cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SolarDiagnostics: Automatic damage detection on rooftop solar photovoltaic arrays

Abstract Homeowners are increasingly deploying rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays due to the rapid decline in solar module prices. However, homeowners may have to spend up to ∼$375 to diagnose their damaged rooftop solar PV system. Thus, recently, there is a rising interest to inspect potential damage on solar PV arrays automatically and passively. Unfortunately, recent approaches that leverage machine learning techniques have the limitation of distinguishing solar PV array damages from other solar degradation (e.g., shading, dust, snow). To address this problem, we design a new system—SolarDiagnostics that can automatically detect and profile damages on rooftop solar PV arrays using their rooftop images with a lower cost. In essence, SolarDiagnostics first leverages an K-Means algorithm to isolate rooftop objects to extract solar panel residing contours. Then, SolarDiagnostics employs a convolutional neural networks to accurately identify and characterize the damage on each solar panel residing contour. We evaluate SolarDiagnostics by building a lower cost prototype and using 60,000 damaged solar PV array images generated by deep convolutional generative adversarial networks. We find that SolarDiagnostics is able to detect damaged solar PV arrays with a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 1.0. In addition, pre-trained SolarDiagnostics yields an MCC of 0.95, which is significantly better than other re-trained machine learning-based approaches and yields as the similar MCC as of re-trained SolarDiagnostics. We make the source code and datasets that we use to build and evaluate SolarDiagnostics publicly-available.
Modeling chemical reactions: Jacobian paradigm and related issues.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on modeling chemical reactions—Jacobian paradigm and related issues. Being perfect for linear equations, Jacobian-based methods have been adapted to the nonlinear case with considerable success. It sometimes seems as if Jacobians yield a general solution paradigm: if the equations are linear, solve the set of equations once; and if the equations are nonlinear, solve the set of equations repeatedly—iterate—until the process converges. Linear equations are defined as equations in which the parameters appear only as first power multipliers of terms containing no other parameters. Nonlinear models arise primarily because they are implied by scientific assumptions, for example, by the laws of mass action. Because the definition of a nonlinear model is any model that is not linear, the variety of such models is considerable. The chapter explores the iterative process in three contexts: (1) curve fitting, (2) rate equations, and (3) equilibrium or steady-state equations. The chapter also examines how all three of these contexts can coexist, using a problem in enzyme kinetics.
Response Of Plants To The Physical Effects Of Soil Compaction

Publisher Summary Undesirable compaction levels may be because of genetically derived soil conditions or to rapid oxidation of the organic fraction and consequent loss of water stability in virgin soils when these are brought into cultivation. The annotated bibliography of soil compaction makes clear that the manipulation of primary soil particles and aggregates by traction and tillage implements, notably the compression of soils by vehicular traffic, is considered a major cause of compaction. Productivity of compacted soils is affected by the increased mechanical impedance, reduced aeration, altered moisture availability, and heat flux that follow from increased soil density and reduced pore space. Plant response has, however, been related to specific soil physical phenomena that arise because of soil compaction. Results from soil compaction research indicate that plant response to compaction will vary with soil type, plant species, and climate. It is clear that the plant in compacted soil may respond to alterations in mechanical impedance, aeration, moisture availability, and heat flux of the soil. Plant response can be attributed to any of these phenomena within critical density ranges for a given soil under a given set of climatic conditions. Further, it is clear that the plant response to compaction, if expressed over a wide enough range, is parabolic.
Current use of visuals in scientific communication

Scholars have argued that compared to text and tables, graphs and other visuals (or “inscriptions”) are a more advanced form of communication than ordinary prose and that the widespread use of graphs in the sciences contributes to the authority of scientific discourse. Research from the early 1980s identified only a few types of inscriptions that accounted for the vast use of visual communication in scientific communication. Yet with advances in production and publishing technology, the potential for use of inscriptions in professional discourse has increased. Therefore, we decided to revisit the question regarding the type and frequency of inscriptions used in scientific discourse. Based on a content analysis of 1,326 inscriptions from 43 research articles in the journal Science, we found that representational visuals, such as graphs and diagrams, are “high-use” inscriptions. Photograph and instrument output, which are reproductions of scientific evidence rather than transformations of data output, are “medium-use” inscriptions. Tables and equations, which are most similar to ordinary syntax, are “low-use” inscriptions. This research also identifies visual subtypes that should be emphasized when teaching scientific communication.
StarFlow: A Script-Centric Data Analysis Environment

We introduce StarFlow, a script-centric environment for data analysis. StarFlow has four main features: (1) extraction of control and data-flow dependencies through a novel combination of static analysis, dynamic runtime analysis, and user annotations, (2) command-line tools for exploring and propagating changes through the resulting dependency network, (3) support for workflow abstractions enabling robust parallel executions of complex analysis pipelines, and (4) a seamless interface with the Python scripting language. We describe real applications of StarFlow, including automatic parallelization of complex workflows in the cloud.
The use of the boxstep method in discrete optimization

The Boxstep method is used to maximize Lagrangean functions in the context of a branch-and-bound algorithm for the general discrete optimization problem. Results are presented for three applications: facility location, multi-item production scheduling, and single machine scheduling. The performance of the Boxstep method is contrasted with that of the subgradient optimization method.
On the bit-complexity of discrete solutions of PDEs: compact multigrid

The topic of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) is an interesting area where the techniques of discrete mathematics and numerical algorithms can be brought together to solve problems that would normally be considered more properly in the domain of continuous mathematics. We investigate the bit-complexity of discrete solutions to linear PDEs, which is a realistic measure for parallel computers such as the CONNECTION MACHINE (CM1) and MASPAR. We show that for a large class of linear PDEs satisfying some routine assumptions of the multigrid methods, the N point discretization of their solution can be compressed to only a constant number of bits per discretization point, without loss of information or introducing errors beyond the order of the discretization error. More specifically, we show that the bit-complexity of the compressed solution is O(N) for both storage space and the total number of operations. We also compute the compressed solution by a parallel algorithm using O(logN) time and N/logN bit-serial processors. The best previous bounds on the bit-complexity (for both sequential time and storage space) were at least NlogN; furthermore, the order of NlogN bit-serial processors were required to support the O(logN) parallel time in the known algorithms. We believe this is the first case where a linear or algebraic system can be provably compressed (i.e. the bit-complexity of storage of the compressed solution is less than the solution size) and also the first case where the use of data compression provably speeds up the time to solve the system (in the compressed form).
La historia como oficio : un testimonio sobre l’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales.

Based on a lecture at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales ( ehess , Paris) which took place during the Bicentenary commemorations of Hispani...
Proteasome activator PA28γ regulates p53 by enhancing its MDM2-mediated degradation

Downregulation of p53 by MDM2-mediated proteasomal degradation makes cells resistant to apoptosis. The MDM2–p53 interaction is well characterized, but the mechanisms that regulate the interaction are not well understood. Here, we show that PA28γ, a proteasome activator that inhibits apoptosis and promotes cell cycle progression through unknown mechanisms, exerts an effect as a cofactor in the MDM2–p53 interaction. The polymer form of PA28γ interacts with both MDM2 and p53 proteins and facilitates their physical interaction. This promotes ubiquitination- and MDM2-dependent proteasomal degradation of p53, limiting its accumulation and resulting in inhibited apoptosis after DNA damage. Elimination of endogenous PA28γ in human cancer cells abrogates MDM2-mediated p53 degradation, increases the activity of p53, and enhances apoptosis. These findings reveal the mechanism by which PA28γ affects apoptosis and proliferation. Manipulation of the level of PA28γ, an approach that would regulate the cellular content of p53, may improve the efficacy of current cancer therapies.
Hyperfine interactions in cluster models of the P b defect center

Hyperfine interactions in the ${P}_{b}$ center (denoted schematically as ${\mathrm{Si}}_{3}$?Si\ensuremath{\cdot}) at the Si(111)/${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ interface have been studied with use of spin-polarized self-consistent multiple-scattering X\ensuremath{\alpha} calculations on ${\mathrm{Si}}_{22}$${\mathrm{H}}_{21}$/${\mathrm{Si}}_{6}$${\mathrm{O}}_{18}$ ${\mathrm{H}}_{6}$ and ${\mathrm{Si}}_{22}$${\mathrm{H}}_{27}$ cluster models. Our theoretical hyperfine tensor agrees very well with experiment when the trivalent atom Si' is relaxed by a value typical of geometries found for the neutral paramagnetic charge state in semiempirical and ab initio cluster calculations. Spin-polarization effects are found to be very important for a detailed description of the ${P}_{b}$ defect, particularly with respect to the hyperfine couplings at nuclei close to the defect atom. The largest such superhyperfine interaction is produced not by the nearest-neighbor atoms as has commonly been assumed, but by three second-nearest neighbors located below Si' in the bulk c-Si. The isotropic and anisotropic superhyperfine components and the direction of the principal axes predicted by the present calculations have been confirmed by recent ESR experiments.
Reinforcement patterns and extinction in human newborns

Abstract Three groups of neonates were equated on number, but differed in patterns of reinforcements for head-turning during conditioning. S s receiving intermittent reinforcement gave more head-turning responses during extinction than infants reinforced on a continuous schedule. Operant conditioning of head movements for both of the above groups was contrasted with apparent suppession of such responding when occurrence of headturning responses delayed reinforcement for the third group.
Hypergeometric Functions in Exact Geometric Computation

Abstract Most problems in computational geometry are algebraic. A general approach to address nonrobustness in such problems is Exact Geometric Computation (EGC). There are now general libraries that support EGC for the general programmer (e.g., Core Library, LEDA Real). Many applications require non-algebraic functions as well. In this paper, we describe how to provide non-algebraic functions in the context of other EGC capabilities. We implemented a multiprecision hypergeometric series package which can be used to evaluate common elementary math functions to an arbitrary precision. This can be achieved relatively easily using the Core Library which supports a guaranteed precision level of accuracy. We address several issues of efficiency in such a hypergeometric package: automatic error analysis, argument reduction, preprocessing of hypergeometric parameters, and precomputed constants. Some preliminary experimental results are reported.
Comparison of Some Non-Parametric Tests Against Normal Alternatives with an Application to Life Testing*

Abstract * Research sponsored by the Office of Ordnance Research of the U. S. Army under Contract No. DA-20-018-ORD-13272.
Novel regulatory roles for protein phosphatase-2A in the islet β cell

Protein phosphorylation constitutes one of the key signaling steps in physiological insulin secretion. The phosphorylation status of a given protein represents the balance of the activities of protein kinases and phosphatases, which induce the addition and removal of phosphate from that protein, respectively. Although several extant studies were focused on the identification and characterization of protein kinases in islets, relatively little information is available on the localization and regulation of protein phosphatases in beta cells. Emerging evidence implicates protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) in the phenomenon of insulin secretion. The three principal objectives of this commentary are to: (i) review the existing evidence, which suggests regulation, by glucose and other insulin secretagogues, of PP2A in the beta cell; (ii) discuss the experimental evidence, which implicates PP2A-like enzymes in the dephosphorylation and inactivation of key beta cell phosphoprotein substrates (e.g., Akt and Bcl-2), which may be necessary for beta cell proliferation and survival, culminating in the loss of the beta cell mass; and (iii) highlight potential avenues for future research, including the development of specific pharmacological and therapeutic interventional modalities for the inhibition of specific PP2A-like phosphatases for the prevention of loss of beta cell mass leading to the onset of diabetes.
The Computational Videodisc

The optical videodisc has radically augmented the visual environment of realtime computer graphics from one of simple geometric shapes, ultra-saturated interiors, and jagged borders to one of pictorial richness, full motion dynamics, and high fidelity stereo sound. The 54,000 frames that comprise one side of a disc may be displayed individually, perused, or concatenated into 30 frame per second sync-sound movies. All this is available in a graphics environment more akin to an Apple home computer than a flight simulator.
PLATO'S DEMIURGE AS PRECURSOR TO THE STOIC PROVIDENTIAL GOD

There is a striking resemblance between the physical theory of Plato's Timaeus and that of the Stoics; striking enough, indeed, to warrant the supposition that the latter was substantially influenced by the former. In attempting to trace the main lines of this influence, scholars have tended to focus attention almost exclusively on the Stoics' choice and characterization of the world's ultimate constituents: a rational principle (strongly reminiscent of Plato's World Soul) that pervades and controls a material principle (reminiscent of Plato's Receptacle). In this paper, I offer some suggestions about how the early Stoics may have reacted as readers to Plato's literary presentation of the dialogue's cosmogonic myth. On this basis I consider the proposal that the crucial philosophical appeal of the Timaeus for the Stoics – and perhaps the reason it attracted their interest in the first place – lay not in its claims about the Receptacle and World Soul, but rather in its portrayal of the Demiurge who designed the cosmos.
Optical preconditioning and digital image restoration

Appropriate modifications of the image-capture process in a modern imaging system can potentially enhance the digital restorability of the collected image data and thus lead to improved final-image quality. Examples of such modification are insertion of a phase mask in the pupil that encodes depth dependent intensity distribution in the wavefront, insertion of a specific defocus phase in one of the two arms of a conventional phase-diverse speckle imaging system, and use of progressively larger sub-pixel tip-tilts in the otherwise identical low-resolution image channels of an array imaging system. In each case, the final reconstructed image has a higher quality than the intermediate raw image(s) recorded by the sensor. This paper discusses the application of Fisher information to characterize the performance of these three model imaging systems that exploit optical preconditioning to improve the digital restorability and thus the quality of the final image.
The accuracy of highly filled elastomeric impression materials

Summary A specific test was used to determine the accuracy of the highly filled silicone impression materials. They proved to be as accurate as the other standard impression materials tested. Two of the three highly filled silicone systems had the advantage of showing the lowest variability of accuracy. This study supports the use of the Class IV silicones for dental duplication procedures when such materials are used in conjunction with a corrective wash. This procedure obviates the need for making a custom impression tray.
Three-dimensional morphology of inner ear development in Xenopus laevis

The three-dimensional morphology of the membranous labyrinth of Xenopus laevis is presented from embryonic through late tadpole development (stages 28 to 52, inclusive). This was accomplished by paint-filling the endolymphatic spaces of Xenopus ears at a series of stages, beginning with the embryonic otic vesicle and ending with the complex ear of the late tadpole. At stage 52, the inner ear has expanded approximately 23-fold in its anterior/posterior dimension compared with stage 28 and it is a miniature of the adult form. The paint-filling technique illustrates the dramatic changes required to convert a simple ear vesicle into the elaborate form of the adult, including semicircular canal formation and genesis of vestibular and auditory organs, and it can serve as a basis for phenotype identification in experimentally or genetically manipulated ears.
Mitigation of Alkali-Silica Reactivity in New Mexico

The research experiments reported were conducted at the Materials Research Center, ATR Institute, University of New Mexico, at the request of the Research Bureau, New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department (NMSHTD). The purpose was to determine the amount of additives required for mitigation of alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) based on screening tests. Fly ash additives routinely used in New Mexico and a new material—lithium nitrate—proposed by the Strategic Highway Research Program were evaluated. The work was motivated by continuous problems with early deterioration of concrete structures due to alkali-silica reactivity. The work was based on the use of acceptance criteria established by NMSHTD for expansion due to ASR, as measured in screening tests. Recommendations resulting from this research do not consider all aspects of the behavior of concrete mixtures and structures. The additive recommendations are based on reduction in mortar-bar expansion during accelerated tests.
The Politics of Judicial Elections: The Influence of Campaign Contributions on the Voting Patterns of Texas Supreme Court Justices, 1994–1997

As preparations for the 2004 elections begin, many candidates for judicial positions will start the process of advertising their candidacy, raising money and in general, running a political campaign to obtain a legal position. Legal scholars question whether or not campaign contributions corrupt the judicial process by forcing justices to consider the preferences of campaign contributors during the decision-making process. It is an important question, and as such I examine the influence of campaign contributions on judicial decisions. Specifically, I examine decisions made by the Texas Civil Supreme Court between January 1994 and June 1997 in cases dealing with two business litigants and determine if there is a systematic relationship between those decisions and the interests of campaign contributors, controlling for factors such as judicial ideology, type of case, and decision timing. Using logit regression, I find empirical evidence suggesting that the justices are influenced by the preferences of campaign contributors. Moreover, I am able to establish a loose causal link between contributions and decisions that indicates that decisions follow dollars.
Intra-aneurysmal flow patterns and wall shear stresses calculated with computational flow dynamics in an anterior communicating artery aneurysm depend on knowledge of patient-specific inflow rates

To evaluate if knowledge of patient-specific inflow data in computational fluid dynamics simulations is required for the accurate calculation of intra-aneurysmal flow patterns and wall shear stress in an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery (AcomA). 3D digital subtraction angiography (3D-DSA) and phase contrast magnetic resonance (pcMRI) images were obtained in a 71-year old patient with an unruptured aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery (AcomA). A baseline computational flow dynamics simulation was performed using inflow boundary conditions measured with pcMRI. Intra-aneurysmal flow patterns, maximum, minimum and average values of wall shear stress and wall shear stress histograms were calculated. Five additional computational flow dynamics simulations were performed, in which simulated inflow from the right and left A1 segment was varied, while keeping the total inflow constant. Intra-aneurysmal flow patterns measured with pcMRI were qualitatively compared to intra-aneurysmal flow patterns derived from the simulations. Intra-aneurysmal flow patterns calculated in the baseline simulation were in good qualitative agreement with pcMRI measurements. Intra-aneurysmal flow patterns and wall shear stress changed considerably when inflow conditions were altered. Changes in the flow distribution between right and left A1 segments caused variations of the averaged wall shear stress as high as 43%. Intra-aneurysmal flow patterns and wall shear stress in an AcomA aneurysm calculated with computational flow dynamics depended strongly on the flow distribution between A1 segments. Patient-specific flow data measured with pcMRI obtained prior to computational flow dynamics are necessary for an accurate simulation of intra-aneurysmal flow patterns and calculation of wall shear stress in AcomA aneurysms. Further studies may indicate if wall shear stress calculated with computational flow dynamics can predict aneurysm growth and/or rupture.
Rheology and water swelling of carboxymethyl starch gels

Synopsis A series of gels differing in ionic content was prepared by derivatizing starch with varying amounts of carboxymethyl add-on. Some derivatives were lightly crosslinked with epichlorohydrin to reduce soluble material and increase the amount of gel. The gel fraction of each batch was isolated. and viscosity 1]. shear modulus G. and swelling in water and salt solution were then determined. One gel suspension. examined in more detail. was demonstrated to behave as a closely packed gel thick­ ening agent. thereby warranting use of the three reduced functions: reduced concentration cQ (c is weight concentration of polymer. Q is swelling capacity in excess fluidl,1]/cQ. and G/cJi:l. At cQ greater than about 2. 1]/cQ. and G/cli:l reach constant plateau values. as is typical of other examples of closely packed gel thickeners. In a comparison among the gel suspensions. plateau values of the reduced viscosity function were nearly proportional to the apparent crosslink density G/c Ii:J. in agreement with other closely packed gel thickeners. but were not affected by ionic content of dry polymer. The water swelling capacities of the different gels ranged from 47 to 450 gig and were correlated with both ionic contents and apparent crosslink densities. but the effects of these variables were less than suggested by theory.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a nursing home resident:

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease. Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States. The onsetof CJD is often heralded by beha...
Dynamic relationships between soil properties and foliar disease as affected by annual additions of organic amendment to a sandy-soil vegetable production system

Abstract Additions of organic amendments to agricultural soils can lead to improved soil quality and reduced severity of crop diseases. However, the relationship between disease severity and soil properties as affected by repeated additions of these amendments is poorly understood. The primary objectives of this study were to (i) resolve multivariate relationships between soil properties and foliar disease severity and (ii) identify soil properties that contribute to disease severity in an intensive irrigated vegetable production system receiving annual additions of fresh and composted paper mill residuals (PMR). Foliar diseases caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae on snap bean (bacterial brown spot) and P. s. pv. lachrymans on cucumber (angular leaf spot) are the focus of this report. The experiment consisted of a 3-year crop rotation of potato (1998 and 2001), snap bean (1999 and 2002), and cucumber (2000). Treatments included a non-amended fertilizer control and two rates of fresh PMR, PMR composted alone (PMRC), and PMR composted with bark (PMRB). Soil measures included total soil carbon (TC) and nitrogen (TN), particulate organic matter carbon (POMC) and nitrogen (POMN), volumetric soil moisture (VM) and in situ NO3-N. Multiple regression (MR) and principal component analyses (PCA) were conducted to identify key soil properties that influenced the amount of disease. On average, the amount of TC in plots amended with PMR composts increased 77–178% from 1999 to 2002 compared to the non-amended soils. In 1999, a year in which compost additions reduced the amount of bacterial brown spot of bean, TC explained 42% of the total variation in disease severity in the best MR model. Midseason TN alone was inversely related to angular leaf spot incidence in 2000, while POMN explained 51% of the variation in the best MR model for that year. In 2002, a year in which PMRC-amended soils exacerbated brown spot symptoms, midseason quantities of TN explained 80% of the variation in disease severity. Unique to 2002, NO3-N alone positively correlated with disease severity. Overall, the influence of soil carbon on disease severity was displaced by the increasing importance of TN and NO3-N, indicating a transition from a C-dependent to an N-dependent system.
Cyclic GMP in the human erythrocyte. Intracellular levels and transport in normal subjects and chronic hemodialysis patients

We have studied the intracellular levels of cyclic GMP in the red blood cells of chronic hemodialysis patients before and after dialysis treatment and in normal subjects. Cyclic GMP is present at levels (mean +/- 1SD) of 19.6 +/- 4.7 and 18.4 +/- 5.8 nM/L before and after treatment, respectively. The levels in normal subjects are 3.6 +/- 0.9. The uptake of cyclic GMP was also studied and the data demonstrate that the red blood cell is slightly permeable to cyclic GMP, suggesting that cyclic GMP uptake could substitute for guanylate cyclase activity in the human erythrocyte.
Ferromagnetism in lanthanum and/or cerium substituted t′ phases of gadolinium cuprate

Abstract We have studied the effects of defect structure and electron-doping on the parasitic ferromagnetism in polycrystalline samples of the Gd2−xLaxCuO4 and Gd1.85−xLaxCe0.15CuO4 with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 solid solution series, crystallizing with T′ structure. In each of these series, below a critical value of the a cell parameter, ac, the onset of ferromagnetism due to a canted arrangement of antiferromagnetically ordered copper moments was observed. The ac values in each of these series were found to vary depending on the synthetic conditions and cerium substitution at the rare earth site. These effects were attributed to differences in the defect structure and electronic structure. The Gd1.85−xLaxCe0.15CuO4 compositions were also investigated to examine the occurrence of superconductivity, if any, in these phases.
Growth history and ecology of the Atlantic surf clam, Spisula solidissima (Dillwyn), as revealed by stable isotopes and annual shell increments☆

Abstract The shells of the Atlantic surf clam, Spisula solidissima (Dillwyn), contain a record of both life history and environmental changes. These shell records were investigated using oxygen and carbon stable isotopic analyses (δ18O, δ13C) and shell growth increment analyses. δ18O variations across annual shell increments reflect the yearly cycle of sea-water temperatures off the New Jersey coast, further documenting the proposed annual periodicity of the major shell increments. The 11-yr shell record analyzed here confirms that shell growth is most rapid in spring-early summer, slow in late summer-fall, and extremely slow or non-existent in winter. Shell growth appears to occur in isotopic equilibrium with sea water and measured δ18O values are used to refine the aragonite-water temperature scale. Variations in the timing of annual growth increment formation are noted as well as ontogenetic effects upon the range of isotopic values recorded in shell carbonate. Both the δ18O and δ13C profiles are influenced by changes in the sea-water temperature regime over the 11-yr period studied (1965–1976) and record these effects in the shell. The combination of stable isotope and growth increment analyses provides a powerful tool for interpreting the shell records of both modern and fossil molluscs.
Ribohomopolymer formation as a source of error in the radioactive precursor incorporation studies of nuclear DNA-dependent RNA synthesis

Abstract Isolated rat liver nuclei contain ribohomopolymer polymerases with relative activities in the following order: Poly (A) (100%) > Poly (C) (62%) > Poly (U) (34%) > Poly (G) (13%). Because these enzymes share the same substrates with the nuclear DNA-dependent RNA polymerases in nuclei, labelled precursor is therefore concurrently incorporated into both RNA and ribohomopolymer. Thus, experiments designed to study DNA-dependent RNA synthesis are subjected to error. It is estimated when [ 14 C]ATP is used as the labelled precursor, the error is as high as 35%; [ 14 C]CTP, 20%; [ 14 C]UTP or [ 14 C]GTP, 10%.
An exploration of perspective taking as an antecedent of transformational leadership behavior

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to explore dyad‐specific perspective taking as a potential antecedent of transformational leadership behavior.Design/methodology/approach – The study's hypothesis was explored through a sample of 106 supervisor/subordinate dyads working in a hospital. Supervisors self‐reported their dyad‐specific perspective taking, while subordinates evaluated the transformational leadership behaviors of their supervisors.Findings – Results indicate that dyad‐specific perspective taking is related to transformational leadership behavior and not related to transactional leadership behavior.Practical implications – Results suggest that managers wishing to improve their skills as leaders may want to increase the frequency with which they attempt to look at issues from the perspective of their subordinates.Originality/value – This research contributes to the literature by suggesting that dyad‐specific perspective taking is related to transformational leadership behavior.
Galloping ophthalmoplegia and numb chin in Burkitt lymphoma

A 57-year-old man developed complete bilateral ophthalmoplegia over a period of 10 days, together with bilateral facial pain and numbness of the chin. He had no other clinical manifestations. Findings on brain magnetic resonance imaging and spinal fluid formula from the first lumbar puncture were normal, but cerebrospinal fluid flow cytometry disclosed a kappa restriction monoclonal B-cell population, indicating malignant lymphoma. Computed tomography of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis then revealed multiple enlarged lymph nodes. Biopsy of an inguinal node showed findings consistent with Burkitt lymphoma. Within six weeks, intravenous and intrathecal chemotherapy resolved all neurologic findings except a partial right-side sixth nerve palsy and mild chin numbness. Eighteen months after disease onset, the patient remained in remission. Meningeal spread of Burkitt lymphoma is not commonly a presenting feature in immunocompetent adults. Chin numbness, a characteristic feature caused by infiltration of the mental nerve, should facilitate earlier recognition, which may be life saving.
Use of the cast pin tear test to study solidification cracking

The cast pin tear test (CPTT) was originally developed by F.C. Hull in the 1960s to study solidification cracking in austenitic stainless steels. Over a past 5 years, researchers at the Ohio State University have modified the original test and apparatus design to study solidification cracking in a range of Ni-base alloys and stainless steels. This paper describes the development of the test apparatus, the techniques that are used, and results from the testing of several alloy systems. It is shown that the CPTT closely reproduced the trends in solidification cracking behavior determined by the Transvarestraint test and experienced in actual welds. Very good correlation is found between rankings of the solidification cracking susceptibility in various high-alloy stainless steels and high-Cr Ni-base filler metals generated using the CPTT and other solidification cracking tests. In addition, the application of the CPTT to study dilution effects in dissimilar material combinations is described.
On the convergence of the vortex loop method with regularization for the Neumann boundary value problem on a plane screen

We consider a linear integral equation with a supersingular integral treated in the sense of the Hadamard finite value, which arises in the solution of the Neumann boundary value problem for the Laplace equation with the representation of the solution in the form of a doublelayer potential. We consider the case in which the exterior boundary value problem is solved outside a plane surface (a screen). For the integral operator in the above-mentioned equation, we suggest quadrature formulas of the vortex loop method with regularization, which provide its approximation on the entire surface when using an unstructured partition. In the problem in question, the derivative of the unknown density of the double-layer potential, as well as the errors of quadrature formulas, has singularities in a neighborhood of the screen edge. We construct a numerical scheme for the integral equation on the basis of the suggested quadrature formulas and prove an estimate for the norm of the inverse matrix of the resulting system of linear equations and the uniform convergence of the numerical solutions to the exact solution of the supersingular integral equation on the grid.
Patent assertion entities: do they impede innovation and technology commercialisation?

This article focuses on addressing a primary charge levelled against patent assertion entities (PAEs): that they impede innovation and technology commercialisation activities of US firms. The paper utilises an intellectual property (IP) strategy framework within the construct of a firm business model to delineate PAE typologies, and then evaluates how they ‘fit’ with either a framework for the protection of IP assets or the exploitation of IP assets. The PAE business model operates under neither an IP asset protection nor IP asset exploitation strategy, but its own IP monetisation strategy. Moreover, a review of recent research on the proliferation and economic impact of PAEs is undertaken, with the overwhelming empirical evidence showing that PAEs are having an adverse impact on innovation and technology commercialisation activities of US firms. Potential patent policy reforms and emerging marketplace options are identified for enhancing a business environment conducive to successful technology innovatio...
Dietary fatty acid intake is associated with paraoxonase 1 activity in a cohort-based analysis of 1,548 subjects

Background Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is a cardioprotective, HDL-associated glycoprotein enzyme with broad substrate specificity. Our previous work found associations between dietary cholesterol and vitamin C with PON1 activity. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of specific dietary fatty acid (DFA) intake on PON1 activity.
Malignant ameloblastoma with thoracic vertebral metastasis: PET/CT and MR imaging.

Ameloblastoma is an uncommon low-grade tumor of odontogenic origin involving predominantly the mandible. This neoplasm has a high propensity for local recurrence with incomplete resection. It may exhibit an aggressive behavior with potential dissemination to the lung, locoregional lymph nodes, and spine. The author presents a case of malignant ameloblastoma with solitary lower thoracic vertebral metastasis. F-18 FDG PET was helpful in the early detection of asymptomatic thoracic spine dissemination, which was not conspicuous on computed tomography examination.
Traffic jams, granular flow, and soliton selection

The flow of traffic on a long section of road without entrances or exits can be modeled by continuum equations similar to those describing fluid flow. In a certain range of traffic density, steady flow becomes unstable against the growth of a cluster, or ``phantom'' traffic jam, which moves at a slower speed than the otherwise homogeneous flow. We show that near the onset of this instability, traffic flow is described by a perturbed Korteweg--de Vries (KdV) equation. The traffic jam can be identified with a soliton solution of the KdV equation. The perturbation terms select a unique member of the continuous family of KdV solitons. These results may also apply to the dynamics of granular relaxation.
Ontogeny and phylogeny of the trunk lateral line system in cichlid fishes

An examination of the ontogeny of the lateral line trunk canal and the diversity of adult trunk canal patterns among cichlids indicates that bidirectional canal formation is a general ontogenetic pattern in the Cichlidae with the exception of Cichla and those few species with a complete trunk canal pattern. In addition to the tubed scales which make up the trunk canal, some lateral line scales have pits containing superficial neuromasts. These are recognized as components of the lateral line system of the trunk in adult cichlids for the first time. Eight trunk canal patterns that are variations on a simple disjunct pattern are defined among the 17 cichlid genera examined. Using bidirectional canal formation as a developmental model, these patterns can be placed along an ontogenetic spectrum. This suggests that heterochrony (alterations in the timing of development) is an important mechanism of evolutionary change in the lateral line system of the trunk in cichlid fishes.
Abnormal lysosomal hydrolases excreted by cultured fibroblasts in I-cell disease (mucolipidosis II)

Abstract The isozymes of β-D-N-acetylhexosaminidase excreted by cultured skin fibroblasts derived from patients with I-cell disease (ICD) differ electrophoretically from the isozymes excreted by fibroblasts from normal individuals and from the intracellular isozymes of both cell types. The higher electronegative charge at pH 6 presumably results from sialic acid residues not present on normal and ICD intracellular enzyme or on normal fibroblast-excreted enzyme, since neuraminidase treatment only affects the mobility of the ICD fibroblast-excreted enzyme. A higher electronegative charge than that of normal fibroblast-excreted or intracellular enzymes has also been detected in ICD fibroblast-excreted arylsulfatase, β-glucuronidase and α-L-fucosidase. Additional sialic acid residues on the ICD-excreted hydrolases may result from abnormal exocytosis, and may be responsible for the inability of these enzymes to enter normal or ICD fibroblasts by adsorptive pinocytosis.
A Measure of Critical Thinking About Practice

This article describes a measure that assesses ability to think critically about whether to adopt a treatment method. The measure is called PRIDE1 (Principles of Reasoning, Inference, Decision-Making and Evaluation). PRIDE1 takes about 80 minutes to administer an emotional audiovisual argument and to obtain written responses. Scoring each response takes expertenced raters from 2 to 10 minutes. Pearson's r interrater reliability on 5 trials range from. .78 to 96. There was no statistically significant correlation between responses on PRIDE1 and research knowledge, as measured on the Kirk-Rosenblatt Research Knowledge Scale. This study suggests that there may be little or no association between research knowledge and ability to think critically about practice.
The polyamine spermine affects ω-conotoxin binding and function at N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels

1. The effects of the polyamines, spermine and spermidine on neuronal N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels were investigated using the binding and function of the ligand omega-conotoxin GVIA (omega-CT). 2. Spermine and spermidine enhanced (EC50 approximately 0.16 and 0.45 microM) and, at higher concentrations, inhibited (IC50 of 9 and 240 microM) the binding of [125I]omega-CT to rat hippocampal synaptosomes. 3. Spermine and, less potently, spermidine inhibited the neurotransmitter-mediated, omega-CT-sensitive, electrical-field-stimulated contractile responses of the rat vas deferens. 4. The polyamines also inhibited the phenylephrine-evoked contractile responses of the vas deferens with the same rank order, consistent with a postsynaptic mechanism of inhibition. 5. However, pre-exposure to spermine prevented the irreversible inhibition of vas deferens twitch responses by omega-CT (previously found to be presynaptic). The prevention of inhibition by omega-CT demonstrates that the neuronal binding of spermine and omega-CT is mutually exclusive. Thus spermine (and presumably spermidine at higher concentrations) appears to modulate the actions of omega-CT at N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels.
Synthesis and characterization of PLGA nanoparticles

Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles of different physical characteristics (size, size distribution, morphology, zeta potential) can be synthesized by controlling the parameters specific to the synthesis method employed. The aim of this review is to clearly, quantitatively and comprehensively describe the top-down synthesis techniques available for PLGA nanoparticle formation, as well as the techniques commonly used for nanoparticle characterization. Many examples are discussed in detail to provide the reader with an extensive knowledge base on the important parameters specific to the synthesis method described and ways in which these parameters can be manipulated to control the nanoparticle physical characteristics.
Evaluation of a Microarray Based Assay for Rapid Identification of Gram-Positive Organisms and Resistance Markers in Positive Blood Cultures

Rapid identification of pathogens directly from positive blood cultures can play a major role in reducing patient mortality rates. We evaluated the performance of the Verigene Gram-Positive Blood Culture (BC-GP) assay (Nanosphere Inc., Northbrook, IL) for detection of commonly isolated Gram-positive organisms as well as associated resistance markers from positive blood cultures. Positive blood cultures (VersaTREK; Trek Diagnostic Systems, Independence, OH) from 203 patients with Gram-positive organism infections were analyzed using the BC-GP assay within 12 h for the detection of 12 different organisms, including staphylococci, streptococci, and enterococci, as well as for the presence of 3 resistance markers (mecA, vanA, and vanB). Results were compared to those of routine laboratory methods for identification and susceptibility testing. For identification of organisms and detection of resistance markers in 178 monomicrobial positive blood cultures, the BC-GP assay showed 94% and 97% concordance, respectively, with routine methods. After 25 polymicrobial cultures were included, the results showed 92% and 96% agreement for identification and resistance markers, respectively, for a total of 203 positive cultures. In 6/25 polymicrobial cultures, at least 1 isolate was not detected. Concordance levels for detection of major pathogens such Staphylococcus aureus (n = 45) and enterococci (n = 19) were 98% and 95%, respectively. Agreement levels for detection of resistance markers such as mecA and vanA/B were 92% and 100%, respectively. The BC-GP assay is capable of providing rapid identification of Gram-positive cocci as well as detection of resistance markers directly from positive blood cultures at least 24 to 48 h earlier than conventional methods.
Ion scattering spectroscopy studies of barium and oxygen on tungsten and tungsten-based dispenser cathodes

Abstract In order to use Ion Scattering Spectroscopy (ISS) for studies of tungsten dispenser cathodes, the relevant ISS sensitivities must be measured. Calibrations have been made using a polycrystalline tungsten ribbon with controlled coverages of oxygen, barium and combinations thereof. Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) was used to monitor these controlled surfaces and the escape depths of the tungsten Auger electrons in barium and oxygen have been measured. The absolute ISS sensitivities of all three elements were found to be strongly dependent on the barium coverage of the tungsten surface. This effect has been attributed to the lowering of the work function of the tungsten surface caused by the barium adsorption. However, the relative ISS sensitivities of the three elements are not affected in this way when both barium and oxygen (or oxygen alone) are present on the tungsten surface. ISS spectra of such surfaces have been analyzed quantitatively and found to be in reasonable agreement with AES measurements. The analysis has also been applied to ISS spectra of uncoated tungsten matrix dispenser cathodes in an active state and following exposure to oxygen. Compared to AES, these spectra indicate less oxygen on the active cathode surfaces as a result of the oxygen (associated with barium) not contributing to the oxygen ISS signal. Comparisons of the spectra from the active and oxygen poisoned cathodes suggest that oxygen adsorbed during the oxygen exposure sits on the topmost barium layer whereas the oxygen on the active cathode surface does not.