cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Approach to QoS-based Task Distribution in Edge Computing Networks for IoT Applications

Abstract-Internet of Things (IoT) is emerging as part ofthe infrastructures for advancing a large variety of applicationsinvolving connection of many intelligent devices, leadingto smart communities. Due to the severe limitation on thecomputing resources of IoT devices, it is common to offloadtasks of various applications requiring substantial computingresources to computing systems with sufficient computingresources, such as servers, cloud systems, and/or data centersfor processing. However, the offloading method suffers fromthe difficulties of high latency and network congestion in theIoT infrastructures. Recently edge computing has emergedto reduce the negative impacts of these difficulties. Yet, edgecomputing has its drawbacks, such as the limited computingresources of some edge computing devices and the unbalancedload among these devices. In order to effectively explorethe potential of edge computing to support IoT applications,it is necessary to have efficient task management in edgecomputing networks. In this paper, an approach is presented toperiodically distributing incoming tasks in the edge computingnetwork so that the number of tasks, which can be processedin the edge computing network, is increased, and the qualityof-service (QoS) requirements of the tasks completed in theedge computing network are satisfied. Simulation results arepresented to show the improvement of using this approach onthe increase of the number of tasks to be completed in the edgecomputing network.
Erdheim-Chester Disease

Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis and a rare disorder primarily affecting adults. Clinical manifestations vary widely, as does the severity of clinical phenotypes. The disease is defined by infiltration of involved tissues with CD1a (-) histiocytes, inflammation, and fibrosis, although the histopathologic profile of ECD lesions can vary between patients and affected organs. The identification of recurrent somatic alterations in mitogen-activating protein kinase (MAPK) pathway genes in ECD tissue, including the BRAF V600E mutation in ~50% of cases, has led to a reconceptualization of ECD as a myeloid neoplasm. Furthermore, these discoveries have opened the door to new therapeutic strategies holding promise for unprecedented efficacy in the treatment of ECD. Unanswered questions remain about how best to evaluate and implement these new therapies.
Wealth and Poverty: Greek Economic Thought

This chapter surveys the opinions of the great Greek philosophers on the subject of wealth and poverty. A range of views existed on the subject, with such views influencing the intellectual discourse of subsequent centuries and schools of thought. The Greek philosophers surveyed include Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, in addition to the views of the Cynics and the Stoics.
Histone deacetylases 1 and 2 regulate the transcriptional programs of nephron progenitors and renal vesicles

Nephron progenitor cells (NPCs) are Six2-positive metanephric mesenchyme cells, which undergo self-renewal and differentiation to give rise to nephrons until the end of nephrogenesis. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a group of epigenetic regulators that control cell fate, but their role in balancing NPC renewal and differentiation is unknown. Here, we report that NPC-specific deletion of Hdac1 and Hdac2 genes in mice results in early postnatal lethality owing to renal hypodysplasia and loss of NPCs. HDAC1/2 interact with the NPC renewal regulators Six2, Osr1 and Sall1, and are co-bound along with Six2 on the Six2 enhancer. Although the mutant NPCs differentiate into renal vesicles (RVs), Hdac1/2 mutant kidneys lack nascent nephrons or mature glomeruli, a phenocopy of Lhx1 mutants. Transcriptional profiling and network analysis identified disrupted expression of Lhx1 and its downstream genes, Dll1 and Hnf1a/4a, as key mediators of the renal phenotype. Finally, although HDAC1/2-deficient NPCs and RVs overexpress hyperacetylated p53, Trp53 deletion failed to rescue the renal dysgenesis. We conclude that the epigenetic regulators HDAC1 and HDAC2 control nephrogenesis via interactions with the transcriptional programs of nephron progenitors and renal vesicles.
Heterogeneous nucleation of an n-alkane on graphene-like materials

Abstract Nucleating agents are materials that enhance crystallization through their role in heterogeneous nucleation. They are frequently used to control kinetics and morphology in polymer crystallization. However, selection and design of nucleating agents is hindered by a lack of detailed, atomistic level information about the relationship between physicochemical properties and heterogeneous nucleation activity. We examined heterogeneous nucleation of n-pentacontane – a model surrogate for polyethylene – induced by graphene, and the family of 2D hexagonally coordinated nanoplatelet materials to which it belongs, using molecular dynamics simulation. High throughput computational screening was performed by systematic variation of the parameters that define the 2D nanoplatelet. Nucleation activity is characterized by induction time. These computations confirm the utility of graphene as a nucleating agent for n-pentacontane and, by extension, polyethylene. We identify a set of heuristics for the design of efficient nucleating agents. These include: epitaxial matching, material compatibility as measured by adhesive interactions, and optimal rigidity. We also observed a three-fold degeneracy in the orientation of epitaxial matches between the nucleating agent and the crystallizing organic, which increased the induction time. This study advances the prospect of high-throughput computation to build a “materials genome” of nucleating agents for polymers.
The Effects of Constructing a Barrage across the Tawe Estuary

A proposed barrage across the tidal reaches of the R. Tawe, South Wales, was modelled to simulate its effect on the environment. Both computer and physical models were prepared, tested and run for a variety of tidal and fresh water flow conditions. A comprehensive data review identified further information essential for model calibration and information. Field surveys to gather physical, chemical and biological information were performed as part of the overall study. The numerical models predicted hydrodynamic and pollutant behaviour upstream of the barrage and sedimentation effects downstream. The physical model was used for navigational effects and for identifying problems during the construction phase. The study revealed that conditions would change but not significantly deteriorate provided that certain remedial actions were taken.
Hormone-Transmitter Interactions in Memory Modulation

ABSTRACT Extensive evidence from many laboratories indicates that retention is modulated by posttraining administration of stress-related hormones including adrenergic catecholamines and opioid peptides ( McGaugh, 1983 ). Such findings support the view that endogenously-released hormones may play a role in modulation the storage of recently acquired information ( Gold and McGaugh, 1975 ).
“You Never Become Fully Independent”: Family Roles and Independence in First-Generation College Students:

First-generation (FG) college students often confront cultural mismatches between their interdependent backgrounds and university contexts that promote independent norms. Past work has documented t...
Multifunctional structural polymer electrolytes via interpenetrating truss structures

Multifunctional structures such as mechanical load-bearing batteries and supercapacitors require electrolytes that possess both mechanical robustness and high ionic conductivity. In this study, we use additive manufacturing to build three-dimensional interpenetrating structures as model systems for structural electrolytes. Maxwell truss structures with varying solid volume fractions were fabricated by printing thermoplastic molds using fused filament fabrication, injecting and curing epoxy resins, and then etching away the mold. These unit cells were then subject to uniaxial compression to characterize mechanical stiffness, and intercalated with liquid electrolyte with a form-fitting test cell to measure system ionic conductivity. Finite element simulations of the truss structures provide good agreement with the experimental data, and are then used to calculate shear properties that would be difficult to measure experimentally. The results show that the present truss systems provide superior multifunctional properties compared to prior structural polymer electrolyte systems, and suggest that segregated truss structures are a promising approach for creating multifunctional systems.
PENICILLIN LEVELS IN MILK FOLLOWING PARENTERAL ADMINISTERATION OF PROCAINE PENICILLIN G1

Penicillin levels in milk were determined following the intramuscular administration of two types of procaine penicillin G, the aqueous suspension and the oil base with aluminum monostearate. Three injections of the aqueous suspension type were administered, at intervals of 24 hours, to each of twelve cows. A single injection of the oil base type was given to each of twelve cows. In all instances the dose administered was at the approximate level of 5000 u/lb. of body weight. Higher concentrations of penicillin were found in the milk from cows receiving the aqueous suspension type. The highest levels for the two types were 0.52 and 0.15 units per ml. respectively. However, penicillin persisted longer in the milk from cows to which the oil base type was administered. Following the use of each type of procaine penicillin G the levels of this drug in the milk from the different cows of the same series varied considerably. The results of this study indicate a withholding period of at least 60 hours following ...
Evidence of diffuse cerebellar neuroinflammation in multiple sclerosis by 11C-PBR28 MR-PET.

Background:Activated microglia, which can be detected in vivo by 11C-PBR28 positron emission tomography (PET), represent a main component of MS pathology in the brain. Their role in the cerebellum ...
A Smartphone and Permanent Magnet-based Needle Guidance System

The use of an image-guided percutaneous needlebased method is on the rise. The accuracy of this method is highly depended on the placement of needle. An accurate placement minimizes patient risks and improves their health outcome. Combining this method with a needle guidance system allows the accuracy to improve significantly. In this paper, we developed a low-cost needle guidance system based on a magnet and smartphone to improve the accuracy of image-guided percutaneous needle-based method. The developed system can achieve tracking for both translation and angulation. The open air tests show that the system has an average radial error of 0.83 mm for translation tracking. For angulation tracking, the average errors were 0.71° and 0.61° for left-right angulation and anterior-posterior angulation, respectively. The accuracy is comparable to some commercially available tracking devices. The proposed method shows enormous potential for various clinical applications.
Acute Cardiometabolic Responses to Multi-Modal Integrative Neuromuscular Training in Children

Integrative neuromuscular training (INT) has emerged as an effective strategy for improving health- and skill-related components of physical fitness, yet few studies have explored the cardiometabolic demands of this type of training in children. The aim of this study was to examine the acute cardiometabolic responses to a multi-modal INT protocol and to compare these responses to a bout of moderate-intensity treadmill (TM) walking in children. Participants (n = 14, age 10.7 ± 1.1 years) were tested for peak oxygen uptake (VO2) and peak heart rate (HR) on a maximal TM test and subsequently participated in two experimental conditions on nonconsecutive days: a 12-min INT protocol of six different exercises performed twice for 30 s with a 30 s rest interval between sets and exercises and a 12-min TM protocol of walking at 50% VO2peak. Throughout the INT protocol mean VO2 and HR increased significantly from 14.9 ± 3.6 mL∙kg-1∙min-1 (28.2% VO2 peak) to 34.0 ± 6.4 mL∙kg-1∙min-1 (64.3% VO2 peak) and from 121.1 ± 9.0 bpm (61.0% HR peak) to 183.5 ± 7.9 bpm (92.4% HR peak), respectively. While mean VO2 for the entire protocol did not differ between INT and TM, mean VO2 and HR during selected INT exercises and mean HR for the entire INT protocol were significantly higher than TM (all Ps ≤ 0.05). These findings suggest that INT can pose a moderate to vigorous cardiometabolic stimulus in children and selected INT exercises can be equal to or more metabolically challenging than TM walking.
Measuring Outcomes in Psoriatic Arthritis: Comparing Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data and Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease

Objective To examine the construct validity of Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) and Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). In examining construct validity, we also addressed scores among subgroups with severe psoriasis, polyarticular disease, enthesitis, and dactylitis, and evaluated influences of sociodemographic factors and comorbidities (contextual factors) on these patient-reported outcomes (PRO). Methods Patients with PsA were enrolled in the Psoriatic Arthritis Research Consortium (PARC) between 2014 and 2016. PARC is a longitudinal observational cohort study conducted at 4 US institutions. In this cross-sectional study, construct validity was assessed by examining Spearman correlation coefficients for RAPID3 and PsAID with physician-reported disease activity measures and other PRO [e.g., Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-12 physical component summary/mental component summary (SF-12 PCS/MCS), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue scale (FACIT-F)]. Contextual factors and disease subgroups were assessed in multivariable linear regression models with RAPID3 or PsAID12 as outcomes of interest and the hypothesized contextual factors as covariates. Results Among 401 patients enrolled in PARC, 347 completed RAPID3 or PsAID12. Of these, most were white females with a mean age of 51.7 years (SD 14.02). RAPID3 and PsAID were highly correlated (r = 0.90). These measures were also correlated with the SF-12 PCS (r = –0.67) and FACIT-F (r = –0.77). Important contextual factors and disease subgroups included enthesitis, joint counts, education, insurance type, and depression. Conclusion RAPID3 and PsAID12 have excellent construct validity in PsA and are strongly correlated despite differing items. Contextual factors (i.e., the presence of depression and obesity) should be considered when interpreting raw scores of the RAPID3 and PsAID12.
Making sense of Smith on sympathy and approbation: other-oriented sympathy as a psychological and normative achievement

Two problems seem to plague Adam Smith’s account of sympathy and approbation in The Theory of Moral Sentiments (TMS). First, Smith’s account of sympathy at the beginning of TMS appears to be incons...
Point Process Estimation with Mirror Prox Algorithms

Point process models have been extensively used in many areas of science and engineering, from quantitative sociology to medical imaging. Computing the maximum likelihood estimator of a point process model often leads to a convex optimization problem displaying a challenging feature, namely the lack of Lipschitz-continuity of the objective function. This feature can be a barrier to the application of common first order convex optimization methods. We present an approach where the estimation of a point process model is framed as a saddle point problem instead. This formulation allows us to develop Mirror Prox algorithms to efficiently solve the saddle point problem. We introduce a general Mirror Prox algorithm, as well as a variant appropriate for large-scale problems, and establish worst-case complexity guarantees for both algorithms. We illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithms for point process estimation on real datasets from medical imaging, social networks, and recommender systems.
Sponsorship and Funding for Gene Therapy Trials in the United States.

This study characterizes government, academia, and private funding for gene therapy trials in the United States by technology type and therapeutic and disease area.
Balloon Catheter Dilation in Pediatric Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Meta-analysis:

BackgroundParanasal sinus balloon catheter dilation (BCD) represents a tool that has been shown to be safe in the management of pediatric chronic rhinosinusitis (pCRS); however, its efficacy compar...
Notas sobre Candanius von Hayek (Coleoptera: Elateridae), con descripción de una nueva especie de Chile

Se describe e ilustra una nueva especie de Candanius de Chile, cuya identidad fue confundida originalmente con C. gracillimus. Se registra la emergencia de un adulto desde madera muerta de molle (Schinus molle L.) y se describe la exuvia de la larva. Adicionalmente, se presenta una clave simplificada para separar las especies conocidas del genero.
Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy with transcervical morcellation and sacrocervicopexy for the treatment of uterine prolapse

The objective is to describe our surgical approach for management of uterine prolapse using 5-mm skin incisions and transcervical morcellation. This video presents a novel approach for laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, and sacrocervicopexy using only 5-mm skin incisions and transcervical morcellation. The procedure begins with a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy. A classic intrafascial supracervical hysterectomy (CISH) instrument is then used transvaginally to core the endocervical canal. A disposable morcellator is placed through the remaining cervix to morcellate the uterus and fallopian tubes. Following morcellation, the handle of the morcellator is removed, and it is used during the remainder of the surgery as an access cannula for the sacrocervicopexy. The polypropylene mesh is introduced through this cannula. It is secured to the anterior and posterior vaginal fascia with a suture that is also introduced through the transcervical port. At the conclusion of the surgery, a previously placed 0 Vicryl purse-string suture at the ectocervix is tied down as a cerclage around the cervix once the cannula is removed. The transcervical morcellation technique demonstrated in this video allows the surgeon to maintain 5-mm skin incisions and core the endocervical canal during a laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy with sacrocervicopexy.
Third Spaces, Sequencing, and Intertextuality: (De)Constructing Misinformation and Fake News

This chapter argues that higher education needs to cultivate a new medium of truth who is capable of critically interpreting and analyzing digital writing environments and its various media content and forms. This chapter explores how misinformation is dependent on an intertextual network of information that moves audiences into third spaces where the ability to stabilize truth and fact are obfuscated and distorted. The author of this chapter uses semiotic and rhetorical theory as frames to examine and analyze the rhetoric of fake news websites and the semiotic structures that make the rhetoric of misinformation possible in digital writing environments. The author then concludes that educators need to teach students how to use rhetorical frames to vet and investigate digital writing environments.
Targeting in Language: Unifying Deixis and Anaphora

This article proposes that a single cognitive system underlies the two domains of linguistic reference traditionally termed anaphora and deixis. In anaphora, the referent is an element of the current discourse itself, whereas in deixis, the referent is outside the discourse in its spatiotemporal surroundings. This difference between the lexical and the physical has traditionally led to distinct theoretical treatments of such referents. We propose instead that language engages a single linguistic/cognitive system—“targeting”—to single out a referent whether it is speech-internal or speech-external. To outline this system: As a speaker communicates with a hearer, her attention can come to be on something in the environment—her “target”—that she wants to refer to at a certain point in her discourse. This target can be located near or far in either the speech-external(deictic) or the speech-internal (anaphoric) environment. She thus needs the hearer to know what her intended target is and to have his attention on it jointly with her own at the relevant point in her discourse. The problem, though, is how to bring this about. Language solves this problem through targeting. First, at the intended point in her discourse, the speaker places a “trigger”—one out of a specialized set of mostly closed-class forms. English triggers include: this/these, that/those, here, there, yonder, now, then, therefore, thus, so, such, yay, the, personal pronouns, relative pronouns, and tense markers. Next, on hearing the trigger, the hearer undertakes a particular three-stage procedure. In the first stage, he seeks all available “cues” to the target. Such cues belong to ten distinct categories, representing ten different sources of information about the target. In the second stage, he combines these cues so as to narrow down to the one intended target and rule out alternative candidates. In the third stage, he maps the concept of the target he has found back onto the original trigger for integration with the sentence’s overall reference. This article is based on the overview portion of a book—The Targeting System of Language, MIT Press, 2018.
Seeking Other Solidarities

To hear most architects tell it, the story of architectural practice over the past half century narrates a gradual loss of control as constructional complexities and new divisions of labor set in. ...
M2-BRANES AND AdS/CFT

We provide a brief introduction to the ABJM theory, the level kU(N) × U(N) superconformal Chern-Simons matter theory which has been conjectured to describe N coincident M2-branes. We discuss its dual formulation in terms of M-theory on AdS4 × S7/ℤk and review some of the evidence in favor of the conjecture. We end with a brief discussion of the important role played by the monopole operators.
Delayed sternal ossification in congenital heart disease: incidence using computed tomography

While congenital heart disease (CHD) is known to be associated with sternal abnormalities, its association with absent sternal ossification is less well known. The literature is sparse and based on radiographs. To quantify delayed sternal ossification in CHD using computed tomography (CT). An imaging database search identified children with complex CHD and controls younger than 3 years of age who underwent chest CT from 2010 to 2019. Records were reviewed for demographics, CHD type and other pertinent history. Images were reviewed for manubrial or sternal segment ossification. Controls consisted of children undergoing chest CT for noncardiac reasons. Statistical analyses were conducted using a significance threshold of 0.05. Fifty-nine children had complex CHD (mean age: 9.4 months); 36 (61.0%) had cyanotic CHD. There were 189 controls (mean age: 17.9 months). Delayed sternal ossification was present in 7 children (11.9%) in the study group; 6 had cyanotic heart disease (85.7%). Patterns of ossification included manubrium only; manubrium and first sternal segment; first and second sternal segments; and manubrium, first segment and hypoplastic second segment. Three controls (1.6%) had sternal ossification delay, all with manubrial ossification only. Delayed sternal ossification was more prevalent in the study group than in the controls (P=0.002). Compared to the controls, a higher incidence of delayed sternal ossification was seen in children with cyanotic CHD (P<0.001) but not acyanotic CHD (P=0.37). Delayed sternal ossification occurs in children with CHD, particularly cyanotic forms, and requires no additional work-up.
Contagion Risks and Security Investment in Directed Networks

We develop a model for contagion risks and optimal security investment in a directed network of interconnected agents with heterogeneous degrees, loss functions and security profiles. Our model generalizes much of contagion models in the literature; in particular the independent cascade model and the linear threshold model. We state various limit theorems on the final size of infected agents in the case of random networks with given vertex degrees for finite and infinite variance degree distributions. The results allow us to derive a resilience condition of the network to the infection of a large group of agents and quantify how contagion amplifies small shocks to the network. We show that when the degree distribution has infinite variance and, highly correlated in- and out-degrees, then even when agents have high thresholds, a sub-linear fraction of initially infected agents is enough to trigger the infection of a positive fraction. We also show how these results are sensitive to vertex and edge percolation (immunization). We then study the asymptotic Nash equilibrium and socially optimal security investment. In the asymptotic limit, agents' risk depends on all other agents' investment through an aggregate quantity, that we call network vulnerability. The limit theorems allow us to capture the impact of one class of agents' decision on the overall network vulnerability. Based on our results, the vulnerability is semi-analytic allowing for a tractable Nash equilibrium. We give sufficient conditions for investment in equilibrium to be monotone in the network vulnerability. When investment is monotone, we show that the (asymptotic) Nash equilibrium is unique. In the particular example of two types core-periphery agents, we exhibit a strong effect of the cost heterogeneity and in particular non-monotonous investment as a function of costs.
The self-regulated response of the Wnt pathway to an oncogenic mutation in β-catenin

Oncogenic mutations in {beta}-catenin can inhibit degradation of {beta}-catenin by preventing phosphorylation of its degron. Degron phosphorylation is mediated by the Axin scaffold, Casein Kinase 1 (CK1) and Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 (GSK3). We studied an oncogenic form of {beta}-catenin with a deletion of serine 45 (S45), a site that is phosphorylated by the kinase CK1. When the S45 site is phosphorylated, it promotes the GSK3-mediated phosphorylations of the {beta}-catenin degron. Deletion of S45 would be expected to prevent GSK3-mediated phosphorylation of the mutant protein and thus block degradation. We found that the S45 mutant was still phosphorylatable by GSK3, and its expression increased the concentration of Axin, restoring the rate of GSK3-mediated phosphorylation to levels comparable to those observed for the wild-type {beta}-catenin. We conclude that there is one core mechanism for creating the phosphodegron for both primed and unprimed {beta}-catenin, which involves the generation of an Axin-GSK3 complex. SIGNIFICANCEUnderstanding how the Wnt pathway responds to mutations in {beta}-catenin phosphodegron can reveal important properties of the pathway in normal and cancer cells and is valuable for the design of more effective therapeutic strategies.
OM Forum — Reducing Food Waste: An Operations Management Research Agenda

It is estimated that one third of the food produced worldwide is wasted. This has been recognized as a critical problem by the United Nations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the European Union, and industry groups because of its implications for the environment, conservation of resources, and global hunger. The problem of food waste represents a significant research opportunity for the Operations Man- agement (OM) community because it is closely connected with OM topics and methodologies in supply chain technology and management, incentives and coordination, business model innovation, and behavioral operations. Research in food waste can lead to novel academic contributions and have meaningful impact on practice. This article describes the problem of food waste, identifies its root causes and implications, argues for the importance of research in this area in OM, and develops a research agenda for OM scholars to contribute to the theory and practice of food waste reduction. The agenda is organized around five themes: 1) supply chain technology, 2) supply chain logistics, 3) incentives and coordination in the supply chain, 4) business model innovation, and 5) behavioral operations. Thus, this article aims to stimulate research on food waste in our field.
Molybdenum carbide supported nickel–molybdenum alloys for synthesis gas production via partial oxidation of surrogate biodiesel

Abstract In this study, NiMo alloys supported on Mo 2 C are synthesized by wet impregnation for partial oxidation of methyl oleate, a surrogate biodiesel, to produce syngas. When compared to single phase Mo 2 C, the H 2 yield increases from 70% up to >95% at the carbon conversion of ∼100% for NiMo alloy nanoparticles that are dispersed over the Mo 2 C surface. Supported NiMo alloy samples are prepared at two different calcination temperatures in order to determine its effect on particle dispersion, crystalline phase and catalytic properties. The reforming test data indicate that catalyst prepared at lower calcination temperature shows better nanoparticle dispersion over the Mo 2 C surface, which leads to higher initial performance when compared to catalysts synthesized at higher calcination temperature. Activity tests using the supported NiMo alloy on Mo 2 C that are calcined at the lower temperature of 400 °C shows 100% carbon conversion with 90% H 2 yield without deactivation due to coking over 24 h time-on-stream.
Trinodular structure of fibrinogen. Confirmation by both shadowing and negative stain electron microscopy.

Abstract Fibrinogen molecules sprayed on mica, dried in vacuo and shadowed with platinum appear as trinodular rods. We describe here the flotation technique of negative staining by which we were able to visualize individual fibrinogen molecules. The fibrinogen molecules in our negatively stained preparations have a trinodular structure identical to that of shadowed molecules. We believe that the 20 nm diameter globules seen in previous negative staining studies are aggregates of these molecules. This is the first study in which both shadowed and negatively stained preparations of fibrinogen support a single, consistent model for the structure of fibrinogen. The molecules in our preparation are 45 nm long (±2.5 nm, our overall estimate of accuracy), the two outer nodules are 6 to 7 nm in diameter and the middle nodule is 4 to 5 nm in diameter.
An Adaptive Sliding Mode Vehicle Traction Controller Design

An adaptive sliding-mode vehicle traction control strategy, which includes anti-skid braking and anti-spin acceleration, has been proposed, implemented and tested. It integrates a sliding-mode control algorithm with a tire/road surface identification process, and it results in good performance regardless of vehicle environments. The effectiveness of this scheme is demonstrated by experiments on anti-skid braking.
Production and origin of estrogen in two true hermaphrodites

Abstract Two 46,XX true hermaphrodites with genital ambiguity since birth and gynecomastia were studied. The production rates of estradiol in these subjects, 77 and 71 μg per 24 hours, and of estrone, 82 and 136 μg per 24 hours, were approximately twice those of normal adult men. In one of these subjects the plasma production rates of androstenedione and testosterone were measured and found to be 389 and 1,271 μg per 24 hours, respectively. In this subject all estrone production, 82 μg per 24 hours, could be accounted for by extraglandular formation from plasma prehormones, whereas 71 μg of estradiol per 24 hours could not be accounted for by extraglandular formation and presumably arose from glandular secretion. The concentration of testosterone in the testicular portion of the ovotestis of this subject was 465 ng. per gram of tissue, a value comparable to that found in testicular tissue obtained from adult men. In the other subject of this study, who had a malignant gonadal tumor, the plasma concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin was 3,000 ml.U. per milliliter. From the results of this study we conclude that both ovarian and testicular components of the gonads of these two individuals were endocrinologically active, and that their gynecomastia likely developed as a consequence of gonadal estradiol secretion.
A-Teams: An Agent Architecture for Optimization and Decision Support

The effectiveness of an agent architecture is measured by its successful application to real problems. In this paper, we describe an agent architecture, A-Teams, that we have successfully used to develop real-world optimization and decision support applications. In an A-Team, an asynchronous team of agents shares a population of solutions and evolves an optimized set of solutions. Each agent embodies its own algorithm for creating, improving or eliminating a solution. Through sharing of the population of solutions, cooperative behavior between agents emerges and tends to result in better solutions than any one agent could produce. Since agents in an A-Team are autonomous and asynchronous, the architecture is both scalable and robust. In order to make the architecture easier to use and more widely available, we have developed an A-Team class library that provides a foundation for creating A-Team based decision-support systems.
Epitaxial Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 thin films grown by MOCVD

Abstract Epitaxial Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PMN) and (l-x)(Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3)-x(PbTiO3) (PMN-PT) thin films have been deposited by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition at 700 – 780°C on (100) SrTiO3 and SrRuO3/SrTiO3 substrates. Room temperature values of 900 and 1.5%, were measured for the zero-bias permittivity and loss respectively, at 10 kHz for 220 nm thick pure PMN films. For PMN-PT films, the small-signal permittivity ranged from 1000 to 1500 depending on deposition conditions and Ti content; correspondingly low values for the zero-bias dielectric loss between 1 and 5% were determined for all samples. For PMN-PT with x of approximately 0.30–0.35, polarization hysteresis with Prμ18μC/cm2 was obtained. Initial piezoresponse results are discussed.
Prosthetic Imaginings and Pedagogies of Early Childhood Art

What is the process that is invoked when early childhood educators reassure themselves that it is “process not product” that counts in the art experience of young children? Is this ultimately a way...
Human Cytomegalovirus Infections in Immunosuppressed Patients

Not all virus infections are increased following organ transplantation. The most common are infections by the herpesvirus group, papovavirus (warts and BK virus), hepatitis viruses, and perhaps adenoviruses (Ho, 1977; Rubin and Young, 1988). Symptomatic infections are most commonly caused by herpesviruses and warts (Spencer and Andersen, 1979). Infection with many other common viruses such as rhinoviruses, myxovirus, paramyxoviruses, rubella, enteroviruses, and arboviruses do not appear to be greatly increased, although there are reports of infection with one or another. The exception may be bone marrow transplant recipients, who may develop adenovirus, rotavirus, coxsackievirus, and respiratory synctial virus infections (Townsend et al., 1982; Englund et al., 1988). This may be related to the suppression of humoral as well as cellular immunity in these patients. A virus may be transmitted from the outside and infect de novo either a seronegative “nonimmune” subject (primary infection) or a seropositive “immune” subject (reinfection). The virus may also arise from a latent site within a seropositive patient and be activated (reactivation infection). Reinfections and reactivation infections are also called “secondary infections.” Primary infections cannot occur if there is no opportunity for exposure to the agent or if preexisting natural or acquired immunity of the patient obviates the risk of exposure. Such immunity may remain operative to some extent despite immunosuppressive measures after transplantation, particularly humoral immunity.
Regulation of cellular osmolarity and volume in Tetrahymena.

1. Tetrahymena pyriformis are hyperosmotic to external media of osmolarities from 2 to 171 m-osmole/l. The intracellular osmolarity, determined by freezing-point depression, is 111 m-osmole/kg cells in dilute media, and increases linearly with increasing external osmolarities. 2. Over 80% of the intracellular osmolarity can be attributed to the concentration of sodium, potassium, chloride and the free amino acids. 3. In response to an increase in the external osmolarity, Tetrahymena regulates its intracellular osmolarity by increasing the concentrations of free amino acids. 4. The regulation of cellular volume under conditions of osmotic stress is achieved by an increase in the amount of osmotically active solutes and the regulation of the rate of elimination of fluid by the contractile vacuole.
The Afterlife of Dead Metaphors: on Derrida’s Pragmatism

Este artigo analisa o papel da “metafora morta” em meio a desconstrucao e ao neopragmatismo em uma tentativa de esclarecer algumas das afi nidades subrepticias entre as duas formacoes discursivas que viriam a constituir aquilo que Derrida chamou de “pragramatologia (a vir)”. Por meio de uma revisao metaforologica do pensamento fi losofi co que parte de Vico, passando por Nietzsche e Heidegger ate Blumenberg, Derrida e Rorty, este artigo defende que a desconstrucao continua a gerar novos contextos de sentido e de referencia sob a forma de um pragmatismo que integra ja ha muito a sua identidade discursiva. Palavras-chave : Desconstrucao. Pragmatismo. Neopragmatismo. Retorica. Metafora. Metaforologia.
In vitro studies of transcript initiation by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. 2. Formation and characterization of two distinct classes of initial transcribing complexes.

By following the kinetics of abortive and productive synthesis in single-round transcription assays, we confirm the existence of two general classes of initial transcribing complexes (ITCs), which we term “productive ITC” and “unproductive ITC”. The productive ITCs are able to escape from the promoter rapidly to produce full-length transcripts, but only after carrying out an obligate series of abortive initiation steps. The unproductive ITCs were found to synthesize mostly abortive transcripts of 2−3 nucleotides and escape from the promoter extremely slowly, if at all. Formation of the unproductive ITC is not due to the inactive RNA polymerase. Instead, RNA polymerase molecules recovered from both the productive and unproductive ITC fractions were shown to carry out abortive and productive synthesis with both the partitioning tendency and transcription kinetics similar to those of the original enzyme. Our results suggest that early transcription complexes are partitioned into the productive and unproducti...
Esophageal and Rectal Temperatures as Estimates of Core Temperature during Therapeutic Whole-Body Hypothermia

We monitored whole-body cooling concurrently by both esophageal and rectal probes. Esophageal temperature was significantly higher compared with simultaneous rectal temperature during cooling, with a temperature gradient ranging from 0.46 to 1.03°C (median, 0.8°C; IQR, 0.6-0.8°C). During rewarming, this temperature difference disappeared.
The streaming potential method for modeling the electromechanical responses of ionic polymer transducers

A streaming potential method for modeling the electromechanical responses due to imposed deformation of ionic polymer transducers (IPTs) is presented. It has been argued that imperfect ion pairing results in the availability of free counterions within the hydrophilic regions, thereby resulting in the presence of an electrolyte within these regions in the hydrophobic polymer matrix. When there is a net relative motion of this electrolyte with respect to the electrode, a streaming potential should result. It is hypothesized that a streaming potential mechanism within the electrode regions should be able to predict sensing responses for all modes of deformation. Based on a recently introduced parallel waterchannel morphology in Nafion® membrane, this model successfully addresses the physics of sensing in IPT bending. A linear relationship between the tip deflection of an IPT cantilever beam and the current generated in the IPT is achieved. The result trends show a good agreement with the experimental measurements. While this work studies the bending mode, it is able to be adapted for the other three sensing modes.
Saturated fatty acids activate ERK signaling to downregulate hepatic sortilin 1 in obese and diabetic mice

Hepatic VLDL overproduction is a characteristic feature of diabetes and an important contributor to diabetic dyslipidemia. Hepatic sortilin 1 (Sort1), a cellular trafficking receptor, is a novel regulator of plasma lipid metabolism and reduces plasma cholesterol and triglycerides by inhibiting hepatic apolipoprotein B production. Elevated circulating free fatty acids play key roles in hepatic VLDL overproduction and the development of dyslipidemia. This study investigated the regulation of hepatic Sort1 in obesity and diabetes and the potential implications in diabetic dyslipidemia. Results showed that hepatic Sort1 protein was markedly decreased in mouse models of type I and type II diabetes and in human individuals with obesity and liver steatosis, whereas increasing hepatic Sort1 expression reduced plasma cholesterol and triglycerides in mice. Mechanistic studies showed that the saturated fatty acid palmitate activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and inhibited Sort1 protein by mechanisms involving Sort1 protein ubiquitination and degradation. Consistently, hepatic ERK signaling was activated in diabetic mice, whereas blocking ERK signaling by an ERK inhibitor increased hepatic Sort1 protein in mice. These results suggest that increased saturated fatty acids downregulate liver Sort1 protein, which may contribute to the development of dyslipidemia in obesity and diabetes.
Assessing Information Literacy among Undergraduates: A Discussion of the Literature and the University of California-Berkeley Assessment Experience.

Although national standards for information literacy have been developed and approved by the Association of College and Research Libraries, little is known about the extent to which undergraduates meet these or earlier sets of standards. Since 1994, the Teaching Library at the University of California-Berkeley has conducted an ongoing Survey of Information Literacy Competencies in selected academic departments to measure the “lower-order” information literacy skills of graduating seniors. The most fundamental conclusion that can be drawn from this survey is that students think they know more about accessing information and conducting library research than they are able to demonstrate when put to the test. The University of California-Berkeley library experience is consistent with earlier study findings that students continue to be confused by the elementary conventions for organizing and accessing information.
A Zero-Reject Program in a Comprehensive School District.

The San Mateo Union High School District serves five communities in the San Francisco Peninsula. The organizational structure of the district is designed so that each school can reach beyond its own curriculum to satisfy the needs of all its students. Though each school offers all of the programs for which the number of students is sufficiently large, particular schools within the district are designated to offer special programs for which the number of students is too limited or the specialized facilities and equipment required are too costly for offering at every school in the district. Since the adoption of the “zero‐reject” comprehensive principle the drop‐out rate has been reduced from approximately fifteen per cent to under two per cent.
Morphology of the Atlas-Axis Complex of the Late Palaeozoic Tetrapod Suborders Diadectomorpha and Seymouriamorpha

The atlas-axis complexes of the better-known genera of the Permo-Pennsylvanian tetrapod suborder Diadectomorpha are described and compared with those of other late Palaeozoic tetrapods. One new synapomorphy of the Diadectomorpha is identified: a large, anteriorly directed, midventral, projection of the axial intercentrum that articulates with a midventral furrow on the posterior margin of the atlantal intercentrum. Within the Diadectomorpha diadectids are apomorphic in possessing a large, anteriorly tapering axial neural spine, that accounts for approximately 40% of the total height of the axis; Limnoscelis is apomorphic in having divided parapophyseal facets of the atlantal intercentrum and anteriorly directed ventral processes of the atlantal intercentrum. Relative to the atlas-axis complex in the more primitive amphibian suborder Seymouriamorpha, that of diadectomorphs and other basal amniotes share two derived features: the atlantal pleurocentrum is fused to the dorsal surface of the axial intercentrum, except in Tseajaia where the elements are not fused but are positioned similarly; and the axial pleurocentrum and neural arch are fused in all observable stages of ontogeny. Reinterpretation of the atlantal neural arch in Seymouria indicates that it does not possess neural spines, a feature it shares with the Diadectomorpha and basal amniotes.
Electrophysiological effects of ibutilide in patients with accessory pathways.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) may cause life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. We prospectively evaluated the effects of ibutilide on the co...
Relaxation in cooperative systems: Use of mixture virial coefficients

The coefficients in power series in the variable time that describe relaxation in a cooperative system can be calculated using a combinatorial approach where one considers how many ways one can introduce a given number of properly defined events in a system. The coefficients obtained in this manner can be related to the equilibrium virial coefficients for a mixture. If one assumes rapid internal equilibration, the relaxation process can be expressed completely in terms of the viral coefficients for a mixture with at most one solute particle, or, in some cases, just the virial coefficients for a single-component system. Thus, equilibrium virial coefficients can give useful information about the time evolution of processes in cooperative systems.