cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unum and pluribus: ideological underpinnings of interethnic communication in the United States

Abstract The present analysis examines everyday public discourse on issues of interethnic relations to demonstrate how the ideals of the founding ideology, “classical liberalism”, play out in contemporary American society. Guiding this analysis is a systemic conception in which an individual’s interethnic communication behavior is reciprocally linked to the ideological milieu. The analysis utilizes Billig’s ( Billig, M. (1991) Ideology and opinions: studies in rhetorical psychology. London: Sage; Billig, M., Condor, S., Edwards, D., Gane, M., Middleton, D., & Radley, A. (1988) Ideological dilemmas: a social psychology of everyday thinking. London: Sage.) articulation of the inherently dilemmatic nature of the Western ideology to describe the underlying ideological themes captured in various publicly communicated messages addressing issues of interethnic relations. A qualitative-interpretive method is employed to examine a wide range of messages voiced in recent years by politicians, community and civic leaders, intellectuals, and ordinary citizens. Results reveal four types of messages: (1) messages of assimilationism reflecting the traditional liberal themes of “individual identity” and “procedural equality”; (2) messages of pluralism emphasizing the counter-themes of “group identity” and “status equality”; (3) messages of reconciliation that seek to accommodate and balance both liberal themes and counter-themes; and (4) messages of extremism that take “group identity” beyond realms that most Americans deem “unreasonable”.
Se-modified Ru nanoparticles as ORR catalysts: Part 2: Evaluation for use as DMFC cathodes

Abstract The synthesis, electrochemical analysis, and hydrogen-air fuel cell testing results for a new type of Se/Ru catalyst called Se/Ru(aq) were described in Part 1. In this second report, we present methanol tolerance studies and direct methanol fuel cell testing for the same catalyst. A “methanol-tolerant” catalyst does not oxidize methanol, nor becomes depolarized by its presence, which is a desirable property for DMFC cathodes used with methanol-permeable membranes or in mixed-reactant designs. In perchloric acid electrolyte, the Se/Ru(aq) catalyst was found to be highly tolerant to 1.0 M methanol. More importantly, in fuel-cell testing as a DMFC cathode, Se/Ru(aq) was shown to be highly tolerant to methanol crossing through the membrane (from the anode side) up to a feed concentration of 17 M. The results were compared to those obtained using unmodified Ru black and Pt black at the DMFC cathode, in order to gain insight into the catalyst function and to compare the performance to relevant benchmarks. Compared to Pt cathodes, the performance of Se/Ru(aq) is significantly better at high methanol concentrations (e.g., 17 M), suggesting their use either in DMFCs with high methanol feed concentrations or in mixed-reactant fuel cells.
Heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of lignin into value-added chemicals

Of late there is significant interest in establishing biorefineries for total utilization of lignocellulosic biomass components to produce energy, chemicals and value-added products. Lignin is an abundant and yet underutilized constituent of lignocellulosic biomass that accounts for up to 40% of the energy content. Among several approaches towards value addition of lignin, catalytic oxidation appears to be promising. Hence, the purpose of this report is to provide background information on catalytic oxidation and to update the reader about current research on heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of lignin into value-added products. Additionally, some thoughts are presented to stimulate discussion on lignin oxidation.
Phenobarbital Provides Effective Sedation for a Select Cohort of Adult ICU Patients Intolerant of Standard Treatment: A Brief Report:

PurposeCritically ill patients are occasionally resistant to, or become intolerant of, standard sedating agents. We describe our experience using phenobarbital (PB) as an alternative sedative in a ...
Ultrasound of a distended pediatric abdomen in a limited resource setting

Abdominal distension among the pediatric population is a frequently encountered diagnostic dilemma. In rural areas, the lack of resources limits the physician’s ability to make a definitive diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment. The use of point-of-care ultrasound as a diagnostic tool has become more widespread due to its safety, portability and relatively low costs. We present a case of an emergency medicine where physician performed an ultrasound to diagnose the etiology of a child’s distended abdomen in a remote area of Tanzania.
Dimerization-based control of cooperativity.

Cooperativity of ligand–receptor binding influences the input–output behavior of a biochemical system and thus is an important determinant of its physiological function. Canonically, such cooperativity is understood in terms of ligand–receptor binding affinity, where an initial binding event changes the affinity for subsequent binding events. Here, we demonstrate that dimerization—a simple yet pervasive signaling motif across biology—can have significant control over cooperativity and even dominate over the canonical mechanism. Through an exhaustive parameter sensitivity analysis of a general kinetic model for signal-mediated dimerization, we show that quantitative modulation of dimerization processes can reinforce, eliminate, and even reverse cooperativity imposed by the canonical allosteric ligand–receptor binding affinity mechanism. The favored accumulation of stoichiometrically asymmetric dimers (those with ligand–receptor stoichiometry of 1 : 2) is a major determinant of dimerization-based cooperativity control. However, simulations demonstrate that favoring accumulation of such stoichiometrically asymmetric dimers can either increase or decrease cooperativity, and thus the quantitative relationship between stoichiometrically asymmetric dimers and cooperativity is highly dependent on the parameter values of the particular system of interest. These results suggest that the dimerization motif provides a novel mechanism for both generating and quantitatively tuning cooperativity that, due to the ubiquity of dimerization motifs in biochemical systems, may play a major role in a host of biological functions. Thus, the canonical, allosteric view of cooperativity is incomplete without considering dimerization effects, which is of particular importance as dimerization is often a necessary feature of the allosteric mechanism.
Evaluation of a reiterant force impulse task: A constructive replication

In the current study, characteristics of labial force–impulse tasks were investigated under three speaking conditions using a minipressure transducer. In the task, neurologically normal adults were first asked to read aloud two sentences of different lengths (ten repetitions each) containing bilabial voiced and unvoiced consonants, and were then required to repeat the series of utterances using mimed speech. Mimed speech was produced with subjects holding their breath; subsequently, the experimenter cued subjects to use a normal airflow and the mimed utterances were repeated. Subjects were then trained to produced sequences of labial force impulses modeled on the real‐speech utterances by substituting /ba/ or /pa/ for each syllable. The reiterant condition was also recorded as mimed. The goal of the analyses were to (a) compare the timing of the real‐speech sequences to the timing of mimed and reiterant versions, and (b) compare the force magnitudes associated with labial stress produced during real speec...
Use of [1-14C]acetic anhydride to quantitate diglycerides: A new analytical procedure

Abstract A microanalytical procedure is described for perchloric acid-catalyzed acetylation of diglycerides in pyridine using [1- 14 C]acetic anhydride of known specific activity. Incorporated [1- 14 C]acetate permits the rapid, accurate, and nondestructive quantitation of diglycerides in the concentration range of 0.005 μmoles to 1 μmole. Diglyceride is completely acetylated within 20–25 min at room temperature. No intermolecular rearrangements are observed; some intramolecular rearrangement does occur.
Numerical Simulation of Electromechanical Dynamics in Paced Cardiac Tissue

We study electromechanical dynamics in paced cardiac tissue using numerical simulations of a mathematical model that accounts for excitation-contraction coupling as well as mechanoelectrical feedback. A previously developed finite element based parallel platform is adopted. Extensive numerical simulations are carried out on a 2d tissue and a 3d tissue to investigate the influences of various parameters on the stability of propagating cardiac waves, including conduction velocity, pathological scars, contraction, and stretch activated channels.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Synthesis and Turnover of Embryonic Sea Urchin Ciliary Proteins during Selective Inhibition of Tubulin Synthesis and Assembly

When ciliogenesis first occurs in sea urchin embryos, the major building block proteins, tubulin and dynein, exist in substantial pools, but most 9+2 architectural proteins must be synthesized de novo. Pulse-chase labeling with [3H]leucine demonstrates that these proteins are coordinately up-regulated in response to deciliation so that regeneration ensues and the tubulin and dynein pools are replenished. Protein labeling and incorporation into already-assembled cilia is high, indicating constitutive ciliary gene expression and steady-state turnover. To determine whether either the synthesis of tubulin or the size of its available pool is coupled to the synthesis or turnover of the other 9+2 proteins in some feedback manner, fully-ciliated mid- or late-gastrula stage Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis embryos were pulse labeled in the presence of colchicine or taxol at concentrations that block ciliary growth. As a consequence of tubulin autoregulation mediated by increased free tubulin, no labeling of ciliary tubulin occurred in colchicine-treated embryos. However, most other proteins were labeled and incorporated into steady-state cilia at near-control levels in the presence of colchicine or taxol. With taxol, tubulin was labeled as well. An axoneme-associated 78 kDa cognate of the molecular chaperone HSP70 correlated with length during regeneration; neither colchicine nor taxol influenced the association of this protein in steady-state cilia. These data indicate that 1) ciliary protein synthesis and turnover is independent of tubulin synthesis or tubulin pool size; 2) steady-state incorporation of labeled proteins cannot be due to formation or elongation of cilia; 3) substantial tubulin exchange takes place in fully-motile cilia; and 4) chaperone presence and association in steady-state cilia is independent of background ciliogenesis, tubulin synthesis, and tubulin assembly state.
Improved MR-based characterization of engineered cartilage using multiexponential T2 relaxation and multivariate analysis

Noninvasive monitoring of tissue quality would be of substantial use in the development of cartilage tissue engineering strategies. Conventional MR parameters provide noninvasive measures of biophysical tissue properties and are sensitive to changes in matrix development, but do not clearly distinguish between groups with different levels of matrix development. Furthermore, MR outcomes are nonspecific, with particular changes in matrix components resulting in changes in multiple MR parameters. To address these limitations, we present two new approaches for the evaluation of tissue engineered constructs using MR, and apply them to immature and mature engineered cartilage after 1 and 5 weeks of development, respectively. First, we applied multiexponential T2 analysis for the quantification of matrix macromolecule-associated water compartments. Second, we applied multivariate support vector machine analysis using multiple MR parameters to improve detection of degree of matrix development. Monoexponential T2 values decreased with maturation, but without further specificity. Much more specific information was provided by multiexponential analysis. The T2 distribution in both immature and mature constructs was qualitatively comparable to that of native cartilage. The analysis showed that proteoglycan-bound water increased significantly during maturation, from a fraction of 0.05 ± 0.01 to 0.07 ± 0.01. Classification of samples based on individual MR parameters, T1, T2, km or apparent diffusion coefficient, showed that the best classifiers were T1 and km, with classification accuracies of 85% and 84%, respectively. Support vector machine analysis improved the accuracy to 98% using the combination (km, apparent diffusion coefficient). These approaches were validated using biochemical and Fourier transform infrared imaging spectroscopic analyses, which showed increased proteoglycan and collagen with maturation. In summary, multiexponential T2 and multivariate support vector machine analyses provide improved sensitivity to changes in matrix development and specificity to matrix composition in tissue engineered cartilage. These approaches show substantial potential for the evaluation of engineered cartilage tissue and for extension to other tissue engineering constructs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Area minimization for floorplans

In this paper we study the area minimization problem in floorplanning (also known as the floorplan sizing problem). For a given floorplan, the problem is to select a layout alternative for each subcircuit on a chip so as to minimize the chip area. Two area minimization methods for general floorplans are proposed. Both methods can be viewed as generalizations of the classical algorithm for slicing floorplans of Otten (1982) and Stockmeyer (1983) in the sense that they reduce naturally to their algorithm for slicing floorplans. Compared with the branch-and-bound algorithm of Wimer et al (1989), which does not have a nontrivial performance bound, our methods are provably better than an exhaustive method for all the examples we examined. >
Like It! Learn It! Use It?: A Field Study of Hotel Training

This field study examines factors influencing hotel employees’ ability to transfer the concepts that they learned in job training when they return to work. The study was conducted during a major ho...
Dynamic hip screw fixation for inter-trochanteric fractures: determinants of outcomes.

Objective: To evaluate factors associated with revision of dynamic hip screw implant in patients undergoing the procedure for the fixation of intertrochanteric fractures. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised records of patients who had undergone dynamic hip screw fixation surgery between 2008 and 2012. Medical records and data for all patients were obtained from the medical records office. For all patients, the record files were systematically reviewed using a structured, pre-defined data extraction sheet. SPSS 20 was used statistical analysis. Results: Out of 317 patients who had undergone the procedure, 8(2.5%) were excluded due to missing records. The study sample as such stood at 309(97.5%). Of them, 6(1.9%) required revision of the dynamic hip screw placed initially. High tip apex distance was found to be associated with the revision (p 0.05). Conclusion: Patients requiring dynamic hip screw implant revision had higher tip apex distance than the rest. A lower value is advisable during placement of the screw to reduce the need for subsequent revision.
Rapid Learning: A Breakthrough Agenda

A “rapid-learning health system” was proposed in a 2007 thematic issue of Health Affairs . The system was envisioned as one that uses evidence-based medicine to quickly determine the best possible treatments for patients. It does so by drawing on electronic health records and the power of big data to access large volumes of information from a variety of sources at high speed. The foundation for a rapid-learning health system was laid during 2007–13 by workshops, policy papers, large public investments in databases and research programs, and developing learning systems. Challenges now include implementing a new clinical research system with several hundred million patients, modernizing clinical trials and registries, devising and funding research on national priorities, and analyzing genetic and other factors that influence diseases and responses to treatment. Next steps also should aim to improve comparative effectiveness research; build on investments in health information technology to standardize handl...
Surfactant protein A modulates the differentiation of murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells.

Surfactant protein A (SP-A) is an innate immune molecule that regulates pathogen clearance and lung inflammation. SP-A modulates innate immune functions such as phagocytosis, cytokine production, a...
A decision model for laparotomy versus primary peritoneal drainage in low birth weight infants with necrotizing enterocolitis

only and 352 underwent small bowel resection. Thirty-seven percent undergoing adhesiolysis only and 47% undergoing small bowel resection had 1 complications (p 0.001). The overall 30-day mortality was 7.7% and did not differ significantly between the groups. Odds of death were highest for dirty or infected wounds, ASA class 4 or 5, age 80, and dyspnea at rest. Morbidity ranged from 22%, among patients with 0-7 risk points, to 62% for those with 19 risk points. Mortality ranged from 2%, among patients with 0-12 risk points, to 28% for those with 31 risk points.
Relative position estimation for AUVs by fusing bearing and inertial rate sensor measurements

This paper describes a relative position sensing strategy that fuses monocular vision (a bearing measurement) with accelerometer and rate gyro measurements to generate an estimate of relative position between a free-floating underwater vehicle and a stationary object of interest. This type of position estimate is a core requirement for intervention-capable autonomous underwater vehicles. These vehicles can perform autonomous manipulation tasks, during which the vehicle needs to control its position relative to objects in its environment. For free-floating underwater vehicles, camera motion is generally unknown and must be estimated together with relative position. Various vision-only systems have been used to estimate relative position and camera motion, but these are difficult to implement in real underwater environments. The system we propose relies on vision to generate relative position information, but also fuses inertial rate sensors to reduce the amount of information that needs to be extracted from the vision system. The result is a system that potentially is simpler and more robust than a vision-only solution. However, the use of inertial rate sensors introduces several issues. The rate measurements are subject to biases, which need to be estimated to prevent the accumulation of unbounded drift when the measurements are integrated. This problem is non-linear, which presents several challenges in the estimator design. Finally, sufficient camera motion is required for the estimator to converge, which necessitates the design of a suitable trajectory. This paper discusses some of the implementation challenges, outlines an estimation algorithm that is uniquely adopted for this sensor fusion problem, develops a method to generate useful vehicle trajectories, and presents some results from laboratory experiments with a testbed manipulator system. For these experiments, the estimator was implemented as part of a closed-loop control system that can perform an object pick-up task.
Malleolar Bursitis in Figure Skaters Indications for Operative and Nonoperative Treatment

Figure skaters are unique athletes who must train for extended periods of time performing motions and routines that create excessive compressive and shear forces between their malleoli and boots. As a result, they are susceptible to the development of a painful adventitious malleolar bursitis. Most often these patients will relate a recent increase in their training schedule or the purchase of a new pair of skating boots. This condition usually responds favorably to nonoperative measures including stretching of the boot over the affected area and protective padding placed around the inflamed bursa. If the swelling is marked, then an aspiration, subsequent injection with cortisone, and a compressive wrap may be indicated. This treatment regimen will enable the majority of figure skaters to continue skating. If the symptoms continue or increase despite nonoperative measures, then cessation of skating for a brief period must be considered. If this is not a viable option for the skater, surgical excision of the bursa may be warranted. If septic bursitis occurs, immediate surgical debridement and intravenous antibiotics are indicated. A Staphyloccocus aureus organism is most often responsible and should be treated with appropriate antibiotics. These patients may return to skating when there is no sign of further infection, the soft tissues have fully healed, and there is no sign of residual inflammatory bursa, usually at 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.
Reconsidering work time: a multivariate longitudinal within-couple analysis

Dual-earner couples now work significantly more hours than in the past, but few couple-level studies examine whether work hours are linked to mental health and quality-of-life outcomes. In 2001, Jacobs and Gerson proposed that combined spouse work hours would better predict outcomes than would spouses’ individual work hours. Longitudinal data from a random sample of 211 dual-earner couples with children partially support this hypothesis. Our findings suggest that future research on dual-earner couples’ work hours should be couple-level and longitudinal, estimate both linear and non-linear relationships, and include multiple positive and negative outcomes as well as subjective indicators of the meaning of work hours.
[PSI+] Prion transmission barriers protect Saccharomyces cerevisiae from infection: intraspecies 'species barriers'.

[PSI+] is a prion of Sup35p, an essential translation termination and mRNA turnover factor. The existence of lethal [PSI+] variants, the absence of [PSI+] in wild strains, the mRNA turnover function of the Sup35p prion domain, and the stress reaction to prion infection suggest that [PSI+] is a disease. Nonetheless, others have proposed that [PSI+] and other yeast prions benefit their hosts. We find that wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains are polymorphic for the sequence of the prion domain and particularly in the adjacent M domain. Here we establish that these variations within the species produce barriers to prion transmission. The barriers are partially asymmetric in some cases, and evidence for variant specificity in barriers is presented. We propose that, as the PrP 129M/V polymorphism protects people from Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, the Sup35p polymorphisms were selected to protect yeast cells from prion infection. In one prion incompatibility group, the barrier is due to N109S in the Sup35 prion domain and several changes in the middle (M) domain, with either the single N109S mutation or the group of M changes (without the N109S) producing a barrier. In another, the barrier is due to a large deletion in the repeat domain. All are outside the region previously believed to determine transmission compatibility. [SWI+], a prion of the chromatin remodeling factor Swi1p, was also proposed to benefit its host. We find that none of 70 wild strains carry this prion, suggesting that it is not beneficial.
Experimental comparison between neural networks and classical techniques of classification applied to natural underwater transients identification

The authors present an application of the joint use of signal processing techniques and neural networks to identify transient natural underwater sounds. The work focused on sounds of very short duration (typically 5 to 50 ms). Each context-free click is described by a reduced set of 31 input parameters, by the use of the autoregressive modeling and the Daubechies wavelets transform. The performances obtained by the Adaline-like-network (ALN) and the multilayered perceptron (MLP), and those obtained by classical techniques of classification (factorial discriminant analysis, and a clustering algorithm) are compared. A dichotomic approach and a multiclass approach were used. >
Mechanisms of Inflammasome Activation by Vibrio cholerae Secreted Toxins Vary with Strain Biotype

Activation of inflammasomes is an important aspect of innate immune responses to bacterial infection. Recent studies have linked Vibrio cholerae secreted toxins to inflammasome activation by using murine macrophages. To increase relevance to human infection, studies of inflammasome-dependent cytokine secretion were conducted with the human THP-1 monocytic cell line and corroborated in primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Both El Tor and classical strains of V. cholerae activated ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein-containing a CARD domain)-dependent release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) when cultured with human THP-1 cells, but the pattern of induction was distinct, depending on the repertoire of toxins the strains produced. El Tor biotype strains induced release of IL-1β dependent on NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) and ASC due to the secreted pore-forming toxin hemolysin. Unlike in studies with mouse macrophages, the MARTX toxin did not contribute to IL-1β release from human monocytic cells. Classical biotype strains, which do not produce either hemolysin or the MARTX toxin, activated low-level IL-1β release that was induced by cholera toxin (CT) and dependent on ASC but independent of NLRP3 and pyroptosis. El Tor strains likewise showed increased IL-1β production dependent on CT when the hemolysin gene was deleted. In contrast to studies with murine macrophages, this phenotype was dependent on a catalytically active CT A subunit capable of inducing production of cyclic AMP and not on the B subunit. These studies demonstrate that the induction of the inflammasome in human THP-1 monocytes and in PBMCs by V. cholerae varies with the biotype and is mediated by both NLRP3-dependent and -independent pathways.
Paraxial ray theory in general coordinates

Principles of an alternative approach to the ray theory and paraxial ray approximation (PRA) theory are discussed. Invariant equations for the ray, the eikonal equation and basic equations of the PRA-theory are derived on the basis of Riemannian geometry. Paraxial rays and paraxial time field equations in general curvilinear coordinates are shown as an example of application.
A model for evaporation of a multicomponent droplet

The object of this study was to derive a model which would accurately describe the evaporation of a multicomponent droplet, especially near its boiling point. The model is derived and is shown to have the following properties: the transport of one component can be augmented by the bulk (Stefan) flow of the other components, and the droplet can never exceed its boiling point, a property not realized by previous models. The ordinary differential equations which constitute the model were integrated numerically, and results are given for both two- and three-component droplets.
AGENCY, STRUCTURE, AND THE TRANSITION TO DISABILITY: A CASE STUDY WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR LIFE HISTORY RESEARCH

If life history research is ever to truly fulfill the promise of the sociological imagination, it will need to engage insights from agency-structure theory that have hitherto been neglected. Relatively few life history researchers have explicitly interpreted their subject matter in terms of agency-structure theory, and those who do rarely go beyond Giddens' initial formulation to incorporate more recent theoretical developments. This article attempts to fill this gap, offering an exemplar theorized life history that frames an actor's experience in terms of agency-structure theory. More specifically, I examine the life history of a former urban gang member who was shot and paralyzed and subsequently became a world-class wheelchair athlete. I interpret the life history in terms of the iterative, projective, and practical-evaluative agentive processes that were operative—sometimes simultaneously—at different points in time; and show how this individual's adaptation to disability was influenced by enabling st...
The heat kernel as the pagerank of a graph

The concept of pagerank was first started as a way for determining the ranking of Web pages by Web search engines. Based on relations in interconnected networks, pagerank has become a major tool for addressing fundamental problems arising in general graphs, especially for large information networks with hundreds of thousands of nodes. A notable notion of pagerank, introduced by Brin and Page and denoted by PageRank, is based on random walks as a geometric sum. In this paper, we consider a notion of pagerank that is based on the (discrete) heat kernel and can be expressed as an exponential sum of random walks. The heat kernel satisfies the heat equation and can be used to analyze many useful properties of random walks in a graph. A local Cheeger inequality is established, which implies that, by focusing on cuts determined by linear orderings of vertices using the heat kernel pageranks, the resulting partition is within a quadratic factor of the optimum. This is true, even if we restrict the volume of the small part separated by the cut to be close to some specified target value. This leads to a graph partitioning algorithm for which the running time is proportional to the size of the targeted volume (instead of the size of the whole graph).
Conducting departmental reviews and serving as a reviewer

Many colleges conduct periodic reviews of departments, separate from ABET accreditation. Typically, the department writes a self-study and chooses external reviewers, reviewers visit campus and write a report, and the department responds. In this process, faculty sometimes have questions about how to develop a self-study, whom to include on a schedule for the external reviewers, and how to construct a reviewers' report.
Management of mechanical ventilation.

The number of patients requiring mechanical ventilation has increased enormously over the last few years, and it is crucial that the physician understand the differences between various types of ventilators and the effects which they have on the altered pathophysiology.
Transplantation: Little effect of state policies on organ donation in the USA.

A new study reports that state-level policies have had little effect on rates of organ donation in the USA, highlighting the limited ability of scattered initiatives to have a national effect. Regardless of their impact on donation rate, a need exists for policies that make donation financially neutral for donors.
Intellectual Property & Technology Commercialization Ghana’S Experience

By an Act of Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, CSIR Act 521 of 1996, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, Ghana’s main R&D Organisation was re-established with a new mandate to conduct market-oriented, demand-driven research and also to commercialise the research results & technologies developed. The CSIR was tasked to recover three-quarters of its annual operating expenses through contract research and services. Over five years of implementation, what are the experiences? This paper looks at the implementation process, the attitude of research scientists towards the change and the impact of the commercialisation process on the socio-economic development of Ghana. The constraints of commercialisation including inadequate uptake of research which is a reflection of inappropriate monitoring and evaluation is discussed. The intellectual property rights protection from the perspective of a developing country is also discussed. The administration and enforcement of intellectual property rights in developing countries must be seen in another dimension to the administration of intellectual property rights and their enforcement in developed countries. The third world also should not see the observance and enforcement of intellectual property rights as merely protecting the interests of the developed world, but rather as a powerful tool to galvanise the domestic industry while retaining national culture, national inventiveness and national creativity. A world of high velocity change calls for radical shifts in behaviour. Specifically scientist must think differently, re-order our priorities, develop faster reflexes and give the culture an entirely new set of responses. Scientists in Ghana cannot afford to ignore change and just do what comes naturally. We must face reality and do what works. Research managers need special orientation on new techniques of business management under conditions of global change.
Skeletal growth in achondroplasia.

We biopsied the iliac-crest cartilage and the upper fibular epiphyseal plates of seven achondroplastic children and the iliac crest of two more. Histologically the iliac-crest cartilage and its growth plate were nearly normal. The fibular growth plate had cartilage-cell clusters separated by wide septa of fibrous matrix which appeared to be very slowly and irregularly resorbed at the vascular front. Bone formation was normal in the iliac wing and was very stunted in the fibular metaphysis. Bone formed normally in the fibular head, at the insertions of the biceps tendon and collateral knee ligament, and in the periosteum. The peculiar skeletal development in the child with achondroplasia can be explained on the basis of these histological observations.
Advanced Aircraft Analysis of the Yak-54 40%

The purpose of this report is to create a dynamic model of a 40% scale model of a Yak-54 unmanned aerial vehicle. The Advanced Aircraft Analysis (AAA) modeling program is used to generate a model of the aircraft by inputting physical geometric measurements and mass characteristics of the aircraft. The computer model produces stability and control derivatives of the aircraft, which are evaluated to determine performance and stability of the platform at three trim points. These derivatives are used to simulate a flight test and validated with actual flight test data of the same aircraft platform. The physics based model developed in AAA is an accurate representation of the 40% Yak-54, which is supported by the flight test data collected previously. A secondary objective in this report is to investigate the effectiveness of split aileron control surfaces to provide more robust control of the aircraft.
Spore germination and hyphal growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in relation to soil aluminum saturation

Several arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were evaluated for aluminum tolerance based on spore ger? mination and hyphal growth in soils with 6%, 27%, and 100% aluminum saturation. There were interspe? cific as well as intraspecific variations in aluminum tolerance. Most species of Gigaspora showed high tol? erance. Often, spore germination was not affected by aluminum saturation as in Gi. margarita (International Culture Collection of VA Mycorrhizal Fungi isolate GMRG 444) or was even increased as in Gi. albida (GABD 185). Similarly, hyphal growth of Gi. margarita (GMRG 444) and Gi. gigantea (GGGT 663) was not affected, while that of Gi. gigantea (GGGT 109) was increased by increasing aluminum saturation. Alumi? num did not affect the spore germination of most Scutellospora species but did reduce their hyphal growth. Glomus species proved extremely sensitive to alumi? num except GI. manihot (LMNH 980) which showed consistently high germination in all the aluminum-sat- urated soils. Aluminum tolerance may be an important factor in the selection of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi for acid mineral soils.
Development of conscientiousness in childhood and adolescence: Typical trajectories and associations with academic, health, and relationship changes

Abstract Conscientiousness is related to a range of important life outcomes, so it is important to understand its development early in life. We examined how conscientiousness changes from late childhood through middle adolescence and what other psychosocial changes it co-occurs with. We developed and validated a conscientiousness scale for use in existing data. Then in a longitudinal study of participants at ages 10, 13, and 16 (N = 90 at Time 1) we used growth curve modeling to examine how conscientiousness co-develops with academic, health, and relationship functioning. Mean levels of conscientiousness decreased from 10 to 13 and then increased to age 16. The later increase was stronger among females. Changes in conscientiousness were associated with adaptive changes in other variables.
Time and spatial distribution of human brucellosis in Xinjiang in the last 10 years

Objective To summarize and analyze epidemic range and changing characteristics of human brucellosis in Xinjiang during 2004—2013, to provide scientific basis for further prevention of the human brucellosis. Methods The data of surveillance and investigation on human brucellosis in Xinjiang during 2004—2013 were collected and analyzed with method of descriptive epidemiology and relevant statistics. Results In the last 10 years, totally 10 194 cases with human brucellosis was reported accumulatively in Xinjiang, with an incidence of 1.60/100 000-17.51/100 000 and annual average morbidity of 4.68/100 000. The epidemic range of human brucellosis in Xinjiang enlarged year by year and the disease distributed in 91counties(cities or areas) of Xinjiang. The high incidence districts of the disease were in Burqin County, Emin County, Huocheng County, Yanji County and Bohu County. Conclusions The annual reported incidence of human brucellosis in Xinjiang increases with the enlarging epidemic range year by year, and closely relates to imported infections of animal brucellosis.The analysis of the spatial distribution characteristic of brucellosis could provide valuable scientific basis for the efficient prevention and control of brucellosis in Xinjiang.
Assessment of Esterase Gene Expression as a Risk Marker for Insecticide Resistance in Florida Culex nigripalpus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Esterases are enzymatic proteins known to play a role in insecticide resistance formation. To further our understanding of the development of insecticide resistance, we tested the gene expression level of a gene implicated in insecticide resistance (Temsha est-1) from Culex nigripalpus Theobald (Diptera: Culicidae) in field mosquitoes. We found that the level of expression of TE-1 differed depending on the frequency of exposure to organophosphate insecticide through expression studies. Temsha est-1 cDNA is 1,808 base pairs and fully sequenced with up to 96% nucleotide sequence identity to esterase B genes of other mosquito species. The genes from five different species, including TE-1, were closely related by genetic distance and phylogenetic analysis. Differential expression of this gene that is correlated to differences in susceptibility towards organophosphate would provide the ability to use Temsha est-1 as an indicator of the formation of tolerance/resistance. This would greatly enhance mosquito control efforts by allowing targeted application of insecticides to mosquito populations that are most susceptible. Also, it would provide resistance information so that a rational design could be used for insecticide rotation schedules.
Mycobacterial Infections in Various Species of Deer in the United Kingdom

SUMMARY One hundred and eighty-seven isolates of mycobacteria were obtained from various species of deer in the United Kingdom. A 17 · 1 % increase in the isolation rate was obtained by the addition to the medium of mycobactin at the optimum concentration of 3 μg/ml. Many isolates grew only at 37°C and not at 25°C or 42°C. Animal pathogenicity demonstrated the M. avium characteristics of the strains. There was little evidence of generalized tuberculosis in deer in this country. The authors consider that caution should be exercised over future intensification of deer husbandry.
Tau Binds to Multiple Tubulin Dimers with Helical Structure.

Understanding the mechanism by which tau binds to and promotes microtubule (MT) assembly as part of its native function may also provide insight into its loss of function that occurs in neurodegenerative disease. Both mechanistic and structural studies of tau have been hindered by its intrinsic disorder and highly dynamic nature. Here, we combine fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and acrylodan fluorescence screening to study the stoichiometry and structural features of tau-tubulin assemblies. Our results show that tau binds to multiple tubulin dimers, even when MT assembly is inhibited. Moreover, we observe helical structure in the repeat regions of the MT binding domain of tau in the tau-tubulin complex, reflecting partial folding upon binding. Our findings support a role for tau’s intrinsic disorder in providing a flexible scaffold for binding tubulin and MTs and a disorder-to-order transition in mediating this important interaction.
Hypoglycemia Detection and Carbohydrate Suggestion in an Artificial Pancreas

Fear of hypoglycemia is a major concern for many patients with type 1 diabetes and affects patient decisions for use of an artificial pancreas system. We propose an alternative way for prevention of hypoglycemia by issuing predictive hypoglycemia alarms and encouraging patients to consume carbohydrates in a timely manner. The algorithm has been tested on 6 subjects (3 males and 3 females, age 24.2 ± 4.5 years, weight 79.2 ± 16.2 kg, height 172.7 ± 9.4 cm, HbA1C 7.3 ± 0.48%, duration of diabetes 209.2 ± 87.9 months) over 3-day closed-loop clinical experiments as part of a multivariable artificial pancreas control system. Over 6 three-day clinical experiments, there were only 5 real hypoglycemia episodes, of which only 1 hypoglycemia episode occurred due to being missed by the proposed algorithm. The average hypoglycemia alarms per day and per subject was 3. Average glucose value when the first alarms were triggered was recorded to be 117 ± 30.6 mg/dl. Average carbohydrate consumption per alarm was 14 ± 7.8 grams. Our results have shown that most low glucose concentrations can be predicted in advance and the glucose levels can be raised back to the desired levels by consuming an appropriate amount of carbohydrate. The proposed algorithm is able to prevent most hypoglycemic events by suggesting appropriate levels of carbohydrate consumption before the actual occurrence of hypoglycemia.
Endogenous Ouabain: Recent Advances and Controversies.

In this brief article, we summarize recent reports about endogenous ouabain (EO), a cardiotonic steroid hormone. This includes analysis of mammalian EO, the discovery of EO isomers, regulation of intracellular signaling by EO, and the roles of EO in hypertension, pregnancy, and heart and kidney diseases. Novel ouabain-resistant mice that elucidate the key roles of α2 Na+ pumps and their cardiotonic steroid-binding site are also discussed. EO was first identified in human plasma 25 years ago.1,2 Despite confirmation in humans and other mammals with mass spectrometry (MS; Figure; Figures S1–S6 in the online-only Data Supplement), nuclear magnetic resonance, and combined liquid chromatography (LC)–immunology methods,3–6 human EO has remained controversial.7 New analytic studies and related findings should allay skepticism. For example, employment of multistage MS (MS–MS and MS–MS–MS) to examine the effects of pregnancy and of central angiotensin (Ang) II infusion on EO in rat plasma led to the discovery of 2 novel EO isomers.8,9 Isomer 1 has MS–MS and MS–MS–MS product ion spectra indistinguishable from those of EO, but is slightly more polar than EO; it binds to the antibody used in our radioimmunoassay. Isomer 2 is slightly less polar than EO, has a distinct MS–MS–MS spectrum, and cross reacts weakly in our radioimmunoassay. The primary structural difference(s) between EO and these isomers may involve the steroid nucleus. Importantly, neither isomer was previously described or is detectable in commercial (plant) ouabain.8,9 Figure. Endogenous ouabain determined by liquid chromatography (LC)–mass spectrometry (MS)–MS in plasma from patients with cardiomyopathy. A , Capillary LC–MS–MS product ion chromatogram for a plasma extract from a patient with cardiomyopathy. The ion current peaks represent positively charged molecular product ions with an M+Li+/z ratio equivalent to the lithiated aglycone of ouabagenin …
A hybrid-logic approach towards fault detection in complex cyber-physical systems

Existing data mining approaches to complex systems anomaly detection use uni-variate and/or multi-variate statistical hypothesis testing to assign anomaly scores to data streams associated with system components. The former approach assumes statistical independence of individual components, while the latter assumes substantial global systemic correlation. As a compromise between these two epistemological extremes, we present a data-mining approach hybridizing existing statistical techniques with theorem-proving methods to create a novel algorithm for anomaly detection, diagnosis and control in complex systems. Our algorithm takes sensor inputs from physical sensors providing system subcomponent performance data and outputs (i) a global systemic risk indicator and (ii) possible diagnosis hypotheses. We present results on three different systems, and in comparison with current state-of-the-art fault detection algorithms to demonstrate the viability of our approach. We find that our algorithm proves robust towards increased data dimensionality in contrast with existing clustering-based fault detection methods and can also detect contextual faults that are undetectable using existing statistical techniques.