cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eating Identities, “Unhealthy” Eaters, and Damaged Agency

This paper argues that common social narratives about unhealthy eaters can cause significant damage to agency. I identify and analyze a narrative that combines a “control model” of eating agency with the healthist assumption that health is the ultimate end of eating. I argue that this narrative produces and enables four types of damage to the agency of those identified as unhealthy eaters. Due to uncertainty about what counts as healthy eating and various forms of prejudice, the unhealthy eater label and its harms to agency are more likely to stick to some people than others and may reinforce patterns of oppression. I argue that fat people are especially vulnerable to this identification and the damage it can do. I then consider possible “counterstories” about unhealthy eaters, alternative narratives that might be less damaging to agency than the control narrative. I identify one promising counterstory but suggest that it may be limited when it comes to repairing damage to the agency of fat people. Overall, this paper illustrates some of the complex ways that healthism about eating affects agency, and emphasizes the ethical importance of the ways we think about and discuss eating and eaters.
Adding mirtazapine to ongoing SNRIs or SSRIs did not improve symptoms of treatment-resistant depression

Source Citation Kessler DS, MacNeill SJ, Tallon D, et al. Mirtazapine added to SSRIs or SNRIs for treatment resistant depression in primary care: phase III randomised placebo controlled trial (MIR)...
"Autsome": Fostering an Autistic Identity in an Online Minecraft Community for Youth with Autism.

Autism is a medical diagnosis that has attracted much attention in recent decades, particularly due to an increase in the numbers of children being diagnosed and the changing requirements for getting the diagnosis. In parallel online communities around autism—both those supporting individuals, families seeking treatment and those supporting embracing the autism identity—have grown. Previous literature has shown the positive impact support groups can have for those encountering hardship in their lives, such as depression. In this qualitative study of an online community for autistic children centered around a virtual world, I explore how the label “autism” can be not only a source of disenfranchisement, leading to harassment and violence—in both the virtual and physical world—but also a source of empowerment and identity. I illuminate the tension in claiming the autistic identity within this community—having a sense of identity in the community, but, in doing so, also “othering” those with autism further. The walls of the community work to keep community members safe, but also set them apart from others on the internet. I see that the Autcraft community goes beyond being a support group for victims of targeted violence, to one that redefines and helps community members embrace their own autistic identities.
Church or Sect? Exploring a Church of New Chinese Immigrants in Southern California

Existing studies document that while sharing many similarities among themselves, Asian immigrant churches in the United States differ from American mainline churches in certain distinguishing aspects. These distinguishing aspects and the reasons behind them, however, have rarely been subject to theoretical analysis. This study examines a church of new Chinese immigrants within the church-sect theory and market metaphor by analyzing participant observation and interview data. The data reveal that the church in question stands half way along the church-sect continuum, being close to the sect pole in terms of its theologies, while approaching the church pole in terms of its organization. By being a church-sect hybrid, it meets the particular needs of the well-educated, yet marginalized, Chinese immigrants. The findings show that although the church-sect theory is derived from European cases, it can be well applied to Chinese immigrant Christians. The cultural and ethnic backgrounds of Chinese immigrants nonetheless affect their Christian experiences profoundly. In a market-economy metaphor derived from the church-sect theory, such backgrounds situate them in a segmented rather than an entirely free religious market.
The choice polarity effect: An investigation of evolutionary-based trait handedness and perceived magnitudes on laterally displayed choices

Abstract Laterality effects generally include two major components: laterality in the horizontal display of objects and laterality in terms of human embodiment, for example, with regard to handedness (left versus right). Horizontal display is an environmental factor, whereas handedness is largely a genetic trait grounded in evolution. Both can act together in driving consumer choice. Previous research has shown that right-handers react differently from left-handers to a variety of stimuli. Right-handers are conditioned to engage stimuli in asymmetric terms, favoring their dominant right hand in guiding their perceptions of those stimuli; left-handers view the world in more symmetric terms with less favoring of their dominant hand. In three studies, we show that handedness plays a role in consumers’ choice responses to lateral displays, an effect that we call the choice polarity effect. Implications are drawn for laterality research and for the complex interrelationships of handedness with evolutionary, coevolutionary and epigenetic forces.
Predictive Control of Nano-positioning Stage Using Recurrent-neural-network-based Inversion Model

The system modeling accuracy directly affects the performance of inversion-based control techniques, especially for applications on nonlinear systems, such as piezo actuators. In this paper, we propose to use recurrent neural network (RNN) for modeling the system nonlinearity and thus generating the inversion model for real-time control of piezo actuators. Considering the computation efficiency, one issue of using RNN inversion model is that the low frequency dynamics of the system may not be captured as the length of the training set for training RNN should be kept short to reduce the training time and the number of parameters in RNN. Thus, we propose to use a second order linear system embedded with an error term (LME) to account for the unmodeled low frequency dynamics, and a predictive controller based on LME is designed to improve the tracking performance. Therefore, the proposed approach combines RNN and LME to achieve high precision control. The proposed approach was experimentally demonstrated and compared with other control approaches through implementation on a commercial piezo actuator.
Mapping typical and hypokinetic dysarthric speech production network using a connected speech paradigm in functional MRI.

We developed a task paradigm whereby subjects spoke aloud while minimizing head motion during functional MRI (fMRI) in order to better understand the neural circuitry involved in motor speech disorders due to dysfunction of the central nervous system. To validate our overt continuous speech paradigm, we mapped the speech production network (SPN) in typical speakers (n = 19, 10 females) and speakers with hypokinetic dysarthria as a manifestation of Parkinson disease (HKD; n = 21, 8 females) in fMRI. We then compared it with the SPN derived during overt speech production by 15O-water PET in the same group of typical speakers and another HKD cohort (n = 10, 2 females). The fMRI overt connected speech paradigm did not result in excessive motion artifacts and successfully identified the same brain areas demonstrated in the PET studies in the two cohorts. The SPN derived in fMRI demonstrated significant spatial overlap with the corresponding PET derived maps (typical speakers: r = 0.52; speakers with HKD: r = 0.43) and identified the components of the neural circuit of speech production belonging to the feedforward and feedback subsystems. The fMRI study in speakers with HKD identified significantly decreased activity in critical feedforward (bilateral dorsal premotor and motor cortices) and feedback (auditory and somatosensory areas) subsystems replicating previous PET study findings in this cohort. These results demonstrate that the overt connected speech paradigm is feasible during fMRI and can accurately localize the neural substrates of typical and disordered speech production. Our fMRI paradigm should prove useful for study of motor speech and voice disorders, including stuttering, apraxia of speech, dysarthria, and spasmodic dysphonia.
Diversity of Citrus tristeza virus strains in the Upper Gulf Coast area of Texas

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) in Texas was first reported in the 1950s and has since been sporadically reported in the residential areas in the Upper Gulf Coast region. Because the major rootstock fo...
Transcranial magnetic stimulation reveals diminished homoeostatic metaplasticity in cognitively impaired adults.

Homoeostatic metaplasticity is a neuroprotective physiological feature that counterbalances Hebbian forms of plasticity to prevent network destabilization and hyperexcitability. Recent animal models highlight dysfunctional homoeostatic metaplasticity in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. However, the association between homoeostatic metaplasticity and cognitive status has not been systematically characterized in either demented or non-demented human populations, and the potential value of homoeostatic metaplasticity as an early biomarker of cognitive impairment has not been explored in humans. Here, we report that, through pre-conditioning the synaptic activity prior to non-invasive brain stimulation, the association between homoeostatic metaplasticity and cognitive status could be established in a population of non-demented human subjects (older adults across cognitive spectrums; all within the non-demented range). All participants (n = 40; age range, 65-74, 47.5% female) underwent a standardized neuropsychological battery, magnetic resonance imaging and a transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol. Specifically, we sampled motor-evoked potentials with an input/output curve immediately before and after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess neural plasticity with two experimental paradigms: one with voluntary muscle contraction (i.e. modulated synaptic activity history) to deliberately introduce homoeostatic interference, and one without to serve as a control condition. From comparing neuroplastic responses across these experimental paradigms and across cohorts grouped by cognitive status, we found that (i) homoeostatic metaplasticity is diminished in our cohort of cognitively impaired older adults and (ii) this neuroprotective feature remains intact in cognitively normal participants. This novel finding suggests that (i) future studies should expand their scope beyond just Hebbian forms of plasticity that are traditionally assessed when using non-invasive brain stimulation to investigate cognitive ageing and (ii) the potential value of homoeostatic metaplasticity in serving as a biomarker for cognitive impairment should be further explored.
Dietitians in Chicago - the Stories and the Challenges

AbstractThe purpose of this digital story is to artistically share experiences of dietitians in Chicago and generate discussion of solutions for delivering nutrition care. Four Registered Dietitians (RDs), practicing in the city of Chicago for >/=5 years. All female. Dietitians were contacted via phone or email. Participating dietitian responses were recorded using a microphone connected to a password protected MacBook. Responses were edited for quality purposes in the program “Logic.” The finished product was edited on iMovie. Images and video were obtained from a google image search with criteria including “labeled for reuse.” “Bindi” believes the minimum wage in Chicago should be raised, therefore poverty would be reduced and Chicago clients would be able to prioritize their health. “Ana” believes a Spanish course added to dietetic student curriculum would involve students in the Chicago community. “Maria” noted the concern dietitians have working in unsafe neighborhoods in Chicago, but this should not prevent dietitians from helping people in need. “Suzanna” recommends networking with other Chicago dietitians to improve professional development. At the Sixth Annual Critical Dietetics conference in Granada Spain, attendees praised the film and reported experiencing similar challenges in their practice and professional isolation as a result. At the Diversity and Sustainability Conference at Dominican University in River Forest Illinois, 98% of attendees reported the content was engaging, 95% reported the presentation kept their attention, and 98% claimed the information provided was relevant and useful. In conclusion, the digital story reduced professional isolation by creating dialogue about challenges and opportunities for improvement for dietitians in professional settings. Further research is required to effectively study challenges faced by dietitians in Chicago to ways dietitians may thrive, despite working with impoverished populations.
IMF Conditionality and Objections: The Russian Case

Emerging economies in crisis typically request assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). After evaluating the situation, the IMF makes a loan available to the country conditional on certain policy reforms. Governments usually resist many of these measures and negotiation ensues. This paper analyzes the most contentious measures of IMF conditionality in the context of Russia after the August 1998 crisis. The most discussed measures include the budget deficit, structural reforms, and exchange rate policy. Our analysis suggests that to some extent the disagreement arose because the IMF is focused on changing steady states somewhat ignoring the transition path, while the Russian government is preoccupied with transitional dynamics without a clearly defined steady state concept.
Symptoms of Medication Withdrawal in Parkinson's Disease: Considerations for Informed Consent in Patient-Oriented Research.

Dopamine medication withdrawal in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is commonly employed in clinical practice and can be required for participation in research studies. When asked to withdraw from medications, participants often enquire as to what symptoms they should expect. This study sought to improve the informed consent process by identifying patient-reported symptoms when dopamine treatment is withheld. We also sought to provide clinical guidance regarding the extent of these symptoms and consider participant willingness to undergo these assessments. Participants were recruited from community-based PD programs and support groups in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. A patient-based questionnaire determined the frequency and severity of motor and nonmotor symptoms. The questionnaire also assessed whether patients would be willing to abstain from medication at a future date and under what circumstances. A total of 31/90 participants reported willingness to withdraw from dopaminergic medications for clinical or research purposes. Tremor, walking, and balance were the most common motor symptoms that worsened during this time. Sleep dysfunction, constipation, and tremor were noted as the most severe symptoms. Of note, 10% of participants indicated that they would not be willing to go off medications again, suggesting that a minority of patients find this to be most discomforting. When prompted for a reason why participants would be willing to come off of their medications again, “for clinical purposes” was selected the most. Study teams should list these symptoms in the applications to their institutional review board and in the informed consent to provide guidance for participants.
A Strategy to Identify Materials Exhibiting a Large Nonlinear Phononics Response: Tuning the Ultrafast Structural Response of LaAlO$_3$ with Pressure

We use theory and first-principles calculations to investigate how structural changes induced by ultrafast optical excitation of infrared-active phonons change with hydrostatic pressure in LaAlO$_3$. Our calculations show that the observed structural changes are sensitive to pressure, with the largest changes occurring at pressures near the boundary between the cubic perovskite and rhombohedral phases. We rationalize our findings by defining a figure of merit that depends only on intrinsic materials quantities, and show that the peak response near the phase boundary is dictated by different microscopic materials properties depending on the particular phonon mode being excited. Our work demonstrates how it is possible to systematically identify materials that may exhibit particularly large changes in structure and properties due to optical excitation of infrared-active phonons.
Electrocardiogram Findings in Patients with Alopecia Areata

While autoimmune comorbidities are common in alopecia areata, little is known about comorbid cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of bradyarrhythmia in patients with alopecia areata. Retrospective review of electrocardiograms of 124 patients with $$\ge$$ 50% scalp hair loss (severe alopecia areata) was conducted and compared to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. The prevalence of bradycardia in females with alopecia areata was 24.3% (95% CI, 14.5–34.1%) and in those age 40 years or older was 40.8% (95% CI, 22.2–53.5%) compared to 19.5% in the NHANES III population. The prevalence of bradycardia in males with alopecia areata was 36.0% (95% CI, 22.7–49.3%) and in those age 40 years or older was 50.0% (95% CI, 21.7–78.3%) compared to 26.9% in the NHANES III population. The potential association between bradycardia and alopecia areata merits further investigation.
Preventive Health Behavior and Health Education

Researchers across many disciplines (e.g., health communication, public health, health psychology, nursing) have designed and evaluated interventions to impact preventive health outcomes. Interventions have been carried out in a variety of settings, including health care facilities, schools, worksites, and via media channels. Successful approaches have been grounded in theory (e.g., the Health Belief Model), designed to address individual differences (e.g., low health literacy), and employed various message strategies (e.g., tailoring). Keywords: communication; education; prevention
Inter-rater reliability of the functional standing test

The functional standing test (FST) has been proposed as an evaluation tool to assess the ability to perform one-handed reaching tasks while standing. It is composed of eighteen timed subtests involving manipulation of objects on countertop and simulated kitchen shelves. This study assessed the inter-rater reliability of the FST when administered to adolescents with spinal cord injuries (SCI) standing with braces, and to able-bodied young adults. Two testers administered the FST in random order and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC (2,1)) was used to analyze inter-rater reliability. Eighty percent of the subtests were found to be moderately to very reliable when applied to the SCI sample on the same day. Half of the test items were categorized as having the same level of inter-rater reliability between the two sample populations. Unreliable subtasks should be eliminated from analyses involving data collected by different testers. >
AUTOMATED CODE GENERATION FOR SAFETY-RELATED APPLICATIONS: A CASE STUDY

This paper addresses issues relating to the suitability of using automated code generation(ACG) technologies for the development of real-time, safety-critical systems. This researchexplored the characteristics of model-based software development methodologies and the automatedcode generation tools that support them. Specifically, data related to the engineeringchallenges, skills, and effort associated with ACG practices and technologies were collectedas part of a case study. Characteristics such as the generated code’s organization, size, readability,traceability to model, real-time constructs, and exception handling were identified. Inaddition, the case study involved software engineering practices that incorporate integratedanalysis and design iterations throughout a model-based development process. The researchinvestigated both the static and dynamic characteristics of the selected techniques and tools,identified characteristics of ACG tools with potential impact on safety, and considered thesemantic consistency between representations.
Nature of Rous Sarcoma Virus-Specific RNA in Transformed and Revertant Field Vole Cells

Abstract Cytoplasmic and polyribosomal RNAs from Rous sarcoma virus-transformed and phenotypically reverted field vole cells were fractionated by rate-zonal sedimentation and hybridized with a 3H-labeled complementary DNA viral probe to determine the size classes of virus-specific RNA present in these cell types. In contrast to Rous sarcoma virus-infected permissive avian cells, only two of three discrete species of virus-specific RNA were detected in the cytoplasm of these vole cells. These included genome-length 35S RNA and a 21S RNA. However, viral 28S RNA, routinely detected in the cytoplasm of productively infected avian cells, could not be found in cytoplasmic RNA from vole cells. In addition, a low-molecular-weight viral RNA sedimenting less than 16S was detected in both infected avian and vole cells. Because of its heterogeneity this latter species is most likely generated from the intracellular degradation of the larger viral RNAs. Both the viral 35S and 21S RNA were also found to be associated with total polyribosomes from these vole cells. Studies were also performed to determine the distribution of both total viral genomic and sarcoma-specific RNA sequences among the size classes of fractionated total polyribosomes. In both vole cell types the majority of cytoplasmic viral RNA sequences were also associated with polyribosomes and were similarly distributed among the size classes of total polyribosomes. Sarcoma-specific sequences were present on both the 35S and 21S RNA species. These data suggest that the expression of the viral transforming gene in revertant field vole cells may be controlled at some stage subsequent to translation of the viral RNA.
HGA: A Hardware-Based Genetic Algorithm

A genetic algorithm (GA) is a robust problem-solving method based on natural selection. Hardware's speed advantage and its ability to parallelize offer great rewards to genetic algorithms. Speedups of 1-3 orders of magnitude have been observed when frequently used software routines were implemented in hardware by way of reprogrammable field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Reprogrammability is essential in a general-purpose GA engine because certain GA modules require changeability (e.g. the function to be optimized by the GA). Thus a hardware-based GA is both feasible and desirable. A fully functional hardware-based genetic algorithm (the HGA) is presented here as a proof-of-concept system. It was designed using VHDL to allow for easy scalability. It is designed to act as a coprocessor with the CPU of a PC. The user programs the FPGAs which implement the function to be optimized. Other GA parameters may also be specified by the user. Simulation results and performance analyses of the HGA are presented. A prototype HGA is described and compared to a similar GA implemented in software. In the simple tests, the prototype took about 6% as many clock cycles to run as the software-based GA. Further suggested improvements could realistically make the HGA 2–3 orders of magnitude faster than the software-based GA.
Modeling the Effect of Redundancy on Yield and Performance of VLSI Systems

The incorporation of different forms of redundancy has been recently proposed for various VLSI and WSI designs. These include regular architectures, built by interconnecting a large number of a few types of system elements on a single chip or wafer. The motivation for introducing fault-tolerance (redundancy) into these architectures is two-fold: yield enhancement and performance (like computational availability) improvement.
Probabilistic Inference and the Concept of Total Evidence

My purpose is to examine a cluster of issues centering around the socalled statistical syllogism and the concept of total evidence. The kind of paradox that is alleged to arise from uninhibited use of the statistical syllogism is of the following sort.
A Thermodynamic, kinematic and microphysical analysis of a jet and gigantic jet-producing Florida thunderstorm

This paper presents a meteorological analysis of a storm that produced two jets, four gigantic jets (GJ), and a starter, which were observed by two radars as well as the Kennedy Space Center 4-Dimensional Lightning Surveillance System on 3 August 2013 in Central Florida. The work is the first application of dual polarization data to a jet-producing storm and is the fifth case related to a tropical disturbance. The storm environment is consistent with the moist tropical paradigm that characterizes about three quarters of the surface and aircraft observed jet and GJ events. The most unstable (MU) convective available potential energy is not unusual for Florida summer convection and is below the climatological mean for these events. An unusual speed shear layer is located near the storm equilibrium level (EL) and the storm exhibits a tilted structure with CGs displaced upshear. The turbulence, as measured by the eddy dissipation rate, is extreme near the storm top during the event window, consistent with the GJ mixing hypothesis. The individual events are collocated with, and track along, the center axis of the divergent outflow at the EL and occur within the region of the coldest GOES IR temperatures—placing the events within the overshoot. The dual polarization data indicate a deep graupel column, extending above the mixed phase layer, to a 13 km altitude.
Growth of Saccharomycopsis Schiönning Under Continuous Gassing

Two strains of Saccharomycopsis guttulata, JB-1 and JB-3, isolated from stomach contents of domestic rabbits, were grown under different gas phases, and their growth rates were compared. Strain JB-1 grew exponentially at a maximal growth rate under a continuous gas phase of 15% CO2, 2% O2 in nitrogen. High cell yields with low cell granulation were obtained. The growth rates were almost the same between oxygen concentrations of 0.25 and 20% at 15% CO2. Poor growth and early cell granulation occurred in the absence of oxygen at 15% CO2. Growth increased at 2% O2 in direct proportion to the carbon dioxide concentration up to 10 to 15% CO2. A very high carbon dioxide content (e.g. 98%) was somewhat inhibitory. Cell granulation always occurred during the maximal stationary phase in media at pH 4, but was relatively slight at pH 5.6 or higher. Strain JB-3 responded to various gas phases in a similar manner except that it grew slowly in the absence of oxygen at 15% CO2 (pH 4). The effect of an optimal gas phase on the growth of strain JB-1 was examined in relation to other environmental conditions. In the presence of 15% CO2, 2% O2, this strain grew exponentially in yeast autolysate-Proteose Peptone-glucose medium at 37 C at pH 2, 4, and 5.6 at approximately the same rate; the growth rate was somewhat lower at pH 6.2. Under similar conditions, strain JB-1 grew at 30 C and pH 4 at one-sixth its maximal growth rate. Cell granulation was greatly reduced at this temperature. With adequate CO2 strain JB-1 also grew at a reduced rate in a yeast autolysate medium previously reported not to support growth. Results indicate that continuous gassing with an optimal gas phase increases the growth rate to the extent that the growth rate surpasses the death rate by a significant margin; as a result, granulated cells can be avoided almost entirely in the log phase.
Separation of pigeon liver apo- and holo- fatty acid synthetases by affinity chromatography.

Abstract Apo- and holo-fatty acid synthetases of pigeon liver were separated by affinity gel chromatography under conditions similar to, but not identical to, those used in separating subunits I and II of [14C]pantetheine-labeled fatty acid synthetase complex [ Lornitzo et al. , J. Biol. Chem. 249 , 1654 (1974) ]. When [14C]pantetheine-labeled fatty acid synthetases were separated, the enzymatically active holo form contained all of the [14C] label. Incubation of the apo-pigeon liver fatty acid synthetase complex with CoA, ATP and a partially purified pigeon liver soluble enzyme system, from which fatty acid synthetase had been removed, resulted in the formation of holo-enzyme. Activation of apo-fatty acid synthetase could also be achieved by replacing the apo-(4′-phosphopantetheine-less) acyl carrier protein with holo-acyl carrier protein. It is evident, therefore, that the inactive apo-fatty acid synthetase lacks a 4′-phosphopantetheine group.
Early release of glia maturation factor and acidic fibroblast growth factor after rat brain injury

A major component of the healing response of the brain to injury is the induction of growth and trophic factors. In the rat brain, glia maturation factor (GMF) and acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) are not extracellular. However, within the first hour following brain injury, the amount of GMF and aFGF in the wound cavity increased by 7- and 13-fold, respectively, compared to the tissue adjacent to the wound. A cascade of cellular and biochemical events, leading to glial proliferation, the arrest of secondary neuronal death and axonal sprouting, may be initiated by the sudden increase in the extracellular concentration of these factors.
Reinstatement of individual past events revealed by the similarity of distributed activation patterns during encoding and retrieval

Neurobiological memory models assume memory traces are stored in neocortex, with pointers in the hippocampus, and are then reactivated during retrieval, yielding the experience of remembering. Whereas most prior neuroimaging studies on reactivation have focused on the reactivation of sets or categories of items, the current study sought to identify cortical patterns pertaining to memory for individual scenes. During encoding, participants viewed pictures of scenes paired with matching labels e.g., "barn," "tunnel", and, during retrieval, they recalled the scenes in response to the labels and rated the quality of their visual memories. Using representational similarity analyses, we interrogated the similarity between activation patterns during encoding and retrieval both at the item level individual scenes and the set level all scenes. The study yielded four main findings. First, in occipitotemporal cortex, memory success increased with encoding-retrieval similarity ERS at the item level but not at the set level, indicating the reactivation of individual scenes. Second, in ventrolateral pFC, memory increased with ERS for both item and set levels, indicating the recapitulation of memory processes that benefit encoding and retrieval of all scenes. Third, in retrosplenial/posterior cingulate cortex, ERS was sensitive to individual scene information irrespective of memory success, suggesting automatic activation of scene contexts. Finally, consistent with neurobiological models, hippocampal activity during encoding predicted the subsequent reactivation of individual items. These findings show the promise of studying memory with greater specificity by isolating individual mnemonic representations and determining their relationship to factors like the detail with which past events are remembered.
A comparative study on bovine α-lactalbumin and lysozyme by nanosecond fluorometry

Analysis of the time decay of fluorescence anisotropy of 1-dimethylaminoaphthalene-5-sulfonyl (DNS) and fluorescamine derivatives of bovine alpha-lactalbumin and lysozyme reveals that no significant differences in mean rotational relaxation times are present. While fluorescamine molecules appear to orient randomly on these proteins, DNS is bound with a preferential orientation. Other fluorescence characteristics of the labels are also cited.
Influenza Infection Exerts Prominent Inflammatory and Thrombotic Effects on the Atherosclerotic Plaques of Apolipoprotein E–Deficient Mice

Background— The role of infection in the development and complications of atherosclerosis has been the focus of much attention. We reported previously that influenza vaccination was associated with...
Conversion of pyruvate to glyceride-glycerol in adipose tissue of obese and nonobese mice

Abstract Isolated adipose tissue from obese and nonobese mice has been shown to incorporate radioactivity from pyruvate- 14 C into glyceride-glycerol. The rate of incorporation was lower in tissue of obese animals as compared with nonobese animals. The experiments reported were designed to elucidate the pathway involved in this conversion. Pyruvate-1- 14 C was found almost exclusively in the α-carbons of glycerideglycerol, and about 50% of the total glyceride-glycerol radioactivity derived from pyruvate-2- or 3- 14 C was found in the α-carbons of glycerol. These data and the relative incorporation of pyruvate-1-, 2-, or -3- 14 C into glyceride-glycerol suggest that pyruvate is converted to phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP) by the abbreviated dicarboxylic acid shuttle. Activity of the two enzymes required for this pathway, pyruvate carboxylase and PEP-carboxykinase, has been demonstrated in adipose tissue of obese and nonobese mice. The activity of PEP-carboxykinase was considerably lower in adipose tissue of obese than in tissue of nonobese mice. Data are also presented suggesting that oxaloacetate formed by carboxylation of pyruvate is not in complete equilibrium with fumarate. The significance of the reversal of glycolysis in mouse adipose tissue is discussed. Also, the differences observed between adipose tissue of obese and nonobese mice are considered in terms of the known metabolic aberrations in the obese hyperglycemic mouse.
A Nagata-like theorem for certain function spaces

Let X be a space, and let A be a zero-dimensional topological ring. In this paper we will consider a few natural questions that arise when studying the space Cp(X, A), the ring of continuous functions from X to A, endowed with the topology of pointwise convergence. It will be shown that the zero-dimensionality of the codomain plays a vital role in this study. An upper and lower bound will be determined for the density of Cp(X, A) using the density of A and the weight of X. The character of Cp(X, A) will be computed, thus characterizing when Cp(X, A) is metrizable. Lastly, we will consider the topological dual space of Cp(X, A) and use it to prove a Nagata-like theorem.
A complementary palette of fluorescent silver nanoclusters

We report the synthesis and photophysical properties of silver-nanoclusters templated on DNA, with fluorescence excitation and emission at distinct wavelengths that are tuned to common laser excitation wavelengths.
A Study of Dopants in Diamond Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Chemical incorporation of impurities into diamond films is important for both electronic and optoelectronic applications. The study reveals the effect of incorporated dopants in diamond films using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), a non-destructive highly sensitive spectroscopy. Both the stress and damage associated with dopants is assessed using the center line of the EPR spectra. The films studied were grown by chemical vapor deposition and doped with phosphorus by two different methods, fast ion doping and chemical incorporation. The results suggest that damage increases with increased dopant density and saturates with dopant densities about 1×1020 cm−3. Although electrical measurements did not reveal n-type conductivity, at low fluences the films grown using fast ion doping exhibited a density of 1017 cm−3 shallow substitutional phosphorus sites. Comparison of different dopants in the films doped by chemical incorporation show that phosphorus produces ten times greater damage than boron. Overall, the study illustrates that EPR may be used as a quick nondestructive characterization tool for diamond films.
Factors influencing Na+ transport in dog red cells.

Abstract Na + movements in dog red cells have been measured in a study of the relationship between cell volume, Na + permeability and glycolysis. When dog red cells are shrunken by 20% at 38 °C the apparent Na + influx increases by a factor of about fifty, and the effect remains when cells are deprived of glucose for –2.5 h. Flux returns to normal when the cells are restored to their initial volume. Glycolysis is required for the volume effect and we have studied the effect of glycolytic modifiers such as fluoride, sulfate, bisulfite and pyruvate on these glucose depleted dog red cells. The results indicate that the volume effect is associated with a change in the concentration of 3-phosphoglycerate and may be mediated by phosphoglycerate kinase, the membrame-associated enzyme which forms 3-phosphoglycerate from 1,3-diphosphoglycerate. The state of high Na + permeability persists for several hours in the absence of glucose and it appears that shrinking the cells has opened a Na + -specific channel through which this cation can exchange easily.
Botcoin: Monetizing Stolen Cycles.

At the current stratospheric value of Bitcoin, miners with access to significant computational horsepower are literally printing money. For example, the first operator of a USD $1,500 custom ASIC mining platform claims to have recouped his investment in less than three weeks in early February 2013, and the value of a bitcoin has more than tripled since then. Not surprisingly, cybercriminals have also been drawn to this potentially lucrative endeavor, but instead are leveraging the resources available to them: stolen CPU hours in the form of botnets. We conduct the first comprehensive study of Bitcoin mining malware, and describe the infrastructure and mechanism deployed by several major players. By carefully reconstructing the Bitcoin transaction records, we are able to deduce the amount of money a number of mining botnets have made.
Principles of positive behaviour supports: using the FBA as a problem-solving approach to address challenging behaviours beyond special populations

The Functional Behavioural Assessment (FBA) is an investigative process that examines the context of challenging behaviours in the classroom. Information gleaned from the FBA process is used to develop a behaviour intervention plan to address the challenging behaviour and teach a socially acceptable replacement behaviour. However, the FBA has remained almost exclusively used with students identified with disabilities, particularly those with emotional/behavioural disorders (EBD) as a last resort before removal from the general school campus. Fortunately, there is a growing awareness of the FBA as positive behaviour support practice in the general education classroom to assist non-disabled students and early intervention for students with or at-risk for EBD. In this paper, we discuss the FBA, its place as a positive behaviour practice, and its application in the general education classroom to assist students who are demonstrating challenging behaviours prior to considering a referral for special education ...
Hybrid beam steering system for laser communication between mobile platforms

For many practical needs, laser communication systems must support operation between mobile platforms. Engineering robust links; however, will depend on several innovations. In particular, successful pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) require the use of a beacon signal and the capability of accurate and agile alignment of the line-of-sight (LOS) between the communicating terminals performed over a large field of regard. While mechanical devices, such as gimbals, offer relatively slow tracking over a very wide range, they lack in pointing bandwidth necessary for rejecting high frequency vibrations and beam deflection caused by the optical turbulence. In contrast, fast steering and especially non-mechanical devices, such as Bragg cells, enjoy very high bandwidth (on the order of several kHz), but their effective range is very small. Inherent limitations of both gimbals and fast steerers result in shortcomings of the entire PAT system when either of these devices is used as a sole beam steerer. Therefore, focus needs to be shifted to hybrid architectures, exploiting the advantages of the constituting elements. This paper demonstrates a system combining a robotic manipulator with two acousto-optic cells and presents the algorithm development and the simulation results.
Using Benefit-Cost Criteria for Settling Federalism Disputes: An Application to Food Safety Regulation

Federalism disputes arising from state regulations, particularly those pursuing health, safety, and environmental goals, are common in the U.S. political system. Discussion of bases for settling such disputes often focuses on the in- and out-state incidence of benefits and costs, but incidence is a complex concept that has not been systematically analyzed. We discuss five dimensions important to evaluating incidence and present benefit-cost spillover criteria for judging federalism disputes. When applied to a Massachusetts regulation of Alar residues in heat-processed apple products, the criteria reach different conclusions on its appropriateness, highlighting key considerations in evaluating state regulation in a federal system.
SADDLE-TYPE TORUS BRAIDS IN QUASIPERIODICALLY DRIVEN SYSTEMS: CROSSOVER MAPS OF TRANSVERSALLY INTERSECTING MANIFOLDS

In [Spears et al., 2005] it was demonstrated that insight into the geometry and topology of attractors for nonlinear oscillators driven by n incommensurate frequencies may be obtained from the study of n Poincare maps defined on global cross-sections. The attractors take the form of stable torus braids. Here, attention is focused on saddle-type torus braids in similar systems. Transverse intersections of stable and unstable manifolds are computed using the phase slice method, along with the application of the crossover map. This neatly maps from one global Poincare section to another. As such, it can be used to compute lobe intersection geometries in the remaining n - 1 Poincare sections after doing so by the phase slice method in the first.
Changing the Publishing Model

The publishing industry is experiencing major social changes. Time magazine and The Los Angeles Times, to name just two publications, have highlighted these changes as characterized by a public that has developed both a preference for receiving information online and an expectation that this content be available for free. For information creators and providers such as the IEEE Computer Society (CS), how or why these shifts have occurred or whether they're good or bad phenomena are debates that have become irrelevant to their consequences. Newspapers as we've known them for centuries appear to be on the verge of disappearing or perhaps transforming into something very different.
Solvophobic solvation at large and intermediate length scales: Size, shape, and solvent effects

We report the results of molecular-dynamics simulations of solvophobic nanoparticles in n -decane solvent. We observe that solvent ordering in the interparticle gap and solvation forces depend on the particle size and shape. Analogous to hydrophobic hydration, we observe dewetting of the interparticle region when the nanoparticle separation becomes smaller than a critical value of delta(c). We observe that delta(c) exhibits a nonmonotonic dependence on nanoparticle size, in contrast to what is expected from studies of water. While studies of hydrophobic hydration indicate that two solute length scales govern hydrophobic interactions, our studies indicate that a third length scale can be important in the more general phenomenon of solvophobic solvation.
Effects of essential fatty acid deficiency on prostaglandin production in platelets during aggregation

Abstract In an effort to assess the biochemical effects of essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) in platelets of eight patients maintained on total parenteral nutrition (TPN), we have examined the platelet aggregation and production of archidonic acid ( 20:4ω6 ) metabolites. Plasma triene ( 20:3ω9 ) to tetraene ( 20:4ω6 ) ratio of 0.4 or greater was used as a criterion for EFAD. ADP (1–4 μ m , epinephrine (10−4–10−6 m ), collagen (10–50 mg/ml) and arachidonic acid (1–2 m m ), were used as aggregation agents. Platelets were challenged by thrombin (5 U/ml) to release arachidonic acid. The two major metabolites measured were 12-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) produced via lipoxygenase pathway and thromboxane A2 (assayed as thromboxane B2, TxB2), via the cycloxygenase pathway. The methodology involves isolation and purification of these metabolites by HPLC followed by quantitative analysis by GC-MS using the technique of selected ion monitoring (SIM) with stable isotope labelled analogs as internal standards. It was observed that EFAD caused a decreased in 12-HETE and TxB2; the reduction in 12-HETE was somewhat more marked than that in TxB2. Administration of fat emulsion containing linoleic acid increased the production of these metabolites which seemed to be related to arachidonic acid levels. There was no significant change in platelet aggregation induced by the agents tested irrespective of the plasma triene to tetraene ratios of these patients.
Electron Transfer in Mixed-Valence [Fe(III)(2)Fe(II)O(O(2)CCH(3))(6)(3-Cl-py)(3)].3-Cl-py: Effects of a Crystallographic Phase Transition and Conversion of Solvate and Ligand Molecules from Statically Disordered to Dynamically Disordered on the Valence Detrapping.

A crystallographic phase transition involving changes in the solvate molecule has been found for mixed-valence [Fe3O(O2CCH3)6(3-Cl-py)3]·3-Cl-py (1), where 3-Cl-py is 3-chloropyridine. Single-crystal X-ray structures were determined at 300, 228, 200, 169, and 122 K for complex 1. At 300, 228, and 200 K the crystal is monoclinic, space group P21/c, whereas at 169 and 122 K it is triclinic, space group P1. Determinations of the unit cell parameters at several temperatures shows that a reversible crystallographic phase transition between the monoclinic and triclinic forms occurs at ∼200 K. Complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c at 300 K, having a unit cell with a = 21.212(8) A, b = 8.434(2) A, c = 23.676(3) A, and Z = 4. Refinement with 5702 observed [Fo > 4σ(Fo)] reflections gave R = 0.0542 and Rw = 0.0937. Complex 1 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 at 122 K, having a unit cell with a = 20.983(11) A, b = 8.360(4) A, c = 23.293(10) A, and Z = 4. At 300 K there is one somewha...
Intestinal versus external growth conditions change the surficial properties in a collection of environmental Escherichia coli isolates.

Predicting the fate of microorganisms in the environment is increasingly warranted, especially for pathogenic strains. A major habitat of Escherichia coli, which encompasses commensal as well as pathogenic strains, is the gastrointestinal tract with conditions very different from the environment it encounters after shedding from the host or during cultivation in the laboratory. We developed two relevant growth conditions representative of intestinal (host-associated) and external (postshedding) environments to investigate the surficial properties and behaviors of a diverse subset of E. coli feedlot isolates. Surficial properties may determine an isolate's physical fate. A pronounced increase in cell hydrophobicity and concomitant biofilm mass formation was observed for isolates grown under external conditions. Isolates that exhibited the highest surface hydrophobicity also formed visible suspended aggregates under external conditions. Other than hydrophobicity, flagella-mediated motility was determinant i...