cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anatomy of attentional networks

Attention is a central theme in psychological science. As with other biological systems, attention has a distinct anatomy that carries out basic psychological functions. Disparate attentional networks correlate with discrete neural circuitry and can be influenced by specific brain injuries, states, and drugs. Accordingly, thinking about attention as an organ system is advantageous for understanding the details of this complex cognitive process. In the context of an influential model of attention, this article introduces the broad notion of attention, then addresses its prominent characteristics, mechanisms, and theories. The presentation emphasizes the role of recent neuroimaging data in outlining the functional neuroanatomy subserving distinct attentional networks. A discussion of pertinent results connects attentional networks with self-regulation, development, and rehabilitation training.
The kinetics of incorporation of protein into the liver plasma membrane

Summary Previous work showed a delay between the completion of synthesis of plasma membrane proteins and their incorporation into the surface membranes of liver cells. It was not determined, however, whether the delay period is characteristic of all or only a small number of the membrane proteins. To examine this point, rats were given 3 H-leucine and, after labeling, protein synthesis was stopped with cycloheximide. At intervals after injection of the antibiotic, liver plasma membranes were isolated and the proteins were solubilized and separated by electrophoresis on acrylamide gels. All or almost all the proteins were labeled and showed a lag between synthesis and incorporation into the membranes. The delay period was found to be much longer for proteins with apparent molecular weights of 50,000 daltons or more than for the smaller proteins.
P12-04. Topology of the C-terminal tail of HIV-1 gp41: Differential exposure of the Kennedy epitope on cell and viral membranes

The C-terminal tail (CTT) of the HIV-1 gp41 envelope (Env) protein is increasingly recognized as an important determinant of Env structure and functional properties, including fusogenicity and antigenicity. While the CTT has been commonly referred to as the "intracytoplasmic domain" based on the assumption of an exclusive localization inside the membrane lipid bilayer, early antigenicity studies and recent biochemical analyses have produced a credible case for surface exposure of specific CTT sequences, including the classical "Kennedy epitope" (KE) of gp41, leading to an alternative model of gp41 topology with multiple membrane-spanning domains. The current study was designed to test these conflicting models of CTT topology by characterizing the exposure of native CTT sequences and substituted VSV-G epitope tags in cell- and virionassociated Env to reference monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Surface staining and FACS analysis of intact, Env-expressing cells demonstrated that the KE is accessible to binding by MAbs directed to both an inserted VSV-G epitope tag and the native KE sequence. Importantly, the VSV-G tag was only reactive when inserted into the KE; no reactivity was observed in cells expressing Env with the VSV-G tag inserted into the LLP2 domain. In contrast to cell-surface expressed Env, no binding of KE-directed MAbs was observed to Env on the surface of intact virions using either immune precipitation or surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. These data indicate apparently distinct CTT topologies for virion- and cell-associated Env species and add to the case for a reconsideration of CTT topology that is more complex than currently envisioned. © 2010 Steckbeck et al.
Carrier-frequency estimation based on the location of the spectra peak of a windowed sample of carrier plus noise

The frequency of an unmodulated (CW) carrier frequency transmission may be estimated by identifying the location of the peak value of the spectrum of a windowed sample of T-seconds duration. The authors quantitatively evaluate the effect of window shape and length (leakage) as well as the effect of additive broad-band noise on the accuracy of this method of estimation. An interesting result is that neither elaborate `shaping' of the window, nor the use of the `least mean-squared' error method will have much advantage over the use of the spectral peak in a rectangularly windowed sample, unless the signal-to-in-band-noise ratio is of the order of 50 dB or better.
The Endoscopic Management of Sinus Mucoceles following Orbital Decompression

Sinusitis is a reported complication after orbital decompression for endocrine ophthalmopathy. Herniation of orbital fat may lead to ostiomeatal obstruction and secondary involvement of the depende...
Step-level person localization through sparse sensing of structural vibration

We describe a step-level indoor localization system which uses the ground vibration induced by human footsteps. Indoor localization is important for various smart building applications, including resources arrangement optimization, patient/customer tracking, etc. Geophones are used to measure the ground vibrations and time difference of arrival (TDoA) for different sensors are used to solve the multilateration localization problem. The advantages of this system include its sparsity and also its stability over time. Lesser dependency on instrument people is another upside of this system. The results of pilot tests show that this system can be successfully used for indoor localization.
PU.1 Takes Control of the Dendritic Cell Lineage

Despite the importance of the cytokine receptor flt3 in dendritic cell (DC) homeostasis, little is known about its regulation during DC development. In this issue of Immunity, Carotta et al. (2010) reveal that the transcription factor PU.1 controls Flt3 expression in hematopoietic progenitors in a dose-dependent manner.
Comparisons of Carbon Pools and Economic Profitability for Managed Ponderosa Pine Stands in Wyoming, USA

A forest carbon (C) sequestration project was conducted to evaluate the economic incentives that would be required by landowners to engage in C trading under different management regimes. Costs associated with joint management for C sequestration and timber would be valuable for establishing sound forest C trading systems. In this study, we calculated the C yield and amortized value of three Wyoming, ponderosa pine stands. The management practices examined were, unmanaged, even-aged (regeneration after clear-cut) and uneven-aged (selectively harvested). Costs and revenues associated with three stands were converted into 2006 real dollars using the all commodity producer price index to facilitate a comparison among the net revenues of three stands. Net revenues were annualized using a conservative annual interest rate of 4.5%. Our even-aged stand had the highest annual average C yield of 2.48 Mg·ha−1·a1, whereas, the uneven-aged stand had the lowest C accumulation (1.98 Mg·ha−1·a−1). Alternatively, the even-aged stand had the highest amortized net return of $276·ha−1·a−1 and the unmanaged stand had the lowest net return of $64 ·ha−1·a−1. On the plots examined, an annual payment of $22 for each additional Mg of C sequestered would encourage a change from uneven aged management to an unmanaged stand that sequesters additional C, in the absence of transactions costs.
Diversity of litter agarics at cuyabeno, ecuador: Calibrating sampling efforts in tropical rainforest

Two methods for determining the number of species of litter decomposer agaric fungi in wet tropical forests of Ecuador and Puerto Rico to determine the optimal sampling regime for fungal diversity were compared.
Multiplex Proteomic Analysis of Cells in Fine Needle Aspiration Samples: How Soon Can We Expect to Individualize Therapy by Comparing Pre- and Posttreatment Biopsies?

Individualized therapy of the future will be guided by panels of biomarkers that include proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites. Among these analyte classes, proteins can provide direct functional information central to the disease. The added bonus is that the protein, or phosphoprotein, biomarker is the drug target itself and/or the direct readout of the signaling activity being inhibited. An example is the selection of kinase inhibitor therapy based on phosphorylated receptor tyrosine kinases, such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, protein kinase B, epidermal growth factor receptor, MET receptor tyrosine kinase, or cytoplasmic signaling proteins, such as mammalian target of rapamycin. Yet it has not been easy to quantitatively measure a panel of protein/phosphoprotein biomarkers in tissue biopsy samples with high precision, sensitivity, and accuracy, which are essential attributes if the data are used to select patient therapies. Addressing this challenge, Ullal et al. (1) described a new technology that uses DNA barcode labeling of antibodies for multiplex proteomic/phosphoprotein analysis of cells in a tumor fine needle aspiration (FNA).2 FNAs are challenging clinical specimens that contain relatively few cells compared to a tissue biopsy. Why is this method important, how does it compare to existing multiplexed clinical proteomic technologies, and when can we hope to see this platform routinely used in the clinical laboratory? The author's platform (1) is divided into serial stages. In the first stage, the cells are passed through a microfluidic chamber where tumor cells are separated from host cells. Here, the cell mixture is exposed to antibodies tagged with magnetic particles. This permits the removal of contaminating immune cells or positive selection of tumor cells. In the second stage, the cancer cells are incubated with a cocktail of antibodies that are labeled with DNA “barcodes.” Each barcode is a different 70-nucleotide sequence. The DNA …
Effects of intermittent hypoxia on sympathetic activity and blood pressure in humans

Sympathetic nerve activity and arterial pressure are frequently elevated in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The mechanisms responsible for chronic sympathetic activation and hypertension in OSA are unknown. To determine whether repetitive apneas raise sympathetic nerve activity and/or arterial pressure, awake and healthy young subjects performed voluntary end-expiratory apneas for 20 s per min for 30 min (room air apneas). To accentuate intermittent hypoxia, in a separate group of subjects, hypoxic gas (inspired O2 10%) was added to the inspiratory port for 20 s before each apnea (hypoxic apneas). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA, peroneal microneurography) were determined before and up to 30 min following the repetitive apneas. Following 30 hypoxic apneas (O2 saturation nadir 83.1+/-1.2%), MSNA increased from 17.4+/-2.7 to 23.4+/-2.5 bursts/min and from 164+/-28 to 240+/-35 arbitrary units respectively (P<0.01 for both; n=10) and remained elevated while MAP increased transiently from 80.5+/-3.7 to 83.1+/-3.9 mm Hg (P<0.05; n=11). In contrast, in the subjects who performed repetitive apneas during room air exposure (O2 saturation nadir 95.1+/-0.8%), MAP and MSNA did not change (n=8). End-tidal CO2 post-apnea, an index of apnea-induced hypercapnia, was similar in the 2 groups. In a separate control group, no effect of time on MAP or MSNA was noted (n=7). Thus, repetitive hypoxic apneas result in sustained sympathetic activation and a transient elevation of blood pressure. These effects appear to be due to intermittent hypoxia and may play a role in the sympathetic activation and hypertension in OSA.
Neuropathological effects of triphenyl phosphite on the central nervous system of the hen (Gallus domesticus).

Abstract The neurotoxic effects of single subcutaneous injections of 1000 mg triphenyl phosphite (TPP)/kg body weight were investigated in White Leghorn hens. At 7 days postexposure, birds began to show signs of mild to moderate ataxia that progressed to severe ataxia and paralysis at 21 days. Inhibition of whole brain neuropathy target esterase was 85% at 48 hr and 73% by 21 days postexposure. After postexposure periods of 7, 14, and 21 days, hens were killed and their brains and spinal cords were examined for degenerating axons and terminals using the Fink-Heimer silver impregnation method. A small amount of degeneration was noted at 7 days. By 21 days, dense degeneration was noted in the spinal gray matter and funiculi. Degeneration was also present in the granular cell layer of cerebellar folia I-VI and in nuclei and fiber tracts of the medulla. Moderate to dense degeneration was also seen in several forebrain and midbrain areas including the paleostriatum, ansa lenticularis, the dorsointermediate thalamic nucleus, lateral spiriform, pedunculopontine tegmental, and lateral mesencephalic nuclei and in the deeper layers of the optic tectum. These results indicate that, in addition to affecting the spinal cord and brainstem, exposure to TPP also damages higher order centers responsible for processing and integrating sensorimotor, visual, and auditory information.
Ischemic preconditioning requires opening of pannexin-1/P2X 7 channels not only during preconditioning but again after index ischemia at full reperfusion

Protection of the ex vivo rat heart from ischemia/reperfusion injury can be provided by ischemic preconditioning (IPC). Previous studies revealed that a complex of pannexin-1 with the P2X7 receptor forms a channel during IPC that results in the release of cardioprotectants such as adenosine and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) that bind to G-protein-coupled cell surface receptors triggering cardioprotective cell signaling pathways. Antagonists of both pannexin-1 (carbenoxolone and mefloquine) and P2X7 receptors (brilliant blue G) are known to block IPC when administered at the time of preconditioning (Vessey et al. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther 15:190, 2010). We now demonstrate that these same antagonists also block the cardioprotective effects of IPC when added after the index ischemia during full reperfusion. Likewise, addition at full reperfusion of binding antagonists to the endogenous cardioprotectants S1P (VPC) or adenosine (8-SPT) reduced the effectiveness of IPC. These data suggest that IPC has a component that requires the release of cardioprotectants via pannexin-1/P2X7 channels not only during preconditioning phase but again during the early stages of reperfusion following the index ischemia. It was found that the level of cardioprotectant release required at reperfusion to achieve cardioprotection was lower when hearts had been preconditioned. Further, pharmacologic preconditioning with S1P or adenosine was also blocked at reperfusion by antagonists of the pannexin-1/P2X7 channels indicating that pharmacologic preconditioning also requires opening of the channel at full reperfusion. In untreated hearts, key components of the PI3 kinase/Akt signaling pathway were revealed by western analysis to be lost during ischemia. This correlates with an inability to generate phospho-Akt at reperfusion. IPC prevents this loss and thereby primes the cell for response to cardioprotectants released at full reperfusion.
Nonlinear optics: Anti-diffraction of light

Using an electro-optic effect, submicrometre-sized beams have been shown to exhibit non-paraxial propagation over 1,000 Rayleigh lengths. The discovery does not require inhomogeneous or lossy media like plasmon waveguiding.
Effect of Environment on Pressure-Induced Emission of Benzophenone, 4,4`-Dichlorobenzophenone, and 4-(Dimethylamino)benzaldehyde in Solid Media

The pressure-induced emission of three aromatic carbonyls - benzophenone (BP), 4,4{prime}-dichlorobenzophenone (DCBP), and 4-(dimethylamino)benzaldehyde (DMABA) - dissolved in solid polymers and also in their crystalline state has been studied. Under pressure all compounds dissolved in polymers reveal a significant enhancement of the luminescence emission in the low-pressure region. The degree of increase is strongly dependent on the type of polymer. DMABA exhibits both fluorescence and phosphorescence, whereas BP and DCBP molecules show only phosphorescence. For all these molecules a model based on the increase with increasing pressure of the amount of {pi},{pi}{sup *} character in the initially predominately n,{pi}{sup *} triplet state is proposed to account for the observed increase of the emission intensity. In the case of DMABA it is proposed that the increase of the {pi},{pi}{sup *} character in the triplet state increases the emission intensity in two concurrent steps: by an increase of the radiative rate from the triplet state and by a decrease of the intersystem crossing rate between singlet and triplet states. The first factor increases phosphorescence intensity, and the second one effects the fluorescence. In the case of BP and DCBP, where the intersystem crossing process is very fast, the increase of pressure increasesmore » mainly the radiative rate of the lowest triplet state. 22 refs., 8 figs.« less
Grammar-based whitebox fuzzing

Whitebox fuzzing is a form of automatic dynamic test generation, based on symbolic execution and constraint solving, designed for security testing of large applications. Unfortunately, the current effectiveness of whitebox fuzzing is limited when testing applications with highly-structured inputs, such as compilers and interpreters. These applications process their inputs in stages, such as lexing, parsing and evaluation. Due to the enormous number of control paths in early processing stages, whitebox fuzzing rarely reaches parts of the application beyond those first stages.In this paper, we study how to enhance whitebox fuzzing of complex structured-input applications with a grammar-based specification of their valid inputs. We present a novel dynamic test generation algorithm where symbolic execution directly generates grammar-based constraints whose satisfiability is checked using a custom grammar-based constraint solver. We have implemented this algorithm and evaluated it on a large security-critical application, the JavaScript interpreter of Internet Explorer 7 (IE7). Results of our experiments show that grammar-based whitebox fuzzing explores deeper program paths and avoids dead-ends due to non-parsable inputs. Compared to regular whitebox fuzzing, grammar-based whitebox fuzzing increased coverage of the code generation module of the IE7 JavaScript interpreter from 53% to 81% while using three times fewer tests.
Clinical application of breath hydrogen measurements

Breath hydrogen (H2) measurements are applied in clinical medicine for the detection of carbohydrate malabsorption. H2 in expired air results when dietary sugars escape absorption in the small intestine, thereby becoming available for bacterial fermentation. H2 produced by bacterial metabolism of the carbohydrate is absorbed into the portal circulation and excreted in breath. Relatively simple collection, storage, and analysis methodologies have been developed in recent years. They permit convenient and noninvasive testing of patients in most age groups for common clinical disorders of digestion and absorption, including lactase deficiency and other disorders of di- and mono-saccharide malabsorption, starch malabsorption, and small bowel bacterial overgrowth. Limitations of breath hydrogen testing are few. Developmental considerations constrain the ease of interpretation of breath H2 measurements in early infancy, and factors affecting intraluminal H2 production by the intestinal flora may occasionally affect the H2 signal. Despite these factors, breath H2 testing has repeatedly been demonstrated to be the most accurate indirect indicator of lactase deficiency, and breath H2 measurements have been widely applied in studying digestion of the entire spectrum of dietary carbohydrates.
Post–Heart Transplant Complications

Managing patients after heart transplantation is challenging, since these patients have unique clinical complications (associated with the immunosuppressive therapy and cardiac allograft rejection) together with atypical clinical presentations for infection and systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Survival rates have improved substantially with the use of new immunosuppressive drugs. High vigilance, early diagnosis, and appropriate intervention for allograft-related and non-allograft-related syndromes with significant morbidity and mortality are the keys to long-term survival of patients after transplantation.
Management of Cardiac Emergencies in Small Animals

Cardiac emergencies are life-threatening conditions that must be diagnosed quickly to avoid delays in therapy. A timely and accurate diagnosis leads to early relief of symptoms and improved survival. This article provides both a comprehensive review and updated management recommendations for common cardiac emergencies in dogs and cats. Specifically, the article confers updates for the efficient clinical recognition of decompensated cardiac patients, including focused echocardiography, cardiac biomarkers, and electrocardiogram interpretation. This article also reviews the latest recommendations for the treatment of heart failure (including the use of pimobendan) and the management of arrhythmias, pericardial effusion, and aortic thromboembolism.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress mediates radiation-induced autophagy by perk-eIF2α in caspase-3/7-deficient cells

As apoptosis defects limit efficacy of anticancer agents, autophagy has been proposed as a novel strategy for radiotherapy enhancement. We previously showed that caspase-3/7 inhibition induces autophagy and promotes radiosensitivity in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, we further investigated the mechanism by which radiation triggers autophagy in caspase-3/7-deficient cells, and found the involvement of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The ER activates a survival pathway, the unfolded protein response, which involves ER-localized transmembrane proteins such as protein kinase-like ER kinase (PERK), inositol-requiring enzyme-1 and activating transcription factor-6. In this study, we found that PERK is essential for radiation-induced autophagy and radiosensitivity in caspase-3/7 double-knockout cells. Irradiation of these cells increased expression of phosphorylated-eIF2α. Similar results were seen after administration of tunicamycin (TM), a well-known ER stressor. Importantly, we found that the administration of TM with radiation in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, which are lacking functional caspase-3 and relatively resistant to many anticancer agents, enhances radiation sensitivity. Our findings reveal ER stress as a novel potential mechanism of radiation-induced autophagy in caspase-3/7-deficient cells and as a potential strategy to maximize efficiency of radiation therapy in breast cancer.
A tabulated summary of targeted and biologic therapies for non-small-cell lung cancer

The current pace of development of targeted agents in lung cancer is unprecedented. This rapid pace of development is facilitated by the identification of novel targets, development of new ways of inhibiting older and more familiar targets and some very innovative therapeutic engineering that allows us to inhibit multiple targets simultaneously. In this tabulated summary of over 320 targeted therapies currently in practice and in clinical trials for patients with lung cancer are listed. Given that the information included is constantly changing, the readers are encouraged to ascertain the current status of the ongoing clinical trials by checking the clinicaltrials.gov website. To facilitate this, a hyperlink for each agent is inserted in the left hand column of this reference tool. Compounds in pre-clinical development that have not yet entered clinical trials are not listed. Target therapies that are in clinical development but not enrolling lung cancer patients are also not included. Save for these exceptions the list is intended to be comprehensive. In conclusion, there are a plethora of novel agents currently in development for lung cancer. The emergence of these agents offers hope to a group of patients for whom progress has been slow until now. However dramatic improvements in survival have already been made in specific subsets of patients and this pace of advancements is only expected to accelerate dramatically for the foreseeable future. Clinical Lung Cancer, Vol. 15, No. 1, 21-51 a 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Downscaling Satellite Precipitation with Emphasis on Extremes: A Variational 1-Norm Regularization in the Derivative Domain

The increasing availability of precipitation observations from space, e.g., from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and the forthcoming Global Precipitation Measuring (GPM) Mission, has fueled renewed interest in developing frameworks for downscaling and multi-sensor data fusion that can handle large data sets in computationally efficient ways while optimally reproducing desired properties of the underlying rainfall fields. Of special interest is the reproduction of extreme precipitation intensities and gradients, as these are directly relevant to hazard prediction. In this paper, we present a new formalism for downscaling satellite precipitation observations, which explicitly allows for the preservation of some key geometrical and statistical properties of spatial precipitation. These include sharp intensity gradients (due to high-intensity regions embedded within lower-intensity areas), coherent spatial structures (due to regions of slowly varying rainfall), and thicker-than-Gaussian tails of precipitation gradients and intensities. Specifically, we pose the downscaling problem as a discrete inverse problem and solve it via a regularized variational approach (variational downscaling) where the regularization term is selected to impose the desired smoothness in the solution while allowing for some steep gradients (called l1-norm or total variation regularization). We demonstrate the duality between this geometrically inspired solution and its Bayesian statistical interpretation, which is equivalent to assuming a Laplace prior distribution for the precipitation intensities in the derivative (wavelet) space. When the observation operator is not known, we discuss the effect of its misspecification and explore a previously proposed dictionary-based sparse inverse downscaling methodology to indirectly learn the observation operator from a data base of coincidental high- and low-resolution observations. The proposed method and ideas are illustrated in case studies featuring the downscaling of a hurricane precipitation field.
Joint variations of temperature and water vapor over the midlatitude continents

We have used warm-season data from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program's Southern Great Plains site to investigate the joint variability of the temperature and moisture soundings, and their relationship to the variability of the generalized convective available potential energy (GCAPE). The actual temperature and humidity soundings vary together in such a way as to produce variations of the GCAPE which are far smaller than those which would occur if the relative humidity varied while the temperature sounding was fixed, or vice versa.
Partners’ Attributions for Service Members’ Symptoms of Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The association of service members' combat-related PTSD with partners' distress is weaker when spouses/partners believe that service members experienced more traumatic events during deployment. Also, when simultaneously examining partners' perceptions of all PTSD symptoms, perceptions of reexperiencing symptoms (the symptoms most obviously connected to traumatic events) are significantly negatively related to distress in partners. These findings are consistent with the notion that partners may be less distressed if they make external, rather than internal, attributions for service members' symptoms. The present study explicitly tests this possibility. Civilian wives of active duty service members completed measures regarding their own marital satisfaction, their perceptions of service members' combat exposure during deployments, their perceptions of service members' symptoms of PTSD, and their attributions for those symptoms. External attributions were significantly positively associated with perceptions of combat exposure (rp=.31) and reexperiencing symptoms (β=.33) and significantly negatively associated with perceptions of numbing/withdrawal symptoms (rp=-.22). In contrast, internal attributions were significantly negatively associated with perceptions of reexperiencing symptoms (β=-.18) and significantly positively associated with perceptions of numbing/withdrawal symptoms (β=.46). Internal attributions significantly moderated the negative association of PTSD symptoms with marital satisfaction, such that the association strengthened as internal attributions increased. These findings are the first explicit support for an attributional understanding of distress in partners of combat veterans. Interventions that alter partners' attributions may improve marital functioning.
Isolation and sequence analysis of cytochrome P450 12B1: the first mitochondrial insect P450 with homology to 1 alpha,25 dihydroxy-D3 24-hydroxylase

The biosynthesis of steroid hormones is an integral component of insect growth, development and reproduction. Although there is an abundance of biochemical data implicating both microsomal and mitochondrial cytochrome P450s in steroid metabolism, molecular genetic information on mitochondrial P450s is almost entirely limited to vertebrate sequences. In the current study, a degenerate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer was targeted to the highly conserved region of P450 genes that encodes the heme-binding decapeptide. Using a 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) approach, seven novel cytochrome P450 genes were isolated from Drosophila acanthoptera, including one sequence (CYP12B1) with high regional homology to vertebrate mitochondrial P450s. Sequence analysis of the conceptual translation of the full length gene, obtained by 5'RACE, revealed an amphipathic NH2-terminus rich in basic and hydrophilic amino acids, a characteristic feature of mitochondrial P450s that distinguishes them from their distantly related microsomal relatives. Phylogenetically, CYP12B1 appears to be most closely related to the mammalian mitochondrial P450s of the CYP24 family that play a critical role in calcium homeostasis through the metabolism of vitamin D3. The potential biological role of CYP12B1 is discussed in the light of what is currently known about arthropod calcium binding proteins and their regulation.
Message models and aggregation in knowledge based middleware for rich sensor systems

Networked, distributed real world sensing is an increasingly prominent topic in computing and has quickly expanded from resource constrained "sensor networks" measuring simple values to "sensor webs" of heterogenous networks encompassing many types of services and hosts, processing a wide variety of data and media. This paper presents ongoing work on OntoNet, which aims to provide messaging middleware in support of such rich sensor systems. In particular, this paper discusses the underlying message delivery model assumptions required in effectively supporting these settings. Those assumptions in turn present large implications for the mechanisms used to describe and match messages and destinations, as well as how to effectively do so in a scalable but correct manner. Initial concepts are also presented for two approaches to aggregating metadata and reducing network and memory consumption in OntoNet. One is a new application of least common subsumer induction, a known but infrequently used description logic inference. The other is a novel application of Bloom filters to representing and querying ontology driven data.
Automated Code Proofs on a Formal Model of the X86

Analysis of binary programs is important to ensure correct execution of corresponding higher-level programs, especially because it accounts for bugs introduced by compilers. Moreover, source code may not always be available for correctness analysis. Proving correctness of binaries often involves significant user expertise and time-consuming manual effort. We describe an approach to automatically verify some X86 binary programs using symbolic execution on an executable formal model of the X86 instruction set architecture. Our approach can reduce the time and effort involved in the proof development process for complex programs.
Detecting wormhole attacks in wireless networks

We study and propose a novel algorithm for detecting Wormhole Attacks in wireless ad hoc and sensor networks. The algorithm uses only local connectivity information and utilizes disk packing argument to detect such attacks. The success of the detection algorithm depends on the density of nodes in the network. Preliminary simulation results indicate that for uniformly distributed UDG networks, wormholes can be detected with very high probabilities for average degrees as low as 8.
How pervasive is the Myerson-Satterthwaite impossibility?

The Myerson-Satterthwaite theorem is a foundational impossibility result in mechanism design which states that no mechanism can be Bayes-Nash incentive compatible, individually rational, and not run a deficit. It holds universally for priors that are continuous, gapless, and overlapping. Using automated mechanism design, we investigate how often the impossibility occurs over discrete valuation domains. While the impossibility appears to hold generally for settings with large numbers of possible valuations (approaching the continuous case), domains with realistic valuation structure circumvent the impossibility with surprising frequency. Even if the impossibility applies, the amount of subsidy required to achieve individual rationality and incentive compatibility is relatively small, even over large unstructured domains.
Biodiversity loss decreases parasite diversity: theory and patterns.

Past models have suggested host–parasite coextinction could lead to linear, or concave down relationships between free-living species richness and parasite richness. I explored several models for the relationship between parasite richness and biodiversity loss. Life cycle complexity, low generality of parasites and sensitivity of hosts reduced the robustness of parasite species to the loss of free-living species diversity. Food-web complexity and the ordering of extinctions altered these relationships in unpredictable ways. Each disassembly of a food web resulted in a unique relationship between parasite richness and the richness of free-living species, because the extinction trajectory of parasites was sensitive to the order of extinctions of free-living species. However, the average of many disassemblies tended to approximate an analytical model. Parasites of specialist hosts and hosts higher on food chains were more likely to go extinct in food-web models. Furthermore, correlated extinctions between hosts and parasites (e.g. if parasites share a host with a specialist predator) led to steeper declines in parasite richness with biodiversity loss. In empirical food webs with random removals of free-living species, the relationship between free-living species richness and parasite richness was, on average, quasi-linear, suggesting biodiversity loss reduces parasite diversity more than previously thought.
Dynamic Protection of Superconductive Coils

Dynamic protection refers to a concept for temporarily interrupting the current to a superconductive coil, about to go normal, long enough to allow the restoration of superconductivity, without the necessity for destroying the magnetic field. This is accomplished by means of early detection, fast switching, and the use of an interleaved secondary winding for temporary storage of the field energy.
Regression shrinkage and selection via the lasso: a retrospective

Summary. In the paper I give a brief review of the basic idea and some history and then discuss some developments since the original paper on regression shrinkage and selection via the lasso.
Expression of a Constitutively Active Cdc42 Homologue Promotes Development of Sclerotic Bodies but Represses Hyphal Growth in the Zoopathogenic Fungus Wangiella (Exophiala)dermatitidis

In contrast to the CDC42 homologues of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the WdCDC42 gene in the human pathogenic fungus Wangiella (Exophiala) dermatitidis was found to be nonessential for cell viability. Expression of the constitutively active allele wdcdc42(G14V) at 37 degrees C induced nonpolarized growth that led to cell enlargement and multiple nucleation. The swollen cells subsequently converted into planate divided bicellular forms or multiply septated sclerotic bodies in post-log phase, when the G14V-altered protein was diminished. The wdcdc42(G14V) mutation also strongly repressed filamentous growth both in the wild-type strain and in the temperature-sensitive hyphal-form mutant Hf1. In contrast, overexpression of the dominant negative alleles wdcdc42(T19N) and wdcdc42(D120A) had no obvious effect on fungal-cell polarization. These results suggested that WdCdc42p plays a unique regulatory role in cellular morphogenesis in W. dermatitidis. Activation of this protein in response to extracellular or intracellular signals seems to commit its yeast-like cells to a phenotype transition that produces sclerotic bodies while repressing hyphal development.
The Diabetogenic State of Maternal Metabolism in Pregnancy

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Explain why normal pregnancy has been characterized as a “diabetogenic state” and early gestation can be viewed as an anabolic condition. 2. Compare and contrast the general differences between women who have type 2 or gestational diabetes and women who have type 1 diabetes mellitus or normal glucose tolerance. 3. Describe insulin abnormalities seen in women who have gestational diabetes mellitus. 4. Characterize the relationship between neonatal birthweight and triglyceride and free fatty acid concentrations. There are significant alterations in maternal metabolism during pregnancy, which provide for adequate nutritional stores in early gestation to meet the increased maternal and fetal demands of late gestation and lactation. Although diabetes mellitus is thought of as a disorder exclusively of maternal glucose metabolism, it affects all aspects of maternal nutrient metabolism. Herein we consider maternal glucose metabolism as it relates to pancreatic beta cell production of insulin and insulin clearance, endogenous hepatic glucose production and suppression with insulin, and peripheral glucose insulin sensitivity. We also address maternal protein and lipid insulin metabolism. Lastly, we examine the impact of these alterations on maternal metabolism related to fetal growth. Normal pregnancy has been characterized as a “diabetogenic state” because of the progressive increase in postprandial glucose and insulin response in late gestation. However, early gestation can be viewed as an anabolic condition because of the increase in maternal fat stores and decrease in free fatty acid concentration. Longitudinal studies in women who have normal glucose tolerance have shown significant progressive alterations in all aspects of glucose metabolism as early as the end of the first trimester. (1) Insulin secretion progressively increases in response to an intravenous glucose challenge with advancing gestation (Fig. 1). The increases in insulin concentration are more pronounced in lean than in obese women, most …
Patency and flow characteristics using stapled vascular anastomoses in dialysis grafts1

Abstract Background: Improving patency of hemodialysis grafts is challenging. Vascular stapling creates nonpenetrating anastomoses, possibly decreasing intimal hyperplasia. We investigated patency and flow characteristics of stapled hemodialysis grafts. Methods: Eighty-six grafts (41 stapled, 45 sewn) were placed in 84 patients (prospective, randomized). The groups had comparable demographics. Results: Thirty-six grafts were functioning at the study endpoint. Complications in both groups were similar. The primary patency (stapled, 342 days versus sewn, 382 days; P = 0.67) and secondary patency (stapled, 513 days versus sewn, 507 days; P = 0.76) had no significant differences. Flow characteristics were similar between the groups. Thrombectomies per patient-year were 1.01 for stapled grafts and 1.12 for sewn grafts (not significant). Stapling decreased the average operating time by 4.5 minutes. Conclusions: Stapled and sewn anastomoses have similar primary and secondary patency and flow characteristics, with minimal operative time differences. Stapled anastomoses are safe but had no advantage over sewn anastomoses in this study.
A Simplified Preparation for Relating Cellular Events to Behavior: Mechanisms Contributing to Habituation, Dishabituation, and Sensitization of the Aplysia Gill-Withdrawal Reflex

To relate cellular events to behavior in a more rigorous fashion, we have developed a simplified preparation for studying the gill-withdrawal reflex of Aplysia, in which it is relatively easy to record the activity of individual neurons during simple forms of learning. Approximately 84% of the reflex in this preparation is mediated through the single motor neuron LDG1, so that changes in the firing of LDG1 can account for most of the changes in behavior. We have used this preparation to investigate cellular mechanisms contributing to habituation, dishabituation, and sensitization by recording evoked firing, the complex postsynaptic potential (PSP), and the monosynaptic component of the complex PSP in LDG1. Our results suggest that habituation is largely attributable to depression at sensory neuron synapses. By contrast, dishabituation and sensitization involve several mechanisms at different loci, including facilitation at sensory neuron synapses, enhancement in the periphery (perhaps attributable to post-tetanic potentiation at the neuromuscular junction), and both facilitation and inhibition of excitatory and inhibitory interneurons. Moreover, these different mechanisms contribute preferentially at different times after training, so that information processing in the neuronal circuit for the reflex is distributed not only in space but also in time. Nonetheless, our results also suggest that the neuronal circuit is not a highly distributed neural network. Rather, plasticity of the reflex can evidently be accounted for by several specific mechanisms and loci of plasticity in a defined neural circuit, including a limited number of neurons, some of which make a large contribution to the behavior.
Considering educational work-hour guidelines in the global orthopaedic community.

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. —Confucius (551-479 b.c.) The presidents of the Australian, British, Canadian, New Zealand, and South African Orthopaedic Associations join those of the American Orthopaedic Association and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons to form the Carousel Presidents organization. More than simply sharing English as their principal language of medical communication, the respective associations share common challenges and learn relevant solutions that are applicable to orthopaedic practice and education around the globe. One such endeavor that shares commonality across the continents is trainee education and the evolving regulatory pressures that orthopaedic educators face in the regulation of trainee duty hours in the new millennium. As Confucius suggested, to do is to understand … and to learn. In the tradition of William Halsted, we in the surgical disciplines particularly respect this tenet of education as it relates to the mastery of technical skills. However, it is this same need to acquire technical proficiency that produces additional consternation over the notion of work-hour limits in a world of time-defined surgical education. Three underlying principles that are germane to resident duty-hour guidelines, as well as the reaction to such efforts, are universally applicable to all orthopaedic communities despite variation in the actual rules in each country. The central issue driving reform around the world is the need to improve patient safety and reduce medical errors related to fatigue of the treating physician. Two additional issues that have arisen in reaction to the duty-hour dilemma are the realization of the need for a transition to competency-based surgical education from the present time-defined training periods and a heightened awareness of the erosion of medical professionalism that is seemingly implicit in an environment that legislates a clock-punching mentality. Indeed, one might reasonably …
Communicative possibilities of written conversations with adolescents who have autism

Oral and written conversations were held with three adolescents with autism in 15-20-minute sessions over a 15-week period. The discourse of several oral and written sessions was transcribed, and coded for mean length of utterance, communicative functions, turn-taking, and topic matching. These features were compared within and across participants for modality effects. Results showed a range of individual discourse styles, with two participants showing more elaborate language and two participants relying less on partners to carry the conversation in the written modality. One of the three participants also took significantly more non-obligatory turns and never passed an obligatory turn in writing but did orally. This individual also matched his partner's topic significantly more often in written than in oral conversations. If written capabilities exceed oral performance, written communication might provide supplemental or alternative methods to teach students with autism in the classroom or to enhance soci...
On-line studies and computer simulation of the melt spinning of nylon-66 filaments

A mathematical model was developed to describe the high-speed melt-spinning behavior crystallizable polymers. This model included the effects of acceleration, gravity, and air friction on the kinematics of the process; temperature and molecular orientation on the crystallization kinetics of the polymer; and temperature, molecular weight, and crystallinity on the elongational viscosity of the material. Experimental on-line diameter, birefringence, and temperature profiles were obtained for a 12,000 Mn nylon-66 at 2.5 g/min spun at take-up speeds ranging from 2800 to 6600 m/min. These profiles were qualitatively and reasonably quantitatively in agreement with the predicted profiles. They indicated that orientation induced crystallization occurs at spinning speeds greater than 4000 m/min. The experimental diameter and birefringence profiles were compared to those predicted by the model using Avrami indices of 3, 2, and 1. There was a small increase in the crystalline index at the lower speeds with decreasing index. The effect of the strain hardening was more significant at the higher speeds, this being shown by decreasing the exponent in the relationship for the crystallinity on the elongational viscosity. The model developed in this study indicates that high spinning speeds provide the high stress environment that increases the molecular orientation within the fiber. It is this higher molecular orientation that is the driving force for rapid crystallization on the spinline. This rapid crystallization causes a strain hardening, preventing any further drawdown in the fiber diameter and an abrupt rise in the birefringence. This behavior closely corresponds to the observed spinline profiles.
Strength analysis of miniature folded right angle tetrahedron chain Programmable Matter

Miniaturization of Programmable Matter is a major challenge. Much of the difficulty stems from size and power requirements of internal actuators. This paper demonstrates that external energy can be used to both move modules and actuate their bonding mechanism. It presents a lattice style Programmable Matter system whose neighbor to neighbor lattice distance is 14mm. Previous work has shown a chain of edge connected right angle tetrahedrons can fold to arbitrary shapes. To form useful shapes such as tools, the chain should be folded to meet the functional requirements of the task such as mechanical strength. This paper also introduces the analysis of the strength of Programmable Matter systems. Module connections are defined by 6DOF stiffness matrices. The paper analyzes the strength of a heterogeneous system with some rigid and some soft connections.