cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Historical Trends in Salinity and Substrate in Central Florida Bay: A Paleoecological Reconstruction Using Modern Analogue Data

Understanding the natural spatial and temporal variability that exists within an ecosystem is a critical component of efforts to restore systems to their natural state. Analysis of benthic foraminifers and molluscs from modern monitoring sites within Florida Bay allows us to determine what environmental parameters control spatial and temporal variability of their assemblages. Faunal assemblages associated with specific environmental parameters, including salinity and substrate, serve as proxies for an interpretation of paleoecologic data. The faunal record preserved in two shallow (<2 m) cores in central Florida Bay (Russell Bank and Bob Allen Bank) provides a record of historical trends in environmental parameters for those sites. Analysis of these two cores has revealed two distinct patterns of salinity change at these sites: 1) a long-term trend of slightly increasing average salinity; and 2) a relatively rapid change to salinity fluctuations of greater frequency and amplitude, beginning around the turn of the century and becoming most pronounced after 1940. The degree of variability in substrate types at each locality limits interpretations of substrate trends to specific sites. A common sequence of change is present in the Russell Bank and Bob Allen Bank cores: from mixed grass and bare-sediment indicators at the bottom of the cores, to bare-sediment dwellers in the center, to a dominance of vegetative-cover indicators at the top of the cores. Changes in interpreted salinity patterns around the turn of the century are consistent with the timing of the construction of the Flagler Railroad from 1905 to 1912, and the Tamiami Trail and the canal and levee systems between 1915 and 1928. Beginning around 1940, the changes in the frequency and amplitude of salinity fluctuations may be related to changes in water management practices, meteorologic events (frequent hurricanes coupled with severe droughts in 1943 and 1944), or a combination of factors. The correspondence of these changes in Florida Bay with changes in the terrestrial Everglades suggests factors affecting the entire ecosystem are responsible for the salinity and substrate patterns seen in Florida Bay.
Hyperkalemia and hyperchloremic acidosis in chronic pyelonephritis

Abstract A report is presented concerning 13 patients with chronic pyelonephritis. Spontaneous hyperkalemia occurred in 11 of these patients and spontaneous hyperchloremic acidosis in 10. Administration of ammonium chloride to 6 patients whose serum chloride and potassium concentrations were close to the normal range resulted in the development of hyperchloremic acidosis and hyperkalemia. Administration of oral potassium loads to 3 patients resulted in the development of hyperkalemia. In the 1 patient whose urinary potassium was measured following a potassium load an abnormally slow excretion of potassium was found. It is suggested that a number of factors may be implicated in the causation of hyperkalemia in chronic pyelonephritis. Among these factors are included diminished renal potassium excretion, slow cellular uptake of dietary potassium and the effect of acidosis. The data also suggest that the hyperchloremic acidosis observed in these patients may be due in part to the reabsorption of ammonium chloride from the urinary tract.
Pride, hypocrisy and civility in Mandeville's social and historical theory

This paper seeks to show that Bernard Mandeville's primary purpose in The Fable of the Bees was to historicize the concept of self‐love (amour‐propre) articulated by seventeenth‐century French Jansenists and moralistes; that in doing so Mandeville constructed a theory designed to explain the inter‐subjective constraints and forces of social discipline which characterize commercial societies; and that a full understanding of Mandeville's achievement depends upon an appreciation of the way in which pride in his theory becomes socialized into hypocrisy at a decisive moment in the civilizing process, a moment after which, Mandeville argues, cultural institutions themselves can contain that unfettered self‐interest which his contemporaries fearfully associated with the triumph of commerce.
Hodge decomposition with degenerate weights and the Gross–Pitaevskii energy

Abstract We solve a Hodge decomposition problem with respect to a weight function that vanishes on the boundary. This problem is present in several works on the Gross–Pitaevskii energy, and we use our solution to show that a Γ-convergence result that links these works is still valid for more general data than previously considered.
Value-based software engineering: a case study

The information technology field's accelerating rate of change makes feedback control essential for organizations to sense, evaluate, and adapt to changing value propositions in their competitive marketplace. Although traditional project feedback control mechanisms can manage the development efficiency of stable projects in well-established value situations, they do little to address the project's actual value, and can lead to wasteful misuse of an organization's scarce resources. The value-based approach to software development integrates value considerations into current and emerging software engineering principles and practices, while developing an overall framework in which these techniques compatibly reinforce each other.
Some new observations on the classical logistic equation with heredity

Abstract Several new and significant observations are presented pertaining to the classical problem of single-population growth with hereditary influences. In its conventional form, the resulting equation with heredity is mathematically represented by a nonlinear Volterra integro-differential equation. In this paper, we propose a new differential formulation where the dependent variable is now defined in terms of the integral of the unknown population. This formulation allows us to develop novel analyses leading to enlightening results. Some particular findings include: the development and analysis of an integrated phase-plane; the elucidation of the exact value for the extremum of the population and several other important functional relations at that corresponding time; the development of two analytic expressions for determining the time at which the population peaks; the determination of the upper asymptote for the cumulative population; and the development of an accurate early-time solution as obtained from a Riccati equation. Additionally, we illustrate that an analytical solution, based on Taylor Series expansions, can be developed with the aid of Mathematica TM . A pure numerical solution is offered for comparison with the analytic solution.
Soybean Oil Meal in Poultry Rations II. Soybean Oil Meal Alone and in Combination with Meat Scrap or Corn Gluten Meal

Abstract NUMEROUS reports on the feeding of poultry rations containing high levels of soybean oil meal indicate that such rations should contain some protein of animal origin. Information summarized by Almquist (1943) indicated that protein from animal source should constitute 5 to 10 percent of the protein in all-mash starting rations for chickens in which soybean meal is the principal protein supplement. Most of the evidence cited was concerned with the use of proteins derived largely from fish and milk products. Heuser and Norris (1944) Showed that to obtain optimum growth and feed efficiency for chicks up to eight weeks of age, rations containing large quantities of soybean oil meal should contain a minimum of 2 to 3 percent of animal protein concentrates, such as fish meal, meat scrap or dried skim milk. Wilgus and Zander (1945) reported that soybean oil meal was not satisfactory as a sole protein supplement for . . .
Copies, Protean Role-Players, and Sappho's Shattered Form in Mary Robinson's The False Friend

According to the eighteenth-century writer Edward Young, we are all born originals, but apelike imitation soon destroys our “mental Individuality” and reduces us to copies. Mary Robinson explores Young's original/copy dichotomy in several of her works, and she often portrays the figure of the imitative self as conflicted and unnatural. Gertrude St. Leger, the protagonist of Robinson's epistolary novel The False Friend (1799), becomes an eighteenth-century copy of the heartbroken and suicidal Sappho of Ovid's Heroides and compulsively reenacts her mother's tragic life. Protean characters like the villainous Mr Treville become consumed by the parts they perform and at moments of crisis are forced to confront their inner emptiness and lack of authenticity. In The False Friend, Robinson suggests that in order for individuals to retain at least some control over their lives and avert despair, they must develop selfhoods strong enough to resist the pressure of social conformity and the manipulations of chameleo...
Naturally occurring glycan forms of human immunoglobulins G1 and G2

High resolution glycan mapping was performed on human immunoglobulin G (IgG) obtained from individual healthy subjects and from a combined sample of healthy subjects. In addition to the commonly known complex glycans, a variety of minor glycans are described and quantified, including high mannose forms and several previously unreported hybrid forms. Fc specific glycan analysis was also performed through peptide mapping with LC/MS/MS. Differences in the glycan linked Fc peptide masses allowed glycan profiles to be analyzed and quantified from IgG1 and IgG2 simultaneously for each subject within the same sample. Glycan profiles differed between subtypes, with greater levels of more fully galactosylated species found on IgG1 (e.g. G2F, SG2F) than IgG2. These results also show that Gal attachment on G1F is biased to the Man (α1 → 6) arm for IgG1 and on the Man (α1 → 3) arm for IgG2 from individual healthy subjects.
CHANGES IN EXTRACELLULAR AMINO ACID NEUROTRANSMITTERS AND PURINES DURING AND FOLLOWING ISCHEMIAS OF DIFFERENT DURATIONS IN THE RAT CEREBRAL CORTEX

Abstract The time courses of changes in extracellular levels of the transmitter amino acids, glutamate, aspartate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and of the purines, adenosine and inosine, during 20 or 40 min periods of four vessel occlusion rat cerebral ischemia, followed by reperfusion, were investigated using a cerebral cortical cup technique. During a 20 min period of ischemia, superfusate amino acids increased by 10–30-fold and adenosine levels increased five-fold. Reperfusion was followed by the return of amino acids and purines towards pre-ischemic levels. Significantly greater increases in glutamate and aspartate levels were observed during a 40 min ischemia and, in contrast to the 20 min ischemia, the efflux of all compounds remained elevated throughout the 40 min reperfusion period. These results suggest that longer periods of ischemia are associated with increasing degrees of plasma membrane disruption allowing for a greater leakage of intracellular contents. The failure of extracellular levels of amino acids and purines to return towards pre-ischemic levels indicates that cells may be unable to effectively reconstitute their membranes after longer periods of ischemia. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Simulation of passive thermal management system for lithium-ion battery packs

A passive thermal management system that uses a phase change material (PCM) is designed and simulated for a lithium-ion (Li-ion) laptop battery pack. The problem of low thermal conductivity of the PCM was significantly improved by impregnating an expanded graphite (EG) matrix with the PCM. The heat generation rate for a commercial 186502.2 Ah Li-ion battery was experimentally measured for various constant power discharges. Simulation of the battery pack, composed of six Li-ion batteries, shows that safe operation of the battery pack during the most extreme case requires the volume of the battery pack be almost doubled to fit sufficient PCM in the pack. Improving the properties of the PCM composite have the potential to significantly reduce the volume increase in comparison to the original battery pack volume.
Apachin, a new sesquiterpene lactone, and other xanthanolides from Iva ambrosiaefolia

Abstract The structure of apachin (2a), a new xanthanolide isolated from an Arizona collection of Iva ambrosiaefolia Gray, has been established. Xanthinin (1) and acetylparthemollin (3a) were also obtained from this collection. Ivambrin was the only crystalline lactone isolated from a West Texas collection of I. ambrosiaefolia and found to be identical with the sodium borohydride reduction product 4 of parthemollin 3b. This is the first report of 3a and 4 as natural products.
Responses of Rhesus Monkeys to Separation Vocalizations of a Conspecific Infant

The vocalizations of a rhesus monkey infant were recorded immediately following separation of the infant from its mother. The recorded vocalizations were played to 12 young adult rhesus monkeys, 6 of each sex. The adults were less active during the time when the recorded vocalizations were being played than during equivalent periods of time before and after the stimulus tape had been played. Ss also spent more time near the stimulus source and looked at it longer when infant vocalizations were audible. Two of the females responded to the infant sounds immediately by looking down at their breasts and by displaying retrieval or support postures typical of mother monkeys with small infants.
Non-invasive Optical Biosensor for Probing Cell Signaling

Cell signaling mediated through a cellular target is encoded by spatial andtemporal dynamics of downstream signaling networks. The coupling of temporal dynamicswith spatial gradients of signaling activities guides cellular responses upon stimulation.Monitoring the integration of cell signaling in real time, if realized, would provide a newdimension for understanding cell biology and physiology. Optical biosensors includingresonant waveguide grating (RWG) biosensor manifest a physiologically relevant andintegrated cellular response related to dynamic redistribution of cellular matters, thusproviding a non-invasive means for cell signaling study. This paper reviews recentprogresses in biosensor instrumentation, and theoretical considerations and potentialapplications of optical biosensors for whole cell sensing.
Image-based prediction of landmark features for mobile robot navigation

We have been developing an architecture for vision-based navigation which relies on continuous feedback from visual "landmarks" to control robot motion, In this approach, landmarks are consistently located and acquired as they come into view. To make this process efficient and robust, it is important that the image locations of these features can be predicted from available image information. In this article, we discuss methods for direct image-based prediction of point and line features for a mobile system operating on a planar surface. Preliminary experimental results suggest that image-based prediction con be performed efficiently and with sufficient accuracy to ensure robust acquisition of navigational landmarks.
What's Driving the Decline in Tuberculosis in Arkansas? A Molecular Epidemiologic Analysis of Tuberculosis Trends in a Rural, Low-Incidence Population, 1997–2003

Incident cases of tuberculosis may result from a recently acquired Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection or from the reactivation of a latent infection acquired in the remote past. The authors used molecular fingerprinting data to estimate the relative contributions of recent and remotely acquired infection to the yearly incidence of tuberculosis in Arkansas, a state with a largely rural population where the incidence of tuberculosis declined from 7.9 cases per 100,000 population to 4.7 cases per 100,000 between 1997 and 2003. The authors used a time-restricted definition of clustering in addition to the standard definition in order to increase the specificity of the clustering measure for recent transmission. The greatest overall declines were seen in non-Hispanic Blacks (from 13.8 cases per 100,000 in 1997 to 6.5 cases per 100,000 in 2003) and persons aged 65 years or more (from 19.9 cases per 100,000 in 1997 to 8.5 cases per 100,000 in 2003). In both groups, the incidence of nonclustered cases declined more dramatically than the incidence of clustered cases. This suggests that the decline in rates resulted primarily from declining rates of disease due to reactivation of past infections. Declines in the overall incidence of tuberculosis in a population may not necessarily result from declines in active transmission.
RISPERIDONE ASSOCIATED HEMORRHAGIC CYSTITIS

Hemorrhagic cystitis is characterized by insidious or acute hematuria. Most cases of hemorrhagic cystitis in children are due to bacterial or viral cystitis. However, gross hematuria has been associated with psychotropic drugs, such as chlorpromazine, and antidepressant medication, such as amitriptyline.l,2 Risperidone is a recently approved, effective antipsychotic medication used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. We report a case of acute hemorrhagic cystitis associated with this antipsychotic medication. CASE REPORT An 11-year-old white boy with a long-standing history of significant behavioral problems, including depression, and attention-deficit hyperactivity and oppositional defiant disorders, presented with acute onset of dysuria and increased frequency accompanied by gross hematuria. A viral prodrome or illness did not precede these symptoms. Urological history was significant for nocturnal enuresis. Medications included fluoxetine, valproic acid, benztropine, haloperidol, clonidine, trazodone and nasal desmopressin. One week before presentation risperidone had been substituted for haloperidol to improve behavioral control. At presentation urinalysis revealed macroscopic hematuria and urine cultures yielded no growth. Coagulation studies, complete blood count and serum electrolytes were normal. Ultrasonography showed a thickened bladder wall and
Parallel LU factorization of sparse matrices on FPGA-based configurable computing engines

Configurable computing, where hardware resources are configured appropriately to match specific hardware designs, has recently demonstrated its ability to significantly improve performance for a wide range of computation-intensive applications. With steady advances in silicon technology, as predicted by Moore's Law, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technologies have enabled the implementation of System-on-a-Programmable-Chip (SOPC or SOC) computing platforms, which, in turn, have given a significant boost to the field of configurable computing. It is possible to implement various specialized parallel machines in a single silicon chip. In this paper, we describe our design and implementation of a parallel machine on an SOPC development board, using multiple instances of a soft IP configurable processor; we use this machine for LU factorization. LU factorization is widely used in engineering and science to solve efficiently large systems of linear equations. Our implementation facilitates the efficient solution of linear equations at a cost much lower than that of supercomputers and networks of workstations. The intricacies of our FPGA-based design are presented along with tradeoff choices made for the purpose of illustration. Performance results prove the viability of our approach. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Growth of Male-Specific Bacteriophage in Proteus mirabilis Harboring F-Genotes Derived from Escherichia coli

Horiuchi, Kensuke (Yale University, New Haven, Conn.), and Edward A. Adelberg. Growth of male-specific bacteriophage in Proteus mirabilis harboring F-genotes derived from Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 89:1231–1236. 1965.—Male-specific bacteriophage MS2 was shown to infect and grow in Proteus mirabilis strains which harbor F-genotes derived from Escherichia coli K-12. The burst size was 2,000 to 3,000, which is similar to that in E. coli K-12, whereas the latent period was 45 min, definitely longer than that in E. coli. In spite of the multiplication of MS2 in male P. mirabilis in broth, P. mirabilis strains failed to show plaque formation by MS2 on agar plates; this failure may be related to the low efficiency of phage adsorption. No host-controlled modification of MS2 by P. mirabilis was detected.
Association of Exaggerated HPA Axis Response to the Initial Injection of Interferon-Alpha With Development of Depression During Interferon-Alpha Therapy

OBJECTIVE: The authors assessed the relationship between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to interferon-alpha (IFN-α) and the development of major depression during IFN-α treatment. METHOD: Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) plasma concentrations were measured in 14 patients with malignant melanoma at regular intervals during the first 12 weeks of IFN-α therapy, both immediately before and 1, 2, and 3 hours after IFN-α administration. Symptom criteria for major depression were also evaluated at each visit. RESULTS: ACTH and cortisol responses but not IL-6 responses to the initial administration of IFN-α were significantly higher in the seven patients who subsequently developed symptom criteria for major depression than in those who did not. No differences in hormonal or cytokine responses were found between these two groups during chronic IFN-α administration. CONCLUSIONS: The HPA axis response to the acute administration of IFN-α reveals a vulnera...
A Method for Quantifying the Reinforcement Value of Verbal Items

Summary Twenty words were scaled according to their reinforcing value. Ss rated the words according to whether they would like or dislike to have a respected person say the word after S performed a task. A frequency table was compiled which indicated the number of times each word was chosen. Items in the frequency table with a high numerical value were denoted as liked and positive; items with a low numerical value were denoted as disliked and negative. One each of the positive, negative, and neutral reinforcers was used in a verbal conditioning experiment. After “I-We” sentences, Ss—depending upon the group to which they were assigned—were given orally one of the three reinforcing words by the E. The positive reinforcer produced a rapid progressive increase in the rate of responding; the negative reinforcer, a successive decreasing rate of responding; the neutral reinforcer produced at first an increasing rate of responding, then a decreasing reinforcing characteristic. Comparison of the initial set of I...
The Effect of Substrate Surface Orientation and Epilayer Thickness on Ingaas/Gaas Epilayer Tilt and Tilt Direction

Epilayer tilt about an in-plane axis has been measured for a number of InGaAs/GaAs interfaces grown by solid source molecular beam epitaxy on (001) substrates cut nominally flat or cut 2 degrees towards the or direction. It is found that a much larger tilt develops in epilayers grown on off oriented wafers although a comparable degree of strain was relaxed. The tilt is a function of epilayer thickness for thicknesses exceeding a second critical thickness which we associate with the onset of relaxation by predominantly dislocation multiplication processes.
Transnational Culture and the Political Transformation of East-Central Europe

In social scientific studies of Europe’s new democracies, there has emerged an analytical approach which transcends the teleology of ‘transitology’ and, focusing on the impact of culture and history, is sensitive to the contingencies and ‘eventfulness’ of social transformations. The main thrust of this article is that such a culturo-historical approach may prove useful not only in assessing the different results to which the processes of democratization lead at the national level, but also to assess the general direction of political change after 1989 towards democracy. Building on Eisenstadt’s notion of modernity as a cultural and political program, this article therefore attempts to understand the revolutions of 1989 not only as the mere sum of particular national events, but also as part of an ‘entangled history’, that is, as a common, transnational phenomenon which was based on and articulated a shared cultural understanding.
On the parameter estimation of the harmonic, evanescent and purely indeterministic components of homogeneous random fields

A maximum-likelihood (ML) estimation procedure for the parameters of homogeneous random fields is presented. On the basis of a 2D Wold-like decomposition, the random field is decomposed into a sum of mutually orthogonal components of three types: purely indeterministic, harmonic, and generalized evanescent. Because, in general, a homogeneous random field is characterized by a mixed spectral distribution, parameter estimation techniques which are solely based on spectral density estimators are not adequate. An algorithm which results in a complete parameter estimation for the purely indeterministic and harmonic components of the homogeneous random field and in estimates for the evanescent component frequencies is presented. The new ML method produces highly accurate estimates of these parameters. >
Some Liu and ridge-type estimators and their properties under the ill-conditioned Gaussian linear regression model

The estimation of the regression parameters for the ill-conditioned Gaussian linear regression model are considered in this paper. Accordingly, we consider some improved Liu [A new class of biased estimate in linear regression, Commun. Stat. Theory Methods 22 (1993), pp. 393–402] type estimators, namely the unrestricted Liu estimator, restricted Liu estimator and the preliminary test Liu estimator (PTLE) for estimating the regression parameters. The performances of the proposed estimators are compared based on the quadratic bias and risk functions under both null and alternative hypotheses. The conditions of superiority of the proposed estimators for departure parameter, Δ, and biasing parameter, d, are given. We also numerically compared the performance of PTLE with the preliminary test ridge regression estimator (PTRRE) and concluded that for small values of d and ridge parameter k, PTLE performed better than the PTRRE; otherwise the PTRRE performed better than PTLE in the sense of smaller MSE.
How to improve your network performance by asking your provider for worse service

TCP's congestion control is deliberately "cautious", avoiding overloads by starting with a small initial window and then iteratively ramping up. As a result, it often takes flows several round-trip times to fully utilize the available bandwidth. In this paper we propose using several levels of lower priority service and a modified TCP behavior to achieve significantly improved flow completion times while preserving fairness.
D-Ala6-des-Gly10-gonadotropin-releasing hormone ethylamide: absence of binding sites and lack of a direct effect in rabbit corpora lutea.

Rat ovarian tissue has been shown to contain high-affinity gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors, and synthetic GnRH analogues have been shown to inhibit steroid production by rat corpora lutea in vivo and in vitro. These results raise the possibility that an ovarian GnRHlike peptide may be involved in normal luteal regression. We have examined binding of D-Ala’ des-Gly’#{176}-GnRH ethylamide (D-Ala) to rabbit corpora lutea, and have investigated the luteolytic activity of this analogue in hypophysectomized, pseudopregnant rabbits. Three hypophysectomized
Impact of Surfactant Protein D, Interleukin-5, and Eosinophilia on Cryptococcosis

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that initiates infection following inhalation. As a result, the pulmonary immune response provides a first line of defense against C. neoformans. Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is an important regulator of pulmonary immune responses and is typically host protective against bacterial and viral respiratory infections. However, SP-D is not protective against C. neoformans. This is evidenced by previous work from our laboratory demonstrating that SP-D-deficient mice infected with C. neoformans have a lower fungal burden and live longer than wild-type (WT) control animals. We hypothesized that SP-D alters susceptibility to C. neoformans by dysregulating the innate pulmonary immune response following infection. Thus, inflammatory cells and cytokines were compared in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from WT and SP-D−/− mice after C. neoformans infection. Postinfection, mice lacking SP-D have reduced eosinophil infiltration and interleukin-5 (IL-5) in lung lavage fluid. To further explore the interplay of SP-D, eosinophils, and IL-5, mice expressing altered levels of eosinophils and/or IL-5 were infected with C. neoformans to assess the role of these innate immune mediators. IL-5-overexpressing mice have increased pulmonary eosinophilia and are more susceptible to C. neoformans infection than WT mice. Furthermore, susceptibility of SP-D−/− mice to C. neoformans infection could be restored to the level of WT mice by increasing IL-5 and eosinophils by crossing the IL-5-overexpressing mice with SP-D−/− mice. Together, these studies support the conclusion that SP-D increases susceptibility to C. neoformans infection by promoting C. neoformans-driven pulmonary IL-5 and eosinophil infiltration.
The influence of shape cues on the perception of lighting direction

Three scene properties determine the luminances in the image of a shaded object: the material reflectance, the illuminant position, and the object's shape. Because all three properties determine the image, one cannot solve for any one property without knowing the other two. Nevertheless, people perceive consistent 3D shape and consistent lighting in shaded images; they must therefore be making assumptions about the unknown properties. We conducted two psychophysical experiments to determine how viewers use shape information to estimate the lighting direction from shaded images. In the first experiment, we confirmed that observers use 3D shape information when estimating lighting direction. In the second experiment, we investigated how different shape cues affect lighting direction estimates. Observers can accurately determine lighting direction when a host of shape cues specify the objects. When shading is the only cue, observers always set lighting direction to be from above. We modeled the results in a Bayesian framework that included a prior distribution describing the assumed lighting direction. The estimated prior was slightly counterclockwise from above at a ∼30° slant. Our model showed that an assumption of convexity provides an accurate estimate of lighting direction when the shape is globally, but not locally, consistent with convexity.
Transport Properties of Half-metal-Polymer Composite

We report the detail transport properties of compression molded CrO2 - polymer composites. The transport measurements of the composites in the temperature range of 10-300 K were modeled using a two channel conductivity model based on spin dependent tunneling and multi-step hopping. The conductance behavior of the composite is dependent on the nature of insulating barrier which changes the nature of the grain boundaries at which spin polarized tunneling takes place.
Impaired Eye-Blink Conditioning in waggler, a Mutant Mouse With Cerebellar BDNF Deficiency

In addition to their trophic functions, neurotrophins are also implicated in synaptic modulation and learning and memory. Although gene knockout techniques have been used widely in studying the roles of neurotrophins at molecular and cellular levels, behavioral studies using neurotrophin knockouts are limited by the early-onset lethality and various sensory deficits associated with the gene knockout mice. In the present study, we found that in a spontaneous mutant mouse, waggler, the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was selectively absent in the cerebellar granule cells. The cytoarchitecture of the waggler cerebellum appeared to be normal at the light microscope level. The mutant mice exhibited no sensory deficits to auditory stimuli or heat-induced pain. However, they were massively impaired in classic eye-blink conditioning. These results suggest that BDNF may have a role in normal cerebellar neuronal function, which, in turn, is essential for classic eye-blink conditioning.
9 – Fractal Analysis of Heparin-Protein Interaction Studies Occurring on Biosensor Surfaces

This chapter focuses on the fractal analysis of heparin–protein interaction studies occurring on biosensor surfaces. An alternate analysis for the binding, and dissociation of heparin binding proteins in solution to covalently immobilized heparin on a surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) biochip using a preformed albumin–heparin conjugate, is also presented in the chapter. Binding and dissociation rate coefficients, as well as fractal dimension values for the binding and the dissociation phases, are provided in the chapter wherever applicable. A single, as well as a dual-fractal analysis is used to model the binding and the dissociation kinetics for acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF). However, a single-fractal analysis is adequate to describe the binding and the dissociation kinetics for the dengue virus envelope protein in solution.
One Maritime Law Debate That Is Finally Over

For nearly two decades, the People's Republic of China has been employing what its military strategists now describe as "legal warfare" in the maritime domain. With a comprehensive system of excessive maritime claims along its coast, China has used international law "as a weapon" in a deliberate, strategic effort to achieve the military objectives of anti-access and area denial (A2/AD). In recent years, however, that strategic approach has been at odds with China's need for a global Navy to protect its interests around the world. Consistency -- a fundamental principle of international law -- presented China with a maritime dilemma: either embrace the freedom of the seas or be criticized for applying double standards in its international relations. What would China decide to do? In September 2015, five warships from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) transited through U.S. territorial seas off the coast of Alaska, near the Aleutian Islands. This transit by China’s warships, coupled with China’s recurring military activities in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of other nations between 2012 and 2015, demonstrate a realization that China needs the freedom of the seas now more than ever, and a reality that China’s view of the applicable international law must evolve to respect that freedom fully in order for China to enjoy it globally. Consequently, the recent actions of China’s navy have closed this chapter of China’s "legal warfare" forever. To be sure, in the months and years ahead, the Presidents, diplomats, military leaders, commentators, and academics from the two nations can and should discuss a variety of issues affecting U.S-China relations and international security. But one topic that is no longer worthy of discussion is the legality of foreign military activities in China’s EEZ or the right of foreign warships to transit through China’s territorial seas. That legal debate is over…finally.
Isotope shifts in the 6p 2 P3 0 -6p7s P31∘ 283.3-nm line of natural lead

The isotope shifts in the 283.3-nm resonance line of natural lead were measured by atomic-beam absorption spectroscopy with a 9.1-m focal-length spectrometer. The spectrum was calibrated internally by the measured 6p7s P31∘ hfs separation of 207Pb [ J.-L. Cojan H. R. Saussereau , C. R. Acad. Sci. Ser. B277, 415 ( 1973)] and by the value calculated from the level-crossing results of Saloman and Happer [ Phys. Rev.144, 7 ( 1966)] and gJ of Rudi-Saussereau et al. [ Opt. Commun.9, 186 ( 1973)]. The isotope shifts relative to 208Pb are −46.6(6), 207Pb center of gravity; −74.5(6), 206Pb; −142(3), 204Pb. The values are in units of 0.001 cm−1, the negative sign indicating a shift to lower wave numbers. The precision is nearly 1 order of magnitude greater than that of previous measurements.
Glycosyltransferase engineering for carbohydrate synthesis.

Glycosyltransferases (GTs) are powerful tools for the synthesis of complex and biologically-important carbohydrates. Wild-type GTs may not have all the properties and functions that are desired for large-scale production of carbohydrates that exist in nature and those with non-natural modifications. With the increasing availability of crystal structures of GTs, especially those in the presence of donor and acceptor analogues, crystal structure-guided rational design has been quite successful in obtaining mutants with desired functionalities. With current limited understanding of the structure–activity relationship of GTs, directed evolution continues to be a useful approach for generating additional mutants with functionality that can be screened for in a high-throughput format. Mutating the amino acid residues constituting or close to the substrate-binding sites of GTs by structure-guided directed evolution (SGDE) further explores the biotechnological potential of GTs that can only be realized through enzyme engineering. This mini-review discusses the progress made towards GT engineering and the lessons learned for future engineering efforts and assay development. * CAZy, : carbohydrate active enzyme; Cst-II, : Campylobacter jejuni α2–3/8-sialyltransferase; epPCR, : error-prone PCR; Gal, : galactose; GalNAc, : N -acetylgalactosamine; Glc, : glucose; GlcNAc, : N -acetylglucosamine; GT, : glycosyltransferase; MU, : 4-methylumbelliferone; Neu5Ac, : N -acetylneuraminic acid; OleD, : a glucosyltransferase involved in natural product oleandomycin biosynthesis; Pd2,3ST, : Pasteurella dagmatis α2–3-sialyltransferase; Pd2,6ST, : Photobacterium damselae α2–6-sialyltransferase; PmST1, : Pasteurella multocida multifunctional α2–3-sialyltransferase 1; polySTNmB, : Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B polysialyltransferase; SGDE, : structure-guided directed evolution; UDP-GlcNH2, : UDP-glucosamine; β4GalT1, : β1–4-galactosyltransferase 1
Fighting for Access: ABC's 1965–66 Feud with NASA

This article examines the American Broadcasting Company's dissatisfaction with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) during 1965 and 1966, as voiced in a series of critical speec...
The Optical and Morphological Properties of Fluorinated Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystals

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films with a partially fluorinated polymer matrix were investigated. The optical and morphological properties of fluorinated PDLC’s were different from non-fluorinated films. The incremental addition of a fluorine-substituted monofunctional methacrylate monomer to a pentaacrylate-based standard PDLC formulation resulted in significant improvement in contrast ratio. In addition, results suggest that fluorine decreased compatibility between the polymer and liquid crystal phases. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to elucidate morphological differences between fluorinated host matrices and non-fluorinated control films.
Quality Improvement Project: Opportunities for Improvement

The management of patients with breast cancer has become very complex, and a multidisciplinary approach is paramount to optimal treatment. A multidisciplinary approach requires timely coordination among the varied disciplines involved in patient care, and timely intervention has been shown to lead to better outcomes. To evaluate some of the key processes in providing timely multidisciplinary care, NCCN awarded grants to institutions to evaluate opportunities for improvement in breast cancer care. This article reports on the opportunities for improvement project at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.
Efficacy of ciprofloxacin in neonatal nosocomial infection and analysis of its adverse drug reaction

Objective To study the effect of ciprofloxacin(CF) on neonatal nosocomial infection and analyze the adverse drug reaction on hematologic indices,the hepatic and renal function,and the joint and growth at six month follow-up.Methods Data were collecte from 168 neonates with nosocomial infection from August 2009 to August 2019.According to antimicrobial susceptibility test 92 cases received ciprofloxacin(CF group),76 cases did not received ciprofloxacin(control group).In all neonates the leukocyte and platelet counts as well as the serum concentrations of transaminases,bilirubin,albumin,urea and creatinine were measured before initiation.In 50 and 38 infants of CF group and control group,respectively,the growth at the end of the six month of life was evaluated.Results The proportion of gram-negative bacilli was the highest(73.8%).The most common organism were Klebsiella pnemoniae(64%),Coagulase-negative Staphylococci(30%),Escherichia coli(22%).The susceptibility to CF was 92%,82%,100%.The total susceptibility of isolated bacteria to CF was 90%.The cure rate of CF group(72.8%) and the total effective rate(88.0%) were not significantly different from those of the control group(70.6%,89.2%)(P0.05).No significant differences between the two groups were found in the hematologic indices,hepatic and renal function as well as growth,(P0.05).Also no clinical evidence of arthropathy was observed.Conclusion CF is an effective and safety drug in the treatment of neonatal nosocomial infection.
Ending ambulance diversion in massachusetts.

Prohibition of ambulance diversion in Massachusetts led hospitals to make operational changes to reduce emergency room crowding. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and PKC alpha in cytosolic PLA2 activation by bradykinin in MDCK-D1 cells.

The actions of bradykinin (BK) in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and other cell types involve formation of arachidonic acid (AA) and AA products by as-yet-undefined mechanisms. We found that BK promoted AA release and an increase in phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity in subsequently prepared MDCK-D1 cell lysates, both of which were Ca2+ dependent and were inhibited by the 85-kDa cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2) inhibitor arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone. In addition, BK treatment of cells led to increased PLA2 activity of cPLA2 immunoprecipitated from lysates. Thus BK receptors mediate AA release via cPLA2 in MDCK-D1 cells. The BK-promoted increase of cPLA2 activity was reversed by treatment of cell lysates with potato acid phosphatase, implying that phosphorylation underlies the activation of cPLA2. However, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) appeared not to be responsible for this phosphorylation, because treatment of cells with BK (in contrast with the results obtained with epinephrine and phorbol ester) caused neither enzyme activation nor phosphorylation (as judged by molecular mass shift) of this kinase. Although the alpha isoform of protein kinase C (PKC alpha) is responsible for AA release promoted by phorbol ester treatment of MDCK-D1 cells (C. Godson, K.S. Bell, and P.A. Insel. [corrected] J. Biol. Chem. 268: 11946-11950, 1993), neither treatment of cells with the PKC alpha-selective inhibitor GF109203X nor transfection of cells with PKC alpha antisense cDNA altered BK-mediated AA release. We conclude that PKC alpha is unlikely to play an important role in the regulation of cPLA2 by BK receptors in MDCK-D1 cells. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor herbimycin A, on the other hand, inhibited both BK-promoted AA release in intact cells and cPLA2 activation in cell lysates, suggesting the involvement of tyrosine kinase in the regulation of this lipase by BK receptors. Taken together, these data suggest that BK receptors in MDCK-D1 cells regulate cPLA2 via phosphorylation mediated by kinases other than ERK and PKC alpha.
A Multilogit Model of Consumer Choice

This study empirically tests a dynamic choice model based upon a MULTILOGIT approach. The MULTILOGIT model offers tremendous forecasting potential to managers. The manager is able to examine if-and...
Mutant TP53 disrupts age-related accumulation patterns of somatic mutations in multiple cancer types.

Most cancers are driven by somatic mutations in proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Genetic changes in a tumor may accumulate in the tissue self-renewal phase prior to neoplasm. The risk of sporadic mutations increases with age. In this regard, a positive association between patient age and the accumulated mutation burden in tumors exists for many cancer types. However, the reported lines of evidence for such a connection are still limited. TP53 is the most frequently mutated cancer gene. The encoded p53 protein plays crucial roles in DNA repair. Hereby, we speculate that mutant TP53 can disrupt the age-related accumulation patterns of somatic mutations in tumors. We performed linear model analysis on the clinically-annotated genomic data published by TCGA. We found that there was a significant interaction between TP53 genotype (mutant versus wild-type) and patient age at the initial clinical date on somatic mutation burden for five cancers. That is, the regression coefficients of mutation burden on patient age were significant (p < 0.05) for TP53 wild-type tumors but not the mutant counterparts. This disparity was further verified by comparing the group-specific regression coefficients. This finding confirmed our hypothesis and provided unique insights into p53-related tumorigenesis such as the potential temporal order of driver mutations.
A virtual reality based exercise system for hand rehabilitation post-stroke: transfer to function

We present preliminary results from a virtual reality (VR)-based system for hand rehabilitation that uses a CyberGlove and a Rutgers Master II-ND haptic glove. This system trains finger range of motion, finger flexion speed, independence of finger motion and finger strength. Eight chronic post-stroke subjects participated. In keeping with variability in both the lesion site and in initial upper extremity function, each subject showed improvement on a unique combination of movement parameters in VR training. These improvements transferred to gains on clinical tests, as well as to significant reductions in task completion times for the prehension of real objects. These results are indicative of the potential feasibility of this exercise system for rehabilitation in patients with hand dysfunction resulting from neurological impairment.
Molecular Architecture of Polysaccharide Helices in Oriented Fibers

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates the molecular architecture of polysaccharide helices in oriented fibers. It describes the fiber-preparation techniques and the types of diffraction patterns from fibrous specimens. It also presents the methodology for solving and refining helical structures using X-ray data. Fiber diffraction analyses have confirmed that the ribbon-like chain conformation is conserved in several chemically modified cellulose derivatives. It is found that the variety of packing arrangements originates through the exploitation of the full range of C-5 -C-6 rotations to maximize intermolecular interactions. The parallel chain packings for cellulose I and chitin I are compatible with concepts of the biosynthetic mechanisms that produce the very long microfibrils and spines. The gellan family of polysaccharides includes a set of anionic polysaccharides secreted by unrelated bacteria. It is observed that well-defined crystal structures are available for gellan and welan and they can be correlated with the physical properties of the polysaccharides. Chitin is the most abundant polysaccharide composed exclusively of amino sugars and has distinct fundamental characteristics. Chitin adopts a 2-fold helical conformation similar to that of cellulose. Three crystalline modifications—α, β, and γ—are known from X-ray diffraction studies. Of these, the α and β forms are analogous to cellulose II and I, respectively, in terms of chain packing, and their structural details have been characterized to varying extents.