cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An ultra-heavy top quark?

Abstract We consider an ansatz for the mass of the t-quark yielding a value as high as it is allowed to be viz. about 200 GeV. We check the consistency of this hypothesis with all known low energy physics and delineate the consequences for ϵ′ ϵ mixing in Bd0− B d0 and Bs0Bs0 systems and rare decay modes of K and B. An interesting feature is the existence of two classes of solutions for the Kobayashi-Maskawa angles; one of which corresponds to small ϵ′/ϵ and large Bd0Bd0 mixing and the other to large ϵ′ /ϵ and small Bd0Bd0 mixing.
Containment effectiveness of expedient patient isolation units

Background It is generally recognized that the health care system does not have adequate isolation capacity to meet the surge in demand during a major outbreak of airborne infectious disease. Alternatives to engineered isolation rooms undoubtedly will be required as surge isolation requirements exceed the available resources. The purpose of this work was to estimate containment efficiency of expedient airborne infectious isolation units with and without anterooms in the absence and presence of care provider traffic. Methods Fluorescent 2-μm aerosol particles were released into the interior of expedient-construction isolation modules exhausted with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-filtered fan unit. Particle concentrations inside and outside the enclosure were measured with and without provider traffic simulated with a mannequin. Measurements were obtained on modules constructed with and without an anteroom, which was not separately ventilated. Results Containment estimates were excellent for all isolation configurations evaluated, generally exceeding 99.7%. Particle escape was statistically significantly higher with simulated traffic than without; however, there was no statistically significant difference in particle escape with and without an anteroom. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that effective isolation may be possible using low-technology, low-cost, easily built structures that can be readily constructed within hospital and other environments in emergency response situations.
Gossip is synteny: incomplete gossip and the syntenic distance between genomes

The syntenic distance between two genomes is given by the minimum number of fusions, fissions, and translocations required to transform one into the other, ignoring the order of genes within chromosomes. Computing this distance is NP-hard. In the present work, we give a tight connection between syntenic distance and the incomplete gossip problem, a novel generalization of the classical gossip problem. In this problem, there are n gossipers, each with a unique piece of initial information; they communicate by phone calls in which the two participants exchange all their information. The goal is to minimize the total number of phone calls necessary to inform each gossiper of his set of relevant gossip which he desires to learn. As an application of the connection between syntenic distance and incomplete gossip, we derive an O(2O(nlogn)) algorithm to exactly compute the syntenic distance between two genomes with at most n chromosomes each. Our algorithm requires O(n2 + 2O(dlogd)) time when this distance is d, improving the O(n2 + 2O(d2)) running time of the best previous exact algorithm.(USA).
Global change and the human prospect

The opportunity afforded by International Space Year (ISY) for a dynamic interaction among science, technology, and society that addresses the urgent ecological, economic, and social problems confronting humanity is explored. Issues of population, economics, and equity are examined. The role of the global scientific framework, technological advances, and programmatic innovations of the 1980s is discussed. >
Immunology of Varicella Immunization in the Elderly

OBJECTIVE:To review the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and herpes zoster disease and to summarize published reports on the use of the live-attenuated varicella zoster vaccine to enhance cell-mediated immunity in elderly individuals.DATA SOURCE:A MEDLINE search (1966–August 1999) for English-language clinical studies and review articles pertaining to VZV and the live-attenuated varicella vaccine was conducted; references obtained from these publications were subsequently reviewed for additional relevant articles.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Representative clinical trials were summarized and relevant information was selected to assist in the understanding of VZV, the subsequent immune response, and the live-attenuated varicella vaccine.DATA SYNTHESIS:The physiologic, age-related decline in VZV cell–mediated immunity has been shown to be restored on administration of live-attenuated varicella vaccine. Various studies report serum anti-VZV antibody concentrations, and production of interferon-gamma were ...
EIGENVALUES OF THE LAPLACIAN ON REGULAR POLYGONS AND POLYGONS RESULTING FROM THEIR DISECTION

Abstract The eigenvalue problem is considered for the Laplacian on regular polygons, with either Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions, which will be related to the unit circle by a conformal mapping. The polygonal problem is then equivalent to a weighted eigenvalue problem on the circle with the same boundary conditions. Upper bounds are found for the eigenvalues by the Rayleigh–Ritz method, where the trial functions are the eigenfunctions of the unweighted problem on the circle. These are products of Bessel and trigonometrical functions, and so the required integrals simplify greatly, with a new recursion formula used to generate some Bessel function integrals. Numerical results are given for the case of the hexagon with Dirichlet conditions. Consideration of symmetry classes makes computations more efficient, and gives as a byproduct the eigenvalues of a number of polygons, such as trapezoids and diamonds, which result from disecting the hexagon. Comparisons of the hexagon results are made with previous work.
Aging Impairs the Expression of the Catalytic Subunit of Glutamate Cysteine Ligase in Soleus Muscle Under Stress

This study investigated the mechanisms responsible for the disrupted homeostasis of reduced glutathione (GSH) in aging muscles with stress (14 days of hind-limb unloading [HU]). Adult and old rats were randomized into four groups: weight bearing and 3, 7, and 14 days of HU. Soleus muscles were harvested to investigate the activity or content of enzymes involved in GSH metabolism (utilization and synthesis). The activities of glutathione S transferase, glutathione reductase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, and glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL) were determined. The protein content of the two subunits of GCL, catalytic subunit (GCLC) and modifier subunit (GCLM), were evaluated. The major results, failure to maintain the accelerated GCLC production and GCL activity, are associated with the GSH depletion in aging muscles with 14 days of HU. The results suggest that the regulation of GCL, especially the catalytic subunit, with stress may be compromised in aging muscles.
Relevance and category scales of judgement.

Once adaptation levels had been established in category judgements of the height and lightness of a series of grey blocks, a tall, light block was introduced, and presented with each of the series. Half of the subjects were instructed to reject any block which was lighter than it, and half to reject only those taller. After each decision both groups categorized height and lightness as before. Shifts in scales of judgement were associated with differences in the relevant attributes of the standard.
Inhibition of Herpes Simplex Virus Reactivation by Dipyridamole

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) reactivation from latency was investigated. Reactivation of thymidine kinase-negative HSV, which is defective for reactivation, was greatly enhanced by thymidine (TdR). The reactivation-enhancing effect of TdR was blocked by dipyridamole (DPM), a known nucleoside transport inhibitor. DPM also inhibited wild-type HSV reactivation, suggesting potential antiviral use.
Reirradiation of large-volume recurrent glioma with pulsed reduced-dose-rate radiotherapy.

Purpose Pulsed reduced-dose-rate radiotherapy (PRDR) is a reirradiation technique that reduces the effective dose rate and increases the treatment time, allowing sublethal damage repair during irradiation. Patients and Methods A total of 103 patients with recurrent glioma underwent reirradiation using PRDR (86 considered to have Grade 4 at PRDR). PRDR was delivered using a series of 0.2-Gy pulses at 3-min intervals, creating an apparent dose rate of 0.0667 Gy/min to a median dose of 50 Gy (range, 20–60) delivered in 1.8–2.0-Gy fractions. The mean treatment volume was 403.5 ± 189.4 cm 3 according to T 2 -weighted magnetic resonance imaging and a 2-cm margin. Results For the initial or upgraded Grade 4 cohort ( n = 86), the median interval from the first irradiation to PRDR was 14 months. Patients undergoing PRDR within 14 months of the first irradiation ( n = 43) had a median survival of 21 weeks. Those treated ≥14 months after radiotherapy had a median survival of 28 weeks ( n = 43; p = 0.004 and HR=1.82 with a 95% CI ranging from 1.25 to 3.10). These data compared favorably to historical data sets, because only 16% of the patients were treated at first relapse (with 46% treated at the second relapse, 32% at the third or fourth relapse, and 4% at the fourth or fifth relapse). The median survival since diagnosis and retreatment was 6.3 years and 11.4 months for low-grade, 4.1 years and 5.6 months for Grade 3, and 1.6 years and 5.1 months for Grade 4 tumors, respectively, according to the initial histologic findings. Multivariate analysis revealed age at the initial diagnosis, initial low-grade disease, and Karnofsky performance score of ≥80 to be significant predictors of survival after initiation of PRDR. Conclusion PRDR allowed for safe retreatment of larger volumes to high doses with palliative benefit.
Jamming Mitigation in Multi-Radio Wireless Networks: Reactive or Proactive?

Jamming is a serious security problem in wireless networks. Recently, software-based channel hopping has received attention as a jamming countermeasure. In particular, proactive, or periodic, channel hopping has been studied more extensively than reactive hopping. In this paper, we address the question of which of the two defense strategies, namely proactive and reactive channel-hopping, provides better jamming resiliency than the other? in the context of single-and multi-radio wireless devices. In the single-radio context, we develop theoretical models to analyze the blocking probability for combinations of defense and attack strategies. In the multi-radio setting, we formulate the jamming problem as a max-min game and show through simulation that the game outcome depends on the payoff function. Our results show that reactive defense provides better jamming tolerance than proactive when considering communication availability. However, both reactive and proactive defenses have almost the same performance when energy efficiency is considered as a performance metric.
Assertiveness Training and Christian Values

Assertiveness training, like any psychotherapeutic procedure, requires an understanding and tolerance of various values of clients. Studies exploring the relationship between religious values and assertiveness are reviewed. Ideological obstacles in assertion training with religious clients are considered, and appropriate therapeutic strategies suggested. The importance of presenting a rationale for treatment and of understanding the client's value system is emphasized.
Diversity of Domain V of 23S rRNA Gene Sequence in Different Enterococcus Species

The highly conserved central loop of domain V of 23S RNA (nucleotides 2042 to 2628; Escherichia coli numbering) is implicated in peptidyltransferase activity and represents one of the target sites for macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin B antibiotics. DNA encoding domain V (590 bp) of several species of Enterococcus was amplified by PCR. Twenty enterococcal isolates were tested, including Enterococcus faecium (six isolates), Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus avium, Enterococcus durans, Enterococcus gallinarum, Enterococcus casseliflavus (two isolates of each), and Enterococcus raffinosus, Enterococcus mundtii, Enterococcus malodoratus, and Enterococcus hirae (one isolate of each). For all isolates, species identification by biochemical testing was corroborated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The sequence of domain V of the 23S rRNA gene from E. faecium and E. faecalis differed from those of all other enterococci. The domain V sequences of E. durans and E. hirae were identical. This was also true for E. gallinarum and E. casseliflavus. E. avium differed from E. casseliflavus by 23 bases, from E. durans by 16 bases, and from E. malodoratus by 2 bases. E. avium differed from E. raffinosus by one base. Despite the fact that domain V is considered to be highly conserved, substantial differences were identified between several enterococcal species.
Comparison of Two Types of Boll Weevil Pheromone Traps to Monitor Seasonal Response

The relative efficiency of Leggett and Story® pheromone traps in capturing Anthonomus grandis grandis Boheman was compared in a noncompetitive situation in central Texas. The pattern of seasonal response of the boll weevil to the traps was similar to that reported in other areas. Throughout the growing season, Leggett traps were significantly more efficient than Story traps.
Insomnia and daytime functioning

Results from the present review challenge the assumption that daytime functioning deficits are associated with insomnia. Objectively-measured daytime sleepiness is not elevated in people with insomnia, and most cognitive/psychomotor tasks do not indicate deficits in people with insomnia. In contrast, a number of studies have found that people with insomnia self-report daytime symptoms such as elevated fatigue, mood disturbance and reduced quality of life. Studies including both objective and subjective daytime measures have generally found agreement between the two types of measures, with both typically indicating a lack of daytime impairment. The present review also summarizes evidence suggesting that reported daytime difficulties are produced by factors other than poor sleep, such as physiological or psychological arousal or sleep need misperception.
How the Media Frames the Immigration Debate: The Critical Role of Location and Politics

The media plays an important role in how the American public understands controversial social and political issues, such as immigration. The purpose of this article is to examine how key features of the media, such as location (Arizona vs. National) and political ideology (Liberal vs. Conservative), affect the framing of arguments supporting and opposing the anti-immigration bill (Arizona SB 1070). A content analysis was conducted using 3 weeks of newspaper articles from two Arizona newspapers (one Conservative, one Liberal) and five national newspapers (three Conservative, two Liberal). Analyses revealed that both location and political ideology influenced the framing. Specifically, the national newspapers were more likely than Arizona newspapers to frame arguments supporting the bill in terms of threats (e.g., threats to economic and public safety) and to frame arguments against the bill in terms of civil rights issues (e.g., racial profiling). In terms of political ideology, Conservative newspapers were more likely than Liberal newspapers to frame the bill in terms of economic and public safety threats, but did not differ in mentions of civil rights issues. The implications for attitudes toward immigrants and legal ethnic minorities and for defining the boundaries of the American national identity are discussed.
Isolated double pituitary adenomas: A silent corticotroph adenoma and a microprolactinoma.

Abstract We report a 27-year-old woman with amenorrhea and galactorrhea with mildly elevated serum prolactin levels. Her MRI demonstrated a cystic macroadenoma in the left aspect of the sella and a small microadenoma in the right aspect of the sella. Endoscopic transsphenoidal resection of the tumors revealed two histologically distinct tumors. The left tumor was consistent with a silent corticotroph macroadenoma and the right tumor was a prolactin producing microadenoma. Isolated double pituitary adenomas that are clearly separated by normal pituitary gland tissue are extremely rare. The incidence is approximately 0.37–2.6%. The coexistence of double adenomas can pose diagnostic and management challenges for the pituitary neuroendocrine team.
Imagined communities and real victims : self-determination and ethnic cleansing in Yugoslavia

In this article I view “ethnic cleansing” in terms of the structural logic advanced by Mary Douglas (1966) and manifested in the constitutions of the republics of the former Yugoslavia. These constitutions reify and objectify “culture” in ways that provide the conceptual, ideological, political, and legal justifications for processes of exclusion, from the denial of citizenship to expulsion and murder. The analysis is grounded in the texts of the constitutions read against local Yugoslav understandings of their terms, in the bureaucratic practices of granting and denying citizenship on an ethnic basis, and in the geography of the wars in the former Yugoslavia. [Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, nationalism, ethnicity, law, genocide]
Serum and Plasma Markers of Nutritional Status in Children Infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract Objective To determine whether reduced serum or plasma protein and micronutrient levels are common in children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and whether these levels are different in children with growth retardation compared to those with normal growth. Subjects Children were separated into three groups: (a) HIV-infected with growth retardation (HIV+Gr); (b) HIV-infected with normal growth (HIV+); (c) HIV-uninfected with normal growth (HIV-). All children were afebrile and free of acute infection at the time of study. During a 24-hour stay in the Pediatric Clinical Research Unit, blood was drawn for analysis of total protein, albumin, zinc, selenium, and vitamin A levels; growth measurements were obtained; and dietary intake was assessed by 24-hour weighed food intake and 24-hour dietary recall. Statistical analysis Mean differences between groups were assessed by analysis of variance, and differences in the frequency of nutrient deficiency were determined by χ 2 analysis. Results Thirty-eight children between 2 and 11 years of age were studied: 10 HIV+Gr, 18 HIV+, and 10 HIV-. No statistically significantly differences were noted in mean levels of albumin, prealbumin, zinc, and selenium. Mean serum level of vitamin A was significantly higher in the HIV+Gr group than in the other two groups. There were no significant differences between groups in the frequency of deficiency for any nutrient studied. Mean energy and nutrient intake was similar among groups. Applications/conclusions Abnormal serum or plasma protein or micronutrient levels were uncommon in this cohort of HIV-infected children, even in children with growth retardation. Routine monitoring of the level of proteins and micronutrients studied is unnecessary in the absence of specific clinical indicators of deficiency. J Am Diet Assoc. 1997-97:1377-1381.
Sex and menopausal status influence human dietary requirements for the nutrient choline

Background Although humans require dietary choline for methyl donation, membrane function, and neurotransmission, choline can also be derived from the de novo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, which is up-regulated by estrogen. A recommended Adequate Intake (AI) exists for choline; however, an Estimated Average Requirement has not been set because of a lack of sufficient human data.
Extracellular ATP May Contribute to Tissue Repair by Rapidly Stimulating Purinergic Receptor X7-Dependent Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Release from Primary Human Monocytes

Extracellular ATP has been proposed to act as a danger signal to alert the immune system of cell damage. Release of high local concentrations of ATP activates the nucleotide receptor, purinergic receptor X7 (P2RX7), on monocytic cells, which promotes the processing/release of proinflammatory mediators. Although the proinflammatory actions of P2RX7 are well recognized, little is known regarding the potential function of P2RX7 in repair responses. Because the resolution of inflammation is characterized by monocytic cell-dependent production of proangiogenic factors, we evaluated the contribution of P2RX7 to this process. We observed that both short-term and long-term P2RX7 activation promotes the robust release of vascular endothelial growth factor from primary human monocytes. This vascular endothelial growth factor release is calcium dependent and associated with reactive oxygen species production. This previously unrecognized action of P2RX7 suggests that it may not only participate in inflammation and cell death, but that it is also likely to be important in the control of angiogenesis and wound repair.
Modeling, Analysis, and Improvement of Door Production Line at an Automotive Body Shop

In this paper, we introduce a case study of modeling, analysis, and continuous improvement of a door production line at an automotive body shop using production systems engineering methods. Analytical models have been developed, and recursive procedures have been derived to evaluate line production rate. An arrow-based bottleneck analysis method is introduced to identify the bottlenecks, whose improvement can lead to the largest improvement in system performance. Such methods provide a quantitative tool for plant engineers and managers to operate and improve door production line to achieve high productivity, and are also applicable to other large volume manufacturing systems.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Surgical Correction of an Unerupted Tooth

A conservative surgical approach used to enable the eruption of a previously unerupted permanent tooth is described.
Group differences in attitudes towards technology among Americans

What are the key indicators determining groups’ attitudes towards the use of ICT in the United States? Nationally representative data from the Pew Internet and American Life Project (N = 4100) were used to address this question. This research found that (1) the most salient divider in the American population with respect to attitudes towards ICT is education; (2) the two social groups reporting the highest levels of social improvement were respondents under the age of 30, and older African-Americans with low educational levels; (3) higher income but lower educated respondents who are over 30 and are not African-Americans report relatively low levels of social improvement. In effect, the population surveyed was stratified based upon their attitudes about ICT use in their everyday life. This stratification system is clearly of a different nature than our past understanding of haves and have-nots based upon ICT access.
Examining the Link Between Hoarding Symptoms and Cognitive Flexibility Deficits.

Abstract Executive functioning deficits have been found to underlie primary symptoms of hoarding, such as difficulty discarding belongings and significant clutter. Cognitive flexibility—the ability to inhibit irrelevant material and attend flexibly between different mental sets—may be impaired as well, as individuals experience difficulty staying on task and are often distracted by specific possessions that tend to evoke an exaggerated emotional response. The present study investigated cognitive flexibility deficits via eye-tracking technology as a novel approach. Participants (N = 69) with high and low self-reported hoarding symptoms were asked to respond to a series of auditory cues requiring them to categorize a small target number superimposed on one of three distractor image types: hoarding, nature, or a blank control. Across a range of behavioral and eye-tracking outcomes (including reaction time, accuracy rate, initial orientation to distractors, and viewing time for distractors), high hoarding participants consistently demonstrated greater cognitive inflexibility compared to the low hoarding group. However, high hoarding participants did not evidence context-dependent deficits based on preceding distractor types, as performance did not significantly differ as a function of hoarding versus nature distractors. Current findings indicate a pervasive, more global deficit in cognitive flexibility. Those with hoarding may encounter greater difficulty disengaging from previous stimuli and attending to a given task at hand, regardless of whether the context of the distractor is specifically related to hoarding. Implications and future directions for clarifying the nature of cognitive inflexibility are discussed.
CASE STUDY: Relationships Between Dietary, Plasma, and Muscle Amino Acids in Maintenance, Pregnant, and Lactating Mares1

Amino acid requirements have not been extensively studied in pregnant or lactating mares. The objective of this study was to evaluate relationships between dietary, plasma, and muscle amino acids for horses in maintenance, gestation, and lactation. Twenty mares were divided into 3 groups: maintenance (MM), pregnancy (PM), and lactation (LM). Mares were fed their respective diets for 8 wk. Initial and final blood samples and muscle biopsies were obtained. Poststudy plasma urea-N and 3-methyl-histidine concentrations were higher for the PM group compared with the MM group. Poststudy plasma concentrations of arginine and urea-N were higher, whereas 3-methyl-histidine was lower for the LM group compared with the MM group. Poststudy muscle urea-N concentrations were lower in the PM group but were higher in the LM group compared with the MM group. There was a correlation between poststudy plasma and muscle urea-N concentrations for the MM group. Correlations between poststudy plasma and muscle concentrations of lysine, threonine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, valine, urea-N, and 3-methylhistidine were observed in the PM group. Correlations between poststudy plasma and muscle concentrations of lysine and urea-N were found for the LM group. Lysine and phenylalanine intakes were both correlated with their respective poststudy plasma and milk concentrations in the LM group. The many plasma and muscle amino acid correlations between the PM and LM groups may indicate a close relationship between amino acid demand and supply from the amino acid pool. The amino acid needs of the lactating and pregnant mare warrant further investigation.
Do Audits Affect Voluntary Tax Compliance

The IRS’s audit enforcement policy is based on the principle that audits deter taxpayers from cheating and therefore increase voluntary tax compliance. For more than forty years, however, there has been considerable debate over whether higher audit rates actually contribute to increased voluntary tax compliance. Many scholars today believe that this “deterrence theory” is incorrect since the overall data does not comport with the theory. Taxpayers, therefore, must voluntarily comply with their tax obligations for reasons other than an increased probability of getting audited. While this conclusion might be true for individual income tax returns overall, it appears there are certain sub-categories of tax returns for which audits actually do matter. For these groups, audits might affect voluntary tax compliance levels more directly.
Effect of immunoglobulin M from normal human serum on Leishmania donovani promastigote agglutination, complement-mediated killing, and phagocytosis by human monocytes.

Serum from healthy, nonimmune humans contained immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies that agglutinated Leishmania donovani promastigotes, activated complement, and enhanced promastigote ingestion by human monocytes. The findings indicate that IgM antibodies have the capacity to affect the initial interaction of L. donovani promastigotes with human host defenses. Images
Some Revisions in the Genus Sphex, with One New Species, a New Subspecies, and a New Name (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

The North American and West Indian wasps of the genus Sphex were monographed by Dr. H. T. Fernald in 1934. In this monograph little study was made of the male genitalia. The writer has made a study of the male genitalia and has found them to be of the greatest importance in determining the validity of the species in this genus. In the first place, they are frequently vastly different in otherwise apparently identical species. In the second place, they are frequently the only means of defining the limits of a variable species.
Reforming Medicare by reforming incentives.

Implementing managed competition among health plans for the Medicare population would fundamentally change the incentives in health care, forcing health plans to compete on value for money. Such incentives reform could well result in substantial cost reduction.
Herbivore Effects on Fresh and Processing Tomato Productivity Before Harvest

Effects of various insecticide treatment programs on tomato yield were evaluated from 1982 through 1986. Compared with results of fenvalerate applications, significant reductions in total yield and total fruit number were associated with applications of oxamyl. Significant negative regressions were obtained between percentage infestation by Lepidoptera and total fruit number, total yield, and mean fruit size. Indeterminate fresh-market cultivars produced larger fruit as the total number of fruit decreased. Determinate cultivars did not increase fruit size as total number of fruit decreased. These reductions may result from early season herbivore effects such as fruit abortion. Implications of economic injury levels for direct pests are discussed.
Bearing Capability Test of New Plate-type Foundation With Equal-section Inclined Column Used in EHV Transmission Line

Comparing to conventional foundations the equal-section inclined column plate-type foundation had advantages including rational forces applied,material saving,and short construction schedule,etc.Its vertical-horizontal bearing capability tests,similar to actual operation conditions,were carried out,and its test load limit exceeded the design load limit from the displacement lines,so the design feasibility is proved.
A Defense of the Human Right to Adequate Food

I argue that recognizing a human right to adequate food and enforcing it as a legal right is an important way to promote and ensure sustainable food security. I consider objections that have been raised against subsistence rights and socio-economic rights, including the argument that such rights are not feasible, that they are not justiciable, and that they are too amorphous—that it is not clear what is required to fulfill these rights and by whom. I defend the right to adequate food against these objections by considering how this right has been interpreted and applied in international law and how it has been protected in other domestic legal systems. I analyze different dimensions of the right to adequate food and I apply these to recent issues concerning sustainable food security in the United States, such as food deserts.
Isgylation: A Conserved Pathway in Mammalian Pregnancy.

Successful pregnancy includes remodeling and differentiation of the endometrium in response to sex steroid hormones, development of maternal immunotolerance to the implanting embryo, and modification of the local uterine environment by the embryo to suit its own needs. The major signal released by the ruminant conceptus during establishment of pregnancy is interferon-tau (IFNT) that stimulates the expression of many genes in the endometrium and ovary. One of these genes is called interferon stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), which encodes a ubiquitin homolog with a C-terminal Gly that becomes covalently attached to Lys residues on targeted proteins through an ATP-dependent multi-step enzymatic reaction called ISGylation. The conceptus-derived induction of endometrial ISGs also occurs in mouse and human deciduas and placenta, in response to pregnancy presumably through action of cytokines such as interleukins and type I IFN. Described herein is evidence to support the concept that ISGylation is a maternal response to the developing conceptus, implantation and placentation that is conserved across mammalian pregnancy. Although the precise role for ISG15 remains elusive during pregnancy, it is clear that up-regulation in response to pregnancy may impart a pre-emptive defense to infection or other environmental insults, and protection of the conceptus against inflammatory insults across species.
Manipulating Sensory and Phytochemical Profiles of Greenhouse Tomatoes Using Environmentally Relevant Doses of Ultraviolet Radiation.

Fruits harvested from off-season, greenhouse-grown tomato plants have a poor reputation compared to their in-season, garden-grown counterparts. Presently, there is a gap in knowledge with regard to the role of UV-B radiation (280–315 nm) in determining greenhouse tomato quality. Knowing that UV-B is a powerful elicitor of secondary metabolism and not transmitted through greenhouse glass and some greenhouse plastics, we tested the hypothesis that supplemental UV-B radiation in the greenhouse will impart quality attributes typically associated with garden-grown tomatoes. Environmentally relevant doses of supplemental UV-B radiation did not strongly affect antioxidant compounds of fruits, although the flavonol quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (rutin) significantly increased in response to UV-B. Physicochemical metrics of fruit quality attributes and consumer sensory panels were used to determine if any such differences altered consumer perception of tomato quality. Supplemental UV-A radiation (315–400 nm) pre-harves...
Path-Connected Partially Ordered Sets

The graph of a partially ordered set (X, ⩽) has X as its set of vertices and (x,y) is an edge if and only if x covers y or y covers x. The poset is path-connected if its graph is connected. Two integer-valued metrics, distance and fence, are defined for path-connected posets. Together the values of these metrics determine a path-connected poset to within isomorphism and duality. The result holds for path-connected preordered sets where distance and fence are pseudometrics. The result fails for non-path-connected posets.
In vivo instability of platensimycin and platencin: Synthesis and biological evaluation of urea- and carbamate-platensimycin

Platensimycin (PTM) and platencin (PTN), two natural products and promising drug leads that target bacterial and mammalian fatty acid synthases, are known to have unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties. It is not clear, however, what the metabolic fates of PTM and PTN are and no efforts have been reported to address this key roadblock in the development of these compounds as viable drug options. Here we describe the pharmacokinetics of PTM and PTN, and reveal rapid renal clearance as the primary metabolic liability with three additional sites of chemical liability: (i) amide hydrolysis, (ii) glucuronidation, and (iii) oxidation. We determined that hydrolysis is a viable clearance mechanism in vivo and synthesized two PTM analogues to address in vivo hydrolysis. Urea- and carbamate-PTM analogues showed no detectable hydrolysis in vivo, at the expense of antibacterial activity, with no further improvement in systemic exposure. The antibacterial sulfur-containing analogues PTM D1 and PTM ML14 showed significant decreases in renal clearance. These studies set the stage for continued generation of PTM and PTN analogues in an effort to improve their pharmacokinetics while retaining or improving their biological activities.
Explicit Solution for Flow Depth in Open Channels of Trapezoidal Cross-Sectional Area: Classic Problem of Interest

AbstractThis study presents an explicit solution for the flow depth in open channels of trapezoidal cross-sectional area. Four depths are encountered in most classical open-channel hydraulics probl...
CEP as a Source of Upstream Energetic Ions

The cusp energetic particles (CEP) have been observed in the dayside high-altitude cusp region, showing orders of the magnitude increase of ion intensities with energies from 20 keV up to 10 MeV. Associated with these charged particles are large diamagnetic cavities with significant fluctuations of the local magnetic field strength. The CEPs may provide a answer to a long-standing unsolved fundamental issue about the origin of upstream energetic ions. On June 28, 1999, the WIND spacecraft (near the forward libration point) observed a sudden increase (by more than one order of magnitude) of the solar wind pressure at about 4:45 UT and an upstream ion event at 5:23–5:45 UT, the INTERBALL-1 spacecraft located just upstream of the bow shock in the morningside measured an upstream ion event from 5:16 UT to 6:00 UT, the GEOTAIL spacecraft in the afternoonside near the bow shock detected an upstream ion event from 5:50 UT to 6:16 UT, while the POLAR satellite at 7 hours of magnetic local time detected an energetic particle event in the high-altitude region associated with turbulent diamagnetic cavities from 5:12 UT to 6:30 UT. Energetic oxygen ions of both ionospheric and solar wind origin were observed by the POLAR spacecraft during this event period. The energetic ions and the associated turbulent magnetic field are very similar to what was found in the high-altitude dayside cusp region. It is argued that the bow shock is not the main source of energetic ions in these upsteam events since their energy spectra are independent of the solar wind velocity and their intensities are independent of the bow shock geometry and solar wind pressure. The event onset was first detected in the cusp by POLAR at 5:12 UT, then near the bow shock in the morningside by INTERBALL-1, and then in far the upstream by WIND. The measured energetic ion intensity decreased with increasing distance from the cusp before 5:42 UT. At 5:50 UT, GEOTAIL detected the event onset that showed an energy dispersion, suggesting a drift effect. These observational facts together with the IMF directions suggest that these upstream energetic ions most likely came from the cusp.
Maladaptive Decision Making in Adults with a History of Adolescent Alcohol use, in a Preclinical Model, Is Attributable to the Compromised Assignment of Incentive Value during Stimulus-Reward Learning.

According to recent WHO reports, alcohol remains the number one substance used and abused by adolescents, despite public health efforts to curb its use. Adolescence is a critical period of biological maturation where brain development, particularly the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system, undergoes substantial remodeling. These circuits are implicated in complex decision making, incentive learning, and reinforcement during substance use and abuse. An appealing theoretical approach has been to suggest that alcohol alters the normal development of these processes to promote deficits in reinforcement learning and decision making, which together make individuals vulnerable to developing substance use disorders in adulthood. Previously we have used a preclinical model of voluntary alcohol intake in rats to show that use in adolescence promotes risky decision making in adulthood that is mirrored by selective perturbations in dopamine network dynamics. Further, we have demonstrated that incentive learning processes in adulthood are also altered by adolescent alcohol use, again mirrored by changes in cue-evoked dopamine signaling. Indeed, we have proposed that these two processes, risk-based decision making and incentive learning, are fundamentally linked through dysfunction of midbrain circuitry where inputs to the dopamine system are disrupted by adolescent alcohol use. Here, we test the behavioral predictions of this model in rats and present the findings in the context of the prevailing literature with reference to the long-term consequences of early-life substance use on the vulnerability to develop substance use disorders. We utilize an impulsive choice task to assess the selectivity of alcohol’s effect on decision-making profiles and conditioned reinforcement to parse out the effect of incentive value attribution, one mechanism of incentive learning. Finally, we use the differential reinforcement of low rates of responding task to examine the degree to which behavioral disinhibition may contribute to an overall decision-making profile. The findings presented here support the proposition that early life alcohol use selectively alters risk-based choice behavior through modulation of incentive learning processes, both of which may be inexorably linked through perturbations in mesolimbic circuitry and may serve as fundamental vulnerabilities to the development of substance use disorders.
Response surface modeling to facilitate the parametric study of transversely impacted pressurized pipelines

Abstract Finite element analyses of the transverse impact behavior of pressurized pipelines were previously performed for a variety of outside pipeline diameters and internal pressures at two spanwise locations. In this study, quadratic response surface models (RSMs) based on a full factorial statistical design were developed to predict the maximum permanent deflection, absorbed energy, and maximum force calculated for a given impact event. The RSMs were characterized in terms of two independent variables: outside diameter and internal pressure. An analysis of variance was then conducted for each response and used to determine an appropriate statistical model. The parametric study results showed that RSMs can efficiently and accurately reveal the influences of the design variables on the lateral impact response of the pressurized pipelines.
Internal–external malalignment of the femoral component in kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty increases tibial force imbalance but does not change laxities of the tibiofemoral joint

The purposes of this study were to quantify the increase in tibial force imbalance (i.e. magnitude of difference between medial and lateral tibial forces) and changes in laxities caused by 2° and 4° of internal–external (I–E) malalignment of the femoral component in kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty. Because I–E malalignment would introduce the greatest changes to the articular surfaces near 90° of flexion, the hypotheses were that the tibial force imbalance would be significantly increased near 90° flexion and that primarily varus–valgus laxity would be affected near 90° flexion. Kinematically aligned TKA was performed on ten human cadaveric knee specimens using disposable manual instruments without soft tissue release. One 3D-printed reference femoral component, with unmodified geometry, was aligned to restore the native distal and posterior femoral joint lines. Four 3D-printed femoral components, with modified geometry, introduced I–E malalignments of 2° and 4° from the reference component. Medial and lateral tibial forces were measured from 0° to 120° flexion using a custom tibial force sensor. Bidirectional laxities in four degrees of freedom were measured from 0° to 120° flexion using a custom load application system. Tibial force imbalance increased the greatest at 60° flexion where a regression analysis against the degree of I–E malalignment yielded sensitivities (i.e. slopes) of 30 N/° (medial tibial force > lateral tibial force) and 10 N/° (lateral tibial force > medial tibial force) for internal and external malalignments, respectively. Valgus laxity increased significantly with the 4° external component with the greatest increase of 1.5° occurring at 90° flexion (p < 0.0001). With the tibial component correctly aligned, I–E malalignment of the femoral component caused significant increases in tibial force imbalance. Minimizing I–E malalignment lowers the increase in the tibial force imbalance. By keeping the resection thickness of each posterior femoral condyle to within ± 0.5 mm of the thickness of the respective posterior region of the femoral component, the increase in imbalance can be effectively limited to 38 N. Generally laxities were unaffected within the ± 4o range tested indicating that instability is not a clinical concern and that manual testing of laxities is not useful to detect I–E malalignment.
Intraprofessional Simulation's Impact on Advanced Practice and Baccalaureate Student Self-Efficacy

Abstract Background Benefits of peer learning activities among students have been well documented. According to Bandura's social cognitive theory, self-efficacy positively influences the delivery of quality nursing care. A pediatric simulation with peer learning and advanced practice nursing (APN) students was conducted to foster self-efficacy in baccalaureate in nursing (BSN) students. Method A pre–post quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the simulations' effect on student self-efficacy in a convenience sample of BSN students at a Midwest Jesuit university. Results More than 90% of BSN students agreed that they benefited from the simulation in the areas of leadership, skill development, communication, and collaboration. In addition, a statistically significant increase (p Conclusions Intraprofessional nursing peer learning activities can enhance students' self-efficacy. Future studies should include objective measurements of student clinical performance and intraprofessional collaboration with correlational analysis of both BSN and APN student self-efficacy.
The shifting boundaries of “best interest”: Sheltering unaccompanied Central American minors in transit through Mexico

Abstract How government agencies and non-governmental organizations address the significant increase in the number of unaccompanied minors arriving at the United-States Mexico border, mainly from Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, has received significant attention among both popular and scholarly audiences. Less well-examined, however, is how such groups address the arduous processes of transit migration that these young people experience prior to reaching the US-Mexico border. While many child migrants suffer forms of violence that qualify them for international protection as refugees in Mexico, the growing number of unaccompanied minors detained by Mexican authorities are typically deported to the countries from which they flee after dubious best interest determinations. Drawing on 20 months of ethnographic fieldwork within non-governmental migrant shelters across Mexico, including in-depth interviews with unaccompanied minors and social service providers, this paper examines the experiences of young people who seek formal humanitarian recognition yet avoid detention by government agencies while in transit. I explore how these dynamics reveal tensions in how the best interests of unaccompanied minors are assessed and determined by government agencies and non-governmental organizations. In doing so, I demonstrate how migrant shelters both support and subvert best interest standards and call for a more mobile approach to aiding unaccompanied minors and their families.
THE ROLE OF MICROCOMPUTERS IN STATISTICAL COMPUTING

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of microcomputers in statistical computing. The development of microcomputer technology in recent years has provided a new dimension in statistical computing. When a complete computer system (computer, 32K memory, dual disk drives, CRT, and printer) is available for under $4000, the world of statistical computing is opened up to many people who previously had little or no access to statistical computer packages. To place microcomputers into proper perspective one must dispel two myths that are held by many people: microcomputers are just expensive toys and microcomputers will make other computers obsolete. The chapter discusses a sample output from MICROSTAT, which is a file-oriented statistical package designed specifically for microcomputers. The problem of large values with small variance can be solved by scaling the data by subtracting a constant and then rescaling the results. MICROSTAT not only does this but also uses an algorithm described by Forsythe (1979). Another advantage of microcomputers is the quick calculation of probabilities and probability distributions.