cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CDDO-9,11-dihydro-trifluoroethyl amide (CDDO-dhTFEA) induces hepatic cytoprotective genes and increases bile flow in rats

Abstract1. The transcription factor Nrf2 is important for hepatoprotection against oxidative stress, as it regulates many cytoprotective genes, including several important for glutathione (GSH) homeostasis. In addition to being an important endogenous antioxidant, GSH is also critical for the maintenance of bile acid-independent bile flow. While it has been well-established that synthetic oleanane triterpenoids pharmacologically activate Nrf2, their effects on bile flow and hepatic cytoprotective capacity have not been fully explored.2. The present studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of a compound in this class, CDDO-9,11-dihydro-trifluoroethyl amide (CDDO-dhTFEA), on these parameters. CDDO-dhTFEA at 3, 10 or 30 mg/kg was orally administered to bile duct-cannulated rats once daily for 7 days, with bile collected 5 h after each dose for 1 h. Livers were harvested after the final bile collection for the evaluation of histology and Nrf2 targets.3. CDDO-dhTFEA did not affect liver histology. CDDO-d...
UNUSUALLY HIGH MITOCHONDRIAL ALPHA GLYCEROPHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITY IN RAT BROWN ADIPOSE TISSUE

Brown adipose tissue of the rat has been found to have an unusually high activity of mitohondrial α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (α-GPD) when assayed both by a histochemical staining procedure and by a quantitative biochemical method with isolated mitochondria. In contrast to succinic, glutamic, and β-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenases, all mitochondrial enzymes, the activity of α-GPD in brown fat was 10 times that in liver, more than 20 times that in white adipose tissue, and 9 times that in kidney. The soluble NAD-linked α-GPD was also higher in brown adipose tissue than in white adipose tissue, liver, or kidney, but the differences were much less marked. The possible importance of the high activity of mitochondrial α-GPD in the regulation of synthesis of esterified lipid and in thermogenesis in brown fat is discussed.
Genital herpes : gender comparisons and the disease experience

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine gender differences in the disease experience of persons who have genital herpes. Participants were 60 volunteers (34 females, 26 males) with rec...
Decitabine increases fetal hemoglobin in Papio anubis by increasing γ-globin gene transcription.

Objective The mechanism responsible for increased fetal hemoglobin levels following decitabine treatment remains controversial. These experiments were performed to evaluate the role of transcriptional vs. translational mechanisms in the ability of decitabine to increase fetal hemoglobin levels in vivo. Materials and Methods Three normal, nonanemic baboons were treated with decitabine subcutaneously (0.5 mg/kg/d) for 10 days. The effect of decitabine on globin chain synthesis and globin messenger RNA levels was measured in pre- and posttreatment bone marrow aspirates by biosynthetic radiolabeling with [ 3 H] leucine followed by separation of globin chains by high-performance liquid chromatography, and real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The effect on DNA methylation of the ɛ- and γ-globin gene promoters was determined by bisulfite sequence analysis. Results Decitabine treatment of normal, nonanemic baboons induced similar increases in the γ/γ+β chain synthetic ratio and the γ/total β-like globin RNA ratio and also increased expression of ɛ-globin transcripts. Increased expression of ɛ- and γ-globin was associated with decreased DNA methylation of the ɛ- and γ-globin gene promoters. Conclusions Decitabine increases fetal hemoglobin in vivo by transcriptional activation of the γ-globin gene.
Understanding granular mixing to enhance coating performance in a pan coater: Experiments and simulations

Abstract The knowledge of the particle flow and mixing in a pan coater is critical to optimize the design and operation of coating equipment. Mixing is an important but poorly understood aspect of coating of pharmaceutical dosage forms (tablets). Our study focuses on the fundamental mechanisms of granular flow and mixing and their relationship to the coating performance. A quantitative method is developed and validated to characterize the mixing process throughout the mixing vessel. This method is used to establish a baseline determination of mixing homogeneity as a function of various mixing conditions. White and red non-pareils of 5–6 mesh size are loaded in the ellipsoid pan coater to check the effect of initial loading (side–side and front–back), fill level, orientation of the vessel and the vessel speed on granular mixing. Video-imaging and discrete-pocket samplers are used to quantify mixing and to finally estimate the optimal operating conditions. DEM (Discrete Element Method) based numerical model was also developed to study the effect of granular mixing in a pan coater. When the axis of rotation of the mixer is horizontal (no tilt), slower axial dispersion is observed in both the experiments and simulations, than the radial convection. However, tilt enhances axial mixing, and faster axial mixing is seen for higher tilt angles from the horizontal. The speed of the rotating vessel has a nominal effect on the rate of mixing in a coating pan, as observed from the experimental and simulation studies. Moreover, fill level has no significant effect on the rate of mixing. Coating experiments are performed in the pan coater where white non-pareils being coated by spraying Opadry II solution. DEM simulation of coating is performed with post processing particle dynamics data. The effects of various operational and spray parameters are determined on the coating performance. Optimal coating performance is attained at an optimal mixing condition.
Letter by ElBardissi Regarding Article, “Outcome of Alcohol Septal Ablation for Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy”

To the Editor: Sorajja et al1 report the most comprehensive analysis of septal myectomy versus septal artery ablation, continuing to elevate the debate regarding the optimal intervention for patients with severe symptoms due to the obstructive variant of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Although there were no significant differences in medium-term survival rates (extended out to a median of 2.2 years), patients who underwent septal artery ablation were more symptomatic at follow-up when compared with an age- and gender-matched cohort who had undergone septal myectomy. Furthermore, …
Multiple injury approach and its use for toxicity studies

We present an experimental approach that allows exposure of cells plated on a single coverslip to multiple distinct environments. The original chamber design created a small region of injury using geometrically defined flows of the control and ischemic solutions. Modifications of the original chamber design presented in this article produce a range of flow patterns that can be advantageous for a variety of imaging applications. These applications include: experiments that address effects of different treatments applied to a cell network, parallel testing of negative and positive controls using a single coverslip, border effect studies, evaluation of the treatment’s reversibility, and simultaneous monitoring of a cell layer loaded with different fluorescent indicators. The method also can be used to reveal both micro- and macroscopic features of propagation, conduction, and cell coupling in a normal or altered cardia cell network. These possibilities are illustrated in cultures of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes using oxidant-and calcium-sensitive fluorescent indicators.
Exercise thallium-201 perfusion scintigraphy in the assessment of coronary artery disease

Exercise thallium-201 perfusion scintigraphy has been used extensively over the last decade for the detection and localization of coronary artery disease. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a refinement of presently avallable techniques, offering improved identification over planar imaging of individual vessel stenosis and quantification of the extent of abnormally perfused myocardium. In this review, the planar and SPECT techniques are discussed in light of the most recently published large patient series, and with regard to the many factors that affect the sensitivity and specificity of perfusion imaging in identifying coronary artery disease. The clinical implications of exercise perfusion scintigraphy and its future applications in cardiology practice are discussed.
Selected Practices Used in Administering the Advanced Placement Program in the Secondary Public Schools of the State of New York

IN RECENT YEARS, the problem of meeting the needs of intellectually superior students became the object of an unprecedented emphasis in Ameri can education. While attempting to provide higher education for all who could profit by it, educators sought to make available programs appropriate toa broad array of individual needs and differences. One answer to this growing emphasis on the needs of academically superior students was the Advanced Placement Program which originated as the results of two committee reports, General Education in School and College, and, The College Study of Ad mission with Advanced Standing, both supported from 1952 to 1959 by the Fund for the Advancement of Education (1). The data in Table 1 reveal the growth and expan sion of the Advanced Placement Program since its inception on the American educational scene. In 1953-54, 532 students from 18 secondary schools in the nation took 959 Advanced Placement Exami nations and entered 94 colleges. In 1962-63, 21, 769 from 1681 schools took 28, 762 examinations and entered 765 colleges. The latest report of the Col lege Board for 1964 again indicates a substantial ex pansion for the program. The Advanced Placement Program can hardly be considered an experimental program any longer. It is an integral part of the curriculum of a steadily increasing number of Amer ican schools and has received wide acceptance among colleges and universities. The 1961-63 edi tion of the College Handbook (2) also attests to its acceptance among colleges and universities by vir tue of the fact that 90. 9 percent of the colleges list ed maintain some policy concerning granting ad vanced placement to qualified freshmen. The public secondary schools of the State of New York were chosen for this study because New York ranked first in the number of schools offering the program as well as candidates and examinations taken. Of the 21, 000 students in the United States who took advanced placement examinations for col lege credit in 1963, almost 3000 were from New York City high schools (3). In no other state has a State Department of Education so highly endorsed and as actively supported the Advanced Placement Program as has the State Department of Education of New York.
Molecular Dynamics of Coat Proteins of the Human Rhinovirus

Abstract The effects of the oxazole antiviral WIN 52084 on the thermal vibrations of the coat proteins of the human rhinovirus were studied by means of a comparison of two molecular dynamics simulations. One simulation involved only a protomeric unit (cluster of four proteins) of the viral coat, while the other included the antiviral drug bound to the protein cluster. Analysis of the RMS fluctations for all atoms indicates that the drug did not cause any statistically significant global changes in the amplitude of atomic motion. However, the RMS fluctuation of seventeen residues in the vicinity of the drug decreased by about 11%. Two global effects were observed. Most importantly, the drug was found to make the decay times of the atomic fluctuations more uniform. Also, the drug lowered the average correlation time for displacements of atoms in the drug-bound cluster. Finally, a comparison of the differences in the normalized cross-correlation functions of residues close to the binding site showed that the...
Â-genus and collapsing

If M is a compact spin manifold, we give relationships between the vanishing of Â(M) and the possibility that M can collapse with curvature bounded below.
Satellites to study geomagnetic storms

NASA's Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) mission to study geomagnetic substorms over the next two years launched on 17 February from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. Substorms are visible in the atmosphere as a sudden brightening of polar auroral ribbons as they split and reorganize, and are thought to form when solar wind overloads the magnetosphere with too much energy. Substorms are closely related to space storms that can disable spacecraft, communications and navigation systems, and power grids and that can expose astronauts to high energy free electrons. Launched from a single rocket, THEMIS's five satellites will align themselves between the Sun and the Earth to view substorms; simultaneously, ground stations in Alaska and Canada will monitor auroral dynamics.
Fusion of Mature HIV-1 Particles Leads to Complete Release of a Gag-GFP-Based Content Marker and Raises the Intraviral pH

By imaging the release of a GFP-based viral content marker produced upon virus maturation, we have previously found that HIV-1 fuses with endosomes. In contrast, fusion at the cell surface did not progress beyond a lipid mixing stage (hemifusion). However, recent evidence suggesting that free GFP can be trapped within the mature HIV-1 capsid raises concerns that this content marker may not be released immediately after the formation of a fusion pore. To determine whether a significant portion of GFP is trapped in the mature capsid, we first permeabilized the viral membrane with saponin. The overwhelming majority of pseudoviruses fully released GFP while the remaining particles exhibited partial loss or no loss of content. The extent of GFP release correlated with HIV-1 maturation, implying that incomplete Gag processing, but not GFP entrapment by mature capsids, causes partial content release. Next, we designed a complementary assay for visualizing pore formation by monitoring the intraviral pH with an additional pH-sensitive fluorescent marker. The loss of GFP through saponin-mediated pores was associated with a concomitant increase in the intraviral pH due to equilibration with the pH of an external buffer. We next imaged single HIV-cell fusion and found that these events were manifested in a highly correlated loss of content and increase in the intraviral pH, as it equilibrated with the cytosolic pH. Fused or saponin-permeabilized pseudoviruses that partially lost GFP did not release the remaining content marker under conditions expected to promote the capsid dissociation. We were thus unable to detect significant entrapment of GFP by the mature HIV-1 capsid. Together, our results validate the use of the GFP-based content marker for imaging single virus fusion and inferring the sites of HIV-1 entry.
User-Interfaces for Incremental Recipient and Response Time Predictions in Asynchronous Messaging

We have created a new set of existing and novel predictive user-interfaces for exchanging messages in asynchronous collaborative systems such as email and internet communities. These interfaces support predictions of tags, hierarchical recipients, and message response times. The predictions are made incrementally, as messages are composed, and are offered to both senders and receivers of messages. The user interfaces are implemented by a test-bed that also supports experiments to evaluate them. It can automate the actions of the collaborators with whom a subject exchanges messages, replay user actions, and gather and display effort and correctness metrics related to these predictions. The collaborator actions and predictions are specified using a declarative mechanism. A video demonstration of this work is available at http://youtu.be/NJt9Rfqb1ko.
Comparison of Treatment Regimens for Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in Patients with AIDS in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Purpose To describe the outcomes of different treatment approaches for cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Design Prospective cohort study, the Longitudinal Study of the Ocular Complications of AIDS. Participants A total of 250 patients with CMV retinitis and a CD4+ T-cell count Methods The effects of systemic therapy (vs. intraocular therapy only) on systemic outcomes and the effect of intraocular therapies (ganciclovir implants, intravitreal injections) on ocular outcomes were evaluated. Main Outcome Measures Mortality, CMV dissemination, retinitis progression, and treatment side effects. Results Regimens containing systemic anti-CMV therapy were associated with a 50% reduction in mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3–0.7; P = 0.006), a 90% reduction in new visceral CMV disease (adjusted HR, 0.1; 95% CI, 0.04–0.4; P = 0.004), and among those with unilateral CMV retinitis at presentation, an 80% reduction in second eye disease (adjusted HR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.1–0.5; P = 0.0005) when compared with those using only intraocular therapy (implants or injections). Compared with systemic treatment only, regimens containing intravitreal injections had greater rates of retinitis progression (adjusted HR, 3.4; P = 0.004) and greater visual field loss (for loss of one half of the normal field, adjusted HR, 5.5; P P = 0.26; adjusted HR for loss of one half of the visual field, 0.5; P = 0.45), but the sample size was small. Hematologic and renal side effect rates were similar between those groups with and without systemic anti-CMV therapy. The rate of endophthalmitis was 0.017 per eye-year (EY) (95% CI, 0.006–0.05) among those treated with intravitreal injections and 0.01 per EY (95% CI, 0.002–0.04) among those treated with an implant. Conclusions In the HAART era, systemic anti-CMV therapy, while there is immune compromise, seems to provide benefits in terms of longer survival and decreased CMV dissemination. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
Downward Social Mobility in Pre-Revolutionary China

Most analyses of social mobility in traditional China have concentrated on the gentry-the people who had obtained degrees in the Confucian examination system. For one thing, these were the most influential people in the society. For another, it is possible to define them rather precisely; a man either had a degree or he did not. Still, the gentry formed less than 1% of the population. The overwhelming majority of the Chinese people were not members of the gentry and had no reasonable prospect of having their children join the gentry. For them, social mobility meant movement upward or downward within the category sometimes referred to as the commoners. For instance, a tenant farmer might hope that his sons would someday have land of their own, while fearing that they might lose even the position of tenants and sink to become landless laborers. This paper will deal with this kind of mobility, within the mass population; it will have nothing to say about the gentry. The data on which it is based refer mainly to the period from 1850 up to the Revolution of 1949, but the situation described must have existed long before 1850. In any discussion of social mobility, there are three phenomena which should be carefully distinguished. First, there can be
Comparison of Methods for Estimating Evapotranspiration in a Small Rangeland Catchment

Evapotranspiration (ET) was quantified for two rangeland vegetation types, aspen and sagebrush-grassland, over an 8-yr study period by comparing the following approaches for estimating ET: eddy covariance systems (EC, available for only 6 yr); soil water storage loss measured by time domain reflectometry (TDR) and neutron probe; and model simulation. The research site, the Upper Sheep Creek catchment in the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed, is part of a study on the effects of prescribed fire and vegetation removal. Estimates of seasonal ET for the aspen using EC with the turbulent fluxes adjusted to force energy balance closure, a 180-cm TDR soil profile, two 225-cm neutron access tubes, and the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model agreed well with each other. If the two neutron probes were averaged, the RMSD of all approaches over the 6 yr was within 8% of the average. For the sagebrush-grassland, a 120-cm TDR profile underestimated seasonal ET for all years except the year immediately following the prescribed fire, when rooting depth likely had not recovered. A 195-cm neutron probe access tube located within 30 m of the stream underestimated ET for every year except when there was no streamflow, suggesting that lateral flow may have biased the results for this tube. A comparison of the other methods (EC flux adjusted to force energy balance closure, soil water loss measured from a 225-cm neutron access tube, and SHAW model simulation) agreed within 3% during the 6 yr with EC measurements at that site.
Hepatic ultrastructure in leprechaunism. Hepatic ultrastructural evidence suggesting a syndrome with defective hepatic glucose release.

Leprechaunism is a congenital syndrome with characteristic habitus and facies, with fasting hypoglycemia and hyperinsulinism. In response to a glucose challenge there is prolonged severe hyperglycemia with an increased hyperinsulinemia. Our studies on such a patient showed a normal response of the serum glucose to glucagon stimulation in the fed state but no response in the postabsorptive state. Ultrastructural studies on the hepatocytes demonstrated that a lack of hepatic glycogen was not responsible for the biochemical features, since there was abundant normal β-glycogen in both the fed and fasting state, the granules being smaller in the fasted state. We speculate that carbohydrate intolerance in leprechaunism may be due to a relative insulin resistance of cell receptors in the fed state. Reactive hyperinsulinemia persisting into the postabsorptive phase appears to antagonize the usual glycogenolytic response to glucagon during fasting, resulting in hypoglycemia despite the presence of large hepatic glycogen stores.
Substrate Connectivity Effects in the Transition State for Cytidine Deaminase

The binding properties of substrates and competitive inhibitors of Escherichia coli cytidine deaminase are compared with those of the fragments obtained by cutting these ligands at several positions including the glycosidic bond. In contrast with the normal substrate cytidine (kcat/Km = 2.6 × 106 M-1 s-1), cytosine is found to serve as an extremely slow substrate (kcat/Km = 1.8 × 10-3 M-1 s-1), despite the ability of cytosine to enter any active site that can accommodate the normal substrate cytidine. Spontaneous nonenzymatic deamination proceeds at similar rates for cytosine and cytidine at pH 7 and 25 °C, indicating that substituent ribose exerts little effect on the intrinsic reactivity of cytidine in solution. Dividing knon by kcat/Km, the maximal Kd value of the enzyme's complex with the altered substrate in the transition state is estimated as 6.1 × 10-8 M for cytosine, very much higher than the value (1.2 × 10-16 M) estimated for cytidine. The Kd value of ribofuranose, the missing substituent, is r...
The Relationship between Panic Disorder and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

AbstractIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders with an estimated prevalence of 8% to 22% in the general population. A minority of patients seek treatment for the disorder, yet it accounts for 20% to 50% of gastroenterology clinic patients. The illness occurs twice as frequently in women as in men and has an onset in the early 20s [1,2]. It has a chronic course and, while there is no predisposition to other disease or increased mortality, IBS is associated with significant morbidity in the form of sick days and limitation of activities. Irritable bowel syndrome has no clearly established pathogenesis or treatment and the diagnosis remains one of exclusion without a biological marker. The relationship between IBS and panic disorder, which is the subject of this paper, appears to be especially close. Both are prevalent among young women, have a chronic fluctuating course, are associated with multiple somatic complaints, and appear to be familial. In fact, there ar...
Effects of omitting information variables on optimal hedge ratio estimation: A note

Suppose that there is an information variable (with error correction variable being a special case) affecting the spot price but not the futures price. The estimated optimal hedge ratio is unbiased but inefficient when this variable is omitted. In addition, the resulting hedging effectiveness is smaller than that provided by the efficient hedge ratio. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 30:795–800, 2010
The Relationship Between Staff Development and Health Instruction in Schools in the United States.

Abstract This analysis examined differences in health instruction among teachers of required health education classes or courses who had received or wanted staff development on health topics, teachers who had a degree in health education, and teachers who were Certified Health Education Specialists. Classroom-level data were collected from teachers of a nationally representative sample of randomly selected classes in public and private elementary schools and randomly selected required health education courses in public and private middle/junior and senior high schools. Health topics analyzed included tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use prevention; accident or injury prevention; violence prevention; HIV, sexually transmitted disease, and pregnancy prevention; nutrition and dietary behaviors; and physical activity and fitness. Participation in and desire for staff development on health topics were low. Staff development on health topics during the 2 years preceding the study was associated with teaching mo...
Pragmatic comprehension deficit in Parkinson's disease

Recognizing the specific speech act (Searle, 1969) that a speaker performs with an utterance is a fundamental feature of pragmatic competence. However, little is known about neurocognitive mediation of speech act comprehension. The present research examined the extent to which people with Parkinson's disease (PD) comprehend specific speech acts. In the first experiment, participants read conversational utterances and then performed a lexical decision task (decide whether a target string of letters was a word). Consistent with past research, nonimpaired participants performed this task more quickly when the target string was the speech act associated with the preceding utterance. In contrast, people with PD did not demonstrate this effect, suggesting that speech act activation is slowed or is not an automatic component of comprehension for people with PD. In a second study, participants were given unlimited time to indicate their recognition of the speech act performed with an utterance. PD participants we...
A MODEL LIFE TABLE FOR BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS) FROM THE INDIAN RIVER LAGOON SYSTEM, FLORIDA, U.S.A.

Data gathered from 220 stranded bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon system, Florida, were used to derive a life table. Survivorship curves were fit to the data using Siler’s competing-risk model and a maximum likelihood approach. Population growth was estimated to be between r ¼ 0:0 and 0.046 based on the observed numbers of stranded dolphins. Variance in survival rates was estimated using an individual-based, age-structured population projection model. We estimate that the overall annual mortality rate for this population was 9.8% per year. Sex-specific differences in survivorship were apparent with females outliving males. The overall mortality curve resembles that of other large mammals, with high calf mortality and an exponentially increasing risk of senescent mortality. The inclusion of live-capture removals of individuals from this population did not significantly affect the estimation of survival parameters for most age classes.
INFLUENCE OF RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON CALLING BEHAVIOUR OF THE FEMALE EUROPEAN CORN BORER MOTH (OSTRINIA NUBILALIS)

Periodicities of pheromone gland extrusion or calling in the (Z)-11-tetradecenyl and (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate pheromone strains of Ostrinia nubilalis were modified by relative humidity. The onsets of calling occurred earlier and the proportions that called were greater at higher relative humidities. In 100% r.h. maximum calling was reached 4 hr earlier in the (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate pheromone strain than in the (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate pheromone strain. The adaptive significance of relative humidity modifying the periodicity of calling behaviour may be related to the susceptibility of O. nubilalis to desiccation. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Der Einfluss der relativen Feuchtigkeit auf das Rufverhalten des weiblichen Maiszunslers ( Ostrinia nubilalis) Bei den (Z)-11-Tetradecenyl-und (E)-11-Tetradecenylacetat-Pheromonrassen von Ostrinia nubilalis wurden die Periodizitaten im Ausstulpen der Pheromondrusen oder im Rufen durch die relative Feuchtigkeit verandert. Bei hoheren relativen Feuchtigkeiten begann das Rufen fruher und der Anteil rufender Weibchen war hoher. Bei 100% r.F. wurde das Rufmaximum beim (E)-11-Tetradecenylacetat-Stamm 4 Stunden fruher als beim (Z)-11-Tetradecenylacetat-Stamm erreicht. Die adaptative Bedeutung der relativen Feuchtigkeit in ihrem Einfluss auf die Periodizitat des Rufverhaltens kann in der Empfindlichkeit von O. nubilalis auf Austrocknen liegen.
The cyclical and secular behaviour of the labour input: Comparing efficiency units and hours worked

A monthly labour input series designed to correct for the fact that all hours worked are not of the same quality is constructed and its properties compared with unadjusted hours worked. This efficiency units series is constructed from BLS data on hours worked and earnings by age and sex. The cyclical fluctuations displayed by the efficiency units series are smaller on average than those displayed by hours worked, although the difference is not large. However, the secular behaviour of the series is quite different: hours worked per capita displays a significant positive trend while efficiency units per capita does not.
Computer assisted instruction programs as a productivity tool in engineering education

The use of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) programs in engineering education is examined with reference to the discipline-specific design of CAI programs, software evaluation, and the authoring of CAI programs. It is suggested that the benefits of CAI programs in the engineering environment are endless. Although designed to supplement the traditional classroom, CAI programs could also be modified and used instead of normal instruction, since as long as the software is creative and motivating it can be an integral part of the course. Much valuable classroom time could then be used to teach other necessary concepts. >
Predicted Performance of a Heterodyne Detector with a Fiber Optic Coil Hydrophone

In recent years, much attention has been focused on the application of fiber optics to underwater acoustic detection. In this regard, a hydrophone may be constructed of coiled optical fiber. Ultimately, it would be desirable to have only fiber optic elements and cables in the wet end of a towed array system. However, lead fibers are also susceptible to acoustic modulation, introducing grave ambiguities in the detection process. In this paper, a heterodyne detection system, devised at General Electric, which will eliminate the problems associated with stray signals induced in the lead fibers, is analyzed for use in a towed array.
A framework of distributed indexing and data dissemination in large scale wireless sensor networks

Many data dissemination techniques have been proposed for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) to facilitate data dissemination and query processing. How- ever, these techniques may not work well in a large scale sensor network where a huge amount of sensing data is generated. In this paper, we propose an integrated dis- tributed connected dominating set based indexing (CBI) data dissemination scheme to support scalable handling of large amount of sensing data in large scale WSNs. Our CBI can minimize the use of limited network and computational resources while providing timely responses to queries. Moreover, our data dissemination framework ensures scalability and load balance as well as adaptivity in the presence of dynamic changes. Analysis and simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance of our CBI scheme. The results show that the CBI scheme outperforms the external storage- based scheme, local storage-based scheme and the data-centric storage-based scheme in overall performance.
Theory and theory development in sport management

Abstract Sport Management Review has been the sport management leader in publishing literature reviews and new theoretical frameworks. Despite these advances, scholars have not critically examined theory and its place in sport management scholarship. The purpose of this scholarly exchange is to address these issues, such that five scholars were invited to discuss how they conceptualize theory, the role of theory in the academia, and the process in which they engage when developing their own theories. This article provides an overview of the topic and introduces the articles.
BroadCatch: a periodic broadcast technique for heterogeneous video-on-demand

Many essential multimedia applications rely on video-on-demand technology to deliver a video to different users. A number of periodic broadcast techniques have been proposed for the cost-effective implementation of such systems. Most of these techniques would either try to minimize the server bandwidth, user bandwidth, user storage, user access latency to the video, or a combination of some of the aforementioned parameters. On the other hand, the implementation strategies of these broadcast schemes would necessitate a minimum bandwidth requirement for all users. Multi-resolution techniques address the heterogeneity problem by sacrificing user video quality. In this paper, we consider a different approach that does not possess this disadvantage. Using an incremental channel design at the server side, and a specific broadcast schedule, users can choose among a range of bandwidths to use to download the video at the cost of their access latency and not to the video quality. We prove the correctness of the proposed solution; provide mathematical analysis to demonstrate its heterogeneous behavior, and present performance studies to illustrate its efficiency.
An epoxy resin-elastomer system for filament winding

Tests characterizing an epoxy system that contains 5% rubber and is suitable for wet-filament winding are described. The resin is a bisphenol-A rubberized epoxy diluted with an aliphatic diglycidyl ether and cured with an aromatic amine. The viscosity and pot life were measured and the progress of cure was monitored so an optimum cure could be chosen. Mechanical tests were performed on the cured resin. The low viscosity (0.95 Ps.s) and long pot life (29.3 h) make for ease of processing. A cure cycle of 1.5 h at 90/sup 0/C plus 2 h at 130/sup 0/C gives a cured resin having a glass transition temperature of 104/sup 0/C. The heat-cured material has a tensile strength of 76.1 MPa and a modulus of 2.43 GPa. Kevlar 49 composites of 60-, 65-, and 70-vol % fiber were prepared and tested. Results are presented and compared to two other Kevlar 49/epoxy composites.
Quantitative effect of target translation on small RNA efficacy reveals a novel mode of interaction

Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) in bacteria regulate many important cellular activities under normal conditions and in response to stress. Many sRNAs bind to the mRNA targets at or near the 5 untranslated region (UTR) resulting in translation inhibition and accelerateddegradation.OftenthesRNA-bindingsiteis adjacent to or overlapping with the ribosomal binding site (RBS), suggesting a possible interplay between sRNA and ribosome binding. Here we combine quantitative experiments with mathematical modeling to reveal novel features of the interaction between small RNAs and the translation machinery at the 5UTR of a target mRNA. By measuring the response of a library of reporter targets with varied RBSs, we find that increasing translation rate can lead to increased repression. Quantitative analysis of these data suggests a recruitment model, where bound ribosomes facilitate binding of the sRNA. We experimentally verified predictions of this model for the cell-to-cell variability of target expression. Our findings offer a framework for understanding sRNA silencing in the context of bacterial physiology.
Raise the bar and lower the dose: Current and future strategies for radiation dose reduction in head and neck imaging

SUMMARY: Technologic advances in CT have generated a dramatic increase in the number of CT studies, with a resultant increase in the radiation dose related to CT scanning. Such increase in radiation dose is becoming a concern for the radiology community, especially with increasing public awareness of the dose burden related to examinations. To cope with the increase in CT-related radiation exposure, it is becoming necessary to optimize CT imaging protocols and apply radiation dose reduction techniques to ensure the best imaging with the lowest radiation dose.
An approach to enhance pnetCDF performance in environmental modeling applications

Abstract. Data intensive simulations are often limited by their I/O (input/output) performance, and "novel" techniques need to be developed in order to overcome this limitation. The software package pnetCDF (parallel network Common Data Form), which works with parallel file systems, was developed to address this issue by providing parallel I/O capability. This study examines the performance of an application-level data aggregation approach which performs data aggregation along either row or column dimension of MPI (Message Passing Interface) processes on a spatially decomposed domain, and then applies the pnetCDF parallel I/O paradigm. The test was done with three different domain sizes which represent small, moderately large, and large data domains, using a small-scale Community Multiscale Air Quality model (CMAQ) mock-up code. The examination includes comparing I/O performance with traditional serial I/O technique, straight application of pnetCDF, and the data aggregation along row and column dimension before applying pnetCDF. After the comparison, "optimal" I/O configurations of this application-level data aggregation approach were quantified. Data aggregation along the row dimension (pnetCDFcr) works better than along the column dimension (pnetCDFcc) although it may perform slightly worse than the straight pnetCDF method with a small number of processors. When the number of processors becomes larger, pnetCDFcr outperforms pnetCDF significantly. If the number of processors keeps increasing, pnetCDF reaches a point where the performance is even worse than the serial I/O technique. This new technique has also been tested for a real application where it performs two times better than the straight pnetCDF paradigm.
Urban ecosystem services for resilience planning and management in New York City.

We review the current state of knowledge about urban ecosystem services in New York City (NYC) and how these services are regulated, planned for, and managed. Focusing on ecosystem services that have presented challenges in NYC—including stormwater quality enhancement and flood control, drinking water quality, food provisioning and recreation—we find that mismatches between the scale of production and scale of management occur where service provision is insufficient. Adequate production of locally produced services and services which are more accessible when produced locally is challenging in the context of dense urban development that is characteristic of NYC. Management approaches are needed to address scale mismatches in the production and consumption of ecosystem services. By coordinating along multiple scales of management and promoting best management practices, urban leaders have an opportunity to ensure that nature and ecosystem processes are protected in cities to support the delivery of fundamental urban ecosystem services.
A Multiobjective Optimization Framework for Design of Integrated Biorefineries Under Uncertainty

A systematic approach for development of a reliable optimization framework to address the optimal design of integrated biorefineries in the face of uncertainty is presented. In the current formulation, a distributed strategy which is composed of different layers including strategic optimization, risk management, detailed mechanistic modeling, and operational level optimization is applied. In the strategic model, a multiobjective stochastic optimization approach is utilized to incorporate the tradeoffs between the cost and the financial risk. Then, Aspen Plus models are built to provide detailed simulation of biorefineries. In the final layer, an evolutionary algorithm is employed to optimize the operating condition. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the framework, a hypothetical case study referring to a multiproduct lignocellulosic biorefinery is utilized. The numerical results reveal the efficacy of the proposed approach; it provides decision makers with a quantitative analysis to determine the optimum capacity plan and operating conditions of the biorefinery. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 3208–3222, 2015
Extended CERTS microgrid

This paper show that it is possible to control a distributed generator coupled with storage to maintain grid flow constant at all times. Furthermore, it is possible to achieve a steady state operation with a periodic loading profile while enforcing active power limits and energy storage limits. An energy reserve for the storage is necessary to guarantee power to the loads during an islanding event. The control of the clustered pair, generator plus storage, is identical to microgrid source control, with some added constraints on the active powers. These constraints depend on the configuration that one chooses to adopt, either generator or storage performing the base loading function while the other performs the peak shaving function.
Characterization of the iterative application of makespan heuristics on non-makespan machines in a heterogeneous parallel and distributed environment

Heterogeneous computing (HC) is the coordinated use of different types of machines, and networks to process a diverse workload in a manner that will maximize the combined performance and/or cost effectiveness of the system. Heuristics for allocating resources in an HC system are based on some optimization criterion. A common optimization criterion is to minimize the completion time of the machine that finishes last (makespan). In this study, we consider an iterative approach that repeatedly runs a mapping heuristic to minimize the makespan of the considered machines and tasks. For each successive iteration, the makespan machine of the previous iteration and the tasks assigned to it are removed from the set of considered machines and tasks. This study focuses on understanding the different mathematical characteristics of resource allocation heuristics that cause them to behave differently when combined with this iterative approach. This paper has three main contributions. The first contribution is the study of an iterative technique used in conjunction with resource allocation heuristics. The second contribution is the definition and mathematical characterization of "iteration invariant" heuristics. The third contribution is to determine the characteristics of a heuristic that will cause the mapping to change across iterations.
Hensen's node from vitamin A-deficient quail embryo induces chick limb bud duplication and retains its normal asymmetric expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh)

Both Hensen's node, the organizer center in chick embryo, and exogenous retinoic acid are known to induce limb duplication when grafted or applied to the host chick limb bud. Retinoic acid is known to be present in the node and has been proposed as the putative morphogen for chick limb development. Here, we report that Hensen's node from vitamin A-deficient quail embryo induces limb duplication in the host chick embryo similar to that induced by the node from vitamin A-sufficient control embryos. We also demonstrate that the expression of Sonic hedgehog (Shh), recently shown to be the mediator of polarizing activity in the chick limb bud, is not affected by the endogenous vitamin A status of the embryo. Furthermore, whole-mount in situ hybridization revealed asymmetry of Shh expression in the Hensen's node of both vitamin A-sufficient and -deficient quail embryos. Retinoids were not detectable in the eggs from which vitamin A-deficient embryos were obtained. Extracts from normal embryos induced a level of expression of reporter gene equivalent to the presence of 3.4 pg of active retinoids per embryo, while those from vitamin A-deficient embryos induced a baseline level of reporter gene expression similar to that of the controls. Our studies suggest that endogenous retinoic acid is not involved in Shh expression nor in regulating its asymmetry during normal early avian embryogenesis and support the current view that endogenous retinoic acid may not be a direct morphogen for limb bud duplication.
RCS of printed dipole antenna arrays with a dielectric cover

Summary form only given. A full-wave solution for the RCS (radar cross section) of a finite array of printed dipoles in a substrate-superstrate geometry is discussed, as well as a massively parallel computer implementation of the solution. RCS data were obtained as a function of the printed dipole antenna array geometry and incident signal properties. The approach is to solve the exact electric field integral equation utilizing the spectral-domain moment method. The use of massively parallel computing overcomes the computational intractability of the full-wave moment-method solution. The moment-method solution obtained is based on massively parallel computers with hypercube architectures. The moment-method solution utilizes toroidal wrap mapping to minimize the communication penalty associated with a large number of processors. This scheme achieved order-of-magnitude speedups relative to a Cray X-MP supercomputer. >
Deciphering anion–π-acceptor interactions and detecting fluoride using a naphthalenediimide-based Pd(II) coordination polymer

Unequivocal structural evidence of noncovalent interactions between π-acidic naphthalenediimides (NDIs) and anions has been elicited by X-ray crystallographic analysis of a zigzag coordination polymer involving Pd(II) ions and linear N,N′-di(4-pyridyl)NDI (DPNDI) ligands. Electrochemical studies show that the DPNDI/TfO− interactions suppress DPNDI's π-acidity, whereas Pd(II)-coordination of DPNDI enhances its π-acidity. The ability of DPNDI to participate in F−-induced electron transfer leading to colorimetric sensing of F− remains intact in the [Pd(II)/DPNDI]n coordination polymer.
Neuropsychology of the aggressive psychopath: An integrative review

Neuropsychological studies of aggressive psychopaths have revealed characteristic deficits in skills that require verbal mediation, conceptual integration, and the abilities to anticipate consequences of actions and to use feedback from behavior to modify maladaptive response patterns. Formulations of this impairment pattern in terms of frontal lobe and left hemisphere dysfunction are reviewed. It is proposed that the aggressive psychopath suffers from an inability to form a self-referential conceptual classification system for behavioral control and that this predisposes to behavioral disinhibition in situations of stress and interpersonal ambiguity. Finally, implications of neuropsychological studies of aggressive psychopathy for the study of personality and psychopathology are discussed. Language: en
Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Color Preferences:

Extraverts (N = 80), Neurotics (N = 80), and an undifferentiated group (N = 160), with equal numbers of males and females in each group coming from 4 diverse national backgrounds, expressed their p...