cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BEAM-BEAM STUDY OF ERL BASED eRHIC

Beam‐beam effects in eRHIC, the proposed ERL-based Electron‐Ion Collider (EIC) at BNL, have several unique features distinguishing them from those in hadron-colliders and lepton-colliders. Taking the advantage of the fact that the electron beam is used only once, we expect the luminosity to be 10 times greater than for the ring‐ring collision scheme with similar parameters. However, without instituting proper treatments, the quality of electron and hadron beams can undergo degradation or even beam loss, driven by the beam‐beam interactions. We will discuss the harmful effects, including the disruption and mismatch effect of the electron beam, the kink instability and the noise heating of the ion beam and the possible countermeasures.
If I Were Judge

I have spent a lot of time through the years attacking the Turing Test and its variants (e.g., Harnad’s Total Turing Test). As far as I am concerned, my attacks have been lethal, but of course not everyone agrees. At any rate, in the present paper I shift gears: I pretend that the Turing Test is valid, put on the table a proposition designed to capture this validity, and then slip into the shoes of the judge, determined to deliver a correct verdict as to which contestant is the machine, and which the woman. My strategies for separating mind from machine may well reveal some dizzying new-millennium challenges for Artificial Intelligence.
Meshing hybrid zero dynamics for rough terrain walking

For an underactuated biped on a constant-slope terrain, the hybrid zero dynamics (HZD) controller framework provides exponentially stable walking motions. In this paper, we quantify the stability of such a control system on rough terrain by estimating the expected number of steps before failure. In addition, we show how to switch between multiple HZD controllers (optionally using terrain look-ahead) to increase the stability dramatically, e.g., 10 thousand steps compared to 10. To do this robustly, we make use of the new meshing method proposed in this paper.
Smoothing in Environmental Epidemiology

Smoothing is a branch of regression analysis that allows for a predictor to impact the response as an arbitrary smooth function. It is also known as nonparametric regression. The purpose is to alleviate the restrictiveness of parametric functional relationships, such as that imposed by linearity.
Extensions of spatiotemporal image correlation spectroscopy

One dimensional spatiotemporal image correlation spectroscopy (1D-STICS), a confocal microscopy technique for quantifying flow velocities, was evaluated over a large range of velocities, fluorophore sizes, and fluorophore concentrations to determine the practical working range and guidelines for implementation. We have demonstrated high spatial sensitivity for flow profile mapping and improved processing algorithms to make it feasible to analyze temporally changing flow velocities. Additionally, we are extending the use of 2D-STICS beyond the intra-cellular scale, to the higher speeds and size-scale of musculoskeletal tissues to map dynamic fluid processes.
Computation with Polynomial Equations and Inequalities Arising in Combinatorial Optimization

This is a survey of a recent methodology to solve systems of polynomial equations and inequalities for problems arising in combinatorial optimization. The techniques we discuss use the algebra of multivariate polynomials with coefficients over a field to create large-scale linear algebra or semidefinite programming relaxations of many kinds of feasibility or optimization questions.
Effect of intravenous sodium salicylate administration prior to castration on plasma cortisol and electroencephalography parameters in calves.

Bergamasco, L., Coetzee, J. F., Gehring, R., Murray, L., Song, T., Mosher, R. A. Effect of intravenous sodium salicylate administration prior to castration on plasma cortisol and electroencephalography parameters in calves. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 34, 565–576. Nociception is an unavoidable consequence of many routine management procedures such as castration in cattle. This study investigated electroencephalography (EEG) parameters and cortisol levels in calves receiving intravenous sodium salicylate in response to a castration model. Twelve Holstein calves were randomly assigned to the following groups: (i) castrated, untreated controls, (ii) 50 mg/kg sodium salicylate IV precastration, were blood sampled at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 240, 360, and 480 min postcastration. The EEG recording included baseline, castration, immediate recovery (0–5 min after castration), middle recovery (5–10 min after castration), and late recovery (10–20 min after castration). Samples were analyzed by competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay and fluorescence polarization immunoassay for cortisol and salicylate, respectively. EEG visual inspection and spectral analysis were performed. Statistical analyses included anova repeated measures and correlations between response variable. No treatment effect was noted between the two groups for cortisol and EEG measurements, namely an attenuation of acute cortisol response and EEG desynchronization in sodium salicylate group. Time effects were noted for EEG measurements, cortisol and salicylates levels. Significant correlations between cortisol and EEG parameters were noted. These findings have implications for designing effective analgesic regimens, and they suggest that EEG can be useful to monitor pain attributable to castration.
The relation between adolescent social competence and young adult delinquency and educational attainment among at-risk youth: the mediating role of peer delinquency.

Objective: We examined trajectories of adolescent social competence as a resilience factor among at-risk youth. To examine potential mechanisms of this resilience process, we investigated the putative mediating effect of peer delinquency on the relation between adolescent social competence and young adult delinquency seriousness and educational attainment. Method: Participants (n = 257) were screened to be at risk for antisocial behaviour at age 13 years. Data were derived from an ongoing longitudinal study of the development of antisocial and delinquent behaviour among inner-city boys, the Pittsburgh Youth Study. We used data collected from participants when aged 13 years until they were aged 25.5 years for our study. Results: Results indicated that boys with high levels of social competence decreased their involvement with deviant peers throughout adolescence, which, in turn, predicted less serious forms of delinquency in early adulthood. Social competence had a direct effect on educational attainment in early adulthood, as boys who developed social competencies in adolescence went further in school irrespective of their involvement with delinquent peers. Conclusions: Results suggest that promoting the development of social competencies and reducing involvement with delinquent peers will protect at-risk youth from engaging in serious delinquency in early adulthood while increasing their educational success. Language: en
REPEATABILITY OF A TWO‐STAGE IN VITRO SYSTEM OF DIGESTIBILITY MEASUREMENT

Five substrates (high-quality brome grass, low-quality brome grass, lucerne pellets, lucerne cubes, and barley straw) were analyzed for DM disappearance in a two-stage in vitro system in nine consecutive runs. Samples for each run were inoculated in duplicate with four independent collections of rumen fluid from the same mature, non-lactating Holstein cow. Data repeatability was excellent for the two lucerne substrates, good for high-quality brome grass, and poor for low-quality brome grass and barley straw.
Finite rank operators with large trace

We give some estimates for how well the normalized trace functional exposes the identity map on a finite-dimensional space.
Polyacetylene photovoltaic devices

Abstract We present our study of polyacetylene photovoltaic junctions. Results indicate that barrier and depletion layer formation proceeds as if trans-(CH)x were atraditional p-type semiconductor with a small surface state density. A (CH)x: Al Schottky cell with junction internal conversion efficiency of 0.30% at low light level is reported. The effect of oxygen on the photosensitivity of (CH)x based devices is also discussed.
Determination of ternary liquid‐liquid systems by use of the lever rule

A method is described for the determination of ternary liquid-liquid systems. The approach is based upon a combination of the lever rule and the measurement of a physical property which is a function of composition. The method has been tested upon the system toluene-water-acetic acid at 25 ± 0.05° and found to yield results in agreement with literature values. A possible modification of the method-which may be necessary in systems where tie-lines are essentially parallel when expressed on the usual weight per cent basis-is described.
Comparisons of infection complications between continuous flow and pulsatile flow left ventricular assist devices.

References 1. Kollmar O, Lindemann W, Richter S, Steffen I, Pistorius G, Schilling MK. Boerhaave’s syndrome: primary repair vs. esophageal resection— case reports and meta-analysis of the literature. J Gastrointest Surg. 2003;7:726-34. 2. Tomaselli F, Maier A, Pinter H, Smolle-Juttner F. Management of iatrogenous esophagus perforation. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2002;50: 168-73. 3. Salo JA, Isolauri JO, Heikkila LJ, Markkula HT, Heikkinen LO, Kivilaakso EO, et al. Management of delayed esophageal perforation with mediastinal sepsis: esophagectomy or primary repair? J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 1993;106:1088-91. 4. Fischer A, Thomusch O, Benz S, von Dobschuetz E, Baier P, Hopt UT. Non operative treatment of 15 benign esophageal perforations with self-expandable covered metal stents. Ann Thorac Surg. 2006;81:46773. 5. Vogel SB, Rout WR, Martin TD, Abbitt PL. Esophageal perforation in adults: aggressive, conservative treatment lowers morbidity and mortality. Ann Surg. 2005;241:1016-21.
Management of infectious and immunological complications of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Current and future prospects.

AIDS is caused by a newly recognised virus (human immunodeficiency virus; HIV) which induces a profound defect in cellular immune function associated with increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and certain malignancies. The clinical presentation of HIV ranges from asymptomatic infection to severe immunodeficiency manifesting as severe life-threatening infectious diseases or malignancies.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears in Children and Adolescents A Meta-analysis of Nonoperative Versus Operative Treatment

Background:Debate regarding the optimal initial treatment for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in children and adolescents has not resulted in a clear consensus for initial nonoperative treatment or operative reconstruction.Hypothesis/Purpose:The purpose of this meta-analysis was to systematically analyze aggregated data from the literature to determine if a benefit exists for either nonoperative or early operative treatment for ACL injuries in the pediatric patient. The hypothesis was that combined results would favor early operative reconstruction with respect to posttreatment episodes of instability/pathological laxity, symptomatic meniscal tears, clinical outcome scores, and return to activity.Study Design:Meta-analysis.Methods:A literature selection process included the extraction of data on the following clinical variables: symptomatic meniscal tears, return to activities, clinical outcome scores, return to the operating room, and posttreatment instability/pathological laxity. A symptomatic...
Verbal selective learning after traumatic brain injury in children

Selective learning (SL), the ability to select items to learn from among other items, engages cognitive control, which is purportedly mediated by the frontal cortex and its circuitry. Using incentive-based auditory word recall and expository discourse tasks, we studied the efficiency of SL in children ages 6 to 16 years who had sustained severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) at least 1 year earlier. We hypothesized that SL would be compromised by severe TBI. Results indicated that children with severe TBI performed significantly worse than age-matched typically developing children on word- and discourse-level measures of SL efficiency with no significant group differences in number of items recalled from auditory word lists or declarative facts. We conclude that severe TBI disrupts incentive-based cognitive control processes, possibly due to involvement of frontal neural networks.
Securing Small Business Computer Networks: An Examination of Primary Security Threats and Their Solutions

Abstract This article addresses the primary threats to computer networks that a small business might encounter and also provides strategies to counter these threats. It emphasizes the key characteristics associated with each category of security threat and provides approaches to eliminate or alleviate these threats. The article also presents a case study of a small insurance company for which the authors helped design, implement and secure computer networks. This case study further clarifies the concepts and strategies presented in the paper.
Observation of bulk tantalum oxide formation below 35 K

This paper describes the observation of bulk oxide formation near 35 K in a region where thermal diffusion cannot account for the oxide formation of bulk oxide. The data are discussed in terms of the Mott tunneling theory of oxidation, which is one of the explanations of low-temperature oxidation which emphasizes an electric-field-assisted diffusion mechanism.
Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies: role in pathogenesis of RA and potential as a diagnostic tool

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder which involves inflammation of the synovial tissue, leading to synovial proliferation, bone erosion and ultimately joint disability. It is a complex disorder, and the proper etiology is still unknown. Both environmental and genetic factors are responsible for the development of Rheumatoid arthritis. Clinically, the disease is generally diagnosed by the presence of auto-antibodies like Rheumatoid factor. But these are not specifically associated with Rheumatoid arthritis. These are also present in patients with other autoimmune disorders and also in healthy persons. Citrullinated epitopes are shown to be more specific for Rheumatoid arthritis. Citrullination normally occurs in cells undergoing apoptosis, and hence, citrullinated proteins are cleared from body and not encountered by immune system. However, in Rheumatoid arthritis patients, these are not cleared. Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies are detectable in patients at risk of Rheumatoid arthritis long before the onset of the disease. The concentration of which normally increases as the disease progress. Hence, these are important for diagnosis of Rheumatoid arthritis. This review is focused on the importance of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies in disease pathogenesis and its importance in the diagnosis of Rheumatoid arthritis.
Ultralow-power analog front-end IC design for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)

This work proposes novel ultralow-power system and circuit designs and trade-offs on the analog front-end integrated circuit (IC) for an implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD). The major front-end analog IC includes pre-amplifier, filters, variable-gain-amplifier (VGA) and analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The pre-amplifier is designed with low-noise bipolar (BJT) transistors; filters are designed with both the switch-capacitor (SC) and the g m -C topology for comparison. The VGA includes a high-pass filter (HPF) and a DC shifter designed with a differential difference amplifier (DDA). A successive-approximation-register (SAR) ADC with a novel digital-to-analog converter (DAC) design is used to digitize signals and to reduce SAR ADC's input capacitance by half. The preliminary SPICE simulation of the entire front-end IC suggests it can effectively filter out undesired T-wave in patients' electrogram (EGM) to enable proper heartbeat detection.
Dissolved carbohydrates in the new york bight and the variability of marine organic matter

Abstract Concentrations of dissolved carbohydrates in the New York Bight were determined hourly, daily and weekly in June and August 1978. Results of this and many other recently published studies reveal that the concentrations of dissolved organics change dramatically over short time scales. It is proposed that a total compound class analysis of any single seawater sample will account for most of the dissolved organic carbon in that sample.
Psoralen and ultraviolet a light therapy for psoriasis.

A 52-year-old man with psoriasis seeks treatment for his skin condition. Treatment with psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) is recommended. PUVA has been used since the 1970s for the treatment of pso...
End‐group composition of poly(3‐hexylthiophene)s prepared by in situ quenching of the grignard metathesis polymerization: Influence of additives and reaction conditions

The ability to prepare well-defined semiconducting polymers is essential for understanding the link between structure and function in organic photovoltaic devices. A general, one-pot method for altering the degree of functionality of end-functionalized poly(3-hexylthiophene)s (P3HT) prepared by Grignard metathesis (GRIM) polymerization has been developed. In the absence of additives, the degree of functionality of end-functional P3HTs prepared by quenching of the GRIM polymerization with a Grignard reagent is dependent on the Grignard reagent utilized. In this study, additives such as styrene and 1-pentene are shown to alter the end-group composition of tolyl-functionalized P3HTs as determined by Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry. In particular, when quenching the GRIM polymerization with tolylmagnesium bromide, a modest decrease in the difunctional product is observed, and the yield of the monofunctional product increases significantly. Temperature and lithium chloride (LiCl) addition also play impactful roles. Monofunctional P3HT is found to be the major product (72% abundance) when the functionalization is done in the presence of LiCl and styrene at 0 °C, whereas in the absence of additives the monofunctional product is present at only 11% abundance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Evaluation of real-time captioning by machine recognition with human support

Verbal meetings are important at work, but employees who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) find it difficult to participate. Manual real-time captioning is a solution, but professional stenographers are too expensive for routine use. We are exploring the possibilities of real-time captioning that combines Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) and human capabilities, which can dramatically decrease these costs and thus improve the lives of DHH employees. We developed a flexible ASR-based real-time captioning tool that can be used by non-expert captioners to correct the recognized text in practical workplace situations. In this paper, we will report on our early results, focusing on accuracy and latency.
Biosynthesis of the teloidine moiety of meteloidine in Datura meteloides

Abstract dl -Ornithine-2-14C was administered to 3-month-old Datura meteloides plants. The meteloidine isolated 12 days later was radioactive (0·3 per cent incorporation). A systematic degradation carried out on the alkaloid indicated that essentially all the activity was located at one or both of the bridgehead carbons (C-1 and C-5) of the teloidine moiety of the alkaloid. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that teloidine is formed by the hydroxylation of tropine, perhaps via 6,7-dehydrotropine.
Evolutionary innovation of the excretory system in Caenorhabditis elegans

The evolution of complexity relies on changes that result in new gene functions. Here we show that the unique morphological and functional features of the excretory duct cell in C. elegans result from the gain of expression of a single gene. Our results show that innovation can be achieved by altered expression of a transcription factor without coevolution of all target genes.
Trichomonacidal Activity of Human Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils: Killing by Disruption and Fragmentation

Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were shown to kill Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro; 102-103 trichomonads were incubated with 3 x 106 PMNs on tissue culture plates, and surviving organisms were enumerated in pour plates. After 60 min of aerobic incubation at 37 C, 100%0 (x+0) of the trichomonads had been killed, and nitroblue tetrazolium was reduced at the interface between the PMNs and trichomonads. The importance of oxidative microbicidal systems was confirmed by the observations that only 12% c 12% of trichomonads were killed under anaerobic conditions and that aerobic killing was eliminated by the addition of catalase or superoxide dismutase. PMNs killed trichomonads in fresh or absorbed serum but not in bovine serum albumin, in heatinactivated serum, or in the presence of 1 mu trypan blue; this finding suggested a role for alternative pathway activation of complement. Phase-contrast cinemicrography and electron microscopy revealed the pursuit and surrounding of individual trichomonads by groups of PMNs that were able to fragment the large protozoa and to phagocytize the pieces. The protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis is a common cause of vaginitis. Infection elicits a profuse, acute, inflammatory discharge containing many polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) and trichomonads. PMNs can kill bacteria, fungi, and trematodes, but little is known regarding their effectiveness as a host defense against protozoa. We examined the interaction of PMNs with the larger, more rapidly motile trichomonads.
Characterization of a CCD-based digital x-ray imaging system for small-animal studies: properties of spatial resolution

A digital x-ray imaging system was designed for small-animal studies. This system is a fiber-optics taper-coupled imaging system with two CCD arrays uniquely jointed. The x-ray source of the system has a small focal spot of 20 microm. This digital imaging system contains specially designed shelves to provide magnification levels, ranging from 1.5x to 5x. The system is characterized in terms of its properties of spatial resolution. An observer-based spatial resolution measurement was conducted with a line-pair target and a sector test pattern. The modulation transfer function of the system, with different magnifications, was studied by use of a 10-microm lead slit. The average resolutions at 50% and 5% modulations at 1x magnification were measured as 3.9 and 8.4 lp/mm, respectively, where lp indicates line pairs. With 5x magnification, the 50% and the 5% modulations provided 13.2- and 29.9-lp/mm, respectively, average spatial resolutions. The measurements showed consistency between the two individual CCD arrays; the difference in resolution between the two CCDs is less than 1%, even at high magnifications.
Intravenous AAV9 efficiently transduces myenteric neurons in neonate and juvenile mice

Our recent discovery that adeno-associated virus type 9 (AAV9) can cross the blood brain barrier holds promise for the treatment of global neurological disease. Early studies with AAV9 gene therapy focused on transduction within the brain and spinal cord, but intravenous infusion results in widespread vector dissemination. Therapies for neurological diseases with autonomic or gastrointestinal involvement may require global gene expression. Gastrointestinal complications are often associated with Parkinson’s disease and autism. Lewy bodies, a pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s brains, are routinely identified in the neurons of the enteric nervous system (ENS) following colon biopsies from patients. The ENS is the intrinsic nervous system of the gut, and is responsible for coordinating the secretory and motor functions of the gastrointestinal tract. ENS dysfunction can cause severe patient discomfort, malnourishment, or even death as in intestinal pseudo-obstruction (Ogilvie syndrome). Importantly, ENS transduction following systemic vector administration has not been thoroughly evaluated. Here we show that systemic injection of AAV9 into neonate or juvenile mice results in transduction of 25-57% of ENS myenteric neurons. Transgene expression was prominent in choline acetyltransferase positive cells, but not within vasoactive intestinal peptide or neuronal nitric oxide synthase cells, suggesting a bias for cells involved in excitatory signaling. AAV9 transduction in enteric glia is very low compared to CNS astrocytes. Enteric glial transduction was enhanced by using a glial specific promoter. Furthermore, we show that AAV8 results in comparable transduction to AAV9 though AAV1, 5 and 6 are less efficient. These data demonstrate that systemic AAV9 has high affinity for peripheral neural tissue and is useful for future therapeutic development and basic studies of the ENS. Transduction patterns for neurons and glia may differ between ENS and CNS.
Weekly Dose Reports: The Effects of a Continuous Quality Improvement Initiative on Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography Radiation Doses at a Tertiary Medical Center

Rationale and Objectives Numerous protocols have been developed to reduce cardiac computed tomography angiography (cCTA) radiation dose while maintaining image quality. However, cCTA practice is highly dependent on physician and technologist experience and education. In this study, we sought to evaluate the incremental value of real-time feedback via weekly dose reports on a busy cCTA service. Materials and Methods This time series analysis consisted of 450 consecutive patients whom underwent physician-supervised cCTA for clinically indicated native coronary evaluation between April 2011 and January 2013, with 150 patients before the initiation of weekly dose report (preintervention period: April–September 2011) and 150 patients after the initiation (postintervention period: September 2011–February 2012). To assess whether overall dose reductions were maintained over time, results were compared to a late control group consisting of 150 consecutive cCTA exams, which were performed after the study (September 2012–January 2013). Patient characteristics and effective radiation were recorded and compared. Results Total radiation dose was significantly lower in the postintervention period (3.4 mSv [1.7–5.7] and in the late control group (3.3 mSv [2.0–5.3] versus the preintervention period (4.1 mSv [2.1–6.6] ( P = .005). The proportion of high-dose outliers was also decreased in the postintervention period and late control period (exams Conclusion Weekly dose report feedback of site radiation doses to patients undergoing physician-supervised cCTA resulted in significant overall dose reduction and reduction of high-dose outliers. Overall dose reductions were maintained beyond the initial study period.
Plantations, population, and poverty: The roots of the demographic crisis in El Salvador

E conomic development in El Salvador may be termed "dependent" and occurred principally in agriculture (Frank, 1967; Griffin, 1969; Dos Santos, 1971; Bodenheimer, 1971). 1 It was reflected in the evolution of a plantation system oriented toward the export production of coffee, sugar, and cotton (Browning, 1971), and characterized by an extreme concentration of the share of total wealth and income in the hands of a relatively small upper stratum and the emergence of a rural wage labor force (Burke, 1976a). This latter group, impoverished, increasingly propertyless, and largely denied the benefits of rising incomes and expanding educational opportunities, has continued to live in abject poverty which in turn is causally linked to high birth rates (Capa and Stycos, 1974). It is argued that the high rate of population growth in E1 Salvador is a consequence rather than a cause of poverty (Amin, 1976). Since the agricultural sector employs the largest share of the labor force and the plantation system (notably coffee production) dominates the national economy, the central question to be addressed here is how the present structure of the plantation system in El Salvador, as it has evolved historically, functions to perpetuate rural poverty and as a consequence, high rates of population growth.
Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors mediate efficient gene transduction in cultured neonatal and adult microglia

Microglia are a specialized population of myeloid cells that mediate CNS innate immune responses. Efforts to identify the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate microglia behaviors have been hampered by the lack of effective tools for manipulating gene expression. Cultured microglia are refractory to most chemical and electrical transfection methods, yielding little or no gene delivery and causing toxicity and/or inflammatory activation. Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAVs) vectors are non-enveloped, single-stranded DNA vectors commonly used to transduce many primary cell types and tissues. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and efficiency of utilizing rAAV serotype 2 (rAAV2) to modulate gene expression in cultured microglia. rAAV2 yields high transduction and causes minimal toxicity or inflammatory response in both neonatal and adult microglia. To demonstrate that rAAV transduction can induce functional protein expression, we used rAAV2 expressing Cre recombinase to successfully excise a LoxP-flanked miR155 gene in cultured microglia. We further evaluated rAAV serotypes 5, 6, 8, and 9, and observed that all efficiently transduced cultured microglia to varying degrees of success and caused little or no alteration in inflammatory gene expression. These results provide strong encouragement for the application of rAAV-mediated gene expression in microglia for mechanistic and therapeutic purposes. Neonatal microglia are functionally distinct from adult microglia, although the majority of in vitro studies utilize rodent neonatal microglia cultures because of difficulties of culturing adult cells. In addition, cultured microglia are refractory to most methods for modifying gene expression. Here, we developed a novel protocol for culturing adult microglia and evaluated the feasibility and efficiency of utilizing Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus (rAAV) to modulate gene expression in cultured microglia.
After the Suicide Attempt: Offering Patients Another Chance

We applaud Brown, Elliott, and Paine (2013) for their overarching goal of providing ethical justification for decisions to withdraw nonfutile life-sustaining medical treatments in some cases after ...
Importance of abnormalities in coronary flow reserve to the pathophysiology of left ventricular hypertrophy secondary to hypertension

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) appears to be a critically important risk factor for the prediction of coronary events. This is probably related to the fact that cardiac hypertrophy causes a profound decrease in coronary reserve and various electrophysiological abnormalities in hypertrophied myocytes that contribute to the pathogenesis of lethal ventricular arrhythmias. Physicians involved in the care of patients with cardiac hypertrophy need to be aware of the importance of LVH in modifying the pathophysiology of the two prevalent cardiac diseases in our society: obstructive coronary disease and systemic hypertension.
Mapping Decadal Change in Anthropogenic Night Light

Abstract The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS) sensors have imaged emitted light from Earth's surface since the 1970's. Temporal overlap in the missions of 5 OLS sensors allows for intercalibration of the annual composites over the past 19 years [1] . The resulting image time series captures a spatiotemporal signature of human settlement growth and evolution. We use temporal Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis to characterize and quantify patterns of temporal change in stable night light brightness and spatial extent since 1992. Temporal EOF analysis provides a statistical basis for representing spatially abundant temporal patterns in the image time series as uncorrelated vectors of brightness as a function of time from 1992 to 2009. The variance partition of the eigenvalue spectrum combined with temporal structure of the EOFs provides a basis for distinguishing between deterministic temporal trends and stochastic year to year variance. The low order EOFs and Principal Components (PC) space together discriminate both earlier (1990s) and later (2000s) increases and decreases in brightness. Inverse transformation of these low order dimensions reduces stochastic variance sufficiently so that tri-temporal composites depict deterministic decadal trends. The most pronounced changes occur in Asia. Throughout Asia a variety of different patterns of brightness increase are visible in tri-temporal brightness composites – as well as some conspicuous areas of apparently decreasing background luminance and, in many places, intermittent light suggesting development of infrastructure rather than persistently lighted development. Vicarious validation using higher resolution imagery reveals multiple phases of urban growth in several cities, numerous instances of highway construction, extensive terracing networks and hydroelectric dam construction [3] . Lights also allow us to quantify the size distribution and connectedness of different intensities of development. Over a wide range of brightnesses, size distributions of spatially contiguous lighted area are well-fit by power laws with exponents near -1 as predicted by Zipf's Law. However, the larger lighted segments are much larger than individual cities; they correspond to vast spatial networks of contiguous development. [2]
Policies and practices of beach monitoring in the Great Lakes, USA: a critical review

Beaches throughout the Great Lakes are monitored for fecal indicator bacteria (typically Escherichia coli) in order to protect the public from potential sewage contamination. Currently, there is no universal standard for sample collection and analysis or results interpretation. Monitoring policies are developed by individual beach management jurisdictions, and applications are highly variable across and within lakes, states, and provinces. Extensive research has demonstrated that sampling decisions for time, depth, number of replicates, frequency of sampling, and laboratory analysis all influence the results outcome, as well as calculations of the mean and interpretation of the results in policy decisions. Additional shortcomings to current monitoring approaches include appropriateness and reliability of currently used indicator bacteria and the overall goal of these monitoring programs. Current research is attempting to circumvent these complex issues by developing new tools and methods for beach monitoring. In this review, we highlight the variety of sampling routines used across the Great Lakes and the extensive body of research that challenges comparisons among beaches. We also assess the future of Great Lakes monitoring and the advantages and disadvantages of establishing standards that are evenly applied across all beaches.
Inter-city wage differentials and the value of air quality

Abstract This paper proposes a method of valuing air quality based on differences in wages among cities. Using an urban location model it is shown that the supply of labor to any city increases with the real wage and with air quality in the business district. If individuals have log-linear utility functions then the value at home and at work of an equal proportionate reduction in pollution throughout the city can be computed from the coefficients of the labor supply function. The computations are illustrated for one-digit labor supply functions estimated from 1970 Census data.
TreeGenes: A Forest Tree Genome Database

The Dendrome Project and associated TreeGenes database serve the forest genetics research community through a curated and integrated web-based relational database. The research community is composed of approximately 2 000 members representing over 730 organizations worldwide. The database itself is composed of a wide range of genetic data from many forest trees with focused efforts on commercially important members of the Pinaceae family. The primary data types curated include species, publications, tree and DNA extraction information, genetic maps, molecular markers, ESTs, genotypic, and phenotypic data. There are currently ten main search modules or user access points within this PostgreSQL database. These access points allow users to navigate logically through the related data types. The goals of the Dendrome Project are to (1) provide a comprehensive resource for forest tree genomics data to facilitate gene discovery in related species, (2) develop interfaces that encourage the submission and integration of all genomic data, and to (3) centralize and distribute existing and novel online tools for the research community that both support and ease analysis. Recent developments have focused on increasing data content, functional annotations, data retrieval, and visualization tools. TreeGenes was developed to provide a centralized web resource with analysis and visualization tools to support data storage and exchange.
Navigation between the planets

Recent advances in spacecraft tracking, chronometry, ephemerides, and orbit and trajectory determinations are reviewed. Improvements in timekeeping are reviewed, as well as precision distance and range measurements; orbit determinations, trajectory-correction maneuvers, flight path optimization, and information provided by rotation of the tracking station with the earth's surface. Doppler and tropospheric wave propagation effects are dealt with. Nongravitational perturbations (solar radiation pressure, release of gases from the spacecraft, stochastic unmodeled accelerations and sequential estimation to cope with them), the effect of the target planet's gravitational field upon close approach, and navigation problems in the outer reaches of the solar system (TV data telemetered back for inertial navigation) are covered. By-products of the research include: refined data on the mass of planets, on planetary mass distributions, planet configurations, on physical properties of the atmospheres and ionospheres of planets, and opportunities for refined tests of gravitation and relativity theories and models.
Poly(ethylene-co-butyl acrylate). Phase Behavior in Ethylene Compared to the Poly(ethylene-co-methyl acrylate)-Ethylene System and Aspects of Copolymerization Kinetics at High Pressures

Cloud point data for poly(ethylene-co-butyl acrylate) (EBA)−ethylene and poly(ethylene-co-methyl acrylate) (EMA)−ethylene mixtures are presented to 250 °C and 2600 bar as a function of butyl acrylate (BA) content from 5.2, 17.0, 25.2, 40.3, and 100 mol % BA and of molecular weight, and as a function of methyl acrylate (MA) content from 10, 18, 31, 41, and 100 mol % MA. Cloud point pressures initially decrease with increasing BA content at rate of ∼17 bar/mol % BA up to ∼40 mol % BA and then they remain relatively constant with further increases in BA content. The cloud point pressures increase with increasing weight-average molecular weight (Mw), at a rate of ∼4 bar/10000 Mw. However, cloud point pressures for the EMA−ethylene mixtures initially decrease as the MA content increases to ∼20 mol % but then increase rapidly as the MA content is further increased. In fact, it is not possible to dissolve poly(methyl acrylate) in ethylene to 240 °C and 2600 bar, although poly(butyl acrylate) readily dissolves in...
Toward a Systems Biology Perspective on Enzyme Evolution

Large superfamilies of enzymes derived from a common progenitor have emerged by duplication and divergence of genes encoding metabolic enzymes. Division of the functions of early generalist enzymes enhanced catalytic power and control over metabolic fluxes. Later, novel enzymes evolved from inefficient secondary activities in specialized enzymes. Enzymes operate in the context of complex metabolic and regulatory networks. The potential for evolution of a new enzyme depends upon the collection of enzymes in a microbe, the topology of the metabolic network, the environmental conditions, and the net effect of trade-offs between the original and novel activities of the enzyme.
Quest for IR-Pumped Reactions in Dihydrogen-Bonded Complexes

As possible substrates for one-photon infrared-pumped reaction (IRPR), the structures and decomposition paths of complexes between AlH4- and three proton donors, H2O, HF, and HCl, have been studied by ab initio methods. In each case only one transition state was found for the proton-transfer and H2-loss process. For each cluster, the geometry and energy characteristics of reactants, complex, transition state, and products were analyzed with [AlH4···HCl]- emerging as the best IRPR candidate. The MP2//6-311++G**-calculated intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) confirmed the one-step proton transfer and H2 loss with no intermediate. Classical trajectories were calculated on the ab initio potential-energy surface, beginning from a large number of initial conditions. With zero-point vibrational energies (ZPVE = 1/2hνi) assigned to all normal modes, based on their calculated harmonic frequencies, νi, one or more additional excitation quanta were added to modes associated with Cl−H and Al−H stretching. Proton tran...
Interactions of platelet integrin αΙΙb and β3 transmembrane domains in mammalian cell membranes and their role in integrin activation

Clustering and occupancy of platelet integrin αIIbβ3 (GPIIb-IIIa) generate biologically important signals: conversely, intracellular signals increase the integrins' affinity, leading to integrin activation; both forms of integrin signaling play important roles in hemostasis and thrombosis. Indirect evidence implicates interactions between integrin α and β transmembrane domains (TMDs) and cytoplasmic domains in integrin signaling; however, efforts to directly identify these associations have met with varying and controversial results. In this study, we develop mini-integrin affinity capture and use it in combination with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to show preferential heterodimeric association of integrin αIIbβ3 TMD tails via specific TMD interactions in mammalian cell membranes in lipid bicelles. Furthermore, charge reversal mutations at αIIb(R995)β3(D723) confirm a proposed salt bridge and show that it stabilizes the TMD-tail association; talin binding to the β3 tail, which activates the integrin, disrupts this association. These studies establish the preferential heterodimeric interactions of integrin αIIbβ3 TMD tails in mammalian cell membranes and document their role in integrin signaling.
Impacts of Globalization on E-Commerce Use and Firm Performance: A Cross-Country Investigation

This article develops and tests a model examining the relationship between firm globalization, scope of e-commerce use, and firm performance, using data from a large-scale cross-country survey of firms from three industries. We find that globalization leads to both greater scope of e-commerce use and improved performance, measured as efficiency, coordination, and market impacts. Scope of e-commerce use also leads to greater firm performance of all three types. Globalization has differential effects on B2B and B2C e-commerce, however, such that highly global firms are more likely to do B2B but less likely to do B2C. Our findings provide support for Porter's (1986) thesis that upstream business activities (namely, B2B) are more global while downstream business activities (B2C) are more local or multidomestic.
Effects of Zeeman degeneracy on the steady-state properties of an atom interacting with a near-resonant laser field: Analytic results

The analytic solution of the steady-state density matrix is presented for a closed two-level atom with an arbitrary ground-state angular momentum J g and an excited-state angular momentum J e interacting with a linearly polarized laser field. From this solution, analytic formulas for the total rate of laser-atom scattering, the rate of coherent scattering, and radiative forces are derived. Interestingly, it is found that population inversion in true atomic states, as opposed to the population inversion in the dressed states, can occur under certain conditions. A method is proposed to take advantage of this inversion for light amplification
Unusual genetic phenomena associated with Tn5 mutagenesis in Alcaligenes eutrophus strain H1

Tn5 was introduced into Alcaligenes eutrophus strain H1 by a suicide vector pSUP1011. Physical characterization of mutants obtained after Tn5 mutagenesis revealed a relatively high frequency of plasmid curing, or deletion of a 50 kb plasmid DNA segment. Results of Southern hybridization and chromosomal walking indicate that the same continuous stretch of plasmid DNA (designated as D region of plasmid) is deleted in four independent isolates. Moreover, the same deletion of plasmid DNA is also observed in a mitomycin C-generated mutant strain H1-4.
THE MACROMOLECULAR PARAMETERS OF ASCITES TUMOR CELL H-RNA.

Abstract A concerted analysis of sedimentation, light scattering and small-angle X-ray-scattering data on high-molecular-weight Ehrlich ascites tumor cell RNA has been carried out. The three sets of data have been found to be in quantitative agreement with a compact structure consisting of short double-helical roldlike subunits, which account for 90% of the RNA mass.
Improving Large Dairy Herd Management Practices: Review of Regional Project NC-119

Abstract Scientists at 17 experiment stations have cooperated in research on several problems of dairy herd management associated with increasing size of herd. Research has been grouped under six major topics: 1) to identify animals and retrieve information; 2) to raise calves and replacements; 3) to manage and feed cows in groups; 4) to measure social and sexual behavior and increase efficiency of reproduction; 5) to develop milking, housing, and waste-handling systems to improve efficiency of labor; and 6) to use computers to make decisions for management. Important results have been contributed in each area through the combined efforts of several scientists, each working on a different aspect of a problem. Results have been documented in nearly 200 scientific and popular reports. Although this project originated in the North Central region, it now involves at least two experiment stations from each of the other regions. This broadens the scope of the research and brings in scientific expertise and management situations from a broad range of environments. Consequently, the results should have application to dairying nationwide.