cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phylogenetic evidence for two new insect-associated Chlamydia of the family Simkaniaceae.

On the basis of 16S–23S ribosomal DNA analyses, the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Sternorrhyncha, Aleyrodidae) and the eriococcid Eriococcus spurius (Sternorrhyncha, Eriococcidae) were each found to harbor novel related chlamydial species within the family Simkaniaceae. The generic designation Fritschea gen. nov. is proposed to accommodate the two species, F. bemisiae sp. nov. and F. eriococci sp. nov. The finding of chlamydial 16S–23S ribosomal DNA in B. tabaci is consistent with a previous electron microscopy study which found that bacteriocytes of this species contain structures that we consider to resemble the elementary and reticulate bodies of chlamydia (Costa HS, Westcot DM, Ullman DE, Rosell R, Brown JK, Johnson MW. Protoplasma 189:194–202, 1995). The cloning and sequencing of a 16.6 kilobase DNA fragment from F. bemisiae indicated that it contains six genes encoding for proteins similar to those found in other species of chlamydia. These results extend the range of organisms that harbor chlamydia.
B and D meson decay constants in lattice QCD

We have calculated the decay constants of B and D mesons with lattice QCD. We use an O(a)-improved action that takes light quark actions as a starting point, tuned so that it can be directly applied at the physical masses of the b and c quarks. Our results are f{sub B}=164{sub {minus}11}{sup +14}{plus_minus}8thinspMeV, f{sub B{sub s}}=185{sub {minus}8}{sup +13}{plus_minus}9thinspMeV, f{sub D}=194{sub {minus}10}{sup +14}{plus_minus}10thinspMeV, and f{sub D{sub s}}=213{sub {minus}11}{sup +14}{plus_minus}11thinspMeV in the quenched approximation. The first error in each case is statistical, and the second is from perturbation theory. We show that discretization errors are under control in our approach and smaller than our statistical errors. The effects of the quenched approximation may raise our quenched result by up to 10{percent}. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}
Investigating the distribution of personal income obtained from the recent U.S. data

Abstract This study considered the conservation of money in a closed economic system. In such system, the probability distribution of money is exponential, and similar to the Boltzmann–Gibbs function in a closed energy system. The theoretical concept of econophysics is compared here with empirical data. The current work analyzes the recent data with regard to personal income distribution obtained from United States Census Bureau for the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. The data was best fitted with the exponential function, which supports the theoretical assumption for the income of the majority of the population. This study also investigates this distribution for a population with high personal income.
Screening Performance of the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale—Spanish Version

The purpose Puerto Rican/Caribbean (n = 68), Mexican (n = 64), and Central/South American (n = 18). For the three subgroups, the PDSS total score alpha reliabilities were .96, .95, and .95, respectively. Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, a cutoff score of 60 is recommended as a positive screen for combined major and minor depression. This cutoff point obtained a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 84%. When compared to the original English version of the PDSS, the psychometrics for the Spanish version were slightly lower but well within the acceptable range.
Experiments with departure time choice dynamics of urban commuters

Abstract A modeling framework is presented for investigating the dynamic properties of a system of commuters located along a highway facility. The day-to-day evolution of the time-dependent user departure patterns and associated system performance are investigated in a series of simulation experiments. User departure time decisions are modeled through the use of simple heuristics, including mechanisms to incorporate the experience accumulated through repeated use of the facility. The performance of the facility given the users' decisions is obtained from a special-purpose macroscopic traffic simulation model. Alternative user choice rules and learning models are explored as to their effect on system performance and its dynamic properties.
Prestige ranking of the housewife occupation

Basic research about women, in the areas of sex roles, in family, stratification, etc., has been hindered by the omission of nonemployed women as participants in the stratification system. Using a sample survey of 501 women, this paper presents a measure of the prestige ranking of nonemployed women — the housewife — which is compatible with the Duncan Socioeconomic Index. The score is relatively stable across social categories and suffers little aggrandizement effect, making it a suitable tool for routine use.
Different views of the Grand Canyon

Each year the spectacular scenery of the Grand Canyon of Arizona awes its more than 4,000,000 visitors. Just as its enormous scale dwarfs our human sense of space, its geology also dwarfs our human sense of time. Perhaps here, more than anywhere else on the planet, we can experience a sense of “Deep Time.” The colorful rocks exposed in the vertical walls of the canyon display a span of 1.8 billion years of Earth's history [Beus and Morales, 2003]. But wait! There is a different view! According to Vail [2003], this time span is only 6,000 years and the Grand Canyon and its rocks are a record of the Biblical 6 days of creation and Noah's flood. During a visit to Grand Canyon, in August 2003, I learned that Vail's book, Grand Canyon: A Different View, is being sold within the National Park.
Amateur volleyball attackers competing despite shoulder pain: analysis of play habits, anthropometric data, and specific pathologies

Abstract Objectives: Our purpose was to collect and analyze information on spiking and playing habits, anthropometric data and shoulder pathologies among competitive volleyball players with spiking-related shoulder pain, in order to gain new understanding of the unique task of spiking. Design: Each subject completed a four-page questionnaire and a standard musculoskeletal shoulder examination. Information from these was integrated into a database and analyzed. Significant findings and associations were reported. Setting/participants: Thirty amateur competitive volleyball attackers (21 males, nine females) were recruited from three tournaments. Results: Seven subjects reported that they could spike without pain only when spiking across their body. Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests revealed significant dominant side scapular lateralization ( P =0·02). Twenty-five subjects presented with anterior glenohumeral capsular laxity and/or posterior capsular tightness in the dominant shoulder. Moderation correlation (r=0·58, P
NONLOCAL SEPARABLE SOLUTIONS OF THE INVERSE SCATTERING PROBLEM

We extend the nonlocal separable potential solutions of Gourdin and Martin for the inverse scattering problem to the case where sin δ0 has more than N zeroes, δ0 being the s-wave scattering phase shift and δ0(0) − δ0(∞) = Nπ. As an example we construct the solution for the particular case of 4He and show how to incorporate a weakly bound state. Using a local square well potential chosen to mimic the real 4He potential, we compare the off-shell extension of the nonlocal potential solution with the exactly solvable square well. We then discuss how a nonlocal potential might be used to simplify the many-body problem of liquid 4He.
Systems as clusters

General systems theory (GST) is a relatively young interdisciplinary approach which studies interrelationships among relatively homogeneous groups of components. Numerical taxonomy (NT) is very smilar in these respects. Ironically, discourse between these complementary approaches is virtually nonexistent. The purpose of this article is to help rectify this lack of intercourse by discussing continuities and discontinuities between the two approaches. The major thrust of this article is to examine the contribution that NT can make to GST. To this end we discuss five distinctions that are emphasized by numerical taxonomists and which can also be applied to systems. These are: (1) Q- versus R-analysis; (2) form of linkage among components; (3) strength of intrasystem relationships; (4) monothetic versus polythetic groups; and (5) agglomerative versus divisive methods of group formation. All of these have been emphasized more in NT than GST, and practitioners of GST could profit by becoming familiar with them. On the other hand, GST is ahead of NT in emphasizing boundary analysis and space-time analysis, among others. In addition to these discontinuities, continuities exist in the form of common concerns emphasized by both fields. These include synchronic versus diachronic analysis, naturally occurring versus artificially constructed groups, and levels or hierarchies. These two latter factors are very important for both GST and NT. Living systems are clearly natural (as opposed to artificial) systems, and are studied at various levels (e.g., organism, group, organization, society) in GST. The concepts of natural group and group hierarchies are also stressed in NT. All of the distinctions discussed can be applied to the total system at all levels. The contributions that GST can make to NT remain to be discussed in another article.
Irrigation and fertilization effects on seed number, size, germination and seedling growth: implications for desert shrub establishment

Plants with limited resources adjust partitioning among growth, survival, and reproduction. We tested the effects of water and nutrient amendments on seed production, size, and quality in Sarcobatus vermiculatus (greasewood) to assess the magnitude and importance of changes in reproductive partitioning. In addition, we assessed interactions among the environment of seed-producing plants (adult plant scale), seed size, and seedling microenvironment (seedling scale) on successful seedling establishment. Interactions of these factors determine the scale of resource heterogeneity that affects seedling establishment in deserts. Both total number of seeds produced per plant and seed quality (weight and germination) increased significantly in the enriched treatment in a 3-year field experiment. Seedling length 3 days after germination and seed N concentration, other measures of seed quality, were higher for seed from both irrigated and enriched plants than for seed from control plants. Field S. vermiculatus seed production and quality can be substantially increased with irrigation and nutrient enrichment at the adult plant scale and this allows management of seed availability for restoration. However, based on a greenhouse study, seedling environment, not the environment of the seed-producing plant or seed size, was the most important factor affecting seedling germination, survival, and growth. Thus it appears that production of more seed may be more important than improved seed quality, because higher quality seed did not compensate for a low-resource seedling environment. For both natural establishment and restoration this suggests that heterogeneity at the scale of seedling microsites, perhaps combined with fertilization of adult shrubs (or multi-plant patches), would produce the greatest benefit for establishing seedlings in the field.
Benefit of wind turbine preview control as a function of measurement coherence and preview time

Wind turbine control is typically feedback only, relying on measurements from a generator-speed sensor, and sometimes strain gauges and accelerometers. Recently, lidar and other technologies that provide a preview measurement of the incoming wind speed are also becoming available. This raises a question: How much benefit do these preview measurements provide? In this paper, we focus on answering this question for wind turbine collective blade pitch control in above-rated wind speeds, with the objective of minimizing a cost function that includes both generator-speed error and blade pitch actuation. We assume the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Kaimal wind spectrum and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) 5-MW turbine model, linearized at various operating points (wind speeds). We then use ℌ2 synthesis to design an optimal combined feedforward/feedback controller that depends on both the amount of preview time available in the wind speed measurement, and the coherence between the wind measurement and the wind that is actually felt by the turbine. Finally, we show how the resulting closed-loop cost decreases as a function of measurement quality (coherence bandwidth) and preview time.We include the special case where measurement coherence equals zero, which is equivalent to no feedforward (feedback-only) control. Results show the benefit of wind turbine preview control as a function of measurement coherence and preview time.
Conjugation to increase treatment volume during local therapy: a case study with PEGylated camptothecin.

Controlled release of chemotherapy drugs from polymer implants placed directly at the tumor site is a proven method for treatment of cancers of the brain. Although this method provides high doses of drug at the tumor site, the drug does not penetrate far enough into the brain for optimum treatment in most cases. Rapid drug elimination leads to more than a 10-fold drop in concentration within 2 mm of the implant. Conjugation to water-soluble polymers, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) or dextran, has the potential to increase drug distribution in the brain. We have recently PEGylated the chemotherapy drug camptothecin and found a large increase in the extent of distribution of camptothecin in the rat brain, but most of the drug in tissue was in the less-active conjugated form. Stability of the conjugation bond, activity of the drug–polymer conjugate, solubility of the conjugate relative to the drug, and molecular weight of the polymer must all be considered in the design of a conjugate to maximize drug d...
Management of Recurrent Inguinal Hernias

The ultimate measure of success of inguinal hernia repair is the rate of recurrence. Although other procedure-related complications are important and have been shown to affect healthrelated quality-of-life parameters, recurrence is more challenging for the patients and the surgeon. From the patients’ perspective, the initial physical and mental investment in the operation has failed. A new investment has to be made, with fewer guarantees for success, more risks for more serious complications, and more time off from work. For the surgeon, repair of a recurrent inguinal hernia is technically more demanding because scar tissue causes the inguinal canal to be obscured and distorted. In addition, the tissue tends to be weaker than at the time of primary repair, resulting in a substantially higher risk for complications or development of another recurrence. Although much has been published about primary repair of inguinal hernias, less is known about the best approach to address a recurrent hernia. In this review, we address the “pros and cons” of popular surgical approaches and watchful waiting for recurrent inguinal hernias and indications for each. In the absence of best evidence in this field, the authors present an opinion based on their experience and a review of the available literature primarily extracted from large trials and large cohorts for inguinal hernia repair in general.
AN EXTENSION OF THE EM ALGORITHM FOR OPTIMIZATION OF CONSTRAINED LIKELIHOOD: AN APPLICATION IN TOXICOLOGY

Since its introduction in the mid 1970's, the EM algorithm has found a widespread popularity for solving the likelihood equations. Several investigators have used the algorithm in a variety of problems with incomplete information to obtain maximum likelihood estimates in numerous applications. The algorithm, however, becomes inappropriate when the underlying equations are subject to some constraints. Although an extension has been proposed to derive solutions when the parameters are subject to a set of linear constraints, the evaluation of likelihood equations from incomplete data when the equations are subject to a nonlinear constraint is still an open problem. Here, we consider a mixture model, a classical example of incomplete data, and discuss the problem of maximum likelihood estimation of the model parameters when the parameters have to satisfy a nonlinear constraint. An extension of the EM algorithm based on the celebrated Lagrange multiplier will be proposed to solve the equations. An application ...
A unique selenoprotein isolated from yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) liver.

Abstract 1. 1. A selenoprotein, with an approximate molecular weight of 2000, was isolated from yellowfin tuna ( Thunnus albacares ) liver. 2. 2. The selenium (Se) content of this selenoprotein fraction represented greater than 50% of the Se in the original liver extract. Most of the unrecovered Se was left in the pellet following homogenization. 3. 3. Although the protein was very sensitive to oxidizing conditions, it remained stable in the presence of reducing agents such as glutathione and dithiothreitol under a nitrogen atmosphere. 4. 4. After preparative isoelectric focusing of the purified selenoprotein, selenium was detected in three distinct bands, with the predominant band occurring at pH 6.2.
Unrecognized Pulmonary Venous Desaturation Early After Norwood Palliation Confounds Q̇p:Q̇s Assessment and Compromises Oxygen Delivery

Background—Hemodynamic stability after Norwood palliation often requires manipulation of pulmonary vascular resistance to alter the pulmonary-to-systemic blood flow ratio (Qp:Qs). Qp:Qs is often estimated from arterial saturation (Sao2), a practice based on 2 untested assumptions: constant systemic arteriovenous O2 difference and normal pulmonary venous saturation. Methods and Results—In 12 patients early (≤3 days) after Norwood palliation, simultaneous arterial, superior vena caval (Ssvco2), and pulmonary venous (Spvo2) oximetry was used to test whether Sao2 accurately predicts Qp:Qs. Stepwise multiple regression assessed the contributions of Sao2, Ssvco2, and Spvo2 to Qp:Qs determination. Sao2 correlated weakly with Qp:Qs (R2=0.08, P<0.05). Inclusion of Ssvco2 and Spvo2 improved Qp:Qs prediction accuracy. Pulmonary venous desaturation (Spvo2 <95%) was observed frequently (30%), especially at Fio2 ≤0.21, but normalized with higher Fio2 or PEEP in all patients. In 6 patients, Fio2 was increase...
Maximum likelihood estimation for stochastic first order reactions

Small sample properties of the maximum likelihood estimator for the rate constant of a stochastic first order reaction are investigated. The approximate bias and variance of the maximum likelihood estimator are derived and tabulated. If observations of the system are made at timesiτ,i=1, 2, ...,N; τ>0, the observational spacing τ which minimizes the approximate variance of the maximum likelihood estimator is found. The non-applicability of large sample theory to confidence interval derivation is demonstrated by examination of the relative likelihood. Bartlett’s method is employed to derive approximate confidence limits, and is illustrated by using simulated kinetic runs.
Multipactor electron discharge physics using an improved secondary emission model

This study details particle-in-cell simulations of the multipactor effect and discharges created using this effect. A detailed secondary emission model which accounts for the energy and impact angle dependence of yield is developed to simulate accurately the phenomenon. It is shown that a steady state multipactor can be built up from a very low density initial electron distribution and an oscillatory steady state can be achieved. Steady state is reached when the cavity detuning and space charge of the built-up beam balance the phase focusing. The results for a more accurate secondary electron distribution are compared with simpler analytic models and extended. It is shown that, while the energy spread of secondary electrons differs from the monoenergetic analytical model, the weighted average energy is the same. Resistive loading of the circuit due to multipacting electrons is presented. The behavior of the system with Q values of between 20 and 200 is discussed.
Human Rights and Pluralism in Catholic Social Thought

The essay argues that a Catholic tradition of natural law and its conception of human rights depend on the continuing life of institutions that stand apart from and sustain standards of justice independent from the modern state and its corresponding economy. Christians contribute to a defense of human rights precisely as members of their Churches, through their social and institutional presence across the globe. Catholic social thought deals with matters of human rights from within a tradition of natural law that assumes a common human end, a common good. This ecclesiological tradition of the human good is precisely what Catholics have to offer in a context of pluralism. The Church has a task of sustaining institutions where its practical rationality about human goods offers a practical alternative in a world where the self-interest of states and purely economic interests win the day.
Effects of method, duration, and sleep stage on rebounds from sleep deprivation in the rat

Total sleep deprivation (TSD) of rats for 24 hours or less by continually enforced locomotion has consistently produced subsequent rebounds of slow-wave or high-amplitude EEG activity in NREM sleep, which has contributed to the widely held view that this EEG activity reflects particularly "intense" or restorative sleep. These rebounds usually have been accompanied by substantial rebounds of REM sleep. In contrast, chronic TSD (2 weeks or longer) by the disk-over-water (DOW) method has produced only huge, long-lasting rebounds of REM sleep with no rebound of high-amplitude NREM sleep. To evaluate whether the different rebounds result from different methods or from different lengths of deprivation, rats were subjected to 24-hour TSD by the DOW method. Rebounds included increases in high-amplitude and slow-wave activity; i.e., the methods produced similar rebound patterns following short-term TSD. (Chronic TSD by continually enforced locomotion would be strategically difficult and severely confounded with motor fatigue.) Rats subjected to DOW-TSD for 4 days, well before the development of severe TSD symptoms, showed primarily REM sleep rebounds. Rats subjected to 1 day of selective REM sleep deprivation, but not their closely yoked control rats, showed large, significant REM sleep rebounds, which evidently were not induced by the stress of the deprivation method per se. The combined findings prompted reexamination of published evidence relevant to "sleep intensity," including "negative rebounds," rebounds in other species, the effects of stress and fatigue, depth of sleep indicators, and extended sleep. The review points out pitfalls in the designation of any specific pattern as intense sleep.
Decentralized Dynamic Surface Control of Large-Scale Interconnected Systems in Strict-Feedback Form Using Neural Networks With Asymptotic Stabilization

A novel neural network (NN)-based nonlinear decentralized adaptive controller is proposed for a class of large-scale, uncertain, interconnected nonlinear systems in strict-feedback form by using the dynamic surface control (DSC) principle, thus, the “explosion of complexity” problem which is observed in the conventional backstepping approach is relaxed in both state and output feedback control designs. The matching condition is not assumed when considering the interconnection terms. Then, NNs are utilized to approximate the uncertainties in both subsystem and interconnected terms. By using novel NN weight update laws with quadratic error terms as well as proposed control inputs, it is demonstrated using Lyapunov stability that the system states errors converge to zero asymptotically with both state and output feedback controllers, even in the presence of NN approximation errors in contrast with the uniform ultimate boundedness result, which is common in the literature with NN-based DSC and backstepping schemes. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the approach.
Pipelined broadcast on Ethernet switched clusters

We consider unicast-based pipelined broadcast schemes for clusters connected by multiple Ethernet switches. By splitting a large broadcast message into segments and broadcasting the segments in a pipelined fashion, pipelined broadcast may achieve very high performance. We develop algorithms for computing various contention-free broadcast trees on Ethernet switched clusters that are suitable for pipelined broad-cast, and evaluate the schemes through experimentation. The conclusions drawn from our theoretical and experimental study include the following. First, pipelined broadcast can be more effective than other common broadcast schemes including the ones used in the latest versions of MPICH and LAM/MPI when the message size is sufficiently large. Second, contention-free broadcast trees are essential for pipelined broadcast to achieve high performance. Finally, while it is difficult to determine the optimal message segment size for pipelined broadcast, finding one size that gives good performance is relatively easy.
Evaluation of a Progressive Failure Analysis Methodology for Laminated Composite Structures

A Progressive failure analysis methodology has been developed for predicting the nonlinear response and failure of laminated composite structures. The progressive failure analysis uses C{superscript}1 plate and shell elements based on classical lamination theory to calculate the in-plane stresses. Several failure criteria, including the maximum strain criterion, Hashin''s criterion, and Christensen''s criterion, are used to predict the failure mechanisms. The progressive failure analysis model is implemented into a general purpose finite element code and can predict the damage and response of laminated composite structures from initial loading to final failure.
Secondary current effects on cohesive river bank erosion

[1] The emphasis of this research was placed on the development of a methodology that allows (1) an adequate representation of the distribution of the near-bank shear stress τs when secondary currents are present and (2) estimation of the critical erosional strength τcr and other sediment erodibility parameters for fluvial erosion. These two factors combine to form the overarching objective of this investigation, which was carried out in Union Flat Creek, a stream with pronounced cross-sectional irregularities located within the loess region of the Palouse basin of Washington State, United States. The study has shown that the presence of the secondary currents increases the magnitude of the depth-averaged sidewall shear stress at least by a factor of 2.0. It was also found that the ratio of the maximum to the depth-averaged sidewall shear stress is greater than 5. These findings suggest therefore that use of the may be a good approximation of the fluid shear stress magnitude for simple channel geometries but not for natural channels characterized by complex geometries. The measured critical erosional strength (τcr = 4.16 Pa) was comparable with the findings of other laboratory and field studies that also focused on Palouse sediments.
Cardiac Dysfunction and Mortality in HIV-Infected Children: The Prospective P2C2 HIV Multicenter Study

Background—Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is common in children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but its clinical importance is unclear. Our objective was to determine whether abnormalities of LV structure and function independently predict all-cause mortality in HIV-infected children. Methods and Results—Baseline echocardiograms were obtained on 193 children with vertically transmitted HIV infection (median age, 2.1 years). Children were followed up for a median of 5 years. Cox regression was used to identify measures of LV structure and function predictive of mortality after adjustment for other important demographic and baseline clinical risk factors. The time course of cardiac variables before mortality was also examined. The 5-year cumulative survival was 64%. Mortality was higher in children who, at baseline, had depressed LV fractional shortening (FS) or contractility; increased LV dimension, thickness, mass, or wall stress; or increased heart rate or blood pressure (P≤0.02 ...
ON RATIONAL RADII COIN REPRESENTATIONS OF THE WHEEL GRAPH

A flower is a coin graph representation of the wheel graph. A petal of a flower is an outer coin connected to the center coin. The results of this paper are twofold. First we derive a parametrization of all the rational (and hence integer) radii coins of the 3-petal flower, also known as Apollonian circles or Soddy circles. Secondly we consider a general n-petal flower and show there is a unique irreducible polynomial Pn in n variables over the rationals Q, the affine variety of which contains the cosinus of the internal angles formed by the center coin and two consecutive petals of the flower. In that process we also derive a recursion that these irreducible polynomials satisfy.
Gross anatomy and morphometric evaluation of the canine lacrimal and third eyelid glands.

Objective The lacrimal gland (LG) and the third eyelid gland (TELG) are two intraorbital glands that, in dogs, secrete the aqueous component of the tear film. Despite the central importance of these structures for maintaining ocular surface health, the gross anatomy of the glands remains understudied. We investigated the macroscopic morphometric characteristics of the LG and TELG in three different dog breeds. Procedures Twenty-six dog heads were dissected to expose the LG and TELG; the length, width, thickness, and weight of each were measured. During the dissections, the relationships between the glands and adjacent ocular structures and the blood and nerve supplies to the LG were photo-documented. Results The LG had a flat and irregular shape with morphological variations among dogs. The LG was located on the dorsolateral aspect of the globe underneath the orbital ligament. The average length, width, and thickness (SEM) of the LG (mm) were 16.5 ± 0.7, 12.5 ± 0.4, and 2.7 ± 0.1 and of the TELG 10.5 ± 0.6, 11.0 ± 0.3, and 3.3 ± 0.1, respectively. The mean weights (SD) of the LG and TELG (mg) were 315.7 ± 21.1 and 263.3 ± 13.2, respectively. Beagles were observed to have significantly smaller LGs compared to pit bull terriers and pointer mixed-breed dogs. Conclusions The present study provides detailed normative anatomical and morphometric data for the LG and TELG. These data will aid researchers investigating alterations induced by disease states and should inform strategies for the local delivery of pharmacologic and cellular therapeutics.
Interactive actuation of multiple opto-thermocapillary flow-addressed bubble microrobots

Opto-thermocapillary flow-addressed bubble (OFB) microrobots are a potential tool for the efficient transportation of micro-objects. This microrobot system uses light patterns to generate thermal gradients within a liquid medium, creating thermocapillary forces that actuate the bubble microrobots. An interactive control system that includes scanning mirrors and a touchscreen interface was developed to address up to ten OFB microrobots. Using this system, the parallel and cooperative transportation of 20-μm-diameter polystyrene beads was demonstrated.
Electron traps in p-type GaAsN characterized by deep-level transient spectroscopy

We have used deep level transient spectroscopy to detect traps in p-type GaAsN grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Although minority-carrier electrons are not intentionally injected into the depletion region of the measured samples, electron traps are detected in both Schottky barrier and p-n junction devices. The electron-trap signal can exist using only reverse biases during measurement, and checks of series resistance and minority-carrier injection using an optical source also confirm the electron-trap signal. For dilute-nitrogen p-n junction samples, the electron trap gives the dominant signal peak. The peak's magnitude, which corresponds to trap density, correlates to amounts of nitrogen incorporated during growth and reduced open-circuit voltage during light-characterization. The p-type GaAsN layers have net acceptor carrier concentrations in the mid-10/sup 16/ to low-10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/, as determined by capacitance voltage profiling. The electron-trap concentration is dependent on the N content, but values, when traps are filled to saturation, range from 10/sup 15/ to 10/sup 16/ cm/sup -3/. The electron signal peak shows a shoulder peak on some samples, giving another close energy level. The electron-trap activation energy is somewhat dependent on the trap filling time, but ranges from about 0.15 to 0.30 eV, and is usually near 0.2 eV for the largest peak when filled to saturation.
Steroidal Modulation of Progesterone Secretion by Granulosa Cells from Large Porcine Follicles: A Role for Androgens and Estrogens in Controlling Steroidogenesis

Progesterone (P) secretion in culture by porcine granulose cells aspirated from midto latefollicular phase, 8-10 mm follicles was enhanced by dihydrotestosterone (DIIT) and suppressed by estradiol-17uJ (E) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, enhancement and suppression occurred at concentrations of DHT and E, respectively, characteristic of follicular fluid late in the estrous cycle. Simultaneous addition of 50 ng DHT/ml and 500 ng E/ml demonstrated predominance of the suppressive effect of E. Cells obtained by a mechanical agitation technique, which increased the cell yield 8to 17-fold, also showed enhancement by DHT and suppression by E. The results provide evidence of androgenic and estrogenic modulation of steroidogenesis by highly differentiated granulosa cells from large porcine follicles. This extends similar observations utilizing more immature cells and suggests roles for androgens and estrogens in regulating granulosa cell steroidogenesis throughout follicular development.
Methodologies for using stable isotopes to assess magnesium absorption and secretion in children.

Objective: To provide methodological information regarding the absorption and excretion of dietary magnesium by children and adolescents.Methods: Recently, stable isotope techniques for assessing magnesium absorption and excretion have been developed which allow for these studies to be safely performed in subjects of all ages. In the report, we describe the dosing and sample requirements for such studies.Results: Our data demonstrate that, after oral and intravenous dosing of isotopes, a complete 72-hour urine collection will allow for determination of fractional magnesium absorption. In our study, urinary, but not endogenous fecal magnesium excretion, was closely correlated with magnesium intake (r = 0.47, p = 0.02 vs r = 0.08, p = 0.69). As endogenous fecal magnesium excretion is small relative to urinary magnesium excretion, measurement of endogenous fecal magnesium excretion is not needed to make a reasonable estimate of net magnesium retention for most studies. Using high-precision analytical techniq...
irradiation of the Cerebellum in Infant Rats with Low-Level X-Ray: Histological and Cytological Effects During Infancy and Adulthood

Abstract We examined the morphological consequences of focal irradiation of the cerebellum with successive daily doses of low-level X-ray in 10-, 30-, and 90-day-old rats. The subtotally eliminated external granular layer was reconstituted by 10 days in animals exposed to 1–2 × 200 r and there was little or no reduction in the total area of the cerebellar cortex and its various layers at 30 and 90 days. With higher number of successive daily doses there was (in the affected lobes) decreasingly less regeneration of the external granular layer at 10 days, and there was a proportional reduction in the areas occupied by the molecular and internal granular layers at 30 and 90 days. The reduction in the population of granule cells in adult rats was also proportional to the number of daily exposures during infancy. These lasting effects were attributed not to greater damage done to the germinal layer by the higher number of daily exposures but to a postponement of recovery and hence reduction in the time left for regeneration when cerebellar neurogenesis comes to an end (about 21 days). Even with the highest number of exposures, the number of Purkinje cells was not affected. In the animals exposed to more than two doses of 200 r, lasting morphological and cytological changes were produced. The abnormalities could be traced to events associated with the time course of cell death and regeneration in the external granular layer and to the autonomous but disoriented growth of the Purkinje cells.
Use of describing functions for predicting low-loss AMB performance

Active magnetic bearings (AMBs) offer an alternative to conventional ball bearings. Their main advantages stem from the lack of physical contact between the rotor and the stator, and their potential for active disturbance rejection. AMBs are indispensable for high-speed electromechanical flywheel batteries, which have been proposed recently as a replacement of chemical batteries on-board orbiting satellites. In order to be competitive with chemical batteries, these flywheel batteries must operate at very high speeds and have low dissipative losses. Low-losses imply AMB operation in low flux or current bias. In this paper we analyze the disturbance rejection properties of a recently proposed low-bias AMB controller subject to an imbalance force. We use describing functions to analyze and predict the magnitude of position oscillations of the AMB under the imbalance force.
Epitaxial Mn-doped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductor thin films grown by plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy

A growth window for the Mn effusion cell temperature (TMn) is demonstrated for epitaxial Mn-doped ZnO (MnZnO) thin films grown on sapphire substrates using molecular-beam epitaxy. Within the growth window, the films are ferromagnetic with the largest saturated magnetization occurring at TMn¼ 700 1C. The Curie temperature of these MnZnO diluted magnetic semiconductor thin films is above roomtemperature. The ferromagnetism is weakly anisotropic. Well-resolved near-band-edge photoluminescence emissions dominate the spectra at both low- and room-temperatures. No evident spin polarization on the carriers was detected with the magneto-photoluminescence studies. Magnetoresistance and anomalous Hall effects of the MnZnO thin films were studied. The anomalous Hall coefficient shows a quadratic dependence on the resistivity.
Feeding critically ill patients the right ‘whey’: thinking outside of the box. A personal view

Atrophy of skeletal muscle mass is an almost universal problem in survivors of critical illness and is associated with significant short- and long-term morbidity. Contrary to common practice, the provision of protein/amino acids as a continuous infusion significantly limits protein synthesis whereas intermittent feeding maximally stimulates skeletal muscle synthesis. Furthermore, whey-based protein (high in leucine) increases muscle synthesis compared to soy or casein-based protein. In addition to its adverse effects on skeletal muscle synthesis, continuous feeding is unphysiological and has adverse effects on glucose and lipid metabolism and gastrointestinal function. I propose that critically ill patients’ be fed intermittently with a whey-based formula and that such an approach is likely to be associated with better glycemic control, less hepatic steatosis and greater preservation of muscle mass. This paper provides the scientific basis for my approach to intermittent feeding of critically ill patients.
The persuasive power of pathos in e-commerce web design: a new area for research

In a matter of months, we have witnessed the meteoric rise and fall of e-commerce. Now that the dust is settling, it is time to examine how some companies are succeeding where others have failed. In this paper I suggest that good web design is vital to e-business and that pathos (emotional appeal) plays a key role in a design's persuasive power. Advertisers have long understood this concept. As e-commerce attempts to revolutionize the business world, let class rhetoric serve as the theoretical foundation for a new and exciting area of research.
Synaptic Interactions between Thalamic Inputs to Simple Cells in Cat Visual Cortex

We performed experiments in the cat geniculocortical pathway, in vivo, to examine how presynaptic spikes interact to influence the firing of postsynaptic targets. In particular, we asked (1) how do multiple spikes from a single presynaptic neuron interact to influence the firing of a postsynaptic target (homosynaptic interactions), (2) how do spikes from two different presynaptic neurons interact (heterosynaptic interactions), and (3) what is the time course of homosynaptic and heterosynaptic interactions? We found that both homosynaptic and heterosynaptic interactions increase the likelihood of driving a postsynaptic spike, although with different time courses. For two spikes traveling down a single geniculate axon, the second spike is more effective than the first for approximately 15 msec. For two spikes on separate axons, the interaction is faster ( approximately 7 msec duration, approximately 2.5 msec time constant). Thus changes in firing rate are perhaps best relayed by homosynaptic interactions, whereas heterosynaptic interactions may help detect coincident spikes from different thalamic inputs.
UTP as an Extracellular Signaling Molecule

In addition to their central role in many biochemical processes, uridine nucleotides are important extracellular signaling molecules that regulate a broad spectrum of cell functions via activation of P2Y2, P2Y4, and P2Y6 receptors. Cellular release of UTP provides a mechanism for autocrine control of calcium- or protein kinase C–dependent processes.
Affinity Programs and the Real Estate Brokerage Industry

This study surveys active real estate brokers on their involvement in affinity programs and referral/relocation networks. Some survey results regarding affinity involvement are: (1) 13% of responde...
Premeditated Management: The Law Library as a Long-Term Project

At the most elementary level, librarians are administrators, regardless of what the cards on their desks or signs on their doors read. To be successful, a librarian must have the skills of a project manager, which include organization; initiative; flexibility; assessment; time management; delegation; as well as social/political savvy and communication. These skills are necessary for survival in a busy academic law library because you can be asked to do anything from reference to collection development, and more often to do multiple tasks with competing deadlines. Law libraries are very compartmentalized institutions, and this segregation often leads to departmental tunnel vision and unbalanced visions for the library. However, if the skills of a project manager are applied in creating and implementing the agenda of a law library, the approach becomes more holistic. All aspects of the library are taken into consideration in creating the road maps to the library's goals. These considerations include external perceptions and needs; the effectiveness of current internal processes and needs; and accurate measurement of individual personnel expertise and how it is being utilized.
Abstract 291: ERK1/2 pathway activation controls epithelial-mesenchymal transition in NSCLC cells.

Understanding and overcoming the cellular mechanisms that underlie de novo and acquired therapy resistance remains a challenge in treating many cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Despite the prevalence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) over-activation in NSCLC and other cancers, most patients are resistant to EGFR inhibitors. A number of studies have linked mesenchymal cellular phenotypes and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) with resistance to chemotherapeutics and EGFR inhibitors across cancer types. Here, we demonstrate in NSCLC cells that MAPK/ERK signaling plays a key role in determining mesenchymal cellular characteristics and response to the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib. In cultured NSCLC cell lines, pharmacological inhibition of MEK pushed cells toward a more epithelial phenotype and prevented EMT induction by exogenous transforming growth factor beta. In addition, chronic MEK inhibition synergistically enhanced cellular sensitivity to gefitinib in a reversible manner and slowed cell migration in wound healing assays in NSCLC cell lines with both de novo and acquired resistance to gefitinib. Importantly, our results demonstrate that the observed cell phenotypic changes occur on a time scale corresponding to that with which epithelial and mesenchymal marker expression change in response to ERK inhibition. This time scale is much larger than that for changes in ERK activity itself, reflecting the need for downstream ERK-dependent processes to affect phenotypic changes. Changes in the same cellular phenotypes and associated changes in epithelial and mesenchymal markers also occurred as a result of KRAS mutant expression in a MEK-dependent manner. Overall, this study draws a strong connection between ERK pathway activation and mesenchymal characteristics in NSCLC and suggests potential new opportunities for expanding the efficacy of currently available EGFR inhibitors. Citation Format: Janine M. Buonato, Matthew J. Lazzara. ERK1/2 pathway activation controls epithelial-mesenchymal transition in NSCLC cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 291. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-291
The Metals/Materials Dichtomy: Real or Apparent?

Some of the reasons for and the developing impact of the rapid broadening of the field of materials are presented and the impact of the concomitant shift away from the domination of metals on education and research is assesed. Both the opportunities presented by this view of the materials spectrum and the inherent dangers of over reaction and hyperbole are presented.