cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elevation of the glass transition temperature in flexible‐chain semicrystalline polymers

In the idealized two-phase model of a semicrystalline polymer, the amorphous intercrystalline layers are considered to have the same properties as the fully-amorphous polymer. In reality, these thin intercrystalline layers can be substantially influenced by the presence of the crystals, as individual polymer molecules traverse both crystalline and amorphous phases. In polymers with rigid backbone units, such as poly(etheretherketone), PEEK, previous work has shown this coupling to be particularly severe; the glass transition temperature (Tg) can be elevated by tens of degrees celsius, with the magnitude of the elevation correlating directly with the thinness of the amorphous layer. However, this connection has not been explored for flexible-chain polymers, such as those formed from vinyl-type monomers. Here, we examine Tg in both isotactic polystyrene (iPS) and syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS), crystallized under conditions that produce a range of amorphous layer thicknesses. Tg is indeed shown to be elevated relative to fully-amorphous iPS and sPS, by an amount that correlates with the thinness of the amorphous layer; the magnitude of the effect is severalfold less than that in PEEK, consistent with the minimum lengths of polymer chain required to make a fold in the different cases.
The People of the Grey Bull: The Origin and Expansion of the Turkana

While archaeology and linguistics provide an important basis for the reconstruction of the early history of those parts of eastern Africa inhabited by pastoral societies, oral traditions also can make a valuable contribution. In this paper an examination of the traditions of the Turkana of north-western Kenya reveals an often remarkably sophisticated rendering of complex processes of origin and migration. Moreover, those traditions also embody insights into basic factors concerning the development and spread of pastoralism in East Africa that the methodologies of other disciplines have only recently begun to identify.Turkana traditions suggest that their society had not just one, monolithic ‘origin’, but rather what might be seen as a whole series of them. Highly dramatic and memorable tales of genesis provide vivid idioms of socio-political identity and also contain fundamental cosmological messages. But they also correspond to important stages of change in the development of the Turkana community, and, as such, they (together with less ‘formal’ traditions associated with them) provide vital historical information.The factors which combined to enable the Turkana to carry out their vast and rapid territorial expansion are identified. For instance, one early tradition suggests a fundamental change in their pastoral system – the acquisition of Zebu cattle-while others emphasize important commercial contacts which provided a steady flow of iron-ware and grain. Still others trace the development of the office of Great Diviner, revealing how it became a primary focus of economic and cultural redefinition and corporate identity as alterations to the earlier generation-set system occurred. Another tradition provides a glimpse of Turkana expansion from the point of view of peoples absorbed by it.
Origin and genetic diversity of Spartina anglica (Poaceae) using nuclear DNA markers

Spartina alterniflora, introduced into the UK in the 1800s, was the seed parent in an interspecific hybridization with S. maritima. The sterile F1 hybrid S. 3townsendii gave rise to the fertile allopolyploid S. anglica by chromosomal doubling. Previous chromosome, isozyme, and cpDNA surveys did not reveal notable genetic variation within either the parental or the hybrid species. We used nuclear DNA markers (random amplified polymorphic DNA ([RAPD]) and inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) to further explore the origin, diversity, and parentage of S. anglica. We found DNA fragments in S. 3townsendii were the aggregate of diagnostic DNA fragments from S. maritima and S. alterniflora, thus confirming its hybrid origin. The S. 3townsendii genotype was identical to most of the S. anglica individuals analyzed, establishing the genetic concordance of these two taxa. We found widespread genetic variation within S. anglica. This could indicate that S. anglica arose several times, from different S. maritima sires. Alternatively, alleles could have been lost through recombination and/or through loss of entire chromosomes in S. anglica. Finally, all but one S. anglica individual had a S. alterniflora component that was indistinguishable from a S. alterniflora plant extant in Marchwood, UK, leaving open the possibility that this plant is the actual seed parent of S. anglica.
Retargetting motion to new characters

straints, motion capture. In this paper, we present a technique for motion: the problem of adapting an animated motion from one character to another. Our focus is on adapting the motion of one articulated figure to another figure with identical structure but different segment lengths, although we use this as a step when considering less similar characters. Our method creates adaptations that preserve desirable qualities of the original motion. We identify specific features of the motion as constraints that must be maintained. A spacetime constraints solver computes an adapted motion that re-establishes these constraints while preserving the frequency characteristics of the original signal. We demonstrate our approach on motion capture data.
Quantitative Studies of Compaction in Mississippian Skeletal Limestones, New Mexico

ABSTRACT Quantitative study of compaction in Mississippian coarse-grained skeletal grainstones and cement-rich packstones over a region of about 25,000 km2 of southwestern New Mexico has shown that intergranular compaction was a major process of porosity destruction in more than 90 percent of all coarse grainstones and packstones. Having been deposited with at least 42 percent intergranular porosity, these calcarenites now contain about 27 percent intergranular space (now occupied by cement plus mud). They, therefore, have lost about 38 percent of their intergranular porosity by intergranular compaction, the remainder having been lost by cementation. Regionally, compaction intensity is greatest in the north, with southern measured sections on average containing about 32 percent and orthernmost sections about 20 percent intergranular space. Point-count data on grain contacts show that intergranular pressure solution increases with compaction intensity and is most abundant in the north. It was the main process affecting intense intergranular compaction and was the reason for compaction intensity being greatest in the north. Bryozoan deformation and grain rearrangement, although poorly quantified, were also important contributors to intergranular compaction, whereas mechanical breakage was of negligible importance. Of the factors that potentially controlled compaction intensity, chemistry of paleogroundwaters and overburden were probably the most important, whereas bryozoan content, terrigenous clay content, and depositional textures may have been of secondary importance, and tectonic stress was probably of no importance. We propose a model in which a major control on intergranular pressure solution intensity was the degree of saturation with respect to calcite in pre-Pennsylvanian groundwater systems. These groundwaters flowed from north to south, with the main recharge region in the north. Groundwaters near and in the recharge regions in the north more commonly were undersaturated or had lower degrees of saturation with respect to calcite compared to groundwaters in downflow (south) regions. This promoted greater chemical compaction in the north even under low to moderate overburden (tens to hundreds of meters: maximum of about 1000 meters).
Using Microsoft producer to facilitate web-based learning in an anesthesiology training programme.

Computerized multimedia teaching methods, including web‐based learning, have become popular because the learner controls the content, the time, and place of learning. The purpose of this article is to describe specifically how a clinical department is using Microsoft Producer to convert PowerPoint presentations into Internet‐ready multimedia lectures. The importance of these Internet‐ready multimedia lectures to the didactic activities of an anesthesiology residency programme is also discussed.
Responses and Clarifications Regarding Science and Worldviews

This article responds to the other 10 papers in this thematic issue on science and worldviews and it clarifies some of the points in my lead article. The Bayesian framework provides helpful structure for worldview inquiries by recognizing and integrating both public and personal evidence. Drawing upon the other 10 papers, six kinds of potential evidence or considerations are identified: the problem of evil, evolution, miracles and prayer, the Anthropic Principle, religious experience, and natural theology. The thesis is defended that considerations informing worldview convictions include public evidence from the sciences and the humanities and personal evidence from individual experience. Additional topics addressed briefly include scientific realism, the tentativeness of scientific knowledge, science’s presuppositions, the relationship between natural science and natural theology, the nature of religious faith, and the importance of philosophy in science education. Seven questions are posed for which further leadership from the AAAS and NAS would benefit the scientific community.
General Method for Calculating Satellite Collision Probability

A method of calculating the collision probability between two orbiting objects given the respective state vectors and error covariance matrices is developed. The methodology is valid for the general case and does not require simplifying assumptions. It is computationally efe cient and applicable to satellites of irregular shape. Analytical techniques are used to reduce the problem to that of integrating a two-dimensional symmetric probability density over a region representing thecombined hard body of the colliding objects. The symmetric form of the probability density enables the two-dimensional integral to be reduced to a one-dimensional path integral that permits easy numerical implementation and reduces computational effort. Test case results are in good agreement with those generated by other collision probability tools.
Trends in initiation of alcohol use in the United States 1975 to 2003.

Introduction: Alcohol is the drug of choice for youth in the United States. By 8th grade, more than 40% of youth have used alcohol; by 12th grade, almost 80% have done so (MTF, 2003). And many of these young people begin drinking at relatively early ages. On average, boys start drinking earlier than girls, and whites and Native Americans start drinking earlier than youth of other race/ethnicities. As alcohol consumption is such a high prevalence behavior among young people, it is crucial to understand the initiation of drinking as well as possible, so as to facilitate and inform interventions to delay this behavior. One facet of this involves investigating trends in the initiation of drinking. Methods: Multiple years of data from 3 national surveys, Monitoring the Future (MTF)-1975 to 2003 for 12th graders, 1993 to 2003 for 8th and 10th graders; the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) [now called the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)]-1991 to 1998; and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)-1991 to 2003, were analyzed using joinpoint analysis to further understanding of trends in the initiation of drinking by youth. The present analysis examines whether the age of drinking initiation has changed over time and evaluates trends in the percentages of youth who start drinking by various grades. Results: Simultaneous examination of data from the 3 surveys indicates that 7th and 8th grades (when most youth are 13-14) are peak years for the initiation of drinking. Further, the present analysis shows that although the percentage of youth who start drinking early (before age 13) has declined (YRBSS, MTF), the average age of initiation of drinking for these "very early starters" did not change over the period 1991 to 1998 (NHSDA/NSDUH). At the same time, an upward shift in the "normative" age of initiation has occurred (NHSDA/NSDUH, MTF). Results of analyses by gender and race/ethnicity indicate similar trends over time. Conclusion: A more nuanced understanding of the initiation of drinking can have important implications for prevention. Language: en
Spatial and temporal characteristics of sediment plumes and phytoplankton blooms in the Santa Barbara Channel

Satellite ocean-color and sea-surface temperature (SST) imagery are used to assess the occurrence, extent and duration of surface sediment plumes from discharged stormwaters and phytoplankton blooms in the Santa Barbara Channel (SBC), California. Nearly four years (October 1997–June 2001) of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor local area coverage imagery, in situ measurements, and supporting data are analyzed. Monthly mean annual cycles of SST, chlorophyll (Chl) and the water-leaving radiance at 555 nm (LwN(555)), an index for sediment-affected waters, show plumes associated with runoff in winter, while blooms occur in the late spring–early summer and are associated with cool SST and upwelling favorable winds. Interannual
Comprehensive defect avoidance framework for mitigating extreme ultraviolet mask defects

Defect avoidance methods are likely to play a key role in overcoming the challenge of mask blank defectivity in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. In this work, we propose an innovative EUV mask defect avoidance method. It is the first approach that allows exploring all the degrees of freedom available for defect avoidance (pattern shift, rotation and mask floorplanning). We model the defect avoidance problem as a global, nonconvex optimization problem and then solve it using a combination of random walk and gradient descent. For a 8-nm polysilicon layer of an ARM Cortex M0 layout, our method achieves a 60% point better mask yield compared to prior art in defect avoidance for a 40-defect mask. We show that pattern shift is the most significant degree of freedom for improving mask yield. Rotation and mask floorplanning can also help improve mask yield to a certain extent.
Der Shareholder Value-Ansatz: U.S.-amerikanischer Kulturimport oder Diktat des globalen Marktes?

Die kapitalmarktorientierte Unternehmenssteuerung auf der Basis des Shareholder Value hat in den letzten Jahren zunehmende Bedeutung erlangt. Dies last sich insbesondere auf die Liberalisierung und Globalisierung der internationalen Finanzmarkte sowie die wachsende Bedeutung (insbesondere auslandischer) institutioneller Anleger fur den deutschen Kapitalmarkt zuruckfuhren. Damit einher geht eine Verschiebung des unternehmensinternen Interessengleichgewichts und eine Starkung der Weisungs- und Kontrollfunktion des Risikokapitals. In der wissen schaftlichen Diskussion kommt jedoch begrundete Skepsis auf, inwieweit die Ma-ximierung des Shareholder Value letztendlich mit den Grundsatzen deutscher „Corporate Governance“vereinbar ist (vgl. z. B. Janisch 1993). Ein Hauptanliegen dieses Beitrags ist es daher zu uberprufen, welche institutionellen und juristischen Barrieren sich in Deutschland mittel- und langfristig einer starkeren Ausrichtung der unternehmerischen Entscheidungspro-zesse auf die Interessen der Eigenkapitalgeber entgegenstellen.
Effects of heterodimerization and proteolytic processing on Derrière and Nodal activity: implications for mesoderm induction in Xenopus.

Derriere is a recently discovered member of the TGFβ superfamily that can induce mesoderm in explant assays and is expressed at the right time and location to mediate mesoderm induction in response to VegT during Xenopus embryogenesis. We show that the ability of Derriere to induce dorsal or ventral mesoderm depends strictly on the location of expression and that a dominant-negative Derriere cleavage mutant completely blocks all mesoderm formation when ectopically expressed. This differs from the activity of similar Xnr2 cleavage mutant constructs, which are secreted and retain signaling activity. Additional analysis of mesoderm induction by Derriere and members of the Nodal family indicates that these molecules are involved in a mutual positive-feedback loop and antagonism of either one of the signals can reduce the other. Interaction between Derriere and members of the Nodal family is also shown to occur through the formation of heterodimeric ligands. Using an oocyte expression system we show direct interaction between the mature Derriere ligand and members of both the Nodal and BMP families. Taken together, these findings indicate that Derriere and Nodal proteins probably work cooperatively to induce mesoderm throughout the marginal zone during early Xenopus development.
Protein egress and entry rates in pleural fluid and plasma in sheep

We determined a rate of protein egress from the pleural cavity into thoracic duct lymph in seven anesthetized sheep in whom we had made 10-ml/kg hydrothoraces containing 1% plasma protein labeled with 125I-albumin. The labeled protein left the pleural space at an average rate of 0.02 ml X kg-1 X h-1. In 25 unanesthetized sheep we injected labeled protein intravenously and collected pleural fluid and plasma at intervals up to 48 h. The radioactivity in the sheeps' plasma fell twice as rapidly as the rate observed in humans. The half time for equilibration between plasma and pleural fluid protein specific activity was approximately 6 h. In seven sheep we gave a continuous infusion of tracer protein. In six of these seven sheep we collected superficial cervical lymph. The protein concentration in the lymph was three times that of pleural fluid. The half time for protein specific activity equilibration between plasma and pleural fluid was 5 h and 3–4 h between plasma and superficial cervical lymph. The rate of protein turnover in the pleural space appears to be much slower than previously reported.
Effect of melengestrol acetate (MGA) or progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (PRID) on follicular development, concentrations of estradiol-17 beta and progesterone, and luteinizing hormone release during an artificially lengthened bovine estrous cycle.

Two trials were conducted to determine whether 7-d progestogen treatment beginning on d 17 of the estrous cycle altered 1) ovarian follicular development, 2) serum concentration of estradiol-17 beta (E2) and progesterone (P4), and 3) patterns of release of luteinizing hormone (LH). In both trials, Angus, Angus x Holstein, or Holstein cows 2 to 6 yr of age were randomly assigned to receive either melengestrol acetate (MGA, .5 mg.animal-1.d-1; n = 23), a progesterone-releaseing intravaginal device (PRID, n = 26) or to serve as untreated Controls (n = 14). Ultrasonography and blood sampling were performed daily throughout the experiment beginning on d 3 (Trial 1) or d 9 (Trial 2) of the estrous cycle. In Trial 2, blood samples were collected every 15-min for 6 h on d 17 (all cows) and d 20 and 23 (MGA and PRID cows) for determination of LH. Estrous cycle length was 3 to 5 d greater (P < .05) for MGA- and PRID-treated cows characterized by two (MGA-2 and PRID-2) or three (MGA-3 and PRID-3) dominant follicles than for control cows exhibiting two (Control-2) or three (Control-3) dominant follicles. A greater proportion (P < .05) of MGA- than of PRID-treated cows ovulated the follicle that was dominant at the beginning of treatment on d 17 (10 of 23 vs 1 of 26). Serum P4 concentrations declined 3 d earlier in Control-2 and MGA-2 cows than in Control-3, MGA-3 or PRID-3 cows.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Genetic correlation and response to selection in simulated populations : II. Model of complete dominance.

Effects of truncation selection of a primary trait upon genetic correlation between the primary trait and an unselected secondary trait were observed during 30 generations. Populations were 24 male and 24 female parents per generation randomly mated with replacement, the number of offspring set by intensity of selection. Each trait was controlled by genes with equal effects and complete dominance segregating independently from starting frequencies of 0.5 at each of 48 loci. Three levels each of genetic correlation, selection, and environmental variation were simulated.
Spatial and Seasonal Distribution of Disseminating Stages of Fiorinia externa (Homoptera: Diaspididae) and Natural Enemies in a Hemlock Forest

Numerous developmental stages of elongate hemlock scale, Fiorinia externa Ferris (Homoptera: Diaspididae), disseminating on the wind were trapped during 1978 on sticky plates positioned throughout the canopy of a forest of Eastern hemlock, Tsuga canadensis Carr., located in Westport, CT. Although crawlers (mobile first-instar nymphs), the primary stage for dispersal, were much more abundant than other stages, eggs, gravid adult females, and hemlock needles infested with all stages were sufficiently numerous to implicate these as important agents for local dispersal. All stages able to establish new infestations were most abundant in the air during late spring when the nutritional status of the young foliage favors successful establishment. Adults of two aphelinid parasites, Aspidiotiphagus citrinus Craw. and Aphytis nr. aonidiae (Mercet) occurred in significantly greater numbers both in the air (from sticky plates) and on the foliage (from emergence cages) at the lower (5 m) and middle (10 m) heights of the canopy where host densities were greatest. Both species attacked a greater proportion of the scales feeding on the foliage at these heights for two generations, suggesting density-dependent parasitism. The predominant predators, a mirid bug, Atractotomus magnicornis nr. buenoi Knight, and the lady beetle, Chilocorus stigma (Say), were distributed uniformly among 30 hemlocks supporting a range of scale densities indicating that predators do not respond numerically to host density. Because the seasonal occurrence of adults of these natural enemies coincides with peak abundance of scale crawlers, chemical control efforts might better be directed toward adult scales as part of an integrated program for managing hemlock scale populations.
Utilizing Narrative Methodology in Trauma Treatment with Haitian Earthquake Survivors

ABSTRACTAn earthquake devastated Haiti in January 2010, killing than over 230,000 and displacing millions. Following this disaster, a culturally specific narrative model was developed for leaders (i.e., teachers, clergy, etc.) to treat trauma symptomatology among Haitians. The Haitian local leaders (n=85) were treated with the narrative model. Data were collected and analyzed, and the results were significant. The leaders’ trauma symptoms decreased following treatment. Following the narrative treatment, they were trained to utilize the model. Recommendations for future research and limitations of the study are discussed.
How Good Does It Need to Be

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays reportedly allow early definitive triage of patients with possible acute myocardial infarction (AMI). To be confident that one can implement such strategies safely, fastidious data are required. In their paper in this issue of the Journal , Mokhtari
Design and Analysis of DC Solid-State Circuit Breakers Using SiC JFETs

Protection against short-circuit faults remains a major technical challenge in increasingly popular dc power networks. This paper describes a new concept of a self-powered dc solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) with one or more normally on SiC JFETs as the main static switch and a fast-starting isolated dc/dc converter as the protection driver. The new SSCB detects short-circuit faults by sensing its terminal voltage rise and draws power from the fault condition itself to turn and hold off the SiC switch. The new two-terminal SSCB can be directly placed in a circuit branch without requiring any external power supply or extra wiring. A low-power isolated dc/dc converter is designed and optimized to provide a fast reaction to a short-circuit fault. Unidirectional and bidirectional SSCB prototypes based on this design concept have been built. Repeated interruption of fault currents up to 180 A at a dc bus voltage of 400 V within 0.8 $\mu \text{s}$ was experimentally demonstrated. DC circuit protection applications provide a unique market opportunity for wide-bandgap semiconductors, which are outside the conventional focus on power electronic converters.
Zinc metabolism in acute inter mittent porphyria.

Abstract The urinary excretion of zinc was studied in 6 patients with acute intermittent porphyria, both during attacks and in remission. The urinary excretion of this metal was normal in every instance except in one patient who had coexisting alcoholic cirrhosis. The oral administration of large amounts of zinc to 4 porphyric patients did not lead to porphobilinogenuria, nor did it precipitate an attack of porphyria. All subjects showed a marked increase in zinc excretion when 39.2 mg. of elemental zinc was added to the 10 to 15 mg. assumed to he present in the diet. Transient aminoaciduria, perhaps due to renal toxicity, developed during zinc feeding. These results suggest that zinc metabolism in acute intermittent porphyria is normal as judged by serum and urine determinations.
Quantitative analysis of acetoacetate metabolism in AS-30D hepatoma cells with 13C and 14C isotopic techniques

Experimental hepatoma cells utilize acetoacetate as an oxidative energy source and as a precursor for lipid synthesis. The significance of ketone body metabolism in tumors lies in the study of tumor-host metabolism and the ketoneMic condition that is often present in cancer patients. The quantitative importance of acetoacetate and glucose was investigated in AS-30D cells with use of 13C and 14C isotopic methods. In addition, the effects of acetoacetate were compared with those of dichloroacetic acid (DCA), an activator of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). The 14CO2 ratio method evaluated the entry of pyruvate into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and revealed that acetoacetate diverted pyruvate from PDH to pyruvate carboxylation. In contrast, DCA increased the oxidation of glucose largely through PDH, indicating that PDH is not maximally active in the absence of DCA. Isotopomer spectral analysis of lipid synthesis demonstrated that, in the absence of acetoacetate, glucose supplied 65% of the acetyl-CoA used for de novo lipogenesis. When 5 mM acetoacetate was included in the incubation, glucose was displaced as a lipogenic precursor and acetoacetate supplied 85% of the acetyl-CoA for lipogenesis vs. only 2% for glucose. Thus AS-30D cells have a large capacity for acetoacetate utilization for de novo lipogenesis.
Silicon photonics and memories

This article consists of a collection of slides from the author's conference presentation on silicon photonics and memory management. Some of the specific topics discussed include: processors scaling to many core systems, 1980 - 2020; forecasts of circuit design and processing capabilities; CMOS photonics; optical-based networking capabilties; system organization and die supporting core nodes; and future areas of development for photonics into chip designs.
JRed: Program Customization and Bloatware Mitigation Based on Static Analysis

Modern software engineering practice increasingly brings redundant code into software products, which has caused a phenomenon called bloatware, leading to software system maintenance, performance and reliability issues as well as security problems. With the rapid advances of smart devices and a more connected world, it is never more important to trim bloatware to improve the leanness, agility, reliability, performance, and security of the interconnected software and network systems. Previous methods have limited scopes and are usually not fully automated. In this paper, we propose a new static-analysis-enabled approach to trimming unused code from both Java applications and Java Runtime Environment (JRE) automatically. We have built a tool called JRed on top of the Soot framework. We have conducted a fairly comprehensive evaluation of JRed based on a set of criteria: code size, code complexity, memory footprint, execution and garbage collection time, and security. Our experimental results show that, Java application size can be reduced by 44.5% on average and the JRE code can be reduced by more than 82.5% on average. The code complexity is significantly reduced according to a set of well-known metrics. Furthermore, we report that by trimming redundant code, 48.6% of the known security vulnerabilities in the Java Runtime Environment JRE 6 update 45 has been removed.
Mechanism of Sugar-Induced Behavioral Effects

The adrenomedullary response to a standard oral glucose load (1.75 gm/kg; maximum, 120 gm) and susceptibility to neuroglycopenia (assessed by the hypoglycemic clamp and measurements of P300 auditory evoked potentials [AEP]) were studied in 25 healthy children (8-16 years of age) compared to 23 young adults at the Children’s Clinical Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Mechanical regulation of matrix reorganization and phenotype of smooth muscle cells and mesenchymal stem cells in 3D matrix

In an effort to develop small-diameter tissue-engineered vascular grafts (< 6 mm), collagen and fibrin gels seeded with human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) were constructed in a three-dimensional tubular environment and subjected to mechanical stimulation to investigate changes in cellular response and matrix remodeling. After testing various collagen and fibrin concentrations, experiments indicated 2:1 mg/mL of collagen:fibrin constructs with embedded HASMCs contracted as well as the pure fibrin, at 54% their original length after 3 days, indicating enhanced cellular activity and matrix remodeling . Vascular constructs were cultured for three days before undergoing pulsatile 10% cyclic strain at 1 Hz for three days. RT-PCR showed that cyclic strain increased the gene expression of SMC markers /spl alpha/-actin and SM22, indicating that mechanical stimulation induces SMCs to a more contractile phenotype. Histology showed a more compacted collagen fiber structure for mechanically stimulated constructs compared to the looser collagen network in static constructs. The effects of 3D mechanical strain were also tested on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which can be a possible source for SMCs. Cyclic strain increased /spl alpha/-actin and SM22 gene expression in MSCs, suggesting the differentiation of MSCs into a SMC phenotype.
Understanding Law as a Part of Forensic Economic Practice

The key defining characteristic of a forensic economist is knowledge about the special requirements of law that relate to how economic questions must be answered in the context of litigation. The economic questions that must be answered usually relate to the amount of pecuniary damages that have been caused by some type of harm, though some forensic economists are also called upon to answer questions regarding whether or not liability exists. Compared with experts in other fields, both statutory and case law have more impact on how forensic economists must answer questions. Thus, although most economists are not trained in law, they need to know more about law than experts in other fields who may also be called upon to testify. This chapter provides a basic introduction to the types of law that a forensic economist must consider when working on specific cases in litigation.
Historical data review and source analysis of PCBs/Arochlors in the Lower Leon Creek Watershed

PCBs have been banned since the late 1970s, but concentrations still exist in sediments and riverine fish and continue to exceed regulatory limits which can result in negative health effects. This study looks at historical records of PCB and Arochlor concentrations in surface water, sediments, and fish tissue for the Lower Leon Creek, Bexar County in Texas. Temporal analysis on the concentrations of PCBs and Arochlors was conducted for detection and exceedance of selected screening criteria. In addition, the half-lives of select PCB congeners were calculated for 2007–2012 data to ascertain differences in PCB concentrations with their hydrophobicity. Source analysis was conducted to determine the potential contributing sources of PCB contamination using source data (landfills, outfalls, etc.) and the PCB exceedance data. For sediment and fish tissue sampling results, historic data shows high concentrations of PCB/Arochlors over the course of several decades. The historical data is characterized as being widely variable for detections in Arochlors and concentrations between years, with a dramatic drop in concentrations detected starting in 2009. Overall, the sampling locations adjacent to and downstream from the former Kelly Air Force Base have the highest concentrations of PCB/Arochlors over the longest period of time. The results of this work will aid regulatory agencies in addressing impairment.
Curiosity and the end of discrimination

Systemic discrimination on the basis of gender and race, among other ascribed identities, harms minoritized people. This is a structural problem in society, and astronomy is not immune to it. Although we talk about the challenges faced by ‘women and minorities’, it is all too rare to acknowledge intersecting realities: some of us are minority women and our experiences are different from both white women and minority men, with sexism and racism compounding in nonlinear ways. Confronting the challenges associated with invoking an intersectional analysis can be daunting if the mainstream community continues to ignore helpful work from the social sciences, which can teach us new ways of understanding how we produce scientific knowledge. Rather than failing to question how science is done, we should let curiosity be our guide.
Abstract TP342: Central Origin of Fever Should not be Assumed in Stroke Patients

Introduction: Fever worsens outcomes in patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Fever can be infectious or non-infectious (central) in etiology. Previous literature suggests 32% of patients ...
Lysine Biosynthesis and Evolution

Publisher Summary To be useful in the detection of evolutionary relationships, a biochemical character should be poised between the extremes of biochemical unity and diversity. A character that would seem to meet this requirement is the mode of biosynthesis of the amino acid lysine. The two distinctive lysine pathways known to occur in nature can be considered as the molecular organelles that serve as “biochemical fossils.” α,ɛ-diaminopimelic acid (DAP) is a key intermediate in one of the pathways and α-aminoadipic acid (AAA) in the other. The major features of these biosynthetic systems have been established. The occurrence of the two lysine pathways in the biological world can be explored with the aid of certain specifically labeled radioactive tracers. The descent of the lysine paths correlates with major lines of evolution. The DAP path would seem to be a plant-like organelle; the inability to produce lysine may be an animal-like quality. However, the AAA path is a feature of organisms that have veered from the mainstream of evolution of the plant kingdom in the direction of the animal kingdom. These results recommend the character lysine synthesis as a phylogenetic tracer that complements other “biochemical fossils” as well as the non-biochemical characters of useful scope.
Safety climate and firefighting: Focus group results.

Abstract Background Firefighting is a hazardous occupation and there have been numerous calls for fundamental changes in how fire service organizations approach safety and balance safety with other operational priorities. These calls, however, have yielded little systematic research. Methods As part of a larger project to develop and test a model of safety climate for the fire service, focus groups were used to identify potentially important dimensions of safety climate pertinent to firefighting. Results Analyses revealed nine overarching themes. Competency/professionalism, physical/psychological readiness, and that positive traits sometimes produce negative consequences were themes at the individual level; cohesion and supervisor leadership/support at the workgroup level; and politics/bureaucracy, resources, leadership, and hiring/promotion at the organizational level. A multi-level perspective seems appropriate for examining safety climate in firefighting. Conclusions Safety climate in firefighting appears to be multi-dimensional and some dimensions prominent in the general safety climate literature also seem relevant to firefighting. These results also suggest that the fire service may be undergoing transitions encompassing mission, personnel, and its fundamental approach to safety and risk. Practical applications These results help point the way to the development of safety climate measures specific to firefighting and to interventions for improving safety performance.
Introduction to Lattice Theory

In this chapter we introduce the notion of lattices and obtain techniques for obtaining extremal solutions of inequations involving operations over lattices. Our motivation for studying these concepts and techniques stems from our interest in solving a system of inequations involving operations over the lattice of languages. Results presented in this chapter have a “primal” and a “dual” version. We only prove the primal version, as the dual version can be proved analogously.
Deepwater or Troubled Water? Principal–Agent Theory and Performance-Based Contracting in the Coast Guard’s Deepwater Modernization Program

In the mid-1990s, the United States Coast Guard began planning a modernization effort known as the Deepwater program to replace an aging inventory of cutters, aircraft, and small boats. This effort involved a consortium of corporations to develop a “system of systems” to meet performance-based requirements and build the new equipment. This article examines the Deepwater program through the lens of multilayered principal–agent theory and evaluates the performance-based contracting (PBC) method used to alleviate strains linked to accountability from the principal–agent relationship. The findings help better understand the dilemmas prescribed from multilayered principal–agent theory and PBC by illustrating the accountability issues faced by smaller organizations when engaging in complex, large-scale procurement.
Auditory and non-auditory effects of asymmetrical hearing loss in animal models

Animal models offer an opportunity to investigate the consequences of asymmetrical hearing loss with a level of control over extraneous variables that is not possible with human listeners. Experimental manipulations to induce unilateral conductive or sensorineural hearing loss in animal models have demonstrated substantial and diverse changes in physiological function, anatomical reorganization of neural projections, and adverse effects on auditory behaviors. Our experiments in rodents exposed to acoustic trauma with one ear plugged result in asymmetrical hearing loss and abnormal auditory brainstem response waveforms that occur when either the unprotected or protected ear is stimulated. Susceptibility to auditory brainstem response deficits appears to differ between the right and left sides. Asymmetrical hearing loss is associated with increased startle reactivity to loud sounds, suggesting abnormal loudness perception or an increased emotional response to sound. These animals also show abnormal social interaction, and some subjects show reduced exploratory behavior in a novel environment indicative of heightened anxiety. These studies provide a framework for investigating the interplay between the auditory and non-auditory behavioral consequences of hearing loss, as well as the underlying neuropathology.Animal models offer an opportunity to investigate the consequences of asymmetrical hearing loss with a level of control over extraneous variables that is not possible with human listeners. Experimental manipulations to induce unilateral conductive or sensorineural hearing loss in animal models have demonstrated substantial and diverse changes in physiological function, anatomical reorganization of neural projections, and adverse effects on auditory behaviors. Our experiments in rodents exposed to acoustic trauma with one ear plugged result in asymmetrical hearing loss and abnormal auditory brainstem response waveforms that occur when either the unprotected or protected ear is stimulated. Susceptibility to auditory brainstem response deficits appears to differ between the right and left sides. Asymmetrical hearing loss is associated with increased startle reactivity to loud sounds, suggesting abnormal loudness perception or an increased emotional response to sound. These animals also show abnormal social i...
Enhancing gait balance via a 4-DoFs wearable hip exoskeleton

One limitation of the current lower-limb exoskeletons is that they do not provide the function of maintaining the lateral stability. During walking, beyond the forward step length regulated by hip flexion/extension (HFE), adaptation of the step width, which can be adjusted by hip abduction/adduction (HAA) motions, is also crucial for walking stability. Biomechanical studies have indicated that the step width and the mediolateral foot placement at the end of each step can be estimated based on the center of mass (CoM), which is assumed to be located at the pelvis. The extrapolated center of mass (XCoM) is obtained by vertically projecting the CoM's position to the ground in the direction of its velocity. The present study is to develop a novel, high-power, self-balancing, and passively and software-controlled actively compliant hip exoskeleton that can assist with movement and maintain balance in both the sagittal and frontal planes.
The Mad and the Past: Retrospective Diagnosis, Post-Coloniality, Discourse Analysis and the Asylum Archive

Before attempting to use as a historical source the Lucknow Lunatic Asylum case notes of the British colonial period in India, it is necessary to determine which methodological approach is most viable. The approach of historians, who attempt retrospectively to diagnose the patients of the past from the clinical details of case notes, does not satisfactorily deal with the criticism that data on medical case notes is less a series of objective observations and more a product of the power relations of the period. In contrast, medical and postcolonial historians treat the information on the case notes as a set of discursive constructions rather than a series of objective observations. By tracing the discourses in operation during construction of the Lucknow case notes, this paper identifies the ways in which the notes can be read as a series of colonial and medical discursive representations rather than as a set of clinical data.
DIAGNOSING CARDIAC SARCOIDOSIS: FINDING THE NEEDLE IN THE HAYSTACK

The Expert Consensus Recommendations on Criteria for the Diagnosis of Cardiac Sarcoidosis (CS) require histological evidence of non-caseating granulomas. However, the disease's patchy myocardial involvement limits the diagnostic yield of blind endomyocardial biopsies (EMB). A 47-year-old Caucasian
Taurine Targets the GluN2b-Containing NMDA Receptor Subtype

As an endogenous neuromodulator in the CNS, Taurine interacts with TAG (6-aminomethyl-3-methyl-4H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine 1,1-dioxide)-sensitive and TAG-insensitive receptors. Taurine activates the former by opening a Cl− channel and the latter by inhibiting the glutamate NMDA receptor. We sought to resolve the site of taurine’s interaction with the NMDA receptor. We recorded evoked field potential in medial prefrontal cortical slices and compared its dose-dependent inhibition by Ro25-6981, a selective antagonist for the GluN1/GluN2B NMDA receptor sub-type, in the absence or presence of taurine. The result revealed that inhibition of evoked responses mediated by taurine overlapped with that by Ro25-6981, suggesting that taurine modulates NMDA receptor by acting on the NMDA GluN1/GluN2B receptor sub-type. Displacement of specific binding of [3H]spermidine and of [3H]taurine to crude frontal cortical membranes by spermine and spermidine showed that polyamines and taurine may interact at a common binding site, possibly localized at the GluN1 or GluN2B subunit. We also tested for long-term taurine actions on glutamate receptor subunits using western blot determination of NMDA and AMPA receptor subunits expression in synaptosomal membranes prepared from rat frontal cortex following chronic taurine treatment. Thirty daily i.p. injections of taurine (100 mg/kg) significantly increased expression of the NMDA GluN2B, but not GluN1, subunit and decreased expression of the AMPA GluR2 subunit. The up-regulation of the GluN2B subunit suggests its long-term interaction with taurine, and supports its being a major target for taurine action. Down-regulation of the AMPA GluR2 subunit is possibly correlated to an increased recruitment of the GluR2-subunit-lacking, calcium-permeable subtype of AMPA receptor.
Nano-Sat Scale Electric Propulsion for Attitude Control-Performance Analysis

In recent years, the complexity of CubeSat missions has been increasing steadily as the platform capabilities have drastically improved. Missions involving high-accuracy pointing and interplanetary exploration are no longer out of the reach of CubeSat-class satellites. Accordingly, the CubeSat community also has been focusing on miniaturization of propulsion systems. Thus far, these systems have been used mostly for ΔV maneuver applications and require a separate attitude control system to keep the satellite pointed in the desired direction. For fine-pointing, the currently available options are dominated by reaction-wheels and control-moment-gyros. One promising solution for this is the use of low-thrust propulsion systems for providing a combined ΔV maneuver and pointing capability. Electric propulsion systems can enable high-accuracy pointing capability while also providing orbit maneuver capability. Electric propulsion systems will not have the high slew-rate of the reaction wheels or ΔV responsiveness of conventional thrusters. However, if the main objective of the mission is in providing high-accuracy pointing, long-term stability of pointing, orbit maintenance, and long-term orbit maneuvers, multi-thruster electrical propulsion system can be substituted for the attitude control system and propulsion unit combination, resulting in volume and cost savings. This paper characterizes the performance of one such system, CubeSat attitude control system. First, the propulsion system characterization results are given. Using these performance parameters, the theoretical pointing accuracy and target dwell time are analyzed and discussed. The paper also highlights potential application of the electric propulsion system and provides comparison results of the system performance as compared to other commercially available units in terms of cost, volumetric efficiency, and resource consumption.