cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of glycine (residue 89) in the central helix of EF‐hand protein troponin‐C exposed following amino‐terminal α‐helix deletion

Because an N-terminal alpha-helical (N-helix) arm and a KGK-triplet (residues 88KGK90) in the central helix of troponin-C (TnC) are missing in calmodulin, several recent studies have attempted to elucidate the structure-function correlations of these units. Presently, with a family of genetically manipulated derivatives especially developed for this study and tested on permeabilized isolated single skeletal muscle fiber segments, we explored the specificities of the amino acid residues within the N-helix and the KGK-triplet in TnC. Noticeably, the amino acid compositions vary between the N-helices of the cardiac and skeletal TnC isoforms. On the other hand, the KGK-triplet is located similarly in both TnC isoforms. We previously indicated that deletion of the N-helix (mutant delta Nt) diminishes the tension obtained on activation with maximal calcium, but the contractile function is revived by the superimposed deletion of the 88KGK90-triplet (mutant delta Nt delta KGK; see Gulati J, Babu A, Su H, Zhang YF, 1993, J Biol Chem 268:11685-11690). Using this functional test, we find that replacement of Gly-89 with a Leu or an Ala could also overcome the contractile defect associated with N-helix deletion. On the other hand, replacement of the skeletal TnC N-helix with cardiac type N-helix was unable to restore contractile function. The findings indicate a destabilizing influence of Gly-89 residue in skeletal TnC and suggest that the N-terminal arm in normal TnC serves to moderate this effect. Moreover, specificity of the N-helix between cardiac and skeletal TnCs raises the possibility that resultant structural disparities are also important for the functional distinctions of the TnC isoforms.
Water solubilities in blends of gasoline and oxygenates

The water solubilities in gasoline/oxygenate (MTBE and five alcohols) mixtures were determined using the cloud-point method in a newly designed apparatus. Significant modifications and improvements were made to the Green and Yan apparatus, which uses light scattering to indicate the cloud-point. The experimental data show that the water tolerance of the gasoline blends increases as the carbon number of the alcohol oxygenate increases from one to three and then plateaus for 1-butanol and t-butanol. MTBE has the least water tolerance of any of the oxygenates studied. The water-solubility data were modeled successfully with UNIQUAC using either isooctane alone or an isooctane, p-xylene, isohexene blend to represent the gasoline.
Modification of commerical and custom-built slab gel electrophoresis units for two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis☆

Abstract Many commercial and custom-built slab gel electrophoresis units can be modified to function as two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis units with the insertion of Plexiglas adapters. These adapters can be made for about $50 a pair and can be used for either temporary or permanent modification of the slab gel units. The physical dimensions of the adapters can be varied to permit great flexibility in the diameter of cylinder gels and the thickness of slab gels that can be run together. For example, proteins from 6-mm cylinder gels can be easily separated on 1-mm slab gels, which can then be dried for autoradiography.
Ion-ion reactions in the gas phase: Proton transfer reactions of protonated pyridine with multiply charged oligonucleotide anions

Isolated triply and doubly charged anions of the single-stranded deoxynucleotide 5′-d(AAAA)-3′ were allowed to undergo ion-ion proton transfer reactions with protonated pyridine cations within a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. Sufficiently high ion number densities and spatial overlap of the oppositely charged ion clouds could be achieved to yield readily measurable rates. Three general observations were made: (1) the ion-ion reaction rate constants were estimated to be 10− (7 − 8) cm3 ion−1 s−1; (2) the ion-ion reaction rates were found to be dependent on the reactant ion number density, which could be controlled by both the reactant ion number and the pseudopotential well depth, and (3) very little fragmentation, if any, was observed, as might normally be expected with highly exothermic proton transfer reactions.
A new multi-access protocol for satellite channels

We propose here a new random access protocol which is a variation of the ARRA (Announced Retransmission Random Access) scheme for satellite channels. Addition of a small amount of control information in the data frames results in significantly increased capacities. Stations announce their retransmission intent by transmitting control information in a minislot. Conflicts between new transmissions and retransmissions and also those between retransmissions themselves can be completely avoided. With a small control channel overhead, dramatic improvements in capacity and delay over ARRA can be achieved without compromising the simplicity and operational convenience of random access protocols. >
Effective Web Service Composition in Diverse and Large-Scale Service Networks

The main research focus of Web services is to achieve the interoperability between distributed and heterogeneous applications. Therefore, flexible composition of Web services to fulfill the given challenging requirements is one of the most important objectives in this research field. However, until now, service composition has been largely an error-prone and tedious process. Furthermore, as the number of available web services increases, finding the right Web services to satisfy the given goal becomes intractable. In this paper, toward these issues, we propose an AI planning-based framework that enables the automatic composition of Web services, and explore the following issues. First, we formulate the Web-service composition problem in terms of AI planning and network optimization problems to investigate its complexity in detail. Second, we analyze publicly available Web service sets using network analysis techniques. Third, we develop a novel Web-service benchmark tool called WSBen. Fourth, we develop a novel AI planning-based heuristic Web-service composition algorithm named WSPR. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments to verify WSPR against state-of-the-art AI planners. It is our hope that both WSPR and WSBen will provide useful insights for researchers to develop Web-service discovery and composition algorithms, and software.
A theory of religion revised

This essay is a revision of my earlier effort to overturn the prevailing view that there is merely a family resemblance' between religions. A religion is a system of practices rationalized by beliefs according to which the practices place the practitioner in a relation-of-value to a supermundane reality so grand that it can figure centrally in the satisfaction of substantial human needs. A supermundane reality' is one that exceeds the mundane world revealed by sense perception. The theory generates a useful taxonomy of practices and theories closely related to, but substantially different from, religions.
A Bayesian change‐point analysis of electromyographic data: detecting muscle activation patterns and associated applications

SUMMARY Many facets of neuromuscular activation patterns and control can be assessed via electromyography and are important for understanding the control of locomotion. After spinal cord injury, muscle activation patterns can affect locomotor recovery. We present a novel application of reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation to estimate activation patterns from electromyographic data. We assume the data to be a zero-mean, heteroscedastic process. The variance is explicity modeled using a step function. The number and location of points of discontinuity, or change-points, in the step function, the inter-changepoint variances, and the overall mean are jointly modeled along with the mean and variance from baseline data. The number of change-points is considered a nuisance parameter and is integrated out of the posterior distribution. Whereas current methods of detecting activation patterns are deterministic or provide only point estimates, ours provides distributional estimates of muscle activation. These estimates, in turn, are used to estimate physiologically relevant quantities such as muscle coactivity, total integrated energy, and average burst duration and to draw valid statistical inferences about these quantities.
A 13-Year Retrospective Review of Polymerase Chain Reaction Testing for Infectious Agents from Ocular Samples

Purpose Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a molecular technique for the diagnosis of ocular infectious disease. In this large patient sample and multiyear study, the impact of PCR for detecting infectious agents from ocular samples was reviewed in comparison with nonmolecular diagnostic techniques. Design A retrospective laboratory review of PCR testing. Participants Three thousand fifty-six patient samples with a differential of ocular infection. Methods The daily laboratory logs for diagnostic testing were reviewed for PCR, cell culture isolation, shell vial isolation, and Acanthamoeba isolation from January 1997 through May 2010 for herpes simplex virus (HSV), adenovirus, varicella zoster virus (VZV), Chlamydia trachomatis , Acanthamoeba , and infrequent pathogens of intraocular inflammation. Main Outcome Measures Incidence of the positive presence of ocular infectious agents. Results Polymerase chain reaction results were positive more often than culture results for HSV ( P = 0.0001), VZV ( P = 0.00001), C. trachomatis ( P = 0.00005), and Acanthamoeba ( P = 0.04). For adenovirus, cell culture isolation results were positive more often than PCR results ( P = 0.001). Polymerase chain reaction was the primary diagnostic test for detecting cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma . Conclusions The current study demonstrated the importance of PCR as a routine diagnostic test for detecting both common and infrequent ocular pathogens. Cell culture isolation is still a definitive test for adenovirus and a confirmatory test for HSV and Acanthamoeba . Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Kinesin Assembly and Movement in Cells

Long-distance transport in eukaryotic cells is driven by molecular motors that move along microtubule tracks. Molecular motors of the kinesin superfamily contain a kinesin motor domain attached to family-specific sequences for cargo binding, regulation, and oligomerization. The biochemical and biophysical properties of the kinesin motor domain have been widely studied, yet little is known about how kinesin motors work in the complex cellular environment. We discuss recent studies on the three major families involved in intracellular transport (kinesin-1, kinesin-2, and kinesin-3) that have begun to bridge the gap in knowledge between the in vitro and in vivo behaviors of kinesin motors. These studies have increased our understanding of how kinesin subunits assemble to produce a functional motor, how kinesin motors are affected by biochemical cues and obstacles present on cellular microtubules, and how multiple motors on a cargo surface can work collectively for increased force production and travel distance.
The correct species-group name for an Oxyrhopus (Squamata: Dipsadidae) variously called Coluber petalarius, C. pethola, C. petola, or C. petolarius by early authors

Abstract Two available Linnean names of 1758 and two of 1766 are based on snakes of a single species of Oxyrhopus. Which of these names has priority has been unclear. A review of the history of these names establishes Oxyrhopus petolarius (Linne, 1758) as the correct name for the species by action of Lonnberg (1896) as first reviser.
Induction of Experimental Allergic Encephalomyelitis in Suckling Lewis Rats: Role of Age and Type of Sensitizing Neuroantigen

Despite previous reports to the contrary, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) can be induced in a variable proportion of suckling Lewis rats after sensitization with neuroantigen-complete Freund9s adjuvant (CFA). Three factors have been identified as essential determinants of EAE in suckling animals: a) sensitization via the intracutaneous route, b) age when sensitized, and c) type of neuroantigen injected. For example, animals as young as 4 days of age regularly developed EAE approximately 2 weeks after injection of highly encephalitogenic emulsions of guinea pig spinal cord homogenate-CFA. In contrast, rats as old as 10 days of age injected with soluble syngeneic myelin basic protein (MBP)-CFA developed no evidence of disease whatsoever. Rat spinal cord homogenates and guinea pig MBP gave intermediate results. Further studies revealed two additional features of EAE induced in suckling rats: a) comparatively less response to the injection of supplemental pertussis vaccine,a known EAE accelerating and potentiating adjuvant in adult animals; and b) a striking paucity of monocytes and histiocytes within the inflammatory reactions at intracutaneous injection sites and the focal nervous tissue cellular infiltrates of animals manifesting typical clinical neurologic signs of the disease. Immaturity of host monocyte-macrophage responses, including processing of soluble antigen, may well account for the contrasting capacities of suckling rats to develop EAE after sensitization to whole cord versus soluble MBP.
Pulsenet - A Parallel Flash Sampler and Digital Processor IC for Optical SETI

PulseNet is a full-custom IC with parallel flash ADC and digital processing that enables an all-sky optical search for extraterrestrial intelligence. It integrates 448 sense amplifiers that digitize 32 analog signals at 1GS/s, and other circuits that filter samples, store candidate signals, and perform astronomical observations. Its ~250,000 CMOS transistors (TSMC 0.25 μm) dissipate 1.1W at 400MHz and 2.5V.
Effects of ptb knockout on butyric acid fermentation by Clostridium tyrobutyricum

Clostridium tyrobutyricum ATCC 25755 is an anaerobic, rod-shaped, gram-positive bacterium that produces butyrate, acetate, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide from various saccharides, including glucose and xylose. Phosphotransbutyrylase (PTB) is a key enzyme in the butyric acid synthesis pathway. In this work, effects of ptb knockout by homologous recombination on metabolic flux and product distribution were investigated. When compared with the wild type, the activities of PTB and butyrate kinase in ptb knockout mutant decreased 76 and 42%, respectively; meanwhile, phosphotransacetylase and acetate kinase increased 7 and 29%, respectively. However, ptb knockout did not significantly reduce butyric acid production from glucose or xylose in batch fermentations. Instead, it increased acetic acid and hydrogen production 33.3-53.8% and ≈ 11%, respectively. Thus, the ptb knockout did increase the carbon flux toward acetate synthesis, resulting in a significant decrease (28-35% reduction) in the butyrate/acetate ratio in ptb mutant fermentations. In addition, the mutant displayed a higher specific growth rate (0.20 h(-1) vs. 0.15 h(-1) on glucose and 0.14 h(-1) vs. 0.10 h(-1) on xylose) and tolerance to butyric acid. Consequently, batch fermentation with the mutant gave higher fermentation rate and productivities (26-48% increase for butyrate, 81-100% increase for acetate, and 38-46% increase for hydrogen). This mutant thus can be used more efficiently than the parental strain in fermentations to produce butyrate, acetate, and hydrogen from glucose and xylose.
Cardiovascular and Renal Advisory Panel of the US Food and Drug Administration Considers Four Drugs

As part of the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) drug evaluation process, the agency turns to advisory panels for opinions on specific questions related to issues such as approval of new drug entities or changes in labeling. On February 27 and 28, 1997, the Cardiovascular and Renal Advisory Panel considered four drugs. 1. A fixed combination of hydralazine and isosorbide dinitrate (H-ISDN) as adjunctive therapy to digitalis and diuretics in congestive heart failure. V-HeFT (Veterans Administration Heart Failure Trial), an initial evaluation of vasodilator therapy in congestive heart failure, reported no effect of prasozin but did indicate a beneficial effect of H-ISDN versus placebo in patients with congestive heart failure. However, the mortality benefit was not statistically significant when protocol-defined methods of analysis were used. A follow up trial, V-HeFT II, compared enalapril with H-ISDN (without placebo) and found that the survival rate was significantly improved with enalapril. Given the superiority of …
Towards Practical Privacy for Genomic Computation

Many basic tasks in computational biology involve operations on individual DNA and protein sequences. These sequences, even when anonymized, are vulnerable to re-identification attacks and may reveal highly sensitive information about individuals. We present a relatively efficient, privacy-preserving implementation of fundamental genomic computations such as calculating the edit distance and Smith- Waterman similarity scores between two sequences. Our techniques are crypto graphically secure and significantly more practical than previous solutions. We evaluate our prototype implementation on sequences from the Pfam database of protein families, and demonstrate that its performance is adequate for solving real-world sequence-alignment and related problems in a privacy- preserving manner. Furthermore, our techniques have applications beyond computational biology. They can be used to obtain efficient, privacy-preserving implementations for many dynamic programming algorithms over distributed datasets.
College Students and Community Service: Who, With Whom, and Why?

The community service volunteer vs. nonvolunteer status of 124 college students was examined in relation to motivation, gender, extraversion-introversion, and social anxiety. Volunteers and female students were hypothesized to have higher levels of motivation to participate than were nonvolunteers and males, and to have higher levels of interest in volunteering. The data for volunteer status and gender were significant only with respect to interest in volunteering, with volunteers and females significantly more interested in volunteering than were nonvolunteers and males. Gender differences were also found for volunteering style preference and participation within particular volunteer groups. Volunteers were also hypothesized to have lower levels of extraversion and higher levels of social anxiety than nonvolunteers because socially anxious introverts were thought to seek the anxiety-reducing structure of a volunteer activity. This hypothesis was not supported.
Bayesian Model Selection in Factor Analytic Models

Factor analytic models are widely used in social science applications to study latent traits, such as intelligence, creativity, stress, and depression, that cannot be accurately measured with a single variable. In recent years, there has been a rise in the popularity of factor models due to their flexibility in characterizing multivari-ate data. For example, latent factor regression models have been used as a dimensionality reduction tool for modeling of sparse covariance structures in genomic applications (West, 2003; Carvalho et al. 2008). In addition, structural equation models and other generalizations of factor analysis are widely useful in epidemi-ologic studies involving complex health outcomes and exposures (Sanchez et al., 2005). Improvements in Bayesian computation permit the routine implementation of latent factor models via Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms, and a very broad class of models can be fitted easily using the freely available software package WinBUGS. The literature on methods for fitting and inferences in latent factor models is vast (for recent books, see Loehlin, 2004; Thompson, 2004).
Integrin α3β1 Binding to Fibronectin Is Dependent on the Ninth Type III Repeat.

Fibronectin (Fn) is a promiscuous ligand for numerous cell adhesion receptors or integrins. The vast majority of Fn-integrin interactions are mediated through the Fn Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif located within the tenth type III repeat. In the case of integrins αIIbβ3 and α5β1, the integrin binds RGD and the synergy site (PHSRN) located within the adjacent ninth type III repeat. Prior work has shown that these synergy-dependent integrins are exquisitely sensitive to perturbations in the Fn integrin binding domain conformation. Our own prior studies of epithelial cell responses to recombinant fragments of the Fn integrin binding domain led us to hypothesize that integrin α3β1 binding may also be modulated by the synergy site. To explore this hypothesis, we created a variety of recombinant variants of the Fn integrin binding domain: (i) a previously reported (Leu → Pro) stabilizing mutant (FnIII9′10), (ii) an Arg to Ala synergy site mutation (FnIII9R→A10), (iii) a two-Gly (FnIII92G10) insertion, and (iv) a four-Gly (FNIII94G10) insertion in the interdomain linker region and used surface plasmon resonance to determine binding kinetics of integrin α3β1 to the Fn fragments. Integrin α3β1 had the highest affinity for FnIII9′10 and FnIII92G10. Mutation within the synergy site decreased integrin α3β1 binding 17-fold, and the four-Gly insertion decreased binding 39-fold compared with FnIII9′10. Cell attachment studies demonstrate that α3β1-mediated epithelial cell binding is greater on FnIII9′10 compared with the other fragments. These studies suggest that the presence and spacing of the RGD and synergy sites modulate integrin α3β1 binding to Fn.
Two Applications of Tschirnhaus Transformations in the Elementary Theory of Equations

(1931). Two Applications of Tschirnhaus Transformations in the Elementary Theory of Equations. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 185-188.
The Spring Migration of Gambel's Sparrows through Southern Yukon Territory

In their study of the spring migration in the Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus alascensis) through southern Yukon Territory, West et al. (1968a) hypothesized that longspur flocks are temporary associations, changing almost daily in composition. The authors also present evidence that longspurs enter Alaska by several routes: from prairies of southwestern Canada, through the Rocky Mountains, and along the Pacific Coast. To learn whether there is evidence for similar
Bigger plates, more food--or is it the other way around?

The article discusses ways in which raw data from studies can be manipulated in order to produce different inclusions, providing an example of a hypothetical study on plate size and food consumption to show that spurious trends can be extrapolated from weakly correlated data.
Analysis of possible cross-contamination with the Venturi system atomizer.

BACKGROUND The physics behind the Venturi atomizers suggest a possibility of bacterial colonization and the potential for patient cross-contamination. A protocol for use of the atomizer and clinically appropriate demonstration of cross contamination has not been established. METHODS Three sterilized atomizers filled with a solution of 2% Pontocaine and 1% ephedrine (two test and one control) were used during a 5-day study period. Clinic staff was instructed to (1) use a nozzle tip, (2) use a nasal speculum, (3) avoid contact between the atomizer and the patient, and (4) apply a continuous, <1-second spray to the nasal cavity. Samples were obtained from each of the atomizers three times per day and plated on chocolate agar plates. The number and type of bacterial colony were registered. RESULTS No respiratory pathogens grew from any of the 45 plated samples. Nine of 30 experimental atomizer samples produced 12 bacterial colonies. Of the 12 bacterial colonies obtained, 6 colonies of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, 5 colonies of Corynebacterium sp., and 1 colony of Bacillus sp. were identified. One of 15 plated control atomizer samples produced two colonies of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. An average of 1.3 colonies per positive test plate and an average of 2.0 colonies per positive control plate were identified. There was no evidence of an increasing number of colonies per plate or persistence of any particular bacteria identified over time to suggest contamination or colonization of the system reservoir. CONCLUSION There is no risk of cross-contamination of patients with the use of the Venturi system atomizer as outlined in this study. Culture results from this study were consistent with random culture contamination during the plating and/or culturing period. There was no evidence to support the idea of bacterial colonization of the atomizers. Continued use of the Venturi system atomizer is an acceptable practice.
Influence of Word Clouds on Critical Thinking in Online Discussions: A Content Analysis

This article presents an exploratory research study about the influence of word clouds on critical thinking when they are incorporated into online discussions. In an online discussion, students were asked to critically analyze two speeches, being assigned to one of two conditions: one in which the text was linear, and one in which the text was presented in the form of word clouds. Discussions posts were coded in two blended sections of an undergraduate anthropology course to assess the type and frequency of critical thinking demonstrated therein. Students in the word cloud condition exhibited more instances of critical thinking than students in the linear condition, and more often paired articulation of thought with the citing of evidence. The paper concludes with recommendations for other educators interested in implementing a similar approach.
Glial Support of Blood–Brain Barrier Integrity: Molecular Targets for Novel Therapeutic Strategies in Stroke

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) regulates CNS homeostasis and is the most significant obstacle to effective brain drug delivery. It possesses characteristics (i.e., tight junction protein complexes, influx and efflux transporters) that control permeation of circulating solutes including drugs. In order to form this “barrier,” brain microvascular endothelial cells require support of adjacent astrocytes and microglia. This intricate relationship also occurs between endothelial cells and other cell types and structures of the CNS (i.e., pericytes, neurons, extracellular matrix), which implies existence of a “neurovascular unit (NVU).” Ischemic stroke can disrupt the NVU at both the structural and functional level, which leads to considerable BBB dysfunction. Recent studies have identified pathophysiological mechanisms (i.e., oxidative stress, activation of cytokine-mediated intracellular signaling systems) that mediate NVU changes during ischemic stroke. This chapter summarizes current knowledge in this area and emphasizes pathways (i.e., oxidative stress, cytokine-mediated intracellular signaling, glial-expressed receptors/targets) that can be manipulated pharmacologically for (1) preservation of BBB and glial integrity during ischemic stroke and (2) control of drug permeation and/or transport across the BBB in an effort to identify novel molecular targets that will enable improved stroke pharmacotherapy.
Effect of specimen size, compressibility and inertia on the response of rigid polymer foams subjected to high velocity direct impact loading

Abstract The influences of specimen length-to-diameter ratio, material compressibility, and inertia on direct impact response of high density closed-cell polymeric foam are investigated. High speed photography and stereovision digital image correlation are conducted to measure the full-field deformation response of the material subjected to direct impact. Inertia stress developed in the specimen is calculated from the acceleration distribution obtained from full-field measurements. Total axial stress magnitude along the axis of the specimen is then reconstructed from inertia and boundary-measured stresses. It is clearly shown that there is an appreciable degree of spatial variability in strains, strain rates and stresses developed in the impacted foam specimens, whereas the degree of such axial variability is more significant at higher length-to-diameter ratios. The study is further extended to take advantage of such spatial variability to identify the rate sensitivity of the examined material over a wide range of strain rates from 1000 s−1 to 5000 s−1. The approach proposed here is shown to facilitate the identification of viscoplastic constitutive response of low impedance materials using a minimum number of experiments.
Reevaluation of Cl-/HCO3- exchange in cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells.

PURPOSE. To determine the apical versus basolateral polarity of the putative anion exchanger in cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells (BCECs) and to examine the influence of Cl dependent membrane potential (E m ) changes on HCO 3 transport. METHODS. BCECs grown on permeable supports were used for independent perfusion of apical and basolateral surfaces. Intracellular pH (pH i ) was measured using the fluorescent dye BCECF. Relative changes in E m were measured using the fluorescent dye bis-oxonol. Western blot analysis was used to detect immunoreactivity against the anion exchanger (AE1 or AE2). RESULTS. Cl removal from apical and basolateral surfaces produced cellular alkalinization (apical side, 0.07 pH units; basolateral side, 0.06 pH units; both sides, 0.20 pH units). Application of 100 μM H 2 -4,4'-diisothiocyanatodihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfoni acid (DIDS), an anion exchange inhibitor, on the apical side produced an alkalinization (0.02 pH units) followed by acidification (-0.05 pH units), whereas basolateral H 2 DIDS caused a substantial acidification (-0.16 pH units). In the absence of Na + , Cl + removal from the apical side caused a transient alkalinization (0.03 pH units) followed by a return to baseline; Cl removal from the basolateral side caused a small (-0.03) acidification. In Na + -free Ringer, apical H 2 DIDS produced a transient alkalinization (0.02 pH units), whereas basolateral exposure had no effect. 5-Nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoi acid (NPPB). N-phenylanthranilic acid (DPC), and niflumic acid (50-200 μM), known Cl channel blockers, produced cellular acidification in control Ringer. Niflumic acid hyperpolarized E m and inhibited depolarization after Cl removal. Western blot analysis failed to detect AE2 expression in cultured BCECs. However, fresh BCECs produced a trace response. CONCLUSIONS. Physiological activity of an apical anion exchanger is weak in cultured BCECs. Cultured BCECs have significant Cl conductance. Thus, cellular alkalinization after Cl - removal is caused primarily by depolarization of E. which drives HCO 3 - influx through the basolateral electrogenic Na + :nHCO 3 cotransporter. In contrast with cultured BCECs, AE2 may be present in fresh cells.
Recurrent hierarchical patterns and the fractal distribution of fossil localities

Understanding the spatial structure of fossil localities is critical for interpreting Earth system processes based on their geographic distribution. Coordinates of marine and terrestrial sites in the conterminous United States for 17 time bins were analyzed using point pattern statistics. Lacunarity analysis shows that the spatial distributions of sites are fractal for almost every studied interval, indicating that clumping of localities occurs at multiple scales. Random hierarchical multiplicative processes provide a theoretical null model for the distribution of collecting sites, consistent with their occurrence being a complex product of numerous biological, geological, and anthropogenic processes acting at many spatial and temporal scales. Mechanistic models for the formation, preservation, and exposure of fossil localities and other geologic entities can be tested using point pattern and related spatial statistics.
Flexible robot-based cast iron deburring cell for small batch production using single-point laser sensor

The presented work here is devoted to the definition of innovative methodologies to speed up the programming time of a robotized deburring task. The proposed solutions are defined in a standard cast iron foundry scenario, where the deburring workstations are equipped with flexible but inaccurate fixturing system, the working environment is dirty, and the production is characterized by small batches. The developed system exploits a 3D vision sensor, namely a single-point laser displacement sensor (SP-LS), in combination to a handshaking communication process for the robot-sensor information synchronization. Such approach enables the robot to be used as a measuring instrument allowing a fast reconstruction of 3D images extremely robust in hard working conditions. Adopting a two-stage methodology, the comparison of the reconstructed 3D point cloud with the nominal 3D point cloud allows the automatic adjustment of the robot deburring trajectories. An experimental campaign demonstrates the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed solutions.
Indoor Air Quality in Photocopy Centers, Nanoparticle Exposures at Photocopy Workstations, and the Need for Exposure Controls

Background Photocopiers emit large amounts of nanoparticles (NP) and are a significant source of indoor air pollution. These emissions induce airway inflammation, irritation, and systemic oxidative stress in humans, lung injury and inflammation in animals, and cytotoxicity and epigenetic modifications in vitro. However, little is known regarding NP exposures at the workstation in the photocopy work environment, or the extent and use of emission controls. Objective To survey the photocopy work environment with regards to emissions controls and to evaluate IAQ with emphasis on NP exposure at the operator's workstation. Methods Work process, physical characteristics of the centers, and use of controls were recorded. Particle total number concentration (TNC), temperature, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and percent relative humidity were measured during a random workday. Results Geometric mean (GM) TNC at workstations ranged between 1900 and 23000 particles cm-3, GSD 1.2-2.8, and maximum of 217000 particles cm-3. Fresh air ventilation was found to be less than American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) guidelines in 7 of 15 centers. Only one center used any type of emissions control. Elevated TNC at workstations was significantly correlated with number of copies (r = 0.72). While indoor/outdoor TNC ratios might be expected to be ≤1.0, the ratio here was >1.0 in 40% of centers visited, supporting the finding that copier emissions are a significant source of indoor air pollution. Number of copies per day was the most significant contributor to TNC. Conclusion High NP concentrations at workstations were common and specific emission controls almost nonexistent. While 46% of copy centers had insufficient ventilation, high exposures were documented even for cases when ASHRAE ventilation guidelines per person were met or exceeded. We present various options to address IAQ in photocopy environment, including new clean photocopy technologies, engineering controls, and a comprehensive awareness campaign to improve the environmental health and safety, design, and operational conditions of these workplaces.
Phase I trial of laromustine in combination with infusional ara-C in elderly patients over age 60 with newly diagnosed AML or high-grade MDS

7054 Background: Laromustine is a novel sulfonylhydrazine-alkylating agent with activity in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In vitro combinations of laromustine and cytarabine (ara-C) show synergistic cytotoxicity. Laromustine in phase I and II trials shows activity in patients with relapsed/refractory leukemia (1) and elderly patients with new AML (2). Major toxicites include infusion reactions, myelosuppression, and febrile neutropenia. Older patients had a CR rate on phase II trial of 31% (2). Based on this data, a phase I study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combining escalating doses of laromustine with infusional ara-C in AML and MDS patients over 60. Comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGA) are performed as part of the study. Methods: Laromustine 300 mg/m2 (cohort 1, n = 6), 400 mg/m2 (cohort 2, n = 5) and 500 mg/m2 (cohort 3) was administered by IV infusion over 1 hour on day 1 in combination with ara-C 100 mg/m2/day as a continuous infusion for 7 days. Patients achieving CR after induction...
Principle-agent analysis of technology project (LINCOS) in Costa Rica

Abstract. In this paper we analyze the institutional arrangement between various actors to understand how ICT project objectives flow among actors in a standard LINCOS project and how they would affect the sustainability and effectiveness of LINCOS in particular and an ICT project in general. Since there are many actors involved in different stages and processes of a single LINCOS project, the paper analyses the bilateral and multilateral relationships among these actors to understand the factors that might affect the efficiency of the ICT project. In other words the paper looks at the actors involved in a LINCOS project in an effort to capture those circumstances under which a LINCOS project is exposed to principal- agent problems. Keywords. Technology, Game theory, Project Evaluation. JEL. C70, N70, N75.
Investigating gas sorption in an rht-metal-organic framework with 1,2,3-triazole groups.

Simulations of CO2 and H2 sorption were performed in an rht-metal-organic framework (MOF) that consists of Cu2+ ions coordinated to 5,5',5''-(4,4',4''-(benzene-1,3,5-triyl)tris(1H-1,2,3-triazole-4,1-diyl))triisophthalate (BTTI) linkers; it is referred to as Cu-BTTI herein. This MOF was previously synthesized and reported by three different experimental groups [Zhao et al., Sci. Rep., 2013, 3, 1149; Schroder et al., Chem. Sci., 2013, 4, 1731-1736; Hupp et al., Energy Environ. Sci., 2013, 6, 1158-1163]. This MOF is notable for the presence of open-metal sites and nitrogen-rich regions through the copper paddlewheel ([Cu2(O2CR)4]) clusters and 1,2,3-triazole groups, respectively, which allows this material to display remarkable CO2 and H2 sorption properties. All three groups report distinct experimental and theoretical gas sorption results for the MOF. In contrast to the force fields utilized in the aforementioned studies, our simulations include explicit many-body polarization interactions, which was important to reproduce sorption onto the open-metal sites. Simulations using polarizable potentials for the MOF and sorbates generated sorption isotherms and isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst) values that are outstanding agreement with the corresponding experimental data for all three groups; this is in contrast to the theoretical results presented in the respective original references. The simulations carried out in the previous studies often looked reasonable but they missed a key feature of the sorption process that lead to unreliable results. Analysis of the radial distribution function (g(r)) about the open-metal sites and examination of the modeled structure reveal that the CO2 and H2 molecules prefer to sorb onto two unique types of Cu2+ ions that exhibit the highest partial positive charges. Sorption was also observed within the corners of the truncated tetrahedral (T-Td) cages and onto the 1,2,3-triazole groups of the linkers for both sorbates. Overall, this study demonstrates how utilizing a classical polarizable force field led to the reproduction of experimental observables and allowed for an accurate description of the sorption mechanism in this MOF that is an important member of the rht-MOF family.
Dynamic segmentation using a novel neuromorphic polarimetric imaging system

The principles of a novel neuromorphic spike event-based polarimetric Dynamic Vision Sensor (DVS), mimicking the biological retina, for dynamic imaging of a scene aimed at increased temporal contrast, are introduced. A novel dynamic segmentation of moving objects was performed using a neuromorphic camera paired with a linear polarizingfilter. High-temporal contrast images were acquired and their local spatial-temporal content was further analyzed using wavelet decomposition. The outcome of the proposed technique clearly indicates that neuromorphic imaging coupled with polarimetric principles can identify and discriminate structures of different origin.
The Intraocular Pressure/Pulse Amplitude Relation and Loss of Autoregulation in Ocular Diseases

Young healthy adult male subject (22-years old) with healthy optic discs, full central visual fields, and routine timeand pressuredependent differential threshold light sensitivities: The steady state intraocular pressures (IOPs) were 14 and 15 mmHg in left and right eyes, respectively, measured with the Goldmann tonometer. The mean minimal and maximal of the IOP waves, recorded with the Langham tonometer, were 12.4/14.4 and 12.4/14.4 mmHg in the left and right eyes, respectively. The pulse amplitudes (PAs) were 2.0 mmHg in both eyes and the corresponding pulsatile blood flows were 934 and 925 μ l min −1 . Figure 17.1 shows a representative segment of the IOP recording on the left eye of the seated subject. The shaded area indicates the four pulses, which have been analyzed and tabulated below the recording. The recording shows the modulation of the IOP wave with respiration and the presence of a cardiac dichrotic notch. The postural responses in the left and right eyes were 1.5 and 1.5 mmHg, respectively, which are well within the range for healthy eyes. The IOP/PA relations in pairs of eyes of this subject are shown in Fig. 17.2 . They were identical in pairs of eyes and showed the rapid decline of the PA with modest increased IOP, reflective of active vascular autoregulation. 17
VT ET HOSTEM AMAREM : JOCASTA AND THE POETICS OF CIVIL WAR IN SENECA'S PHOENISSAE

Over the past two decades, scholars have devoted increasing attention to Roman civil war literature and its poetics, from the vocabulary of nefas , paradox, and hyperbole to the pervasive imagery of the state as a body violated by its citizens. Thebes and especially the civil war between Oedipus’ sons became prominent lenses through which Romans explored their country's strife-ridden past. Seneca's Phoenissae , however, has received comparatively little attention in this regard, often overshadowed by Statius’ epic Thebaid of the next generation. This paper investigates Seneca's contribution to the wider poetics of civil war through his expansion of the theme of incest, which Seneca uses to articulate civil war's most invasive, penetrative, and disintegrative effects. In particular, Seneca capitalizes on both the metaphorical potential of maternal violation and the eroticized imagery of Roman conquest to create disturbing points of contact between two generations of Jocasta's sons: the one who invaded her bed in the past, and the other who will soon invade his mother city. Seneca writes his Phoenissae to be an escalated return to the original sins of Oedipus’ incesta domus as another of Thebes’ native sons prepares to conquer his motherland.
Impact of Sleep Loss on Subjective and Objective Effort

Recent sleep research has attempted to understand the experience of effort, effort-related behaviors, and physiological indices of effort following sleep deprivation. How humans modulate their effort in response to internal resource limitations caused by sleep loss and the demands of environmental constraints is the focus of current research. Sleep loss affects the choices people make with or without their awareness. Subjective effort has been found to increase during the course of the sleep deprivation period as long as it is assessed during the sleep deprivation period and not following it. Subjective effort questions vary from laboratory to laboratory and require responses to queries about abstract concepts. Objective effort such as speed of response and work rates has been shown to decrease with sleep deprivation. More effective measures of effort involve offering performance choices. On these tasks, sleep-deprived participants reduce the task challenge and modulate the effort they apply. Motivationally rich environments including those with feedback or those which are personally stimulating can maintain performance at baseline levels for short periods. Assessment of physiologically-based compensatory responses, including glucose utilization and blood pressure, and recruitment of additional brain areas with a focus on the prefrontal cortex, the parietal lobes, and the nucleus accumbens, have been the focus of current sleep deprivation and effort research. Adenosine and dopamine have been implicated in effort reductions following sleep loss. The predominant theory used to explain changes in effort with sleep loss suggests that a loss of energy resources due to sleep deprivation is responsible for the cognitive and performance deficits observed. Following sleep, brain arousal and activation is facilitated through the use of stored energy resources. Under sleep-loss conditions, energy resources are either unavailable or too depleted to maintain normal performance. Brain structures monitor energy use, engage stored energy resources, and apply the needed effort to maintain performance if the task is motivationally engaging. However, the energy on which effort or compensatory activity depends is limited. The need for energy is system-wide, and only amounts that permit the sustainability of the organism will be expended.
Quadruple coincidence measurement of electron correlation in strong-field molecular double ionization

We study strong-field dissociative molecular double ionization with momentum-resolved quadruple coincidence measurements, measuring the two electrons and two ionic fragments produced with a coincidence velocity map imaging apparatus. We contrast measurements for two different molecules. In one case, our measurements reveal anticorrelation in the momentum for the two electrons. In the other, we find no anticorrelation, indicating differences in the underlying ionization dynamics.
Evaluation of Hydraulic Residence Time Distribution (RTD) Characterization and Monitoring in a Constructed Channel Wetland in South Texas

Experiments comparing the use of an organic dye and sodium chloride as tracers were evaluated for their effectiveness in describing the hydrological conditions in a pilot-scale constructed channel wetland in semiarid South Texas, USA. This paper summarizes the significance, complexity, and challenges concerning the accuracy of the residence time distribution (RTD) determinations using organic and inorganic tracers in a pilot scale wetland evaluations. It was hypothesized that while an organic tracer had a much lower detection limit, its mass recovery due to sorption to organic surfaces might inhibit its performance and reliability. The pilot-scale RTD experiments were conducted using the organic Rhodamine WT (RWT) dye and sodium chloride (NaCl) as a tracers. Breakthrough curves were interpreted and differences in mass recovery suggested a slightly improved resolution of the wetland dispersive behavior when using RWT than when using NaCl as a tracer in these channel wetland applications. Mass recovery using RWT as a tracer was 67 % for the vegetated channel. Using NaCl, mass recovery was only 43 % in the vegetated channel. The calculated dispersion numbers were slightly higher using RWT (0.20 in the vegetated channel) than when using NaCl as a tracer (0.10 in the vegetated channel). Results from this research suggest some advantages of RWT as a tracer over NaCl due to the high mass recovery; however, both tracers gave similar quantitative results for wetland dispersion estimates.