cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stress-induced suppression of neuropeptide Y-induced hunger in anorexic chicks involves corticotrophin-releasing factor signalling and the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

The Virginia lines of chickens have been selected for low (LWS) or high (HWS) juvenile body weight and have different severities of anorexia and obesity, respectively. The LWS that are exposed to stressors at hatch are refractory to neuropeptide Y (NPY)-induced food intake and the objective of the present study was to determine the underlying mechanisms. Chicks were exposed to a stressor (-20°C for 6 minutes and 22°C and delayed access to food for 24 hours) after hatching and the hypothalamic nuclei, including the lateral hypothalamus (LH), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and arcuate nucleus (ARC), were collected 5 days later. In LWS but not HWS, stress exposure up-regulated corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), CRF receptor subtypes 1 and 2 (CRFR1 and CRFR2, respectively), melanocortin receptor 4 and urocortin 3 in the PVN, as well as CRFR2 mRNA in the VMH and ARC. In LWS, stress exposure was also associated with greater NPY and NPY receptor subtype 5 mRNA in the ARC and PVN, respectively, as well as decreased agouti-related peptide mRNA in the ARC. In HWS, stress exposure was associated with increased CRFR1 and decreased cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript in the ARC and PVN, respectively. Refractoriness of the food intake response to NPY in LWS may thus result from the over-riding anorexigenic tone in the PVN associated with CRF signalling. Indeed, the orexigenic effect of NPY was restored when LWS were injected with a CRF receptor antagonist, astressin, before stress exposure. The results of the present study provide insights into the molecular basis of eating disorders and suggest that CRF signalling in the PVN may exacerbate the anorexic phenotype in the presence of environmental stressors.
Mathematics in National Contexts (1875–1900): An International Overview

Within the international mathematical community, the last three decades have witnessed a striking number of centennial celebrations. To name just a few, the London Mathematical Society (LMS) entered a new century in 1965 with the Societe mathematique de France (SMF) following in 1972, the American Journal of Mathematics and the Circolo matematico di Palermo (CMP) saw their centenaries in 1978 and 1984, respectively, and the American Mathematical Society (AMS) passed its century mark in 1988 preceding the Deutsche Mathematiker-Vereinigung (DMV) by two years.1 These milestones suggest, at the very least, that the mathematical endeavor developed in important ways in diverse national settings during the closing quarter of the nineteenth century.
Lung cancer screening with low-dose CT: a world-wide view

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, comprising almost 20% of all cancer deaths. The concept of screening for lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) dates back almost three decades. This paper reviews the randomized controlled trials and demonstration projects carried out world-wide on LDCT lung cancer screening. Most research has been carried out in North America, Europe and East Asia, regions where lung cancer mortality rates are generally the highest. There are currently no organized national or regional lung cancer screening programs with LDCT. A number of challenges exist to implementing such programs, including the fact that LDCT lung cancer screening generally targets only high risk ever-smokers, in contrast to screening programs for other cancers such as breast, cervical and colorectal, which target entire populations based only on age and sex. While tobacco control remains the most important tool in the long-term to decrease morbidity and mortality from lung cancer, LDCT screening, appropriately carried out, has the potential to modestly decrease lung cancer death rates for those countries whose overall resources and health care infrastructure are adequate for the task.
Recent Advances in Woolly Monkey Nutrition

Woolly monkeys (Lagothrix ssp.) are threatened in the wild and are extremely difficult to successfully manage within captivity. The majority of health problems in woolly monkeys (WM) may be of dietary origin. We demonstrated that captive WM decreased by 11 % during a 16-year period. In addition, the number of captive facilities reportedly holding WM diminished while the birth-to-death ratio was inverted at 0.65 compared to 1.26 for the similar spider monkey (SM; Ateles spp.) species. When examined, the historical serum chemistry data from 30 WM housed at two captive facilities did not differ when compared to published results for howler monkeys (Aloutta sp.) and SM. However, serum glucose was elevated compared to humans and SM. Further research demonstrated that fasting levels of circulating lipids, fructosamine, glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin, and urinary glucose were normal in six WM with known hypertension compared to published data from similar monkey species and humans. Potential stressors can contribute to decreased health status within primates. Our investigation of fecal and salivary cortisol in WM and SM showed that captive institutions with the highest dietary total carbohydrates, total sugars, glucose, and fruit content had the highest cortisol concentrations. Further, our supplementation of WM and SM diets with inulin-type fructans numerically lowered fecal cortisol after 4 weeks. It is possible that the success of captive WM could improve if stressors and potential negative consequences of improper nutrition are reduced.
Ischemic and Intracerebral Hemorragic Stroke

This chapter is organized along the neurobehavioral features of the major stroke syndromes in relation to the major vascular territories. We describe the major neurobehavioral deficits of each syndrome and associate them with specific distributions and pathological mechanisms of ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. This chapter will consider intracerebral hemorrhages, but syndromes related to subarachnoid hemorrhage, aneurysms, and arteriovenous malformations will be discussed in Chaps. 4 and 5. It will be apparent that often specific cognitive disturbances are not restricted to injury to one particular vascular territory. For convenience, we will discuss various cognitive disturbances in relation to the vascular territories most commonly associated with these deficits.
Cerebral blood volume changes during the BOLD post-stimulus undershoot measured with a combined normoxia/hyperoxia method.

Abstract Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal measurements make it possible to estimate steady-state changes in the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) with a calibrated BOLD method. However, extending this approach to measure the dynamics of CMRO2 requires an additional assumption: that deoxygenated cerebral blood volume (CBVdHb) follows CBF in a predictable way. A test-case for this assumption is the BOLD post-stimulus undershoot, for which one proposed explanation is a strong uncoupling of flow and blood volume with an elevated level of CBVdHb during the post-stimulus period compared to baseline due to slow blood volume recovery (Balloon Model). A challenge in testing this model is that CBVdHb differs from total blood volume, which can be measured with other techniques. In this study, the basic hypothesis of elevated CBVdHb during the undershoot was tested, based on the idea that the BOLD signal change when a subject switches from breathing a normoxic gas to breathing a hyperoxic gas is proportional to the absolute CBVdHb. In 19 subjects (8F), dual-echo BOLD responses were measured in primary visual cortex during a flickering radial checkerboard stimulus in normoxia, and the identical experiment was repeated in hyperoxia (50% O2/balance N2). The BOLD signal differences between normoxia and hyperoxia for the pre-stimulus baseline, stimulus, and post-stimulus periods were compared using an equivalent BOLD signal calculated from measured R2* changes to eliminate signal drifts. Relative to the pre-stimulus baseline, the average BOLD signal change from normoxia to hyperoxia was negative during the undershoot period (p = 0.0251), consistent with a reduction of CBVdHb and contrary to the prediction of the Balloon Model. Based on these results, the BOLD post-stimulus undershoot does not represent a case of strong uncoupling of CBVdHb and CBF, supporting the extension of current calibrated BOLD methods to estimate the dynamics of CMRO2.
Replacement, Refinement, and Reduction in Animal Studies With Biohazardous Agents

Animal models are critical to the advancement of our knowledge of infectious disease pathogenesis, diagnostics, therapeutics, and prevention strategies. The use of animal models requires thoughtful consideration for their well-being, as infections can significantly impact the general health of an animal and impair their welfare. Application of the 3Rs-replacement, refinement, and reduction-to animal models using biohazardous agents can improve the scientific merit and animal welfare. Replacement of animal models can use in vitro techniques such as cell culture systems, mathematical models, and engineered tissues or invertebrate animal hosts such as amoeba, worms, fruit flies, and cockroaches. Refinements can use a variety of techniques to more closely monitor the course of disease. These include the use of biomarkers, body temperature, behavioral observations, and clinical scoring systems. Reduction is possible using advanced technologies such as in vivo telemetry and imaging, allowing longitudinal assessment of animals during the course of disease. While there is no single method to universally replace, refine, or reduce animal models, the alternatives and techniques discussed are broadly applicable and they should be considered when infectious disease animal models are developed.
Measuring Liquid Drop Properties on Nanoscale 1D Patterned Photoresist Structures

This communication reports liquid wetting properties of DI-water on one-dimensional nano-patterned photoresist lines atop a silicon substrate as the pattern period is varied from 0.3- to 1.0-µm. Both constant photoresist height and constant width/height ratios are investigated. The line/period ratio was fixed at 0.3 (0.4) for different measurement sequences. The surface of the photoresist was treated with a short CHF3 reactive ion etch to ensure consistent hydrophobic photoresist: water surface energies. Average parallel contact angle (θ||), average perpendicular contact angle (θ⊥), drop width (W), and drop length (L) at constant volume were measured on nano-patterned surfaces fabricated with interferometric lithography. Both θ|| and θ⊥ contact angles increase as the period (0.3- to 1-μm) increases; the θ|| spreading rate is faster than θ⊥ due to pinning on the grooves resulting in an elongated drop shape. The traditional Wenzel and Cassie-Baxter models of drop contact angles were developed for isotropic random 2D roughness and do not account for the anisotropy induced by the 1D line patterns. The observed angular variations with period are not consistent with either model. Understanding liquid wetting properties and hydrophobicity on 1D silicon surfaces has many applications in lab-on-a-chip, micro/nano-fluidic devices, roll-to-roll nano-imprint fabrication, self-cleaning surfaces, and micro-reactors.
Band structure of face-centered and body-centered-cubic 3d transition metals. [X-ray emission spectra]

Measurements of the soft-x-ray ${M}_{2,3}$ emission spectra of face-centered Fe and Co, and body-centered Fe, Cr, and V are reported and ${M}_{3}$ single-hole excitation profiles are estimated. $3d$ bandwidths inferred from these results and earlier data on Cu and Ni are compared with band-theory predictions. As has been seen previously with x-ray and ultraviolet photoemission, the experimental Ni bandwidth is markedly narrower than theory predicts; there is a suggestion that the bandwidth of Cu is somewhat broader; theory and the present results are in fair agreement for the other metals. Fine structure is seen in the spectra; correlations are noted in the weak structure of metals of common crystal structure; and structural correlations with x-ray and ultraviolet photoemission data are seen as well.
Fibroblast growth factor 21 secretion enhances glucose uptake in mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate-treated adipocytes

Previous studies revealed that cellular accumulation of mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (MEHP) disturbed energy metabolism in adipocytes, where glucose uptake was significantly increased. The present study aimed to determine the mechanisms underlying the increased glucose uptake. MEHP-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes exhibited a significantly increased glucose uptake activity. Immunoblot analysis suggested that the insulin-induced signals were not responsible for the increased glucose uptake. qPCR analysis revealed that both Glut1 and Glut4 genes were highly expressed during adipogenesis; Glut1 mRNA levels in MEHP-treated adipocytes were significantly increased. Moreover, MEHP-treated adipocytes exhibited significantly increased levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) in both mRNA and secreted protein. FGF21 is a peptide hormone with pleiotropic effects on regulation of insulin sensitivity and glucose/lipid homeostasis. We found that MEHP, FGF21, and lactate in culture medium together enhanced Fgf21 gene expression in MEHP-treated adipocytes. FGF21 signaling requires fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) and βKlotho. Fgfr family and βKlotho genes were actively expressed during adipogenesis; mRNA levels of Fgfr3 and Fgfr4 genes in MEHP-treated adipocytes were significantly increased. Roles of FGF21/FGFR and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signal axes in regulation of glucose uptake were determined. We demonstrated that FGF21/FGFR signals played the major roles in up-regulation of the basal glucose uptake in MEHP-treated adipocytes. The in vitro evidence suggests that cellular FGF21 secretion enhances the basal glucose uptake in MEHP-treated adipocytes.
Serving the Responder’s Growth

This chapter discusses one of the greatest responsibilities of the emergency services leader: serving the growth of their followers. The willingness to serve the growth of followers is grounded in a desire to want to see followers change and grow, so that one day they too can become leaders. The servant leader serves the needs of their followers in a way that positively impacts their mental, physical, and emotional health. These three areas exist in unison; the successful leader realizes that they cannot stand alone. The healthy follower becomes less vulnerable, realizing posttraumatic growth. The emergency services leader that commits to the growth of their followers does so with an understanding that such growth reduces vulnerabilities associated with traumatic experiences and protects responders from burnout.
Floral herbivore effect on the sex expression of an andromonoecious plant, Isomeris arborea (Capparaceae)

Flower-feeding insects may influence the reproductive behavior of their host plant. In plants with labile sex expression, the ratio of maternal to paternal investment may change in response to damage, an effect that goes beyond the direct reduction of plant gametes. We examined the effects of floral herbivory by the beetle Meligethes rufimanus (Nitidulidae) on the ratio of hermaphroditic flowers to male flowers in an andromonoecious shrub, Isomeris arborea (Capparaceae) in southern California. Plants exposed to herbivory had a greater rate of flower bud abortion than those protected from herbivory. Exposed plants produced a greater proportion of hermaphroditic flowers to male flowers, although damaged inflorescences still produced fewer fruit. An additional manipulative experiment showed that the removal of pistils on inflorescences led to an increase in the proportion of hermaphroditic flowers. This suggests that the presence of fruit may lead to pistil suppression in developing flowers. Adaptive responses to herbivory which favor andromonoecy thus include the continued production of hermaphroditic flowers when floral damage is high (and hence low fruit set), and a switch to male flower production when floral damage is low (and fruit production increases). The consequences of an altered six ratio induced by insect herbivores may lead to indirect effects on both the male and female reproductive success of this plant.
Battle of the Rockets

The team of nine students from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) collectively held their breath during the countdown. The result of their yearlong project-an 11-fttall, 60-lb rocket-stood on the launchpad, holding an autonomous soi l-col lect ing robot they had designed. There was little doubt the engines would ignite, developing 450 lbf of thrust within 200 ms; their worry was whether the robot would eject at apogee and survive the resulting 1,000-ft fall.
Dividends, Trust, and Firm Value

We present new evidence on the importance of trust in driving individual investment decisions and valuation. Given that low-trust investors view earnings as less credible, we predict that they will have a preference for dividend-paying stocks, and that the trust level of the investor base will interact with dividend payments to affect firm valuations. We find that investors who are less trusting, in general, are more likely to hold dividend-paying stocks, and that the trust level of the investor base helps explain the valuation of dividend-payers relative to non-dividend-payers. We then use fraud events as shocks to trust in earnings and show that the dividend premium increases after these shocks. We last examine whether dividends act as a complement or substitute for earnings in low-trust environments. Our evidence suggests they act as a complement, bolstering the credibility of earnings.
Has the indestructible insect met its match? Velvet ants as prey to bufonid toads

Velvet ants are a group of parasitoid wasps that are well-known for a suite of defensive traits including bright coloration, a thick exoskeleton, and a painful sting. Previous experiments have demo...
Biochar amendment changed soil-bound fractions of silver nanoparticles and ions but not their uptake by radish at an environmentally-relevant concentration

Plant uptake of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and ions (Ag+) largely depends on their exchangeable and soil-bound fractions in soils, which may be influenced by biochar amendment. This study investigated the effects of biochar amendment (0.1% and 1.0%) on soil sorption of Ag NPs and Ag+, their soil-bound fractions, and their uptake and translocation by radish grown in a loamy sand soil spiked with 1 mg/kg Ag NPs or Ag+. Sorption of Ag+ to the soils was much greater than that of Ag NPs, mainly because negatively charged soil particles would attract Ag+, but repel negatively charged Ag NPs. Biochar amendment at 1.0% (by weight) significantly decreased the reducible fraction of Ag+ in the soils with and without radish plants and increased the oxidisable fraction of Ag NPs in the soils with radish plants. Biochar amendment had no significant effect on Ag uptake by radish plants (p > 0.05), probably due to low exchangeable Ag fractions in all experimental treatments. In this short-term experiment (35 days), the addition of 1 mg/kg Ag NPs or Ag+ did not substantially elevate the level of Ag in radish roots (0.05 ± 0.02–1.06 ± 0.98 mg/kg) and shoots (0.01 ± 0.00–0.03 ± 0.01 mg/kg), compared to the blank control (p > 0.05). Radish uptake of Ag NPs and Ag+ at the environmentally-relevant concentration was low with root concentration factors between 0.03 ± 0.03 to 0.29 ± 0.21 and root-to-shoot translocation factors between 0.08 ± 0.10 to 0.89 ± 1.21, which may partially explain the non-significant effect of biochar amendment on Ag uptake.
Assessment of disparities in estimating filtered chemical reaction rates in LES using DNS of turbulent premixed flames

An a priori assessment of the disparities in estimating the filtered chemical reaction rates in Large-Eddy Simulations (LES) is performed using two Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of turbulent p...
Towards End-to-end SDC Detection for HPC Applications Equipped with Lossy Compression

Data reduction techniques have been widely demanded and used by large-scale high performance computing (HPC) applications because of vast volumes of data to be produced and stored for post-analysis. Due to very limited compression ratios of lossless compressors, error-bounded lossy compression has become an indispensable part in many HPC applications nowadays, because it can significantly reduce science data volume with user-acceptable data distortion. Since the large-scale HPC applications equipped with lossy compression techniques always need to deal with vast volume of data, soft errors or silent data corruptions (SDC) are non-negligible. Although SDC detection techniques have been studied for years, no studies were performed toward the HPC applications with lossy compression, leaving a significant gap between these applications and confidence of execution results. To fill this gap, this paper proposes a couple of SDC detection strategies for scientific simulations with lossy compression. Experimental results on 4 widely used scientific simulation datasets show promising detection ability could be still obtained with two popular lossy compressors. Our parallel experiments with up to 1,024 cores confirm that the time overheads could be limited within 7.9%.
Development of a brain-computer interface for patients in the critical care setting.

Objective Behaviorally unresponsive patients in intensive care units (ICU) are unable to consistently and effectively communicate their most fundamental physical needs. Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology has been established in the clinical context, but faces challenges in the critical care environment. Contrary to cue-based BCIs, which allow activation only during pre-determined periods of time, self-paced BCI systems empower patients to interact with others at any time. The study aims to develop a self-paced BCI for patients in the intensive care unit. Methods BCI experiments were conducted in 18 ICU patients and 5 healthy volunteers. The proposed self-paced BCI system analyzes EEG activity from patients while these are asked to control a beeping tone by performing a motor task (i.e., opening and closing a hand). Signal decoding is performed in real time and auditory feedback given via headphones. Performance of the BCI system was judged based on correlation between the optimal and the observed performance. Results All 5 healthy volunteers were able to successfully perform the BCI task, compared to chance alone (p<0.001). 5 of 14 (36%) conscious ICU patients were able to perform the BCI task. One of these 5 patients was quadriplegic and controlled the BCI system without any hand movements. None of the 4 unconscious patients were able to perform the BCI task. Conclusions More than one third of conscious ICU patients and all healthy volunteers were able to gain control over the self-paced BCI system. The initial 4 unconscious patients were not. Future studies will focus on studying the ability of behaviorally unresponsive patients with cognitive motor dissociation to control the self-paced BCI system.
How to keep a spot cool

Let \(D\) be a planar domain, let \(a\) be a reference point fixed in \(D\), and let \(b_k\), \(k=1,\ldots,n\), be \(n\) controlling points fixed in \(D\setminus\{a\}\). Suppose further that each \(b_k\) is connected to the boundary \(\partial D\) by an arc \(l_k\). In this paper, we propose the problem of finding a shape of arcs \(l_k\), \(k=1,\ldots,n\), which provides the minimum to the harmonic measure \(\omega(a,\bigcup_{k=1}^n l_k,D\setminus \bigcup_{k=1}^n l_k)\). This problem can also be interpreted as a problem on the minimal temperature at \(a\), in the steady-state regime, when the arcs \(l_k\) are kept at constant temperature \(T_1\) while the boundary \(\partial D\) is kept at constant temperature \(T_0<T_1\). In this paper, we mainly discuss the first non-trivial case of this problem when \(D\) is the unit disk \(\mathbf{D}=\{z\colon|z|<1\}\) with the reference point \(a=0\) and two controlling points \(b_1=ir\), \(b_2=-ir\), \(0<r<1\). It appears, that even in this case our minimization problem is highly nontrivial and the arcs \(l_1\) and \(l_2\) providing minimum for the harmonic measure are not the straight line segments as it could be expected from symmetry properties of the configuration of points under consideration.
Persistence and Antigenic Variation

This chapter focuses on the genera Anaplasma and Ehrlichia. Typically, antigenically variable proteins are immunodominant and thus allow evasion of the predominant immune responses. The donor allele repertoire remains unchanged during antigenic variation, while the expression-site variant is lost. This method is employed by some rickettsiae in the family Anaplasmataceae and allows for lifelong persistence in the host with donor allele repertoires 10- to 100-fold smaller than those found in African trypanosomes. Earlier work has demonstrated that major surface proteins (MSP)2 and MSP3 are immunodominant, antigenically variable proteins that are instrumental in evading the host immune response. Anaplasma ovis, a small ruminant pathogen, has been shown to establish persistent infections in goats. Antigenic variation in A. phagocytophilum is effected through the homolog of A. marginale msp2. The antibody response to the MSP2 HVR is variant specific and diminishes rapidly, consistent with the idea that antigenic variation of MSP2 is responsible for persistence. Research shows that the implications of donor allele repertoires go beyond antigenic variation in the individual hosts, and that they also play critical roles in the epidemiology of pathogen strain structure and possibly host tropism.
The Molecular Mechanism of Autophagy

Autophagy is a conserved trafficking pathway that is highly regulated by environmental conditions. During autophagy, portions of cytoplasm are sequestered into a double-membrane autophagosome and delivered to a degradative organelle, the vacuole in yeast and the lysosome in mammalian cells, for breakdown and recycling. Autophagy is induced under starvation conditions and in mammalian cells is also invoked in response to specific hormones. In yeast, under nutrient-rich conditions, a constitutive biosynthetic pathway, termed the cytoplasm to vacuole targeting (Cvt) pathway, utilizes most of the same molecular machinery and topologically similar vesicles for the delivery of the resident hydrolase aminopeptidase I to the vacuole. Both autophagy and the Cvt pathway have been extensively studied and comprehensively reviewed in the past few years. In this review, we focus on the yeast system, which has provided most of the insight into the molecular mechanism of autophagy and the Cvt pathway, and highlight the most recent additions to our current knowledge of both pathways.
Pap Smear Rates: Predictor of Cervical Cancer Mortality Disparity?

Considered preventable by the National Cancer Institute, cervical cancer continues to be a severe health threat for women. Although efforts at early detection have resulted in a decline of 50% in incidence and mortality in the in the last 30 years, still more than 14,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed and more than 4,8000 women die of cervical cancer annually. Significantly higher cervical cancer mortality rates in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, for African-American women prompted an investigation into the Pap smear rates for African-American and white women. The unexpected results of the analysis were that in all three years, African-American women had Pap smear rates higher than white women, 384.81 and 254.17 per 1,000 respectively. Obviously, the difference in pap smear rates does not explain the disparity in cervical cancer mortality in Tuscaloosa County. Further exploration of the causes is needed.
Communication and knowledge management strategies in video game design and development: A case study highlighting key organizational narratives

This paper summarizes and contextualizes a case study that presents data from interviews conducted over a period of three months within an independent game design and development studio. The study discusses how the studio is organized and how employees perform typical tasks and interface with management. The research focuses specifically on communication and knowledge management practices employed by the organization and articulates key stories that represent the challenges of working within a workplace that spans both creative and technical disciplines. These stories add to our knowledge of technical and professional communication in game development and provide us with important information about engineering communication practices in multidisciplinary environments. The paper also discusses the tools, technologies, and documentation strategies used by game development professionals to communicate and work through difficult problems.
ANALYZING THE DISTRACTORS OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE TEST ITEMS OR PARTITIONING MULTINOMIAL CELL PROBABILITIES WITH RESPECT TO A STANDARD'

When analyzing the distractors of multiple-choice test items, it is sometimes desired to determine which of the distractors has a small probability of being chosen by a typical examinee. At present, this problem is handled in an informal manner. In particular, using an arbitrary number of examinees, the probabilities associated with the distractors are estimated and then sorted according to whether the estimated values are above or below a known constant p0 In this paper a more formal framework for solving this problem is described. The first portion of the paper considers the problem from the point of view of designing an experiment. The solution is based on a procedure similar to an indifference zone formulation of a ranking and election problem. A later section considers methods that might be employed in a retrospective study. Brief consideration is also given to how an analysis might proceed when a test item has been altered in some way.
Generalized Scaling Laws of Plasma Parameters in Electrothermal Plasma Sources for Fusion Disruption Erosion and Hypervelocity Launch Applications

Generalized operational scaling laws have been developed for the peak plasma parameters at the exit of an electrothermal plasma capillary discharge. These parameters are the total ablated mass, plasma kinetic temperature, pressure, bulk velocity, and the radiant heat flux. The obtained scaling laws have particular coefficients depending on the material of the ablating liner inside the capillary source. The generalized scaling laws include the magnitude of the peak discharge current, material property, and the dimensions of the ablating sleeve. The values given by the scaling laws are compared with the ones calculated by the computational ElectroThermal Flow (ETFLOW) code and against the experimental data. The obtained results of the scaling laws have shown low error, especially the scaling laws of the kinetic temperature and the plasma exit velocity.
Mars: An Introduction to its Interior, Surface and Atmosphere

Preface 1. Introduction to Mars 2. Formation of Mars and early planetary evolution 3. Geophysical measurements and infrared interior structure 4. Surface characteristics 5. Geology 6. Atmospheric conditions and evolution 7. History of water on Mars 8. Search for life 9. Looking ahead References Index.
Functionalization of Metal–Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Stability under Humid Carbon Dioxide Capture Conditions

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been highlighted recently as promising materials for CO2 capture. However, in practical CO2 capture processes, such as capture from flue gas or ambient air, the adsorption properties of MOFs tend to be harmed by the presence of moisture possibly because of the hydrophilic nature of the coordinatively unsaturated sites (CUSs) within their framework. In this work, the CUSs of the MOF framework are functionalized with amine-containing molecules to prevent structural degradation in a humid environment. Specifically, the framework of the magnesium dioxybenzenedicarboxylate (Mg/DOBDC) MOF was functionalized with ethylenediamine (ED) molecules to make the overall structure less hydrophilic. Structural analysis after exposure to high-temperature steam showed that the ED-functionalized Mg/DOBDC (ED-Mg/DOBDC) is more stable under humid conditions, than Mg/DOBDC, which underwent drastic structural changes. ED-Mg/DOBDC recovered its CO2 adsorption capacity and initial adsorption rate quite well as opposed to the original Mg/DOBDC, which revealed a significant reduction in its capture capacity and kinetics. These results suggest that the amine-functionalization of the CUSs is an effective way to enhance the structural stability of MOFs as well as their capture of humid CO2 .
Solvent free synthesis of carboxylate–alumoxane nanoparticles using mechanical shear

Carboxylate-substituted alumina nanoparticles are produced solvent free using a Rheomixer. The general nature of this method has been demonstrated for L-lysine-, stearate-, and p-hydroxybenzoate-derived materials. The reaction rate and particle size are controlled by a combination of temperature and shear rate. The nanoparticles are spectroscopically equivalent to those reported from aqueous syntheses, however, the average particle size can be decreased and the particle size distribution narrowed depending on the reaction conditions.
Retrieval of Cirrus Cloud Radiative and Backscattering Properties Using Combined Lidar and Infrared Radiometer (LIRAD) Measurements

Abstract A method for retrieval of cirrus macrophysical and radiative properties using combined ruby lidar and infrared radiometer measurements is explained in detail. The retrieval algorithm includes estimation of a variable backscatter-to-extinction ratio for each lidar profile, which accounts for changes in cloud microphysical properties with time. The technique also utilizes a correlated K distribution radiative transfer model, where absorption coefficients K have been tabulated specifically for the bandwidth and filter function of the infrared radiometer. The radiative transfer model allows for estimation of infrared emission due to atmospheric water vapor, ozone, and carbon dioxide, which is essential for deriving cirrus radiative properties. Also described is an improved technique for estimation of upwelling IR radiation that is emitted by the surface of the earth and reflected by the cloud into the radiometer field of view. Derived cirrus cloud properties include base and top height and temperatur...
The streptococcus sanguinis competence regulon is not required for infective endocarditis virulence in a rabbit model

Streptococcus sanguinis is an important component of dental plaque and a leading cause of infective endocarditis. Genetic competence in S. sanguinis requires a quorum sensing system encoded by the early comCDE genes, as well as late genes controlled by the alternative sigma factor, ComX. Previous studies of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus mutans have identified functions for the >100-gene com regulon in addition to DNA uptake, including virulence. We investigated this possibility in S. sanguinis. Strains deleted for the comCDE or comX master regulatory genes were created. Using a rabbit endocarditis model in conjunction with a variety of virulence assays, we determined that both mutants possessed infectivity equivalent to that of a virulent control strain, and that measures of disease were similar in rabbits infected with each strain. These results suggest that the com regulon is not required for S. sanguinis infective endocarditis virulence in this model. We propose that the different roles of the S. sanguinis, S. pneumoniae, and S. mutans com regulons in virulence can be understood in relation to the pathogenic mechanisms employed by each species.
Intracellular localization of sucrose-phosphate phosphatase in storage cells

The intracellular location of sucrose-phosphate phosphatase (SPP ; EC 3.1.3.24) was investigated by comparing the ratios of SPP to vacuolar and cytosolic markers in protoplasts and vacuoles from storage tissues of red beet (Beta vulgaris) and turnip (Brassica rapa L. var. rapa) hypocotyl, and carrot (Daucus carota) root. In all three instances, SPP activity was found not to be associated with vacuolar markers β-acetyl-glucosaminidase and α-mannosidase, but proportionally associated with the cytosolic marker alcohol dehydrogenase. It was determined that in storage cells of red beet and turnip hypocotyl, as well as in carrot root, SPP is located in the cytoplasm. Discrepancies with earlier reports indicating SPP of vacuolar origin are discussed.
Hamiltonian Path-Integral Methods

A path-integral formulation of quantum mechanics is investigated which is closely related to that of Feynman. It differs from Feynman's formulation in that it involves the Hamiltonian function of the canonically conjugate coordinates and momenta. The classical limit yields the variational principle: $\ensuremath{\delta}ff(p\ifmmode\ddagger\else\textdaggerdbl\fi{}\ensuremath{-}N)dt=0$. A path-integral formula is also obtained for the energy eigenstate projection operator associated with the time-independent Schr\"odinger equation. The classical limit of the projection operator formula yields a modified form of the well-known variational principle for the phase-space orbit of given energy. Relativistically covariant Hamiltonian variational principles are analyzed and lead naturally to a relativistic scalar wave equation which involves a proper time variable which is canonically conjugate to the mass in the same manner as the ordinary time variable is conjugate to the energy in nonrelativistic quantum theory.
Efficiency characterization and optimization in flyback DC-DC converters

This paper presents efficiency characterization and optimization in conventional flyback DC-DC converters over wide ranges of operating conditions based on power loss modeling and multi-variable non-linear constrained optimization over design parameters and controller parameters. A valley switching technique is applied to reduce MOSFET turn-on switching loss in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). An optimization procedure is formulated to minimize power loss weighted over a range of operating points, under a cost constraint. Experimental results with a 65 W flyback prototype demonstrate that combined design-time optimization, and controller optimization can lead to significant efficiency improvements.
Impedance-based structural health monitoring of thermal protection systems

Components used for thermal protection have not previously been interrogated with the impedance method. In this study, structures are fabricated to represent typical thermal protections systems. The replicas are designed to simulate actual protection systems in use. Observations are made into the verification of the impedance method in effectively monitoring complex thermal protection systems from non-optimal sensor placement locations. The thermal protections systems are damaged in a way to represent typical damage mechanisms. The sensitivity of the impedance method to various types of damage in representative structures will also be discussed. Different operational conditions, including high temperatures, are also included in the experimentation.
Reactive Cysteines of Ryanodine Receptor Type 1 Influence Function and Response to Oxidative Stress

Redox modulation of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor1 (RyR1) plays a key role in determining the responsiveness of the Ca2+ release channel to physiological modulation. The sensitivity of RyR1 to redox stress may be conferred by seven previously identified hyper-reactive cysteines (1040, 1303, 2426, 2606, 2611, 2625 and 3635). Wild type RyR1 (wtRyR1), and seven hyper-reactive cysteine mutations of RyR1 were stably expressed in HEK-293 cells and their contribution to RyR1 function evaluated. Addition of RyR1 activator 4-chloro-m-cresol (4-CMC) elicited an increase in [Ca2+]i in the wtRyR1cells but failed to produce a Ca2+ response in the C1303S, C2606S, C2436S and C7S (expressing all seven cysteine mutations) expressing cells, while the C1040S and C2611S mutations significantly attenuated 4-CMC mediated Ca2+ response. Microsomal fractions isolated from C1040S, C2611S, C2436S and C3635S bound to 3[H]Ry while C7S and C1303S showed significantly lower, levels of RyR-binding, although significantly above preparations from RyR-null HEK 293. The sensitivity of RyR1 to 1, 4-napthoquinone (NQ) appears to depend on the expression of RyR1 and the presence of reactive cysteines. Sensitivity to NQ-induced cytotoxicity was determined by the multi-Tox fluorescence assay. NQ decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, but the wtRyR1 cells were less sensitive than C2606, C1040S, C2611S and the C7S mutants. These data indicate the role of hyper-reactive cysteines in regulating RyR1 function and its response to oxidative stress. Supported by NIH AR43140.
Models for Production Planning under Power Interruptions

We present a robust optimization model for production planning under electricity supply that is subject to uncertain interruptions caused by participation in interruptible load contracts (ILCs). The objective is to minimize the cost of electricity used for production while providing a robust production plan which ensures demand satisfaction under all possible interruption scenarios. Due to the combinatorial size of the interruption scenario set, this is a challenging problem. Furthermore, we assume that no probabilistic information is known about the supply uncertainty and we only use the information given in the ILC to structure an uncertainty set that captures the possible scenarios. We first construct a general robust framework to handle this uncertainty and provide a heuristic algorithm which approximates the optimal solution of the robust model. Computational experiments are also conducted to compare the performance of the robust model and the heuristic algorithm. Next we show how to include operational impacts of interruptions such as “recovery modes” in the definition of the uncertainty set.
Amlodipine in elderly hypertensive patients: pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Elderly (65-73 years) and young (28-34) hypertensive patients received amlodipine by i.v. infusion (2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg). Patients were then started on oral amlodipine 2.5 mg daily for 2 weeks, at the end of which amlodipine disposition and effect were evaluated over one 24-h dose interval. Patients were treated subsequently with amlodipine in an escalating dose protocol (maximum 10.0 mg once daily) for 12 weeks to control blood pressure. After i.v. amlodipine, clearance tended to be decreased in elderly as compared with young patients with resulting prolongation in elimination half-life (64 +/- 20 vs. 48 +/- 8 h; mean +/- SD). Maximum decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) after i.v. doses tended to be greater in the elderly (-34 +/- 15 vs. -23 +/- 15 mm Hg) and maximum decrease in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was similar in the two groups (-21 +/- 10 vs. -18 +/- 7 mm Hg). SBP was significantly decreased after 14 weeks' therapy in the elderly at doses ranging from 2.5 to 10.0 mg per day (171 +/- 17 to 149 +/- 22 mm Hg; p less than 0.01). DPB was decreased both at 2 and 14 weeks' therapy in the elderly (baseline 100 +/- 7, 2 weeks 93 +/- 5, 14 weeks 90 +/- 5 mm Hg; p less than 0.01 vs. baseline).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Case Study: Channel Stability of the Missouri River, Eastern Montana

The construction of Fort Peck Dam in the 1930s on the Missouri River, eastern Montana, initiated a series of changes in hydrologic conditions and channel morphology downstream from the dam that impacted channel stability. Impacts included streambed degradation of up to 3.6 m and substantially altered magnitude, frequency, and temporal distribution of flows. To investigate the effects of the altered flow regime and bed degradation on bank stability, two independent bank-stability analyses (one for planar failures, the other for rotational failures) were performed on 17 outside meanders. Both included the effects of matric suction and positive pore-water pressures, confining pressures, and layering. Instability occurred from the loss of matric suction and the generation of positive pore-water pressures. In this semiarid region, such hydrologic conditions are most likely to occur from the maintenance of moderate and high flows (greater than 425-566 m³/s) for extended periods (5-10 days or more), thereby providing a mechanism for saturation of the streambank. For the postdam period, average annual frequencies of flows maintained above 566 m³/s for 5- and 10-day durations are 149 and 257% greater, respectively. The analyses indicated that 30% of the sites were susceptible to planar failures while 53% of the sites were susceptible to rotational failures under sustained moderate- and high-flow conditions, while under a worst-case rapid drawdown scenario, 80% of the banks were susceptible to failure. Despite the negative effects of the altered flow regime, analysis of maps and aerial photographs shows that closure of Fort Peck Dam has resulted in a four-fold reduction of the average rate of long-term channel migration between the dam and the North Dakota border.
Third molars: A review

The influence of the third molars on the alignment of the anterior dentition is controversial. There is no conclusive evidence to indict the third molars as being the major etiologic factor in the posttreatment changes in incisor alignment. Various aspects related to the management of thd molars are discussed, and specific situations in which third molar extractions are contraindicated are illustrated.
Molecular mechanisms of synaptic vesicle docking and membrane fusion

Abstract Studies of the interactions between synaptic proteins are revealing the molecular mechanisms of synaptic vesicle docking and membrane fusion. A 7S complex between the synaptic vesicle proteins synaptotagmin and VAMP, and the plasma membrane proteins syntaxin and SNAP-25 is thought to initiate the docking of vesicles. This is followed by recruitment of the soluble factors α-SNAP and the NSF ATPase to form a ∼20S particle. The hydrolysis of ATP is required for the disassembly of the complex and may ultimately result in the fusion of the membranes. Sequence similarities between syntaxin and neurexins are presented, and a possible role for neurexins in alternative complexes is suggested.
Impact of contaminates on the laser damage threshold of 1ω HR coatings

In operational laser systems, it is often difficult to keep optical components completely free of foreign material. We have investigated the performance of high damage threshold 1.053 {micro}m high reflectors in the presence of surface contaminants. We have looked at the impact of stainless steel, aluminum, Azurlite{reg_sign}, dust, cotton fibers and polyester fibers on the performance of the mirrors under laser irradiation. The first four contaminants were deposited in sizes ranging from 30 microns to 150 microns. The fibers included lengths ranging to several millimeters. The testing was done at either a single fluence in the range of 6 J/cm{sup 2} to 24 J/cm{sup 2}, or a ramped sequence of shots starting at 1 J/cm{sup 2}. We will present data showing the onset of damage, the type of damage, and the propensity to damage growth in the fluence range studied.
“The Materials for a ‘Life’”: Collaboration, Publication, and the Carlyles’ Afterlives

The dead are loved in a different way. Mikhail Bakhtin, “Epic and Novel” On Saturday, April 21, 1866, Jane Welsh Carlyle died suddenly while taking a mid‐afternoon carriage ride in Hyde Park. Her...