cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reservoirs of Antibiotic Resistance Genes

A potential concern about the use of antibiotics in animal husbundary is that, as antibiotic resistant bacteria move from the farm into the human diet, they may pass antibiotic resistance genes to bacteria that normally reside in a the human intestinal tract and from there to bacteria that cause human disease (reservoir hypothesis). In this article various approaches to evaluating the risk of agricultural use of antibiotics are assessed critically. In addition, the potential benefits of applying new technology and using new insights from the field of microbial ecology are explained.
How to Promote Foreign Trade

I. Popular misconceptions concerning foreign trade, 417. — The balance of trade, in general and between particular countries, 419. — Disturbances in trade balances due to the war, 422. — The effectiveness of industry the source and the test of advantage in foreign trade, 425. — II. Four dubious devices for promoting foreign trade: Export bounties, 427. — Reduced transportation rates for export business, 429. — Reduced prices of goods for export, 431. — Discriminating duties in foreign countries in favor of American goods, 435. — III. International relations and American trade policy, 442. — Conclusion, 443.
Design Analysis Of A Wide-Band Picture Communication System

A design study of a Picture Communication Network is presented with special emphasis on those issues that differ from conventional networks. The large amount of data in an image together with the requirement for a rapid respons time make a wide-band transmission medium a nec ssity. The wide-band medium is perceived as a collection of parallel broadcast channels. Four different logical organizations are proposed for t is architecture. Design equations are developed and cost-performance curves are generated. Advantages of one organization over another under different circumstances are pointed out.
Purification, Subunit Structure and Partial Amino‐Acid Sequence of Anthranilate‐5‐phosphoribosylpyrophosphate Phosphoribosyltransferase from the Enteric Bacterium Serratia marcescens

The enzyme anthranilate-5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase from Serratia marcescens was purified to apparent homogeneity. The purification procedure included ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose chromatography, Sephadex gel filtration and hydroxyapatite chromatography. The molecular weight of the native protein as determined on a calibrated Sephadex G-200 column was 45000. Dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of reducing agent revealed a subunit molecular weight of 43000 ± 900, suggesting that the enzyme exists as a monomer. The sequence of the amino-terminal 38 residues revealed that three amino acids, glutamine (six residues), glutamic acid (five residues) and serine (five residues) comprised 42% of the sequence composition.
What’s in a Name? A Critique of ‘Colonias’ in the United States

‘Colonias’ in the United States are a relatively recent phenomenon for planning practitioners and scholars. Most of the focus of policy and literature has been on the unregulated, substandard settlements in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Past studies of colonias in the three states have criticized policy efficacy and questioned whether colonias are appropriately or adequately defined. Our objective in this essay is complementary. We draw from the literature, and our research in California, to explain and share our concerns with the policy practice of naming settlements with poor infrastructure and living conditions as colonias, a Spanish-language name. We argue that the name can be misleading, prejudiced and risks being detrimental. We discuss our misgivings about federal public policy using a non-English title for labeling substandard settlements, and suggest that scholars and policymakers need to revisit the terminology.
Hidden solitons in the Zabusky-Kruskal experiment: Analysis using the periodic, inverse scattering transform

Recent numerical work on the Zabusky-Kruskal experiment has revealed, amongst other things, the existence of hidden solitons in the wave profile. Here, using Osborne's nonlinear Fourier analysis, which is based on the periodic, inverse scattering transform, the hidden soliton hypothesis is corroborated, and the exact number of solitons, their amplitudes and their reference level is computed. Other ''less nonlinear'' oscillation modes, which are not solitons, are also found to have nontrivial energy contributions over certain ranges of the dispersion parameter. In addition, the reference level is found to be a non-monotone function of the dispersion parameter. Finally, in the case of large dispersion, we show that the one-term nonlinear Fourier series yields a very accurate approximate solution in terms of Jacobian elliptic functions.
Gene expression studies of hepatitis virus-induced woodchuck hepatocellular carcinoma in correlation with human results

The lack of good molecular markers for diagnosis as well as treatment assessment has rendered the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) a major challenge in health care. In this study, woodchucks were used as an animal model for hepatitis virus-induced HCC, and gene expression studies were performed using a human oligonucleotide microarray. An analysis approach combing supervised significant analysis of microarray (SAM), prediction analysis of microarray (PAM), and unsupervised hierarchical cluster methodologies statistically determined 211 upregulated and 78 downregulated genes between liver cancer and non-cancer liver tissues, and demonstrated > or = 93% accuracy in classifying the tissue samples. RT-PCR results confirmed the differential expression of selected sequenced woodchuck genes (SAT, IDH3B, SCD) in the microarray. Our study showed that differentially expressed genes were involved in transcription, RNA splicing, translation, cell cycle, metabolism, protein folding and degradation, apoptosis, immune response, metal binding, etc. Interestingly, some genes were involved with signaling pathways such as Ras/MAPK (MAPKAP1), Src-dependent pathways (CSK), hedgehog signaling pathway (HHIP), while Wnt signaling pathway may not be dominant in woodchuck HCC as shown by the downregulation of beta-catenin (TNNB1) and the upregulation of CXXC4 and CSNK2B. Numerous genes found in this study were also differentially expressed in human HCC and many other human cancers including breast, prostate and lung cancers, etc., serving as tumor suppressors, promoters, prognostic markers or chemotherapy targets. In conclusion, this study has demonstrated the robustness of the data analysis and the potential of using human microarrays on woodchuck samples. In particular, some of the differentially expressed genes in the woodchuck HCC can be further explored for possible molecular imaging targets or biological markers in human HCC.
Critical gate module process enabling the implementation of a 50A/600V AlGaN/GaN MOS-HEMT

Two critical processes within the gate module of GaN-based MOS-HEMT with significant impact on device robustness and performance were identified and are presented in this paper. Specifically, data highlighting the impact of the number of cycles of the atomic layer etching of the AlGaN barrier to recess the gate region and the sequence of the gate dielectric anneal step on device performance are discussed. The optimization of these two critical steps enabled the implementation of a 50A/600V with an off-state leakage current of 455 μA at 600V and on-state resistance of 41mΩ at V GS =2.5V.
The Impact of Utility Balance and Endogeneity in Conjoint Analysis

Adaptive metric utility balance is at the heart of one of the most widely used and studied methods for conjoint analysis. We use formal models, simulations, and empirical data to suggest that adaptive metric utility balance leads to partworth estimates that are relatively biased-smaller partworths are upwardly biased relative to larger partworths. Such relative biases could lead to erroneous managerial decisions. Metric utility-balanced questions are also more likely to be inefficient and, in one empirical example, contrary to popular wisdom, lead to response errors that are at least as large as nonadaptive orthogonal questions. We demonstrate that this bias is because of endogeneity caused by a "winner's curse." Shrinkage estimates do not mitigate these biases. Combined with adaptive metric utility balance, shrinkage estimates of heterogeneous partworths are biased downward relative to homogeneous partworths. Although biases can affect managerial decisions, our data suggest that, empirically, biases and inefficiencies are of the order of response errors. We examine viable alternatives to metric utility balance that researchers can use without biases or inefficiencies to retain the desired properties of 1 individual-level adaptation and 2 challenging questions.
REDUNDANCY OF MOMENT CONDITIONS AND THE EFFICIENCY OF OLS IN SUR MODELS

In this note, based on the generalized method of moments (GMM) interpretation of the usual ordinary least squares (OLS) and feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) estimators of seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR) models, we show that the OLS estimator is asymptotically as efficient as the FGLS estimator if and only if the cross-equation orthogonality condition is redundant given the within equation orthogonality condition. Using the condition for redundancy of moment conditions of Breusch, Qian, Schmidt, and Wyhowski (1999, Journal of Econo metrics 99, 89-111), we then derive the necessary and sufficient condition for the equal asymptotic efficiency of the OLS and FGLS estimators of SUR models. We also provide several useful sufficient conditions for the equal asymptotic effi ciency of OLS and FGLS estimators that can be interpreted as various mixings of the two famous sufficient conditions of Zellner (1962, Journal of the American Statistical Association 57, 348-368).
Regional reproducibility of microsatellite instability in sporadic colorectal cancer.

The reproducibility of microsatellite instability from different regions of the same sporadic colon cancer has not been addressed. We therefore microdissected and extracted DNA from three to nine separate regions of 13 highly unstable sporadic colon cancers. Each region was then evaluated by polymerase chain reaction amplification of 17 microsatellites: 10 tetranucleotide repeats, 2 noncoding mononucleotide repeats (BAT-26 and BAT-40), and 5 coding mononucleotide repeats (TGFBRII, BAX, MSH3, MSH6, IGFIIR). Microsatellite instability showed 100% regional reproducibility with respect to either the panel of 10 tetranucleotide repeats or BAT-26, and nearly 100% reproducibility with BAT-40, although regional variation in the percent instability and the size of unstable alleles was present. TGFBRII was more frequently mutated than any other coding mononucleotide repeat; frame shifts in this gene were identified in nearly every region of every tumor. Each of the five coding repeats showed regional variability in at least one tumor, and 10 of the 13 tumors showed variability with at least one coding repeat. This variability took the form of different mutant alleles (TGFBRII, BAX, MSH3) or mutations present in some but not all regions of a tumor (MSH6, IGFIIR, BAX, MSH3). We conclude that the regional reproducibility of generalized microsatellite instability as measured by noncoding repeats indicates that sampling is not a problem in these highly unstable tumors, and that the mismatch repair deficiency phenotype is acquired in the very late adenoma stage or early cancer stage of sporadic colonic tumorigenesis. The high frequency of TGFBRII mutations is consistent with acquisition of these mutations at a similar stage of tumorigenesis. The regional variability with respect to the presence or absence of a mutation in the other four coding mononucleotide repeats could lead to sampling error and is consistent with a somewhat later time of acquisition of these mutations. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 26:106–114, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
arthrodesis of the Knee with a Modular Titanium Intramedullary Nail

We retrospectively studied the results of arthrodesis of the knee with a modular titanium intramedullary nail that couples at the knee. The study group consisted of thirteen patients who had a malignant tumor around the knee, five who had failure of a total knee arthroplasty, and three who had a locally destructive benign tumor about the knee. All of the patients were followed for a minimum of two years. Through a single incision at the knee, one nail was inserted retrograde into the femur and the other, antegrade into the tibia; the two nails were joined at the level of the knee by a conical couple and were secured with locking screws. The diameters of the nails were different, to accommodate the dissimilar sizes of the tibial and femoral intramedullary canals. A solid osseous fusion was achieved in nineteen (90 per cent) of the twenty-one patients (sixteen who had had resection of a tumor and three who had had a failed arthroplasty), at an average of 8.4 months (range, three to nineteen months) after the operation. One patient had a delayed union, but fusion was achieved after additional bone-grafting. Of the sixteen patients who were available for clinical and radiographic evaluation at the time of the study, fifteen were satisfied with the over-all outcome and thirteen had either less pain or the same amount of pain as they had had preoperatively. There were no mechanical failures of the implant and no recurrences of tumor. Complications occurred in eight (38 per cent) of the twenty-one patients: three patients had a stress fracture, three had a peroneal nerve palsy (one of which was transient), one had a superficial wound infection, and one had reflex sympathetic dystrophy.
Using LabPaq Kits to Perform Science Labs at Home.

Review of : mail-order kits called LabPaqs, which are sold by Hands-On-Labs Inc., and are primarily designed to provide laboratory experiences for students enrolled in online science courses. The kits include all non-household materials necessary to perform the experiments and a full color lab manual on CD.
Bias correction using background stars for space-based IR tracking

This paper proposes a methodology for removing sensor bias from a space-based infrared (IR) tracking system through the use of stars detected in the background field of the sensor. The tracking system consists of several satellites each equipped with a narrow-view IR sensor that provides bearing observations of the target. As stars are detected the instantaneous sensor pointing error can be calculated as the difference between star detection reading and the known position of the star. The system utilizes a separate bias filter to estimate the bias value based on these detections and adjust the target line of sight measurements accordingly. The target state is estimated through a Linearized Kalman Filter (LKF). Mean Error results are given for the period when the target is in view of the satellite IR sensors. The results of this research provide a potential solution to bias correction while simultaneously tracking a target.
2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: editor-in-chief's comments.

This month’s Special Commentary articles summarize the careers and research contributions of the two individuals who shared the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Dr. Peter Agre, Professor of Biochemistry at Johns Hopkins University (and an ASN member), and Dr. Roderick MacKinnon, Professor and Howard
MicroRNA signature in BCR-ABL1-like and BCR-ABL1-positive childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: similarities and dissimilarities.

Childhood B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) is a heterogeneous disease in which the 5-year event-free survival rates are currently above 80% [1]. Yet, some genetic subtypes of...
Targeted Therapy in Advanced Well-Differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumors

Treatments for advanced neuroendocrine tumors were, until recently, rather limited. Salvage surgery and liver-directed therapy both have relatively limited impact, and systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy has minimal efficacy. In the absence of other effective treatments, somatostatin analogs have been used for years to control disease and neuroendocrine symptoms, without cytotoxic intent. Advances in targeted therapy for neuroendocrine tumors have opened several potentially new treatment paradigms in the management of these otherwise relatively drug-resistant neoplasms. Promising results have emerged from studies evaluating radiolabeled somatostatin analogs and inhibitors of the vascular endothelial growth factor and mammalian target of rapamycin pathways. This article reviews several of the more encouraging developments in this field.
End-system aware, rate-adaptive protocol for network transport in LambdaGrid environments

Next-generation e-Science applications will require the ability to transfer information at high data rates between distributed computing centers and data repositories. A Lambda- Grid offers dedicated, optical, circuit-switched, point-topoint connections that can be reserved exclusively for such applications. These dedicated high-speed connections eliminate network congestion as seen in traditional Internet, but they effectively push the network congestion to the end systems, as processing speeds cannot keep up with networking speeds. Thus, developing an efficient transport protocol over such high-speed dedicated circuits is of critical importance. We propose the idea of a end-system aware, rate-adaptive protocol for network transport, based on end-system performance monitoring. Our proposed protocol significantly improves the performance of data transfer over LambdaGrids by intelligently adapting the sending rate based on end-system constraints. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed protocol and illustrate the performance gains achieved via wide-area network emulation.
Inhalation Exposure to Jet Fuel (JP8) Among U.S. Air Force Personnel

As jet fuel is a common occupational exposure among military and civilian populations, this study was conducted to characterize jet fuel (JP8) exposure among active duty U.S. Air Force personnel. Personnel (n = 24) were divided a priori into high, moderate, and low exposure groups. Questionnaires and personal air samples (breathing zone) were collected from each worker over 3 consecutive days (72 worker-days) and analyzed for total hydrocarbons (THC), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and naphthalene. Air samples were collected from inside the fuel tank and analyzed for the same analytes. Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate the exposure data. Our results show that the correlation of THC (a measure of overall JP8 inhalation exposure) with all other analytes was moderate to strong in the a priori high and moderate exposure groups combined. Inhalation exposure to all analytes varied significantly by self-reported JP8 exposure (THC levels higher among workers reporting JP8 exposure), a pr...
Piecewise polynomial nonlinear model reduction

We present a novel, general approach towards model-order reduction (MOR) of nonlinear systems that combines good global and local approximation properties. The nonlinear system is first approximated as piecewise polynomials over a number of regions, following which each region is reduced via polynomial model-reduction methods. Our approach, dubbed PWP, generalizes recent piecewise linear approaches and ties them with polynomial-based MOR, thereby combining their advantages. In particular, reduced models obtained by our approach reproduce small-signal distortion and intermodulation properties well, while at the same time retaining fidelity in large-swing and large-signal analyses, e.g., transient simulations. Thus our reduced models can be used as drop-in replacements for time-domain as well as frequency-domain simulations, with small or large excitations. By exploiting sparsity in system polynomial coefficients, we are able to make the polynomial reduction procedure linear in the size of the original system. We provide implementation details and illustrate PWP with an example.
Time course of muscle soreness following different types of exercise

Background Post-exercise muscle soreness is a dull, aching sensation that follows unaccustomed muscular exertion. Primarily on the basis of previous laboratory-based research on eccentric exercise, soreness is usually said to follow an inverted U-shaped curve over time, peaking 24 – 48 hours after exercise. As such, it is often described as "delayed-onset" muscle soreness. In a study of long-distance runners, soreness seemed to peak immediately and then reduce gradually over time. The study is a secondary analysis of clinical trial data that aims to determine whether the time course of soreness following a natural exercise, long-distance running, is different from that following a laboratory-based exercise, bench-stepping.
The role of automatic differentiation in power system analysis

In this paper, automatic differentiation of algorithms is utilized in power system analysis. Automatic differentiation is a computational tool to obtain the derivatives and the value of the function systematically without providing explicit expressions for the derivatives. The method is reliable and produces accurate derivatives instantaneously without the need for hand-coding the derivatives. The method is applied to compute the Jacobian and sensitivities in the continuation power flow. An automatic differentiation package (ADIFOR) that exploits sparsity techniques is used for the application.
Influence of Water Temperature and Salinity on Vibrio vulnificus in Northern Gulf and Atlantic Coast Oysters (Crassostrea virginica)

This study investigated the temperature and salinity parameters associated with waters and oysters linked to food-borne Vibrio vulnificus infections. V. vulnificus was enumerated in oysters collected at three northern Gulf Coast sites and two Atlantic Coast sites from July 1994 through September 1995. Two of these sites, Black Bay, La., and Apalachicola Bay, Fla., are the source of the majority of the oysters implicated in V. vulnificus cases. Oysters in all Gulf Coast sites exhibited a similar seasonal distribution of V. vulnificus: a consistently large number (median concentration, 2,300 organisms [most probable number] per g of oyster meat) from May through October followed by a gradual reduction during November and December to 10(3) per g) were typically found in oysters from intermediate salinities (5 to 25 ppt). Smaller V. vulnificus numbers (< 10(2) per g) were found at salinities above 28 ppt, typical of Atlantic Coast sites. On 11 occasions oysters were sampled at times and locations near the source of oysters implicated in 13 V. vulnificus cases; the V. vulnificus levels and environmental parameters associated with these samples were consistent with those of other study samples collected from the Gulf Coast from April through November. These findings suggest that the hazard of V. vulnificus infection is not limited to brief periods of unusual abundance of V. vulnificus in Gulf Coast oysters or to environmental conditions that are unusual to Gulf Coast estuaries.
Monitoring and evaluating the ecological integrity of forest ecosystems

“Ecological integrity” provides a useful framework for ecologically based monitoring and can provide valuable information for assessing ecosystem condition and management effectiveness. Building on the related concepts of biological integrity and ecological health, ecological integrity is a measure of the composition, structure, and function of an ecosystem in relation to the system’s natural or historical range of variation, as well as perturbations caused by natural or anthropogenic agents of change. We have developed a protocol to evaluate the ecological integrity of temperate zone, forested ecosystems, based on long-term monitoring data. To do so, we identified metrics of status and trend in structure, composition, and function of forests impacted by multiple agents of change. We used data, models, and the scientific literature to interpret and report integrity using “stoplight” symbology, ie “Good” (green), “Caution” (yellow), or “Significant Concern” (red). Preliminary data indicate that forested ecosystems in Acadia National Park have retained ecological integrity across a variety of metrics, but that some aspects of soil chemistry and stand structure indicate potential problems. This protocol was developed for the National Park Service Vital Signs Monitoring Program and holds promise for application in the temperate zone, forested ecosystems of eastern North America.
Understanding partial protection and HIV risk and behavior following voluntary medical male circumcision rollout in Kenya

In the midst of scaling up voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) in Kenya, there is concern that men do not adequately understand that circumcision provides only partial protection against HIV. The study goal was to determine men's understanding of partial protection, perceptions of HIV risk before and after VMMC and use of protective measures following VMMC. In-depth interviews with 44 men aged 18-39 years recently circumcised or planning to undergo VMMC were conducted in two urban and rural districts in Nyanza Province, Kenya. Participants described partial protection as the need to continue using other HIV protective measures such as condoms, with numbers such as a '60 percent protection' or 'not 100 percent protection', and described how circumcision reduces HIV transmission such as reduced penile bruising or bleeding. Most said their HIV risk before VMMC was high and that VMMC would reduce their risk moderately. Participants demonstrated good understanding of partial protection and there was little suggestion of risk compensation following VMMC.
Intervention Groups for Adolescents With Conduct Problems: Is Aggregation Harmful or Helpful?

Past research has suggested that the aggregation of deviant peers during treatment may cause harmful effects (T. J. Dishion, J. McCord, & F. Poulin, 1999). This study compared the effectiveness of problem-solving skills training groups in which all members had conduct problems (“pure” group condition) with groups that consisted of adolescents with and without behavior problems (“mixed” group condition). Participants were 139 sixth- and seventh-graders (mean age = 12.7; 63% male; 55% White) enrolled at public middle schools. Pre-, post-, and 6-month follow-up data were collected, along with intervention process variables. Results showed that, contrary to the deviancy training hypothesis, adolescents in the pure-group condition engaged in more adaptive in-session behavior and received lower scores on the parent and teacher ratings of externalizing behavior at postintervention than those in the mixed-group condition. Mediation analyses showed that the deviancy training that occurred in the mixed-group condition accounted for their worse postintervention scores, findings consistent with the deviancy training hypothesis.
Non-isolated topologies for high step-down offline LED driver applications

In this paper, two non-isolated DC-DC converter topologies suitable for offline Light-emitting Diode (LED) driver applications are presented. The output voltage for such applications is generally less than 42 V DC to satisfy LED lighting system requirements. Isolated converters are normally used for this higher step-down (170V–42V/15V DC) operation. However, an isolation transformer introduces increased complexities in the implementation of feedback and control. Dedicated passive or active circuitry is also required to mitigate the energy in the leakage inductance. The proposed topologies are non-isolated and hence are much simpler in implementation. The converters are suited for two nominal step-down conversions — (1) 170V–42V DC, (2) 170V–15V DC operation while maintaining a reasonable duty cycle and efficiency. Their operation is described in detail. Both the converters can be controlled to achieve active power factor correction. Simulation results with relevant parasitic are presented to verify the claimed step-down conversions.
Nucleus accumbens GABAergic inhibition generates intense eating and fear that resists environmental retuning and needs no local dopamine.

Intense fearful behavior and/or intense appetitive eating behavior can be generated by localized amino acid inhibitions along a rostrocaudal anatomical gradient within medial shell of nucleus accumbens of the rat. This can be produced by microinjections in medial shell of either the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A agonist muscimol (mimicking intrinsic GABAergic inputs) or the AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid) antagonist DNQX (6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione), disrupting corticolimbic glutamate inputs). At rostral sites in medial shell, each drug robustly stimulates appetitive eating and food intake, whereas at more caudal sites the same drugs instead produce increasingly fearful behaviors such as escape, distress vocalizations and defensive treading (an antipredator behavior rodents emit to snakes and scorpions). Previously we showed that intense motivated behaviors generated by glutamate blockade require local endogenous dopamine and can be modulated in valence by environmental ambience. Here we investigated whether GABAergic generation of intense appetitive and fearful motivations similarly depends on local dopamine signals, and whether the valence of motivations generated by GABAergic inhibition can also be retuned by changes in environmental ambience. We report that the answer to both questions is ‘no’. Eating and fear generated by GABAergic inhibition of accumbens shell does not need endogenous dopamine. Also, the appetitive/fearful valence generated by GABAergic muscimol microinjections resists environmental retuning and is determined almost purely by rostrocaudal anatomical placement. These results suggest that nucleus accumbens GABAergic release of fear and eating are relatively independent of modulatory dopamine signals, and more anatomically pre-determined in valence balance than release of the same intense behaviors by glutamate disruptions.
Power sources for micro-autonomous vehicles: challenges and prospects

Micro-autonomous vehicle systems are expected to have expanded role in military missions by providing full spectrum intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support on the battlefield, suppression of enemy defenses, and enabling co-operative (swarm-like) configurations. Of the numerous demanding requirements of autonomy, sensing, navigation, mobility, etc., meeting the requirement of mission duration or endurance is a very challenging one. This requirement is demanding because of the constraints of mass and volume that limit the quantity of energy that can be stored on-board. Energy is required for mobility, payload operation, information processing, and communication. Mobility requirements typically place an extraordinary demand on the specific energy (Wh/kg) and specific power (W/kg) of the power source; the actual distribution of the energy between mobility and other system functions could vary substantially with the mission type. The power requirements for continuous mobility can vary from 100-1000 W/kg depending on the terrain, ground speed and flight speed. Even with the power source accounting for 30% of the mass of the vehicle, the best of rechargeable batteries can provide only up to 1-2 hours of run-time for a continuous power demand at 100W/kg. In the case of micro-aerial vehicles with flight speed requirements in the range of 5-15 m s-1, the mission times rarely exceed 20 minutes [2]. Further, the power required during take-off and hover can be twice or thrice that needed for steady level flight, and thus the number and sequence of such events is also limited by the mass and size of the power source. For operations such as "perch and stare" or "silent watch" the power demand is often only a tenth of that required during continuous flight. Thus, variation in power demand during various phases of the mission importantly affects the power source selection.
Chemical emissions from surface impoundments

A practical method for the field measurement of volatile-chemical emission rates from wastewater-treatment basins.
Venture Capital and IT Acquisition: Managing Uncertainty

Engineering and acquisition of information technology (IT) systems frequently involve high levels of uncertainty in requirements, design and enabling technologies. Addressing these uncertainties requires an adaptive strategy. The Venture Capital industry has developed a series of techniques to deal with rapidly changing technologies and highly uncertain markets. This paper explores the applicability of Venture Capital derived strategies and practices to the acquisition of IT systems under varying conditions of uncertainty.
Macrophage Reverse Cholesterol Transport in Mice Expressing ApoA-I Milano

Objective— To compare the abilities of human wild-type apoA-I (WT apoA-I) and human apoA-IMilano (apoA-IM) to promote macrophage reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) in apoA-I–null mice infected wit...
Improving Air Traffic Management with a Learning Multiagent System

A fundamental challenge facing the aerospace industry is efficient, safe, and reliable air traffic management (ATM). On a typical day, more than 40,000 commercial flights operate in US airspace, and the number of flights is increasing rapidly. This paper shows how learning multiagent system helps improve ATM.
The use of skills training procedures in the treatment of a child-abusive parent

Recent behavioral formulations suggest that child abuse can often be conceptualized in terms of skill deficits of the parent. In the present case study, training was used to improve an abusive parent's anger-assertion, child management, and personal problem-solving skills; deficits in all three areas were functionally related to prior episodes of violence. Treatment across these skill areas was introduced in multiple baseline fashion. The effectiveness of treatment was demonstrated by assessments of assertion, child management, and problem-solving knowledge following each training session; parent monitoring data on the frequency of child-related and anger problems at home throughout the intervention; performance on skill generalization measures; and objectively-rated parent-child interactions during pre- and post-training home observation probes.
Costly information and the evolution of self-organization in a small, complex economy

Abstract The core idea of evolution is that order in living systems emerges from a simple process of variation and selection. In biological systems we usually understand the source of variation as best described by the mechanisms of genetics. If human social systems are evolutionary systems, however, it would seem the variation that most explains the sources of change in these systems, occurs not from a genetic mechanism, but from individual learning. We use an evolutionary computational methodology to explore the way individual learning and adaptation lead to the evolution of persistent, self-organized social and economic activity. The basic idea behind these explorations is that the character and extent of self-organizing social and economic activity depends upon the way the environment frames the costs of individual learning and adaptation. We consider three different kinds of costs affecting learning and adaptation: the costs of autonomous searching, of communicating, and of deciding. Individuals respond to these costs by carefully, i.e., economically, choosing to learn about and interact with familiar agents in familiar arenas in which they have relatively secure expectations about the outcome of their actions. Emerging from these choices are persistent relationships among agents that lead to social and economic structure and to the imperfect coordination of aggregate production. The character and the extent of each are a function of the way the costs of information change with changing natural and human system conditions. We use a learning classifier system (LCS) to model learning. The logic of an LCS closely mimics the mechanisms of Darwinian evolution, but is applied to the evolution of an agent's decision rules. We describe the environmental context necessary for an LCS to produce economizing behavior and apply the method to a multi-agent simulation of the Maine lobster fishery, which we treat as a metaphor for competition based on the search for useful knowledge. The structure and method of the model is similar to a conventional agent-based model except we use LCS to evolve decision rules for each agent rather than supplying those rules ourselves. This allows agents to change their behavior, i.e., to learn and adapt, as their environment changes. Modeling learning and adaptation as the source of behavioral variation makes it possible to use evolutionary theory to address important questions of social and economic emergence not possible with current methods.
Dyssynchronous Ca2+ sparks in myocytes from infarcted hearts

Abstract—The kinetics of contractions and Ca2+ transients are slowed in myocytes from failing hearts. The mechanisms accounting for these abnormalities remain unclear. Myocardial infarction (MI) was produced by ligation of the circumflex artery in rabbits. We used confocal microscopy to record spatially resolved Ca2+ transients during field stimulation in left ventricular (LV) myocytes from control and infarcted hearts (3 weeks). Compared with controls, Ca2+ transients in myocytes adjacent to the infarct had lower peak amplitudes and prolonged time courses. Control myocytes showed relatively uniform changes in [Ca2+] throughout the cell after electrical stimulation. In contrast, in MI myocytes [Ca2+] increased inhomogeneously and localized increases in [Ca2+] occurred throughout the rising and falling phases of the Ca2+ transient. Ca2+ content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum did not differ between MI and control myocytes. Peak L-type Ca2+ current density was reduced in MI myocytes. The macroscopic gain func...
Sub-particle reaction and photocurrent mapping to optimize catalyst-modified photoanodes

The splitting of water photoelectrochemically into hydrogen and oxygen represents a promising technology for converting solar energy to fuel. The main challenge is to ensure that photogenerated holes efficiently oxidize water, which generally requires modification of the photoanode with an oxygen evolution catalyst (OEC) to increase the photocurrent and reduce the onset potential. However, because excess OEC material can hinder light absorption and decrease photoanode performance, its deposition needs to be carefully controlled--yet it is unclear which semiconductor surface sites give optimal improvement if targeted for OEC deposition, and whether sites catalysing water oxidation also contribute to competing charge-carrier recombination with photogenerated electrons. Surface heterogeneity exacerbates these uncertainties, especially for nanostructured photoanodes benefiting from small charge-carrier transport distances. Here we use super-resolution imaging, operated in a charge-carrier-selective manner and with a spatiotemporal resolution of approximately 30 nanometres and 15 milliseconds, to map both the electron- and hole-driven photoelectrocatalytic activities on single titanium oxide nanorods. We then map, with sub-particle resolution (about 390 nanometres), the photocurrent associated with water oxidation, and find that the most active sites for water oxidation are also the most important sites for charge-carrier recombination. Site-selective deposition of an OEC, guided by the activity maps, improves the overall performance of a given nanorod--even though more improvement in photocurrent efficiency correlates with less reduction in onset potential (and vice versa) at the sub-particle level. Moreover, the optimal catalyst deposition sites for photocurrent enhancement are the lower-activity sites, and for onset potential reduction the optimal sites are the sites with more positive onset potential, contrary to what is obtainable under typical deposition conditions. These findings allow us to suggest an activity-based strategy for rationally engineering catalyst-improved photoelectrodes, which should be widely applicable because our measurements can be performed for many different semiconductor and catalyst materials.
Regulation of human monoamine oxidase B gene by Sp1 and Sp3.

The human monoamine oxidase (MAO) B plays a major role in the degradation of biogenic and dietary amines such as phenylethylamine, benzylamine, dopamine, and tyramine. We previously showed that the −246/−99 MAO B promoter region exhibited the highest activity and contained two clusters of overlapping Sp1 sites, a CACCC element and a TATA box. Here, using a series of 10 deletion constructs of the 2-kilobase pair 5′-flanking sequence, we identified additional potential regulatory elements, including activator proteins 1 and 4, CAAT, GATA, upstream stimulatory factor (USF), estrogen receptor (ER), and sex-determining region Y-box 5 (SOX5). Analysis of nine site-directed mutations of −246/−99 region reveals that both clusters of Sp1 sites contribute positively whereas the CACCC element contributes negatively to the transcriptional activity. Gel shift analysis demonstrates that in addition to Sp1, Sp3 can interact with both clusters of Sp1 sites. Cotransfection experiments show that Sp1 and its closely related family member Sp4 cantrans-activate MAO B promoter activity through the proximal cluster of Sp1 sites and its activation can be repressed by the over-expression of Sp3 and a related family member BTEB2. These results suggest that the binding to the overlapping Sp1 sites by various members of Sp family is important for the regulation of the MAO B gene expression.
Clickable Synthetic Polypeptides—Routes to New Highly Adaptive Biomaterials

Synthetic polypeptides introduce a powerful capability to generate macromolecular species using the amino acid backbone found in nature, thus providing a route to biocompatible polymeric systems with highly programmable function. They can fold into stable secondary structures such as beta-sheets and α-helical structures, allowing the design of materials that optimally display surface groups that dictate cell signaling and molecular docking in biological systems and which undergo changes in chain stiffness and organization as well as complex hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions that enable the intelligent design of responsive bioinspired materials. Until more recently, however, the versatility of these unique macromolecules was limited by the number, density, and type of functional groups which can be directly attached to the synthetic polypeptide backbone postpolymerization. In the past few years, researchers have introduced or utilized highly quantitative click chemistry to N-carboxy anhydride monome...
Large extinction ratio optical electrowetting shutter.

A large extinction ratio optical shutter has been demonstrated using electrowetting liquids. The device is based on switching between a liquid-liquid interface curvature that produces total internal reflection and one that does not. The interface radius of curvature can be tuned continuously from 9 mm at 0 V to −45 mm at 26 V. Extinction ratios from 55.8 to 66.5 dB were measured. The device shows promise for ultracold chip-scale atomic clocks.
Therapeutic efficacy of autologous stem cell transplantation in the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis and its immunological changing

Objective To research the practical feasibility of autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and its related immunological changes. Methods Designed ASCT was performed in 10 patients with secondary progressive MS. Therapeutic efficacy was evaluated by the EDSS, the attacking times, the focus on MRI, and the immunosuppressive medication requirements. Flow cytometry was used for detecting T cell-subsets, CD4+CD25+cells and Th2 cells in MS patients of pre-and post-ASCT. Results No deaths occurred following the treatment. The median follow-up after APBSCT was 17.9 months (9-26 months). A total of 4 patients demonstrated in a stable status without exacerbation; five patients shown remarkable improvement in neurological manifestations; one patient demonstrated clinical evidence of recurrence of active symptoms of MS. All of them have discontinued immuno-suppressive medications exception one of patient with relapse. The attacking times decreased from 24 to 1 during the same observation period of pre-and post-ASCT, and the focus on MRI diminished from 92 of pre-ASCT to 6 of the 6 months post-APBSCT. Of the 6 patients with followed up of more than 1 year, the recovery of CD3+, CD8+, and CD4+CD25+cells of 1 year post-ASCT was higher than that of pre-ASCT, but CD4+ and CD4-CD8-cells had not reached the level of pre-ASCT. Conclusion ASCT is safe and efficacious in treatment of progressive MS patients. The recovery of different T-subgroups is unbalance: CD4+ and CD4-CD8-cells has not got the recovery untill one year post-APBSCT; CD4+CD25+cells of 1 year post-ASCT are higher than that of pre-ASCT in all of 6 MS patients.
Specification-driven design of custom hardware in HOP

We present a language “Hardware viewed as Objects and Processes” (HOP) for specifying the structure, behavior, and timing of hardware systems. HOP embodies a simple process model for lock-step synchronous processes. Processes may be described both as a black-box and as a collection of interacting sub-processes. The latter can be statically simplified using an algorithm ‘PARCOMP’. PARCOMP symbolically simulates a collection of interacting processes. The advantages claimed for HOP include simple semantics, intuitiveness, high expressive power, and numerous provisions to support easily verifiable designs all the way to VLSI layout.
The Contributions of Places to Metropolitan Ethnoracial Diversity and Segregation: Decomposing Change Across Space and Time

Although the trend toward greater ethnoracial diversity in the United States has been documented at a variety of geographic scales, most research tracks diversity one scale at a time. Our study bridges scales, asking how the diversity and segregation patterns of metropolitan areas are influenced by shifts in the racial/ethnic composition of their constituent places. Drawing on 1980–2010 decennial census data, we use a new visual tool to compare the distributions of place diversity for 50 U.S. metro areas over three decades. We also undertake a decomposition analysis of segregation within these areas to evaluate hypotheses about the roles of different types of places in ethnoracial change. The decomposition indicates that although principal cities continue to shape the overall diversity of metro areas, their relative impact has declined since 1980. Inner suburbs have experienced substantial increases in diversity during the same period. Places with large white majorities now contribute more to overall metropolitan diversity than in the past. In contrast, majority black and majority Hispanic places contribute less to metropolitan diversity than in the past. The complexity of the patterns we observe is underscored through an inspection of two featured metropolises: Chicago and Dallas.