cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adsorption-Induced Deformation of Microporous Carbons: Pore Size Distribution Effect

We present a thermodynamic model of adsorption-induced deformation of microporous carbons. The model represents the carbon structure as a macroscopically isotropic disordered three-dimensional medium composed of stacks of slit-shaped pores of different sizes embedded in an incompressible amorphous matrix. Adsorption stress in pores is calculated by means of Monte Carlo simulations. The proposed model reproduces qualitatively the experimental nonmonotonic dilatometric deformation curve for argon adsorption on carbide-derived activated carbon at 243 K and pressure up to 1.2 MPa. The elastic deformation (contraction at low pressures and swelling at higher pressures) results from the adsorption stress that depends strongly on the pore size. The pore size distribution determines the shape of the deformation curve, whereas the bulk modulus controls the extent of the sample deformation.
Erdheim-Chester Disease: A Rare Multisystem Histiocytic Disorder Associated with Interstitial Lung Disease

Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare multisystem histiocytosis syndrome of unknown cause that usually affects adults. Histiocytic infiltration of multiple end organs produces bone pain, xanthelasma and xanthoma, exophthalmos, diabetes insipidus, and interstitial lung disease. Differential diagnosis includes Langerhans cell histiocytosis, metabolic disorders, malignancy, and sarcoidosis. ECD can be diagnosed using a combination of clinical and histopathologic findings. Sites of involvement include lung, bone, skin, retroorbital tissue, central nervous system, pituitary gland, retroperitoneum, and pericardium. Symmetrical long bone pain with associated osteosclerotic lesions, xanthomas around the eyelids, exophthalmos, and/or diabetes insipidus suggest ECD. Approximately 35% of patients have associated lung involvement, characterized by interstitial accumulations of histiocytic cells and fibrosis in a predominantly perilymphangitic and subpleural pattern. This pattern distinguishes ECD from other histiocytic disorders involving the lung. The diagnosis is confirmed by tissue biopsies that contain histiocytes with non-Langerhans cell features. In general, the clinical course of patients with this disease varies, and the prognosis can be poor despite treatment. Clinical trials for treatment of ECD have not been conducted and treatment is based on anecdotal experience.
Interaction of environmental moisture with powdered green tea formulations: relationship between catechin stability and moisture-induced phase transformations.

This study investigated the effect of phase transformations of amorphous and deliquescent ingredients on catechin stability in green tea powder formulations. Blends of amorphous green tea and crystalline sucrose, citric acid, and/or ascorbic acid were analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic water vapor sorption, water activity measurements, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after storage for up to 12 weeks at 0−75% relative humidity (RH) and 22 °C. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of green tea was reduced to below room temperature (<22 °C) at 68% RH. Dissolution of deliquescent ingredients commenced at RH values below deliquescence points in blends with amorphous green tea, and these blends had greater water uptake than predicted by an additive model of individual ingredient moisture sorption. Catechin degradation was affected by Tg of green tea powder and both dissolution and deliquescence of citric and ascorbic acids.
A Systematic Review of Literature About the Genetic Testing of Adolescents

PURPOSE. Mapping of the human genome raises interest in and concern about the genetic testing of adolescents. Our purpose was to determine the attitudes and knowledge adolescents and their parents have about genetic testing. DESIGN AND METHOD. This paper is a report of a systematic review of the research literature (n = 56) about the attitudes and knowledge adolescents and their parents have about genetic testing. RESULTS. The majority of studies, which were descriptive in design, focused on a specific heritable disorder, were conducted in the United States, and over sampled well-educated White females. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Results suggest that adolescents and their families have relatively positive attitudes about genetic testing and may experience both harms and benefits from testing. Nurses may be in positions to assist adolescents and their families in making decisions about genetic testing, remaining sensitive to family dynamics and issues of privacy and autonomy. Search terms: Adolescent, family, genetic testing
The Helping Relationship in College Reading Clinics

It is proposed that college reading programs are established to help students adapt to college living. Following this premise, the relation of college reading programs to student personnel services is evident. Therefore, clinicians in college reading programs should use appropriate psychological and counseling techniques. The effective helping relationship in a college reading clinic involves initial and continuing diagnosis since the characteristics of the helping relationship in this setting are different in certain respects from those in psychotherapy or certain other counseling situations. Nevertheless, the learning environment should be characterized by effective interpersonal relations between student and tutor. The effective student-tutor encounter will meet some of the criteria proposed by Carl Rogers and Eugene Gendlin for other helping interpersonal relationships.
Relationships between the ABO blood group SNP rs505922 and breast cancer phenotypes: a genotype-phenotype correlation study

To date, evaluation of the association of the ABO blood group and breast cancer has yielded mixed results. SNP rs505922, located within the first intron of the ABO gene, has been associated with the adenocarcinoma subtype of pancreatic cancer. To evaluate the association between genetic variation in the ABO blood group and risk of breast cancer, rs505922 was genotyped in 629 Caucasian women with invasive breast cancer, representing a variety of clinical and pathological tumor types. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood. TaqMan SNP assay C_2253769_10 was used to determine genotypes for each patient at rs505922. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square analysis using a P-value <0.05 to define significance. Genotypes were generated for 100% of the 629 patients in this study. Allele and genotype frequencies did not vary significantly for age at diagnosis, tumor stage, size or grade, hormone, HER2 or lymph node status, intrinsic subtype, tumor type or patient outcome. Allele frequencies for rs505922 did not differ between women with breast cancer and published HapMap frequencies from women of European descent. Further stratification into different tumor phenotypes also failed to reveal an association between rs505922 and any clinical characteristics. Together, these data suggest that the minor allele of rs505922 and the resulting non-O blood types are not associated with increased risk or less favorable tumor characteristics or prognosis in breast cancer.
Catalysis of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide methanation by CeAl2, CeCo2, CeNi2, Co, and Ni

Abstract The catalytic activity of the three isostructural compounds CeAl2, CeCo2, and CeNi2 and of pure Co and pure Ni for the methanation of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide was measured with a microcatalytic technique between 100 and 800 °C. The CeCo2 and CeNi2 compounds decomposed during exposure to reaction conditions—CeCo2 into a mixture of CeO2 and free Co, and CeNi2 into a mixture of CeO2 and free Ni. In their decomposed states, CeCo2 and CeNi2 had activities for methanation which are comparable to those of pure Co and pure Ni, and they were generally more selective than pure Ni and pure Co towards the formation of hydrocarbons of molecular weight exceeding that of methane. Although the CeAl2 catalyst exhibited only moderate activity for methanation in comparison to the other catalysts which were investigated, it was the most stable with respect to sintering—diminution of its activity by sintering effects was observed only above 700 °C. Arrhenius type plots were generally found to be linear.
Identification of Protein Kinase C Phosphorylation Sites on Bovine Rhodopsin

The protein kinase C phosphorylation sites on bovine rhodopsin were identified using proteolytic, phosphoamino acid, mass spectrometric, and peptide sequencing analyses. Tryptic removal of the 9 carboxyl-terminal residues of rhodopsin revealed that a major fraction of the phosphates incorporated by protein kinase C are in a region containing Ser334, Thr335, and Thr336. Phosphoamino acid analysis of the tryptic product established that Ser334 accounts for approximately 65% of the phosphorylation in this region. Analysis of the endoproteinase Asp-N-generated carboxyl terminus of rhodopsin by mass spectrometry and peptide sequencing revealed that Ser338 is also a primary phosphorylation site, with minor phosphorylation of Ser343. Quantitation of high pressure liquid chromatography-separated phosphopeptides, taken together with phosphoamino acid analysis of the tryptic product, revealed that Ser334 and Ser338 were phosphorylated equally and each accounted for approximately 35% of the total phosphorylation; Thr335/336 accounted for just under 20% of the phosphorylation, and Ser343 accounted for 10%. Thus, the primary protein kinase C sites are Ser334 and Ser338, with minor phosphorylation of Thr335/336 and Ser343. Ser334and Ser338 have recently been identified as the primary sites of phosphorylation of rhodopsin in vivo (Ohguro, H., Van Hooser, J. P., Milam, A. H., and Palczewski, K. (1995)J. Biol. Chem.270, 14259–14262). Of these sites, only Ser338 is a significant substrate for rhodopsin kinasein vitro. Identification of Ser334 as a primary protein kinase C target in vitro is consistent with protein kinase C modulating the phosphorylation of this site in vivo.
Graduate Training in Entomology: The students' Views

These papers are essentially as they were presented at a symposium held at the 1970 meeting of the Entomological Society of America. In organizing that symposium, and in editing its results here, I tried to leave as much as feasible of the actual data-gathering and interpreting to the students themselves, not wholly from laziness, but because I believed (and believe) the times are ready for students' views, presented to us by students.
Extension of life-span by overexpression of superoxide dismutase and catalase in Drosophila melanogaster

The hypothesis that oxygen free radicals are causally involved in the aging process was tested by a study of the effects of simultaneous overexpression of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase and catalase. As compared to diploid controls, transgenic flies carrying three copies of each of these genes exhibited as much as a one-third extension of life-span, a longer mortality rate doubling time, a lower amount of protein oxidative damage, and a delayed loss in physical performance. Results provide direct support for the free radical hypothesis of aging.
Dual Blockade of HER2 in HER2-Overexpressing Tumor Cells Does Not Completely Eliminate HER3 Function

Purpose: Dual blockade of HER2 with trastuzumab and lapatinib or with pertuzumab is a superior treatment approach compared with single-agent HER2 inhibitors. However, many HER2-overexpressing breast cancers still escape from this combinatorial approach. Inhibition of HER2 and downstream phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT causes a transcriptional and posttranslational upregulation of HER3 which, in turn, counteracts the antitumor action of the HER2-directed therapies. We hypothesized that suppression of HER3 would synergize with dual blockade of HER2 in breast cancer cells sensitive and refractory to HER2 antagonists. Experimental Design: Inhibition of HER2/HER3 in HER2 + breast cancer cell lines was evaluated by Western blotting. We analyzed drug-induced apoptosis and two- and three-dimensional growth in vitro . Growth inhibition of PI3K was examined in vivo in xenografts treated with combinations of trastuzumab, lapatinib, and the HER3-neutralizing monoclonal antibody U3-1287. Results: Treatment with U3-1287 blocked the upregulation of total and phosphorylated HER3 that followed treatment with lapatinib and trastuzumab and, in turn, enhanced the antitumor action of the combination against trastuzumab-sensitive and -resistant cells. Mice bearing HER2 + xenografts treated with lapatinib, trastuzumab, and U3-1287 exhibited fewer recurrences and better survival than mice treated with lapatinib and trastuzumab. Conclusions: Dual blockade of HER2 with trastuzumab and lapatinib does not eliminate the compensatory upregulation of HER3. Therapeutic inhibitors of HER3 should be considered as part of multidrug combinations aimed at completely and rapidly disabling the HER2 network in HER2-overexpressing breast cancers. Clin Cancer Res; 19(3); 610–9. ©2012 AACR .
The saturated fatty acid, palmitic acid, induces anxiety-like behavior in mice☆

Abstract Objectives Excess fat in the diet can impact neuropsychiatric functions by negatively affecting cognition, mood and anxiety. We sought to show that the free fatty acid (FFA), palmitic acid, can cause adverse biobehaviors in mice that last beyond an acute elevation in plasma FFAs. Methods Mice were administered palmitic acid or vehicle as a single intraperitoneal (IP) injection. Biobehaviors were profiled 2 and 24 h after palmitic acid treatment. Quantification of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT) and their major metabolites was performed in cortex, hippocampus and amygdala. FFA concentration was determined in plasma. Relative fold change in mRNA expression of unfolded protein response (UPR)-associated genes was determined in brain regions. Results In a dose-dependent fashion, palmitic acid rapidly reduced mouse locomotor activity by a mechanism that did not rely on TLR4, MyD88, IL-1, IL-6 or TNFα but was dependent on fatty acid chain length. Twenty-four hours after palmitic acid administration mice exhibited anxiety-like behavior without impairment in locomotion, food intake, depressive-like behavior or spatial memory. Additionally, the serotonin metabolite 5-HIAA was increased by 33% in the amygdala 24 h after palmitic acid treatment. Conclusions Palmitic acid induces anxiety-like behavior in mice while increasing amygdala-based serotonin metabolism. These effects occur at a time point when plasma FFA levels are no longer elevated.
Characteristics of aligned carbon nanofibers for interconnect via applications

Electrical properties of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited carbon nanofibers (CNFs) are characterized with measurements over a broad temperature range (4-300 K). Temperature-dependent measurements of CNF via resistivity reveal a behavior resembling the mixture of graphite a-axis and c-axis transport mechanisms. For the first time, temperature-dependent characteristics of CNFs are measured and modeled based on previously developed models for electron conduction in graphite. Reliability measurements are performed to demonstrate the robust electrical and thermal properties of CNF vias for next-generation on-chip-interconnect designs.
Carbon sequestration and natural analogs

Anthropogenic emission of carbon into the atmosphere has caused an imbalance of the global carbon cycle ([Broecker et al. 1979][1]; [Sundquist, 1993][2]). Ancient geologically stored carbon has been released primarily as CO2 during fossil fuel combustion, and is building up in the atmosphere because
Enhanced Neocortical Neural Sprouting, Synaptogenesis, and Behavioral Recovery With d-Amphetamine Therapy After Neocortical Infarction in Rats

Background and Purpose—d-Amphetamine administration increases behavioral recovery after various cortical lesions including cortical ablations, contusions, and focal ischemia in animals and after st...
Aiding the Internet in Central Asia

This paper asks why Central Asian governments, though equally repressive of their traditional media, pursue diverging policies toward the Internet. Ultimately we find Internet regulatory policy in the Central Asian states varies according to who provides financial capital for ICT. Where international aid organizations and NGOs provide capital and assistance for ICT infrastructure, such as in Kyrgyzstan and, to a lesser extent, in Uzbekistan, the formal regulatory environment is more open, clearly articulated, and permissive of electronic media. In contrast, where domestic actors fund the development of ICT infrastructure, as in Kazakhstan, regulation is vague and government control and interference more extensive.
Anatomy of the jugular foramen: The neurotologic perspective

An understanding of the complex anatomic relationships within and around the jugular foramen has become increasingly important as neurotologic approaches to the skull base continue to evolve. The jugular foramen and its contents are identified as often to aid in access to other regions of the skull base as to resect lesions that directly involve the area. This review of the anatomy of the contents of the jugular foramen and the surrounding structures via a lateral skull base approach describes the steps necessary to expose the region as well as systematically identifies the contents of the jugular foramen in a manner that resembles actual surgical exposure.
The GF11 parallel computer

GF11 is a parallel computer currently nearing completion at the IBM Yorktown Research Center. The machine will have a peak arithmetic rate of 11.4 Gflops and a total memory of 1.14 Gbytes. The computational power and memory are uniformly distributed among 566 floating-point processors which communicate through a switching network. At each machine cycle any of 1024 preselected permutations of data can be realized among the processors. The main intended application of GF11 is a class of calculations arising from quantum chromodynamics. For a detailed discussion of GF11 see: J. Beetem, M. Denneau, and D. Weingarten, in IEEE Proceedings of the 12th Annual International Symposium on Computer Architecture, IEEE Computer Society, Washington, D.C., 1985. J. Beetem, M. Denneau, and D. Weingarten, Journal of Statistical Physics 43, 1171 (1986). J. Beetem, M. Denneau, and D. Weingarten, to appear in Experimental Parallel Computing Architectures, (edited by J.J. Dongarra) North-Holland, Amsterdam (1987).
Defoliation effects on mycorrhizal colonization, nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis in the Glycine-Glomus-Rhizobium symbiosis

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Wells] plants grown in a greenhouse were inoculated with Rhizobium japonicum strain 61A118 and the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungus Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxt. sensu Gerd.) Gerd. & Trappe. Plants were defoliated (26, 48 and 66%) throughout the growth period and evaluated for VAM colonization, N2, fixation and photosynthesis at harvest (six weeks). Photosynthate stress as a result of defoliation affected nodulation and nodule activity most severely. Colonization of the roots by the VAM fungus was little affected in comparison, and the intensity of colonization increased with increasing stress. The CO2-exchange rate decreased less with defoliation than did leaf mass, and photosynthetic efficiency increased with the severity of defoliation. The increase in photosynthetic efficiency was significantly correlated with increases in leaf P (r = 0.91) and N (r = 0.97) concentrations. The results suggest that the VAM fungus should not be regarded as a simple P source and C sink in the tripartite legume association. Threeway source/sink relationships (VAM-P, Rhizobium-N, and host leaf-C) are discussed.
An event-driven neuro-fuzzy model for adaptive prognosis in homeostatic systems

This paper describes recent progress in an event-driven dynamic recurrent neuro-fuzzy model that is designed to estimate and predict states of interest within the human body. Four layers are implemented in this system, each of which consists of clusters of neurons: input layer, rule-state layer, output layer, and outcome layer. Detected events are mapped as fuzzy variables in input layer by different membership functions. The rule layer is composed of dynamic neurons, which associate with given rules. The states of a rule-neuron are not only a function of the fuzzy rule, but also on a temporal dynamic process that depends on the homeostasis, and weakly on connections with other rule-neurons that are complementary (excitatory connections) or competitive (inhibitory connections). For homeostasis, this model uses a negative feedback adaptive control system with nonlinear blocks. Sensitivity analysis and optimization tools are available to support use of the model
Partitioned compressive sensing with neighbor-weighted decoding

Compressive sensing has gained momentum in recent years as an exciting new theory in signal processing with several useful applications. It states that signals known to have a sparse representation may be encoded and later reconstructed using a small number of measurements, approximately proportional to the signal's sparsity rather than its size. This paper addresses a critical problem that arises when scaling compressive sensing to signals of large length: that the time required for decoding becomes prohibitively long, and that decoding is not easily parallelized. We describe a method for partitioned compressive sensing, by which we divide a large signal into smaller blocks that may be decoded in parallel. However, since this process requires a significant increase in the number of measurements needed for exact signal reconstruction, we focus on mitigating artifacts that arise due to partitioning in approximately reconstructed signals. Given an error-prone partitioned decoding, we use large magnitude components that are detected with highest accuracy to influence the decoding of neighboring blocks, and call this approach neighbor-weighted decoding. We show that, for applications with a predefined error threshold, our method can be used in conjunction with partitioned compressive sensing to improve decoding speed, requiring fewer additional measurements than unweighted or locally-weighted decoding.
Trust but verify: monitoring remotely executing programs for progress and correctness

The increased popularity of grid systems and cycle sharing across organizations requires scalable systems that provide facilities to locate resources, to be fair in the use of those resources, and to monitor jobs executing on remote systems. This paper describes the GridCop system which allows a computation on a remote, and potentially fraudulent, host system to be monitored for progress and execution correctness. A novel feature of our system is that it constructs cooperating submitter and host programs from the original program, and these programs allow both progress and execution correctness to be monitored with negligible overhead while providing protection against common fraudulent behaviors. Experimental results show that the overhead of this monitoring is low on both the submitting and host machines. We describe compiler algorithms that allow the required monitoring code to be automatically generated.
Differential Relationships of Student, Instructor, and Course Characteristics to General and Specific Items on a Course Evaluation Questionnaire

(1980). Differential Relationships of Student, Instructor, and Course Characteristics to General and Specific Items On a Course Evaluation Questionnaire. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 233-235.
Alcohol in fatal crashes involving Mexican and Canadian drivers in the USA

Objective To determine the prevalence of alcohol involvement and impairment in fatal crashes in the USA involving Mexican and Canadian drivers. Methods Drivers in fatal crashes in the USA were identified during 1998 to 2008 from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, and the prevalence of alcohol involvement and impairment (defined as blood alcohol concentrations ≥0.01 g/dl and ≥0.08 g/dl, respectively) was compared among drivers licensed in Mexico (n=687), Canada (n=598), and the USA (n=561 908). Results The prevalence of alcohol involvement was 27% for US drivers, 27% for Mexican drivers, and 11% for Canadian drivers. Alcohol impairment was found in 23% of US drivers, 23% of Mexican drivers, and 8% of Canadian drivers. With adjustment for driver demographic characteristics and survival status and for crash circumstances, the prevalence of alcohol involvement was significantly lower for Canadian drivers (adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) 0.63, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.80) than for US drivers, and was similar between Mexican and US drivers (adjusted PR 0.91, 95% CI 0.81 to 1.02). Conclusions Alcohol involvement in fatal motor vehicle crashes in the USA is similarly prevalent in US and Mexican drivers, but is substantially less common in Canadian drivers.
Modelling the energy exchange processes between plant communities and environment

Abstract A steady-state, one dimensional simulation model based on the gradient diffusion approach is designed to predict the microclimate and properties of energy exchange processes between plant communities and their ambient environment. The architecture of the model is comprised of formulations of turbulent transfer, radiation distribution, and plant community energy balance. The driving forces are meteorological observations above the canopy and the necessary inputs are several geometrical, optical and ecophysiological properties of the community. The model output includes the vertical profiles of radiation, wind velocity, air and leaf temperature, humidity, source strength of heat and water vapor, and total sensible and latent heat fluxes, throughout the community. The results of simulation agree reasonably well with two sets of field measurements reported by other researchers.
VideoBlaster: A Distributed, Low-Network Bandwidth Method for Multimedia Playback on Tiled Display Systems

Tiled display environments present opportune workspaces for displaying multimedia content. Often times, displaying this kind of audio/visual information requires a substantial amount of network bandwidth. In this paper we present a method for distributing the decoding over the entire display environment, allowing for substantially less network overhead. This method also allows for interactive configuration of the visual workspace. The method described scales independently of video frame size and produces lower latency compared to streaming approaches.
SocialWatch: detection of online service abuse via large-scale social graphs

In this paper, we present a framework, SocialWatch, to detect attacker-created accounts and hijacked accounts for online services at a large scale. SocialWatch explores a set of social graph properties that effectively model the overall social activity and connectivity patterns of online users, including degree, PageRank, and social affinity features. These features are hard to mimic and robust to attacker counter strategies. We evaluate SocialWatch using a large, real dataset with more than 682 million users and over 5.75 billion directional relationships. SocialWatch successfully detects 56.85 million attacker-created accounts with a low false detection rate of 0.75% and a low false negative rate of 0.61%. In addition, SocialWatch detects 1.95 million hijacked accounts---among which 1.23 million were not detected previously---with a low false detection rate of 2%. Our work demonstrates the practicality and effectiveness of using large social graphs with billions of edges to detect real attacks.
Tourniquet-induced acute ischemia-reperfusion injury in mouse skeletal muscles: involvement of superoxide

Although arterial limb tourniquet is one of the first-line treatments to prevent exsanguinating hemorrhage in both civilian pre-hospital and battlefield casualty care, prolonged application of a limb tourniquet can lead to serious ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, the underlying pathomechanisms of tourniquet-induced ischemia-reperfusion injury are still poorly understood. Using a murine model of acute limb ischemia-reperfusion, we investigated if acute limb ischemia-reperfusion injury is mediated by superoxide overproduction and mitochondrial dysfunction. Hind limbs of C57/BL6 mice were subjected to 3h ischemia and 4h reperfusion via placement and release of a rubber tourniquet at the greater trochanter. Approximately 40% of the gastrocnemius muscle suffered infarction in this model. Activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain complexes including complex I, II, III, and IV in the gastrocnemius muscle were decreased in the ischemia-reperfusion group compared to sham. Superoxide production was increased while activity of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD, the mitochondria-targeted SOD isoform) was decreased in the ischemia-reperfusion group compared to the sham group. Pretreatment with tempol (a SOD mimetic, 50mg/kg) or co-enzyme Q(10) (50mg/kg) not only decreased the superoxide production, but also reduced the infarct size and normalized mitochondrial dysfunction in the gastrocnemius muscle. Our results suggest that tourniquet-induced skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injuries including infarct size and mitochondrial dysfunction may be mediated via superoxide overproduction and reduced antioxidant activity. In the future, this murine ischemia-reperfusion model can be adapted to mechanistically evaluate anti-ischemic molecules in tourniquet-induced skeletal muscle injury.
Dynamic risk programming with learning adjustment

Risk allows the objective function of a linear program to be determined only up to a known probability distribution. In the case studied, however, the evolution of the distribution over time conforms to a simple learning model reflecting the increasing (decreasing) precision of executive response. If the stochastic extremand is replaced by the truncated minimax-maximax preference functional the optimal dynamic path is shown to be a geodesic in Riemann space with the standard deviation of the objective function as metric. Surprisingly, the path is independent of the risk attitude adopted.
Composition, Compatibility, and the Functional Performances of Ternary NiTiX High-Temperature Shape Memory Alloys

A general procedure to optimize shape memory alloys (SMAs) for specific engineering performance metrics is outlined and demonstrated through a study of ternary, NiTiX high-temperature SMAs, where X = Pd, Hf, Zr. Transformation strains are calculated using the crystallographic theory of martensite and compared to the cofactor conditions, both requiring only lattice parameters as inputs. Measurements of transformation temperatures and hysteresis provide additional comparisons between microstructural-based and transformation properties. The relationships between microstructural-based properties and engineering performance metrics are then thoroughly explored. Use of this procedure demonstrates that SMAs can be tuned for specific applications using relatively simple, fast, and inexpensive measurements and theoretical calculations. The results also indicate an overall trade-off between compatibility and strains, suggesting that alloys may be optimized for either minimal hysteresis or large transformation strains and work output. However, further analysis of the effects of aging shows that better combinations of uncompromised properties are possible through solid solution strengthening.
An Overview of Autonomous Navigation Techniques and Development Trend for Underground LHD

To free the drivers from the shackles of the dangerous working environment,improve the safety condition for ore transportation operation,lower underground LHD failure rate,and increase underground LHD working efficiency,a thorough investigation was made into features of,problems faced with,and trends in development of various existing underground LHD autonomous navigation.It was noted that the navigation mechauisms dealt with now are not perfect,and that researches carried out into the navigation techniques are lacking in comprehensiveness and field testing with real LHDs.It was pointed out that perfecting the navigation mechanism,enhancing interdisciplinary coorporation and ceating opportunities for the field testing activities should be the focal points of the work to be done in the future.
Bats prove to be rich reservoirs for emerging viruses

Emerging pathogens, many of them viruses, continue to surprise us, providing many newly recognized diseases to study and to try to control. Many of these emergent viruses are zoonotic, transmitted from reservoirs in wild or domestic animals to humans, either by insect vectors or by exposure to the droppings or tissues of such animals. One rich— but, until recently, underappreciated—source of emergent viruses is bats (Chiroptera, meaning “hand wing”). Accounting for 1,116, or nearly one-fourth, of the 4,600 recognized species of mammals, bats are grouped into two suborders — Megachiroptera, which contains a single family, Pteropodidae, consisting of 42 genera and 186 species, and Microchiroptera, which contains 17 families, 160 genera, and 930 species.
Rat Bladder Isograft Model for Focal Carcinoma

Abstract A model for focal bladder carcinoma in rats was developed with the use of an isograft technique. Bladder tumors developed by carcinogen induction with FANFT or MNU were grafted to bladders of syngeneic rats. Ninety-six per cent (56 out of 58) of the grafts were taken and 83 per cent (34 out of 41) of the grafted tumors remained neoplastic. Most of the grafts from FANFT-induced tumor remained localized at the original site whereas many from the MNU-induced tumor spread beyond the original graft area. The model system may be useful for the evaluation of chemotherapeutic agents as well as for the studies of basic mechanisms of tumor growth and spreading.
Quantifying the influences of spectral resolution on uncertainty in leaf trait estimates through a Bayesian approach to RTM inversion

Abstract The remote monitoring of plant canopies is critically needed for understanding of terrestrial ecosystem mechanics and biodiversity as well as capturing the short- to long-term responses of vegetation to disturbance and climate change. A variety of orbital, sub-orbital, and field instruments have been used to retrieve optical spectral signals and to study different vegetation properties such as plant biochemistry, nutrient cycling, physiology, water status, and stress. Radiative transfer models (RTMs) provide a mechanistic link between vegetation properties and observed spectral features, and RTM spectral inversion is a useful framework for estimating these properties from spectral data. However, existing approaches to RTM spectral inversion are typically limited by the inability to characterize uncertainty in parameter estimates. Here, we introduce a Bayesian algorithm for the spectral inversion of the PROSPECT 5 leaf RTM that is distinct from past approaches in two important ways: First, the algorithm only uses reflectance and does not require transmittance observations, which have been plagued by a variety of measurement and equipment challenges. Second, the output is not a point estimate for each parameter but rather the joint probability distribution that includes estimates of parameter uncertainties and covariance structure. We validated our inversion approach using a database of leaf spectra together with measurements of equivalent water thickness (EWT) and leaf dry mass per unit area (LMA). The parameters estimated by our inversion were able to accurately reproduce the observed reflectance (RMSE VIS = 0.0063, RMSE NIR-SWIR = 0.0098) and transmittance (RMSE VIS = 0.0404, RMSE NIR-SWIR = 0.0551) for both broadleaved and conifer species. Inversion estimates of EWT and LMA for broadleaved species agreed well with direct measurements (CV EWT = 18.8%, CV LMA = 24.5%), while estimates for conifer species were less accurate (CV EWT = 53.2%, CV LMA = 63.3%). To examine the influence of spectral resolution on parameter uncertainty, we simulated leaf reflectance as observed by ten common remote sensing platforms with varying spectral configurations and performed a Bayesian inversion on the resulting spectra. We found that full-range hyperspectral platforms were able to retrieve all parameters accurately and precisely, while the parameter estimates of multispectral platforms were much less precise and prone to bias at high and low values. We also observed that variations in the width and location of spectral bands influenced the shape of the covariance structure of parameter estimates. Our Bayesian spectral inversion provides a powerful and versatile framework for future RTM development and single- and multi-instrumental remote sensing of vegetation.
Infection by Magnaporthe: An In Vitro Analysis

Rice blast disease, described over 300 years ago, has been the subject of research in plant pathology labs throughout the world [17]. The fungus Magnaporthe grisea (anamorph, Pyricularia sp.), an ascomycete, has been of considerable interest because of its global agronomic impact in inciting blast disease and because it is recognized as one of the most widely disseminated foliar pathogens. In recent years M. grisea has become more valuable for investigation because it can be genetically manipulated and characterized [5, 7, 9, 15, 18, 23–25]. For these reasons we have undertaken the task of redefining the early events of host-pathogen interaction: inoculation, pre-penetration and penetration, all prerequisites of infection. This chapter briefly summarizes several new and significant findings of an in vitro analysis concerning conidial adhesion, appressorium development, and the mechanism of penetration. Many of these new findings can be ascribed to our use of freeze substitution [12] for sample preparation.
Optoelectrical Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2)--Ferroelectric Memories.

In this study, we fabricated and tested electronic and memory properties of field-effect transistors (FETs) based on monolayer or few-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) on a lead zirconium titanate (Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, PZT) substrate that was used as a gate dielectric. MoS2–PZT FETs exhibit a large hysteresis of electronic transport with high ON/OFF ratios. We demonstrate that the interplay of polarization and interfacial phenomena strongly affects the electronic behavior and memory characteristics of MoS2–PZT FETs. We further demonstrate that MoS2–PZT memories have a number of advantages and unique features compared to their graphene-based counterparts as well as commercial ferroelectric random-access memories (FeRAMs), such as nondestructive data readout, low operation voltage, wide memory window and the possibility to write and erase them both electrically and optically. This dual optoelectrical operation of these memories can simplify the device architecture and offer additional practical functionalities, suc...
Some Mathematical Considerations Behind the World's Longest Mnemonic

In this paper, we present some mathematical considerations behind the construction of the world’s longest mnemonic.
Strategies for an EMU

As the EU Member States integrate more intensively, particularly in the field of trade, they will increasingly demand each others’ currencies. This development constitutes the basic ground work for any attempt to form an EMU. Logically, some countries will integrate more swiftly and deeply than others, such countries will always form a core for any future EMU. Consequently, taking account of these realities, the author has laid down the following series of proposals for creating an EMU. 1
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

The technology of asynchronous transfer mode was developed in the telephone industry in the 1980s at the major telephone research laboratories. The goal was to develop a networking technology that could carry an integrated mix of traffic (voice, video and data). At one point, there were two competitors to be the technology of choice, synchronous transfer mode (STM) and ATM. Asynchronous transfer mode was the eventual winner.
WUFlux: an open-source platform for 13 C metabolic flux analysis of bacterial metabolism

Flux analyses, including flux balance analysis (FBA) and 13C-metabolic flux analysis (13C-MFA), offer direct insights into cell metabolism, and have been widely used to characterize model and non-model microbial species. Nonetheless, constructing the 13C-MFA model and performing flux calculation are demanding for new learners, because they require knowledge of metabolic networks, carbon transitions, and computer programming. To facilitate and standardize the 13C-MFA modeling work, we set out to publish a user-friendly and programming-free platform (WUFlux) for flux calculations in MATLAB®. We constructed an open-source platform for steady-state 13C-MFA. Using GUIDE (graphical user interface design environment) in MATLAB, we built a user interface that allows users to modify models based on their own experimental conditions. WUFlux is capable of directly correcting mass spectrum data of TBDMS (N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide)-derivatized proteinogenic amino acids by removing background noise. To simplify 13C-MFA of different prokaryotic species, the software provides several metabolic network templates, including those for chemoheterotrophic bacteria and mixotrophic cyanobacteria. Users can modify the network and constraints, and then analyze the microbial carbon and energy metabolisms of various carbon substrates (e.g., glucose, pyruvate/lactate, acetate, xylose, and glycerol). WUFlux also offers several ways of visualizing the flux results with respect to the constructed network. To validate our model’s applicability, we have compared and discussed the flux results obtained from WUFlux and other MFA software. We have also illustrated how model constraints of cofactor and ATP balances influence fluxome results. Open-source software for 13C-MFA, WUFlux, with a user-friendly interface and easy-to-modify templates, is now available at http://www.13cmfa.org /or ( http://tang.eece.wustl.edu/ToolDevelopment.htm ). We will continue documenting curated models of non-model microbial species and improving WUFlux performance.
Inhibition of Interleukin-17A, But Not Interleukin-17F, Signaling Lowers Blood Pressure, and Reduces End-Organ Inflammation in Angiotensin II–Induced Hypertension

Inflammatory cytokines play a major role in the pathophysiology of hypertension. The authors previously showed that genetic deletion of interleukin (IL)-17A results in blunted hypertension and reduced renal/vascular dysfunction. With the emergence of a new class of monoclonal antibody–based drugs for psoriasis and related autoimmune disorders that target IL-17 signaling, the authors sought to determine whether these antibodies could also reduce blood pressure, renal/vascular inflammation, and renal injury in a mouse model of hypertension. The authors show that antibodies to IL-17A or the IL-17RA receptor subunit, but not IL-17F, may be a novel adjunct treatment for hypertension and the associated end-organ dysfunction.
Klotho, an antiaging molecule, attenuates oxidant-induced alveolar epithelial cell mtDNA damage and apoptosis

Alveolar epithelial cell (AEC) apoptosis and inadequate repair resulting from “exaggerated” lung aging and mitochondrial dysfunction are critical determinants promoting lung fibrosis. α-Klotho, whi...
The use of 3D printing in cardiac surgery

In this issue, Chen et al. present a case report where a patient with a right-sided aortic arch, Kommerell’s diverticulum (KD) and an aberrant left subclavian artery underwent surgical repair, and the surgeons printed a patient-specific three-dimensional (3D) model before surgery to serve as a surgical guide. Using the 3D printed model, they managed to select the size of the frozen elephant trunk for implantation (32 mm) and visualize the aorta and its branches pre-operatively, to decide on the section to resect, reducing operative time. The patient made an uneventful recovery and postoperative computed tomography (CT) scan of the aortic arch demonstrated graft shape, position and patency.
Chapter 1 – The Information Revolution

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the information revolution with the introduction of computer technology. People are coming into contact with computers daily. These machines, once thought mysterious, are currently being used routinely as more and more people are beginning to realize that computers are merely devices that follow sets of instructions, called computer programs or software, that have been written by computer programmers. People are finding that the instructions computers follow help to simplify their own lives. Programs may instruct a computer to perform functions, such as totaling a store's cash receipts or preparing a company's payroll, customer statements, or tax returns. School systems are under tremendous pressure from parents and students alike to increase the use of personal computers and offer more computer courses. Small businesses are already finding it difficult to remain competitive without using computers to assist in office procedures, such as preparing payroll, taking inventory, billing customers, and budgeting.
Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disease Presenting as an Extracranial Mass

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease is a serious complication following stem cell and solid organ transplantation. Early recognition of the disease is important in facilitating timely therapy and improving long-term outcomes. We report a renal transplant recipient presenting with an extracranial frontoparietal soft tissue mass that was subsequently diagnosed as a B-cell lymphoma. The patient was treated successfully with immunosuppression reduction, anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy, and cytotoxic chemotherapy. Our case highlights the importance of recognizing soft tissue masses in the head and neck as a potential clinical manifestation of PTLD in solid organ transplant recipients.
Exploring the Giving Practices in American Mosques: Why Do Muslims Give So Little to Their Mosques?

This paper explores the giving practices of Muslims in American mosques, based on two studies: the previously published “The American Mosque 2011” study which consisted of 524 interviews of mosque leaders; and the second study is the previously unpublished 2013 study of three mosques and the 2016 follow-up interviews with donors from the three mosques. The results show that mosque attendees give much less than their counterparts in churches. Giving rates were generated in three different way: dividing a congregation’s income by the number of people who attend the main congregational service; using self-reports of money donated to a congregation; and determining a giving rate by calculating the amount donated as a percentage of the donor’s income. Using the first method of looking at the budget and number of attendees, mosque attendees give a median figure of $405 per year and the median figure of giving in the FACT 2000 study of all religious congregations is $1429. Using the second method of looking to self-reports of giving, the highest giving rate of the three mosques is $671 and the lowest giving rate in Hoge’s study of giving ( Money Matters ) is the Catholics who reported giving $1032 per year. Using the third method, Christians give an average of 2.3% of their income to churches, while mosque attendees give 0.7% of their income. While the income level of mosque attendees is associated with higher levels of giving, higher rates of mosque attendance is not associated with higher rates of giving, which means that Muslims who are motivated to attend the mosque are not motivated to give. Interviews with donors in the three mosques seem to indicate that the one of the underlying factors for the low rate of giving is that they do not have a clear theology for giving to the mosque, and a culture of giving to mosques does not exist among immigrant Muslims.