cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
US African Relations- Tunisia as a model

حدث تحول مهم في علاقات الولايات المتحدة الامريكية بدول القارة، ولاسيما بعد احداث 11 ايلول 2001، اذ اخذت امريكا ترسم استراتيجية جديدة من اجل مكافحة الارهاب للحيلولة دون انتشاره في القارة الافريقية، وذلك بإقامة قواعد عسكرية لها ومنها القيادة العسكرية افريكوم. فضلا عن نشر مبادئها المتمثلة في نشر الديمقراطية وتعزيز حقوق الانسان الى غيرها من المبادئ التي تحاول من خلالها سيادة قيم وتقاليد الثقافة الامريكية، وبالنتيجة خلق قيادات سياسية افريقية تحمل افكار، ومبادئ، ومعتقدات موالية للغرب عموما، والولايات المتحدة الامريكية خصوصا. وكانت دول شمال افريقيا وتحديدا تونس من الدول التي اقامة معها الولايات المتحدة الامريكية علاقات وثيقة، وان اتسمت تلك العلاقات بالتوتر تارة وبالتقارب تارة اخرى وتحديد في زمن الرئيس التونسي السابق زين العابدين بن علي ،الا ان تلك العلاقات شهدت تطورا ملحوظا بعد عملية التغيير التي حدثت في تونس عام 2011 وقد تجسد ذلك من خلال "انخراط الجانبين في مقاربة جديدة للتعاون والتشاور بهدف إرساء شراكة استراتيجية تؤسس لمرحلة مختلفة للعلاقات التونسية الأمريكية.
Affective Affordances: Exploring Facebook Reactions as Emotional Responses to Hyperpartisan Political News

This research examines the key characteristics of hyperpartisan news pages on Facebook and how audiences interact with politically polarized content through the visual-emotional shorthand of Facebo...
Infection and vaccine-induced neutralizing antibody responses to the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.1 variant

SARS-CoV-2 has caused a devastating global pandemic. The recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that are less sensitive to neutralization by convalescent sera or vaccine-induced neutralizing antibody responses has raised concerns. A second wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections in India is leading to the expansion of SARS-CoV-2 variants. The B.1.617.1 variant has rapidly spread throughout India and to several countries throughout the world. In this study, using a live virus assay, we describe the neutralizing antibody response to the B.1.617.1 variant in serum from infected and vaccinated individuals. We found that the B.1.617.1 variant is 6.8-fold more resistant to neutralization by sera from COVID-19 convalescent and Moderna and Pfizer vaccinated individuals. Despite this, a majority of the sera from convalescent individuals and all sera from vaccinated individuals were still able to neutralize the B.1.617.1 variant. This suggests that protective immunity by the mRNA vaccines tested here are likely retained against the B.1.617.1 variant. As the B.1.617.1 variant continues to evolve, it will be important to monitor how additional mutations within the spike impact antibody resistance, viral transmission and vaccine efficacy.
SILL-CONTROLLED FLOW TRANSITIONS AND EXTENT OF EROSION

THE DISTANCE IS DETERMINED OVER WHICH SCOUR WILL DEVELOP DOWNSTREAM OF A SILL-CONTROLLED FLOW TRANSITION IN AN ERODIBLE OPEN CHANNEL, IN WHICH THE SEDIMENT MOTION IS IMPENDING. THIS DETERMINATION IS BASED ON THE CONCEPT OF DYNAMIC SIMILARITY THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO RELATE THE EROSION LENGTH IN AN ERODIBLE CHANNEL TO THE TOTAL LENGTH OF FLOW TRANSITION IN A FIXED-BED CHANNEL. ACCORDINGLY, PREDICTION OF THE LIMITING EXTENT OF EROSION BECOMES POSSIBLE FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF SILL-CONTROLLED FLOW TRANSITIONS, INCLUDING THE CASES PRESENT IN THE HYDRAULIC JUMP STILLING BASINS, AND THE NATURAL HYDRAULIC JUMP. /ASCE/
The C12 Mutant of MHV-A59 is Very Weakly Demyelinating and has Five Amino Acid Substitutions Restricted to the Spike and Replicase Genes

C12, an attenuated, fusion defective, very weakly hepatotropic mutant of MHV-A59 has been further characterized. Analysis of C12 in vivo in C57BL/6 mice has shown that despite the fact that this virus replicates in the brain to titers at least as high as wild type and causes acute encephalitis similar to wild type, this virus causes minimal demyelination. Thus acute encephalitis is not sufficient for induction of demyelination by wild type MHV-A59. We have previously shown that C12 has two amino acid substitutions relative to wild type virus in the spike gene, Q159L (in the receptor binding domain of S1) and H716D (in the signal sequence for cleavage of S). We have now sequenced the rest of the 31 kb genome of C12 and compared it to wild type virus. Only three additional amino acids substitutions were found, all within the replicase gene, one in the predicted papain like proteinase (PLP)-2 domain and one in the predicted helicase domain. Thus, determinants of virulence, hepatotropism, and demyelination may map to the replicase gene as well as to the spike gene.
Learning to select a model in a changing world

This paper presents initial results of an investigation of the feasibility of using hierarchical reinforcement learning methods in a restructurable control scenario. In restructurable control the plant's behavior at different times needs to be described by different sets of variables and relationships. Two main problems addressed in this research are: (1) the ability to learn two policy functions (model selection and action selection), and (2) the space complexity for representing such policies in the case of continuous physical systems.
Liver Acetyl Coenzyme A Carboxylase: I. ISOLATION AND CATALYTIC PROPERTIES

Abstract Acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase has been isolated from chicken liver and purified more than 1000-fold in good yield. It is an unusually stable protein exhibiting negligible loss of enzymatic activity during 1 week of storage (1 to 5 mg of protein per ml) at room temperature in potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7. The pure enzyme catalyzes the carboxylation of 8.8 µmoles of acetyl-CoA (or 7.0 µmoles of propionyl-CoA) per min per mg of refractometrically determined protein at its pH optimum of 7.5 at 37°. The carboxylase-catalyzed carboxylation of acetyl-CoA is activated 15- to 16-fold by dl-isocitrate or citrate and 5-fold by malonate; tricarballylate is essentially inactive. Arrhenius plots for acetyl-CoA carboxylation in the presence or absence of isocitrate are biphasic, having a transition point at about 21°. Below this temperature, where there is very little activator effect, the temperature coefficient (Q10) in the presence of isocitrate is 8.0. Above the transition point, where isocitrate activation is evident, the temperature coefficient (Q10) in the presence of activator is 2.0 and in its absence is a negative value. At pH 7.5 and 37°, the carboxylase catalyzes the over-all reverse reaction (decarboxylation), ATP-32Pi exchange, malonyl-CoA-14C-acetyl-CoA exchange, and ADP-, Pi-, and Mg2+-independent malonyl-CoA decarboxylation reactions at 14%, 6.2%, 33%, and 1.2%, respectively, of the rate of the over-all forward (carboxylation) reaction. All of the above mentioned reactions exhibit essentially the same tri- and dicarboxylic acid activation patterns. Evidence is presented which indicates that isocitrate activation of the carboxylase is associated with an increased maximum velocity.
Monitoring Contract Enforcement within Virtual Organizations

Virtual Organizations (VOs) represent a new collaboration paradigm in which the participating entities pool resources, services, and information to achieve a common goal. VOs are often created on demand and dynamically evolve over time. An organization identifies a business opportunity and creates a VO to meet it. In this paper we develop a system for monitoring the sharing of resources in VO. Sharing rules are defined by a particular, common type of contract in which virtual organization members agree to make available some amount of specified resource over a given time period. The main component of the system is a monitoring tool for policy enforcement, called Security Controller (SC). VO members’ interactions are monitored in a decentralized manner in that each member has one associated SC which intercepts all the exchanged messages. We show that having SCs in VOs prevents from serious security breaches and guarantees VOs correct functioning without degrading the execution time of members’ interactions. We base our discussion on application scenarios and illustrate the SC prototype, along with some performance evaluation.
English Grammar and Style

• We continue Michael Schneir's fascinating series on distractions in medical and scientific writing, this time concentrating on non-pronoun-induced backtracking with adverbs, verbs, and nouns. Thi...
Experimental plant ecology as an approach in coastal population biology

The relations between a large number of scientific subdisciplines within the population biology of plants are presented.
Plato’s Charmides: Positive Elenchus in a 'Socratic' Dialogue

Part I. Approaching the Dialogue: 1. Methodological preliminaries 2. Historical and cultural context Part II. Approaching the Argument: 3. The opening scene 4. Dialectic in the Charmides Part III. The Dialectical Investigation: 5. Sophrosyne and its value 6. Sophrosyne as self-knowledge: two reformulations 7. Possibility of self-knowledge: Critian formulation 8. Possibility of self-knowledge: Socratic formulation 9. Return of the value question 10. Socrates' final speech and closing scene 11. Sophrosyne, knowledge, and the good.
Survival of mountain quail translocated from two distinct source populations

Translocation of mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus) to restore viable populations to their former range has become a common practice. Because differences in post-release vital rates between animals from multiple source populations has not been well studied, wildlife and land managers may arbitrarily choose the source population or base the source population on immediate availability when planning translocation projects. Similarly, an understanding of the optimal proportion of individuals from different age and sex classes for translocation would benefit translocation planning. During 2006 and 2007, we captured and translocated 125 mountain quail from 2 ecologically distinct areas: 38 from southern California and 87 from southwestern Oregon. We released mountain quail in the Bennett Hills of south-central Idaho. We radio-marked and monitored a subsample of 58 quail and used them for a 2-part survival analysis. Cumulative survival probability was 0.23 ± 0.05 (SE) at 150 days post-release. We first examined an a priori hypothesis (model) that survival varied between the 2 distinct source populations. We found that source population did not explain variation in survival. This result suggests that wildlife managers have flexibility in selecting source populations for mountain quail translocation efforts. In a post hoc examination, we pooled the quail across source populations and evaluated differences in survival probabilities between sex and age classes. The most parsimonious model indicated that adult male survival was substantially less than survival rates of other mountain quail age and sex classes (i.e., interaction between sex and age). This result suggests that translocation success could benefit by translocating yearling males rather than adult males, perhaps because adult male breeding behavior results in vulnerability to predators. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Innate PLZF+ CD4+ αβ T cells develop and expand in the absence of Itk

T cell development in the thymus produces multiple lineages of cells, including innate T cells. Studies in mice harboring alterations in TCR signaling proteins or transcriptional regulators have revealed an expanded population of CD4(+) innate T cells in the thymus that produce IL-4 and express the transcription factor promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF). In these mice, IL-4 produced by the CD4(+)PLZF(+) T cell population leads to the conversion of conventional CD8(+) thymocytes into innate CD8(+) T cells resembling memory T cells expressing eomesodermin. The expression of PLZF, the signature invariant NKT cell transcription factor, in these innate CD4(+) T cells suggests that they might be a subset of αβ or γδ TCR(+) NKT cells or mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells. To address these possibilities, we characterized the CD4(+)PLZF(+) innate T cells in itk(-/-) mice. We show that itk(-/-) innate PLZF(+)CD4(+) T cells are not CD1d-dependent NKT cells, MR1-dependent MAIT cells, or γδ T cells. Furthermore, although the itk(-/-) innate PLZF(+)CD4(+) T cells express αβ TCRs, neither β2-microglobulin-dependent MHC class I nor any MHC class II molecules are required for their development. In contrast to invariant NKT cells and MAIT cells, this population has a highly diverse TCRα-chain repertoire. Analysis of peripheral tissues indicates that itk(-/-) innate PLZF(+)CD4(+) T cells preferentially home to spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes owing to increased expression of gut-homing receptors, and that their expansion is regulated by commensal gut flora. These data support the conclusion that itk(-/-) innate PLZF(+)CD4(+) T cells are a novel subset of innate T cells.
Opponent Modeling for Virtual Human Negotiators

Negotiation is a challenging domain for virtual human research. One aspect of this problem, known as opponent modeling, is discovering what the other party wants from the negotiation. Research in automated negotiation has yielded a number opponent modeling techniques but we show that these methods do not easily transfer to human-agent settings. We propose a more effective heuristic for inferring preferences both from a negotiator’s pattern of offers and verbal statements about their preferences. This method has the added advantage that it can detect negotiators that lie about their preferences. We discuss several ways the method can enhance the capabilities of a virtual human negotiator.
X-autosome incompatibilities in Drosophila melanogaster: tests of Haldane’s rule and geographic patterns within species

Substantial genetic variation exists in natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster. This segregating variation includes alleles at different loci that interact to cause lethality or sterility (synthetic incompatibilities). Fitness epistasis in natural populations has important implications for speciation and the rate of adaptive evolution. To assess the prevalence of epistatic fitness interactions, we placed naturally occurring X chromosomes into genetic backgrounds derived from different geographic locations. Considerable amounts of synthetic incompatibilities were observed between X chromosomes and autosomes: greater than 44% of all combinations were either lethal or sterile. Sex-specific lethality and sterility were also tested to determine whether Haldane's rule holds for within-species variation. Surprisingly, we observed an excess of female sterility in genotypes that were homozygous, but not heterozygous, for the X chromosome. The recessive nature of these incompatibilities is similar to that predicted for incompatibilities underlying Haldane's rule. Our study also found higher levels of sterility and lethality for genomes that contain chromosomes from different geographical regions. These findings are consistent with the view that genomes are coadapted gene complexes and that geography affects the likelihood of epistatic fitness interactions.
The peculiar catalytic sequence of the ammonia decomposition reaction and its steady-state kinetics

Abstract The mechanism and kinetics of NH 3 decomposition reaction mechanism has been a subject of interest for decades, although it is attracting renewed interest in connection with hydrogen generation for fuel cells. This system represents an example of a most peculiar nonlinear catalytic reaction sequence for which, even though the mechanistic steps are well-accepted and their DFT energetics widely studied, the microkinetics have not yet been fully investigated. In fact, there is no agreement even as to which step(s) are rate-limiting. Employing our Reaction Route (RR) Graph approach and the corresponding electrical analogy, we investigate in detail the steady-state microkinetics of the seven-step NH 3 decomposition reaction mechanism. Based on an Ohm's law representation of kinetics, we develop an accurate quasi steady-state (QSS) rate expression for the complete sequence, not possible with the usual QSS approach, which provides only numerical results for the nonlinear sequence. Further, it allows the rate-limiting step(s) to be identified in a rigorous manner, based simply on a comparison of the step resistances. Combining this with identification of the most abundant reactive intermediate (MARI), the mechanism and the rate expressions are pruned to provide a simplified rate law that is found to be in complete agreement with numerical QSS analysis as well as with our experimental data on Fe without any fitted parameters.
Matrix formalism for the analysis of acoustooptic beam steering

A two-order strong interaction matrix formalism is presented for analyzing acoustooptic beam-steering devices operated in the Bragg regime. Matrix solutions are compared with numerical solutions of the coupled differential equations, using ten orders. At the low frequency edge of the Bragg region (Qoverall ≃ 2π) the worst-case discrepancy is ∼1 dB (20%). The accuracy, however, improves rapidly with frequency and transducer length so that, in most cases of practical interest, the matrix method is an acceptable and simple analytic alternative to the numerical solution of the system of coupled differential equations.
EXPANDING SCHUMANN'S PIDGINIZATION HYPOTHESIS1

Schumann (1978b), in addressing criticism of his Pidginization Hypothesis for second language acquisition, elaborates further on the relationship between pidginization-creoluation-decreolization and second language acquisition and revises and improves on his model. I propose a further revision and expansion of Schumann's model that distinguishes socio-cultural aspects of the pidginization cycle from the acquisitional processes of pidgmization, creolization and decrolization and that relates a wider range of language acquisition phenomena to each other. This expanded version of Schumann's model puts creolization back into the model and also adds depidgnization and first language acquisition to it Pidginization/depidginization, creolization/decreolization and first and second language acquisition are herein considered related acquisitional phenomena which develop under different circumstances as specific instances of the more general co-occuring but opposing processes of nativization and denativization.
UPPER AND LOWER RAYLEIGH NUMBER BOUNDS FOR TWO-DIMENSIONAL NATURAL CONVECTION OVER A FINITE HORIZONTAL SURFACE SITUATED IN A FLUID-SATURATED POROUS MEDIUM

Geothermal energy extraction has motivated fundamental research in natural convection in fluid-saturated porous media. Natural convection above a heated horizontal upward facing surface in a porous medium is one of the many fundamental problems being studied in geothermal heat transfer. A numerical study is presented of natural convection from a heated upward facing finite horizontal surface in a fluid-saturated porous medium. The Rayleigh number range for which two-dimensional flows occur is numerically determined as 40 {le} Ra {le} 600. At higher Rayleigh numbers the flow is shown to become three-dimensional with multiple plume formation and growth. At lower Rayleigh numbers the transport is dominated by conduction, and there is greater uncertainty in the numerical determination of heat transfer rates by convection models. For the two-dimensional flows the correlation for the Nusselt number is obtained as Nu = 3.092Ra{sup 0.272}. The fundamental physical mechanisms of convection in a vast porous medium are presented and explained with the aid of the numerical results.
Design of Embedded System for Resistance Type Exercise Machine

The design details of integration of resistance type exercise machine with embedded computer technologies to obtain fine motion controls is reported. The developed exercise machine is capable to provide low velocity, low resistance and low range of motion in addition to higher levels. Ability to exercise at finest increment of velocity, resistance is incorporated. The user can interact with exercise machine in multiple ways using video or audio. The exercise machine can be auto-configured by transferring data to the machine via Bluetooth wireless technology. These features make exercise machine more usable and accessible for people of all ability levels.
Effect of Removal of a Clipped Kidney or Cessation of Renin Administration on Hypertension.

SummaryIn rats made hypertensive by clipping a renal artery or subcutaneous renin injections, removal of the clipped kidney or cessation of renin administration were followed by an abrupt fall in arterial pressure, which stabilized at a level higher than the control value. This was associated with healing of mesenteric arteritis, while hyaline lesions remained unaffected. The functional and pathologic changes caused by removal of the clip were prevented by administration of renin. These experiments provide additional evidence that renal and renin-induced hypertension may have the same pathogenesis.
Multi-day and multi-stay travel planning using geo-tagged photos

By utilizing large amount of crowd volunteered geo-tagged photos, existing research can successfully discover landmarks or attractive areas, mine travel patterns, find classical travel routes and recommend travel destinations or routes for inexperienced tourists. However, few of them focuses on a complicated real-life travel planning problem--planning multi-day and multi-stay (different places of accommodation) travel for tourist. By integrating new techniques in data mining and operational research, we develop a novel travel planning system to design multi-day and multi-stay travel plans based on geo-tagged photos. Specifically, a modified Iterated Local Search heuristic algorithm is developed to find an approximate optimal solution for the multi-day and multi-stay travel planning problem using points of interests (POIs) and recurrence weights between POIs in a travel graph model, which are discovered from photos. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, we retrieved geo-tagged photos in Australia from the photo sharing website Panoromia.com to design experimental multi-day and multi-stay travel plans for tourists. The travel patterns that are mined using flow-mapping technique at different geographical scales are used to evaluate the experimental results.
A handheld laser scanning confocal reflectance imaging–confocal Raman microspectroscopy system

Confocal reflectance microscopy and confocal Raman spectroscopy have shown potential for non-destructive analysis of samples at micron-scale resolutions. Current studies utilizing these techniques often employ large bench-top microscopes, and are not suited for use outside of laboratory settings. We have developed a microscope which combines laser scanning confocal reflectance imaging and confocal Raman spectroscopy into a compact handheld probe that is capable of high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy in a variety of settings. The compact size of the probe is largely due to the use of a MEMS mirror for beam scanning. The probe is capable of axial resolutions of up to 4 μm for the confocal imaging channel and 10 μm for the confocal Raman spectroscopy channel. Here, we report instrument design, characterize optical performance, and provide images and spectra from normal skin to demonstrate the instrument’s capabilities for clinical diagnostics.
Human APOBEC3B is a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 infectivity and is resistant to HIV-1 Vif.

While the human antiretroviral defense factors APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G are potent inhibitors of the replication of HIV-1 mutants lacking a functional vif gene, the Vif protein expressed by wild-type HIV-1 blocks the function of both host cell proteins. Here, we report that a third human protein, APOBEC3B, is able to suppress the infectivity of both Vif-deficient and wild-type HIV-1 with equal efficiency. APOBEC3B, which shows ∼58% sequence identity to both APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G, shares the ability of these other human proteins to bind the nucleocapsid domain of HIV-1 Gag specifically and to thereby package into progeny virion particles. However, APOBEC3B differs from APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G in that it is unable to bind to HIV-1 Vif in co-expressing cells and is therefore efficiently packaged into HIV-1 virions regardless of Vif expression. Unfortunately, APOBEC3B also differs from APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G in that it is not normally expressed in the lymphoid cells that serve as targets for HIV-1 infection. These studies therefore raise the possibility that activation of the endogenous APOBEC3B gene in primary human lymphoid cells could form a novel and effective strategy for inhibition of HIV-1 replication in vivo.
Experiments on the snapping of a shallow dome under a step pressure load.

Abstract : The dynamic step pressure loads required to produce snapping are determined experimentally for two shallow spherical shell models. The resulting critical step pressures are compared with static buckling pressures that were obtained from the results of a nondestructive buckling test. The comparison reveals that the critical step pressures were between 55 and 58% of the static buckling pressure for one model and between 63 and 64% of the static buckling pressure for the other model. The measured supercritical response of the shells was similar to the predictions of theory. (Author)
Measurements of charge change in atomic collisions at MeV energies

Abstract Studies of the capture and loss of electrons to and from a fast moving ion as it interacts with atoms or electrons can reveal aspects of atomic-collision phenomena which have important implications for controlled fusion research. Several examples and the fusion relevance of such charge-change measurements for negative and highly stripped positive ions at MeV energies are discussed.
Optical, physical and chemical properties of pineal gland calcifications

Calcifications of the pineal gland in the form of calcospherulites have been studied by optical microscopy, electron microscopy, electron probe analysis, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and infra-red and chemical analysis. Complex calcospherulite textures have been observed which have a granular substructure made up of apatite crystals averaging 218 A in length and 38 A in width. These apatite crystals appear to be a carbonate-containing hydroxyapatite, mineralogically similar to enamel.
Unipolar cell divisions in the yeast S. cerevisiae lead to filamentous growth: Regulation by starvation and RAS

Diploid S. cerevisiae strains undergo a dimorphic transition that involves changes in cell shape and the pattern of cell division and results in invasive filamentous growth in response to starvation for nitrogen. Cells become long and thin and form pseudohyphae that grow away from the colony and invade the agar medium. Pseudohyphal growth allows yeast cells to forage for nutrients. Pseudohyphal growth requires the polar budding pattern of a/alpha diploid cells; haploid axially budding cells of identical genotype cannot undergo this dimorphic transition. Constitutive activation of RAS2 or mutation of SHR3, a gene required for amino acid uptake, enhance the pseudohyphal phenotype; a dominant mutation in RSR1/BUD1 that causes random budding suppresses pseudohyphal growth.
Finite element modeling of the viscoelastic responses of the eye during microvolumetric changes

A linear viscoelastic finite element model was built to investigate factors that influenced the intraocular pressure (IOP) elevations due to micro-volumetric changes in the eye at three different rates. The viscoelastic properties of the cornea and the sclera, including the instantaneous modulus, equilibrium modulus, and relaxation time constants, parametrically varied to examine their effects on IOP elevations at different rates of volumetric changes. The simulated responses were in good agreement with the previously reported experimental results obtained from porcine globes, showing the general trend of higher IOP elevations at faster rates. The simulations showed that all viscoelastic properties influenced the profile of the dynamic IOP due to volumetric changes, and the relative significance of a specific parameter was highly dependent on the rate of change.
Effect of insurance on mortality in an HIV-positive population in care

As policymakers consider expanding insurance coverage for individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), it is useful to ask if insurance has any affect on health outcomes and, if so, whether its magnitude has changed with recent efficacious but expensive treatments. By using data from a nationally representative cohort of HIV-infected (HIV+) persons receiving regular medical care, we estimate the impact of insurance on mortality in this population. A naive single-equation model confirms the perverse result found by others in the literature–that insurance increases the probability of death for HIV+ patients. We attribute this finding to a correlation between unobserved health status and insurance status in the mortality equation for two reasons. First, the eligibility rules for Medicaid and Medicare require HIV+ patients to demonstrate a disability, almost always defined as advanced disease, to qualify. Second, if unobserved health status is the cause of the positive correlation, then inclu...
Heat transfer in turbulent pipe flow

Abstract Heat transfer to and from fully developed turbulent flow in a circular pipe and between parallel plates is analyzed. The use of Pai's velocity and correlation distributions allows a consistent determination of the eddy diffusivity for heat ϵH = αϵM. The average of this ϵH distribution across the conduit is about one half of the value used in former investigations. By application of Laplace's transform the partial boundary-value problems for temperature distribution in circular pipe and parallel plates are reduced to ordinary Sturm-Liouville problems. The corresponding eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are approximated by Ritz's method for different values of the Prandtl and Reynolds numbers. The temperature distribution and Nusselt number distribution along the walls follow in series form in terms of these eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. With the classic hypothesis α = 1 a new and better fitting to the experimental Nusselt number data for liquid metals is obtained. This analysis may be applied to any fluid in fully developed turbulent pipe flow.
Lessons learned from field trials with advanced windows mobile phones

Advanced phones, such as Smartphones and Pocket PC phones, can be useful tools for real world field trials and data collection, because they have capable hardware, are inexpensive, and ready for everyday use. We have employed Windows Mobile Smartphones and Pocket PC phones in our research for more than a year. We employed these phones as measurement tools to sample the network conditions our subjects encountered in their daily life. We also conducted multiple field trials with these phones for usability studies. Our methods included in situ logging, in situ surveys, interviews, and focus groups. We present the lessons we have learned from this experience, in particular on the instrumentation of the phones and the use of human subjects.
Improving Observations of High‐Latitude Fluxes Between Atmosphere, Ocean, and Ice: Surface Fluxes: Challenges at High Latitudes; Boulder, Colorado, 17–19 March 2010

Tracking high-latitude climate change requires an understanding of the fluxes between the atmosphere, ocean, and ice. However, efforts to determine surface fluxes at high latitudes face formidable challenges. Observations are sparse and difficult to obtain. In high latitudes, cold temperatures, high winds, and sea spray and riming (which can cover instruments with ice) combine to make conditions hostile for in situ observations. The unique conditions in high-latitude regions mean that lessons learned in equatorial and subtropical regions do not necessarily translate into improvements in high-latitude fluxes.
MP68-01 THE LONG NON-CODING RNA HOTAIR MODULATES EXOSOME CONTENT AND FUNCTION IN BLADDER CANCER TUMOR PROGRESSION

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Exosomes are 30100nM membrane-bound vesicles that participate in intercellular communication and alter tumor microenvironments. Exosomes deliver biologically active molecules like mRNA, protein, miRNA and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) that affects the metabolism of recipient cells to produce pathological phenotypes. Exosomes may also activate the expression of genes involved in epithelial-to-mesenchyme transition (EMT) in recipient cells. Overexpression of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOTAIR (HA) is associated with poor prognosis and affects tumor progression, in part, by recruiting PRC2 and LSD1 chromatin repressive complexes to thousands of target genes. Objective: Identify if HA regulates exosome-mediated bladder cancer (BC) tumor progression. METHODS: Tumor, distal normal tissue and urine from patients were obtained with IRB approval. HA levels were determined in patient samples, BC cell lines, and exosomes by qRT-PCR. An shRNA lentiviral vector was used to knockdown HA in T24 and TCC-SUP BC cells. Exosomes were harvested from shHOTAIR (shHA) and shScramble (shScr) BC cells. Migration and Invasion was evaluated by woundhealing, trans-well and 3-D culture assays, respectively. Changes in epithelial-to-mesenchyme transition (EMT) gene expression in exosome treated cells were measured by qRT-PCR. Coomassie gel of shScr and shHA BC cell exosomes was performed and bands representing differentially expressed proteins were sent for mass spectrometry. RESULTS: HA is enriched in BC patient tumors, urinary exosome as well as BC cell lines. Knockdown of HA in BC cell lines significantly reduces migration and invasion in scratch, trans-well and 3D culture assays; this correlates with altered expression of EMT genes. Exosomes isolated from shHA vs shScr cells fail to facilitate and in some cases inhibits migration of BC cell lines. A Coomassie gel of shScr and shHA exosomes revealed different relative levels of several proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of HA reduces migration and invasion of BC cells and these cells produce exosomes with reduced capacity to facilitate tumor progression. Our data is consistent with a model wherein loss of HA results in large-scale gene expression changes that ultimately affects exosome content. Taken together, these data suggest that exosomes could participate in and reflect the complexity of tumor heterogeneity as cells with particular genetic lesions produce exosomes with variable abilities to facilitate tumor progression.
Transfer of triglyceride between isolated human lipoproteins

Abstract Net triglyceride transfer was studied between isolated human very low density and low density lipoprotein, as well as very low density and high density lipoprotein, at their usual plasma concentrations in separate in vitro incubations. No transfer of triglyceride was observed for either the low or high density lipoprotein incubations at 4°. At 37° triglyceride transfer was seen with high density, but not with low density lipoprotein. The transfer of very low density triglyceride to high density lipoprotein was unaffected by changes of buffer pH or ionic strength. Increased transfer was observed by both increasing the incubated concentrations of donor very low density lipoprotein or receptor high density lipoprotein.
Influence of prefreezing on heavy metal concentrations in Bluegill sunfish

Concern for possible changes in tissue metal concentrations due to freezing of fish specimens prior to analysis prompted this investigation. Bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) were collected from a Virginia stream and prepared for analysis of zinc, cadmium and lead concentrations either fresh or after 1, 7, and 70 days of freezing. Intact specimens as well as bone and liver tissue were then analyzed. Zinc concentrations displayed a statistically significant (P < 0.05) negative trend with duration of freezing in whole-body, liver and bone samples. Lead and cadmium concentrations showed no consistent pattern which could be related to length of the freezing period in any of the tissues analyzed. However, median concentrations of zinc, cadmium and lead were 10–30% lower in prefrozen sunfish (aggregated over freezing periods) than in sunfish which were analyzed fresh in seven of the eight tissue-metal combinations examined. These results indicate that freezing of sunfish prior to sample preparation can depress metal concentrations in both tissues and whole fish. Programs to monitor heavy metal contamination in sunfish and other fishes may incur bias unless specimens are prepared for analysis fresh or all samples experience equivalent freezing regimes.
Desaktivierungsverhalten von Arenen und Heteroarenen. XI. Nachweis strahlungslos desaktivierender Excimere durch Resonanzenergietransfer

Deactivation Behaviour of Arenes and Heteroarenes. XI. The Evidence of Radiationless Deactivating Excimers by Resonance-Energy Transfer Investigations of resonance-energy transfer in the systems of anthracene-/ and akridizinium ion/rhodamine B (BF4) show, that in the case of high concentrations of energy donors the amount of the relative fluorescence quantum yield is greater than one. This result demonstrates the existence of a further energy donor, the excimer. In the case of the N-methyl-acridinium ion/ rhodamine B (BF4)-system this fact cannot be observed, therefore a formation of excimers at high concentrations should be excluded. The existence (anthracene, akridizinium ion) and non-existence (N-methylacridinium ion) of excimers is in agreement with the ability of forming photodimers.
Estrogen- and progesterone-dependent secretory changes in the uterus of the sheep.

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of 17 beta-estradiol (E) and progesterone (P) on polypeptide synthesis and release from the uterus of the sheep. Uterine flushings (UF) and endometrium were obtained from ovariectomized untreated animals, ovariectomized animals treated with E (approximately 5-10 pg/ml) for 6 days (6E) and ovariectomized animals primed with E for 6 days then treated with P (approximately 1.5-3 ng/ml), in the continued presence of E, for an additional 6 days (6EP). Endometrium was cultured (24 h) in the presence of 3H-leucine (3H-leu) or 3H-glucosamine (3H-glcN), and newly synthesized and released proteins were detected in culture media by fluorography of 10% SDS gels. The quantity of proteins in UF and radiolabeled proteins in explant culture media did not change between treatment groups (p 200,000 was present in 3H-leu-labeled culture media of endometrium obtained from 6E and 6EP animals. An M(r) 44,000 protein was present only in UF from 6EP animals but could not be detected in endometrial culture media from animals undergoing this steroid treatment. These data show that the endometrium of the ovariectomized sheep undergoes alterations in secretory protein patterns which depend on the presence of E and P.
Automated detection of soma location and morphology in neuronal network cultures.

Automated identification of the primary components of a neuron and extraction of its sub-cellular features are essential steps in many quantitative studies of neuronal networks. The focus of this paper is the development of an algorithm for the automated detection of the location and morphology of somas in confocal images of neuronal network cultures. This problem is motivated by applications in high-content screenings (HCS), where the extraction of multiple morphological features of neurons on large data sets is required. Existing algorithms are not very efficient when applied to the analysis of confocal image stacks of neuronal cultures. In addition to the usual difficulties associated with the processing of fluorescent images, these types of stacks contain a small number of images so that only a small number of pixels are available along the z-direction and it is challenging to apply conventional 3D filters. The algorithm we present in this paper applies a number of innovative ideas from the theory of directional multiscale representations and involves the following steps: (i) image segmentation based on support vector machines with specially designed multiscale filters; (ii) soma extraction and separation of contiguous somas, using a combination of level set method and directional multiscale filters. We also present an approach to extract the soma’s surface morphology using the 3D shearlet transform. Extensive numerical experiments show that our algorithms are computationally efficient and highly accurate in segmenting the somas and separating contiguous ones. The algorithms presented in this paper will facilitate the development of a high-throughput quantitative platform for the study of neuronal networks for HCS applications.
Electroreflectance study of interband magneto-optical transitions in InAs and InSb at 1.5° K

Abstract The transport electrode electroreflectance technique has been used for interband magneto-optical studies of InAs and InSb at 1.5° K. We report here the first direct experimental observation of the spin-orbit splitting (δ = 0.38 ± 0.01 eV), the effective mass (mso = 0.14 ± 0.01 mo) and the effective g-factor (gso = 13.0 ± 1.0) for the split-off band at k = 0 in InAs.
The bias paradox: Why it's not just for feminists anymore

The bias paradox emerges out of a tension between objectivism and relativism.If one rejects a certain the conception objectivity as absolute impartiality and value-neutrality (i.e., if all views are biased), how, then, can one hold that some epistemic perspectives are better than others? This is a problem that has been most explicitly dealt with in feminist epistemology, but it is not unique to feminist perspectives. In this paper, I wish to clearly lay out the nature of the paradox and the various attempts to avoid it. I also intend to show why it is a problem for any epistemological view that rejects absolute objectivity. Finally, I wish to briefly outline a possible solution to the paradox, a solution that requires recognizing that rationality necessarily requires both objective and subjective elements.
Activity and Stability of Lipase in AOT Reversed Micelles with Bile Salt Cosurfactant

The effects of bile salt cosurfactants on the lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl palmitate (p-npp) in AOT reversed micelles are described. Both an anionic bile salt, sodium taurocholate (NaTC), and a zwitterionic bile salt, 3-[(3-cholamidyl-propyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS), increase the reaction velocity of the hydrolysis reaction and the stability of the enzyme in the reversed micelles. CHAPS provides significantly larger increases in activity and stability than NaTC. Fluorescence studies indicate that addition of bile salt serves to immobilize the protein at the detergent layer and decrease the polarity experienced by the protein at the interface. Comparison of the results for lipase with previous results for other enzymes in the AOT/bile salt reversed micellar system lead us to conclude that the mechanisms by which bile salts affect enzymatic activity and stability in AOT reversed micelles vary from protein to protein. The effects, which generally are positive (increasing ac...
Water solubility and dynamics of CO2 capture ionic liquids having aprotic heterocyclic anions

Abstract A computational study was carried out to investigate the solubility and dynamics of water in five different ionic liquids capable of chemically reacting with CO 2 . All the ionic liquids have a common tetrabutylphosphonium cation paired with five different aprotic heterocyclic anions. These ionic liquids have properties that make them attractive candidates for use in CO 2 capture applications, but the impact of water on their properties is unknown. The simulations show that the ionic liquid having a 2-cyanopyrrolide anion is the most hydrophobic of all the liquids studied, but that upon reaction with CO 2 it becomes much more hydrophilic. The other ionic liquids investigated show little change in water solubility upon reaction with CO 2 . Henry's Law constants, enthalpies and entropies of water absorption, liquid structure, hydrogen bonding and self-diffusivities were computed and found to correlate well with the strength of interaction between water and the anions and the relative hydrophobicity of the liquids.
Effects of short chain fatty acids on hepatic acetate metabolism in cold exposure and fasting.

Summary and conclusionsButyrate, isobutyrate, propionate, caproate, and acetoacetate failed to reverse the block in acetate-1-C14 oxidation found in liver slices from rats fasted at 0-2°C for 24 hours. It appears that the ability of glucose and pyruvate to increase the acetate oxidation activity of these liver slices is related to a specific step in carbohydrate metabolism rather than solely to the fact that carbohydrates are excellent sources of energy.
The relationship of oxygen content and Tc in Tl0.5Pb0.5Sr2CuO5±δ

Abstract Polycrystalline samples of pure Tl1−xPbxSr2CuO5± δ with 0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.5 have been prepared. Samples of Tl0.5Pb0.5Sr2Cu05±δ which are quenched from ≈850°C to room temperature are tetragonal (P4/mmm) with a=3.736, c=9.022 A and bulk super-conducting with a Tconset ≈ 60 K. Samples of Tl0.5Pb0.5Sr2Cu05±δ quenched from 900°C into liquid nitrogen are semiconducting, which transform to a metallic state upon annealing in air at ≈500°C. Both the semiconducting and metallic phases form with tetragonal P4/mmm symmetry. Thermogravimetric analyses and X-ray data indicate that small variations in the oxygen content are responsible for the dramatic changes in the physical properties.
Assessing and managing nutrient-enhanced eutrophication in estuarine and coastal waters: Interactive effects of human and climatic perturbations

Abstract Estuaries are among the most productive, resourceful, and dynamic aquatic ecosystems on Earth. Their productive nature is linked to the fact that they process much of the world's riverine and coastal watershed discharge. These watersheds support more than 75% of the human population and are sites of large increases in nutrient loading associated with urban and agricultural expansion. Increased nutrient loading has led to accelerated primary production, or eutrophication; symptoms include increased algal bloom activity (including harmful taxa), accumulation of organic matter, and excessive oxygen consumption (hypoxia and anoxia). While nutrient-enhanced eutrophication is a “driver” of hypoxia and anoxia, physical–chemical alterations due to climatic events, such as stormwater discharge, flooding, droughts, stagnancy, and elevated temperatures are also involved. The complex interactions of anthropogenic and climatic factors determine the magnitude, duration, and aerial extent of productivity, algal booms, hypoxia, and anoxia. Using the eutrophic Neuse River Estuary (NRE), North Carolina, USA, as a case study, the physical–chemical mechanisms controlling algal bloom and hypoxia dynamics were examined. Because primary production in the NRE and many other estuaries is largely nitrogen (N) limited, emphasis has been placed on reducing N inputs. Both the amounts and chemical forms of N play roles in determining the composition and extent of phytoplankton blooms that supply the bulk of the organic carbon fueling hypoxia. Biomass from bloom organisms that are readily grazed will be readily transferred up the planktonic and benthic food chain, while toxic or inedible blooms frequently promote sedimentary C flux, microbial mineralization, and hence may exacerbate hypoxia potential. From a watershed perspective, nutrient input reductions are the main options for reducing eutrophication. Being able to distinguish the individual and cumulative effects of physical, chemical and biotic controls of phytoplankton productivity and composition is key to understanding, predicting, and ultimately managing eutrophication. Long-term collaborative (University, State, Federal) monitoring, experimental assessments, and modeling of eutrophication dynamics over appropriate spatial and temporal scales is essential for developing realistic, ecologically sound, and cost-effective nutrient management strategies for estuarine and coastal ecosystems impacted by both anthropogenic and climatic perturbations.