cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transmembrane signaling in Dictyostelium.

Publisher Summary Dictyostelium provides a biochemically and genetically accessible system for studies of transmembrane signaling. Current techniques to control cellular sensitivity and monitor chemotaxis, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling, and adenylate cyclase activation are outlined. Receptor-binding assays are reviewed, and a protocol for receptor purification is offered. The assays are brought together in a flow sheet for characterization of transmembrane signaling mutants. Transmembrane signaling mutants can be simply isolated by screening for morphological aberrations during development. The differentiated phenotype is reversible so that, once isolated, the mutants can be grown and propagated as the wild type. A cell surface cAMP receptor is identified and purified, and a specific antiserum is raised. Evidence suggests that this receptor may regulate chemotaxis, activation of adenylate cyclase, and gene expression. An extensive, cAMP-mediated phosphorylation of the receptor may cause adaptation of the physiological responses. The recent demonstration of in vitro guanylnucleotide regulation of the adenylate cyclase suggests that control mechanisms, similar to those found in vertebrates, may operate in this primitive eukaryotic organism.
A programmable policy engine to facilitate time-efficient science DMZ management

Abstract The Science DMZ model employs dedicated network infrastructures and advanced software techniques for large-volume scientific research traffic flows targeting high-throughput and low-latency data transfer. However, current Science DMZ framework lacks of efficient means of user-intent expression and suffers from slow service-delivery due to the manual work involved in the management loop. As a result, a programmable interface that facilitates user–administrator communication in a time-efficient manner is highly demanded. In this paper, we introduce FLowell, an enhanced SDN-powered Science DMZ model deployed on our campus network. Moreover, we propose a programmable policy engine atop the SDN controller that allows network administrators to implement configuration policies in order to manage the network, while simultaneously offering rapid response time network resource request policies for end users. Our experiment results show that user intent in FLowell can be responded and serviced within 1 s. In addition, FLowell reduces the network latency for the research network path by 35%, and boost the disk-to-disk throughput by up to the 10 Gbps line rate.
Evaluating the benefits of caching and stateless forwarding in mobile information-centric networks

Caching content at storage-enabled network nodes is one of the salient features of Information-centric Networking (ICN). Most existing ICN caching and routing strategies have been designed for and evaluated in static networks [2], while mobile networks have received limited attention [1]. In this paper, we consider a mobile ICN and examine the benefits that in-network caching can provide in a mobile setting. From our experiments on mobile grid networks, we observe that approximately 43% of requests cannot be routed and hence are dropped in a mobile network due to absence of direct paths from users to the content custodian (origin server). For the requests served, we observe that while state-of-the-art caching strategies outperform the baseline Leave Copy Everywhere (LCE) strategy in static networks, all caching strategies including LCE tend to provide similar performance as network mobility increases. For requests that cannot be routed due to unavailability of paths from users to the custodian, we next explore the benefits of augmenting shortest path routing with a simple stateless random walk request forwarding strategy that enables a user to search neighboring caches. We observe that just using a simple random walk strategy when a direct path is unavailable increases the total percentage of requests served by 6% on average.
Oxidation of a Levitated Droplet of 1-Allyl-3-methylimidazolium Dicyanamide by Nitrogen Dioxide.

Understanding the reaction mechanisms of ionic liquids and their oxidizers is necessary to develop the next generation of hypergolic, ionic-liquid-based fuels. We studied reactions between a levita...
No pain no gain: tender nodules in a competitive bodybuilder

The subculture of bodybuilding is rife with people willing to do whatever is necessary to achieve the perfect physique. One particularly concerning behavior is the injection of site-enhancing-oils (SEO) into lagging muscle groups to achieve instant size and symmetry. The typical SEO is a combination of lidocaine, alcohol, and oil; it is rarely, if ever, administered by a qualified professional. As a result, there are a variety of potential complications that can manifest in the skin and other organ systems. In our case, a 41-year-old former competitive bodybuilder was referred to our clinic for excision of a subcutaneous nodule. The initial histopathology was concerning for lymphoma, but a more thorough history and review of systems were completely negative. The patient underwent a negative systemic lymphoma workup and it was not until we discussed the prospects of radiation and other forms of treatment that he revealed a history of SEO use, as well as other identical nodules on his body. Subsequent excisions revealed a more classic sclerosing lipogranuloma-type reaction pattern. Owing to the taboo nature of SEOs, most patients are reluctant to provide this vital piece of historical information, highlighting the importance of patient rapport and clinical-pathologic correlation in our specialty.
An Input-Based Measure of Financial Statement Comparability

We propose a new input-based measure of financial statement comparability (FSC) that captures the degree of overlap in the financial statement line items reported by industry peers. FSC quantifies the extent to which peer firms have similar economic events and accounting transactions as reflected in their financial statements. We validate FSC by showing its use in benchmarking exercises by corporate boards and financial analysts. We then exploit a unique feature of our measure, namely that it allows us to construct finer FSC measures such as income statement versus balance sheet comparability. We show that income statement comparability is particularly useful when forecasting earnings, whereas balance sheet comparability is more important when forecasting balance sheet items such as debt and when assessing credit risk. Our results show that different components of FSC are beneficial in different contexts and for different financial statement users.
Spectator Sport and Population Health: A Consultation with U.S. College Athletics Employees

A growing number of studies have been published to understand how spectator sport may influence the health of a population. However, it is unknown if these studies address research questions releva...
Improving Geocoding for City-Level Locations

Geocoders are needed for transforming a textual location into latitude and longitude coordinates. There are many popular, publicly available, geocoding APIs for this task. As a case study, we use Google's geocoding API for geocoding Twitter users' self-declared locations. Our research shows how additional parameters from the geocoder can be used to identify improperly geocoded locations. Our research helps identify 35% of locations that are improperly geocoded mostly due to noisy locations being matched to a street level address. Removing improperly geocoded locations can significantly improve research that is analyzing population demographics and user's spatial proximity.
ALTICA'S OBSIDIAN INDUSTRIES AND THEIR PLACE IN EARLY–MIDDLE FORMATIVE OBSIDIAN EXPLOITATION IN CENTRAL MEXICO

Survey and excavation conducted by Stoner and Nichols (2019) at Altica, located in the Basin of Mexico, recovered nearly 29,000 pieces of obsidian, most of which apparently came from the nearby Otumba source. Formal classification followed by attribute analysis revealed a number of distinct lithic industries represented in the collection, although most are represented by finished objects that do not appear to have been produced on site. Most of the material consists of flakes probably used as unmodified, informal tools and produced on expedient cores consisting of some nodules but mostly percussion blades, spent cores, and other artifacts recycled as secondary cores. I propose that Altica acquired its obsidian from workshops possibly located in an area where they apparently existed in later times and may have during the Early–Middle Formative, as well. Virtually all of the obsidian in the collection appears to have been used for domestic or subsistence activities and was not involved in production or exchange systems believed to have existed at that time. Two unusual caches containing macronodules provide some evidence to the contrary, suggesting that Altica may have been a transshipment center.
Natural Frequencies of Horizontally Curved Beams

The solution of the equations governing the transverse, coupled, free vibration of doubly symmetric, horizontally curved beams is examined in this paper. For curved beams with simple supports, the exact solution to these equations is given. For curved beams with other than simple supports, an approximate solution based on the Rayleigh-Ritz method is presented. Simple formulas for calculating the natural frequencies of horizontally curved beams are given.
Ebola virus requires phosphatidylserine scrambling activity for efficient budding and optimal infectivity

Abstract Ebola virus (EBOV) interacts with cells using two categories of cell surface receptors, C-type lectins and phosphatidylserine (PS) receptors. PS receptors typically bind to apoptotic cell membrane PS and orchestrate the uptake and clearance of apoptotic bodies. Many viruses coated with PS-containing lipid envelopes, acquired during budding from host cells, can also exploit these receptors for internalization. PS is restricted to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane in homeostatic cells, an orientation that would be unfavorable for PS receptor-mediated uptake if conserved on the viral envelope. Therefore, it is theorized that viral infection induces host cell PS externalization to the outer leaflet during replication. Cells have several membrane scramblase enzymes that enrich outer leaflet PS when activated. Here, we investigate two scramblases, TMEM16F and XKR8, as possible mediators of cellular and viral envelope surface PS levels during recombinant VSV/EBOV-GP replication and EBOV virus-like particle (VLP) production. We found that rVSV/EBOV-GP and EBOV VLPs produced in XKR8 knockout cells contain decreased levels of PS in their outer leaflets. ΔXKR8-made rVSV/EBOV-GP is 70% less efficient at infecting cells through apoptotic mimicry compared to viruses made in parental cells. Our data suggest that virion surface PS acquisition requires XKR8 activity, whereas TMEM16F activity is not essential. Unexpectedly, we observed defective rVSV/G, rVSV/EBOV-GP, and EBOV VLP budding in ΔXKR8 cells, suggesting that phospholipid scrambling via XKR8 enhances both Ebola infectivity and budding efficiency. Overexpression of XKR8 dramatically increased budding activity, suggesting outer leaflet PS is required for both particle production and increased infectivity. Importance The Democratic Republic of the Congo experienced its deadliest Ebola outbreak from 2018 to 2020, with 3,444 confirmed cases and 2,264 deaths (as of March 12, 2020). Owing to the extensive damage that these outbreaks have caused in Africa, as well as its future epidemic potential, Ebola virus (EBOV) ranks among the top eight priority pathogens outlined by the WHO in 2018. A comprehensive understanding of Ebola entry pathways into target cells is critical for antiviral development and outbreak control. Thus far, host-cell scramblases TMEM16F and XKR8 have each been named as the sole mediator of Ebola envelope surface phosphatidylserine (PS). We assessed the contributions of these proteins using CRISPR knockout cells and two EBOV models: rVSV/EBOV-GP and EBOV VLPs. We observed that XKR8 is required for optimal EBOV envelope PS levels, PS receptor engagement, and particle budding across all viral models, whereas TMEM16F did not play a major role.
Experimental Characterization of Nonlinear Damping in the F-16 Wing Structure

Earlier work did not find any static stiffness nonlinearities in the F-16 wing structure, but suggested that dynamic nonlinearities may be present. Computational studies have demonstrated that smal...
Sleep Dysfunction in Huntington's Disease: Perspectives from Patients.

BACKGROUND Despite the abundance of clinical tools, sleep disorders are still not routinely evaluated in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). Sleep disturbances can exacerbate cognitive impairment and mood disorders and seriously affect the life of the patients and their families. OBJECTIVE The current study was designed to investigate sleep quality and its association with clinical symptoms in HD. As an exploratory aim, we also evaluated sleep quality in caregivers of patients with HD. METHODS Twenty-nine patients with HD and 22 caregivers completed a series of self-reported questionnaires about sleep quality and pattern, cognitive function, and depression and anxiety symptoms. Spearman correlation analyses were performed to ascertain the association between sleep quality and severity of self-perceived clinical symptoms. RESULTS The primary sleep complaints reported by the patients were related to waking up in the middle of the night or early in the morning; and increased sleep latency. Seventeen of 29 HD patients (59%) and 12 of 22 caregivers (55%) were classified as "poor" sleepers. Worse sleep quality among HD patients was associated with greater severity of anxiety and depression symptoms. Importantly, a decline in sleep quality was associated with decreased self-perceived cognitive function for both HD patients and caregivers. CONCLUSION Increasing awareness and improving our understanding of sleep dysfunction in HD is imperative for individuals with HD and indirectly, their caregivers. Regularly incorporating sleep assessments when evaluating HD patients should be considered to address this troublesome nonmotor symptom.
The Effects of Dexamethasone on Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase-14 Signaling in Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) Cells

Objective: Determine the effects of dexamethasone (DEX) on diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) cell behavior. Background: Patients with DIPG routinely receive DEX to treat vasogenic edema, but the direct effects on tumor growth and sensitivity to other therapies are unknown. Previous studies on glioblastoma cell lines have suggested that DEX interferes with nuclear translocation of p38α mitogen activated protein kinase-14 (MAPK-14), which may be required for cytokine production, cell mobility, and invasion, in addition to a metabolic shift from glycolysis to the pentose phosphate pathway. We tested the hypothesis that DEX prevents nuclear translocation of MAPK-14 in DIPG, resulting in metabolic reprogramming and decreased cell survival, migration, and colony formation. Design/Methods: We used immunocytochemistry to measure the nuclear translocation of total and phosphorylated MAPK-14 in cultured SU-DIPG-IV cells following treatment with DEX or vehicle. We also treated cells with DEX, with or without the clinically relevant chemotherapies panobinostat and imatinib on logarithmic dose curves, and measured proliferation rate, viability and apoptosis with combined assays of trypan blue exclusion and caspase 3/7 activation. Results: Treatment with DEX reduced nuclear localization of phosphorylated MAPK-14 in DIPG cells, but did not affect basal or chemotherapy-inhibited rates of cell proliferation, viability or apoptosis. Conclusions: DEX, a commonly prescribed medication for DIPG patients, decreased nuclear localization of phosphorylated MAPK-14 but had no apparent effects on basal or chemotherapy-inhibited rates of cell proliferation, viability or apoptosis. We are currently exploring the effects of DEX and MAPK-14 signaling on cell metabolism, migration, and colony formation. Disclosure: Dr. Vinson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chowdhury has nothing to disclose. Dr. Waker has nothing to disclose. Dr. Keoni has nothing to disclose. Dr. Set has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lober has nothing to disclose.
Cell Layers: Uncovering clustering structure and knowledge in unsupervised single-cell transcriptomic analysis

Motivation: Unsupervised clustering of single-cell transcriptomics is a powerful method for identifying cell populations. Static visualization techniques for single-cell clustering only display results for a single resolution parameter. Analysts will often evaluate more than one resolution parameter, but then only report one. Results: We developed Cell Layers, an interactive Sankey tool for the quantitative investigation of gene expression, coexpression, biological processes, and cluster integrity across clustering resolutions. Cell Layers enhances the interpretability of single-cell clustering by linking molecular data and cluster evaluation metrics, to provide novel insight into cell populations. Availability and implementation: Upon request. Keywords: single-cell RNA sequencing, clustering, Plotly, Sankey, Ternary, gene expression. Contact: andrew.blair@gladstone.ucsf.edu and irfan.kathiriya@ucsf.edu .
Exploring the conditionality of public service motivation: evidence from a priming experiment

Scholars have demonstrated that public service motivation (PSM) may be conditional and activated in certain contexts or by particular primes. However, to date researchers have focused on the impact...
Patrolling the Border: Experiments in Poetics

The Poetics of Mind: Figurative Thought, Language and Understanding. Raymond W. Gibbs Jr. Dancing with the Devil: Society and Cultural Poetics in Mexican-American South Texas. Jose E. Limon. Madison
Measuring degradation rates of PV systems without irradiance data

A method to report photovoltaic (PV) system degradation rates without using irradiance data is demonstrated. First, a set of relative degradation rates are determined by comparing daily AC final yields from a group of PV systems relative to the average final yield of all the PV systems. Then, the difference between relative and absolute degradation rates is estimated using a Bayesian statistical analysis. This approach is verified by comparing to methods that utilize irradiance data. This approach is significant because PV systems are often deployed without irradiance sensors, so the analysis method described here may enable measurements of degradation using data that were previously thought to be unsuitable for degradation studies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Actions, Causation and Logic Programming

Reasoning about changes caused by the execution of actions has long been at the center of attention of researchers in the area of logic-based AI. Logical properties of causal dependencies turned out to be similar to properties of rules in logic programs. This fact allows us to apply methods of logic programming to computational problems related to action and change. Ideas of answer set programming, based on the concept of a stable model, turned out to be particularly useful. In the past they have been applied primarily to the problem of plan generation. There is now increasing interest also in using logic programming for learning action descriptions.
Assessing the Added Value of Dynamical Downscaling Using the Standardized Precipitation Index

In this study, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is used to ascertain the added value of dynamical downscaling over the contiguous United States. WRF is used as a regional climate model (RCM) to dynamically downscale reanalysis fields to compare values of SPI over drought timescales that have implications for agriculture and water resources planning. The regional climate generated by WRF has the largest improvement over reanalysis for SPI correlation with observations as the drought timescale increases. This suggests that dynamically downscaled fields may be more reliable than larger-scale fields for water resource applications (e.g., water storage within reservoirs). WRF improves the timing and intensity of moderate to extreme wet and dry periods, even in regions with homogenous terrain. This study also examines changes in SPI from the extreme drought of 1988 and three “drought busting” tropical storms. Each of those events illustrates the importance of using downscaling to resolve the spatial extent of droughts. The analysis of the “drought busting” tropical storms demonstrates that while the impact of these storms on ending prolonged droughts is improved by the RCM relative to the reanalysis, it remains underestimated. These results illustrate the importance and some limitations of using RCMs to project drought.
Simple, Black-Box Constructions of Adaptively Secure Protocols

We present a compiler for transforming an oblivious transfer (OT) protocol secure against an adaptive semi-honest adversary into one that is secure against an adaptive malicious adversary. Our compiler achieves security in the universal composability framework, assuming access to an ideal commitment functionality, and improves over previous work achieving the same security guarantee in two ways: it uses black-box access to the underlying protocol and achieves a constant multiplicative overhead in the round complexity. As a corollary, we obtain the first constructions of adaptively secure protocols in the stand-alone model using black-box access to a low-level primitive.
Mass Loss in Metal Deficient Red Giants

The occurrence and rate of mass loss from metal deficient red giant field stars have consequences for the theory of evolution of low mass stars. This paper reports several of the results from an observational and theoretical program to assess the presence and character of chromospheric line profiles and their variations, to obtain quantitative measurements of radiative losses from chromospheres, and to construct semi-empirical model chromospheres and extended atmospheres in order to provide limits on the mass loss rates.
Persistent pulmonary hypertension in the neonate: Development of an animal model

Chronic intrauterine hypoxia was induced in third-trimester lamb fetuses by daily embolization of the maternal side of the placenta with nonradioactive microspheres. After delivery at term, the chronically hypoxic fetuses had significantly increased pulmonary artery pressures when compared to nonhypoxic control measurements. This preparation appears to be a satisfactory model for experimental study of persistent pulmonary hypertension in the neonate.
Profit for Costs

Courts reward attorneys for investing time in class action lawsuits more generously than they reward them for investing money in the costs of those suits. Class counsel may directly profit on time investments in two ways: by billing lawyers at market rates though paying those lawyers less and by receiving multiplied fee awards. Those same attorneys in those same situations may also recover their costs but courts may not — or at least do not — permit the attorneys either to mark up their costs or to receive cost multipliers. As cost profits are rarely even debated, there is no good defense of why they are unavailable, but one assumes that courts are less comfortable awarding attorneys a markup on their copying machine than they are for their legal work.The assumption that costs cannot be directly profitable appears therefore to belittle costs, relegating them to a secondary position in the fee and cost award analysis and treating them as something of a tagalong or afterthought. Our goal in this Article is to give costs their due. We describe current jurisprudence, demonstrating how, given a choice between investing profitable time or reimbursable costs, profit-maximizing attorneys will find time investment more attractive than cost investment. We then explore the effects of this bias, showing that because cost investments are not directly rewarded, profit-maximizing attorneys will predictably (1) avoid certain cases; (2) select suboptimal modes of proceeding within cases they do bring; and then (3) settle those cases prematurely. Assuming that conclusion is unfortunate, we consider and propose mechanisms for remedying it.While our proposals are initial and therefore tentative, our commitment to the project of centering costs is not: it is grounded in the belief that the legal system’s anti-cost-investment bias impedes access to justice for individuals whose claims can be established only with substantial cost investments by entrepreneurial lawyers. Centering costs — and considering measures as conventionally discouraged as permitting third parties to profit from cost investments — has the potential to serve a larger public good.
Clinically identified postpartum depression in Asian American mothers.

ABSTRACT Objective To identify the clinical diagnosis rate of postpartum depression (PPD) in Asian American subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) compared to non‐Hispanic Whites. Design Cross‐sectional study using electronic health records (EHR). Setting A large, outpatient, multiservice clinic in Northern California. Participants A diverse clinical population of non‐Hispanic White ( N = 4582), Asian Indian ( N = 1264), Chinese ( N = 1160), Filipino ( N = 347), Japanese ( N = 124), Korean ( N = 183), and Vietnamese ( N = 147) mothers. Methods Cases of PPD were identified from EHRs using physician diagnosis codes, medication usage, and age standardized for comparison. The relationship between PPD and other demographic variables (race/ethnicity, maternal age, delivery type, marital status, and infant gender) were examined in a multivariate logistic regression model. Results The PPD diagnosis rate for all Asian American mothers in aggregate was significantly lower than the diagnosis rate in non‐Hispanic White mothers. Moreover, of the six Asian American subgroups, PPD diagnosis rates for Asian Indian, Chinese, and Filipino mothers were significantly lower than non‐Hispanic White mothers. In multivariate analyses, race/ethnicity, age, and cesarean were significant predictors of PPD. Conclusion In this insured population, PPD diagnosis rates were lower among Asian Americans, with variability in rates across the individual Asian American subgroups. It is unclear whether these lower rates are due to underreporting, underdiagnosis, or underutilization of mental health care in this setting.
Uniqueness of permuted treatment estimator distributions in the proportional hazards model

We discuss findings regarding the permutation distributions of treatment effect estimators in the proportional hazards model. For fixed sample size n, we will prove that all uncensored and untied event times yield the same permutation distribution of treatment effect estimators in the proportional hazards model. In other words this distribution is irrelevant with respect to the actual event times. We will show several uniqueness properties under different conditions. These properties are useful for small sample permutation tests and also helpful to large sample cases.
Synthesis and Properties of Polyetherketone-block-Polybenzobisthiazole-block-Polyetherketone ABA Triblock Copolymers

As an approach to rigid-rod molecular composites, a series of PEK-b-PBZT-b-PEK ABA triblock copolymers were synthesized. Three different types of polyetherketones (PEKs) as coil A-block units and the carboxylic acid-terminated polybenzobisthiazoles (PBZTs) with two different molecular weights as rigid-rod B-block units were utilized to afford the targeted ABA triblock copolymers. The resulting triblock copolymers were insoluble in common polar aprotic solvents such as N-methylpyrrolidinone, dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide but showed greatly improved solubility in strong acids such as trifluoroacetic acid, methanesulfonic acid (MSA), trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, and sulfuric acid. Good quality films could be cast from solutions. Alternatively, we could also process these copolymers by the compression molding technique. The block copolymer samples were simply heated above the transition temperatures of the coil components and pressed into articles with desired shapes. The wide...
The Quest for Long-Term Health and Happiness: To Play or Not to Play, That Is the Question

(1998). The Quest for Long-Term Health and Happiness: To Play or Not to Play, That Is the Question. Psychological Inquiry: Vol. 9, No. 1, pp. 56-66.
Ecological response surfaces for North American boreal tree species and their use in forest classification

. Empirical ecological response surfaces were derived for eight dominant tree species in the boreal forest region of Canada. Stepwise logistic regression was used to model species dominance as a response to five climatic predictor variables. The predictor variables (annual snowfall, degree-days, absolute minimum temperature, annual soil moisture deficit, and actual evapotranspiration summed over the summer months) influence the response of plants more directly than the annual or monthly measures of temperature and precipitation commonly used in response surface modeling. The response surfaces provided estimates of the probability of species dominance across the spatial extent of North America with a high degree of success. Much of the variation in the probability of dominance is apparently related to the species' individualistic response to climatic constraints within different airmass regions. A forest type classification for the Canadian boreal forest region was derived by a cluster analysis based on the probability estimates. Five major forest types were distinguished by the application of a stopping rule. The predicted forest types showed a high degree of geographic correspondence with the distribution of forest types in the actual vegetation mosaic. The distribution of the predicted types also bears a direct relationship to seasonal airmass dynamics in the boreal forest region.
Nanocomposites at elevated temperatures: migration and structural changes

The possible effect of temperature stability of organic layered silicates (OLSs) on the structure and flammability behavior of polymer/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites has been discussed in a previous publication. Above 200°C, the OLS begins to decompose, and the nanocomposite structure is gradually destroyed even before pyrolysis and combustion. Data on the decomposition of polymer/OLS mixtures upon isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiments are presented, and include rates and energies of activation at a range of temperatures from 200 to 400°C. Decomposition of OLSs in the presence of polymer is discussed in view of the decomposition of clay, pristine surfactant, and OLS. Accumulation of clay by migration to the surface of samples at a range of temperatures is indicated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) measurements on the isothermally heated samples. Mechanistic considerations concerning changes in the structure of the nanocomposite, the decomposition of OLS, and migration of clay will be presented. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient computation of the eigensystem realization algorithm

The computational efficiency of an algebraically equivalent alternative formulation of the eigensystem realization algorithm is investigated. This alternative can process large data sets much faster than the form of the eigensystem realization algorithm that is ordinarily used. This is primarily due to the partial eigenvalue decomposition of the inner or outer product of the Hankel matrix and its transpose, whichever is smaller, in place of the full singular value decomposition of the Hankel matrix itself or of the Hankel matrix square. By computing only the largest subset of the Hankel matrix product eigenvalues, low-order models can be realized from very large data sets. The primary benefit of this is improved convergence on the model pole locations for practical modal identification problems using hundreds of sensors to identify hundreds of modal resonances. This paper investigates the computational speed increase over the original algorithm on experimental data and assesses the magnitude of model errors introduced by squaring the Hankel matrix. In addition, key computational strategies are presented for efficient implementation of the algorithm on modern computer architectures.
Computational investigation of epithelial cell dynamic phenotype in vitro

When grown in three-dimensional (3D) cultures, epithelial cells typically form cystic organoids that recapitulate cardinal features of in vivo epithelial structures. Characterizing essential cell actions and their roles, which constitute the system's dynamic phenotype, is critical to gaining deeper insight into the cystogenesis phenomena. Starting with an earlier in silico epithelial analogue (ISEA1) that validated for several Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cell culture attributes, we built a revised analogue (ISEA2) to increase overlap between analogue and cell culture traits. Both analogues used agent-based, discrete event methods. A set of axioms determined ISEA behaviors; together, they specified the analogue's operating principles. A new experimentation framework enabled tracking relative axiom use and roles during simulated cystogenesis along with establishment of the consequences of their disruption. ISEA2 consistently produced convex cystic structures in a simulated embedded culture. Axiom use measures provided detailed descriptions of the analogue's dynamic phenotype. Dysregulating key cell death and division axioms led to disorganized structures. Adhering to either axiom less than 80% of the time caused ISEA1 to form easily identified morphological changes. ISEA2 was more robust to identical dysregulation. Both dysregulated analogues exhibited characteristics that resembled those associated with an in vitro model of early glandular epithelial cancer. We documented the causal chains of events, and their relative roles, responsible for simulated cystogenesis. The results stand as an early hypothesis–a theory–of how individual MDCK cell actions give rise to consistently roundish, cystic organoids.
Locating and quantifying the impact of local sources of air pollution

A new hybrid receptor model is described, which uses 1-min observations of pollutant concentrations along with back trajectories to estimate the average concentration at the receptor given that air has passed over a nearby area. The points on each back trajectory are associated with the pollutant concentration when the trajectory arrives at the monitor. The average value of the pollutant at the monitor given that air has passed near a geographical point on a grid is calculated by nonparametric regression of the pollutant concentrations over all the back trajectories passing near the point for the period of interest. A method is given of apportioning the average pollutant concentrations to local sources in geographically distinct regions and is illustrated by application to 1-min sulfur dioxide data from Long Beach, CA for May, June, and July 2005. Limitations of the model are discussed.
Latitudinal and Longitudinal Adaptation of Smooth Bromegrass Populations

Breeding progress has been slow in smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss) since its introduction to North America. Much of the variability among cultivars appears to have arisen by natural selection and adaptive responses. The objective of this study was to determine if smooth bromegrass cultivars differ in latitudinal or longitudinal adaptation, as measured by forage yield, and if that variability relates to their breeding or selection history. The target region was defined as the Great Plains to the East Coast of the USA, from 38 to 47°N latitude. Twenty-nine cultivars and experimental populations were evaluated for forage yield at up to seven locations ranging from central to eastern USA. Populations were classified according to pooled population main effect and population × location interaction effect (G+GL deviations). Cluster analysis resulted in eight clusters that explained 90% of the variation among G+GL deviations. One cluster consisted of populations average in adaptation, four clusters consisted of populations that were largely unadapted across the entire region, and three clusters consisted of populations that were specifically adapted to the entire region or a large part thereof. Much of the grouping and adaptation characteristics could be explained by similar pedigrees, selection history, and selection location. However, the phenotypic similarity of some superior, but divergent-pedigree populations suggested that alleles for high and stable forage yield in smooth bromegrass probably exist in numerous germplasm sources. Despite a history of little to no gains in forage yield, these results suggest unrealized potential for future improvement of forage yield of smooth bromegrass across a broad geographic region.
Robust iterative learning control via continuous sliding-mode technique with validation on an SRV02 rotary plant

This paper is to present a new design of robust Iterative Learning Control (ILC) for the purpose of output tracking using continuous sliding mode technique. The main feature of the design is that the controller signal is continuous due to the use of integral and employment of second-order sliding mode technique. The proposed ILC is more robust to noises and disturbances than the saturation approximation of the traditional sliding mode control because the control amount required to maintain the region of convergence is less. The robust ILC is suggested and the convergence of output-tracking error is also proven. The experimental results have clearly exhibited the excellent output-tracking performance by the continuous second-order sliding-mode-based robust iterative learning control.
Seasonal metabolic rhythms in the domestic fowl.

Abstract THIS research is concerned with seasonal metabolic rhythms, particularly in relation to egg production. Throughout a period of over a year measurements were made of (1) fasting heat production (basal metabolism), (2) normal heat production (after full feeding), (3) respiratory quotient, and (4) body temperature. Because lability of heat production is relatively large in laying hens (Winchester, 1939) groups of 11 to 15 hens were used in this study to minimize the influence of lability of individual data on group averages. The hens were kept in batteries in a wooden poultry house. The use of electric light in the poultry house was avoided, and the house was heated only enough to prevent freezing of the water during cold weather. The same ration was used throughout the year. Thus these various factors were controlled so as to avoid as much as possible their influence on egg production. LITERATURE Whetham (1933), after . . .
Dynamic regulation of macrophage polarization via coupled multicellular networks

Macrophages functionally polarize towards either immunostimulatory (M1) or immunosuppressive (M2) phenotypes, and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) exhibit an M2-like phenotype that impedes immunotherapy. Although the importance of M2 cells in tumor progression is well established, the process by which macrophages “decide” to adopt an M2 phenotype in complex environments is not well understood and is the subject of this study. Most prior investigations have applied “coherent” stimuli (exclusively pro-M1 or pro-M2 signals), yet these stimuli rarely exist independently in vivo. To understand how macrophages integrate incoherent stimuli (both pro-M1 and pro-M2 simultaneously), we first exposed macrophages to dosed combinations of IL-10 and IL-12. Contrary to reports that IL-12 directly alters macrophage polarization state, we observed that when competing directly with IL-10, IL-12 had little direct effect on macrophage polarization. Instead, our data suggest that maintenance of the IL-10-induced M2 state is mediated via the NFκB inhibitor BCL-3, and the M2 state was disrupted by either removal of IL-10 or co-treatment with the pro-M1 stimulus IFNγ. Together, these data suggest that IL-12 may indirectly promote M1 phenotypes by inducing innate and adaptive immune cells to produce IFNγ in the tumor microenvironment. To investigate how interactions between macrophages may influence polarization outcomes, we next examined polarization in individual cells using flow cytometry. Surprisingly, we observed that M1 and M2 cells co-existed in vitro, and that the probability of polarization towards M2 was dose-dependent on IL-10 and independent of IL-12 co-treatment. These data represent the first evidence to date the macrophage polarization is “stochastic” at a coarse-grained level. Heterogeneity was pronounced immediately following activation via LPS and evolved via dynamics that differed based upon cytokine pretreatment. Finally, we investigated macrophage polarization dynamics in vivo. Although conventional wisdom states that macrophages transition from M1 to M2 during tumor progression, this putative transition is poorly understood and sparsely characterized at early stages of tumor development. Therefore, we characterized the dynamics of macrophage polarization during melanoma progression in a syngeneic murine model (B16F0 cells and C57/Bl6 mice). Heterogeneous macrophage polarization was observed at early time points post-tumor implantation, macrophages transitioned from M1 to M2 (systemically and at the tumor) as CD8+ CTL transitioned into regulatory T cell phenotypes. Such insights reshape our understanding of immune responses and should help to identify novel therapeutic targets and strategies for treating cancer.
NEW CONCEPTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOIMMUNE EXOCRINOPATHY DERIVED FROM STUDIES WITH THE NOD MOUSE MODEL

Abstract The non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse is now recognized as an appropriate model to study autoimmune exocrinopathy prevalent in human Sjogren's syndrome patients. With increasing age, NOD mice undergo histopathological changes similar to human Sjogren's syndrome patients, but more importantly, exhibit the same clinical manifestation of declining exocrine tissue secretory function. Studies with the immunodeficient NOD-scid mouse have provided evidence for the temporal loss in the expression of several major salivary proteins and a decreased presence of acinar cells in salivary tissues. The diminished presence of acinar cells is accompanied by an increase in the enzymes associated with apoptosis in the absence of T- and B-lymphocytes. Despite these alterations, NOD-scid mice, unlike NOD mice, do not lose secretory function. Recent analyses of a second congenic NOD strain, the NOD.Igmnull, which lacks B-lymphocytes, indicate the histological presence of a Tell infiltrate of the exocrine glands, increased caspace activity and induction of the biochemical alterations in protein expression observed in NOD and NOD-scid mice. NOD.Igmnull mice also do not lose secretory function, but can be manipulated to generate a reduced secretory response following the infusion of IgG fractions from autoimmune NOD mice or Sjogren's syndrome patients. These observations, in the absence of components of the adaptive arm of the immune system, have given rise to the concept that autoimmune exocrinopathy develops in two phases. The initial phase is lymphocyte independent and occurs as a consequence of an innate error in exocrine tissue homeostasis or differentiated function. The subsequent tissue specific immunological attack, generated in part by B-cell autoantibodies, is responsible for the loss of secretor function. Our preliminary observations in both NOD mice and Sjogren's syndrome patients is that antibody directed against the cell surface muscarinic/cholinergic receptors appears to play an important part in the onset of clinical disease.
Thirty different views of a lens design solution space: a good example for teaching students how to design and not to design a lens

The design of high numerical aperture objective to be used as an optical data storage device was given out as a midterm exam in a lens design class consisting of twenty-nine students. The design space was restricted by the following constraints: the number of elements could not exceed three, only three material types were available, and the maximum overall length and the minimum working distance requirements were given. The students were allowed to pick their own starting point and were graded on both the maximum resolution they could achieve and the manufacturability of the design. The results were compiled into a design study. Although a few of the designs violated the specifications, the remainder could be grouped into three distinct design forms. The three different design forms were then analyzed for their ability to "stretch" the specifications (ex. working distance or resolution) while discussing the difference in tolerances between the design forms. The designs were also used to highlight the importance of controlling edge thicknesses and center thicknesses during the design process.
Quantitation of spironolactone in the presence of canremone using high-performance liquid chromatography

AbstractTwo stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography methods have been developed to quantify spironolactone in the presence of its product(s) of decomposition. Both methods are accurate and precise with percent relative standard deviation of 0.7 based on 5 readings using microC18 column and 0.9 using microphenyl column. By using different wavelengths, the sensitivity of the methods to quantify spironolactone or canrenone (the major product of decomposition of spironolactone) can be increased many times. Spironolactone appears to be relatively stable between pH values of about 3.4-5.2. In the acidic pH, the decomposition is slower than on the basic side of the pH. Even at pH 7.3, the decomposition was about 3.1 times faster than at pH 2.3.
Heuristics for the flow line problem with setup costs

This paper presents two new heuristics for the flowshop scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup times (SDSTs) and makespan minimization objective. The first is an extension of a procedure that has been very successful for the general flowshop scheduling problem. The other is a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) which is a technique that has achieved good results on a variety of combinatorial optimization problems. Both heuristics are compared to a previously proposed algorithm based on the traveling salesman problem (TSP). In addition, local search procedures are developed and adapted to each of the heuristics. A two-phase lower bounding scheme is presented as well. The first phase finds a lower bound based on the assignment relaxation for the asymmetric TSP. In phase two, attempts are made to improve the bound by inserting idle time. All procedures are compared for two different classes of randomly generated instances. In the first case where setup times are an order of magnitude smaller than the processing times, the new approaches prove superior to the TSP-based heuristic; for the case where both processing and setup times are identically distributed, the TSP-based heuristic outperforms the proposed procedures.