cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of Internet-based Post-secondary Nutrition Education:Incorporating Features of the Mediterranean Diet

BACKGROUND: The Internet continues to serve as an ideal venue for health education interventions promoting behavior change. Due to the progressive expansion in online education programs, new methodologies that contribute across health education and program planning continuums are needed. METHODS: This ecologic study investigated the change in student dietary behav-ior and food choices following an original online education intervention that introduced the Mediterranean diet (MD) in a community college in Houston, Texas. A non-probability convenience sample (n=65) provided pretest-posttest data measuring knowledge of and attitudes toward the MD. The intervention was incorporated into an undergraduate nutrition course, delivered entirely online and evaluated using the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index (KIDMED) survey. RESULTS: The intervention improved total participant population from a mean KIDMED score of poor (4.12) to a mean score of high (8.45) indicating an increase in knowledge of MD dietary guidelines and a positive shift in favorable attitude, particularly among men. CONCLUSION: This study provides a unique pedagogical illustration of online learn-ing that introduce a specific evidence-based dietary guideline to a college student population. A detailed discussion of findings and lessons learned is provided.
A 15b, Sub-10ps resolution, low dead time, wide range two-stage TDC

Advancements in imaging and ranging system performance creates the need for increased resolution, range, and speed of time-to-digital converters, a core part of the main data acquisition interface between the analog world and the ranging or imaging system's signal processing or computing core. In this paper, a coarse-fine hierarchical time-to-digital converter (TDC) utilizes two looped structures to achieve a wide dynamic range with high resolution and minimal dead time. The coarse stage consists of a looped TDC, a counter, and a novel counter clock control scheme which allows for indefinite range extension, while the fine stage employs a Vernier delay loop with a new edge-sensitive pulse-generator-based delay element that reduces loop non-linearity associated with mismatched rise/fall times. Also in order to achieve a high sampling rate and low dead-time during conversion, a control algorithm is devised and implemented at circuit level. Fabricated in 1.8V 0.18µm CMOS, the TDC achieves an input range of 204.8ns, 8.125ps resolution, and 7.5ns dead-time, while utilizing 35mW at 100MS/s and 0.23mm 2 in core area.
Directing the Crystallization of Dehydro[24]annulenes into Supramolecular Nanotubular Scaffolds

The self-assembly of a series of dehydro[24]annulene derivatives into columnar stacks has been examined for its latent ability to form π-conjugated carbon-rich nanotubular structures through topochemical polymerizations. We have studied the parameters affecting self-assembly, including the nature of the substituent and crystallization conditions, using 10 different dehydro[24]annulene derivatives. In particular, hydrogen-bonding interactions through carbamate groups were found to be especially useful at directing the formation of nanotubular supramolecular assemblies. We have also evaluated the electronic coupling between neighboring dehydroannulene molecules within these supramolecular assemblies. Density functional calculations on the stacked supramolecular nanotube assemblies show that transfer integrals vary considerably between the three columnar assemblies, ranging from moderate to high (59–98 meV for the highest occupied molecular orbitals, 63–97 meV for the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals), d...
Learning Hierarchical Representations and Behaviors.

Learning to perform via reinforcement typically requires extensive search through an intractably large space of possible behaviors. In the brain, reinforcement learning is hypothesized to be carried out in large measure by the basal ganglia / striatal complex (Schultz 2000; Granger 2005), a phylogenetically old set of structures that dominate the brains of reptiles. The striatal complex in humans is integrated into a tight loop with cortex and thalamus (Granger and Hearn 2007); the resulting cortico-striatal loops account for the vast majority of all the contents of human forebrain. Studies of these systems have led to hypotheses that the cortex is learning to construct large hierarchical representations of perceptions and actions, and that these are used to substantially constrain and direct search (Granger 2006) that would otherwise be blindly pursued by the striatal complex (as, perhaps, in reptiles). This notion has led to construction of a modular system in which loops of thalamocortical models and striatal models interact such that hierarchical representation learning in the former exerts strong constraints on the trial-and-error reinforcement learning of the latter, while reciprocally the latter can be thought of as testing hypotheses generated by the former. We report on explorations of these models in the context of learning complex behaviors by example, in simulated environments and in real robots. Software framework. The essential components of the system are shown in Figure 1. A given cortical module comprises a perception component and a target component. At a conceptual level, these components correspond to, respectively, the superficial and deep layers of cerebral cortex: superficial layers receive, process, and represent input, whereas deep layers send processed output to subcortical structures. In this abstract model, the perception component performs unsupervised learning: it observes statistical properties of its inputs, and learns a compressed state representation capturing the most essential information in its current input. The target component, on the other hand, learns to predict the next state of the perception component, by sequential learning: it learns a function mapping current perception state plus contextual cues to a distribution over next perception states (see, e.g., (Granger 2006)).1 In modules Copyright c © 2008, Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (www.aaai.org). All rights reserved. Both perception and target states are represented as real vectors of the same length, abstracted from any particular interpretation that may additionally be present. Target representations may be superposed (vector addition); this can be taken to represent a C, UL
Root Zone Construction Affects Hybrid Bermudagrass (C. Dactylon x C. Transvaalensis) Responses to Simulated Traffic

Abstract Few studies have directly compared the types of root zones used for athletic fields. A two-year field study was conducted from 2012-2013 at the University of Tennessee Center for Athletic Field Safety (Knoxville, TN) to compare the performance of four root zones: a silt loam root zone, a sand-based root zone constructed to United States Golf Association (USGA) specifications, a sand-based root zone constructed to ASTM International (ASTM) specifications, and a sand-cap root zone (CAP) consisting of silt loam capped with 15 cm of sand that conformed to USGA particle size specifications. Hybrid bermudagrass ( C. dactylon x C. transvaalensis , cv. ‘Tifway’) was established over all root zones. In addition to the bermudagrass treatments, two different synthetic turf surfaces varying in fiber type and infill ratio were included for comparison. All treatments were subjected to 30 simulated traffic events each autumn at rates of 0, 3 or 10 simulated traffic events per week in a split-plot design. Differences were only detected in percent green cover only for traffic rate in 2012. In 2013, bermudagrass on silt loam was reduced to 50% cover after ∼10 simulated traffic events, compared to ∼18 simulated traffic events on USGA and ASTM sand-based root zones. Surface hardness varied between treatments and years of the study; however, at no time did any surface exceed surface hardness thresholds associated with head injury (200 Gmax). Despite the loss of hybrid bermudagrass cover from the repeated simulated traffic events, few differences in surface hardness were detected between synthetic turf and hybrid bermudagrass plots in this study, regardless of root zone.
Multiplexed Bacterial Cell-Cell Communication via a Genetically Encoded CRISPRi-Based Multiplexer-Demultiplexer Circuit

Living cells can be programmed with genetically encoded circuits to function as sophisticated decision-making devices, and communication among cells can facilitate increasingly complex, population-level computations. In this work, we describe a novel characterization platform for assessing the performance of genetically encoded circuits, and we demonstrate two genetically encoded combinational logic circuits, a multiplexer (MUX) and a demultiplexer (DEMUX), which can be combined to facilitate the communication of multiple independent signals between different strains of living bacterial cells.
Does Shame Still Prevail in China and Guilt Prevail in the U.S.A

AbstractThis study examined whether Chinese and Americans varied in guilt and shame. A 2 (relational closeness: friends vs. acquaintance) × 3 (targets of harm: self only vs. self and the other vs. the other only) × 2 (country: China vs. U.S.) between-subject factorial study was conducted. Results showed regardless of cultures, the extent of damage caused by transgression significantly predicted guilt and shame, whereas relational closeness between a transgressor and a witness did not have an impact. U.S. participants exhibited stronger guilt and shame compared to Chinese on scaled items; Chinese participants had more open-ended shame expressions than U.S. participants.
Using Qualitative Methods to Understand Perceptions of Risk and Condom Use in African American College Women: Implications for Sexual Health Promotion.

Background. Young African American women are disproportionately affected with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintentional pregnancies. Despite adequate knowledge, assertiveness, and negotiation skills, consistent condom use remains low. Aims. We sought to assess the role of pregnancy and STI risk perception in condom decision making among African American women. Method. We conducted a phenomenological qualitative study. Utilizing a purposive sampling strategy, 100 African American women (18-24 years) were recruited from a historically Black college and university for an open discussion of condom use. Thirteen focus groups were conducted via a semistructured interview guide and analyzed with an inductive thematic approach. Results. Uniformly women perceived pregnancy as a greater threat than STIs which appears to be maintained by (a) their sense of fertility, (b) self-care concept, and (c) experiences with condom failure. Thus, women were skeptical about using condoms as a form of contraceptio...
Systemic inflammatory markers associated with cardiovascular disease and acute and chronic exposure to fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) among US NHANES adults with metabolic syndrome

Abstract Background There has been no investigation to date of adults with metabolic syndrome examining the association of short and long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution with cardiovascular-disease related inflammatory marker (WBC and CRP) levels in a nationally representative sample. The goal of this study is to assess the susceptibility of adults with metabolic syndrome to PM2.5 exposure as suggested by increased cardiovascular-disease related inflammatory marker levels. Methods A cross sectional analysis of adult National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants (2000–2008) was carried out with linkage of CDC WONDER meteorological data and downscaler modeled USEPA air pollution data for census tracts in the continental United States. Participants were non-pregnant NHANES adults (2000–2008) with complete data for evaluating presence of metabolic syndrome and laboratory data on WBC and CRP. Exposures studied included short (lags 0–3 days and their averages), long-term (30 and 60 day moving and annual averages) PM2.5 exposure levels at the census tract level in the continental United States. The main outcomes included CRP and WBC levels the day of NHANES study visit analyzed using multiple linear regression, adjusting for age, gender, race, education, smoking status, history of any cardiovascular disease, maximum apparent temperature and ozone level, for participants with and without metabolic syndrome. Results A total of 7134 NHANES participants (35% with metabolic syndrome) met the inclusion criteria. After adjusting for confounders, we observed a significant effect of PM2.5 acutely at lag day 0 on CRP level; a 10 µg/m3 rise in lag day 0 PM2.5 level was associated with a 10.1% increase (95% CI: 2.2–18.6%) in CRP levels for participants with metabolic syndrome. For those without metabolic syndrome, the change in CRP was −1.3% (95% CI −8.8%, 6.8%). There were no significant associations for WBC count. In this first national study of the effect of PM2.5 air pollution on levels of cardiovascular-disease related inflammatory markers in adults with metabolic syndrome, CRP levels were found to be significantly increased in those with this condition with increased fine particulate matter levels at lag day 0. With one third of US adults with metabolic syndrome, the health impact of PM2.5 in this sensitive population may be significant.
The time cost of information in financial markets

Abstract I model a financial market in which traders acquire private information through time-consuming research. A time cost of information arises due to competition – through the expected adverse price movements due to others' trades – causing traders to rush to trade on weak information. This cost monotonically increases with asset value uncertainty, so that, exactly opposite to the result under the standard modeling assumption of a monetary cost of information, traders acquire the least information when this uncertainty is largest. The model makes several novel testable predictions regarding volume and order imbalances, some of which have existing empirical support.
Operational domain of Proto-MPEX

Abstract The Prototype-Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) is a linear plasma device to test the plasma source concepts for the future Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX). MPEX is planned to address plasma material interactions under fusion reactor divertor conditions as will occur in devices like DEMO, including the plasma exposure of a-priori neutron irradiated materials. This requires a novel linear plasma device with a plasma source that can produce high electron densities along with heating systems to obtain high electron and ion temperatures. In Proto-MPEX a high-power helicon source was tested together with electron heating (28 GHz microwaves) and ion cyclotron heating (8.5–12 MHz). Electron densities in excess of 1 × 1020 m−3 were produced with the helicon antenna. Electron temperatures can reach 20 eV and are typically below 6 eV at high densities (>5 × 1019 m−3). Ion heating has been demonstrated at low electron densities ( 2 × 1019 m−3).
Genetic Correlations: The Quantitative Genetics of Evolutionary Constraints

Dictionary definitions of “constraint” generally indicate some aspect of restricting or confining the possible states or actions of individuals or systems. In the disciplines of linear and dynamic programming, a constraint is a function or inequality specifying the range of permissible values of variables. If the constraints were removed, the dynamical and equilibrium properties of a system of equations may be quite altered. A constraint may be either fixed, specifying an absolute limit on a particular variable, or it may be dynamic and restrict the joint behavior of two or more variables. For the purpose of this discussion, a genetic constraint will be defined functionally as those aspects of the inheritance of traits that prevent natural selection from resulting in a steepest ascent approach of the mean phenotype to an optimum. Genetic constraints can be fixed, as in the case when genetic variation for a particular phenotype does not exist, or dynamic, as in the case of genetic correlations depending on allele frequencies and linkage disequilibria. The primary genetic reason to be suspicious of the adaptationist program (Gould and Lewontin 1979) is the prevalence of genetic correlation. The intent of this chapter is to examine constraints as themselves being evolved traits, just as the processes of Mendelian genetics are themselves the products of evolution. The utility of specifying an explicit relationship between phenotypic characters and fitness based on demographic or physiological principles will be demonstrated.
History of the Engineering Ethics Study Funded by NSF

The idea for the research project described in the proposal that follows was an outgrowth of research that my colleague Robert Baum and I did for an anthology we edited entitled Ethical Problems in Engineering (Troy, 1978). In gathering materials for that volume, it became evident that a great deal of the literature in the field of engineering ethics focused almost exclusively on the duties engineers have to employers, the public, and their profession, or with examining case histories describing engineers’ failures to fulfill these duties adequately. This was particularly evident in the area of how engineering activities impact on public safety, where understandably there is the greatest concern. What was missing were the details of how engineers succeeded in assuring that their work exhibited a paramount concern for public safety.
Exacerbation patterns in adults with asthma in England: A population based study

Rationale: Asthma is heterogeneous and knowledge on exacerbation patterns is lacking. Previous studies have had a relatively short follow-up or focused on severe disease.Objectives: To describe exa...
Marmosets as a translational aging model-Introduction

The life history of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) points to this species as a premiere nonhuman primate aging model. In order to take advantage of these features, we require an expanded and refined understanding of aging in this species. The papers in this special issue move this field forward substantially by providing exciting new findings about the aging of the common marmoset and the potential this species offers for revealing aging's secrets and improving the lives of aging humans.
3 Family Demography

Family demography is a subfield of demography and refers to the study of the changing nature of intergenerational and gender ties that bind individuals into households and family units and the variation of these relationships among subpopulations. In this chapter I first discuss the traditional definitions, methods, and measures used by family demographers to document trends and to assess family and household change. I then provide a descriptive overview of how households, families and living arrangements have changed over time. I next discuss how recent developments in family behavior have necessitated an expansion of techniques and data requiring a new approach to the study of family demography, specifically, the social demography of the family. Finally, I examine new areas of the social demography of the family that have emerged in the past several decades, including emerging young adulthood and union formation and dissolution; aging and living arrangements of the elderly; parenting; and the changing gender division of labor in two-parent families.
Natural Property Rights

How do systems of property rights emerge? Many scholars embrace a cost-benefit explanation, in which people create property rights when the benefits of doing so exceed the costs. Although true, this explanation is incomplete. It focuses on human institutions, but overlooks that rights exist in a natural, physical context. Animals, plants, and even microbes recognize and enforce functional property rights — durable individual and communal rights to physical space. This Article synthesizes hundreds of scientific studies about systems of property among animals, which offers new insight to why rights emerge and dissipate. Property theorists have relied heavily on anecdote and case studies to identify the causal mechanisms. Biologists, in contrast, have produced several well-developed mathematical models to explain the emergence of rights. In this Article, I outline these models and argue that they represent a new paradigm for explaining property rights. I also show how this shift speaks to the leading property debates. For example, biological examples suggest that the imagined division between public and private property is a false dichotomy; to maximize individual property, one must simultaneously cooperate in communal governance of related resources. Vitally, this project does not follow ugly historical attempts to use biology to distinguish among groups of people. It argues for the opposite perspective: emphasizing the universality of property as a form of organization among all living things.
Ferroelectric Tunneling Junctions for Neurosynaptic Computing

Ferroelectric tunneling junctions (FTJs) with tunable tunneling electroresistance (TER) are promising for many emerging applications including non-volatile memories and neurosynaptic computing. Traditional FTJs were mainly based on perovskites, such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT). Recently, doped hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) emerged as a new class of ferroelectric materials [1]. As compared to traditional perovskites, doped HfO 2 has the advantages of high coercive field and full compatibility with CMOS processes. Among various doped HfO 2 , Zr-doped HfO 2 (HZO) is particularly attractive due to its low annealing temperature and excellent scalability [2]–[3]. In FTJs based on metal/HZO/metal structure, in order to achieve a sizable on-current, the thickness of HZO needs to be scaled down below 5 nm. However, the polarization in these ultra-thin HZO film is very small, which leads to a low TER ratio [4]. In this project, we propose and demonstrate a new type of FTJ based on metal/Al 2 O 3 /HZO/Si structure. The interfacial Al 2 O 3 layer and semiconducting substrate enable sizable TERs even when the thickness of HZO is above 10 nm. We demonstrate FTJ synapses with symmetric potentiation and depression characteristics and widely tunable conductance. We also show that spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) can be harnessed from HZO based FTJs.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension with stenosis of a solitary occipital venous sinus treated with stenting.

A 47-year-old live kidney-donor woman presented with headaches and blurred vision. Neuro-ophthalmological examination demonstrated papilledema and right eye inferior nasal defect. Brain MRV showed ...
Racial Microaggressions and Latinxs' Well-being: A Systematic Review

As a form of racism that is both subtle and ubiquitous, racial microaggressions (RMAs) can have cumulatively deleterious physical and emotional effects on people of a specific race or ethnicity. Wh...
Metal-Bound or Free Ylides as Reaction Intermediates in Metal-Catalyzed [2,3]-Sigmatropic Rearrangements? It Depends.

Density functional theory calculations were applied to study four previously published metal-catalyzed [2,3]-rearrangements from onium ylide intermediates, in pursuit of generalizations about when,...
Electrocaloric cooling over high device temperature span

Summary Electrocaloric cooling demonstrates direct electricity utilization and high energy efficiency, and is often proposed as an environmentally benign, solid-state alternative to the conventional vapor compression cooling technology. As a result, the fabrication of effective electrocaloric materials and engineering of electrocaloric cooling devices have attracted increasing attention in the cooling community. However, the limited material adiabatic temperature change under safe operation field poses a major challenge to practical electrocaloric cooling device development, since real-world applications usually require device temperature span over 20 K. This perspective presents recent efforts devoted to design electrocaloric cooling devices based on active heat regeneration and cascading approaches; both strategies have achieved significant device temperature lift ~10 K with adiabatic temperature change of 2~3 K. The strategies discussed in this work are broadly applicable to the design of efficient and compact cooling systems.
An experimental test of the habitat amount hypothesis reveals little effect of habitat area but transient or indirect effects of fragmentation on local species richness

The habitat amount hypothesis (HAH) posits that local species richness is driven more by the amount of habitat in the surrounding landscape than by local patch size or habitat configuration. Habitat amount and configuration influence patch attributes, however, making it difficult to isolate these relative effects on local richness. We tested the HAH in an experimental system in which the amount (10–80%) and configuration (clumped vs. fragmented) of habitat (red clover) were adjusted independently within individual ‘landscapes’ (256-m2 plots). We used generalized linear models and model-selection criteria to evaluate how arthropod richness at two local scales (1 m2 and 4 m2) varied as a function of the amount or fragmentation of habitat and of the size or shape of the local patch. Local richness was largely independent of the amount or configuration of habitat, as well as patch size or shape. Local richness was best modeled as a constant for all surveys but the first, in which fragmentation alone best explained variation in species richness, followed by patch shape (which is an indirect effect of fragmentation). Habitat amount had an overwhelmingly positive effect on arthropod richness at the landscape scale, however. The HAH was not supported in this experimental system: local richness was generally unaffected by the amount of habitat in the surrounding landscape, whereas habitat configuration was sometimes important. Given that habitat amount affected landscape-wide richness, it may be that the HAH only applies at the ‘landscape scale’, at least in this system.
Rapid MOSFET Contact Resistance Extraction From Circuit Using SPICE-Augmented Machine Learning Without Feature Extraction

It is desirable to monitor the degradation of integrated circuits (ICs) or perform their failure analysis through their electrical characteristics [such as the voltage-transfer characteristic (VTC), of an inverter]. Such a method is nondestructive, low-cost, and can be applied to a large number of samples. Machine learning is naturally an excellent tool to perform this task. However, it is very expensive, in terms of time and cost, to generate enough experimental data with well-controlled defects to train a reliable machine. Moreover, IC defect signatures and features are usually embedded in the hyperspace of their electrical characteristics and are difficult to extract. In this article, we propose to use dimensionality reduction to extract the defect signature from the IC electrical characteristics using data generated through simulations. A CMOS inverter is used for demonstration. The drain contact resistances, which can increase due to defect or degradation, of the nMOSFET and pMOSFET in an inverter are extracted using a machine based on autoencoder (AE). The machine is trained using data generated from SPICE simulation. The machine is then tested using experimental data and high accuracy is obtained (R² > 0.9). In particular, for the first time, through the analysis of the hidden variables, we demonstrate that the machine has effectively extracted the features automatically which obviates the cumbersome feature extraction process.
FOOD LANDSCAPES: A CASE STUDY OF A COOKING AND ART- FOCUSED PROGRAM FOR TEENS LIVING IN A FOOD DESERT

FOOD LANDSCAPES: A CASE STUDY OF A COOKING AND ART FOCUSED PROGRAM FOR TEENS LIVING IN A FOOD DESERT By Jessica Norris, BFA A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Art Education at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014. Major Director: Dr. Melanie Buffington, Associate Professor, Art Education This study constructs themes and propositions about the experiences of youth participants in the fall 2013 Food Landscapes program at the Neighborhood Resource Center in Richmond, Virginia. During the program, youth participated in cooking-based volunteerism with adults with disabilities and created short videos about their experiences. In this study, I analyzed preand post-program participant interviews, twice-weekly program observations, and facilitator reflections to understand how Food Landscapes affected youths’ conception of community engagement and communication strategies. This case study offers insight into how youth experience after-school programming of this design. Based on my findings, youth develop and rely upon a sense of togetherness in out-of-school programs. Togetherness as a bridge to commitment strengthens participation. Individually, youth need to form personal connections to and/or empathy with the content areas of the program in order to derive meaning, critically reflect, and problem solve. Furthermore, the youth articulated their perceptions of the community and the program by developing, organizing, and voicing their ideas of cooking/food,
Renal transplantation: Complications in patients with juvenile diabetes☆

Four cases of patients with juvenile diabetes who received kidney transplants are reported. Problems with selection and management are discussed, and the high mortality and morbidity rates in this group of patients is emphasized.
Mineralization of Propylene Glycol in Root Zone Soil

Propylene glycol is a common component on aircraft deicingfluids. Runoff from airports may contain high concentrations ofpropylene glycol, leading to a high biological oxygen demand(BOD) in the runoff. Root zone soils support a diverse microbialcommunity and have been shown to enhance biodegradation of numerous compounds. Root zone soils from several grasses andlegumes were tested for their ability to enhance mineralizationof propylene glycol. Propylene glycol (1000 ppm) was applied toroot zone soils incubated at either 22 or 7 °C underdarkened conditions. Root zone soils from legumes showed thehighest rate of mineralization, however, soils from variousgrasses did not show consistently different mineralization ratesfrom each other. Mineralization rates decreased 2.2 to 4.2-foldat the lower temperature; however, treatment soils stillmineralized propylene glycol faster than autoclaved controls.
Belief, Intention, and Practicality: Loosening Up Agents and Their Propositional Attitudes

The beliefs of a single agent are typically treated in logic and philosophy as a single modality or epistemic attitude. I argue that it is better to treat belief as a family of loosely related modalities. This approach to belief, along with mechanisms for constructing modalities and for activating a modality that is appropriate for a specific reasoning situation, seems to provide a much better model of the relation of belief to intention in deliberative reasoning. I discuss this and other applications of this more flexible conception of belief and similar attitudes.
Influence of 13C‐enriched foliage respired CO2 on δ13C of ecosystem‐respired CO2

[1] The δ13C of slash pine foliage dark-respired CO2 (δ13CF) was measured at temperatures ranging from 6.6° to 30°C. The δ13CF was 13C-enriched initially after dark by as much as 9‰ and declined toward an asymptotic value after a few hours in the dark. Maximum enrichment in δ13CF occurred at the lowest temperatures and the decline in δ13CF toward the asymptotic value took longer at lower temperatures. The effect of this temporal variation in foliage enriched CO2 on determination of the δ13CO2 of ecosystem respiration (δ13CR) was investigated using two approaches by measuring the nighttime CO2 concentration and δ13CO2 ratio in a 30-m-tall pine forest in Florida, United States. The first approach (time series) consisted of making measurements at a single height at midcanopy from 1 hour after sunset until 0200 local time. The second approach (profile) consisted of making measurements at multiple heights from ground level to the top of the canopy synoptically prior to dawn. For each method a Keeling plot was used to estimate the δ13CR. The δ13CR values determined with the time series were 13C-enriched relative to those determined from profiles on average by 1.0‰ and by as much as 3.1‰. A mass balance was used to determine the impact of the nonconstancy of δCF on the overall Keeling plot intercepts. For the months examined, results indicate that (1) the enrichment in the Keeling intercepts determined from time series compared to those determined from profiles was consistent with the addition of nighttime foliage respired 13C-enriched CO2 and (2) Keeling plots determined from midcanopy heights appear linear despite the addition of temporally variable source δ13CO2 (range: 4‰). A common approach that specifies the time (predawn) and spatial distribution (multiple heights) for CO2 collection is suggested to improve intercomparisons of δ13CR from different ecosystems.
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY USING AN ELECTRON ABSORPTION DETECTOR.

In 1952 James and Martin revived Martin’S earlier discovery of gasliquid partition chromatography. In 1959 Coulson applied gas chromatography to the separation of pesticides. As instruments and theory became more sophisticated, detectors advanced from the relatively insensitive automatic buret and katharometer to the extremely sensitive ion detectors. The most promising ion detector for pesticides is the electron affinity cell which forms the subject of this review.
Role of the leucine-rich repeat domain of cryopyrin/NALP3 in monosodium urate crystal-induced inflammation in mice.

Objective The mechanism by which monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals intracellularly activate the cryopyrin inflammasome is unknown. The aim of this study was to use a mouse molecular genetics–based approach to test whether the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain of cryopyrin is required for MSU crystal–induced inflammation. Methods Cryopyrin-knockout lacZ (Cryo−Z/−Z) mice and mice with the cryopyrin LRR domain deleted and fused to the lacZ reporter (CryoΔLRR Z/ΔLRR Z) were generated using bacterial artificial chromosome–based targeting vectors, which allow for large genomic deletions. Bone marrow–derived macrophages from CryoΔLRR Z/ΔLRR Z mice, Cryo−Z/−Z mice, and congenic wild-type (WT) mice were challenged with endotoxin-free MSU crystals under serum-free conditions. Phagocytosis and cytokine expression were assessed by flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. MSU crystals also were injected into mouse synovial-like subcutaneous air pouches. The in vivo inflammatory responses were examined. Results Release of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), but not CXCL1 and tumor necrosis factor α, was impaired in CryoΔLRR Z/ΔLRR Z and Cryo−Z/−Z mouse bone marrow–derived macrophages compared with WT mouse bone marrow–derived macrophages in response to not only MSU crystals but also other known stimuli that activate the cryopyrin inflammasome. In addition, a comparable percentage of MSU crystals taken up by each type of bone marrow–derived macrophage was observed. Moreover, total leukocyte infiltration in the air pouch and IL-1β production were attenuated in Cryo−Z/−Z and CryoΔLRR Z/ΔLRR Z mice at 6 hours postinjection of MSU crystals compared with WT mice. Conclusion MSU crystal–induced inflammatory responses were comparably attenuated both in vitro and in vivo in CryoΔLRR Z/ΔLRR Z and Cryo−Z/−Z mice. Hence, the LRR domain of cryopyrin plays a role in mediating MSU crystal–induced inflammation in this model.
Phase I trial of murine monoclonal antibody L6 in combination with subcutaneous interleukin-2 in patients with advanced carcinoma of the breast, colorectum, and lung.

PURPOSEA phase I trial was undertaken to determine the toxicity and biologic effects of a combination of murine monoclonal antibody L6 (MoAb L6) plus subcutaneous (SC) interleukin-2 (IL-2).PATIENTS AND METHODSFifteen patients with refractory adenocarcinoma (five breast, five lung, five colorectal), received L6 at 200 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) daily on days 1 to 7, followed by a 1-week rest period. IL-2 was given at either 2, 3, or 4.5 x 10(6) U/m2 daily doses times 4 days for a total duration of 3 weeks.RESULTSSide effects of L6 consisted of mild fever and chills along with a rash and serum sickness in one patient. One patient developed dyspnea and urticaria, that resolved with antihistamines. Maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) of SC IL-2 was 3 x 10(6) U/m2, with dose-limiting toxicities that consisted of grade 4 fatigue and dyspnea. Significant decreases in complement levels along with increases in absolute lymphocyte count and eosinophil count were observed. Mean antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity from m...
Proteasome function is regulated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase through phosphorylation of Rpt6.

Dysregulation of the proteasome has been documented in a variety of human diseases such as Alzheimer, muscle atrophy, cataracts etc. Proteolytic activity of 26 S proteasome is ATP- and ubiquitin-dependent. O-GlcNAcylation of Rpt2, one of the AAA ATPases in the 19 S regulatory cap, shuts off the proteasome through the inhibition of ATPase activity. Thus, through control of the flux of glucose into O-GlcNAc, the function of the proteasome is coupled to glucose metabolism. In the present study we found another metabolic control of the proteasome via cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Contrary to O-Glc-NAcylation, PKA activated proteasomes both in vitro and in vivo in association with the phosphorylation at Ser120 of another AAA ATPase subunit, Rpt6. Mutation of Ser120 to Ala blocked proteasome function. The stimulatory effect of PKA and the phosphorylation of Rpt6 were reversible by protein phosphatase 1γ. Thus, hormones using the PKA system can also regulate proteasomes often in concert with glucose metabolism. This finding might lead to novel strategies for the treatment of proteasome-related diseases.
Genomic imprinting and environment in hereditary paraganglioma

Hereditary paraganglioma (PGL) is characterized by the development of slow-growing and vascularized tumors in the paraganglionic system. PGL is caused by germ line heterozygous inactivating mutations in the SDHB (PGL4), SDHC (PGL3), or SDHD (PGL1) genes, which encode three of the four subunits of mitochondrial complex II (succinate dehydrogenase; SDH). Common tumor sites include the carotid body in the neck and paraganglia in the abdomen. The risk of tumor development associated with SDHD mutations is determined by the sex of the transmitting parent, because only a paternal transmission leads to tumorigenesis in the progeny. This transmission pattern suggests operation of genomic imprinting on the SDHD gene. There is also evidence that the risk of tumor development increases at higher altitudes among SDHD mutation carriers. Accordingly, the increased prevalence of SDHD mutations in the Netherlands, attributable to multiple founder mutations, has been explained in part by the low altitudes in this country, which presumably reduce gene penetrance and relax the natural selection. Thus, PGL caused by SDHD mutations represents an unusual example of an inherited monogenic tumor syndrome because the risk of tumorigenesis shows an absolute dependence on the sex of the transmitting parent and may be modified by a ubiquitous environmental factor.
Destination Choice Model for Commercial Vehicle Movements in Metropolitan Area

This paper describes the development of a destination choice model for the movements of commercial vehicles in a metropolitan area. The proposed model has two major differences from other regional commercial vehicle models in the United States: (a) the model is stratified by commercial vehicle type and trip purpose jointly, instead of by vehicle type only; and (b) the model employs the technique of discrete choice modeling instead of using a traditional gravity model. With this technique, nonimpedance variables could be tested for inclusion in the utility function of the model. The study found that, besides travel time being a strong predictor, interarea-type dummy variables were statistically significant in truck-related submodels that push truck trips to less developed areas. Intercounty dummy variables were attempted as a proxy for intercounty economic interaction and found statistically significant in several submodels. Both the interarea-type and intercounty dummy variables add explanatory power to t...
The role of dialysate in the stimulation of interleukin-1 production during clinical hemodialysis.

To evaluate the role of the dialysate in the stimulation of interleukin-1 (IL-1) production during clinical hemodialysis (HD), we studied maintenance HD patients in two experiments. Cellulosic hollow-fiber dialyzers were obtained after 20 minutes of HD using either nonsterile standard dialysate (n = 6) or sterile pyrogen free 0.9% saline as dialysate (n = 6). After rinsing the blood compartment with normal saline, dialyzers were incubated at 37°C for six hours. Aliquots from the blood compartment were analyzed for the presence of IL-1 by (1) rabbit pyrogenic response after intravenous injection or (2) thymocyte co-proliferation assay. The in vivo assay showed a significantly greater febrile response when standard dialysate was used than in the sterile saline group ( P P P v standard dialysate (n = 6) for 240 minutes of clinical HD. The in vitro assay revealed significantly lower IL-1 levels in the filtered sterilized dialysate group ( P P
Combining stress-only myocardial perfusion imaging with coronary calcium scanning as a new paradigm for initial patient work-up: An exploratory analysis

We conducted an exploratory analysis to test whether the addition of a CAC scan can increase the applicability of stress-only SPECT-MPI. We studied 162 patients referred for rest/stress SPECT-MPI who underwent a CAC scan. Each scan was interpreted by two readers in stepwise fashion: stress-only images; addition of clinical data; and addition of CAC data. At each step, the reader was asked if rest SPECT-MPI was necessary. Stress-only images were interpreted as normal in 62, probably normal in 42, equivocal in 15, probably abnormal in 5, and definitely abnormal in 38 patients. Rest SPECT-MPI imaging was considered necessary, in 0% of normal studies, but in 88% of probably normal studies, and 100% of those with equivocal/abnormal studies. Addition of the clinical data did not materially change this decision. Additional consideration of the CAC scan results did not influence the deemed lack of need for a rest SPECT-MPI with normal SPECT-MPI or the necessity of rest SPECT-MPI with abnormal SPECT-MPI. However, the CAC scan reduced the deemed need for a rest SPECT-MPI in 72% with a probably normal, 47% with an equivocal, and 40% of those with a probably abnormal SPECT-MPI. Our exploratory analysis indicates that addition of a CAC scan to stress SPECT-MPI tends to diminish experienced readers’ deemed need to perform rest SPECT-MPI studies among patients with probably normal or borderline stress-only SPECT-MPI studies. Thus, further study appears warranted to assess the utility of using CAC scanning as a means for increasing the percent of SPECT-MPI studies that can be performed as stress-only studies.
A model for intumescent paints

Abstract A model is constructed for intumescent paints in which it is assumed that the transition to the swollen state occurs at a very thin zone or front. Across this front there is a discontinuity in the density, the velocity, and the temperature gradient. The temperature is continuous and fixed at the front at a value that is a property of the paint. All of the mass loss through outgassing occurs at the front, and this gives rise to a large increase in the volume of the paint particles as they are traversed by the front. On each side of the front, the physical processes consist exclusively of heat conduction. In the context of this model, a finite coating subject to a heat flux contains two moving boundaries: the front, and the outer surface of the coating at which the flux is applied. Through an elementary mathematical transformation, this problem is reduced to one in which the outer surface is fixed and only the inner front moves. This simplified problem is of Stefan type, easily amenable to numerical analysis. The time-dependent substrate temperature, when calculated in this way, tends to level off at a constant value until the front has completely traversed the coating; then it sharply increases again. This is a characteristic of much of the available experimental data and, combined with visual evidence, lends credence to our model.
Stereochemistry and Vitalism

WHEN listening to Prof. Japp's stimulating presidential address, I could not but wish that he had pursued his subject further and inquired into the antecedents of the life-made carbon compounds.
Optical properties of human aorta: Are they affected by cryopreservation?

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of freezing upon the in vitro optical properties of human aorta from 300 nm to 800 nm. Freezing significantly decreased absorption coefficient over most of the spectrum from 300 nm to 800 nm. The only significant changes in the reduced scattering coefficient were from 300 nm to 335 nm. © 1994 wiley-Liss, Inc.
The st. petersburg paradox and Pascal's Wager

L'A. defend le pari de Pascal qui s'appuie sur la notion d'utilite infinie de la foi pour prouver l'existence de Dieu, contre l'argument du paradoxe de Saint-Petersbourg developpe par N. Bernouilli et P. Montmort, affirmant que pour l'utilite attendue et infinie d'un acte A, il n'est pas vrai que la raison demande de faire cet acte a un prix fini; d'ou il resulte la condamnation du pari, qui peut etre sauve par l'introduction d'un principe relevant de la theorie de la decision que l'A. nomme le principe de perte sure
Nil Santiáñez. Topographies of Fascism. Habitus, Space, and Writing in Twentieth Century Spain. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 2013. xiii + 411 pp.

Nil Santianez. Topographies of Fascism. Habitus, Space, and Writing in Twentieth Century Spain. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 2013. xiii + 411 pp.
Modeling Time-Dependent Systems Using Multi-Stage Bayesian Surrogates

Multi-Stage Bayesian Surrogate Models (MBSM) are meta-models, constructed using data obtained from different sources, which have the ability to integrate information and responses with different levels of accuracy. In applications of surrogate models for time-dependent systems, the data obtained from physical or computational experiments is usually a sequence of response values over time, measured for different combinations of design parameters. For such applications, the traditional MBSM approach is impractical to incorporate all the observed data in a single model of the system, mainly due to the prohibitive computational effort involved. In this paper, we propose a framework for building surrogate models for time-dependent systems, based on the cokriging technique. The proposed framework regards the observations as a set of time-correlated spatial processes, with a stationary, separable cross-covariance structure of known functional form. Results show that for time-dependent systems, the proposed methodology outperforms joint space-time models built with the traditional MBSM approach both in terms of accuracy and computational effort.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
FACTORS AFFECTING COGNITIVE, MOTOR, EXECUTIVE AND BEHAVIORAL FUNCTIONING IN CHILDREN WITH PHENYLKETONURIA (PKU). 835

FACTORS AFFECTING COGNITIVE, MOTOR, EXECUTIVE AND BEHAVIORAL FUNCTIONING IN CHILDREN WITH PHENYLKETONURIA (PKU). 835