cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observed incidence of hypofibrinogenemia in cirrhotic patients.

We read with interest, recently published article in this journal titled "Fresh frozen plasma transfusion in acute variceal haemorrhage: Results from a multicentre cohort study," the authors describe increased mortality at 42 days in patients transfused with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) for acute variceal hemorrhage.1 Within the FFP-transfused group, variceal bleeding was the leading cause of mortality, and the authors report that most deaths were related to worsening portal hypertension. They further describe that patients transfused additional units of FFP had significantly higher odds ratio of failure to control bleeding at 5 days and hospital length of stay (LOS) >7 days, with a 26% increased risk of failure to control bleeding with each additional unit of FFP. The authors concluded that there is no benefit of FFP transfusion but rather a potential harm in cirrhotics with acute variceal bleed. Authors did not provide any data on fibrinogen level in these patients.
Mitigation of J–V distortion in CdTe solar cells by Ga-doping of MgZnO emitter

Abstract Distortions in the current–voltage curves of CdTe-based thin-film solar cells with MgZnO emitter layers are not uncommon. Even when such distortions are very subtle with standard sunlight, they can be greatly accentuated by the removal of short-wavelength photons with optical filters, and the dark-curve turn-on voltage can be noticeably increased. The strong suggestion is that good J–V curves with full-spectrum light often rely on photogeneration of electrons from trap states in the MgZnO emitter. When the carrier concentration of the CdTe absorber is increased with external doping, there is a corresponding need for a larger MgZnO carrier concentration. Based on the assumption that the emitter carrier concentration needs to be comparable to that of the absorber, Ga-doping of the MgZnO was shown to very nearly eliminate the large filtered-light distortions and is arguably superior to MgZnO that relies on photogeneration. In addition, it was shown that photogeneration and recovery in MgZnO is relatively slow, so that without Ga-doping, the cell efficiency improves gradually for most of an hour in the light, and the turn-on voltage of the dark curve increases on a similar time scale when the light is removed.
Frontiers in Cichlid Research: A History of Scientific Advancement

This chapter summarizes 200 years of the study of cichlid fishes, ranging from the first descriptions of South American and African species in early natural histories to the work of twentieth-century biologists. The rise and influence of evolutionary theory and the development of new knowledge and techniques in the study of genetics are considered central influences in a variety of fields of research involving cichlids, including ecology, ethology, aquaculture, and fisheries. Significant developments and their historical context are considered in relation to the current state of a variety of cichlid research programs, showcasing the extent to which cichlids have become both model species in evolutionary biology and a crucial species in global food production.
Critical thinking of mobile sensing for health

What you need to consider before collecting, processing, and analyzing mobile data for health applications.
What Is the Best Possible Therapy for My Crohn’s Disease? State-of-the-Art Therapy for Newly Diagnosed Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease whereby the immune system attacks the intestines, causing the inflammation and ulceration that results in abdominal pain, diarrhea, fevers, fatigue, and other symptoms. Some Crohn’s patients suffer from fistulas (inflamed tunnels from the intestines to surrounding skin or other organs). It is believed that the white blood cells are primarily responsible for the damage caused by Crohn’s disease; thus, most therapies are aimed at either directly stopping the white blood cells from being produced or preventing them from recruiting other white blood cells and from attacking the bowel. Genetic studies have suggested that this “attack” is an attempt by the body’s immune system to get at the bacteria and other organisms in the gut [1, 2].
Metaheuristics in Logistics and Supply Chain Management

The modeling of logistics systems is performed to seek the best possible system configuration to minimize costs or maximize operational performance, in order to meet or exceed customer expectations. Classically, analytic system analysis of this type has been performed using optimization, simulation, or heuristics. However, in the past two decades, a newer class of techniques, metaheuristics, has emerged as a capable method for quickly providing near-optimal solutions for problems that exact optimization cannot solve. This article outlines recent advances in metaheuristics development, and considers the ability of these advanced techniques to resolve various logistics and supply chain problem types. Specifically, the article discusses the ant colony optimization, genetic algorithm, simulated annealing, and tabu search metaheuristics. The capabilities of these metaheuristic techniques to examine supply chain risk and disruptions, intermodal operations, customer service trade-offs, backhaul strategies, and simultaneous facility location and vehicle route problems are proposed. The article concludes by describing how faculty can bring these techniques into the classroom to ensure their students enter the logistics and supply chain field with a current and relevant understanding of the state of the art in supply chain design techniques.
Synthetic Planet : Chemical Politics and the Hazards of Modern Life

Table of Contents Preface and Acknowledgements Introduction: Chemical MattersMonica J. Casper Part I: Environments 1. Troubled Natures: Toxic Pollutants and Japanese Identity in Two Tokyo Communitites Peter Wynn Kirby 2. Indoor Air Pollution: Environmental Inequality Inside Allison Shore 3. Chemical Weapons "Dispersal"?: The Mundane Politics of Air Monitoring Monica J. Casper Part II: Bodies 4. Chemical Politics and the Hazards of Modern Warfare: Agent Orange Diane Fox 5. From Metallic to Sickly: Chemical Waste, Environmental Discourse, and the National Body in Post-Socialist Hungary Zsuzsa Gille 6. When a Child Has Cancer: Protecting Children From A Toxic World Virginia Adams O'Connell Part III: Communities 7. Permitting Poison: Public Participation, the Criteria for Action, and Environmental Justice in the Case of Dioxin Karen Hoffman 8. Chemicals, Cancer, and Prevention: The Synergy of Synthetic Social Movements Maren Klawiter 9. Change of State?: The Greening of Chemistry E. J. Woodhouse Part IV: Nations 10. Sexual Synthetics: Women, Science, and Microbicides Susan E. Bell 11. Chemicals and Casualties: The Search for Causes of Gulf War Illnesses Phil Brown, Steve Zavestoski, Meadow Linder, Sabrina McCormick, and Brian Mayer 12. The Chemistry of Sovietization: Industrial Solvents and Nationalist Reactions in 1960's Lithuania Diana Mincyte 13. Conclusion: Environmental Security in an Uncertain World Monica J. Casper and Barbara A. Barnes Notes References List of Contributors
Las Señoras de la Caridad: pioneras olvidadas de la asistencia social en México, 1863-1910

La Asociacion de Senoras de la Caridad fue una de las organizaciones femeninas mas grandes del porfiriato. Movilizo a miles de voluntarias laicas por todo el pais que ayudaron a cientos de miles de pobres al mismo tiempo que fortalecian su fe y valores catolicos. Ademas de visitar a los necesitados en sus hogares y en los hospitales y carceles publicos, fundaron y administraron sus propias escuelas, hospitales, asilos y otras instituciones de bienestar. De esta forma contribuyeron al sistema de educacion, salud y asistencia mexicana. Las actividades de las voluntarias representan practicas novedosas para las mujeres mexicanas y, sin desafiar las normas sociales de la epoca, expandieron los limites tradicionales de la esfera femenina
Victoria Symptom Validity Test

Abstract This study compared the performances of non-compensation-seeking (NCS; n= 151) and compensation-seeking (CS; n= 21) patients on the Victoria Symptom Validity Test (VSVT; Slick, Hopp, Strauss, & Thompson, 1997), a test designed to detect feigned or exaggerated memory impairment. Despite showing comparable performances on measures of depression, intellectual, and memory ability, the CS group obtained significantly lower scores on the VSVT as compared to the NCS group. The distribution of scores for each group is provided using a three-level classification system (Valid, Questionable, or Invalid). A significant association was found between CS group membership and Questionable/Invalid performance on the VSVT. Two case examples are provided to illustrate the utility of this forced-choice memory test. These results indicate that the VSVT is an efficient, objective measure that provides quantitative data that appears to hold considerable promise in evaluating symptom validity.
Law and Enchantment: The Place of Belief

The question I wish to raise is whether one must believe what one says when one makes a statement of law. The language of belief that we know, and from which moral discourse and the moral never stray far: do judges, lawyers, law participate in it? Any such question is but an aspect of a larger question, indeed issue, of what we may call the objectivity of legal language. It is raised perhaps most acutely by the broad claims now being made for artificial intelligence and in particular for the computer programming of legal advice (as a species of what is called, in that field of applied science, an "expert system"). But it arises also when we contemplate legal texts bureaucratically produced texts that are not written by the person who signs them. It is to this latter, more limited, and more familiar context that I will direct our consideration here. The shadow of Herbert Simon's Sciences of the Artificial we will leave to flicker in the background. Initially the question of believing what one says in legal discourse must be approached as a methodological problem, part of the perennial task of coming to grips with and trying to understand lawyers' method and particularly lawyers' close reading of legal texts. Certainly we will be attempting to do that here in some small way, keeping in mind that among working lawyers are judicial officers (judges) as well as legal advisers (officers of the court) and those lawyers (not officers at all) who teach and write in the schools. But the question cannot be cast or left only as a problem of
Accuracy of Recall in Health-Related Quality-of-Life Assessment Among Men Treated for Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE: To determine the accuracy of patient recall of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in men who have undergone radical prostatectomy for early-stage prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients enrolled onto a longitudinal, observational cohort study of HRQOL after radical prostatectomy for early-stage prostate cancer were asked to assess their baseline HRQOL before surgery. They were later asked to recall their baseline HRQOL at intervals of 7 to 37 months after surgery. The two views of baseline HRQOL (actual and recall) were compared. HRQOL was measured with established instruments (the RAND 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey and a validated short form of the University of California Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index) that addressed impairment in the physical, mental, urinary, bowel, and sexual domains. RESULTS: Overall, recall was poor. Patients tended to remember their baseline HRQOL as being better than it actually was. This effect was particularly striking for urinary and sexual function...
Semi-supervised clustering: probabilistic models, algorithms and experiments

Clustering is one of the most common data mining tasks, used frequently for data categorization and analysis in both industry and academia. The focus of our research is on semi-supervised clustering, where we study how prior knowledge, gathered either from automated information sources or human supervision, can be incorporated into clustering algorithms. In this thesis, we present probabilistic models for semi-supervised clustering, develop algorithms based on these models and empirically validate their performances by extensive experiments on data sets from different domains, e.g., text analysis, hand-written character recognition, and bioinformatics. In many domains where clustering is applied, some prior knowledge is available either in the form of labeled data (specifying the category to which an instance belongs) or pairwise constraints on some of the instances (specifying whether two instances should be in same or different clusters). In this thesis, we first analyze effective methods of incorporating labeled supervision into prototype-based clustering algorithms, and propose two variants of the well-known KMeans algorithm that can improve their performance with limited labeled data. We then focus on the problem of semi-supervised clustering with constraints and show how this problem can be studied in the framework of a well-defined probabilistic generative model of a Hidden Markov Random Field. We derive an efficient KMeans-type iterative algorithm, HMRF-KMeans, for optimizing a semi-supervised clustering objective function defined on the HMRF model. We also give convergence guarantees of our algorithm for a large class of clustering distortion measures (e.g., squared Euclidean distance, KL divergence, and cosine distance). Finally, we develop an active learning algorithm for acquiring maximally informative pairwise constraints in an interactive query-driven framework, which to our knowledge is the first active learning algorithm for semi-supervised clustering with constraints. Other interesting problems of semi-supervised clustering that we discuss in this thesis include (1) semi-supervised graph-based clustering using kernels, (2) using prior knowledge to improve overlapping clustering of data, (3) integration of both constraint based and distance-based semi-supervised clustering methods using the HMRF model, and (4) model selection techniques that use the available supervision to automatically select the right number of clusters.
TEMPORAL PHASE CONTROL OF SOFT-X-RAY HARMONIC EMISSION

We report a strong dependence of the soft-x-ray spectra generated by high harmonic emission on the chirp of the excitation pulse, when an ultrashort laser drives the process. For identical pulse durations, distinct harmonic peaks can be observed for positively chirped excitation pulses, while for negatively chirped pulses, the harmonic peaks become irregular. This behavior is explained by simulations that combine the chirp of the laser with the intrinsic phase shift of the harmonics. This work resolves an outstanding discrepancy between theory and experiment by demonstrating that high-order harmonic generation driven by short-duration pulses can result in distinct harmonic peaks. This work conclusively demonstrates the role of the intrinsic phase in determining harmonic emission spectra, and control this phase during the emission process.
Flavor Characteristics of Irradiated Apple Cider During Storage: Effect of Packaging Materials and Sorbate Addition

: Apple cider, with (0.1%) and without potassium sorbate, was packaged in 3 different materials to evaluate the effects of irradiation (2 kGy) and storage on flavor. Irradiated apple cider samples were compared with unirradiated samples stored in glass jars. Volatile flavor compounds, soluble solids, and titratable acidity were determined weekly throughout 3 wk of refrigerated storage. Oxygen permeability of the packaging materials was important in the retention of flavor during storage. Cider irradiated and stored in polystyrene containers or nylon-6 packaging materials (low oxygen permeability) had lower rates of loss of characteristic flavor compounds compared with unirradiated apple cider and cider irradiated and stored in low-density polyethylene (high oxygen permeability). The presence of sorbate, functioning as a yeast and mold inhibitor, reduced the rates of loss of the characteristic flavor compounds and the fermentation of sugars to acids. Principal component analysis resulted in several esters characteristic of apple flavor, soluble solids, and titratable acidity loading onto the 1st principal component (PC-1). Packaging material and sorbate treatment had the greatest effect on the compounds that loaded onto PC-1.
Characterization of rhapidosomes of Saprospira grandis

Abstract Physical and chemical properties of rhapidosomes, rod-shaped particles produced by Saprospira grandis and related marine flexibacteria, are described. The particles, which are composed of two hollow cylindrical structures, one partially encasing the other, bear a striking resemblance to tail components (core and contracted sheath) of various bacteriophages (e.g. the T-even phages of Escherichia coli). The core is approximately 4300 A in length and 90 A in diameter with an axial channel 25 A in diameter running through it. The sheath is approximately 2000 A in length and 280 A in diameter with a channel 110 A in diameter. Molecular weights of 17 × 106 and 60 × 106 were estimated for the core and sheath, respectively. The presence of helical grooves of long pitch on the surface of the rhapidosome sheath was demonstrated by both the negative-staining and shadow-casting techniques. As observed previously (Reichle & Lewin, 1968) twelve curved projections were seen around the periphery of the rhapidosome sheath when viewed in cross section. Our evidence suggests that these projections represent a morphological characteristic of a subunit. In contrast to reports (Correll & Lewin, 1964; and Correll, 1968) that rhapidosomes are composed of protein and highly 2′-O-methylated RNA, our results indicate that the particles do not contain a nucleic acid component. Amino-acid analyses of crystalline core and purified sheaths show that they are distinctly different proteins. Both particles are resistant to a variety of reagents which normally dissociate proteins into subunits. The possibility that rhapidosomes, like many morphologically similar particles, are portions of a defective bacteriophage, the genome of which has become associated with the genetic system of the bacterium, is discussed.
Within-river gene flow in the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) and implications for restorative release

Understanding how populations are genetically and demographically connected is beneficial for species management, since gene flow and dispersal contribute to genetic diversity and population persistence. For hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), an aquatic salamander species experiencing dramatic declines in population size, fine-scale (i.e. within river) patterns of genetic diversity and gene flow are not well understood. Previous findings indicate that hellbenders are habitat specialists that exhibit extreme site fidelity and low vagility, suggesting that gene flow is restricted among the several, discrete habitat patches within a river. Using 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci and 497 hellbender samples from four Missouri rivers, we assessed fine-scale patterns of genetic diversity in order to infer population connectivity and aid in population management. Results indicate moderate levels of genetic variation (HO = 0.66–0.78) with little differentiation among habitat patches (avg. FST = 0.002) and no evidence of isolation by distance. Our data suggest that hellbender gene flow has been extensive even among habitat patches separated by distances greater than >100 km. These results are useful for hellbender management, especially in terms of making informed decisions regarding restorative releases of captively propagated individuals.
The pulmonary pseudonodule: Characteristic features of a normal variant due to a bone thickening at the junction of the laminae and posterior spine

The normal thickening of bone at the junction of the laminae and posterior spine should not be confused with a pathologic process. Its appearance on the plain radiograph and computed tomography is pathognomonic.
Detecting Social Media Hidden Communities Using Dynamic Stochastic Blockmodel with Temporal Dirichlet Process

Detecting evolving hidden communities within dynamic social networks has attracted significant attention recently due to its broad applications in e-commerce, online social media, security intelligence, public health, and other areas. Many community network detection techniques employ a two-stage approach to identify and detect evolutionary relationships between communities of two adjacent time epochs. These techniques often identify communities with high temporal variation, since the two-stage approach detects communities of each epoch independently without considering the continuity of communities across two time epochs. Other techniques require identification of a predefined number of hidden communities which is not realistic in many applications. To overcome these limitations, we propose the Dynamic Stochastic Blockmodel with Temporal Dirichlet Process, which enables the detection of hidden communities and tracks their evolution simultaneously from a network stream. The number of hidden communities is automatically determined by a temporal Dirichlet process without human intervention. We tested our proposed technique on three different testbeds with results identifying a high performance level when compared to the baseline algorithm.
A quantitative method for analyzing the dispersion and agglomeration of nano-particles in composite materials

The distribution of particles (e.g. micro and nanoinclusions, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers) within a composite material plays a vital role in dictating many important constitutive properties. In this study, a general method to quantify the dispersion and agglomeration of nano-particles in composite materials has been developed. The dispersion quantity, D, is measured by the free-path spacing between particles; whereas, the agglomeration quantity, A, is measured by the particle size. In both cases, a quantifiable percentage is calculated based on the statistical probability that either the free-path spacing or particle size falls within a certain percentage above and below μ, where μ is either the mean spacing or particle size. The proposed method is used to quantify the dispersion and agglomeration of both carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) within aqueous solutions.
Diet-induced obesity is associated with hyperleptinemia, hyperinsulinemia, hepatic steatosis, and glomerulopathy in C57Bl/6J mice

Obesity and obesity-related illnesses are global epidemics impacting the health of adults and children. The purpose of the present work is to evaluate a genetically intact obese mouse model that more accurately reflects the impact of aging on diet-induced obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans. Male C57Bl/6J mice consumed either a control diet or one in which 60% kcal were due to lard beginning at 5–6 weeks of age. Body weight and fat measurements were obtained and necropsy performed at 15, 20, 30, and 40 weeks of age. Serum chemistry, histopathology, gene expression of the liver, and renal and hepatic function were also evaluated. In concert with significant increases in percent body fat and weight, mice fed the high-fat versus control diet had significantly increased levels of serum cholesterol. At ages 20 and 30 weeks, serum glucose was significantly higher in obese versus controls, while serum insulin levels were ≥4-fold higher in obese mice at ages 30 and 40 weeks. The effect of age exacerbated the effects of consuming a high-fat diet. In addition to being hyperinsulinemic and leptin resistant, older obese mice exhibited elevated hepatic PAI-1 and downregulation of GLUT4, G6PC, IGFBP-1, and leptin receptor mRNA in the liver, steatosis with subsequent inflammation, glomerular mesangial proliferation, elevated serum ALT, AST, and BUN, and increased numbers of pancreatic islets.
The Probability That a Measurement Falls within a Range of Standard Deviations from an Estimate of the Mean

We derive a general equation for the probability that a measurement falls within a range of n standard deviations from an estimate of the mean. So, we provide a format that is compatible with a confidence interval centered about the mean that is naturally independent of the sample size. The equation is derived by interpolating theoretical results for extreme sample sizes. The intermediate value of the equation is confirmed with a computational test.
Convergent solution-phase synthesis of a nucleopeptide using a protected oligonucleotide

A nucleopeptide was prepared in a convergent manner via segmental coupling of the protected biopolymers in solution. The resulting nucleopeptide (4b, 72%) containing the binding site of λ repressor and a peptide containing the consensus sequence of the DNA binding helix of the helix turn-helix-proteins was obtained using only five equivalents of the peptide relative to the oligonucleotide. This demonstrates that the recently developed method for the solution phase coupling of protected oligonucleotides is amenable to the convergent synthesis of larger nucleopeptides that are potentially capable of adopting secondary structure.
A review of anti-inflammatory agents for symptoms of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic debilitating mental disorder that affects about 1% of the US population. The pathophysiology and etiology remain unknown, thus new treatment targets have been challenging and few novel treatments with new mechanisms of action have come to market in the past few decades. Increasing attention has been paid to the role of inflammation in schizophrenia and new data suggests that decreasing inflammation and inflammatory biomarkers may play some role in schizophrenia treatment. This review summarizes the clinical trial literature regarding medications that possess anti-inflammatory properties that have been tested for schizophrenia symptoms and covers such medications as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, such as the cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors and aspirin, omega-3 fatty acids, neurosteroids and minocycline. Overall, there is accumulating evidence, albeit mostly adjunctive treatments, that agents working on inflammatory pathways have some benefits in people with schizoph...
Proliferation and critical risk

Does proliferation increase the risk of war between new nuclear powers? Two schools of thought ‐ proliferation pessimists and optimists ‐ offer very different answers. The former stress the first‐strike danger of nuclear‐armed ballistic missiles and the resulting crisis instability as a cause of preemptive war. The latter stress the caution‐inducing effects of nuclear warheads and fear of retaliation as a check on would‐be attackers. To bridge the gap between these two schools, Daniel Ellsberg's concept of critical risk is used to show how the likelihood of war changes as new nuclear powers enlarge and improve their missile forces. Ellsberg's framework suggests that the danger of war is low between recent proliferators but rises as nuclear stockpiles grow, thereby changing the payoffs associated with striking first or striking second and increasing the danger of war due to accidents, miscalculations, and uncontrollable interactions between rival nuclear forces. Ellsberg's framework also suggests that the ...
The Prediction of Protein pKa's Using QM/MM: The pKa of Lysine 55 in Turkey Ovomucoid Third Domain

A computational methodology for pKa predictions of small molecules based on an ab initio quantum mechanics (QM) description of the acid and a linearized Poisson−Boltzmann equation (LPBE) description of bulk solvation using the polarized continuum method is presented. This QM/LPBE method is capable of reproducing the pKa's of several functional groups found in amino acid residues with a root-mean-square deviation from experiment of 0.6 pH units. The practical applicability of the QM/LPBE method is extended to proteins by using a QM description of the ionizable residue and an effective fragment potential (MM) description of the rest of the protein. This QM/MM/LPBE method is used to predict a pKa of the Lys55 residue in turkey ovomucoid third domain of 11.0, which is in good agreement with the experimental value of 11.1.
Reconstruction of the self: Life-span-oriented group psychotherapy

Abstract Traumatic events affect the individual at many levels of functioning. They can have profound and lingering consequences for self-identity. Affective, cognitive, and behavioral components of the functioning of the self are experienced as disjointed, producing at times a sense of a lack of control of the self and a feeling of schism between the pre- and posttrauma identities. Therapeutic interventions drawing on constructivist theory and integrative techniques are useful in helping the traumatized individual regain self-understanding and mastery. The design and operation of a life-span-oriented group developed for work with individuals who have posttraumatic stress disorder are described. Guidelines for the structure and process of the group are provided, as are principles for technique selection and use within a structured, self-reflective group format.
Evaluation of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymerization thermal stability and runaway behavior

Evaluation of thermal stability and runaway behavior of any exothermic chemical system is of great importance for the design and operation of a chemical process. The evaluation process should be based on a thorough investigation of the reaction chemistry including reaction pathways, thermodynamic, and kinetic parameters. When addressing the reactivity hazards of any reacting system, the dominant pathway(s) should be identified. Identifying the main reaction pathway under specific conditions will lead to a better thermodynamic and kinetic characterization of the reacting system. In this article, the thermal stability and runaway behavior of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymerization reaction system in bulk is evaluated. Traditional thermal analysis techniques (calorimetric analysis) are combined with computational quantum chemistry methods and empirical thermodynamic-energy correlations. Reaction pathways are identified from the theoretical approach and verified by experimental measurements. The results of this analysis are compared to literature data for this system.
Effect of hydroxyurea analogues in regenerating rat liver.

Abstract Hydroxyurea, a DNA synthesis inhibitor, has antitumor properties and has recently been introduced for clinical use. This drug and a series of related drugs have been studied for their effect on DNA synthesis in a rapidly proliferating normal tissue, the regenerating liver. The p K a of each drug was determined. This has allowed the conclusion that expression of the inhibitory action depends on the moiety, which must be intact and protonated under physiological conditions. A complete hydroxamic group is not essential. Among the drugs tested, hydroxyurethane, hydroxyguanidine, dihydroxyurea, and hydroxyurea cause marked inhibition of DNA synthesis, while hydroxyoxamide is less effective. Glycine hydroxamic acid and 2-hydroxyacetamide are not inhibitory for DNA synthesis. Glycine hydroxamic acid is found to preferentially inhibit the synthesis of RNA.
Characterization of polystyrenes of controlled molecular weight by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Abstract The linewidths (δH) of proton magnetic resonance absorption spectra of polystyrenes of “controlled” molecular weight in the range 10,300 to 860,000 have been studied as a function of temperature in the range 100° to 420°K. The results of this study, together with the derived parameters, such as the activation energy (ΔE) for various reorientations of the polymer chain and the glass transition temperature (Tg), have been shown to provide sensitive criteria for characterizing these polymers. The Tg values are compared with those obtained by other workers using dilatometric techniques. The variation of Tg and ΔE with other parameters and some aspects of the dielectric and N. M. R. relaxation relative to certain molecular reorientations are discussed.
AMPK-Dependent Degradation of TXNIP upon Energy Stress Leads to Enhanced Glucose Uptake via GLUT1

Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is an α-arrestin family protein that is induced in response to glucose elevation. It has been shown to provide a negative feedback loop to regulate glucose uptake into cells, though the biochemical mechanism of action has been obscure. Here, we report that TXNIP suppresses glucose uptake directly, by binding to the glucose transporter GLUT1 and inducing GLUT1 internalization through clathrin-coated pits, as well as indirectly, by reducing the level of GLUT1 messenger RNA (mRNA). In addition, we show that energy stress results in the phosphorylation of TXNIP by AMP-dependent protein kinase (AMPK), leading to its rapid degradation. This suppression of TXNIP results in an acute increase in GLUT1 function and an increase in GLUT1 mRNA (hence the total protein levels) for long-term adaptation. The glucose influx through GLUT1 restores ATP-to-ADP ratios in the short run and ultimately induces TXNIP protein production to suppress glucose uptake once energy homeostasis is reestablished.
Dynamic Capacity Acquisition and Assignment under Uncertainty

Given a set of m resources and n tasks, the dynamic capacity acquisition and assignment problem seeks a minimum cost schedule of capacity acquisitions for the resources and the assignment of resources to tasks, over a given planning horizon of T periods. This problem arises, for example, in the integrated planning of locations and capacities of distribution centers (DCs), and the assignment of customers to the DCs, in supply chain applications. We consider the dynamic capacity acquisition and assignment problem in an environment where the assignment costs and the processing requirements for the tasks are uncertain. Using a scenario based approach, we develop a stochastic integer programming model for this problem. The highly non-convex nature of this model prevents the application of standard stochastic programming decomposition algorithms. We use a recently developed decomposition based branch-and-bound strategy for the problem. Encouraging preliminary computational results are provided.
Smart Sensors for Smart Hands

Proximity, force-torque, touch and slippage sensors developed or applied by the JPL Teleoperator Project for remote manipulator control are described, including sensor data handling by computers for display and control. Examples are quoted showing the significance of these sensors for manual or computer control of manipulators. An interesting example is a proximity sensor system implemented for a four-claw JSC end effector and tested at the Shuttle Manipulator Training Facility of JSC. New sensing concepts aimed at simplifying the implementation of 'Smart Sensors for Smart Hands' in the space environment are discussed.
COMPARISONS OF FOUR TECHNIQUES FOR PRAWN (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) NURSERY REARING1

Prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) postlarvae (average weight 0.04 g) were stocked at 40/m2 into circular plastic nursery pools with a surface area of 7.3 m2 and water depth of 0.5 m. The use of fertilizers in place of feeds, pre-treatment of fertilized pools with trichlorfon to reduce predacious insects and/or competitors and the use of additional substrate were evaluated for prawn nursery rearing. After a 35-day nursery period, average survival and weight in fertilized pools with additional substrate were 65% and 0.301 g, in fertilized pools with additional substrate and pre-treated with trichlorfon 66% and 0.231 g, in pools receiving feed with additional substrate 74% and 0.352 g, and in pools receiving feed but having no additional substrate 83% and 0.305 g. There were significant differences in survival and growth between the treatments. The results of this study suggest prawn growth and survival were improved with feeds, while improvements from a trichlorfon pretreatment or additional substrate were not substantial.
Improvement of Switching Field in Magnetic Tunneling Junction Using Ru/Ta Capping Layer

In this report, we will demonstrate that by simply using a bilayer capping layer of Ru/Ta instead of usually used Ta, the switching field, as well as distribution of switching fields, of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) can be considerably reduced. Two samples with the same MTJ stack of Ta/PtMn/SAF-pinned/AlOx/CoFeB(2 nm) (bottom to top) but capped by different metal layers of Ta and Ru/Ta, correspondingly, were deposited on thermally oxidized Si substrates at room temperature using a UHV DC sputtering system. The R-H loops of 100 MTJs were measured at room temperature with a bias voltage of 0.1 volt for various fields. Results suggested that MTJs of high magnetoresistance (MR) ratio as well as low switching field with narrow distributions can be achieved by using CoFeB as free layer and Ru/Ta as capping layer.
TEST OF SECOND CLASS CURRENT IN NUCLEAR BETA-DECAY.

Abstract As a possible test of the presence of second class currents, we propose the measurement of angular correlations in the β-decay of 12 B and 12 N. The test is free of uncertainties due to nuclear structure effects.
Laterality, mirror-writing and mirror-reading.

In order to examine the relationship among laterality, mirror-writing, and mirror-reading in a normal adult population, 22 college students completed a laterality test, a mirror-writing task, and a mirror-reading task. Results indicated there to be a significant relationship among the variables. The need for normative data on these relationships is suggested for both normal and dyslexic populations.
Changes in plasma renin activity and haemodynamics during vasodilator therapy in conscious dogs with myocardial infarction or chronic volume overload

The aim of the study was to compare the changes in plasma renin activity induced by a vasodilator in normal dogs and in dogs with an impaired cardiac reserve. In normal conscious dogs, a 60-min nitroprusside infusion increased plasma renin activity from 1.05 +/- 0.26 to 8.35 +/- 1.20 ng, angiotensin I ml-1 h-1 (P less than 0.002) and heart rate from 83 +/- 6 to 149 +/- 15 beats/min (P less than 0.002). In five dogs in which a aortocaval fistula had been created 4 weeks earlier, the same infusion still increased plasma renin activity but significantly less than in normal dogs (0.90 +/- 0.29 to 4.44 +/- 0.64 ng ml-1 h-1; P less than 0.01) and the heart rate was unchanged (134 +/- 4 to 139 +/- 7 beats/min; NS). Similarly, in five dogs with a previous myocardial infarction, the heart rats response to nitroprusside was blunted (108 to 107 beats/min;NS) and plasma renin activity increased less than in normal dogs. Plasma renin activity also increased acutely after hydralazine administration in dogs which myocardial infarction (1.05 +/- 0.26 to 8.99 +/- 0.79 ng ml-1 h-1; P less than 0.05); after 1 week of hydralazine, plasma volume had increased from 54.9 +/- 0.9 ml kg-1 to 74.5 +/- 4.9 ml kg-1 (P less than 0.05) and plasma renin activity remained higher than control (4.66 +/- 0.66 ng ml-1 h-1; P less than 0.01). In conclusion, vasodilator therapy rapidly activates vasoconstrictor forces and fluid retention even in dogs with limited cardiac reserve. Although the regulation of plasma renin secretion appears altered in these models of heart disease, the renin response remains sufficient to seriously limit the beneficial effects of vasodilator therapy.
Limitations of an Indentation Model for Grinding Gamma Titanium Aluminide

This paper explores the limitations of a previously reported indentation model that correlated the depth of plastic deformation and the normal component of the grinding force. The indentation model for grinding is studied using force control grinding of gamma titanium aluminide (TiAl-γ). Reciprocating surface grinding is carried out for a range of normal force 15–90 N, a cutting depth of 20–40 μm and removal rate of 1–9 mm3 /sec using diamond, cubic boron nitride (CBN) and aluminum oxide (Al2 O3 ) abrasives. The experimental data show that the indentation model for grinding is a valid approximation when the normal component of grinding force exceeds some value that is abrasive dependent.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Generic relativizations of fine structure

It is shown how certain generic extensions of a fine structural model in the sense of Mitchell and Steel [MiSt] can be reorganized as relativizations of the model to the generic object. This is then applied to the construction of Steel's core model for one Woodin cardinal [St] and its generalizations.
Temporal aspects of hedonic responses.

. Continuous measurement of degree of liking for chocolate milk varying in milkfat (0–36%) showed significant fluctuations over the 80 s test period. For 17 judges, samples with intermediate fat levels received maximum liking 20–30 s after placement in the mouth then declined to neutral (neither like nor dislike). The nonfat sample gave a flat, neutral response across time while the 36% fat sample was initially neutral, reached maximum dislike at approximately 20 s then gradually returned to neutral. For 5 judges, increasing degree of liking was expressed for increasing fat levels. For both groups, maximum and minimum time-intensity (T-I) measurements correlated significantly with results from conventional hedonic scaling on a 20-cm line. Degree of liking was unaffected by swallowing or expectorating samples by either T-I or scaling. Thus, similar to perceived intensity, hedonic responses are not static, but show systematic changes during tasting, i.e., from the time the sample is placed into the mouth, through expectoration (or swallowing) until a steady (usually neutral) state is reached.
Can Web services scale up

In the past, only major Internet players such as Amazon, eBay, and Google were interested in deploying large-scale Web services. However, this is changing rapidly as all sorts of companies and governmental organizations are suddenly looking toward Web services as a platform that might support a wide range of demanding applications. This emerging trend presents developers with a new challenge: building Web services solutions that scale. In a nutshell, a scalable system is one that can flexibly accommodate growth in its client base. Such systems typically run on a clustered computer or in a large data center and must be able to handle high loads or sudden demand bursts and a vast number of users. They must reliably respond even in the event of failures or reconfiguration. Ideally, they're self-managed and automate as many routine services such as backups and component upgrades as possible. Many settings also require security against attempted intrusions and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. At a glance, today's Web services standards seem to answer these needs. However, a more probing analysis reveals many critical limitations.
Temperature above the surface layer

Three published data sets of upper-air global temperatures, two from radiosondes and one from satellites, are examined and compared for the lower stratosphere and troposphere.
Effect of feed hydration on the dynamics of in situ ruminal digestion

Lucerne haylage (Medicago sativa), maize silage (Zea mays), ground maize, soyabean meal, and a totally mixed diet received hydration for 7 days or no hydration to test treatment effects on the dynamics of in situ dry matter (DM) and nitrogen digestion in the rumen. Duplicate samples of all feed and treatment combinations were placed in the rumen of two cannulated lactating Holstein cows for 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64 h. Soluble, degradable, and indigestible fractions, fractional digestion rates and lag times estimated for DM differed among feeds but were unaffected by hydration. On average, 13% more DM and 19% more nitrogen were solubilized or rinsed from hydrated bags at time 0. Nitrogen disappearance was also unaffected by hydration except that the soluble and degradable fractions were higher and lower, respectively, for hydrated feeds. Although feed dry matter and nitrogen disappearance were increased by hydration at time 0, the effects of hydration on the kinetics of in situ digestion in the rumen were minor. Other factors (e.g., feed composition, particle size, microbial attachment, and rumen environment) are likely more important determinants of the kinetics of digestion in the rumen than hydration.
B lymphocytes and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototypic autoim-mune disease characterized by B cell hyperactivity in associa-tion with autoantibodies, most prominently those directed to components of the cell nucleus. The source of the antigens that drive B cell responses in SLE is unknown, although recent studies suggest mechanisms by which the self-antigens become immunogenic and stimulate responses. Among these mecha-nisms, abnormalities in the generation of apoptotic cells or their clearance may increase the availability of nuclear antigens to drive responses. In addition, autoantibody crossreactivity may promote induction of responses to disparate antigens, foreign and self, and enable a single autoantibody to cause dis-ease by crossreactive binding. In addition to reflecting increased exposure to self-antigen, autoantibody responses in SLE may result from abnormalities in B cell signaling and regu-lation by cytokines. New approaches to therapy aim to abro-gate autoantibody production by targeting specific steps in B cell activation, including blockade of T cell costimulation.
A new reaction for the direct conversion of 4-azido-4-deoxy-D-galactoside into a 4-deoxy-D-erythro-hexos-3-ulose.

A new one-step reaction has been developed for converting 4-azido-4-deoxy-d-galactoside into 4-deoxy-d-erythro-hexos-3-ulose by phosphoramidites and tetrazole. It is proposed that the new reaction proceeds via an intramolecular Staudinger reaction of the phosphite intermediate and a tetrazole-catalyzed elimination reaction of the resultant phosphorimidate. Tetrazole appears to be playing a unique role by acting as a bifunctional catalyst to facilitate the elimination reaction.
A study on object tracking quality under probabilistic coverage in sensor networks

Sensor networks are used for a wide range of object tracking applications, such as vehicle tracking in military surveillance and wild animal tracking in habitat monitoring [1]. These applications, by their nature, enforce certain tracking quality and lifetime requirements. These two requirements, however, are two conflicting optimization goals due to the stringent energy constraints of sensor nodes.
Multiterminal resilience for series-parallel networks

Network resilience measures the average two-terminal reliability (connectedness) of a network. Multiterminal resilience extends this measure to any k vertices; it is the average k-terminal reliability of a network. This generalizes two well-studied network connectedness measures. Calculating multiterminal resilience on general networks encompasses all-terminal reliability and thus is NP-hard. Multiterminal resilience is examined on undirected series-parallel networks, and an efficient (polynomial time) algorithm is developed for calculating the resilience for every k. Applications in mobile ad hoc and sensor networks are outlined. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 50(2), 164–172 2007