvement during four subjective breeding periods (BP) (pre-1900 = BP 1; 1930 to 1949 = BP II; 1950 to 1969 = BP III; 1970 to present = BP IV), and also to compare performance between and within the three major cultivar types (round-white, long, and red-skinned). In field trials conducted from 1990 to 1992, under best management practices (with scheduled irrigation) in Michigan, the greatest total yield potential was observed in several cultivars released during BP I and II. These cultivars also had late vine maturities. On average, BP II had the greatest marketable yield. Cultivars released in BP III had the lowest total yield, earliest vine maturity, highest scab resistance and most favorable tuber appearance. General trends over periods were for earlier maturity and improved tuber appearance. Round-white cultivars improved for chip-processing ability and dry matter content over breeding periods, while long types increased in percent marketable yield only in BP IV. No trends were observed for scab resistance. When cultivars were grouped according to tuber type, there were no differences in total yield; however, the long types had the lowest marketable yield and the red-skinned types had lowest dry matter content.
Adaptive split-operator methods for modeling transport phenomena in porous medium systems

Abstract Split-operator methods are commonly used to approximate environmental models. These methods facilitate the tailoring of different approximation approaches to different portions of the differential operator and provide a means to split large coupled problems into pieces that are more amenable to parallel computation than the original fully-coupled problem. However, split-operator methods introduce an additional source of approximation error into the solution, which is typically either ignored or controlled heuristically. In this work, we develop two methods to estimate and control the error in split-operator methods, which lead to a dynamic adjustment of the temporal splitting step based upon the error estimators. The proposed methods are shown to yield robust solutions that provide the desired control of error. In addition, for a typical nonlinear reaction problem, the new methods are shown to reduce the solution error by more than two orders of magnitude compared to standard methods for an identical level of computational effort. The algorithms introduced and evaluated have widespread applicability in environmental modeling.
The Emission Bands of Sulphur

H. H. VAN IDDEKINGE1 has made the interesting observation that in the emission spectrum of sulphur produced by him, such of the bands as were found by Rosen2 and Henri and Teves3 to be diffuse in the absorption spectrum, are entirely absent. This gives strong evidence in favour of the view of ‘predissociation’ in the molecule.
Strain-rate effects on concrete behavior

Abstract In this paper, a previously developed meso-scale model for concrete, called the Confinement Shear Lattice (CSL) model, is extended in order to include the effect of loading rate on concrete strength and fracturing behavior. The rate dependence of concrete behavior is assumed to be caused by two different physical mechanisms. The first is a dependence of the fracture process on the rate of crack opening, and the second is the viscoelastic deformation of the intact (unfractured) cement paste. In this study, the first mechanism is described by the activation energy theory applied to the ruptures occurring along the crack surfaces, whereas the second mechanism is modeled by the Microprestress–Solidification theory. The developed model is calibrated and validated on the basis of experimental data gathered from the literature.
Early prodromal symptoms can predict future psychosis in familial high-risk youth.

Abstract Background Efforts to predict psychosis in individuals at high risk for schizophrenia have focused on the identification of sub-threshold clinical criteria and neurobiological markers, including neuropsychological assessment, structural and functional brain imaging, and psychophysiological testing. We sought to evaluate the relative utility of “psychosis-proneness” measures for prospective prediction of psychotic disorders in a group of young relatives at familial risk for schizophrenia. Methods We examined the receiver operating characteristics of sub-threshold symptoms in predicting conversion to psychosis in a group of 97 young first- and second- degree relatives of persons with schizophrenia over a 2-year period. Towards this end, we utilized the Structured Interview of Prodromal Symptoms to derive measures of two of the four Scale of Prodromal Symptoms subscales (positive and disorganized) and the Chapman Magical Ideation and Perceptual Aberration scales. These four measures were, together, taken to reflect a putative index of psychosis-proneness. Results Eleven of the 97 subjects developed a psychotic disorder over 2 years of follow-up. Seventeen of the 97 subjects tested positive on this index of psychosis-proneness at baseline and of these 10 converted to psychosis. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were 91 percent and 92 percent respectively. The positive predictive value of the test was 59 percent and its negative predictive value was 99 percent. Addition of measures of cognitive or social function to the index decreased its predictive ability, reducing its specificity and/or sensitivity. Conclusions A relatively simple set of clinical measures can be utilized to prospectively identify familial high risk individuals who convert to psychosis with high specificity and sensitivity. Implications for the proposed addition of an “Attenuated Psychosis Syndrome” in DSM-5 are discussed.