cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Return of the Oppressed: Complex Identification in A Separation

This chapter begins with an overview of the academic literature on the recent crisis of legitimacy suffered by neoliberal governments, in part due to the heightened electoral impact of working-class voters. The abandonment of the working class by center-left parties previously aligned with labor movements has opened the door for the co-optation of popular discontent with neoliberalism by right-wing populists. These political dynamics are examined in the Iranian context, focusing on the aftermath of the disputed election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009. The narrational style of Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation (2011) is related to the class stratification of neoliberal societies and the establishment’s bewilderment at the resurgence of working-class agency. The chapter concludes with an analysis of how the prismatic visual design of A Separation complicates our identification with the film’s bourgeois protagonists and deviates from the humanist relativism of earlier Iranian art cinema by emphasizing class difference.
High-Temperature and High-Sensitivity Pressure Sensors Based on Microwave Resonators

This paper reports a novel diaphragm-assisted open-ended hollow coaxial cable resonator (OE-HCCR) for highly sensitive pressure measurements at elevated temperatures. The coaxial line resonator is constructed using two highly reflective reflectors in a homemade hollow coaxial cable, including a metal post shorting the two concentric conductors (i.e., the inner conductor and the outer conductor) and the open end of the coaxial line. In the pressure sensor device design, a sealed metal diaphragm is mounted on the open end of the OE-HCCR and is employed as the pressure responsive element. The diaphragm’s deflection can be accurately captured by the coaxial line resonator in real-time, in response to a change in differential pressure. The sensor device’s responses to hydraulic pressures at ambient temperature and air pressures at elevated temperatures up to 1000 °C were investigated in the demonstration experiments, showing user-configurable measurement sensitivity and high-temperature survivability. The device’s pressure measurement resolution is also demonstrated as high as sub-Pascal by probing tiny hydrostatic pressure changes. A positive feedback loop is constructed as an alternative interrogator for the novel device, showing high signal quality and ease of demodulation. The pressure sensor described in this work is robust, easy-to-manufacture, user-configurable, low-cost, highly sensitive, and has great potential for industrial applications involving high-temperature and harsh environments. The presented work opens new avenues to develop a new generation of high-sensitivity and high-temperature microwave sensors based on well-known open-ended coaxial probes.
Automated Measurements of Body Composition in Abdominal CT Scans Using Artificial Intelligence Can Predict Mortality in Patients With Cirrhosis

Body composition measures derived from already available electronic medical records (computed tomography [CT] scans) can have significant value, but automation of measurements is needed for clinical implementation. We sought to use artificial intelligence to develop an automated method to measure body composition and test the algorithm on a clinical cohort to predict mortality. We constructed a deep learning algorithm using Google’s DeepLabv3+ on a cohort of de‐identified CT scans (n = 12,067). To test for the accuracy and clinical usefulness of the algorithm, we used a unique cohort of prospectively followed patients with cirrhosis (n = 238) who had CT scans performed. To assess model performance, we used the confusion matrix and calculated the mean accuracy of 0.977 ± 0.02 (0.975 ± 0.018 for the training and test sets, respectively). To assess for spatial overlap, we measured the mean intersection over union and mean boundary contour scores and found excellent overlap between the manual and automated methods with mean scores of 0.954 ± 0.030, 0.987 ± 0.009, and 0.948 ± 0.039 (0.983 ± 0.013 for the training and test set, respectively). Using these automated measurements, we found that body composition features were predictive of mortality in patients with cirrhosis. On multivariate analysis, the addition of body composition measures significantly improved prediction of mortality for patients with cirrhosis over Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease alone (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The measurement of body composition can be automated using artificial intelligence and add significant value for incidental CTs performed for other clinical indications. This is proof of concept that this methodology could allow for wider implementation into the clinical arena.
Molecular Determinants of Complexin Clamping in Reconstituted Single-Vesicle Fusion

ABSTRACT Previously we reported that Synaptotagmin-1 and Complexin synergistically clamp the SNARE assembly process to generate and maintain a pool of docked vesicles that fuse rapidly and synchronously upon Ca2+ influx (Ramakrishnan et al. 2020). Here using the same in vitro single-vesicle fusion assay, we establish the molecular details of the Complexin clamp and its physiological relevance. We find that a delay in fusion kinetics, likely imparted by Synaptotagmin-1, is needed for Complexin to block fusion. Systematic truncation/mutational analyses reveal that continuous alpha-helical accessory-central domains of Complexin are essential for its inhibitory function and specific interaction of the accessory helix with the SNAREpins, analogous to the trans clamping model, enhances this functionality. The c-terminal domain promotes clamping by locally elevating Complexin concentration through interactions with the membrane. Further, we find that Complexin likely contributes to rapid Ca2+-synchronized vesicular release by preventing un-initiated fusion rather than by directly facilitating vesicle fusion.
Student-centric graduate training in mathematics: A commentary

Career opportunities for PhDs in the mathematical sciences have never been better. Traditional faculty positions in mathematics departments in colleges and universities range from all teaching to combined teaching and research responsibilities. Beyond those, a wide array of careers has now opened up to freshly minted graduates, in academics, industry, business, and government. It is well-understood that these all require somewhat different preparations for PhDs to be competitive. This commentary compares and contrasts mathematics graduate programs with Ph.D. programs in the life and biomedical sciences, which are structured in a way that allows considerable customization around each student's career goals. While these programs may not be appropriate templates for the mathematical sciences, they have some features that might be informative. This commentary is intended to add perspective to the ongoing discussion around PhD training in the mathematical sciences. It also provides some concrete proposals for changes.
Re-Conceiving Britomart

In Books 3 and 5 of The Faerie Queene, the crux of virtue is that one must be able to conceive the difference between right and wrong. But what happens when, according to popular 16th-century belief, "conception" - the ability to generate both intellectual knowledge and biological progeny - is limited to the males of the species? Is the female knight of Chastity an oxymoron? This essay examines Spenser's shift in his representation of Britomart's "virtue" in the 1590 and 1596 versions and the implications generated for the fashioning of both Britomart and her female readers - especially Queen Elizabeth. I will show how Spenser espouses a traditional Aristotelian (one-sex) model of creation in Britomart's story in Book 3 in order to demonstrate his shift to an egalitarian, dual-sexed model in her reprisal in Book 5. Spenser's revision of Britomart's capacity for "conception" and the resulting implications for fashioning her "virtue" will also be analyzed via the palimpsest of allusions to Ovid's Metamorphoses, Plutarch's The Myth of Isis and Osiris, and Apuleius' The Golden Ass.
‘The Lament for the South’: The historical background

Much of Chinese poetry deals with current events. Partly, of course, this was a result of the traditional view that literature should serve a didactic function. Partly it reflects the social situation; until fairly recent times, most Chinese writers were officials, either successful or frustrated, and they were naturally concerned with current events. Such works cannot be understood without some knowledge of the events involved; this additional information does not make them better poems, but it at least makes them intelligible, and without that no literary judgment is possible. This is particularly true of the ‘Lament’, which deals with events on a scale never before attempted in Chinese poetry and thus requires a correspondingly greater amount of background information. Much of this would have been familiar to a contemporary audience, but it will have to be supplied to a modern reader of the ‘Lament’, who is unlikely to know much about sixth-century Chinese history. The following is intended to enable such a reader to make his way through the poem. As usual with early Chinese writers, Yu Hsin's biographies consist almost entirely of lists of official titles. Some information of general interest can be deduced from them; that is given in this chapter. The technical details, such as arguments for dating, are given in Appendix II, which is intended for specialists. The earliest recorded member of Yu Hsin's family is a Yu Meng, a native of Hsin-yeh hsien in Nan-yang chun , or, in modern terms, of the southwestern part of Honan.
Perceptual Challenges of Lunar Operations

Current plans to conduct operations near the lunar poles will result in low sun angles, exacerbating visual problems associated with shadowing and glare. We discuss the perceptual challenges these conditions will present to the human explorers, and consider some possible mitigations and countermeasures.
Monogamy and its discontents: on winning the oedipal war.

This paper explores how idealized notions of “the beloved” constrain views of love and impede efforts to build satisfying relationships. The author begins by looking at psychoanalytic depictions of love. The effect of culture on beliefs about love is considered, exploring how cultural prescriptions, ideology, and group pressure (including psychoanalytic depictions of mature love) constrain and define views and values. Case vignettes and an example from literature illustrate ways in which cultural prescriptions obfuscate individual needs and impede self-definition, thereby interfering with real intimacy and satisfaction in love relationships.
The Nature of Judicial Review

In The Nature of the Judicial Process,' Cardozo is concerned with the sources of common law: how do judges decide cases; what counts as justification for decisions that rest uneasily, if at all, on precedent and that are not required by a written text? Although evidently struck by the power common-law judges exercise in such situations, Cardozo was not moved to question the legitimacy of that power. Instead, he considered it sufficient to explain and classify the various methods courts use in reaching decisions. This predominantly descriptive approach assumes, among other things, that judges ought to make the common-law, that is, ought to fashion principles and policies into standards of decision. Cardozo's assumption remains the conventional understanding: while we may disagree strongly with particular decisions, we rarely question the authority of common-law courts, even in pivotal cases. Judicial review is another matter. Almost every important case that displeases some sizeable group leads to questions about the legitimacy of the famous doctrine proclaimed in Marbury v. Madison.2 To speak only of the recent past, it was some sixteen years after publication of The Nature of the Judicial Process that judicial review of New Deal legislation brought the executive and the Supreme Court into direct confrontation.3 More recently, the segregation,4 reapportionment,' and abortion cases have provoked very serious attacks on the Court. In addition, the attempt to find a justification for judicial review is again engaging the attention of
SiteFind: A software tool for introducing a restriction site as a marker for successful site-directed mutagenesis

Background Site-directed mutagenesis is a widely-used technique for introducing mutations into a particular DNA sequence, often with the goal of creating a point mutation in the corresponding amino acid sequence but otherwise leaving the overall sequence undisturbed. However, this method provides no means for verifying its success other than sequencing the putative mutant construct: This can quickly become an expensive method for screening for successful mutations. An alternative to sequencing is to simultaneously introduce a restriction site near the point mutation in manner such that the restriction site has no effect on the translated amino acid sequence. Thus, the novel restriction site can be used as a marker for successful mutation which can be quickly and easily assessed. However, finding a restriction site that does not disturb the corresponding amino acid sequence is a time-consuming task even for experienced researchers. A fast and easy to use computer program is needed for this task.
Electroosmotically pumped capillary flow-injection analysis. Valve-based injection systems and sample throughput

Abstract In flow-injection analysis (FIA) systems with electroosmotic flow (EOF), the maximum permissible sample throughput is a function of the electric field strength, capillary length and injection volume. The relation between the various parameters is theoretically and experimentally discussed. Experimental results are in reasonable agreement with theoretical expectations. The potential of EOF pumped FIA using very short capillaries and relatively low applied voltages is discussed.
Image Tube Characteristics of Importance in X-ray Diffraction Studies

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the image tube characteristics of importance in X-ray diffraction studies. In protein crystallography, it is necessary to measure the relative intensity of diffraction spots occurring over the entire cathode area to an accuracy of a few percent with a dynamic range of the order of 1000:l. It is thus necessary to correct observed intensities for nonuniformities of image tube response over the sensitive region. For X-ray diffraction studies, however, the MTF has not been found to be as useful as a related measure of resolution, the point spread function (PSF). The PSF is easier to measure and interpret and it contains information that is often difficult to extract from the MTF. Two point spread functions can be combined to form a resultant point spread function with the aid of a simple computer program. For X-ray studies of crystalline proteins performed to date, it has been necessary to resolve diffraction spots approximately 0.5 mm in diameter, separated by at least 1 mm center to center, over an intensity range of 500:l.
Indicators of maternal near miss morbidity at different levels of health care in North India: A pilot study

Introduction: Maternal morbidity and mortality in India continues to remain high despite concerted efforts during the past decades. Objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and indicator of Potentially Lie Threatening Conditions (PLTC) and ‘near miss’ obstetric cases at different tiers of health care. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out over a period of 12 months as per the WHO criteria for ‘near miss’. Probability sampling was done to systematically and randomly select health facilities i.e. two primary health centers (PHC), one community health centre (CHC) and a tertiary hospital all from Doiwala block of Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. The study included all the women attending health-care facilities, who were pregnant, in labour, or who had delivered or aborted up to 42 days ago arriving at the facility. A convenient sampling was done (a hundred percent enumeration of eligible study subjects) for the audit. Result: A total of 937 pregnant women who accessed health care had 688 live births and 231 women had one or more of the Potentially Life Threatening Conditions (PLTC). Among them, 61 women had Severe Maternal Outcome (SMO) - 51 with maternal ‘near-miss’ and 10 maternal deaths. The Severe Maternal Outcome Ratio (per 1000 live births) was 88.66. The Maternal ‘near miss’ Mortality Ratio (MNM-MR) and Mortality Index (MI) were 5.1 and 16.39% respectively. Conclusion: The WHO ‘near miss’ approach has been found to be an effective measure to assess quality of care in maternal health across countries including India. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.14(3) 2015 p.254-257
Molecular Approaches to Detection of Bacteria in Critical Care Patients

For over 100 years clinical medicine has relied on culture-based techniques to define infections in patients. However, over the past 30 years, it has become clear that culture-independent methods more completely describe both microbial diversity and community dynamics and the importance of such interactions in states of health and disease has been revealed [1, 2], Furthermore, the use of culture-based techniques has clouded our understanding of the pathogenesis of human infections. The concept that one species causes infection by entering the host, defeating the host’s defense system and multiplying to a threshold that allows it to cause injury is probably only applicable for a small subset of microbes, e.g., bioterror agents. The new emerging paradigm in microbial pathogenesis is that many organisms, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, already exist in bacterial communities of the oro- and nasopharynx of most healthy individuals and that a change in their virulence gene expression and /or an increase in numbers permitting dissemination cause symptoms of infection [3]. The molecular signals that bring about these shifts in pathogen physiology are not fully understood; however, given the importance of bacterial cell-to-cell signaling (quorum sensing) it is possible that shifts in bacterial community composition may lead to emergence and dominance of pre-existing pathogenic species within the community This hypothesis is supported by the finding that within hours of their admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), critically ill patients exhibit dramatic changes in the bacterial communities colonizing their oro- and nasal pharynx [4, 5].
Proactive contention avoidance in OBS networks

We propose to use BORA (burst overlap reduction algorithm) to schedule locally assembled bursts so as to proactively avoid burst contention at downstream nodes in optical burst switched (OBS) networks.
Species-specific transpiration responses to intermediate disturbance in a northern hardwood forest

Intermediate disturbances shape forest structure and composition, which may in turn alter carbon, nitrogen, and water cycling. We used a large-scale experiment in a forest in northern lower Michigan where we prescribed an intermediate disturbance by stem girdling all canopy-dominant early successional trees to simulate an accelerated age-related senescence associated with natural succession. Using 3 years of eddy covariance and sap flux measurements in the disturbed area and an adjacent control plot, we analyzed disturbance-induced changes to plot level and species-specific transpiration and stomatal conductance. We found transpiration to be ~15% lower in disturbed plots than in unmanipulated control plots. However, species-specific responses to changes in microclimate varied. While red oak and white pine showed increases in stomatal conductance during postdisturbance (62.5 and 132.2%, respectively), red maple reduced stomatal conductance by 36.8%. We used the hysteresis between sap flux and vapor pressure deficit to quantify diurnal hydraulic stress incurred by each species in both plots. Red oak, a ring porous anisohydric species, demonstrated the largest mean relative hysteresis, while red maple, bigtooth aspen, and paper birch, all diffuse porous species, had the lowest relative hysteresis. We employed the Penman-Monteith model for LE to demonstrate that these species-specific responses to disturbance are not well captured using current modeling strategies and that accounting for changes to leaf area index and plot microclimate are insufficient to fully describe the effects of disturbance on transpiration.
Early skeletal muscle adaptations to short‐term high‐fat diet in humans before changes in insulin sensitivity

Objective The purpose of this investigation was to understand the metabolic adaptations to a short-term (5 days), isocaloric, high-fat diet (HFD) in healthy, young males. Methods Two studies were undertaken with 12 subjects. Study 1 investigated the effect of the HFD on skeletal muscle substrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Study 2 assessed the metabolic and transcriptional responses in skeletal muscle to the transition from a fasted to fed state using a high-fat meal challenge before and after 5 days of the HFD. Results Study 1 showed no effect of a HFD on skeletal muscle metabolism or insulin sensitivity in fasting samples. Study 2 showed that a HFD elicits significant increases in fasting serum endotoxin and disrupts the normal postprandial excursions of serum endotoxin, as well as metabolic and transcriptional responses in skeletal muscle. These effects after 5 days of the HFD were accompanied by an altered fasting and postprandial response in the ratio of phosphorylated- to total-p38 protein. These changes all occurred in the absence of alterations in insulin sensitivity. Conclusions Our findings provide evidence for early biological adaptations to high-fat feeding that proceed and possibly lead to insulin resistance.
Collet-Eckmann Maps are Unstable

We show that a smooth interval map satisfying the Collet-Eckmann condition at some critical point is not structurally stable in C r topology for any r.
Serum Gonadotropins After Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Injection in Bulls Subjected to Spacial Restriction

Response patterns of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone after injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone were investigated in bulls grouped by weight (250 to 459 kg body weight) and confined five per pen in 9.2 or 6.4 m2 space per bull in two replicates. Blood samples were collected for 1 h prior to injection of 100 micrograms gonadotropin releasing hormone and 5 h after injection at 15-min intervals. Overall mean luteinizing hormone concentrations were not affected by spacial restriction or replicate. Interaction of treatment by time revealed that luteinizing hormone response curves were not similar. Restricted bulls had a higher response of luteinizing hormone to gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Follicle-stimulating hormone increased in all groups within 15 min and peaked at 219.4 ng/ml at 45 min. Both gonadotropin responses returned to preinjection concentrations by 4 h. Testosterone was affected by treatment, replicate, and time of sampling. Testosterone was higher in restricted bulls and higher in replicate 2. Mean testosterone peak following gonadotropin-releasing hormone was 3.86 ng/ml and occurred between 105 and 120 min which was approximately 90 min after the gonadotropin peaks. It appears that hormone responses to gonadotropin-releasing hormone were not depressed by spacial restriction, and additional spacial restriction of young bulls could be used commercially.
No time for the gym? Housework and other non-labor market time use patterns are associated with meeting physical activity recommendations among adults in full-time, sedentary jobs.

Abstract Physical activity and inactivity have distinct cardio-metabolic consequences, suggesting that combinations of activities can impact health above and beyond the effects of a single activity. However, little work has examined patterns of non-labor market time activity in the US population, particularly among full-time employees in sedentary occupations, who are at increased risk of adverse health consequences associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Identification of these patterns, and how they are related to total physical activity levels, is important for developing effective, attainable physical activity recommendations among sedentary employees, who typically have less time available for exercise. This is especially the case for low-income employees who face the highest time and financial barriers to achieving physical activity goals. This study uses cluster analysis to examine patterns of non-labor market time use among full-time (≥40 h/week) employed adults in sedentary occupations (
Life's soundtracks: Relationships between radio music subcultures and listeners’ belief systems

In this study 253 college students from the University of Tennessee responded to a questionnaire which combined Rokeach's measure on the central‐peripheral dimension of the belief system and measures of attitude toward music and radio. Analysis provided modest support for the idea that radio audiences constitute subcultures whose members use radio music for validating personal identity, and for the contention that such use is related to a person's belief system.
Metabolic and ventilatory depression in rat.

to the editor: The purpose of this letter is to further discuss the possible meaning of some of the results of the study of Stein et al. ([14][1]) in the light of previous publications on the effects of H2S and hypoxia exposure on metabolism and breathing control. Unlike mice, adult rats have
Assessing the risk of clopidogrel-related bleeding complications in patients undergoing inguinal herniorrhaphy.

Background To date, no studies have investigated how the preoperative management of clopidogrel, an irreversible antiplatelet agent, influences the outcome following minor operative procedures. The purpose of this study is to determine if clopidogrel use within 7 days of inguinal herniorrhaphy increases the postoperative risk for bleeding-related morbidity or mortality.
SETI 2020: a roadmap for future SETI observing projects

A recent series of workshops has laid out a roadmap for SETI research at the SETI Institute for the next few decades. Three different approaches were identified. 1) Continue the radio search: build an affordable array incorporating consumer market technologies, expand the search frequency, and increase the target list to 100,000 stars. This array will also serve as a technology demonstration and enable the international radio astronomy community to realize an array that is a hundred times larger and capable (among other things) of searching a million stars. 2) Begin searches for very fast optical pulses from a million stars. 3) As Moore's Law delivers increased computational capacity, build an omni-directional sky survey array capable of detecting strong, transient, radio signals from billions of stars. SETI could succeed tomorrow, or it may be an endeavor for multiple generations. We are a very young technology in a very old galaxy. While our own leakage radiation continues to outshine the Sun at many frequencies, we remain detectable to others. When our use of the spectrum becomes more efficient, it will be time to consider deliberate transmissions and the really tough questions: Who will speak for Earth? What will they say?© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Two Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C-Kinase Substrate (MARCKS) Paralogs are Required for Normal Development in Zebrafish

Myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate (MARCKS) is an actin binding protein substrate of protein kinase C (PKC) and critical for mouse and Xenopus development. Herein two MARCKS paralogs, marcksaand marcksb, are identified in zebrafish and the role of these genes in zebrafish development is evaluated. Morpholino-based targeting of either MARCKS protein resulted in increased mortality and a range of gross phenotypic abnormalities. Phenotypic abnormalities were classified as mild, moderate or severe, which is characterized by a slight curve of a full-length tail, a severe curve or twist of a full-length tail and a truncated tail, respectively. All three phenotypes displayed abnormal neural architecture. Histopathology of Marcks targeted embryos revealed abnormalities in retinal layering, gill formation and skeletal muscle morphology. These results demonstrate that Marcksa and Marcksb are required for normal zebrafish development and suggest that zebrafish are a suitable model to further study MARCKS function. Anat Rec, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Experimental program at the national bureau of standards synchrotron ultraviolet radiation facility (SURF)

Abstract New beamline development on SURF features toroidal grating instruments for Surface Science studies and Far UV photodiode calibration. The progress and capabilities of these lines will be discussed along with the developments on the high resolution normal incidence spectrometer beam line under construction by the University of Maryland. The ongoing programs in Surface Science and Photoelectron Spectroscopy will be briefly reviewed with a more detailed discussion of the latest results in calibration efforts using electron counting and the calculable spectral distribution of synchrotron radiation.
Green, greener or brown: choosing the right color of the product

There does not exist a one-size-fits-all green product strategy in green market, and formulating a strategy that aligns a company’s economic and environmental goals is no small feat. In this paper we provide insights into a firm’s green product strategy choice with a focus on two alternative strategies: Greening-Up and Greening-Out. In doing so, we incorporate two important characteristics of the customer market where there are substantial numbers of customers who are potentially receptive to a green appeal: (1) Customer market is divided into three distinct and mutually exclusive segments based on large-scale surveys and interviews conducted to measure both customers’ willingness-to-pay for products with environmental attribute(s) and their propensity to buy these products; and (2) We factor in the findings of the most recent market behavior studies that even the customers that demonstrate the least environmental responsibility of all the segments can buy green products for non-environmental reasons. The contributions and findings of our work are as follows. First, we characterize the market- and product-related factors a firm should act on for a successful execution of green product strategies. Second, on the basis of customer choice data available, we assess the strategic fit of distinct pricing options under each strategy choice with the objective(s) of a firm. Third, we explore the extent to which a green product strategy creates higher environmental benefits while providing economic payoffs to a firm. In contrast to prevailing view, we show that greening up an existing brown product is not necessarily better at reducing the environmental impact of a firm than designing a new green product. We observe that responsiveness of the least environmentally conscious customers to environmental attributes added into a brown product sets one of the two major constraints on the environmental performance of Greening-Up strategy. We also observe that there does not exist a strict dichotomy between having a better economic performance and achieving a higher environmental performance, and a firm can achieve both goals simultaneously, even if it means leaving out serving some of the customers targeted by the firm’s existing brown product.
High-cell-density production of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) from methanol by Methylobacterium extorquens : production of high-molecular-mass PHB

Methylobacterium extorquens ATCC 55366 was successfully cultivated at very high cell densities in a fed-batch fermentation system using methanol as a sole carbon and energy source and a completely minimal culture medium for the production of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB). Cell biomass levels were between 100 g/l and 115 g/l (dry weight) and cells contained between 40% and 46% PHB on a dry-weight basis. PHB with higher molecular mass values than previously reported for methylotrophic bacteria was obtained under certain conditions. Shake-flask and fermentor experiments showed the importance of adjusting the mineral composition of the medium for improved biomass production and higher growth rates. High-cell-density cultures were obtained without the need for oxygen-enriched air; once the oxygen transfer capacity of the fermentor was reached, methanol was thereafter added in proportion to the amount of available dissolved oxygen, thus preventing oxygen limitation. Controlling the methanol concentration at a very low level (less than 0.01 g/l), during the PHB production phase, led not only to prevention of oxygen limitation but also to the production of very high-molecular-mass PHB, in the 900–1800 kDa range. Biomass yields relative to the total methanol consumed were in the range 0.29–0.33 g/g, whereas PHB yields were in the range 0.09–0.12 g/g. During the active period of PHB synthesis, PHB yields relative to the total methanol consumed were between 0.2 g/g and 0.22 g/g. M. extorquens ATCC 55366 appears to be a promising organism for industrial PHB production.
Comparison of Onlay and Tubularized Island Flaps of Inner Preputial Skin for the Repair of Proximal Hypospadias

AbstractPurpose: Transverse island flaps of inner preputial skin have provided a reliable technique for the repair of proximal hypospadias. The flap may be used to create a neourethra by tubularizing the flap after urethral transection or applying the flap as an onlay patch onto an intact urethral plate. We retrospectively analyzed our experience with these 2 techniques to compare outcomes.Materials and Methods: During 11 years 132 patients underwent hypospadias repair by a single surgeon using an onlay (58) or tubularized (74) island flap technique. Surgical results were reviewed retrospectively.Results: At a mean followup of 20.3 months the overall complication rate was 36% for tubularized and 31% for onlay repair, and fistula rates were 14 and 17%, respectively. Despite similar fistula rates tubularized repairs tended to have larger fistulas that required more complex repair (p = 0.0147). In 9 patients who underwent tubularized repair diverticula developed, whereas no diverticula developed after onlay ...
Structure‐activity study of a laminin α1 chain active peptide segment Ile‐Lys‐Val‐Ala‐Val (IKVAV)

The IKVAV sequence, one of the most potent active sites of laminin-1, has been shown to promote cell adhesion, neurite outgrowth, and tumor growth. Here we have determined the structural requirements of the IKVAV sequence for cell attachment and neurite outgrowth using various 12-mer synthetic peptide analogs. All-l- and all-d-IKVAV peptides showed cell attachment and neurite outgrowth activities. In contrast, all-l- and all-d-reverse-sequence peptides were not active. Some of the analogs, in which the lysine and isoleucine residues of the IKVAV peptide were substituted with different amino acids, promoted cell attachment, but none of the analog peptides showed neurite outgrowth activity comparable to that of the IKVAV peptide. These results suggest that the lysine and isoleucine residues are critical for the biological functions of the IKVAV peptide.
Quantitative analysis of fretting wear crack nucleation in 7075-T6 aluminum alloy using fretting maps

Abstract This paper focuses on quantification of fretting wear and its transition into cracks using a fretting map approach. The damage was identified by using various damage zones based on different slip regimes such as partial slip regime, mixed fretting regime and gross slip regime. The technical community still lacks the ability to accurately estimate or predict the transition of fretting damage to cracking and this paper presents additional thoughts to assist with this estimation or prediction based on the displacement amplitude and normal force applied. This study was conducted by using flat on flat contact condition and the resultant fretting map will assist designers planning for fretting fatigue under these conditions. On the fretting map, three different regimes (no damage, wear and combined cracking and wear) were observed. A fretting map of 7075-T6 aluminum alloy yields a better understanding of interactions between sliding regimes and damage evaluation at applied normal force and applied displacement amplitude.
Lipoproteins Quantitated by Paper Electrophoresis as an Index of Atherosclerosis

Data dealing with cholesterol, phospholipid, their ratios, and total lipids in a group of 40 "normal" and 40 individuals with manifest coronary artery disease have been evaluated and have been found to have a low order of significance in determining the atherosclerotic status for both individuals and for groups. Serum lipoproteins separated by paper electrophoresis and visualized with Fat Red 7B have been shown to occur in 5 fractions. Of these, lipalbumin and beta lipoproteins as well as beta/alpha and beta/lipalbumin ratios reveal a high level of significance for distinguishing normal from abnormal individuals and groups.
Combat modeling using fuzzy expected values

Abstract We demonstrate that current combat modeling techniques have serious limitations, especially when the data that are the inputs to the model are not precise. These limitations, however, can be overcome with the use of fuzzy mathematics, specifically, when we use the fuzzy expected value (FEV) and the weighted fuzzy expected value (WFEV). These concepts are needed when ambiguous, vague, and/or ambivalent data are represented by coefficients of differential equations which represent the modeled situations. Also included is a program which demonstrates a particular differential equation, that allows for a variety of coefficients and controlling variables.
Influence of Temperature and Plant Growth Stage on Development, Reproduction, Life Span, and Intrinsic Rate of Increase of the Russian Wheat Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Plant growth stage and temperature exhibited a significant interaction ( P < 0.05) in their effects on reproductive life span, total life span, and production of nymphs per female of Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko). Immature development and daily fecundity were not significantly affected by temperature and growth stage interactions. Minimum threshold temperature for immature development was estimated to be −1.57°C, and the number of degree-days to complete preimaginal development was 225.57. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was highest (0.255 ± 0.005) at 18–21°C during the jointing stage of wheat. At all other growth stages except tillering, rm also was highest at 18–21°C. Wheat growth stages from jointing to heading and a temperature regime of 18–21°C seem to be most suitable for rearing Russian wheat aphids in the laboratory, considering aphid fecundity and plant tolerance to insect and temperature stress.
Field-scale testing of a two-stage Bioreactor for removal of creosote and pentachlorophenol from ground water: Chemical and biological assessment

A two-stage, field-scale bioreactor system was used to determine the efficacy of bioremediation of creosote- and pentachlorophenol (PCP)-contaminated ground water at the abandoned American Creosote Works (ACW) site in Pensacola, Florida. In separate 15-day runs of the field-scale (454L) system, bioreactor performance in the presence of specially-selected microbial inoculants was compared to that observed using non-specific biomass. In the first run, Bioreactor #1 was amended with nutrients, surfactants and microorganisms (strains CRE 1–13) that were isolated from soil at ACW and selectively cultured for their ability to biodegrade monitored creosote constituents. After 4 days of organism acclimation and degradation of organic contaminants, the batch system was converted to a flow-through regime. Effluent was transferred to Bioreactor #2 where Pseudomonas paucimobilis strain EPA 505 and Pseudomonas sp. strain SR 3 were introduced. A second 15-day bioreactor run was conducted using indigenous bacteria and microorganisms from a waste water treatment facility that was designed to treat effluents containing PAHs and phenolics.
Assessing the future hydrogen economy.

T. K. Tromp et al. 's Report “Potential environmental impact of a hydrogen economy on the stratosphere” (13 June, p. [1740][1]) is a welcome addition to the analysis of potential future energy scenarios. However, several key assumptions made in the study represent unlikely extreme cases that are
Nitrones as therapeutics in age‐related diseases

Summary Age-related diseases deprive individuals of a higher quality of life and therefore therapeutics for their treatment provide significant potential. An overview of the observations of nitrones as potential therapeutics in several age-related diseases is presented. Treatment of acute ischemic stroke is one condition where a nitrone (NXY-059) is in late phase 3 clinical trials now. Also presented is a summary of the most recent work we have accomplished on the anticancer activity of the nitrones in a hepatocellular carcinoma. The mechanistic basis of action of these compounds in several animal models is not yet understood at the molecular levels; however, it does appear clear that their anti-inflammatory properties are central to their action, which is based on their ability to down-regulate exacerbated signal transduction processes.
The automatic chance of the modern tramp: Chaplin and the Parisian avant‐garde

Charlie Chaplin's nimble ascension into the forefront of international stardom is also the popular cultural context for the rise and international proliferation of the Dada movement in Europe. In this essay, I argue that by drawing upon early cinema stardom's signifying practices, and the attributes of the cinematographic image itself, Parisian Dadaists radicalized their concept of identity to express the simultaneously recognizable and unknowable aspects of the modern self. I suggest that by 1920 cinematographic stardom presents itself as a succinct model for the Dadaists' transformation of artistic identity into a set of radical art practices. By pilfering mass popular techniques of cinema stardom, they re‐routed the economy of individual production and reception. Parisian Dadaists drew upon the same operations that transformed Chaplin's uniquely expressive style into an internationally identifiable semantics that made the most oblique gesture a powerfully articulate statement capable of mobilizing the ...
Challenges of introducing optoelectronics into an entrenched electrical engineering curriculum

Practical difficulties of introducing an optoelectronics course into an entrenched electrical engineering curriculum are discussed. Detailed descriptions of a lecture course, designed to meet the needs of engineers, and an accompanying laboratory course in optoelectronics are given.
Nuclear gamma resonance studies on matrix-isolated FeCl2 molecules at 4.2°K

Abstract A study of the Mossbauer effect of FeCl 2 in solid argon and xenon matrices at 4.2°K gives for the monomer a quadrupole splitting = 0.62 ± 0.05 mm/sec and an isomer shift = 0.88 ± 0.05 mm/sec with respect to Fe metal at 300°K. In a xenon matrix the FeCl 2 molecules appear to be distributed between two different sites, one of which can be removed by annealing the matrix at 42°K.
The Financial Environment of Student Affairs

This chapter examines factors that influence higher education finance, trends in revenue and expenditures of institutions of higher education, and current strategies used to meet financial challenges.
Exercise responses in ventricular septal defect

Abstract Most reports indicate that exercise testing in operated and unoperated VSD patients demonstrates subnormal levels of work performance, maximal heart rate response, and ventricular function. Usually, maximal oxygen consumption is normal but the ventilatory anaerobic threshold is decreased. It is important to consider, however, that many of these studies were performed during an era in which children with unoperated VSD were often physically restricted and surgical closure of the defect frequently was delayed until relatively late in childhood. Our studies of VSD patients are encouraging. These patients were operated on at such young ages that a mindset of chronic cardiovascular disability was not characteristic for the child or family. Moreover, the patients have been operated on with contemporary surgical techniques and more enlightened methods of myocardial preservation during cardiopulmonary bypass. Follow-up exercise testing of these patients over the next decades will be important to determine if abnormalities can be detected in adult patients, as the effects of atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease are introduced. With the current routine practice of surgical closure of significant VSDs in the first 2 years of life, it is possible that the cardiopulmonary abnormalities produced by myocardial dysfunction or progressive pulmonary vascular disease, so easily demonstrated by exercise testing, will be avoided or minimized.
Tifwhite-78 Lupine Seed as a Feedstuff for Cattle

Extruded Tifwhite-78 lupine seed containing 9.3% ether extract, 35.9% crude protein, 5.05 kcal/g gross energy, and .068% total alkaloids constituted 20% of a lupine diet. In a soybean diet the lupine was replaced with soybean meal, soybean mill feed, and corn. Both diets were each fed to satiety to six heifers for 70 d. Initial consumption of the lupine diet was depressed, but heifers adapted readily to any bitter taste, and total feed intakes of the two diets were not different. Apparent digestibilities of the lupine diet for dry matter, ether extract, nonstructural carbohydrates, and neutral detergent fiber were 64.0, 76.1, 84.7, and 31.6%, respectively, and were not different from the corresponding 62.0, 71.0, 81.6, and 38.2% for the soybean diet. Apparent digestibility of crude protein was 8.0 percentage units less in the lupine diet; however, this was not reflected in animal performance. Concentrations of total protein, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, bilirubin, gamma glutamyltransferase, and alkaline phosphatase in serum were similar for diets and did not change with duration of feeding. Daily gains and feed efficiencies averaged .86 and 5.78 kg feed/kg of gain from the lupine diet which were not different from the .87 and 5.98 for the soybean diet. Seed of Tifwhite-78 lupine was utilized well as a feedstuff for cattle.
Chronology for Fluctuations in Late Pleistocene Sierra Nevada Glaciers and Lakes

Mountain glaciers, because of their small size, are usually close to equilibrium with the local climate and thus should provide a test of whether temperature oscillations in Greenland late in the last glacial period are part of global-scale climate variability or are restricted to the North Atlantic region. Correlation of cosmogenic chlorine-36 dates on Sierra Nevada moraines with a continuous radiocarbon-dated sediment record from nearby Owens Lake shows that Sierra Nevada glacial advances were associated with Heinrich events 5, 3, 2, and 1.