cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of supplemental progesterone using a CIDR insert on pregnancy per embryo transfer of dairy heifer recipients of embryos produced in vitro.

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to evaluate effects of supplemental progesterone immediately following transfer of frozen-thawed, IVP embryos on P/ET. Holstein heifers (n = 452), allocated to nine transfer groups over time, were assigned to be embryo recipients in a completely randomized study from December 2016 to April 2017. All heifers were randomly assigned to one of two treatments: 1) control (CON; n = 212) with no further treatment, or 2) received a CIDR insert containing progesterone for 12 d, beginning on the day of transfer (D 7) and removed 12 d later on Day 19 (CIDR; n = 228). A subset of heifers were subjected to blood sampling on Day 7 (ET) and Day 19 (CIDR removal) to determine circulating concentrations of progesterone. Pregnancy was initially determined using a serum assay for pregnancy specific protein-B at approximately Day 40 after ET and confirmed a month later using trans-rectal ultrasonography. Overall, P/ET did not differ (P = 0.941) between treatment groups. At the initial pregnancy determination, P/ET differed (P = 0.007) among transfer groups. Concentrations of progesterone tended to be less (P = 0.064) in heifers in the CON group compared to heifers treated with the CIDR (3.6 ± 0.27 compared with 4.4 ± 0.27 ng/mL), and differed between transfer groups (P
Concept 2010

Picture a dealing room in any of the world‘s finance centres in which dealers conduct their business at desks that intelligently work ‘with‘ them rather than merely ‘for‘ them. Desks that give dealers and the finance institutions they represent a vital business edge. Desks that integrate the voice, data and video technologies and services that dealers require, for today and into the next millennium. Desks that manage the enormous flow of incoming information and present it to the dealers in a concise meaningful form. Desks that alert the dealers to sudden changes in the market and assist them in taking appropriate action. Desks that occupy the minimum of floor area and can be moved with minimum effort and cost. BT has developed and is now demonstrating such a desk. It is called Concept 2010.
Successful Transition to Robotic-Assisted Lobectomy With Previous Proficiency in Thoracoscopic Lobectomy.

ObjectiveThe learning curve and the advantages of transitioning to robotic-assisted lobectomy by a surgeon who is proficient in thoracoscopic lobectomy is currently unknown. The cost of robotic lob...
Wearable Technologies in Education: A Design Space

Wearable Technologies have a tremendous potential to improve education, empowering students as well as instructors in their teaching and learning experiences. Beyond the affordances of head-mounted displays to present information and of smartwatches to passively monitor students, the variety of form factors and sensors available enable a large number of applications to be developed. Their features range from data collection and monitoring of students’ behaviors and affective states, to timely delivery of personalized notifications, alerts and reminders. This paper provides an overview of how wearable technologies have been applied in educational settings in recent years. Drawing on insights from students’ feedback and analysis of the literature, we discuss opportunities and challenges involved when enhancing teaching and learning using wearable applications. Based on findings from a user study, we report what students would like to have available from wearable applications. Lastly, we identify actual concerns related to wearable technologies and point out the major challenges and design implications for next-generation devices.
Structural features in a brittle–ductile wax model of continental extension

Structural features produced during the rifting of continents depend on the layered rheological properties of the crust and lithosphere and, in particular, on the presence of any transitions between brittle and ductile behaviour1. Here we use a wax model to explore the gross structural response of continental lithosphere under pure shear extension in the presence of a continuous brittle–ductile transition. The wax models were deformed under various boundary conditions to reflect a variety of different regions, most notably the Basin and Range province of North America. Our experiments show the development of listric normal faults, structures common to regions of continental extension. We also observe the formation of distributed and discrete rifting, and intrusion and occlusion of the upper brittle layer by the ductile lower layer. The factor controlling deformation style in each case appears to be the relative thickness of the brittle and ductile layers, although a relatively high rate of strain generally promotes discrete rifting.
Two-Dimensional Plasmonic Grating for Intraocular Pressure Sensing

Glaucoma is a group of characteristic optic neuropathies that collectively are the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the major causal risk factor. While the fundamental mechanisms of the IOP elevation and consequent optic neuropathy are not well understood, recent studies have indicated that there may be pressure spikes directed at the optic nerve head during accommodation and that IOP may not be homogeneous throughout the eye. To facilitate the in situ and in vivo measurement of IOP in various locations within the vitreous and facilitate measurement of accommodative IOP spikes at the ONH, here, we report the development of an implantable, biocompatible, and miniaturized IOP sensor using 2-D plasmonic grating that generates structural color. The change of the grating period with pressure between 0 and 50 mmHg results in a change in the visible color, allowing us to observe small changes in pressure without additional electronics.
DER Coordination Strategy for Volt/VAR Control using IEC61850 GOOSE Protocol

Voltage profile regulation is one of the challenges in the era of distributed energy resources (DERs) and microgrid evolution. In this paper, a coordination strategy between DERs and traditional voltage regulation devices is proposed to avoid violation of the ANSI C84 (voltage regulation) standard. The coordination strategy utilizes the IEC61850 GOOSE communication protocol to communicate the DER's operation mode with regulators/capacitors to avoid overcompensation. The proposed approach is tested using a three-phase DER with a power distribution system that is both modeled and simulated in the FPGA-based real-time simulation (OPAL-RT) and GOOSE message that is formulated using Schweitzer software (AcSELerator Architect). The results show the proposed approach can reliably use GOOSE protocol and DERs as active voltage sources, according to IEEE 1547–2018 standard, without violating ANSI C84. The results also provide open questions with a clear direction for future research to investigate how to use the GOOSE protocol for advanced coordination strategies and decentralized feedback control systems between DERs and existing field devices in power distribution systems.
Growth dependent optical properties of ZnMgO at THz frequencies

A relatively high Mg mole fraction of 7% is achieved using the cavitation effect under sonication to overcome the low solubility of ZnO-MgO at low temperature. The Mg mole fraction is confirmed by shift in the near band emission of free exciton under photoluminescence spectroscopy at room temperature. The x-ray diffraction pattern has a large peak associated to ZnO (002) from which the c-lattice constant is calculated to be 5.1967Ǻ. The nanorods (NRs) grown via sonochemical are compared to nanowires (NWs) grown using metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and hydrothermal synthesis. Also, the effect of the ZnO film used as seed layer is described and compare to a simple spin coated layer. Terahertz (THz) index of refraction and dielectric constant of wurtzite Zn1-xMgxO NWs with Mg mole fraction of 7% via sonochemical are determined using THz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The results are compared with ZnO and ZnMgO NWs with 10% Mg mole fraction grown using MOCVD. The successful growth of Zn1-xMgxO with wurtzite structure at low temperature permits realization of the growth of heterostructures, quantum well, nanowires and nanorods on flexible substrates providing lower cost, optical and carrier confinement necessary in advanced light emitting diodes (LEDs), laser diodes (LDs) and high efficiency solar cells.
Structure of the flavin site of Chromatium flavocytochrome c552

Abstract Two flavin peptides have been isolated from Chromatium cytochrome c 552 by digestion with pepsin and with trypsin-chymotrypsin, respectively. Acid hydrolysis and aminopeptidase digestion of the peptic peptide shows the presence of 1 mole each of threonine and cysteine and 2 of tyrosine, per mole of FAD. Edman degradation gives the sequence: tyr-thr-cys (flavin)-tyr. Tryptic-chymotryptic digestion yields a flavin tripeptide of the structure: thr-cys (flavin)-tyr. The N-terminal tyrosine in the peptic tetrapeptide shows a strong interaction with the flavin, as judged by CD spectra, and this may account for the resistance of the bridge sulfur to oxidation by cold performic acid. Both peptides show abnormally low fluorescence in the pure state (1 to 5% relative to riboflavin) and positive iodoplatinic test; the peptic peptide yields a positive, the trypticchymotryptic peptide negative ninhydrin reaction. The electrophoretic mobility of the major product of aminopeptidase digestion (presumably the thiazolidine form of cysteinyl-8α-FAD thiohemiacetal) and other properties of the two peptides are in accord with previous suggestions that the linkage of the flavin to the peptide is a thiohemiacetal.
Density functional theory method for twisted geometries with application to torsional deformations in group-IV nanotubes

We present a real-space formulation and implementation of Kohn-Sham Density Functional Theory suited to twisted geometries, and apply it to the study of torsional deformations of X (X = C, Si, Ge, Sn) nanotubes. Our formulation is based on higher order finite difference discretization in helical coordinates, uses ab intio pseudopotentials, and naturally incorporates rotational (cyclic) and screw operation (i.e., helical) symmetries. We discuss several aspects of the computational method, including the form of the governing equations, details of the numerical implementation, as well as its convergence, accuracy and efficiency properties. The technique presented here is particularly well suited to the first principles simulation of quasi-one-dimensional structures and their deformations, and many systems of interest can be investigated using small simulation cells containing just a few atoms. We apply the method to systematically study the properties of single-wall zigzag and armchair group-IV nanotubes, as they undergo twisting. For the range of deformations considered, the mechanical behavior of the tubes is found to be largely consistent with isotropic linear elasticity, with the torsional stiffness varying as the cube of the nanotube radius. Furthermore, for a given tube radius, this quantity is seen to be highest for carbon nanotubes and the lowest for those of tin, while nanotubes of silicon and germanium have intermediate values close to each other. We also describe different aspects of the variation in electronic properties of the nanotubes as they are twisted. In particular, we find that akin to the well known behavior of armchair carbon nanotubes, armchair nanotubes of silicon, germanium and tin also exhibit bandgaps that vary periodically with imposed rate of twist, and that the periodicity of the variation scales in an inverse quadratic manner with the tube radius.
Physicochemical and Thermal Properties of Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Great Northern Bean Starch

UNLABELLED The compositions and properties of 5 Great Northern bean cultivars (Beryl-R, Coyne, Gemini, Marquis, and Orion) were investigated. Starch was isolated from each cultivar by a wet milling process. Isolated, unmodified starches were characterized for granular, molecular, thermal, and rheological properties. Smooth surfaces and essentially similar granule sizes and shapes were observed among all cultivars. Amylose contents were in the range 21.0% to 22.6%. Amylose and amylopectin molecular weights were approximately 10(5) and 10(9) Da, respectively. Typical C-type X-ray pattern was observed in all cultivars. Significant differences were observed among cultivars in percentage relative crystallinities, which were in the range 18.2% to 23.8%. The relative crystallinity was independent of amylose proportion and molecular weight. The 5 Great Northern bean cultivars differed in their thermal and rheological properties. Coyne and Gemini had low gelatinization enthalpies. In pasting profile analysis, Coyne had the lowest peak and final viscosities. Granule size, polymer proportion, and molecular weights had major influences on gelatinization and pasting properties of Great Northern bean starches. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Great Northern bean is one of the major varieties of dry-edible beans produced worldwide. Starch is the major component in Great Northern beans, which accounts for approximately 40% of its composition. Although most legume starches have been studied in detail, physicochemical and functional properties of Great Northern bean starch are largely unknown. This study investigated the properties and thermal behaviors of 5 Great Northern bean cultivars. The new information reported in this article, on starch properties, would pave ways to find new ingredient and product applications for Great Northern beans in food processing.
Length-Scale in Solidification Analysis

The art of solidification is one of the oldest in human history, contemporary to Casting, which is the modern technology that most heavily depends on solidification science and engineering. Toward the end of 5000 BC, humans learned to smelt copper ores to yield almost pure copper. The refined copper was then poured into open molds to roughly shape the desired object. After solidification, the casting was forged to obtain the final shape. Clay crucibles and examples of such castings were found in Anatolia (Anatolia, Cradle of Castings 2004). By 3500 BC, the early metallurgists learned to produce the first cast alloy, arsenic bronze. Cast iron, the first man-made composite, is at least 2500 years old, but the word “solidification” still had to be invented, and it remained an art for many, many years. While modern physicists contributed to the understanding of atomic-level phenomena specific to solidification, it is not until 1956 that solidification became an engineering science with the development of the constitutional undercooling concept by Chalmers (1956).
Convex contouring of volumetric data

In this paper, we present a fast, table-driven isosurface extraction technique on volumetric data. Unlike Marching Cubes or other cell-based algorithms, the proposed polygonization generates convex negative space inside individual cells, enabling fast collision detection on the triangulated isosurface. In our implementation, we are able to perform over 2 million point classifications per second. The algorithm is driven by an automatically constructed lookup table that stores compact decision trees by sign configurations. The decision trees determine triangulations dynamically by values at cell corners. Using the same technique, we can perform fast, crack-free multiresolution contouring on nested grids of volumetric data. The method can also be extended to extract isosurfaces on arbitrary convex, space-filling polyhedra.
AN ultra-low cost deep reactive ion etching (drie) tool for flexible, small volume manufacturing

Our goal is to demonstrate that we can achieve a radical reduction in the capital cost of micro/nano-manufacturing without sacrificing performance by scaling production throughput. As a demonstration of this concept, we show for the first time a DRIE system that processes small substrates (∼1 in2) with performance comparable to commercial systems for a capital cost below $32K. We have designed, built and tested this system, which currently can achieve silicon etch rates up to 2.8 µm/min with vertical sidewall profiles, an estimated photoresist selectivity greater than 50∶1, and etch depth non-uniformity to less than 2% across the substrate.
Psychological Profiling of Higher Education Institutions: A Two University Comparison

The projected decrease in college enrollment through the mid-1990’s has precipitated the adoption of portions of the marketing concept by higher education. As a result, universities have discovered "positioning". However, to date, positioning efforts have been based on traditional demographic and attribute data. Borrowing methodology from psychology, this paper demonstrates, to the higher education administrator, the marketing analysis and planning advantages attendant to psychological positioning or profiling.
Parametric evaluation of ball milling of SiC in water

A statistically designed experiment was conducted to determine optimum conditions for ball milling alpha-SiC in water. The influence of pH adjustment, volume percent solids loading, and mill rotational speed on grinding effectiveness was examined. An equation defining the effect of those milling variables on specific surface area was obtained. The volume percent solids loading of the slurry had the greatest influence on the grinding effectiveness in terms of increase in specific surface area. As grinding effectiveness improved, mill and media wear also increased. Contamination was minimized by use of sintered alpha-SiC milling hardware.
Ureteral transplantation to the rectosigmoid

Abstract The treatment of exstrophy of the bladder and complete epispadias, with total urinary incontinence, is best carried out by transplantation of the ureters to the rectosigmoid. It has been equally well established for treatment of large vesicovaginal fistulas and of other lesions of the bladder and urethra that cause incontinence of urine, if plastic methods of closure cannot be applied. In 85 cases of exstrophy of the bladder and total epispadias with complete incontinence encountered at The Mayo Clinic, the ureters have been transplanted to the rectosigmoid in separate stages, without the use of tubes or catheters. The right ureter has been transplanted first, and the left, ten to fourteen days later, if the patient's condition has permitted. In a series of 25 cases in which one of us (Walters) operated, one death occurred. A comparison of morbidity in hospital, of the cases in which the ureters are transplanted one at a time, with that in the cases in which the ureters are transplanted simultaneously, would indicate that there is very little difference. Intravenous urography in most of our recent cases has revealed that when the ureters are accurately transplanted by the Coffey submucous method, without use of catheters, or tubes, little dilatation of the pelves, calices, or ureters has occurred. The urine is held by a competent anal sphincter for an average of two to four hours during the day and three to five hours during the night. Plastic operations on the penis, restoring the contour to normal, are advisable and can be carried out at the time of cystectomy. The aseptic suture method of anastomosis, recently offered by Coffey, does not seem to us to be as useful as the method of submucous transplantation he first presented. In a series of 42 cases of exstrophy of the bladder, operation was postponed or not recommended. Intravenous urography and the usual methods of estimating renal function give valuable preoperative information.
Dynamic relationship between neurostimulation and n-acetylaspartate metabolism in the human visual cortex : Evidence that NAA functions as a molecular water pump during visual stimulation

N-acetyl-l-aspartic acid (NAA), an amino acid synthesized and stored primarily in neurons in the brain, has been proposed to be a molecular water pump (MWP) whose function is to rapidly remove water from neurons against a water gradient. In this communication, we describe the results of a functional 1H proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (fMRS) study, and provide evidence that in the human visual cortex, over a 10-min period of visual stimulation, there are stimulation-induced graded changes in the NAA MRS signal from that of a preceding 10-min baseline period with a decline in the NAA signal of 13.1% by the end of the 10-min stimulation period. Upon cessation of visual stimulation, the NAA signal gradually increases during a 10-min recovery period and once again approaches the baseline level. Because the NAA MRS signal reflects the NAA concentration, these changes indicate rapid focal changes in its concentration, and transient changes in its intercompartmental metabolism. These include its rates of synthesis and efflux from neurons and its hydrolysis by oligodendrocytes. During stimulation, the apparent rate of NAA efflux and hydrolysis increased 14.2 times, from 0.55 to 7.8 μmol g−1 h−1. During recovery, the apparent rate of synthesis increased 13.3 times, from 0.55 to 7.3 μmol g−1 h−1. The decline in the NAA signal during stimulation suggests that a rapid increase in the rate of NAA-obligated water release to extracellular fluid (ECF) is the initial and seminal event in response to neurostimulation. It is concluded that the NAA metabolic cycle in the visual cortex is intimately linked to rates of neuronal signaling, and that the functional cycle of NAA is associated with its release to ECF, thus supporting the hypothesis that an important function of the NAA metabolic cycle is that of an efflux MWP.
Interfacial adsorption and surfactant release characteristics of magnetically functionalized halloysite nanotubes for responsive emulsions

Magnetically responsive oil-in-water emulsions are effectively stabilized by a halloysite nanotube supported superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle system. The attachment of the magnetically functionalized halloysite nanotubes at the oil-water interface imparts magnetic responsiveness to the emulsion and provides a steric barrier to droplet coalescence leading to emulsions that are stabilized for extended periods. Interfacial structure characterization by cryogenic scanning electron microscopy reveals that the nanotubes attach at the oil-water interface in a side on-orientation. The tubular structure of the nanotubes is exploited for the encapsulation and release of surfactant species that are typical of oil spill dispersants such as dioctyl sulfosuccinate sodium salt and polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate. The magnetically responsive halloysite nanotubes anchor to the oil-water interface stabilizing the interface and releasing the surfactants resulting in reduction in the oil-water interfacial tension. The synergistic adsorption of the nanotubes and the released surfactants at the oil-water interface results in oil emulsification into very small droplets (less than 20μm). The synergy of the unique nanotubular morphology and interfacial activity of halloysite with the magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles has potential applications in oil spill dispersion, magnetic mobilization and detection using magnetic fields.
Use of Damping Devices to Control the Stability of Spring Loaded Safety Valves Operated in Liquid Service

The operation of spring loaded safety valves in liquid service often involves high frequency chatter of the disc combined with considerable pressure pulsations. These oscillations may be very dangerous for valves and pipes.
DISPLAY AT THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, LONDON, 1968–1975

This essay examines the innovative sequence of permanent historical displays created at the National Portrait Gallery under the directorship of Roy Strong in the late 1960s and early 1970s and establishes a series of contexts for them. It looks back to display at the gallery in earlier decades in order to examine how this reflected varying degrees of public engagement. This leads to an exploration of the place of Strong's displays within the cultural politics of the later 1960s, notably their relationship to the policies of Labour Minister the Arts, Jennie Lee. The final context is the development of a popular historical consciousness during the period, a phenomenon in which the visualization of history played a crucial role.
Impact of influenza vaccination disparities on elderly mortality in the United States.

Abstract Purpose. Racial and ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination among the elderly are well documented, but their impact on minority mortality is unknown. Methods. We model racial and ethnic parity in influenza vaccination on reduction in annual minority deaths among the elderly using age-, sex-, race-, and ethnicity-specific influenza vaccination data from the 2002 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, national mortality data and a relative risk (0.89; 95% confidence interval 0.80–0.98) for all-cause mortality during influenza season associated with vaccination. We also estimate the impact of 90% influenza coverage (Healthy People 2010 objective) on annual minority and white deaths. Lastly, we estimate years of minority lives saved from parity in annual vaccination beginning at age 65. Results. Parity in influenza vaccination would reduce elderly minority deaths by 1880 annually. Achievement of 90% vaccination coverage would reduce minority and White deaths by 3750 and 11,840 annually. Parity in vaccination beginning at age 65 and continuing through out life would save more than 33,000 minority years of life. Conclusions. Based on conservative estimates, elimination of racial and ethnic disparities in influenza vaccination would significantly reduce elderly minority mortality and save substantial years of minority life.
Optically detected zero field magnetic resonance of phosphorous activated alkali halide crystals

Optically detected zero field magnetic resonance (ODMR) has been utilized to obtain the time structure parameters IDi and IEI of the phosphorescent color center in phosphorous activated potassium chloride and bromide single crystals. The dipole activity of the zero field spin-orbital states, the Franck-Condon analysis of the vibronic structure of the phosphorescence spectrum and the fine structure parameters are ah consistent with the proposed identification of the impurity center as PO; ion.
Involvement of the intralaminar parafascicular nucleus in muscarinic-induced antinociception in rats.

The thalamic contribution to cholinergic-induced antinociception was examined by microinjecting the acetylcholine (ACh) agonist carbachol into the intralaminar nucleus parafascicularis (nPf) of rats. Pain behaviors organized at spinal (spinal motor reflexes), medullary (vocalizations during shock), and forebrain (vocalization afterdischarges, VADs) levels of the neuraxis were elicited by noxious tailshock. Carbachol (0.5, 1, and 2 μg/side) administered into nPf produced dose-dependent elevations of vocalization thresholds, but failed to elevate spinal motor reflex threshold. Injections of carbachol into adjacent sites dorsal or ventral to nPf failed to alter vocalization thresholds. Elevations in vocalization thresholds produced by intra-nPf carbachol were reversed in a dose-dependent manner by local administration of the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine (30 and 60 μg/side). These results provide the first direct evidence supporting the involvement of the intralaminar thalamus in muscarinic-induced antinociception. Results are discussed in terms of the contribution of nPf to the processing of the affective dimension of pain.
On estimating impact of loading effect on leakage current in sub-65nm scaled CMOS circuits based on Newton-Raphson method

Different sources of leakage can affect each other by interacting through resulting intermediate node voltages. This is known as the loading effect, hi this paper, we propose a pattern dependent steady state leakage estimation technique that incorporates loading effect and addresses the three dominant sources of leakage, namely the sub-threshold, gate oxide and band-to-band tunneling leakages. We have developed a compact leakage model that supports iteration over node voltages based on Newton-Raphson method. The proposed estimation technique based on the compact model improves performance and capacity over SPICE. We report a speed up of 18,000X over SPICE. Results show that loading effect is a significant factor in leakage and worsens with technology scaling.
DIVISION AND ORIENTATION IN THE VERTICAL-HORIZONTAL ILLUSION

This study attempted to determine the influence of the division (bisection of the horizontal line by the vertical line) and orientation (vertical line seems longer than horizontal line) factors on the vertical-horizontal illusion. 100 Ss were divided into two groups, one with knowledge of the division and orientation factors and the other group without knowledge of these factors. The results indicated that the amount of error for the group with knowledge was significantly smaller than for the group without knowledge.
Developing and testing a theory of management transformation from planned to market economy: The case of Russia

Abstract This project centers on marketing management during the ongoing economic restructuring of Russia. It is carried out in three sequential stages. First, it generates fundamental information about Russian marketing managers in a centrally planned economy by using qualitative research tools of focus groups conducted in 1989 and 1991. Second, using this fundamental information, it develops a theory of the transormation of marketing management from a planned to a market economy. Finally, it tests this proposed theory, using data from a survey conducted specifically to test the model.
Marbled inflation from population structure in gene-based association studies with rare variants.

Accurate genetic association studies are crucial for the detection and the validation of disease determinants. One of the main confounding factors that affect accuracy is population stratification, and great efforts have been extended for the past decade to detect and to adjust for it. We have now efficient solutions for population stratification adjustment for single-SNP (where SNP is single-nucleotide polymorphisms) inference in genome-wide association studies, but it is unclear whether these solutions can be effectively applied to rare variation studies and in particular gene-based (or set-based) association methods that jointly analyze multiple rare and common variants. We examine here, both theoretically and empirically, the performance of two commonly used approaches for population stratification adjustment—genomic control and principal component analysis—when used on gene-based association tests. We show that, different from single-SNP inference, genes with diverse composition of rare and common variants may suffer from population stratification to various extent. The inflation in gene-level statistics could be impacted by the number and the allele frequency spectrum of SNPs in the gene, and by the gene-based testing method used in the analysis. As a consequence, using a universal inflation factor as a genomic control should be avoided in gene-based inference with sequencing data. We also demonstrate that caution needs to be exercised when using principal component adjustment because the accuracy of the adjusted analyses depends on the underlying population substructure, on the way the principal components are constructed, and on the number of principal components used to recover the substructure.
Some characteristics of ice-nucleation active sites derived from experiments with a ferroelectric substrate

Abstract An experimental investigation on the nature of ice-nucleation active sites on solid nucleants has been carried out using ferroelectric single crystals of barium-titanate. The results of the experiments suggest that the electric “microrelief” (a term first proposed by Distler and his co-workers) provided to nucleation by a substrate is of fundamental importance in determining whether or not this substrate acts as an ice-nucleating surface. This conclusion supports the conclusions of Zettlemoyer and his co-workers and Corrin and his co-workers derived from ice nucleation experiments with silver iodide, the conclusions of Federer derived from ice nucleation experiments with silicon, and the conclusions of Distler and his co-workers derived from nucleation experiments with triglycine sulfate.
Video-Rate Super Resolution Microscopy in Living Cells

Super resolution microscopy based on single-molecule localization relies on precise and accurate localization of large numbers of single-molecules. However, the necessity of accumulating large numbers of localization estimates limits the time resolution typically to seconds to minutes1,2.Two major limitations are the acquisition speed and the photon budget. Replacing the usually used EMCCD with a recently introduced sCMOS camera results in leaps in both acquisition speed and effective quantum efficiency. However, the intrinsic pixel-dependent Gaussian noise of the sCMOS cameras introduces localization artifacts and greatly reduces the reliability of the results.Here, we present a set of specially designed methods that characterize an sCMOS camera for the first time and allow for unbiased and precise localization analysis. Using this method we demonstrate Cramer-Rao lower bound-limited single-molecule localization with an sCMOS camera. Combining the novel algorithm with a recently developed multi-emitter fitting algorithm3, We shortens the typical acquisition time for fixed samples by up to two orders of magnitude without compromising the field of view. Furthermore, we demonstrate localization-based super-resolution microscopy in live cells by monitoring dynamics of protein clusters, vesicles and organelles at a temporal resolution from 2 to 30 frames per second4.These methods allowed us to investigate cytokinetic apparatus in live fission yeast at 20-30 nm resolution. In general, the significantly improved temporal resolution allows super resolution imaging of a large range of dynamic events in living cells.1. Patterson, G., Davidson, M., Manley, S. & Lippincott-Schwartz, J. Annu. Rev. Phys. Chem.61, 345-67 (2010).2. Gould, T. J., Hess, S. T. & Bewersdorf, J. Annu. Rev. Biomed. Eng.14, 231-54 (2012).3. Huang, F., Schwartz, S. L., Byars, J. M. & Lidke, K. A. Biomed. Opt. Express 2, 1377-93 (2011).4. Huang, F. et al.Nat. Methods 10, 653-8 (2013).
Transcriptomic Evidence for the Evolution of Shoot Meristem Function in Sporophyte-Dominant Land Plants through Concerted Selection of Ancestral Gametophytic and Sporophytic Genetic Programs

Alternation of generations, in which the haploid and diploid stages of the life cycle are each represented by multicellular forms that differ in their morphology, is a defining feature of the land plants (embryophytes). Anciently derived lineages of embryophytes grow predominately in the haploid gametophytic generation from apical cells that give rise to the photosynthetic body of the plant. More recently evolved plant lineages have multicellular shoot apical meristems (SAMs), and photosynthetic shoot development is restricted to the sporophyte generation. The molecular genetic basis for this evolutionary shift from gametophyte-dominant to sporophyte-dominant life cycles remains a major question in the study of land plant evolution. We used laser microdissection and next generation RNA sequencing to address whether angiosperm meristem patterning genes expressed in the sporophytic SAM of Zea mays are expressed in the gametophytic apical cells, or in the determinate sporophytes, of the model bryophytes Marchantia polymorpha and Physcomitrella patens. A wealth of upregulated genes involved in stem cell maintenance and organogenesis are identified in the maize SAM and in both the gametophytic apical cell and sporophyte of moss, but not in Marchantia. Significantly, meiosis-specific genetic programs are expressed in bryophyte sporophytes, long before the onset of sporogenesis. Our data suggest that this upregulated accumulation of meiotic gene transcripts suppresses indeterminate cell fate in the Physcomitrella sporophyte, and overrides the observed accumulation of meristem patterning genes. A model for the evolution of indeterminate growth in the sporophytic generation through the concerted selection of ancestral meristem gene programs from gametophyte-dominant lineages is proposed.
Luni-solar 18.6- and 10—11-year solar cycle signals in H. H. lamb's dust veil index

Maximum entropy and Yule-Walker methods of spectrum analysis applied to Lamb's dust veil indices (dvi) for the Northern Hemisphere (1500–1968) show two strong peaks, with periods of 18.6±0.5 and 10.8±0.3 years. They are identified as the 18.6-year luni-solar Mn and 10–11-year solar cycle Sc signals, which have recently been reported in a wide variety of climate and economic time series. The signals were transformed into the time domain by band-pass filters, their wavetrains summed, and the sum superimposed on trend-like components of the dvi; it is found that they account for 48 per cent of variance in the index.
Oxygen Reactive Ion Etching For Multilevel Lithography

Oxygen plasmas used for pattern transfer in multilevel lithography have been characterized over a range of plasma parameters such as power and pressure. Etch rates of silicon dioxide and representative silicon-containing and planarizing polymers are correlated with these plasma parameters. Plasma diagnostic measurements include DC self-bias voltage, ion flux and incident ion energy distributions. Measurement of ion energy distributions yields fundamental information about the etching process since Si0 2 sputter rates and oxygen ion implant depths are strong functions of ion energy.
The site of action of naloxone in suppressing food and water intake in rats.

Abstract Previous studies have shown that naloxone causes a decrease in food and water intake; however, the site of this action has not been determined. We investigated this problem by giving bilateral injections of 15 μg/rat of naloxone into the lateral ventricles of cannulated, food and water deprived rats. This treatment caused a significant decrease in food intake when compared to saline injected controls. Water intake in naloxone-treated animals did not differ significantly from that of saline-treated controls during the one hour test period. The total dose of naloxone given centrally, 15 μg, did not produce a change in eating or drinking if given peripherally. The findings imply that naloxone exerts its effect on food intake at a central site. A dose-related and significant suppression of water intake was seen after treatment with nalaxone peripherally (1, 3, and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) in rats with either subdiaphragmatic vagotomy (vag) or a sham vagotomy (sham). Although a significant suppression of food intake was seen in the sham rats, no supression of food intake was seeen in the vag rats at any dose of naloxone tested. In rats pretreated with methyl atropine (5 mg/kg, i.p.), naloxone (3 mg/kg, i.p.) was equivalent to saline in that it did not decrease food intake. However, nalaxone did cause a significant decrease in water intake in methylatropine pre-treated rats. These results suggest that the suppression of food intake by naloxone has a central site of action which is mediated by the vagus, and specifically by vagal efferents, since the effect was blocked by methylatropine. The results also suggest that naloxone's effect on water intake is mediated by a different mechanism than that involved with food intake.
Relationship of secondhand smoke and infant lower respiratory tract infection severity by familial atopy status

Abstract Background Individuals with atopy have more severe complications of infectious diseases. We hypothesized that the importance of secondhand smoke (SHS) on lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) severity would be greater in infants with a familial atopic predisposition. Objective To determine whether infants with a familial atopic predisposition are more susceptible to adverse effects of SHS, resulting in more severe LRTI. Methods We conducted cross-sectional analyses of mother-infant dyads enrolled during 2004 to 2008 during an infant LRTI. Predictor variables were SHS and 2 measures of a familial atopic predisposition (maternal atopic disease with allergen sensitization or familial atopy). LRTI severity was determined by bronchiolitis severity score (BSS) and hospital length of stay (LOS). We conducted multivariable regression analysis to test for a differential relationship between SHS and LRTI severity by measures of familial atopic predisposition. Results In 451 dyads, 57% of infants had SHS exposure, 36% had a mother with atopic disease, and 68% had familial atopy. We did not detect differences in BSS or LOS by SHS exposure stratified by history of maternal atopic disease. In bivariate analysis, there was a significant difference in LOS by SHS in those with familial atopy ( P = .006) but not in those without ( P = .66). In multivariable analysis, among infants with familial atopy, there was a 23% increased LOS in infants with SHS exposure ( P = .03), whereas no statistical significance was detected in those without familial atopy ( P = .07). Conclusion In infants with familial atopy, SHS was associated with longer hospital LOS for LRTI but not BSS. Because the effect was seen only among hospitalized infants, confirmation is required.
Deconstruction of unparticles

We discuss properties of hypothetical scale invariant (unparticle) matter by viewing it as a tower of massive particles. We show how peculiar properties of unparticles emerge in the limit when the mass spacing parameter $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ vanishes. We explain why the unparticle cannot decay in this limit and how, for finite $\ensuremath{\Delta}$, the decays manifest themselves in a relation between the reconstructed invariant mass and vertex displacement. We describe a model field theory in ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{5}$ which explicitly implements the deconstruction procedure by truncating the extra dimension to size of order $1/\ensuremath{\Delta}$.
Transscleral intraocular lens fixation with a “homemade” needle and hook

We describe an ab externo, transscleral, intraocular lens (IOL) fixation technique using a surgeon-fashioned 25-gauge hook, a neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG)-modified 27-gauge needle, and 9-0 polypropylene suture. This is a simple, inexpensive technique for creating small-gauge surgical instruments to accurately and atraumatically pass 9-0 and 10-0 polypropylene sutures through sclera. Holes, through which sutures can be threaded, are "burned" near the tips of 27-gauge or 30-gauge needles with an Nd:YAG laser. Using a fine needle holder, a 25-gauge hook is fashioned from a hypodermic needle. A surgical technique incorporating 2 ab externo incisions and achieving transscleral posterior chamber IOL fixation is discussed.
Rapid profiling of a microbial genome using mixtures of barcoded oligonucleotides

To identify genes affecting traits of interest in E. coli, Warner et al. describe a method to rapidly create and assay rationally mutated versions of every gene. The approach is applied to several traits, including tolerance to cellulosic hydrolysate, a biofuel precursor.
Estimation of Gain Isoquants and a Decision Model Application for Swine Production

Historic estimates of livestock production functions have used repeated observations on the animals to estimate the overall gain surface. The estimates involve autocorrelation accordingly. To circumvent this problem, gain isoquants are estimated directly by means of an instrumental variable approach. Data are from a swine experiment designed for the purpose with 648 hogs. Protein supplement and corn serve as the substitute inputs. Protein supplement is estimated as the instrumental variable. Isoquant equations then are predicted for three weight intervals. Finally, a decision model is applied for economic choice. Comparisons are made for various price sets of recent years.
Change, in the Western Renaissance

This essay does not propose an exercise in historiography. Though it presents evidences of difference with respect to what may be “medieval” or “Renaissance” or “Enlightenment” values, its end is not to elaborate clear periodicity in Western history. It argues that historical and cultural changes are cumulative and that positive change, as opening to a future, is recognized experientially in terms of a certain perdurance of the past. It has little to say about well-studied Renaissance developments—the Reformation, advances in technology and cosmology—in favor of important cultural shifts that have been somewhat less emphasized: Petrarchan humanism as a balance between the idiosyncratic and the sacred, history as ideally an “heterology” (M. de Certeau), syncretism as the instantiation of temporal “recursion” (Giambattista Vico), the evolution of Western Christian icons, missionary propaganda and doctrinal pluralism, new balances between faith and reason—including the possibility of “things indifferent” (Richard Hooker), irenism, and the early discourses of human liberty. What follows also responds to a unique scholarly context—the June 2014 Beijing conference on “Time and Change in China and the West.” Specific points are adduced here in the light of contemporary tensions and dialogues between the West and China; brief references to Machiavelli and Bacon are especially apposite to that Beijing context. This paper—synthetic of necessity—concludes in the terms of how the eighteenth century philosopher Giambattista Vico looked at the Western Middle Ages and Renaissance, that is to say, at his own, immediate past.
Recognition of a Mononucleosomal Histone Modification Pattern by BPTF via Multivalent Interactions

Little is known about how combinations of histone marks are interpreted at the level of nucleosomes. The second PHD finger of human BPTF is known to specifically recognize histone H3 when methylated on lysine 4 (H3K4me2/3). Here, we examine how additional heterotypic modifications influence BPTF binding. Using peptide surrogates, three acetyllysine ligands are indentified for a PHD-adjacent bromodomain in BPTF via systematic screening and biophysical characterization. Although the bromodomain displays limited discrimination among the three possible acetyllysines at the peptide level, marked selectivity is observed for only one of these sites, H4K16ac, in combination with H3K4me3 at the mononucleosome level. In support, these two histone marks constitute a unique trans-histone modification pattern that unambiguously resides within a single nucleosomal unit in human cells, and this module colocalizes with these marks in the genome. Together, our data call attention to nucleosomal patterning of covalent marks in dictating critical chromatin associations.
Comparative reductive desymmetrization of 2,2-disubstituted-cycloalkane-1,3-diones

Abstract Reductive desymmetrization of 2-methyl-2-substituted-cycloalkane-1,3-diones can be effected using either NaBH4 in DME or lithium tri-tert-butoxyaluminum hydride (LTBA) in THF at −60 °C. The former is a new approach that offers slightly greater diastereoselectivity in the reduction of 2,2-disubstituted-cyclopentane-1,3-diones while LTBA is superior with 2,2-disubstituted-cyclohexane-1,3-diones. Both conditions minimize subsequent reduction to diols thereby furnishing high yields of 1,3-ketols. Particularly rapid monoreductions are observed with 2-methyl-2-nitroethylcyclopentane-1,3-dione and 2-cyanoethyl-2-methylcyclopentane-1,3-dione when treated with NaBH4 in DME at −60 °C. As expected, diastereoselectivity varies considerably with the substitution at C-2.