cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Divide-and-conquer programming on MIMD computers

We have developed a programming template to implement divide and conquer algorithms on MIMD computers. The template is based on the parallel divide and conquer function of Z.G. Mou and P. Hudak (1988). We explore the programmability and performance of this approach by solving some well known numerical problems on a shared memory multiprocessor and a multicomputer. A byproduct of this work is a new parallel algorithm for solving tridiagonal systems of equations. >
Bilingual Language Mixing: Why Do Bilinguals Code-Switch?:

Bilingual speakers often code-switch from one language to another, especially when both languages are used in the environment. This article explores the potential theoretical explanations for this language behavior, the costs and benefits associated with language switching, and the role of language dominance in the direction of the switch. In short, code switching follows functional and grammatical principles and is a complex, rule-governed phenomenon. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the psycholinguistics of code switching, research is needed to examine the cognitive mechanisms underlying the bilingual's ability to integrate and separate two languages during the communicative process.
On the Time Scale of TCP-Friendly Admission Control Protocols

The definition of TCP friendliness has been evolved over time from the traditional one for congestion control protocols to the recent ones for admission control protocols. All of them can effectively prevent the Internet from congestion collapse and TCP starvation, while enabling a wide variety of traffic control protocols other than TCP. However, the current TCP-friendly admission control protocols are designed to be TCP friendly only on fairly long time scales. That is, it is likely that a group of TCP users all experience persistent poor performance during their transmission, which then leads to dissatisfaction of TCP users. In this paper, we first present a new definition of TCP friendliness, called Stochastic TCP Friendliness, with which we study the time scale of TCP-friendly admission control protocols. Second, we develop a new traffic control protocol, called Stochastically TCP- Friendly Admission Control (STFAC), which is stochastically TCP friendly not only on a long time scale but also on a short time scale. Finally, we present very encouraging simulation results showing that STFAC can considerably improve the performance of UDP users and TCP users on both a long time scale and a short time scale, when compared with the traditional TCP- friendly congestion control protocols.
Noncoherent multiuser detection for nonlinear modulation over the Rayleigh-fading channel

The jointly optimum noncoherent multiuser detector is obtained for nonlinear nonorthogonal modulation over the frequency nonselective Rayleigh-fading multiple-access channel. Upper and lower bounds on the average bit-error probability are derived. While these bounds are numerically computable, they are too complicated to give insight into the relative influence of the system parameters on the essential behavior of the bit-error rate. Hence this paper develops an asymptotic analysis of the average bit-error probability. In particular, it is shown that the upper and lower bounds are asymptotically convergent. An exact formula for the asymptotic efficiency of the optimum noncoherent detector is derived. Interestingly, the asymptotic efficiency is found to be positive and independent of the signal strengths of the interfering users. In contrast, the noncoherent detector which would be optimal in a single-user channel (the "conventional detector"), when used over the multiuser channel, has an asymptotic efficiency that is identically equal to zero no matter what the powers of the interferers may be. While the performance analysis of the optimum detector provides the fundamental limit on achievable error rate, the implementational complexity of the optimum detector is exponential in the number of users. As a low-complexity alternative, a decorrelative energy detector is also proposed and analyzed in terms of error probability and asymptotic efficiency.
Molecular analysis of the pediatric ocular surface for fungi.

Purpose. To analyze the conjunctival flora of individuals 21 years of age or less for fungi using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methodology. Methods. Before povidone-iodine antisepsis, eye-swab specimens were collected from adolescent corneal donors preceding corneal excision and from children during preparation for strabismus surgery. Nucleic acid was extracted from the specimens and analyzed by PCR using primers designed for the detection of broad-spectrum fungal DNA and of Candida albicans -specific DNA. Results. Twelve (38%) of 32 eye donor surfaces and 7 (23%) of 30 patient samples were positive for fungal DNA (P = 0.1). C. albicans DNA was detected in 6 (19%) of the decedents’ eyes but from none of the surgical patients (P = 0.04). Conclusions. Fungi were present on the normal ocular surface of children and adolescents. C. albicans was more likely to be found postmortem than pre-surgically.
Resistance of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 to reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors: genotypic and phenotypic testing

Treatment of HIV-1-infected persons with antiretroviral drugs including reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease inhibitors has significantly reduced the rate of HIV and AIDS-related morbidity and mortality. However, these treatments can select for drug-resistant viruses which are associated with poor virologic responses to the antiretroviral therapies and loss of clinical benefit. Drug resistance is conferred by single or several amino acid changes in the pol gene. These mutations can be classified as primary when they directly confer reduced drug susceptibility, or secondary when their influence is primarily on replication capabilities of resistant viruses. Both genotypic and phenotypic methods are used for drug resistance testing. Genotypic assays detect resistance-related mutations by sequence analysis or point mutations assays. Phenotypic testing measures drug susceptibility of patient-derived viruses in culture assays. Viruses can be conventionally isolated from peripheral blood lymphocytes, or generated more rapidly through recombination of plasma-derived RT/protease sequences and modified HIV-1 vectors. Phenotypic testing provides direct evidence of resistance, is easy to interpret, but is laborious and expensive. In contrast, genotypic testing provides indirect evidence of resistance, is relatively faster and cheaper, but some complex mutation patterns may be difficult to interpret. Non-culture based phenotypic assays that measure susceptibility of RT activity in plasma to RT inhibitors have been described recently, and provide new tools for rapid phenotypic testing. Resistance testing is currently recommended to help guide the choice of new regimens after treatment failure and for guiding therapy in pregnant women.
Stellamedusa ventana, a new mesopelagic scyphomedusa from the eastern Pacific representing a new subfamily, the Stellamedusinae

This paper describes a new species, genus, and subfamily within the Scyphomedusae. Stellamedusa ventana is a relatively large scyphomedusa that reaches up to 9.4 cm in diameter. The medusa is rare, with only seven observations in over a decade of extensive surveys of the Monterey Bay and Sea of Cortez using remotely operated vehicles. Stellamedusa ventana continues the trend found in several other deep-sea semacostome medusae in lacking marginal tentacles. The exumbrella and oral arms are covered with large nematocyst laden projections which are able to capture food items of various sizes in the laboratory. A large cydippid ctenophore was found in the gut of one captured specimen.
Observations of the Effect of Rain Temperature on the Surface Heat Flux in the Intertropical Convergence Zone

Abstract The thermohaline response of the ocean to a short (10 h) but intense (95 mm) nighttime rainfall event was observed during a transit through the ITCZ. Two CTD profiles and shipboard measurements of air–sea fluxes were consistent with the assumption that rain temperature equals the wet-bulb temperature, within measurement errors. Although the net freshwater input and the net heat loss inferred from the T–S characteristics of the surface layer were ∼30% smaller than those obtained by integrating the measured air–sea fluxes, owing to different spatial sampling, inherent limitations of rain measurement from ship, and contamination by internal waves, the two independent estimates of the net heat deficit agreed remarkably well, within 2.4%, when expressed per unit mass of rain (∼72kj kg−1). The heat flux due to the temperature of the rain accounted for about 40% of the net heat flux during rain, and therefore cannot be neglected.
Effects of Phase Shifts between Cone Inputs on Responses of Chromatically Opponent Cells

Weighted differences of the responses of long-wavelength-sensitive (LWS) and middle-wavelengthsensitive (MWS) cones have been successfully used to model both red-green opponent cells in the primate parvocellular pathway (P-pathway) and psychophysical LWS-MWS chromatic mechanisms. However, relatively little attention has been paid to how changes in the relative phases of the LWS and MWS cone inputs affect predictions of these models. The purpose of this paper is to use quantitative evaluation of the effects of phase shifts to show how a delay between center and surround responses can account for apparently contradictory results between published studies of of P-pathway cells which used different paradigms for evaluating chromatic opponency.
Characterization of B-Cells in tonsils of patients diagnosed with pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated streptococcus

Abstract Objective To determine if Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus (PANDAS) patients demonstrate a significantly different number of B-Cells or markers of activity when compared to recurrent Group A Streptococcus or Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients. Study design Prospective Cohort Study. Study setting Academic University Hospital. Methods Tonsil tissue was collected from twenty-two patients in the operating room and organized into three groups. Ten clinically diagnosed PANDAS, six Group A Streptococcus and six Obstructive Sleep Apnea patients were included in this study. Each tissue sample was extracted with MSD Tris Lysis Buffer and protein lysates were analyzed for CD 19, B-Cell Activating Factor and B-Cell Activating Receptor by western blot methods. Results Based on ANOVA analysis, there was no significant difference in the expression of B-Cell Activating Factor, B-Cell Activating Receptor or CD 19 when comparing the three study groups by western blot analysis methods. Conclusions In this prospective cohort study, it appears that PANDAS patients do not demonstrate increased number of B-Cells, expression of B-Cell Activating Factor or B-Cell Activating Receptor when compared to Group A Streptococcus or Obstructive Sleep Apnea cohorts. As a result, further evaluation of the cell-mediated immune system is warranted to provide further insight into the pathophysiology of PANDAS. In addition, we must investigate if PANDAS patients only demonstrate increased B-Cell number or activity when undergoing an acute Tic/OCD exacerbation.
Telling "A Good One": Creating a Papago Autobiography

For those who actively participate in recording and editing American Indian autobiographies, consciousness of the role of intermediary between narrator and audience is inescapable. In the process of soliciting, recording, perhaps translating, verifying, interpreting, structuring, editing, and providing critical introduction and methodological description, we are aware that we both facilitate and interfere with communication between narrator and audience. We undertake a delicate task
El nuevo constitucionalismo latinoamericano

There is no constitutionalism without a Constitution; there is no Constitution without a State in which it has or will have application. The Latin American Constitutionalism thus requires two essential elements: 1. The shared desire by the countries of Latin America to “seek the economic, political, social and cultural development of the people of Latin America, with a view to the formation of a Latin American community of nations” (Title I, sole paragraph, Brazilian Constitution); and 2. The elaboration of a draft of the Constitution of the Union of Latin American States which express that will, their bases, their aims and how to achieve it. To achieve the first of these elements depends on the decision of the political power of all States in Latin America. The second, however, it is for the scholars of the Constitutional law of those States, who are the best trained and qualified – therefore the responsible for carrying out this task. The first step in this direction should be to integrate the meeting of the six Associations that convene us, the rest of the Associations of Constitutional Law in Latin America that are now absent from these deliberations. The second step will be to establish a Standing Committee, consisting of constitutionalists from all or from the majority of the Latin American nations, to study and propose a program of work that we can all make proposals on the organization of that Latin American Community of Nations and on the basis of the alternative draft or drafts of the Constitution that will govern its fate. This paper aims to outline broadly, the task that awaits us if we decide to undertake it.
Artifacts associated with MR neuroangiography

Neurovascular MR angiography (MRA) is rapidly gaining greater clinical acceptance. To provide functional information, novel techniques of acquisition, information processing, and display are used, generating a new set of artifacts. The purpose of this paper is to outline the causes, provide examples, and note clinical problems associated with MRA artifacts by grouping them into six common types: 1) poor visualization of small vessels, 2) overestimation of stenosis, 3) view-to-view variations, 4) false positives, 5) false negatives, and 6) vessel overlap. This in turn will lead to four generalized solutions: 1) optimize acquisition parameters, 2) edit volume boundaries before performing maximum intensity projection reconstructions, 3) refer to the individual source images, and 4) use alternative image processing. By organizing and simplifying both clinical problems and solutions into major categories, a greater understanding of the current clinical indications and the overall goals of MRA can be achieved.
Feasibility Study of FCB on Supercritical Unit Made Inland

The function of FCB on supercritical unit made inland isn't always considered in project design.This paper analyze the capabilities of main devices and proper difficulties to realize FCB in detail.At the same time,perfect control strategy of FCB wholly.The feasibility research on FCB will be the well-knit support to FCB function realization and venture evaluation.
Arachidonic Acid Metabolism and Macrophage Activation

The macrophage is an important source of arachidonic acid metabolites, which possess a wide variety of functions with regard to the initiation and regulation of inflammatory responses. Because of the central role of macrophages in the induction of immunity as well as their participation in chronic inflammation, an understanding of their potent arachidonic acid products may aid in the therapeutic manipulation of inflammatory disease.
Plant–soil feedbacks promote negative frequency dependence in the coexistence of two aridland grasses

Understanding the mechanisms of species coexistence is key to predicting patterns of species diversity. Historically, the ecological paradigm has been that species coexist by partitioning resources: as a species increases in abundance, self-limitation kicks in, because species-specific resources decline. However, determining coexistence mechanisms has been a particular puzzle for sedentary organisms with high overlap in their resource requirements, such as plants. Recent evidence suggests that plant-associated microbes could generate the stabilizing self-limitation (negative frequency dependence) that is required for species coexistence. Here, we test the key assumption that plant–microbe feedbacks cause such self-limitation. We used competition experiments and modelling to evaluate how two common groups of soil microbes (rhizospheric microbes and biological soil crusts) influenced the self-limitation of two competing desert grass species. Negative feedbacks between the dominant plant competitor and its rhizospheric microbes magnified self-limitation, whereas beneficial interactions between both plant species and biological soil crusts partly counteracted this stabilizing effect. Plant–microbe interactions have received relatively little attention as drivers of vegetation dynamics in dry land ecosystems. Our results suggest that microbial mechanisms can contribute to patterns of plant coexistence in arid grasslands.
Skeletal muscle mitochondrial health and spinal cord injury

Mitochondria are the main source of cellular energy production and are dynamic organelles that undergo biogenesis, remodeling, and degradation. Mitochondrial dysfunction is observed in a number of disease states including acute and chronic central or peripheral nervous system injury by traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury (SCI), and neurodegenerative disease as well as in metabolic disturbances such as insulin resistance, type II diabetes and obesity. Mitochondrial dysfunction is most commonly observed in high energy requiring tissues like the brain and skeletal muscle. In persons with chronic SCI, changes to skeletal muscle may include remarkable atrophy and conversion of muscle fiber type from oxidative to fast glycolytic, combined with increased infiltration of intramuscular adipose tissue. These changes contribute to a proinflammatory environment, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. The loss of metabolically active muscle combined with inactivity predisposes individuals with SCI to type II diabetes and obesity. The contribution of skeletal muscle mitochondrial density and electron transport chain activity to the development of the aforementioned comorbidities following SCI is unclear. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in skeletal muscle mitochondrial dynamics is imperative to designing and testing effective treatments for this growing population. The current editorial will review ways to study mitochondrial function and the importance of improving skeletal muscle mitochondrial health in clinical populations with a special focus on chronic SCI.
A GSO(Ce) block type detector for high count rate PET applications

The benefits of block type detectors for PET applications are well understood and are provided by commercial BGO and NaI(Tl) systems. In order to extend the count rate capabilities for many applications, a block type detector using GSO(Ce) has been designed, constructed, and tested. GSO(Ce) crystals are shown to produce 2.9 times the effective light output of BGO and yield an energy resolution of 11% FWHM for 511 keV photons. An assembly of a square array of 36 crystals measuring 4.5/spl times/4.5/spl times/30 mm coupled to 4 cylindrical photomultiplier tubes produces signals which are sampled and recorded within 150 nsec. The computed Anger plot demonstrates individual detector delineation for both flood field and collimated beam illumination. The 56 nsec decay time of the emissions of GSO(Ce) coupled with the small size of the block should realize approximately an order of magnitude improvement in count rate over many current commercial BGO block detector modules based on dead time considerations. >
Preschool Gifted Education: Perceived Challenges Associated With Program Development

This descriptive study investigated the challenges related to implementing gifted education services in preschool centers. Participants were 254 licensed preschool center directors in a southern st...
Characterizing Electrodynamic Shakers as a Two-Port Network

An electrodynamic shaker is modeled as a mixed electrical/mechanical system with an experimentally derived two-port network characterization. The model characterizes the shaker in a manner that the performance of the shaker with a mounted load (test item and fixture) can be predicted. The characterization depends on the measurements of shaker input voltage and current, and on the acceleration of the shaker armature with several mounted loads. The force into the load is also required and can be measured directly or inferred from the load apparent mass.
Mechanism of stress ulcer. IV. Influence of fasting on the tolerance of gastric mucosal energy metabolism to ischemia and on the incidence of stress ulceration.

We have proposed that stress ulceration complicating hemorrhagic shock results from a gastric mucosal energy deficit due to shockinduced mucosal ischemia. If this hypothesis were correct, any agency which interferes with the ability of the mucosa to meet its energy demands during shock should also abet the process of stress ulceration. We have studied gastric mucosal energy metabolism and vulnerability to stress ulceration in fasted and nonfasted rabbits. The data presented in this report indicate that the energy deficit appearing in the gastric mucosa of fasted rabbits during hemorrhagic shock is significantly greater than that measured in nonfasted animals subjected to the same degree of shock. When we studied the incidence of acute gastric mucosal injury in fasted and nonfasted rabbits subjected to the same degree of hemorrhagic shock, we found the former to be more liable to stress ulceration.
Cooperative Membership and Community Engagement: Findings From a Latin American Survey

Cooperatives as organization have mainly been explored in the field of business and management due to their operation in the business sector, and studies of nonprofit organizations have given little attention to them. Consequently, cooperatives studies have tended to examine economic outcomes, such as productivity and job security, comparing them to conventional business firms. Nevertheless, cooperatives are membership associations and have organizational characteristics in common with other types of voluntary associations. Furthermore, one explicit organizational principle of cooperatives is concern for community, and their contributions to the community have been covered frequently by media. Therefore, it is imperative to examine cooperative members’ community engagement, and compare it to other types of association members. Using a national sample of Venezuelans, the relationships between association memberships and community involvement were compared across different types of associations. The results showed that cooperative members had a higher likelihood of being involved in community matters than those from other types of associations. Although the Venezuelan cooperatives have received vast support from the Chavez government for community development, this result can have an implication on the cooperatives’ organizational identity as those who provide members with resources necessary for civic engagement beyond the organizations.
Antitrust Provides a More Reasonable Regulatory Framework than Net Neutrality

In 2015, the FCC reclassified the framework for regulation of the Internet from Title I of the Telecommunications Act to Title II. This reclassification treats the Internet as a common carrier and bans any vertical agreements between Internet service providers and content providers. Economic analysis shows the 2015 Order harmed consumers and depressed investment. In April 2017, the FCC initiated a proceeding to end the Title II regulatory approach. Such a shift will also replace the categorical ban on vertical arrangements to a regulatory regime grounded by antitrust law and its “rule of reason.” Critics argue the antitrust approach cannot reach each of the harms envisioned by proponents of net neutrality or is otherwise insufficient. We explain that the criticism that antitrust cannot reach harm to innovation caused by anticompetitive conduct is wrong as a matter of both antitrust as a matter of theory and practice. We conclude that antitrust is superior to proposed alternatives that would condemn vertical arrangements in broadband markets either on a categorical basis or the plaintiff bearing the prima facie burden of showing proof of harm to competition.
Exploring the Effects of Installation Geometry in High-Lift Propeller Systems

A high-lift propeller system is a distributed electric propulsion technology which dedicates an array of wing-mounted tractor propellers to actively augment wing lift during takeoff and landing. This paper describes the results of a wind tunnel experiment dedicated to investigating the effects of high-lift propeller installation geometry on lift generation. Variables investigated include propeller height, offset, and inclination. Results show that propeller height is the most critical variable and that the height for maximum lift depends highly on the angle of attack and flap deflection. In addition, a relationship between optimal propeller height and the wing’s unblown lift coefficient is discovered.
PERCUTANEOUS CLOSURE OF PATENT FORAMEN OVALE OR MEDICAL THERAPY FOR STROKE PREVENTION: A META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED TRIALS

Percutaneous patent foramen ovale closure (PFOC) is a possible treatment option for patients with stroke. The studies evaluating PFOC versus medical therapy (MT) showed mixed results. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of PFOC vs. MT in patients presenting with stroke, we performed a meta-analysis
A novel diindolylmethane analog, 1,1-bis(3’-indolyl)-1-(p-chlorophenyl) methane, inhibits the tumor necrosis factor-induced inflammatory response in primary murine synovial fibroblasts through a Nurr1-dependent mechanism

The progression of rheumatoid arthritis involves the thickening of the synovial lining due to the proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and infiltration by inflammatory cells. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in progression of the disease. Under rheumatoid conditions, FLS express the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-recognition complex (TNFR1, TNFR2, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1), which induces local macrophage activation and leads to downstream nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling. The NF-κB-regulated inflammatory gene, cyclooxygenase (COX), increases synthesis of prostaglandins that contribute to the propagation of inflammatory damage within the joint. Because the nuclear orphan receptor, NR4A2 (Nurr1), can negatively regulate NF-κB-dependent inflammatory gene expression in macrophages, we postulated that activation of this receptor by the Nurr1 ligand 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(p-chlorophenyl) methane (C-DIM12) would modulate inflammatory gene expression in synovial fibroblasts by inhibiting NF-κB. Treatment with C-DIM12 suppressed TNFα-induced expression of adhesion molecules and NF-κB regulated genes in primary synovial fibroblasts including vascular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), PGE2 and COX-2. Immunofluorescence studies indicated that C-DIM12 did not prevent translocation of p65 and stabilized nuclear localization of Nurr1 in synovial fibroblasts. Knockdown of Nurr1 expression by RNA interference prevented the inhibitory effects of C-DIM12 on inflammatory gene expression, indicating that the anti-inflammatory effects of this compound are Nurr1-dependent. Collectively, these data suggest that this receptor may be a viable therapeutic target in RA.
Polynomials orthogonal on the semicircle

In two papers, jointly with Henry J. Landau and Gradimir V. Milovanovic, Walter Gautschi investigates polynomials that are orthogonal with respect to a non-Hermitian inner product defined on the upper half of the unit circle in the complex plane. For special choices of the weight function, these polynomials are related to Jacobi polynomials. Their recurrence relation and properties of their zeros are investigated, and applications to Gauss quadrature are explored. We first discuss the importance of orthogonal polynomials that satisfy recurrence relations with few terms, and then focus on the special properties of orthogonal polynomials on the semicircle.
Adaptations in myosin heavy chain profile in chronically unloaded muscles

In this review, myosin heavy chain (MHC) adaptations in response to several models of decreased neuromuscular activity (i.e. electrical activation and loading of a muscle) are evaluated. In each of these "reduced-activity" models it is important to: a) quantify the changes in electrical activation of the muscle as a result of the intervention; b) quantify the forces generated by the muscle; and c) determine whether the neuromuscular junction remains normal. Most of the models, including spaceflight, hindlimb suspension, spinal cord isolation, spinal cord transection, denervation, and limb immobilization in a shortened position, result in increases in the percentage of fast MHCs (or fast MHC mRNA) in normally slow rat muscles. It also can be inferred from histochemical data that increases in fast MHCs occur with TTX application and bed rest. The only "reduced-activity" model to consistently increase slow muscle myosin mRNA, and slow fibers is limb immobilization in a stretched position; however, this model results in at least a temporary increase in tension. It appears that the most common feature of these models that might induce MHC adaptations is the modification in loading rather than a change in the neuromuscular activity.
Optimal exploitation of a spatially distributed fishery

Exploitation of a fish population distributed in a habitat bounded on one side by a breeding ground and on the other by an unfavorable environment is studied. The population's dynamics on the breeding grounds are assumed to be described by a simple depensatory function. The effects on this population of harvesting by a fishing fleet are determined as maximum effort and harvesting quotas are varied. In particular, threshold values for these parameters are derived beyond which an open access fishery collapses. Competition with an external fleet and dynamic optimization are discussed briefly.
Growing Wine Tourism in Champagne: Is a Champagne Bar Ready to Offer Franchises?

Nathalie Spielmann and Fabrice Parisot founded Prise de Mousse (PdM), the first and only champagne bar and shop in the Champagne region in France. Capitalizing on the popularity of the Champagne region as the second most visited in France, PdM had become a successful destination for both locals and tourists. The owners had recently been approached about possibly expanding their business through franchising. While franchising PdM seemed like an interesting idea, was it the right business strategy at the right time? While tourism in the Champagne region was expecting to increase, would there be a need for more businesses like PdM? What might be the next steps for PdM?
Two-Stage Continuous Conversion of Carbon Monoxide to Ethylene by Whole Cells of Azotobacter vinelandii.

Azotobacter vinelandii is an obligate aerobic diazotroph with verified transient capability to reduce carbon monoxide to ethylene by its vanadium nitrogenase. In this study, we implemented an industrially relevant continuous two-stage stirred-tank system for in vivo biotransformation of a controlled supply of air enriched with 5% carbon monoxide to 302 μg ethylene g-1 glucose consumed. To attain this value, the process required overcoming critical oxygen limitations during cell proliferation while simultaneously avoiding the A. vinelandii respiratory protection mechanism that negatively impacts in vivo nitrogenase activity. Additionally, process conditions allowed for the demonstration of carbon monoxide9s solubility as a reaction-limiting factor and a competitor with dinitrogen for the vanadium nitrogenase active site; implying that excess intracellular carbon monoxide could lead to a cessation of cell proliferation and ethylene formation as shown genetically using a new strain of A. vinelandii deficient in carbon monoxide dehydrogenase. IMPORTANCE Ethylene is an essential commodity feedstock used for the generation of a variety of consumer products, but its generation demands energy intensive processes and is dependent on nonrenewable substrates. This work describes a continuous biological method for investigating the nitrogenase-mediated carbon monoxide reductive coupling involved in ethylene production using whole cells of Azotobacter vinelandii. If eventually adopted by industry, this white technology has the potential to significantly lower the total energy inputs, ethylene recovery costs, as well as decreasing greenhouse gas emissions associated with current production strategies.
Teaching entrepreneurial finance: Reconsidering Morris and Liguori in light of the COVID-19 pandemic

Three areas on which to focus when professors teach entrepreneurship are business basics, entrepreneurship basics, and entrepreneurial mindset/competencies. We present how entrepreneurial finance p...
A Novel Method for the Automatic Generation of JOP Chain Exploits.

Jump-Oriented Programming (JOP) is a seldom studied form of advanced code-reuse attacks, very different from return-oriented programming (ROP). JOP identifies snippets of code ending in an indirect jump or indirect call (gadgets), and these are chained together to construct exploits. All applications contain gadgets in executable memory. In this paper we present a mature tool, JOP ROCKET, to facilitate JOP gadget discovery and classification. Additionally, it automates generation a complete JOP chain to bypass Data Execution Prevention (DEP), using a limited virtual machine with emulation. The JOP chain generation utilizes a novel variation to the approach to JOP. Automating JOP chain generation can help provide for automatic detection of vulnerabilities in an application prior to being released, allowing for remediation.
Complex Network Growing Model Using Downlink Motifs

xi 1 Chapter One Introduction 1 2 Chapter Two Literature Review 4 3 Chapter Three Preliminary and advance network 7 3.1. Identifying the problem 7 3.2. Network and its adjacency matrix 7 3.3. Node indexing and organizing for both goal and substrate network ......8 3.4. Motifs and downlinks 10 3.5. Downlink List 12 3.6. Vertex sharing motif network (VMN) 17 v 4 Chapter Four Downlink Based Network Statistics 19 4.1. Downlink-downlink combination 19 4.2. Downlink Attachment 21 4.3. Patterns of downlink attachment 22 4.3.1. One shared node downlink attachment 22 4.3.1.1. Father to father 23 4.3.1.2. Father to son 23 4.3.1.3. Son to father 25 4.3.1.4. Son to son 26 4.3.2. Two shared nodes downlink attachment 27 4.3.2.1. Fatherson to father son 27 4.3.2.2. Fatherson to son-father 28 4.3.2.3. Fatherson to son-son 29 4.3.2.4. Sonson to fatherson 30 4.3.2.5. Sonson to sonson 31 4.3.3. Three shared nodes downlink attachment 32 4.3.3.1. Fathersonson to sonfatherson 32
Experience With Minimally Invasive Nucleus Replacement

More than 5 million Americans suffer from chronic low-back pain, making it the leading cause of lost workdays in the United States and one of the most expensive health care issues today (1). Although the causes of low-back pain remain unclear, it is believed that approx 75% of cases are associated with degenerative disc disease (1). It is generally believed that dehydration of the degenerated nucleus pulposus (NP) leads to a reduction in hydrostatic pressure on the internal surface of the annulus, resulting in an abnormal stress state in the tissue and, consequently, a breakdown of the annular tissue seen macroscopically as fissures and tears. This manifests as chronic and debilitating pain owing to tissue impingement on nerve roots and presents as a herniated or ruptured disc. Current treatment options, such as discectomy and fusion, are fairly successful in reducing pain but do not restore normal biomechanical function to the disc. The likely out come of these procedures is further degeneration of either the initially affected disc (for discectomy) or adjacent segments (for fusion). Degenerative disease of the spine is one of if not the leading musculoskeletal disorder confronting our health system. The spine provides the major structural element of the neck and trunk while protecting the spinal cord. Spinal degeneration is an irreversible process leading to loss of mechanical integrity with the potential for neurological compromise. Clinical manifestations of degenerative spine disease are variable and graded and are categorized into a variety of diseases. These diseases include mechanical cervical and lumbar pain such as internal disc disruption, acute spinal instability, herniated NP, degenerative spondylolisthesis, degenerative scoliosis, and spinal stenosis.
Addressing Career Challenges Faced by Women in Hospitality Management

(1993). Addressing Career Challenges Faced by Women in Hospitality Management. Hospitality & Tourism Educator: Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 11-15.
VEGF165 therapy exacerbates secondary damage following spinal cord injury.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) demonstrates potent and well-characterized effects on endothelial cytoprotection and angiogenesis. In an attempt to preserve spinal microvasculature and prolong the endogenous neovascular response observed transiently following experimental spinal cord injury (SCI), exogenous recombinant human VEGF (rhVEGF165) was injected into the injured rat spinal cord. Adult female Fischer 344 rats were subjected to moderate SCI (12.5 g-cm) using the NYU impactor. At 72 h after injury, animals were randomly assigned to three experimental groups receiving no microinjection or injection of saline or saline containing 2 μg of rhVEGF165. Acutely, VEGF injection resulted in significant microvascular permeability and infiltration of leukocytes into spinal cord parenchyma. 6 weeks postinjection, no significant differences were observed in most measures of microvascular architecture following VEGF treatment, but analysis of histopathology in spinal cord tissue revealed profound exacerbation of lesion volume. These results support the idea that intraparenchymal application of the proangiogenic factor VEGF may exacerbate SCI, likely through its effect on vessel permeability.
Justice for Revenge Porn Victims: Legal Theories to Overcome Claims of Civil Immunity by Operators of Revenge Porn Websites

Revenge porn is a term for the posting of nude images of an unconsenting individual online, frequently by an ex-boyfriend. These photos are often linked to social media profiles, the victim’s home address, and employer. Revenge porn victims have “lost jobs, been forced to change schools, change their names, and have been subjected to real-life stalking and harassment.” Legal commentary seems to almost unanimously conclude that the operators of revenge porn websites are immune to most civil liability arising from the humiliating content these website operators post on their websites. This conclusion derives from the perceived applicability of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which often provides immunity to website operators for the content they host. However, no court has yet ruled on the Section 230 immunity of revenge porn website operators. This Comment proposes and evaluates two possible arguments that revenge porn victim-plaintiffs might mount to avoid having their claim barred by Section 230. Both arguments involve convincing courts that revenge porn websites are information content providers under Section 230 even though the humiliating images were submitted by third parties.
Cytosolic free calcium levels in sickle red blood cells

In this study, we used a recently developed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique to measure ionized calcium in sickle erythrocytes. The NMR technique, which involves 19F NMR studies of a fluorinated calcium chelator quinMF, [2-(2-amino-4-methyl-5-fluorophenoxy)methyl-8- aminoquinoline-N,N,N′,N′- tetraacetic acid] provides a novel approach to the study of ionized calcium in erythrocytes since the presence of hemoglobin precludes the use of fluorescent calcium indicators. The mean value for ionized calcium in oxygenated sickle erythrocytes was 18 +/- 2 nmol/L (SE). Experiments with normal RBCs gave a mean value of 21 +/- 2 nmol/L (SE). After 1 hour of deoxygenation, mean values for ionized calcium in sickle erythrocytes did not increase as compared with values obtained under oxygen. To investigate whether deoxygenation stimulated endocytosis, sickle erythrocytes were deoxygenated for 1 hour in the presence of impermeant FBAPTA (1,2 bis-(2-amino-5- fluorophenoxy) ethane N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid). Cells were then separated from the extracellular medium and assayed for the presence of FBAPTA; they had incorporated significant quantities of the extracellular FBAPTA. This incorporation was not observed with normal erythrocytes. These data are consistent with at least a portion of the elevation in total cell calcium in sickle erythrocytes arising as a consequence of an endocytotic process in which extracellular calcium ions are incorporated into vesicles. Additional experiments show that these intracellular vesicles accumulate Ca2+ on further deoxygenation, consistent with a transient increase in ionized cell calcium. These studies represent the first use of NMR spectroscopy to evaluate endocytotic processes.
Overexpression and enzymatic characterization of Neisseria gonorrhoeae penicillin-binding protein 4.

The penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) are ubiquitous bacterial enzymes involved in cell wall biosynthesis, and are the targets of the β-lactam antibiotics. The low molecular mass Neisseria gonorrhoeae PBP 4 (NG PBP 4) is the fourth PBP revealed in the gonococcal genome. NG PBP 4 was cloned, overexpressed, purified, and characterized for β-lactam binding, dd-carboxypeptidase activity, acyl-donor substrate specificity, transpeptidase activity, inhibition by a number of active site directed reagents, and pH profile. NG PBP 4 was efficiently acylated by penicillin (30 000 m−1·s−1). Against a set of five α- and e-substituted l-Lys-d-Ala-d-Ala substrates, NG PBP 4 exhibited wide variation in specificity with a preference for Ne-acylated substrates, suggesting a possible preference for crosslinked pentapeptide substrates in the cell wall. Substrates with an Ne-Cbz group demonstrated pronounced substrate inhibition. NG PBP 4 showed 30-fold higher activity against the depsipeptide Lac-ester substrate than against the analogous peptide substrate, an indication that k2 (acylation) is rate determining for carboxypeptidase activity. No transpeptidase activity was apparent in a model transpeptidase reaction. Among a number of active site-directed agents, N-chlorosuccinimide, elastinal, iodoacetamide, iodoacetic acid, and phenylglyoxal gave substantial inhibition, and methyl boronic acid gave modest inhibition. The pH profile for activity against Ac2-l-Lys-d-Ala-d-Ala (kcat/Km) was bell-shaped, with pKa values at 6.9 and 10.1. Comparison of the enzymatic properties of NG PBP 4 with other dd-carboxypeptidases highlights both similarities and differences within these enzymes, and suggests the possibility of common mechanistic roles for the two highly conserved active site lysines in Class A and C low molecular mass PBPs.
The relationship of changes in mammary blood flow and plasma progesterone at the time of parturition in the ewe

Abstract Previous studies indicate that there is a fall in maternal plasma progesterone and a marked increase in mammary blood flow (MBF) at the time of parturition in ewes. In this experiment the role of progesterone as a cause of this increase in MBF was investigated. Progesterone was infused (9.9 mcg. per minute) into a branch of the mammary artery in five sheep during the induction of premature labor by fetal dexamethasone infusion (1 mg. per 24 hours) to prevent the normal fall in concentration of local mammary artery progesterone. Five ewes used as controls received a mammary artery infusion of cholesterol (9.9 mcg. per minute). In the cholesterol-infused group MBF increased significantly from baseline values after 13 ± 4 hours (mean ± standard error) to a peak flow of 235 ± 9 ml. per minute. In the group receiving the progesterone the increase in MBF was delayed to 35 ± 7 hours, reaching only 161 ± 22 ml. per minute. These results were significantly different from control group results (p
Unpacking emotional baggage in political inquiry

In the literature of both political science and political theory, increasing attention has been devoted to the role of emotion in political judgment, and a number of recent treatments have claimed that emotions are physiological events which both complement and underlie conscious cognition and reasoning. The contemporary turn, in various dimensions of political inquiry, to the findings of neuroscience manifests significant conceptual and theoretical problems, but, in at least two related respects, it also represents a challenge to a concept of democratic judgment. The attempt to locate judgment in non-discursive aspects of human behavior has been characteristically associated with programs of social control, and there are elitist implications attaching to the claim that it is possible to find a naturalistic trans-conventional ground for explaining and critically assessing political judgment. Ludwig Wittgenstein’s treatment of emotion provides an important theoretical antidote to the often unreflective enthusiasm for embracing the idea that emotion is a neurological phenomenon, and his work suggests that the language of democracy is closely tied to the democracy of language, that is, to the theoretical autonomy of discursive performance. Emotion is an aspect of judgment, but it is a public rather than subliminal phenomenon.
Parental use of "positive contact" in child-rearing: its relationship to child behavior patterns and other variables.

In an investigation of child-rearing styles maternal use of "positive contact" was measured by asking the mother how often she played with the child, praised the child, and the like, and combining the responses into a score. Home observations on a sample of families revealed that mothers scoring above the mean used fewer communications in the form of directives and "unmodified power" and more communication in the form of praise and social conversation than mothers scoring below the mean. The mother9s use of positive contact was related to her educational level, the birth order of the child and number of children in the family, the father9s use of positive contact, and to a friendly outgoing pattern of child behavior. There was no relation to the mother9s use of physical punishment, her protectiveness, her tendency to comply with the child9s demands, or her child-rearing ideology and other attitudes. Child care workers are in a strategic position to educate parents about the importance of this kind of contact, especially with later-born children in large families.
The Present Value of the Tax Shield (PVTS) for FCF in Perpetuity With Growth

The discount rate for the tax shield depends on the risk of the tax shield. If the tax shield is risk-free, then the appropriate discount rate for the tax shield is the risk-free rate rf. If the debt is risky, then we must make the distinction between the contractual return and the expected return on the debt. In this paper, using a simple numerical example, we illustrate the calculation of the present value of the tax shield (PVTS) for a free cash flow (FCF) in perpetuity with a constant growth rate g. We assume that the tax shield is risk-free and the debt is risky. Most importantly, we model explicitly the risk of the tax shield and the debt with a stochastic process. In addition, the net incomes for the unlevered and levered firms are not equal to the corresponding cash flows for the unlevered and levered firms. Consequently, the discount rates for the taxes paid by the unlevered and levered firms are not equal to the return to unlevered equity Ku and the return to levered equity Ke, respectively. Without a specific stochastic process, it would not be possible to calculate the discount rates for the taxes paid by the unlevered and levered firms.