cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Note on Time Periods in Macroeconomics

The concept of time has been central in economics since at least Alfred Marshall. The distinction between the short-run and the long-run is rather well-accepted and uniform in microeconomics and depends on the ability of a firm to adjust or vary its factors of production. The short-run is nearly always defined in microeconomics as that time period in which at least one factor of production is fixed while the long-run is conceived as a time horizon sufficient such that all factors of production may be changed. A survey of some principles and intermediate-level textbooks suggests that no such standard definitions of time horizons exist within macroeconomics, and the corresponding treatments of aggregate supply are also quite diverse. Perhaps the most common distinction between time periods is based on price flexibility. Indeed, Gwartney, Stroup, Sobel and Macpherson [Economics: Private and Public Choice, 2006], Hall and Papell [Macroeconomics: Economic Growth, Fluctuations, and Policy, 2005], Mankiw [Macroeconomics, 2003], McConnell and Brue [Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies, 2005], O’Sullivan and Sheffrin [Economics: Principles and Tools, 2006], and Samuelson and Nordhaus [Economics, 2005] all define the short-run as that time period in which some prices are fixed while the long-run is specified as a time period sufficient enough that all prices are variable. Blanchard [Macroeconomics, 2006], Gordon [Macroeconomics, 2003], and Williamson [Macroeconomics, 2005], however, distinguish between the short-run and long-run based on calendar time, and Froyen [Macroeconomics: Theories and Policies, 2005] provides alternative conceptions of the two time horizons. With respect to aggregate supply, there appears to be universal agreement that the long-run aggregate supply curve is vertical at the full-employment level of real gross domestic product. On the other hand, while Hall and Papell depict the short-run aggregate supply curve only or always as horizontal, Blanchard, Gwartney et al., McConnell and Brue, O’Sullivan and Sheffrin, Samuelson and Nordhaus, and Williamson show it as positively sloped. Lastly, Froyen, Gordon, and Mankiw present the shortrun aggregate supply curve as both horizontal and positively sloped. The purpose of this note is to suggest an approach which may provide some standardization of time periods for macroeconomics. More specifically, we propose and define four distinct time periods for macroeconomics: The extreme short-run, the shortrun, the long-run, and the extreme long-run. The behavior of aggregate supply is linked to the different time horizons. To begin, we assume or consider five parameters on the economy’s supply side: The quantity of labor, the quantity of capital, the quality of these factors of production, or technology, the prices of these factors, and commodity prices or the general price level. The different time periods may then be treated as a progressive and systematic relaxing of restrictive assumptions with respect to these parameters. For example, we define the Atlantic Economic Journal (2006)34:235Y236 * IAES 2006 DOI: 10.1007/s11293-006-9010-5
Gene selection and ranking with microarray data

Over the past decade there has been an explosion in the amount of genomic data available to biomedical researchers due to advances in biotechnology. For example, using gene microarrays, it is now possible to probe a person's gene expression profile over the more than 30,000 genes of the human genome. Signals extracted from gene microarray experiments can be linked to genetic factors underlying disease, development, and aging in a population. This has greatly accelerated the pace of gene discovery. However, the massive scale and experimental variability of genomic data makes extraction of biologically significant genetic information very challenging. One of the most important problems is to select a ranked list of genes which are both biologically and statistically significant based on a gene microarray experiment. We will describe multicriterion methods that we have developed for this gene selection and ranking problem.
Arc_Mat: a Matlab-based spatial data analysis toolbox

This article presents an overview of Arc_Mat, a Matlab-based spatial data analysis software package whose source code has been placed in the public domain. An earlier version of the Arc_Mat toolbox was developed to extract map polygon and database information from ESRI shapefiles and provide high quality mapping in the Matlab software environment. We discuss revisions to the toolbox that: utilize enhanced computing and graphing capabilities of more recent versions of Matlab, restructure the toolbox with object-oriented programming features, and provide more comprehensive functions for spatial data analysis. The Arc_Mat toolbox functionality includes basic choropleth mapping; exploratory spatial data analysis that provides exploratory views of spatial data through various graphs, for example, histogram, Moran scatterplot, three-dimensional scatterplot, density distribution plot, and parallel coordinate plots; and more formal spatial data modeling that draws on the extensive Spatial Econometrics Toolbox functions. A brief review of the design aspects of the revised Arc_Mat is described, and we provide some illustrative examples that highlight representative uses of the toolbox. Finally, we discuss programming with and customizing the Arc_Mat toolbox functionalities.
Kernel and Stochastic Expectation Maximization Fusion for Target Detection in Hyperspectral Imagery

In this paper, we present a new algorithm for target detection using hyperspectral imagery. The proposed algorithm is inspired by the outstanding performance of nonlinear RX-algorithm and the robustness of the stochastic expectation maximization (SEM) algorithm. The traditional technique of using SEM algorithm for target detection in hyperspectral imagery is associated with dimensionality reduction of the input data using binning or principal components analysis (PCA) algorithm. Although, the data reduction of the input data is enforced to reduce the computational burden on SEM algorithm, but it affects the results of target detection, especially the challenging one, due to not using the entire information of the potential targets. To facilitate detection of the target by using the entire targets information and simultaneously reducing the computational burden on SEM algorithm, we propose a new scheme for data reduction based on using Kernels. Kernel-based input data reduction is a nonlinear filtering technique in which the input data are mapped to the feature space where most of the background data is filtered using an easily selected threshold. Then, Gaussian mixture model is generated for the reduced input-data and SEM algorithm is employed to estimate the model parameters and to classify that input data. Finally, we allocated the target's class and isolated the target pixels. The proposed scheme for fusion the kernel with SEM algorithm has been tested using real life hyperspectral imagery and the results show superior performance compared to alternate algorithms.
Comparison of TWINS images of low-altitude emission of energetic neutral atoms with DMSP precipitating ion fluxes

[1] The brightest energetic neutral atom (ENA) intensity viewed by spacecraft in high-inclination Earth orbit is from low-altitude emission (LAE). It is a prominent feature in the stereo ENA images obtained by cameras on the NASA TWINS 1/2 Mission of Opportunity. This emission is produced by energetic magnetospheric ions precipitating into the atomic oxygen exosphere at latitudes near the auroral zones at altitudes ∼300 km. The ions undergo multiple atomic collisions including charge exchange of ions and stripping of the resulting neutrals. Consequently, this is a “thick target” process. We introduce a “thick-target” approximation that allows us to extract the shape of the spatially averaged spectra of the precipitating ions from the ENA spectra in the TWINS 1/2 pixels viewing the LAE from near their orbital apogees. These ENA-extracted ion spectra are compared with in situ precipitating ion spectra measured concurrently by DMSP satellites (F15 and F16) at ∼825 km altitude, while they are passing directly over the LAE regions in the TWINS 1/2 images. We obtain good agreement between the shape of the ENA-extracted and in situ ion spectra from three distinct precipitation regions over energies from 2 to 32 keV (assuming precipitating protons). The absolute normalization of the ENA-extracted and in situ spectra depends upon the TWINS viewing geometry because the ENA LAE source is not resolved by the imager. None of the spectral shapes obtained is consistent with a simple thermal intensity spectrum with kT = 5 keV.
A Chance for A Pax Aquarum in the Middle-East? Transcending the Six Obstacles for Transboundary Water Cooperation

Today, 40% of the world's population lives in areas falling in a transboundary river basin (UN-Water 2008, 1). The water-scarce Middle East region in particular is known for the fact that a conside...
Health-related quality of life outcomes associated with four cisplatin-based doublet chemotherapy regimens for stage IVB recurrent or persistent cervical cancer: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

Purpose To assess the differences in health-related quality of life (HRQL) of 4 cisplatin containing doublet chemotherapy combinations in women with advanced/recurrent cervical carcinoma.
Local chain dynamics of a model polycarbonate near glass transition temperature: A molecular dynamics simulation

Constant pressure constant temperature molecular dynamics method is employed to investigate the atomistic scale dynamics of a model Bisphenol A polycarbonate in the vicinity of its glass transition temperature. First, the glass transition temperature and the thermal expansion coefficients of the polymer are predicted by performing simulations at different temperatures. To explore the significance of different modes of motion, various types of time correlation functions are utilized in analyzing the trajectories. In these nanosecond scale simulations, the motion of the chain segments is found to be highly localized with little reorientation of the vectors representing these segments. Detailed analysis of trajectories and the correlation functions of the backbone dihedrals and side methyl groups indicates that they exhibit numerous conformational transitions. The activation energies of the conformational transitions obtained from the simulation are generally larger than the potential barriers for the rotations of these dihedrals, however, both show the same trend. We also have estimated the phenylene ring flip activation energy as 12.6 kcal/mol and the flip frequency as 0.77 MHz at 300 K. These values fall either fall within the range determined by various NMR spectroscopy experiments or slightly out of the range. The study shows that the conformational transitions between the adjacent dihedrals are strongly correlated. Three basic cooperative modes are identified from the simulation. They are: a positive synchronous rotation of two phenylene rings, a negative synchronous rotation of two phenylene rings, and a carbonate group rotation. Above the glass transition temperature, the large scale cooperative motions become much more significant.
Superresolution Subspace Signaling

Exquisitely local signaling provides robust, precise, and rapid communication in single cells. Nanometer-wide regions constitute the signaling conduit that separates interacting ion channels, organelles, and sensor and effector proteins. Such signaling domains are primary features of many systems, including those responsible for excitation-contraction coupling in the heart ( 1 , 2 ), smooth muscle tone in the vasculature ( 3 , 4 ), and Ca2+ signaling in neurons ( 5 ). These intimate pathways, also known as “fuzzy spaces” ( 1 ), “subspaces” ( 6 ), or “nanoscopic spaces,” permit efficient signaling with rapid and reliable information transfer, yet are too small to be seen with a standard optical microscope. Such superresolution domains may become experimentally visible with the implementation of optical superresolution microscopy ( 7 – 9 ). On page 597 in this issue, Sonkusare et al. ( 10 ) identify a specific and broadly important local signaling organization in small mesenteric arteries (∼100 µm in diameter) that uses nano meter-wide communication regions to regulate local vascular blood flow.
Cyclic Variability in Diesel/Gasoline Dual-Fuel Combustion on a Medium-Duty Diesel Engine

Most studies comparing diesel/gasoline dual-fuel operation and single-fuel diesel operation in diesel engines center on time-averaged results. It seems few studies discuss differences in cyclic variability. Motivated by this, the present study evaluates the cyclic variability of combustion in both dual-fuel and single-fuel operations of a diesel engine.Steady-state tests were done on a medium duty diesel engine with conventional direct injection timings of diesel fuel into the cylinder at one speed and three loads. In addition to single-fuel (diesel) operation, dual-fuel (gasoline and diesel) operation was studied at increasing levels of gasoline fraction. Gasoline fuel is introduced via a fuel injector at a single location prior to the intake manifold (and EGR mixing location). Crank-angle resolved data including in-cylinder pressure and heat release rate obtained for around 150 consecutive cycles are used to assess cyclic variability.The sources of cyclic variability, namely the factors causing cyclic variability or influencing its magnitude, especially those related to cylinder charge amount and mixture preparation, are analyzed. Fuel spray penetration and cyclic variability of cylinder charging, overall A/F ratio, and fuel injection timing, tend to increase cyclic variability of combustion in dual-fuel operation. On the other hand, fuel type and fuel spray droplet size tend to increase cyclic variability in single-fuel operation.The cyclic variability in dual-fuel operation in this study is more serious than that in single-fuel operation, in terms of magnitude, indicated by metrics chosen to quantify it. Most measures of cyclic variability increase consistently with increasing gasoline fraction. Variations of gasoline amount and possibly gasoline low temperature heat release cause higher combustion variation in dual-fuel operation primarily by affecting premixed burning.Statistical methods such as probability density function, autocorrelation coefficient, return map, and symbol sequence statistics methods are used to check determinism. In general, the parameters studied do not show strong determinism, which suggests other parameters must be identified to establish determinism or the system is inherently stochastic. Regardless, dominant sequences and optimal sequence lengths can be identified.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Cutting-edge technology for public health workforce training in comparative effectiveness research:

A critical mass of public health practitioners with expertise in analytic techniques and best practices in comparative effectiveness research is needed to fuel informed decisions and improve the qu...
Super-sensitive Enzyme Immunoassay for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Using a New Synergistic Enhanced Chemiluminescent Endpoint

The enhancers 1,1'-biphenyl-4-yl boronic acid and 4-iodophenol act synergistically in the horseradish peroxidase-catalysed oxidation of luminol. This concentration-dependent effect reduces background, increases signal and hence improves signal/background for detection of peroxidase. The same type of synergistic effect was found when 1,1'-biphenyl-4-yl boronic acid was added to a commercial enhanced chemiluminescence signal reagent (Amerlite Signal Reagent). This synergistic enhanced chemiluminescent endpoint (Amerlite Signal Reagent containing 1,1'-biphenyl-4-yl boronic acid) for a horseradish peroxidase label has been tested in the Amerlite TSH and the Amerlite TSH-30 Ultrasensitive assays. The detection limit (mean of 20 replicates of the zero standard+2SD) in the Amerlite TSH assay was 0.0029 mIU/L, and in the Amerlite TSH-30 Ultrasensitive assay the detection limit was 0.0005 mIU/L using the synergistic enhanced endpoint. Reassessment of the detection limit using a 1:40 dilution of the first standard (0.119 mIU/L) as the lowest assay standard gave a value of 0.0015 mIU/L for the Amerlite TSH-30 Ultrasensitive assay with the synergistic endpoint. A limited (n = 29) method comparison using samples from euthyroid, hyperthyroid and hypothyroid patients revealed excellent correlation between the conventional and synergistic TSH immunoassays.
APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY LIFE CYCLES TO TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS

Multinational companies often wrestle with the question of how to transfer technologies to less developed countries. Any appraisal system should include an examination of internal factors, competitor analysis, and recipient country evaluation.
Effects of elevated carbon dioxide on green leaf tissue and leaf litter quality in an intact Mojave Desert ecosystem

The effects of elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) on plant litter are critical determinants of ecosystem feedback to changing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. We measured concentrations of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) and calculated C : N ratios of green leaves of two desert perennial shrubs, and the same quality parameters plus lignin and cellulose content of leaf litter from four shrub species exposed to elevated CO2 (FACE technology; Hendrey & Kimball, 1994) for 3 years in an intact Mojave Desert ecosystem. Shrubs tested were Larrea tridentata, Lycium pallidum, Lycium andersonii and Ambrosia dumosa. We calculated resorption efficiency from green tissue and leaf litter N data and measured lignin and cellulose content in litter in the last year study. Green leaves of L. tridentata grown under elevated CO2 had significantly lower N concentrations and higher C : N ratios than shrubs grown in ambient conditions in 1999 (P < 0.05). Lycium pallidum green leaves grown under elevated CO2 had significantly lower N concentrations and higher C : N ratios than shrubs grown under ambient conditions in 2000 (P < 0.05). There was no CO2 effect on C content of either species. We found no effect of CO2 on N or C content, C : N ratios, or lignin or cellulose concentrations in leaf litter of L. tridentata, L. pallidum, L. andersonii, or A. dumosa. There was no significant effect of CO2 on estimates of shrub resorption efficiency. There was a seasonal effect on green tissue and litter tissue quality for L. tridentata, with lower tissue N content in summer than in spring or winter months. These data suggest that any productivity increases with elevated CO2 in desert ecosystems may not be limited by lower leaf litter quality and that resorption efficiency calculations are best performed on an individual leaf basis.
INHIBITION OF NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE AFFECTS CEREBRAL CORTICAL BLOOD FLOW DURING HYPERTENSION IN NEWBORN PIGLETS. † 1157

Nitric oxide (NO) has a major role in the regulation of cerebral blood flow, however, its role in the autoregulation of cerebral blood flow remains unclear. These experiments examined the effect of inhibition of NO synthase by Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 50 mg/kg) on total brain and regional blood flows (ml/min/100g) in 8 piglets (<14 d) at baseline and at an elevated MAP (110-125 mmHg) which is beyond the reported upper limit of autoregulation in newborn piglets. Blood flow was measured by radiolabelled microspheres. Piglets were anesthetized with α-chloralose and urethane. Catheters were placed in the left ventricle for microsphere injection, descending aorta, subclavian artery and dorsal sagittal sinus. MAP was increased by aortic occlusion and/or norepinephrine infusion. Cerebral perfusion pressure was elevated from baseline to 109 ± 1 mmHg in the control group and to 105 ± 3 in the L-NAME group. Cerebral cortical grey matter blood flow increased significantly (71 ± 6 to 129 ± 21) in controls (n=5) but not in L-NAME (69 ± 15 to 51 ± 1). Cortical flows were significantly different (p<0.01) among groups at the elevated pressure. Total brain blood flows tended to increase in controls (56± 10 to 71 ± 13) but not in L-NAME (59 ± 12 to 43± 1). Brain stem blood flows did not change significantly at these pressures. Cerebral oxygen consumption was not significantly affected by treatment with L-NAME or increased MAP. These results indicate that the non-selective inhibition of nitric oxide synthase significantly affects cerebral cortical blood flow in newborn piglets when MAP is elevated and suggest that NO production may play a regionally-specific role in the regulation of cerebral blood flow when cerebral perfusion pressure is increased.
Intrarenal Angiotensin II Augmentation in Angiotensin II Dependent Hypertension.

In several models of angiotensin II (ANG II) dependent hypertension, intrarenal ANG II levels increase to a much greater extent than the circulating levels even though the renal renin levels are decreased. The 2-kidney-1-clip (2K1C) Goldblatt rat model is particularly intriguing because hypertension develops in the presence of an intact kidney which would be expected to maintain sodium balance and protect against hypertension. Although the non-clipped kidney becomes renin depleted, it exhibits enhanced microvascular reactivity and increased tubular fractional sodium reabsorption. The non-clipped kidney ANG II content is either elevated or unchanged and proximal tubular fluid ANG II concentrations are not suppressed compared to the nanomolar concentrations found in normal rats. These results suggest that intrarenal ANG II content can be regulated independently of renal renin content. A similar hypertensive process occurs in rats infused chronically with low doses of ANG II. Renal ANG II content increases over 14 days to a greater extent than the circulating concentrations. Functionally, ANG II infused rats demonstrate reduced sodium excretion and marked suppression of pressure natriuresis. These ANG II dependent influences on kidney function contribute to the maintenance of hypertension. Renal augmentation of ANG II, hypertension, and suppressed sodium excretion are blocked by AT1 receptor blockers. To study the mechanisms responsible for intrarenal ANG II augmentation, we infused a different form of ANG II (Val5 ANG II), that can be separated from endogenous ANG II by HPLC. These results indicated that the increased renal ANG II content was due to accumulation of circulating ANG II in addition to continued production of endogenous ANG II. The renal accumulation of Val5-ANG II was markedly reduced by concomitant treatment with the AT1 receptor blocker, losartan. In addition, we found an unchanged overall ANG II-AT1 receptor protein which probably contributes to the maintained ANG II dependent influences. Collectively, the data support the concept that there is internalization of ANG II through an AT1 receptor mediated process and that some of the internalized ANG II is protected from degradation. The augmented intrarenal ANG II coupled with sustained levels of AT1 receptors contribute to the continued ANG II dependent suppression of renal function and sodium excretion thereby maintaining the hypertension.
Stochastic Optimization Techniques for Economic Dispatch with Combined Cycle Units

Electricity industries worldwide are undergoing a period of profound upheaval. Conventional vertically integrated mechanism is replaced by a competitive market environment. Generation companies have incentives to produce more electricity at lower cost by applying novel technology: Combined Cycle, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, Fuel Switching/Blending, and Dual Boiler etc. Economic dispatch becomes a non-convex optimization problem, which is difficult, even impossible to solve by conventional methods. Genetic Algorithm, Evolutionary Programming, and Particle Swarm share a common mechanism, stochastic searching per generation. The stochastic property makes evolutionary algorithms robust and adaptive enough to solve non-convex optimization problem. This paper implements GA, EP, PS algorithms for economic dispatch including combined cycle units, and makes a comparison with classical Mixed Integer Linear Programming. The trajectory and searching path of each stochastic optimization technique are shown and compared. The numerical results show that the stochastic optimization techniques are capable of providing approximate global optimal solution for non-convex optimization problem.
Dirac positive-energy wave equation with para-Bose internal variables

Dirac's new infinite-component positive-energy relativistic wave equation is generalized by introducing para-Bose internal dynamical variables. Electromagnetic interaction of Dirac's particle is studied and the origin of the difficulty in the original formulation identified. It is seen to be evaded by our generalization, a special case of which for para-Bose variables of order 2 is discussed elsewhere. Our equation also describes a spinless positive-energy unique-mass particle in the absence of external fields. We outline the new Dirac theory in 1 + 1 and 2 + 1 dimensions.
The emerging role of irinotecan (CPT-11) in the treatment of malignant glioma in brain tumors.

Irinotecan is a water-soluble derivative of camptothecin, an alkylator originally extracted from the Chinese tree Camptotheca acuminata. Laboratory studies have demonstrated the activity of irinotecan in a broad panel of pediatric and adult central nervous system tumor xenografts in athymic nude mice. These studies led to a Phase II trial that confirmed the activity of this agent in the treatment of recurrent malignant glioma. Subsequent laboratory studies have demonstrated that a combination of irinotecan (CPT-11) and alkylating agents, particularly 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU), increases antitumor effects to a level well above the additive effects of the individual agents. These laboratory studies generated a recently completed Phase I trial of CPT-11 + BCNU, which now is being evaluated in a formal Phase II trial for adults with newly diagnosed or recurrent malignant glioma. More recent studies have demonstrated similar interaction between CPT-11 and temozolomide and have led to a Phase I trial of these agents in the treatment of adults with malignant glioma. Studies currently are addressing the role of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (AGT) in reducing the benefits of combining CPT-11 with temozolomide and the potential therapeutic gain from utilizing an inhibitor of AGT. Cancer 2003;97(9 Suppl):2359–62. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11305
A simple cell disrupter designed for small cells with relatively large nuclei.

Abstract A simple cell disrupter that is particularly suitable for breaking small cells with relatively large nuclei is described. Cells are disrupted by the shearing forces set up as they are pushed by a positive N2 pressure through a 0.8- to 1.5-μm stainless-steel filter. The total procedure takes only a few minutes, it is highly reproducible, and the yield is good. The cell homogenate obtained is a good starting source for the isolation of plasma membranes, intracellular organelles, and nuclei.
Hypertonic (3%) Sodium Chloride for Emergent Treatment of Exercise-Associated Hypotonic Encephalopathy

Exercise-associated hyponatraemia (EAH) is an acute-onset imbalance in the tonicity of extracellular fluids during or after endurance exercise which results in a blood sodium concentration <135 mmol/L. Both excessive fluid intake and a concurrent decrease in urine formation contribute to this rapid-onset, predominantly dilutional, decrease in serum sodium, which can result in life-threatening pulmonary and cerebral oedema. Marathon runners with hypotonic encephalopathy related to EAH, including two cases with fatal cerebral oedema, demonstrated non-osmotic secretion of arginine vasopressin and fulfilled the essential diagnostic criteria for the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). The pathophysiology of SIADH as the proximate cause of EAH accounts for otherwise puzzling clinical observations such as cases occurring after only moderate fluid intake or presenting hours after races. This formulation provides a framework for enhancing prevention by monitoring weight changes during races to detect positive fluid balance before the onset of mental status changes. Most importantly, SIADH supports a strategy for use of oral and intravenous hypertonic solutions, including 3% sodium chloride, for the emergent treatment of moderate and life-threatening symptoms of hypotonic encephalopathy, respectively.
DISEASONAL THERMAL AQUACULTURE— 1. EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND DISSOLVED OXYGEN ON SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Survival and growth of the giant shrimp (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) is profoundly influenced by changes in temperature and dissolved oxygen (Do) of thermal effluents from power plants which discharge into aquaculture systems. These changes are due to seasons as well as plant shutdown in areas such as the northeast United States. In laboratory studies simulating aquaculture ponds the Critical and Lethal Thermal Maximum (CTMax, LTMax) and Minimum (CTMin, LTMin) at high and low DO levels have been measured for shrimp pre-acclimated to 20–36°C. CTMax and CTMin rise with temperature of acclimation. The same is true for LTMax and LTMin. Low DO reduces the upper temperature tolerance as shown by a drop in CTMax and LTMax. It can become a critical factor in ponds during the peak of the summer, especially at nights. By contrast, Do has little or no effect on CTMin and LTMin. Dissolved oxygen is not a limiting factor at low temperatures. Growth and Conversion Ratio were evaluated in chronic studies at various temperatures, DO being maintained at air saturation. Growth nearly doubled for every 5°C increase in temperature over the 20130°C range while there was no appreciable change in conversion ratio.
WEIGHT LOSS: A NOVEL AND EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR URINARY INCONTINENCE

ABSTRACTPurpose: We evaluated the effect of weight loss on urinary incontinence (UI) in overweight and obese women.Materials and Methods: A randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted among...
Ultrafast, integrable, optics-based interface between superconducting and room-temperature electronics

An ultrafast optical interface between superconducting and room-temperature electronics is proposed to take full advantage of high-speed superconducting circuits. We report on the computed and experimental studies of an optical receiving and modulating system that is compatible in processing with the prevailing integrated-superconducting-circuit technology. Planar interdigitated Nb/Si/Nb metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodiodes are demonstrated as optical receivers with resolvable bit-rate as high as 38 Gb/s, and the response of MSM diode was shaped to be a single-flux-quantum pulse to drive Josephson-junction-based circuits. A similar interdigitated structure on a silicon waveguide is proposed to be an ultrafast light-intensity modulator, with its operation based on carrier-density modulation of the optical index of refraction. This field-effect device has insignificant power dissipation, in addition to high speed. A sample modulator with 5-V bias is shown to have a modulation depth of 40% and a bandwidth over 70 GHz. >
Linguistic Influences on Categorization in Preschool Children: A Crosslinguistic Study.

Research on categorization suggests that information conveyed by language may be a guide for children performing classification tasks. In our study we asked whether differences between languages in linguistic form influence this performance. Thirty-five three- and four-year-old monolingual speakers of Spanish and English, languages differing in the way they encode gender, were tested in their native countries on a classification task of familiar objects. This task assessed strategies used in (1) a free sort, (2) a sort with instructions to use natural gender, and (3) one (for the Spanish speakers) with specific instructions to use grammatical gender. Half of both the Spanish and the English groups used animacy as a sorting strategy in the first sort, whereas the majority of both groups sorted by natural gender in the second sort. Most Spanish speakers also used grammatical gender as a categorizing strategy in at least one of the sorts. Results suggest that both instructional context and language-specific experience can influence the ways children classify familiar referents.
An automatic filter for non-parallel texts

Numerous cross-lingual applications, including state-of-the-art machine translation systems, require parallel texts aligned at the sentence level. However, collections of such texts are often polluted by pairs of texts that are comparable but not parallel. Bitext maps can help to discriminate between parallel and comparable texts. Bitext mapping algorithms use a larger set of document features than competing approaches to this task, resulting in higher accuracy. In addition, good bitext mapping algorithms are not limited to documents with structural mark-up such as web pages. The task of filtering non-parallel text pairs represents a new application of bitext mapping algorithms.
Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Risk A Systematic Review

Several theories have been proposed to explain the 3- to 6-fold gender difference in the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injuries. One potential theory for the increased incidence is based on gender-related hormonal differences between men and women, especially after puberty and the onset of menses in the female athlete. The purpose of this systematic review was to compile and systematically analyze the published literature to determine if the menstrual cycle is associated with anterior cruciate ligament injury risk and to provide an objective comparison of the published results. Investigations were included in the systematic review if the report included associations between the menstrual cycle and noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injuries in female athletes. Abstracts and unpublished studies were excluded. Seven articles were identified that met the systematic review inclusion criteria. The 7 reviewed studies favored an effect of the first half, or preovulatory phase, of the menstrual cycle for increased anterior cruciate ligament injuries. The 6 studies that separated the non-oral contraceptive and oral contraceptive data also favored an effect of the first half of the menstrual cycle for increased anterior cruciate ligament injuries. The clinical relevance of this finding is that female athletes may be more predisposed to anterior cruciate ligament injuries during the preovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle. These findings may lead to potential interventions targeted toward this phase of the menstrual cycle to reduce the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Flagellar Motility Is a Key Determinant of the Magnitude of the Inflammasome Response to Pseudomonas aeruginosa

We previously demonstrated that bacterial flagellar motility is a fundamental mechanism by which host phagocytes bind and ingest bacteria. Correspondingly, loss of bacterial motility, consistently observed in clinical isolates from chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, enables bacteria to evade association and ingestion of P. aeruginosa by phagocytes both in vitro and in vivo. Since bacterial interactions with the phagocyte cell surface are required for type three secretion system-dependent NLRC4 inflammasome activation by P. aeruginosa, we hypothesized that reduced bacterial association with phagocytes due to loss of bacterial motility, independent of flagellar expression, will lead to reduced inflammasome activation. Here we report that inflammasome activation is reduced in response to nonmotile P. aeruginosa. Nonmotile P. aeruginosa elicits reduced IL-1β production as well as caspase-1 activation by peritoneal macrophages and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells in vitro. Importantly, nonmotile P. aeruginosa also elicits reduced IL-1β levels in vivo in comparison to those elicited by wild-type P. aeruginosa. This is the first demonstration that loss of bacterial motility results in reduced inflammasome activation and antibacterial IL-1β host response. These results provide a critical insight into how the innate immune system responds to bacterial motility and, correspondingly, how pathogens have evolved mechanisms to evade the innate immune system.
Tectonic evolution of the northern Cocos plate

Several features on the Cocos plate appear to be anomalous or of unclear origin. Specifically, the eastern extension of the Orozco Fracture Zone near lat 15°N has a northeast trend, which differs significantly from the nearly east-west motion of the Pacific and Cocos plates. Moreover, the Tehuantepec Ridge has a similar northeast strike and separates the deep Guatemala Basin on its southeast side from shallower crust to the northwest. The origin of these features can be adequately described by a small change in Cocos-Pacific plate motion and a 20° reorientation of the East Pacific Rise. This reorientation is strongly substantiated by a “fanning” of magnetic anomaly lineations over the Cocos plate between the Orozco Fracture Zone and the Tehuantepec Ridge. The reconstruction assumes that the Tehuantepec Ridge is a relict fracture zone; this interpretation is supported by recent gravity models across the ridge. The Guatemala Basin is the result of older crust formed prior to a ridge-axis jump (Clipperton Ridge to East Pacific Rise) and the reorientation of the East Pacific Rise.
The Influence of Crude Cottonseed Oil in the Feed On the Blood and Egg Yolk Lipoproteins of Laying Hens

Abstract Lipovitellin, very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL), and proteins of d > 1.20 were isolated from blood plasma and egg yolks obtained from hens fed a normal diet or one containing 2.5% of crude cottonseed oil. The amounts and compositions of each fraction were determined. Hen blood plasma and egg yolk VLDL and LDL obtained from hens fed a normal diet contained similar levels of lipid, and the fatty acid compositions of those lipids were, for the most part, similar. The percentages of VLDL and LDL in total lipoproteins were similar for plasma and egg yolk obtained from hens fed the normal diet. Separation of VLDL from LDL was not clear-cut in eggs from hens fed the diet which contained crude cottonseed oil. Lipovitellin, as it is isolated from egg yolk, did not appear to be present in any appreciable amount in hen blood plasma. Hen plasma appeared to contain about 10% of a liproprotein d > 1.20, the lipid of which was similar in fatty acid composition to that of lipovitellin except for palmitic and oleic acids. Lipids of all the different lipoproteins isolated from plasma and egg yolks of hens fed diets which contained 2.5% of crude cottonseed oil contained more stearic acid and less palmitoleic and oleic acids than did those from normal hens. The increased content of stearic acid increased the density of the lipoproteins so that a larger proportion of the lipoproteins were in the LDL and a smaller proportion were in the VLDL than in lipoproteins from normal plasma and eggs.
Approximate Analysis of the Temperature Induced Stresses and Deformations of Composite Shells

In this paper simple formulas are presented which can be used to estimate the response of composite plates and shells to hygrothermal loads. The layup of the shell can be arbitrary (i.e., it can be symmetric or unsymmetric, bal- anced or unbalanced). The formulas serve two purposes. First, they can be used to calculate directly the stresses, strains, and displacements caused by a temperature and a moisture gradient. Sec- ond, the formulas can be used to determine the "effective" thermal and moisture expansion coefficients which are the parameters needed in more accurate numerical (FEM) calcula- tions. The accuracies of the approximate formulas were assessed by sample problems. In these problems the hygrothermal deformations of cylinders and cylindrical segments were calculated by the present approximate formulas and by an exact, three-dimensional analy- sis. The results of the exact and approximate methods were compared. These comparisons showed that the approximate formulas yield the deformations with a high degree of ac- curacy.
Inherently unstable climate behaviour due to weak thermohaline ocean circulation

The oceanic thermohaline circulation (THC) carries light, warm surface water polewards and dense, cold deep water equator-wards, thereby transporting a large amount of heat towards the poles and significantly affecting high latitude climate. The THC has been remarkably stable, and its variability quite low, over the Holocene period (the past 10,000 years). The much greater climate instability and high-frequency variability recorded in ice1 and deep-sea31 cores throughout the preceding 150,000 years has been linked to greater THC variability2,3. Here we argue, using a global coupled ocean–atmosphere–ice general circulation model with realistic geography, that there is a wide range of weak mean states of the THC that cannot be stably sustained by the climate system. When the model THC is forced into a state in the unstable range, the THC may rapidly strengthen, collapse or display strong oscillations. The existence of this unstable regime may account for the greater variability of the THC and climate before the Holocene period.
Unsupervised gene function extraction using semantic vectors

Finding gene functions discussed in the literature is an important task of information extraction (IE) from biomedical documents. Automated computational methodologies can significantly reduce the need for manual curation and improve quality of other related IE systems. We propose an open-IE method for the BioCreative IV GO shared task (subtask b), focused on finding gene function terms [Gene Ontology (GO) terms] for different genes in an article. The proposed open-IE approach is based on distributional semantic similarity over the GO terms. The method does not require annotated data for training, which makes it highly generalizable. We achieve an F-measure of 0.26 on the test-set in the official submission for BioCreative-GO shared task, the third highest F-measure among the seven participants in the shared task. Database URL: https://code.google.com/p/rainbow-nlp/
Wilkinson's salt: A flame retardant for poly(methyl methacrylate)

Poly(methyl methacrylate) reacts with RhCI(PPh3)3 at 260°C in a sealed tube to produce a material which is insoluble in common solvents. The infrared spectrum and CP/MAS 13C-NMR spectrum indicate the presence of anhydrides. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that the transition temperature has increased by 15°C. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates that 25% of the material is not volatilized at 600°C. The oxygen index of the mixture of the rhodium compound with PMMA increases from 14 to 20 (bottom ignition).
Viscous incompressible non‐Newtonian flow around fluid sphere at intermediate Reynolds number

Approximate expressions of velocity profile and drag coefficients have been obtained for viscous incompressible non-Newtonian flow over a fluid sphere in the intermediate Reynolds number range. The equations of motion of both external and internal fluids are satisfied by using Galerkin's method. The internal fluid is assumed to be Newtonian, while the external is assumed to be non-Newtonian and can be described by the power law model. Furthermore, the condition that the tangential stress is transmitted across the fluid-fluid interface without diminution is also satisfied with Galerkin's condition. Comparisons are also made between the predicted results and the experimental data available in the literature. The possible reasons for the discrepancy are also discussed.
Remembering to Perform Actions in the Future: Can Intentions Pop Into Mind?

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) and to LI-COR Biosciences for the CUR Fellows award. I first became a councilor of CUR in 1990, and from the very beginning, the people associated CUR felt like kindred spirits. And it still feels that way. I love what CUR stands for and that is likely because undergraduate research was a transforming experience for me. Undergraduate research ignited a passion and excitement for learning, problem solving, and research that I treasure to this day—and one that I try to pass on to my students. I want to express my enduring thanks to my teachers who gave me that experience. I was fortunate to have mentors at both the undergraduate and graduate levels who not only cared deeply about their own research but who also were profoundly committed to my learning. So, thank you Burt Cohen at Lafayette College and Bill Battig at the University of Colorado. Briefly, I also want to mention what an honor it is to win this award with Tom Goodwin. He is well known as an outstanding teacher, mentor, scholar, and leader in CUR, and it is a high honor to be on the same program with him.
The viscosity of nonpolar gas mixtures at moderate and high pressures

A method has been developed for the calculation of the viscosity of nonpolar gas mixtures at moderate and elevated pressures from the molecular weights and critical constants of the components. By the use of available experimental data and appropriate pseudocritical constant rules, results obtained previously for the viscosity of pure gases have been extended to mixtures. Viscosity values calculated by the method developed in this study for a number of nonpolar gas mixtures were found to reproduce reported values with a high degree of accuracy.
Extremely elevated room-temperature kinetic isotope effects quantify the critical role of barrier width in enzymatic C-H activation.

The enzyme soybean lipoxygenase (SLO) has served as a prototype for hydrogen-tunneling reactions, as a result of its unusual kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) and their temperature dependencies. Using a synergy of kinetic, structural, and theoretical studies, we show how the interplay between donor–acceptor distance and active-site flexibility leads to catalytic behavior previously predicted by quantum tunneling theory. Modification of the size of two hydrophobic residues by site-specific mutagenesis in SLO reduces the reaction rate 104-fold and is accompanied by an enormous and unprecedented room-temperature KIE. Fitting of the kinetic data to a non-adiabatic model implicates an expansion of the active site that cannot be compensated by donor–acceptor distance sampling. A 1.7 A resolution X-ray structure of the double mutant further indicates an unaltered backbone conformation, almost identical side-chain conformations, and a significantly enlarged active-site cavity. These findings show the compelling prop...
FIVE NEW SPECIES OF CHIGGERS FROM SOUTH AMERICA (ACARINA: TROMBICULIDAE).

Five new species of chiggers from South America and their type hosts and countries are Euschoengastia aemulata off Anoura caudata , Venezuela, Euschoengastia hertigi off agouti, Paraguay, Euschoengastia macarenae off Oryzomys albigularis , Colombia, Trombicula guapayae off Myoprocta sp., Colombia, and Trombicula plaumanni off Ctenomys minutus , Brazil.