cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CONTROL OF HEART OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION BY CREATINE KINASE IN MITOCHONDRIAL MEMBRANES

Three important points must be emphasized in summary. First is the idea that a cellular microcompartment need not be limited by a semi-permeable membrane. We recognize microcompartments in multi-enzyme complexes where substrates are covalently transported from subunit to subunit. An example of this is the lipoic acid moiety of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex. However, to act as a kinetic microcompartment, covalent transfer is not an obligatory requirement. Proximity effects may be sufficient for substantial rate enhancement. Our data clearly show that the kinetics of ADP translocation are influenced by the site of ADP formation. We contend that this represents a newly recognized and important form of cellular microcompartmentation. The second point is that we do not want our results misinterpreted as an overextension of the known data concerning tissue respiration. We believe that the primary parameter controlling heart mitochondrial oxygen consumption is the availability of ADP at the adenine nucleotide translocase. Our data show, however, that this is not a simple process. Secondary control is exerted by the localization of ADP formation, i.e. microcompartmentation. As a result of the kinetic data (Table 3), we conclude that the forward rate of mitochondrial creatine kinase is the preferential reaction controlling ADP delivery to the translocase. We are left, nonetheless, with questions concerning the secondary regulation of this enzyme in vivo by substrate (ATP and creatine) and inhibition by product (phosphocreatine). The nature of this control awaits further experimental data. Finally, the results are consistent with the creatine kinase energy transport hypothesis. Overall, the rate of tissue oxygen consumption reflects the metabolic activity of the organ, determined by the rate of ATP utilization (see right side of Figure 1). This results in the cytoplasmic production of ADP. In heart, this is coupled via the bound cytoplasmic isozymes of creatine kinase to the local rephosphorylation of ADP to ATP and the simultaneous production of creatine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Exploring large-scale solar deployment in DOE's SunShot Vision Study

Large-scale solar deployment is sensitive to several factors including future solar technology price and performance, electricity demand, and the challenges and benefits of integrating solar generation resources. The SunShot Initiative was launched by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in 2011 aimed at reducing the cost of solar electricity by about 75% from 2010 to 2020, whereby solar energy could compete with conventional electricity sources without subsidies. DOE conducted the SunShot Vision Study to evaluate the potential impacts of achieving these price and performance improvements, and the underlying modeling analysis suggests that solar energy could satisfy roughly 14% of U.S. electricity demand by 2030 and 27% by 2050. This growth of solar electricity could decrease electric sector carbon emissions by 28% and decrease retail electricity rates by 7% in the year 2050, relative to a reference scenario.
The syntax of nonstandard analysis

Etude de la syntaxe de l'analyse non standard et resolution d'un probleme pose par A. Robinson concernant les nouvelles procedures deductives
Primary Bladder Neck Obstruction: Urodynamic Findings and Treatment Results in 36 Men

AbstractPurpose: We reviewed the urodynamic findings and treatment outcomes of a large series of men with primary bladder neck obstruction.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was done of the presenting symptoms and urodynamic findings of 36 men with primary bladder neck obstruction. Outcomes after treatment with alpha-blockers, transurethral incision of the bladder neck and prostate, or no long-term therapy were determined by chart review and patient survey in the majority of cases.Results: Mean age of the men was 41 years. Patients had significant lower urinary tract symptoms, decreased peak urinary flow rates, elevated post-void residual, markedly elevated peak voiding pressures and poor funneling of the bladder neck during voiding. Although most patients initially chose alpha-blocker therapy, only 30 percent of those beginning alpha-blockers continued them long term, usually due to inadequate symptomatic improvement. A total of 18 men underwent transurethral incision, which resulted in signif...
Development of improved solar radiation models for predicting beam transmittance

Abstract A pair of enhanced models are presented herein which, while relying only on global irradiation measurements, result in increased predictive power in estimating the hourly beam irradiation. The first model correlates the beam transmittance with clearness index and air mass. The second correlates the beam transmittance with the clearness index and with a new variable based on the temporal variation of the global radiation. The new variable helps describe the sky condition without the need of any further meteorological information. The models were developed using a new surface fitting technique applied to data which were collected at the Solar Total Energy Project in Shenandoah, Georgia (33.4°N, 84.7°W) over a five-year period.
Literacy Engagement Through Online and Offline Communities Outside School: English Language Learners' Development as Readers and Writers

How do second-language learners become successful readers and writers? This article examines the importance of social networks to English language learners' reading and writing development. It describes different family, peer, and virtual social networks that ELLs can utilize to engage in online and offline reading and writing (especially related to youth popular culture, such as fan fiction) outside school. The article highlights the importance of fostering a participatory culture in classrooms and schools to help ELLs form communities of learners and supporters and facilitate their second-language literacy development.
Molecular cloning of a full-length cDNA encoding the catalytic subunit of human calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase (calcineurin Aα)

Abstract A complementary DNA for human calcineurin Aα (protein phosphatase-2B), encoding a protein of 521 amino acids, was isolated from a hippocampus library. The deduced human sequence differs from that of mouse in only two amino acids, demonstrating that the structure of this catalytic subunit has been strictly conserved during mammalian evolution. Such high homology is in contrast to that seen for calcineurin Aγ, an isoform that shows only 88% identity between human and mouse (Muramatsu, T. and Kincaid, R.L. (1992) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 188, 265–271).
Training School-Community Behavioral Health Teams in Problem Clarification and Program Planning

The training of School-Community Behavioral Health Teams in problem clarification and program planning is described, outcome evidence suggesting the utility of the approach is reported, and conside...
Multicomponent solubility parameters of poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(tetramethylene glycol)

Abstract The one-, two-, and three-dimensional solubility parameter models were used to analyze solution thermodynamic data of several solutes in poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and poly(tetramethylene glycol) (polytetrahydrofuran, PTHF). A previous proposed method to estimate solubility parameter, based on direct minimization of the sum of the squares of errors in the prediction of χRT / V , was extended to two- and three-dimensional, and the results of solubility parameter components were the same as the linear regression method. The one-dimensional model gave the smallest sum of the squares of errors, followed by the three-dimensional model, then the two-dimensional model. A systematic error was identified when two- and three-dimensional models were used for the data. A method using less weight on polar and hydrogen-bonding components produced smaller errors for the two- and three-dimensional models.
High-speed quantum-well optoelectronic gate based on diffusive conduction recovery

A novel high-speed optoelectronic gate, based on electric field screening and ultrafast electrical recovery, is proposed, and demonstrated in principle with ultrathin barrier quantum wells. High-speed optical gates (operating, for example, on a picosecond time scale) are highly desirable for ultrafast information processing, such as in time-domain multiplexed networks and telecommunications. Nonlinear optical gates can give the necessary speed, but often take too much energy or power, and are not conveniently integrable with silicon electronics for control or information read-out. Optoelectronic devices can be conveniently small and readily interfaced with electronics, but are often slowed down by the finite speeds of electrical connections. Here we propose a novel optoelectronic device that can run with low optical energies, can be integrated readily with electronic information processing, and avoids the usual speed limitations of electrical connections. We also show preliminary data from a first such device.
The Flunk Heard Round the World

In April 1998, the state of Massachusetts implemented its first-ever high-stakes teacher test, requiring a pass of all those who sought a teaching license. Fifty-nine percent of teacher candidates failed, and their flunk was heard in newspaper and television stories around the world. This article presents brief highlights from a study of the impact of the Massachusetts test on teacher education at five higher education sites in the state. Contrary to expectations based on research about the impact of high stakes tests in K-12 schools, the study indicated that the teacher test had little impact on teacher education curriculum or program structures. Drawing on a market-policy lens, the article suggests that, instead, one of the major impacts of the test was its contribution to the grand narrative about teaching and teacher education as culprits in what is wrong with public schools and public education, which in turn supports a larger political agenda for privatization and a market approach to educationa...
The blue banana trick: Dennett on Jackson's color scientist

Etude de l'analyse neurophysiologique de la chauve-souris developpee par T. Nagel et de l'argument du scientifique de la couleur developpe par F. Jackson, qui tentent de refuter le physicalisme elimintativiste et le physicalisme reductionniste en demontrant l'insuffisance explicative d'une description a la troisieme personne des etats mentaux d'un sujet percevant. Examinant les objections opposees par Churchland a la preuve de Jackson, d'une part, et l'argument de la banane bleue developpe par Dennett, d'autre part, l'A. mesure le role des qualias dans l'experience de la couleur et determine les limites de la connaissance descriptive a la troisieme personne
A border region ‘exuded with militant friendship’: Provincial narratives of China's participation in the First Indochina War, 1949–1954

China's aid to Vietnam during the First Indochina War was crucial to the Vi t Minh's victory over France in 1954. While China's national leaders were deeply involved in the conflict, it was officials in southwest China who bore overall responsibility for supporting the Vi t Minh from 1949 until 1954. Officials from Guangxi, Yunnan, Guangdong, and Hainan Island delivered vast amounts of aid to Vietnam and established numerous schools and training programmes in China for Vietnamese soldiers and students. The amount of Chinese provincial aid to Vietnam suggests that China's contribution to the First Indochina War was far more extensive than previous scholarly inquiries have indicated and points to the overall need to reassess China's foreign relations during the Cold War within the context of border provinces and localities.
Identification and characterization of accessory genomes in bacterial species based on genome comparison and metagenomic recruitment

Accessory genomes in bacterial species carry important genetic elements that are frequently related to antibiotic resistance, virulence factors, and the biotransformation of xenobiotics. Facilitated by the recent advances in sequencing technology, bacterial genomes and metagenomes are accumulating at an unprecedented pace, providing opportunities for studies of accessory genomes. Comparison of closely related genomes reveals potential (and static) accessory genomes, and metagenomic recruitment (i.e., mapping metagenomic sequences onto reference genomes) provides insights into the nature and the dynamics of the accessory portion of the genomes. Recent metagenomic recruitment approaches focus on the identification of ‘metagenomic islands’ (MIs), segments in reference genomes that are under-recruiting in metagenomic samples and therefore likely to be mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in accessory genomes. However, the discovery of MIs often relies on manual inspection of the read recruitment plots. Here we introduce a method that integrates comparison of closely related genomes using A-Bruijn graph, metagenomic recruitment, and recurrent analysis for the identification and characterization of accessory genomes. In addition to metage-nomic islands (valleys), our method reveals ‘metagenomic peaks’ (MPs), segments in a reference genome that disproportionally recruit more metagenomic sequencing reads as compared to the remaining of the reference genome, indicating an enrichment of those segments in specific environments. Our method facilitates automated detection and characterization of accessory genomes at a large scale, and leads to the observation that MGEs are largely specific to environments, as demonstrated in the discovery of MGEs related to Streptococcus mitis in human microbiomes. Our tools are available for download at http://omics.informatics.indiana.edu/mg/iMGE/.
Phenotypic Screening of Mutations in Pmr1, the Yeast Secretory Pathway Ca2+/Mn2+-ATPase, Reveals Residues Critical for Ion Selectivity and Transport

Thirty-five mutations were generated in the yeast secretory pathway/Golgi ion pump, Pmr1, targeting oxygen-containing side chains within the predicted transmembrane segments M4, M5, M6, M7, and M8, likely to be involved in coordination of Ca2+and Mn2+ ions. Mutants were expressed in low copy number in a yeast strain devoid of endogenous Ca2+ pumps and screened for loss of Ca2+ and Mn2+ transport on the basis of hypersensitivity to 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) and Mn2+ toxicity, respectively. Three classes of mutants were found: mutants indistinguishable from wild type (Class 1), mutants indistinguishable from the pmr1 null strain (Class 2), and mutants with differential sensitivity to BAPTA and Mn2+ toxicity (Class 3). We show that Class 1 mutants retain normal/near normal properties, including 45Ca transport, Golgi localization, and polypeptide conformation. In contrast, Class 2 mutants lacked any detectable 45Ca transport; of these, a subset also showed defects in trafficking and protein folding, indicative of structural problems. Two residues identified as Class 2 mutants in this screen, Asn774 and Asp778 in M6, also play critical roles in related ion pumps and are therefore likely to be common architectural components of the cation-binding site. Class 3 mutants appear to have altered selectivity for Ca2+ and Mn2+ ions, as exemplified by mutant Q783A in M6. These results demonstrate the utility of phenotypic screening in the identification of residues critical for ion transport and selectivity in cation pumps.
Nature, Interthing Intersubjectivity, and the Environment: A Comparative Analysis of Kant and Daoism

The Kantian philosophy, for many, largely represents the Modern West’s anthropocentric dominance of nature in its instrumental-rationalist orientation. Recently, some scholars have argued that Kant’s aesthetics offers significant resources for environmental ethics, while others believe that Kant’s flawed dualistic views in the second Critique severely undermine any environmental promise that aesthetic judgments may hold in Kant’s third Critique. This article first examines the meanings of nature in Kant’s three Critiques. It concludes that Kant’s aesthetic view toward sensible nature is indeed inconsistent. The article, however, also suggests that the “I” as “transcendental apperception” discussed in the paralogisms of the first Critique holds some promise of “interthing intersubjective” thinking. The second half of the article demonstrates that Daoism with a dialectic concern similar to Kant’s has something insightful to offer in its idea of interthingness based on a phenomenal account of nature. The article investigates important Daoist ideas of interthing analogical experience, qi, spiritual exercise, and wuwei in its dialect relation to zizan. By bringing Daoism and Kant into dialogue, the author hopes to bring forth a synthetic approach that is better suited to today’s environmental concerns.
Gender differences in student attitudes toward science: A meta‐analysis of the literature from 1970 to 1991

A meta-analysis covering the literature between 1970 and 1991 was conducted using an approach similar to that suggested by Glass, McGaw, and Smith (1981) and Hedges, Shymansky, and Woodworth (1989). This analysis examined gender differences in student attitudes toward science, and correlations between attitudes toward science and achievement in science. Thirty-one effect sizes and seven correlations representing the testing of 6,753 subjects were found in 18 studies. The mean of the unweighted effect sizes was .20 (SD = .50) and the mean of the weighted effect size was .16 (SD = .50), indicating that boys have more positive attitudes toward science than girls. The mean correlation between attitude and achievement was .50 for boys and .55 for girls, suggesting that the correlations are comparable. Results of the analysis of gender differences in attitude as a function of science type indicate that boys show a more positive attitude toward science than girls in all types of science. The correlation between attitude and achievement for boys and girls as a function of science type indicates that for biology and physics the correlation is positive for both, but stronger for girls than for boys. Gender differences and correlations between attitude and achievement by gender as a function of publication date show no pattern. The results for the analysis of gender differences as a function of the selectivity of the sample indicate that general level students reflect a greater positive attitude for boys, whereas the high-performance students indicate a greater positive attitude for girls. The correlation between attitude and achievement as a function of selectivity indicates that in all cases a positive attitude results in higher achievement. This is particularly true for low-performance girls. The implications of these finding are discussed and further research suggested.
Subglacial bedrock structure in the Transantarctic Mountains and its influence on ice sheet flow: insights from RADARSAT SAR imagery

Abstract The Transantarctic Mountains represent a major Cenozoic rift-flank uplift that crosses the interior of Antarctica. On one side of the mountains lies the Ross embayment, a submarine portion of the West Antarctic rift system. The East Antarctic Ice Sheet overlies the cratonic margin of the mountains. The Transantarctic Mountains restrict flow of the ice sheet to lower elevations within the Ross embayment. Using RADARSAT imagery, radio-echo sounding data and field-based structural data, we demonstrate that RADARSAT imagery can be used for regional structural mapping of the Transantarctic Mountains and, in particular, that bedrock structures can be traced subglacially beneath the ice-covered mountain flanks. Our analysis shows that regional structures in the mountains have provided preferred pathways for ice flow from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet across the Transantarctic Mountains barrier to the Ross embayment in West Antarctica. Further regional mapping using RADARSAT imagery has the potential to delineate the regional structural architecture of the Transantarctic Mountains and to establish the degree of spatial coupling between structures associated with mountain uplift and regional drainage patterns of the Antarctic ice sheets.
Simplex optimization of the adaptive kalman filter

Abstract A method for determining concentrations from overlapped spectral data when a complete model is not available is described. This approach combines simplex optimization with the adaptive Kalman filter to yield a method in which initial guesses for the adaptive filter are generated by the simplex algorithm. The performance of the method is demonstrated by deconvoluting overlapped synthetic data and spectral data.
Homology of bone-inductive proteins from human, monkey, bovine, and rat extracellular matrix.

Abstract Allogeneic implantation of rat extracellular demineralized diaphyseal bone matrix in subcutaneous sites induces a sequence of events resulting in the local differentiation of endochondral bone. However, xenogenic subcutaneous implantation of human, monkey, and bovine extracellular bone matrix into rat showed that bovine matrix had only a weak capacity to induce bone, whereas human and monkey matrix had none at all. This suggested that extracellular matrix-induced bone differentiation is apparently species-specific. We recently reported that the extraction of matrix with 4 M guanidine X HCl resulted in complete removal of the ability to induce endochondral bone differentiation, with the biological activity of the matrix being again restored when the extracted active matrix components (less than 50,000 daltons) were reconstituted with the inactive residue. To define the possible biochemical basis of species specificity, human, monkey, and bovine extracellular bone matrices were extracted with 4 M guanidine X HCl and the extracts were reconstituted with biologically inactive rat residue and bioassayed. The results were similar to those obtained with intact matrices and showed that total extracts of bovine matrix had a weak capacity to induce bone, whereas corresponding extracts of human and monkey matrix did not induce bone. However, partial purification by gel filtration of 4 M guanidine X HCl extracts from each species followed by reconstitution of the different fractions with inactive rat residue resulted in bone induction by all species from fractions containing proteins of less than 50,000 daltons. These observations demonstrate that species specificity of xenogenic extracellular bone matrix is due to immunogenic or inhibitory components (or both) in the guanidine X HCl residue and solubilized extracellular matrix components of greater than 50,000 daltons. These results imply that there is homology in the bone inductive proteins from human, monkey, bovine, and rat extracellular bone matrices.
Constraints on water vapor vertical distribution at the Phoenix landing site during summer from MGS TES day and night observations

Abstract We present a new method to retrieve column abundances and vertical extent of the water vapor from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) spectra. The new method enables retrievals from the nighttime TES spectra. The retrieval algorithm employs a new model of the vertical distribution of water vapor in the martian atmosphere. In this model water vapor is confined to a layer of finite height in the lower atmosphere. The atmosphere is dry above this ‘wet’ layer. Within the ‘wet’ layer the water vapor has a constant mixing ratio below the water ice cloud condensation height and is saturated above that height. The new retrieval method simultaneously fits the daytime and nighttime TES spectra for a given location using a single mixing ratio profile. We apply this new method to the TES spectra collected over the site of the Phoenix spacecraft landing during late northern spring and summer. Retrieved daytime column abundances are ∼1–5 pr-μm higher than in the previous TES retrieval. Nighttime column abundances are lower than the daytime abundances by ∼5–10 pr-μm due to assumed exchange with soil and predicted water ice cloud formation. The height of the ‘wet’ layer varies with season, reaching ∼18 km around L s = 80–100° and decreasing to 7–10 km by L s = 140°. Changes in the vertical extent of vapor are consistent with seasonal changes in the intensity of the turbulent mixing in the lower atmosphere and in the water ice cloud condensation height. Water vapor extends by several kilometers above the top of the boundary layer at ∼4 km, suggesting that vertical transport of vapor is not limited to the boundary layer.
Cyhexatin and Propargite Resistance in Populations of Spider Mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) from California Almonds

Cyhexatin (Plictran 600 Flowable) or propargite (Omite 30 Wettable Powder) resistances or both were detected using a residual-bioassay procedure in spider mite ( Tetranychus spp.) colonies collected from California almonds. Cyhexatin-susceptible Tetranychus urticae Koch and Tetranychus pacificus McGregor responded with identical probit lines. Significant cyhexatin resistance was only detected in T. pacificus . Propargite-susceptible T. urticae were 8-fold more susceptible to propargite than the most susceptible T. pacificus colony collected. Propargite-resistant individuals of both T. urticae and T. pacificus were found. Colonies collected in the field were heterogeneous in their response to cyhexatin and propargite and contained varying frequencies of susceptible types.
Vortex driving mechanism in oscillatory rocket flows

Several mechanisms that cause hydrodynamic instability of sheared regions of flow in a rocket chamber to drive acoustical oscillations are integrated into a comprehensive model for the vortex shedding phenomenon in this analysis. The energy method is utilized to enable later extension of the linear theory described in this paper to finite amplitude problems in which nonlinear effects are likely to be dominant. A detailed model of the feedback effect that links the acoustical and vortical fields in the vicinity of the shear layer origin is presented. This is a vital element since it provides the phasing and also the strength of the vortical waves relative to the superposed acoustic field. The most important mechanism involved in the transfer of vortical energy into the acoustic field is the interaction of the vortices with a solid surface of impingement at a suitable distance and location downstream from the shear layer origin. The energy transfer in this case is equivalent to a dipole sound source, and a more efficient mechanism than the volume quadrapole effects that have previously been evaluated. Two useful analytical tools emerge. The first is a simple rule by which designers can make the necessary changes in internal ballistics to eliminate or reduce vortex driven oscillations. The second is a growth rate model that allows a quantitative assessment of vortical interactions and is compatible with the standard acoustic stability assessment procedures in widespread use.
Design of shift register delays for random asynchronous data input

Abstract The utilization of shift registers for purposes of providing fixed and stable delay in nuclear data processing is illustrated here by two specific applications, one requiring delays of the order of seconds and the other requiring delays in the microsecond range. In the first case considered, the chief problem is to provide the capability of handling large random rates without undue digital dropout loss, in a device which does not require an excessive number of shift register bits. The solution proposed is a combination of cyclically operated parallel tracks with derandomizers. In the second case the required delay can be produced with a relatively modest number of bits, but the problem to be overcome is the limited time resolution of the device, determined by the minimum shifting period. This is shown to be amenable to improvement through a staggered shifting system which allows a subdivision of the shift period.
The interaction of surface geometry with morphogens.

Abstract Expressions are given for the Gauss and Mean curvatures of a surface of thickness h. The two curvatures, (K and H), which are given at each point of the middle surface, are adequate to describe the surface. The sheet thickness varies with position in the middle surface bisecting the apical and basal surfaces. The definitions ofK and H are in terms of radii of curvature, but such radii are not appropriate variables for determining how morphogens in the surface may couple to the geometry. More suitable expressions are developed here. Two important geometrical constraints must be satisfied, namely the famous Gauss–Bonnet theorem, and an inequality stemming from the definition of the two curvatures. It is argued that these constraints are of great usefulness in determining the form of the coupling of morphogens to the geometry. In particular, when two key morphogens suffice to determine surface geometry, explicit expressions are suggested to determine both Gauss (K) and Mean (H) curvatures as functions of invariant morphogen densities.
The A2453-C2499 wobble base pair in Escherichia coli 23S ribosomal RNA is responsible for pH sensitivity of the peptidyltransferase active site conformation

Peptide bond formation, catalyzed by the ribosomal peptidyltransferase, has long been known to be sensitive to monovalent cation concentrations and pH. More recently, we and others have shown that residue A2451 in the peptidyltransferase center of the Escherichia coli 50S ribosomal subunit changes conformation in response to alterations in pH, depending on ionic conditions and temperature. Two wobble pairs, A2453-C2499 and A2450-C2063, have been proposed as potential candidates to convey pH-dependent flexibility to the peptidyltransferase center. Each is presumed to possess a near-neutral pKa, and both lie in proximity to A2451. We show through mutagenesis and chemical probing that the identity of the A2453-C2499 base pair, but not the A2450-C2063 base pair, is critical for the pH-dependent structural rearrangement of A2451. We conclude that, while the A2453-C2499 base pair may be important for maintaining the structure of the active site in the E.coli peptidyltransferase center, its lack of conservation makes it, and consequently its near-neutral pKa, unlikely to contribute to function during peptide bond formation.
Core excitons in ionic crystals. III. Calculations (including correlation) of atomic energies required in the Born-Haber cycle for the Na LII,III exciton in NaF

For pt.II see ibid., vol.15, p.5037 (1982). The energies of key levels of low-lying configurations of the Na atom and the Na+ ion are calculated ab initio with inclusion of the effects of electron correlation. The levels considered are those required for the estimation (by the method described earlier in the present series of papers) of the energy of the Na LII,III edge in NaF. The calculations described here were executed automatically in accordance with codes which effect (unrestricted Hartree-Fock) and MBPT (many-body perturbation theory) calculations. Comparisons are made between the results of the present calculations and others, some closely linked to measurements.
T-type voltage-gated calcium channels as targets for the development of novel pain therapies

It is well recognized that voltage-gated calcium (Ca2+) channels modulate the function of peripheral and central pain pathways by influencing fast synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. In the past, attention focused on the modulation of different subtypes of high-voltage-activated-type Ca2+ channels; more recently, the function of low-voltage-activated or transient (T)-type Ca2+ channels (T-channels) in nociception has been well documented. Currently, available pain therapies remain insufficient for certain forms of pain associated with chronic disorders (e.g. neuropathic pain) and often have serious side effects. Hence, the identification of selective and potent inhibitors and modulators of neuronal T-channels may help greatly in the development of safer, more effective pain therapies. Here, we summarize the available information implicating peripheral and central T-channels in nociception. We also discuss possible future developments aimed at selective modulation of function of these channels, which are highly expressed in nociceptors.
Growth and Mechanical and Tribological Characterization of Multi-Layer Hard Carbon Films

Vacuum-arc deposition is used to deposit multilayer C films by modulating the sample bias during deposition. Effect of varying the sublayer thickness in multilayer films consisting of alternating layers of ``hard`` (68.4 GPa, -100 V bias) and ``soft`` (27.5 GPa, - 200 V bias) was investigated. Films consisting of equal thickness layers of hard and soft material and an individual layer thickness varying from 10 to 35 nm were deposited. Mechanical property measurements were obtained by finite element modeling of nanoindentation load-displacement curves. The film hardness values were about 20% below the average of the component layers and relatively independent of the layer thickness. TEM revealed deterioration of the multilayer structure when the sublayer thickness was below 15 nm due to implantation damage of the hard layers caused by the energetic C{sup +} ions of the soft layers (-2000 V bias) deposited over them. Pin-on-disk wear tests show that the wear rate drops when sublayer thickness is decreased below 20 nm and remains constant with further decreases in the layer thickness.
The effect of fading on the achievable rate of cooperative sensor networks with misinformed sensors

Communication from a cooperative sensor network to a mobile access point is considered in this paper. Sensors are assumed to be informed with a global message and some nodes are misinformed with random messages. The multiple access channel is i.i.d. fading and the realization of the channel state is known to the access point only. An achievable rate is derived for the information retrieval process when multiple sensors are activated at a time. For a Gaussian multiple access channel under a total network power constraint, the optimal number of simultaneous transmissions is investigated under three fading scenarios: non-fading, unit-gain, and Rayleigh-fading. With Gaussian code books, the optimal number of simultaneous transmissions varies in the three fading environments.
Structural Insight into pH-Induced Conformational Changes within the Native Human Transthyretin Tetramer

Acidification of the transthyretin (TTR) tetramer facilitates dissociation and conformational changes in the protein, allowing alternatively folded monomers to self-assemble into insoluble amyloid fibers by a downhill polymerization mechanism in vitro. To investigate the influence of acidification on the quaternary and tertiary structures of TTR, crystal structures of wild-type human TTR at pH 4.0 and pH 3.5 have been determined to 1.7 A resolution. The acidic pH crystals are isomorphous to most of the previously reported TTR structures, containing two subunits in the asymmetric unit (the so-called A and B subunits) but forming a tetramer through crystallographic symmetry. The pH 4.0 crystal structure reveals that the native fold of the tetramer remains mostly undisturbed. In particular, subunit A of the TTR pH 4.0 structure is very similar to the wild-type TTR pH 7.4 structure with an r.m.s.d. of 0.38 A. In contrast, subunit B of the TTR pH 4.0 structure exhibits several significant changes. The EF-helix (residues 75-81) and the adjacent EF-loop (residues 82-90) show an r.m.s.d. greater than 2.0 A. The acidic residues within this region (Glu72, Asp74, Glu89, and Glu92) undergo significant conformational changes that instigate movement of the EF helix-loop region and make residues Lys70, Lys76, His88, and His90 orient their side chains toward these acidic residues. In particular, Glu89 undergoes a maximum deviation of 5.6 A, occupying Phe87's initial position in the wild-type TTR pH 7.4 structure, and points its side chain into a hydrophobic pocket of the neighboring subunit. In the pH 3.5 structure, the EF helix-loop region is completely disordered. These results demonstrate that acidic conditions increase the susceptibility of the EF helix-loop region of the TTR B subunit to undergo conformational changes and unfold, likely destabilizing the tetramer and identifying at least the initial conformational changes likely occurring within the tetramer that leads to the amyloidogenic monomer.
DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS OF THE UNMIXEDNESS IN A HOMOGENEOUS REACTING TURBULENT FLOW

Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) are performed of a homogeneous turbulent flow under the influence of a chemical reaction of the type A + B→ Products. The generated results are statistically anal...
Influence of the Comprehensive Unit–based Safety Program in ICUs Evidence From the Keystone ICU Project

Using data from the Keystone ICU project, this study examined whether the intensive care units (ICUs) that implemented the Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program (CUSP) would have greater improvement in safety climate, team progress barriers, and central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) than ICUs not implementing CUSP. The study population consisted of 103 ICUs; 60 ICUs (58%) used CUSP, with 6 of them later discontinuing CUSP, and 17 ICUs (16.5%) never used CUSP. The researchers could not determine CUSP use status for the remaining 26 ICUs because of missing data. The use of CUSP was associated with improved safety climate, job satisfaction, and working conditions after a 2-year period, as measured by the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. Study results on barriers and CLABSIs are inconclusive. This study demonstrated that unit-based, formalized processes targeting cultural improvements in teamwork, communication, self-identification of hazards, and hazard mitigation can improve several aspects of patient safety climate in ICUs.
Simultaneous detection of lane and pavement boundaries using model-based multisensor fusion

Treats a problem arising in the design of intelligent vehicles: automated detection of lane and pavement boundaries using forward-looking optical and radar imaging sensors mounted on an automobile. In previous work, lane and pavement boundaries have always been located separately. This separate detection strategy is problematic in situations when either the optical or the radar image is too noisy. We propose a Bayesian multisensor image fusion method to solve our boundary detection problem. This method makes use of a deformable template model to globally describe the boundaries of interest. The optical and radar imaging processes are described with random field likelihoods. The multisensor fusion boundary detection problem is reformulated as a joint MAP estimation problem. However, the joint MAP estimate is intractable, as it involves the computation of a notoriously difficult normalization constant, also known as the partition function. Therefore, we settle for the so-called empirical MAP estimate, as an approximation to the true MAP estimate. Several experimental results are provided to demonstrate the efficacy of the empirical MAP estimation method in simultaneously detecting lane and pavement boundaries. Fusion of multi-modal images is not only of interest to the intelligent vehicles community, but to others as well, such as biomedicine, remote sensing, target recognition. The method presented in the paper is also applicable to image fusion problems in these other areas.
Carvedilol therapy is associated with a sustained decline in brain natriuretic peptide levels in patients with congestive heart failure.

Background β-Blocker therapy improves symptoms, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and survival in patients with congestive heart failure, but chronic effects on neurohormones have not been extensively investigated. Therefore, we examined the neurohumoral effects of carvedilol. Methods Fifty-five patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) classes II-III congestive heart failure and LVEF ≤35% entered the study with intention to assess LVEF, NYHA class, plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide (NANP), big-endothelin, endothelin-1, norepinephrine, and angiotensin II at baseline and at 6 and 12 months after initiation of carvedilol. Results Forty-six patients completed 12 months of follow-up. Left ventricular ejection fraction improved from 26% ± 8% at baseline to 39% ± 14% at 12 months. New York Heart Association class improved from 2.3 ± 0.4 at baseline to 1.8 ± 0.7 at 12 months. Brain natriuretic peptide fell from 453 ± 784 to 208 ± 393 pg/mL at 6 months and 223 ± 334 pg/mL at 12 months (P = .01 vs baseline). N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide did not change between baseline and 6 months but fell at 12 months (2117 ± 1678, 2015 ± 1532, and 1438 ± 1442 pg/mL, respectively, P = .001 between baseline and 12 months). Angiotensin II was lower at 6 and 12 months than at baseline (12.6 ± 10, 7.8 ± 5.5 pg/mL, P < 0.001, and 11.3 ± 17.1 pg/mL, P = .02, respectively). Left ventricular ejection fraction at 12 months correlated inversely with BNP level at 12 months (r = −0.55, P = .001). Conclusions Carvedilol therapy is associated with a sustained decline in BNP and NANP levels. Serial BNP levels can provide some guidance regarding probability of LVEF improvement, but the relationship is not strong enough for BNP levels to supplant measurement of LVEF.
Built Environment and Physical Activity Promotion: Place‐Based Obesity Prevention Strategies

This paper seeks to encourage continued innovation in translating built environment and transportation-focused physical activity research into practice. Successful strategies, policies, and tools from across the U.S. and globally that demonstrate potential for wider-scale implementation are highlighted. The importance of building practice and translational research partnerships with groups and organizations outside traditional public health spheres, such as those who work in real estate and land-use development, is also discussed.
Analysis of DNA sequencing systems based on capillary electrophoresis

A method for characterization and optimization of DNA sequencing systems based on capillary electrophoresis is proposed. A model is developed that relates the read length of a sequencing run and the parameters of DNA sequencing systems such as the properties of the separation medium, capillary length, injection time, concentration of the injected DNA sample, detection sensitivity, system noise, and the illumination power. The optimization of DNA sequencing systems will allow determination of optimum regimes for preparation, injection, and separation of DNA samples needed for achieving a read length required. The method proposed is applied to the characterization of capillary-electrophoretic DNA sequencing systems based on single-photon detection.
An improved model for evaluating blocking probability in generalized connectors

The authors present an improved model for evaluating blocking probability in generalized connectors. The new model extends an earlier result to allow more flexibility in specifying traffic fanout characteristics and network routing algorithms. Included as special cases are both the previous model and Pippenger's (1975) exact model for blocking in connectors. Equations are derived for computing the blocking probability for the class of series-parallel networks. They investigate the accuracy of the approximation by comparing the blocking probability computed using the equations with measured simulation data. >
Discussion of research using propensity-score matching: comments on 'A critical appraisal of propensity-score matching in the medical literature between 1996 and 2003' by Peter Austin, Statistics in Medicine.

Research using propensity-score matching has been in the literature for over two decades now. During this time, in a process akin to the way a message gets distorted and passed on in the children’s game of ‘telephone,’ widespread dissemination has led to misunderstandings regarding the required assumptions, goals, and appropriate implementation of propensity-score matching. Thus, the bad practice that exists today is due, in large part, to degrees of separation from original sources coupled with the changing knowledge base and the time lag between new information appearing in the statistics literature and it reaching applied researchers. Another culprit more intrinsic to the nature of the method itself (at least in its current incarnation) is the ‘art form’ involved in proper practice [1]. Irrespective of how the current state of affairs came to be, a remedy is warranted. Peter Austin should be commended for addressing the rampant lack of good practice in propensity-score matching applications with some much needed policing and rehabilitation. Austin provides some useful advice with regard to good practice (I avoid the term ‘best practice’ since there seems to be no consensus as to what this comprises). I especially appreciate his push for explicit discussion of the strategy used to create matched pairs and examination of balance across matched groups. Austin also provides advice with which I don’t agree. I am particularly at odds with his position requiring matched pairs’ analyses, which is an overly narrow approach to the problem. There are many ways to address the lack of independence across samples, and methods that explicitly adjust for pairwise dependence are not always the best choice (even if, algorithmically, the dependence was created by forming matched pairs). Moreover, Austin gives this issue undue weight compared
Reinforcement of arteriolar myogenic activity by endogenous ANG II: susceptibility to dietary salt.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether endogenous ANG II augments arteriolar myogenic behavior in striated muscle. Because circulating ANG II is decreased during high salt intake, we al...
Assessing probability-based methods for liquefaction potential evaluation

This paper presents an assessment of existing and new probabilistic methods for liquefaction potential evaluation. Emphasis is placed on comparison of probabilities of liquefaction calculated with two different approaches, logistic regression and Bayesian mapping. Logistic regression is a well-established statistical procedure, whereas Bayesian mapping is a relatively new application of the Bayes’ theorem to the evaluation of soil liquefaction. In the present study, simplified procedures for soil liquefaction evaluation, including the Seed–Idriss, Robertson–Wride, and Andrus–Stokoe methods, based on the standard penetration test, cone penetration test, and shear wave velocity measurement, respectively, are used as the basis for developing Bayesian mapping functions. The present study shows that the Bayesian mapping approach is preferred over the logistic regression approach for estimating the site-specific probability of liquefaction, although both methods yield comparable probabilities. The paper also co...