cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of added divalent counterions on the properties and behaviors of microtubule filaments.

Microtubules are polymeric cytoskeletal filaments that define the shape of eukaryotic cells and are widely involved in intracellular active transport. Physiological regulation of microtubule mechanics and dynamics may be achieved through electrostatics based on their strong polyelectrolyte nature. Here, we report on the effects of counterions on microtubules at concentrations below the like-charge bundling phase boundary. We first show that the persistence length (Lp) is significantly increased in the presence of physiologically relevant amounts of certain divalent salts (Mg2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+). These observations are counter to theoretical expectations and experimental observations in similar systems where biological rod-like polyelectrolytes (e.g., DNA) are reported to present lower Lp values due to counterion-induced condensation. The increase in microtubule LP was attributed to screened coulomb interactions between the filament surface and the highly negatively charged C-terminal tails. Suppression of depolymerization was also observed in the presence of Ba2+ and in the absence of stabilization agents (e.g., paclitaxel). The observed correlation between structural stability and mechanical rigidity is consistent with prior work involving MAPs, which also affect dynamics through interaction with the C-terminal tails. Lastly, the counterion-induced increase in Lp also significantly affected the characteristics of kinesin-transport. Here the path trajectories of microtubules in the gliding motility assay transition from highly dispersed transport to deterministic transport following the addition of divalent ions. Overall these results establish a novel mechanism by which microtubules dynamics, mechanics, and interaction with molecular motors may be regulated by physiologically relevant concentrations of divalent salts.Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.
Supercritical speedup (discrete event simulation)

The notions of the critical path of events and critical time of an event are key concepts in analyzing the performance of a parallel discrete event simulation. The highest critical time of any event in a simulation is a lower bound on the time it takes to execute a simulation using any conservative simulation mechanism, and is also a lower bound on the time taken by some optimistic methods. However, at least one optimistic mechanism is able to beat the critical path bound in a nontrivial way. The authors make a systematic study of the meaning of the critical path in parallel simulation, and describe criteria that determine when a simulation is bounded by its length and when it is not. They show (again) that no conservative mechanism can beat the critical path, but that at least four known optimistic mechanisms are all capable of supercritical speedup. They give performance data for the JPL Time Warp operating system showing two specially constructed applications using different methods to beat the critical path. >
A pooled analysis of the Iraqi and Seychelles methylmercury studies.

Abstract Several epidemiology studies have investigated the impact of maternal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) on childhood development of the central nervous system (CNS). In the present report, data from the Iraqi episode that occurred in 1970 from contaminated grain are integrated with those from a more recent study of a population with a high fish intake in the Seychelles Islands. The latter study had many more subjects whose mercury hair levels that were much lower and more representative of levels typically found in consumers whose MeHg exposure is from fish. The age of onset of talking (AOT), the age of onset of walking (AOW) and a combined measure (CM) that integrated the two were used as common scales of MeHg effect for the two studies. The first step of the analyses involved the construction of separate two‐dimensional cumulative frequency tables for each study for different groups spanning the range of hair levels and observed effect for each measure. Models were then fit to the values in the ...
Pseudopotential theory of dilute III-V nitrides

We review the empirical pseudopotential method and its recent applications to the III–V nitride alloys GaAsN, GaPN, GaInAsN and GaAsPN. We discuss how studies using this method have provided an explanation for many experimentally observed anomalous nitride phenomena, including sharp photoluminescence lines in dilute alloys, high effective masses, Stoke's shift between emission and absorption in higher concentration alloys for GaAsN and GaPN ternaries. We also discuss predictions of unusual effects that remain to be experimentally discovered in GaInAsN quaternaries and complex GaAsPN solid solutions.
Heterospecific transformation in the genus Haemophilus.

The relationship between nine Haemophilus species and Haemophilus influenzae was studied by DNA-DNA hybridization, by transformation of H. influenzae to streptomycin resistance with heterospecific DNA, by competition of heterospecific DNA for transformation by homospecific DNA and by the lethal effect of heterospecific DNA on competent H. influenzae. H. parainfluenzae, H. parasuis, and H. aegyptius DNA transformed at more than 10% efficiency when compared to homologous transformation, but only H. aegyptius demonstrated, by hybridization, a relative binding ratio of more than 80%. H. aphrophilus and H. paraphrophilus DNA demonstrated a relative binding ratio of less than 30% and transformed H. influenzae at only 10-5 the efficiency of homologous DNA, but they competed for H. influenzae transformation as well as or better than homospecific DNA. The data indicated that in some of the species sharing the common ecological habitat of the mammalian respiratory tract, sequences necessary for competition and efficient uptake into H. influenzae are present in large numbers in their DNAs, which nevertheless have little overall homology with H. influenzae DNA.
Dairy products and breast cancer: the IGF-I, estrogen, and bGH hypothesis

Research on the role of dietary factors in breast cancer causation has focused predominantly on fat intake. While some studies have examined associations between breast cancer rates and consumption of whole milk, there has been less attention given to dairy products in general. Dairy products contain both hormones and growth factors, in addition to fat and various chemical contaminants, that have been implicated in the proliferation of human breast cancer cells. This literature review evaluates the epidemiological and mechanistic evidence linking dairy consumption with breast cancer risk.
Implications for facility management of the changing business climate

Draws on the results from a survey of real estate practices to identify changing trends in the property industry. This is then used as a basis for identifying and exploring how these changes are being manifested as commercial business propositions, and where this may lead the industry.
Constructing the meaning of early jazz, 1917–1930

Abstract This study examines the contention over jazz as it entered the cultural mainstream. Analyzing national print media, I detail how the struggle to define the music was waged through a discourse that underscored the music's alleged impact on artistic standards. While nearly all observers viewed jazz as subverting “legitimate” musical practices, there was not a similar consensus regarding evaluations of these boundary transgressions. To account for the divergent reactions, I argue we must be sensitive to the interaction between the features or qualities of jazz, and institutional and normative shifts occurring within the relevant fields. As I aim to demonstrate, the meanings assigned to jazz reflected not only its musical and performance aspects, but also the impact of new sound technologies, and the broader conflict over the changing meanings of leisure pursuits and the moral order they affirmed.
Direct epitaxial growth of submicron-patterned SiC structures on Si(001)

We report on the direct epitaxial growth of submicron-patterned SiC structures on Si(001) substrates using supersonic molecular jet epitaxy and resistless e-beam lithography. Prior to SiC film growth, an electron beam was scanned on hydrogen-passivated Si substrates in order to produce silicon oxide lines with widths ⩾60 nm. The SiC nucleation and growth rates were significantly reduced on the oxidized regions during the subsequent supersonic jet epitaxial growth of SiC, which yielded epitaxial, submicron-patterned SiC films. The effects of the growth temperature and e-beam dose on the SiC growth and pattern linewidth are discussed.
An introduction to nonadditive entropies and a thermostatistical approach to inanimate and living matter

The possible distinction between inanimate and living matter has been of interest to humanity for thousands of years. Clearly, such a rich question can not be answered in a single manner, and a plethora of approaches naturally do exist. However, during the last two decades, a new standpoint, of thermostatistical nature, has emerged. It is related to the proposal of nonadditive entropies in 1988, in order to generalise the celebrated Boltzmann–Gibbs additive functional, basis of standard statistical mechanics. Such entropies have found deep fundamental interest and uncountable applications in natural, artificial and social systems. In some sense, this perspective represents an epistemological paradigm shift. These entropies crucially concern complex systems, in particular those whose microscopic dynamics violate ergodicity. Among those, living matter and other living-like systems play a central role. We briefly review here this approach, and present some of its predictions, verifications and applications.
Theory of Scattering of Electrons in a Nondegenerate-Semiconductor-Surface Inversion Layer by Surface-Oxide Charges

We present a systematic study of the effects of (i) the screening by mobile carriers, (ii) the correlation of the oxide charges, (iii) the distribution of the surface-oxide charges in the oxide, and (iv) the distribution of the electrons in the surface channel on the electron mobility in a nondegenerate-semiconductor-surface inversion layer covered with an insulator or oxide. It is found that the Debye-Huckel screening parameter for a two-dimensional classical electron gas is not valid for most ranges of temperature and electron concentration of practical interest. In these temperature and electron concentration ranges, the formula overestimates the screening effect. The effect of position correlation of the surface-oxide charges on the surface mobility is discussed in detail in the hard-sphere model. Correlation effect is important, especially at low temperatures where the mean electron wavelength is greater than the mean separation among the surface-oxide charges. Both the distribution of the surface-oxide charges in the oxide layer and the distribution of the electrons in the surface channel have similar effects in reducing scattering. Evaluation of experimental surface-conductivity mobility of electrons in a nondegenerate Si-Si${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ surface channel due to scattering by surface-oxide charges is made.
Daytime Responses of Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) to Cover Stimuli in Stream Channels

Abstract Experiments were conducted to identify stimuli to which stream-dwelling brown trout responded in selecting concealment or “cover.” The trout were 25-30 cm in total length. In each experiment, a group of five trout had choice of two types of cover in a channel 27 m long and 3.4 m wide with water 20-30 cm deep, flowing 22-37 cm/s. The fish preferred overhead cover 10 cm rather than 15 or 20 cm above streambed (P < 0.001), as well as cover with tactual features (P < 0.03). There was no apprent increased response to overhead cover that offered added visual reference features or lateral concealment.
The Church: Ideology or Institution

I am greatly honored but a bit puzzled to find myself president of the American Society of Church History. Most of my predecessors in this position have been professors within theological faculties or departments of religion. Even those who have been, like me, members of secular departments of history, have generally received some formal instruction in religious studies. But this year you have chosen a president who is entirely secular in both education and career, whose graduate training was in diplomatic history of the Reformation period and whose teaching has been largely limited to secular state universities. I descend, to be sure, from a line of Protestant missionaries, ministers and religious educators, and over the years I have learned a good deal of historical theology from some very gifted students. But neither asset, I fear, places me very securely within the line of succession in which I now find myself.
Theoretical study on dispersion compensation in air-core Bragg fibers

In a previous paper we developed a matrix theory that applies to any cylindrically symmetric fiber surrounded by Bragg cladding. Using this formalism, along with Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulations, we study the waveguide dispersion for the m = 1 mode in an air-core Bragg fiber and showed it is possible to achieve very large negative dispersion values (~ -20,000 ps/(nm.km)) with significantly reduced absorption loss and non-linear effects.
A graphics system design using a novel color mapping scheme

The design of a color graphics board based on a graphics system processor to interface with a personal computer bus is described. The highlight of this design is the implementation of a novel color mapping scheme. This feature gives the capability of simultaneously displaying more than 256 colors on the screen from 8-bit pixel data and provides a smooth transition from one color region to the next on the display screen. A software utility developed to make it possible to use the interactively from the PC keyboard is explained. >
Scalable ad-hoc entity extraction from text collections

Supporting entity extraction from large document collections is important for enabling a variety of important data analysis tasks. In this paper, we introduce the "ad-hoc" entity extraction task where entities of interest are constrained to be from a list of entities that is specific to the task. In such scenarios, traditional entity extraction techniques that process all the documents for each ad-hoc entity extraction task can be significantly expensive. In this paper, we propose an efficient approach that leverages the inverted index on the documents to identify the subset of documents relevant to the task and processes only those documents. We demonstrate the efficiency of our techniques on real datasets.
NMR STUDY OF PHOSPHORUS-CARBON AND PHOSPHORUS-NITROGEN BONDS IN ALKYL-AND MONO-N-SUBSTITUTED AMINOTRIARYLPHOSPHONIUM SALTS

Abstract 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR spectra of a series of alkyltriarylphosphonium salts, (p-XC6H4)3P+R I− (R = Me, CH2CMe3, and CH2SiMe3; X = H, Me, OMe, and NMe2) are reported. Their chemical shifts and coupling constants, 1 J PC and 2 J PH, are rationalized in terms of hyperconjugative π bonding between the α C—H bonds and 3d orbitals of phosphorus. NMR including 15N spectra of Ph3P+NHR BF−, where R = H, Me, CMe3, NH2, and NMe2, have also been determined. Relative changes in their parameters are discussed in the light of interaction between the lone pair of nitrogen and d orbitals of phosphorus, and compared vs. those due to hyperconjugative π bonding in the alkyltriarylphosphonium salts. Temperature effects on their spectra are reported and interpreted in terms of changes in bonding around. phosphorus as a result of inversion at the α nitrogen.
Multi-Carrier Transmission with Limited Feedback: Power Loading over Sub-Channel Groups

Feedback of channel state information (CSI) enables a multi-carrier transmitter to optimize the power allocation across sub-channels. We consider a single user feedback scheme in which the entire set of sub-channels is evenly divided into smaller groups of sub-channels, and the receiver requests the use of a particular group if the gain of every sub-channel in the group is above a threshold. The transmit power is then uniformly spread across the requested sub-channel groups. The amount of feedback is therefore controlled by the group size and the threshold. For this scheme, given a total power constraint, we characterize how the channel capacity scales with the number of sub-channels N as a function of the feedback rate. We then consider transmission over a block fading channel, assuming that each coherence block contains both feedback and data transmission. We optimize the fraction of feedback overhead as a function of the number of feedback bits per channel use and coherence time. Numerical results show that the asymptotic (large-N) analysis accurately predicts the behavior of finite-size systems of interest.
Single-cell measurement of red blood cell oxygen affinity

Oxygen is transported throughout the body by hemoglobin (Hb) in red blood cells (RBCs). Although the oxygen affinity of blood is well-understood and routinely assessed in patients by pulse oximetry, variability at the single-cell level has not been previously measured. In contrast, single-cell measurements of RBC volume and Hb concentration are taken millions of times per day by clinical hematology analyzers, and they are important factors in determining the health of the hematologic system. To better understand the variability and determinants of oxygen affinity on a cellular level, we have developed a system that quantifies the oxygen saturation, cell volume, and Hb concentration for individual RBCs in high throughput. We find that the variability in single-cell saturation peaks at an oxygen partial pressure of 2.9%, which corresponds to the maximum slope of the oxygen–Hb dissociation curve. In addition, single-cell oxygen affinity is positively correlated with Hb concentration but independent of osmolarity, which suggests variation in the Hb to 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2–3 DPG) ratio on a cellular level. By quantifying the functional behavior of a cellular population, our system adds a dimension to blood cell analysis and other measurements of single-cell variability.
Predictors of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T in chronic kidney disease patients: a cross-sectional study in the chronic renal insufficiency cohort (CRIC)

Cardiac troponin T is independently associated with cardiovascular events and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Serum levels of high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-TnT) reflect subclinical myocardial injury in ambulatory patients. We sought to determine the distribution and predictors of hs-TnT in CKD patients without overt cardiovascular disease (CVD). We studied 2464 participants within the multi-ethnic Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) who did not have self-reported CVD. We considered renal and non-renal factors as potential determinants of hs-TnT, including demographics, comorbidities, left ventricular (LV) mass, serologic factors, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albumin to creatinine ratio. Hs-TnT was detectable in 81% of subjects, and the median (IQR) hs-TnT was 9.4 pg/ml (4.3-18.3). Analysis was performed using Tobit regression, adjusting for renal and non-renal factors. After adjustment, lower eGFR was associated with higher expected hs-TnT; participants with eGFR 60. Older age, male gender, black race, LV mass, diabetes and higher blood pressure all had strong, independent associations with higher expected hs-TnT. Knowledge of the determinants of hs-TnT in this cohort may guide further research on the pathology of heart disease in patients with CKD and help to stratify sub-groups of CKD patients at higher cardiovascular risk.
Patient-centric hurricane evacuation management system

In the United States, there has been a high incidence of hurricanes over the past decade. Before a hurricane makes landfall it is important, for safety, that people who live in potentially dangerous areas, such as along the coast, evacuate. Nursing homes have an even greater concern during an evacuation as the patients are primarily elderly or disabled, and require additional assistance. In this paper we investigate the characteristics and challenges associated with hurricane evacuation of health care centers, such as nursing homes. Then, we propose a patient centric hurricane evacuation management system that allow healthcare providers to continuously monitor and track patients. The hardware and software architecture, and the main operations are presented. The proposed system is able to operate in difficult conditions, such as lack of basic communication services such as cellular and Internet, temporary network partition, and scarce energy resources.
Topical Capsaicin in Dermatologic and Peripheral Pain Disorders

Topical capsaicin has been introduced in the U.S. and Canada as a cream indicated for temporary relief of neuralgia following episodes of herpes zoster infections and in the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. Although capsaicin is clinically used as an external analgesic for temporary relief of neuralgia, it has also been widely used as a research tool to study peripheral pain. Capsaicin apparently works to release substance P from sensory nerve fibers and after repeated applications, depletes neurons of substance P. Clinical investigations of topical capsaicin include trials in chronic pain syndromes such as postherpetic neuralgia, postmastectomy neuroma, reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome, diabetic neuropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, hemodialysis-associated itching, and vulvar vestibulitis. In addition, therapeutic benefits of capsaicin cream on apocrine chromhidrosis have been described. Further clinical studies are warranted in several of these conditions to establish the efficacy of topical capsaicin. Serious or unexpected adverse reactions from clinical use have not been reported to date. Considering the paucity of safe and effective treatments for the conditions mentioned above, capsaicin cream appears to warrant further clinical investigations to establish its efficacy in a variety of chronic pain syndromes.
What Do We Know About Gender in the Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse

ABSTRACT Child sexual abuse (CSA) is usually concealed by shame and secrecy, and it is often not disclosed for long periods or is not disclosed at all. Lack of disclosure has profound implications for prevention, treatment, and science. Gender is often assumed to be a factor in disclosure rates. Although empirical investigations of the role of gender in the disclosure of CSA have increased in psychological research in the past decade findings are often contradictory, and support for common beliefs such as males being more reluctant to disclose than females may not be as strong as assumed. Therefore, in this article we ask the question, “What do we know about gender in the disclosure of child sexual abuse?” We evaluate the degree of validity of reported rates of CSA by examining the methods used to gather epidemiological evidence for CSA. We also provide a critique of two methods commonly used in the study of CSA: prospective and retrospective studies. We conclude by identifying areas to address in future ...
Effect of ionic liquid pretreatment on the chemical composition, structure and enzymatic hydrolysis of energy cane bagasse

Ionic liquids (ILs) are promising solvents for the pretreatment of lignocellulose as they are thermally stable, environmentally friendly, recyclable, and have low volatility. This study evaluated the effect of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM][OAc]) for the pretreatment of energy cane bagasse in terms of biomass composition, structural changes and enzymatic digestibility. Energy cane bagasse was pretreated with [EMIM][OAc] (5% (w/w)) at 120 °C for 30 min followed by hydrolysis with commercially available enzymes, Spezyme CP and Novozyme 188. IL-treated energy cane bagasse resulted in significant lignin removal (32.0%) with slight glucan and xylan losses (8.8% and 14.0%, respectively), and exhibited a much higher enzymatic digestibility (87.0% and 64.3%) than untreated (5.5% and 2.8%) or water-treated (4.0% and 2.1%) energy cane bagasse in terms of both cellulose and hemicellulose digestibilities, respectively. The enhanced digestibilities of IL-treated biomass can be attributed to delignification and reduction of cellulose crystallinity as confirmed by FTIR and XRD analyses.
Robust Estimates of Divergence Times and Selection with a Poisson Random Field Model: A Case Study of Comparative Phylogeographic Data

Mutation frequencies can be modeled as a Poisson random field (PRF) to estimate speciation times and the degree of selection on newly arisen mutations. This approach provides a quantitative theory for comparing intraspecific polymorphism with interspecific divergence in the presence of selection and can be used to estimate population genetic parameters. Although the original PRF model has been extended to more general biological settings to make statistical inference about selection and divergence among model organisms, it has not been incorporated into phylogeographic studies that focus on estimating population genetic parameters for nonmodel organisms. Here, we modified a recently developed time-dependent PRF model to independently estimate genetic parameters from a nuclear and mitochondrial DNA data set of 22 sister pairs of birds that have diverged across a biogeographic barrier. We found that species that inhabit humid habitats had more recent divergence times and larger effective population sizes than those that inhabit drier habitats, and divergence time estimated from the PRF model were similar to estimates from a coalescent species-tree approach. Selection coefficients were higher in sister pairs that inhabited drier habitats than in those in humid habitats, but overall the mitochondrial DNA was under weak selection. Our study indicates that PRF models are useful for estimating various population genetic parameters and serve as a framework for incorporating estimates of selection into comparative phylogeographic studies.
IL-17RA Is Essential for Optimal Localization of Follicular Th Cells in the Germinal Center Light Zone To Promote Autoantibody-Producing B Cells

Germinal centers (GCs) provide a microenvironment that promotes and regulates the interactions of B cells with follicular Th (TFH) cells. In this study, we show that there are significantly higher frequencies of CXCR5(+)ICOS(+) TFH cells in autoimmune BXD2 mice, and these cells express both IL-21R and IL-17RA. Although IL-17 and IL-21 are both important for the formation of spontaneous GCs and development of pathogenic autoantibodies, IL-21, but not IL-17, is required for the proper development of TFH cells in BXD2 mice. The total numbers of TFH cells and their ability to induce B cell responses in vitro were not affected by a deficiency of IL-17RA in BXD2-Il17ra(-/-) mice, the majority of CXCR5(+) TFH cells from BXD2-Il17ra(-/-) mice were, however, not localized in the GC light zone (LZ). Interruption of IL-17 signaling, either acutely by AdIL-17R:Fc or chronically by Il17ra(-/-), disrupted TFH-B interactions and abrogated the generation of autoantibody-forming B cells in BXD2 mice. IL-17 upregulated the expression of regulator of G-protein signaling 16 (RGS16) to promote the ability of TFH to form conjugates with B cells, which was abolished in TFH cells from BXD2-Rgs16(-/-) mice. The results suggests that IL-17 is an extrinsic stop signal that it acts on postdifferentiated IL-17RA(+) TFH to enable its interaction with responder B cells in the LZ niche. These data suggest a novel concept that TFH differentiation and its stabilization in the LZ are two separate checkpoints and that IL-21 and IL-17 act at each checkpoint to enable pathogenic GC development.
Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of carbon-free ZnO using the bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)zinc precursor

Bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionato)zinc [Zn(TMHD)2] is a relatively uninvestigated precursor that was used in this work to grow highly c-axis-oriented ZnO films on Si(100). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies before and after Ar ion sputtering indicated that surface carbon on several samples was reduced from as much as 34 at.% to much less than 1 at.% within the first 5 nm, indicating very clean Zn(TMHD)2 precursor decomposition. Microstructural and compositional analysis revealed columnar ZnO grains with domain widths of approximately half the total film thickness and a Zn-to-O atomic percent ratio indicative of stoichometric ZnO.
Drosophila fascin mutants are rescued by overexpression of the villin-like protein, quail

Actin bundle assembly in specialized structures such as microvilli on intestinal epithelia and Drosophila bristles requires two actin bundling proteins. In these systems, the distinct biochemical properties and temporal localization of actin bundling proteins suggest that these proteins are not redundant. During Drosophila oogenesis, the formation of cytoplasmic actin bundles in nurse cells requires two actin bundling proteins, fascin encoded by the singed gene and a villin-like protein encoded by the quail gene. singed and quail mutations are fully recessive and each mutation disrupts nurse cell cytoplasmic actin bundle formation. We used P-element mediated germline transformation to overexpress quail in singed mutants and test whether these proteins have redundant functions in vivo. Overexpression of quail protein in a sterile singed background restores actin bundle formation in egg chambers. The degree of rescue by quail depends on the level of quail protein overexpression, as well as residual levels of fascin function. In nurse cells that contain excess quail but no fascin, the cytoplasmic actin network initially appears wild type but then becomes disorganized in the final stages of nurse cell cytoplasm transport. The ability of quail overexpression to compensate for the absence of fascin demonstrates that fascin is partially redundant with quail in the Drosophila germline. Quail appears to function as a bundle initiator while fascin provides bundle organization.
Improving consensus accuracy via Z-score and weighted voting

Using supervised and unsupervised features individually or together, we (a) detect and filter out noisy workers via Z-score, and (b) weight worker votes for consensus labeling. We evaluate on noisy labels from Amazon Mechanical Turk in which workers judge Web search relevance of query/document pairs. In comparison to a majority vote baseline, results show a 6% error reduction (48.83% to 51.91%) for graded accuracy and 5% error reduction (64.88% to 68.33%) for binary accuracy.
Symbiont Diversity of Zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium spp.) in Porites astreoides and Montastraea cavernosa from a Reciprocal Transplant in the Lower Florida Keys

In recent years, coral reefs worldwide have suffered high mortality rates due to coral bleaching, a phenomenon contributing to a 40% decrease in coral cover in the Florida Keys since the 1997/98 El Nino event. In the Florida Keys, coral from inshore reefs are known to be more thermotolerant than their conspecifics from offshore reefs but the mechanism behind this difference is unclear. In this study we conducted a two-year, reciprocal transplant of Porites astreoides and Montastraea cavernosa from an inshore and offshore reef in the lower Florida Keys to determine if changes in the dominant symbiotic algae (Symbiodinium spp.) could explain variation in holobiont tolerance as well as to assess the possibility of acclimatization to a changing stress regime. Increased complexity and diversity was demonstrated in the composition of Symbiodinium spp. from both coral species collected at the offshore reef when compared to conspecifics collected inshore. As a result of this complexity, the offshore reef samples displayed higher numbers of transitions of zooxanthellae subclade types between seasons, while inshore fragments demonstrated more stability and may explain previously measured thermotolerance. Additionally, the known thermotolerant subclade type D1 was associated with one M. cavernosa fragment from the inshore reef. When fragments were transplanted, compositional patterns of Symbiodinium spp. were retained from site of collection, indicating a lack of acclimatization to a new environment over the lengthy two-year experiment. These results demonstrate variability in the dominant Symbiodinium spp. of P. astreoides and M. cavernosa conspecifics from inshore and offshore reefs in the lower Florida Keys and point to possible patterns in holobiont thermotolerance. This variability may be key to the continued persistence of these species in the face of climate change, but future studies are needed to determine the mechanisms and range in which these subclade types withstand thermal stress.
The Environmental and Health Implications of Petcoke Energy Production

Due to recent proposals to construct and operate petroleum coke-based energy-generating plants in Victoria, at Point Comfort and throughout the State of Texas, residents of South Texas have become concerned about the potential for environmental and health impacts from air and water pollution generated by these plants. This paper examines the issues associated with integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology and the use of petroleum coke as fuel at electricity production facilities, reports on the search for evidence of impacts in communities surrounding existing IGCC plants, and applies the results to provide a picture of the implications of these proposals. Geographical and temporal scale issues, however, indicate that the greater concern ought to probably be placed on the long-term and global impacts of new commitments to fossil-fuel energy production in this age of global climate change. This paper concludes with a discussion of the ethical and intellectual debates that ought to determine social acceptability of future energy production in South Texas.
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights: Beyond Progressivity

This book chapter critically assesses the emerging social rights jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights as it has developed to date. It describes the normative framework over which the Court exercises jurisdiction, the complaints procedure it oversees, and the legal obligations that OAS member states assume with respect to the protected rights enshrined in the region's instruments. It then assesses four of the normative axes on which the Court has jurisprudentially relied in protecting social rights and looks to the Court's rich jurisprudence on reparation and supervision of compliance with its decisions. The chapter concludes that the Court's social rights jurisprudence is commendable and requires expansion, but doing so will require the reversal of two troubling, closely-related trends that currently limit the vast potential of the Court to provide full and effective protection for all human rights.
Developing Standards for the Emerging Technology of High Temperature Superconducting Electronics

We will briefly overview several areas in high temperature superconducting (HTS) electronics that are candidates for research into measurement methods and standards. In the case of microwave devices, there is an emerging commercial market (in wireless communications) for which reliability of measurements will be increasingly important. We will start with a summary of a variety of microwave characterization techniques and discuss relevant issues which limit accuracy and reproducibility. This paper will conclude with a short discussion of standards for reporting data in Josephson based circuits.
Relationships among measures of physical activity and hearing in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study.

Objectives/Hypothesis To evaluate the relationships among measures of physical activity and hearing in the Jackson Heart Study. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Methods We assessed hearing on 1,221 Jackson Heart Study participants who also had validated physical activity questionnaire data on file. Hearing thresholds were measured across frequency octaves from 250 to 8,000 Hz, and various frequency pure-tone averages (PTAs) were constructed, including PTA4 (average of 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz), PTA-high (average of 4,000 and 8,000 Hz), PTA-mid (average of 1,000 and 2,000 Hz), and PTA-low (average of 250 and 500 Hz). Hearing loss was defined for pure tones and pure-tone averages as >25 dB HL in either ear and averaged between the ears. Associations between physical activity and hearing were estimated using linear regression, reporting changes in decibel hearing level, and logistic regression, reporting odds ratios (OR) of hearing loss. Results Physical activity exhibited a statistically significant but small inverse relationship with PTA4, −0.20 dB HL per doubling of activity (95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.35, −0.04; P = .016), as well as with PTA-low and pure tones at 250, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz in adjusted models. Multivariable logistic regression modeling supported a decrease in the odds of high-frequency hearing loss among participants who reported at least some moderate weekly physical activity (PTA-high, OR: 0.69 [95% CI: 0.52, 0.92]; P = .011 and 4000 Hz, OR: 0.75 [95% CI: 0.57, 0.99]; P = .044). Conclusions Our study provides further evidence that physical activity is related to better hearing; however, the clinical significance of this relationship cannot be estimated given the nature of the cross-sectional study design. Level of Evidence 2b Laryngoscope, 2015
X-Ray Diffraction Studies of Zwitterionic Associating Polymers

We have carried out x-ray scattering studies in melts of a series of linear polyisoprenes with highly polar sulfo-zwitterion groups at one end. The zwitterion end groups cause aggregation in good solvents for polyisoprene. The aggregation number depends strongly on the molecular weight of the polyisoprene tails and on the polarity of the solvent. Molecular mechanics simulations of the interactions between the zwitterion head groups suggest tubelike or diskline structures for the aggregates. Spherical structures are not energetically favorable. High resolution synchrotron x-ray scattering studies were carried out for six different (chain) molecular weights between 2000 and 23,000. For low molecular weights (between 2000 and 4000) a tubular structure is found with the tubes organized on a well-defined, two-dimensional triangular lattice with very large domain sizes >2000A. A structural phase transition to a cubic (bcc) phase with long range order is observed to occur for molecular weights >10,000. The lattice spacing increase over the molecular range was between 95A (for MW-2000) and 206A (for MW-23,000). For the high molecular weight melts, annealing transforms the structure from (bcc) (with long range order) to an (fcc) disordered structure with short range order.
Pericyte-based human tissue engineered vascular grafts: In vivo feasibility assessment

Although autologous vessel grafts are the gold standard for bypass procedures, they are limited by availability in many cases. Current synthetic grafts are not suitable for small-diameter (ID<6mm) vascular applications due to acute thrombosis. While a tissue-engineered vascular graft (TEVG), constructed by incorporating cells within a biodegradable scaffold, seems to be a possible solution to the challenge, its success greatly relies on an appropriate cell source and an efficient cellular delivery and carrier system. Terminally-differentiated vascular cells have poor self-renewal and expansion capabilities, exhibit phenotype switching in culture, and are difficult to harvest in necessary numbers, all of which represent limitations of their use in tissue engineering. Human adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit multipotentiality and self-renewal capabilities, are more readily available, and therefore could overcome these limitations [1]. Pericytes closely encircle endothelial cells in capillaries. It has been shown that pericytes purified from multiple tissue types displayed multipotentiality, suggesting that they are developmental precursors of MSC [2].Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Carlos Castillo-Chavez: a century ahead.

When the opportunity to contribute a short essay about Dr. Carlos Castillo-Chavez presented itself in the context of this wonderful birthday celebration my immediate reaction was por supuesto que si! Sixteen years ago, I travelled to Cornell University with my colleague at the National Security Agency (NSA) Barbara Deuink to meet Carlos and hear about his vision to expand the talent pool of mathematicians in our country. Our motivation was very simple. First of all, the Agency relies heavily on mathematicians to carry out its mission. If the U.S. mathematics community is not healthy, NSA is not healthy. Keeping our country safe requires a team of the sharpest minds in the nation to tackle amazing intellectual challenges on a daily basis. Second, the Agency cares deeply about diversity. Within the mathematical sciences, students with advanced degrees from the Chicano, Latino, Native American, and African-American communities are underrepresented. It was clear that addressing this issue would require visionary leadership and a long-term commitment. Carlos had the vision for a program that would provide promising undergraduates from minority communities with an opportunity to gain confidence and expertise through meaningful research experiences while sharing in the excitement of mathematical and scientific discovery. His commitment to the venture was unquestionable and that commitment has not waivered since the inception of the Mathematics and Theoretical Biology Institute (MTBI) in 1996. For more information please click the “Full Text” above.
Leser-Trélat Sign in Tumor-Stage Mycosis Fungoides.

A 71-year-old man presented with numerous pruritic seborrheic keratoses, with an eruptive onset over the course of 3 months. At presentation, he was also found to have hypopigmented tumors diffusely scattered throughout his body that were found to be mycosis fungoides on histologic examination. A theory regarding the pathophysiology of the development of eruptive seborrheic keratoses in the presence of mycosis fungoides is briefly discussed and 10 previous case reports of the Leser-Trelat sign in the setting of mycosis fungoides are reviewed.
Design of Transient Stability Controller of Static Synchronous Series Compensator Based on Variable Parameters Nonlinear Control

The direct influence of static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) on generator's quadrature-axis transient e.m.f and rotor angular velocity offers the possibility to damp the low frequency oscillation of power system. Here, the action of SSSC is taken into account in rotor motion equations of power system and an adaptive nonlinear variable parameter control method for SSSC is proposed. Taking both phase angle of injected voltage and amplitude modulation factor of SSSC as control variables, a transient stability controller of SSSC is built by use of user-defined model and user's program interface (UD/UPI) in Power System Analysis Software Package (PSASP). The transient simulation is performed by EPRI 7-bus system, and simulation result shows that the proposed control method is effective in damping the low frequency oscillation of power system.
Articulated motion estimation from a monocular image sequence using spherical tangent bundles

We propose a second order stochastic dynamical model for generic articulated objects whose state space is a Riemannian manifold naturally suggested by the articulation constraints. We derive the equations of a Riemannian Extended Kalman Filter to perform the structure estimation from an image sequence captured by a perspective camera. In order to theoretically validate our approach, we prove that the proposed model is locally weakly observable. Finally, we report quantitative results on both synthetic data and on real sequences from the CMU Mocap dataset.
Distribution of Honeybees During Water Collection

SummaryA magnetic capture-recapture system was used to determine the distribution of 2377 honeybees, from 10 out of 21 apiaries in the area studied (399 hives); the bees were marked while collecting water at 16 sites. Bees tended to collect water at sources close to their apiary; the mean distance was 88·9 m (±5·3 SE). The maximum distance recorded was 2337 m.
Is Transracial the Same as Transgender? The Utility and Limitations of Identity Analogies in Multicultural Education

In June 2015, Melissa Harris-Perry infamously analogized the possibility of trans-Black identity to the reality of transgender identity. Such analogies happen often and are used mostly for the benefit of learning about a less familiar form of identity. Building from a recent article by Suthakaranm, Filsinger, and White (2013) that presented a compelling argument for the use of analogies as an experiential learning tool in multicultural education, we advance the conversation by distinguishing a particular form of analogies: identity analogies. We explore the benefits and challenges of utilizing identity analogies as a tool for multicultural educators within U.S. higher education.
Crop Yield Response to Increasing Biochar Rates

Crop yield response to biochar application may vary with biochar type/rate, soil, crop, or climate. The objective of this research was to identify yield response of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), ...
The limits of named language varieties and the role of social salience in dialectal contact: The case of Spanish in the United States

Studying dialectal contact offers linguists an opportunity to critically examine some of our most basic assumptions about language. In particular, careful consideration of geographically constrained patterns of linguistic variation highlights the limitations of named language varieties as tools for linguistic inquiry. Ultimately, the locus of contact is not to be found in the interaction of such abstractions, but rather in the individual minds of those who live in contact communities. The present paper highlights these issues through a discussion of Spanish dialectal contact in the U.S., with a special emphasis on the variable social salience of regionally differentiated features. Work reviewed here is consistent with previous research that finds the relative salience of features to be a key determinant of their trajectory in situations of contact. Change in the use of high salience features is likely to be the result of direct accommodation between speakers, while change in low salience features is likely to arise by other, indirect mechanisms. The role of salience in shaping the outcomes of contact reinforces its inherently social nature, reminding us that what we hope to understand are not the results of dialects in contact, but rather, those of people in contact.
Monitoring System for Roll Stand Drives Using Strain Gage Technology

Abstract Machine monitoring in rolling mills has to focus on the main drives torques. They are needed as input information for a condition-based predictive maintenance strategy, for process optimisation or even for the identification of vibrations, for example torsional vibrations of the drive train, that may reduce the quality of the product. The structure of a computer-aided machine monitoring system is described with a focal point on a new torque measuring device that is based on strain gage technology. It fulfils the aggravated requirements in rolling mill applications. Some objects of examination and brief results of monitoring activities illustrate the benefit of permanent machine monitoring in rolling mills.