cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
John Muir and the origin of Yosemite Valley

Summary Though virtually unknown before 1851, the exceptionally scenic Yosemite Valley of California soon attracted continuing attention as a geological anomaly. J. D. Whitney, state geologist and Harvard professor, advocated a tectonic theory of its origin. Despite its seemingly official status, Whitney's theory even failed to convince some of his own subordinates. An unexpectedly effective dissenter not associated with Whitney was John Muir, then a tatterdemalion vagrant. Though the two men never met, conflict between their inflexible and mutually exclusive geological theories persisted well into the twentieth century. Eventually, both dogmatists were proved wrong, but Muir had come closer to what we now accept. Several geological and geomorphological issues of importance entered into later discussions of Yosemite. The whole controversy, moreover, illuminates such further issues as the influence of preconceptions on theorizing, the role of authority in science, and the interactions of professionals with...
Ergonomics standards and research for cars.

Abstract This paper reviews some ergonomics tools available for car design, also an outline of how ergonomics principles and specific research have provided relevant information for designers. Further indications are given of the use of such ergonomics data in the development of in-house and ISO standards, as well as their subsequent influence on regulations. The two main areas discussed are symbols and electronic instrumentation. By the 1960s symbols were becoming a popular way of identifying controls and displays, especially for an international product. A simple experiment was conducted to relate the size of symbol to its ease of recognition. This yielded data which were used to establish an internal standard. The form of the symbols is perhaps more significant than the size. A number of experimental studies have been made of the ease with which drivers can relate symbols to the function and the ease with which these can be learnt. As a result, better symbols have been selected and in some cases the need for redesign shown clearly. This process has played a very important part in the formation of International Standards and in the harmonisation of regulations in many parts of the world. The advent of low cost electronics and electro-optical devices is beginning to influence car instrumentation. A substantial series of experiments has been conducted, concentrating on the format of the speedometer. This has shown clear advantages for digital instruments, although it also points to a few warnings. Various aids to the ergonomics design of electronic instruments are outlined.
Chemical flushing from an urban-fringe watershed: hydrologic and riparian soil dynamics

The goal of the current study is to better understand the role of storm dynamics on stream water chemical variability in a highly polluted urban-fringe watershed. The study was conducted in the upper reach of the Arroyo Seco watershed located on the eastern edge of the densely urbanized Los Angeles basin in California. During the 2008–2009 study period, high-frequency stream water observations of chloride, fluoride, sulfate, and nitrate were monitored through a series of storm events and were compared to pre- and post-winter storm season geochemical soil profiles. Of the four solutes measured, nitrate demonstrated hydrologically enhanced behavior. Chloride, fluoride, and sulfate exhibited enhanced behavior initially (first flush), but transitioned to dilution behavior as the season progressed. Soil chemistry analyses in the riparian zone confirmed the abundance of nitrate on the soil surface, serving as a source for stream water nitrate. Observations and analyses collectively suggest that the chemical variability observed during the storms is dependent not only on discharge, but also on the magnitude and intensity of rainfall, the length of the antecedent dry period, and riparian soil composition. A further understanding of these factors will ultimately improve geochemical models for prediction of downstream chemical loads from regional urban-fringe watersheds.
Experience with deceased donor kidney transplantation in 114 patients over age 60

Background In the recent past, advanced age was a contraindication to kidney transplantation (KT). The purpose of this study was to review retrospectively our single center experience in deceased donor (DD) KT with respect to recipient age. Methods From 10/1/01 to 9/1/06, we performed 356 adult DD KTs. Patients received antibody induction in combination with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and tapered steroids. Results A total of 114 (32%) patients were greater than 60 (including 25 >70 years), 186 (52%) were 40-59 years of age, and 56 (16%) were 19-39 years of age. Of the 114 older patients, 61 (54%) received KTs from expanded criteria DDs (ECD), more than the younger age groups (39% ECDs in patients 40-59 years versus 18% ECDs in patients 19-39 years, P P = .06). Patient survival was 91% in recipients greater than 60 years compared with 95% in those less than 60 years of age ( P = NS) with a mean follow-up of 27 mo. Graft survival was similar for all 3 age groups (82% >60 years vs 83% in patients 40-59 years vs 87% in patients 19-39 years, P = NS). Initial and subsequent graft function, morbidity, and resource use were similar among groups. Patient survival [93% ECD vs 89% standard criteria DDs (SCD), P = NS) and graft survival (82% ECD vs 81% SCD, P = NS) rates were similar, whereas mean waiting times (18 mo ECD vs 25 mo SCD, P = .04) were less in patients greater than 60 years who received ECD KTs compared with patients greater than 60 years who received SCD KTs. Conclusions Patients greater than 60 years account currently for one third of DD KTs performed at our center, and more than half receive kidneys from ECDs. By preferentially directing ECD kidneys to appropriately selected elderly patients, waiting times can be decreased and survival is similar compared with SCD KTs in the elderly. In addition, short-term outcomes can be achieved in patients greater than 60 years that are comparable with those in younger patients.
Separable concave minimization via partial outer approximation and branch and bound

This paper presents a new algorithm for globally minimizing a separable, concave function over a compact convex set. The algorithm uses partial outer approximation and branch and bound. The major computational effort required is solving linear programming problems at some nodes of the branch and bound tree, and solving simple univariate minimizations in some iterations. The algorithm partially mitigates the rapid growth in the number of constraints of the linear programs that would frequently occur if traditional outer approximation were used. Furthermore, unlike outer approximation, the algorithm does not explicitly construct polyhedra which contain the feasible region.
Metastatic Angiosarcoma and Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome

Angiosarcomas are exceedingly rare tumors that are often difficult to diagnose. Exceptionally unusual is the presentation of these tumors with Kasabach-Merritt Syndrome, a curious form of intratumoral coagulation that can be impossible to distinguish from intravascular coagulation, which is more common. Instant recognition of this clinical association can help making a prompt diagnosis and timely initiation of therapy.
Aid agencies and information technology development

Abstract Aid organizations represent an important source of funding for projects involving information technology (IT) in developing countries. However, few of these organizations see information technology as a new and important sector in development, despite the fact that numerous developing countries are themselves committing large human and capital resources to information technology development. This situation may change, given some new initiatives by a few organizations to begin helping developing countries build their own capacity in information technology. This article is a report on these initiatives, and is also a brief analysis of the role of the World Bank in information technology transfer.
Learning along the way: cyberspacial quests.

Abstract By developing cyberspacial quests or scavenger hunts on the World Wide Web, teachers can help students become adept and discriminating users of this research tool and promote active participation, idea exchange, and critical thinking skills in their courses.
Black to The future A Philosophy for a Global Village

The aim of this article is to look for common ground in the philosophies advanced by Africans in the diaspora. The Africana response to racism establishes a tradition of resistance to oppression, g...
Prolactin response to morphine in depression.

The mean maximum prolactin response following administration of morphine sulfate, 5 mg, i.v., was significantly lower in 15 unmedicated inpatients with major depressive disorder than in 8 normal controls and 11 unmedicated inpatients with other psychiatric diagnoses. The maximum prolactin response of 8/15 depressed patients was less than the lowest response of any of the normal controls. Six of 15 depressed patients had blunted prolactin responses (less than 2 ng/ml) in the 60-minute sample. The diminished increase in serum prolactin after morphine in depressed patients may reflect anterior pituitary dysfunction or abnormalities in central endogenous opioid, dopamine, serotonin, or other neuroregulatory systems.
Critical reading at the sentence level in aphasia.

Summary A sentence-reading test was devised in order to assess the aphasic's ability to detect errors in written discourse. One hundred pairs of sentences, each containing one correct and one erroneous sentence, were presented to the patients, who were required to locate the error in one of the two sentences. So that comprehension in the auditory and visual modalities might be compared, the identical test was administered orally to a subset of the aphasic population. Contrary to expectations, there was no difference in overall scores between patients with anterior and posterior pathology. Anterior patients performed somewhat better on the oral version, posterior patients on the written version of the test. Finally, an examination of errors revealed a regular order of difficulty in sentences which featured contradictions to “real-world” knowledge, irrespective of the locus of brain damage, while the order of difficulty of sentences featuring syntactic deviations differed appreciably, depending on the locus of lesion. An attempt is made to relate these findings to current experimental and clinical knowledge.
Spatial distribution of ore deposits

Conventional spatial distributions, such as the negative binomial and Neyman-Scott, have been proposed as models for the clustered distribution of ore deposits. B. B. Mandelbrot has proposed that ore deposits are clustered at many different scales and that fractal distributions are appropriate. The apparent fractal characteristics of geologic controls on the locations of hydrothermal deposits (self-similar systems of fractures, circulation cells, and magmatic intrusions) support his proposal. Examination of the spatial distribution of 4775 hydrothermal precious-metal deposits in the Basin and Range, western United States, reveals fractal distributions acting within two scale ranges, together covering the entire range from 1 to 1000 km.This result gives additional credibility to concepts of regional controls on mineralization, such as metallogenic provinces and tectonostratigraphic terranes. The distribution of these ore deposits about a known occurrence follows a regular radial-density law. Within a range of radii ( r ) of 1 to 15 km, the probability-density function of these deposits is given by d = 0.46 r -1.17 , and within a range of radii of 15 to 1000 km, by d = 0.08 r -0.83 where d is deposits per square kilometre.
Leptin: nourishment for the immune system.

Leptin, a protein produced by adipocytes, exerts several functions, including modulation of the immune response. A report in this issue of the European Journal of Immunology describes for the first time the effect of either leptin receptor deficiency or blockade on murine dendritic cell (DC) maturation, survival and function. The study describes how leptin receptor deficiency/blockade delays DC maturation and promotes apoptosis, shifts the balance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production, and reduces the ability of DC to stimulate CD4+ lymphocytes. These exciting novel data add an important piece of evidence to the picture of the role of leptin in immunity and inflammation and generate the possibility that many of the effects of leptin on T lymphocytes might be mediated through DC. See accompanying article http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.200636602
Lithium in combination with perphenazine : effect on plasma monoamine metabolites

Abstract The addition of lithium to perphemazine altered the pattern of plasma homovanillic acid (HVA) during the course of treatment for acute psychosis. In the perphenazine-treated group plasma HVA declined significantly by days 7–9 of treatment, whereas in the perphenazine-plus lithium group plasma HVA tended to increase. The pattern for plasma methoxyhydroxyphenetyl-glycol (MHPG) was not significantly different for the two groups. The addition of lithium to a neuroleptic may enhance the metabolism of dopamine.
Emulating C++0x concepts

Abstract A library for the emulation of C++0x concepts developed using the emerging C++11 programming language is presented. The library integrates existing techniques for concept checking and template metaprogramming to provide a uniform interface to defining and using concepts. The purpose of this work is to establish a concrete foundation for experimentation of design techniques for concepts and to motivate and evaluate language design. The viability of the approach is demonstrated by applying it to characterize a number of previously identified usability problems with concepts in the proposed C++0x language. In particular, issues related to the use of explicit and automatic concepts in generic library design from the perspective of this experiment are examined. Issues related to concept refinement, default implementations of requirements, and the generation of error messages are also discussed.
A SimPLR method for routability-driven placement

Highly-optimized placements may lead to irreparable routing congestion due to inadequate models of modern interconnect stacks and the impact of partial routing obstacles. Additional challenges in routability-driven placement include scalability to large netlists and limiting the complexity of software integration. Addressing these challenges, we develop lookahead routing to give the placer advance, firsthand knowledge of trouble spots, not distorted by crude congestion models. We also extend global placement to (i) spread cells apart in congested areas, and (ii) move cells together in less-congested areas to ensure short, routable interconnects and moderate runtime. While previous work adds isolated steps to global placement, our SIMultaneous PLace-and-Route tool SimPLR integrates a layer- and via-aware global router into a leading-edge, force-directed placer. The complexity of integration is mitigated by careful design of simple yet effective optimizations. On the ISPD 2011 Contest Benchmark Suite, with the official evaluation protocol, SimPLR outperforms every contestant on every benchmark.
Directed graphs over topological spaces: Some set theoretical aspects

In this paper we shall consider problems of the following type. SupposeG is some set,U is some family of subsests ofG (e.g.G could be the Euclidean plane andU might be the family of all sets of Lebesgue measure zero), andG is any directed graph overG (i.e. any collection of ordered pairs of members ofG) such that for eachg∈G the set {h: ∈G} belongs to the familyU. How large a setSυG must there exist with the property that (S×S) ∩G=, i.e. such that it is totally disconnected? In many of the cases we shall consider (including the particular example above), the answer will turn out to be independent of the axioms of set theory and will remain so even after adjoining the negation of the continuum hypothesis.
Inhomogeneities in the Earth's Mantle

Using seismic body and surface waves, the velocity structure of the Earth's mantle is determined with the emphasis on regions of anomalous variations (so-called ‘discontinuities’). In the upper mantle, the interpretation of Rayleigh and Love wave dispersion curves yields shear velocity profiles with discontinuities at depths 350 km and 700 km, and a low-velocity zone extending to 350km. In the lower mantle P-velocity profile is determined from dt/dΔ measurements using large aperture seismic array and travel times from Long Shot nuclear explosion for the Japan-Kuriles-Aleutian-Montana path. The velocity structure shows anomalous gradients or ‘discontinuities’ at depths 700, 1200 and 1900km, indicating that the lower mantle is not homogeneous. Lateral variations of the velocity structures are investigated. For the upper mantle studies the Earth is divided into three regions: oceanic areas, continental shields, and tectonic zones. Pure path phase velocities of Love waves are extracted from the composite dispersion data. The pure path shear velocity profiles obtained from these data are characterized by lower velocities under the oceans in the uppermost portion of the mantle. Shields have the highest velocities. These velocity differences are interpreted in terms of temperature variations. At a depth of 110 km the temperature of the oceanic mantle is higher (by 100–500° C depending on the temperature coefficient of the velocity) than that of the mantle under the shields. The presence of lateral heterogeneities in the mantle is demonstrated qualitatively by the differences of dt/dΔ vs Δ curves for two separate paths. Undulations of the geoid as determined from satellite observations are investigated for determining the sources of the anomalies. It is concluded that the main sources of lateral density variations must be in the mantle at depths greater than about 100km.
COATING PHARMACEUTICALS BY COACERVATION.

The objectives of this study were to investigate the phenomenon of coacervation as a new means of coating pharmaceuticals and to develop procedures of operation for coating some commonly used drugs. Factors affecting coacervate drop size, some methods of regulating coating thickness, and techniques of controlling the volume of the coacervate produced were determined. Using sodium sulfate solutions and gelatin solutions as the coacervating liquids, five solids and two liquids were coated and processed to produce dry powders.
Breakup of a laminar capillary jet of a viscoelastic fluid

Laminar capillary jet of viscoelastic fluid, discussing breakup, nonNewtonian jet stability and elastic properties
Characterization of Tornado Spectral Signatures Using Higher-Order Spectra

Abstract Distinct tornado spectral signatures (TSSs), which are similar to white noise spectra or have bimodal features, have been observed in both simulations and real data from Doppler radars. The shape of the tornado spectrum depends on several parameters such as the range of the tornado, wind field within the storm, and the reflectivity structure. In this work, one of the higher-order spectra (HOS), termed bispectrum, is implemented to characterize TSS, in which the Doppler spectrum is considered a 1D pattern. Bispectrum has been successfully applied to pattern recognition in other fields owing to the fact that bispectrum can retain the shape information of the signal. Another parameter, termed spectral flatness, is proposed to quantify the spectrum variations. It is shown in simulation that both parameters can characterize TSS and provide information in addition to the three spectral moments. The performance of the two parameters and the spectrum width for characterizing TSS are statistically analyze...
Epicompletion in Frames with Skeletal Maps, I: Compact Regular Frames

A frame homomorphism h : A ⟶ B is skeletal if x⊥⊥ = 1 in A implies that h(x)⊥⊥ = 1 in B. It is shown that, in \(\mathfrak{KRegS}\), the category of compact regular frames with skeletal maps, the subcategory \(\mathfrak{SPRegS}\), consisting of the frames in which every polar is complemented, coincides with the epicomplete objects in \(\mathfrak{KRegS}\). Further, \(\mathfrak{SPRegS}\) is the least epireflective subcategory, and, indeed, the target of the monoreflection which assigns to a compact regular frame A, the ideal frame e A of \(\mathcal{P} A\), the boolean algebra of polars of A.
The curriculum for the year 2000

Emerging public health problems, alterations in the nature of the medical profession and changes in individual student and practitioner needs are identified. The implications of these developments for modification of the content, organization, setting and instructional strategy of the medical education programme are discussed. A model for systematic consideration of societal, professional and individual needs in curricular reform is proposed and a strategy for change is suggested.
Regularity of Solutions for a Two-Phase Degenerate Stefan Problem

Abstract For a one-dimensional two-phase degenerate Stefan problem, we prove that the free boundary is C ∞ smooth and the solutions are C ∞ smooth up to the boundary. The proof is based on performing the hodograph transformation to fix the free boundary and establishing a nonlinear a priori estimate for the solution.
A validation study of electrical cardiometry in pregnant patients using transthoracic echocardiography as the reference standard

To validate electrical cardiometry (EC) in pregnant patients using transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) as the reference standard. To improve EC accuracy via a one-time, measurement of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) diameter. 44 non-laboring, resting women with singleton, viable pregnancies underwent simultaneous EC and TTE measurements. Data were analyzed using Bland-Altman analysis. Entry multiple regression with stepwise elimination was used to develop a model for improved prediction of stroke volume by TTE (SVTTE) using EC. Bootstrapping and an 11-fold cross validation were used to test the model. Heart rate by TTE and EC had a mean bias of 3.3 beats/min and mean percentage error of 10.7 %. Envelope time and left ventricular ejection time had a mean bias of -4.9 ms and mean percentage error 12.7 %. Stroke volumes by the two techniques had a mean bias of 15.6 mL and mean percentage error of 43.7 %. A model, SVEC_Modified, predicting SVTTE was developed using LVOT area, stroke volume by electrical cardiometry and weight. SVTTE and SVEC_Modified had a mean bias of -0.83 mL and mean percentage error of 22 %. EC accurately measures heart rate and duration of systole when compared with TTE. Stroke volume measurements correlate but have a high bias and percentage error. Knowledge of LVOT area, by a one-time, measurement with TTE, could improve prediction of stroke volume by EC.
LEACH-SM: A protocol for extending wireless sensor network lifetime by management of spare nodes

After a wireless sensor network (WSN) is deployed, its operational lifetime depends on its energy resources. Available results reveal that significant improvement in WSN lifetime can be achieved by making WSNs redundant [2], that is, by adding to WSNs spare nodes that are initially asleep but are ready to be switched on when any primary node (i.e., a node that is not a spare) uses up its energy (we ignore failures).
SMR Disks for Mass Storage Systems

Disk drives have seen a dramatic increase in storage density over the last five decades, but to continue the growth seems difficult because of physical limitations. One promising approach to overcome the impending limit is shingled magnetic recording (SMR). It can be adopted while utilizing essentially the same physical recording mechanisms currently in use. Because of its manner of writing, a shingled write disk is unable to update a written track without overwriting neighboring tracks, potentially requiring the rewrite of all the tracks to the end of a "band" (where the end of a band is an area left unwritten to allow for a non-overlapped final track). Random reads are still possible on such devices, but the handling of writes becomes critical. We describe our recent experiences evaluating the behavior of shingled disks when used in an array configuration. We propose a novel use of SMR disks in an array with regular disks which we call RAID 4S that has the potential to improve the performance of storage systems. Our evaluation shows that RAID 4S clearly demonstrates the feasibility of using SMR disks in a RAID 4 array as it can out perform the use of SMR disks in standard RAID 4 with update in place by up to 89%.
A SEMANTIC INTERPRETATION OF HAAVELMO'S STRUCTURE OF ECONOMETRICS

Trygve Haavelmo's 1944 article ‘The Probability Approach in Econometrics’ is considered by most to have provided the foundations for present day econometrics (Morgan, 1990, Chapters 8 and 9). Since Haavelmo (1944), extraordinary advances have been made in econometrics. However, over the last two decades the efficacy and scientific status of econometrics has become questionable. Not surprisingly, the growing discontent with econometrics has been accompanied by a growing interest in econometric methodology.
Biostatistics Faculty and NIH Awards at U.S. Medical Schools

Statistical principles and methods are critical to the success of biomedical and translational research. However, it is difficult to track and evaluate the monetary value of a biostatistician to a medical school (SoM). Limited published data on this topic are available, especially comparing across SoMs. Using National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards and American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) faculty counts data (2010–2013), together with online information on biostatistics faculty from 119 institutions across the country, we demonstrated that the number of biostatistics faculty was significantly positively associated with the amount of NIH awards, both as a school total and on a per faculty basis, across various sizes of U.S. SoMs. Biostatisticians, as a profession, should be proactive in communicating and advocating the value of their work and their unique contribution to the long-term success of a biomedical research enterprise. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic properties of Hsc20, a J-motif co-chaperone protein from Escherichia coli

Hsc20 is a 20-kDa auxiliary protein that functions with the molecular chaperone Hsc66 in Escherichia coli. Crystals of Hsc20 suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis were grown using the hanging drop vapor diffusion technique in polyethylene glycol 400 containing dioxane as an additive to slow growth. The crystals are monoclinic and belong to the space group C2 with unit cell dimensions a = 125.4 A, b = 71.9 A, c = 68.8 A, and beta = 97.0 degrees. The crystals diffract to a minimum d-spacing of approximately 2.5 A resolution, and a native data set was collected to 2.7 A. The results of a self-rotation function analysis revealed threefold symmetry, suggesting three molecules of Hsc20 in the asymmetric unit and, hence, 12 molecules in the unit cell; this corresponds to a Vm value of 2.6 A3/Da and a solvent content of approximately 53% in the crystals. Structure determination by isomorphous replacement is in progress.
Modulation of Ca2+ signalling in rat atrial myocytes: possible role of the α1c carboxyl terminal

Ca2+ influx through L-type Cav1.2 (α1c) Ca2+ channels is a critical step in the activation of cardiac ryanodine receptors (RyRs) and release of Ca2+ via Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release(CICR). The released Ca2+, in turn, is the dominant determinant of inactivation of the Ca2+ current (ICa) and termination of release. Although Ca2+ cross-signalling is mediated by high Ca2+ fluxes in the microdomains of α1c-RyR complexes, ICa-gated Ca2+ cross-signalling is surprisingly resistant to intracellular Ca2+ buffering and has steeply voltage-dependent gain, inconsistent with a strict CICR mechanism, suggesting the existence of additional regulatory step(s). To explore the possible regulatory role of the carboxyl (C)-terminal tail of α1c in modulating Ca2+ signalling, we tested the effects of introducing two α1c C-terminal peptides, LA (1571–1599) and K (1617–1636) on the central α1c-unassociated Ca2+-release sites of atrial myocytes, using rapid (240 Hz) two-dimensional confocal Ca2+ imaging. The frequency of spontaneously activating central sparks increased by approximately fourfold on dialysing LA- but not K-peptide into myocytes voltage-clamped at -80 mV. The rate but not the magnitude of caffeine (10 mM)-triggered central Ca2+ release was significantly accelerated by LA- but not K-peptide. Individual Ca2+ spark size and flux were larger in LA- but not in K-peptide-dialysed myocytes. Although LA-peptide did not change the amplitude or inactivation kinetics of ICa, LA-peptide did strongly enhance the central Ca2+ transients triggered by ICa at -30 mV (small ICa) but not at +20 mV (large ICa). In contrast, K-peptide had no effect on either ICa or the local Ca2+ transients. LA-peptide with a deleted calmodulin-binding region (LM1-peptide) had no significant effects on the central spark frequency but suppressed spontaneous spark frequency in the periphery. Our results indicate that the calmodulin-binding LA motif of the α1c C-terminal tail may sensitize the RyRs, thereby increasing their open probability and providing for both the voltage-dependence of CICR and the higher frequency of spark occurrence in the periphery of atrial myocytes where the native α1c-RyR complexes are intact.
Photocatalytic reduction of aromatic azides to amines using CdS and CdSe nanoparticles

We have shown that CdS and CdSe nanoparticles can act as very efficient and highly chemoselective photocatalysts for the reduction of aromatic azides to aromatic amines. In several cases, the reaction proceeds with quantum yields near 0.5, which approaches the theoretical maximum for a two-electron process. The wide scope of the reaction was confirmed with compounds containing electron withdrawing (–NO2, CO2R, COR) and electron donating groups (–OMe, –R, –Cl) at the para-, meta-, and ortho-positions. Remarkably, the reaction is relatively insensitive to the electron demands of the substituent. However, azides with meta-substituents give slightly lower yields than those with the same substituent at the ortho- or para-position.
Type I and Type II Interferons Inhibit the Translation of Murine Norovirus Proteins

Human noroviruses are responsible for more than 95% of nonbacterial epidemic gastroenteritis worldwide. Both onset and resolution of disease symptoms are rapid, suggesting that components of the innate immune response are critical in norovirus control. While the study of the human noroviruses has been hampered by the lack of small animal and tissue culture systems, our recent discovery of a murine norovirus (MNV) and its in vitro propagation have allowed us to begin addressing norovirus replication strategies and immune responses to norovirus infection. We have previously demonstrated that interferon responses are critical to control MNV-1 infection in vivo and to directly inhibit viral replication in vitro. We now extend these studies to define the molecular basis for interferon-mediated inhibition. Viral replication intermediates were not detected in permissive cells pretreated with type I interferon after either infection or transfection of virion-associated RNA, demonstrating a very early block to virion production that is after virus entry and uncoating. A similar absence of viral replication intermediates was observed in infected primary macrophages and dendritic cells pretreated with type I IFN. This was not due to degradation of incoming genomes in interferon-pretreated cells since similar levels of genomes were present in untreated and pretreated cells through 6 h of infection, and these genomes retained their integrity. Surprisingly, this block to the translation of viral proteins was not dependent on the well-characterized interferon-induced antiviral molecule PKR. Similar results were observed in cells pretreated with type II interferon, except that the inhibition of viral translation was dependent on PKR. Thus, both type I and type II interferon signaling inhibit norovirus translation in permissive myeloid cells, but they display distinct dependence on PKR for this inhibition.
Executive Compensation at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Corporate governance - and executive - compensation arrangements in particular - should be an important component of the agenda to reform the housing GSEs. The GSEs' safety-and-soundness regulator - who is essentially the debtholders' and taxpayers' representative - must be admitted to the GSEs' boardroom in a way that is atypical of an ordinary publicly held company. This intrusion into the board's oversight of executive-compensation plans is justified given the GSEs' public purposes and their large potential cost to taxpayers. Prudent public policy requires greater supervisory control over executive compensation at the GSEs, which would follow a precedent set in banking.
Hormonal Control of Spontaneous Activity during the Estrous Cycle of the Rat

24 female rats were ovariectomized at different times on the day of expected estrus. One group received estrogenic stimulation only while a second received estrogen and progesterone stimulation. The results demonstrate that estrogen is sufficient to produce the activity increase coincident with sexual receptivity.
Quantifying soil organic carbon in complex landscapes: an example of grassland undergoing encroachment of woody plants

The invasion of woody plants into grass-dominated ecosystems has occurred worldwide during the past century with potentially significant impacts on soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, ecosystem carbon sequestration and global climate warming. To date, most studies of tree and shrub encroachment impacts on SOC have been conducted at small scales and results are equivocal. To quantify the effects of woody plant proliferation on SOC at broad spatial scales and to potentially resolve inconsistencies reported from studies conducted at fine spatial scales, information regarding spatial variability and uncertainty of SOC is essential. We used sequential indicator simulation (SIS) to quantify spatial uncertainty of SOC in a grassland undergoing shrub encroachment in the Southern Great Plains, USA. Results showed that both SOC pool size and its spatial uncertainty increased with the development of woody communities in grasslands. Higher uncertainty of SOC in new shrub-dominated communities may be the result of their relatively recent development, their more complex above- and belowground architecture, stronger within-community gradients, and a greater degree of faunal disturbance. Simulations of alternative sampling designs demonstrated the effects of spatial uncertainty on the accuracy of SOC estimates and enabled us to evaluate the efficiency of sampling strategies aimed at quantifying landscape-scale SOC pools. An approach combining stratified random sampling with unequal point densities and transect sampling of landscape elements exhibiting strong internal gradients yielded the best estimates. Complete random sampling was less effective and required much higher sampling densities. Results provide novel insights into spatial uncertainty of SOC and its effects on estimates of carbon sequestration in terrestrial ecosystem and suggest effective protocol for the estimating of soil attributes in landscapes with complex vegetation patterns.
State & Social Protest

This essay sketches an array of cultural, political, and bureaucratic mechanisms that mediate the Chinese Communist state's relationship with the major types of social protests, in the process exploring how governance and contention have transformed each other in the past six decades. In particular, it spotlights a noteworthy development in recent years: the increasingly salient market nexus between state and protest. While the regime response of making economic concessions to protesters is hardly unique in the context of China's own past, the transition from top-down mandated concession to pervasive bargaining between the state and protesters is a significant break with past patterns. The negotiability of cash and material rewards insinuates a market logic of governance that is made all the more poignant by the singularly formidable fiscal and infrastructural capacities of the current Chinese regime among its authoritarian counterparts worldwide.
A systems engineering process supporting the development of operational requirements driven federations

This paper proposes a systems engineering process utilizing the conceptual artifacts of the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) describing platform independent views of models to capture operational requirements, to derive essential tasks, and to combine these tasks into scenarios and vignettes with attributed metrics. This model-independent mission description is then used to identify supporting simulation services that implement the identified military means and capabilities to perform the tasks in the given context. Once the services are identified, the necessary simulation middleware to federate the services is identified and the interfaces are configured using the technical artifacts of the MDA describing platform specific views of systems. This systems engineering process provided support for simulation development for the US Army's Program Executive Office -- Soldier.
Design and fabrication of a high-performance electrochemical glucose sensor.

Objective: Development of electrochemical sensors for continuous glucose monitoring is currently hindered by a variety of problems associated with low selectivity, low sensitivity, narrow linearities, delayed response times, hysteresis, biofouling, and tissue inflammation. We present an optimized sensor architecture based on layer stratification, which provides solutions that help address the aforementioned issues. Method: The working electrode of the electrochemical glucose sensors is sequentially coated with five layers containing: (1) electropolymerized polyphenol (PPh), (2) glutaraldehyde-immobilized glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme, (3) dip-coated polyurethane (PU), (4) glutaraldehyde-immobilized catalase enzyme, and (5) a physically cross linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel membrane. The response of these sensors to glucose and electroactive interference agents (i.e., acetaminophen) was investigated following application of the various layers. Sensor hysteresis (i.e., the difference in current for a particular glucose concentration during ascending and descending cycles after 200 s) was also investigated. Results: The inner PPh membrane improved sensor selectivity via elimination of electrochemical interferences, while the third PU layer afforded high linearity by decreasing the glucose-to-O 2 ratio. The fourth catalase layer improved sensor response time and eliminated hysteresis through active withdrawal of GOx-generated H2O2 from the inner sensory compartments. The outer PVA hydrogel provided mechanical support and a continuous pathway for diffusion of various participating species while acting as a host matrix for drug-eluting microspheres. Conclusions: Optimal sensor performance has been achieved through a five-layer stratification, where each coating layer works complementarily with the others. The versatility of the sensor design together with the ease of fabrication renders it a powerful tool for continuous glucose monitoring.
THEORETICAL PROPERTIES OF THE WEIGHTED GENERALIZED GAMMA AND RELATED DISTRIBUTIONS

A new class of weighted generalized gamma distribution (WGGD) and related distributions are presented. Theoretical properties of the generalized gamma model, WGGD including the hazard function, reverse hazard function, moments, coefficient of variation, coefficient of skewness, coefficient of kurtosis, and entropy measures are derived. The results presented here generalizes the generalized gamma distribution and includes several distributions as special cases. The special cases include generalized gamma, weighted gamma, weighted exponential, weighted Weibull, weighted Rayleigh distributions, and their underlying or parent distributions.
Organic Dyes as Spectroscopic Tools: Effects of Solution Equilibria for Phthalocyanines and Carbocyanines

The use of phthalocyanines and carbocyanines in laser applications is reviewed from the perspective of the known solution chemistry of these two families of dyes. The optical behavior of such dyes is found to show certain effects which correlate with the chemistry of the dye family concerned. These chemical effects are identified for phthalocyanines and carbocyanines in their principal laser usages, so as to reduce their being confused with purely physical phenomena.
Utility of Dual-Energy CT Virtual keV Monochromatic Series for the Assessment of Spinal Transpedicular Hardware-Bone Interface

OBJECTIVE. Our aim was to evaluate the utility of dual-energy CT (DECT) virtual kilo-electron volt (keV) monochromatic images for the visualization of the transpedicular screw-bone interface after spinal fusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study included postfusion spine CT studies performed from October 2011 through April 2012 on a dual-energy 64-MDCT unit (Discovery CT750 HD). Studies were postprocessed on an Advantage Windows workstation (version 4.4) by two neuroradiologists with creation of monochromatic images from 40 to 140 keV. Each reader graded the screw-bone interfaces on the 70-keV images (used for clinical interpretation) and on the monochromatic series using a 5-point scale (1 [uninterpretable] to 5 [excellent]). The grades of the interfaces were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test to detect differences between the 70-keV image and the monochromatic series. RESULTS. Ninety-two transpedicular screws in 10 patients were studied. Significant improvement in the visibility ...
Use of space filling curves in fast encoding of VQ images

The use of space filling curves to encode image input blocks in vector quantization (VQ) is proposed. It is based on computing a group of Peano scannings of selected feature vectors for each codeword in the codebook. An ordered list of the Peano scannings and their link to the codebook is stored. Coding is conducted by restricting the search to two windows of codewords with the closest Peano scannings to that of the input block. Each window center is found in logarithmic time proportional to the codebook size. The number of codewords to be searched is fixed and is determined by some additional distortion that is acceptable over exhaustive search methods. Simulation results produced coded images with no significant degradation while maintaining considerable constant search time savings over exhaustive search methods. The algorithm can be used with some other fast full-search equivalent methods as well.
Dynamics of the Interface Separating Two Superimposed Fluids in AC Electric Fields

Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) are carried out to study dynamics of a horizontal interface separating two fluids, having different electrical properties, under the influence of an AC electric field. A front tracking/finite difference method is used in conjunction with Taylor's leaky dielectric model to solve the governing electrohydrodynamic equations in both fluids at finite Reynolds numbers. The behavior of the interface in an AC field at a high and a low frequency is compared with that in the corresponding DC electric field. In all the cases considered, the interface forms a vertical conic column which originates at the fluid with a higher electric conductivity and extends to the one with a lower electric conductivity. In the DC electric field, the interface height (represented by its midpoint) reaches a steady state which is determined by the balance between the electric force (that pulls the interface upward) in one hand, and the surface tension and the column weight (that try to bring the interface back to its original position) on the other hand. In the low frequency AC field, the height oscillates between a minimum that is nearly zero and a maximum that is substantially higher than the steady-state DC height. In the high frequency, however, the minimum and maximum heights are close to the steady state DC one.
Demonstration of a highly efficient solid oxide fuel cell power system using adiabatic steam reforming and anode gas recirculation

Abstract Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are being developed for a wide variety of applications because of their high efficiency over a wide range of power levels. Applications for SOFCs include 1–2 kW residential combined heat and power applications, 100–250 kW systems for distributed generation and grid extension, and megawatt-scale power plants utilizing coal. This paper reports on the development of a highly efficient, small-scale SOFC power system operating on methane. The system uses adiabatic steam reforming of methane and anode gas recirculation to achieve high net electrical efficiency. The heat and water required for the endothermic reforming reaction are provided by the recirculated anode gas emerging from the SOFC stack. Although the single-pass fuel utilization is only about 55%, because of the anode gas recirculation the overall fuel utilization is up to 93%. The demonstrated system achieved net power output of 1650–2150 W with a maximum net LHV efficiency of 0.566 at 1720 W. Overall system efficiency could be further improved to over 0.60 with use of properly sized blowers.
Campylobacter jejuni infection in broiler chickens.

Abstract Day-old, straight-run broiler chickens were procured from a hatchery located in the Pacific Northwest. The chickens were subdivided individually into nine groups of 20 chickens. The chickens were tagged, housed in isolation chambers on wire, fed commercial broiler feed, and given water ad libitum. Three isolates of Campylobacter jejuni of poultry origin and one of human origin were tested in this study. Various C. jejuni cultures were inoculated into 9-day-old chickens by crop gavage. Four groups of 20 chickens were inoculated at a dose level of 0.5 ml of 1 × 102 colony-forming units (CFU)/ml. The other four groups were inoculated with 0.5 ml of 1 × 104 CFU/ml. One group of 20 chickens was kept as an uninoculated control group. Four randomly selected chickens from each of the inoculated and uninoculated groups were necropsied at 5, 12, and 19 days postinoculation (DPI). The C. jejuni was cultured and enumerated from a composite of the upper and midintestine and the cecum. Body weights of all chic...
Broadband asymmetric light transmission via all-dielectric digital metasurfaces

We demonstrate broadband asymmetric transmission or optical-diode behavior via a digital metasurface, that is, a surface that is digitally patterned at subwavelength dimensions. Enhanced light-matter interactions at the interfaces of the metasurface break the symmetry in the propagation direction, and enables high light-transmission in one direction, while strongly reflecting the light in the opposite direction. We measured a peak extinction ratio of 11.18 dB and peak forward transmission efficiency of 74.3% at the design wavelength of 1.55μm. The operational bandwidth of the device was 201nm. We further designed, fabricated and experimentally characterized a digital metasurface that enables polarization-independent optical-diode behavior, which we believe is the first device of its kind. Our digital metasurfaces enable the optical-diode behavior in a single layer of sub-wavelength thickness for several input modes and therefore, can perform as a passive, albeit imperfect optical isolator.