cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is antrum or corpus the best site for culture of Helicobacter pylori

BackgroundIsolating Helicobacter pylori on culture media and performing antibiotic susceptibility testing is potentially the most useful tool for guiding antibiotic therapy, especially when antimicrobial resistance is suspected. The aim of this study was to determine whether the yield of H. pylori culture was related to the site from which the gastric specimen was obtained either before or after therapy. Methods.Gastric mucosal biopsies from the antrum and the corpus of the stomach were cultured. H. pylori status was determined by histological assessment using the Genta stain. Results.Fifty-two patients with documented H. pylori infection were studied: Twenty-three were tested before antibiotic therapy and 29 after therapy had failed. In 47 patients (90%), both antral and corpus culture specimens were positive. In 5 patients (10%), only one site was positive, with three false-negative antral and two false negative corpus cultures. The overall sensitivity of culture in detecting H. pylori infection was 95% (95% confidence interval = 89–98%) and was not significantly different for the antrum or corpus, either before or after therapy. Conclusion.Culture of gastric biopsies from either the antrum or the corpus has an excellent diagnostic yield even in patients who failed antimicrobial therapy.
Maintenance antiretroviral treatment in HIV infection.

Background Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has led to health benefits for patients infected with HIV-1. However, long-term use of multidrug regimens is difficult to sustain. Simplifying antiretroviral treatment regimens would increase patients' adherence and minimise toxicity. We investigated the feasibility of a strategy of induction therapy followed by maintenance therapy with HAART in a randomised open-label study.Methods From March, 1997, we enrolled patients infected with HIV-1 with at least 200 CD4 cells/µL, at least 1000 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL in plasma, and no previous exposure to antiretroviral drugs. After 26 weeks of induction therapy (stavudine, lamivudine, saquinavir, and nelfinavir) patients were randomly allocated maintenance therapy (either stavudine and nelfinavir or saquinivir and nelfinavir) or prolonged induction therapy (if the plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration at weeks 24 and 25 was <50 copies/mL).Findings In February, 1998, we discontinued randomisation after an interim analysis. 62 patients had been enrolled. 39 (91%) of the 43 patients who were followed up for at least 26 weeks had an undetectable plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration at week 16. At week 26, 31 patients were randomly allocated treatment. Of these patients 25 had a total follow-up of at least 36 weeks. At week 36, a higher proportion of patients on maintenance therapy (nine [64%] of 14) had a detectable HIV-1 RNA than patients on prolonged induction therapy (one [9%] of 11, p=0.01). The initial virion-clearance rate during induction therapy was higher in five patients on maintenance therapy with a sustained undetectable plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration than in nine patients with recurrence of a detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration at week 36 (0.35 vs 0.19 per day, respectively; p=0.008).Interpretation The induction regimen provided a rapid suppression of viral replication to below 50 copies/mL. However, suppression was not sustained in a considerable number of patients who went onto maintenance therapy. It is currently inadvisable to continue attempts at moving from induction to maintenance therapy in day-to-day practice.
International consensus statement on clinical implementation of the ketogenic diet: Agreement, flexibility, and controversy

The ketogenic diet (KD) is an established, effective nonpharmacologic treatment for intractable childhood epilepsy. The KD is provided differently throughout the world, with occasionally significant variations in its administration. There exists a need for more standardized protocols and management recommendations for clinical and research use. In December 2006, the Charlie Foundation commissioned a panel comprised of 26 pediatric epileptologists and dietitians with particular expertise in using the KD. This group was convened to create a consensus statement regarding the clinical management of the KD; the consensus statement has also been endorsed by the Child Neurology Society. Members were asked to write sections based on clinical interests and the full document was subsequently reviewed and approved by the entire group. Recommendations were made regarding evaluation of children before starting the diet, specifically in regards to ideal patient selection, pre-KD counseling and testing, and choice of specific dietary therapy (ketogenic or less restrictive alternative diets). In addition, there was information provided regarding diet implementation (need for fasting and admission), supplementation, follow-up management (frequency of visits as well as diet and laboratory evaluations while receiving the diet), adverse event monitoring, and timing and method of eventual KD discontinuation. This group effort highlights recommendations based on best evidence, including areas of agreement and controversy, unanswered questions, and future research.
Reading the right signals and reading the signals right: IPE and the financial crisis of 2008

ABSTRACTAlthough the meltdown in the American financial system in 2008 created the most profound financial crisis in sixty years, the field of International Political Economy (IPE) has remained curiously silent. More worrisome is the inability of the paradigmatic approach to the study of IPE in the United States – Open Economy Politics (OEP) – to shed much light on the causes of the crisis. We develop the conceptual distinction between risk and uncertainty to explain why the rationalist (and largely materialist) “American School” of IPE failed so badly. OEP followed orthodox economics in conflating risk and uncertainty. Preserving the distinction, as constructivist IPE scholars and economic sociologists have done, enables us view the crisis through dual rationalist and sociological optics. Our illustrative evidence, drawn from public (the Federal Open Market Committee of the US Federal Reserve) and private actors (accountants, credit rating agencies, and arbitrage traders) in financial markets, shows that...
A single-V/sub t/ low-leakage gated-ground cache for deep submicron

In this paper, we propose a novel integrated circuit and architectural level technique to reduce leakage power consumption in high-performance cache memories using single V/sub t/ (transistor threshold voltage) process. We utilize the concept of gated-ground (nMOS transistor inserted between ground line and SRAM cell) to achieve a reduction in leakage energy without significantly affecting performance. Experimental results on gated-ground caches show that data is retained (DRG-Cache) even if the memory is put in the standby mode of operation. Data is restored when the gated-ground transistor is turned on. Turning off the gated-ground transistor in turn gives a large reduction in leakage power. This technique requires no extra circuitry; the row decoder itself can be used to control the gated-ground transistor. The technique is applicable to data and instruction caches as well as different levels of cache hierarchy, such as the L1, L2, or L3 caches. We fabricated a test chip in TSMC 0.25-/spl mu/m technology to show the data retention capability and the cell stability of the DRG-Cache. Our simulation results on 100-nm and 70-nm processes (Berkeley Predictive Technology Model) show 16.5% and 27% reduction in consumed energy in L1 cache and 50% and 47% reduction in L2 cache, respectively, with less than 5% impact on execution time and within 4% increase in area overhead.
Identification of styrene copolymers and a terpolymer by second derivative ultraviolet spectroscopy

A method for distinguishing styrene copolymers and a terpolymer by second derivative ultraviolet spectroscopy will be described. The polymers were dissolved in chloroform except for one which was dissolved in 2-butanone. Concentrations of about 5 g/L were used. The polymer solutions were applied to the removable windows of divided, quartz cells and were allowed to dry to a thin film. The ultraviolet region was scanned from 300 to 230 nm. Then thinner films were used, and the 240–200 nm region was scanned. The second derivative spectra that resulted could be distinguished easily. This technique allows rapid, sample preparation and identification of these copolymers and the terpolymer.
Price versus Quota Reductions: U.S. Flue-Cured Tobacco Policy

Declining domestic cigarette consumption, increased global competition, and loss of import restrictions indicate decreased demand for U.S. flue-cured tobacco. The effects of 109ZO declines in domestic and export demand are evaluated under a policy of reducing quota to maintain price versus a policy of allowing price to fall to maintain quota. Changes in prices, quantities, revenues, and economic rents are simulated. Losses to nonfarming quota owners are minimized under a policy of price maintenance, while losses in revenues to tobacco-producing areas are minimized by a policy of quota maintenance. Aggregate losses to tobacco growers are greater under a policy of quota maintenance.
Stability of a eutectic interface during directional solidific ation

Directional solidification experiments have been carried out in AI2O3 (alumina)-Zr02 (zirconia) system near eutectic compositions by using the Bridgman and the laser scanning techniques. The compositions investigated were 30 wt%, 50 wt%, and 42.5 wt% of Zr02 (eutectic composition) and solidification studies were carried out over a wide range of velocity, 2 to 10000 |lm/s. In all studies nonplanar eutectic structures were formed which showed the presence of two-phase cellular and dendritic colonies. Different microstructural scales, such as eutectic spacing, colony spacing, and primary cellular/dendritic spacings were examined for different compositions and growth velocities. The formation of different microstnictures of stable and metastable phases, over the range of velocities studied, is discussed. The eutectic spacing variation with growth rate is found to show a departures from the existing model based on a planar front growth [20], and this deviation was found to be more singnificant in the higher velocity regime. The colony spacing was found to decrease with increasing velocity in a manner analogous to the variation in the single phase dendrite spacing with velocity. Experimental results on microstructures and spacings are analyzed by using appropriate theoretical models.
Image authentication and tamper detection using two complementary watermarks

This paper presents a novel semi-fragile watermarking scheme for image authentication and tamper detection. The proposed scheme extracts content-based image features from the approximation subband in the wavelet domain to generate two complementary watermarks. Specifically, we generate an edge-based watermark sequence to detect any changes after manipulations. This edge-based watermark encodes the invariant relationship between quantized wavelet coefficients after incidental distortions. We also generate the content-based watermark to localize tampered regions. Both watermarks are embedded into the high frequency wavelet domain to ensure the watermark invisibility. Our extensive experimental results show that the proposed scheme outperforms the peer scheme and can successfully identify intentional tampering and incidental modification, and localize maliciously tampered regions.
Oxygen Evolution Catalysis by a Dimanganese Complex and Its Relation to Photosynthetic Water Oxidation

[Mn2III/IV(μ-O)2(terpy)2(OH2)2](NO3)3 (1, where terpy = 2,2′:6′2′′-terpyridine) acts as a water-oxidation catalyst with HSO5− as the primary oxidant in aqueous solution and, thus, provides a model system for the oxygen-evolving complex of photosystem II (Limburg, J.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 423–430). The majority of the starting [Mn2III/IV(μ-O)2]3+ complex is converted to the[Mn2IV/IV(μ-O)2]4+ form (2) during this reaction (Chen, H.; et al. Inorg. Chem. 2007, 46, 34–43). Here, we have used stopped-flow UV–visible spectroscopy to monitor UV–visible absorbance changes accompanying the conversion of 1 to 2 by HSO5−. With excess HSO5−, the rate of absorbance change was found to be first-order in [1] and nearly zero-order in [HSO5−]. At relatively low [HSO5−], the change of absorbance with time is distinctly biphasic. The observed concentration dependences are interpreted in terms of a model involving the two-electron oxidation of 1 by HSO5−, followed by the rapid reaction of the two-electron-oxidi...
Integration of Computer Simulation and Neutron Scattering in the Characterization of Protein Dynamics

Protein function often requires large-scale motion of functionally-important domains. Few techniques are available that can directly probe protein motions. Among the most direct is molecular dynamics simulation in which, using an empirical potential energy function, the equations of motion of a system of atoms are solved numerically. In this way detailed descriptions of protein dynamics can be built up for timescales up to about 100 ns. Integration of molecular dynamics simulations and neutron scattering provide insights of process in the proteins in the atomic details. An exciting new development in the experimental detection of functionally-important domain motions in proteins is the application of neutron spin-echo spectroscopy (NSE). Spin echo directly probes coherent (i.e., pair correlated) scattering on the 10-100 ns timescale. Recent work has demonstrated that domain motions in the tetrameric protein Alcohol Dehydrogenase (yADH) can be positively identified and characterized with this technique. Inspired by these results, we conducted theoretical calculations of the coherent time correlated neutron scattering from all-atomic molecular dynamics simulations data of the same protein. NSE allows the direct measurement of the intermediate scattering function and this way allows the direct comparison between simulation and experiment. The global translational and rotational diffusional components were decomposed and the internal dynamics of these functional domains characterized. The translational, rotational, and the internal effective diffusion constants were determined from the intermediate scattering function and the results compared with the NSE data.
Subsurface Exploration using the Standard Penetration Test and the Cone Penetrometer Test

The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) and Cone Penetrometer Test (CPT) have become industry standards for subsurface geotechnical investigations using small diameter (<8-in. [20-cm]) borings and soundings. Both procedures have evolved over a period of 100 and 70 years, respectively, and have been adopted as ASTM standards. Each procedure has certain advantages over the other, but both can elicit incorrect data under particular subsurface conditions that are often overlooked, depending on the experience of field personnel operating or logging the tests. This paper seeks to explain the operative assumptions employed in both procedures, highlight the various corrections that are commonly employed, and warn the reader of common errors in interpretation. The article concludes by stating that, under most conditions, the joint employment of SPT and CPT together has the greatest potential for characterizing sites correctly.
Application of spherical wave theory to cassegrainian-fed paraboloids

In this paper the spherical wave expansion technique is used to analyze the general properties of paraboloidal antenna feed systems. As a result, fundamental aperture efficiency and noise temperature limitations are established as quantitative functions of antenna wavelength size. A boundary-value solution is found for synthesis of ideal subreflector shapes in a Cassegrain-type feed system. The resulting surface is found to reduce the classical hyperboloid in the limit of zero wavelength. Applications of this synthesis technique to high performance feed systems and subreflector matching are discussed. Finally, an interesting quantitative cross-check between vector spherical wave and vector diffraction theories is obtained.
Organizational Decision Making

The article presents a review of the book “Organizational Decision Making,” by Bernard M. Bass.
Linking Urban Latino Families to School Using the Web

What happens when a community that has previously had very little or no exposure to the Internet receives Internet access at home? This paper describes a project that provided television set-top Internet access devices to Latino families as part of a project to link the school and home in an inquiry-based science curriculum. The early phases of adoption of the Internet and “NetTV” devices by families are described, with special attention paid to different ways families appropriate and make educational use of the Internet.
Carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in hypoxic sensing by the carotid body

Abstract Carotid bodies are sensory organs for monitoring arterial blood oxygen (O 2 ) levels, and the ensuing reflexes maintain cardio-respiratory homeostasis during hypoxia. This article provides a brief update of the role of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) in hypoxic sensing by the carotid body. Glomus cells, the primary site of O 2 sensing in the carotid body express heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2), a CO catalyzing enzyme. HO-2 is a heme containing enzyme and has high affinity for O 2 . Hypoxia inhibits HO-2 activity and reduces CO generation. Pharmacological and genetic approaches suggest that CO inhibits carotid body sensory activity. Stimulation of carotid body activity by hypoxia may reflect reduced formation of CO. Glomus cells also express cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), an H 2 S generating enzyme. Exogenous application of H 2 S donors, like hypoxia, stimulate the carotid body activity and CSE knockout mice exhibit severely impaired sensory excitation by hypoxia, suggesting that CSE catalyzed H 2 S is an excitatory gas messenger. Hypoxia increases H 2 S generation in the carotid body, and this response was attenuated or absent in CSE knockout mice. HO inhibitor increased and CO donor inhibited H 2 S generation. It is proposed that carotid body response to hypoxia requires interactions between HO-2–CO and CSE–H 2 S systems.
Peroxiredoxin-Glutaredoxin and Catalase Promote Resistance of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae 86-028NP to Oxidants and Survival within Neutrophil Extracellular Traps

Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHI) is a common commensal and opportunistic pathogen of the human airways. For example, NTHI is a leading cause of otitis media and is the most common cause of airway infections associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These infections are often chronic/recurrent in nature and involve bacterial persistence within biofilm communities that are highly resistant to host clearance. Our previous work has shown that NTHI within biofilms has increased expression of factors associated with oxidative stress responses. The goal of this study was to define the roles of catalase (encoded by hktE) and a bifunctional peroxiredoxin-glutaredoxin (encoded by pdgX) in resistance of NTHI to oxidants and persistence in vivo. Isogenic NTHI strain 86-028NP mutants lacking hktE and pdgX had increased susceptibility to peroxide. Moreover, these strains had persistence defects in the chinchilla infection model for otitis media, as well as in a murine model for COPD. Additional work showed that pdgX and hktE were important determinants of NTHI survival within neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which we have shown to be an integral part of NTHI biofilms in vivo. Based on these data, we conclude that catalase and peroxiredoxin-glutaredoxin are determinants of bacterial persistence during chronic/recurrent NTHI infections that promote bacterial survival within NETs.
Moisture Absorption of Graphite-Epoxy Composites Immersed in Liquids and in Humid Air

Moisture absorption of graphite-epoxy composites immersed in liquids and in himid air were investigated. The moisture content as a function of time and temperature was measured for three materials: Fiberite T300/1034, Hercules AS/3501-5 and Narmco T300/5208. Tests were per formed a) with the materials immersed in No. 2 diesel fuel, in jet A fuel, in aviation oil, in saturated salt water, and in distilled water (in the range of 300 to 322 K) and b)with the materials exposed to humid air (in the range 322 to 366 K). The results obtained were compared to available composite and neat resin data.
A Composite Gel–Polymer/Glass–Fiber Electrolyte for Sodium‐Ion Batteries

An integrated preparation of a low-cost composite gel–polymer/glass–fiber electrolyte with poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) reinforced by a glass–fiber paper and modified by a polydopamine coating to tune the mechanical and surface properties of PVDF-HFP is shown to be applicable to a sodium-ion battery. The composite polymer matrix exhibits excellent mechanical strength and thermal stability up to 200 °C. After saturating with a liquid electrolyte, a wide electrochemical window and high ionic conductivity is obtained for the composite gel–polymer/glass–fiber electrolyte. When tested in a sodium-ion battery with Na2MnFe(CN)6 as cathode, the rate capability, cycling performance, and coulombic efficiency are significantly improved. The results suggest that the composite polymer electrolyte is a very attractive separator for a large-scale battery system where safety and cost are the main concerns.
LONG-TERM DISTRIBUTIONAL DYNAMICS OF A MICHIGAN AMPHIBIAN ASSEMBLAGE

From 1988 to 1992 we surveyed the distribution of 14 amphibian species in a set of 37 ponds in southeastern Michigan, USA. Thirty-two of these ponds had been surveyed previously between 1967 and 1974. We found that the distributions of amphibian populations (1988-1992) were strongly related to two habitat characteristics: pond hydroperiod and forest canopy cover. Most species exhibited nonrandom distributions with respect to these pond characteristics. Between surveys, the distribution of each species changed, and most species experienced multiple population colonizations and extinctions. Turnover in the distribution of populations among ponds (estimated via Jaccard's similarity coefficient) averaged nearly 50% among species. The substantial number of species colonizations (40 cases) and extinc- tions (34 cases) between surveys resulted in little net change in number of breeding popu- lations for most species; just four species experienced net changes of more than two popu- lations. Historical information indicated that, for many ponds, hydroperiod and canopy cover changed between surveys. In several cases habitat changes associated with forest succession apparently had negative impacts on amphibian populations. In ponds that now dry each summer and are under closed canopies, two-thirds of the breeding populations present during 1967-1974 were extinct during the recent survey. No population colonizations occurred in these ponds between surveys, in marked contrast to other ponds, in most of which amphibian species richness either was maintained or increased. In addition, tendencies for ponds to experience population colonizations and extinctions also were associated with pond isolation. Our results highlight the volatile nature of amphibian distributions and point to forest suc- cession, via its effects on canopy and hydroperiod, as a potential force shaping the dynamics of amphibian populations.
Dominated, Connected, and Tight Coalitions in the Israeli Knesset

Considered in the present paper are parliamentary systems in which a single party is given a mandate to form a coalition after the elections. A multi-criteria model is proposed postulating the formation of coalitions that are dominated by the party given the mandate to form a coalition, are ideologically connected in the multidimensional politically interpretable space, and have minimal ideological distances between their members. The model is then tested with ideological proximity measures from 52 parliament members, reporters, and students of political science collected immediately after the 1981 elections to the tenth Israeli Knesset but before the formation of a coalition government. Theoretical implications of the model are briefly discussed.
Quantitative PCR Analysis of Functional Genes in Iron-Rich Microbial Mats at an Active Hydrothermal Vent System (Lō'ihi Seamount, Hawai'i)

ABSTRACT The chemolithotrophic Zetaproteobacteria represent a novel class of Proteobacteria which oxidize Fe(II) to Fe(III) and are the dominant bacterial population in iron-rich microbial mats. Zetaproteobacteria were first discovered at Lō9ihi Seamount, located 35 km southeast off the big island of Hawai9i, which is characterized by low-temperature diffuse hydrothermal venting. Novel nondegenerate quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays for genes associated with microbial nitrogen fixation, denitrification, arsenic detoxification, Calvin-Benson-Bassham (CBB), and reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycles were developed using selected microbial mat community-derived metagenomes. Nitrogen fixation genes were not detected, but all other functional genes were present. This suggests that arsenic detoxification and denitrification processes are likely cooccurring in addition to two modes of carbon fixation. Two groups of microbial mat community types were identified by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and were further described based on qPCR data for zetaproteobacterial abundance and carbon fixation mode preference. qPCR variance was associated with mat morphology but not with temperature or sample site. Geochemistry data were significantly associated with sample site and mat morphology. Together, these qPCR assays constitute a functional gene signature for iron microbial mat communities across a broad array of temperatures, mat types, chemistries, and sampling sites at Lō9ihi Seamount.
Analysis of Geophysical Well Logs from the Mariano Lake-Lake Valley Drilling Project, San Juan Basin, Northwestern New Mexico

Geophysical well logs were obtained in eight deep holes drilled and cored by the U.S. Geological Survey to examine the geology of the Mariano Lake-Lake Valley area in the southern part of the San Juan basin, New Mexico. The logs were made to determine the petrophysical properties of the rocks penetrated by the holes, to aid in making stratigraphic correlations between the holes, and to estimate the grade of uranium enrichment in mineralized zones. The logs can be divided into six categories--nuclear, electric, sonic, magnetic, dipmeter, and borehole conditions. Examples of these logs are presented and related to lithological and petrophysical properties of the cores recovered. Gamma-ray and prompt fission neutron logs were used to estimate uranium grade in mineralized zon s. Resistivity and spontaneous potential logs were used to make stratigraphic correlations between drill holes and to determine the variability of the sandstone: mudstone ratios of the major sedimentary units. In one drill hole a dipmeter log was used to estimate the direction of sediment transport of the fluvial host rock. Magnetic susceptibility logs provided supportive information for a laboratory study of magnetic mineral alteration in drill cores. This study was used to infer the geochemical and hydrologic environment associated with uranium deposition in the project area.
Culture, courage and collectivism: An insider’s guide to culture in American schools

The nature of individualistic and collectivistic societies has been talked about in a variety of settings. This article addresses the points raised by Omi (2012) in his ethnographic examination of American schools from the cultural perspective of a Japanese family experience. From personal observations to establishment of collectivist and positivist approaches, the issues which arise are those of a deeper cultural understanding and appreciation of not only the differences between cultures, but the reasons for those differences. Rather than focusing on the promotive or repressive nature of collectivism, geographical and courage-based approaches are raised as alternatives for behavior and cultural expectations. In much the same way that Omi raises concerns about the differences between cultural expectations and actions in American schools from the perspective of a Japanese family, many of the same surprises would await an American family in Japan.
Architecting the Dawn Ceres Science Plan

The Dawn mission has successfully completed operations at its first target, the main belt asteroid Vesta. The quantity and quality of the returned science data exceeded expectations, thus validating the science and mission operations methodologies developed by the project. Preparations are now underway for Dawn’s second orbital mission, this one with the dwarf planet Ceres. Ceres mission operations will benefit from the lessons learned from Vesta operations, although mission planning and execution will be complicated by the absence of two of the spacecraft reaction wheels, the second of which was lost near the end of the Vesta mission. Fortunately, the spacecraft can adequately perform all required attitude control functions using only hydrazine-based thrusters in combination with its ion propulsion system. In addition, the project has developed an alternative attitude control capability that uses only two reaction wheels supplemented by thrusters. The latter capability consumes significantly less hydrazine than the thrusters alone, but the lifetimes of the remaining reaction wheels are unknown and their reliability is suspect. Therefore we have developed a plan that will meet all science requirements even without any further use of the reaction wheels. The guiding principles for developing the Ceres science and mission plans are as follows: 1) Conserve hydrazine during cruise to Ceres, 2) curtail further use of the two remaining reaction wheels until the lowest altitude orbit phase at Ceres, where the use of the wheels is most effective at saving hydrazine, 3) plan Ceres science data acquisition in a manner that achieves the primary science objectives while minimizing hydrazine consumption.
Discussion on some problems of tariff management center construction in power supply company

Tariff management level affects the benefit of the power supply company directly. Problems of traditional tariff mode are analyzed, and a frame scheme of tariff management center construction is brought forward. Some problems which may be met during the construction and operation are discussed. It provides reference for the construction of tariff management center of power supply companies in various regions.
On Monotone Social Welfare Orders Satisfying the Strong Equity Axiom: Construction and Representation

This paper studies the nature of social welfare orders on infinite utility streams, satisfying the efficiency principle known as Monotonicity and the consequentialist equity principle known as Strong Equity. It provides a complete characterization of domain sets for which there exists such a social welfare order which is in addition representable by a real valued function. It then shows that for those domain sets for which there is no such social welfare order which is representable, the existence of such a social welfare order necessarily entails the existence of a non-Ramsey set, a non-constructive object.
Moving from planning to action: Exploring best practice policy in the finance of local bicycling and pedestrian improvements

Abstract In the face of diminished federal and state transportation funding, cities continue to look for creative local funding mechanisms to pay for and implement their multi-modal goals. To understand the types of local funding being used, this study analyzes case study cities across the U.S. to identify best practices, documenting the most widely used methods of funding. We find that county sales tax measures are most common but that additional popular approaches are bond issues, general fund allocations, and transportation impact fees, especially for larger cities. More-so, all of the cities evaluated have both bicycle and pedestrian masterplans to guide infrastructure investments and most pursue more than one local funding source to fund projects. This provides important lessons to communities that desire to improve the local bicycle and pedestrian amenities − the best practice to move from policy to action.
Perspectives on large-scale natural resource surveys when cause-effect is a potential issue

Our objective is to present a perspective on large-scale natural resource monitoring when cause-effect is a potential issue. We believe that the approach of designing a survey to meet traditional commodityproduction and resource state descriptive objectives is too restrictive and unnecessarily limits theability to investigate cause-effect issues. We only consider terrestrial natural resources, focusing on forests and rangeland. A large institutionalized programme is required to establish cause-effect relationships when monitoring terrestrial resources. This is justified based on the growing concerns about our natural resources. A long-term vision of a desirable future terrestrial monitoring system, realizing that it is not clear yet what key variables should be measured, will increase the chances that decisions on current designs will ultimately lead to better systems in the future. We propose a pronounced shift in the designs applied to forest and range, specifically, the NationalResources Inventory (NRI), the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA), and the Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) programmes. The designs must not only address simple status and trends estimation but also give emphasis to identifying interesting changes occurring in the sampled populations thus facilitating identification and establishment of possible cause-effect relationships. We propose an integrated design consisting of a large-scale, long-term ongoing survey as the core design accompanied by supplemental experimental design studies or analytic survey. Continuous inventory involving annual measurement of a subset of the sample from selected populations should be implemented: inventorying a population every five years (as with NRI) or every ten years (as with FIA) is insufficient. FHM, FIA, and NRI should collect a subset of variables in common. Complementarity of data collected would make it more likely to identify promising cause-effect relationships for a wider range of resource variables. At this stage we recommend focusing on the mortality of trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses as the key indicator of forest and range health. Mortality is objectively measurable and can often be detected by remote sensing. When possible, follow-up observational studies to document cause-effect relationships should be limited to public lands because of concern of infringing on the personal rights of landowners. This may not be possible if unrepresentative populations result because of this. If studies are designed properly, we could achieve our objectives yet tie such studies to current natural resource inventory systems.
Novel α-substituted tropolones promote potent and selective caspase-dependent leukemia cell apoptosis

Tropolones, such as β-thujaplicin, are small lead-like natural products that possess a variety of biological activities. While the β-substituted natural products and their synthetic analogs are potent inhibitors of human cancer cell growth, less is known about their α-substituted counterparts. Recently, we synthesized a series of α-substituted tropolones including 2-hydroxy-7-(naphthalen-2-yl)cyclohepta-2,4,6-trien-1-one (α-naphthyl tropolone). Here, we evaluate the antiproliferative mechanisms of α-naphthyl tropolone and the related α-benzodioxinyl analog. The α-substituted tropolones inhibit growth of lymphocytic leukemia cells, but not healthy blood cells, with nanomolar potency. Treatment of leukemia cell lines with the tropolone dose-dependently induces apoptosis as judged by staining with annexin V and propidium iodide and Western blot analysis of cleaved caspase 3 and 7. Moreover, pre-treatment of cells with the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK inhibited the apoptotic effects of the tropolone in two lymphocytic lines. Caspase inhibition also blocked elevated histone acetylation caused by the tropolone, indicating that its effects on histone acetylation are potentiated by caspases. In contrast, α-naphthyl tropolone upregulated p53 expression and phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR in a manner that was not rescued by caspase inhibition. The effects of tropolone were blocked by co-incubation with high levels of free extracellular iron but not by pre-loading with iron. Additionally, dose and time dependent reduction in ex vivo viability of cells from leukemia patients was observed. Taken together, we demonstrate that α-substituted tropolones upregulate DNA damage repair pathways leading to caspase-dependent apoptosis in malignant lymphocytes.
Spectral and spatial tuning of onset and offset response functions in auditory cortical fields A1 and CL of rhesus macaques

In the current study, we examine the relationship between the tuning of neural responses evoked by the onset and offset of acoustic stimuli in the primary auditory cortex, as well as a higher-order...
A Comprehensive Functional Assessment of Carboxylesterase 1 Nonsynonymous Polymorphisms

Carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) is the predominant human hepatic hydrolase responsible for the metabolism of many clinically important medications. CES1 expression and activity vary markedly among individuals; and genetic variation is a major contributing factor to CES1 interindividual variability. In this study, we comprehensively examined the functions of CES1 nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) and haplotypes using transfected cell lines and individual human liver tissues. The 20 candidate variants include CES1 nsSNPs with a minor allele frequency >0.5% in a given population or located in close proximity to the CES1 active site. Five nsSNPs, including L40Ter (rs151291296), G142E (rs121912777), G147C (rs146456965), Y170D (rs148947808), and R171C (rs201065375), were loss-of-function variants for metabolizing the CES1 substrates clopidogrel, enalapril, and sacubitril. In addition, A158V (rs202121317), R199H (rs2307243), E220G (rs200707504), and T290M (rs202001817) decreased CES1 activity to a lesser extent in a substrate-dependent manner. Several nsSNPs, includingL40Ter (rs151291296), G147C (rs146456965), Y170D (rs148947808), and R171C (rs201065375), significantly reduced CES1 protein and/or mRNA expression levels in the transfected cells. Functions of the common nonsynonymous haplotypes D203E-A269S and S75N-D203E-A269S were evaluated using cells stably expressing the haplotypes and a large set of the human liver. Neither CES1 expression nor activity was affected by the two haplotypes. In summary, this study revealed several functional nsSNPs with impaired activity on the metabolism of CES1 substrate drugs. Clinical investigations are warranted to determine whether these nsSNPs can serve as biomarkers for the prediction of therapeutic outcomes of drugs metabolized by CES1.
Schistosoma egg-induced liver pathology resolution by Sm-p80-based schistosomiasis vaccine in baboons

Summary Schistosomiasis remains a serious chronic debilitating hepato-intestinal disease. Current control measures based on mass drug administration are inadequate due to sustained re-infection rates, low treatment coverage and emergence of drug resistance. Hence, there is an urgent need for a schistosomiasis vaccine for disease control. In this study, we assessed the anti-pathology efficacy of Schistosoma mansoni large subunit of calpain (Sm-p80)-based vaccine against schistosomiasis caused by infections with Schistosoma mansoni in baboons. We also evaluated the disease transmission-blocking potential of Sm-p80 vaccine. Immunisations with Sm-p80-based vaccine resulted in significant reduction of hepatic egg load in vaccinated baboons (67.7% reduction, p = 0.0032) when compared to the control animals, indicative of reduction in pathology. There was also a significant reduction in sizes of egg-induced granulomas in baboons immunised with Sm-p80 vaccine compared to their control counterparts. Egg hatching rate analysis revealed an overall 85.6% reduction (p = 0.0018) in vaccinated animals compared to the controls, highlighting the potential role of Sm-p80 vaccine in disease transmission. The findings on anti-pathology efficacy and transmission-blocking potential presented in this study have formed the basis for a large-scale double-blinded baboon experiment that is currently underway.
Ambiguous Agency as a Diagnostic of Power: Efforts of Child Welfare Providers to Promote Responsible Agency Among Youth Involved in Sex Trades

Ambiguous agency is a term which has been used to describe the ways in which young people demonstrate their agency in ways that challenge traditional ideas about how youth are supposed to behave. S...
Acetabular wedge augments for uncontained tibial plateau defects in revision total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract Tibial bone loss is a common scenario encountered during revision total knee arthroplasty. Reconstructive options depend on the amount and location of bone loss, but few good solutions exist to address large, uncontained tibial defects where cortical support is lost in the metadiaphyseal region. We describe a novel technique using acetabular augments to buttress a revision tibial component and recreate a hemiplateau during tibial revision total knee arthroplasty. In selected scenarios, this construct can create a biomechanically friendlier surface onto which to support the tibial tray and a less expensive option when compared to traditional stacked augments or cones. Level of Evidence IV–Case series.
Toxicity, mode of action, and synergist potential of flonicamid against mosquitoes

Abstract The present study focused on the toxicity of the aphid anti-feedant flonicamid and its main metabolite, 4-trifluoromethylnicotinamide (TFNA-AM) to Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes. The compounds were toxic to both species via topical application, resulting in un-coordinated locomotion and leg splaying, with a favorable An. gambiae LD50 value of 35 ng/mg for TFNA-AM, but no significant lethality to Ae. aegypti at 10 μg/female. There was mild cross resistance in the Akron-kdr (Akdr) strain of An. gambiae. Both compounds were non-toxic to intact larvae (LC50 > 300 ppm); however, headless Ae. aegypti larvae displayed spastic paralysis, with PC50 values of 2–4 ppm, indicating that the cuticle is a significant barrier to penetration. TFNA-AM showed low mammalian toxicity, with an LD50 of >2000 mg/kg in mice. Electrophysiological experiments showed larval Aedes muscle depolarization and Kv2 channel blocking activity that required near mM concentrations, suggesting that this potassium channel is not the main target for flonicamid nor its metabolite. However, TFNA-AM was a potent blocker of evoked body wall sensory discharge in dipteran larvae, suggesting that some component of the chordotonal organ system may be involved in its toxicity. Finally, flonicamid and TFNA-AM showed about 2-fold synergism of permethrin toxicity against An. gambiae adult females whose mechanism should become more clear once the mode of action of these compounds is better defined.
Proximity-Based Measures

Tversky [221] noted that “most theoretical and empirical analyses of similarity assume that objects can be adequately represented as points in some coordinate space and that dissimilarity behaves like a distance function.” While Tversky’s observation concerned objects as crisp values, the notion of proximity defining similarity can also be used to assess the similarity of fuzzy sets. For fuzzy sets, the distance is not between points but rather between membership functions. In this chapter we consider three methods for producing metric based similarity measures.
The Epidemiology and Genetics of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a common major congenital malformation, but very little is known about its etiology. Some hypothesize and animal models indicate that diminished blood flow through the left side of the fetal heart results in retarded growth and consequent hypoplasia of the left-sided structures (see Chapter 2 for further discussion). However, the primary mechanisms that cause this diminution of flow, whether they are structural or functional alterations, have not been defined and are likely to be heterogeneous. Epidemiologic studies point to a genetic component in the etiology of HLHS, as do reports of families with multiple affected members and its consistent association with specific genetic syndromes. These studies also demonstrate that, in some cases, HLHS is likely to represent a continuum of disease with other left-sided lesions of the heart including coarctation of the aorta and aortic valve stenosis. However, it has been particularly difficult to identify the genetic etiology of HLHS given the rarity of large families with multiple affected members for which a linkage analysis could be performed to identify a chromosomal disease locus. In addition, very few candidate genes from animal models have been identified that could be tested as disease-related in humans. In the following sections, the epidemiology of HLHS and the current understanding of its genetic etiology will be reviewed.
The North Pacific triangle: Sources of economic and political transforation

This article explores the changing economic and security relationships among the United States, Japan, and South Korea, with particular attention to the implications of post-1985 exchange-rate shifts for political and economic stability in these three nations. The author argues that the stability and cohesion of this strategically important North Pacific triangle, the only point outside Europe where the economic and military superpowers all adjoin one American to the Japanese market as the locus of regional growth, due to disproportionate and destabilizing adjustment costs being imposed on South Korea. Expanded American, and especially Japanese support initiatives are the principal alternatives to intensified Korean reliance on continental Asia, the article maintains.