cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduction of Stress Concentration in Bolt-Nut Connectors

Bolt-nut connectors play an important role in the safety and reliability of structural systems. Stress concentration due to unequal load distribution can cause fatigue failure in bolt-nut connectors. In this paper, the stress distribution in bolt-nut connectors is studied using an axisymmetric finite element model. Various geometric designs proposed in the literature were studied to determine the extent to which they reduce stress concentrations. Some well known modifications do significantly reduce the stress concentration factor (up to 85%) while other changes produce much more modest changes. The design modifications include things such as grooves and steps on the bolt and nut, and reducing the shank diameter of the bolt. All of the changes also result in a reduction in weight.
Fear-arousing communications, false physiological feedback, and the acceptance of recommendations

Abstract Two experiments investigated acceptance of a communication as a function of false feedback about physiological arousal during the communication. The first part of the communication contained fearful information and the second part contained recommendations for coping with the dangers mentioned. From a general drive reduction model it was predicted and found that S s whose arousal increased during the fear information part of the communication and decreased during the recommendations (Arousal Reduction) would show greater acceptance than S s whose arousal did not increase during the fear information or recommendations—Experiments I and II. A predicted difference in acceptance between Arousal Reduction S s and S s whose arousal increased during the fear information and did not decrease during the recommendations was also supported—Experiment II.
Molecular biology: microRNA is here to stay.

A form of gene regulation that uses small RNA molecules to bind to longer RNAs was first described over a decade ago, but was thought to be of little significance in controlling cellular processes. No longer.
Contribution of Aromatic–Aromatic Interactions to the Anomalous pKa of Tyrosine-9 and the C-Terminal Dynamics of Glutathione S-Transferase A1-1

Most cytosolic glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) exploit a hydrogen bond between an active site Tyr and the bound glutathione (GSH) cofactor to lower the pK(a) of the GSH and generate the nucleophilic thiolate anion, GS(-). In human (hGSTA1-1) and rat (rGSTA1-1) homologues, the active site Tyr-9 has a low pK(a) of 8.1-8.3, for which the functional significance is unknown. Crystal structures of GSTA1-1 suggest that weakly polar interactions between the electropositive ring edge of Phe-10 and the pi-cloud of Tyr-9, in the apoenzyme, could stabilize the tyrosinate anion and also modulate the pK(a) of GSH. Upon binding a product GSH conjugate, Phe-10 moves away from Tyr-9, allowing the highly dynamic C-terminus to "close" over the active site. To explore the role of Phe-10 in modulating the Tyr-9 pK(a) and in ligand binding, rGSTA1-1 mutants F10Y, F10L, and F10A were characterized. The pK(a)s of Tyr-9 in the apoenzymes were 8.2 +/- 0.2, 8.7 +/- 0.2, and 9.3 +/- 0.1, respectively, for F10Y, F10L, and F10A, compared to 8.3 +/- 0.2 for the "wild type". The experimentally determined pK(a)s qualitatively paralleled the energies required to remove a proton predicted by ab initio calculations using model compounds constrained to the coordinates of rGSTA1-1. The pK(a) of GSH in the binary complex was significantly less affected by these substitutions. In contrast, F220I and F220Y C-terminal mutations caused the pK(a) of Tyr-9 to decrease modestly. For the binary complex with S-hexyl-GSH, which induces the "closed" conformation, Tyr-9 retains a low pK(a) and the Phe-10 substitutions have significant effects. Presumably, Phe-10 plays a critical structural role in stabilizing the closed conformation. The mutations F10L and F10A also slowed the rate of GSH conjugate binding by 10-20-fold, as measured by stopped-flow fluorescence. The effects of Phe-10 substitution were large for both steps of the biphasic binding reaction, suggesting the importance of aromatic interactions throughout the reaction coordinate. A unified view of the C-terminal dynamics of GSTA1-1 is discussed, which emphasizes the coupling between Tyr-9 ionization, active site solvation, and C-terminal dynamics.
Laparoscopic ipsilateral uretero-ureterostomy in infants and children for duplication anomalies of the urinary tract

Purpose To report the feasibility of laparoscopic ipsilateral uretero-ureterostomy (LIUU) for duplication anomalies of the urinary tract in infants and children and the short term results in six patients. Material and methods LIUU was performed transperitoneally with 3 to 4 ports for unilateral and bilateral cases respectively. Cystoscopy, retrograde pyelogram and stent placement in the recipient ureter was performed at the beginning of the case. The anastomosis was carried out with running or interrupted 6-0 sutures. An abdominal drain and Foley catheter were left indwelling in all cases. Demographic data, body measurements, type of procedure and indication, laterality, intra and postoperative complications, analgesia requirement, length of hospitalization and outcome were recorded. Results There were 8 LIUU in 6 patients (2 males and 4 females). Mean age was 51 months. Diagnoses were bilateral lower pole vesicoureteral reflux in 2 cases and ectopic ureter in 6 cases. Mean operative time including cystoscopy was 257 minutes (range 140-430) and estimated blood loss 3 ml. There were no intraoperative complications. Mean morphine requirement was 0.13 mg/kg. Two patients needed acetaminophen only for pain management. All patients were discharged with no narcotics at median of 3 days (range 1-7). There were 2 postoperative febrile urinary tract infections. Follow up renal ultrasound demonstrated no significant hydronephrosis of the moieties involved. Conclusions In this initial experience LIUU was done safely and effectively even in the small infants. Postoperative course was uneventful with negligible blood loss and minimal analgesia requirement with initial results comparable to those of open surgery
Identification of a Hypothetical Protein from Podospora anserina as a Nitroalkane Oxidase

The flavoprotein nitroalkane oxidase (NAO) from Fusarium oxysporum catalyzes the oxidation of primary and secondary nitroalkanes to their respective aldehydes and ketones. Structurally, the enzyme is a member of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily. To date no enzymes other than that from F. oxysporum have been annotated as NAOs. To identify additional potential NAOs, the available database was searched for enzymes in which the active site residues Asp402, Arg409, and Ser276 were conserved. Of the several fungal enzymes identified in this fashion, PODANSg2158 from Podospora anserina was selected for expression and characterization. The recombinant enzyme is a flavoprotein with activity on nitroalkanes comparable to the F. oxysporum NAO, although the substrate specificity is somewhat different. Asp399, Arg406, and Ser273 in PODANSg2158 correspond to the active site triad in F. oxysporum NAO. The k(cat)/K(M)-pH profile with nitroethane shows a pK(a) of 5.9 that is assigned to Asp399 as the active site base. Mutation of Asp399 to asparagine decreases the k(cat)/K(M) value for nitroethane over 2 orders of magnitude. The R406K and S373A mutations decrease this kinetic parameter by 64- and 3-fold, respectively. The structure of PODANSg2158 has been determined at a resolution of 2.0 A, confirming its identification as an NAO.
Diffraction properties of a reflection photorefractive hologram

Diffraction properties of a photorefractive hologram have been described previously in most cases with Kogelnik’s uncoupled-recording-wave-theory, which was originally derived for nonphotorefractive holograms. Despite its simplicity and good approximation, the theory has shown its practical limitations and discrepancies when the refractive-index perturbation is large. We study the diffraction properties of a reflection photorefractive hologram using a coupled-recording-wave approach. A closed-form expression for the diffraction efficiency is obtained. The important aspect of the new formula is that it predicts a lower cross-talk noise (or, a higher wavelength sensitivity) than Kogelnik’s formula. This offers an explanation for the apodization phenomenon (i.e., lower cross-talk noise from the experiment as compared with the analytical result) as found by Rakuljic et al. [Opt. Lett. 17, 1471–1473 (1992)].
Expression of the follicular lymphoma variant translocation 1 gene in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma correlates with subtype and clinical outcome.

Sphingolipids serve an important role as effector molecules in signaling pathways bearing on apoptosis and cell survival. The balance between proapoptotic ceramide and prosurvival sphingosine-1-phosphate, sometimes termed the “sphingolipid rheostat,” has received particular attention. Less well studied is the role of the follicular lymphoma variant translocation 1 ( FVT1 ) gene, which was identified through its involvement in an atypical follicular lymphoma translocation and which encodes an enzyme in the synthetic pathway of ceramide. We investigated the expression of FVT1 in a variety of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas and found that FVT1 is significantly underexpressed by germinal center–type diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) when compared with non–germinal center–type DLBCL, follicular lymphoma, and normal tonsil control samples. Increased expression of FVT1 correlated with decreased survival, suggesting that changes in the expression of FVT1 and in the concentrations of bioactive sphingolipids may be important in the pathogenesis and treatment of some types of DLBCL.
ChipLock: support for secure microarchitectures

The increasing need for security has caused system designers to consider placing some security support directly at the hardware level. In fact, this is starting to emerge as an important consideration in processor design, because the performance overhead of supporting security in hardware is usually significantly lower than a complete software solution. In this paper, we investigate integrating some security support into hardware. We show that security support can be added at some acceptable cost in area and performance. We propose a processor extension called ChipLock. It provides hardware security support for a mostly untrusted operating system to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of all computational results. ChipLock's modular design can be easily integrated into existing hardware platforms with only slight modification to the operating system. ChipLock includes a built-in hardware Key Manager that supports symmetric key assignment, and a read-only-memory, TrustROM, that executes secure hardware routines. The software required is a small trusted portion of the operating system called Trust-Code. We modeled ChipLock's architecture on a full system simulator and showed that, for SPEC2000 benchmarks, it adds about an average of 20% to the execution time, primarily from cryptographic and verification latencies. In addition, layout studies show an area cost of about 8 mm2 in 180 nm technology. This translates to an area overhead of 5% ~ 15% depending on the processor type.
Large-deformation analysis of flexible beams

Presented here are numerical verifications of a geometrically-exact curved beam model which fully accounts for large rotations, large displacements, initial curvatures and extensionality. A multiple shooting method is used to solve the two-point boundary-value problem of flexible beams undergoing large elastic rotations and displacements in three-dimensional space. Numerically exact large static deformations of eight beams subjected to different loading and/or boundary conditions are obtained. These solutions can be used to verify the performance of general finite-element codes in analyzing large structural deformations.
A review of selected journals on sports medicine

Fore is a Science Engineering Librar ian at the Univers i ty of Arizona Library in Tucson. Interest in sports medicine has grown immensely over the past decade. Several years ago, "sports medicine" re fer red pr imari ly to the orthopedic surgeon repairing torn knee cartilage and separated shoulders. Today the f ield of sports medicine involves many areas of medicine. It cer tainly still includes the orthopedist , but also the internist, the cardiologist, and even the dermatologist . This area of medicine has grown markedly because more and more Americans are becoming involved in athletic activities previously relegated to high school, college, and professional athletes. People of all ages and conditions of fitness are engaging in sports f rom yoga to rugby; consequently, more injuries resulting f rom these new activities are presenting themselves to the family physician. Additionally, as more people reach higher levels of fitness, norms of physiology are being reconsidered. In the past, measures of normal cardiac development , nutr i t ional requirements, and respiratory capacities were based on bodies living relatively sedentary lives. Research into the effect of endurance training and an increased physical workload on the body is changing the definit ion of health. As the interest in sports and sports medicine has grown, so has the number of journals on the subject. What follows is a review of a representative group of those journals. These journals were chosen f rom the collections of the Universi ty of Arizona Libra ry and the Arizona Health Sciences Center Library. The criteria used to select them were as follows: 1) that they contained pr imary research material, reviews of the research li terature, or clinical or case studies; and 2) that
Climate and changing winter distribution of alcids in the Northwest Atlantic

Population level impacts upon seabirds from changing climate are increasingly evident, and include effects on phenology, migration, dispersal, annual survivorship and reproduction. Most population data on seabirds derive from nesting colonies; documented climate impacts on winter ecology are scarce. We studied interannual variability in winter abundance of six species of alcids (Charadriiformes, Alcidae) from a 58-year time series of data collected in Massachusetts 1954-2011. We used counts of birds taken during fall and winter from coastal vantage points. Counts were made by amateur birders, but coverage was consistent in timing and location. We found significant association between winter abundance of all six species of alcids and climate, indexed by North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), at two temporal scales: 1.) Significant linear trends at the 58-year scale of the time series; and 2.) Shorter term fluctuations corresponding to the 5-8 year periodicity of NAO. Thus, variation in winter abundance of all six species of alcids was significantly related to the combined short-term and longer-term components of variation in NAO. Two low-Arctic species (Atlantic Puffin and Black Guillemot) peaked during NAO positive years, while two high Arctic species (Dovekie and Thick-billed Murre) peaked during NAO negative years. For Common Murres and Razorbills, southward shifts in winter distribution have been accompanied by southward expansion of breeding range, and increase within the core of the range. The proximate mechanism governing these changes is unclear, but, as for most other species of seabirds whose distributions have changed with climate, seems likely to be through their prey.
Treatment of median sternotomy wound infection and sternal necrosis in an infant

Abstract A case of an infant with median sternotomy wound infection and sternal necrosis treated by debridement and muscle flap transposition is reported. As in adults, the procedure can be done safely and successfully. Rapid healing asd chest wall stability were obtained. A later cardiac procedure was performed without technical difficulties and without untoward effects on chest wall Stability.
Inhibitory effects of a new oral gold compound on HeLa cells.

Auranofin (AF), a recently introduced oral antirheumatic coordinated gold compound, was investigated for its antitumor potential. Due to certain similarities with the antitumor-coordinated compound, cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum II, we studied the effects of AF on cell proliferation. These studies included assessing DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis as measured by incorporation of 3H-thymidine, 3H-uridine, and 3H-leucine, respectively, into HeLa cells. AF was shown to exert a dose-dependent inhibition on DNA synthesis and to inhibit 3H-thymidine uptake more rapidly and persistently than 3H-uridine or 3H-leucine uptake at a gold concentration of 75--100 micrograms/dl. These three parameters were inhibited with a 24-hour exposure to 100 micrograms/dl. The inhibition of 3H-thymidine uptake in HeLa pretreated for 6 hours with 50 or 100 micrograms/dl of gold was found to be irreversible. No change in tracer uptake was observed in the acid-soluble pool or in the uptake of 3H-2-deoxy-D-glucose in these cells. Furthermore, HeLa cells demonstrated marked reductions in viability and oxygen uptake after exposure to AF. Dose-dependent surface morphological changes, e.g., blebbing, pitting, were noted in these cells after a brief treatment period. These results suggest this coordinated gold compount exerts a significant inhibitory effect on essential biological processes and functions.
Refining the Method of Averaging for a More Accurate Analytical Approximation to the Behaviors of a Damped Pendulum

KBM averaging is a widely used technique in the analysis of nonlinear dynamical systems. The KBM method allows complex systems to be approximated as perturbations of simple harmonic oscillator. In many cases, such as in otherwise linear systems with various forms nonlinear damping, the KBM method performs exceptionally well, with error proportional to the size of the perturbations. However, when the largest perturbation in the system arises from nonlinearities in the restoring force, the KBM method falls short, and the interesting effects of other nonlinear terms are drowned out by the approximation errors generated by the KBM method. By generalizing the notion of KBM averaging and approximating systems as perturbations the isoenergy contours of their corresponding Hamiltonian, a greater degree of accuracy can be obtained. We extend the work of several authors to show that not only is this method more accurate, but it is also simple to implement and generalizable to a wide range of nonlinear systems. As an illustrative example, the motion of a pendulum on a tilted platform is studied.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
SALMONID CULTURE IN CLOSED SYSTEMS

The production of salmonids has been a continuing goal of the University of Rhode Island, Marine Experiment Station since 1968. Unfavorable climatic and hydrological conditions necessitated the adoption of cultural systems capable of sustained production. All phases of production from incubation to grow out have been carried out in a controlled environment water re-use system. Problems encountered in the development and operation of these systems are discussed. Data developed to date indicate that water re-use systems are technically feasible for all phases of production and dependence upon large volumes of high quality natural water are greatly reduced. Preliminary studies also indicate that marine environments suitable for salmonid culture can be created and maintained at locations remote from the coast.
Chemical control of androspore morphogenesis in oedogonium donnellii chlorophyta oedogoniales

Under the influence of the pheromone, “circein,” produced by an oogonial mother cell of Oedogonium donnellii Wolle, the androspore of the same species progresses through several behavioral changes and a series of developmental stages which result in the formation of a sperm-producing dwarf male thallus. When subjected instead to an environment with an increased nitrate or ammonium ion concentration [0.02 M KNO3 or 0.01 M (NH)2SO4], an androspore undergoes a series of developmental changes which result in the formation of a vegetative male thallus indistinguishable from the one which originally released it. If exposed to neither circein nor increased nitrate/ammonium ion concentration, the androspore enters a cycle of swimming androspore: cyst: swimming androspore. Thus, three separate paths are open to the androspore depending on its environment: (1) development into a dwarf male thallus under the influence of female-produced pheromone, circein, (2) development into a vegetative thallus under the influence of increased nitrate/ammonium ion concentration, and (3) periodic regeneration through an encystment cycle in an unaltered environment. Treatments with transcriptional and translational inhibitors indicate that androspore development into either a dwarf male or a vegetative thallus requires several different phases of de novo synthesis of RXA and protein stimulated by circein or by nitrate ion.
On the ergodic theory of critical branching Markov chains

Abstract We prove a convergence theorem for systems of critical branching Markov chains on a countable set starting in deterministic initial states.
Use of Pavement Management Information System for Verification of Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide Performance Predictions

The performance models used in the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) are nationally calibrated with design inputs and performance data obtained primarily from the national Long-Term Pavement Performance database. It is necessary to verify and calibrate MEPDG performance models for local highway agencies' implementation by taking into account local materials, traffic information, and environmental conditions. This paper discusses the existing pavement management information system (PMIS) with respect to the MEPDG and the accuracy of the nationally calibrated MEPDG prediction models for Iowa highway conditions. All the available PMIS data for Interstate and primary road systems in Iowa were retrieved from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) PMIS. The retrieved databases were then compared and evaluated with respect to the input requirements and outputs for Version 1.0 of the MEPDG software. Using Iowa DOT's comprehensive PMIS database, researchers selected 16 types of pavement sect...
Endogenous opioids regulate expression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis: A new paradigm for the treatment of multiple sclerosis

Preclinical investigations utilizing murine experimental auto-immune encephalomyelitis (EAE), as well as clinical observations in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), may suggest alteration of endogenous opioid systems in MS. In this study we used the opioid antagonist naltrexone (NTX) to invoke a continuous (High Dose NTX, HDN) or intermittent (Low Dose NTX, LDN) opioid receptor blockade in order to elucidate the role of native opioid peptides in EAE. A mouse model of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-induced EAE was employed in conjunction with daily treatment of LDN (0.1 mg/kg, NTX), HDN (10 mg/kg NTX), or vehicle (saline). No differences in neurological status (incidence, severity, disease index), or neuropathological assessment (activated astrocytes, demyelination, neuronal injury), were noted between MOG-induced mice receiving HDN or vehicle. Over 33% of the MOG-treated animals receiving LDN did not exhibit behavioral signs of disease, and the severity and disease index of the LDN-treated mice were markedly reduced from cohorts injected with vehicle. Although all LDN animals demonstrated neuropathological signs of EAE, LDN-treated mice without behavioral signs of disease had markedly lower levels of activated astrocytes and demyelination than LDN- or vehicle-treated animals with disease. These results imply that endogenous opioids, evoked by treatment with LDN and acting in the rebound period from drug exposure, are inhibitory to the onset and progression of EAE, and suggest that clinical studies of LDN are merited in MS and possibly in other autoimmune disorders.
Iterated Phantom Induction: A Knowledge-Based Approach to Learning Control

We advance a knowledge-based learning method that allows prior domain knowledge to be effectively utilized by machine learning systems. The domain knowledge is incorporated not into the learning algorithm itself but instead affects only the training data. The domain knowledge is used to explain and then transform the actual training examples into a more informative set of imaginary, or “phantom” examples. These phantom examples are added to the training sets the experienced examples are discarded. A new control policy is induced from the phantom training set. This policy is then exercised, yielding additional training points, and the process repeats. We investigate the performance of this method in a stylized air-hockey domain which demands a difficult nonlinear control policy. Our experiments show that, surprisingly, an accurate policy can be learned even if the domain theory is only imprecise and approximate. We advance an interpretation which indicates that the information available from a plausible qualitative domain theory is sufficient for robust successful learning. This interpretation is used to make a number of predictions which are tested in subsequent experiments. The outcomes confirm the interpretation and the robustness of the approach.
Using the institutional grammar tool to understand regulatory compliance: The case of Colorado aquaculture

What is the relationship between the design of regulations and levels of individual compliance? To answer this question, Crawford and Ostrom’s institutional grammar tool is used to deconstruct regulations governing the aquaculture industry in Colorado, USA. Compliance with the deconstructed regulatory components is then assessed based on the perceptions of the appropriateness of the regulations, involvement in designing the regulations, and intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. The findings suggest that levels of compliance with regulations vary across and within individuals regarding various aspects of the regulatory components. As expected, the level of compliance is affected by the perceived appropriateness of regulations, participation in designing the regulations, and feelings of guilt and fear of social disapproval. Furthermore, there is a strong degree of interdependence among the written components, as identified by the institutional grammar tool, in affecting compliance levels. The paper contributes to the regulation and compliance literature by illustrating the utility of the institutional grammar tool in understanding regulatory content, applying a new Q-Sort technique for measuring individual levels of compliance, and providing a rare exploration into feelings of guilt and fear outside of the laboratory setting.
Cycles in American national electoral politics, 1854-2006: Statistical evidence and an explanatory model

Are there cycles in American politics? In particular, does the proportion of the Democratic/Republican vote share for president and/or seat share in Congress rise and fall over extended periods of time? If so, are the cycles regular, and what are the cycling periods? Moreover, if there are regular cycles, can we construct an integrated model—such as a negative feedback loop—that identifies political forces that could generate the observed patterns? First, we use spectral analysis to test for the presence and length of cycles, and show that regular cycles do, in fact, exist—with periods that conform to those predicted by the Schlesingers—for swings between liberalism and conservatism—but with durations much shorter than those most commonly claimed by Burnham and others in characterizing American political realignments. Second, we offer a voter–party interaction model that depends on the tensions between parties' policy and office motivations and between voters' tendency to sustain incumbents while reacting against extreme policies. We find a plausible fit between the regular cycling that this model projects and the time series of two-party politics in America over the past century and a half.
Real time measurement of cellular Oxygen Uptake Rates (OUR) by a fiber optic sensor

Advancements in fiber optic sensors have made it possible for measuring biochemical parameters such as oxygen, glucose, and aminoacids necessary for viable engineered tissue growth. In this study, we have devised an experimental protocol to measure in real-time, the Oxygen Uptake Rate (OUR) values for HEPG2 liver cells when grown a) on cover glass slides; and b) encapsulated within alginate based hydrogel matrices. For both cases, the oxygen uptake rates of HEPG2 cells at selected time points varied in close co-relation with cell proliferation and metabolic activity during the 7-day culture period. Microscopy studies have also been conducted to assess the viability of the encapsulated cells within the alginate matrices. This investigation concludes that OUR can be used as an indicative parameter to assess the metabolic activity of cells encapsulated within the hydrogel matrix. The study also presents a fiber-optic sensing technology as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to monitor cell behavior and activity.
A translation model for non-stationary, non-Gaussian random processes

A model for simulation of non-stationary, non-Gaussian processes based on non-linear translation of Gaussian random vectors is presented. This method is a generalization of traditional translation processes that includes the capability of simulating samples with spatially or temporally varying marginal probability density functions. A formal development of the properties of the resulting process includes joint probability density function, correlation distortion and lower and upper bounds that depend on the target marginal distributions. Examples indicate the possibility of exactly matching a wide range of marginal pdfs and second order moments through a simple interpolating algorithm. Furthermore, the application of the method in simulating statistically inhomogeneous random media is investigated, using the specific case of binary translation with stationary and non-stationary target correlations.
A simplification of grid equivalence

A grid diagram is a two dimensional square grid such that each square within the grid is decorated with an x , o or is left blank. This is done in a manner such that every column and every row has exactly one x and one o decoration. The grid number of a grid diagram is the number of columns (or rows) in the grid. See Figure 1 for an example. This paper follows the grid notation by Manolescu, Ozsvath, Sarkar and Thurston in [4] (see also [3]) with the convention that the rows and columns are numbered top to bottom and left to right, respectively.
Amino Acid Contacts between Sigma 70 Domain 4 and the Transcription Activators RhaS and RhaR

The RhaS and RhaR proteins are transcription activators that respond to the availability of l-rhamnose and activate transcription of the operons in the Escherichia coli l-rhamnose catabolic regulon. RhaR activates transcription of rhaSR , and RhaS activates transcription of the operon that encodes the l-rhamnose catabolic enzymes, rhaBAD , as well as the operon that encodes the l-rhamnose transport protein, rhaT . RhaS is 30% identical to RhaR at the amino acid level, and both are members of the AraC/XylS family of transcription activators. The RhaS and RhaR binding sites overlap the −35 hexamers of the promoters they regulate, suggesting they may contact the σ 70 subunit of RNA polymerase as part of their mechanisms of transcription activation. In support of this hypothesis, our lab previously identified an interaction between RhaS residue D241 and σ 70 residue R599. In the present study, we first identified two positively charged amino acids in σ 70 , K593 and R599, and three negatively charged amino acids in RhaR, D276, E284, and D285, that were important for RhaR-mediated transcription activation of the rhaSR operon. Using a genetic loss-of-contact approach we have obtained evidence for a specific contact between RhaR D276 and σ 70 R599. Finally, previous results from our lab separately showed that RhaS D250A and σ 70 K593A were defective at the rhaBAD promoter. Our genetic loss-of-contact analysis of these residues indicates that they identify a second site of contact between RhaS and σ 70 .
Soil CO2 evolution: Response from arginine additions

Abstract Short-term response of soil C mineralization following drying/rewetting has been proposed as an indicator of soil microbial activity. Houston Black clay was amended with four rates of arginine to vary microbial responses and keep other soil properties constant. The evolution of CO2 during 1 and 3 days following rewetting of dried soil was highly related to CO2 evolution during 10 days following chloroform fumigation (r2 = 0.92 and 0.93, respectively) which is a widely used method for soil microbial biomass C, which disrupts cellular membranes. This study suggest that the release of CO2 following rewetting of dried soil with no amendments other than heat and water can be highly indicative of soil microbial activity and possibly be used as a quantitative measurement of soil biological quality in Houston Black soils.
A Rare Cause of Gastrointestinal Bleeding in the Intensive Care Unit

Question: A 48year-old Hispanic man developed melena after 25 days of hospitalization. He was initially brought to the emergency department after a motor vehicle accident that resulted in hemopneumothorax, multiple fractures, and blunt abdominal trauma. No past medical history was reported. After emergent endotracheal intubation and chest tubes placement, he underwent splenectomy, subtotal colectomy, and distal ileum resection. In the intensive care unit (ICU), he developed septic shock requiring broad-spectrum antibiotics, vassopressors, corticosteroids, and hemodialysis. Repeat laparotomy on day 9 revealed colocolostomy disruption, requiring additional bowel resection. Vassopressors and steroids were stopped after 5 days. His course was complicated by pulmonary embolism and persistent hyperglycemia. Multiple intra-abdominal washouts were required and abdominal cavity was closed on day 24. On day 25, melena was noted. He was tachycardic, afebrile, and normotensive. Surgical wound was clean, and abdominal examination revealed diffuse tenderness. Hemoglobin acutely dropped from 9 to 6.7 g/dL. Anticoagulation was stopped and an inferior vena cava filter placed. Upper endoscopy showed diffuse friable mucosa of the entire stomach. Large exudative ulceration was found in the gastric body (Figure A) from where biopsy specimens were taken. Other, scattered, clean-based ulcers were seen in the antrum and fundus (Figure B). The esophagus and duodenum were normal. A representative histopathology is provided (Figure C, D). What is the diagnosis? Look on page 1136 for the answer and see the Gastroenterology web site (www.gastrojournal.org) for more information on submitting your favorite image to Clinical Challenges and Images in GI.
Phosphorylation and binding of AUF1 to the 3'-untranslated region of cardiomyocyte SERCA2a mRNA.

Experimental animals and patients with cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure display abnormally slowed myocardial relaxation, which is associated with downregulation of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum...
Changing the English Classroom: When Large-scale ‘Common’ Testing Meets Secondary Curriculum and Instruction in the United States

This article explores the intersection of new, large-scale standards-based testing, teacher accountability policy, and secondary curriculum and instruction in the United States. Two federally funded consortia – the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium and the Partnership for Readiness of College and Careers – prove focal to this paper, as these two organisations are creating new tests that will assess 42–49% of the K–12 student population in the United States in 2014–2015. Because greater teacher accountability for student performance will be given for these tests, there is more reason to pay attention to what these tests measure and what they do not. Our analysis suggests that these new tests will hold secondary English teachers accountable for literacy and disciplinary knowledge outside the field of English and thus raise important questions about what English teachers should, can and will do, especially when their jobs are on the line.
The effects of weight change on glomerular filtration rate

BACKGROUND Little is known about the effect of weight loss/gain on kidney function. Analyses are complicated by uncertainty about optimal body surface indexing strategies for measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR). METHODS Using data from the African-American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK), we determined the association of change in weight with three different estimates of change in kidney function: (i) unindexed mGFR estimated by renal clearance of iodine-125-iothalamate, (ii) mGFR indexed to concurrently measured BSA and (iii) GFR estimated from serum creatinine (eGFR). All models were adjusted for baseline weight, time, randomization group and time-varying diuretic use. We also examined whether these relationships were consistent across a number of subgroups, including tertiles of baseline 24-h urine sodium excretion. RESULTS In 1094 participants followed over an average of 3.6 years, a 5-kg weight gain was associated with a 1.10 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (95% CI: 0.87 to 1.33; P < 0.001) increase in unindexed mGFR. There was no association between weight change and mGFR indexed for concurrent BSA (per 5 kg weight gain, 0.21; 95% CI: -0.02 to 0.44; P = 0.1) or between weight change and eGFR (-0.09; 95% CI: -0.32 to 0.14; P = 0.4). The effect of weight change on unindexed mGFR was less pronounced in individuals with higher baseline sodium excretion (P = 0.08 for interaction). CONCLUSION The association between weight change and kidney function varies depending on the method of assessment. Future clinical trials should examine the effect of intentional weight change on measured GFR or filtration markers robust to changes in muscle mass.
The impact of neighborhood disadvantage on adolescent women’s romantic relationship development

Purpose: Neighborhood-level disadvantage is an influential context for adolescent sexual risk behaviors, yet little is known about how this same context of disadvantage may impact the characteristics of romantic relationships that precede and organize sexual decision-making. Since many partners are met through neighborhood networks, differing levels of neighborhood disadvantage may impact the developmental trajectory of relationship attributes over time.
Dye-dilution curves from left heart and aorta for localization of left-to-right shunts and detection of valvular insufficiency.

SummaryA technic is described which makes possible the precise localization of left-to-right intra- or extracardiac shunts and the detection of aortic and mitral valvular insufficiency. An indicator dye is rapidly injected into chambers of the left heart or aorta and a dilution curve is recorded from a peripheral artery. The method has been applied in 33 patients and has proven of diagnostic value.
Population Status of the Hawaiian Monk Seal (Monachus schauinslandi), 1978

Hawaiian monk seals, found in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, regularly haul out and give birth on the beaches of six atolls, regularly haul out but rarely give birth on three additional islands, and are seldom sighted elsewhere. Since 1958, counts of monk seals have indicated a decline in population of about 50%. The population of the westernmost atolls, Kure, Midway, Pearl and Hermes Reef, and Laysan and Lisianski islands, have all declined; the population at the only other major pupping atoll, French Frigate Shoals, increased dramatically from 1957 to 1975 and now appears to be stable. The primary cause of the decline, at least at some atolls, has been increased mortality in early life; however, only some of the factors causing the increase in mortality are known. Predation by sharks has been identified as a cause of mortality, and increased human activity was followed by a decline in seal population on two atolls. In 1978, high mortality, which may have resulted from ciguatera or gastrointestinal parasitism, occurred primarily at Laysan Island. Ciguatera is a disease caused by Ciguatoxin produced by a dinoflagellate; this toxin accumulates in prey species of monk seals, such as eels and other fishes. Even though it has been 15 or more years since the monk seal populations declined at Kure Atoll, Midway Island, and Pearl and Hermes Reef, there is no evidence of their recovery.
A population of very small embryonic-like (VSEL) CXCR4 + SSEA-1 + Oct-4 + stem cells identified in adult bone marrow

By employing multiparameter sorting, we identified in murine bone marrow (BM) a homogenous population of rare (approximately 0.02% of BMMNC) Sca-1(+)lin(-)CD45- cells that express by RQ-PCR and immunohistochemistry markers of pluripotent stem cells (PSC) such as SSEA-1, Oct-4, Nanog and Rex-1. The direct electronmicroscopical analysis revealed that these cells are small (approximately 2-4 microm), posses large nuclei surrounded by a narrow rim of cytoplasm, and contain open-type chromatin (euchromatin) that is typical for embryonic stem cells. In vitro cultures these cells are able to differentiate into all three germ-layer lineages. The number of these cells is highest in BM from young (approximately 1-month-old) mice and decreases with age. It is also significantly diminished in short living DBA/2J mice as compared to long living B6 animals. These cells in vitro respond strongly to SDF-1, HGF/SF and LIF and express CXCR4, c-met and LIF-R, respectively, and since they adhere to fibroblasts they may be coisolated with BM adherent cells. We hypothesize that this population of Sca-1(+)lin(-)CD45- very small embryonic-like (VSEL) stem cells is deposited early during development in BM and could be a source of pluripotent stem cells for tissue/organ regeneration.
HOD-supercompactness, Indestructibility, and Level by Level Equivalence

In an attempt to extend the property of being supercompact but not hod-supercompact to a proper class of indestructibly supercompact cardinals, a theorem is discovered about a proper class of indestructibly supercompact cardinals which reveals a surprising incompatibility. However, it is still possible to force to get a model in which the property of being supercompact but not hod-supercompact holds for the least supercompact cardinal κ0, κ0 is indestructibly supercompact, the strongly compact and supercompact cardinals coincide except at measurable limit points, and level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness holds above κ0 but fails below κ0. Additionally, we get the property of being supercompact but not hod-supercompact at the least supercompact cardinal, in a model where level by level equivalence between strong compactness and supercompactness holds.
North American Willow Cut-stem Growers: A Survey of the Business Identities, Production Practices, and Prospective for the Crop

To assess the current state of willow (Salix) cultivation for specialty cut flower production, a mail survey following the tailored design method polled willow growers in North America (n = 52). The instrument posed questions on business identity and cultural practices, including plant spacing, fertilization, irrigation, and pruning methods. A 69% response rate was achieved. The general grower profile was of a specialty cut flower producer with multiple years of experience growing willows. For the majority of respondents, willow was a supplemental source of income, complementing a larger product selection of woody and herbaceous species for cut flower production with annual sales for the crop of less than $25,000. The majority of producers had a generally positive outlook on this crop as growers expressed strong support for the importance of willow in their product selection, for customer satisfaction, as well as for future intentions to increase production acreage, and even to extend seasonal markets. However, the non-scientific nature of willow production was revealed by wide variations in basic cultural practices and by very limited use of scientific plant names by the growers and frequent inability to accurately identify their selections, as well as the identification of growers’ own personal experience as a main source of knowledge. The results of this survey helped researchers to identify a set of questions to improve the understanding of the fundamentals of willow production through the development of precise commercial production practices, standardization of variety names, and stimulation of further development of this crop through market expansion.
Clinical observation on treatment of diabetic nephropathy with Jinshuibao capsules and valsartan

Objective:To assess the efficacy of the combination of Jinshuibao capsules(JSB) and valsartan tablets in diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods:90 DN patients were randomly divided into three groups:control group,valsartan group,Jinshuibao plus valsartan group.After 6 months,urine albumin excretion rate(UAER) and urine albumin/creatinine ratio(ACR) were measured.Results:UARE and ACR were decreased in valsartan group compared with control group(P0.05).In Jinshuibao plus valsartan group,the change was more significant than that of control group(P0.01),compared with the valsartan group(P0.05).Conclusion:Valsartan can protect kidney in type 2 diabetes by decreasing UARE and ACR.The therapeutic efficaey of Jinshuibao plus valsartan was better than valsartan alone.This may be an effective way to treat and prevent diabetic nephropathy in early stage.
Effects of STATCOM on Wind Farm Grid in Fault Conditions

The paper,analyzes the transient course of the doubly-fed induction generator(DFIG)under fault conditions is analyzed,and tests the voltage on the 110 kV Bus of the boost station and the fault waveforms of the voltage and current at the feed-out of the wind turbine through the artificial shortcircuit test,the voltage on the 110 kV Bus of the boost station and the fault waveforms of the voltage and current at the feedout of the wind turbine within the are tested.Targeting at the problem of the wind farm under fault conditions,the effects of static var generator(SVG) in improving the low voltage ride through ability are simulated,and the simulation results are verified with the site experiment.
Endocrinology of Pseudotumor Cerebri

This article will review the endocrine function of obese young women with pseudotumor cerebri and primary empty sella syndrome. The literature can be difficult to interpret. Much of it predates the era of CT scanning. Often, cases of primary and secondary empty sella syndrome are comingled. The author reviews specific endocrinologic disorders that have sometimes been associated with increased intracranial pressure excluding pituitary adenomas.
Drizzle Measurements Using High Spectral Resolution Lidar and Radar Data

The ratio of millimeter radar and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) backscatter are used to determine drizzle rates which are compared to conventional ground based measurements. The robustly calibrated HSRL backscatter cross section provides advantages over measurements made with traditional lidars.
Phosphazene High Polymers and Models with Cyclic Aliphatic Side Groups: New Structure–Property Relationships

Poly(dichlorophosphazene) is a versatile precursor material for accessing new polymeric materials via the introduction of various side groups by chlorine replacement reactions. Herein, methods are described for the synthesis of a new series of phosphazene single- and mixed-substituent high polymers containing cyclic aliphatic rings, −CnH2n–1 (where n = 4–8). These reactions were preceded by model reactions using small molecule cyclic trimeric phosphazenes. The new high polymers are amorphous, transparent, and film- and membrane-forming materials with a wide range of glass transition temperatures (−60 to +40 °C) depending on the side groups and cosubstituents. All are hydrophobic and resistant to hydrolytic breakdown.