cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intelligent Control of Crowdsourcing

Crowd-sourcing labor markets (e.g., Amazon Mechanical Turk) are booming, because they enable rapid construction of complex workflows that seamlessly mix human computation with computer automation. Example applications range from photo tagging to audio-visual transcription and interlingual translation. Similarly, workflows on citizen science sites (e.g. GalaxyZoo) have allowed ordinary people to pool their effort and make interesting discoveries. Unfortunately, constructing a good workflow is difficult, be- cause the quality of the work performed by humans is highly variable. Typically, a task designer will experiment with several alternative workflows to accomplish a task, varying the amount of redundant labor, until she devises a control strategy that delivers acceptable performance. Fortunately, this control challenge can often be formulated as an automated planning problem ripe for algorithms from the probabilistic planning and reinforcement learning literature. I describe our recent work on the decision-theoretic control of crowd sourcing and suggest open problems for future research.
A Genetic Dissection of Breed Composition and Performance Enhancement in the Alaskan Sled Dog

The Alaskan sled dog offers a rare opportunity to investigate the development of a dog breed based solely on performance, rather than appearance, thus setting the breed apart from most others. Several established breeds, many of which are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), have been introduced into the sled dog population to enhance racing performance. We have used molecular methods to ascertain the constitutive breeds used to develop successful sled dog lines, and in doing so, determined the breed origins of specific performance-related behaviors. One hundred and ninety-nine Alaskan sled dogs were genotyped using 96 microsatellite markers that span the canine genome. These data were compared to that from 141 similarly genotyped purebred dog breeds. Sled dogs were evaluated for breed composition based on a variety of performance phenotypes including speed, endurance and work ethic, and the data stratified based on population structure. We observe that the Alaskan sled dog has a unique molecular signature and that the genetic profile is sufficient for identifying dogs bred for sprint versus distance. When evaluating contributions of existing breeds we find that the Alaskan Malamute and Siberian Husky contributions are associated with enhanced endurance; Pointer and Saluki are associated with enhanced speed and the Anatolian Shepherd demonstrates a positive influence on work ethic. We have established a genetic breed profile for the Alaskan sled dog, identified profile variance between sprint and distance dogs, and established breeds associated with enhanced performance attributes. These data set the stage for mapping studies aimed at finding genes that are associated with athletic attributes integral to the high performing Alaskan sled dog.
P2 receptor modulation of voltage-gated potassium currents in Brown adipocytes.

Using patch voltage-clamp techniques, we find there are two components to the voltage-gated potassium current (IKv) in rat brown adipocytes. The components differ in their gating and responses to purinergic stimulation, but not their pharmacology. IKv-A recovers from inactivation at physiological membrane potentials, while IKv-B inactivation recovers at more negative potentials. Both currents are >90% blocked by similar concentrations of quinine and tetraethylammonium, but not by β-dendrotoxin, charybdotoxin, or apamin. The two current components are differentially modulated by extracellular ATP. ATP shifts the voltage dependence of IKv-A inactivation negative by 38 ± 5 mV (n = 35, ±SEM) and shifts activation by −14 ± 2 mV in whole-cell experiments. ATP did not affect the steady state inactivation voltage dependence of IKv-B, but did apparently convert IKv-A into IKv-B. The pharmacology of the inactivation shift is consistent with mediation by a P2 purinergic receptor. Purinergic stimulation of perforated-patch clamped cells causes hyperpolarizing shifts in the window current of IKv-A by shifting inactivation −18 ± 4 mV and activation −7 ± 2 mV (n = 16). Since perforated-patch recordings will most closely resemble in vivo cell responses, this ATP-induced shift in the window current may facilitate IKv activation when the cell depolarizes. IKv activity is necessary for the proliferation and differentiation of brown adipocytes in culture (Pappone, P.A., and S.I. Ortiz-Miranda. 1993. Am. J. Physiol. 264:C1014–C1019) so purinergic modulation of IKv may be important in altering adipocyte growth and development.
Quantification of cysteine sulfinic acid decar☐ylase in male and female rats: Effect of adrenalectomy and methionine

Abstract Hepatic cysteine sulfinic acid decar☐ylase (EC 4.1.1.29) activity has been reported to decrease in response to both l -methionine (Met) feeding and adrenalectomy in rats. A series of experiments was conducted to (a) determine if CSAD depression was evident in female rats fed a methionine-supplemented diet; and (b) determine if adrenal hormones mediated the response of CSAD to dietary methionine. Cysteine sulfinic acid decar☐ylase (CSAD) activity was measured in livers of male and female rats fed a methionine-supplemented diet. In female rat liver, CSAD activity was only 25% of the activity measured in livers of male rats. Hepatic enzyme activity in male rats fed a casein-based basal diet containing 0.6% l -methionine was 2.5-fold higher than activity in male rats fed a methionine-supplemented diet containing 1.35% l -methionine (+Met). Similarly, enzyme activity in livers of female rats fed the basal diet was 1.7-fold higher than in female rats fed a methionine-supplemented diet. CSAD activity in adrenalectomized (ADX) male rats fed the basal diet was depressed (990 ± 120 nmol/min · g liver) compared to activity in intact controls (2347 ± 89) and sham controls (2040 ± 143) fed the basal diet. CSAD activity was further depressed in ADX, intact controls, and sham controls fed +Met. Immunochemical detection and quantification of CSAD protein in rat liver demonstrated that changes in CSAD protein were consistent with the observed decreased enzyme activity in female rats, ADX rats, and rats fed +Met. S -Adenosylmethionine and S -adenosylhomocysteine concentrations tended to increase in livers of rats fed +Met. ADX rats fed +Met had the greatest increase in S -adenosylmethionine and S -adenosylhomocysteine concentrations. The depression in hepatic CSAD observed after feeding +Met to rats does not appear to involve adrenal function.
A different approach to orbital blow out fractures: Microscope-assisted reconstruction of the orbital floor

To describe a different surgical approach to treat pediatric orbital floor fractures. We report the case of a 14-year-old boy who underwent a microscope-assisted repair of his orbital floor fracture 6 weeks after his injury. The microscope provided excellent visualization of the entire orbital floor defect and facilitated placement of a polyethylene implant. The repair was achieved without complications, and follow-up examinations demonstrated improvement in patient's enophthalmos and diplopia. We noted significant advantages with a microscope-assisted repair over an endoscopic technique for this condition. The operating microscope allows for two-handed surgery, does not require withdraw of the endoscope for cleaning, and provides depth of field. A larger patient population and longer follow-up are needed to better assess the clinical efficacy of this technique.
Effects of living room, Snoezelen room, and outdoor activities on stereotypic behavior and engagement by adults with profound mental retardation

Two experiments were conducted to test the effect of a room with sensory equipment, or Snoezelen room, on the stereotypic behavior and engagement of adults with profound mental retardation. In Experiment 1, participants were observed in their living room before and after attending the Snoezelen room. Results showed that there tended to be a reduction in stereotypy and increase in engagement when participants went from their living room to the Snoezelen room, and a return of these behaviors to pre-Snoezelen levels in the living room. Positive effects in the Snoezelen room did not carryover to the living room. In Experiment 2, the living and Snoezelen rooms were compared to an outdoor activity condition with the same participants and target behaviors. Results showed that the outdoor condition was superior, the Snoezelen condition intermediate, and the living room least effective in their impact on stereotypic behavior and engagement. Conceptualizations regarding factors that maintain stereotypic behavior and engagement were discussed in the context of the three experimental conditions.
Health care expenditures reexamined.

Recently, Annals has published 4 articles on health care costs, the last of which appears in this issue. This editorial, written by an economist for physicians, differentiates sharply between level...
The effect of reaction time feedback on reaction time and contingent negative variation.

The contingent negative variation (CNV) and simple reaction time (RT) of human Ss were recorded when the imperative stimulus (IS) was either single flash, repetitive flash, numeric feedback of RT, or numeric no-feedback of RT. Reaction times were not significantly shorter, but CNVs were larger when IS was flicker rather than single flash. RT was slightly faster, but CNV was no larger in one study when explicit numeric feedback was provided than when it was not. Slightly larger CNVs were obtained in the no-feedback condition in a third experiment. Conclusions were: (1) that the effectiveness of flicker vs flash in producing a CNV difference was due to S's attempts to obtain feedback in the flicker condition and not to feedback per se, and (2) that the general hedonic quality of the experiment produced by the degree of positive or negative reinforcement is a potent feedback variable, whereas RT feedback per se is not.
Forelimb Mechanics during Arboreal and Terrestrial Quadrupedalism in Old World Monkeys

For over a century it has been known that primates have highly mobile grasping forelimbs with the supportive functions shifted more strongly to the hindlimbs, unlike most mammals where all four limbs share a fairly equal role in weight support. Darwin (1871) was the first to recognize this distinction between forelimb and hindlimbs and to articulate its evolutionary significance. Since that point many researchers have developed theories of primate locomotor evolution that suggest that the amount of compressive weight support experienced by the forelimb of primates was gradually reduced thus facilitating the use of the forelimb in tension and then allowing its complete removal from locomotion in humans (Wood Jones, 1926; Le Gros Clark, 1959; Napier and Davis, 1959; Napier, 1967; Stern, 1976; Ripley, 1979; Reynolds, 1981, 1985a,b; Cant, 1988; Rose, 1991). Fundamental to this scenario is the belief that the change in the role of the primate forelimb is directly related to adaptations to arboreal quadrupedalism by primates.
Age Differences in Subjective Well-Being across Adulthood: The Roles of Savoring and Future Time Perspective:

Prior research indicates there are age differences in subjective well-being during adulthood, but research on age differences in savoring (up-regulating positive emotion) is lacking. Using an online survey (N = 218, adults 18–77), this study investigated age differences in subjective well-being and savoring, and whether future time perspective (perceived amount of time left to live) mediated associations between age and savoring. Results indicated a nonlinear effect of age on subjective well-being. Although savoring was associated with subjective well-being, age was not directly associated with savoring. However, an indirect effect of future time perspective linking age and savoring indicated that younger adults reported more perceived time left in life and those perceiving more time left in life reported greater savoring. Overall, the results do not support savoring as a direct explanatory mechanism for age differences in subjective well-being, but future time perspective appears to play an important role in indirect associations between age and savoring.
Compensation of pulse distortions by phase conjugation via difference-frequency generation

We investigate theoretically the conditions under which optical phase conjugation via difference-frequency generation compensates for the effects of dispersion and self-phase modulation in the propagation of ultrashort pulses through fibers. We find that it is desirable to operate in the regime of large fiber dispersion and that nearly perfect pulse reconstruction can occur even with appreciable depletion of the pump wave in the nonlinear crystal.
The History of Surgery for Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Thoracic surgical procedures evolved from surgical management of tuberculosis; lung resections, muscle flaps, and thoracoscopy all began with efforts to control the disease. The discovery of antituberculosis drugs in 1944 to 1946 made sanatorium therapy and collapse therapy in all its forms obsolete and changed thoracic surgery dramatically. Currently, management of tuberculosis is primarily medical, and surgery has a minimal role. Today surgery is usually only performed in patients with tuberculosis when the diagnosis is necessary, who have complications or sequelae of the disease, or who have active disease resistant to therapy.
Implementing patient education in the home: concepts and teaching strategies.

Geriatric Nursing Volume 20, Number 2 thinking regarding: —Is this treatment or procedure really necessary for me? —How will this treatment or procedure help me? —How will this treatment or procedure affect me? Will it hurt? —What will be required of me to do this treatment or procedure in my home? —Do I have the abilities and/or resources to do this treatment or procedure in my home? —Can I afford this treatment or procedure (what will my cost be)? —Do I want this treatment or procedure? —Am I going to do it? Will I try to learn it? It is very important that home care providers make the patient understand how he or she will benefit (what the gain or outcome will be) from any health care recommendation. A discussion of any potential costs to the patient, particularly when implementing procedural care, must be included as part of the teaching. Lastly, in promoting a change in the patient’s behavior, it is important to reinforce the patient’s belief that he or she can learn new skills and ways of doing things. • Cultural influences. Within each culture, certain beliefs and health practices are unique to ethnic groups and class. Health practices may include herbal therapies, meditation, traditional dietary practices (eg, kosher foods or special soups), poultices, amulets, crystal therapy, aromatic therapy or incense, and religious practices and rituals. To the greatest extent possible, home health nurses should respect ethnic and religious beliefs. However, notifying the physician of patient use of A primary goal of patient education in the home is to get patients to assume responsibility for their own health. Self-care is derived from the patient’s abilities and self-determination to achieve his or her best level of health. Self-determination for self-care depends on and is influenced by many factors, including: • Disease process. The course of illness affects the patient’s abilities to care for himor herself. A severely limiting disease or patient disability requires the home health nurse to focus on the caregiver’s learning needs and abilities. • Socioenvironmental resources. Such resources include proper housing, the presence of heat or air-conditioning, and utilities in the home (eg, running water and connected telephone); the availability of a caregiver to assist the patient with self-care; community resources (eg, meals-on-wheels); the patient’s ability to purchase medications or needed medical products; geographic access to transportation and medical care. • Degree of autonomy over individual health practices (locus of control). Locus of control relates to the patient’s willingness to take action and his or her readiness to learn. Age, environment, and physical and psychologic condition can influence locus of control. • Interpersonal perceptions of health beliefs, selfefficacy, and benefits of care. Interpersonal perceptions of wellness and illness involve patient Home Health Care
Acceptability of Suicide: Attitudes in Taiwan and in the United States

The Suicide Opinion Questionnaire was administered to two samples, one from Taiwan (n = 291) and one from the United States (n = 218). Mean scores on the Acceptability scale were significantly higher for the Taiwanese sample, indicating greater acceptance. A chi-square analysis indicated significant response rates for ten of the eleven items, with eight of the eleven items showing greater agreement in the Taiwanese sample. Taiwanese are less accepting of suicide in cases of incurable illness, and agree less that suicide may be the only escape from life's problems. They are, however, more accepting of suicide for the elderly infirm, for captured soldiers, as a reasonable solution, as a normal behavior, agree with non-interference, with the option of suicide clinics, and passive suicide.
Identification of unknown target genes of human transcription factors using chromatin immunoprecipitation

The standard chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay is used to examine the specific association of transcription factors with DNA in the context of living cells. Here we review two modifications to this protocol which are designed to identify novel target genes of transcription factors in mammalian cells. The main advantage to both of these approaches is that only DNA sequences directly bound by a factor within the context of a living cell will be identified. Therefore, artifacts associated with overexpression and/or alterations in signaling pathways are avoided. The first modification we describe, a ChIP cloning strategy, can be used to isolate any genomic fragment specifically associated with a particular factor. It requires no special equipment or reagents other than a high-affinity antibody to be used for immunoprecipitation of the factor of interest. However, it is most useful for the isolation of a small number of genomic targets. In contrast, the second modification, which combines ChIP with specialized CpG microarrays, is ideal for a more global analysis of target genes. Advantages, common problems, and detailed protocols for these two ChIP techniques are discussed.
Quality of bladder cancer care in the USA.

Significant progress has been made in improving the care of patients with bladder cancer over the past 25 years. Notable advances include an enhanced understanding of neoadjuvant chemotherapy [1], ...
Simulation and Experimental Study of the Impedance Detection Anti-Islanding Method in the Single-Inverter Case

The impedance detection method of islanding prevention is often touted as one that possesses no nondetection zone in the single-inverter case. However, simulation results and experiments indicate that this is not necessarily true; the effectiveness of impedance detection is highly dependent on the specific implementation of the method. This paper discusses a simulation and experimental study to examine the origins of this nondetection zone, and a simple modification that appears to significantly reduce the size of the nondetection zone.
The Emerging Crisis in American Female Longevity

For the first time in modern history, the life expectancy of a particular segment of the American population—namely non-Hispanic white women with low levels of education and income living in certain rural counties—is declining. The exact causes are currently unknown, although smoking and obesity are likely important. In this article, I highlight this pattern and also compare it with the decline of male longevity in Russia. More broadly, I call on health and epidemiological researchers to undertake more in-depth research on this relatively new and emerging health crisis in the United States and suggest that Health Lifestyles Theory offers a valuable springboard for doing so.
A Frontal Lobe Refresher

The Frontal Lobes: Development, Function and Pathology. Jarl Risberg and Jordan Grafman (Eds.). 2006. New York: Cambridge University Press. 240 pp., $70.00 (PB)The Frontal Lobes: Development, Function and Pathology is an edited volume comprised of chapters that are the result of presentations at the annual Advanced Studies Institute sponsored by the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) and by the Vivian Smith Foundation. The eight chapters represent multiple approaches to studying or understanding the frontal lobes, including: evolution and genetics, primate frontal lobe neuroanatomy, cognitive neuroscience models of frontal lobe functioning, microcircuit models based on single neuron recording, developmental models of frontal lobe functioning, case studies of frontal lobe lesion patients, functional neuroimaging of frontal lobe activity, and postmortem neuropathological findings in demented patients. This is a solid but not comprehensive list of approaches to understanding frontal lobe functioning, but the editors clearly state that this volume is not designed to be an exhaustive review. Rather, it is a volume that is better viewed as the state of the art of selected approaches to frontal lobe research as of about 2004, when most of the authors presented a variation of the chapter to the INS Summer Institute. With these qualifications in mind, I can say that the volume is a useful overview that will inform the reader of current and future directions in frontal lobe research.
An Exact Solution for an M ( t )/ M ( t )/1 Queue with Time-Dependent Arrivals and Service

We consider an M/M/1 queue with a time dependent arrival rate λ(t) and service rate μ(t). For a special form of the traffic intensity, we obtain an exact, explicit expression for the probability pn(t) that there are n customers at time t. If the service rate is constant (eμ), this corresponds to ρ(t)eλ(t)/μe(b−aμt)−2. We also discuss the heavy traffic diffusion approximation to this model. We evaluate our results numerically.
Differential expression of hypothalamic neuropeptides in the early phase of diet-induced obesity in mice.

Exposure to high-fat diets for prolonged periods results in positive energy balance and obesity, but little is known about the initial physiological and neuroendocrine response of obesity-susceptib...
Role of echocardiography in the diagnosis and management of asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis.

Calcification of normal tricuspid and congenital bicuspid valves is the most common cause of aortic stenosis in industrialized countries. There is compelling evidence that thickening and calcification in aortic valve disease is a complex inflammatory process and not simply agerelated degeneration. Both aortic sclerosis and stenosis represent phenotypic expressions of one disease continuum. Patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis benefit from aortic valve replacement. However, management in the absence of symptoms remains challenging. While a delay of aortic valve replacement due to lack of symptom recognition may result in a dismal outcome, unselected premature aortic valve replacement may be associated with unbalanced risks of cardiac surgery. Echocardiography is the standard for evaluating the severity of aortic stenosis; however, most of the current echocardiographic parameters have limitations in predicting the onset of symptoms. This review summarizes the current guidelines and the emerging application of echocardiographic techniques in the management of asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis.
Relevant molecular techniques for diagnosis of endocrine disorders in adolescents and children

Abstract Through the use of molecular techniques many genetic and infectious disorders affecting children can be diagnosed. All of these techniques are currently being used clinically, so the practicing physician should have some background in the basic concepts and uses. Southern blots can detect large deletions, usually at least 50-100 base pairs (bp). Restriction-fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) may be detected by Southern blotting or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. PCR may detect deletions or insertions smaller than 50 bp, but DNA sequencing is usually required to determine the presence of point mutations. Although newer techniques such as denaturing gradient gels can detect single base mutations and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis can detect large mutations, they currently do not have widespread use clinically. New molecular genetic techniques will continue to evolve, which should someday allow automation of DNA diagnosis.
Research on State Space Modeling for Level-Station Keeping Platforms

In this paper we present an introduction to our research on sea platform modeling. Ideas presented in this paper reflect the end-state goal of maintaining a level station. Before any control methodologies can be chosen, an appropriate system model must be developed. Our achievements are presented in the forms of platform models with two degrees of freedom, heave and pitch. System models have been created two distinctly different ways, and explanations and results are presented in this research summary. Refining and advancing from these models will be the basis for designing a controller and will be the standard for further research in this field.
ADAM-17-independent shedding of L-selectin

L-selectin is expressed by leukocytes and facilitates their adhesion under flow along the walls of blood vessels. As do a variety of membrane proteins, L-selectin undergoes ectodomain shedding. Using approaches that monitor full-length L-selectin in short-term assays, it has been determined that L-selectin shedding is defective in tumor necrosis factor alpha-converting enzyme (ADAM-17)-deficient cells. In this study, we examined the steady-state levels of L-selectin on ADAM-17-deficient cells using a monoclonal antibody to the cytoplasmic region of L-selectin, which allows for the detection of total L-selectin (full-length and the membrane-associated cleavage fragment). We demonstrate that ADAM-17-deficient cells generate a 6-kDa transmembrane fragment of L-selectin. Although inducible L-selectin shedding by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate stimulation was not observed by these cells in short-term assays, basal turnover did occur, resulting in the production of soluble L-selectin, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. L-selectin turnover was greatly increased upon ADAM-17 reconstitution. Truncating the juxtamembrane region of L-selectin blocked ADAM-17-independent shedding as did a hydroxymate metalloprotease inhibitor. Together, these findings demonstrate that a metalloprotease activity separate from ADAM-17 can use the cleavage domain of L-selectin. We speculate that separate proteolytic mechanisms of L-selectin shedding may regulate distinct antiadhesive mechanisms, such as inducible shedding for the rapid dissociation of cell-cell interactions and constitutive shedding for the homeostatic maintenance of high serum levels of soluble L-selectin, a potential adhesion buffer.
Leading non-Gaussian corrections for diffusion orientation distribution function.

An analytical representation of the leading non-Gaussian corrections for a class of diffusion orientation distribution functions (dODFs) is presented. This formula is constructed out of the diffusion and diffusional kurtosis tensors, both of which may be estimated with diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI). By incorporating model-independent non-Gaussian diffusion effects, it improves upon the Gaussian approximation used in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This analytical representation therefore provides a natural foundation for DKI-based white matter fiber tractography, which has potential advantages over conventional DTI-based fiber tractography in generating more accurate predictions for the orientations of fiber bundles and in being able to directly resolve intra-voxel fiber crossings. The formula is illustrated with numerical simulations for a two-compartment model of fiber crossings and for human brain data. These results indicate that the inclusion of the leading non-Gaussian corrections can significantly affect fiber tractography in white matter regions, such as the centrum semiovale, where fiber crossings are common.
The Price Theory of Thünen's Theory of Rent: Assumptions and Implications of a Familiar Model

Economic forces in the Thunen rent diagram and the equivalence of certain Thunian and Ricardian land rent concepts are shown diagrammatically. The usual, linear rent line requires fixed production coefficients in agriculture and constant costs in transportation. The ability to substitute among land and other inputs in agriculture makes the rent line convex to the origin, as do decreasing costs in transportation. Increasing cost transportation makes the rent line concave. Traditional, subsistence agriculture is likely to produce a more strongly convex rent line than modern, large-scale agriculture. Les forces economiques dans le diagramme de rente de Thunen et l'equivalence de certains concepts de rente foncier Thunien et Ricardien sont exposes graphiquement. La courbe de rente lineaire exige des coefficients de production fixes en agriculture et des couts de transport fixes. La capacitea substituer entre la terre et d'autres facteurs de production en agriculture, ainsi que des couts de transport decroissants, donnent une courbe de rente convexe par rapport a 1'origine. Des couts de transport accroissants donnent une courbe de rente concave. Une agriculture a petite echelle, traditionnelle, donnera probablement une courbe de rente plus convexe qu'une agriculture moderne, a grande echelle.
HNMP: remote control and management protocol for HF radio networks

Steady increases in the sophistication of automated high-frequency radio (HF) equipment have led to a resurgence in the popularity of the HF medium for challenging communication applications. This is resulting in complex HF networks, with equipment often placed at remote sites. This, along with programs to consolidate high-power HF assets among the military services, indicates the need for a standardized protocol for remotely controlling HF stations and for remotely diagnosing problems in HF networks. Unlike the higher-speed LAN and WAN technologies most commonly associated with the idea of a global information infrastructure, HF radio suffers from low bandwidth and rapidly fluctuating connectivity. The hostility of the medium presents clear challenges to the development of a mechanism for reliably monitoring and controlling distant stations. A protocol is described that addresses these challenges, while maintaining compatibility with the standard Internet network management protocol SNMP. This HF network management protocol (HNMP) was standardized in MIL-STD-187-721C. Following a description of the needs, the HF medium, and the protocol, an analysis is presented of the efficiency and performance of the protocol.
Hormone-stimulated lipolysis in isolated fat cells from “young” and “old” rats

The biphasic nature of the lipolytic dose-response curve of epinephrine in fat cells from "young" rats (40-45 days) was confirmed. The first phase (Lipolysis I) occurred at concentrations of from 10-7 M to 3 X 10-6 M. The second phase (Lipolysis 11) occurred at concentrations of from low6 M to 3 X M. Insulin (0.1 mU/ml) abolished Lipolysis I and slightly augmented Lipolysis 11. Higher concentrations of insulin (1.0 mU/ml) augmented Lipolysis I1 even further. These results may help to explain some of the conflicting re- ports in the literature concerning the effects of insulin on lipolysis. The dose-response curve of epinephrine using fat cells from "old" rats (14-16 months) was monophasic. Based on results with propranolol, Kt-free media, and insulin, it was concluded that the lipolytic response in tissue from older ani- mals corresponds to Lipolysis I1 in tissue from younger rats. The lipolytic response to ACTH was greatly reduced in the cells from the older rats, but the response to theophylline was unaltered. cyclase at the membrane with a subsequent increase in the intracellular levels of cyclic 3 ', 5 '-adenosine mono- phosphate (cyclic AMP). The cyclic nucleotide then activates a protein kinase which in turn activates a triglyceride lipase (8). Any age- or weight-related change in hormone-stimulated lipolysis could occur through alterations in any or all of these processes or at some event unrelated to cyclic AMP such as an alteration in the cell membrane. Previous studies in this laboratory have demonstrated the existence of a biphasic increase in lipolysis with in- creasing concentrations of catecholamines (9). Both phases of lipolysis appear to be cyclic AMP-mediated but differ in several other aspects (10, 11). The present study was undertaken to determine what effect age, with the accompanying increased body weight, has on this and other lipolytic responses.
Designing Employee Health Contracts for a Workplace that is Slim by Design

Would employee health contracts be viable for workplace health promotion (WHP)? Two studies explore the benefit and drawbacks of such a policy, as well as the standards and incentives for promoting employee health. Two studies were conducted: Study 1 is a qualitative study that collected salient employee attitudes toward and design factors for employment health contracts among a subset of the target population (n=8), Study 2 tested these factors with a closed-end questionnaire among a broader sample of the target population (n=147). Regression analyses and hypothesis testing are conducted to understand the demographic variables that contribute to attitudes toward the policy, and beliefs for how it should be structured. Results revealed the lowest support from high body mass index (BMI) respondents. There was otherwise moderate to strong support across demographic groups for the policy and use of rewards, yet far less for use of consequences. Previous research has addressed how rewards can promote good health, with far less attention to consequences. This study is one of the first to comprehensively address the role of structuring consequences for poor employee behavior, and demographic groups that offer the lowest support for workplace wellness initiatives. Future research and policy implications are for WHP initiatives are discussed.
‘Volto di Medusa’: Monumentalizing the self in Petrarch's Rerum vulgarium fragmenta

Scholarship on Petrarch has generally intepreted the figure of Laura-as-Medusa as a projection of the poet's internal conflict between sacred and profane love. Such a reading takes Medusa as a threat to Petrarch's agency. Yet Petrarch's Laura-Medusa is suggestively figured as only her disembodied head, a weapon ultimately manipulated by Perseus. This reversal of agency has an impact on Petrarch's complicated theory of poetic inspiration, and reaches beyond the relationship between poet and beloved to encompass another fraught paradigm of power: the relationship between poet and patron. By recalling the disembodied head of Medusa in the figure of Laura, and recovering the political symbolism of the appropriation of her petrifying gaze, Petrarch creates a model of poetic agency that he uses to stage his relationship to patronage in the Latin Africa and a poem addressed to his Colonna patrons.
A Second Species of Trichia With Clustered Spores

Recently, Kowalski (1974) described Trichia synsporum as the first known species of Trichia Haller characterized by clustered spores. Now, a second species showing this character has come to light. The type and only existing specimen of this new species is part of a large collection of Myxomycetes made in the Venezuelan Andes by B. and F. Oberwinkler. It is interesting (although not necessarily significant) that both species are montane, and also that the type locality of the Andean species is the same as that of Calomyxa synspora Farr & Kowalski (1974), another recently described taxon of the Trichiales with clustered spores.
Near-Ground Channel Modeling for Distributed Cooperative Communications

A computationally efficient near-ground field prediction model is proposed to facilitate realistic wireless sensor network (WSN) simulations. In this model, using the principle of Fresnel zones, path loss is split into three segments. Certain propagation mechanisms dominate in each part. The distances that define the edges of each section are derived theoretically. The model is validated against several experimental datasets obtained in open and forested areas. It is noticed that the proposed model has higher accuracy compared to existing analytical near-ground propagation models. This enhancement is achieved by careful assessment of key features relevant to near-grazing propagation such as diffraction loss due to obstruction of the first Fresnel zone and higher order waves produced by terrain irregularities. Monte Carlo simulations are used to investigate the effects of antenna height, frequency of operation, polarization, and terrain dielectric and roughness properties on WSNs performance. It is realized that antenna height is by far the most influential geometric parameter to low-altitude WSNs connectivity and average number of neighbors.
Transmission of Ak Leukemic Agent into Newborn Mice of the C57 Brown/cd Inbred Line.∗

Summary1. Cell suspensions prepared from Ak leukemic donors were inoculated into newborn C57BR/cd mice. Of 33 mice inoculated when less than 2 days old, 29 developed leukemia within 2 to 4 weeks. Of 61 inoculated when less than 14 days old, 14 developed leukemia, but of 17 injected at 20 to 24 days of age, none developed leukemia. Fifty-three adult C57BR/cd mice over 2 months old were inoculated with large doses of Ak leukemic cell suspensions, and all were resistant. 2. Leukemia developing in suckling C57BR cd mice as a result of implantation of Ak leukemic cells, could be readily grafted to adult mice of the donor Ak strain, but not into recipient C57BR/cd line. 3. Centrifuged (7000 x g) Ak leukemic extracts were inoculated into 71 newborn C57BR/cd mice (average age 6 hours), and 44% of them developed leukemia at average age of 9.6 months. Filtered (Selas) Ak leukemic extracts were inoculated into 42 C57BR/cd mice at average age of 7 hours, and 33% of them developed leukemia at average age of 12.3 month...
Oxidation Behavior of Pd-Si Compounds

The room temperature oxidation of PdSi, Pd2Si and Pd4Si has been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (X-ray photoemission spectroscopy or electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis). We find that only silicon atoms in these silicides are oxidized and the oxidation of Pd4Si surfaces is enhanced compared with that of Pd2Si and PdSi, as is evidenced by both a higher silicon oxidation state and thicker oxide films. This behavior is discussed in terms of silicide stability and a spillover effect where palladium atoms catalyze molecular oxygen dissociation.
Who gets arrested for marijuana use? The perils of being poor and black

ABSTRACTWe explore the relationship between income, race and the probability of being arrested. Our data set is comprised of individuals who have all violated federal marijuana laws, some of whom have been arrested. We reason that the cost of arresting a poor individual with diminished social status is lower. Our empiricism reveals that the probability of arrest is higher when the law breaker is poor and African American.
Why Are Failed States' Borders Stable against External Predation?

The term “state failure” evokes images of anarchy in Mogadishu, rebel armies in Kinshasa, and sectarian violence in Iraq. In each of these cases, neighboring states faced strong incentives to encroach upon—even claim for themselves—the territory of a nearby failed state. Hundreds of thousands of Somali refugees spilled into Ethiopia in the early 1990s, straining the Ethiopian treasury; a total of eight states occupied the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during its failure, in large part to plunder its natural resources; and Iraqi neighbors with significant populations of separatist Kurds—such as Turkey and Syria—might better preserve the cohesion of their own states by internalizing Iraq’s Kurdish population and oil. But at least to date, the international borders of these three failed states have not changed. Moreover, to the extent that they may change in the future, such cartographic alterations will likely be more a function of secession (of Somaliland) or partition (of Iraq) than of external predation. Why, given incentives to take over either part or the entirety of failed states, have neighboring powers resisted temptation in the face of relatively easy targets?
Virtues, Concepts, and Rules in Business Ethics: Reflections on the Contributions of Robert C. Solomon

This essay is an exploration of some major elements in the ethical theory and moral psychology of Robert C. Solomon. The main context for the discussion is business ethics, an area in which Solomon was a major and frequent contributor for some three decades. Special attention is given to his construction of his own version of Aristotelian virtue ethics. In building his virtue-ethical position, he gave a major place to the psychological aspects of virtue. In particular, he brought out the ethical importance of emotions as at once cognitive and affective and as major elements in both the constitution of virtue and the sustenance of ethical conduct in day-to-day life. The essay explores his treatment of certain virtues, his view of the character traits particularly important for business ethics, and the perennial question whether any virtue ethics is normatively complete.
Developing a competency-based preventive medicine curriculum for medical schools.

Trends in patient morbidity and mortality, cost-effectiveness, and national recommendations mandate that we practice more preventive medicine. To address this need, we set out to develop a comprehensive curriculum in preventive medicine for medical schools. We constructed a competency-based (i.e., performance-based) curriculum with specific educational objectives defined by outcomes. Subject areas were subdivided by life stages, and learning objectives were created separately for epidemiology, assessment, and intervention. We hope that adoption of such an educational blueprint by medical schools will measurably enhance the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary for the incorporation of preventive principles into all aspects of clinical medicine. [Am J Prev Med 1994;10:240–4]
The case study of combined cooling heat and power and photovoltaic systems for building customers using HOMER software

Abstract Combined heat and power (CHP) systems such as microturbines with capacities in the range of tens of kilowatts to hundreds of kilowatts have been employed for many years, mostly in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. Despite their relatively small individual capacities as compared to centralized conventional utilities, their operation may lead to significant energy efficiency improvements for the electricity and heating of residential and commercial building customers. In addition, modern net-zero energy buildings with such CHP, photovoltaic (PV) systems, and absorption chillers (AbCs) can maximize electrical and thermal energy efficiency as they can reuse wasted heat from CHP systems with AbCs and renewable energy from PV systems. Therefore, the objective of this study is to present a case study that analyzes the impact of combined cooling heat and power (CCHP) of building customers either with or without PV systems in energy-efficient, economical, and environmental aspects. Then, using HOMER software, a computer program for modeling renewable microgrid systems, each case study of residential buildings hosting only CCHP systems in the Atlanta area and office buildings hosting CCHP and PV systems in the area is simulated. Finally, their energy-efficiency improvement and economic sensitivity analysis on investment costs of CCHP and PV systems is presented.
Support for veterinary professionals.

RECENT correspondence in Veterinary Record , together with the debate on resilence training at the BVA Congress at the London Vet Show ( VR , December 10, 2016, vol 179, p 593), has once again highlighted the concerns within the …
High speed performance of III-nitride laser diode grown on (2021) semipolar plane for visible light communication

III-nitride light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been used for many applications covering the spectrum of ultraviolet (UV) to visible light (VL). Despite of significant improvements on solid-state lighting, LEDs still suffer significant efficiency loss at high carrier density, commonly referred as "efficiency droop" [1]. However, compared to LEDs, laser diodes (LDs) have higher power per chip and the absence of efficiency droop above lasing threshold. In addition to the advantage of solid-state lighting, LDs can be modulated at much higher frequency than LEDs.
A New and Improved View of Force Production

A central question in muscle contraction is “How is the energy release in ATP hydrolysis converted into mechanical force and work?” With the elucidation of the actomyosin ATPase reaction in the 1970s (1,2) and the fact that a large amount of free energy is produced during Pi release from an actomyosin-ADP-Pi species (3), the Pi release step from actomyosin-ADP-Pi must be associated with the generation of force and shortening. It was also known that increases in the [Pi] concentration in isometrically contracting skinned muscle fibers reduced isometric force (4).
A New Analytical Method for Direct Measurement of Particulate and Dissolved B-vitamins and Their Congeners in Seawater

We have developed a new method to directly measure the concentration of the particulate and dissolved pools of B-vitamins in seawater. B-vitamins are coenzymes required for life, yet many organisms cannot synthesize these compounds de novo and must scavenge them from the environment. It has been shown that B-vitamins can control the marine microbial community’s structure and activity; however, the actual B-vitamin requirements/quotas for marine microbes are not well studied due to the lack of analytical protocols. This method will enable the study of B-vitamin cellular quotas as well as their environmental cycling. With this method, we can also simultaneously determine the biochemical congeners of vitamins B1 and B12, as well as vitamins B2, B6, B7, and the amino acid methionine in both the particulate and dissolved pool, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry after a chemical extraction (particulate) or resin preconcentration (dissolved). Particulate and dissolved B-vitamin concentrations were simultaneously determined from a microbial community in the Atlantic Ocean. Particulate B-vitamin concentrations in the Atlantic ranged from 0.01 pM (cyano-B12) to 46.4 pM (thiamin monophosphate, a B1 congener) while dissolved B-vitamin concentrations ranged from 0.07 pM (adenosyl-B12) to 679.4 pM (B7). The application of this technique in different marine systems has the potential to shed new light on previously unknown biochemical processes occurring within the oceanic microbial community, and the resulting roles B-vitamins play in regulating global biogeochemical cycles.