cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scaling analysis of polyacrylamide gel surfaces synthesized in the presence of surfactants

Surfaces of polyacrylamide hydrogels synthesized in the presence of surfactants were imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the surface morphology was studied by numerical scaling analysis. The gels were formed by polymerizing acrylamide plus a cross-linker in the presence of surfactants, which were then removed by soaking in distilled water. Gels formed in the presence of over 20% surfactant (by weight) formed clear, but became opaque upon removal of the surfactants. Other gels formed and remained clear. The surface morphology of the gels was studied by several one- and two-dimensional numerical scaling methods. The surfaces were found to be self-affine on short length scales, with a roughness (Hurst) exponent in the range from 0.85 to 1, crossing over to a constant root-mean-square surface width at long scales. Both the crossover length between these two regimes and the saturation value of the surface width increased significantly with increasing surfactant concentration, coincident with the increase in opacity. We propose that the changes in the surface morphology are due to a percolation transition in the system of voids formed upon removal of the surfactants from the bulk.
Conflicts of interest in approvals of additives to food determined to be generally recognized as safe: out of balance.

Importance Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance allows food manufacturers to determine whether additives to food are “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS). Manufacturers are not required to notify the FDA of a GRAS determination, although in some instances they notify the agency. The individuals that companies select to make these determinations may have financial conflicts of interest. Objective To determine the extent to which individuals selected by manufacturers to make GRAS determinations have conflicts of interest between their obligations to ensure that the use of the additive is safe and their financial relationships to the company. Design Using conflict of interest criteria developed by a committee of the Institute of Medicine, we analyzed 451 GRAS notifications that were voluntarily submitted to the FDA between 1997 and 2012. Main Outcomes and Measures Number of GRAS notices submitted to the FDA; frequency of various types of relationships between decision maker and additive manufacturer; frequency of participation on GRAS panels by individuals; and number of GRAS safety determinations identified by the FDA that were not submitted to the agency. Results For the 451 GRAS notifications, 22.4% of the safety assessments were made by an employee of an additive manufacturer, 13.3% by an employee of a consulting firm selected by the manufacturer, and 64.3% by an expert panel selected by either a consulting firm or the manufacturer. A standing expert panel selected by a third party made none of these safety assessments. The 290 panels that made GRAS determinations had an average of 3.5 members, with a maximum of 7. Ten individuals served on 27 or more panels; 1 individual served on 128 panels (44.1%). At least 1 of the 10 individuals with the most frequent service was a member of 225 panels (77.6%). Conclusions and Relevance Between 1997 and 2012, financial conflicts of interest were ubiquitous in determinations that an additive to food was GRAS. The lack of independent review in GRAS determinations raises concerns about the integrity of the process and whether it ensures the safety of the food supply, particularly in instances where the manufacturer does not notify the FDA of the determination. The FDA should address these concerns.
Fact and Fantasy in the Seduction Theory: A Historical Review:

This article surveys Freud's various versions of the seduction theory, from 1896 to 1933. It is concluded that the seduction theory had never been based on the patients' direct statements and conscious recall of seduction by the father in early childhood--unlike what Freud was to state much later (1933). This early seduction was mostly reconstructed by Freud from the patient's verbal material and behavior in treatment (including memories of sexual experiences from later childhood) which he interpreted as disguised and incomplete "reproductions" and reenactments of the original seduction trauma. Further, the external trauma was never meant to account by itself for the later neurotic symptoms. The "delayed action" of its unconscious memory, producing the repression of an event from the time of puberty, was a necessary part of the process. Thus internal psychic transformations and conflicts, anticipating Freud's later emphasis on fantasy and psychic reality, were already an intrinsic part of the seduction etiology of 1896. It is also noted that the father played no central role in the original theory as presented in 1896; it is only in the letters to Fliess that the father emerged as the prime seducer. The implications of this clarification of the seduction theory for the understanding of the changes and continuity in the development of Freud's theories are highlighted; their relevance to ongoing issues in psychoanalysis about the role of external trauma, fantasy, and reconstruction are briefly examined.
Deformation induced microstructural instability in the PbSn eutectic

Abstract The influence of deformation on the microstructural stability of a directionally solidified PbSn lamellar eutectic was studied. Direct observations of coarsening and microstructural changes of as-grown and deformed specimens, annealed at 93% of the absolute eutectic temperature, were made and the results quantitatively compared with values predicted by a two-dimensional fault migration coarsening model. The structural faults responsible for coarsening include as-grown faults as well as terminations resulting from recovery processes as proposed by Nakagawa and Weatherly. The number of such terminations increases generally with increasing prior deformation. For specimens with prior deformation less than 50% reduction-in-area by rolling, good agreement between the experimental and predicted coarsening rates was observed. The coarsening of heavily deformed specimens (60% and 70% R.A. by rolling) is not described by the simple model utilized in this work because the actual microstructure is not emulated by the modeled one. However, the basic concepts describing the initial rate of coarsening in heavily deformed materials are probably similar to those in lightly deformed ones. The fault migration velocity obtained from coarsening data in this study compares well with theoretical and previously observed values of this velocity.
Exotic effects of capital accumulation

The accumulation of capital in Europe is strongly and positively associated with the accumulation of alien invasive species. In a study of the drivers behind biological invasions in Europe, Pysek et al. (1) use European macroecological, economic, and demographic data to explain the variation in alien species richness of bryophytes, fungi, vascular plants, terrestrial insects, aquatic invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. They find only two significant explanatory variables of the stock of alien species: national wealth and human population density. They interpret these as proxies for the direct drivers behind invasions—propagule pressure along new pathways of introduction, along with the disturbance of both freshwater and terrestrial habitats.
Upper bounds for material coefficients

Abstract Upper bounds for the piezo-electric, piezomagnetic, pyro-electric, pyromagnetic and two other coefficients are derived from the requirement of thermodynamic stability.
Role of mouse cerebellar nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α4β2- and α7 subtypes in the behavioral cross-tolerance between nicotine and ethanol-induced ataxia

We have demonstrated that nicotine attenuated ethanol-induced ataxia via nicotinic-acetylcholine-receptor (nAChR) subtypes α(4)β(2) and α(7). In the present study, ethanol (2g/kg; i.p.)-induced ataxia was assessed by Rotorod performance following repeated intracerebellar infusion of α(4)β(2)- and α(7)-selective agonists. Localization of α(4)β(2) and α(7) nAChRs was confirmed immunohistochemically. Cerebellar NO(x) (nitrite+nitrate) was determined flurometrically. Repeated intracerebellar microinfusion of the α(4)β(2)-selective agonist, RJR-2403 (for 1, 2, 3, 5 or 7 days) or the α(7)-selective agonist, PNU-282987 (1, 2, 3 or 5 days), dose-dependently attenuated ethanol-induced ataxia. These results suggest the development of cross-tolerance between ethanol-induced ataxia and α(4)β(2) and α(7) nAChR agonists. With RJR-2403, the cross-tolerance was maximal after a 5-day treatment and lasted 48h. Cross-tolerance was maximal after a 1-day treatment with PNU-282987 and lasted 72h. Pretreatment with α(4)β(2)- and α(7)-selective antagonists, dihydro-β-erythroidine and methyllycaconitine, respectively, prevented the development of cross-tolerance confirming α(4)β(2) and α(7) involvement. Repeated agonist infusions elevated cerebellar NO(x) 16h after the last treatment while acute ethanol exposure decreased it. Pretreatment with repeated RJR-2403 or PNU-282987 reversed ethanol-induced decrease in NOx. The NO(x) data suggests the involvement of the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP signaling pathway in the cross-tolerance that develops between α(4)β(2)- and α(7)-selective agonists and ethanol ataxia. Both α(4)β(2) and α(7) subtypes exhibited high immunoreactivity in Purkinje but sparse expression in molecular and granular cell layers. Our results support a role for α(4)β(2) and α(7) nAChR subtypes in the development of cross-tolerance between nicotine and ethanol with the NO signaling pathway as a potential mechanism.
Regional hypothermia reduces mucosal NF-κB and PMN priming via gut lymph during canine mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion

Background. Mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) activates pro-inflammatory mediators that exacerbate gut reperfusion injury and prime circulating neutrophils that cause remote organ injury. We have shown that regional intraischemic hypothermia protects the intestinal mucosa during I/R in rats. In this study, we examined the effects of regional hypothermia on I/R-induced transvascular protein clearance, NF-κB DNA binding activity, and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) priming via gut lymph in a canine mesenteric lymphatic fistula model. Materials and methods. Conditioned dogs underwent 60 min of mesenteric ischemia, with or without regional intraischemic hypothermia, and 3 h reperfusion. A mesenteric lymphatic fistula model was used to measure transvascular protein clearance and harvest lymph. Biopsies of distal ileum were obtained at baseline and 0, 180 min of reperfusion for NF-κB DNA binding activity using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). A kinetic spectrophotometric assay was used to determine fMLP stimulated PMN superoxide production after priming by gut lymph obtained at baseline and 180 min reperfusion. Results. Transvascular protein clearance increased during reperfusion compared to baseline, and hypothermia had no significant effect on this I/R-induced protein clearance. NF-κB activity increased three-fold at the end of ischemia and hypothermia prevented this early activation. PMN superoxide production increased 19-fold during I/R (0.06 ± 0.04 versus 1.14 ± 0.50 nmol O2, P < 0.05), but only 2.5-fold during I/R + hypothermia (0.28 ± 0.09 versus 0.70 ± 0.32 nmol O2, P = 0.2). Conclusions. Regional intraischemic hypothermia prevented early intestinal NF-κB activation, partially abrogated PMN priming via gut lymph, but had no significant effect on increased transvascular protein clearance during mesenteric I/R in dogs.
In vitro infrared thermographic assessment of root surface temperature rises during thermafil retreatment using system B.

The purpose of this in vitro study was to measure the temperature rise on the outer root surface during retreatment of Thermafil using the System B HeatSource. Twenty extracted human maxillary premolars were filled with Thermafil with plastic carriers and divided into two groups of 10 teeth each. In group 1, Thermafil obturators were retrieved using System B HeatSource fitted with a medium plugger at a temperature of 225°C. The plugger was placed first on the buccal, then on the lingual of the plastic carrier for 5 s each. This melted the gutta-percha and softened the plastic carrier. In group 2, Thermafil obturators were retrieved in the same manner except that the heated plugger was placed for 8 s. The temperature changes on the outer root surfaces were recorded using a thermal imaging camera. Thermafil retreatment in vitro using a System B HeatSource causes temperature rises ranging from 26.7°C to 46.0°C. This finding could possibly have implications for creating injury of the periodontal tissues.
“No Man is Allowed to Spell Ill”: Modern Communication Advice from an Eighteenth Century Expert

Lord Chesterfield wrote hundreds of letters to his natural son during the young man's thirty-six years of life (1732–1768) in his earnest attempts to instill in the lad the qualities of a gentleman. He wrote on wide-ranging subjects, including oral and written communication: writing well and speaking effectively. His advice is valid and current even today, almost 250 years after he wrote it.
ROS, Hsp27, and IKKβ mediate dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) activation of IκBa, NFκB, and IL-8

Background Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) is a sulfated polysaccharide that has been very widely used to induce inflammation in experimental models of inflammatory bowel disease in which the effects of pharmacologic and biologic therapies are tested. However, the precise mechanisms by which DSS induces inflammation have not been elucidated.
Effects of calcination on the surface properties of kaolinite

Abstract Kaolinite, an aluminosilicate mineral, is composed of platelet type particles. The exterior of these particles is a combination of oxide, hydroxide, and adsorbed cation surfaces. Calcination alters the surface and bulk structure of this mineral. Kaolinite undergoes dehydroxylation of one surface at ∼450°C and recrystallization at ∼950°C. In order to understand the surface alterations in kaolinite caused by calcination, this mineral was studied by electron microscopy, measurements of weight loss, differential thermal analysis, and gas adsorption of argon, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide at 77 and 90°K. Results showed that alterations in the surface of the mineral conformed with the bulk kaolinite → metakaolin → spinel transitions proposed by Brindley and Nakahira. The edge surface of the kaolinite particles exhibited the strongest adsorption including irreversible adsorption of carbon monoxide at sites containing sodium cations and surface hydroxyls. Calcination at 600°C dehydroxylated the surface, but did not change the particle geometry. The irreversible adsorption of CO disappeared; however, the kaolinite edges remained the strongest adsorption sites. Calcination at 1000°C recrystallized kaolinite to a defect spinel which exhibited the adsorption characteristics of a typical heterogeneous oxide and the distinction between the edge and basal surfaces diminished. The calculated isosteric heats of adsorption suggested that nitrogen and carbon monoxide may orient on the particle edges giving erroneous surface area values if calculations are based on standard adsorbate cross sections.
The International Realm, Framing Effects, and Security Strategies: Britain in Peace and War

In combining the domestic and international levels, I contend that the international environment can enable a domestic win-set and thereby guide the formation of a state's international security strategy. The trigger is the nature of and changes in the extant international setting. Based on findings from framing effects and prospect theory, I contend that periods of external crisis, conflict, and war will shift the public's domain to one of relative losses. In this realm, it will be easier for foreign policy advisors who favor offensive security strategies to frame the national debate. Periods of international peace, tranquility, and prosperity will shift the public's domain to relative gains, which will make it easier for advisors who favor risk averse and defensive strategies to frame the national discussion. The outcome can be a more offensive or defensive strategy than the state would have otherwise pursued. I apply the model to Britain to examine Britain's decision to adopt a Limited Liability strate...
Application of Portable and Handheld Infrared Spectrometers for Determination of Sucrose Levels in Infant Cereals

Sucrose coating of breakfast cereals is used to enhance the flavor and attractiveness of the final product but there is a need for monitoring its levels to meet consumer health concerns associated with sugar consumption. Our objective was to evaluate the use of portable (mid-infrared, MIR) and handheld (near-infrared, NIR) systems for rapid, simple and reliable determination of sucrose content in breakfast cereal products. Cereal-based and sucrose-coated samples were provided by an Ohio snack food company. Samples were ground and spectra were collected using portable ATR-MIR (Cary 630) and handheld NIR (microPHAZIR) spectrometers. Reference sucrose levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to develop calibration regression models for prediction of sucrose levels in breakfast cereals based on spectral data. Sucrose levels in uncoated (n = 28) and coated (n = 62) cereal samples were on average of 1.2 ± 0.7 and 11.8 ± 3.5 g/100 g, respectively. Similar calibration (n = 85) model performances were obtained for determination of sucrose content by using the portable MIR and handheld NIR instruments with standard error of cross-validation (SECV) of 1.45 %. However, superior predictive ability was obtained with the portable MIR unit using a validation set (n = 20, SEP = 1.27 % and RPD = 4.41). Regression models using NIR spectrum of the cereal through a polyethylene bag resulted in reduction of the model goodness of fit and RPD values. Results support the application of handheld NIR and portable MIR spectrometers for close-to-real-time analysis of sucrose levels in breakfast cereals providing simple, rapid and reliable prediction for quality assurance.
Image-based motion estimation for cardiac CT via image registration

Images reconstructed from tomographic projection data are subject to motion artifacts from organs that move during the duration of the scan. The effect can be reduced by taking the motion into account in the reconstruction algorithm if an estimate of the deformation exists. This paper presents the estimation of the three-dimensional cardiac motion by registering reconstructed images from cardiac quiet phases as a first step towards motion-compensated cardiac image reconstruction. The non-rigid deformations of the heart are parametrized on a coarse grid on the image volume and are interpolated with cubic b-splines. The optimization problem of finding b-spline coefficients that best describe the observed deformations is ill-posed due to the large number of parameters and the resulting motion vector field is sensitive to the choice of initial parameters. Particularly challenging is the task to capture the twisting motion of the heart. The motion vector field from a dynamic computer phantom of the human heart is used to initialize the transformation parameters for the optimization process with realistic starting values. The results are evaluated by comparing the registered images and the obtained motion vector field to the case when the registration is performed without using prior knowledge about the expected cardiac motion. We find that the registered images are similar for both approaches, but the motion vector field obtained from motion estimation initialized with the phantom describes the cardiac contraction and twisting motion more accurately.
Fringe-scan flow cytometry.

We describe the development of a scanning flow cytometer capable of measuring the distribution of fluorescent dye along objects with a spatial resolution of 0.7 micron. The heart of this instrument, called a fringe-scan flow cytometer, is an interference field (i.e., a series of intense planes of illumination) produced by the intersection of two laser beams. Fluorescence profiles (i.e., records showing the intensity of fluorescence measured at 20 ns intervals) are recorded during the passage of objects through the fringe field. The shape of the fringe field is determined by recording light scatter profiles as 0.25 micron diameter microspheres traverse the field. The distribution of the fluorescent dye along each object passing through the fringe field is estimated from the recorded fluorescence profile using Fourier deconvolution. We show that the distribution of fluorescent dye along microsphere doublets and along propidium iodide stained human chromosomes can be determined accurately using fringe-scan flow cytometry. The accuracy of fringe-scan shape analysis was determined by comparing fluorescence profiles estimated from fringe-scan profiles for microspheres and chromosomes with fluorescence profiles for the same objects measured using slit-scan flow cytometry.
Reconstructing potential energy functions from simulated force-induced unbinding processes

One-dimensional stochastic models demonstrate that molecular dynamics simulations of a few nanoseconds can be used to reconstruct the essential features of the binding potential of macromolecules. This can be accomplished by inducing the unbinding with the help of external forces applied to the molecules, and discounting the irreversible work performed on the system by these forces. The fluctuation-dissipation theorem sets a fundamental limit on the precision with which the binding potential can be reconstructed by this method. The uncertainty in the resulting potential is linearly proportional to the irreversible component of work performed on the system during the simulation. These results provide an a priori estimate of the energy barriers observable in molecular dynamics simulations.
Optimal Control of the Obstacle for a Parabolic Variational Inequality

Abstract An optimal control problem for a parabolic obstacle variational inequality is considered. The obstacle in L2(0, T; H2(Ω) ∩ H10(Ω)) with ψt ∈ L2(Q) is taken as the control, and the solution to the obstacle problem is taken as the state. The goal is to find the optimal control so that the state is close to the desired profile while the norm of the obstacle is not too large. Existence and necessary conditions for the optimal control are established.
Differential effect of tacrine and physostigmine on the secretion of the β-amyloid precursor protein in cell lines

The senile plaque in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) consists mainly of the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) derived from a family of large integral membrane glycoproteins, beta-amyloid precursor proteins (βAPP). Soluble derivatives of βAPP generated by the proteolytic processing of full-length βAPP are normally secreted into the conditioned medium of cultured cells. Here we have investigated the possibility that the processing of βAPP can be regulated by the cholinesterase inhibitors physostigmine and tacrine. Both drugs mildly improve cognitive functions in some patients with AD. We analyzed the level of βAPP in glial, neuroblastoma, and pheochromocytoma cells by immunoblotting cell lysates and conditioned media using a monoclonal antibody, MAb22C11. The levels of soluble βAPP derivatives normally present in conditioned media were severely inhibited by treating cells with tacrine but not with physostigmine. Whereas the treatment of cells with tacrine resulted in a small decrease in the intracellular levels of βAPP, treating cells with physostigmine resulted in a slight increase in the intracellular levels of βAPP compared to untreated cells. The effect of tacrine on the secretion of βAPP was not affected by cotreating cells with muscarinic agents, staurosporine, or the calcium ionophore. Our results suggest that a decrease in the secretion of βAPP by tacrine did not depend on its anticholinesterase activity and that tacrine operates via a noncholinergic mechanism.
Don’t wear that button out!

As students explore the technological tools available to them for learning mathematics, some will eventually discover what happens when a function button is repeatedly pressed on a calculator. We explore several examples of this, presenting tabular and graphical results for the square root, natural logarithm and sine and cosine functions. Observed behaviour is proven and then discussed in the context of fixed points.
The Moral Development of Journalists: A Comparison with Other Professions and a Model for Predicting High Quality Ethical Reasoning:

This study gathered baseline data on the moral development of 249 professional journalists. Journalists scored fourth highest among professionals tested, ranking behind seminarians/philosophers, medical students, and physicians, but above dental students, nurses, graduate students, undergraduate college students, veterinary students, and adults in general. No significant differences were found between various groups of journalists, including men and women, and broadcast and print journalists; journalists who did civic journalism or investigative reporting scored significantly higher than those who did not. A regression analysis points to five factors predictive of higher moral development in journalists—doing investigative journalism, a high degree of choice at work, moderate religiosity, a strong internal sense of right and wrong, and viewing rules and law as less important than other factors.
Influence of Wind-Driven Inundation and Coastal Geomorphology on Sedimentation in Two Microtidal Marshes, Pamlico River Estuary, NC

Marsh sediment accumulation is predominately a combination of in situ organic accumulation and mineral sediment input during inundation. Within the Pamlico River Estuary (PRE), marsh inundation is dependent upon event (e.g., storms) and seasonal wind patterns due to minimal astronomical tides (<10 cm). A better understanding of the processes controlling sediment deposition and, ultimately, marsh accretion is needed to forecast marsh sustainability with changing land usage, climate, and sea level rise. This study examines marsh topography, inundation depth, duration of inundation, and wind velocity to identify relationships between short-term deposition (tile-based) and long-term accumulation (210Pb and 137Cs) recorded within and adjacent to the PRE. The results of this study indicate (1) similar sedimentation patterns between the interior marsh and shore-side marsh at different sites regardless of elevation, (2) increased sedimentation (one to two orders of magnitude, 0.04–4.54 g m−2 day−1) within the interior marsh when the water levels exceeded the adjacent topography (e.g., storm berm), and (3) that short-term sea level changes can have direct effects on sediment delivery to interior marshes in wind-driven estuarine systems.
Early-occurring Maternal Depression and Maternal Negativity in Predicting Young Children’s Emotion Regulation and Socioemotional Difficulties

This longitudinal investigation examined the effects of maternal depression and concomitant negative parenting behaviors on children’s emotion regulation patterns and socioemotional functioning. One hundred fifty-one mothers and their children were assessed when children were approximately 1 1/2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-years of age. Ninety-three of the children had mothers with a history of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) that had occurred within the first 21 months of the child’s birth, and 58 of the children had mothers without any history of MDD. Early-occurring Initial maternal depression predicted children’s dysregulated emotion patterns at age 4 and decreased perceived competence ratings at age 5. Initial maternal depression also indirectly predicted decreased child social acceptance ratings at age 5 through its association with dysregulated emotion patterns. Furthermore, the relation between maternal depression and children’s decreased social acceptance was more pronounced in those offspring with a history of high versus low maternal negativity exposure. Findings increase understanding of the processes by which maternal depression confers risk on children’s socioemotional adjustment.
Theory of Negative-Mass Cyclotron Resonance

It was recently suggested that the re-entrant energy contours of the heavy-hole bands in Ge and Si could contribute a negative resistivity component to the overall resistivity of these materials, possibly related to a non- equilibrium density of carriers in these re-entrant states. Such a phenomenon could be observed under cyclotron resonance conditions as an emission spectrum centered about the cyclotron frequency of these states, or as a reduction in the strength of the background absorption at that frequency. This idea is examined in detail, and it is found that except under very restrictive conditions, these states will in general add a normal, positive resistivity contribution to the material independently of their population. (W.D.M.)
Accumulation and retention of mirex by brook trout fed a contaminated diet

The detection of high levels of mirex in Lake Ontario fish has raised many questions regarding the utilization of this fishery for the present and future. Continuous monitoring programs, including trend analysis, are presently being conducted, but whether salmonids such as lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush, can effectively eliminate mirex is not known. IVIE et al. (1974) found that mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) fed a diet containing 50 ppm mirex for 15 days contained 24 ppm mirex after that period. After being placed on clean feed for 130 days, the residues had dropped to 13 ppm, and the researchers reported that the half-life was, therefore, 130 days. LOWE et al. (1971) reported that the body burden of mirex in pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) dropped from 30-40 ppm to 18 ppm after an elimination time of 56 days.
sCoIn: A scoring algorithm based on complex interactions for reverse engineering regulatory networks

Structural analysis over well studied transcriptional regulatory networks indicates that these complex networks are made up of small set of reoccurring patterns called motifs. While information theoretic approaches have been immensely popular, these approaches rely on inferring the regulatory networks by aggregating pair-wise interactions. In this paper, we propose novel structure based information theoretic approaches to infer transcriptional regulatory networks from the microarray expression data. The core idea is to go beyond pair-wise interactions and consider more complex structures as found in motifs. While this increases the network inference complexity over pair-wise interaction based approaches, it achieves much higher accuracy and yet is scalable to genome-level inference. Detailed performance analyses based on benchmark precision and recall metrics on the known Escherichia coli's transcriptional regulatory network indicates that the accuracy of the proposed algorithms is consistently higher in comparison to popular algorithms such as context likelihood of relatedness (CLR), relevance networks (RN) and GEneNetwork Inference with Ensemble of trees (GENIE3). In the proposed approaches the size of structures was limited to three node cases (any node and its two parents). Analysis on a smaller network showed that the performance of the algorithm improved when more complex structures were considered for inference, although such higher level structures may be computationally challenging to infer networks at the genome scale.
Alternatives to Bazley's special choice for eigenvalue lower bounds

Bazley’s special choice operator is a lesser operator to a positive perturbation of a self-adjoint semi-bounded operator that possesses an exactly soluble base eigenvalue problem. It allows the construction of an exactly soluble intermediate problem that gives eigenvalues not less than the base problem and not greater than the perturbed problem so that lower bounds to the eigenvalues of the perturbed operator are produced. This paper considers alternate derivations of Bazley’s special choice which lead to two alternate methods to determine eigenvalue lower bounds. One is simpler, but gives poorer bounds; the other is more difficult, but sometimes yields superior bounds. Lower bounds to the particle in a box model with a linear perturbation and lower bounds to the helium atom are calculated using the two methods introduced and are compared to those given with Bazley’s special choice.
A Level Set-Boundary Element Method for Simulation of Dynamic Powder Consolidation of Metals

In this paper, the level set method is coupled with the boundary element method to simulate dynamic powder consolidation of metals based on linear elastostatics theory. We focus on the case of two particles that are in contact. The boundaries of the two particles are expressed as the zero level curves of two level set functions. The boundary integral equations are discretized using the piecewise linear elements at some projections of irregular grid points on the boundaries of the two particles. Numerical examples are also provided.
Travels in a world of small science

As a boy, I read Sinclair Lewis's Arrowsmithand dreamed of doing research of potential benefit to society. I describe the paths of my scientific career that followed. Several distinguished scientists served as my mentors and I present their profiles. Much of my career was in a small department at a small institution where independent researchers collaborated informally. I describe the unique method of carrying on research there. My curiosity about glycolate metabolism led to unraveling the enzymatic mechanism of the glycolate oxidase reaction and showing the importance of H2O2 as a byproduct. I discovered enzymes catalyzing the reduction of glyoxylate and hydroxypyruvate. I found α-hydroxysulfonates were useful competitive inhibitors of glycolate oxidase. In a moment of revelation, I realized that glycolate metabolism was an essential part of photorespiration, a process that lowers net photosynthesis in C3 plants. I added inhibitors of glycolate oxidase to leaves and showed: (1) glycolate was synthesized only in light as an early product of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation, (2) the rate of glycolate oxidation consumed a sizable fraction of net photosynthesis in C3 but not in C4 plants, and (3) that glycolate metabolism increased greatly at higher temperatures. For a while I studied the control of stomatal opening in leaves, and this led to the finding that potassium ions are a key solute in guard cells. I describe experiments that show that when photorespiration rates are high, as occurs at higher temperatures, genetically increasing leaf catalase activity reduces photorespiration and increases net photosythetic CO2 assimilation.
Molecular phylogeny of Melanospora and similar pyrenomycetous fungi

Species of Melanospora are parasitic on or closely associated with other fungi. The morphological characters traditionally used to place Melanospora and the Ceratostomataceae in Sordariales do not agree with their placement in our phylogenetic study. The nuclear encoded small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU nrDNA) grouped four species of Melanospora and several allied genera and species in Hypocreales, an order rich in mycoparasites. An analysis based on characters derived from deduced amino acids from the second largest subunit of the RNA polymerase II (RPB2) gene further supports the close relationship of Melanospora and Hypocreales. The nuclear encoded large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU nrDNA) phylogeny inferred six groups for 40 species in Hypocreales and allied genera (Bionectria, Claviceps, Hypocrea, Nectria, and Niesslia). Four species of Melanospora, including the type, and two Sphaerodes species formed a basal clade. Scopinella was placed in a distinct clade. Two other allies of Melanospora, Syspastospora and Persiciospora, were closely related to or within the Hypocrea and Nectria groups, respectively. The study argues for the reclassification of taxa that previously were placed in the Sordariales.
Proton reduction at surface of transition metal nanocatalysts

Catalytic activities of neutral and charged palladium (Pd) nanoparticles are compared for hydrogen reduction half-reaction. In this work the sequential H2 dissociation from the surface of a Pd13H24...
Performance envelope of broadband HF data waveforms

Parallel efforts are underway in the frequency management and the radio and waveform design communities to support data communications over HF radio channels wider than conventional 3 kHz allocations. In this paper, we analyze the potential performance of such “wideband” HF data channels as a function of spectrum allocation, coding, channel characteristics, and waveform overhead.
Titanium-alloy MEMS wing technology for a micro aerial vehicle application

In this paper, we present the first MEMS-based wing technology that we developed using titanium-alloy metal (Ti‐6Al‐4V) as wingframe and poly-monochloro-para-xylylene (parylene-C) as wing membrane. With this new MEMS wing technology, we are able to produce light, but robust 3-D wings, optimized to utilize the flow separation to achieve a high lift coefficient as large as five times that of the fixed-wing aircraft. The use of MEMS technology enables systematic research in terms of repeatability, size control, and weight minimization of the wings. We also constructed a high quality low-speed wind tunnel with velocity uniformity of 0.5% and speeds from 1 to 10 m/s. We have tested and have studied the unsteady-state aerodynamics of various types of MEMS-based and non MEMS-based wings. Finally, we built lightweight, palm-sized flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles (MAVs) with super capacitor-powered and battery-powered transmission systems and have demonstrated successful free flights with flight duration ranges from 5 to 18 s. # 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
WOMEN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENDER-CONSCIOUS TRANSFORMATION IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

The struggle for women’s liberation from male domination transcends barriers related to social class, culture, race and nationality. Indeed, throughout the world, women in both industrialised and developing countries are working toward the elimination of social and economic inequalities. The universal issues facing women must be recognised and affirmed by social and political planners in the formulation of progressive development policies and programmes consistent with the challenges of the new century. This conceptual paper will explore critical issues related to the role of women in social development and highlight opportunities for gender system transformation associated with projected social and structural developments of the new millennium. The paper will begin with an overview of the status of women in the world, followed by a discussion of critical issues related to women in social development, and a review of strategies implemented by the world’s women to achieve gender equality. A summary of selected approaches to gender-inclusive development policies and an outline of a multi-systemic approach to woman-centred development will be offered. The authors conclude by outlining global recommendations for progressive, woman-centred policies of social development.
Ovarian Epithelial-Stromal Interactions: Role of Interleukins 1 and 6

Ovarian epithelial cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. The high mortality is attributed to the fact that most cases typically present in late stage when ovarian cancer (OC) has already spread beyond the ovary. Ovarian epithelial cancer cells are shed into intraperitoneal ascites and easily disseminate throughout the peritoneal cavity with preferential metastasis to the omentum, peritoneum, and local organs. Understanding how ovarian epithelial cells interact with and modulate their microenvironment can provide insight into the molecular mechanism(s) involved with malignant transformation and progression which may eventually identify novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets. The objective of this paper is to provide a brief consideration of ovarian surface epithelial-stromal interactions in regard to normal physiological function and tumor progression as influenced by two potentially key interleukins, interleukins-1 (IL-1) and -6 (IL-6), present in the microenvironment. Lastly, we will consider the clinical implications of IL-1 and IL-6 for OC patients.
Grand challenge: understanding survival paradoxes in epidemiology.

Survival paradoxes are commonly observed in the literature. This phenomenon describes the association of certain risk factors with negative outcomes in the general population and the opposite effect in certain subpopu-lations and vice versa. Overall, the field is poorly understood. The counter-intuitive findings reported in the literature have contributed to confusion among clinicians regarding the appropriate treatment of conventional risk factors in patients with chronic diseases. Below we review two such paradoxes in kidney and cardiovascular disease epidemiology and discuss possible explanations of these findings.
A comparison of HDL and LDL cholesterol for prevalent coronary calcification

Background: Coronary calcification is a marker for coronary atherosclerosis. It has been postulated that high levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are associated with a reduced amount of atherosclerotic disease while previous reports have found a lack of association between low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and coronary calcification (CAC). The purpose of this study was to compare the correlation and predictive power of HDL-C with LDL-C for prevalent coronary calcification. Methods: A total of 6093 subjects were studied with respect to coronary calcification, serum cholesterol indices, personal health history and body morphology. Analyses consisted of correlation coefficients, logistic regression and sensitivity analysis to determine the strength of association between HDL-C and coronary calcification after controlling for covariates. Results: The correlation between HDL-C and coronary calcium score (CCS) was three times that of LDL-C. Individuals with an HDL-C level <40 mg/dl had significantly higher calcium scores while increases in HDL-C were associated with a significant reduction in risk for the presence of any calcified plaque. Results of multivariate logistic regression revealed that HDL-C is predictive of calcified plaque development independent of LDL-C. Sensitivities and positive predictive values for both HDL-C and LDL-C were low. Conclusions: Increasing levels of HDL-C were associated with less coronary calcification and a smaller probability of having any calcified disease supporting the antiatherogenic hypothesis for HDL-C. HDL-C predicts the presence of any calcified atherosclerotic plaque independently of LDL-C. However, neither parameter seems suitable as a screening tool for predicting prevalent calcified atheromatous disease.
Transient photoresponse in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin films under stretched exponential analysis

We investigated transient photoresponse and Hall effect in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin films and observed a stretched exponential response which allows characterization of the activation energy spectrum with only three fit parameters. Measurements of as-grown films and 350 K annealed films were conducted at room temperature by recording conductivity, carrier density, and mobility over day-long time scales, both under illumination and in the dark. Hall measurements verify approximately constant mobility, even as the photoinduced carrier density changes by orders of magnitude. The transient photoconductivity data fit well to a stretched exponential during both illumination and dark relaxation, but with slower response in the dark. The inverse Laplace transforms of these stretched exponentials yield the density of activation energies responsible for transient photoconductivity. An empirical equation is introduced, which determines the linewidth of the activation energy band from the stretched exponential parameter β. Dry annealing at 350 K is observed to slow the transient photoresponse.
Voices from Left of the Dial*: Reflections of Practice-based Researchers

Purpose: Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) provide an important approach to implementing primary care research at the community level, thus increasing the relevance and utility of research findings for routine primary care practices. PBRNs expend considerable time and energy in the recruitment, engagement, and retention of network clinicians and practices to establish this community-based primary care research laboratory. This study assessed factors motivating PBRN clinicians to participate and stay involved in practice-based research in their primary care office setting. Methods: We invited practicing clinicians across the United States who are affiliated with a PBRN to share their stories regarding motivations to participate in practice-based research. Using qualitative methods, we categorized the stories into the main motivation for participation and the perceived impact of participation. Results: We collected 37 stories from clinicians affiliated with 12 PBRNS located in 14 states. Motivations for participation in practice-based research included themes associated with personal satisfaction, improving local clinic-based care, and contributing to community- and system-level improvements. Sources of personal satisfaction corresponded to the 3 psychological needs postulated by Deci9s and Ryan9s Self-Determination Theory: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Conclusions: These stories from PBRN clinicians describe the values, motivations, and unique paths that clinicians took as they chose to participate and stay active in a PBRN. Their voices have the potential to influence others to participate in practice-based research.
Altered vancomycin pharmacokinetics in obese and morbidly obese patients: what we have learned over the past 30 years

Vancomycin was the first glycopeptide antibiotic introduced into clinical practice. Despite the numerous benefits of vancomycin, clinicians have struggled to dose vancomycin successfully in obese patients to achieve a therapeutic concentration for optimal bacterial killing. Owing to the hydrophilicity of vancomycin and the increase in both adipose tissue and muscle mass associated with obesity, the volume of distribution of vancomycin in obese patients is likely to be altered compared with non-obese patients. In addition to an increase in body mass, obesity is associated with an increase in certain circulating proteins, which results in altered free serum vancomycin concentration. Another alteration that occurs in obesity is increased blood flow secondary to increased cardiac output and blood volume, resulting in increased vancomycin clearance in obese patients. Vancomycin pharmacokinetics in the obese population remain an area of much debate, one that requires continued research given the rising number of obese patients in both the USA and worldwide.
Maintainability measurements on industrial source code maintenance activities

It is clear that the burden of software maintenance increases proportionately with our inventory of software systems. Our inventory is increasing because we now recognize existing code as reusable assets rather than liabilities. With this recognition comes an understanding of the importance of evaluating code quality and maintainability. We show how maintainability metrics can be used to gauge the effect of perfective and adaptive maintenance on large industrial software systems. In a series of four studies we measure the maintainability of the source code before and after a prescribed maintenance activity. These measurements permit us to analyze the effect of the maintenance activities as well as evaluating the model's sensitivity to code change.