cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Conductivity of MWNT–Epoxy Composites by Transient Thermoreflectance

Multiwall nanotube composites with epoxy matrix were synthesized by sonication. Thermal conductivity of the composite samples was determined by a transient thermoreflectance method using indium film as a transducer. The thermal conductivity normal to the surface followed percolation behavior. The presence of higher mass fraction of MWNTs near the surface, and the higher purity and the larger aspect ratio of MWNTs were found to be responsible for significant improvement in thermal conductivity of the composites. The barrier to conduction was found to be the width of the epoxy film separating the MWNTs. Modeling analysis showed that the interface thermal conductance between MWNTs is fairly large and is not a limiting factor for the improvement in the thermal conductivity.
Fungi as a cause of otitis.

To the Editor. —Dr Bennett responds to the question "How common is it to find a fungus that causes otitis?" 1 by providing information on extremely uncommon fungal infections of the middle ear and mastoid bone. The most common fungal otitis, fungal infection of the external auditory canal, is only briefly mentioned. His statement, "Rarely, seriously immunosuppressed patients develop invasive otitis externa caused by Aspergillus ," should not be misinterpreted by readers. Saprophytic fungal otitis of the external auditory canal is common, is not usually associated with immunodeficiency, and is readily treated. Otomycosis is particularly common in moist, warm environments (eg, tropical climates) and in patients who have poor hygiene. Pruritus is the most common presenting symptom. Fungi can be isolated in up to 40% of all cases of external otitis. Fungal mycelia are easily recognized on examination of the ear canal. Aspergillus niger is most commonly seen. However, absence of
Fluorometric measurement of reverse transcriptase activity with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole.

Abstract We describe a rapid fluorometric assay for reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. After RT is incubated in the presence of poly(A) · oligo(dT) and dTTP for up to 1 h, the reaction is stopped with EDTA and aliquots are added to cuvettes containing 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). DAPI fluorescence, which is increased upon binding the RNA · DNA heteroduplex, is measured after 30 min and is linearly dependent on the enzymatic reaction time and the amount of active RT added to the enzyme assay. The increased fluorescence correlates well with the incorporation of [α-32P]dTTP into DNA (r2 = 0.986). However, similar assays with the Klenow fragment using poly(dA) · oligo(dT) did not result in increased fluorescence under conditions wherein incorporation of [α-32P]dTTP into DNA was documented. Thus, the poly(A) · poly(dT) [RNA · DNA] heteroduplex must differ from the poly(dA) · poly(dT) [DNA · DNA] duplex in a manner that allows for a perturbation of DAPI fluorescence. The relative specific activities of RT in crude preparations measured with the fluorometric assay were comparable to conventional isotopic enzyme assays as were determinations for the type of inhibition and the kinetic constants of purified RT with inhibitors such as zidovudine 5′-triphosphate, nevirapine, and oltipraz. This assay is far more rapid and less labor-intensive than standard isotopic assays for RT activity, and is much less expensive to perform than nonisotopic assays that measure the incorporation of nucleotide into DNA by immunological detection methods. This assay concept should allow for higher throughput screening of agents that inhibit RT, and may be useful for detecting RT activity in biological specimens.
Formulas for transforming from internal coordinates to eckart frame coordinates of a symmetric triatomic molecule

Abstract Analytical formulas are presented for transforming from internal coordinates ( r 1 , r 2 , θ) of a symmetric triatomic molecule to a set of coordinates which satisfy the Eckart conditions. An expression is also given for the angle β by which the instantaneous angle bisector is rotated in the Eckart frame.
Surfactant properties differentially influence intravascular gas embolism mechanics

Gas bubble motion in a blood vessel causes temporal and spatial gradients of shear stress at the cell surface lining the vessel wall as the bubble approaches the cell, moves over it and passes it by. Rapid reversals occur in the sign of the shear stress imparted to the cell surface during this motion. These may result in injury to the cell. The presence of a soluble surfactant in the bulk medium reduces the level of the shear stress gradients imparted to the cell surface as compared to an equivalent surfactant-free system and is an important therapeutic aid. This is particularly true for a very small vessel. In this study, we analyze various physical and chemical properties of any given soluble surfactant to ascertain the relative significance of the property of the surfactant on the reduction in the level of the shear stress gradients imparted to the cell surface in such a vessel. While adsorption, desorption, and maximum possible monolayer interface surfactant concentration significantly impact the shear stress levels, physical properties such as the bulk or surface diffusivity do not appear to have large effects. At a given diameter, surfactants with k(a)/(k(d)d>O(10)⁻⁵ and Γ(∞)/C(0)d>9.5 x 10⁻⁴ are noted to be preferable from the point of view of an increased gap size between the bubble and vessel wall, and a corresponding reduction in the shear stress level imparted to an endothelial cell. The shear stress characteristics of nearly occluding bubbles, in contrast with smaller sized bubbles under identical conditions, are most affected by the introduction of a surfactant in regard to shear stress levels. These observations could form a basis for choosing surfactants in treating gas embolism related illnesses.
Evaluation of the efficacy of anticoccidial drugs against Eimeria species in the fowl

Anticoccidial drugs undergo a vigorous series of test during development in order to demonstrate their efficacy and safety. Evaluation of efficacy may also be necessary after a drug is utilised in the field in order to establish whether resistance has developed. The principles and procedures used to evaluate anticoccidial efficacy were reviewed in a series of papers presented at a symposium held at the University of Georgia in May 1969. It is a testimony to the quality of this symposium that much of the information presented remains valid today. In the USA, general procedures that should be followed in new drug investigations are given in various guidelines and memoranda issued by the Food and Drug Administration. Specific guidelines relate to anticoccidial investigations. Although not a legal requirement, they provide a standard for those investigators seeking approval of a new anticoccidial drug. These guidelines are periodically revised, and investigators should consult the FDA for advice on specific protocols. Many of these procedures are also appropriate for the determination of drug resistance.
An abridged goniometer for material appearance measurements

Goniospectrophotometers and custom laboratory setups are used to perform BRDF measurements of materials. Those measurements can be used to improve the realism of previews of to be printed 3D objects, and for the accurate representation of real objects in synthetic images. Unfortunately, the expensive nature of those devices and the time required to measure each sample limit its use. This paper presents a cost-effective, fast, and scalable solution to capture material appearance. This technique is based on splitting the material information to capture into two main attributes: color and gloss. A spectrophotometer is used to capture the color of a material, and the raw data of a linear sensor used in a DOI-Gloss-Haze meter is used to obtain BRDF measurements, thus capturing the gloss appearance. Those measurements can later be used to approximate the parameters of analytical BRDF models. The technique is evaluated by comparing its results with high accuracy measurements of a goniospectrophotometer, and the approximations obtained with the high accuracy measurements. A good approximation was obtained when comparing the new technique to a goniospectrophotometer, except for a small underestimation of the peak of the specular lobe on high gloss materials and the limitation to capture the specular lobe width of broad specular lobes of low gloss materials.
Solution characterization of carboxybenzoquinone and the isolation of derived quinhydrones

L'oxydation de l'acide gentisique conduit a des quinhydrones (composes d'addition entre l'acide gentisique et l'acide benzoquinone-1,4carboxylique-2(I)). Mise en evidence de la formation de (I) par addition de Diels Alder avec le cyclopentadiene
The Propositional Structure of Discourse in the Two Cerebral Hemispheres.

Readers construct at least two interrelated representations when they comprehend a text: (a) a representation of the explicit ideas in a text and the relations among them (i.e., a propositional representation) and (b) a representation of the context or situation to which a text refers (i.e., a discourse model). In a recent study, Long and Baynes (2002) found evidence that readers’ representations were structured according to propositional relations, but only in the left hemisphere. Both hemispheres, however, appeared to represent contextually relevant semantic information. The goal in the current study was to examine further the organization of explicit text concepts in the two hemispheres. We used an item-priming-in-recognition paradigm in combination with a lateralized visualWeld manipulation. We found evidence for a propositionally structured representation in the left hemisphere, that is, priming eVects that reXected the linear distance between primes and targets in the propositional structure of passages. We also found that the right hemisphere represented explicit text concepts, but we found no evidence that these concepts were organized structurally. In a second experiment, we found our item priming eVects reXected the representation of text information in memory and did not reXect lexicalsemantic priming at test.
Marketing The Standard To The User

The regulations implemented by the Bureau of Radiological Health concerning laser safety have been in force for about a year and a half now. They have had a substantial impact on manufacturer and user alike. Various companies have had various experiences under the regulations, and this paper discusses one company's motivations and experience in marketing the standard and improved safety to the users.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
On orthogonal space-time block codes and transceiver signal linearization

We present a necessary and sufficient condition for any orthogonal space-time block code (STBC) to allow transceiver signal linearization (as in the well-known case of the Alamouti scheme). Then, we show that all square orthogonal STBC's that satisfy the condition have rate that goes to zero linearly with the number of transmit antennas. Hence, multiple-antenna systems with orthogonal STBC's and satisfactory rate are possible only If we abandon the linearization property or utilize non-square codes (except for the 2 times 2 Alamouti code)
THE ROLE OF THE RETICULO-ENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM IN IMMUNITY : IV. THE ACTION OF DIPHTHERIA TOXIN IN SPLENECTOMIZED AND BLOCKED MICE.

1. The minimum amount of diphtheria toxin which killed normal mice of from 24 to 30 gm. in weight upon intravenous injection, was found to be between 75 and 100 times the M.F.D. for the guinea pig. When given intraperitoneally, the fatal dose for mice was as high as 200 M.F.D. 2. There was no significant difference in the lethal action of diphtheria toxin for normal mice and mice in which an elimination of the reticulo-endothelial system had been attempted by means of blocking injections of India ink, or splenectomy, or a combination of both operations. 3. Attempts to infect normal mice and mice treated as described with large doses of a highly virulent diphtheria strain were unsuccessful with both groups of animals.
An expert system to aid in the prescription of electronic augmentative communication devices

The prescription process used by the expert system involves matching the client's capabilities and needs to an augmentative communication device. The formalized knowledge of the relationships between the client's needs and capabilities and the device parameters was implemented in a personal computer program. The expert system was consulted on 13 in-house cases, and its prescription was identical to the device the client had actually received. >
Pre-service teachers' episodic memories of classroom management

This study focused on past excellent teachers’ classroom management strategies from the perspective of 148 pre-service teachers. The purpose of the study was to examine how pre-service teachers’ memories reflect classroom management models that are typically taught in teacher education coursework prior to their study of those models, as well as to explore memories that did not fit a particular model. Results indicated that pre-service teachers related episodes that clustered on establishing rules, but were less likely to relate experiences based on other strategies such as withitness, smooth transitions, or formal classroom meetings. Implications for teacher education are explored.
Linking Placental Ischemia and Hypertension in Preeclampsia Role of Endothelin 1

One of the most pervasive disorders of pregnancy is preeclampsia, which is defined as new-onset hypertension presenting after the 20th week of gestation and is accompanied by increasing levels of proteinuria and often edema.1 The overall prevalence of preeclampsia is ≈8% with higher incidence in specific ethnic subpopulations, notably blacks.2,3 The disorder is predominantly a complication of primiparous women, who have a 3-fold higher incidence rate than multiparous women. There are a number of known factors that convey elevated risk of developing preeclampsia, notably elevated body mass index, and a previous incidence of preeclampsia, because women who experienced preeclampsia in previous pregnancies are 7 times more likely to exhibit preeclamptic symptoms in subsequent pregnancies than those with no history of preeclampsia.4 It has also been shown that high body mass index can double the risk of preeclampsia, and the scale of obesity correlates directly with the increase risk of developing the disorder.5 Although the link between these risk factors seem logical, there are also a number of other risk factors (maternal age, induced abortions, interpregnancy interval, and socioeconomic factors) for which the links to preeclampsia are not as clear.6 More research is warranted into the mechanistic effect of these factors in the etiology of preeclampsia. There are currently no definitive treatment options for the resolution of preeclampsia. Available interventions are confined to magnesium sulfate for the prophylaxis of seizures and the administration of one of various antihypertensive agents, although normalization of blood pressure is not normally possible, and the disease continues to progress.1 Indeed, the only effective resolution of preeclampsia is delivery of the placenta, because delivery of the fetus alone is not sufficient.7,8 It is this fact that suggested the pathological origins of the development of preeclampsia. Although …
An experimental and theoretical investigation of the structure and reactivity of bilayered VOx/TiOx/SiO2 catalysts for methanol oxidation

This study reports the results of a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of a bilayered VOx/TiOx/SiO2 catalyst consisting of vanadia deposited onto silica containing a submonolayer of titania. Raman spectroscopy indicates that Ti atoms are bonded to the silica support via TiAOASi bonds, and Raman and EXAFS data indicate that the vandia is present as isolated vanadate groups bonded to the support through VAOASi and VAOATi bonds. For a fixed vanadia surface density (0.7 V/nm 2 ), the turnover frequency for methanol oxidation to formaldehyde increases with increasing Ti surface density (0.2– 2.8 Ti/nm 2 ) and the apparent activation energy decreases. These trends are well represented by a model of the active site and its association with Si and Ti atoms of the support. This model takes into account the distribution of Ti on the silica support, the fraction of active sites with 0, 2, and 3 VAOATi support bonds, and the rate parameters determined for each of these active sites determined from quantum chemical calculations and absolute rate theory.
The Mobility Issue in Admission Controls and Available Bandwidth Measures in MANets

This paper is focused on the QoS (Quality of Service) in IEEE 802.11 MANETs (Mobile Ad hoc Networks). The QoS support like resources allocation in any network is relied to the ability to estimate the availability of these resources. The bandwidth is main resource, which the estimation of its availability is an open issue to research in MANets. In order to improve the available bandwidth measurements, this paper proposes a new approach named IBEM (Improved Bandwidth Estimations through Mobility incorporation) in IEEE 802.11 MANets. Seen that the measurement failures in MANets are due to neglecting some features of such networks, and mobility is the principal characteristic. The mobility is neglected in all existing bandwidth measurement approaches. The proposed approach aims to incorporate the mobility criteria in the available bandwidth estimations with specific manner. The comparative results with bandwidth estimation methods in the literature testify the improvement brought by this approach.
Arbitrary topology shape reconstruction from planar cross sections

In computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound imaging, reconstruction of the 3D object from the 2D scalar-valued slices obtained by the imaging system is difficult because of the large spacings between the 2D slices. The aliasing that results from this undersampling in the direction orthogonal to the slices leads to two problems, known as the correspondence problem and the tiling problem. A third problem, known as the branching problem, arises because of the structure of the objects being imaged in these applications. Existing reconstruction algorithms typically address only one or two of these problems. In this paper, we approach all three of these problems simultaneously. This is accomplished by imposing a set of three constraints on the reconstructed surface and then deriving precise correspondence and tiling rules from these constraints. The constraints ensure that the regions tiled by these rules obey physical constructs and have a natural appearance. Regions which cannot be tiled by these rules without breaking one or more constraints are tiled with their medial axis (edge Voronoi diagram). Our implementation of the above approach generates triangles of 3D isosurfaces from input which is either a set of contour data or a volume of image slices. Results obtained with synthetic and actual medical data are presented. There are still specific cases in which our new approach can generate distorted results, but these cases are much less likely to occur than those which cause distortions in other tiling approaches.
Statistical guarantees of performance for MIMO designs

Sources of noise such as quantization, introduce randomness into Register Transfer Level (RTL) designs of Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) systems. Performance of these MIMO RTL designs is typically quantified by metrics averaged over simulations. In this paper, we introduce a formal approach to compute these metrics with high confidence. We define best, bounded and average case performance metrics as properties in a probabilistic temporal logic. We then use probabilistic model checking to verify these properties for MIMO RTL and thereby guarantee the statistical performance. If a property fails, we show a characterization of error. However, probabilistic model checking is known to encounter the problem of state space explosion. With respect to the properties of interest, we show sound and efficient reductions that significantly improve the scalability of our approach. We illustrate our approach on different non-trivial components of MIMO system designs.
Development of a thermosensitive grafted drug delivery system—synthesis and characterization of NIPAAm‐based grafts and hydrogel structure

A thermosensitive grafted hydrogel was investigated for heating-activated drug release. The hydrogel was created by grafting oligomers of N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide (AAm) to a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate), or PHEMA, hydrogel. N-Isopropylacrylamide-co-AAm oligomers were synthesized with a range of compositions to raise the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) above physiological temperature. PHEMA hydrogels with these thermosensitive grafts were synthesized by free-radical solution polymerization, using an acrylated version of the oligomers. The oligomers were characterized for their molecular weight, LCSTs, and rate of response to a change in temperature. With the flexibility in tuning their properties by varying reaction parameters, these oligomers present possibilities in several fields, including drug delivery. The impact of cross-linking agent type and the amount and presence of grafts on the polymer network structure was found by determining the hydrogel mesh sizes. PHEMA gels cross-linked with methylenebisacrylamide had larger mesh sizes than those cross-linked with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. Increasing amounts of cross-linking agent decreased mesh sizes. LCSTs exhibited by oligomers were slightly lower than those exhibited by polymer gels of the same composition. The grafting reaction was found to have only a slight impact on the hydrogel mesh size. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
The placebo effect: Why we should care

Contrary to its definition, a placebo is far from an inert substance but carries meaningful responses that can mediate significant outcome results in pharmacotherapeutic studies. The advent of detailed studies and modern imaging techniques have provided the basis to understand the underlying mechanisms of the placebo effect, as well as its localization to determined brain centers. Designing clinical trials using principles of classical conditioning to mediate placebo effects may enhance treatment outcomes and provide novel pharmacotherapeutic modalities.
Aspectos Cognitivos E Sociais Das Práticas Científicas

Is it constitutive of making judgments of the cognitive acceptability of theories that they are made under certain social relations that embody specific social values that have been cultivated among investigators (Helen Longino)? Or is making sound judgments of this kind just a consequence of social interactions that occur under these relations (Philip Kitcher)? While generally endorsing the latter view, I make a distinction, not made by the philosophers under discussion, between sound acceptance and endorsement of a theory, and argue that Longino's view applies to endorsement.
Challenges and Strengths of Immigrant Latino Families in the Rural Midwest

This study assessed challenges and strengths reported by 112 Latin American immigrant mothers in rural Illinois communities. Respondents (mean age = 34.5 years; 93% Mexican) took part in structured interviews that covered a range of topics relevant to their families and the broader Latino community. These Latina mothers emphasized language, documentation, and economic issues as key challenges for immigrants. Some challenges decreased with time in the United States but others remained salient among long-term residents. Respondents described an array of individual assets and social resources used by Latino families to confront challenges. The findings suggest opportunities for practitioners to disseminate information about available formal services and resources through existing informal networks.
Fragility analysis of flat-slab structures

Flat-slab RC buildings exhibit several advantages over conventional moment-resisting frames. However, the structural effectiveness of flat-slab construction is hindered by its alleged inferior performance under earthquake loading. Although flat-slab systems are widely used in earthquake prone regions of the world, fragility curves for this type of construction are not available in the literature. This study focuses on the derivation of such fragility curves using medium-rise flat-slab buildings with masonry infill walls. The study employed a set of earthquake records compatible with the design spectrum selected to represent the variability in ground motion. Inelastic response-history analysis was used to analyze the random sample of structures subjected to the suite of records scaled in terms of displacement spectral ordinates, whilst monitoring four performance limit states. The fragility curves developed from this study were compared with the fragility curves derived for moment-resisting RC frames. The study concluded that earthquake losses for flat-slab structures are in the same range as for moment-resisting frames. Differences, however, exist. The study also showed that the differences were justifiable in terms of structural response characteristics of the two structural forms.
Forced dispersal of juvenile guanacos (Lama guanicoe): causes, variation, and fates of individuals dispersing at different times

We examined adult-juvenile conflict in the guanaco (Lama guanicoe). During spring, territorial males become increasingly aggressive toward all juveniles born the previous year and begin expelling them from family groups. In an apparent effort to reduce aggression, juveniles display submissive crouches when being observed, approached, or attacked by the territorial male. Therefore, we assessed the influence of juvenile submissive behavior on the timing of dispersal and also examined if dispersal time was related to survival and reproductive performance as adults. We also evaluated hypotheses regarding the evolution of juvenile mammalian dispersal in the context of if and how each may favor the forced dispersal of juvenile guanacos by territorial males. Juveniles generally dispersed in late spring and early summer, and a nearly equal proportion of females (n=46; 48%) and males (n=49; 52%) dispersed. More-submissive animals generally dispersed later than less-submissive animals. Juvenile sex and dispersal time were not related to survival. In contrast, juvenile sex and dispersal time were related to reproductive performance. The probability of reproducing was highest when juveniles dispersed early and decreased with increasing time in family groups prior to dispersal. The largest proportion of juveniles was forced to disperse during a 2-week interval following the peak of the breeding season. Competition for food resources is likely very intense at this juncture and territorial males may force older juveniles to disperse in order to divert food resources to younger neonates. Additionally, juveniles may be forced to disperse after territorial males mate their mothers to prevent lost mating opportunities, because females leave territories when their offspring disperse and possibly prior to mating with males. We conclude that the forced dispersal of juvenile guanacos by territorial males is ultimately driven by competition for food resources on territories. The timing of dispersal, however, may be tempered by the chronology of matings between territorial males and particular adult females, and/or genetic relatedness between territorial males and juveniles.
Zirconium-Catalyzed Asymmetric Carboalumination of Alkenes: ZACA–Lipase-Catalyzed Acetylation Synergy

ZACA-lipase-catalyzed acetylation tandem reactions provide highly efficient and selective routes to either (R)- or (S)-2-methyl-1-alkanols, making, for the first time, the ZACA-based asymmetric synthesis of 2-methyl-1-alkanols widely applicable and satisfactory.
Using Testing Techniques for Teaching

* The question "Are we teaching or testing?" has long plagued professionals in ES/FL. It is, perhaps, time to investigate whether this rigid distinction is worth maintaining or whether it might not be more useful to examine the pedagogical value of using testing techniques for teaching purposes. Theoretically, learning should result from a testing experience. Furthermore, students as well as instructors should be involved in that experience. For the purposes of taking a test, students must consciously synthesize information and make a choice. Instructors, for their part, must analyze answers and either plan for what still needs to be taught or evaluate their own effectiveness. An informal case study approach has shown that using testing techniques, specifically a multiple choice format where conscious decisions about language use and meaning are forced, can be effective with high level students. The population involved in this study was a class of ten Asian adults who were themselves teachers of English as a foreign language in their respective countries. Although these students were at a high level of English proficiency, there were still gaps in their understanding of the fine points of English, particularly in areas such as presupposition and speaker intent. When given a classroom exercise in test format where rigor and precision were mandated by that format, hidden problems and alternative interpretations which might not normally have appeared were highlighted. This provided insight for both students and instructors.
High-energy pulse compression to the single-cycle regime in quadratic media

Recent advances in pulse compression in quadratic media will be reviewed, with an emphasis on compression to the few-cycle regime using only a quadratic nonlinear crystal.
Structure-dependent tone sandhi in real and nonce disyllables in Shanghai Wu

Abstract Disyllabic sequences in Shanghai Wu undergo different types of tone sandhi depending on their structure: phonological words (e.g., modifier–nouns) spread the initial tone across the disyllable, while phrases (e.g., non-lexicalized verb–nouns) maintain the final tone and level the contour of the nonfinal tone. We investigated the productivity of the two tone sandhi types through 48 speakers’ productions of real and nonce disyllables. Our results show that (a) the word-level tone sandhi in Shanghai indeed involves tone spreading, while the phrase-level sandhi is better interpreted as phonetic contour reduction, (b) the spreading sandhi generally applies productively to nonce words, but there are some differences in tone production between real and nonce words that are attributable to both categorical non-application and gradient application of the sandhi in nonce words, and (c) the structure dependency of Shanghai tone sandhi is also productive, as the speakers produced qualitatively different f0 patterns in modifier–noun nonce words and verb–noun nonce phrases. These results indicate that in order to arrive at a full picture of tone sandhi patterning, experimental data that shed light on the generalizations that speakers make from the speech input are necessary.
ANTIBODY-MEDIATED TOLERANCE

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of antibody-mediated tolerance. Immunological tolerance, if defined in operational terms, refers to a specific depression of antibody synthesis as a result of previous exposure to antigen. A tolerant state can exist as a result of specific inhibition of either or both T lymphocyte or B lymphocyte function. Passively administered antibody will specifically depress the immune response to concomitantly injected antigen. The chapter presents the characterization of a state of specific immunological tolerance that was induced in adult mice by a single intravenous injection of a soluble, although presumably somewhat aggregated antigen. This tolerance state is mediated by the production of relatively high affinity serum antibody as a result of the tolerance-inducing injection of antigen. Tolerance in the experimental model presented in the chapter appears to be the consequence of a normal immune response to an immunogenic antigen.
Evolutionary Genomics Suggests That CheV Is an Additional Adaptor for Accommodating Specific Chemoreceptors within the Chemotaxis Signaling Complex

Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica are models for many experiments in molecular biology including chemotaxis, and most of the results obtained with one organism have been generalized to another. While most components of the chemotaxis pathway are strongly conserved between the two species, Salmonella genomes contain some chemoreceptors and an additional protein, CheV, that are not found in E. coli. The role of CheV was examined in distantly related species Bacillus subtilis and Helicobacter pylori, but its role in bacterial chemotaxis is still not well understood. We tested a hypothesis that in enterobacteria CheV functions as an additional adaptor linking the CheA kinase to certain types of chemoreceptors that cannot be effectively accommodated by the universal adaptor CheW. Phylogenetic profiling, genomic context and comparative protein sequence analyses suggested that CheV interacts with specific domains of CheA and chemoreceptors from an orthologous group exemplified by the Salmonella McpC protein. Structural consideration of the conservation patterns suggests that CheV and CheW share the same binding spot on the chemoreceptor structure, but have some affinity bias towards chemoreceptors from different orthologous groups. Finally, published experimental results and data newly obtained via comparative genomics support the idea that CheV functions as a “phosphate sink” possibly to off-set the over-stimulation of the kinase by certain types of chemoreceptors. Overall, our results strongly suggest that CheV is an additional adaptor for accommodating specific chemoreceptors within the chemotaxis signaling complex.
We Won't Vote for You If You Haven't Already Won: A (Losing) Candidate's Perspective on the Prospects for Meaningful Reform of the American Electoral System

This essay considers the status of the American electoral system from the perspective of a law professor who was also a notoriously unsuccessful congressional candidate. The essay suggests that a combination of financing inequities, gerrymandered districts, and the general lack of substance in legislative elections have combined to make our existing electoral system all but dysfunctional; moreover, that many or most of the proposed remedies are based on a naive understanding of the process and would actually make things worse. Expanding upon the work of Lani Guinier and political scientist Douglas Amy, the author suggests that some type of proportional representation system is likely necessary to improve our system and restore substance and fairness to our politics.
Chapters on Machinery and Labor I. The Introduction of Semi-automatic Bottle Machines

Stages in the introduction of machinery for the manufacture of glass bottles, 337. — I. The technical character of the semi-automatic machine, 339. — II. The rate of introduction, 341. — The potential displacement involved, 341. — The actual displacement, 342. — III. The jurisdiction of the unions concerned, 344. — The opposition of the Flint Glass Workers to the introduction of the machine, 345. — The jurisdictional conflict between the Glass Bottle Blowers and the Flint Glass Workers, 348. — IV. The machine policy of the Glass Bottle Blowers, 351. — V. Effect of the machine on wages and hours of labor, 353. — Estimate of the validity of the policy of the Glass Bottle Blowers, 356.
Russia's Afghanistan Debate: Managing Fear of and in the West

Mutual distrust threatens to undermine Russian attempts to cooperate with the West, including in Afghanistan.
Plant growth inhibition by streptomycin and its prevention by manganese.

SummaryThe marked growth inhibition of A vena coleoptile sections caused by 100 mg streptomycin/1 was prevented when man-ganous ions were added to the test solution. Pretreatment with Mn++ had only...
Proof of the second mean value theorem by intermediate value theorem

We proved the second mean value theorem of integral with intermediate value of continuous function and absolute continuity of integral,and determine that is true even in the infinity interval with same method.
Experimental Design and Hypothesis

Critical to any experimentation is the formulation of a research hypothesis that accurately states what the experimental design is going to test. Statistical tests are actually designed to test whether or not the opposite of this research hypothesis, called the null hypothesis, is to be supported or not supported. The level of support for the null hypothesis is defined by what is called a p value or alpha level. This p value is directly related to two different types of statistical error called a Type I or Type II error. This chapter discusses these points in detail along with the concept of statistical power. There is also a brief discussion of experimental bias.
Adding Lyso-Lipids to Arachidonate Metabolism Sets the Stage for New Biology

Prostaglandins have been characterized as the metabolic products of arachidonic acid released from glycerophospholipids following hydrolysis by phospholipase A2s and enzymatic oxidation by the COX1 and COX2. In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Liu et al. (2016) examine the metabolism of 2-arachidonoyl-lyso-phosphatidylcholine and 2-arachidonoyl-lyso-phosphatidylethanolamine by COX2 and conversion to glycerolipid linked prostanoids, raising a series of interesting and important questions.
Selective Detection of Protein Homologues by Outer Membrane Protein G

Conventional nanopore platforms rely on rigid nanopore structures that produce a steady open pore current. Decrease of the ionic current indicates the detection of an analyte, which may be translocation-based or non-translocation based. Since these detection schemes are based on the decrease of the ionic current, analytes with a similar size and properties may generate similar current changes, limiting specificity in addition to size limitations.Outer membrane protein G (OmpG) is a 32kDa monomeric beta-barrel porin with 7 flexible extracellular loops, the most flexible being loop 6. Contrary to rigid nanopores, these flexible loops generate an indigenous pattern of current fluctuations, which we call gating. We exploit OmpG's loops by introducing a cysteine into loop 6, allowing an analyte-specific ligand to be tethered to OmpG, generating a nontranslocation-based OmpG nanopore sensor.Using this approach, we found that binding of an analyte changes the dynamic behavior of the loops, thus changing the gating pattern of the OmpG nanopore. Using a biotin ligand tethered to OmpG, we successfully detected and discriminated between biotin-binding homologues due to each analyte's ability to generate a different and distinguishable gating pattern when bound to the ligand on OmpG. We’ve also detected two human carbonic anhydrase isoforms using a benezenesulfonamide inhibitor ligand. These analytes range from 30kDa to over 150kDa in size, illustrating the OmpG nanopore's ability to detect a wide range of analytes independent of size. Furthermore, OmpG retains its discriminatory ability in a sample mixture of fetal bovine serum. In addition to OmpG's sensing capabilities, we are able to extract single molecule kinetic data, revealing differences in affinity among homologues. Future works include expanding the OmpG nanopore analyte library and investigating the effects of a double-ligand on kinetics.
Arithmetic Properties for a Certain Family of Knot Diagrams

In this note, we consider arithmetic properties of the function K(n) = (2n)!(2n + 2)! (n− 1)!(n + 1)!2(n + 2)! which counts the number of two–legged knot diagrams with one self– intersection and n − 1 tangencies. This function recently arose in a paper by Jacobsen and Zinn–Justin on the enumeration of knots via a transfer matrix approach. Using elementary number theoretic techniques, we prove various results concerning K(n), including the following: • K(n) is never odd, • K(n) is never a quadratic residue modulo 3, and • K(n) is never a quadratic residue modulo 5.
Fractional flow reserve to guide surgical coronary revascularization

Coronary angiography has traditionally been used as the final diagnostic tool in the evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, conventional angiography identifies anatomically obstructive coronary disease, but it is limited in its ability to identify hemodynamically significant lesions. The emergence of fractional flow reserve (FFR) technology, in conjunction with angiography, offers a functional, as well as anatomic, assessment of epicardial coronary obstructions. Several pivotal studies have demonstrated that FFR-guided coronary revascularization is a safe and effective in patients with single and multivessel CAD. There are emerging data to suggest that FFR may also play an integral role in planning surgical revascularization and in the evaluation of post-coronary artery bypass patients and their graft patency. This review will explore the physiologic underpinnings of FFR methodology, its clinical value and limitations, and its applications in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.
Analysis of the Electric Vehicles Adoption over the United States

Abstract: Increasing the use of electric vehicles (EVs) has been suggested as a possible method to decrease fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in an effort to mitigate the causes of climate change. In this study, the relationship between the market share of electric vehicles and the presence of government incentives, and other influential socio-economic factors were examined. The methodology of this study is based on a cross-sectional/time-series (panel) analysis. The developed model is an aggregated binomial logit share model that estimates the modal split between EV and conventional vehicles for different U.S. states from 2003 to 2011. The results demonstrated that electricity prices were negatively associated with EV use while urban roads and government incentives were positively correlated with states’ electric vehicle market share. Sensitivity analysis suggested that of these factors, electricity price affects electric vehicle adoption rate the most. Moreover, the time trend model analysis found that the electric vehicle adoption has been increasing over time, which is consistent with theories about diffusion of new technology.
A Learning Approach to Compressive Holography

Compressive holography enables 3D tomographic reconstruction from 2D holographic data. We approach the holography task by solving a nonlinear inverse model, formulated from the Iterative Born Approximation (IBA), using error-backpropagation in a feedforward neural network.
Interaction of Codazzi Couplings with (Para-)Kähler Geometry

We study Codazzi couplings of an affine connection $$\nabla $$ with a pseudo-Riemannian metric g, a nondegenerate 2-form $$\omega $$ , and a tangent bundle isomorphism L on smooth manifolds, as an extension of their parallelism under $$\nabla $$ . In the case that L is an almost complex or an almost para-complex structure and $$(g, \omega , L)$$ form a compatible triple, we show that Codazzi coupling of a torsion-free $$\nabla $$ with any two of the three leads to its coupling with the remainder, which further gives rise to a (para-)Kahler structure on the manifold. This is what we call a Codazzi-(para-)Kahler structure; it is a natural generalization of special (para-)Kahler geometry, without requiring $$\nabla $$ to be flat. In addition, we also prove a general result that g-conjugate, $$\omega $$ -conjugate, and L-gauge transformations of $$\nabla $$ , along with identity, form an involutive Abelian group. Hence a Codazzi-(para-)Kahler manifold admits a pair of torsion-free connections compatible with the $$(g, \omega , L)$$ . Our results imply that any statistical manifold may admit a (para-)Kahler structure as long as one can find an L that is compatible to g and Codazzi coupled with $$\nabla $$ .
Numerical convergence and validation of the DIMP inverse particle transport model

Abstract The data integration with modeled predictions (DIMP) model is a promising inverse radiation transport method for solving the special nuclear material (SNM) holdup problem. Unlike previous methods, DIMP is a completely passive nondestructive assay technique that requires no initial assumptions regarding the source distribution or active measurement time. DIMP predicts the most probable source location and distribution through Bayesian inference and quasi-Newtonian optimization of predicted detector responses (using the adjoint transport solution) with measured responses. DIMP performs well with forward hemispherical collimation and unshielded measurements, but several considerations are required when using narrow-view collimated detectors. DIMP converged well to the correct source distribution as the number of synthetic responses increased. DIMP also performed well for the first experimental validation exercise after applying a collimation factor, and sufficiently reducing the source search volume's extent to prevent the optimizer from getting stuck in local minima. DIMP's simple point detector response function (DRF) is being improved to address coplanar false positive/negative responses, and an angular DRF is being considered for integration with the next version of DIMP to account for highly collimated responses. Overall, DIMP shows promise for solving the SNM holdup inverse problem, especially once an improved optimization algorithm is implemented.
Patient attitudes toward influenza and tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccination in pregnancy.

Abstract Background Routine influenza and tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination of pregnant women to prevent poor maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes is recommended practice; however, actual rates of influenza vaccine acceptance are typically well below the (Healthy People 2020, 2015) goal of 80%. Objective We sought to identify barriers to accepting either vaccination. Materials and Methods From December 2014 to April 2015 women were given a questionnaire eliciting their experiences, attitudes and history of influenza and Tdap vaccination in pregnancy during their routine prenatal care appointments at a tertiary care center. Patient demographics were included in the questionnaire. A similar questionnaire was administered to prenatal care providers. Patient influenza and Tdap vaccination acceptance rates were compared and predictors of vaccine acceptance were analyzed with bivariate logistic regression. Results Out of the 400 patient questionnaires distributed, 338 (84.5%) were completed and returned; 24 of 45 (53.3%) provider questionnaires were returned. Vaccination acceptance rates were 70.7% for the influenza vaccine and 76.3% for the Tdap vaccine. The logistic regression model indicated that predictors of acceptance for either vaccine in pregnancy are patient attitude and previous vaccination history. Patient attitudes were more favorable towards Tdap than influenza vaccination. The combination of healthcare provider recommendation and educational materials was significantly predictive of both Tdap and influenza vaccine acceptance. The most common reasons given for declining the influenza vaccine were safety concerns; the most common reasons given for declining the Tdap vaccine were that patients did not think it was required again when they received the vaccine before pregnancy. Conclusions Our study suggests that providers can improve Tdap and influenza vaccination acceptance in pregnancy by recommending the vaccination in combination with provision of educational materials on the vaccines.