cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen control in Alcator C-Mod walls and plasmas

Abstract The control of the hydrogen fraction in D plasmas [H/(H+D)] is necessary for efficient ICRF minority heating in Alcator C-Mod. Boronizing the chamber when H/(H+D) ∼ 10% would promptly lower H/(H+D) to ∼5%. However, the reduction was transitory when the accumulated boron layer was thick (>6 μm) and with boron nitride tiles protecting the ICRF antennas, indicating that the H buried under a new B layer diffused back to the surface over time. Prior to the 2005 campaign, all boron on molybdenum tiles and surfaces was removed. Boronization was performed only after H/(H+D) was down to
Graphical methods for representing form and stability of aqueous metal ions

Abstract The equilibrium distributions of solute species of aluminum at 25°C and one atmosphere pressure are shown graphically in systems containing fluoride, as functions of the total dissolved aluminum and fluoride. The predominant form of complex and degree of complexing are also shown graphically as functions of pH and fluoride activity. The graphs are based on the simultaneous solution of the equations representing nine complexing equilibria and three stoichiometric summarizations, using a fixed value of ionic strength equal to 0.1. Solubility relationships for aluminum hydroxide and cryolite also are shown graphically, using the same coordinates and additional equilibria. By overlaying an appropriate species distribution graph with a solubility graph a relatively complete summary of chemical relationships in an aqueous aluminum system can be obtained. Although this type of model has important limitations, it can accommodate enough variables simultaneously to have practical value and similar procedures could be used for other elements and systems of interest in low-temperature aqueous geochemistry.
Solvent suppression without crosspeak attenuation in iZQC experiments

Abstract The observation of solvent–solute iZQC peaks is often hampered by strong nearby solvent peaks. Previous researchers have overcome this problem by adding conventional solvent suppression modules during the dipolar evolution time. Here we show that these solvent suppression modules refocus the dipolar field and lead to a substantial signal intensity reduction, which is particularly damaging for the detection of low concentration species. We analyze, in detail, the effect of such modules on the signal formation, and demonstrate a method for solvent suppression that does not interfere with dipolar field evolution, leading to cleaner spectra.
A comparative analysis of coregistered ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in neurosurgery.

OBJECTIVE This work presents qualitative and quantitative side-by-side comparisons of oblique coregistered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and ultrasound images obtained during 35 neurosurgical procedures. METHODS Spatially registered series of ultrasound images were recorded for subsequent off-line evaluation and comparison with corresponding preoperative MRI studies. The degree of misalignment was reduced by reregistering the target volume directly with segmented features. RESULTS The initial apparent spatial misalignment of the target volume after craniotomy ranged from 0.11 to 8.73 mm (mean, 4.01 mm). After reregistration, the mutual information in overlapping segmented features was increased, presumably evidence of a better alignment locally. Additionally, the degree of feature congruence, which was assessed quantitatively through a convex hull approximation, demonstrated that the ultrasound volume was consistently smaller than its MRI counterpart. CONCLUSION Although intraoperative ultrasound tends to be difficult to interpret by itself, when accurately coregistered with preoperative MRI scans, its potential utility as a navigational guide is enhanced.
A three-dimensional finite element analysis of a porous rooted Co-Cr-Mo alloy dental implant

A three-dimensional finite element model was used to investigate the biomechanical response of a porous rooted Co-Cr-Mo alloy implant. The load displacement responses calculated from the finite element model were verified with experimentally-determined values for three-cylindrical, porous rooted Co-Cr-Mo alloy dental implants retrieved from canines after two years in function. Models were developed based on histological analyses of tissue surrounding the implants. The results of the study indicate that the assumption of a direct bone-to-implant interface (i.e., an ankylosed implant) may not be a good representation for a porous rooted implant retained by bone ingrowth.
Sensitivity of cholecystokinin receptors to membrane cholesterol content

Cholesterol represents a structurally and functionally important component of the eukaryotic cell membrane, where it increases lipid order, affects permeability, and influences the lateral mobility and conformation of membrane proteins. Several G protein-coupled receptors have been shown to be affected by the cholesterol content of the membrane, with functional impact on their ligand binding and signal transduction characteristics. The effects of cholesterol can be mediated directly by specific molecular interactions with the receptor and/or indirectly by altering the physical properties of the membrane. This review focuses on the importance and differential effects of membrane cholesterol on the activity of cholecystokinin (CCK) receptors. The type 1 CCK receptor is quite sensitive to its cholesterol environment, while the type 2 CCK receptor is not. The possible structural basis for this differential impact is explored and the implications of pathological states, such as metabolic syndrome, in which membrane cholesterol may be increased and CCK1R function may be abnormal are discussed. This is believed to have substantial potential importance for the development of drugs targeting the CCK receptor.
Concentrating engines and the kidney. IV. Mass balance in a single stage of a multistage model of the renal medulla

Abstract In earlier work [1–5] it has been shown that the mass balance equation for both single and multinephron models of the renal medulla can be cast into the normalized form r= 1 1-ƒ T (1-ƒ U )(1-ƒ W ) , where r is the ratio of total osmolality at the papilla (assumed approximately the same in all structures) to plasma osmolality; ƒ T is the fractional solute transport out of the ascending Henle's limb; ƒ U is the fractional urine flow; and ƒ W , the fractional dissipation in the vascular exchanger, is a measure of the solute that is returned to the systemic circulation by ascending vasa recta unaccompanied by its isotonic equivalent of water. This form of the mass balance equation has proved very useful in understanding the qualitative behavior of medullary models and in checking detailed calculations. We now show that with suitable interpretations of ƒ, T , ƒ U , and ƒ W , one can derive a form of the equation that is applicable to a single stage of a multistage model. Applied recursively, this form permits a much finer analysis of the behavior of multistage systems than was previously possible. A two stage model of the medulla is solved analytically, and the results compared with the normalized equation.
Atmospheric effect on spectral signature — measurements

In order to study the spectral atmospheric effect on remote sensing, measurements of the spectral signature of surface cover were conducted during hazy conditions. Simultaneous measurements of the aerosol optical thickness and its vertical distribution were carried out. The upward radiance in high flight were also simulated by radiative transfer computations, and the results were compared with the measurements. It is suggested that the radiances over dark areas can be used to derive the aerosol optical thickness. Combined with climatological information, the derived optical thickness can be used to perform corrections of the atmospheric effect.
Studies on synthetic polypeptide antigens XVI. The immunogenicity of synthetic polypeptide aggregates

Abstract The change in physical state of biopolymer can be a general method of enhancing its ability to elicit antibody formation. The formation of an electrostatic aggregate between a negatively charged, non-immunogenic synthetic polypeptide and methylated bovine serum albumin renders the molecule immunogenic. Aggregate formation enhances the amount of antibody elicited by a poor immunogen, but not the amount elicited by a good immunogen. Both components of the aggregate must be biopolymers in order for the aggregate to be immunogenic. Methylated bovine serum albumin can be replaced as an aggregating agent by poly Lys 70 Ala 30 , poly Lys, poly D -Lys, or poly Orn, but the polypeptides form less immunogenically potent aggregates. It is particularly significant that an aggregate of two D -amino acid polymers, poly D -Glu 55 D -Lys 39 D -Tyr 6 and poly D -Lys, elicits a large amount of antibody.
Activation of homogeneous preparations of hog kidney myo-inositol oxygenase by quinolinic acid and ferrous ions

When incubated and assayed with 0.6 mM quinolinate and 1.0 μM Fe(II), some homogeneous preparations of hog kidney myo-inositol oxygenase (EC 1.13.99.1) which have been stored at −20° for weeks to months have a catalytic activity which is 4 to 5 fold higher than found under any other conditions. This high activation is very dependent on activator concentrations and temperature, and is not observed with freshly prepared (never frozen) preparations of homogeneous oxygenase. A polymer of the enzyme formed on storage is believed to be responsible for the high activities. 3-Mercaptopicolinate is also an effective activator under similar conditions but 3-amino-picolinate is not. The similar but opposite effects of these compounds on phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase are noted, and the possible relevance of these findings to the control of the oxygenase in vivo is considered.
An analysis of a dendritic neuron model with an active membrane site

We formulate and analyze a mathematical model that couples an idealized dendrite to an active boundary site to investigate the nonlinear interaction between these passive and active membrane patches. The active site is represented mathematically as a nonlinear boundary condition to a passive cable equation in the form of a space-clamped FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) equation. We perform a bifurcation analysis for both steady and periodic perturbation at the active site. We first investigate the uncoupled space-clamped FHN equation alone and find that for periodic perturbation a transition from phase locked (periodic) to phase pulling (quasiperiodic) solutions exist. For the model coupling a passive cable with a FHN active site at the boundary, we show for steady perturbation that the interval for repetitive firing is a subset of the interval for the space-clamped case and shrinks to zero for strong coupling. The firing rate at the active site decreases as the coupling strength increases. For periodic perturbation we show that the transition from phase locked to phase pulling solutions is also dependent on the coupling strength.
Linking analytic performance goals to medical outcome

As laboratorians relate analytic performance to medical goals, they face complex choices among competing subjective and objective criteria for the assessment of acceptable analytic error. Defining desirable performance as some fraction of physiologic variability provides potentially excessive benchmarks for quality. More important than the recognition of health are the clinical decisions which deal with diseases, particularly the latters' degrees of severity and the different medical actions these prompt. It is equally essential to take into account the reasoning by which physicians arrive at these decisions, since their mental processes condition desirable performance goals. Considering these modalities, a universal model of analytic performance requirements uniformly applicable to all measured parameters clearly cannot be devised. Rather, tolerance limits for analytic error must be tailored to specific medical problems. To facilitate this seemingly Herculean task, this paper develops concepts and principles derived from operation research, and illustrates their application by three examples. The generic conclusion evidenced by the latter is that the linkage between analytic performance goals and medical strategies is reciprocal, namely that outcome can just as well be optimized by tailoring medical strategy to existing analytic performance as by adapting analytic performance to medical strategy.
Mineralogy and trace element relative solubility patterns of shallow marine sediments affected by submarine tailings disposal and artisanal gold mining, Buyat-Ratototok district, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Shallow marine sediments of the Buyat-Ratototok district of North Sulawesi, Indonesia, are affected by submarine disposal of industrial gold mine tailings and small-scale gold mining using mercury amalgamation. Industrial mine tailings contained 590–660 ppm arsenic, 490–580 ppm antimony, and 0.8–5.8 ppm mercury. Electron microprobe survey found both colloidal iron–arsenic-phases without sulphur and arsenian pyrite in tailings and sites to which tailings had dispersed, but only arsenopyrite in sediments affected by artisanal mining. Antimony in tailings was present as antimony oxides, colloidal iron–antimony phases, colloidal iron–antimony phases, and stibnite in sediments affected by both types of mining. A sequential extraction found that 2% of arsenic held in tailings and tailings-contaminated sediments was exchangeable, 20–30% was labile, including weakly adsorbed, carbonate- and arsenate bound, 20–30% was metastable, probably incorporated into iron or manganese oxyhydroxides, or strongly adsorbed to silicate minerals, and 40–48% was relatively insoluble, probably incorporated into sulphides or silicates. Arsenic in sediments affected by artisanal gold mining was 75–95% relatively insoluble. Antimony in all sediments was >90% relatively insoluble. Relative solubility patterns of most other metals did not differ between industrial tailings-affected, artisanal-mining affected areas, and fluvial sediments. Results suggest that submarine tailings disposal is not suitable for refractory Carlin-like gold deposits because ore processing converts arsenic to forms unstable in anoxic marine sediments.
Fine-root growth phenology, production, and turnover in a northern hardwood forest ecosystem

A large part of the nutrient flux in deciduous forests is through fine root turnover, yet this process is seldom measured. As part of a nutrient cycling study, fine root dynamics were studied for two years at Huntington Forest in the Adirondack Mountain region of New York, USA. Root growth phenology was characterized using field rhizotrons, three methods were used to estimate fine root production, two methods were used to estimate fine root mortality, and decomposition was estimated using the buried bag technique. During both 1986 and 1987, fine root elongation began in early April, peaked during July and August, and nearly ceased by mid-October. Mean fine root (≤ 3 mm diameter) biomass in the surface 28-cm was 2.5 t ha−1 and necromass was 2.9 t ha−1. Annual decomposition rates ranged from 17 to 30% beneath the litter and 27 to 52% at a depth of 10 cm. Depending on the method used for estimation, fine root production ranged from 2.0 to 2.9 t ha−1, mortality ranged from 1.8 to 3.7 t ha−1 yr−1, and decomposition was 0.9 t ha−1 yr−1. Thus, turnover ranged from 0.8 to 1.2 yr−1. The nutrients that cycled through fine roots annually were 4.5–6.1 kg Ca, 1.1–1.4 kg Mg, 0.3–0.4 kg K, 1.2–1.7 kg P, 20.3–27.3 kg N, and 1.8–2.4 kg S ha−1. Fine root turnover was less important than leaf litterfall in the cycling of Ca and Mg and was similar to leaf litterfall in the amount of N, P, K and S cycled.
The fine structure of spiral ligament cells relates to ion return to the stria and varies with place-frequency

Abstract Ultrastructural analysis of cells in the cochlea's lateral wall was undertaken to investigate morophologic features relevant to the route of K+ cycling from organ of Corti (OC) to stria vascularis (StV) and to the question of a transcellular versus an extracellular path. The fine structure of outer sulcus cells (OSCs) evidenced their capacity for uptake of K+ from Claudius cells and from perilymph in inferior spiral ligament. Plasmalemmal amplification and mitochondrial density together with known content of Na,K-ATPase testified to activity of type II, IV and V fibrocytes in resorbing K+. Location and fine structure afforded a basis for distinguishing subtypes among the type I, II and IV cells. The type 11, IV and V fibrocytes can be viewed as drawing K+ from surrounding perilymph and from OSCs and generating an intracellular downhill diffusion gradient for K+ flow through gap junctions to subtype Ib and la fibrocytes and strial basal cells. Pumping action enabled by extreme structural specialization of type II fibrocytes is considered to mediate K+ translocation across the interruption between the gap junction connected epithelial and gap junction connected fibrocyte systems and to explain ion flow directed toward StV through OSCs and fibrocytes despite their lack of polarity. The OSC bodies shrank, their root bundles expanded and the gap junction contact between OSCs and Claudius cells increased toward the base of the cochlea. Expanding root bundles and type I and IIb fibrocyte populations contrasted with shrinking OHCs and Deiters and tectal cells from the apex to the base of the cochlea. These differences indicated an increased magnitude and alternate route of K+ transport toward the StV in high as compared to low-frequency regions. The augmented K+ transport through spiral ligament in basal cochlea correlates with and provides a possible basis for the larger endocochlear potential in the base. The findings appear consistent with current flow extracellularly through scalae tympani and vestibuli and transcellularly through OC, OSCs and class I, II, IV and V fibrocytes.
Effect of Diet on Susceptibility of Canine Hematopoietic System to Damage by Amidopyrine

Summary and ConclusionsThe daily administration of 0.5 gm. of amidopyrine causes anemia in dogs fed a diet which causes canine black-tongue. No anemia results when a normal diet is fed. The anemia is associated with a suppression of maturation of hemato-poietic bone marrow cells and it may be prevented and cured by supplementing the diet with autolyzed yeast.
Biochemical and Genetic Requirements for Function of the Immune Response Regulator BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE1 in Plant Growth, Ethylene Signaling, and PAMP-Triggered Immunity in Arabidopsis

Arabidopsis thaliana BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE1 (BIK1) regulates immune responses to a distinct class of pathogens. Here, mechanisms underlying BIK1 function and its interactions with other immune response regulators were determined. We describe BIK1 function as a component of ethylene (ET) signaling and PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) to fungal pathogens. BIK1 in vivo kinase activity increases in response to flagellin peptide (flg22) and the ET precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) but is blocked by inhibition of ET perception. BIK1 induction by flg22, ACC, and pathogens is strictly dependent on EIN3, and the bik1 mutation results in altered expression of ET-regulated genes. BIK1 site-directed mutants were used to determine residues essential for phosphorylation and biological functions in planta, including PTI, ET signaling, and plant growth. Genetic analysis revealed flg22-induced PTI to Botrytis cinerea requires BIK1, EIN2, and HUB1 but not genes involved in salicylate (SA) functions. BIK1-mediated PTI to Pseudomonas syringae is modulated by SA, ET, and jasmonate signaling. The coi1 mutation suppressed several bik1 phenotypes, suggesting that COI1 may act as a repressor of BIK1 function. Thus, common and distinct mechanisms underlying BIK1 function in mediating responses to distinct pathogens are uncovered. In sum, the critical role of BIK1 in plant immune responses hinges upon phosphorylation, its function in ET signaling, and complex interactions with other immune response regulators.
Mathematical Programming in Data Mining

Mathematical programming approaches to three fundamental problems will be described: feature selection, clustering and robust representation. The feature selection problem considered is that of discriminating between two sets while recognizing irrelevant and redundant features and suppressing them. This creates a lean model that often generalizes better to new unseen data. Computational results on real data confirm improved generalization of leaner models. Clustering is exemplified by the unsupervised learning of patterns and clusters that may exist in a given database and is a useful tool for knowledge discovery in databases (KDD). A mathematical programming formulation of this problem is proposed that is theoretically justifiable and computationally implementable in a finite number of steps. A resulting k-Median Algorithm is utilized to discover very useful survival curves for breast cancer patients from a medical database. Robust representation is concerned with minimizing trained model degradation when applied to new problems. A novel approach is proposed that purposely tolerates a small error in the training process in order to avoid overfitting data that may contain errors. Examples of applications of these concepts are given.
Clay Gouges in the San Andreas Fault System and their Possible Implications

In the northern and central sections of the San Andreas Fault Zone, and along Calaveras and Hayward faults, clay gouges have been found to occur on the surface and at shallow depths.
Efficient TCP over networks with wireless links

TCP is a reliable transport protocol tuned to perform well in traditional networks made up of wired links with stationary hosts. Networks with wireless links and mobile hosts violate many of the assumptions made by TCP, causing degraded performance. We describe a simple protocol that improves TCP performance by modifying network-layer software only at a basestation without violating end-to-end TCP semantics. The main idea is to cache packets at the basestation and perform focal retransmissions. Simulations of this protocol show that is it significantly more robust in the presence of multiple packet losses in a single transmission window as compared to TCP. This enables our protocol to tolerate at least 10 times as high an error rate without any performance degradation.
Prospects of Statins in Parkinson Disease

Parkinson disease (PD) is second only to Alzheimer disease as the most common neurodegenerative disorder in humans. Despite intense investigations, no effective therapy is available to halt the progression of PD. Although statins are widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs throughout the world, recent studies suggest that these drugs modulate neurodegeneration-related signaling processes and may be beneficial for PD. Simvastatin is the most potent statin in crossing the blood-brain barrier, and this particular statin drug negatively correlates with the incidence of PD and shows efficacy in animal models of PD. However, PD mainly occurs in the aging population, who are more vulnerable to cholesterol or lipid-related disorders, raising questions whether this possible beneficial effect of statins in PD patients is cholesterol dependent or cholesterol independent. This article presents data on the therapeutic efficacy of simvastatin in a chronic MPTP model of PD, reviews recent literature, and discusses the pros and cons of statin therapy in PD.
Reduce Register Files Leakage Through Discharging Cells

We propose a low-leakage register file cell design based on the observation that the physical registers in a super-scalar processor have very short life cycles. When a register is dead, we discharge its cells to `0' to greatly reduce the leakage current from the read bitlines to the ground. Our design has no impact to critical register read access path. Projected to future 45nm technology, our design yields additional 38% and 47% leakage power savings on top of the existing low-leakage cell designs for 64-bit and 32-bit datapath, respectively. Taking into the account of dynamic energy savings due to the elimination of write `0' operations, our design saves nearly 20% of total energy.
Spindle Cell Lipoma of the Foot: A Case Report and Literature Review:

Lipomas are among the most commonly encountered soft tissue tumors in clinical practice, though they are rare in the foot. Although a presumptive diagnosis is typically made clinically, those tumors with atypical clinical features may require radiological consultation. Difficulty arises when radiographic features are not typical of lipoma. We present a fatty soft tissue tumor of the foot with nonadipose elements on magnetic resonance imaging evaluation. Differentiation of lipoma variants (e.g., spindle cell lipoma, atypical lipoma, pleomorphic lipoma, lipoblastoma, angiolipoma) from liposarcoma based on imaging features is not possible, necessitating surgical resection for definitive histological diagnosis.
Multiple mucosal neuromas, pheochromocytoma and medullary carcinoma of the thyroid--a syndrome.

An analysis of 17 cases of the syndrome of multiple mucosal neuromas, pheochromocytoma and medullary carcinoma of the thyroid is presented and its relationship to similar syndromes discussed. The mucosal neuromas primarily involve the lips, anterior tongue, conjunctiva and nasal and laryngeal mucosa. Medullated corneal nerve fibers traverse the cornea and anastomose in the pupillary area. A Marfanoid build and diverticulosis may be associated findings.
High-performance polyimide waveguide array with micromirror coupler for guided-wave optoelectronic interconnects

We report the formation of high-performance polyimide waveguide arrays with 45 degree(s) micro mirror coupler fabricated at each end, which provides a high-efficiency output or input surface-normal light couple for the waveguide. This fully embedded integration provides an efficient method of optical interconnection for the board-level data communication and the multi-layer connection. We employed the Si CMOS process compatible polyimide as the fabrication material, which is relatively easy to process and has low propagation loss for light at 850 nm wavelength. A 1 X 12 waveguide array with 45 degree(s) micro mirror coupler fabricated at each end is experimentally demonstrated.
Stakeholders in Comprehensive Validation of Standards-Based Assessments: A Commentary.

Linda Cracker is a Professor of Educational Psychology, University ofFlorida, P.O. Box 11 7047 Gainesville, FL 32611-7043. Her areas of specialization are assessment development, validation, and test-taking behavior.
Die Lichtabsorption von Ni2+ und Co2+ in 2,6‐Spinellen

Die 2,6-Spinelle Co5TeO8, CoZn4TeO8, NiZn4TeO8 wurden dargestellt. Sie haben eine primitiv-kubische Uberstruktur. Die Lichtabsorption dieser Phasen wurde untersucht. Die Lagen der Banden sind im Vergleich mit denen entsprechender 2,5-Spinelle des Sb5+ nur geringfugig verschoben. The 2,6-spinels Co5TeO8, CoZn4TeO8 and NiZn4TeO8 were prepared. They have a primitive cubic superstructure. The light absorption of these phases was investigated. Only small shifts of the absorption bands compared with those of the 2,5-spinels of Sb5+ were observed.
The Drivers of Expected Returns in International Markets

This paper examines a comprehensive list of 18 different risk factors that potentially impact international equity returns. These factors include systematic risk, idiosyncratic risk, size, semi-variance, downside betas, value-at-risk, skewness, coskewness, kurtosis, political risk and country risk. I investigate whether these risk factors explain the cross-section of average returns in 47 countries. I also analyze whether the same risk factors influence developed and emerging market returns. I find evidence that an asset pricing framework that incorporates skewness has success in explaining average returns.
The construction and validation of a Death Anxiety Scale.

(1970). The Construction and Validation of a Death Anxiety Scale. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 82, No. 2, pp. 165-177.
Performance analysis of an improved 3-D PET Monte Carlo simulation and scatter correction

We are developing an accelerated Monte Carlo simulation of positron emission tomography (PET) that can be used for scatter correction of three-dimensional (3-D) PET data. Our Monte Carlo technique accurately accounts for single, multiple, and dual Compton scatter events, attenuation through the patient bed, and activity from outside the field of view. We have incorporated innovative sampling techniques that are compatible with our simulation approach, increasing computational efficiency by a factor of seven while improving accuracy through more sophisticated stratification and by incorporating the true energy response of the scanner. The required execution time to acquire 10 million scatter coincidence events for a 3-D thorax PET scan is only 4 min on a 300-MHz Sun dual-processor workstation. We demonstrate that for a low-noise thorax phantom study, image data corrected using the Monte Carlo 3-D PET scatter correction demonstrate no statistically significant deviation from the true activity concentration provided corresponding input data are accurate. The speed and accuracy of our simulation makes it an efficient research tool for studying scatter effects in PET and a practical scatter correction for 3-D PET clinical imaging.
Diabetogenic T-cell clones recognize an altered peptide of chromogranin A

Chromogranin A (ChgA) has been identified as the antigen target for three NOD-derived, diabetogenic CD4 T-cell clones, including the well-known BDC-2.5. These T-cell clones respond weakly to the peptide WE14, a naturally occurring proteolytic cleavage product from ChgA. We show here that WE14 can be converted into a highly antigenic T-cell epitope through treatment with the enzyme transglutaminase (TGase). The WE14 responses of three NOD-derived CD4 T-cell clones, each with different T-cell receptors (TCRs), and of T cells from BDC-2.5 TCR transgenic mice are increased after TGase conversion of the peptide. Primary CD4 T cells isolated from NOD mice also respond to high concentrations of WE14 and significantly lower concentrations of TGase-treated WE14. We hypothesize that posttranslational modification plays a critical role in the generation of T-cell epitopes in type 1 diabetes.
All-optical chromatic dispersion monitoring of a 40-Gb/s RZ signal by measuring the XPM-generated optical tone power in a highly nonlinear fiber

We experimentally demonstrate an all-optical chromatic dispersion (CD) monitoring technique potential for ultrahigh-speed systems. A monochromatic continuous wave probe is coupled with the tapped-off data signal into a highly nonlinear fiber. An optical tone that is sensitive to CD is generated near the probe wavelength due to the cross-phase modulation effect and is used for CD monitoring. The monitoring window is /spl plusmn/42 ps/nm for 40-Gb/s return-to-zero systems. This monitoring technique is simple and needs no modification at the transmitter.
Miconia abscondita (Melastomataceae: Miconieae), A New Species from the Massif De La Hotte, Haiti: Rediscovered in Herbaria After Being Hidden for Nearly Nine Decades

Abstract In the course of a taxonomic revision of several clades of Greater Antillean Melastomataceae, we discovered a previously undescribed species, Miconia abscondita, from the Massif de la Hotte, Haiti. Miconia abscondita is based on a vegetative collection by Swedish botanist, E. L. Ekman, which was made in 1926. This new species is a member of the Mecranium clade, a group well supported on the basis of both morphological and molecular data, but which is highly embedded within the phylogenetic structure of the genus Miconia. Miconia abscondita is clearly placed within the Mecranium clade on the basis of DNA sequence data, and this placement also is supported by the form of its hairs and, especially, the pattern of stem indumentum; however, it matches no currently described species. Miconia abscondita is thus described, illustrated, and compared with putatively related and/or phenetically similar species. The discovery of M. abscondita brings to 25 the number of recognized species within the Mecranium...
Coupling carboxylic acid reductase to inorganic pyrophosphatase enhances cell-free in vitro aldehyde biosynthesis

Abstract Carboxylic acid reductases (CARs) have been harnessed in metabolic pathways to produce aldehydes in engineered organisms. However, desired aldehyde products inhibit cell growth and limit product titers currently achievable from fermentative processes. Aldehyde toxicity can be entirely circumvented by performing aldehyde biosynthesis in non-cellular systems. Use of purified CARs for preparative-scale aldehyde synthesis has been limited by in vitro turnover of model CARs, such as Car Ni from Nocardia iowensis , despite robust conversion of substrates associated with expression in heterologous hosts such as E. coli and yeast. In this study, we report that in vitro activity of Car Ni is inhibited by formation of the co-product pyrophosphate, and that pairing of an inorganic pyrophosphatase (Ppa Ec ) with Car Ni substantially improves the rate and yield of aldehyde biosynthesis. We demonstrate that, in the presence of Ppa Ec , Michaelis–Menten kinetic models based on initial rate measurements accurately predict Car Ni kinetics within an in vitro pathway over longer timescales. We rationalize our novel observations for Car Ni by examining previously posed arguments for pyrophosphate hydrolysis made in the context of other adenylate-forming enzymes. Overall, our findings may aid in increasing adoption of CARs for cell-free in vitro aldehyde biosynthetic processes.
Small-signal stability assessment of a single-phase solid state transformer through PHIL experiment

Power electronic-based components (PECs) such as solid state transformers (SSTs), fault isolation devices (FIDs), power electronic-based converters, and motor drives provide highly useful features such as, load regulation, high power factor injection, and improved transient performance for power electronic-based distribution systems (PEDS). In contemporary power systems, which have high penetrations of renewable energy resources, as well as the inclusion of PECs. However, the drawback of including PECs in the system is that they can operate as negative impedances while connected to the constant power loads (CPLs) in the PEDS and CPLs are prone to small-signal instability due to their high power factor and constant-power nature in the system. Therefore, small-signal stability of the PEDS plays a prominent role in the systems analysis. In this paper, a new small-signal stability analysis method, based on d-q impedance measurement and generalised Nyquist criterion (GNC), is developed, and the stability of an SST is comprehensively investigated under various loading conditions and through power hardware-in-the-loop (PHIL) experimentation.
Predicting Cumulative Stream Power in Ungauged, Rural Watersheds

The vast majority locations where an assessment of historical stream power might be required (e.g., bridge sites) do not have the stream flow gage data needed for calculations. This paper describes and illustrates an approach to developing cumulative stream power estimates independent of time-series stream flow data, and using commonly-available geospatial and hydrologic data. This probabilistic method incorporates numerical watershed models and rainfall frequency estimates, coupled with a hydraulic model that translates flow rate into the depth and velocity. To illustrate, cumulative stream power was computed at a site (watershed area: 16 mi) according to two different methods: (1) utilizing available historical stream flow data, and (2) utilizing a watershed model coupled with probabilistic representations of rainfall depths. Findings show that in the shorter term (i.e., between 0 – 20 years), the difference between probabilistic (i.e., ‘predicted’) and gage-based (i.e., ‘actual’) cumulative stream power may differ considerably. However, when the probabilistic approach is applied over a sufficiently lengthy time period (i.e., beyond 20 years), the stream power computed by both methods can converge to less than 3% difference.
The Sociology of Development

This paper summarizes the main theories conventionally associated with the sociology of development as well as the arguments of the principal scholars focused on what “works” to bring about economic development and social progress. This line of argument ushered the rising consensus across the social sciences that the prime causal role belongs to institutions. However, the empirical literature that has followed from this consensus has been marred by a lack of proper definition of the concept and a tendency to use nations as units of analysis, neglecting their internal complexity. The last sections summarize a recently completed study of twenty-three Latin American institutions in five countries. The study shows the feasibility of studying institutions empirically and highlights a series of important differences among then and across countries. The solution provided by Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to the defining determinants of a developmental institution highlights the central role of meritocracy, absence of internal cliques and, in particular, proactivity toward the external environment. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.
Measurement of thiocyanate radical in milk by ion chromatography

Objective:To establish an effective way to measure thiocyanate radical in milk.Methods:15% acetone,7.0 mmol/L Na2CO3 and 1.0 mmol/L NaHCO3 was used as the washings lotion to treat the sample.Results:The method had good linearity(r=0.9997),RSDs were 1.08%(n=6),and the recoveries were between 99.7%~100.2%.Conlusion:The meathod is effective and convenient,which can be easily adopoted.
'Salience' and the Licensing of Instrument Subjects

It has been observed that the realization of instruments as subjects is tightly constrained, both within and across languages ([1], [2], [3], [4], [5]). The following English data illustrates this: the licensing of an instrument subject is felicitous in (1), marginal in the absence of a supporting discourse in (2), and ungrammatical (on a non-surrealist reading) in (3). (1) The club broke the glass. (cf. Dan broke the glass with a club.)(2) ?? A pen wrote the ransom note. (cf. Dan wrote the ransom note with a pen.)(3) * A flashlight read the book. (cf. Dan read the book with a flashlight.)Some previous accounts have argued that the licensing conditions for instrument subjects are located entirely within event structure (e.g. [3], [5]). Others have invoked the more general cognitive notion of salience, proposing that all else being equal, highly salient instruments make better subjects ([2], cf. [4]). This paper provides further support for the role of salience and unpacks the notion as it relates to licensing. "Salience" in this narrow sense is a specific construct at the semantics-pragmatics interface, consisting of both an event-level relation and its pragmatic presupposition and activation in a discourse.I propose that the event-level relation that underlies the licensing of instrument subjects is actor, in the sense of Jackendoff 1990 [6]: an entity that physically affects a patient, i.e. contributes to a change of state or location. When an instrument is not an actor, as in (3), it cannot be realized as subject. Instrument actors are preferentially linked as subjects if the actor relation is salient in the discourse. For this reason, instrument subjects that are marginal in isolation, such as (2), improve significantly when the actor relation is presupposed, as in contrastive focus (4) and it-clefts (5). In both cases, the actor relation is presupposed and highly salient; only the specific qualities of the instrument or event are under discussion.(4a) The RED pen wrote the ransom note. (Not the BLUE one.)(4b) The pen WROTE the ransom note. (It didn't TEAR it.)(5) It's THIS PEN that wrote the ransom note.This paper provides evidence that the formulation of "salience" as a specific interface construct also underlies the licensing of instrument subjects in Modern Hebrew, which patterns like English in its counterparts to (1)-(5). These results are situated within a model of licensing that privileges licensing triggers beyond verb meaning - a model in which event-level and discourse-level constraints interact in the licensing of referential expressions.
Identifying the topology of signaling networks from partial RNAi data.

Background Methods for inferring signaling networks using single gene knockdown RNAi experiments and reference networks have been proposed in recent years. These methods assume that RNAi information is available for all the genes in the signal transduction pathway, i.e., complete. This assumption does not always hold up since RNAi experiments are often incomplete and information for some genes is missing.
Church, World and the Christian Life: A theodramatic horizon

The previous chapter described and critically analyzed some of the methodological characteristics of modern ecclesiology. These characteristics make it significantly more difficult than it need be for theologians who focus upon the church to carry out one of their chief responsibilities, namely to reflect critically and practically upon the church's concrete identity. As a consequence, contemporary ecclesiology does not contribute as much as it could to the church's task of glorying in Jesus Christ alone and of aiding the church's disciples to embody their witness as truthfully as possible within particular ecclesiological contexts. Indeed, blueprint ecclesiologies sometimes obstruct the church's efforts. The chapter also began to note some of the elements of an alternative approach. The contextual criterion supports the principle that ecclesiology should be as explicit as possible about the many judgments it must make, including its construal of the ecclesiological context. Every theological proposal should be assessed not only with regard to its conformity to Scripture and the tradition of its interpretation, but also with regard to its fittingness for a particular ecclesiological context. All ecclesiological judgments are made within an ecclesiological context, and all should serve the church's work within that context. Later chapters will present further analysis of modern ecclesiology in relation to the ecclesiological context. The concern of the present chapter is to consider one of the most significant of the background elements of ecclesiology, namely the horizon or metanarrative. This, we recall, provides the over-arching framework within which other judgments are made, judgments about how to interpret Scripture and tradition, and how to construe the mode of God's presence, the church's past and present identity, and the ecclesiological context.
MicroPIV measurements of flows induced by rotating microparticles near a boundary

We report on the hydrodynamics induced by single-digit micron-sized superparamagnetic particles rotating at low Reynolds number and analyze the resultant flow fields using microparticle image velocimetry (µPIV). Magnetic microparticles floating a few nanometers above a glass substrate, in an otherwise quiescent fluid, were actuated wirelessly using a rotating magnetic field controlled using two pairs of orthogonally positioned electromagnetic coils. A high-speed camera was used to sufficiently capture the motion of nanometer-sized seeding particles at 500 frames per second as well as track the rotation of microparticles. Data from µPIV are compared with the analytical solution for Stokes flow generated by a sphere in an infinite fluid and numerical simulations using finite element analysis. Two-dimensional velocity data obtained from stacks of planar flow fields at incremental depths for individual microparticles show non-symmetrical profiles that are an indication of increased viscous effects due to the boundary confining wall. Additionally, the flow fields generated by two particles, at various separation distances, are also analyzed. It is observed that as two synchronously rotating beads, of approximately equal diameter, are placed closed together, complex flows offset, superimpose, and merge into single, larger microvortices. We find that the flow fields generated by two physically bound microparticles, rotating as one unit, are well approximated by the flow generated by a single microparticle with twice the diameter.
Efficient hydrogen evolution by ternary molybdenum sulfoselenide particles on self-standing porous nickel diselenide foam

With the massive consumption of fossil fuels and its detrimental impact on the environment, methods of generating clean power are urgent. Hydrogen is an ideal carrier for renewable energy; however, hydrogen generation is inefficient because of the lack of robust catalysts that are substantially cheaper than platinum. Therefore, robust and durable earth-abundant and cost-effective catalysts are desirable for hydrogen generation from water splitting via hydrogen evolution reaction. Here we report an active and durable earth-abundant transition metal dichalcogenide-based hybrid catalyst that exhibits high hydrogen evolution activity approaching the state-of-the-art platinum catalysts, and superior to those of most transition metal dichalcogenides (molybdenum sulfide, cobalt diselenide and so on). Our material is fabricated by growing ternary molybdenum sulfoselenide particles on self-standing porous nickel diselenide foam. This advance provides a different pathway to design cheap, efficient and sizable hydrogen-evolving electrode by simultaneously tuning the number of catalytic edge sites, porosity, heteroatom doping and electrical conductivity.
Treatment of RV Outflow Tract Dysfunction: New Valve Technologies

Approximately 22 % of all congenital heart disease patients have an abnormality of the right ventricular outflow tract. During the course of surgery for this condition, approximately 23 % of the patients will receive some form of a valved RV to PA conduit. These patients are candidates for the Medtronic Melody transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) or, in some parts of the world, the Edwards SAPIEN pulmonic valve (Edwards Lifesciences Corp., Irvine, CA). However, approximately 77 % of patients will have surgical correction of the RV outflow tract with patch enlargement, with or without pulmonary valvectomy, and many will have a transannular patch placed. Most of these patients will be left with significant pulmonary regurgitation (PR) resulting in RV volume overload and potential RV dysfunction later in life. Developing a transcatheter pulmonary valve to fit this complex anatomy was much more challenging than the design of the Melody TPV for RV-PA conduit dysfunction.
Software - the key to making virtual instruments practical

The RF multi-function test system (RFMTS) was developed to address a wide variety of RF test demands and targeted at radically reducing test times. Practical interfacing and software are what make this system a viable and practical tool in a manufacturing and/or depot environment. This paper focuses on the software architecture and tools developed to allow the extensive capabilities of the hardware to be readily applied to meet a comprehensive set of test requirements.
Computing reach-avoid sets for space vehicle docking under continuous thrust

We compute the reach-avoid set for space vehicle rendezvous and docking under continuous thrust. We model the space vehicle dynamics through the Clohessy-Wiltshire-Hill (CWH) equations, resulting in a switched hybrid system with affine, time-invariant dynamics. We exploit a closed-form solution to the CWH equations to analytically determine evolution of the boundary of the reach-avoid set, then modify the cost function of the reach-avoid variational equations to identify minimum thrust trajectories. Our contribution is two-fold: 1) the set of states from which there exists a maneuver (irrespective of the cost) that will allow a spacecraft to reach a target while remaining within a line-of-sight cone, and 2) a minimum-thrust cost that allows quick assessment, for points that lie within the reach-avoid set, of minimum fuel trajectories.