cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of interface bonding conditions based on non-destructing testing deflection measurements

Interface bonding conditions between pavement layers have a major impact on pavement performance. The objective of this study was to assess interface bonding conditions between pavement layers using falling weight deflectometer deflection measurements. In addition, the effect of interface bonding conditions on the backcalculated layer moduli was investigated. To achieve these objectives, a new methodology was developed based on FWD measurements collected in 46 sections in Louisiana. These measurements were used to backcalculate the layer moduli using MODULUS 6.0 software. BISAR 3.0 software was then used in conjunction with MODULUS 6.0 to backcalculate the asphalt concrete (AC)/base bonding condition and to correct the backcalculated base layer moduli. The results of the proposed methodology were verified through evaluation of extracted cores. Based on the results of this analysis, it was found that the interface bonding conditions significantly influenced the accuracy of the backcalculation analysis. The...
Direct experimental observation of the gas density depression effect using a two-bunch X-ray FEL beam

The experimental observation of the depression effect in gas devices designed for X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) is reported. The measurements were carried out at the Linac Coherent Light Source using a two-bunch FEL beam at 6.5 keV with 122.5 ns separation passing through an argon gas cell. The relative intensities of the two pulses of the two-bunch beam were measured, after and before the gas cell, from X-ray scattering off thin targets by using fast diodes with sufficient temporal resolution. At a cell pressure of 140 hPa, it was found that the after-to-before ratio of the intensities of the second pulse was about 17% ± 6% higher than that of the first pulse, revealing lower effective attenuation of the gas cell due to heating by the first pulse and subsequent gas density reduction in the beam path. This measurement is important in guiding the design and/or mitigating the adverse effects in gas devices for high-repetition-rate FELs such as the LCLS-II and the European XFEL or other future high-repetition-rate upgrades to existing FEL facilities.
Anogenital distance in newborn daughters of women with polycystic ovary syndrome indicates fetal testosterone exposure

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects ~7% of reproductive age women. Although its etiology is unknown, in animals, excess prenatal testosterone (T) exposure induces PCOS-like phenotypes. While measuring fetal T in humans is infeasible, demonstrating in utero androgen exposure using a reliable newborn biomarker, anogenital distance (AGD), would provide evidence for a fetal origin of PCOS and potentially identify girls at risk. Using data from a pregnancy cohort (The Infant Development and Environment Study), we tested the novel hypothesis that infant girls born to women with PCOS have longer AGD, suggesting higher fetal T exposure, than girls born to women without PCOS. During pregnancy, women reported whether they ever had a PCOS diagnosis. After birth, infant girls underwent two AGD measurements: anofourchette distance (AGD-AF) and anoclitoral distance (AGD-AC). We fit adjusted linear regression models to examine the association between maternal PCOS and girls' AGD. In total, 300 mother-daughter dyads had complete data and 23 mothers reported PCOS. AGD was longer in the daughters of women with a PCOS diagnosis compared with daughters of women with no diagnosis (AGD-AF: β=1.21, P=0.05; AGD-AC: β=1.05, P=0.18). Results were stronger in analyses limited to term births (AGD-AF: β=1.65, P=0.02; AGD-AC: β=1.43, P=0.09). Our study is the first to examine AGD in offspring of women with PCOS. Our results are consistent with findings that women with PCOS have longer AGD and suggest that during PCOS pregnancies, daughters may experience elevated T exposure. Identifying the underlying causes of PCOS may facilitate early identification and intervention for those at risk.
On the Way to Neuroethology: The Identified Neuron Approach

The late Kenneth Roeder, whom I had the pleasure of first meeting in 1955, and many times thereafter, was a major source of inspiration. He was singular, for the late 1930’s, in realizing the potential insects offer for a deep understanding of how nerve cells generate and of control behavior. I think the only other person to perceive this potential may have been V.B. Wigglesworth, but Sir. Vincent hated complex instruments, especially cathode-ray oscillographs, and he positively went out of his way to avoid contact with both them and their “slaves”, as he felt insect neuroscientists soon became. By contrast, Roeder manifestly enjoyed playing with oscilloscopes and looking at spikes. Following his retirement, when he was often too ill to travel to his Tufts University laboratory, Roeder would be busy in his garage. There, his devoted students had helped him set up an excellent neurorecording rig. But first and foremost he was a naturalist who loved the subtleties of animal behavior. He felt that his first call was to the whole animal, so he never made a total commitment to neuroscience as a discipline. I think he was afraid of getting lost in what he perceived as the narrow, though seductive, world of biophysics. For him, communication with intercellular neuronal traffic via extracellular action potentials provided ample food for a lively mind. And of course, he wonderfully illuminated our understanding of insect life by his skillful, perceptive probings.
Dependent bigram identification

Dependent bigrams are two consecutive words that occur together in a text more often than would be expected purely by chance. Identifying such bigrams is an important issue since they provide valuable clues for machine translation, word sense disambiguation, and information retrieval. A variety of significance tests have been proposed (e.g., Church et. al., 1991, Dunning, 1993, Pedersen et. al, 1996) to identify these interesting lexical pairs. In this poster I present a new statistic, minimum sensitivity, that is simple to compute and is free from the underlying distributional assumptions commonly made by significance tests. The challenge in identifying dependent bigrams is that most are relatively rare regardless of the amount of text being considered. This follows from the distributional tendencies of individual bigrams as described by Zipf’s Law. If the frequencies of the bigrams in a text are ordered from most to least frequent, (fl, f~, ..., f,,), these frequencies roughly obey fi oc Consider the following example from a 1,300,000 word sample of the ACL/DCI Wall Street Journal Corpus. A contingency table containing the frequency counts of oil and industry is shown below. These counts show that oil industry occurs 17 times, oil occurs without industry 240 times, industry occurs without oil 1001 times, and bigrams other than oil industry occur 1,298,742 times. This distribution is sparse and skewed and thus violates a central assumption implicit in significance testing of contingency tables (l~ead Cressie 1988).
Site of action of morphine sulfate and motilin in the induction of "premature" Phase III-like activity in the canine gastrointestinal tract

Our aims were twofold: First, to determine whether motilin and morphine induce "premature" Phase III-like motor activity by acting on receptors located in the wall of the proximal duodenum; second, to characterize the relationship between onset of pharmacologically induced Phase III-like activity and changes in plasma motilin concentration. Five dogs were studied with use of motilin, in doses ranging from 0.01 to 0.8 micrograms/kg, and with use of morphine sulfate, in doses ranging from 2.5 to 80 micrograms/kg, administered by close intra-arterial injection to the proximal duodenum at 40% of the spontaneous migrating motor complex cycle. The minimum effective doses of motilin and morphine necessary to induce premature Phase III-like activity when given intravenously were also determined. Both motilin and morphine induced premature Phase III-like activity in the duodenum, the characteristics of which were similar to those of spontaneous Phase III except that the velocity of migration in morphine-induced Phase III-like activity was greater. The minimum effective dose of each agent was no different whether given intra-arterially or intravenously. The latencies of response to intra-arterial and intravenous administration of each agent were no different. Doses of morphine effective in inducing premature Phase III-like activity led to increases in plasma motilin concentration that occurred only after Phase III-like activity had begun in the duodenum. Our results suggest that humoral initiation of fasting motor activity in the duodenum by motilin and morphine does not occur by stimulation of receptors located within the wall of the duodenum.
Cross-Cultural Social Psychology

In the last decade or so, cross-cultural issues have received increased attention, and social-psychological research across cultures has proliferated, although unevenly with respect to theoretical and substantive areas. This chapter reviews the basic issues associated with a cross-cultural approach to social psychology, and assesses recent theoretical, methodological, and substantive progress. We first develop a working definition of "culture" and "crosscultural." We then examine the major motivations for the increase in cross-cultural research at this time in history. We proceed to review some major theoretical issues and empirical work exemplifying different theoretical approaches. Finally, we briefly review methodological issues and practical problems associated with the actual practice of research in different cultures, and conclude with our view of the place of cross-cultural work in social psychology.
On the Dynamic Similarity Between Bipeds and Quadrupeds: A Case Study on Bounding

In this letter, we identify passive dynamic bounding gaits of quadrupedal robots and investigate the dynamic similarities between these gaits and those of a bipedal model. For this purpose, we develop a passive dynamic bounding model of a quadruped with an extended main body. This model is based on the established SLIP model, yet has dynamic swing leg motions instead of a predefined angle of attack. We present a gait-identification framework that is based on a numerical continuation approach and that allows us to find all possible passive periodic motions that emerge from pronking and bounding in place. These gaits include forward pronking as well as forward bounding with gathered suspension, extended suspension, and with two suspensions. By conducting a parameter study on the body inertia, we can draw parallels between bipedal and quadrupedal gaits, and can also show how the structure of possible solutions changes with the main body inertia. In particular, we see sudden changes in the gait structure at certain critical values of the main body inertia. This letter shows connections between different types of quadrupedal gaits and may serve as a guideline in the design and control of gaits for energetically economical legged robots. It also sheds some light at the question why animals with different morphology use different gaits at the same Froude numbers.
The Role of Eddies in Buoyancy-Driven Eastern Boundary Currents

AbstractAn eastern boundary current (EBC) system driven by a large-scale meridional buoyancy gradient is simulated using an idealized eddy-resolving model. The EBC system consists of a pair of stac...
Review of Electrically Conductive Composites and Films Containing Cellulosic Fibers or Nanocellulose

Strategic combinations of cellulosic materials with electrically conductive polymers or nanoconductors offer important potential advantages for technological advances, light-weight inexpensive products, applications of novel form factors, and more eco-friendly alternatives to certain forms of smart packaging and electronics. This review of the literature focuses on how such electrically conductive composite systems work, the roles that cellulosic materials can provide in such structures, processes by which electrically-conductive cellulose-based composites and films can be manufactured, and various potential applications that have been demonstrated. Several advantages of cellulose, such as ease of fabrication, compatibility with conductive agents, and sustainability, allow its integration with conductive agents in making conductive composites. Applications of electrically conducting cellulose-based composites for strain sensors, energy storage, solar cells, electrodes, supercapacitors, and smart packaging are discussed.
Examining sustained impacts of two teacher professional development programs on professional well-being and classroom practices

Abstract We examine second-year impacts of a 1-year pre-primary teacher training and coaching program, delivered with and without parental-awareness meetings, evaluated with a school-level randomized trial. Outcomes included teachers’ professional well-being and classroom practices. Most gains observed during the program year faded out. However, there were small sustained impacts on the implementation of training activities. Counteracting effects of the parental-awareness meetings were evident, with suggestive evidence that teachers in this treatment group displayed lower scores on one dimension of classroom quality—Supporting Student Expression—compared to controls. Implications for professional development and educational quality are discussed.
Mexican Consular Protection Services across the United States: How Local Social, Economic, and Political Conditions Structure the Sociolegal Support of Emigrants:

Scholars have increasingly examined the policies that states adopt to forge relationships with, deliver services to, and protect the rights of emigrants living abroad. Much of this research has foc...
Variability in Diagnosed Asthma in Young Children in a Large Pediatric Primary Care Network.

Abstract Objective Our objectives were to 1) quantify the frequency of wheezing episodes and asthma diagnosis in young children in a large pediatric primary care network and 2) assess the variability in practice-level asthma diagnosis, accounting for common asthma risk factors and comorbidities. We hypothesized that significant variability in practice-level asthma diagnosis rates would remain after adjusting for associated predictors. Methods We generated a retrospective longitudinal birth cohort of children who visited 1 of 31 pediatric primary care practices within the first 6 months of life from 1/2005 to 12/2016. Children were observed for up to 8 years or until the end of the observation window. We used multivariable discrete time survival models to evaluate predictors of asthma diagnosis by 3-month age intervals. We compared unadjusted and adjusted proportions of children diagnosed with asthma by practice. Results Of the 161,502 children in the cohort, 34,578 children (21%) received at least 1 asthma diagnosis. In multivariable modeling, male gender, minority race/ethnicity, gestational age Conclusions Across pediatric primary care practices, adjusted incidence of asthma diagnosis by age 6 years ranged widely, though variation gauged by the interquartile range was more modest. Potential sources of practice-level variation, such as differing diagnosis thresholds and labeling of different wheezing phenotypes as “asthma,” should be further investigated.
Diagnostic challenges and considerations of cyclical Cushing’s syndrome in a 15-year-old female

Cyclical Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a rare disorder in which cortisol secretion is cyclical and intermittent. This phenomenon makes for a challenging diagnosis, as patterns of cycling can vary widely among patients and as patients with cyclical CS do not exhibit unique clinical features compared to those without cycling. Current research suggests that cyclical CS may be present in approximately 15% of adult cases, with an even lower reported prevalence in the pediatric population. In this case study, we describe a 15-year-old female with obesity and hypertension who was then diagnosed with cyclical CS after we pursued additional screening tests of urine creatinine and 24-hour urine cortisol, dexamethasone suppression tests, bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling, as well as MRI. We discuss the vari-ous diagnostic modalities in the challenging diagnosis of cyclical CS as well as the importance and modalities of post-operative monitor-ing in this patient population. From this case study, we emphasize that when CS is suspected and initial screening tests are negative, clinicians should be aware of the cycling phenomenon of CS in order to consider performing additional screening tests.
Flipping the script: The power of positivity in Fontan care

Abstract Clinicians' words have a profound impact on a patient's attitude and outlook on life. Positive language, which acknowledges the uniqueness of each patient and highlights personal triumphs, can relieve anxiety and empower individuals to pursue their passions. Not only does this enhance emotional health, but an increasing body of literature indicates that positivity and mindful awareness improve aspects of physical health critical to Fontan optimization as well. There are still many unknown factors influencing long-term outcomes and quality of life. Thus, by acknowledging that today's “best available evidence” may not be “truth” over time for an individual, clinicians may open up possibilities for patients to define their own meaningful lives. Through small shifts in language, clinicians may change the narrative to the positive for individuals with Fontan circulation and in doing so offer patients the gift of “Yes” to the fullness of life.
Plasma-driven solution electrolysis

Plasmas interacting with liquids enable the generation of a highly reactive interfacial liquid layer due to a variety of processes driven by plasma-produced electrons, ions, photons, and radicals. These processes show promise to enable selective, efficient, and green chemical transformations and new material synthesis approaches. While many differences are to be expected between conventional electrolysis and plasma–liquid interactions, plasma–liquid interactions can be viewed, to a first approximation, as replacing a metal electrode in an electrolytic cell with a gas phase plasma. For this reason, we refer to this method as plasma-driven solution electrochemistry (PDSE). In this Perspective, we address two fundamental questions that should be answered to enable researchers to make transformational advances in PDSE: How far from equilibrium can plasma-induced solution processes be driven? and What are the fundamental differences between PDSE and other more traditional electrochemical processes? Different aspects of both questions are discussed in five sub-questions for which we review the current state-of-the art and we provide a motivation and research vision.
Peace Negotiations and the Dynamics of the Arab-Israeli Conflict

The Covid-19 pandemic has created enormous challenges for the people and economies around the globe and the fallout from this would permanently reshape our world as it continues to unfold. The new virus disease (covid-19) was unknown before it spread in Wuhan, China, in December, 2019 and it really dealt a blow to the world, particularly the developed societies. The impact of the pandemic can be seen across the sectors (Jones et al 2020). The paper highlights the challenges faced globally by all sectors during the pandemic and the underlying opportunities to fill existing gap in the system. The paper also, in a brief discourse, looked at what the situation was in the context of Nigeria. The paper underlines governments efforts and response towards containing and fighting the pandemic and ameliorating the effects of the measures undertaken by her to checkmate its spread through restriction of movement, lockdown and social/physical distancing. The paper concludes that the economy should be reformed and that government should advance to digital technology; that it is in everyone’s interest that people who feel unwell should not check their pocket before they seek medical attention, that government should make policy of free health care, and do well to strengthen the weak institutions by investing in health care infrastructure, to improve on the health facilities and the ability of the national health system to withstand any future outbreak of contagious diseases.
Sensitivity and Selectivity in Protein Sequence Comparison

Recent improvements in computer algorithms for comparing DNA and protein sequences have dramatically decreased the amount of time required to compare an unidentified sequence to a DNA or protein sequence library. These improvements have come at a time when new cloning and sequencing technologies are rapidly increasing the size of the DNA and protein databases. In the past few years, protein sequence comparisons have revealed a variety of significant unexpected evolutionary relationships. In the future, the odds of finding evolutionary relatives of newly sequenced proteins will increase as the sequence databases grow in size and diversity.
Piriformis Syndrome and Neuropathic Fibular Pain Caused by Anomalous Sciatic Anatomy

Sacro-iliac joint arthritis was a cause of sciatica at the turn of the last century (1); however the piriformis muscle, which spans the joint, became synonymous with sciatica evoked by passive internal rotation, hip flexion and abduction maneuvers. Piriformis syndrome was ascribed to contact of the muscle with upper sacral nerves and the sciatic trunk as they transited the IF (2). Sectioning a tight iliotibial band (3), piriformis myotomy and fascial band releases (4), and physiotherapy have all been advocated as effective modes of therapy. Although over-diagnosed (5), there are subsets of affected patients with anomalous anatomy.
Carbon-13 fourier transform NMR studies of organotin compounds

Abstract Carbon-13 NMR parameters for 33 organotin compounds with a variety of structurul features were investigated in order to obtain information about the relationship between their structure and 13C NMR parameters. It was found that the substitution of a proton by a trialkyltin group generally produces an upfield shift for the directly bonded carbon. The γ-nuclei usually resonate at lower fields except where there is appreciable steric strain while the β-carbons undergo relatively constant shifts of approximately 3.5 to 4.5 ppm to lower fields. The magnitude of direct bond coupling Jz-sfnc;1J(119Sn13C)z-sfnc; is influenced by the hybridization of the tin and the directly attached carbon atoms. In rigid organitins, the vicinal coupling constants show a Karplus type variation. In aliphatic organotins, the values of the vicinal 119Sn13C coupling indicates a flexible molecular framework with a clear cut preference for certain conformations.
Practical Digital Preservation: A How-to Guide for Organizations of Any Size

A review of Adrian Brown's Practical Digital Preservation: A How-To Guide for Organizations of Any Size.
Blood Pressure in Low-Birth-Weight Infants

I would like to commend Versmold et al1 for their recent attempt to establish more accurate "normal" values for arterial pressure in infants with birth weights less than 1,000 gm. I too had been struck by the potential problems in extrapolating values from the parabolic curves established for aortic blood pressures in infants with birth weights
The Natural Mentors of Adolescent Children of Alcoholics (COAs): Implications for Preventive Practices.

Late adolescent children of alcoholics (COAs) were interviewed about their relationship with a natural mentor. Comparisons in social and emotional functioning were made to a matched sample of COAs who did not have a natural mentor. Results showed that a typical mentor was a same-sex relative who had been responsible for initiating the mentor-like relationship. Mentors' familiarity with adolescents' parents predicted the quality of the mentoring relationships. Differences in the reported adjustment of COAs with and without natural mentors are considered in light of prevention programming and its evaluation.
On a numerical sufficiency test for monotonic convergence of finite element models

Finite element analyses characterized by monotonic convergence include the discipline for meaningful measurements of convergence rate and consequently economical extrapolation. Few proposers of element models guarantee monotonic convergence for their elements. Thus, a need exists for an automatic test to classify available element models. This paper describes such a test - a test can be performed using a digital computer to guarantee that a particular element model imbues monotonicity. It describes the test and its basis. It examines seven element models for a rectangular membrane to illustrate the value of the tests. Besides confirming results already known, the application yields new data. It 'proves' monotonicity for two improved models, defines the range of element proportions for which another element can be guaranteed to exhibit monotonicity, and suggests that another element is deficient. In the special case of absolutely convergent membrane displacement models, proof of monotonicity is a necessary and sufficient condition to insure that upper bound estimates of strain energy are developed. Accordingly, the test furnishes a proof of bound solutions independently of requirements on displacement continuity the element basis may or may not satisfy.
Collaborative Learning in the Classroom: A Writing Across the Curriculum Approach

The principles of “Writing Across the Curriculum” (WAC) has the potential to help educators more fully engage the learning styles of all students and achieve higher levels of learning according to the Bloom taxonomy. WAC exercises were built into an information systems class to create a fully collaborative learning approach. Students worked as a team on in-class exercises, edited each other's work, and even collaborated on examinations. Students indicated that they learned more in this format. They also said that even examinations were learning experiences, incorporating brainstorming and discussion.
Simulation Modeling and Analysis of a Multi-resource Medical Clinic

Clinic of University of Louisville is a relatively new medical clinic which attempts to stem the epidemic of childhood obesity. The main problem addressed by this research is the no show rate (nearly 50%) of the clinic. There are two goals in this project. One is to increase the staff utilization; the other is to decrease the waiting time. We study two potential methods to solve this problem. One involves using multiple resources for every visit; the other involves overbooking the patients. One simulation model is an overbooking model in which the interarrival times are controlled for each type of patients. By increasing arrival rate of patients, the waiting time, the total number of served patients and the utilization of staff are increased. We need to trade off in order to choose the best arrival rate for the clinic. The second model involves using multiple resources for every visit. We also change the interarrival time for patients in order to estimate the best values for these inputs.
The challenge of lipid rafts

The Singer-Nicholson model of membranes postulated a uniform lipid bilayer randomly studded with floating proteins. However, it became clear almost immediately that membranes were not uniform and that clusters of lipids in a more ordered state existed within the generally disorder lipid milieu of the membrane. These clusters of ordered lipids are now referred to as lipid rafts. This review summarizes current thinking on the nature of lipid rafts focusing on the role of proteomics and lipidomics in understanding the structure of these domains. It also outlines the contribution of single-molecule methods in defining the forces that drive the formation and dynamics of these membrane domains.
Glycerol from the tubers of Jerusalem artichoke

The search for alternate sources of chemicals has resulted in a re-evaluation of many carbohydrates for conversion to oxychemicals. Inulin is an example of a carbohydrate receiving an increased amount of attention for use in industrial processes. This polymer is composed almost exclusively of fructofuranose structural units, making it very attractive for conversion into high fructose syrup and ethanol. Inulin can also be oxidized and reduced by a number of methods, and therefore lends itself well as feedstock for the exclusive conversion to glycerol. The advantages of inulin, coupled with a renewable supply, make it a very attractive source for industrial processes.
Baryon density contrast and strangeness abundance during the big bang confinement phase transition

Abstract We study the baryon density contrast between the quark-gluon and hadron phases during the confinement phase transition in the early universe. We include all observed hadronic resonances. Neglecting interhadronic forces the baryon density contrast is of order unity or less, while including interhadronic forces leads to a contrast of order 7, for 160 1 15 and unity depending on the interhadronic forces and on Tc.
Altered virion proteins of a temperature-sensitive mutant of polyoma virus, ts59

Abstract The ts59 mutant of polyoma virus is blocked in a late step of infection at the restrictive temperature. Cellular and viral DNA synthesis proceed normally in ts59-infected cells at the restrictive temperature, but infectious progency virus particles are not assembled. The ts59 mutant complements early tsA mutants in mixed infection, and the temperature-sensitive mutation maps in the late region of the polyoma genome. The infectivity of ts59 virions is much heat labile than wild-type polyoma. All three nonhistone capsid proteins of ts59, VP1 (45,000 daltons) and the overlapping proteins VP2 (30,000 daltons) and VP3 (20,000 daltons), show altered mobilities when analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The tryptic peptide patterns of all three ts59 virion proteins also differ from the tryptic peptide patterns of wild-type proteins. Analysis of the ts59 proteins synthesized in vitro and in infected cells suggests that the alterations in the ts59 virion proteins are caused by differences in primary structure rather than by post-translational modifications. The capsid proteins of convertant virions produced by marker rescue of the ts59 temperature-sensitive mutation, using various restriction endonuclease fragments of wild-type DNA, have been analyzed. Results of these studies suggest that (i) 26 map units is the furthest point, in a clockwise direction on the genetic map, that the information for the C-terminus of VP1 can be from the Eco ·R1 cleavage site; (ii) the N-terminal end of VP2 extends beyond the N-terminal end of VP3; (iii) the temperature-sensitive phenotype of ts59 is correlated with a peptide alteration common to VP2 and VP3. The ts59 mutant contains two further peptide alterations not related to the temperature-sensitive phenotype: a C-terminal alteration in VP1 and an alteration unique to VP2. Cells infected by ts59 contain approximately fourfold lower amounts of viral capsid proteins and virus-specific messenger RNA at the restrictive temperature compared to the permissive temperature.
Exploiting architectural prescriptions for self-managing, self-adaptive systems: a position paper

We propose a high-level approach to software architecture that bridges the gap between system requirements (in the problem space) and the architectural design (in the solution space). We use abstract constraint- and intent-based architectural prescriptions to enable architectural reflection, reification, and distributed configuration discovery as the basis for designing adaptive, self-configuring software systems. We discuss some key architectural properties and patterns that facilitate the design and implementation of self-configuring systems, and use these as the basis for an example prototype architecture for self-evolving systems called Distributed Configuration Routing (DCR). Finally, we propose the development of architectural prescription languages (APLs) and enhanced system design environments to provide better support for intent-based architectures.
p-Aminophenol-induced cytotoxicity in Jurkat T Cells: Protective effect of 2(RS)-n-propylthiazolidine-4(R)-carboxylic acid

Acetaminophen (APAP) is hepatotoxic and can cause toxicity in Jurkat T cells. p-Aminophenol (PAP), an industrial chemical and APAP metabolite, is nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic. Its potential toxicity in Jurkat T cells was investigated. PAP (10–250 µM) caused toxicity (decreased survival and increased LDH activity in incubation medium) and GSH depletion. At a concentration of 100 µM but not 250 µM, PAP increased DNA fragmentation. It decreased p-Akt levels (Elisa) and at higher concentrations decreased p-Akt expression (Western blotting). It had no effect on FasL expression. The cysteine precursor 2(RS)-n-propylthiazolidine-4(R)-carboxylic acid (250 µM) attenuated the PAP (100 µM)-induced decrease in viability and prevented GSH depletion and increased DNA fragmentation. It attenuated the PAP-induced decrease in p-Akt levels and protected against the decrease in p-Akt expression. The results demonstrate PAP-induced toxicity and suggest that it is due at least in part to apoptosis and involves GSH depletion and p-Akt inactivation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 26:71–78 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/jbt.20402
Composite vortex patterns formed by component light beams with non-integral topological charge

We present a study of composite vortices in light beams using component beams with no integral topological charge. We observed the same general features that are seen in when the component beams have an integral topological charge [E.J. Galvez, N. Smiley, and N. Fernandes, "Composite optical vortices formed by collinear Laguerre-Gauss beams," Proc. SPIE 6131, pp. 19-26, 2006.]. These are: (1) that new vortices appear at distances from the beam that depend on the ratio of the intensity of the component beams, and (2) that the angular location of the vortices depends on the phase difference between them. We also observed that some of the vortices associated with fractional charge that did not follow the same dynamics.
Autonomous orbital navigation using Kepler's equation

A simple method of determining the six elements of elliptic satellite orbits has been developed for use aboard manned and unmanned spacecraft orbiting the earth, moon, or any planet. The system requires the use of a horizon sensor or other device for determining the local vertical, a precision clock or timing device, and Apollo-type navigation equipment including an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a digital computer, and a coupling data unit. The three elements defining the in-plane motion are obtained from simultaneous measurements of central angle traversed around the planet and elapsed flight time using a linearization of Kepler's equation about a reference orbit. It is shown how Kalman filter theory may also be used to determine the in-plane orbital elements. The three elements defining the orbit orientation are obtained from position angles in celestial coordinates derived from the IMU with the spacecraft vertically oriented after alignment of the IMU to a known inertial coordinate frame.
The manipulation of an unstarting supersonic flow by plasma actuator

The manipulation of an unstarting supersonic flow is demonstrated using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Experiments are carried out in a Mach 4.7 model inlet flow. Flow features, such as boundary layers and shockwaves at low freestream static pressure (1 kPa) and temperature (60 K) are visualized with Rayleigh scattering from condensed CO2 particles. Flow unstart, initiated by mass injection, is studied for three model inlet flow configurations, distinguished by the initial conditions (untripped or tripped, plasma actuated or not) of the boundary layers. Unstart in the presence of thick, tripped boundary layers is characterized by the formation of an oblique unstart shock just upstream of a separating and propagating boundary layer. The presence of plasma actuation of this tripped boundary layer seems to arrest the boundary layer separation and leads to the formation of a quasi-stationary pseudo-shock, delaying unstart. The flow generated with DBD actuation is more characteristic of what is seen when unstart is generated in a model flow in which thin boundary layers grow naturally. Planar laser Rayleigh scattering visualizations suggest that the DBD actuation thins the tripped boundary layer over the exposed electrode region.
Neomorphic agouti mutations in obese yellow mice

Several dominant mutations of the mouse agouti coat colour gene have pleiotropic effects that include obesity and a yellow coat. The Ay allele is caused by a large deletion that affects the expression of several contiguous genes. We show that three other obesity-associated agouti mutations, Aiy, Asy and Avy, are due to different molecular alterations that result in ubiquitous expression of a chimaeric RNA that encodes a normal agouti protein. The Aiy and Avy alleles are caused by insertion of an intracisternal A particle element 1 kb or 100 kb, respectively, upstream of agouti coding sequences. These results provide a model for other genes that show allele-specific imprinting, and demonstrate that molecular mechanisms typically responsible for activation of proto-oncogenes can also lead to other disease phenotypes.
Decompressive percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in nonmalignant disease.

Abstract Background Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is the standard for long-term enteral access. It can provide enteral nutrition or gastrointestinal decompression. Utilization of the gastrostomy for decompression has traditionally been reported in the setting of malignant obstruction. However, decompressive gastrostomy can play a role in the treatment of nonmalignant bowel dysfunction as well. Methods Over a 2-year period, 20 of 121 percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomies attempted by this surgical endoscopist were for gastrointestinal decompression. Results Eleven of 18 gastrostomies successfully placed for decompression were for benign conditions. In 5 patients with fistulous disease, the purpose of decompression was to divert the gastrointestinal tract until operative repair. Four of these patients have since undergone definitive surgery. Conclusions This series presents the successful use of the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for decompression of nonmalignant conditions. In such scenarios, the drainage gastrostomy can be employed as a bridge to future surgery, or as a means of long-term decompression for bowel dysfunction.
Effects of nicotinic acid on human fibroblast purine biosynthesis.

Abstract In fibroblasts derived from normal individuals and from patients with the Lesch—Nyhan syndrome (severe hypoxanthine—guanine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency), the pyridine nucleotide precursor nicotinic acid has been demonstrated to inhibit de novo purine synthesis as measured by the accumulation of α-N-formylglycinamide ribonucleotide. The inhibition of purine synthesis occurs at concentrations of nicotinic acid which significantly diminish intracellular concentrations of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate (PP-ribose-P), a substrate in the first unique and likely rate-limiting reaction in de novo purine synthesis, the PP-ribose-P amidotransferase reaction. Since pyridine nucleotides do not themselves inhibit this reaction, these results support the hypothesis that the rate of purine synthesis is determined at least in part by the intracellular PP-ribose-P concentration.
Disruption of canonical TGFβ-signaling in murine coronary progenitor cells by low level arsenic.

Abstract Exposure to arsenic results in several types of cancers as well as heart disease. A major contributor to ischemic heart pathologies is coronary artery disease, however the influences by environmental arsenic in this disease process are not known. Similarly, the impact of toxicants on blood vessel formation and function during development has not been studied. During embryogenesis, the epicardium undergoes proliferation, migration, and differentiation into several cardiac cell types including smooth muscle cells which contribute to the coronary vessels. The TGFβ family of ligands and receptors is essential for developmental cardiac epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and differentiation into coronary smooth muscle cells. In this in vitro study, 18 hour exposure to 1.34 μM arsenite disrupted developmental EMT programming in murine epicardial cells causing a deficit in cardiac mesenchyme. The expression of EMT genes including TGFβ2, TGFβ receptor-3, Snail, and Has-2 are decreased in a dose-dependent manner following exposure to arsenite. TGFβ2 cell signaling is abrogated as detected by decreases in phosphorylated Smad2/3 when cells are exposed to 1.34 μM arsenite. There is also loss of nuclear accumulation pSmad due to arsenite exposure. These observations coincide with a decrease in vimentin positive mesenchymal cells invading three-dimensional collagen gels. However, arsenite does not block TGFβ2 mediated smooth muscle cell differentiation by epicardial cells. Overall these results show that arsenic exposure blocks developmental EMT gene programming in murine coronary progenitor cells by disrupting TGFβ2 signals and Smad activation, and that smooth muscle cell differentiation is refractory to this arsenic toxicity.
Is study time allocated selectively to a region of proximal learning

Five experiments investigated whether people allocate their study time according to the discrepancy reduction model (i.e., to the most difficult items; J. Dunlosky & C. Hertzog, 1998) or to items in their own region of proximal learning. Consistent with the latter hypothesis, as more time was given, people shifted toward studying more difficult items. Experts, whether college students or Grade 6 children, devoted their time to items that were more difficult than did novices. However, in a multiple-trials experiment, people regressed toward easier items on Trial 2 rather than shifting to more difficult items, perhaps because Trial 1 feedback revealed poor learning of the easiest items. These findings are in opposition to the discrepancy reduction model and support the region of proximal learning hypothesis.
Mutagenic properties of CIS-Platinum(II)diammino-dichloride in Escherichia coli

Abstract cis-Platinum(II)diamminodichloride (PDD), an anti-tumor agent, induced auxotrophic mutations in Escherichia coli, some of which were reverted to prototrophy by exposure to PDD, 2-aminopurine (2-AP), and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitroguanidine (NTG), but not ICR derivatives. Similarly, various 2-AP-, NTG-, and ultraviolet light-induced auxotrophs were reverted to prototrophy by PDD. Some PDD-induced auxotrophs carried nonsense mutations and others could be phenotypically suppressed by growth with streptomycin. Although these findings suggest that PDD promotes base substitutions, this mutagen may also cause base subtractions because (like NTG)it induced, at reduced frequency, reversion to prototrophy of certain ICR-induced auxotrophs. Isomeric trans-platinum(II)diamminodichloride, which lacks anti-tumor activity, was an ineffective mutagen. Near-optimal conditions for PDD-induced mutagenesis entailed prolonged cultivation with low levels of mutagen where the frequency of forward mutation to auxotrophy was 10−3 and that of a selected trp isolate to prototrophy was 10−2.
Modeling the alfalfa stem nematode in irrigated alfalfa

Abstract An alfalfa growth simulation model, modified to incorporate the impact of the alfalfa stem nematode and include an economic analysis component, is reported. The modified model was calibrated for Colorado growing conditions and used to evaluate nematode control measures and determine the optimal time for alfalfa replacement when fields are infested with the alfalfa stem nematode. The results indicate that planting nematode-resistant varieties increases returns from nematode-infested alfalfa fields. Nematode control activities implemented at the proper time can extend the economic life of an alfalfa stand. Planting a non-host crop in the fifth year of production also increases returns.
Fast gas chromatography for air monitoring: limits of detection and quantitation

Gas chromatography has the potential to be a very fast method of air monitoring in the workplace and the community. The use of “fast” gas chromatographic (GC) instrumentation and methods may allow the completion of analyses in less than 10 sec when a flame ionization detector is used and in less than 30 sec when an electron capture detector is used. In this study, the fast GC system was evaluated as an air-monitoring tool for 41 different organic vapors at concentrations as low as 0.1 ppb.
Some considerations on the calculation of the response spectra

Abstract This paper is about the calculation of the response spectra. It describes the importance of the three effects which are usually neglected: low quality of accelerograms linear interpolation, the shift of transfer functions which arises in discrete filtering, and the roundoff error.
Layered Peptide Array for Multiplex Immunohistochemistry

Layered peptide array is a new methodology for multiplex molecular measurements from two-dimensional life science platforms. The technology can be used in several different configurations depending on the needs of the investigator. Described here is an indirect layered peptide array (iLPA) that is capable of measuring proteins on a solid surface, such as target antigens on a tissue section. A prototype iLPA system was developed and subsequently examined for reproducibility and specificity and then compared with standard immunohistochemistry. Semiquantitative, multiplex proteomic analysis of histological sections was achieved with up to 20 membranes. The experimental variability was 18%. Overall, the data suggest that iLPA technology will be a relatively simple and inexpensive method for molecular measurements from tissue sections.
Serum and Urinary Levels of Erythropoietin in Iron Deficiency Anemia.

SummaryStudy of the erythropoietin activity in unconcentrated serum and urine of 55 children with iron deficiency anemia revealed increased activity in both at hemoglobin levels up to 10 g/100 ml. The erythropoietin activity was directly related to the severity of anemia. There was direct correspondence between serum and urine erythropoietin activity of all degrees of anemia studied, and serum showed greater activity than urine obtained at the same time. It would appear that patients with moderate to severe iron deficiency anemia may provide an important source of human erythropoietin for use in research.
Organization and mapping of legumin genes in Pisum

The organization of three classes of legumin gene has been studied by exploiting restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Hybridization of cDNA probes, representing different sub-families of legumin gene, to DNA from F2 and F6 plants from selected crosses showed that there was a tight linkage of individual genes within each of two sub-families. One of these sub-families has been mapped to a locus on chromosome 7 close to r, while the other maps to a locus near a on chromosome 1. The results from one of the crosses analyzed indicated that a third class of legumin gene is also linked to a.