cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arbitrary source effects on finite frequency selective surfaces

The authors study the effects of multiple incident angles on a particular FSS (frequency selective surface) of finite width and show how these effects may be offset by tapering the surface along the direction of variation in the incident field. The results of a numerical study of the finite FSS illuminated by an arbitrary wave are presented. A comparison of the power reflection coefficient is provided for the following cases: (1) scattering from an infinite periodic surface due to a plane wave incident from theta =30 degrees ; and (2) scattering from a uniform, finite-width frequency selective surface of 15 elements due to an incident field that varies in x as the H-plane cut of an E-plane sectoral horn. >
Informational complexity and the direct sum problem for simultaneous message complexity

Given m copies of the same problem, does it take m times the amount of resources to solve these m problems? This is the direct sum problem, a fundamental question that has been studied in many computational models. We study this question in the simultaneous message (SM) model of communication introduced by A.C. Yao (1979). The equality problem for n-bit strings is well known to have SM complexity /spl Theta/(/spl radic/n). We prove that solving m copies of the problem has complexity /spl Omega/(m/spl radic/n); the best lower bound provable using previously known techniques is /spl Omega/(/spl radic/(mn)). We also prove similar lower bounds on certain Boolean combinations of multiple copies of the equality function. These results can be generalized to a broader class of functions. We introduce a new notion of informational complexity which is related to SM complexity and has nice direct sum properties. This notion is used as a tool to prove the above results; it appears to be quite powerful and may be of independent interest.
Molecular pathways regulating mitotic spindle orientation in animal cells

Orientation of the cell division axis is essential for the correct development and maintenance of tissue morphology, both for symmetric cell divisions and for the asymmetric distribution of fate determinants during, for example, stem cell divisions. Oriented cell division depends on the positioning of the mitotic spindle relative to an axis of polarity. Recent studies have illuminated an expanding list of spindle orientation regulators, and a molecular model for how cells couple cortical polarity with spindle positioning has begun to emerge. Here, we review both the well-established spindle orientation pathways and recently identified regulators, focusing on how communication between the cell cortex and the spindle is achieved, to provide a contemporary view of how positioning of the mitotic spindle occurs.
Fast Design Optimization Through Simple Kriging Metamodeling: A Sense Amplifier Case Study

Due to the increasing complexity of nanoscale CMOS circuits and systems integration, full SPICE simulations for silicon accurate results can have run times in the order of days or weeks. This paper presents a methodology that uses a simple Kriging metamodeling technique capable of modeling the correlation effects between parameters, and a simulated annealing algorithm for ultrafast design optimization. The proposed methodology is applied to a clamped bitline amplifier circuit, which shows promising results for increased accuracy in process-aware metamodeling techniques. The error of the metamodels is very small, which is generated in 10.5 min compared to the 72 h taken for an exhaustive simulation. The design optimization performed on the metamodels improves the precharge time of the circuit by 61.15%.
Preserving Russia's carbon sink: strategies for improving carbon storage through boreal forest protection.

The boreal forests of Siberia, which store 40000 million tons of carbon and account for 25% of all non–ocean carbon absorption in the northern hemisphere, play a critical role in maintaining global climate balance. Siberia's forests, however, are being destroyed and degraded at an ever–increasing rate. This paper discusses the impact of Siberia's forests on the global carbon cycle, and what political and economic steps can be taken to ensure their preservation.
The Insulin Receptor of the Turkey Erythrocyte: Similarity to Mammalian Insulin Receptors

Avian erythrocytes possess insulin receptors which have binding properties that are virtually identical to those of the well studied mammalian insulin receptors. The affinity for porcine insulin was identical for the turkey and mammalian receptors over the entire range of insulin concentrations, as was the affinity of each of four insulin analogues which differed 300-fold in biological potency. Insulin induced acceleration of dissociation (i.e., the negatively cooperativite site-site interaction) was indistinguishable over a 10(6) range of insulin concentrations. Sharp pH dependence of binding was identical for turkey and mammalian receptors. The effects of temperature on association, dissociation and steady state binding were also identical. Thus, although birds and mammals have evolved separately for 300 million years there has been little change in the properties of the insulin receptor over this time period.
Streamline SOA Enablement by Two-way Service Brokering Model

SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) has been regarded as the most critical technique for business agility. However, cross-organization SOA application has not been widely adopted due to the lack of an effective enablement mechanism. Hence, we propose an approach to streamline SOA enablement by two- way service broking in this paper. Firstly, a conceptual two-way service broking model is presented. Then, this model is reified to standardize the process of SOA enablement in the cross-organization context. Finally, the rationality and feasibility of the proposed model are validated through a prototype on top of a SOA fabric.
Dynamic simulation of splashing fluids

We describe a method for modeling the dynamic behavior of splashing fluids. The model simulates the behavior of a fluid when objects impact or float on its surface. The forces generated by the objects create waves and splashes on the surface of the fluid. To demonstrate the realism and limitations of the model, images from a computer-generated animation are presented and compared with video frames of actual splashes occurring under similar initial conditions. >
Preparation and characterization of Furosemide-Eudragit controlled release systems

Solid dispersions and physical mixtures were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, electronic microscopy and dissolution rate studies. The characterization with X-ray diffraction showed a transition from the crystalline to the amorphous phase. A new phase near 50% Furosemide concentration with both types of carriers was present. From infrared spectroscopy strong interactions between amine and carbonyl groups from both the Furosemide and the polymers were found. Electronic microscopy analysis showed that the Furosemide changed its crystalline habit from needle to a new spherical phase, with diameter near to 1 μm. Solid dispersions were prepared in order to modify the system characteristics. The Furosemide dissolution rate was determined in order to follow the behavioural changes of the system. Scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of micro spheres within the polymeric matrix, and the channels formed due to the Furosemide dissolution inside the Eudragit: this fact modified the release pattern of the Furosemide system.
Robust Control System Synthesis for Space-Based Laser Beam Control

The complexity of large-scale dynamic systems provides a challenging proving ground for modern control system analysis and design techniques. High plant dimensionality inherent in large-scale systems can lead to breakdowns in numerics of state-space algorithms or intolerably long computational times, necessitating use of model reduction techniques. Reducing plant order consequently introduces unmodeled dynamics into the system, which must then be accounted for via stability robustness considerations. The applicability of modern mulivariable controller design techniques to large-scale systems is demonstrated herein by synthesis of a robust H ? optimal compensator for a space-based laser forebody model using reduced order models.
Chinese Capitalism in a Global Era: Towards Hybrid Capitalism. By Henry Wai‐chung Yeung

The article reviews the book "Chinese Capitalism in a Global Era: Towards Hybrid Capitalism," by Henry Wai-chung Yeung.
A Death-Promoting Role for Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase

Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), which are members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase superfamily, have been well characterized and are known to be involved in cell survival; however, recent evidence suggests that the activation of ERK1/2 also contributes to cell death in some cell types and organs under certain conditions. For example, ERK1/2 is activated in neuronal and renal epithelial cells upon exposure to oxidative stress and toxicants and deprivation of growth factors, and inhibition of the ERK pathway blocks apoptosis. ERK activation also occurs in animal models of ischemia- and trauma-induced brain injury and cisplatin-induced renal injury, and inactivation of ERK reduces the extent of tissue damage. In some studies, ERK has been implicated in apoptotic events upstream of mitochondrial cytochrome c release, whereas other studies have suggested the converse that ERK acts downstream of mitochondrial events and upstream of caspase-3 activation. ERK also can contribute to cell death through the suppression of the antiapoptotic signaling molecule Akt. Here we summarize the evidence and mechanism of ERK-induced apoptosis in both cell culture and in animal models.
Autonomous vehicle control for ascending/descending along a potential field with two applications

In this paper, we present a reactive control law that can navigate a single, sensor-enabled vehicle to ascend or descend a scalar potential field. The design builds on our previous work on developing an online following control. The model framework enables us to establish performance bounds for the developed ascending/descending control that are related to the geometrical parameters of the field. The efficacy of our approach is demonstrated through two possible applications - source-centric mapping of a potential field and tracking of a single target, emitting a distance-related potential field.
Direct Patterning of Molecular Organic Materials and Metals Using a Micromachined Printhead

Micron-scale lateral patterning of molecular organic thin films is still one of the most challenging issues in the practical fabrication of pixelated organic light emitting device (OLED) displays. In this work we demonstrate organic and metal thin film patterning using a micromachined printhead that modulates the vapor flux of evaporated materials incident on a substrate. The printhead is integrated with an x-y-z manipulator that facilitates patterning within a vacuum environment at pressure of less than 5×10-6 Torr. This printing scheme enables direct, solvent-free and mask-free patterning of organic optoelectronic devices on diverse substrates. As an example we fabricated an OLED array of 30×30 νm Alq3 (tris(8-hydroxyqunolinato) aluminum) pixels. 30 νm wide silver patterns were also directly written using the same technique. The results show that this printing method is capable of patterning molecular organic materials and metals at high resolution (800 dpi).
Managing the tight shoulder: Subscapularis lengthening—in opposition

Subscapularis contracture is a significant challenge facing the shoulder arthroplasty surgeon. Debate continues as to the best technique to restore external rotation in the setting of the osteoarthritic shoulder undergoing arthroplasty. The authors' rationale for subscapularis release as favored over lengthening is presented. A discussion of the technique for anatomic reattachment of the tendon with a lesser tuberosity osteotomy is included as well.
Autoregulation of the splicing of transcripts from the transformer-2 gene of Drosophila.

The Drosophila transformer-2 gene uses alternative promoters and splicing patterns to generate four different mRNAs that together encode three putative RNA-binding polypeptides. The transformer-2 products expressed in somatic tissues function to regulate the RNA splicing of the sex determination gene doublesex, whereas products expressed in the male germ line play an unknown, but essential, role in spermatogenesis. Two alternatively spliced transformer-2 transcripts, each encoding a different putative RNA-binding protein, are found only in the male germ line. These male germ line-specific mRNAs differ from each other by the presence or absence of a single intron called M1. We show that Ml-containing transcripts make up a majority of transformer-2 germ-line transcripts in wild-type males but fail to accumulate in males homozygous for transformer-2 null mutations. Germ-line transformation experiments using a variety of reporter gene constructs demonstrate that specific polypeptide products of the transformer-2 gene itself normally repress M1 splicing in the male germ line. Thus, in addition to its role in the sex-specific control of doublesex RNA splicing in somatic tissues, the transformer-2 gene also regulates the splicing of its own transcripts in the male germ line. We propose that this autoregulatory function may serve in negative feedback control of transformer-2 activity during spermatogenesis. The finding that transformer-2 controls multiple splicing decisions suggests that a variety of different alternative splicing choices could be regulated by a relatively limited number of trans-acting factors.
Lethal effect of adriamycin on the division cycle of HeLa cells.

Summary Adriamycin, a new antitumor antibiotic in the anthracycline group, promptly inhibits DNA and RNA synthesis and arrests cell division. The cell viability (defined as the capacity of a single cell to grow out into a macroscopic clone) is reduced sharply following exposure to adriamycin, 0.1 eg/ml, for a fractional period of the generation time. With the use of a synchronous population of HeLa cells, it is shown that the maximum loss in cell viability takes place when exposure to adriamycin occurs during the DNA-synthetic phase (S). The relative dose-response curves of HeLa cells exposed to either adriamycin or daunomycin show that daunomycin is significantly more effective in reducing the cell viability than is adriamycin on a molar basis.
Reduction of VLDL secretion decreases cholesterol excretion in Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 hepatic transgenic mice.

An effective way to reduce LDL cholesterol, the primary risk factor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, is to increase cholesterol excretion from the body. Our group and others have recently found that cholesterol excretion can be facilitated by both hepatobiliary and transintestinal pathways. However, the lipoprotein that moves cholesterol through the plasma to the small intestine for transintestinal cholesterol efflux (TICE) is unknown. To test the hypothesis that hepatic very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) support TICE, antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) were used to knockdown hepatic expression of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP), which is necessary for VLDL assembly. While maintained on a high cholesterol diet, Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 hepatic transgenic (L1Tg) mice, which predominantly excrete cholesterol via TICE, and wild type (WT) littermates were treated with control ASO or MTP ASO. In both WT and L1Tg mice, MTP ASO decreased VLDL triglyceride (TG) and cholesterol secretion. Regardless of treatment, L1Tg mice had reduced biliary cholesterol compared to WT mice. However, only L1Tg mice treated with MTP ASO had reduced fecal cholesterol excretion. Based upon these findings, we conclude that VLDL or a byproduct such as LDL can move cholesterol from the liver to the small intestine for TICE.
SCRIPTGARD: automatic context-sensitive sanitization for large-scale legacy web applications

We empirically analyzed sanitizer use in a shipping web ap- plication with over 400,000 lines of code and over 23,244 methods, the largest empirical analysis of sanitizer use of which we are aware. Our analysis reveals two novel classes of errors: context-mismatched sanitization and inconsistent multiple sanitization. Both of these arise not because sanitizers are incorrectly implemented, but rather because they are not placed in code correctly. Much of the work on crosssite scripting detection to date has focused on finding missing sanitizers in programs of average size. In large legacy applications, other sanitization issues leading to cross-site scripting emerge. To address these errors, we propose ScriptGard, a system for ASP.NET applications which can detect and repair the incorrect placement of sanitizers. ScriptGard serves both as a testing aid to developers as well as a runtime mitigation technique. While mitigations for cross site scripting attacks have seen intense prior research, we consider both server and browser context, none of them achieve the same degree of precision, and many other mitigation techniques require major changes to server side code or to browsers. Our approach, in contrast, can be incrementally retrofitted to legacy systems with no changes to the source code and no browser changes. With our optimizations, when used for mitigation, ScriptGard incurs virtually no statistically significant overhead.
Estimating Tempo and Mode of Y Chromosome Turnover: Explaining Y Chromosome Loss With the Fragile Y Hypothesis

Chromosomal sex determination is phylogenetically widespread, having arisen independently in many lineages. Decades of theoretical work provide predictions about sex chromosome differentiation that are well supported by observations in both XY and ZW systems. However, the phylogenetic scope of previous work gives us a limited understanding of the pace of sex chromosome gain and loss and why Y or W chromosomes are more often lost in some lineages than others, creating XO or ZO systems. To gain phylogenetic breadth we therefore assembled a database of 4724 beetle species’ karyotypes and found substantial variation in sex chromosome systems. We used the data to estimate rates of Y chromosome gain and loss across a phylogeny of 1126 taxa estimated from seven genes. Contrary to our initial expectations, we find that highly degenerated Y chromosomes of many members of the suborder Polyphaga are rarely lost, and that cases of Y chromosome loss are strongly associated with chiasmatic segregation during male meiosis. We propose the “fragile Y” hypothesis, that recurrent selection to reduce recombination between the X and Y chromosome leads to the evolution of a small pseudoautosomal region (PAR), which, in taxa that require XY chiasmata for proper segregation during meiosis, increases the probability of aneuploid gamete production, with Y chromosome loss. This hypothesis predicts that taxa that evolve achiasmatic segregation during male meiosis will rarely lose the Y chromosome. We discuss data from mammals, which are consistent with our prediction.
Alkyl Chain Flexibility in Liquid Crystals

Several parameters for quantifying alkyl chain flexibility are examined for free, unrestricted chains as a function of temperature. The constraints imposed on alkyl chains in uniaxial liquid crystals is modeled. The layer spacing in the smectic-A phases of the homologus series of terephthal-bis-(4n)-alkylanilines is computed in an effort to estimate the degree of flexibility of the terminal alkyl chains.
Soviet Campaigns against “Capitalist Ideological Subversives” during the Cold War: The Latvian Experience

This article discusses the Soviet Union's use of propaganda warfare during the Cold War, focusing on the specific case of Soviet Latvia. Archival materials from recently opened archives in the former USSR show that the Soviet Union pursued a methodical ideological campaign against certain groups of U.S. citizens, including the post-World War II political refugees from Latvia. The main institution charged with this task was the Liaison Committee for the Cultural Relations with Countrymen Abroad (LCCR), which was highly influential at the time. Archival materials allow scholars to examine the LCCR's history, methods, and goals, as well as its successes and failures. Among the findings in the article is the importance the Soviet Union attached to propaganda and to programs to counter and discredit “anti-Soviet” emigre organizations.
The Behavior Engineering Model at Work on a Small Scale: Using Task Clarification, Self-Monitoring, and Public Posting To Improve Customer Service.

Gilbert's (1978/1996) Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) can enable the success of novice performance engineers by prompting appropriate front-end analysis. This paper describes the third author's first performance improvement project conducted in the customer service department at an insurance agency. Front-end performance analysis informed the design of an intervention package that addressed particular environment and person variables. This package included task clarification, employee self-monitoring, and public posting of group performance. A multiple baseline design across behaviors was used to assess the effects of the intervention. The performance targets were: 1) the percentage of transactions where Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) used customer names, and 2) the percentage of transactions where CSRs suggested additional services available to customers. Average performance during intervention was more than 50% better than average baseline performance for both targets. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of the BEM as a front-end analysis tool that can guide novice performance engineers to build simple and inexpensive, yet effective, performance improvement interventions.
On computing top- t most influential spatial sites

Given a set O of weighted objects, a set S of sites, and a query site s, the bichromatic RNN query computes the influence set of s, or the set of objects in O that consider s as the nearest site among all sites in S. The influence of a site s can be defined as the total weight of its RNNs. This paper addresses the new and interesting problem of finding the top-t most influential sites from S, inside a given spatial region Q. A straightforward approach is to find the sites in Q, and compute the RNNs of every such site. This approach is not efficient for two reasons. First, all sites in Q need to be identified whatsoever, and the number may be large. Second, both the site R-tree and the object R-tree need to be browsed a large number of times. For each site in Q, the R-tree of sites is browsed to identify the influence region -- a polygonal region that may contain RNNs, and then the R-tree of objects is browsed to find the RNN set. This paper proposes an algorithm called TopInfluential-Sites, which finds the top-t most influential sites by browsing both trees once systematically. Novel pruning techniques are provided, based on a new metric called minExistDNN. There is no need to compute the influence for all sites in Q, or even to visit all sites in Q. Experimental results verify that our proposed method outperforms the straightforward approach.
Pelvic organ prolapse: is there a difference in POPQ exam results based on time of day, morning or afternoon?

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine if there is any difference between AM and PM POPQ exam results. Study Design Prospective, IRB approved study of women presenting with pelvic organ prolapse symptoms. Initial POPQ exams were performed in the morning or afternoon; a second exam was performed within 4 weeks at the opposite time of day. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon signed rank test, paired t test, Spearman correlation, and Stuart-Maxwell test. Results The study consisted of 32 subjects. Mean age was 58.8 years, mean BMI 28.6, median parity 2.0, 75% white, 22% black, and 3% Hispanic. The POPQ exam stages were 47% stage II, 50% stage III, and 3.0% stage IV. There was no significant difference for the 9 POPQ exam measures between morning and afternoon exams. There was good agreement between AM and PM POPQ ordinal stages (Stewart Maxwell P = 1.0, kappa 0.76). Conclusion There is no difference between AM and PM POPQ exam results.
How to implement N-dimensional image processing optically

A mapping of N-dimensional images to (N-1)-dimensional ones without loss of information is proposed which allows one to reduce N-dimensional image processing to (N-1)-dimensional one.
When Criminals Control the Ministry of Education

International Action The recent focus on degree mills accompanies work on academic quality as higher education is increasingly internationalized. In Study Abroad, UNESCO published the CHEA Fact Sheet on degree mills and accreditation mills developed in 2003 as part of its alerts to this phenomenon. UNESCO and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development issued Guidelines for Quality Provision of Cross-Border Higher Education in 2005. The Guidelines suggest tasks for the various stakeholders in higher education—to protect quality for crossborder higher education provision to safeguard against degree mills. UNESCO has also recently launched a pilot, Portal on Higher Education Institutions, that provides international access to reliable countrywide lists of legitimate higher education providers (http://www.unesco.org/education/portal/hedinstitutions). This positive listing makes it clear that institutions that are not included may be suspect. The international group brought together by CHEA and UNESCO is working on an international effective practices statement to address the problem of degree mills. The group is also exploring additional strategies such as whether a permanent international effort is needed to address rogue providers and the feasibility of an ongoing international campaign to raise public awareness. This international effort is an ongoing need. Degree mills will continue to be a problem for students, employers, government, and higher education. They put a vital resource of our countries at risk—namely, our extensive, diverse, and highly effective higher education enterprise and the students who are served.
Usage measurement for statistical Web testing and reliability analysis

We have gathered Web usage and related failure information by analyzing various Web logs commonly kept for system administration purposes. The usage information can be used to build models for statistical Web testing. The related failure information can be used to measure the reliability of Web applications. In addition, these data can be used to measure the potential effectiveness of statistical Web testing. We applied this approach to analyze the Web logs of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Southern Methodist University. The results demonstrated the viability and effectiveness of our approach.
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE AND CATION ORDERING OF PIEMONTITE

The crystal structure of the Mn3+-bearing epidote, piemontite, has been refined. For a crystal of composition, Cz6,Pm"PSll, refinement of the occupancies cf the two large, nominally calcium sites and the three non-equivalent octahedral sites, gives: where M = MnD. ,Feu. All of the (Mn, Fe) substitution for Al occurs in one of the two nonequivalent chains of edge-sharing octahedra. In the substituted chain, which is topologically identical with that found in the olivine structure, the larger M(3) site (symmetry-m) lying on the edge of the chain, contains most of the (Mn,Fe) with lesser amounts in the smaller M(l) site (symmetry-I) which forms the core of the chain.
Multi-walled nanotubes for cellular reprogramming of cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer is exceptionally difficult to treat due to the lack of distinguishing biomarkers for drug targeting. An alternative approach based on recent data indicates that these cells may be more susceptible to mechanical influences, such as alterations in the tumor stroma. Three dimensional collagen gels containing co-cultures of mesenchymal cells and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells were utilized to explore the effects of multi-walled nanotubes (MWNT) on cell contraction, invasion, viability, MMP-9 expression, and migration of breast cancer cells. MWNT were able to restrict each of these features for the cancer cells without impeding the associated mesenchymal cells. MWNT-collagen gels are useful tools for cellular reprogramming of cancer cells and should be considered in greater detail as a potential agent for therapeutic treatment of triple-negative breast cancer.
A practical method of anesthesia for prolonged surgical procedures on the goat.

SummaryAnesthesia for lengthy surgical procedures in goats was accomplished by the intermittent administration of sodium pentobarbital into a continuous intravenous (jugular) infusion. Adequate airway was maintained with a low tracheotomy.
The analysis report of pingxiang city gay aids and venereal disease sentinel surveillance results

Objective Understand the characteristics of sex related risk factors among gay men. Find effective ways or strategies. To effectively control the AIDS epidemic. Methods Survey questionnaire and laboratory detection. Results A total of 310 gay men monitoring, The clubs monitoring 30.97%, Network monitoring 69.03%; 90% monitored MSM is a high school degree or above; The recent years have venereal gay men 14.19%; 310 of them 8 patients infected with HIV, The infection rate was 2.58%; Network recruiting people with HIV infection was 3.27%. The awareness rate of AIDS was 98.71%; Nearly 15% of the HIV infection had commercial sexual behavior(Including 3 infection); Male gay HIV infection rates with Commercial sexual behavior and not commercial sexual behavior of male gay HIV prevalence there are significant differences; Sex between gay men and women have 1/3 do not use condoms, Always use condoms less than half of the gay, Gay men and a recent sexual relations with women 1/3 did not use condoms. Conclusion Gay men easily spread of AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases in the marriage inside and outside; Gay men are related to HIV prevention knowledge and practical prevention results deviation phenomenon; Network to increase the frequency and range of gay male contacts, Also increased the risks of HIV transmission; Gay men were at higher risk for commercial sexual behavior;Gay bisexual sex and unprotected sex in the transmission of HIV played a very important role as a bridge; Future interventions focusing on bisexual, advocacy among male sex service, men with a spouse or partner, young women, even young students.
Study on somatic embryogenesis of elite longleaf pine families

Using the megagametophyte including immature zygotic embryos from the different cone collection time of the elite longleaf pine families 20-820,20-803,20-822,20-805,20-825 as explants,combining the 4 patent media AL,TX,LP,DS for somatic embryogenesis with different hormones and its levels or without hormone to form 16 initiation media,the effects of different patent media,families,cone collection time on initiation rate were studied.The results showed that the most suitable collection date of cone for somatic embryogenesis is July 16 and July 24 when immature zygotic embryos is at development stage 1,2.There is not significant difference in embryogenic suspensor mass initiation rate among 5 families,but initiation rate of different basic media,different hormone combinations have significant difference.The combination of LP basic medium with TX hormone is most suitable for initiation of somatic embryos of longleaf pine,in which initiation rates 28%.
Pontospinal transmitters and their distribution.

The dorsolateral pontine tegmentum of the cat is known to contain a large population of catecholaminergic neurons. Additionally, several studies have also shown the presence of other neurochemicals (acetylcholine, enkephalin, neuropeptide Y, serotonin, somatostatin and substance P). In this study, we have employed retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase in combination with immunocytochemistry to determine the locations of pontospinal neurons which contain catecholamine, enkephalin, neuropeptide Y, and serotonin. Furthermore, we have combined the retrograde transport of Fast Blue and immunofluorescence histochemistry to determine whether enkephalin-containing neurons are catecholaminergic. All pontospinal neurons, irrespective of the neurochemical content, were observed in the ventral and lateral parts of the dorsolateral pontine tegmentum at coronal levels P1.8-P4.0. These neurons were located in the nuclei locus coeruleus alpha and subcoeruleus and the Kolliker-Fuse nucleus. A high concentration of these neurons was evident in the Kolliker-Fuse nucleus when compared to the nuclei locus coeruleus alpha and subcoeruleus. Quantitative data have revealed that enkephalin is contained in a large proportion of the pontospinal catecholaminergic neurons (75%). The observations suggest that catecholaminergic neurons may contain one or more putative peptide neurotransmitters.
Cystectomy: A Catastrophic Complication of Herniorrhaphy

AbstractInjury to the bladder is a known complication of inguinal herniorrhaphy. Infants less than 6 months old may be more at risk because the medial aspect of indirect inguinal hernia sacs are associated closely with the wall of bladder (“bladder ears”). We report 2 cases of almost complete excision of the bladder during routine herniorrhaphy. In 1 patient bilateral ureteroileocecoplasty provided a course of management free of complication.
Backbone Amide Linker (BAL)/Fmoc Synthesis of Peptide Thioester Intermediates Required for Native Chemical Ligation

Medium-size peptide thioesters, which are key intermediates for solution or solid-phase native chemical ligation [1], have until recently been accessible only by Boc/Bzl solid-phase strategies with appropriate linkers and supports. The Backbone Amide Linker (BAL) approach introduced by our laboratory [2] provides a way to prepare peptide thioesters [3] in concert with Fmoc/tBu chemistry, and may be contrasted to several other methods reported within the past three years [4].
General Anatomy of the Lymphatic System

Following a historic review of major discoveries about lymphatic anatomy and physiology, the major methods of studying the lymphatics are briefly reviewed. The general anatomy of the lymphatics, from lymphatic capillaries to collecting lymph vessels and lymph nodes, to lymphatic trunks and terminal collecting ducts, is reviewed.
Combined statin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor treatment increases the lifespan of long-lived F1 male mice

Statins, such as simvastatin, and ACE inhibitors (ACEis), such as ramipril, are standard therapies for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. These types of drugs are commonly administered together. More recently, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonists, such as candesartan cilexetil (candesartan), have been used in the place of, or in combination with, ACEis. Here, we investigated the effects of simvastatin and ramipril single and combination therapy, and candesartan treatment on the lifespan of isocalorically fed, long-lived, B6C3F1 mice. Males were used for their relative endocrine simplicity and to minimize animal usage. The drugs were administered daily in food. The simvastatin and ramipril combination therapy significantly increased the mean and median lifespan by 9 %. In contrast, simvastatin, ramipril, or candesartan monotherapy was ineffective. All groups consumed the same number of calories. Simvastatin, alone or administered with ramipril, decreased body weight without changing caloric consumption, suggesting it may alter energy utilization in mice. Combination therapy elevated serum triglyceride and glucose levels, consistent with altered energy homeostasis. Few significant or consistent differences were found in mortality-associated pathologies among the groups. Simvastatin treatment did not reduce normal serum cholesterol or lipid levels in these mice, suggesting that the longevity effects may stem from the pleiotropic, non-cholesterol-related, effects of statins. Together, the results suggest that statins and ACEis together may enhance mouse longevity. Statins and ACE inhibitors are generally well-tolerated, and in combination, they have been shown to increase the lifespan of normotensive, normocholesterolemic humans.
Trust and Satisfaction as Mediators of Premium Prices

We hypothesize that store trust will mediate the effect of merchandise value on shoppers’ willingness to pay a higher price (WTPHP) but store satisfaction will not. WTPHP represents the surplus that arises from merchandise value which itself is derived from notions of perceived quality and actual price paid. When perceived quality is considered to be greater than the actual price paid, a surplus (merchandise value) is generated in the consumer’s mind and results in WTPHP as long as the surplus exists (Monroe 2003). Although prior research (Chaudhuri and Ligas 2009) has found no direct linkage between these variables, it is feasible that such a relationship does exist and is mediated by other constructs such as store trust. We propose that value that is considered to be a good deal (consistent in terms of quality and price) leads to WTPHP indirectly via perceived trust but not via satisfaction. Merchandise value accounts for the “credibility” of the quality-price tradeoff, and trust is a logical outcome of a credible exchange (Moorman, Deshpande and Zaltman 1993). Hence, we chose trust as the appropriate evaluation instead of satisfaction, etc. We expect that greater perceived value will indeed lead to greater satisfaction but that satisfaction will not lead to a willingness to pay a higher price. This is because satisfaction, unlike trust, is not necessarily indicative of a willingness to sacrifice resources to maintain a valued relationship. Trust indicates an alignment of mutually beneficial goals, and it is a stronger motivational state than satisfaction (Johnson and Selnes 2004).
Lowering IGF-I levels for the prevention of breast cancer.

CS23-03 The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system, and its upstream regulator growth hormone (GH), have both been implicated in the development of breast cancer. Many of the IGF signaling components are oncogenes that can transform mouse fibroblasts (e.g. IGF-IR and IRS-1). Furthermore, both GH and IGF-IR are able to fully transform human immortalized mammary epithelial cells, a feat that is relatively unique and not found with other classical oncogenes such as cyclin D1, ErbB2, or activated ras. Recent transgenic mouse studies showing that both IGF-IR and IRSs can cause mammary tumors confirms their oncogenic potential. IGFs may also act as progression factors in breast cancer, enhancing the propagation of carcinogen-initiated cells. Supporting this, genetic deletion of the liver IGF-I gene in mice impairs carcinogen or oncogene induced tumorigenesis, and loss of GH in rats results in complete resistance to carcinogen-induced mammary carcinogenesis. Correlating with this animal data, humans with high circulating levels of IGF-I (particularly in the context of low levels of IGFBP-3) have increased risk of numerous cancers including pre-menopausal breast cancer. The abundance of laboratory and clinical evidence implicating both GH and IGFs in the development and progression of breast cancer has led to the development of numerous strategies to target these pathways. The IGF system is being targeted at the level of IGF ligands and receptors. IGF-I levels can be lowered by inhibiting GH action, for example with the GH antagonist pegvisomant. This has been shown to block mammary gland development and breast cancer growth. IGF ligands can be neutralized by IGFBPs, and both IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 have been shown to block breast cancer growth. IGFs can also be neutralized by antibodies that bind the ligand, and this has been shown to be effective against prostate cancer cells. IGF ligands circulate in nanogram quantities and may be difficult to completely neutralize. Therefore, elimination or blockade of the IGF-IR is being tested for the treatment of breast cancer. The two major clinical strategies include antibodies that block IGF-IR function and cause downregualtion and elimination of the receptor, and small molecule inhibitors that block the tyrosine kinase domain of IGF-IR. Both strategies have shown success in preclinical models of breast cancer. Given the preclinical and clinical evidence implicating the IGF system in breast cancer progression, and evidence that IGF levels predicts breast cancer risk, strategies to inhibit IGF action should be tested for risk reduction or prevention of breast cancer. Potential toxicities resulting from loss of GH or IGF action will need to be considered and factored into any program.
Simulations of Lithium-Magnetite Electrodes Incorporating Phase Change

Abstract The phase changes occurring in magnetite (Fe3O4) during lithiation and voltage recovery experiments are modeled using a model that simulates the electrochemical performance of a Fe3O4 electrode by coupling the lithium transport in the agglomerate and nano-crystal length-scales to thermodynamic and kinetic expressions. Phase changes are described using kinetic expressions based on the Avrami theory for nucleation and growth. Simulated results indicate that the slow, linear voltage change observed at long times during the voltage recovery experiments can be attributed to a slow phase change from α-LixFe3O4 to β-Li4Fe3O4. In addition, the long voltage plateau at ∼1.2 V observed during lithiation of electrodes is attributed to conversion from α-LixFe3O4 to γ-(4 Li2O + 3 Fe). Simulations for the lithiation of 6 and 32 nm Fe3O4 suggest the rate of conversion to γ-(4 Li2O + 3 Fe) decreases with decreasing crystal size.
W2Q: A dual weighted QoI scoring mechanism in social sensing using community confidence

A significant vulnerability in social sensing based services is false notifications from sensing agents, thereby resulting in inaccurate published information that induces loss of revenue and business goodwill. Existing popular schemes utilize rating feedbacks (over the published information) to quantify the perceived usefulness (quality) of the information. However, these schemes do not reward the confidence of the feedback community and lacks provision to regulate the impact of uncertain feedbacks (ratings), and hence can be easily manipulated. In this paper, we propose a model, called W2Q, to mathematically evaluate the Quality of Information (QoI) as a function of the proportion of positive ratings, total number of ratings, and amortized proportion of uncertain ratings. The proposed model exploits Bayesian inference, and a dual weighted regression model to compute the QoI of any published information. We evaluate the proposed model through an experimental study assuming a crowd sourced-urban application as a proof of concept. Experimental results show that compared with the state-of-the-art Josang's belief model, the resultant QoI score is less susceptible to rogue ratings and captures subtle differences between true and false information.
Chapter 15 – Vision

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the functional anatomy of the fish eye, identifying putative selective pressures responsible for particular ocular structures. Fish eyes are interesting because evolution has shaped their basic form in so many different ways, one can understand selective pressures as they acted on elements of the eye. Fish eye adaptations subserve the three primary functions of any eye—collecting light, focusing images on the retina, and transforming images into the neural signals necessary for behavioral decisions. Macroscopic features of fish eye are particularly described. It is found that the quality of the lens is remarkable, particularly since making a spherical lens is so difficult. Light focused by the lens is transformed into neural signals in a similar manner to all other vertebrates, via the specialized protein opsin in combination with the chromophore. Once absorbed, the photic information is transformed by a complex retinal circuit to form receptive fields that begin to analyze the image.
The Relationship Between Delay and Social Discounting, and Body Mass Index in University Students

Delay discounting is associated with body mass index (BMI), with individuals who discount more having higher BMIs. This same relationship was found when a social component was added during a social temporal discounting procedure. However, no study has tested whether the social component by itself is related to BMI. The current study tested the relationships between social discounting, delay discounting, and BMI. Eight hundred seven undergraduates completed delay and social discounting measures, and a demographic questionnaire from which BMI was calculated. Social discounting was not significantly related to age-adjusted or non-age-adjusted BMI. However, using non-age-adjusted BMI scores and dichotomizing individuals as either non-obese/obese resulted in a significant relationship between social discounting and BMI in the predicted direction, whereby participants with a higher BMI shared significantly more than non-obese individuals. Consistent with previous research, there was a significant relationship between delay discounting and BMI, and a significant correlation between delay and social discounting. Additionally, participants with low BMI (< 18.5) appeared to substantially contribute to the significant results. The current results replicated a previous delay discounting and BMI relationship, but also demonstrate the need to standardize how BMI is calculated and focus on participants with low BMI in relation to discounting measures.
Evidence-Based Management of Trunnionosis in Metal-on-Polyethylene Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

Multiple recent reports have indicated a rising awareness of trunnionosis-related implant failures, accounting for up to 3% of all total hip arthroplasty revisions. Moreover, aseptic loosening and osteolysis from local release of metal debris can be the presenting manifestations, and thus the true incidence of trunnionosis is thought to be underreported. Furthermore, the relatively unclear and multifactorial pathogenesis and the widely variable clinical presentations pose a diagnostic challenge. A consensus regarding the ideal intervention and its timing is also lacking. Because of the relative paucity of reports regarding the diagnosis and management of trunnionosis, we conducted this evidence-based review to evaluate the (1) incidence, (2) pathogenesis, (3) diagnosis, and (4) treatment of trunnionosis in metal-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty. We then propose an algorithm for the diagnostic work-up and management of this condition.
Project Managers and Functional Managers: A Case Study of Job Satisfaction in a Matrix Organization:

Information regarding job satisfaction within an organization using a matrix structure is limited. This paper provides empirical evidence regarding the difference in job satisfaction between projec...
Nematic Mixtures as Stationary Liquid Phases in Gas-Liquid Chromatography

Nematic liquid crystallinity (2,3) is exhibited by certain compounds having relatively rigid, polar, rod-shaped molecules which tend to be oriented with their long axes parallel due to mutual attractive forces. On heating such a compound, the crystalline solid melts to an anisotropic liquid (mesophase) in which neighboring molecules lie parallel to one another. At a higher temperature, disorientation of the ordered molecular arrangement occurs and there is a transition to isotropic liquid.