cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative study on biological efficacies of individual decontamination with different methods for medicinal rescue against bioterrorism attack

Objective To compare the biological efficacies of individual decontamination with different methods for medicinal rescue against bioterrorism attack.Methods With Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis used as indicator,the biological efficacies were tested with different methods by disinfectant contact time after showering decontamination agent and/or by bathing with bath liquid and water.Results By showering with decontaminating agent used richloroisocyanuric acid solution containing available chlorine 500 mg/L,the average killing logarithm values(KLV) of two indicator respectively were 3.90(t=19.733,P0.001) and 2.93(t=20.012,P0.001) in 5 min of contact time,but 4.66(t=16.251,P0.001) and 4.55(t=20.023,P0.001) in 10 min.By bathing with bath liquid and water after showering with decontaminating agent in 5 min,KLVs were 4.25(t=12.567,P0.001) and 4.19(t=14.217,P0.001),but only by bathing with bath liquid and water 2.05(t=6.078,P0.001) and 1.93(t=6.593,P0.001).By no treatment,KLVs were 0.21(t=0.833,P=0.420) and 0.25(t=1.154,P=0.269) between 5 min and 10 min.Conclusion When the available chlorine concentration of decontaminating agent is low,the decontaminating efficacy can be ensured by prolonging contact time of decontaminating agent and by bathing with bath liquid and water after showering with decontaminating agent.Only by bathing with bath liquid and water,the efficacy is ensured partially,but no treatment absolutely has not efficacy.
Noncanonical views of homology-directed DNA repair

DNA repair is essential to maintain genomic integrity and initiate genetic diversity. While gene conversion and classical nonhomologous end-joining are the most physiologically predominant forms of DNA repair mechanisms, emerging lines of evidence suggest the usage of several noncanonical homology-directed repair (HDR) pathways in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes in different contexts. Here we review how these alternative HDR pathways are executed, specifically focusing on the determinants that dictate competition between them and their relevance to cancers that display complex genomic rearrangements or maintain their telomeres by homology-directed DNA synthesis.
Anomalies of Intestinal Rotation

Rotational anomalies of the intestinal tract refer to the failure of the primitive midgut to establish its normal anatomical relationships and attachments as it develops into duodenum, small bowel, and proximal colon. The incidence of isolated malrotation in the general population is estimated at 1 in 500 live births, but it is much more common in a number of genetic, chromosomal, and congenital disorders. The term malrotation is most commonly used to describe nonrotation, whereby the duodenum fails to form its characteristic C-loop and instead runs in a straight cephalocaudal line into the proximal jejunum. Other rotational anomalies include incomplete rotation, where the normal rotational process of the midgut has been interrupted, reverse rotation, and errors of intestinal fixation, typically of the cecum and the ascending and descending colon.
Team-based coverage control of moving sensor networks

In this paper, the coverage optimization problem for mobile sensing networks is examined from a team-based perspective. The objective is to arrange robots in a given environment to minimize the serving cost based on a given density function, which defines the probability of events in the environment. A team concept is introduced here to allow adjusting to the changes in the environment or the assigned task(s) in a collaborative way as a team. Firstly, an optimization problem is solved in the team level in order to assign a sub-region to each team. The region assigned to each team is then divided among its members by minimizing a locational cost. A distributed communication algorithm is also given, in which each team member, e.g., robot can access the information of its neighbors in order to compute the associated region. Finally, numerical simulation results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented approach. The results indicate that agents in both teams- and agents-level reach the optimal configuration considering the given density function.
Methods for Coding Tobacco-Related Twitter Data: A Systematic Review.

Background: As Twitter has grown in popularity to 313 million monthly active users, researchers have increasingly been using it as a data source for tobacco-related research. Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to assess the methodological approaches of categorically coded tobacco Twitter data and make recommendations for future studies. Methods: Data sources included PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, ABI/INFORM, Communication Source, and Tobacco Regulatory Science. Searches were limited to peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings in English from January 2006 to July 2016. The initial search identified 274 articles using a Twitter keyword and a tobacco keyword. One coder reviewed all abstracts and identified 27 articles that met the following inclusion criteria: (1) original research, (2) focused on tobacco or a tobacco product, (3) analyzed Twitter data, and (4) coded Twitter data categorically. One coder extracted data collection and coding methods. Results: E-cigarettes were the most common type of Twitter data analyzed, followed by specific tobacco campaigns. The most prevalent data sources were Gnip and Twitter’s Streaming application programming interface (API). The primary methods of coding were hand-coding and machine learning. The studies predominantly coded for relevance, sentiment, theme, user or account, and location of user. Conclusions: Standards for data collection and coding should be developed to be able to more easily compare and replicate tobacco-related Twitter results. Additional recommendations include the following: sample Twitter’s databases multiple times, make a distinction between message attitude and emotional tone for sentiment, code images and URLs, and analyze user profiles. Being relatively novel and widely used among adolescents and black and Hispanic individuals, Twitter could provide a rich source of tobacco surveillance data among vulnerable populations. [J Med Internet Res 2017;19(3):e91]
Globalization—In the Name of Which Freedom?

I consider four waves of globalization. The first is Commercial Capitalism (1500-1800), following the voyages of Columbus and Da Gama. The second is Industrial Capitalism (1800-1950), following the industrial revolution led by the steam engine and mechanization. The third is the Era of Convergence (1950-Present), following the end of the European empires after World War II. The fourth is the New Globalization (Present-2100) marked by three decisive trends: the relative rise of Asia, the Information Revolution, and the stark crises of Planetary Boundaries. I argue that modern globalization must urgently establish a new moral basis and the cultivation of virtues in order to achieve Sustainable Development.
Abstract CT134: Phase I/II trial of gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and pembrolizumab in metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Background: Pembrolizumab (P) is a checkpoint inhibitor that blocks the interaction between programmed cell death protein 1 on T-cells and PD-L1 and PD-L2 on tumor cells. We conducted a single center phase Ib/II study of gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and P (GNP) to evaluate the safety and efficacy in metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) (NCT02331251). Methods: PDAC patients (pts) with measurable disease, biopsy proven metastasis, adequate laboratory tests, and KPS ≥ 70% were eligible and received gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel on days 1 and 8 and P 2 mg/kg on day 1 every 21 days until progression or toxicity. Safety monitoring, RECIST 1.1, and irRECIST assessments were conducted. Response imaging was performed prior to cycle 4, then every 3 months. Results: 17 pts with a median age of 56 were treated. 11 were women and all had a KPS of at least 80%. Any grade drug-related treatment adverse events (AEs) occurred in 100% of patients; the most common (>20% pts) were anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, ALT and ALK elevation, fatigue, rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, insomnia, and edema in limbs. Grade 3 events (>10% pts) were hyponatremia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia (2 case each, 11.8%). Dose-limiting toxicities occurred only in previously treated PDAC (grade 3 thrombocytopenia; grade 3 fatigue and thrombocytopenia) and the cohort was subsequently divided into chemo naive and previously treated pts. The recommended phase II dose (RP2D) for chemo naive PDAC was gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 and nab-paclitaxel 125 mg/m2. Of the 8 evaluable chemo naive PDAC, the disease control rate (partial response [PR] + stable disease[SD]) was 100%. There were 2 PR on treatment for ~11 and 15 months and there are 3 pts still too early to assess. The primary endpoint of >15% complete response was not met. The best response for previously treated pts was SD. For chemo naive and previously treated PDAC, the 6-month survival rate is 89% (with 3 pts still on study less than 3 months) and 40%, respectively. The median PFS and OS is 5 and 10.3 months and 2.1 and 4.1 months for chemo naive and previously treated pts, respectively. Conclusions: GNP can be safely given to chemo naive PDAC pts. Efficacy appears to be similar to slightly improved over previously reported results for standard weekly x 3 every 28 day gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel dosing. Citation Format: Glen J. Weiss, Jordan Waypa, Jessica Coats, Lisa Blaydorn, Kayla McGahey, Ashish Sangal, Robert P. Whitehead, Vivek Khemka. Phase I/II trial of gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and pembrolizumab in metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr CT134. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-CT134
Numerical analysis of LEAP centrifuge tests using a practice-based approach

Abstract The Liquefaction Experiment and Analysis Project (LEAP) George Washington University (GWU) 2015 consisted of a group of centrifuge facilities' duplications of one liquefaction lateral spreading experiment that was also numerically analyzed by a series of predictors. The author was one of the LEAP predictors, and in this paper, the prediction exercises conducted by this author as part of LEAP GWU 2015 are summarized. For the initial prediction, the author analyzed the centrifuge tests using an approach similar to that used in dam engineering practice for embankment dams. For subsequent predictions, the author made improvements to the analysis by refining both the constitutive model calibration and the numerical analysis procedures. Following the completion of the LEAP GWU 2015 predictions, additional analyses were completed with further refinements after the author received useful feedback from a reviewer of this paper and held discussions with other experts in the field. The process and results from this new set of analyses were seen as an important complement to those completed during the LEAP GWU 2015 predictions and are also included in this paper.
Drug discovery: Controlling protein SUMOylation.

A potent and selective inhibitor of protein SUMOylation, a ubiquitin-like post-translational modification, has been developed, shedding light on the potential for developing new classes of anticancer therapeutics.
Radiographic Imaging of Urinary Tract Infection and Obstruction

Acute pyelonephritis most often shows no radiographic abnormalities with excretory urography. There are, however, findings which in the right clinical setting are consistent with acute pyelonephritis (Fig. 1). The kidney is swollen and enlarged with thin and spidery calyces when compared to the opposite side. There may be focal or generalized increased prominence of contrast in the pyramids, likely due to stasis in these areas.
PHENOTYPIC CLASSIFICATION OF FONTAN FAILURE: AN INDICATOR OF CLINICAL OUTCOME

Phenotypic classification of Fontan failure (FF) has been proposed to include FF with reduced ejection fraction (FFrEF), FF with preserved ejection fraction (FFpEF), FF with abnormal lymphatics (FFaL), and FF with normal hemodynamics (FFnH); however, these phenotypes have not previously been
Proving Group Isomorphism Theorems (Extended Abstract)

We report the first computer proof of the three isomorphism theorems in group theory. The first theorem, the easiest of the three, was considered by Larry Wos as one of challenging problems for theorem provers. The technique we used is conditional completion which consists of one simplification rule called contextual rewriting and one inference rule called clausal superposition. Conditional completion works on conditional equations made from clauses and is a powerful method for clause-based theorem proving with equality.
Large scale isolation and characterization of calf thymocyte plasma membranes.

Abstract A large scale procedure for preparing plasma membranes from calf thymocytes has been devised. Kilogram quantities of frozen calf thymus were shredded in a high speed, motordriven vegetable shredder, followed by brief homogenization of the shredded tissue in 4 volumes of buffered 0.25 m sucrose using a Waring Blendor. The homogenate was subjected to differential centrifugation to remove nuclei and mitochondria and a crude membrane fraction was obtained which was subjected to centrifugation in a sucrose step gradient to yield a purified plasma membrane fraction. From each kilogram of calf thymus the procedure yielded 500 mg of purified thymocyte plasma membranes which were enriched 33-fold over the homogenate in 5'-nucleotidase activity (2.54 µm per hour per mg of protein) and 12-fold in sialic acid (36.8 nmoles per mg of protein). The membranes contained sialic acid, fucose, galactose, mannose, glucose, N-acetylglucosamine, and N-acetylgalactosamine in the ratio of 0.7:0.7:3.4:2.4:1.6:3.0:0.9. The purified membranes retained binding sites for all the phytohemagglutinins tested including those from kidney bean, lentil, mushroom, Ricinus communis, and also wheat germ agglutinin. The characteristics of the binding were very similar to those of intact calf thymocytes.
Molecular Interface of Neuronal Innate Immunity, Synaptic Vesicle Stabilization, and Presynaptic Homeostatic Plasticity

We define a homeostatic function for innate immune signaling within neurons. A genetic analysis of the innate immune signaling genes IMD, IKKβ, Tak1, and Relish demonstrates that each is essential for presynaptic homeostatic plasticity (PHP). Subsequent analyses define how the rapid induction of PHP (occurring in seconds) can be coordinated with the life-long maintenance of PHP, a time course that is conserved from invertebrates to mammals. We define a novel bifurcation of presynaptic innate immune signaling. Tak1 (Map3K) acts locally and is selective for rapid PHP induction. IMD, IKKβ, and Relish are essential for long-term PHP maintenance. We then define how Tak1 controls vesicle release. Tak1 stabilizes the docked vesicle state, which is essential for the homeostatic expansion of the readily releasable vesicle pool. This represents a mechanism for the control of vesicle release, and an interface of innate immune signaling with the vesicle fusion apparatus and homeostatic plasticity.
Robert Louis Stevenson and the Pictorial Text : A Case Study in the Victorian Illustrated Novel

Robert Louis Stevenson and the Pictorial Text explores the genesis, production and the critical appreciation of the illustrations to the fiction of Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson is one of the most copied and interpreted authors of the late nineteenth century, especially his novels Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. These interpretations began with the illustration of his texts in their early editions, often with Stevenson’s express consent, and this book traces Stevenson’s understanding and critical responses to the artists employed to illustrate his texts. In doing so, it attempts to position Stevenson as an important thinker and writer on the subject of illustrated literature, and on the marriage of literature and visual arts, at a moment preceding the dawn of cinema, and the rejection of such popular tropes by modernist writers of the early twentieth century.
Demands, Resources and Negative Affectivity: Antecedents of Workplace Bullying and Violence

This paper examines the efficacy of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model and negative affectivity (NA) as antecedents of workplace aggression for aged care nurses. Nursing is a female gendered pr...
Evaluation of Rambouillet, Polypay, and Romanov-White Dorper × Rambouillet ewes mated to terminal sires in an extensive rangeland production system: body weight and wool characteristics1,2.

Though lamb sales account for the majority of annual receipts on U.S. sheep operations, wool is an important income source for many Western flocks. Crossing fine-wool sheep with prolific or composite hair sheep breeds can increase lamb production, but fleece quality and marketability may be reduced by a greater content of nonwool fibers (e.g., med and kemp). The objectives of this study were to compare BW and wool characteristics of Rambouillet, Polypay, and Romanov-White Dorper × Rambouillet (RW-RA) ewes under extensive rangeland management conditions. Ewe BW was collected before mating (fall) and 30 d postlambing (spring) each year from 1 yr up to 4 yr of age. In spring and fall, Rambouillet and Polypay ewes were similar in BW (P ≥ 0.94). Spring BW did not differ (P = 0.13) between RW-RA and Polypay, but Rambouillet ewes were heavier than RW-RA in the spring (P = 0.02). Both Rambouillet and Polypay ewes were heavier (P 0.99). Within 1- and 4-yr-olds, AFD differed among breed type (P 0.99). Results indicated superior wool production for Rambouillet compared with the coarser, more variable wool produced by Polypay and RW-RA. Still, past research reported greater lamb production in Polypay and RW-RA ewes which, under recent market conditions, would be associated with greater annual gross revenue for these breed types than for Rambouillet.
lifetime exposure to traffic-related air pollution and symptoms of depression and anxiety at age 12 years.

Abstract Background While air pollution has been associated with depression and anxiety in adults, its impact on childhood mental health is understudied. Objective We examined lifetime exposure to traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and symptoms of depression and anxiety at age 12 years in the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study cohort. Methods We estimated exposure to elemental carbon attributable to traffic (ECAT), a surrogate of diesel exhaust, at birth, age 12 years, and average exposure throughout childhood, using a validated land use regression model. We assessed depression and anxiety at age 12 years by parent report with the Behavior Assessment System for Children-2, and by child report with the Child Depression Inventory-2 (CDI-2) and the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS). Associations between TRAP at birth, age 12 years, and childhood average and mental health outcomes were estimated using linear regression models adjusting for covariates including parent depression, secondhand smoke exposure, race, household income, and others. Results Exposure to ECAT was not significantly associated with parent-reported depression or anxiety. However, exposure to ECAT at birth was associated with increased child-reported depression and anxiety. Each 0.25 µg/m3 increase in ECAT was associated with a 3.5 point increase (95% CI 1.6–5.5) in CDI-2 scores and 2.3 point increase (95% CI 0.8–3.9) in SCAS total anxiety scores. We observed similar associations between average childhood ECAT exposures but not for concurrent exposures at age 12. Conclusions TRAP exposure during early life and across childhood was significantly associated with self-reported depression and anxiety symptoms in children. The negative impact of air pollution on mental health previously reported among adults may also be present during childhood.
The Possible Roles of Escherichia coli in the Nitrogen Cycle

This study was designed to determine the response of Escherichia coli to three different nutrient sources. In this study, E. coli was exposed to concentrations of ammonia as ammonium chloride and nitrate as sodium nitrate at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L; and reagent grade urea at 10, 20 and 30 µg/L using bacterial concentrations of 10−1, 10−2 and 10−3 per ml. Cultures were incubated for 24 h at 37 °C. Samples were analyzed using a LACHET™ (800 Series) for ammonia-N, Nitrate-N and Urea-N which was converted to molar concentrations. Growth rates for E. coli were determined using serial dilutions, incubated on 3 M™ Petrifilm™ for 24 h at 37 °C with colony counts taken. The results showed that E. coli was able to utilize both ammonia and nitrate, with ammonium utilization significantly greater than nitrate. Ammonium utilization was directly proportional to concentration of ammonium chloride added and to some degree, the initial number of bacteria exposed. Nitrate utilization occurred at all concentrations and dilutions when compared with control concentrations and corresponded with concentrations of nitrate, but there was very little difference between bacterial dilutions. Urea production did occur but was unaffected by either concentration of urea or bacteria dilution. Positive growth rates were seen with ammonium with increasing growth rates as ammonium chloride concentrations were increased. Urea appeared to cause a slight decrease in growth, but nitrate was inconclusive with regard to growth.
Chiral Sulfur-Containing Imide Auxiliaries in Medicinal Chemistry

Abstract This chapter reviews the synthetic applications and recent advances of chiral 1,3-thiazolidine-2-thione and 1,3-oxazolidine-2-thione auxiliaries in the last two decades. It reviews the preparation of these chiral auxiliaries from chiral aminoacids, coupling of acyl groups to the auxiliaries, acyl aldol reactions, and particularly the acetate aldol reaction, glycolate aldol reactions, titanium enolate additions to dialkyl acetals, titanium enolate additions to glycals, intramolecular rearrangement of sulfur in N-enoyl derivatives, Michael additions to N-enoyl derivatives, titanium enolate addition to aldimines, sodium enolate addition/elimination to β-iodoacrylates, and resolution of racemic mixtures. Also, it includes cleavage methods commonly used in syntheses. Most of these methodologies have found application in the syntheses of a variety of natural products with different degrees of complexity.
Spectral Coupling of Effective Properties of a Random Mixture

The paper deals with the problem of coupling of various e ective properties of a random mixture. It is shown that e ective properties of a random stationary composite formed of two di erent materials are coupled through the spectral measure in the Stieltjes representation of the e ective properties. This gives an approach to indirect evaluation of the e ective thermal or hydraulic conductivity of a random material from known e ective complex permittivity of the same mixture. The spectral measure is reconstructed from e ective complex permittivity measurements and used to estimate other e ective properties of the same material.
Theory stranded at the borders, or, Cultural Studies from the southern fringes

ABSTRACTIsolating certain critical blind spots that one encounters in studying lifeworlds of the global South, this essay calls for: (1) a grasp of the irreducible singularity of each historical fo...
Moral Standing of Animals and Some Problems in Veterinarian Ethics

This paper discusses the Indirect Duties View implying that, when our actions have no negative effects on humans, we can treat animals any way we wish. I offer several criticisms of this view. Subsequently, I explore some implications of rejecting this view that rise in the contexts of animal research and veterinarian ethics.
On-Line Coordination Tasks for Multi-robot Systems Using Adaptive Informative Sampling

Robotic platforms have continued to advance in autonomous capabilities and as such, have been deployed in increasingly more complex scenarios. In this work, we look to address the utilization of multiple robots to take Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) measurements within an environment that has been mapped a priori and contains many radio transmitters. The sensor measurements are used to build a Gaussian Process Model of the maximum RSSI across all transmitters in the environment. The algorithm evaluates points of interest within the environment and directs robots based on the highest expected information gain per meter of travel. To coordinate multiple robots, the environment is divided into partitions based on the expected travel cost to visit each evaluation point within the partition. By assigning each robot to a different partition, path disruption is reduced, and exploration is more efficient than exploring random areas. The algorithm was tested and evaluated in both in simulation and on real-world platforms.
Evidence-Based, Ethical Decision-Making: Using Simulation to Teach the Application of Evidence and Ethics in Practice.

Background Evidence-based practice and ethics should not be taught as isolated concepts. Instead, it is imperative to prepare students with the knowledge needed to practice ethical, evidence-based decision-making in health care. Purpose The purpose of this project was to describe how a mock hospital ethics committee meeting impacted students' learning about the use of evidence to support ethical decision-making in health care. Method A mock hospital ethics committee was convened for 121 students from schools of nursing, social work, law, and medicine. Results Thematic content analysis showed a positive impact on nursing students' learning of ethics, group dynamics, discipline-specific responsibilities, and EBP. Linking evidence to action This interprofessional education experience showed students how evidence and ethics can be used to guide and support practice priorities, responsibilities, and decisions on resource utilization and treatment to enable optimal outcomes for patients and organizations.
Effects of clonidine on progressive ratio schedule performance in Fmr1 knockout mice

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most prevalent genetic form of intellectual disability, is characterized by intellectual impairment, impaired sociability, aggression, self-injury, hyperactivity, and attention deficits. A consequence of the hyperactivity and attention deficits is that individuals with FXS are frequently diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and treated with medications approved for ADHD (e.g., the α2-agonist clonidine). The pharmacotherapy of FXS is often accompanied with behavioral therapies that rely on positive reinforcement and other operant principles. Despite the commonplace mixture of drug and behavioral therapy, little attention has been paid to the observation that clonidine or other psychotropic drugs may alter operant processes. In the present progressive ratio study, we used a knockout mouse model to test the effects of the fragile X genotype, the α2-agonist clonidine, and the fragile X genotype and clonidine together on operant processes in a positive reinforcement task. We found that clonidine decreased the progressive ratio breakpoint, increased the length of post-reinforcement pauses, and slowed the run rate. None of these effects varied by genotype. The effect on breakpoint suggests that clonidine alters motivation, but analysis using mathematical principles of reinforcement (MPR) did not rule out motor parameters as a contributor. Our findings show that clonidine alters operant behavior and serve as a caution for combining clonidine with behavioral therapies that rely on positive reinforcement. Further research using different murine behaviors (e.g., touchscreen tasks) or different animal models (e.g., knockout rats) is needed to explore the interaction between pharmaco- and behavioral therapy.
Pulsatile actomyosin contractions underlie Par polarity during the neuroblast polarity cycle

Abstract The Par complex is polarized to the apical cortex of asymmetrically dividing Drosophila neuroblasts. Previously we showed that Par proteins are polarized by apically directed cortical movements that require F-actin (Oon and Prehoda, 2019). Here we report the discovery of cortical actin pulses that begin before the Par complex is recruited to the cell cortex and ultimately become tightly coupled to Par protein dynamics. Pulses are initially unoriented in interphase but are rapidly directed towards the apical pole in early mitosis, shortly before the Par protein aPKC accumulates on the cortex. The movements of cortical aPKC that lead to its polarization are precisely correlated with cortical actin pulses and F-actin disruption coincides with immediate loss of movement followed by depolarization. We find that myosin II is a component of the cortical pulses, suggesting that actomyosin pulsatile contractions initiate and maintain apical Par polarity during the neuroblast polarity cycle.
Push, Pivot, and Pull Your Way to Converting Fischer Projections into Staggered Bond-Line Structures

Interconverting different molecular representations can be problematic for many organic chemistry students. This is certainly the case when converting Fischer projections into bond-line structures. When performing the conversion from a Fischer projection into an all-staggered bond-line structure, students are sometimes taught to draw the fully eclipsed conformer first; for smaller molecules, the conversion to a fully eclipsed bond-line representation is relatively straightforward, while the conversion into the staggered conformation is not always as trivial. A systematic approach using the mnemonic “push–pivot–pull” described herein provides organic chemistry students with another option for producing a staggered bond-line structure from the corresponding Fischer projection while foregoing the fully eclipsed representation altogether.
Power Management of Autonomous Drones using Machine Learning

The use of micro-autonomous drones are increasingly used for commercial and defense related applications. Importantly they play a critical role in search and rescue operations during a natural or human-made calamity. However, to operate in such a volatile environment, the sensor’s quality, prolonged flight-time, and resilience to the harsh operation conditions are vital characteristics of a micro-autonomous drone. For satisfying these characteristics, an adaptable, resilient and efficient power source is required. Compared to a battery or fuel cell-based power source, the type III-V based photovoltaics (PV) have shown a higher power-to-weight ratio. However, in a fixed configuration PV based micro-autonomous drones’ performance deteriorates due to partial or complete shading conditions. Therefore, instead of fixed topology PV module, we have used a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) embedded PV module as a power source for micro-autonomous drone. In this work, we use machine learning techniques to determine the number of shaded PV cells present in CMOS embedded PV panel. We apply several machine learning techniques to enhance the performance of reconfigurable PV based power supply operating under different partial shading conditions. We present a comparative analysis of SVM, Naive Baiyes, Random Forest, Voting Classifier and Decision Trees as the machine learning techniques, verify their accuracy and present the classification results. The outcome of this work will lead to further usage of machine learning techniques in power management of micro-autonomous drone.
Accountability and (In)Congruence in a No-Excuses School College-Going Culture:

This study explores how the college-going culture at a no-excuses charter school with high college enrollment rates shaped students’ worldviews and trajectories. Drawing on 7 months of ethnographic...
Preparation and metabolism of isolated cells from bovine adipose tissue

Abstract A procedure for isolating bovine adipose cells was developed, and glucose and acetate metabolism and effects of insulin were studied. Acetate oxidation to CO 2 and conversion to fatty acid in isolated bovine fat cells was stimulated greatly by minimal concentrations of glucose. Insulin enhanced glucose uptake. Responsiveness to insulin was lower than reported for adipose tissue of young rats. Intensive transfer of reducing equivalents between NADPH 2 and NADH 2 and between mitochondria and cytoplasm was indicated and may have occurred via the isocitrate-α-ketoglutarate and oxalacetatemalate shuttles. Pentose phosphate pathway activity was not affected by presence and absence of fatty acid synthesis from acetate. Thls lack of feedback response may be due to high rates of lactate release and glyceride-glycerol formation and possible transfer of reducing equivalents between cytoplasmic NADP and mitochondrial NAD. These factors would prevent drastic changes in cytoplasmic concentrations of free reduced or oxidized NADP. Fatty acid synthesis in bovine adipose cells was limited by low concentrations of extracellular acetate. When acetate is not limiting, fatty acid synthesis may be limited by glucose availability. If transfer of reducing equivalents from mitochondria to cytoplasm via the proposed isocitrate-α-ketoglutarate shuttle is sufficiently active, the NADPH 2 required for fatty acid synthesis in presence of excess acetate could be furnished by minimal quantities of glucose required to supply Kreb's cycle intermediates. Fatty acid synthesis might be limited then by lack of α-glycerol phosphate for fatty acid esterification. Relative glucose carbon flows via pentose phosphate and Embden-Meyerhof pathways were altered by epinephrine. This probably was mediated through changes in phosphofructokinase activity and intracellular free fatty acid concentrations.
The concept of music

Communication The pleasure of hearing Looking and listening Sound vibrations Attraction Sounds like reality Orchestra Time Space Belief systems Scales Melody, harmony, tonality Notation Ornamentation Instruments Sharps and flats Enclosures Palladio Dissonance Applause Select bibliography Index
Caught in the Crossfire: A Defense of the Cultural Theory of Gun-Risk Perceptions

In this article, Dan Kahan and Donald Braman expand upon the cultural theory of gun-risk perception and respond to the commentaries on their previous article, More Statistics, Less Persuasion: A Cultural Theory of Gun-Risk Perceptions, 151 U. Pa. L. Rev. 1291 (2003). Their critics argue that the authors are too quick to dismiss the power of empirical information to influence individuals’ positions on gun control. But in analyzing the variety of their critics’ arguments, Kahan and Braman note the strange pattern of opinions that has emerged on the relative importance of culture and data in the gun debate. What could explain the puzzling congruence of opinion among staunch procontrollers and anticontrolles, all of whom concluded that data mattered most? What commonality could explain the agreement of a Texas law professor and a British social anthropologist that culture is in fact more important? Committed to furnishing empirical proof of the powerlessness of empirical proofs, Kahan and Braman constructed a regression analysis to answer these questions. They conclude in this article that this final study conclusively proves their assertion that statistics are incapable of persuading anyone to accept anything they don’t already believe; or, in other words, that the cultural basis of gun-risk perceptions better explains public perceptions in the gun control debate than a pure empirical information theory.
Optimization Methods in Computational Fluid Dynamics

This chapter discusses the role that computational fluid dynamics (CFD) plays in the design of aircraft. An overview of the design process is provided, covering some of the typical decisions that a design team addresses within a multi-disciplinary environment. On a very regular basis, trade-offs between disciplines have to be made where a set of conflicting requirements exist. Within an aircraft development project, we focus on the aerodynamic design problem and review how this process has been advanced, first with the improving capabilities of traditional computational fluid dynamics analyses and then with aerodynamic optimizations based on these increasingly accurate methods. We then review the formulation and application of optimization techniques based on control theory for aerodynamic shape design in both potential flow and inviscid compressible flow. The theory is applied to a system defined by the partial differential equations of the flow, with the boundary shape acting as the control. The Frechet derivative of the cost function is determined via the solution of an adjoint partial differential equation, and the boundary shape is then modified in a direction of descent. This process is repeated until an optimum solution is approached. Each design cycle requires the numerical solution of both the flow and the adjoint equations, leading to a computational cost roughly equal to the cost of two flow solutions. Several case studies are provided, which highlight the benefits of utilizing automatic aerodynamic shape optimization. Keywords: shape optimization; aerodynamic optimization; inverse design; adjoint method; aircraft design; control theory
The impact of Pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus-1 and reduced irrigation on pineapple yield

The impacts of Pineapple mealybug wilt-associated virus-1 (PMWaV-1) and reduced irrigation on pineapple fruit yield in plant and ratoon crops were evaluated in a field experiment in Hawaii. In the plant crop, PMWaV-1 infection and reduced irrigation had no significant effects on fruit weight. In the ratoon crop, plants infected with PMWaV-1 produced smaller fruit than disease-free plants and plants that received reduced irrigation also produced smaller fruit than plants that received regular irrigation. Additive effects of PMWaV-1 infection and reduced irrigation were detected; plots of infected plants that received reduced irrigation produced the fewest fruit. Frequency distributions for fruit size in the ratoon cycle showed shifts to smaller sized fruit classes when PMWaV-1 or reduced irrigation were present. Estimated yield from combined plant and ratoon crops for infected plants was 6.7% less than disease-free plants when plants received regular irrigation. Reduced irrigation correlated with a 4.2% reduction in estimated yield of disease-free plants, and both infection and irrigation reduction together reduced yield 13.4%. These results show that PMWaV-1 and reduced irrigation can have a negative and additive impact on pineapple fruit production in the first ratoon.
Reactive Polishing of Polycrystalline Diamond and Measured Spectroscopic Properties

Abstract The use of high temperature reactive etching and high temperature metal plate polishing are being investigated for the preparation of polycrystalline diamond optical surfaces. These techniques have been applied to 2.5 cm diameter microwave CVD diamond films with thicknesses ranging from 35 to 200 microns. The mechanism of both processes have been established, and physical and chemical parameters limiting scaling are being addressed. Correlations between Raman, microwave, and infrared spectral data indicate that graphitic impurities control the absorption losses in the polycrystalline samples.
Experimental evidence for self-pulsing and chaos in CW-excited lasers

As Casperson [1-4] and, more recently, others [6-8] have shown, the i~eneously-broadened laser may be particularly susceptible to instabilities even in single mode operation. Before this was understood, such lasers (notably HeNe .6328) had been intensely studied because the ccrabination of Doppler broadening and the resulting anomalous dispersion led to a variety of interesting phenomena [9,10] including hole-burning, Lamb dips, and mode-pulling in single-mode lasers. In several-mode lasers, additional phenomena were observed including mode-mode interactions leading to "mode-pushing", phase-locking, or frequency locking, among others. Thus it is that when we came to study the predominantly in~eneously broadened, high-gain transition at 3.51 microns in xenon a wealth of these phencmena were apparent.
Ultraviolet response of InGaAsP photocathodes.

Three type VPM 164 photomultiplier tubes with III-IV compound InGaAsP reflective photocathodes were developed for use in ground-based and space-borne astronomical detectors. Although the achieved response of about 0.02% quantum efficiency at 1.083 microns fell short of the goal of 1% quantum efficiency, the broadband characteristics are still considerably better than those of the S-1 photocathode.
Index domain alignment: minimizing cost of cross-referencing between distributed arrays

The issue of data movement between processors due to cross-references between multiple distributed arrays is addressed. The problem of index domain alignment is formulated as finding a set of suitable alignment functions that map the index domains of the arrays into a common index domain so as to minimize the cost of data movement due to cross-references between the arrays. The cost function and the machine model used are abstractions of the current generation of distributed-memory machines. The problem as formulated is shown to be NP-complete. A heuristic algorithm is devised and shown to be efficient and to provide excellent results. >
Magnon heat capacity, magnon magnetization and magnetic entropy of the weak ferromagnet UPt

Abstract A T 3 2 contribution to both the heat capacity and the saturation magnetization of the weakly ferromagnetic compound UPt reveals the existence of spin waves in the ferromagnetic state below the Curie temperature of 30 K. The entropy of ordering, extracted from calorimetric data on UPt and the isostructural nonmagnetic compound ThPt, is much smaller than the degeneracy entropy expected from the p ss″ e 5f3 (U3+) or 5f2(U4+) ionic configuration, but much larger that the value observed in itinerant ferromagnets.
Quantification of Erythropoietin Gene Expression in the Mid-Trimester Human Fetal Kidney and Liver

Quantification of Erythropoietin Gene Expression in the Mid-Trimester Human Fetal Kidney and Liver
Actinofuranones A and B, polyketides from a marine-derived bacterium related to the genus streptomyces (actinomycetales).

Two new polyketides, actinofuranones A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the culture extract of a marine-derived Streptomyces strain designated CNQ766. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by interpretation of NMR and other spectroscopic data and by chemical derivatization. The relative stereochemistries of these new molecules were assigned on the basis of analysis of NOE data and vicinal 1H−1H coupling constants, while the absolute configurations of the asymmetric centers were determined using the modified Mosher's method.
The Evolutionary Constraints Imposed on Tyrosine Hydroxylation by its Beginnings as a Phenylalanine Hydroxylase; Studies of the Polypeptide Loop Determining the Substrate Specificity

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TyrH), phenylalanine hydroxylase (PheH) and tryptophan hydroxylase (TrpH) belong to the family of aromatic amino acid hydroxylases (AAAH) and are genetically related. An ancient PheH probably was the ancestor of the modern enzymes. Their active sites are very similar, however their substrate specificities vary. They all hydroxylate phenylalanine; TyrH is the only one that can make DOPA from tyrosine. Previous work identified the aspartate at position 425 in TyrH, which lies in a very flexible and dynamic polypeptide loop, to be critical for the enzyme's achievement of this new activity. We started this project to examine whether alterations in the shape of this polypeptide loop could make a stronger TyrH. The crystal structure of TyrH shows D425 is at the end of this loop. We also knew that substituting it with a glutamate (D425E) decreased its DOPA forming ability 10-fold. We sought to find out if making the loop shorter but keeping the glu would make a strong TyrH. Therefore, we deleted separately and together the glutamines (Q424 and Q426) that are adjacent to D425. Of these three mutants, only D425EDQ426 has comparable activity to WT. Previously reported Vmax values are: WT, 150; D425ETyrH, 13.4. The value for D425EDQ426 is 118. We determined the specific activity for the enzyme by finding the ratio of Vmax/KM for tyrosine to Vmax/KM for phenylalanine and comparing this to WT's and previous mutants' values. The value for D425EDQ426 was 3.3, and for WT, 3.75, and for D425ETyrH, 0.34.
Advanced policy options to regulate sugar-sweetened beverages to support public health.

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has increased worldwide. As public health studies expose the detrimental impact of SSBs, consumer protection and public health advocates have called for increased government control. A major focus has been on restricting marketing of SSBs to children, but many innovative policy options - legally defensible ways to regulate SSBs and support public health - are largely unexplored. We describe the public health, economic, and retail marketing research related to SSBs (including energy drinks). We review policy options available to governments, including mandatory factual disclosures, earmarked taxation, and regulating sales, including placement within retail and food service establishments, and schools. Our review describes recent international initiatives and classifies options available in the United States by jurisdiction (federal, state, and local) based on legal viability.
Casimir dynamics: Interactions of surfaces with codimension >1 due to quantum fluctuations

We study the Casimir force between defects (branes) of codimension larger than 1 due to quantum fluctuations of a scalar field $\ensuremath{\phi}$ living in the bulk. We show that the Casimir force is attractive and that it diverges as the distance between the branes approaches a critical value ${L}_{c}$. Below this critical distance ${L}_{c}$ the vacuum state $\ensuremath{\phi}=0$ of the theory is unstable, due to the birth of a tachyon, and the field condenses.
Identities and Structural Change since the End of the Cold War: Germany, Europe, and the Limits of Integration

The future of European integration is inextricably linked with the continued anchoring of Germany to EU multilateral structures. The institutionalist faith that integration will continue to accommodate diverse perspectives and goals through incremental reform is questionable. Rather than the new agenda of expansion and constitutionalism, older issues of sovereignty and national identity most constrain further development. This analysis shows that European integration is at a crossroads, compelling governments to make ever more painful choices between national and European identities. Structuralist and constructivist insights lead to the conclusion that the greatest tensions facing Europe arise from the old problem of embedding Europe's most powerful actor, Germany. Integration may not be able to produce a new balance between the institutional developments necessary to embrace Germany and the national sovereignty states want to preserve. Yet for Germany to remain solidly anchored in Europe's multilateral institutions, integration must move towards greater Europeanization of the nation-state. The question is how much Europe everyone must accept in order to sustain a political order that effectively embraces Europe's most powerful state.