cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
C-4 sterol demethylation enzymes distinguish bacterial and eukaryotic sterol synthesis.

Sterols are essential eukaryotic lipids that are required for a variety of physiological roles. The diagenetic products of sterol lipids, sterane hydrocarbons, are preserved in ancient sedimentary rocks and are utilized as geological biomarkers, indicating the presence of both eukaryotes and oxic environments throughout Earth’s history. However, a few bacterial species are also known to produce sterols, bringing into question the significance of bacterial sterol synthesis for our interpretation of sterane biomarkers. Recent studies suggest that bacterial sterol synthesis may be distinct from what is observed in eukaryotes. In particular, phylogenomic analyses of sterol-producing bacteria have failed to identify homologs of several key eukaryotic sterol synthesis enzymes, most notably those required for demethylation at the C-4 position. In this study, we identified two genes of previously unknown function in the aerobic methanotrophic γ-Proteobacterium Methylococcus capsulatus that encode sterol demethylase proteins (Sdm). We show that a Rieske-type oxygenase (SdmA) and an NAD(P)-dependent reductase (SdmB) are responsible for converting 4,4-dimethylsterols to 4α-methylsterols. Identification of intermediate products synthesized during heterologous expression of SdmA-SdmB along with 13C-labeling studies support a sterol C-4 demethylation mechanism distinct from that of eukaryotes. SdmA-SdmB homologs were identified in several other sterol-producing bacterial genomes but not in any eukaryotic genomes, indicating that these proteins are unrelated to the eukaryotic C-4 sterol demethylase enzymes. These findings reveal a separate pathway for sterol synthesis exclusive to bacteria and show that demethylation of sterols evolved at least twice—once in bacteria and once in eukaryotes.
Testing the Effects of Similarity and Real Payoffs on Choice

Tversky’s contributions to economic modeling of risk provided a criticism of Expected Utility (EU) so strong that it could not be ignored. In particular, Kahneman and Tversky’s 1979 Econometrica paper helped to build an emerging set of literature (see also MacCrimmon and Larsson, 1979) by demonstrating the power of well-executed experiments, eliciting stable choice patterns that provide undisputed evidence of the limitation of choice models using complete rationality under EU. Unlike those in Allais (1953, 1979) that identified extreme situations — an exception that did not change the rule — Kahneman and Tversky’s experiments addressed “real life” decisions, and as a result changed risky choice modeling.
Single Constraint Synchronization

In this chapter, synchronization of two or more dynamical systems to specific constraints is introduced, which is different from the traditional synchronization of two dynamical systems. For such synchronization, Lyapunov stability method cannot be adopted. The synchronization, desynchronization, and penetration of multiple dynamical systems to a specific constraint are discussed from the theory of discontinuous dynamical systems, and the necessary and sufficient conditions for such synchronicity are presented.
The Devil is in the Details: Or, Why I Haven't Yet Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Vouchers

The one good thing about having Zelman v. Simmons-Harris behind us (and the fact that the Blaine Amendment questions have yet to catch the public's attention) is that now we can talk about the issues that are central in the minds of the principal stakeholders in the school voucher debate: the parents of children in urban public schools. They want to talk about the circumstances under which vouchers have the potential to provide good educational choices, and they want to discuss whether voucher plans are being set up so that they are likely to produce those benefits. In the first section of this essay, I discuss the seemingly inconsistent data on African American attitudes towards school vouchers and offer an explanation that reconciles those results. In the second and third sections I review the systemic reasons that urban public schools in the United States too often fail to improve the life chances of their students and explain what school voucher programs can and cannot do to address those systemic issues. I conclude that although private and parochial school vouchers may improve our education system in marginal ways, the truly revolutionary potential of vouchers lies in public school voucher plans that open predominantly middle class suburban public schools to urban children of color.
CT prediction of surgical outcome in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Abstract Objective A scoring system has been proposed to predict gross residual disease at primary debulking surgery (PDS) for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. This scoring system has not been assessed in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). The aim of this study is to assess the reproducibility and prognostic significance of the scoring system when applied to women undergoing NACT followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS). Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients with advanced ovarian cancer who underwent NACT and IDS between 2005 and 2014. Change in tumor burden using computed tomography (CT) at diagnosis (T0) and after initiation of NACT but before IDS (T1) was independently assessed by two radiologists blinded to outcomes using two read criteria: a scoring system utilizing clinical and radiologic criteria and RECIST 1.1. Relationship between CT assessments to surgical outcome, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Reader agreement was measured using Fleiss's kappa (ĸ). Results 76 patients were analyzed. Optimal surgical outcome was achieved in 69 (91%) of patients. Median progression free survival was 13.2 months and overall survival was 32.6 months, respectively. Predictive score change from T0 to T1 of >1 (denoting an improvement in disease burden) was associated with optimal cytoreduction (p = 0.02 and 0.01 for readers 1 and 2, respectively). Neither predictive score nor RECIST 1.1 assessment was predictive of OS or PFS. Reader agreement was substantial for predictive score (κ = 0.77) and moderate for RECIST (κ = 0.51) assessments. Conclusions A change in score before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy minimizes reader variability and predicts surgical outcome.
Climate Matters in Health Decision-Making

This timely chapter by Thomson, Lyon and Ceccato highlights the significance of climate data in mitigating negative health outcomes. The authors provide an introduction to climate data sources, explaining how climate data are measured, where they can be accessed and how public health practitioners can incorporate them into disease early warning systems. They demonstrate how climate information—based on analysis of historical data, monitoring of current conditions or predictions of future weather, climate events and trends—can inform public health policy and planning. The authors conclude by offering a checklist for health planners intending to incorporate climate data into their information systems and provide links to relevant literature and resources.
Health literacy and knowledge of chronic transfusion therapy in adolescents with sickle cell disease and caregivers

BACKGROUND Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) may require chronic transfusion therapy (CTT) for prevention of stroke or other complications. Limited health literacy (HL) is common and is associated with poor health-related knowledge and outcomes in chronic disease. We sought to assess HL and transfusion knowledge in patients with SCD on CTT and their caregivers. METHODS A cross-sectional study of patients was conducted in outpatient hematology clinics. Forty-five pairs of adolescent patients and caregivers and 20 caregivers of pre-adolescent patients completed the Newest Vital Sign HL assessment and answered questions assessing SCD and transfusion knowledge. Community-level median income and unemployment rates were estimated from Census data. We computed the correlation of HL with knowledge and compared each to Census variables, payor status, educational attainment, and stroke. RESULTS HL was inadequate in 22 (34%) caregivers and 31 (69%) adolescents. Adequate caregiver HL was associated with higher educational attainment but not community-level socioeconomics or payor status. Mean knowledge score was lower in adolescents than in caregivers and correlated with age in adolescents (r = 0.42, P = .004). HL correlated with knowledge (r = 0.46, P < .0001). There were no significant correlations of HL or knowledge between adolescents and their caregivers. Neither HL nor knowledge was associated with prior stroke. The greatest knowledge was demonstrated for iron overload and SCD genotype, whereas knowledge gaps existed in alloimmunization, indication for CTT, and SCD curative therapy. CONCLUSIONS Enhanced educational resources in transfusion therapy, alloimmunization, and curative therapy are needed for patients with SCD and caregivers of all HL levels.
Intelligent Three Tie Contactor Switch Unit-Based Fault Detection and Isolation in DC Microgrids

Faults in dc microgrids require quicker interruption than those in traditional ac power systems. This is due to the reduced stiffness of dc microgrids being powered by low inertia distributed energy resources interfaced through power electronic converters. For a high impedance fault, the limited magnitude of the fault current poses additional challenges in detection and identification of fault location in the system, with difficulty in distinguishing the fault condition from the normal operating condition. This article proposes a new cost-effective protection system for fast identification, selective isolation of short circuit and high impedance faults, and system restoration in such dc microgrids. It is achieved through proper coordination of source converters with intelligent three tie contactor switch units (ICU) and there are no solid-state circuit breakers in action. The high impedance faults are identified through multi resolution analysis of the locally measured current signals with discrete wavelet transform and K -nearest neighbor-based classifier at each source converter and contactor. The selectivity is achieved through adaptive resistance time curves set by the programmable relay units installed at each ICU node in the system.
Educational Empowerment: A Child's Right to Attend Public School

Over the past thirty years, homeschooling has been almost completely deregulated. Currently, there are few academic resources describing the lived experiences of homeschooled children. This paper is the culmination of several years of research and interviews with homeschooled alumni who grew up in Christian fundamentalist homeschooling families. The paper describes how homeschooling provided a unique vehicle for parents to abuse and educationally neglect their children, thanks -- in no small part -- to the current state of deregulation. The paper also explores attempts, by some, to increase homeschool regulation through the political process and explains why most such recent attempts have failed. Finally, the paper proposes a solution for those children raised by homeschooling parents who are engaging in educational neglect, a solution based on each state constitution's education clause.
Simulating Diplomacy: Learning Aid or Business as Usual?

The use of simulations has increasingly gained momentum as a way of captivating students’ attention and enhancing learning in the classroom. However, despite its increasing use as a teaching tool, ...
Sorry to Bother You Again: Developer Recommendation Choice Architectures for Designing Effective Bots

Software robots, or bots, are useful for automating a wide variety of programming and software development tasks. Despite the advantages of using bots throughout the software engineering process, research shows that developers often face challenges interacting with these systems. To improve automated developer recommendations from bots, this work introduces developer recommendation choice architectures. Choice architecture is a behavioral science concept that suggests the presentation of options impacts the decisions humans make. To evaluate the impact of framing recommendations for software engineers, we examine the impact of one choice architecture, actionability, for improving the design of bot recommendations. We present the results of a preliminary study evaluating this choice architecture in a bot and provide implications for integrating choice architecture into the design of future software engineering bots.
Fit of Fire Boots: CT (Computerized Tomography) Scan and 3D Simulation

Fit of fire boots are one of the most crucial factors in firefighters’ safety and mobility. However, it is challenging to investigate the internal dimension of the fire boots which is the primary factor of the fit. We scanned the boots using a medical computerized tomography (CT) scan facility and also feet of a local firefighter using a portable 3D surface scanner. The scanned feet were arranged into the boots in 3D space, and the gap between the skin and the lining of the boots were visually investigated and also quantified. In addition, the size of the firefighter’s foot and the internal dimension of the boot were measured in the virtual space for comparison. Lastly, the 3D model of the boots was imported into CLO 3D fit simulation software for dynamic fit simulation using a 3D avatar.
37 Genomic improvement of the horse X chromosome and characterization of the pseudoautosomal boundary

The horse reference genome has been improved with the release of EquCab3 and the first Y chromosome reference. The most complex sequences, such as those in the sex chromosomes, are still unresolved. These include large amplicons, repeats, and the pseudoautosomal boundary (PAB). We initiated a comprehensive study specifically to improve the assembly of the horse sex chromosomes. To refine the assembly of complex regions, we are utilizing 3 new technologies: trio-binning, Hi-C and Bionano optical mapping. Trio-binning uses long read sequences from F1 interspecific hybrids and short reads from parent species. High molecular weight blood DNA was extracted from a female hinny and sequenced on 2 PacBio Sequel cells. Paired-end Illumina reads (150bp) for horse (Twilight) and donkey (Willy) were obtained from SRA. These sequences as well as the hinny long reads were assembled with trio-binning function of the Canu assembler program. The initial assembly is 2.5 Gb separated into 1,757 contigs with an N50 of 41.5 Mb. We have completed Hi-C sequencing and Bionano optical maps for one thoroughbred stallion (Bravo). Both technologies are needed to scaffold the trio-binning Canu assembly. Our initial goal was to use this assembly to better define the PAB in the horse. The PAB demarcates the end of the pseudoautosomal region (PAR) where X-Y recombination stops. Despite the evolutionary and biological importance of the PAB, the region has been characterized at molecular level in only a few species. The PAB of the horse is presently not well defined. Previously, we identified and Sanger sequenced 4 BAC clones - 2 spanning PAB-X and PAB-Y. To identify the PAB of the horse, BAC sequences were aligned to the Y assembly, EquCab3 and a 42 Mb-size contig from trio-binning assembly which corresponds to the short arm of the X. We identified a region on both X and Y where X-Y homology drops from over 97% (PAR) to almost zero, indicative of the PAB. This region corresponds to the location of the XKR3Y gene in the Y but is not well-annotated in the X. We also identified a duplication and an inversion in EquCab3 which was not consistent with the corresponding region in the X-BACs, or the new 42 Mb Xp contig, suggesting a mis-assembly in EquCab3. We believe that these approaches combined will also resolve other complex and repetitive portions in the horse sex chromosomes.
Between the folds: Reconceptualizing the current state of early childhood technology development in China

Rapid development and expansion of technology has created massive shifts in people’s lives around the globe. China’s focus on transforming the nation into a global leader in technology has resulted...
Marketing Development Strategy Planning for Grocery Stores in Kecamatan Wonokromo of Surabaya

The existence of grocery stores is increasingly squeezed by the mushrooming chain convenience stores throughout Indonesia, including Surabaya. The purpose of the present study was to determine the target and market position and marketing strategy design of grocery stores operating in Kecamatan Wonokromo of Surabaya. The present study used the descriptive qualitative research method. The object was the strategy designs of grocery stores in Kecamatan Wonokromo of Surabaya and the subjects were the grocery store owners. The present study used the Porter’s Five Force analysis and SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) methods. The SWOT analysis showed that the grocery stores were located in Quadrant 3. It indicates that the grocery stores had internal weaknesses in various ways, making opportunities for profits difficult to achieve. Thus, the appropriate strategy to use is the alternative strategy 3, which are consolidation, improvement, perspective change and elimination of the root causes of problems to avoid threats. It implies that there is a need for new investments and new strategy designs in order to be capable of competition with competitors, especially large-capital convenient stores. .
Cortical hemisphere preference and brainstem ear asymmetry reflect experience-dependent functional modulation of pitch.

Abstract Temporal attributes of pitch processing at cortical and subcortical levels are differentially weighted and well-coordinated. The question is whether language experience induces functional modulation of hemispheric preference complemented by brainstem ear symmetry for pitch processing. Brainstem frequency-following and cortical pitch responses were recorded concurrently from Mandarin and English participants. A Mandarin syllable with a rising pitch contour was presented to both ears with monaural stimulation. At the cortical level, left ear stimulation in the Chinese group revealed an experience-dependent response for pitch processing in the right hemisphere, consistent with a functional account. The English group revealed a contralateral hemisphere preference consistent with a structural account. At the brainstem level, Chinese participants showed a functional leftward ear asymmetry, whereas English were consistent with a structural account. Overall, language experience modulates both cortical hemispheric preference and brainstem ear asymmetry in a complementary manner to optimize processing of temporal attributes of pitch.
Genetic Programming Experiments with Standard and Homologous Crossover Methods

While successful applications have been reported using standard GP crossover, limitations of this approach have been identified by several investigators. Among the most compelling alternatives to standard GP crossover are those that use some form of homologous crossover, where code segments that are exchanged are structurally or syntactically aligned in order to preserve context and worth. This paper reports the results of an empirical comparison of GP using standard crossover methods with GP using homologous crossover methods. Ten problems are tested, five each of pattern recognition and regression. Results suggest that in terms of generalization accuracy, homologous crossover does generate consistently better performance. In addition, there is a consistently lower fraction of introns that are generated in the solution code.
The State in Early Modern France: The twenty years' crisis, 1635–1654

War with Spain From 1635 to 1659, France and Spain fought a war for political hegemony in western Europe. The effort required of the two states was such that it dismembered Spain, led to civil war in France, and induced governmental bankruptcies in both countries. Spain never recovered from the burdens it had to bear, slipping steadily in power after 1660. France emerged as the dominant power in Europe. From our perspective, the outcome of this contest seems a foregone conclusion. France had a larger population and a much healthier demographic trend; France had a much more thoroughly integrated state than Spain; the French economy was varied and rich, that of Spain unbalanced and in decline. Contemporaries had rather a different view. Spain had the best army in Europe, the tercios , and the combination of Habsburg Spain and the revived Habsburg-ruled Holy Roman Empire seemed an overwhelming power. The Spanish could also draw upon the fabulous silver of Mexico and Peru to finance their armies. The king of Spain ruled the Franche-Comte, the duchy of Milan, and, through a vice-regent, the Spanish Netherlands as well. In short, he had France surrounded. The war opened well for the French, with a victory at Avein (near Liege) and minor successes in the Rhine valley. Within weeks of its victory, however, the French army in Flanders melted away, unpaid and ravaged by disease. In early 1636, events began to confirm contemporary assessments of the two combatants: the Spanish army drove quickly into France, taking all of the fortifications in its path to Paris.
Total Chemical Synthesis Peers into the Biosynthetic Black Box

Key steps in a natural product synthesis route may relate to nature's strategies and catalysts.
Population Genetics: Historical Aspects

Understanding the extent of genetic variation among individuals within as well as across populations is the main objective of population genetic studies. The principles of population genetics have had a major role in studying evolutionary changes of genetic variation and in developing methods for gene discovery using genetic markers to evaluate disease risk in individuals. Keywords: genetic variation; molecular evolution; polymorphism; gene mapping; human identification
Journey of Change and Back: A Case Study of a Reconstituted Social Work Service

ABSTRACT As a result of Total Quality Management and Reengineering principles during the VA's “Journey of Change” in the mid-1990s many hospital social work departments were re-organized under umbrella-care lines. Outcome studies of this movement have focused primarily on patient services. This study focused on the service providers' (including social workers) point of view and their satisfaction with the change in service structure. Data gathering consisted of a master thesis project by one of the co-authors, an administrative in-house survey of staff satisfaction, a qualitative presentation of staff concerns, and the perspective of the administrator who took the decision.
Cryptozoology in the Medieval and Modern Worlds

Popular interest in cryptozoology (the study of unconfirmed species, such as bigfoot and chupacabra) has been fuelled by a recent publishing frenzy of encyclopaedias, dictionaries, and guides devoted to the subject, as well as by unprecedented opportunities for enthusiasts to collect data and exchange stories via the Internet. The author situates the emotional commitment many exhibit toward cryptids (the creatures themselves) in a broad historical context. Unconfirmed species served as an implicit ground of conflict and dialogue between untutored masses and educated elite, even prior to the rise of academic science as a unified body of expert consensus. The psychological significance of cryptozoology in the modern world has new facets, however: it now serves to channel guilt over the decimation of species and destruction of the natural habitat; to recapture a sense of mysticism and danger in a world now perceived as fully charted and over-explored; and to articulate resentment of and defiance against a sc...
Study of quaternary logic versus binary logic

The authors deal with the comparison of quaternary and binary logic with reference to entropy, speed of data transmission and data string length QUATLOG, computer simulator developed, demonstrates the relative advantages of employing quaternary logic for data transmission. >
Extraterritorial Common Law: Does the Common Law Apply Abroad?

The extraterritorial scope of U.S. law is of profound importance to our courts as they confront transnational tort claims stemming from foreign-based human rights violations, acts of terrorism, and other harms occurring in foreign places all over the globe. Courts and scholars to date have focused on the extraterritorial application of federal statutes such as the Alien Tort Statute, while devoting far less attention to the extraterritorial application of state law and almost none to state common law. This Article argues against new or presumptive limits on the extraterritorial application of the common law. It breaks new ground by laying a foundation to establish why the geographical scope of the common law should differ from the geographical scope of statutes. First, this Article shows that, under the Erie doctrine, state courts — not federal courts — should decide the geographical reach of their common law, as they already do under well-established choice-of-law rules. Second, this Article shows how inherent differences between the common law and statutes explain why the common law — perhaps counterintuitively — should have a broader geographical reach than statutes. As courts have increasingly confined the geographical reach of statutes (most recently with the Supreme Court's decision in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum Co.), this analysis holds significant implications for the future of human rights and other transnational tort claims in U.S. courts and for the persistence of extraterritorial common law.
An Ancient Chinese Stock of Gold

The elaborate Chinese standard histories, which, if all translated, would fill several hundred thick volumes, provide illuminating information about many aspects of economic history. In this paper, I shall present a passage that enables us to estimate the gold stock of the Chinese at the beginning of the Christian era, a type of information rarely available.In his History of the Former Han Dynasty, Ban Gu (writing about A.D. 80) has occasion to illustrate the stinginess of a usurping emperor, Wang Mang, and enumerates his wealth as follows:At this time [A.D. 23], in the inner apartments of the Wei-yang Palace, ten thousand catties of actual gold were put into one chest and there still remained sixty chests. In each office for storage of the Yellow Gate and of the Intendant of Palace Parks and in the workshops of the Master of Recipes, there were also several chests. The Imperial Treasury at the Ch'ang-lo Palace and the Bureau of Equalization and Standards in the capital in addition stored very much cash, silk, pearls, jade, and valuables.
Neutron-Phonon Interaction in Neutron Star Crusts

The phonon spectrum of Coulomb lattice in neutron star crusts above the neutron drip density is affected by the interaction with the ambient neutron Fermi-liquid. For the values of the neutron-phonon coupling constant in the range $0.1 \le \lambda \le 1$ an appreciable renormalization of the phonon spectrum occurs which can lead to a lattice instability manifested in an exponential growth of the density fluctuations. The BCS phonon exchange mechanism of superconductivity leads to neutron pairing with a gap in the neutron excitation spectrum comparable to that due to the direct nuclear interaction.
Light penetration in the snowpack at Summit, Greenland: Part 1: Nitrite and hydrogen peroxide photolysis

Abstract Photochemical rate constants ( j values) are crucial indicators for evaluating the importance of photochemical reactions in environmental systems. While measurement of aqueous j values via chemical actinometry is relatively straightforward under most conditions, problems arise with ambient conditions below freezing, such as at very high latitudes or altitudes. To address this problem, we have developed a new method for low temperature actinometry using solutions of acetonitrile (ACN) and water, which have freezing points down to - 44 ∘ C . In this method we measure the formation of phenol from the photolysis of an OH • -generating chromophore in the presence of benzene. Using results from laboratory tests we correct our phenol field results in ACN / H 2 O to rate constants for chromophore photolysis expected for water–ice (i.e., in the quasi-liquid layer of snow grains) under the same conditions. In part 1 of this study, we use this method at Summit, Greenland on the surface snow and to depths of ∼ 30 cm using hydrogen peroxide (HOOH) and nitrite ( NO 2 - ) as the chromophores. While the method works well for determining the rate constant for HOOH photolysis ( j (HOOH)), we encountered problems using the technique with nitrite. However, measured PhOH formation rate constants for nitrite in acetonitrile, j NO 2 - → PhOH ACN , still provide an excellent means for calculating snowpack e -folding depths for NO 2 - photolysis (i.e., the depth over which the rate constant decreases by a factor of e ). Values of j (HOOH) and j ( NO 2 - ) determined from measurements of actinic flux (above the snow) and irradiance (in snow) suggest that the value of j (HOOH) on the surface snow at midday was 8.6 × 10 - 7 s - 1 in mid-March and increased by 300% by the start of May, while j NO 2 - → PhOH ACN midday surface values were consistently ( 1 – 3 ) × 10 - 7 s - 1 throughout the season. Within the snowpack, average e -folding depths determined from chemical actinometry were 13.3 ( ± 0.88 ) cm for j (HOOH) and 16.3 ( ± 4.2 ) cm for j NO 2 - → PhOH ACN ; e -folding depths determined from in-snow spectral radiometer measurements of irradiance were similar. The larger e -folding depth for nitrite is because this chromophore absorbs at longer wavelengths where there is less light extinction in the snow.
Mouse Genome Engineering via CRISPR-Cas9 for Study of Immune Function

Clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated (Cas9) technology has proven a formidable addition to our armory of approaches for genomic editing. Derived from pathways in archaea and bacteria that mediate the resistance to exogenous genomic material, the CRISPR-Cas9 system utilizes a short single guide RNA (sgRNA) to direct the endonuclease Cas9 to virtually anywhere in the genome. Upon targeting, Cas9 generates DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and facilitates the repair or insertion of mutations, insertion of recombinase recognition sites, or large DNA elements. Here, we discuss the practical advantages of the CRISPR-Cas9 system over conventional and other nuclease-based targeting technologies and provide suggestions for the use of this technology to address immunological questions.
Conformational change of hydroxyapatite/gelatin nanocomposite by glutaraldehyde.

The hydroxyapatite (HAp)/gelatin (GEL) nanocomposite was prepared through the coprecipitation and then cross-linked by using glutaraldehyde (GA). From FT-IR measurement the spectral features for amide bands and phosphate bands were severely modified by the cross-linkage and the organic content increased with the degree of cross-linkage. From Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction analyses we could confirm the preferentially directional growth of needle-like HAp particles, which were embedded in GEL by the mineralization. Also we could observe worm-like stria patterns of contrast, which were revealed by the mineralization on the individual GEL fibrils. Moire images were observed in a highly cross-linked HAp/GEL nanocomposite sample and we think the cross-linkage induced the assembly of unordered individual fibrils along the preferential direction.
On coding of images and SIFT feature descriptors

We offer probabilistic interpretation of meaning of SIFT image features. This allows us to derive formulae connecting SIFT feature values to parameters of gradient distributions. We also study KL-distances between gradient distributions and establish their connections to values in SIFT descriptors.
Doppler shift attenuation studies in heavy nuclei

Abstract The Doppler shift attenuation method for measuring nuclear lifetimes has previously been used primarily in studies of light nuclei. We report here an extension of this technique to the heavy, rare earth nuclei. Doppler broadened γ-ray line shapes, observed in Coulomb excitation studies utilizing heavy ions incident on thick 150Nd and 152Sm targets, have been analyzed using a two-parameter phenomenological representation for the stopping power suggested by Warburton et al. Good fits were obtained to line shapes observed in transitions from nine different levels with mean lifetimes varying from about 1 ps to 16 ps. The lifetimes deduced from the line-shape analyses are in excellent accord with those established from measured Coulomb excitation probabilities if a value of α = 1.25±0.14 ps is used for the average characteristic electronic stopping time for Nd and Sm ions recoiling in thick Nd and Sm targets. The Lindhard-Scharff estimate for α is about 10 % larger than this value and deviates in the direction suggested by the results of Moak and Brown obtained in stopping power measurements for iodine ions in various materials. The present measurements also indicate that, for heavy ions with initial recoil velocities greater than c/137, the theory of Lindhard, Scharff and Schiott provides a reliable estimate of the parameter Ke/Kn, representing the ratio of electronic and nuclear stopping power. The phenomenological representation for the stopping power is compared with a calculation based on work by Lindhard et al. and by Blaugrund which considers the effects of nuclear scattering on the direction and magnitude of the recoil-ion velocity. The effects of cascade feeding of a level on the deduced lifetime are examined. It is concluded that the phenomenological approach of Warburton et al., which has been employed previously in measurements on light nuclei, can also be used effectively for analyzing the Doppler broadened γ-ray line shapes which may be observed following heavy-ion induced excitation of nuclei in the medium and heavy mass regions.
Splenosis: Autotransplantation of splenic tissue

Abstract Splenosis is the autotransplantation of splenic tissue that usually follows traumatic rupture of the spleen. Generally, the splenic implants are numerous and are located within the peritoneal cavity; however, extra-abdominal splenosis does occur. The implants are rarely clinically significant and are incidental findings at autopsy or at abdominal operation, unrelated to and distant from the splenic trauma and splenectomy. Splenic implants retain their ability to function, and recurrence of a hematologic disease for which the spleen was previously removed should alert the clinician to the possibility of splenosis. The differential diagnosis includes accessory spleens, endometriosis, hemangiomas and metastatic cancer. We report three cases, two of which represent unusual complications of splenosis: a twisted pedicle of a splenic implant, which apparently caused abdominal pain, and recurrent Felty's syndrome associated with splenosis and an accessory spleen.
A lattice-gas study of dispersion in alveolated channels

Abstract Axial dispersion in alveolated channels was studied via lattice-gas automata (LGA), for both slug and step-change inlet conditions. There was good agreement between the effective diffusion coefficient ( D ∗ ) calculated by the LGA method, and the D ∗ predicted by the ‘stagnant pocket’ formalism developed by Aris, Turner, and Tsuda et al. The enhancement of D ∗ was dependent on the ratio of alveolar volume to central channel volume and the Peclet number. For Pe ≥ 5, D ∗ was substantially greater than the Taylor-Aris prediction for flow between parallel flat plates. For Pe D ∗ was less than the molecular diffusion coefficient, D m . In the absence of buoyancy, inlet conditions (pulse vs step-change) had little effect on the calculated D ∗ (≤ 3%). The effect of buoyancy, however, depends on the inlet condition; for an LGA corresponding to 1 mol% SF 6 tracer gas in air, D ∗ was increased up to 20% for the step-change, and decreased up to 6% for the slug.
Analyses of whispering-gallery modes in small resonators

Whispering-gallery (WG) modes in photonic microdevices made of dielectric circularly planar resonators are analyzed. The wave equation is solved by using the method of separation of variables based on the eigenvalue technique. The resonant frequency at an azimuthal mode is decided by iteration using the bisection method based on the continuity conditions at the resonator peripheral boundary. The radial mode is determined by the critical points of the field intensity profile in the radial direction via the first derivative test. The resonance frequencies as well as the E-field distributions in two exemplary small resonators are presented for a variety of modes. Comparison with numerical predictions is conducted, and a good agreement is found. The geometric optics method is found inappropriate for small resonators.
Evaluating the reliability of current value estimates

Abstract The papers by Muller and ABK (Aboody, Barth and Kasznik) provide evidence on the reliability of estimates of assets' `current' or `market' values. Muller finds that the decision to capitalize estimates of acquired brand values is influenced by contracting incentives, suggesting that the reliability of these estimates is compromised by managerial manipulation. ABK find that estimates of fixed asset revaluations have a statistically significant association with both contemporaneous stock prices and future operating performance. It is difficult to assess the implications of ABK's results for the reliability of the revaluations, because stock prices and operating performance are influenced by many other factors.
Cytological development of yolk sac endoderm and protein‐absorptive mesothelium in the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus

The yolk sac of the little brown bat is unusual in that during the course of gestation both the inner endodermal cells (bordering the yolk sac cavity) and outer mesothelium (facing the exocelom) form simple columnar epithelia which persist throughout gestation. These endodermal cells develop an extensive system of agranular endoplasmic reticulum, numerous lipid droplets and unusual "giant" mitochondria. During development the Golgi apparatus changes position from the apical to the basal side of the nucleus, reversing the polarity of the cells. In general, the endodermal cells have cytological features suggestive of synthetic or secretory activity. The mesothelial cells develop an extensive "absorptive apparatus" in their apices, while large crystalloid-containing granules become numerous in their basal cytoplasm. The mesothelial cells have large deposits of glycogen, especially during mid-gestation, but few mitochondria and little granular endoplasmic reticulum. Endodermal cells do not absorb exogenous protein (peroxidase) even if it is injected directly into the yolk sac cavity. However, placement of peroxidase either in the exocelom or in the maternal vascular system results in the appearance of this protein in the "absorptive apparatus" of mesothelial cells as well as in macrophages in the stroma of the yolk sac. While evidence of absorption was clear, no direct evidence of transport of tracer to fetal blood vascular system was obtained. It is postulated that a major function of the hypertrophied mesothelial cells during gestation is the absorption of proteins and possibly other substances from the exocelomic fluid. The major function of the hypertrophied endodermal cells may be synthesis and secretion of substances into the fetal circulation.
Healthy behaviours yield major benefits in ageing.

Poor diet, smoking, and physical inactivity predict disability in previously non-disabled people
Widespread cutaneous bacillary angiomatosis and a large fungating mass in an HIV-positive man

Abstract Bacillary angiomatosis (BA), an infection caused by a gram-negative rod, can be a multi-organ disease. The usual causative organism, Bartonella (formerly Rochalimaea ) hensalae , has only recently been identified. Bartonella quintana has also been shown to cause some cases of cutaneous BA. We describe a patient with widespread cutaneous BA with probable bone involvement and a large fungating mass.
Visual registration for robotic operations on space shuttle tiles

Refurbishing the thermal-protection tiles on a space shuttle before each mission is a lengthy and labor-intensive process. A mobile robot is being developed (described elsewhere) to perform two of the required maintenance operations on the bottom side of the shuttle: (1) injection of a hydrophobic fluid, to prevent tiles from absorbing water, and (2) visual inspection, to detect anomalous tile conditions. Both operations depend on precise positioning of the robot end effector with respect to each tile. We describe our method for precise visual registration. The technique first detects the edges of the tile (whose approximate shape and dimensions are given from CAD data) and then uses correspondence between visual features in the post- and pre-flight images to improve the registration accuracy. Results on actual tile images are presented.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Social influences related to college students' use of Macintosh computers on an all-PC campus

In the present qualitative research study, 35 Mac users were interviewed in a university campus that exclusively supports PC machines. We particularly explored the Mac-users' social influences, saving technological and other influences for future reports. Results showed Mac users to possess significant connections with other Mac users on the university campus. The Mac users in our study indicated that positive, past exposure, including Apple's advertising of Macs, had sharp influences on their decisions to become and remain Mac users.
Independently updating the DCT and DST for shifting windowed data

Abstract When processing a signal or an image using the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) or Discrete Sine Transform (DST), a typical approach is to extract a portion of the signal by windowing and then form the DCT or DST of the window contents. By shifting the window point by point over the signal, the entire signal may be processed. In this paper we develop algorithms to “update” the DCT and DST to reflect the modified window contents using less computation than by directly evaluating the modified transform via standard Fast Transform algorithms. Our algorithms constitute an improvement over previous DCT/ DST update algorithms because our approach establishes independence between the DCT and the DST: the algorithm for DCT makes use only of DCT terms, and similarly for DST. Algorithms are derived for use without windowing and with split-triangular, Hanning, Hamming and Blackman windows.
J. S. Mill on Poetry and Rhetoric

Abstract In his essay “What is Poetry ?”(1833), John Stuart Mill described the difference between rhetoric and poetry using the antithesis, “rhetoric is heard; poetry is overheard.” In the twentieth century, scholars from the field of Speech Communication appropriated Mill's words as justification for the separation of Speech Communication (and rhetorical criticism) from English (and literary criticism). This essay argues that twentieth-century scholars misunderstood Mill's meaning. They failed to recognize that, for Mill, the key issue was not the frequently quoted distinction between rhetoric and poetry but a more problematic distinction between art and science.
From Activist to Applied Anthropologist to Anthropologist? On the Politics of Collaboration

This article discusses my experiences moving from a full-time organizer to anthropologist. While conducting dissertation fieldwork in Haiti, I participated in a campaign to cancel Haiti's debt and organized an observer mission to Haiti's Free Trade Zone. During my fieldwork period, Haiti underwent an intense political-economic crisis, demanding extra vigilance and caution, transforming my role from direct involvement to an academic observer. Paradoxically, this role might be more appropriate for transnational solidarity. During Haiti's food crisis and 2008 hurricane season activists relied more extensively on my scholarly role than activist role. This article distills lessons from this collaboration for other activist-anthropologists.
Dexamethasone Arterializes Venous Endothelial Cells by Inducing Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase-1 A Novel Antiinflammatory Treatment for Vein Grafts?

Background—Vein grafting in coronary artery surgery is complicated by a high restenosis rate resulting from the development of vascular inflammation, intimal hyperplasia, and accelerated atherosclerosis. In contrast, arterial grafts are relatively resistant to these processes. Vascular inflammation is regulated by signaling intermediaries, including p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, that trigger endothelial cell (EC) expression of chemokines (eg, interleukin-8, monocyte chemotactic protein-1) and other proinflammatory molecules. Here, we have tested the hypothesis that p38 MAP kinase activation in response to arterial shear stress (flow) may occur more readily in venous ECs, leading to greater proinflammatory activation. Methods and Results—Comparative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting revealed that arterial shear stress induced p38-dependent expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and interleukin-8 in porcine jugular vein ECs. In contrast, porcine aortic ...
Structural dynamics of F-actin: I. Changes in the C terminus.

The biochemical properties of G-actin, and the kinetics of polymerization of G-actin into F-actin, are dependent upon whether Mg2+or Ca2+is bound at the high-affinity metal-binding site in actin. Three-dimensional reconstructions from electron micrographs show that a bridge of desity, that we interpret as arising from a major shift of the C terminus, exists between the two strands of the filament in Ca2+-actin that is absent in Mg2+-actin. This bridge is also absent in models of F-actin built from an atomic structure of G-Ca2+-actin. The cleavage of the DNase I-binding loop in actin between residues 42 and 43, with the non-covalent association of the 42 cleaved residues with the remainder of the actin, induces an even larger bridge of density between the two strands. When the bridge is absent, the two C-terminal residues in F-actin are easily cleaved by trypsin, while these residues become increasingly resistant to tryptic cleavage as the bridge becomes more prominent. Conversely, cleavage of the two C-terminal residues leads to a conformational change in the DNase I-binding loop. Since both the DNase I-binding loop and the metal-binding site are quite distant from the C terminus, large allosteric effects must exist in F-actin. The conformational change in F-actin that results from the creation of this bridge may be induced by myosin binding, since this movement generates changes in actin's diffraction that are very similar to the changes in the muscle X-ray pattern during activation that are associated with the binding of myosin to the thin filament.