cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generation of viscous grids with ridges and corners

An extension of Lohner 1 for the generation of high aspect ratio volume grids on surfaces with ridges and corners is presented for Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes computations (RANS). Multiple normals are introduced along convex ridges. The original technique generates a semi-structured boundary layer of prismatic elements growing along point nor- mals. Therefore, extra faces of null area must be introduced to take into account the multiple growth curves at convex ridges and produce a valid topological surface triangu- lation. The procedure relies on a topological taxonomy of an arbitrary combination of concave and convex ridges. Each case is highlighted in details. Several complex geometries have been chosen to illustrate the proposed procedure and timings are given, showing that the new module does not place any extra burden in the previous semi-structured approach.
Experimental study on mid-infrared KTA optical parametric oscillator

Mid-infrared 3~5 μm KTA optical parametric oscillator(KTA-OPO) is analyzed theoretically and studied experimentally,the factors impacting the conversion efficiency are analyzed deeply and optimized systematically.In our experiments,an external cavity and non-critically phase-matched(NCPM) KTA-OPO noncollinear 1.064 μm Nd∶YAG laser is employed.It is of an electro-optic Q-switched single-lamp double rod structure.With the repetition frequency of 1~25 Hz and the pump energy of 120 mJ,the idler output pulse energy as high as 17 mJ is obtained for the 3.475 μm wavelength,and the highest optical-optical conversion efficiency is up to 14.3%.
Herbal supplements as placebos.

Even if a placebo is safe, it should not be employed as a way of mollifying patients or glossing over underlying causes of illness.
Note: Professional grade microfluidics fabricated simply

Microfluidics has found increasingly wide usage in the research and teaching laboratory, but setting up a facility for its production has typically required either significant capital expense or sacrifice of quality. We present an approach to produce devices, without a clean room, using LEDs and spin-coaters, and plasma bonded using a commercial microwave oven. Submicron features can be readily reproduced with good fidelity.
Truth and Reinvestment: A Call for Reparations

In a political climate where criminal justice reform has finally begun to gain traction among both the right and the left, the reinvestment of funds away from systems of punishment and toward community-based resources has also become politically possible. “Jobs, not jails” is a common rallying cry within the criminal justice reform movement, including at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, where we work to reinvest resources in jobs, education, health care, and housing for communities of color instead of wasting money on police and prisons. However, as long as political discussions about reforms and reinvestment continue to exist in a race-neutral sphere with no acknowledgment of the truth of this country’s long history of racial injustice, we move no closer to meaningful change and radical transformation of how the government cares for and is accountable to the people.
Families and Religions

The respective roles of religion and the family—and the relationships between these roles—have been redefined several times throughout history. The current popular image of a father, a mother, and two small children praying together in a church pew on Sunday is a relatively recent formulation—and is already seriously out-of-date In this chapter, we first survey the roles for religion and the family that have been devised in other societies and during other historical epochs. We then explore how the rise of Protestantism led to our current stereotype of Church and family. Finally, we survey research on how contemporary developments in each institution are affecting the other.
Thermal annealing effect on β-Ga2O3 thin film solar blind photodetector heteroepitaxially grown on sapphire substrate

This paper presents the effect of thermal annealing on β-Ga2O3 thin film solar-blind (SB) photodetector (PD) synthesized on c-plane sapphire substrates by a low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). The thin films were synthesized using high purity gallium (Ga) and oxygen (O2) as source precursors. The annealing was performed ex situ the under the oxygen atmosphere, which helped to reduce oxygen or oxygen-related vacancies in the thin film. Metal/semiconductor/metal (MSM) type photodetectors were fabricated using both the as-grown and annealed films. The PDs fabricated on the annealed films had lower dark current, higher photoresponse and improved rejection ratio (R250/R370 and R250/R405) compared to the ones fabricated on the as-grown films. These improved PD performances are due to the significant reduction of the photo-generated carriers trapped by oxygen or oxygen-related vacancies.
An iterative method for hydrodynamic interactions in Brownian dynamics simulations of polymer dynamics.

Brownian Dynamics (BD) simulations are a standard tool for understanding the dynamics of polymers in and out of equilibrium. Quantitative comparison can be made to rheological measurements of dilute polymer solutions, as well as direct visual observations of fluorescently labeled DNA. The primary computational challenge with BD is the expensive calculation of hydrodynamic interactions (HI), which are necessary to capture physically realistic dynamics. The full HI calculation, performed via a Cholesky decomposition every time step, scales with the length of the polymer as O(N3). This limits the calculation to a few hundred simulated particles. A number of approximations in the literature can lower this scaling to O(N2 – N2.25), and explicit solvent methods scale as O(N); however both incur a significant constant per-time step computational cost. Despite this progress, there remains a need for new or alternative methods of calculating hydrodynamic interactions; large polymer chains or semidilute polymer sol...
Abstract 1013: Location matters: unique functional and transcriptional, but not flow cytometric, characteristics of intratumoral FOXP3+ Tregs vs. Tregs from other sites of patients with lung tumors

FOXP3+ Tregs are considered important to limiting antitumor immunity but are rarely characterized clinically. We studied 227 samples from 66 lung cancer patients using blood, lymph node (LN), tumor and distant lung samples, with a mean age of 67.8±1.1 years, 67% males, 62% adenocarcinoma, 31% squamous cell carcinoma, 7% miscellaneous tumors, mean tumor size of 3.4±0.3 cm, and 21% rate of metastases. In addition to quantitating FOXP3+CD4+ Tregs, we evaluated their expression of 35 markers by flow cytometry: CD15s, CD25, CD26, CD27, CD39, CD40L, CD45RA/RO, CD62L, CD69, CD101, CD120b, CD161, CCR4, CTLA4, GARP, GITR, Helios, HLA-DR, ICOS, LAP, neuropilin, PD-1, TIGIT, Tim3, CCR4, CCR5, CCR7, CXCR3, CXCR4 and CCR8, and tested Treg suppressive function. We used PrimeFlow to evaluate mRNA expression of target genes in 100% pure human Treg cells, gated on CD4+FOXP3+ cells. FOXP3+ Tregs (%) in the CD4 cels of tumors and LN were significantly increased (p Citation Format: Wayne W. Hancock, Tatiana Akimova, Tianyi Zhang, Evgeniy Eruslanov, Sunil Singhal, Steven M. Albelda. Location matters: unique functional and transcriptional, but not flow cytometric, characteristics of intratumoral FOXP3+ Tregs vs. Tregs from other sites of patients with lung tumors [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 1013. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1013
Tales of Rebellion and Resistance: The Landscape of Early Institutional Life.

In this article the metaphor of the storyteller is employed to argue the case fora cntical phenomenology applied to understanding the ' ' text ' ' of the daily life-world of young children in childcare settings. The ideology of "preschooling" is examined and specific case studies of young rebels are presented. With the aid of Gadamer 's notion of the " fusion of horizons, " an attempt is made to understand the expenential world of the young child. In the process , themes depicting the social landscape of early institutional life are discussed, Ucc fi Wi
Cyathia of Euphorbia spathulata (Euphorbiaceae) Possess Both Cleistogamous and Chasmogamous Modes of Pollination

ABSTRACT Cyathium morphology of Euphorbia spathulata from three populations in central Virginia was studied from early developmental stages through nominal anthesis, defined by exposure of the cyathium to the external environment by divergence of paired subtending cyathophylls. Observations were made via dissecting microscope, compound light microscope sections, and scanning electron microscopy. The plants studied revealed a consistent pattern of asynchronous stamen and pollen development as well as a series of predictable changes in style and stigma orientation. Initially, styles and stigmas of pistillate flowers maintain a near-axial (erect) position. Later, when still enclosed by subtending cyathophylls, styles reflex, placing stigmas near early developing anthers shedding pollen. Pollen grains observed on stigmas at this stage indicate cleistogamous pollination. Eventually, paired cyathophylls diverge, exposing the cyathium to the external environment; at this stage, styles and stigmas assume an asce...
Impact of Extensions in XBRL Disclosure on Analysts' Forecast Behavior

SYNOPSIS This paper examines the impact of abnormal extensions in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) on analysts' forecasting behavior in the U.S. In this analysis, abnormal extensions r...
Heritability and repeatability of speed for 2- and 3-year-old standardbred racehorses.

Repeatabilities (t) and heritabilities (h2) of racing time were estimated from data on 7,206 2- and 3-yr-old Standardbred pacers and trotters competing in 1-mile (1.6 km) charted races at six tracks between 1975 and 1978. A total of 38,487 records representing 2,387 sire progeny groups were divided into subsets by gait, age and track. Initially, the designation "class of race" was recognized as a subjective categorization that reflected nonrandom assignments of horses to races. After extensive investigation, we concluded that racing times should be adjusted by linear regression for the time of the winning horse (defined at the "pace" of the race). Residual regression coefficients of time on pace ranged from .61 +/- .08 to .79 +/- .05 s/s and appeared to adequately account for the environmental effects of class. Repeatabilities of adjusted times ranged from .32 +/- .08 to .55 +/- .04 and heritabilities ranged from -.25 +/- .22 to .66 +/- .16. Overall estimates of t and h2 (pooled over gaits, ages and tracks) were .44 +/- .01 and .29 +/- .03, respectively. When data were not adjusted for pace, the sire, horse and error variance component estimates were inflated by environmental effects (pooled t = .62; pooled h2 = .36). Racing time adjusted for pace is recommended for use as a selection criterion in Standardbred horses.
Transit Performance of Modern-Era Streetcars: Consideration of Five U.S. Cities

This study examined the transit performance of streetcars in five U.S. cities: Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; and Tampa, Florida. The study documented strong and weak performing streetcars and identified the factors that might explain variation in streetcar performance. Portland emerged with the highest ridership and was the most productive and second-most cost-effective streetcar city. Portland’s stronger transit performance was attributed to its local setting and to its planning and operating decisions, which emphasized the streetcar’s role as a transportation investment and development tool. This approach contrasted with the other cities, where development and tourism objectives were the dominant factors in streetcar decision making.
The Bumpy Road of Nonprofit Creation: An Examination of Start-Up Problems Encountered by Nonprofit Entrepreneurs:

New nonprofit organizations are formed through a multifaceted process, and along the way, founding nonprofit entrepreneurs are likely to encounter various problems. This research note examines the ...
A case study on the critical role of geometric regularity in machine learning

An important feature of many problem domains in machine learning is their geometry. For example, adjacency relationships, symmetries, and Cartesian coordinates are essential to any complete description of board games, visual recognition, or vehicle control. Yet many approaches to learning ignore such information in their representations, instead inputting flat parameter vectors with no indication of how those parameters are situated geometrically. This paper argues that such geometric information is critical to the ability of any machine learning approach to effectively generalize; even a small shift in the configuration of the task in space from what was experienced in training can go wholly unrecognized unless the algorithm is able to learn the regularities in decision-making across the problem geometry. To demonstrate the importance of learning from geometry, three variants of the same evolutionary learning algorithm (NeuroEvolution of Augmenting Topologies), whose representations vary in their capacity to encode geometry, are compared in checkers. The result is that the variant that can learn geometric regularities produces a significantly more general solution. The conclusion is that it is important to enable machine learning to detect and thereby learn from the geometry of its problems.
Optimal Topology Problems (OTOP) G(V, E)∗ in TND

We illustrate a number of optimal topological network design problems in queueing networks in this chapter. We conclude our study of this problem with a number of applications and tie together the theory of queues and algorithms for the solution of a number of TND problems. These are probably the most difficult optimization problems we examine in this volume because of the integer and nonlinear programming aspects. We break down the problems into fixed topology problems and spatially generated ones. The fixed topology problems have a given topology that must be evaluated as is. The spatially generated topologies occur when the topology is not fixed, and we use mathematical programming concepts to generate the topologies a priori. They represent fundamental queueing network design problems that are not only challenging but useful in many applications. Figure 9.1 represents all TND optimization problems.
Intravenous Oxygen Therapeutics: A Revolution in Medicine Yet to Be Realized?

Intravenous fluids have been categorized as colloids and crystalloids, but missing from both is the ability to carry enhanced oxygen levels. Medicine has pursued an oxygen therapeutic since the early 1930s with actually some spotty points of success. There are places in the world today that such agents are available, but they have not realized their potential. Two distinctly different pharmaceutical approaches are under accelerated development: hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) and perfluorocarbon (PFC) preparations. If fully developed either or both would represent revolutions in medicine with far-reaching and game-changing treatment options. This chapter will explore assumptions about oxygen carrying and delivery made by medicine that to some degree have hindered the development of these compounds. The history to this point is outlined with a careful look forward into perhaps what is to come.
In-Game Actions to Promote Game-Based Math Learning Engagement.

Game-based learning (GBL) has increasingly been used to promote students’ learning engagement. Although prior GBL studies have highlighted the significance of learning engagement as a mediator of s...
Market making with convex quotes

Abstract We investigate equilibrium properties of a quote-driven market where price is convex in order size. As the degree of convexity increases, the distribution of incoming order contracts and becomes bimodal. Nonetheless, all of these equilibria tolerate the same level of information asymmetry between traders and market makers, and also induce the same distribution of equilibrium price.
DNA methylation in AgRP neurons regulates voluntary exercise behavior in mice

DNA methylation regulates cell type-specific gene expression. Here, in a transgenic mouse model, we show that deletion of the gene encoding DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3a in hypothalamic AgRP neurons causes a sedentary phenotype characterized by reduced voluntary exercise and increased adiposity. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and transcriptional profiling in neuronal nuclei from the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) reveal differentially methylated genomic regions and reduced expression of AgRP neuron-associated genes in knockout mice. We use read-level analysis of WGBS data to infer putative ARH neural cell types affected by the knockout, and to localize promoter hypomethylation and increased expression of the growth factor Bmp7 to AgRP neurons, suggesting a role for aberrant TGF-β signaling in the development of this phenotype. Together, these data demonstrate that DNA methylation in AgRP neurons is required for their normal epigenetic development and neuron-specific gene expression profiles, and regulates voluntary exercise behavior. AgRP neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARH) are involved in regulating hunger and energy balance. Here the authors show that knockout of the DNA methyltransferase Dnmt3a in AgRP neurons of the ARH leads to a reduction in voluntary exercise along with numerous epigenetic and gene expression changes in ARH neurons.
Legal Reasons, Legal Desert, Legal Culpability: Reply to Guerrero, Kelly and Mendlow

This is a reply to Alex Guerrero’s, Erin Kelly’s and Gabe Mendlow’s commentaries on Gideon Yaffe’s The Age of Culpability: Children and the Nature of Criminal Responsibility. The reply focuses on their objections concerning the nature of legal reasons, desert, and the political arrangements that make a difference to criminal culpability.
Boundary-Integral and Boundary-Element Methods for Biomolecular Electrostatics: Progress, Challenges, and Important Lessons from CEBA 2013

The CEBA meeting brought together researchers from two communities, computational geometry, and protein electrostatics. In this chapter, I will attempt to synthesize some of the most important trends and results involving boundary-integral equations at the intersection between these fields. The organizing principle for this synthesis is the notion that the diverse uses of computational modeling nevertheless follow similar workflows, that is, distinct steps in structure preparation, calculation, and data analysis. This system-level perspective provides some new insights into emerging patterns of computational study, and into what computational methods would have the highest impact. Important boundary-integral developments include formulations for multiple molecules and ion-exclusion (Stern) layers, and new discretization techniques.
The impact of altered mechanobiology on aortic valve pathophysiology.

Abstract Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is the most prevalent valvulopathy worldwide. Until recently, CAVD was viewed as a passive, degenerative process and an inevitable consequence of aging. Recent improvements in disease modeling, imaging, and analysis have greatly enhanced our understanding of CAVD. The aortic valve and its constituent cells are subjected to extreme changes in mechanical forces, so it follows that any changes in the underlying mechanobiology of the valve and its cells would have dire effects on function. Further, the mechanobiology of the aortic valve is intimately intertwined with numerous molecular pathways, with signal transduction between these aspects afforded by the dynamic plasma membrane. Changes to the plasma membrane itself, its regulation of the extracellular matrix, or the relay of signals into or out of the cell would negatively impact cell and tissue function. Purpose of Review This review seeks to detail past and current published reports related to the mechanobiology of the aortic valve with a special emphasis on the implications of altered mechanobiology in the context of calcific aortic valve disease. Recent Findings Investigations characterizing membrane composition and dynamics have provided new insights into the earliest stages of calcific aortic valve disease. Recent studies have suggested that the activation or suppression of key pathways contribute to disease progression but may also offer therapeutic targets. Summary This review highlights the critical involvement of mechanobiology and membrane dynamics in normal aortic valve physiology as well as valve pathology.
DHA modulates MANF and TREM2 abundance, enhances neurogenesis, reduces infarct size, and improves neurological function after experimental ischemic stroke.

Aims Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) is a secretory neurotrophic factor protein that promotes repair after neuronal injury. The microglia cell surface receptor (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2; TREM2) regulates the production of pro- and antiinflammatory mediators after stroke. Here, we study MANF and TREM2 expression after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) and explore if docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) treatment exerts a potentiating effect. Methods We used 2 hours of the MCAo model in rats and intravenously administered DHA or vehicle at 3 hours after the onset of MCAo. Neurobehavioral assessment was performed on days 1, 3, 7, and 14; MANF and TREM2 expression was measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Results MANF was upregulated in neurons and astrocytes on days 1, 7, and 14, and TREM2 was expressed on macrophages in the ischemic penumbra and dentate gyrus (DG) on days 7 and 14. DHA improved neurobehavioral recovery, attenuated infarct size on days 7 and 14, increased MANF and decreased TREM2 expression in ischemic core, penumbra, DG, and enhanced neurogenesis on Day 14. Conclusion MANF and TREM2 protein abundance is robustly increased after MCAo, and DHA treatment potentiated MANF abundance, decreased TREM2 expression, improved neurobehavioral recovery, reduced infarction, and provided enhanced neuroprotection.
Understanding Community-Level Conflicts Through Reddit r/place

Conflicts between communities in social-networking sites can degrade quality of communication and discourage participation, so understanding conflict dynamics can aid community management. However, studying inter-community conflict is challenging due to the open-ended nature of communication between communities. We study r/place, a 3-day pseudo-experiment on Reddit that provides an opportunity to observe inter-community conflict in a zero-sum environment. We quantify conflicts on r/place, identifying users and communities involved. We find that conflicts on r/place involve multiple communities on both the winning and losing side, and that communities get involved in conflicts due to geographic proximity on the canvas and due to existing political or cultural conflicts. Examining conflict winners reveals that total number of users is more important than highly-active users. Our results have implications for mitigating negative inter-community conflict on social-networking sites.
Syncope Associated with Sinus Nodal Dysfunction in a COVID-19 Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

COVID-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with significant cardiovascular dysfunction in patients with, and without, pre-existing cardiovascular disease [1]. There are now well-documented cardiac complications of COVID-19 infection which include myocarditis, heart failure, and acute coronary syndrome [2]. There is growing evidence showing that arrhythmias are also one of the major complications of COVID-19. We report a patient with no known cardiac conduction disease who presented with syncope, positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR, who was persistently bradycardic and subsequently developed sinus node dysfunction (SND). To date, there are a limited number of reports of sinus node dysfunction (SND) associated with COVID-19. We describe the clinical characteristics, potential pathophysiologic mechanisms and management of COVID-19 patients who experienced de novo SND.
When Pandemics Collide: the Interplay of Obesity and COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In addition to those with advanced age and co-morbidities such as heart disease or cancer, obese individuals have also had very high rates of hospitalization, critical illness, need for ventilator support, as well as mortality. A number of factors associated with obesity have led to devastating consequences as these two pandemics have interacted. Obese individuals through a combination of structural and cellular level changes have greater risk of ischemic heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory disease, which are themselves risk-factors for acquiring COVID-19 disease. These structural changes also result in increased intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic pressure as well as a restrictive lung physiology that leads to reduction in total lung capacity, functional residual capacity, and increase in airway hyper-reactivity. Adipose tissue is also impacted in obese individuals leading to local as well as systemic inflammation, which can contribute to increased release of free fatty acids and systemic insulin resistance. Additionally, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and dipeptidyl peptidase 4, which act as receptors for SARS-CoV-2 are also significantly increased in obese individuals. The present manuscript reviews these structural, immune, and molecular changes associated with obesity that make obese individuals more vulnerable to acquiring severe COVID-19 and more challenging to manage associated complications.
Chapter 12 Metabolism of bile acids in intestinal microflora

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the metabolism of bile acids in intestinal microflora. The intestinal microflora of man and animals can biotransform bile acids into a number of different metabolites. Normal human feces may contain more than 20 different bile acids formed from the primary bile acids, cholic acid, and chenodeoxycholic acid. Known microbial biotransformations of these bile acids include the hydrolysis of bile acid conjugates yielding free bile acids, oxidation of hydroxyl groups at C-3, C-6, C-7, and C-12 and the reduction of oxo groups to give epimeric hydroxy bile acids. In addition, certain members of the intestinal microflora 7 α - and 7 β -dehydroxylate primary bile acids yield deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid. Moreover, 3-sulfated bile acids are converted into a variety of different metabolites by the intestinal microflora. The hydrolysis of bile acid conjugates is probably the initial reaction catalyzed by intestinal bacteria. Therefore, primarily free bile acids are isolated from the feces of man and animals. The bulk of the free bile acids in feces of man is deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid generated by the 7 α -dehydroxylation of cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid, respectively. A portion of fecal acids is absorbed from the intestinal tract, returned to the liver where they are conjugated and again secreted via biliary bile. Therefore, the final composition of biliary bile acids is the result of a complex interaction between liver enzymes and enzymes in intestinal bacteria.
Intake, digestibility, and composition of orchardgrass and alfalfa silages treated with cellulase, inoculant, and formic acid fed to lambs.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of a cellulase (from Trichoderma longibrachiatum) alone or combined with a bacterial inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus cerevisiae) or formic acid on composition, intake, and digestibility of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) silages. Orchardgrass and alfalfa were harvested at the early heading stage and at the early bloom stage of maturity and wilted to approximately 22 and 32% DM, respectively. Forages were then ensiled in 100-L sealed barrels for at least 60 d before they were fed to lambs. Silage treated with cellulase had lower (P < .001) pH and lower (P < .001) acetic acid and NH3 N concentrations than untreated silage of both plant species and a higher (P = .004) lactic acid concentration than the control treatment of alfalfa silage. Fermentation characteristics of cellulase-treated silages, especially of alfalfa, were further enhanced by use of inoculant. Formic acid addition increased (P < .001), reducing sugar concentration of cellulase-treated orchardgrass and alfalfa silage by 90 and 154%, respectively, and decreased (P < .001) NH3 N concentration of cellulase-treated alfalfa silage by 19%. Averaged across plant species, cellulase, combined with inoculant or formic acid, resulted in 8 and 13% greater (P = .03) DMI, respectively, than the control silage. Extensive enzymatic cell-wall degradation during ensiling decreased (P = .003) NDF intake of cellulase-treated orchardgrass silage by 25% and decreased (P = .001) cellulose intake by 23%, when averaged across plant species. Addition of formic acid increased (P = .003) NDF intake of cellulase-treated orchardgrass silage by 19%. Averaged across species, cellulase application decreased (P < .05) silage NDF digestibility by 18%. Greater sugar and lower acetic acid, NH3 N, and NDF concentrations resulted in greater DMI of cellulase-treated silage than of control silage, when cellulase was combined with formic acid or inoculant.
Photosynthetic carbon incorporation and turnover in antarctic cryptoendolithic microbial communities: are they the slowest-growing communities on Earth?

The main forms of terrestrial life in the cold, desolate Ross Desert of Antarctica are lichen-dominated or cyanobacterium-dominated cryptoendolithic (hidden in rock) microbial communities. Though microbial community biomass (as measured by extractable lipid phosphate) was well within the range of values determined for other microbial communities, community lipid carbon turnover times (calculated from community lipid biomass, rates of community photosynthetic carbon incorporation into lipids versus temperature, and the in situ temperature record) were among the longest on Earth (ca. 20,000 years). When the temperature is above freezing and moisture is present, moderate rates of photosynthesis can be measured. Lichen communities had a psychrophilic temperature response (maximal rate of 4.5 ng of C h-1 m-2 at 10°C) while cyanobacteria communities had maximal rates at 20 to 30°C (3 ng of C h-1 m-2). These extraordinarily slowly growing communities were not nutrient limited. No significant changes in photosynthetic metabolism were observed upon additions of 100 nM to 1 mM nitrate, ammonium, phosphate, and manganese. These simple, tenacious microbial communities demonstrate strategies of survival under conditions normally considered too extreme for life.
Measurement of the Electrical Resistivity and Thermal Conductivity of High Purity Aluminum in Magnetic Fields

Experimental measurements on three samples of high-purity aluminum (RRR = 172, 1530, and 10,000) provide tables and graphs of ρ(B,T) and λ(B,T) vs. RRR for determining the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity as a function of purity in transverse magnetic fields to 4 T for temperatures from about 7.5 K to 50 K.
Fuel Effects on Diesel Odor in a Spray Burner

A laboratory burner has been operated with paraffinic mixtures, aromatic mixtures, n-paraffins, cetane standard fuel mixtures, and diesel No. 2 to measure fuel effects upon the production of diesel odor. Of the variables studied which included aromatic content, volatility, cetane number and specific gravity, only aromatic content was found to have a significant effect upon measured odor intensity.
Anterior lingual mandibular bone concavity: Report of a case

A lingual mandibular bone concavity in the region of the left canine is described. The radiographic appearance of the concavity in this anterior location is an uncommon finding. Seven similar bone cavities with soft-tissue contents beneath the periosteum have been reported in the literature. Surgical exploration revealed this cavity to have no contents subperiosteally.
The generation of shape selective intercalated kenyaites

Abstract Pillared clays, with pore openings in the 7–15 A range and possessing moderate acid activity have gained notoriety over the past 20 years as co-catalysts for the conversion of heavy feedstocks. [1-3]While “once through” catalysts, incorporating such pillared materials have shown important product selectivity improvements in FCC evaluations (in particular an increase in C 5 + gasoline/ conversion), their lack of hydrothermal stability under realistic FCC regeneration conditions have prevented their widespread use. We have synthesized active, pillared catalysts that have exhibited shape selectivity in model compound test reactions and reasonable hydrothermal stability under steaming conditions at temperatures up to 700°C. These molecular sieves have been developed based on the intercalation of metalloaluminophosphates gels into the layered silicate, kenyaite. Model compound reaction test results indicate that these molecular sieves exhibit product shape selectivity comparable to small 12-membered ring pore opening zeolites such as ZSM- 12 and mordenite. By variation of the reaction composition, various shape selectivities were realized suggesting methods for “tailoring” pore dimensions for particular reactions. Furthermore, the chemical nature of these phosphorus-containing materials suggests a method for the incorporation of catalytically important chemistry into the intercalated catalysts.
Relations between parameters of step-tracking movements and single cell discharge in the globus pallidus and subthalamic nucleus of the behaving monkey

We describe the relations between the direction, amplitude, and velocity of step-tracking arm movements and the frequency of single cell discharge in the external (GPe) and internal (GPi) segments of the globus pallidus and the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of the behaving monkey. Statistically significant relations to the direction, amplitude, and peak velocity of the movement were found in all structures studied predominantly during the movement but also during the reaction time. For movements in a particular direction, the discharge rate was frequently a linear function of the movement amplitude and/or peak velocity. The slopes of this relation differed for different cells and comprised both positive and negative values. STN differed from both GPe and GPi in that (a) a larger proportion of neurons in STN showed significant relations to the direction of movement and (b) the onset times of changes in neural activity related to movement occurred earlier in STN than in GPe or GPi. The results of these studies suggest that cells in GPe, GPi, and STN may be involved in the control of movement parameters. Loss of the basal ganglia output related to the amplitude or velocity of movement might account for the impairments of step movements observed in Parkinsonian patients. On the other hand, deranged or excessive output related to amplitude or velocity control might result in the excesses of movement observed in other disorders, such as chorea and hemiballismus. These studies also provide direct evidence that the STN exerts a specific influence on basal ganglia output related to the control of movement parameters.
Quantum control in the Cs 6S(1/2) ground manifold using radio-frequency and microwave magnetic fields.

We implement arbitrary maps between pure states in the 16-dimensional Hilbert space associated with the ground electronic manifold of $^{133}\mathrm{Cs}$. This is accomplished by driving atoms with phase modulated radio-frequency and microwave fields, using modulation waveforms found via numerical optimization and designed to work robustly in the presence of imperfections. We evaluate the performance of a sample of randomly chosen state maps by randomized benchmarking, obtaining an average fidelity $g99%$. Our protocol advances state-of-the-art quantum control and has immediate applications in quantum metrology and tomography.
Application of shaped adiabatic pulses to MQMAS NMR spectroscopy of spin 3/2 nuclei.

Abstract Competition between nutation (r.f. driven) and adiabatic (rotor-driven) multi-quantum coherence transfer mechanisms in spin 3/2 systems results in diminished performance of rotation induced adiabatic coherence transfer (RIACT) in isotropic multiple-quantum magic-angle spinning (MQMAS) experiments for small e 2 qQ / h (
Changes in the Electronic Properties of a Molecule When It Is Wired into a Circuit

Molecular electronic devices require at least two electrical contacts to one (or more) molecule(s). Single molecules are reliably probed by bonding one end to a gold substrate and the other end to a gold nanocrystal. The circuit is completed with a gold-coated atomic force microscope probe. Measurements of the decay of electronic current with the length of n-alkanedithiol molecules in these single-molecule nanojunctions are reported as a function of the applied bias. The value of the decay constant near zero bias was obtained from measurements in the ohmic region of the current−voltage curves. The electron tunneling decay rate is significantly smaller (βN = 0.57 ± 0.03) than observed for molecules bonded at just one end (βN ≈ 1), and it falls to even smaller values as the applied bias is increased. Both these effects are quantitatively accounted for by a large shift in molecular levels caused by the attachment of wires at each end.
Engineered cell therapy for sustained local myocardial delivery of nonsecreted proteins.

Novel strategies for the treatment of congestive heart failure have taken the form of gene and cell therapy to induce angiogenesis, optimize calcium handling by cardiac myocytes, or regenerate damaged myocardial tissue. Arguably both gene- and cell-based therapies would be benefited by having the ability to locally deliver specific transcription factors and other usually nonsecreted proteins to cells in the surrounding myocardial tissue. The herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) tegument protein VP22 has been shown to mediate protein intercellular trafficking to mammalian cells and finally localize into the nucleus, which makes it a useful cargo-carrying functional protein in cell-based gene therapy. While VP22 has been studied as a means to modulate tumor growth, little is known about the distribution and transport kinetics of VP22 in the heart and its potential application in combination with autologous cell transplantation for the delivery of proteins to myocardial tissue. The aim of this study was to ev...
Refractive Indices and Optical Anisotropy of Homologous Liquid Crystals

Abstract We have measured as functions of temperature the refractive indices and linear birefringence of seven homologous compounds of p, [pacute]-di-n-alkoxy-azoxybenzenes in the nematic phase. Using the Vuks' model of local-field correction, we have deduced from our results both the microscopic and the macroscopic order parameters. The former agree well with those determined by Pines et al from the NMR results. The variations of the various microscopic parameters with the increase of the alkyl chain length are discussed. It is shown that addition of CH2 groups to the alkyl chain increases the average polarizability much faster than the polarizability anisotropy. Contributions to the polarizability anisotropy from the core and from the alkyl chains respectively are found.
Q: Do incretin drugs for type 2 diabetes increase the risk of acute pancreatitis?

A: Probably not. Although cases of acute pancreatitis have occurred in patients taking these drugs, cases have been reported in patients taking other drugs as well. Furthermore, the incidence of acute pancreatitis is higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (for which incretin-type drugs are indicated) than in the general population, regardless of treatment.
Impact energy dependence of SF5+ ion beam damage of poly(methyl methacrylate) studied by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry

Abstract Recent advances in instrumentation for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) have focused on the application of polyatomic primary ions for enhancing molecular secondary ion signals of organic materials. A few studies have also noted that some polymers, in particular poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), display the unusual characteristic of maintaining their molecular ion signals after extended bombardment with polyatomic ion beams. In this study, ion-induced damage of spin-cast PMMA films by 2.5, 5, and 7.5 keV SF5+ and 5 keV Cs+ was studied using time-of-flight SIMS (ToF-SIMS). After a surface transient regime, the characteristic molecular ion signals for PMMA remained relatively stable during extended SF5+ bombardment. Increased SF5+ impact energy increased the sputter rate with a slight increase in the damage of the polymer films. Additionally, neither fluorocarbon cations nor anions were observed in the ToF-SIMS spectra of the damaged PMMA films. Monte Carlo calculations of the primary ion penetration into the polymeric material showed that an increased penetration depth and depth of vacancy production was correlated with increased sputter and damage rates observed in the SIMS data.
Mitochondrial DNA variant interactions modify breast cancer risk

Interactions between mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA) variants and the risk of developing breast cancer were investigated using DNA samples collected from non-Jewish European American breast cancer patients and ethnically age-matched female controls. Logistic regression was used to evaluate two-way interactions between 17 mtDNA variants. To control for multiple testing, empirical P values were calculated using permutation. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to measure the contribution of variants in modifying the risk of developing breast cancer. A highly significant interaction was identified between variants 12308G and 10398G (empirical P value = 0.0028), with results suggesting these variants increase the risk of a woman developing breast cancer (OR = 3.03; 95% CI 1.53–6.11). Nominal significant P values were also observed for interactions between mtDNA variants 709A and 16189C; 4216C and 10398G; 4216C and 16189C; 10398G and 16159C; 13368A and 16189C; and 14766T and 16519C. However, after adjusting for multiple testing, the P values did not remain significant. Although it is important to elucidate the main effect of mtDNA variants on the risk of developing breast cancer, understanding gene × gene interactions will give a greater knowledge of disease etiology and aid in interpreting a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.
The beliefs of marketing professionals regarding consumer privacy

There is growing concern among consumers that several marketing practices are invasions of consumer privacy. Specifically, this study addresses the issues of buying and selling names and addresses of consumers, the role of government in protecting the privacy rights of consumers, and the use of an automatic number identification system. A survey was conducted of 190 marketing professionals from the American Marketing Association, National Association of Purchasing Managers, and Direct Marketing Association to determine their beliefs regarding these issues. The results are compared to an earlier consumer sample to determine differences and agreements. The results are also compared statistically among the three professional associations.
Bedside Assessment of Executive Cognitive Impairment: The Executive Interview

Objective: This study is a pilot validation of the Executive Interview (EXIT), a novel instrument designed to assess executive cognitive function (ECF) at the bedside. Objective: Inter-rater reliability testing and validation using inter-group comparisons across levels of care and measures of cognition and behavior. Participants: Forty elderly subjects randomly selected across four levels of care. Setting: Settings ranged from independent living apartments to designated Alzheimer's Special Care units in a single 537-bed retirement community. Measurements: The EXIT: a 10-minute, 25-item interview scored from 0–50 (higher scores = greater executive dyscontrol) was administered by a physician. Subjects were also administered the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) and traditional tests of “frontal” executive function by a neuropsychologist, and the Nursing Home Behavior Problem Scale (NHBPS) by Licensed Vocational Nurses. Results: Interrater reliability was high (r = .90). EXIT scores correlated well with other measures of ECF. The interview discriminated among residents at each level of care. In contrast, the MMSE did not discriminate apartment-dwelling from residential care residents, or residential care from nursing home residents. The EXIT was highly correlated with disruptive behaviors as measured by the NHBPS (r = .79). Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that the EXIT is a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of executive impairment at the bedside. It correlates well with level of care and problem behavior. It discriminates residents at earlier stages of cognitive impairment than the MMSE. J Am Geriatr Soc 40:1221–1226, 1992
The importance of the α-adrenoceptor agonist activity of dobutamine to inotropic selectivity in the anaesthetized cat

Abstract Doses of dobutamine (steady-state infusions) required to increase inotropy (as measured by isovolumic indices of contractility) were lower than those required to produce tachycardia in the anaesthetized cat. When compared to isoprenaline, dobutamine produced less tachycardia for common increases in inotropy and thus demonstrated inotropic selectivity in this model. Dobutamine also produced mild pressor effects which were potentiated by β-adrenoceptor blockade with propranolol. In efforts to define the role of the partial agonist activity of dobutamine for α-adrenoceptors in the production of selective inotropy the effects of dobutamine infusions were observed in cats pretreated with the α-adrenoceptor antagonist phentolamine. In phentolamine-treated cats dobutamine did not demonstrate inotropic selectivity and showed a relationship between increased inotropy and tachycardia which was not significantly different from that obtained with isoprenaline. In contrast, phentolamine did not change the relationship between isoprenaline-induced tachycardia and increased inotropy. These data suggest that the agonist activity of dobutamine for α-adrenoceptors could be responsible for selective inotropy in the anaesthetized cat probably by baroreceptor-mediated reflex modulation of heart rate and/or possible stimulation of inotropic cardiac α-adrenoceptors.
Messages vs. remote procedures is a false dichotomy

This paper discusses some of the major design decisions that distiguish recent language proposals for concurrent programming, It is argued that the classification of languages as "procedure-based" or "message-based" is misleading, in that it confuses two independent issues. It is further argued that these issues are best left undecided by the language designer.