cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Truncated Hemoglobins: A New Family of Hemoglobins Widely Distributed in Bacteria, Unicellular Eukaryotes, and Plants

(1) constitute a family ofsmall oxygen-binding heme proteins distributed in eubacteria,cyanobacteria, protozoa, and plants (Table I, SupplementalMaterial) forming a distinct group within the hemoglobin (Hb)superfamily (2). They are nearly ubiquitous in the plant king-dom, occur in many aggressively pathogenic bacteria, and areheld to be of very ancient origin. None have been detected inthe genomes of archaea or metazoa. Characteristically, trHbsoccur at nano- to micromolar intracellular concentration, hint-ing at a possible role as catalytic proteins.Many trHbs display amino acid sequences 20–40 residuesshorter than non-vertebrate hemoglobins to which they arescarcely related by sequence similarity. Crystal structures (1,3) show that trHb tertiary structure is based on a 2-on-2 -hel-ical sandwich, which represents an unprecedented editing ofthe highly conserved globin fold. Moreover, an almost continu-ous hydrophobic tunnel, traversing the protein matrix from themolecular surface to the heme distal site, may provide a pathfor ligand diffusion to the heme.
Evaluation of extraction and purification methods for obtaining PCR-amplifiable DNA from compost for microbial community analysis

Analysis of microbial community structure in complex environmental samples using nucleic acid techniques requires efficient unbiased DNA extraction procedures; however, humic acids and other contaminants complicate the isolation of PCR-amplifiable DNA from compost and other organic-rich samples. In this study, combinations of DNA extraction and purification methods were compared based on DNA yield, humic acid contamination, PCR amplifiability, and microbial community structure assessed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (TRFLP) of amplified 16S rRNA genes. DNA yield and humic acid contamination, determined by A230, varied significantly between extraction methods. Humic acid contamination of DNA obtained from compost decreased with increasing salt concentration in the lysis buffer. DNA purified by gel permeation chromatography (Sepharose 4B columns) gave satisfactory PCR amplification with universal eubacterial 16S rRNA gene primers only when A260/A280 ratios exceeded 1.5. DNA purified with affinity chromatography (hydroxyapatite columns), and showing A260/A280 ratios as high as 1.8, did not show consistently satisfactory PCR amplification using the same 16S rRNA primers. Almost all DNA samples purified by agarose gel electrophoresis showed satisfactory PCR amplification. Principal components analysis (PCA) of TRFLP patterns differentiated compost types based on the presence/absence of peaks and on the height of the peaks, but differences in TRFLP patterns were not appreciable between extraction methods that yielded relatively pure DNA. High levels of humic acid contamination in extracted DNA resulted in TRFLP patterns that were not consistent and introduced a bias towards lower estimates of diversity.
Comparison of Methodologies for Probabilistic Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting

Abstract Twenty-four-hour probabilistic quantitative precipitation forecasts (PQPFs) for accumulations exceeding thresholds of 0.01, 0.05, and 0.10 in. are produced for 154 meteorological stations over the eastern and central regions of the United States. Comparisons of skill are made among forecasts generated using five different linear and nonlinear statistical methodologies, namely, linear regression, discriminant analysis, logistic regression, neural networks, and a classifier system. The predictors for the different statistical models were selected from a large pool of analyzed and predicted variables generated by the Nested Grid Model (NGM) during the four cool seasons (December–March) from 1992/93 to 1995/96. Because linear regression is the current method used by the National Weather Service, it is chosen as the benchmark by which the other methodologies are compared. The results indicate that logistic regression performs best among all methodologies. Most notable is that it performs significantly...
Coordinate developmental expression of genes regulating sterol economy and cholesterol side-chain cleavage in the porcine ovary.

INTRODUCTION To investigate the coordinate developmental expression of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), and cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage (P450,sc) enzyme messages throughout the pig estrous cycle, RNase protection analysis was performed using homologous (partially cloned) porcine sequences. Total RNA was isolated from ovarian tissues from unstimulated prepubertal gilts and gilts stimulated with eCG (Day -3) and hCG (Day 0) to induce follicular growth and ovulation. Specific transcripts (relative to 18S rRNA) were quantified in immature ovaries, preovulatory follicles (- 5 mm), corpora lutea (CL), and corpora albicantia. As an index of steroidogenesis, tissue progesterone content (per microgram protein) was low in the unstimulated ovary and preovulatory follicles, and it began to increase 4 days post-hCG, peaked at 12 days, and returned to preovulatory concentrations by 20 days post-hCG. HMG-CoA reductase mRNA was expressed at low levels and did not change significantly throughout the estrous cycle. The amount of LDL receptor mRNA increased approximately 6-fold after eCG stimulation and was expressed at similar concentrations in both preovulatory follicles and functional CL. Expression of SCP2 mRNA did not differ among the four tissue types but tended to be highest in midcycle (Day 12) CL compared other stages of CL (p = 0.007). StAR mRNA expression was minimal in unstimulated ovaries, was higher in preovulatory follicles (p = 0.014), and then rose again in CL (p = 0.009 compared with unstimulated ovary). P450sc mRNA concentrations were low in unstimulated ovaries, increased in preovulatory follicles (p = 0.044), and increased further in CL (p = 0.001 compared with preovulatory follicles). P450sc, and StAR mRNA levels correlated with progesterone levels (r = +0.37, p = 0.025, and r = +0.71, p < 0.001, respectively). The expression of LDL receptor, StAR, and P450sc, messages showed a dramatic decline by Day 20 post-hCG (p = 0.002, p = 0.003, p = 0.006, respectively, compared with CL) corresponding with functional regression of the CL. In summary, P450,. and StAR message expression are coordinately amplified during the pig follicular and luteal phase, whereas LDL receptor message after an initial increase is expressed at constitutively high levels, thus indicating a differential regulation of ovarian sterol-metabolizing genes during the steroidogenic life of the follicle and CL.
Photoperiodism and reproduction in golden hamsters: circadian organization and the termination of photorefractoriness.

The photorefractory period of the adult golden hamster is characterized by failure of the reproductive system to respond to short-day treatment with gonadal regression. The reproductive system of photorefractory hamsters remains functional irrespective of ambient photoperiod. Prolonged treatment with long days terminates photorefractoriness in hamsters, restoring the ability of the animals’ hypothalamo-hypophysio-gonadal axis to respond to short daylengths. The basis of the photorefractory hamster’s ability to discriminate long from short days in terminating the refractory period is a circadian oscillation of photosensitivity. Photorefractory hamsters were treated for 22 weeks with LD 14:10 (14 h of light daily), LD 6:18, LD 6:30, LD 6:42, or LD 6:54. They were then treated for 10 weeks with LD 6:18. Exposure for 22 weeks to LD 14:10, LD 6:30 or LD 6:54 terminated photorefractoriness; when challenged with 10 weeks of short day treatment these animals underwent testicular regression. Exposure for 22 weeks to LD 6:18 or LD 6:42 did not terminate photorefractoriness; further short day treatment of these animals had no effect on their fully mature reproductive systems. Thus, whether a photoperiod is interpreted as a long day or a short day in these hamsters depends on the
String deduplication for Java-based middleware in virtualized environments

To increase the memory efficiency in physical servers is a significant concern for increasing the number of virtual machines (VM) in them. When similar web application service runs in each guest VM, many string data with the same values are created in every guest VMs. These duplications of string data are redundant from the viewpoint of memory efficiency in the host OS. This paper proposes two approaches to reduce the duplication in Java string in a single Java VM (JVM) and across JVMs. The first approach is to share string objects cross JVMs by using a read-only memory-mapped file. The other approach is to selectively unify string objects created at runtime in the web applications. This paper evaluates our approach by using the Apache DayTrader and the DaCapo benchmark suite. Our prototype implementation chieved 7% to 12% reduction in the total size of the objects allocated over the lifetime of the programs. In addition, we observed the performance of DayTrader was maintained even under a situation of high density guest VMs in a KVM host machine.
All linear methods are equal—and extendible to (some) nonlinearities

Several linear methods of residual generation for fault detection and diagnosis are reviewed. The parity relation approach is introduced in some detail, for both additive and parametric faults. The Chow–Willsky scheme, various diagnostic observers and principal component analysis are compared to the additive version. The ‘local approach’ and the least-squares estimation of parameter changes are shown to be related to the parametric variant. Nonlinear extensions are demonstrated for all the techniques under additive faults. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluating the Intervention of an Ethics’ Class in Students’ Ethical Decision-Making: A Summative Review

This summative evaluation is the result of two years’ of data reflecting the impact of an ethics class in terms of students’ ethical decision-making. The research compares aggregate responses from scenario-based pre- and post-survey open-ended survey questions designed to measure changes in ethical decision-making by comparing students’ cognitive and affective perceptions about ethical workplace behavior. Grounded in constructivist theory, which explains how individuals “know” and “come to know something (Reeves, 2003), this intervention of an ethics class encourages students to make better and more informed ethical decisions in the workplace based on their understanding of their value and belief system. The findings suggest the intervention of an ethics class informed students’ cognitive and affective perceptions based on individual value and belief systems, strengthened student’s ability to remain open-minded and reconsider previous beliefs and actions from a 360 degree perspective, and increased student’s ability to apply new information to ethical dilemmas in the workplace.
The initiation of normal walking

Lower extremity electromyograms (EMGs), ground reaction forces, and body motion were measured during the brisk initiation of forward walking performed by 12 healthy adults, aged 20 to 82 years. Gait was initiated 20 times in response to a visual cue. During gait initiation, the body rotated about the ankles like a flexible inverted pendulum. The muscles of the lower extremities were activated stereotypically so as to create moments of force about the ankles that propelled the body toward the stance foot and into forward motion. All volunteers exhibited similar patterns of gait initiation, which were so reproducible that computer averaging of multiple steps by each person was possible. Gait initiation is a stereotyped sequence of postural shifts that culminates in a forward step. Disturbances of gait initiation could result from abnormalities in postural control, movement, or their integration.
Management Impacts on Forest Floor and Soil Organic Carbon in Northern Temperate Forests of the US

The role of forests in the global carbon cycle has been the subject of a great deal of research recently, but the impact of management practices on forest soil dynamics at the stand level has received less attention. This study used six forest management experimental sites in five northern states of the US to investigate the effects of silvicultural treatments (light thinning, heavy thinning, and clearcutting) on forest floor and soil carbon pools. No overall trend was found between forest floor carbon stocks in stands subjected to partial or complete harvest treatments. A few sites had larger stocks in control plots, although estimates were often highly variable. Forest floor carbon pools did show a trend of increasing values from southern to northern sites. Surface soil (0-5 cm) organic carbon content and concentration were similar between treated and untreated plots. Overall soil carbon (0-20 cm) pool size was not significantly different from control values in sites treated with partial or complete harvests. No geographic trends were evident for any of the soil properties examined. Results indicate that it is unlikely that mineral soil carbon stocks are adversely affected by typical management practices as applied in northern hardwood forests in the US; however, the findings suggest that the forest floor carbon pool may be susceptible to loss.
Modified branched peptides with a histidine-rich tail enhance in vitro gene transfection

Successful gene therapy depends on the development of efficient, non-toxic gene delivery systems. To accomplish this objective, our laboratory has focused on solid-phase synthesized peptide carriers, in which the amino acid sequence can be varied precisely to augment intracellular DNA transport. We previously determined that linear and branched co-polymers of histidine and lysine in combination with liposomes enhanced the efficiency of gene transfection. In this study, we have modified two branched histidine-lysine (HK) peptides by adding a histidine-rich tail. In a variety of cell lines, this histidine-rich tail markedly improved transfection efficiency, presumably by increasing the buffering capacity of the polymer. One polymer with a histidine-rich tail, H2K4bT, compared favorably with the commonly used transfection agents. Together with modification of our transfection protocol, these improved HK peptides alone, without liposomes, are the effective carriers of plasmids into a variety of cells. We anticipate that branched HK peptides will continue to be developed as carriers of nucleic acids for in vitro and in vivo applications.
Exploring Technology as a Tool for Eliciting and Encouraging Beginning Teacher Reflection

As beginning teachers experience and process new information during their initial acts of teaching, reflection is an inherent part of the process. The following study was designed to explore technology as a tool for reflection by introducing first-year teachers to three technology tools designed to elicit and encourage their reflections on teaching: (a) electronic portfolios, (b) online discussion, and (c) videotaping teaching. Results indicate that the first-year teachers in this study found value in each of the tools, with videotaping teaching encouraging the most meaningful reflection on their teaching practice. Overall, the technology tools provided an avenue for reflection on teaching and a structure for novices to think and talk about their work.
Entrainment in Spoken Dialogue Systems: Adopting, Predicting and Influencing User Behavior

Entrainment is the phenomenon of the speech of conversational partners becoming more similar to each other. This thesis proposal presents a comprehensive look at entrainment in human conversations and how entrainment may be incorporated into the design of spoken dialogue systems in order to improve system performance and user satisfaction. We compare different kinds of entrainment in both classic and novel dimensions, provide experimental results on the utility of entrainment, and show that entrainment can be used to improve a system’s ASR performance and turntaking decisions.
Analysis of mannose 6-phosphate uncovering enzyme mutations associated with persistent stuttering

GlcNAc-1-phosphodiester-N-acetylglucosaminidase ("uncovering enzyme" (UCE); EC 3.1.4.45) is a Golgi enzyme that mediates the second step in the synthesis of the mannose 6-phosphate lysosomal targeting signal on acid hydrolases. Recently, three mutations (two missense and one deletion/frameshift) in the NAGPA gene that encodes UCE have been identified in individuals with persistent stuttering. We now demonstrate that each mutation leads to lower cellular UCE activity. The p.R328C mutation impairs folding in the endoplasmic reticulum, resulting in degradation of a significant portion by the proteasomal system. The p.H84Q mutation also impairs folding and, in addition, decreases the specific activity of the enzyme that folds sufficiently to traffic to the Golgi. The p.F513SfsX113 frameshift mutation adds 113 amino acids to the C terminus of the cytoplasmic tail of the protein, including a VWLL sequence that causes rapid degradation via the proteasomal system. These biochemical findings extend the genetic data implicating mutations in the NAGPA gene in the persistent stuttering phenotype.
GENE TREE DISTRIBUTIONS UNDER THE COALESCENT PROCESS

Under the coalescent model for population divergence, lineage sorting can cause considerable variability in gene trees generated from any given species tree. In this paper, we derive a method for computing the distribution of gene tree topologies given a bifurcating species tree for trees with an arbitrary number of taxa in the case that there is one gene sampled per species. Applications for gene tree distributions include determining exact probabilities of topological equivalence between gene trees and species trees and inferring species trees from multiple datasets. In addition, we examine the shapes of gene tree distributions and their sensitivity to changes in branch lengths, species tree shape, and tree size. The method for computing gene tree distributions is implemented in the computer program COAL.
The range of the Pin-tailed Manakin Ilicura militaris extends to central Brazil

ResuMo: A distribuicao do tangarazinho Ilicura militaris extende-se para o Brasil central. Dentro os piprideos, o tangarazinho Ilicura militaris, um endemismo do Sudeste do Brasil, e um dos mais pouco conhecidos em suas relacoes. I. militaris ocorre em matas atlânticas do sul da Bahia ate o nordeste da Santa Catarina. Neste estudo sao reportados tres especimes de Ilicura coletados no centro sul do Estado de Goias, em 1927, por E. Snethlage. Eles sao o primeiro registro de Goias e o Brasil central. O mesmo padrao biogeografico e evidente em outras especies restritas principalmente as florestas litorâneas.
Automated production of 18F-rhodamine 6G for myocardial perfusion imaging

1252 Objectives We previously reported a two-step synthesis of 18F-rhodamine 6G (18F-R6G) for myocardial perfusion imaging [1, 2]. Unfortunately, the automation of this synthesis proved challenging. We therefore developed a one-step synthesis for use with automated synthesis systems that can be used in future clinical studies with this compound. Methods 18F-R6G was synthesized in GE Tracer lab FX N and Siemens Explora GN synthesizers from a R6G diethylene glycol tosylate ester precursor (1 mg) and azeotropically dried 18F/Kryptofix 2.2.2-K2CO3 in DMSO (1 mL) for 100 oC/30 min, followed by RP-HPLC semi-prep purification (Luna® 10 µm, C18, 100 A, 250 x 10 mm; 45/55 v/v 0.1 M citrate buffer, pH 2.7 /acetonitrile, flow rate 5 mL/min). Results 18F-R6G was obtained ~7% radiochemical yield (RCY), >99% radiochemical purity (RCP), and high specific activity (90 ± 43 TBq/mM, n=5) at end of synthesis (EOS) in each system. The total synthesis time was 60 min. Conclusions 18F-R6G can be reproducibly synthesized using two different automated synthesis systems in good RCY, high RCP and high specific activity facilitating production for future clinical studies. Research Support 5R01HL108107, Children’s Hospital Radiology Foundation.
The Erosion of the Sociopolitical Holding Environment and the Collapse of the Potential Space for Creative Repair

The term “holding environment,” first coined by the British psychoanalyst Donald Woods Winnicott, has become an established part of the lexicon of mental health professionals representing a wide range of disciplines. The term has a particularly familiar ring for social workers, who grasp intuitively both its manifest meaning and its latent subtleties. We might say this language is, “in our bones,” instilled as practice wisdom gleaned from more than a century of work with our most vulnerable and challenged fellow citizens. Jane Addams was establishing holding environments when she began the settlement house movement, and, similarly, the early Charity Organization Societies served crucial “holding” functions for individuals and communities. Across the spectrum of services, from the provision of concrete services to the conduct of psychotherapy, “holding” has always been the relational backdrop of what social workers do in their various roles with individuals, families, groups, and communities (Applegate, 1997).
Self-Assembling Tripodal Small-Molecule Donors for Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

The power conversion efficiency of organic solar cells (OSCs) could benefit from systematic studies to improve bulk heterojunction (BHJ) morphology by modifying donor compounds. Supramolecular self-assembly is an attractive strategy to combine the beneficial properties of polymeric donors, such as a well-controlled morphology, with the homogeneous composition of small molecule donors for OSCs. We report here on two tripodal “star-shaped” small-molecule donor compounds based on diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) side chains for solution-processed BHJ OSCs. The tripod molecules were found not to aggregate in solution or form crystalline domains in thin films when a branched alkyl chain (2-ethylhexyl) substituent was used, whereas linear (docedecyl) alkyl chains promote the formation of one-dimensional (1D) nanowires and more crystalline domains in the solid state. We demonstrate that the 1D self-assembly of these tripods enhances the performance of the corresponding solution-processed OSCs by 50%, which is attribut...
Temperature Profiles in a Long Gaseous-Helium-Cooled Tube

A superconducting power transmission line under development will use forced convective cooling of a copper-stabilized Nb3Sn cable with gaseous helium at a temperature between 10 and 12 K [1]. The cooling channel of such a cable is expected to have a length-to-diameter ratio of l/D of 105. Consequently, an experiment in cooling a long tube with such an l/D ratio using a helium refrigerator has been performed to study the system steady-state and dynamic performance. This paper presents three steady-state temperature profiles achieved under different flow conditions and compares experimental with calculated results.
Effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride on growth performance, blood metabolites, and fatty acid profiles of plasma and adipose tissue in finishing steers.

The effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) on blood metabolites and fatty acid profiles of plasma and adipose tissue were evaluated in crossbred finishing steers (n = 18, BW 639 ± 12.69 kg) that were stratified by BW and randomly assigned, within strata (block), to receive 0 (control) or 8.33 mg/kg diet DM ZH. Cattle were fed once daily ad libitum in individual feeding pens (9 pens/treatment). Zilpaterol hydrochlo- ride was fed for 23 d and withdrawn 3 d before harvest. Blood samples and measures of BW were taken on d 0, 7, 14, and 21. Concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), glucose, and lactate were determined from whole blood. Nonesterified fatty acids, urea nitro- gen (PUN), glucose, lactate, and long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) concentrations were analyzed from plasma. Postharvest, adipose tissue samples (approximately 20 g) from subcutaneous fat covering the lumbar ver- tebrae were collected after 48 h of refrigeration and analyzed for LCFA profiles. Feeding ZH decreased DMI by 8% (P = 0.03) but did not affect BW gain or efficiency (P = 0.83 and P = 0.56, respectively). Addition of ZH resulted in greater HCW, dressing per- centage, and LM area (P = 0.02, P = 0.08, and P = 0.07, respectively) but did not influence other carcass traits (P > 0.10). A ZH × d interaction was observed for PUN and whole-blood glucose concentrations (P = 0.06), in which concentrations decreased in cattle receiving ZH. Nonesterified fatty acids, BHB, plasma glucose, whole-blood, and plasma lactate concentrations were unaffected by ZH (P > 0.10). Zilpaterol hydrochloride increased plasma concentrations of elaidic (P = 0.03), vaccenic (P = 0.006), and docosapentaenoic acids (P = 0.08), but LCFA concentrations of adipose tissue were unaffected (P > 0.10), suggesting no preferential oxidation of specific fatty acids. In conclusion, ZH sup- plementation decreased PUN concentration possibly due to decreased muscle catabolism, but components of blood related to lipid oxidation were unaffected.
Understanding the Role of Vanadium in Enhancing the Low-Temperature Hydrogenation Kinetics of an Mg Thin Film

Mg100-xVx (x = 0 to 15) thin films capped with Pd were prepared by electron beam codeposition and studied for their hydrogenation/dehydrogenation kinetics and cycling properties at 140 °C under hydrogenation pressures of 0.1 MPa. It has been found that the Mg100-xVx thin films show significantly higher reversible hydrogen-storage capacity and faster kinetics in comparison with a pure Mg thin film; for instance, the maximum hydrogen absorption (3.7% mass fraction hydrogen) can be obtained in the fifth cycle for Mg90V10 in less than 5 min. The addition of V clearly plays a favorable role in improving the reversible hydrogen-storage capacity of an Mg film; however, with increasing hydrogenation/dehydrogenation cycles the hydrogen-storage capacity gradually deteriorates. To explore the origin of the effect of V on the improved hydrogenation of an Mg thin film, in this work we focused on studying the structural variations of the Mg90V10 thin film before and after hydrogenation at different stages of cycling; the films were investigated by X-ray diffraction as well as scanning and transmission electron microscopy. We concluded that (1) early in the absorption/desorption cycling the as-deposited structure of percolating layers of nanocrystalline V throughout a Mg matrix is preserved; (2) the percolating V layers envelope fine Mg grains and act as (a) dispersers that isolate small Mg grains, (b) fast diffusers of hydrogen, and (c) hydrogen catalysts at the Mg/V interface to form MgH2; and (3) with progressive cycling, the continuous layers of V aggregate to spherical nanoparticles, which interrupts the continuity of fast hydrogen diffusion through V.
Comparisons of Triggered Tremor in California

Abstract We conduct a visual inspection of deep nonvolcanic tremor triggered by large teleseismic earthquakes around the Calaveras fault in northern California (NC) and the San Jacinto fault in southern California (SC). Out of the 42 large ( M w ≥7.5) earthquakes between 2001 and 2010, only the 2002 M w 7.9 Denali fault earthquake triggered clear tremor in these two regions. This is in marked contrast with the Parkfield–Cholame section of the San Andreas fault in central California (CC), where 12 earthquakes have triggered tremor in that region. The amplitude of the triggered tremor correlates with that of the triggering surface waves in CC and is consistent with the clock‐advance model. The lack of widespread triggered tremor in NC and SC is not simply a consequence of their different background noise levels from CC, but rather reflects different background tremor rates in these regions. Online Material: Tables of parameters for triggered/nontriggered teleseismic earthquakes and triggered tremors, and figures of band‐pass‐filtered seismograms, maximum vertical PGVs versus median amplitude of band‐pass‐filtered envelope functions, tremor amplitude versus PGV, and S ‐wave spectra (and corresponding noise) of local selected earthquakes.
Large Length-Scale Thermocapillary Flow Experiment Design and Feasibility Analysis for the ISS FIR

The investigation of microgravity fluid dynamics emerged out of necessity with the advent of space exploration. In particular, capillary research took a leap forward in the 1960s with regards to liquid settling and interfacial dynamics. Due to inherent temperature variations in large spacecraft liquid systems, such as fuel tanks, forces develop on gas-liquid interface which induce thermocapillary flows. To date, thermocapillary flows have been studied in small, idealized research geometries usually under terrestrial conditions. The 1 to 3 meter lengths in current and future large tanks and hardware are designed based on hardware rather than research, which leave spaceflight systems designers without the technological tools to effectively create safe and efficient designs. An initial design and analysis for a large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment, which utilizes temperature variations to drive a flow. The design of a helical channel geometry ranging from 1 to 2.5 meters in length permits a large length-scale thermocapillary flow experiment to fit on the International Space Station (ISS) Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR). An initial investigation determined the proposed experiment produced measurable data while adhering to the FIR facility limitations. Utilizing Surface Evovler, large length-scale thermocapillary flows were modeled focusing on functional geometries of fuel tanks and depots. Without the tools to understand the thermocapillary flows in these systems, engineers are forced to design larger, heavier vehicles to assure safety and mission success.
Clinical Effect Evaluation of Foscarnet Sodium Combined with Thymopentin in Treatment of 60 Cases Genital Herpes

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and security of foscarnet sodium combined with thymopentin in treatment with genital herpes. Methods One hundred and twenty patients selected with genital herpes were randomly divided into two groups. Sixty patients in treatment group were treated with intravenous foscarnet sodium 250mg and at the same time intramuscular injection of thymopentin 1mg once daily, while sixty patients in control group only given oral Valaciclovir 300mg twice daily, both serving a total of 15 days. Results Both the clinical cure rate of the two groups were 100%. The average healing time of treatment group was (3.23±0.93) days while control group were (4.35±1.04) days , and the treatment group shortened the cure time(P0.01). The six months relapse rate of treatment group(28.33%)was lower than that of control group (46.67%), and the difference was statistically significant(P0.05). The treatment group had no obvious adverse reaction except slightly vein pricking pain, temporarily low-grade fever and gastrointestinal reaction. Conclusion Foscarnet sodium combined with thymopentin was effective in reducing the recurrence in the treatment of genital herpes and safe.
A high-force, out-of-plane actuator with a MEMS-enabled microscissor motion amplifier

The design, fabrication, and demonstration of a set of 2 mm2, high-force actuators that combine piezoelectric in-plane actuators with MEMS-enabled scissor mechanisms (motion amplifiers) to simultaneously produce high out-of-plane forces and large out-of-plane displacements are presented. The microscissor motion amplifier employs two layers of lithographically-patterned SU-8 microstructure laminated with a thin film of structural polyimide and adhesive to form hinges. Performance is optimized by varying layer thickness and adhesive types. Measured displacements of >3 μm and measured forces of >5 mN are observed, corresponding to a displacement per unit area of 1.6 μm/mm2 and a force per unit area of 2.6 mN/mm2. Cyanoacrylate adhesive provides superior performance to silicone adhesive, with larger force output. Thicker polyimide hinges provide smaller displacement but greater force than thinner polyimide hinges. These powerful, compact actuators have significant potential for high-force applications like tactile displays and micropumps.
Educational Equality Is a Multifaceted Issue: Why We Must Understand the School’s Sociocultural Context for Student Achievement

The Coleman Report concluded that if students of color attended schools with more white students, they were likely to garner significantly better achievement results. Several contextual factors should be considered, however, before we make strong conclusions about the strength of the effect of racial and ethnic minority students attending school with white students. This paper makes a case for considering the necessity of both the “material” and “sociocultural” domains of schooling if we are to move toward a more holistic understanding of “school effects” on students’ academic well-being. Based on a case-study analysis of four high-performing, diverse schools in different regions, using ethnographic observations and random student surveys, this paper offers evidence that students who hail from similar socioeconomic and family backgrounds but who attend schools with different sociocultural contexts have disparate academic experiences. The findings draw our attention to new directions to consider as we seek...
Symbolic algorithms to calculate steady-state probabilities of a finite state machine

In this paper we present two symbolic algorithms to compute the steady-state probabilities for very large finite state machines. These algorithms, based on Algebraic Decision Diagrams (ADD's)/spl minus/an extension of BDDs that allows arbitrary values to be associated with the terminal nodes of the diagrams/spl minus/determine the steady-state probabilities by regarding finite state machines as homogeneous, discrete-parameter Markov chains with finite state spaces, and by solving the corresponding Chapman-Kolmogorov equations. We have implemented two solution techniques: one is based on the Gauss-Jacobi iteration, and the other one on simple matrix multiplication, we report the experimental results obtained for problems with over 10/sup 8/ unknowns in irreducible form. >
European Civil Society and ‘Participatory’ Governance Tools: The Impact of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and Platform

Using the case of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency and its civil society platform, Chap. 5 analyzes the effects of both stakeholders on input-legitimacy (the ability of civil society to contribute) and, on the other hand, output-legitimacy (rights-maintenance in the EU). Thiel argues that while both kinds of legitimacy should be pursued simultaneously, in reality output-legitimacy is much harder to achieve, given the diverse claims of civil society and the obstructing influence of member states. Thus, while the Agency and platforms are contributing to participatory input in governance in the human rights area, the overall output of rights provisions is less impressive.
The Normative Protection of Women from Violence

The literature on the relationship between violence against women and a norm protecting women (NPW) is reviewed. I suggest that the effects of the NPW are suppressed because violence against women tends to occur in intimate relations and such disputes tend to be kept private. The offsetting effects of NPW and intimacy (or relational distance) are demonstrated in a study of 384 self-reported violent disputes. In support of an NPW effect, I find that disputes are more likely to be reported to the police if an attack on a woman is witnessed by third parties. This gender effect is offset by the fact that disputes between intimates tend to be concealed from the police and from witnesses.
Quiescent and Agitated Redispersion as a Tool for Evaluating Dispersant Effectiveness in Dissolution Enhancement of Drug-Laden Nanocomposites

Nanocomposite microparticles (NCMPs) have been used in various solid dosage forms with the goal of enhancing the dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. Nanoparticle recovery from NCMPs, i.e., redispersion, is the preliminary step in drug dissolution. This study aims at exploring aqueous redispersion of NCMPs with various dispersants under quiescent vs. agitated conditions as potential dispersant screening tool in the development of fast-dissolving NCMP formulations. NCMPs were prepared by coating wet-milled suspensions of a poorly water-soluble drug, griseofulvin (GF), formulated with the dispersants hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), as-received/wet co-milled croscarmellose sodium (CCS), and mannitol, onto Pharmatose® carrier particles in a fluidized bed dryer. The NCMPs were added to quiescent water kept in a cuvette, and the redispersion was visualized and investigated by turbidimetry and dynamic light scattering. The morphological evolution of a single NCMP exposed to a drop of water was studied via optical microscopy, which provided further insight into the self-redispersibility. As a comparison, the NCMPs were also redispersed in water agitated by a paddle stirrer followed by centrifugation and drug assay of the resultant supernatant, which yielded the percentage of GF recovered as nanoparticles. Both quiescent and agitated redispersion methods yielded similar rank-ordering of the dispersants: NCMPs with either HPC/SDS or HPC/CCS exhibited effective nanoparticle recovery and fast dissolution, whereas those with HPC or HPC/mannitol led to poor redispersibility and slow dissolution. This study demonstrates that both quiescent and agitated redispersion tests could be used for screening/optimizing dispersants for fast-dissolving drug NCMP formulations.
Stable inheritance of DNA methylation allows creation of epigenotype maps and the study of epiallele inheritance patterns in the absence of genetic variation

Differences in DNA methylation can arise as epialleles, which are loci that differ in chromatin state and are inherited over generations. Epialleles offer an additional source of variation that can affect phenotypic diversity beyond changes to nucleotide sequence. Previous research has looked at the rate at which spontaneous epialleles arise but it is currently unknown how they are maintained across generations. We used two Arabidopsis thaliana mutation accumulation (MA) lines and determined that over 99.998% of the methylated regions in the genome are stably inherited across each generation indicating that spontaneous epialleles are rare. We also developed a novel procedure that determines genotypes for offspring of genetically identical parents using only DNA methylation data. The resulting epigenotype maps are highly accurate and strongly agree with expected allele frequency and crossover number. Using epigenotype maps, we explore the inheritance of methylation states in regions of differential methylation between the parents of genetic crosses. Over half of the regions show methylation levels consistent with cis inheritance, whereas the other half show evidence of trans-chromosomal methylation and demethylation as well as other possibilities. DNA methylation is stably inherited by offspring and spontaneous epialleles are rare. The epigenotyping procedure that we describe provides an important first step to epigenetic quantitative trait loci mapping in genetically identical individuals.
Comparing fingerprint-based biometrics authentication versus traditional authentication methods for e-payment

Abstract Biometrics authentication for electronic payment is generally viewed as a quicker, convenient and a more secure means to identify and authenticate users for online payment. This view is mostly anecdotal and conceptual is nature. The aim of the paper is to shed light on the comparison of perceptions and beliefs of different authentication methods for electronic payment (i.e., credit card, credit card with PIN, and fingerprint biometrics authentication) in an e-commerce context. As theoretical foundation, the valence framework is used in understanding and explaining the individual's evaluation of benefit and risk concerning the payment methods. We propose a research model with hypotheses that evaluate and compare the individual's perceptions of the payment authentication methods, trust of the online store, and the willingness to continue using the website account associated with the payment authentication method. An experiment is used to test the hypotheses. The results show that biometrics authentication significantly influences the individual's security concern, perceived usefulness, and trust of online store. Theoretically, through the study's context – biometrics versus credit card authentication – evidence is provided for the importance of the individual's perceptions, concerns, and beliefs in the use of biometrics for electronic payments. Managerial implications include shedding light on the perceptions and concerns of secure authentication and the need for implementing biometrics authentication for electronic payments.
Androgyny, Dyadic Compatibility and Conversational Behaviour

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between conversational behaviour and sex-role self concept as measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ). More seconds of silence were found in incompatible dyads (as determined by sex-role orientation) than in compatible dyads, but generally sex-role self concept did not predict behaviour very well. We also found that the PAQ femininity scale correlates with self-reported self-esteem and assertiveness whereas the BSRI F-scale does not.
Placental lesions associated with neurologic impairment and cerebral palsy in very low-birth-weight infants.

○ Objective.-Systematic placental examination has the potential to shed light on poorly understood antenatal processes that may increase the risk of neurologic impairment and cerebral palsy. Design.-Using data from a retrospective case-control study, we analyzed placentas from 60 inborn, singleton, very low-birth-weight (<1.5 kg) infants delivered between 1983 and 1991 who had subsequent neurologic impairment at 20 months corrected age (42 with cerebral palsy and 18 with other neurologic abnormalities) and 59 control infants of comparable gestational age, birth weight, sex, and race. Three a priori hypotheses based on previous studies were that neurologic impairment would be increased with fetal vascular lesions with or without coexisting chorioamnionitis, decreased with chronic maternal vascular underperfusion, and increased when multiple placental abnormalities were seen in the same case. Results and Conclusions.-We found 2 types of fetal placental vascular lesions to be associated with neurologic impairment, namely, recent nonocclusive thrombi of chorionic plate vessels (P <.04) and severe villous edema (P <.01). Chorionic plate thrombi were seen only with chorioamnionitis and accounted for the increased risk of neurologic impairment seen with chorioamnionitis. Maternal vascular lesions showed a biphasic relation to neurologic impairment in the subgroup of patients without chorioamnionitis. Mild lesions were increased in controls (inadequate vascular remodeling, P =.03, and accelerated maturation, P =.004). A more severe lesion, multiple villous infarcts, although not reaching significance, was increased in the neurologically impaired cases. Finally, in a test of 9 selected placental lesions, cases with cerebral palsy were more likely to have 2 or more lesions (P <.0001) and were less likely to have no lesions (P < .04) than control infants.
Mobile App Tools for Identifying and Managing Mental Health Disorders in Primary Care

Mental health apps are intriguing yet challenging tools for addressing barriers to treatment in primary care. In the current review, we seek to assist primary care professionals with evaluating and integrating mental health apps into practice. We briefly summarize two leading frameworks for evaluating mental health apps and conduct a systematic review of mental health apps across a variety of areas commonly encountered in primary care. Existing frameworks can guide professionals and patients through the process of identifying apps and evaluating dimensions such as privacy and security, credibility, and user experience. For specific apps, several problem areas appear to have relatively more scientific evaluation in the current app landscape, including PTSD, smoking, and alcohol use. Other areas such as eating disorders not only lack evaluation, but contain a significant subset of apps providing potentially harmful advice. Overall, individuals seeking mental health apps will likely encounter strengths such as symptom-tracking and psychoeducational components, while encountering common weaknesses such as insufficient privacy settings and little integration of empirically supported techniques. While mental health apps may have more promise than ever, significant barriers to finding functional, usable, effective apps remain for health professionals and patients alike.
Glacial limitation of tropical mountain height

Abstract. Absent glacial erosion, mountain range height is limited by the rate of bedrock river incision and is thought to asymptote to a steady-state elevation as erosion and rock uplift rates converge. For glaciated mountains, there is evidence that range height is limited by glacial erosion rates, which vary cyclically with glaciations. The strongest evidence for glacial limitation is at midlatitudes, where range-scale hypsometric maxima (modal elevations) lie within the bounds of Late Pleistocene snow line variation. In the tropics, where mountain glaciation is sparse, range elevation is generally considered to be fluvially limited and glacial limitation is discounted. Here we present topographic evidence to the contrary. By applying both old and new methods of hypsometric analysis to high mountains in the tropics, we show that (a) the majority are subject to glacial erosion linked to a perched base level set by the snow line or equilibrium line altitude (ELA) and (b) many truncate through glacial erosion towards the cold-phase ELA. Evaluation of the hypsometric analyses at two field sites where glacial limitation is seemingly marginal reveals how glaciofluvial processes act in tandem to accelerate erosion near the cold-phase ELA during warm phases and to reduce their preservation potential. We conclude that glacial erosion truncates high tropical mountains on a cyclic basis: zones of glacial erosion expand during cold periods and contract during warm periods as fluvially driven escarpments encroach and destroy evidence of glacial action. The inherent disequilibrium of this glaciofluvial limitation complicates the concept of time-averaged erosional steady state, making it meaningful only on long timescales far exceeding the interval between major glaciations.