cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The thylakoid proton gradient promotes an advanced stage of signal peptide binding deep within the Tat pathway receptor complex

Tat (twin arginine translocation) systems transport folded proteins across the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts and the plasma membrane of most bacteria. Tat precursors are targeted by hydrophobic cleavable signal peptides with twin arginine (RR) motifs. Bacterial precursors possess an extended consensus, (S/T)RRXFLK, of which the two arginines and the phenylalanine are essential for efficient transport. Thylakoid Tat precursors possess twin arginines but lack the consensus phenylalanine. Here, we have characterized two stages of precursor binding to the thylakoid Tat signal peptide receptor, the 700-kDa cpTatC-Hcf106 complex. The OE17 precursor tOE17 binds to the receptor by RR-dependant electrostatic interactions and partially dissociates during blue native gel electrophoresis. In addition, the signal peptide of thylakoid-bound tOE17 is highly exposed to the membrane surface, as judged by accessibility to factor Xa of cleavage sites engineered into signal peptide flanking regions. By contrast, tOE17 containing a consensus phenylalanine in place of Val(-20) (V - 20F) binds the receptor more strongly and is completely stable during blue native gel electrophoresis. Thylakoid bound V - 20F is also completely protected from factor Xa at the identical sites. This suggests that the signal peptide is buried deeply in the cpTatC-Hcf106 binding site. We further provide evidence that the proton gradient, which is required for translocation, induces a tighter interaction between tOE17 and the cpTat machinery, similar to that exhibited by V - 20F. This implies that translocation involves a very intimate association of the signal peptide with the receptor complex binding site.
Zero-Metallicity Stars and the Effects of the First Stars on Reionization

We present stellar structure and atmosphere models of metal-free stars and examine them from a cosmological point of view. Metal-free stars exhibit high effective temperatures and small sizes relative to metal-enriched stars of equal mass. These unique physical characteristics enhance the ionizing photon production by metal-free stars, particularly in the He ii (hnu>/=4 ryd) continuum. The star formation rate of metal-free stars necessary to reionize the hydrogen in the universe by z=5 is consistent with the inferred star formation rate at that epoch. However, the hard stellar spectra are inconsistent with the observations of He ii opacity in the intergalactic medium (IGM) at z approximately 3, indicating that the period of metal-free star formation ended before that epoch. We examine the effects of these stars on the ionization balance of the IGM, the radiative feedback of the first luminous objects, and the extragalactic radiation field. We comment on the prospects for detecting metal-free stellar populations with the lambda1640 and lambda4686 recombination lines of He ii.
Soybean Seed Yield and Quality as a Response to Field Pennycress Residue

Field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.; hereafter pennycress) is an oilseed crop being investigated as an off-season biofuel source that can potentially fit into the existing crop rotation cycle with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. The objective of this 2-yr study was to evaluate the effect of pennycress residue on seed yield and quality components of soybean planted during five consecutive weeks, from mid-May to mid-June. In 2009 and 2010, the mean soybean dry weight seed yield after pennycress residue for all planting dates (4108 and 3490 kg ha ―1 , respectively) was greater than yield from fallow control plots (3636 and 2992 kg ha ―1 , respectively). However, in 2010, soybean planted after pennycress had slightly lower oil content (202 g kg ―1 ) than that obtained from fallow control plots (207 g kg ―1 ) (P < 0.01). Delayed planting until mid-June resulted in lower population density, plant height, seed yield, and oil concentration. Before June, planting date had no significant influence on soybean seed yield and quality. Protein content in soybean seed was not affected by year, pennycress residue, or planting date. Variation in the experimental year temperature values led to significant changes in oil components. High temperatures decreased levels of linoleic, linolenic, and stearic acids but increased levels of palmitic and oleic acids. Overall, pennycress had no negative effect on the subsequent soybean crop.
Differences in composition between mitochondriafrom two mouse strains

Summary o 1. A significant difference in phosphorus/nitrogen ratio between isolatedliver mitochondria from C57 Black and BALB/Ci males has been demonstrated. 2. In addition, variability in P/N ratio between experiments, probably due to experimental conditions, is apparent in the data. A slight effect of age in the younger animals is suggested, but not definitely proved. 3. The strain difference in mitochondrial P/N ratio is at least in part dueto a difference in the relative amounts of ribosenucleic acids and proteins. 4. Results of experiments involving repeated washing of the mitochondrialpreparations show that the P/N ratio remains constant after the first washing. This result makes it unlikely that the difference in P/N ratio between the strains is due to differential adsorption of microsomes. 5. The mitochondrial preparation was divided into three subfractions bydifferential centrifugation. The smaller subfractions, consisting of particles sedimented by higher centrifugal force, have a higher P/N ratio than the larger ones. Large mitochondria have a higher P/N ratio in C57 than in BALB. In small mitochondria, the P/N ratio in both strains seems to be the same, but more material is present in this fraction in C57 than in BALB. Since the “small mitochondria” fraction is rich in phosphorus, the larger amounts in this fraction contribute to the higher P/N ratio in C57. 6. It is concluded that at least two different types of particles are presentin the mitochondrial preparations which differ in their reaction to the same genetic situation. The strain difference in mitochondrial constition is a biochemically complex character consisting of at least two independent contributions.
Drawing maps: history and geography in contemporary black British art

For contemporary black British artists, history is a recurring and significant concept in their lives. This is the imperial and colonial history of the enslavement, exploitation, and oppression of non-white populations. Geography is conceptually twinned with history. European colonial enterprises necessitated the movement of people as well as goods across oceans and between continents. Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Americas were conquered, carved up, and mapped out by European powers. This geography is a legacy for those people whose ancestors and relatives were enslaved and/or displaced. It is equally important to those people directly affected by economic and political instability in their homelands, immigration, and/or racism. Artists Yinka Shonibare, Godfried Donkor, and Lubaina Himid appropriate centuries-old images and cultural as well as racial stereotypes to question accepted historical narratives with regards to black populations. Zarina Bhimji, Sonia Boyce, and Sokari Douglas Camp are more con...
Nonword repetition performance and related factors in children representing four linguistic groups

The current study was designed to compare the English nonword repetition accuracy in 7-year-old monolingual English, Korean–English bilingual, Chinese–English bilingual, and Spanish–English bilingual children. The relationships among nonword repetition accuracy, vocabulary, phonological awareness, and phonotactic probability in each group of children were also examined. The results indicated significant differences among the groups’ accuracy of consonants and vowels by syllable length. Different correlational patterns emerged among nonword repetition accuracy, vocabulary, and phonological awareness. Theoretical and clinical implications for the use of nonword repetition tasks for children from various linguistic backgrounds are discussed.
Mutation of Host Δ9 Fatty Acid Desaturase Inhibits Brome Mosaic Virus RNA Replication between Template Recognition and RNA Synthesis

ABSTRACT All positive-strand RNA viruses assemble their RNA replication complexes on intracellular membranes. Brome mosaic virus (BMV) replicates its RNA in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated complexes in plant cells and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. BMV encodes RNA replication factors 1a, with domains implicated in RNA capping and helicase functions, and 2a, with a central polymerase-like domain. Factor 1a interacts independently with the ER membrane, viral RNA templates, and factor 2a to form RNA replication complexes on the perinuclear ER. We show that BMV RNA replication is severely inhibited by a mutation in OLE1, an essential yeast chromosomal gene encoding Δ9 fatty acid desaturase, an integral ER membrane protein and the first enzyme in unsaturated fatty acid synthesis.OLE1 deletion and medium supplementation show that BMV RNA replication requires unsaturated fatty acids, not the Ole1 protein, and that viral RNA replication is much more sensitive than yeast growth to reduced unsaturated fatty acid levels. In ole1 mutant yeast, 1a still becomes membrane associated, recruits 2a to the membrane, and recognizes and stabilizes viral RNA templates normally. However, RNA replication is blocked prior to initiation of negative-strand RNA synthesis. The results show that viral RNA synthesis is highly sensitive to lipid composition and suggest that proper membrane fluidity or plasticity is essential for an early step in RNA replication. The strong unsaturated fatty acid dependence also demonstrates that modulating fatty acid balance can be an effective antiviral strategy.
The Personality Disorders Institute/Borderline Personality Disorder Research Foundation Randomized Control Trial for Borderline Personality Disorder: Reliability of Axis I and II Diagnoses

The Personality Disorder Institute/Borderline Personality Disorder Research Foundation randomized control trial (PDI/BPDRF RCT) is a randomized control trial comparing three treatments for borderline personality disorder (BPD). An important issue for any RCT is diagnostic reliability, demonstration of which is necessary to evaluate claims of a treatment's efficacy for a given population. The present paper examines the interrater reliability of Axis I and II disorders in the context of a high base rate of BPD features for participants referred for inclusion in the RCT. Our results indicate good to excellent levels of interrater reliability for all Axis I and II disorders in this context. Assessors were able to reliably diagnose BPD, exclusionary criteria, and comorbid diagnoses. This data is important for comparing findings and sample composition across different studies using similar sampling strategies, especially as treatments are increasingly being developed and tested for BPD.
On-chip decoupling capacitor design to reduce switching-noise-induced instability in CMOS/SOI VLSI

The supply noise from the packaging of CMOS/SOI circuits can cause performance degradation, reliability reduction and even loss of circuit functionality due to the device latch-up problem. By properly adding on-chip decoupling capacitors in the proximity of the circuitry, we can effectively alleviate the switching noise problem and improve the performance of CMOS/SOI circuits.
The value of power frequency spectrum analysis in the identification of aortoiliac artery disease.

Abstract Prediction and localization of significant proximal occlusive disease in the lower extremities, whether in isolation or in combination with significant distal disease, still represent major problems to the noninvasive vascular laboratory. Power frequency spectrum analysis (PFSA) was done on continuous-wave Doppler signals in the common femoral artery of 86 limbs in 50 patients before and after postocclusive reactive hyperemia testing in an effort to differentiate hemodynamically significant from insignificant proximal occlusive disease, whether in isolation or in combination with hemodynamically significant distal disease. Limbs were assigned to four different categories according to their angiographic findings. With the use of a bandwidth at 50% peak amplitutde (f 50% ) of 2000 Hz as the cut-off point between a positive and a negative examination, the test was 93% sensitive, 90% specific, and 92% accurate in distinguishing hemodynamically significant proximal lesions from hemodynamically insignificant lesions, regardless of distal disease. In addition, there exists a small group with significant disease at or close to the site of Doppler sampling, which produces f 50% values of more than 3000 Hz. Diagnosis in this subgroup was much like that in carotid disorders. Finally, the predictive accuracy of standard noninvasive Doppler/segmental pressure measurement was compared with results of PFSA. In most patients, standard measurements were comparable; however, in the subgroup with hemodynamically significant proximal and distal disease, the PFSA technique accurately predicted hemodynamically significant proximal diseases in 93% of patients, where combined pressure/Doppler testing had an accuracy of only 61%. In all, spectrum analysis of common femoral artery velocity signals can greatly aid in determining the presence or absence of significant proximal disease in all situations. (J VASC SURG 1987;5:803-13.)
Sharp Rise In Medicare Enrollees Being Held In Hospitals For Observation Raises Concerns About Causes And Consequences

When it is not clear that an ill patient needs to be hospitalized, he or she may be placed “under observation” in a hospital for further evaluation and short-term treatment. These hospital observation services, often a kind of halfway point between emergency department treatment and full inpatient admission, have become a hotly debated policy issue and subject of lawsuits. Using Medicare enrollment and claims data nationwide, we documented a rising trend in the prevalence and duration of hospital observation services in the fee-for-service Medicare population during 2007–09, accompanied by a downward shift in inpatient admissions. As a result, the ratio of observation stays to inpatient admissions increased 34 percent, from an average of 86.9 observation stay events per 1,000 inpatient admissions per month in 2007 to 116.6 in 2009. Medicare beneficiaries were increasingly subjected to hospital observation care and treated as outpatients instead of inpatients, which can expose them to greater out-of-pocket...
Determinants of influenza vaccination in hard-to-reach urban populations

Objective. Influenza vaccination rates among disadvantaged minority and hard-to-reach populations are lower than in other groups. We assessed the barriers to influenza vaccination in disadvantaged urban areas. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study, using venue-based sampling, collecting data on residents of eight neighborhoods throughout East Harlem and the Bronx, New York City. Results. Of 760 total respondents, 461 (61.6%) had received influenza vaccination at some point in their life. In multivariable models, having access to routine medical care, receipt of health or social services, having tested positive for HIV, and current interest in receiving influenza vaccination were significantly associated with having received influenza vaccination in the previous year. Of participants surveyed, 79.6% were interested in receiving an influenza vaccination at the time of survey. Among participants who had never previously received influenza vaccination in the past, 73.4% were interested in being vaccinated; factors significantly associated with an interest in being vaccinated were minority race, lower annual income, history of being homeless, being uninsured/underinsured, and not having access to routine medical care. Conclusions. Participants who are unconnected to health or social services or government health insurance are less likely to have been vaccinated in the past although these persons are willing to receive vaccine if it were available.
“Communities,” Anthropology and the Politics of Stakeholding: The Challenges of an Inorganic Activist Anthropology

This paper draws on my experiences creating and implementing the South Carolina Migrant Farmworker Resource Project, an activist endeavour with an anthropological approach. My discussion of the project focuses on the difficulties of managing stakeholder interests while working among various community organizations and simultane - ously accessing the input of the community to be served. I use community in quotes to problematize assumptions and to question what makes a community, if not self-defined. Challenges in definition, collaboration, planning, implementa - tion, and sustainability are examined through a critique of inorganic, participatory research and the difficulties of trying to engage in applied anthropology.
AAP Genetics Diagnostic Approach to Intellectual Disability or Global Developmental Delay

The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Genetics present a recommended clinical genetics diagnostic approach to the evaluation of intellectual disability or global developmental delays.
Identifying the effects of social media on health behavior: Data from a large-scale online experiment

Sedentary lifestyle is an escalating epidemic. Little is known about whether or how social media can be used to design a cost-effective solution for sedentary lifestyle. In this article we describe the data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that evaluated two prominent strategies for conducting exercise interventions using elements of social media: motivational media campaigns and online peer networks. The data file includes 217 participants’ basic demographic information, number of exercise class enrollments over 13 weeks, and self-reported number of days for exercise activities in the previous 7 days at baseline. Among the 217, 164 also have data on self-reported number of days for exercise activities at the post-program. Data are supplied with this article. The interpretation of these data can be found in the research article published by the authors in Preventive Medicine Reports in 2015 [1].
The CYP4A Isoforms Hydroxylate Epoxyeicosatrienoic Acids to Form High Affinity Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor Ligands

Cytochromes P450 of the CYP2C and CYP4A gene subfamilies metabolize arachidonic acid to 5,6-, 8,9-, 11,12-, and 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and to 19- and 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs), respectively. Abundant functional studies indicate that EETs and HETEs display powerful and often opposing biological activities as mediators of ion channel activity and regulators of vascular tone and systemic blood pressures. Incubation of 8,9-, 11,12-, and 14,15-EETs with microsomal and purified forms of rat CYP4A isoforms led to rapid NADPH-dependent metabolism to the corresponding 19- and 20-hydroxylated EETs. Comparisons of reaction rates and catalytic efficiency with those of arachidonic and lauric acids showed that EETs are one of the best endogenous substrates so far described for rat CYP4A isoforms. CYP4A1 exhibited a preference for 8,9-EET, whereas CYP4A2, CYP4A3, and CYP4A8 preferred 11,12-EET. In general, the closer the oxido ring is to the carboxylic acid functionality, the higher the rate of EET metabolism and the lower the regiospecificity for the EET omega-carbon. Analysis of cis-parinaric acid displacement from the ligand-binding domain of the human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha showed that omega-hydroxylated 14,15-EET bound to this receptor with high affinity (K(i) = 3 +/- 1 nm). Moreover, at 1 microm, the omega-alcohol of 14,15-EET or a 1:4 mixture of the omega-alcohols of 8,9- and 11,12-EETs activated human and mouse peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha in transient transfection assays, suggesting a role for them as endogenous ligands for these orphan nuclear receptors.
Feeding fat from distillers dried grains with solubles to dairy heifers: II. Effects on metabolic profile.

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine if increased dietary fat from dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in diets of growing heifers affected metabolic profile, plasma fatty acid profile, and reproductive maturation. Thirty-three Holstein heifers (133±18 d of age) were used in a 24-wk randomized complete block design with 3 treatment diets. Treatment diets were (1) control (CON) containing ground corn (15.9% of DM) and soybean products (17.9%), (2) low-fat (LFDG) containing low-fat DDGS (21.9%) and ground corn (11.9%), or (3) high-fat (HFDG) with traditional DDGS (33.8%). Diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric, but the HFDG diet was formulated to contain 4.8% fat compared with 2.8% in the CON and LFDG diets. All 3 diets were limit-fed to 2.45% of body weight on a dry matter basis, and resulted in a mean average daily gain of 0.96kg/d across treatments. Every 4wk, jugular blood was collected for analysis of metabolites and metabolic hormones. During wk20 of the feeding period, blood samples were collected for analysis of plasma fatty acid profiles. When heifers weighed between 200 and 300kg of body weight, coccygeal blood samples were taken twice weekly for analysis of progesterone to determine if puberty had been reached. Plasma concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids were similar among treatments and consistent over the duration of the study. Plasma concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, and leptin were similar among heifers fed each treatment diet, but increased over the duration of the feeding period. Serum concentrations of glucose tended to be less in heifers fed HFDG compared with heifers fed the CON diet. Glucose concentrations fluctuated throughout the feeding period, but no treatment by time interactions were noted. Plasma urea N concentrations were less in heifers fed LFDG compared with heifers fed HFDG and CON diets. The concentrations of plasma urea N increased over the duration of the feeding period, with no treatment by week interaction. Total plasma cholesterol was greater in heifers fed HFDG compared with the CON and LFDG diets, and a significant week effect and a week by treatment interaction were observed. Fatty acid profiles also differed among treatments based on the supply of fatty acids from the diet. Progesterone analysis indicated that heifers fed HFDG tended to be pubertal at a younger age than heifers on CON. These results demonstrate that dietary fat from DDGS can be used in high-plane of nutrition rations for growing heifers and maintain metabolic energy status compared with starch from corn, but alters the concentrations of different blood lipids.
Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis: comparing fecal culture versus serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and direct fecal polymerase chain reaction.

Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiologic agent of Johne's disease in cattle. The disease causes diarrhea, reduced milk production, poor reproductivity, emaciation, and eventually death. Culture on Herrold's egg yolk agar is considered to be the definitive test for diagnosis of Johne's in cattle. This method has moderate sensitivity (30 to 50%) and is 100% specific; however, it can take up to 16 wk due to the slow growth of MAP. Currently, serum ELISA is used to screen herds for Johne's disease, but positive tests must be confirmed culturally or by PCR. The current research sought to evaluate an in-house direct fecal PCR procedure and directly compare it to ELISA using culture as the gold standard. Serum and fecal samples were collected from cows (n = 250) with unknown Johne's status. Fecal samples were processed for culture on Herrold's egg yolk agar and direct PCR. Serum samples were tested using the Parachek serum ELISA. Overall, 67/250 [26.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 21.4 to 32.8] animals were culturally confirmed to be shedding MAP. The PCR and ELISA detected 74/250 (29.6%, 95% CI 24 to 35.7) and 25/250 (10%, 95% CI 6.6 to 14.4), respectively. Culture and PCR were able to detect more positive animals than ELISA. Overall, direct fecal PCR was 70.2% sensitive and 85.3% specific when using culture as the gold standard. The ELISA method was 31.3% sensitive and 97.8% specific. When culture reported or =40 cfu, the sensitivity of PCR and ELISA were 100 and 88.2%, respectively. Specificity could not be calculated at these levels because there were no negative samples. The direct PCR outperformed the ELISA in detecting animals potentially infected with MAP and was not significantly different when compared with culture. The direct fecal PCR method described here provides faster results than traditional culture and is more sensitive than ELISA at detecting animals suspected of Johne's disease. These data support the use of PCR as an alternative method for screening herds for prevalence and diagnosis of Johne's disease.
Superior Thermal Conductivity of Single-Layer Graphene

We report the measurement of the thermal conductivity of a suspended single-layer graphene. The room temperature values of the thermal conductivity in the range ∼(4.84 ± 0.44) × 103 to (5.30 ± 0.48) × 103 W/mK were extracted for a single-layer graphene from the dependence of the Raman G peak frequency on the excitation laser power and independently measured G peak temperature coefficient. The extremely high value of the thermal conductivity suggests that graphene can outperform carbon nanotubes in heat conduction. The superb thermal conduction property of graphene is beneficial for the proposed electronic applications and establishes graphene as an excellent material for thermal management.
Enantioconvergent production of (R)‐1‐phenyl‐1,2‐ethanediol from styrene oxide by combining the Solanum tuberosum and an evolved Agrobacterium radiobacter AD1 epoxide hydrolases

Soluble epoxide hydrolase (EH) from the potato Solanum tuberosum and an evolved EH of the bacterium Agrobacterium radiobacter AD1, EchA-I219F, were purified for the enantioconvergent hydrolysis of racemic styrene oxide into the single product (R)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol, which is an important intermediate for pharmaceuticals. EchA-I219F has enhanced enantioselectivity (enantiomeric ratio of 91 based on products) for converting (R)-styrene oxide to (R)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol (2.0 +/- 0.2 micromol/min/mg), and the potato EH converts (S)-styrene oxide primarily to the same enantiomer, (R)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol (22 +/- 1 micromol/min/mg), with an enantiomeric ratio of 40 +/- 17 (based on substrates). By mixing these two purified enzymes, inexpensive racemic styrene oxide (5 mM) was converted at 100% yield to 98% enantiomeric excess (R)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol at 4.7 +/- 0.7 micromol/min/mg. Hence, at least 99% of substrate is converted into a single stereospecific product at a rapid rate.
A Tunable CMOS Resistor with Wide Tuning Range for Low Pass Filter Application

In this paper, a new tunable CMOS resistor is proposed. The resistance is inversely proportional to bias current, to provide the resistor with a wider tuning range. And transistors, composing the active resistor, work at saturation region to achieve very large resistance within a small area. As an example, a low pass RC filter using tunable CMOS resistor realized in 0.5-µm CMOS technology is reported. The measured result shows that the cutoff frequency of low pass filter can be widely tuned from 5 kHz to 1.9 MHz. The total harmonic distortion (THD) stays lower than -40 dB for an input signal up to 100mV Vp-p at 500-kHz input frequency. The die area of the low-pass filter is 0.25×0.13 mm 2 and the maximum power consumption (at fc=1.9 MHZ) is 5.7mW with single 3.3-V power supply.
Next-Generation Virtual Worlds: Architecture, Status, and Directions

It seems likely that the Web as we know it will undergo several paradigm shifts in the coming years: its content will expand from 2D documents to also accommodate 3D virtual worlds; with new technologies like RFID and smartphones, be able to link to a place or thing (in the real or virtual world) and associate more metadata annotations with things in the real and virtual worlds to create increasingly smart semantic worlds. But to realize these promises, the virtual world and ubiquitous computing communities will need architectures that are standard enough to become pervasive and flexible enough to expand beyond the applications we have today. This article describes some of the motivations and requirements for common core architectures for virtual worlds and introduces a track of articles that aim to change the way humans interact with the Web and their world.
Antimicrobial Cellulose: Preparation and Application of 5-Methyl-5-Aminomethylhydantoin

A new N-halamine precursor, 5-methyl-5-aminomethylhydantoin (AH), was synthesized. This N-halamine precursor can be coated onto cotton surfaces with the addition of the crosslinking agent butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) and rendered biocidal by exposure to halogen solutions either before or after curing the coating or material. Standard washing tests show that covalently bound AH/BTCA on the cotton swatches can survive repeated washing cycles. After 50 washing cycles, chlorinated cotton swatches had lost 98.7 % of oxidative Cl+, but after rechlorination, almost 43.5 % of Cl+ was regained. Biocidal tests indicated that the cotton swatches coated with chlorinated AH/BTCA were effective against Gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative Escherichia coli.
Contour-Driven Atlas-Based Segmentation

We propose new methods for automatic segmentation of images based on an atlas of manually labeled scans and contours in the image. First, we introduce a Bayesian framework for creating initial label maps from manually annotated training images. Within this framework, we model various registration- and patch-based segmentation techniques by changing the deformation field prior. Second, we perform contour-driven regression on the created label maps to refine the segmentation. Image contours and image parcellations give rise to non-stationary kernel functions that model the relationship between image locations. Setting the kernel to the covariance function in a Gaussian process establishes a distribution over label maps supported by image structures. Maximum a posteriori estimation of the distribution over label maps conditioned on the outcome of the atlas-based segmentation yields the refined segmentation. We evaluate the segmentation in two clinical applications: the segmentation of parotid glands in head and neck CT scans and the segmentation of the left atrium in cardiac MR angiography images.
Reorganization of Motor Cortex by Vagus Nerve Stimulation Requires Cholinergic Innervation.

Abstract Background Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with forelimb training drives robust, specific reorganization of movement representations in the motor cortex. The mechanisms that underlie VNS-dependent enhancement of map plasticity are largely unknown. The cholinergic nucleus basalis (NB) is a critical substrate in cortical plasticity, and several studies suggest that VNS activates cholinergic circuitry. Objective We examined whether the NB is required for VNS-dependent enhancement of map plasticity in the motor cortex. Methods Rats were trained to perform a lever pressing task and then received injections of the immunotoxin 192-IgG-saporin to selectively lesion cholinergic neurons of the NB. After lesion, rats underwent five days of motor training during which VNS was paired with successful trials. At the conclusion of behavioral training, intracortical microstimulation was used to document movement representations in motor cortex. Results VNS paired with forelimb training resulted in a substantial increase in the representation of proximal forelimb in rats with an intact NB compared to untrained controls. NB lesions prevent this VNS-dependent increase in proximal forelimb area and result in representations similar to untrained controls. Motor performance was similar between groups, suggesting that differences in forelimb function cannot account for the difference in proximal forelimb representation. Conclusions Together, these findings indicate that the NB is required for VNS-dependent enhancement of plasticity in the motor cortex and may provide insight into the mechanisms that underlie the benefits of VNS therapy.
Experiments with Generative Models for Dependency Tree Linearization

We present experiments with generative models for linearization of unordered labeled syntactic dependency trees (Belz et al., 2011; Rajkumar and White, 2014). Our linearization models are derived from generative models for dependency structure (Eisner, 1996). We present a series of generative dependency models designed to capture successively more information about ordering constraints among sister dependents. We give a dynamic programming algorithm for computing the conditional probability of word orders given tree structures under these models. The models are tested on corpora of 11 languages using test-set likelihood, and human ratings for generated forms are collected for English. Our models benefit from representing local order constraints among sisters and from backing off to less sparse distributions, including distributions not conditioned on the head.
Partial Liver Kinase B1 (LKB1) Deficiency Promotes Diastolic Dysfunction, De Novo Systolic Dysfunction, Apoptosis, and Mitochondrial Dysfunction With Dietary Metabolic Challenge

Background Myocardial hypertrophy and dysfunction are key features of metabolic heart disease due to dietary excess. Metabolic heart disease manifests primarily as diastolic dysfunction but may progress to systolic dysfunction, although the mechanism is poorly understood. Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is a key activator of AMP‐activated protein kinase and possibly other signaling pathways that oppose myocardial hypertrophy and failure. We hypothesized that LKB1 is essential to the heart's ability to withstand the metabolic stress of dietary excess. Methods and Results Mice heterozygous for cardiac LKB1 were fed a control diet or a high‐fat, high‐sucrose diet for 4 months. On the control diet, cardiac LKB1 hearts had normal structure and function. After 4 months of the high‐fat, high‐sucrose diet, there was left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction in wild‐type mice. In cardiac LKB1 (versus wild‐type) mice, high‐fat, high‐sucrose feeding caused more hypertrophy (619 versus 553 μm2, P <0.05), the de novo appearance of systolic dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction; 41% versus 59%, P <0.01) with left ventricular dilation (3.6 versus 3.2 mm, P <0.05), and more severe diastolic dysfunction with progression to a restrictive filling pattern (E/A ratio; 5.5 versus 1.3, P =0.05). Myocardial dysfunction in hearts of cardiac LKB1 mice fed the high‐fat, high‐sucrose diet was associated with evidence of increased apoptosis and apoptotic signaling via caspase 3 and p53/PUMA (p53 upregulated modulator of apoptosis) and more severe mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusions Partial deficiency of cardiac LKB1 promotes the adverse effects of a high‐fat, high‐sucrose diet on the myocardium, leading to worsening of diastolic function and the de novo appearance of systolic dysfunction. LKB1 plays a key role in protecting the heart from the consequences of metabolic stress.
Wheat flour versus rice consumption and vascular diseases: Evidence from the China study II data

Why does wheat flour consumption appear to be significantly associated with vascular diseases? To answer this question we analyzed data on rice consumption, wheat flour consumption, total calorie consumption, and mortality from vascular diseases obtained from the China Study II dataset. This dataset covers the years of 1983, 1989 and 1993; with data related to biochemistry, diet, lifestyle, and mortality from various diseases in 69 counties in China. Our analyses point at a counterintuitive conclusion: it may not be wheat flour consumption that is the problem, but the culture associated with it, characterized by: decreased levels of physical activity, decreased exposure to sunlight, increased consumption of processed foods, and increased social isolation. Wheat flour consumption may act as a proxy for the extent to which this culture is expressed in a population. The more this culture is expressed, the greater is the prevalence of vascular diseases.
Collision Scenarios for Assessing Crashworthiness of Passenger Rail Equipment

In June 2009, at the request of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee established the Engineering Task Force (ETF). The ETF is comprised of government, railroads, suppliers, and labor organizations and their consultants. The ETF was tasked with recommending a process for assessing alternative Tier I passenger rail equipment, i.e., passenger equipment that is operated at speeds up to 125 mph on the general railroad system. The final product of the ETF is a document outlining criteria and procedures for demonstrating crashworthiness performance of passenger rail equipment built to alternative design standards and proposed for operation in the US. The results provide a means of assessing whether an alternative design compares to designs compliant with the FRA’s Tier I crashworthiness requirements. This paper focuses on the criteria and procedures developed for scenario-based requirements. The principle collision scenario describes the minimum train-level crashworthiness performance required in a train-to-train collision of an alternatively designed passenger train with a conventional locomotive-led passenger train. For cab car-led and MU locomotive-led operations, the impact speed is prescribed at 20 mph. For locomotive led operations, the impact speed is prescribed at 25 mph. Criteria for evaluating this scenario include intrusion limits for the passengers and engineer, and occupant protection measures. Other scenario-based requirements discussed in this paper include colliding equipment override, connected equipment override, and truck attachment.© 2010 ASME
Analysis,Diagnosis and Troubleshooting for Abnormal Vibration of No.1 Unit in Ninghai Power Plant

This paper gives a detailed introduction about the phenomenon and characteristic of an emergency vibration of No.1 unit in Ninghai power plant,and includes the entire process of analysis and judgment.After excluding the possibilities of rotordynamics instability,turn-to-turn short circuit,and the flying off of components of shaft coupling or rotating components in low-pressure B rotor,it's believed that the matter lies in the displacement of shaft coupling.The results of examination and processing indicated that the analysis and judgment were right.The way of analysis in this example will be beneficial to the diagnosis of the similar faults in large units.
Loop mediated isothermal amplification and its application in pathogenic organisms detection

Loop mediated isothermal amplification(LAMP)technology is a novel nucleic acid amplification technology developed in recent years.Because of its simplicity,rapidity,high specificity and high sensitivity,it has been widely used in the detection of pathogenic organisms such as bacteria,viruses and parasites in the past dozen years since 2000,it has important significance of point-of-care test and local laboratory promotion.
Analysis of interactions between intraflagellar transport proteins.

Abstract Intraflagellar transport (IFT) involves the movement of large proteinaceous particles or trains along the length of ciliary and flagellar axonemal microtubules. The particles contain multiple copies of two protein complexes. As isolated from the flagellated model organism, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, IFT A contains 6 distinct gene products while IFT B contains at least 13 distinct gene products. To better understand the architecture of these two complexes, a multifaceted approach has been employed to identify subcomplexes and specific protein–protein interactions. The high biochemical yields afforded with Chlamydomonas preparations have allowed traditional biochemical approaches including chemical cross-linking and disruption of native complexes, which, in the case of IFT B, have revealed a core subcomplex retaining nine of the B subunits. Complementing these results are molecular approaches including two-hybrid screenings and heterologous expression that have identified specific protein–protein interactions. Lastly, genetic approaches utilizing Chlamydomonas IFT mutants have shown how the loss of specific subunits perturb the complexes and, in the case of IFT A, they have revealed a core subcomplex containing half of the A subunits.
Influence of prenatal and postnatal fraternity size on reproduction in swine.

Hypotheses of a negative association between fraternity size (size of litter in which an individual develops prior to birth or is reared following birth) and ovulation rate or litter size were tested by examining reproduction of females born or reared in varying prenatal and postnatal fraternities. Gifts were randomly assigned to develop prenatally and be reared postnatal in small or large fraternities. Dams of experimental animals were randomly assigned to one of two prenatal fraternity size treatments, either unilateral oviductal ligation (to bear a small prenatal litter) or no ligation (to bear a normal prenatal litter). Whereas this did result in differences (P less than .01) in litter size at birth (small = 6.2 +/- .4 vs large = 9.6 +/- .9), there was considerable overlap in observed litter sizes between ligated and nonligated dams. Consequently, effects of prenatal fraternity size were examined by regression. Distinct differences in postnatal fraternity size were created by randomly assigning piglets to small (5 piglets) or large (10 piglets) postnatal fraternities within 24 h of birth. Differences in postnatal fraternity size were maintained through weaning at 3 wk (small = 4.9 +/- .1 vs large = 9.4 +/- .2). Weights at birth (regression of birth weight on prenatal fraternity size = -.07 +/- .02, P less than .01) and weaning (small = 6.09 +/- .15 vs large = 5.46 +/- .17 kg, P less than .01) were heavier for gilts from small prenatal and postnatal fraternities, respectively, compared with gilts from large fraternities. Effects of prenatal and postnatal size on BW did not persist following weaning (P greater than .20).
Examining Organizational Citizenship Behavior in the Context of Human Resource Development An Integrative Review of the Literature

Over the past three decades, scholarship on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has grown tremendously and now enjoys a place of relative importance in the managerial, behavioral, and psychol...
The Later Years of James Alexander Mirrlees

The Mirrlees family thoroughly enjoyed their sabbatical year at MIT, and James his collaboration with Peter Diamond. Upon his return, Mirrlees had moved to Oxford University. He had been offered professorships at MIT and at the London School of Economics, but he had always preferred small towns, and Oxford and Cambridge were quite large enough. Oxford also afforded him the opportunity to work solely with graduate students, something which would not have been possible at the other institutions.
The Appropriation/Amplification Model of Citizen Journalism: An account of structural limitations and the political economy of participatory content creation

A collaborative relationship between citizen journalists and professional journalists has long been an aspiration for many media scholars. While tensions surrounding professional control are significant, scholars also have to consider the structural dynamics of content online and across social media networks, particularly in an era of the corporatized and commercialized Web. The rise of social discovery tools and algorithms is also addressed. This article aims to bring to light these concerns and moves the conversation about citizen journalism forward by proposing a model that identifies the pathway through which news organizations gather, select, package, and disseminate citizen journalism content.
Using the Developmental Path of Cause to Bridge the Gap between AWE Scores and Writing Teachers’ Evaluations

Supported by artificial intelligence (AI), the most advanced Automatic Writing Evaluation (AWE) systems have gained increasing attention for their ability to provide immediate scoring and formative feedback, yet teachers have been hesitant to implement them into their classes because correlations between the grades they assign and the AWE scores have generally been low. This begs the question of where improvements in evaluation may need to be made, and what approaches are available to carry out this improvement. This mixed-method study involved 59 cause and effect essays collected from English language learners enrolled in six different sections of a college level academic writing course and utilized theory proposed by Slater and Mohan (2010) regarding the developmental path of cause. The study compared the results of raters who used this developmental path with the accuracy of AWE scores produced by Criterion, an AWE tool developed by Educational Testing Service (ETS), and the grades reported by teachers. Findings suggested that if Criterion is to be used successfully in the classroom, writing teachers need to take a meaning-based approach to their assessment, which would allow them and their students to understand more fully how language constructs cause and effect. Using the developmental path of cause as an analytical framework for assessment may then help teachers assign grades that are more in sync with AWE scores, which in turn can help students gain more trust in the scores they receive from both their teachers and Criterion.
Coactivation in bilingual grammars: A computational account of code mixing

A large body of research into bilingualism has revealed that language processing is fundamentally non-selective; there is simultaneous, graded co-activation of mental representations from both of the speakers’ languages. An equally deep tradition of research into code switching/mixing has revealed the important role that grammatical principles play in determining the nature of bilingual speech. We propose to integrate these two traditions within the formalism of Gradient Symbolic Computation. This allows us to formalize the integration of grammatical principles with gradient mental representations. We apply this framework to code mixing constructions where an element of an intended utterance appears in both languages within a single utterance and discuss the directions it suggests for future research.
DSP power reduction through Generalized Carry-Save arithmetic

We present a new method to systematically parallelize networks of additions and multiplications to dramatically reduce power dissipation in digital signal processing (DSP) blocks. This new method is termed Generalized Carry-Save (GCS) arithmetic. Results are presented for three industrial DSP blocks, separately implemented in IBM 130nm, TI 65nm and TI 45nm technologies. Compared with the best delays obtainable using the best scripts from the leading commercial synthesis tool, GCS produces DSP block implementations that are at least 30% and up to 2X faster for similar area. As a consequence, the power supply voltage can be reduced to realize quadratic power savings for the same delays.