cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and assessment of a landscape-scale ecological threat index for the Lower Colorado River Basin

Anthropogenic disturbances impact freshwater biota but are rarely incorporated into conservation planning due to the difficulties in quantifying threats. There is currently no widely accepted method to quantify disturbances, and determining how to measure threats to upstream catchments using disturbance metrics can be time consuming and subjective. We compared four watershed-scale ecological threat indices for the Lower Colorado River Basin (LCRB) using landscape-level threats of land use (e.g., agricultural and urban lands), waterway development and diversions (e.g., number of canals, dams), and human development (e.g., road and railroads density, pollution sites). The LCRB is an ideal region to assess ecological threat indices because of the increasing need for conservation to ensure the persistence of native fishes in highly altered habitat. Each threat was measured for severity (i.e., level of influence on the upstream watershed) and frequency throughout each watershed; both severity and frequency were measured using two different methods. Severity values were based either on peer-reviewed literature and weighted in accordance to their published ecological impact, or assumed equal severity across stressors. Threat frequency was calculated according to either the presence/absence of each stressor, or on the relative density of each stressor in the watershed. Each measure of severity was combined with a measure of frequency, creating four ecological threat indices, and transformed to a 0–100 scale. Threat indices were highly correlated (slopes of 0.94–1.63; R2 of 0.82–0.98), and were highest for watersheds close to urban centers, including Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Road crossings and density appeared to be the most influential stressors in the index, but the removal of any individual stressor only changed the index by <5.1 units. Our results indicate that a simpler index with less subjectivity (i.e., presence/absence of a stressor in a watershed) provides similar results to the more subjective measure of threats (i.e., peer-reviewed threat severity). Because these threats have been linked to ecological health, the development of the index should be a useful tool to identify regions of greatest potential threat to aquatic biota and can aid in conservation planning for the Lower Colorado River Basin. © 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Geometry of the Cosmic Web: Minkowski Functionals from the Delaunay Tessellation

We present a novel method for computing the Minkowski Functionals from isodensity surfaces extracted directly from the Delaunay tessellation of a point distribution. This is an important step forward compared to the previous cosmological studies when the isodensity surface was built in the field on a uniform cubic grid and therefore having a uniform spatial resolution. The density field representing a particular interest in cosmology is the density of galaxies which is obtained from the highly nonuniform distribution of the galaxy positions. Therefore, the constraints caused by the spatially uniform grid put severe limitations on the studies of the geometry and shapes of the large-scale objects: superclusters and voids of galaxies. Our technique potentially is able to eliminate most of these limitations. The method is tested with some simple geometric models and an application to the density field from an N-body simulation is shown.
Cybernetic modeling of metabolism: towards a framework for rational design of recombinant organisms

Most cybernetic modeling efforts to date have taken a minimalist viewpoint of metabolism, relying heavily upon process lumping and pathway abstraction to simplify the underlying reaction network. However, such models are unsuitable for metabolic engineering applications because they do not incorporate the level of biological detail that is needed to predict the effects of genetic perturbation. In this paper, we inquire into the formulation and analysis of structured cybernetic models as tools for metabolic engineering. We present fresh theoretical developments leading to a more systematic treatment of global cybernetic variables based on conservation of metabolic resources. Finally, we illustrate these concepts with a cybernetic model-based analysis of anaerobic Escherichia coli metabolism. The model is able to accurately describe the growth of wild-type and acetate knockout strains when fitted to experimental data. Although it adequately predicts the end-of-batch concentrations for a strain with intermediate pta-ackA activity, it overestimates the measured growth and glucose uptake rates.
Joint recognition by cytotoxic t cells of inactivated sendai virus and products of the major histocompatibility complex.

Cytotoxic T cells specific for Sendai virus were generated by culturing murine spleen cells in vitro together with UV-inactivated Sendai virus. In vivo immunization of donor mice with UV-inactivated Sendai virus resulted in an in vitro secondary response of increased magnitude. Cytotoxic activity was demonstrated in a short-term 51Cr-release assay, using syngeneic tumor cells which had been coated with inactivated Sendai virus by incubation at 4 degrees C for 30 min. The lysis of Sendai virus-coated target cells was restricted by the H-2 haplotype of the target cells, suggesting that the H-2 genes of the target cell contributed to the specificity of the lysis. Kinetic experiments showed that susceptibility to lysis by cytotoxic T cells specific for Sendai virus appeared within 30 min after coating target cells with inactivated virus. Furthermore, there was no detectable synthesis of new proteins in cells treated with UV-inactivated Sendai virus. For these reasons, we suggest that neither viral replication nor the synthesis of new proteins are necessary for the production of the antigen recognized by cytotoxic cells specific for Sendai virus. We infer that the virus-specific component on the target cells is probably a preformed virion antigen adsorbed onto or integrated into the cell membrane. These results imply that, if the cytotoxic T cell recognizes a single antigenic determinant specified both by viral and H-2 genes, this determinant is formed by the physical association of H-2 and Sendai virus antigens rather than by their alteration during the processes of synthesis.
Melatonin in Cancer Management: Progress and Promise

Physiologic and pharmacologic concentrations of the pineal hormone melatonin have shown chemopreventive, oncostatic, and tumor inhibitory effects in a variety of in vitro and in vivo experimental models of neoplasia. Multiple mechanisms have been suggested for the biological effects of melatonin. Not only does melatonin seem to control development alone but also has the potential to increase the efficacy and decrease the side effects of chemotherapy when used in adjuvant settings. This review critically evaluates progress in the ability of melatonin to prevent or reverse cancer development and progression. We also discuss future prospects of the possible development of melatonin as a chemopreventive agent.
Introduction to Symmetry

Our journey starts with the question: what does “symmetry” mean? Look at the following four objects, and rank them from the most symmetric to the least symmetric.
Narcissists as “Victims”: The Role of Narcissism in the Perception of Transgressions

Narcissism is a set of traits that are motivated by the desire to establish and maintain a grandiose self-image. Consistent with this conceptualization, the authors hypothesized that narcissistic people perceive themselves to be the victims of other people's inter-personal transgressions more frequently than do less narcissistic people. In a 14-day diary study, the authors found that narcissism (particularly in its exploitiveness/entitlement dimension) was associated positively with the number and frequency of transgressions that respondents reported. The narcissism-victimization relationship appears to result, at least in part, from biased recall or self-presentation. The exploitiveness/entitlement dimension of narcissism may be particularly useful for explaining why narcissistic people report higher rates of interpersonal transgressions in their daily lives.
Prostatic hemangiosarcoma in a dog: clinical and pathologic findings.

Prostatic hemangiosarcoma (HS) appears to be rare in the dog. In 3 of 4 previously reported cases, the prostate was involved via metastasis. For 1 dog, the primary tumor presumably was located in the prostate gland, but no details were given. The present report documents what we believe is a primary HS of the prostate in a dog that presented with clinical signs of urinary tract disease. The prostate tumor and metastases had microscopic features of a poorly differentiated HS, and the diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. An 11-year-old male Miniature poodle was admitted to a veterinary hospital because of straining to urinate and defecate and passing “ribbon-like” feces for approximately 1 month. Physical examination revealed prostatomegaly. The dog was castrated and given an injection of 0.25 mg of estradiol cypionate intramuscularly. Clinical signs persisted, and the dog was referred to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Teaching Hospital (UMVTH) 6 days after castration. Physical examination revealed a thin dog with prostatomegaly and a very distended urinary bladder. A complete blood count revealed a normochromic normocytic anemia (PCV = 23%, normal > 37%) without significant regenerative response. The dog was catheterized without difficulty, and 225 ml of yellow urine were removed. A urinalysis was consistent with urinary tract infection, and a urine culture revealed Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis (> 10 colony forming units/ml). Prostatomegaly was identified on abdominal radiographs. A sonogram revealed diffuse prostatic hyperechogenicity with irregular multifocal hypoechoic masses. A prostatic biopsy was performed with a Tru-Cut biopsy needle via a perineal approach. Microscopic examination revealed neoplastic polyhedral and spindle cells of uncertain tissue type. Following a course of radiation therapy, which failed to shrink the prostate, the dog was euthanized. At necropsy, the prostate gland protruded from the cranial rim of the pelvis and was tightly adhered to the pelvic canal, especially on the right side. Although both lobes of the prostate were enlarged, the right lobe was more severely affected. The prostate was 10.5 x 6.0 x 4.0 cm and weighed 125 g. Transverse sections of the prostate revealed a large yellow core encircled by a rim of red tissue. Reddish-yellow tissue was present within the right obturator foramen. Soft red and white nodules 0.7 cm and 4 cm in diameter were found in the left and right medial thigh muscles, respectively.
Kimberlite at Winkler Crater, Kansas

Drilling over a magnetic anomaly in Winkler Crater, Kansas, has revealed the presence of abundant kimberlite fragments and the absence of key stratigraphic units in a highly brecciated and recemented pipe-like body. No evidence for meteoritic impact has been found in the crater, and Winkler Crater should be removed from the published lists of the world9s possible meteorite craters.
A 2D kinetic triangulation with near-quadratic topological changes

A triangulation of a set S of points in the plane is a subdivision of the convex hull of S into triangles whose vertices are points of S. Given a set S of n points in R3, each moving independently, we wish to maintain a triangulation of S. The triangulation needs to be updated periodically as the points in S move, so the goal is to maintain a triangulation with small number of topological events, each being the insertion or deletion of an edge. We propose a kinetic data structure (KDS) that processes n2 2O(√log n•log log n ) topological events, with high probability, if the trajectories of input points are algebraic curves of fixed degree. Each topological event can be processed in O(log n) time. This is the first known KDS for maintaining a triangulation that processes near-quadratic number of topological events, and almost matches the Ω(n2) lower bound, [1]. The number of topological events can be reduced to nk • 2O(√log k•log log n ) if only K of the points are moving.
Pathology of the Trematode Alloglossidium renale in the Freshwater Grass Shrimp Palaemonetes kadiakensis

Abstract The trematode Alloglossidium renale was commonly observed in the freshwater shrimp Palaemonetes kadiakensis in Pike County, AL, with a prevalence of 30.2% and 12.7% at two different collection sites. Sectioned antennal glands demonstrated tissue damage near the parasite, including antennal gland tubule cell compression and destruction of host cells. Normal tubules as well as those showing cellular changes were functional and contained parasite ova. Grass shrimp outlive this infection, as evidenced by masses of ova and debris within infected antennal glands, but no viable parasite. The non-lethal nature of the parasite helps to explain the high intensity of infection observed at one of the collection sites. This study furthers our understanding of the effect of this parasite on its host, and extends the reported range of Alloglossidium renale to Alabama.
The Organic-Mineral Interface in Biominerals

Numerous living organisms form minerals. These biogenic minerals, or biominerals, are composite materials containing an organic matrix and nano- or micro-scale amorphous or crystalline minerals. In this chapter we will review the molecular aspects of biomineralization and describe as completely as is currently possible the organic-mineral interface, the location in which organic-mineral interactions occur. Biomineral composite materials include bone, dentine, enamel, statoliths, otoliths, mollusk and crustacean shells, coccolith scales, eggshells, sponge silica skeletons, algal, radiolarian and diatom silica micro-shells, and a variety of transition metal minerals produced by different bacteria (Lowenstam and Weiner 1989; Addadi and Weiner 1997; Banfi eld and Nealson 1997; Fortin et al. 1997; Fitts et al. 1999; Templeton et al. 1999; Lower et al. 2001a; Mann 2001; Glasauer et al. 2002; De Yoreo and Vekilov 2003; Weiner and Dove 2003; De Yoreo and Dove 2004).From a materials science perspective, organic molecules are soft, compliant and fracture resistant while inorganic crystals are hard and brittle. Biomineral composites combine the best of these properties and minimize the weaknesses: they are both hard and fracture resistant (tough) (Currey 1977; Jackson et al. 1988; Schaffer et al. 1997; Kamat et al. 2000; Gao et al 2003). This is due to several factors: structure, nano-size and chemical composition. Only recently materials scientists have begun to learn how to build a synthetic composite material that outperforms each component taken separately, and have done so inspired by shell nacre (Tang et al. 2003).The mechanisms of biomineral formation are not fully understood (Mount et al. 2004) and while they are of interest in their own right, they may also provide models for new materials concepts, inspire design solutions and give new insights into the genetic control of biological structure (e.g., Schaffer et al. 1997).Lowenstam (1981) introduced the distinction between the biologically induced mineralization, which is enacted extracellularly or on the cell surface by many algae and bacterial species, and the organic-matrix mediated mineralization performed by many animals (later termed biologically controlled mineralization) (Bazylinski and Frankel 2003; Frankel and Bazylinski 2003; Veis 2003).Eukaryotic biominerals often show complex hierarchical structure from the nanometer to the macroscopic scale. This structure confers mechanical strength and toughness: despite being highly mineralized, with the organic component constituting not more than a few percent of the composite material, the fracture toughness exceeds that of single crystals of the
SEASONAL TEMPERATURE VARIATION IN THE PAINTED TURTLE (CHRYSEMYS PICTA)

We measured temperature variation in a free-ranging ectotherm by attaching micro- dataloggers to the carapaces of 34 painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) in a farm pond located in Davidson, NC. Water and mud temperatures (Tw) were simultaneously monitored. We successfully recorded external shell temperature (Ts) in 18 turtles from September 2001-April 2002 and 23 turtles from April 2002-October 2002. Turtle temperatures steadily decreased through the fall and basking continued until the middle of December. Minimum yearly Ts (1-3 C) occurred during the same week (2-7 January 2002) for all turtles. Turtle temperatures then steadily rose and basking resumed in February. More basking events took place during February and March than during other months of the year when C. picta used basking to reach Ts 5- 16 C above the maximum water temperature. During the summer, turtle Ts reached values similar to those achieved via basking during cooler months, apparently without leaving the water. The number of basking events per month was significantly different between consecutive months for seven of eleven consecutive month pairs. Contrary to our predictions, more basking events were recorded for male turtles than for females overall for the year. Monthly basking profiles were also significantly different for male and female turtles, with males basking earlier in spring than females. Mean maximum weekly Ts were significantly higher for males than for females. Our research documents seasonal variation in temperature and basking behavior in C. picta, as well as the importance of basking for achieving high temperatures during cooler months. We demonstrate the effectiveness of microdatalogger technology for measuring temperature variation in small reptiles and we contribute to a more complete understanding of the thermal biology of C. picta.
The VerbCorner Project: Findings from Phase 1 of crowd-sourcing a semantic decomposition of verbs

Any given verb can appear in some syntactic frames (Sally broke the vase, The vase broke) but not others (*Sally broke at the vase, *Sally broke the vase to John). There is now considerable evidence that the syntactic behaviors of some verbs can be predicted by their meanings, and many current theories posit that this is true for most if not all verbs. If true, this fact would have striking implications for theories and models of language acquisition, as well as numerous applications in natural language processing. However, empirical investigations to date have focused on a small number of verbs. We report on early results from VerbCorner, a crowd-sourced project extending this work to a large, representative sample of English verbs.
Design of Steel-Encased Concrete Beam-Columns

For the analysis and design of steel-encased concrete beam-columns, formulas that recognize substantial residual strains in steel tubing and no adhesion between steel and concrete are proposed. Results from tests on round and square tubing are discussed as a basis for the proposed formulas.
Can symmetry transitions of complex fields enable 3-d control of fluid vorticity?

Methods of inducing vigorous noncontact fluid flow are important to technologies involving heat and mass transfer and fluid mixing, since they eliminate the need for moving parts, pipes and seals, all of which compromise system reliability. Unfortunately, traditional noncontact flow methods are few, and have limitations of their own. We have discovered two classes of fields that can induce fluid vorticity without requiring either gravity or a thermal gradient. The first class we call Symmetry-Breaking Rational Fields. These are triaxial fields comprised of three orthogonal components, two ac and one dc. The second class is Rational Triad Fields, which differ in that all three components are alternating. In this report we quantify the induced vorticity for a wide variety of fields and consider symmetry transitions between these field types. These transitions give rise to orbiting vorticity vectors, a technology for non-contact, non-stationary fluid mixing.
Republican civic virtue, enlightened self-interest and Tocqueville

Tocqueville’s claim in Democracy in America about the link between associations and a vibrant public sphere is interpreted especially by neo-republicans in political theory as aligned with their argument that civic virtue can and ought to be fostered in today’s democracies. This paper challenges such a reading of Tocqueville by considering his notion of enlightened self-interest. Tocqueville’s ideas about the nature of political activity differ markedly from the republican ideal of a citizenry marked by civic virtue, as Tocqueville appeals to self-interest, albeit an enlightened sort, as the primary motive for involvement. Tocqueville also suggests that the character of political behaviour he describes in contrast to civic virtue contributes to a more nuanced understanding of what motivates citizens to engage in public life in modern democracy.
An Overview of Magneto- and Electro-Rheological Fluids and their Applications in Fluid Power Systems

AbstractThe rapid change in viscosity of magnetorheological (MR) and electrorheological (ER) fluids subjected to a magnetic or an electric field, respectively, has attracted the attention of many researchers. However, as MR fluids show higher yield stress than ER fluids, they have merited more attention during the last few years. In this paper we present an overview of magneto- and electrorheological fluids, their basic properties, behaviour under different flow types and their uses in fluid power systems, among others.
Coexistent Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma and Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma: An Autopsy Case With Review of Literature

Synchronous or metachronous malignant pleural mesothelioma and pulmonary adenocarcinoma are vanishingly rare, most occurring with a history of significant asbestos exposure. We report a unique case of metachronous malignant pleural mesothelioma and pulmonary adenocarcinoma in a 70-year-old man with a significant history of smoking (one pack per day for 50 years) and a remote history suspicious of asbestos exposure. …
Reasons Explanation: Further Defense of a Non-causal Account

If moral responsibility requires uncaused action, as I believe, and if a reasons explanation of an action must be a causal explanation, as many philosophers of action suppose, then it follows that our responsible actions are ones we do for no reason, which is preposterous. In previous work I have argued against the second premise of this deduction, claiming that the statement that a person did A in order to satisfy their desire D will be true if the person, while doing A, intended of that action that it contribute to satisfying their desire D, a condition that does not entail any causal connection between the explaining desire and the explained action. This claim has received trenchant criticism from Randolph Clarke. The main part of the present paper responds to Clarke’s latest objections. The rest of the paper addresses another worry about my account (not raised by Clarke): does my non-causal sufficient condition hold as widely as it needs to if responsible, uncaused actions are as widespread as we would like to think?
Yoga and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis ( Y - MBCT p © ): A Pilot Study on Its Efficacy as Brief Therapy

Yoga and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis (Y-MBCTp©) is a newer evidence-based translational mindfulness therapy designed by Pradhan for stress management and various psychiatric disorders. Drs Pradhan and Pinninti have adapted it as a brief therapy for psychotic disorders and it can be used in an extended therapy format as well. Y-MBCT p © is a self-exploratory, client-centered translational therapy that combines together the pragmatism and methodology of brief CBT with the scriptural philosophies and techniques described in Patanjali’s Eight-limbed Yoga and Buddha’s mindfulness meditation. In this therapy, using five factor model of mind as the theoretical base, the therapist and client practice together the wellness model for stress reduction first, which is followed by individualized use of the illness model for amelioration of symptoms. Y-MBCT p © comes under the third wave of therapies and can be distinguished from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or other mindfulness based treatment approaches in the extensive emphasis it puts on implementation of the philosophy, technique and practice of the scriptural traditions of Yoga and meditation. It also incorporates cognitive behavioral tools and scientific strategies based on new learning/memory mechanisms in psychosis as described later. In this chapter, we present a conceptual overview and pilot data on efficacy of Y-MBCT p © as a brief therapy model for clients with psychosis and also in its various sections, we discuss its cultural adaptability, replicability and training implications.
8.03 – Chemical Introductions to Estuarine and Coastal Systems: Biodegradable Organic Chemicals

In our modern society, there are thousands of organic chemicals in common use. These chemicals reach estuarine and coastal systems through a number of pathways, depending on their life cycle: extraction, manufacturing, transport, use, and disposal. The most significant classes include crude oil and its many derivatives, halogenated hydrocarbons, pesticides, and personal care and pharmaceutical products. Although some of these compounds are easily degradable, others require specific conditions for significant degradability; this is usually enhanced by microbes and other biota that can biodegrade them. Many of the compounds enter the aqueous environment via nonpoint sources (e.g., agricultural or urban storm water runoff), but a number of them are discharged from point sources such as wastewater treatment plants, which were not designed to deal with the ever-increasing diversity of organic compounds that pass through their treatment units. These discharges may be either directly to the estuaries or to coastal areas; but, in many cases, the discharge is into freshwater bodies (e.g., rivers and lakes) that then discharge into the ocean margins. The toxicity of some of these compounds has been known for decades; however, in other cases, it has taken considerable effort, both on the analytical side and on the toxicological assays, to determine that even at extremely low concentrations these compounds will cause harm. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the major classes of biodegradable organic compounds that may be discharged into estuaries and coastal water from a variety of sources. We then consider the key processes and compound properties that determine their mobility, bioavailability, persistence, and fate in the estuarine environment. We conclude with an assessment of the biotic and habitat impacts that can result from these biodegradable organic compounds.
Early origins of asthma (and allergy).

Asthma is the most common chronic disease starting in childhood and persisting into adulthood in many cases. During childhood, different forms of asthma and wheezing disorders exist that can be discriminated by the mechanisms they are caused by. Specific genetic constellations and exposure against environmental factors during early childhood and in utero play a decisive role in the early development of the disease. Epigenetic mechanisms which are master regulators of gene transcription and thus govern the accessibility and use of genome information, have recently been identified as a “third power” determining many features in the early development of asthma and allergy.
Reference Animal Cell Lines

Much of our knowledge about human chromosomes has been made possible through the study of cells cultured in vitro (Hsu, 1952; Tjio and Levan, 1956; Ford and Hamerton, 1956). The ready adaptability of cells in tissue culture to study by phase-contrast microscopy, electron microscopy, and biochemical methods has laid the foundation for modern cytogenetics and recent advances in the study of genetic diseases. Cell cultures have also been of tremendous importance in the isolation, propagation, and study of viruses, and in the production of vaccines (such as polio and measles vaccines, etc.). In fact, today there are a myriad of ways that cell cultures are used productively in cancer research, human cytogenetics, immunological research, toxicological studies, and the biochemistry of diseases (for reference to uses of specific cell cultures in research, see Tables 3–6).
Confirmation of Widespread Sulfonamide Contamination in Northeast U.S. Market Milk.

Seventy percent of "off the shelf" and tanker milk tested in the northeast U.S. was contaminated with sulfonamide at above 5 ppb with 35% having more than 25 ppb (equivalent sulfamethazine). In this study milk was screened with an A.O.A.C. receptor assay and with a newly developed growth inhibition assay for sulfonamides with sensitivity of 10 - 20 ppb. Sulfamethazine was found as the major sulfonamide contaminant but not the only one as determined by high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. An incurred residue study with long acting sulfamethazine boluses showed residue persisting in milk above 25 ppb after 7 d. Sulfonamides are readily available as "over the counter" drugs in agricultural stores and are frequently used for treatment by veterinarians. The regulatory disc assay which is insensitive to sulfonamides failed to protect the milk supply in the Northeast against sulfonamide contamination.
Review: Beyond Beauty: Reexamining Architectural Proportion through the Basilicas of San Lorenzo and Santo Spirito in Florence, by Matthew A. Cohen

Matthew A. Cohen Beyond Beauty: Reexamining Architectural Proportion through the Basilicas of San Lorenzo and Santo Spirito in Florence Venice: Marsilio, 2013, 304 pp., 130 illus. $45/€70, ISBN 978883171643 Existing scholarship on the fifteenth-century Florentine church of San Lorenzo celebrates the church's visual clarity and grounds that aesthetic assessment in proportions, drawing on the prevailing interpretive model that Rudolf Wittkower established in formative writings of the 1940s and 1950s.1 Setting out to understand these proportions through measured surveys of both San Lorenzo and Filippo Brunelleschi's subsequent design of Santo Spirito, Matthew A. Cohen discovered a proportional system different from the one Wittkower had suggested. In this carefully argued study, Cohen sets forth intriguing new proposals regarding the chronology of San Lorenzo's construction, its design attribution, and, more broadly, the period's mathematical culture and the place of proportion in early fifteenth-century design. By studying proportions, Cohen seeks to understand the intentions of the building's designer. His proposal that these intentions might be found in the built fabric is particularly intriguing, given the scarcity of authors’ statements or autograph drawings for the period as alternative sources. Cohen's methodological approach combines exacting examination of the building's dimensions with consideration of contemporary written documentation, always with attention to the mathematical aspects of the architectural proportions. The jury for the James Ackerman Award for the History of Architecture signaled its approval of this methodology in awarding Cohen's book the prize in 2012.2 A quest for rigorous analysis propels the study, and in the first of six chapters Cohen carefully defines his terms. He identifies an ambiguity in the modern use of the word proportion that conflates qualitative aspects associated with beauty with aspects that are quantitative and associated with mathematical ratio. This differentiation is critical, since Cohen wants to situate proportion as an objective problem rather than an inherently subjective, aesthetic one resistant to logical assessment. While acknowledging that medieval and Renaissance architects associated certain positive qualities with proportions, Cohen urges the …
Prediction and characterization of an Mg-Al intermetallic compound with potentially improved ductility via orbital-free and Kohn-Sham density functional theory

Magnesium-aluminum (Mg-Al) intermetallic compounds that form as precipitates can significantly influence the mechanical properties of Mg-Al alloys. A computational evaluation of known and unknown Mg-Al intermetallic compounds could help design new Mg-Al alloy microstructures with optimal properties. Here, we employ the cluster-expansion method with energies efficiently calculated with orbital-free density functional theory (OFDFT) and predict a new, metastable intermetallic compound Mg3Al with a D019 hexagonal structure that is slightly more stable than an alternative L12 cubic structure. We apply Kohn-Sham DFT (KSDFT) to accurately evaluate various metastability criteria for D019 and L12 Mg3Al, including Born's criterion and phonon dispersion. We show that both Mg3Al crystalline phases satisfy the metastability criteria and hence should be at least metastable. We further compare ductility metrics for D019 and L12 Mg3Al to that of hexagonal-close-packed Mg by computing Pugh's ratio and generalized stacking fault energies. The ductility is predicted to follow the order: D019 Mg3Al > L12 Mg3Al > Mg, based on the highest Pugh's ratio and the lowest unstable stacking and twinning fault energies of D019 Mg3Al compared to that of Mg. We also predict a very low antiphase boundary energy for Mg3Al and therefore expect D019 Mg3Al to be beneficial for improving the ductility of Mg-rich Mg-Al alloys. A computational design of Mg-Al alloy microstructures may become possible by combining the strengths of both OFDFT and KSDFT, i.e., the efficiency of the former and the accuracy of the latter, as demonstrated here.
The effect of obesity and repeated exposure on pharmacokinetic response to grape polyphenols in humans.

cope Evidence suggests that dietary pattern may affect polyphenol absorption and/or metabolism. Further, obesity is associated with lower circulating nutrients, though the reason is unclear. We investigated the pharmacokinetic (PK) response of polyphenols in obese/overweight versus lean individuals before and after repeated dosing of grape polyphenols. Methods and results A pilot study was conducted in which PK challenges were administered before and after 10 days of repeated dosing with polyphenols. Volunteers (6 lean, 6 overweight/obese) consumed resveratrol, grape seed extract, and grape juice (2125 mg total polyphenols) daily. On days 1 and 11, blood samples were collected for 6 h after the polyphenol dose and analyzed for deconjugated catechin, epicatechin, resveratrol, and quercetin. Area under the plasma polyphenol mass by time curves (AUCs) were greater for catechin, epicatechin, and quercetin on day 11 versus day 1 for low BMI individuals (p = 0.039) but not high BMI individuals. Further, AUCs were greater for epicatechin and resveratrol for low versus high BMI individuals (p = 0.041), with a similar trend for catechin (p = 0.065), on day 11 but not day 1. Conclusion These results suggest that that obesity and repeated exposure may modify polyphenol absorption and/or metabolism in humans.
The radiogenic and stable Sr isotope geochemistry of basalt weathering in Iceland: Role of hydrothermal calcite and implications for long-term climate regulation

Abstract Several studies have examined the geochemistry of Icelandic rivers to quantify the relationship between basalt weathering and long-term climate regulation. Recent research has suggested that the chemical weathering of hydrothermal and metamorphic calcite contributes significant quantities of HCO3− to the Icelandic riverine flux (Jacobson et al., 2015). Because the HCO3− derives from volcanic CO2 that was sequestered in mineral form prior to atmospheric injection, the strength of the basalt weathering feedback occurring in Iceland may be lower than previously realized. To test these hypotheses, we analyzed the radiogenic and stable Sr isotope composition (87Sr/86Sr and δ88/86Sr) of the same suite of water, rock, and mineral samples as examined in Jacobson et al. (2015), and we developed a simple model of the long-term C cycle that considers the transformation of volcanic CO2 to HCO3− during subsurface silicate weathering, which is a precursor to hydrothermal calcite formation. Interpretations based on 87Sr/86Sr and Ca/Sr ratios suggest that conservative, three-component mixing between basalt, calcite, and atmospheric deposition adequately explains river geochemistry. On average, the δ88/86Sr values of glacial and non-glacial rivers (0.414‰ and 0.388‰, respectively) are generally higher than those for basalt (0.276‰); however, calcite δ88/86Sr values (0.347‰) are also higher than those for basalt and span the range of riverine values. Thus, riverine δ88/86Sr values are also consistent three-component mixing between basalt, calcite, and atmospheric deposition. Isotopic fractionation is not required to explain riverine trends. Finally, model equations for the long-term C cycle demonstrate that subsurface silicate weathering reduces the magnitude of the volcanic CO2 degassing flux, which in turn causes the atmosphere to stabilize at lower pCO2 values compared to the case where no subsurface silicate weathering occurs. However, the proportion of the net volcanic C flux introduced to the atmosphere-ocean system as HCO3− after subsurface silicate weathering does not regulate long-term climate. Because hydrothermal calcite simply sequesters some of this HCO3− and delays its transmission to the atmosphere-ocean system until it dissolves at the surface later in time, it can be concluded the weathering of hydrothermal calcite bearing non-atmospheric C also has no effect on long-term climate regulation. Icelandic riverine HCO3− fluxes should be corrected for the hydrothermal calcite weathering contribution prior to quantifying atmospheric CO2 consumption rates by basalt weathering at the Earth’s surface.
A longitudinal examination of the role of attentional control in the relationship between posttraumatic stress and threat-related attentional bias: An eye-tracking study.

The purpose of the present study was to use eye-tracking technology to (a) show that attentional control can be used to reduce attentional bias to threat (ABT) among those with higher levels of posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, (b) identify the specific attentional control (AC) processes (i.e., inhibition, shifting, working memory updating) that account for this effect, and (c) determine the short- (sympathetic nervous system reactivity) and long-term effects (PTS symptoms) of using attentional control in this manner. At Time 1 (T1), participants (N = 116 trauma exposed) completed self-report measures, an eye-tracking task assessing ABT, and behavioral measures assessing cognitive processes. A subsample (n = 49) completed an online follow-up assessment (T2). AC at T1 moderated the PTS-ABT relationship. Inhibitory ability appears to be driving this effect. Those with higher PTS symptoms and higher AC at T1, who spent less time attending to threat stimuli and had the lowest sympathetic response, had the highest levels of PTS symptoms at T2. Findings suggest that the habitual use of AC (especially inhibition) to shift attention from threat to neutral stimuli may alleviate distress in the short-term for those with higher PTS symptoms, but maintain, and perhaps exacerbate, PTS symptoms over longer periods.
Abiotic and Biotic Formation of Amino Acids in the Enceladus Ocean.

The active plume at Enceladus' south pole makes the indirect sampling of its global ocean possible. The partially resolved chemistry of the plume, which points to conditions that are seemingly compatible with life, has made orbital sampling missions a priority. We present a conceptual model of energy flux, hydrothermal H2 production, and both abiotic and biotic production of amino acids. Based on the energy flux observed at the south pole and the inferred internal hydrothermal activity, we estimate an H2 production of 0.6-34 mol/s from serpentinization, sufficient to sustain abiotic and biotic amino acid synthesis of 1.6-87 and 1-44 g/s, respectively. Two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulations of the hydrothermal vent suggest that the vent fluids could reach the ice-water boundary in less than 11-55 days for a 50 km deep ocean diluted by ambient ocean water 10 to 1. Concentrations of glycine, alanine, α-amino isobutyric acid, and glutamic acid in the plume and in the ambient ocean could all be above 0.01 μM just due to abiotic production. Biological synthesis, if occurring, could produce a maximum of 90 μM concentrations of amino acids based on a methanogenic ecosystem consuming H2 and CO2. Racemization timescales in the ocean are short compared with production timescales. Thus, no enantiomeric excess is expected in the ambient ocean, and if biology is present, enantiomeric excess at the vent fluids is expected to be less than 10% in the plume. From vent H2 concentrations of 7.8 mM (e.g., Lost City) and assuming complete H2 use and conversion to chemical energy by methanogens, cell production is estimated. Annual biomass production in the methanogenic-based biology model is 4 × 104-2 × 106 kg/year. This corresponds to cell concentrations ∼109 cells/cm3 in the vents and ∼108 cells/cm3 in the plume, and when diluted into the ambient ocean, we predict cell concentrations of 80-4250 cells/cm3. Key Words: Abiotic organic synthesis-Enceladus-Extraterrestrial life. Astrobiology 17, 862-875.
Bayesian Model Selection and Hypothesis Tests

Model comparison remains an active research frontier in Bayesian analysis. The chapter introduces related specific research problems, including the selection of a number of components in a mixture model and the choice of a training sample size when using virtual simulated training samples. The chapter also discusses an intriguing general property that sets Bayesian testing apart from frequentist testing, by effectively rewarding honest choice of an alternative hypothesis. Cheating does not pay.
Order Bias in the Application of the Servqual Instrument

Service quali1y questionnaires were administered using the same questions presented in different orders. Results indicate that questionnaire order affects both the relationships among service quality constructs and the factor structure of SERVQUAL.
From Currency Volatilities to Global Equity Correlations

We derive and empirically test a theoretical link between exchange rate volatility and global equity correlations. Starting with option-implied currency volatilities, we use variants of existing currency models, global capital flows, international parity, the Taylor rule, and some simplifying assumptions to theoretically link foreign exchange options-implied volatilities and future global equity correlations. Using data from January 1999 to June 2015, we test our hypothesis and find that exchange rate implied volatilities — coupled with one-period ex-post correlations — more accurately predict subsequent equity market correlations than other models. Our findings have implications for portfolio diversification, forecast of overall equity portfolio volatility, and portfolio optimization.
Polyvalent vaccines: High-maintenance heroes

Vaccines are the most efficient tools to battle infectious diseases, with an estimated prevention of 2–3 million deaths per year [1]. Vaccine development, however, is costly and challenging, especially when the target pathogen can be subdivided into serologically distinguishable types (serotypes) that individually cause disease. Broad protection against serotypes can be achieved with either polyvalent vaccines of mixed serotype-specific immunogens or by discovery and use of a good immunogen conserved among serotypes. The latter is preferable but technically elusive. The poliovirus vaccine (containing three poliovirus serotypes) was first used as a polyvalent vaccine, beginning with the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, reducing poliomyelitis by 99% [2]. Polyvalency has been arguably more useful than using conserved immunogens to target multiple serotypes, and polyvalency has steadily advanced despite complexity and barriers to manufacturing. Here, we review challenges and developments in polyvalent vaccines.
Information-Pooling Bias in Collaborative Security Incident Correlation Analysis.

Objective:Incident correlation is a vital step in the cybersecurity threat detection process. This article presents research on the effect of group-level information-pooling bias on collaborative i...
What Is in Your Zirconia

The immense popularity of zirconia as an indirect restorative material in dentistry has led to seemingly countless numbers of companies selling zirconia discs and blocks. The reliability of zirconia, however, is subject to specific manufacturing and processing protocols. Thus, it is of paramount importance for any dental professional utilizing zirconia to be aware of the source of the material and the various factors that can affect the success or failure of a final restoration. This article discusses the journey of zirconia, from being found among the elements of the earth to being placed in the patient's mouth. It also touches on drawbacks, such as translucency, associated with zirconia.
Structural features of the cytoplasmic region of CD4 required for internalization.

Abstract CD4, the T cell surface antigen, is phosphorylated and internalized when T cells are activated or treated with a phorbol ester, PMA. The actual phosphorylation sites have been identified and the role of phosphorylation of each on CD4 internalization investigated. Seven different mutants, in each of which one, two or all three of the serine residues of the cytoplasmic region was modified to alanine(s) (CD4.SA mutants) and one mutant in which the whole amino acid sequence from Gln421 to the C-terminal Ile433 was changed (CD4.EP mutant) were constructed and used to determine the effect of phosphorylation on CD4 internalization. Ser408 was the most efficiently phosphorylated by PMA treatment, Ser415 next and Ser431 to a minor extent. The effect of mutation on internalization was well matched with the effect on extent of phosphorylation, i.e. Ser408 was the residue most important for internalization. However, complete inhibition of CD4 internalization was achieved only by mutating all three serine residues. Interestingly, the mutant CD4.EP in which Ser408 was present and phosphorylated was not measurably internalized, suggesting that phosphorylation of Ser408 induces CD4 internalization only when other structural features of the cytoplasmic domain remain intact. In addition, the data suggest the existence of an additional minor pathway for CD4 internalization which is phosphorylation independent.
Multi-Parametric Nonlinear Programming and the Evaluation of Implicit Optimization Model Adequacy

An algorithmic framework for numerically approximating multiparametric nonlinear programming (mp-NLP) solutions is given, along with a method that uses mp-NLP for evaluating the adequacy of the nominal model used in Implicit Optimization. The mp-NLP algorithm builds on numerical methods for single parameter nonlinear programming and for the approximation of implicit manifolds. An example problem is presented.