cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disruption of Sinonasal Epithelial Nrf2 Enhances Susceptibility to Rhinosinusitis in a Mouse Model

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Oxidative stress has been postulated to play an important role in chronic rhinosinusitis. Nrf2 is a transcription factor that is involved in the regulation of multiple antioxidant genes, and its function has been previously shown to be important in sinonasal inflammation. Although the sinonasal implications of whole body Nrf2-/- has been reported, the function of sinonasal epithelial expression of Nrf2 has not been studied. The primary aim of this study was to generate a mouse model that is genetically deficient in epithelial-specific Nrf2 and to understand its role in regulating sinonasal inflammation. STUDY DESIGN Basic science. METHODS An epithelial-specific Nrf2 knockout mouse was generated by crossing Krt5-cre(K5) with Nrf2flox/flox . A papain-induced model of rhinosinusitis was performed in the resulting K5 Nrf2-/- mouse. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify goblet cell hyperplasia. Mucosal cellular infiltrates were quantified using flow cytometry, and tissue cytokines were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Lastly, the cellular source of type 2 cytokines was determined using intracellular cytokine staining. RESULTS Papain-sensitized mice lacking epithelial-specific Nrf2 demonstrate increased goblet cell hyperplasia, significant tissue eosinophilia, and statistically significant increase in mucosal IL-13 when compared to Nrf2 wild-type mice. Lastly, mucosal T cells were identified as the cellular source of IL-13. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate enhanced severity of eosinophilic sinonasal inflammation from disruption of the epithelial-specific Nrf2 pathway. The responsiveness of Nrf2-directed antioxidant pathways may act as a major determinant of susceptibility to eosinophilic inflammation and may have potential as a therapeutic target for chronic rhinosinusitis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 131:713-719, 2021.
Educational differences in mortality associated with central obesity: Decomposing the contribution of risk and prevalence.

Abstract Thousands of preventable deaths are attributed to obesity in the United States. However, the harmfulness of obesity varies across the population; individuals’ education determines access to healthful resources and exposure to competing risks, dampening/amplifying obesity-associated mortality risk. Using restricted U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (N = 40,058; 1988–2015), this study estimates educational differences in mortality attributable to central obesity (waist-to-height ratio ≥0.5) – a dangerous form of abdominal adiposity. Over 30% of excess deaths are attributable to central obesity among college-educated adults, compared to 1–10% among their less-educated counterparts. This difference is larger for cardiometabolic-related mortality, as central obesity may explain 60–70% of excess deaths among college-educated adults. Decomposition analyses show differences are driven by greater obesity-associated risk among college-educated adults, rather than prevalence. Policies targeting health disparities should recognize central obesity as a key risk among highly-educated adults, but only one of many encountered by those with less education.
Alternative Pathways for Multiple Exciton Generation Solar Cells by Tandem Configurations

Multiple exciton generation solar cells (MEGSCs) undergo low efficiency due to material imperfections such as nonradiative recombination This paper introduces alternative approaches for realizing photovoltaic (PV) devices similar to MEGSCs. Furthermore, we reorganize the detailed balance equation of MEGSCs such that it is similar to that of independent connection tandem solar cells. This is possible because of the spectral dependence of the ideal QY. Finally, we compare these two similar equations and propose alternative approaches for realizing MEGSC-like tandem solar cells. We explain the difficulty in fabricating MEGSCs, which arises from the high rate of non-idealities. In this regard, the deconstruction of the detailed balance equation of MEGSCs can reveal alternative paths for replacing MEGSCs with tandem solar cell configurations.
Corticospinal recruitment of spinal motor neurons in human stroke survivors

Key points Muscle weakness after stroke results from damage to corticospinal fibers which structurally and functionally connect cerebral cortex to the spinal cord. Here, we show an asymmetry in corticospinal recruitment of spinal motor neurons that is linked to maximal voluntary output of hand muscles weakened by stroke. Spike timing-dependent plasticity of synapses between corticospinal and spinal motor neurons transiently reversed recruitment failures in some survivors. These modulatory effects were strongly associated with recruitment asymmetry and hand impairment. Our findings highlight the functional relevance of spinal motor neuron recruitment by corticospinal inputs and the viability of corticospinal-motor neuronal synapses for restoring activation of lower motor neurons after stroke. Abstract Corticospinal input to spinal motor neurons is structurally and functionally altered by hemiparetic stroke. The pattern and extent to which corticospinal recruitment of spinal motor neurons is reorganized and whether such changes are linked to the severity of motor impairments is not well understood. Here, we performed experiments using the triple stimulation technique to quantify corticospinal recruitment of spinal motor neurons serving paretic and non-paretic intrinsic hand muscles of humans with longstanding motor impairment secondary to stroke (n = 13). We also examined whether recruitment failures could be transiently reversed by strengthening corticospinal-motoneuronal synaptic connectivity via targeted, temporally-controlled noninvasive stimulation to elicit spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP). Asymmetries were detected in corticospinal recruitment of spinal motor neurons, central conduction time, and MEP latency. However, only recruitment asymmetry correlated with maximal voluntary motor output from the paretic hand. STDP-like effects were observed as an increase in spinal motor neuron recruitment. Control experiments to isolate the locus of plasticity demonstrated a modulation in MEPs elicited by electrical stimulation of primary motor cortex but not F-wave size or persistence, suggesting that plasticity was mediated through enhanced efficacy of residual corticospinal-motor neuronal synapses. The modulation in recruitment was strongly associated with baseline recruitment asymmetry and impairment severity. Our findings demonstrate that asymmetry in corticospinal recruitment of spinal motor neurons is directly related to impairments experienced by stroke survivors. These recruitment deficits may be partially and transiently reversed by spike timing-dependent plasticity of synapses between upper and lower motor neurons in the spinal cord, downstream of supraspinal circuits damaged by stroke. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Effects of Emotions, Topic Beliefs, and Task Instructions on the Processing and Memory for a Dual-Position Text

We examined whether positive emotions interacted with task instructions and topic beliefs to influence processing and memory of a dual-position text. Participants provided emotion and belief rating...
Retail-to-Farm Demand Linkages, Imperfect Competition, and Short-Run Price Determination

In this chapter, we consider both vertical and horizontal effects on derived demand for raw materials, and total effects of exogenous variables on retail and farm prices. In the last chapter we showed how retail-to-farm price linkages could be formulated and estimated consistently. In this chapter, these relationships are combined with the retail demand elasticities for meats from Chapter 5 to derive total impacts of retail demand, farm supply, and marketing costs on derived demand and retail and farm prices. We derive the properties of these generalized derived demands as well as formulas for the total elasticities. This chapter also evaluates this approach to retail-to-farm price linkages in light of role imperfect competition may play on the price relationships. Finally, causes of short-run price determination from lags between retail and farm prices are evaluated, and an empirical application to beef price spreads is presented.
Iliopsoas Bursitis Managed with Endoscopic Bursectomy and Lesser Trochanter Decompression: A Case Report.

Case A 32-year-old woman presented with worsening right anterior hip pain, reduced hip flexion strength, and passive range of motion during hip flexion. Magnetic resonance imaging of the hip demonstrated a prominent lesser trochanter and localized fluid signal intensity at the iliopsoas bursa. The patient underwent endoscopic iliopsoas bursectomy and lesser trochanterplasty, reporting improvement in all clinical outcome scores at 1-year follow-up. Conclusion Lesser trochanter morphology should be evaluated in patients presenting with iliopsoas bursitis. In patients failing to respond to conservative management, endoscopic iliopsoas bursectomy and lesser trochanterplasty may address pain and functional limitations.
Homer's Odyssey and the Near East: Divine councils and apocalyptic myth

After a short proem ( Od . 1.1–10), and brief transition, the Odyssey 's first scene is a divine council on Mount Olympos ( Od . 1.26–96). I define a divine council simply as a conversation between two or more gods, often a large assembly of them, usually with the chief god presiding, usually concerned with the myth's protagonist . Since they depend on the presence of more than one god, divine councils are a naturally polytheistic genre, and also occur outside of epic. They are often considered a type-scene, but I here treat them as a genre of myth because in the Odyssey they trigger, manage, or conclude, larger blocks of narrative. Since divine councils come in only a few basic types, a typology of the specific subtypes is useful. Having determined which subtype a given divine council belongs to, we can then place it in a larger context of similar scenes, each of which helps demonstrate how instances of that subtype typically function. Our context for analyzing the Odyssey 's divine councils will be the divine councils in Gilgamesh , the Ugaritic myths, the Iliad , Hesiod, and Old Testament myth. In most Greek or Near Eastern heroic myths three gods typically define the parameters of a hero's career. The three gods are each associated with a specific type-scene through which they demonstrate and act out their specific relationship with the hero.
Resultants of minimal polynomials of maximal real cyclotomic extensions

Abstract Define the n th real cyclotomic polynomial to be the minimal polynomial over Z of ζ n + ζ n − 1 , where ζ n = e 2 π i / n is a primitive n th root of unity. We prove that the real cyclotomic polynomials can be formed from compositions of polynomials closely related to the Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind. We use these relations to determine the resultant of two real cyclotomic polynomials.
Perturbative treatment of imaginary potential in 12C

It is found that exact and perturbative treatments of the imaginary potential at sub-Coulomb energies in $^{12}\mathrm{C}$${+}^{12}$C provide close agreement in calculations of both the real and imaginary phase shifts at energies away from resonance.
The Measurement of Real Value Added

Publisher Summary The concept of value added has played an essential role in both private and national income accounting as a device for allocating the origins of income to the various points in the productive sector of the economy at which primary factors are brought to bear on the creation of the total value of final products. It provides an accounting that exactly exhausts total product. It is, however, a monetary magnitude and as such subject to all the vicissitudes that have made economists engage in the unavailing search for an invariable standard of value. To assess more deeply the relative merits of alternative measures of real value added, it is necessary to ask what its economic meaning is. This chapter discusses the most natural meaning of real value added that arises from the estimation of production functions. The output of any commodity is determined by the inputs of a number of commodities of which some are primary factors and others are produced goods, which is refer to as materials. The attribution of a special role to primary factors, capital and labor, and the construction of an aggregate for them can be justified only for the usual reasons, that is, their use in production is separable from that of the materials.
Ultrasonic texture characterization of aluminum, zirconium and titanium alloys

This work attempts to show the feasibility of nondestructive characterization of non-ferrous alloys. Aluminum alloys have a small single crystal anisotropy which requires very precise ultrasonic velocity measurements for derivation of orientation distribution coefficients (ODCs); the precision in the ultrasonic velocity measurement required for aluminum alloys is much greater than is necessary for iron alloys or other alloys with a large single crystal anisotropy. To provide greater precision, some signal processing corrections need to be applied to account for the inherent, half-bandwidth offset in triggered pulses when using a zero-crossing technique for determining ultrasonic velocity. In addition, alloys with small single crystal anisotropy show a larger dependence on the single crystal elastic constants (SCECs) when predicting ODCs which require absolute velocity measurements. Attempts were made to independently determine these elastics constants in an effort to improve correlation between ultrasonically derived ODCs and diffraction derived ODCs. The greater precision required to accurately derive ODCs in aluminum alloys using ultrasonic nondestructive techniques is easily attainable. Ultrasonically derived ODCs show good correlation with derivations made by Bragg diffraction techniques, both neutron and X-ray. The best correlation was shown when relative velocity measurements could be used in the derivations of the ODCs. Calculation of ODCs in materials with hexagonal crystallites can also be done. Because of the crystallite symmetries, more information can be extracted using ultrasonic techniques, but at a cost of requiring more physical measurements. Some industries which use materials with hexagonal crystallites, e.g. zirconium alloys and titanium, have traditionally used texture parameters which provide some specialized measure of the texture. These texture parameters, called Kearns factors, can be directly related to ODCs.
A Systematic Approach to Teaching Ethics in Business

In the field of business ethics, expositions of ethical theory have tended to focus on deontology and utilitarianism. More inclusive reviews of ethical theory tend to be historical and unsystematic. This paper approaches the task of representing the variety of ethical theories systematically. It does so by constructing a schema of possibilities in ethical theory which maps out six "voices", or theoretical positions, all of which are relevant and important for understanding ethics in business. This approach helps to account for the continual presence of dilemmas and conflicts in ethics.
Subtraction radiography and computer assisted densitometric analyses of standardized radiographs. A comparison study with 125I absorptiometry.

A standardized radiographic series of incrementally increasing alveolar crestal defects in skulls were subjected to analyses by subtraction radiography and computer assisted quantitative densitometric analysis. Subjects were able to detect change using subtraction radiography in alveolar bone defects with bone loss in the range of 1–5 percent as measured by 125I absorptiometry. Quantitative densitometric analyses utilizing radiographic pairs adjusted for differences in contrast (gamma corrected) can be used to follow longitudinal changes at a particular alveolar bone site. Such measurements correlate with change observed by 125I absorptiometry (r= 0.82–0.94).
Investigation of an S-Adenosylmethionine:Δ24-Sterol Methyltransferase in Ergosterol Biosynthesis in Yeast SPECIFICITY OF STEROL SUBSTRATES AND INHIBITORS

Abstract The role of an S-adenosylmethionine:Δ24-sterol methyltransferase (hereafter referred to as methyltransferase) in ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3β-ol (ergosterol) biosynthesis in yeast has been investigated. Sterol substrate specificity studies indicate that 5α-cholesta-8,24-dien-3β-ol (zymosterol) is the best methyl group acceptor in the methyltransferase assay. 4-Methyl sterols are very poor substrates; sterols with a fully reduced side chain (i.e. no double bond at C-24) are not methylated. A corresponding 3-ketosteroid, 5α-cholesta-8,24-dien-3-one, was methylated at a slower rate; similarly, sterols with nuclear double bonds in positions 5 or 5 and 7 were poorer substrates than zymosterol. Inhibition studies indicate that sterols with a saturated isooctyl side chain are competitive inhibitors of zymosterol in the methyltransferase reaction. Sterols that possess an alkylated side chain markedly altered the rate of methyltransfer; at low concentrations of substrate, addition of 24-alkyl-substituted sterols stimulated the methyltransferase, whereas at higher concentrations of substrate the 24-alkyl sterols were inhibitory. Conclusions regarding the sequences of nuclear and side chain reactions in ergosterol biosynthesis and the control of the methyltransferase activity are outlined.
Universal limiter for high order explicit conservative advection schemes

A simple method for construction of nonoscillatory, explicit, conservative advection schemes of arbitrarily high accuracy is described. Four test profiles are considered: an isolated sine-squared wave, a unit step function, a semiellipse, and a narrow Gaussian. A universal limiter guarantees monotonic resolution of the step. Sharpness increases uniformly with the order of the base scheme.
THEORY OF PIONIZATION.

In this paper we make a detailed study of the phenomenon of pionization. We first concentrate on processes in which the two incident particles are identical, e.g., proton-proton scattering. By assuming that the c.m. system has no special significance in high-energy scattering or, more precisely, by assuming that the distribution of pionization products has a forward-backward symmetry not only in the c.m. system but also in a class of coordinate systems called the $C$ systems (this assumption will be called the symmetry hypothesis), we can get rather precise information about the dependence of pionization distribution on the longitudinal momenta. In particular, the one-particle distribution function is $\frac{f({\mathbf{p}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}){d}^{3}p}{E}$. These results are then explicitly verified in the model of quantum electrodynamics. Next, the considerations are extended to processes in which the two incident particles are different. For such processes, we propose the limiting hypothesis: The distribution of the pionization products is independent of the momenta of either of the incident particles in the limit the incident momenta are both infinite. With this hypothesis we can again obtain quantitative information on the dependence of the pionization distribution on the longitudinal momenta. When applied to the special case of identical particles, the limiting hypothesis is equivalent to the symmetry hypothesis. For the more general case where the two incident particles are not identical, it follows from the limiting hypothesis that the one-particle distribution function is again $\frac{f({\mathbf{p}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}){d}^{3}p}{E}$, but the results on the multiparticle distribution functions are slightly weaker than those for identical particles. The limiting hypothesis is then shown to be valid in various field-theory models. The process of photon-fermion scattering is studied in particular detail. We also investigate the process of bremsstrahlung and show that it gives no pionization products. Finally, the above results are examined in the context of scalar electrodynamics, and all of the qualitative features are found to be the same.
Late Quaternary Sequence Stratigraphy, South Florida Margin

Late Quaternary sea-level change and the Florida Current have combined to produce a progradational shelf-slope margin along the western portion of the south Florida Platform facing the Straits of Florida. Analysis of high resolution seismic reflection profiles suggest at least eight 5th order late Quaternary sequences downlap onto the Pourtales Terrace at 250 m water depth. Along most of the south Florida margin, this Late Quaternary section is very thin, and only where significant accumulations occur can the stratigraphic patterns produced by sea-level change be clearly observed. Recognition of systems tracts and their boundaries from high-resolution seismic data is important for prediction of sedimentary facies and stratigraphic development of margins. Many south Florida seismic boundaries can be fit to the Exxon sequence stratigraphy model. Others appear to reflect the added effect of bottom-current erosion that complicates the signal produced by sea-level change. Overall, the sea-level signal appears to dominate the stratigraphic record, especially from the 2-dimensional perspective of dip-oriented seismic profiles. However, the 3-dimensional geometry of deposits are strongly influenced by along slope accumulation patterns controlled by the Florida Current. This study provides new insight on the importance of both geostrophic boundary currents and sea-level change in controlling stratigraphic developmentmore » of a carbonate platform margin. Similar anomalously thick slope deposits in ancient sequences may indicate similar controls on accumulation and could lend to predictions of related paleo-platform configurations.« less
Onc genes and other new targets for cancer chemotherapy.

Recent advances in molecular biology have raised the hope that understanding of human cancer might progress rapidly and that improvements in therapy might result (Bishop 1983 a, b; Busch 1962; Busch 1976; Duesberg 1983). With the development of gene cloning, DNA sequence analysis and improved hybridization methods, it became possible to evaluate whether cancer results from alteration in gene dosage, point or multiple mutation of genes, translocations, deletions, insertions, inversions, cis or trans altered promoters, amplification, and a variety of other genetic factors, including enhancer elements that alter rates of readouts of particular mRNA species. “Onc genes” are under intensive study because they offer manageable probes for evaluation of these various possibilities and also because the study of their cellular analogs may further understanding of the molecular biology of normal fetal and malignant cells. Despite the excessive enthusiasm of some proponents of this field and the negativism of its critics (Bishop 1983 a, b; Duesberg 1983), it is clear that analytical tools and new information will be of value in further studies on experimental cancer, regardless of whether cellular oncogenes (c-onc genes) have anything to do with human cancer or not. In the meantime, studies on enzymes, protein and epitopes involved in growth processes, have opened new avenues for inhibition of human cancer by quantitative reduction of biosynthetic reactions.
Evidence for 35‐50 day low frequency oscillations in total ozone mapping spectrometer data

A large number of investigations are currently focused on low frequency oscillations (LFO) of the tropical atmosphere, with periods of one to two months. Recently, the existence of LFO in the stratosphere has been postulated by global circulation model results and also by observations based on satellite microwave and infrared data. However, the observational results are not well captured by the model calculations. The present work utilizes an independent set of satellite data (four years of data from the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), between latitudes 65N and 65S) as a check on the previous observational analyses. Evidence is found for the existence of 35-50 day oscillations in the TOMS data over the Southeast Pacific and South Indian Oceans, corroborating the earlier observational report.
Logic and Language Models for Computer Science

From the Publisher: This text makes in-depth explorations of a broad range of theoretical topics in computer science. It plunges into the applications of the abstract concepts in order to confront and address the skepticism of readers, and instill in them an appreciation for the usefulness of theory. A two-part presentation integrates logic and formal languageboth with applications. Chapter topics cover mathematical preliminaries, propositional logic, proving things: why and how, predicate logic, proving with predicates, program verification, logic programming, language models for computer science, language models, finite automata and their languages, regular expressions, Lex: a tool for building lexical scanners, context-free grammars, pushdown automata and parsing, and turing machines. For future computer scientists.
Privatization and production efficiency in Taiwan's telecommunications industry

Many managers, economists, and policy-makers have long believed that the production of a private enterprise is more efficient than that of a public one. This paper investigated whether it was good policy to privatize Taiwan's telecommunications industry by comparing the changes in efficiency in Chunghwa Telecom Company (CHT Co.) before and after privatization. The data envelopment analysis (DEA) model was used to evaluate their operational performance both pre- and post-privatization. The technical efficiency (CRS) computed with the CCR model assuming constant returns to scale, the technical efficiency (VRS), and the scale efficiency (VRS) were obtained with the BCC model assuming variable returns to scale, using the time-series data from CHT. The findings of this study show that the production efficiencies of CHT, both pre- and post-privatization are inefficient since all of the technical efficiencies are smaller than one.
Intimate partner abuse and the reproductive health of sexually active female adolescents.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the associations between verbal and minor physical abuse by an intimate partner and reproductive health behavior. Methods Logistic regression analyses of 1996 cross-sectional data from 973 sexually active, dating female adolescents surveyed for wave II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health Public Use Dataset examining the relationship between abuse by an intimate partner and reproductive health. We measured verbal (insulted in public, sworn at, or threatened with violence) and minor physical (threw something at them, pushed them, or shoved them) abuse by any intimate partner during the past 18 months and by any current intimate partner. Reproductive health variables included condom use with most recent intercourse, contraception use with most recent intercourse, history of sexually transmitted infection, and history of pregnancy. Results After adjusting for sociodemographic factors, number of intimate partners, and history of forced sexual intercourse, the current involvement in a verbally abusive relationship was associated with not using a condom during the most recent intercourse (odds ratio, 1.56; 95% confidence interval, 1.02–2.40), and both a history of involvement and current involvement in a physically abusive relationship were associated with a history of pregnancy (odds ratio, 2.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.47–4.17; and odds ratio, 3.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.85–6.67, respectively). Neither verbal nor physical abuse were associated with the other reproductive health outcomes. Conclusions Physical abuse by an intimate partner is associated with pregnancy and current involvement in a verbally abusive relationship is associated with decreased condom use among sexually experienced female adolescents. Health care providers should be attentive to the association between abuse and pregnancy among adolescents.
Plan, Projection, Policy—Mathematical Programming and Planning Theory

The purpose of planning models is to help determine how best to change the controllable variables of a system so that the system will move toward desired goals. In the case of public planning, the welfare criterion or planning objective is not likely to be the same as the objective function driving the behavior of the individual elements of the system. A rigorous definition of a theory of planning is provided through extensions to the linear-programming analysis of the decentralized firm in order to handle (1) the distinction between the planning objectives and behavioral objectives, and (2) the indirect determination of prices by a public agency through policies which modify existing prices sufficiently to achieve a prescribed allocation of resources. A set of three related mathematical programs is identified which yield respectively a target plan, a projection, and an optimal choice of policies. A combination of these programs defines the best solution in terms of the value of the target plan minus the ...
CatSperβ, a Novel Transmembrane Protein in the CatSper Channel Complex *

Four CatSper ion channel subunit genes (CatSpers 1-4) are required for sperm cell hyperactivation and male fertility. The four proteins assemble (presumably as a tetramer) to form a sperm-specific, alkalinization-activated Ca2+-selective channel. We set out to identify proteins associating with CatSper that might help explain its unique role in spermatozoa. Using a transgenic approach, a CatSper1 complex was purified from mouse testis that contained heat shock protein 70-2, a testis-specific chaperone, and CatSperβ, a novel protein with two putative transmembrane-spanning domains. Like the CatSper ion channel subunits, CatSperβ was restricted to testis and localized to the principal piece of the sperm tail. CatSperβ protein is absent in CatSper1-/- sperm, suggesting that it is required for trafficking or formation of a stable channel complex. CatSperβ is the first identified auxiliary protein to the CatSper channel.
Using airborne middle-infrared (1.45–2.0 μm) video imagery for distinguishing plant species and soil conditions

Abstract This paper describes the use of a black-and-white visible/infrared (0.4–2.4 μm) sensitive video camera, filtered to record radiation within the 1.45–2.0 μm middle-infrared water absorption region, for discriminating among plant species and soil conditions. The camera provided adequate quality airborne imagery that distinguished the succulent plant species onions ( Allium cepum L.) and aloe vera ( Aloe barbadensis Mill.) from nonsucculent plant species. Moreover, wet soil, dry crusted soil, and dry fallow soil could be differentiated in middle-infrared video images. Succulent plants, however, could not be distinguished from wet soil or water. These results show that middle-infrared video imagery has potential use for remote sensing research and applications.
Local to Global: The Emerging Research Library

Research, scholarship, and discovery have been transformed by the internet and communication technologies across all sectors on a global basis. The rapid dissemination of findings, the creation of new tools and platforms for information manipulation, and open access to research data have rendered the more traditional institution-based library approaches to providing access to information inadequate. This paper will examine collective choices and strategies needed to move local collections and services to a global scale in the emerging research library.
Deadlock removal using partial rollback in database systems

The problem of removing deadlocks from concurrent database systems using the two-phase locking protocol is considered. In particular, for systems which use no a priori information about transaction behavior in order to avoid deadlocks, it has generally been assumed necessary to totally remove and restart some transaction involved in a deadlock in order to relieve the situation. In this paper, a new approach to deadlock removal in such systems based on partial rollbacks is introduced. This approach does not in general require the total removal of a transaction to eliminate a deadlock. The task of optimizing deadlock removal using this method is discussed for systems allowing both exclusive and shared locking. A method is given for implementing this approach with no more storage overhead than that required for total removal and restart.
Mice genetically selected for differences in open-field activity after ethanol

Abstract Starting from a population of genetically heterogeneous mice, selective breeding is being used to develop lines differing in sensitivity to ethanol-induced open-field activity. Mice are tested twice for 4 min in an open field. The first test is between min 2–6 after injection of saline. Twenty-four hr later, a similar test is performed after injection of ethanol (1.5 g/kg). Two independent FAST lines are being selected for ethanol-induced increases in activity, and two independent SLOW lines are being selected for ethanol-induced decreases. After four generations of selection, the lines have diverged significantly. These lines should be useful for exploring the neuropharmacological basis for the activating and rewarding properties of ethanol.
Acoustic wave amplification in solid rockets by discrete mass injection

Discrete mass injection as a contributing source of transverse acoustic wave excitation in a solidpropellant rocket motor has been studied for a particular class of grain configurations. This configuration consists of a circular cylindrical chamber at the foreward end of which a series of radial slots are cut into the propellant. During burning, combustion gases generated within the slots are injected into the cylindrical chamber as plane jets. Since the slot burning area may represent a significant fraction of the total propellant burning surface, flow velocities into the chamber may be large, especially early in the motor run. The analysis shows that the mass flux from the slots convects energy that contributes to the driving of acoustic waves in the cylindrical chamber. In addition, depending on the number of radial slots present, certain standing transverse modes are driven at higher rates than others. For traveling transverse wave modes, no selective driving effects can be found. In general, traveling waves are more prone to amplification by discrete mass injection than standing waves. Longitudinal modes may also be excited by the same mechanism. Clearly the influence of grain geometry on acoustic instability should be included among other factors in the design of slotted grain configurations.
cAMP initiates early phase neuron-like morphology changes and late phase neural differentiation in mesenchymal stem cells

The intracellular second messenger cAMP is frequently used in induction media to induce mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into neural lineage cells. To date, an understanding of the role cAMP exerts on MSCs and whether cAMP can induce MSCs into functional neurons is still lacking. We found cAMP initiated neuron-like morphology changes early and neural differentiation much later. The early phase changes in morphology were due to cell shrinkage, which subsequently rendered some cells apoptotic. While the morphology changes occurred prior to the expression of neural markers, it is not required for neural marker expression and the two processes are differentially regulated downstream of cAMP-activated protein kinase A. cAMP enabled MSCs to gain neural marker expressions with neuronal function, such as, calcium rise in response to neuronal activators, dopamine, glutamate, and potassium chloride. However, only some of the cells induced by cAMP responded to the three neuronal activators and further lack the neuronal morphology, suggesting that although cAMP is able to direct MSCs towards neural differentiation, they do not achieve terminal differentiation.
Exploring operating system internals with workstations

This paper describes an innovative project involving the use of workstations as a laboratory tool in the required undergraduate operating systems course as well as in an elective performance evaluation course. This particular use allows students hands on experience working with the internals of a modern operating system. It also allows students to perform experiments comparing the performance aspects of different implementations of operating system internals.The paper begins by describing the situation that led to securing funding for the laboratory. It continues by describing the development plan for the laboratory including both the orderly migration from the initial delivery of equipment to full operation. The paper concludes with a description of the benefits of this laboratory and a description of the equipment.
The pathological gambler's system for self-deception

Many pathological gamblers fit the criteria for narcissistic personality disorder, while most show prominent narcissistic features. The building blocks of this kind of personality are described: the primitive defense mechanisms of splitting, projection, idealization and devaluation, omnipotence and denial. The types of deception and self-deception observed in the clinical setting are offered as examples of these mechanisms. For therapy to be successful, it is suggested that four areas require special understanding 1.) the patients' omnipotence 2.) the confusion over boundary issues 3.) their idealization of destructiveness 4.) their lying.
Effects of light level and N:P supply ratio on the competition between Phaeocystis cf. pouchetii (Hariot) Lagerheim (prymnesiophyceae) and five diatom species

Abstract Phaeocystis cf. pouchetii (Hariot) Lagerheim and five winter/spring diatom species from Cape Cod Bay/Massachusetts Bay were grown in semi-continuous culture in order to investigate the effects of irradiance and N:P supply ratio on their competitive ability. Experiments were conducted at two light levels under N- and P-limiting conditions. Phaeocystis grew fastest relative to the other algae when nutrients were non-limiting and irradiance was low, although it was not capable of dominating under these conditions within the time course of the experiment. In general, Phaeocystis was a poor competitor when N or P was limiting; however, its relative abundance under P limitation varied greatly with irradiance. The flagellated form of this organism predominated in these experiments and appeared to have an enhanced ability to compete for P under high light conditions. Differences in the chemical composition of the phytoplankton assemblages at the two light levels indicated an interactive influence of nutrients and irradiance on growth and biovolume. This interactive effect may play an important role in phytoplankton competition, since nutrient requirements may vary in unique ways for different species with changes in irradiance.
Modeling and projection in software development

Modeling is a fundamental technique for coping with undesirable complexity in constructing and reasoning about software systems. The concept of modeling can be applied to software design and implementation in two ways: a design can be viewed as an abstract model of the system it represents, and designs and implementations may be represented by even more abstract, simplified models for purposes of analysis. A discussion of these concepts and their applications is presented, including a case study showing the use of modeling in the debugging of an actual software system and remarks on research in progress.
Valve Replacement for Left-Sided Endocarditis in Drug Addicts

Eighteen drug addicts with left-sided valvular endocarditis requiring operation are reviewed. Gram-positive bacteria were the most common organisms cultured (61%), with Staphylococcus aureus present in 7 of 11 patients. Gram-negative bacteria, exclusively Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were cultured in the remaining 39%. Indications for operation included sepsis (61%), heart failure (78%), and systemic emboli (22%). Abscesses formed in 6 of 11 patients with gram-positive endocarditis, while only one abscess was present with gram-negative endocarditis. Normal valves were infected in 17 of 18 patients (94%). Early surgical mortality (less than 30 days) was 11%. There were major complications in 79% of these patients, including persistent sepsis (50%), valvular dehiscence, prosthetic endocarditis or perivalvular leakage (37%), and mycotic aneurysms (22%). These complications were directly related to a late mortality of 44%, yielding an overall mortality of 50% in the first nine months after operation. Contrary to previous reports of acceptable surgical survival for valvular endocarditis, these data suggest that endocarditis involving the aortic or mitral valve in a drug addict is a highly lethal disease due to the virulence of the organisms, the severity of the complications encountered, and the predisposition to continued addiction.
Earth science space missions in the 21 st century

In 2007, the National Research Council (NRC) published “Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond, 2007”, commonly known as the “Decadal Survey”. This report called for a balanced set of Earth Science Missions across the Earth Science research spectrum. In response, in February 2008, NASA's Earth Science Division reorganized into two program offices: The Earth Systematic Missions Program Office (ESM PO) at Goddard Space Flight Center which includes satellites making continuous measurements of the Earth's climate, and the Earth System Science Pathfinder Program Office (ESSP PO) at Langley Research Center which develops pathfinder missions through Announcements of Opportunity. In June 2010 NASA published its plan to achieve the goals of the Decadal Survey, “Responding to the Challenge of Climate and Environmental Change: NASA's Plan for a Climate-Centric Architecture for Earth Observations and Applications from Space.” This plan includes support for the Decadal Survey missions as well as a set of “climate continuity missions” to address the scientific need for data continuity of key climate observations. In 2011 the NRC revisited the Decadal Survey report and published “Earth Science and Applications from Space: A Midterm Assessment of NASA's Implementation of the Decadal Survey”. This report notes that progress on the Decadal Survey plan has been slower than planned due to budget shortfalls and launch vehicle failures, and stresses that the goals of the Decadal Survey are as important as ever and must still yield a scientifically-balanced program. This paper will discuss the current status of the mission/mission study portfolios of the ESMP Program and the Earth Venture solicitations of the ESSP Program and how the Programs support the goals established and reiterated by the NRC, and will discuss the risks and challenges faced by the Programs as together they strive to meet these goals.
Generation and use of handwritten CAPTCHAs

Automated recognition of unconstrained handwriting continues to be a challenging research task. In contrast to the traditional role of handwriting recognition in applications such as postal automation and bank check reading, in this paper, we explore the use of handwriting recognition in designing CAPTCHAs for cyber security. CAPTCHAs (Completely Automatic Public Turing tests to tell Computers and Humans Apart) are automatic reverse Turing tests designed so that virtually all humans can pass the test, but state-of-the-art computer programs will fail. Machine-printed, text-based CAPTCHAs are now commonly used to defend against bot attacks. Our focus is on exploring the generation and use of handwritten CAPTCHAs. We have used a large repository of handwritten word images that current handwriting recognizers cannot read (even when provided with a lexicon) for this purpose and also used synthetic handwritten samples. We take advantage of both our knowledge of the common source of errors in automated handwriting recognition systems as well as the salient aspects of human reading. The simultaneous interplay of several Gestalt laws of perception and the geon theory of pattern recognition (that implies object recognition occurs by components) allows us to explore the parameters that truly separate human and machine abilities.
Advances in the development of vaccines against Marburg and Ebola viruses

Peter L Collins & Alexander Bukreyev† †Author for correspondence Laboratory of Infectious Disease, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Drive, Room 6505, Bethesda, MA 20892-8007, USA Tel.: +1 301 594 1854; Fax: +1 301 496 8312; ab176v@nih.gov ‘The development of vaccines against MARV and EBOV ... is a high priority because of their high virulence, ability to spread from person to person and the possibility of their use in bioterrorism.’
Increased levels of human telomerase activity have been demonstrated in a wide variety of human tumours

We have used a 19mer, antisense oligonucleotide directed against the human telomerase RNA component (hTR) to inactivate this enzyme. These oligos are linked to a 2',5'-oligoadenylate moiety which activates RNAase L, resulting in degradation of the target RNA. Targeting hTR in variety of human tumour cells from different origins in vitro results in drastically reduced cell viability. In vivo tumours grown subcutaneously in nude mice reduce in size following treatment with the anti-hTR oligos. Normal fibroblast and epithelial cells do not show any reduction in viability following treatment. TUNEL assays demonstrate that the cytotoxic effects are mediated through apoptotic pathways where the maximum effect is seen after only 4 days of treatment. This response is p53 independent since the majority of the tumour cells used are deficient in p53 function. It also seems that telomere shortening is not the cause of cell death since the cells do not go through sufficient rounds of division for this to happen. In order to gain more insight into the pathways which are affected by the 2-5A anti-hTR treatment we investigated the changes in gene expression which are produced in the human glioma cell line U373 following 2-5A anti-hTR treatment using Affymetrix GeneChip microarray technology. We compared gene expression levels at 4 different time points after treatment using the Affymetrix HU6800 chips. The data demonstrates dysregulation of a significant number of genes implicating the possible involvement of a number of different pathways. The role of these genes in the response to inactivation of telomerase is currently under investigation.
Oxidative folding: cellular strategies for dealing with the resultant equimolar production of reactive oxygen species.

All eukaryotic cells possess an endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is the site for synthesizing proteins that populate the cell surface or extracellular space. The environment of the ER is oxidizing, which supports the formation of intra- and interchain disulfide bonds that serve to stabilize the folding and assembly of nascent proteins. Recent experimental data reveal that the formation of disulfide bonds does not occur spontaneously but results from the enzymatic transfer of disulfide bonds through a number of intermediate proteins, with molecular oxygen serving as the terminal electron acceptor. Thus, each disulfide bond that forms during oxidative folding should produce a single reactive oxygen species (ROS). Dedicated secretory tissues like the pancreas and plasma cells have been estimated to form up to 3–6 million disulfide bonds per minute, which would be expected to result in the production of the same number of molecules of ROS. Although the methods used to deal with this amount of oxidative stress are not well understood, recent research suggests that different types of cells use distinct strategies and that the unfolded protein response (UPR) is a critical component of the defense. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 11, 2317–2331.