cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Residual toxicity of selected organic insecticides to Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) and non-target effects on Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in California

Abstract The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) threatens California's citrus industry because of its ability to transmit the bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, associated with huanglongbing (HLB). To reduce the risk of HLB spread, an area-wide management strategy was established to control D. citri in both conventional and organic commercial citrus. In addition, releases of the parasitoid Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) as a classical biological control agent have been conducted in certain urban areas of California to improve control of D. citri. The objectives of this study were to document the residual efficacy of organic insecticides against D. citri nymphs, compare the efficacy of multiple applications of the organic spinosad relative to a single application of the non-organic insecticide fenpropathrin, and estimate the non-target effect of selected foliar insecticides on T. radiata. Spinosad + oil showed greater residual control of D. citri nymphs compared to pyrethrins + oil. The effects of organic insecticides were short lived; by 10 d post treatment there was no detectable effect. Fenpropathrin provided significantly longer control of D. citri nymphs and the efficacy of two or more applications of spinosad was comparable to one application of fenpropathrin. Of the organic insecticides, spinosad + oil resulted in the greatest non-target effects on T. radiata and pyrethrins, pyrethrins + oil, and oil alone had the least severe effects on T. radiata. This study provides important information regarding the residual control of D. citri by organic insecticides and their compatibility with the biological control agent T. radiata.
Excretion and Osmoregulation

In arthropods as in most other animals, excretion of waste or potentially toxic materials is carried out by organs that are also involved in osmotic and ionic regulation, and it is, therefore, convenient to consider these processes together. However, we shall treat nitrogen elimination separately because this is a general problem for all arthropods and one which stands somewhat apart from other aspects of water balance.
Rating Computer-Generated Questions with Mechanical Turk

We use Amazon Mechanical Turk to rate computer-generated reading comprehension questions about Wikipedia articles. Such application-specific ratings can be used to train statistical rankers to improve systems' final output, or to evaluate technologies that generate natural language. We discuss the question rating scheme we developed, assess the quality of the ratings that we gathered through Amazon Mechanical Turk, and show evidence that these ratings can be used to improve question generation.
Dynamic Polarization Effects in Tunneling

Tunneling is a pure quantum-mechanical effect which allows particles to traverse potential barriers, in spite of not having sufficient energy to do so. It is fundamental to most transport and conduction processes. Particles (electrons) are seldom truly free. They are more often than not embedded within non-uniform potentials which constrain their motion. Even the so-called “free” electrons in the allowed bands of a solid are in fact (resonantly) tunneling through the periodic potential of the lattice ions. The simplicity of this phenomenon, as described in elementary textbooks on quantum mechanics, is deceiving. In reality, experimental situations involving tunneling are generally complicated by several (sometimes sizeable) side effects which may make a quantitative comparison with theoretical models difficult. Entire books (Duke, 1969; Wolf, 1985) have been devoted to tunneling-related issues, many of which are still unresolved or controversial, and still awaiting for unequivocal experimental confirmation.
Reconceptualizing knowledge networks for enterprise systems implementation: incorporating domain expertise of knowledge sources and knowledge flow intensity

Abstract Research on knowledge acquisition through informal social networks during enterprise system implementation has not accounted for the domain expertise of knowledge sources or the quality of knowledge flows. By using data collected from an enterprise resource planning system implementation, this paper reconceptualizes knowledge networks into subnetworks on the basis of the domain expertise of end users and analyzes knowledge acquisition patterns between subnetworks across workgroups having varying performance outcomes. Expertise-based knowledge patterns and their intensities had significant implications for performance outcomes, reiterating their role in the learning process and emphasizing the need to incorporate them into knowledge networking models.
From Gatekeeper to Supportive Expert: The Unique Implications of the iFixit Service Learning Project on the Instructor-Student Relationship

This report reflects on my experience as an instructor with the iFixit Standard Project in the Introduction to Technical Writing course at Texas Tech University. The iFixit Standard project is a service learning project wherein students develop online repair guides for electronic devices. The unique aspects of the iFixit Standard Project entailed a shift in my traditional role as instructor in key ways. My role as a classroom instructor was decentralized, and I acted in part as a project manager, professional technical communicator, and teammate. Implications of the iFixit Standard Project for rubric development, grading, and feedback are discussed. Ultimately, this experience report provides key points of consideration for implementation of the iFixit Standard Project in technical communication courses.
Emerging targets and uses of neuromodulation for pain

ABSTRACTIntroduction: There has been great development in the testing of invasive and non-invasive neuromodulation for chronic pain. To date, it is known that central and peripheral stimulation targets, combined or not, may influence chronic pain sensation. Although most of the significant results of chronic pain studies come from motor cortex stimulation, novel targets are being explored to increase effect sizes and to induce pain relief in non-responders.Areas covered: In this article, we discuss three emerging targets of non-invasive neuromodulation for chronic pain: (i) a central target: prefrontal cortex stimulation; (ii) a peripheral target: vagal nerve stimulation (VNS); and (iii) a combined peripheral-central target: combination of central and peripheral neural stimulation.Expert commentary: Clinical trials’ results on novel targets for chronic pain are at an earlier stage and the mechanisms involved with their combination remain unclear. An important challenge to validate new targets is to determ...
Optical properties and thermal stability of Cu spinel oxide nanoparticle solar absorber coatings

Abstract Optimal coatings on receivers for concentrated solar power plants (CSP) not only need to have high solar absorptance, but should also possess superior stability in air at elevated temperatures. For next-generation CSP plants, the surface temperature of the receivers is expected to exceed 750 °C. In this work, we systematically studied optical properties and long term thermal stability of solar absorbing coatings (SACs) made from various Cu(II) containing spinel oxide nanoparticles, including CuCr2O4, Cu0·5Cr1·1Mn1·4O4, CuFeMnO4, and compared these properties to those of the state-of-the-art Pyromark 2500 coating. The solar absorptance of each sample was measured after isothermal annealing at 800 °C in air for durations of 100, 300, 1000, and 2000 h. We found that porous Cu0·5Cr1·1Mn1·4O4 had the highest solar absorptance at 97.1% before the thermal annealing and remained the highest throughout thermal testing, remained at 97.2% after 2000 h, whereas Pyromark 2500 exhibited considerable degradation in solar absorptance, from 96.4% to 94.6%. We analyzed the chemical composition, microstructures, and particle sizes of all the samples before and after the thermal annealing and discussed their implications on optical properties and thermal stability.
Flipped Learning in Flipped Classrooms: A New Pathway to Prepare Future Special Educators

Preparing high-quality special education teachers is the purpose of special education teacher education programs. Educators are focusing on ways to enhance traditional models of teaching and learni...
Emotional disorder symptoms, anhedonia, and negative urgency as predictors of hedonic hunger in adolescents

Affect and reward are associated with unhealthy eating and weight; however, less research has examined affective predictors of hedonic hunger (i.e., extreme reward responsivity, pleasure toward, and drive for food), particularly among adolescents. Whether symptoms indicative of emotional disturbance increase risk of adverse reward-based eating-related symptoms such as hedonic hunger, is unknown. Such evidence could explain why emotional problems increase risk of eating and weight problems among adolescents, when eating-related health problems often originate. This report examined baseline emotional disorder symptoms, negative urgency (i.e., tendency to act impulsively in response to negative affect), and anhedonia (i.e., loss of interest in activities and decreased pleasure) as prospective predictors of increases in hedonic hunger in adolescents; associations between changes in emotional disturbance problems and hedonic hunger were also examined. Ninth-grade students (N = 2598) from high schools completed paper-and-pencil surveys at baseline and a 1-year follow-up. In a multivariable model controlling for the covariance of emotional problems, higher negative urgency, general anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and lower anhedonia at baseline independently predicted increases in hedonic hunger one year later. Also, increases in negative urgency, general anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms and decreases in anhedonia independently predicted increases in hedonic hunger. Affect- and reward-related variables may be important contributors to risk of hedonic hunger in adolescence.
On Load Balancing in Millimeter Wave HetNets with Integrated Access and Backhaul

Integrated access and backhaul (IAB) is an exciting new paradigm currently being investigated in the context of fifth generation (5G) millimeter wave (mm-wave) cellular networks, where the backhaul network (BN) shares the same resource and infrastructure used by the radio access network (RAN). While the IAB design will enable denser deployment of small cell base stations (SBSs) without the support of fiber backhaul, it will also lead to entirely new design challenges, e.g. the resource partitioning at the base stations (BSs) between the access and backhaul links. In order to study the design trends of this new paradigm, we develop a new stochastic geometry- based analytical framework for a two-tier mm-wave HetNet with IAB where the macro BSs (MBSs) provide wireless backhaul to the SBSs. For this network, we derive the downlink rate coverage probability. Our analysis reveals that offloading users from MBSs to SBSs may not provide significant rate improvements as it would if the SBSs were supported by fiber backhaul. We also show that due to the IAB design, there is a limit of densification of the SBSs beyond which no significant rate improvement is observed.
Trends in ambulatory blood pressure monitoring use for confirmation or monitoring of hypertension and resistant hypertension among the commercially insured in the U.S., 2008-2017.

Background Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) has been increasingly recommended for diagnosis confirmation and monitoring in patients with new-onset hypertension and apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aTRH). We assessed insurance claims submitted for ABPM among a nationally representative sample of commercially insured U.S. patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis using the IBM MarketScan® commercial claims database from January 2008-December 2017, including 2 populations: those with incident treated hypertension (ITH; first antihypertensive filled) or aTRH (first overlapping use of 4 antihypertensive agents). We identified ABPM claims filed within 6 months before to 6 months after the qualifying antihypertensive fill and determined prevalence of ABPM use overall and by year in each population. Results In total, 2,820,303 patients met ITH criteria and 298,049 met aTRH criteria. Of those with ITH, 7650 (2.7 per 1000 persons) had ≥1 ABPM claim submitted, and annual ABPM prevalence ranged from 2.0 to 3.7 per 1000 persons, increasing over time (Ptrend<0.0001). Among those with aTRH, 630 (2.1 per 1000 persons) had ≥1 ABPM claim submitted, and annual ABPM prevalence ranged from 1.6 to 2.7 per 1000 persons, decreasing over time (Ptrend = 0.054). Timing of ABPM claims suggested they were used primarily for diagnosis confirmation in ITH, and more evenly distributed between diagnosis confirmation and monitoring in aTRH. Conclusions Despite guideline recommendations for more widescale use, ABPM appears to be used rarely in the U.S., with fewer than 0.5% of commercially insured patients with newly treated hypertension or aTRH having ABPM claims submitted to their insurance.
Racial Disparities of Adrenalectomy.

Purpose Racial disparities of surgical outcomes have been demonstrated for a variety of operations. We sought to determine whether minority status is associated with disparate care for adrenalectomy. Methods This study is a retrospective database review of the Collaborative Endocrine Surgery Quality Improvement Program (CESQIP) from January 1, 2014 through April 30, 2018. Primary outcome was complication rate. Secondary outcomes were length of stay and surgeon experience. Minority status was defined as Black or Hispanic and outcomes were compared with White patients. Results For the study period, 1141 patients who underwent adrenalectomies were included, of whom 69.9% were White and 22.6% minority. The minority patients were significantly younger with higher rates of diabetes mellitus. Minority patients had higher rates of complication and longer length of stay. Minority patients were more likely to have an adrenalectomy by a low-volume surgeon. In multivariate logistic regression, minority status remained associated with complication rate. Conclusions Minority patients undergoing adrenalectomy have higher rates of complication and longer lengths of stay when controlling for common comorbidities. Minority patients have decreased access to high-volume surgeons.
Diesel exhaust particle exposure reduces expression of the epithelial tight junction protein Tricellulin.

While exposure to diesel exhaust particles has been linked to aberrant immune responses in allergic diseases such as asthma, little attention has been paid to their effects on the airway epithelial barrier. In this study, we sought to determine the effect of diesel exhaust exposure on airway epithelial barrier function and composition using in vitro and in vivo model systems. 16HBE14o- human bronchial epithelial cells were grown on collagen coated Transwell inserts and exposed to 5 to 50 μg/cm2 SRM 2975 diesel particulate matter (DEP) suspended in cell culture medium or vehicle controls. Changes in barrier function were assessed by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and permeability to 4 kDa FITC Dextran. Neonatal BALB/c mice were exposed to aerosolized DEP (255 ± 89 μg/m3; 2 h per day for 5 days) and changes in the tight junction protein Tricellulin were assessed 2 weeks post exposure. A six-hour incubation of epithelial cells with diesel exhaust particles caused a significant concentration-dependent reduction in epithelial barrier integrity as measured by decreased TEER and increased permeability to 4 kDa FITC-Dextran. This reduction in epithelial barrier integrity corresponded to a significant reduction in expression of the tight junction protein Tricellulin. siRNA mediated knockdown of Tricellulin recapitulated changes in barrier function caused by DEP exposure. Neonatal exposure to aerosolized DEP caused a significant reduction in lung Tricellulin 2 weeks post exposure at both the protein and mRNA level. Short term exposure to DEP causes a significant reduction in epithelial barrier integrity through a reduction in the tight junction protein Tricellulin. Neonatal exposure to aerosolized DEP caused a significant and sustained reduction in Tricellulin protein and mRNA in the lung, suggesting that early life exposure to inhaled DEP may cause lasting changes in airway epithelial barrier function.
Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in a Lung Transplant Recipient

Introduction Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndrome. Few case reports exist describing this entity in lung transplant recipients. Case Report A 56-year-old woman with scleroderma and pulmonary hypertension presented two months after double lung transplantation with acute onset abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Her physical examination was notable for mild tenderness to palpation over right upper quadrant. Admission laboratory values revealed aspartate transaminase of 337 U/L, alanine aminotransferase of 430 U/L, alkaline phosphatase of 1083 U/L, total bilirubin of 3.9 mg/dL, and direct bilirubin of 2.9 mg/dL. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) was unremarkable aside from prior cholecystectomy. Subsequent liver biopsy was consistent with drug-induced liver injury, which led to discontinuation of possible culprits. There was no evidence of a hemophagocytic process. As her transaminases recovered to near-normal, she abruptly became leukopenic to 0.1 × 103μ/L and thrombocytopenic to 17 × 109μ/L. She developed new parotid lymphadenopathy and was febrile. Further work-up showed hyperferritinemia of 21899 ng/mL, hypertriglyceridemia of 294 mg/dL, and elevated soluble CD25 of 17780 IU/mL. Repeat abdominal CT showed splenic enhancement. A bone marrow biopsy revealed numerous histiocytes with hemophagocytosis (see image). She was treated with high dose steroids, cyclophosphamide, and a dose of rituximab for Epstein-Barr virus PCR of 390 copies/mL. As all her markers worsened, she began therapy with anakinra. Concurrently, she developed polymicrobial bacteremia, fungemia, and renal failure. Despite aggressive efforts, she deteriorated and passed away. Summary HLH carries a high mortality rate and is commonly underrecognized due to the non-specific nature of its clinical and laboratory findings. Particularly in transplant recipients, where differentials are broader at baseline, early consideration, rapid diagnosis, and prompt treatment are critical.
Picturebooks as Critical Literacy: Experiences and Perspectives of Translingual Children From Refugee Backgrounds

This multiple case study is part of a larger investigation of literacy practices in “Our Home,” an after-school program that provides learning support to children from refugee backgrounds. I asked,...
Studies on the biochemical basis of spontaneous mutation. III. Rate model for DNA polymerase-effected nucleotide misincorporation.

Abstract We propose a model to investigate the relation between insertion and excision activities of polymerases involved in DNA synthesis, and the frequency of errors resulting from substituting either mismatched bases or base analogues into a DNA molecule. An analytical equation is derived which expresses the error frequency as a function of nucleotide insertion and removal rates. For the general case, given arbitrary rates of insertion and removal, and allowing the enzyme to peel back by excising previously incorporated nucleotides, we have developed a computer simulation for the synthesis of a DNA molecule. In the special case, where insertion and removal frequencies are within the biologically interesting range for spontaneous mutations, the effect of “peelback” on error correction can be obtained analytically. Our results suggest that the magnitude of the removal frequency (3′-exonuclease activity) is the parameter that exerts the greatest influence on error correction capability; the frequency of errors is less sensitive to either the specificity for removal of mismatched relative to correctly matched bases, or to peelback.
A Decade of Coverage (1990–2000): The Mainstream Library Press and Its Coverage of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and Its Successor States

ABSTRACT This study examines the coverage of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and its successor states by U.S. journals indexed in Library Literature between 1990 and 2000. Seventy-one journals were evaluated according to subject content, geographical coverage, document type, and year of article publication. The study found that the majority of articles focused on domestic and foreign library activities. Coverage peaked between the years 1990 and 1994, with a steady decline after that. The study reports on differences in coverage by peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed journals over this decade.
Twin-screw extrusion pink salmon muscle and rice flour blends: effects of kneading elements

Abstract The effects of location and spacing of kneading elements on specific mechanical energy input and product attributes during twin-screw extrusion of pink salmon muscle and rice flour blends were investigated. Incorporation of kneading elements increased specific mechanical energy, expansion ratio and water solubility index, but decreased bulk density and Warner-Bratzler shear stress. The opposite trend was observed with increasing fish solids content except for shear stress, which was little affected by up to 30% fish solids concentration and in the expansion ratio range of 5 to 10. Water solubility index and Warner-Bratzler shear stress were linearly related to specific mechanical energy and bulk density, respectively. Results show that the magnitudes of the effects due to incorporation of kneading elements were different from that of reverse screw element and combination of reverse screw and kneading elements.
Stochastic Models of Soil Denitrification

Soil denitrification is a highly variable process that appears to be lognormally distributed. This variability is manifested by large sample coefficients of variation for replicate estimates of soil core denitrification rates. Deterministic models for soil denitrification have been proposed in the past, but none of these models predicts the approximate lognormality exhibited by natural denitrification rate estimates. In this study, probabilistic (stochastic) models were developed to understand how positively skewed distributions for field denitrification rate estimates result from the combined influences of variables known to affect denitrification. Three stochastic models were developed to describe the distribution of measured soil core denitrification rates. The driving variables used for all the models were denitrification enzyme activity and CO(2) production rates. The three models were distinguished by the functional relationships combining these driving variables. The functional relationships used were (i) a second-order model (model 1), (ii) a second-order model with a threshold (model 2), and (iii) a second-order saturation model (model 3). The parameters of the models were estimated by using 12 separate data sets (24 replicates per set), and their abilities to predict denitrification rate distributions were evaluated by using three additional independent data sets of 180 replicates each. Model 2 was the best because it produced distributions of denitrification rate which were not significantly different (P > 0.1) from distributions of measured denitrification rates. The generality of this model is unknown, but it accurately predicted the mean denitrification rates and accounted for the stochastic nature of this variable at the site studied. The approach used in this study may be applicable to other areas of ecological research in which accounting for the high spatial variability of microbiological processes is of interest.
The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) as a screening tool for psychological disorders in patients with epilepsy and mild intellectual disabilities in residential care.

Abstract This study examines the usefulness of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) as a screening tool for psychological disorders in patients with epilepsy and mild intellectual disabilities. Participants were 91 residents of the Bethel Institute, Bielefeld, Germany. Cronbach’s α was revealed to be sufficient for the composite score Global Severity Index (GSI) (0.95) and for most of the subscales (0.64–0.80). Compared with normative data, residents with epilepsy scored slightly higher on all BSI scales. Only the subscale Paranoid Ideation was especially elevated, a finding of heuristic value. Subgroups of residents with past psychiatric morbidity, on current psychotropic medication, with poor seizure control, and more epilepsy-related problems either tended toward or demonstrated higher GSI scores. These results indicate the validity of the questionnaire with the GSI as a global indicator of possible psychopathology. BSI subscales seemed to reflect predominantly the amount of emotional distress, but their potential to identify specific clinical syndromes remained unclear.
The rise and decline of the scripture platforms in medieval chinese buddhism

ABSTRACTThe cult of the sacred scriptures in early Buddhism had an impact on Chinese Buddhism, which manifested itself by the rise of the scriptural platform in the medieval period. The rise of the scriptural platform shows that in medieval China the very places associated with particular Buddhist texts and figures have become the objects of worship and pilgrimage, and they constantly appeared in Buddhist writings as the commemorative sites for particular scriptures and their commentaries. Various forms of the scriptural platforms also illustrated the rich practice of Buddhist texts in medieval China, such as translating, commenting, copying and reciting, as well as worshipping. Occasionally the scriptural platforms also appeared as the sacred places for housing sacred scriptures, which later would be replaced by the Buddhist monastic library. Practice of the Buddhist texts remained, yet the scriptural platform disappeared due to the rise of Chan Buddhist literature. This study suggests that the material ...
Activity and expression of various isoforms of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase are differentially regulated during hepatic regeneration in rats

Glucuronidation pathway is very important in the detoxification of endogenous and exogenous compounds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the activity and expression of various hepatic uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) in rats at various time points after initiation of hepatic regeneration by partial hepatectomy (PHx). The mRNA expression of various UGTs was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) with specific primers. The in vitro activity of UGTs was evaluated using different substrates such as estradiol (UGT1A1), acetaminophen (UGT1A6/7), morphine (UGT2B1), testosterone (UGT2B1/3/6), androsterone (UGT2B2), and (−)-borneol (UGT2B12). Whereas the activity and mRNA expression of UGT1A1, UGT2B1, UGT2B1/3/6, UGT2B2, and UGT2B12 were lower, the activity and mRNA expression of UGT1A6/7 were preserved during hepatic regeneration. The mRNA expression of UGT2B8 was down-regulated, whereas the mRNA expression of UGT1A5 and UGT1A8 was not altered by PHx. The mRNA expression of UGT1A2 and UGT1A3 was increased during hepatic regeneration. UGT-mediated drug-metabolizing ability of the liver was altered differentially in the regenerating rat liver. Individualized dosing regimen for different UGT substrates may be needed when using such substrates of these enzymes in patients with a regenerating liver, especially during the early postoperative period. However, the glucuronide conjugating capacity of the liver in the donor of a living donor liver transplantation is expected to completely return to normal with time after surgery.
Exploring antibiotic biosynthesis: Leo Vining's insights lead to new strategies in the quest for 'The 10 × '20 Initiative'

The late Professor Leo Vining began his antibiotics research career as a visiting scientist in the laboratory of Selman Waksman at Rutgers University during the golden age of antibiotics. Through six decades of his distinguished career, Vining explored the biosynthesis of dozens of antibacterial and antifungal compounds produced by microorganisms. A number of underlying mechanisms of antibiotic biosynthesis were unraveled through his holistic approach and the findings laid the foundation to our understanding of regulation of antibiotic biosynthesis. In this paper, we reflect on Professor Vining's antibiotic research philosophy from a personal perspective and connect this philosophy to new approaches for rapid development of the next generation of antibiotics, which is urgently needed to combat the threat of escalating antimicrobial resistance. Facing the urgency, The Infectious Disease Society of America launched 'The 10 × '20 Initiative' in 2010 and called for a global commitment to develop 10 new, safe and effective antibiotics by the year 2020.(1.)
Characterization and molecular cloning of a glutathione S-transferase gene from the tick, Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)

A glutathione S-transferase (GST) was purified from the larval cattle tick, Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae), by glutathione-affinity chromatography. The purified enzyme appeared as a single band on SDS-PAGE and has a molecular mass of 25.8 kDa determined by mass spectrometry. The N-terminus of the purified enzyme was sequenced. The full-length cDNA of the enzyme was isolated by RT-PCR using degenerate oligonucleotides derived from the N-terminal amino acid sequence. The cDNA contains an open reading frame encoding a 223-amino-acid protein with the N-terminus identical to the purified GST. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with GSTs from other species revealed that the enzyme is closely related to the mammalian mu class GST.
Microwave ionization of Na atoms in weak-to-strong static electric fields

We report measurements of the microwave ionization of Rydberg atoms as a function of static electric field, for static fields from zero to the classical ionization limit. The microwave-ionization threshold field shows clear structure as a function of the static field, in some static field regimes actually increasing as the static field is increased. The dependence of the microwave field can be understood by considering the dynamics of the levels in a temporally varying field.
Characterization of β‐Silicon Carbide by Silicon‐29 Solid‐State NMR, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Powder X‐ray Diffraction

Increased interest in ceramic materials, particularly for high-temperature, high-stress applications, has created the need for rapid and reliable analytical techniques to monitor microcrystalline structure of commercial ceramic powders. A comparative evaluation of commercially available β-SiC powders is undertaken to analyze the potential of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in the characterization of β-SiC powder. NMR provides an acceptable, rapid method for characterization of powders both during powder manufacturing as well as for powder analyses priror to sintering studies. The results of transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction are correlated with the NMR spectra to explain some newly observed features in the NMR spectra of β-SiC powders and to illustrate the sensitivity of NMR to microcrystalline disorder.
Phase transitions in the embryo Universe

Grand unified theories suggest that one or more phase transitions should occur when k T ≈ 10 14 GeV (T ≈ 10 27 K), which in standard cosmology would have occurred at t ≈ 10 -35 s. If such a transition happens quickly, then an unacceptably large number of magnetic monopoles would be produced. A slow transition would lead to an inflationary Universe, providing a possible solution to the horizon and flatness problems. However, the inflationary scenario requires a mechanism to trigger the phase transition. A suggestion made independently by Linde and by Albrecht & Steinhardt appears promising, but the details have not yet been worked out.
In situ nanoindentation study on plasticity and work hardening in aluminium with incoherent twin boundaries

Nanotwinned metals have been the focus of intense research recently, as twin boundaries may greatly enhance mechanical strength, while maintaining good ductility, electrical conductivity and thermal stability. Most prior studies have focused on low stacking-fault energy nanotwinned metals with coherent twin boundaries. In contrast, the plasticity of twinned high stacking-fault energy metals, such as aluminium with incoherent twin boundaries, has not been investigated. Here we report high work hardening capacity and plasticity in highly twinned aluminium containing abundant Σ3{112} incoherent twin boundaries based on in situ nanoindentation studies in a transmission electron microscope and corresponding molecular dynamics simulations. The simulations also reveal drastic differences in deformation mechanisms between nanotwinned copper and twinned aluminium ascribed to stacking-fault energy controlled dislocation-incoherent twin boundary interactions. This study provides new insight into incoherent twin boundary-dominated plasticity in high stacking-fault energy twinned metals.
A Design Philosophy for Man-Machine Control Systems

Empirical evidence suggests that, at least for short periods of activity, the simpler the tasks imposed upon the human operator of a control system, the more precise and less variable become his responses. This leads to the view that optimal man-machine control system performance can be obtained only when the mechanical components of the system are designed so that the human need act only as a simple amplifier. Ways and means are described for achieving such design through "unburdening" (relieving the operator of the task of acting as an integrator) and "quickening" (providing the operator with immediate knowledge of the effects of his own responses). Aided tracking is discussed in light of these two concepts and is related to various efforts to improve the stability of man-machine systems through the use of special equalization networks.
The Vanishing Trial: An Examination of Trials and Related Matters in Federal and State Courts

This article traces the decline in the portion of cases that are terminated by trial and the decline in the absolute number of trials in various American judicial fora. The portion of federal civil cases resolved by trial fell from 11.5 percent in 1962 to 1.8 percent in 2002, continuing a long historic decline. More startling was the 60 percent decline in the absolute number of trials since the mid 1980s. The makeup of trials shifted from a predominance of torts to a predominance of civil rights, but trials are declining in every case category. A similar decline in both the percentage and the absolute number of trials is found in federal criminal cases and in bankruptcy cases. The phenomenon is not confined to the federal courts; there are comparable declines of trials, both civil and criminal, in the state courts, where the great majority of trials occur. Plausible causes for this decline include a shift in ideology and practice among litigants, lawyers, and judges. Another manifestation of this shift is the diversion of cases to alternative dispute resolution forums. Within the courts, judges conduct trials at only a fraction of the rate that their predecessors did, but they are more heavily involved in the early stages of cases. Although virtually every other indicator of legal activity is rising, trials are declining not only in relation to cases in the courts but to the size of the population and the size of the economy. The consequences of this decline for the functioning of the legal system and for the larger society remain to be explored.
EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENT UPON CHROMOSOMAL PAIRING OF SOME SPECIES AND HYBRIDS OF POA

WHILE THE PAIRING of chromosomes reflects the affinities of the genes contained within them, the expression of this phenomenon, like every other genetical character, is subject to both genetic and environmental influences. In order to measure the degree of pairing within a given species or hybrid, it is necessary that the effects of the more common environmental variations be evaluated. This is especially important for many species of the genus Poa in which high polyploid-y and inter-specific hybridizations, coupled with apomixis, have resulted in the formation of "species" which normally show irregularit'es in chromosomal pairing. Pairing studies in this genus are not concerned with distinguishing "normal as opposed to "irregular" pairing, but with comparing plants all of which show irregularities, though in differing degrees. Moreover, even within the same anther there is variability of chromosome pairing from cell to cell, and consequently the observations must be made on a statistical basis. In the present investigation the effects of several environmental influences were studied as a necessary first step in a program of investigation requiring the interpretation of chromosome pairing in many species and species hybrids of Poa. MATERIALS AND METHODS.-The plants used were individuals of two species of Poa and a few interspecific hybrids. They are part of a study of the evolution and breeding potentialities of the bluegrasses begun in 1943 by Clausen, Keck, and Hiesey in cooperation with the United States Soil Conservation Service. All the forms used were high polyploids ranging from hexaploids with 2n 42 to 14-ploids having approximately 2n 98 chromosomes. The species included Poa ampla Merr., P. nevadensis Vasey, and several different combinations of the hybrids P. ampla X pratensis, and P. ampla X compressa. These hybrids, being results of intersectional crosses, represent combinations of widely divergent genomes.
The extraordinary photometric changes of the CP2 star HR 7224

An extraordinary change in the optical region photometric variations of the CP2 star HR 7224 is found between observations made during 2003 and those made before 1996. The amplitude of variability has increased from of order 0.04 mag to 0.21 mag. The main period of variability now appears to be of the order of 101 d rather than 1.123 d as previously found.
The Effect of Noisy Fair Value Measures on Bank Capital Adequacy Ratios

SYNOPSIS: Fair value accounting has been a hotly debated topic during the recent financial crisis. Supporters argue that fair values are more relevant to investors, while detractors point to the measurement error in the estimation of the reported fair values to attack its reliability. This study examines how noise in reported fair values impacts bank capital adequacy ratios. If measurement error causes reported capital levels to deviate from fundamental levels, then regulators could misidentify a financially healthy bank as troubled (type I error) or a financially troubled bank as safe (type II error), leading to suboptimal resource allocations for banks, regulators, and investors. We use a Monte Carlo simulation to generate our data, and find that while noise leads to both type I and type II errors around key Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) capital adequacy benchmarks, the type I error dominates. Specifically, noise is associated with 2.58 (2.60) [1.092], 5.67 (6.44) [1.94], and 10.60 (26.83...
Transformation and topological reduction of cluster expansions using m-bonds

We introduce the notion of an “m-bond” and show how it may be used to manipulate the cluster expansions that describe the equilibrium properties of classical fluids. Anm-bond has a constant value of −1, and its presence affects the sign and symmetry number of a graph. We further define an “m-product,” which is formed by summing all graphs obtained by addingm-bonds to join field points in the (usual) product graph. It is shown that the logarithm of a sum of graphs can be written in terms of theirm-products. The formalism is used to demonstrate a few well-known results concerning cluster expansions. Also, a generalization of them-product is introduced, and with it a theorem is presented that relates graphs composed off-fonds to those that contain bothf- and (f+1)-bonds. Such “frustrated” graphs are useful in understanding approximations such as the Percus-Yevick formula, and also in performing numerical calculations.
Selective bond-breaking in molecules by intense infrared radiation

Abstract Selective breaking of molecular bonds by resonant infrared absorption has not been realized. This failure has been attributed to rapid redistribution of absorbed energy, which leads to a break of the weakest bonds. We report first-principles density-functional dynamical calculations for HCN that verify this conclusion for low intensities. At high intensities, however, the molecule's response becomes highly nonlinear, the normal modes become irrelevant, and energy absorption at such frequencies is not particularly efficient. We find that the strong C–N bond breaks at an off-resonance frequency by a novel `concerted kick' mechanism.
Loss of the dystonia-associated protein torsinA selectively disrupts the neuronal nuclear envelope.

Summary An enigmatic feature of many genetic diseases is that mutations in widely expressed genes cause tissue-specific illness. One example is DYT1 dystonia, a neurodevelopmental disease caused by an in-frame deletion (Δgag) in the gene encoding torsinA. Here we show that neurons from both torsinA null ( Tor1a −/− ) and homozygous disease mutant "knockin" mice ( Tor1a Δgag/Δgag ) contain severely abnormal nuclear membranes, although non-neuronal cell types appear normal. These membrane abnormalities develop in postmigratory embryonic neurons and subsequently worsen with further neuronal maturation, a finding evocative of the developmental dependence of DYT1 dystonia. These observations demonstrate that neurons have a unique requirement for nuclear envelope localized torsinA function and suggest that loss of this activity is a key molecular event in the pathogenesis of DYT1 dystonia.
A test for multidimensional clustering tendency

Abstract This paper examines a d -dimensional extension of the Cox-Lewis statistic and investigates its power as a function of dimensionality in discriminating among random, aggregated and regular arrangements of points in d -dimensions. It was motivated by the Clustering Tendency problem which attempts to prevent the inappropriate application of clustering algorithms and other exploratory procedures. After reviewing the literature, the d -dimensional Cox-Lewis statistic is defined and its distribution under a randomness hypothesis of a Poisson spatial point process is given. Analytical expressions for the densities of the Cox-Lewis statistic under lattice regularity and under extreme clustering are also provided. The powers of Neyman-Pearson tests of hypotheses based on the Cox-Lewis statistic are derived and compared. Power is a unimodal function of dimensionality in the test of lattice regularity, with the minimum occurring at 12 dimensions. The power of the Cox-Lewis statistic is also examined under hard-core regularity and under Neyman-Scott clustering with Monte Carlo simulations. The Cox-Lewis statistic leads to one-sided tests for regularity having reasonable power and provides a sharper discrimination between random and clustered data than other statistics. The choice of sampling window is a critical factor. The Cox-Lewis statistic shows great promise for assessing the gross structure of data.
Self-intersection points in classical area-minimizing surfaces

In this paper we study the structure at a point of tangential self-intersection in an area-minimizing classical minimal surface inR n. The result is that the lowest order homogeneous term in the splitting function, i.e. the difference of the height functions from the tangent plane, has the form $$p(z) = az^k + \bar a\bar z^k , with a \cdot a = 0.$$
On symbolic model order reduction

Symbolic model order reduction (SMOR) is a macromodeling technique that generates reduced-order models while retaining the parameters in the original models. Such symbolic reduced-order models can be repeatedly simulated with a greater efficiency for varying model parameters. Although the model-order-reduction concept has been extensively developed in literature and widely applied in a variety of problems, model order reduction from a symbolic perspective has not been well studied. Several methods developed in this paper include symbol isolation, nominal projection, and first-order approximation. These methods can be applied to models having only a few parametric elements and to models having many symbolic elements. Of special practical interest are models that have slightly varying parameters such as process related variations, for which efficient reduction procedures can be developed. Each technique proposed in this paper has been tested by circuit examples. Experiments show that the proposed methods are efficient and effective for many circuit problems
Leucocyte respones in the gingival crevice of the diabetic rat

Leucocyte chemotactic activity and the response of neutorphils, monocytes and lymphocytes in the gingival sulcus to surgery (during wound healing) was assesse in normal and alloxan diabetic rats. Before survery, the sulcular washes of both groups contained similar mubers of cell. One day post-sugery, the normal sulci showed a marked increase in leucocytes due primarily to the presence of large numbers of neutrophis. Rapidly there after the leucocyte count decreased and approximated time 0 levels. The diabetic sulcus showed a 50% less intense reponse 1 day after sugery and a slower return to preopertive levels. The altered leucocyted response in the diabetic sulcus could reflect impaired chemotiactic activity, which was observed for periotoneal leucocytes, or other cellular or tissue abnormlities (eg. thickened basement membranes) that impede cell migration. Alloxan diabtes provides another model to study the relationship between lecocyte dysfunction and accelerated periodontal breakdwon.
Biochemical Recurrence after Localized Treatment

The quoted incidence of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after localized treatment varies significantly and depends on numerous well-known prognostic factors; however, it likely occurs in at least 30%-40% of patients who receive localized treatment. Because the clinical significance of BCR is often unclear, and depends in many cases on unknown factors, it is difficult to select the best treatment and determine when best to institute that therapy. This review examines some of the issues associated with BCR and attempts to shed some light on this common but controversial clinical scenario. Some treatment strategies discussed in this article include salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy, salvage therapy after radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy.
Nomogram for Obtaining Z-Test Statistic from Kendall's S and Sample Size 10 To 50

Kendall's S is often used for measuring the magnitude of bivariate association in social and behavioral research. The nomogram described and reproduced here permits a research analyst to make rapid and accurate evaluation of the statistical significance of S without recourse to formulae or computations in all except borderline cases, and it provides an easily-understood display of relationships between measure of association, sample size, and test statistic that is useful for teaching and for explaining research design and findings to consumers of social and behavioral research.
Effect of uniaxial stress on electrical conductivity of sulphur nitride polymer

Abstract The effect of uniaxial stress on the room temperature electrical conductivity of polymeric sulfur-nitride is reported. The results provide additional evidence of the importance of interchain coupling on the electrical properties of (SN) x and demonstrate that the perpendicular transport is limited by interfiber contacts.