cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of Pedotransfer Functions for Estimation of Soil Hydraulic Parameters using Support Vector Machines

Modeling fl ow in variably saturated porous media requires reliable estimates of the hydraulic parameters describing the soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity. Th ese soil hydraulic properties can be measured using a wide variety of laboratory and fi eld methods. Frequently, this proves to be an arduous task because of the high spatial and temporal variability of soil properties. In the last decade, researchers have shown a keen interest in developing a class of indirect approaches, called pedotransfer functions (PTFs), to overcome this problem. Pedotransfer functions predict soil hydraulic parameters using easily obtainable soil properties such as textural information, bulk density and/or few retention points. In this paper, we use a new methodology called Support Vector Machines (SVMs) to derive a new set of PTFs. Support vector machines represent a pattern recognition approach where the overall prediction error and complexity of the SVM structure are minimized simultaneously. We used the same database that was utilized to develop ROSETTA to generate the SVM-based PTFs. Th e performance of the SVM-based PTFs was analyzed using the coeffi cient of determination, root mean square error (RMSE) and mean error (ME). All soil hydraulic parameters estimated using the SVM-based PTFs showed improved confi dence in the estimates when compared with the ROSETTA PTF program. Estimates of water contents and saturated hydraulic conductivities using the hydraulic parameters predicted by the SVM-based PTFs mostly improved compared with those obtained using the artifi cial neural network (ANN)-based ROSETTA. Th e RMSE for water contents decreased from 0.062 to 0.034 as more predictors were used, while the RMSE for the saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased from 0.716 to 0.552 (dimensionless log 10 units). Similarly, the bias in the water contents estimated using the SVM-based PTF was reduced signifi cantly compared with ROSETTA. Abbreviations: ANN, Artifi cial neural networks; HYPRES, Database of hydraulic properties of European soils; ME, Mean Error; PTFs, Pedotransfer functions; RMSE, Root mean squared error; SLT, Statistical learning theory; SVMs, Support vector machines; UNSODA, Unsaturated soil hydraulic properties database; WISE, World inventory of soil emission potentials.
Atomoxetine and nicotine enhance prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle in C57BL/6 mice.

Deficits in sensory-gating, often measured as deficits in prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle (PPI), are associated multiple with disorders including schizophrenia, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and withdrawal from nicotine. Drugs that can reverse deficits in PPI may serve as therapeutic agents for nicotine withdrawal, ADHD, and/or schizophrenia. The present study investigated the effects of acute atomoxetine, a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, nicotine, and mecamylamine, a nicotinic acetylcholinergic antagonist, on PPI and acoustic startle in C57BL/6 mice. Three doses of atomoxetine (0.2, 2.0, and 20 mg/kg) were administered prior to testing PPI and startle. The 0.2 and 2.0 mg/kg doses enhanced PPI and the 20 mg/kg dose enhanced startle. A second experiment investigated the effects of 2.0 mg/kg atomoxetine and 1.0 mg/kg mecamylamine administered alone or together on PPI and startle. As before, atomoxetine enhanced PPI. Mecamylamine did not alter PPI and did not block the enhancement of PPI by atomoxetine. Neither drug altered startle. A third experiment investigated the effects of 2.0 mg/kg atomoxetine and 0.125 mg/kg nicotine administered alone or together on PPI and startle. Both drugs enhanced PPI when administered alone. However, when co-administered, no enhancement of PPI was seen. Neither nicotine nor atomoxetine altered startle. The present results demonstrate that acute doses of nicotine and atomoxetine enhance PPI independent of effects on startle and that the enhancement of PPI by atomoxetine occurs independent of the nicotinic acetylcholinergic system. Thus, the newly available medication for ADHD, atomoxetine, could be a potential therapeutic agent for disorders associated with disrupted PPI such as withdrawal from nicotine.
Beyond the September 11 Victim Compensation Fund: Support for Any Future American Terror Casualties

If a future terrorist attack results in casualties on American soil, what, if any, government compensation should be provided to victims? Despite the enormous attention given to the September 11, 2001, attacks and the near universal sympathy for their casualties, there is no apparent consensual answer to the above question among politicians, academics, or within society at large. While tens of billions of dollars in public funds have been allocated to preventing another attack, and tens of thousands of personnel hours have been devoted to simulations aimed at helping victims in the immediate aftermath, relatively little attention has been given to what support might (or might not) be justified to provide for longer term needs. Victim compensation remains off the radar screen for even the vast majority of people whose daily lives are significantly consumed by contemplating terrorism. The authors would like to thank Michael Powers, Bruce Wolk, two anonymous referees for PS , participants in the PPA/Economics brownbag seminar, and Lascher's PPA 210 students for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this article.
Biochemical and Structural Characterization of Cathepsin L-Processed Ebola Virus Glycoprotein: Implications for Viral Entry and Immunogenicity

Ebola virus (EBOV) cellular attachment and entry is initiated by the envelope glycoprotein (GP) on the virion surface. Entry of this virus is pH dependent and associated with the cleavage of GP by proteases, including cathepsin L (CatL) and/or CatB, in the endosome or cell membrane. Here, we characterize the product of CatL cleavage of Zaire EBOV GP (ZEBOV-GP) and evaluate its relevance to entry. A stabilized recombinant form of the EBOV GP trimer was generated using a trimerization domain linked to a cleavable histidine tag. This trimer was purified to homogeneity and cleaved with CatL. Characterization of the trimeric product by N-terminal sequencing and mass spectrometry revealed three cleavage fragments, with masses of 23, 19, and 4 kDa. Structure-assisted modeling of the cathepsin L-cleaved ZEBOV-GP revealed that cleavage removes a glycosylated glycan cap and mucin-like domain (MUC domain) and exposes the conserved core residues implicated in receptor binding. The CatL-cleaved ZEBOV-GP intermediate bound with high affinity to a neutralizing antibody, KZ52, and also elicited neutralizing antibodies, supporting the notion that the processed intermediate is required for viral entry. Together, these data suggest that CatL cleavage of EBOV GP exposes its receptor-binding domain, thereby facilitating access to a putative cellular receptor in steps that lead to membrane fusion.
EVIDENCE FOR POLAR X-RAY JETS AS SOURCES OF MICROSTREAM PEAKS IN THE SOLAR WIND

It is proposed that the interplanetary manifestations of X-ray jets observed in solar polar coronal holes during periods of low solar activity are the peaks of the so-called microstreams observed in the fast polar solar wind. These microstreams exhibit velocity fluctuations of ?35?km?s?1, higher kinetic temperatures, slightly higher proton fluxes, and slightly higher abundances of the low-first-ionization-potential element iron relative to oxygen ions than the average polar wind. Those properties can all be explained if the fast microstreams result from the magnetic reconnection of bright-point loops, which leads to X-ray jets which, in turn, result in solar polar plumes. Because most of the microstream peaks are bounded by discontinuities of solar origin, jets are favored over plumes for the majority of the microstream peaks.
Influence of serum, estrogen, and gonadotropins upon growth and progesterone secretion by cultures of granulosa cells from small porcine follicles.

Granulosa cells from small (< 2mm) antral porcine follicles were grown in culture to study the effects of various hormones on growth, morphology and progesterone secretion. Culture medium 199D + 4% serum was found to be most suitable since it maintained a fairly constant cell population. Estradiol (lug/ml) and human FSH stimulated cell growth. LH and FSH stimulated progesterone secretion and induced morphological changes associated with luteinization. Estradiol (0.1ng/ml) inhibited progesterone secretion by granulosa cells.
Tumor promoters: effects on proliferation and differentiation of cells in culture.

Abstract Tumor promoters enhance tumor formation when administered after an initiating action by a carcinogen. The phorbol diester class of tumor promoters has been shown to affect many biochemical and biological processes in mouse skin and cell culture. The effects of these compounds on the proliferation and differentiation of cells in culture are reviewed herein; the possible relation of these effects to the mechanism of tumor promotion are discussed.
SCID: The role of adenosine deaminase deficiency

Abstract A convincing biochemical explanation for how adenosine deaminase deficiency leads to immunodeficiency has been elusive. This article suggests that aberrant adenosine receptor signaling in the thymus may be important.
Passive wireless sensors using electrical transition of carbon nanotube junctions in polymer matrix

This paper presents the design and development of a passive wireless sensor for the detection of bio-hazard materials and vapors using chemiresistive thin films. Composite polymer thin film with functionalized carbon nanotubes (f-CNT) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is employed as a sensing material. It is investigated that resistance change is determined with the concentration of dichloromethane vapors diffused into composite thin film, due to electrical transition from direct contact to tunneling in carbon nanotube nanojunctions. The chemiresistive film is integrated into a passive wireless system which works based on the change in phase of the reflected RF signal. Measurement results of sensors in a wireless sensing system show a large differential phase shift, which can be utilized for remote monitoring of bio-hazard vapors in real time.
Reliability studies of a 22nm SoC platform technology featuring 3-D tri-gate, optimized for ultra low power, high performance and high density application

Transistor reliability characterization studies are reported for a state of the art 22nm 3-D tri-gate HK/MG SoC technology with logic and HV I/O transistor architecture. TDDB, BTI and HCI degradation modes for logic and I/O transistors are studied and excellent reliability is demonstrated. In order to simultaneously integrate logic and HV 3-D tri-gate transistors with robust reliability, the importance of process optimization is emphasized.
Animal extremists: a cause for concern?

Investigators in various biomedical specialties, as well as hunters, farmers, and fur ranchers, have been victimized by animal rights extremists in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries during recent years. Given the extent of animal-based burn research, in which rodents and higher mammals are subjected to burn and smoke trauma, the potential for a liberation attack by an animal rights fringe group must be taken seriously. Suggestions are given to researchers and their institutions to prevent or minimize such an attack. (J Burn Care Rehabil 1996;17:260-2)
Biphasic effects of hemodialysis on platelet reactivity in patients with end-stage renal disease: A potential contributor to cardiovascular risk

Abstract Background: Cardiovascular disease is rampant in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and increased platelet reactivity may contribute. This study is designed to determine effects of hemodialysis in patients with ESRD on platelet reactivity per se. Methods: Platelet reactivity was determined by flow cytometry in 36 patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis. Blood was obtained from arterial and venous ends of the hemodialysis circuit at the beginning and end of the dialysis session. Platelet reactivity was defined with respect to capacity to bind fibrinogen (activation of glycoprotein IIb-IIIa) and expression of P-selectin in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP; 0, 0.2, and 1.0 μmol/L). Comparison studies were performed with 55 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 38 healthy subjects. Results: Platelet reactivity was increased by exposure to the dialysis circuit (capacity to bind fibrinogen: arterial, 28% ± 13%; venous, 47% ± 20%; P P Conclusion: Although interaction between platelets and the dialysis circuit increases platelet reactivity, continued dialysis decreases platelet reactivity. © 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
New physical constants from dimensional analysis

Abstract A specific form of dimensional analysis has been employed to show that the electromagnetic gauss unit (for intensity of magnetization) is equivalent to a simple cgs quantity of 1.759 × 10 7 sec −1 . Then, considering equivalences for known intensities of magnetization of the earth and certain stars in the hypothesis of P. M. S. Blackett (concerning the magnetic fields of massive rotating bodies), it is concluded from the dimensional method that μb = 1.295 × 10 −8 cm g −1 is a valid constant of astronomy and classical mechanics. Further, it has been noted that the two quantities G μb −2 and m e 2 c 3 ℏ −1 α 6 −2 were each equal to the same quantity, F g = 3.978 × 10 8 g cm sec −2 , signifying phenomenologic interrelationships among electromagnetic, quantum, and classical physics. From this it has then been concluded that another quantity M 8 = m 6 α 6 −1 1 = 1.248 × 10 −25 g may represent a general constant of all submicroscopic physics. Thus, the three quantities μb M a and F g are suggested as new physical constants. As formulated, the latter quantity F g appears to correlate the mechanical and magnetic phenomena of either astronomic or submicroscopic particles and media; therefore, it is proposed as a broadly applicable constant of nature.
Composition of inorganic and organic nutrient sources influences phytoplankton community structure in the New River Estuary, North Carolina

The New River Estuary, NC, is a nutrient-sensitive, eutrophic water body that is prone to harmful algal blooms. High annual loading from the watershed of varying nutrient forms, including inorganic phosphorus and inorganic and organic nitrogen, may be linked to the persistence of algal blooms in the estuary. In order to evaluate phytoplankton response to nutrient inputs, a series of in situ nutrient addition experiments were carried out during June 2010 to July 2011 on water from an estuarine site known to support algal blooms. Estuarine water was enriched with nutrients consisting of individual and combined sources of dissolved inorganic nitrogen, orthophosphate, urea, and a natural dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) addition derived from upstream New River water. The combined inorganic N and P addition most frequently stimulated phytoplankton biomass production as total chlorophyll a. The responses of diagnostic (of major algal groups) photopigments were also evaluated. Significant increases in peridinin (dinoflagellates), chlorophyll b (chlorophytes), and myxoxanthophyll (cyanobacteria) were most frequently promoted by additions containing riverine DON. Significant increases in zeaxanthin (cyanobacteria) were more frequently promoted by inorganic nitrogen additions, while increases in fucoxanthin (diatoms) and alloxanthin (cryptophytes) were not promoted consistently by any one nutrient treatment. Evaluating the impact of varying nutrient forms on phytoplankton community dynamics is necessary in order to develop strategies to avoid long-term changes in community structure and larger-scale changes in ecosystem condition.
RCD1 and SRO1 are necessary to maintain meristematic fate in Arabidopsis thaliana

The RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1 and SIMILAR TO RCD ONE1 genes of Arabidopsis thaliana encode members of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) superfamily and have pleiotropic functions in development and abiotic stress response. In order to begin to understand the developmental and molecular bases of the defects seen in rcd1-3; sro1-1 plants, this study used the root as a model. Double mutant roots are short and display abnormally organized root apical meristems. However, acquisition of most cell fates within the root is not significantly disrupted. The identity of the quiescent centre is compromised, the zone of cell division is smaller than in wild-type roots and abnormal divisions are common, suggesting that RCD1 and SRO1 are necessary to maintain cells in a division-competent state and to regulate division plane placement. In addition, differentiation of several cell types is disrupted in rcd1-3; sro1-1 roots and shoots, demonstrating that RCD1 and SRO1 are also necessary for proper cell differentiation. Based on the data shown in this article and previous work, we hypothesize that RCD1 and SRO1 are involved in redox control and, in their absence, an altered redox balance leads to abnormal development.
Political Risk and Sovereign Debt Contracts

Default on sovereign debt is a form of political risk. Issuers and creditors have responded to this risk both by strengthening the terms in sovereign debt contracts that enable creditors to enforce their debts judicially and by creating terms that enable sovereigns to restructure their debts. These apparently contradictory approaches reflect attempts to solve an incomplete contracting problem in which debtors need to be forced to repay debts in good states of the world; debtors need to be granted partial relief from debt payments in bad states; debtors may attempt to exploit divisions among creditors in order to opportunistically reduce their debt burden; debtors may engage in excessively risky activities using creditors’ money; and debtors and creditors may attempt to externalize costs on the taxpayers of other countries. We support this argument with an empirical overview of the development of sovereign bond terms from 1960 to the present.
Bidirectional Virus Secretion and Nonciliated Cell Tropism following Andes Virus Infection of Primary Airway Epithelial Cell Cultures

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an acute disease resulting from infection with any one of a number of New World hantaviruses. HPS has a mortality rate of 40% and, unlike many other severe respiratory diseases, often occurs in young, healthy adults. Infection is usually initiated after inhalation of rodent excreta containing virus particles, but human-to-human transmission has been documented. Postmortem tissue samples show high levels of viral antigen within the respiratory endothelium, but it is not clear how the virus can traverse the respiratory epithelium in order to initiate infection in the microvasculature. We have utilized Andes virus infection of primary, differentiated airway epithelial cells to investigate the ability of the virus to interact with and cross the respiratory epithelium. Andes virus infects the Clara and goblet cell populations but not the ciliated cells, and this infection pattern corresponds to the expression of beta(3) integrin, the viral receptor. The virus can infect via the apical or basolateral membrane, and progeny virus particles are secreted bidirectionally. There is no obvious cytopathology associated with infection, and beta(3) integrins do not appear to be critical for respiratory epithelial cell monolayer integrity. Our data suggest that hantavirus infection of the respiratory epithelium may play an important role in the early or prodrome phase of disease as well as serving as a source of virus involved in transmission.
The Competitive Advantage of Management Accounting

Professor Robert S. Kaplan received the AAA Management Accounting Section Lifetime Achievement Award at the MAS January 2006 midyear meeting. Few, if any, academics have had such extensive influence on such a wide range of management accounting research and practice. From formal modeling—his first article in the Journal of Accounting Research in 1969 was ‘‘A Dynamic Inventory Model with Stochastic Lead Times’’—to methodological advocacy (e.g., ‘‘Innovation Action Research: Creating New Management Theory and Practice,’’ JMAR 1998) to business best-sellers like Relevance Lost and The Balanced Scorecard, Bob has displayed a remarkable capacity to adapt, innovate, and lead in the field of management accounting. His papers in The Accounting Review in the early 1980s, ‘‘Measuring Manufacturing Performance: A New Challenge for Management Accounting Research,’’ (1983) and ‘‘The Evolution of Management Accounting,’’ (1984) inspired a generation of new management accounting researchers and stimulated a new wave of empirical research in management accounting. As a codeveloper of both activity-based costing and the Balanced Scorecard, Bob has also had a major influence on practice. Thus his activities have provided not only an impetus for academic research in management accounting, but also a good deal of the subject matter! His contributions to practice have been recognized by the American Accounting Association (Wildman Award 2001), the Financial Times (2005 list of Top 25 Business Thinkers), the Institute of Management Accountants (Distinguished Service Award 2001), and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in the U.K. (Outstanding Contributions to the Accountancy Profession, 1994), among others. Bob received a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from MIT and a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Cornell. He was a member of the business faculty at Carnegie Mellon (including a stint as Dean from 1977 to 1983) before moving to Harvard in 1984, where he remained as Baker Foundation Professor. The AAA’s Outstanding Educator Award to Bob in 1988 recognized his influence on accounting education. One of his important continuing contributions has been to raise the level of liveliness and controversy in a field that has sometimes seemed dry. Before Bob’s call to action in the 1980s, it could have been easy to think of cost accounting as a set of mechanical procedures, strategy as a subject far removed from management accounting, and highquality U.S. management accounting research as an activity carried on at arm’s length (or farther) from the inside of organizations. The lively debates that Bob has sparked in management accounting research in the last 20 years have given the field energy and made us think. The MAS Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes his continuing contributions to the work that we all do.
Maldaptation of the link between inflammation and bone turnover may be a key determinant of osteoporosis

Currently the etiology of osteoporosis is attributed to various endocrine, metabolic, and mechanical factors. We hypothesize that many cases of osteoporosis are also partially attributable to a maladaptation of the link between inflammation and bone turnover. We explore the spatial and temporal link between inflammation and osteoporosis in conditions such as aging, menopause, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, HIV, pregnancy, transplantation, and steroid administration. While nutritional and mechanical factors clearly play a role in many of these situations, the spatial and temporal concordance of osteoporosis and inflammation is buttressed by emerging molecular evidence. Modern bone biology of humans may reflect dual functional legacies of mineral storage and structural support. Osteoporosis may result from disequilibrium between structural demand for key minerals and their biologic demand during maladaptive states of inflammation.
Toward the mechanism of NH4+ sensitivity mediated by Arabidopsis GDP‐mannose pyrophosphorylase

The ascorbic acid (AA)-deficient Arabidopsis thaliana mutant vtc1-1, which is defective in GDP-mannose pyrophosphorylase (GMPase), exhibits conditional hypersensitivity to ammonium (NH4+), a phenomenon that is independent of AA deficiency. As GMPase is important for GDP-mannose biosynthesis, a nucleotide sugar necessary for protein N-glycosylation, it has been thought that GDP-mannose deficiency is responsible for the growth defect in vtc1-1 in the presence of NH4+. Therefore, the motivation for this work was to elucidate the growth and developmental processes that are affected in vtc1-1 in the presence of NH4+ and to determine whether GDP-mannose deficiency generally causes NH4+ sensitivity. Furthermore, as NH4+ may alter cytosolic pH, we investigated the responses of vtc1-1 to pH changes in the presence and absence of NH4+. Using qRT-PCR and staining procedures, we demonstrate that defective N-glycosylation in vtc1-1 contributes to cell wall, membrane and cell cycle defects, resulting in root growth inhibition in the presence of NH4+. However, by using mutants acting upstream of vtc1-1 and contributing to GDP-mannose biosynthesis, we show that GDP-mannose deficiency does not generally lead to and is not the primary cause of NH4+ sensitivity. Instead, our data suggest that GMPase responds to pH alterations in the presence of NH4+.
Laser-induced hole filling: Cresyl Violet in polyvinyl alcohol films

Laser-induced hole filling results are reported for the case in which the primary burn frequency, ωB, and the secondary (filling) frequency, ωS, lie in the origin absorption band of Cresyl Violet. Both two-laser and one-laser (with a Fourier-transform spectrometer) experiments were performed. The one-laser experiments permit monitoring of the entire hole spectrum, which consists of the zero-phonon hole at ωB, its companion phonon sideband holes, and the blue-shifted antihole. From the dependence of the filling efficiency on ωB − ωS it is concluded that the dominant mechanism involves electronic excitation of the antihole sites by means of their broad phonon sideband. It is shown that the antihole sites retain at least a partial memory of their preburn configurations.
Efficiency, Growth and Concentration: An Empirical Analysis of Hospital Markets

Taking an evolutionary view of markets, Harold Demsetz hypothesized that firms differ persistently in efficiency and that industry concentration results from growth of efficient firms at the expense of inefficient ones. We test the hypothesis with high quality microdata from the US hospital industry, an industry of keen policy and scientific interest. We measure efficiency by firm in the early 1980s and relate it to subsequent growth of efficient firms, to the persistence of profit differences and to changes in the concentration of markets. Initial hospital efficiency and subsequent growth (and profitability) are significantly and positively related. Also, greater initial variation in hospital efficiency within local markets is positively related to subsequent growth in market concentration. These findings support the logic of Demsetz's evolutionary efficiency hypothesis, though they cannot confirm the stronger idea that variation in firm efficiency is the dominant explanation for changes in concentration.
Fast committee machines for regression and classification

In many data mining applications we are given a set of training examples and asked to construct a regression machine or a classifier that has low prediction error or low error rate on new examples, respectively. An important issue is speed especially when there are large amounts of data. We show how both classification and prediction error can be reduced by using boosting techniques to implement committee machines. In our implementation of committees using either classification trees or regression trees, we show how we can trade off speed against either error rate or prediction error.
Yield and Textural Properties of Soft Tofu as Affected by Coagulation Method

Soft tofu was made using two coagulants (calcium sulfate and modified nigari), three stirring speeds (137, 207, and 285 rpm), and six stirring times (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 sec). The lowest stirring speed, 137 rpm, did not coagulate the soymilk. Tofu made by the highest stirring speed (285 rpm) had a lower yield, but higher brittleness force, hardness and elasticity than tofu made at 207 rpm. Tofu made from modified nigari had lower textural parameter values than those made from calcium sulfate. Yield of tofu made from both coagulants stirred at 207 or 285 rpm decreased as stirring time increased to 30 sec. Textural properties were related to stirring time. Stirring time < 25 sec was appropriate for soft tofu making.
A more accurate analysis of alkylated PAH and PASH and its implications in environmental forensics

The accurate measurement of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASH), and their alkylated homologues is essential at all levels of risk assessment and remedial decision-making. In the field of environmental forensics, diagnostic ratios of these compounds are used to delineate fossil fuel-based sources from one another and to assess the degree of weathering occurring on-site. Fresh and weathered coal tar and crude oil samples from different locations were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The same files were analysed by selected ion extraction of one-ion and two-ion signals from full-scan data and compared to a new data analysis method using spectral information from homologous isomers. Findings showed that using too few ions produced false positives and concentrations much higher than those found using the homologous isomer spectral method, which adversely affected the corresponding diagnostic ratios used by forensic scientists.
Frequency and voltage planning for multi-core processors under thermal constraints

Clock frequency and transistor density increases have resulted in elevated chip temperatures. In order to meet temperature constraints while still exploiting the performance opportunities enabled by continued scaling, chip designers have migrated towards multi-core architectures. Multi-core architectures use multiple cores running at moderate clock frequencies to run several threads concurrently, which increases overall system throughput. In this work, we propose novel methods to find the optimal operating parameters, i.e., frequency and voltage, that maximize a multi-core system throughput under thermal constraints. By adjusting core clock frequencies and voltages, on-chip power dissipation can be spatially and temporally distributed to maximize the chippsilas physical performance during runtime. We propose a simple, yet efficient model that accurately characterize the effects that changes in clock frequency and voltage have on on-chip temperatures. Using the model, we find the optimal operating conditions for the following scenarios: (1) standard processor performance, where various cores operate using identical operating parameters, (2) optimal processor performance where each core can have its own frequency and voltage, and (3) optimal processor performance with thread priorities, where each core runs a thread of varied importance. We run several experiments across six different technology nodes to validate the work, assuring that our models and methods are accurate. Our methods demonstrate the total physical performance of a multi-core system can be increased by up to 33.4% without violating the maximum temperature constraints.
Infant Lightness Perception Do 4-Month-Old Infants Follow Wallach's Ratio Rule?

When adults view a test disk embedded in a higher-luminance surround, the perceived lightness of the disk is largely determined by the surround-to-disk (S/D) luminance ratio (Wallach's ratio rule). Performance of 4-month-old infants tested with a forced-choice novelty-preference technique was consistent with predictions based on Wallach's ratio rule. This result suggests that the ability to extract and maintain information about local luminance ratios is present early in infancy. This ability is likely to contribute to the development of lightness constancy.
ER calcium release promotes mitochondrial dysfunction and hepatic cell lipotoxicity in response to palmitate overload.

Palmitate overload induces hepatic cell dysfunction characterized by enhanced apoptosis and altered citric acid cycle (CAC) metabolism; however, the mechanism of how this occurs is incompletely understood. We hypothesize that elevated doses of palmitate disrupt intracellular calcium homeostasis resulting in a net flux of calcium from the ER to mitochondria, activating aberrant oxidative metabolism. We treated primary hepatocytes and H4IIEC3 cells with palmitate and calcium chelators to identify the roles of intracellular calcium flux in lipotoxicity. We then applied 13C metabolic flux analysis (MFA) to determine the impact of calcium in promoting palmitate-stimulated mitochondrial alterations. Co-treatment with the calcium-specific chelator BAPTA resulted in a suppression of markers for apoptosis and oxygen consumption. Additionally, 13C MFA revealed that BAPTA co-treated cells had reduced CAC fluxes compared to cells treated with palmitate alone. Our results demonstrate that palmitate-induced lipoapoptosis is dependent on calcium-stimulated mitochondrial activation, which induces oxidative stress.
The biochemistry of homoterpenes--common constituents of floral and herbivore-induced plant volatile bouquets.

Volatile organic compounds emitted by plants mediate a variety of interactions between plants and other organisms. The irregular acyclic homoterpenes, 4,8-dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene (DMNT) and 4,8,12-trimethyltrideca-1,3,7,11-tetraene (TMTT), are among the most widespread volatiles produced by angiosperms with emissions from flowers and from vegetative tissues upon herbivore feeding. Special attention has been placed on the role of homoterpenes in attracting parasitoids and predators of herbivores and has sparked interest in engineering homoterpene formation to improve biological pest control. The biosynthesis of DMNT and TMTT proceeds in two enzymatic steps: the formation of the tertiary C15-, and C20-alcohols, (E)-nerolidol and (E,E)-geranyl linalool, respectively, catalyzed by terpene synthases, and the subsequent oxidative degradation of both alcohols by a single cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450). In Arabidopsis thaliana, the herbivore-induced biosynthesis of TMTT is catalyzed by the concerted activities of the (E,E)-geranyllinalool synthase, AtGES, and CYP82G1, a P450 of the so far uncharacterized plant CYP82 family. TMTT formation is in part controlled at the level of AtGES expression. Co-expression of AtGES with CYP82G1 at wound sites allows for an efficient conversion of the alcohol intermediate. The identified homoterpene biosynthesis genes in Arabidopsis and related genes from other plant species provide tools to engineer homoterpene formation and to address questions of the regulation and specific activities of homoterpenes in plant–herbivore interactions.
Quark Mass Ratios in Semi‐Leptonic Quark Decays

An ambiguity in the calculation of CKM matrix elements from semi- leptonic decay rates is resolved: to every choice of scales for the quark masses in the phase-space factor and in the QCD-correction factor, there corresponds a specific QCD-correction factor. This factor is modified in such a way as to make the final result independent of the scales. Specific expressions are given for the case of on-shell quark masses and for the case where both masses are taken at a single common scale. A calculation of /vert bar/V/sub cb//vert bar/ and /vert bar/V/sub ub//V/sub cb//vert bar/ is carried out in view of these clarifications. 5 refs.
Nitric oxide production upregulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling by inhibiting Dickkopf-1.

Nitric oxide signaling plays complex roles in carcinogenesis, in part due to incomplete mechanistic understanding. In this study, we investigated our discovery of an inverse correlation in the expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the Wnt/β-catenin regulator Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) in human cancer. In human tumors and animal models, induced nitric oxide (NO) synthesis increased Wnt/β-catenin signaling by negatively regulating DKK1 gene expression. Human iNOS (hiNOS) and DKK1 gene expression were inversely correlated in primary human colon and breast cancers, and in intestinal adenomas from Min (Apcmin/+) mice. NO production by various routes was sufficient to decrease constitutive DKK1 expression, increasing Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colon and breast cancer cells and primary human hepatocytes, thereby activating the transcription of Wnt target genes. This effect could be reversed by RNAi-mediated silencing of iNOS or treatment with iNOS inhibitors, which restored DKK1 expression and its inhibitory effect on Wnt signaling. Taken together, our results identify a previously unrecognized mechanism through which the NO pathway promotes cancer by unleashing Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These findings further the evidence that NO promotes human cancer and deepens insights in the complex control Wnt/β-catenin signaling during carcinogenesis.
Essential role of tumor necrosis factor α in alcohol-induced liver injury in mice

Abstract Background & Aims: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is associated with increased mortality in alcoholics, but its role in early alcohol-induced liver injury is not fully understood. Recently, it was shown that injury induced by the enteral alcohol delivery model of Tsukamoto and French was reduced by antibodies to TNF-α. To obtain clear evidence for or against the hypothesis that TNF-α is involved, we studied TNF receptor 1 (TNF-R1, p55) or 2 (TNF-R2, p75) knockout mice. Methods: Long-term enteral alcohol delivery was modified for male gene–targeted mice lacking TNF-R1 and TNF-R2. Animals were given a high-fat liquid diet continuously with either ethanol or isocaloric maltose-dextrin as a control for 4 weeks. Results: Ethanol elevated serum levels of alanine aminotransferase nearly 3-fold in wild-type and TNF-R2 knockout mice but not in TNF-R1 knockout mice. Likewise, ethanol caused severe liver injury in wild-type mice (pathology score, 5.5 ± 0.6) and TNF-R2 knockout mice (pathology score, 5.0 ± 0.4), but not in TNF-R1 knockout mice (pathology score, 0.8 ± 0.4; P Conclusions: Long-term ethanol feeding caused liver injury in wild-type and TNF-R2 knockout mice but not in TNF-R1 knockout mice, providing solid evidence in support of the hypothesis that TNF-α plays an important role in the development of early alcohol-induced liver injury via the TNF-R1 pathway. Moreover, the long-term enteral ethanol feeding technique we described for the first time for knockout mice provides a useful new tool for alcohol research. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1999;117:942-952
Energetic Size Effect Law at the Microscopic Scale: Application to Progressive-Load Scratch Testing

AbstractA scratch test consists in pulling a diamond stylus across the surface of a weaker material; it is widely applied in several fields of science and engineering, including polymer damage, metal wear, thin-film quality control, and strength of rocks. Recently, there has been an upsurge of interest in the fracture analysis of materials via scratch testing. In this study, the energetic size effect law (SEL) is applied at the microscopic scale for progressive-load scratch tests using a Rockwell C diamond probe. First, we employ dimensional analysis to connect the scratch force to the projected load-bearing area and to the perimeter for an axisymmetric scratch probe. In a second step, based on geometrical considerations, we approximate the real scratch probe geometry with a cone of equivalent half-apex angle, θeq. Then, we express the dependence of the nominal strength, σN, on the structural size, Λ, via a scaling relationship. The theoretical developments are later implemented in an experimental procedu...
Settling Rates of Algae from Wastewater Lagoons

The settling rates of algae are considered to be a controlling factor in the operation of rock filters that are used for the removal of algae from lagoon effluents. The settling rates of Scenendesmus acuminatus , Chlorella vulgaris and Microcystis aeruginosa were measured for various temperatures, for dark aerobic and anoxic incubation, and for various mixture ratios of the three species. Of all variables tested temperature seems to have the largest influence on settling rates. Settling rates in m per day decreased from 0.262 at 21°C to 0.094 at 5°C for S. acuminatus and from 0.128 at 21°C to 0.016 at 5°C for M. aeruginosa . Incubation under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions for up to 15 days does not significantly alter the algal settling rates. The settling rate of a mixed algal culture can be estimated from the known fraction and settling rate of each algal species present.
A Gift of Life: Developing a Framework for Practical Ethics

This chapter is a draft of the first of five case studies in my 2015 book Ethics in Public Life: Good Practitioners in a Rising Asia. The case studies relate the experiences of specific practitioners in identified Asian contexts, struggling to act purposefully and conscientiously within their spheres of work, to meet their professional duties as they understand them. They include a doctor in Singapore, a missionary in China, a political activist in India, a mid-level bureaucrat in a central Asian country, and a journalist in Cambodia. Through careful examination of the cases, it is possible to learn a great deal about the craft of the ethical practitioner, specifically the kinds of moral competence practitioners require to act effectively and well in public life. Learning comes from paying close attention to decision making as it is lived, achieving a depth of understanding typically missed by students of ethics, with lessons for practitioners everywhere. The first of the five studies, posted here, also elaborates a general framework for practical ethics, which informs the analysis in each of the subsequent chapters.
On effectiveness of mesh-based protocols for smart grid communication networks

The smart grid requires a reliable, efficient and cost effective communication network that meets performance requirements. Due to their cost effectiveness and ubiquitous nature, wireless mesh networks have been considered as an alternative for smart grid communication networks. In this paper, we first review smart grid communication network requirements by applying various use cases that enables the design of network models for simulation. Using the ns-3 simulator tool, we then systematically compare the effectiveness of two representative wireless mesh network protocols: Hybrid Wireless Mesh Network Protocol (HWMP) and Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) Protocol in terms of various performance metrics and network settings. Our evaluation data shows that the HWMP protocol is suitable for small size mesh grids whereas AODV performs better for large mesh grids. We also conduct a simulation study to investigate the performance of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX) technology in smart grid communication networks with different modulation techniques.
Atomic-Scale Quantification of the Chemical Modification of Polystyrene through S, SC, and SH Deposition from Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The chemical modification of amorphous polystyrene (PS) by the deposition of atomic S, SC, and SH with 25, 50, and 100 eV of incident kinetic energy is examined using classical molecular dynamics simulations. The forces are determined using the second-generation reactive empirical bond-order (REBO) potential that has been extended to include sulfur. In all cases, the S atoms or S-containing dimers are deposited randomly on the PS surface with a flux of about 0.4 × 1024 ions/(cm2 s), which is comparable to experimental values. The simulations predict the way in which the depth profiles vary as a function of the identity and kinetic energy of the incident atom or dimer. We also quantify the ways in which the surface is chemically modified and provide a profile of the chemical products formed on the surface, within the substrate, or in the material sputtered from the surface. The simulations predict that the maximum density of deposited atoms throughout the surface substrate, 3.32 × 1018 /cm3, occurs for S d...
Effects of Renin and of Angiotonin Upon Isolated Perfused Heart

SummaryUpon the isolated hearts of cats perfused with Ringer-Locke solution renin produced no significant effect. Angiotonin on the other hand brought about decrease in coronary flow and increase in amplitude of beat, but no consistent effect upon heart rate.
274 GESTATIONAL AND POSTNATAL IRON DEFICIENCY ALTERS THE DEVELOPING STRIATAL NEUROCHEMICAL PROFILE AND BEHAVIORS IN THE YOUNG RAT.

Dietary iron deficiency (ID) targets the striatum, a brain area involved in procedural memory. Fetal ID is a known risk of gestational diabetes and intrauterine growth retardation. We evaluated the effects of fetal ID on (1) biochemically important metabolites in the striatum in vivo and concomitant (2) striatally based behaviors. Absolute metabolite concentrations from a striatally centered 10-13 μL volume were measured serially by ultra-short echo-time 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy at 9.4 Tesla and LC Model processing in 10 ID and 10 control rats on postnatal days (P) 8, 22 (peak anemia), and 37 (post-anemia). An established model of moderate fetal/neonatal ID was used. All 13 metabolites and two ratios changed over time in both groups (p ≤ .005), confirming a developmental trajectory. ID and IS groups differed in 7 metabolites [phosphocreatine (PCr), p = .03; glucose (Glc), taurine (Tau), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamine (Gln) and inositol (Ins), and lactate (Lac), all p Supported by NIH grant # HD-39386.
Gulf stream marine hydrokinetic energy resource characterization off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina USA

The Gulf Stream off North Carolina (NC), USA has current velocities that approach 2 ms−1 and average volume transports of 90 Sv (1 Sv= 106 m3s−1) off of Cape Hatteras, making it the most abundant MHK (Marine Hydrokinetic Energy) resource for the state. Resource availability at a specified location depends primarily on the variability in Gulf Stream position, which is least offshore of Cape Hatteras after the stream exits the Florida Straits. Proximity to land and high current velocities in relatively shallow waters on the shelf slope make this an optimal location to quantify the MHK energy resource for NC. Multi-years of consistent current measurements beginning in August of 2013 from a moored 150 kHz ADCP at an optimal location for energy extraction quantify the available energy resource and its variability, and establish the skill of a regional ocean circulation model in predicting the MHK energy resource. The model agrees well with long term observed current averages and weekly to monthly fluctuations in the currents. Comparisons between the model and ADCP observed currents, and power density demonstrate the significant inter-annual variability in the Gulf Stream power density.
RAPID ABDOMINAL MR IMAGING

Rapid imaging techniques have assumed an important role in abdominal MR imaging. These methods not only decrease examination time but also improve the quality and diagnostic value of examination. This article discusses the most frequently used methods for decreasing imaging time for abdominal MR imaging and analyzes the relative advantages and disadvantages of each technique.
Measurement and Uncertainty

Performing analytics requires more than a superficial understanding of terminology. This chapter provides a conceptual overview of stochastic variability of data, distributions of data, the progression of data into information, then knowledge, then wisdom, and statistical error. Data are derived from existing databases and extracted into spreadsheets which contain datasets. Most statistical software is designed to manipulate numerical values; “R” has a structure called “dataframe” which can handle both numerical and nominal (text) values. Converting data into useful models requires an understanding of the concepts of probability and odds, as these are the underpinnings of mathematical modeling. Key concepts of working with numbers in databases are summarized, including parameters, variability, and the difference between observed and expected (the residual).