bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AMINO ACID TRANSPORT IN BRAIN CORTEX SLICES: III. THE UTILIZATION OF ENERGY FOR TRANSPORT
Authors: Abadom P. N. , Scholefield P. G.
Published: October 2017

When rat brain cortex slices are incubated with amino acids in the presence of various sugars, the ratio of amino acid transported to the steady-state level of ATP (termed the transport quotient) is constant. The actual amount of ATP maintained is greatest with glucose and mannose but somewhat less with fructose and galactose. Certain α-keto acids (pyruvate, oxalacetate, α-ketoglutarate, or glutamate which can give rise to α-ketoglutarate) also support glycine transport but with a lesser efficiency. Fumarate, malate, and succinate have little ability to support amino acid transport.The transport supported by pyruvate is particularly resistant to the action of agents which markedly reduce the transport supported by glucose as substrate. These agents include dinitrophenol, digoxin, and uranyl ions. Inhibitory effects are obtained with high concentrations of potassium ions whether the substrate is glucose or pyruvate.These results are interpreted in terms of pyruvate dismutation and acetate thiokinase leading to ATP production and in terms of intracellular localization of ATP.
IN VIVO BIOGENESIS OF THYROID HORMONE IN THE GUINEA PIG
Authors: Schindler William J. , Fortier Claude
Published: October 2017

Null
FATTY ACID COMPOSITION AND GLYCERIDE STRUCTURE IN RATS FED RAPESEED OIL OR CORN OIL
Authors: Craig B. M. , Youngs C. G. , Beare Joyce L. , Campbell J. A.
Published: October 2017

The fatty acid compositions of liver, skin, abdominal fat, and residual degutted carcass from each of five rats fed diets containing corn or rapeseed oil for 21 weeks were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Statistical analysis of the results showed no significant variations among rats or among cutaneous, abdominal, and carcass fats. In these fat depots, the proportions of fatty acids resembled those of the diet except for palmitic, palmitoleic, oleic, and erucic acids. Glyceride compositions of the body fats were in agreement with those predicted by Vander Wal's distribution theory.
THE EFFECT OF FLOW RATE AND OSMOLARITY OF LUMEN CONTENTS ON CALCIUM AND WATER ABSORPTION FROM THIRY-VELLA FISTULAS IN DOGS
Authors: Cramer Carl F. , Haqq Tennyson A.
Published: October 2017

The effect of a number of factors which locally might affect intestinal absorption of calcium in vivo was studied. Changes of osmolarity or of sodium concentration altered neither the calcium absorption rate nor the maximal absorptive capacity found at higher calcium concentrations. Under static conditions in a healed jejunal loop, calcium was absorbed more rapidly at first, but after 40 minutes the rate of absorption was essentially constant. Water absorption was approximately constant throughout the 2 hours. On the other hand, when the solutions flowed slowly through the gut loop, calcium was absorbed six times, and water four times more rapidly. The importance of these findings to normal absorption is discussed.
THE INFLUENCE OF pH ON THE ACTIVITY OF NICOTINE AT THE NEUROMUSCULAR JUNCTION
Authors: Hamilton John T.
Published: October 2017

The effects of pH on the activity of nicotine relative to that of nicotine monomethiodide have been studied on the frog rectus abdominis preparation. Results have been obtained which substantiate the view that it is the univalent nicotinium ion, rather than the un-ionized base, which acts at the neuromuscular junction.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE EFFECTS OF METHANOL AND FORMALDEHYDE ON ESTABLISHED CELL LINES CULTIVATED IN VITRO
Authors: Elliott Alice , Pace Donald M.
Published: October 2017

Short-term experiments were used to investigate the effects of various concentrations of methanol and formaldehyde upon cells grown in vitro. Mouse liver epithelial, HeLa, human lung, and skin cells were exposed to several concentrations of methanol. The same cell lines, except HeLa, were subjected to different concentrations of formaldehyde.Relatively high concentrations of methanol were required to produce rapid toxic effects. Not all cell lines responded alike to methanol. Concentrations of 15 mg/ml were decidedly inhibitory in case of human skin, lung, and HeLa cells. This concentration, however, appeared to enhance growth in liver cells. At higher concentrations the methanol was toxic to liver cells as well as to the others.Concentrations of formaldehyde greater than 0.035 mg/ml were toxic to mouse liver, human lung and skin cells. A concentration of 0.01 mg/ml of formaldehyde inhibited proliferation of these same cells. These three cell lines did not appear to differ significantly in respect to their sensitivity to formaldehyde. Of the substances investigated to date, formaldehyde appears to be the most toxic.
IN VIVO METABOLISM OF STEROID HORMONES BY SOCKEYE SALMON: (A) IMPAIRED HORMONE CLEARANCE IN MATURE AND SPAWNED PACIFIC SALMON (O. NERKA) (B) PRECURSORS OF 11-KETOTESTOSTERONE
Authors: Idler D. R. , Truscott B. , Freeman H. C. , Chang V. , Schmidt P. J. , Ronald A. P.
Published: October 2017

Intra-arterially injected cortisone-4-C14and cortisol-4-C14were cleared from the plasma of sexually mature and spawned sockeye salmon (O. nerka) at a much slower rate than from the plasma of immature sockeye and spawned Atlantic salmon (S. salar). The results explain the elevated hormone levels found in the blood of mature and spawned sockeye salmon. The normal clearance rate found with Atlantic salmon, which frequently survive spawning, would indicate that the impaired hormone metabolism was associated with the imminent death of the Pacific salmon rather than with the act of spawning.Testosterone and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone were found to be precursors of 11-ketotestosterone, a sex hormone found in high concentrations in the blood of mature sockeye salmon. Testosterone was also formed in vivo from 17α-hydroxyprogesterone. The results suggest more than one pathway for the synthesis of 11-ketotestosterone in salmon. Cortisol was converted to cortisone but no conversion of the former to 11-ketotestosterone could be demonstrated.
ON THE HYPERTENSIVE ACTION OF TOLAZOLINE AND HYDERGINE
Authors: Benfey B. G. , Varma D. R.
Published: October 2017

The effects of tolazoline and Hydergine on blood pressure, cardiac contractility, and heart rate have been studied in dogs under pentobarbitone anesthesia. Whereas in the absence of reserpine, tolazoline had a pressor effect in two of four dogs, following reserpine it had a marked pressor action in each of eight dogs. The blood pressure rise was associated with positive inotropic and negative chronotropic effects. Phenoxybenzamine abolished these effects of tolazoline. Hydergine had pressor and negative chronotropic effects in the absence of reserpine. Following reserpine these effects were associated with positive inotropic actions. Phenoxybenzamine reduced these effects of Hydergine. It is concluded that the pressor action of tolazoline is wholly due to adrenergic vasoconstriction, whereas that of Hydergine is only partly an adrenergic effect.
A METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAINING THE BODY TEMPERATURE OF RATS AT A CONSTANT LEVEL
Authors: Ashworth M. A. , Haist R. E.
Published: October 2017

A method is described for continuously and automatically regulating the body temperature at lower than normal levels in up to 12 rats at one time.
THE ACTIVATION OF GLUTAMIC ACID AND GLUTAMINE IN MAMMALIAN TISSUES
Authors: Alford M. A. , Brotman M. , Chudy M. A. , Fraser M. J.
Published: October 2017

Measurements of α-glutamyl-RNA synthetase and glutaminyl-RNA synthetase activities have been made in fractions derived from 105,000 × g supernatants of homogenates of rat liver and of mouse Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. Evidence is presented which indicates that each amino acid is activated by a specific enzyme. Both enzymes catalyze amino acid dependent ATP-32PP exchange. The α-glutamyl-RNA synthetase purified 42-fold from rat liver 105,000 × g supernatant is free of glutamine synthetase.
CONSTITUTION OF CEREBRIN FROM THE YEAST TORULOPSIS UTILIS
Authors: Stanacev Nikola Z. , Kates Morris
Published: October 2017

Null
SYSTEMATIC IDENTIFICATION OF FATTY ACIDS IN THE GAS–LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY OF FATTY ACID METHYL ESTERS: A PRELIMINARY SURVEY OF SEAL OIL
Authors: Ackman R. G. , Burgher R. D. , Jangaard P. M.
Published: October 2017

The fatty acids of a commercial seal blubber oil have been surveyed by application of the linear log plot and separation factor procedures to the gas–liquid chromatograms of methyl esters obtained from urea complexing. These techniques, coupled with the use of two polyesters, have permitted the tentative identification of virtually all of the components. The overall composition of the seal blubber oil appears to cover the same range of fatty acids as the body oils of menhaden and herring.
URIDINE NUCLEOTIDE-PEPTIDES FROM AEROBACTER CLOACAE NRC 492. ENZYMATIC SYNTHESIS OF THE PEPTIDES
Authors: Anwar R. A. , Watson R. W.
Published: October 2017

Null
THE STABILITY OF ADRENOCHROME AND ITS SOLUTIONS
Authors: Heacock R. A. , Mattok G. L. , Wilson D. L.
Published: October 2017

The stability of adrenochrome solutions in the presence of several inorganic compounds has been studied.The purity and stability of several "aged" and commercial samples of adrenochrome have been evaluated.The stability of solutions of adrenochrome in some of the lower aliphatic alcohols has been examined.
GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID LEVELS IN THE BRAIN OF RATS EXPOSED TO OXYGEN AT HIGH PRESSURES
Authors: Wood J. D. , Watson W. J.
Published: October 2017

Rats were exposed to 100% oxygen at a pressure of 6 atmospheres absolute for 33 minutes. The surviving animals were assigned to one of three groups: (a) animals suffering severe convulsions during exposure, (b) animals suffering mild convulsions during exposure, (c) animals in which no convulsions were observed during exposure. The concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brains of rats in all groups was lower than in unexposed rats, reductions of 35%, 27%, and 19% in GABA concentration being observed in groups (a), (b), and (c) respectively. Only a few minutes' exposure to oxygen at high pressure was necessary to cause a significant decrease in GABA concentration. Exposure either to air at high pressure or to 100% oxygen at ambient pressure produced no reduction in GABA levels. Although the GABA concentration in the brain increased markedly within 1 hour after the end of the 33-minute exposure to oxygen at 6 atm pressure it was still somewhat below the levels found in unexposed animals. No significant change in GABA levels was observed during a further 2 hours of recovery time. In the case of rats exposed for only a short period of time, however, a complete return to normal was observed within the first hour. The levels of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and total α-amino acids in the brain were not altered by exposure to oxygen at high pressure.
ACCELERATION OF INTRAVASCULAR CARBON CLEARANCE IN MICE BY INHALED ENDOTOXIN
Authors: DiCarlo Frederick J. , O'Driscoll Robert G. , Haynes Lloyd J. , Sliver Nancy J. , Steinetz Bernard G.
Published: October 2017

Null
SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE PANCREATIC AMYLASE AND INTESTINAL MALTASE OF THE CHICK
Authors: Laws B. M. , Moore J. H.
Published: October 2017

The digestive enzymes amylase and maltase were studied in acetone-dried powders or homogenates of the pancreatic and small intestinal tissues and small intestinal contents obtained from chicks of various ages. The stability of pancreatic amylase, which was relatively low in 0.15 M sodium chloride, was increased markedly by the presence of 0.02 M barbiturate buffer. The pH optimum of pancreatic amylase (chloride-activated) was 7.0 whereas that of intestinal maltase was 6.9. High levels of pancreatic amylase activity were found in the newly-hatched chick but these levels decreased during the following 20 days and then remained constant. The contrast between the high amylase and low maltase activities in the contents of the small intestine suggested that molecules of maltose, formed by the hydrolysis of starch, were absorbed as such by the mucosal cells. It appeared that maltose could be absorbed with equal facility from all sections of the small intestine of the 10-day-old chick but in the older birds maltose absorption seemed to occur more readily from the upper small intestine than from the duodenum and lower small intestine. A modified method for the determination of maltase activity is described.
EFFECT OF AN ANTIBIOTIC ON LIPID FRACTIONS IN PLASMA AND EGG YOLK OF LAYING HENS
Authors: Lupien P. J. , Vandenheuvel F. A. , Hunsaker W. G. , Hatina G. V.
Published: October 2017

Supplementation of the basal ration of laying hens with 0.001, 0.005, and 0.01% neomycin sulphate did not produce any significant changes in the weight of the hens, their eggs, or egg yolks, nor did it alter egg production. Supplemental neomycin caused no significant changes in levels of plasma cholesterol. Plasma and yolk lipid levels varied considerably within as well as between groups of hens. Plasma squalene/plasma cholesterol and yolk squalene/yolk cholesterol ratios were approximately the same, indicating the presence of 250 times more cholesterol than squalene. Plasma squalene/yolk squalene and plasma cholesterol/yolk cholesterol ratios showed that both components were approximately 13 times more concentrated in the yolk than in the plasma. The variable plasma cholesterol levels for rats, rabbits, mice, human beings, as well as the laying hen, treated with neomycin, are suggestive of species differences in response.
SERUM RIBONUCLEASE DURING THE PROCESS OF DAB CARCINOGENESIS AND TUMOR GROWTH
Authors: Zytko J. , Cantero A.
Published: October 2017

The activity of serum ribonuclease (RNase) of rats fed a diet containing 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene was depressed by 50–60% at the third week of feeding compared to that of control rats fed the basal diet alone for the same period of time. Tumor cells of the Novikoff hepatoma contained 7–8% of the RXase activity of normal liver cells.
SYNTHESIS AND STORAGE OF ACETYLCHOLINE IN NERVOUS TISSUE
Authors: MacIntosh F. C.
Published: October 2017

A discussion of the factors involved in the physiological synthesis of acetylcholine in nerve endings, and of the action thereon of hemicholinium No. 3.
THE ROLE OF SODIUM IONS IN THE METABOLISM OF ACETYLCHOLINE
Authors: Birks R. I.
Published: October 2017

The importance of sodium ions both to the synthesis and to the release of acetylcholine in nerve terminals is demonstrated.
Insect omics research coming of age1This review is part of a virtual symposium on recent advances in understanding a variety of complex regulatory processes in insect physiology and endocrinology, including development, metabolism, cold hardiness, food intake and digestion, and diuresis, through the use of omics technologies in the postgenomic era.
Authors: Boerjan Bart , Cardoen Dries , Verdonck Rik , Caers Jelle , Schoofs Liliane
Published: October 2017

As more and more insect genomes are fully sequenced and annotated, omics technologies, including transcriptomic, proteomic, peptidomics, and metobolomic profiling, as well as bioinformatics, can be used to exploit this huge amount of sequence information for the study of different biological aspects of insect model organisms. Omics experiments are an elegant way to deliver candidate genes, the function of which can be further explored by genetic tools for functional inactivation or overexpression of the genes of interest. Such tools include mainly RNA interference and are currently being developed in diverse insect species. In this manuscript, we have reviewed how omics technologies were integrated and applied in insect biology.
Insect cold hardiness: metabolic, gene, and protein adaptation1This review is part of a virtual symposium on recent advances in understanding a variety of complex regulatory processes in insect physiology and endocrinology, including development, metabolism, cold hardiness, food intake and digestion, and diuresis, through the use of omics technologies in the postgenomic era.
Authors: Storey Kenneth B. , Storey Janet M.
Published: October 2017

Winter survival for thousands of species of insects relies on adaptive strategies for cold hardiness. Two basic mechanisms are widely used (freeze avoidance by deep supercooling and freeze tolerance where insects endure ice formation in extracellular fluid spaces), whereas additional strategies (cryoprotective dehydration, vitrification) are also used by some polar species in extreme environments. This review assesses recent research on the biochemical adaptations that support insect cold hardiness. We examine new information about the regulation of cryoprotectant biosynthesis, mechanisms of metabolic rate depression, role of aquaporins in water and glycerol movement, and cell preservation strategies (chaperones, antioxidant defenses and metal binding proteins, mitochondrial suppression) for survival over the winter. We also review the new information coming from the use of genomic and proteomic screening methods that are greatly widening the scope for discovery of genes and proteins that support winter survival.
The synchronization of asymmetric-structured electric coupling neuronal system
Authors: Wang Guanping , Jin Wuyin , Liu Hao , Sun Wei
Published: October 2017

Based on the Hindmarsh–Rose (HR) model, the synchronization dynamics of asymmetric-structured electric coupling two neuronal system is investigated in this paper. It is discovered that when the time-delay scope and coupling strength for the synchronization are correlated positively under unequal time delay, the time-delay difference does not make a clear distinction between the two individual inter-spike intervals (ISI) bifurcation diagrams of the two coupled neurons. Therefore, the superficial difference of the system synchronization dynamics is not obvious for the unequal time-delay feedback. In the asymmetrical current incentives under asymmetric electric coupled system, the two neurons can only be almost completely synchronized in specific area of the interval which end-pointed with two discharge modes for a single neuron under different stimuli currents before coupling, but the intervention of time-delay feedback, together with the change of the coupling strength, can make the coupled system not only almost completely synchronized within anywhere in the front area, but also outside of it.
Assessing Development Strategies of Jiangsu and Taiwan: A Geweke Causality Analysis
Authors: Tan Khee Giap , Yuan Randong , Yoong Sangiita Wei Cher
Published: October 2017

Among the economies in the Eastern coastal area of mainland China, Jiangsu has stood out in terms of its rapid and sustained economic growth since 2000. The province has done exceptionally well in terms of competitiveness indicators, catching up quickly with the leading Greater China economy of Taiwan. Such convergence has triggered much academic and policy interest in terms of understanding the driving factors that have enabled Jiangsu to catch up with Taiwan. In this context, this paper empirically analyzes the factors that have caused the convergence between the two economies from 2000 to 2011 by employing Geweke Causality analysis. By decomposing and examining the linear feedback between economic growth and vectors of variables capturing investments in infrastructure, human capital, science, technology and innovation activities, this paper confirms the important role played by those factors in the convergence between Jiangsu and Taiwan in recent years.
Non-Markovianity and Coherence of a Moving Qubit inside a Leaky Cavity
Authors: Mortezapour Ali , Borji Mahdi Ahmadi , Park DaeKil , Franco Rosario Lo
Published: October 2017

Non-Markovian features of a system evolution, stemming from memory effects, may be utilized to transfer, storage, and revive basic quantum properties of the system states. It is well known that an atom qubit undergoes non-Markovian dynamics in high quality cavities. Here we consider the qubit-cavity interaction in the case when the qubit is in motion inside a leaky cavity. We show that, owing to the inhibition of the decay rate, the coherence of the travelling qubit remains closer to its initial value as time goes by compared to that of a qubit at rest. We also demonstrate that quantum coherence is preserved more efficiently for larger qubit velocities. This is true independently of the evolution being Markovian or non-Markovian, albeit the latter condition is more effective at a given value of velocity. We however find that the degree of non-Markovianity is eventually weakened as the qubit velocity increases, despite a better coherence maintenance.
Multiple intrusive phases in the Leinster Batholith, Ireland: geochronology, isotope geochemistry and constraints on the deformation history
Authors: Fritschle Tobias , Daly J. Stephen , Whitehouse Martin J. , McConnell Brian , Buhre Stephan
Published: October 2017

The formation of granite batholiths, commonly by incremental assembly of small magma batches, and their correlation with tectonic events, on both local and regional scales, is crucial to understanding the evolution of the Earth's continental crust. However, these correlations often rely on assumptions about the detailed relationship and timing of mapped units. Here we report how an integrated geochronological, structural and isotope geochemical study in only one key locality from the late Caledonian Leinster Batholith in SE Ireland provides the potential for unravelling essential questions on batholith petrogenesis. The Northern Unit of the Leinster Batholith intruded incrementally, as demonstrated by three crosscutting granite varieties at Glenmacnass Waterfall. The oldest, foliated granite, yielded a zircon U–Pb age of 417.4 ± 1.7 Ma. Following deformation, equigranular granite intruded at 409.8 ± 1.9 Ma and was cut by megacrystic granite at 404.9 ± 2.6 Ma. Hence, batholith formation lasted up to 16.8 myr, challenging the widely accepted 405 Ma age for the entire batholith. Multi-isotope geochemical investigations permit derivation of the three granites from the same sources, including both Mid- to Upper Ordovician peri-Gondwanan arc-related magmatic and Lower to Mid-Ordovician Ribband Group metasedimentary rocks. Zircon inheritance and Lu–Hf isotope geochemistry also reveal reprocessing of older granite wall rock in the younger magmas.

Supplementary Material:
Data tables are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3898330
Linguistic-Relationships-Based Approach for Improving Word Alignment
Authors: Tran Phuoc , Dinh Dien , Le Tan , Nguyen Long H. B.
Published: October 2017

The unsupervised word alignments (such as GIZA++) are widely used in the phrase-based statistical machine translation. The quality of the model is proportional to the size and the quality of the bilingual corpus. However, for low-resource language pairs such as Chinese and Vietnamese, a result of unsupervised word alignment sometimes is of low quality due to the sparse data. In addition, this model does not take advantage of the linguistic relationships to improve performance of word alignment. Chinese and Vietnamese have the same language type and have close linguistic relationships. In this article, we integrate the characteristics of linguistic relationships into the word alignment model to enhance the quality of Chinese-Vietnamese word alignment. These linguistic relationships are Sino-Vietnamese and content word. The experimental results showed that our method improved the performance of word alignment as well as the quality of machine translation.
Unifying typing and subtyping
Authors: Yang Yanpeng , Oliveira Bruno C. d. S.
Published: October 2017

In recent years dependent types have become a hot topic in programming language research. A key reason why dependent types are interesting is that they allow unifying types and terms, which enables both additional
expressiveness
and
economy of concepts
. Unfortunately there has been much less work on dependently typed calculi for object-oriented programming. This is partly because it is widely acknowledged that the combination between dependent types and subtyping is particularly challenging.

This paper presents λ
I
≤
, which is a dependently typed generalization of System
F
≤
. The resulting calculus follows the style of Pure Type Systems, and contains a single unified syntactic sort that accounts for expressions, types and kinds. To address the challenges posed by the combination of dependent types and subtyping, λ
I
≤
employs a novel technique that unifies
typing
and
subtyping
. In λ
I
≤
there is only a judgement that is akin to a typed version of subtyping. Both the typing relation, as well as type well-formedness are just special cases of the subtyping relation. The resulting calculus has a rich metatheory and enjoys of several standard and desirable properties, such as
subject reduction
,
transitivity of subtyping
,
narrowing
as well as standard
substitution lemmas
. All the metatheory of λ
I
≤
is mechanically proved in the Coq theorem prover. Furthermore, (and as far as we are aware) λ
I
≤
is the first dependently typed calculus that completely subsumes System
F
≤
, while preserving various desirable properties.
The VM already knew that: leveraging compile-time knowledge to optimize gradual typing
Authors: Richards Gregor , Arteca Ellen , Turcotte Alexi
Published: October 2017

Programmers in dynamic languages wishing to constrain and understand the behavior of their programs may turn to gradually-typed languages, which allow types to be specified optionally and check values at the boundary between dynamic and static code. Unfortunately, the performance cost of these run-time checks can be severe, slowing down execution by at least 10x when checks are present. Modern virtual machines (VMs) for dynamic languages use speculative techniques to improve performance: If a particular value was seen once, it is likely that similar values will be seen in the future. They combine optimization-relevant properties of values into cacheable “shapes”, then use a single shape check to subsume checks for each property. Values with the same memory layout or the same field types have the same shape. This greatly reduces the amount of type checking that needs to be performed at run-time to execute dynamic code. While very valuable to the VM’s optimization, these checks do little to benefit the programmer aside from improving performance. We present in this paper a design for intrinsic object contracts, which makes the obligations of gradually-typed languages’ type checks an intrinsic part of object shapes, and thus can subsume run-time type checks into existing shape checks, eliminating redundant checks entirely. With an implementation on a VM for JavaScript used as a target for SafeTypeScript’s soundness guarantees, we demonstrate slowdown averaging 7% in fully-typed code relative to unchecked code, and no more than 45% in pessimal configurations.
Evaluating and improving semistructured merge
Authors: Cavalcanti Guilherme , Borba Paulo , Accioly Paola
Published: October 2017

While unstructured merge tools rely only on textual analysis to detect and resolve conflicts, semistructured merge tools go further by partially exploiting the syntactic structure and semantics of the involved artifacts. Previous studies compare these merge approaches with respect to the number of reported conflicts, showing, for most projects and merge situations, reduction in favor of semistructured merge. However, these studies do not investigate whether this reduction actually leads to integration effort reduction (productivity) without negative impact on the correctness of the merging process (quality). To analyze that, and better understand how merge tools could be improved, in this paper we reproduce more than 30,000 merges from 50 open source projects, identifying conflicts incorrectly reported by one approach but not by the other (false positives), and conflicts correctly reported by one approach but missed by the other (false negatives). Our results and complementary analysis indicate that, in the studied sample, the number of false positives is significantly reduced when using semistructured merge. We also find evidence that its false positives are easier to analyze and resolve than those reported by unstructured merge. However, we find no evidence that semistructured merge leads to fewer false negatives, and we argue that they are harder to detect and resolve than unstructured merge false negatives. Driven by these findings, we implement an improved semistructured merge tool that further combines both approaches to reduce the false positives and false negatives of semistructured merge. We find evidence that the improved tool, when compared to unstructured merge in our sample, reduces the number of reported conflicts by half, has no additional false positives, has at least 8% fewer false negatives, and is not prohibitively slower.
Model-assisted machine-code synthesis
Authors: Srinivasan Venkatesh , Vartanian Ara , Reps Thomas
Published: October 2017

Binary rewriters are tools that are used to modify the functionality of binaries lacking source code. Binary rewriters can be used to rewrite binaries for a variety of purposes including optimization, hardening, and extraction of executable components. To rewrite a binary based on semantic criteria, an essential primitive to have is a machine-code synthesizer---a tool that synthesizes an instruction sequence from a specification of the desired behavior, often given as a formula in quantifier-free bit-vector logic (QFBV). However, state-of-the-art machine-code synthesizers such as McSynth++ employ naive search strategies for synthesis: McSynth++ merely enumerates candidates of increasing length without performing any form of prioritization. This inefficient search strategy is compounded by the huge number of unique instruction schemas in instruction sets (e.g., around 43,000 in Intel's IA-32) and the exponential cost inherent in enumeration. The effect is slow synthesis: even for relatively small specifications, McSynth++ might take several minutes or a few hours to find an implementation.

In this paper, we describe how we use machine learning to make the search in McSynth++ smarter and potentially faster. We converted the linear search in McSynth++ into a best-first search over the space of instruction sequences. The cost heuristic for the best-first search comes from two models---used together---built from a corpus of 〈QFBV-formula, instruction-sequence〉 pairs: (i) a language model that favors useful instruction sequences, and (ii) a regression model that correlates features of instruction sequences with features of QFBV formulas, and favors instruction sequences that are more likely to implement the input formula. Our experiments for IA-32 showed that our model-assisted synthesizer enables synthesis of code for 6 out of 50 formulas on which McSynth++ times out, speeding up the synthesis time by at least 549X, and for the remaining formulas, speeds up synthesis by 4.55X.
Synthesis of data completion scripts using finite tree automata
Authors: Wang Xinyu , Dillig Isil , Singh Rishabh
Published: October 2017

In application domains that store data in a tabular format, a common task is to fill the values of some cells using values stored in other cells. For instance, such data completion tasks arise in the context of
missing value imputation
in data science and
derived data
computation in spreadsheets and relational databases. Unfortunately, end-users and data scientists typically struggle with many data completion tasks that require non-trivial programming expertise. This paper presents a synthesis technique for automating data completion tasks using
programming-by-example (PBE)
and a very lightweight sketching approach. Given a
formula sketch
(e.g., AVG(?
1
, ?
2
)) and a few input-output examples for each hole, our technique synthesizes a program to automate the desired data completion task. Towards this goal, we propose a domain-specific language (DSL) that combines spatial and relational reasoning over tabular data and a novel synthesis algorithm that can generate DSL programs that are consistent with the input-output examples. The key technical novelty of our approach is a new version space learning algorithm that is based on
finite tree automata
(FTA). The use of FTAs in the learning algorithm leads to a more compact representation that allows more sharing between programs that are consistent with the examples. We have implemented the proposed approach in a tool called DACE and evaluate it on 84 benchmarks taken from online help forums. We also illustrate the advantages of our approach by comparing our technique against two existing synthesizers, namely Prose and Sketch.
Orca: GC and type system co-design for actor languages
Authors: Clebsch Sylvan , Franco Juliana , Drossopoulou Sophia , Yang Albert Mingkun , Wrigstad Tobias , Vitek Jan
Published: October 2017

ORCA is a concurrent and parallel garbage collector for actor programs, which does not require any STW steps, or synchronization mechanisms, and that has been designed to support zero-copy message passing and sharing of mutable data. ORCA is part of a runtime for actor-based languages, which was co-designed with the Pony programming language, and in particular, with its data race free type system. By co-designing an actor language with its runtime, it was possible to exploit certain language properties in order to optimize performance of garbage collection. Namely, ORCA relies on the guarantees of absence of race conditions in order to avoid read/write barriers, and it leverages the actor message passing, for synchronization among actors.

In this paper we briefly describe Pony and its type system. We use pseudo-code in order to introduce how ORCA allocates and deallocates objects, how it shares mutable data without requiring barriers upon data mutation, and how can immutability be used to further optimize garbage collection. Moreover, we discuss the advantages of co-designing an actor language with its runtime, and we demonstrate that ORCA can be implemented in a performant and scalable way through a set of micro-benchmarks, including a comparison with other well-known collectors.
How We Hear: The Perception and Neural Coding of Sound
Authors: Oxenham Andrew J.
Published: October 2017

Auditory perception is our main gateway to communication with others via speech and music, and it also plays an important role in alerting and orienting us to new events. This review provides an overview of selected topics pertaining to the perception and neural coding of sound, starting with the first stage of filtering in the cochlea and its profound impact on perception. The next topic, pitch, has been debated for millennia, but recent technical and theoretical developments continue to provide us with new insights. Cochlear filtering and pitch both play key roles in our ability to parse the auditory scene, enabling us to attend to one auditory object or stream while ignoring others. An improved understanding of the basic mechanisms of auditory perception will aid us in the quest to tackle the increasingly important problem of hearing loss in our aging population.
The Psychology of Music: Rhythm and Movement
Authors: Levitin Daniel J. , Grahn Jessica A. , London Justin
Published: October 2017

The urge to move to music is universal among humans. Unlike visual art, which is manifest across space, music is manifest across time. When listeners get carried away by the music, either through movement (such as dancing) or through reverie (such as trance), it is usually the temporal qualities of the music—its pulse, tempo, and rhythmic patterns—that put them in this state. In this article, we review studies addressing rhythm, meter, movement, synchronization, entrainment, the perception of groove, and other temporal factors that constitute a first step to understanding how and why music literally moves us. The experiments we review span a range of methodological techniques, including neuroimaging, psychophysics, and traditional behavioral experiments, and we also summarize the current studies of animal synchronization, engaging an evolutionary perspective on human rhythmic perception and cognition.
Why Social Relationships Are Important for Physical Health: A Systems Approach to Understanding and Modifying Risk and Protection
Authors: Holt-Lunstad Julianne
Published: October 2017

Social relationships are adaptive and crucial for survival. This review presents existing evidence indicating that our social connections to others have powerful influences on health and longevity and that lacking social connection qualifies as a risk factor for premature mortality. A systems perspective is presented as a framework by which to move social connection into the realm of public health. Individuals, and health-relevant biological processes, exist within larger social contexts including the family, neighborhood and community, and society and culture. Applying the social ecological model, this review highlights the interrelationships of individuals within groups in terms of understanding both the causal mechanisms by which social connection influences physical health and the ways in which this influence can inform potential intervention strategies. A systems approach also helps identify gaps in our current understanding that may guide future research.
Principles and Challenges of Applying Epigenetic Epidemiology to Psychology
Authors: Jones Meaghan J. , Moore Sarah R. , Kobor Michael S.
Published: October 2017

The interplay of genetically driven biological processes and environmental factors is a key driver of research questions spanning multiple areas of psychology. A nascent area of research focuses on the utility of epigenetic marks in capturing this intersection of genes and environment, as epigenetic mechanisms are both tightly linked to the genome and environmentally responsive. Advances over the past 10 years have allowed large-scale assessment of one epigenetic mark in particular, DNA methylation, in human populations, and the examination of DNA methylation is becoming increasingly common in psychological studies. In this review, we briefly outline some principles of epigenetics, focusing on highlighting important considerations unique to DNA methylation studies to guide psychologists in incorporating DNA methylation into a project. We discuss study design and biological and analytical considerations and conclude by discussing interpretability of epigenetic findings and how these important factors are currently being applied across areas of psychology.
Singular Solutions to a (3 + 1)-D Protter-Morawetz Problem for Keldysh-Type Equations
Authors: Popivanov Nedyu , Hristov Tsvetan , Nikolov Aleksey , Schneider Manfred
Published: October 2017

We study a boundary value problem for (3 + 1)-D weakly hyperbolic equations of Keldysh type (problem PK). The Keldysh-type equations are known in some specific applications in plasma physics, optics, and analysis on projective spaces. Problem PK is not well-posed since it has infinite-dimensional cokernel. Actually, this problem is analogous to a similar one proposed by M. Protter in 1952, but for Tricomi-type equations which, in part, are closely connected with transonic fluid dynamics. We consider a properly defined, in a special function space, generalized solution to problem PK for which existence and uniqueness theorems hold. It is known that it may have a strong power-type singularity at one boundary point even for very smooth right-hand sides of the equation. In the present paper we study the asymptotic behavior of the generalized solutions of problem PK at the singular point. There are given orthogonality conditions on the right-hand side of the equation, which are necessary and sufficient for the existence of a generalized solution with fixed order of singularity.
Discovery of Antimalarial Drugs from Streptomycetes Metabolites Using a Metabolomic Approach
Authors: Ahmad Siti Junaidah , Abdul Rahim Mohd Badrin Hanizam , Baharum Syarul Nataqain , Baba Mohd Shukri , Zin Noraziah Mohamad
Published: October 2017

Natural products continue to play an important role as a source of biologically active substances for the development of new drug.Streptomyces, Gram-positive bacteria which are widely distributed in nature, are one of the most popular sources of natural antibiotics. Recently, by using a bioassay-guided fractionation, an antimalarial compound, Gancidin-W, has been discovered from these bacteria. However, this classical method in identifying potentially novel bioactive compounds from the natural products requires considerable effort and is a time-consuming process. Metabolomics is an emerging “omics” technology in systems biology study which integrated in process of discovering drug from natural products. Metabolomics approach in finding novel therapeutics agent for malaria offers dereplication step in screening phase to shorten the process. The highly sensitive instruments, such as Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry (LC-MS), Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS), and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy, provide a wide range of information in the identification of potentially bioactive compounds. The current paper reviews concepts of metabolomics and its application in drug discovery of malaria treatment as well as assessing the antimalarial activity from natural products. Metabolomics approach in malaria drug discovery is still new and needs to be initiated, especially for drug research in Malaysia.
Antibiofilm and Anti‐Inflammatory Activities of Houttuynia cordata Decoction for Oral Care
Authors: Sekita Yasuko , Murakami Keiji , Yumoto Hiromichi , Hirao Kouji , Amoh Takashi , Fujiwara Natsumi , Hirota Katsuhiko , Fujii Hideki , Matsuo Takashi , Miyake Yoichiro , Kashiwada Yoshiki
Published: October 2017

Dental biofilms that form in the oral cavity play a critical role in the pathogenesis of several infectious oral diseases, including dental caries, periodontal disease, and oral candidiasis. Houttuynia cordata (HC, Saururaceae) is a widely used traditional medicine, for both internal and external application. A decoction of dried HC leaves (dHC) has long been consumed as a health‐promoting herbal tea in Japan. We have recently reported that a water solution of HC poultice ethanol extract (wHCP) exerts antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects against several important oral pathogens. It also exhibits anti‐inflammatory effects on human keratinocytes. In our current study, we examined the effects of dHC on infectious oral pathogens and inflammation. Our results demonstrated that dHC exerts moderate antimicrobial effects against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other oral microorganisms. dHC also exhibited antibiofilm effects against MRSA, Fusobacterium nucleatum (involved in dental plaque formation), and Candida albicans and inhibitory effects on interleukin‐8, CCL20, IP‐10, and GROα productions by human oral keratinocytes stimulated by Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide (a cause of periodontal disease), without cytotoxic effects. This suggests that dHC exhibits multiple activities in microorganisms and host cells. dHC can be easily prepared and may be effective in preventing infectious oral diseases.
A Novel Silica-Nylon Mesh Reinforcement for Dental Prostheses
Authors: Paes-Junior Tarcisio José de Arruda , de Castro Humberto Lago , Borges Alexandre Luiz Souto , Della Bona Alvaro , Gonçalves Fernanda de Cássia Papaiz
Published: October 2017

Statement of the Problem. Acrylic resin-based dentures can fracture; thus they can benefit from reinforcement.Purpose. To evaluate the effect of a novel reinforcement structure made of nylon fibers and silica particles on the flexural strength of acrylic resin after relining and aging.Materials and Methods. Bar-shaped specimens were fabricated and divided into the following experimental groups (n=20): control (acrylic resin without reinforcement); acrylic resin nylon fiber-reinforced; acrylic nylon and silica fiber-reinforced; acrylic nylon fiber-reinforced-relined; acrylic nylon and silica fiber-reinforced-relined. Half of the specimens from each group were aged by thermomechanical cycling (10000 cycles between 5°C and 55°C) before flexural strength testing to failure using a universal testing machine. Data (MPa) were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance and Tukey tests (α=5%).Results. Adding nylon fibers or silica-containing nylon fibers significantly increased the flexural strength of all the groups tested. Within the similar groups processed in the same manner, the relining procedure reduced the flexural strength of the specimens, whereas aging process had no effect on the strength values.Conclusion. Incorporating a silica-containing nylon fiber mesh into acrylic resin yielded the greatest flexural strength for the evaluated structures.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Cartilage Regeneration of TMJ Osteoarthritis
Authors: Cui Dixin , Li Hongyu , Xu Xin , Ye Ling , Zhou Xuedong , Zheng Liwei , Zhou Yachuan
Published: October 2017

Temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA) is a degenerative disease, characterized by progressive cartilage degradation, subchondral bone remodeling, synovitis, and chronic pain. Due to the limited self-healing capacity in condylar cartilage, traditional clinical treatments have limited symptom-modifying and structure-modifying effects to restore impaired cartilage as well as other TMJ tissues. In recent years, stem cell-based therapy has raised much attention as an alternative approach towards tissue repair and regeneration. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), derived from the bone marrow, synovium, and even umbilical cord, play a role as seed cells for the cartilage regeneration of TMJ OA. MSCs possess multilineage differentiation potential, including chondrogenic differentiation as well as osteogenic differentiation. In addition, the trophic modulations of MSCs exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects under aberrant conditions. Furthermore, MSCs combined with appropriate scaffolds can form cartilaginous or even osseous compartments to repair damaged tissue and impaired function of TMJ. In this review, we will briefly discuss the pathogenesis of cartilage degeneration in TMJ OA and emphasize the potential sources of MSCs and novel approaches for the cartilage regeneration of TMJ OA, particularly focusing on the MSC-based therapy and tissue engineering.
Composition and Thermal Structure of the Upper Troposphere and Lower Stratosphere in a Penetrating Mesoscale Convective Complex Determined by Satellite Observations and Model Simulations
Authors: Shi Chunhua , Cai Wenyi , Guo Dong
Published: October 2017

We describe here the composition and thermal structure of the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere during a penetrating mesoscale convective complex (MCC) event that occurred in southern China on 8 June 2009. Our results are based on satellite observations and Weather Research and Forecasting model simulations. Ice-rich and ozone-poor air reached as high as 17 km. The air was −5°C colder inside the mature MCC than outside at the first cold-point tropopause near 17 km, −2°C colder inside the mature MCC than outside at the second cold-point tropopause, and 3°C warmer inside the mature MCC than outside between the two cold-point tropopauses. Corresponding to the temperature structure, there were two lower water vapor contents inside the MCC than outside near 17 km and 19 km while there was a higher water vapor content inside the MCC than outside near 18 km.