cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transformation in Somaliland: Edna Adan Maternity Hospital

There are change efforts, and there are change efforts. Edna Adan Ismail, referred to in the Western press as the Muslim Mother Teresa, created a small revolution when she founded the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland. From securing buy-in and permissions from Siad Barre's government, acquiring land and struggling to keep it, and designing and constructing a new building, to educating a health care workforce, attracting physicians, and attending to the health care needs of a poor population, the case sets the stage for an analysis of change management. As Edna Adan Ismail feels the impact of globalization and the demands of global standards of care from the developed world, she faces some complex problems. How would she continue to add and improve hospital operations, educate the local population of health care providers and patients, and meet the objectives and standards of international actors? The material in this case presents complex problems around efforts to innovate and implement change on a grand scale. Excerpt UVA-OB-1082 Rev. May 4, 2016 Transformation in Somaliland: Edna Adan Maternity Hospital If you cannot do it with your heart, your hands will never do it. —Edna Adan Ismail's father Edna Adan Ismail, referred to in the Western press as the Muslim Mother Teresa, created a small revolution when she founded the Edna Adan Maternity Hospital in Hargeisa, Somaliland. From securing buy-in and permissions from the government to acquire land to attending to the health care needs of a poor population, Edna Adan Ismail faced, influenced, and removed numerous barriers to open and run a hospital in a resource-poor country. . . .
Effect of Priming With Seasonal Influenza A(H3N2) Virus on the Prevalence of Cross-Reactive Hemagglutination-Inhibition Antibodies to Swine-Origin A(H3N2) Variants.

Background Recent outbreaks of swine-origin influenza A(H3N2) variant (H3N2v) viruses have raised public health concerns. Previous studies indicated that older children and young adults had the highest levels of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) antibodies to 2010-2011 H3N2v viruses. However, newly emerging 2013 H3N2v have acquired antigenic mutations in the hemagglutinin at amino acid position 145 (N145K/R). We estimated the levels of serologic cross-reactivity among humans primed with seasonal influenza A(H3N2) (sH3N2), using postinfection ferret antisera. We also explored age-related HI antibody responses to 2012-2013 H3N2v viruses. Methods Human and ferret antisera were tested in HI assays against 1 representative 2012 H3N2v (145N) and 2 2013 H3N2v (145K/R) viruses, together with 9 sH3N2 viruses circulating since 1968. Results Low levels of cross-reactivity between the H3N2v and sH3N2 viruses from the 1970s-1990s were observed using postinfection ferret antisera. The overall seroprevalence among the sH3N2-primed population against 2012-2013 H3N2v viruses was >50%, and age-related seroprevalence was observed. Seroprevalence was significantly higher to 2013 H3N2v than to 2012 H3N2v viruses among some children likely to have been primed with A/Sydney/5/97-like (145K) or A/Wuhan/359/95-like viruses (145K). Conclusions A single substitution (N145K/R) was sufficient to affect seropositivity to H3N2v viruses in some individuals. Insight into age-related antibody responses to newly emerging H3N2v viruses is critical for risk assessment and pandemic preparedness.
Differential responses to nitrogen fertilization in native shrubs and exotic annuals common to mediterranean coastal sage scrub of California

This study examined the growth responses of exotic annuals and native shrubs to elevated N levels to test the hypothesis that increased N availability favors nitrophilous annuals over the slower-growing shrubs. The vegetation structure of the coastal sage scrub ecosystems in southern California is shifting from shrubland to annual grasslands. Over the last 30 years large tracts of wildlands, particularly those adjacent to urban centers, have lost significant native shrub cover, which has been replaced by exotic annuals native to the Mediterranean Basin. During this same time, air pollution has led to increased terrestrial eutrophication by atmospheric deposition. Changes in vegetation are often the result of changes in resource availability. The results of our experiments showed the three native shrubs tested to be more nitrophilous than the three annuals tested, which contrasts with most models of perennial species' adaptation to stressful environments. Under greenhouse conditions the annual grasses exhibited yield depression at the highest N treatments of 80 μg g−1 in soil. The three shrub species evaluated continued to increase shoot biomass at 80 μg g−1 N in soil. The grasses also exhibited increased tissue N concentrations with increased soil N in contrast with the shrubs where there was little difference in tissue N concentrations with increasing availability. Although the differential yield responses to elevated N do not explain the success of the annual vegetation in replacing shrubs, the inability of the shrubs to regulate growth under elevated N levels may explain the poor survival of mature individuals.
Dirty dining: how exemplification affects food safety perceptions

News outlets recurrently publish stories depicting restaurants in a negative light by using vivid exemplars based on a reporter’s personal testimony rather than detailing food safety reports. This ...
Monetary Discounting of Delayed Consequences Predict Employment Nudity: Exotic Dancers Versus Waitresses

ABSTRACTThe present study examined temporal monetary discounting rates among exotic dancers, waitresses who are required to wear revealing uniforms, and waitresses at a local restaurant where revealing clothes are not part of work attire. Current findings indicate that exotic dancers and waitresses who are required to wear revealing clothing discounted significantly more than waitresses at restaurants where provocative dress is not required. These results suggest that the type of job held may predict impulsivity, with nude or risque occupations indicating steeper patterns of overall discounting.
Graphical Display of Results of Three‐Treatment Randomized Block Experiments

A graphical procedure for displaying the block‐to‐block variation in both treatment differences and rank‐order of the treatment means from three‐treatment randomized block experiments is presented. The proposed plots are useful in both the exploratory and communication phases of the data analysis process. Two illustrative examples are included.
Multi-hypothesis post-processing for improving air-to-air radar tracking accuracy

This paper presents a study on target track accuracy improvement for air-to-air (A/A) radar. A Multi-hypothesis Post-processing (MHPP) approach is proposed for improving the air target track accuracy. The MHPP approach consists of a Target Maneuver Detector (TMD) and a Target Maneuver-adapted Track Smoother (TMATS). TMD applies a simple tracking filter to the Kalman Filter (KF) outputs for making a decision on the presence of target maneuver. The TMD’s decision is then utilized to guide TMATS to improve the overall track accuracy. TMATS is a filterbank that takes into account multiple hypotheses on the target maneuvering status. In particular, TMATS is constructed with multiple smoothing/tracking filters, each of which is dedicated to a different target maneuvering scenario. The final track outputs are selected from a particular TMATS component according to the target maneuvering status. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed MHPP approach. The robustness of the proposed MHPP approach against the degree of target maneuvering is also verified with simulations.
Conceptual Factors Influence Children's Distributivity Bias

Sentences such as "The girls read a book" can lead to multiple interpretations: They could be reading the same book (collective) or they could each be reading their own book (distributive). In ambiguous contexts, adults prefer the collective interpretation, and preschool children show a slight bias for a distributive interpretation. The current research investigated whether conceptual factors (number of actors) influences interpretations of these kinds of predicates. The data with children show a stronger collective bias when there are four actors compared to two actors. This may be because children are more likely to conceptualize groups of four (vs. two) as sets rather than collections of individuals. These data are discussed with reference to research on visual and conceptual integration abilities, showing that children lag behind in their ability to combine components into a whole in comparison to parsing objects into their component parts.
Systematic Control of Redox Properties and Oxygen Reduction Reactivity through Colloidal Ligand-Exchange Deposition of Pd on Au.

Core–shell nanoparticles of Au@Pd with precise submonolayer, monolayer, or multilayer structure were synthesized using ligand-exchange reactions of palladate ions onto colloidal Au nanocrystals. Decoupling the palladate adsorption step from the subsequent reduction enables excellent precision, uniformity, and tunability in the Pd shell thickness. The redox properties of the surface Pd are directly correlated to the thickness of the Pd shell with a >+200 mV shift in the PdO reduction potential for submonolayer Au@Pd nanoparticles compared to pure Pd. Using these precisely controlled core–shell materials, the oxygen reduction catalytic activity can be directly correlated to PdO reduction potential and Pd surface coverage on Au. When the Pd oxide reduction peak is shifted by +240 mV compared to pure Pd, a 50 mV reduction in overpotential and a 4-fold increase in kinetic current density for oxygen reduction are observed. Colloidal ligand-exchange synthesis may be particularly useful for noble metal core–shell...
Lateral-Directional Motions

This chapter discusses the lateral-directional motions of the helicopter determined by the way in which Newton's laws are satisfied for side force, rolling, and yawing moments. It presents the equations in the usual small perturbation, linearized terms, neglecting any longitudinal coupling or rpm changes. To justify neglect of the coupling takes a fair amount of argument, as it is easily seen that some such coupling does exist. Because the tail rotor is the only important contributor to many of the stability derivatives, and it simplifies the tail rotor terms, the X axis is taken on a line between the aircraft CG and the tail rotor hub. The only disadvantage of this is that yawing and rolling velocities are resolved in unfamiliar directions. But the difference is negligible in most cases, and where it is not, the angular velocities are easily resolved back again into familiar directions.
Preconception Plasma Phospholipid Fatty Acids and Fecundability

Context Fatty acids (FAs) are important for reproductive processes, including steroidogenesis, though associations with fecundability, as measured by time to pregnancy (TTP), are unclear. Objective To investigate the relationship between preconception plasma phospholipid FA (PPFA) levels and time to human chorionic gonadotropin-pregnancy among women with prior pregnancy loss. Design, Setting, and Participants Prospective cohort of 1228 women attempting pregnancy (aged 18 to 40 years, with one or two prior pregnancy losses) followed for up to six cycles at four US university medical centers during 2006 to 2012. PPFA levels were measured at baseline. Main Outcome Measures Associations with fecundability overall and by body mass index (BMI) group after adjusting for confounders were estimated using fecundability odds ratios (FORs) and 95% CIs. False discovery rate (FDR) was used to account for multiple comparisons. Results Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were associated with increased fecundability or shorter TTP [FOR, 1.08 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.16) per unit increase in percentage of total FAs], whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were associated with decreased fecundability or longer TTP [FOR, 0.95 (95% CI, 0.91 to 1.00) per 1% change], though associations only remained significant after FDR adjustment among women with BMI <25 kg/m2. Saturated FA and trans FA were not associated with fecundability. Omega-3 FAs and omega-6 linoleic acid were not associated with fecundability. Conclusion We observed associations between preconception MUFA and PUFA levels and fecundability among women with normal BMI, highlighting the importance of FA composition among normal-weight women with prior pregnancy loss.
Structure, Polarization, and Sum Frequency Generation Spectrum of Interfacial Water on Anatase TiO2

The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 for water splitting has been known for decades, yet the adsorption structure and hydrogen bonding of water at the interface with TiO2 have remained controversial. We investigate the prototypical aqueous interface with anatase TiO2 (101) using ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) with the strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) density functional, recently shown to provide an excellent description of the properties of bulk liquid water. We find that water forms a stable bilayer of intact molecules with ice-like dynamics and enhanced dipole moment and polarizability on the anatase surface. The orientational order and H-bond environment of interfacial water are reflected in the computed sum frequency generation (SFG) spectrum, which agrees well with recent measurements in the OH stretching frequency range (3000–3600 cm–1). Additional AIMD simulations for a model interface with 66% of dissociated water in the contact layer show that surface hydroxyls disrupt the...
Pervasive function and evidence for selection across standing genetic variation in S. cerevisiae.

Quantitative genetics aims to map genotype to phenotype, often with the goal of understanding how organisms evolved. However, it remains unclear whether the genetic variants identified are exemplary of evolution. Here we analyzed progeny of two wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates to identify 195 loci underlying complex metabolic traits, resolving 107 to single polymorphisms with diverse molecular mechanisms. More than 20% of causal variants exhibited patterns of emergence inconsistent with neutrality. Moreover, contrary to drift-centric expectation, variation in diverse wild yeast isolates broadly exhibited this property: over 30% of shared natural variants exhibited phylogenetic signatures suggesting that they are not neutral. This pattern is likely attributable to both homoplasy and balancing selection on ancestral polymorphism. Variants that emerged repeatedly were more likely to have done so in isolates from the same ecological niche. Our results underscore the power of super-resolution mapping of ecologically relevant traits in understanding adaptation and evolution. Genetic architecture underlies the complexity of heritable traits. Here, the authors perform high-resolution genetic mapping of metabolic traits in S. cerevisiae and show evidence for selection across standing genetic variation.
Efficacy of Superior Hypogastric Plexus Neurolysis for the Treatment of Cancer-Related Pelvic Pain.

OBJECTIVE Cancer-related abdominal and pelvic pain syndromes can be debilitating and difficult to treat. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of superior hypogastric plexus blockade or neurolysis (SHPN) for the treatment of cancer-related pelvic pain. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. METHODS We enrolled 46 patients with cancer-related pelvic pain who underwent SHPN. A numeric rating scale (NRS) was used for pain intensity, and symptom burden was evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System at baseline, visit 1 (within one month), and visit 2 (within one to six months). RESULTS Forty-six patients who received SHPN showed a significant reduction in pain score from 6.9 to 5.6 at visit 1 (P = 0.01). Thirty of the 46 patients continued to complete visit 2 follow-up, and the NRS score was consistently lower at 4.5 at visit 2 (P < 0.0001), with anxiety and appetite improved significantly. There was no significant change in the morphine equivalent dose at visits 1 and 2. The efficacy of the block was not influenced by patients' age, gender, type of cancer, cancer stage, regimen of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, diagnostic block, approach or laterality of procedure, or type or amount of neurolytic agent. Nonsmokers with high baseline pain scores were more likely to have improved treatment outcomes from SHPN at short-term follow-up. Adverse effects with SHPN were mild and well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS SHPN was an effective and relatively safe procedure for pain associated with pelvic malignancies. There is a need for larger prospective trials.
Mitochondrial transplantation ameliorates acute limb ischemia.

Abstract Objective Acute limb ischemia (ALI), the most challenging form of ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in skeletal muscle tissue, leads to decreased skeletal muscle viability and limb function. Mitochondrial injury has been shown to play a key role in skeletal muscle IRI. In previous studies, we have demonstrated that mitochondrial transplantation (MT) is an efficacious therapeutic strategy to replace or to augment mitochondria damaged by IRI, allowing enhanced muscle viability and function in cardiac tissue. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of MT in a murine ALI model. Methods C57BL/6J mice (male, 10-12 weeks) were used in a model of ALI. Ischemia was induced by applying a tourniquet on the left hindlimb. After 2 hours of ischemia, the tourniquet was released, and reperfusion of the hindlimb was re-established; either vehicle alone (n = 15) or vehicle containing mitochondria (n = 33) was injected directly into all the muscles of the hindlimb. Mitochondria were delivered at concentrations of 1 × 106 to 1 × 109 per gram wet weight to each muscle, and the animals were allowed to recover. Sham mice received no ischemia or injections but were anesthetized for 2 hours and allowed to recover. After 24 hours of recovery, limb function was assessed by DigiGait (Mouse Specifics Inc, Boston, Mass), and animals were euthanized; the gastrocnemius, soleus, and vastus medialis muscles were collected for analysis. Results After 24 hours of hindlimb reperfusion, infarct size (percentage of total mass) and apoptosis were significantly decreased (P Conclusions MT ameliorates skeletal muscle injury and enhances hindlimb function in the murine model of ALI.
Kernel-Based Resource Allocation for Improving GPU Throughput While Minimizing the Activity Divergence of SMs

Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) have been established as a major part of modern computing systems. As technology scales down, GPUs integrate more computing elements that accelerate massively parallel applications. Due to the increase of GPU cores, sophisticated resource allocation techniques are required in order to take advantage of the underlying architecture. At the same time, circuit aging rises as a challenging problem due to the reduction of chip dimensions, temperature, and utilization of GPU resources. Aging increases the switching delay of the transistors resulting in performance degradation, synchronization and lifetime problems. This becomes more prominent in GPUs due to the different behavior and characteristics of GPU applications. Applications utilize differently the computing resources and they consequently result in imbalanced aging. In this paper, we employ a kernel-based resource allocation for optimizing GPU throughput while simultaneously minimizing the activity divergence of Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs). The proposed methodology achieves improved throughput by effectively utilizing the characteristics of the application kernels offloaded on the platform, and reduced aging divergence among the SMs. Results show that our technique improves the GPU throughput by 18% and 13.8% for different GPU micro-architectures, while minimizing the aging divergence up to 89.6% comparing to other aging-aware methodologies.
Coding-Complete Genome Sequence of a Pollen-Associated Virus Belonging to the Secoviridae Family Recovered from a Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume) Metagenome Data Set.

ABSTRACT We report the coding-complete genome sequence of Japanese apricot pollen-associated secovirus 1 (JAPSV1), a virus belonging to the Secoviridae family, recovered from Japanese apricot (Prunus mume) pollen that is closely related to Peach leaf pitting-associated virus (PLPAV). This discovery adds to the number of known pollen-associated viruses.
Habitat use of spring migrating dabbling ducks in the Wabash River Valley, USA

Stopover sites provide crucial habitat for waterfowl to rest and refuel during migration. Knowledge of which land-cover types are of greatest importance to migrating waterfowl and how the surrounding landscape influences their use can inform management decisions and conservation plans to adequately meet resource requirements. Specifically, spring migration habitat is essential for waterfowl preparing for breeding yet is an understudied period of the life cycle. We placed radio-transmitters on Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) between January and April 2016–2017 in the Wabash River Valley of Illinois and Indiana to assess habitat use and movement patterns. Both Mallards and Green-winged Teal primarily used emergent and woody wetlands, with 89% of use points in these land-cover types even though they made up <5% of the study area. Use of both dry and flooded row crops was minimal. While habitat selection of Mallards was similar for diurnal vs. nocturnal periods, Green-winged Teal used emergent wetlands at a higher rate during the day and shifted to woody wetlands at night. In general, sites surrounded by greater amounts of open water, upland forest, and upland herbaceous/grassland cover were more likely to be used than areas surrounded by row-crop agriculture. Additionally, private and public lands enrolled in conservation easement programs (such as the Wetlands Reserve Program) were frequently used by migrating waterfowl compared to other protected or public lands. These findings highlight the importance of a landscape-level approach to conservation, specifically focusing on wetland restoration while minimizing reliance on agricultural fields to fulfill habitat needs during spring migration in the Midwest.
More Than Food: The Social Benefits of Localized Urban Food Systems

Localized urban food systems are gaining attention from policy makers, planners, and advocates for benefits that go well beyond food production and consumption. Recognizing that agriculture, and food systems more broadly, provide multiple, integrated services, this study measures the social, educational, civic, and nutritional impacts of four common types of local food system activity in an urban setting. Specifically, we examine the outcomes of two common types of urban agricultural production (home gardens and community gardens) and two common types of direct markets (farmers’ markets and Community Supported Agriculture programs or CSAs) through a survey of 424 gardeners and 450 direct market shoppers in California’s San Francisco Bay Area. Our comparative analysis focuses on four commonly discussed functions of agricultural production and direct marketing in urban areas: access to high-quality, fresh produce; food and agriculture education; social connections; and civic engagement. While impacts on nutrition were consistently high, some of the largest differences between types of local food system activities were in social interaction and civic engagement. For example, gardeners had a mean score of 3.77 on the social interaction scale compared to direct market participants, who had a mean score of 3.03. These findings confirm that different types of local production and direct marketing have distinct impacts on participants. Generally, gardens, which involve more sustained engagement with other people and the natural world, were sites of greater learning, connection, and civic participation than either type of direct marketing.
Using Behavioral Economics to Promote Positive Youth Development through Sport

Many sport-based youth development (SBYD) programs assume that short-term changes in participant attitudes, knowledge, and intentions will lead to long-term behavior change. However, this does not ...
Conversion from cytomegalovirus universal prophylaxis with valganciclovir to the preemptive monitoring approach to manage leukopenia after kidney or pancreas transplantation.

PURPOSE In clinical practice, conversion from universal cytomegalovirus prophylaxis (CMV PPX) with valganciclovir (VGC) to targeted therapy (preemptive monitoring, PEM) is often pursued in the setting of leukopenia. It is unknown if this is an effective strategy. METHODS Adult patients receiving a kidney and/or pancreas transplant were included if converted from PPX to PEM between 9/1/19 and 3/1/20 due to leukopenia. A positive CMV viral load (VL) was defined as CMV PCR greater than the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) based on local lab testing. A CMV VL of >500 IU/mL was chosen as the preemptive treatment (PET) threshold. Primary objective was to describe the impact of conversion on resolution of leukopenia. Secondary objectives were to assess PEM associated outcomes. RESULTS There were 49 patients converted from PPX to PEM due to leukopenia in the study period; 88% were KTRs and 96% received lymphocyte-depleting induction; 84% were seropositive at transplant (R+) and 16% were high-risk (D+/R-). Mean WBC at time of enrollment was 1.4 ± 0.4. After PEM conversion, WBC recovered to >3 in 87.8% of the population in a mean of 26.8 ± 24.5 days. Immunosuppression was modified in 96% of the population and GCSF was required in 46.9% of patients. CMV viremia occurred in 36.7% of the population; 78% were KTRs and 94% were R+. Time from PEM enrollment to PET was 64 ± 34 days. Median VL at first detection was 587 IU/mL, median peak was 1920 IU/mL. Five patients (27.8%) presented with symptoms consistent with CMV syndrome, none had end organ disease. Six patients (33%) presented with a VL <500 IU/mL at first detection, but all subsequently surpassed the threshold and required PET. Mean duration of PET was 25 ± 11 days. Mean change in WBC in response to PET was -0.4 ± 1.3. Immunosuppression required further adjustment in 61% of patients. There were no deaths or graft loss due to CMV at last follow-up. CONCLUSION In kidney and pancreas transplant recipients who undergo PEM conversion due to leukopenia, withholding of VGC can improve leukopenia, but other concomitant measures are necessary. This population should be considered fairly high risk, with a threshold of treatment of first quantifiable replication. Our findings suggest lack of harm from this approach but highlight the importance of close monitoring to prevent symptomatic replication. Larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to better evaluate the impact of PEM conversion on late-onset CMV and patient and graft outcomes.
Non-invasive transabdominal measurement of placental oxygenation: a step toward continuous monitoring.

This study aimed to assess transabdominal placental oxygenation levels non-invasively. A wearable device was designed and tested in 12 pregnant women with an anterior placenta, 5 of whom had maternal pregnancy complications. Preliminary results revealed that the placental oxygenation level is closely related to pregnancy complications and placental pathology. Women with maternal pregnancy complications were found to have a lower placental oxygenation level (69.4% ± 6.7%) than those with uncomplicated pregnancy (75.0% ± 5.8%). This device is a step in the development of a point-of-care method designed to continuously monitor placental oxygenation and to assess maternal and fetal health.
Regulation of NANOG and SOX2 expression by activin A and a canonical WNT agonist in bovine embryonic stem cells and blastocysts.

Bovine embryonic stem cells (ESC) have features associated with the primed pluripotent state including low expression of one of the core pluripotency transcription factors NANOG. It has been reported that NANOG expression can be upregulated in porcine ESC by treatment with activin A and the WNT agonist CHIR99021. Accordingly, it was tested whether expression of NANOG and another pluripotency factor SOX2 could be stimulated by activin A and the WNT agonist CHIR99021. Immunoreactive NANOG and SOX2 were analyzed for bovine ESC lines derived under conditions in which activin A and CHIR99021 were added singly or in combination. Activin A enhanced NANOG expression but also reduced SOX2 expression. CHIR99021 depressed expression of both NANOG and SOX2. In a second experiment, activin A enhanced blastocyst development while CHIR99021 treatment impaired blastocyst formation and reduced number of blastomeres. Activin A treatment decreased blastomeres in the blastocyst that were positive for either NANOG or SOX2 but increased those that were CDX2+ and that were GATA6+ outside the inner cell mass. CHIR99021 reduced SOX2+ and NANOG+ blastomeres without affecting the number or percent of blastomeres that were CDX2+ and GATA6+. Results indicate activation of activin A signaling stimulates NANOG expression during self-renewal of bovine ESC but suppresses cells expressing pluripotency markers in the blastocyst and increases cells expressing CDX2. Actions of activin A to promote blastocyst development may involve its role in promoting trophectoderm formation. Furthermore, results demonstrate the negative role of canonical WNT signaling in cattle for pluripotency marker expression in ESC and in formation of inner cell mass and epiblast during embryonic development.
On the Neural Origin of P300 in Man

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the neural origin of P300 in man. When recorded from the human scalp, P300 is a large-amplitude positive evoked potential component with a latency of 300 msec or longer. Unlike components at shorter latencies, P300 is relatively insensitive to stimulus characteristics but is highly sensitive to the psychological context in which stimuli are presented. For example, subjects' expectancies about the stimuli they will receive and the tasks they are required to perform. For this reason, P300 has been extensively investigated by those interested in human cognitive processes. The maximum amplitude focus of P300 is typically over the midline in the centroparietal region, and its amplitude distribution over the scalp is broad, bilaterally symmetrical, and appears to be independent of stimulus modality. These observations have led to the inference that P300 has a common site of origin for all modalities of stimulation and may arise from bilateral sources located in or near centro-parietal cortex.
Flexible Nanotexture Structures for Thin Film PV Cells Using Wavelet Functions

Light trapping is an important technique in increasing the efficiency of solar cells. Inverse optimization is a systematic numerical approach that allows us to find the limits of light trapping more efficiently. It is an alternative to exhaustive search simulations or experimental measurements. In this study, we use inverse optimization to study light trapping in thin film amorphous silicon cells textured by periodic patterns of metallic surface grating. We use a finite set of Haar wavelets to describe a general form of grating structure composed of multiple rectangular nanostrips. We use a well-known global multiparameter optimization technique called simulated annealing to find the coefficients of the wavelets basis for optimal absorptivity enhancement in thin film silicon. The motivation for choosing wavelet basis (vis-a-vis other orthonormal bases such as Fourier) is the feasibility of fabricating the resulting nanostructures. The resulting improvement in the number of absorbed photons is around 130% for wavelength range of 300–700 nm, which is significantly better than the previous results using simple front surface nanostrips. In addition, we use statistical tools to evaluate the sensitivity of the characteristics of the resulting structure to numerical uncertainties.
Piracy Laws and the Effective Prosecution of Pirates

This Note analyzes the current international legal framework for the punishment and prosecution of maritime piracy. Piracy is an international problem that disrupts global maritime trade and endangers the safety and security of crewmen and ship owners. Although it is a well-recognized principle that each state has universal jurisdiction to prosecute pirates, the conflicting international definitions of piracy and the preponderance of attacks near states that lack resources to effectively prosecute pirates create a gap in enforcement within the international legal framework. This Note proposes that cooperating states should establish regional international piracy tribunals that can apply an appropriate, uniform definition of piracy while providing the judicial resources to enforce international piracy
Muller, Hermann Joseph (1890–1967)

H.J. Muller, founder of the field of radiation genetics, won the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 1946 for having demonstrated that he could induce mutations with X-rays in fruit flies. Muller was also a contributor to classical genetics in T.H. Morgan's ‘Fly Lab.’ Unusual for his generation, he left the ivory tower and participated in the social implications of science. He denounced the American eugenics movement as elitist, biased, racist, and sexist but advocated a positive eugenics based on talent, intelligence, leadership, and empathy, which he hoped would be carried out in states favoring social equality. He was sympathetic to the Bolshevik Revolution and edited an underground procommunist newspaper, the Spark . He left the United States for Berlin, then Leningrad and Moscow, then fled the USSR during the Lysenko controversy and fought in the Spanish Civil War. He worked at Edinburgh until World War II broke out and then returned to the United States, finding a permanent home in Indiana University. Muller considered himself a reductionist in science, a socialist in political outlook, a critic of totalitarianism in all its forms, and a champion of radiation protection for the public.
The Measurement of Motorcycle Braking Performance by the Tow Method

A test methodology has been developed for objectifying the measurement of motorcycle braking performance through use of a towing technique. The rationale behind the procedure is presented, together with an analysis of the mechanics of braking performance during the towing of a motorcycle. The tow-test method includes the full complement of performance evaluations, viz. , effectiveness, burnish, thermally-induced fade, and wetted brake performance. This set of tests was performed on two motorcycles and the resulting data are presented and discussed.
God-Terms as Exigence in the Rhetorical Battle over Keystone XL

This essay analyzes the rhetoric used by opponents and supporters of the Keystone XL Pipeline in an attempt to understand the ways in which the issue has become so polarizing. Drawing upon Kenneth Burke’s terministic screens and god-terms, along with Richard Weaver’s own analysis of god-terms, I conduct a close reading of the media surrounding the debate over the proposed pipeline, paying close attention to the two god-terms I identify as key to the debate: safety and progress. My analysis reveals that opponents of the pipeline have constructed the issue into a symbolic battle over the future of North American clean energy, and I conclude that Keystone XL, while an important issue to debate, does not merit treatment as an exigency so great as to decide the future of our nation’s energy.
The Lemmas of Lagrange and du Bois-Reymond

In most of the examples in Chapter 3, we examined a real valued function F defined on a domain of functions \(\mathcal{D}\) and obtained for it an integral condition in the form I(y, v) = 0, ∀ v in an auxiliary domain \(\mathcal{D}\)0 which is sufficient to guarantee that each y ∈ \(\mathcal{D}\) which satisfies it must minimize F on \(\mathcal{D}\).
Analysis of Reaction Products of Nitrogen Tetroxide with Hydrazines under Nonignition Conditions

Products formed by reaction of nitrogen tetroxide and hydrazine or methylhydrazines at low temperatures were collected and analyzed, using mass spectroscopy, gas chromatography and infrared absorption spectroscopy. It was found that hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide form water, nitrogen, nitric oxide, hydrazinium nitrate, and ammonia. When monomethylhydrazine is used instead of hydrazine, the products include methylamine, dimethylamine, methanol, methylnitrosamine, dimethylnitro samine, N-methylformamide, water, methylhydrazinium nitrate, nitrogen, and dissolved oxides of carbon and nitrogen. When 1,1-dimethylhydrazine is used in place of hydrazine, the products include methylamine, dimethylamine, methanol, dimethylnitrosamine, dimethylformamide, formamide, nitrogen, water, dimethylhydrazinium nitrate, and dissolved oxides of carbon and nitrogen. Between 6Q% and 8Q% of the liquid portion of the products is dimethylnitro samine. Based on the evidence provided by these analyses, reaction mechanisms are proposed.
Preventing clonal evolutionary processes in cancer: Insights from mathematical models

Clonal evolutionary processes can drive pathogenesis in human diseases, with cancer being a prominent example. To prevent or treat cancer, mechanisms that can potentially interfere with clonal evolutionary processes need to be understood better. Mathematical modeling is an important research tool that plays an ever-increasing role in cancer research. This paper discusses how mathematical models can be useful to gain insights into mechanisms that can prevent disease initiation, help analyze treatment responses, and aid in the design of treatment strategies to combat the emergence of drug-resistant cells. The discussion will be done in the context of specific examples. Among defense mechanisms, we explore how replicative limits and cellular senescence induced by telomere shortening can influence the emergence and evolution of tumors. Among treatment approaches, we consider the targeted treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. We illustrate how basic evolutionary mathematical models have the potential to make patient-specific predictions about disease and treatment outcome, and argue that evolutionary models could become important clinical tools in the field of personalized medicine.
Software reliability estimation under certainty: generalization of the method of moments

Traditionally, reliability models of component-based software systems compute the point estimate of system reliability by plugging point estimates of unknown parameters into the model. These models discard the uncertainty of the parameters, that is, do not attempt to answer the question how parameters uncertainties affect the estimates of system reliability. In this paper we focus on uncertainty analysis in software reliability based on method of moments. In particular, we present a generalization of our earlier work that allows us to consider the uncertainty in the operational profile (i.e., the way software is used) in addition to the uncertainty in components failure behavior (i.e., component reliabilities) considered earlier. The method of moments is an approximate analytical method that allows us to generate system reliability moments based on (1) the knowledge of software architecture reflected in the expression of system reliability as a function of component reliabilities and frequencies of control transfer between components, (2) estimates of the moments of components reliabilities, and (3) estimates of the moments of probabilities of control transfer between components. Further, we apply the method of moments on two case studies and discuss its advantages and disadvantages.
Basic Concepts of Radar Polarimetry

A comprehensive overview of the basic principles of radar polarimetry is presented. The relevant fundamental field equations are first provided in order to introduce the polarization state formulations of electromagnetic waves in the frequency domain, including the Jones and the Stokes vector formalism and its presentation on the Poincare sphere and on relevant map projections. In a next step, the scattering matrices [S] and [M] are given together with change of polarization bases transformation operators, where upon the optimal (characteristic) polarization states are determined for the coherent and partially coherent cases, respectively. This chapter is concluded with a set of simple examples.
Numerical Roll Reversal Predictor-Corrector Aerocapture and Precision Landing Guidance Algorithms for the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 Missions

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a numerical roll reversal predictor-corrector guidance algorithm for the atmospheric flight portion of the Mars Surveyor Program 2001 Orbiter and Lander missions. The Lander mission utilizes direct entry and has a demanding requirement to deploy its parachute within 10 km of the target deployemnt point. The Orbiter mission utilizes aerocapture to achieve a precise captured orbit with a single atmospheric pass. Detailed descriptions of these predictor-corrector algorithms are given. Also, results of three and six degree-of-freedom Monte Carlo simulations which include navigation, aerodynamics, mass properties and atmospheric density uncertainties are presented.
A merger in vocational interest research: Applying Holland's theory to Strong's data

Abstract Six scales representing Holland's six personality types-Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional-were developed for the SVIB. These were used to score 202 occupational samples from the Strong archives, and the mean scores for each sample on each scale are reported here. The ranking of means conform well with Holland's theory. The highest mean scores were: Realistic: Machinists, tool and die makers, vocational agriculture teachers; Investigative: Physicists, chemists and psychologists; Artistic: Actors, artists, and interior decorators; Social: YMCA staff members, ministers, guidance counselors; Enterprising: Salesmen, department store managers, and buyers; Conventional: Bankers, business education teachers, and office workers. These scales are now available for research use.
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus selectively alters differentiated but not housekeeping functions: block in expression of growth hormone gene is at the level of transcriptional initiation.

Persistent infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) Armstrong strain in C3H/ST mice is associated with a growth hormone (GH) deficiency syndrome, characterized by growth retardation and low serum glucose levels (M.B.A. Oldstone et al., 1982, Science 218, 1125-1127). The syndrome is associated with a decrease in GH synthesis in the pituitary gland, in the absence of cellular injury in the pituitary or associated brain areas. In this report, we demonstrate that the decreases in steady-state synthesis of GH and its mRNA in virally infected mice is related to a 16-fold reduction in initiation of transcription of this gene. Minimal decrease, however, was demonstrated in transcriptional initiation of another pituitary gene, the precursor of thyroid simulating hormone (TSH-beta) or of the housekeeping genes, actin and pro alpha 2(I) collagen. Thus, viruses can cause disease in the absence of cytolytic or morphologic injury by selectively disrupting the synthesis of a differentiated cellular product at the level of transcriptional initiation.
Different responses to photoperiod in non-diapausing colonies of the flesh fly, Boettcherisca peregrina

The effect of photoperiod on pupariation time and the ability to secrete ecdysteroids by the larval ring gland of the flesh fly, Boettcherisca peregrina, are compared among three tropical non-diapausing colonies, Bp (forest), Bp (Luwuk) and Bp (NC) and one temperate diapausing colony of Bp (Tokyo). Non-diapausing colonies do not enter diapause under any photoperiod at 20°C, whereas the Bp (Tokyo) diapausing colony enters diapause at the pupal stage under a short-day photoperiod. The times required for 50% pupariation of Bp (forest), Bp (Luwuk) and Bp (Tokyo) are 34 h, 36 h 20 min and 34 h 40 min under short days (SD), respectively. However, Bp (NC) pupariates in a much shorter time (26 h 10 min) compared with the others. The 50% pupariation times of Bp (NC), Bp (forest) and Bp (Tokyo) under long days (LD) are 27 h, 25 h 50 min and 26 h 40 min, respectively. However, it is much longer in Bp (Luwuk) at 53 h 20 min. The rates of secretion of ecdysteroids by the larval ring glands in vitro in Bp (Tokyo) and Bp (forest) are six- to ten-fold higher under SD (6.00 and 3.69 ng) than under LD (0.60 ng), whereas the ring glands of Bp (Luwuk) and Bp (NC) secrete 3.06 and 8.25 ng ecdysteroids under LD and 5.18 and 10.53 ng under SD, respectively. These results suggest there are at least three different physiological types among non-diapausing colonies of B.peregrina: Bp (forest), Bp (Luwuk) and Bp (NC).
The role of succulent halophytes in the water balance of salt marsh rodents.

The role of succulent halophytes in the water balance and ecology of salt marsh rodents is dependent upon an evaluation of the composition of the available sources and the physiological properties of their potential consumers. Studies of the osmotic properties of succulent halophytes from southern California coastal salt marshes are presented, together with experiments regarding the utilization of Common Pickleweed (Salicornia virginica L.) by indigenous populations of cricetid rodents (harvest mouse Reithrodontomys megalotis limicola Von Bloecker, and meadow-mouse Microtus californicus stephensi Von Bloecker). These data are discussed in relation to other available information concerning the ecology of coastal salt marshes, particularly in western North America.Extruded sap of Common Pickleweed was found to have a mean total osmotic pressure (TOP) of 1,450 mOsm/liter, with an average chloride ion content of 876 mEq/liter (about 70% of the TOP). A related species, Salicornia subterminale, had a slightly lower TOP (1,300 mOsm/liter), of which about 29% was accounted for by chloride ion concentration. Sea Blight (Suaeda fruticosa) was the only species in which the TOP correlated with the distance from the tide level; sap TOP increased away from the lagoon's edge. In both Sea Blight and Common Pickle weed, TOP was not directly related to chloride content, indicating the importance of other osmotically active solutes.Harvest mice were placed on three experimental regimes: 1) millet seeds only, 2) pickleweed only, and 3) pickleweed and millet seed. Meadow mice were tested on the last regime only. Harvest mice survived best on a strict millet seed diet; when Salicornia was consumed to a detectable extent, the mice did not survive. Meadow mice, however, could survive using Salicornia as a dietary source in conjunction with seeds. Kidney electrolyte concentrating abilities indicated that harvest mice should be able to utilize pickleweed; this was not confirmed in my experiments. It is suggested that cathartic ions (possibly magnesium, sulphate, or oxalate) prohibit the utilization of certain halophytes. The mechanisms that enable meadow mice to utilize Salicornia are not clearly understood.Measurements of harvest mouse evaporative water loss are among the highest reported for small mammals (1.35 mg H2O/cc O2 consumed). On the basis of these data and other information in the literature, a water budget was constructed. The results suggest that harvest mice may enter daily torpor in response to osmotic stress or water deprivation.The role of dew and fog precipitation in the ecology of small rodents inhabiting coastal marshes is discussed. Apparently a sufficient amount of free water is available to meet the requirements of the salt marsh populations, although the quality of the available water may be influenced by salt-excretion activity of certain halophytes. Less halophytic succulents are available in the coastal marshes; these species may be more readily utilized than Salicornia by small vertebrates.