cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review of passions within reason

As with many publications with punctuation-split titles, the heart of the thesis in this book lies in its subtitle: "The Strategic Role of the Emotions." Rather than discussing what the title implies, whether passions are indeed within reason or whether one ought to control the other, Robert H. Frank works within his field of economics to explain how emotions predispose people to behave in ways contrary to their self-interest. Frank develops the hypothesis through economic theory and makes contributions to it through psychology, biological-evolutionary concerns and cultural conditions. And while it would seem that this would provide a thorough examination of the hypothesis offered, Frank in actuality is very limited in his conception of several of the main aspects of his theory. In fact, his discussion of emotions and rationality is so one-sided that this review could be titled "Passions Within Reason Whose Passions and Whose Reason?"
Gabapentin in Alcohol Dependence

Objective: To review the literature related to the use of gabapentin in alcohol dependence following acute alcohol withdrawal. Data Sources: Searches of MEDLINE (1946-January 2015) and Cochrane Database (2005-January 2015) were performed using gabapentin, alcohol, and alcoholism as MeSH terms and keywords. Results were limited to human trials in English-language journals. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Inclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials with a minimum 4 weeks of gabapentin therapy and at least one alcohol dependence related outcome measure (ie, cravings, abstinence, percent days abstinent, or heavy drinking days). Six randomized clinical trials were identified. Data Synthesis: Four trials identified beneficial effects of gabapentin on at least one alcohol-related outcome measure. Two smaller studies, which enrolled patients with minimal withdrawal symptoms, failed to demonstrate beneficial effects on primary outcomes related to heavy drinking or abstinence. Gabapentin at doses up to 1800 mg daily was well tolerated with no serious adverse drug reactions being reported. Conclusions: Clinical trials have shown gabapentin is a well-tolerated adjunctive therapy in the management of alcohol dependence. The strongest efficacy evidence occurred in patients experiencing moderate to severe withdrawal when gabapentin was administered early in or concurrently during acute withdrawal and continued for up to 12 weeks.
Increased rate of peripheral nerve regeneration using bioresorbable nerve guides and a laminin-containing gel

The sciatic nerve of adult mice was transected and proximal and distal nerve stumps were sutured into a nontoxic bioresorbable nerve guide. Nerve guide lumens were either empty or filled with a gel containing 80% laminin and additional extracellular matrix components. Two weeks later cells in the L3 through L5 dorsal root ganglia and the ventral horn of the spinal cord were retrogradely filled with horseradish peroxidase. All animals with the laminin-containing gel but none with empty nerve guides displayed labeled cells. This suggests that the laminin-containing gel significantly hastened axonal regeneration in vivo.
Phosphorus amendment inhibits hyphal branching of the VAM fungus Gigaspora margarita directly and indirectly through its effect on root exudation

The effect of solution phosphorus (P) concentration upon growth of pregerminated spores of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Gigaspora margarita was examined in vitro. P at 1 mM significantly inhibited branching of the primary germ tube. The number of branches and the total hyphal length were both significantly inhibited at 10 mM P. In addition, germinated spores exposed to exudates produced by Ri T-DNA-transformed roots of Daucus carota L. grown in the presence of P showed significantly less hyphal branching than those exposed to exudates produced by P-stressed roots. These phenomena could contribute to the observed inhibition of mycorrhiza formation by high P.
Genetic basis for the polymorphism of rat liver cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase

Liver aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), the enzyme involved in the oxidation of aldehydes such as acetaldehyde derived from ethanol, exists in multiple forms in most mammals. Up to five separable forms have been identified from the cytosolic fraction of Wistar rat liver. We investigated the genetic basis of a particular set of three enzyme forms by selective breeding and analysis of electrophoretic patterns of liver ALDH by isoelectric focusing. The forms of liver ALDH investigated were at pI 5.8 or 6.2, or a triple form with enzymes at pI 5.8, 6.0, and 6.2. There are two alleles found at the ALDH locus which encode in homozygotes for one of two electrophoretically separable ALDH forms. A rat heterozygous at the locus forms both ALDH types plus a hybrid. The alleles are expressed codominantly, found at an autosomal locus, and remain constant postpartum. The activities associated with the triplet enzyme form were statistically indistinguishable from a 1:2:1 ratio. This suggests that the enzymes hybridize to form a set of dimers or tetramers of the form A2, AB, B2 or A4, A2B2, B4, respectively.
Effector BCRs: inside information on IgG

Immunoglobulins secreted by memory B cells dominate secondary humoral responses. New evidence suggests the cytoplasmic tails of BCRs confer an advantage to cells expressing IgG, leading to their sustained proliferation and immunoglobulin production
On Gaussian interference channels with mixed gaussian and discrete inputs

This paper studies the sum-rate of a class of memoryless, real-valued additive white Gaussian noise interference channels (IC) achievable by treating interference as noise (TIN). We develop and analytically characterize the rates achievable by a new strategy that uses superpositions of Gaussian and discrete random variables as channel inputs. Surprisingly, we demonstrate that TIN is sum-generalized degrees of freedom optimal and can achieve to within an additive gap of O(1) or O(log log(SNR)) to the symmetric sum-capacity of the classical IC. We also demonstrate connections to other channels such as the IC with partial codebook knowledge and the block asynchronous IC.
Toefl Performance and Success in a Masters Program in Engineering

Scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), achieved by 67 Asian graduate students seeking the Master of Science in engineering, were examined in relationship to scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and success in completing their program of study as measured by final grade point average. Significant correlations (p < .01) were obtained between TOEFL and GRE Verbal (r = .63), GRE Quantitative (r = .30), and GRE Analytical (r = .35) scores. The best predictor of success in graduate study was the Quantitative score from the GRE (r = .32,p < .01).
Simultaneous fermentation and separation of lactic acid in a biparticle fluidized-bed bioreactor

A bioreactor configuration has been tested for simultaneous fermentation and separation of the desired inhibitory product, lactic acid. The bioreactor is a fluidized bed of immobilized Lactobacillus delbreuckii. Another solid phase of denser sorbent particles (a poly-vinyl pyridine resin) was added to this fluidized bed. These sorbent particles fell through the bed, absorbed the product, and were removed. In test fermentations, the addition of the sorbent enhanced the fermentation and moderated the fall of the pH. The biparticle fluidized-bed bioreactor utilizing immobilized microorganisms and adsorbent particles has been shown to enhance the production of lactic acid fourfold in this nonoptimized system.
AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT HIGHEST POSTERIOR MODEL SELECTION

We consider the properties of the highest posterior probability model in a linear regression setting. Under a spike and slab hierarchy we find that although highest posterior model selection is total risk consistent, it possesses hidden undesirable properties. One such property is a marked underfitting in finite samples, a phenomenon well noted for Bayesian information criterion (BIC) related procedures but not often associated with highest posterior model selection. Another concern is the substantial effect the prior has on model selection. We employ a rescaling of the hierarchy and show that the resulting rescaled spike and slab models mitigate the effects of underfitting because of a perfect cancellation of a BIC-like penalty term. Furthermore, by drawing upon an equivalence between the highest posterior model and the median model, we find that the effect of the prior is less influential on model selection, as long as the underlying true model is sparse. Nonsparse settings are, however, problematic. Using the posterior mean for variable selection instead of posterior inclusion probabilities avoids these issues.
Do Integrated Medical Groups Provide Higher-Quality Medical Care than Individual Practice Associations?

The authors used data from a California health maintenance organization quality report card to compare the quality of care delivered by integrated medical groups or practices in individual practice...
Using DAML+OIL to classify intrusive behaviours

We have produced an ontology specifying a model of computer attack. Our ontology is based upon an analysis of over 4000 classes of computer intrusions and their corresponding attack strategies and is categorised according to system component targeted, means of attack, consequence of attack and location of attacker. We argue that any taxonomic characteristics used to define a computer attack be limited in scope to those features that are observable and measurable at the target of the attack. We present our model as a target-centric ontology that is to be refined and expanded over time. We state the benefits of forgoing dependence upon taxonomies in favour of ontologies for the classification of computer attacks and intrusions. We have specified our ontology using the DARPA Agent Markup LanguagepOntology Inference Layer and have prototyped it using DAMLJessKB. We present our model as a target-centric ontology and illustrate the benefits of utilising an ontology in lieu of a taxonomy, by presenting a use-case scenario of a distributed intrusion detection system.
Children's awareness of the biological implications of kinship.

Preschoolers' thinking about kinship was explored by means of a simple induction task. A target animal was described as possessing a property, and children were asked whether each of 2 other animals shares the property or not. When no information about kinship was given, children in Experiment 1 based their inductions of biological properties on physical similarity. However, when kinship relations were specified, children judged that dissimilar-looking kin share more biological properties than similar-looking but unrelated members of the same species. In Experiment 2, describing the similar animals as socially related did not change the basic pattern of inductions obtained in the first experiment. Moreover, subjects in Experiment 3 did not induce more acquired physical and psychological properties among families than among unrelated animals. The results of Experiments 1 and 2 illustrate one case where young children favor a nonperceptible relation (kinship) over a perceptible one (similarity) as a basis for judg-ment. The overall pattern of data suggest that young children distinguish to some extent between the biological and social domains.
EFFECT OF HEATING AND COLD STORAGE ON ANTITHIAMINE ACTIVITY IN SKIPJACK TUNA

SUMMARY The stability of antithiamine factor(s) in skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelanus) was tested after boiling by 2 methods, baking and cold storage at 10 and −10°C. The various heat treatments reduced the antithiamine activity from 55–86% of the control. Both frozen and refrigerated tuna, respectively, lost the antithiamine activity by 50–60% of the original level in 4 days.
Myristoylation of the RING Finger Z Protein Is Essential for Arenavirus Budding

The arenavirus small RING finger Z protein is the main driving force of arenavirus budding. The primary structure of Z is devoid of hydrophobic transmembrane domains, but both lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Lassa fever virus Z proteins accumulate near the inner surface of the plasma membrane and are strongly membrane associated. All known arenavirus Z proteins contain a glycine (G) at position 2, which is a potential acceptor site for a myristoyl moiety. Metabolic labeling showed incorporation of [ 3 H]myristic acid by wild-type Z protein but not by the G2A mutant. The mutation G2A eliminated Z-mediated budding. Likewise, treatment with the myristoylation inhibitor 2-hydroxymyristic acid inhibited Z-mediated budding, eliminated formation of virus-like particles, and caused a dramatic reduction in virus production in LCMV-infected cells. Budding activity was restored in G2A mutant Z proteins by the addition of the myristoylation domain of the tyrosine protein kinase Src to their N termini. These findings indicate N-terminal myristoylation of Z plays a key role in arenavirus budding.
Reduction of neutron-induced background in NaI γ-ray spectra☆

Abstract The use of pulsed beam and time-of-flight techniques to suppress the neutron-induced background in NaI γ-ray spectra is described. Application to the study of the D(p,γ) 3 He reaction is presented as an example.
Response of Spartina patens to Dissolved Inorganic Nutrient Additions in the Field

Abstract Salt marshes provide a buffer between the terrestrial landscape and estuaries and may be important in preventing the movement of land-derived nutrients into coastal waters. We examined the response of S. patens in the field to additions of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and found significant (p < 0.05) positive N effects on aboveground biomass, leaf chlorophyll, tissue nutrient concentrations, and induction of fluorescence kinetics of chlorophyll a. Mean endomycorrhizal colonization among treatments was 22%, and fungal colonization ranged from 2% to 61% in the plots. We found no significant effect of N or P on endomycorrhizal colonization, but there was a significant inverse relationship (r = −0.66, p = 0.005) between the belowground biomass and fungal colonization. This study showed that S. patens could sequester 44–100% of the added N and 82–100% of the added P in its leaves, roots, and rhizomes. However, it is unclear how long-term nutrient overenrichment and the resulting...
Endoscopic skull base surgery and its impact on sinonasal-related quality of life

Background: Endoscopic skull base surgery (ESBS) is considered a minimally-invasive surgical modality with less morbidity and patient discomfort. Quality-of-life (QOL) assessments provide a patient-reported estimate of well-being that may be clinically relevant. Although the sinonasal tract is integral to ESBS, the change in sinonasal-related QOL with ESBS has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to prospectively assess QOL before and after ESBS using validated outcome measures. Methods: Consecutive adult patients undergoing ESBS for anterior skull base lesions were prospectively enrolled from a tertiary referral center. Each patient was asked to complete the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) and the Anterior Skull Base Questionnaire (ASBQ) preoperatively, and again at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively. Results: Eighty-five patients were included for study, 44.7% of whom underwent ESBS for nonpituitary pathology. Mean SNOT-22 scores transiently worsened in the early postoperative period, and significantly improved at 1 year after surgery (p < 0.01). Gross-total tumor resection and use of autologous grafting materials were associated with improved SNOT-22 scores at later time points (p < 0.05). Type of reconstruction, tumor pathology, and functionality did not affect QOL scores. Correlation between SNOT-22 and ASBQ scores was good at all time points (r < −0.50). Cerebrospinal fluid leak and other complications were uncommon. Conclusion: ESBS does not have a detrimental long-term effect and is associated with ultimate improvement in sinonasal-related QOL. Short-term impairments of sinonasal-related QOL are predictable and self-limited. Prospective assessment using sinonasal-related and site-specific QOL instruments provide complementary information about ESBS outcomes. © 2012 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
Surviving patent expiration: strategies for marketing pharmaceutical products

The pharmaceutical industry is characterized by high R&D costs and increasing competition. New pharmaceutical products are often provided patent protection to help companies recoup their R&D costs. The end of this period of market exclusivity is a challenging period for these companies. Marketers need to develop creative product, promotional, and pricing strategies for those products nearing patent expiration. First, provides an overview to the history of drug patents. Second, discusses with recommendations the strategies commonly adopted by companies with products facing patent expiration.
Adoption of conservation agriculture in olive groves: Evidences from southern Spain

The adoption of soil conservation practices (SCP) in olive groves in Andalusia, such as not burning olive-desuckering debris, shredding olive-pruning debris for use as inert soil cover and using cover crops under mower control, constitutes a huge advance towards sustainable olive growing. By adopting such SCP, olive growers can reduce the worrying level of erosion this activity causes, combat climate change and increase biodiversity. In this sense, the negative spillovers associated to the foregoing processes are highly significant both in qualitative and quantitative terms regarding the degradation of agricultural ecosystems. This paper seeks to identify the main factors that affect the adoption of these SCP. In order to do so, we use a trivariate probit model, therefore considering that the reasons behind adopting SCP may be interrelated. The results show how the factors that determine the adoption of such practices are related to the socio-demographic characteristics of olive growers, some of the characteristics of the olive grove itself and how it is managed and the role of social capital.
Initial Value Problems in Viscoelasticity

Abstract : This document reviews some recent mathematical results concerning integrodifferential equations that model the motion of one-dimensional nonlinear viscoelastic materials. In particular, the authors discuss global (in time) existence and long-time behavior of classical solutions, as well as the formation of singularities in finite time from smooth initial data. Although the mathematical theory is comparatively incomplete, some remarks are more concerning the existence of weak solutions (i.e., solutions with shocks). Some relevant results from linear wave propagation will also be discussed. Keywords: integrodifferential equations; mathematical models; Nonlinear viscoelasticity, materials with fading memory, viscoelastic fluids, linear wave propagation, acceleration waves, smooth kernels, singular kernels, Laplace transforms, hyperbolic equations, global existence, smooth solution.
Intra- and Interspecific Courtship Behavior in Blister Beetles of the Genus Tegrodera (Meloidae)

Courtship behavior in the 3 allopatric species of Tegrodera is distinct from that of all other meloids studied. Male display is a form of antennation performed from the substrate while facing the front of the female's head. It involves grasping the female's antennae with his own and repeatedly pulling them in and out of 2 corresponding grooved depressions on his head. Mounting and copulation typically occur when the female becomes receptive. This pattern occurs in all species, but males of T. aloga frequently mount homo- and heterospecific females without prior display and attempt to force copulation. This “short circuiting” behavior is correlated with much larger male genitalia. All females mounted in this way react negatively by kicking at the male and by rapid walking. Females of T. aloga appear to be better able to avoid forced copulations. This is attributable to behavioral and anatomical traits not found in females of the other species. Mate preference in males is analyzed by a series of nochoice tests. Varying degrees of discrimination are revealed. Males of T. aloga court females of T. erosa but to a lesser extent than they do their own; T. erosa and T. latecincta males, on the other hand, do not recognize females of T. aloga as sexual objects and never court them. T. erosa males court T. latecincta females and their own equally, but T. latecincta males show a clear preference for homospecifics. Both aloga ♂ × erosa ♀ and latecincta ♂ × erosa ♀ matings occurred in this study. It is not known if these were successful since females failed to oviposit. Since the 3 allopatric species of Tegrodera are so similar to one another in all respects, it is doubtful that they had a history of interaction. Instead, mate discrimination and patterning differences probably evolved as a by-product of their genetic divergence during speciation. Courtship in this genus is most similar to that in Eupompha and Pleurospasta. Yet because of certain differences in behavior and associated structure, these similarities are attributed to convergence.
THE MISUSES AND APPROPRIATE USES OF NORM‐REFERENCED TESTS OF READING COMPREHENSION

This article reviews four uses for norm‐referenced tests of reading comprehension: (a) as a means of placing students at the appropriate instructional level, (b) as a means of diagnosing reading difficulties, (c) as a means of documenting instructional gain, and (d) as a means of predicting future comprehension performance. It is suggested that the first three uses listed above are actually misuses of the tests. The only appropriate use is to predict future performance.
The Pediatric Hospital Consultant

Most pediatricians have been asked at one time or another to be a consultant or have been the primary care physician asking for a consultation. We or our consultant colleagues, however, often fail to appreciate the subleties inherent in our respective roles. Although communication among physicians, both written and verbal, is essential for optimal patient care, communication between individual physician, parent, and patient not only extends common courtesy but also remains crucial in our present medicolegal climate. How often have we failed to tell a parent that we have asked for a consultant9s opinion or, more embarrassingly, been asked to be the consultant and then walked in on the patient only to discover that no member of the family had ever been told by the patient9s physician who we were or why we were there?
Disseminated germinoma in the brain and cervical spinal cord 10 years after radiographic resolution of pineal germinoma

Intracranial germinoma, a radiosensitive tumor, is seldom recurrent following initial treatment. When it does recur, it is usually soon after initial treatment and secondary to inadequate radiation field coverage of the tumor. Rarely, there have been case reports of late recurrence many years after initial therapy. Patients with recurrent germinoma in the spine have a less favorable prognosis in terms of treatment response compared to the initial lesion. Thus, careful consideration of the initial lesion, its treatment, and serial imaging of the neural axis with close follow-up is important. We report a patient with a rare delayed recurrence in the brain and cervical spinal cord despite close follow-up with clinical examination and serial imaging.
Surgical modifications for ligation of deep dorsal vein complex from retropubic space.

The ligation and division of the dorsal vein complex is a critical surgical step in achieving hemostasis in mamy urologie operations, such as the radical retrogubic prostatectomy, anterior nerve-sparing approach in the radical cystoprostatectomy, ‘-’ ligation of the dorsal vein complex for venous leakage impotence,8-11 and simple retropubic prostatectomy. l2 Walsh et al. 1-3 have refined the radical retropubic prostatectomy and defined a clear anatomie approach for the ligation of the dorsal vein complex with nerve preservation for potency. The standard approach is to divide the two puboprostatic ligaments at their junction to the pubic bone prior to the isolation and ligation of the deep dorsal vein complex. Although the puboprostatic ligaments are avascular, the division of the two Iigments leads to a subsequent posterior depression of the prostate and bladder that can lead to hemorrhage from the ruptured superficial dorsal venous channels adjacent to the puboprostatic ligaments. Control of this hemorrhage can be difficult, and the bleeding can obliterate a proper surgical exposure for the next maneuver. We have made modifications from the standard technique by ligating the puboprostatic ligaments and the dorsal vein complex together as a single unit and then dividing the puboprostatic ligaments and the venous complex proximal or cephalad to the ligatures. This has been dorre in the last 24 consecutive radical prostatectomies, 10 radical cystoprostatectomies, 8 deep dorsal vein complex ligations for venous leakage impotente, and 2 cases for hemostasis in the simple retropubic prostatectomies for benign disease. The procedure is simple, effective, and avoids the unnecessary potential of superficial venous hemorrhage from the superficial dorsal venous channels.
Examination of Halogen Bonding Interactions in Electronically Distinct but Structurally Related Tris(haloarenes)

Solid-state halogen bonding interactions present in four families of structurally similar tritopic haloarenes were examined in an effort to identify molecular features that promote halogen···carbonyl, halogen···halogen, and/or halogen···π interactions. The substrates used in this study all featured three haloarene substituents attached to a central 1,3,5-substituted arene ring with conformationally flexible linkers (ketone or ester groups) in order to systematically vary the polarization of the aryl halogen groups. Within each individual substrate type, however, there was found to be little correlation in the halogen bonding motifs exhibited as a function of halogen present (I, Br, and Cl). In general, the iodoarene derivatives examined exhibited a greater degree of halogen bonding interactions than the bromo and chloro analogues, and a unique bifurcated I···I/I···O═C halogen bonding synthon was identified in two substrates. Halogen bonding contacts observed in tritopic iodoarenes correlated nicely with e...
Ecological and conservation insights from reconstructive studies of temperate old-growth forests

Reconstructive studies that use paleoecological, dendroecological, historical and other approaches in order to interpret long-term ecosystem dynamics are increasingly generating valuable insights for ecologists, conservationists and foresters who are interested in the ecology, protection and management of old-growth forests. In most cases, the historical context provided by these studies reveals a long-term pattern of change that challenges assumptions about the pristine condition of these systems. Ironically, it is the history of environmental fluctuations, natural disturbance processes, and subtle, often indirect, human impacts that is revealed by reconstructive work that may shape the characteristic structure, composition and ecosystem processes of old-growth forests, and that will certainly provide the greatest challenge to their future conservation and management.
Efficient loop detection in Prolog using the tortoise-and-hare technique

Abstract A well-known problem with PROLOG-style interpreters that perform goal reduction is the possibility of entering an infinite recursion, due to a subgoal being “essentially the same” as one of its ancestors. This is informally called a “loop”. We describe the tortoise-and-hare technique for detecting such loops. This technique has low overhead: a constant amount of time and space per goal reduction step. Therefore it should be practical to incorporate into high-performance interpreters. We discuss the special considerations needed for correct implementation in an interpreter that uses tail-recursion optimization. The issue of what to do when a loop or potential loop has been detected has been investigated elsewhere. We review these results, and conclude that loop detection is probably more useful as a debugging tool than as an extension to the power of the language.
Accelerating the spin-up of the coupled carbon and nitrogen cycle model in CLM4

Abstract. The commonly adopted biogeochemistry spin-up process in an Earth system model (ESM) is to run the model for hundreds to thousands of years subject to periodic atmospheric forcing to reach dynamic steady state of the carbon–nitrogen (CN) models. A variety of approaches have been proposed to reduce the computation time of the spin-up process. Significant improvement in computational efficiency has been made recently. However, a long simulation time is still required to reach the common convergence criteria of the coupled carbon–nitrogen model. A gradient projection method was proposed and used to further reduce the computation time after examining the trend of the dominant carbon pools. The Community Land Model version 4 (CLM4) with a carbon and nitrogen component was used in this study. From point-scale simulations, we found that the method can reduce the computation time by 20–69% compared to one of the fastest approaches in the literature. We also found that the cyclic stability of total carbon for some cases differs from that of the periodic atmospheric forcing, and some cases even showed instability. Close examination showed that one case has a carbon periodicity much longer than that of the atmospheric forcing due to the annual fire disturbance that is longer than half a year. The rest was caused by the instability of water table calculation in the hydrology model of CLM4. The instability issue is resolved after we replaced the hydrology scheme in CLM4 with a flow model for variably saturated porous media.
Large deformation of structures by sequential limit analysis

Although most structures are designed to function under small deformation, their large deformation behavior can be used to estimate reliability and safety for survivorship from an accident or a natural disaster. Structures such as buildings, bridges, ships, vehicles and machinery are designed with a safety factor to protect certain assets from the unexpected and unknot elements. The large deformation analysis provides the rational basis for a safety factor. In this paper, the method of sequential limit analysis is used to compute large deformation solutions of truss and frame problems. Differing from the incremental method of plasticity, the limit analysis method is numerically stable, more effecient and requires simpler input data. A duality theorem serves as the foundation of an algorithm for computing the complete static and kinematic solutions sim- uhaneously and for establishing their accuracy in each step of a deformation sequence. The phenom- ena encountered in large deformation such as loading-unloading under monotone deformation, bifurcation (more generally, loss of uniqueness) of solutions, and internal contact of structural members are revealed by the sequential limit analysis presented in this paper.
Team-based learning in pharmacotherapeutics.

Objective. To compare student examination performance in pharmacotherapeutics before and after implementation of team-based learning.Design. After the traditional lecture and workshop method for te...
Thermal conductivity degradation of graphites due to nuetron irradiation at low temperature

Abstract Several graphites and carbon/carbon composites (C/C's) have been irradiated with fission neutrons near 150°C and at fluences up to a displacement level of 0.24 dpa. The unirradiated room temperature thermal conductivity of these materials varied from 114 W/mK for H-451 isotropic graphite, to 670 W/mK for a unidirectional FMI-1D C/C composite. At the irradiation temperature a saturation reduction in thermal conductivity was seen to occur at displacement levels of approximately 0.1 dpa. All materials were seen to degrade to approximately 10 to 14% of their original thermal conductivity after irradiation. The significant recovery of thermal conductivity due to post-irradiation isochromal anneals is also presented.
Exploration of polymer conformational similarities in polymer-carbon nanotube interfaces

We are using molecular simulations to investigate the interface between the polymer matrix and the carbon nanotube reinforcement, which is the key aspect of the bulk properties of nanocomposites. These simulations are typically analyzed with standard techniques like graphs and animations; however, existing methods are limited for certain exploratory tasks for analyzing the interfacial domains. We present a supplemental exploratory approach that employs standard effective visual-analytical techniques to analyze spatial and temporal properties of the polymer-carbon nanotube interfaces. Our approach is based on a computational method that uses a numerical measure of similarity to compare multiple molecular conformations. We discuss some numerical measures for exploring the behavior of polymer molecules in interfacial domains and present a matrix-based visualization to display and explore local and global similarity relationships of the polymer structures, including dynamical aspects. These methods constitute our initial efforts for using visual-analytical tools to relate the interfacial dynamics to macroscopic properties of the nanocomposite interfaces.
Emerging clinical applications in cardiovascular pharmacogenomics

Over one-fourth of the 36 million annual outpatient prescriptions filled in the United States are known to have human genomic biomarker information available that predicts drug safety and efficacy, or both. However, to date, we have not systematically implemented strategies to effectively use this data in clinical practice to improve patient outcomes. Part of the difficulty has stemmed from the only modest predictive capacity of previously identified gene variants, lack of replication of data in multiple studies, and the hesitancy of the clinical community to translate data gleaned from basic and translational research to routine clinical practice. Now, additional key variants that strongly impact drug absorption, metabolism, and excretion are rapidly surfacing through the use of genome-wide association technology. Most importantly, these variants are being validated in independent cohorts of thousands of cases and controls. In the near future, the dramatic reduction in the cost of DNA sequencing will lead to further insight into the common and rare genetic variants that strongly predict our individual response to commonly used medications. The clinical community will need to be prepared to utilize this vital data in aiding their selection of the right drug for the right patient if we expect to significantly reduce the ever increasing burden of societies' most common diseases. Herein, we detail the most clinically compelling and robust examples of pharmacogenomics emerging in the field of cardiovascular disease and hopefully foretell how cardiovascular disease might be treated in the era of genomic medicine. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2011 3 206–215 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.113 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website
2-Keto acids to branched-chain alcohols as biofuels: Application of reaction network analysis and high-level quantum chemical methods to understand thermodynamic landscapes

Abstract The discovery of biochemical reaction pathways consisting of both known and novel reactions to synthesize carbon-based compounds is of tremendous interest for the production of biofuels. One attractive target is energy-rich alcohols that can be produced via a series of enzymatic transformations. Computational tools for generating networks of reactions to produce alcohols have been demonstrated, yet the number of potential pathways was still too large to be explored experimentally. Here we present the results of high-level quantum chemical calculations to predict the thermodynamic feasibility of various reactions. The conversion of pyruvic acid to 1-butanol was used as an example system. The free energy landscapes generated using ab initio methods were compared against group contribution analysis for a reaction network of ABE fermentation of pyruvic acid. Secondly, detailed reaction energetics were calculated for Ehrlich’s pathway for the conversion of 2-keto acids to alcohols. Finally, the energetics for the conversion of non-native keto acids such as 2-keto-butanoic acid, 2-keto-valeric acid and 2-keto-isovaleric acid to their corresponding alcohols were evaluated, and the thermodynamic landscapes were compared to that of the native substrate, pyruvic acid.
Diatropicity of Dehydrobenzo[14]annulenes: Comparative Analysis of the Bond-Fixing Ability of Benzene on the Parent 3,4,7,8,9,10,13,14-Octadehydro[14]annulene

[structure: see text]. We report the synthesis of 3,4,7,8,9,10,13,14-octadehydro[14]annulene (1) and detail a comparative aromaticity study with its benzannelated derivatives (e.g., 2 and 3).
EFFECT OF SERUM AND SERUM COMPONENTS ON THE MITOGEN-INDUCED PROLIFERATION OF MURINE LYMPHOCYTES

By increasing the concentration of human serum, the dose-response profile of the Concanavalin A-induced proliferation of murine spleen lymphocytes becomes broader and the optimal cell proliferation takes place at higher concentrations of mitogen. It is shown that this behavior is due to the globulin fraction of serum which greatly decreases the binding of Concanavalin A to lymphocytes. Cohn fractions III and IV have a similar effect. On the other hand, cell proliferation takes place also in the absence of Pooled Human Serum at appropriate concentrations of Concanavalin A and within a very narrow range of cell concentrations. In the presence of the albumin fraction of serum, proliferation takes place over a wider range of mitogen and cell concentrations. As a result of these phenomena, the mitogenic effect of Concanavalin A varies greatly in function of the concentration of serum. Analogous results were obtained with fetal calf serum.
Radiation-hormesis phenotypes, the related mechanisms and implications for disease prevention and therapy.

Humans are continuously exposed to ionizing radiation throughout life from natural sources that include cosmic, solar, and terrestrial. Much harsher natural radiation and chemical environments existed during our planet’s early years. Mammals survived the harsher environments via evolutionarily-conserved gifts a continuously evolving system of stress-induced natural protective measures (i.e., activated natural protection [ANP]). The current protective system is differentially activated by stochastic (i.e., variable) low-radiation-dose thresholds and when optimally activated in mammals includes antioxidants, DNA damage repair, p53-related apoptosis of severely-damaged cells, reactive-oxygen-species (ROS)/reactive-nitrogen-species (RNS)- and cytokine-regulated auxiliary apoptosis that selectively removes aberrant cells (e.g., precancerous cells), suppression of disease promoting inflammation, and immunity against cancer cells. The intercellular-signaling-based protective system is regulated at least in part via epigenetic reprogramming of adaptive-response genes. When the system is optimally activated, it protects against cancer and some other diseases, thereby leading to hormetic phenotypes (e.g., reduced disease incidence to below the baseline level; reduced pain from inflammation-related problems). Here, some expressed radiation hormesis phenotypes and related mechanisms are discussed along with their implications for disease prevention and therapy.
Changes in the Utilization of New York's Great Lakes Recreational Fisheries

Abstract Given the biological, environmental, and regulatory changes that have occurred over the past 10 years with New York's Great Lakes fisheries, it is important to update estimates of angler effort and expenditures. Changes in angler effort and expenditures may relate to changes in fish stocks, habitat, and other more general demographic trends. Data from two mail surveys conducted in early 1997 were used to estimate angler effort and expenditures on New York's Great Lakes waters for calendar year 1996. In 1996, 37% of people who bought a fishing license in New York, or 392,270 anglers, fished at least 1 day on New York's Great Lakes waters. Approximately one-quarter (24.1%) of these anglers came from outside New York State. Anglers fished an average of 13.7 days for a total of 5.4 million days on Great Lakes waters in 1996. The most striking changes in Great Lakes fishing effort in New York over the past 20 years have occurred on Lake Ontario. Effort increased during the 1970s and 1980s and was highest in the late 1980s to early 1990s, at over 2.5 million days. Effort has dropped by one-third between 1988 and 1996. Lake Erie did not experience the increase in fishing effort seen on Lake Ontario in the early 1980s, but did experience a similar decrease in effort between 1988 and 1996. Despite changes in fishing regulations to remove snagging on the Salmon River, angler effort was basically unchanged between 1988 and 1996. Fishing effort along the St. Lawrence River was relatively constant between 1973 and 1988, but increased by almost 30% between 1988 and 1996. Possible explanations for changes in fishing participation using both biological and sociological data are discussed.
Atoms to astronomy: Computer graphics at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Within the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, state of the art computer graphics animation is done in the Computer Graphics Laboratory. The topics of the animations cover many scientific disciplines. Specific features of the system developed there, both hardware and software, are discussed. The prime mover of the effort is Dr. James F. Blinn of Pasadena; his role and experiences are elaborated. Their current largest project is The Mechanical Universe; the system is used for its production.
Visceral perception in irritable bowel syndrome : rectal and gastric responses to distension and serotonin type 3 antagonism

We wished to determine if visceral perception in the rectum and stomach is altered in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and to evaluate the effects on visceral sensation of 5-HT3 receptor blockade. Twelve community patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome and 10 healthy controls were studied in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Using two barostats, the stomach and rectum were distended, with pressure increments of 4 mm Hg, from 10 to 26 mm Hg; visceral perception was measured on an ordinal scale of 0–10. Personality traits were measured using standard psychological methods, and somatic pain was evaluated by immersion of the nondominant hand in cold water. The effect of 5-HT3 antagonism was tested with a single intravenous dose of ondansetron at 0.15 mg/kg. Gastric perception was higher in irritable bowel syndrome, but rectal distension was perceived similarly in irritable bowel syndrome and controls. Pain tolerance to cold water was also similar in irritable bowel syndrome and controls. Ondansetron induced rectal relaxation and increased rectal compliance but did not significantly alter gastric compliance or visceral perception. Psychological test scores were similar in patients and controls. We conclude that in this group of psychologically normal patients with irritable bowel syndrome, who were not chronic health-care seekers, visceral perception was normal. Ondansetron did not alter gut perception in health or in irritable bowel syndrome.
SEQUENCE COMPARISON OF HUMAN PLASMA α1‐ACID GLYCOPROTEIN AND THE IMMUNOGLOBULINS

The amino acid sequence of human plasma alpha1-acid glycoprotein, upon comparison with the sequences of other blood proteins, was shown to possess significant similarity with the immunoglobulins. Employing direct and corrected sequence identity, the average mutation value and two different computer comparisons for the evaluation of sequence similarity, the following two regions of this alpha-globulin, which account for approximately half of the total amino acid sequence of the protein, were found to possess sequence similarity with the immunoglobulins. a) The region from residues 77 through 125 proved to be related to the variable region of several human H and L chains, and b) the region from residues 136 through 166 was found to be related not only to the constant region of a human and a mouse L chain but also to the third and fourth constant region of a rabbit and a human H chain, respectively. These results suggest that alpha1-acid glycoprotein is probably related to the immunoglobulins and further suggest that it possibly diverged from the immunoglobulin evolutionary tree prior to the formation of the primitive L chain.
Social skills interventions for children with autism: A meta-analytic application of percentage of all non-overlapping data (PAND)

This paper is an early attempt to apply a meta-analytic technique to a body of single-subject experimental design (SSED) research. The percentage of all non-overlapping data points (PAND) technique, a new approach to calculating effect sizes in SSEDs, was applied to 19 studies evaluating peer-mediated social-skills treatments for children with autism. On the basis of PAND analysis, more common measures of effect size were derived (Phi, Phi 2, and d) and summaries were presented for individual studies. Forest plots, often used in meta-analyses, were presented to illustrate comparisons of effects as a function of outcome measures and treatment types. On the basis of PAND analyses of the literature on peer-mediated interventions to improve the social skills of children with autism, effect sizes for this body of literature would be considered large. Although the comparability of effect-size estimates to those of group-design experiments remains in question, PAND analysis of SSEDs seems to hold promise as we a...
Charge transfer between Si 4+ ion and helium at electron-volt energies

The charge-transfer rate coefficient for the reaction ${\mathrm{Si}}^{4+}+\mathrm{H}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{e}\mathrm{products}$ was measured at an equivalent temperature of $4.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{3} \mathrm{K}$ using a laser-induced plasma ion source and ion storage. The rate coefficient is $4.54(0.48)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12} {\mathrm{cm}}^{3}{\mathrm{}\mathrm{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ and is at least an order of magnitude smaller than the available theoretical values.
Progesterone as a potential neuroprotective treatment in the retina

Diseases and injuries that affect the eye and cause vision loss are a serious problem worldwide, both in terms of economic impact and patient quality of life. Few effective treatments currently exist to address this significant unmet need. The authors review research on progesterone treatment in traumatic brain injury and stroke showing that this pleiotropic hormone is a successful neuroprotective treatment in a variety of animal models. The authors also describe the ocular disorders that they think are the best candidates for progesterone treatment, other treatments currently available, research relevant to bringing progesterone treatment to the eye, including evidence of progesterone and its receptors in the eye,the overlap between mechanisms involved in retinal diseases and mechanisms modulated by progesterone and research on progesterone in the eye so far. Progesterone’s pleiotropic properties and its success in pre-clinical models of traumatic brain injury and stroke make it an attractive candidate a...