cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Specific binding of prostaglandin E2 to membrane preparations from human skin: receptor modulation by UVB-irradiation and chemical agents.

Human skin membranes bind prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) with high affinity (with an apparent dissociation constant, K d , of 3.14 × 10 −9 M) and specificity. This binding is inhibited by trypsin or heat treatment suggesting that PGE 2 receptors have protein components. Exposure of the membranes to ultraviolet irradiation (UVB) resulted in the loss of the membrane binding capacity for PGE 2 . This UVB-inhibitory effect could be prevented by 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid), a known protein sulfhydryl-oxidizing agent and α -tocopherol, a known lipid anti-oxidant. These results suggest that UVB-irradiation possibly initiate the reduction of critical protein disulfide groups and the peroxidation of lipids in the membranes, which are essential for the receptor-PGE 2 interaction.
Nearshore current patterns along the central California coast

Abstract Sea surface and seabed drifters indicate that nearshore current patterns change seasonally along the central California coast in the Monterey Bay area. The winter months are characterized by a well-defined northward flow (Davidson Current) with average monthly speeds of 3 to 11 km/day. During the spring, surface flow reverses and the southward flowing California current dominates with average nearshore speeds of 4 to 10 km/day. Drift during the summer and fall is quite variable with occasional reversals of direction. These fluctuations seem to be partly due to the presence of eddies associated with the California Current system and partially to local wind patterns. Although near bottom drift varies, a northward flow predominates throughout the year with average speeds of 0.3 to 0.6 km/day. Although offshore currents do appear to flow in and out of Monterey Bay, circulation in the bay is much slower than that in the offshore area thereby making it highly susceptible to pollutant accumulation.
Teaching software: is the supervised laboratory effective?

Abstract This paper details an empirical study and its results dealing with the need or wisdom of universities and colleges to include laboratory sections of courses that are offered to teach contemporary software. There was no significant difference found in the knowledge gained for those students who participated in a laboratory in addition to a lecture/demonstration, but the students who participated in the laboratory completed their projects more quickly. The study is important for universities and colleges who are under significant pressure to reduce cost by pedagogical options while still maintaining the quality of personal attention and effectiveness demanded by the American public.
Categories equivalent to the category of rational H-spaces

The category $$H$$ of rationalH-spaces is shown to be equivalent to the category of commutative Hopf algebras over ℚ, the category of cocommutative Hopf algebras over ℚ, and the categoryL of graded Lie algebras over ℚ by the rational cohomology, homology, and homotopy functors, respectively. Several consequences of these equivalences are derived. It is also proved that the loop-space functor is an equivalence from the category of coformal rational spaces to $$H$$ . Dually, the category of rationalcoH-spaces is shown to be equivalent to the comonoid category ofL and to the category of cocommutative coalgebras over ℚ. The suspension functor is an equivalence from the category of formal, rational spaces to the category of 2-connected, rationalcoH-spaces.
Automated Microflow NMR: Routine Analysis of Five-Microliter Samples

A microflow CapNMR probe double-tuned for 1H and 13C was installed on a 400-MHz NMR spectrometer and interfaced to an automated liquid handler. Individual samples dissolved in DMSO-d6 are submitted for NMR analysis in vials containing as little as 10 microL of sample. Sets of samples are submitted in a low-volume 384-well plate. Of the 10 microL of sample per well, as with vials, 5 microL is injected into the microflow NMR probe for analysis. For quality control of chemical libraries, 1D NMR spectra are acquired under full automation from 384-well plates on as many as 130 compounds within 24 h using 128 scans per spectrum and a sample-to-sample cycle time of approximately 11 min. Because of the low volume requirements and high mass sensitivity of the microflow NMR system, 30 nmol of a typical small molecule is sufficient to obtain high-quality, well-resolved, 1D proton or 2D COSY NMR spectra in approximately 6 or 20 min of data acquisition time per experiment, respectively. Implementation of pulse programs with automated solvent peak identification and suppression allow for reliable data collection, even for samples submitted in fully protonated DMSO. The automated microflow NMR system is controlled and monitored using web-based software.
Properties of Two EBV Mta Nuclear Export Signal Sequences

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) Mta protein is a posttranscriptional regulator of EBV lytic gene expression that affects RNA splicing and transport. Mta mediates cytoplasmic accumulation of unspliced EBV replication gene transcripts and shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm. Mta contains a recognized leucine-rich, putative nuclear export signal (NES) between aa 227 and 236. Deletion of this signal sequence eliminated shuttling, while mutation of the core LXL motif in the putative NES diminished but did not abolish the ability of Mta to shuttle from donor to recipient cells in a heterokaryon assay. A double mutation of the LXL motif plus an upstream VTL motif eliminated shuttling, suggesting that Mta may have two NES motifs. In confirmation of this, transfer of either the sequence encoding the leucine-rich aa 227-236 motif or that encoding the adjacent hydrophobic aa 218-227 sequence to a GFP-NLS-pyruvate kinase reporter protein conferred the property of cytoplasmic accumulation onto the heterologous protein. Cytoplasmic accumulation of both the aa 225-237 and 218-227 containing reporters was minimal in the presence of the inhibitor leptomycin B, indicating that both motifs mediated Crm-1-dependent export. Mutations in the NES signal sequences abolished the ability of Mta to mediate cytoplasmic accumulation of BALF2 replication gene transcripts. This included mutation of the LXL motif which still showed cytoplasmic shuttling, suggesting that the NES mutations might have additional effects on Mta function. Wild-type Mta co-immunoprecipitated with the splicing factor SC35 and colocalized with SC35 in transfected cells, modifying endogenous SC35 distribution within the nucleus to give more intense, rounded spots. Interestingly, the NES mutant proteins appeared to have altered interactions with the splicing complex, binding more tightly to SC35 in co-immunoprecipitation assays. These observations suggest a linkage between the splicing and export functions of Mta.
PeopleGarden: creating data portraits for users

Many on-line interaction environments have a large number of users. It is difficult for the participants, especially new ones, to form a clear mental image about those with whom they are interacting. How can we compactly convey information about these participants to each other? We propose the data portrait, a novel graphical representation of users based on their past interactions. Data portraits can inform users about each other and the overall social environment. We use a flower metaphor for creating individual data portraits, and a garden metaphor for combining these portraits to represent an on-line environment. We will review previous work in visualizing both individuals and groups. We will then describe our visualizations, explain how to create them, and show how they can be used to address user questions.
The experience of four outcomes managers: an institutional approach to weaning patients from long-term mechanical ventilation

Care of patients requiring long-term mechanical ventilation (LTMV) is the focus of many hospitals nationwide. Because the care of patients who require LTMV is complex and morbidity and mortality are high, associated costs often exceed reimbursement. This article describes a successful institutional program for the care of the patient population requiring LTMV using advanced practice nurses (APNs) in the role of outcomes managers (OMs). So that others may benefit from the experiences of the clinicians, this article describes the historical background, the selection and qualifications of APNs, the process APNs use to manage and monitor the patients, role challenges, and associated outcomes.
Polysaccharide Recognition by Surfactant Protein D: Novel Interactions of a C-Type Lectin with Nonterminal Glucosyl Residues†

Surfactant protein D (SP-D), a C-type lectin, is an important pulmonary host defense molecule. Carbohydrate binding is critical to its host defense properties, but the precise polysaccharide structures recognized by the protein are unknown. SP-D binding to Aspergillus fumigatus is strongly inhibited by a soluble β-(1→6)-linked but not by a soluble β-(1→3)-linked glucosyl homopolysaccharide (pustulan and laminarin, respectively), suggesting that SP-D recognizes only certain polysaccharide configurations, likely through differential binding to nonterminal glucosyl residues. In this study we have computationally docked α/β-d-glucopyranose and α/β-(1→2)-, α/β-(1→3)-, α/β-(1→4)-, and α/β-(1→6)-linked glucosyl trisaccharides into the SP-D carbohydrate recognition domain. As with the mannose-binding proteins, we found significant hydrogen bonding between the protein and the vicinal, equatorial OH groups at the 3 and 4 positions on the sugar ring. Our docking studies predict that α/β-(1→2)-, α-(1→4)-, and α/β-(1→...
Praxis and Theology in Recent Debates

One Of the many challenges of the theology of liberation of Latin America (TL or LT) has been to rethink the relation between theory (theology) and praxis. A debate, which has been going on for over a century among philosophers and social thinkers since Hegel and Marx has finally hit the serene shores of Christian theology. Are theory and praxis two co-equal dimensions of human existence, or is the one derivative from the other? Is Christian faith primarily a matter of theory, belief and truth, or is it primarily a matter of praxis, action and justice? Is theology only a reflection on faith or a reflection in faith as well? What is the relation between theology and contemporary historical praxis? Does theology have to remain ‘external’ to that praxis in order to preserve its critical objectivity, or is participation of theology in that praxis the very condition of its objectivity? Is the prior commitment of theology— so much insisted on by TL — to the praxis of liberation detrimental or necessary to the integrity of theology? In this essay I propose to deal with these issues in the context of recent debates between Schubert Ogden and the Vatican on the one hand and TL on the other. I shall first review Ogden's and the Vatican's critique of TL, then present the position of TL, and finally evaluate both TL and its critics and reconstruct a theory of the relation between theology and praxis in light of the preceding discussion.
Public Opinion on the Harshness of Local Courts: An Experimental Test of Question Wording Effects

Drawing on framing theory, the present study tests the impact of question wording on people’s reported opinions about the harshness of their local courts. A randomized experimental design tested two salient variations against the standard wording used in the National Opinion Research Center’s General Social Survey (GSS). The results indicated statistically significant differences, with fewer respondents expressing a desire for greater harshness with the alternative forms than the standard question form. Four of the five correlates that the authors examined also showed differential relationships with punitiveness among the question forms. These findings suggest that scholars should carefully consider the meaning of people’s responses when interpreting the GSS question as an indicator of public punitiveness.
Extending the global village: emotional communication in the online age.

Bentley et al.’s analysis of how human decision-making has changed in the online age does not mention emotion. Although the suggested dimensions involving social influence and transparency are interesting and suggestive, the engines behind the changes wrought by online media are arguably largely emotional, and implications of the communication of specific emotions via online media need to be better understood.
FOCUS: the interactive table for product comparison and selection

FOCUS, the Feature-Oriented Catalog USer interface, is an interactive table viewer for a common kind of table, namely the object-attribute table, also called cases-by-attribute table or relational table. Typical examples of these tables are the Roll Calls in BYTE where the features and test results of a family of hardware or software products are c ompared. FOCUS supports data exploration by a combination of a focus+context or fisheye technique, a hierarchical outliner for large attribute sets, and a general and easy-to-use dynamic query mechanism where the user simply clicks on desired values found in the table. A PC/Windows implementation of FOCUS is publicly available (http://www.gmd.de/fit/projects/focus.html). It is suited for tables with up to a few hundred rows and columns, which are typically stored and maintained by spreadsheet applications. Since we use a simple data format, existing tables can be easily inspected with FOCUS. With the rapidly increasing public interest in on-line services like the W orld Wide We b we e xpect a growing d emand for access to o n-line c atalogues and d atabases. FOCUS satisfies this demand, allowing formulation of simple database queries with an interface as easy to use as a Web browser.
Stochastic Phonological Knowledge: The Case of Hungarian Vowel Harmony

In Hungarian, stems ending in a back vowel plus one or more neutral vowels show unusual behavior: for such stems, the otherwise-general process of vowel harmony is lexically idiosyncratic. Particular stems can take front suffixes, take back suffixes, or vacillate. Yet at a statistical level, the patterning among these stems is lawful: in the aggregate, they obey principles that relate the propensity to take back or front harmony to the height of the rightmost vowel and to the number of neutral vowels. We argue that this patterned statistical variation in the Hungarian lexicon is internalized by native speakers. Our evidence is that they replicate the pattern when they are asked to apply harmony to novel stems in a “wug” test (Berko 1958). Our test results match quantitative data about the Hungarian lexicon, gathered with an automated Web search. We model the speakers’ knowledge and intuitions with a grammar constructed under the dual listing/generation model of Zuraw (2000), then show how the constraint rankings of this grammar can be learned by algorithm. *
Adult age differences in functional connectivity during executive control.

Abstract Task switching requires executive control processes that undergo age-related decline. Previous neuroimaging studies have identified age-related differences in brain activation associated with global switching effects (dual-task blocks versus single-task blocks), but age-related differences in activation during local switching effects (switch trials versus repeat trials, within blocks) have not been investigated. This experiment used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), to examine adult age differences in task switching across adjacent trials (i.e., local task switching). During fMRI scanning, participants performed a cued, word categorization task. From interspersed cue-only trials, switch-related processing associated with the cue was estimated separately from the target. Activation associated with task switching, within a distributed frontoparietal network, differed for cue- and target-related processing. The magnitude of event-related activation for task switching was similar for younger adults (n = 20; 18–27 years) and older adults (n = 20; 60–85 years), although activation sustained throughout the on-tasks periods exhibited some age-related decline. Critically, the functional connectivity of switch-related regions, during cue processing, was higher for younger adults than for older adults, whereas functional connectivity during target processing was comparable across the age groups. Further, individual differences in cue-related functional connectivity shared a substantial portion of the age-related variability in the efficiency of target categorization response (drift rate). This age-related difference in functional connectivity, however, was independent of white matter integrity within task-relevant regions. These findings highlight the functional connectivity of frontoparietal activation as a potential source of age-related decline in executive control.
Adapting the Internet to citizen deliberations: lessons learned

This paper reviews a research project involving two versions of the Danish consensus conference conducted at North Carolina State University in 2001. One version was conducted in the usual, face-to-face mode, while the other version was conducted entirely on the Internet-the first consensus conference conducted via the Internet. The paper discusses the importance of public deliberations in making public policy about science and technology, the organization and implementation of the Citizens Technology Forum, and some lessons learned from the experience.
Case Article-Class Scheduling with Linear Programming

This paper describes "Kelly's Class Scheduling" case that illustrates a real-life application that is understandable to undergraduate business students in an introductory management science course. Given available courses, their meeting times, and ratings of the course sections, we show how to use a simple integer program to find an optimal class schedule. The case analysis is followed by an optional "Make Your Own Schedule" assignment where students formulate their own class schedule using a similar approach. This case-and-assignment combination offers several benefits. It provides an interesting example that students can identify with and is simple enough for inexperienced students to grasp in a relatively short time. It helps students develop appreciation for optimization methods by applying them immediately in their own life and lets students experience the entire process of quantitative modeling including problem definition, data collection, model formulation, model solution, and implementation. Case Teaching Note: Interested Instructors please see the Instructor Materials page for access to the restricted materials. To maintain the integrity and usefulness of cases published in ITE, unapproved distribution of the case teaching notes and other restricted materials to any other party is prohibited.
Metabolic activation of the potent carcinogen dibenzo[a, l]pyrene by human recombinant cytochromes P450, lung and liver microsomes

The metabolic activation of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DB[a,l]P), recently considered the most potent carcinogen among all polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, to the 11,12-dihydrodiol, a precursor of the ultimate carcinogens, the 11,12-diol-13,14-epoxides, was investigated using eleven human recombinant cytochrome P450s, as well as human lung and liver microsomes. Of all human P450s, 1A1 was the most active in the metabolism of DB[a,l]P (310 pmol/min, nmol P450) and had 5-23-fold higher catalytic activity than other P450s examined. The order of activity in the formation of the 11,12-dihydrodiol was as follows: 1A1 (116 pmol/min, nmol P450) > 2C9 (29) > 1A2 (22) > 2B6 (18) > 3A4 (16) > others (< or = 5). The Km of 1A1 for DB[a,l]P and Vmax for the formation of 11,12-dihydrodiol were 3.9 microM and 0.13/min, respectively. Liver microsomes from 14 individuals were shown to metabolize DB[a,l]P and the rates for production of 11,12-dihydrodiol ranged from 4 to 71 pmol/min, nmol P450. Lung microsomes from six organ donors formed the 11,12-dihydrodiol at a rate from 0.1 to 1.3 pmol/min, mg of microsomal protein. These findings describe the potential of individual P450s present in liver and lung to contribute to the metabolic activation and the carcinogenicity of DB[a,l]P.
On the dispersal of leatherback turtle hatchlings from Mesoamerican nesting beaches

So little is known about the early life history of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea )f rom hatchling to adulthood that this period has been termed the ‘lost years’. For critically endangered eastern Pacific leatherback populations, continued and rapid declines underscore the urgent need to develop conservation strategies across all life stages. We investigate leatherback hatchling dispersal from four Mesoamerican nesting beaches using passive tracer experiments within a regional ocean modelling system. The evolution of tracer distribution from each of the nesting beaches showed the strong influence of eddy transport and coastal currents. Modelled hatchlings from Playa Grande, Costa Rica, were most likely to be entrained and transported offshore by large-scale eddies coincident with the peak leatherback nesting and hatchling emergence period. These eddies potentially serve as ‘hatchling highways’, providing a means of rapid offshore transport away from predation and a productive refuge within which newly hatched turtles can develop. We hypothesize that the most important leatherback nesting beach remaining in the eastern Pacific (Playa Grande) has been evolutionarily selected as an optimal nesting site owing to favourable ocean currents that enhance hatchling survival.
PACAP, an Autocrine/Paracrine Regulator of Gonadotrophs

Hypothalamic-hypophysiotropic peptides are the proximate regulators of pituitary cells, but they cannot fully account for the complex functioning of these cells. Accordingly, awareness is growing that an array of peptides produced in the pituitary exert paracrine/autocrine functions. One such peptide, pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), was originally identified as a hypothalamic activator of cAMP production in pituitary cells. Gonadotrophs and folliculostellate cells are the main source of pituitary PACAP, and each pituitary cell type expresses a PACAP receptor. PACAP increases alpha-subunit (Cga) and Lhb mRNAs, and it stimulates the transcription of follistatin (Fst) that, in turn, restrains activin signaling to repress Fshb and gonadotropin-releasing hormone-receptor (Gnrhr) expression as well as other activin-responsive genes. The PACAP (Adcyap1) promoter is activated by cAMP, and pituitary cells may communicate by a feed-forward, cAMP-dependent mechanism to maintain a high level of PACAP in the fetal pituitary. At birth, pituitary PACAP declines and pituitary follistatin levels decrease, which together with increased gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion allow Gnrhr and Fshb to increase and facilitate activation of the newborn gonads. Changes in Adcyap1 expression levels in the adult pituitary may contribute to the selective rise in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from age 20–30 days to the midcycle surge and to the secondary increase in FSH that occurs before estrus. These results provide further support for the notion that PACAP is a key player in reproduction through its actions as a pituitary autocrine/paracrine hormone.
Sorption of Co(II) on metal oxide surfaces. II. Identification of Co(II)(aq) adsorption sites on the (0001) and (1102) surfaces of α-Al2O3 by grazing-incidence XAFS spectroscopy

We have characterized the adsorption of Co(II) on the (0001) and (1102) surfaces of α-Al2O3 single crystals under ambient conditions using polarization-dependent grazing-incidence X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, in combination with bond valence modeling. Co(II) ions were found to be adsorbed on both surfaces in an inner-sphere fashion. Adions were found to adsorb dominantly in a tridentate fashion (i.e., bonded to three surface oxygens) on the (0001) surface and dominantly in a tetradentate fashion on the (1102) surface. Based on EXAFS results and bond valence analysis, plausible surface complexation reactions for Co(II) sorption on these two surfaces can be written as represent surface water molecules, hydroxyl groups, and oxygens bonded to one, two, and three Al cations, respectively.
Consumer acceptance of commercially available frankfurters

Consumers want meat products that are healthful and affordable. However, consumers will repurchase a product only if it tastes good. Consumers identified reasons for purchasing frankfurters and evaluated overall acceptability of 10 commercially available frankfurters. Consumers listed “taste” as the most important factor when purchasing frankfurters; only 16% of the consumers indicated that nutrition/health was the most important criterion. Nineteen consumer-perceived sensory and liking attributes were measured for the frankfurters in this study. The intensities of the attributes ranged from low to moderately high. All the frankfurters scored in the low to moderate range for overall acceptability. Most of the scores for liking of individual attributes correlated highly with overall liking, indicating that many of the questions relating to attribute liking could be eliminated.
Post-Silicon Characterization and On-Line Prediction of Transient Thermal Field in Integrated Circuits Using Thermal System Identification

Thermal system identification (TSI) is presented as a methodology to characterize and estimate the transient thermal field of a packaged IC for various workloads considering chip-to-chip variations in electrical and thermal properties. The time-frequency duality is used to identify the thermal system as a low-pass filter in frequency domain through on-line power/thermal measurements on a packaged IC. The identified characteristic system for an individual IC is used for on-line prediction of the transient thermal field of that specific IC for a power pattern. A test-chip, fabricated in 130-nm CMOS, demonstrates the effectiveness of TSI in post-silicon characterization and prediction of transient thermal field. The application TSI in thermal analysis of multicore processors is presented.
THE PATHOGENESIS OF EARLY OBSTRUCTIVE JAUNDICE

1. After experimental ligation of the bile ducts in dogs, two distinct processes are clearly manifested: first, the accumulation of the normally circulating bilirubin in the blood with its characteristic indirect Van den Bergh reaction for a period of several hours, and second, the subsequent appearance of the bile bilirubin giving the direct Van den Bergh reaction. It is possible that the first process may be due to a temporary reflex inhibition of the function of the liver cells due to ligation of the duct and comparable to the same phenomenon which usually occurs in the kidney when the ureter is ligated. The second process begins before any rupture of the bile capillaries is visible. Liver sections made 6 to 7 hours after obstruction show these bile capillaries dilated and extending between the liver cells in small distended pouches the blind end of these lying in contact with the pericapillary spaces. It is possible that bile may diffuse from these thin walled pouches into the perivascular lymph spaces, this diffusion being favored by the mounting pressure inside the bile ducts. 2. In early obstructive jaundice bile first appears in the lymph, but exclusion of the thoracic duct from the circulation by drainage causes a delay of only a few hours in the appearance of bile bilirubin in the blood stream. We must therefore conclude that after biliary obstruction bile enters the circulation both by way of the blood capillarieś and the lymphatics, although the latter route is the more important.
Hormone-independent activation of EGP during hypoglycemia is absent in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

It has been suggested that insulin-induced suppression of endogenous glucose production (EGP) may be counteracted independently of increased epinephrine (Epi) or glucagon during moderate hypoglycem...
Post-Buckling Strength of Redundant Trusses

The load-carrying capacity of redundant rigid-jointed trusses after the trusses have buckled in their own plane is investigated. It is shown that (unlike similar statically determinate frameworks) ...
Understanding and Proposing a Design Rationale of Digital Games based on Brain-Computer Interface: Results of the AdmiralMind Battleship Study

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) present great potential to the field of digital games, though the design of this kind of interface is still a challenge for most of the game designers and developers. In this work it is presented a literature review about digital games based on BCI, aiming to analyze the interaction design of these games, to identify the approaches applied, limitations and implications related to BCIs design. After the review, we accomplish a reflection about the design decisions involved in the development of digital games based on BCI. This approach leads to the construction of a design rationale developed to support the process of BCI-based games, with its use established on the design of a battleship game based on BCI. As contributions of this work, we highlight the literature review, design rationale and results of the study accomplished.
The Temperature Feedback Problem

In the past 810 ka, inferred variability of absolute temperature has barely exceeded ±3 K, or ±1 % of the period mean. This thermostatic behavior seems inconsistent with a feedback sum ft = (σift,i) ≫ 0 over any term of years t. In electronic circuits, as the loop gain gt exceeds 1, the Bode system-gain relation Gt = (1 − gt)−1 models the abrupt transition of the output voltage from Vt → + ∞ to − ∞ ← Vt (Gt, Vt being momentarily undefined at the singularity, where gt = 1). Yet in the climate, where gt might plausibly exceed unity owing to, say, the near-exponential Clausius-Clapeyron increase in the water-vapor carrying capacity of the atmospheric space as it warms, +Δft ⇒ +ΔTt ⇏ −ΔTt for all ft > 0. In this and several other material respects the Bode relation, which as clearly specifies a negative dynamical-system response to gt > 1 as a positive response to gt < 1, seems inapplicable to the climate. In general-circulation models, the equilibrium system gain G∞ = (1 − g∞)−1 = (1 − Λ0f∞)−1, where Λ0 is t...
Protection of mice against vaccinia virus by administration of benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone.

SummaryBenzaldehyde thiosemicarba-zone prevents multiplication of vaccinia virus in chick embryonic tissues when present in a concentration of one μg per ml of medium. Substitutions in the para position of the benzene nucleus or in the 4-position of the thiosemicarbazone portion of the molecule reduce virostatic activity. 2. When fed in the diet, benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone produces a marked degree of protection of mice inoculated intracerebrally with vaccinia virus. Derivatives with substitutions in the para position of the benzene nucleus or in the 4-position of the thiosemicarbazone portion of the molecule produce little or no protection against vaccinia infection in mice. 3. The thiosemicarbazones do not appear to inactivate vaccinia virus as the result of prolonged contactin vitro.
Genetic Test and Character Evaluation of the Half-sib Families of Pinus taeda L.

The growth and timber characters of 15-year old half-sib families of Pinus taeda L. were investigated. The results indicate that there were significant differences among different Pinus taeda L. families, which included the height, diameter at breast height (DBH), volumei wood basic density, cellulose content, tracheid length and width. On the family level, there were no significant correlations between wood basic density, cellulose content, tracheid length, tracheid width and volume increment. The genetic test shows that the mean heritage of growth and timber characters of Pinus taeda L. families performed great and reached more than moderate extent. The annual correlation and early, late selection of height, DBH, wood basic density, cellulose content, tracheid length and width show that the growth correlation of Pinus taeda L. families was mainly determined by their genetic performance : height since the 5th year on, DBH since the 4th year on, their correlative coefficient between annual growths reaching more than 0. 7. Therefore, at the youngest age, there is great reliability to play early selection. Since the 10th year on, the correlative coefficient of wood basic density tends to keep stable and the cellulose content since 11th year on also shows similar trend as wood basic density, so the youngest selection age of wood density and cellulose content is the 10th and llth year, respectively.
2015 American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) student affairs committee survey of neuropsychology trainees

Objective: To conduct an online survey in order to understand neuropsychology trainees' perspectives during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify pertinent concerns, training gaps, and recommendations.Method: A total of 874 neuropsychology trainees (81% female) completed the 69-item survey. Of the included trainees, 48% were doctoral students, 17% were interns, and 35% were postdoctoral residents (50% of resident respondents were in their first year).Results: The majority of neuropsychology trainees reported some impact of the pandemic on their professional and/or personal life. Overall, the impact did not differ by training level, geographic location, or demographic factors. Trainees' primary professional concerns included uncertainty about the impact of the pandemic on their professional future, loss of clinical hours, and desire for increased and ongoing communication from their leadership. A notable percentage of trainees reported increased personal mental health symptoms (i.e. anxiety/depression; 74%/54%), as well as a number of other personal stressors. Despite the transition to telehealth (mostly interviews/feedback sessions), few trainees have prior training or experience in providing neuropsychological services via phone or video platform. A limited proportion of trainees (approximately 10%) were still seeing patients face-to-face for neuropsychological evaluations during the COVID-19 pandemic as of 14 April 2020.Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting neuropsychological training and the well-being of trainees. This survey highlights the importance of communication with trainees during uncertain times. Based on the survey results, recommendations were developed to assist neuropsychology organizations in developing initiatives to support trainees during the current pandemic and in the future.
Law and Everyday Decision Making: Rational, Descriptive, and Normative Models

This chapter, and indeed the entire book, focuses on some old topics, namely legal consciousness, legal decision making, and the interaction between the two. One can date the issue back at least to the ideas and writings of the famous (or infamous) psychologist Hugo Munsterberg (1908), who argued, perhaps somewhat unconvincingly at the time, that behavioral science, especially psychology, is relevant to law and legal analysis. Munsterberg was optimistic, and perhaps even prophetic, in his view that behavioral science and especially psychology would one day inform the courts on a number of critical issues. In the years following Munsterberg’s attempt to infuse behavioral science into the law, there have been numerous scholarly efforts to study judicial decisions, legislative policy, jury decisions, decisions to litigate, outcomes of mediation, eyewitness judgments, and many other behaviors that are the outcome of decision-making processes in the service of the law. The current chapter and the specific theme of this book stem directly from a more recent scholarly debate. In 1985, the Nebraska Symposium on Motivation under the editorial directorship of Professor Gary Melton, at the time the director of the Law and Psychology program at UNL, took seriously the task of examining the intersection of everyday decision making and the law (c.f. Melton & Saks, 1985). Melton and Saks (1985) broke from tradition to argue that the most important contribution that psychology could make to the law was not to be found in its contribution to civil or criminal litigation. Instead, they saw the greatest potential for the social sciences in investigating how the law influences, and is influenced by, everyday behavior of people in the environments (outside of court) in which they live, work, and play. In other words, Melton and Sacks argued that psychology can make its mark in the contexts in which law influences our everyday behavior, namely in the homes, schools, universities, businesses, and communities where people interact under the guidance (or perhaps misguidance) of the rules of law as they understand them to be. The law in everyday life approach to psycholegal scholarship (Melton, 1988, 1990; Melton & Saks, 1985; Wiener, 1990, 1993; Wiener & Hurt, 1997, 1999,
Escaping AutoHell: a vision for automated analysis and migration of autotools build systems

GNU Autotools is a widely used build tool in the open source community. As open source projects grow more complex, maintaining their build systems becomes more challenging, due to the lack of tool support. In this paper, we propose a platform to build support tools for GNU Autotools build systems. The platform provides an abstraction of the build system to be used in different analysis techniques.
Space Telescope Scientific Instruments

The 2.4-meter Space Telescope (ST), to be launched in 1983, will provide the first opportunity for astronomers to fully exploit the observing environment above the Earth's atmosphere. The absence of atmospheric turbulence and scintillation, air glow, and absorption in the ultraviolet and infrared spectral bands will permit the observation of a greatly increased volume of space, and studies of nearby objects with finer angular and temporal resolution, higher photometric accuracy, and broader spectral coverage than has been possible heretofore. A group of five powerful and versatile scientific instruments will be used to conduct the initial observations from the ST observatory --a wide-field and planetary camera, a faint-object camera, a faint-object spectrograph, a high-resolution spectrograph, and a high-speed photometer. Also, astrometric observations will be obtained with the ST fine-guidance sensors. This paper briefly describes the ST observatory, outlines the design concepts of the five scientific instruments, and summarizes their astronomical capabilities.© (1979) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Abstract 189: Increased Atherosclerosis And Plasma Lipids In Apoe-pon1 Dko Mice As Compared To Ldlr-pon1 Dko Mice.

Background: Atherosclerosis is a multi-step process that includes early atherosclerotic macrophage foam cell lesion formation, proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells into the intima, and the formation of complex necrotic and calcified lesions. In this study, we determined the role of dyslipidemia and carotid/innominate atherosclerosis versus the lack of ApoE and the enzyme PON 1 in atherosclerosis. Hypothesis: ApoE-PON1 double knockout (DKO) mice, by virtue of age-dependent and profound atherosclerosis in brachiocephalic trunk (innominate artery) even on a normal diet, might be more susceptible to atherosclerosis followed by stroke as compared to age-matched wild type mice. Methods and results: APOE-PON1 DKO and LDLR-PON1 DKO mice were developed using ApoE-/-, PON1-/-, and LDLR-/- mice of C57BL/6 background and were maintained until 18months of age on normal chow. Serum lipids and atherosclerotic lesions were quantified. A significant decrease in levels of TRG, TC, LDL-C and VLDL-C was observed in LDLR-PON1 DKO as compared to ApoE-PON1 DKO group animals, whereas, an increase in HDL levels was observed in LDLR-PON1 DKO mice. No significant change in glucose levels was observed. Increased lesions were observed in ApoE-PON1 DKO mice as compared to the LDLR-PON1 DKO mice. Conclusion: Our studies suggest the lack of ApoE might be the reason behind increased cholesterol levels and greater atherosclerosis. This is the first study to demonstrate the importance of PON1, in addition to ApoE, and also provide valuable insights as to where therapy should be targeted.
Antimicrobial peptides secreted by equine mesenchymal stromal cells inhibit the growth of bacteria commonly found in skin wounds

The prevalence of chronic skin wounds in humans is high, and treatment is often complicated by the presence of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, safe and innovative treatments to reduce the bacterial load in cutaneous wounds are needed. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are known to provide paracrine signals that act on resident skin cells to promote wound healing, but their potential antibacterial activities are not well described. The present study was designed to examine the antibacterial properties of MSC from horses, as this animal model offers a readily translatable model for MSC therapies in humans. Specifically, we aimed to (i) evaluate the in vitro effects of equine MSC on the growth of representative gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial species commonly found in skin wounds and (ii) define the mechanisms by which MSC inhibit bacterial growth. MSC were isolated from the peripheral blood of healthy horses. Gram-negative E. coli and gram-positive S. aureus were cultured in the presence of MSC and MSC conditioned medium (CM), containing all factors secreted by MSC. Bacterial growth was measured by plating bacteria and counting viable colonies or by reading the absorbance of bacterial cultures. Bacterial membrane damage was detected by incorporation of N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine (NPN). Antimicrobial peptide (AMP) gene and protein expression by equine MSC were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Blocking of AMP activity of MSC CM was achieved using AMP-specific antibodies. We found that equine MSC and MSC CM inhibit the growth of E. coli and S. aureus, and that MSC CM depolarizes the cell membranes of these bacteria. In addition, we found that equine MSC CM contains AMPs, and blocking these AMPs with antibodies reduces the effects of MSC CM on bacteria. Our results demonstrate that equine MSC inhibit bacterial growth and secrete factors that compromise the membrane integrity of bacteria commonly found in skin wounds. We also identified four specific AMPs produced by equine MSC. The secretion of AMPs may contribute to the value of MSC as a therapy for cutaneous wounds in both horses and humans.
Distinct Chemical and Physical Properties of Janus Nanosheets

Janus particles have recently garnered significant attention for their distinct properties compared to particles that are homogeneously functionalized. Moreover, high aspect ratio Janus particles that are rod-like or planar (i.e., nanosheets) are especially intriguing considering their interfacial properties as well as their ability to assemble into higher order and hybrid structures. To date, major challenges facing the exploration and utilization of 2D Janus particles are scalability of synthesis, characterization of tailored chemical functionalization, and ability to introduce a diverse set of functionalities. Herein, a facile method to access Janus 2D graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets by combining a Pickering-type emulsion and grafting-from polymerization via ATRP is reported. Janus GO nanosheets bearing PMMA on one face as well as the symmetrically functionalized analogue are prepared, and the chemical, thermal, structural, surface, and interfacial properties of these materials are characterized. Time-o...
Phenotype Prediction from Metagenomic Data Using Clustering and Assembly with Multiple Instance Learning (CAMIL)

The recent advent of Metagenome Wide Association Studies (MGWAS) provides insight into the role of microbes on human health and disease. However, the studies present several computational challenges. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel, efficient, and effective Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) based computational pipeline to predict patient phenotype from metagenomic data. MIL methods have the advantage that besides predicting the clinical phenotype, we can infer the instance level label or role of microbial sequence reads in the specific disease. Specifically, we use a Bag of Words method, which has been shown to be one of the most effective and efficient MIL methods. This involves assembly of the metagenomic sequence data, clustering of the assembled contigs, extracting features from the contigs, and using an SVM classifier to predict patient labels and identify the most relevant sequence clusters. With the exception of the given labels for the patients, this entire process is de novo (unsupervised). We call our pipeline “CAMIL”, which stands for Clustering and Assembly with Multiple Instance Learning. We use multiple state-of-the-art clustering methods for feature extraction, evaluation, and comparison of the performance of our proposed approach for each of these clustering methods. We also present a fast and scalable pre-clustering algorithm as a preprocessing step for our proposed pipeline. Our approach achieves efficiency by partitioning the large number of sequence reads into groups (called canopies) using locality sensitive hashing (LSH). These canopies are then refined by using state-of-the-art sequence clustering algorithms. We use data from a well-known MGWAS study of patients with Type-2 Diabetes and show that our pipeline significantly outperforms the classifier used in that paper, as well as other common MIL methods.
Power system frequency control using Type-4 wind turbine generators

System frequency response can be negatively impacted by significant penetration of wind generation. This paper studies the effects of integrating Type-4 full converter wind turbine generators (WTG) on the frequency response of a test system. A controller that enables frequency response in a Type-4 WTG is then proposed to restore and improve the frequency regulation of the system. The design and performance of the proposed controller are demonstrated using linear analysis and nonlinear simulation. The results are then compared with those for Type-3 DFAG frequency regulation technology.
Coupling ratios design and their impact on the performance of binary driven QAM transmitters

The support of higher order modulation format such as 16-QAM and 64-QAMis an essential feature of next generation coherent optical transceivers to ensure a spectrally efficient and high capacity optical transmission [1–3]. In previous work, we have proposed an optical QAM transmitter scheme that employs QPSK modulators driven by binary electrical signals [4, 5]. This paper presents the design for the coupling ratio that considers the insertion loss of the optical components in order to generate a proper QAM symbol constellation with equally-spaced symbols.
Valsartan Effective for Malignant Hypertension after Aortic Dissection with Renal Artery Involvement

When aortic dissections extend to the renal arteries, reductions in renal blood flow can cause marked increases in renin production. The resultant rise in angiotensin II can lead to difficult-to-control blood pressure, despite normal postdissection antihypertensive agents. We highlight a case of a postdissection patient with malignant hypertension refractory to eight different enteral antihypertensives. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers had been held due to postoperative acute kidney injury. A single dose of valsartan, administered on day 12, produced a marked drop in blood pressure, alleviation of encephalopathy, and allowed for cancellation of a planned tracheostomy. A serum renin level was found to be 50 times the normal upper limit. In patients with aortic dissection and renal artery involvement, angiotensin-modifying agents may warrant earlier administration to combat this unique cause of hypertension.