cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of catecholamine depletion on myocardial infarct size in dogs : role of catecholamines in ischemic preconditioning

Objectives: Cardioprotective adaptation to brief periods of ischemia and reperfusion is termed ischemic preconditioning (PC). Limitation of infarct size by preconditioning is associated with marked slowing of ischemic metabolism. The cause of metabolic slowing has not been determined but may involve either pro- or anti-adrenergic mechanisms. Hypothetically, adrenergic stimulation could signal the adaptive response. Alternatively, metabolic slowing during the sustained ischemic challenge could occur through a reduction in β-adrenergic stimulation. This study was designed to test the role of cardiac norepinephrine (NE) in PC. Methods: The effect of PC on myocardial infarct size was studied in control dogs and dogs depleted of catecholamines by pretreatment with reserpine (RES; 0.25 mg/kg i.V.). PC was induced by four cycles of 5 min of ischemia and 5 min of reperfusion. Infarcts were produced by 60 min of ischemia and 3 h of reperfusion. Cardiac NE depletion was verified by radioimmunoassay of tissue samples and by absence of hemodynamic response to a tyramine bolus (1.4 mg/kg) administered at the end of each experiment. Infarct size, expressed as percent of area at risk, was controlled for variation in collateral blood flow using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Adjusted mean infarct size was 25.5 ± 3.2% in untreated controls vs. 19.1 ± 3.3% in RES-treated controls ( P = NS). PC limited infarct size in untreated dogs (7.4 ± 1.8 vs. 25.5 ± 3.2%; PC vs. control; P < 0.01) but not in RES-treated dogs (15.7 ± 3.0% vs. 19.1 ± 3.3%; RES + PC vs. RES; P = NS). Infarct size was larger in dogs with RES + PC than with PC alone, even though there was a trend toward a slight beneficial effect with RES alone. Conclusions: The Cardioprotective effect of ischemic preconditioning cannot be explained entirely as an anti-adrenergic effect. On the contrary, adrenergic receptor stimulation may be required for the full expression of ischemic preconditioning in canine myocardium.
Egg-white sensitivity and atopic eczema

Abstract Thirty-four children with atopic eczema were studied for egg-white sensitivity. Clinical manifestations, skin reactivity to egg-white antigen, IgE, by radioimmunoassay (RIA), and specific reaginic IgE antibodies to egg white by the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) were evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of clinical sensitivity to egg-white antigen. Of 13 eczematous patients in Group I with known clinical egg sensitivity, 2 had RAST levels between 0 and 24 per cent, 6 between 25 and 100 per cent, and 5 had levels greater than 100 per cent. In this group, 5 had positive prick skin tests to egg white. Of 21 eczematous patients in Group II with no demonstrated clinical egg sensitivity, 17 had RAST levels of 0 to 24 per cent, 3 had RAST levels between 25 and 100 per cent, and one had an RAST level greater than 100 per cent. In this group, 3 had positive prick tests to egg white. The egg-white RAST showed a significant correlation with clinical egg sensitivity (p = 0.0005) and with a prick skin test of the same antigen (p = 0.036) but not with total serum IgE levels. However, no correlation was found between clinical egg sensitivity and egg-white prick skin test.
Temperature Response Pattern during Afterripening of Achenes of the Winter Annual Krigia oppositifolia (Asteraceae)

Freshly-matured achenes of Krigia oppositifolia Raf. were buried in soil at near-natural temperatures for 0–35 months and then exhumed and tested in light and darkness at (12/12 hr) daily thermoperiods of 15/6, 20/10, 25/15, 30/15 and 35/20°C. Achenes required light for germination and exhibited an annual dormancy/nondormancy cycle, being dormant in spring and nondormant in autumn. High summer temperatures (30/15, 35/20°C) fully promoted afterripening, whereas low temperatures (5, 15/6°C) prevented it. As buried seeds came out of dormancy in summer, they first germinated at medium temperatures (20/10, 25/15°C), but with additional afterripening the maximum and minimum temperatures for germination increased and decreased, respectively. Thus, during afterripening, achenes exhibit type 3 temperature responses, which otherwise are known only in two perennial Asteraceae and one perennial Liliaceae. The physiological responses of achenes of K. oppositifolia are unlike those of most winter annuals, which have type 1 responses—i.e., the maximum temperature for germination increases during afterripening. Also, they are unlike the majority of Asteraceae, which have type 2 responses—i.e., the minimum temperature for germination decreases during afterripening. Type 1 responses, typical of most winter annuals, have yet to be reported in the Asteraceae.
Groovin’to ancient Peru: A critical analysis of Disney's The Emperor's New Groove

Disney animated movies have received abundant critical attention over the past 30 years as a quintessentially American manifestation of popular culture and as an expression of corporate and hegemon...
Chemical Structure of Barley Starches. I. A Study of the Properties of the Amylose and Amylopectin from Barley Starches Showing a wide Variation in Brabender Cooking Viscosity Curves

The starches from two barley varieties showing extreme differences in cooking viscosity were fractionated. The amylose and amylopectin from the variety showing a high cooking viscosity, Nupana, are larger than those from the low cooking viscosity variety, Titan. Although no substantial differences were observed in the yields and chain length in the debranched amylopectins, there is evidence that the Titan amylopectin branches contain a block to β-amylase action. This would account for the low beta-limit on the Titan amylopectin. The breaking of H-bonding on heating should allow the starch fractions more freedom to expand and accounts for the fact that the starch having the largest fractions exhibits the greatest viscosity. The molecular size of amylose as estimated by the use of the polarograph suggests that the use of limiting viscosity for this purpose should be used with caution.
Third-Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Beyond

Imatinib is considered standard frontline therapy for the management of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). However, it is estimated that approximately one third of patients will fail imatinib therapy. The recommended therapeutic approach for those patients is the use of a second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) such as nilotinib or dasatinib. With these agents, approximately 50% of patients achieve a complete cytogenetic response (0% Philadelphia chromosome–positive [Ph + ] bone marrow metaphases), the duration of which has not yet been established. For the remainder, the options are limited to allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) or enrollment on a clinical trial with an investigational agent. Third-generation TKIs and non-adenosine triphosphate (non-ATP) mimetic compounds with activity against ABL1 mutations associated with failure to approved TKIs are under development for patients who either have failed sequential therapy with at least two TKIs or carry the highly resistant T315I mutation. Some of these agents have already shown promising clinical activity.
Logic of discovery or psychology of invention

It is noted that Popper separates the creation of concepts, conjectures, hypotheses and theories—the context of invention—from the testing thereof—the context of justification—arguing that only the latter is susceptible of rigorous logical analysis. Efforts on the part of others to shift or eradicate the demarcation established by this distinction are discussed and the relationship of these considerations to the claims of “strong artificial intelligence” is pointed out. It is argued that the mode of education of scientists, as well as reports of celebrated scientists, support Popper's judgement in this matter. An historical episode from Faraday's later career is used to illustrate the historiographical strength of Lakatos' “methodology of research programs.”
DFT assisted built-in soft error resilience

In this talk, we describe a new paradigm to design in soft error resilience by reusing already existent on-chip DFT resources. For example, scan systems that are required for manufacturing test and debug involve significant circuitry that are used only during post-silicon debug and production testing. These resources are then left unused throughout the entire lifetime of the product as they are not required for normal system operation. These structures continue to occupy additional silicon area and draw additional leakage power. We demonstrate how to reuse these scan resources to enable a built-in soft error resilience (BISER) design paradigm. These circuits result in more than 20 times reduction in soft error rate while incurring a system-level power overhead of 3-5%. Additional power-saving techniques are possible. The BISER techniques produce the best results in terms of power, performance and area overheads (when all 3 attributes are considered) compared to traditional major redundancy techniques. These techniques are also suitable for adaptive applications targeting a wide range of applications (e.g., networking ASICs, microprocessors) with various power, performance and soft error rate trade-offs.
Ineffectiveness of ethylene biosynthetic and action inhibitors in phenotypically reverting theEpinastic mutant of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum mill.)

Five-day-old, dark-grown seedlings of theEpinastic (Epi) tomato mutant (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) and its parent, cultivar VFN8, were used as a system for assessing the role of ethylene in theEpi phenotype. The distinguishing features ofEpi seedlings are an increase in hypocotyl diameter and reduced hypocotyl length. Treatment of VFN8 seedlings with 0.5 μl/liter ethylene closely mimicked theEpi phenotype. The rate of ethylene production by 5-day-old, dark-grownEpi seedlings was double that of VFN8 seedlings. Nevertheless, treatment ofEpi seedlings with inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis (aminoethoxyvinylglycine or Co2+) or ethylene action (silver thiosulfate or norbornadiene) failed to normalize theEpi phenotype.Epi seedlings grown in sealed jars containing ethylene and CO2 adsorbants also expressed the characteristicEpi phenotype. The results indicate that the physiological lesion resulting from theEpi gene mutation is not simply an overproduction of ethylene.
Quantum theory of chemisorption

Abstract From many individual studies using the atom superposition and electron delocalization molecular orbital theory, some general concepts have begun to emerge for understanding chemisorption phenomena. Key absorbate properties are σ and π electron donor-acceptor capabilities, and key surface properties are surface atom spacing, d electron count for transition metals and their compounds, and donor-acceptor capabilities. This review relates these properties to the chemisorption and reaction of small molecules on metal, oxide and electrode surfaces.
Continuity of the straight line path for convex sets

IfA andB are closed nonempty sets in a locally convex space, the straight line path fromA toB is defined by the formulaφ(α)=cl (αA+(1−α)B), 0≦α≦1. IfA andB are convex, then continuity of the path with respect to the Hausdorff uniform topology is necessary for both connectedness and path connectedness ofA toB within the convex sets so topologized. We also produce internal necessary and sufficient conditions for continuity of the path between pairs of convex sets.
Constructing 3D-Printable CAD Models of Prostates from MR Images

This paper describes the development of a procedure to generate patient-specific, three-dimensional (3D) solid models of prostates (and related anatomy) from magnetic resonance (MR) images. The 3D models are rendered in STL file format which can be physically printed or visualized on a holographic display system. An example is presented in which a 3D model is printed following this procedure.
Gastric Blood Flow in Restraint Stress

Alterations in gastric mucosal hemodynamics during the development of restraint-induced gastric erosions in the rat were studied using the indicator fractionation technic with86Rb. Cardiac output, gastric flow fractions and gastric blood flow were determined in rats subjected to zero (control), 1/2, 4 and 24 hours of restraint. No correlation was found between gastric mucosal blood flow changes and the natural development of restraint erosions. The possible role of local microcirculatory adjustments, independent of total mucosal flow, in the genesis of restraint lesions is discussed.
Measurement of blood flow and oxygen tension in adjacent tissues in pedicled and free flap head and neck reconstruction.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate blood flow and transcutaneous partial oxygen pressure (TcPO(2)) in adjacent tissues to free and pedicled flaps following reconstructive procedures used in conjunction with radical surgery for head and neck cancers. Fifty patients were included. Fourteen patients had reconstruction with pedicled flaps and 36 with free flaps. For each patient, TcPO(2) and laser Doppler flow measurements were taken at the center of the flap, in adjacent tissue, and in a corresponding contralateral site. Three laser Doppler measurements were performed at each site and a mean value recorded. All patients had undergone reconstruction up to 6 months prior to the time of the measurements. The collected data were analyzed using a Wilcoxon signed rank test. There were no statistically significant differences in partial oxygen tension or laser Doppler values between tissues adjacent to free compared to pedicled flaps. Although there is strong evidence to support that free flaps have improved blood flow and partial oxygen tension over pedicled flaps, further study is required to evaluate adjacent tissues. Flap choice may assist with alteration in blood flow in less favorable defects such as those in previously irradiated fields and those resulting from burn scars or chronic infections.
Abnormal sensitization and temporal summation of second pain (wind-up) in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome

Although individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) consistently report wide-spread pain, clear evidence of structural abnormalities or other sources of chronic stimulation of pain afferents in the involved body areas is lacking. Without convincing evidence for peripheral tissue abnormalities in FMS patients, it seems likely that a central pathophysiological process is at least partly responsible for FMS, as is the case for many chronic pain conditions. Therefore, the present study sought to obtain psychophysical evidence for the possibility that input to central nociceptive pathways is abnormally processed in individuals with long standing FMS. In particular, temporal summation of pain (wind-up) was assessed, using series of repetitive thermal stimulation of the glabrous skin of the hands. Although wind-up was evoked both in control and FMS subjects, clear differences were observed. The perceived magnitude of the sensory response to the first stimulus within a series was greater for FMS subjects compared to controls, as was the amount of temporal summation within a series. Within series of stimuli, FMS subjects reported increases in sensory magnitude to painful levels for interstimulus intervals of 2-5 s, but pain was evoked infrequently at intervals greater than 2 s for control subjects. Following the last stimulus in a series, after-sensations were greater in magnitude, lasted longer and were more frequently painful in FMS subjects. These results have multiple implications for the general characterization of pain in FMS and for an understanding of the underlying pathophysiological basis.
Patient perceptions of stereotaxic large-core breast biopsy.

Rationale and Objectives. The authors evaluated the perceptions of patients who underwent stereotaxic core breast biopsy before and after the procedure. Methods. By using a standard questionnaire, 58 patients undergoing stereotaxic core breast biopsy with a 14-gauge needle were interviewed immediately before, immediately after, and 24 hours and 5 days after the procedure. Results. Discomfort recorded by patients 24 hours after core biopsy correlated with the amount of time needed before normal activities were resumed (P = .001). Only five patients (9%) indicated severe discomfort during the procedure. Patient age, number of core biopsy samples taken, and lesion depth did not correlate with level of discomfort. Fifty-five patients (95%) resumed normal activities within 24 hours. However, 41 patients (71%) had some breast bruising as many as 5 days after the procedure. Overall, patient satisfaction with care was high; 56 patients (97%) stated they would return for another biopsy in the future. Conclusion. The morbidity associated with stereotaxic core breast biopsy is low, although the majority of patients in this series experienced bruising lasting as long as 5 days after the procedure. Despite this, almost all patients would return for a core breast biopsy in the future, if indicated.
Religious Authority and Social Status in Seventeenth-Century England: The Friendship of Margaret Fell, George Fox, and William Penn

The names of George Fox, William Penn, and Margaret Fell occupy a premier place among the leaders of seventeenth-century English Quakerism. George Fox, Quaker tradition has claimed, was the prophetic and preeminent first-generation leader from 1652 until his death in 1691. William Penn's chief claim to historical fame was his founding of the Quaker colony of Pennsylvania, as well as his prolific writings in defense of Quakerism and religious toleration in England. Margaret Fell, who married Fox in 1669, has been epitomized most frequently as the “Mother of Quakerism,” a hagiographic title that leaves her role imprecisely defined. Margaret Fell's position was a powerful one in the organization of nascent Quakerism. She came under Fox's influence while Judge Fell, her first husband, was still living. At first a novitiate under Fox's spiritual guidance, she soon became an apt apologist and grass-roots organizer who equaled and in most cases exceeded other leaders in edifying, guiding, and sustaining the Quaker cause. Although Fell, Fox, and Penn were long-term friends despite a wide age difference, Fell's real-life role in this triumvirate of early Quaker leadership largely has been lost in the obscurity and myth of Quaker beginnings.
Exchange rate exposure and industry characteristics: evidence from Canada, Japan, and the USA

Abstract This paper examines industry-level exchange rate exposures for Canada, Japan, and the USA. Measuring exposure by adding the change in the exchange rate to the domestic market model of industry portfolio returns, some industries in all three countries display significant exposures. Moreover, for each country, the exchange rate is important for explaining industry returns at the economy-wide level. To explore whether exchange rate exposures are systematically linked to the activities of the industries, we model exposure as a function of industry characteristics. For all three countries, the relation between exposure and industry characteristics is broadly consistent with economic theory. (JEL F3)
Social-Cognitive Mediators of the Relation of Environmental and Emotion Regulation Factors to Children's Aggression.

Tested a theoretical model in which social cognitions about aggression partially mediated the relation of environmental and emotion regulation factors to children's aggressive behavior. An ethnically diverse sample of 778 children (57% girls) in grades 4-6 from both urban and suburban schools participated. Measures included exposure to aggression (seeing/hearing about aggression, victimization), emotion regulation (impulsivity, anger control), social cognitions about aggression (self-evaluation, self-efficacy, retaliation approval, aggressive fantasizing, caring about consequences), and aggressive behavior. Results supported the hypothesis that social cognitions mediate the relations of exposure to aggression and anger control to aggressive behavior. Also, social cognitions about direct and indirect aggression differentially predicted the respective behaviors with which they are associated. That is, social cognitions about direct aggression were mediators of direct aggressive behavior, whereas social cognitions about indirect aggression were mediators of indirect aggressive behavior. Finally, gender moderated the relations among the variables such that for girls, retaliation approval beliefs were a strong mediator, whereas for boys, self-evaluation was more important.
Longitudinal spin-order-based pulse sequence for lactate editing.

A new pulse sequence which edits proton spectra of lactate with full signal return and gives good suppression of water and fat signals is described. This sequence exploits longitudinal spin-order from lactate to edit lactate from fat. Experimental results from phantoms and excised pig heart are presented. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
High speed corner and gap-seal computations using an LU-SGS scheme

The hybrid Lower-Upper Symmetric Gauss-Seidel (LU-SGS) algorithm was added to a widely used series of 2D/3D Euler/Navier-Stokes solvers and was demonstrated for a particular class of high-speed flows. A limited study was conducted to compare the hybrid LU-SGS for approximate Newton iteration and diagonalized Beam-Warming (DBW) schemes on a work and convergence history basis. The hybrid LU-SGS algorithm is more efficient and easier to implement than the DBW scheme originally present in the code for the cases considered. The code was validated for the hypersonic flow through two mutually perpendicular flat plates and then used to investigate the flow field in and around a simplified scramjet module gap seal configuration. Due to the similarities, the gap seal flow was compared to hypersonic corner flow at the same freestream conditions and Reynolds number.
Predicting intercultural adaptation and isolation: using the extended parallel process model to test anxiety/uncertainty management theory

Abstract The study applies Witte's extended parallel process model (EPPM) to Gudykunst and Hammer's anxiety/uncertainty management (AUM) Theory. Results from a secondary analysis of data drawn from a sample of international students provide support for the application of the EPPM to AUM theory. Specifically, the theory predicts and the data indicate that: (1) when uncertainty control processes are dominating, sojourners’ responses are more adaptive than maladaptive, and (2) when anxiety control processes are dominating, sojourners’ responses are more maladaptive than adaptive. Furthermore, a test of the model indicates that favorable contact with, stereotypes held about, and knowledge of the host culture are strong predictors of whether uncertainty control or anxiety control processes will dominate. In the main, the EPPM provides effective means by which to test AUM, and the results indicate the importance of supporting sojourners with education before and assistance during their travels to a foreign culture.
Spectroscopic Evidence for Ag(III) in Highly Oxidized Silver Films by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

In situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was utilized to identify the chemical state of silver in a range of silver oxide thin films obtained by codeposition of silver and atomic oxygen. A highly oxidized silver species was observed at an unexpectedly low Ag 3d5/2 binding energy (BE) of 366.8 eV with an associated broad satellite at 368.2 eV; this species was assigned as Ag(III). It was found to be highly unstable in vacuum but could be regenerated by further exposure to atomic oxygen. Both BE shifts and intensity changes of the O 1s peak were found to correlate with changes in the silver oxidation state. The theoretical XPS spectrum of high spin Ag(III) was calculated for both an isolated cation and an embedded AgO6 cluster.
High-performance spectrophotometer

A spectrophotometer system is being updated with a new computer and control circuitry to measure agricultural products in the UV through NIR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This single beam instrument, along with its computer, will have wavelength repeatability near 0.005 nm. This performance is required for proper system response compensation in a single beam system. Analog electronics are kept to a minimum by early conversion of the signal with a 10-microsecond(s) 16-bit A/D converter. A fast response real-time computer is required to service the A/D, wavelength drive, and optical chopper. The paper reports on the development and selection of computer interfaces, data collection techniques, and performance characteristics of this laboratory spectrophotometer system. The system is regularly used as the development tool in investigating new measurement techniques on agricultural products, and also to evaluate optical filters and other spectrophotometric systems.
A simple nonparametric test for diagnosing nonlinearity in Tobit median regression model

In many applications, the response variable is observed only when it is above or below a given threshold otherwise the threshold itself is observed. Tobit median regression model is a useful semiparametric procedure for analyzing this type of censored data. We propose a simple nonparametric test for assessing the common linearity assumption in this model. Compared to those existing methods in the literature, the new test has the advantage of allowing the alternative to be any smooth function. In addition, it does not require any knowledge of the parametric distribution of the random error. The test is asymptotically normal under the null hypothesis of linearity. A small Monte Carlo study demonstrates its performance.
18O/16O and D/H ratios of pedogenic kaolinite in a North American Cenomanian laterite: Paleoclimatic implications

Abstract Kaolinite, gibbsite and quartz are the dominant minerals in samples collected from two outcrops of a Cenomanian (∼95 Ma) laterite in southwestern Minnesota. A combination of measured yields and isotope ratios permitted mass balance calculations of the δ D and δ 18 O values of the kaolinite in these samples. These calculations yielded kaolinite δ D values of about −73‰ and δ 18 O values of about +18.7‰. The δ D and δ 18 O values appear to preserve information on the ancient weathering system. If formed in hydrogen and oxygen isotope equilibrium with water characterized by the global meteoric water line (GMWL), the kaolinite δ D and δ 18 O values indicate a crystallization temperature of 22 (±5) °C. A nominal paleotemperature of 22 °C implies a δ 18 O value for the corresponding water of −6.3‰. The combination of temperature and meteoric water δ 18 O values is consistent with relatively intense rainfall at that mid-paleolatitude location (∼40°N) on the eastern shore of the North American Western Interior Seaway. The inferred Cenomanian paleosol temperature of ∼22 °C is in general accord with published mid-Cretaceous continental mean annual temperatures (MAT) estimated from leaf margin analyses of fossil plants. When compared with results from a published GCM-based Cenomanian climate simulation which specifies a latitudinal sea surface temperature (SST) gradient that was either near modern or smaller-than-modern, the kaolinite paleotemperature of 22 °C is closer to the GCM-predicted MAT for a smaller equator-to-pole temperature difference in the mid-Cretaceous. Moreover, the warm, kaolinite-derived, mid-paleolatitude temperature of 22 °C is associated with proxy estimates of high concentrations of atmospheric CO 2 in the Cenomanian. The overall similarity of proxy and model results suggests that the general features of Cenomanian continental climate in that North American locale are probably being revealed.
Fundamental Capabilities of Web Coordination Bonds: Modeling Petri Nets and Expressing Workflow and Communication Patterns over Web Services

Developing collaborative applications over the Web has become increasingly important. In order to accomplish this, Web services need to be extended beyond the basic service architecture (invoke and respond) to self-coordinating Web processes collaborating among themselves (transient to long lasting). A core set of artifacts is needed to allow these Web processes to hook together in a desired structure to enforce automatic information flow, group constraints, and data/control dependencies. We have proposed Web Coordination Bonds as such a set of artifacts with the required theoretical underpinning for effective collaboration among Web services. Here, we establish that Web bonds are at least as powerful as the extended Petri nets (modeling power). We demonstrate their expressiveness by modeling a comprehensive set of benchmark workflow scenarios and distributed communication patterns. Such fundamental treatments are unique, and are essential for further progress in the technology for distributed software over Internet.
Harmonic modeling and simulation considerations for interharmonic limits in the revised IEEE Standard 519-1992

One of the major differences in the revised IEEE Std 519 and the 1992 version will be the inclusion of interharmonic limits. These limits are likely be based on voltage fluctuation considerations below the second harmonic and are consistent with even-order harmonics for frequencies above the second harmonic. Much is known about equipment modeling for frequencies above the power frequency, but significant work is needed to address modeling and simulation issues near or below the power frequency. Because voltage fluctuations can become problematic at very' low levels, it is necessary to obtain greater accuracy in results than is often the case in harmonic studies. There is, therefore, a clear need for improvement in models and simulation techniques for lower frequencies.
Developmental regulation of Foxp3 expression during ontogeny

Thymectomy of neonatal mice can result in the development of autoimmune pathology. It has been proposed that thymic output of regulatory T (T reg) cells is delayed during ontogeny and that the development of autoimmune disease in neonatally thymectomized mice is caused by the escape of self-reactive T cells before thymectomy without accompanying T reg cells. However, the kinetics of T reg cell production within the thymus during ontogeny has not been assessed. We demonstrate that the development of Foxp3-expressing T reg cells is substantially delayed relative to nonregulatory thymocytes during ontogeny. Based on our data, we speculate that induction of Foxp3 in developing thymocytes and, thus, commitment to the T reg cell lineage is facilitated by a signal largely associated with the thymic medulla.
Lateralization of the central circadian pacemaker output: a test of neural control of peripheral oscillator phase

To evaluate the contribution of neural pathways to the determination of the circadian oscillator phase in peripheral organs, we assessed lateralization of clock gene expression in Syrian hamsters i...
Diffusivity and Sorptivity of Berea Sandstone Determined using Neutron Radiography

Neutron radiography is increasingly being used to study the dynamics of water movement in variably saturated porous media. It has been applied to visualize water imbibition in both natural and engineered materials, including soil, rock, brick, concrete, and glass. The sorptivity, S , and unsaturated diffusivity, D (θ), are important parameters for describing water movement under partially saturated conditions. Estimates of S and D (θ) have been obtained using a variety of techniques, including neutron imaging. However, we could find no previous reports of such measurements for the Berea sandstone, regardless of the method employed. Berea sandstone is a widespread, medium- to fine-grained terrestrial sandstone of Mississippian age that is used extensively as a standard porous medium in the geology and petroleum engineering fields. We used the CG-1D neutron imaging facility at the High Flux Isotope Reactor of Oak Ridge National Laboratory to estimate S and D (θ) from radiographs acquired every 26 s. A 25 μm thick LiF/ZnS scintillator was employed in conjunction with a DW936 IkonL ANDOR charge coupled device (CCD) camera system, giving a spatial imaging resolution of ∼75 μm. Four replicate cores were investigated. The positions of the observed wetting fronts were linearly regressed against the square root of time. Sorptivity values calculated from the slopes of these relations ranged from 0.89 to 1.46 mm s −1/2 . Further analysis yielded D (θ) functions. These functions were very reproducible and showed good agreement with independent D (θ) values calculated from relative permeability and capillary pressure-saturation data for Berea sandstone. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first published estimates of S and D (θ) for Berea sandstone. Our results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of neutron imaging in providing high quality, quantitative data for the computation of unsaturated flow parameters.
Virtualization and Digital Forensics: A Research and Education Agenda

The application of virtualization software and techniques in information technology research and education has provided a foundational environment to advance the state-of-the-art in research and education in many related areas. Commercial and open source virtualization products are being used by researchers and educators to create a wide variety of virtual environments. These virtual environments facilitate systems design and development and product development as well as the testing and modeling of production and preproduction systems. As the capabilities, functionality, and stability of these products have evolved, the use of virtualization has expanded, necessitating the identification of new research areas to investigate the impacts of virtualization on digital forensics. In February 2007, a group of digital forensics researchers, educators, and practitioners gathered at the National Center for Forensic Science at the University of Central Florida for the 2007 Workshop on Virtualization in Digital Forensics to discuss these issues and develop a research and education agenda for virtualization and digital forensics. This article outlines some of the ideas generated and new research categories and areas identified at this meeting.
Karl-Otto Apel's Critique of Heidegger*

L'A. etudie la reconstruction par K.-O. Apel de l'hermeneutique de Heidegger developpee dans «Etre et temps», d'une part, et critique le projet de Apel qui manque la transcendance de la revendication de validite par rapport a toute communaute et toute interpretation, d'autre part.
Novel Saccharomyces cerevisiae Screen Identifies WR99210 Analogues That Inhibit Mycobacterium tuberculosis Dihydrofolate Reductase

The ongoing selection of multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis has markedly reduced the effectiveness of the standard treatment regimens. Thus, there is an urgent need for new drugs that are potent inhibitors of M. tuberculosis, that exhibit favorable resistance profiles, and that are well tolerated by patients. One promising drug target for treatment of mycobacterial infections is dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR; EC 1.5.1.3), a key enzyme in folate utilization. DHFR is an important drug target in many pathogens, but it has not been exploited in the search for drugs effective against M. tuberculosis. The triazine DHFR inhibitor WR99210 has been shown to be effective against other mycobacteria. We show here that WR99210 is also a potent inhibitor of M. tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG growth in vitro and that resistance to WR99210 occurred less frequently than resistance to either rifampin or isoniazid. Screening of drugs with M. tuberculosis cultures is slow and requires biosafety level 3 facilities and procedures. We have developed an alternative strategy: initial screening in an engineered strain of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that is dependent on the M. tuberculosis DHFR for its growth. Using this system, we have screened 19 compounds related to WR99210 and found that 7 of these related compounds are also potent inhibitors of the M. tuberculosis DHFR. These studies suggest that compounds of this class are excellent potential leads for further development of drugs effective against M. tuberculosis.
Doxorubicin induced expression of P-glycoprotein in a canine osteosarcoma cell line

Canine and human osteosarcoma are very similar with respect to clinical presentation, radiological and histopathological features, metastatic rate and pattern and response to therapy. For these reasons, canine osteosarcoma is a useful intermediate model for the disease in humans. Overexpression of P-glycoprotein, the product of the MDR1 gene, is the most important predictor of an adverse clinical course in human patients with osteosarcoma. Exposure of canine osteosarcoma cells to doxorubicin resulted in overexpression of MDR1 mRNA and P-glycoprotein. Furthermore, these cells failed to accumulate doxorubicin intracellularly and were less sensitive to vincristine-induced cytotoxicity as compared to parental cells.
The efficiency and fairness of a fixed budget resource allocation game

We study the resource allocation game in which price anticipating players compete for multiple divisible resources. In the scheme, each player submits a bid to a resource and receives a share of the resource according to the proportion of his bid to the total bids. Unlike the previous study (e.g.[5]), we consider the case when the players have budget constraints, i.e. each player’s total bids is fixed. We show that there always exists a Nash equilibrium when the players’ utility functions are strongly competitive. We study the efficiency and fairness at the Nash equilibrium. We show the tight efficiency bound of $\theta(1/\sqrt{m})$ for the m player balanced game. For the special cases when there is only one resource or when there are two players with linear utility functions, the efficiency is 3/4. We extend the classical notion of envy-freeness to measure fairness. We show that despite a possibly large utility gap, any Nash equilibrium is 0.828-approximately envy-free in this game.
Exchange Rates Impacts on Agricultural Inputs Prices using VAR

The effects of the U.S. dollar exchange rate versus the Mexican peso are evaluated for four traded nonfarm-produced inputs (fertilizer, chemicals, farm machinery, and feed) in the U.S. Unit root tests suggest that the exchange rate and the four input price ratios support the presence of unit roots with a trend model butthe presence unit roots can be rejected in the first difference model. This result is consistent with a fixed price/flex price conceptual framework, with industrial prices more likely to be unresponsive to the exchange rate than farm commodity prices.
VIGILANCE, PREDATION RISK, AND THE ALLEE EFFECT IN DESERT BIGHORN SHEEP

Abstract Knowledge of how predation risk affects population survivorship is important for understanding predator–prey relationships and designing effective conservation strategies. The Allee effect (inverse density dependence) can be generated when antipredator strategies become inefficient in small groups of prey, thus making the population more susceptible to catastrophic population collapse and extinction. Many populations of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) are declining, and predation is, in many cases, a major mortality factor. We studied desert bighorns at the Red Rock Wildlife Area, New Mexico, USA, to assess predation risk in different group types (ram, ewe, mixed) and age–sex classes. Multiple regression analysis revealed that predation risk (as estimated by individual vigilance) increased with smaller group size and greater inter-individual distance for all bighorns, with groups of <5 individuals subject to the greatest risk. Although rugged terrain is thought to provide refuge from preda...
The role of OH production in interpreting the variability of CH2O columns in the southeast U.S.

Formaldehyde (CH2O), a key atmospheric oxidation intermediate that is detectable from satellite-based UV/visible spectrometers, is primarily formed when hydroxyl radical (OH) reacts with volatile organic compounds (VOC) and is removed by photolysis, reaction with OH or deposition. We investigate the influence of OH and VOC variability on the CH2O column using a steady state model and the WRF-Chem regional chemical transport model over the southeast United States for the summer of 2012 (June–August). The steady state model indicates that the CH2O column primarily depends on OH production rates (POH) at low concentrations of OH ( 7 × 106 molecules cm−3). When constrained with WRF-Chem values of boundary layer average POH and VOCR, the steady state model of CH2O explains most of the daily (r2 = 0.93) and average June–August (r2 = 0.97) spatial variance of the fully simulated cloud-free CH2O column. These findings imply that measurements of the CH2O column offer the potential to better understand the processes affecting oxidation, particularly in remote regions, where OH concentrations are low. The findings also suggest that the inference of VOC emissions based on measurements of CH2O, or any other intermediate oxidation species with a photolytic lifetime that is short relative to removal by reaction with OH (e.g., glyoxal), should carefully account for the influence of OH on the observed pattern, especially where OH concentrations are below 5 × 106 molecules cm−3, as occurs in remote forests, where OH strongly varies, as occurs downwind of large nitrogen oxide (NOx: NO+NO2) emission sources, or where OH sources are potentially biased.
Cellasene or Endermologie, the Administrative Battle Against Cellulite: Does FDA Approval Impress Consumers?

According to the maker of the new dietary supplement, Cellasene, the demise of cellulite has crossed international borders, finally reaching American women. Cellasene, lauded as the innovative anti-cellulite agent, is categorized as a dietary supplement and is, therefore, not required to undergo the rigors of pre-market approval by the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") under the Dietary Supplement Act of 1994. Of prime concern is whether the FDA, hindered in part by the passage of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act ("DSHEA"), is able to adequately afford protection to the American public. As stated above, Cellasene is classified as a dietary supplement, governed by the DSHEA. The previous discussion centered on a specific dietary supplement, not FDA approved, but acclaimed by many for the disappearance of cellulite. The commission recognizes that product labels and other forms of advertisements can greatly influence consumer interpretations of claims made by a dietary supplement; therefore, it is proactive with attempts to protect the public against misleading claims.
Toward Sensor-Based Random Number Generation for Mobile and IoT Devices

The importance of random number generators (RNGs) to various computing applications is well understood. To ensure a quality level of output, high-entropy sources should be utilized as input. However, the algorithms used have not yet fully evolved to utilize newer technology. Even the Android pseudo RNG (APRNG) merely builds atop the Linux RNG to produce random numbers. This paper presents an exploratory study into methods of generating random numbers on sensor-equipped mobile and Internet of Things devices. We first perform a data collection study across 37 Android devices to determine two things—how much random data is consumed by modern devices, and which sensors are capable of producing sufficiently random data. We use the results of our analysis to create an experimental framework called SensoRNG, which serves as a prototype to test the efficacy of a sensor-based RNG. SensoRNG employs collection of data from on-board sensors and combines them via a lightweight mixing algorithm to produce random numbers. We evaluate SensoRNG with the National Institute of Standards and Technology statistical testing suite and demonstrate that a sensor-based RNG can provide high quality random numbers with only little additional overhead.
Relation Between Solvent Quality and Phase Behavior of Ternary Mixtures of Polymers and Two Solvents that Exhibit Cononsolvency.

The phase boundaries of polymer solutions in mixed solvents can be extremely complex due to the many competing van der Waals and associative interactions that can arise in these ubiquitous and technologically important complex fluids. The present paper focuses specific attention on ternary solutions of polymers (B) dissolved in a mixture of two solvents (A, C) that competitively associate with the polymer. We are particularly concerned with explaining the origin of the peculiar phenomenon of cononsolvency in mixed solvents, where a mixture of two individually good solvents behaves effectively as a poor solvent. Our computations are based on a recently developed generalization of Flory–Huggins theory that incorporates the competitive solvation of a polymer by two associating solvents. On the basis of this framework, we evaluate the limit of polymer phase stability (spinodal curves) and the second osmotic virial coefficient B2 as a function of temperature and the composition of the pure solvent mixture that...
The Impact of Lightning Data Assimilation on Deterministic and Ensemble Forecasts of Convective Events

AbstractA general lightning data assimilation technique is developed and tested with observations from the World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN). The technique nudges the water vapor mixing ratio toward saturation within 10 km of a lightning observation and is more general than other approaches that require specific model microphysics or flash rates. This approach is applied to both deterministic and ensemble forecasts of the 29 June 2012 derecho event over the eastern United States and a deterministic forecast of the 17 November 2013 convective event over the Midwest using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model run at a convection-permitting resolution. Lightning data are assimilated over the first three hours of the forecasts, and the subsequent impact on forecast quality is evaluated. For both events, the deterministic simulations with lightning-based nudging produce more realistic predicted composite reflectivity fields. For the forecasts of the 29 June 2012 event using ensemble data...
Detection of Enterotoxigenic Clostridium perfringens in Raw Beef by Polymerase Chain Reaction.

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was developed for direct detection of Clostridium perfringens strains with potential for food poisoning in raw beef samples. An oligonucleotide primer pair was used to amplify a 364 base pair sequence internal to the C. perfringens enterotoxin gene. One milliliter portions of the meat homogenates were inoculated into cooked meat medium (CMM) or reduced Fluid Thioglycollate (FTG) medium and incubated at 37°C. Portions sampled at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h of enrichment were assayed for detection of the enterotoxin sequence by PCR. Amplification of the 364 bp sequence could be detected in 6 h by agarose gel electrophoresis and as early as 2 h by hybridization to a 150 bp digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled probe. To increase the sensitivity of the detection assay a commercial chromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extraction assay was compared with a nested PCR approach. Both methods allowed detection of less than 1 log10 colony forming units (CFU)/g of C. perfringens strains harboring the enterotoxin gene, with no interference with the background microflora present in the raw ground beef.
Functional Responsibilities of Municipal Governments

This article examines the assignment of functional responsibilities to municipalities, contributing conceptualization and measurement for the analysis of breadth of those responsibilities across th...
Stimulated Raman Spectroscopic Imaging by Microsecond Delay-Line Tuning

We report microsecond-scale acquisition of simulated Raman spectra by resonant delay-line tuning. Our scheme improved the spectral acquisition speed by 100 times compared to previous works by motorized translational-stage tuning. 4-D images ( $\mathrm{x}-\mathrm{y}-\mathrm{z}-\lambda$ ) from highly dynamic organelles in live C. elegans was demonstrated.