cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Growing field of materials informatics: databases and artificial intelligence

The paradigm of molecular discovery in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry has followed a repetitive succession of screening and synthesis, involving the analysis of individual molecules that were both natural and produced. This ability to generate and screen libraries of compounds has found an echo in solid-state physics with the demand to explore and produce new materials for testing. In response to this demand, a golden age of materials discovery is being developed, with progress on important areas of both basic science and device applications. The confluence of theoretical and simulation methods, together with the availability of computation resources, has established the “materials genome” approach that is used by a growing number of research groups around the world with the goal of innovating on materials through systematic discovery. In this Prospective, an overview of this group of methodologies in tackling the ever-increasing complexity of computational materials science simulations is provided. Computational simulation is highlighted as a major component of rational design and synthesis of new materials with targeted properties, describing progress on databases and large data treatment. Tools for new materials discovery, including progress on the deployment of new data repositories, the implementation of high-throughput simulation approaches, and the development of artificial intelligence algorithms, are discussed.
A comparison of the system engineering standard and INCOSE Complexity Primer

Complexity is frequently used to describe the environment in which systems engineering must work. Relevant publications establish a relationship between complexity and understanding, however, it is questionable whether system engineering methodologies are well suited to deal with complexity and potential lack of understanding. This paper provides an analysis between the System Engineering standard and the INCOSE Complexity Primer to assess the standard and the nature of complexity in systems. The analysis conducted shows that present descriptions of how complexity create a problem space that is distinctly different to the problem space that can be addressed by present practices. Furthermore, it was found that System Engineering methodology described within the standard will encounter significant challenges in dealing with the attributes of complexity documented in the INCOSE Complexity Primer. Additionally, a crosswalk is conducted between complex systems as describe by the primer and system of systems (SoS) to illicit similarities or differences.
Measuring the effects of economic policy uncertainty on trade credit financing

This article provides an empirical investigation of the impacts of economic policy uncertainty on the methods of financing international transactions. Using regression, probit, and ordered logit mo...
Modelling drug adsorption in metal–organic frameworks: the role of solvent

Solvent plays a key role in biological functions, catalysis, and drug delivery. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) due to their tunable functionalities, porosities and surface areas have been recently used as drug delivery vehicles. To investigate the effect of solvent on drug adsorption in MOFs, we have performed integrated computational and experimental studies in selected biocompatible MOFs, specifically, UiO-AZB, HKUST-1 (or CuBTC) and NH2-MIL-53(Al). The adsorption of three drugs, namely, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), ibuprofen (IBU), and hydroxyurea (HU) were performed in the presence and absence of the ethanol. Our computational predictions, at 1 atmospheric pressure, showed a reasonable agreement with experimental studies performed in the presence of ethanol. We find that in the presence of ethanol the drug molecules were adsorbed at the interface of solvent and MOFs. Moreover, the computationally calculated adsorption isotherms suggested that the drug adsorption was driven by electrostatic interactions at lower pressures (<10−4 Pa). Our computational predictions in the absence of ethanol were higher compared to those in the presence of ethanol. The MOF–adsorbate interaction (UHA) energy decreased with decrease in the size of a drug molecule in all three MOFs at all simulated pressures. At high pressure the interaction energy increases with increase in the MOFs pore size as the number of molecules adsorbed increases. Thus, our research shows the important role played by solvent in drug adsorption and suggests that it is critical to consider solvent while performing computational studies.
Computer Prompt Software to Reduce Sedentary Behavior and Promote Physical Activity Among Desk-Based Workers: A Systematic Review.

ObjectiveDo computer prompt software programs at the workplace reduce sitting time and/or increase physical activity at work?BackgroundMany products are promoted and being used in the workplace; ho...
Exposure to low intensity ultrasound removes paclitaxel cytotoxicity in breast and ovarian cancer cells.

BACKGROUND Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a microtubule-stabilizing drug used to treat several solid tumors, including ovarian, breast, non-small cell lung, and pancreatic cancers. The current treatment of ovarian cancer is chemotherapy using paclitaxel in combination with carboplatin as a frontline agent, and paclitaxel is also used in salvage treatment as a second line drug with a dose intensive regimen following recurrence. More recently, a dose dense approach for paclitaxel has been used to treat metastatic breast cancer with success. Paclitaxel binds to beta tubulin with high affinity and stabilizes microtubule bundles. As a consequence of targeting microtubules, paclitaxel kills cancer cells through inhibition of mitosis, causing mitotic catastrophes, and by additional, not yet well defined non-mitotic mechanism(s). RESULTS In exploring methods to modulate activity of paclitaxel in causing cancer cell death, we unexpectedly found that a brief exposure of paclitaxel-treated cells in culture to low intensity ultrasound waves prevented the paclitaxel-induced cytotoxicity and death of the cancer cells. The treatment with ultrasound shock waves was found to transiently disrupt the microtubule cytoskeleton and to eliminate paclitaxel-induced rigid microtubule bundles. When cellular microtubules were labelled with a fluorescent paclitaxel analog, exposure to ultrasound waves led to the disassembly of the labeled microtubules and localization of the signals to perinuclear compartments, which were determined to be lysosomes. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that ultrasound disrupts the paclitaxel-induced rigid microtubule cytoskeleton, generating paclitaxel bound fragments that undergo degradation. A new microtubule network forms from tubulins that are not bound by paclitaxel. Hence, ultrasound shock waves are able to abolish paclitaxel impact on microtubules. Thus, our results demonstrate that a brief exposure to low intensity ultrasound can reduce and/or eliminate cytotoxicity associated with paclitaxel treatment of cancer cells in cultures.
DISCRIMINATION STATUTES, THE COMMON LAW, AND PROXIMATE CAUSE

The Supreme Court recently interpreted causal language in the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) to include the common-law concept of proximate cause. This Article anticipates that courts will incorporate proximate cause more broadly into the primary federal discrimination statutes and argues that courts should not interpret the statutes in this way. The Article demonstrates the theoretical and practical difficulties of importing proximate cause principles into employment discrimination law. The Article demonstrates how only weak textual, intent, or purpose-based arguments support courts’ use of proximate cause in Title VII. Many of these arguments are premised on the idea that the federal discrimination statutes are torts. This Article challenges this assumption and argues that describing a cause of action as a tort does not provide any meaningful guidance about whether to import proximate cause. Proximate cause is a notoriously flexible and theoretically inconsistent concept. Proximate cause has no independent descriptive power and is highly dependent on the underlying tort to which it is attached. Employment discrimination claims do not fit within any traditional tort and therefore do not align well with traditional articulations of proximate cause. When courts import proximate cause, they are not simply importing a concept from the common law, but rather are engaging in an unguided policy choice—a choice that will allow courts to further limit the reach of federal discrimination law. Importantly, the federal discrimination statutes already contain express limits on liability that
On Proof of Preferential Effect

This Article presents a comprehensive analysis of the manner in which the trustee of a debtor's estate may satisfy his burden of proof to demonstrate the preferential effect of a prebankruptcy transfer from a debtor to a creditor. The proposed framework, if adhered to by courts, will create a uniformity that gives preference law its proper reach and thereby reinforces its primary goal: equal treatment of similarly situated creditors (the equality principle). After examining the historical developments that have made a trustee's evidentiary burden administratively less complex, the Article discusses the Ninth Circuit's decision in Batlan v. TransAmerica Commercial Finance Corp. (In re Smith's Home Furnishings, Inc.) to illustrate how a court impairs the avoidance of preferential transfers when it creates a rule that improperly construes a trustee's evidentiary burden. The Article rejects the court's rule on the basis that it neither comports with the Bankruptcy Code's test for preferential effect nor with the evolution of the trustee's burden of proof. The Article concludes that, although the ultimate burden of proof rests on the trustee as he presents his prima facie case for preference avoidance, courts must give effect to state law presumptions in favor of the trustee. Failure to do so gives certain creditors procedural advantages, and possibly substantive advantages, to which they would otherwise not be entitled, thus compromising the equality principle.
On the efficiency of affine minimax rules in estimating a bounded multivariate normal mean

Problems involving bounded parameter spaces, for example T-minimax and minimax esyimation of bounded parameters, have received much attention in recent years. The existing literature is rich. In this paper we consider T-minimax estimation of a multivariate bounded normal mean by affine rules, and discuss the loss of efficiency due to the use of such rules instead of optimal, unrestricted rules. We also investigate the behavior of 'probability restricted' affine rules, i.e., rules that have a guaranteed large probability of being in the bounded parameter space of the problem.
Exact computation of frequency responses for a class of infinite dimensional systems

We develop a method for the exact computation of the frequency responses for a class of infinite dimensional systems. In particular, we consider the distributed parameter systems in which a spatial independent variable belongs to a finite interval. We show that an explicit formula for the frequency responses can be derived whenever the underlying operators can be represented by a forced two point boundary value state-space realizations (TPBVSR). This formula involves finite dimensional computations with matrices whose dimension is at most four times larger than the order of the underlying differential operator. In this way an exact reduction of an infinite dimensional problem to a finite dimensional one is accomplished. We also provide several examples to illustrate the procedure.
Learning-Based Complexity Evaluation of Radial Basis Function Networks

Recently, the complexity control of dynamic neural models has gained significant attention. The performance of such a process depends highly on the applied definition of ‘model complexity’. On the other hand, the learning theory creates a framework to assess the learning properties of models. These properties include the required size of the training samples as well as the statistical confidence over the model. In this Letter, we apply the learning properties of two families of Radial Basis Function Networks (RBFN's) to introduce new complexity measures that reflect the learning properties of such neural model. Then, based on these complexity terms we define cost functions, which provide a balance between the training and testing performances of the model.
Target-specific control of nicotinic receptor expression at developing interneuronal synapses in chick.

Neuronal differentiation and development of synaptic specializations are strongly influenced by cellular interactions. We compared the effects of interaction with distinct autonomic targets on the molecular and biophysical differentiation of 'upstream' neuron–neuron synapses. Contact with cardiac tissue induced expression of nicotinic receptor channels (nAChRs) distinct from those induced by renal tissue in presynaptic autonomic neurons. The kinetics of cholinergic currents at interneuronal synapses are dictated by the peripheral target contacted. Analysis of the nAChR channel subtypes and subunits in individual neurons demonstrated that the profile of transmitter receptors expressed at mature neuron–neuron synapses develops from the convergent influences of input-derived (anterograde) and target-specific (retrograde) signals.
Wittgenstein y Chomsky en contrapunto: notas epistemológicas y metodológicas en torno al lenguaje, conocimiento y comunicación.

En este articulo, doctrinas y argumentos wittgensteineanos y chomskyanos, particularmente metodologicos y epistemologicos, se combinan para introducir perspectivas actuales sobre lenguaje y cognicion.
The angiography of posterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysms.

Twelve cases of aneurysm of the PICA are reported, the clinical histories summarized and the radiological evaluations reviewed. The importance of using subtraction techniques and of employing various special projections for adequate assessment of the anatomical relationship of the aneurysm to vital structures have been discussed.
Quantitative Structure‐Activity Relationships (QSAR)

Quantitative structure activity relationships (QSARs) have historically been used in the design and evaluation of new pharmaceutical products. With the rapid increase in modern computing power, the use of QSAR methods in the field of drug development has seen an explosive range of applications in the late 1990s. QSAR approaches have also been used in environmental risk assessment to predict the carcinogenicity or genotoxicity of toxic agents, and thus reduce the costs of conducting long-term animal studies. The application of QSAR methods has traditionally encompassed two different approaches: the extrathermodynamic approach proposed by Hansch and Fujita, and the ‘substructural’ or ‘connectivity’ approach of Free and Wilson. Keywords: risk assessment; factor analysis; discriminant analysis; cross validating; artificial intelligence; developmental toxicity
Stream Scheduling: A Framework to Manage Bulk Operations in Memory Hierarchies

With the emergence of streaming and multi-core architectures, there is an increasing demand to map parallel algorithms efficiently across all architectures. This paper describes a platform-independent optimization framework called Stream Scheduling, that orchestrates parallel execution of bulk computations and data transfers, and allocates storage at multiple levels of a memory hierarchy. By adjusting block sizes, and applying software pipelining on bulk operations, it ensures computation-to-communication ratio is maximized on each level. We evaluate our framework on a diverse set of Sequoia applications, targeting systems with different memory hierarchies: a Cell blade, a distributed-memory cluster, and the Cell blade attached to a disk.
The role of the PC in the connected home

Over the next few years homes will become increasingly "connected", both internally and to the outside world. We expect to see a variety of broadband access networks appear to deliver digital content to the home, both Internet based and broadcast. At the same time, an increasing number of homes have multiple PCs and are beginning to connect them. As other consumer devices also become digital, those will also become connected. Just as the role of the PC and its software changed significantly in business when PCs moved from stand-alone to connected, we expect new roles and capabilities to appear for the PC at home as it develops continuous connections to other devices. This paper discusses the technologies we see appearing and how they will impact the function and role of the PC.
Ultrasound thyroid elastography using carotid artery pulsation: preliminary study.

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of ultrasound thyroid elastography using carotid artery pulsation as the compression source and its potential for differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. Methods Baseband sonographic data were acquired for 16 thyroid nodules from 12 patients. The natural pulsation of the carotid artery was used as the compression source, and thyroid strain was estimated offline. For quantitative assessment of thyroid tissue stiffness, a new metric called the thyroid stiffness index (TSI) was computed as the ratio of strain near the carotid artery (high-strain region) to that of a stiff region (low-strain region) inside a thyroid nodule. The stiffness information from elastography was correlated with histopathologic findings. Results The TSI for papillary carcinoma (n = 9) was higher than the TSI for a benign nodular goiter (n = 6), indicating that papillary carcinoma is stiffer than a benign nodular goiter (P < 05). In 1 patient, we were able to distinguish a papillary carcinoma nodule and a benign nodular goiter located in the same thyroid lobe based on the stiffness information obtained from elastography. This suggests that elastography could be used for guiding fine-needle aspiration biopsy to a thyroid nodule with a high probability of cancer. Conclusions The results from this preliminary study indicate the feasibility of the pulsation-induced thyroid elastography. Ultrasound thyroid elastography using carotid artery pulsation appears to have the potential for noninvasively differentiating papillary carcinoma from benign nodular goiter. Future studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of elastography in detecting thyroid cancer and guiding thyroid biopsies.
Use of specific-pathogen-free (SPF) rhesus macaques to better model oral pediatric cytomegalovirus infection.

Background Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection can result in lifelong neurological deficits. Seronegative pregnant woman often acquire primary HCMV from clinically asymptomatic, but HCMV-shedding children. Methods Potential age-related differences in viral and immune parameters of primary RhCMV infection were examined in an oral rhesus CMV infection model in specific pathogen free macaques. RhCMV shedding was measured by real time PCR in plasma, saliva and urine. Immune parameters, including neutralizing and binding antibodies and RhCMV-specific T cell responses, were assessed in longitudinally collected blood samples. Results The oral RhCMV infection model in infant SPF rhesus macaques demonstrated that (i) the susceptibility to oral RhCMV infection declines with age, and (ii) infant macaques shed RhCMV more persistently and at higher titers compared to adult macaques. (iii) Conclusions The oral infant RhCMV infection model appears to reflect viral pathogenesis in human HCMV-infected children. Larger studies are needed to define immune parameters associated with better control of RhCMV in adult compared to young animals.
The Polygenic Model

The standard polygenic model of biomedical genetics can be motivated by considering a quantitative trait determined by a large number of loci acting independently and additively [9]. In a pedigree of m people, let X i k be the contribution of locus k to person i. The trait value \( X_i = \sum\nolimits_k {X_i^k } \) for person i forms part of a vector \( X = (X_l , \ldots X_m )^t \) of trait values for the pedigree. If the effects of the various loci are comparable, then the central limit theorem implies that X follows an approximate multivariate normal distribution [13, 15]. Furthermore, independence of the various loci implies \( Cov(X_i ,X_j ) = \sum\nolimits_k {Cov(X_i^k ,X_j^k )} \). From our covariance decomposition for two non-inbred relatives at a single locus, it follows that $$ Cov(X_i ,X_j ) = 2\Phi _{ij} \sigma _a^2 + \Delta 7_{ij} \sigma _a^2 , $$ where σ a 2 and σ d 2 are the additive and dominance genetic variances summed over all participating loci. These covariances can be expressed collectively in matrix notation as \( Var(X) = 2\sigma _a^2 \Phi + \sigma _d^2 \Delta _7 \). Again it is convenient to assume that X has mean E(X) = 0. Although it is an article of faith that the assumptions necessary for the central limit theorem actually hold for any given trait, one can check multivariate normality empirically.
Stereochemistry and Conformation of Organogermanium, Organotin and Organolead Compounds

1 Introduction 2 Chiral Organometallics of Type R1R2R3R4M 3 Germacyclopentanes and Cyclohexanes 4 Organometallics of Type R*MR3 5 Propargyl/Allenyl Systems Keywords: chiral organometallics of Type R1R2R3R4M; tin and configurational stability; pentacoordinated triorgano halostannanes; germacyclopentanes and cyclohexanes; organometallics of type R*MR3; chiral acyclic systems; propargyl/allenyl systems; germacyclopentanes and cyclohexanes
Stellar evolution in N-body simulations of disk galaxies. I

The Kalnajs (1972, 1976) Omega models of global mass and velocity distributions are employed in the present two-dimensional N-body simulation, which allows for a spectrum of particle masses, stellar explosions, explosion remnant interactions with an interstellar medium, and the creation of new stars from the gas. Two sequences of runs using the Omega values of 0.8 and 0.9 examine the separate and combined effects of particle mass distribution, the gravitational influence of an interstellar gas distribution on the N-body particles, and stellar evolution, allowing for stellar explosions and star formation from the gas. It is found that both Omega values' nonequilibrium results dramatically change when evolution is allowed to occur. These results call for more realistic coupled N-body and evolution simulations in order to improve the understanding of disk galaxy evolution.
Reinforcement Learning for Joint Pricing, Lead-time and Scheduling Decisions in Make-to-Order Systems

The paper investigates a problem faced by a make-to-order (MTO) firm that has the ability to reject or accept orders, and set prices and lead-times to influence demands. Inventory holding costs for early completed orders, tardiness costs for late delivery orders, order rejection costs, manufacturing variable costs, and fixed costs are considered. In order to maximize the expected profits in an infinite planning horizon with stochastic demands, the firm needs to make decisions from the following aspects: which orders to accept or reject, the trade-off between price and lead-time, and the potential for increased demand against capacity constraints. We model the problem as a Semi-Markov Decision Problem (SMDP) and develop a reinforcement learning (RL) based Q-learning algorithm (QLA) for the problem. In addition, we build a discrete-event simulation model to validate the performance of the QLA, and compare the experimental results with two benchmark policies, the First-Come-First-Serve (FCFS) policy and a threshold heuristic policy. It is shown that the QLA outperforms the existing policies.
Response of Coastal Fishes to the Gulf of Mexico Oil Disaster

The ecosystem-level impacts of the Deepwater Horizon disaster have been largely unpredictable due to the unique setting and magnitude of this spill. We used a five-year (2006–2010) data set within the oil-affected region to explore acute consequences for early-stage survival of fish species inhabiting seagrass nursery habitat. Although many of these species spawned during spring-summer, and produced larvae vulnerable to oil-polluted water, overall and species-by-species catch rates were high in 2010 after the spill (1,989±220 fishes km-towed−1 [μ ± 1SE]) relative to the previous four years (1,080±43 fishes km-towed−1). Also, several exploited species were characterized by notably higher juvenile catch rates during 2010 following large-scale fisheries closures in the northern Gulf, although overall statistical results for the effects of fishery closures on assemblage-wide CPUE data were ambiguous. We conclude that immediate, catastrophic losses of 2010 cohorts were largely avoided, and that no shifts in species composition occurred following the spill. The potential long-term impacts facing fishes as a result of chronic exposure and delayed, indirect effects now require attention.
Effect of resource subsidies on predator-prey population dynamics: a mathematical model.

The influence of a resource subsidy on predator–prey interactions is examined using a mathematical model. The model arises from the study of a biological system involving arctic foxes (predator), lemmings (prey), and seal carcasses (subsidy). In one version of the model, the predator, prey and subsidy all occur in the same location; in a second version, the predator moves between two patches, one containing only the prey and the other containing only the subsidy. Criteria for feasibility and stability of the different equilibrium states are studied both analytically and numerically. At small subsidy input rates, there is a minimum prey carrying capacity needed to support both predator and prey. At intermediate subsidy input rates, the predator and prey can always coexist. At high subsidy input rates, the prey cannot persist even at high carrying capacities. As predator movement increases, the dynamic stability of the predator–prey-subsidy interactions also increases.
Use of Short‐run Statistical Process Control Techniques: A Comparison of JIT and Non‐JIT Manufacturing

The purpose of this paper is to compare implementation of short‐run (i.e., small lot‐size) statistical process control (SPC) techniques in just‐in‐time (JIT) manufacturing environments. Using U.S. and Japanese questionnaires, this research focuses on the use of several manufacturing elements such as setup time, stability of process and quality improvement. Barriers to the implementation of short‐run SPC techniques are also examined. Results show significant difference in the way some short‐run SPC techniques are utilized by JIT and non‐JIT manufacturers.
Moments of the quartic assignment statistic with an application to multiple regression

We present the first three exact moments of the symmetric quartic assignment statistic. Efficient computational formulas have been derived to overcome severe difficulties in third moment calculations. Two examples illustrate applications of the quartic assignment statistic: evaluation of significant “clustering” or “mixing”; and distribution-free tests for equality of several planar regression models. This article extends previous results on the cubic assignment statistic in Iyer and Vecchia (1989).
Evaluating the Effects of Habitat Patchiness on Small Fish Assemblages in a Great Lakes Coastal Marsh

Wetlands are naturally heterogeneous ecosystems with resident species adapted to patchy environments. We measured how assemblages of small fish varied among four natural patches of coastal marsh in Mismer Bay, Lake Huron, USA. We sampled patches continuously for extensive time periods to describe both spatial and temporal fish distribution patterns. Fish richness and distribution varied spatially with some species restricted to one or two patches, such as Phoxinus eos and Margariscus margarita, and others widely distributed, such as Pimephales notatus and Culaea inconstans. For ubiquitous species, patch utilization varied temporally, which was explained by variation in habitat characteristics, such as macrophyte richness and growth form diversity, emergent macrophyte stem density, water temperature and depth. Northern Great Lakes coastal marshes are not static environments, and intensive sampling illustrates the dynamic interactions between fishes and this successional marsh environment. We conclude that extended sampling protocols in patchy, temperate wetlands are preferable to short surveys for making accurate evaluations about the spatio-temporal habitat utilization of fishes.
The diversity and commonalities of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Recent data demonstrate that the incidence of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) has increased exponentially (overall ~500%) over the last three decades, thus refuting the erroneous concept of rarity. GEP-NETs comprise 2% of all malignancies and in terms of prevalence, are the second commonest gastrointestinal malignancy after colorectal cancer. Diagnosis is usually late since there is no biochemical screening test and symptoms are protean and overlooked. As a consequence, 60–80% exhibit metastases with a consequent suboptimal outcome. The gastrointestinal tract and pancreas exhibit ~17 different neuroendocrine cell types, but neither the cell of origin nor the biological basis of GEP-NETs is understood. This review examines GEP-NETs from the cellular and molecular perspective and addresses the distinct patterns of functional tumor biology pertinent to clinicians. Although grouped as a neoplastic entity (NETs), each lesion is derived from distinct cell precursors, produces specific bioactive products, exhibits distinct chromosomal abnormalities and somatic mutation events and has uniquely dissimilar clinical presentations. GEP-NETs demonstrate very different survival rates reflecting the intrinsic differences in malignant potential and variations in proliferative regulation. Apart from the identification of the inhibitory role of the somatostatin receptors, there is limited biological knowledge of the key regulators of proliferation and hence a paucity of successful targeted therapeutic agents. IGF-I, TGFβ and a variety of tyrosine kinases have been postulated as key regulatory elements; rigorous data is still required to define predictably effective and rational therapeutic strategy in an individual tumor. A critical issue in the clinical management of GEP-NETs is the need to appreciate both the neuroendocrine commonalities of the disease as well as the unique characteristics of each tumor. The further acquisition of a detailed biological and molecular appreciation of GEP-NETs is vital to the development of effective management strategy.
Feeding Response of Adult Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) to Commercial Phagostimulants

Six commercial phagostimulants (Coax, Entice, Gusto, Konsume, Mo-Bait, and Pheast) at the lowest recommended field rates were compared to deionized water and 5% source (wt:vol) in water relative to proboscis extension response, feeding time and feeding volume of 1-,2-, and 3-d-old unfed laboratory-reared male and female adult corn earworms, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie). The percentage of 1-d-old females and males showing a positive proboscis extension response upon tarsal contact was significantly higher for 5%sucrose than for the other treatments which were not significantly different. There were no significant differences in the percentages of positive proboscis extension response of 2-d-old females and males to all treatments or to 5% sucrose after initial exposure to the phagostimulants and water, indicating an increase in responsiveness as nonspecific hunger or thirst increased. With few exceptions, notably the 3-d-old females for feeding time, and no exceptions for feeding volume, no significant differences were observed between the response to commercial phagostimulants and deionized water alone; but responses to all these treatments were Significantly lower than responses to 5% sucrose. Feeding time and feeding volume of the same moths on 5% sucrose after initial feeding on the commercial phagostimulants and water were considerable. Overall, these results indicate that the commercial phagostimulants are not effective feeding stimulants at the rates evaluated for adult H. zea when compared with 5% sucrose because the feeding response was equal to that of water alone. Some implications of the results relative to the use of feeding stimulants in adult H. zea control are discussed.
State, territorial, and local health departments' reporting of partnership strength before and after the H1N1 response.

IntroductionResearch has shown that partnerships between public health agencies, service providers, and other key stakeholders can expand resources and facilitate focus on community health issues more effectively than can any agency or organization acting alone. There is, however, little empirical evidence drawn from actual public health emergency responses to support this claim. The US response to novel influenza A (H1N1) virus provided the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the opportunity to explore whether, and the extent to which, state, local and territorial health departments strengthened partnerships with key partner agencies and sectors.MethodsParticipants included the CDC Public Health Emergency Response (PHER) grantees comprised of 62 state, territorial and local health departments. PHER grantees completed an assessment instrument in May 2011, including questions asking them to rate their partnership strength (on a four-point ordinal scale) with six types of partners before and after the H1N1 response. Grantees additionally reported if and how PHER funding contributed to enhancing the strength of these partnerships.ResultsSixty-one PHER grantees (61/62, 98%) completed the assessment instrument's partnerships section. PHER grantees reported that their partnerships with retail pharmacies were most strengthened (mean increase = 1.11 (on a four-point ordinal scale), SD = .82). This was followed by schools (K-12) (mean increase = .90, SD = .58); private medical providers (mean increase = .81, SD = .68); immunization authorities (mean increase = .80, SD = .61); main education authorities (mean increase = .75, SD = .68); and businesses (mean increase = .74, SD = .61). Mean PHER grantee increases in the strength of each partner type were statistically significant for all partner types (P < .01). Grantees reported that PHER funding contributed to enhancing the strength of their partnerships with schools most frequently (46/46, 100%), and businesses least frequently (31/37, 83.8%).ConclusionsThis inquiry provides evidence that state, territorial, and local health department partnerships with key sectors, agencies, and programs were strengthened after the H1N1 response. It further demonstrates that the CDC's PHER funding contributed to the health departments’ reports of increased partnership strength.KunK, ZimmermanJ, RoseD, RubelS. State, Territorial, and Local Health Departments’ Reporting of Partnership Strength Before and After the H1N1 Response. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(6):1-6.
125Iodine brachytherapy for colorectal adenocarcinoma recurrent in the pelvis and paraortics

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the results of 125 I brachytherapy in colorectal cancers recurrent in the pelvis and paraortics. Methods and Materials: From September 1989 to January 1997, 29 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma recurrent in the pelvis or the paraortic nodes were treated intraoperatively with permanent 125 iodine seed implantation at the James Cancer Center of The Ohio State University (OSU). All patients had undergone prior surgery; 72% had prior EBRT. The implanted residual tumor volume was microscopic in 38% and gross in 62%. The implanted area (median 25 cc) received a median minimal peripheral dose of 140 Gy to total decay. An omental pedicle was used to minimize irradiation of the bowel. Five patients received additional postimplant EBRT (20–50 Gy; median 30 Gy). Results: The 1-, 2-, and 4-year actuarial local-regional control rates were 38%, 17%, and 17%, respectively, with a median time to local failure of 11 months (95% CI 10–12 months). The first manifestation of disease progression in 52% of the patients was local-regional. In addition, 22 patients (75%) developed distant metastases. The 1-, 2-, and 4-year actuarial overall survival rates were 70%, 35%, and 21%, (median = 18 months; 95% CI: 14–22 months). Overall survival was better for patients smaller volume implants ( p = 0.007), with a lower total activity implanted ( p = 0.0003), with a smaller number of implanted sites ( p = 0.004), and with microscopic residual disease ( p = 0.01). Patients receiving additional EBRT also had a better prognosis ( p = 0.005). Local tumor progression was the cause of death in 34% of the patients who have died at the time of this report and 56% died of distant metastases. Of the patients, 13 (45%) experienced 15 toxic events, including 3 patients (10%) with enteric fistula. Neuropathy was not observed. Conclusions: 125 I brachytherapy can be successfully used for salvage in patients with recurrent colorectal cancer. Patients with isolated, microscopic, or minimal gross residual disease requiring small-volume implants and those receiving additional EBRT have a better prognosis. Postimplant EBRT is now routinely added, even for previously irradiated patients, in an attempt to improve local control. Compared to IOERT and IOHDR, 125 I brachytherapy is not associated with clinical neuropathy, probably due to the continuous low dose rate irradiation delivered by the 125 I seeds.
Aggressive statin therapy and the risk of malignancy.

The advent of pharmacologic agents which partially inhibit the rate limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl Co-A reductase) provided a major advance in preventive medicine. Clinical trials in both primary and secondary prevention have demonstrated reduction in cardiovascular events by statin therapy. However, early epidemiologic studies proposed an inverse relationship between cholesterol levels and mortality. While the epidemiologic studies were controversial and did not establish a cause and effect relationship, concern was raised that aggressive lipid lowering by pharmacological means may be associated with increased risk for noncardiac mortality, including malignancy. The theoretical concern was intensified by meta-analysis of statin trials, which confirmed the reduction in cardiovascular mortality but also demonstrated a potential increase in cancer risk. This review evaluates the epidemiologic and prospective trial data which address the potential relationship between aggressive statin therapy and the risk of malignancy
Nephrotoxicity following acute administration of N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide in rats

The acute renal effects of the fungicide N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)succinimide (NDPS) were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats. NDPS (50 mg/kg, i.p.) increased urine volume and decreased food intake and body weight at 24 h but not 48 h. No change in urine content or the accumulation by renal cortical slices of the organic anion p-aminohippurate (PAH) or the organic cation tetraethylammonium (TEA) was observed with 50 mg/kg NDPS when compared to control animals. Rats receiving 100 or 200 mg/kg NDPS (i.p.) exhibited increased urine volume, proteinuria, glucosuria, decreased food intake and body weight, increased BUN and decreased accumulation of PAH and TEA at both 24 h and 48 h. These effects were generally more pronounced at the 200 mg/kg dose level. Pair-fed control experiments demonstrated that renal effects were NDPS-induced and not related to daily food consumption. NO change in water intake was observed with any dose of NDPS used. The results demonstrate that NDPS alters renal function in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, NDPS (50 mg/kg) is capable of producing diuresis without apparent nephrotoxicity while doses of 100 mg/kg or more produce diuresis and nephrotoxicity.
Automated vehicles for highway operations (automated highway systems)

AbstractConsiderable research effort has been devoted within the past 15 years to automating the driving of highway vehicles in order to improve their safety and efficiency of operation and to help to reduce traffic congestion. Although the highway environment is in some ways more structured than other environments in which automated vehicles have been proposed to operate, the density and complexity of road traffic still make the sensing and control problems challenging. Because highway vehicles are not ‘unmanned’ but are expected to carry passengers and to coexist with other passenger-carrying vehicles, the reliability and safety considerations in the design of their control systems are much more important than they are for vehicles that are truly unmanned. This paper reviews the progress that has been made in recent research on highway vehicle automation and indicates the important research challenges that still need to be addressed before highway automation can become an everyday reality.
Solute Transport in the Bone Lacunar-Canalicular System is Size and Shape Dependent

Solute transport through the bone lacunar-canalicular system is believed to be essential for osteocyte survival and function. We have developed an approach that permits direct measurement of real-time solute movement in intact bones by using fluorescence recovery after phtobleaching (FRAP) technology [1]. The movement of vitally injected fluorescence dye (sodium fluorescein) among individual osteocytic lacunae was visualized in situ and the transport was analyzed by using a two-compartment mathematical model of solute diffusion. Our previous studies [1] suggested that the matrix surrounding osteocytes is similar to the glycocalyx of endothelial cells as first proposed by Weinbaum et al. (1994) [2]. In the present study, we investigated diffusive transport of five fluorescent tracers of different molecular weights and shapes in the bone lacunar-canalicular system (LCS). Our hypothesis is that the solute transport in lacunar-canalicular system is size and shape dependent, due to the molecular sieving of the pericellular matrix.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Holographic fabrication of photonic crystal templates using spatial-light-modulator-based phase mask method

In this work, we present a method of holographically fabricating photonic structures in photosensitive polymer using a phase pattern displayed on a spatial light modulator (SLM) as a digitally programmable phase mask. The phase pattern can be programmed in hexagonal and square symmetries. By changing the gray level of the pixelated units in the displayed phase pattern, we can achieve a digital control of the phases of one or more of the interfering beams, thus changing the interference pattern. By using the phase pattern on the SLM as a tunable phase mask, different photonic crystal templates can be fabricated.
Soap bubbles in analytical chemistry. Conductometric determination of sub-parts per million levels of sulfur dioxide with a soap bubble.

Soap bubbles provide a fascinating tool that is little used analytically. With a very low liquid volume to surface area ratio, a soap bubble can potentially provide a very useful interface for preconcentration where mass transfer to an interfacial surface is important. Here we use an automated system to create bubbles of uniform size and film thickness. We utilize purified Triton-X 100, a nonionic surfactant, to make soap bubbles. We use such bubbles as a gas-sampling interface. Incorporating hydrogen peroxide into the bubble provides a system where electrical conductance increases as the bubble is exposed to low concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas. We theoretically derive the conductance of a hollow conducting spherical thin film with spherical cap electrodes. We measure the film thickness by incorporating a dye in the bubble making solution and laser transmission photometry and find that it agrees well with the geometrically computed thickness. With the conductance of the bubble-making soap solution be...
Low skew clock drivers and their system design considerations

Abstract Several varieties of clock drivers with 1 ns or less skew from output to output are available from Motorola. Microprocessor-based systems are now running at 33 MHz and beyond, and system clock distribution at these frequencies mandates the use of low skew clock drivers. Unfortunately, just plugging a high performance clock driver into a system does not guarantee trouble-free operation. Only careful board layout and consideration of system noise issues can guarantee reliable clock distribution. This application note addresses these system design issues to help ensure that low skew clock drivers are used effectively in a system environment.
CaMKII regulation of the cardiac ryanodine receptor and sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release.

Spontaneous release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum has emerged as a mechanism underlying triggered activity and cardiac arrhythmias. Recent studies suggest an important role for increased Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)-mediated phosphorylation of ryanodine receptors (RyR2) in the induction of arrhythmias. This article briefly reviews the mechanisms underlying CaMKII regulation of RyR2 and discusses directions of current and future research.
Microbial interactions in the vaginal ecosystem, with emphasis on the pathogenesis of bacterial vaginosis

During bacterial vaginosis (BV), populations of lactobacilli which are generally dominant in the vagina of overtly healthy women are replaced by other facultative and anaerobic microorganisms. Some Lactobacillus strains produce hydrogen peroxide and all produce lactic acid; however, the antagonistic role of these metabolites in vivo remains controversial. Positive interactions among BV-associated organisms may contribute to the pathogenesis of BV and its sequelae.
Distributed decision propagation in mobile-agent proximity networks

This paper develops a distributed algorithm for decision/awareness propagation in mobile-agent networks. A time-dependent proximity network topology is adopted to represent a mobile-agent scenario. The agent-interaction policy formulated here is inspired from the recently developed language-measure theory. Analytical results related to convergence of statistical moments of agent states are derived and then validated by numerical simulation. The results show that a single (user-defined) parameter in the agent interaction policy can be identified to control the trade-off between Propagation Radius (i.e. how far a decision spreads from its source) and Localisation Gradient (i.e. the extent to which the spatial variations may affect localisation of the source) as well as the temporal convergence properties.⋆An earlier version of the paper reporting preliminary results has been presented at the 2012 American Control Conference, Montreal, Canada.