cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Waveform Library for Chinch Bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Blissidae): Characterization of Electrical Penetration Graph Waveforms at Multiple Input Impedances

Electrical penetration graph (EPG) monitoring has been used extensively to elucidate mechanisms of resistance in plants to insect herbivores with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Charac- terization of waveforms produced by insects during stylet probing is essential to the application of this technology. In the studies described herein, a four-channel Backus and Bennett ACÐDC monitor was used to characterize EPG waveforms produced by adults of two economically important chinch bug species: southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber, feeding on St. Augustinegrass, and western chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber, feeding on buffalograss. This is only the third time a heteropteran species has been recorded by using EPG; it is also the Þrst recording of adult heteropterans, and the Þrst of Blissidae. Probing of chinch bugs was recorded with either AC or DC applied voltage, no applied voltage, or voltage switched between AC and DC mid-recording, at input impedances ranging from 10 6 to 10 10 , plus 10 13 , to develop a waveform library. Waveforms exhibited by western and southern chinch bugs were similar, and both showed long periods of putative pathway and ingestion phases (typical of salivary sheath feeders) interspersed with shorter phases, termed transitional J wave and interruption. The J wave is suspected to be an X wave, that is, in EPG parlance, a stereotypical transition waveform that marks contact with a preferred ingestion tissue. The sexibility of using multiple input impedances with the ACÐDC monitor was valuable for determining the electrical origin (resistance vs. electromotive force components) of the chinch bug waveforms. It was concluded that an input impedance of 10 7 , with either DC or AC applied voltage, is optimal to detect all resistance- and electromotive force-component waveforms produced during chinch bug probing. Knowledge of electrical origins suggested hypothesized biological meanings of the waveforms, before time-intensive future correlation experiments by using histology, microscopy, and other techniques.
Optical characterization of Ge-on-Si laser gain media

Tensile strained Ge films with P concentrations as high as 3.4 × 1019 cm−3 are grown using UHVCVD. Photoluminescence measurements reveal significant direct band gap narrowing, enhanced photoemission, and optical bleaching.
Gulf sturgeon summer habitat use and fall migration in the Pascagoula River, Mississippi, USA

Summary The locations and habitat features of freshwater holding areas and the timing of fall migration are undocumented for Gulf sturgeon in the Pascagoula River drainage, Mississippi. Our objectives were to identify and characterize holding areas for Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi), document their summer and fall movement patterns, and determine migration cues. To do this we captured, radio-tagged, and monitored movement of Gulf sturgeon in the Pascagoula River drainage and analyzed these data using geographic information systems. From May to November Gulf sturgeon congregate in a holding area in the lower portion of the Pascagoula River and Big Black Creek [river kilometers (rkm) 57–68] and near Cumbest Bluff (rkm 40), before they return to the Gulf of Mexico. While in the holding area, Gulf sturgeon were typically found in deep locations, either in or downstream from river bends. As found in other rivers, Gulf sturgeon in the Pascagoula River showed little movement within the holding area and often stayed within a single river bend; although we observed local movements by some individuals (under 10 rkm). In the Pascagoula River, Gulf sturgeon initiated their migration out of fresh water from late-September to midOctober, coincident with shorter day length, falling water temperature (mean ¼ 23.7� C, range 21–26� C), and elevated river flow. Our work demonstrates that the lower Pascagoula River serves as a vital area for Gulf sturgeon.
Role of immunoglobulin E and mast cells in murine models of asthma

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and mast cells are believed to play important roles in allergic inflammation. However, their contributions to the pathogenesis of human asthma have not been clearly established. Significant progress has been made recently in our understanding of airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness through studies of murine models of asthma and genetically engineered mice. Some of the studies have provided significant insights into the role of IgE and mast cells in the allergic airway response. In these models mice are immunized systemically with soluble protein antigens and then receive an antigen challenge through the airways. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from mice with allergic airway inflammation contains significant amounts of IgE. The IgE can capture the antigen presented to the airways and the immune complexes so formed can augment allergic airway response in a high-affinity IgE receptor (FcepsilonRI)-dependent manner. Previously, there were conflicting reports regarding the role of mast cells in murine models of asthma, based on studies of mast cell-deficient mice. More recent studies have suggested that the extent to which mast cells contribute to murine models of asthma depends on the experimental conditions employed to generate the airway response. This conclusion was further supported by studies using FcepsilonRI-deficient mice. Therefore, IgE-dependent activation of mast cells plays an important role in the development of allergic airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in mice under specific conditions. The murine models used should be of value for testing inhibitors of IgE or mast cells for the development of therapeutic agents for human asthma.
A voltage tunable threshold logic gate based on multiquantum-well heterojunction bipolar transistor for multifunction logic

The properties of a heterojunction bipolar transistor with a multiquantum-well collector region for its application as a voltage tunable logic element are examined. The quantum confined Stark effect gives rise to a strong negative differential resistance in the photocurrent-voltage characteristic of the device, which allows the device to be switched optically and/or electronically. This permits the realization of a circuit where the NAND, INVERSE CARRY, and NOR logic functions can be implemented by simply changing the biasing. >
Comparison of the effects of repeated oral versus subcutaneous fenfluramine administration on rat brain monoamine neurons: pharmacokinetic and dose-response data.

Abstract The importance of the route of drug administration (oral vs. subcutaneous) on the neurochemical effects and pharmacokinetics of repeated d,1-fenfluramine administration in rats (1–24 mg/kg b.i.d., i.e., 2–48 mg/kg/day for 4 days) was examined. Overall, comparable dose-dependent alterations in brain monoamine markers were observed following repeated oral (PO) and subcutaneous (SC) administration of fenfluramine. Doses of 1 and 2 mg/kg fenfluramine were without significant effects on the density of 3 H-paroxetine-labeled serotonin (5-HT) uptake sites. Higher doses of fenfluramine (4, 12 and 24 mg/kg) produced dose-dependent decreases in 5-HT, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and 5-HT uptake sites with maximal decreases (80–90%) occurring at the 12 mg/kg dose. Fenfluramine administration produced dose-dependent and biphasic effects on brain dopamine markers with increases in homovanillic acid (HVA) observed at 2 hours, whereas decreases in the levels of dopamine, HVA and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid were evident at 18 hours posttreatment. Norepinephrine levels were only decreased at the highest dose of fenfluramine. Significantly higher levels of brain fenfluramine were observed following SC than following PO administration of the drug. On the other hand, comparable levels of its active metabolite norfenfluramine were present in the brain following the two routes of fenfluramine administration. These data suggest the importance of norfenfluramine levels in the brain in determining the high-dose neurotoxic effects of fenfluramine on brain 5-HT neurons in rats.
The Relationship Between Leisure-Time Physical Activity and the Metabolic Syndrome: An Examination of NHANES III, 1988-1994

Background: This study was performed to determine the relationship between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and the metabolic syndrome (MS) in 16,681 adults (43 ± 0.44 y) enrolled in NHANES III. Methods: LTPA was classified as regularly active (≥ 5 d/wk moderate and/or ≥ 3 d/wk vigorous), irregularly active (some LTPA), or inactive (no LTPA). The MS was positive with three or more conditions: 1) abdominal obesity, 2) low HDL-C, 3) hypertriglyceridemia, 4) elevated blood pressure, or 5) elevated glucose. Logistic regression examined the relationship between LTPA and the MS, adjusting for age, race, smoking status, and educational attainment stratified by gender. Results: In men only, irregular activity and inactivity was related to an increase in the MS (irregular: OR = 1.52 95% CI 1.11, 1.23; inactive: OR = 1.60, 95% CI 1.18, 1.98; test for trend P = 0.004). Inactivity increased the odds for abdominal obesity (P < 0.05). Conclusions: LTPA levels might influence the development of MS and abdominal obe...
Performance evaluation of a PHEV parking station using Particle Swarm Optimization

There is expected to be a large penetration of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) into the market in the near future. As a result, many technical problems related to the impact of this technology on the power grid need to be addressed. The anticipating large penetration of PHEV into our societies will add a substantial energy load to power grids, as well as add substantial energy resources that can be utilized. There is also a need for in-depth study on PHEVs in term of Smart Grid environment. In this paper, we propose an algorithm for optimally managing a large number of PHEVs (i.e., 500) charging at a municipal parking station. We used Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to intelligently allocate energy to the PHEVs. We considered constraints such as energy price, remaining battery capacity, and remaining charging time. A mathematical framework for the objective function (i.e., maximizing the average State-of-Charge at the next time step) is also given. We characterized the performance of our PSO algorithm using a MATLAB simulation, and compared it with other techniques.
Rapid laboratory diagnostics during the winter respiratory virus season.

During the winter season, the testing of respiratory specimens (i.e., for the identification of influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial viruses, parainfluenza viruses, and/or adenoviruses) remains a major initiative in the clinical virology laboratory. Such testing is often critical to the care and
Freight Charge Variations in Truck Transport Markets: Price Discrimination or Competitive Pricing?

It is well known that truck freight rates for different commodities over a given route vary and that rates per unit distance for the same commodity over different routes vary. In previous studies this variation has been attributed to noncompetitive behavior. In this paper a hypothesis that observed variations in truck rates are consistent with competitive behavior is tested using conjoint analysis. Trade-offs between costs or rates and other attributes of transport service are estimated from experiments using panels of truck brokers and carriers. The results are consistent with competitive behavior in the trucking industry.
Space-time forward error correction for dimmable undersampled frequency shift ON-OFF keying camera communications (CamCom)

Camera communications is the use of an image sensor to receive LED modulated data. This paper shows how frequency shift ON-OFF keying - at frequencies that avoid flicker - can be used to encode bits while at the same time being successfully decoded by a low frame rate camera using subsampling. This is done by selecting mark and space frequencies that are harmonics of the camera frame rate and then processing the subsampled aliased frequencies to decode bit data. PWM dimming is supported via data modulation of the PWM frequency, but requires that FEC be added - in the form of space-time multi-phase sampling - due to asynchronous clocking.
Focusing infrared laser beams on targets in space without using adaptive optics

A prediction is made that, for small values of turbulence (L sub 0) in the range of 20-40 cm, ground-based laser beams at near infrared can be focused to diffraction limited accuracy on targets in space without using adaptive optics or other wavefront correction procedures. It is found that, at infrared wavelengths, resolution is more likely to be limited by the telescope size and aberrations than by atmospheric turbulence. By building large enough telescopes to diffraction limited standards rather than currently accepted standards which fall well short of this limit, there is almost no limit to achievable resolution.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Unambiguous identification of nitrogen-hydrogen complexes in ZnO

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide-band-gap semiconductor with a range of potential applications in optoelectronics. The lack of reliable $p$-type doping, however, has prevented it from competing with other semiconductors such as GaN. In this Brief Report, we report the successful incorporation of nitrogen-hydrogen (N-H) complexes in ZnO during chemical vapor transport growth, using ammonia as an ambient. The N-H bond-stretching mode gives rise to an infrared absorption peak at $3150.6\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Substitutions of deuterium for hydrogen and $^{15}\mathrm{N}$ for $^{14}\mathrm{N}$ result in the expected frequency shifts, thereby providing an unambiguous identification of these complexes. The N-H complexes are stable up to $\ensuremath{\sim}700\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\mathrm{C}$. The introduction of neutral N-H complexes could prove useful in achieving reliable $p$-type conductivity in ZnO.
On the VC Dimension of Bounded Margin Classifiers

In this paper we prove a result that is fundamental to the generalization properties of Vapnik's support vector machines and other large margin classifiers. In particular, we prove that the minimum margin over all dichotomies of k ≤ n + 1 points inside a unit ball in Rn is maximized when the points form a regular simplex on the unit sphere. We also provide an alternative proof directly in the framework of level fat shattering.
Redistribution of crop residues during row cultivation creates a biologically enhanced environment for soil microorganisms

Formation of ridges during row cultivation creates microsites that could enhance spatial heterogeneity of soil properties, such as organic C, and thereby influence soil microbial communities. A study was conducted during 2003 near Shelton, NE, on a corn (Zea mays L.) field mapped using apparent electrical conductivity (ECa). New ridges were built each year with a row cultivator when corn reached the V3–V4 growth stage. Cultivation increased labile C fractions and soil microbial biomass in the row position for all ECa classes. Canonical discrimination analysis showed no clear differences in relative abundance of specific microbial groups among ECa classes or between row and furrow position, except for enhanced mycorrhizal biomass in the row. Microbial biomass responded strongly to changes in C redistribution, but was not accompanied by a significant change in the abundance of specific microbial groups. Labile C fractions (coarse and fine particulate organic matter) and crop residues in diverse stages of decomposition are associated with diverse microbial groups. Thus, row cultivation for weed control creates a biologically enhanced root zone that may improve early season performance of corn.
Municipal disconnect: On abject water and its urban infrastructures:

Infrastructural practices, made by the manipulations of pumps, pipes and hydraulic expertise, play a critical role in managing urban populations.Drawing on two years of ethnographic research in Mumbai, in this article I show how Muslim settlers in a northern suburb, are being rendered abject residents of the city. Abjection isn't not a lack of social and political entitlements, but a denial of them.As Muslim settlers are being pushed downto claim less desirable water through the deliberate inaction of city engineers and technocrats, this article shows the iterative process through which abjec- tion is made through tenuous and contentious infrastructural connections between the government and the governed.
Maximum intensity projection images in the detection of simulated pulmonary nodules by spiral CT

This study was undertaken to investigate the use of maximum intensity projection (MIP) images in the detection of pulmonary nodules by spiral CT (SCT). 40 pulmonary nodules of high density were created by endobronchial deployment of 2 and 4 mm beads in the peripheral airways of five anesthetized dogs. Standard SCT was performed with 5 mm collimation, pitch 2 and reconstruction of contiguous slices. MIP images were generated from overlapped slabs of seven consecutive 3 mm slices, reconstructed at 2 mm intervals and acquired at pitch 2. Scans were reviewed by six radiologists. The data were modelled using ordinal logistic regression for repeated measures, and the Wald x2 statistic used to test if there was a diVerence in nodule detection and reader confidence level between the two techniques. MIP imaging increased the odds of nodule detection by 2.18 (p=0.0002). Reader confidence level for nodule detection was significantly higher with MIP images (p<0.00001). MIP images improve the detection rate for small high density pulmonary nodules and increase reader confidence level, when compared with standard SCT.
A Comparison of Two-Phase Computational Fluid Dynamics Codes Applied to the ITER First Wall Hypervapotron

Enhanced radial transport in the plasma and the effect of ELMS may increase the ITER first wall heat loads to as much as 4 to 5 MW/m2 over localized areas. One proposed heatsink that can handle these higher loads is a CuCrZr hypervapotron. One concept for a first wall panel consists of 20 hypervapotron channels, each measuring 1400 mm long and 48.5 mm wide. The nominal cooling conditions anticipated for each channel are 400 g/s of water at 3 MPa and 100°C. This will result in boiling over a portion of the total length. A two-phase thermalhydraulic analysis is required to predict accurately the thermal performance. Existing heat transfer correlations used for nucleate boiling are not appropriate here because the flow does not reach fully developed conditions in the multi-segmented channels. Our design-by-analysis approach used two commercial codes, Fluent and Star-CCM+, to perform computational fluid dynamics analyses with conjugate heat transfer. Both codes use the Rensselear (RPI) model for wall heat flux partitioning to model nucleate boiling as implemented in user-defined functions. We present a comparison between the two codes for this Eulerian multiphase problem that relies on temperature dependent materials properties. The analyses optimized the hypervapotron geometry, including teeth height and pitch, as well as the depth of the back channel to permit highly effective boiling heat transfer in the grooves between the teeth while ensuring that no boiling could occur at the back channel exit. The analysis used a representative heat flux profile with the peak heat flux of 5 MW/m2 limited to a 50 mm length. The maximum surface temperature of the heatsink is 415°C. The baseline design uses 2 mm for the teeth height, a 3 mm width and 6 mm pitch, and a back channel depth of 8 mm. The teeth are detached from the sidewall by a 2-mm-wide slot on both sides that aids in sweep-out and quenching of the vapor bubbles.
Shotgun lipidomics identifies a paired rule for the presence of isomeric ether phospholipid molecular species.

Background. Ether phospholipids are abundant membrane constituents present in electrically active tissues (e.g., heart and the brain) that play important roles in cellular function. Alterations of ether phospholipid molecular species contents are associated with a number of genetic disorders and human diseases. Methodology/Principal Findings. Herein, the power of shotgun lipidomics, in combination with high mass accuracy/high resolution mass spectrometry, was explored to identify a paired rule for the presence of isomeric ether phospholipid molecular species in cellular lipidomes. The rule predicts that if an ether phospholipid A9-B is present in a lipidome, its isomeric counterpart B9-A is also present (where the 9 represents an ether linkage). The biochemical basis of this rule results from the fact that the enzymes which participate in either the sequential oxidation of aliphatic alcohols to fatty acids, or the reduction of long chain fatty acids to aliphatic alcohols (metabolic precursors of ether lipid synthesis), are not entirely selective with respect to acyl chain length or degree of unsaturation. Moreover, the enzymatic selectivity for the incorporation of different aliphatic chains into the obligatory precursor of ether lipids (i.e., 1-O-alkyl-glycero-3-phosphate) is also limited. Conclusions/Significance. This intrinsic amplification of the number of lipid molecular species present in biological membranes predicted by this rule and demonstrated in this study greatly expands the number of ether lipid molecular species present in cellular lipidomes. Application of this rule to mass spectrometric analyses provides predictive clues to the presence of specific molecular species and greatly expands the number of identifiable and quantifiable ether lipid species present in biological samples. Through appropriate alterations in the database, use of the paired rule increases the number of identifiable metabolites in metabolic networks, thereby facilitating identification of biomarkers presaging disease states.
Naturalizing Muslims in Europe: Normative Debates About Belonging

The paper develops a theoretical typology for the comparative analysis of various and vying normative positions (what Theodore Lowi called "public philosophies") regarding immigration. Heretofore the comparative study of immigration has focused primarily on empirical investigation with the nation-state as the primary unit of analysis. I develop a comparative framework which distinguishes and categorizes differing normative approaches to immigration which extend beyond the boundaries of the nation-state. Using the public discussion/debate about the presence of large numbers of Muslims in Europe, I discern three schools competing for preeminence in the public sphere. I label them liberalism, nationalism and postmodernism. Each school has a philosophically serious claim to normative authority, I contend, because it 1) rests on the solid foundation of eminent past thinkers and 2) continues to extend and fortify that foundation through the work of esteemed contemporary philosophers. On closer analysis, the three schools further divide into "soft" and "hard" camps. The six camps yield a sixfold typology with which to identify, categorize, and compare the lion's share of normative arguments commonly heard in the public domain today regarding the presence of Islam in the West. The empirical focus of the paper will be on requirements for the naturalization of Muslim immigrants in various European countries.
Adolescent Nondisclosure in Cultural Context: Voices of Chinese American Adolescents and Parents

This qualitative study explored second-generation Chinese American adolescents’ nondisclosure to parents on the basis of their experiences in daily interactions. The research questions were as follows: (a) What role does adolescents’ nondisclosure play in parent-adolescent relationships in second-generation Chinese American families? (b) How do factors of adolescent nondisclosure interplay with the cultural context? In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 16 adolescents (6 boys and 10 girls, average age 15) and 11 immigrant parents in a large urban area in the Western United States. The principal theme of the findings shows nondisclosure as an adaptive strategy to pursue autonomy in harmony with parental regulation. Findings are interpreted in light of cultural influences. These findings suggest that Chinese American parents need to make adaptations in the way of their parental control and should focus more on adolescents’ current interests.
Methanotrophy controls groundwater methane export from a barrier island

Abstract Methane concentrations can be high in coastal groundwater, resulting in methane export driven by submarine groundwater discharge. However, the magnitude of this methane flux depends significantly on the rate of methanotrophy, the often overlooked process of microbial methane consumption that occurs within coastal aquifer sediments. Here we describe a zone of methanogenesis within the freshwater lens of a barrier island aquifer and investigate the methane source/sink behavior of the barrier island system as a whole. The median concentration of methane dissolved in fresh groundwater beneath the center of the island was 0.6 mM, supported by high rates of potential methanogenesis (22 mmol m−2 day−1). However, rates of microbial methane consumption were also elevated in surrounding sediments (18 mmol m−2 day−1). Groundwater flowing from the zone of methanogenesis to the point of discharge into the ocean had a long residence time within methanotrophic sediments (∼195 days) such that the majority of the methane produced within the barrier island aquifer was likely consumed there.
Overexpression of Calvin cycle enzyme fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has a detrimental effect on growth

Abstract Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and other green algae have potential for generating biofuels, pharmaceuticals, and other commercially valuable products. This potential could be improved by increasing the rate of growth and biomass accumulation. Overexpression of cyanobacterial fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (cyanoFBPase-II), an enzyme that catalyzes an irreversible step in the Calvin cycle, improves growth and biomass accumulation in higher plants, so we set out to determine if overexpression of Chlamydomonas FBPase (CrFBPase) has the same effect in C. reinhardtii by using a chloroplast expression system. To this end, we generated a chloroplast expression vector that includes the C. reinhardtii FBP1 coding region synthesized with C. reinhardtii chloroplast codon-bias, flanked with psbD and psbA 5′ and 3′ regulatory sequences, respectively, and obtained transformants that integrated the vector properly into the chloroplast genome. CpFBP1 transformants accumulated increased levels of CrFBPase protein and extracts contained ~ 1.4-fold-increased levels of FBPase enzyme activity compared to the wild type strain. Surprisingly, we found that under photoautotrophic growth conditions and/or with elevated CO2 levels, this 40% elevation in FBPase activity had a negative effect overall on growth rate and biomass production. These results suggest that unlike the situation in higher plants, FBPase probably does not catalyze a rate-limiting step in the C. reinhardtii Calvin cycle.
A Study of Social Desirability Bias in the Russian Presidential Elections, 2012

In authoritarian regimes election polls can be vastly polluted by the measurement error, namely the social desirability bias, which can contribute to substantial inflation in the publicized estimates of the autocrat's electoral support and voter turnout. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the magnitude of the social desirability bias in polling estimates released before and after the most recent Russian presidential elections by focusing on the implications of Noelle-Neumann's "spiral of silence'' theory. The empirical data analysis is based on list experiments from four data samples collected during the Russian presidential campaign. The estimated magnitude of the social desirability bias in Putin's electoral support is statistically significant and reaches approximately 20%, for the voter turnout, however, my findings are somewhat mixed. My main conclusions are further validated by an alternative urns experiment conducted by one of the national pollsters. The detection of significant social desirability bias in the Russian presidential campaign brings forth the issue of survey research quality in authoritarian regimes and its effect on election outcomes.
Optical homodyne PSK receivers with a Costas loop for long-haul communications

In this paper the realistic model for the performance determination of the optical homodyne PSK receiver with a Costas loop for long-haul communication is proposed. The paper reports the receiver sensitivity, linewidths requirements and the power penalties taking into account the laser phase noise, ASE noise and shot noise of corresponding photodiodes. The expressions for phase error variance and receiver bit-error rate are determined the most precisely so far and these expressions are used in power penalty determination. Contrary to the present papers, the sources of power penalty creating are considered simultaneously, due to their mutual dependency, instead of considering them separately. The optimum power splitting ratio to minimize the receiver error probability is used in the power penalty determination.
Flight Vehicle Composite Structures

To overcome obstacles for composites technology transition, air-framers embraced changes in design and manufacturing methods to produce structures from various material forms for which mechanical properties are ascertained after fabrication, rather than assembly of materials for which these properties are inherent to their bulk state. Changes in manufacturing processes were necessary to fully realize the promised composites performance benefits. New analysis and design methods were necessary to assure mechanical performance of assembled structures. These efforts have produced unitized composite structure assemblies formed to complex shapes, with substantially reduced part counts. Although the structural performance gains were the original goal, it is the outcome of the design and manufacturing efforts that will enable unprecedented exploration of future advanced aircraft.
The Activity of the Pyrimidine Biosynthetic Pathway in MGH-U1 Transitional Carcinoma Cells Grown in Tissue Culture

AbstractMGH-U1, a new cell line of transitional carcinoma grown in tissue culture, is described. The growth characteristics, growth kinetics and the activity of the pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway are outlined. The pathway activity was measured in intact MGH-U1 cells and 4 of the biosynthetic enzymes were assayed in cellular extracts. The level of activity of the pathway remains unaltered in cultures that range in density from 104to 4 × 105 cells per cm.2 and the cells actively incorporate precursors into macromolecules throughout the entire range of densities investigated. These results differ from those reported previously, in which the synthesis of ribonucleic acid, deoxyribonucleic acid and protein is reduced more than 90 per cent in stationary suspension cultures of Novikoff rat hepatoma cells and in confluent monolayers of human fibroblasts that exhibit contact inhibition. The levels of 3 of the 4 enzymes assayed in MGH-U1 cells are reduced 50 to 60 per cent when the cells undergo the transition fro...
Regulation of blood calcium in humans

Serum calcium in humans is closely regulated, with a maximum excursion of values throughout the day of less than 6%. A number of hormonal controls serve to maintain the stability of the serum calcium value. The three most important hormones--PTH, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and calcitonin--act chiefly on three organs--intestine, bone, and kidney. A set of simple diagrams that summarize these control mechanisms is presented. Organ diagrams are used to indicate the normal fluxes of calcium (or other ions) and the sites of hormone action, while a feedback loop diagram summarizes the interactions among the various factors. The feedback loop diagram predicts the direction of changes observed in each parameter in various disorders of calcium metabolism and may be useful for constructing experimental models or for teaching purposes.
10 Electrocardiographic predictors of torsadogenic risk during dofetilide or sotalol initiation: utility of a novel T wave analysis programme

Background Initiation of class III anti-arrhythmic medications requires telemetric monitoring for ventricular arrhythmia and QT prolongation to reduce the risk of torsades de pointes (TdP). Heart rate corrected QT interval (QTc) is an indicator of risk, however it is imperfect and more subtle abnormalities of repolarization have been linked with arrhythmogenesis. We developed and tested a novel T wave analysis tool to identify electrocardiographic predictors of torsadogenic risk. Methods and results We retrospectively identified patients admitted to Mayo Clinic for initiation of dofetilide or sotalol who developed drug induced-TdP. The immediate pre-TdP or hospital discharge surface electrocardiogram (ECG) was compared between cases and controls using a novel T wave program that quantified subtle changes in T wave morphology. We identified 13 TdP cases and 26 matched controls (age and sex matched). The QTc and 12 T wave parameters were able to distinguish TdP cases from controls. The top performing parameters were the QTc in lead V3 (mean case vs control 480 vs 420 msec, p Conclusion Our data demonstrates that, in addition to QTc, the T wave right slope is correlated strongly with TdP risk. This suggests that a computer-based repolarization measurement tool that integrates additional data beyond the QTc may identify patients with the greatest torsadogenic potential.
Inhibition of PARS attenuates endotoxin-induced dysfunction of pulmonary vasorelaxation.

Endotoxin (Etx) causes excessive activation of the nuclear repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) synthase (PARS), which depletes cellular energy stores and leads to vascular dysfunction. We hypothesized t...
Photoluminescence studies on BCN thin films synthesized by RF magnetron sputtering

Abstract Photoluminescence(PL) studies on boron carbon nitride (BCN) thin films deposited at various temperatures were conducted. Two sharp PL peaks in the visible region were identified at 498 nm and 599 nm for the BCN films with variable peak intensities. Low temperature PL study was conducted at 77 K for the films. It was found that, the PL intensity tended to decrease significantly with decrease in the substrate temperature during the measurement. A rare PL phenomenon of negative thermal quenching (NTQ) was observed in BCN thin films.
Association of Donor and Recipient Telomere Length with Clinical Outcomes following Lung Transplantation.

Background Patients with short telomere syndromes and pulmonary fibrosis have increased complications after lung transplant. However, the more general impact of donor and recipient telomere length in lung transplant has not been well characterized. Methods This was an observational cohort study of patients who received lung transplant at a single center between January 1st 2012 and January 31st 2015. Relative donor lymphocyte telomere length was measured and classified into long (third tertile) and short (other tertiles). Relative recipient lung telomere length was measured and classified into short (first tertile) and long (other tertiles). Outcome data included survival, need for modification of immunosuppression, liver or kidney injury, cytomegalovirus reactivation, and acute rejection. Results Recipient lung tissue telomere lengths were measured for 54 of the 79 patients (68.3%) who underwent transplant during the study period. Donor lymphocyte telomeres were measured for 45 (83.3%) of these recipients. Neither long donor telomere length (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.12–2.85, p = 0.50) nor short recipient telomere length (HR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.50–2.05, p = 0.96) were associated with adjusted survival following lung transplant. Recipients with short telomeres were less likely to have acute cellular rejection (23.5% vs. 58.8%, p = 0.02) but were not more likely to have other organ dysfunction. Conclusions In this small cohort, neither long donor lymphocyte telomeres nor short recipient lung tissue telomeres were associated with adjusted survival after lung transplantation. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
The Future of Student Growth Models in Managing the Teacher Workforce: Less Direct, More Indirect

The use of student growth models (SGMs) to manage quality in the teacher workforce has been a divisive issue in teacher education policy during recent years. This chapter offers expert opinion, based on teacher research, on the prominence and utility of SGMs for education policy in the future. The author argues the direct use of SGMs in high-stakes decisions for teachers is unlikely to expand or gain any prominence in the future, due to limitations in practicality, research, and public opposition. Instead, the author claims, this impasse over the direct use of SGMs presents an opportunity to explore indirect uses of SGMs, and the reasons for optimism about these indirect uses are compelling. The author encourages further thought and experimentation around these indirect uses of SGMs.
Practitioners’ Responses to Washington’s Required Use of Student Growth Measures in Teacher Evaluation

This chapter describes the results from an empirical study of how educators in Washington State are implementing a new teacher evaluation system that requires the use of student growth measures. The study draws from case study work in six districts and 19 schools over a two-year period, using a concurrent mixed-methods design. Particular attention is paid to how the development of student growth goals and the collection of multiple forms of evidence to assess student growth have impacted teachers’ professional learning. Challenges faced by teachers in developing student growth measures appropriate for their students are discussed. The chapter addresses the intersection of policy and practice in seeking to understand the issues faced by educators as they implement a dramatically different evaluation system.
Are coins small and boring? Developing an experiential based education programme

With the refurbishment of the Citi Money Gallery came the foresight to include a dedicated education programme. The collection is perfectly placed to reinvigorate financial education, which is becoming more prominent on social policy agendas. Financial education considers the local, national and international levels and is more than just creating budget sheets. It is about the appreciation of money and how to make effective decisions around it; a contextualized education programme can facilitate this. However there are numerous barriers that prevent schools from participating in financial education as well as visiting museums. This paper will consider the challenges faced by the Citi Money Gallery education programme and strategies to overcome them, including the role of object handling, creating a teacher advisory panel and investing in a pilot phase.
SAM Domain Inhibits Oligomerization and Auto-Activation of EphA2 Kinase

Eph receptors are the largest family of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and bind to membrane-tethered ligands called ephrins. Eph-Ephrin interactions are involved in various biological processes, such as neural development, tissue patterning and vascular growth. Several structural studies have shown that the extracellular domain (ECD) of EphA2 binds ephrin and forms an oligomer that promotes kinase activation. However, the role of the intracellular domain (ICD) in this process remains largely unexplored. Here, we report on the unique role of the sterile α motif (SAM) domain in regulating EphA2 kinase activation. First, western blots and cell function assays indicated that deletion of the SAM domain leads to constitutive activation of the kinase. We then carried out fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) measurements to investigate the dynamics and lateral organization of EphA2 receptors in live cancer cell membranes. The FCS results showed that deletion of the SAM domain led to receptor oligomerization. This suggested that constitutive activation of the SAM-deletion construct observed in the cell functional assays were a result of receptor oligomerization. Ligand activation with ephrinA1 (EA1) induces oligomerization of the receptors, but deletion of the SAM domain led to larger oligomers than those with the full length receptor. FCS measurements were performed on cancer cells treated with two kinds of soluble EA1 ligand, dimeric EA1-Fc and monomeric EA1 (mEA1), were used. While inconsistencies exist in the literature, our FCS results demonstrated that both dimeric and monomeric EA1 activation led to oligomerization and activation of EphA2 through induction of the distinct clusters. Together, our work clarifies the unique function of SAM domain in EphA2 signaling.
Not All College Is Equal When It Comes to Wealth and Race

The author discusses research and analysis of the role of higher education in explaining racial and ethnic disparities in wealth.
Assessing Children's Understanding of the Work of Computer Scientists: The Draw-a-Computer-Scientist Test

We developed the Draw-A-Computer-Scientist-Test (DACST) to better understand elementary school students' conceptions of computer scientists and the nature of their work. By understanding how young children perceive computer scientists, we can broaden their ideas about the activities and images of computer scientists. We administered the DACST to 87 fourth-grade students (ages 8-9) as a pre- and post-assessment to a computer science curriculum. All students attended the same school and were taught by the same female teacher. Before the curriculum, we found that students most often drew male computer scientists working alone, and featured actions that were connected to technology in general (e.g., typing, printing), but not specific to computer science. After the curriculum, more female students drew female computer scientists than before, and the featured actions were more specific to computer science (e.g., programming a game). We also share insights about the classroom-learning environment that may have contributed to changes in students' understanding of computer scientists and their work.
Impacts of mangrove encroachment and mosquito impoundment management on coastal protection services

The ecosystem services afforded by coastal wetlands are threatened by climate change and other anthropogenic stressors. The Kennedy Space Center and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in east central Florida offer a representative site for investigating how changes to vegetation distribution interact with management to impact coastal protection. Here, salt marshes are converting to mangroves, and mosquito impoundment structures are being modified. The resulting changes to vegetation composition and topography influence coastal protection services in wetlands. We used a model-based assessment of wave attenuation and erosion to compare vegetation (mangrove, salt marsh) and impoundment state (intact, graded). Our findings suggest that the habitat needed to attenuate 90% of wave height is significantly larger for salt marshes than mangroves. Erosion prevention was significantly higher (470%) in scenarios with mangroves than in salt marshes. Intact berms attenuated waves over shorter distances, but did not significantly reduce erosion. Differences in coastal protection were driven more by vegetation than by impoundment state. Overall, our findings reveal that mangroves provide more coastal protection services, and therefore more coastal protection value, than salt marshes in east central Florida. Other coastal regions undergoing similar habitat conversion may also benefit from increased coastal protection in the future.
Gang Innovation, Patriarchy and Powerlessness : Expanding Theory To Relfect [Reflect] American Politics

When cities grew large enough to develop slums, gangs began to form. The heritage of gang behavior is poverty and its children: abuse, alcoholism, and drug addiction, to name a few. Today we are facing a problem of major proportions in our cities. Gang membership is seemingly growing with no end in sight, and a beleaguered nation, a struggling city, the mother of a gang member all ask: Why? There are probably several answers and more questions. This paper is an attempt to understand the problem of gang delinquency by utilizing already existing theory. Robert Merton9s Strain Theory lends itself to the discussion of gang delinquency; however, this paper will expand on the theory and link it to the powerlessness of young minority males and patriarchal ideology.
Cristulariella moricola associated with foliar blight of Camden white gum (Eucalyptus benthamii), a bioenergy crop

Abstract We report the association of Cristulariella moricola (Hino) Redhead with a zonate leaf spot on Eucalyptus benthamii (Myrtaceae). We observed the disease outbreak across a series of experimental E. benthamii plantings in Barnwell County, South Carolina, USA in October 2015. The disease caused nearly complete foliar necrosis of most trees in one experimental planting, but disease incidence remained at low levels ( C. moricola in other tree species.
Enantiomeric barbiturates bind distinct inter- and intrasubunit binding sites in a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAARs) are members of the pentameric ligand-gated ion channel superfamily. Drugs acting as positive allosteric modulators of muscle-type α2βγδ nAChRs, of use in treatment of neuromuscular disorders, have been hard to identify. However, identification of nAChR allosteric modulator binding sites has been facilitated by using drugs developed as photoreactive GABAAR modulators. Recently, R-1-methyl-5-allyl-5-(m-trifluoromethyl-diazirinylphenyl) barbituric acid (R-mTFD-MPAB), an anesthetic and GABAAR potentiator, has been shown to inhibit Torpedo α2βγδ nAChRs, binding in the ion channel and to a γ+-α- subunit interface site similar to its GABAAR intersubunit binding site. In contrast, S-1-methyl-5-propyl-5-(m-trifluoromethyl-diazirinylphenyl) barbituric acid (S-mTFD-MPPB) acts as a convulsant and GABAAR inhibitor. Photolabeling studies established that S-mTFD-MPPB binds to the same GABAAR intersubunit binding site as R-mTFD-MPAB, but with negative rather than positive energetic coupling to GABA binding. We now show that S-mTFD-MPPB binds with the same state (agonist) dependence as R-mTFD-MPAB within the nAChR ion channel, but it does not bind to the intersubunit binding site. Rather, S-mTFD-MPPB binds to intrasubunit sites within the α and δ subunits, photolabeling αVal-218 (αM1), δPhe-232 (δM1), δThr-274 (δM2), and δIle-288 (δM3). Propofol, a general anesthetic that binds to GABAAR intersubunit sites, inhibited [3H]S-mTFD-MPPB photolabeling of these nAChR intrasubunit binding sites. These results demonstrate that in an nAChR, the subtle difference in structure between S-mTFD-MPPB and R-mTFD-MPAB (chirality; 5-propyl versus 5-allyl) determines selectivity for intra- versus intersubunit sites, in contrast to GABAARs, where this difference affects state dependence of binding to a common site.