cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-objective optimization for capacity expansion of regional power-generation systems: Case study of far west Texas

High expansion of power demand is expected in the Upper Rio Grande region of far west Texas as a result of both electrical demand growth and decommissioning of installed capacity. On the supply side, a notable deployment of renewable power technologies can be projected owing to the recent legislation of a new energy policy in Texas, which attempts to reach 10,000 installed MWe of renewable capacity for 2025. Power generation fueled by natural gas might consistently expand due to the encouraged use of this fuel. In this context, the array of participating technologies can be optimized within a sustainability framework, which translates into a multi-objective optimization problem. In this paper, the problem is formulated and solved to determine supply shares for some chosen technologies based on both renewable power conversion and natural gas use. The exergetic and economic costs are established as primary competing factors. The deployment of renewable power technologies hypothetically follows the Gompertz growth model, which is constrained by exergetic self sustenance. The solution is given as a Pareto tradeoff front for arrays of optimal technologies and capacities. Additionally, the sustainability of these arrays is analyzed through indicators, and the current goal for renewable power technologies is discussed.
Identification of target genes and pathways associated with chicken microRNA miR-143.

Summary MicroRNA (miRNA) is a family of small regulatory RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate many biological functions including growth and development. Recently, the expression of chicken miRNA miR-143 was identified by using a deep sequencing approach. In other vertebrate species, miR-143 functions as a regulator of adipocyte differentiation and as a tumour suppressor. However, little is known about the biological function(s) of miR-143 in chickens. To study the functions of chicken miR-143, DNA microarray analysis and a dual luciferase reporter assay were employed to identify genes directly targeted by miR-143 as well as other biologically relevant genes. Microarray analysis indicated that 124 genes were differentially expressed upon in vitro anti-miR-143 treatment in embryonic chick splenocytes (P-value cutoff <0.01). Many of these genes are associated with cell proliferation, apoptosis and tumourigenesis. Six of the up-regulated genes possess at least one potential miR-143 binding site in their 3′UTRs, of these the binding sites of PYCR2, PSTPIP1 and PDCD5 were validated by an in vitro luciferase reporter assay. In addition, several potential targets with important biological functions were identified by the miRanda algorithm and experimentally confirmed. These targets include KLF5, MAP3K7, TARDBP and UBE2E3, which have conserved miR-143 binding sites across multiple vertebrate species. Potential chicken specific miR-143 target sites were also validated for LPIN1, PCK2, PYCR2, METTL14, SLC2A2 and TNFSF10. Overall, the current study suggests that miR-143 is ubiquitously expressed among tissues and is likely to be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Statistical properties on semiparametric regression for evaluating pathway effects

Most statistical methods for microarray data analysis consider one gene at a time, and they may miss subtle changes at the single gene level. This limitation may be overcome by considering a set of genes simultaneously where the gene sets are derived from prior biological knowledge. We call a pathway as a predefined set of genes that serve a particular cellular or physiological function. Limited work has been done in the regression settings to study the effects of clinical covariates and expression levels of genes in a pathway on a continuous clinical outcome. A semiparametric regression approach for identifying pathways related to a continuous outcome was proposed by Liu et al. (2007), who demonstrated the connection between a least squares kernel machine for nonparametric pathway effect and a restricted maximum likelihood (REML) for variance components. However, the asymptotic properties on a semiparametric regression for identifying pathway have never been studied. In this paper, we study the asymptotic properties of the parameter estimates on semiparametric regression and compare Liu et al.'s REML with our REML obtained from a profile likelihood. We prove that both approaches provide consistent estimators, have [Formula: see text] convergence rate under regularity conditions, and have either an asymptotically normal distribution or a mixture of normal distributions. However, the estimators based on our REML obtained from a profile likelihood have a theoretically smaller mean squared error than those of Liu et al.'s REML. Simulation study supports this theoretical result. A profile restricted likelihood ratio test is also provided for the non-standard testing problem. We apply our approach to a type II diabetes data set (Mootha et al., 2003).
Improving results in solitary pancreas transplantation with portal-enteric drainage, thymoglobin induction, and tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil-based immunosuppression

Advances in surgical techniques and clinical immunosuppression have led to steadily improving results in pancreas transplantation (PTX). The purpose of this study was to analyze retrospectively the outcomes in patients undergoing solitary PTX with portal-enteric (P-E) drainage and contemporary immunosuppression. From June 1998 through December 2000, we performed 28 solitary PTXs with antibody induction and tacrolimus/mycophenolate mofetil maintenance therapy. The first 13 patients received daclizumab (DAC) induction, while the next 15 received thymoglobulin (rabbit anti-human thymocyte gamma globulin; Thymo) induction. The study group included 13 pancreas alone (PA) and 15 sequential pancreas-after-kidney-transplantations (PAKT). Solitary PTX was performed with P-E drainage in 18 patients and systemic-enteric (S-E) drainage in ten. Patient and pancreas graft survival rates were 96% and 79%, respectively, with a mean follow-up of 22 (range 1-39) months. The 1-year actual death-censored pancreas graft survival rate was 89%. One PAKT patient died with a functioning graft at 1 month; three patients (11%) experienced early graft loss due to thrombosis and were excluded from the immunological analysis, leaving 24 evaluable patients. The incidence of acute rejection was 54%, including 50% in PA and 58% in PAKT recipients ( P=NS). In patients receiving Thymo induction, the rate of acute rejection was slightly lower (43% Thymo vs 70% DAC). Moreover, P-E drainage was associated with a slightly lower rate of acute rejection (44% P-E vs 75% S-E; P=NS). In patients with both Thymo induction and P-E drainage ( n=11), there was a tendency toward less rejection (the incidence of acute rejection was 36%). Two immunological graft losses occurred (one due to non-compliance), both in patients with P-E drainage. Only one patient had a cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Event-free survival (no rejection, graft loss, or death) was slightly higher in patients receiving Thymo (47%) than in those on DAC (23%) induction ( P=NS). We can conclude that solitary PTX with P-E drainage and Thymo induction may be associated with improved intermediate-term outcomes and a possible immunological advantage.
Restoring hemostatic thrombin generation at the time of cutaneous wounding does not normalize healing in hemophilia B

Summary. Background: We recently reported that wound healing is abnormal in hemophilia B (HB) mice [1]. The wounds show abnormal histology: s.c. hematoma formation; delayed re-epithelialization; delayed macrophage influx; and an increase in wound site angiogenesis. Objective: To test the hypothesis that restoring a hemostatic level of thrombin generation at the time of wounding would allow formation of an adequate platelet/fibrin plug and correct abnormalities of wound healing in HB. Methods: We placed a 3-mm cutaneous wound on the back of each HB or wild-type (WT) mouse. Some HB mice were treated just prior to wounding with either human factor IX (FIX) or FVIIa in a dose sufficient to normalize bleeding in a tail bleed model. Results: The average wound size over time in treated HB animals was intermediate between those in WT and untreated HB mice. However, the time to complete skin closure was not improved by treatment. Hematoma formation was decreased and macrophage influx began earlier in treated than in untreated HB animals. However, treated HB mice had evidence of ongoing low-level bleeding near the wound site, even after closure of the skin defect. Treatment also did not normalize the increased angiogenesis observed in HB mice. Conclusions: Restoring initial hemostasis can modulate some of the parameters of wound healing. However, an extended period of adequate hemostatic function is necessary to achieve normal healing, probably because the risk of hemorrhage is increased by vascular remodeling and angiogenesis during the healing process.
The effects of photoperiod on the switching of myometrial contractility patterns of pregnant baboons: relationship to surgery and parturition.

Pregnant baboons were studied to determine the precise time of the switch from myometrial contractures to contractions in relation to photoperiod after laparotomy and at parturition. We compared the patterns recorded in baboons to those we have previously reported in pregnant rhesus monkeys to determine fundamental primate characteristics. Seven pregnant baboons (126–160 days’ gestation) were instrumented with femoral arterial and venous catheters and electrodes for myometrial electromyogram. All animals were subjected to a 14-hour light: 10-hour dark photoperiod. Myometrial activity was monitored using a computer-based data acquisition system. Onset time for all switches was noted and standardized against time of lights off. Animals were studied at three stages of pregnancy (stage 1, first 10 days after laparotomy; stage 2, more than 10 days after laparotomy and more than 10 days before cesarean; and stage 3, 10 days before cesarean section or vaginal delivery). All baboons demonstrated myometrial switches for a variable number of days preceding parturition. Onset of darkness was 0 hours. Average time of stage 1 switch onset was 2.17 ± 0.60 hours and was not different from stage 3 switch onset, which was −1.00 ± 0.27 hours. Myometrial contractile patterns showed clear photoperiodicity in the switch from contractures to contractions in late pregnancy in the baboon. The relationship of the switch from contractures to contractions was not altered by surgical laparotomy. There was a significant difference in the time of switch in relation to photoperiod between pregnant rhesus monkeys and baboons. However, the fact that a significant photoperiod exists in both species indicates a fundamental similarity in the switch from contractures to contractions in primate pregnancy.
Heavy Rainstorms in Chicago: Increasing Frequency, Altered Impacts, and Future Implications

ABSTRACT: Operations of a dense raingage network in the Chicago area since 1989 provided data to assess the temporal and spatial distributions of heavy rainstorms. The 12-year average was 4.4 storms per year, 40 percent more than in the 1948 to 1980 period, reflecting an ongoing Midwestern increase in heavy rains. The total rainfall from the 53 heavy rainstorms maximized over the city, reflecting previous observations that the influence of the city and Lake Michigan on the atmosphere causes an increase in heavy rains. Impacts from the record high number of eight storms in 2001 revealed that efforts to control flooding including the Deep Tunnel system, had reduced street and basement flooding in the moderate intensity storms, but the two most intense storms, each with 100-year rainfall values, led to excessive flooding and a need to release flood waters into Lake Michigan. Results suggest continuing increases in the number of heavy rainstorms in future years, which has major implications for water managers in Chicago and elsewhere.
Report on international conference on geo-spatial solutions for emergency management 2009

The International Conference on Geo-spatial Solutions for Emergency Management (GSEM2009) was held in Beijing from 14 to 19 September 2009. Co-chaired by Prof J.X. Zhang and Prof Z.L. Li, GSEM2009 was conducted in conjunction with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Chinese Academy of Surveying and Mapping (CASM). The conference was organised by CASM, together with six International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) working groups (VII/6, IV/VIII, II/1, IV/8, IV/4 and VIII/1). GSEM2009 provided an excellent platform to exchange and explore the latest developments in photogrammetry, remote sensing and spatial information sciences for emergency management, including technical developments of image and data fusion, prediction and early warning of major natural disasters based on ‘3S’ technology, rapid acquisition and processing of remote sensing data for disaster information extraction/interpretation and services, disaster emergency cartography and service, emergency geo-spatial information data management, development and application of new sensors, research and development of new GIS products and geodesy and satellite navigation in disaster monitoring. From 150 abstracts, the scientific program committee carefully selected 63 papers as oral presentations and 13 papers for poster sessions. This report provides an overview of presentations made during GSEM2009. Further information can be obtained from Proceedings of GSEM2009, ISPRS Volume XXXVIII (Part 7/C4) edited by J.X. Zhang and others.
Parkinsonism and frontotemporal dementia: the clinical overlap.

Frontotemporal dementia is commonly associated with parkinsonism in several sporadic (i.e., progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration) and familial neurodegenerative disorders (i.e., frontotemporal dementia associated with parkinsonism and MAPT or progranulin mutations in chromosome 17). The clinical diagnosis of these disorders may be challenging in view of overlapping clinical features, particularly in speech, language, and behavior. The motor and cognitive phenotypes can be viewed within a spectrum of clinical, pathologic, and genetic disorders with no discrete clinicopathologic correlations but rather lying within a dementia–parkinsonism continuum. Neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis can be helpful, but the poor specificity of clinical and imaging features has enormously challenged the development of biological markers that could differentiate these disorders premortem. This gap is critical to bridge in order to allow testing of novel biological therapies that may slow the progression of these proteinopathies.
Mutational analysis of YgfZ, a folate-dependent protein implicated in iron/sulphur cluster metabolism.

Proteins of the YgfZ family occur in all domains of life and are characterized by the conserved dodecapeptide motif KGC[Y/F]-x-GQE-x3-[R/K]. YgfZ proteins are known to participate in assembly or repair of iron/sulphur clusters, and to require folate for biological activity, but their mechanism of action is unknown. To assess the importance of individual residues in the conserved motif, Escherichia coli YgfZ was expressed from a plasmid in a Δ ygfZ strain and subjected to alanine-scanning mutagenesis. The impacts on YgfZ functionality were evaluated by assays of growth and of the in vivo activity of the iron/sulphur enzyme MiaB, which modifies tRNA. By these criteria, the motif's tyrosine residue (Y229) had a detectable influence but only the cysteine residue (C228) was critical, for only the C228A mutant failed to complement the growth and MiaB activity phenotypes of the Δ ygfZ strain. Immunoblots confirmed that the latter result was not simply because of a low level of the C228A mutant protein. Collectively, these data demonstrate a pivotal role for the Ygf Z motif's cysteine residue and a subsidiary one for the adjacent tyrosine, and help formulate a hypothesis about the folate requirement of Ygf Z proteins.
Neonatal Resuscitation Simulation

requires practice nNeonatal resuscitation is a standard of practice for all neonatal nurse practitioners, midwives, respiratory therapists, staff nurses and physicians who work in maternity and neonatal settings. However, many health care workers have experienced challenges in the delivery room trying to coordinate resuscitation efforts with team members. As with any specialized skill, neonatal resuscitation requires practice. Responders with limited experience may demonstrate difficulty following resuscitation guidelines. For example, they may move toward cardiac compressions without allowing adequate time for ventilation. Although requirements may vary per individual hospital, working in a labor and delivery unit, Level I well-baby nursery (WBN), or a Level II to III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) usually requires that all medical, nursing and respiratory staff complete the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) within 6 months of employment. But completion of NRP is not the issue of concern. The issue is a more complex one, and it’s compounded by the challenge of our nation’s nursing shortage. Novice nurses are now being employed in critical care areas, such as the NICU. Additionally, they are spending limited time in unit orientation and training. These Jennifer B. Lemoine, APRN, MN, NNP-BC
Strong-signal laser operation. I. General theory

A Lamb semiclassical theory is developed for multimode, mode-locked laser operation. The equality of frequency spacings between adjacent modes causes population pulsations generated in the nonlinear atomic response to be integer multiples of the adjacent-mode spacing. This allows the atomic response to be written in terms of Fourier series, thereby reducing coupled differential equations of motion to algebraic equations ultimately expressible in terms of a continued fraction. A unidirectional ring configuration is assumed so that the more complicated spatial dependence of standing waves is avoided. Reductions are made to the rateequation limit and to the special two-mode cases of bidirectional ring operation and single-mode, standing-wave, gas-laser operation. Numerical analysis of the equations is motivated. Specific results are given in the following (companion) paper.
Electron and light microscopic observations on relationships between lymphocytes and intestinal epithelium

Correlated electron and light microscopic studies of the distribution, position, appearance, migration and fate of lymphocytes with relation to the intestinal epithelium of the young adult rat, mouse, hamster and man have been made. Under the conditions of this investigation, the lymphocytes which are normally present in the intestinal epithelium are intercellular in position, irrespective of their level within the epithelium. The great majority of these cells are located in the basal region of the epithelium, below the level of the epithelial cell nuclei. There was no evidence of lymphocytic degeneration. Lymphocytes migrated from the lamina propria into the epithelium and back again into the lamina propria, with no evidence of movement toward the free surface of the intestinal epithelium and extrusion into the lumen.
Import Sourcing Dynamics: An Integrative Perspective

The character of import sourcing for manufacturing has changed beyond the reach of current explanatory schemes. This study knits several evolving trends in the area of import sourcing into a theoretical framework in order to facilitate research in this under-researched topic and expose to practitioners the increasing strategic value of import sourcing.
A non-invasive and remote infant monitoring system using CO 2 sensors

In this paper, we presented an infant monitoring system using CO2 sensors to non-invasively monitor the exhaled air from an infant in order to reduce the potential risks for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Due to the variation in the exhaled CO2 concentration, we can detect problematic episodes associated with infant's respiration. An array of CO2 sensors is mounted around the infant in the bars of the crib and they are wire-connected to a circuit board located at the end of the crib. This board consists of a processing circuit and a wireless transmission module transmitting signals to a compact receiver at the caregivers' location. We have designed and assembled the modules in printed circuit boards (PCBs) with commercial metal-oxide based CO2 sensors. The sensor has been tested in sensitivity, selectivity and humidity dependence. The module has been tested with its transmission capability in various environments. The entire infant monitoring system has been tested showing desired functionality.
Characterization of Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Produced by MC3T3 Cells Using Thickness Shear Mode (TSM) Resonators

Quartz thickness shear mode (TSM) resonators for monitoring the attachment and spreading of mammalian cells have been investigated in the past years. Recent studies have shown that the TSM resonator signal is not only contributed by cellular body closed to the resonator substrate, but also contributed by the extracellular matrix (ECM), which is a protein layer between the cellular body and the resonator surface. Therefore, the quartz TSM resonator is expected to provide a simple, quantitative and effective method to characterize the ECM produced by cells. In this study, we investigate the use of quartz TSM resonators to monitor the ECM production by cells in real time and to characterize the mechanical properties and the thickness of this protein layer. MC3T3-E1 fibroblasts are chosen in our study because they are an established cell line that is stable in culture from passage to passage and they can produce abundant collagenous matrix within a relatively short culture period. AT-cut quartz crystal resonators coated with gold electrodes on both sides are used in this study. An impedance analyzer is used for measuring the admittance spectra and total parallel capacitance of the resonators. Multilayer model is constructed to characterize the mechanical properties and thickness of the ECM layer by using a curve-fitting method. The results obtained by TSM resonator sensors show a good agreement with those obtained by chemical methods.
The ethics of innovative surgical approaches for well-established procedures.

A surgeon with extensive experience in minimally invasive robotic procedures plans to use the robotic apparatus to treat a large splenic artery aneurysm. The patient is thin but otherwise in good health, and welcomes the prospect of less scarring, faster recovery time, and less pain and suffering than he might experience with the standard open procedure. He is furthermore eager to be among the first to receive this innovative operation. What special ethical obligations might the surgeon have when replacing a well-established operation with a new technological approach?
Simvastatin represses protein synthesis in the muscle-derived C2C12 cell line with a concomitant reduction in eukaryotic initiation factor 2B expression

Statins are a widely prescribed class of cholesterol lowering drugs whose use is frequently associated with muscle-related ailments. A number of mechanisms have been implicated in statin-induced myotoxicity including alterations in both protein synthesis and protein degradation. The objective of the present study was to explore the mechanism(s) contributing to the statin-induced reduction in protein synthesis in the muscle-derived C2C12 cell line. Cells were treated with 10 μM simvastatin or vehicle alone for 24 h in 1% serum. Cells exposed to simvastatin exhibited reduced rates of protein synthesis, as evidenced by [35S]methionine and [35S]cysteine incorporation into protein. The reduction in protein synthesis occurred with a concomitant decrease in expression and activity of eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B), a regulated and rate-controlling guanine nucleotide exchange factor known to affect global rates of protein synthesis. The reductions in protein synthesis and eIF2B expression were prevented by coincubation with mevalonate. Simvastatin treatment also resulted in a proteasome-sensitive reduction in the protein expression of all the subunits of the eIF2B heteropentameric complex. Finally, increased phosphorylation of the catalytic ϵ-subunit at Ser535 was observed, an event consistent with an observed reduction in eIF2B activity. These results suggest that repression of eIF2B expression and activity may contribute, at least in part, to the statin-induced reduction in protein synthesis.
Impact of Process Variations on SRAM Single Event Upsets

Process variations affect the single event (SE) hardness of SRAM cells. Monte-Carlo simulations show this effect and can be used to quantify the significance of process parameter shifts on SRAM SE upset probabilities.
RoMEO Green at the University of Kansas: An experiment to encourage interest and participation among faculty and jump start populating the KU scholarworks repository

Universities around the world are beginning to develop digital repositories in order to offer new methods for the distribution and preservation of the intellectual output of their faculty. The University of Kansas (KU) is among these universities and is exploring ways to provide better access to and preservation of published and unpublished scholarly research created by KU faculty. The University's institutional repository, KU ScholarWorks (http://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/), entered into production in October 2004 with participation from selected departments and research centers and opened to all faculty early in 2005. While the expectation is that faculty will self-archive their submissions through a departmental community structure, we initiated a project, RoMEO Green, to explore other staff-mediated options for content recruitment. This paper will address the steps taken thus far to populate the repository through this alternative process, the data collection methods, and early findings during the data analysis phase. We will discuss possible implications of these results for future directions of this project and for the larger mission of KU ScholarWorks. Project findings may be of interest to institutions considering different models for populating institutional repositories.
An Effective P2P Search Scheme to Exploit File Sharing Heterogeneity

Although the original intent of the peer-to-peer (P2P) concept is to treat each participant equally, heterogeneity widely exists in deployed P2P networks. Peers are different from each other in many aspects, such as bandwidth, CPU power, and storage capacity. Some approaches have been proposed to take advantage of the query forwarding heterogeneity such that the high bandwidth of powerful nodes can be fully utilized to maximize the system capacity. In this paper, we suggest using the query answering heterogeneity to directly improve the search efficiency of P2P networks. In our proposed differentiated search (DiffSearch) algorithm, the peers with high query answering capabilities will have higher priority to be queried. Because the query answering capabilities are extremely unbalanced among peers, a high query success rate can be achieved by querying only a small portion of a network. The search traffic is significantly reduced due to the shrunken search space. Our trace analysis and simulation show that the DiffSearch algorithm can save up to 60 percent of search traffic
Behavioral ecology of disturbed landscapes: the response of territorial animals to relocation

Intraspecific territorial interactions are common for a large variety of wildlife species. This often results in high-quality habitat being occupied by dominant individuals, with subordinates relegated to lower quality habitat. The role that these territorial interactions play in influencing the redistribution of animals that have been evicted from their native home ranges remains unclear. My goals were to determine (1) how the density of conspecifics in the new habitats impacts resettlement patterns and (2) to what extent prior dominance status is maintained when an animal is forced to relocate. I relocated white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) from high-quality, oak-dominated hardwood and lower quality, white pine forests to novel sites and released them along the ecotone of these two habitat types. I relocated mice first in the presence and then in the absence of a natural density of resident mice. Habitat selection and resource acquisition of relocated mice were assessed via mark-recapture livetrapping and passive integrated transponder tagging. Relocated mice selected high-quality habitat significantly more often when resident mice were absent, illustrating the importance of territorial interactions for determining resettlement patterns of relocated individuals. Data on resource acquisition also reflected the competitive influence of resident mice--relocated mice were significantly more successful accessing food resources in the treatment without residents. The habitat of origin did not significantly impact habitat selection or resource acquisition, indicating that all relocated individuals were at a disadvantage compared to residents. Copyright 2005.
Dual roles of Munc18-1 rely on distinct binding modes of the central cavity with Stx1A and SNARE complex

Sec1/Munc18 proteins play a fundamental role in multiple steps of intracellular membrane trafficking. Dual functions have been attributed to Munc18-1: it can act as a chaperone when it interacts with monomeric syntaxin 1A, and it can activate soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) for membrane fusion when it binds to SNARE complexes. Although both modes of binding involve the central cavity of Munc18-1, their precise molecular mechanisms of action are not fully understood. In this paper, we describe a novel Munc18-1 mutant in the central cavity that showed a reduced interaction with syntaxin 1A and impaired chaperone function, but still bound to assembled SNARE complexes and promoted liposome fusion and secretion in neuroendocrine cells. Soluble syntaxin 1A H3 domain partially blocks Munc18-1 activation of liposome fusion by occupying the Munc18-1 central cavity. Our findings lead us to propose a transition model between the two distinct binding modes by which Munc18 can control and assist in SNARE-complex assembly during neurotransmitter release.
Factors Involved in Maintenance of Pregnancy in the Rat. The Temporal Need for Estrogen, Pituitary Prolactin and the Ovary

The roles of the anterior pituitary, ovary and placenta were examined in pregnant rats. All experiments were timed from Day 1 when sperm were observed in the vaginal lavage. Animals were hypophysectomized (APX) with or without subsequent autograft (APtr) or homograft of the pituitary to the kidney capsule. Estradiol benzoate (EB), Estradiol-17j3 (E-17(3) or diethylstilbestrol (DES) in sesame oil were injected s.c. When APX was done on Days 8, 9 or 10 and EB was given in doses of 0.25 or 0.5 #g/day from the day before APX through Day 12, most sites had resorbed by Day 12. Rats receiving anterior pituitary homografts on Days 4, 5 or 6 were subsequently APX on Day 8 and given E-17(3 (0,1 �zg/day) on Days 8-12. Ten of 11 rats resorbed theirimplantationsites. Only 1 of6 rats APtr on Day 8 and givenE-1713(0.1ug/day)on Days 8-12 retainedsitesbeyond Day 12.RatsAPtr on Day 2 and given E-17p (0.1 ug/day) Days 8-12 (equivalent to Days 4-8 of normalpregnancy because of the 4 day delay of implantation inherent in the model) exhibited fetal resorption on Day 16 (equivalent to Day 12). However, if the E-17(3 treatment was extended to Day 14 or 16, live fetuses were observed on Day 20 or beyond; Diethylstilbestrol (0.2 Mg/day) can replace E-1713 (0.1 Mg/day). Ovariectomy on Days 12, 16 or 18 (equivalent to Days 8, 12 or 14), in rats APtr on Day 2 and given E-1 7(3 from Day 8-16, resulted in fetal resorption. Removal of the pituitary autograft by nephrectomy on Day 10 (equivalent to Day 6) resulted in total fetal resorption by Day 16 (equivalent to Day 12).Similarly, ratsoperated on Days 12-16 (equivalent to Days 8-12) retained viable fetuses. The results suggest that during normal rat pregnancy: 1) an estrogenic source is required for implantation and must be present through Day 10-12; 2) the ovary is required for progesterone secretion beyond Day 14 and 3) pituitary prolactin is not required beyond Day 8.
Seasonality in the trophic basis of a temperate stream invertebrate assemblage: Importance of temperature and food quality

Ecologists have long recognized that ecosystems are open and that they receive substantial subsidies of energy and materials from beyond their boundaries. This recognition has spurred theoretical and empirical investigation of biotic and abiotic conditions that influence the importance of subsidies for recipient ecosystems. We combined temporal patterns of resource use (via stable isotope analysis), consumer–resource stoichiometry, and invertebrate production to quantify controls on the relative importance of resource subsidies (i.e., terrestrial litter) vs. in situ food resources (i.e., algae) in fueling secondary production in a highly seasonal temperate stream. Both litter subsidies and in situ primary production were important for supporting annual invertebrate production. However, temporal patterns of secondary production and trophic support varied significantly. Algae supported the majority of production (. 55%) during critical growth periods characterized by warm temperatures (5–15uC) and high primary production. In contrast, terrestrial litter supported the majority of invertebrate production (. 55%) during relatively cold months (, 0–4uC) when primary production and metabolic demands of invertebrates were low. A model selection procedure revealed that both temperature and consumer–resource stoichiometric imbalances were important determinants of patterns of invertebrate production. Our findings highlight the important interaction of environmental conditions and resource quality in mediating how internally and externally derived resources are used to fuel invertebrate production. Aquatic consumers are subject to extreme variation in food quantity and quality, and they often depend on resources originating from both within (autochthonous) and outside (allochthonous) the ecosystem (Minshall 1967; Marcarelli et al. 2011). Variation in autochthonous resources can result from seasonality in physical characteristics, such as temperature and light, leading to large intraannual differences in primary producer abundance and quality (Stevenson et al. 1996). Variation in allochthonous resources, however, may depend on the extent of connectivity with neighboring ecosystems and differences in the timing, duration, and quality of material subsidies (Polis et al. 1997). Although a large body of research has demonstrated the importance of both autochthonous and allochthonous resources for aquatic consumers, much less is known about how intraannual variation in environmental characteristics influences their utilization (but see McCutchan and Lewis 2002).
The Place of Liberal Education in America

Abstract Liberal education has a real, if precarious, place in America. Its purpose is to remind each of us that were all more than middle-class, more than beings with interests or rights. American liberal education finds its resources in classical and Christian thought, both European and indigenous. The main challenge to liberal education today comes from the libertarians.
Two-Component Horizontal Aerosol Motion Vectors in the Atmospheric Surface Layer from a Cross-Correlation Algorithm Applied to Scanning Elastic Backscatter Lidar Data*

AbstractTwo-component horizontal motion vectors of aerosol features were calculated by applying a cross-correlation algorithm to square image blocks extracted from consecutive pairs of elastic backscatter lidar scans. The resulting vector components were compared with corresponding horizontal wind components from tower-mounted sonic anemometers located at the center of the image blocks. In the analysis 180 245 pairs of vectors derived from 75 days of field data collected between 19 March and 11 June 2007 were used. Examples of time series comparisons from 4-h periods during light, strong, and changing wind conditions are presented. Mean signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of the block backscatter data, maxima of the cross-correlation functions (CCFs), observed wind speed, and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) were also calculated for each velocity component comparison. The correlation between the lidar-derived motion components and sonic anemometer wind components tends to be highest during light wind conditions w...
Neonates mount robust and protective adult-like CD8(+)-T-cell responses to DNA vaccines.

Neonates are thought to mount less vigorous adaptive immune responses than adults to antigens and infectious agents. This concept has led to a delay in the administration of many currently available vaccines until late infancy or early childhood. It has recently been shown that vaccines composed of plasmid DNA can induce both humoral and cell-mediated antimicrobial immunity when administered within hours of birth. In most of these studies, immune responses were measured weeks or months after the initial vaccination, and it is therefore questionable whether the observed responses were actually the result of priming of splenocytes within the neonatal period. Here we show that DNA vaccination at birth results in the rapid induction of antigen-specific CD8 + T cells within neonatal life. Analyses of T-cell effector functions critical for the resolution of many viral infections revealed that neonatal and adult CD8 + T cells produce similar arrays of cytokines. Furthermore, the avidities of neonatal and adult CD8 + T cells for peptide and the rapidity with which they upregulate cytokine production after recall encounters with antigen are similar. Protective immunity against the arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, which is mediated by CD8 + cytotoxic T cells, is also rapidly acquired within the neonatal period. Collectively these data imply that, at least in the case of CD8 + T cells, neonates are not as immunodeficient as previously supposed and that DNA vaccines may be an effective and safe means of providing critical cell-mediated antiviral immunity extremely early in life.
Advanced techniques for improving wind direction ambiguity removal in scatterometry

A scatterometer can be used to determine the driving wind speed and direction through the inversion of an empirical model function relating /spl sigma//sup 0/ (normalized radar cross-section) to wind speed and direction. Unfortunately, for a given value of measured /spl sigma//sup 0/, there is not a unique wind vector solution. Multiple /spl sigma//sup 0/ measurements of the same ocean area using different viewing geometries and/or polarizations can be used to reduce the number of possible wind vector solutions. The NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) was designed and built to be launched on ADEOS. NSCAT will measure /spl sigma//sup 0/ from three different viewing geometries with one of the antennas making dual-polarization measurements. The NSCAT configuration provides additional information to assist in the selection of a wind vector solution. The process of selecting one of the wind vector solutions to represent the true wind vector is referred to as ambiguity removal or dealiasing. The ambiguity removal algorithm currently planned for NSCAT utilizes a simple median filter. From simulations, it has been determined that the median filtering technique will have an average skill of about 87.6%. The errors remaining in the wind field after ambiguity removal tend to be clustered together, span the width of the swath (600 km), and extend in the along track direction for several hundred kilometers. Errors also tend to produce sharp discontinuities in the retrieved wind field where there are no such discontinuities in the true wind field. We discuss techniques of ambiguity removal and outline two new algorithms which can be used to improve ambiguity removal performance without the inclusion of additional wind field information. The techniques are applied to simulated NSCAT.
Structure and Mayoral Roles: A Research Note:

The research on urban leadership attributes the performance of mayors either to institutional factors or to individual characteristics. Taking advantage of a 'natural experiment', we assess the eff...
Social Anxiety and Withdrawal

Social anxiety, social withdrawal, and social skills are intertwined, but distinct, constructs that can mutually and independently have a significant impact on social functioning. Comprehensive definitions and descriptions of social skills are provided elsewhere in this volume; however, social anxiety is defined as a fear of negative evaluation by others and low self-confidence when performing or interacting in social situations (Rapee & Heimberg, 1997). In addition, social anxiety may be linked with poorer social-cognitive functioning, such as understanding the mental states of others in social interactions or assuming negative outcomes of social behaviors (Banerjee & Henderson, 2001; Rapee & Spence, 2004). Social anxiety is seen as existing on a continuum of intensity, from the low levels seen in socially gregarious individuals, through the typical anxiety experienced by most in situations such as public speaking, to
Citations and RefWorks

[With this issue, we announce the start of a new column, “Practical Tips for Daily Reference Work,” in which working reference librarians may share their guides and practical tips for better refere...
Experimental analysis of application-level intrusion detection algorithms

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) plays a very important role on information security. In this paper, we present an application-level intrusion detection algorithm named Graph-based Sequence-Learning Algorithm (GSLA). GSLA includes data pre-processing, normal profile construction and session marking. In GSLA, the normal profile is built through a session-learning method, which is used to determine an anomaly session. We conduct experiments and evaluate the performance of GSLA with other conventional algorithms, such as Markov Chain Model (MM) and K-means Algorithm. The results show that GSLA improves the effectiveness of anomaly detection.
Recent mum on the capacity of wideband channels in the low-power regime

This article gives a brief overview of recent results on the limits of reliable communication in the low-power wideband regime from the standpoint of information theory. Results on channel capacity and optimum signaling are reviewed for both point-to-point channels and multiuser channels.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Pregnancy

This chapter familiarizes clinicians with the literature regarding outcomes of pregnancies of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women, and describes strategies to minimize transmission and to reduce the frequency of adverse perinatal outcomes. Pregnant women with a high viral load, revealed by high titers of HIV or p24 antigenemia, apparently are a group at particularly high risk of transmission. Acute viremia associated with maternal seroconversion in the year prior to pregnancy or during breast-feeding appears to be associated with increased rates of vertical transmission. Intensive exposure of the infant’s thin skin or mucosal surfaces to maternal blood and secretions during the birth process could provide a significant route for virus transmission. Advanced immunologic deterioration, as demonstrated by decreased numbers of circulating CD4+ lymphocytes, has been associated with an increased risk of vertical transmission. Over the last several years, a great deal has been learned about the timing of transmission. There are no data to support antepartum, intrapartum, and neonatal (breast-feeding) transmission of HIV. Most reports from developed countries suggest that, other than transmission of HIV infection, pregnancy outcomes are not affected by serostatus, at least in asymptomatic patients. Women who choose to maintain their pregnancy should be aware that certain interventions may reduce the risk of perinatal HIV transmission and that several other approaches are under study to determine whether they will have additional benefit. The single most important step in prenatal care today is the use of zidovudine (ZDV) in the antepartum, intrapartum, and neonatal periods.
Scattering on an Impurity in a Weakly Interacting 1D Electron Gas

Scattering on a localized potential of arbitrary strength is found for weakly interacting electrons. Poor man’s renormalization group procedure allows us to calculate the renormalized transmission amplitudes at any energy. Simple formulas that describe the conductance of a weakly interacting 1D gas in the presence of a single impurity, which are valid at any temperature are derived. We then apply our technique to the problem of the non-linearities in the I–V characteristic due to magnetic field and to the problem of Fermi edge singularity in one dimension. In the presence of a magnetic field, we find a peak in the differential conductance at bias equal to the Zeeman splitting. In the Fermi edge singularity problem, we have calculated the absorption coefficient at arbitrary energy of the photon. Renormalization by interactions of the backscattering off the core hole potential leads to a significant modification of the exponent characterizing the edge singularity.
Hosting an Unruly Guest: The Impact of Late Acute and Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

* Correspondence and reprint re and Stem Cell Transplantation S Center, 1301 Medical Center Drive, E-mail address: bipin.savani@va http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbmt.2
Association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with odds of a renal lesion

e16025 Background: Patients with ESRD on long term hemodialysis are known to be at an increased risk for renal cell carcinoma. We postulate that some component of chronic renal failure not correcte...
ACTIVATION OF CREATINE PHOSPHOKINASE BY SULFHYDRYL COMPOUNDS IN NORMAL AND MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY SERA.

SummaryCPK activity of sera from normals and subjects with myopathies was enhanced about 5 times by mercaptoethanol or other sulfhydryl compounds. The enzyme present in crude extracts from normal human skeletal muscle and heart behaved similarly in this respect. Addition of a sulfhydryl compound to the assay medium resulted in increased accuracy and reproducibility in measuring the true value of serum CPK.