cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A robust dynamic state estimator against exciter failures

This paper proposes a novel approach for the dynamic state estimation of the synchronous generators. Distinguishing feature of the proposed approach is that it not only remains robust under the failure of the excitation system also detects the occurrence of the exciter failure. Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) and Iterated Unscented Kalman Filter (IUKF) are both used in the proposed approach. An alternative dynamic state estimation approach for the synchronous generators with unknown inputs is also presented in the paper. Multiple model estimation technique is implemented in order to detect the occurrence of the exciter failure. The proposed approach is implemented on a two-axis synchronous generator with IEEE-Type 1 exciter in a medium size utility test system and the simulation results validates the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Exciton Absorption Spectra by Linear Response Methods: Application to Conjugated Polymers

The theoretical description of the time-evolution of excitons requires, as an initial step, the calculation of their spectra, which has been inaccessible to most users due to the high computational scaling of conventional algorithms and accuracy issues caused by common density functionals. Previously (J. Chem. Phys. 2016, 144, 204105), we developed a simple method that resolves these issues. Our scheme is based on a two-step calculation in which a linear-response TDDFT calculation is used to generate orbitals perturbed by the excitonic state, and then a second linear-response TDDFT calculation is used to determine the spectrum of excitations relative to the excitonic state. Herein, we apply this theory to study near-infrared absorption spectra of excitons in oligomers of the ubiquitous conjugated polymers poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), poly(2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV), and poly(benzodithiophene-thieno[3,4-b]thiophene) (PTB7). For P3HT and MEH-PPV oligomers, the calculate...
A Vignette Study of Older Adults' Preferences for Intergenerational Transfers in the Context of Competition Between Grandparents and Grandchildren in Rural China.

Objectives The objective of this analysis was to examine older adults' preferences for economic support in the context of competition between grandparents and grandchildren for the middle generation's financial resources in rural China. Specifically, it examined how relative need, lineage, and gender of grandchildren depicted in a vignette were evaluated and how personal characteristics of the evaluators influenced beliefs for which generation should receive more support. Method The sample consisted of 989 older adults participating in three waves of a longitudinal study in Anhui Province, China. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to examine how older respondents evaluated the relative priority of grandparents versus grandchildren in their claim for monetary assistance using a hypothetical vignette with randomized conditions. Results Relatively greater need of either the vignette grandparent or grandchild increased their priority to receive economic support. The vignette granddaughter was most disadvantaged in the competition with her paternal grandparent. Respondents who were single, in worse functional health, and whose children all migrated gave the vignette grandparent greater priority; those who coresided with children gave the vignette grandparent lower priority. Discussion Findings support the altruistic perspective on filial support and the corporate group/mutual aid model of family functioning, within the family system that differentiates patrilineal from matrilineal lines of descent. Under budget constraints, selective children are considered to have legitimate claims on the resources of the middle generation, tempering filial piety toward aging parents. Lack of personal resources plays a role in whether self-interest shapes beliefs that favor older over younger generations.
The Ewald–Oseen Extinction Theorem and the Extended Boundary Condition Method

Mathematical statements of the Ewald–Oseen extinction theorem have been formulated for a linear homogeneous medium with frequency-domain constitutive relations \(\underline{D} =\underline{\underline{\varepsilon }} \mbox{ $^{\bullet }$ }\underline{E} + [\underline{\underline{\xi }} + \left (\underline{K}-\underline{\varGamma }\right ) \times \underline{\underline{ I}}]\mbox{ $^{\bullet }$ }\underline{H}\) and \(\underline{B} =\underline{\underline{\mu }} \mbox{ $^{\bullet }$ }\underline{H} - [\underline{\underline{\xi }} -\left (\underline{K}+\underline{\varGamma }\right ) \times \underline{\underline{ I}}]\mbox{ $^{\bullet }$ }\underline{E}\). During the formulation, four dyadic Green functions were set up and their characteristics elucidated. The Ewald–Oseen extinction theorem has been exploited to set up the conceptual framework of the extended boundary condition method (EBCM) for scattering by a three-dimensional object made of a homogeneous medium. Implementation of the EBCM is also premised on the availability of bilinear expansions of the dyadic Green functions for both the scattering medium and the medium surrounding the scatterer.
Controllable Interface Junction, In-Plane Heterostructures Capable of Mechanically Mediating On-Demand Asymmetry of Thermal Transports.

Designing structures with thermal rectification performance that can be regulated by or adapted to mechanical deformation is in great demand in wearable electronics. Herein, using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulation, we present an in-plane graphene-boron nitride heterostructure with a controlled interface junction and demonstrate that its thermal transport ability is asymmetric when reversing the direction of heat flow. Such thermal rectification performance can be further regulated by applying an external tensile loading due to the mitigation of stress concentration, phonon resonance, and phonon localization. The analyses on heat flow distribution, vibrational spectra, and phonon participation suggest that the out-of-plane phonon modes dominate thermal rectification at a small tensile strain, while the mechanical stress plays a dominant role in regulation at a large tensile strain due to the weakened localization of out-of-plane phonon modes. The effect of tensile loading on the thermal rectific...
Gravitational wave opacity from gauge field dark energy

We show that astrophysical gravitational waves can undergo an anomalous modulation when propagating through cosmic gauge field dark energy. A sufficiently strong effect, dependent on the gauge field energy density, would appear as a redshift-dependent opacity, thereby impacting the use of gravitational wave standard sirens to constrain the expansion history of the Universe. We investigate a particular model of cosmic gauge field dark energy and show that at early times it behaves like dark radiation, whereas a novel interaction causes it to drive cosmic acceleration at late times. Joint constraints on the cosmological scenario due to type 1a supernovae, baryon acoustic oscillations, and cosmic microwave background data are presented. In view of these constraints, we show that standard siren luminosity distances in the redshift range $0.5\ensuremath{\lesssim}z\ensuremath{\lesssim}1.5$ would systematically dim by up to 1%, which may be distinguishable by third-generation gravitational wave detectors.
IDENTIFICATION OF FACTORS RELATED TO SUBFOVEAL DETACHMENT SECONDARY TO EPIRETINAL MEMBRANE.

Purpose To demonstrate factors related to the presence of subfoveal detachment (SD) secondary to epiretinal membrane (ERM) and to characterize the predictors for the resolution of SD after membrane peeling. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted for the patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for the idiopathic ERM peeling. Preoperative spectral domain optical coherence tomography characteristics of the eyes including central foveal thickness, foveal center point thickness, presence of intraretinal cyst, continuity of the membrane, area of the membrane within fovea (1 mm), and entire macula (6 mm) were evaluated to find the best predictors for the presence of SD. These predictors as well as perioperative parameters including use of internal tamponade and volume of SD were considered for time of resolution of SD. Results Of 158 included eyes, 20.2% eyes (32 eyes) had SD, and the presence of SD was significantly related to involvement of the membrane within the macula. After surgery, SD completely resolved in 90.6% of eyes (29 eyes) at a median of 2.97 months (range: 0.03-12.0 months). The area of the membrane within fovea was the only significant predictor for time to resolution of SD (hazard ratio = 1.20, 95% confidence interval = 1.100-1.324, P = 0.021). A small percent of eyes showed some further changes including fluctuation (6.2%) or persistence (3.1%) of fluid. Conclusion A larger extension of ERM over the macula is related to higher likelihood of the presence of SD. Time for resolution of subfoveal detachment does not seem to be affected by the preoperative and perioperative factors except the extent of membrane within 1,000 μm of the fovea.
In vitro cytotoxicity testing with fluorescence-based assays in cultured human lung and dermal cells.

An in vitro study using human cultured cells was conducted to determine the reliability of fluorescence-based cell viability indicators with traditional in vitro cytotoxicity testing methods. Human lung epithelial carcinoma (A549) cells, and human embryonic skin (WS1) and lung (HFL1) fibroblasts were studied in culture to evaluate their potential to screen for cytotoxicity and to compare to previous protocols conducted in our laboratory. Confluent monolayers were incubated in the absence or presence of increasing concentrations of test chemicals for 24 h, and fluorescent-labeled probes were used to assess toxicity. Eight chemicals, including mercuric chloride, copper sulfate, sodium fluoride, thioridazine HCl, paraquat, amitriptyline-HCl, verapamil-HCl and chloroquine sulfate, were tested with each cell line using calcein-AM and Sytox®. The data suggest that fluorescent probes are sensitive indicators of cytotoxicity and contribute to understanding the mechanisms for each chemical. In combination with previously published reports, the similarity of results among cell lines may be explained by the origin of the cell lines rather than by the diversity of the methods and indicators employed.
Tacrolimus-Induced Remission in Drug Resistant Inflammatory Myopathy: A Case Series.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies are rare autoimmune disorders characterized by proximal muscle weakness, elevation of muscle enzymes, abnormal electromyogram and imaging studies revealing areas of edema and inflammation. Initial approach to inflammatory myopathies includes steroids and immunosuppressive agents, with most individuals responding satisfactorily to therapy. However, treatment-refractory myopathies prompts clinicians to use second line agents to achieve remission. In this case series, we describe three patients with refractory idiopathic inflammatory myopathies who were treated with tacrolimus (TAC) added to mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and steroid therapy, who achieved clinical and biochemical remission.
Militarism and Masculinity in Dungeons & Dragons

This chapter considers the construction of masculinity in Dungeons & Dragons and explains its ever-present connections to military weaponry, strategy, culture, and technology. It takes a historical approach that is grounded in Foucauldian genealogy, arguing that the cultures of masculinity in Dungeons & Dragons can be discursively traced through published manuals and articles about the game. Drawing on fan conversations found in The Dragon, it compares the representations of masculinity found in these historic texts to the ways that masculinity is represented today in the fifth edition of Dungeons & Dragons. In staging this comparison, it shows how depictions of masculinity have progressed over the 40-year life span of Dungeons & Dragons, but also how they have stayed the same.
MEN 2B Masquerading as Chronic Blepharitis and Euryblepharon

This is a retrospective case description of a single male patient found to have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2B (MEN 2B). At the age of 14, he presented for evaluation of ocular irritation and eyelid thickening. Intraoperative assessment revealed mucosal lesions on the anterior dorsum of his tongue and biopsy of multiple eyelid lesions disclosed bilateral submucosal neuromas, leading to the diagnosis of MEN 2B. MEN 2B is a potentially life-threatening syndrome due to the risk of developing medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and pheochromocytoma. The patient was found to have MTC requiring thyroidectomy. We hope to highlight the clinical and histopathologic findings of MEN 2B in an effort to emphasize the importance of its identification in the absence of a family history.
Fuzzy Theory Based Distributed Power Flow Conditioner to Enhance Power System Dynamic Stability

This paper discusses about improving power system stability by employing a Fuzzy Theory based Distributive Power Flow Conditioner (DPFC). The goal of the work presented in this paper is to design an oscillation damping controller aiming at oscillations which has low frequency, thereby embellishing the dynamic stability of a power system. As a derivative of Unified Power Flow Conditioner (UPFC), this device consists of shunt and series controllers that can be installed in a transmission line between the two electrical areas. Single Machine Infinite Bus (SMIB) system is considered for analysis, by employing PI controlled DPFC and Fuzzy controlled DPFC. The complete case study is presented based on MATLAB/Simulink environment by using OPAL-RT 5600 Real-time digital Simulator. The significance of the results are better stability and constant power supply. Case study results showcase the validation of proposed model to improve the system stability by damping the power oscillations.
Iatrogenic Nontraumatic CPAP-Induced Pneumocephalus in a Patient With Meningitis.

Pneumocephalus, or air within the cranium, can be caused by trauma, intracranial infections, or tumors, and can also occur as a complication of neurosurgery and lumbar puncture. Continuous positive...
One-dimensional conformal metric flow

In this paper we continue our studies of the one-dimensional conformal metric flows, which were introduced in [Y. Ni, M. Zhu, Extremal one-dimensional conformal metrics, Commun. Contemp. Math., in press]. We prove the global existence and convergence of the flows, as well as the exponential convergence of the metrics under these flows.
Erasing Trauma: Ethical Considerations to the Individual and Society.

In the target article, the author discusses the case of Fanon’s police inspector, a torturer who has developed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of performing state-sanctioned tortur...
“All in a Garden Green”: Shakespeare's Staging of Garden Imagery

This essay draws attention to the surprising lack of scholarship on the staging of garden scenes in Shakespeare's oeuvre. In particular, it explores how garden scenes promote collaborative acts of ...
Biodiversity: A Global Perspective

Perhaps 12 million species of eukaryotic organisms share this planet with us, together with many more kinds of bacteria and their relatives. Most of these remain unknown to us. We depend completely on other organisms for the conditions that make possible our life on Earth and supply so many of our needs. However, our rapidly growing numbers and consumption patterns are so high that we are causing one of the most devastating extinction events that have ever occurred. We are clearly running a very dangerous experiment that we must strive to deflect both locally and globally before it becomes too late. Jammu and Kashmir, located in the northwestern Himalaya, is broadly defined as home to one of the richest and most diverse assemblies of biodiversity found in South Asia. An internationally based effort to save as much of these riches as possible, therefore, merits urgent research attention.
THE MRI MAY LIE: BIOPSY CONFIRMED HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE-INDUCED CARDIOMYOPATHY WITHOUT LATE GADOLINIUM ENHANCEMENT ON MRI IN A PATIENT WITH HEART FAILURE WITH PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-induced cardiomyopathies have varied clinical and imaging findings. Diagnosis requires high clinical suspicion and consideration of endomyocardial biopsy (EMB). A 64-year-old female with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treated with HCQ presented with
Autobiography as resistance to learnification in early childhood teacher education

This article works with autobiographical methodologies such as those proposed and propagated by Madeleine Grumet and William Pinar (1975, 2004) to examine and critique the role that an emphasis on ...
Features of Direct Instruction: Content Analysis

The goal of Direct Instruction (DI) is to teach content as effectively and efficiently as possible. To do this, instructional designers must identify generative relations or strategies that allow the learner to respond correctly to untaught situations. The purpose of content analysis is to identify generative relations in the domain to be taught and arrange the content in such a way that it supports maximally generative instruction. This article explains the role of content analysis in developing DI programs and provides examples and nonexamples of content analysis in five content domains: spelling, basic arithmetic facts, earth science, basic language, and narrative language. It includes a brief sketch of a general methods of conducting a content analysis. It concludes that content analysis is the foundation upon which generative instruction is built and that instructional designers could produce more effective, efficient, and powerful programs by attending explicitly and carefully to content analysis.
Implementation of a formal pharmacy residency research certificate program.

PURPOSE We describe the structure, implementation, and initial evaluation of a formal residency research certificate program (RRCP) designed to further advance residents' knowledge and skills in research in an effort to better prepare residents for research involvement during their careers. SUMMARY Pharmacy residency programs vary in the degree of emphasis on research education and training and the structure of resident research activities. Limited data describing formal research education and training for pharmacy residents are available. To better educate and prepare residents in the research process, State University of New York Upstate University Hospital developed and implemented a formal RRCP designed to educate and train residents in essential areas of the research process. Research seminars are delivered by preceptors with experience and training in research throughout the academic year to align with residency project tasks. Residents are also required to complete at least 1 residency project and submit a manuscript suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Upon successful completion of the program and project requirements, residents earn a certificate of completion. Initial data collected through formal resident assessments before and after RRCP completion demonstrated significant improvement in research knowledge (from an average score of 61.3% out of 100% to an average score of 84.7%, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION Post-RRCP assessment showed improvements in residents' confidence in several areas of research, including but not limited to research project design, ethical and regulatory principles of research, data collection, selection of appropriate statistical tests, manuscript writing, and the publication process. Residents strongly agreed that the RRCP improved their overall knowledge and perceptions of research.
Developing a Government Policy for the Regulation of Environmental Mutagens and Teratogens

There is the popular belief that when an environmental health hazard is recognized, a new federal law is all that is needed to correct it. When the law is passed, an agency located in the executive branch will administer it and soon the hazard will be adapted. Take the toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA),2 which became law in 1976. In signing the law, President Gerald Ford said: This…legislation provides broad authority to regulate any of the tens of thousands of chemicals in commerce… Through the testing and reporting requirements of the law, our understanding of these chemicals should be greatly enhanced. If a chemical is found to present a danger to health or the environment, appropriate regulatory action can be taken before it is too late to undo the damage.3
Vividness and source of evaluation as determinants of social responses toward mediated representations of agency

Computer interfaces increasingly make use of characters or agents to represent human activity in the context of computer-mediated interactions. These representations may take on human-like physical forms, and may also exhibit human-like behaviors. Such similarities to human appearance and activity are important determinants of the extent to which users interact with these representations as social actors, that is, the extent to which they use social rules that are common in human-human interaction in situations involving humans and computers. In this laboratory experiment (N = 80) subjects used two computers as part of a tutoring/testing/evaluation procedure. Independent variables included the modality in which the tutoring and evaluation sessions were presented and the source of the evaluation in a 4 (modality: text only, audio with some text, audio with still images, real-time video) by 2 (source of evaluation: recording of same person that tutored subjects (self-evaluation)/recording of different person than tutored subject (other-evaluation)) between-subjects design. Dependent measures included a paper-and-pencil questionnaire measuring subject affect toward and performance judgments about the tutoring and evaluation sessions. Results replicate the finding that subjects do apply social rules derived from interactions with other humans to computers. Results also suggest that perceived socialness of the computer varies according to modality, with text and real-time video being the most well liked, most natural, and most social, followed by voice-only presentation and finally still images with sounds.
Flatness and the Ore condition for rings

We prove the following result on the universal localization of a ring R at an ideal I: If the universal localization is flat as an R-module, then R satisfies the Ore condition with respect to the multiplicative set of elements that become invertible modulo I. It is well known that for domains the converse of this result holds, and hence we have found in this case a new characterization of the Ore condition.
Chemistry, spectroscopy, and isotope-selective infrared photochemistry of volatile uranium compound tailored for 10-. mu. m absorption: U(OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/

This contribution reports on the chemical, vibrational spectroscopic, and infrared multiphoton photochemical properties of uranium hexamethoxide, U(OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/, a prototype molecule for laser-induced uranium isotope separation with a carbon dioxide laser. Uranium hexamethoxide can be prepared from UCl/sub 4/ by conversion to Li/sub 2/U(OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/, followed by oxidation with lead tetraacetate. Vapor pressure studies on U(OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/ indicate that at 33/sup 0/C, the vapor pressure is 17 mtorr. The vibrational spectra of U(/sup 16/OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/ and U(/sup 18/OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/ have been assigned by using infrared and laser Raman data. Under idealized O/sub h/ symmetry, the U(/sup 16/OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/ U-O stretching fundamentals are assigned at 505.0 (A/sub lg/), 464.8(T/sub 1u/, and 414.0 cm/sup -1/ (E/sub g/). Tentative assignments are also made for several of the overtone and combination transitions evidence for possible lowering of the symmetry is presented. In gas-phase infrared photochemical experiments, the predominant U(OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/ photoproducts isolated are U(OCH/sub 3/)/sub 5/, methanol, and formaldhyde. These are suggestive of multiphoton U-O bond homolysis to produce uranium pentamethoxide and methoxy radicals. The enrichment of unreacted U(OCH/sub 3/)/sub 6/ in /sup 235/U is maximum at ca 927 cm/sup -1/ (near what may be a U-Omore » stretching overtone transition) and exhibits both a low fluence threshold and diminution at high fluence.« less
A phase II study of weekly docetaxel for patients with advanced or recurrent cancer of the cervix.

Background/Aims: A phase II study was conducted to assess the activity and toxicity of weekly docetaxel in patients with advanced or recurrent cancer of the cervix. Methods
CATALYTIC CONVERTER TESTING WITH PORTABLE ENGINE DYNAMOMETERS

A test facility has been developed utilizing engine dynamometers to age catalyst. Results from the experimental car durability test have shown that the primary cause of catalyst performance loss on this schedule has been due to contamination build-up on the catalyst surface. Catalyst aged on the engine dynamometer facility has shown very good performance loss correlation to similar catalyst aged in the vehicle test.
Cutting Edge: CD96 (Tactile) Promotes NK Cell-Target Cell Adhesion by Interacting with the Poliovirus Receptor (CD155)

The poliovirus receptor (PVR) belongs to a large family of Ig molecules called nectins and nectin-like proteins, which mediate cell-cell adhesion, cell migration, and serve as entry receptors for viruses. It has been recently shown that human NK cells recognize PVR through the receptor DNAM-1, which triggers NK cell stimulation in association with beta(2) integrin. In this study, we show that NK cells recognize PVR through an additional receptor, CD96, or T cell-activated increased late expression (Tactile). CD96 promotes NK cell adhesion to target cells expressing PVR, stimulates cytotoxicity of activated NK cells, and mediates acquisition of PVR from target cells. Thus, NK cells have evolved a dual receptor system that recognizes nectins and nectin-like molecules on target cells and mediates NK cell adhesion and triggering of effector functions. As PVR is highly expressed in certain tumors, this receptor system may be critical for NK cell recognition of tumors.
Obituary for Robert G. Addison, MD

Gifted physician, surgeon, researcher, teacher and sculptor Robert George Addison died peacefully with his wife Beverly at his side, surrounded by family in Bradenton, Florida, on March 15, 2012. He was 90. Dr. Robert G. Addison served at the Northwestern University Medical School since 1953 as clinical professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and later, in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Dr. Addison maintained an active private practice as an orthopedic surgeon until joining the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago as a full-time staff member in 1974. At the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), Dr. Addison has served as medical director, chief of …
The woodchuck model of hepadnavirus infection

Since discovery of the hepatitis B virus (HBV),closely related viruses have been described in several animal species. The first of these was the woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV),identified in woodchucks (Marmota monax)that were maintained at the Philadelphia Zoological Garden and which had experienced a high prevalence of chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). On the basis of morphological and molecular analyses,it was concluded that WHV was closely related to HBV. Since description of WHV,infection with viruses that belong to the family Hepadnaviridae have been described in the California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi)and the Arctic ground squirrel (Spermophilus parryi), two species closely related phylogenetical- ly to woodchucks,and in six avian species. A total of four well characterized,mammalian hepadnaviruses now have been associated with development of HCC. These observations on naturally acquired hepadnavirus infections combined with the development of HCC in woodchucks following experimental infection with WHV or with the California ground squirrel virus (GSHV)provides,by analogy,convincing comparative medical evidence for the hepatocarcinogenicity of HBV. The woodchuck has become useful as an experimental animal model for research on the pathogenesis of HBV infection and for investigation of the molecular mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis. The woodchuck also has been useful in the discovery and preclinical development of antiviral drugs for treatment of HBV infection and for testing new forms of immunotherapy using cytokines and therapeutic vaccination. In particular, the woodchuck has been valuable for determining the impact of long-term antiviral treatment on the outcome of chronic hepadnavirus infection in placebo controlled,lifetime survival studies which have been predictive of the results of subsequent clinical trials.
Barriers to success for female physicians in academic medicine.

Despite the fact that women now comprise half of the medical student and resident populations, women remain underrepresented in prominent leadership positions in academia. Women are challenging themselves to live up to the expectations of their professional peers, society, and their patients in order to ‘have it all.’ These pressures are leading to professional and personal dissatisfaction. Is this a problem that will resolve itself as the younger generations of female physicians graduate into faculty positions, or does it require more attention from both male and female medical professionals? Keywords : gender gap; academic productivity; female leadership; mentorship; work-life balance (Published: 31 July 2014) Citation : Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives 2014, 4 : 24665 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/jchimp.v4.24665
Further Evaluation of Milk Production Responses from Urea-Treated Corn Silage

Abstract In the first experiment, lactating Holstein cows produced significantly less milk (P In the second experiment, using feeding programs identical with the urea treatment in Experiment 1, milk production from Holstein cows receiving 31.9% dry matter urea-silage was significantly higher (P
Magnetically Suspended VSCMGs for Simultaneous Attitude Control and Power Transfer IPAC Service

This paper presents the theory and numerical results of utilizing four gimbaled, magnetically suspended, variable speed flywheels for simultaneous satellite attitude control and power transfer (charge, storage, and delivery). Previous variable speed control moment gyro models and control algorithms assumed that the flywheel bearings were rigid. How-ever, high speed flywheels on spacecraft will be supported by active magnetic bearings, which have flexibility and in general frequency dependent characteristics. The present work provides the theory for modeling the satellite and flywheel systems including controllers for stable magnetic bearing suspension for power transfer to and from the flywheels and for attitude control of the satellite. A major reason for utilizing flexible bearings is to isolate the imbalance disturbance forces from the flywheel to the satellite. This g-jitter vibration could interfere with the operation of sensitive onboard instrumentation. A special control approach is employed for the magnetic bearings to reject the imbalance disturbances. The stability, robustness, tracking, and disturbance rejection performances of the feedback control laws are demonstrated with a satellite simulation that includes initial attitude error, system modeling error, and flywheel imbalance disturbance.
Precipitation Efficiency in the Tropical Deep Convective Regime : A 2-D Cloud Resolving Modeling Study

Precipitation efficiency in the tropical deep convective regime is analyzed based on the hourly data from a 2-D cloud resolving simulation. The cloud resolving model is forced by the large-scale vertical velocity, zonal wind and large-scale horizontal advections derived from TOGA COARE for a 20-day period. Large-scale precipitation efficiency (LSPE) is defined as a ratio of surface rain rate to the sum of surface evaporation and moisture convergence, and cloud-microphysics precipitation efficiency (CMPE) is de-fined as a ratio of surface rain rate to the sum of condensation and deposition rates of supersaturated vapor. Moisture budget shows that the local atmospheric moisture gains (loses) when the LSPE is less (more) than 100%. The LSPE could be larger than 100% for strong convection. This suggests that in order to avoid moisture bias, the cumulus parameterization schemes used in general circulation models should allow the precipitation rate to be larger than the sum of surface evaporation and moisture convergence in strong convective region. Statistical analysis shows that the LSPE is about 80% of the CMPE when it is less than 60%, and the CMPE is a constant of about 70% when the LSPE is more than 60%. The CMPE increases with increasing mass-weighted mean temperature and increasing surface rain rate. This suggests that precipitation is more efficient for warm environment and strong convection.
Poiseuille, periodicity, and perfusion: rhythmic oscillatory vasomotion in the skin.

Cutaneous vasomotion has not been actively investigated until recently. This is hardly surprising, as it has not been a reproducible phenomenon. During recent studies on various physiological and pharmacological vascular problems, we identified experimental conditions in which cutaneous vasomotion commonly occurred. We then characterized four methods that routinely provoke human cutaneous vasomotion in vivo, in order to further characterize this physiological phenomenon. Although several adaptive advantages may exist for vasomotion, the most compelling theory can be derived mathematically from Poiseuille's law. Because the flow of a liquid through a vessel is proportional to the fourth power of the radius, it can be demonstrated that the resistance of a vessel with a constant diameter is greater than that of a vessel of the same average diameter in which the diameter changes sinusoidally. Importantly, the rhythmicity originates within the vascular tissue, and there appears to be electromechanical coupling. The cation effluxes demonstrate oscillatory behavior that may be driven by the availability of adenosine triphosphate. Substrate and product concentrations can alter the activity of the allosteric enzyme, phosphofructokinase, which may control the oscillations in ATP concentration. Despite the qualitatively different provocative agents, the cutaneous rhythmic oscillatory vasomotion always first appears after a peak in erythrocyte flux, and it disappears before reaching resting flux levels. Thus, cutaneous rhythmic oscillatory vasomotion is a midrange phenomenon, most likely corresponding to the “oscillatory domain” of glycolysis. Finally, a common feature of tissue preparations for the study of vasomotion is that anesthesia was not used. We have shown that this inhibitory effect of anesthetic agents may persist well beyond “anesthesia,” and this suppression may be of clinical importance in the patient with microcirculatory compromise undergoing surgery. J Invest Dermatol 93:113S–118S, 1989
A Multistep Process Gave Rise to RNA Polymerase IV of Land Plants

Since their discovery in Metazoa, the three nuclear RNA polymerases (RNAPs) have been found in fungi, plants, and diverse protists. In all eukaryotes studied to date, RNAPs I, II, and III collectively transcribe all major RNAs made in the nucleus. We have found genes for the largest subunit (RPD1/RPE1) of a new DNA-dependent RNAP, RNAP IV, in all major land plant taxa and in closely related green algae. Genes for the second-largest subunit (RPD2) of this enzyme were found in all land plants. Phylogenetic study indicates that RNAP IV genes are sister to the corresponding RNAP II genes. Our results show the genesis of RNAP IV to be a multistep process in which the largest and second-largest subunit genes evolved by independent duplication events in the ancestors of Charales and land plants. These findings provide insights into evolutionary mechanisms that can explain the origin of multiple RNAPs in the eukaryotic nucleus.
Proteomic strategies for the discovery of novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets for infectious diseases

Viruses have developed numerous and elegant strategies to manipulate the host cell machinery to establish a productive infectious cycle. The interaction of viral proteins with host proteins plays an important role in infection and pathogenesis, often bypassing traditional host defenses such as the interferon response and apoptosis. Host–viral protein interactions can be studied using a variety of proteomic approaches ranging from genetic and biochemical to large scale high throughput technologies. Protein interactions between host and viral proteins are greatly influenced by host signal transduction pathways. In this review, we will focus on comparing proteomic information obtained through differing technologies and how their integration can be used to determine the functional aspect of the host response to infection. We will briefly review and evaluate techniques employed to elucidate viral–host interactions with a primary focus on Protein Microarrays (PMA) and Mass Spectrometry (MS) as potential tools in the discovery of novel therapeutic targets. As many potential molecular markers and targets are proteins, proteomic profiling is expected to yield both clearer and more direct answers to functional and pharmacologic questions.
Survival and growth of conservation shrubs and trees, with thin-cover reclamation on acid substrate, Iowa, USA.

Many abandoned strip-mine sites in midwestern USA are highly acidic and require a separate layer of low-acidity cover materials for successful revegetation. Economics and logistics often constrain this reclamation to a very thin cover. Twenty-two species of shrubs and trees were tested for 6 years of survival and growth on a thin wedge of silt loess (up to 0.75m thick) emplaced over highly acid spoils, in south-central Iowa. No weed control or maintenance was provided. The performance of 21 of the species could be categorized into 3 groups: Group 1-consistent survival (10 species); Group 2-irregular survival and growth (6 species); Group 3-little suitability for survival (5 species). Mouldy nursery stock precluded evaluation of 1 species.
Carbon isotopic evidence from paleosols for mixed C3/C4 vegetation in the Bogota Basin, Colombia

Abstract Pollen reconstructions in the Bogota basin (Colombia) indicate the expansion of tropical high-altitude grassland (paramo) at the expense of Andean forests during glacial intervals. The carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of soil organic matter (SOM) can be a useful indicator of changes in vegetation affecting grasslands because it distinguishes between two groups of grasses (C3 and C4) adapted to different ecological environments. Values of SOM δ13C were determined in four weathering profiles containing both modern (Holocene) soils and paleosols formed during the Last Glacial Stage. These profiles are located along an altitudinal transect in the Bogota basin, extending from 2550 to 3100 m. Values of SOM δ13C in the topsoil horizons reflect those of the native C3 vegetation that currently dominates the ecosystems in the Colombian Andes. Although C4 grasses are currently negligible in the basin, elevated SOM δ13C values indicative of C4 plants were found in two Holocene soils. Environmental changes or ancient agricultural activities could explain the increased abundance of these plants in the basin during the late Holocene. Isotopic values in the studied paleosols revealed the presence of a mixed C3/C4 vegetation in the basin during the Last Glacial Stage, thus indicating the expansion of C4 grasses. We hypothesized that lowered pCO2 and possibly reduced rainfall resulted in the colonization of the tropical Andes by lowland C4 grasses despite of prevailing cooler temperatures.
Captured liquid crystalline order in polymer networks

Orientationally ordered polymer networks are prepared in spherical and cylindrical geometries by isothermal photopolymerization of diacrylate molecules dissolved in a nematic liquid crystal. Optical polarizing microscopy textures reveal that the network memorizes the nematic director field. Diacrylate concentrations of 2% by weight suffice to create a stable network embedded in the anisotropic liquid crystal environment for temperatures as high as 150 degree(s)C. Polymer networks that are formed under various surface conditions, applied electric fields, and geometrical constraints are characterized with optical polarizing microscopy.
BMP-2 inhibits the tumorigenicity of cancer stem cells in human osteosarcoma OS99-1 cell line

Previously, based on high ALDH activity, we showed that cancer stem cells (CSCs) could be identified as ALDH(br) cells from an aggressive human osteosarcoma OS99-1 cell line. In this study, we evaluate the impact of BMP-2 on CSCs.Three types of BMP receptors were expressed in freshly sorted ALDH(br) cells. In vitro, growth of the sorted ALDH(br) cells was inhibited by BMP-2. Using RT-PCR analysis, BMP-2 was found to down-regulate the expression of embryonic stem cell markers Oct3/4, Nanog, and Sox-2, and up-regulate the transcription of osteogenic markers Runx-2 and Collagen Type I. In vivo, all animals receiving ALDH(br) cells treated with BMP-2 did not form significant tumors, while untreated ALDH(br) cells developed large tumor masses in NOD/SCID mice. Immunostaining confirmed few Ki-67 positive cells were present in the sections of tumor containing ALDH(br) cells treated with BMP-2. These results suggest that BMP-2 suppresses tumor growth by reducing the gene expression of tumorigenic factors and inducing the differentiation of CSCs in osteosarcoma. BMP-2 or BMP-2-mimetic drugs, if properly delivered to tumor and combined with traditional therapies, may therefore provide a new therapeutic option for treatment of osteosarcoma.
New Therapeutic Strategies for Patients With Gastrointestinal Malignancies Using Biochemical Modulation of Fluorouracil

SELECTED CASE A 53-year-old man was evaluated for a several-month history of generalized fatigue and vague lower abdominal cramping. A barium enema revealed an encircling lesion in the distal sigmoid colon, and computed tomographic scanning of the abdomen revealed multiple hepatic defects consistent with metastatic disease. The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy with resection of the sigmoid colon and a needle biopsy of one of the hepatic masses. The pathology demonstrated a moderately to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma arising in the sigmoid colon with metastatic spread to the liver. The patient was referred to the National Cancer Institute and enrolled in a clinical trial using a combination of fluorouracil, leucovorin, and interferon alfa. After 3 months of therapy, the patient's repeat computed tomographic examination of the liver demonstrated regression of his metastatic disease by greater than 50%. In addition, his serum carcinoembryonic antigen level had fallen to 7.3 μg/L from a
Long-Pulsed Luminescence for the Measurement of Dissolved Oxygen

Thin-film luminescent sensors were used to measure dissolved oxygen in picoliter volumes for the purpose of monitoring single-cell oxygen consumption rates, and that work served as the motivation for the development of the method described here. A few different platinum porphyrin sensor materials were examined, with all measurements conducted microscopically. By employing convolution theory to understand observed responses, including an unexpected red luminescent emission from an optic, we developed a new, rapid method for the determination of exponential decay lifetime. This new method of long-pulsed luminescence offers substantially improved signal-to-noise ratios for detected signals as long as self-illumination sources are carefully controlled in the experimental set-up.
Coping with AIDS: Psychological and Health Implications1

The current study explored the relationship of coping to both psychological and health parameters in 50 gay men recently (within three months) diagnosed with AIDS. Three methods of coping (active behavioral, active cognitive, and avoidance) and eight different coping strategies (positive involvement, expressive/ information seeking, reliance on others, positive understanding/create meaning, passive/ruminative, distraction, passive resignation, and solitary/passive behaviors) were assessed. Findings indicate that avoidance coping is not protecting these people from distressful feelings, mood disturbance, and concerns. The three coping methods evidenced distinctly different associations with measures of psychological and health variables. Active-behavioral coping was related to lower total mood disturbance and higher self-esteem, while avoidance coping was inversely related to self-esteem and positively correlated with depression. The frequencies of specific coping strategies indicate men in this study were using cognitive strategies most frequently. Suggestions for interventions to help people cope with AIDS are given.
Alcohols Reduce Lateral Membrane Pressures: Predictions from Molecular Theory

We explore the effects of alcohols on fluid lipid bilayers using a molecular theory with a coarse-grained model. We show that the trends predicted from the theory in the changes in area per lipid, alcohol concentration in the bilayer, and area compressibility modulus, as a function of alcohol chain length and of the alcohol concentration in the solvent far from the bilayer, follow those found experimentally. We then use the theory to study the effect of added alcohol on the lateral pressure profile across the membrane, and find that added alcohol reduces the surface tensions at both the headgroup/solvent and headgroup/tailgroup interfaces, as well as the lateral pressures in the headgroup and tailgroup regions. These changes in lateral pressures could affect the conformations of membrane proteins, providing a nonspecific mechanism for the biological effects of alcohols on cells.
Using cooperative learning to activate your simulation classroom

Active and cooperative learning methods represent a paradigm shift in the delivery of engineering education. These techniques recognize that the passive model of the typical college lecture does not work for many students. Instead, active and cooperative learning focuses on the premise that the students can learn best by doing and working with each other. Traditionally structured class periods imply that students listen to a professor lecture for about an hour. Cooperative learning can replace some of that lecture time with methods designed to get students actively involved during the class period. This paper presents the use of active and cooperative learning techniques applied to simulation education. Tips and examples for how to transform a standard lecture into a lecture based on cooperative exercises are given and the authors' experiences with these techniques are detailed.
Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases of Paramecium. I. Chromatographic and physical properties of the enzymes from cilia.

The cAMP-dependent protein kinases of the cilia of the protozoan Paramecium tetraurelia were resolved and characterized. Two cAMP-dependent activities were present in cilia; the two ciliary kinases resemble types I and II from vertebrate tissues. Part of the ciliary kinase activity (primarily type II) was released by freeze-thawing, but a significant amount remained particulate. Both kinases were found as aggregates of about 220 kDa and of about 70 kDa. A portion of the cAMP-binding activity in ciliary extracts separated from kinase activity, and eluted at 36 kDa during gel filtration. Photoaffinity labeling with 8-azido-cAMP identified cAMP-binding proteins of 45–52 kDa in type II kinase from cilia, and of 43–46 kDa in type I kinase. The type II kinase was apparently autophosphorylated, causing a decrease in mobility during sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.