cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiological studies and effects of environmental estrogens

Increases in cancer of the testis, breast, and prostate have been noted recently, and these increases have often been attributed to a ubiquitous exposure to endocrine-modulating substances. In an effort to either prove or refute these associations, morbidities of (and mortalities from) certain hormonally responsive organs are reviewed. Cancer of the breast, ovary, uterus, cervix, prostate, and testis were selected for comparison and analysis of trends in incidence and mortality. The incidences of cryptorchidism and hypospadias were selected as birth defects representative ofpossible effects from in utero exposure to excessive estrogens. Sperm counts and endometriosis were selected as other possible indicators of environmental estrogen effects. Wide, sometimes orders of magnitude, variability exists between incidences in some indicators between different geographical areas and between ethnic groups. Some explanations unrelated to environmental exposures are apparent, and some observations contradict a universal exposure to the same endocrine-modulating substance. In addition, wide differences in incidences exist among virtually adjacent geographical areas and between ethnic groups living in the same geographic area. The data available at present do not lead to the conclusion that endocrine-modulating substances account for worldwide trends in these epidemiological studies.
Energy transfer-enhanced chromosome banding. An overview☆

Abstract The conditions necessary for energy transfer-enhanced chromosome banding are described and the results of chromosome staining produced by different energy donor-acceptor dye pairs are presented. Energy donors with A-T binding or fluorescence quantum yield specificity, such as 33258 Hoechst or quinacrine, in combination with energy acceptors with G-C specific binding (e.g., actinomycins) produce enhanced Q banding, with especially prominent Q-bright polymorphisms. Conversely, G-C specific energy donors, such as chromomycin A 3 or 7-aminoactinomycin D, when used with methyl green, as an A-T specific energy acceptor, produce a reverse type banding in which different, putative polymorphic regions are highlighted. Donor fluorescence should be insensitive to quenching by the energy acceptor in chromosomal regions compatible with donor binding and fluorescence but not acceptor binding (e.g., clusters of 10–30 A-T or G-C base pairs). In addition to providing information about the molecular basis of chromosome banding and facilitating the detection of certain chromosome polymorphisms, the methodology described may prove useful in characterizing chromosome rearrangements, such as the Philadelphia chromosome (t(9q;22q)) translocation found in chronic myelogenous leukemia.
The identity management problem — A short survey

The identity management problem is the problem of probabilistically keeping track of the association between target tracks and target identities, based on observations made by sensors. Updates of the belief state can happen because of new sensor observations reflecting on target identity, or because targets come near each other so that their identities become confused or mixed. Since the space of all possible associations grows factorially with the number of targets, it becomes important to find compact representations for distributions over associations and efficient implementations of the associated filter operations. In this note we introduce and describe the identity management problem and then place in context and briefly survey some the earlier work on this problem by us and others.
Kinetic consequences of carbocationic grafting and blocking from and onto

Kinetic consequences of cationic grafting (or blocking) onto and from have been derived by assuming the operational presence of these two mechanisms. It has been found that high grafting (or blocking) efficiencies(f) cannot be achieved by the onto process with polymerization systems in which termination leading to homopolymer occurs. Also, f decreases with increasing monomer conversion and rapidly so near 100% conversion in grafting or blocking onto. Consequently, efficient carbocationic grafting or blocking is readily explained by grafting or blocking from rather than by grafting or blocking onto.
Small-molecule interaction with a five-guanine-tract G-quadruplex structure from the human MYC promoter

It has been widely accepted that DNA can adopt other biologically relevant structures beside the Watson-Crick double helix. One recent important example is the guanine-quadruplex (G-quadruplex) structure formed by guanine tracts found in the MYC (or c-myc) promoter region, which regulates the transcription of the MYC oncogene. Stabilization of this G-quadruplex by ligands, such as the cationic porphyrin TMPyP4, decreases the transcriptional level of MYC. Here, we report the first structure of a DNA fragment containing five guanine tracts from this region. An unusual G-quadruplex fold, which was derived from NMR restraints using unambiguous model-independent resonance assignment approaches, involves a core of three stacked guanine tetrads formed by four parallel guanine tracts with all anti guanines and a snapback 3'-end syn guanine. We have determined the structure of the complex formed between this G-quadruplex and TMPyP4. This structural information, combined with details of small-molecule interaction, provides a platform for the design of anticancer drugs targeting multi-guanine-tract sequences that are found in the MYC and other oncogenic promoters, as well as in telomeres.
A variational principle for fluids with unknown intermolecular potentials

Abstract Hang, T. and Leland, T.W., 1986. A variational principle for fluids with unknown intermolecular potentials. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 26: 251-277. One of the most important advances in the description of fluid mixtures has been the fact that the composition dependence of rigid sphere and also hard convex body mixtures has been determined accurately. Furthermore, theoretically based approximations for the attraction contribution to mixture properties can now be obtained by perturbation theories and by mixture corresponding state procedures. The calculated fluid properties, however, are very sensitive to the dimensions assigned to each molecular species in the rigid body equation of state which defines the repulsion contribution to these properties. This paper uses the variational principle to define optimal values of either rigid sphere diameters or hard convex body volumes of molecules in fluids for which an accurate equation of state is available but no intermolecular pair potentials are known.
MAC and Bcl-2 family proteins conspire in a deadly plot

Apoptosis is an elemental form of programmed cell death; it is fundamental to higher eukaryotes and essential to mechanisms controlling tissue homeostasis. Apoptosis is also involved in many pathologies including cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging, and infarcts. This cell death program is tightly regulated by Bcl-2 family proteins by controlling the formation of the mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel or MAC. Assembly of MAC corresponds to permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane, which is the so called commitment step of apoptosis. MAC provides the pathway through the mitochondrial outer membrane for the release of cytochrome c and other pro-apoptotic factors from the intermembrane space. While overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 eliminates MAC activity, oligomers of the pro-apoptotic members Bax and/or Bak are essential structural component(s) of MAC. Assembly of MAC from Bax or Bak was monitored in real time by directly patch-clamping mitochondria with micropipettes containing the sentinel tBid, a direct activator of Bax and Bak. Herein, a variety of high affinity inhibitors of MAC (iMAC) that may prove to be crucial tools in mechanistic studies have recently been identified. This review focuses on characterization of MAC activity, its regulation by Bcl-2 family proteins, and a discussion of how MAC can be pharmacologically turned on or off depending on the pathology to be treated.
The Origin of the American Civil War

The causation of the American Civil War has been one of the largest issues in the historiography of this nation's past. Explanations for the question have been offered, debated, and reinterpreted ever since the time of the war; indeed, even before 1860 some individuals were setting forth reasons why an “irrepressible conflict” must come. Furthermore, the debate among scholars does not appear to be diminishing or approaching any consensus of interpretation. New hypotheses and critiques appear to be emerging as fast today as during preceding periods. Some of these proffered explanations prove to be more popular than others but none has won substantial favor to the exclusion of others and few have been completely discredited. As a result, there now exists a large inventory of previously suggested interpretations building upon such diverse mechanisms as slavery, sectionalism, political ineptitude, a slave-power conspiracy, economic conflicts and abolitionist activism. Many of these explanations have been thoughtfully prepared and then further polished by cross-examination, yet when all these efforts have been objectively considered they yield few definitive conclusions.
HAEMOGLOBIN-OXYGEN(Hb-O 2 ) DISSOCIATION IN CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE (CRF)

Anemia can be compensated by a decreased Hb-O2 affinity shifting the Hb-O2 dissociation curve to the right. We studied this mechanism in 3 groups of CRF children of similar age and serum phosphate levels: On conservative treatment(CT:n=21, SCR 4,7 mg/dl,Hb 10.2 g/dl,pH 7.35) on regular haemodialysis (HD:n=10, Hb 7.6 g/dl, pH 7.38) and with a functioning transplant (TP:n=7, SCR 1.0 mg/dl,Hb 14 g/dl, pH 7.40). Hb-O2 dissociation curves were measured directly (Hem-O-Scan) in capillary blood and the O2 pressure leading to half-saturation of Hb at pH 7.40 (p50c) was calculated. In spite of different Hb levels p50c was similar in CT(25.1 mmHg), HD(25.9) and TP(26.6). p50c correlated inversely with BUN(r=0.54) but less with SCR. The inverse correlation between p50c and Hb was dependent on BUN levels. At a given Hb the p50c was highest in TP(30.8 mmHg) and lowest in CT with BUN levels > 70 mg/dl(21.3 mmHg). The influence of BUN on the correlation between Hb and p50c indicates a negative effect of uremia on O2 release. The uremia-induced shift of the Hb-O2 dissociation curve to the left might be explained by an inhibition of the erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate synthesis.
The Zariski-Lipman conjecture for homogeneous complete intersections

A new short proof is given that if R is a homogeneous complete intersection over a field K of char 0 and Der (R, R) is R-free, then R is a polynomial ring. Let K be a field with char K = 0. The Zariski-Lipman conjecture as-
Generalized Spectral Projections on Symmetric Spaces of Noncompact Type: Paley–Wiener Theorems

Abstract On a symmetric space X = G / K of noncompact type, we consider the formulas[formula][formula]where Π λ is the spherical function on X . Taken together they represent, the synthesis and decomposition formulas for appropriate functions f on X in terms of joint eigenfunctions of the invariant differential operators on X . The focus of this paper is the characterization of the range of P λ on C c ∞ ( X ) in the case G has real rank one. This result extends and generalizes a result due to Strichartz on odd-dimensional real hyperbolic space and provides a “spectral” reformulation of the Paley–Wiener theorem for Fourier transform on X due to Helgason. As an application we provide a fairly general support result for the spherical mean operator on X .
The Effects of Adulthood Nicotine Treatment on D2-Mediated Behavior and Neurotrophins of Rats Neonatally Treated with Quinpirole

This study was designed to analyze the effects of nicotine on yawning behavior and neurotrophin content in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of D2-receptor primed female adult Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were neonatally treated with quinpirole, a dopamine (DA) D2/D3 agonist, from postnatal day 1–21 (P1–21) and raised to P60 and administered nicotine tartarate (0.3 mg/kg free base) or saline twice daily for 14 days. One day after nicotine treatment had ceased, the number of yawns was recorded for 1 h in response to an acute injection of quinpirole (i.p., 100 μg/kg). Yawning is a D2-receptor mediated event. D2-primed rats demonstrated a significant increase in yawning in response to acute quinpirole compared with that of controls, but nicotine did not alleviate this effect. Neonatal quinpirole treatment produced a significant decrease of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus that was alleviated by adulthood nicotine treatment. Interestingly, nicotine treatment to controls produced a significant increase of NGF in the frontal cortex, but a significant decrease of both NGF and BDNF in the hippocampus and BDNF in the frontal cortex. The decreases shown in NGF and BDNF is contrary to past findings that have shown nicotine to produce significant increases of hippocampal NGF and BDNF, but these past studies utilized male rats or mice or were performed in vitro. This study shows that nicotine has complex interactions with NGF and BDNF in D2-primed and control animals, and emphasizes the importance of gender differences when analyzing nicotine's effects on neurotrophins. Synapse 59:253–259, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF PORPHYRIDIUM CRUENTUM

An electron microscopic examination of Porphyridium cruentum revealed the presence of mitochondria which had been reported absent in this aerobic organism. The chloroplast in this red alga was found to contain small granules (about 320 A) regularly arranged along the parallel chloroplast lamellae. The chloroplast granules differ in size and staining intensity from the ribosomes located in the cytoplasm. Two tubular elements are described. One type (450 to 550 A) is associated with the Golgi bodies. Another type (350 A), in the cell periphery, is believed to connect the endoplasmic reticulum and the cell membrane. Daughter nuclei were found to be positioned at opposite ends of the cell prior to commencement of cell division. Cytokinesis is accomplished by an annular median constriction causing the gradual separation of the chloroplast, pyrenoid, and other cell organelles, resulting in two equal daughter cells. No appreciable differences were observed between cells grown in high light (400 ft-c) and low light (40 ft-c). Structural differences between young and old cells were compared.
Submicrometer cavity surface plasmon sensors.

A miniaturized spherical surface plasmon sensor for measuring the binding kinetics of unlabeled molecules is introduced. The sensor has a submicrometer footprint with a sensitivity that rivals that of state-of-the-art commercial planar surface plasmon sensors, which makes it valuable for applications requiring integration of detection of molecular species in microfluidic channels. The basic principle of the sensor is exploiting the wavelength shifts of the cavity resonances of a metal-coated submicrometer sphere embedded in an opaque metal film due to molecular adsorption. The sensor has been found to be exquisitely responsive in air to water and ethanol vapor adsorption on the bare gold sensor surface. When immersed in a liquid, the sensor can detect the adsorption of less than one monolayer of dodecanethiol (∼1.5 nm) on the gold coating of the sphere.
Electrically small, high efficiency Ku-band monopulse Cassegrain antenna with four horn feed

An electrically small, light-weight, high-efficiency, low-sidelobe Ku-band monopulse Cassegrain antenna with a four-horn feed has been developed for the US Navy's Target Acquisition for Ship Defense Demonstration Program. The authors report the design and performance of a 30-in-diameter (42-wavelength) monopulse Cassegrain antenna. The antenna is protected from the marine environment with a low-loss Teflon feed cover and an epoxy polyamide reflector coating. A simple rectangular four-horn feed with some modification is used to obtain high efficiency and low-sidelobe performance. The design provides 42% overall antenna efficiency in the 15.9-17.1-GHz frequency band (7.3% bandwidth) with better than -19.2-dB sidelobes at the nominal frequency. The voltage standing wave ratio at the sum and difference ports is better than 1.7 for the entire frequency band. The measured performance data are summarized, and some representative measured patterns are shown. >
High Fat Diet-Induced Changes in Hepatic Protein Abundance in Mice.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The purpose of this study was to identify novel proteins and pathways that contribute to the pathogenesis and complications of NAFLD. C57BL/6J male mice were fed a 60% (HFD) or 10% (LFD) high or low fat diet. HFD induced obesity, hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance (euglycemic clamps, glucose infusion rate: LFD 50.5 ± 6.4 vs. HFD 14.2 ± 9.5 μg/ (g . min); n = 12). Liver proteins were analyzed by mass spectrometry-based proteomics analysis. Numerous hepatic proteins were altered in abundance after 60% HFD feeding. Nine down-regulated and nine up-regulated proteins were selected from this list for detailed analysis based on the criteria of 1.5-fold difference, consistency across replicates, and having at least 2 spectra assigned. Proteins that decreased in abundance were acyl-coA desaturase-I (SCD-1), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), pyruvate kinase isozymes R/L (PKLR), NADP-dependent malic enzyme (ME-1), ATP-citrate synthase (ACL), ketohexokinase (KHK), long- chain-fatty acid-CoA ligase-5 (ACSL-5) and carbamoyl-phosphate synthase-I (CPS-1). Those that increased were KIAA0564, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-1), ornithine aminotransferase (OAT), multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP- 2), liver carboxylesterase-I (CES-1), aminopeptidase N (APN), fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH), major urinary protein 2 (MUP-2) and KIAA0664. KIAA0564 and KIAA0664 proteins are uncharacterized and are novel proteins associated with NAFLD. The decreased abundance of normally highly abundant proteins like FAS and CPS-1 was confirmed by Coomassie Blue staining after bands were identified by MS/MS, and immunoblot analysis confirmed the increased abundance of KIAA0664 after 60% HFD feeding. In conclusion, this study shows NAFLD is characterized by changes in abundance of proteins related to cell injury, inflammation, and lipid metabolism. Two novel and uncharacterized proteins, KIAA0564 and KIAA0664, may provide insight into the pathogenesis of NAFLD induced by lipid oversupply.
Price-Disequilibrium Model of the International Financial Grid: Innovation, Crisis, and Off-Shore Banking

International cash flows are involved in the process of international banking; and the modern technologies of information and communications (IC) have increased the speed, volume, and complexity of international flows. But at the end of the twentieth century, the global world began to experience destabilizing international flows -- particularly in the Asian financial crisis of 1997, Global financial crisis of 2007, and Euro crisis of 2010. In using the IC technologies, how has international banking increased the frequency and intensity of international financial crises? Did the IC technology somehow encourage the failure of international financial institutions in performing with basic financial ‘integrity’, ‘honesty’, and ‘prudence’? To answer these issues, one must observe the financial system within an IC network, a kind of financial ‘grid’. We use the concept of a ‘financial grid’ and model the grid as a network of institutional intermediaries, matching financial supply-to-demand. To construct this topological model, we review the recent history of investment banking and of the organization of off-shore banking into an unregulated but centralized international financial grid.
Climate change and carbon dioxide: An introduction

One important measure of human activity is the rate of utilization of energy. This rate has accelerated strikingly in the past hundred years because of rapidly increasing human population coupled with increasing per capita energy consumption. Is it possible that accelerating human activity has already caused globally significant environmental change, or is about to do so?
The Foreign Policy Beliefs of Political Campaign Contributors

Since the Vietnam War, scholarly interest in public and elite opinion of U.S. foreign policy has grown. Because elites generally have greater access to policy makers and more consistent political views, most work on this topic has focused on elite opinions of foreign policy. Most research has defined the term elite broadly, often placing more emphasis on social status than political power. We will reexamine elite foreign policy beliefs using a different elite, presidential campaign contributors. We have two main goals in this article. First, we will assess the differences between the foreign policy outlooks of political campaign contributors and other elites. While many types of elites may influence policy, political contributors are particularly likely to gain access to policy makers. The second part of this research note offers some food for thought on the origins of these beliefs. We present evidence that foreign policy beliefs are related to the same ideological orientations that shape contributors' views on domestic issues. The origins of foreign and domestic policy views should probably be considered together.
Growth of CDTE on GaAs and Si Substrates by Organometallic Vapor Phase Epitaxy

Epitaxial (100) CdTe layers have been grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) on GaAs and Si substrates. A thin layer of CdTe was first grown by atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) on GaAs substrates followed by thicker CdTe layer by conventional organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE). This process resulted in high quality (100) CdTe on GaAs substrates. On Si substrates, direct growth of CdTe resulted in only polycrystalline layers. Hence, a thin Ge buffer layer grown at low temperature followed by an interfacial layer of ZnTe was used to get high quality (100) CdTe on Si. The process developed here eliminates the high temperature (>850°C) deoxidation step generally required when Si substrates are used. The CdTe layers were characterized by X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy. X-ray rocking curve with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 260 arcsec has been obtained for a 4 um thick CdTe layer. The results presented demonstrate novel techniques to control the hetero-interfaces in order to grow high quality CdTe on GaAs and Si substrates.
GaAs power MESFET with 41-percent power-added efficiency at 35 GHz

A GaAs power MESFET has been optimized for Ka-Band operation. The device has an n/sup +/ ledge channel structure with a 0.25- mu m gate on MBE-grown material. An output power density of 0.71 W/mm was achieved with 5.2-dB gain and 34% power-added efficiency. When tuned for maximum efficiency, a power-added efficiency of 41% was obtained with a power density of 0.61 W/mm and a gain of 5.6 dB. >
Assessment of the security of operating electric power systems using probability methods

A review is given of probability methods which have been proposed for the assessment of the security of operating electric power systems. The goal of all the methods presented is to provide the system operator with a consistent, on-line, indication of system security in the near-term future as a guide for operating decisions. Mathematical models used in the various methods are described and data requirements are discussed. Finally, areas of desirable future investigation are outlined.
Autonomy, Futility, and the Limits of Medicine

Most of us find the surgeon's surprise at this patient' request understandable, and it is hard to imagine any surgeon acceding to this patient's demand. On the other hand (the one left), the patient is right—the surgeon is denying his technical skill because his values are different from those of the patient, whose values the surgeon does not respect. The autonomy of the patient is being limited by the values of the doctor whose own interests, other than his interest in practicing medicine according to his own ethical values, would remain unaffected by his decision to provide the service.
Application of fuzzy relational interval computing for emotional classification of music

Automated detection of emotions in a music piece is a multi-context problem due to the multiplicity of emotions and the overlapping hierarchies of physical factors. Classification of music based on human emotions becomes a complex computational task, which requires a simultaneous multidisciplinary approach. In this paper we propose a fuzzy relational interval computing based model for classification of music that works within the context of emotion depiction by its physical properties. We use interval based BK fuzzy relational products to factor hierarchy of physical properties in our computation for analysis and classification. We also generate a fuzzy interval based data model with the help of checklist paradigm, which limits its dependence on human perception.
Homogeneous weak solenoids

A (generalized) weak solenoid is an inverse limit space over manifolds with bonding maps that are covering maps. If the covering maps are regular, then we call the inverse limit space a strong solenoid. By a theorem of M.C. McCord, strong solenoids are homogeneous. We show conversely that homogeneous weak solenoids are topologically equivalent to strong solenoids. We also give an example of a weak solenoid that has simply connected path-components, but which is not homogeneous.
A gradient field metric for quality control of automated intracoronary ultrasound boundaries

Automated analysis of intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) images is hindered by noise, motion artifacts, and poor signal to noise ratio, making it necessary for operator editing of erroneous boundaries. The authors propose a gradient based metric: boundary gradient ratio (BGR) as an acceptance criterion for boundary quality, which could be used as a screening method for detection of suboptimal boundaries generated from an automated system. >
Neoplastic seeding of squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx

Neoplastic seeding is a concept of mechanical disruption and spread of tumor into normal tissues. It is well-documented and accepted as an explanation for unusual patterns of tumor recurrence at multiple sites in the body. Neoplastic seeding is often invoked as an explanation for stromal recurrences following treatment of laryngeal carcinoma. However, it is impossible to discern whether these recurrences represent peritracheal lymph nodes, persistent or recurrent local disease, or neoplastic seeding of tumor. The purpose of this article is to report two cases of tracheostomy site recurrences after treatment of oropharyngeal squamous carcinoma, in which neoplastic seeding is the most plausible explanation of recurrence. The rarity of this phenomenon appears strikingly small despite significant experimental evidence supporting the possibility of its occurrence. Although specific recommendations for prevention cannot be made, it appears prudent to avoid re-use of instruments that come into direct contact with squamous cell carcinoma tumor surface.
Analysis of long-range chromatin interactions using Chromosome Conformation Capture

Chromosome Conformation Capture, or 3C, is a pioneering method for investigating the three-dimensional structure of chromatin. 3C is used to analyze long-range looping interactions between any pair of selected genomic loci. Most 3C studies focus on defined genomic regions of interest that can be up to several hundred Kb in size. The method has become widely adopted and has been modified to increase throughput to allow unbiased genome-wide analysis. These large-scale adaptations are presented in other articles in this issue of Methods. Here we describe the 3C procedure in detail, including the appropriate use of the technology, the experimental set-up, an optimized protocol and troubleshooting guide, and considerations for data analysis. The protocol described here contains previously unpublished improvements, which save time and reduce labor. We pay special attention to primer design, appropriate controls and data analysis. We include notes and discussion based on our extensive experience to help researchers understand the principles of 3C-based techniques and to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes. This paper represents a complete resource and detailed guide for anyone who desires to perform 3C.
Progression and Treatment of Incident Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) Among Men in the California Men'S Health Study

Patients and Methods A total of 39 222 men, aged 45–69 years, enrolled in the Southern California Kaiser Permanente Health Plan were surveyed in 2002–2003 and again in 2006–2007. Those men who completed both surveys who did not have a diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and were not on medication for LUTS at baseline were included in the study (N = 19 505). Among the men with no or mild symptoms at baseline, the incidence of moderate/severe LUTS (American Urological Association Symptom Index [AUASI] score ≥8) and odds of progression to severe LUTS (AUASI score ≥20) was estimated during 4 years of follow-up.
Effects of anolyte recirculation rates and catholytes on electricity generation in a litre-scale upflow microbial fuel cell

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are an attractive technology for simultaneous bioenergy recovery and organic removal; however, the lack of studies conducted with large-scale MFCs, especially those larger than 1 L, obstructs further development of this technology. In this paper, we built and operated a 4.9 L upflow microbial fuel cell (UMFC) with a liquid volume of 2.4 L. Its electricity generation and organic removal performance were examined under different operating conditions. The UMFC produced an open-circuit potential of 1.00 V with an acidified catholyte. Changing the recirculation of the anolyte did not significantly affect the power output in a short period, but a long-term test demonstrated improved electricity production at higher recirculation rates. The water produced via oxygen reduction or diffused from the anode was not sufficient for the cathode reaction; thus, an external supply of water is necessary. Lowering the pH of the catholyte benefited the cathode reaction and increased power production; however, pH is not the only factor affecting the cathode reaction and if organic matters were contained in the catholyte, for instance using the anode effluent as a catholyte, electricity generation decreased. The results and experiences gained from this study will help to further develop pilot-scale MFCs for practical applications.
Geochemical signature of formation waters associated with coalbed methane

Formation waters associated with coalbed methane have a common chemical character that can be an exploration tool, regardless of formation lithology or age. Effectively devoid of sulfate, calcium, and magnesium, the waters contain primarily sodium and bicarbonate and, where influenced by water of marine association, also contain chloride. The distinct geochemical signature evolves through the processes of biochemical reduction of sulfate, enrichment of bicarbonate, and precipitation of calcium and magnesium. Cation exchange with clays may also deplete the dissolved calcium and magnesium, but is not prerequisite. Low sulfate/bicarbonate ratios characterize these waters and are also common but less pronounced with occurrences of conventional oil and gas. Waters rich in sulfate, calcium, and magnesium occur in many coalbed aquifers but are not found in association with methane. Users of total dissolved solids data should ensure that the values reflect adjustments of bicarbonate concentrations to simulate evaporation residues. Results that erroneously sum the entire bicarbonate content can be far too high in these bicarbonate-rich waters, thereby exacerbating the issues of disposal. Evaluations of prospects and choices of exploration targets can be enhanced by an added focus on the geochemical signature that should be expected in association with methane. Knowledge of the geochemical signature may also be useful in the commonly protracted testing of wells. The appearance of high sulfate concentrations in water analyses can justify early curtailment of test pumping and can prompt the siting of subsequent drill holes farther from areas of recharge.
Confidence Regions and Intervals for Meta-Analysis Model Parameters

This article obtains confidence regions for the heteroscedastic, one-way random effects model’s parameters the heteroscedastic, one-way random effects model. The confidence regions are based on canonical representations of the restricted and profile likelihood functions in terms of independent normal random variables and χ2 random variables. These regions provide conservative confidence intervals for the common mean and heterogeneity variance. Mathematical details and the R code are available online as supplementary material.
Boundary Behaviour of Harmonic Functions in a Half-Space and Brownian Motion

The behaviour of harmonic functions in the half-space \(R_ + ^{n + 1}\) has been discussed from two points of view: geometrical and probabilistic. In this paper, we compare these two view points with respect to (1) local convergence at the boundary and (2) the Hp-spaces. The results are as follows: (1) The existence of a nontangential limit for almost all points in a set E of positive Lebesgue measure in \({R^n}\left( { = \partial \,R_ + ^{n + 1}} \right)\) is more restrictive than the existence of a « fine » or probability limit almost everywhere in E when \(n \geqslant 2\). When \(n=1\), the existence of a nontangential limit almost everywhere in E implies the existence of a « fine » limit almost everywhere in E and conversely.
Taking Images Seriously

Law has been trapped in a stylistic straitjacket. The Internet has revolutionized media and communications, replacing text with a dizzying array of multimedia graphics and images. Facebook hosts 150 billion photos. Courts spend millions on trial technology. But those innovations have barely trickled into the black-and-white world of written law. Legal treatises continue to evoke Blackstone and Kent; most legal casebooks are facsimiles of Langdell’s; and legal journals resemble the Harvard Law Review circa 1887. None of these influential forms of disseminating the law has embraced — or even nodded to — modern, image-saturated communication norms. Litigants, scholars and courts have been rebooting the same formalist templates for over a century — templates that were formed before widespread use of the camera, never mind the computer. Outside of trial, where image-driven advocacy has a long history, legal practice begins and ends with text.But over the past five years, for the first time — unrecognized by scholars or courts — creative trial lawyers, receptive judges and the iPhone camera are breaching these conservative bulwarks. Images are moving out of the evidentiary margins, driving argument in litigation documents from pleadings to judicial opinions. Unregulated, visual argument threatens fundamental premises of legal discourse and decision-making. Yet in comparison with law’s rich and detailed traditions for interpreting ambiguous text, lawyers and judges have few tools beyond common sense with which to ameliorate the interpretive risks of visual persuasion. “I know it when I see it” is not merely an aphorism; it is the reigning interpretive canon for images in law.This Article, the first comprehensive scholarly treatment of images in written legal argument, establishes and critiques the nascent phenomenon of multimedia written advocacy as a vital, if potentially problematic, element of a lawyer’s toolbox. It argues that despite substantial risks, the profession should cautiously embrace the communicative power of multimedia writing. It concludes by offering concrete suggestions for the fair regulation of multimedia persuasion, including two foundational canons of visual interpretation — the basis for developing new traditions for integrating images into written advocacy.
Imaginative Recall with Story Intention Graphs

Intelligent storytelling systems either formalize specific narrative structures proposed by narratologists (such as Propp and Bremond), or are founded on formal representations from artificial intelligence (such as plan structures from classical planning). This disparity in underlying knowledge representations leads to a lack of common evaluation metrics across story generation systems, particularly around the creativity aspect of generators. This paper takes Skald, a reconstruction of the Minstrel creative story generation system, and maps the representation to a formal narrative representation of Story Intention Graphs (SIG) proposed by Elson et al. This mapping facilitates the opportunity to expand the creative space of stories generated through imaginative recall in Minstrel while maintaining narrative complexity. We show that there is promise in using the SIG as an intermediate representation that is useful for evaluation of story generation systems.
Evaluation of Clindamycin and Other Antibiotics in the Treatment of Anaerobic Bacterial Infections of the Lung

Fifty patients who had pneumonia, lung abscess, or empyema, and whose specimens had a fetid odor, were presumed to be suffering from anerobic lung infection and were treated with clindamycin either orally (33 patients) or parenterally (17). Forty-six patients showed marked improvement or recovered; two also underwent lung resection, and thoracotomy was performed in 10. There were three outright treatment failures, and superinfection occurred in one patient. A review of the literature suggests that clindamycin and penicillin (in substantial dosage) are equally effective in treatment of anaerobic lung infection. Transtracheal aspiration is not deemed necessary if the patient is expectorating fetid sputum.
Simulation and Kinematics Parameter Extraction in the Investigation of a Commuter Accident

The investigation of the January 8, 2003, crash of a Raytheon (Beechcraft) 1900D, N233YV, was complicated by the fact that flight data recorder (FDR) elevator data were supplied by a sensor that indirectly measured elevator surface deflection. National Transportation Safety Board investigators calculated the elevator control surface deflections required to reproduce the recorded airplane motion for flights prior to and including the accident flight by means of a kinematics parameter extraction approach that employed a simulation model of a Raytheon 1900D. The extraction results were consistent with the available elevator travel predicted by an analysis of the FDR elevator and FDR elevator trim tab relationship.
Photochemical formation of hydroxyl radical from effluent organic matter: role of composition.

The photochemical formation of hydroxyl radical (HO•) from effluent organic matter (EfOM) depends upon the chemical properties of this heterogeneous mixture. In this study, two EfOM samples collected from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP A and B) were fractionated by both hydrophobicity (bulk and non-humic) and apparent molecular weight (AMW). The apparent quantum yield for HO• formation (ΦHO•) and the maximum fluorescence quantum yield (ΦF) were subsequently measured for each subfraction. The formation rates of HO• (considering only the hydrogen-peroxide-independent pathways) for the bulk waters were 4.8 × 10–10 and 9.6 × 10–11 M s–1 for WWTP A and B, respectively. For the AMW fractions, the values of ΦHO• increased as the AMW of the material decreased. For the WWTP A sample, the ΦHO• increased from 2.54 × 10–4 (bulk water) to 6.29 × 10–4 for the <1 kDa fraction, and for the WWTP B sample, the value of ΦHO• increased from 6.50 × 10–5 for bulk water to 3.45 × 10–4 for the <1 kDa fraction. In the case of ...
Optical Characterization of the Notre Dame Compressible Shear-Layer Facility

This paper presents the first aero-optical measurements made in the Notre Dame WeaklyCompressible Free Shear Layer Facility. Wavefront measurements were made using the small-aperture beam technique for optical propagation through the shear layer at a distance of 0.5 m downstream from the splitter plate. These wavefronts are the first independent, time-resolved, aero-optical measurements made for propagation through a high-Mach-number shear layer since the measurements made at the Arnold Engineering Development Center in the mid 1990’s. The character of the new wavefronts is similar to that of the AEDC experiments. Further, the wavefronts are in relatively good agreement with those predicted using the Weakly Compressible Model.
NP1 Protein of the Bocaparvovirus Minute Virus of Canines Controls Access to the Viral Capsid Genes via Its Role in RNA Processing

ABSTRACT Minute virus of canines (MVC) is an autonomous parvovirus in the genus Bocaparvovirus. It has a single promoter that generates a single pre-mRNA processed via alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation to produce at least 8 mRNA transcripts. MVC contains two polyadenylation sites, one at the right-hand end of the genome, (pA)d, and another complex site, (pA)p, within the capsid-coding region. During viral infection, the mRNAs must extend through (pA)p and undergo additional splicing of the immediately upstream 3D∕3A intron to access the capsid gene. MVC NP1 is a 22-kDa nuclear phosphoprotein unique to the genus Bocaparvovirus of the Parvovirinae which we have shown governs suppression of (pA)p independently of viral genome replication. We show here that in addition to suppression of (pA)p, NP1 is also required for the excision of the MVC 3D∕3A intron, independently of its effect on alternative polyadenylation. Mutations of the arginine∕serine (SR) di-repeats within the intrinsically disordered amino terminus of NP1 are required for splicing of the capsid transcript but not suppression of polyadenylation at (pA)p. 3′-end processing of MVC mRNAs at (pA)p is critical for viral genome replication and the optimal expression of NP1 and NS1. Thus, a finely tuned balance between (pA)p suppression and usage is necessary for efficient virus replication. NP1 is the first parvovirus protein implicated in RNA processing. Its characterization reveals another way that parvoviruses govern access to their capsid protein genes, namely, at the RNA level, by regulating the essential splicing of an intron and the suppression of an internal polyadenylation site. IMPORTANCE The Parvovirinae are small nonenveloped icosahedral viruses that are important pathogens in many animal species, including humans. Although parvoviruses have only subtle early-to-late expression shifts, they all regulate access to their capsid genes. Minute virus of canines (MVC) is an autonomous parvovirus in the genus Bocaparvovirus. It has a single promoter generating a single pre-mRNA which is processed via alternative splicing and alternative polyadenylation to generate at least 8 mRNA transcripts. MVC contains two polyadenylation sites, one at the right-hand end of the genome, (pA)d, and another, (pA)p, within the capsid-coding region. It had not been clear how the potent internal polyadenylation motif is suppressed to allow processing, export, and accumulation of the spliced capsid protein-encoding mRNAs. We show here that MVC NP1, the first parvovirus protein to be implicated in RNA processing, governs access to the MVC capsid gene by facilitating splicing and suppressing internal polyadenylation of MVC pre-mRNAs.
Charge trapping states at the SiO2-oligothiophene monolayer interface in field effect transistors studied by Kelvin probe force microscopy.

Using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) we studied the local charge trapping states at the SiO2–oligothiophene interface in a field effect transistor (FET), where SiO2 is the gate dielectric. KPFM reveals surface potential inhomogeneities within the oligothiophene monolayer, which correlate with its structure. A large peak of trap states with energies in the oligothiophene’s band gap due to hydroxyl groups is present at the oxide surface. We show that these states are successfully eliminated by preadsorption of a layer of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES). Time-resolved surface potential transient measurements further show that the charge carrier injection in the nonpassivated FET contains two exponential transients, due to the charge trapping on the oxide surface and in the bulk oxide, while the APTES-passivated FET has only a single-exponential transient due to the bulk oxide. The results demonstrate that APTES is a good SiO2 surface passivation layer to reduce trap states while maintaining a hy...
Distribution, expression and germ line transmission of exogenous DNA sequences following microinjection into Xenopus laevis eggs

We analysed the fate, expression and germ line transmission of exogenous DNA which was microinjected into fertilized eggs of Xenopus laevis. DNA was injected into fertilized eggs within 1 h following fertilization. The injected DNA was dispersed around the site of injection and became localized to cleavage nuclei by stage 6. Injected DNA persisted in the tissues of 6- to 8-month-old frogs and exhibited a mosaic pattern of distribution with regard to the presence or absence and copy number between different tissues. We detected the exogenous DNA sequences in 60% of injected frogs. Restriction digestion analysis of this DNA suggested that it is not rearranged and was organized as head-to-tail multimers. The copy number varied from 2 to 30 copies/cell in various tissues of the same frog. Plasmid pSV2CAT which contains the prokaryotic gene coding for chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) enzyme linked to the SV40 early gene promoter was expressed in 50% of the animals containing the gene. The pattern of expression, however, varied between different animals and could not be correlated with copy number. We also showed that the exogenous DNA sequences were transmitted through the male germ line and that each offspring contained the gene integrated into a different region of the genome.
An Intelligent Signal Recognition System

An automatic control system has to monitor and identify an environment status for decision making. Current pattern recognition algorithms assuming a Gaussian distribution in pattern data do not work very well for patterns with some overlay data distribution. In this paper, we discuss a multi-layer neural net for recognition of sinusoidal, saw tooth, and square signals. Fast Fourier transform is used to transform one period sampled data and obtain power spectra. Multi-layer perceptron algorithm is then applied to identify signals intelligently. Experiments using of 40 patterns show that the recognition results are all correct.
Vigabatrin-Induced Visual Impairment

Visual field examination, visual evoked potentials (VEPs), and electroretinography (ERG) were assessed in 24 children (ages 3.5 to 18 years; mean age 13.3 years) who had received vigabatrin as monotherapy (5 children) or adjunctive therapy (19) for epilepsy for more than 6 months (3.0 +/- 1.6 years), in a retrospective study at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Microfluidic Vascular Networks for Engineered Tissues

Engineered fluidic systems that mimic the natural vasculature are essential for the production of thick artificial tissue, as they can provide nutrients and gas exchange required by cells embedded deep within an artificial tissue construct. However, the fabrication of such systems is currently limited by several issues. Perhaps the two most important hurdles that must be addressed are scaling of microfluidic patterning to form fully three dimensional fluidic networks over large volumes, and producing such networks within materials that are appropriate for engineered tissue constructs and compatible with cells. This review will provide a summary of recent work performed to address these two major issues. The production of “pre-vascularized” artificial tissues promises to enable a wide range of regenerative, drug screening, and sensing applications..