cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Operation regimes in catalytic combustion: H2/air mixtures near Pt

The influence of a platinum catalyst on flammability limits and operation windows for catalytic and catalyst-assisted homogeneous oxidation is studied, for the first time to the authors` knowledge, as a function of H{sub 2} in air composition in a stagnation-point flow geometry. The results show that the coupling between the homogeneous and heterogeneous chemistries leads to relatively easy startup, the coexistence of catalytically (partially) and homogeneously (completely) ignited branches under certain conditions, and the expansion of the fuel-lean and rich flammability limits. A strategy to attain virtually any desired operation regime is discussed. It is shown that synergism between homogeneous and heterogeneous chemistries leads to higher combustion efficiency and lower fuel emissions at elevated temperatures for fuel-lean mixtures only. Analysis of the flammability limits indicates that heat generated by surface reactions is primarily responsible for expansion of the flammability limits. Finally, a direct transition to flames occurs over a wide range of composition upon catalytic ignition in the absence of surface heat loss.
Replicon-Helper Systems from Attenuated Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus: Expression of Heterologous Genes in Vitro and Immunization against Heterologous Pathogens in Vivo

A replicon vaccine vector system was developed from an attenuated strain of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE). The replicon RNA consists of the cis-acting 5' and 3' ends of the VEE genome, the complete nonstructural protein gene region, and the subgenomic 26S promoter. The genes encoding the VEE structural proteins were replaced with the influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) or the Lassa virus nucleocapsid (N) gene, and upon transfection into eukaryotic cells by electroporation, these replicon RNAs directed the efficient, high-level synthesis of the HA or N proteins. For packaging of replicon RNAs into VEE replicon particles (VRP), the VEE capsid and glycoproteins were supplied in trans by expression from helper RNA(s) coelectroporated with the replicon. A number of different helper constructs, expressing the VEE structural proteins from a single or two separate helper RNAs, were derived from attenuated VEE strains Regeneration of infectious virus was not detected when replicons were packaged using a bipartite helper system encoding the VEE capsid protein and glycoproteins on two separate RNAs. Subcutaneous immunization of BALB/c mice with VRP expressing the influenza HA or Lassa virus N gene (HA-VRP or N-VRP, respectively) induced antibody responses to the expressed protein. After two inoculations of HA-VRP, complete protection against intranasal challenge with influenza was observed. Furthermore, sequential immunization of mice with two inoculations of N-VRP prior to two inoculations of HA-VRP induced an immune response to both HA and N equivalent to immunization with either VRP construct alone. Protection against influenza challenge was unaffected by previous N-VRP immunization. Therefore, the VEE replicon system was characterized by high-level expression of heterologous genes in cultured cells, little or no regeneration of plaque-forming virus particles, the capability for sequential immunization to multiple pathogens in the same host, and induction of protective immunity against a mucosal pathogen.
HPV vaccination of boys in primary care practices.

Abstract Objective In October 2011, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV4) for the routine immunization schedule for 11- to 12-year-old boys. Before October 2011, HPV4 was permissively recommended for boys. We conducted a study in 2010 to provide data that could guide efforts to implement routine HPV4 immunization in boys. Our objectives were to describe primary care physicians': 1) knowledge and attitudes about human papillomavirus (HPV)-related disease and HPV4, 2) recommendation and administration practices regarding HPV vaccine in boys compared to girls, 3) perceived barriers to HPV4 administration in boys, and 4) personal and practice characteristics associated with recommending HPV4 to boys. Methods We conducted a mail and Internet survey in a nationally representative sample of pediatricians and family medicine physicians from July 2010 to September 2010. Results The response rate was 72% (609 of 842). Most physicians thought that the routine use of HPV4 in boys was justified. Although it was permissively recommended, 33% recommended HPV4 to 11- to 12-year-old boys and recommended it more strongly to older male adolescents. The most common barriers to HPV4 administration were related to vaccine financing. Physicians who reported recommending HPV4 for 11- to 12-year-old boys were more likely to be from urban locations, perceive that HPV4 is efficacious, perceive that HPV-related disease is severe, and routinely discuss sexual health with 11- to 12-year-olds. Conclusions Although most physicians support HPV4 for boys, physician education and evidence-based tools are needed to improve implementation of a vaccination program for males in primary care settings.
Can proteins be turned inside-out?

Replacement of a buried salt bridge by a hydrophobic cluster in the Arc repressor dimer sheds light on the role of ionic and hydrophobic interactions in proteins.
Peptide-Assembled Optically Responsive Nanoparticle Complexes

The design of active nanostructures whose form and properties can be modulated by remote means is an important challenge in nanoscience. Here we report two types of active nanoparticle complexes, with properties controlled by near-infrared illumination, resulting from the assembly of photothermally responsive plasmonic nanoparticles with thermally labile biomolecular linkers. Au nanoshells (NS) and quantum dots (QD) are assembled using coiled-coil peptides into NS-NS and NS-QD complexes. Illumination of the NS-NS complexes results in reversible disassembly reassembly, while illumination of NS-QD complexes results in a large, reproducible modulation of the quantum dot fluorescence without disassembly of the nanoparticle-peptide complex.
SURPRISE AND THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

To compete in the new global environment, companies must constantly map the terrain in which they operate, alert for signs of change. Managers must move beyond the narrow concepts of segmentation and begin to think in terms of strategic arenas in order to be successful.
Inversion of surface wave spectra for source parameters of large earthquakes using aspherical earth models

Abstract Amplitude and phase spectra of Rayleigh and Love waves of periods of 150 to 300 s from eight large earthquakes which occurred between 1990 and 1993 are corrected for wave propagation and then inverted for the source duration, rupture directivity, and moment tensor of the earthquake source. For various propagation anomalies predicted by models of the Earth's aspherical elastic and anelastic structure, the application of corrections for the focusing and take-off-azimuth anomaly, in addition to conventional corrections for the phase anomaly, improves inversions of surface waves. Rayleigh waves provide better constraints than Love waves in the determination of source parameters (the data consist of either only Rayleigh waves or both Love and Rayleigh waves, whenever the full moment tensor is involved). For several earthquakes there is clear discrepancy between source parameters determined from different data sets, particularly from Rayleigh or Love waves. The moment-tensor solution tends to underpredict observed amplitude spectra for data sets with large amplitude anomalies, especially for Love waves. This study shows that (1) the 1990 Sudan earthquake is anomalous for its unusually large non-double-couple component of the moment tensor; (2) the 1990 Iran earthquake has a strike–slip mechanism with a subvertical, NW-striking nodal plane, which is the fault plane inferred from surface ruptures; (3) the 1991 Costa Rica earthquake may have a seismic moment larger than previously determined from long-period surface waves; (4) the 1992 Nicaragua earthquake involves a predominant rupture parallel to the trench and a large centroid-offset up-dip to the trench axis, and the latter process may be responsible for large tsunami generation; (5) the 1993 Hokkaido earthquake has a shallow-dipping and west-plunging nodal plane, which is consistent with the P-wave first motions but differs from the Centroid-Moment-Tensor solutions.
An automated method for left ventricular localization and identification of end-systolic and end-diastolic images from cine cardiac MRI

A critical component in computing quantitative diagnostic metrics, such as ejection fraction, as well as image segmentation and registration is the accurate identification of the end-systolic (ES) and end-diastolic (ED) frames in cine MRI. Localization of the LV is also important, to assist further analysis (ie., myocardial segmentation). Currently, these tasks are performed in a manual, semi- or fully-automated fashion. Fully-automated methods are desirable since they can eliminate manual labor and inter- and intra-observer variability. Most methods rely on measuring the area of the blood pool in the LV chamber, but they are computationally intensive, susceptible to noise, and require prior localization and segmentation of the LV. An image-driven statistical method is presented that utilizes cross-correlation to detect ES and ED from cine MRI acquired from canines under control conditions.
Athymic Rat Model for Evaluation of Engineered Anterior Cruciate Ligament Grafts

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common ligamentous injury that often requires surgery because the ACL does not heal well without intervention. Current treatment strategies include ligament reconstruction with either autograft or allograft, which each have their associated limitations. Thus, there is interest in designing a tissue-engineered graft for use in ACL reconstruction. We describe the fabrication of an electrospun polymer graft for use in ACL tissue engineering. This polycaprolactone graft is biocompatible, biodegradable, porous, and is comprised of aligned fibers. Because an animal model is necessary to evaluate such a graft, this paper describes an intra-articular athymic rat model of ACL reconstruction that can be used to evaluate engineered grafts, including those seeded with xenogeneic cells. Representative histology and biomechanical testing results at 16 weeks postoperatively are presented, with grafts tested immediately post-implantation and contralateral native ACLs serving as controls. The present study provides a reproducible animal model with which to evaluate tissue engineered ACL grafts, and demonstrates the potential of a regenerative medicine approach to treatment of ACL rupture.
Motivating prairie dogs

Appetitive responding (double alternation and DRL) in tamed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) was effected with food and water reinforcement. The result was generally inconsistent performance and/or death by starvation or dehydration. While wild prairie dogs did not need drinking water, tamed captives became vitally dependent. This need was met by operant responding only when terms of work were easy; when the terms of work were moderately difficult, some prairie dogs stopped responding and then died of dehydration.
Continental runoff and effects on the North Atlantic Ocean subtropical mode water

Interannual salinity variations in North Atlantic Subtropical Mode Water (STMW) are well known although the cause is less well understood. Attempts to model local salinity variation with local evaporation and precipitation have not been successful and some authors invoke advection of low salinity water as the cause. Examination of the STMW and North American river runoff data suggests that runoff may partly explain the salinity variations. It is known that low salinity water resulting from Mississippi River outflow is transported well past Cape Hatteras. Spearman Rank Correlation analysis and spectra and cross-spectra Fourier correlation analysis both show that river flow is significantly inversely correlated with STMW salinity. This result suggests that North American river flow may have an influence on the salinity of STMW.
Entropy-constrained design of a subband-based video coder

We describe a new approach to image sequence coding based upon variable-rate entropy- constrained subband coding (ECSBC) and, furthermore, develop the corresponding practical implementation of this ECSBC scheme for fixed-rate channels by extending previously developed adaptive entropy-coded quantization (AEC) techniques. In particular, a buffer- adaptive arithmetic-coded implementation of the ECSBC scheme, denoted ECSBC/AEC, is described which completely eliminates the generally associated encoder buffer overflow/underflow problems, even with a very small encoder buffer. This scheme utilizes hierarchial motion-compensated prediction in a backward-adaptive interframe coding system. Color image sequences are encoded in the YIQ domain. We demonstrate that this ECSBC/AEC scheme operating on real-world image sequences performs very close to the limiting performance achievable only with an encoder buffer of infinite size. Furthermore, we demonstrate that HDTV-quality image sequences can be encoded at bandwidths consistent with existing broadcast television systems. Finally, we show that this scheme delivers extremely robust performance under source mismatch conditions for both video-conferencing and HDTV video material.
Software Technology Track Introduction

The Software Technology Track consists of thirteen minitracks and one symposium, grouped into six clusters: Human-Computer Interaction, Security, Software Engineering Application Areas, Software Engineering Practices, and Software Engineering Tools and Techniques.
7 Characteristics of the electrogastrogram in patients with cyclic vomiting syndrome

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is an unexplained disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of nausea and vomiting. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of gastric myoelectrical activity in patients meeting Rome II criteria for CVS and studied between cycles using cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG). Methods: 11 patients (6M, 5F, mean age: 31 years, range: 16–60) with CVS (5 symptomatic and 6 asymptomatic at the time of the study) underwent EGG between acute CVS attacks. EGG recordings were made for 30 minutes in the fasting state and for 60 minutes after ingestion of a caloric liquid meal (Boost, 360 kcal). Power spectral analysis methods were used to extract quantitative EGG parameters: EGG dominant frequency/power, change in postprandial EGG power, percentages of normal slow waves (2 to 4 cpm) and dysrythmias including tachygastria (slow-wave frequency >4 cpm) and bradygastria (slow-wave frequency <2 cpm) in each recording session. Patients were asked to score their symptoms of nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain (0 = none, 4 = constant) during both pre- and postprandial periods. Data are expressed as mean ± SE. Results: 7/11 demonstrated an abnormal EGG (dysrhythmia >30% in 4 patients and a decrease in postprandial EGG power in 6 patients). 5/11 patients had symptoms (nausea) during EGG recording and all had an abnormal EGG. The major abnormalities of EGG were tachygastria and a decrease in EGG postprandial power change. In comparison with asymptomatic patients at the time of the study, symptomatic patients had significantly more tachgastria (20.4 ± 3.9% vs. 6.7 ± 2.7%, P = 0.01) and significantly less normal slow waves (67.6 ± 2.0% vs. 86.7 ± 2.8%, P < 0.05) in the fed state. The increase in EGG postptandial power in symptomatic patients was also significantly less than asymptomatic patients (­2.55 ± 1.01 dB vs. 1.14 ± 0.54 dB, P < 0.05). Conclusions: 1) Abnormalities of EGG are presented in CVS between acute episodes and could explain some of the symptoms present; 2) Abnormal gastric myoelectrical activity is part of the spectrum of the CVS patients.
A case of a closed partial cloacal septation defect with a patent urachus.

A boy with a closed partial cloacal septation defect with a patent urachus is reported. He had an intact abdominal wall, a patent urachus, a colovesical fistula, intact genitalia and urethra, imperforate anus, and a lipomyelocystocoele. Patients with similar constellation of findings have been reported as cloacal exstrophy variants. What distinguishes this case from the other reported variants is the intact abdominal wall with the patent urachus, the small and normally formed phallus and urethra, and the presence of a lipomyelocystocoele. We discuss the possible embryologic mechanism responsible for this boy's findings and possible relationship with the cloacal exstrophy spectrum. We also discuss new terminology for the epispadias-exstrophy spectrum
Distribution, prevalence and host specificity of avian malaria parasites across the breeding range of the migratory lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

The lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) is a ground-nesting passerine that breeds across much of the central North American steppe and sand barrens. Through genotyping and sequencing of avian malaria parasites we examined levels of malaria prevalence and determined the distribution of Haemoproteus and Plasmodium lineages across the breeding range of the lark sparrow. Analysis of 365 birds collected from five breeding locations revealed relatively high levels of malaria prevalence in adults (80 %) and juveniles (46 %), with infections being primarily of Haemoproteus (91 % of sequenced samples). Levels of genetic diversity and genetic structure of malaria parasites with respect to the avian host populations revealed distinct patterns for Haemoproteus and Plasmodium, most likely as a result of their distinct life histories, host specificity, and transmission vectors. With the exception of one common Haemoproteus haplotype detected in all populations, all other haplotypes were either population-specific or shared by two to three populations. A hierarchical analysis of molecular variance of Haemoproteus sequences revealed that 15–18 % of the genetic variation can be explained by differences among host populations/locations (p < 0.001). In contrast to the regional patterns of genetic differentiation detected for the lark sparrow populations, Haemoproteus parasites showed high levels of population-specific variation and no significant differences among regions, which suggests that the population dynamics of the parasites may be driven by evolutionary processes operating at small spatial scales (e.g., at the level of host populations). These results highlight the potential effects of host population structure on the demographic and evolutionary dynamics of parasites.
An equation for flow in the renal proximal tubule

Approximate equations for epithelial solute and water transport have been combined with the relations of mass conservation to yield a single differential equation representing volume flow along the proximal tubule. This flow equation is first order, quasilinear and may be integrated directly. For the steady state, the result is an implicit relation between volume flow and distance along the tubule. For two time-dependent problems (step change of tubule inlet velocity or osmolality) the trajectories (distance as a function of transit time) of a fluid element starting at the inlet are obtained. Differentiation of the steady-state relation with respect to the inlet velocity yields a first-order differential equation relating inlet and outlet velocity. This equation is considered in detail, particularly with regard to the influence of solute-linked water reabsorption. Model calculations with parameters representing rat proximal tubule indicate that it will be difficult to discern coupled water flux in this epithelium from only outlet and inlet flows. Calculations using lower transport rates and lower permeabilities suggest that this equation may be useful in quantifying coupled water flow in proximal tubules from other species.
Effect of biocatalyst activity changes in continuous reactions in the gas phase

In the gas phase bioreactions, continuous production rate depends on the biocatalyst activity and complete dehydration causes the biocatalyst to lose most of its activity. To overcome these difficulties, a theoretical method is suggested along with the new design of biocatalyst. This will be applicable and helpful for the optimization of the gas phase continuous bioreaction.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTING INDUSTRY: THE NEED FOR CRITICAL EXAMINATION☆

Abstract Sexual harassment in the accounting industry is an important subject worthy of substantive investigation. In contrast to the Nicholset al.paper, a critical analysis of the subject would provide a theoretical framework, it would include qualitative data, and it would not unquestioningly adopt the point of view of the large public accounting firms.
The timing of mating influences reproductive success in Drosophila melanogaster: implications for sexual conflict

Despite its potential importance, the role of the timing of mating(s) as a source of variation in female lifetime reproductive success has been largely overlooked. Here, using a laboratory-adapted population of the model species Drosophila melanogaster, we explore how temporal variation in the patterns of single and multiple matings influences female fecundity. We find that the boost to fecundity known to occur after a virgin female’s initial mating also extends to subsequent matings as nonvirgins, but only for a short duration. This fecundity boost at least partially offsets the direct costs of multiple matings to females in this population of D. melanogaster. The implications of these results for our understanding of the evolution and maintenance of polyandry in this species are discussed in the context of sexual conflict.
Queer sentences, ambiguity, and levels of processing.

Subjects judged linguistic strings “meaningful” or “meaningless.” Meaningful sentences were identical for all subjects; however, for each of five groups, meaningless foils containing different kinds of linguistic violation were interspersed among the meaningful sentences. Type of foil influenced processing time for meaningful items, suggesting that laboratory language processing may be determined by the entire set of linguistic materials used. Effect of foil type on comprehension depth for meaningful items was assessed from the extent to which three kinds of ambiguity slowed judgments on those items as compared to unambiguous sentences. Foil type appears to affect depth of meaningful sentence processing in such a way as to support a “levels of analysis” view of sentence comprehension. Foil type and kind of ambiguity interacted to suggest that sentence comprehension requires computation of underlying logical relationships prior to computation of surface structural relationships and the unequivocal determination of word meanings.
Causes of higher in-hospital mortality in women than in men after acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Clinical, laboratory and cardiac catheterization parameters were reviewed in 355 men and 155 women hospitalized at a tertiary care referral center between February 1987 and December 1991 to analyze why women have a higher in-hospital mortality rate than do men after acute myocardial infarction. Hospital mortality was 21.4% in women and 12.1% in men (p = 0.007). In comparison with men, women were older (63.3 ± 11.9 vs 60.5 ± 12.6 years; p = 0.023), had more systemic hypertension (46.5 vs 34.4%; p = 0.001) and higher serum total cholesterol levels (211 ± 51 vs 197 ± 49 mg/dl; p = 0.0015), sought medical care later (8.9 vs 5.3 hours; p = 0.026), were referred later (47.7 vs 43.7 hours; p = 0.063) and had more shock (34.8 vs 24.2%; p = 0.013). Logistic regression analysis revealed 5 variables predictive of hospital mortality: age >65 years, diabetes, shock, non-Q-wave infarction, and not undergoing cardiac catheterization. Gender was of borderline significance in predicting hospital mortality. Cardiac catheterization, performed in 88% of women and 87% of men, showed similar rates of 1-, 2- and 3-vessel disease, and similar characteristics of the infarction-related artery. The differences in hospital mortality between men and women are due to a combination of pre- and in-hospitalization factors in women. The excess mortality is not due to differences in disease severity as evaluated by cardiac catheterization information.
Variation and taxonomy of Aesculus pavia L. (Hippocastanaceae) in Texas

The status of Aesculus pavia var. flavescens, a set of yellow-flowered populations endemic to the Edwards Plateau of central Texas, was evaluated on the basis of comparative morphology, geography, flowering phenology, and pollination ecology. Plants of typical A. pavia have red, tubular flowers with exserted stamens and are effectively pollinated by ruby-throated hummingbirds. Plants of var. flavescens have yellow, campanulate flowers with included stamens that can be pollinated effectively by large bees. These ethological reproductive isolating mechanisms are further augmented by a difference in flowering time between the two sets of populations and by geographical restriction of the yellow-flowered plants to localities on the Edwards Plateau. The yellow and red-flowered plants constitute two morphologically distinct groups, despite evidence of limited introgression in counties along the Balcones Escarpment. A yellow-flowered plant discovered in coastal east Texas may indicate the mechanism by which var. flavescens originated, but this plant is much more closely comparable to typical red-flowered var. pavia than to the yellow-flowered plants on the Edwards Plateau. An evolutionary history of section Pavia of Aesculus is presented, and it is concluded that the yellow-flowered plants of central Texas are best regarded as a taxonomic variety.
StochHMM: a flexible hidden Markov model tool and C++ library

Summary: Hidden Markov models (HMMs) are probabilistic models that are well-suited to solve many different classification problems in computation biology. StochHMM provides a command-line program and C++ library that can implement a traditional HMM from a simple text file. StochHMM provides researchers the flexibility to create higher-order emissions, integrate additional data sources and/or user-defined functions into multiple points within the HMM framework. Additional features include user-defined alphabets, ability to handle ambiguous characters in an emission-dependent manner, user-defined weighting of state paths and ability to tie transition probabilities to sequence. Availability and implementation: StochHMM is implemented in C++ and is available under the MIT License. Software, source code, documentation and examples can be found at http://github.com/KorfLab/StochHMM. Contact: ude.sivadcu@frokfi
Perinatal Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes about AIDS

Perinatal nurses were surveyed to determine their knowledge, attitudes, and fears concerning AIDS. Nurses' knowledge correlated positively with attendance at conferences and in-service programs. More than 85% of the respondents reported moderate to high fear of AIDS. No correlation was found between knowledge and self-reported fear scores. A discrepancy occurred between the nurses' beliefs that persons with AIDS deserve the same care as any other patient and the nurses' willingness to volunteer to care for these patients. Further research to test and evaluate coping strategies to help perinatal nurses care for mothers and newborns with AIDS must be conducted.
A parallel motion algorithm consistent with psychophysics and physiology

The authors describe a simple, parallel algorithm that successfully computes an optical flow from sequences of real images, is consistent with human psychophysics, and suggests a plausible physiological model. Regularizing optical flow computation leads to a formulation which minimizes matching error and, at the same time, maximizes smoothness of the optical flow. The authors develop an approximation to the full regularization computation in which corresponding points are found by comparing local patches of images. Selection among competing matches is performed using a winner-take-all scheme. The algorithm is independent of the types of features used for matching. Experiments with natural images show that the scheme is effective and robust against noise. The algorithm shows several of the same 'illusions' that humans perceive. A natural physiological implementation of the model is consistent with data from cortical areas V1 and MT. >
Learning regression ensembles with genetic programming at scale

In this paper we examine the challenge of producing ensembles of regression models for large datasets. We generate numerous regression models by concurrently executing multiple independent instances of a genetic programming learner. Each instance may be configured with different parameters and a different subset of the training data. Several strategies for fusing predictions from multiple regression models are compared. To overcome the small memory size of each instance, we challenge our framework to learn from small subsets of training data and yet produce a prediction of competitive quality after fusion. This decreases the running time of learning which produces models of good quality in a timely fashion. Finally, we examine the quality of fused predictions over the progress of the computation.
In vivo 2-deoxyglucose administration preserves glucose and glutamate transport and mitochondrial function in cortical synaptic terminals after exposure to amyloid β-peptide and iron: Evidence for a stress response

Mild metabolic stress can increase resistance of neurons in the brain to subsequent more severe insults, as exemplified by the beneficial effects of heat shock and ischemic preconditioning. Studies of Alzheimer's disease and other age-related neurodegenerative disorders indicate that dysfunction and degeneration of synapses occur early in the cell death process, and that oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are central events in this pathological process. It was recently shown that administration of 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2DG), a nonmetabolizable glucose analog that induces metabolic stress, to rats and mice can increase resistance of neurons in the brain to excitotoxic, ischemic, and oxidative injury. We now report that administration of 2DG to adult rats (daily i.p. injections of 100 mg/kg body weight) increases resistance of synaptic terminals to dysfunction and degeneration induced by amyloid beta-peptide and ferrous iron, an oxidative insult. The magnitude of impairment of glucose and glutamate transport induced by amyloid beta-peptide and iron was significantly reduced in cortical synaptosomes from 2DG-treated rats compared to saline-treated control rats. Mitochondrial dysfunction, as indicated by increased levels of reactive oxygen species and decreased transmembrane potential, was significantly attenuated after exposure to amyloid beta-peptide and iron in synaptosomes from 2DG-treated rats. Levels of the stress proteins HSP-70 and GRP-78 were increased in synaptosomes from 2DG-treated rats, suggesting a mechanism whereby 2DG protects synaptic terminals. We conclude that 2DG bolsters cytoprotective mechanisms within synaptic terminals, suggesting novel preventative and therapeutic approaches for neurodegenerative disorders.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATION IN RODENTS: FROM PHEROMONES TO INDIVIDUAL RECOGNITION

In many species of rodents, sense of smell is the most important source of information about the social and nonsocial world. I selectively review the literature on chemical communication in this group, primarily as studied in the laboratory. I start with a discussion of the term ‘‘pheromone,’’ the types of chemical signals, and the mechanisms underlying responses to chemical signals. I discuss the chemical complexity of odors in rodents and the significance of multiple sources of odors. Efforts to chemically identify signals are reviewed briefly; some progress, especially with domestic house mice ( Mus musculus domesticus), has been made, but new collaborations between chemists and biologists are needed. Three areas of current research are reviewed in detail: the role of the major histocompatibility complex in the production of body odors and the role of these odors in mate choice, the use of odors in kin recognition, and the functions of scent overmarking.
Open-Loop Vehicle Control Using an Abstraction of its Model

Feedback control design of complex systems can be made easier by working on simpler models of the system that are their abstractions. This paper presents a method to control a car-like robot using abstraction: the car is represented by a uni- cycle. A transformation is provided to calculate car inputs from unicycle inputs so that the car follows the unicycle trajectory whenever proper initial conditions are met. The transformation does not give correct results for the case when the unicycle is rotating. In this case, an open-loop optimal control algorithm is presented to generate car inputs. Simulation results are given for different initial car inputs and the results are compared.
Computational studies of the effects of myocardial blood flow reductions on cardiac metabolism

A computational model of myocardial energy metabolism was used to assess the metabolic responses to normal and reduced myocardial blood flow. The goal was to examine to what extent glycolysis and lactate formation are controlled by the supply of glycolytic substrate and/or the cellular redox (NADH/NAD+) and phosphorylation (ATP/ADP) states. Flow was reduced over a wide range and for a sufficient duration in order to investigate the sequence of events that occur during the transition to a new metabolic steady state. Simulation results indicated multiple time-dependent controls over both glycolysis and lactate formation. Changes in phosphorylation state and glucose uptake only significantly affect the initial phase of the glycolytic response to ischemia, while glycogen breakdown exerts control over glycolysis during the entire duration of ischemia. Similarly, changes in the redox state affect the rates of lactate formation and release primarily during the initial transient phase of the response to the reductions in blood flow, while the rate of glycolysis controls the rate of lactate formation throughout the entire period of adaptation.
Feasibility of Air Levitated Surface Stage for Lithography Tool

The application of light-weight drive technology into the lithography stage has been the current state of art because of minimization of power loss. The purpose of this article is to point out the so-called, "surface stage" which is composed of Lorentz forced 3 DOF (Degree Of Freedom) planar motor (x, y and theta z), air levitation (bearing) system and motor cooling system, is the most balanced concept for the next generation lithography through the verification of each component by manufacturing simple parts and test stand. This paper presents the design method and procedure, and experimental results of the air levitated surface stage which was conducted several years ago, however the author is convinced that the results are enough to adapt various developments of precision machining tool.
Two-Phase Resolution of Polyploidy in the Arabidopsis Metabolic Network Gives Rise to Relative and Absolute Dosage Constraints

The abundance of detected ancient polyploids in extant genomes raises questions regarding evolution after whole-genome duplication (WGD). For instance, what rules govern the preservation or loss of the duplicated genes created by WGD? We explore this question by contrasting two possible preservation forces: selection on relative and absolute gene dosages. Constraints on the relative dosages of central network genes represent an important force for maintaining duplicates (the dosage balance hypothesis). However, preservation may also result from selection on the absolute abundance of certain gene products. The metabolic network of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is a powerful system for comparing these hypotheses. We analyzed the surviving WGD-produced duplicate genes in this network, finding evidence that the surviving duplicates from the most recent WGD (WGD-α) are clustered in the network, as predicted by the dosage balance hypothesis. A flux balance analysis suggests an association between the survival of duplicates from a more ancient WGD (WGD-β) and reactions with high metabolic flux. We argue for an interplay of relative and absolute dosage constraints, such that the relative constraints imposed by the recent WGD are still being resolved by evolution, while they have been essentially fully resolved for the ancient event.
Toward Group Problem Solving Guidelines for 21st Century Teams

Effective problem-solving skills are criticial in dealing with ambiguous and often complex issues in the present-day leaner and globally diverse organizations. Yet respected, well-established problem-solving models may be misaligned within the current work environment, particularly within a team context. Models learned from a more bureaucratic, homogenously functional organizational structure were not designed specifically to acknowledge and capitalize on the intellectual and functional diversity of teams, to ap-ppropriate a range of technologies in the process and to work within a more holistic, contextualized view of the problem. Using a case study of a software integration project within a global training company, this article describes possible guidelines for problem solving for 21st century teams.
Toward a New Institutional Analysis of Social-Ecological Systems (NIASES): Combining Elinor Ostrom's IAD and SES Frameworks

Elinor Ostrom's IAD and SES frameworks are both widely used among social scientists. Each framework suffers from significant problems not shared by the other. For instance, the IAD framework pays insufficient attention to important social and, especially, ecological variables that can affect or influence social interactions. The SES framework was designed specifically to resolve that problem, but at the cost of the dynamism inherent in the IAD framework. While the SES is capable of diagnosing social and ecological conditions at a fine level of detail, it cannot explain how various attributes interact to generate outcomes, let alone predict or prescribe changes to social-ecological conditions over time. This purpose of this paper is to remedy both of those problems by simply combining Ostrom's two frameworks in a very intuitive way. Instead of incorporating the IAD framework into the SES framework, which was Ostrom's initial plan, we do the opposite: the first-tier SES variables simply replace the "Biophysical Conditions," "Community Attributes," and "Rules-in-Use" boxes of the IAD framework. By this simple expedient, the IAD framework deals becomes more attuned to institutional and ecological complexity, and the SES framework becomes part of a truly dynamic set of processes. We explicate how the combined IAD-SES framework works, first in the relatively static, hypothetical context of Hardin's pasture, and then in the far more dynamic-historical context of Maine's lobster fishery. That last application shows that the two frameworks, when combined, are far more powerful than either framework on its own. In particular, we can use SES variables along with IAD processes to show how interactions of collective-action situations produce outcomes that effect the SES variables which then condition the next phase, round, period, or set of interactions. More work remains to be done, refining and rationalizing SES variables, and further developing IAD elements (such as "Evaluative Criteria" and relations between formal rules and "rules in use") before the combined IAD-SES framework can be called a truly "New Institutional Analysis of Social-Ecological Systems" (NIASES).
The Quaternary System U-C-0-N at 1700 C

The quaternary system U-C-O-N was examined at 1700°C by microstructural and X-ray analyses of sintered powder compacts. Subliquidus phase relations, oxycarbonitride solid solution lattice parameters, and equilibrium pressures of N2 and CO were studied. Although the emphasis was on the solid-solution field in the uranium monocarbide-mononitride-monoxide region, phase fields in the uranium-rich region and the carbon-nitrogen-oxygen-rich region were examined. Nineteen fields were established experimentally, and their boundaries were located. Two other fields are postulated on the basis of phase rule and topological requirements. An isothermal phase diagram of the system is proposed.
Prolactin and Dehydroepiandrosterone Levels in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Role of the Extrapituitary Prolactin Promoter Polymorphism at −1149G/T

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has shown an association with high levels of prolactin, low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and induction of inflammatory cytokines in the serum of patients with the disease. This preliminary study examined the relevance of a -1149G/T functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs1341239) in the promoter of the extrapituitary prolactin gene in a cohort of African American and European American women with lupus. Examination of this SNP revealed that the -1149TT genotype was correlated with higher levels of prolactin in serum and prolactin gene expression (p = 0.0001) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Lower levels of DHEA in serum were demonstrated in lupus patients (p = 0.001); those with the -1149TT genotype had the lowest levels of DHEA. Furthermore, a small subset of women who were on DHEA therapy and had a TT genotype showed a significant decrease in prolactin gene expression and lower disease activity scores (SLEDAI). Lupus patients, particularly African Americans, had significantly higher levels of IL-6 (p = 0.0001) and TNF-α (p = 0.042). This study suggests that the -1149TT genotype may be a risk factor for lupus and may predict who could possibly benefit from DHEA therapy; therefore, these results should be validated in a larger cohort with all ethnic groups.
Is the Prudential Paradox in the Meno

Few, if any, essays on the philosophy of Socrates have had a greater influence on contemporary scholarship than has Gerasimos Santas’ “The Socratic Paradoxes.”1 Prior to the publication of this paper in 1964, scholars were inclined to lump together two views that are prominent in Plato’s so-called early dialogues. The first is that no one wants what is bad for oneself and so all who pursue bad things do so involuntarily. The second is that because virtue is knowledge, all who do injustice and moral evil do so involuntarily. If taken to be expressions of what is essentially the same doctrine, each implies that, for Socrates, no one wants injustice in the way no one wants, say, ill health. Not surprisingly, until the publication of “The Socratic Paradoxes,” few scholars were inclined to take Socrates’ moral psychology very seriously, since it seems to fly in the face of the obvious truth that some people are actually quite eager to do injustice, at least when they can do it with impunity.
The Rise of Mega-Church Efforts in International Development A Brief Analysis and Areas for Further Research

Evangelical `mega-churches' are awakening to the importance of tackling poverty and social issues even as they continue their focus on evangelism and church planting. As a result, they are moving i...
Issues in designing high-frequency systems with ASICs

Submicron ASIC technology and high-frequency devices place different demands on the CAE/CAD environment. As device geometries shrink, secondary electronic effects, such as fan-out, slew rate, transmission-line effects and noise take on considerably more importance. These requirements impose new demands on the ASIC design process. To properly address the needs of high speed ASIC designs, simulation and system level tools need to be brought closer together to form a homogeneous design environment. An environment where concurrent optimization of the various design criterias are facilitated and encouraged. Key to the success of such an environment is sophisticated point tools, as well as a proven framework technology that allows efficient communication and data sharing among tools. Valid Logic Systems offers such an environment where state-of-the-art design capture tools are integrated with advanced simulation and physical design tools through the application of ValidFrame technology. >
Awakening (mis)conceptions about brain death.

The headlines above, all making reference to the same event, appeared on various Internet stories in late December 2011, but similar headlines appear frequently atop stories in the popular media. Such miraculous accounts certainly entice readers, and of course they are great news for the people figuring in them who presumably earn a new lease on life. But to those of us who care for critically ill patients day in and day out, such sensationalism can be frustrating. Often the journalists who report these stories recycle misunderstandings and misconceptions about brain death. When misunderstood, such accounts can confuse families, leaving them with a sense that critical care practitioners don’t know what we’re doing—or worse, that the members of the multidisciplinary care team cannot be trusted. These unfortunate misunderstandings create a false sense that the intensive care unit (ICU) team and the patient’s family are at odds with one another, with families protecting and speaking for patients at their most vulnerable while ICU teams seem interested only in withdrawal of support to reinforce a hastily made and seemingly incorrect diagnosis of brain death. What can we as members of multidisciplinary critical care teams do to repair such damage?
Reproducing Kernel Element Interpolation: Globally Conforming Im/Cn/Pk Hierarchies

In this work, arbitrarily smooth, globally compatible, I m/C n/P k interpolation hierarchies are constructed in the framework of reproducing kernel element method (RKEM) for multi-dimensional domains. This is the first interpolation hierarchical structure that has been ever constructed with both minimal degrees of freedom and higher order continuity and reproducing conditions over multi-dimensional domains. The proposed hierarchical structure possesses the generalized Kronecker property, i.e., ∂ α Ψ I/(β)/∂x α(x J) = δ IJ δ αβ, |α|, |β| ≤ m. The newly constructed globally conforming interpolant is a hybrid of global partition polynomials (C∞) and a smooth (C n) compactly supported meshfree partition of unity. Examples of compatible RKEM hierarchical interpolations are illustrated, and they are used in a Galerkin procedure to solve differential equations.