cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eukaryote-Like Serine/Threonine Kinases and Phosphatases in Bacteria

Genomic studies have revealed the presence of Ser/Thr kinases and phosphatases in many bacterial species, although their physiological roles have largely been unclear. Here we review bacterial Ser/Thr kinases (eSTKs) that show homology in their catalytic domains to eukaryotic Ser/Thr kinases and their partner phosphatases (eSTPs) that are homologous to eukaryotic phosphatases. We first discuss insights into the enzymatic mechanism of eSTK activation derived from structural studies on both the ligand-binding and catalytic domains. We then turn our attention to the identified substrates of eSTKs and eSTPs for a number of species and to the implications of these findings for understanding their physiological roles in these organisms.
Stochastic Optimal Control Laws for Cellular Artificial Muscles

This paper presents a control architecture for artificial muscle materials such as shape memory alloys and polymer actuators. The active material is broken up into many small independent cells that can be regulated in a binary fashion into ON and OFF states, so that the actuator displacement is determined by the number of ON cells. In order to control the number of cells that contract, a novel closed loop feedback control method is employed. Each cell is given a small stochastic finite state machine that governs its transition between ON and OFF states. A central controller globally varies the probabilistic rate with which all of the cells make state transitions. Using this architecture, actuator displacement can be controlled in a stable, robust fashion. Different feedback laws are compared using the fixed policy value iteration algorithm to calculate expected settling time in response to a step reference. A simple law based on calculating expected future behavior is found to be very close to the optimal law computed using the value iteration algorithm. The performance of the control laws is verified on a 50 cell shape memory alloy cellular actuator.
Adaptive control laws for F-8 flight test

This paper describes an adaptive flight control system design for NASA's F-8 digital fly-by-wire research aircraft. This design implements an explicit parallel maximum likelihood identification algorithm to estimate key aircraft parameters. The estimates are used to compute gains in simplified quadratic-optimal command augmentation control laws. Design details for the control laws and identifier are presented, and performance evaluation results from NASA Langley's F-8 Simulator are summarized.
The effect of oscillating dissolved oxygen concentrations on the metabolism of a Spodoptera frugiperda IPLB-Sf21-AE clonal isolate.

The effect of oscillating dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration on the metabolism of a clonal isolate of the Spodoptera frugiperda IPLB-Sf21-AE insect cell line was investigated. Specifically, the effect on cell growth, re- combinant protein synthesis, glucose and glutamine consumption, and lactate accumulation was determined. Prior to conducting the oscillating DO experiments, it was found that the DO concentration could be reduced to 15% air saturation without adversely affecting the growth rate. Under these conditions, glucose and glutamine became depleted as the maximum cell density was reached. The introduction of DO oscillations, that is, cycles consisting of 30 min at 15% DO followed by 30 min of anoxia, significantly altered cell metabolism, including inhibition of cell growth and recombinant protein synthesis. The effect of DO oscillations on glucose consumption was dependent on the experimental conditions. Glucose exhaustion occurred when the DO oscillations contained either an “apparent” anoxia period (nitrogen sparging discontinued upon reaching 0% DO) without pH control or a “true” anoxia period (nitrogen sparging continued throughout anoxia period) with pH control. Glucose consumption was significantly decreased, however, when the cells were exposed to a “true” anoxia period without pH control, that is, low pH inhibited glucose utilization. Glutamine uptake was not significantly affected by DO oscillations. Lactate only accumulated in the oscillating DO runs, a finding consistent with previous results demonstrating that significant lactate accumulation only occurs under DO-limited conditions. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Genetic Diversity of Benzoyl Coenzyme A Reductase Genes Detected in Denitrifying Isolates and Estuarine Sediment Communities

Benzoyl coenzyme A (benzoyl-CoA) reductase is a central enzyme in the anaerobic degradation of organic carbon, which utilizes a common intermediate (benzoyl-CoA) in the metabolism of many aromatic compounds. The diversity of benzoyl-CoA reductase genes in denitrifying bacterial isolates capable of degrading aromatic compounds and in river and estuarine sediment samples from the Arthur Kill in New Jersey and the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland was investigated. Degenerate primers were developed from the known benzoyl-CoA reductase genes from Thauera aromatica, Rhodopseudomonas palustris, and Azoarcus evansii. PCR amplification detected benzoyl-CoA reductase genes in the denitrifying isolates belonging to α-, β-, or γ-Proteobacteria as well as in the sediment samples. Phylogenetic analysis, sequence similarity comparison, and conserved indel determination grouped the new sequences into either the bcr type (found in T. aromatica and R. palustris) or the bzd type (found in A. evansii). All the Thauera strains and the isolates from the genera Acidovorax, Bradyrhizobium, Paracoccus, Ensifer, and Pseudomonas had bcr-type benzoyl-CoA reductases with amino acid sequence similarities of more than 97%. The genes detected from Azarocus strains were assigned to the bzd type. A total of 50 environmental clones were detected from denitrifying consortium and sediment samples, and 28 clones were assigned to either the bcr or the bzd type of benzoyl-CoA reductase genes. Thus, we could determine the genetic capabilities for anaerobic degradation of aromatic compounds in sediment communities of the Chesapeake Bay and the Arthur Kill on the basis of the detection of two types of benzoyl-CoA reductase genes. The detected genes have future applications as genetic markers to monitor aromatic compound degradation in natural and engineered ecosystems.
Accommodative coping and well-being of midlife parents of children with mental health problems or developmental disabilities

This study examined how accommodative coping via flexible goal adjustment affects the wellbeing of midlife parents. Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, a population-based study of midlife adults, the authors compared parents who have a child with a severe mental health problem, a child with a developmental disability, or a child with no chronic illness or disability. Overall, parents had better well-being (i.e., lower levels of depressive and physical symptoms, higher levels of environmental mastery and self-acceptance) if they used accommodative coping. This effect was stronger for parents of individuals with a severe mental health problem than for the comparison group.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D is associated with plasma renin activity and the pressor response to dietary sodium intake in Caucasians.

Introduction: Concentrations of 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D have been positively associated with dietary sodium and salt sensitivity (SS) of blood pressure (BP), and inversely with plasma renin activity (PRA). We investigated the association between PRA and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), the most clinically relevant vitamin D metabolite, and whether 25OHD associates with SS of BP in renin phenotypes of hypertension.Methods: We performed cross-sectional analyses on 223 Caucasian subjects with hypertension maintained in high and low dietary sodium balance. Subjects were distinguished as having low-renin (LR) or normal-renin (NR) hypertension. Multivariable linear regression was used to evaluate adjusted relationships.Results: Increasing 25OHD concentrations were inversely associated with PRA (p < 0.05) on both salt diets. Furthermore, 25OHD was associated with SS of BP in LR hypertension (b = 0.62, p = 0.04), but not in NR hypertension (b = 0.06, p = 0.59). In an adjusted multivariable interaction model, renin stat...
Two-Dimensional Ultraviolet (2DUV) Spectroscopic Tools for Identifying Fibrillation Propensity of Protein Residue Sequences

More than 20 neurodegenerative diseases[1–3] are associated with the formation and deposition of amyloid fibrils of misfolded proteins.[4–8] Various amyloid-forming proteins across diverse systems are known to share common structures and fibril formation kinetics. [9,10] This suggests the existence of common molecular mechanisms for different amyloid diseases. A recent article argued that "The most common mechanism by which proteins aggregate consists of the incorporation of relatively short sequence segments into β-sheetlike assemblies".[11] It has been conjectured that the fibrillation propensities of proteins depend strongly on their sequences.[11–13] Many theoretical tools have been proposed to describe and characterize this sequence-dependence.[11–16] Their success in predicting the fibrillation propensity of various protein sequences should help understand why protein form fibrils. The study of amyloid fibrils would greatly benefit from adequate tools that correlate the fibrillation propensity of proteins with physical or chemical properties accessible by both theory and experiment. However, the parameters or factors currently available in the theoretical tools for evaluating the fibrillation propensity are not accessible experimentally. For instance, the TANGO[14], Waltz[11], and Zyggregator[15] computational tools provide different "aggregation scores", which are not connected to physical or chemical properties accessible by experiment. The 3D profile method[13] and the PASTA algorithm[16] are based on the energy function of protein sequences. As shown in a recent work of Eisenberg et. al.,[12] the ability of proteins to form fibrils can be effectively predicted by their free energies. Again, it is extremely hard to measure free energies of separated protein segments, and the required discrimination of energies within several kcal/mol is not possible by current experiments. Moreover, the above criteria normally rely on detailed structural information, which is not available for most aggregates due to the lack of suitable probes with atomic resolution.[4,6,7] Coherent ultrafast two dimensional (2D) optical spectroscopy is a novel tool for studying the structure and dynamical properties of bio-molecules.[17–21] These techniques have been successfully employed for studying fibril structure and aggregation kinetics and mechanisms.[18,22–26] Recent progress in laser technology opens up new windows of observation[27] by extending these techniques into the ultraviolet (UV).[28–31] 2DUV may
On ocean dynamics in midlatitude climate

Abstract Several recent models of midlatitude climate have speculated on the role of the North Atlantic Ocean in modulating the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO). Here this role is examined by means of numerical experimentation with a quasigeostrophic ocean model underneath a highly idealized atmosphere. It is argued that the dominant midlatitude oceanic influence is due to the so-called inertial recirculations, rather than linear baroclinic waves, as have previously been studied. In these experiments, the forced response of the inertial recirculations dominates the leading-order ocean spatial mode, but that mode is energized by oceanic intrinsic variability. The oceanic signals are amplified relative to those predicted by wave models. The primary oceanic role of the coupling is to damp sea surface temperature (SST) at longer timescales, and the interdecadal atmospheric variability is placed under the control of the ocean. The SST damping reflects competition between intrinsically driven intergyre heat flu...
cos Plasmid in Bacillus Subtilis

The genome of temperate phage X is a linear duplex DNA molecule with single stranded termini. The single ends contain complementary base sequences allowing X DNA to circularize in vitro. Treatment of such hydrogen bonded circles with DNA ligase produces a covalently-closed circle. In vivo λ DNA replicates via the rolling circle model (1) and the viral DNA is packaged into phage heads as linear molecules. The cohesive ends of λ DNA appears to serve as initiation sites for packaging the λ genome (2). Insertion of the cohesive ends (cos) of λ DNA into a plasmid, by recombinant DNA technology, confers on the resulting cos plasmid susceptibility to packaging by λ in vivo or in vitro, if the size of the plasmid approximates that of the viral genome (3). Insertion of cos into a small plasmid, such as pBR322, generates a cos plasmid that can only be packaged into mature phage particles if additional DNA is cloned into the small cos plasmid to increase its molecular size. Thus, λ cos plasmids or cosmids serve as excellent vectors for cloning rather large DNA segments (3).
National Library of Medicine response.

Citation errors can arise most often from two sources: (1) as published incorrectly in the full-text article or (2) as introduced by either the XML supplier (which is the case in the two identified errors in the letter) or by NLM during its processing.
Inference not Reference: The Price Image Heuristic as an Alternative to Reference Price Theories.

Reference price theories have dominated research into how consumers evaluate prices and make price-based choices. Given the widespread acceptance of reference price theories, it is notable that so little consideration has been given to what happens when the central assumption of these theories is violated: how do consumers evaluate prices when they do not have stable, well-defined reference prices? The authors propose an alternative to reference price theories, in which consumers instead use a general cue, specifically, a retailer’s price image, or overall reputation for charging high or low prices, as a top-down inferential heuristic. This alternative account predicts a pattern of price perceptions, price estimates, and choices that cannot be accounted for using prevailing reference price theories. In each of the domains, reference price theories either predict no differences based on retailer price images or predict the opposite of the reported findings. These predictions are tested against those of prevailing reference price accounts in a series of nine empirical studies that offer converging evidence in support of the proposed theory.
Unlabeled uses of factor VIIa (recombinant) in pediatric patients

Purpose Unlabeled uses of factor VIIa (recombinant) in pediatric patients are reviewed. Summary Factor VIIa (recombinant) is currently approved for the treatment and prevention of bleeding in patients with hemophilia A or B and inhibitors of coagulation factors, acquired hemophilia, or congenital factor VII deficiency. Use of this agent has expanded to include unlabeled indications, including bleeding unrelated to coagulation factor deficiencies in infants, children, and adolescents without congenital hemophilia. Results of a search of the English-language medical literature for relevant articles primarily included case reports and retrospective reviews, with few randomized clinical trials. Reasons for use of factor VIIa (recombinant) included bleeding associated with acquired coagulopathies or congenital disorders resulting in coagulopathies, hepatic failure, surgery, and bleeding associated with prematurity, malignancies, and trauma. In most reports, conventional therapies were used with limited or no success. Factor VIIa (recombinant) was most commonly used in patients with coagulopathies or hemorrhage secondary to surgical procedures, primarily cardiopulmonary bypass and liver transplantation, as well as intracranial hemorrhage. In general, higher mortality rates were reported in medical versus surgical patients. The lowest rates of complete response were seen in younger patients and patients with trauma. A decrease in the requirement of blood product transfusion after the use of factor VIIa (recombinant) versus standard therapies or placebo was commonly observed but was not statistically significant in many cases. Conclusion Given the lack of well-designed controlled studies, current evidence is inconclusive regarding the safety and efficacy of factor VIIa (recombinant) for unlabeled indications in pediatric patients.
Fractionation of Irradiated Cholesterol Antirachitic Potency of the Fractions.

There have been a number of attempts to separate an antirachitically potent fraction from cholesterol irradiated in air. Hess, Weinstock and Sherman,1 and Rosenheim and Webster2 tried without success. The latter authors claim to have isolated an active fraction from cholesterol irradiated in nitrogen, but their experimental data do not seem to warrant such a claim. Nitzescu and Popoviciu3 reported the separation of irradiated cholesterol (presumably irradiated in air) into an active and an inactive fraction.The preceding paper4 is a report of the separation of a yellow oil formed from cholesterol as a result of irradiation in air. The antirachitic potency of this “U. V. oil of cholesterol” was tested by means of curative experiments on rachitic rats, in which the material tested was incorporated in the diet. At the May, 1926, meeting of the American Pediatric Society, one of us, in discussing a paper by Schlutz and Ziegler, reported5 that this material cures rickets in rats. During this same discussion, J...
Research on Online Installation High Precision DC Weak Current Sensor

Sensor used in DC ground fault detection system according to measurement method can be divided into low frequency AC signal detecting and DC signal detecting of leakage current. It greatly affect the accuracy of the earth fault signal because of the existence of capacitance in the detecting of low frequency AC signal and it doesn't have online measurement DC current sensor in the market when we want to measure load leakage current. Caliper DC ammeter can't meet the requirements in DC system ground fault diction in terms of resolution,accuracy,range,on-line installation and on-line measurement.
Vector research of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in gamasid mites and chigger mites

Objective To examine whether gamasid mites or chigger mites carry severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus.Methods Gamasid mites and chigger mites were collected from Apodemus agrarius and goats body surface and the severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus(SFTSV) genomic nucleic acids were detected using fluorescent quantitative RT PCR assay and RT-PCR.Results The five groups of Leptotrombidium scutellare collected from Apodemus agrarius showed positive results in SFTSV genomic nucleic acids.The Laelaps echidninus collected from A.agrarius and goats all showed positive results in SFTSV genomic nucleic acids.Gene sequencing results showed that the NP gene amplificated from positive samples had a homology between 99%-100% compared with that of the JS4 strain.Conclusion L.scutellare and L.echidninus are carrier of SFTSV and they may spread SFTS.
Antipsychotic Ligand Binding Sites in the Human Brain: Regional Selectivity Implicates Involvement of Multiple Neurotransmitters

Certain criteria should be satisfied to establish that a given drug exerts its effects by interactions with a specific neurotransmitter receptor (NTR). The first of these criteria is that the radiolabeled drug binding sites show selectivity similar to the known pharmacology of that NTR. Additional criteria include: 1) a correlation between ligand selectivity at drug binding sites and radiolabeled neurotransmitter sites, 2) evidence that the drug mimics or antagonizes an agonist mediated physiological event at that NTR, and 3) physicochemical identity of purified drug binding sites and the NTR. Based on these criteria, the investigation of the NTR involved in antipsychotic ligand action is in the preliminary stages.
Human T Cell-M Φ Collaboration Across Allogeneic Barrier

We have documented the existence of HLA-linked Ir genes to (H,G)-A-L, (T,G)-A-L [1], (Phe,G)- A-L, GAT [2] and GLO MΦ (antigen-presenting cells, APC) are required for specific lymphoproliferative responses to these antigens, as illustrated in Table 1. We have observed that GAT and (T,G)-A-L induced lymphoproliferation was achieved by the addition of either nonirradiated or irradiated autologous MΦ, or by coculturing with 24-h antigen-pulsed autologous MΦ Antigen-pulsed MΦ elicited lymphoproliferation comparable to that of unseparated PBLs cultured continuously with free antigen. Heat-killed MΦ (63 °C for 1 h) were incapable of restoring the proliferative response.
Tissue Specificity of Gene Expression

Tissue-specific patterns of gene expression are fundamental to establishing and preserving tissue identity and function, and dysregulation of these patterns underlies a wide range of diseases. Over the past few years, several large-scale efforts driven by the advent of RNA sequencing have established resources of gene expression measurements, across both tissues and individuals, toward building a comprehensive understanding of the specificity and variability of gene expression. We summarize these resources, review insights gained into the tissue specificity of gene expression across transcript classes, including protein-coding and non-coding RNAs, and discuss the developments that will be needed to integrate existing and new resources into a detailed map of gene expression and its regulation across the human body.
Sample size calculation for agreement between two raters with binary endpoints using exact tests

In an agreement test between two raters with binary endpoints, existing methods for sample size calculation are always based on asymptotic approaches that use limiting distributions of a test statistic under null and alternative hypotheses. These calculated sample sizes may be not reliable due to the unsatisfactory type I error control of asymptotic approaches. We propose a new sample size calculation based on exact approaches which control for the type I error rate. The two exact approaches are considered: one approach based on maximization and the other based on estimation and maximization. We found that the latter approach is generally more powerful than the one based on maximization. Therefore, we present the sample size calculation based on estimation and maximization. A real example from a clinical trial to diagnose low back pain of patients is used to illustrate the two exact testing procedures and sample size determination.
Dynamic Coordination Games

Handling the lack of coordination while designing efficient algorithms in distributed systems has been a major topic of study in the past decade. Coordination mechanisms have been proposed as a tool to deal with the issue as well as lack of access to global information in settings such as distributed systems. In the context of resource allocation, a coordination mechanism is a set of local policies that assigns a cost to each strategy based on the available local information. For example, in machine scheduling, this cost only depends on the processing times of jobs assigned to the same machine. Although a great tool to study distributed algorithms in the presence of self-interested agents, coordination mechanisms have few deficiencies as an analysis tool for distributed game theoretic environments. For example, in many real-world settings, we do not know the exact processing time of a job before it finishes. Furthermore, in many settings, jobs arrive online, and have different release times. Motivated by these requirements, we propose dynamic coordination mechanisms, in which each job selects a machine by looking at the set of jobs currently on each machine and it can change its decision over time. In other words, jobs can dynamically choose the (best machine dynamically. We study scheduling and resource allocation problems in this framework.
Seamless transition control between motoring and generating modes of a bidirectional multi-port power converter used in automotive SRM drive

In this paper, a control strategy providing seamless transition between motoring and generating modes within a bidirectional integrated multi-port power converter (IMPC) used in switched reluctance machine (SRM) drive is presented. The IMPC offers capacitance reduction in the dc bus while maintaining a very small ripple on the input current from or output current to the dc source under both modes of operation. This facilitates a direct connection to the battery pack in an electric propulsion system. In addition, the braking torque can be controlled even under high speed thanks to the adjustable dc bus voltage. Model of the SRM drive system incorporating the converter and SRM is established for both motoring and generating modes. Accordingly, the seamless transition strategy is developed based on IMPC. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed system is validated by simulation and experimental results.
United States Federal Photovoltaic Program Status

Since the 3rd EC Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference, the strategy of the United States Federal Photovoltaic Program has been modified to stress long-range, high-risk, potentially high-payoff research. The level of Department of Energy funding for photovoltaics has been reduced to $74,000,000 for the present fiscal year. Most of the important accomplishments of the past 18 months will be covered by papers in the various sessions of this Conference. However, there are some accomplishments that are program-wide. There are now more than 15 cell suppliers in the United States with approximately 5 MWp of annual sales amounting to $75,000,000. Industry is investing approximately $100,000,000 in facilities and R&D, and approximately 2,700 experiments have been fielded with government funds.
Fate and transport of furrow-applied granular tefluthrin and seed-coated clothianidin insecticides: comparison of field-scale observations and model estimates.

The transport of agricultural insecticides to water bodies may create risk of exposure to non-target organisms. Similarly, widespread use of furrow-applied and seed-coated insecticides may increase risk of exposure, yet accessible exposure models are not easily adapted for furrow application, and only a few examples of model validation of furrow-applied insecticides exist using actual field data. The goal of the current project was to apply an exposure model, the Pesticide in Water Calculator (PWC), to estimate the concentrations of two in-furrow insecticides applied to maize: the granular pyrethroid, tefluthrin, and the seed-coated neonicotinoid, clothianidin. The concentrations of tefluthrin and clothianidin in surface runoff water, sampled from a field in central Illinois (USA), were compared to the PWC modeled pesticide concentrations in surface runoff. The tefluthrin concentrations were used to optimize the application method in the PWC, and the addition of particulate matter and guttation droplets improved the models prediction of clothianidin concentrations. Next, the tefluthrin and clothianidin concentrations were calculated for a standard farm pond using both the optimized application method and the application methods provided in PWC. Estimated concentrations in a standard farm pond varied by a factor of 100 for tefluthrin and 50 for clothianidin depending on the application method used. The addition of guttation droplets and particulate matter to the model increased the annual clothianidin concentration in a standard farm pond by a factor of 1.5, which suggested that these transport routes should also be considered when assessing neonicotinoid exposure.
Effect Of Sampling, Optical Transfer Function Shape, And Anisotropy On Subjective Image Quality

Research has been conducted in Perkin-Elmer's laboratories over a several year period in an attempt to assess existing summary measures of image quality and to evolve new measures. A properly validated image quality measure would allow prediction of quality from an information content viewpoint that may be used in the synthesis, design, or evaluation of electro-optical sampled image systems. To further this goal, a set of psychovisual ranking experiments are presented and described in this paper. These experiments are intended to determine the influence of the sampling process, optical transfer function (OTF) shape, and OTF anisotropy on subjective image quality of sampled image systems. A description is given of the methods of experimentation employed, the procedure for providing a series of sensitometrically calibrated standards and test images for rank-ordering experiments, and the results of the tests that were performed. In addition, this paper summarizes an analysis of experimenter rankings to determine the degree of agreement (coefficient of concordance) among observers.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Scattered and Shattered: A Brief History of the Early Methods of Digging, Preserving and Transporting Kansas Fossils

The fossilized remains of prehistoric creatures are often difficult to remove from the rock that encloses them, and the bones are generally fragile once removed. In most cases, larger specimens need some protective covering in order to be transported from the collection site. Not doing so can result in the specimens being shattered and scattered. Historical developments in collecting, preserving and transporting techniques for newly discovered fossils are discussed here, including two important early Kansas discoveries of type specimens: Elasmosaurus platyurus in 1867 and Protostega gigas in 1871.
Drone delivery of medications: Review of the landscape and legal considerations

Unmanned aerial systems (UASs), known colloquially as drones, constitute a rapidly growing market, with sales that tripled in the 12 months ending in April 2016.[1][1] These drones are being used innovatively for photography, racing, security, and architecture, and their use will soon include
Effects of cigarette smoke on pulmonary endothelial cells

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Cardiovascular comorbidities associated with both active and secondhand cigarette smoking indicate the vascular toxicity of smoke exposure. Growing evidence supports the injurious effect of cigarette smoke on pulmonary endothelial cells and the roles of endothelial cell injury in development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), emphysema, and pulmonary hypertension. This review summarizes results from studies of humans, preclinical animal models, and cultured endothelial cells that document toxicities of cigarette smoke exposure on pulmonary endothelial cell functions, including barrier dysfunction, endothelial activation and inflammation, apoptosis, and vasoactive mediator production. The discussion is focused on effects of cigarette smoke-induced endothelial injury in the development of ARDS, emphysema, and vascular remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Bone fragment segmentation from 3D CT imagery

This paper presents a novel method to segment bone fragments imaged using 3D Computed Tomography (CT). Existing image segmentation solutions often lack accuracy when segmenting internal trabecular and cancellous bone tissues from adjacent soft tissues having similar appearance and often merge regions associated with distinct fragments. These issues create problems in downstream visualization and pre-operative planning applications and impede the development of advanced image-based analysis methods such as virtual fracture reconstruction. The proposed segmentation algorithm uses a probability-based variation of the watershed transform, referred to as the Probabilistic Watershed Transform (PWT). The PWT uses a set of probability distributions, one for each bone fragment, that model the likelihood that a given pixel is a measurement from one of the bone fragments. The likelihood distributions proposed improve upon known shortcomings in competing segmentation methods for bone fragments within CT images. A quantitative evaluation of the bone segmentation results is provided that compare our segmentation results with several leading competing methods as well as human-generated segmentations.
Harmonic Frequency Locking in the Multifrequency Recirculating Planar Magnetron

This paper presents experimental results that demonstrate the first known instance of harmonic frequency locking in a magnetron. The prototype crossed-field high-power microwave source, termed the multifrequency recirculating planar magnetron, consisted of two planar cavity arrays having design frequencies near 1 and 2 GHz, respectively, coupled by smooth-bore electron beam recirculation bends. The magnetron was driven by the MELBA-C modified Marx generator using −300-kV pulses supplying up to 3 kA for approximately 300 ns. Using a 0.17-T axial magnetic field, the harmonic frequency-locked state simultaneously produced microwave pulses of 32± 3 MW at 0.984± 0.001 GHz and 13±2 MW at 1.970±0.002 GHz. In addition, changes in the relative phase difference between the magnetron slow wave structures (SWSs) were correlated with changes in the axial magnetic field magnitude. This correlation, along with the results from experiments that tested each individual planar cavity array in isolation, suggested the locking was facilitated through the second harmonic content of the 1-GHz modulated electron beam recirculating from the 1-to 2-GHz SWS. Analysis of shots conducted near 0.17 T showed a ±17° shot-to-shot variation in the average relative phase difference between the SWSs, and the average variation in this phase difference during a locked shot was ±8°.
Tone it Down: How Fitness Instructors’ Motivational Comments Shape Women’s Body Satisfaction

Two-hundred and three college women participated in a 16-minute strength and conditioning group fitness class. Participants were randomly assigned to a class that featured either appearance-focused...
Reactive and Proactive Subtypes of Relational and Physical Aggression in Middle Childhood: Links to Concurrent and Longitudinal Adjustment.

Peer aggression in children is a serious issue that school psychologists often encounter on a daily basis. To develop a better understanding of aggression, it is important to look at specific subty...
Astrocyte volume regulation

The formation of chemical synapses between hippocampal neurons in primary cell culture was studied using electrophysiology, calcium imaging and immunocytochemical approaches. Inhibitory and excitatory synapses formed within 12 days in cell culture (DIC) that were sensitive to the N-type calcium channel blocker, omega-conotoxin GVIA (oj-CgTx) . At 4 DIC, immature connections were present in which spontaneous, but rarely evoked, synaptic currents were detected. At both 4 and 12 DIC, the synaptic proteins rabSa, synapsin I, and synaptotagmin were present in hippocampal neurons, but the subcellular distribution changed from one in which immunoreactivity was initially distributed within soma and neurites to a punctate varicose appearance. Correlated with the transformation from immature to mature synaptic states, was the onset of oo-CgTx-sensitive calcium influx. Taken together these data suggest that the expression of functional co-CgTx-sensitive calcium influx is temporally coincident with synapse formation, and that during the maturation of the synapse there is a redistribution of synaptic proteins.
Heart Rate Effects of Longboard Skateboarding

The longboard skateboard has a longer, and usually wider, deck than the standard skateboard to provide greater support of the rider during the higher speeds attained on this version of the skateboard. Fourteen volunteer subjects participated in downhill and uphill longboarding trials. Heart rates were monitored during both trials, and the downhill and uphill average heart rates were compared with resting heart rates and then compared with accepted intensity recommendations for health and fitness benefits. The study questions were: Does longboarding have an acute effect on heart rates? If so, will longboarding uphill and/or downhill cause heart rate changes to levels recommended to improve cardiorespiratory health and fitness? With these questions as guidance we developed four hypotheses. With an average resting heart rate of 59.9 beats/minute, average downhill heart rate of 131.4 beats/minute and average uphill heart rate of 167.8 beats/minute statistical analysis showed statistically significant p values < .0001 and each null hypothesis was rejected in favor of their respective research hypotheses. Based on average age and average resting heart rate, average age-predicted maximum heart rate was 193.2 beats/minute and heart rate reserve was 133.2 beats/minute. The average percentages of heart rate reserve for the downhill section (131.4 beats/minute) and the uphill section (167.8 beats/minute) were 54% and 81%, respectively. Downhill heart rates are within moderate intensity levels, 40% to 60% of heart rate reserve, and uphill heart rates are within vigorous intensity levels, greater than 60 % of heart rate reserve. These results indicate that longboarding can increase heart rate to suggested levels suggested by the American College of Sports Medicine for improving cardiovascular health and fitness.
A Diverted Aerobic Heck Reaction Enables Selective 1,3-Diene and 1,3,5-Triene Synthesis through C-C Bond Scission.

Substituted 1,3-dienes are valuable synthetic intermediates used in myriad catalytic transformations, yet modern catalytic methods for their preparation in a highly modular fashion using simple pre...
A False Dawn or a New Era? A Critical Analysis of the Possible Importance and Effectiveness of the African Development Bank (AfDB) African Legal Support Facility (ALSF)

On June 2009, the African Development Bank (AfDB) launched a new facility called the African Legal Support Facility (ALSF). The introduction of this facility was a sharp response to vulture funds, which had become nightmares to many African governments. This came to the fore when in 2007 Donegal sued Zambia to pay it US $55 million for a debt Zambia owed Romania, which Donegal had bought for US $3.4 million. The amount claimed by Donegal was 17 times the amount it had purchased the debt from Romania and it obtained judgment in the tune of US $15.5 million. The debt was finally settled for US $15 million. It should be noted that since 1999, about 19 claims have been brought by vulture funds against developing countries. The objectives of this article are four folds. First, it will discuss the nature of vulture funds either when they operate as private equities or as hedge funds. This will provide background knowledge on what they are. Second, the paper will examine the Facility i.e. its creation, composition and raison d’etre. Third, and most importantly, the paper will critically examine four inter-linked issues to determine the suitability and utility of this Facility, especially in the present circumstance in which the African Development Bank operates. In discussing these problems, references to the strengths and weaknesses of the implementation of past programs or facilities of AfDB will be made. This will be to determine whether this Facility is either just one of those projects whose advent elicited so much hype, but failed to stand the test of time especially during implementation or whether, it will hold muster against all the potential odds and provide a much wanted relief to African governments taken hostage by vulture funds.
Parenting While Food Insecure: Links Between Adult Food Insecurity, Parenting Aggravation, and Children’s Behaviors:

Parents who experience food insecurity face not only uncertainty in obtaining food, but an invisible emotional burden, one that can potentially influence both their parenting behaviors and ultimate...
The Economics and Ethics of Land Reform

Land reform can be defined as the forced transfer of the ownership of land from one person to another. This must be distinguished from the voluntary transfer of land from one person to another, such as ordinary buying and selling. In the latter case, there can be no true third party. All those involved in land purchases—agents, insurers, lawyers—are mere agents of one party or the other to the agreement. But in the former there must be a third actor, the one who forces one party to give up his land to a second party. This third party is typically the government. Were this third party not involved in the process, there could be no land reform.
Encyclopedia of Geology

Abstract Groundwater constitutes 30% of the global fresh water resource, and it is a major water supply for over 2 billion people worldwide. While surface water resources are the principal water resource globally, the importance of groundwater has been increasing as a reliable resource during times of drought and for irrigation purposes, particularly in semi-arid and arid regions. Despite the importance of groundwater in the global hydrologic cycle, limited information is available about total groundwater storage as well as groundwater use. Recent estimates indicate a total groundwater storage of about 22.6 mkm3, with residence times varying between months to thousands of years. Out of this amount, only 0.1–5 mkm3 of total global groundwater is modern or
They Care for Others, But What About Themselves? Understanding Self-Care Among DSPs' and Its Relationship to Professional Quality of Life

Direct support professionals (DSPs) are instrumental to the daily operations of organizations that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). With extensive responsibilities, DSPs often experience high levels of stress and burnout that can result in turnover and vacant positions. Self-care is the practice of behaviors that promote well-being, counter work-related stress, and foster resilience. The current study explored self-care and resilience, and their relationship with professional quality of life (i.e., satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress) among DSPs. Using a convenient sample, 153 DSPs (71% female) completed an online survey comprised of multiple measures. Results indicated that DSPs often engaged in self-care behaviors across physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, relational, and workplace domains, however, less than 40% engaged in self-care behaviors directly related to work. On average, DSPs reported high levels of resilience. Collectively, self-care and resilience accounted for 12% to 28% of variance in DSPs' professional quality of life. Given the contribution of self-care to resilience and professional quality of life, an active approach by IDD organizations to foster self-care among DSPs may help promote their longevity and retention.
Thoracolumbar Transverse Process Fractures Are More Frequently Associated with Nonspinal Injury than Clinically Significant Spine Fracture

Objective We studied the risk of associated spinal and nonspinal injuries (NSIs) in the setting of observed thoracolumbar transverse process fracture (TPF) and examined the clinical management of TPF. Methods Patients treated at a Level I trauma center over a 5-year period were screened for thoracolumbar TPF. Prevalence of associated spinal fractures and NSIs as well as relationship to level of TPF was explored. Clinical management and follow-up outcomes were reviewed. Results A total of 252 patients with thoracolumbar TPFs were identified. NSIs were commonly observed (70.6%, n = 178); however, associated spinal fractures were more rarely seen (24.6%, n = 62, P Conclusions NSIs are nearly 3 times more common in patients with thoracolumbar TPFs than associated clinically relevant spinal fractures. Spine service consultation for TPF may be unnecessary unless fracture is associated with a clinically relevant spinal injury, which represents a minority of cases. However, detection of TPF should raise suspicion for high likelihood of associated NSIs.
Visual Monitoring and Servoing of a Cutting Blade during Telerobotic Satellite Servicing

We propose a system for visually monitoring and servoing the cutting of a multi-layer insulation (MLI) blanket that covers the envelope of satellites and spacecraft. The main contributions of this paper are: 1) to propose a model for relating visual features describing the engagement depth of the blade to the force exerted on the MLI blanket by the cutting tool, 2) a blade design and algorithm to reliably detect the engagement depth of the blade inside the MLI, and 3) a servoing mechanism to achieve the desired applied force by monitoring the engagement depth. We present results that validate these contributions by comparing forces estimated from visual feedback to measured forces at the blade. We also demonstrate the robustness of the blade design and vision processing under challenging conditions.
The Basolateral Polarity Module Promotes Slit Diaphragm Formation in Drosophila Nephrocytes, a Model of Vertebrate Podocytes

Background Podocyte slit diaphragms (SDs) are intercellular junctions that function as size-selective filters, excluding most proteins from urine. Abnormalities in SDs cause proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome. Podocytes exhibit apicobasal polarity, which can affect fundamental aspects of cell biology, including morphology, intercellular junction formation, and asymmetric protein distribution along the plasma membrane. Apical polarity protein mutations cause nephrotic syndrome, and data suggest apical polarity proteins regulate SD formation. However, there is no evidence that basolateral polarity proteins regulate SDs. Thus, the role of apicobasal polarity in podocytes remains unclear. Methods Genetic manipulations and transgenic reporters determined the effects of disrupting apicobasal polarity proteins in Drosophila nephrocytes, which have SDs similar to those of mammalian podocytes. Confocal and electron microscopy were used to characterize SD integrity after loss of basolateral polarity proteins, and genetic-interaction studies illuminated relationships among apicobasal polarity proteins. Results The study identified four novel regulators of nephrocyte SDs: Dlg, Lgl, Scrib, and Par-1. These proteins comprise the basolateral polarity module and its effector kinase. The data suggest these proteins work together, with apical polarity proteins, to regulate SDs by promoting normal endocytosis and trafficking of SD proteins. Conclusions Given the recognized importance of apical polarity proteins and SD protein trafficking in podocytopathies, the findings connecting basolateral polarity proteins to these processes significantly advance our understanding of SD regulation.
Deep Functional Network (DFN): Functional Interpretation of Deep Neural Networks for Intelligent Sensing Systems

We introduce Deep Functional Network (DFN) that approximates a black-box Deep Neural Network (DNN) to a functional program consisting of a set of well-known functions and data flows among them. A DFN not only provides a semantic interpretation of a DNN but also enables easy deployment and optimization of the translated program according to the requirements and constraints of the target intelligent sensing system. To interpret a DNN, we propose the DFN framework consisting of two steps: 1) function estimation that estimates the distribution of functions likely to be used in the source DNN and 2) network formation that finds a functional network in the form of a directed acyclic graph (DAG) given the estimated function distribution. Our empirical study conducted with 16 state-of-the-art DNNs demonstrates that the generated DFNs provide semantic understandings of the DNNs along with comparable classification accuracy to the source DNNs. We implement two intelligent sensing systems that use the proposed DFN: 1) a mobile robot that avoids obstacles detected by a camera and 2) a smartphone-based human activity recognizer using IMU sensors, where different sizes of DFNs are generated to complete the task under various resource budgets, i.e., execution time and energy consumption dynamically imposed by run-time scenarios. The experiment result demonstrates that a set of DFNs generated from a single DNN enable both systems to achieve the desired performance under various resource constraints based on semantic understanding of the DNNs.