cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increasing the automation of a toolkit without reducing its abstraction and user-interface flexibility

The apparent tradeoff between user-interface automation and abstraction and user-interface flexibility can be overcome using two key ideas. (1) It is possible to automate several common aspects of a user-interface without controlling its appearance. (2) By following well established programming principles, developers can provide user-interface tools with information needed for such automation. These ideas are used in a new approach that assumes that programmers (a) encapsulate the semantics of interactive applications in model objects, (b) use consistent ways to relate signatures of related methods, (c) define method preconditions, and (d) use annotations for documentation. It uses these principles to automate (a) binding of input events to synchronous and asynchronous invocation of model methods, (b) syntactic and semantic validation of user input, (c) binding of model state to display state, (c) undo/redo, and (d) dynamic enabling/disabling of display components. The result is an approach for increasing the automation of UI toolkits without reducing their abstraction and user-interface flexibility
Polarizable biphenyl polysiloxane stationary phase for capillary column gas chromatography

A crosslinkable biphenylmethylpolysiloxane stationary phase was synthesized for capillary column gas chromatography and compared with methyl, phenyl, and cyanopropyl polysiloxane stationary phases for the separation of isomeric polycyclic aromatic compounds. While the new phase gave similar separations of nonpolar isomers when compared to the nonpolar phases, separations of polar isomers were greatly improved because of the induced polarity of the biphenyl group of the stationary phase by the solute molecules. This polarizable stationary phase offers a unique selectivity which is not available in other stationary phases.
Goal hierarchies as antecedents of market structure

Current models of market structure are descriptive in nature and lack theoretical grounding in consumer behavior. Such grounding is especially needed in the specification of marketing strategies. A self-regulatory model of consumer consideration-set formation will be employed as a basis of market structure in this article. The authors propose and show that consumers regulate their behavior according to goals at different levels of their goal hierarchies, which in turn determine brand consideration. Differences in the salience of goals at different hierarchical levels lead to differences in the composition of consideration sets. It is precisely these individual differences in brand consideration that determine the structure of a market. The analysis of consumers’ goal hierarchies therefore answers, in part, the question of why a market has a certain structure. Hypotheses on brand consideration and the role of system- and principle-level goals are tested on a sample of 1,018 consumers of automobiles. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Intrarenal Dopaminergic System Regulates Renin Expression

Dopamine is a major regulator of proximal tubule salt reabsorption and is a modulator of renin release. Dopamine has been reported to stimulate renin release in vitro through activation of D1-like receptors. However, previous studies investigating dopamine regulation of renin release in vivo have provided contradictory results, indicating stimulation, inhibition, or no effect. We have reported previously that macula densa cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is suppressed by dopamine. Because macula densa COX-2 stimulates renal renin expression, our current studies investigated dopamine regulation of renal renin release and synthesis in vivo. Acute treatment with a D1-like receptor agonist, fenoldopam, significantly inhibited renin release, as did acute inhibition of proximal tubule salt reabsorption with acetazolamide. In catechol-O-methyl transferase knockout (COMT(-/-)) mice, which have increased kidney dopamine levels because of deletion of the major intrarenal dopamine metabolizing enzyme, there was attenuation in response to a low-salt diet of the increases of renal cortical COX-2 and renin expression and renin release. A high-salt diet led to significant decreases in renal renin expression but much less significant decreases in COMT(-/-) mice than wild type mice, resulting in higher renal renin expression in COMT(-/-) mice. In high salt-treated wild-type mice or COX-2 knockout mice on a normal salt diet, fenoldopam stimulated renal renin expression. These results suggest that dopamine predominantly inhibits renal renin expression and release by inhibiting macula densa COX-2, but suppression of renal cortical COX-2 activity reveals a contrasting effect of dopamine to stimulate renal renin expression through activation of D1-like receptors.
Interaction of connexin43 and protein kinase C-delta during FGF2 signaling

We have recently demonstrated that modulation of the gap junction protein, connexin43, can affect the response of osteoblasts to fibroblast growth factor 2 in a protein kinase C-delta-dependent manner. Others have shown that the C-terminal tail of connexin43 serves as a docking platform for signaling complexes. It is unknown whether protein kinase C-delta can physically interact with connexin43. In the present study, we investigate by immunofluorescent co-detection and biochemical examination the interaction between Cx43 and protein kinase C-delta. We establish that protein kinase C-delta physically interacts with connexin43 during fibroblast growth factor 2 signaling, and that protein kinase C delta preferentially co-precipitates phosphorylated connexin43. Further, we show by pull down assay that protein kinase C-delta associates with the C-terminal tail of connexin43. Connexin43 can serve as a direct docking platform for the recruitment of protein kinase C-delta in order to affect fibroblast growth factor 2 signaling in osteoblasts. These data expand the list of signal molecules that assemble on the connexin43 C-terminal tail and provide a critical context to understand how gap junctions modify signal transduction cascades in order to impact cell function.
Lithology Dependence of Porosity in Slope and Deep Marine Sediments

Abstract Compilation of porosity data from 11 Ocean Drilling Program legs and 53 sites show that compaction in deep marine to upper-slope sediments is, at least in part, a function of both burial depth and lithology. Overall porosities range from 4 to 94%. Despite the broad range of porosities, there is an exponential trend toward decreasing porosity with depth. Comparison among samples dominated (90 to 100%) by each of six lithologies, based on grain size and composition, reveals the lithology dependence of compaction, except for biogenic silt-size sediments and clastic sands. In the former case, this may, in part, be due to mixing of calcareous and siliceous nannofossils. Clay-size clastic sediments show a clear change from rapid porosity reduction in the top 172 meters (porosity = 82.7 e−depth/430) to less pronounced loss of porosity below (porosity = 61.4 e−depth/1671). The remainder of the lithologies, silt (porosity = 75.5 e−depth/1091), biogenic sand (porosity = 88.5 e−depth/1338) and micrite (porosity = 69.5 e−depth/1235) show a good to strong exponential reduction of porosity with depth. These relations compare well with literature studies, taking into account the less pure nature of the lithologies used in this work. The silt compaction curve is unique; no previous studies of porosity separated silt from other grain sizes. Most sediment samples are of mixed grain sizes and types. The lithology-based porosity-depth relations were used to test four approaches to decompaction in mixed-lithology sediment used in backstripping. All methods generated porosity estimates that correlated strongly to the observed values, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.629 to 0.686. These methods that have been used for years are, for the first time, shown to be valid.
Research Action in Many Worlds

This autobiographical account describes the evolution of the author's research interests and methods of inquiry. Early life experiences at home, in school, and the Peace Corps are discussed in term...
Longitudinal comparison of depressive personality disorder and dysthymic disorder

Background: Few studies have compared the related diagnostic constructs of depressive personality disorder (DPD) and dysthymic disorder (DD). The authors attempted to replicate findings of Klein and Shih in longitudinally followed patients with personality disorder or major depressive disorder (MDD) in the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study. Methods: Subjects (N = 665) were evaluated at baseline and over 2 years (n = 546) by reliably trained clinical interviewers using semistructured interviews and self-report personality questionnaires. Results: Only 44 subjects (24.6% of 179 DPD and 49.4% of 89 early-onset dysthymic subjects) met criteria for both disorders at baseline. Depressive personality disorder was associated with increased comorbidity of some axis I anxiety disorders and other axis II diagnoses, particularly avoidant (71.5%) and borderline (55.9%) personality disorders. Depressive personality disorder was associated with low positive and high negative affectivity on dimensional measures of temperament. Depressive personality disorder subjects had lower likelihood of remission of baseline MDD at 2-year follow-up, whereas DD subjects did not. The DPD diagnosis appeared unstable over 2 years of followup, as only 31% (n = 47) of 154 subjects who had DPD at baseline and also had follow-up assessment met criteria on blind retesting. Limitations: Results from this sample may not generalize to other populations. Conclusions: Depressive personality disorder and dysthymic disorder appear to be related but differ in diagnostic constructs. Its moderating effect on MDD and predicted relationship to measures of temperament support the validity of DPD, but its diagnostic instability raises questions about its course, utility, and measurement.
Comparison of ultrasonic Doppler flow monitor, oscillometric, and direct arterial blood pressure measurements in ill dogs

Objective – To compare blood pressure measurements obtained via ultrasonic Doppler flow monitor (DOP) and 2 oscillometric noninvasive blood pressure monitors (CAR and PAS) to invasive blood pressure (IBP) in hospitalized, conscious dogs with a range of blood pressures. Design – Prospective clinical study. Setting – University teaching hospital. Animals – Eleven client-owned dogs aged between 4 months and 11.5 years (median 6 y), and weighing between 5.8 and 37.5 kg (median 30.2 kg). Interventions – Blood pressure measurement. Measurements and Main Results – Three consecutive measurements of systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded for each of the 3 indirect devices (only systolic for DOP), along with concurrent IBP measurements. The data were categorized into 3 groups: hypotensive (direct MAP 100 mm Hg). Each indirect method was compared with the corresponding direct arterial pressure using the Bland-Altman method. Within the hypotensive group, each indirect method overestimated the corresponding IBP. Within the normotensive group all indirect systolic measurements and the PAS diastolic measurements underestimated the corresponding IBP. The remaining indirect measurements overestimated the corresponding IBP. Within the hypertensive group, DOP and CAR systolic measurements underestimated the corresponding IBP, and the remaining indirect measurements overestimated the corresponding IBP. In hypertensive dogs oscillometric systolic measurements were more accurate than MAP. In hypotensive dogs MAP measurements were more accurate than systolic measurements. All indirect measurements were most accurate in hypertensive dogs. Conclusions – The noninvasive blood pressure monitors in our study did not meet the validation standards set in human medicine. However, CAR diastolic and MAP measurements within the normotensive group, CAR MAP measurements within the hypertensive group, and PAS diastolic measurements in all groups were close to these standards. All indirect measurements showed greater bias during hypotension. Precision was poorer for all indirect systolic measurements than for MAP.
Cognitive MAC Protocols Using Memory for Distributed Spectrum Sharing Under Limited Spectrum Sensing

The main challenges of cognitive radio include spectrum sensing at the physical (PHY) layer to detect the activity of primary users and spectrum sharing at the medium access control (MAC) layer to coordinate access among coexisting secondary users. In this paper, we consider a cognitive radio network in which a primary user shares a channel with secondary users that cannot distinguish the signals of the primary user from those of a secondary user. We propose a class of distributed cognitive MAC protocols to achieve efficient spectrum sharing among the secondary users while protecting the primary user from potential interference by the secondary users. By using a MAC protocol with one-slot memory, we can obtain high channel utilization by the secondary users while limiting interference to the primary user at a low level. The results of this paper suggest the possibility of utilizing MAC protocol design in cognitive radio networks to overcome limitations in spectrum sensing at the PHY layer as well as to achieve spectrum sharing at the MAC layer.
The suboptimal nature of applying Pigouvian rates as border adjustments

We consider a North-South trade model with cross-border environmental damage where the North imports the relatively dirty good. The North sets domestic production taxes according to each industry’s contribution to environmental degradation (Pigouvian taxes), but this exacerbates cross-border damages. It is well understood that a large economy in this situation can use border taxes to mitigate the damage, but a large economy also has an incentive to use trade policy to extract rents (Markusen, 1975). We formulate a model that neutralizes the rent-seeking incentives, through an endogenous transfer, to focus only on environmental incentives. We find that setting the North’s import tariff at the Pigouvian rate is above the optimal, because it indirectly reduces the North’s exports, favoring consumption of the dirty good in the South. Even in the case of full border tax adjustment, where the import tariff is partially canceled out by an export subsidy set at the Pigouvian rate for the export industry, trade is taxed too much. Considering the inherent general equilibrium nature of trade policy, the North’s optimal border adjustment to mitigate the cross-border damage is a net import tariff set below the Pigouvian rate.
Stained Red A Study of Stigma by Association to Blacklisted Artists during the “Red Scare” in Hollywood, 1945 to 1960

We suggest that moral panics exert spillover effects through stigma by mere association. Individuals are harmed even if their ties to stigmatized affiliates are heterophilous, and high-status indiv...
Memory bandwidth analysis of hierarchical multiprocessors using model decomposition and steady-state flow analysis

For memory bandwidth analysis, researchers generally discard requests that are not accepted during a memory cycle. This assumption simplifies the analysis and produces negligible discrepancies with actual results for a system with a non-hierarchical interconnection network. However, the assumption, "the requests that are not occupied during a memory cycle are discarded," cannot be used for a multiprocessor system with a hierarchical interconnection network (HIN), because the error introduced assumption can be several orders of magnitude higher than the actual bandwidth. An improved analytical model to determine the bandwidth of a HIN-based system is presented. >
Fast addition of large integers

The basic computational model of a massively parallel processor is discussed, and three massively parallel algorithms using carry-lookahead techniques for binary addition of large integers are presented. It is shown how performance can be improved by exploiting the average case behavior of large n-bit additions and the asymmetry of the computation time of two particular operations. Even better performance is obtained by grouping multiple bits per processor. Performance measurements of all the algorithms are presented and discussed. >
Black's Leverage Effect Is Not Due To Leverage

One of the most enduring empirical regularities in equity markets is the inverse relationship between stock prices and volatility, first documented by Black (1976) who attributed it to the effects of financial leverage. As a company’s stock price declines, it becomes more highly leveraged given a fixed level of debt outstanding, and this increase in leverage induces a higher equity-return volatility. In a sample of all-equity-financed companies from January 1972 to December 2008, we find that the leverage effect is just as strong if not stronger, implying that the inverse relationship between price and volatility is not driven by financial leverage.
Limitations on National Sovereignty in International Relations.

Among the traditional political conceptions which in recent years have become the object of almost irreverent attack, is that which ascribes the quality of absolutism to that often elusive, but ever present, double-faced creation of the jurists which bears the name of sovereignty. Text-writers, sometimes in unqualified terms, still persist in claiming for it the unrestricted supremacy which was attributed to it in an age when its wielders everywhere were absolute monarchs; but an increasing number, less influenced by legal theories than by realities, see in it only the “ghost of personal monarchy,” as Hobbes characterized it, “sitting crowned on the grave thereof.” On the one side the attack is directed by a new school of political writers, who deny its very existence or maintain that it is not an essential constituent attribute of the state. According to them, the notion is useless if not fallacious; the theory is discredited by the facts of modern state life and the term should be abandoned and expunged from the literature of political science.
Maintaining the Trail: Collective Action in a Serious-Leisure Community

This article uses data from a four-year ethnographic study of off-road driving enthusiasts to investigate the potential of leisure consumption to organize collective action. I analyze a serious-lei...
Family Structure and Adolescent Victimization in Finland: Investigating the Stepfamily as a Source of Risk

Sociological research on family structure suggests that living in a stepfamily may constitute an important risk factor for a number of outcomes of adolescent well-being. In our data, the prevalence of violent victimization is significantly higher among children from stepfamilies than among those living in either single parent or intact two-parent families. In an e ort to develop an explanation for the stepfamily e ect, we draw on two theoretical perspectives, the stress-conflict model and evolutionary psychology. The mediating variables derived from the stress-conflict model explain a meaningful share of the increased risk associated with stepfamily status. By contrast, our research finds little support for the assumptions of evolutionary
Reliable Combinational Systems Out of Unreliable Components

In one of his most influential papers, von Neumann considered the construction of reliable combinational systems out of unreliable components [von Neumann, 1956]. He focused on a class of digital systems that performed computation by using appropriately interconnected voting mechanisms. More specifically, von Neumann constructed reliable systems out of unreliable 3-bit voters, some of which were used to perform computation and some of which were used as “restoring organs” to achieve error correction. The voters used for computational purposes received inputs that were either primary inputs, constants or outputs from other voters; the voters that functioned as “restoring organs” ideally (i.e., under fault-free conditions) received identical inputs.
Injury, Musculoskeletal Disorders, and Ergonomics

There were an estimated 70,090 line of duty injuries (LODI) among United States (US) firefighters in 2011. Although there has been considerable improvement, injury rates continue to be unacceptably high, arising from the inherent dangers of the job. Injuries arising from fire-related hazards are also changing over time, as a result of expansion of the first-responder duties of firefighters and changes at the fire scene due to changing construction methods and materials. The most frequent traumatic injuries are minor but in practice may involve lost time or compromise safe performance; unlike other occupations, motor vehicle accidents resulting in injury are uncommon, probably because of vehicle characteristics. Musculoskeletal disorders are usually related to overexertion or overuse and, as with the general population, disproportionately involve the back. Burns and heat-related injuries are uncommon but can be severe. Modifiable risk factors for firefighting-related injuries include ergonomic factors of the job and fitness levels. The importance of fitness in preventing injuries and supporting performance in particularly dangerous or critical situations, such as rescue, has led to the development of formal and often mandated fitness programs. However, one-third of reported injuries among firefighters are sustained during fitness activities.
Need to Belong, Not Rejection Sensitivity, Moderates Cortisol Response, Self-Reported Stress, and Negative Affect Following Social Exclusion

The present study examined if the traits need to belong (NTB) and rejection sensitivity (RS) differentially moderate the impact of experimentally manipulated social exclusion on stress and affect. Participants (N = 132) completed a survey measuring NTB and RS, and then were randomly assigned to be included or excluded during a game of Cyberball. A second survey then assessed perceived stress and negative affect, and a cortisol sample was taken. Controlling for gender and baseline cortisol levels, excluded participants high (vs. low) in NTB had significantly higher postexclusion cortisol levels, and reported greater perceived stress and negative affect. The moderating effect for RS was not found, however, and NTB and RS were not correlated. Findings suggest that the NTB moderates psychological and physiological responses to exclusion.
Effect of fat feeding on intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity in tissue and serum

Serum intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity is increased by fat feeding, but the mechanism of this increase is not fully understood. Fasting rats were fed a single feed of either corn oil (12 kcal) or an isocaloric elemental feed (Vivonex 100 HN). Changes in enzyme activity in the small bowel mucosa and serum were followed for 20 h. Only the fat-fed rats had increased serum enzyme activity, being maximal at 7 h and three times the fasting level. This resulted from an increase in the amount of enzyme protein in the serum and not from an increase in its catalytic efficiency. The serum biological half-life of 125I-labeled intestinal alkaline phosphatase was the same in fasted (2.51 min) and fat-fed rats (2.55 min). Both types of feed caused a quantitatively similar increase in brush-border-bound alkaline phosphatase activity. However, levels of soluble intracellular alkaline phosphatase in intestinal mucosa were affected differently: the elemental diet caused a substantial rise, whereas no significant change was seen after fat feeding. The isoelectric pattern of phosphatase activity in serum after fat feeding was identical to that of soluble intracellular and not membranous alkaline phosphatase. Therefore, serum intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity rises in response to a single fat feed as a result of increased delivery of the enzyme to the blood and not as a result of an increase in its normally short biological half-life. This rise cannot be directly linked to an increase in the amount of brush-border-bound enzyme, and it appears that the serum enzyme is derived directly from a pool of soluble intracellular enzyme in the small bowel mucosa.
An Industrial Engineering Curriculum Renewal Process for the Enhancement of Industrial Engineering Degree Programs

The current Industrial Engineering curriculum implemented at most educational institutions in the United States is driven by curriculum reform included in the Roy Report which took place almost 40 years ago. It is clear that if Industrial Engineers are to keep pace with the changing environment we need to address the future of Industrial Engineering curriculum. In response, this paper outlines the development of a new scalable and deployable Industrial Engineering baccalaureate-degree curriculum renewal process. This model will be designed to permit scaling up from an information technology course kernel to a fully integrated Industrial Engineering undergraduate curriculum.
National survey of midlife development in the United States.

The National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) was first funded by the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development. An interdisciplinary network of scholars from multiple disciplines such as psychology, epidemiology, and sociology was involved with the project. Some prominent investigators of the original MIDUS development included Orville Brim (John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation on Successful Midlife Development), Paul Baltes (Max Planck Institute for Human Development), and Ronald Kessler (Harvard Medical School). The focus of MIDUS was conceptually broad, examining a collection of behavioral, psychological, and social factors associated with age-related variations in health and well-being extending from midlife into older adulthood (Brim, Ryff, & Kessler, 2004). Data collection began from 1995 through 1996, with the original MIDUS sample consisting of 7,108 predominantly Caucasian participants aged 25 to 74 years. This wide age range combined with strategic sampling design captures the developmental variation needed to examine the foundations of midlife change and aging processes. Along with the national probability sample (N1⁄4 3,487), MIDUS also includes a selective oversampling of metropolitan areas (N1⁄4 757), a sibling sample of the main respondents (N1⁄4 950), and a national sample of twin pairs (N1⁄4 1,914). With a diverse team of coinvestigators, MIDUS measures were oriented to collect a wide array of information in different content areas. Content areas included demographic and life history factors, physical and mental health histories, behavioral patterns, relationship and social network characteristics, exercise and dietary activities, occupational information, childhood characteristics, religiousness, financial data, and future interests and hopes. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development 2014, Vol. 79(4) 329–331 ! The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0091415015574174 ahd.sagepub.com
Photonic Crystal-Based Waveguide Structures and Interfaces

The optical properties of photonic crystal based waveguide structures and interfaces will be presented. This will include a comparison of our experimental data to the predictions of our numerical models.
Exploring Food System Policy: A Survey of Food Policy Councils in the United States

Food policy councils (FPCs) have become a popular way to organize various food system stakeholders at the local, municipal, and state levels. FPCs typically build partnerships with stakeholders; examine current policies, regulations, and ordinances related to food; and support or create programs that address food system issues. While FPCs have the potential to affect policy change and often include policy-related goals in their missions, the literature on how FPCs engage in the policy process, what policies FPCs address, and the policy impacts of their work are very limited. We conducted an electronic survey of FPC leaders to describe FPCs, their level of engagement in policy processes, and the scope of their policy activities. We invited all U.S. FPCs that were included in an FPC database (N =92) to participate. Of the 56 FPCs that completed the survey (64 percent response rate), 52 percent had been in existence for at least 3 years and 85 percent were engaged in policy activities at the time of the survey. Most FPCs engage in policy work in multiple venues (88 percent) and on multiple topics (79 percent). Many FPCs reported participating in the policy process through problem identification (95 percent) and education (78 percent); few mentioned evaluating their policy work. Those not engaged in policy most often cited lack of resources and technical expertise as barriers. These results suggest that while most FPCs are engaging in policy, why and how they engage varies greatly. Since FPCs are frequently cited as an effective way to address local and state food system issues, there is a need for more rigorous evaluation of the processes, outcomes, and impacts of their work.
Computational investigation of the pyrolysis product selectivity for α-hydroxy phenethyl phenyl ether and phenethyl phenyl ether: analysis of substituent effects and reactant conformer selection.

Using computational methods, we determine product selectivities for the pyrolysis of two model compounds for the β-O-4 linkage in lignin: phenethyl phenyl ether (PPE) and α-hydroxy phenethyl phenyl ether (α-hydroxy PPE). We investigate the dependence of the product selectivities on the number of reactant conformers included. Utilizing density functional theory in combination with transition state theory, we obtain rate constants for hydrogen abstraction reactions by the key chain-carrying radicals, which determine the product selectivity within a steady-state kinetic model. The inclusion of the energetically second lowest reactant conformer of PPE and α-hydroxy PPE has a large effect on the product selectivity. The final product selectivity computed for PPE agrees well with experiment. We find that the α-hydroxy substituent affects energetic as well as entropic contributions to the rate constant differently for alternative pathways of hydrogen abstraction and, thereby, significantly alters product distrib...
My boss the robot.

The article discusses human-robot work teams. An example is given of engineer Michael Dawson-Haggerty of Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute and his engineering partner who won a contest to see whether their robot, Spitfire, could weld a piece of metal faster than a team of experts. Topics include the economic consequences of human's ability to work with a robot and vice versa, the historical use of robots in the manufacturing industry, and Spitfire's ability to not only learn from human workers, but also to instruct them.
Effect of temperature on the self-assembly of the Escherichia coli ClpA molecular chaperone.

Protein quality control pathways rely upon ATP-dependent proteases, such as Escherichia coli ClpAP, to perform maintenance roles in the cytoplasm of the cell. ATP-dependent proteases remove misfolded and partially synthesized proteins. This action is particularly important in situations where an unregulated accumulation of such proteins will have a deleterious effect on the cell. ClpAP is composed of a tetradecameric serine protease, ClpP (21.6 kDa monomer), and the ATPase/protein unfoldase ClpA (84.2 kDa monomer). ClpA also uses its protein unfolding activity to remodel proteins and protein complexes; thus, in the absence of the proteolytic component, ClpA is considered a molecular chaperone. Previous reports, by others, suggested that ClpA exists in a monomer−dimer equilibrium at 4 °C. In contrast, using a combination of sedimentation velocity, sedimentation equilibrium, and dynamic light scattering, we recently reported that ClpA exists in a monomer−tetramer equilibrium at 25 °C. Here we report an inve...
Microstructure and domain configurations in ferroelectric PbTiO 3 and Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 thin films

Ferroelectric domain configurations in PbTiO3 and Pb(ZrxT1−x)O3 (PZT, x = 0.3 or 0.5) thin films have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. The PbTiOg and PZT thin films have been deposited by the ionized cluster beam technique and radio frequency sputtering, respectively. The grain size in these thin films is typically less than 0.5 μm. Lamellar 90°-domain features have been observed in both PbTiO3 and PZT (30/70) samples. The domain walls correspond to the {011} twin boundaries. La-doping and Ca-modification are shown to affect the microstructure of the PZT films. No clear domain feature occurs in the PZT thin film that has composition near the morphotropic phase boundary. The effects of grain sizes are briefly discussed.
Influence of Organization Environment on Behavior of Agro-technical Extension Workers:An Empirical Study of 24 Counties of 8 Provinces in China

In order to promote the construction of organization environment for China agro-technical extension,and enhance the front-level works' behavior performance,a field interview and a questionnaire survey on 369 front-level agro-technical extension workers in 24 counties of 8 provinces and a telephone survey on the guided 1 747 peasants were conducted,the workers' satisfaction to the organization environment was evaluated through factor analysis.Results:the technical workers were of higher satisfaction to management function and profession environment indicators,while lower satisfaction to guarantee indicators;management system and organization environment indictors had significant influence on extension behavior,guarantee indicators had significant positive correlation with extension behavior of workers,management function and environment indictors had no significant influence on extension behavior.Finally,some policy recommendations to improve the management system and organization environment of agro-technical extension were proposed.
Energy drinks; a public health hazard for adolescents.

Madam, Caffeine is widely consumed as part of many drinks all over the world. The Food and Drug Administration of USA started to doubt the safety of caffeinated drinks first in 2010. Four Loko which was the first energy drink that combined caffeine with alcohol and received opposition.1 In 2013 Health Canada limited quantity content of caffeine to 180mg per regular serving bottle. As compared to other drinks like tea, coffee and soft drinks, caffeine content contained by "energy drinks" exceeds this limit which is associated with more adverse effects.2,3 The common one of these being electrolyte imbalances such as hypokalaemia leading to arrhythmias and endothelial cell dysfunction which impairs coronary blood flow during exercise hence leading to ischaemia and cardiac arrest.2 Energy drinks have also been shown to alter neural functions mediated by acetylcholine. Neurological effects include increased attention, agility and anxiety on acute use but withdrawal after chronic use causes inattention, irritability and depression.3 Coadministration of ingredients like Taurine and Ginseng which are found in energy drinks can cause stomach upset and bowel irritability.
Pilot Study of Intrahepatic Artery Chemotherapy in Combination with Sorafenib in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background/aim Sorafenib and chemoembolization of the liver (TACE) have both produced increased survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Some patients cannot tolerate TACE due to portal vein thrombosis or risk of liver failure. In this pilot trial, we aimed to combine intrahepatic infusion (IA) of cisplatin or carboplatin with sorafenib for unresectable HCC. Patients and methods Patients with Child's A or early B received IA cisplatin or carboplatin every 6 weeks with oral sorafenib. MRI/CT scans were performed every 6 weeks. Results Eleven patients were accrued. Of 10 evaluable patients, 6 had clinical benefit (4 partial responses for 2+, 3+, 8+ and 18 months, 2 minor responses). Two patients were down-staged enough for ablation therapy or liver transplant and remain free of disease for 32+ and 36+ months. Toxicity was generally tolerable. Conclusion Preliminary results are encouraging and this combination may down-stage some patients with unresectable disease.
Knockout of MDA-9/Syntenin (SDCBP) expression in the microenvironment dampens tumor-supporting inflammation and inhibits melanoma metastasis

Cancer development and progression to metastasis is a complex process, which largely depends on bidirectional communication between tumor cells and their microenvironment. Melanoma differentiation associated gene-9 (mda-9, also known as Syntenin-1, SDCBP), a gene first cloned by our group, is robustly expressed in multiple cancers including melanoma and contributes to invasion and metastasis in a tumor cell-intrinsic manner. However, the role of MDA-9/Syntenin in the tumor cell-extrinsic microenvironment remains unclear even though MDA-9/Syntenin is ubiquitously expressed in most organs that are active metastatic sites for melanoma, e.g., lung, lymph node, brain, and liver. In this study, we explored the effect of environmental mda-9/syntenin expression on melanoma growth and metastasis using multiple immunocompetent animal models, syngeneic B16 xenograft and intravenous B16 mouse model and a genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model of melanoma. Host-deficient expression of mda-9/syntenin in mice negatively impacted on subcutaneously implanted B16 tumor growth and lung metastasis. Absence of MDA-9/Syntenin in the lung microenvironment suppressed tumor growth by modulating in situ Interleukin 17A (IL17A) expression and impaired the recruitment of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and Th17 cells as compared to genetically wild type animals. Additionally, loss of mda-9/syntenin expression in a spontaneous melanoma model (melanocyte-specific pten loss and BrafV600E mutation) significantly delayed tumor initiation and suppressed metastasis to the lymph nodes and lungs. The present study highlights a novel role of mda-9/syntenin in tumor-promoting inflammation and immune suppression. These observations along with other documented roles of MDA-9/Syntenin in cancer and metastasis support the potential relevance of MDA-9/Syntenin in the carcinogenic process and as a target for developing improved therapies by using either genetic or pharmacologic approaches to treat and prevent melanoma and other cancers.
A corrupção e a possibilidade da vida

Este artigo analisa como podemos entender a corrupcao como algo ancorado em praticas comuns e cotidianas. Evitando a dupla armadilha da condenacao e do relativismo, ele mostra como os pobres urbanos consideram que a aspiracao a uma comunidade politica purificada cria as condicoes de possibilidade nas quais o espaco politico de acao se fecha para aqueles que estao dentro do que se poderia chamar de complexo da corrupcao. Movendo-se entre a etnografia e a literatura, o texto presta muita atencao a formas de fala, bem como a formas de acao, e demonstra que os pobres tem uma compreensao muito mais matizada do Estado do que a maneira como ele e representado no trabalho de intelectuais e ativistas publicos.
Does a checklist reduce the number of errors made in nurse-assembled discharge prescriptions?

Background: The safe supply of medicines is an integral part of being discharged from hospital. Locally, nurses are responsible for assembling medication for discharge prescriptions. Over a 2-year period 15 serious medication errors relating to discharge were reported on the health and ageing unit. This project was designed to evaluate whether a discharge medication checklist could reduce errors on nurse-assembled discharge prescriptions. Methods and results: A baseline audit was conducted to identify the number of medication errors on nurse-assembled discharge prescriptions. After the audit period the discharge medication checklist was introduced and education and training was provided to nursing staff. There was a statistically significant reduction in the number of assembled discharge prescriptions with one or more errors (28/56 vs. 9/44; p=0.0478) when re-audited. Conclusion: The introduction of a discharge medication checklist demonstrated a significant reduction in errors. The authors recommend that...
Novel Technique to Manage Recurrent PEG-J Tube Dislodgement With Full-Thickness Endoscopic Suturing.

Novel Technique to Manage Recurrent PEG-J Tube Dislodgement With Full-Thickness Endoscopic Suturing
“Redefining” Secularism? Philosophical Perspectives on Secularism, Post-Secularism and the Contemporary Relation Between Politics and Religion

Few terms in the traditional theologico-political lexicon have been more at issue in the last decade or so than the notion of secularism. A steady stream of books, conferences and online blogs has brought the interdisciplinary work of philosophers, scholars of religion and social scientists to bear on the examination of assumptions about what secularism is and what role it plays within modern societies. While much has been achieved within this growing literature in clarifying the notion of secularism (and particularly its relation to the notions of secularization and secularity), there is still a great deal of territory that remains philosophically important to explore, even as contemporary events from terrorist strikes to various iterations of the “scarf affair” provoke new questions.
All That Wheezes...

A 20-year-old woman with a history of allergic rhinitis presented to her physician in the autumn with persistent cough and shortness of breath. Test your diagnostic and therapeutic skills at NEJM.org.
Metal-Assisted Ligand-Centered Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution upon Reduction of a Bis(thiosemicarbazonato)Cu(II) Complex

In this study, we report the electrocatalytic behavior of the neutral, monomeric Cu(II) complex of diacetyl-bis(N-4-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazonato), CuL1, for metal-assisted ligand-centered hydrogen evolution in acetonitrile and dimethylformamide. CuL1 displays a maximum turnover frequency (TOF) of 10 000 s–1 in acetonitrile and 5100 s–1 in dimethylformamide at an overpotential of 0.80 and 0.76 V, respectively. The rate law is first-order in catalyst and second-order in proton concentration. Gas analysis from controlled potential electrolysis confirms CuL1 as an electrocatalyst to produce H2 with a minimum Faradaic efficiency of 81% and turnover numbers as high as 73 while showing no sign of degradation over 23 h. The H2 evolution reaction (HER) was probed using deuterated acid, demonstrating a kinetic isotope effect of 7.54. A proton inventory study suggests one proton is involved in the rate-determining step. Catalytic intermediates were identified using 1H NMR, X-ray photoelectron, and UV–visible spectro...
Supplementing small farms with native mason bees increases strawberry size and growth rate

Pollination services, especially those of bees, play a vital role in agriculture. Declining honeybee populations require us to find alternative solutions for sustainable agriculture. Native bees are proving to be efficient pollinators. Mason bees (Osmia lignaria) provide valuable pollinator services for some woody orchard species, but their value as pollinators for herbaceous crops is largely untested. We assessed the effectiveness of O. lignaria supplementation on nine strawberry farms over two growing seasons. We specifically selected mason bees for this work because they emerge from cocoons in the springtime, when few other bees are available for pollination. Cocoons are easily deployed on farms and emerged bees have a small flight radius, so they remain localized. We placed cocoons on one side of each berry farm plot (our mason bee addition treatment) but not on the opposite side (our control). We tagged and monitored berries on nine farms throughout the growing season. We performed statistical comparisons of berries from the treatment and control for differences in berry growth rate and size. In addition, we supplemented farms with native bee homes constructed from three materials (bamboo, Phragmites and wood). This allowed us to determine whether adult mason bees would produce a subsequent generation of bees on farms and whether the bees had a preference for nest material type. Our work demonstrates that mason bees can be used successfully to pollinate herbaceous berry crops. We found that berry growth rate was significantly higher and berry volume was significantly larger for berries from the treatment relative to the control. We also found that adult bees successfully utilized the bee homes for laying the next generation of offspring and that bees colonized bamboo homes more than other home types. Synthesis and applications. Our results are the first to show that native mason bees (Osmia lignaria) can be used successfully to provide pollination services on strawberry farms. Their use results in the production of bigger berries and faster berry growth rates than managed honeybees alone. Mason bees overwinter (and can be purchased) in cocoons, offering great potential for efficient and effective pollination services, for a variety of agricultural applications across different geographical regions. The availability of suitable nesting sites and protection of subsequent generations of cocoons from wasp parasitization warrant future consideration.
Layer- and substrate-dependent charge density wave criticality in 1T–TiSe 2

TiSe2 exhibits an unconventional charge density wave (CDW) that has been associated with an excitonic insulator transition. Here we investigate how the CDW transition is changed for single to few layers compared to bulk TiSe2. TiSe2 grown by molecular beam epitaxy on HOPG- or MoS2-substrates is characterized by variable temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. We show that the CDW state persists for the monolayer but the transition temperature T CDW is significantly increased compared to the bulk. Furthermore, T CDW is strongly dependent on the substrate material. Within the model of an excitonic insulator phase for TiSe2, the substrate dependence may be associated with variations of the excitonic binding energies by the dielectric properties of the substrate. Interestingly, for single layer TiSe2 on HOPG we also observe peaks in the tunneling spectra below 50 K, which are tentatively assigned to coherence peaks of an excitonic condensate. The peaks are observed below T CDW of ~230 K, suggesting that an excitonic insulator induced CDW can exist without a phase coherent state.
nlsrSIM: Porting and Simulation of Named-data Link State Routing Protocol into ndnSIM

A rapidly growing interest, availability of open source components, and simulation tools have fueled a great amount of research in various aspects of future Internet architecture designs and applications. Among the many important research problems, routing is currently being investigated and to that effect Named-data Link State Routing (NLSR) protocol has been developed. So far, the performance evaluation of NLSR has been tested using live deployment and using Mininet emulator; however, the scale of such evaluation is limited by the size and the configuration of compute resources. We provide an alternative approach for performance evaluation of NLSR and call it as nlsrSIM. In this paper, we describe our work on porting of NLSR into ndnSIM. We demonstrate the capability of simulator by using a network topology and discuss basic performance results.