cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A bibliography for the use of DNA in human identification

A bibliography of material relating to the use of DNA in human identification is presented. It includes bibliographies previously compiled by the author and other individuals, the DNA Legal Assistance Subunit of the FBI, and references from all the chapters in this volume.
Prospects for Direct Imaging from the Ground

NASA’s Extra-solar Neighboring Planetary Systems (ExNPS) roadmap recommends a decade of vigorous exploration from the ground during the design and development of the space infrared nulling interferometer. An element of the ground observational program will be discovering and analyzing nearby extra-solar planetary systems through direct imaging of giant planets. To accomplish this goal will require extending the current capabilities for direct detection of faint sources to a new domain of very high contrast and sensitivity, made possible only through the technology of adaptive optics (AO). In this paper, we will discuss the potential of AO for discoveries from the ground, and show that a new advanced form of AO on large telescopes will yield direct images of Jupiter-like planets around nearby stars.
An Autonomous System View To Apply Machine Learning

Applying machine learning in design and test has been a growing field of interest in recent years. Many potential applications have been demonstrated and tried. This tutorial paper provides a review of author's experience in this field, in particular how the perspective for applying machine learning evolved from one stage to another where the latest perspective is based on an autonomous system view to apply machine learning. The theoretical and practical barriers leading to this view are highlighted with selected applications.
Topological inference

Geographical database systems deal with certain basic topological relations such as "A overlaps B" and "B contains C" between simply connected regions in the plane. It is of great interest to make sound inferences from elementary statements of this form. This problem has been identified extensively in the recent literature, but very limited progress has been made towards addressing the considerable technical difficulties involved. In this paper we study the computational problems involved in developing such an inference system. We point out that the problem has two distinct components that interact in rather complex ways: relational consistency, and planarity. We develop polynomial-time algorithms for several important special cases, and prove almost all the others to be NP-hard.
Probiotics to prevent Staphylococcus aureus disease

There are a plethora of probiotic formulae that supposedly benefit human health on the market. However, the scientific underpinnings of the claimed benefits have remained poorly established. Scientific evidence is now increasingly being provided that explains those benefits, for example, by immune-stimulatory effects or inter-bacterial competition between beneficial and pathogenic bacteria. In our recent study (Piewngam et al. Nature 2018), we show that Bacillus colonization of the human intestine is negatively correlated with that of the human pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus. This type of colonization resistance is achieved by secretion of a class of lipopeptides by Bacillus species that inhibits S. aureus quorum-sensing signaling, which we found is crucial for S. aureus intestinal colonization. Here, we discuss what these findings imply for the general role of S. aureus intestinal colonization, the role of quorum-sensing in that process, and potential alternative ways to control S. aureus infection.
Statistical Approximations in Collision Theory

This chapter is an introduction to statistical approximation in the theory of reactive collisions. The theme of the chapter is the transition state,* and the statistics in statistical theory is in essence just the counting of the various ways a system can pass through a transition state.
Silicon Technologies for Next Generation 5G Architectures and Applications

RF is seen as THE key enabler for connected intelligence applications. Products and applications made possible by RF connectivity include mobile devices, the internet of things, automotive radar, connected cars, the network infrastructure and optical modules. This talk examines the many RF architecture approaches being pursued to keep pace with today's new levels of connectivity. We will also explore the semiconductor offerings, IP and design enablement that GLOBALFOUNDRIES brings to the marketplace to serve these next-generation applications, and how they can be used to address 5G architectural challenges.
Colony Forming Unit Assays for MSCs

MSCs are the plastic adherent adult stem/progenitor cells from bone marrow originally referred to as fibroblastoid colony forming units, then in the hematological literature as marrow stromal cells, subsequently as mesenchymal stem cells, and most recently as multipotential mesenchymal stromal cells. MSCs were originally referred to as fibroblastoid colony-forming-cells because one of their characteristic features is adherence to tissue culture plastic and generation of colonies when plated at low densities ( 1,2 ). The efficiency with which they form colonies still remains an important assay for the quality of cell preparations. This chapter describes 2 methods to assay the colony forming ability of MSCs; (a) a traditional assay for colony forming units (CFUs) and (b) single-cell colony forming unit assay (Sc-CFU).
Respiratory medication use in extremely premature (<29 weeks) infants during initial NICU hospitalization: Results from the prematurity and respiratory outcomes program.

Background The use of medications to treat respiratory conditions of extreme prematurity is often based upon studies of adults or children over 2 years of age. Little is known about the spectrum of medications used or dosing ranges. To inform the design of future studies, we conducted a prospective analysis of respiratory medication exposure among 832 extremely low gestational age neonates. Methods The prematurity and respiratory outcomes program (PROP) enrolled neonates less than 29-week gestation from 6 centers incorporating 13 clinical sites. We collected recorded daily "respiratory" medications given along with dosing information through 40-week postmenstrual age or neonatal intensive care unit discharge if earlier. Results PROP participants were exposed to a wide range of respiratory medications, often at doses beyond published recommendations. Nearly 50% received caffeine and furosemide beyond published recommendations for cumulative dose. Those who developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia were more likely to receive treatment with respiratory medications. However, more than 30% of PROP subjects that did not develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia also were treated with diuretics, systemic steroids, and other respiratory medications. Conclusion Extremely preterm neonates in PROP were exposed to high doses of medications at levels known to generate significant adverse effects. With limited evidence for efficacy, there is an urgent need for controlled trials in this vulnerable patient population.
Exploring the Alignment of Behavior Screening Policies and Practices in US Public School Districts

Background Although recent studies provide information regarding state-level policies and district-level practices regarding social, emotional, and behavioral screening, the degree to which these policies influence screening practices is unknown. As such, the purpose of this exploratory study was to compare state- and district-level policies and reported practices around school-based social, emotional, and behavioral screening. Methods We obtained data for the present study from three sources: (1) a recent systematic review of state department of education websites; (2) a national survey of 1330 US school districts; and (3) a Web search and review of policy manuals published by the 1330 school districts. Comparative analyses were used to identify similarities and differences across state and district policies and practices. Results Of the 1330 districts searched, 911 had policy manuals available for review; 87 of these policy manuals, which represented 10 states, met inclusion criteria, and thus, were included in analyses. Discrepancies were found across state and district policies and across state social, emotional, and behavioral screening guidance and district practices, but consistencies did exist across district policies within the same state. Conclusion District-level guidance around social, emotional, and behavioral screening appears to be limited. Our findings suggest a disconnect between state- and district-level social, emotional, and behavioral screening guidance and district reported practices, which signifies the need to identify the main influences on district- and school-level screening practices.
Older US adults like sweetened colas, but not other chemesthetic beverages.

Many older adults suffer from difficulty swallowing thin beverages like water or coffee. To improve swallowing safety, beverages are typically thickened. This creates a new problem: the thickened beverages can be disgusting. New research suggests chemesthesis, particularly spiciness, carbonation, or intense sourness, could improve swallowing without the need for thickeners. Yet, whether such beverages would be liked by older adults is unknown. We thus conducted this experiment to establish older adults' sensory perception and liking/disliking of commercially available chemesthetic beverages. We recruited participants to rate sweetness, sourness, fizziness, stinging, and liking/disliking of unsweetened carbonated waters (1 plain, 5 flavored), sour orange juice, spicy ginger beer, and colas (sugar or aspartame-sweetened). Initial tests (N = 30 older adults) indicated sour orange juice, spicy ginger beer, and two of the flavored waters were not well-liked, so other beverages were selected for a second test (N = 94, 30 younger adults, 64 older adults). Sweetened, carbonated colas were the best-liked of the beverages. The unsweetened, flavored carbonated waters were in general not liked. Regarding comparisons of sensory ratings between older and younger adults, only sweetness differed between age groups. In particular, intensity ratings for the chemesthetic aspects of the beverages (stinging/burning/spiciness, fizziness) and the sour taste did not differ by age. As the chemesthetic properties are the most likely reason the beverages could aid in swallowing safety, observing no suppression of these sensations in older adults is encouraging for the potential of these products as a treatment option.
Laughter as dissensus: Kant and the limits of normative theorizing around laughter

Political theorists have traditionally grappled with laughter by posing a simple, normative question: ‘What role, if any, should laughter play in the polis?’ However, the outsized presence of laughter in contemporary politics has rendered this question increasingly obsolete. What good does determining laughter’s role in the polis do when the polis itself is to a large extent shaped by laughter? The present essay argues that Kant’s aesthetic investigations of laughter in the Critique of Judgment and Anthropology from a Pragmatic Point of View offer a much needed alternative to the normative discourse. Kant theorizes laughter as an intensely dialectical experience — at once an aesthetic judgment and an affect. Laughter in Kant enacts dissensus: it disrupts and transforms sensus communis, or the ways subjects see and hear the world in common that organize and structure a political community. The essay illustrates the advantages of a Kantian conception of the politics of laughter over the normative discourse by examining Dave Chappelle’s controversial 2019 stand-up comedy special Sticks & Stones. It concludes that the dissensus enacted by laughter, while not necessarily democratic, provides a privileged opening for democratic politics.
Kinship Ties of Mexican Migrant Women on the United States/Mexico Border*

Given the borders immediacy to Mexico kin networks as social structures operating on both sides of the U.S. Mexico border were investigated. Such binational networks it was assumed offer protection to newcomers mainly undocumented workers and facilitate their incorporation into the informal economic sector of the border economy. Kinship networks are conceptualized here as linking otherwise individual economic actors seeking social mobility in the United States to stable social structures along both sides of the border. In particular the resources that flow across linkages and their consequences for the success or failure of the migration process are examined. The importance of network composition particularly that of the sending and receiving kinship networks is also emphasized. Moreover in addition to network composition and size attention is given to the content of ties rather than just the structure formed by these ties. (excerpt)
Brood Parasites Are a Heterogeneous and Functionally Distinct Class of Natural Enemies.

Brood parasitism is the introduction of unrelated progeny into the nest or colony of a host that then raises the foreign young. This reproductive strategy has evolved independently and repeatedly among diverse animal taxa, and brood parasite–host interactions have become models for understanding coevolutionary arms races. Yet brood parasites have remained largely overlooked in previous syntheses of natural enemy ecology. Here, we argue that brood parasites are a heterogeneous and versatile class of natural enemies, blending traits characteristic of predators and trophic parasites. The functional distinctness of brood parasites reinforces the idea that natural enemies exist along a continuum rather than as a dichotomy. Brood parasite–host interactions can serve as valuable case studies to unify parasite–host and predator–prey theories.
Simultaneous liver kidney allocation policy and the Safety Net: an early examination of utilization and outcomes in the United States.

Rates of simultaneous liver kidney (SLK) transplantation in the United States have progressively risen. On 8/10/17, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network implemented a policy defining criteria for SLK, with a 'Safety Net' to prioritize kidney allocation to liver recipients with ongoing renal failure. We performed a retrospective review of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database to evaluate policy impact on SLK, kidney after liver (KAL) and kidney transplant alone (KTA). Rates and outcomes of SLK and KAL transplants were compared, as was utilization of high-quality kidney allografts with Kidney Donor Profile Indices (KDPI) < 35%. Here, SLK transplants comprised 9.0% and 4.5% of total post-policy liver and kidney transplants compared to 10.2% and 5.5% prior. Policy enactment did not affect 1-year graft or patient survival for SLK and KAL populations. Less post-policy SLK transplants utilized high-quality kidney allografts; in all transplant settings, outcomes using high-quality grafts remained stable. These findings suggest that policy implementation has reduced kidney allograft use in SLK transplantation, although both SLK and KAL rates have recently increased. Despite decreased high-quality kidney allograft use, SLK and KAL outcomes have remained stable. Additional studies and long-term follow-up will ensure optimal organ access and sharing.
Decrecimiento o barbarie: ecocrítica y capitalismo global en la novela futurista española reciente

This essay analyzes three futuristic Spanish novels published in 2011 from an ecocritical perspective. The three works are critical dystopias and depict future scenarios in which the current social and ecological crisis has arrived to unsustainable extremes. These futures would be the result of continuing with the logic of constant economic growth in the context of a limited biosphere. Thus, this essay reveals, deploying degrowth theory, how these novels imply a criticism to the unsustainable global capitalism and an invitation to the reader to question its legitimacy. Resumen El presente ensayo analiza desde una perspectiva ecocritica tres novelas de anticipacion publicadas en Espana en el ano 2011. Las tres obras son distopias criticas y representan escenarios futuros en los que la crisis ecologica y social actual ha llegado a extremos insostenibles. Dichos futuros serian el resultado de continuar con la logica del crecimiento economico constante en el marco de una biosfera limitada. Asi, el ensayo pone de manifiesto, desde un marco teorico decrecentista, el modo en que las tres novelas suponen una critica a la insostenibilidad del capitalismo global e invitan al lector a cuestionar su legitimidad.
Multilectics and Its Methods

Multilectics is a research methodology that joins multiple perspectives, lenses, meanings and voices with dialectical thinking. In this article, I apply multilectics and its methods to my research in a middle school classroom that serves poor urban students of color. I use multiple methods of analysis and of representation to understand and convey what is taking place there. I suggest that if we apply multilectical approaches to education rather than the narrow and monophonic approach that is currently dominant, we will have greater possibilities of successfully serving our most underserved youth.
Investigation of zoonotically acquired Campylobacter jejuni enteritis with serotyping and restriction endonuclease DNA analysis.

Abstract Five strains of Campylobacter jejuni were isolated from asymptomatic coyotes being maintained in a vivarium. According to the results of serotyping with thermostable antigens and of bacterial chromosomal restriction endonuclease analysis, one of the C. jejuni strains isolated from the coyotes was responsible for enteritis in a laboratory animal technician providing husbandry for the laboratory-maintained coyotes.
Molecular dimensions of the SS and FF phenotypes of human placental alkaline phosphatase: Rotary shadowing and negative staining electron microscope measurements☆

Abstract The two most common homologous phenotypes (SS and FF) of human placental alkaline phosphatase were purified and observed in the electron microscope by rotary shadowing and negative staining techniques. In the rotary shadowing technique, the molecules of the two phenotypes appeared to be approximately elliptical with slit-like structures in the center of the molecules, suggestive of the groove between two subunits. The dimensions of the rotary-shadowed molecules were calculated as 10.1 nm × 5.7 nm for SS and 10.1 nm × 5.6 nm for FF phenotypes. The negative staining technique delivered more fine detail of the molecules than rotary shadowing. The predominant shape of the molecules in this method appeared to be rectangular, with a longitudinal stain-filled groove and with each of the half molecules (presumably 65,000 Mr subunit) very often appearing bi-lobed. This accounts for the molecules which appear to have four pronounced electron-transparent regions. The dimensions of the negatively stained rectangular-shaped molecules were measured as 7.5 nm × 5.5 nm for SS and 7.0 nm × 5.4 nm for FF phenotypes. No significant difference in electron microscopic appearance between the SS and FF phenotypes were observed.
Temperature-sensitive mutation in Paramecium aurelia: I. Induction and inheritance

A new class of mutation was induced by X-radiation in Paramecium aurelia. These mutant segregants were called temperature-sensitive mutants (ts mutants) since they can grow normally at 27° but are inviable at 36°. The maximum yield of ts mutant segregants after 2 kR of X-radiation was about 14% of the segregants viable at 27°. Crosses between persistent ts mutant segregants and wild-type stocks showed that the ts character is inheritable and recessive. Crosses between different ts mutant stocks revealed that these ts loci are widely spread over the genome of Paramecium. Certain subsidiary problems arising in the course of the work and the genetic applications of the ts mutations to genetic analysis of paramecia were discussed.
Discrimination between Viable and Dead Encephalitozoon cuniculi (Microsporidian) Spores by Dual Staining with Sytox Green and Calcofluor White M2R

Microsporidia are obligate intracellular parasites, recognized as causing chronic diarrhea and systemic disease in AIDS patients, organ transplant recipients, travelers, and malnourished children. Species of microsporidia that infect humans have been detected in drinking-water sources, and methods are needed to ascertain if these microsporidia are viable and capable of causing infections. In this study, Calcofluor White M2R and Sytox Green stains were used in combination to differentiate between live (freshly harvested) and dead (boiled) Encephalitozoon cuniculi spores. Calcofluor White M2R binds to chitin in the microsporidian spore wall. Dual-stained live spores appeared as turquoise-blue ovals, while dead spores appeared as white-yellow ovals at an excitation wavelength of 395 to 415 nm used for viewing the Calcofluor stain. Sytox Green, a nuclear stain, is excluded by live spores but penetrates compromised spore membranes. Dual-stained dead spores fluoresced bright yellow-green when viewed at an excitation wavelength of 470 to 490 nm, whereas live spores failed to stain with Sytox Green. After live and dead spores were mixed at various ratios, the number of viably stained spores detected in the dual-staining procedure correlated (P = 0.0025) with the expected numbers of viable spores. Spore mixtures were also assayed for infectivity in a focus-forming assay, and a correlation (P = 0.0002) was measured between the percentage of focus-forming microsporidia and the percentage of expected infectious spores in each mixture. By analysis of variance, no statistically significant differences were measured between the percentage of viably stained microsporidia and the percentage of infectious microsporidia (P = 0.964) in each mixture. These results suggest that Calcofluor White M2R and Sytox Green stains, when used together, may facilitate studies to identify viable microsporidia.
Differential excretion of modified nucleosides in adult acute leukemia

Excretion of modified nucleosides in urine was measured in 23 adults with acute leukemia to determine correlation of nucleoside excretion with disease activity. In addition, differences in excretion between patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were established. Six modified nucleosides were resolved and quantitated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Patients with ALL at initial diagnosis or in relapse had significantly higher concentrations of 1-methylinosine and N2,N2-dimethylguanosine in their urine compared to patients in remission (p less than 0.01, p less than 0.05, respectively). One patient with ALL was followed with serial nucleoside determinations over a period of 18 mo; nucleoside excretion correlated closely with disease activity. Nucleoside excretion in patients with AML did not change significantly with disease activity. Considering only those patients at initial diagnosis or in relapse, excretion of 1-methylinosine and N2,N2-dimethylguanosine was significantly higher in ALL than in AML (p less than 0.01, p less than 0.05, respectively). Thus, urinary excretion of 1-methylinosine and N2,N2-dimethylguanosine by adults with acute leukemia may prove to be valuable clinically in following disease activity in patients with ALL and in distinguishing patients with ALL from those with AML.
JNK2 has distinct roles in CD1d-dependent and CD1d-independent activation of NKT cells (APP3P.112)

CD1d-mediated activation of NKT cells plays critical roles in auto-immune, anti-tumor and anti-microbial immune responses. Our previous work has shown that activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway impairs, whereas the ERK MAPK pathway enhances, CD1d-mediated Ag presentation to NKT cells. In the current study, we found that, like p38, the JNK MAPK pathway is a negative regulator of CD1d-mediated Ag presentation. Moreover, activation of the JNK2 (but not JNK1) isoform was responsible for the reduction in CD1d-mediated Ag presentation observed. Unexpectedly, a deficiency in JNK2 (but not JNK1) in mice resulted in fewer NKT cells. We have previously shown that viral infections result in a CD1d-independent loss of NKT cells. When JNK2-deficient (KO) mice were infected with vaccinia virus, the virus-induced loss of NKT cells was substantially lower than that observed in JNK1 KO or WT mice. Furthermore, NKT cells from JNK2 KO mice expressed a slightly lower level of IL-12 receptor (IL-12R) expression on the surface. In vivo administration of IL-12 (which can induce apoptosis of WT NKT cells) to JNK2 KO mice resulted in less NKT cell loss than that observed in IL-12-treated WT littermates. Overall, our work strongly suggests that JNK2 (but not JNK1) plays an important role as a negative regulator of CD1d-mediated Ag presentation and also contributes to the virus-induced loss of NKT cells.
The Proletarianization of the Academy

This article argues that just as manufacturing underwent a process of 'proletarianization' so too has the academic world also undergone a process of 'proletarianization.' In the academic industry wages have been cut, workers have been laid off, work loads have been increased, and class size have increased dramatically over the past three decades. Thus, the academic industry does not function outside the captalist economy but rather is subject to the same dynamics that drive down wages and increase unemployment in the manufacturing sector. A major difference, however, is that while craft workers were replaced in manufacturing by relatively un-skilled wage workers, in the academic industry workers are expected tomaintain high levels of training and skills even as their wages have declined and their work load has increased.
Acid peptidase activity released from in vitro produced porcine embryos: a candidate marker to predict developmental competence.

The ability to efficiently create high quality embryos, competent to produce normal viable offspring in vitro, facilitates diverse technological advancements in animal agriculture and assisted reproduction. Current methods for evaluation of embryos are predominantly based on morphological characteristics which are prone to potential bias of the scorer. Metabolic and genetic markers have also been explored for quality assessment, but they are cost prohibitive or require longer periods of time for evaluation. We hypothesized that secreted enzymes could provide another means of embryo quality assessment. In this report, we provide evidence that medium conditioned by porcine embryos often has proteolytic activity that operates in acidic conditions (acid peptidase activity or APA). The APA could be inhibited by pepstatin A, suggesting that the activity is derived from one or more aspartic peptidases. We also provide evidence that single embryos, incubated for as few as 24 hr, released enough APA that it was possible to measure it accurately at day 5 of culture. We also observed that such activity on day 6 could be positively correlated with advanced developmental stage and embryo quality. In addition, those embryos that were graded identically by morphological evaluations often differed in the amount of APA—with some being significantly higher than the experimental threshold value. Therefore, the APA of embryos might serve as an additional marker for evaluation of embryos. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 76: 417–428, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An Interview with Sara Shatford Layne

ABSTRACT Sara Shatford Layne discusses her career in cataloging and her work in several areas of cataloging theory. Topics covered include the intellectual attractions of cataloging, seriality and the serial “work,” development of revised Chapter 12 of AACR, subject access to visual images, OPAC design, and cataloging education.
Heritable Retinoblastoma and Pinealoma

• A fourth case of bilateral retinoblastoma (RB) associated with pinealoma was identified among 56 patients with heritable RB. Using life-table analysis, the association was 5.6% 2 years after RB diagnosis. Retinoblastoma-pinealoma (RB-P) was uniformly fatal in this series and in 40 additional patients described in the literature. Ninety-five percent of patients with RB-P had bilateral RB, a positive family history of RB, or both. All patients with pinealoma presented with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure due to obstructive hydrocephalus. The advanced stage of the tumors at diagnosis may contribute to their uniform lethality. The incidence of a positive family history of RB in patients with pinealoma was higher than expected (62% of patients), which may be related to earlier surveillance and treatment of patients with positive family histories of RB.
Organizational Structures for Brokerage of Paratransit Services

The benefits of interagency coordination of public and human service transportation have been recognized and promoted by federal, state, and local governments. This paper contributes to successful interagency coordination of paratransit services by developing a conceptual model of alternative organizational structures for implementing a paratransit brokerage, then applying the model to three Illinois paratransit implementations: Peoria, South Central Transit, and Macomb. The selection of the sites and the development of model brokerages were based on extensive case analyses of paratransit brokers and interviews with transportation service providers within Illinois. The design of the appropriate brokerage organization for each site is based on the management literature, in which an organizational structure is developed from individual functions and the strategy to be implemented. These functions then serve as the building blocks of the organization.
Study of pre-storm environment by using rawinsonde and satellite observations

Rawinsonde and satellite remote sensing data were utilized to examine the prestorm environment and mechanisms for the initiation of four groups of severe storms. The storms in Altus, Oklahoma, Pampas, Texas, Bennett, Colorado, and Red River Valley, Oklahoma are described. The geographical distributions of the areas of high moisture concentration and variations of tropopause heights for the storm groups are analyzed. It is detected that in the area of a low-level high concentration of moisture, the local tropopause height is lowest at the time of the storm cloud formation and development, and the potential energy storage per unit areas for the overshootiong clouds penetrating above the tropopause is related to the intensity of the storms produced. Numerical cloud modeling was performed for the storms. The model data are compared with the satellite and rawinsonde observations, and it is noted that the data correlate well.
Necroptosis in health and diseases

Necroptosis is a form of regulated necrosis that can be activated by ligands of death receptors and stimuli that induce the expression of death receptor ligands under apoptotic deficient conditions. Activation of necroptosis by ligands of death receptors requires the kinase activity of RIP1, which mediates the activation of RIP3 and MLKL, two critical downstream mediators of necroptosis. Blocking the kinase activity of RIP1, a key druggable target in the necroptosis pathway, by necrostatins inhibits the activation of necroptosis and allows cell survival and proliferation in the presence of death receptor ligands. The activation of necroptosis is modulated by different forms of ubiquitination, including K63, linear and K48 ubiquitination, as well as phosphorylation of RIP1, RIP3 and MLKL. Necroptosis is suppressed by caspase-8/FADD-mediated apoptosis. Deficiency in caspase-8 and FADD leads to embryonic lethality, tissue degeneration and inflammation which can be suppressed by inhibition of RIP1 kinase and RIP3. On the other hand, the lack of RIP3 kinase activity leads to early embryonic lethality which can be suppressed by the loss of caspase-8, suggesting that although the kinase activity of RIP3 is involved in mediating necroptosis, the basal activity of RIP3 kinase may be required for suppressing caspase-8 mediated apoptosis. Necroptosis as well as RIP1- and RIP3-mediated inflammatory response have been implicated in mediating multiple human diseases including TNF-mediated hypothermia and systemic inflammation, ischemic reperfusion injury, neurodegeneration, Gaucher's disease, progressive atherosclerotic lesions, etc. Targeting RIP1 kinase may provide therapeutic benefits for the treatment of human diseases characterized by necrosis and inflammation.
The force-producing mechanism for centrosome separation during spindle formation in vertebrates is intrinsic to each aster.

A popular hypothesis for centrosome separation during spindle formation and anaphase is that pushing forces are generated between interacting microtubules (MTs) of opposite polarity, derived from opposing centrosomes. However, this mechanism is not consistent with the observation that centrosomes in vertebrate cells continue to separate during prometaphase when their MT arrays no longer overlap (i.e., during anaphase-like prometaphase). To evaluate whether centrosome separation during prophase/prometaphase, anaphase-like prometaphase and anaphase is mediated by a common mechanism we compared their behavior in vivo at a high spatial and temporal resolution. We found that the two centrosomes possess a considerable degree of independence throughout all stages of separation, i.e., the direction and migration rate of one centrosome does not impart a predictable behavior to the other, and both exhibit frequent and rapid (4-6 microns/min) displacements toward random points within the cell including the other centrosome. The kinetic behavior of individual centrosomes as they separate to form the spindle is the same whether or not their MT arrays overlap. The characteristics examined include, e.g., total displacement per minute, the vectorial rate of motion toward and away from the other centrosome, the frequency of toward and away motion as well as motion not contributing to separation, and the rate contributed by each centrosome to the separation process. By contrast, when compared with prometaphase, anaphase centrosomes separated at significantly faster rates even though the average vectorial rate of motion away from the other centrosome was the same as in prophase/prometaphase. The difference in separation rates arises because anaphase centrosomes spend less time moving toward one another than in prophase/prometaphase, and at a significantly slower rate. From our data we conclude that the force for centrosome separation during vertebrate spindle formation is not produced by MT-MT interactions between opposing asters, i.e., that the mechanism is intrinsic to each aster. Our results also strongly support the contention that forces generated independently by each aster also contribute substantially to centrosome separation during anaphase, but that the process is modified by interactions between opposing astral MTs in the interzone.
Inflation and Productivity

Inflation and productivity are the most persistent economic problems confronting the U.S. economy. Both represent a serious threat to the position of the United States in the world economy and in world polity. Both are serious obstacles to achievement of a degree of equity in the quality of life which has come to be taken as a major goal of domestic economic policy. The central thesis of this paper is the dialectical interaction between inflation and productivity. Inflation dampens productivity growth and slower productivity growth contributes to inflation.
Connection between a Cauchy system representation of Kalaba and Fourier transforms

Recently R.E. Kalaba reduced the solution of a system of integral equations to the solution of a Cauchy system. In this paper we derive the same Cauchy system via the Wiener-Hopt procedure.
VLA observations of Jupiter’s synchrotron radiation at 15 and 22 GHz

Abstract We observed Jupiter’s synchrotron radiation at frequencies of 15 and 22 GHz using the VLA (Very Large Array) in its most compact configuration (D-array) in March 1991. The spatial brightness distribution of the emission at these high frequencies appears to be very similar to that seen at lower frequencies (5 GHz down to 330 MHz). We measured a total nonthermal flux density at 15 and 22 GHz of 1.5 ± 0.15 Jy and 1.5 ± 0.4 Jy, respectively (both normalized to a geocentric distance of 4.04 AU). These numbers agree well with model spectra of Jupiter’s synchrotron radiation that were obtained by fitting the planet’s nonthermal radio emission between 74 MHz and 8 GHz and suggest a maximum cutoff in electron energies at ∼100 MeV. The degree of linear polarization observed with the VLA is 21.5 ± 1.9% at 15 GHz.
Gas Hydrates and Global Climate Change

: The gas hydrate phenomenon intersects with societal concerns about global climate change in at least two distinct ways: the possibility of destruction of gas hydrates exposed on or near the sea floor by global warming; and the possibility of avoiding this and other problems by taking advantage of CO2 hydrate formation during active disposal of fossil fuel CO2 in the deep ocean. This extraordinary picture of contemporary discussion of the possible destruction by mankind of one hydrate, and the creation of another, both in vast quantities in the ocean, is a tribute to the unusual nature and power of this chemical cage.
Cutting the Cost of Hosting Online Services Using Cloud Spot Markets

The use of cloud servers to host modern Internet-based services is becoming increasingly common. Today's cloud platforms offer a choice of server types, including non-revocable on-demand servers and cheaper but revocable spot servers. A service provider requiring servers can bid in the spot market where the price of a spot server changes dynamically according to the current supply and demand for cloud resources. Spot servers are usually cheap, but can be revoked by the cloud provider when the cloud resources are scarce. While it is well-known that spot servers can reduce the cost of performing time-flexible interruption-tolerant tasks, we explore the novel possibility of using spot servers for reducing the cost of hosting an Internet-based service such as an e-commerce site that must {\em always} be on and the penalty for service unavailability is high. By using the spot markets, we show that it is feasible to host an always-on Internet-based service at one-third to one-fifth the cost of hosting the same service in the traditional fashion using dedicated non-revocable servers. To achieve these savings, we devise a cloud scheduler that reduces the cost by intelligently bidding for spot servers. Further, the scheduler uses novel VM migration mechanisms to quickly migrate the service between spot servers and on-demand servers to avoid potential service disruptions due to spot server revocations by the cloud provider. Our work provides the first feasibility study of using cloud spot markets to significantly reduce the cost of hosting always-on Internet-based services without sacrificing service availability.
Approximate algebraic solution for a biofilm model with the monod kinetic expression

Abstract A steady-state biofilm model, which describes attached-biofilm reactors, is often derived by simultaneously considering microbial kinetics and diffusion through a biofilm. When Monod kinetics is used to describe the microbial kinetics in the biofilm, the resulting equation becomes analytically insolvable. In this paper, an approximate solution, having an explicit algebraic form, was developed using the orthogonal collocation method to relate the steady-state substrate flux into the biofilm to the bulk substrate concentration, and to predict the effluent substrate concentration from a continuous stirred-tank reactor. The accuracy of the approximate solution was evaluated by comparing the solution to an accurate numerical solution. The comparison indicated that the approximate solution is very accurate for the case in which the substrate fully penetrates the biofilm (i.e. a shallow biofilm), and is inaccurate for the case in which the substrate partially penetrates the biofilm (i.e. a deep biofilm). The accuracy was found to depend on biofilm thickness and substrate concentration in the bulk liquid. In addition, the region in which the approximate solution is accurate was graphically developed along with the regions of three limiting cases (i.e. zero-order, first-order and deep biofilm). These regions graphically illustrate where the approximate solution and each limiting case are valid in a two-dimensional space of substrate concentration and biofilm thickness.
DDT: disrupted osmoregulatory events in the intestine of the eel Anguilla rostrata adapted to seawater.

The drinking of seawater and absorption of water along with sodium across the intestinal epithelium are well-known osmoregulatory events in marine teleosts. The insecticide DDT impairs fluid absorption in intestinal sacs from eels adapted to seawater. Furthermore, this functional impairment has an enzymatic basis; DDT also inhibits the (Na + and K + ) activated, Mg 2+ -dependent adenosine triphosphatase in homogenates of the intestinal mucosa. Thus, the extreme sensitivity of teleosts to organochlorine pollutants may involve the disruption of osmoregulatory transport mechanisms.
Measurement of Distributed Targets with the Random Signal Radar

A model of a distributed target as a collection of independent, Poisson distributed point scatterers or scattering centers in a range-velocity target space is introduced and is characterized by a deterministic function called the ?scatterer density function.? This function is the density of the point scatterers in the range-velocity space and can be estimated in a relatively straightforward manner by any radar having adequate resolution in both range and velocity and no ambiguities in the region occupied by the distributed target. The use of the random signal radar with a correlator receiver is considered here and the statistical properties of the correlator output, when the return signal is from a distributed target, are derived. It is shown that the spectral density is simply related to the scatterer density function. The technique is illustrated by an example in which the target is a tornado modeled as a cylinder with constant angular velocity. The example suggests that is a possible to remotely estimate the radar cross section per unit volume as a function of distance from the center of the tornado.
Price Stability: How Canada's Governor Crow Approached It

Abstract From 1976 to 1986, Canada's price level had more than doubled. Over the next 10 years, from 1986 to 1996, it rose only by a little over one-third. The appointment of Governor Crow to lead the Bank of Canada in 1987 and more principled devotion to the goal of price stability in a number of other advanced industrial countries contributed to the dramatic change in outcomes. This article seeks to discern and appreciate the structures of the model implicit in the Governor's successful approach to achieving a lasting reduction of the rate of inflation to near zero.
Flexible Polyurethane Foams: A Comparative Measurement of Toxic Vapors and Other Toxic Emissions in Controlled Combustion Environments of Foams With and Without Fire Retardants

A series of experiments were performed to measure the toxic vapor emissions of fires involving flexible polyurethane foams (FPUF) with and without flame retardants (FR). FPUF were covered with FR and non-FR fabrics to simulate cushion conditions. Testing was performed to both maximize detection of gases in small scale testing and measurement of exposure concentrations in realistic fire conditions in a room sized enclosures. A standard smoke box with load cell, open flame ignition source and Fourier transform infra-red spectrometer (FTIR) fit with a 2 m gas cell was used to monitor gas emission real time during testing with filter samples analyzed for acid gases and chloro-dioxins and furans. An NFPA 286 room was used to measure realistic smoke emissions from three seat furniture mock-ups with non-combustible frames. Oxygen consumption calorimetry, smoke opacity and smoke toxicity were measured during these tests. FTIR and grab sampling were performed during the room fires. Grab sampling using evacuated metal canisters were used to collect combustion gasses at various stages of the fire followed by analysis using EPA method TO-15 indoor air pollutants. In addition chloro-dioxins and furans were measured using a particulate filter collection system. The results of the study indicated that both FR and non-FR FPUF gave very similar results for smoke toxicity and both were less than what would be produced by an equivalent mass of wood. Use of fire barrier materials increased the toxicity of smoke produced from non-FR FPUF due to the creation of oxygen limited conditions. Use of fire barrier materials with FR FPUF would not sustain ignition and ended up producing less toxic smoke for up to 19 kW ignition source.
Computational electronics of wide-bandgap semiconductors

In this paper some relevant aspects of the computational electronics of wide band gap semiconductors are discussed. The most important modelling differences and challenges that make wide band gap semiconductors more complex to study than conventional cubic materials are considered. The model used to compute the bulk transport properties of wurtzite phase GaN is presented as an example. In particular, the negative differential mobility effect and the velocity overshoot are discussed. It is found that the negative differential mobility results from a two-step process. The non-parabolicity of the Γ valley is responsible for the onset of the negative differential mobility phenomena and the transfer to higher energy region of the Brillouin zone makes a contributions only after the process has already initiated.
Oxygen-linked acidity in dye-conjugates of hemoglobin and hemocyanin.

Abstract The acidity of groups on dyes conjugated to hemoglobin is increased on oxygenation of this protein. In contrast, no change in p K a is observed for corresponding conjugates of hemocyanin. The differences between the two proteins is attributed to the difference in size of unit of the macromolecule holding one oxygen-binding site. The observations with hemoglobin demonstrate that oxygenation produces changes in the protein at substantial distances from the heme group.
Communication patterns during synchronous Web-based military training in problem solving

Abstract The nature of communication among geographically dispersed groups of learners using text messaging in a military training environment was assessed. A total of 6601 acts of chat were coded into one of three interaction content categories (social, task, or technology-related) and analyzed for frequency and relative change over time. Results indicated shifting patterns of interaction over the 6-month course; while technology concerns gradually diminished, on task discussion peaked in the middle months and social interactions were higher at the start and end of the training. Overall, student chats were categorized as on-task 55%, social 30%, or technology-related 15%. Examples of chats and focus group data indicated that there was an emphasis on fostering student problem solving within the online course.