cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long cycle theory and the hegemonic powers' basing networks

Abstract One recent focus of research in international relations theory is that of “long cycle theory,” associated primarily with George Modelski and William Thompson, which posits serial cycles of hegemonic dominance — Venice, Portugal, the Netherlands, Great Britain, the United States — lasting approximately for one century. These hegemonic cycles are highly correlated with, or underpinned by, maritime and commercial dominance. Some aspects of long cycle theory have been contested by the rival “world systems” theory, that has fewer cycles and a disinclination to separate the military and economic dimensions of hegemony. Heretofore, naval power, as reflected in capital ship construction and orders of battle, has been used to measure maritime dominance. This research suggests that data for rival and successive global basing access networks could be used to inform and query the basis of long cycle theory; i.e., to provide a measure of “global reach”. There are additionally, interesting conceptual questions about the basis for basing access, as it has evolved historically; specifically, from a basis in conquest to one dependent upon diplomacy and various quid pro quo. The article suggests the need for more historical data collection on bases.
M-sequences for OFDM peak-to-average power ratio reduction and error correction

Li and Ritcey ~see ibid., vol.33, p.554-5, 1997\ noted that the time domain OFDM samples are given by expressions evaluated at discrete values. However, it is demonstrated that their assumption, that the maximum value over these discrete values is equal to the maximum value of a continuous function over a continuous interval, does not follow.
Special Issue Dedicated to ICFP 2012: Editorial

The 17th ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on Functional Programming (ICFP) took place on September 10–12, 2012 in Copenhagen, Denmark. After the conference, the programme committee selected several outstanding papers and invited their authors to submit to this special issue of Journal of Functional Programming . Robby Findler and Satnam Singh acted as editors for these submissions. This issue includes the accepted papers, each of which provides substantial new material beyond the original conference version.
The menominee potato: A new variety resistant to common scab and late blight

Menominee is a selection from a cross of Richter’s Jubel and seedling 44537. Richter’s Jubel is a scab-resistant European variety having little commercial promise in this country. Seedling 44537 was a russet mutation from the cross Chippewa × Katahdin; it was low-yielding but scab-resistant. Menominee is highly resistant to scab and moderately resistant to late blight.
Using Brainstorming and Clustering with LEP Writing to Develop Elaboration Skills

Long, M. H. (1983). Linguistic and conversational adjustments to non-native speakers. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 5, 177-193. Long, M. H., & Porter, P. A. (1985). Group work, interlanguage talk, and second language acquisition. TESOL Quarterly, 19(2), 207-228. Yule, G., Hoffman, P., & Damico, J. (1987). Paying attention to pronunciation: The role of self-monitoring in perception. TESOL Quarterly, 21(4), 765-768.
Prognosis of prenatally diagnosed children with sex chromosome aneuploidy.

Sex chromosome aneuploidy (SCA) occurs in about 1/250 amniocenteses, and the significance of the long-term prognosis of fetuses with SCA is of concern to prospective parents and health care providers. Longitudinal studies in an unselected group of newborn infants with SCA diagnosed postnatally have refuted allegations of mental retardation but have documented an increased risk for developmental problems. Of the 530 phone consultations with parents faced with a prenatal diagnosis of SCA, 68% continued the pregnancy. Twenty of the oldest subsequently born children (now 7–14 years old) were available for follow-up. In this small sample and age group, the propositi are progressing developmentally at a rate comparable to their sibs and are doing better at school and in peer relations than the SCA group diagnosed postnatally. Only 2 have documented IQs as low as 90. The documented IQs of the remainder, none of whom are sex chromosome mosaics, are all over 110. The parent population in this prenatally diagnosed group is unique and different from that of the postnatally diagnosed group in that over 85% of them are college graduates, often professionals, and upper socioeconomic individuals. The developmental competence of this SCA sample may be attributable to the supportive environment provided by these families, all of whom made a conscious decision to continue the pregnancy. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Influence of crucible on interface shape, position and sensitivity in the vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger technique

Abstract The temperature field inside a vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger growth ampoule was calculated for different crucible conductivities. The sensitivities of the interface position and shape to the heater temperature increases as the effectiveness of heat transfer between the ampoule and the surroundings diminishes. For high thermal conductivity materials, these sensitivities are a minimum when the ampoule conductivity is also high, while for low conductivity materials a low conductivity ampoule is best.
Structural studies on the hydrolysis products of Ti, Nb and Zr alkoxides

Abstract Raman scattering was used to identify the vibrational modes of amorphous hydrolysis products of metal alkoxides and the corresponding sintered materials. These results were combined with X-ray diffraction data to identify the various isopoly complex groups which occurred in such materials.
SU-E-QI-20: A Review of Advanced PET and CT Image Features for the Evaluation of Tumor Response

Purpose: To review the literature in using quantitative PET and CT image features for the evaluation of tumor response. Methods: We reviewed and summarized more than fifty papers that use advanced, quantitative PET/CT image features for the evaluation of tumor response. We also discussed future works on extracting disease-specific features, combining multiple and complementary features in response modeling, delineating tumor in multimodality images, and exploring biological explanations of these advanced features. Results: Advanced PET image features considering spatial information, such as tumor volume, tumor shape, total glycolytic volume, histogram distance, and texture features (characterizing spatial distribution of FDG uptake) have been found more informative than the traditional SUVmax for the prediction of tumor response. Advanced CT features, including volumetric, attenuation, morphologic, structure, and texture descriptors, have also been found advantage over the traditional RECIST and WHO criteria in certain tumor types. Conclusions: Advanced, quantitative FDG PET/CT image features have been shown promising for the evaluation of tumor response. With the emerging multi-modality imaging performed at multiple time points for each patient, it becomes more important to analyze the serial images quantitatively, select and combine both complementary and contradictory information from various sources, for accurate and personalized evaluation of tumor response to therapy.
Assessment of published literature on the uptake, accumulation, and translocation of heavy metals by vascular plants

Abstract Assessment of published literature compiled in the UTAB Database showed that copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and nickel were the most heavily studied metals. The data analysis revealed that a broad spectrum of plants (1400 species) have been studied with 54% of all data on wild plant species. The most frequently studied plant species were Zea mays (corn), Phaseolus vulgaris (bean) and Triticum aestivum (wheat) accounting respectively for 6.0, 5.0 and 3.7 percent of the total records in UTAB.
Gas phase infrared spectroscopic observation of the organic acid dimers (CH3(CH2)6COOH)2, (CH3(CH2)7COOH)2, and (CH3(CH2)8COOH)2

Abstract This work uses infrared absorption spectroscopy to study the organic acid dimers (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 6 COOH) 2 , (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 COOH) 2 , (CH 3 (CH 2 ) 8 COOH) 2 , and their monomers. There is a scarce literature base about these acids and the dimers have not been previously studied in gas phase. Ab initio calculations of vibrational harmonic frequencies are used as a guide for spectroscopic investigations of C O and O–H stretching regions. Correlation between experiment and theory as well as an interesting trend with acid chain length are discussed. D o and D e are calculated for all dimers using the B3LYP/6-311++G[3df,3pd] method and are compared to literature values for short chain organic acid dimers.
Does the stress generation hypothesis apply to eating disorders?: an examination of stress generation in eating, depressive, and anxiety symptoms.

Background: The stress generation hypothesis posits that individuals actively contribute to stress in their lives. Although stress generation has been studied frequently in the context of depression, few studies have examined whether this stress generation process is unique to depression or whether it occurs in other disorders. Although evidence suggests that stress contributes to the development of eating disorders, it is unclear whether eating disorders contribute to subsequent stress. Methods: A prospective design was used to examine the influence of eating disorder symptoms on negative life stressors. Two hundred and ninety female undergraduates completed questionnaires at two time points that examined eating disorder, depressive and anxiety symptoms and the presence of negative life events. Results: Regression analyses found that while eating disorder symptoms (i.e. bulimic symptoms and drive for thinness) were independent, significant predictors of negative life events, they did not predict negative life events above and beyond symptoms of depression. Limitations: Limitations include the use of self-report measures and a college-based sample, which may limit generalizability of the results. Conclusions: Findings suggest that if stress generation is present in individuals with symptoms of eating disorders, it is likely attributable to symptoms of depression. Thus, it may be important for clinicians to target depressive symptoms in order to reduce the frequency of negative life stressors among individuals with eating disorders.
Growth, dry matter partitioning, and diurnal activities of RuBP carboxylase in citrus seedlings maintained at two levels of CO2

The long-term response of citrus rootstock seedlings to CO2 enrichment was examined in Carrizo estrange (Poncirua trifoliata (L.) Raf. x Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] and Swingle citrumelo (P. trifoliate x C. parodist Macf.]. Plaotlets 14 weeks old were transferred to outdoor controlled-environment chambers and maintained for 5 months from Feb. 14 to July 21. During this period, new growth (cm) of citrange and citrumelo shoots at 660 μl1−1 was 94 and 69% greater, respectively, than at 330 μ1 1−1. Total dry weight of both rootstock shoots had increased by over 100%. Growth of few species is affected this markedly by elevated CO2 levels. More carbon was partitioned to above-ground organs in CO2-enriched citrus seedlings. Stem dry matter per unit length was also 32 and 44% greater in citrange and citrumelo, respectively. Total leaf area was increased by 124% in citrange and 85% in citrumelo due to greater leaf number and size. Variations in overall relative growth rate appeared to be related to the rapid, sequential, flush-type growth in citrus, in which an entire shoot segment with its associated leaves remains an active sink until fully expanded. RuBP carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.39) activity in leaves of recently-expanded flushes was higher in citrumelo plants grown at 660 vs 330 μ1 1−1 CO2 and changed diurnally for citrange (but not citrumelo) leaves at both CO2 levels. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that positive long-term effects of CO2 enrichment may be greater in species or during growth periods where sink capacity for carbon utilization is high.
GRID Based Federated Digital Library

With the growing acceptance of the Open Archive Initiative (OAI) [16] framework, a number of digital libraries are becoming OAI compliant. This is making it feasible to build an effective federated digital library, which harvests metadata from the OAI-compliant libraries and provides a unified search service over the aggregated metadata. Arc [10] is an example of such a federated digital library. Assuming that a rapid increase (e.g., several orders of magnitude) in the adoption of OAI-PMH [16] occurs, we now have a different problem: how to efficiently discover, harvest and index the burgeoning OAI-PMH corpus. In this project, we are working on using Grid and cluster technology to address these performance issues. In this paper, we focus on the use of Grid for parallelizing the harvesting task for an OAI-based federated digital library. We propose a Grid-based architecture for parallel harvesting that supports: dynamic allocation of harvesting nodes, scheduling of harvesting tasks to maximize the performance, and uniform load distribution for the indexing node. We have implemented and evaluated the proposed architecture on a Grid based on the GT3 toolkit
The Use of Certain Rye Homogenates for Supporting Growth of Claviceps purpurea(Fries) Tulasne

The growth of a known strain of Claviceps purpurea on several homogenates of three different stages of rye inflorescence has been compared qualitatively. The liquid phase of the filtered homogenates supported the best growth, and most satisfactory results were achieved with the use of fruiting inflorescences. Growth was greatly inhibited in all conditions in the absence of chlorophyll.
A patient with new onset seizures

MRI and the electroencephalogram were abnormal as already mentioned. Her cerebrospinal fluid analysis was positive for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) polymerase chain reaction. The patient was treated with acyclovir and, at the time of discharge, had no headaches or periods of confusion. Herpes encephalitis is the most common cause of fatal sporadic encephalitis in the USA in all age groups. The etiological agent beyond the neonatal period is HSV-1. The clinical presentation can include headache, fever, focal neurological deficit, and seizures. The development of symptoms often occurs over a few days, but they may be stroke-like in evolution. As the process develops, progressive obtundation takes place, and focal disturbances in the form of
Effects of surface tension on the adhesive contact of a rigid sphere to a compliant substrate

In problems of indentation of an elastic half-space by a rigid sphere, the effects of surface tension outside the contact zone are not accounted for by classical theories of contact mechanics. However surface tension plays a dominant role in determining the mechanics of this adhesive contact when the half-space becomes very compliant and the sphere is very small. Using a finite element method (FEM), we present a numerical solution of such a problem, showing the transition between the classical Johnson–Kendall–Roberts (JKR) deformation and a liquid-like deformation in the absence of external load and gravity. The numerical model is in good agreement with previous experiments [R. W. Style et al., Nat. Commun., 2013, 4, 2728].
Prospective study of depression and fatigue in men with advanced prostate cancer receiving hormone therapy

Purpose We prospectively examined the development of depressive symptoms and fatigue among men with locally advanced prostate cancer receiving hormone therapy. Methods Fifty-two men with advanced or recurrent prostate cancer were randomly assigned to receive either parenteral leuprolide or oral bicalutamide. Patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) at pretreatment baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Results Rates of at least mild depression ranged from 10.4 to 16.3% over the 12 months and were not significantly different at each time point. Mean change in BDI scores from baseline to 6 months for the entire sample was 0.91 (SE = 0.73), and from baseline to 12 months was 0.35 (SE = 0.67). Mean FSS scores increased significantly from baseline (M = 24.43, SD = 11.75) to 6 months (M = 27.93, SD = 13.52) and remained steady at 12 months (M = 27.80, SD = 14.44). There were no significant differences in depression between the two types of hormone therapy. Conclusion Hormone therapy does not appear to cause clinically significant changes in depression among men with locally advanced prostate cancer. However, fatigue increased significantly over the study period.
Notes on the hydroxamate assay for amino acid activating enzymes.

Die durch die Hydroxamatmethode bestimmte Aktivitat von Aminosaureaktivierungsenzymen wird durch das Alter der angewandten NH2OH·HCl-Losung, durch manchmal vorhandene Hydroxamat spaltende Enzyme sowie durch Unzulanglichkeiten in der chemischen Hydroxamatbestimmungsmethode beeinflusst.
In Hall's shadow: Edmund Clark Sanford (1859‐1924)

Edmund C. Sanford of Clark University had earned a reputation by the end of the nineteenth century as a leading American psychologist. He had written the first training manual for experimental psychology and created numerous pieces of laboratory apparatus. He was also editor of the American Journal of Psychology and a charter member of the American Psychological Association. Although his peers elected him to the presidency of the APA in 1902, his standing had already begun to decline. Sanford's impact on early American experimental psychology is documented and the reasons for his reduced status as American psychology grew in the early years of the new century are explored.
Food habits of the sandpaper skate, Bathyraja kincaidii (Garman, 1908) off central California: seasonal variation in diet linked to oceanographic conditions

The stomachs of 130 sandpaper skates, Bathyraja kincaidii (Garman, 1908), were sampled from off central California to determine their diet composition. The overall diet was dominated by euphausiids, but shrimps, polychaetes and squids were also important secondary prey. A three-factor MANOVA demonstrated significant differences in the diet by sex, maturity status and oceanographic season using numeric and gravimetric measures of importance for the major prey categories. These three main factors explained more variation in diet than interactions between the factors, and season explained the most variance overall. A detailed analysis of the seasonal variation among the prey categories indicated that abundance changes in the most important prey, euphausiids, were coupled with seasonal changes in the importance of other prey. When upwelling occurred and productivity was great (Upwelling and Oceanic seasons), euphausiids were likely highly abundant in the study area and were the most important prey for B. kincaidii. As productivity declined (Davidson Current season), euphausiids appeared to decrease in abundance and B. kincaidii switched to secondary prey. At that time, gammarid amphipods and shrimps became the most important prey items and polychaetes, mysids and euphausiids were secondary.
The genetic and environmental basis of pupal colour dimorphism in Papilio zelicaon (Lepidoptera: papilionidae)

The genetic and environmental basis of brown and green pupal colour dimorphism in the butterfly Papilio zelicaon was studied using univoltine, multivoltine, and selected low-diapause populations. The propensity for formation of brown pupae and the positive correlation between brown pupae and diapause show both inter- and intrapopulation variability. Reciprocal hybrids had colour frequencies and magnitude of the pupal colour-diapause correlation intermediate between parental population values with evidence for maternal effects in the latter. Colour frequencies among individual broods were normally distributed. One generation of selection increased incidence of green pupae and was most effective at a high selection differential. Selection results plus a heritability determination indicated that pupal colour dimorphism in P. zelicaon is a threshold trait with quantitative genetic variation. Short days and cool temperatures induced mostly diapause brown pupae irrespective of pupation substrate whereas long days and warm temperatures facilitated continuous development and cryptic colour matching of pupae to their substrate.
Multiple foreign bodies in urethra

Abstract A case of multiple foreign bodies in the urethra of an elderly man is presented. A brief outline of management is discussed.
Quantum simulations of the structure and binding of glycopeptide antibiotic aglycons to cell wall analogues.

The recent rise of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) has given new impetus to the study of the binding between glycopeptide antibiotics and bacterial cell wall termini. Here, we report on an extensive first principles investigation of the binding of vancomycin, avoparcin, teicoplanin, and ristocetin aglycons with dipetides, Ac-d-Ala-X, where X = d-Lac and d-Ser (characteristic of VREs) and X = d-Ala, Gly (characteristic of non-VREs), and a model “methylated d-Ala” CH2CH(CH3)COO-, in liquid as well as gas phase. The gas-phase ordering of the binding, from strongest to weakest, is Gly, d-Ala, d-Ser, CH2CH(CH3)COO-, and d-Lac. Calculations show that the order of the Gly and d-Ala binding is reversed in solution. The results are in good agreement with recent experimental findings.
Characterization of Flow in Intravenous Infusion Systems

The pressure-flow (P-F) relationship for intravenous infusion systems is found to be nonlinear, and may be expressed by the mathematical model P = RLF + RTF2. The parameters RL and RT both show linear increase with tubing length. Devices have been identified with an isolated effect on RL (5 ?fiter) or on RT (check valve). The total RL and RT of an infusion system may be obtained by adding the RL and RT values of component devices. The sources of the turbulence suggested by the nonlinear P-F relationship are discussed. The coefficients RL and RT may relate to actual laminar and turbulent flow conditions. Knowledge of flow characteristics can be used to evaluate and design intravenous tubing systems, particularly for high-flow intravenous fluid resuscitation in surgery or after trauma.
Simulation-Based Design of an Efficient Control System for the Continuous Purification and Processing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

In this study, an efficient system-wide controlsystem has been designed for the integrated continuous purification and processing of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The control strategy is based on the regulatory PID controller which is most widely used in the manufacturing industry because of its simplicity and robustness. The designed control system consists of single and cascade (nested) control loops. The control system has been simulated in gPROMS TM (Process System Enterprise). The ability of the control system to track the specified set point changes as well as to reject disturbances has been evaluated. Results demonstrate that the model shows an enhanced performance in the presence of random disturbances under closed-loop control compared to an open-loop operation. The control system is also able to track the set point changes effectively. This proves that closed-loop feedback control can be used in improving pharmaceutical manufacturing operations based on the Quality by Design (QbD) paradigm.
Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins

All mammalian eggs are surrounded by a relatively thick extracellular coat, the zona pellucida, that plays vital roles during oogenesis, fertilization, and preimplantation development. The mouse zona pellucida consists of three glycoproteins that are synthesized solely by growing oocytes and assemble into long fibrils that constitute a matrix. Zona pellucida glycoproteins are responsible for species-restricted binding of sperm to unfertilized eggs, inducing sperm to undergo acrosomal exocytosis, and preventing sperm from binding to fertilized eggs. Many features of mammalian and non-mammalian egg coat polypeptides have been conserved during several hundred million years of evolution.
Effect of Technology Integration Education on the Attitudes of Teachers and their Students

This study analyzed the effect of technology integration education on teachers' and students' attitudes toward information technology. Two instruments measuring similar attributes were used to assess teachers' and students' attitudes. Differences in pre- and post-test scores were used to determine changes that occurred during the course of the study.
The primary role of functional matrices in facial growth.

Abstract A brief review of the fundamental postulates of the method of functional cranial analysis is given, with particular emphasis on the definition of the functional matrix. Two basic types of such matrices—periosteal and capsular—are described. Periosteal matrices include muscles and teeth, while the capsular matrices are conceived of as volumes enclosed and protected by both the neurocranial and the orofacial capsules. In the neural skull the capsular matrix is the neural mass. In the facial skull this matrix is the functioning space of the oronasopharyngeal cavity. We note the following differences between the activity of periosteal and capsular functional matrices. Periosteal matrices act upon skeletal units in a direct fashion by the processes of osseous deposition and resorption (or of cartilaginous or fibrous tissue multiplication. Their net effect is to alter the form (size and shape) of their respective skeletal units. Capsular matrices act upon functional cranial components as a whole in a secondary and indirect manner. They do so by altering the volume of the capsules within which the functional cranial components are embedded. The effect of such growth changes is to cause a passive translation of these cranial components in space. Cranial growth is a combination of the morphogenetically primary activity of both types of matrix. Growth is accomplished by both spatial translation and charges in form.
Analysis of spur-free dynamic range of a semiconductor resonant cavity linear interferometric intensity modulator

Numerical simulation of spur-free dynamic range (SFDR) of an injection locked semiconductor resonant cavity interferometric intensity modulator is presented. Theoretically calculated values are in good agreement with experimental results.
Erosion rather than plant dieback as the mechanism of marsh loss in an estuarine marsh

Coastal marsh loss in Louisiana is attributed to plane dieback caused by processes that stress vegetation, and a common landscape pattern is broken marsh that expands at the expense of surrounding unbroken marsh. We tested the hypothesis that vegetation is more stressed in broken marsh than in adjacent unbroken marsh, as indicated by vegetation aboveground biomass, species diversity and soil Eh, on transects that extended from broken marsh to unbroken marsh at Marsh Island, Louisiana. Soil Eh, vegetation above-ground biomass and species diversity did not differ between broken marsh and unbroken marsh, and above-ground biomass was similar to that reported from other marshes. Thus, we rejected the hypothesis that marsh loss is related to vegetation stress. Two factors were related to vegetation vigour: soil drainage and soil bulk density. Surprisingly, significant soil drainage occurred in broken marsh but not in unbroken marsh. Above-ground biomass of the dominant plant, Spartina patens (Aiton) Muhl., was lowest where soil bulk density was less than 0-08 gcm−3, which illustrated the importance of mineral matter accumulation in submerging coastal marshes. The mechanism of marsh loss appeared to be erosion below the living root zone, as indicated by the vertical and often undercut marsh-water interface, and by the separation of sod clasts. This is different from more rapid marsh loss associated with plant stress which we observed in other Louisiana marshes only 135 km away, indicating that marsh loss mechanisms can vary spatially even within a relatively small region.
A computer modelling study on the interaction of -(CF2CF2O)- polyperfluorinated ethers with Lewis acid sites: perfluorodiethyl ether

Abstract Lewis acid catalysis significantly enhances the thermally induced degradation of polyperfluorinated ether lubricants. We have used CF 3 CF 2 OCF 2 CF 3 and AlF 3 as models to investigate via ab initio theory, the Lewis acid-base interactions between polyperfluorinated ethers and Lewis acid sites. The results of these studies indicate that perfluorodiethyl ether, or PFDEE, may form a Lewis acid-base pair between the ether oxygen atom in PFDEE and the aluminum atom in AlF 3 provided that there is no steric hindrance limiting access to the ether oxygen atom. This may be achieved, for example, by PFDEE adopting a trans-gauche instead of a trans-trans conformation. In the trans-trans conformation, a terminal perfluoromethyl group sterically interferes with the accessibility of the ether oxygen atom to the AlF 3 surface. These results indicate that in lubricant molecules such as the ‘Z’ family of Fomblin fluids, composed of a copolymer of perfluoromethylene and perfluoroethylene oxide units, steric hindrance will limit AlF 3 access to the ether oxygen atom and would depend upon the ratio of -CF 2 CF 2 O and -CF 2 O- structural units and their spatial distribution. Even when the -CF 2 CF 2 OCF 2 CF 2 - PFDEE backbone adopts a local trans-gauche conformation such as to spatially allow a Lewis acid-base interaction between the ether oxygen atom and aluminum, the interatomic distance is much greater, 2.5 A compared to 1.8 A for perfluoromethylene oxide. The binding energy is correspondingly smaller, −3 compared to −9 kcal/mol, respectively. Several degradation paths for the decomposition of PFDEE, originating within the -CF 2 OCF 2 - structural group, were computed. Thus, the decomposition of PFDEE to CF 3 CF 3 and CF 3 CFO via an initial cleavage of a C-O bond, and, alternatively, via a transition state, were investigated. In both cases, the activation energy to initiate the decomposition is rather high, near 80–100 kcal/mol. However, in the presence of an AlF 3 catalyst, the activation energy for the decomposition reaction via the transition structure is significantly reduced to 50 kcal/mol. Alternatively, a C-O bond scission leading to the formation of radical sites adjacent to -CF 2 O- structural units may lead to mass loss via elimination of COF 2 . Such a reaction proceeds with an activation energy of only 24 kcal/mol.
Simplifying the power allocation for OFDM-MIMO: a partial curve fitting approach

In an OFDM-MIMO system, for each sub-carrier the singular values decomposition (SVD) decouples the MIMO matrix channel into parallel sub-channels and the water-filling algorithm allocates the power optimally for the sub-channels. Since there are multiple OFDM sub-carriers, the SVD produces a large amount of subchannels and it is computation-intensive to find the exact water-filling solution. Fortunately, the singular values in an OFDM-MIMO system exhibit asymptotic features, which can be utilized to simplify the power allocation process. Our scheme achieves the simplification by using a continuous curve to fit the distribution of singular values and computing only the useful singular values. Simulation results verify the accuracy of our scheme and show that the capacity loss due to the approximation is less than 3%.
Feature reduction for improved recognition of subcellular location patterns in fluorescence microscope images

The central goal of proteomics is to clarify the mechanism by which each protein in a given cell type carries out its function. Automated protein subcellular location determination by fluorescence microscopy can play an important role in fulfilling this goal. The subcellular location of a protein is critical to understanding its function because each subcellular compartment has a unique biochemical environment. We have previously shown that neural network classifiers using sets of numerical features computed from fluorescence microscope images were able to recognize all major subcellular location patterns with reasonable accuracy. Current classifiers are limited by under-determined classification boundaries due to the limited number of available images compared to the number of features. In this paper, we compare various feature reduction methods that can address this problem. Specifically, principal component analysis, kernel principal component analysis, nonlinear principal component analysis, independent component analysis, classification trees, fractal dimensionality reduction, stepwise discriminant analysis, and genetic algorithms are used to select feature subsets that are evaluated using support vector machine classifiers. The best results were obtained using stepwise discriminant analysis and we found that as few as eight features can provide good classification accuracy for all major subcellular patterns in HeLa cells.
Variability in Level‐Dose Ratio of Valproate: Monotherapy Versus Polytherapy

One of the most useful pharmacokinetic parameters of a drug is the level-dose ratio. This ratio originates from a relationship between the dosing rate (i.e., the daily dose) and the corresponding steady-state plasma level. For most drugs that relationship is linear, indicating that changes in doses are associated with proportional changes in plasma levels. This proportionality between plasma level and dose is an expression of the fact that the clearance of the drug is constant. Valproic acid has been available in a number of countries for over a decade, and in spite of the large number of pharmacokinetic studies available in the literature, it is not possible, at the present time, to define a characteristic level-dose ratio. This situation is a result of the fact that the clearance of valproate exhibits large interpatient variability. This article presents an analysis of the causes for the variability in valproate clearance. It is shown that when the determinants of valproate clearance are understood and taken into consideration, only a few factors are found to have a profound influence on it. Most important among these are age and polytherapy.
A novel low-profile shape memory alloy torsional actuator

This paper presents low-profile torsional actuators applicable for mesoscale and microscale robots. The primary actuator material is thermally activated Ni–Ti shape memory alloy (SMA), which exhibits remarkably high torque density. Despite the advantages of SMAs for actuator applications—high strain, silent operation, and mechanical simplicity—the response time and energy efficiency limit overall performance. As an alternative to SMA wires, thin SMA sheets are used to fabricate effective yet compact torsional actuators. Also, instead of using conventional Joule heating, an external Ni–Cr heating element is utilized to focus heat on the regions of highest required strain. Various design parameters and fabrication variants are described and experimentally explored in actuator prototypes. Controlled current profiles and discrete heating produces a 20% faster response time with 40% less power consumption as compared to Joule heating in a low-profile (sub-millimeter) torsional actuator capable of 180° motion.
A normally closed in-channel micro check valve

We present here the first surface-micromachined, normally closed, in-channel, Parylene check valve. This device is fabricated monolithically on a silicon substrate using a five-layer Parylene process. The operating structure of the check valve is a circular sealing plate on top of a ring-shaped valve seat. The sealing plate is center-anchored on top of a chamber diaphragm that is vacuum-collapsed to the bottom of the chamber in order to achieve a normally closed position. A thin gold layer on the roughened valve seat surface is used to reduce stiction between the sealing plate and the valve seat. We have achieved an in-channel check valve with a cracking (opening) pressure of 20/spl sim/40 kPa under forward bias and no measurable leakage under reverse bias up to 270 kPa. Using this design, this valve performs well in two-phase microfluidic systems (i.e. microchannel flows containing gas, liquid, or gas/liquid mixture).
Effect of HSP25 loss on muscle contractile function and running wheel activity in young and old mice

Aging is associated with an adverse decline in muscle function, often manifesting as decreased strength and increased muscle fatigability that negatively affects the overall health of the elderly. Heat shock proteins (HSPs), a family of stress inducible proteins known to protect cells from damage, are highly induced in muscle cells following exercise, but both basal and inducible levels decline with age. Utilizing young and old mice lacking HSP25 (Hsp25-/-) we tested the hypothesis that HSP25 is required to maintain normal muscle function and that age related decreases in HSP25 directly contribute to declining muscle function. Running wheel distances over 14 days for young Hsp25-/- mice were significantly lower than for the corresponding Hsp25+/+ genotype (81238 vs. 33956 AUC, respectively). While older groups both ran significantly less than young groups, in aged mice HSP25 loss did not lead to any additional decrease. Significantly lower myofibrillar (contractile) protein levels in young Hsp25-/- versus Hsp25+/+ (15.7±0.2 vs. 13.4±0.3 mg/mg muscle) mice suggests HSP25 loss was associated with greater muscle breakdown during voluntary wheel running. In vivo, plantarflexor maximal isometric force was significantly decreased in aged vs. young mice, but the loss of HSP25 had no effect on either group. However, plantarflexor fatigability over 10 contractions was significantly higher in young Hsp25-/- versus Hsp25+/+ mice (59±3 vs. 49±4% of initial force, respectively) but no similar effect of genotype was detected in the older groups. There was no difference in muscle caspase-3 activity between Hsp25-/- and Hsp25+/+ mice, whether young or old, but there was a significant genotype independent increase in activity with age. Overall, the results suggest that the absence of HSP25 primarily contributes to muscle fatigue resistance, rather than maximal force production, and that this effect is most evident in young compared to older mice.
A Knowledge-Based Instructional Assistant to Accompany LEO: A Learning Environment Organizer

This paper describes preliminary work on enhancements to a computer-mediated instructional program entitled LEO: a Learning Environment Organizer. LEO is a nonlinear course presentation program that is based upon the notion of an advance organizer (Ausubel 1968). The Knowledge-based Instructional Assistant described here combines knowledge of the learner’s attainment in the course with knowledge of various attributes of the instructional media in order to make recommendations of media that might benefit the learner. Matches between attainment profiles and media are based upon weighted nearest neighbor measures (Wettschereck & Aha 1995) of similarity.
Surgical outcomes of patients with gastric carcinoma: the importance of primary tumor location and microvessel invasion.

Abstract Background This study was done to identify clinicopathologic predictors of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) among patients undergoing potentially curative resections for gastric carcinoma. Methods We reviewed 110 patients surgically treated between 1987 and 2001. There were 74 men and 36 women with a mean age of 65.2 years (range 27 to 87 years). Log-rank tests and Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated to determine clinicopathologic factors influencing DFS and OS. Significant factors were then determined with Cox multivariate analysis. Results Median survival for all patients was 38.2 months and the estimated 5-year OS was 42.3%. There were no significant differences in DFS or OS for female sex, black race, or age>65. Symptoms associated with lower DFS were weight loss and palpable abdominal mass (P 1-2 ), full-thickness (T 3-4 ) tumors had a decreased median survival (63.8 vs 27.9 months; P 2 stage was associated with decreased survival (20.6 months), patient outcomes were similar for N 0 and N 1 stages (52.5 and 48.8 months). Lymphatic and capillary invasion (21.4 vs 45.3 months; P Conclusions In addition to the American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, microvessel involvement and tumor location are important predictors of DFS and OS in gastric cancer and should be included in risk stratification and selection criteria for patients entering novel adjuvant or neoadjuvant clinical trials.
5-Oxo-eicosatetraenoate, a potent human neutrophil stimulus.

5-Oxo-eicosatetraenoate (5-oxoETE), a newly defined arachidonate metabolite, resembled 5-hydroxyicosatetraenoate (5-HETE) in stimulating neutrophils to mobilize Ca2+ and in promoting PMN degranulation responses to other agents. It was, however, 10-fold stronger than 5-HETE and, like leukotriene (LT) B4, had intrinsic PMN degranulating effects. Nonetheless, 5-oxoETE and 5-HETE desensitized PMN to themselves or each other but not to LTB4; LTB4 desensitized to itself but not to 5-oxoETE or 5-HETE; and an antagonist blocked LTB4 but not 5-oxoETE or 5-HETE. 5-OxoETE and 5-HETE thus induce diverse PMN responses using a shared, down-regulatable, and receptor-like mechanism that does not involve LTB4 receptors; 5-oxoETE is the preferred natural agonist for this mechanism.
On Finding the Maximal Gain for Markov Decision Processes

The method of successive approximations for solving problems on single-chain Markovian decision processes has been investigated by White and Schweitzer. This paper shows that White's scheme not only converges, but also can be modified so that monotonic upper and lower bounds on the maximal gain can be obtained.
Proteome changes after metabolic engineering to enhance aerobic mineralization of cis-1,2-dichloroethylene.

Metabolically engineered Escherichia coli has previously been used to degrade cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE). The strains express the six genes of an evolved toluene ortho-monooxygenase from Burkholderia cepacia G4 (TOM-Green, which formed a reactive epoxide) with either (1) γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GSHI*, which forms glutathione) and the glutathione S-transferase IsoILR1 from Rhodococcus AD45 (which adds glutathione to the reactive cis-DCE epoxide) or (2) with an evolved epoxide hydrolase from Agrobacterium radiobacter AD1 (EchA F108L/I219L/C248I which converts the reactive cis-DCE epoxide to a diol). Here, the impact of this metabolic engineering for bioremediation was assessed by investigating the changes in the proteome through a quantitative shotgun proteomics technique (iTRAQ) by tracking the changes due to the sequential addition of TOM-Green, IsoILR1, and GSHI* and due to adding the evolved EchA versus the wild-type enzyme to TOM-Green. For the TOM-Green/EchA system, 8 proteins out of 26...
Factors facilitating research: a survey of zoo and aquarium professionals

The purpose of this survey was to assess the background, training, and perceptions of professionals conducting and coordinating research at North American zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and to identify the factors they considered critical to successful scientific programs. We analyzed responses to a 57-item questionnaire from 231 professionals at AZA zoos and aquariums. The majority of those surveyed conducted behavioral research, conducted research only in a captive setting, held curatorial positions, had their salaries supported by their institutions' operating budget, and considered themselves part of a successful scientific program. About 30% of those we surveyed possessed a doctoral research degree in comparison to 55% possessing lesser level degrees—19% with master's, 34% with bachelor's, and 2% with other degrees. Support from the chief executive officer and personnel dedicated to conducting scientific programs were judged as the two most important factors contributing to the successful scientific programs. The information provided in this report may be used to develop and improve both established and newly initiated scientific programs in zoos and aquariums. Zoo Biol 29:663–675, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The mediating role of social support in the community environment—psychological distress link among low-income African American women

Living in a disordered community is negatively associated with psychological well-being. We investigated the role of social support in the link between community environment and psychological distress in a sample of 152 African American women from low socioeconomic backgrounds in a large metropolitan southeastern city. Structural equation modeling revealed that the association between low quality of community environment and increased psychological distress was accounted for by the mediating role of social support. Findings suggest the importance of social support in improving the mental health of African American women from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Because social support is affected by the environment in which women live, interventions should be community-focused. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
BETAINE-HOMOCYSTEINE METHYLTRANSFERASE EXPRESSION IN PORCINE AND HUMAN TISSUES AND CHROMOSOMAL LOCALIZATION OF THE HUMAN GENE

Abstract We have prepared antibodies against porcine liver betaine–homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT; EC 2.1.1.5) and recently cloned cDNAs encoding the porcine and human liver enzymes. Porcine tissues were evaluated for BHMT expression by measuring catalytic activity and Western analysis. Liver and kidney were the only organs tested that had immunodetectable levels of BHMT, and these organs expressed high levels of enzyme activity. BHMT was expressed in the kidney cortex and not the medulla. Porcine pancreas, brain, heart, lung, and spleen were devoid of BHMT activity and immunodetectable protein. Human tissues were tested for BHMT expression by Northern analysis. Human liver and kidney were the only organs tested that expressed BHMT mRNA. Human pancreas, brain, heart, skeletal muscle, spleen, and placenta were devoid of BHMT mRNA. The human BHMT gene has been mapped to chromosome 5q13.1-q15.
Choosing mates: good genes versus genes that are a good fit

Female choice for male ornamental traits is widely accepted as a mechanism by which females maximize their reproductive success and/or offspring quality. However, there is an increasing empirical literature that shows a fitness benefit of genetic diversity and a tendency for females to use genetic dissimilarity as a criterion for mate choice. This genetic compatibility hypothesis for female mate choice presents a paradox. How can females use both an absolute criterion, such as male ornamentation, and a relative criterion, such as genetic dissimilarity, to choose their mates? Here, we present potential solutions for this dilemma and the empirical evidence supporting them. The interplay between these two contrasting forms of female mate choice presents an exciting empirical and theoretical challenge for evolutionary ecologists.
Postnatal parental concerns: the first six weeks of life.

The postnatal needs of parents from the infant's birth to the first physician visit remain largely unmet. This project explored these needs through the abstraction and coding of questions normally phoned to the health care provider during this period. The differential effects of infant sex, age, and parent parity on the contents of these questions were also explored. Findings suggest that parents of first or male infants have a much higher rate of questions. Several striking interactive effects were observed and are presented.