cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Warm glow, information, and inefficient charitable giving

Abstract More than 200 donors participated in a framed field experiment which consisted of a series of decisions about how to divide a gift between a set of similar charities. Most subjects simultaneously gave to multiple charities with similar missions even when the social benefit of gifts to different charities were not equal, as proxied by the matching rates applied to subjects' gifts. Taking each subject's preferences over the set of charities as given, these choices resulted in substantial inefficiencies: subjects forfeited social surplus (matching funds) equal to 25% of the value of their gifts. Suggestive evidence indicates that warm glow utility derived from the act of making a gift, which can lead to a love of variety even among similar charities, and risk aversion over the social value of charitable gifts are both important factors motivating donors who make socially inefficient gifts. Additionally, few subjects were willing to pay for information that could have enabled them to increase the social benefit of their gifts, although many of these subjects also forfeited potential personal gains in an investment decision, casting some doubt on this interpretation. The possibility that the personal value of information might not be equal to the social value might help explain why there are so few rigorous evaluations of aid programs: such evaluations are costly to charities and might not be valued by donors.
SOME EFFECTS OF ESTROGENS ON THE UTERUS OF THE MOUSE1

Inflammatory uterine conditions frequently develop in rats and mice receiving large amounts of estrogens for long periods of time (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Pyometra occurred in all of the mice of one strain which had received weekly injections of 500 i.u. hydroxy-estrin benzoate (3). Animals died showing general peritoneal involvement in less than 20 days in some instances. In other strains uterine inflammatory reactions were not observed when the estrogens were first injected within one week after birth but were occasionally found in animals in which injections were started following weaning. The periodic leucocytic infiltration of the vaginal epithelium and uterine mucosa in normal mice during the metoestrum has been extensively studied (6). It has been suggested that pyometra or leucocytic invasions occurring in mice receiving estrogens might be due to accentuation of normal physiological changes induced in the tissues by extreme hormonal stimulation. The possibility of bacterial infection under such conditions...
X Rays-What should we know about them?

Most engineers are familiar with some of the more common uses of X rays, and many have had occasion to apply them in their daily work; to many, however, the picture of this versatile tool and its numerous applications in quite incomplete. The latter will find this article particularly interesting and instructive. The nature of these rays, the mechanism of their production, and the fundamental principles underlying their many applications in medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, and industry are outlined briefly. Perhaps the most striking application is the determination of the ultimate fine structure of materials from the results of diffraction analysis, in which the X rays provide a supermicroscopic vision of matter. This is the thirteenth and concluding article of the "Science Series for Engineers" developed under auspices of the A.I.E.E. committee on education.
Transcriptional Regulation of Tristetraprolin by Transforming Growth Factor-β in Human T Cells

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a critical role in modulating immune response and inflammation. We employed the Affymetrix cDNA microarray system to detect genes whose expression is regulated by TGF-β1 in a human T cell line HuT78. Tristetraprolin (TTP), a protein involved in the degradation of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) mRNA, was found to be up-regulated by TGF-β. This up-regulation was confirmed by reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis that revealed a rapid and transient induction of TTP mRNA by TGF-β1 in HuT78 cells, primary human T cells, and THP-1 macrophage-monocyte cells. In addition, de novo protein synthesis was not required for this induction, suggesting that TTP is regulated by TGF-β at the transcriptional level. To delineate the transcriptional regulation of the TTP gene, a 2.7-kb human TTP promoter region (–2682 to +56 bp relative to the transcription initiation site) was isolated. We found that this promoter was stimulated by TGF-β1 or a constitutively active TGF-β type I receptor via TGF-β-specific Smad proteins. Furthermore, a series of TTP promoter deletion constructs were used to localize the Smad-responsive region to the –583 to –263 bp portion of the promoter. In this region, the TTP promoter contained a stretch of putative Smad-binding elements that had a synergistic effect in mediating Smad activation of the promoter. These putative Smad-binding element-containing sequences were also able to bind Smad3 and Smad4 proteins purified in vitro. As TGF-β- and TTP-deficient mice exhibit overlapping phenotypes manifested by multifocal inflammation and autoimmunity, our findings that TTP transcription is under the control of TGF-β signaling would indicate a potential role of TTP in mediating the immune suppressive action of TGF-β in vivo.
Cylindrical crystals, contractile mechanisms of bacteriophages and the possible role of dislocations in contraction.

Abstract The tail sheath of T-even bacteriophages is an example of a cylindrical crystal. Contraction of the sheath involves changes in the crystal. It is shown that any change in a cylindrical crystal can be classified as one of 15 possible types of contraction. Several of the mechanisms that have been proposed for contraction of the phage tail sheath involve rather catastrophic changes in the sheath. A series of small waves of change, such as dislocations, passing through the crystal is suggested as the more likely process. The dislocation is introduced and the effect of its passage through a cylindrical crystal is analyzed. Some of the proposed contraction mechanisms are rationalized in terms of dislocations and it is shown that one particular mechanism involving dislocations passing through the tail sheath is compatible with available evidence. The possible role of dislocations in polymerized protein from tobacco mosaic virus is discussed. It is suggested that many biophysical processes of deformation and movement may depend on dislocations or dislocation-like waves of change.
Competitiveness and an Emerging Sector: The Russian Software Industry and its Global Linkages

This paper analyzes the Russian software industry in the context of trade in information technology services. We assess Russia's underlying sources of competitive edge in software, such as its scientific establishments, education system, diaspora and low costs, and identify the institutional impediments to growth. A survey reveals that foreign outsourcing contracts, a high value‐added niche and high education levels characterize Russia's small, privately held software firms. A comparison with the Indian software industry underscores the structural differences in outsourcing relationships developed by the two countries and emphasizes that national advantages are complex amalgamations of many factors and need to be overtly marketed. Beyond the resources that give comparative and competitive advantage to a transitioning economy, a critical role is played by powerful industry organizations and by non‐market state institutions that can level the economic field and inject credibility into market structures.
Treatment patterns of pediatric nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) cervical lymphadenitis as reported by nationwide surveys of pediatric otolaryngology and infectious disease societies

Objective: To describe physician diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for pediatric nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lymphadenitis, a disease for which surgical excision is recommended. Methods: We surveyed members of the Infectious Diseases Society of America Emerging Infections Network (EIN) and the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO). We asked them to report clinical and microbiologic details of recent cases of NTM lymphadenitis seen in their practices. Results: 200 physicians reported a total of 277 NTM lymphadenitis cases. Cervical lymph nodes (84%) were most frequently involved, and a majority of patients were non-Hispanic white (62%) males (54%) with median age 3.0 years. Tissue culture (61%) or polymerase chain reaction (12%) was utilized most frequently to confirm NTM etiology. In most (59%) cases, an etiologic organism was not identified. In cases, where an NTM organism isolate was identified, Mycobacterium avium complex (n = 82, 72%) was the most common. Surgical excision followed by adjunctive antibiotic therapy was favored in the majority (59%) of cases where a treatment method was reported. The use of surgical excision alone or antibiotic therapy alone was reported respectively in 24% and 17% of cases. Antibiotics were prescribed without diagnostic confirmation of infectious organisms in 28% of cases. Conclusion: Pediatric otolaryngologists and infectious disease specialists frequently treat cervical lymphadenitis empirically as NTM disease without bacteriologic confirmation. Antibiotic therapy is frequently employed with or without surgical excision.
Electrical conductivity of well-exfoliated single-walled carbon nanotubes

Aqueous suspensions of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with controlled degree of exfoliation were used to prepare conductive thin films. Controlled exfoliation was achieved by physical separation of SWCNT bundles using our previously established nanoplatelet-dispersion method. Thin film networks of individual SWCNTs produced with this approach exhibit universal conduction behavior indicative of an isotropic network of random resistors with nearly monodisperse bond conductance distribution. Networks made of partially exfoliated SWCNTs experience a significant shift in percolation threshold because of effective local alignment of individual SWCNTs into bundles. Bundling increases the conductivity of the SWCNTs at higher concentration because of low contact resistance electron transport between metallic SWCNTs. The most significant impact of bundling is the development of non-universal electrical scaling. These findings suggest that while individually exfoliated SWCNTs should be of substantial importance for electrical devices requiring small increases in electrical conductivity at low concentration, adequate control of bundling may enable or enhance performance for applications requiring higher conductivity.
Fatty Acid Requirements of Certain Rumen Bacteria

Summary Cultures were isolated from 10 8 dilutions of rumen material in roll tubes of a trypticasephytone-glucose basal medium supplemented with rumen fluid. Almost one-fourth of the isolates failed to grow on subculture in the basal medium, unless it was enriched with rumen fluid or a mixture of fatty acids commonly found in the rumen. In further trials with five representative isolates, all cultures grew well with a combination of n -valerate and isovalerate replacing the rumen fluid or the fatty acid mixture. None grew with n -valerate as the sole additive to the basal medium, but all grew appreciably with isovalerate. Pour of the five grew considerably better with a mixture of the two acids than with isovalerate alone. One of the cultures was tentatively identified as a Borrelia species and two as Bacteroides succinogenes . The two other organisms were not identified as recognized species.
Classification Access in the Online Catalog

With the development during the last few years of the USMARC Format for Classification Data, the potential for improving call number browsing in online catalogs has increased dramatically. For example, it is now possible to create various types of indexes to classification numbers in the online catalog. Two types of possible indexes, a chain index and an index using Library of Congress subject headings as an index to the Library of Congress classification are discussed and examples given in appendices. It is also noted that these two indexes are only two of various forms an online index to classification numbers could take.
Harvard's women four years later.

How have women fared at Harvard since the events of four years ago? Here, Judy Lieberman and Laurie Glimcher reflect on progress made and barriers still to be breached.
Anatomical and functional specializations of the human gluteus maximus

Many anthropologists and anatomists have claimed that the human gluteus maximus is a functionally and structurally unique muscle, but there is not agreement on the actual characteristics of the muscle which do distinguish man from other primates. In this paper the superficial gluteus in a wide range of primates is discussed and those traits entirely unique to man are identified. The morphological specializations of the human gluteus maximus are confined to its cranial portion. This part is thicker in man than in any other primate; it has a new and firm origin, a modified ascending tendon of insertion, and an additional new insertion into the overlying fascia lata. Such changes improve the ability of the gluteus maximus to participate in controlling lateral stability of the trunk, and it suggested that this is the function which has been selected for in human evolution.
Vibratory response modeling and verification of a high-precision optical positioning system

A generic vibratory-response modeling program has been developed as a tool for designing high-precision optical positioning systems. Based on multibody dynamics theory, the system is modeled as rigid-body structures connected by linear elastic elements, such as complex actuators and bearings. The full dynamic properties of each element are determined experimentally or theoretically, then integrated into the program as inertial and stiffness matrices. Utilizing this program, the theoretical and experimental verification of the vibratory behavior of a double-multilayer monochromator support and positioning system is presented. Results of parametric design studies that investigate the influence of support floor dynamics and highlight important design issues are also presented. Overall, good matches between theory and experiment demonstrate the effectiveness of the program as a dynamic modeling tool.
Eco-directed sustainable prescribing: feasibility for reducing water contamination by drugs

Abstract Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) from the purchase and use of medications are recognized as ubiquitous contaminants of the environment. Ecological impacts can range from subtle to overt — resulting from multi-generational chronic exposure to trace levels of multiple APIs (such as in the aquatic environment) or acute exposure to higher levels (such as with wildlife ingestion of improperly discarded waste). Reducing API entry to the environment has relied solely on conventional end-of-pipe pollution control measures such as wastewater treatment and take-back collections of leftover, unwanted drugs (to prevent disposal by flushing to sewers). An exclusive focus on these conventional approaches has ignored the root sources of the problem and may have served to retard progress in minimizing the environmental footprint of the healthcare industry. Potentially more effective and less-costly upstream pollution prevention approaches have long been considered imprudent, as they usually involve the modification of long-established norms in the practice of clinical prescribing. The first pollution prevention measure to be proposed as feasible (reducing the dose or usage of certain select medications) is followed here by an examination of another possible approach — one that would rely on the excretion profiles of APIs. These two approaches combined could be termed eco-directed sustainable prescribing (EDSP) and may hold the potential for achieving the largest reductions in API entry to the environment — largely by guiding prescribers' decisions regarding drug selection. EDSP could reduce API entry to the environment by minimizing the need for disposal (as a consequence of avoiding leftover, unwanted medications) and reducing the excretion of unmetabolized APIs (by preferentially prescribing APIs that are more extensively metabolized). The potential utility of the Biopharmaceutics Drug Disposition Classification System (BDDCS) is examined for the first time as a guide for API prescribing decisions by revealing relative API quantities entering sewage via excretion.
Multiple Regions of Ligand Discrimination Revealed by Analysis of Chimeric Parathyroid Hormone 2 (PTH2) and PTH/PTH-Related Peptide (PTHrP) Receptors

PTH and PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) bind to the PTH/PTHrP receptor and stimulate cAMP accumulation with similar efficacy. Only PTH activates the PTH2 receptor. To examine the structural basis for this selectivity, we analyzed receptor chimeras in which the amino terminus and third extracellular domains of the two receptors were interchanged. All chimeric receptors bound radiolabeled PTH with high affinity. Transfer of the PTH2 receptor amino terminus to the PTH/PTHrP receptor eliminated high-affinity PTHrP binding and significantly decreased activation by PTHrP. A PTH/PTHrP receptor N terminus modified by deletion of the nonhomologous E2 domain transferred weak PTHrP interaction to the PTH2 receptor. Introduction of the PTH2 receptor third extracellular loop into the PTH/PTHrP receptor increased the EC50 for PTH and PTHrP, while preserving high-affinity PTH binding and eliminating high-affinity PTHrP binding. Similarly, transfer of the PTH/PTHrP receptor third extracellular loop preserved high-affinity PT...
Activation of carbon dioxide on potassium-modified silver(111) single crystals

The adsorption of carbon dioxide on potassium-dosed Ag(111) has been investigated with temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), work function measurements, and Auger electron (AES), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), and high-resolution electron energy loss (HREELS) spectroscopies. Unlike the behavior observed for other K-modified single-crystal metal surfaces, the TPD spectra of near-saturation coverages of CO{sub 2} on K/Ag(111) for K coverages in the range 0.13 <0{sub K} <0.47, where the close-packed monolayer corresponds to 0{sub K} + 1/3, exhibit a sharply defined m/e = 44 peak at 796 {plus_minus} 6 K with no evidence for the desorption of CO at any temperature. Similar TPD experiments involving mixtures of natural and {sup 18}O-labeled CO{sub 2} indicate that the oxygen atoms undergo partial scrambling, suggesting that the overall process cannot be represented in terms of a simple adsorption/desorption of CO{sub 2}. The HREELS spectra of CO{sub 2}-saturated K/Ag(111) show, in addition to very minor features, a sharp peak at {approximately} 1480 cm{sup {minus}1}, and XPS spectra of the same interface display a C(1s)peak with a binding energy characteristic of an electron-rich carbon species. This information is consistent with the presence of a carbon-bound CO species on the surface. Evidence against the complete dissociation of CO{sub 2} wasmore » obtained from TPD, which failed to reveal features associated with carbonate (decomposition) expected to be formed via the reaction of CO{sub 2} and adsorbed O. On the basis of these results, it is proposed that CO{sub 2} on K/Ag(111) binds through the carbon to the surface, leading to the {open_quotes}partial{close_quotes} dissociation (or activation) of each CO{sub 2} molecule into adsorbed CO and O. 27 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab.« less
Near-grazing Dynamics in Tapping-mode Atomic-force Microscopy

Abstract In tapping-mode atomic-force microscopy, non-linear effects due to large variations in the force field on the probe tip over very small length scales and the intermittency of contact may induce strong dynamical instabilities. In this paper, a discontinuity-mapping-based analysis is employed to investigate the destabilizing effects of low-velocity contact on a lumped-mass model of an oscillating atomic-force-microscope cantilever tip interacting with a typical sample surface. As illustrated using two tip–sample force models, the analysis qualitatively captures the potential loss of stability and disappearance of a low-contact-velocity steady-state response. The quantitative agreement of the predictions of the discontinuity-mapping-based analysis with direct numerical simulations, at least for sufficiently low contact velocity, supports its use in the passive redesign or active control of the tip–sample mechanism for purposes of preventing such a loss of stability.
Removal of Aqueous Hg(II) by Polyaniline: Sorption Characteristics and Mechanisms

A polyaniline (PAN) prepared by chemical oxidation method was studied for Hg(II) removal from aqueous solutions. Batch adsorption results showed solution pH values had a major impact on mercury adsorption by this sorbent with optimal removal observed around pH 4−6. At both acidic and alkaline solutions beyond this optimal pH window, sorption capacity of PAN was substantially lowered, with the impact less pronounced at pH above 6. Among the water constituents tested, only chloride and humic acid had significant inhibition on mercury removal due to competitive complexation. In the range of 0.02−0.2 M, ionic strength had less impact on Hg(II) removal by PAN while further increase in background electrolyte concentration to 1.0 M substantially decreased mercury removal. An adsorption mechanism was proposed by analyzing the XPS spectra of the key elements (N1s, Cl2p and Hg4f) on polyaniline surfaces and the change of its electrokinetic properties, both before and after Hg(II) adsorption. Specifically, at pH 5.5...
Decomposition of large scale systems—II Systems containing nonlinear elements

Abstract Methods are given to decompose large scale systems into their cyclical nets based on the information flow within the system. In contrast with Part I, the systems considered are assumed to have elements represented by nonlinear lumped equations. Use is made of the properties of Boolean matrices and a technique for the further decomposition of cyclical nets by “tearing” is described.
Putnam, Realism and Truth

There are several distinct components of the realist anti-realist debate. Since each side in the debate has its disadvantages, it is tempting to try to combine realist theses with anti-realist theses in order to obtain a better, more moderate position. Putnam attempts to hold a realist concept of truth, yet he rejects realist metaphysics and realist semantics. He calls this view “internal realism”. Truth is realist on this picture for it is objective, rather than merely intersubjective, and eternal. Putnam introduces a concept of epistemic idealization — epistemically ideal conditions, or idealized justification — to try to ground the strong objectivity of truth without sliding into metaphysical realism. I argue that the concept of ideal conditions to which Putnam appeals does not cohere with his (anti-realist) commitment to an assertability conditions account of meaning.
Gas phase ultra-violet photoabsorption cross-sections for nitrosyl chloride and nitryl chloride

Abstract The photoabsorption cross-sections for gaseous nitrosyl chloride and nitryl chloride have been determined from 190 to 400 nm at room temperature. The results for nitrosyl chloride differ from the work of Goodeve and Katz, especially at the shorter wavelengths, indicating that nitrosyl chloride is less of a chlorine atom sink in the stratosphere than previously thought. The nitryl chloride spectrum obeys Beer's law and is a continuum consisting of at least three excited electronic states. The absorption cross-section for nitryl chloride varies from 2.1 × 10−21 at 400 nm to 2.7 × 10−17 cm2 molecule−1 at 190 nm. No absorption for nitryl chloride (cross-sections less than 2 × 10−21) was observed from 400 to 750 nm.
Positron emission tomography in Warthin’s tumor mimicking malignancy impacts the evaluation of head and neck patients

Abstract Purpose 1) To determine SUVs and PET/CT characteristics of Warthin's tumors in patients presenting to a head and neck cancer clinic. 2) To analyze the impact of PET/CT on the clinical course of these patients. Materials and methods This is a single-institution retrospective analysis of patients with proven Warthin’s tumors who underwent PET/CT done at or near the time of diagnosis and presented to a head and neck cancer practice. Data were obtained from the electronic medical records of these patients and the imaging and pathology databases. Results Six patients with Warthin's tumor met the criteria for and form the study cohort. Three patients had bilateral tumors. The SUVs for Warthin's varied from 3.4 to 16.1 in these patients, with an average of 7.8 and these SUVs were higher for Warthin's than for the cancers. These findings on PET/CT in this group required additional workup of all patients and required FNA, surgery or SPECT-CT to confirm the diagnosis. Conclusion Although it is known that Warthin's tumor may be hypermetabolic on PET, this finding in the parotid or neck on PET/CT alters the evaluation and treatment of head and neck cancer patients and patients with cancers outside the head and neck by raising the concern about metastatic disease or multiple primary cancers. In other patients, PET/CT obtained for other reasons may prompt concern about incidental malignancy. This series specifically characterizes clinical features, SPECT-CT and FNA findings that can help reinforce the diagnosis of Warthin's and facilitate management.
Synthesis of adaptive monopulse patterns

A procedure is developed to simultaneously synthesize sum and difference patterns for space-time adaptive processing (STAP) in such a way that a specified monopulse slope after adaptation is achieved.
Accelerating Brain Circuit Simulations of Object Recognition with CELL Processors

Humans outperform computers on many natural tasks including vision. Given the human ability to recognize objects rapidly and almost effortlessly, it is pragmatically sensible to study and attempt to imitate algorithms used by the brain. Analysis of the anatomical structure and physiological operation of brain circuits has led to derivation of novel algorithms that in initial study have successfully addressed issues of known difficulty in visual processing. These algorithms are slow on uni-processor based systems, thwarting attempts to drive real-time robots for behavioral study, but as might be expected of algorithms designed for highly parallel brain architectures, they are intrinsically parallel and lend themselves to efficient implementation across multiple processors. This paper presents an implementation of such parallel algorithms on a CELL processor and further extends it to a low-cost cluster built using the Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3). The paper describes the modeled brain circuitry, derived algorithms, implementation on the PS3, and initial performance evaluation with respect to both speed and visual object recognition efficacy. The results show that a parallel implementation can achieve a 140x performance improvement on a cluster of 3 PS3s, attaining real-time processing delays. More importantly, we show that the improvements scale linearly, or nearly so in practice. These initial findings, while highly promising in their own right, also provide a new platform to enable extended investigation of large scale brain circuit models. Early prototyping of such large scale models has yielded evidence of their efficacy in recognition of time-varying, partially occluded, scale-invariant objects in arbitrary scenes.
Self-Esteem, Source of Influence, and Orientation toward Freedom and Solidarity

Summary.-With 98 undergraduate students the effects of four factors on orientation toward freedom and solidarity were examined. The four factors were self-esteem, source of influence, age, and social desirability. An analysis of covariance controlling for the effects of social desirability and age yielded a significant main effect only for the self-esteem factor. Subjects with high self-esteem scores rated freedom and solidarity higher than did those with lower self-esteem scores. The other factor contributed to a significant interaction. The difference due to self-esteem was salient among people who attributed their values to parental rather than peer influence. A number of studies have reported on value patterns among young peo~le (Bovasso, Jacobs, & Rettig, 1991; Sprinthall & McVay, 1987; Wurtz, 1988). But, most have been cohort analyses that gave little attention to inv Mason, 1994). Salient elements in the latter category are freedom and solidarity. The work of Rokeach (1985) has suggested that values be examined as a dual process of socialization and ego development. The present study related a measure of freedom and solidarity to age, self-esteem, and the role of significant actors. Theoretical Perspectives The concept of freedom has been primarily defined from two distinct reference points. In one definition, freedom refers strictly to personal autonomy, i.e., the possibility at any moment for an individual to make choices consistent with his own inclinations. This conception has been explored earlier (Edwards, 1959; Zuckerman, 1958). In another definition, freedom refers to collective liberation from violence and oppression (Fanon, 1965). It . speaks not just of personal concern but of concern for others. It holds that one's fate is inextricably linked to the well-being of members of one's community. In that sense, it is germane to solidarity. It is that second definition which is emphasized here. Freedom and solidarity are measured as a single dimension in this paper. The place accorded freedom and solidarity in a value system varies from
3-DOF Entry Descent and Landing Simulations of a Conceptual Entry Vehicle for Human Missions to Mars

Landing humans on Mars for the purpose of exploring and expanding our knowledge of the solar system is one of the future goals of NASA . To do so will require a focus on entry, descent and landing systems. In support of that eff ort a Martian Entry Descent Landing Simulator (MEDLS) was developed and implemented in Matlab for the purpose of examining the entry trajectory of a spacecraft and understanding the size of an entry descent and landing (EDL) system required primarily for landing a crew on Mars. This was a two part effort involving the creation of MEDLS w hich is a nonlinear Newtonian entry dynamic model of three degree-of-freedom (DOF) that uses the Mars Global Reference Atmospheric Model (Mars-GRAM) output to model the Martian atmosphere, a gravitational force model treating Mars as a spheroid and Newtonian impact theory to model aerodynamic forces. The second part of the effort i nvolved running simulations with a conceptual vehicle using an Orion Crew Module (CM) as the basis for the vehicle with a “modified” Service Module (SM) equipped to handle entry. EDL system size was restricted to an aeroshell no larger than 15 m in diameter, a parachute no larger than 30 m and a descent propulsion system designed to have constant thrust and bring the spacecraft to a landing speed of less than 2 m/s at 0 km in altitud e. The entry trajectories were carried out first with a vehicle mass of 25000 kg (25 t) and se cond with a mass of 50000 kg (50 t) from an entry interface altitude of 125 km based on a Mars parking orbit arising from an opposition class Mars mission. This preliminary examination of entry trajectories shows that the 25 t conceptual spacecraft could deliver a maximum of 5928 kg of payload while the 50 t conceptual spacecraft could deliver a maximum of 10814 kg.
Identification of Closely Spaced but Distinct Transcription Initiation Sites for the Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Latency-Associated M2 Gene

Murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) infection of mice provides a tractable small-animal system for assessing viral requirements for establishment of and reactivation from latency. The M2 gene product has no homology to any known proteins but has been shown to play a role in both the establishment of MHV68 latency and reactivation from latency. Furthermore, we have recently shown that M2 expression in primary murine B cells leads to enhanced proliferation, survival, and differentiation toward a preplasma memory B-cell phenotype (A. M. Siegel, J. H. Herskowitz, and S. H. Speck, PLoS Pathog. 4:e1000039, 2008). Previous studies have characterized the structure of the M2 transcript, but to date there has been no characterization of the M2 promoter, additional open reading frames (ORFs) in the M2 region, or identified splice acceptor and splice donor sites present in the previously characterized M2 gene transcript. Here we report (i) the identification and disruption of a novel transcript that encodes a short, previously unreported ORF (M2b) located in the intron between exon 1 and exon 2 of the M2 transcript; (ii) the identification of clustered but distinct M2 gene transcription initiation sites suggesting the presence of multiple promoters involved in regulating M2 gene transcription; (iii) the characterization in vivo of recombinant MHV68 harboring deletions within the identified M2 promoter region; and (iv) the in vivo analysis of recombinant MHV68 harboring mutations that ablate either the identified M2 splice acceptor or splice donor site. Finally, our 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends in conjunction with splice acceptor mutation analyses confirmed that all detected M2 gene transcripts expressed during MHV68 infection in mice splice into the M2 ORF downstream of the first AUG codon, providing strong evidence that initiation of the M2 gene product arises from the second AUG codon located at residue 8 in the M2 ORF. This initial detailed analysis of M2 gene transcription in vivo will aid future studies on regulation of M2 gene expression.
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus: 3.3-mm brightness temperatures and a search for variations with time or phase angle

Abstract Extensive 3.3-mm observations yield disk-average brightness temperatures for Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus of 180° ± 18°, 153° ± 1.25° ± 13°, and 105° ± 13° K (1 σ ), respectively. The values for the first three planets are corrected to heliocentric distances of 1.524, 5.203, and 9.540 a.u., respectively. Any variation of the temperature of Mars with phase angle is less than a few percent; this upper limit is consistent with an expected variation of ⪅3%. The measurements from mid-1965 to November 1969 contain no confirmed variations in the brightness temperatures of Jupiter and Saturn larger than ≈4 and ≈7%, respectively.
Asymptotic stabilization using a constructive approach to constrained nonlinear model predictive control

This paper presents a new constructive model predictive control approach to asymptotic stabilization of constrained, discrete time-invariant nonlinear dynamic systems. The constructive approach not only considers the traditional optimality problem on a finite horizon, but also considers a feasibility constraint imposed at the end of each finite horizon (prediction horizon). The feasibility constraint is included in the optimization formulation as a set of inequality constraints. Sufficient conditions for establishing asymptotic stability of discrete nonlinear systems are derived from the simultaneous solutions of the optimality and the feasibility problems on the finite horizon. The proposed approach is appealing in the sense that no necessary conditions regarding stabilizability of the linearization of the nonlinear dynamic system around an equilibrium, or the identification of an a priory stabilizing control law in a neighborhood of the equilibrium are needed; known as common requirements in many nonlinear model predictive control formulations. Simulation examples for the proposed approach are presented.
A Lentivirus Packaging System Based on Alternative RNA Transport Mechanisms To Express Helper and Gene Transfer Vector RNAs and Its Use To Study the Requirement of Accessory Proteins for Particle Formation and Gene Delivery

A lentivirus-based packaging system was designed to reduce the chance of recombination between helper and gene transfer vector sequences by using the constitutive transport element (CTE) derived from Mason-Pfizer monkey virus for expression of the viral proteins and the Rev-Rev response element (RRE) combination for expression of the gene transfer vector. Using this approach, we evaluated a series of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 packaging constructs that express one or more accessory proteins (Vif, Vpr, and Vpu), in addition to the Gag and Pol proteins, for particle formation and virus stock production for gene transfer. Constructs that also express Vpr or both Vpr and Vpu produced more particles, as measured by a p24 assay, than did plasmids that did not contain these sequences. Transactivation experiments showed that the packaging plasmids that encode Vpr or both Vpr and Vpu also expressed a functional single-exon Tat protein. For these constructs, high-titer virus stocks could be prepared in the absence of a cotransfected Tat-expressing plasmid. Amphotropic-envelope-pseudotyped virus stocks prepared with all of the packaging constructs, irrespective of whether any of the accessory proteins were coexpressed, were equally efficient in transducing growth-arrested HeLa cells. The combination/mixed packaging system was compared to systems that were based on either the CTE alone or Rev and RRE for expression of both the packaging plasmid as well as the gene transfer vector. The combination/mixed packaging system was comparable to the other systems for production of virus stocks, suggesting that this design may prove to be safer for the eventual deployment of lentivirus vectors for therapeutic purposes.
Contextual in-image advertising

The community-contributed media contents over the Internet have become one of the primary sources for online advertising. However, conventional ad-networks such as Google AdSense treat image and video advertising as general text advertising without considering the inherent characteristics of visual contents. In this work, we propose an innovative contextual advertising system driven by images, which automatically associates relevant ads with an image rather than the entire text in a Web page and seamlessly inserts the ads in the nonintrusive areas within each individual image. The proposed system, called ImageSense, represents the first attempt towards contextual in-image advertising. The relevant ads are selected based on not only textual relevance but also visual similarity so that the ads yield contextual relevance to both the text in the Web page and the image content. The ad insertion positions are detected based on image saliency to minimize intrusiveness to the user. We evaluate ImageSense on three photo-sharing sites with around one million images and 100 Web pages collected from several major sites, and demonstrate the effectiveness of ImageSense.
Irrigation Restriction and Biomass Market Interactions: The Case of the Alluvial Aquifer

The U.S. Geological Survey has determined that irrigation in Arkansas’ Delta is unsustainable. This study examines how irrigation restrictions would affect county net returns to crop production. It also considers the effect of planting less water-intensive bioenergy crops—switchgrass and forage sorghum—in the event biofuel markets become a reality. Results suggest that sustainable irrigation restrictions without bioenergy crops would decrease producer returns by 28% in the region. Introducing these alternative crops would both reduce groundwater use and may restore state producer returns, albeit with significant spatial income redistribution to crop production throughout the state.
Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy of the Hydroxy-Methyl-Peroxy Radical

We report vibrational and electronic spectra of the hydroxy-methyl-peroxy radical (HOCH_2OO^• or HMP), which was formed as the primary product of the reaction of the hydroperoxy radical, HO_2^•, and formaldehyde, HCHO. The ν_1 vibrational (OH stretch) spectrum and the A ← X electronic spectrum of HMP were detected by infrared cavity ringdown spectroscopy (IR-CRDS), and assignments were verified with density functional calculations. The HMP radical was generated in reactions of HCHO with HO_2^•. Free radical reactions were initiated by pulsed laser photolysis (PLP) of Cl_2 in the presence of HCHO and O_2 in a flow reactor at 300–330 Torr and 295 K. IR-CRDS spectra were measured in mid-IR and near-IR regions over the ranges 3525–3700 cm^(–1) (ν_1) and 7250–7800 cm^(–1) (A ← X) respectively, at a delay time 100 μs after photolysis. The ν_1 spectrum had an origin at 3622 cm^(–1) and exhibited partially resolved P- and R-branch contours and a small Q-branch. At these short delay times, spectral interference from HOOH and HCOOH was minimal and could be subtracted. From B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) calculations, we found that the anharmonic vibrational frequency and band contour predicted for the lowest energy conformer, HMP-A, were in good agreement with the observed spectrum. In the near-IR, we observed four well spaced vibronic bands, each with partially resolved rotational contours. We assigned the apparent origin of the A ← X electronic spectrum of HMP at 7389 cm^(–1) and two bands to the blue to a progression in ν15′, the lowest torsional mode of the A state (ν_(15′) = 171 cm^(–1)). The band furthest to the red was assigned as a hot band in ν^(15″), leading to a ground state torsional frequency of (ν^(15″) = 122 cm^(–1)). We simulated the spectrum using second order vibrational perturbation theory (VPT2) with B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) calculations at the minimum energy geometries of the HMP-A conformer on the X and A states. The predictions of the electronic origin frequency, torsional frequencies, anharmonicities, and rotational band contours matched the observed spectrum. We investigated the torsional modes more explicitly by computing potential energy surfaces of HMP as a function of the two dihedral angles τ_(HOCO) and τ_(OOCO). Wave functions and energy levels were calculated on the basis of this potential surface; these results were used to calculate the Franck–Condon factors, which reproduced the vibronic band intensities in the observed electronic spectrum. The transitions that we observed all involved states with wave functions localized on the minimum energy conformer, HMP-A. Our calculations indicated that the observed near-IR spectrum was that of the lowest energy X state conformer HMP-A, but that this conformer is not the lowest energy conformer in the A state, which remains unobserved. We estimated that the energy of this lowest conformer (HMP-B) of the A state is E_0 (A, HMP-B) ≈ 7200 cm^(–1), on the basis of the energy difference E_0(HMP-B) – E_0(HMP-A) on the A state computed at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level.
Criterion Validation of the Rate of Recovery, Single Alphanumeric Measure, in Patients with Low Back Pain

Background and Purpose. Theaim ofthisstudywas todeterminethe criterion validityofpatientrateofrecovery with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Methods. Associations between rate of recovery and ODI and pain were examined using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Participants were dichotomized to ODI 50% change versus a <50% change. Pearson correlation coefficients were performed to determinethe relationshipbetweenthe continuousvariablesofrate ofrecoveryand final ODI scoreatdischarge. Spearman correlation coefficients were performed to determine the relationship between the continuous variable rate of recovery and ordinal variable final pain score at discharge. Results. ROC curve statistics suggest that a cut-point of greater than 82.5% on the self-report rate of recovery (sensitivity=0.72, specificity=0.71 and positive likelihood ratio=2.44) corresponded to a 50% change on the ODI. The correlation between ODI final score and self-report rate of recovery was a moderate, 0.45 (p<0.01). Cut-points on the self-reported rate of recovery ranged from 72.5% to 82.5% depending upon the definition of change in pain (≥2, ≥ 3a nd≥4 points) score or final pain score (<5/10, <4/10 and <3/10). The correlation between NPRS final score and self-report rate of recovery was 0.72 (p<0.01). The correlation between NPRS change score and self-report rate of recovery was 0.42 (p<0.01). Discussion. Patients reporting greater than or equal to 82.5% on rate of recovery are likely to have met a 50% change on the ODI. The moderate correlation between rate of recovery and ODI suggests that rate of recovery may capture a dimension of recovery in addition to the self-reported function in patients with low back pain. Both outcomes measures can be used to capture a more comprehensive evaluation of recovery from low back pain. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Photoheterotrophic Metabolism of Acrylamide by a Newly Isolated Strain of Rhodopseudomonas palustris

Acrylamide, a neurotoxin and suspected carcinogen, is produced by industrial processes and during the heating of foods. In this study, the microbial diversity of acrylamide metabolism has been expanded through the isolation and characterization of a new strain of Rhodopseudomonas palustris capable of growth with acrylamide under photoheterotrophic conditions. The newly isolated strain grew rapidly with acrylamide under photoheterotrophic conditions (doubling time of 10 to 12 h) but poorly under anaerobic dark or aerobic conditions. Acrylamide was rapidly deamidated to acrylate by strain Ac1, and the subsequent degradation of acrylate was the rate-limiting reaction in cell growth. Acrylamide metabolism by succinate-grown cultures occurred only after a lag period, and the induction of acrylamide-degrading activity was prevented by the presence of protein or RNA synthesis inhibitors. 13C nuclear magnetic resonance studies of [1,2,3-13C]acrylamide metabolism by actively growing cultures confirmed the rapid conversion of acrylamide to acrylate but failed to detect any subsequent intermediates of acrylate degradation. Using concentrated cell suspensions containing natural abundance succinate as an additional carbon source, [13C]acrylate consumption occurred with the production and then degradation of [13C]propionate. Although R. palustris strain Ac1 grew well and with comparable doubling times for each of acrylamide, acrylate, and propionate, R. palustris strain CGA009 was incapable of significant acrylamide- or acrylate-dependent growth over the same time course, but grew comparably with propionate. These results provide the first demonstration of anaerobic photoheterotrophic bacterial acrylamide catabolism and provide evidence for a new pathway for acrylate catabolism involving propionate as an intermediate.
Applications: The GLSEM

As we did in the previous chapter, we give a number of applications of the major results obtained in Chapter 2. We do so for the General Linear Structural Econometric Model (GLSEM), an important topic for many fields but especially for econometrics.
ON ASIAN PRODIDOMUS (ARANEAE, GNAPHOSIDAE)

The Japanese spider Prodidomus imaidzumii KISHIDA is redescribed and two new species, P. margala from Pakistan and P. sirohi from northern India, are described.
Regulating the Risks of Closeness A Relationship-Specific Sense of Felt Security

To feel secure in romantic relationships, people need to believe that their partners see qualities in them that merit attention, nurturance, and care. This article examines how finding (or failing to find) this sense of security affects three facets of romantic life: (a) the inferences people draw about their partners' regard for them in threatening situations, (b) the inferences people draw about their own value in situations in which they feel rejected, and (c) the kinds of behavioral strategies (whether protective of the self or promotive of the relationship) that people adopt to minimize the likelihood of feeling hurt or rejected again.