cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shear Waves from Isotropically Dominated Sources: Comparison of the 2013 Rudna, Poland, and 2007 Crandall Canyon, Utah, Mine Collapses

Comparison of observed and synthetic radiation patterns suggests that Love waves generated by the 2007 Crandall Canyon Mine collapse ( M w 4.1) are the result of shear waves generated by a relatively large compensated linear vector dipole component at the source, whereas the Love waves associated with a 2013 Rudna Mine collapse ( M w 4.2) are minimal except where amplified by a deep sedimentary basin. We examine the source of the 19 March 2013 Rudna Mine, Poland, collapse with a full moment tensor inversion method, using the complete waveforms of regional‐distance seismic data. The computed source is primarily composed of a dominant, and statistically significant, implosive component. The Rudna source is more similar to previous mine collapses than to double‐couple tectonic earthquakes. Although source mechanisms are similar, there are clear differences in Love‐wave amplitudes. Online Material: Tables of velocity models and figures of moment tensors and waveform fits.
Authoritative School Climate and Student Academic Engagement, Grades, and Aspirations in Middle and High Schools

This study tested the theory that an authoritative school climate characterized by disciplinary structure and student support is conducive to positive academic outcomes for middle and high school s...
Effects of Aldicarb and Its Biologically Active Metabolites on Bees

Alkali bees, Nomia melanderi Cockerell, and alfalfa leafcutting bees, Megachile rotundata (F.), were relatively tolerant to aldicarb and its sulfoxide and sulfone in acute and chronic oral feeding studies. Eggs and young larvae of the leafcutting bee were highly tolerant to these chemicals. The immediate hazard of nectar contamination in alfalfa flowers of plants treated with 3.4 kg (AI)/ha is minimal to both leafcutting and alkali bees and is reduced to no-effect levels within 3 or 4 weeks. There were no adverse effects of aldicarb and its metabolites to bees 1 or more years after treatment because soil residues were minimal and, apparently, only the low-toxicity aldicarb sulfone was present. Proper application of aldicarb to alfalfa seed fields in eastern Washington should not cause measurable losses of alfalfa leafcutting or alkali bees, the major pollinators of this crop in the Pacific Northwest.
Numerical Patterns and Geometrical Configurations

Today, in contrast to Hilbert's assertion, most students have limited knowledge about configurations-except perhaps Pappus' 93, Desargues' 103 and Petersen's 103152 (the logo on the cover of the Journal of Graph Theory). These configurations are shown in FIGURE 1. The configuration labeled 93 illustrates Pappus' Theorem: If three points { 1, 3, 5 } on one line are joined in consecutive order to three points {4, 6, 2} on another line, the three intersection points {9, 7, 8} are collinear. The configuration 103 illustrates Desargues' Theorem: When extended, the corresponding sides of triangles (1, 2, 3) and (4, 5, 6) (which are said to be in perspective from the point 7), meet in a set of collinear points {8, 10, 9} (so that the triangles are said to be in perspective from a line also). In this note, we introduce and solve an interesting puzzle that serves to highlight the fascinating interplay between the geometric nature of point-and-line configurations and their representations as rectangular arrays of integers. We hope that our exposition will provide a rich source of challenges for students of varying levels of mathematical sophistication.
The Application of plasma big ET-1 concentration in chronic heart failure laboratory diagnosis

Objective To study the change of plasma big endothelin-l(big ET-1)concentrations with chronic heart failure,the relationship of plasma big ET-1 concentrations with New York Heart Associa- tion(NYHA)functional classifications and evaluate its value in Clinical application.Methods To apply enzyme-linked immunosorbent'assay(ELISA)to detect plasma big ET-1 in chronic heart failure patients with different NYHA functional classifications.Results Plasma big ET-1 concentrations significantly increased in chronic heart failure patients than in normal controls(3.84±1.90 fmol/ml Vs 2.11±0.48 fmol/ml,P= 0.000).The concentrations of big ET-1 between every two NYHA functional classifications had significant differences(P=0.000)and inceased with the inceased severity of chronic heart failure according to NYHA functional classifications.Multivariable stepwise regression analyze showed that there were significant positive correlations between big ET-1 concentrations and NYHA functional classifications(r=0.556,P0.001). Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve showed that sensitivity was 83%,specificity was 73% when cutoff value was 2.41fmol/ml for diagnosing heart failure,area under curve(AUC)was 0.873(95% CI: 0.817-0.930).Conclusion Plasma big ET-1 concentrations in heart failure patients could reflect severe degrees of chronic heart failure comparatively accurately and objectively,they could play a important role in heart function'evaluation and chronic heart failure laboratory diagnosis.
Calculation on Corona Ionized Field of UHVDC Transmission Lines by Finite Element-integral Method

To solve the problem of calculating the electric field and ion current density of HVDC transmission lines on the ground,we applied a finite element-integral method to solve bipolar ionized field control equations,and improved the initial value of space charge density.The calculations reveal that the method can quickly obtain a stable numerical solution.Moreover,we adopted the method to calculate 400 kV DC transmission lines and to verify the effectiveness of the algorithm.Then we simulated the electric fields and ion current densities on the ground of 800 kV DC transmission lines,and analyzed the influences of the wire-to-ground height,the distance between poles,the different corona-starting between poles and lightning wires on the electric field and ion current density on the ground,respectively.It is concluded that the maximum electric field strength on the ground and the ion current density decreases with the increasing of height of line and decreasing of the poles distance,and that the electric field and ion current densities under the negative lines are higher than those of the positive when the corona-starting of positive and negative poles is different.When the Lightning wires are considered in calculation,the total electric field and ion current density will unremarkably increase.
Comparison of Test Methods for Proper Characterization of VT in SiC MOSFETs

A survey of methods for characterizing threshold voltage (VT) drift when applied to commercial SiC DMOSFETs was conducted to explore how results can vary from one test to another. Typical linear-with-log-stress-time VT drift was observed with a rate of increase near 50–60 mV/dec for all methods. However, the magnitude of the drift varied greatly depending on the time delay between stress and measurement. A power law recovery ( ) common to all methods results in much smaller VT drifts when using slower methods, meaning long delays between stress and measurement can lead to tests that are unable to adequately discriminate bad devices from good.
Competitive release and outbreaks of non‐target pests associated with transgenic Bt cotton

The adoption of transgenic Bt cotton has, in some cases, led to environmental and economic benefits through reduced insecticide use. However, the distribution of these benefits and associated risks among cotton growers and cotton-growing regions has been uneven due in part to outbreaks of non-target or secondary pests, thereby requiring the continued use of synthetic insecticides. In the southeastern USA, Bt cotton adoption has resulted in increased abundance of and damage from stink bug pests, Euschistus servus and Nezara viridula (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). While the impact of increased stink bug abundance has been well-documented, the causes have remained unclear. We hypothesize that release from competition with Bt-susceptible target pests may drive stink bug outbreaks in Bt cotton. We first examined the evidence for competitive release of stink bugs through meta-analysis of previous studies. We then experimentally tested if herbivory by Bt-susceptible Helicoverpa zea increases stink bug leaving rates and deters oviposition on non-Bt cotton. Consistent with previous studies, we found differences in leaving rates only for E servus, but we found that both species strongly avoided ovipositing on H. zea-damaged plants. Considering all available evidence, competitive release of stink bug populations in Bt cotton likely contributes to outbreaks, though the relative importance of competitive release remains an open question. Ecological risk assessments of Bt crops and other transgenic insecticidal crops would benefit from greater understanding of the ecological mechanisms underlying non-target pest outbreaks and greater attention to indirect ecological effects more broadly.
Die Entwicklung der Urologie in Berlin nach 1945

Berlin verdient im Rahmen einer Geschichte der Urologie in Deutschland zwischen 1945 und 1990 in zweierlei Hinsicht eine gesonderte Betrachtung. Zum einen hatten Berliner Urologen sowohl in der Entwicklung urologischer Arbeitsweisen, als auch bei der Etablierung der Urologie als selbststandiges Fachgebiet in den ersten Jahrzehnten des 20.
Systemin, a Polypeptide Signal for Proteinase Inhibitor Gene Expression in Plants

Although signalling pathways that regulate plant defensive genes are poorly understood at the biochemical level, several types of signalling molecules have been identified that are associated with the expression of genes activated in response to plant-herbivore or plant-pathogen interactions. These molecules include plant hormones and growth regulators as well as oligosaccharides and a polypeptide (1–4). Recent evidence indicates that the polypeptide, called systemin (4), is a systemic signal that activates proteinase inhibitor genes in response to wounding via an octadecanoid-based intracellular signalling cascade (5). In this chapter we briefly summarize the properties of systemin and its precursor, prosystemin (6), and their possible roles in regulating the expression of proteinase inhibitor genes in response to wounding.
Rethinking the Chicano Movement. By Marc Simon Rodriguez

Rethinking the Chicano Movement . American Social and Political Movements of the Twentieth Century Series. By Marc Simon Rodriguez. (New York: Routledge, 2015. vii + 204 pp. Notes, bibliography, index. $135.00, cloth; $34.95, paper.) Any volume that purports to rethink a social movement has to expect readers to ask: What exactly is being rethought? What previous interpretations of the Chicano movement are being upended? The answers are not entirely clear in this book, which is meant as a college primer and accordingly written with strident, sweeping generalizations and gloriously tendentious verve. What is a social movement, and what aspects of the Mexican American struggle for civil rights merit this designation? The answers are more implicit than explicit. The historiography has largely been splintered along spatial … rgutierrez{at}uchicago.edu
Transcutaneous migration of foreign body into thorax in children: A report of two cases

Abstract Inhalation and ingestion of foreign bodies is common in pediatric age group. However transcutaneous migration of sharps into the lung parenchyma is rarely reported and can be hazardous. We report two such cases with details on the diagnosis and the treatment modalities used for the management.
Autonomous learning of tool affordances by a robot

The ability to use tools is one of the hallmarks of intelligence. Tool use is fundamental to human life and has been for at least the last two million years. We use tools to extend our reach, to amplify our physical strength, to transfer objects and liquids, and to achieve many other everyday tasks. A large number of animals have also been observed to use tools (Beck 1980). Some birds, for example, use twigs or cactus pines to probe for larvae in crevices which they cannot reach with their beaks. Sea otters use stones to open hard-shelled mussels. Chimpanzees use stones to crack nuts open and sticks to reach food, dig holes, or attack predators. These examples suggest that the ability to use tools is an adaptation mechanism used by many organisms to overcome the limitations imposed on them by their anatomy. Despite the widespread use of tools in the animal world, however, studies of autonomous robotic tool use are still rare. This abstract describes the empirical evaluation of one specific way of representing and learning the functional properties or affordances (Gibson 1979) of tools. A longer version of this paper appears in (Stoytchev 2005).
Animal Models of Cyclosporine Nephrotoxicity

Cyclosporine nephrotoxicity is a significant clinical problem which has limited the therapeutic applications of this potent immunosuppressive agent. Most of the clinical experience defining cyclosporine nephrotoxicity has been in heart, liver and kidney transplant recipients. Since there are a number of factors which influence renal hemodynamics in these patients which are independent of cyclosporine, it has been difficult to isolate specific renal effects attributable to cyclosporine in these patient groups. Thus, much of what is known about the mechanisms of cyclosporine toxicity has been contributed through the development of animal models. The large number of potential cellular and molecular mechanisms of cyclosporine toxicity have been exhaustively reviewed recently [1,2]. In this paper, I will focus on animal models of cyclosporine nephrotoxicity and highlight similarities and differences between these animal models and cyclosporine toxicity in humans.
Cytogenetics of Vitis IV: Backcross derivatives of V. vinifera L. x V. rotundifolia MICHX.

Diploid ibackcross :progeny of ( V. vinifera L. x V. rotundifolia MICHX.) x V. vinifera L. were studied in the present investigation. In the diploid backcross (BC 1 ) progeny a range from completely sterile seedlings to others as fertile as standard V. vinifera varietes was obtained. Average bivalent formation at MI in the diploid BC 1 progeny varied from 7.9 to 16.1. There was a relation in BC 1 hyibrids between chromosomal pairing at MI and fertility of the seedlings. BC 1 seedlings ,segregated for some V. rotundifolia characters (fruit quality, flavor, type of bark, tendrils, diaphragm, size of flower clusters, shape of the leaves, etc.). Wood type was the only characteristic of V. rotundifolia . which was found in all BC 1 seedlings. Crossability pattern of the BC1 progeny to V. vinifera and V. rotundifolia was the same as that of F 1 VR hybrids; namely, only as a female parent to V. rotundifolia and female or male to V. vinifera .
Monostatic Co-Polarized Full-Duplex Antenna With Left- or Right-Hand Circular Polarization

A monostatic dual-polarized simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) antenna system with high isolation is introduced. A beamforming network (BFN) producing 0°, ±90°, ±180°, and ±270° phase progression is used to feed TX and RX ports of four dual-polarized antenna elements arranged in a sequential rotation array (SRA). Due to the phase progression and geometrical symmetry of SRA, the coupling from TX to RX ports is canceled at the RX port of the BFN; therefore, infinite system isolation is theoretically obtained. Full-wave simulations are used to verify the theory and study effects of element spacing and BFN imbalances. An additional cancelation layer is designed and used to compensate for the imbalances by the BFN and nearby scatterers. The proposed STAR antenna system is prototyped and tested in the 2.4–2.5 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical band where the measured isolation and return loss are above 47 and 22 dB, respectively. A dual circularly polarized antenna performance with realized gains above 7 dBic, broadside axial ratio <1.6 dB, and symmetric beams is demonstrated. An ability of the proposed monostatic STAR antenna system to achieve wideband operation is also demonstrated with a quad-ridge horn as an element.
Assessing Project Management Maturity

The principal goal of this study was to determine the financial and organizational impacts of project management. This study began with the development of a project management maturity model and an...
Using Bond Trades to Pay for Third-Party Research

An increasingly important question is how money managers can best equip themselves with the investment research necessary to fulfill fiduciary obligations to their baby boom clients, who will inevitably shift from equities to fixed income securities as they near and enter retirement. Rather than reflecting a conflict of interest, this essay argues that managers’ use of client commissions to pay for investment research is both legally permissible and in their account holders’ best interest. For over three decades Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act has given managers a safe harbor from fiduciary suits and other legal actions when they use client commissions to acquire research on equity agency trades. Starting in 2001, however, the SEC began interpreting the safe harbor to protect “certain riskless principal” trades by brokers that do not hold or trade fixed income securities for their own account – known as “non-positioning brokers” – and on which the mark-up or mark-down can be stated as a commission equivalent. It has since found that the safe harbor applies to research provided by non-positioning brokers on agency trades in fixed income securities disclosed through a trade reporting system adequate to ensure proper transparency. Trade reporting systems for fixed income securities have evolved dramatically in recent years, and several non-positioning fixed income brokers have stepped in to fill the void, greatly expanding the opportunities money managers have to obtain research through fixed income trades.
Multivariate Regressions, Genetic Algorithms, and Information Complexity: A Three Way Hybrid

We develop a computationally feasible intelligent data mining and knowledge discovery technique to select the best subset of predictors in multivariate regression (MR) models. Our approach integrates novel statistical modeling procedures based on the information-theoretic measure of complexity (ICOMP) criterion with the genetic algorithm (GA). When ICOMP is used as the fitness function, the GA, which by itself is an extremely clever non-local optimization algorithm, becomes an intelligent statistical model selection device capable of pruning combinatorially large numbers of sub-models to obtain an optimal or near-optimal subset MR model of multivariate data. We demonstrate our approach by determining the best predictors of taste and odor in a Japanese rice wine (i.e., sake) data set.
Activation of protein kinase Cη triggers cortical granule exocytosis in Xenopus oocytes

Previous work has shown that phorbol esters or diacylglycerol trigger cortical granule exocytosis in Xenopus oocytes. We sought to identify the isoform(s) of protein kinase C (PKC) that mediate(s) this regulated secretory event. Because this process is initiated by lipid activators of PKC but is independent of calcium ions, we focused on the family of novel (calcium-independent) PKCs. Pharmacological investigations using Go6976 and Go6983 tended to exclude PKCδ, ϵ and μ as secretory triggers. Subcellular fractionation and immunoblot data revealed that these oocytes expressed all five members of the novel PKC family, but it was only PKCη that colocalized with cortical granules. Finally, expression of wild type or constitutively active forms of PKCδ and η strongly supported the conclusion that it is PKCη that initiates cortical granule exocytosis in these cells. These observations represent an important step in identifying the mechanism of secretory triggering in this system.
Leveraging Native Language Information for Improved Accented Speech Recognition.

Recognition of accented speech is a long-standing challenge for automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems, given the increasing worldwide population of bi-lingual speakers with English as their second language. If we consider foreign-accented speech as an interpolation of the native language (L1) and English (L2), using a model that can simultaneously address both languages would perform better at the acoustic level for accented speech. In this study, we explore how an end-to-end recurrent neural network (RNN) trained system with English and native languages (Spanish and Indian languages) could leverage data of native languages to improve performance for accented English speech. To this end, we examine pre-training with native languages, as well as multi-task learning (MTL) in which the main task is trained with native English and the secondary task is trained with Spanish or Indian Languages. We show that the proposed MTL model performs better than the pre-training approach and outperforms a baseline model trained simply with English data. We suggest a new setting for MTL in which the secondary task is trained with both English and the native language, using the same output set. This proposed scenario yields better performance with +11.95% and +17.55% character error rate gains over baseline for Hispanic and Indian accents, respectively.
3D printing for bio-synthetic biliary stents

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an additive manufacturing method that holds great potential in a variety of future patient-specific medical technologies. This project validated a novel crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (XL-PVA) 3D printed stent infused with collagen, human placental mesenchymal stem cells (PMSCs), and cholangiocytes. The biofabrication method in the present study examined 3D printing and collagen injection molding for rapid prototyping of customized living biliary stents with clinical applications in the setting of malignant and benign bile duct obstructions. XL-PVA stents showed hydrophilic swelling and addition of radiocontrast to the stent matrix improved radiographic opacity. Collagen loaded with PMSCs contracted tightly around hydrophilic stents and dense choloangiocyte coatings were verified through histology and fluorescence microscopy. It is anticipated that design elements used in these stents may enable appropriate stent placement, provide protection of the stent-stem cell matrix against bile constituents, and potentially limit biofilm development. Overall, this approach may allow physicians to create personalized bio-integrating stents for use in biliary procedures and lays a foundation for new patient-specific stent fabrication techniques.
A Field Evaluation of Arm-Support Exoskeletons for Overhead Work Applications in Automotive Assembly

The results of this field trial suggest that when made available for optional usage during overhead automotive assembly, arm-support exoskeletons can lead to a substantial decrease in self-reported...
Holographic entropy cone in AdS-Vaidya spacetimes

We examine the five-region holographic entropy cone inequalities for the special case of the ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{3}$-Vaidya metric for a variety of boundary configurations. This is done by numerically solving the geodesic equation in the bulk for various boundary configurations. In all the cases we examine, we find that all the inequalities are satisfied when the bulk satisfies the null energy condition, while the inequalities are all violated when the bulk spacetime violates the null energy condition. A proof of the five-region holographic entropy cone inequalities for the dynamical bulk case remains an open problem---our results provide evidence that these inequalities hold for dynamical bulk spacetimes.
The “Big Four” of the Golden Age of imaged star maps

The Golden Age of celestial cartography with constellation images took place in Europe, roughly from 1600 to 1800. During this period, grand sky atlases were produced that attempted to accurately place the stars and planets in the heavens in coordinate systems that paralleled those on Earth. These were influenced by increasingly more accurate placement in new star catalogs that built on that of Ptolemy. Using bigger and better instruments, Tycho Brahe and Johannes Hevelius determined the locations of the stars using naked eye observations. Exemplified by Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed, telescopes and micrometers were added to these instruments, which made their positioning even more accurate. In addition, the rapid advances in printing techniques since the development of movable type procedures in the 1450s led to the ability to depict images with more detail and accuracy. Paralleling developments in terrestrial mapmaking, the use of coarse woodblocks gave way to intaglio processes in celestial maps that allowed fine images on copper and steel plates to be reproduced as fine images on paper. Now, maps of the heavens could be both aesthetically pleasing and technically accurate, and mapmakers increasingly competed with each other to produce bigger and better star atlases. Some of these are truly works of art and will be described in Chapter 7. In this chapter, I will deal with four individuals who are considered to be the most influential during this period for the standards they set and their influence on others. But first, a word about the conventions that will be used.
Chapter 7 – ISA 2006 Stateful Inspection and Application Layer Filtering

Publisher Summary This chapter describes ISA 2006 stateful inspection and application layer filtering. The ISA firewall's Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) filter configuration interface can be accessed by opening the Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2006 management console, expanding the server name and then, expanding the Configuration node. The Post Office Protocol (POP) Intrusion Detection filter protects POP3 servers published by the ISA firewall using Server Publishing Rules from POP services buffer overflow attacks. There is no configuration interface for the POP Intrusion Detection filter. The Firewall client is a generic Winsock Proxy client application. All applications designed to the Windows Sockets specification will automatically use the Firewall client. The Maximum headers length option allows you to configure the maximum length of all headers included in a request Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) communication. This setting applies to all rules that use the HTTP Security filter. The Allow only specified methods option allows you to specify the exact methods you want to allow through the ISA firewall. It is found that an HTTP policy can be exported from or imported into an Access Rule that uses the HTTP protocol, or a Web Publishing Rule.
Emerging Role of Non-crystalline Electrolytes in Solid-State Battery Research

As the need for new modalities of energy storage becomes increasingly important, all-solid-state secondary ion batteries seem poised to address a portion of tomorrow’s energy needs. The success of such batteries is contingent on the solid-state electrolyte meeting a set of material demands, including high bulk and interfacial ionic conductivity, processability with electrodes, electrode interfacial stability, thermal stability, etc. The demanding criteria for an ideal solid-state electrolyte has translated into decades of research devoted to discovering new electrolytes and modifying their structure/processing to improve their properties. While much research has focused on the electrolyte properties of polycrystalline ceramics, non-crystalline materials (glasses, amorphous solids, and partially crystallized materials) have demonstrated unique advantages in processability, stability, tunability, etc. These non-crystalline electrolytes are also fundamentally interesting for their potential contributions toward understanding ionic conduction in the solid state. In this review, we first review a decade of advances in two distinct families of non-crystalline lithium-ion electrolytes: lithium thiophosphate and lithium phosphate oxynitride. In doing so, we demonstrate two pathways for non-crystalline electrolytes to address the barriers towards development of all-solid-state batteries, viz., interfacial stability and conduction. Finally, we conclude with some discussion of the development of fundamental models of ionic conduction in the non-crystalline state, including the ongoing debate between strong and weak electrolyte theories. Collectively, these discussions make a promising case for the role of non-crystalline electrolytes in the next generation of energy storage technology.
Internationalizing professional writing programs through online study abroad and open networks

Abstract As a new faculty at UNCW, I’ve worked to internationalize the professional writing program, mostly through accessible online technologies. UNCW is notably less diverse than the average university. Since many professional writing jobs involve collaboration across cultures (often online), students need more than just collaboration skills, but the cultural competence to make those collaborations work in online spaces. This article will tell the story of a three year, ongoing endeavor to build productive networks between UNCW and professionals in Poland, culminating in a faculty-led study abroad to Poland that was moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. In this article, I re-articulate study abroad as an online experience that creates new cultural spaces through interaction. Using data from student work, virtual professional visits, and instructor reflection, I will show how keeping network channels open with phatic forms of communication that establish goodwill are key to building productive online connections. Both students and instructors need to understand study abroad as an ongoing process, rather than a static back and forth confined by a particular class. To internationalize a professional writing program, we need to build bridges in multiple directions … bridges that are constantly becoming. A true study abroad experience is necessarily a networked one that includes digital spaces.
Impact of rural infrastructure on performance of livestock sector in Uttar Pradesh

This paper examines the emerging trends and growth of livestock sector at disaggregate level in Uttar Pradesh (UP) from 2004–05 to 2015–16. The share of crop sector in GSDP had declined sharply while livestock sector gained a significant share due to consistent higher growth in agricultural sector of the state. The regional level result indicated that Western UP outperformed Eastern, Central and Bundelkhand regions in that order with high disparities across the regions in case of livestock sector as well as rural infrastructure. Moreover, Fixed Effects model attested a positive and significant relationship between value of output by livestock and rural infrastructure index. It suggested that adequate development avenues via rural infrastructure, extension services, value chain development and research investments can boost the growth of livestock sector and mainstreaming the livestock development. Also, the state can utilize the opportunities by promoting livestock as a dominant approach towards livelihood diversification as adopted by other states as well. This will not only take care of the already overstressed agriculture sector but will also be instrumental in attaining the objective of doubling farmers’ income.
Metformin treatment of diverse Caenorhabditis species reveals the importance of genetic background in longevity and healthspan extension outcomes.

Metformin, the most commonly prescribed anti-diabetes medication, has multiple reported health benefits, including lowering the risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer, improving cognitive function with age, extending survival in diabetic patients, and, in several animal models, promoting youthful physiology and lifespan. Due to its longevity and health effects, metformin is now the focus of the first proposed clinical trial of an anti-aging drug-the Targeting Aging with Metformin (TAME) program. Genetic variation will likely influence outcomes when studying metformin health effects in human populations. To test for metformin impact in diverse genetic backgrounds, we measured lifespan and healthspan effects of metformin treatment in three Caenorhabditis species representing genetic variability greater than that between mice and humans. We show that metformin increases median survival in three C. elegans strains, but not in C. briggsae and C. tropicalis strains. In C. briggsae, metformin either has no impact on survival or decreases lifespan. In C. tropicalis, metformin decreases median survival in a dose-dependent manner. We show that metformin prolongs the period of youthful vigor in all C. elegans strains and in two C. briggsae strains, but that metformin has a negative impact on the locomotion of C. tropicalis strains. Our data demonstrate that metformin can be a robust promoter of healthy aging across different genetic backgrounds, but that genetic variation can determine whether metformin has positive, neutral, or negative lifespan/healthspan impact. These results underscore the importance of tailoring treatment to individuals when testing for metformin health benefits in diverse human populations.
Leveraging Signal Infrastructure for Nonmotorized Counts in a Statewide Program: Pilot Study

Transportation agencies are beginning to explore and develop nonmotorized counting programs. This paper presents the results of a pilot study that tested the use of existing signal infrastructure—Model 2070 signal controllers with advanced software to log pedestrian phase actuations and detections from bicycle lane inductive loops—to count pedestrians and bicycles. The pilot study was conducted at a typical suburban signalized intersection with heavy motorized traffic that was instrumented on all four approaches with pedestrian push buttons and advance inductive loops in the bicycle lane for signal operation. One day (24 h) of video data was collected as ground truth. The data were reduced and compared with the controller logs. Results indicated that using pedestrian phases as a proxy for estimating pedestrian activity was a promising avenue for counting programs. During the pilot study day, 596 pedestrians crossed the intersection, and 482 pedestrian phases were logged (i.e., 1.24 pedestrian crossings pe...
The rhodopsin cycle in the developing vertebrate retina. II. Correlative study in normal mice and in mice with hereditary retinal degeneration.

A comparative study was made of the developmental aspects of the rhodopsin cycle in normal mice (DBA strain) and in mice with hereditary retinal degeneration (C3H strain) 5–50 days after birth. Rhodopsin was first detected 7 days after birth; its content in the DBA mice increased rapidly from 8 to 23 days, thereafter remaining constant. The rhodopsin content in the C3H mice began to fall below that of the DBA mice at 11 days, reached a maximum at 12 days, and then decreased to almost zero over the next seven days. The difference spectra for the two strains had the same maximum (500 mμ) and shape, suggesting that the visual pigment in the C3H mice was not grossly different from that in the DBA mice. The rhodopsin content and the outer segment length paralleled each other very closely over the entire age span studied. The width of the outer nuclear layer decreased sharply in the C3H mice after 11 days and, from 21 days on, it consisted of a single row of nuclei. The outer nuclear layer reached maximum widths in both strains at 8–9 days, when the rapid increase of outer segment length and rhodopsin level started. No obvious differences in development were noted in the other retinal layers. The close parallelism of the degenerative changes in the rhodopsin level, outer segment length and electroretinogram amplitudes, as well as the localization of the earliest morphological change in the inner segment, seemed to rule out lack of rhodopsin as the cause of retinal degeneration in the C3H mouse and suggested that the primary defect is an inborn error of the inner segment metabolism. The findings in the DBA mouse were, in most respects, similar to those in the normal rat. The degenerative pattern in the C3H mouse was considerably different from that in the rat with hereditary retinal degeneration.
Cell-serum factor interaction. Characteristics of stimulation of protein synthesis in Ehrlich ascites cells by factors in serum and in cell extracts.

Abstract Stimulation of protein synthesis induced by serum in serum-starved Ehrlich ascites tumor cells was directly proportional to the concentration of added serum, inversely proportional to the concentration of cells, in the culture, and dependent on the length of exposure of cells to serum. Stimulation was markedly decreased in cells incubated with serum at temperatures lower than 37 °C. During the exposure of cells to serum, active protein synthesis was not required in order for subsequent stimulation of protein synthesis to take place. These characteristics were consistent with the possibility that stimulation of protein synthesis followed uptake of serum factors by cells. Extracts of cells stimulated protein synthesis in a similar fashion to serum. Stimulations by extracts and by serum were additive. The factors in cell extracts were macromolecular, associated with articulate fractions, and inactivated by trypsin, but not by RNAase, DNAase, ether or chloroform. Extracts of serum-grown cells were more stimulatory than extracts of serum-starved cells. When serum-starved cells were incubated with serum, stimulatory activities of their extracts increased as a function of time of incubation with serum.
Trends and challenges for wireless embedded DSPs

Programmable digital signal processors (DSP) are key enablers of rapidly expanding wireless markets. The primary handset market, subject to strict power constraints, also creates substantial process scaling barriers. Nonetheless, DSPs in particular, and hand-held ICs in general, are uniquely situated to utilize emerging circuit and SOC design techniques to their advantage, allowing more aggressive processes despite power barriers. This paper discusses some of the challenges and design opportunities.
Corporate Governance in the Common-Law World: The Political Foundations of Shareholder Power

Part I. Shareholder Orientation in the Common-Law World: 1. Introduction and overview 2. Comparative theory and corporate governance 3. The corporate governance role of shareholders in common-law jurisdictions Part II. A Political Theory of Corporate Governance in the Common-Law World: 4. Comparative theories of corporate governance 5. Shareholders, stakeholders, and social welfare policy Part III. The Theory's Explanatory Domain: 6. Stability, change, and the future of corporate governance in the common-law world.
Strain variation in adenovirus serotypes 4 and 7a causing acute respiratory disease

In order to determine the suitability of vaccine strains established in the 1960s for a new vaccine, a comprehensive study of strain variation of adenovirus serotype 4 (AV 4) and AV 7 was undertaken. A 1,500-bp region of the hexon gene containing the AV neutralization epitopes from prototype, vaccine, and community-acquired strains and from wild-type strains from military personnel that cause acute respiratory disease (ARD) was sequenced and analyzed. The whole hexon gene from prototype strains, vaccine strains, and selected isolates was sequenced. AV 7 and AV 7a were found to have distinct genotypes, and all vaccine and wild-type strains recovered from 1963 to 1997 had the AV 7a genotype. There was no significant strain variation in the neutralization epitopes of the AV 7a genotype over a 42-year period. The evolution of AV 4 was more complex, with continuous genetic drift punctuated by replacement with a new strain. The current strain of AV 4, which has been in circulation since 1995, is significantly different from the AV 4 prototype and the vaccine strains. Genetic differences were confirmed to be antigenic differences by neutralization tests, which define the new strain as an AV 4 variant. A type-specific PCR for AV 4, AV 7/7a, and AV 21 was developed, and this PCR facilitated the rapid identification of isolates from outbreaks of ARD.
Nonlinear quantization and data communication

Performance degradation of data communication systems due to PCM facilities in telephone networks is a well known problem. This degradation is more noticeable for ultra high speed modems recently under development. The earlier analytical works is inadequate for analyzing these degradations. In this paper we suggest a new discrete analytical technique to analyze the effects of PCM systems on performance of data communication modems. Our model relates degradation in performance to nonlinear characteristics of quantizers used in PCM systems. Using this model we were able to analyze the performance degradation in this new generation of ultra high speed data communication systems.
Performance of the adaptive baseband diagonalizer, a crosstalk canceller, in dual-polarized 16-QAM systems

An adaptive crosstalk canceller for dual-polarized 16-QAM systems in the presence of depolarization crosstalk is studied. Using the diagonalizer algorithm, the error probability, P/sub e/, is calculated for crosstalk and signal-to-noise levels with uniform distributions of the crosstalk phase shift. The frequency of occurrence of P/sub e/ versus crosstalk phase shift, with crosstalk level as a parameter, and a three-dimensional plot of P/sub e/ as a function of the two crosstalk phase shifts are discussed. The receiver performance is acceptable in the presence of crosstalk levels that would otherwise render the system inoperable. However, depending on crosstalk level, P/sub e/ can have a range of 100:1 or more as different relative phase shifts are encountered. The steady-state performance of the diagonalizer receiver is found to be virtually identical with that of the mean-square error (MSE) receiver. >
Genomic mapping of resistance to Marek's disease

It seems likely that genomic mapping will be able to identify the genes responsible for genetic resistance to Marek's disease, shedding light on the processes of pathogenesis and the immune response at the same time. Already the indication that the NK region is implicated in genetic resistance suggests many avenues of investigation. The growing evidence that quite large regions of the chicken genome have a common gene order with that of humans or mice suggests exciting possibilities for using information from these well‐mapped species. It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to utilize linked markers to select for the resistance genes or whether efficient selection will require isolation of the mapped genes.
Peroral extrusion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter.

A case of ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter migration in a child with tuberculous meningitis is described. This represents the first report of retrograde propulsion of a Raimondi spring coil catheter with an oral externalization.
A new model for size-distribution function in living polymers

We present a new iterative model for the computation of the asymptotic population of different species in competition in a confined environment. The results of the model are successfully compared with some experimental indications, for dense systems of living polymers, which are not rationalizable within the currently proposed analogy with polymeric solutions. The observed complex behaviour of such a kind of systems is well reproduced when we take into account the existence of some feedback effects, represented by excluded volume interactions. Furthermore, the time evolution of the system towards equilibrium is followed and the possibility of some anti-kinetic behaviours is emphasized.
Hexachlororhodate(III) and the photocatalytic decomposition of chloroform

Abstract Broadband (λ > 320 nm) irradiation of solutions of (Bu4N)3RhCl6 in CHCl3 exposed to air causes chloroform decomposition, with the production of HCl and substances, including phosgene and peroxides, capable of oxidizing iodide ion, and lesser amounts of CCl4 and C2Cl6. There is a short induction period as RhCl63− is replaced by an unknown rhodium species, the spectrum of which is stable after 15 or 20 min. The rate of photodecomposition is reduced by the addition of chloride ion, and it ceases nearly completely in deoxygenated solutions or in CDCl3. Mechanistic possibilities in keeping with these observations include hydrogen atom transfer from chloroform during the primary photochemical step and a prior equilibrium involving chloride ion dissociation. A rhodium hydroperoxide offers one possible explanation for the required participation of O2.
Standardization of tissue culture conditions for spontaneous thymidine-2-14C incorporation by unstimulated normal human peripheral lymphocytes: circadian rhythm of DNA synthesis.

The rate of DNA synthesis by human lymphocytes was studied in vitro by measuring unstimulated thymidine-2-14C incorporation (spontaneous lymphocyte blastogenesis; SLB). Freezing lymphocytes and extracting DNA after thawing did not alter the radioactive label count rate and was as efficient as extracting DNA immediately after culture. Omission of fetal calf serum also did not alter the rate of DNA synthesis. Standards established as optimal for studies of SLB were: cell concentration, 1.0 times 10(6)/ml/tube; 14C-TdR concentration, 0.4 mjCi/tube; duration of incubation, 8 hr. In sets of identical samples obtained by specimen division, the variation in counts was 6%. To achieve reproducibility of results; it was essential to count the lymphocytes, and then to ensure that each tube contained almost precisely known numbers of cells. Diurnal variations in the rate of DNA synthesis by circulating lymphocytes of healthy men were measured in vitro by SLB at 2-hr intervals for 24 hr. Leukocyte counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, plasma cortisol, and body temperature were monitored concurrently. The DNA synthesis rate varied in a 24-hr cycle with peaks at 10 A.M. and 11:00 P.M.., depressions at 4 A.M. and 4 P.M. The rate was correlated with body temperature and hematocrit level, and inversely related to the absolute eosinophil count.
Glial Populations in the Juvenile and Adult Mongolian Gerbil: Relationship to Spongiform Degeneration of the Ventral Cochlear Nucleus

The gerbil cochlear nucleus is subject to a spongiform degeneration, the progression of which is dependent on auditory functional activity. The most affected region is the ventrolateral aspect of the caudal posterior ventral cochlear nucleus (PVCN). Lesion density and glial changes were quantified in this region for two age groups. Spongiform lesions increased significantly in area density from 4% in 60-day-old gerbils to 14% in 6-month-old gerbils. In spite of this significant increase in tissue damage, no gliosis was found. A significant age-related decrease in oligodendrocyte density was found in the PVCN.