cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fuel-cell powered unmanned ground vehicle

The use of alternative energy technology for vehicle propulsion and auxiliary power is becoming more important. Work is being performed at Michigan Technological University's Keweenaw Research Center on an Army Research Laboratory cooperative agreement to develop two unmanned ground vehicles for military applications. A wide range of alternative energy technologies were investigated, and hydrogen-powered proton exchange membrane fuel cells were identified as the most appropriate alternative energy source. This is due to some development and commercialization which makes the technology "drop-in plug-in" for immediate use. We present research work on a small unmanned ground vehicle demonstration platform where the fuel cell is the only power source. We also present research work on the integration of a fuel cell onto a large existing platform. The dual-power capability of this vehicle can provide a modest level of propulsion in "engine-off mode" and may also be used to power directed energy devices which have applications in countermine and similar threat technologies.
Planar and axial channeling radiation from relativistic electrons in LiF

Channeling radiation has been measured for planar-channeled 16.9-, 30.5-, and \ensuremath{\sim}54.3-MeV elec-trons and for axial-channeled 16.9-MeV electrons in the ionic crystal LiF. The results are shown to be in reasonable, but not perfect, agreement with calculations which model the crystal as an array of isolated ${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{F}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ ions.
The neuronal primary cilium--an extrasynaptic signaling device.

Abstract Many, but likely most, neurons in the central nervous system have a nonmotile “primary” cilium extending like an antenna or finger from one of the pair of centrioles in the cell's centrosome into the extracellular space. Since their discovery over 100 years ago, these organelles have been either dismissed as functionless relicts of a bygone era or more often simply ignored. However, it has long been known that the photoreceptor-bearing outer segments of retinal rods and cones are modified primary cilia and it has recently been found that kidney cells' primary cilia are sensitive flowmeters the disabling of which causes polycystic kidney disease. It has also been recently shown that somatostatin sst3 receptors and serotonin 5-HT 6 receptors are selectively sited on neurons in various parts of the rat brain. It seems likely that these selectively receptored neuronal primary cilia will turn out to be the forerunners of a family of cell-signaling devices that help drive various brain functions by sending signals into their own cells and into adjacent cells through gap junctions and via conventional chemical synapses.
Transition from an eastern Pacific upper-level mixed Rossby-gravity wave to a western Pacific tropical cyclone

[1] The ancestor of unseasonal Typhoon Nanmadol (2004) over the western North Pacific is traced back to the Eastern Pacific (near 120°W) as an upper tropospheric, counter-clockwise rotating mixed Rossby-gravity (MRG) wave. The temporal and spatial evolution from an equatorial trapped MRG-wave-type disturbance to an off-equatorial tropical depression is documented by utilizing NOGAPS (Navy's Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System) analysis data. It is found that the MRG wave moved away from the equator after a dramatic reduction in its zonal dimension and downward development and amplification in the lower troposphere. These dramatic changes in MRG wave properties are attributed to the modulation of the easterly vertical shear, low-level westerly-easterly confluence in the large-scale background flows, and convective coupling, as well as underlying high sea surface temperature (SST). The boundary layer convergence associated with asymmetric pressure field of the MRG wave is likely responsible for the transition from an equatorial MRG to an off-equatorial tropical disturbance. This case study addresses the possibility that upper tropospheric MRG waves over the far eastern Pacific may provide “seeds” for tropical cyclogenesis over the western North Pacific.
The impact of decadal fluctuations in mean precipitation and temperature on runoff: a sensitivity study over the United States

The nature of climate variability is such that decadal fluctuations in average temperature (up to 1 °C annually or 2 °C seasonally) and precipitation (approximately 10% annually), have occurred in most areas of the United States during the modern climate record (the last 60 years). The impact of these fluctuations on runoff was investigated, using data from 82 streams across the United States that had minimal human interference in natural flows. The effects of recent temperature fluctuations on streamflow are minimal, but the impact of relatively small fluctuations in precipitation (about 10%) are often amplified by a factor of two or more, depending on basin and climate characteristics. This result is particularly significant with respect to predicted changes in temperature due to the greenhouse effect. It appears that without reliable predictions of precipitation changes across drainage basins, little confidence can be placed in hypothesized effects of the warming on annual runoff.
PREVALENCE OF AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ORAL SEX AMONG RURAL AND URBAN MALAWIAN MEN

Despite medical evidence that female-to-male oral sex (fellatio) carries a lower risk for HIV transmission than unprotected vaginal intercourse, little research exists on the practice of fellatio in Africa. We used two samples of men from Malawi-one rural and one urban-to examine the prevalence of oral sex. While 97% of the rural sample and 87% of the urban sample reported having had vaginal sex, just 2% and 12%, respectively, said they had ever received oral sex. Only half of the rural sample, and less than three quarters of the urban sample, reported having heard of oral sex. Education, exposure to newspapers and television, and condom use significantly predicted oral sex knowledge after controlling for other confounding factors, while exposure to radio did not. The large gap between sexual activity and oral sex prevalence suggests that fellatio should be taken into consideration as a potential component of an HIV prevention strategy, but further quantitative and qualitative research that includes women as well as men is needed to understand potential benefits and drawbacks.
Antifungal activities of fluconazole, caspofungin (MK0991), and anidulafungin (LY 303366) alone and in combination against Candida spp. and Crytococcus neoformans via time-kill methods

The activities of the echinocandins caspofungin and anidulafungin were evaluated alone and in combination with fluconazole using time-kill methods against isolates of Candida albicans, Candida glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, and Cryptococcus neoformans. Antifungal concentrations tested against each isolate were 0.5 microg/mL and 20 microg/mL of fluconazole and 0.007 microg/mL and 2 microg/mL of both caspofungin and anidulafungin. In addition, 20 microg/mL of fluconazole was tested with 2 microg/mL of caspofungin and anidulafungin to test for additive or antagonistic activity. Finally 0.5 microg/mL of fluconazole was tested with 0.007 microg/mL of caspofungin and anidulafungin to test for synergy. Combinations of fluconazole and caspofungin or anidulafungin resulted in indifference. Azole-echinocandin combinations do not produce antagonistic effects; therefore, combinations of these agents may warrant future clinical evaluation.
Machine recognition of hand-sent Morse code

A transistorized special purpose digital computer called MAUDE (Morse AUtomatic DEcoder) has been designed, built and analyzed. This computer decodes a hand-sent Morse message, which is printed on a teletypewriter. MAUDE's decisions take place at a number of different levels and its "knowledge" is not only that of relative durations of dots and dashes, but also of the Morse code and even of certain elementary properties of language. MAUDE has successfully decoded between 90 per cent and 95 per cent of 184 operators. A successful decoding is one which results in a text which can be easily read by a man who knows the language. It is felt that MAUDE can be a practical piece of equipment for a site with heavy traffic. Its performance will be inferior to that of a man until more sophisticated language rules, using at least a word vocabulary, are included.
CRAMS scale: Field triage of trauma victims

A simple 10-point scale was devised for the purpose of determining which trauma patients should go to a trauma center. The acronym "CRAMS" represents the five components measured: Circulation, Respiration, Abdomen, Motor, and Speech. The results of field triage were compared to final emergency department (ED) disposition. Those patients who died in the ED and those who went directly to the operating room (OR) for general surgery or neurosurgery were defined as major trauma. Of 12 patients defined as major trauma by ED disposition, 11 were defined as major trauma (CRAMS ⩽ 8) in the field (sensitivity, 92%). This was compared to 8 defined as major trauma by Champion's Trauma Score. Of 313 defined as minor trauma by ED disposition (discharged home), 307 were defined as minor trauma (CRAMS ⩾ 9) in the field (specificity, 98%). The CRAMS scale provides an effective net for major trauma while ensuring that minor trauma is not unnecessarily diverted to a trauma center.
Growth and development of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in response to chronic food restriction throughout the nestling period

Birds have evolved phenotypic plasticity in growth and developmental patterns in order to respond to fluctuating environmental conditions and to mitigate the impact of poor feeding on fitness. Chronic food shortage can occur during chick development in the wild, and the responses of altricial birds have not been thoroughly studied. House sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) nestlings were raised in the laboratory on age-specific meal sizes (controls) or meal sizes 25% less than age-specific amounts (food-restricted) and analyzed at 6, 9 and 12 days post-hatch for differences in growth and development. Food-restricted birds had significantly reduced body mass and body temperature, but skeletal growth was maintained with respect to controls. Muscle mass was significantly reduced and muscle water content was slightly, though not significantly, higher in food-restricted birds, which may reflect slight developmental immaturity. Assimilation organ masses, summed enzymatic capacity of the intestine and lipid content of the liver were significantly reduced in food-restricted birds. Findings from this study indicate that altricial birds experiencing chronic, moderate food restriction throughout the nestling period may allocate resources to structural growth through energy-saving reductions in mass of assimilation organs and body temperature.
A resonant pulse gate drive for high frequency applications

The analysis and implementation of a resonant pulse gate drive are discussed. The resonant gate drive is based on a simple charge pulse circuit which has conduction and logic losses. The pulse charging and discharging instances are controlled by the user, and hence this circuit is applicable to pulse width modulation (PWM) schemes as well as resonant converters. Theoretical analysis of the circuit shows its operation. Detailed equations are presented which describe the inherent losses of the circuit. Experimental results are shown to verify the operation and loss mechanisms. >
Hydrogen Peroxide– and Peroxynitrite-Induced Mitochondrial DNA Damage and Dysfunction in Vascular Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells

The mechanisms by which reactive species (RS) participate in the development of atherosclerosis remain incompletely understood. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that RS produced in the vascular environment cause mitochondrial damage and dysfunction in vitro and, thus, may contribute to the initiating events of atherogenesis. DNA damage was assessed in vascular cells exposed to superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, and peroxynitrite. In both vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was preferentially damaged relative to the transcriptionally inactive nuclear beta-globin gene. Similarly, a dose-dependent decrease in mtDNA-encoded mRNA transcripts was associated with RS treatment. Mitochondrial protein synthesis was also inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by ONOO(-), resulting in decreased cellular ATP levels and mitochondrial redox function. Overall, endothelial cells were more sensitive to RS-mediated damage than were smooth muscle cells. Together, these data link RS-mediated mtDNA damage, altered gene expression, and mitochondrial dysfunction in cell culture and reveal how RS may mediate vascular cell dysfunction in the setting of atherogenesis.
Adsorption and oxidation of fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents and structurally related amines with goethite.

Seven members (ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, lomefloxacin, pipemidic acid, and flumequine) of the popular fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents (FQs) were found to adsorb strongly to goethite with 50–76% of the added FQ adsorbed under the experimental conditions. The adsorption isotherms fitted well to the Langmuir model. Adsorption was accompanied by slow oxidation of the FQs (except for flumequine) by goethite yielding a range of hydroxylated and dealkylated products. The oxidation kinetics showed different stages in reaction rate, mostly likely caused by accumulation of Fe(II) species on the oxide surface that slowed the reaction. Structurally related amines 1-phenylpiperazine, N-phenylmorpholine, aniline, and N,N-dimethylaniline were found to be oxidized by goethite without significant adsorption. The results strongly indicate that the carboxylic group of FQs is critical for adsorption while the piperazine ring is susceptible to oxidation. A radical mechanism is proposed for the oxidation of FQs by goethite which involves formation of a surface complex between the FQ and surface-bound Fe(III) through adsorption, and initial oxidation at the piperazinyl N1 atom to form radical intermediates that ultimately lead to the final products. This study indicates that Fe oxides in aquatic sediments may well play an important role in the natural attenuation of fluoroquinolone antibacterial agents. � 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Medical Nutrition Therapy Provided to Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Patients

This study explored the current medical nutrition therapy (MNT) provided to adult patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and examined the current and desired role of registered dietitians (RDs) in providing MNT. A total of 60 RDs (57% response rate) responded to an electronic questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and χ(2) analyses (SPSS; version 18) were used. Results revealed the primary form of diet was oral, and for patients on nutrition support, parenteral nutrition (PN) was used more frequently (16%-31%) than enteral nutrition (EN) (5%-9%; P ≤ .05). Nutrition support decisions were based on patients' individualized needs rather than established protocol or policies. Mucositis was the most common reason for implementing PN (31%), and intubation or being in the intensive care unit was the most common reason for implementing EN (28%). The RDs had varying degrees of autonomy in order writing and were most often recommending MNT to the physician or writing the MNT order with a physician cosignature. Many RDs reported desiring higher autonomy than what they were currently practicing (P < .05). Those who held a certified specialist in oncology (CSO) or certified nutrition support dietitian/clinician (CNCD/C) certification were significantly more likely to have and desire greater autonomy in order writing than those without specialty credentials (P ≤ .05). No difference was found in current practice or desired autonomy based on the years of experience or educational degree.
Modulation of intercellular calcium signaling by melatonin in avian and mammalian astrocytes is brain region-specific.

Calcium waves among glial cells impact many central nervous system functions, including neural integration and brain metabolism. Here, we have characterized the modulatory effects of melatonin, a pineal neurohormone that mediates circadian and seasonal processes, on glial calcium waves derived from different brain regions and species. Diencephalic and telencephalic astrocytes, from both chick and mouse brains, expressed melatonin receptor proteins. Further, using the calcium-sensitive dye Fluo-4, we conducted real-time imaging analyses of calcium waves propagated among mammalian and avian astrocytes. Mouse diencephalic astrocytic calcium waves spread to an area 2-5 fold larger than waves among avian astrocytes and application of 10 nM melatonin caused a 32% increase in the spread of these mammalian calcium waves, similar to the 23% increase observed in chick diencephalic astrocytes. In contrast, melatonin had no effect on calcium waves in either avian or mammalian telencephalic astrocytes. Mouse telencephalic calcium waves radially spread from their initiation site among untreated astrocytes. However, waves meandered among mouse diencephalic astrocytes, taking heterogeneous paths at variable rates of propagation. Brain regional differences in wave propagation were abolished by melatonin, as diencephalic astrocytes acquired more telencephalon-like wave characteristics. Astrocytes cultured from different brain regions, therefore, possess fundamentally disparate mechanisms of calcium wave propagation and responses to melatonin. These results suggest multiple roles for melatonin receptors in the regulation of astroglial function, impacting specific brain regions differentially.
Immunohistochemical Differentiation and Clinicopathological Features of Canine Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors and Leiomyosarcomas

Introduction: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and leiomyosarcomas (LMS) have recently been differentiated by immunohistochemical staining techniques and have been shown to have different biological behaviors in humans. Expression of the c-kit protein, a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor, occurs in nearly all GISTs. The aim of this study was to differentiate canine GIST from LMS, and to compare their clinicopathological features. Methods: Archived blocks of previously diagnosed LMS were analyzed. Immunohistochemical staining using antibodies against c-kit, smooth muscle actin (SMA), desmin, vimentin and S100 was performed. GISTs were diagnosed based on positive c-kit staining. LMS were diagnosed based on absence of c-kit staining and positive SMA staining. Follow-up information was obtained from medical records and telephone interviews with owners. Results: Forty-two dogs were included in the study. Mean age was 10.9 yrs (range 5–15 yrs). There were 18 females and 24 males. Twenty-eight tumors were GISTs, 10 were LMS and 4 stained negatively for c-kit, SMA and S100 (sarcomas). GISTs were more likely to occur in the large intestine and LMS were more common in the small intestine (p = 0.01). All were surgically excised and only two were treated with adjunctive chemotherapy. Only two GISTs and one sarcoma had metastasized at the time of surgery. Survival time in dogs discharged after surgery for GIST, LMS and sarcomas was 1123, 233 and 88 days respectively (p = 0.08). Conclusions: Many previously diagnosed LMS should be reclassified as GIST based on the results of immunohistochemical staining. The biological behavior of these tumors appears to be different.
Discovery of a Treatise about the Ecclesiastical Administration Ascribed to Michael the Syrian: A Unique Document in the Literary Genre of Canon Law

Manuscript research is an endeavor filled with suspense; often made more difficult by physical labor and severe weather, the scholar's research may prove fruitless, or it may yield an unknown text which reveals again the gaps in scholars' knowledge of ancient Christian tests.
If it's offered, will they come? Influences on parents' participation in a community-based conduct problems prevention program.

This study examined influences on the rate and quality of parent participation in the Fast Track Program, a multi-system, longitudinal preventive intervention for children who are at risk for conduct problems. A theoretical model of the relations among family coordinator characteristics, parent characteristics, the therapeutic engagement between family coordinator and parent, and rate and quality of parent participation was the basis for this study. “Family coordinators” are the Fast Track program personnel who conduct group-based parent-training sessions and home visits. Participants in this study included 12 family coordinators (42% were African American, 58% European American) and 87parents (55% were African American, 45% European American). The level of therapeutic engagement between the parent and the family coordinator was positively associated with the rate of parent attendance at group training sessions. The extent of family coordinator-parent racial and socioeconomic similarity and the extent of the family coordinator's relevant life experiences were highly associated with the level of therapeutic engagement. The quality, but not the rate, of participation was lower for African American parents. Implications of these findings for preventive intervention with this population are discussed.
Hormonal findings in association with abnormal corpus luteum function in the human: the luteal phase defect.

An investigation of the ovarian-pituitary cycle in several patients with severe persistent luteal phase defects in an effort to understand the etiology in relation to the clinical symptomatology of the defect is reported. In conjunction with clinical hormonal evaluations basal body temperature vaginal smear pattern and endometrial biopsy these studies utilized radioimmunoassay for serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) urinary estrogen and pregnanediol assays and in 1 case serum progesterone assays. The results of the study indicated that at least 1 etiologic factor responsible for a luteal phase defect may be a poor cyclic LH stimulation. The aluteal cycle can be distinguished from the anovulatory cycle by the estrogen excretion pattern which may be normal by a detectable LH elevation at midcycle and probably by appreciable amounts of plasma progesterone. The anovulatory cycle studied had a fairly normal luteal span. The oligoluteal cycle studied had an apparently short luteal span of only 5 days as well as an abnormal steroidogenesis. The study of a patient with cyantoic heart disease illustrated the fact that abnormal steroidogenesis or corpus lutem function can be associated with peripheral factors.
Hierarchical recognition of sparse patterns in large-scale simultaneous inference

SUMMARY We study how to accurately separate signals from noisy data and determine the patterns of the selected signals. Controlling the inflation of false positive errors is an important issue in largescale simultaneous inference but has not been addressed in the pattern recognition literature. We develop a decision-theoretic framework and formulate the sparse pattern recognition problem as a simultaneous inference problem with multiple decision trees. Oracle and adaptive classifiers are proposed for maximizing the expected number of true positives subject to a constraint on the overall false positive rate. Existing results on multiple testing are extended by allowing more than two states of nature, hierarchical decision-making and new error rate concepts.
Differential effects of histamine on the activity of hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons in the rat.

The effect of intracerebroventricular administration of histamine on hypothalamic dopaminergic neuronal activity was estimated in male rats by measuring concentrations of dopamine and its metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in brain regions containing terminals or perikarya of these neurons. Three distinct, regionally specific neurochemical responses were apparent. In the median eminence and intermediate lobe of the pituitary, histamine affected neither DOPAC nor dopamine concentrations, suggesting no effect on tuberoinfundibular or periventricular-hypophysial dopaminergic neuronal activity. In the medial zona incerta and in the dorsomedial, rostral periventricular and medial preoptic hypothalamic nuclei, histamine effected a dose- and time-related increase in both DOPAC and dopamine concentrations; these effects were blocked by destruction of noradrenergic neurons projecting to these regions, suggesting that these changes are attributable to noradrenergic neuronal activation, and that histamine does not affect the activity of incertohypothalamic or periventricular-preoptic dopaminergic neurons located in these brain regions. In the suprachiasmatic, caudal periventricular and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei, histamine effected a dose- and time-related increase in DOPAC, but not dopamine, concentrations; these effects were blocked by the H1 antagonist mepyramine, but not the H2 antagonist zolantidine. Destruction of noradrenergic neurons projecting to these regions did not prevent the histamine-induced increases in DOPAC concentrations. These data indicate that histamine increases the activity of dopaminergic neurons projecting to the suprachiasmatic, caudal periventricular and paraventricular nuclei via an action at H1 receptors. Overall, these results reveal that i.c.v. administration of histamine differentially affects the activity of the various dopaminergic neuronal systems of the rat hypothalamus.
Acumen Fund: Measurement in Venture Philanthropy (A)

Acumen Fund is a global venture capital firm with a dual purpose: it looks for a return on its investments, and it also seeks entrepreneurial solutions to global poverty. This case examines Acumen's new projects in Kenya. The organization's investment committee and its chief investment officer, Brian Trelstad, must decide whether or not to fund two for-profit ventures. The first provides clean and accessible shower and toilet facilities in urban areas, serving a critical need for low-income populations - its financial sustainability, however, is less clear. The second investment is a network of successful private health clinics that primarily serve middle-income populations but which have the potential to reach low-income markets. On what basis should Acumen decide whether or not to invest? What performance metrics should it use? As the investment committee nears a decision, political and social unrest breaks out in Kenya following a highly contested presidential election. Acumen Fund must now also consider the political risks of investing.
Getting a Rule Right and Writing a Wrong Rule: The IRS Demands a Return on All Punitive Damages

This article focuses on the Internal Revenue Service’s view of punitive damages received in personal injury litigation as non-taxable. In 1984, the IRS ruling (based on a 1975 revenue ruling) was reversed. The author explains what the 1975 ruling really meant, why that rule was correct, and why the 1984 ruling is based on a correct principle but is incorrect in its particulars. The thesis of this article is that, although punitive damages ought always be taxable, not every award that is legitimately described as punitive or that is intimately connected to the culpability of the tortfeasor is the kind of punitive damages that ought to be taxable.
Experimental warming alters potential function of the fungal community in boreal forest

Fungal community composition often shifts in response to warmer temperatures, which might influence decomposition of recalcitrant carbon (C). We hypothesized that evolutionary trade-offs would enable recalcitrant C-using taxa to respond more positively to warming than would labile C-using taxa. Accordingly, we performed a warming experiment in an Alaskan boreal forest and examined changes in the prevalence of fungal taxa. In a complementary field trial, we characterized the ability of fungal taxa to use labile C (glucose), intermediate C (hemicellulose or cellulose), or recalcitrant C (lignin). We also assigned taxa to functional groups (e.g., free-living filamentous fungi, ectomycorrhizal fungi, and yeasts) based on taxonomic identity. We found that response to warming varied most among taxa at the order level, compared to other taxonomic ranks. Among orders, ability to use lignin was significantly related to increases in prevalence in response to warming. However, the relationship was weak, given that lignin use explained only 9% of the variability in warming responses. Functional groups also differed in warming responses. Specifically, free-living filamentous fungi and ectomycorrhizal fungi responded positively to warming, on average, but yeasts responded negatively. Overall, warming-induced shifts in fungal communities might be accompanied by an increased ability to break down recalcitrant C. This change in potential function may reduce soil C storage under global warming.
Influence of Fumonisin B1, Present in Fusarium moniliforme Culture Material, and T-2 Toxin on Turkey Poults

Abstract Diets containing 300 mg fumonisin B1 (FB1)/kg of feed and 5 mg T-2 toxin/kg of feed singly or in combination were fed to female turkey poults (Nicholas Large White) from day of hatch to 21 d of age. When compared with controls, 21-d body weight gains were reduced 21% by FB1, 26% by T-2, and 47% by the combination. The efficiency of feed utilization was adversely affected by FB1 and the combination of FB1 and T-2. Relative weights (grams/100 g BW) of the liver and gizzard were increased in poults fed the FB1 and the combination diets; whereas, the relative weight of the pancreas was increased in all treated groups. All poults were scored for oral lesions using a scale of 1 to 4 (1 = no visible lesions, 4 = severe lesions). Oral lesions were present in all poults fed the T-2 diet (average score of 3.29) or the combination diet (average score of 3.54). Serum concentration of cholesterol was decreased and lactate dehydrogenase activity was increased in poults fed the FB1 and combination diets. The activity of aspartate aminotransferase and the values for red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were increased only in poults fed the combination diet. Inorganic phosphorus concentration was decreased only in poults fed the combination diet. The increased toxicity in poults fed the combination diet for most variables can best be described as additive, although some variables not altered by FB1 or T-2 singly were significantly affected by the combination, indicating that the combination may pose a potentially greater problem to the turkey industry than either of the mycotoxins individually.
Mesoporous Hydrophobic Polymeric Organic Frameworks with Bound Surfactants. Selective Adsorption of C2H6 versus CH4

Mesoporous polymeric organic frameworks (mesoPOF)s have been synthesized through surfactant mediated polymerization of phlorglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene) and terephthalaldehyde under solvothermal conditions. The materials contain bound surfactant and exhibit hydrophobic properties. The mesoPOFs present high surface areas up to 1000 m2 g–1 and have pores of several size ranges from micropores to large mesopores depending on the amount of surfactant used. The adsorption uptakes of CO2, C2H6, and CH4 measured at 273 K at 1 bar are linearly correlated to the micropore volume. The mesoPOFs display high adsorption selectivity of C2H6 over CH4 by a factor of 40, and this property is dictated by their pore diameter.
Evolving Research Perspectives on Education Politics and Policy

The eight presidential addresses included in this essay, delivered between 1923 and 2009, focus wholly or partly on education politics and policy. Although they reflect their different intellectual and social times, they share a dominant theme in documenting the shifting and uneasy relationship between research and education policy. Presidents have expressed faith in both as resources to achieve an equal and democratic education for all children. Still that faith, expressed most strongly in the early years, has been mixed with strong doses of skepticism and caution.
Cordycepioideus Octosporus, A Termite Suspected Pathogen from Jalisco, Mexico

The genus Cordycepioideus Stifler was established to accommodate a new hypocreaceous fungus, C. bisporus Stifler, pathogenic on Macrotermes natalensis (Haviland) from Lake Manyara, Tanzania (Stifler, 1941). A second species of this genus has been discovered in Jalisco, Mexico, on Tenuirostitermes tenuirostris (Desueau), and is distinguished from the type species by its 8-spored asci and smaller spores.
Study and Construction of English Rice Research Retrieval System Based on LAN B/S Structure

The development of retrieval system of literature of rice research in English will provide better information services for rice scientists and facilitate scientific programs on rice.In this article,user-friendly web pages design,program structure and programming implementation were discussed to explain the development and building of retrieval system of literature of rice research based on LAN B/S structure.
Single-Molecule Reaction Chemistry in Patterned Nanowells

A new approach to synthetic chemistry is performed in ultraminiaturized, nanofabricated reaction chambers. Using lithographically defined nanowells, we achieve single-point covalent chemistry on hundreds of individual carbon nanotube transistors, providing robust statistics and unprecedented spatial resolution in adduct position. Each device acts as a sensor to detect, in real-time and through quantized changes in conductance, single-point functionalization of the nanotube as well as consecutive chemical reactions, molecular interactions, and molecular conformational changes occurring on the resulting single-molecule probe. In particular, we use a set of sequential bioconjugation reactions to tether a single-strand of DNA to the device and record its repeated, reversible folding into a G-quadruplex structure. The stable covalent tether allows us to measure the same molecule in different solutions, revealing the characteristic increased stability of the G-quadruplex structure in the presence of potassium i...
Changes in Corneal Innervation after HSV-1 Latency Established with Different Reactivation Phenotypes.

ABSTRACTPurpose of the study: We used a rabbit model infected with high phenotypic reactivators (HPRs) as well as recombinant HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus 1) with deletions to study their effect on corneal innervations after latency was established.Materials and methods: Corneas from noninfected New Zealand white rabbits were used to obtain the entire map of corneal innervation. Others were inoculated with the HSV-1 strains McKrae, 17Syn+, or recombinant mutants with glycoprotein K (gK) deletion, or with infected early protein 0 (ICP0) deletion. The animals were euthanized at 124 to 125 days postinfection and the corneas were immunostained with a mouse monoclonal anti-βIII tubulin antibody. Images were acquired with a fluorescence microscope and corneal sub-basal nerve density was calculated on the basis of the whole mount images. Differences between the HSV-infected eyes, and comparison with normal control, were analyzed.Results: In the noninfected rabbit, the stroma was densely innervated in the central ...
Secure and efficient protection of consumer privacy in Advanced Metering Infrastructure supporting fine-grained data analysis

Abstract The Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) plays a critical role in the Smart Grid. In regarding the usage of smart meters in AMI, there is a primary concern about how utility companies manage energy consumption data, particularly with respect to consumer privacy. This research presents a novel protocol for secure and efficient communication of energy consumption data, protecting its confidentiality, integrity, and privacy while utilizing the existing Grid infrastructure. The protocol supports time-of-use billing and data mining for advanced fine-grained data analysis. We report on the empirical results of the theoretical, experimental, and comparative analyses of the proposed protocol.
Gabapentin [Neurontin®]: Efficacy and Safety

The results of three large, placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trials of gabapentin as add-on therapy in patients with refractory partial seizures are summarized in a report from the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry and the International Center for Epilepsy, University of Miami School of Medicine, and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL.
Impacts of Mesquite Distribution on Seasonal Space Use of Lesser Prairie-Chickens

ABSTRACT Loss of native grasslands by anthropogenic disturbances has reduced availability and connectivity of habitat for many grassland species. A primary threat to contiguous grasslands is the encroachment of woody vegetation, which is spurred by disturbances that take on many forms from energy development, fire suppression, and grazing. These disturbances are exacerbated by natural- and human-driven cycles of changes in climate punctuated by drought and desertification conditions. Encroachment of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) into the prairies of southeastern New Mexico has potentially limited habitat for numerous grassland species, including lesser prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). To determine them agnitude of impacts of distribution of mesquite and how lesser prairie-chickens respond tomesquite presence on the landscape in southeastern New Mexico, we evaluated seasonal space use of lesser prairie-chickens in the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. We derived several remotely sensed...
Abraham A. Ungar's Autobiography

This autobiography presents the scientific living of Abraham Ungar and his role in Gyrogroups and Gyrovector spaces.‎
Cellular Expression of Tissue Factor, CD40 Ligand and P-Selectin in Normal Healthy Subjects during Hyperglycemia and Hyperinsulinemia.

Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients have increased atherosclerotic and acute vascular complications. Both, high glucose, high insulin levels are independently associated risk factors for increased mortality. We have previously reported elevated circulating tissue factor procoagulant activity (TF-PCA) during hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia in normal subjects. To evaluate the effects of hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia on blood cells activation we measured monocyte tissue factor (TF) expression, monocyte-platelet aggregates, neutrophil-platelet aggregates, platelet P- selectin and CD40 ligand (CD40L) expression using flow cytometry. We studied 4 groups of healthy individuals at baseline and 24 hr after being subjected to following clamps. Hyperglycemia and Hyperinsulinemia Group, HG+HI: 10 subjects were infused with glucose to maintain levels at 200 mg/dl. Euglycemia and Hyperinsulinemia Group, EG+HI: 7 subjects were infused with insulin to maintain serum levels at 1000 pmol/l. Selective Hyperglycemia and Euinsulinemia Group, HG+EI: 6 subjects were infused with glucose (~200 mg/dl) and somatostatin to block endogenous insulin secretion. Placebo Group: 5 subjects received saline. TF expressing monocytes were increased from 20 to 32% (p In addition, we studied the effect of activation of whole blood with ADP (1, 5 and 25μM) and thrombin peptide SFLLRN (25 μM). Upon stimulation with ADP and SFLLRN the percent positive cells and MFI for monocyte-platelet and neutrophil-platelet aggregates, and platelet P-selectin expression were elevated compared to untreated sample in all groups, both at baseline and 24 hr. Percent positive TF expressing monocytes and CD40L expressing platelets were also increased with stimulation. Conclusions: Combination of hyperglycemia with hyperinsulinemia increases circulating TF expression, monocyte-platelet aggregates, and platelet CD40L expression but not neutrophil-platelet aggregates or platelet P- selectin. Hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia alone also increased monocyte TF expression and platelets CD40L expression. Stimulation with ADP and SFLLRN increased TF, CD40L, P-selectin and monocyte-platelet aggregates compared to untreated cells. These studies provide evidence for platelet activation and enhanced monocyte TF expression by hyperglycemia- hyperinsulinemia. CD40L and P-selectin are recognized to increase monocyte TF production. The increase in platelet CD40L expression without increase in P-selectin suggests a role of CD40L in the enhanced TF expression. These studies provide evidence for a procoagulant and proinflammatory state that contributes to both the acute vascular events and atherogenesis in DM.
Optimization of Value-at-Risk: computational aspects of MIP formulations

AbstractOptimization of Value-at-Risk is an important problem both from theoretical and practical standpoints. It can be represented through a class of chance-constrained optimization problems, whi...
An Optically Modulated Self-Assembled Resonance Energy Transfer Pass Gate

We demonstrate an optically controlled molecular-scale pass gate that uses the photoinduced dark states of fluorescent molecules to modulate the flow of excitons. The device consists of four fluorophores spatially arranged on a self-assembled DNA nanostructure. Together, they form a resonance energy transfer (RET) network resembling a standard transistor with a source, channel, drain, and gate. When the gate fluorophore is directly excited, the device is toggled on. Excitons flow freely from the source to the drain, producing strong output fluorescence. Without this excitation, exciton flow through the device is hindered by absorbing paths along the way, resulting in weak output fluorescence. In this Letter, we describe the design and fabrication of the pass gate. We perform a steady-state analysis revealing that the on/off fluorescence ratio for this particular implementation is ∼8.7. To demonstrate dynamic modulation of the pass gate, we toggle the gate excitation on and off and measure the correspondin...
Predicting activities of daily living for cancer patients using an ontology-guided machine learning methodology

Bio-ontologies are becoming increasingly important in knowledge representation and in the machine learning (ML) fields. This paper presents a ML approach that incorporates bio-ontologies and its application to the SEER-MHOS dataset to discover patterns of patient characteristics that impact the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs). Bio-ontologies are used to provide computable knowledge for ML methods to “understand” biomedical data. This retrospective study included 723 cancer patients from the SEER-MHOS dataset. Two ML methods were applied to create predictive models for ADL disabilities for the first year after a patient’s cancer diagnosis. The first method is a standard rule learning algorithm; the second is that same algorithm additionally equipped with methods for reasoning with ontologies. The models showed that a patient’s race, ethnicity, smoking preference, treatment plan and tumor characteristics including histology, staging, cancer site, and morphology were predictors for ADL performance levels one year after cancer diagnosis. The ontology-guided ML method was more accurate at predicting ADL performance levels (P < 0.1) than methods without ontologies. This study demonstrated that bio-ontologies can be harnessed to provide medical knowledge for ML algorithms. The presented method demonstrates that encoding specific types of hierarchical relationships to guide rule learning is possible, and can be extended to other types of semantic relationships present in biomedical ontologies. The ontology-guided ML method achieved better performance than the method without ontologies. The presented method can also be used to promote the effectiveness and efficiency of ML in healthcare, in which use of background knowledge and consistency with existing clinical expertise is critical.
Jejuno-gastric intussusception: A case report of unusual cause of food intolerance after roux-En-Y gastric bypass.

Abstract Introduction Morbid obesity is increasing worldwide as a result, weight loss procedures such as Roux- En-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) are increasing as well. RYGB has multiple complications including intussusception, most of the cases are jejuno-jejunal. Only one case reported to be Jejuno-gastric intussusception (JGI) but through the remnant and not the gastro-jejunostomy anastomosis (GJ). Case report A 50-year-old female presented to the emergency department complaining of diffuse abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Her surgical history is significant for an RYGB 17 years ago. Nausea and food intolerance were the most prominent symptoms. CT scan of the abdomen and upper GI series were normal. Only Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed JGI through GJ, with friable mucosa and a small gastro-gastric fistula. Patient underwent successful reconstruction of GJ and had no symptoms afterwards. Conclusion JGI is a rare of cause of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting after RYGB. Early diagnosis is crucial, a thorough work up is needed to make diagnosis of JGI including EGD. Revision of GJ anastomosis is necessary to address this phenomenon.
Functional blends of organic materials for optoelectronic applications

Abstract Optoelectronic materials are employed in devices where light is used to affect electronic processes in materials (or vice versa) and thus provide a useful functionality. Devices that belong to this category include solar cells, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), light-emitting transistors (LETs), and photodetectors. Often, however, not only one material is used in these devices, but quite a few. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss blends of organic materials that play an important role in optoelectronic devices. The key processes and concepts in the thermodynamics and kinetics of mixing are reviewed, including materials phase behavior and the resulting morphology, both of which affect the optical and electronic properties of devices. When multiple materials are combined into a single device, many potential sources of failure may arise from the mutual incompatibility of device components or instability under device fabrication/operation conditions. Therefore, proper identification of potential materials for high-performing devices has great importance. Specific applications in which such blends are employed will be the main focus of the discussion. Particular attention will be paid to the structure-property relations that enable their compatibility in the blends and good device performance.
Fast & Energy Efficient Binary to BCD Converter with Complement Based Logic Design (CBLD) for BCD Multipliers

In this work, Complement Based Logic Design is introduced as a new logic design and optimization method for combinational circuits at the gate level. The classification of arithmetic building blocks for optimization with CBLD technique is investigated. The efficiency of this technique is demonstrated by applying CBLD on some of the arithmetic building blocks which have a potential of the optimization. Then a fast and energy-efficient Binary to BCD converter is designed by CBLD. This converter is a crucial building block for performing the decimal digit by digit multiplication in the binary system. In the proposed logic design of combinational circuits with multi-input-multi-output, each output is assigned by a selected input with two conditions, buffer or complement, controlled by a control function. Finding best input and output sets with the optimum control function as the condition of complement and repetition of this method to cover all the outputs can complete CBL design. The simulation results for proposed binary to BCD converter show an average Speed, Power Delay Product (PDP), Energy Delay Product (EDP) & Area-PDP (APDP) improvement of 53-67%, 29-66%, 38-86%, and 16-71%, respectively, for the proposed architecture compared with the referenced architectures in various selected technologies.