cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A tree structure-based classification of diabetic retinopathy stages using convolutional neural network

Detection, and classification of medical images have become a trending field of study during the last few decades. There is a considerable amount of vital challenges to be overcome. Ample work has been carried out to provide proper solutions for those key challenges. This study was carried out to extend one such medical image classification process to classify the stages of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) images from colour fundus images. The study proposes a novel Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) architecture which is considered to be one of the most trending and efficient forms of classification of DR stages. Initially, the preprocessing techniques were employed to the DR fundus images with Green channel extraction and Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE). The data augmentation strategy was utilised to increase training images from the DR images. Finally, Feature extraction and classification were carried out by using the proposed CNN architecture. It consists of a 14 layered CNN model, which continues three main classifications. In this proposed classification, the images were classified into a tree structure based binary classification as No_DR and DR at the beginning, and then the DR images were again classified into two classes, namely Pre_Intermediate and Post_Intermediate. Moreover, those two classes were again separately classified into Mild, Moderate, and Proliferate_DR, Severe, respectively. The Kaggle is one of the benchmark dataset repositories which was used in this study. The proposed model was able to achieve accuracies of 81 %, 96%, 84%, and 97% for the above-mentioned classifications, respectively.
ESTROGEN AND ANTIESTROGEN REGULATION OF PROLIFERATION AND PROTEIN SYNTHESIS OF HUMAN BREAST CANCER CELLS

Estrogenic hormones are known to stimulate a variety of biosynthetic processes in hormone-responsive target cells, such as those of the breast and uterus, and nonsteroidal antiestrogens have been shown to antagonize many of the actions of estrogens (1–3). Indeed, antiestrogens have proven to be effective in controlling the growth of estrogen-responsive breast cancers (4). The actions of estrogens appear to be mediated via interaction with an intracellular receptor protein (5–7). Ligand-free estrogen receptors are weakly associated with nuclear components. Following ligand binding, receptor complexes become tightly associated with specific nuclear components, and this association presumably alters gene expression (8–10). Antiestrogens also bind directly to the estrogen receptor, and the resulting antiestrogen-receptor complexes also become associated with chromatin, but presumably block the events which promote cell growth (11,12).
DESIGN AND RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT OF DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM FOR LOUISIANA ACCELERATED LOADING DEVICE

The Louisiana Transportation Research Center has purchased an accelerated loading device that is capable of conducting full-scale simulated and accelerated load testing of pavements. A sophisticated data acquisition system was developed for monitoring various types of sensors installed in pavements that help in understanding pavement materials responses associated with simulated traffic loading and environmental factors. In addition, this system is capable of performing such tasks as data management, data reduction, and graphical presentation. Performance validation tests were conducted on an instrumented pavement site to evaluate the developed system. Two types of sensors (H-gauge, T-type thermocouple) and three types of loading system (passenger vehicle, falling weight deflectometer, and Dynaflect) were used in this study. Test results demonstrated the excellent capabilities of the data acquisition system. Results were highly repeatable and proved that the system was capable of monitoring traffic loading. The influences of loading mechanisms such as vehicle loading, impulsive loading, and other forms of loading on the longitudinal strains developed in pavement layers were compared.
Stress Hormone Leads to Memory Deficits and Altered Tau Phosphorylation in a Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Several studies have linked stress with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) vulnerability; however, the mechanism remains to be fully elucidated. In the current paper, we investigated the role of glucocortitcoids on the AD-like phenotype. We administered the glucocorticoid dexamethasone to Tg2576 mice for 4 weeks and then investigated its effect on memory, amyloid-β and tau levels, and metabolism. At the end of the treatment period, we observed that mice receiving dexamethasone had a significant impairment in the fear conditioning paradigm compared with controls. Dexamethasone-treated animals showed a significant increase in the amount of brain soluble Aβ40 levels, but no alteration in the steady state levels of its precursor protein, AβPP, or in the major protease enzymes involved in its metabolism (i.e., ADAM-10, BACE-1, or γ-secretase complex). While total tau protein levels were unaltered between the two groups, we found that dexamethasone significantly reduced tau phosphorylation at specific sites that were mediated by decreases in glycogen synthase kinase-3β protein level and activity. Finally, we observed a direct correlation between memory impairments and tau phosphorylation levels. Our study highlights the significant role that glucocorticoids play in exacerbating AD-like cognitive impairments via alteration of tau protein phosphorylation state.
Climate Change Litigation in the Wake of AEP v. Connecticut and AES v. Steadfast: Out to Pasture, But Not Out of Steam

On April 19, 2011, two courts heard oral arguments in cases that will define the future of climate change litigation for decades to come. In American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut (hereinafter AEP), the United States Supreme Court considered whether environmental advocates can use a federal common-law nuisance claim as a vehicle for seeking redress for climate change accruing from greenhouse gas (hereinafter GHG) emissions. Just a hundred miles south that same day, the Virginia Supreme Court heard oral arguments in AES Corporation v. Steadfast (hereinafter Steadfast), in which Virginia’s highest court considered whether a commercial general liability insurer must provide a defense in climate change litigation. Both courts issued holdings that appear, at first blush, to significantly undercut the viability of climate change litigation. In AEP, the United States Supreme Court concluded the Clean Air Act and the Environmental Protection Agency’s ongoing steps to implement the Clean Air Act displace a federal common-law public nuisance claim to limit carbon dioxide emissions. In Steadfast, the Virginia Supreme Court held an insurer was not obligated, as a matter of law, to defend a policyholder under a commercial general liability policy in climate change litigation because the alleged conduct of contributing to global warming was intentional and thus did not constitute an occurrence as required by the policy language. However, in both cases it is precisely
Statistical modeling and signal selection in multivariate time series pattern classification

This paper presents an algorithm for selecting a compact subset of relevant signals for pattern classification problems involving multivariate time series (MTS) data. The algorithm uses a statistical causality modeling method to select relevant signals, and a correlation analysis method to remove redundant signals. The MTS signal selection algorithm along with the statistical modeling methods was evaluated through a case study of real-world driving data. From a set of 20 time series signals, the signal selection algorithm selected a subset of 9 signals that are independent and most relevant to the pattern class. We trained a driver state classification system using Random Forest(RF) with the input of 20 original signals, and another system with the selected 9 signals. The experimental results show that the system with 9 selected signals consistently performed better than the system with the original set of 20 signals.
Ethnopharmacology and Drug Development

The value of ethanomedical information in drug development is based on several factors: accuracy in recording or observing the medical use of the ethnomedical preparation, whether or not the ethnomedical use can be corroborated under scientific conditions in the laboratory, the formal or informal experience of the practitioner who provides the information, the role of the placebo effect and perhaps many others. Published ethnomedical information has many strengths and weaknesses relative to the ability to establish a corresponding biological effect in the laboratory. Many of the publications contain insufficient detail for the laboratory scientist. The ability to correlate ethnomedical reports with corresponding scientific studies could lead to improved selection of plants for further study in the areas of arthritis, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, hypertension, malaria, pain and fungal and viral infections. These analyses have been accomplished by computer analysis utilizing the NAPRALERT database. This combination of analysing ethnomedical information and published scientific studies on plant extracts (ethnopharmacology) may reduce the number of plants that need to be screened for drug discovery attempts, resulting in a corresponding greater success rate than by random selection and mass bioscreening.
Effects of Solar Array Shadowing on the Power Capability of the Interim Control Module

The Interim Control Module (ICM) is being built by the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) for NASA as a propulsion module for the International Space Station (ISS). Originally developed as a spinning spacecraft used to move payloads to their final orbit, for ISS, the ICM will be in a fixed orientation and location for long periods resulting in substantial solar panel shadowing. This paper describes the methods used to determine the incident energy incident energy on the ICM solar panels and the power capability of the electric power system (EPS). Applying this methodology has resulted in analyses and assessments used to identify ICM early design changes/options, placement and orientations that enable successful operation of the EPS under a wide variety of anticipated conditions.
Magnetic Resonances and the Positron Peak in Heavy-Ion Collisions

In this lecture I discuss the possibility of magnetic dipole resonaces in the e+e--system just above the two-body threshold. Wong and Becker1have recently applied this idea in order to explain the positron peak observed in heavy-ion collisions2. Can the e+e--system form a magnetic resonance with mass around M≅3m and a width of about τ~10-18sec.? I shall examine the assumptions underlying this model more precisely, the nature of the neglected terms, a simple derivation and interpretation of the mass formula and the possibility of other higher mass sharp resonances in the (e+e-)-system.
The Sincerest Form of Flattery: Examples and Model-Based Learning in the Law School Classroom

Responding to a changing landscape of law practice, law schools are searching for ways to structure the classroom experience and broader curriculum to promote more efficient and better learning outcomes. Although imitation, modeling, and the use of examples have become pre-eminent features of modern legal education, these pedagogies have remained largely unexamined. This article shows the power of teaching with examples in both the traditional and legal writing classroom, as well as how skillfully to limit the use of such pedagogy for maximum effect. Specifically, this article applies the findings of cognitive load research and composition theory to show that using worked examples is a superior pedagogy for novice learners, but that as students progress, they learn less from examples and need more opportunities for problem-solving. The article further explores the implications of this insight for curricular design and reform.
Retinoids in cancer chemoprevention.

Naturally occurring and synthetic vitamin A metabolites and analogs (retinoids) inhibit tumor development in a variety of cellular, animal, and patient studies. They suppress transformation of cells in vitro and inhibit carcinogenesis in various organs in animal models. In a mouse skin carcinogenesis model, topical retinoids exhibit suppressive effects on tumor promotion, but have no effect on tumor initiation. In other models, retinoids administered in the diet suppress tumor development even in an adjuvant setting after excision of the first tumor. Retinoids suppress carcinogenesis in individuals with premalignant lesions and a high risk to develop cancer of the aerodigestive tract. Likewise, retinoids prevent the development of second primary cancers in head/neck and lung cancer patients who had been treated for the first primary. The mechanisms underlying the anticarcinogenic activity of retinoids appear to be associated with the ability of retinoids to modulate the growth, differentiation, and apopto...
Acetonitrile N‐Oxide

[7063-95-8] C2H3NO (MW 57.05) InChI = 1S/C2H3NO/c1-2-3-4/h1H3 InChIKey = PFCUZDIEKKTHCH-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reactive 1,3-dipolar reagent useful for [3 + 2] cycloadditions,2 isoxazolines (intermediates useful for natural product synthesis),3 isoxazoles,4 heterocycle synthesis5) Physical Data: reactive intermediate generated in situ. Solubility: sol petroleum ether, ether, benzene, dichloromethane, ethanol, chloroform; insol cold (−60 °C) petroleum ether. Analysis of Reagent Purity: spectroscopic data have been recorded at low temperature:6, 7 NMR (−40 °C) 1H: CH3 (δ 2.26); 13C: CH3 (δ 0.8), CN (δ 35.6); IR (EtOH), 2315 cm−1. Preparative Methods: the reagent is most commonly generated in situ from Nitroethane by treatment with Phenyl Isocyanate/Triethylamine at rt (the Mukiayama method).8 Other reagents (AcCl, Ac2O, or POCl39) may be used in place of PhNCO. Acetonitrile oxide may be generated by flash vacuum pyrolysis (FVP) of 3,4-dimethylfuroxan,6, 10 by hypochlorite oxidation of acetaldehyde oxime,4b or from acetohydroxamoyl chloride.7 Decomposition (mainly dimerization to 3,4-dimethylfuroxan) is reported1b to take place within minutes of generation at 18 °C (however, see Brandi7).
Gaussian Process Models for Censored Sensor Readings

Sensor data models are key components of the design and testing of sensor network applications. In addition to their utility in validation of applications and network services, they provide a theoretical basis for the design of algorithms for efficient sampling, compression and exfiltration of the sensor data. In this paper we introduce a novel modeling technique for constructing probabilistic models for censored sensor readings. The proposed technique is an extension of the Gaussian process regression and applies to continuous valued readings subject to censoring. We treat the censored variable as a mixture of binary and a normal random variable. The Gaussian process framework provides a natural way of integrating information from both types of observations to estimate the parameters of the underlying random process. We illustrate the performance of the proposed technique in modeling wireless propagation between nodes of a wireless sensor network. The model can capture the anisotropic nature of the propagation characteristics and utilizes the implicit information from the packet reception failures.
Effects of creep and cyclic loading on the mechanical properties and failure of human Achilles tendons.

The Achilles tendon is one of the most frequently injured tendons in humans, and yet the mechanisms underlying its injury are not well understood. This study examines the ex vivo mechanical behavior of excised human Achilles tendons to elucidate the relationships between mechanical loading and Achilles tendon injury. Eighteen tendons underwent creep test- ing at constant stresses from 35 to 75 MPa. Another 25 tendons underwent sinusoidal cyclic loading at 1 Hz between a mini- mum stress of 10 MPa and maximum stresses of 30- 80 MPa. For the creep specimens, there was no significant relationship between applied stress and time to failure, but time to failure decreased exponentially with increasing initial strain ~strain when target stress is first reached! and decreasing failure strain. For the cyclically loaded specimens, secant modulus decreased and cyclic energy dissipation increased over time. Time and cycles to failure decreased exponentially with increasing ap- plied stress, increasing initial strain ~peak strain from first load- ing cycle!, and decreasing failure strain. For both creep and cyclic loading, initial strain was the best predictor of time or cycles to failure, supporting the hypothesis that strain is the primary mechanical parameter governing tendon damage accu- mulation and injury. The cyclically loaded specimens failed faster than would be expected if only time-dependent damage occurred, suggesting that repetitive loading also contributes to Achilles tendon injuries. © 2003 Biomedical Engineering So- ciety. @DOI: 10.1114/1.1569267#
Seasonal Damage by Greenbugs (Homoptera: Aphididae) to a Resistant and a Susceptible Variety of Wheat

A 2-year field study was conducted in Oklahoma to evaluate damage by biotype C greenbugs ( Schizaphis graminum [Rondani]) to a susceptible (S), ‘TAM W-101,’ and a resistant (R), ‘TAM W-101/Amigo,’ hard red winter wheat. Fall and spring infestations were compared by measuring yield components and visible damage. Significant differences were found between the R and S lines in number of fertile tillers, grain yields, number of seeds per plant, and damage ratings. These differences occurred in one fall season and both spring seasons. The data showed that fall damage for both R and S was generally more severe than spring damage. Plants damaged in the fall appeared to recover, but ultimately exhibited a marked decrease in grain yield at spring harvest. Fall economic thresholds were less than 10 greenbugs per plant, while spring economic thresholds were less than 20 greenbugs per plant for the S variety.
Launching PAD (Pathogens and Disease): more than a new title!

The launch of Pathogens and Disease , which replaces FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology , represents much more than a change in title. The journal has been entirely re-conceived to embrace today's and tomorrow's research in infectious disease biology. In addition to well-established areas in molecular and cellular pathogenesis, and the host response to infection, Pathogens and Disease will highlight and showcase the role of microbial communities in infectious diseases, the continually expanding impact of systems biology approaches, and the experimental translational applications thereof. A rejuvenated editorial team including rising and established international experts has been recruited, and world-renowned microbiologists have joined the new journal as members of an all-new Editorial Board. Areas of focus for Pathogens and Disease include: Pathogenesis does not happen in a Petri dish! Microbes outnumber human cells 10-fold, and we are not ‘majority owners’ of our own bodies. How does the host microbiota prevent – or contribute …
Modeling multi-scale aerosol dynamics and micro-environmental air quality near a large highway intersection using the CTAG model.

Abstract A new methodology, referred to as the multi-scale structure, integrates “tailpipe-to-road” (i.e., on-road domain) and “road-to-ambient” (i.e., near-road domain) simulations to elucidate the environmental impacts of particulate emissions from traffic sources. The multi-scale structure is implemented in the CTAG model to 1) generate process-based on-road emission rates of ultrafine particles ( UFPs ) by explicitly simulating the effects of exhaust properties, traffic conditions, and meteorological conditions and 2) to characterize the impacts of traffic-related emissions on micro-environmental air quality near a highway intersection in Rochester, NY. The performance of CTAG , evaluated against with the field measurements, shows adequate agreement in capturing the dispersion of carbon monoxide ( CO ) and the number concentrations of UFPs in the near road micro-environment. As a proof-of-concept case study, we also apply CTAG to separate the relative impacts of the shutdown of a large coal-fired power plant ( CFPP ) and the adoption of the ultra-low-sulfur diesel ( ULSD ) on UFP concentrations in the intersection micro-environment. Although CTAG is still computationally expensive compared to the widely-used parameterized dispersion models, it has the potential to advance our capability to predict the impacts of UFP emissions and spatial/temporal variations of air pollutants in complex environments. Furthermore, for the on-road simulations, CTAG can serve as a process-based emission model; Combining the on-road and near-road simulations, CTAG becomes a "plume-in-grid" model for mobile emissions. The processed emission profiles can potentially improve regional air quality and climate predictions accordingly.
Extremely sensitive detection of NO₂ employing off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy coupled with multiple-line integrated absorption spectroscopy.

We report on the development of a new sensor for NO2 with ultrahigh sensitivity of detection. This has been accomplished by combining off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) (which can provide large path lengths of the order of several kilometers in a small volume cell) with multiple-line integrated absorption spectroscopy (MLIAS) (where we integrate the absorption spectra over a large number of rotational–vibrational transitions of the molecular species to further improve the sensitivity). Employing an external cavity quantum cascade laser operating in the 1601–1670 cm−1 range and a high-finesse optical cavity, the absorption spectra of NO2 over 100 transitions in the R band have been recorded. From the observed linear relationship between the integrated absorption versus concentration of NO2 and the standard deviation of the integrated absorption signal, we report an effective sensitivity of detection of approximately 28 ppt (parts in 1012) for NO2. To the best of our knowledge, this is among the most sensitive levels of detection of NO2 to date.
Spontaneous Major Intra-Abdominal Arteriovenous Fistulas: A Report of Several Cases:

Most major intra-abdominal fistulas result from trauma or surgery. Spontaneous fistulas are rare with less than 100 reported cases since 1831. From a review of hospital records, five such spontaneous fistulas were identified among 215 cases of abdominal aortic aneurysm between 1975 and 1983. These cases are presented and supplemented by 73 similar cases collected from a literature review for discussion of the salient features of clinical presentation and management of spontaneous major fistulas. Major intra-abdominal arteriovenous fistulas usually present with a machinery bruit over a pulsatile mass, but may present more subtly with pain and otherwise unexplained hematuria. Because these fistulas lead to refractory heart failure, surgery should be expeditious. Closure should be performed from within the aneurysm with arterial and pulmonary artery pressure monitoring. Care must be taken to prevent pulmonary embolization.
Seasonal changes in the nekton community of the Suwannee River estuary and the potential impacts of freshwater withdrawal

In Florida, issues related to alterations of estuarine salinity caused by freshwater withdrawal have recently gained increasing attention. We examined nekton community structure in the Suwannee River estuary (1997–2000) and investigated the relationship between environmental factors and the abundance of fisheries resources. We compared nekton community structure and environmental factors seasonally and annually using multidimensional scaling (MDS) ordination and cluster analysis and observed a strong seasonal pattern. This pattern was consistent among years and closely paralleled those for temperature and river discharge. Representative species for cold seasons includedLeiostomus xanthurus andLagodon rhomboides, and those for warm seasons includedMembras martinica andAnchoa hepsetus. Species that contributed most to the dissimilarity in community structures between wet and dry seasons were abundant and generally preferred lower salinity (e.g.,L. xanthurus, Eucinostomus spp., andMenidia spp.). A period of low freshwater inflow during the latter portion of our study coincided with both decreases and increases in the abundances of some dominant and some economically important species. We have established a baseline which will assist in measuring the effects of long-term changes in freshwater input on the nekton communities of the Suwannee River estuary, but our ability to predict these effects is still limited.
Generalized local colorings of graphs

Abstract Let k be a fixed positive integer and let H be a graph with at least k + 1 edges. A local (H, k)-coloring of a graph G is a coloring of the edges of G such that edges of no subgraph of G isomorphic to a subgraph of H are colored with more than k colors. In the paper we investigate properties of local ( H, k )-colorings. We prove the Ramsey property for such colorings, establish conditions for the density property and the bipartite version of the Ramsey theorem to hold, and prove the induced variant of the Ramsey theorem with forbidden large cliques.
Network structure and thermal property of a novel high temperature seal glass

In this study, novel glasses based on SrO–La2O3–Al2O3–B2O3–SiO2 system are investigated for solid oxide fuel and electrolyzer cells. The network structure evolution of the glasses with increasing B2O3:SiO2 ratio was studied using Raman spectroscopy. The thermal properties of the glasses, including glass transition temperature T g and glass softening temperature T d , were studied using dilatometry. The thermal stability of the glasses was investigated using X-ray diffraction. The study shows that as the B2O3:SiO2 ratio increases, the SrO–La2O3–Al2O3–B2O3–SiO2 glass micro-heterogeneity and the amount of non-bridging oxygen atoms increase. Correspondingly, the T g of the SrO–La2O3–Al2O3–B2O3–SiO2 glasses changes from 635 to 775°C, and the T d changes from 670 to 815°C. Glass thermal stability decreases with B2O3:SiO2 ratio increase. The glass without B2O3 is thermally stable after being kept at 850°C for 200 hrs.
The incidence of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with psoriasis vulgaris

Abstract Background: Contact dermatitis is said to be rare in psoriasis patients, possibly because of accelerated epidermal turnover, the isomorphic (Koebner) response, and lymphocyte functional alterations. Objective: To identify contact allergy in patients with psoriasis. Methods: A written questionnaire was completed by 100 patients with psoriasis about contact history, flare factors for psoriasis, topical skin care, medications, and occupational/hobby exposures. Of these patients, 20 agreed to be patch tested with a standard screening series (Hermal) and a 20-item psoriasis patch-test series that included ingredients that might be found in topical psoriasis products. Results: Of the 100 patients, eight suspected a topical medication caused a reaction that worsened their psoriasis, 29 gave a history of atopy, 11 reported reactions to metal jewelry, and 29 reported an allergy to poison ivy. Patch-test results identified four of the 20 patients with six positive patch tests to the materials tested: three of the six positive tests were interpreted as relevant to the patient's psoriasis (coal tar, ethylenediamine and dithranol), two patients tested positive to nickel and one to thimerosal. Five patients had irritant reactions to dithranol. Conclusions: In this small study, 20% of self-selected psoriasis patients had positive allergic reactions on patch testing. A screening contact and atopic history in psoriasis patients may help to identify a subset of patients who could benefit from a search for more relevant contact allergens with patch test evaluation. This could improve treatment strategies and possibly reduce disability.
System wide analyses have underestimated protein abundances and the importance of transcription in mammals

Large scale surveys in mammalian tissue culture cells suggest that the protein expressed at the median abundance is present at 8,000-16,000 molecules per cell and that differences in mRNA expression between genes explain only 10-40% of the differences in protein levels. We find, however, that these surveys have significantly underestimated protein abundances and the relative importance of transcription. Using individual measurements for 61 housekeeping proteins to rescale whole proteome data from Schwanhausser et al. (2011), we find that the median protein detected is expressed at 170,000 molecules per cell and that our corrected protein abundance estimates show a higher correlation with mRNA abundances than do the uncorrected protein data. In addition, we estimated the impact of further errors in mRNA and protein abundances using direct experimental measurements of these errors. The resulting analysis suggests that mRNA levels explain at least 56% of the differences in protein abundance for the 4,212 genes detected by Schwanhausser et al. (2011), though because one major source of error could not be estimated the true percent contribution should be higher. We also employed a second, independent strategy to determine the contribution of mRNA levels to protein expression. We show that the variance in translation rates directly measured by ribosome profiling is only 12% of that inferred by Schwanhausser et al. (2011), and that the measured and inferred translation rates correlate poorly (R(2) = 0.13). Based on this, our second strategy suggests that mRNA levels explain ∼81% of the variance in protein levels. We also determined the percent contributions of transcription, RNA degradation, translation and protein degradation to the variance in protein abundances using both of our strategies. While the magnitudes of the two estimates vary, they both suggest that transcription plays a more important role than the earlier studies implied and translation a much smaller role. Finally, the above estimates only apply to those genes whose mRNA and protein expression was detected. Based on a detailed analysis by Hebenstreit et al. (2012), we estimate that approximately 40% of genes in a given cell within a population express no mRNA. Since there can be no translation in the absence of mRNA, we argue that differences in translation rates can play no role in determining the expression levels for the ∼40% of genes that are non-expressed.
A method for evaluating the time-dependent failure characteristics of brittle materials — and its application to polycrystalline alumina

A simple method for evaluating stress intensity factor, crack velocity (K, V) diagrams is described. The method is evaluated for the glass/water system and is shown to generate data that are entirely consistent with data obtained on the same system using other techniques. The method is applied to the alumina/water system and the K, V diagrams are used to predict times to failure (Ψ) and effects of strain-rate on strength (σf). The calculated Ψ and σf, are in excellent agreement with available data.
Effects of pollutants on bottom-up and top-down processes in insect–plant interactions

Abstract Bottom-up (host plant quality) and top-down (natural enemies) forces both influence the fitness and population dynamics of herbivores. However, the impact of pollutants acting on these forces has not been examined, which prompted us to review the literature to test hypotheses regarding this area of research. A comprehensive literature search found 126 references which examined fitness components and population dynamics of 203 insect herbivores. One hundred and fifty-three of the 203 herbivores (75.4%) had fitness impacted due to bottom-up factors in polluted environments. In contrast, only 20 of the 203 (9.9%) had fitness significantly impacted due to top-down factors in polluted environments. The paucity of results for top-down factors impacting fitness does not necessarily mean that top–down factors are less important, but rather that fewer studies include natural enemies. We provide a synthesis of available data by pollution type and herbivore guild, and suggest future research to address this issue.
Electro-osmosis at the surface of phospholipid bilayer membranes

The electro-osmotic velocity is the velocity of a fluid near an interface produced by an electric field parallel to a surface. The velocity adjacent to fixed phospholipid bilayer membranes was measured by observing the velocity of small vesicles suspended in the fluid. The charge densities of the bilayers ranged from 0 to 1 electronic charge per lipid and experiments were performed at temperatures above and below the transition temperature of the phospholipid bilayer in 1, 10 and 100 mM NaCl solutions. The Helmholtz-Smoluchowski equation correctly predicted the electro-osmotic velocity from the known value of zeta potential of the phospholipid bilayer.
Characteristics of the retrograde axonal transport system for nerve growth factor in the sympathetic nervous system

Retrograde axonal transport of125I labeled nerve growth factor (NGF) occurs in the adrenergic neurons of the sympathetic nervous system of rats as well as mice. This transport is saturable, it can be blocked by an excess of unlabeled NGF and shows a specificity for the biologically active form of the protein. Other proteins such as serum albumin, chymotrypsin or insulin are transported in varying, but much smaller, amounts. Although the transport of albumin is blocked by an excess of NGF, the opposite is not true, again suggesting a specific mechanism. NGF antibody, injected subcutaneously, prevents retrograde transport in neonatal but not in more mature animals and the relative resistance of the latter to the action of NGF antiserum may be related to this phenomenon.
Seasonal variation in RuBPcase activity and N allocation in the chlorophyte seaweeds ulva curvata (kutz.) de toni and Codium decorticatum (Woodw.) Howe

Abstract Seasonal variation in ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPCase) activity and cellular N allocation in Ulva curvata (Kutz.) De Toni and Codium decorticatum (Woodw.) Howe was followed over two annual cycles. Because apparent seasonal variation may result from random sampling of a coherent pattern of shorter-term variation, estimating the magnitude of seasonal variation in seaweed N allocation requires sampling over a range of time scales. Such sampling reveals annual ranges of variation in N allocation to be greater than those measured at time scales of hours to days. RuBPCase activity in both U. curvata and C. decorticatum peaks in winter and summer, with fall and spring lows. Total N and C exhibit pronounced winter highs and summer lows in C. decorticatum , with less predictable variation in U. curvata . Growth is controlled by temperature in both species, while N uptake is only loosely coupled to temperature or light. Seasonal variations in N allocation are driven by interactive effects of N supply, temperature, and light on growth and N uptake. These effects are largely independent of morphological and genetic differences between species.
The relation between bundle branch block and cardiac enlargement

Abstract The size of the heart was ascertained at necropsy or by roentgenologic examination in 100 consecutive cases of typical bundle branch block. The clinical diagnoses were: arteriosclerotic heart disease, 58 per cent; coronary artery occlusion, 25 per cent; chronic rheumatic valvular disease, 9 per cent; and miscellaneous conditions, 8 per cent. The heart was enlarged in all cases in which it was examined post mortem; the average cardiac weight was 586 Gm., the lowest, 375 Gm. Of the cases in which there was only a roentgenographic examination, the heart was increased in size in 91 per cent. In three of the six cases in which there was no enlargement, the diagnosis was Graves' disease. Left bundle branch block was present in 90 per cent of the cases. In 71 per cent of these the left ventricle was larger than the right, and in none was the right ventricle preponderant. Hypertensive heart disease was almost invariably associated with left bundle branch block. Of the ten cases of right bundle branch block, the right ventricle was predominant in four, and the left ventricle in one. Both ventricles were enlarged in five cases of coronary artery occlusion. Diffuse myocardial involvement was found in all cases in which a necropsy was performed. It is concluded that, in most instances, chronic bundle branch block is the result of an increase in the size of the heart, and of myocardial damage, with diffuse involvement of the bundle branch system. The type of bundle branch block depends on which ventricle is predominantly enlarged.
The importance of context in fostering responsive community systems: Supports for families in systems of care.

The importance of helping families of children with severe emotional disturbances (SED) connect with informal or natural supports-that is, individuals who are part of their ongoing communities and daily lives-has been widely recognized. Utilization of informal supports has thus become a core element within systems of care (SOCs) designed to improve services for children with SED and their families. However, research demonstrates that implementation of wraparound, the key practice approach within SOCs, often does not include involvement of informal supports. Using a measure of social connectedness (SC), developed to augment the instruments used for the SOC national evaluation, this study assessed parents' and caregivers' views of their connections to and support from their community within a SOC. Overall, parents and caregivers reported low levels of support across multiple sources as well as a desire for more support. Greater levels of perceived support related positively to caregiver strain, types of and satisfaction with services received, and views of their communities as supportive and safe. Greater attention to families' contexts and the identification of effective ways to connect families to their communities are recommended.
Evaluation of a domestic violence training for child protection workers & supervisors: Initial results

A two day domestic violence training for child protection personnel was evaluated using self-report responses to two case descriptions. One hundred thirty-seven supervisors and 369 workers were trained and 225 personnel participated in the study. Consistent with the goals of the training, there was an increased reported likelihood of providing assessment and brief interventions, holding the abuser responsible, substantiating emotional abuse of a child, and empathizing with victims. Respondents reported less likelihood of holding the victim responsible for stopping the violence, telling the woman she must end the relationship, and making referrals for couples counseling. Despite these positive signs of change, two areas showed room for improvement because they remained relatively high after training: the tendency to refer for couples counseling and the tendency to hold the woman responsible for stopping the violence and for the safety of the children. Future trainings may need to use other methods to convey the problems with couples counseling and the entrapment frequently experienced by battered women.
Rigid Multivalent Scaffolds Based on Adamantane

We present two new synthetic strategies to rigid multivalent scaffolds of the general structure 1 based on adamantane. Both routes start from arylated adamantane derivatives and give the target compounds 12 and 18 in 5 and 7 steps, respectively. These scaffolds have been designed for the assembly of multivalent binders for cell surface epitopes. The adamantane nucleus exposes three carboxylic acid groups in a well-defined tripodal geometry for conjugation of targeting ligands. In addition, an amino group at the fourth bridgehead position provides a flexible linker for attachment of effector molecules such as contrast agents, radiotracers, or cytotoxins without interfering with the cell binding process.
Paley type partial difference sets in non p-groups

By modifying a construction for Hadamard (Menon) difference sets we construct two infinite families of negative Latin square type partial difference sets in groups of the form $${\mathbb {Z}_3^2 \times \mathbb {Z}_p^{4t}}$$ where p is any odd prime. One of these families has the well-known Paley parameters, which had previously only been constructed in p-groups. This provides new constructions of Hadamard matrices and implies the existence of many new strongly regular graphs including some that are conference graphs. As a corollary, we are able to construct Paley---Hadamard difference sets of the Stanton-Sprott family in groups of the form $${\mathbb {Z}_3^2 \times \mathbb {Z}_p^{4t} \times {\it EA} (9p^{4t} \pm 2)}$$ when $${9p^{4t} \pm 2}$$ is a prime power. These are new parameters for such difference sets.
Homogenizability conditions for multicomponent reactive transport

Abstract We consider multicomponent reactive transport in porous media involving three reacting species, two of which undergo a nonlinear homogeneous reaction, while a third precipitates on the solid matrix through a heterogeneous nonlinear reaction. The process is fully reversible and can be described with a reaction of the kind A + B ⇌ C ⇌ S . The system’s behavior is fully controlled by Peclet (Pe) and three Damkohler ( Da j , j = { 1 , 2 , 3 } ) numbers, which quantify the relative importance of the four key mechanisms involved in the transport process, i.e. advection, molecular diffusion, homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. We use multiple-scale expansions to upscale the pore-scale system of equations to the macroscale, and establish sufficient conditions under which macroscopic local advection–dispersion–reaction equations (ADREs) provide an accurate representation of the pore-scale processes. These conditions reveal that (i) the heterogeneous reaction leads to more stringent constraints compared to the homogeneous reactions, and (ii) advection can favorably enhance pore-scale mixing in the presence of fast reactions and relatively low molecular diffusion. Such conditions are summarized by a phase diagram in the (Pe,Daj)-space, and verified through numerical simulations of multicomponent transport in a planar fracture with reacting walls. Our computations suggest that the constraints derived in our analysis are robust in identifying sufficient as well as necessary conditions for homogenizability.
The history, evolution and principles of services marketing: poised for the new millennium

The development and evolution of services marketing have been extraordinary. Provides a brief historical overview of services marketing, highlights its differences, then presents an extensive list of principles that attempts to reflect the current state of the field and provides a springboard for the further development of services marketing in the next millennium. The list provides guidelines for marketing managers and ideas for further research.
Z/k-Manifolds and families of Dirac operators

The index of a family of a family of Dirac operators is aK-Theory element in the parameter space. Sullivan'sℤ/k-manifolds are used to detect this index completely. For the first Chern class this gives a topological interpretation of Witten's global anomaly. The relationship with the geometry of the index bundle is considered.
Decreased glucose transporter 1 gene expression and glucose uptake in fetal brain exposed to ethanol

Abstract Using pregnant rats fed equicaloric liquid diets (AF, ad libitum-fed controls; PF, pair-fed controls; EF, ethanol-fed), we have previously shown that maternal alcoholism produces a specific and significant decrease of glucose in the fetal brain, which is accompanied by growth retardation. To further define the mechanisms of ethanol-induced perturbations in fetal fuel supply, we have examined (i) the uptake of 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) by dissociated brain cells from fetal rats that were exposed to ethanol in utero and (ii) the steady-state levels of the glucose transporter-1 (GT-1) mRNA. A 9% decrease in brain weight (P
Historical sexual abuse and current thyroid axis profiles in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated whether women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) who also had histories of sexual abuse differed from women with PMDD with no previous sexual abuse and from women without PMDD in hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (axis measures). METHODS: Ten sexually abused women with PMDD were compared with 18 nonabused women with PMDD and 22 nonabused women without PMDD for hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis hormone concentrations during the follicular and luteal phases of confirmed ovulatory cycles. RESULTS: Compared with the women without PMDD, only the group of women with PMDD with sexual abuse showed greater variance in both cycle phases in thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations and greater luteal phase variance in free and total thyroxine (T4) and reverse tri-iodothyronine (T3). In the group of nonabused women with PMDD, there was greater variance in follicular phase thyroxine-binding globulin concentrations compared with the group without PMDD. Women with PMDD with abuse had greater mean concentrations of total T3 and thyroxine-binding globulin, greater total T3/free T4 and free T3/free T4 ratios, and lower ratios of free T3/total T3 and free T4/total T4 than either of the other 2 nonabused groups. Greater total T3 concentrations and histories of major depression independently predicted premenstrual symptoms in all women with PMDD, together accounting for 31% to 38% of the variance in anxiety, anger, and depression ratings. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest increased conversion of T4 to T3 and increased binding of thyroid hormones in women with PMDD with previous sexual abuse. Abnormal total T3 concentrations may have pathophysiological significance in PMDD. Language: en
A tool for program grading: The Jacksonville university scale

The main purpose of this paper is to discuss about the Jacksonville University Scale, a tool for program grading and it's advantages.
Properties and structure of polymer concrete composite material with divinyl benzene as a crosslinking agent

A study has been performed to determine the effect of the use of divinyl benzene(DVB) as a crosslinking agent in polymeric binders consisting of mixtures of styrene, acrylonitrile, and acrylamide, on the thermal stability and structure of polymer concretes(PC), containing sand and cement as an aggregate. The results indicate that the inclusion of DVB results in improvements in the thermal and mechanical stability. The improvements are attributed to three-dimensional cross-linking of the polymer due to the inclusion of DVB. The influence of the sand-cement ratio on the structure of PC samples at 240°C are also discussed.
Does the Limit Order Routing Decision Matter

We examine the impact deciding to route limit orders away from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has on three dimensions of execution quality with methodologies controlling for market conditions and order submission strategies. Overall differences in limit order execution quality between regional stock exchanges and the NYSE are small, suggesting that the order routing decision may not affect retail limit order traders substantively. Conditioning on the distance between the limit order's price and prevailing quotes, however, reveals systematic differences in execution quality. This implies that brokers can strategically route limit orders to improve retail limit order execution quality. Copyright 2002, Oxford University Press.
Occurrence of Foerstia (Protosalvinia) in Lincoln County, West Virginia

Fossilized fragments of the Late Devonian pelagic alga Foerstia ( Protosalvinia ) were collected from the Columbia Gas Transmission Corporation well 20403 that was drilled in the western part of Lincoln County in southwestern West Virginia. This is the first report of an occurrence of Foerstia ( Protosalvinia ) in West Virginia, and its presence in the core supports the physical correlation of the zone that contains these fossils with the Huron Member of the Ohio Shale.