cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity assessment of metafrontier data envelopment analysis for soil carbon sequestration efficiency

Abstract The data envelopment analysis (DEA) is useful for the measuring of efficiencies of functions in various research fields. In previous studies the soil carbon sequestration (SCseq) efficiency index (SCI) was assessed at regional scale; however, the effects of various calculation factors—including returns-to-scales (RTSs), selection of orientation (input or output), and global (or meta-)/local (or group) frontiers—on the SCI scores are still unclear. Thus, in this paper, the sensitivity of DEA frontier models with various types of RTSs and orientations was investigated. The models examined the SCseq rates as target outputs in three land use/land cover (LULC) types (pinelands, improved pastures, and wetlands). The rates were calculated based on lab-measured soil organic carbon concentration collected from the topsoil (~20 cm depth) between 1965 and 2009 in Florida, United States. Pedogenic, hydrologic, and environmental variables relevant to the carbon sequestration function were chosen as inputs, including soil available water capacity, sand concentration, pH, soil total nitrogen and phosphorus, Enhanced Vegetation Index, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. The input and output variables for the three LULC types informed multivariate normal distributions that served to simulate the local frontiers. Results show that the SCseq rates in wetland soils were statistically lowest ( p 0.05 ), while the SCI scores were highest. This suggests that the efficiency of the soil carbon sequestration function was distinctively different from the SCseq rates. The SCI scores also demonstrated to identify internal causes (i.e., local management practices) for inefficiency in the SCseq in pasture soils and suitability of the function among the LULC types. A higher ability in output orientation to discern efficient from inefficient sites for the SCseq function was also observed than the input orientation. The preferred choice of RTSs in either conservative or progressive approaches to SCseq efficiency management was also identified in the study. Sensitive scores reflected regions that are in need for efficient soil management (such as no-tillage) to improve the performance of individual soils in terms of SCseq efficiency. SCseq efficiency scores enable land resource managers to refine their approaches to optimize soil carbon and possibly other soil and ecological functions. Further research is invited to identify potential cause(s) that determine(s) the local/global frontiers.
Change Management and Acceptance Testing

Change is hard. We become so used to our work environments that any change, even to a demonstrably better system, will be met with resistance. But the disruptions that come with large-scale changes (such as a new PACS) can be minimized with proper planning and support. This process is called change management. A key part of proper change management is acceptance testing, in which the proper functioning of a new system is assured before a dramatic change is made.
Enhancing long-term accuracy and durability of wastewater monitoring using electrosprayed ultra-thin solid-state ion selective membrane sensors

Abstract Current membrane deposition approaches (e.g., drop-casting, spin-coating) for solid-state ion selective membrane (S-ISM) sensors suffer from problems including sensor material waste, uncontrollable membrane thickness (100–200 μm ), loose contact between sensing membrane and electrode surface, long response time (e.g., >20 s) and poor reading stability (e.g., >3 mV/h). This study addressed these challenges by depositing ISM through electrospray printing technology and enabling accurate and continuous monitoring in water and wastewater. Specifically, the final droplet size and the splash diameter of the electrosprayed droplets deposited a particularly tunable, high resolution and ultra-thin (thickness: ∼1 μm ) membrane on the electrode surface, which immensely shortened the sensor response time (9.2 s), strengthened the adhesion between the ISM and the electrode surface, mitigated the formation of water layer in the S-ISM sensor entity, and ultimately enhanced the sensor reading stability (reading drifting
Steady state frequency domain analysis of parallel-series resonant converter

The steady-state analysis of a DC/DC resonant converter using a parallel-series (LLC type) resonant circuit is described by means of a simple equivalent circuit in the frequency domain. Analytical design equations and curves for circuit variables are given. Effects of inductor resistances are considered. Analytical design equations are obtained by representing the rectifier load as a controlled voltage source (sink). It is shown that all design equations can be derived from a simple transformation when the rectifier load is represented by an AC resistance. Design equations for a conventional series resonant converter are obtained as a special case of the parallel-series resonant converter. Design examples are given to illustrate the usefulness of the design equations and curves in the selection of the component values and their ratings. Simulation results using PSpice are given to support the analytical results. >
New Digital Magnetograph at Big Bear Solar Observatory

A new digital magnetograph system has been installed and tested at Big Bear Solar Observatory. The system uses part of BBSO's existing videomagnetograph (VMG) system: a quarter wave plate, a ferro-electric liquid crystal to switch polarizations, and a 0.25 A bandpass Zeiss filter tuned at Ca i 6103 A. A new 256×256 pixels, 12-bit Dalsa camera is used as the detector and as the driver to switch the liquid crystal. The data rate of the camera is 90 frames s−1. The camera is interfaced to a Pentium-166 PC with a μTech imaging board for data acquisition and analysis. The computer has 128 MByte of RAM, and up to 700 live images can be stored in memory for quick post-exposure image processing (image selection and alignment). We have significantly improved the sensitivity and spatial resolution over the old BBSO VMG system. In particular: (1) New digital image data are in 12 bits while the video signal is digitized as 8 bits. Polarizations weaker than 1% can not be detected by a single pair subtraction in the video system. The digital system can detect a polarization signal of about 0.3% by a single pair subtraction. (2) Data rate of the digital system is 90 frames s−1, that of the video system is 30 frames s−1. So the time difference between two polarizations is reduced in the new system. Under good seeing conditions, the data rate of 90 frames s−1 ensures that most of the wavefront distortions are ‘frozen’ and fairly closely the same for the left and right circular polarized image pairs. (3) Magnetograms are constructed after image selection and alignment. We discuss the characteristics of this new system. We present the results of our first tests to reconstruct magnetograms with speckle interferometric techniques. We also present some preliminary results on the comparison of facular/micropore contrasts and magnetic field structure. The experiment with this small detector lays ground for a larger format digital magnetograph system at BBSO, as well as a future Fabry-Perot system, which will be able to scan across the spectral line.
Trifluoromethyl Derivatives of the Transition Metal Elements

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the trifluoromethyl derivatives of the transition metal elements. Although no trifluoromethyl cadmium derivatives were isolated, the synthesis of the mercurial was reported to proceed most readily if the mercury had been present in the form of a cadmium amalgam. In addition to being the first demonstration that perfluoroalkyl ligands could be chemically bonded to metallic or metalloid centers, the results of this study are of interest in that they well illustrate some of the fundamental differences between the chemistry of hydroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl organometallic compounds. One of these differences is that if a methylated derivative of any particular metal-containing compound should be desired, there is a rich and diverse variety of potentially suitable alkyl-donating agents available from which the most effective can be chosen
Cardiac memory after radiofrequency ablation of accessory pathways: the post-ablation T wave does not forget the pre-excited QRS.

Introduction: Normalization of the pre-excited QRS following ablation is accompanied by repolarization changes but their directional relationship to changes in ventricular activation has not been well characterized.
Purification and characterization of DNA ligase III from bovine testes. Homology with DNA ligase II and vaccinia DNA ligase.

Mammalian cell nuclei contain three biochemically distinct DNA ligases. In the present study we have found high levels of DNA ligase I and DNA ligase III activity in bovine testes and have purified DNA ligase III to near homogeneity. The high level of DNA ligase III suggests a role for this enzyme in meiotic recombination. In assays measuring the fidelity of DNA joining, we detected no significant differences between DNA ligases II and III, whereas DNA ligase I was clearly a more faithful enzyme and was particularly sensitive to 3′ mismatches. Amino acid sequences of peptides derived from DNA ligase III demonstrated that this enzyme, like DNA ligase II, is highly homologous with vaccinia DNA ligase. The absence of unambiguous differences between homologous peptides from DNA ligases II and III (10 pairs of peptides, 136 identical amino acids) indicates that these enzymes are either derived from a common precursor polypeptide or are encoded from the same gene by alternative splicing. Based on similarities in amino acid sequence and biochemical properties, we suggest that DNA ligases II and III, Drosophila DNA ligase II, and the DNA ligases encoded by the pox viruses constitute a distinct family of DNA ligases that perform specific roles in DNA repair and genetic recombination.
Same But Different: Comparing Public Access Computing Venues in Colombia (English)

Public access computing (PAC) venues bring the benefits of computers and the Internet to a broad sector of the population of Latin American countries. While most previous studies have looked primarily at telecenters, this study of PAC venues explores similarities and differences among libraries, telecenters, and cybercafes in Colombia. This is done to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses, and to provide opportunities to make PAC more relevant for community development. We draw from interviews, focus groups, and surveys conducted in the country in 2010. While libraries tend to have strong institutional support, they are also often the least prepared to offer effective ICT services. Telecenters tend to meet the needs of underserved populations through customized training and support. Cybercafes, the most common type of PAC venue, tend to offer good customer service and hands-on support, even though their intent is not to contribute to community development. The study concludes that there are unique strengths in each type of PAC venue, as well as opportunities to strengthen partnerships and collaborations between them. From these findings, a key opportunity emerges in identifying ways to improve the collective development contribution of cybercafes, which are much more numerous in this country than telecenters and libraries combined.
Refined atomic model of glutamine synthetase at 3.5 A resolution.

Abstract An atomic model of 43,692 non-hydrogen atoms has been determined for the 12-subunit enzyme glutamine synthetase from Salmonella typhimurium, by methods of x-ray diffraction including restrained least-squares atomic refinement against 65,223 unique reflections. At 3.5 A resolution the crystallographic R-factor (on 2 sigma data) is 25.8%. As reported earlier for the unrefined structure, the 12 subunits are arranged in two layers of six; at the interface of pairs of subunits within each layer, cylindrical active sites are formed by six anti-parallel beta strands contributed by one subunit and two strands by the neighboring subunit. This interpretation of the electron density map has now been supported by comparison with glutamine synthetase from Escherichia coli by the Fourier difference method. Each active site cylinder holds two Mn2+ ions, with each ion having as ligands three protein side chains and two water molecules (one water shared by both metals), as well as a histidyl side chain just beyond liganding distance. The protein ligands to Mn2+ 469 are Glu-131, Glu-212, and Glu-220; those to Mn2+ 470 are Glu-129, His-269, and Glu-357. The two layers of subunits are held together largely by the apolar COOH terminus, a helical thong, which inserts into a hydrophobic pocket formed by two neighboring subunits on the opposite ring. Also between layers, there is a hydrogen-bonded beta sheet interaction, as there is between subunits within a ring, but hydrophobic interactions account for most of the intersubunit stability. The central loop, which extends into the central aqueous channel, is subject to attack by at least five enzymes and is discussed as an enzyme "passive site."
Ti and TiAl Powders by the Flash Reduction of Chloride Vapors

The current industrial practice for producing titanium metal, the Kroll process, includes a batch process for reducing titanium tetrachloride with magnesium in a steel pot.1,2 It has not changed much since its first publication in 1940,3 and its batchwise nature makes it laborand energy-intensive. The process also suffers from low productivity because the reactor has to be charged, heated, and discharged, which involves a long downtime between batches. In some plants, sodium is used in lieu of magnesium. The overall chemistry and process steps are similar to those of the magnesium-reduction process. One variation is a two-step process in which titanium tetrachloride is first reduced at a low temperature (~230°C) to solid TiCl2 in the first reactor. The TiCl2 and NaCl mixture is charged in the second reactor and reacted with additional sodium at about 1,000°C to complete the reduction reaction. The current practice for producing titanium-aluminide intermetallic compounds is even more difficult and time consuming. In addition to titanium metal, aluminum metal is required and must be produced by the energy-intensive Hall-Heroult process. Titanium and aluminum must be melted in a hightemperature melter, due to the high melting points of titanium and the aluminides. The product aluminides are difficult to process because of their brittleness and high melting points. Thus, it would be highly desirable to develop a continuous process to produce titanium and titanium aluminides in powder form. The proposed process responds to this need.
Teaching Tolerance Without Pushing the Envelope: The Laramie Project in High School Theatres

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) representations in theatre for young audiences are rare, so it is important to examine the components that make LGBT representation considered acceptable on the high school stage. This article examines the prevalence of The Laramie Project in high school theatres through the lens of multicultural education and explores which aspects of the play make it considered acceptable for high school audiences. This article looks at different aspects of multicultural education theory and argues that the victim narrative and lessons of tolerance rather than radical change make the play considered acceptable for school audiences.
Dynamics of Tire, Wheel, and Suspension Assembly

Abstract A combined tire, wheel, and suspension FE model is described. The system simulates the tire mounted on the vehicle. The natural frequencies are calculated successfully for this highly non‐linear system where the tire is in the inflated and loaded condition. The random vibration response of the model to the road roughness is calculated.
Measuring the carbon emissions of megacities

Carbon emissions from cities represent the single largest human contribution to climate change. Here we present a vision, strategy and roadmap for an international framework to assess directly the carbon emission trends of the world's megacities.
The normalized heat load concept and its use

The utility of the normalized heat load in comparing the performance of a given construction in real-world and test fires is examined. It is shown that the concept is valid regardless of the dimensions and geometry of the construction, and argued that the errors arising from the non-ideal behaviour of building materials at elevated temperature are likely to cancel out in a comparison.
RNA Polymerase II Transcription Complexes May Become Arrested If the Nascent RNA Is Shortened to Less than 50 Nucleotides

A significant fraction of RNA polymerase II transcription complexes become arrested when halted within a particular initially transcribed region after the synthesis of 23-32-nucleotide RNAs. If polymerases are halted within the same sequence at a promoter-distal location, they remain elongation-competent. However, when the RNAs within these promoter-distal complexes are truncated to between 21 and 48 nucleotides, many of the polymerases become arrested. The degree of the arrest correlates very well with the length of the RNA in both the promoter-proximal and -distal complexes. This effect is also observed when comparing promoter-proximal and promoter-distal complexes halted over a completely different sequence. The unusual propensity of many promoter-proximal RNA polymerase II complexes to arrest may therefore be recreated in promoter-distal complexes simply by shortening the nascent RNA. Thus, the transition to full elongation competence by RNA polymerase II is dependent on the synthesis of about 50 nt of RNA, and this transition is reversible. We also found that arrest is facilitated in promoter-distal complexes by the hybridization of oligonucleotides to the transcript between 30 and 45 bases upstream of the 3'-end.
Base specificity of oligonucleotide digestion by calf spleen phosphodiesterase with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization analysis.

Abstract Calf spleen phosphodiesterase cleaves oligonucleotide strands in a stepwise manner from the 5′ end and can be used in combination with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry to perform ladder sequencing. The relative intensities of ladder peaks in the mass spectra of a series of 5-mers and 7-mers show that the rate of digestion is influenced by strand sequence. Sequences terminating in A or G at the 5′ end are found to react two to three times faster than sequences terminating in C or T. The reactivity of the terminal base is also influenced by the sequence beyond the 5′ end. When the third base from the 5′ end is A or G, removal of the first and second bases is faster than when the third base is C or T. A method is described which permits reaction rates to be quantitatively determined from the time dependences of ladder peaks in the MALDI spectra. A similar approach could be used for mechanistic studies.
How does the cerebral cortex work? Learning, attention, and grouping by the laminar circuits of visual cortex

The organization of neocortex into layers is one of its most salient anatomical features. These layers include circuits that form functional columns in cortical maps. A major unsolved problem concerns how bottom-up, top-down, and horizontal interactions are organized within cortical layers to generate adaptive behaviors. This article models how these interactions help visual cortex to realize: (i) the binding process whereby cortex groups distributed data into coherent object representations; (ii) the attentional process whereby cortex selectively processes important events; and (iii) the developmental and learning processes whereby cortex shapes its circuits to match environmental constraints. New computational ideas about feedback systems suggest how neocortex develops and learns in a stable way, and why top-down attention requires converging bottom-up inputs to fully activate cortical cells, whereas perceptual groupings do not.
Relaying in fading channels using quantize and encode forwarding through optical wireless links

A relaying scheme that uses both radio frequency (RF) and free space optical (FSO) links is proposed. The RF signal sent by the mobile source is received by both the relay and the destination. In our proposed quantize and encode forwarding (QEF), the relay quantizes each received log-likelihood ratio (LLR) value and transmits the corresponding bits to the destination through a high speed FSO link. The bit error rate (BER) performance of the proposed system is analyzed and approximate expressions avoiding numerical integrations of several integrals are given. A 3-bit quantizer is found to provide BER performance close to a genie-aided maximal ratio combiner that directly combines information available at the relay and the destination. Stronger atmospheric turbulence in the FSO link is found to reduce the benefit of using a larger number of quantization levels at the relay.
Fluorescence characteristics of site-specific and stereochemically distinct benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-DNA adducts as probes of adduct conformation.

Spectroscopic fluorescence quenching techniques are described for distinguishing the conformational characteristics of adducts derived from the binding of the benzo[a]pyrene metabolite anti-BPDE (the diol epoxide r7,t8-dihydroxy-t9,10epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenz[a]pyrene) to the exocyclic amino groups of guanine ([BP]-N(2)-dG) and adenine ([BP]-N(6)-dA) in double stranded oligonucleotides. These methods are calibrated by comparing the fluorescence quenching and UV absorbance characteristics of different, stereoisomeric anti-[BP]-N(2)-dG adducts of known adduct conformations, previously established by high-resolution NMR techniques. It is shown that intercalative adduct conformations can be distinguished from solvent-exposed adduct conformations, e.g., adducts in which the pyrenyl residues are positioned in the minor groove. These low resolution fluorescence methods are at least 4 orders of magnitude more sensitive than the high-resolution NMR techniques; the fluorescence methods are useful for distinguishing adduct conformations when either small amounts of material are available or the NMR signals are of such poor quality that high-resolution structures cannot be determined. This methodology is illustrated using a variety of anti-BPDE-modified oligonucleotides of varying adduct conformations. It is shown that the 10S (+)-trans-anti-[BP]-N(6)-dA adduct in an oligonucleotide duplex containing an N-ras protooncogene sequence, believed to be conformationally heterogeneous and disordered, is significantly more exposed to the solvent environment than the stereoisomeric, intercalated 10R adduct [Zegar et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 6212]. These differences suggest an explanation for the greater efficiencies of excision of the 10S adduct (relative to the 10R adduct) by human nucleotide excision repair enzymes [Buterin et al. (2000) Cancer Res. 60, 1849].
Delayed bladder dysfunction after abdominoperineal resection: an indicator of local recurrence.

Abstract It is generally not appreciated that the delayed onset of voiding dysfunction after abdominoperineal resection for rectal carcinoma may be the first sign of local pelvic recurrence. We herein present a series of 5 patients who were referred for urodynamic evaluation of voiding dysfunction beginning nine to twenty-four months after the original operative procedure. Urodynamic evaluation revealed low bladder wall compliance in 4 patients, and detrusor hyperref lexia in 1 patient. Computerized tomography scans confirmed the local tumor recurrence in all cases. The delayed onset of voiding complaints after abdominoperineal resection should prompt a high index of suspicion that a local tumor recurrence may be present.
A power systems experiment in an electric machinery laboratory course

This presentation presents an experiment in an electric machinery laboratory course that demonstrates interesting power system concepts such as synchronization and voltage control. In this experiment, generator operators compete against loads to see who can survive an afternoon of fun changing things and trying to compensate properly.
Providing Electricity Services to Rural Africa

The international community has set ambitious goals aimed at improving the quality of life in Africa. Initial delivery of electric service to rural Africa is far from a "one size fits all" technical solution, especially given the seasonal diversity of energy needs, as well as the availability and quality of candidate renewable energy resources. Nor will be the expansion, and potential integration, of those systems over time be a simple task. To design, implement and operate cost-effective and reliable rural electricity systems many factors must be taken into account. The technical and economic feasibility of different systems is highly dependent on a diverse set of design criteria: local energy demands (daily, seasonal); available renewable resources (quantity and quality); location relative to conventional fuel supplies and/or grid power; plus how these factors may vary over time. Dynamics among technical and institutional aspects are key, as are understanding the relative economic value of staged electric service introductions. Key design factors towards the deployment of electricity services will be identified and assessed.
PhRMA and the Partnership for Prescription Assistance: a win‐win situation?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness (through the analytic prism of “corporate citizenship”) of the US pharmaceutical industry's political strategy behind the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, the program that the industry has recently initiated to address the prescription drug needs of senior and other low‐income American citizens.Design/methodology/approach – By reviewing data collected by PhRMA, the industry's association, over a one‐year period, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance program is evaluated for: performance (over periods of one month, three months, six months and one year); congruence with the concept of corporate citizenship; and effectiveness as an industry political strategy.Findings – During its first year of operation, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance has matched two million Americans with public and private assistance programs that meet their prescription health needs. Furthermore, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance fi...
Recent changes in non-tariff measure use by industrial nations

Trade coverage ratios are calculated to assess the 1989 incidence of non-tariff measures (NTMs) on imports of major industrial nations. Recent trends in NTM use are evaluated. Industrial nations are found to make heavy use of NTMs to regulate trade flows. Overall, about 24% of all imports are found to be covered by one or more NTM. Considerable changes in NTM use have occurred over the 1986-1989 period. The major factor responsible for this trend is the increased reliance placed by the United States on the use of antidumping/countervailing duty actions and voluntary export restraints.
Effect of a variability-adjusted algorithm on the efficiency of perimetric testing.

PURPOSE Variability in perimetry increases with the amount of damage, making it difficult for testing algorithms to efficiently converge to the true sensitivity. This study describes a variability-adjusted algorithm (VAA), in which step size increases with variability. METHODS Contrasts were transformed to a new scale wherein the SD of frequency-of-seeing curves remains 1 unit for any sensitivity. A Bayesian thresholding procedure based on the existing Zippy Estimation by Sequential Testing (ZEST) algorithm was simulated on this new scale, and results converted back to decibels. The root-mean-squared (RMS) error from true sensitivity based on these simulations was compared against that achieved by ZEST using the same number of presentations. The procedure was repeated after limiting sensitivities to 15 dB or higher, the lower limit of reliable sensitivities using standard white-on-white perimetry in glaucoma, for both algorithms. RESULTS When the true sensitivity was 35 dB, with starting estimate also 35 dB, RMS errors of the algorithms were similar, ranging from 1.39 dB to 1.60 dB. When true sensitivity was instead 20 dB, with starting estimate 35 dB, VAA reduced the RMS error from 7.43 dB to 3.66 dB. Limiting sensitivities at 15 dB or higher reduced RMS errors, except when true sensitivity was near 15 dB. CONCLUSIONS VAA reduces perimetric variability without increasing test duration in cases in which the starting estimate of sensitivity is too high; for example, due to a small scotoma. Limiting the range of possible sensitivities at 15 dB or higher made algorithms more efficient, unless the true sensitivity was near this limit. This framework provides a new family of test algorithms that may benefit patients.
The influence of polaron formation on exciton dissociation

A linear tight-binding model was used to examine the yield of exciton dissociation under the influence of the electron–vibration interaction. The system consists of a linear chain, coupled to a single vibration, and electron–vibration interaction is permitted to occur on certain sites. In the presence of this interaction, population tends to localize to build a polaron. The system loses polaron trapping energy to the environment through its coupling to the bath environment, and loses population due to the injection into the electrode at the terminal site. A self-energy term was generated from population injection, and was added to the energy level of the last site, working as a sink function to absorb the electrons and measure the yield. This injection occurs only when the electron energy is inside and around the band. When the electron energy is outside the tight-binding band, population injection is inhibited. Our aim is to investigate the exciton dissociation effected by the competition between polaron formation and population injection, via a process strongly influenced by the inter-site coupling and the electron–vibration interaction.
Design and Analysis of Approach Terminal Sections Using Simulation

Turned-down guardrail terminal sections were analyzed using LS-DYNA3D, a dynamic, nonlinear, large deformation finite-element modeling package with capabilities for simulating vehicular impacts into roadside hazards. A baseline simulation was conducted on the existing turned-down approach terminal section, as well as on various retrofit options. Simulation findings were used to identify potential design changes and to select the two most promising options. Modified designs were subjected to six low-speed and one high-speed full-scale crash tests with a minisize automobile. The crash testing verified that one of the retrofit designs would allow the W-beam rail to drop down without causing vehicle rollover when impacted end on by a minisize automobile. However, the revised design did not meet recommended safety standards when one of the weakened posts failed to break away as designed. It is believed that by revising the post installation procedures, the modified turned-down terminal section would perform satisfactorily.
Laser cell-micropatterned pair of cardiomyocytes: the relationship between basement membrane development and gap junction maturation

The basement membrane (BM), a network of laminin and collagen IV, mechanically supports individual cells and directly mediates cell?cell and cell?extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions. For example, the BM network that tightly encloses each cardiomyocyte (CM) mediates the alignment of CMs with collagen I in the ECM. Additionally, the BM-laminin is involved in the formation of gap junctions (GJs), which regulate electrical coupling between two CMs in the myocardium. The role of BM in GJ maturation remains unclear because of the complicated in vivo structures and lack of an ideal in vitro culturing mode. In this study, our laser cell-micropatterning system was used to place two neonatal CMs (NCMs) in contact on an aligned collagen gel (ACG) to study the relationship between GJ maturation and BM development. The results of double immunofluorescence staining and confocal imaging showed that BM-laminin was deposited earlier than the formation of GJs in the intercellular space and that newly expressed connexin 43 clusters were preferentially assembled near the deposited BM structures. Eventually the BM network surrounded the GJs.
Complete Exact Solution of Diffusion-Limited Coalescence, A + A --> A

Some models of diffusion-limited reaction processes in one dimension lend themselves to exact analysis. The known approaches yield exact expressions for a limited number of quantities of interest, such as the particle concentration, or the distribution of distances between nearest particles. However, a full characterization of a particle system is provided only by the infinite hierarchy of multiple-point density correlation functions. We derive an exact description of the full hierarchy of correlation functions for the diffusion-limited irreversible coalescence process $A+A\ensuremath{\rightarrow}A$.
Critical adsorption at the liquid/vapor surface of multicritical mixtures

Abstract Preferential adsorption at the liquid/vapor surface of a critical binary liquid mixture gives rise to a position dependent order parameter Θ(z). Near an ordinary critical point the excess adsorption, is the reduced temperature and β and ν are the usual critical exponents. Bulk multicritical points will modify critical adsorption due to exponent renormalization. The critical binary liquid mixture D 2 O + 3-methylpyridine exhibits a closed-loop coexistence curve with the two phase region existing between upper (T UC ) and lower (T LC ) critical temperatures. On addition of ordinary water, T UC and T LC approach each other and coalesce for a specific mole fraction of H 2 O where the closed-loop coexistence curve has shrunk to a point at T DCP = T UC = T LC . At this double critical point (DCP) the exponents β and ν are expected to be renormalized to 2β and 2ν. We compare ellipsometric measurements of the adsorption near this double critical point with the same phenomena near an ordinary single critical point. Surprisingly we find that near the DCP Γ~ t −1.0 experimentally, rather than ~t −0.6 expected theoretically. The measured Γ dependence is believed to be due toβ not renormalizing in the one phase region; however an adequate theoretical interpretation of this effect is at present lacking.
Refined bleeding estimates in adults starting anticoagulants.

New tools for a difficult job Oral anticoagulation is prescribed for the treatment and prevention of both venous thromboembolism and systemic embolism or stroke. Although treatment of acute events may require only short term use of anticoagulation, long term use is often prescribed, particularly for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. The long term risk of bleeding associated with anticoagulation becomes a major consideration in decisions about treatment. While newer anticoagulants are associated with a lower risk of intracranial bleeding,1 ongoing or future risk of serious bleeding remains a contraindication to use of these agents. Therefore, although guidelines on anticoagulation for patients with atrial fibrillation have been generally based on an objective assessment of stroke risk,2 3 they acknowledge that providers should also consider the patient’s risk of bleeding. Yet doctors have few objective tools that are broadly recommended. Unlike scores quantifying the risk of stroke, which were used to stratify patients in randomised trials of anticoagulation,1 4 no randomised study has tested the withholding of anticoagulation based on an increased risk of bleeding. While several scores …
Wetting of Ceramic Oxides by Molten Metals Under Ultrahigh Vacuum

Contact angles, surface free energies, and work of adhesion were determined by a sessile drop technique for the wetting of MgO, Al2O3, and SiO2 by In, Ga, and Sn at 10-10 torr. The surface free energies of In, Ga, and Sn were 540, 632, and 573 ergs/cm2 (±5%), respectively, at their melting points. Works of adhesion and equilibrium contact angles for wetting of MgO by In are 172 ergs/cm2 and 133° by Ga, 356 ergs/cm2 and 116° by Sn, 278 ergs/cm2 and 121°. For wetting of Al2O3 by In, they are 237 ergs/cm2 and 124° by Ga, 226 ergs/cm2 and 130° by Sn, 257 ergs/cm2 and 123°. For wetting of SiO2 by In, they are 208 ergs/cm2 and 128° by Ga, 260 ergs/cm2 and 126° by Sn, 252 ergs/cm2 and 124°.
Durability of Traits: Nonlinear Association between Initial and Subsequent Measures

Abstract Subjective linearized scores were recorded for milking speed, fore udder smoothness, shoulder looseness, and udder depth on 7357 and 3730 Holstein cows during first and second lactations. Random sire effects in threshold models were estimated for each trait and lactation. There were 95 sires that had estimated effects for all the traits in both lactations. For each trait, sire effects for first and second lactations were used as independent and dependent variables, respectively, in quadratic regression. Sire effects corresponding to milking speed in second lactation had linear relationship to sire effects corresponding to milking speed in first lactation. Similar relationships for udder smoothness, shoulder looseness, and udder depth appeared nonlinear. The quadratic terms associated with prediction equations for shoulder looseness and udder depth were significant. Nonlinear associations between genetic evaluations in first and second lactations may have resulted from aging.
Alternatives to coca production in Bolivia: A computable general equilibrium approach

Pressured and aided by the United States, Bolivia has reembarked on a program to eradicate the cultivation of coca used for cocaine production. Over the next three years the United States plans to inject US$SOO million into Bolivia to wean the country from producing drugs and replace the cultivation of coca with other crops and agricultural activities. Previous research has shown that coca cultivation and cocaine production benefits the Bolivian economy (De Franc0 and Godoy, 1992) by raising income, creating employment, and increasing the availability of credit, particularly for smallholders and the informal sector (Melvin and Ladman, 1991). Given that the macroeconomic impact of a reduction in coca leaf production could devastate the economy, the Bolivian government has little economic or political incentive to eradicate coca. A solution could be to find substitute crops and agricultural activities which would provide comparable levels and distribution of income. We use a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to study the effects of alternatives to coca production. The model contains 38 sectors’ and four social classes. The model allows for a detailed assessment of the economic feasibility of switching from coca to other crops. In the simulations we reduce coca production and allow each substitute to adjust to restore the real income of smallholders which existed before eradication. Twenty-one crops are then ranked by the feasibility of the needed price and output change, the effect on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation, and workers’ real incomes. The results of the simulations suggest that sugar, cattle, forestry,’ and maize are the strongest candidates for a coca substitution program, but there are practical complications in implementing each of the substitutes, as will be discussed below. Indeed, the results of this study justify the reluctance on the part of the Bolivian authorities to fully cooperate with US efforts to eradicate coca. Section 2 provides the background to Bolivia’s coca dependence. In section 3 we develop the model and in section 4 we present the equations and an explicit closure statement for the model. The results of the simulations are discussed in section 5. The conclusion (section 6) contains a discussion of the problems likely to surface in implementing alternatives to coca cultivation.
Correlates of return to work after an onset of short-term disability among female union members.

ABSTRACT This study assessed factors associated with return to work following short-term disability leave among 185 female employees covered by union disability benefits. Examining social support, job, health, and demographic variables, and the possible mediating effect of each of these factors upon return to work, the study reveals-through four logistic regression models-that family status, job tenure, severity of illness, and type of disability are associated with return to work. These observations may help guide Employee Assistance Program (EAP) social workers to identify and intervene with employees who may be at risk of leaving the labor force.
Effect of thiamine analogs on the electrical activity of the rabbit vagus nerve.

Der Einfluss einer Anzahl Thiamin-analoga auf die elektrische Aktivitat des Vagus wurde untersucht. Das Athylanalogon des Pyrithiamins hatte mindestens die zehnfache Wirkung des Pyrithiamins auf die Erhohung der Amplitude des Aktionspotentials. Die Resultate stimmen gut uberein mit der Fahigkeit dieser Antimetabolite, in vivo Polyneuritis hervorzurufen.
Moderating Influence of Peer Norms on Gender Differences in Condom Use

(1998). Moderating Influence of Peer Norms on Gender Differences in Condom Use. Applied Developmental Science: Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 174-181.
Objective standards are not enough: affective, self-evaluative, and behavioral responses to social comparison information.

Three studies examined affective, self-evaluative, and behavioral responses to objective and social comparison information. In the first study, 437 male and female college undergraduates imagined they had a 30% or 60% risk of experiencing a negative event and that the average person's risk was higher or lower. All types of responses were sensitive to relative but not absolute risk. In the second study, 60 male and female college undergraduates learned that they scored 40% or 60% on a task and that this score was above or below average. Subsequent behaviors whose outcomes depended largely on objective ability still reflected attention to relative standing. This effect of comparative feedback was shown to be mediated by changes in self-evaluation. A third, follow-up study demonstrated that attention to comparative feedback (in the context of objective information) hinges on its desirability. Implications for social comparison theory are discussed.
Foot in mouth: do focal adhesions disassemble by endocytosis?

How cells disassemble their focal adhesions is not well understood. Now, Ezratty et al. have shown that the GTPase dynamin acts after microtubule targeting of focal adhesions to trigger their disassembly. One intriguing possibility is that dynamin might drive disassembly through endocytosis.
Neutral-current results without gauge theories

Low-energy weak interactions are phenomenologically described in terms of an intrinsic part possessing a global SU(2) symmetry plus an additional electromagnetic correction. This description reconstructs the Weinberg-Salam SU(2) \ensuremath{\bigotimes} U(1) gauge-theory effective Lagrangian. Use of dispersion relations and Schwarz inequalities provides a lower bound on the range of the charged-current weak force, comparable to that obtained from gauge theories. The connection with the usual gauge-theory approach, especially the work of Georgi and Weinberg based on the group $\mathrm{SU}(2)\ensuremath{\bigotimes}\mathrm{U}(1)\ensuremath{\bigotimes}G$, is elucidated.
Three-dimensional profilometry with interference microscope using wavelength-to-depth encoding

An interference microscope based on a wavelength-to-depth encoding technique is presented. The wavelength-to-depth encoding is realized by using a diffractive lens and wavelength tuning. The coherence degree of the interference fields versus wavelength is analyzed. A depth discrimination of 0.71µm is obtained with 0.90 NA objective lenses. Experimental results of a four-level grating measurement are presented with results are comparable to those obtained with a Dektak profilometer and the same interference microscope using mechanical depth-scanning. The system is promising for fast, noncontact, high- resolution three-dimensional imaging.
Goal assignment and trajectory planning for large teams of interchangeable robots

This paper presents Goal Assignment and Planning: a computationally tractable, complete algorithm for generating dynamically feasible trajectories for $$N$$ N interchangeable (identical) robots navigating through known cluttered environments to $$M$$ M goal states. This is achieved by assigning goal states to robots to minimize the maximum cost over all robot trajectories. The computational complexity of this algorithm is shown to be polynomial in the number of robots in contrast to the expected exponential complexity associated with planning in the joint state space. This algorithm can be used to plan trajectories for dozens of robots, each in a potentially high dimensional state space. A series of planar case studies are presented and finally, experimental trials are conducted with a team of six quadrotor robots navigating in a constrained three-dimensional environment.
Levothyroxine therapy and osteoporosis. An end to the controversy

CONTROVERSY over whether levothyroxine sodium therapy causes bone mineral loss and osteoporosis has grown during the past decade, largely fueled by differences in the results of reported studies. This literature has been recently analyzed 1 in the context of potentially differing effects of levothyroxine treatment when given in suppressive rather than replacement dosage, as defined by measurability of thyrotropin. The conclusions reached were that suppressive doses of levothyroxine in certain settings could be associated with loss of bone mineral density (BMD), whereas proof is lacking of a deleterious effect of levothyroxine on bone when it is given in a replacement dosage. The basis for the controversy appears to have related to the degree of known differences in a variety of potentially confounding factors, including study design (cross sectional vs longitudinal), patient population characteristics (age, race, ethnicity, sex, body mass, and menopausal status), type or duration of levothyroxine therapy (replacement
Processing Time Analysis and Estimation for 3-D Applications

The performance analysis of a graphics processing unit (GPU) is important for analyzing and fine tuning current and future graphics processors as well as for comparing the performance of different architectures. In this paper, we present an analytical model to calculate the total time it takes for a GPU to retire one frame on a given benchmark. The model also estimates the total retirement time for the same frame on a different GPU using regression estimation model. The model consists of two stages. The first stage entails establishing the measured baseline for a specific frame on a given graphics card, and the second stage entails adjusting the measured baseline and estimating the time it takes to process all draw calls for the same frame on a different graphics card. The model considers the impact of pipeline bottlenecks to process a specific frame, estimates the minimum time it takes to process that frame, and reparameterize the baseline for a different graphics card to calculate new frame retirement times at two different memory frequencies. We used Amdahl's law model to estimate frame retirement time for a different graphics card at higher memory frequencies based on the new adjusted measured baseline with error margin is <;5%.