cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Aesthetics of Energy Resilience

Energy (electricity) is a central aspect of global sustainability and resilience. Production and consumption of energy has risen continuously over the past 200 years and is expected to double by 2050. Almost all of the discourse on energy production and consumption has been scientific, technological and economically based. This chapter goes beyond conventional technological and economic issues to encompass social, cultural, spatial and aesthetic elements in electric power generation, transmission and consumption. It provides examples of integrating aesthetic concepts into power plants, transmission systems and energy consumption. Benefits and ROI (return on investment) of energy aesthetics are explored. The chapter closes with suggestions for integrated aesthetic design to make energy systems more ecologically and socially sustainable.
Is family history of alcohol dependence a risk factor for disturbed sleep in alcohol dependent subjects

Abstract Background Disturbed sleep and a family history of alcohol dependence (AD) are risk factors for developing AD, yet the underlying relationship between them is unclear among individuals with AD. Understanding these inherited associations will help us not only identify risk for development of these comorbid disorders, but also individualize treatment at this interface. We evaluated whether a first-degree family history of AD (FH+) was a risk factor for sleep continuity disturbance in patients with AD. We also evaluated whether alcohol use or mood disturbance moderated the relationship between FH and sleep. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional baseline data from an alcohol clinical trial in a sample of individuals with AD (N = 280). Their family history of AD among nuclear family members, sleep complaints, alcohol use (over the last 90 days), and mood disturbance were assessed using the Family History Interview for Substance and Mood Disorders, Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale, Time Line Follow-Back Interview, and Profile of Mood States–Short Form, respectively. Results A FH + status (65% of subjects) was significantly associated with lower model estimated mean sleep adequacy (β = - 7.05, p = 0.02) and sleep duration (β = - 0.38, p = 0.04) scale scores. FH was not associated with sleep disturbance scale. No significant moderating effect involving alcohol use or mood disturbance was seen. Conclusion Family history of AD is a unique risk factor for sleep complaints in AD. Non-restorative sleep and sleep duration may be noteworthy phenotypes to help probe for underlying genotypic polymorphisms in these comorbid disorders.
Enhancing Learning Using Classroom Games and Exercises

The measure of quality in the classroom is how much students learn, and students learn more then they are engaged with the material being taught. This article discusses the use of classroom games, exercises, and simulations to motivate learning, to prov..
Melatonin, Nitric Oxide Synthase and Oxidative Stress: Implications in Aging

Age-related changes in cerebral functions are believed to be partially due to an imbalance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant factors.1 To compensate for this imbalance, dietary supplementation with various antioxidant agents is being tested.2 We have been studying the neuroprotective and biochemical role of melatonin.3 Melatonin, an indoleamine derivative of serotonin, is synthesized within the pineal body, and melatonin levels in the plasma have been noted to decrease with age.4 The effects of addition of melatonin to the diet over an extended time have been studied with emphasis on age-related changes in two indices of oxidant activity: the rate of formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activity of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Ages of mice that reflected middle adulthood and pre-senescent periods rather than stages of early development or extreme age were selected.
A first order normal to superfluid transition: prewetting in the 4He-rich film below liquid 3He

We summarize our earlier work on the prewetting transition in the 4 He-rich film in contact, with liquid 3 He at low temperatures. We make a new fit to the cxperimental data using a simpler assumption than previously. The strong pressure dependence of the jump in film thickness at the transition D min (P) is quantitatively explained. It is due to the depletion of the 3 He concentration in the superfluid film. This is caused by the van der Waals field of the wall. As a result of the pressure dependence, the prewetting line begins at a quantum (T = 0) critical point at 13.2 atm. The T = 0 dewetting pressure is predicted to be 32.5 atm. The low temperature phase diagrams for the system are drawn in the D s vs pressure plane and in the plane (μ 4 - μ 3 ) vs μ 3 , where μ 4 and μ 3 are the chemical potentials, We predict that the prewetting line is metastable above an applied pressure of 25.75 atm. Above this pressure, bulk hcp 4 He crystals should appear.
Making American Friends: The Effects of Musical Tastes and English Proficiency on Chinese International Students’ Social Networks in the United States

This study investigated the relationship between Chinese international students’ social networks in the United States and their musical tastes. Based on concept of homophily, this study used a self...
Computational fluid dynamics after endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery-possible empty nose syndrome in the context of middle turbinate resection.

BACKGROUND Empty nose syndrome (ENS) is a rare and debilitating disease with a controversial definition, etiology, and treatment. One puzzling fact is that patients who undergo an endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) often have resection of multiple anatomic structures, yet seldom develop ENS. In this pilot study, we analyzed and compared the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and symptoms among post-EEA patients, ENS patients, and healthy subjects. METHODS Computed tomography scans of 4 post-EEA patients were collected and analyzed using CFD techniques. Two patients had significant ENS symptoms based on results of the Empty Nose Syndrome 6-item Questionnaire (score >11), whereas the other 2 were asymptomatic. As a reference, their results were compared with previously published CFD results of 27 non-EEA ENS patients and 42 healthy controls. RESULTS Post-EEA patients with ENS symptoms had a similar nasal airflow pattern as non-EEA ENS patients. This pattern differed significantly from that of EEA patients without ENS symptoms and healthy controls. Overall, groups with ENS symptoms exhibited airflow dominant in the middle meatus region and a significantly lower percentage of airflow in the inferior turbinate region (EEA with ENS, 17.74 ± 4.00% vs EEA without ENS, 51.25 ± 3.33% [t test, p < 0.02]; non-EEA ENS, 25.8 ± 17.6%; healthy subjects, 36.5 ± 15.9%) as well as lower peak wall shear stress (EEA with ENS, 0.30 ± 0.13 Pa vs EEA without ENS, 0.61 ± 0.03 Pa [p = 0.003]; non-EEA ENS, 0.58 ± 0.24 Pa; healthy subjects, 1.18 ± 0.81 Pa). CONCLUSION These results suggest that turbinectomy and/or posterior septectomy may have a varying functional impact and that ENS symptoms go beyond anatomy and correlate with aerodynamic changes. The findings open the door for CFD as a potential objective diagnosis tool for ENS.
Marginalization of Alternative Gender and Sexual Identities: The Role of Normative Discursive Practices in Chilean Society

In Chile, a variety of conventionalized metonymic comments and address terms are used in everyday discursive practices as a means of ridiculing gender and sexual minorities. Language provides a tool for associating gender or sexually non-normative males with women, either by alluding to their effeminacy, their sexual passivity, or a combination of the two. By presupposing an intrinsic relationship between gender and sexual orientation, these heterosexist comments play a vital role in maintaining the standard social expectations surrounding gender and sexuality, consequently subordinating individuals who do not adhere to these norms. Although seen as harmless jokes by those who regularly employ them, I argue that by derogating gender and sexual minorities, heterosexist commentary is a powerful force that engenders the reproduction of heteronormative beliefs in society.
Alcohol use in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver: a tangled web of causality

Wine consumption was first associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease in 1979 (1); subsequent studies, including several meta-analyses, showing a J-shaped association with modest alcohol consumption (especially for wine and beer) associated with a lower rate of cardiovascular complications and all-cause mortality, compared with abstention and heavy alcohol use (2).
Body image, cosmetic surgery, and minimally invasive treatments

Over the past 60 years, a growing body of research has investigated the psychological aspects of cosmetic surgery and related minimally-invasive treatments. While the earliest studies were influenced by psychoanalytic thinking, much of the work over the past several decades has been influenced by Thomas Cash's cognitive-behavioral theory of body image and has focused on the appearance concerns of patients who seek these procedures. The majority of individuals interested in the procedures report heightened dissatisfaction typically focused on the feature being considered for treatment. Studies from around the world also have suggested that between 5-15% of patients who present for cosmetic procedures meet diagnostic criteria for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). While individuals with BDD typically do not report a reduction in their BDD symptoms following a cosmetic procedure, the great majority of patients without the disorder do report improvement in body image. The paper reviews this literature and also discusses the role of body image in three newer areas of plastic surgery-body contouring after massive weight loss, genital procedures (either for cosmetic purposes or as part of gender reassignment), and vascularized composite allotransplantation, including face and hand transplantation.
Increased Hazard of Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction in the Presence of Persistent and Complement Fixing Donor-Specific Antibodies

Purpose Long-term survival in lung transplant recipients (LTR) is limited in large part due to chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). Donor-specific antibodies (DSA) have been previously associated with more rapid high-grade rejection and mortality. Characteristics of these DSA may predict which antibodies are more harmful than others. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if C1q+ DSA is associated with increased CLAD in LTRs versus no DSA and C1q- DSA. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of adult LTRs. Clinical data was extracted from the electronic medical record and laboratory systems. Patients were tested by Luminex Single Antigen Bead (SAB) IgG and C1q. IgG-SAB MFI > 1000 and C1q-SAB MFI > 500 were considered positive. DSA that were positive at more than one time point were classified as persistent, while those that were not were considered transient. Patients were grouped as no DSA, C1q- DSA, or C1q+ DSA. The primary outcome was CLAD. Secondary outcomes included CLAD subtypes of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) and restrictive allograft syndrome (RAS). Outcomes were assessed using Kaplan-Meier methods and multivariable Cox regression with a time-dependent covariate. Results 582 LTRs were analyzed. 335 (57.6%) had no DSA, 194 (33.3%) were DSA+ C1q-, and 53 (9.1%) were DSA+ C1q+. Of 247 LTRs who developed any DSA, Class II DSA (206 LTRs, 84%) were more common than Class I DSA (106, 43%), including those with both classes. 177 LTRs (72%) had persistent DSA, including all 53 with C1q+ DSA . There was no difference in time to CLAD for any DSA vs no DSA (p=0.26). Patients with persistent DSA had shorter time to CLAD vs no DSA and transient DSA (p=0.04) and trended towards significance on multivariable assessment (HR: 1.70 95%CI: 1.00-2.92, p=0.05). DSA+ Cq1+ had shorter time to CLAD vs no DSA and DSA+ C1q- (p Conclusion Persistent DSA were associated with shorter time to CLAD. C1q+ DSA were associated with increased hazard of CLAD, BOS, and RAS. Larger cohorts are needed to evaluate other clinical outcomes.
Alternative splicing, RNA-seq and drug discovery

Alternative splicing, hereafter referred to as AS, is an essential component of gene expression regulation that contributes to the diversity of proteomes. Recent developments in RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technologies, combined with the advent of computational tools, have enabled transcriptome-wide studies of AS at an unprecedented scale and resolution. RNA mis-splicing can cause human disease, and to target alternative splicing has led to the development of novel therapeutics. Splice variants diversify the repertoire of biomarkers and functionally contribute to drug resistance. Our expanding knowledge of AS variation in human populations holds great promise for improving disease diagnoses and ultimately patient care in the era of sequencing and precision medicine.
Rapidly Assembling Pentapeptides for Injectable Delivery (RAPID) Hydrogels as Cytoprotective Cell Carriers

Low cell survival after syringe injection hampers the success of preclinical and clinical cell transplantation trials. During syringe injection, cells experience mechanical forces that lead to cell-membrane disruption and decreased viability. To improve cell survival, we designed rapidly assembling pentapeptides for injectable delivery (RAPID) hydrogels that shear-thin, protect cells from extensional flow, form fibers, and provide mechanical properties similar to native tissue. We found that 1.5 wt % RAPID hydrogels mitigate the damaging effects of extensional flow, resulting in significantly greater cell viability (of common laboratory cell lines, primary cells, and human cells) than cells injected in PBS.
Selective Control of Bentgrass in ‘True Putt’ Creeping Bluegrass

Abstract The ability to selectively control a specific cool-season grass growing in a mixed stand would offer great advantages to turfgrass managers. It is common for monostands of creeping bentgra...
Recursive Sampling for the Nyström Method

We give the first algorithm for kernel Nystrom approximation that runs in linear time in the number of training points and is provably accurate for all kernel matrices, without dependence on regularity or incoherence conditions. The algorithm projects the kernel onto a set of s landmark points sampled by their ridge leverage scores, requiring just O(ns) kernel evaluations and O(ns^2) additional runtime. While leverage score sampling has long been known to give strong theoretical guarantees for Nystrom approximation, by employing a fast recursive sampling scheme, our algorithm is the first to make the approach scalable. Empirically we show that it finds more accurate kernel approximations in less time than popular techniques such as classic Nystrom approximation and the random Fourier features method.
Recent progress in study of dynamically responsive materials with tailorable microstructural geometric nonlinearities

It is known that strongly nonlinear materials exhibit rich acoustic behavior. Studies of such materials have hitherto been conducted on disparate material systems that leverage either intrinsic material nonlinearities (which could also be thought as geometric in origin depending on the scales considered) or microstructural geometric nonlinearities. While the latter group has been shown to be tunable to a limited extent, the capacity to freely transition between types of nonlinearity has remained out of grasp. In this talk, I will provide an overview of our group's recent work to use topology optimization algorithms to construct periodic microstructure geometries that have specified nonlinear constitutive responses, along with our exploration of elastic wave propagation within such materials.It is known that strongly nonlinear materials exhibit rich acoustic behavior. Studies of such materials have hitherto been conducted on disparate material systems that leverage either intrinsic material nonlinearities (which could also be thought as geometric in origin depending on the scales considered) or microstructural geometric nonlinearities. While the latter group has been shown to be tunable to a limited extent, the capacity to freely transition between types of nonlinearity has remained out of grasp. In this talk, I will provide an overview of our group's recent work to use topology optimization algorithms to construct periodic microstructure geometries that have specified nonlinear constitutive responses, along with our exploration of elastic wave propagation within such materials.
Open manufacturing: a design-for-resilience approach

Open systems have been of interest to the research and industrial community for decades, e.g. software development, telecommunication, and innovation. The presence of open manufacturing enterprises...
Within-subject evaluation of interim buprenorphine treatment during waitlist delays.

Abstract Background The effectiveness of opioid agonist treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is well established, and delays to treatment are still common, particularly in rural geographic areas. In a randomized 12-week pilot study, we demonstrated initial efficacy of a technology-assisted Interim Buprenorphine Treatment (IBT) vs. continued waitlist control (WLC) for reducing illicit opioid use and other risk behaviors during waitlist delays. Upon completion of that parent trial, WLC participants were given the opportunity to receive 12 weeks of IBT, permitting an additional within-subject examination of IBT effects. Methods Sixteen WLC participants crossed over to receive IBT, involving buprenorphine maintenance with bi-monthly visits, medication administration at home via a computerized device, daily monitoring calls using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) phone system, and IVR-generated random call-backs. Biochemically-verified illicit opioid abstinence, changes in psychosocial functioning, and HIV + HCV knowledge were examined among participants originally randomized to the WLC phase and who subsequently crossed over to IBT (IBTc). Results Participants submitted a higher percentage of illicit opioid negative specimens at Weeks 4, 8, and 12 during IBT (75 %, 63 %, and 50 %) vs. WLC (0%, 0%, and 0%), respectively (p’s Conclusions This within-subject evaluation provides additional support for interim buprenorphine’s efficacy in reducing illicit opioid use and improving health outcomes during waitlist delays for more comprehensive treatment.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Leaching of Peach Orchard in Zhihugang Region of Tai Lake with Different Fertilization Treatments Under Simulated Condition

Soil column studies were conducted with peach orchard soil from Zhihugang region of Tai lake to assess the effects of different fertilization treatments following local farmers' fertilization practice on nitrogen(N)and phosphorus(P)leaching.The result indicated that:There was no significant difference in pH values in leachate of different treatments after late stage of experiment,but the pH value in leachate of two organic fertilizer(made from digested livestock manure)treatments were lower than other treatments during prophase.The peaks of electrical conductivity(EC),total nitrogen,and water-soluble phosphorus concentration in leachate were occurred on the simulated irrigation period,and that of treatments treated by controlled release fertilizer(CRF)were lower than other treatments.The rate of N loss of farmers' fertilization practice(FFP)was highest among other treatments as 68.98%,and that of treatments treated with controlled released fertilizer were significantly lower than other treatments,the lowest of that was 24.46%.The forms of N in leachate were mainly nitrate for CRF and common fertilizer(CF)treatment,and amide-nitrogen or organic nitrogen for other treatments.Compared with other no-organic fertilizer treatments,adding organic fertilizer significantly increased the total phosphorus leaching amount and water-soluble phosphorus concentration.Total phosphorus loss from the treatment of farmer's traditional fertilization was 16.73times of that from the CRF treatment.The promotion of CRF in Zhihugang Region of Tai lake could decrease leaching loss of N and P,and reduce pollution of ground water.
What Happened to Your College Town: The Changing Relationship of Higher Education and College Towns, 1940–2000

This essay examines the history of what is commonly called the town-gown relationship in American college towns in the six decades after the Second World War. A time of considerable expansion of higher education enrollment and function, the period also marks an increasing detachment of higher education institutions from their local communities. Once closely tied by university offices that advised the bulk of their students in off-campus housing, those bonds between town and gown began to come apart in the 1970s, due primarily to legal and economic factors that restricted higher education institutions’ outreach. Given the importance of off-campus life to college students, over half of whom have historically lived off campus, the essay argues for increased research on college towns in the history of higher education.
Antitrust Enforcement by Local Prosecutors: Impediments and Prospects

Many antitrust violations occur at the local level, there are state laws prohibiting unfair competitive practices, and local prosecuting attorneys are empowered to enforce those laws. Why, then, are not more antitrust cases filed at the local level? This Article will attempt to answer that question by presenting an analysis of the major impediments to local antitrust prosecution. The discussion will focus primarily upon the most frequently raised objections to local enforcement and arguments will be presented to counter those objections. Finally, solutions to some of the practical problems encountered will be proposed. The arguments which the Article presents were formulated as a result of the author’s personal experience in handling antitrust cases in San Diego County, California, and it is intended that this analysis of local antitrust prosecution will serve as an aid to both California district attorneys and local prosecutors in other jurisdictions as well. It is the author’s position that in certain cases antitrust violations can and should be prosecuted by local officials.
Clinical outcomes following one-, two-, three-, and four-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a national database study.

ABSTRACT Background Context Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a common surgical procedure. There is markedly less data on outcomes after three- and four-level cases than one- and two-level cases. Purpose To compare perioperative 90-day adverse events and five-year reoperation rates between isolated one-, two-, three-, and four-level ACDF cases. Study Design/Setting Retrospective review of a large national database Patient Sample Overall, 97,081 patients undergoing ACDF were identified, of which one-level cases were 42,382 (43.7%), two-level cases were 24,055 (24.8%), three-level cases were 28,293 (29.1%), and four-level cases were 2,361 (2.4%). Outcome Measures Ninety-day adverse events and five-year reoperation rates. Methods The 2010 to Q1 2020 PearlDiver database was queried to identify patients who underwent elective ACDF for degenerative pathology without corpectomy or concomitant posterior procedures. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to compare outcomes of sub-cohorts with varying number of levels addressed by ACDF. Results Of the 97,081 cases identified, patient characteristics and complication rates differed between the cohorts defined by levels treated. Univariate analyses revealed statistically different rates of 90-day any, serious, and minor adverse event rates between the groups, but the differences were all less than 2.5%. Readmission rates were statistically different by 2.9%, dysphagia by 3.2%, and prolonged length of stay (LOS) by 6.3%.By multivariate analyses, three-level ACDF cases were not found to have greater 90-day adverse outcomes than two-level cases. Four-level ACDF cases were found to have significantly greater odds ratios (OR) of readmission, dysphagia, and prolonged LOS (relative to one-level cases, OR 1.28, 1.63, and 1.97, respectively) but not other 90-day adverse events.Reoperation rates at five years for one-, two-, three-, and four-level cases were 13.0%, 13.5%, 15.0%, and 22.1%, respectively (log-rank p Conclusion The current study represents one of the largest comparative studies of patients undergoing one-, two-, three-, and four-level ACDF. While odds of 90-day adverse events were not greater for three- vs two-level cases, four-level cases had several that were higher odds than one-level cases. Reoperation and dysphagia rates were higher for four-level cases than lesser levels. While these outcomes were found to be acceptable, they should help guide hospital planning and patient counselling.
VARIATION OF POLAR CORONAL HOLE PROFILES WITH SOLAR CYCLE

We compared the H I Lyα polar coronal hole profiles obtained during the three Spartan 201 flights (in 1993, 1994, and 1995) and during the more recent UVCS/SOHO mission. We found that at 2.1 R ⊙ there are no significant variations of the line shape over the several years of the descending phase of the solar cycle. However, there may be some evidence for the 1.8 R ⊙ profiles being broader towards solar minimum. The profiles at 2.1 R⊙ are different from profiles obtained at 1.8 R⊙ ; they have clearly narrower cores and wide wings. We fitted the profiles with single and/or multiple Gaussian functions and calculated their typical 1/e half widths.
Scientific, Legal, and Ethical Foundations for Texas Water Law

Water law is the field of law concerned with the ownership, control, and use of water resources, both surface and subsurface. Although most closely related to property law, recent developments in other legal fields, especially in environmental law, have heavily influenced the interpretation, application, and development of water law. As a result, water law today encompasses a broad perspective and often takes into account individual and community rights, environmental issues, commerce and economics, and other societal and legal concerns. Significantly, modern water law is also an interdisciplinary practice. In light of the continuously expanding body of knowledge of the hydrologic cycle, groundwater flow, wetlands, and fresh water resources, in general, the field has expanded to include scientific considerations related to the management, use, and allocation of fresh water resources. It is now no longer enough merely to be versed in water law. Rather, a water lawyer today must understand technical concepts such as hydrostatic pressure and Darcy’s law, flow regimes and drainage basins, and consumptive uses and crop yields. Ultimately, though, water law advances societal values and goals related to fresh water resources. It is a means for bridging the gap between the demand for water and the availability of the resource. And therein lays the challenge - learning to practice water law to better society as well as to ensure the client’s interests. Section I of this chapter provides an overview of the scientific, legal, and ethical foundations that are pertinent to Texas water law. Section II discusses the availability of fresh water in Texas and beyond, and Section III addresses the hydrologic cycle and its relevance to water law. Section IV covers some of the basic concepts of the science of water that are particularly significant for understanding and applying water law. Last, Sections V and VI discuss the value and ethic of water.
A Distribution Function Arising in Computational Biology

Karlin and Altschul in their statistical analysis for multiple high-scoring segments in molecular sequences introduced a distribution function which gives the probability there are at least r distinct and consistently ordered segment pairs all with score at least x. For long sequences this distribution can be expressed in terms of the distribution of the length of the longest increasing subsequence in a random permutation. Within the past few years, this last quantity has been extensively studied in the mathematics literature. The purpose of this note is to summarize these new mathematical developments in a form suitable for use in computational biology.
A Statistician Reads the Sports Pages: Pucksberry: What We Can Learn from Hexagonal Plots of NHL Data

Kirk Goldsberry is not only a geographer by training, he's the geekiest star of Grantland, the online magazine hosted by ESPN. He's made his reputation by combining novel tracking data from Nationa...
Electrostatic Similarity Analysis of Human β-Defensin Binding in the Melanocortin System

The β-defensins are a class of small cationic proteins that serve as components of numerous systems in vertebrate biology, including the immune and melanocortin systems. Human β-defensin 3 (HBD3), which is produced in the skin, has been found to bind to melanocortin receptors 1 and 4 through complementary electrostatics, a unique mechanism of ligand-receptor interaction. This finding indicates that electrostatics alone, and not specific amino acid contact points, could be sufficient for function in this ligand-receptor system, and further suggests that other small peptide ligands could interact with these receptors in a similar fashion. Here, we conducted molecular-similarity analyses and functional studies of additional members of the human β-defensin family, examining their potential as ligands of melanocortin-1 receptor, through selection based on their electrostatic similarity to HBD3. Using Poisson-Boltzmann electrostatic calculations and molecular-similarity analysis, we identified members of the human β-defensin family that are both similar and dissimilar to HBD3 in terms of electrostatic potential. Synthesis and functional testing of a subset of these β-defensins showed that peptides with an HBD3-like electrostatic character bound to melanocortin receptors with high affinity, whereas those that were anticorrelated to HBD3 showed no binding affinity. These findings expand on the central role of electrostatics in the control of this ligand-receptor system and further demonstrate the utility of employing molecular-similarity analysis. Additionally, we identified several new potential ligands of melanocortin-1 receptor, which may have implications for our understanding of the role defensins play in melanocortin physiology.
Superior optical limiting, stabilization, and spatio-temporal reshaping of ultrashort laser pulses in an opto-stable intrinsic polymer film

A chemically modified poly(fluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (PFBT) polymer film is reported to exhibit high two-photon absorbing capability and chemical/physical stability upon the action of high-power laser pulses of ∼780 nm wavelength and ∼160 fs duration. A nonlinear transmission measurement is conducted by varying the input intensity from ∼20 to ∼600 GW/cm2, the corresponding nonlinear transmission of a ∼70 μm thick film is reduced from ∼0.8 to 0.18, indicating a superior optical limiting behavior. In the meantime, intensity fluctuation of laser pulses can be significantly reduced after passing through the same film sample. Based on the intensity-dependent nonlinear attenuation mechanism, a straightforward optical reshaping effect on spatio-temporal profiles of the laser pulses has also been demonstrated.
Efficiently Running Test Suites Using Abstract Undo Operations

The last decade has seen many advances in test input generation, specifically using systematic approaches that can enumerate many tests. While such approaches have enhanced our ability to find bugs in programs, running large numbers of tests remains a time consuming and expensive task, especially for tests that execute operations on external resources, such as a file system or a network. This paper presents a novel technique for optimizing execution of suites of tests, where several tests in a suite may contain common initial execution -- a property often exhibited by systematically generated suites, e.g., those for bounded exhaustive testing. Our insight is that we can cluster execution of such tests by defining abstract-level undo operations, which allow a common execution segment to be performed once, and its result to be shared across the tests, which then perform the rest of their operations. We present our framework for clustered execution of test suites, and evaluate it using three case-studies, which show our technique enables significant performance speed-up over traditional test execution.
Sol-gel immobilized cyano-polydimethylsiloxane coating for capillary microextraction of aqueous trace analytes ranging from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to free fatty acids.

Abstract Sol–gel coating containing highly polar cyanopropyl and nonpolar poly(dimethylsiloxane) components (sol–gel CN-PDMS coating) was developed for capillary microextraction (CME). The sol–gel chemistry provided an efficient means to immobilize the CN-PDMS coating by establishing chemical anchorage between the coating and the fused silica capillary inner surface. This chemical bond provided excellent thermal and solvent stability to the created sol–gel coating. For the extraction of polar and nonpolar analytes, the upper allowable conditioning temperatures were 330 °C and 350 °C, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first time when a CN-PDMS thick coating survived such a high operation temperature. The prepared sol–gel CN-PDMS coating provided effective extraction of polar and nonpolar analytes simultaneously from aqueous samples. The cyanopropyl moiety in sol–gel CN-PDMS coatings provided effective extraction of highly polar analytes such as free fatty acids, alcohols, and phenols without requiring derivatization, pH adjustment or salting out procedures. The PDMS moiety, on the other hand, provided efficient extraction of nonpolar analytes. The extraction properties of the sol–gel CN-PDMS coatings can be fine tuned via manipulation of relative proportions of 3-cyanopropyltriethoxysilane and hydroxy-terminated PDMS in the sol solution used to create the coatings. Detection limits of nanogram/liter (ng/L) were achieved for both highly polar and nonpolar analytes directly extracted from aqueous media using sol–gel CN-PDMS coated microextraction capillaries followed by GC analysis.
Synthesis of Adaptive Pliers Mechanism Using Genetic Algorithms

A Genetic Algorithms (GA) approach to dimensional synthesis of an adaptive pliers mechanism is presented. Satisfaction functions are implemented in a custom C++ algorithm to enforce ergonomic and force-transmission goals. Using various values of selection rate and crossover rate, along with a “diversity monitor,” many solutions are found which are functionally superior to the original mechanism.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Progenitors in the postnatal cerebellar white matter are antigenically heterogeneous

Progenitors that migrate through the white matter of the postnatal cerebellum give rise to cortical interneurons, astroglia, and oligodendroglia. To determine whether this progenitor population is heterogeneous with respect to specific lineage markers, we infected progenitors in vivo with a retrovirus encoding the green fluorescent protein on postnatal day 4/5 and labeled them in situ with various antibodies 2 days postviral injection: the neuronal marker was the transcription factor SOX1; early oligodendroglial markers were chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan antigen and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α. Markers for astroglial progenitors were vimentin, nestin, zebrin II, and the astroglial-specific glutamate transporter subtype GLAST. None of the progenitors was doubly labeled with any combination of markers characteristic for different cell lineages. Most progenitors were not labeled with any of the various combinations of antibodies used. Progenitors did not express markers characteristic for mature astroglia (GFAP), oligodendroglia (CNPase), or neurons (MAP2). Thus, although these progenitors are morphologically indistinguishable, a minority expresses markers of early neuronal or glial lineages, suggesting that they begin to differentiate during migration. J. Comp. Neurol. 452:192–203, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Coverage in Two-Tier Cellular Networks with Fractional Frequency Reuse

Fractional frequency reuse (FFR) is an interference management technique well-suited to OFDMA-based cellular networks wherein the cells are partitioned into spatial regions with different frequency reuse factors. These techniques are of further relevance when considered in the context of heterogeneous networks whose performance is often limited by intercell and inter-tier interference. To date, FFR techniques have typically been evaluated through system-level simulations using a hexagonal grid for the base station locations. This paper instead focuses on analytically evaluating the two main types of FFR deployments - Strict FFR and Soft Frequency Reuse (SFR) - using a Poisson point process to model the access point locations. Under reasonable assumptions for modern cellular networks, our results reduce to tractable expressions which provide insight into system design guidelines and the relative merits of Strict FFR and SFR, compared to universal reuse for a two-tier network with open access between tiers.
History: Aspen physics turns 50

Michael S. Turner reflects on how mountain serenity has bred big breakthroughs at the Aspen Center for Physics in Colorado.
Ceramide Inhibits Phospholipase D in a Cell-free System

Recent evidence in whole cells has implicated ceramide in the regulation of phospholipase D (PLD). In intact HL-60 cells, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) activated PLD as measured by [3H]palmitate-labeled phosphatidylcholine conversion to phosphatidylethanol in the presence of 2% ethanol. C6-Ceramide completely inhibited PLD activation after 4 h of treatment and was maximally active at 10 microM. The activity was structurally specific in that the structural analogs 4,5-dihydro-C6-ceramide and dioctanoylglycerol were inactive. Although ceramide inhibited PMA-induced activation of PLD, it did not inhibit translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) to the membrane in response to PMA. In a cell-free system, we confirmed that PLD is activated by guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate (GTPgammaS); however, ceramide had no effect on this activity under a variety of conditions. Activation of PLD by GTPgammaS was synergistically enhanced by the addition of PKC activators. This upstream effect was inhibited rapidly and specifically by ceramide (30 microM). Recombinant ARF plus PKCalpha substituted for crude cytosol in the activation of PLD, and this activity was inhibited by C6-ceramide. Taken together, these data show that ceramide interferes with PKC-mediated activation of PLD.
The determination of the number of patients required in a preliminary and a follow-up trial of a new chemotherapeutic agent

Abstract Double sampling plans have been used to determine sample sizes for the conduct of a preliminary and a follow-up trial of a new drug. The initial sample is determined so that, if all the patients do not respond, the drug will be dropped with a known chance of a rejection error. If one or more of the patients in the first sample respond, the size of the second sample is determined so that the true effectiveness of the drug is estimated with approximately a specified precision, as defined by the standard error. The probabilities of having a second sample are calculated for drugs with the assumption of various true percentages of effectiveness. Some discussion is given of where such sampling plans might be useful.
MNDO parameters for the prediction of 19F NMR chemical shifts in biologically relevant compounds.

The semiempirical MNDO methodology for qualitative description NMR chemical shifts has now been extended with the addition of NMR-specific parameters for the fluorine atom. This approach can be employed using semiempirical (AM1/PM3) geometries with good accuracy and can be executed at a fraction of the cost of ab initio and DFT methods, providing an attractive option for the computational studies of 19F NMR for much larger systems. The data set used in the parametrization is large and diverse and specifically geared toward biologically relevant compounds. The new parameters are applicable to fluorine atoms involved in carbon−fluorine bonds. These parameters yield results comparable to NMR calculations performed at the DFT (B3LYP) level using the 6−31++G(d,p) basis set. The average R2 and rms error for this data set is 0.94 and 13.85 ppm, respectively, compared to 0.96 and 10.45 ppm when DFT methods are used.
Improving Docking Accuracy through Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Optimization and Scoring

Docking methods are typically used within the biopharmaceutical industry for the challenging purposes of suggesting putative binding modes of new chemotypes and for virtual screening. When attempting to satisfy the far more simplistic yet fundamentally important goal of reproducing and identifying the correct binding mode from a cocrystal, all docking methods fail at a rather significant rate, demonstrating room for further improvement in docking methodology. We report a hierarchical method that yields results comparable to the industry-leading docking packages GOLD, Glide, and Surflex. By first using a fast, simple, well-established method, UCSF DOCK 4.0, to rigidly dock conformational ensembles, we successfully generate the correct binding mode in all but 4 of a standard, publicly available set of 79 cocrystals from the PDB. Among these 4 failures (1glq, 1tmn, 1rds, and 8gch), all are highly flexible, highly charged, and not druglike. Subsequently, all resultant docking poses were optimized and scored in the protein with molecular mechanics, using a standard MMGB energy function. In total, this hierarchical method identified the correct binding in 71 of 79 cases (90%), an unprecedented level of accuracy on this highly benchmarked test set. Furthermore, the publicly available energy functions employ only physically based force fields without parameter fitting from this or any other docking test sets.
Gastrointestinal malignancies in patients with celiac sprue

BACKGROUND: Celiac sprue is a malabsorption disease, which carries an increased risk of gastrointestinal malignancy, often underestimated. The purpose of this study was to examine the management of patients with gastrointestinal neoplasms complicating celiac disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The pathology database at our institution was searched from 1986 to present; and the literature from 1966 to 1997 was reviewed to identify reports of celiac sprue complicated by malignancy. A total of 82 cases were available for analysis. RESULTS: Two thirds of patients had carried the diagnosis of celiac sprue for a mean of approximately 10 years. The remaining one third were diagnosed with celiac disease and gastrointestinal malignancy simultaneously. Jejunal T-cell lymphoma was the most common malignancy. There was also an increased frequency of small intestinal adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. Prognosis was generally poor, related to the histologic type and stage of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Gastrointestinal malignant neoplasms, especially small bowel lymphomas, can occur in patients with celiac sprue. Patients with known celiac disease who present with exacerbation of symptoms should be promptly investigated for occult gastrointestinal malignancies, and considered for early surgical exploration.
AlGaN/GaN self-aligned MODFET with metal oxide gate for millimeter wave application

Abstract As promising candidates for future microwave power devices, GaN-based high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have attracted much research interest. An investigation of the operation of AlGaN/GaN n type self-aligned MOSFET with modulation doped GaN channels is presented. Liquid phase deposited (LPD) SiO 2 is used as the insulating material. An analytical model based on modified charge control equations is developed. The investigated critical parameters of the proposed device are the maximum drain current ( I Dmax ), the threshold voltage ( V th ), the peak DC trans-conductance ( g m ), break down voltage ( V br ) and unity current gain cut-off frequency ( f T ). The typical DC characteristics for a gate length of 1 μm with 100 μm gate width are following: I max =800 mA/mm, V break-down =50 V, g m_extrinsic =200 mS/mm, V pinchoff =−10 V. The analysis and simulation results on the transport characteristics of the MOS gate MODFET structure is compared with the previously measured experimental data. The calculated values of f T (20–130 GHz) suggest that the operation of the proposed device effectively, has sufficiently high current gain cutoff frequencies over a wide range of drain voltage, which is essential for high-power performance at microwave frequencies. The proposed device offers lower on-state resistance. The results so obtained are in close agreement with the experimental data.
A prospective evaluation of the value of anorectal physiology in the management of fecal incontinence.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine whether anorectal physiology testing significantly altered patient management in the setting of fecal incontinence. METHODS: Patients referred to the anorectal physiology laboratory for evaluation of fecal incontinence were prospectively interviewed and examined by a colon and rectal surgeon. A decision to treat either medically or surgically was reached. The patients underwent physiologic testing with transanal ultrasound, pudendal nerve terminal motor latency, and anorectal manometry. A panel of board-certified colon and rectal surgeons then reviewed the history and physical examination, as well as the anorectal physiology tests, of each patient and reached a consensus on management. Management plans before and after physiologic evaluation were compared. RESULTS: Ninety patients (6 males) were entered into the study. The patients were divided in two groups: those with pretest medical management plans (n=45) and those with pretest surgical management plans (n=45). A change in management was noted in nine patients (10 percent). In the medical management group, the management changed from medical to surgical therapy in five patients. Transanal ultrasound detected anal sphincter defects in all patients who changed from medical to surgical management but in only 10 percent of those who remained under medical management (P=0.0001). In the surgical management group, three patients (7 percent) changed from surgical to medical therapy and one patient (2 percent) changed from sphincteroplasty to neosphincter. Transanal ultrasound detected a limited anal sphincter defect in one patient (33 percent) who changed from surgical to medical management and a significant defect in all 41 patients (100 percent) who remained under surgical management (P=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Anorectal physiology testing is useful in the evaluation of patients with fecal incontinence. Without the information obtained from physiologic testing, 11 percent of patients who may have benefited from surgery would not have been given this option, and 7 percent of patients could have potentially undergone unnecessary surgery. Transanal ultrasound is the study most likely to change a patient's management plan.