cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Self-Assembled Vesicles from Mixed Brush Nanoparticles in Solution

The self-assembly of binary polymer-grafted nanoparticles (NPs) in a selective solvent is investigated using coarse-grained simulations. Simulations are performed using theoretically informed Langevin dynamics (TILD), a particle-based method that employs a particle-to-mesh scheme to efficiently calculate the nonbonded interactions. The particles are densely grafted with two immiscible polymers, A and B, that are permanently bound to the NP either at random grafting sites (random-grafted) or with all the A chains on one hemisphere of the NP and all the B chains on the other hemisphere (Janus-grafted). For NPs with random grafting, the polymers phase-separate on the surface of the NP to form Janus-type structures in dilute solution, even though some of the chains have to stretch around the particle to form the Janus structure. When the solvent quality is sufficiently poor for the solvophobic chains, the binary grafted NPs assemble into various structures, including double-walled vesicles. In particular, vesicles are formed when the solvophilic volume fraction is between 0.2 and 0.3, in a similar range to that required for vesicle formation in diblock copolymers in a selective solvent. For mixed-grafted NPs, there is considerable variation in the structure of each individual NP, but nevertheless, these NPs form ordered vesicles, similar to those formed by Janus-grafted NPs.
Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) Results for Participants of the eXtraordinarY Babies Study: Screening, Counseling, Diagnosis, and Discordance

Sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs), including 47,XXY, 47,XXX, 47,XYY, and supernumerary variants, occur collectively in approximately 1/500 livebirths. Clinical phenotypes are highly variable resulting in previous ascertainment rates have been estimated to be only 10-25% during a lifetime. Historically, prenatal SCA diagnoses were incidental findings, accounting for [≤]10% of cases, with the majority of diagnoses occurring postnatally during evaluations for neurodevelopmental, medical, or infertility concerns. The initiation of noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in 2012 and adoption into standardized obstetric care provides a unique opportunity to significantly increase prenatal ascertainment of SCAs. However, the impact NIPT has had on ascertainment of SCAs is understudied, particularly for those who may defer diagnostic testing until after birth. This study evaluates the timing of diagnostic testing following positive NIPT in 152 infants with SCAs and potential factors influencing this decision. Eighty-seven (57%) elected to defer diagnostic testing after a positive NIPT until birth, and 8% (7/87) of those confirmed after birth were found to have discordant results on postnatal diagnostic testing, most of which would have influenced genetic counseling.
Ethnic Disparities in Emergency Severity Index Scores among U.S. Veteran's Affairs Emergency Department Patients.

Background The goal of these analyses was to determine whether there were systematic differences in Emergency Severity Index (ESI) scores, which are intended to determine priority of treatment and anticipate resource needs, across categories of race and ethnicity, after accounting for patient-presenting vital signs and examiner characteristics, and whether these differences varied among male and female Veterans Affairs (VA) ED patients. Methods and Findings We used a large national database of electronic medical records of ED patients from twenty-two U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ED stations to determine whether ESI assignments differ systematically by race or ethnicity. Multi-level, random effects linear modeling was used to control for demographic characteristics and patient’s vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate, and pain level), as well as age, gender, and experience of triage nurses. The dataset included 129,991 VA patients presenting for emergency care between 2008 and 2012 (91% males; 61% non-Hispanic White, 28% Black, 7% Hispanic, 2% Asian, <1% American Indian/Alaska Native, 1% mixed ethnicity) and 774 nurses for a total of 359,642 patient/examiner encounters. Approximately 13% of the variance in ESI scores was due to patient characteristics and 21% was due to the nurse characteristics. After controlling for characteristics of nurses and patients, Black patients were assigned less urgent ESI scores than White patients, and this effect was more prominent for Black males compared with Black females. A similar interaction was found for Hispanic males. It remains unclear how these results may generalize to EDs and patient populations outside of the U.S. VA Health Care system. Conclusions The findings suggest the possibility that subgroups of VA patients receive different ESI ratings in triage, which may have cascading, downstream consequences for patient treatment quality, satisfaction with care, and trust in the health equity of emergency care.
EFFECT OF p-FLUOROPHENYLALANINE ON PSITTACOSIS VIRUS IN TISSUE CULTURES

Tanami, Yoh (University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston) and Morris Pollard. Effect of p-fluorophenylalanine on psittacosis virus in tissue cultures. J. Bacteriol. 83:437-442. 1962.-The inhibitory effect of p-fluorophenylalanine (FPA) on maturation of psittacosis virus was investigated, with attention to the time sequence of viral protein synthesis. Extracellular virus particles were not inactivated by FPA at a concentration of 100 mug per ml, at which level it interfered with maturation of intracellular virus. When FPA was added to infected tissue cultures earlier than 15 hr after infection, intracellular virus maturation was suppressed. However, when FPA was added after 15 hr, infective virus was produced, which indicates that the synthesis of a FPA-sensitive virus precursor (presumably viral protein) had already occurred. A latent ("dormant") infection of psittacosis virus, established in a medium deficient in phenylalanine and tyrosine, was also investigated.
Properties of DNA isolated from tissues of calves treated with S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine. II. Primer-template activity for bacterial DNA polymerases.

DNA polymerase from E. coli and Micrococcus lysodeikticus was used to assay the “primer-template” activity of DNA isolated from seven tissues of calves which had been treated with a single dose of S -(1,2-dichlorovinyl)- l -cysteine (DCVC). The activity of heat-denatured salmon sperm DNA was used as reference standard. DNA isolated from bone marrow, thymus gland, and lymph nodes became inactive about 2 weeks and later, following DCVC administration, when the animals developed severe aplastic anemia. DNA from liver, kidney, spleen, and intestinal mucosa of the same animals retained full “primer-template” activity throughout this period. Loss of “primer-template” activity was correlated with changes in melting profile, the appearance of a lighter DNA species, and the development of the blood dyscrasia. The abnormal DNA was more resistant to hydrolysis by pancreatic DNase I.
Non-Strict Strict Scrutiny: The Fifth Circuit and the Grutter standard in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin

On January 18, 2011, in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that a university’s admissions policy was constitutional because it had a compelling interest in achieving a critical mass of minority students and did not strive for outright racial balancing for its own sake. Although the Fifth Circuit’s holding aligns with the Supreme Court’s standard in Grutter v. Bollinger, it exemplifies how Grutter discourages universities from experimenting to create better race-conscious admissions policies.
Cycling and Camping in Florida

(1974). Cycling and Camping in Florida. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 45, No. 7, pp. 95-95.
Variation of spherical harmonic power as a function of harmonic order for Earth's core and crustal magnetic field and for Mars' crustal field

[1] The variation of power of the spherical harmonics of Earth’s magnetic field as a function of degree is well known. At Earth’s surface the power decreases as a function of degree until the crustal component dominates. At the core surface, the spectrum is flat apart from the dipole term, and each degree contributes about equally to the power. However, as a function of order the power tends to decrease for high harmonic orders. These represent sources at low geographic latitudes, and so a field in which high-order power is low represents one in which low-latitude sources are weaker than high-latitude sources. Thus the explanation for the reduction in power for high-order harmonics in Earth’s core field is that in the core, low-latitude sources of the nondipole field are less intense than high-latitude sources. Earth’s crustal field is represented by harmonic degrees greater than 15 and also shows the power falling off as a function of order, implying that there is an increase in the intensity of magnetic anomalies from equator to poles. This can be explained if the magnetizations have been produced by a dipole field aligned along the spin axis because such a field is twice as strong at the poles as at the equator. For the Martian field there is no central dipole source, but there are strong crustal sources that were created when Mars had a planetary dynamo and presumably an axial dipolar field. Martian harmonics show the same pattern of variation as a function of order as those on Earth. One explanation for this is that these crustal sources were magnetized with a dipolar field aligned along the present spin axis, implying that there has not been much Martian polar wander since the crust was magnetized. Components: 8239 words, 15 figures, 1 table.
Signal transduction via the B cell antigen receptor: involvement of a G protein and regulation of signaling.

The antigen receptor on B lymphocytes plays critical roles in B cell development and B cell activation. Antigen or anti-immunoglobulin stimulation of membrane IgM (mIgM) on immature B cells, such as those found in neonatal mice, results in the functional inactivation of the B cell1. This response, referred to as “clonal anergy” by Nossal and colleagues, would be expected to inactivate B cells with mIgM specific for autoantigens in the environment of the developing B cell, and hence may play a role in the generation of B cell tolerance. Stimulation of the antigen receptor on a mature B cell, on the other hand, contributes to the activation of that cell to proliferate and differentiate into antibody secreting cells2,3. In the case of the immature B cell,the antigen receptor must be acting as a signal transducing receptor, since this response can be seen at the single cell level4. In the case of B cell activation, mlg appears to play a dual role: it can serve,as a very efficient means of taking up antigen for presentation to helper T cells5–7. Additionaby, mlg can act as a signal transducing receptor, as revealed by the striking effects of anti-immunoglobulin antibodies on resting mature B cells8.
Plankton Production and Year-class Strength in Fish Populations: an Update of the Match/Mismatch Hypothesis

Publisher Summary The degree of match and mismatch in the time of larval production and production of their food has been put forward as an explanation of part of the variability in recruitment to a stock of fish. The magnitude of recruitment is not completely determined until the year-class finally joins the adult stock, and the processes involved probably begin early in the life-history of the fish when both their growth and mortality rates are high. The match/mismatch hypothesis is given in this chapter to cover the subsequent development through larval life up to metamorphosis, and possibly just beyond. The match/mismatch hypothesis has now been extended to the upwelling areas and oceanic divergences equatorward of 40° latitude on the basis that fish in these regions release batches of eggs more frequently when they are well fed and, more generally, that pelagic fish may modify their reproductive strategies such that they can feed and spawn at the same time. A delay in predation is of great importance, particularly when production peaks in early development. This model illustrates the difficulties that occur when growth and mortality are allowed to interact. On the other hand, there are three consequences of the match/mismatch hypothesis that are presented in this chapter. However, the limited conclusion drawn in this chapter is that, investigations of fish larvae should continue to be a part of the study of population dynamics of fishes.
Fertility preservation in the female cancer patient.

Hundreds of thousands of young women are diagnosed with cancer each year, but due to advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment, survival rates have improved dramatically. With improved survival, long-term effects of cancer treatment including infertility need to be addressed and should be discussed as soon as possible. Oncologists should be familiar with their patients' risks of infertility and available options for fertility preservation and future reproduction. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014; 110:907–911. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
THERMOCOUPLE ATTACHMENT TO A DIRECT-CURRENT HEATER

A calibratibn method is outlined for measuring to within plus or minus 0.1 mv (5 deg F) the extraneous component of the thermocouple signal from a d-c heater. A differential thermocouple is formed with one junction welded onto the test section of the heater and the other junction in a small electric furnace at a steady temperature near that of the thermocouple being calibrated. A steady heating current of up to 300 amp is passed through the test section while the differential thermocouple emf and heating currents are recorded on an oscillograph, and then the current flow is suddenly interrupted. The resulting change in the thermocouple emf is the extraneous signal, which varies linearly with heating current and is independent of temperature. (D.L.C.)
Clinical presentation and pharmacotherapy response in social anxiety disorder: The effect of etiological beliefs

Abstract Therapies for social anxiety disorder (SAD) leave many patients symptomatic at the end of treatment and little is known about predictors of treatment response. This study investigated the predictive relationship of patients׳ etiological attributions to initial clinical features and response to pharmacotherapy. One hundred thirty-seven individuals seeking treatment for SAD received 12 weeks of open treatment with paroxetine. Participants completed the Attributions for the Etiology of Social Anxiety Scale at baseline in addition to measures of social anxiety and depression at baseline and over the course of treatment. A latent class analysis suggested four profiles of etiological beliefs about one׳s SAD that may be characterized as: Familial Factors , Need to be Liked , Bad Social Experiences, and Diffuse Beliefs . Patients in the more psychosocially-driven classes, Need to be Liked and Bad Social Experiences , had the most severe social anxiety and depression at baseline. Patients in the Familial Factors class, who attributed their SAD to genetic, biological, and early life experiences, had the most rapid response to paroxetine.These results highlight the effect of biological and genetically-oriented etiological beliefs on pharmacological intervention, have implications for person-specific treatment selection, and identify potential points of intervention to augment treatment response.
Are We Heading Into a Workforce Crisis

Thirty-three years ago, George Engel (1) contended that all of medicine was in crisis. The crisis, he suggested, had its origin in medicine’s adherence to a model of disease defined solely in terms of “somatic parameters”—a model that was no longer adequate for the “scientific tasks and social responsibilities” of the profession. Speaking of psychiatry, he stated that our specialty had been falsely polarized into those who held that psychiatry should concern itself with “problems of living” and, in contrast, those who held that the scope of psychiatry should be the identification, treatment, and cure of “biological brain dysfunctions, either biochemical or neurophysiological in nature.” Engel summarized that modern medicine was “faced with the necessity and the challenge to broaden the approach to disease to include the psychosocial without sacrificing the enormous advantages of the biomedical model,” which had become a “cultural imperative” in today’s society (1). Whether taken individually or together, the articles that make up this issue of Academic Psychiatry suggest that the biopsychosocial model has indeed emerged as a predominant paradigm in our field. It is clear that psychiatry concerns itself with problems of living as well as biologically driven conditions. It is clear that psychiatric educators concern themselves with preparing professional learners to provide pharmacotherapies as well as psychotherapies and to become astute scientists, teachers, clinicians, learners, advocates, and good citizens of the profession. Psychiatric educators work to help early career colleagues to serve in community-based programs and highly specialized academic centers and to be generalistspecialists as well as subspecialty experts. It is clear that psychiatrists-in-training have the courage to face tragedy, whether in caring for individual patients or seeking to help in truly catastrophic situations in our world, and they embrace their colleagues from many nations in their work.
Spinal cord schistosomiasis: A pediatric case mimicking intrinsic cord neoplasm

We present the clinical, myelographic, MRI, and histologic data on a 7-year-old girl with confirmed Schistosoma mansoni infection of the spinal cord. MRI of the granulomatous spinal lesion revealed extensive enlargement of the cord in the T11-12 area, with some intramedullary swelling extending to T-5 through T-7. The clinical manifestations of spinal schistosomiasis can be diverse, and there should be a high index of suspicion for all patients from endemic areas.
Relativistic distorted wave collision strengths and oscillator strengths for the 71 Na-like ions with 22 ≤ Z ≤ 92☆

Abstract Relativistic distorted wave collision strengths are given for the 10 transitions among the 3s 1 2 , 3p 1 2 , 3p 3 2 , and 3d 5 2 levels and for the 80 transitions from these levels to the excited levels nlj with n = 4 and 5 in the 71 Na-like ions with nuclear charge number Z in the range 22 ≤ Z ≤ 92. The calculations were made for the six final, or scattered, electron energies E′ = 0.0025, 0.015, 0.04, 0.10, 0.21, and 0.40, where E′ is in units of Zeff2 rydbergs with Zeff = Z − 8.34. In addition, the transition energies and electric dipole oscillator strengths are given. To our knowledge the present work is the first comprehensive publication of the results of fully relativistic calculations of the collision strengths for excitation of Na-like ions.
Quantum phases for a generalized harmonic oscillator

An effective Hamiltonian for the generalized harmonic oscillator is determined by using squeezed state wavefunctions. The equations of motion over an extended phase space are determined and then solved perturbatively for a specific choice of the oscillator parameters. These results are used to calculate the dynamic and geometric phases for the generalized oscillator with this choice of parameters.
Latex spheres as markers for studies of cell surface receptors by scanning electron microscopy.

THE distribution of antigens and carbohydrate residues on the surfaces of cells, notably erythrocytes and lymphocytes, can be determined by binding antibodies or lectins to such macromolecules as ferritin1,2, haemocyanin3,4 or peroxidase2,5, which serve as markers for transmission electron microscopy. Improved techniques in high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), however, make it possible to determine the topographical distribution of molecular receptors on the surfaces of cells and tissues by similar histochemical techniques involving markers resolvable by SEM. LoBuglio et al.6 used commercial polystyrene latex particles, 2,300A in diameter, as immunological markers for SEM work. But applications of this reagent are limited because the hydrophobic surface of the particles makes them stick non-specifically to many surfaces and molecules.
Understanding and eliminating errors in perinatal research

Research studies published in the scientific literature have had a rapid impact on medical practice, especially in clinical obstetrics. Recently, incentives to control medical costs without sacrificing the quality of care have placed increased importance on studies that truly demonstrate clinical effectiveness. In addition, there are ethical concerns that improperly designed or conducted studies adversely affect medical practice and place patients at unnecessary risk. This article summarizes potential sources of error and encourages the valid interpretation of the results and conclusions of experimental studies by making four suggestions: (1) the errors and limitations that may be present in the methodology should be described and explanations given how the errors might have affected the results and why the limitations are acceptable; (2) the methods selected should allow an answer to the question proposed; (3) the investigator should verify that the appropriate statistical test is used; and (4) when unexpected or hard to explain results are found, verification before publication should be undertaken.
Dimerization of proflavin by the laser raman temperature-jump method.

THE effects of proflavin, 3,6-diaminoacridine, as a mutagen and as an enzyme inhibitor have been extensively studied1,2. An understanding of the interaction between proflavin molecules is important in interpreting these studies. Deviations in absorbance from Beer's law indicate that proflavin aggregates at high concentrations but the extent of aggregation is uncertain3–9. NMR measurements have shown that acridine orange, 3,6-bisdimethylaminoacridine, aggregates by stacking and proflavin probably behaves similarly10. The activation parameters and interactions involved in this process are of interest because stacking interactions are believed to be responsible for the conformational stability of many biological molecules11. We report here the results of a study of the kinetics of aggregation of proflavin.
Studying the commons, governing common-pool resource outcomes: Some concluding thoughts

Abstract The study of common-pool resources has benefited immensely from the contributions of Elinor Ostrom. Continuing advances in the field will require that scholars of commons use the insights in her work. But they must also (1) make conceptual and theoretical advances in terms of differentiating the social and ecological outcomes related to commons governance, (2) deploy more sophisticated analytical methods to make sense of different outcomes and patterns of relationships among outcomes, and (3) create better, globally representative, hierarchically organized datasets on the commons. Efforts to build better theories and develop a more rigorous understanding of outcomes are also necessary to keep in view the needs of poor, marginal populations that depend on the commons globally.
The role of neuropsychological testing in neurological disease

Abstract Neuropsychological assessment is an important tool for evaluating cognitive function in patients with neurologic and psychiatric disease. It provides a standardized and reliable quantitative assessment of cognitive strengths and limitations. Level of cognitive functioning is determined relative to peer-referenced normative data and patterns of relative capabilities and limitations are examined. Neuropsychological testing is particularly useful in detecting subtle cognitive dysfunction and documenting change over time.
A k Nearest Neighbor based Local Linear Wavelet Neural Network Model for On-line Short-term Traffic Volume Prediction

This paper presents a forecasting method called k nearest neighbor based local linear wavelet neural network (kNN-LLWNN) for the on-line, short-term prediction of five-minute traffic volumes at westbound of Interstate 64 in Hampton Road in Virginia. The method is based on combining k nearest neighbor (k-NN), with local linear wavelet neural network (LLWNN). The idea is to apply k-NN method to form the training dataset for LLWNN instead of taking the whole historical dataset for training. The proposed model is compared with k-NN, LLWNN and support vector regression (SVR) separately from prediction accuracy and running time two aspects. Experiments are conducted to decide the most appropriate parameters for the four models for the verification dataset. For the test dataset, the study's findings appear to confirm the hypothesis that, kNN-LLWNN performs comparable with LLWNN and SVR, and its running time is much lower than LLWNN and SVR because of the introduction of k-NN.
E-Therapy: Scope, Concerns, Ethical Standards, and Feasibility

ABSTRACT This article briefly presents a historical overview of e-therapy and the current state of the art as it relates to social work. The article evaluates the research available on the subject and considers several practical issues and ethical concerns based on the ethical standards of NASW, APA, and ACA. The article considers the potential benefits and limitations of e-therapy and offers recommendations to improve its benefits and minimize its shortcomings. Finally, the article concludes with the application of e-therapy to family social work.
The effect of space allowance and sex on blood catecholamines and cortisol, feed consumption and average daily gain in growing lambs

Abstract The effect of space allowance (0.37, 0.62 and 0.99 m 2 per lamb) and sex (ewe and ram) on plasma norepinephrine, epinephrine and cortisol concentrations, feed consumption and average daily gain in 11-week-old Dorset lambs weighing 21.7 kg (ewe) and 25.7 kg (ram) was examined. Lambs raised in a common pen were trucked 2 km to the experimental site where they were housed in elevated metal pens in a barn and fed a 16% crude protein (CP) pelleted diet ad libitum for 56 days. Jugular blood samples were collected 2 days prior to shipping and 4, 8, 16, 24, 36 and 48 h after arrival at the site, and once per week thereafter. There was no space allowance by sex interactions on feed intake, average daily gain or feed efficiency. The ram lambs consumed more feed and gained more weight than the ewe lambs ( P 2 per lamb reduced feed intake and average daily gain ( P 2 per lamb. There was no effect of pen size on plasma epinephrine, norepinephrine or cortisol concentrations at a particular time point, nor were there any differences within treatment over time.
Differences between Plant and Animal Myb Domains Are Fundamental for DNA Binding Activity, and Chimeric Myb Domains Have Novel DNA Binding Specificities

Several Myb domain proteins have been identified in plants, in which they play important regulatory roles in specific cellular processes. Plant and animal Myb domains have significant differences, but how these differences are important for function is not yet understood. The P gene encodes a Myb domain protein that activates a subset of flavonoid biosynthetic genes in maize floral organs. P and v-Myb bind different DNA sequences in vitro. Here we show that the Myb domain is solely responsible for the sequence-specific DNA binding activity of P, which binds DNA only in the reduced state. Differences in the DNA binding domains of v-Myb and P, which are conserved among animal and plant Myb domains, are fundamental for the high affinity DNA binding activity of these proteins to the corresponding binding sites but are not sufficient for the distinct DNA binding specificities of P and v-Myb. We conclude that significant structural differences distinguish plant from animal Myb domains. A chimeric Myb domain with a novel DNA binding specificity was created by combining Myb repeats of P and v-Myb. This approach could be used to artificially create novel Myb domains and to target transcription factors to genes containing specific promoters or to modify Myb-mediated interactions with other cellular factors.
Macromolecular Crowding as a Regulator of Transcription

Inspired by PWS experiments showing cell nanostructural changes in early carcinogenesis, we developed models to study changes in transcription due to macromolecular crowding. We find that crowding can lead to nonmonotonic regulation of transcription
Facile Concerted Proton−Electron Transfers in a Ruthenium Terpyridine-4′-Carboxylate Complex with a Long Distance Between the Redox and Basic Sites

We have designed and prepared ruthenium complexes with terpyridine-4′-carboxylate (tpyCOO) ligands, in which there are six bonds between the redox-active Ru and the basic carboxylate. The protonated Ru(II) complex, RuII(dipic)(tpyCOOH) (RuIICOOH), is prepared in one-pot from [(p-cymene)RuCl2]2, tpyCOONa, and then sodium pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylate [Na(dipic)]. A crystal structure of the deprotonated Ru(II) complex, RuIICOO−, shows a distance of 6.9 A between the metal and basic sites. The Ru(III) complex (RuIIICOO) has been isolated by one-electron oxidation of RuIICOO− with triarylaminium radical cations (NAr3•+). RuIIICOO has a bond dissociation free energy (BDFE) of 81 ± 1 kcal mol−1, from pKa and E1/2 measurements. It oxidizes 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol (BDFE = 77 ± 1 kcal mol−1) by removal of e− and H+ (≡ H•) to form 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenoxyl radical and RuIICOOH, with a second-order rate constant of (2.3 ± 0.2) × 104 M−1 s−1 and a kH/kD of 7.7 ± 1.2. Thermochemical analysis suggests a concerted pr...
Interactions between POPA and a4b2 nAChR: Insight from MD Simulations

Extensive experimental studies have validated the necessity of the anionic lipid phosphatidic acid (PA) and/or cholesterol (CHOL) for functional nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). At molecular lever, however, it is still unclear how PA and CHOL modulate the functionality of nAChR. We investigated the modulation mechanism through molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of both open- and closed-channel α4β2 nAChR embedded into a ternary lipid mixture of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (POPC), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphatidic acid (POPA), and cholesterol with a POPC:POPA:CHOL ratio of 3:1:1. Unique interactions of POPA with the closed- and open-channel nAChR were revealed in MD simulations. We identified several putative POPA binding sites, which were formed by the highly conserved residues at the interfaces of the extracellular and transmembrane domains or the intracellular and transmembrane domains of α4β2. Our MD simulations also suggested that POPA might stabilize the open-channel structure through better hydrogen bonding and salt-bridging with its residues in the open channel. The total numbers of hydrogen bonds and salt-bridges formed between POPA and nAChR were 3 and 5 times more in the open-channel than in the closed-channel, respectively. The salt-bridges lasted for nanoseconds in the open channel but only ∼100 ps in the closed-channel. The POPA molecules that formed salt-bridges with nAChR showed higher order parameters than the POPA in the bulk lipids, while the order parameters for lipids at the lipid-protein interface were generally reduced. These results collectively suggest that the interactions between POPA and nAChR may potentially modulate the channel gating and preferentially enhance receptor function. Supported by NIH (R01GM66358 and R01GM56257) and NCSA through the PSC.
Correlation between the Sea Surface Temperature and the frequency of severe storms in the tropical oceans using seven years of AIRS data

The analysis of the daily count of Deep Convective Clouds (DCC) with cloud top temperatures colder than 210K and the zonal mean Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in large regions of the tropical oceans shows a correlation, which can be used to show that the frequency of DCC increases about 40% for each degree K increase in the zonal mean SST. This sensitivity is consistent with a simple model, which assumes that DCC have a high likelihood of forming in the tail of the zonal SST distribution where the local SST exceeds 302 K. Tropical zones with warmer SST have more locations with SST>302K, and consequently have a higher frequency of DCC. This model appears to be valid for a wide range of conditions, including the Tropical Warm Pool (TWP). DCC are associated with the most intense thunderstorms over the tropical ocean. The correlation between the zonal mean SST and the DCC frequency allows us to estimate the rate of increase of the frequency of intense thunderstorms in the tropical oceans due to global warming as 5%/decade.
Wet film application techniques and their effects on the stability of RuO2-TiO2 coated titanium anodes

The effect of wet film application techniques on the physical and electrochemical properties and operational stability of RuO2–TiO2 coated titanium anodes was evaluated. Four compositions of RuO2–TiO2 coatings were applied to Ti substrates by three different wet coating methods—brush, dip and spin. Changing the coating technique resulted in different morphologies. Electrochemically active surface area of the coatings was related to the morphology. A shift in Ru(III)/Ru(IV) oxidation potential occurred upon changing the application technique. For lower ruthenium content coatings, this shift was related to coating lifetime. Anode stability in accelerated lifetesting showed that dip coated samples lasted up to three times longer than brush coated samples for lower ruthenium content.
Multimodal imaging of the sonic organ of Porichthys notatus, the singing midshipman fish.

Abstract The sonic midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus , is a bottom-dwelling species whose swim bladder has evolved into a highly specialized, sound-producing organ. The males of this species exist in two distinct morphs with different physical characteristics and sexual strategies. The Type I males have a much larger sound organ and are capable of generating a loud ∼100 Hz tone continuously for over an hour to attract females. This sound is produced by sonic muscle and represents one of the most superfast and super-enduring striated muscles found in nature. Each fiber contains a hollow, tubular contractile apparatus composed of radially arranged myofibrils with extremely broad Z-bands that are supported by a desmin-rich cytoskeleton. We have used micro computed tomography (CT) imaging and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to visualize the location of the sonic organ in an intact male fish. We have also obtained high-resolution MR images of the excised swim bladders from both male types. The images of the Type I sonic organ are strikingly detailed and high-contrast, revealing both the internal organization of the bladder and the crisscrossing muscle fibers and their mode of attachment to the underlying bladder. The high-contrast variation in these images is due to different T 2 values for fiber bundles and the spaces between the bundles. Direct MR imaging of intact Type I sonic organ in Type I midshipman fish is a powerful approach to understanding the contraction of this superfast muscle and the oscillation of its bladder to produce mating calls, and how placement of the sonic organ in the body of the fish sheds light on its prodigious ability to produce and transmit its loud mating call.
The prediction of wear by paper

Abstract The paper outlines the development of mathematical models to predict the wear of metal, polymer, and ceramic materials caused by the abrasive effects of paper. The collection and analysis of wear data, and the derivation of the predictive mathematical models are described. Included in the investigation are the effects on wear of total length of paper passed over the specimen, individual document length, document velocity, normal load, specimen geometry, and specimen material. The document mix used was representative of that often encountered for modern document handling machines. The results indicate good correlation between the wear observed and that predicted by the mathematical models.
Evidence that Insulin Deficiency in the Rat Has Disparate Effects on Fructose 2,6-Bisphosphate Levels in Muscle and Liver

The level of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6P2), a potent stimulator of 6-phosphofructo-l-kinase and inhibitor of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase, was measured in three different muscle types (tensor fascia latae, biceps femoris, and soleus) and in the liver of normal and diabetic rats. The mean (±sem) content of F2.6P2 (nanomoles per g tissue) varied among the three types of skeletal muscle in normal rats, with the biceps femoris having the highest (0.97 ± 0.15) and the soleus the lowest (0.57 ± 0.03) levels. However, these differences were unrelated to simultaneous estimates of skeletal muscle activity of 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase activity. The total concentration of F2,6P2 was more than 8-fold higher (8.5 ± 0.9) in the liver, and this value fell to 5.3 ± 0.8 (P < 0.05) after the induction of diabetes with streptozotocin. In contrast, F2.6P2 levels did not fall in skeletal muscle of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, and the concentration actually increased. Thus, the fall in hepatic F2,6P2 concentra...
MINIMUM VARIANCE UNBIASED ESTIMATION OF PROBABILITY DENSITIES

Summary The purpose of this note is to point out an elementary method for deriving the minimum variance unbiased (mvu) estimators of probability densities. The method is illustrated by estimating the densities of some well known important distributions. We believe that this note would be of interest especially to both teachers and students of a first course in mathematical statistics.
Us versus Them: How Identities and Characterizations Influence Conflict

How individuals view themselves and others is central to most conflicts, from the local to the international. Identities and characterizations are expressed in the language parties use to describe ...
Synthesis and luminescent properties of Mn2+ doped Zn2SiO4 phosphors by a hydrothermal method

Abstract Green light emitting Mn2+ doped Zn2SiO4 phosphor particles were synthesized by a seeded hydrothermal method at 230°C for 2 h. The microstructure of phosphor crystals was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD results indicate that seeds play an important role in enhancing the nucleation and crystallization of Zn2SiO4 crystals. Green photoluminescence, whose peak is located at 522 nm, was observed from the hydrothermally synthesized phosphor particles under UV excitation. Cathodoluminescence (CL) efficiency was weak and increased with increasing applied voltage up to 0.30 lm W−1 at 10 kV. The weak CL efficiency is believed to be caused by the polymer adsorbate, used to control the particle size, on the Zn2SiO4 particle surface.
Next generation space avionics: layered system implementation

Advances in electronics over the past decade have produced major improvements in the power and flexibility of computer systems. Unfortunately current avionics systems for space applications typically have not leveraged these COTS advantages. A decade ago, the state-of-the-art for avionics systems made a step change to the Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA) used in the Boeing 777. This next generation avionics architecture is not based upon traditional Byzantine redundancy structures, but on a truth-based scheme where each element knows when an internal failure occurs and removes itself from the system. IMA utilizes a lock-step microprocessor design that communicates to a COTS Backplane for input/output, and to a Virtual Backplane/spl trade/ (a reliable high-speed serial bus) for intra-system communication. The system functions are implemented using a time and space partitioned operating system. The entire system provides the simplicity of a simplex system, implements the highest level of reliability providing complete flexibility to reconfigure both software applications and hardware interfaces, allows for rapid prototyping using low-cost COTS hardware, and is easily expandable beyond the initial point implementation. As the only 5/sup th/ generation avionics architecture, the concepts incorporated into Honeywell's IMA are ideally suited to be the backbone of the next generation Space Exploration Program avionics architectures.
The ascending branch of Mauthner's axon in Xenopus: its possible role in startle reflexes

A major branch of Mauthner's (M-) axon has been found in larvae of Xenopus laevis (Daudin). After giving off an inhibitory collateral toward the contralateral M-cell, the branch continues forward to the preoptic nucleus of the forebrain. Following stimulation of the M-cell, the function of the ascending branch of its axon may be to elicit startle responses corresponding to the defensive hypothalamic responses of higher vertebrates.
Immunotoxicology of cadmium and mercury on B-lymphocytes — I. Effects on lymphocyte function

Heavy metals have been shown to exert immunotoxic effects on humoral immunity. To ascertain the mechanisms by which these immunotoxic effects are exerted, the effects of CdCl2 and HgCl2 on the biology of murine B-lymphocytes were studied. It was shown that CdCl2 and HgCl2 inhibited B-cell RNA and DNA synthesis. The IC50 (the concentration required to inhibit a specific B-cell function by 50%) for CdCl2 was 30 microM for RNA synthesis and DNA synthesis. The IC50 for HgCl2 was 50 and 120 nM for RNA and DNA synthesis, respectively. Cell cycle analysis revealed that B-cells were arrested throughout the cell cycle with CdCl2 and HgCl2. The inhibitory effects exerted by CdCl2 and HgCl2 were rapid, inhibiting RNA synthesis within 2 h of activation. Differentiation to Ig secretion was inhibited by CdCl2 and HgCl2 in culture and there appeared to be selective effects on specific Ig isotypes. IgG3 production was most sensitive to inhibition by CdCl2 and HgCl2 followed by IgG1 and IgG2b and then IgM and IgG2a. Changes in the expression of B-cell surface antigens induced by LPS were also influenced by CdCl2. LPS-induced increases in class II MHC expression was inhibited by CdCl2, as was the constitutive expression of class I MHC antigen. A summary of the IC50 for CdCl2 and HgCl2 are presented. In summary, both CdCl2 and HgCl2 exert early, inhibitory effects on B-cell activation. This is manifested by the inhibition of RNA, DNA and antibody synthesis. However, selective effects on the production of specific Ig isotypes by these metals may influence the ability of B-cells to mount effective immune responses to pathogens.
Bioconcentration of naphthalene in tissues of the white mullet (Mugil curema)

Naphthalene concentrations in the gill, liver, spleen and muscle of Mugil curema were measured before and after exposure to naphthalene concentrations of 0.01, 0.05 and 0.10 mg/L. Naphthalene was rapidly accumulated in M. curema tissues and the rate of uptake was much greater than the rate of depuration. The bioconcentration factor (BCF) ranged from 81 to 567 in muscle tissue and was inversely related to exposure concentration. The average BCF for muscle was closely estimated by an equation based on the n-octanol/water partition coefficient. The BCF was highest in the liver and spleen and lowest in muscle and gill tissues.
Practical neural networks for industrial inspection: a case study using web-process inspection

Abstract Neural networks have been successful at pattern recognition and discovery of hidden relationships amongst parameters and as such are likely supplements to the sensory systems employed in industrial applications. This paper examines four resulting issues imposed upon any industrial inspection system using a neural network: the feature set which the sensory system must provide, the accuracy of neural-network-based inspection, the robustness required of the sensory system for accurate inspection, and the computational burden imposed by accuracy requirements. This is accomplished in the context of web-process inspection, which requires rapid examination of vast amounts of data for on-line detection of faults in the sheet material. Each of the four crucial issues is addressed: 1. (i) Feature vectors with nine or 17 dimensions, created by a simulated segmented photodetector using measurement of the angular distribution over a 25° cone angle of the scattering were evaluated for inspection CrO 2 -coated sheet steel samples. The scattered coherent light from the surface of the material being processed could be directly conditioned by a photodetector so as to produce this small set of features which are then examined by a neural network trained to find and categorize unsatisfactory surface conditions. Details are presented to show how a modified feature set was developed and tested after an examination of feature space. This new, smaller set proved to be more accurate than the larger set. 2. (ii) Classification by fault or no fault categorized 133 samples correctly out of 135, while there were seven errors in one attempt at classification into the various common surface faults out of the same number of test samples and nine in another. It is shown that a bit of insight in feature selection can improve the capability of the network to recognize faults. 3. (iii) The robustness issue is important since the inspection system must function in the industrial environment, where maintaining an exact alignment of the optics is not feasible. Tests are described where it is shown that fault classification using the proposed system is reasonably robust to slight variation of the angle between the laser beam and camera. 4. (iv) The computational issue is discussed in the context of the data handling requirements of the inspection system.
Butyrate as a differentiating agent: pharmacokinetics, analogues and current status

The field of butyrate-induced differentiation of neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells is reviewed and possible clinical correlations considered with regard to butyrate, butyrate prodrugs and butyrate analogues. These topics are discussed from the point of view of the concentrations required in vitro for biologic effect, and likely pharmacokinetic behavior in vivo.
A Branched Andreev-Thurston Theorem for Circle Packings of the Sphere

ANDREEV-THURSTON THEOREM. Let r be a triangulation of S which is not simplicially equivalent to a tetrahedron and let <£: r—»[0, \n\ be given, where T denotes the set of edges of x. Suppose that (A) if eu e2, e3 e r (1) form a closed loop on S and if 2?=i ^(e^^n, then (eif e2, e3) are the three edges of a two-simplex of x; (B) if ex, e2, e3) eA e r (1) form a closed loop on S and if 2?=i <&{e,) = 2K, then (ex, e2, e2, e4) form the boundary of the union of two adjacent twosimplexes of x.
Paxillin contracts the osteoclast cytoskeleton

Osteoclastic bone resorption depends upon the cell's ability to organize its cytoskeleton via the αvβ3 integrin and osteoclastogenic cytokines. Because paxillin associates with αvβ3, we asked if it participates in skeletal degradation. Unlike deletion of other αvβ3-associated cytoskeleton-regulating molecules, which impairs the cell's ability to spread, paxillin-deficient (Pax(-/-) ) osteoclasts, generated from embryonic stem cells, "superspread" in response to receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and form large, albeit dynamically atypical, actin bands. Despite their increased size, Pax(-/-) osteoclasts resorb bone poorly, excavating pits approximately one-third normal depth. Ligand-occupied αvβ3 or RANKL promotes paxillin serine and tyrosine phosphorylation, the latter via cellular sarcoma (c-Src). The abnormal Pax(-/-) phenotype is rescued by wild-type (WT) paxillin but not that lacking its LD4 domain. In keeping with the appearance of mutant osteoclasts, WT paxillin, overexpressed in WT cells, contracts the cytoskeleton. Most importantly, the abnormal phenotype of Pax(-/-) osteoclasts likely represents failed RANKL-mediated delivery of myosin IIA to the actin cytoskeleton via the paxillin LD4 domain but is independent of tyrosine phosphorylation. Thus, in response to RANKL, paxillin associates with myosin IIA to contract the osteoclast cytoskeleton, thereby promoting its bone-degrading capacity.