cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short infrared laser pulses block action potentials in neurons

Short infrared laser pulses have many physiological effects on cells including the ability to stimulate action potentials in neurons. Here we show that short infrared laser pulses can also reversibly block action potentials. Primary rat hippocampal neurons were transfected with the Optopatch2 plasmid, which contains both a blue-light activated channel rhodopsin (CheRiff) and a red-light fluorescent membrane voltage reporter (QuasAr2). This optogenetic platform allows robust stimulation and recording of action potential activity in neurons in a non-contact, low noise manner. For all experiments, QuasAr2 was imaged continuously on a wide-field fluorescent microscope using a Krypton laser (647 nm) as the excitation source and an EMCCD camera operating at 1000 Hz to collect emitted fluorescence. A co-aligned Argon laser (488 nm, 5 ms at 10Hz) provided activation light for CheRiff. A 200 mm fiber delivered infrared light locally to the target neuron. Reversible action potential block in neurons was observed following a short infrared laser pulse (0.26-0.96 J/cm2; 1.37-5.01 ms; 1869 nm), with the block persisting for more than 1 s with exposures greater than 0.69 J/cm2. Action potential block was sustained for 30 s with the short infrared laser pulsed at 1-7 Hz. Full recovery of neuronal activity was observed 5-30s post-infrared exposure. These results indicate that optogenetics provides a robust platform for the study of action potential block and that short infrared laser pulses can be used for non-contact, reversible action potential block.
RUNX1 and CBFβ Mutations and Activities of Their Wild-Type Alleles in AML

Mutations in RUNX1 and CBFB have long been recognized as important in hematological malignancies. Point mutations and deletions of RUNX1 are frequently found in myelodysplastic syndrome, myeloproliferative disease, and acute myeloid leukemia. Germline mutations in RUNX1 are associated with familial platelet disorder with predisposition to AML. In addition, as will be discussed in other chapters, both RUNX1 and CBFB are involved in recurrent chromosomal rearrangements in leukemia. More recently, roles for the non-mutated RUNX1 and CBFB genes have been identified in multiple leukemia subtypes. This chapter will discuss the roles of RUNX1 and CBFB, both in diseases caused by their mutations or deletions, as well as in the context of chromosomal rearrangements.
The effect of foreign lending on domestic loans: An analysis of US global banks

Abstract This paper examines the effect of foreign lending on the domestic lending for US global banks. We show that greater foreign loan growth complements, rather than detracts from, domestic commercial lending. Exploiting a confidential data (FFIEC 009) on international loan exposure of US banks, we estimate that a 1% increase in foreign office lending is associated with a 0.6% growth in domestic commercial lending, suggesting complementarity across these lending channels. However, when capital raising is tight during the Global Financial Crisis of 2008, we find that foreign lending did come at the expense of domestic lending.
The Character of Melting for Simple Molecules Deposited on Graphite

The microscopic character of melting for quasi–two dimensional N2adlayers on graphite is examined for surface densities 0.2 ≤ ρ ≤ 1, where the upper limit corresponds to a complete monolayer. A Monte Carlo method, with the multiple histogram procedure, is employed to determine various thermodynamic quantities. Using the calculated specific heats and selected order parameters, determined at various surface densities, the mechanism for melting is shown to be vacancy mediated. The somewhat unusual behavior of the melting temperature versus density is shown to be entirely due to the vacancy concentration and their topology. Because this is determined by the free energy, our analysis should be general. Preliminary results for Xe on graphite supports this claim.
Input Subject Diversity Accelerates the Growth of Tense and Agreement: Indirect Benefits From a Parent-Implemented Intervention.

Purpose This follow-up study examined whether a parent intervention that increased the diversity of lexical noun phrase subjects in parent input and accelerated children's sentence diversity (Hadle...
Predictive Coding of Novel versus Familiar Stimuli in the Primary Visual Cortex

To explore theories of predictive coding, we presented mice with repeated sequences of images with novel im- ages sparsely substituted. Under these conditions, mice could be rapidly trained to lick in response to a novel image, demonstrating a high level of performance on the first day of testing. Using 2-photon calcium imaging to record from layer 2/3 neurons in the primary visual cor- tex, we found that novel images evoked excess activity in the majority of neurons. When a new stimulus se- quence was repeatedly presented, a majority of neurons had similarly elevated activity for the first few presenta- tions, which then decayed to almost zero activity. The decay time of these transient responses was not fixed, but instead scaled with the length of the stimulus sequence. However, at the same time, we also found a small fraction of the neurons within the population (~2%) that contin- ued to respond strongly and periodically to the repeated stimulus. Decoding analysis demonstrated that both the transient and sustained responses encoded information about stimulus identity. We conclude that the layer 2/3 population uses a two-channel predictive code: a dense transient code for novel stimuli and a sparse sustained code for familiar stimuli. These results extend and unify existing theories about the nature of predictive neural codes.
Interaction of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus major envelope proteins GP5 and M with the cellular protein Snapin

Abstract Background Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is characterized by abortions in pregnant sows and respiratory disease, particularly in young pigs. The causative agent is porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), a member of the arterivirus family. GP5 and M are the major envelope proteins encoded by PRRSV. To further characterize these two viral proteins, a yeast two-hybrid approach was utilized to identify interacting partners of PRRSV GP5 and M proteins. Methods Interacting partners of PRRSV GP5 and M were identified using a porcine macrophage cDNA library yeast two-hybrid screen. Subsequently, the interactions between PRRSV GP5/M and the cellular protein Snapin were mapped using truncated versions of the GP5 and M proteins in a yeast two-hybrid assay to localize the interactions. The Snapin gene from the African green monkey kidney cell line MARC-145, which is permissive to PRRSV, was cloned and sequenced, and compared to porcine Snapin. Cellular Snapin expression was reduced in PRRSV-infected cells via Snapin-specific siRNA targeting. Results Here we show that the cellular Snap-Associated Protein (Snapin), an accessory protein of the SNARE membrane fusion network and also a member of the BLOC-1 complex, specifically interacts with GP5 and M. Inhibition of Snapin expression via siRNA targeting of Snapin results in the reduction of PRRSV replication. Conclusions The PRRSV GP5 and M proteins are known to form a heterodimeric complex which is important for viral structure and infectivity, and both PRRSV proteins can interact with cellular Snapin. Snapin knock-down suggests these interactions could be important in the PRRSV lifecycle. GP5 and M proteins may interact with Snapin to exploit its roles in intracellular transport and membrane fusion.
Modeling Kansas City Hopewell Developments and Regional Social Interactions: A Multisite Ceramic Analysis and New AMS Radiocarbon Ages

In the 1950s, the Kansas City Hopewell (KCH) was modeled as a phenomenon originating from a migration of people or diffusion of ideas from Middle Woodland Hopewell communities in Illinois, a model ...
A Plea for the Indians and Indianness

Vine Deloria, Jr., in a recent publication [51] (p.100), says in talking about anthropologists, “I would expect an instantaneous rebuttal by the “knowledgable” anthros that these sentiments do not “represent” all the Indians. They don’t today. They will tomorrow. In the meantime it would be wise for anthropologists to get down from their thrones of authority and pure research and begin helping Indian tribes instead of preying on them. For the wheel of Karma grinds slowly but it does grind finely. And it makes a complete circle.”
Implicit Memory, Constructive Memory, and Imagining the Future: A Career Perspective:

In this article I discuss some of the major questions, findings, and ideas that have driven my research program, which has examined various aspects of human memory using a combination of cognitive, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging approaches. I do so from a career perspective that describes important scientific influences that have shaped my approach to the study of memory and discusses considerations that led to choosing specific research paths. After acknowledging key early influences, I briefly summarize a few of the main takeaways from research on implicit memory during the 1980s and 1990s and then move on to consider more recent ideas and findings concerning constructive memory, future imagining, and mental simulation that have motivated my approach for the past 2 decades. A main unifying theme of this research is that memory can affect psychological functions in ways that go beyond the simple everyday understanding of memory as a means of revisiting past experiences.
Endocrine Drugs of Significance in Dentistry

Endocrine drugs represent both an important tool in dental pharmacotherapy and as important factors in the safe and effective management of patients with specific endocrine disorders, such as diabetes mellitus. Because medical therapy with hormonal agents is generally long-term, the dentist must recognize the reason(s) for the therapy, the impact of the therapy on the oral cavity, and the potential modifications in dental drug therapy required by the hormonal treatment. This chapter focuses on the hormones and hormonal therapies most frequently encountered in dental practice and those which indicate the presence of serious systemic diseases which are likely to alter the dental management strategies for the patient. The reader is advised to consult standard pharmacology and endocrinology references for complete information on the wide variety of endocrine disorders and their management.
Distant Posterity: A Philosophical Glance along Time's Corridor

One of the subject-definitive aims of philosophy is to facilitate an understanding of our human condition in the world’s scheme of things. This calls for a concern not only for what is, but also for what is not—or at any rate not yet. And in this regard deliberations regarding our eventual posterity are bound to raise difficult and troublesome questions throughout the entire range of philosophical concern, alike in metaphysics, in the theory of knowledge, in ethics, in philosophical anthropology, and elsewhere.
Chromosomal condensation leads to a preference for peripheral heterochromatin

A layer of dense heterochromatin is found at the periphery of the nucleus. Because this peripheral heterochromatin functions as a repressive phase, mechanisms that relocate genes to the periphery play an important role in regulating transcription. Using Monte-Carlo simulations, we show that an interaction between chromatin and the nuclear boundary need not be specific to heterochromatin in order to preferentially locate heterochromatin to the nuclear periphery. This observation considerably broadens the class of possible interactions that result in peripheral positioning to include boundary interactions that either weakly attract all chromatin or strongly bind to a randomly chosen small subset of loci. The key distinguishing feature of heterochromatin is its high chromatin density with respect to euchromatin. In our model this densification is caused by HP19s preferential binding to H3K9me3 marked histone tails. We conclude that factors that are themselves unrelated to the nuclear periphery can determine which genomic regions condense to form heterochromatin and thereby control which regions are relocated to the periphery.
Integration and cooperation of International and European Private Law according charter of the fundamental rights of the European Union = Integración y cooperación del Derecho privado internacional y europeo según la carta de los derechos fundamentales de la Unión Europea

Abstract: The time has come, given the relative maturity of the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice of the European Union, regarding the peculiarities linked to the protection of fundamental rights in EU system of civil judicial cooperation to dedicate a detailed investigation and in the field of incidence of EU Charter of Fundamental Rights on EU’s legal system, as well as the specific modalities that affects the elaboration and application of the instruments of civil judicial co-operation. Keywords: CFREU, European Union integration, private international law, civil judicial cooperation, protection of fundamental rights. Resumen: Ha llegado el momento, dada la relativa madurez de la jurisprudencia del Tribunal de Justicia de la Union Europea, en relacion con las peculiaridades relacionadas con la proteccion de los derechos fundamentales en el sistema de cooperacion judicial civil de la UE para dedicar una investigacion detallada y en el campo de la incidencia. de la Carta de los Derechos Fundamentales de la UE sobre el sistema legal de la UE, asi como las modalidades especificas que afectan la elaboracion y aplicacion de los instrumentos de cooperacion judicial civil. Palabras clave: CFREU, integracion de la Union Europea, derecho internacional privado, cooperacion judicial civil, proteccion de los derechos fundamentales.
The Study of Mechanism and Limit Measures for 500kV Single Phase Short Circuit Current Exceeding Limit in UHVDC Converter Station

With the rapid development of UHVDC(Ultra High Voltage Direct Current) project, the problem that 500kV single phase short circuit current exceeding limit in UHVDC converter station become more and more serious. In this paper, the influence of UHVDC converter transformer winding connection on 500kV single phase short circuit current is derived, then the measures by adding small reactance to the neutral point of Y N d connection converter transformer to limit the short circuit current is proposed for the first time, and the selection method of small reactance is given at the same time. Finally, the proposed strategy is validated in a real UHVDC case, results show that the proposed adding small reactance to the Y N d connection converter transformer can effectively limit the 500kV single phase short circuit current, and the proposed small reactance selection method has good adaptability in limiting the power frequency over-voltage of the converter transformer neutral point.
The Moderating Role of Group Identification in Perceptions of Diversity—Exemplified by a Vignette Analysis of Diversely Characterized Muslims in Germany

This paper explores the role of in-group identification of the members of the majority group in relation with the recognition of diverse Muslims in German society. It claims that comprehensive recognition does not only depend on the Muslims’ achievement of skills and acquirement of characteristics that are associated with the majority society. The crucial factor for accepting diversity is the identification of the perceivers with his own group. To investigate this hypothesis, the paper uses representative secondary data from a vignette experiment employed in a telephone survey in Germany. In particular, it examines perceptions of Christian respondents with low and high group identification regarding a hypothetical situation in which a Muslim or a Christian person marries into the respondent’s family. Among the respondents with low group identification, the Muslim category loses relevance when the person in question is a woman and is combined with the achievement category of volunteering at the retirement home. Differences in evaluations of a Muslim woman and an identically characterized Christian woman disappear completely. When the person in question is a man, none of the used vignette variables work to change the perception of the Muslim person and differences in evaluations of a Muslim man and identically characterized Christian man remain. The results have practical implications for understanding integration as a one-sided process of adaptation to the norms and values of the majority society solely carried out by migrant or minority groups. Results are discussed and suggestions for further research are made.
Ethnic Minority Groups

The term ethnic describes a group of people sharing a common background, language, and identity. Members may have similar physical characteristics, but more important, they share beliefs and behaviors that differ from other ethnic groups. When an ethnic group is not allowed full participation in society and reacts to this discrimination, it is classified as a minority group. Population size is not a part of this definition. Women are viewed as a minority group even though they constitute more than 50 percent of the U.S. population.1
Diabetes Management at Community Health Centers: Examining Associations with Patient and Regional Characteristics, Efficiency, and Staffing Patterns

Abstract A major source of primary health care for millions of Americans, community health centers (CHCs) act as a key point of access for diabetes care. The ability of a CHC to deliver high quality care, that supports patients’ management of their diabetes, may be impacted by the unique set of resources and constraints it faces, both in terms of characteristics of its patient population and aspects of operations. This study examines how patient and regional characteristics, staffing patterns, and efficiency were associated with diabetes management at CHCs (percentage of patients with uncontrolled diabetes, HbA1C > 9%). Data on a sample of 1229 CHCs came from multiple sources. CHC-level information was obtained from the Uniform Data System and regional-level information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the US Census American Community Survey. A clustering methodology, latent class analysis, identified seven underlying staffing patterns at CHCs. Data envelopment analysis was performed to evaluate the efficiency of CHCs, relative to centers with similar staffing patterns. Finally, generalized linear models were used to examine the association between staffing patterns, efficiency, and patient and regional-level characteristics. Findings from this study have sociological, practical, and methodological implications. Findings highlight that the intersection of patient racial composition with regional racial composition is significant; diabetes control appears to be worse at CHCs serving racial minorities living in predominantly White areas. Findings suggest that CHCs that incorporate more behavioral health care into their staffing mix have lower rates of uncontrolled diabetes among their patients. Finally, greater efficiency in CHC operations is associated with better diabetes control among patients. By identifying sociodemographic and operational characteristics associated with better hemoglobin control among diabetes patients, the current study contributes to our understanding of both health care operations and health inequalities.
The novel high-pressure/high-temperature compound Co12P7 determined from synchrotron data

The structural properties of cobalt phosphides were investigated at high pressures and temperatures to better understand the behavior of metal-rich phosphides in Earth and planetary inter­iors. Using single-crystal X-ray diffraction synchrotron data and a laser-heated diamond anvil cell, we discovered a new high pressure–temperature (HP–HT) cobalt phosphide, Co12P7, dodeca­cobalt hepta­phosphide, synthesized at 27 GPa and 1740 K, and at 48 GPa and 1790 K. Co12P7 adopts a structure initially proposed for Cr12P7 (space-group type P\overline{6}, Z =1), consisting of chains of edge-sharing CoP5 square pyramids and chains of corner-sharing CoP4 tetra­hedra. This arrangement leaves space for trigonal–prismatic channels running parallel to the c axis. Coupled disordering of metal and phospho­rus atoms has been observed in this structure for related M12P7 (M = Cr, V) compounds, but all Co and P sites are ordered in Co12P7. All atomic sites in this crystal structure are situated on special positions. Upon decompression to ambient conditions, peak broadening and loss of reflections at high angles was observed, suggesting phase instability.
Self-care needs and practices for the older adult caregiver: An integrative review

Abstract Older adult caregivers experience health risks due to the demands of the role, higher prevalence of chronic illness, the aging process, and insufficient time for self-care. Using Whittermore and Knafl's methodology, an integrative review was conducted to explore the self-care needs and practices of older adult caregivers. The terms self-care, caregiver, informal caregiver, carer, family carer, and older adult were used to search the CINAHL, PsychINFO and SocIndex databases and obtain studies published in English between 2010 and 2020. Non-research articles, reviews, mean age of subjects
Qualified Renters Need Not Apply: Race and Housing Voucher Discrimination in the Metro Boston Rental Housing Market

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color have long had to navigate the barriers of racist laws, policies, and actions in housing. Housing discrimination perpetuates segregation and contributes to maintaining the status quo of disparities with respect to health inequities as well as income, wealth, and opportunity gaps. The COVID-19 pandemic has put these inequities in stark relief. Data on the current status of such discrimination is valuable for policy makers who should develop anti-racist policies that dismantle structural racism and its attendant harms. Using matched-pair testing, we measure the level of discrimination based on race and income level in the Greater Boston rental housing market, where both race- and income-based housing discrimination is illegal. Data from the study show high levels of discrimination against both black people and individuals using housing vouchers throughout the pre-rental application
Uncertainty Amongst a Geopolitical Crisis: An Event Study of the Ukraine Conflict

As the world falls into crisis mode, it becomes the time to make policy decisions that steer the course of a nation and push it across to the other side. During the Ukraine Conflict, many countries swooped in as the saving grace to Ukraine against the militaristic actions taken by the Russian Federation. This event study demonstrates the changes in the Global Economic Policy Uncertainty do occur during this window of time. However, these returns are not far enough from their mean to conclusively deem them as abnormal changes caused by this geopolitical crisis.
Damage Propagation Modeling for Aircraft Engine Prognostics

This paper describes how damage propagation can be modeled within the modules of aircraft gas turbine engines. To that end, response surfaces of all sensors are generated via a thermo-dynamical simulation model for the engine as a function of variations of flow and efficiency of the modules of interest. An exponential rate of change for flow and efficiency loss was imposed for each data set, starting at a randomly chosen initial deterioration set point. The rate of change of the flow and efficiency denotes an otherwise unspecified fault with increasingly worsening effect. The rates of change of the faults were constrained to an upper threshold but were otherwise chosen randomly. Damage propagation was allowed to continue until a failure criterion was reached. A health index was defined as the minimum of several superimposed operational margins at any given time instant and the failure criterion is reached when health index reaches zero. Output of the model was the time series (cycles) of sensed measurements typically available from aircraft gas turbine engines. The data generated were used as challenge data for the Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) data competition at PHM 08.
Building a generic architecture for robot hand control

As various dextrous robot hands are designed and built, a major question is how to develop device-independent robot hand controllers. This would allow the low-level control problems to be separated from high level functionality. GeSAM is a generic robot hand controller that is based on a model of human prehensile function. It focuses on the relationship between geometric object primitives and the ways a hand can perform prehensile behaviors. The authors show how the relationship between object primitives and a useful set of grasp modes can be learned by an adaptive neural network. By adding training points as necessary, system performance can be improved, avoiding the tedious job of computing every relationship by hand. >
What's left is closer to right: A response to keating

Abstract The present paper attempts to respond to criticisms made by Keating (1988, Developmental Review , 8 , 376–384) regarding the present author's earlier paper which described a recasted model of formal operations ( Byrnes, 1988, Developmental Review , 8 , 66–87 ). This earlier paper made a distinction between conceptual and procedural knowledge at the level of formal operations, and presented evidence supporting this recasted model. Keating (1988) argues that the recasted model fails to capture what Piaget originally intended, that it fails to incorporate a procedural knowledge component, and that there is some question as to what would constitute empirical support for the model. The present paper discusses each of these criticisms and others in turn, and clarifies earlier arguments.
Levels of racism: A theoretic framework and a gardener's tale.

The author presents a theoretic framework for understanding racism on 3 levels: institutionalized, personally mediated, and internalized. This framework is useful for raising new hypotheses about the basis of race-associated differences in health outcomes, as well as for designing effective interventions to eliminate those differences. She then presents an allegory about a gardener with 2 flower boxes, rich and poor soil, and red and pink flowers. This allegory illustrates the relationship between the 3 levels of racism and may guide our thinking about how to intervene to mitigate the impacts of racism on health. It may also serve as a tool for starting a national conversation on racism.
Tree-Thickness and Caterpillar-Thickness under Girth Constraints

We study extremal problems for decomposing a connected $n$-vertex graph $G$ into trees or into caterpillars. The least size of such a decomposition is the tree thickness $\theta_{\bf T}(G)$ or caterpillar thickness $\theta_{\bf C}(G)$. If $G$ has girth $g$ with $g\ge 5$, then $\theta_{\bf T}(G)\le \lfloor{n/g}\rfloor+1$. We conjecture that the bound holds also for $g=4$ and prove it when $G$ contains no subdivision of $K_{2,3}$ with girth 4. For $\theta_{\bf C}$, we prove that $\theta_{\bf C}(G)\le\lceil{(n-2)/4}\rceil$ when $G$ has girth at least $6$ and is not a $6$-cycle. For triangle-free graphs, we conjecture that $\theta_{\bf C}(G)\le\lceil{3n/8}\rceil$ and prove it for outerplanar graphs. For $2$-connected graphs with girth $g$, we conjecture that $\theta_{\bf C}(G)\le \lfloor{n/g}\rfloor$ when $n\ge\max\{6,g^2/2\}$ and prove it for outerplanar graphs. All the bounds are sharp (sharpness in the $\lceil{3n/8}\rceil$ bound is shown only for $n\equiv 5$ mod $8$).
Parsimonious covariate selection with censored outcomes

A new objective methodology is proposed to select the parsimonious set of important covariates that are associated with a censored outcome variable Y; the method simplifies to accommodate uncensored outcomes. Covariate selection proceeds in an iterated forward manner and is controlled by the pre-chosen upper bound for the number of covariates to be selected and the global false selection rate and level. A sequence of working regression models for the event (Y≤y) given a covariate set is fit among subjects not censored before y and the corresponding process (through y) of conditional prediction error estimated; the direction and magnitude of covariate effects can arbitrarily change with y. The newly proposed adequacy measure for the covariate set is the slope coefficient resulting from a regression (with no intercept) between the baseline prediction error process for the intercept-only model and that process corresponding to the covariate set. Under quite general conditions on the censoring variable, the methods are shown to asymptotically control the false selection rate at the nominal level while consistently ranking covariate sets which permits recruitment of all important covariates from those available with probability tending to 1. A simulation study confirms these analytical results and compares the proposed methods to recent competitors. Two real data illustrations are provided.
Geothermal power plant system performance prediction using artificial neural networks

This paper describes an application of a feedforward backpropagation artificial neural network (ANN), to predict Geothermal Power Plant (GPP) Unit 4 Kamojang performance under a broad range of operating conditions. The ANN model was used for predicting specific steam consumption (SSC) of the plant, using 10 input parameters such as steam input parameters, turbine-generator parameters, condenser parameters, cooling tower parameters, and ambient parameters. The ANN model was trained with 2 different data combination. The first model was trained using commissioning data and after plant major overhaul data (ANN model 1) and the other model was trained only with after plant major overhaul data (ANN model 2). The predictive capability of the model was evaluated in terms of correlation coefficient (R), mean squared error (MSE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) between the ANN model data prediction and plant real time data. The ANN model was tested using normal operation data taken during Feb-April 2015. During the testing stage, even though both ANN models performance yield moderate results, ANN model 2 shows a similar correlation (same positive or negative gradient) with the plant real time data. The difference between ANN model 2 SSC prediction and plant actual real time shows a significant difference. The experiment shows that there is 24 T/h of steam flow or equals to 3.4 to 4 MW (using SSC range 6–7 T/MWh) difference between venturi steam flow reading and ANN prediction. Combined with good and sufficient training data, and an independent measurement of steam flow for validation, the neural network approach can be utilized to develop a good performance program that able to identify the degradation of the plant or instruments (in this case is the steam flow instrument, venturi tube). If the data from the instrument reading show noticeable shift from ANN predicted value, then it can be a good sign to perform thorough analysis on the plant to prevent losses, especially in steam sales contract scheme.
Polymorphic study of L-arginine salt of ragaglitazar (DRF-2725)

In the manufacturing process, during our attempts to get a suitable polymorph by reacting the aqueous solution of l-arginine with 3-[4-[2-(phenoxazin-10-yl) ethoxy]phenyl]-2-ethoxypropanoic acid (ragaglitazar) in different solvents, we have encountered various polymorphic modifications. These forms were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis TGA, and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) techniques. The polymorphic forms of arginine salt of ragaglitazar (I) defined below is known to lower sugar level, lower total cholesterol (TC); increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which have a beneficial effect on type-II diabetes, coronary heart disease, and atherosclerosis.
Integrated local correlation: A new measure of local coherence in fMRI data

This article introduces the measure of integrated local correlation (ILC) for assessing local coherence in the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and characterizes the measure in terms of reproducibility, the effect of physiological noise, and the dependence on image resolution. The coupling of local neuronal processes influences coherence in a voxel's neighborhood. ILC is defined, for each voxel, as the integration of its spatial correlation function. This integrated measure does not require the specification of a neighborhood and, as demonstrated by experimental data, is effectively independent of image resolution. Respiratory and cardiac fluctuations do not considerably alter the ILC value except in isolated areas in and surrounding large vessels. With resting-state fMRI data, ILC was demonstrated to be tissue-specific, higher in gray matter than white matter, and reproducible across consecutive runs in healthy individuals. Within the gray matter, ILC was found to be higher in the default mode network, particularly the posterior and anterior cingulate cortices. Comparing ILC maps obtained from resting state and continuous motor task data, we observed reduced local coherence in the default mode network during the task. Finally, we compared ILC and regional homogeneity by examining their ability to discriminate between gray and white matters in resting state data and found ILC to be more sensitive.
Janus Kinase 2 and Calcium Are Required for Angiotensin II-dependent Activation of Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein Transcription in H295R Human Adrenocortical Cells

Angiotensin II- and K+-stimulated aldosterone production in the adrenocortical glomerulosa cells requires induction of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). While both agents activate Ca2+ signaling, the mechanisms leading to aldosterone synthesis are distinct, and the angiotensin II response cannot be mimicked by K+. We previously reported that StAR mRNA levels and promoter-reporter gene activity in transiently transfected H295R human adrenocortical cells were stimulated by angiotensin II but not by K+ treatment. The current study focused on identifying signaling pathways activated by angiotensin II that contribute to StAR transcriptional activation. We show that the angiotensin II-stimulated transcriptional activation of StAR was dependent upon influx of external calcium and requires protein kinase C activation. Furthermore we describe for the first time that the Janus tyrosine kinase family member, JAK2, was activated by angiotensin II treatment of H295R cells. Treatment of the cells with AG490, a selective inhibitor of JAK2, blocked JAK2 activation and StAR reporter gene activity and inhibited steroid production. Taken together these studies describe a novel pathway controlling StAR expression and steroidogenesis in adrenocortical cells.
The Real Path to Green Energy: Hybrid Nuclear-Renewable Power

A targeted use of nuclear power could solve the major problems of renewable energy sources by providing carbon-emission-free power for biofuel refineries and backup energy for solar, wind, and othe...
Ceramics on the Western Frontier: The Archaeological Assemblage from Fort Massac, 1794―1814

This article describes the massive ceramic sample from the American component of Fort Massac (1794–1814) on the Ohio River in southern Illinois. Excavated by Paul Maynard and the Works Progress Administration between 1939 and 1940, the artifact assemblage from the late eighteenth-century and War of 1812–era component includes a minimum of 453 ceramic vessels, consisting primarily of creamware, pearlware, and redware products. This provides a well-bracketed view of the nature of such goods on the western frontier immediately before and during the War of 1812.
Behavioral intervention with hyperactive children: Group consequences as a supplement to individual contingencies

Group reward and individual reward for individual behavior were compared during a 4-week treatment and a 4-week maintenance period with two groups of hyperactive elementary school children. Each child was rated four times daily on individually determined target behaviors, and at the end of the school day the child exchanged his cards for candy, either for himself (individual reward) or for himself plus his classmates (group reward). Standardized teacher ratings of hyperactivity and weekly ratings of problem behaviors both indicated a significant treatment effect although no difference was found between the two groups. The treatment effects were maintained during a 1-month treatment withdrawal. A teacher questionnaire designed to assess teacher satisfaction with the treatment programs indicated that the group reward program was significantly more popular than the individual reward program. The experimental results indicate that behavioral intervention can be successfully applied to hyperactive children, producing changes in behavior similar to those reported with drug-related therapies.
Cloning, sequencing and expression of a novel homeobox gene AxNox-1 from the Mexican axolotl

We have cloned and sequenced a cDNA containing a homeobox gene, AxNox-1, from a stage 18 axolotl embryonic cDNA library which shows only moderate levels of similarity to other known homeobox genes. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA has an open reading frame for 335 amino acids and besides the homeodomain, there is an acidic domain and a proline-rich domain present in the protein. The transcripts for this gene are detectable at stage 4 of embryonic development and, hence, there is a good possibility that the transcripts are maternally contributed. Expression levels for AxNox-1 reach maximum levels by stage 12 of development and thereafter decline to very low levels by stage 25. High levels of the transcript for AxNox-1 are later found in the brains of both neotenous and metamorphosing adult axolotls. Low amounts of the message are also found to be present in a number of other organs that were tested. In situ hybridization studies on whole mounts and sections suggest that this gene is expressed predominantly in neural tissue during development.
Marketing practices of hotel chains

Hotel companies' marketing-planning procedures have achieved considerable sophistication in the last ten years. But many plans have become overly complex. And in the rush to establish financial objectives, many companies' plans seem to have lost sight of guest satisfaction
Potassium-stimulated ATPase activity and hydrogen transport in gastric microsomal vesicles.

The Mg2+-dependent, K+-stimulated ATPase of microsomes from pig gastric mucosa has been studied in relation to observed active H+ transport into vesicular space. Uptake of fluorescent dyes (acridine orange and 9-aminoacridine) was used to monitor the generated pH gradient. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy showed that the vesicular gastric microsomes have an asymmetric distribution of intramembraneous particles (P-face was particulate; E-face was relatively smooth. Valinomycin stimulated both dye uptake and K+-ATPase (valinomycin-stimulated K+-ATPase); stimulation by valinomycin was due to increased K+ entry to some intravesicular activating site, which in turn depends upon the accompanying anion. Using the valinomycin-stimulated K+-ATPase and H+ accumulation as an index, the sequence for anion permeation was NO-3 greater than Br- greater than Cl- greater than I- greater than acetate approximately isethionate. When permeability to both K+ and H+ was increased (e.g using valinomycin plus a protonophore or nigericin), stimulation of K+-ATPase was much less dependent on the anion and the observed dissipation of the vesicular pH gradient was consistent with an 'uncoupling' of ATP hydrolysis from H+ accumulation. Thiocyanate interacts with valinomycin inhibiting the typical action of the K+ ionophore. But stimulation of ATPase activity was seen by adding 10 mM SCN- to membranes preincubated with valinomycin. From the relative activation of the valinomycin-stimulated K+-ATPase, it appears that SCN- is a very permeant anion which can be placed before NO-3 in the sequence of permeation. Valinomycin-stimulated ATPase and H+ uptake showed similar dependent correlations, including: dependence on [ATP] and [K+], pH optima, temperature activation, and selective inhibition by SH- or NH2-group reagents. These results are consistent with a pump-leak model for the gastric microsomal K+-ATPase which was simulated using Nernst-Planck conditions for passive pathways and simple kinetics for the pump. The pump is a K+/H+ exchange pump requiring K+ at an internal site. Rate of K+ entry would depend on permeability to K+ as well as the counterion, either (1) the anion to accompany K+ or (2) the H+ efflux path as an exchange ion. The former leads to net accumulation of H+ and anion, while the latter results in non-productive stimulation of ATP hydrolysis.
CLIMATOLOGICALLY AIDED INTERPOLATION (CAI) OF TERRESTRIAL AIR TEMPERATURE

A new and relatively straightforward approach to interpolating and spatially averaging air temperature from weather-station observations is introduced and evaluated using yearly station averages taken from the Jones et al. archive. All available terrestrial station records over the period from 1881 through to 1988 are examined. Called climatologically aided interpolation, or CAI, our procedure makes combined use of (i) a spatially high-resolution air-temperature climatology recently compiled by Legates and Willmott, as well as (ii) spatially interpolated yearly temperature deviations (evaluated at the stations) from the climatology. Spherically based inverse-distance-weighting and triangular-decomposition interpolation algorithms are used to interpolate yearly station temperatures and temperature deviations to the nodes of a regular, spherical lattice. Interpolation errors are estimated using a cross-validation methodology. Interpolation errors associated with CAI estimates of annual-average air temperatures over the terrestrial surface are quite low. On average, CAI errors are of the order of 0.8°C, whereas interpolations made directly (and only) from the yearly station temperatures exhibit average errors between 1.3°C and 1.9°C. Although both the high-resolution climatology and the interpolated temperature-deviation fields explain non-trivial portions of the space-time variability in terrestrial air temperature, most of CAI's accuracy can be attributed to the spatial variability captured by the high-resolution (Legates and Willmott's) climatology. Our results suggest that raw air-temperature fields as well as temperature anomaly fields can be interpolated reliably.
The Computer as Lab Partner: Classroom Experience Gleaned from One Year of Microcomputer-Based Laboratory Use

Microcomputer-based labware (MBL) is an emergent class of technology which allows students to use the computer as a tool for collecting, displaying, analyzing, and storing data. The Computer as Lab Partner Project was designed to evaluate the use of MBL in junior high science. A model computer-equipped science lab was set up in a suburban middle school and a semester-length MBL curriculum was developed and evaluated with four eighth-grade physical science classes per semester. The classroom experience of using MBL is discussed: the features of the MBL system used and of the curriculum designed; classroom procedures, processes, and interactions observed; gains and benefits derived from MBL use; and areas of potential difficulty in MBL implementation.
Coupling Between the Modeling and Controller-Design Problems—Part I: Analysis

Controller-design issues influence modeling decisions; therefore, the modeling and controller-design problems are coupled. Part I of this paper proposes a quantification of this coupling in terms of the size of the set of models from which satisfactory controllers may be derived. Moreover, in the context of an extremely general framework, we prove that the coupling increases as performance specifications are tightened and as uncertainty is increased. Furthermore, the existence ofa preferred model for controller design is demonstrated; this model is preferred in the sense that its use leads to improved robustness or performance. However, this model does not necessarily satisfy our intuitive notion of a worst-case model; rather, it depends on the performance specifications and uncertainty. The analysis of coupling presented herein motivates the design approach formulated in the companion paper, Part II.
CPhos: A program to calculate and visualize evolutionarily conserved functional phosphorylation sites

Profiling using high-throughput MS has discovered an overwhelming number of novel protein phosphorylation sites ("phosphosites"). However, the functional relevance of these sites is not always clear. In light of recent studies on the evolutionary mechanism of phosphorylation, we have developed CPhos, a Java program that can assess the conservation of phosphosites among species using an information theory-based approach. The degree of conservation established using CPhos can be used to assess the functional significance of phosphosites. CPhos has a user friendly graphical user interface and is available both as a web service and as a standalone Java application to assist phosphoproteomic researchers in analyzing and prioritizing lists of phosphosites for further experimental validation. CPhos can be accessed or downloaded at http://helixweb.nih.gov/CPhos/.
When lovers become leery: The relationship between suspicion and accuracy in detecting deception

Although researchers of relational deception have recently become interested in the role that suspicion plays in the deception process, a more thorough examination of the relationship between suspicion and accuracy in detecting deception is warranted. Previous researchers have not found a significant relationship between suspicion and accuracy. In the current paper, we argue that the lack of findings in previous research can be attributed to methodological inadequacies, and that moderate levels of situationally‐aroused suspicion should substantially enhance accuracy in detecting deception. In addition, a predisposition toward being suspicious (i.e., generalized communicative suspicion, or “GCS") should moderate the relationship between aroused suspicion and accuracy. Three hypotheses were tested in a sample of 107 non‐marital romantically‐involved couples. Results suggest that both situationally‐aroused suspicion and GCS significantly influenced accuracy. Under certain conditions, aroused suspicion substa...
Oxygen Supplementation and Cardiac-Autonomic Modulation in COPD

Study objectives Patients with COPD have an increasedsympathetic modulation and reduced baroreflex sensitivity (BRS).Therefore, we studied the effects of breathing 31% supplemental oxygen(SuppO 2 ) on autonomic modulation in a group of COPDpatients. Design We measured autonomic modulationbefore and during the administration of SuppO 2 on 51patients with COPD using time-frequency analysis of R-R intervals and , BP before and after intervention. This was done via a counterbalancedcrossover design. The BRS index was determined using the sequencemethod. Results Significant differences were seen inoxygen saturation levels following breathing with SuppO 2 ([mean ± SD] 96.4 ± 1.5%) when compared to those seen afterbreathing with compressed air (CA) (92.8 ± 2.9%; p 2 , 10.8 ± 1.3natural logarithm [ln] ms 2 /Hz; CA, 10.6 ± 1.3 lnms 2 /Hz; p 2 ,3.3 ± 2.2 ms/mm Hg; CA, 2.8 ± 1.8 ms/mm Hg) following thesupplemental oxygen treatment (p 2 ,2.7 ± 1.2; CA, 3.1 ± 1.3; p 2 /Hz; SuppO 2 , 6.5 ± 1.2 mm, Hg 2 /Hz; p 2 comparedwith that after breathing CA (CA, 87.3 ± 13.3 beats/min; SuppO 2 , 85.0 ± 12.4 beats/min; p 2 compared with that when breathing CA (CA,57.2 ± 13.5 mm Hg; SuppO 2 , 53.3 ± 13.0 mm Hg; p Conclusion Oxygen supplementation in, COPD patients significantly and favorably alters autonomicmodulation.