cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inverted and Inclined Climbing Using Capillary Adhesion in a Quadrupedal Insect-Scale Robot

Many insects demonstrate remarkable locomotive capabilities on inclined or even inverted surfaces. Achieving inverted locomotion is a challenge for legged insect-scale robots because repeated attachment and detachment to a surface usually requires the design of special climbing gaits, adhesion mechanisms, sensing, and feedback control. In this study, we propose a novel adhesion method that leverages capillary and lubrication effects to achieve simultaneous adhesion and sliding. We design a 47 mg adhesion pad and install it on a 1.4 g insect-scale quadrupedal robot to demonstrate locomotion on inverted and inclined surfaces. On an inverted acrylic surface, the robot's climbing and turning speeds are 0.3 cm/s and 23.6 °/s, respectively. Further, the robot can climb a 30° inclined acrylic surface at 0.04 cm/s. This light-weight, passively stable, and versatile adhesion design is suitable for insect-scale robots with limited sensing, actuation, and control capabilities.
The Impact of Article Method Type and Subject Area on Article Citations and Reference Diversity in JM, JMR, and JCR

It has been argued that the scientific status of the marketing discipline is reflected in both the ability of its articles to be cited and the degree to which its articles draw from a diverse set of reference sources. We combine a content analysis of a sample of 561 JM, JMR, and JCR articles with a citation analysis and reference analysis of those same articles to investigate the impact of article method type and subject area on article citation rates and reference diversity. Our results reveal that verbal-theory and field study papers are both more likely to be cited and more likely to draw from a wide variety of journal and disciplinary reference sources. The results also reveal that services/customer satisfaction and general theory and philosophy of science articles are generally more likely to be cited than other subject areas, although services/customer satisfaction articles are also less likely to rely on a diverse set of references.
Mary Washington Pediatrics

This case follows the 2017 acquisition valuation of Mary Washington Pediatrics in Northern Virginia by two pediatricians, Natalia Juarez and Kirsten Atwood. The case provides a simple context for discussing approaches for enterprise valuation, including discounted cash flow (DCF) and transaction multiples methods. Students are encouraged to critique a financial forecast for the practice using the current performance of the target company and other comparables. The case has been used in a course specific to medical professionals but could be used by any group seeking an introduction to valuation mechanics Excerpt UVA-F-1877 Mar. 27, 2019 Mary Washington Pediatrics Dr. Natalia Juarez put down her phone and took a deep breath. It was May 2017, and she had just finished a call with longtime friend and fellow pediatrician Kirsten Atwood. The two friends had talked about partnering for years. Now they were on the verge of doing it. Juarez and Atwood had visited Mary Washington Pediatrics last week and met with the three physicians who owned it. The visit had gone well and both had come away feeling that this was the right practice for them. Still, the decision to buy it not only entailed a lot of money but also meant a relocation for both Atwood and Juarez. Since they were still pretty early in their careers, flexibility was important to them. As such, they were determined not to overpay for the practice, as they expected they might sell it in five to seven years. Juarez had promised to get back to Atwood by the end of the day with her recommendation for a bidding strategy. The strategy entailed determining both their opening bid and their walkaway price. As this was the practice that best met their objectives, their plan was to bid aggressively. With a bid in by tomorrow, it was possible that by the end of the week they would both be the proud owners of a pediatric practice in Northern Virginia. Although the thought was arresting, she fired up her laptop and got to work. . . .
Increased extreme rains intensify erosional nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes to the northern Gulf of Mexico in recent decades

Author(s): Tan, Z; Leung, LR; Li, HY; Tesfa, T; Zhu, Q; Yang, X; Liu, Y; Huang, M | Abstract: Soil erosion delivers enormous amounts of macro-nutrients including nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from land to rivers, potentially sustaining water column bioavailable nutrient levels for decades. In this study, we represent erosional N and P fluxes in the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) and apply the model to the continental United States. We estimate that during 1991-2019 soil erosion delivers 775 Gg yr-1 (1 Gg = 109 g) of particulate N (PN) and 328 Gg yr-1 of particulate P (PP) on average to the drainage basins of the northern Gulf of Mexico, including the Mississippi/Atchafalaya River and other rivers draining to the Texas Gulf and the Eastern Gulf. Our model simulation shows that in these rivers PP is the dominant P constituent and over 55% of P exported by erosion comes from soil P pools that could become bioavailable within decades. More importantly, we find that during 1991-2019 erosional N and P fluxes increase at rates of about 15 Gg N yr-1 and 6 Gg P yr-1, respectively, due to increased extreme rains in the Mississippi/Atchafalaya river basin, and this intensification of erosional N and P fluxes drive the significant increase of riverine PN and PP yields to the northern Gulf of Mexico. With extreme rains projected to increase with warming, erosional nutrient fluxes in the region would likely continue to rise in the future, thus complicating the effort of reducing eutrophication in the inland and coastal waters.
The Rural Mortality Decline in the United States, 1900-1930

This paper considers the rural mortality transition over 1900 to 1930. While previous work has extensively documented urban mortality transition over this period (Armstrong et al., 1999; Haines, 2001; Cutler and Miller, 2005), declines in U.S. rural mortality have been understudied. This article fills this gap in the literature by first establishing the size of the mortality decline in rural areas, and second, examining the determinants of the decline. Contributing factors considered include the role of data aggregation, urban mortality spillovers, child health improvements, as well as the hypotheses proposed in Higgs (1973). The findings suggest that half of the aggregate rural mortality decline disappears in the balanced subsample of counties. The remainder of the mortality transition is explained the combination of declining child mortality and the changing age-composition of counties.
8. Plant tissue testing for micronutrient deficiencies and toxicities

The relationship between nutrient concentration and yield, when properly used, is a powerful tool for diagnosing the nutritional status of annual crops for B, Cu, Mn, Mo, Zn and occasionally Fe. Imbalance between P and Zn may affect interpretation of plant Zn data at high levels of P. Also, lack of adequate field calibration, especially that involving recently matured leaves, within geographical regions at various yield levels makes the interpretation of data for some crop-element situations difficult. Mobility of elements in plants during growth should be considered when selecting tissues for analysis. Although there undoubtedly will be exceptions, fertilization of most annual crops in the year of diagnosis is unlikely to be based on plant analysis. Successful use of plant analysis for diagnosing the micronutrient status of plants demands careful attention to plant sampling, processing of samples, and laboratory techniques. These aspects and problems with calibration and interpretation of data are discussed in detail. Sap tests would appear to have only a small role to play in diagnosis of field micronutrient problems, but they may be of assistance in studying Mn toxicity and deficiency.
(En)gendering Complexities: A Look at Colorism in Toni Morrison’s Beloved and James Weldon Johnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man

This chapter examines how colorism influenced perceptions of self and agency for people of African descent during the Jim Crow era. I pay particular attention to the formerly enslaved woman’s experience in Toni Morrison’s Beloved and James Weldon Johnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, arguing that even though they share the experience of having been enslaved, they were not equally situated in those experiences. I offer an intra-racial, intersectional reading of the two, as I puzzle through possible differences in their decision-making due to colorism. Significant to my discussion is the way gender factors into their experiences. For the mother in Johnson’s novel, her proximity to whiteness allows her admittance into a society that configures whiteness within a patriarchal system. Subscription to that system, I argue, proves consequential for how she locates and wields power. My reading of Morrison’s Beloved, however, indicates that being rejected by such a system due to colorism does not necessarily lead to defeat. The character Baby Suggs challenges its dictates. Her reach for agency affords recently enslaved people new possibilities for imagining self within a paradigm of freedom. The analysis I offer, here, ultimately argues that colorism exacerbates the gender divide by reinforcing a hierarchical, white patriarchal system of governance.
IDENTIFICATION OF TIRE NOISE GENERATION MECHANISMS USING A ROADWHEEL FACILITY

In a study of tire noise generation mechanisms designed as a foundation for developing quieter tire designs, a series of acoustic and vibration measurements was conducted on four heavy-truck tires, utilizing a roadwheel facility enclosed in a semianechoic chamber. Data were recorded from five near-field microphones and from five accelerometers mounted inside the tires. Acoustic time signatures were analyzed to identify noise source locations and possible causes. Supporting tread void compression and other tire properties were measured. Excellent agreement was found between air pumping theory and measurements for a crossbar tire. Air pumping for a crossbar tire was found to be the dominant vibration generation mechanism. Air pumping for a rib tire was found to be a possible mechanism. Measurement of vibration on a running tire demonstrated the comparability of vibration levels in the sidewall and in the tread area. Vibration levels were higher in areas following the contact patch than in those preceding. If carcass vibration is a major noise generation mechanism, the sidewall would be as important a radiator as the tread area. A series of stationary vibration tests is planned to define the vibration response of the test tires (Green's function, modal properties, wave speed, resonances, and damping factors).
IKBKE GENE-A NEWLY POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC TARGET FOR TREATING NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

The IKBKE gene is part of a family of enzyme complexes involved in increasing cellular inflammation. IKBKE over expression has been associated with breast and prostate cancers. However, it had not been linked to environmental carcinogen, such as tobacco smoke, until now. Tobacco smoke is the strongest documented initiator and promoter of lung cancer. The traditional model holds that tobacco components promote carcinogenesis through a process that leads to DNA damage. KEY-WORDS: IKBKE, Lung cancer, Gene, Tobacco
The Supreme Court's New Implied Repeal Doctrine: Expanding Judicial Power to Rewrite Legislation Under the Ballooning Conception of 'Plain Repugnancy'

This article presents a historical, public policy and analytical critique of the United States Supreme Court's revision of the implied repeal doctrine in Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC v. Billing, 551 U.S. 264, 127 S. Ct. 2383 (2007). The article takes a historical perspective to demonstrate the sound public policy rationale for the more traditional approach to this canon of statutory interpretation. The article analyzes the decision against the backdrop of more than 400 years of English and American courts traditional application of this doctrine to avoid judicial intrusion into the legislative prerogative. It is argued that the Court's revision of the implied repeal doctrine ignores the long and steady history of the doctrine; that the Court's new approach is bad law and bad policy; and that the Court should move to restore the traditional doctrine fully and clearly.
Partial fourier and parallel MR image reconstruction with integrated gradient nonlinearity correction.

Purpose To describe how integrated gradient nonlinearity (GNL) correction can be used within noniterative partial Fourier (homodyne) and parallel (SENSE and GRAPPA) MR image reconstruction strategies, and demonstrate that performing GNL correction during, rather than after, these routines mitigates the image blurring and resolution loss caused by postreconstruction image domain based GNL correction. Methods Starting from partial Fourier and parallel magnetic resonance imaging signal models that explicitly account for GNL, noniterative image reconstruction strategies for each accelerated acquisition technique are derived under the same core mathematical assumptions as their standard counterparts. A series of phantom and in vivo experiments on retrospectively undersampled data were performed to investigate the spatial resolution benefit of integrated GNL correction over conventional postreconstruction correction. Results Phantom and in vivo results demonstrate that the integrated GNL correction reduces the image blurring introduced by the conventional GNL correction, while still correcting GNL-induced coarse-scale geometrical distortion. Images generated from undersampled data using the proposed integrated GNL strategies offer superior depiction of fine image detail, for example, phantom resolution inserts and anatomical tissue boundaries. Conclusion Noniterative partial Fourier and parallel imaging reconstruction methods with integrated GNL correction reduce the resolution loss that occurs during conventional postreconstruction GNL correction while preserving the computational efficiency of standard reconstruction techniques. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Command and control information systems engineering: progress and prospects

Publisher Summary Systems engineering engrosses all the activities that extend over the life cycle of a system, including requirements definitions, functional designs, development, testing, and evaluation. This chapter describes and provides an analysis of the generic information systems engineering (ISE) process, the domain of military command and control (C 2 ), and the application of the principles of multidisciplinary information systems engineering to C 2 information and decision systems engineering. The chapter also presents some command and control ISE case studies intended to illustrate the most salient features of the ISE process. ISE represents an innovative way to think about systems design and development; C 2 represents an expanding applications domain; the marriage between ISE and C 2 is likely to yield some creative system solutions to existing and future requirements. System solutions are not found only in structured design methodology; but also in the application of advanced and emerging technologies. ISE is structured, yet flexible enough to exploit new technological opportunities. New opportunities for the application of advanced information technology are rising dramatically. Next-generation C 2 information and decision systems will appear very different to users; they will be far more powerful, much easier to use, and able to communicate with problem-solving cousins distributed across large, secure and reconstitutable networks.
On the stability of linear shift variant digital filters

The bounded-input bounded-output (BIBO) stability of shift-variant digital filters is investigated. Periodically shift-variant digital filters are considered and a Floquet-type solution is established. This is used to investigate the BIBO stability of a general periodically shift-variant digital system.
Row-reducing the quantum determinant and Dieudonne determinant

We prove that row reducing a quantum matrix yields another quantum matrix for the same parameter q. This means that the elements of the new matrix satisfy the same relations as those of the original quantum matrix ring M_q(n). As a corollary, we can prove that the image of the quantum determinant in the abelianization of the total ring of quotients of M_q(n) is equal to the Dieudonne determinant of the quantum matrix. A similar result is proved for the multiparameter quantum determinant.
Effects of Ro15-4513 and other benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists on alcohol-induced intoxication in the rat.

The ability of the imidazobenzodiazepine Ro15-4513 to antagonize the behavioral intoxication produced by ethanol and related short-chain alcohols was examined in the rat. Ro15-4513 dose dependently (0.5-10 mg/kg i.p.: IC50, 1.5 mg/kg) inhibited the intoxication induced by ethanol (2 g/kg), as well as t-amyl alcohol (0.36 g/kg) and methanol (4.66 g/kg). The effects of Ro15-4513 in blocking ethanol-induced intoxication were blocked by the benzodiazepine receptor antagonists Ro15-1788 and CGS-8216. However, Ro15-4513 was ineffective in antagonizing the intoxication observed after higher doses of ethanol (4 g/kg). In contrast, ethanol-induced intoxication was not antagonized by the benzodiazepine receptor antagonists Ro15-1788 (10 mg/kg) or CGS-8216 (20 mg/kg), nor by the inverse agonists FG-7142 (10-30 mg/kg) or beta CCE (10 mg/kg). When administered after ethanol, Ro15-4513 also reversed ethanol-induced intoxication in a dose-dependent manner (2.5-10 mg/kg i.p.: IC50, 5 mg/kg), an effect which was also blocked by Ro15-1788 and CGS-8216. However, neither beta CCE (10 mg/kg) or FG-7142 (less than or equal to 30 mg/kg) alone reversed ethanol-induced intoxication. Moreover, beta CCE (10 mg/kg), when administered just before Ro15-4513, completely antagonized the actions of Ro15-4513 in reversing ethanol-induced intoxication. These data suggest that the ability of Ro15-4513 to antagonize, and to reverse, ethanol-induced intoxication is mediated via central benzodiazepine receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Hotel service providers' emotional labor: The antecedents and effects on burnout.

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents and consequences of two emotional labor strategies (surface and deep acting) in the lodging industry. Variety, duration, and positive display rules are significant predictors of hotel service providers’ deep acting and negative display rules are related to service providers’ surface acting. Employees ohigh in neuroticism are more likely to fake their emotional expressions (surface acting) when dealing with guests and those high in extraversion are more likely to try hard to invoke the appropriate emotions (deep acting). Results further indicate that surface actors are more exhausted and cynical than deep actors and the mediating role of emotional labor between burnout and job and personality characteristics is found to be rather weak. Managerial implications for hotel operators are discussed.
Intravenous Fluids: Do Doctors Know What They are Prescribing ?

fluid prescription is an essential part of peri-operative care in surgical patients. This is usually left to the most junior trainees. Although knowledge of fluid prescription is part of the core curriculum in all undergraduate and most postgraduate exams, junior doctors may still lack sufficient knowledge and training to perform this competently. Prescription is therefore variable and often inappropriate.
Full‐Length and Truncated Alzheimer Amyloid Precursors in Chromaffin Granules: Solubilization of Membrane Amyloid Precursor Is Mediated by an Enzymatic Mechanism

The amyloid beta peptide (A beta) of Alzheimer disease is derived from the proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor proteins (APPs), which are considered type I transmembrane proteins. Here we report that the soluble fraction of isolated adrenal medullary chromaffin granules (CG), a model neuronal secretory vesicle system, contains an antigen that immunochemically and on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was indistinguishable from full-length APP. A truncated APP fragment with intact A beta sequence was also detected in the soluble fraction of CG. In vitro experiments showed that full-length APP was solubilized from CG membranes at 37 degrees C as a function of pH, with a peak of activity between pH 8.5 and pH 9.0. Solubilization of full-length APP was inhibited by several protease inhibitors, including aprotinin, cystatin, and iodoacetamide, by the divalent cations Ca2+ and Zn2+, and by preheating of the membranes. These results are consistent with and suggest the involvement of an enzymatic mechanism in the solubilization of potentially amyloidogenic full-length APP. Production of A beta from a transmembrane APP predicts a proteolytic cleavage within the lipid bilayer, a site relatively inaccessible to proteases. Thus, the detected soluble, potentially amyloidogenic, full-length APP may be a substrate for the proteases producing A beta. The detection of soluble APP with intact A beta sequence in secretory vesicles is consistent with the extracellular topology of amyloid depositions.
Analysis of side-chain rotamers in transmembrane proteins.

We measured the frequency of side-chain rotamers in 14 α-helical and 16 β-barrel membrane protein structures and found that the membrane environment considerably perturbs the rotamer frequencies compared to soluble proteins. Although there are limited experimental data, we found statistically significant changes in rotamer preferences depending on the residue environment. Rotamer distributions were influenced by whether the residues were lipid or protein facing, and whether the residues were found near the N- or C-terminus. Hydrogen-bonding interactions with the helical backbone perturbs the rotamer populations of Ser and His. Trp and Tyr favor side-chain conformations that allow their side chains to extend their polar atoms out of the membrane core, thereby aligning the side-chain polarity gradient with the polarity gradient of the membrane. Our results demonstrate how the membrane environment influences protein structures, providing information that will be useful in the structure prediction and design of transmembrane proteins.
Clay‐catalyzed reactions of olefins. II. Catalyst acidity and mechanism

Evidence is presented for the heterogeneity of olefin reactions on acid clay surfaces and for the inherent acidity of the catalyst. Catalyst activity was shown to be due to an active proton probably associated with tetrahedral aluminum. Deactivation of catalyst was observed with proton accepting contaminants such as water, amines, and basic olefins. Surface acidities and total exchangeable hydrogen in the catalyst were determined by gas phase absorption and by deuterium analysis, respectively. The measurements were correlated with previous acidity measurements, styrene polymerization rates, and polymerization mechanism. Polymerization rates were measured by time-temperature observations and by analyses of monomer. Exchangeable hydrogen was determined by deuterium exchange and density measurements. Exchange was 90% complete before polymerization began. The equilibration of a classical carbonium ion from styrene by a sorption–desorption process was definitely indicated and we propose that these ions are the active intermediates in the initiation, propagation, transfer, and solvent termination processes.
Activation of guanyl cyclase and adenyl cyclase by secretin

Abstract Properties of rat liver guanyl cyclase and adenyl cyclase and the effects of hormones on the activity of these enzymes have been investigated. 1. 1. Secretin ( 2·10 −7 –60·10 −7 M ) stimulates guanyl cyclase activity of 18 000 × g supernantants of rat liver homogenates with no change in the Michaelis-Menten constant for GTP ( 3.8·10 −5 M ). 2. 2. Insulin, glucagon, and hydrocortisone in vitro were found to have no effect on guanyl cyclase activity in the presence or absence of secretin. 3. 3. p- Chloromercuriphenyl sulfonate inhibits guanyl cyclase activity, and p- chloromercuriphenyl sulfonate inhibition is reversed by dithiothreitol. p- Chloromercuriphenyl sulfonate-dithiothreitol treatments have no effect on the sensitivity of the enzyme to secretin stimulation. These studies indicate that sulfhydryl groups may be involved in the regulation of the activity of liver guanyl cyclase. 4. 4. Adenyl cyclase activity of rat liver homogenate is stimulated by secretin to approximately 50% of the stimulation caused by glucagon. Using hormone concentrations that maximally stimulate homogenate adenyl cyclase, experiments with combinations of glucagon, secretin, and isoproterenol indicate that only secretin and isoproterenol do not have additive effects. Propranolol blocks stimulation due to isoproterenol, but does not affect stimulation by secretin. 5. 5. Insulin has no effect on either glucagon- or secretin-stimulated liver homogenate adenyl cyclase activity.
Collisionally activated mass spectra of [M ? H] ions of polyhydroxy and hydroxy ether compounds

Collision-induced decomposition/mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy or collisionally activated mass spectra of [M − H]− ions of polyhydroxy compounds and other alcohols and ethers are reported. The [M − H]− ion of each compound is produced under OH− negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometric conditions. Characteristic fragmentations are observed that include production of [M − H − 2]−, [M − H − 18]− and [M − H − 32]− ions. Certain other fragment ions in the collisionally activated mass spectra make it possible to distinguish among structural isomers. In polyhydroxy compounds, fragmentation increases as the number of hydroxyl groups increase, and carbon-carbon bond cleavage becomes favored.
A scalable testbed for emulating wireless Mobile Ad-hoc Networks

To support research in wireless mobile networks and mobile ad-hoc network security, the U.S. army research laboratory (ARL) has developed a ldquoWireless emulation laboratoryrdquo (WEL). A key component of the WEL is a Mobile Ad-hoc network (MANET) emulation testbed on which algorithms and applications can be subjected to emulated wireless network conditions. The testbed is based on the MANE (mobile ad-hoc network emulator) software originally developed by the naval research laboratory (NRL). It has since been improved through the incorporation of advanced modeling methods and computing technologies. Important additional features include (1) the integration of the terrain integrated rough earth model (TIREM) propagation model, (2) the use of virtual machine technologies to scale the size of the network, and (3) the inclusion of custom-designed mobility patterns to create a specific dynamic topology of a MANET under test. Currently the WEL testbed can emulate a 101-node MANET and, through the use of virtualization technologies, will scale well beyond that number. This paper discusses the current capabilities of ARLpsilas WEL for conducting empirical evaluation and demonstration of MANET technologies and concludes with planned future enhancements.
Biology and Immature Stages of Two Species of Notiphila, with Notes on Other Shore Flies Occurring in Cattail Marshes (Diptera: Ephydridae)

The life histories of Notiphila aenigma Cresson and N. solita Walker, 2 common species of Ephydridae occurring in cattail marshes, were studied in Montana and Ohio, respectively. Larvae of both species develop in oxygen-poor bottom sediments where they ingest detritus and associated saprophytic microorganisms. Larvae obtain oxygen by periodically tapping intercellular air spaces in Typha rootlets by use of their sharply pointed spiracular spines. Notiphila aenigma apparently is univoltine, whereas N. solita is at least bivoltine. Both species overwinter as nearly mature larvae. Puparia are always attached to cattail rootlets via the spiracular spines. The eggs, 3 larval instars, and puparia are described and illustrated. Possible ecological isolating mechanisms that permit co-existence of 4 species of cattail marsh-inhabiting Ephydridae in Montana are discussed.
Scattering of Particles by the Gas in a Synchrotron

Successive elastic encounters of a proton with atoms of air in a proton synchrotron may build up a betatron oscillation whose amplitude exceeds the aperture of the vacuum chamber; in this case the particle is lost. The Rutherford scattering formula, suitably cut off at large and small scattering angles, is used to determine the r.m.s. amplitude of this oscillation as a function of the increasing kinetic energy of the particle. It reaches a maximum, given by Eq. (11), when the latter is four times its value at injection. The differential equation is found, which the distribution of amplitudes as a function of path length must obey, and it is solved, by use of appropriate boundary conditions, for the case in which damping of the oscillations is ignored. The solution makes possible an estimate of the fraction of the original particles which is scattered to the wall (Fig. 1). These results are applied to two proposed synchrotrons to determine the air pressures which gives a ten percent loss of particles.
CHARACTERIZATION OF hCG REGULATION IN CULTURED HUMAN AMNIOTIC FLUID CELLS: II. Mechanisms for Stimulation

We showed previously that sodium butyrate stimulated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) measured by radioimmunoassay of medium from human second trimester amniotic fluid cell cultures, termed AF cells. We now find that stimulation of hCG in the presence of sodium butyrate takes as long as 20 h. When AF cells are preincubated with sodium butyrate, hCG levels increase in direct relation to length of the preincubation period. These findings suggest that elevation of hCG is not due merely to a release of hormone from the cells. Addition of cycloheximide or Actinomycin D inhibited protein synthesis and RNA synthesis, respectively, and prevented the stimulation of hCG by sodium butyrate. These results lend support for a mechanism of regulation involving protein and RNA synthesis, the increase in hCG levels being due to new synthesis of the hormone. Other agents reported to influence hCG production by different types of cell cultures include dibutyryl cyclic AMP, epidermal growth factor (EGF), methotrexate, and hydroxyurea. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP and EGF have no effect on hCG production in our AF cells: methotrexate causes a minimal increase, hydroxyurea causes a further increase, but sodium butyrate has the strongest stimulatory effect. We conclude that amniotic fluid cells in culture are susceptible to environmental agents capable of modulating synthesis of hCG by mechanisms involving synthesis of RNA and protein.
Unraveling the cerebral dynamics of mental imagery.

Evidence from functional brain imaging studies suggests that mental imagery processes, like other higher cognitive functions, simultaneously activate different neuronal networks involving multiple cortical areas. The question of whether these different areas are truly simultaneously active or whether they are temporally distinct and might reflect different steps of information processing cannot be answered by these imaging methods. We applied spatiotemporal analysis techniques to multichannel event-related potential (ERP) recordings in order to elucidate the topography and chronology of brain processes involved in mental rotation. We measured 41-electrode ERPs in 12 healthy subjects who had to evaluate whether rotated letters were in a normal or mirror-reflected position. These figures were presented in the left, right, or central visual fields and were randomly rotated by 0 degrees, 50 degrees, 100 degrees, or 150 degrees. Behaviorally, we replicated the observation that reaction time increases with greater angles of rotation. Electrophysiologically, we identified a set of dominant electric potential distributions, each of them stable far a certain time period. Only one of these time segments (appearing between 400-600 msec) increased significantly in duration with greater angles of rotation mirroring reaction time. We suggest that the rotation of mental images is carried out during this time segment. A general linear inverse solution applied to this segment showed occipito-parietal cerebral activity that was lateralized to the right hemisphere. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Flexible 10.7 Gb/s DWDM transmission over up to 1200 km without optical in-line or post-compensation of using MLSE-EDC

50 GHz DWDM transmission at 10.7 Gb/s over up to 1200 km on NZ-DSF without optical in-line or post-compensation is demonstrated with duobinary signals and receiver-based MLSE-EDC, with system flexibility suitable for add/drop optical networking.
REFS Keynote: "Requirements for Services: Does it Make Sense?"

Summary form only given. Since the dawn of computers, we have struggled with the best ways to record requirements for our software-based systems. Many thousands of papers have been written that describe "new" ways to discover, prune, write, interrelate, test, and manage changes to, software requirements. However, there are two trends (one historic and one future) worth examining more closely: (1) Historic. "Systems" and "products" have been around for many centuries before the advent of computers; requirements have only become important since computers because software has given us so much more flexibility in the features we provide to our customers. Before software, products were constructed of plastic, metal, and wood and little flexibility existed. (2) Future. With the advent of widespread broadband access to the internet, more and more companies are discovering the economies of "delivering" software not as a product but as a service. This relatively new "Software as a Service" (SOS) business model raises the issue of whether the lessons we have learned about discovering, pruning, writing, interrelating, testing, and managing changes to, software requirements still apply. But more importantly, just as software has given us incredible flexibility in the features of our products (no longer built exclusively of physical materials), now software has given us the same kind of flexibility in the features of our services (no longer based solely on human delivery). What lessons still apply? Is the business of requirements engineering unchanged? Or do new principles apply to requirements for services?
Widespread expression of the mRNA encoding a novel vitamin D/thyroxine dual binding protein in the turtle Trachemys scripta.

Vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) is the major transport protein for the vitamin D sterols in a variety of mammalian and avian species. The DBP found in the emydid family of turtles is unique in that it exhibits high-affinity binding of both vitamin D and thyroxine (D/TBP). Sequence analysis has revealed that the emydid D/TBP is homologous to mammalian DBP and shares no homology with mammalian thyroxine-binding globulins. Northern blot analysis was used to examine the spatial profile of D/TBP transcription in the turtle Trachemys scripta. In both adults and hatchlings, two transcripts—the expected 1.5-kb full-length transcript and a second 0.8-kb transcript—were present in nearly all of the tissues examined. In adults, highest expression of the 1.5-kb transcript was seen in the kidney, gonad, and spleen, with lower levels in the liver and lung and no transcripts in skeletal muscle. In hatchlings, the full-length transcript was detected in a variety of tissues at similar levels. Injection of hatchlings with thyroxine increased levels of circulating D/TBP and transcript levels. These data are in marked contrast to observations in mammals in which transcription of DBP is confined predominantly to the liver. Further, the increase in circulating D/TBP associated with increased thyroidal activity may result from a direct or indirect activation of D/TBP transcription by thyroxine.
The binding of tentoxin to a tryptic digest of chloroplast coupling factor 1

Abstract The binding of tentoxin to lettuce chloroplast coupling factor 1 and its inhibition of Ca +2 -dependent ATPase involves the α and β subunits which remain after trypsin treatment. The tentoxin-binding properties of the digest are not greatly altered from those previously reported for the untreated protein.
Numerical techniques for extracting geometrically parameterized reduced order interconnect models from full-wave electromagnetic analysis

In this paper we give a fairly abstract description of a projection approach for generating geometrically parameterized reduced-order models directly from the numerical solution of Maxwell's equations. The method is without much justification, so a spiral inductor example is given to motivate further study.
The E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Itch Couples JNK Activation to TNFα-induced Cell Death by Inducing c-FLIPL Turnover

The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha signals both cell survival and death. The biological outcome of TNFalpha treatment is determined by the balance between NF-kappaB and Jun kinase (JNK) signaling; NF-kappaB promotes survival, whereas JNK enhances cell death. Critically, identity of a JNK substrate that promotes TNFalpha-induced apoptosis has been outstanding. Here we show that TNFalpha-mediated JNK activation accelerates turnover of the NF-kappaB-induced antiapoptotic protein c-FLIP, an inhibitor of caspase-8. This is not due to direct c-FLIP phosphorylation but depends on JNK-mediated phosphorylation and activation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Itch, which specifically ubiquitinates c-FLIP and induces its proteasomal degradation. JNK1 or Itch deficiency or treatment with a JNK inhibitor renders mice resistant in three distinct models of TNFalpha-induced acute liver failure, and cells from these mice do not display inducible c-FLIP(L) ubiquitination and degradation. Thus, JNK antagonizes NF-kappaB during TNFalpha signaling by promoting the proteasomal elimination of c-FLIP(L).
Physiological Loading of Tendons Induces Scleraxis Expression in Epitenon Fibroblasts

Scleraxis is a basic helix–loop–helix transcription factor that plays a central role in promoting fibroblast proliferation and matrix synthesis during the embryonic development of tendons. Mice with a targeted inactivation of scleraxis (Scx−/−) fail to properly form limb tendons, but the role that scleraxis has in regulating the growth and adaptation of tendons of adult organisms is unknown. To determine if scleraxis expression changes in response to a physiological growth stimulus to tendons, we subjected adult mice that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the scleraxis promoter (ScxGFP) to a 6-week-treadmill training program designed to induce adaptive growth in Achilles tendons. Age matched sedentary ScxGFP mice were used as controls. Scleraxis expression was sparsely observed in the epitenon region of sedentary mice, but in response to treadmill training, scleraxis was robustly expressed in fibroblasts that appeared to be emerging from the epitenon and migrating into the superficial regions of tendon fascicles. Treadmill training also led to an increase in scleraxis, tenomodulin, and type I collagen gene expression as measured by qPCR. These results suggest that in addition to regulating the embryonic formation of limb tendons, scleraxis also appears to play an important role in the adaptation of adult tendons to physiological loading. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:606–612, 2012
A new class of variance balanced designs

Abstract Tyagi (1979) has developed a class of variance balanced designs, which Khatri (1982) generalized. This paper gives a new class of variance balanced designs not of their type. The construction is based on a combinatorial argument and in most cases allows for more than one design for a given number of treatments.
Current status of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in myeloma

High-dose melphalan with autologous hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) improves response rates and survival in myeloma. This is despite the fact that unlike other hematologic malignancies treated with high-dose therapy and autotransplantation, autografted myeloma patients continue to relapse several years after transplantation and the procedure is not curative in the majority of patients. However, patients surviving for several years with essentially normal quality of life may be considered to be ‘operationally cured.’ Also, unlike with other hematologic malignancies relapsing after an autograft, recurrent disease can be treated with novel agents or repeat high-dose chemotherapy and autologous or allogeneic HSCT—and long-term survival is seen in a number of patients after relapse. Although tandem transplantation is clearly superior to a single autograft, it is unclear if this should be offered to all patients routinely or only to those not attaining CR after one transplant. It is also unclear if novel agents should be used before transplantation or reserved for relapse. Despite their excellent activity, there is no evidence that novel agents such as thalidomide, bortezomib and lenalidomide can replace high-dose chemotherapy and HSCT, and the best strategy is to use all options in all eligible patients at appropriate stages of the disease.
Overlapping Schwarz Methods for Maxwell''s Equations in Three Dimensions.

Two-level overlapping Schwarz methods are considered for finite element problems of 3D Maxwell''s equations. Nedelec elements built on tetrahedra and hexahedra are considered. Once the relative overlap is fixed, the condition number of the additive Schwarz method is bounded, independently of the diameter of the triangulation and the number of subregions. A similar result is obtained for a multiplicative method. These bounds are obtained for quasi-uniform triangulations. In addition, for the Dirichlet problem, the convexity of the domain has to be assumed. Our work generalizes well-known results for conforming finite elements for second order elliptic scalar equations.
The effect of convergence on the vestibulo-ocular reflex and implications for perceived movement

The apparent motion of a fixated stimulus during head translation in the dark was found to depend on the magnitude of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). Absolute convergence level determines VOR magnitude and thereby influences apparent motion during head movement by determining the magnitude and direction of the pursuit effort required to maintain gaze stability. The results are discussed in terms of the biological utility of the coupling between convergence and the VOR in maintaining image stability, and the role of the pursuit eye movement system in illusory movement.
Progress in Reentry Communications

Considerable progress has been made in the past few years toward understanding and solving the spacecraft communications blackout problem caused by the reentry plasma sheath. A summary of the causes and effects of the reentry plasma sheath is presented, together with a discussion of reentry plasma diagnostic techniques, proposed methods of alleviating the communications blackout, and a review of the reentry flight experiments performed to better our understanding of the reentry plasma.
Primate frontal lesions and the temporal structure of behavior.

Removal of the frontal cortex of primates results in a psychological deficit usually classified in terms of short-term memory. This classification is based on impairment in per formance of delayed response or alternation type tasks. The present experiments were un dertaken in order to utilize this frontal preparation to learn more about the short-term memory process as well as to delineate more precisely the frontal lobe deficit. Rhesus mon keys with lesions of the dorsolateral frontal cortex were tested in a situation where the classical alternation task with 5 second delay (Right-Left-Right-Left) was modified by in terposing a 15 second interval between each R-L couplet (R-L R-L ). This modification made it possible for monkeys with frontal lesions who had failed the classical task to perform with very few errors. Two additional alternation experiments, one interposing light and one interposing sound between trials, failed to produce such effective performance. These experiments suggest that proper temporal structuring, or parsing, of the stream of stimuli to which the organism is subject, is a more important variable in the mechanism of short-term memory than is the maintenance of a neural trace per se. They also suggest that the frontal cortex of primates is critically involved in the temporal structuring of behavior.
Electron–phonon coupling and associated scattering rates in diamond

Abstract We calculate the variation of electron–phonon (e–ph) coupling as a function of phonon wavevector and the initial electron energy over the entire Brillouin zone (BZ) in diamond. We consider three cases of the initial electron energy, the first corresponds to an electron at the top of the valence band, the second where the electron is at the conduction band minimum at ∆, and the third is for electrons at the secondary conduction band minimum at Γ. The e–ph interaction exhibits a strong phonon wavevector dependence which indicates a need to go beyond the long-wavelength approximation typically used for treating electron–phonon scattering in transport simulations, especially for capturing high field effects. Within an ab initio electronic structure framework, we describe electron and phonon wavefunctions in terms of localized Wannier functions which allow the evaluation of e–ph coupling over a dense grid in the BZ with tractable computational effort. The full description of the e–ph coupling over the BZ is used to compute the electron linewidth which is applied to predict the associated total phonon scattering rates. Calculations at 0 K and 300 K are presented and show the corresponding linewidth increases with temperature and that the method is suitable for producing inputs to transport calculations.
Options for the handling and storage of nuclear vessel spent fuel.

There are many options for the handling and storage of spent nuclear fuel from naval vessels. This paper summarizes the options that are available and explores the issues that are involved. In many cases choices have been made, not on the basis of which is the best engineering solution or the most cost-effective, but based on the political realities involved. For example, currently it seems that the most prevalent solution for spent fuel interim storage is in dual-purpose (transport-storage) casks. These casks are robust and, politically, they offer the visible evidence that the fuel is ‘road-ready’ to be moved from the local area where the fuel is being stored in the interim. However, dual-purpose casks are the most expensive of the storage mediums. Drywell storage (storage in below grade or bermed pipes), on the other hand, the least expensive and most flexible storage option, suffers from an image of permanence (not politically acceptable) and from being improperly implemented in the past. Though these issues are easily resolved from a technical perspective, the option is often not seriously considered because of this past history.