cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation of Methods to Measure the Hardness and Elastic Modulus of Cold-Sprayed Al-ZN Composite Coatings

The elastic modulus and hardness of a cold-sprayed Al-25Zn metal matrix composite were characterized with the aid of Knoop and Vickers microindentation tests, nanoindentation test, and resonance frequency (RF) analysis. The mechanical properties were compared with the predictions of object-oriented image-based finite element (FE) analysis and related to the microstructural characteristics revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The cold-sprayed coating exhibited an isotropic behavior along transversal and longitudinal directions and the predicted elastic modulus closely matched the results from the nanoindentation test. The approach offers a solution to the challenging task to determine the elastic modulus of thin coatings.
Effects of slaframine on ruminant digestive function: resting salivary flow and composition in cattle.

Four esophageal- and ruminal-cannulated Angus steers (avg weight, 308 kg) were used to investigate how salivation is affected by the administration of purified slaframine (SF; 1-acetoxy-6-aminooctahydroindolizine), a cholinergic secretagogue isolated from Rhizoctonia leguminicola. Steers were fed a concentrate diet at twice the net energy requirement for maintenance in hourly increments. In trial 1, a single injection of SF was administered to four steers intramuscularly at 0, 6, 12 and 24-micrograms/kg body weight (BW) in a 4 X 4 Latin-square design. Saliva was collected via esophageal cannula at 15-min intervals 30 min after each feeding, weighted, sampled and reinfused via ruminal cannula over a 10-h period. At 12- and 24-micrograms SF/kg BW, salivary flow was 31 to 43% greater (P less than .01) than at 0- or 6-micrograms SF/kg. Response peaked within the first 3 h and returned to baseline levels at 8 h. Buffering capacity and pH of saliva were not different (P greater than .10); however, osmolality and Na concentration increased and K concentration decreased (P less than .10) as salivation rates increased. Feed intake of steers did not appear affected at any level of SF administration. In trial 2, 0-, 12- and 24-micrograms SF/kg BW were repeatedly administered intramuscularly to three steers in a 3 X 3 Latin-square design at 8-h intervals for 24 h. Salivary flow was measured and sampled over the entire 24-h period, as in trial 1. Flow rates were increased 50 to 70% (P less than .01) by SF treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Some Perspectives on Comparative Neurophysiology

Climbing a steep trail, with eyes on the footing, makes it hard to see far ahead or behind, but during the moments on a mountaintop it is easy to gain perspective. This symposium, ranging as it has from retrospective examination of peaks of past achievement to progress reports on the ascent of new peaks, has truly been a mountaintop experience.
Ethanol Conversion to Butadiene over Isolated Zinc and Yttrium Sites Grafted onto Dealuminated Beta Zeolite

Zinc and Yttrium single sites were introduced into the silanol nests of dealuminated BEA zeolite to produce Zn-DeAlBEA and Y-DeAlBEA. These materials were then investigated for the conversion of ethanol to 1,3-butadiene. Zn-DeAlBEA was found to be highly active for ethanol dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde and exhibited low activity for 1,3-butadiene generation. By contrast, Y-DeAlBEA was highly active for 1,3-butadiene formation but exhibited no activity for ethanol dehydrogenation. The formation of 1,3-butadine over Y-DeAlBEA and Zn-DeAlBEA does not occur via aldol condensation of acetaldehyde but, rather, by concerted reaction of coadsorbed acetaldehyde and ethanol. The active centers for this process are ≡Si-O-Y(OH)-O-Si≡ or ≡Si-O-Zn-O-Si-O≡ groups closely associated with adjacent silanol groups. The active sites in Y-DeAlBEA are 70 times more active than the Y sites supported on silica, for which the Y site is similar to that in Y-SiO2 but which lacks adjacent hydroxyl groups, and are 7 times more active than the active sites in Zn-DeAlBEA. We propose that C-C bond coupling in Y-DeAlBEA proceeds via the reaction of coadsorbed acetaldehyde and ethanol to form crotyl alcohol and water. The dehydration of crotyl alcohol to 1,3-butadiene is facile and occurs over the mildly Bronsted acidic ≡Si-OH groups present in the silanol nest of DeAlBEA. The catalysts reported here are notably more active than those previously reported for both the direct conversion of ethanol to 1,3-butadiene or the formation of this product by the reaction of ethanol and acetaldehyde.
Cost-Effectiveness of the Wellness Incentives and Navigation (WIN) Program.

Abstract Objectives Promoting patient involvement in managing co-occurring physical and mental health conditions is increasingly recognized as critical to improving outcomes and controlling costs in this growing chronically ill population. The main objective of this study was to conduct an economic evaluation of the Wellness Incentives and Navigation (WIN) intervention as part of a longitudinal randomized pragmatic clinical trial for chronically ill Texas Medicaid enrollees with co-occurring physical and mental health conditions. Methods The WIN intervention used a personal navigator, motivational interviewing, and a flexible wellness expense account to increase patient activation, that is, the patient’s knowledge, skills, and confidence in managing their self-care and co-occurring physical and mental health conditions. Regression models were fit to both participant-level quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and total costs of care (including the intervention) controlling for demographics, health status, poverty, Medicaid managed care plan, intervention group, and baseline health utility and costs. Incremental costs and QALYs were calculated based on the difference in predicted costs and QALYs under intervention versus usual care and were used to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). Confidence intervals were calculated using Fieller’s method, and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results The mean ICER for the intervention compared with usual care was $12 511 (95% CI $8971-$16 842), with a sizable majority of participants (70%) having ICERs below $40 000. The WIN intervention also produced higher QALY increases for participants who were sicker at baseline compared to those who were healthier at baseline. Conclusion The WIN intervention shows considerable promise as a cost-effective intervention in this challenging chronically ill population.
Early changes in immune cell subsets with corticosteroids in patients with solid tumors: implications for COVID-19 management

Background The risk–benefit calculation for corticosteroid administration in the management of COVID-19 is complex and urgently requires data to inform the decision. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of systemic inflammation associated with poor prognosis in both COVID-19 and cancer. Investigating NLR as an inflammatory marker and lymphocyte levels as a critical component of antiviral immunity may inform the dilemma of reducing toxic hyperinflammation while still maintaining effective antiviral responses. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of NLR, absolute neutrophil counts (ANCs) and absolute lymphocyte counts (ALCs) in patients with cancer enrolled in immunotherapy trials who received moderate-dose to high-dose corticosteroids. We compared paired presteroid and available poststeroid initiation values daily during week 1 and again on day 14 using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Associated immune subsets by flow cytometry were included where available. Results Patients (n=48) with a variety of solid tumors received prednisone, methylprednisolone, or dexamethasone alone or in combination in doses ranging from 20 to 190 mg/24 hours (prednisone equivalent). The median NLR prior to steroid administration was elevated at 5.0 (range: 0.9–61.2). The corresponding median ANC was 5.1 K/µL (range: 2.03–22.31 K/µL) and ALC was 1.03 K/µL (0.15–2.57 K/µL). One day after steroid administration, there was a significant transient drop in median ALC to 0.54 K/µL (p=0.0243), driving an increase in NLR (median 10.8, p=0.0306). Relative lymphopenia persisted through day 14 but was no longer statistically significant. ANC increased steadily over time, becoming significant at day 4 (median: 7.31 K/µL, p=0.0171) and remaining significantly elevated through day 14. NLR was consistently elevated after steroid initiation, significantly at days 1, 7 (median: 8.2, p=0.0272), and 14 (median: 15.0, p=0.0018). Flow cytometry data from 11 patients showed significant decreases in activated CD4 cells and effector memory CD8 cells. Conclusions The early drop in ALC with persistent lymphopenia as well as the prolonged ANC elevation seen in response to corticosteroid administration are similar to trends associated with increased mortality in several coronavirus studies to include the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The affected subsets are essential for effective antiviral immunity. This may have implications for glucocorticoid therapy for COVID-19.
Crowd-Sourced Road Quality Mapping in the Developing World.

Road networks are among the most essential components of a country's infrastructure. By facilitating the movement and exchange of goods, people, and ideas, they support economic and cultural activity both within and across borders. Up-to-date mapping of the the geographical distribution of roads and their quality is essential in high-impact applications ranging from land use planning to wilderness conservation. Mapping presents a particularly pressing challenge in developing countries, where documentation is poor and disproportionate amounts of road construction are expected to occur in the coming decades. We present a new crowd-sourced approach capable of assessing road quality and identify key challenges and opportunities in the transferability of deep learning based methods across domains.
The effect of forced change and unforced variability in heat waves, temperature extremes, and associated population risk in a CO 2 -warmed world

Abstract. This study investigates the impact of global warming on heat and humidity extremes by analyzing 6 h output from 28 members of the Max Planck Institute Grand Ensemble driven by forcing from a 1 % yr −1 CO2 increase. We find that unforced variability drives large changes in regional exposure to extremes in different ensemble members, and these variations are mostly associated with El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability. However, while the unforced variability in the climate can alter the occurrence of extremes regionally, variability within the ensemble decreases significantly as one looks at larger regions or at a global population perspective. This means that, for metrics of extreme heat and humidity analyzed here, forced variability in the climate is more important than the unforced variability at global scales. Lastly, we found that most heat wave metrics will increase significantly between 1.5 and 2.0 ∘ C, and that low gross domestic product (GDP) regions show significantly higher risks of facing extreme heat events compared to high GDP regions. Considering the limited economic adaptability of the population to heat extremes, this reinforces the idea that the most severe impacts of climate change may fall mostly on those least capable of adapting.
Radiomic features of renal cell carcinoma primary and metastatic sites as predictors of TERT and BAP1 mutations.

282Background: TERT and BAP1 mutations are associated with poor clinical outcome in patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) (Dizman et al JITC 2020; Joseph et al J Urol 2016). In...
FundAl Retroflexion (FAR) angle is a novel sonographic marker associated with Cesarean scar pregnancies in the first trimester: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVES Early diagnosis of Cesarean scar pregnancies (CSP) remains difficult. This study describes a novel sonographic marker, the FundAl Retroflexion (FAR) angle, that may be used in the first trimester. The objective of the study is to compare the FAR angle between CSP and normal pregnancies. METHODS For this case-control study, we reviewed images from our institution's database that were acquired from January 2016 to December 2019. All cases of CSP and randomly selected controls, defined as patients with history of Cesarean delivery and normal implantation, that underwent ultrasound evaluation at <14 weeks were included. The FAR angle, defined as the acute angle created between the endometrial echo and cervical canal, was measured. The mean FAR angle was then compared between the two groups and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated. RESULTS We identified 15 cases of CSP during the study period and were able to measure the FAR angle in 14 of the cases. The mean FAR angle was larger in CSP than in normal control pregnancies (45° versus 27°, respectively, P < 0.001). Using an ROC curve, a FAR angle cut off of 40° maximizes the ability to distinguish between CSP from normal pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS The FAR angle provides an easily obtainable and numerical measurement. CSP have larger FAR angle compared to normal controls with a distinguishing cut off of 40°. Larger studies are needed to determine if using the FAR angle can improve first trimester diagnosis for CSP.
Investigating tumor molecular profiling as a possible contributor to racial/ethnic disparities in pancreatic cancer.

6522Background: A variety of biologic, socioeconomic, and treatment-related factors may contribute to the racial/ethnic disparities observed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) outcomes. As ...
Use of Propranolol in the Treatment of Chylous Effusions in Infants

Chylothorax and chyloperitoneum are rare in infants and challenging to definitively diagnose by using current criteria extrapolated from the adult population. They can be of primary or secondary etiologies, including congenital lymphatic malformations and postoperatively, after cardiothoracic or abdominal surgery. Current first-line management consists of bowel rest, parenteral nutrition, and a modified diet of medium-chain triglycerides but can often take weeks to be effective. Off-label use of octreotide has been reported in numerous case studies for the management of chylous effusions. However, there are no definitive neonatal data available regarding dosing, safety, and efficacy; moreover, octreotide has a side effect profile that been linked to serious morbidities, such as pulmonary hypertension and necrotizing enterocolitis. Propranolol, commonly used for the treatment of infantile hemangiomas, is currently gaining interest as a novel therapy for chylous effusions. In this case series review, we describe the use of propranolol in 4 infants with presumed chylous effusions: 1 with congenital pleural effusions and 3 infants who developed postoperative chylothorax and/or chylous ascites. Clinical improvement was noted within a few days of initiating oral propranolol, and the maximum dose used in our cases was 6 mg/kg per day. In previous case reports, researchers describe the use of oral propranolol in infants with chylous effusions, with the dose used ranging from 0.5 to 4 mg/kg per day. However, this is the first case series in which researchers report its use exclusively in infants with chylothorax and chyloperitoneum. Although further research is needed to establish safety and efficacy, our experiences suggest that propranolol could be an acceptable treatment option for chylous effusions in infants.
Restoring Lake Tana Through Reduction of Outflow and Compensation of the Power Gap with an Alternative Energy Source

Since the beginning of the Tana Beles hydropower generation, Lake Tana had a half meter drop from its annual average because of inflow and outflow changes. The outflow pattern has changed because of the Beles hydropower project which demanded consistent flow of water, releasing 7 times more than the dry season’s historical flow. On the other hand, inflow to the lake has decreased 1.29 BCM (35% of historical flow) due to irrigation abstractions on the tributaries of Lake Tana. Irrigation developments on Gumera, Rib, Megeche and Gilgel-Abay tributaries consume to 2890 m3/ha annually to meet irrigation demand over 100,000+ ha. Finally, Lake Tana had to support navigation, meet the ecological requirement of the Blue Nile River riparian, and supply to TIS ESAT Falls for tourism. The highest hydrological pressure on Lake Tana seems to have emanated from hydropower generation. Accordingly, this study reviews the possibility of scaling down Beles hydropower by decreasing outflow from the lake and supplementing the reduced power production from alternative energy sources. A country-level solar energy survey indicates that the Western escarpments of the rift valley, specifically from Afar triangle all the way to southern Wollo and North Shoa, as well as North Western part of the country, surrounding Lake Tana have irradiation and photovoltaic (PV) values of 6 kWh/m2 and 5.2 kWh/kW-p, respectively. The contribution of solar power to the energy sector of Ethiopia is only 1%, despite its plans to tap the priciest concentrated solar power (CSP) that produces 15,000 GW from 1 km2. This study suggests that photovoltaic power is cheaper, and it could compensate even the maximum energy planned from the Beles hydropower station (400 MW). Producing 350 MW from solar energy needs 200 ha, which can make use of degraded and irrecoverable lands. The study concludes that solar energy harvesting evens out against hydropower generation on initial investment, economic lifetime, maintenance costs and abundance of energy sources. In fact, because of the erratic behavior of rainfall, Beles hydropower could be unreliable. The return from tourism sector is 12 times more than the maintenance cost of the solar energy technologies. Finally, the study recommends making use of an existing tunnel to fill a series of dams for irrigation purposes, which are already planned on the project design. The filling can take place during the wet season in which Lake Tana has the peak outflow.
Quality Assurance Considerations Related to “In-House” Radiopharmaceutical Preparations Utilizing Positron Emitting Radionuclides

The FDA oversees the clinical investigation of new and investigational drugs, including short lived radiopharmaceuticals, as well as monitors the use of these in basic research protocols through the activities of the approved Radioactive Drug Research Committee. Concurrent with the technical improvements being made in imaging techniques such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is the increasing availability of a variety of radiolabelled substrates possessing the unique potential to serve as indicators of in vivo alteration of biochemical processes. In order to comply with regulatory requirements for “in-house” manufactured radiopharmaceuticals, the safety of the formulated products and the standards of the manufacturing facility must be clearly demonstrated through information provided to the regulatory agency. Difficult challenges to the investigators include not only qualitative identification but also quantitation of various impurity levels. The synthesis of two fluorine-18 labeled radioligands will serve to emphasize the detailed efforts being made to provide a finished radiopharmaceutical.
EFFECTS ON DRIVERS' RESPONSE TIMES AND ERRORS OF SOME MALFUNCTIONS IN AUTOMOBILE REAR LIGHTING SYSTEMS

Surveys of rear lighting system malfunctions on passenger cars and light trucks showed that about 4% of vehicles with single compartment rear lamps had an inoperative presence or stop/turn lamp, while less than 1% of vehicles with multiple compartment rear lamps had at least one operating presence lamp compartment working on each side, and about 2.5% had no stop/turn signal lamp compartments operating on one side. Thus, although the frequency of failure of bulbs or circuits was greater in rear lighting systems with multiple compartment than single compartment lamps, the likelihood that at least one presence or signal lamp compartment will be operating on each side of the vehicle is greater in lighting systems with multiple compartment lamps, by 2-3%. The effects of some rear lighting system malfunctions on the ability of drivers to identify signals was evaluated in two experiments using a driving simulator. Six rear lighting systems using combined function, separate function, signal redundancy, and color coding were compared in normal and malfunctioning operating conditions. It was concluded that the use of signal lamp redundancy offers only a minor benefit in terms of driver performance. It was suggested that vehicles with multiple compartment signal lamps employ variable-load flashers. However, communication of braking and turning can best be accomplished by functional separation and color coding in vehicle rear signaling systems. /HSRI/
Real-Time Residential Time-of-Use Pricing: A Closed-Loop Consumers Feedback Approach

Demand response offers financial incentives for consumers who are willing to relocate some or all of their electricity demand during peak periods. In price based demand response programs, utility companies can use energy pricing as an effective control signal to reschedule electricity demand from peak hours to off-peak periods. A real-time (RT) residential time-of-use pricing system with closed-loop consumer feedback is proposed in this paper. The proposed system aims to maximize the social welfare by lowering the cost of energy for both the utility and the consumer. A cloud application is developed using a support vector machine (SVM) to forecast individual household participating in the system. An aggregator is then utilized to accumulate the predicted demand for a local micro-grid to determine peak demand. The corresponding hourly RT electricity prices are estimated based on the historical RT price elasticity and amount of peak demand needed to be rescheduled. This information is sent to consumers to affect their electricity usage during peak hours. Using the Green Button Application Programming Interface (API), the consumer's response to the RT energy price is observed through meter readings.
Editorial, Special Issue on Transitional Justice and International Criminal Justice

It has been 20 years since the creation of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. The Special Court for Sierra Leone was created 10 years ago. The International Criminal Court celebrated its 10-year anniversary last year. Over these two decades, the institutions of international criminal justice (ICJ) have assumed a central place in discussions and actions around what should be done in the wake of atrocities, whether committed as part of a repressive regime or an armed conflict. This special issue considers the key, and often fraught, relationship between transitional justice (TJ) and ICJ.
Enduring Effects of Education

Social scientists have found strong and persistent causal effects of education on various outcomes over the life course, even after using various methods to control for pre-existing selection into educational treatments. Research suggests that educational attainment is an important causal factor in determining labor market outcomes, social status, physical and mental health, marriage and fertility, civic participation, and social attitudes. As education plays a central role in the causal processes of so many outcomes of interest, understanding the effects of education is a primary concern to social scientists. The effects of education are complex and vary across demographic groups, appearing greatest for marginal students. Furthermore, after controlling for individual educational attainment, aggregate levels of education can affect economic and non-economic outcomes at both the aggregate and individual level. Building on the literature on the effects of education, we suggest promising areas for future research, including: assessing effect heterogeneity across individual and contextual characteristics; rigorously identifying and testing causal pathways and mechanisms that link education to associated outcomes; and attending to equilibrium effects, where aggregate levels of education may influence the relationship between individual education and a variety of individual outcomes.
Influence of Stressor Duration on Leukocyte and Hormonal Responses in Male Southeastern Five-Lined Skinks (Plestiodon inexpectatus)

Environmental stressors elicit elevations of plasma glucocorticoid hormones. Stressors also result in increases in the circulating heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H:L ratio), which has been linked to increased glucocorticoids. Recently, there has been debate about the extent to which stress-induced elevations of corticosterone are tied to increases in the H:L ratio and about whether one measure of physiological stress might be used in lieu of the other. Few studies have examined the responses of both variables to standardized stressors in free-living animals, especially reptiles. Stressors may also affect levels of other hormones, such as prostaglandins or testosterone, that may influence leukocytes. Therefore, the H:L ratio, corticosterone, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and testosterone were monitored in free-living male southeastern five-lined skinks, Plestiodon inexpectatus, in response to various durations of confinement stress. Skinks confined for 1 hr had elevated H:L ratios and elevated corticosterone concentrations. In addition, corticosterone was positively correlated with the H:L ratio. In contrast, there were no effects of 2 hr of confinement on the H:L ratio, in spite of maximal corticosterone. Plasma PGE2 was not affected by 15, 30, or 60 min of confinement but was positively correlated with monocytes and negatively correlated with lymphocytes in the 1 hr of confinement experiment. Consistent with many other studies of reptiles, confinement stress did not result in suppressed testosterone. Overall, the results indicate that, in reptiles at least, the H:L ratio and plasma corticosterone do not covary consistently and one measure of stress cannot be used in lieu of the other. J. Exp. Zool. 317A:499–510, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Steel Walls and Picket Fences: Rematerializing the U.S.–Mexican Border in Ambos Nogales

For most of the 20th century, the border cities of Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora formed the single transnational community of Ambos Nogales (Both Nogales). Today the people in Ambos Nogales nostalgically remember this border as a picket fence between neighbors. In the mid-1990s, the United States tore down the picket fence and erected a steel wall to enclose the border and prevent undocumented migration and drug smuggling. In 2011, they erected a new and improved steel wall. The rematerialization of the U.S.-Mexican border through Ambos Nogales emerges dialectically from fortification and transgression. The wall is the most visible instrument of the United States' militarization of the border, but the wall does not secure the border. The United States built the wall to limit the agency of crossers. The wall, however, enables agency that the builders did not imagine or desire, and crossers continually create new ways to transgress the barrier. The material border facilitates and restricts the agency of the people of Ambos Nogales, and they rematerialize the border in ways that contravene the interests of the nation-states. This in turn leads the nation-state to rematerialize the border to counter this transgression. (contemporary archaeology, borders, U.S.-Mexican border)
GABAA receptor antagonism increases NMDA receptor inhibition by isoflurane at a minimum alveolar concentration

Objective At the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC), isoflurane potentiates GABAA receptor currents and inhibits NMDA receptor currents, and these actions may be important for producing anesthesia. However, isoflurane modulates GABAA receptors more potently than NMDA receptors. The objective of this study was to test whether isoflurane would function as a more potent NMDA receptor antagonist if its efficacy at GABAA receptors was decreased.
Fluoxetine Treatment of Children with Selective Mutism: An Open Trial

ABSTRACT Objective A pilot study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of fluoxetine treatment for children with selective mutism (elective mutism in DSM-III-R). Method Twenty-one children (mean age 8.2 years, range 5 through 14) participated in a 9-week open trial of fluoxetine in graduated doses (mean end dose 28.1 mg, range 10 to 60 mg) with systematic baseline and outcome evaluations and weekly clinical assessment. Results All 21 children met DSM-III-R and DSM-IV criteria for anxiety disorders. After fluoxetine treatment, 76% were improved, with diminished anxiety and increased speech in public settings, including school. Improvement at week 9 was inversely correlated with age. Conclusions Persistent selective mutism presenting with comorbid anxiety disorders may respond to fluoxetine treatment.
Deriving Generalized Means as Least Squares and Maximum Likelihood Estimates

Abstract Functions called generalized means are of interest in statistics because they are simple to compute, have intuitive appeal, and can serve as reasonable parameter estimates. The well-known arithmetic, geometric, and harmonic means are all examples of generalized means. We show how generalized means can be derived in a unified way, as least squares estimates for a transformed data set. We also investigate models that have generalized means as their maximum likelihood estimates.
Can universities become true learning organizations

Purpose – Aims to assess whether a university can become a true learning organization.Design/methodology/approach – Focuses on the need for, and challenges of, transforming universities into true learning organizations.Findings – Observes that few of the underlying values that serve as the underpinnings of the learning organizations are actually honored in universities.Originality/value – Offers some possible avenues to help transform universities toward becoming learning organizations.
Beyond ‘The Bleak and Dismal Shore:’ the wartime and postwar experiences of American Four Minute Men, 1917–1927

The Four Minute Men, a group of volunteer speakers on wartime topics, exerted a tremendous influence on domestic mobilization in the USA from 1917 to 1918. The article assesses the experience of Four Minute Men, especially in postwar recollections. In particular, I argue that historians have misunderstood the authorship and significance of the 1927 article ‘Memoirs of a Four Minute Man’. This article misrepresents the writer's own experiences and overstates the sense of disillusionment experienced by wartime speakers in the 1920s and 1930s.
Regional Aspects of Collaborative Invention Across National Innovation Systems

AbstractThis article analyzes the association between intraregional collaboration and levels of invention in nine developed countries. Patent data of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) regions of nine inventive countries are used to determine if a significant positive correlation exists between reliance on own region partners and overall invention. Strong intraregional collaboration is also related to the knowledge bases of technologies and to the tendency for inventors to team up in the first place. Results show strong evidence that inventors in highly inventive regions co-patent more with own region partners and that they have a greater tendency to collaborate in the first place. Support for the hypothesis that information and computer technologies favour own region collaboration and that more biotechnology invention encourages external alliances is mixed. However, there is far less evidence that more biotechnology invention encourages more external alliances. Variation in...
What can Disulfide Bonds Tell Us about Protein Energetics, Function and Folding: Simulations and Bioninformatics Analysis☆

We study the impact of disulfide bonds on protein stability and folding. Using lattice model simulations, we show that formation of a disulfide bond stabilizes a protein to an extent that depends on the distance along the chain between linked cysteine residues. However, the impact of disulfide bonds on folding kinetics varies broadly, from acceleration when disulfides are introduced in or close to the folding nucleus, to slowing when disulfides are introduced outside the nucleus. Having established the effect of disulfide bonds on stability, we study the correlation between the number of disulfide bonds and the composition of certain amino acid classes with the goal to use it as a statistical probe into factors that contribute to stability of proteins. We find that the number of disulfides is negatively correlated with aliphatic hydrophobic but not aromatic content. It is surprising that we observe a strong correlation of disulfide content with polar (Q,S,T,N) amino acid content and a strong negative correlation with charged (E,D,K,R) content. These findings provide insights into factors that determine protein stability and principles of protein design as well as possible relations of disulfide bonds and protein function.
Sex Pheromones of Lepidoptera. XXXVIII. Electroantennogram Responses in Autographa californica to cis-7-Dodecenyl Acetate and Related Compounds

Shorey et al. (1965) presented behavioral and chemical evidence that the female sex pheromones of 2 noctuid moth species, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), the cabbage looper, and Autographa californica (Speyer), the alfalfa looper, are similar, if not identical. Berger (1966) later identified the sex pheromone of T. ni as cis -7-dodecenyl acetate. In field tests, cis -7-dodecenyl acetate attracts significant numbers of A. californica males. However, the optimum evaporation rate of this chemical for capturing male moths in traps is much lower for A. californica than for T. ni (Kaae et al. 1973).
Application Of Relaxation Labeling To Missile Guidance

AbstractThe practical scene matching problem presents certain complications which must extendclassical image processing capabilities. In this paper, we consider certain aspects of thescene matching problem which must be addressed by algorithms for missile guidance. In the first section, we outline a philosophy for treating the matching problem for theterminal homing scenario. Later, we consider certain aspects of the feature extractionprocess and symbolic pattern matching.Transformation parametersWe begin with a reference image which contains as much detail as possible about a regionof space near the target ground space. The form of the representation is a central ques-tion, but the ultimate effect is that a representative description of the expected scenecan be constructed from a range of viewing positions and orientations.We recall from the theory of perspective transformations that six variables are neededto determine the sensor viewing angle. Then an intensity or property value at location(x,y,z) is imaged on the sensor coordinates at a location (X,Y), wherea.l x+ a2y + a3z + a
A potential nitrergic mechanism of action for indomethacin, but not of other COX inhibitors: relevance to indomethacin-sensitive headaches.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that act as cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibitors are commonly used in the treatment of a range of headache disorders, although their mechanism of action is unclear. Indomethacin is of particular interest given its very special effect in some primary headaches. Here the in vivo technique of intravital microscopy in rats has been utilised as a model of trigeminovascular nociception to study the potential mechanism of action of indomethacin. Dural vascular changes were produced using electrical (neurogenic) dural vasodilation (NDV), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) induced dural vasodilation and nitric oxide (NO) induced dural vasodilation using NO donors. In each of these settings the effect of intravenously administered indomethacin (5 mg kg−1), naproxen (30 mg kg−1) and ibuprofen (30 mg kg−1) was tested. All of the tested drugs significantly inhibited NDV (between 30 and 52%). Whilst none of them was able to inhibit CGRP-induced dural vasodilation, only indomethacin reduced NO induced dural vasodilation (35 ± 7%, 10 min post administration). We conclude NSAIDs inhibit release of CGRP after NDV without an effect on CGRP directly. Further we describe a differentiating effect of indomethacin inhibiting nitric oxide induced dural vasodilation that is potentially relevant to understanding its unique action in disorders such as paroxysmal hemicrania and hemicrania continua.
Indentation tests of human articular cartilage.

Abstract The short-time shear and bulk moduli of articular cartilage were determined experimentally using torsional shear and uniaxial confined compression tests. These results are compared to the values of shear moduli predicted by using data from indenter tests and the theoretical solution for the identation of a rigid punch pressed into an elastic layer bonded to a rigid halfspace. To verify the effectiveness of predicting moduli from indenter tests, control experiments were performed on polyurethane rubber. Although they accurately predict the elastic properties for rubber, the nonlinearity, anisotropy and non-homogeneity of articular cartilage make indenter tests less appropriate for use with cartilage. The predicted and measured values correlate but with considerable dispersion. The short-time shear modulus of articular cartilage, including both healthy and diseased samples, were found to vary over the range 4–35 × 105 N/m2 and the short-time bulk modulus over the range 9–170 × 106 N/m2. The means of tissue storage was found to have a major effect on the measured mechanical properties.
In vitro metabolismof estrone 2, 4, 6, 7−3H and 4-androstene-3,17-dione-1,2−3H in submandibular gland and submandibular gland cancer tumor

Abstract Tritiated estrone and 4-androstene-3, 17-dione were incubated with slices of human submandibular gland and submandibular gland cancer tumor. Metabolites were separated by paper and thin layer chromatography. Estradiol-17β and testosterone were identified as metabolites. The metabolites were identified by reverse isotope dilution and the preparation of derivatives (formation of acetates). The amounts of estradiol-17β and testosterone formed in the tumor were significantly higher than that formed in the submandibular gland.
Detection Of Hcl At The Sub-Parts-Per-Billion Level Using Tunable Diode Laser Absorption

We report the results of a laboratory study for detecting the important atmospheric molecule, HC1, using a tunable diode laser coupled to a multipass White cell. In contrast to many such prototype studies, the calibration in this work was carried out near the concentration range of interest and verified using three independent techniques. Employing pathlengths of 40-m, we have demonstrated a detection sensitivity (S/N = 1) in the 250 - 300 parts-per-trillion range at pressures around 9 torr.
The Possible Role of Nitromethane in the SCR of NOxwith CH4over M-ZSM5 (M=Co, H, Fe, Cu)

The reactions of nitromethane with NO2or NO in the presence of excess O2have been studied and the results compared over four catalysts: Co-, H-, Fe-, and CuZSM-5. Data were collected at a series of temperatures for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with CH4(SCR) for the former two catalysts for comparison. Product composition data were obtained both chromatographically and by IR analysis of the exit gases. The data showed that, whereas the light-off temperatures were lower when CH3NO2was substituted for CH4, they passed through peak conversion to N2at the same temperature and then fell off rapidly at higher temperatures in the way typical for SCR reactions. The reaction of CH3NO2with O2alone produced results similar to those for the SCR reaction, but with roughly 50% of the peak conversion to N2. The activity of CuZSM-5 in these reactions was much greater than for the other three catalysts. The IR data showed the presence of HCN, NH3, and HNCO in various low concentrations below 400°C. N2and N2O were obtained by GC. These data differed over the four catalysts. All of these compounds have been suggested in the literature as possible intermediates in the formation of N2and their behavior in these experiments was not inconsistent with these ideas. These results suggested, however, that one single pathway to N2formation does not exist; several optional mechanisms may function as suggested by the earlier literature. When15N18O+O2was substituted for the unlabeled molecule, the predominant N2product was15N14N, suggesting that one N-atom is supplied by each of the two reacting molecules, CH3NO2and NO2.
Multichannel wavelength division multiplexing with photonic crystals

A multichannel wavelength-division-multiplexing system consisting of a two-dimensional photonic crystal is proposed. The system consists of two parts, a waveguiding element, realized by defects in a photonic crystal, and frequency-selective elements, realized by photonic crystal microcavities. Simulations, performed with a two-dimensional finite-difference time-domain technique with a perfectly matched layer absorbing boundary condition, showed the ability to filter an incident pulse into six spectral channels with a FWHM of 2 nm.
Response of liquid argon and some additives to ionizing radiation and their use in calorimeters

Abstract Measurements on drift velocities and collected charge were made in a small test dewar on liquid argon with admixtures of methane, ethane, ethylene and ammonia using alpha and beta particle sources. In addition a test in the Helios uranium-liquid argon calorimeter was made with a 0.35% addition of methane. The results in the Helios calorimeter showed a worsening of the hadronic resolution and the electron/pion ratio.
Relating protein adduction to gene expression changes: a systems approach

Modification of proteins by reactive electrophiles such as the 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) plays a critical role in oxidant-associated human diseases. However, little is known about protein adduction and the mechanism by which protein damage elicits adaptive effects and toxicity. We developed a systems approach for relating protein adduction to gene expression changes through the integration of protein adduction, gene expression, protein–DNA interaction, and protein–protein interaction data. Using a random walk strategy, we expanded a list of responsive transcription factors inferred from gene expression studies to upstream signaling networks, which in turn allowed overlaying protein adduction data on the network for the prediction of stress sensors and their associated regulatory mechanisms. We demonstrated the general applicability of transcription factor-based signaling network inference using 103 known pathways. Applying our workflow on gene expression and protein adduction data from HNE-treatment not only rediscovered known mechanisms of electrophile stress but also generated novel hypotheses regarding protein damage sensors. Although developed for analyzing protein adduction data, the framework can be easily adapted for phosphoproteomics and other types of protein modification data.
Recent economic changes in Boir Ahmad: regional growth without development

I concluded my previous paper on this subject with the remark that the people of Boir Ahmad, faced with the depletion of their pastures, the unavailability of new land, the difficulty of obtaining higher education, and the low wages earned from migrant labor, were looking toward the future trusting a merciful God to open, as they say, five doors for each one that was closed. That was in 1971. Since then, doors have indeed been opening up for the people of Boir Ahmad, a process which is filling them with new expectations for the future, but which is also changing basically the structure of their traditional way of life. These changes are most pronounced in the western and eastern parts of Boir Ahmad, i.e., in the nearer and farther environs of the administrative centers of Yasuj and Deh Dasht. In the present paper I shall describe these changes, using as an example a village 36 kilometers to the northwest of Yasuj, the Deh Bozorg Sisakht, commonly called Sisakht, the largest village of Boir Ahmad (pop. in 1976: 2596). I shall first refer to the changes in the traditional subsistence economy, and then turn to the new eco2 nomic opportunities, the newly opening doors, as it were.
Neurochemical development of brain stem nuclei involved in the control of respiration

The first two postnatal weeks are the most dynamic in the development of brain stem respiratory nuclei in the rat, the primary model for this review. Several neurochemicals (glutamate, glycine receptors, choline acetyltransferase, serotonin, norepinephrine, and thyrotropin-releasing hormone) increase expression with age, while others (GABA, serotonin receptor 1A, substance P, neurokinin 1 receptor, and somatostatin) decrease their expression. Surprisingly, a dramatic shift occurs at postnatal day (P) 12 in the rat. Excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate and its NMDA receptors fall precipitously, whereas inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, GABA(B), and glycine receptors rise sharply. A concomitant drop in cytochrome oxidase activity occurs in respiratory neurons. Several receptor types undergo subunit switches during development. Notably, GABA(A) receptors switch prevalence from alpha3- to an alpha1-dominant form at P12 in the pre-Botzinger complex of the rat. The transient dominance of inhibitory over excitatory neurotransmission around P12 may render the respiratory system sensitive to failure when stressed. Relating these neurochemical changes to physiological responses in animals and to sudden infant death syndrome in humans will be a challenge for future research.
Time series analyses of breathing patterns of lung cancer patients using nonlinear dynamical system theory

The underlying requirements for successful implementation of any efficient tumour motion management strategy are regularity and reproducibility of a patient's breathing pattern. The physiological act of breathing is controlled by multiple nonlinear feedback and feed-forward couplings. It would therefore be appropriate to analyse the breathing pattern of lung cancer patients in the light of nonlinear dynamical system theory. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the one-dimensional respiratory time series of lung cancer patients based on nonlinear dynamics and delay coordinate state space embedding. It is very important to select a suitable pair of embedding dimension 'm' and time delay 'τ' when performing a state space reconstruction. Appropriate time delay and embedding dimension were obtained using well-established methods, namely mutual information and the false nearest neighbour method, respectively. Establishing stationarity and determinism in a given scalar time series is a prerequisite to demonstrating that the nonlinear dynamical system that gave rise to the scalar time series exhibits a sensitive dependence on initial conditions, i.e. is chaotic. Hence, once an appropriate state space embedding of the dynamical system has been reconstructed, we show that the time series of the nonlinear dynamical systems under study are both stationary and deterministic in nature. Once both criteria are established, we proceed to calculate the largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE), which is an invariant quantity under time delay embedding. The LLE for all 16 patients is positive, which along with stationarity and determinism establishes the fact that the time series of a lung cancer patient's breathing pattern is not random or irregular, but rather it is deterministic in nature albeit chaotic. These results indicate that chaotic characteristics exist in the respiratory waveform and techniques based on state space dynamics should be employed for tumour motion management.