cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An advanced optical system for laser ablation propulsion in space

Abstract We propose a novel space-based ablation driven propulsion engine concept utilizing transmitted energy in the form of a series of ultra-short optical pulses. Key differences are generating the pulses at the transmitting spacecraft and the safe delivery of that energy to the receiving spacecraft for propulsion. By expanding the beam diameter during transmission in space, the energy can propagate at relatively low intensity and then be refocused and redistributed to create an array of ablation sites at the receiver. The ablation array strategy allows greater control over flight dynamics and eases thermal management. Research efforts for this transmission and reception of ultra-short optical pulses include: (1) optical system design; (2) electrical system requirements; (3) thermal management; (4) structured energy transmission safety. Research has also been focused on developing an optical switch concept for the multiplexing of the ultra-short pulses. This optical switch strategy implements multiple reflectors polished into a rotating momentum wheel device to combine the pulses from different laser sources. The optical system design must minimize the thermal load on any one optical element. Initial specifications and modeling for the optical system are being produced using geometrical ray-tracing software to give a better understanding of the optical requirements. In regards to safety, we have advanced the retro-reflective beam locking strategy to include look-ahead capabilities for long propagation distances. Additional applications and missions utilizing multiplexed pulse transmission are also presented. Because the research is in early development, it provides an opportunity for new and valuable advances in the area of transmitted energy for propulsion as well as encourages joint international efforts. Researchers from different countries can cooperate in order to find constructive and safe uses of ordered pulse transmission for propulsion in future space-based missions.
The production of porous glass microspheres by the nuclear track technique

Abstract The nuclear track technique (NTT) is used to produce porous glass microspheres. The nuclear tracks randomly penetrate the material so that the resultant pores are interconnected. The result of this process is the creation of latent, radiation-damaged regions by the charged particles emitted from the neutron-induced fissioning of 235 U, an isotope of uranium which in trace quantities either naturally occurs in or surrounds the microspheres. The damaged regions, or “tracks” are then enlarged to optically visible tracks with the aid of a light microscope by chemically etching the material. The number of tracks or pores created both at the surface and within the microsphere is dependent upon the neutron fluence used to induce the fission of 235 U, provided that the bulk uranium is constant in the microspheres. Pore diameter is determined by the concentration of the etching solution and the etching time.
DWDM system architecture and design trade-offs

The architecture of metropolitan transport equipment is evolving based on the changing requirements needed to support a high bandwidth access infrastructure that is video rich and the availability of a new generation of optical components including wavelength switches.
Effects of anesthetics and cerebrospinal fluid potassium and calcium concentrations on the chicken cardiovascular system

Abstract 1. Chickens anesthetized with the inhalation anesthetic, methoxyflurane, exhibited significantly higher blood pressures and heart rates than phenobarbital-anesthetized birds. 2. Both groups of anesthetized chickens had lower blood pressures and heart rates as compared with reported values from unanesthetized birds. 3. Ventriculocisternal perfusion with 0–40 m-equiv/l. of potassium had no significant effect on the blood pressure of methoxyflurane-anesthetized chickens. 4. Ventriculocisternal perfusion with 0–5 m-equiv/l. of calcium resulted in significant depression of systolic blood pressure at the higher calcium levels but was without effect on diastolic or mean blood pressures. 5. It is suggested that chickens can respond to changes in the ionic composition of CSF but that the use of anesthesia may have caused the blood pressure response to be reduced and variable.
Effects of valine deprivation on ribosome formation in HeLa cells.

Abstract When HeLa cells are deprived of the essential amino acid, valine, the formation of new ribosomes continues at a reduced rate compared to growing cells. Examination of nucleolar RNA reveals that during valine starvation there is a considerable decrease in the rate of 45 s ribosomal precursor RNA synthesis and of its conversion into 32 s RNA. Restoration of valine reverses these effects, but cycloheximide prevents reversal. The total steady-state level of nucleolar RNA remains practically constant for many hours after the onset of valine deprivation, but small changes in the relative amounts of 45 s and 32 s RNA occur. Preliminary experiments on cells deprived of other amino acids give results similar to those observed during valine deprivation. The findings indicate that in HeLa cells the availability of some particular protein or proteins may regulate the rate of synthesis and cleavage of ribosomal precursor RNA.
Effect of scopolamine on response by the rat to environmental change

Nineteen rats injected with scopolamine and 18 saline injected controls were exposed in a T maze to different colored arms but were prevented from entering the arms by clear Plexiglas partitions. On a later test trial with both arms the same color and with the partitions removed, both groups significantly chose the changed arm. This was interpreted as indicating that the rats injected with scopolamine habituated as well as the controls.
Examining Student Spiritual Outcomes as a Result of a General Education Religion Course.

In an era in which part-time faculty are becoming a higher proportion of the teaching faculty on most campuses, this study addressed the question of whether student learning outcomes in religious education courses are significantly influenced by whether the instructor teaches in a full- or part-time capacity in the Department of Religion. We examined student learning outcomes in light of the particular mission of a faith-based university, including both spiritual and religious outcomes. We surveyed 608 students enrolled in eight different sections of an introductory religion course at a private religious university. These students were taught by both full-time religion faculty, as well as faculty with full-time teaching assignments outside the Department of Religion and part-time teaching assignments within it (known as transfer faculty). We found that there was a significant difference in most of the religious and spiritual outcomes between classes taught by full-time religion faculty as opposed to trans...
First-trimester maternal serum unconjugated oestriol and alpha-fetoprotein in fetal Down's syndrome.

Maternal sera (MS) taken from 1396 women prior to chorionic villus sampling at 9–12 menstrual weeks were assayed for unconjugated oestriol (uE3) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Median levels increased by 41 and 26 per cent per week respectively in normal pregnancies. There were 32 pregnancies with a chromosome abnormality. The median MS uE3 and AFP were 0.73 and 0.75 multiples of the median (MoM) respectively in the ten cases of Down's syndrome (DS) but not decreased in the other abnormalities. These results suggest that both uE3 and AFP may be useful in identifying DS in the first trimester. Additional prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
A Three Parameter Pulse Height Analyzer and Coincidence System for Satellite Cosmic Ray Studies

A cosmic ray experiment to be flown on an Orbiting Geophysical Observatory (OGO-E) consists of Cerenkov, scintillation, and solid state detector telescopes with associated electronics. Primary emphasis in this paper is placed upon description of the 256 channel pulse height analyzer and coincidence system electronics. Description of the three parameter system used for the scintillation telescope is emphasized since it is the most representative of the three telescope systems. A pulse height analysis is performed on each of the three photomultiplier tube outputs. Results are sent into the spacecraft data handling system. Circuits in the analyzer discussed in detail because of their improved performance over previously used circuits are a low noise charge sensitive amplifier, an RC pulse shaping technique, a delay line gated oscillator and a peak detecting circuit for pulse shape discrimination. In conjunction with the basic analyzer a coincidence system using a basic circuit for threshold discrimination and coincidence gating is described. Precise control of resolution down to 100 nanoseconds is obtainable.
Localization of the Na-K pump in turtle retina.

The kinetics of ouabain binding to Na-K pump and the distribution of pump sites were examined in the retina of Pseudemys scripta elegans. Binding to retinal slices followed bimolecular kinetics characterized by a KD of 1.5 X 10(-6) M and a maximum binding capacity of 11.2 X 10(-8) mol g-1 of protein. Quantitative autoradiography of slices revealed a high concentration of bound ouabain in the inner segment, outer plexiform, inner plexiform and optic nerve layers, and correspondingly, a low level of binding in layers containing cell bodies. In the few instances that outer segments remained attached to cones, little or no binding to outer segments was observed. The membrane density of inner segment binding sites was measured by combining autoradiographic measurements of pump site concentration with stereological measurements of membrane concentration. The densities were 6.3 and 3.7 X 10(3) sites micron-2 of cone-ellipsoid and cone-fin cell membrane, respectively. The density of Muller cell microvilli was measured similarly but in enzymatically isolated cells and found to be 600 sites micron-2 of membrane. Measurements of Measurements of cone-ellipsoid pump site density in enzymatically isolated cones were not different from measurements in slices. Calculation of Na-K pump site turnover number for the cone inner segment from pump site densities and published dark current measurements yielded a value of 30 Hz.
Improvement of attentional function with antagonism of nicotinic receptors in female rats

Nicotinic agonists have been shown in a variety of studies to improve cognitive function. Since nicotinic receptors are easily desensitized by agonists, it is not completely clear to what degree receptor desensitization or receptor activation are responsible for nicotinic agonist-induced cognitive improvement. In the current study, the effect of the neuronal nicotinic cholinergic α4β2 receptor antagonist dihydro-β-erythroidine (DHβE) and the α7 nicotinic receptor antagonist methyllycaconitine (MLA) on attentional function was determined. Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were trained on the visual signal detection task. They were required to discriminate whether or not a light signal occurred on a trial and respond with a lever press on one side after a signal and the opposite side after the absence of a signal in order to receive a food pellet reinforcer. Acute administration of the α4β2 antagonist DHβE improved attentional function either alone or in reversing the attentional impairment caused by the NMDA glutamate antagonist dizocilpine (MK-801). Acute administration of MLA also significantly attenuated the dizocilpine-induced attentional impairment. In previous research we have shown that the α4β2 nicotinic desensitizing agent and partial agonist sazetidine-A also was effective in reversing dizocilpine-induced attentional impairments on the signal detection task and that low doses of the general nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine improved learning and memory. The current studies indicate that blockade of nicotinic receptors can effectively attenuate attentional impairments. Development of drugs that provide a net decrease in nicotinic receptor activity either through antagonism or desensitization could be worth exploring for beneficial effects for treating cognitive impairments.
Significant Head Accelerations Can Influence Immediate Neurological Impairments in a Murine Model of Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

Although blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) is well recognized for its significance in the military population, the unique mechanisms of primary bTBI remain undefined. Animate models of primary bTBI are critical for determining these potentially unique mechanisms, but the biomechanical characteristics of many bTBI models are poorly understood. In this study, we examine some common shock tube configurations used to study blast-induced brain injury in the laboratory, and define the optimal configuration to minimize the effect of torso overpressure and blast-induced head accelerations. Pressure transducers indicated that a customized animal holder successfully reduced peak torso overpressures to safe levels across all tested configurations. However, high-speed video imaging acquired during the blast showed significant head accelerations occurred when animals were oriented perpendicular to the shock tube axis. Under the same blast input conditions, minimizing head acceleration led to a corresponding elimination of righting time deficits. However, we could still achieve righting time deficits under minimal acceleration conditions by significantly increasing the peak blast overpressure. Together, these data show the importance of characterizing the effect of blast overpressure on head kinematics, with the goal of producing models focused on understanding the effects of blast overpressure on the brain without the complicating factor of superimposed head accelerations. KEYWORDS Blast, traumatic brain injury, biomechanics, acceleration, overpressure. Language: en
Induction Machine Broken Bar and Stator Short-Circuit Fault Diagnostics Based on Three-Phase Stator Current Envelopes

A new method for the fault diagnosis of a broken rotor bar and interturn short circuits in induction machines (IMs) is presented. The method is based on the analysis of the three-phase stator current envelopes of IMs using reconstructed phase space transforms. The signatures of each type of fault are created from the three-phase current envelope of each fault. The resulting fault signatures for the new so-called ldquounseen signalsrdquo are classified using Gaussian mixture models and a Bayesian maximum likelihood classifier. The presented method yields a high degree of accuracy in fault identification as evidenced by the given experimental results, which validate this method.
Rotational evolution of potential vorticity associated with a strong blocking flow configuration over Europe

Time evolution of a prominent tropospheric blocking flow configuration over Europe is examined based upon composites for the 15 strongest events observed during the last 27 winter seasons, from which the fluctuations associated with synoptic-scale eddies have been filtered out. The blocking, initiated in the exit region of the Atlantic jet stream, forms into a domain of the very weak westerlies. The tropopause-level potential vorticity (PV) exhibits a distinct, clockwise evolution within this domain, so that the negative correlation between PV and the meridional wind velocity associated with the amplifying blocking becomes positive as it decays, which signifies the convergence of the wave activity density flux and its subsequent divergence. Indeed, a quasi-stationary wavetrain across the Atlantic is evident during the blocking amplification, and then another wavetrain becomes apparent to the east of the decaying ridge. It appears that the wave activity propagating across the Atlantic is obstructed and accumulated in the weak-westerly domain associated with the developing blocking ridge until it is saturated, followed by the release of the activity to the east. The result suggests that the low-frequency dynamics of the atmospheric flow plays an important role in the formation of a certain type of blocking.
Establishment of Intestinal Identity and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Signaling by Cdx2

We demonstrate that conditional ablation of the homeobox transcription factor Cdx2 from early endoderm results in the replacement of the posterior intestinal epithelium with keratinocytes, a dramatic cell fate conversion caused by ectopic activation of the foregut/esophageal differentiation program. This anterior homeotic transformation of the intestine was first apparent in the early embryonic Cdx2-deficient gut by a caudal extension of the expression domains of several key foregut endoderm regulators. While the intestinal transcriptome was severely affected, Cdx2 deficiency only transiently modified selected posterior Hox genes and the primary enteric Hox code was maintained. Further, we demonstrate that Cdx2-directed intestinal cell fate adoption plays an important role in the establishment of normal epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, as multiple signaling pathways involved in this process were severely affected. We conclude that Cdx2 controls important aspects of intestinal identity and development, and that this function is largely independent of the enteric Hox code.
The Deregulatory Snowball: Explaining Deregulation in the Financial Industry

Most theories of regulatory politics have a common implication: once regulations are in place, they are exceedingly difficult to remove. At best, a particular regulatory regime will remain stable for a long period of time; at worst, regulation will beget even more regulation. Given these theories the deregulation that has occurred in the American economy in the past decade is almost inexplicable. Several reasons have been suggested for this deregulation. In this paper we present an explanation which, while not incompatible with these previous accounts, suggests a somewhat different perspective on deregulation. Our explanation stresses the inherent instability of regulatory regimes. We illustrate our argument through reference to the deregulation of the financial industry. We demonstrate that several changes in the economics and technology of the financial industry started a "snowball" of deregulation which gradually picked up momentum as it rolled downhill, ultimately sweeping away many of the regulations...
Algebraic, logical and network representations in the design of software for combinatorial optimization

We survey three problem representations that are popularly applied in combinatorial optimization: algebraic modeling languages, constraint logic programming languages, and network diagrams. After first describing the kinds of optimization methods and systems most commonly associated with these alternatives, we consider how each representation has been advantageous and how its advantages have come to influence (or ought to influence) the design of the others. We focus especially on the possibility that general-purpose system designs, which are highly successful in other areas, might be extended to combinatorial optimization.
World Trade in Apparel: An Analysis of Trade Flows Using the Gravity Model:

Although apparel trade is highly regulated, trade flows conform to patterns predicted from a simple gravity model centered on distance, size, and cost variables. For low-value apparel products, whi...
Schema Mapping Evolution Through Composition and Inversion

Mappings between different representations of data are the essential building blocks for many information integration tasks. A schema mapping is a high-level specification of the relationship between two schemas, and represents a useful abstraction that specifies how the data from a source format can be transformed into a target format. The development of schema mappings is laborious and time consuming, even in the presence of tools that facilitate this development. At the same time, schema evolution inevitably causes the invalidation of the existing schema mappings (since their schemas change). Providing tools and methods that can facilitate the adaptation and reuse of the existing schema mappings in the context of the new schemas is an important research problem. In this chapter, we show how two fundamental operators on schema mappings, namely composition and inversion, can be used to address the mapping adaptation problem in the context of schema evolution. We illustrate the applicability of the two operators in various concrete schema evolution scenarios, and we survey the most important developments on the semantics, algorithms, and implementation of composition and inversion. We also discuss the main research questions that still remain to be addressed.
LEDAPS: mapping North American disturbance from the Landsat record

The Landsat Ecosystem Disturbance Adaptive Processing System (LEDAPS) project is creating a record of forest disturbance and regrowth for North America from the Landsat satellite record, in support of the carbon modeling activities. LEDAPS relies on the decadal Landsat GeoCover data set supplemented by dense image time series for selected locations. Imagery is first atmospherically corrected to surface reflectance, and then change detection algorithms are used to extract disturbance area, type, and frequency. Reuse of the MODIS Land processing system (MODAPS) architecture allows rapid throughput of over 1500 MSS, TM, and ETM+ scenes. Initial ("Beta") surface reflectance products are currently available for testing, and initial disturbance products will be available by the end of 2004.
Fighting botnets with economic uncertainty

Botnets have become an increasing security concern in today’s Internet. Since current technological defenses against botnets have failed to produce results, it has become necessary to think about different strategies. Given that money is perhaps the single determining force driving the growth in botnet attacks, we propose an interesting economic approach to take away the root cause of botnet, i.e., the financial incentives. In this paper, we model botnet-related cyber crimes as a result of profitmaximizing decision-making optimization problem from the perspective of botmasters. By introducing the uncertainty level created by the virtual bots, we make determining the optimal botnet size infeasible for the botnet operators, and consequently the botnet profitability can fall dramatically. The theoretical model presented here has a large potential to fight off botnet-related attacks of varying revenue patterns. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Collateral weight loss in children living with adult bariatric surgery patients: A case control study

Objective To evaluate the impact of adult bariatric surgery on the body mass index (BMI) of children living in the same household. Methods A retrospective case-control study. Case dyads (n = 128) were composed of one adult who had bariatric surgery and one child at the same address. Control dyads (n = 384) were composed of an adult with obesity but no bariatric surgery and a child at the same address. Two-sample t-test was used to determine whether the differences between actual and expected BMI at follow-up (post-surgery) differed between children in the case and control dyads. Results Among boys who were overweight, boys who lived with a surgery patient had a lower than expected BMI post-surgery, while boys who did not live with a surgery patient had a higher than expected BMI at follow-up (P = 0.045). Differences between actual and expected BMIs of children were not significantly different between cases and controls in girls or in children in other weight classes. Conclusions Overweight boys who lived with an adult bariatric surgery patient had a lower than expected BMI after surgery as compared to controls. Future studies may be warranted to determine the mechanisms by which these children experience collateral weight loss.
Responses of inferior colliculus neurons to SAM tones located in inhibitory response areas.

In order to examine the effect of inhibition on processing auditory temporal information, responses of single neurons in the inferior colliculus of the chinchilla to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated (SAM) tones alone and the presence of a steady-state tone were obtained. The carrier frequency of the SAM tone was either the characteristic frequency (CF) or a frequency in the inhibitory response area of a studied neuron. When the carrier frequency was set to the neuron’s CF, neurons responded in synchrony to the SAM-tone envelope, as expected. When the carrier frequency was set to a frequency at which pure tones produced inhibition, SAM tones elicited little or no response, also as expected. However, when the same SAM tone was paired with a pure tone whose frequency was set to the neuron’s CF, responses synchronized to the SAM tone envelope were obtained. These modulated responses were typically one-half cycle out-of-phase with the response to the SAM tone at CF, suggesting that they arose from cyclic inhibition and release from inhibition by the SAM tone. The results demonstrate that the representation of temporal information by inferior colliculus neurons is influenced by temporally-patterned inhibition arising from locations remote from CF.
Withdrawal symptoms during the course of imipramine therapy

The authors describe 2 cases in which withdrawal symptoms occurred during the course of imipramine therapy, after the patients had failed to take a single daily dose of medication. They note that similar withdrawal symptoms have been noted upon discontinuation of imipramine and its derivatives desipramine and chlorimipramine, but have not--with one exception--been reported in association with other tricyclics.
A new server I/O architecture for high speed networks

Traditional architectural designs are normally focused on CPUs and have been often decoupled from I/O considerations. They are inefficient for high-speed network processing with a bandwidth of 10Gbps and beyond. Long latency I/O interconnects on mainstream servers also substantially complicate the NIC designs. In this paper, we start with fine-grained driver and OS instrumentation to fully understand the network processing overhead over 10GbE on mainstream servers. We obtain several new findings: 1) besides data copy identified by previous works, the driver and buffer release are two unexpected major overheads (up to 54%); 2) the major source of the overheads is memory stalls and data relating to socket buffer (SKB) and page data structures are mainly responsible for the stalls; 3) prevailing platform optimizations like Direct Cache Access (DCA) are insufficient for addressing the network processing bottlenecks. Motivated by the studies, we propose a new server I/O architecture where DMA descriptor management is shifted from NICs to an on-chip network engine (NEngine), and descriptors are extended with information about data incurring memory stalls. NEngine relies on data lookups and preloads data to eliminate the stalls during network processing. Moreover, NEngine implements efficient packet movement inside caches to address the remaining issues in data copy. The new architecture allows DMA engine to have very fast access to descriptors and keeps packets in CPU caches instead of NIC buffers, significantly simplifying NICs. Experimental results demonstrate that the new server I/O architecture improves the network processing efficiency by 47% and web server throughput by 14%, while substantially reducing the NIC hardware complexity.
Lipid Content of Nearctic-Neotropical Migratory Passerines Killed During Stopovers in a New York City Park

Abstract Urban parks often represent the only stopover habitats available to migrating birds encountering expansive metropolitan areas. Green spaces remaining within cities may therefore be valuable to migrants; yet studies of migrants in this context are few. I examined the lipid content of birds killed by window collisions in spring and autumn in a small recreational park in New York City to assess the energetic condition of migratory passerines utilizing an urban habitat as a stopover site. I compared chemically determined fat content (expressed as a lipid index: g fat/g lean dry mass) and visible subcutaneous fat scores between seasons, autumn age classes, and birds grouped by family and foraging guild. Average total body fat (as % of dry mass) was 29.4% in spring and 24.1% in autumn; few lean birds were found in either season. Birds in spring were significantly fatter than in autumn. In spring and autumn, no differences in fat content (i.e., fat scores and lipid indices) were observed between warbler...
Application of the Hydrogen-Bubble Technique for Velocity Measurements in Thin Liquid Films

A unique adaptation of the hydrogen-bubble flow visualization method was applied to measure velocity profiles and film thicknesses of very thin films on an inclined plane wall. Data were obtained in the three flow regions for a developing falling film with an initially uniform velocity profile and thickness less than or equal to 0.1 in. The measured profiles compared more favorably with parabolic profiles in the intermediate fully developed region than in the initial developing region. However, measured film thicknesses compared favorably with a simplified solution of the integral momentum equation based on parabolic velocity profiles. The results confirm the theoretical prediction that a relatively long distance may be required even for a thin film before nonaccelerating flow with a constant film thickness is obtained and Nusselt's classical analysis applies. The experimental technique was shown to be a practical experimental method for obtaining data for the two-dimensional laminar flow of thin liquid films.
Identification of the Same Na+-Specific DNAzyme Motif from Two In Vitro Selections Under Different Conditions

We report an investigation of the functional relationship between two independently selected RNA-cleaving DNAzymes, NaA43, and Ce13, through in vitro selection. The NaA43 DNAzyme was obtained through a combination of gel-based and column-based in vitro selection in the presence of Na(+) and reported to be highly selective for Na(+) over other metal ions. The Ce13 DNAzyme was isolated via a gel-based method in the presence of Ce(4+) and found to be active with trivalent lanthanides, Y(3+) and Pb(2+). Despite completely different activities reported for the two DNAzymes, they share a high level of sequence similarity (~60% sequence identity). In this work, we systematically analyzed the activity of both DNAzymes to elucidate their potential functional relationship. We found that Na(+) is an obligate cofactor of the Ce13 DNAzyme and lanthanides cannot initiate the cleavage reaction in the absence of Na(+). Hence, we conclude that the Ce13 DNAzyme is a variant of the NaA43 DNAzyme that catalyzes reaction in the presence Na(+) and also utilizes lanthanides in a potentially allosteric manner. These results have identified a new DNAzyme motif that is not only remarkably Na(+)-specific, but also allows for design of novel allosteric DNAzymes for different biotechnological applications.
Neuronal network activity in the hippocampus of tau transgenic (Tg4510) mice

Development of neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer's disease correlates with neuronal loss and dementia. Transgenic Tg4510 mice model the tauopathy of the disease, with these mice exhibiting progressive, region-specific neuronal loss, and behavioral deficits. In the present study, neuronal network activity in the hippocampus of 7-month-old Tg4510 mice was investigated and compared with age-matched wild-type (WT) mice. Multisite field potentials were recorded using 16-site silicon probes, inserted across the hippocampus in urethane anesthetized mice. The hippocampal network theta oscillation was evaluated in these mice by stimulating the brainstem nucleus pontis oralis. Subsequently, population spikes in the dentate gyrus were identified in response to perforant path stimulation, and long-term potentiation was elicited by theta burst stimulation. Tg4510 mice showed dramatically reduced dentate gyrus population spike amplitude; however, the magnitude of theta burst stimulation-induced long-term potentiation was identical in WT and transgenic mice. WT and Tg4510 mice showed identical increase in frequency to nucleus pontis oralis stimulation, whereas absolute theta power was severely reduced in the Tg4510 animals. Because total signal power over the entire frequency band range was reduced, there was no difference in relative theta power between WT and Tg4510 mice. These presently described electrophysiological findings can be directly attributed to the drastic reduction of pyramidal/granule neurons in Tg4510 mice, which could be the main contributing factor to their impaired behavior and cognitive function. However, the remaining synapses and neuronal circuitry seem to function properly in these assays.
Modeling of an Oil-Free Carbon Dioxide Compressor Using Sanderson-Rocker Arm Motion (S-RAM) Mechanism

A simulation model to predict the performance of a prototype CO2 compressor is presented. This prototype compressor employs the Sanderson-Rocker Arm Motion (S-RAM) mechanism, which converts the rotary motion of the shaft into a linear reciprocating motion of the cylinders. The piston stroke can be variable by changing the incline angle between the connecting rod and compressor main shaft centerline. The compressor model is mainly composed of two main sub-models simulating the kinematics of the drive mechanism and the compression process. A valve sub-model is included in the compression process model.
DEVELOPING A METHOD FOR ANALYZING INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

The stimuli for writing this paper come from multiple sources. First, both Allan Schmid (2004) and Douglass North (2005) have urged social scientists to move beyond the static and mechanistic analysis of much of contemporary political economy and game theory that focuses on a given situation and derives predictions regarding likely outcomes. Our tools, however, are most powerfully developed for the analysis of unchanging worlds. The world, however, is always changing. The next important step for social science is developing a cluster of tools for analyzing dynamic situations - particularly institutional change. Fortunately, in chapter 13 of Conflict and Cooperation: Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Schmid has initiated a major effort to introduce approaches that can be used in the analysis of institutional change. Among the approaches he identifies is one that examines the three processes of "Social Learning, Evolution, and Emergence." This paper is an effort to examine these processes in the context of an analysis of irrigation institutions. I focus on the processes of institutional change in relation to irrigations institutions as I do not think we can develop a general theory of institutional change until we understand the processes of change in multiple specific settings. Hopefully, the lessons learned from specific settings can be integrated into a more general theory as we progress to understand specific types of situations.
Biogeochemistry and microbiology of microaerobic Fe(II) oxidation.

Today high Fe(II) environments are relegated to oxic–anoxic habitats with opposing gradients of O 2 and Fe(II); however, during the late Archaean and early Proterozoic eons, atmospheric O 2 concentrations were much lower and aqueous Fe(II) concentrations were significantly higher. In current Fe(II)-rich environments, such as hydrothermal vents, mudflats, freshwater wetlands or the rhizosphere, rusty mat-like deposits are common. The presence of abundant biogenic microtubular or filamentous iron oxyhydroxides readily reveals the role of FeOB (iron-oxidizing bacteria) in iron mat formation. Cultivation and cultivation-independent techniques, confirm that FeOB are abundant in these mats. Despite remarkable similarities in morphological characteristics between marine and freshwater FeOB communities, the resident populations of FeOB are phylogenetically distinct, with marine populations related to the class Zetaproteobacteria, whereas freshwater populations are dominated by members of the Gallionallaceae, a family within the Betaproteobacteria. Little is known about the mechanism of how FeOB acquire electrons from Fe(II), although it is assumed that it involves electron transfer from the site of iron oxidation at the cell surface to the cytoplasmic membrane. Comparative genomics between freshwater and marine strains reveals few shared genes, except for a suite of genes that include a class of molybdopterin oxidoreductase that could be involved in iron oxidation via extracellular electron transport. Other genes are implicated as well, and the overall genomic analysis reveals a group of organisms exquisitely adapted for growth on iron.
Esophageal squamous cell cancer in a highly endemic region.

AIM: To identify risk factors associated with esophageal cancer in Zambia and association between dietary intake and urinary 8-iso prostaglandin F2α (8-isoPGF2α). METHODS: We conducted a prospective, case control study at the University Teaching Hospital. Subjects included both individuals admitted to the hospital and those presenting for an outpatient upper endoscopy. Esophageal cancer cases were compared to age and sex-matched controls. Cases were defined as patients with biopsy proven esophageal cancer; controls were defined as subjects without endoscopic evidence of esophageal cancer. Clinical and dietary data were collected using a standard questionnaire, developed a priori. Blood was collected for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serology. Urine was collected, and 8-isoPGF2α was measured primarily by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and expressed as a ratio to creatinine. RESULTS: Forty five controls (mean age 54.2 ± 15.3, 31 male) and 27 cases (mean age 54.6 ± 16.4, 17 males) were studied. Body mass index was lower in cases (median 16.8) than controls (median 23.2), P = 0.01. Histopathologically, 25/27 (93%) were squamous cell carcinoma and 2/27 (7%) adenocarcinoma. More cases smoked cigarettes (OR = 11.24, 95%CI: 1.37-92.4, P = 0.02) but alcohol consumption and HIV seropositivity did not differ significantly (P = 0.14 for both). Fruit, vegetables and fish consumption did not differ significantly between groups (P = 0.11, 0.12, and 0.10, respectively). Mean isoprostane level was significantly higher in cases (0.03 ng/mg creatinine) than controls (0.01 ng/mg creatinine) (OR = 2.35, 95%CI: 1.19-4.65, P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Smoking and isoprostane levels were significantly associated with esophageal cancer in Zambians, but diet, HIV status, and alcohol consumption were not.
Organelle Size Scaling of the Budding Yeast Vacuole by Relative Growth and Inheritance

Summary It has long been noted that larger animals have larger organs compared to smaller animals of the same species, a phenomenon termed scaling [1]. Julian Huxley proposed an appealingly simple model of "relative growth"—in which an organ and the whole body grow with their own intrinsic rates [2]—that was invoked to explain scaling in organs from fiddler crab claws to human brains. Because organ size is regulated by complex, unpredictable pathways [3], it remains unclear whether scaling requires feedback mechanisms to regulate organ growth in response to organ or body size. The molecular pathways governing organelle biogenesis are simpler than organogenesis, and therefore organelle size scaling in the cell provides a more tractable case for testing Huxley's model. We ask the question: is it possible for organelle size scaling to arise if organelle growth is independent of organelle or cell size? Using the yeast vacuole as a model, we tested whether mutants defective in vacuole inheritance, vac8Δ and vac17Δ , tune vacuole biogenesis in response to perturbations in vacuole size. In vac8Δ/vac17Δ , vacuole scaling increases with the replicative age of the cell. Furthermore, vac8Δ/vac17Δ cells continued generating vacuole at roughly constant rates even when they had significantly larger vacuoles compared to wild-type. With support from computational modeling, these results suggest there is no feedback between vacuole biogenesis rates and vacuole or cell size. Rather, size scaling is determined by the relative growth rates of the vacuole and the cell, thus representing a cellular version of Huxley's model.
A fracture-dislocation of middle-upper thoracic of clinical research 35 cases

Objective To explore clinical characteristics of a fracture-dislocation of middle-upper thoracic and surgical method and the postoperative effects.Methods Retrospective analysis of 35 cases of upper thoracic spine fracture and dislocation of the clinical data,preoperative spinal cord nerve function according to American Spinal Injury Association(ASIA)Standard grade:A grade was 8 cases,B grade was 12 cases,C grade was 9 cases,D grade was 6 cases.3 cases of Fracture,18 cases of burst fracture dislocation,8 cases,blowout fracture dislocation 6 cases.8 cases of fracture dislocation,6 cases blow out dislocation.All of cases were treated fracture-dislocation of the thoracic spine by many segment pedicle screws internal fixation.Results All of patients had followed up from 5 to 24 months,which average was 25.5 months.There were no intraoperative serious complications.Conclusion For the treatment of thoracic fracture dislocation began,many segment pedicle screws to injury fixation of vertebral can obtain satisfactory reduction and fixed effectively.
A review of perinatal mortality in Colorado, 1971 to 1978, and its relationship to the regionalization of perinatal services.

Vital records data (1971 to 1978) were used to assess the change in neonatal and fetal mortality in Colorado in relationship to the regionalization of perinatal health care within the state. There has been a decrease in neonatal mortality rate from 13.4 to 6.9 during a period of time when there was a minimal decrease in the incidence of low–birth weight infants. The improved neonatal mortality has been associated with a shift in the frequency of birth of very low–birth weight (VLBW) infants to hospital with level II and III perinatal services and relatively greater survival rates of VLBW infants born in these hospitals as compared to those born in level I hospitals. There was no decrease in fetal mortality in the same period of time. These data suggest that outreach education in perinatal medicine should now emphasize current knowledge and methods for reducing antepartum deaths.
Risk factors for postoperative hematoma after inguinal hernia repair: an update.

Abstract Background We recently sensed an increase in the frequency of groin hematoma after inguinal hernia repair (IHR) at our institution. The aim of this study was to provide a more updated assessment of the risk factors inherent to this complication. Methods We performed a case-control study of all adult patients (age ≥ 18 y) who developed a groin hematoma after IHR at our institution between 2003 and 2015. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to assess for independent predictors for groin hematoma. Results A total of 96 patients (among 6608 IHR) developed a groin hematoma, (60 were observed, 36 required intervention). The hematoma frequency increased from our previous study (1.4 % versus 0.9%, P Conclusions Independent risk factors for the development of groin hematoma after IHR included warfarin use and recurrent hernia. Careful consideration for anticoagulation and surgical hypervigilance remains prudent in all patients undergoing IHR and especially those with recurrence.
SnapShot: Mechanosensing Matrix

Cells sense and respond to properties of their microenvironment that can affect cell morphology, protein levels and localization, gene expression, and even nuclear integrity. Tissue micro-stiffness, largely influenced by extracellular matrix, varies dramatically within an organism and can be a useful parameter to both clarify and organize a wide range of cell and molecular processes, such as genomic changes in cancer.
Defying Muller’s Ratchet: Ancient Heritable Endobacteria Escape Extinction through Retention of Recombination and Genome Plasticity

ABSTRACT Heritable endobacteria, which are transmitted from one host generation to the next, are subjected to evolutionary forces that are different from those experienced by free-living bacteria. In particular, they suffer consequences of Muller’s ratchet, a mechanism that leads to extinction of small asexual populations due to fixation of slightly deleterious mutations combined with the random loss of the most-fit genotypes, which cannot be recreated without recombination. Mycoplasma-related endobacteria (MRE) are heritable symbionts of fungi from two ancient lineages, Glomeromycota (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) and Mucoromycotina . Previous studies revealed that MRE maintain unusually diverse populations inside their hosts and may have been associated with fungi already in the early Paleozoic. Here we show that MRE are vulnerable to genomic degeneration and propose that they defy Muller’s ratchet thanks to retention of recombination and genome plasticity. We suggest that other endobacteria may be capable of raising similar defenses against Muller’s ratchet.
A 1 A, Dual-Inductor 4-Output Buck Converter With 20 MHz/100 MHz Dual-Frequency Switching and Integrated Output Filters in 65 nm CMOS

The dual-frequency dual-inductor multiple-output (DF-DIMO) buck converter topology is presented. The topology employs a dual-phase 20 MHz current-mode-controlled input stage to reduce the inductance required per phase to only 200 nH, and a 4-output 100 MHz comparator-controlled fully integrated output stage to reduce the capacitance required per output to 10 nF. In order to enable each output to handle up to 250 mA load with less than 40 mV voltage ripple, a third-order bond-wire-based notch filter is employed at each output for voltage ripple suppression. Additionally, the proposed design employs dynamic output re-ordering to enhance cross-regulation performance, interleaved pulse-skipping to enhance light-load efficiency and dynamic performance, and high-gain error amplifier in the output feedback loop to enhance DC load regulation. Targeting multi-core DSPs, the proposed design is implemented in standard 65 nm CMOS technology with 1.8 V input, and outputs in the range of 0.6– 1.2 V with a total load of 1 A. It achieves a peak efficiency of 74%, less than 40 mV output voltage ripple, 0.5 V/70 ns dynamic voltage scaling (DVS), and settling time of less than 85 ns for 125 mA load steps; all with no observable cross-regulation transients.
Electrophilic Rh-I catalysts for arene H/D exchange in acidic media: Evidence for an electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism

A series of new rhodium (I) complexes supported by bidentate nitrogen-donor ligands with varying electronic and steric properties were synthesized in situ and evaluated for catalytic arene C−H/D activation. In trifluoroacetic acid (HTFA), these complexes are proposed to mediate H/D exchange of arene C−H/D bonds by an electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism that involves Rh-mediated activation of HTFA (or DTFA). DFT calculations support the proposed pathway for the H/D exchange reactions.