cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxygen diffusion mechanisms during high‐temperature oxidation of ZrB2‐SiC

Oxygen diffusion mechanisms during oxidation of ZrB2-30 vol% SiC were explored at temperatures of 1500°C and 1650°C using an 18O tracer technique. Double oxidation experiments in 16O2 and 18O2 were performed using a modified resistive heating system. A combination of scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry was used to characterize the borosilicate and ZrO2 oxidation products. Oxygen exchange with the borosilicate network was observed to occur quickly at the oxygen-borosilicate surface at both 1500°C and 1650°C, while evidence of oxygen permeation was only observed at 1650°C for short time ( 5-9 min, complete oxygen exchange throughout both the borosilicate glass and ZrO2 was observed at both temperatures preventing identification of the oxygen transport mechanisms, but demonstrating that oxygen transport is rapid in both oxide phases.
Optimal Screening Methods to Detect Cardiac Disorders in Athletes: An Evidence-Based Review

Reference/Citation: Harmon KG, Zigman M, Drezner JA. The effectiveness of screening history, physical exam, and ECG to detect potentially lethal cardiac disorders in athletes: a systematic review/...
Controlling Photonic Nanojets: From the Standpoint of Eigenmodes

In this letter, we explain how to quickly engineer and optimize photonic nanojets (PNJs) using eigenmode expansion and a transmission matrix theory. We systematically investigate how to realize an ultra-narrow beam waist and how to steer and shift the PNJ hot spot position using different linear combinations of eigenmodes. The ability to design complex beam shapes makes the technique attractive in numerous applications, including inspecting nanoparticles located deep inside a cell, super-resolution imaging, and optical lithography.
Investigation of asphaltene deposition mechanisms during CO2 huff-n-puff injection in Eagle Ford shale

In this study, laboratory tests were conducted to investigate the asphaltene deposition mechanisms during CO2 huff-n-puff injection in an Eagle Ford shale core using Wolfcamp shale oil. The permeab...
Pilocytic Astrocytoma: Pathological and Immunohistochemical Factors Affecting Surgical Treatment and Surveillance

Tumors of the central nervous system are the most prevalent solid neoplasm in the pediatric population and represent a considerable burden to children, physicians, and the healthcare system. High-grade tumors frequently require surgical resection, followed by aggressive adjuvant therapy. Low-grade lesions, in contrast, are often controlled with surgical resection alone, though adjuvant treatment modalities may be necessary if the location of the tumor prevents complete surgical removal. Pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) are low-grade central nervous system neoplasms that typically affect children. Many PAs are cured with resection alone; others frequently recur despite aggressive management. The ability to distinguish these two groups would be valuable for the treating clinician. Age and extent of resection have long been recognized as two important prognostic variables concerning low-grade, pediatric gliomas (Garcia et al. (J Neurosurg 71:661–664, 1989); Pollack et al. (J Neurosurg 82:536–547, 1995); Gajjar et al. (J Clin Oncol 15:2792–2799, 1997); Fisher et al. (Pediatr Blood Cancer 51:245–250, 2008)). However, additional prognostic markers are necessary in the ongoing effort to correctly identify tumors at particular risk for recurrence or progression. Radiographic characteristics do not adequately predict tumor behavior. Therefore, increasing efforts have been directed toward tumor histology and immunohistochemistry in order to uncover features predictive of aggressive clinical behavior.
Psychological and Social Variables of Vocational Rehabilitation

Psychological and social aspects of adaptation to a disability are discussed. Included are frequently used definitions in the field of rehabilitation. An overview of stage and phase theories are presented with arguments against commonly held beliefs concerning the concepts of denial, depression and anger, and their importance to the rehabilitation process. Theoretical perspectives of adaptation are also presented, with an emphasis on society's role, values, and attributes in the development of these perspectives.
The Duffy blood group system: a review

Duffy was the first blood group mapped to an autosome (chromosome 1) using cytogenetic studies. Duffy antigens are located on a glycoprotein that can be found on erythrocytes and other cells throughout the body. Fy(a) and Fy(b) are products of their respective alleles (FY*A, FY*B). Fy(x) characterized by weak Fy(b) expression, is a result of an additional mutation in FY*B. The Fy(a-b-) phenotype, most commonly found in Blacks, occurs primarily as a result of GATA promoter region mutation upstream of the FY allele. This mutation prevents expression of Duffy glycoprotein on erythrocytes only, while permitting expression of nonerythroid cells. Other antigens include Fy3, Fy5, and Fy6. Antibodies to Duffy antigens are usually clinically significant and have been reported to cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. This review provides a general overview of the Duffy blood group system, including the role of the Duffy glycoprotein as a chemokine receptor (Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines) and in malarial infection.
REVIEW OF THE UV-FLUORESCENCE MICROPHOTOMETRY OF FRESH AND FOSSIL EXINES AND EXOSPORIA

ABSTRACT UV-fluorescence properties of fresh and fossil pollen and spores of various origin have been investigated by means of microphotometrical methods. The interpretation of the results obtained by means of various measuring techniques are discussed in relation to the problem of sporopollenin. The fluorescence spectra suggest that compounds with a different resistance to geological age, corrosion and coalification must be present in the pollen and spore walls. Exposure of pollen and spores to UV-radiation under the microscope resulted in a decomposition or alteration of their walls. The exposure caused a “fading effect” of the fluorescence intensities. The fluorescence properties of spectra and fading may be different for well-preserved pollen and corroded or coalified material. Similar differences are found between the sexine and nexine of certain bisaccate pollen types and for fresh spores in various stages of chemical decomposition. The differences in fluorescence and fading of fresh pollen in various stages of development have been reviewed. It appears that the UV-fluorescence microphotometry may provide useful information to a better understanding of the chemical character of sporopollenin of various appearance and preservation.
Good Questions: Building Evaluation Evidence in a Competitive Policy Environment

Criminal justice evaluations are funded and executed in a policy environment increasingly characterized by intense competition that creates a premium on studies utilizing experimental methods. Rand...
Predicting Motor Outcomes in Stroke Patients Using Diffusion Spectrum MRI Microstructural Measures.

Improved understanding of neuroimaging signal changes and their relation to patient outcomes after ischemic stroke is needed to improve ability to predict motor improvement and make therapy recommendations. The posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) is a hub of afferent and efferent motor signaling and this work proposes new, image-based methods for prognosis based on interhemispheric differences in the PLIC. In this work, nine acute supratentorial ischemic stroke patients with motor impairment received a baseline, 203-direction diffusion brain MRI and a clinical assessment 3-12 days post-stroke and were compared to nine age-matched healthy controls. Asymmetries based on the mean and Kullback-Leibler divergence in the ipsilesional and contralesional PLIC were calculated for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) measures from the baseline MRI. Predictions of upper extremity Fugl-Meyer (FM) scores at 5-week follow-up from baseline measures of PLIC asymmetry in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) models were evaluated. For the stroke participants, the baseline asymmetry measures in the PLIC for the orientation dispersion index of the neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) model were highly correlated with upper extremity FM outcomes (r2=0.83). Use of DSI and the NODDI orientation dispersion index parameter shows promise of being more predictive of stroke recovery and to help better understand white matter changes in stroke, beyond DTI measures. The new finding that baseline interhemispheric differences in the PLIC calculated from the orientation dispersion index of the NODDI model are highly correlated with upper extremity functional outcomes may lead to improved image-based motor-outcome prediction after middle cerebral artery ischemic stroke.
Comparative studies of Aspergillus fumigatus 2-methylcitrate synthase and human citrate synthase

Aspergillus fumigatus is a ubiquitous fungus that is not only a problem in agriculture, but also in healthcare. Aspergillus fumigatus drug resistance is becoming more prominent which is mainly attributed to the widespread use of fungicides in agriculture. The fungi-specific 2-methylcitrate cycle is responsible for detoxifying propionyl-CoA, a toxic metabolite produced as the fungus breaks down proteins and amino acids. The enzyme responsible for this detoxification is 2-methylcitrate synthase (mcsA) and is a potential candidate for the design of new anti-fungals. However, mcsA is very similar in structure to human citrate synthase (hCS) and catalyzes the same reaction. Therefore, both enzymes were studied in parallel to provide foundations for design of mcsA-specific inhibitors. The first crystal structures of citrate synthase from humans and 2-methylcitrate synthase from A. fumigatus are reported. The determined structures capture various conformational states of the enzymes and several inhibitors were identified and characterized. Despite a significant homology, mcsA and hCS display pronounced differences in substrate specificity and cooperativity. Considering that the active sites of the enzymes are almost identical, the differences in reactions catalyzed by enzymes are caused by residues that are in the vicinity of the active site and influence conformational changes of the enzymes.
The Post-Launch Performance of the Tiros I Satellite

TIROS I is the first of the experimental television-equipped meteorological satellites to be launched in the TIROS program of the U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The satellite contains two television camera systems—one wide angle and one narrow angle (high resolution) for photographing the earth’s cloud cover from an altitude of 400 nautical miles.
Scale of mass generation for Majorana neutrinos

Scales of mass generation for Majorana neutrinos (as well as quarks and leptons) can be probed from high energy 2 → n inelastic scattering involving a multiple longitudinal gauge boson final state. We demonstrate that the unitarity of 2 → n scattering puts the strongest new upper limit on the scale of fermion mass generation, independent of the electroweak symmetry breaking scale . Strikingly, for Majorana neutrinos (quarks and leptons), we find that the strongest 2 → n limits fall in a narrow range, 136 - 170 TeV (3 - 107 TeV) with n = 20 - 24 (n = 2 - 12), depending on the observed fermion masses. Physical implications are discussed.
Home-Based Gait Speed Assessment: Normative Data and Racial/Ethnic Correlates Among Older Adults.

Abstract Objectives To determine home-based gait speed performance and its associations with sociodemographic and health-related factors among older adults. Design Cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative US population sample. Setting and participants Homes of Health and Retirement Study (HRS) participants. Methods Walk test data measured at home over 2.5 m were aggregated for 6983 individuals, aged ≥65 years (mean age 74.8 ± 6.9 years, 54.2% women), from the 2006 and 2008 HRS waves. Means for gait speed at normal pace were determined for demographic and clinical groupings; association of gait speed with demographic, socioeconomic status, and health factors were examined. Four-year mortality was predicted from baseline slow gait status defined using demographic-based cutoff scores as well as commonly recommended cutoff scores (100 or 60 cm/s). Results Home-based gait speed (cm/s) means were lower for female than male (9.6% difference), older than younger (18.0% difference), African American than white (20.5% difference), and Hispanic than Non-Hispanic (10.3% difference) participants. Differences by age group, race, and ethnicity remained significant within sexes (P Conclusions and implications Mean gait speed measured at home differs among older (aged ≥65 years) US resident population groups defined by sex, age, race, ethnicity, health status, and combinations of these factors, and predicts 4-year mortality when substantially slower than group-based norms. These findings may assist researchers and clinicians in determining normal and abnormal gait performance in older adults in community settings.
Virtual Reality Synthesis of Robotic Systems for Human Upper-Limb and Hand Tasks

The design of robotic systems for human-hand tasks could benefit for a more intuitive environment for task definition and prototype testing. Virtual reality with human-limb motion identification and visualization seems to be an appropriate environment both for defining the task and to visualize the solution. In this work we present the combination of a method for the kinematic design of robots with serial and tree structures, with a virtual reality and depth-sensing system that allows faithful representation and data extraction for hand and upper extremity motion. The communications and solver are embedded in the virtual reality programming, yielding a tool for design of cooperative human-robot systems.
Individual health outcomes secondary to a nurse-led coalition-based health promotion program for underserved diverse populations.

Objective This study describes the impact of various levels of participation in a nurse-led coalition-based wellness program on participant outcomes related to body mass index, blood pressure, diabetes risk, and lifestyle behaviors in a Midwest rural county. Design This descriptive study used de-identified data collected by program staff over a 26-month period to evaluate participant outcomes. Sample Participants were predominantly female with a mean age of 49 years; 41% identified as Hispanic. Measurements/analysis Lifestyle behavior surveys and biometric screenings were used to collect data. Latent Growth Class Analysis and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Intervention Monthly wellness programming including screenings, health education and referrals were provided to participants at various sites in a rural community. Results Over a 26-month period, 3,004 visits were made by 820 participants. Four clusters for participants (n = 287) who had made three visits or more were identified, providing insight into meaningful interindividual differences for repeat participants. Overall, repeat participants either maintained or improved their blood pressure over time. Indirect outcomes including policy, system, and environmental changes were also noted. Conclusions Coalitions can positively affect the health of populations through these types of programs at the individual and population level.
Reactivity and selectivity descriptors of dioxygen activation routes on metal oxides

Abstract The activation of dioxygen at typically isolated two-electron reduced centers can lead to the formation of electrophilic superoxo or peroxo species, providing an essential route to form reactive O2-derived species in biological, organometallic, and heterogeneous catalysts. Alternatively, O2 activation can proceed via outer sphere routes, circumventing the formation of bound peroxo (OO*) species during oxidation catalysis by forming H2O2(g), which can react with another reduced center to form H2O. The electronic and binding properties of metal oxides that determine the relative rates of these activation routes are assessed here by systematic theoretical treatments using density functional theory (DFT). These methods are combined with conceptual frameworks based on thermochemical cycles and crossing potential models to assess the most appropriate descriptors for the activation barriers for each route using Keggin polyoxometalates as illustrative examples. In doing so, we show that inner sphere routes, which form OO* species via O2 activation on the O-vacancies (*) formed in the reduction part of redox cycles, are mediated by early transition states that only weakly sense the oxide binding properties. Outer sphere routes form H2O2(g) via O2 activation on OH pairs (H/OH*) formed by dissociation of H2O on O-vacancies; their rates and activation barriers reflect the rates of the first H-atom transfer from H/OH* to O2. The activation barriers for this H-transfer step depend on the binding energy of more weakly-bound H-atom in H/OH* pairs (HAE2) and on the OOH-surface interaction energy at its product state ( E int 0 ). The E int 0 values are similar among oxides unless a large charge-balancing cation is present and interacts with OOH; consequently, HAE2 acts as an appropriate descriptor of the outer sphere dynamics. HAE2 also determines the thermodynamics of H2O dissociation on O-vacancies, which influence the inner and outer sphere rates by setting the relative coverage of * and H/OH*. These results, in turn, show that HAE2 is a complete descriptor of the reactivity and selectivity of oxides for O2 activation; the O-atoms in more reducible oxides (more negative HAE2) exhibit a greater preference for the inner sphere routes and for the formation of electrophilic OO* intermediates that mediate epoxidation and O-insertion reactions during catalytic redox cycles. Large charge-balancing cations locally modify E int 0 values that determine the outer sphere rates and thus can be used to alter the preference of O-atoms to either inner or outer sphere routes.
Individual actors in community theater: Implications for sense of community

Throughout history, theater and the arts have been mediums to bond individuals and advance social change. Community theater has the added benefit of allowing nonprofessional thespians the opportuni...
Keeping the inner voice inside the head, a pilot fMRI study.

Introduction The inner voice is experienced during thinking in words (inner speech) and silent reading and evokes brain activity that is highly similar to that associated with external voices. Yet while the inner voice is experienced in internal space (inside the head), external voices (one's own and those of others) are experienced in external space. In this paper, we investigate the neural basis of this differential spatial localization. Methods We used fMRI to examine the difference in brain activity between reading silently and reading aloud. As the task involved reading aloud, data were first denoised by removing independent components related to head movement. They were subsequently processed using finite impulse response basis function to address the variations of the hemodynamic response. Final analyses were carried out using permutation-based statistics, which is appropriate for small samples. These analyses produce spatiotemporal maps of brain activity. Results Reading silently relative to reading aloud was associated with activity of the "where" auditory pathway (Inferior parietal lobule and middle temporal gyrus), and delayed activity of the primary auditory cortex. Conclusions These pilot data suggest that internal space localization of the inner voice depends on the same neural resources as that for external space localization of external voices-the "where" auditory pathway. We discuss the implications of these findings on the possible mechanisms of abnormal experiences of the inner voice as is the case in verbal hallucinations.
Biomedical Researchers' Perceptions of the NIH's Sex as a Biological Variable Policy for Animal Research: Results from a U.S. National Survey.

Background: In 2015, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) established a policy on sex as a biological variable (SABV) in an effort to address the overrepresentation of men and male animals in bi...
The Nexus of Homelessness and Incarceration: The Case of Homeless Men in Trenton, NJ

This article explores the nuanced connections between homelessness and incarceration as told through life stories of homeless men in Trenton, New Jersey. A recurrent theme in the stories was the ex...
Excitation of all-dielectric meta-atoms with structured light beams

Structured light carrying spin and orbital angular momentum brings about new light-matter interactions in optical nanostructures. We demonstrate the possibility of using structured light beams carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) to access resonant modes of all-dielectric meta-atoms that cannot be excited by the conventional Gaussian beam or by a plane wave. We use multipole decomposition approach to match extinction resonances with high-order multipole excitation. These results can find applications in sensing, spectroscopy, and enable new regimes of nonlinear optical interactions.
Genomics of Postprandial Lipidomics in the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network Study.

Postprandial lipemia (PPL) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Inter-individual variation in the dietary response to a meal is known to be influenced by genetic factors, yet genes that dictate variation in postprandial lipids are not completely characterized. Genetic studies of the plasma lipidome can help to better understand postprandial metabolism by isolating lipid molecular species which are more closely related to the genome. We measured the plasma lipidome at fasting and 6 h after a standardized high-fat meal in 668 participants from the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network study (GOLDN) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to (quadrupole) time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A total of 413 unique lipids were identified. Heritable and responsive lipid species were examined for association with single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped on the Affymetrix 6.0 array. The most statistically significant SNP findings were replicated in the Amish Heredity and Phenotype Intervention (HAPI) Heart Study. We further followed up findings from GOLDN with a regional analysis of cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpGs) sites measured on the Illumina HumanMethylation450 array. A total of 132 lipids were both responsive to the meal challenge and heritable in the GOLDN study. After correction for multiple testing of 132 lipids (α = 5 × 10−8/132 = 4 × 10−10), no SNP was statistically significantly associated with any lipid response. Four SNPs in the region of a known lipid locus (fatty acid desaturase 1 and 2/FADS1 and FADS2) on chromosome 11 had p < 8.0 × 10−7 for arachidonic acid FA(20:4). Those SNPs replicated in HAPI Heart with p < 3.3 × 10−3. CpGs around the FADS1/2 region were associated with arachidonic acid and the relationship of one SNP was partially mediated by a CpG (p = 0.005). Both SNPs and CpGs from the fatty acid desaturase region on chromosome 11 contribute jointly and independently to the diet response to a high-fat meal.
Entanglement in Two-Photon Cascade Radiation and the Visibility of Second-Order Interference

Two-photon coincidence interferometry has recently been the subject of growing experimental and theoretical interest.1–7 From an experimental point of view, the visibility of the second-order interference is an important issue in such interferometers. For example, if the violation of a Bell inequality is tested in a given setup, then the visibility of the interference as predicted by quantum mechanics has to be high enough to contradict the existence of hidden variables. In the present article, we show that the entanglement present in spontaneous cascade radiation emitted by an excited three-level atom potentially enhances the visibility of second-order interference in comparison to the level produced by radiation from other sources.
Effects of pH and Al3+ activity on survival of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii in a simple solution and on nodulation of red clover in acid soils

Effects of pH and Al concentrations on growth of rhizobia have been reported. However, the effects of Al3+ activity, considered to be the most phytotoxic of the monomeric Al species, have not been shown. Thirty-seven Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. trifolii strains from various geographic locations were tested for tolerance to pH ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 by assessing survival in a CaCl2-MgSO4 (0.3 mM of each) solution after 48 h. Differences in strain survival occurred at pH 4.O. Twenty strains survived in numbers ⩾ the inoculant population. At pH 3.5 five strains survived (⩾30% of the inoculated population). Fifteen strains survived 10 μM Al3+ activity at pH 4.5 and five survived (⩾30% of the inoculated population) in the presence of the same Al3+ activity at pH 4.0. Six pH- and Al-tolerant strains and one pH-sensitive strain were used to determine the percent of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) plants nodulated over a 10-day period in three Appalachian soils which had different soil solution pH and estimated Al3+ activities. Two did not nodulate plants even at day-0, one nodulated plants only at day-0, one nodulated plants at day 0 and day 2 (the pH-sensitive strain), and three nodulated plants over the 10-day period. It appeared that the Rhizobium strain was more important than soil factors in controlling nodulation over the 10-day test period.
The Imperial Scholar: Reflections on a Review of Civil Rights Literature

An early example of Critical Race Theory, this article analyzes citation patterns of leading white scholars of civil rights. After revealing that those dominant figures, all staunch supporters of minority causes, cited mainly each other and not the growing number of black and Latino scholars who were beginning to write about affirmative action, housing discrimination, and other related areas, I go on to show that this pattern of neglect has real consequences, including "blunting and skewing" in the treatments of race and an impoverished discourse on this vital subject.
Graph Theory Algorithms for Mobile Ad hoc Networksh

Various simulators (e.g., ns-2 and GloMoSim) are available to implement and study the behavior of the routing protocols for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). But, students and investigators who are new to this area often get perplexed in the complexity of these simulators and lose the focus in designing and analyzing the characteristics of the network and the protocol. Most of the time would be spent in learning the existing code modules of the simulator and the logical flow between the different code modules. The purpose of this paper would be to illustrate the applications of Graph Theory algorithms to study, analyze and simulate the behavior of routing protocols for MANETs. Specifically, we focus on the applications of Graph Theory algorithms to determine paths, trees and connected dominating sets for simulating and analyzing respectively unicast (single-path and multi-path), multicast and broadcast communication in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). We will discuss the (i) Dijkstra’s shortest path algorithm and its modifications for finding stable paths and bottleneck paths; (ii) Prim’s minimum spanning tree algorithm and its modification for finding all pairs smallest and largest bottleneck paths; (iii) Minimum Steiner tree algorithm to connect a source node to all the receivers of a multicast group; (iv) A node-degree based algorithm to construct an approximate minimum connected dominating set (CDS) for sending information from one node to all other nodes in the network; and (v) Algorithms to find a sequence of link-disjoint, node-disjoint and zone-disjoint multi-path routes in MANETs. Povzetek: Prispevek opisuje algoritme za mobilna omreja.
The Paradoxical Role of the Military in the Amnesty, Reconciliation and Reintegration (AR2) Process

Building on earlier studies, this paper expands on the principles underlying the process of developing a coherent amnesty, reconciliation and reintegration (AR2) policy. It explores the paradoxical way the U.S. military, as an instrument of that policy, might act as a reconciler. The paper uses a model that points to the dynamic interrelationships among the dimensions of a society engaged in the AR2 process. It examines how the introduction of an external 'armed reconciler' affects both the societal dimensions of the process and the correlation between amnesty, in some form, and reconciliation.
Individual Differences in Memory Span

One series of experiments examined the correlation between memory span and the speed of symbol manipulation in short-term memory, and another experiment analyzed the effects of extended practice on memory span. In the first study, most of the estimates of processing speed did not correlate with memory span, and it was concluded that short-term memory capacity is not determined by the speed of symbol manipulation in short term memory. In the second study, memory span greatly increased with extended practice, but this increase was due to the acquisition of a mnemonic system. Short-term memory capacity was unaffected by practice.
Genetic manipulation and monitoring of autophagy in Drosophila.

Drosophila melanogaster provides a model system useful for many aspects of the study of autophagy in vivo. These include testing and validation of genes potentially involved in autophagy, discovery of novel genes through genetic screening for mutations that affect autophagy, and analysis of potential roles of autophagy in specific developmental or physiological processes. In recent years, a number of techniques and transgenic and mutant fly strains have been developed to facilitate autophagy analysis in this system. Here, protocols are described for activating or inhibiting autophagy in Drosophila, and for examining the progression of autophagy in vivo through imaging‐based assays. The goal of this chapter is to provide a resource both for autophagy investigators with limited familiarity with fly genetics, as well as for experienced Drosophila biologists who wish to test for connections between autophagy and a given gene, pathway or process.
Control of macrophage Ia expression in neonatal mice--role of a splenic suppressor cell.

The control of macrophage expression of I region-associated antigens (Ia) in neonatal mice was studied by comparing responses of neonatal and adult mice to immune vs nonimmune stimuli. Adults generated peritoneal exudates rich in Ia-bearing macrophages in response to i.p. injection of live Listeria monocytogenes, Listeria-immune T cells, and heat-killed Listeria, or a soluble mediator termed macrophage Ia-recruiting factor (MIRF). Neonates failed to respond to these stimuli. In contrast, both neonates and adults generated Ia-negative peritoneal exudates when stimulated with thioglycollate. A neonatal spleen cell that blocked the response of adults both to immune T cells and heat-killed Listeria and to MIRF was identified and characterized. Some of the suppressor cells appeared to be early precursors of the phagocytic lineage that develop into mature monocyte-macrophages. Suppression was apparently mediated by metabolites of arachidonic acid since indomethacin and aspirin in vivo blocked the effect. Similar suppressor activity was found in adult bone marrow and in adult resident peritoneal exudate cells. Thus, the phagocytic line autoregulates its surface expression of Ia in both neonatal and adult mice. This mechanism becomes particularly pointed during early development and could contribute to the lack of immunity during ontogeny.
Inheritance of human plasma dopamine-β-hydroxylase thermal stability

Although the structural gene for human dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) has been cloned, the mechanism by which DBH physical properties and activity are regulated is not well understood. Previous reports have suggested that three-allele or two-locus models may account for the genetic regulation of these traits in human blood. It is an interesting challenge to determine the extent to which quantitative analyses will complement or guide molecular genetic studies. In this study we analyzed data on the physical property of DBH thermal stability and DBH activity in 230 individuals in 53 families in an attempt to clarify genetic mechanisms for the inheritance of these traits. Commingling and segregation analyses of the thermal stability data provided the first clear evidence of a major gene polymorphism for DBH thermal stability analyzed as a quantitative trait. Major gene transmission was supported within a mixed model (chi 2[3] = 13.39, P less than .004). In keeping with earlier findings, similar analyses of DBH activity provided strong evidence of genetic transmission. However, in our data support for a major gene polymorphism was equivocal (chi 2(2) = 2.99, P = .22).
Reducing the Impact of the Stock Price Movements on the Implied Parameters

The paper studies estimation of parameters of diffusion market models from historical option prices. A method of reducing the impact of the stock price movements on the dynamically implied parameters is suggested. It is shown that a certain selection of the options can deliver a smooth in time process of the implied parameters. The paper considers the case of two parameters: the implied volatility and the implied average cumulative risk free interest rate. They can be found unconditionally from a system of two equations.
gore : routing-assisted defense against DDoS attacks

We present gore, a routing-assisted defense architecture against distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that provides guaranteed levels of access to a network under attack. Our approach uses routing to redirect all traffic destined to a customer under attack to strategically-located gore proxies, where servers filter out attack traffic and forward authorized traffic toward its intended destination. Our architecture can be deployed incrementally by individual ISPs, does not require any collaboration between ISPs, and requires no modifications to either server- or client- software. Clients can be authorized through a web interface that screens legitimate users from outsiders or automated zombies. Authenticated clients are granted limited-time access to the network under attack. The gore architecture allows ISPs to offer DDoS defenses as a value-added service, providing necessary incentives for the deployment of such defenses. We constructed a PC-based testbed to evaluate the performance and scalability of gore. Our preliminary results show that gore is a viable approach, as its impact on the filtered traffic is minimal, in terms of both end-to-end latency and effective throughput. Furthermore, gore can easily be scaled up as needed to support larger numbers of clients and customers using inexpensive commodity PCs.
Transcription of the dominant-negative helix-loop-helix protein Id1 is regulated by a protein complex containing the immediate-early response gene Egr-1.

The expression of Id1, a helix-loop-helix protein which inhibits the activity of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors, is down-regulated during cellular differentiation and cell cycle withdrawal both in tissue culture models and in mouse embryos. In order to study the mechanism of control of Idl expression, we have isolated a 210-bp enhancer element in the upstream region of the Id1 gene whose activity recapitulates Id1 expression in C2C12 muscle cells and C3H10T1/2 fibroblasts: i.e., this element is active in proliferating cells in the presence of serum and completely inactivated upon mitogen depletion, cell cycle withdrawal, and (in the case of C2C12) induced myoblast differentiation. Using linker-scanning mutations and site-directed mutagenesis in transient transfection experiments, we have identified two functional elements within the 210-bp enhancer which are required for proper serum responsiveness. One element (A) contains a consensus Egr-1 binding site and additional flanking sequences required for optimal activity, and the other element (B) fits no known consensus. Gel shift experiments demonstrate that the protein complex binding to the A site contains Egr-1 and other proteins. This complex as well as a protein complex that binds to the B site is lost within 24 h of serum depletion, correlating with the down-regulation of Id1 expression. On the basis of these findings, we propose that the regulation of the Id1 response to serum is mediated in part by the early response gene Egr-1 and as such provides a signaling link between the early-growth-response transcription factors and dominant-negative helix-loop-helix proteins.
Properties of the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation and the Kirchoff plate equation related to controllability

Summary form only given. A discussion is presented of the propagation of singularities, uniqueness questions, and other properties of the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation and the Kirchoff plate equation. A result previously obtained by the author (1985), which essentially gave an explicit solution to the boundary control problem for the plate equation u/sub tt/+ Delta /sup 2/u=0, is expanded upon to give a representation formula for a solution in a cylinder in terms of the Cauchy data on the lateral boundary. The relationship of the results to questions of controllability is examined. >
Small Intestinal Submucosa for Corporeal Body Grafting in Severe Hypospadias Requiring Division of the Urethral Plate

Purpose: Severe chordee associated with proximal hypospadias is a challenging problem. Occasionally division of the urethral plate and corporeal body grafting are necessary to achieve a straight phallus. We report our experience with small intestinal submucosa for corporeal body grafting to correct severe chordee associated with proximal hypospadias.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the charts of all 28 patients who underwent small intestinal submucosa corporeal body grafting to correct severe chordee during stage 1 of planned 2-stage proximal hypospadias repair from January 2001 to June 2006. After mobilization and division of the urethral plate ventral horizontal corporotomies were performed at the site of maximum curvature. Four and 1 ply small intestinal submucosa in 21 and 7 cases, respectively, was then fashioned to size and secured into the defect. Preoperative, operative and postoperative clinic visit records were reviewed to assess outcomes.Results: Preoperatively the meatal position was penoscr...
Phase Diagram of a 3-Component Lipid Mixture of PS/PE/CHOL to Model the Inner Leaflet of a Plasma Membrane

The two leaflets of an animal cell plasma membrane are compositionally asymmetric: the outer leaflet has a relatively high concentration of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM), and the inner leaflet has most of this membrane's phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and almost all of its phosphatidylserine (PS). The overall cholesterol mole fraction is high, with its distribution between the two leaflets uncertain. Whereas model membrane studies using lipids mimicking the outer leaflet composition have revealed complex mixing behavior including solid/liquid and liquid/liquid phase separations, the mixing behavior of the inner leaflet is still poorly understood. We have constructed a phase diagram for a model mixture of the inner leaflet using a high melting temperature PS, a low melting temperature PE, and cholesterol. Dipalmitoyl PS (DPPS) and palmitoyloleoyl PE (POPE) are in the solid (Lβ) and liquid disordered (Lα) phases, respectively, at the experimental temperature of 30°C. A combination of fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorescent lipid probes was used to map all regions of the phase diagram. An Lβ/Lα coexistence region was observed up to at least 15% cholesterol.
Measuring the effects of indomethacin on changes in cerebral oxidative metabolism and cerebral blood flow during sensorimotor activation.

The work presented here uses combined blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) and arterial spin tagging (AST) approaches to study the effect of indomethacin on cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygen consumption (CMRO2) increases during motor activation. While indomethacin reduced the CBF increase during activation, it did not significantly affect the CMRO2 increase during activation. The ratio of the activation-induced CBF increase in the presence and absence of indomethacin was 0.54 ± 0.08 (±SEM, n = 8, P < 0.001), while the ratio of the CMRO2 increase in the presence and absence of the drug was 1.02 ± 0.08 (±SEM, N = 8, ns). Potential difficulties in estimating CMRO2 changes from combined BOLD/AST data are discussed. Magn Reson Med 50:99–106, 2003. Published 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The signs of the energy dispersion of one-dimensional excitons in Tb (OH)3 utilizing time-resolved spectroscopy

Abstract The signs of the energy dispersion of one-dimensional excitons in Tb (OH)3 are determined from the time-resolved spectrum of the exciton band-to-band luminescence by monitoring the time evolution of the different wavevector states after excitation of the k ≈ 0 excitons with a pulsed tuneable dye laser.
The Goals of IPV Survivors Receiving Orders of Protection An Application of the Empowerment Process Model

Protection orders (POs) are a widely recommended and commonly used intervention for intimate partner violence (IPV), but evidence for their effectiveness is mixed. This mixed methods study used the framework of empowerment to explore the goals of petitioners who seek POs, and the extent to which one group of experts considers these goals to be a good fit with the court’s intent. We collected data in three phases: (a) We conducted a qualitative study to generate a list of goals (n = 10); (b) we administered the list to a sample of IPV survivors (n = 157); and (c) we surveyed a group of attorneys (n = 10). Results showed that petitioners endorse many goals for seeking POs and that while their highest priority goals relate to safety, other nearly universally endorsed goals are more psychological in nature, such as moving on with one’s life. Petitioners also use the orders to navigate complex relationships, helping themselves to set boundaries in addition to sending a clear message to respondents. Our group o...
Tracking with Multiple Independent Response Functions

If N independent response functions are represented electronically in a man-in-the-loop control system, it is possible to present each of several operators with a display consisting of the system forcing function minus all other operator response functions. This situation has been termed both social tracking (ST) and multi-vector tracking (MVT). There is evidence that MVT can provide faster learning in dual training environments, and generally better tracking in special applications, such as targeting a wire-guided missile, where multi-operator crewing can be cost-effective. A single operator may also profit from independent response function representation within a control system for each of several limbs, and for each of several segregated frequency bands. Language: en
Surfactant and salinity influences on associative thickener aqueous solution rheology

Abstract The rheological behavior of a series of associative polymers are studied in aqueous solutions containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and an octylphenol adduct containing an average of 10 oxyethylene units (C 8 H 17 C 6 H 4 O(EO) 10 H). Three associative polymer families are examined: Hydrophobically-modified, alkali-swellable emulsion (HASE); hydrophobically-modified hydroxyethyl cellulose (HMHEC); and hydrophobically-modified, ethoxylated urethanes (HEUR). At a critical concentration, the addition of SDS to HASE or HMHEC solutions increases their viscosities; however, the addition of the nonionic surfactant, C 8 H 17 C 6 H 4 O(EO) 10 H, has only a minimal influence in enhancing solution viscosities. In the presence of these two surfactants, a series of HEUR thickeners, synthesized by a step-growth (S-G) process, exhibited a significant deviation from HMHEC and HASE solutions. As the effective terminal hydrophobe size of the S-G HEURs is increased, the viscosities of the nonionic surfactant solutions become more viscous than the anionic solutions. These transitions are accompanied by other rheological behaviors associated with increasing elastic character. Differences in rheological behavior observed in SDS solutions with increasing sodium chloride concentrations also are discussed.
Stratigraphy and suggested phylogeny of deflandrea vestita (brideaux) comb. Nov. and deflandrea echinoidea Cookson and Eisenack

Abstract Marine cores recovered by the Research Vessel Glomar Challenger during Leg 11 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project in the western North Atlantic were investigated to determine the stratigraphic distribution of the Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts Deflandrea ( = Spinidinium) vestita (Brideaux) comb. nov. and Deflandrea echinoidea Cookson and Eisenack. Deflandrea vestita is seemingly restricted to Albian sediments, whereas D. echinoidea first appears in the latest Albian to earliest Cenomanian cores and coexists with D. vestita. D. echinoidea continues to be found alone in later Cenomanian samples. Morphological similarities between the two species suggest a morphogenetic transition, and it is possible that they are also related phylogenetically. These species differ mainly in the degree of separation of the cyst wall layers. The older Deflandrea vestita displays closely appressed walls, but the D, echinoidea specimens of younger sediments have well‐developed pericoels.
What's a Group Meta-phor?

Abstract This article describes the function of group metaphors, lists their uses in group, and briefly explores several approaches for utilizing them as counseling tools. A case example is provided to highlight the discussion
Changes in the technology of harvesting timber in the United States: Some implications for labour

Abstract The parameters of the production technology for the United States timber harvesting industry were estimated from models based upon the production function and a flexible dual cost function. The results were remarkably similar, and suggested that the constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function was consistent with the data for the period 1951–1974. The elasticity of factor substitution was estimated to be less than unity. Technological progress, primarily in the form of labour-saving mechanical harvesting equipment, has been responsible for the decline in labour's relative share of income. In this respect, forestry is structurally similar to agriculture. From the standpoint of public policy, continued technical advancement in the form of mechanical harvesting equipment will displace additional workers and, for developing countries, could have undesirable consequences for trade balances and the functional distribution of income. Recent efforts to increase labour productivity using intermediate technologies could do much to mitigate the displacement of labour that accompanies the adoption of highly capital-intensive technologies.