cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bond graph models for electromagnetic actuators

Abstract Rotary and linear electromechanical actuators are often used as the effectors for controlled systems and they often are important contributors to the dynamic response of the complete system. A generalized bond graph model for such actuators is developed which represents the three major types of forces or torques generated when coils, low reluctance elements and permanent magnets interact. A wide variety of actuators can bemodeled by versions of the basic bond graph which is simplifiable when some effects are neglible. The bond graph aids in understanding algebraic manipulations necessary to put the constitutive laws into forms compatible with other elements of the system for simulation or analysis.
Economic Development and Self-Determination: The Northern Ute Case

In 1950, the Ute Indians of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation in northeastern Utah were awarded a seventeen million dollar judgment by the U. S. Court of Claims. This provided an unusually challenging opportunity to the Utes and to the administrators of the Indian Service. The official climate of opinion both off and on the reservation was in favor of using the money for Indian-created social and economic development plans. Since the Utes had been organized as a corporate group in 1938 under the Indian Reorganization Act, Congress, the Indian Service, and others felt that the requisite organization for self-planned programming was present.
A self-inhibitor of protein synthesis in the conidia of Glomerella cingulata.

A diffusible self-inhibitor of germination of conidia of Glomerella cingulata appears to act as a regulator of protein synthesis. Both uptake of labeled amino acids and their incorporation into protein are reduced by the inhibitor or by crowding. Compared to conidia incubated without self-inhibitor, conidia incubated with self-inhibitor incorporated no labeled amino acids into protein in the first hour and 80% less in 6h. Thoroughly washed conidia were more permeable to amino acids and incorporated 6 times more precursor into proteins than unwashed conidia. At high density in nutrient medium, conidia of G. cingulata preferentially form secondary conidia instead of germ tubes and a mycelium. This inhibition of germination of conidia and regulation of development is mimicked by exposing them to an auto-inhibitor extracted from used culture medium and conidial washings. Germination of conidia of G. cingulata involves two steps, an initial step of 5 h duration which continues unaffected by crowing (1.7×108/ml) and a subsequent 2 h step which conidia do not take unless they are sufficiently diluted. It is this step for which protein synthesis may be required.
Unexpected and pronounced antinociceptive synergy between spinal acetaminophen (paracetamol) and phentolamine.

Acetaminophen was administered to mice by spinal (intrathecal, i.t.) injection alone or with phentolamine (11.3 microg = 0.03 micromol). Acetaminophen produced dose-related antinociception in the abdominal irritant test with an ED(50) value of 137.2 microg (0.9 micromol) Phentolamine had no effect. For combined administration, the potency of acetaminophen was significantly increased (ED50=24.4 vs. 137.2 microg), indicative of multiplicative interaction and strong synergism. These results reveal the significant and surprising interaction of spinal cord adrenoceptors or ion channel subtypes with acetaminophen-induced antinociception.
Photo-orthotropic elasticity - A new technique for stress analysis of composites

This paper deals with the application of photoelastic methods to glass fiber reinforced plastics. The basic principles governing the photoelastic response in birefringent orthotropic composites are briefly reviewed. Then, three important aspects of photo-orthotropic elasticity, namely, photoelastic calibration, separation of principal stresses, and application to problems of engineering importance, are considered in detail. A new calibration specimen is proposed for determining the three independent photoelastic constants: an orthotropic half-plane subjected to a concentrated edge load. From the isochromatic response, the three stress-fringe values can be obtained by a least-squares procedure based on the theoretical stress distribution. Next, four methods of separating the principal stresses in birefringent composite models are proposed: the method of drilling small holes at the points of interest, the method of oblique incidence, the method of combining the transmitted photoelastic response with the reflected photoelastic response, and the method of birefringence dispersion.
Job Accessibility and Male Teenage Employment, 1980–1990: The Declining Significance of Space?∗

The spatial mismatch hypothesis, which argues that job decentralization has had a major impact on the economic fortunes of inner-city minorities, has been a popular argument in academic and policy circles. It is possible, however, that employment decentralization was a temporary shock to inner-city labor markets and that labor supply has successfully adjusted by residential relocation and alterations in job search patterns. This paper examines this issue with an empirical analysis of the 1980 and 1990 employment probabilities of black and white male teenagers living in the largest metropolitan areas of the United States. Findings indicate that the impact of job accessibility on employment probabilities declined between 1980 and 1990, especially for black male teenagers not enrolled in school. Accessibility had a declining effect for this group because of losing the advantage of accessibility rather than overcoming the disadvantage of inaccessibility. By 1990, black male teens living in job-accessible area...
Loss of δ-catenin function in severe autism

Autism is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder affecting more males than females; consequently, under a multifactorial genetic hypothesis, females are affected only when they cross a higher biological threshold. We hypothesize that deleterious variants at conserved residues are enriched in severely affected patients arising from female-enriched multiplex families with severe disease, enhancing the detection of key autism genes in modest numbers of cases. Here we show the use of this strategy by identifying missense and dosage sequence variants in the gene encoding the adhesive junction-associated δ-catenin protein (CTNND2) in female-enriched multiplex families and demonstrating their loss-of-function effect by functional analyses in zebrafish embryos and cultured hippocampal neurons from wild-type and Ctnnd2 null mouse embryos. Finally, through gene expression and network analyses, we highlight a critical role for CTNND2 in neuronal development and an intimate connection to chromatin biology. Our data contribute to the understanding of the genetic architecture of autism and suggest that genetic analyses of phenotypic extremes, such as female-enriched multiplex families, are of innate value in multifactorial disorders.
Evaluating Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) using Aircraft data collected during BEAREX07

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an essential component of the water balance and a major consumptive use of irrigation water and precipitation on cropland. Remote sensing based surface energy balance algorithms are now capable of providing accurate estimates of spatial-temporal ET. Uses of these spatial ET estimates are innumerable including hydrological modeling, irrigation scheduling, drought and flood monitoring and global climate change studies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of the Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) to estimate hourly ET fluxes using very high resolution (0.5-1.8 m) aircraft images acquired during the BEAREX07 (Bushland ET and Agricultural Remote Sensing Experiment 2007). Accuracy of the predicted ET fluxes were investigated using observed data from 4 large weighing lysimeters, each located at the center of 4.7 ha field in the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory, Bushland, Texas. The uniqueness and the strength of this study come from the fact that it evaluates the SEBS for irrigated and dryland conditions simultaneously with each lysimeter field planted to irrigated forage sorghum, irrigated forage corn, dryland clumped-grain sorghum, and dryland row-grain sorghum. Eleven images acquired during early and mid cropping seasons (June 24 - July 27) were used in the study. SEBS algorithm performed equally well for both irrigated and dryland conditions in estimating the hourly ET with overall mean bias error and root mean square of -0.01 and 0.11 mm h 1 (-1.53% and 20.27%), respectively.
The central role of ketones in reversible and irreversible hydrothermal organic functional group transformations

Studies of hydrothermal reactions involving organic compounds suggest complex, possibly reversible, reaction pathways that link functional groups from reduced alkanes all the way to oxidized carboxylic acids. Ketones represent a critical functional group because they occupy a central position in the reaction pathway, at the point where CAC bond cleavage is required for the formation of the more oxidized carboxylic acids. The mechanisms for the critical bond cleavage reactions in ketones, and how they compete with other reactions are the focus of this experimental study. We studied a model ketone, dibenzylketone (DBK), in H2O at 300 C and 70 MPa for up to 528 h. Product analysis was performed as a function of time at low DBK conversions to reveal the primary reaction pathways. Reversible interconversion between ketone, alcohol, alkene and alkane functional groups is observed in addition to formation of radical coupling products derived from irreversible CAC and CAH homolytic bond cleavage. The product distributions are time-dependent but the bond cleavage products dominate. The major products that accumulate at longer reaction times are toluene and larger, dehydrogenated structures that are initially formed by radical coupling. The hydrogen atoms generated by dehydrogenation of the coupling products are predominantly consumed in the formation of toluene. Even though bond cleavage products dominate, no carboxylic acids were observed on the timescale of the reactions under the chosen experimental conditions.
Integrative transformation of the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica

We have derived a DNA-mediated transformation system for the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica based on the lithium acetate method Ito et al. (1983) developed for Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The first plasmid used, pLD25, contains the Y. lipolytica LEU2 gene (coding for the enzyme beta-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase, EC 1.1.1.85) on a 6.6 kb piece of DNA inserted into pBR322. The recipient strain ATCC 20688 contains the rarely reverting mutation leu2-35. The Y. lipolytica LEU2 gene complements leuB mutants in Escherichia coli and leu2 mutants in S. cerevisiae and it also hybridizes weakly to the S. cerevisiae LEU2 gene. Y. lipolytica transformation frequencies of up to 104 Leu+ cells per microgram of DNA, per 108 viable cells have been obtained from plasmds linearized with restriction enzymes. The more than 100-fold increase in transformation frequency obtained by using linearized DNA instead of intact plasmid resembles the situation seen in S. cerevisiae for site-directed integrative transformation (Orr-Weaver et al. 1981). The transformants were stable when grown in non-selective medium. We found that pLD25 integrated at the leu2 region when either linear or intact plasmid was used to transform Y. lipolytica.
Pharmacy students' knowledge of the Medicare drug benefit and intention to provide Medicare medication therapy management services.

Objectives. To examine PharmD students' knowledge about Medicare Part D and their attitudes toward and intention to provide Medicare medication therapy management services (MTMS). Methods. Fourth-p...
Theory of oscillations in peroxidase catalyzed oxidation reactions in open system.

Abstract 1. The applicability of the (1910) Lotka 6 model to the horseradish peroxidase (donor: H 2 O 2 oxidoreductase, EC 1.11.1.7) catalyzed oxidation reactions in an open system is investigated. 2. The input of reactant by diffusion in stead of a constant input flux does not prevent oscillations of low damping. The gain of 3 in the branched chain reaction in the peroxidase system in stead of 2 in the Lotka model causes an increased damping, but the low damping observed in the experiments is still possible. 3. The combination of linear branching and quadratic termination, which is commonly believed to prevail in the peroxidase system, leads to a damping which is much higher than observed in the experiments. 4. A critical lower concentration of donor is known to exist below which the peroxidase catalyzed oxidation does not take place. This phenomenon is predicted by models of the Lotka type where the branching and the termination are both linear or both quadratic. It does not occur if the branching is linear and the termination is quadratic. 5. Compound III is not assumed to play any significant role in relation to the origin of the damped oscillation.
The hemolytic-uremic syndrome: initial clinical presentation mimicking ulcerative colitis.

Five patients with uremia and intravascular coagulation presented with massive lower intestinal blood loss. Early therapeutic measures directed toward the treatment of what was diagnosed as ulcerative colitis complicated their subsequent management. This report stresses the importance of including the hemolytic-uremic syndrome in the differential diagnosis of rectal bleeding.
WITHDRAWAL OF ENDOGENOUS SYMPATHETIC DRIVE LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE IN PRIMARY ALDOSTERONISM

We were able to observe the effect of withdrawal of endogenous sympathetic drive in a hypertensive patient with an aldosterone-secreting adrenal adenoma. Acute stimulation of both carotid sinus nerves lowered blood pressure to normotensive or hypotensive levels by reducing peripheral resistance. When chronic carotid sinus nerve stimulation was discontinued, peripheral resistance and blood pressure increased. These data suggest that the sympathetic nervous system is important in the maintenance of hypertension in established primary aldosteronism.
Effects of NOX on inhibition of oxidation by ZDTPS

Investigations of the effects of nitrogen oxides (NOX) on liquid phase oxidation and inhibition have been conducted in order to develop an improved understanding of the processes by which NOx accelerates oil degradation in internal combustion engines. Results from studies of the effects of NOx on oxidation of hexadecane (HD) alone, and in combination with a radical trapping (hindered phenol) antioxidant, and preliminary studies with zinc dialkyldithiophosphates (ZDTPs) were presented in previous reports.1-3 The complexity of reactions involving NOx and the role in lubricant degradation of NOx from blowby were described. Those results suggested that NOx accelerates the rate of consumption of antioxidant additives and, thus, shortens the useful life of the oil. This work describes results of additional investigations with ZDTPs.
MPI performance on the SGI Power Challenge

The widely implemented MPI standard defines primitives for point-to-point and collective inter-processor communication (IPC), and synchronization based on message passing. The main reason to use a message passing standard is to ease the development, porting, and execution of applications on the variety of parallel computers that can support the paradigm, including shared memory, distributed memory, and shared memory array multiprocessors. The paper concentrates on the SGI Power Challenge, a shared memory multiprocessor with comparison results provided for the distributed memory Intel Paragon. Memory and communications tests written in C++ using messages of double precision arrays show both memory and MPI blocking IPC performance on the Power Challenge degrade once total message sizes grow larger than the second level cache. Comparing the MPI and memory performance curves indicate Power Challenge native MPI point-to-point communication is implemented using memory copying. A model of blocking IPC for the SGI Power Challenge was developed and validated with performance results for use as part of a cost function in a graph partitioning algorithm. A new measure of communications efficiency and overhead, the ratio of IPC time to memory copy time, is used to compare relative IPC performance. Comparison between the Power Challenge and the Paragon show that the Paragon is more efficient for small messages, but the Power Challenge is better on large messages. Power Challenge observations do not correspond well with Paragon results, indicating shared memory multiprocessor results should not be used to predict distributed memory multiprocessor performance. This suggests that relative performance of parallel algorithms should not judged based on one type of machine.
Methods and approaches in the topology-based analysis of biological pathways

The goal of pathway analysis is to identify the pathways significantly impacted in a given phenotype. Many current methods are based on algorithms which consider pathways as simple gene lists, dramatically under-utilizing the knowledge that such pathways are meant to capture. During the past few years, a plethora of methods claiming to incorporate various aspects of the pathway topology have been proposed. These topology-based methods, sometimes referred to as ``third generation'', have the potential to better model the phenomena described by pathways. Although there is now a large variety of approaches used for this purpose, no review is currently available to offer guidance for potential users and developers. This review covers 22 such topology-based pathway analysis methods published in the last decade. We compare these methods based on: type of pathways analyzed (e.g. signaling or metabolic), input (subset of genes, all genes, fold changes, gene p-values, etc.), mathematical models, pathway scoring approaches, output (one or more pathway scores, p-values, etc.) and implementation (web-based, stand alone, etc.). We identify and discuss challenges, arising both in methodology and in pathway representation, including inconsistent terminology, different data formats, lack of meaningful benchmarks, and the lack of tissue and condition specificity.
Comparison of effects between large-area-beam ELA and SPC on TFT characteristics

Thin film transistors (TFTs) with channel dimensions between 0.5 /spl mu/m and 5 /spl mu/m were fabricated using a low-temperature process of 600/spl deg/C with single-shot excimer laser annealing (ELA) having a large-area beam of 45/spl times/45 mm/sup 2/. The uniformity in device characteristics across the ELA-treated region was studied. As the channel size decreases, TFT performance and their uniformity for ELA devices were superior compared to those formed with solid phase crystallization (SPC). The superior characteristics by ELA can be explained by the resulting grains with higher crystallinity. TFTs fabricated using ELA having a uniform beam are promising candidates for future LCD peripheral circuits on inexpensive glass and for LSI.
Modelling of high-density laser-material interaction using fast level set method

A high-energy-density laser beam-material interaction process has been simulated considering a self-evolving liquid-vapour interface profile. A mathematical scheme called the level-set technique has been adopted to capture the transient liquid-vapour interface. Inherent to this technique are: the ability to simulate merger and splitting of the liquid-vapour interface and the simultaneous updating of the surface normal and the curvature. Unsteady heat transfer and fluid flow phenomena are modelled, considering the thermo-capillary effect and the recoil pressure. A kinetic Knudsen layer has been considered to simulate evaporation phenomena at the liquid-vapour interface. Also, the homogeneous boiling phenomenon near the critical point is implemented. Energy distribution inside the vapour cavity is computed considering multiple reflection phenomena. The effect of laser power on the material removal mode, liquid layer thickness, surface temperature and the evaporation speed are presented and discussed.
Effect of Gender on the Progression of Nondiabetic Renal Disease A Meta-Analysis

There is previously published evidence that male gender is associated with a more rapid rate of progression of nondiabetic chronic renal disease. However, some investigators have concluded that no such association exists. To help resolve this issue, a meta-analysis was performed using 68 studies that met defined criteria and contained a total of 11,345 patients to evaluate the effect of gender on the progression of nondiabetic chronic renal disease. The results indicate that men with chronic renal disease of various etiologies show a more rapid decline in renal function with time than do women.
Using Extended EM to Segment Planar Structures in 3D

The proposed algorithm segments planar structures out of data gained from 3D laser range scanners, typically used in robotics. The approach first fits planar patches to the dataset, using a new, extended Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm. This algorithm solves the classical EM problems of insufficient initialization by iteratively determining the number and positions of patches in a split and merge framework. Determining the fitting quality of the gained patches, the approach then allows for segmentation of planar surfaces out of the 3D environment. The result is a set of 2D objects, which can be used as input for classical computer vision applications, in particular for object recognition. Our approach makes it possible to apply classical tools of 2D image processing to solve problems of 3D robot mapping, e.g. landmark recognition.
Loss of Cardiolipin Leads to Longevity Defects That Are Alleviated by Alterations in Stress Response Signaling

Perturbation of cardiolipin (CL) synthesis in yeast cells leads to defective respiratory chain function and mitochondrial DNA loss, both of which have been implicated in aging in mammals. The availability of yeast CL mutants enabled us to directly investigate the role of CL synthesis in aging. In this report, we show that the replicative life span of pgs1Δ, which lacks both CL and the precursor phosphatidylglycerol (PG), was significantly decreased at 30 °C. The life span of crd1Δ, which has PG but not CL, was unaffected at 30 °C but reduced at 37 °C. Life span extension induced by calorie restriction was not affected by the loss of CL. However, mild heat and osmotic stress, which extend life span in wild type cells, did not increase longevity in CL mutants, suggesting that the stress response is perturbed in these mutants. Consistent with this, longevity defects in pgs1Δ were alleviated by down-regulation of the high osmolarity glycerol stress response pathway, as well as by promoting cell integrity with the osmotic stabilizer sorbitol or via genetic suppression with the kre5W1166X mutant. These findings show for the first time that perturbation of CL synthesis leads to decreased longevity in yeast, which is restored by altering signaling through stress response pathways.
Perspectives on simulation using GPSS

GPSS (General Purpose Simulation System), a simulation modeling language used to build computer models for discrete-event simulations, is overviewed. The approach taken in GPSS to model a one-line, one-server system is explained, implementation details are provided, and results are discussed. References and suggestions for further study are given.
Rapid Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Method for Group B Streptococcus Isolates

We developed a rapid pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) method that required 3 days to complete, an improvement over the standard method that required as many as 8 days. The accuracy and reproducibility of the rapid method were verified by analysis of DNA band sizes of our control group B streptococcus isolate. The rapid method was superior to the standard method, providing more precise molecular sizing and gels of higher image quality. The reproducibility of rapid PFGE substantiated its value and continued use.
All-optical mixer based on cross-absorption modulation in electroabsorption modulator

We have proposed and experimentally demonstrated a novel method to realize nonlinear optical mixing based on cross-absorption modulation in an electroabsorption modulator. Our experimental results show that the local oscillator power and optical filtering play an important role on the receiver sensitivity of the up-conversion signal; furthermore, the wavelength span of larger than 20 nm for up-conversion signal can be obtained.
Dose-Dependent Alterations in Gene Expression and Testosterone Synthesis in the Fetal Testes of Male Rats Exposed to Di (n-butyl) phthalate

Exposure to di (n-butyl) phthalate (DBP) in utero impairs the development of the male rat reproductive tract. The adverse effects are due in part to a coordinated decrease in expression of genes involved in cholesterol transport and steroidogenesis with a resultant reduction in testosterone production in the fetal testis. To determine the dose-response relationship for the effect of DBP on steroidogenesis in fetal rat testes, pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received corn oil (vehicle control) or DBP (0.1, 1.0, 10, 50, 100, or 500 mg/kg/day) by gavage daily from gestation day (GD) 12 to 19. Testes were isolated on GD 19, and changes in gene and protein expression were quantified by RT-PCR and Western analysis. Fetal testicular testosterone concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay. DBP exposure resulted in significant dose-dependent reductions in mRNA and protein concentration of scavenger receptor, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, and cytochrome P450c17. Testicular testosterone was reduced at doses of 50 mg/kg/day and above. Whole-testis expression of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) mRNA, which functions with StAR to transport cholesterol across the mitochondrial membrane, was upregulated following exposure to DBP at 500 mg/kg/day. By immunocytochemistry, however, PBR protein was reduced in interstitial cells and also expressed but not reduced in gonocytes. Our results demonstrate a coordinate, dose-dependent reduction in the expression of key genes and proteins involved in cholesterol transport and steroidogenesis and a corresponding reduction in testosterone in fetal testes following maternal exposure to DBP, at dose levels below which adverse effects are detected in the developing male reproductive tract. Alterations in gene and protein expression and testosterone synthesis may serve as sensitive indicators of testicular response to DBP.
VirtualPower: coordinated power management in virtualized enterprise systems

Power management has become increasingly necessary in large-scale datacenters to address costs and limitations in cooling or power delivery. This paper explores how to integrate power management mechanisms and policies with the virtualization technologies being actively deployed in these environments. The goals of the proposed VirtualPower approach to online power management are (i) to support the isolated and independent operation assumed by guest virtual machines (VMs) running on virtualized platforms and (ii) to make it possible to control and globally coordinate the effects of the diverse power management policies applied by these VMs to virtualized resources. To attain these goals, VirtualPower extends to guest VMs `soft' versions of the hardware power states for which their policies are designed. The resulting technical challenge is to appropriately map VM-level updates made to soft power states to actual changes in the states or in the allocation of underlying virtualized hardware. An implementation of VirtualPower Management (VPM) for the Xen hypervisor addresses this challenge by provision of multiple system-level abstractions including VPM states, channels, mechanisms, and rules. Experimental evaluations on modern multicore platforms highlight resulting improvements in online power management capabilities, including minimization of power consumption with little or no performance penalties and the ability to throttle power consumption while still meeting application requirements. Finally, coordination of online methods for server consolidation with VPM management techniques in heterogeneous server systems is shown to provide up to 34% improvements in power consumption.
Differential outcome of cardiac resynchronization therapy in ischemic cardiomyopathy and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a therapy of proven benefit in patients with advanced heart failure. Identifying potential responders remains challenging, and whether the etiology of the heart failure is related to the potential hemodynamic benefit and long-term outcome of CRT is unclear. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether heart failure etiology (ischemic cardiomyopathy [ICM] vs nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy [DCM]) was associated with CRT outcome and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) shocks. Methods The study included 503 CRT recipients (CRT-D 90%) in a longitudinal CRT database: ICM (n = 312) and DCM (n = 191). Clinical variables and echocardiographic measures preimplant and postimplant were collected. Actuarial survival and ICD therapy data were assessed with Kaplan-Meier curve and log rank tests. Results Pre-CRT, ICM patients were older and had higher creatinine levels ( P P = .05) and left ventricular end-diastolic volumes than did those with ICM (−28%.4 ± 53 mL vs −15.3 ± 46 mL, P = .024). Survival estimates at 4 years were 55% for ICM and 77% for DCM groups ( P P = .008). Conclusion In response to CRT and in contrast to ICM, DCM patients experienced greater improvement in left ventricular systolic function and reverse remodeling while also sustaining a greater survival benefit.
GroEL/GroES: Structure and Function of a Two-Stroke Folding Machine

Recent structural and functional studies have greatly advanced our understanding of the mechanism by which chaperonins (Cpn60) mediate protein folding, the final step in the accurate expression of genetic information. Escherichia coli GroEL has a symmetric double-toroid architecture, which binds nonnative polypeptide substrates on the hydrophobic walls of its central cavity. The asymmetric binding of ATP and cochaperonin GroES to GroEL triggers a major conformational change in the cis ring, creating an enlarged chamber into which the bound nonnative polypeptide is released. The structural changes that create the cis assembly also change the lining of the cavity wall from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, conducive to folding into the native state. ATP hydrolysis in the cis ring weakens it and primes the release of products. When ATP and GroES bind to the trans ring, it forms a stronger assembly, which disassembles the cis complex through negative cooperativity between rings. The opposing function of the two rings operates as if the system had two cylinders, one expelling the products of the reaction as the other loads up the reactants. One cycle of the reaction gives the polypeptide about 15 s to fold at the cost of seven ATP molecules. For some proteins, several cycles of GroEL assistance may be needed in order to achieve their native states.
Rorty's ethical de-divinization of the moralist self

This article examines Richard Rorty's approach to the self in Contingency, Irony, and Solidarity. In spite of their differing philosophical bases, Rorty and Emmanuel Levinas converge methodologically in their treatments of the self by avoiding paradigmatic notions of human nature and a philosophical project of justification. Although Rorty refuses to prioritize a moralist account of the self over its romanticist rivals, his presentation relies on the reader's response to the ethical appeal of the other as depicted by Levinas: Rorty ultimately de-divinizes the moralist self on an ethical basis. Finally, a Levinasian approach would supplement Rorty's view of the self by manifesting: concern for victims of de-moralization, greater appreciation for philosophical rationality and justification, and acceptance of self-critically executed paternalistic interventions. In addition, Rorty's mistrust of universals converges with Kant's apprehension that ethical universalization could treat human beings as less than e...
Decoupling the effects of crystallinity and orientation on the shear piezoelectricity of polylactic acid

Shear piezoelectricity has been shown to be linearly proportional to the product of polymer crystallinity and orientation. However, investigations concerning the singular and cumulative effects of these parameters are incomplete since these studies relied exclusively on using orientation to alter crystallinity. In this research, polylactic acid (PLA) samples were fabricated by a dual drawing/annealing process to expand the investigation into the relationship between crystallinity, orientation, and shear piezoelectricity. The results of this study show for the first time that PLA shear piezoelectricity possesses a stronger relationship with the product of crystallinity and orientation than either of these parameters individually. However, this research also shows that processing of PLA for shear piezoelectric applications should focus only on achieving large degrees of orientation, which will inherently lead to increases in crystallinity as well. This approach will optimize PLA's shear sensing capabilities while avoiding certain detrimental effects, specifically embrittlement and a reversal of polymer chain orientation, which can occur during annealing. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 49: 1555–1562, 2011
UAV-BASED WIRELESS TELEMETRY SYSTEM FOR THE ESTIMATION OF SHIP AIR WAKE PATTERNS

This paper presents the development of a wireless instrumentation system for estimation of air turbulence patterns in real-time. The proposed system uses off-the-shelf RC helicopter flying in wind turbulent regions and uses the oscillations caused by wind gusts to measure turbulence. This paper presents the proposed system as a tool to measure off-board ship air wake patterns generated by a cruising naval patrol craft. Two aviation grade Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) with onboard filters are used in this system. These filters precisely measure the dynamics and the location of the helicopter with respect to the vessel. The data is then wirelessly transmitted to a base station on the vessel where Back Propagation neural networks are used to remove the effects of pilot inputs from vibrational data in real time to extract the oscillations caused by the turbulence alone. The system was tested in Chesapeake Bay in a wide range of wind conditions and the results are shown as air wake intensity patterns plotted on helicopter trajectory around the cruising vessel. The proposed system will be used for experimental validation of CFD models to predict ship air wakes.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity and the Effects of Intratympanic Diltiazem in a Mouse Model.

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether the calcium-channel blocker diltiazem has protective effects against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in a mouse model.Study DesignOriginal basic science in vivo investiga...
An economic model for integrated roading, yarding, and hauling operations on two alternative harvest unit landings

This paper presents an economic model for the optimization of a vertically integrated timber harvesting operation. The operations of road construction, timber yarding, and log truck hauling are collectively optimized. The harvest unit has two centralized landings that are to be accessed by truck road from a single existing road takeoff point. The harvest unit is located on level, unvarying terrain with uniformly distributed log turns. Formulas for the optimal yarding boundary between the landings, areas yarded to each landing, and the average yarding distances are derived. These formulas are then used in the bilevel optimization of a vertically integrated timber harvesting operation. Numerical examples are presented and discussed.
Finished Genome Sequence of Bacillus cereus Strain 03BB87, a Clinical Isolate with B. anthracis Virulence Genes

Bacillus cereus strain 03BB87, a blood culture isolate, originated in a 56-year-old male muller operator with a fatal case of pneumonia in 2003. Here we present the finished genome sequence of that pathogen, including a 5.46-Mb chromosome and two plasmids (209 and 52 Kb, respectively).
Chronic addition of a common engineered nanomaterial alters biomass, activity and composition of stream biofilm communities

Nano-TiO2 is an engineered nanomaterial that is found in a wide range of commercial products. Production of nano-TiO2 has increased rapidly over the last several decades, raising concerns about release of this material into the environment. Domestic wastewater is one route through which this material enters the environment, resulting in chronic inputs of low concentrations of nano-TiO2 to surface waters. The goal of this study was to assess impacts of chronic addition of an environmentally realistic concentration of nano-TiO2 on microbial biofilms, which play a foundational role in lotic ecosystems. Microbial consortia were collected from natural benthic habitats, cultivated in stream mesocosms, and exposed to daily additions of commercial nano-TiO2 pigment at a concentration that has been measured in treated wastewater effluent (30 μg L−1). After 22 weeks treated streams showed significantly lower amounts of biofilm (biofilm mass, bacterial and algal cell densities), lower biofilm metabolic activity (respiration and photosynthesis) and altered algal and bacterial community composition (the latter based on high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes) as compared to control streams. Specific changes in bacterial communities resulting from nano-TiO2 additions included increases in relative abundance of taxa linked to resistance to reactive oxygen species (Novosphingobium and Achromobacter) and decreases in relative abundance of taxa linked to nitrogen fixation (Pleurocapsa and Azoarcus) and denitrification (Paracoccus). These data provide one of the first demonstrations that low-level, chronic release of nano-TiO2 to streams can have significant, negative effects on structure and function of benthic communities and the critical ecosystem services they provide.
Influence of congestive heart failure on prazosin kinetics

The kinetics of oral prazosin was studied in 10 healthy normal subjects (NS) and in 9 patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). NS received a single 5-mg dose, and blood concentrations of prazosin (CB) were measured, using a specific HPLC assay, during an 8-hr period. CHF patients received a 2-mg dose after which CB was measured for 10 hr. These patients then received 2 to 5 mg prazosin every 8 hr for 48 hr. After the last dose of prazosin, CB was measured for 24 hr. After the initial dose, time to peak CB did not differ significantly between that of the NS (123 +/- 19 SEM min) and of patients with CHF (132 +/- 31.3 min). AUC/mg prazosin was greater (p less than 0.001) in patients with CHF (3,385 +/- 380 Ng x min/ml) than in NS (1,603 +/- 208 ng x min/ml). Elimination of prazosin from blood was slower in CHF patients (t1/2 = 374 +/- 33.4 min) than in NS (t1/2 = 144.5 +/- 4.3 min) (p less than 0.001). These data suggest that in patients with CHF the elimination of prazosin is substantially slower than in NS and therefore higher steady-state prazosin concentrations can be expected in CHF patients than in NS.
Longitudinal multiparameter assay of lymphocyte interactions from onset by microfluidic cell pairing and culture

Resolving how the early signaling events initiated by cell-cell interactions are transduced into diverse functional outcomes necessitates correlated measurements at various stages. Typical approaches that rely on bulk cocultures and population-wide correlations, however, only reveal these relationships broadly at the population level, not within each individual cell. Here, we present a microfluidics-based cell-cell interaction assay that enables longitudinal investigation of lymphocyte interactions at the single-cell level through microfluidic cell pairing, on-chip culture, and multiparameter assays, and allows recovery of desired cell pairs by micromanipulation for off-chip culture and analyses. Well-defined initiation of interactions enables probing cellular responses from the very onset, permitting single-cell correlation analyses between early signaling dynamics and later-stage functional outcomes within same cells. We demonstrate the utility of this microfluidic assay with natural killer cells interacting with tumor cells, and our findings suggest a possible role for the strength of early calcium signaling in selective coordination of subsequent cytotoxicity and IFN-gamma production. Collectively, our experiments demonstrate that this new approach is well-suited for resolving the relationships between complex immune responses within each individual cell.
Validation of methods used in the Florida department of agriculture and consumer services' chemical residue laboratory

Very few methods for detecting residues of pesticides in food or agricultural samples have undergone rigorous colloborative study and possess official AOAC status. The Chemical Residue Laboratory has formalized a method validation scheme to use when incorporating or developing new, unofficial methods. These methods are validated by assessing certain performance parameters: scope, specificity, linear range, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantitation (LOQ). For accuracy and precision assessment, 12 replicate fortifications must yield recoveries within the range of 70-120% with a coefficient of variation (CV) that compares favorably to the Horwitz CV. LOD and LOQ are equivalent to 3 and 10 times, respectively, the background signal contributed by a sample matrix blank. This criterion that we use for LOD/LOQ is not universal. In fact, because of differing definitions, we have encountered difficulties in enforcing a tolerance by using a registrant's method. This paper also presents an example of our method validation scheme, using a recent method development project for detecting sulfamethazine in raw milk. The sulfamethazine project also revealed unanticipated personnel problems, underscoring the importance of the human factor in quality assurance.
Allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis due to rhizopus nigricans in two siblings with and without CF

Background: Non-Aspergillus allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis is rare and represents a challenge concerning diagnosis and therapy. We present the cases of a 7 year old girl with FEV1 120-147% predicted, pseudomonas negative, atopic predisposition, total IgE 283 kU/l, and of her 6 year old previously healthy brother (no CF, no history of asthma) who developed symptoms of fever, dyspnoe, wheezing and a marked decline in physical capacity at almost the same time. Methods: Lung function, serologic and skin tests, imaging and interventions on exposition were used to clarify the diagnosis. Results: As both siblings were affected and total IgE initially did not rise asthma was suspected; however no steroid inhalation proved ineffective as did a course of oral antibiotics. After 6 weeks of symptoms the girl9s IgE rose to 1500 kU/l, FEV1 dropped to 94% predicted, and ABPA was suspected; however no Aspergillus fumigatus specific IgE or IgG could be detected. A trial of systemic steroids showed cessation of symptoms and a rise in FEV1 to >140%. Finally a sensitization against Rhizopus nigricans, a rare mould, was found in both siblings. Both children improved by absence from domestic environment, and both needed systemic steroids to control symptoms and omalizumab to reduce oral steroids. The search for the domestic source of exposition is still ongoing. Conclusion: This rare case shows that allergic reactions to rare moulds affects both healthy and CF patients similarily and should kept in mind if asthma like symptoms without sensitization to typical allergens occur.
First-Principles Investigation of the Epitaxial Stabilization of Oxide Polymorphs: TiO2 on (Sr,Ba)TiO3

Metastable polymorphs, many of which have never been fabricated, have been predicted to exhibit interesting and technologically relevant properties. Epitaxial synthesis is a powerful structure-directing method that can produce metastable polymorphs but is typically done in a trial and error fashion. Unfortunately, the relevant thermodynamic terms governing epitaxial synthesis of new materials are unknown. Accurate calculation of the relevant thermodynamic terms and their incorporation into predictive models would accelerate the synthesis of metastable polymorphs by identifying thermodynamically favorable paths. Using density functional theory with three different functionals, we computed several relevant terms for TiO2 anatase (A) and rutile (R) film growth on low-index surfaces of SrTiO3 (STO) and BaTiO3 (BTO) cubic perovskites. After identifying potential coherent epitaxial interfaces based on experimental observations, the volumetric formation, volumetric strain, and areal substrate–film interface ener...
The Effects of Spatial Scale on Assigning Nursery Habitats in Atlantic Goliath Groupers ( Epinephelus itajara ) Using Non-lethal Analyses of Fin Rays

We evaluated Atlantic Goliath Groupers, Epinephelus itajara, in their nursery habitats via microchemical analyses of fin rays. Juveniles were sampled from known nursery habitats off southwest Florida, and adults were primarily sampled from a spawning aggregation off southeast, Florida. We collected fin rays using a non-lethal technique that is minimally invasive with no known negative effects on growth or survival. Trace metal constituents in the fin rays were quantified with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer via laser ablation (LA-ICP-MS). Two spatial scales were quantified to test the limitations of grouping individuals based on elemental compositions. On a small spatial scale (i.e., 100s of m), individuals were correctly classified within individual watersheds 64% of the time. On a larger spatial scale (i.e., 10s–100s of km), juveniles were classified with 100% accuracy. Trace metals in adults were analyzed by back-tracking across fin ray annuli to a year in which our previous studies have shown these adults occupied their juvenile habitats (i.e., 2006). These fish were grouped using a measure of dissimilarity and then analyzed to test whether we could reclassify them into these same groupings based solely on the chemical components in their fin rays, which was done with over 84% accuracy. Although juvenile habitats of the adults could not be determined due to the lack of baseline data, classifications were driven by similar elements to those that drove the classification of juveniles, suggesting similar physiological mechanisms. The results highlight the importance of spatial scale for interpreting microchemical analyses on calcified structures in fishes.
What This Cruel War Was Over: Soldiers, Slavery, and the Civil War by Chandra Manning

Chandra Manning investigates what “ordinary soldiers thought about the relationship between slavery and the Civil War”. But in one of the most important recent books on the Civil War—it draws from the letters and diaries of over 1,100 Civil War soldiers, both U.S. and Confederate, and the regimental newspapers these soldiers edited—Manning shows us how slavery mattered in ways that have previously eluded scholars.