cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamics of a disclination point in smectic-C and -C liquid-crystal films.

We derive a dynamical equation for the stochastic motion of a vortexlike point disclination in thin smectic-C and -${C}^{\mathrm{*}}$ liquid-crystal films. The inertial mass results from flow-induced distortions of the director structure in the core region, while the friction force is due to energy dissipation accompanying director rotations. The elastic force obtained from the curvature energy turns out to be negligible. The resulting dynamics is a Brownian motion, where the diffusion constant is much larger than for a comparable physical particle.
WAR in the Media: Metaphors, Ideology, and the Formation of Language Policy.

Abstract In 2000, the Arizona Proposition 203 campaign gained overwhelming public approval by claiming that Arizona's bilingual education programs impeded English-language learning of language-minority students. Established within a context of educational and social antipathy, it is necessary to look at the impetus for language policies like Proposition 203 and how they are promoted to the public. This project is based on Lakoff and Johnson's (1980) work with metaphor theory to uncover the rhetorical strategies applied in the media by the English for the Children campaign to position Proposition 203 in a favorable light. Grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis, Santa Ana's (2002) metaphor analysis model is applied here to unveil the most prominent metaphors used to degrade bilingual education in public discourse. While many metaphors were applied in this debate, this work concentrates on the multivalent metaphor PROPOSITION 203 AS WAR to expose the underlying ideology of Proposition 203 and its supporters...
Development of freight car wheel profiles — a case study

A case study involving the development of a customized wheel profile is discussed. The process of designing a new standard interchange profile for North American railroads is described. Alternative profiles were derived through two techniques: an average worn wheel profile and profiles based on expansions of rail shapes. Both these methods provide good base designs for candidate profiles. However, the initial wheel shapes produced were modified to suit the specific concerns of the task involved. This was done through careful computer analysis of the dynamic and contact stress characteristics of each wheel.
Extrudate swell for a round jet with large surface tension

Abstract The problem of extrudate swell of a viscoelastic fluid from a round pipe is studied by the method of domain perturbations. The perturbation problems are solved by a finite-element method through second-order in the flow rate parameter ∈ for small flow rates. The analysis extends the work of Sturges on swelling in two-dimensional channels to round capillary tubes. In perturbation studies for small ∈, the rheology of the fluid may be expressed by three parameters, the viscosity and the two constants α 1 and α 2 appearing at order two in the expansion of the extra stress around zero shear. Surface tension has an important influence on the shape of the jet at low speeds. The shape of the surface on a round jet depends on α 1 and α 2 , in the plane jet only on α 1 . The analysis predicts that no matter what the constitutive equation may be, the jet will first contract if the radius of the pipe is sufficiently small. The contraction takes place in a length less than 1 10 the diameter of the jet and is followed by a swell. The contraction is usually small and may be hard to observe. There are five different contributions to the jet shape at second-order but only the viscoelastic ones persist as the pipe radius goes to zero.
Electrophysiological evidence for A10 dopamine autoreceptor subsensitivity following chronicd-amphetamine treatment

Abstract Extracellular single unit recording techniques were used to determine whether chronic treatment with d -amphetamine (AMP) causes a subsensitivity of dopamine (DA) autoreceptors on A10 DA neurons in the rat ventral tegmental area. Either once daily or twice daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 5.0 mg/kg AMP for 1 week significantly reduced the ability of intravenous (i.v.) AMP and apomorphine (APO) to suppress the firing of A10 DA neurons when tested 24–32 h after the final administration of i.p. AMP. For both of these treatment regimens, the dose-response curves for AMP and APO induced suppression were shifted approximately 4-fold to the right of control. Following an 8 day abstinence period, only the rats that received twice daily AMP injections exhibited subsensitivity to i.v. AMP and APO; the degree of subsensitivity was reduced by 50% as compared to that observed 24–32 h post-treatment. These results were not due to acute tolerance phenomena since a single i.p. injection of AMP 24–32 h before testing failed to alter sensitivity to i.v. AMP and APO. Rather, the results indicate that chronic AMP treatment reduces the sensitivity of A10 DA neurons to DA agonists. DA autoreceptor subsensitivity was demonstrated further by the finding that the ability of microiontophoretically applied DA to suppress A10 DA neuronal activity was markedly reduced (5.8-fold shift of the dose-response curve) by chronic AMP treatment (2 × 5 mg/kg/day). In contrast, there was no alteration in the ability of iontophoretic gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) to suppress A10 DA activity in chronic AMP rats. Chronic AMP-treatment also increased the number of spontaneously active A10 DA neurons as well as their basal firing rate. It is suggested that the ability of chronic AMP treatment to decrease the autoregulatory ability of A10 DA neurons may be related to the phenomena of behavioral sensitization and AMP psychosis.
Dual-tracer imaging of malignant bone involvement using PET

Despite widespread use of PET/CT in oncological imaging, bone scintigraphy has remained the mainstay of imaging osseous involvement in certain malignancies such as advanced breast cancer. Osseous lesions and particularly blastic metastases may have low or variable uptake on 18F-FDG PET. 18F-fluoride PET has higher sensitivity and superior resolution and specificity compared to bone scintigraphy, but the associated cost has hindered its clinical application. Dual-tracer imaging using combined 18F-fluoride and 18F-FDG is an alternative cost-effective approach for imaging both osseous and extra-osseous involvement using PET/CT as a single PET/CT examination. Here, we discuss the technical aspects and clinical applications of combined 18F-fluoride and 18F-FDG PET/CT and review the data regarding feasibility and validation for this approach and it’s potential for improving patient care.
Electronic relaxation of 3P0 and 1D2 states of Pr(3+) IN POCl3:SnCl4☆

Abstract Luminescence lifetimes of the 1 D 2 level of Pr 3+ in POCl 3 :SnCl 4 were determined under direct ( λ exc = 592 nm) and indirect ( λ exc 1 D 2 level. The value of τ( 1 D 2 ), which is dependent on the concentration of Pr 3+ , varies from 17.0 to 98 μs for Pr 3+ concentrations ranging from 8 × 10 −2 to 4 × 10 −3 M. Luminescence lifetimes of the 3 P 0 state of Pr 3+ were measured only at very low [Pr 3+ ], approaching a value of 27 μs. Electronic relaxation induced by the solvent plays a dominant role in the de-excitation of the 3 P 0 level whereas cross relaxation appears to dominate in the de-excitation of the 1 D 2 level.
THE CALCULATION OF THE SHOCK VELOCITY: PARTICLE VELOCITY RELATIONSHIP FOR A COPPER POWDER BY DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATION

Abstract The dynamic compaction of ceramics, oxide superconductors, and superhard materials is an active area of research world-wide. The current knowledge about shock processes in materials is based primarily on phenomenological modeling. In order to optimize the dynamic powder compaction process, a detailed understanding of the micromechanical behavior of the powder during the compaction process is necessary. As a first step, the shock compaction of a moderate number (~100) of discrete powder particles is simulated with an explicit Eulerian finite element program. To verify the accuracy of the calculations, the relationship between the particle velocity and the shock velocity for a copper powder has been calculated and compared to experimental results. Copper was chosen for these calculations because of the extensive experimental results that are available in the literature.
Circadian Gating of the Cell Cycle Revealed in Single Cyanobacterial Cells

Although major progress has been made in uncovering the machinery that underlies individual biological clocks, much less is known about how multiple clocks coordinate their oscillations. We simultaneously tracked cell division events and circadian phases of individual cells of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus and fit the data to a model to determine when cell cycle progression slows as a function of circadian and cell cycle phases. We infer that cell cycle progression in cyanobacteria slows during a specific circadian interval but is uniform across cell cycle phases. Our model is applicable to the quantification of the coupling between biological oscillators in other organisms.
A hands-on discussion of "dissection": coalitions lessons learned

Summary form only given. A number of schools across the country associated with the NSF coalition program have incorporated the study of the artifacts and processes practised by others into their engineering undergraduate programs. Broadly labeled, this is "case-based learning". One "twist" to case-based learning has been to have the basis of the case study be the hardware itself: for example, Sheppard initiated a course in the fall of 1990 for freshman- and sophomore-level undergraduate engineering students called "Mechanical Dissection" with NSF Synthesis Coalition sponsorship. The course was created to help students become familiar with the machines/mechanisms that surround them in order to help them gain confidence in their ability to work with, build up and manipulate them. Another variation of the dissection approach is offered at North Carolina State in the "Product and Process Engineering Laboratory" where students dissect products while playing the roles of user, assembler and engineer, in series. Still another variation exists at UC-Berkeley, where students dissect products in conjunction with a multimedia case study that offers perspectives of the engineers who actually designed the product and explanations of design details. These and other variations of the "product dissection" approach to exposing students to hardware and design issues are demonstrated. A discussion on the advantages and limitations of this pedagogy is given.
Adaptive disturbance rejection for disk drives using neural networks

This paper presents the experimental verification of an adaptive feedforward disturbance rejection scheme for hard disk drives. The control scheme is shown to reduce the error during track-following by as much as 11.8%. The adaptive disturbance rejector is added to a baseline controller and broken into two parts: a part to suppress the repeatable runout and another to attenuate the residual disturbance by using radial basis functions. Both parts are adapted online to ensure good disturbance rejection. The experimental results are included to demonstrate the effectiveness on a commercial hard disk drive.
Availability of buprenorphine on the Internet for purchase without a prescription.

Background Use of illicit buprenorphine is increasingly recognized, but it is unknown if the Internet currently represents an accessible source.
Rate Coefficients for Reactions of NO3 with a Few Olefins and Oxygenated Olefins

The rate coefficients for the reactions of NO3 with 2-methyl-3-butene-2-ol (methyl butenol, MBO, k1), 1-butene (k2), trans-2-butene (k3), methacrolein (MACR, k4), and methyl vinyl ketone (MVK, k5) ...
Skeletal muscle mitochondrial density, gene expression, and enzyme activities in human heart failure: minimal effects of the disease and resistance training.

Impaired skeletal muscle energetics could adversely affect physical and metabolic function in patients with heart failure (HF). The effect of HF on aspects of mitochondrial structure and function, ...
Manipulating the Number and Type of Adaptive Variables in Training

Abstract : To investigate the effectiveness of various types and numbers of adaptive variables, 48 subjects performed a two-dimensional pursuit tracking task for five three-minute training sessions. In the factorial design resulting in eight experimental conditions, three variables (frequency of the forcing function, ratio of acceleration to rate control, and the amount of gain in the control stick) were either fixed or adaptive. A transfer and retention task in which the tracking situation changed periodically was used to evaluate the ability of subjects to adjust to change. Each adaptive variable in training was analyzed separately. Results are discussed in terms of stimulus and response similarity, the optimum number of adaptive variables, and the appropriateness of a changing task to evaluate adaptive training.
Neoliberalism: The Solution for Latin America?

Why have the East Asian "tigers" -South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong-succeeded in their economic development while Latin American countries have "failed"? Why can't Latin American countries emulate the East Asians and reproduce their success? Two recent works examine these questions, comparing and contrasting the East Asian and Latin American development experiences, sketching the different historical-structural features of the two regions, and detailing the different development strategies employed by the states. On the basis of these differences, both cast doubt upon the simplistic notion that Latin Americans can or should emulate East Asian development strategies. Further, both suggest that the conventional wisdom that Latin America has failed because of its statist policies and East Asia succeeded because of its free-market model is not sustained by the facts. Ziya Oni? argues in "The Logic of the Developmental State" that "the East Asian model of the developmental state is the product of unique historical circumstances with the logical corollary that there exist major constraints on its transferability to or replicability in alternative national contexts" (1991: 120). Various contributors to Gereffi and Wyman's Manufacturing Miracles point out that in Latin America the penetration of transnational corporations has been more significant (leaving a narrower range of choice for states) and both class structures and the geopolitical interests and policies of the U.S. government have differed. The substantial evidence presented seems to strengthen some aspects of the dependency perspective and call the neoliberal model into question. For example, whereas East Asian states have made their own decisions regarding company export policies, Latin American countries have often had to struggle with the transnationals entrenched in the region and making corporate decisions on the basis of global market strategies rather than national development -to direct their economic development. While some criticisms of the dependency
Optimum Control of Distributed-Parameter Systems

This paper presents a general discussion of the optimum control of distributed-parameter dynamical systems. The main areas of discussion are: (a) The mathematical description of distributed parameter systems, (b) the controllability and observability of these systems, (c) the formulation of optimum control problems and the derivation of a maximum principle for a particular class of systems, and (d) the problems associated with approximating distributed systems by discretization. In order to illustrate the applicability of certain general results and manifest some of the properties which are intrinsic to distributed systems, specific results are obtained for a simple, one-dimensional, linear-diffusion process.
Adaptive Vehicle Speed Control With Input Injections for Longitudinal Motion Independent Road Frictional Condition Estimation

This paper presents a novel real-time tire-road friction coefficient estimation method that is independent of vehicle longitudinal motion for ground vehicles with separable control of the front and rear wheels. The tire-road friction coefficient information is of critical importance for vehicle dynamic control systems and intelligent autonomous vehicle applications. In this paper, the vehicle longitudinal-motion-independent tire-road friction coefficient estimation method consists of three main components: 1) an observer to estimate the internal state of a dynamic LuGre tire model; 2) an adaptive control law with a parameter projection mechanism to track the desired vehicle longitudinal motion in the presence of tire-road friction coefficient uncertainties and actively injected braking excitation signals; and 3) a recursive least square estimator that is independent of the control law, to estimate the tire-road friction coefficient in real time. Simulation results based on a high-fidelity CarSim full-vehicle model show that the system can reliably estimate the tire-road friction coefficient independent of vehicle longitudinal motion.
Seismic Imaging Beneath Thrust Blocks

In a proof of concept study, conditions under which turning ray fault plane reflections can be applied to imaging sediments beneath an overthrust block are investigated through modeling. In a simplified overthrust model, conventional primary reflections and fault plane reflections are compared as ways of imaging sediments beneath the block. Velocities chosen for basement and sediments in the model correspond broadly to those for igneous rocks, elastics, and carbonates of the Anadarko Basin, Oklahoma. The acquisition geometry required in order to utilize fault plane reflections is considered, and amplitude behaviors associated with vertical velocity gradients of.2,.5, and.7 ft/sec per ft are investigated through ray tracing. In the case of a vertical velocity gradient of.7 ft/sec per ft, the simplified model is modified to include a syncline beneath an overthrust. When the vertical velocity gradient is.7 ft/sec per ft, amplitudes for the fault plane reflection become substantially larger than those for the primary reflection, which suggests that recording the fault plane reflection may be useful in imaging subthrust sediments in some situations. Challenges in the acquisition and processing of actual fault plane reflections are discussed.
What Media Bias? Conservative and Liberal Labeling in Major U.S. Newspapers:

This article tests the hypothesis that major U.S. newspapers disproportionately label conservative politicians. We quantitatively analyze ideological labels of U.S. congresspersons and senators in ...
Distinct Strategies Are Required to Suppress Antigen-specific Responses to Genetically Modified Keratinocytes and Fibroblasts

Keratinocytes and fibroblasts are potential targets of gene/cell therapy for genodermatoses. Immune elimination of genetically modified cells, however, presents a major impediment to effective therapy. Using ex vivo approaches to gene transfer, we have previously shown that expression of an antigen by either cell type in skin induces immune rejection of transplanted cells, although the nature of immune responses induced by these two cell types are distinct. In this study, we explore the efficacy of local immunosuppressive strategies to divert destructive immune responses from genetically modified fibroblast and keratinocytes. Expression of CTLA4Ig and, to a lesser extent, PDL1, by antigenic fibroblasts protected them from immune rejection resulting in long-term graft survival (>18 weeks). Similar treatment was not effective for antigenic keratinocytes. Long-term protection of transgenic keratinocytes was achieved through transient blockade of CD40/CD154 interactions during the first 2 weeks of cell transplantation. Although neither of these strategies induced antigen-specific tolerance, they were sufficient to prevent rejection of genetically modified cells. These results indicate that different strategies are required to protect antigenic cell types even within the same tissue. Moreover, induction of antigen-specific tolerance is not a necessary requirement for long-term survival of genetically modified skin cells.
Fetal and adult localization of C/EBP: evidence for combinatorial action of transcription factors in cell-specific gene expression

C/EBP is a positive-acting transcription factor important for hepatocyte-specific expression present not only in hepatocytes but also a limited number of other cell types in adult mice. By Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization experiments with mouse embryos and adult tissues, we first detected C/EBP mRNA in hepatocytes at the 13th gestational day, when no other cell types give detectable signals and thus by this test C/EBP is, at least in the embryo, a 'liver-specific' factor. Only trace amounts of C/EBP were seen in the yolk sac and no mRNA was detectable in choroid plexus in either embryos or adult animals. Both these cell types produce some proteins (e.g. albumin, transthyretin, alpha-1 antitrypsin and others) that are also made in the liver where C/EBP is important for their production; thus either fewer factors or different factors govern yolk sac and choroid plexus production of these proteins. C/EBP mRNA was not detected in fetal brain but was present in several regions of the adult mouse brain again emphasizing that this factor does not appear to have a very early embryologic role. In the adult brain, it was most concentrated in CA1 to CA4 regions of the hippocampus, in cerebellar Purkinje cells, and in layer II and III of the cortex.
Applications of arithmetic algebraic geometry to diophantine approximations

1 History; integral and rational points 2 Siegel’s lemma 3 The index 4 Sketch of the proof of Roth’s theorem 5 Notation 6 Derivatives 7 Proof of Mordell, with some simplifications by Bombieri 8 Proof using Gillet-Soule Riemann-Roch 9 The Faltings complex 10 Overall plan 11 Lower bound on the space of sections 12 More geometry of numbers 13 Arithmetic of the Faltings complex 14 Construction of a global section 15 Some analysis 16 More derivatives 17 Lower bound for the index 18 The product theorem
Meta-language and meta-reasoning

We describe three experiments using meta-language and meta-reasoning to solve problems involving belief, heuristics, and points of view. These experiments use the knowledge representation system SPHERE, built at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories and based on the ideas of FOL [20]. A key idea underlying our research is the segmentation of knowledge into contexts and the meta-linguistic treatment of these contexts as objects.
Free, open, online, mathematics help forums: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Free, open, online, help forums link students with volunteer helpers who have the time, knowledge, and willingness to provide assistance with specific problems from coursework. Some forums endorse a select learning theory, whereas others do not espouse any one approach. This study shows how student activity differs in a forum that supports Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and one that does not embrace the practice of any single learning theory. A sample of 100 exchanges on the calculus concept of limit were collected from the archives of a forum of each type and compared for student contributions to the construction of the solution and student initiative in expressing resolution. The results show that the forum supporting CLT evidences lower levels of student activity (both initially and following helper intervention), and favors weak over strong expressions of resolution. The designation of the good, bad, and ugly depends on the reader's epistemological stance.
Exploration of Plasma Control for Supersonic Turbulent Flow over a Compression Ramp

The Navier-Stokes equations are solved using a high-fidelity time-implicit numerical scheme and an implicit large-eddy simulation approach to investigate plasmabased flow control for supersonic flow over a compression ramp. The configuration includes a flat-plate region to develop an equilibrium turbulent boundary layer at Mach 2.25, which is validated against a set of experimental measurements. The fully turbulent boundary-layer flow interacts with a 24◦ ramp and produces an unsteady shock-induced separation. A control strategy to suppress the separation through a magnetically-driven gliding-arc actuator is explored. The size, strength, and placement of the actuator are developed based on recent experiments. Three control scenarios were examined: steady control, pulsing with a 50% duty cycle, and Joule heating. The results show the control mechanism is very effective at reducing the mean separation length for all three situations. The case without pulsing and Joule heating was the most effective, with a reduction in the separation length by more than 75%. Control was also found to significantly reduce the low-frequency content of the turbulent kinetic energy spectrum.
DETAILED NUMERICAL MODELING OF A MICROCHANNEL REACTOR FOR METHANE-STEAM REFORMING

Numerical modeling of methane-steam reforming is performed in a microchannel with heat input through Palladium-deposited channel walls corresponding to the experimental setup of Eilers [1]. The low-Mach number, variable density Navier-Stokes equations together with multicomponent reactions are solved using a parallel numerical framework. Methane-steam reforming is modeled by three reduced-order reactions occurring on the reactor walls. The surface reactions in the presence of Palladium catalyst are modeled as Neumann boundary conditions to the governing equations. Use of microchannels with deposited layer of Palladium catalyst gives rise to a non-uniform distribution of active reaction sites. The surface reaction rates, based on Arrhenius type model and obtained from literature on packed-bed reactors, are modified by a correction factor to account for these effects. The reaction-rate correction factor is obtained by making use of the experimental data for specific flow conditions. The modified reaction rates are then used to predict hydrogen production in a microchannel configuration at different flow rates and results are validated to show good agreement. It is found that the endothermic reactions occurring on the catalyst surface dominate the exothermic water-gas-shift reaction. It is also observed that the methane-to-steam conversion occurs rapidly in the first half of the mircochannel. A simple one-dimensional model solving steady state species mass fraction, energy, and overall conservation of mass equations is developed and verified against the full DNS study to show good agreement.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Bi-Level Optimization of a Conceptual Metallic Wing Box with Stiffness Constraints

Optimizing an aerospace structure to meet stiffness requirements is challenging due to the complexity of finding a satisfactory stiffness distribution. For a high aspect-ratio structure such as a wing box, there are a multitude of stiffness distributions which will produce a target deflection, but only a few of which will also produce minimum weight when the structure is sized to meet stress and buckling failure criteria. The study presented in this paper uses a new panel-level optimization methodology to expedite the process of finding an optimum stiffness distribution. This methodology is tied in with a global-level optimization to explore many different stiffness distributions with a low number of design variables. The example application is the metallic wing box of a notional commercial aircraft. The presented approach is geared towards FEA-based conceptual design environments where rapid iteration is needed to determine optimum mass distributions over a structure.
Inhibition of stimulated ascorbic acid and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone release by nitric oxide synthase or guanyl cyclase inhibitors.

Ascorbic acid (AA), an antioxidant, is present in high concentrations in the hypothalamus. Previously, we have shown that AA inhibited stimulated release of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (L...
Outcome and survival in canine sick sinus syndrome and sinus node dysfunction: 93 cases (2002-2014).

Abstract Introduction To evaluate the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of a group of dogs with sinoatrial node abnormalities. Animals Ninety-three client-owned dogs at a referral institution. Materials and Methods Medical records were reviewed for clinical history, diagnostic testing, and medical or permanent artificial pacemaker (PAP) treatment. Owners or veterinarians were contacted for long-term follow-up. Results Sixty-one dogs were symptomatic for their bradyarrhythmia and were diagnosed with sick sinus syndrome (SSS). Thirty-two dogs were asymptomatic for their bradyarrhythmia and were diagnosed with sinus node dysfunction (SND). Miniature Schnauzers, West Highland White terriers, Cocker spaniels, and female dogs were overrepresented. Medical management with positive chronotropic drugs successfully controlled syncope long-term in 54% of SSS dogs, and acted as a bridge to PAP in 20%. Positive atropine response predicted medical treatment success. Forty-six percent of SSS dogs eventually underwent PAP implantation. Median survival time was approximately 18 months in SND and SSS dogs regardless of treatment strategy. Congestive heart failure (CHF) associated with progressive valvular heart disease occurred commonly in all groups, particularly in dogs with bradycardia–tachycardia syndrome. Conclusions Sinus node dysfunction and SSS represent a spectrum of sinoatrial node disease, which for some dogs may also involve a component of autonomic dysfunction. Dogs with SND do not require treatment. Dogs with SSS often require treatment to reduce the frequency of syncope; medical management is often useful, particularly in atropine responsive dogs. Prognosis of SSS with treatment is good, though development of CHF does not appear to be mitigated by treatment.
Neurochemical Aspects of Mucopolysaccharidoses

Mucopolysaccharidoses are defined in this chapter as inherited disorders, which result in the abnormal accumulation of mucopolysaccharides or glycoproteins in the body. This definition, somewhat broader than conventional, is adopted because the line between mucopolysaccharides and glycoprotein is becoming more and more obscure, and because there are disorders of glycoprotein metabolism which will not otherwise be covered in the Handbook. Several excellent reviews describe the chemistry and biochemistry of mucopolysaccharides and glycoproteins(1–8)
Acardiac acephalus with malformed donor twin

Some specific cases of Acardiac twins observed in remote parts of India where foetuses have been found to have extra limbs jutting out of chest cavity or abdomen have been given the specific and an attractive name of god baby. The present case under discussion is one such case where an Acardiac twin with Acephalus in the parasitic twin and malformed donor twin with multiple congenital anomalies incompatible with life delivered spontaneously at a tertiary care centre.
Patient Compliance with Postoperative Lower-Extremity Non-Weight-Bearing Restrictions.

Background: A period of non-weight-bearing is prescribed following many orthopaedic injuries and procedures. It is believed that a period of non-weight-bearing is important for proper healing and recovery. The degree to which patients are compliant with non-weight-bearing instructions is unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure patient compliance with a period of prescribed non-weight-bearing. Methods: In this single-blinded study, pressure-sensitive film was embedded into short leg casts of 51 consecutive adult orthopaedic patients with unilateral lower-extremity abnormality who had been instructed to be strictly non-weight-bearing. Sensors were retrieved at the time of cast removal (mean, 24.3 days [range, 7 to 48 days]) and then were analyzed for force distribution and magnitude. Noncompliance was defined as maximum detectable pressure exerted on ≥50% of the film. Patient characteristics and the time of year that the casts were worn were also examined to determine if they correlated with weight-bearing. Results: Fourteen (27.5%) of 51 patients were noncompliant with the non-weight-bearing restriction. Six (42.9%) of the 14 noncompliant patients compared with 11 (29.7%) of the 37 compliant patients experienced an adverse event (p = 0.51). Sex, age, language spoken, body mass index, time in the cast, and the treating surgeon did not have a significant influence on weight-bearing performance (p > 0.05). Significantly greater weight-bearing was found (p = 0.04) in warmer months (June to October) than in colder months (November to March) in the United States. Conclusions: The noncompliance rate with the postoperative non-weight-bearing restriction was 27.5% (95% confidence interval, 15.2% to 39.8%) in this patient group, despite explicit instructions and education about possible complications associated with weight-bearing. The only factor found to have a significant effect on weight-bearing compliance was the time of year that the cast was worn. No significant difference was found between the complication rate of the compliant patients and that of the noncompliant patients. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Conservatism, Aesthetic and Active: Reflections on Roger Scruton and Pierre Manent

ABSTRACTRoger Scruton and Pierre Manent provide us much to admire, as authors and as men, and much to ponder. They can be seen as collaborators in the defense of the nation-state against the empty universalism of “human rights,” and, more generally, in exposing the boundless arrogance and blindness of modern rationalism insofar as it denies its inheritance from premodern sources. This defense of the nation-state and critique of secular rationalism are of vital interest to moral and political conservatives, and Scruton, for his part, has explicitly taken on the cause and the label of conservatism. But conservatives face an imposing and, I propose here, critically instructive obstacle in appropriating the teachings of these two contemporary giants. For, as soon as we begin to examine the foundations of their respective projects, Scruton's and Manent's approaches appear to be, not only quite different (and therefore, one might hope, complementary) but in an important sense directly opposed to one another. Th...
Analysis of CPM and FWM phenomena for various signaling formats in 16 channel DWDM

CPM and FWM are significant nonlinear optical effects in DWDM systems. CPM leads to spectral broadening which may cause severe pulse distortion. While FWM is a nonlinear interaction that can occur between several channels of different wavelengths. FWM may result in significant crosstalk among the channels in DWDM systems. Understanding fiber nonlinearities is crucial in order to optimize system performance. The effects of CPM and FWM in conjunction with various signaling formats in 16 channel systems are evaluated.
Impact of Iron-Enriched Aspergillus oryzae on Iron Bioavailability, Safety, and Gut Microbiota in Rats.

Iron deficiency is a leading global nutritional problem. Ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) is the most common iron source used for supplementation. Because of many side effects associated with its consumption, it is important to identify new forms of iron. The objectives of this study were to assess the bioavailability of iron-enriched Aspergillus oryzae, Aspiron (ASP), evaluate the toxicity of high-dose iron supplementation with ASP, and determine the ASP impact on gut microbiota in rats. In this study, we investigated iron bioavailability using the hemoglobin repletion test. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and blood urea nitrogen levels were determined to evaluate the effect on liver and kidney functions. Protein carbonyls were measured to assess oxidative damage to proteins. Fecal samples at the end of the 14 day repletion period were used for 16S rRNA sequencing for gut microbiota analysis. The slope ratio method using a common intercept linear regression model was used to compare the bioa...
Racial and Sex-Role Stereotyping in the Media: An Analysis

In today’s world, the picture most people have of the society beyond their own immediate experience is largely the result of exposure to the mass media. Increasingly, the electronic media-television in particular-play a crucial role in forming the attitudes, beliefs, and expectations people have toward and about other peoples, their own society, and, ultimately, about themselves. Because of the great impact of the media on the public mind, minorities and women have become concerned at the sorts of presentations the media make of them. In a society perceived as having a racist and sexist history, the media have been viewed as perpetuating and furthering the attitudes and beliefs that underly racist and sexist practices. When judged by a moral standard-a standard of fairness or justice—the media have been copdemned for their role in supporting unjust social and political institutions and relations. Objectors hold that various minorities and women are predominantly depicted in demeaning, stereotypical roles that deny the full range of advanced human characteristics to these groups. This stereotyping has the effect, it is claimed, or reinforcing expectations and beliefs about these groups, and the concomitant attitudes, that perpetuate a secondary role for minorities and women in our society.
Selectivity of CF and 5-Fluorouracil: Critical Role of Polyglutamylation

Earlier studies from these laboratories have indicated that in human colon adenocarcinoma xenografts, the mechanism of intrinsic resistance to 5-fluoropyrimidines may be a consequence of low levels of CH2-H4PteGlu in tumor cells. Thus, after administration of FUra or FdUrd, the inhibitory complex between FdUMP, CH2-H4PteGlu and TS may form relatively slowly, or may dissociate quite rapidly (1,2). Due to the influence of CH2-H4PteGlu on the stability of the ternary complex, leucovorin, a stable form of reduced folate, has been used in cultured cells (3) and clinically (4,5) to attempt to increase the pool of CH2-H4PteGlu, the stability of the ternary complex, and the inhibition of TS. However, preclinical studies that document the fate of leucovorin in neoplastic tissues are currently lacking.
Unsupervised Discovery and Training of Maximally Dissimilar Cluster Models

One of the difficult problems of acoustic modeling for Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) is how to adequately model the wide variety of acoustic conditions which may be present in the data. The problem is especially acute for tasks such as Google Search by Voice, where the amount of speech available per transaction is small, and adaptation techniques start showing their limitations. As training data from a very large user population is available however, it is possible to identify and jointly model subsets of the data with similar acoustic qualities. We describe a technique which allows us to perform this modeling at scale on large amounts of data by learning a treestructured partition of the acoustic space, and we demonstrate that we can significantly improve recognition accuracy in various conditions through unsupervised Maximum Mutual Information (MMI) training. Being fully unsupervised, this technique scales easily to increasing numbers of conditions.
Genome Toxicity and Impaired Stem Cell Function after Conditional Activation of CreERT2 in the Intestine

Summary With the tamoxifen-inducible CreERT2 system, genetic recombination can be temporally controlled in a cell-type-specific manner in intact animals, permitting dissection of the molecular underpinnings of mammalian physiology. Here we present a significant drawback to CreERT2 technology for analysis of intestinal stem cells. Using the intestine-specific Villin-CreERT2 mouse strain, we observed delayed intestinal regeneration post irradiation. Villin-CreERT2 activation was associated with DNA damage and cryptic loxP site cleavage. Analysis of stem cell-specific CreERT2 strains showed that the genome toxicity impairs function of crypt base columnar stem cells, resulting in loss of organoid initiating activity. Importantly, the stem cell impairment is short-lived, with return to normal by 7 days post tamoxifen treatment. Our findings demonstrate that mouse genetic experiments that utilize CreERT2 should consider the confounding effects of enhanced stem cell sensitivity to genome toxicity resulting from CreERT2 activation.
Spectacle and Rebellion in Fin-de-Siècle Brazil: the Commodified Rebel in Machado de Assis's Chronicles.

In the present article, I examine Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis’s five chronicles, published between 1894-1897 in the Rio de Janeiro newspaper A Gazeta de Noticias , on the Brazilian Republic’s assault against the Canudos community in Northeasten Brazil. Focusing on Machado’s critique of the role of communication technologies, and particularly print news, in fin de siecle Brazil, I argue that he makes use of the transformation of the messianic community into a national mediatic event to thematize the birth of a consumer society, the violent expansion of global capitalist networks and state power, authoritarianism, and the contradictory values of what he refers to as "bourgeois industrial society."
Chapter 24 – Cartilage

Cartilage is an avascular tissue characterized by cartilage cells surrounded by an extracellular matrix consisting primarily of type II collagen and proteoglycans with sulfated glycosaminoglycan side chains assembled into large aggregates. It is found in a number of anatomic locations, with modifications to meet the specific requirements for its function. Cartilage development is regulated by vitamin D metabolites, including 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1α,25(OH)2D3) and 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (24R,25(OH)2D3). In the postfetal growth plate, 1α,25(OH)2D3 acts via the vitamin D receptor (VDR) to control chondrocyte maturation, tether formation, matrix metalloproteinase activity, and release of Ca++ into the extracellular matrix for calcification. VDR-null mice, which lack a functional VDR, develop an elongated hypertrophic cell zone, characteristic of rickets, demonstrating the importance of the VDR in growth plate maturation and calcification. In addition to traditional nuclear VDR-dependent signaling mechanisms, 1α,25(OH)2D3 acts through nongenomic mechanisms mediated by protein disulfide isomerase family A, member 3 to control phospholipase A2, phospholipase C, protein kinase C, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, as well as by acting directly on extracellular matrix vesicles, releasing matrix proteases, and activating transforming growth factor beta stored in the matrix. The importance of 1α,25(OH)2D3 to growth plate maturation, calcification, and subsequent resorption by osteoclasts has been demonstrated by studies using mice in which Cyp27B1 has either been knocked out or using transgenic mice in which Cyp27B1 is overexpressed. 24R,25(OH)2D3 acts via phospholipase D and lysophosphatidic acid signaling to promote cell survival, inhibit apoptosis, and reduce inflammatory cytokine production. The relative contributions of these two vitamin D metabolites help to determine the rate and extent of cartilage maturation, particularly in the growth plate during endochondral ossification, but also in articular cartilage.
Mindfulness based stress reduction provides psychological benefit and restores immune function of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer: A randomized trial with active control.

Abstract Background Women newly diagnosed with breast cancer experience psychological distress, accompanied by reduced Natural Killer Cell Activity (NKCA) and altered levels of cytokines, which may compromise cancer control. Few studies have evaluated psycho-immune outcomes of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in comparison to an active control condition. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether MBSR benefits psychological, behavioral, and immunological function in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Design After confirmation of breast cancer staging, women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer (n = 192) were randomized to an 8-week MBSR program or an 8-week active control condition (ACC). The ACC consisted of a series of cancer recovery and health education classes. Both MBSR and the ACC were administered in group format. Methods Women completed psychometric instruments and provided blood for NKCA and cytokine levels at pre-, mid-, and completion of program, as well as at 1- and 6-months post-program. One hundred and twenty four women completed all five-assessments (MBSR, n = 63; ACC, n = 61). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze trajectories of outcomes over time and between groups. Results Compared to the ACC group, women randomized to MBSR exhibited decreasing trajectories of perceived stress, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and depressive symptoms. Further, compared to women randomized to ACC, MBSR women exhibited trajectories demonstrating significantly more rapid restoration of NKCA, accompanied by lower circulating TNF-alpha levels, lower IL-6 production, and greater IFN-gamma production. Conclusions These results demonstrate early provision of MBSR for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer provides not only psychological benefit, but also optimizes immune function supportive of cancer control.
Epithelial dynamics in the epididymis: role in the maturation, protection, and storage of spermatozoa

Epithelial cells line the lumen of tubular organs and are key players in their respective functions. They establish a unique luminal environment by providing a protective barrier and by performing vectorial transport of ions, nutrients, solutes, proteins, and water. Complex intercellular communication networks, specific for each organ, ensure their interaction with adjacent epithelial and non-epithelial cells, allowing them to respond to and modulate their immediate environment. In the epididymis, several epithelial cell types work in a concerted manner to establish a luminal acidic milieu that is essential for the post-testicular maturation and storage of spermatozoa. The epididymis also prevents autoimmune responses against auto-antigenic spermatozoa, while ensuring protection against ascending and blood pathogens. This is achieved by a network of immune cells that are in close contact and interact with epithelial cells. This review highlights the coordinated interactions between spermatozoa, basal cells, principal cells, narrow cells, clear cells, and immune cells that contribute to the maturation, protection, selection, and storage of spermatozoa in the lumen of the epididymis.
Resonant Switched-Capacitor Converter with Multi-Resonant Frequencies

This paper presents a new Multi Resonant Switched-Capacitor Converters (abbreviated as MRSCCs) for high efficiency and density non-isolated DC-DC application where large voltage step down ratios are needed. Derived from Resonant Switched-Capacitor Converter (RSCC), MRSCC employs two LC resonant tanks to partially replace the flying capacitors for energy transfer. During the dead-time in between two states of operation, second resonant tank recycles energy from the main resonant-tank allowing MRSCC to utilize conduction time effectively to deliver energy while becoming more resilience towards components variation, due to voltage coefficient and tolerance on Multi Layer Ceramic Capacitor (MLCC). These attributes of MRSCC make it a robust technology viable for industry's high-volume adoption. This paper presents the basic principle in 2 to 1 configuration to simplify the analysis of MRSCC and expands the concept for higher conversion ratio configuration (4 to 1). 2 to 1 and 4 to 1 MRSCC Hardware results are presented and compared to RSCC Hardware using the same power devices and PCB to provide objective comparison. Both comparison shows MRSCC to be superior over RSCC, and 4 to 1 hardware achieves 98.63% peak efficiency.