cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BESOV SPACES AND THE MULTIFRACTAL HYPOTHESIS

Parisi and Frisch proposed some time ago an explanation for “multiscaling” of turbulent velocity structure functions in terms of a “multifractal hypothesis,” i.e., they conjecture that the velocity field has local Holder exponents in a range [hmin,hmax], with exponents <h occurring on a setS(h) with a fractal dimensionD(h). Heuristic reasoning led them to an expression for the scaling exponentz p ofpth order as the Legendre transform of the codimensiond-D(h). We show here that a part of the multifractal hypothesis is correct under even weaker assumptions: namely, if the velocity field hasL p -mean Holder indexs, i.e., if it lies in the Besov spaceB p s,∞ , then local Holder regularity is satisfied. Ifs<d/p, then the hypothesis is true in a generalized sense of Holder space with negative exponents and we discuss the proper definition of local Holder classes of negative index. Finally, if a certain “box-counting dimension” exists, then the Legendre transform of its codimension gives the scaling exponentz p , and, more generally, the maximal Besov index of order,p, ass p =z p /p. Our method of proof is derived from a recent paper of S. Jaffard using compactly-supported, orthonormal wavelet bases and gives an extension of his results. We discuss implications of the theorems for ensemble-average scaling and fluid turbulence.
Mass loading of nickel and uranium on plant surfaces: application of laser ablation-ICP-MS.

Transport of contaminated sediments from a former radiological settling pond results in the deposition of U and Ni in the Lower Tims Branch (LTB) (Aiken, SC, USA). Uranium is unavailable for plant uptake, but elevated U and Ni concentrations associated with foliage of understory plants suggested mass loading. Mass loading of contaminated soil on Andropogon elliottii Chapman (Poaceae) was investigated using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). The technique allows for rapid quantitative elemental depth profiling. Fresh washed and unwashed leaves (n = 5) from the contaminated area were compared with those from an uncontaminated area, analysing Ni and U at ten randomly chosen points on each leaf. Nickel and U concentrations differed significantly between washed and unwashed leaves from LTB. Particles on unwashed leaves measured up to 300 µm in diameter, and were enriched with U. Uranium was detected on the surface of the leaf, whereas Ni was detected within leaf tissues. In unwashed LTB leaves, Ni and U concentrations did not significantly differ in areas with and without visible particles, suggesting that there were much smaller particles, indistinguishable at ×100 magnification, which contributed to the overall metal burden. Washing removed the majority of the Ni and U on the surface, but residual U and Ni was detected. Irregularities in the leaf surface, such as scars from herbivory contained elevated U concentrations despite a washing step, presumably from trapping soil particles. Laser ablation ICP-MS revealed that mass loading makes a significant contribution to the contaminant burden of understory plants at LTB.
Inverted ordering of acceptor bound exciton states in Si: The role of electron-hole correlation

We present detailed calculation of the positive acceptor ion $({A}^{+})$ and acceptor bound exciton $({A}^{0}X)$ in Si, taking into account the valence-band anisotropy, dynamic Jahn-Teller effect, and particle correlation. We show that the inverted splitting ordering of acceptor bound exciton states can be accounted for by electron-hole correlation, when the hole-hole Coulomb repulsion is compensated for by the dynamic Jahn-Teller effect.
Privatizing Public Nursing Homes: Examining the Effects on Quality and Access

This study examines the effects of local government divestment on quality and access to care for Medicaid recipients in privatized nursing homes. The central hypotheses are concerned with the impact of new ownership on both aspects of organizational performance. The analysis indicates that privatization of nursing homes involves a complex set of trade-offs. Changing organizational ownership to for-profit increases the number of regulatory violations, decreases residents’ quality of life, but does not influence Medicaid admissions. While no decline in quality is found among divested nonprofit facilities, access to care declines in the comparison groups of nonprofit homes. The author concludes that as counties minimize their roles as service producers, federal, state and local governments should enhance their regulatory capacity by improving quality assurance mechanisms and providing adequate reimbursement for low-income clients.
Data Sharing and Keeping Pace with Changing Technologies.

Effective data sharing depends on the proper management and use of technology. This chapter provides a retrospective on the role technology played in the development of a data-sharing organization and describes the types of technologies that are currently emerging and the potential impact these may have on data sharing both within and across institutions.
Properties of the spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase mutant L156F that decreases cellular sensitivity to the polyamine analogue N1,N11-bis(ethyl)norspermine

Properties of a mutant form of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase, L156F (L156F-SSAT), that is present in Chinese hamster ovary cells selected for resistance to the polyamine analogue N1,N11-bis(ethyl)norspermine (BE 3-3-3) were investigated. Increased Km values, decreasedVmax values, and decreasedkcat values with both polyamine substrates, spermidine and spermine, indicated that L156F-SSAT is an inferior and less efficient acetyltransferase than wild-type SSAT. Transfection of L156F-SSAT into C55.7Res cells indicated that cellular SSAT activity per nanogram of SSAT protein correlated well with the in vitro data and was also ∼20-fold less for the mutant protein than for wild-type SSAT. Increased expression of L156F-SSAT was unable to restore cellular sensitivity to BE 3-3-3 despite providing measurable basal SSAT activity. Only a 4-fold induction of L156F-SSAT activity resulted from the exposure of cells to the polyamine analogue, whereas wild-type SSAT was induced ∼300-fold. Degradation studies indicated that BE 3-3-3 cannot prevent ubiquitination of L156F-SSAT and is therefore unable to protect the mutant protein from degradation. These studies indicate that the decreased cellular sensitivity to BE 3-3-3 is caused by the lack of SSAT activity induction in the presence of the analogue due to its inability to prevent the rapid degradation of the L156F-SSAT protein.
Ab initio calculation of static atomic dipole polarizabilities

The simultaneous optimization of the bound and continuum multiconfiguration Hartree-Fock orbitals for an electron scattered by an atom leads to a set of bound orbitals for the target atom that completely takes into account the polarization of the target by the electron. The polarized orbitals that are generated for zero kinetic energy and angular momentum of the continuum electron form an excellent basis for the calculation of the static dipole polarizability. We have done this for the ground states of the inert-gas atoms helium, neon, and argon. Our results agree extremely well with experimental measurements, indicating that this ab initio approach provides very good wave functions with which to determine highly accurate values of the polarizability.
THE PERFECTIONIST TURN

This essay asks whether what is good for someone is distinct from her self-perfection, and whether it makes sense to understand either her good or her self-perfection in terms of the other. The essay adopts a traditional naturalistic understanding of perfection. It argues, however, that the conception of human nature that underlies the perfectionist view must be more individualistic than it is often taken to be. It goes on to distinguish individuative from generic features of human nature; because the account includes both types of characteristics, the concluding vision of human nature, and hence human perfection, is deeply individualized. What is good for an individual is linked to the exercise of her nature rather than to desires individuals simply happen to have.
On a one-parameter family of exotic superspaces in two dimensions

Using Jordan algebraic techniques we define and study a family of exotic superspaces in two dimensions with two bosonic and two fermionic coordinates. They are defined by the one-parameter family of Jordan superalgebras JD(2/2)α. For two special values of α the JD(2/2)α can be realized in terms of a single fermionic or a single bosonic oscillator, respectively. For other values of α it can be interpreted as defining an exotic oscillator algebra. The derivation, reduced structure and Mobius superalgebras of JD(2/2)α are identified with the rotation, Lorentz and finite-dimensional conformal superalgebras of the corresponding superspaces. The conformal superalgebras turn out to be the superalgebras D(2,1;α) with the even subgroup SO(2,2)×SU(2). We give an explicit differential operator realization of the actions of D(2,1;α) on these superspaces.
An o-Toluidine Method for Body-Fluid Glucose Determination

o-Toluidine, 6% (v/v) in glacial acetic acid, is used to determine glucose in biologic material after deproteinization with 3% (w/v) trichloracetic acid. A stable green color develops after heating at 100° for 10 min., and the absorbance is determined at 630 or 635 mµ. The reagent is stable for many months at room temperature, and the reaction follows Beer's Law over a very wide range of concentrations. The development of the procedure is discussed, as is the specificity of the method for glucose.
Low Energy Tests of Chiral Symmetry1

The present status of low energy test of chiral invariance via chiral perturbation theory is reviewed, both in the meson and baryon sectors, and future prospects are discussed.
Accumulation and Intracellular Distribution of Antitrypanosomal Diamidine Compounds DB75 and DB820 in African Trypanosomes

The aromatic diamidine pentamidine has long been used to treat early-stage human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). Two analogs of pentamidine, DB75 and DB820, have been shown to be more potent and less toxic than pentamidine in murine models of trypanosomiasis. The diphenyl furan diamidine, DB75, is the active metabolite of the prodrug DB289, which is currently in phase III clinical trials as a new orally active candidate drug to treat first-stage HAT. The new aza analog, DB820, is the active diamidine of the prodrug DB844, currently undergoing preclinical evaluation as a new candidate to treat HAT of the central nervous system. The exact mechanisms of antitrypanosomal activity of aromatic dications remain poorly understood, with multiple mechanisms hypothesized. Pentamidine is known to be actively transported into trypanosomes and binds to DNA within the nucleus and kinetoplast. A long-hypothesized mechanism of action has been that DNA binding ultimately leads to interference with DNA-associated enzymes. Both DB75 and DB820 are intensely fluorescent, which provides an important tool for determining the kinetics of accumulation and intracellular distribution in trypanosomes. We show in the current study that DB75 and DB820 rapidly accumulate and strongly concentrate within trypanosomes, with intracellular concentrations over 15,000-fold higher than mouse plasma concentrations. Both compounds initially accumulate in the DNA-containing nucleus and kinetoplast, but at later time points, they concentrate in non-DNA-containing cytoplasmic organelles. Analyses of the kinetics of uptake and intracellular distribution are necessary to begin to define antitrypanosomal mechanisms of action of DB75, DB820, and other aromatic diamidines.
Towards one world web with HearSay3

In this paper, we present the key functionalities of HearSay 3, a non-visual web browser designed with the goal of improving web accessibility across the world. The featured functionalities include transparent support for multiple languages, collaborative labeling that harnesses the power of the social web, and a usable interface for handling dynamic web content.
Is life expectancy really falling for groups of low socio-economic status? Lagged selection bias and artefactual trends in mortality

Recent public health studies made headlines,1–3 reporting that for some subpopulations in the USA, mortality rates have been higher and life expectancies lower for recent compared with earlier time periods.4–7 These patterns have been described in both popular and academic discourse as a ‘rise’ in mortality or a ‘decline’ in life expectancy. We suggest that it is long past time to admit an alternative—and arguably more plausible—interpretation of these patterns. The fact that a measure was computed at two different time points does not, by itself, make the difference between them a trend. Imagine if researchers measured the average temperature for the whole of the USA a decade ago, and then for only Alaska this year, and found the former number to be lower than the latter. Would it be appropriate to say that average temperatures had ‘declined’ over the decade? We argue that it would not, and that it is likewise not appropriate to be describing many of the observed differences in subgroup life expectancy or mortality as ‘trends’. Nevertheless, scholars and journalists alike have quickly adopted this ‘trend’ conclusion and given short shrift to an alternative interpretation that we find far more plausible. Here, we make the case that this alternative explanation should be the subject of serious empirical investigation and discussion in scholarly and public discourse, rather than getting the treatment it gets now—which is a cursory dismissal relegated to the ‘limitations’ sections of academic papers. We take seriously the reality of health disparities in the USA and the research and policy attention that they demand; understanding and redressing these disparities requires that trends be accurately characterized.
Effect of prior exercise on postprandial lipemia: an updated quantitative review.

Reducing postprandial triglycerides (TG) can lower the risk for cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analytic review of the literature to estimate the effect of p...
Outer Membrane Secretion Efficiency of Autotransporter Virulence Proteins Correlates with Passenger Domain Folding Properties

Autotransporters (ATs) are the largest class of extracellular virulence proteins secreted from Gram-negative bacteria. Each AT is synthesized as a tripartite pre-protein containing an N-terminal signal sequence that directs secretion across the inner membrane, a central “passenger” domain that becomes the mature extracellular virulence protein, and a C-terminal outer membrane (OM) porin domain that is essential for OM transport. AT passenger domains have highly diverse sequences, lengths, and functions, but almost all are predicted to contain β-helical structure. It was originally proposed that an AT protein autonomously catalyzes transport of its own passenger domain across the OM, but recent results have cast doubt on this model. Moreover, in the absence of a significant quantity of ATP or proton gradient across the OM, the driving force for efficient OM secretion remains unclear. Here we demonstrate a direct correlation between localized regions of AT passenger domain stability (ΔGunfolding) and OM secretion efficiency. Destabilizing the C-terminus of a passenger domain β-helix significantly reduced OM secretion efficiency. In contrast, destabilizing more N-terminal portions of the passenger domain produced a linearly correlated increase in OM secretion efficiency. Thus, C-terminal passenger domain stability facilitates OM secretion, whereas N-terminal stability hinders it. The contributions of regional passenger stability to OM secretion efficiency demonstrate a crucial role for the passenger domain itself in directing its secretion across the OM. These results indicate that the folding properties of distinct regions of the passenger domain provide a directed molecular driving force, for use as a generalized transporter device. The regionalized distribution of AT passenger domain stability provides a unique solution for the directed transport of macromolecules across biological membranes, defining a new category of ATP-independent Brownian motor.
Risks posed by various components of hair dyes.

In this study, I calculated the risks presented by the use of several chemicals that are or were used in hair dyes and for which a good animal bioassay is available. The risks were calculated using the carcinogenic potency measure used in the National Cancer Institute bioassays concerning the exposure of rats and mice to these chemicals. The procedure used was that previously discussed by Zeise et al.; it is similar to, but logically more complete, than those normally used by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EDA). The expected value of the risk for the worst dye that has now been discontinued is as high as that of smoking 6 cigarettes in a lifetime; the 95th pecentile gives a risk equivalent to that of smoking 120 cigarettes in a lifetime or 2 per year. Even when the upper limits of carcinogenic potency of the untested chemicals are employed using correlations with toxicity, the estimated risk remains small.
IFN Regulatory Factor-4 and -8 Govern Dendritic Cell Subset Development and Their Functional Diversity

Dendritic cells (DCs) are bone marrow (BM)-derived APCs central to both innate and adaptive immunity. DCs are a heterogeneous cell population composed of multiple subsets with diverse functions. The mechanism governing the generation of multiple DC subsets is, however, poorly understood. In this study we investigated the roles of closely related transcription factors, IFN regulatory factor (IRF)-4 and IRF-8, in DC development by analyzing IRF-4 −/− , IRF-8 −/− , and IRF-4 −/− IRF-8 −/− (double-knockout) mice. We found that IRF-4 is required for the generation of CD4 + DCs, whereas IRF-8 is, as reported previously, essential for CD8α + DCs. Both IRFs support the development of CD4 − CD8α − DCs. IRF-8 and, to a lesser degree, IRF-4 contribute to plasmacytoid DC (PDC) development. Thus, the two IRFs together regulate the development of all conventional DCs as well as PDCs. Consistent with these findings, IRF-4, but not IRF-8, was expressed in CD4 + DCs, whereas only IRF-8 was expressed in CD8α + DCs. CD4 − CD8α − DCs and PDCs expressed both IRFs. We also demonstrate in vitro that GM-CSF-mediated DC differentiation depends on IRF-4, whereas Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand-mediated differentiation depends mainly on IRF-8. Gene transfer experiments with double-knockout BM cells showed that both IRFs have an overlapping activity and stimulate a common process of DC development. Nonetheless, each IRF also possesses a distinct activity to stimulate subset-specific gene expression, leading to the generation of functionally divergent DCs. Together, IRF-4 and IRF-8 serve as a backbone of the molecular program regulating DC subset development and their functional diversity.
Chronic Total Occlusion and Successful Drug-Eluting Stent Placement in Takayasu Arteritis Induced Renal Artery Stenosis

Takayasu arteritis-induced renal artery stenosis (TARAS) is a condition rarely described in the literature. Although percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting has been well-described in the treatment of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis, its role has not been established in non-atherosclerotic TARAS. We report a case of a female, age 17 years, with Takayasu arteritis who presented to the hospital with seizures and hypertensive crisis. A renal angiogram showed chronic total occlusion (CTO) of the left renal artery. Renal angioplasty and stenting was successfully performed after multiple attempts to deliver a wire distal to the CTO. After sequential balloon predilation, a drug-eluting stent was deployed, resulting in full reperfusion of the kidney. The patient’s blood pressure improved dramatically, and patency of the stent was demonstrated with magnetic resonance angiography over 9 months after the procedure.
Renal Angiotensin II Type-2 Receptors Are Upregulated and Mediate the Candesartan-Induced Natriuresis/Diuresis in Obese Zucker Rats

Recently, there has been a growing interest in studying the role of angiotensin II type-2 (AT 2 ) receptor in renal/cardiovascular function in pathological conditions. The present study was designed to determine the functional role of the AT 2 receptors on natriuresis/diuresis and compare the level of the tubular AT 2 receptor expression in obese and lean Zucker rats (12 weeks old). Under anesthesia, candesartan (angiotensin II type 1 [AT 1 ]–specific antagonist; 100 μg/kg bolus) produced natriuresis/diuresis to a greater degree in obese than in lean rats. The specific AT 2 antagonist PD123319 (50 μg/kg per minute) after candesartan administration abolished the natriuretic/diuretic effects of candesartan in obese rats but not in lean rats. Infusion of AT 2 receptor agonist, CGP-42112A (1 μg/kg per minute), produced greater increase in sodium and urine excretion over basal in obese than in lean rats. The presence of the AT 2 receptor expression in the brush-border and basolateral membranes was confirmed by Western blotting using specific antibody and antigen-blocking peptide. Densitometric analysis of the bands revealed ≈1.5- to 2.0-fold increase in the AT 2 receptor proteins in both membranes of obese compared with lean rats. Our results suggest upregulation of the AT 2 receptors, which play a role in mediating the natriuretic/diuretic effects of AT 1 receptor blockers in obese Zucker rats. We speculate that AT 2 receptors, by promoting sodium excretion, may protect obese Zucker rats against blood pressure increase associated with sodium and water retention.
Tissue Distribution, Ontogeny, and Chemical Induction of Aldo-Keto Reductases in Mice

Aldo-keto reductases (Akrs) are a conserved group of NADPH-dependent oxido-reductase enzymes. This study provides a comprehensive examination of the tissue distribution of the 16 substrate-metabolizing Akrs in mice, their expression during development, and whether they are altered by chemicals that activate distinct transcriptional factor pathways. Akr1c6, 1c14, 1c20, and 1c22 are primarily present in liver; Akr1a4, 1c18, 1c21, and 7a5 in kidney; Akr1d1 in liver and kidney; Akr1b7 in small intestine; Akr1b3 and Akr1e1 in brain; Akr1b8 in testes; Akr1c14 in ovaries; and Akrs1c12, 1c13, and 1c19 are expressed in numerous tissues. Liver expression of Akr1d1 and Akr1c is lowest during prenatal and postnatal development. However, by 20 days of age, liver Akr1d1 increases 120-fold, and Akr1c mRNAs increase as much as 5-fold (Akr1c19) to 1000-fold (Akr1c6). Treatment of mice with chemical activators of transcription factors constitutive androgen receptor (CAR), pregnane X receptor (PXR), and the nuclear factor-erythroid-2 (Nrf2) transcription factor alters liver mRNAs of Akrs. Specifically, CAR activation by 1,4-bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene (TCPOBOP) increases mRNAs of Akr1b7, Akr1c6, Akr1c19, and Akr1d1, whereas PXR activation by 5-pregnenolone-16α-carbonitrile (PCN) increases the mRNA of Akr1b7 and suppresses mRNAs of Akr1c13 and Akr1c20. The Nrf2 activator 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-imidazolide (CDDO-Im) induces mRNAs of Akr1c6 and Akr1c19. Moreover, Nrf2-null and Nrf2 overexpressing mice demonstrate that this induction is Nrf2-dependent.
Representations gone mental

Many philosophers and psychologists have attempted to elucidate the nature of mental representation by appealing to notions like isomorphism or abstract structural resemblance. The ‘structural representations’ that these theorists champion are said to count as representations by virtue of functioning as internal models of distal systems. In his 2007 book, Representation Reconsidered, William Ramsey endorses the structural conception of mental representation, but uses it to develop a novel argument against representationalism, the widespread view that cognition essentially involves the manipulation of mental representations. Ramsey argues that although theories within the ‘classical’ tradition of cognitive science once posited structural representations, these theories are being superseded by newer theories, within the tradition of connectionism and cognitive neuroscience, which rarely if ever appeal to structural representations. Instead, these theories seem to be explaining cognition by invoking so-called ‘receptor representations’, which, Ramsey claims, aren’t genuine representations at all—despite being called representations, these mechanisms function more as triggers or causal relays than as genuine stand-ins for distal systems. I argue that when the notions of structural and receptor representation are properly explicated, there turns out to be no distinction between them. There only appears to be a distinction between receptor and structural representations because the latter are tacitly conflated with the ‘mental models’ ostensibly involved in offline cognitive processes such as episodic memory and mental imagery. While structural representations might count as genuine representations, they aren’t distinctively mental representations, for they can be found in all sorts of non-intentional systems such as plants. Thus to explain the kinds of offline cognitive capacities that have motivated talk of mental models, we must develop richer conceptions of mental representation than those provided by the notions of structural and receptor representation.
The Public Policy Process among Southeastern States: Elaborating Theories of Regional Adoption and Hold-Out Behavior

Having been adopted by legislatures in over a dozen states, postsecondary merit aid programs are largely concentrated in the southeastern United States. The observed clustering pattern seems to support previous evidence that policies spread between proximate states, a phenomenon referred to by political scientists as policy diffusion. Often, however, policy diffusion is not complete, and one or more states in a region fail to adopt. By interviewing policymakers throughout the southeastern United States—including actors in the three states in the region without merit aid—the study addresses the following question: Why do diffusion pressures lead to adoption in some states but not in others? Studying state “hold-outs” promises not only to uncover the reasons for failed legislation in specific state contexts but also to better our understanding of the limits of diffusion theory.
Hardware task scheduling optimizations for reconfigurable computing

Reconfigurable computers (RC) can provide significant performance improvement for domain applications. However, wide acceptance of todaypsilas RCs among domain scientist is hindered by the complexity of design tools and the required hardware design experience. Recent developments in hardware/software co-design methodologies for these systems provide the ease of use, but they are not comparable in performance to manual co-design. This paper aims at improving the overall performance of hardware tasks assigned to FPGA. Particularly the analysis of inter-task communication as well as data dependencies among tasks are used to reduce the number of configurations and to minimize the communication overhead and task processing time. This work leverages algorithms developed in the RC and reconfigurable hardware (RH) domains to address efficient use of hardware resources to propose two algorithms, weight-based scheduling (WBS) and highest priority first-next fit (HPF-NF). However, traditional resource based scheduling alone is not sufficient to reduce the performance bottleneck, therefore a comprehensive algorithm is necessary. The reduced data movement scheduling (RDMS) algorithm is proposed to address dependency analysis and inter-task communication optimizations. Simulation shows that compared to WBS and HPF-NF, RDMS is able to reduce the amount of FPGA configurations to schedule random generated graphs with heavy weight nodes by 30% and 11% respectively. Additionally, the proof-of-concept implementation of a complex 13-node example task graph on the SGI RC100 reconfigurable computer shows that RDMS is not only able to trim down the amount of necessary configurations from 6 to 4 but also to reduce communication overhead by 48% and the hardware processing time by 33%.
Accelerated Sensitivity Analysis in High-Dimensional Stochastic Reaction Networks.

Existing sensitivity analysis approaches are not able to handle efficiently stochastic reaction networks with a large number of parameters and species, which are typical in the modeling and simulation of complex biochemical phenomena. In this paper, a two-step strategy for parametric sensitivity analysis for such systems is proposed, exploiting advantages and synergies between two recently proposed sensitivity analysis methodologies for stochastic dynamics. The first method performs sensitivity analysis of the stochastic dynamics by means of the Fisher Information Matrix on the underlying distribution of the trajectories; the second method is a reduced-variance, finite-difference, gradient-type sensitivity approach relying on stochastic coupling techniques for variance reduction. Here we demonstrate that these two methods can be combined and deployed together by means of a new sensitivity bound which incorporates the variance of the quantity of interest as well as the Fisher Information Matrix estimated from the first method. The first step of the proposed strategy labels sensitivities using the bound and screens out the insensitive parameters in a controlled manner. In the second step of the proposed strategy, a finite-difference method is applied only for the sensitivity estimation of the (potentially) sensitive parameters that have not been screened out in the first step. Results on an epidermal growth factor network with fifty parameters and on a protein homeostasis with eighty parameters demonstrate that the proposed strategy is able to quickly discover and discard the insensitive parameters and in the remaining potentially sensitive parameters it accurately estimates the sensitivities. The new sensitivity strategy can be several times faster than current state-of-the-art approaches that test all parameters, especially in “sloppy” systems. In particular, the computational acceleration is quantified by the ratio between the total number of parameters over the number of the sensitive parameters.
Detection rates of eastern spotted skunks (Spilogale putorius) in missouri and arkansas using live-capture and non-invasive techniques

The eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius) is a rare species of conservation concern throughout much of its range, but effective management is hampered by a lack of information on appropriate survey strategies. We validated three commonly used techniques to identify the presence of eastern spotted skunks at four sites in Missouri and Arkansas where the species was known to occur. Live-capture with box-traps revealed a strong seasonal pattern in capture success in both states, with virtually all captures occurring between late Sept. and early May. This pattern of detection also occurred when surveys were conducted using non-invasive camera-traps and enclosed track-plates in Missouri. Track-plates were more efficient than camera-traps at detecting eastern spotted skunks, with a lower latency to initial detection (LTD) and higher probability of detection (POD). Our results indicate that the use of enclosed track-plates is a powerful non-invasive technique for detecting eastern spotted skunks when surveys are conducted between late Sept. and early May. Surveys conducted during late spring and summers are inappropriate given the high likelihood of not detecting the species despite its presence.
Fabrication of conductive gelatin methacrylate-polyaniline hydrogels.

Abstract Hydrogels with inherently conductive properties have been recently developed for tissue engineering applications, to serve as bioactive scaffolds to electrically stimulate cells and modulate their function. In this work, we have used interfacial polymerization of aniline monomers within gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) to develop a conductive hybrid composite. We demonstrate that as compared to pure GelMA, GelMA–polyaniline (GelMA–Pani) composite has similar swelling properties and compressive modulus, comparable cell adhesion and spreading responses, and superior electrical properties. Additionally, we demonstrate that GelMA–Pani composite can be printed in complex user-defined geometries using digital projection stereolithography, and will be useful in developing next-generation bioelectrical interfaces. Statement of Significance We report the fabrication of a conductive hydrogel using naturally-derived gelatin methyacrylate (GelMA) and inherently conductive polyaniline (Pani). This work is significant, as GelMA-Pani composite has superior electrical properties as compared to pure Gelma, all the while maintaining biomimetic physical and biocompatible properties. Moreover, the ability to fabricate conductive-GelMA in complex user-defined micro-geometries, address the significant processing challenges associated with all inherently conductive polymers including Pani. The methodology described in this work can be extended to several conductive polymers and hydrogels, to develop new biocompatible electrically active interfaces.
Way to Represent: The Role of Black Lawyers in Contemporary American Democracy

The legal profession has articulated a commitment to racial diversity. This essay attempts to articulate the unique contribution that black lawyers make to the legal profession and the role black lawyers play in strengthening our democracy.
Cutaneous horn: get to the bottom of it.

A 62-year-old man presented to our family practice office with a skin lesion that developed over 8–10 months. Over the past 2–3 months the lesion grew more quickly. A 2–3 cm, hard brown projection was noted on the dorsal aspect of his hand. A decision was made to excise the lesion and send it for pathological evaluation. The lesion was found to be a cutaneous horn with invasive squamous cell carcinoma at the base. The margins of the sample were free of cancer cells. Cutaneous horns are raised skin lesions made of dead keratin derived from base keratinocytes. They are frequently found in areas of the body that have had solar exposure. There are a wide variety of histopathological findings at the base of these lesions. They range from benign to premalignant to malignant. Cutaneous horns should be completely excised and sent for pathological evaluation.
A Damage Tolerance Study of Curvilinearly Stiffened Panels with Different Crack Lengths Using a Global-local Finite Element Method

Motivated by a need for understanding the damage tolerance of unitized structures fabricated using the modern additive manufacturing process, fracture analysis of curvilinearly stiffened panels, unitized structures, with different crack lengths were performed by using a global-local finite element method under three different load cases: a) shear, b) normal, and c) combined load cases. It was observed that, in most of the cases, 85% data storage space and the same amount in CPU time requirement could be saved using the global-local finite element method compared to the standard global finite element analysis. It was also observed that the fracture mode in panels with different crack lengths was essentially Mode-I under the normal load case; Mode-II under the shear load case; and again Mode-I under the combined load case. Under the maximum combined loading condition, the largest effective stress intensity factor of the panel with a crack of recommended size was very smaller than the critical stress intensity factor. Therefore, considering the critical stress intensity factor, the stiffened panel was an optimum design satisfying damage tolerance constraints.
Study of the reaction p + d → He 3 + x 0

The missing-mass technique has been used to study the spectra of neutral mesons produced by 2- and 3-Gev protons in the reaction $p+d\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\mathrm{He}}^{3}+{x}^{0}$. Cross sections ($\frac{d\ensuremath{\sigma}}{{d\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}}$) of about ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}34}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$/sr were observed for the $\ensuremath{\pi}$, $\ensuremath{\eta}$, and $\ensuremath{\omega}$ for 3-GeV protons. A peak with a much smaller cross section was observed at a mass of 956 MeV. We have tentatively identified this peak as the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$. Cross sections for the $\ensuremath{\pi}$ and $\ensuremath{\eta}$ were nearly a factor of 10 larger at 2 GeV than at 3 GeV. Deviations from simple phase space were observed near the two-pion threshold in both 2-GeV and 3-GeV data. Details of the experimental method and of the results are presented.
A Comparison of Intrusive and Prescriptive Advising of Psychology Majors at an Urban Comprehensive University

To investigate whether intrusive advising is effective for nontraditional students at an urban comprehensive university, we compared it with prescriptive advising in a 3-year trial of randomly sele...
Effect of 2-methyl-9 alpha fluorohydrocortisone on internal distribution of fluid and electrolytes of fasted adrenalectomized dogs.

Summary2-methyl-9a-fluorohydrocortisone will revive adrenalectomized dogs from severe insufficiency and restore them to normal health within 48-60 hours even though they are deprived of food and water during recovery. The steroid fully corrects the distorted fluid and electrolyte equilibria of the blood. The lowered arterial pressure, serum Na and Cl increase to normal levels, the elevated serum K and blood urea nitrogen fall, while accompanying these changes, hemodilution occurs along with a diuresis and further loss of fluid, Na and Cl. When adrenal hormones are lacking, water and salt are not only lost in urine and other excretions but perhaps equally important, are immobilized in cells and tissues. Following administration of potent steroid ample fluid and salt are redistributed to the extracellular and intravascular compartment with complete disappearance of symptoms and return of activity and vigor.
Graphitic Carbon Materials for Energy Applications

In this talk, we will summarize our work on the research and development of graphitic carbon nanomaterials for advanced energy conversion and storage, along with some discussions on challenges and perspectives in this exciting field.
Syringe exchange: HIV prevention, key findings, and future directions.

HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) has now been documented in over 60 countries in the world, and there are an additional 40 countries where injecting drug use has been reported including widespread epidemics in Southeast and southern Asia and in Latin America. At present HIV infection is almost always fatal, and there is no promise that a preventive vaccine will become available soon. Given the enormity of the HIV epidemic among IDUs and the critical need to reduce the spread of HIV transmission to and from IDUs, prevention efforts are essential. Syringe-exchange programs have become a major component of HIV prevention strategies in most developed countries and work within the philosophy of harm reduction. Increasing access to sterile syringes has been met with considerable controversy. Opponents of syringe exchange have generally argued that increasing access to sterile syringes would simultaneously increase the number of injecting drug users, increase the frequency of injection for already active ID...
The serum lipoprotein profile in veterans with paraplegia: the relationship to nutritional factors and body mass index.

ABSTRACTIndividuals with spinal cord injury have a shortened life expectancy, with coronary heart disease as a leading cause of death. Identifying potentially reversible risk factors would be expected to be of value in the long-term care of the person with a spinal cord injury. We addressed the relationships among diet, body mass index, and serum lipid levels in 28 veterans with paraplegia compared to 52 age-matched ambulatory veteran controls. There are no significant differences in body mass index or in total caloric, saturated fat, or cholesterol intake between those with paraplegia and the control group. The serum HDL cholesterol level is significantly lower in those with paraplegia compared to the control group (35±2 vs 49±2 mg/dL). There are no significant differences noted in serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, or triglycerides between the groups. Total caloric intake decreases significantly with age in the control subjects but not in the subjects with paraplegia. Inverse correlations are fou...
Hemangioma treatment with pulsed dye laser-distinct parameters used between neonatal and non-neonatal patients.

Background: Pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatment remains the standard of care for infantile hemangiomas (IHs). However, the use of PDL to treat IHs in neonates has been hardly reported. In this study, the PDL treatments of IHs between neonatal and non-neonatal patients were retrospectively investigated. Methods: All patients diagnosed with hemangiomas were treated by PDL. Their clinical data were collected, and the treatment outcomes and PDL parameters in neonates and non-neonates were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U-rank test. Results: All patients reached good or excellent scale in the treatment efficiency assessment. Laser energy used per treatment session was significantly lower in neonatal group than in non-neonatal group (Z = −8.980, P < 0.001). Total laser energy used in neonates was also markedly lower than that in non-neonatal patients (Z = −3.065, P = 0.002). However, treatment session numbers in these two groups were not significantly different (Z = −1.725, P = 0.085). Additionally, we observed t...
Regulation of peptide-π-peptide nanostructure bundling: the impact of ‘cruciform’ π-electron segments

Abstract The self-assembly and photophysical properties of peptide-π-peptide molecules with ‘cruciform’ presentation of the π-electron core were studied. Derivatives of 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene were incorporated into a peptide backbone via the alkynylation of a central phenyl biscarboxamide core to yield peptide-π-peptide trimers wherein the π-conjugated unit was oblique to the peptide backbone. These molecules exhibited pH triggered self-assembly and yielded 1-D nanostructures with controlled diameters closely corresponding to their molecular lengths. We postulate that this size control is due to the oblique oligophenyleneethynylene (OPE) chromophores effectively blocking the hierarchical associations among the peptide stacks initially formed after self-assembly. Although the molecular design appeared to frustrate the higher order assembly, regardless of the peptide or OPE composition, significant variations in the photophysical properties were observed. The molecular design principles described here can be used to develop fundamental understanding of properties of self-assembled peptide based nanostructures of interest in biotechnological applications.
Sporadic inclusion body myositis misdiagnosed as idiopathic granulomatous myositis

We present a case of a 65-year-old woman who was previously diagnosed with idiopathic granulomatous myositis and treated with immunosuppressive therapy for the next 10 years before a clinical diagnosis of inclusion body myositis was made. A review of the previously performed muscle biopsy showed most of the cardinal myopathologic features of sporadic inclusion body myositis, in addition to the granuloma. Her clinical course was strongly suggestive of inclusion body myositis with selective asymmetric weakness of forearm flexor muscles and quadriceps. This report highlights the importance of correlating clinical picture with muscle pathology changes along with judicious use of magnetic resonance imaging and serological studies to establish a definite diagnosis.
Pliable Index COding: Novel lower bound on the fraction of satisfied clients with a single transmission and its application

This work studies the Pliable Index CODing problem (PICOD), a variation of the classical index coding problem where a client is satisfied if it can successfully decode at least one massage not present in its side information set. PICOD models ‘content-type coding’ applications, such as web searches. PICOD significantly differs from classical index coding (where each client desires a specific message not present in its side information set) in the following sense. Past work showed that for PICOD O(log n) broadcast transmissions suffice to satisfy all the n clients, as opposed to the Ω(n) transmissions required by index coding; the key to this exponential improvement in number of transmissions is a probabilistic argument to show that a single transmission can satisfy at least a constant fraction of the clients. This paper elaborates further on this key result as follows. (i) A non-probabilistic analysis provides a lower bound, no smaller than 1/e, on the largest fraction of PICOD clients that can be satisfied by a single transmission in the case where all side information sets have the same cardinality; the new bound is tighter than known ones for any number of messages and clients, and sheds light into how the cardinality of the side information sets affects the number of clients satisfied by a single transmission. (ii) The same argument applied to the case where a message is in the side information set of any given client with probability p ∈ (0, 1) independent of all other messages and clients, and when there are sufficiently many messages, provides an more refined characterization of the performance than known results.
Pediatric Concussion Management in the Emergency Department: A National Survey of Parents

Objective To examine parental expectations and beliefs about diagnosis and management of pediatric concussion. Study design We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of a nationally representative panel of US parents in March 2014. Parents of 10- to 17-year-old children responded to questions about their expectations and beliefs about diagnosis and management of pediatric concussion in the emergency department (ED). Weighted percentages for descriptive statistics were calculated, and χ2 statistics were used for bivariate analysis. Results Survey participation was 53%, and of 912 parent respondents with a child 10-17 years of age who were presented with a scenario of their child having mild symptoms of concussion, 42% would seek immediate ED care. Parents who would seek immediate ED care for this scenario were more likely than parents who would consult their child's usual provider or wait at home to "definitely expect" imaging (65% vs 21%), definitive diagnosis of concussion (77% vs 61%), a timeline for return to activity (80% vs 60%), and a signed return to play form (55% vs 41%). Conclusions Many parents who bring children to the ED following a possible concussion are likely to expect comprehensive and definitive care, including imaging, a definitive diagnosis, a timeline for return to activity, and a signed return to play form. To manage these expectations, healthcare providers should continue to educate parents about the evaluation and management of concussion.
Examining Negotiation Strategies in the B2C Context: Consumer Persuasion Knowledge vs. Seller Negotiation Techniques: An Extended Abstract

Negotiation is a pivotal point in a sales exchange. The negotiation ability of the buyer is strongly related to the buyer’s satisfaction with the exchange. In order to influence the negotiation process, sellers also have to possess negotiation techniques that are advantageous to their firm. While the occurrence and acceptance of negotiation in B2C settings has increased, marketers still seem torn as to whether negotiating with customers is a good idea. The purpose of this research is to examine the role of negotiations in the B2C process using the context of co-production of the deal. We suggest that the sellers’ negotiation strategies, as well as the buyer’s (in this case the consumer’s) knowledge of persuasion, will have a significant impact on the satisfaction both parties achieve from the exchange.