cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Research on gene therapy.

I would like to begin by describing the methods that are currently available for introducing new genes into mammalian cells. These techniques have generally been applied to cells in tissue culture. Historically, the oldest method for insertion of genes into cells utilizes chromosomes as the mechanism of gene transfer. A variety of chromosomal techniques have been described [1], Recipient and donor cells can be fused together; chromosomes can be isolated and incubated with target cells for endocytosis; and finally, chromosomes can be entrapped within a nuclear membrane and the membrane can then be fused to the target cell. None of the chromosomal techniques are very efficient at gene transfer; and, in general, only about one cell in ten million is transformed. By transformed, I mean that the target cell acquires new genetic information and expresses that information for some period of time.
Total and myofibrillar protein degradation in isolated soleus muscles after exercise.

The effect of exercise on the rate of total and myofibrillar protein degradation was determined by measuring the rate of release of tyrosine and 3-methylhistidine, respectively, from isolated rat s...
Bureaucratic Society and Traditional Rationality: Claude Lefort

The work of Claude Lefort highlights one of the paradoxes of the Marxist tradition. Despite its claim to be the theory of the revolutionary proletariat, developing dialectically with the advances of the working class, a specifically Marxist approach to sociology and political theory was never developed. This might result from the ‘traditional’ structure of these disciplines, whose aim is prediction and manipulation of human objects. While the Institute for Social Research set itself the task of filling this lack (including in every issue extensive book reviews of contemporary empirical research), the political theory that would have been necessary to fuse its philosophical self-understanding with its empirical concerns was never developed, cut short by the development of what its leaders called the ‘authoritarian state’, fascism. What remained was the assumption that classical Marxism provides a theory of the inherently contradictory and exploitative nature of the societal infrastructure, leaving the contemporary theorist with the task of elaborating the more or less independent tensions in the superstructure.
Evidence-Based Practice: Challenging the Rational Wisdom

ABSTRACTThe field of performance measurement (PM) is firmly entrenched as a management practice in many governments, agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Though emerging later, the field of evidence-based practice (EBP) has developed simultaneously as a new approach to enhance agency performance. While both rationality-oriented reforms intend to enhance program or agency performance, these two related rational approaches are seldom considered in concert. This essay examines the conceptual underpinnings and practical linkages between PM and EBP to explore how EBP and PM can be jointly implemented as tools to advance agency goals. As rational approaches aimed at improving performance, these two distinct tools are not substitutes, but integrated components of a results-driven strategic management approach. As a conceptual assessment, the article offers practical advice and broad appeal to performance-oriented practitioners seeking to improve agency performance.
Effects of isoleucine 135 side chain length on the cofactor donor-acceptor distance within F420H2:NADP+ oxidoreductase: A kinetic analysis.

Abstract F 420 H 2 :NADP + Oxidoreductase (Fno) catalyzes the reversible reduction of NADP + to NADPH by transferring a hydride from the reduced F 420 cofactor. Here, we have employed binding studies, steady-state and pre steady-state kinetic methods upon wt Fno and isoleucine 135 (I135) Fno variants in order to study the effects of side chain length on the donor-acceptor distance between NADP + and the F 420 precursor, FO. The conserved I135 residue of Fno was converted to a valine, alanine and glycine, thereby shortening the side chain length. The steady-state kinetic analysis of wt Fno and the variants showed classic Michaelis-Menten kinetics with varying FO concentrations. The data revealed a decreased k cat as side chain length decreased, with varying FO concentrations. The steady-state plots revealed non-Michaelis-Menten kinetic behavior when NADPH was varied. The double reciprocal plot of the varying NADPH concentrations displays a downward concave shape, while the NADPH binding curves gave Hill coefficients of less than 1. These data suggest that negative cooperativity occurs between the two identical monomers. The pre steady-state Abs 420 versus time trace revealed biphasic kinetics, with a fast phase (hydride transfer) and a slow phase. The fast phase displayed an increased rate constant as side chain length decreased. The rate constant for the second phase, remained ~2 s −1 for each variant. Our data suggest that I135 plays a key role in sustaining the donor-acceptor distance between the two cofactors, thereby regulating the rate at which the hydride is transferred from FOH 2 to NADP + . Therefore, Fno is a dynamic enzyme that regulates NADPH production.
NMR Studies of the Structure and Function of the HIV-1 5'-Leader.

The 5′-leader of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genome plays several critical roles during viral replication, including differentially establishing mRNA versus genomic RNA (gRNA) fates. As observed for proteins, the function of the RNA is tightly regulated by its structure, and a common paradigm has been that genome function is temporally modulated by structural changes in the 5′-leader. Over the past 30 years, combinations of nucleotide reactivity mapping experiments with biochemistry, mutagenesis, and phylogenetic studies have provided clues regarding the secondary structures of stretches of residues within the leader that adopt functionally discrete domains. More recently, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy approaches have been developed that enable direct detection of intra- and inter-molecular interactions within the intact leader, providing detailed insights into the structural determinants and mechanisms that regulate HIV-1 genome packaging and function.
The conformational requirements for the mechanical precipitation of hemoglobin S and other mutants

The mechanical stability of human hemoglobin mutants was studied for the specific effects of single and double amino acid substitutions, the ligand state of each chain, and the effect of hybrids between oxy and cyanmet partners on precipitability. It was found that the beta6Glu leads to Val and the beta73 Asp leads to Asn mutations increased the degree of mechanical precipitation in the liganded but not in the deoxy form. When these mutations occurred on the same chain, the effects were approximately additive. Heat labile mutants such as Hb Gun Hill and Hb Leiden exhibited mechanical instability, but probably through a different mechanism, as very little dependence on ligand state was apparent. Studies with valency hybrids of HbS(alpha2 betas2-and-alpha2 betas2 where = cyanmet) revealed that instability was primarily determined by the state of the betas chain, which must be liganded to confer instability on the tetramer. A good agreement between surface activity and mechanical precipitability of these mutants has been found.
ARRHYTHMIA BURDEN & OUTCOMES IN EISENMENGER SYNDROME

Objective: Patients with Eisenmenger syndrome (ES) have a shorter life-span than the general population. A significant proportion develop arrhythmia and some, sudden death. Despite these observations, studies characterizing arrhythmias and their prognostic value in ES are lacking. Methods: This
Comparing salinities of 10, 20, and 30‰ in intensive, commercial-scale biofloc shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production systems

Abstract Minimal-exchange, intensive biofloc aquaculture systems offer a viable means of culturing marine animals at inland locations due to very low rates of water use. Fresh, never-frozen shrimp can be provided to metropolitan markets; however, the cost of artificial salt can be substantial. The purpose of this project was to examine commercial-scale biofloc shrimp production at three different salinities. Nine raceways were randomly assigned to three salinity treatments: 10, 20, and 30‰ (LS, MS, and HS), each treatment contained three raceways operated at 50 m 3 . The raceways were operated as heterotrophic biofloc systems, with daily additions of sucrose to raise the C:N ratio. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and salinity were all maintained at consistent levels. Spikes of ammonia and nitrite occurred in all tanks but nitrate remained low, with a peak value of 8.7 mg NO 3 -N L − 1 . There were no significant differences in any shrimp production metric. Mean shrimp growth rate was 1.8, 2.0, and 2.0 g week − 1 in the LS, MS, and HS treatments respectively. Mean feed conversion rate was 1.6, 1.2, and 1.2 in the LS, MS, and HS treatments respectively, and mean final weight ranged from 17.8 to 19.3 g. The only time water was removed from the systems was when settling chambers were emptied, resulting in a total mean water replacement of 5.2% or less per raceway. The mean volume of full strength seawater used to produce shrimp was 104, 159, and 235 L kg − 1 of shrimp in the LS, MS, and HS treatments respectively. Although there were no significant differences in shrimp production metrics between treatments, these values were noticeably lower in the LS treatment due to human error. Operating at the low salinity of 10‰ reduces salt use by about 50% over the MS treatment which implies substantial cost savings for production facilities. This study helps to illustrate the range of salinity options for shrimp production in commercial-scale biofloc systems.
Abstract 19174: Gut Microbial Utilization of Choline Significantly Alters Host Lipid, DNA Methylation, and Hepatic Gene Expression Profiles

Choline is an essential nutrient necessary for several biological functions in the human body; in addition to being the precursor to acetylcholine, choline is required for the formation of phosphatidylcholine and the universal methyl donor SAM ( S-adenosyl methionine ). Gut microbial metabolism of dietary choline results in the production of trimethylamine (TMA), a compound that is absorbed by the host and further converted to trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in the liver. While the role of the gut microbiota as a modulator of choline bioavailability has been poorly explored, it is well established that both choline deficiency and TMAO accumulation are associated with cardiovascular disease. We used germ-free mice colonized with defined synthetic communities of bacteria that differ only in their ability to convert choline to TMA to evaluate the impact of microbial choline utilization on host physiology. We found that bacterial utilization of choline significantly reduces the bioavailability of choline to the host as well as significantly alters (i) host gene expression (in liver and adipose tissue), (ii) lipid profiles, and (iii) serum and hepatic metabolomes. Furthermore, conversion of choline to TMA and TMAO results in changes in gene expression consistent with increased fatty acid oxidation, apoptosis, reactive oxygen species generation, fibrin deposition, vasoconstriction and adipogensis concomitant with a decrease in oxidative stress tolerance and clearance of thrombi from the vasculature. Many of the differentially expressed genes are known targets of the nuclear receptors PPAR and FXR. Lastly, colonization with a choline consuming TMAgenic community resulted in significant alterations in global DNA methylation patterns in multiple tissues in as little as two-weeks post colonization.
Fluconazole resistance in Candida species: a current perspective

Candida albicans and the emerging non-albicans Candida spp. have significant clinical relevance among many patient populations. Current treatment guidelines include fluconazole as a primary therapeutic option for the treatment of these infections, but it is only fungistatic against Candida spp. and both inherent and acquired resistance to fluconazole have been reported. Such mechanisms of resistance include increased drug efflux, alteration or increase in the drug target, and development of compensatory pathways for producing the target sterol, ergosterol. While many mechanisms of resistance observed in C. albicans are also found in the non-albicans species, there are also important and unexpected differences between species. Furthermore, mechanisms of fluconazole resistance in emerging Candida spp., including the global health threat Candida auris, are largely unknown. In order to preserve the utility of one of our fundamental antifungal drugs, fluconazole, it is essential that we fully appreciate the manner by which Candida spp. manifest resistance to it.
The Relationship between Type 2 Diabetes and Platelet Indicators

Background: Currently, the studies on the relationship between type 2 diabetes and platelets indicators were carried out on a selective small sample population generally. Large sample studies in this area are rare, especially in Chinese population. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between type 2 diabetes and the mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet count (PLT) and platelet distribution width (PDW). Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of the routine health examination data from 20128 participants with complete baseline data in Yinzhou District 2013. The detection of indicators in this study was completed by automatic hematology analyzer. Results: The PDW and PLT were not significantly different between diabetic group and non-diabetic group, (16.00% vs. 16.00%, P =0.88, and 194*10 9 /L vs. 196*10 9 /L, P =0.05 respectively). The MPV was significantly higher in diabetic group (9.3fl vs. 9.2fl, P <0.05). MPV was an independent risk factor of diabetes mellitus (Unadjusted OR=1.07 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.11), Adjusted for age, sex OR=1.07 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.12)). The adjusted odds ratio of diabetes rose with increasing MPV levels and were most pronounced in subjects with MPV levels exceeding the 90th percentile (MPV≥10.70 fl, Crude or=1.23 adjusted or=1.19). Conclusion: There was no relationship between the presence of diabetes with PDW and PLT. The MPV was independently associated with the presence of diabetes.
Modern Applications of Green Chemistry: Renewable Energy

Abstract Renewable energy is derived from natural and sustainable processes. For example, solar energy, wind energy, and geothermal energy are types of renewable energy. The challenges to using renewable energy include energy harvesting, energy storage, and energy delivery. In this chapter, electrochemical energy storage and delivery methods will be introduced. To be specific, batteries and fuel cells with various chemistries will be covered. The difference between heat engines and chemical energy storage devices are discussed in the scope of the second law of thermodynamics.
Dancing Robots: The Control Theory of Communication Through Movement

This chapter summarizes work to understand various aspects of the communication that occurs through the movements of partners in a dance. The first part of the paper adopts the terminology of motion description languages and deconstructs an elementary form of the well-known popular dance, salsa, in terms of four motion primitives (dance steps). These motion primitives can be specified entirely by the motions of the dancer’s feet, and hence the motions can be effectively carried out by simple unicycle-like mobile robots. We describe an experiment in which ten performances by an actual pair of dancers are evaluated by judges and then compared in terms of several complexity metrics. An energy metric is also defined. Values of this metric are obtained by summing up the lengths of motion segments executed by wheeled robots replicating the movements of the human dancers in each of ten dance performances. Of all the metrics that are considered in this experiment, energy is the most closely correlated with the human judges assessments of performance quality. The second part of the paper discusses an enhanced form of (intermediate level) salsa in which upper body motions play a role in the steps of the dance. In this version, it is stipulated that the dancers must remain in physical contact by holding hands. The number of motion primitives is increased to eleven, and the requirement that the dancers’ hands must remain linked imposes constraints on the structure of the dance sequences. These constraints are discussed using simple ideas from topological knot theory. Using a natural Markov model to generate possible dance sequences, it is shown that because the topological constraints enforce syntactic constraints on the motion transitions, the entropy rate of the intermediate level salsa is smaller than that of the beginner level salsa. The chapter concludes with a brief discussion of the challenges and possible approaches to creating robotic movement that will be perceived as having artistic merit.
Correlation between cationic model and polymerization reactions of olefins

IV. Results and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 A 1. The Validity of the Kennedy-Gillham Scheme . . . . . . . . . . 17 A 2. Extension of the Kennedy-Gillham Scheme to Other Alkylaluminum Compounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 A3. Parallelism Between Model and Polymerization Reactions . . . . 22 B. Model Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 B I. Reactivity of Alkylaluminums . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 B 2. Coinitiator Efficiency of Alkylaluminums . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 B 3. Effect of Initiator Systems on Transfer (Elimination) and Termination (Alkylation) A New Termination Mechanism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 B 4. Effect of Alkylaluminums on Propagation . . . . . . . . . . . 33 B 5. Effect of Solvents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 B 6. Comparison of Alkylaluminum-Alkyl Halide Initiator Systems in Methyl Halide Solvents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 B 7. Conclusions from Model Experiments . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 C. Polymerization Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 C 1. Comparison Between Model and Polymerization Studies . . . . . 45
Ensemble Voting Schemes that Improve Machine Learning Models for Predicting the Effects of Protein Mutations

Understanding how a mutation affects a protein's structural stability can guide pharmaceutical drug design initiatives that aim to engineer medicines for combating a variety of diseases. Conducting wet-lab mutagenesis experiments in physical proteins can provide precise insights about the role of a residue in maintaining a protein's stability, but such experiments are time and cost intensive. Computational methods for modeling and predicting the effects of mutations are available, with several Machine Learning approaches achieving good predictions. However, most such methods, including ensemble based approaches that are based on multiple classifier models instead of a single-expert system, are dependent on large datasets for training the model. In this work, we motivate and demonstrate the utility of several voting-based models that rely on the predictions of a Support Vector Regression (SVR), Random Forest (RF), and Deep Neural Network (DNN) models for inferring the effects of single amino acid substitutions. The three models rely on rigidity analysis results for a dataset of proteins, for which we use wet lab experimental data to show prediction accuracies with Pearson Correlation values of 0.76. We show that our voting approaches achieve a higher Pearson Correlation, as well as a lower RMSE score, than any of the SVR, RF, and DNN models alone.
Certification of Standard Reference Material 1879b Respirable Cristobalite.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) certifies a suite of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) to address specific aspects of the performance of X-ray powder diffraction instruments. This report describes SRM 1879b, the third generation of this powder diffraction SRM. SRM 1879b is intended for use in the preparation of calibration standards for the quantitative analyses of cristobalite by X-ray powder diffraction in accordance with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Analytical Method 7500, or equivalent. A unit of SRM 1879b consists of approximately 5 g of cristobalite powder bottled in an argon atmosphere. It is certified with respect to crystalline phase purity, or amorphous phase content, and lattice parameter. Neutron powder diffraction, both time-of-flight and constant wavelength, was used to certify the phase purity using SRM 676a as an internal standard. A NIST-built diffractometer, incorporating many advanced design features was used for certification measurements for lattice parameters.
Forests of New Jersey, 2017

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in New Jersey following an inventory by the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis program (FIA), Northern Research Station (NRS). Estimates are derived from field data collected using an annualized sample design and are updated yearly. For the 2017 inventory, estimates of current variables such as area, volume, and biomass are based on 1,218 plots measured in 2011–2017. Change variables such as net growth, removals, and mortality are based on 733 plots measured in 2006–2011 and resampled in 2011-2017. Estimates from earlier annual and periodic inventories are shown for comparison. See Bechtold and Patterson (2005), Burrill et al. (2018), and Gormanson et al. (2018) for definitions and technical details. A complete set of inventory tables is available at https://doi.org/10.2737/FS-RU-167.
Thromboprophylaxis in breast microvascular reconstruction: a review of the literature

Microsurgical breast reconstruction patients are at an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) due to numerous risk factors. A meta-analysis focusing on anti-thrombotics in breast microsurgery has yet to be completed. We aimed to perform a systematic review of the literature to examine the effects of thromboprophylaxis in breast microsurgical reconstruction with a focus on patient and flap complications. A PubMed, Cochrane, and Medline database search was conducted with the following keywords: “venous thrombosis, thromboprophylaxis, mechanical, pneumatic compression, aspirin, heparin, dextran, ketorolac, toradol, warfarin, and coumadin.” Results were combined with the terms “breast microsurgery” and “breast free flap.” All articles that resulted were analyzed. The reference list for each included article was analyzed for other applicable articles. Only articles that addressed pre-operative or post-operative anti-coagulation were included. For data analysis, if the article reported that there were no flap complications, it was assumed there were no operative hematomas, vessel thrombosis, or flap loss. Two hundred and fifty-seven studies were screened from the abovementioned search results and 17 fit inclusion criteria. The majority of included studies were retrospective chart reviews and the type of thromboprophylaxis and its effect on complications was rarely the primary end point. Due to lack of reporting on patient and flap characteristics that could impact outcomes, subgroup analysis was impossible. There has yet to be a consensus on the most effective way to prevent VTE in women undergoing microsurgical breast reconstruction without increasing the risk of hematoma and flap compromise. Studies published to date vary in their thromboprophylatic regimens and rarely include a control or comparison group to allow for intra- or inter-group analysis. There is a need for well-done, randomized, controlled trials in order to determine the best approach to thromboprophylaxis in these patients.
Mann’s Felix Krull

It is noted in this study that in Felix Krull, Mann seems to give authorial approval to Felix’s rationale for his own deceitful life. Since so much in life is deceitful, why then meet it with naive submission to society’s rules, “the moral order”? The line between natural charm and manipulative charm is wavering. Charm is a kind of deceit, yet it can open the mind. In Felix Krull, charm is slippery but defensible. In The Magic Mountain, awareness of charm (in particular, the magnetic charm Hans finds in Clavdia’s elbow) was part of his development. There are lessons everywhere, all double-edged. Felix, exploits his talent for charming people and is himself deeply charmed by others, He is Mann’s star student in this Bildungsroman.
Synthesis and Electronic Structure of a 3D Crystalline Stack of MXene-Like Sheets

Despite the interest in MXenes in the past decade, MXenes are often highly disordered, which can complicate their study and use. For example, nearly all MXenes have a random mixture of surface term...
BeBOT: Bernstein Polynomial Toolkit for Trajectory Generation

We present a method and an open-source implementation (BeBOT) for the generation of trajectories for autonomous system operations using Bernstein polynomials. Bernstein polynomials possess convenient geometric properties that enable the trajectory planner to efficiently evaluate and impose constraints along the vehicles’ trajectories, such as maximum speed and angular rates, minimum distance between trajectories and between the vehicles and obstacles. Thus, the proposed method is particularly suitable for generating trajectories in real-time for safe operations in complex environments and multiple vehicle missions.
Gender Discrimination, Perceived School Unfairness, Depressive Symptoms, and Sleep Duration Among Middle School Girls

The current study examines how gender discrimination by adults in school is linked with depressive symptoms and sleep duration over time in middle school. The main goal is to test one psychological mechanism that can account for such associations: perceived school unfairness. Relying on a racially-ethnically diverse sample of girls (N = 2,718, Mage = 13.01, SDage = 0.39) from 26 middle schools, multilevel mediation analyses revealed that girls who experienced school-based gender discrimination by an adult in seventh grade reported higher levels of perceived school unfairness in eighth grade. Moreover, perceived unfairness, in turn, was associated with more depressive symptoms and shorter sleep durations by eighth grade. Implications of changes in adolescent girls' sleep and mood related to their experiences of gender discrimination are discussed.
Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in Neurocritical Care Unit: Assessment and Treatment Challenges

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) can range from mild jittery movements, nausea, sweating to more severe symptoms such as seizure and death. Severe AWS can worsen cognitive function, increase hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality and morbidity. Due to a lack of reliable history of present illness in many patients with neurological injury as well as similarities in clinical presentation of AWS and some commonly encountered neurological syndromes, the true incidence of AWS in neurocritical care patients remains unknown. This review discusses challenges in the assessment and treatment of AWS in patients with neurological injury, including the utility of different scoring systems such as the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment and the Minnesota Detoxification Scale as well as the reliability of admission alcohol levels in predicting AWS. Treatment strategies such as symptom-based versus fixed dose benzodiazepine therapy and alternative agents such as baclofen, carbamazepine, dexmedetomidine, gabapentin, phenobarbital, ketamine, propofol, and valproic acid are also discussed. Finally, a treatment algorithm considering the neurocritical care patient is proposed to help guide therapy in this setting.
Investigation of Ringing Effects on Phase Shift Keyed Direct Antenna Modulation Transmitters

In this paper, a method of direct antenna modulation (DAM) transmitting phase shift keyed (PSK) high data rate signals using a narrowband antenna is described. We analyze the result of an over the air DAM PSK measurement and degradation are observed in QPSK DAM compared to the ideal case. We demonstrate that it is the parasitics of the circuit that reduce the ability of the system to store voltage and achieve fast transitions, particularly between certain combinations of symbols. This degradation is studied and it can be predicted by circuit model simulation.
A New Master Donor Virus for the Development of Live-Attenuated Influenza B Virus Vaccines

Influenza B viruses (IBV) circulate annually, with young children, the elderly and immunocompromised individuals being at high risk. Yearly vaccinations are recommended to protect against seasonally influenza viruses, including IBV. Live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) provide the unique opportunity for direct exposure to the antigenically variable surface glycoproteins as well as the more conserved internal components. Ideally, LAIV Master Donor Viruses (MDV) should accurately reflect seasonal influenza strains. Unfortunately, the continuous evolution of IBV have led to significant changes in conserved epitopes compared to the IBV MDV based on B/Ann Arbor/1/1966 strain. Here, we propose a recent influenza B/Brisbane/60/2008 as an efficacious MDV alternative, as its internal viral proteins more accurately reflect those of circulating IBV strains. We introduced the mutations responsible for the temperature sensitive (ts), cold adapted (ca) and attenuated (att) phenotype of B/Ann Arbor/1/1966 MDV LAIV into B/Brisbane/60/2008 to generate a new MDV LAIV. In vitro and in vivo analysis demonstrated that the mutations responsible of the ts, ca, and att phenotype of B/Ann Arbor/1/1966 MDV LAIV were able to infer the same phenotype to B/Brisbane/60/2008, demonstrating its potential as a new MDV for the development of LAIV to protect against contemporary IBV strains.
Police Cell Phone Searches: Where's The Privacy

Legal academicians are in a dither that law enforcement, using the exception of a search incident to a lawful arrest, are conducting warrantless searches of cell phones found on the person of those they take into custody. They regard such searches as violating the arrestees’ expectation of privacy, although courts that have considered the matter, by an overwhelming majority, have found lawful arrest trumps any expectation of privacy. This paper examines the legal precedent for searches incident to a lawful arrest being an exception to the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizures, inquires into the expectation of privacy and exactly how, and if, cell phones fall under its umbrella, and analyzes two leading cases in this area to determine which is more consistent with U.S. Supreme Court opinions and the better rule of law.
Factors affecting loan repayment rate among smallholder farmers got loans from the Amhara Credit and Saving Institution: In the case of Habru District, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia:

The aim of this paper was to examine factors affecting loan repayment rate among smallholder farmers in the Habru District, Ethiopia, who had taken loans from the Amhara Credit and Saving Instituti...
EXPORT-LED GROWTH HYPOTHESIS IN THE MENA REGION: A MULTIVARIATE COINTEGRATION, CAUSALITY AND STABILITY ANALYSIS

Empirical evidence supporting the export-led growth (ELG) hypothesis has been mixed and inconclusive. Some studies may have been misspecified since they tested the ELG hypothesis using bivariate models. Others used multivariate cointegration framework but presumed (either explicitly or implicitly) stability of the cointegrating relations. This study examines the ELG hypothesis for eight Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries in a multivariate framework by including terms of trade as a third variable. We utilize Johansen and Juselius cointegration procedure and error correction modeling to test the ELG hypothesis. The empirical evidence supports the existence of a “stable” long-run equilibrium relationship among real output, real exports, terms of trade, and finds strong support for the ELG hypothesis in all but one of the MENA countries analyzed.
Effects of Overlearning on the Retention of a Gross Motor Skill

Abstract Four groups of 20 subjects each practiced the skill of balancing on a stabilometer to a learning criterion and then received either 0, 50, 100 or 200 percent overlearning practice. One-half of the subjects in each of the four groups returned for retention testing after one week while the other half returned after one month. Absolute and relative retention scores were calculated for each subject and then statistically analyzed. The results showed that immediate recall of the skill following the two retention intervals was facilitated by overlearning, 50% overlearning proving, in most instances, as effective as 100 and 200 percent. Relative retention scores were not significantly better after one week and one month for those subjects receiving 50 and 100 percent overlearning; however, the subjects who received 200% overlearning had significantly better retention than the subjects who had 0% overlearning following the one-month retention interval. Further analysis of retention scores revealed that d...
Heat-induced apoptosis of mouse meiotic cells is suppressed by ectopic expression of testis-specific calpastatin.

ABSTRACT: Calpastatin is a naturally occurring inhibitor of calpain, a protease involved in apoptotic cell death. A testis-specific isoform of calpastatin (tCAST) has been identified that is transcribed in haploid germ cells but not in spermatocytes. To investigate the possible function(s) of tCAST, we tested the hypothesis that the ectopic expression of calpastatin in spermatocytes would suppress the death of these cells in response to an apoptosis-inducing stimulus in vivo. To this end, the 5′-flanking region of the mouse ldhc gene was linked to tCAST, and transgenic mice were generated. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that, in contrast to control sections in which the signal for tCAST was seen in round spermatids, intense staining was visualized in pachytene spermatocytes in the transgenic animals, indicating that the strategy we used to generate the transgenic animals resulted in the ectopic expression of tCAST in spermatocytes. We then tested the effect of a short period of heating on germ cell apoptosis in the testes of wild-type and transgenic mice. Pachytene spermatocytes were the major germ cell type seen to undergo apoptosis after heat treatment. There were no differences in the number of apoptotic germ cells per seminiferous tubule between wild-type and tCAST transgenic control mice; thus, there was no apparent effect of the transgene on normal apoptosis. Heating resulted in increased numbers of TUNEL-positive germ cells in both wild-type and tCAST transgenic mice, as well as increased testicular DNA fragmentation. Heating the tCAST transgenic mouse testes resulted in significantly fewer apoptotic cells per seminiferous tubule than in wild-type mice at both 8 and 24 hours after treatment. Thus, as hypothesized, the ectopic expression of tCAST in pachytene spermatocytes suppressed germ cell apoptosis.
Precomputed radiance transfer for real-time indirect lighting using a spectral mesh basis

Simulating indirect lighting effects has been a challenging topic in many real-time rendering and design applications. This paper presents a novel method, based on precomputed radiance transfer, for rendering physically based, multi-bounce indirect lighting in real-time. Our key idea is to represent both the direct lighting and precomputed diffuse indirect transfer using a spectral mesh basis set derived from an arbitrary scene model [KG00]. The complete spectral basis set can approximate a spatially varying function to any degree of accuracy. For indirect lighting, we show that only 60 ˜ 100 sparse basis coefficients suffice to achieve high accuracy, due to the low-frequency nature of indirect illumination. This reduces the run-time computation of per-vertex diffuse indirect lighting to simple inner products of two sparse vectors: one representing the dynamic direct lighting, and the other representing the precomputed direct to indirect transfer. The key advantage using this approach is that we are not restricted to parameterized models or any particular mesh topology. Our method simulates multiple diffuse interreflections while at the same time permitting dynamically changing surface albedos. In addition, we approximate the final bounce of glossy interreflection using a standard BRDF SH projection. Finally, we demonstrate high-quality indirect lighting effects rendered at 15 ˜ 30 fps with dynamically changing lighting and materials.
Comparison of processing characteristics of Mayan and Wilmington heavy residues: 2. Characterization of vanadium and nickel complexes in acid-base-neutral fractions

Abstract Wilmington 538 °C + and Mayan 496 °C + crude oil residues were hydrotreated at four temperature levels. The products from hydrotreating were gases and condensates in the overhead and heavy liquids and (at high temperatures) solids in the reactor. The heavy liquids were separated into acid-base-neutral (ABN) fractions by a unique nonaqueous ion exchange technique developed at NIPER. The analyses of the condensates, the characterization of the ABN fractions, and the changes in composition of the heavy liquid products caused by hydrotreating is reported elsewhere1. Nickel and vanadium complexes in the feeds, whole heavy liquid and ABN fractions were characterized by determining the total metal content, the porphyrinic metal content and the molecular weight distribution of the metal complexes by size exclusion chromatography/inductively coupled plasma. For both crudes, the metal complexes spanned a wide range of chemical behaviour and molecular weight. The resistance of the various classes of metal complexes to hydrodemetallization varied enormously and depended on the chemical type more than the hydrotreating temperature. Both nickel and vanadyl porphyrins were found to appear, in certain ABN fractions, in greater amounts after hydrotreating than before, thus suggesting that the presence of selected porphyrins may be masked by intermolecular interactions and/or attached functionalities and thus they are not detected as porphyrins by visible spectrometry.
Relational programs: An architecture for robust real-time safety-critical process-control systems

Software for safetydcritical systems, such as avionic, medical, defense, and manufacturing systems, must be highly reliable since failures can have catastrophic consequences. While existing methods, such as formal techniques, testing, and faultdtolerant software, can significantly enhance software reliability, they have some limitations in achieving ultrahigh reliability requirements. Formal methods are not able to cope with specification faults, testing is not able to provide high assurance, and faultdtolerant software based on diverse designs is susceptible to commondmode failures. We present a new approach that starts with a decomposition of the system requirements into a conjunction of subtasks (goals and constraints). The system state space is then projected onto a restricted space that is specialized for a subtask. The control problem corresponding to each subtask is solved and validated in its restricted “view” of the system state space. To allow the programs for the individual subtasks to be easily composed together, the model for each subtask is relational rather than functional, i.e., it represents a set of control trajectories for each input rather than just one trajectory. The overall system is obtained by composing the models for the subtasks using wellddefined set intersection and union operations. The relational approach has several significant advantages. With appropriate priority assignments, it provides strong guarantees that the safetydcritical components are immune to defects in other components of the system. Also, the system reliability can be rigorously derived from the component reliabilities. This significantly reduces the validation effort since the number of states and transitions in the decomposition is a fraction of those in the overall system. The system can be composed from its components either statically or dynamicallys the latter facilitates ondthedfly maintenance as well as incorporation of advanced adaptive and evolving control programs. The paper contains a detailed example to illustrate the relational approach.
Congenital Periodic Alternating Nystagmus: Diagnosis and Management

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of the study is to investigate diagnostic criteria and treatment methods for patients with congenital periodic alternating nystagmus (PAN). Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of clinical findings and serial eye movement recordings of patients with congenital PAN. Eighteen patients observed from 1983 through 1996 and diagnosed with congenital PAN are included. Five of these have ocular or oculocutaneous albinism. Nine of the 18 patients were treated. Three had Kestenbaum operations before referral to the authors, one was treated with baclofen, and five had large recessions of the four horizontal recti. The studied parameters included visual acuity (VA) and abnormal head posture (AHP); temporal aspects of PAN cycle, nystagmus waveforms, frequency, amplitude, and velocity; as well as mean foveation fraction, a mean percentage of the nystagmus cycle spent at retinal slip velocities less than 10° per second. Results: The authors diagnosed PAN in 9% of patients with congenital nystagmus, although most had not been diagnosed with PAN before referral, despite changing nystagmus. Sixteen patients had AHP, typically shifting. The PAN cycle was of variable duration, often with asymmetric right- and left-beating components. Although horizontal jerk nystagmus with accelerating slow phase was predominant, other waveforms were encountered in the active phase of PAN. In the quiet phase (close to null zone), similar, but less intense, oscillations than those in the active phase were characteristic. Half of the patients showed a combination of waveforms in both phases. Baclofen treatment was unsuccessful. Patients who had Kestenbaum procedures remained with AHP in the original or opposite direction, without change in nystagmus or VA. Large recessions of four horizontal recti proved uncomplicated. This treatment improved, at least for several years, AHP and VA and caused favorable changes in nystagmus parameters in all patients. Mean foveation fractions increased significantly after surgery. Conclusions: Congenital PAN often is underdiagnosed. Differing waveforms may indicate PAN. Evaluation of nystagmus, especially before surgery, for at least 3 minutes, preferably with eye movement recordings, is necessary to diagnose PAN and perhaps prevent Kestenbaum procedures, which seem inappropriate. Large horizontal recti recessions seem to provide safe and promising treatment.
A vector Doppler ultrasound instrument

The vector Doppler is a multiple transducer pulsed Doppler system designed to detect the three dimensional nature of hemodynamics using, simultaneously, one focused transmitting/receiving transducer and four unfocused receiving transducers. The system reduces the refractive errors incurred in utilizing multiple transmitting/receiving transducers and the time constraints of requiring multiple cardiac cycles. The validity of this concept was tested using a steady state stenosis model. Five different stenosis were used: 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% based on tube diameter. The system was operated at three flow rates resulting in a total of 15 experimental cases with unstenosed tube Reynolds numbers from 300 to 1100 and stenotic Reynolds numbers to 5600. Modal velocity waveforms and velocity spectral magnitude waveforms were generated from data gathered downstream of the stenoses. The results demonstrate that the system is capable of detecting parabolic flow, the region of high speed para-axial flow corresponding to jet flow, the recirculation zone between the jet and the tube wall, and the region of jet break up. The system is also capable of measuring the increase in spectral broadening and change in velocity direction associated with regions of non-axial flow. Eddy structures may be revealed upon removal of the dominating jet wobble.
Looking Back at the Sputnik Era and Its Impact on Science Education.

In celebration of the recent golden anniversary of the launching of the Soviet satellite, Sputnik I, this paper takes an historical perspectives approach to examine the social, political, and educational climate in the United States leading up to the launch. Ramifications to science education are discussed, and implications are made for the relevance of this event to science education today.
Supervisory control: Air traffic control specialist performance in shared versus traded states

The National Airspace System (NAS) is currently undergoing a restructuring in order to reduce flight delays and to increase airspace capacity, flight predictability, process visibility and safety. In general the reduction of constraints and the redistribution of information, authority and decision making capability has been termed "free flight." One aspect of this process of restructuring involves exploring the possibility of delegating some portions of aircraft separation authority to the flight deck. This process of delegation for self-separation to the flight deck and its implications for pilots and air traffic controllers was the topic of this simulation experiment. Seventeen Air Traffic Control Specialists performed in shared and traded supervisory control states. Shared control is the performance of a task by a human operator with the concurrent assistance of automation. Traded control is the process of shifting the handling of a task by either the human operator or automation. In the shared condition, the specialists monitored the airspace with the assistance of a conflict probe. In the traded condition, the specialists performed a secondary task, in addition to monitoring the traffic with the assistance of the conflict probe. The researcher also manipulated the percentage of planes in free flight, 80% and 100%. Indices included controller workload, separation performance, secondary task performance, and questionnaire data. Results indicated that workload was significantly higher in the traded condition, and that there were less separation violations in the shared condition. The participants also performed better on the secondary task in the Traded/100% condition than the Traded 80% condition. The study was funded by the FAA and NASA.
Release of Active TGF-β1 from the Latent TGF-β1/GARP Complex on T Regulatory Cells Is Mediated by Integrin β8

Activated T regulatory cells (Tregs) express latent TGF-β1 on their cell surface bound to GARP. Although integrins have been implicated in mediating the release of active TGF-β1 from the complex of latent TGF-β1 and latent TGF-β1 binding protein, their role in processing latent TGF-β1 from the latent TGF-β1/GARP complex is unclear. Mouse CD4(+)Foxp3(+) Treg, but not CD4(+)Foxp3(-) T cells, expressed integrin β8 (Itgb8) as detected by quantitative RT-PCR. Itgb8 expression was a marker of thymically derived (t)Treg, because it could not be detected on Foxp3(+)Helios(-) Tregs or on Foxp3(+) T cells induced in vitro. Tregs from Itgb8 conditional knockouts exhibited normal suppressor function in vitro and in vivo in a model of colitis but failed to provide TGF-β1 to drive Th17 or induced Treg differentiation in vitro. In addition, Itgb8 knockout Tregs expressed higher levels of latent TGF-β1 on their cell surface consistent with defective processing. Thus, integrin αvβ8 is a marker of tTregs and functions in a cell intrinsic manner in mediating the processing of latent TGF-β1 from the latent TGF-β1/GARP complex on the surface of tTregs.