cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Jasmonate: An Oxylipin Signal with Many Roles in Plants

Jasmonic acid is an oxylipin signaling molecule derived from linolenic acid. So far, jasmonate (JA) (including the free acid and a number of conjugates) has been shown to regulate or co-regulate a wide range of processes in plants, from responses to biotic and abiotic stresses to the developmental maturation of stamens and pollen in Arabidopsis. This review focuses on discoveries in several of these areas. Most work described is from studies in Arabidopsis. While the results are expected to be broadly applicable to other higher plants, there are cases where related but distinct phenotypes have been observed in other species (e.g., tomato). Investigation of JA action in wound- and insect-defense responses has established that this compound is an essential component of the systemic signal that activates defense genes throughout the plant. It is possible that JA acts indirectly through the production of reactive oxygen species including hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The availability of Arabidopsis mutants deficient in JA synthesis has been central to the identification of additional roles for JA in defense against microbial pathogens and in reproductive development. Currently, the key issues in JA action are to understand the role of the skip/cullin/F-box ubiquitination complex, SCF(COI1), and to identify additional protein components that act in the early steps of JA signaling.
Pre-Service Teachers and Study Abroad: A Reflective, Experiential Sojourn to Increase Intercultural Competence and Translate the Experience into Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

This study used a randomized experimental, mixed methods approach to examine whether a stand-apart course curriculum based on experiential learning theory, Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity (DMIS) theory (Bennett MJ, Education for the intercultural experience, pp. 21–71, 1993) and culturally relevant pedagogy influenced students’ intercultural competence within the context of a study abroad semester. The methods employed allowed the researcher to measure the intercultural competence of pre-service teachers engaged in an experiential, developmental curriculum both before and after a traditional, semester-long study abroad program using the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) developed by Hammer and Bennett (2003). The findings from this study affirm that if pre-service teachers participate in study abroad programs with an intentional curriculum designed to encourage reflection upon culture and pedagogy, individual pre-service teachers can become better equipped to work with diverse students in their classrooms. To address implications for practice among faculty in teacher training programs, a model that outlines a new pathway for pre-service teachers to follow as they progress toward becoming an interculturally-competent certified teacher is presented. The model presented represents a significant shift in the current paradigm for educating future teachers. Additionally, implications for study abroad practitioners are addressed. International education professionals need to design more intentionally structured environments (formal didactic classroom instruction or experiences) that challenge the growing number of study abroad students to engage in critical reflection, strategic thinking and practical application of lessons learned.
Explorer 45 Observations of the Proton Ring Current

Explorer 45 (S3), launched November 15, 1971, into an elliptical, equatorial orbit with apogee 5.24R E and perigee 220 km, has provided detailed measurements of the pitch angle distributions of trapped ring current protons from 1 to 800 keV along with simultaneous measurements of the geomagnetic field. In this paper, I summarize some analyses of Explorer 45 observation that have added to our understanding of the stormtime ring current.
Quantizing string theory in AdS5×S5: beyond the pp-wave

Abstract In a certain kinematic limit, where the effects of spacetime curvature (and other background fields) greatly simplify, the light-cone gauge worldsheet action for a type IIB superstring on AdS5×S5 reduces to that of a free field theory. It has been conjectured by Berenstein, Maldacena, and Nastase that the energy spectrum of this string theory matches the dimensions of operators in the appropriately defined large R-charge large-Nc sector of N =4 supersymmetric Yang–Mills theory in four dimensions. This holographic equivalence is thought to be exact, independent of any simplifying kinematic limits. As a step toward verifying this larger conjecture, we have computed the complete set of first curvature corrections to the spectrum of light-cone gauge string theory that arises in the expansion of AdS5×S5 about the plane-wave limit. The resulting spectrum has the complete dependence on λ=gYM2Nc; corresponding results in the gauge theory are known only to second order in λ. We find precise agreement to this order, including the N =4 extended supermultiplet structure. In the process, we demonstrate that the complicated schemes put forward in recent years for defining the Green–Schwarz superstring action in background Ramond–Ramond fields can be reduced to a practical (and correct) method for quantizing the string.
Influence of Reduced Seat Time on Satisfaction and Perception of Course Development Goals: A Case Study in Faculty Development.

This paper describes the redesign of a faculty development program at a large public university that transitioned from weekly face-to-face meetings to a version that reduced seat time by half. Focus is on course development activities in which individual faculty began designing and developing their online courses. Survey data was collected and analyzed from two “pre-revision” and two “post-revision” versions of the faculty development program to assess the satisfaction with the course and perceptions about faculty course development progress. Results indicate that faculty expressed a higher overall satisfaction with the “post-revision” program and expressed stronger perceptions about their ability to develop their online courses. This is attributed to three reasons; first, there was a balance of autonomy and support; second, an emphasis on adult learning principles to support content creation; and third, a shift from individual to community. Implications for practice are shared and recommendations for future research are proposed in the conclusion.
Mining airpollution data to learn stroke incidence

Stroke is a major cause of death not only in the USA but also in many other countries. The objective of this study was to examine the relation between air pollution and stroke mortality. The data for 1999 were provided from the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Environmental Profile websites. Stroke mortality for all Texas counties was collected. The variables from the websites included carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, PM2.5, PM10 and volatile organic compounds. We studied whether a level of these pollutants affected stroke mortality. Carbon monoxide, PM2.5 and PM10 were found significant factors affecting stroke mortality. There was an increased risk of 0.9999 (95% CI 0.9998 to 1.0001) of stroke mortality for an increase in carbon monoxide air pollutant level, 0.9996 (95% CI 0.9995 to 0.9998) of stroke mortality for an increase in PM2.5 air pollutant level, and 1.0001 (95% CI 1.0001 to 1.0002) of stroke mortality for an increase in PM10 air pollutant level. High carbon monoxide, PM2.5 and PM10 levels were associated with excess risk of stroke mortality levels in Texas counties for the year 1999.
RESTING HEART RATE AND CHANGES IN HEART RATE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ADVERSE OUTCOME IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS WITHOUT ATRIAL FIBRILLATION: AN ANALYSIS OF THE CHARM PROGRAM

Baseline heart rate (HR) is associated with increased risk of adverse outcome in heart failure (HF) patients without AF. We aimed to assess whether the HR at any given time point (current HR) or a change in HR was associated with adverse outcome. We studied 5155 patients without AF (age 64±11 yrs
Missing the Mark in In-School Suspension: An Explanation and Proposal

Are in-school suspension programs accomplishing what they should? No, say the authors, who conducted a study of 10 "successful" ISS programs.
UDP-Glucose Dehydrogenase Required for Cardiac Valve Formation in Zebrafish

Cardiac valve formation is a complex process that involves cell signaling events between the myocardial and endocardial layers of the heart across an elaborate extracellular matrix. These signals lead to marked morphogenetic movements and transdifferentiation of the endocardial cells at chamber boundaries. Here we identify the genetic defect in zebrafish jekyll mutants, which are deficient in the initiation of heart valve formation. The jekyll mutation disrupts a homolog of Drosophila Sugarless, a uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP)-glucose dehydrogenase required for heparan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid production. The atrioventricular border cells do not differentiate from their neighbors in jekyll mutants, suggesting that Jekyll is required in a cell signaling event that establishes a boundary between the atrium and ventricle.
On the Minimal Number of Even Submatrices of 0-1 Matrices

An asymptotic formula for the minimum possible number of evenp\times q submatrices of an m\times n 0-1 matrixA is obtained. It is shown that if A is considered random and pq is even, then the distribution of the number of the even p\times q submatrices of A is highly skewed to the right, the left endpoint of the distribution being very close to its mean, while its right endpoint is twice the mean. A relation to Turan numbers is indicated.
Using the Self‐Discovery Tapestry to Explore Occupational Careers

Abstract Occupational careers, the multiple paths that individuals pursue throughout their lives, offer fertile ground for research in occupational science. A life‐review instrument designed to record adults’ occupational careers, called the Self‐Discovery Tapestry, was developed by applying gerontology‐based lifespan theories to occupational science concepts. This article presents research into the ways mature women who had recently enrolled in higher education utilized the Tapestry to gain insights into their life‐altering transitional events and adaptive coping styles. The Tapestry encompasses interpersonal relationships, occupation, personal and family health and finance, and self‐evaluation against which individuals record their life histories and occupational careers. A case study is presented to illustrate how using the Tapestry assists individuals and professionals apply the concepts of occupational career development over the life span. Possible uses of the Tapestry in the practice of occupationa...
First-principles study of boron sheets and nanotubes

Based on first-principles calculations, we present various properties of single- and double-layered boron sheets, along with single- and double-walled boron nanotubes. Single-layered boron sheets, made of hexagons and triangles, have buckled ground-state geometries if the ratio of triangles to hexagons is large and stay flat otherwise. We demonstrate that this asymmetric behavior of buckling cannot be explained by a simple chemical picture based on $\ensuremath{\sigma}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\pi}$ mixing. Instead, reduction in the electronic kinetic energy is the driving force for buckling. In addition, we show that double-layered boron sheets can form strong interlayer bonds between two layers only if the precursor single-layered sheet itself prefers a buckled ground-state structure. The optimal double-layered boron sheet in our library is semiconducting and is more stable than any single-layered sheet. Next, we discuss the curvature energies, buckling behavior and soliton structural fluctuations for single-walled boron nanotubes and the implications for the electronic properties of these nanotubes: our main finding is that the semiconducting nature of small-diameter single-walled nanotubes is robust under various perturbations and fluctuations. We end by showing that due to strong bonds forming between walls, the optimal double-walled boron nanotubes have different wall structures from single-walled ones. Such double-walled nanotubes are always more stable than any single-walled nanotube and are furthermore metallic for the likely experimentally relevant diameter range. We conclude with the implications of these results for fabricated nanotube systems.
Thermally induced vibrations of a self-shadowed split-blanket solar array

An analytical approach is developed for investigating thermally induced vibrations of a split-blanket solar array due to self-shadowing of the central truss. Two analyses are developed: (1) cross-member shadowing of the truss longerons due to a torsional vibration of the solar array, and (2) parallelmember shadowing when the solar vector is aligned with the plane of the truss longerons. The analytical approaches identify key parameters for understanding the thermalstructural response. For parallel-member shadowing a stability analysis establishes the condition for thermal flutter. Computations are made for a solar array representative of the Space Station Freedom (SSF) design. The results show that cross-member shadowing is unlikely to cause thermally induced vibrations. Parallel-member shadowing can cause thermally induced vibrations; however, the vibrations are stable. Under normal operations the SSF solar array should not experience thermally induced vibrations.
Structural and functional analysis of the C-terminal DNA binding domain of the salmonella typhimurium SPI-2 response regulator SsrB

In bacterial pathogenesis, virulence gene regulation is controlled by two-component regulatory systems. In Escherichia coli, the EnvZ/OmpR two-component system is best understood as regulating expression of outer membrane proteins, but in Salmonella enterica, OmpR activates transcription of the SsrA/B two-component system located on Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI-2). The response regulator SsrB controls expression of a type III secretory system in which effectors modify the vacuolar membrane and prevent its degradation via the endocytic pathway. Vacuolar modification enables Salmonella to survive and replicate in the macrophage phagosome and disseminate to the liver and spleen to cause systemic infection. The signals that activate EnvZ and SsrA are unknown but are related to the acidic pH encountered in the vacuole. Our previous work established that SsrB binds to regions of DNA that are AT-rich, with poor sequence conservation. Although SsrB is a major virulence regulator in Salmonella, very little is known regarding how it binds DNA and activates transcription. In the present work, we solved the structure of the C-terminal DNA binding domain of SsrB (SsrBC) by NMR and analyzed the effect of amino acid substitutions on function. We identified residues in the DNA recognition helix (Lys179, Met186) and the dimerization interface (Val197, Leu201) that are important for SsrB transcriptional activation and DNA binding. An essential cysteine residue in the N-terminal receiver domain was also identified (Cys45), and the effect of Cys203 on dimerization was evaluated. Our results suggest that although disulfide bond formation is not required for dimerization, dimerization occurs upon DNA binding and is required for subsequent activation of transcription. Disruption of the dimer interface by a C203E substitution reduces SsrB activity. Modification of Cys203 or Cys45 may be an important mode of SsrB inactivation inside the host.
Why are there no proven therapies for genetic mitochondrial diseases

Although mitochondrial disease research in general is robust, adequate treatment of these life-threatening conditions has lagged, partly because of a persistence of clinical anecdotes as substitutes for scientifically and ethically rigorous clinical trials. Here I summarize the key lessons learned from some of the “first generation” of randomized controlled trials for genetic mitochondrial diseases and suggest how future trials may benefit from both past experience and exciting new resources available for patient-oriented research and training in this field.
Assessing the Effect of Individual Data Points on Inference From Empirical Likelihood

An oft-cited advantage of empirical likelihood is that the confidence intervals that are produced by this nonparametric technique are not necessarily symmetric. Rather, they reflect the nature of the underlying data and hence give a more representative way of reaching inferences about the functional of interest. However, this advantage can easily become a disadvantage if the resultant intervals are unduly influenced by one of the data points. This article proposes simple methods for evaluating the effect of single points on empirical likelihood confidence intervals. In addition to suggesting diagnostics for detecting important observations, we examine the use of bootstrap and of jackknife influence functions to assess the extremity of suspect points.
Using Physical Education to Improve Literacy Skills in Struggling Students

Literacy skills are an essential part of academic performance. When physical educators collaborate with classroom teachers to address these skills, student engagement in the learning process can greatly improve. This article begins by reviewing the growing issues surrounding student literacy and its impact on academic performance. The discussion then moves to exploring how physical education can be a positive setting for improving literacy skills in students. The article concludes by providing specific examples for improving literacy skills through physical education.
Modified spectrophotometer for multi-dimensional circular dichroism/fluorescence data acquisition in titration experiments: application to the pH and guanidine-HCI induced unfolding of apomyoglobin.

In a previous paper (Ramsay and Eftink, Biophys. J. 66:516–523) we reported the development of a modified spectrophotometer that can make nearly simultaneous circular dichroism (CD) and fluorescence measurements. This arrangement allows multiple data sets to be collected during a single experiment, resulting in a saving of time and material, and improved correlation between the different types of measurements. The usefulness of the instrument was shown by thermal melting experiments on several different protein systems. This CD/fluorometer spectrophotometer has been further modified by interfacing with a syringe pump and a pH meter. This arrangement allows ligand, pH, and chemical denaturation titration experiments to be performed while monitoring changes in the sample's CD, absorbance, fluorescence, and light scattering properties. Our data acquisition program also has an ability to check whether the signals have approached equilibrium before the data is recorded. For performing pH titrations we have developed a procedure which uses the signal from a pH meter in a feedback circuit in order to collect data at evenly spaced pH intervals. We demonstrate the use of this instrument with studies of the unfolding of sperm whale apomyoglobin, as induced by acid pH and by the addition of guanidine-HCI.
A Less-Is-More Architecture (LIMA) for a Future internet

A new addressing and routing design called the Less-Is-More Architecture (LIMA) is proposed as an inter-domain solution for a future Internet. Unlike recently proposed identifier-locator split solutions, LIMA uses just (topological) location-independent names and location-dependent addresses. The feasibility of using a policy combination of restricting stubs to provider-aggregatable addressing only, and disallowing stub-level reachability from being propagated into the global routing tables, is studied. This policy combination results in significantly smaller global routing tables but creates four challenges of address renum-bering (when stubs change providers), multihoming, mobility, and traffic engineering. Solutions to these challenges include the use of multiaddressing, name based sockets, a LIMA concept of address dismemberment, transport protocols such as SCTP that are capable of dynamic address reconfiguration, and new management-plane and control-plane procedures. Preliminary RIB data analysis quantify the benefit of LIMA in global routing table size reduction (to 6815 entries from today's 335K entries), and a cost of LIMA in terms of number of provider changes made by stubs in the last six months (about 2450 provider changes per month across 33K stubs).
Structural biology: Muscarinic receptors become crystal clear

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors mediate many physiological responses of the nervous system. Structures of two of these receptors yield insight into how they bind drugs and their mechanism of action. See Letters p.547 & 552 The muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) constitute a family of G-protein-coupled receptors. These membrane proteins are targets for treatment of a broad range of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The five mAChR subtypes (M1–M5) share a high degree of sequence homology, but show marked differences in G-protein-coupling preference and physiological function. This pair of papers from Brian Kobilka's group presents the structures of two of the five subtypes. Haga et al. report the X-ray crystal structure of the M2 receptor, which is essential for the physiological control of cardiovascular function; Kruse et al. determine the structure of the M3 receptor, active in the bronchial airways and elsewhere. Comparison of the two structures reveals key differences that could potentially be exploited to develop subtype-selective drugs.
The use of multiplying factors in radiation transfer iterations

Abstract Shock structures present interesting dispersion characteristics when the radiative exchanges involve a large fraction of the total energy. If a large part of the emitted radiation escapes upstream, highly cooled gases appear behind the shock and the final thermodynamic state of the medium is not overly affected by the passage of even very strong shocks. A numerical technique was developed by Chapin for the analysis of such radiative flows and is described here.
Expiratory pattern and laryngeal responses to single-breath expiratory resistance loads.

Abstract Responses of expiratory duration (T E ) and laryngeal aperture to small flow resistance loads (2 and 5 cm H2O/LPS) applied to single expirations were measured using repeated applications in four subjects during quiet breathing. All subjects significantly prolonged T E in response to the higher load and 3 of the 4 showed that same response to the lower load, which was not perceived by these subjects. These same 3 subjects showed a narrowed laryngeal aperture in response to loading such that their expiratory impedance must have been greater than the increase provided by the load alone. The effect of such a loading response was to slow the expiratory volume decay so that a small but significantly increase in the halftime for volume decay was observed. The prolongation of T E seen with loading could be due to the alteration of volume-related feedback consequent to the increased expiratory impedance. This may serve a role in regulation of expiratory muscle function.
Maxillary perfusion during Le Fort I osteotomy after ligation of the descending palatine artery

Abstract Purpose: Controversy exists regarding management of the descending palatine artery (DPA) during Le Fort I osteotomy. Some surgeons advocate preserving the DPA, and others ligate the vessels. The purpose of this study was to evaluate maxillary gingival blood flow (GBF) during Le Fort I osteotomy in a sample of patients with and without ligation of the DPA. Patients and Methods: Using a prospective randomized clinical study, we enrolled a study sample composed of 34 patients undergoing Le Fort I osteotomy. The patients were randomly assigned to either study group 1 (16) (DPA ligated) or group 2 (18) (DPA preserved). To measure maxillary GBF during the operation, we used laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). The predictor variable was status of DPA management (ligated or preserved). The outcome variable was change in GBF over time. Results: (DPA). Before ligation (or simulated ligation) of the DPA, the mean GBF for groups 1 and 2 was 11.4 ± 8.6 and 11.9 ± 9.4 mL/min/100 g tissue, respectively (P = .88). After ligation of the DPA in group 1, the mean GBF was 10.0 ± 7.7 mL/min/100 g tissue. At the corresponding time in group 2 (DPA preserved), the mean GBF was 12.6 ± 9.4 mL/min/100 g tissue. The difference in mean GBF between groups 1 and 2 was not statistically significant (P = 43). Conclusion: There were no statistically significant differences in mean maxillary GBF between patients having the DPA ligated and those having the DPA preserved as measured using LDF during Le Fort I osteotomy.
THE NATURE OF KIDNEY DISEASE IN CHILDREN WHO FAIL TO RECOVER FROM APPARENT ACUTE GLOMERULONEPHRITIS.

Of a group of 42 children with the clinical diagnosis of acute glomerulonephritis, 3 failed to heal. Histologic features of renal tissue obtained by percutaneous needle biopsy served to differentiate these children from the remainder of the group. The pathologic findings in these three children, characteristic of the changes of chronic glomerulonephritis, suggest that, excluding those who die from early complications, children who appear to have acute glomerulonephritis and fail to recover may have an unusually severe form of acute glomerulonephritis with rapidly progressive glomerular disease or, more likely, either an exacerbation of previously unrecognized renal disease or superimposition of acute glomerulonephritis upon pre-existing renal disease.
Plant-Based, No-Added-Fat or American Heart Association Diets: Impact on Cardiovascular Risk in Obese Children with Hypercholesterolemia and Their Parents

Objective To perform a randomized trial to determine whether there is cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction from a plant-based (PB), no–added-fat diet and the American Heart Association (AHA) diet in children. Study design A 4-week (April 20, 2013 to May 18, 2013), prospective randomized trial was undertaken in a large, Midwestern hospital system's predominantly middle class outpatient pediatric practices. Thirty children (9-18 years of age) parent pairs with a last recorded child body mass index >95th percentile and child cholesterol >169 mg/dL were randomized to PB or AHA with weekly 2-hour classes of nutrition education. Results Children on PB had 9 and children on AHA had 4 statistically significant ( P PB (−0.14), systolic blood pressure PB (−6.43 mm Hg), total cholesterol PB (−22.5 mg/dL), low-density lipoprotein PB (−13.14 mg/dL), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein PB (−2.09 mg/L), insulin PB (−5.42 uU/mL), myeloperoxidase PB/AHA (−75.34/69.23 pmol/L), mid-arm circumference PB/AHA (−2.02/−1.55 cm), weight PB/AHA (−3.05/−1.14 kg), and waist circumference AHA (−2.96 cm). Adults on PB and AHA had 7 and 2, respectively, statistically significant ( P Conclusions PB and the AHA in both children and adults demonstrated potentially beneficial changes from baseline in risk factors for CVD. Future larger, long-term randomized trials with easily accessible PB foods will further define the role of the PB in preventing CVD.
Diversity Competencies within Early Childhood Teacher Preparation: Innovative Practices and Future Directions

With classrooms becoming increasingly diverse due to children’s various cultural backgrounds and varying abilities, early childhood teacher education programs face the challenge of how best to prepare the workforce. Various initiatives have been implemented in teacher preparation programs to prepare early childhood educators to become competent in relating to all children and families. Infusing components of diversity into all courses and field experiences and engaging in community–university partnerships, as well as unifying early childhood education (ECE) and early childhood special education (ECSE) program components, are promising practices for the field. An examination and evaluation of these initiatives are discussed in this article, as well as future directions for research and practice. This work was conducted as part of the National Pre Kindergarten Center and supported by the Foundation for Child Development.
Frequency of coronal transients and solar activity

The High Altitude Observatory's white light coronagraph aboard Skylab observed some 110 coronal transients - rapid changes in appearance of the corona - during its 227 days of operation. The longitudes of the origins of these transients were not distributed uniformly around the solar surface (51 of the 100 events observed in seven solar rotations arose from a single quadrant of longitude). Further, the frequency of transient production from each segment of the solar surface was well correlated with the sunspot number and Ca ii plage (area × brightness) index in the segment, rotation by rotation. This correlation implies that transients occur more often above strong photospheric and chromospheric magnetic fields, that is, in regions where the coronal magnetic field is stronger and, perhaps, more variable. This pattern of occurrence is consistent with our belief that the forces propelling transient material outward are, primarily, magnetic. A quantitative relation between transient production from an area and the Zurich sunspot number appropriate to that area is derived, and we speculate that the relation is independent of phase in the solar activity cycle. If true, the Sun may give rise to as many as 100 white light coronal transients per month at solar cycle maximum.
Transesophageal echocardiographic detection of atrial thrombi in patients with nonfibrillation atrial tachyarrhythmias and congenital heart disease

Abstract Objectives . We hypothesized an association between atrial thrombi and nonfibrillation atrial tachyarrhythmias in patients with congenital heart disease. Background . We observed a fatal thromboembolus after direct current cardioversion in an adolescent with atrial flutter and repaired tetralogy of Fallot. Methods . Using transesophageal echocardiography, we prospectively studied 19 consecutive patients with congenital heart disease with nonfibrillation atrial tachyarrhythmia (atrial flutter in 18, primary atrial tachycardia in 1) undergoing electrophysiologic procedures (median age 19.6 years, range 7.0 to 53.8; 11 male, 8 female). Transthoracic echocardiograms were available for 17 patients. Results . All transesophageal examinations were performed without incident. No atrial thrombi were detected in 11 patients who subsequently had uncomplicated direct current cardioversion. Eight solitary atrial thrombi were detected (incidence 42%). Six thrombi were located in the right atrium (Fontan repair in four patients, Ebstein's malformation repair in two), and two were noted in the left atrium (congenital hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and atrial septal defect repair in one patient each). Transthoracic echocardiograms were available in seven of eight patients with thrombus detected by transesophageal echocardiography, with only one study conclusive for an atrial thrombus. Cardioversion was deferred in six of eight patients with thrombus, and anticoagulation therapy was initiated. Uncomplicated electrophysiologic procedures were conducted in two patients at the time of detection of right atrial thrombus (atrioventricular node ablation in one patient, direct current cardioversion in the other). Conclusions . Prothrombic conditions exist in patients with congenital heart disease with nonfibrillation atrial tachyarrhythmias, as indicated by a significant incidence of transesophageally detected atrial thrombi. The need for prophylactic anticoagulation and the safety of pharmacologic or direct current cardioversion are issues that remain unresolved.
Something to prove: reputation in teams

Agents work for their own reputations when young but for their firms' when old. An individual with an established reputation cannot credibly commit to exerting effort when working alone. However, by hiring and working with juniors of uncertain reputation, seniors will have incentives to exert effort. Incentives for young agents arise from a concern for their own reputation (and the opportunity to take over the firm), whereas older agents work for the reputation of their firms (and the opportunity to sell out to juniors). Thus, the article explains the choice to work in teams. It also exemplifies how type uncertainty in reputation models may be endogenously and strategically introduced.
Rhodium and cobalt catalysis of the hydroformylation and hydrogenation of 1,1-diphenylethylene

Abstract Rhodium and cobalt catalyzed reactions of 1,1-diphenylethylene are compared under catalytic hydroformylation conditions (120–180°C, 1500–3000 psi H2/CO). With [RhCl(CO)2]2 an 85% yield of aldehyde (hydroformylation) and a 11% yield of 1,1-diphenylethane (hydrogenation) resulted. With cobalt on the other hand a maximum of 5% aldehyde and a 95% yield of hydrocarbon was obtained. The cobalt reaction is very likely free radical in nature while the rhodium reaction involves the conventional olefin insertion into a metal-hydride bond.
The Active Temperature, Ozone and Moisture Microwave Spectrometer (ATOMMS), a new global climate sensor

We are developing a new remote sensing system at the University of Arizona called the Active Temperature, Ozone and Moisture Microwave Spectrometer (ATOMMS). ATOMMS combines many of the best features of GPS Radio Occultation (RO) and the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) by actively probing cm to sub-mm wavelength atmospheric absorption features via satellite-to-satellite occultation. ATOMMS will provide an unprecedented combination of features for monitoring climate from orbit. With funding from NSF and aircraft time from NASA, we will demonstrate the ATOMMS concept via high altitude aircraft-to-aircraft occultations in 2011. Here we summarize the ATOMMS concept and demonstration project and provide early test results from the instrument indicative of ATOMMS capabilities and performance.
Flare heating and ionization of the low solar chromosphere. I - Inversion methods for Mg I 4571 and 5173

Various methods of inverting solar Mg I 4571 and 5173 spectral line observations are examined to find the best method of using these lines to calculate the vertical temperature and electron density structure around the temperature minimum region. Following a perturbation analysis by Mein (1971), a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind is obtained which can be inverted to yield these temperature and density structures as a function of time. Several inversion methods are tested and compared. The methods are used to test data as well as to a subset of observations of these absorption lines taken on February 3, 1986 before and during a solar flare. A small but significant increase is found in the temperature and a relatively large increase in the electron density during this flare. The observations are inconsistent with heating and ionization by an intense beam of electrons and with ionization by UV photoionization of Si I.
Fluorescence protease protection of GFP chimeras to reveal protein topology and subcellular localization

Understanding the cell biology of many proteins requires knowledge of their in vivo topological distribution. Here we describe a new fluorescence-based technique, fluorescence protease protection (FPP), for investigating the topology of proteins and for localizing protein subpopulations within the complex environment of the living cell. In the FPP assay, adapted from biochemical protease protection assays, GFP fusion proteins are used as noninvasive tools to obtain details of protein topology and localization within living cells in a rapid and straightforward manner. To demonstrate the broad applicability of FPP, we used the technique to define the topology of proteins localized to a wide range of organelles including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, peroxisomes and autophagosomes. The success of the FPP assay in characterizing the topology of the tested proteins within their appropriate compartments suggests this technique has wide applicability in studying protein topology and localization within the cell.
Multi-wheel drive vehicle energy/fuel efficiency and traction performance: Objective function analysis

Abstract This paper presents the results of a mathematical analysis, computational results, and experimental data related to the multi-wheel drive vehicle energy/fuel efficiency and vehicle tractive and velocity operational properties evaluation. Power distributions to the drive wheels provided by vehicle driveline systems are the major factors in pre-determining the vehicle energy/fuel efficiency. The objective function mathematical analysis has led to some important practical recommendations for designing better driveline systems. Generally, the maximum efficiency of a vehicle is provided by wheel power distributions that are under unequal slips of the vehicle tires. However, optimum driveline systems are expected to be designed in a way that leads to the same slips for all the tires. The mathematical analysis, computational results, and experimental data are presented in a combination with the results of a century-long scientific discussion on the problem under consideration. Details are in the paper.
New transport mechanisms for conducting polymers : the role of disorder

Abstract A unified view of the metallic state in polyaniline and heavily-doped polacetylene is presented. We first consider a single randomly-protonated strand of the emeraldine form of polyaniline. We show explicitly that the disorder inherent in this system is described by the random-dimer model of Dunlap, Wu and Phillips1. The random dimer model is simply a tight-binding model for a binary alloy in which pairs of lattice sites are assigned one of two values at random. The random dimer model is shown to possess a narrow band of conducting states that can ultimately lead to dramatic increases in the conductivity if the Fermi level is appropriately tuned. It is demonstrated explicitly that the location in the energy band of the conducting states of the random-dimer model for polyaniline coincides with recent calculations of the location of the Fermi level in the protonated form of the polymer2,3. We argue then that the random-dimer model is capable of explaining the insulator-metal transition in polyanili...
Protein Kinase A Does Not Alter Economy of Force Maintenance in Skinned Rat Cardiac Trabeculae

Recent mechanical, biochemical, and energetic experiments have suggested that catecholamines may increase the cycling rate of cross-bridges independent of changes inn intracellular calcium. An increased rate of cross-bridge cycling is expected to result in decreased economy of force maintenance. The present study tested this hypothesis directly by measuring the rate of ATP consumption in skinned cardiac trabeculae as a function of steady state force. Rat cardiac trabeculae were skinned with Triton X-100. Resting sarcomere length was measured by laser diffraction, and ATP consumption was assessed by an enzyme-coupled optical technique. Force-[Ca2+] relations were fit to a modified Hill equation. Force dependency of the rate of ATP consumption was analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. beta-Adrenergic stimulation was mimicked by incubation of the skinned muscle preparation with the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKA). Treatment with PKA (3 micrograms/mL, 40 minutes) induced a significant (65 +/- 23%, P = .01) increase in [Ca2+] required for half-maximal steady state force, whereas the steepness of the force-[Ca2+] relation was not affected. The rate of ATP consumption was linearly correlated with steady state force, regardless of PKA treatment status (P < .001). However, neither the slope nor the intercept was affected by PKA treatment. Hence, PKA treatment did not affect either the maximum rate of ATP consumption or the economy of force maintenance. These results suggest that beta-adrenergic stimulation does not alter the rate-limiting step of cross-bridge cycling during isometric contraction in myocardium.
Simulation level of detail for multiagent control

Many classes of applications require multiagent navigation control algorithms to specify the movements and actions of heterogeneous groups containing thousands of characters. The scale and complexity of these interacting character groups require navigation control algorithms that are both generalizable and specifically tuned to particular character platforms. We propose a technique called simulation level of detail (LOD) that provides a simulation-based interface between navigation control algorithms and the specific mobile characters on which they operate. A simulation LOD efficiently models a character's ability to move given its dynamic state and provides this simplified version of the character to navigation controllers for use in run-time search algorithms that compute locomotion actions. We develop our simulation LOD algorithms on groups of physically simulated human and alien bicyclists and demonstrate reusable controllers that provide improvements in path following and herding tasks.
Nitric oxide regulation of myocardial contractility and calcium cycling: Independent impact of neuronal and endothelial nitric oxide synthases

The mechanisms by which nitric oxide (NO) influences myocardial Ca2+ cycling remain controversial. Because NO synthases (NOS) have specific spatial localization in cardiac myocytes, we hypothesized that neuronal NOS (NOS1) found in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) preferentially regulates SR Ca2+ release and reuptake resulting in potentiation of the cardiac force-frequency response (FFR). Transesophageal pacing (660 to 840 bpm) in intact C57Bl/6 mice (WT) stimulated both contractility (dP/dtmax normalized to end-diastolic volume; dP/dt-EDV) by 51+/-5% (P<0.001) and lusitropy (tau; tau) by 20.3+/-2.0% (P<0.05). These responses were markedly attenuated in mice lacking NOS1 (NOS1-/-) (15+/-2% increase in dP/dt-EDV; P<0.001 versus WT; and no change in tau; P<0.01 versus WT). Isolated myocytes from NOS1-/- (approximately 2 months of age) also exhibited suppressed frequency-dependent sarcomere shortening and Ca2+ transients ([Ca2+]i) compared with WT. SR Ca2+ stores, a primary determinant of the FFR, increased at higher frequencies in WT (caffeine-induced [Ca2+]i at 4 Hz increased 107+/-23% above 1 Hz response) but not in NOS1-/- (13+/-26%; P<0.01 versus WT). In contrast, mice lacking NOS3 (NOS3-/-) had preserved FFR in vivo, as well as in isolated myocytes with parallel increases in sarcomere shortening, [Ca2+]i, and SR Ca2+ stores. NOS1-/- had increased SR Ca2+ ATPase and decreased phospholamban protein abundance, suggesting compensatory increases in SR reuptake mechanisms. Together these data demonstrate that NOS1 selectively regulates the cardiac FFR via influences over SR Ca2+ cycling. Thus, there is NOS isoform-specific regulation of different facets of rate-dependent excitation-contraction coupling; inactivation of NOS1 has the potential to contribute to the pathophysiology of states characterized by diminished frequency-dependent inotropic responses.
Synthesis of feedback control logic for a class of controlled Petri nets

An efficient solution is developed for a class of forbidden state problems for discrete event systems (DESs). DESs are considered which can be modeled as cyclic controlled marked graphs (CMGs), a special class of controlled Petri nets (CPNs). The distributed representation of the DES state in terms of the CMG marking permits an efficient specification of the forbidden states in terms of individual place markings. More important, it is shown that the graphical representations of the state transition logic in a CMG can be used to synthesize state feedback logic which is maximally permissive while guaranteeing the forbidden states will not occur. The practical application of the theoretical results is illustrated for an example of automated guided vehicle (AGV) coordination in a flexible manufacturing facility. >
Neutral proteinase activity in skeletal muscle from thermally injured rats

Male Sprague-Dawley rats that received 60% total body surface, full-thickness, scald burns on the dorsum and abdomen were used in this study. Neutral proteinase and Ca2+-activated neutral proteinase activities were measured in gastrocnemius and soleus muscles at 3 and 21 days after the thermal injury. Neutral proteinase activity decreased significantly in the soleus (50%) and gastrocnemius (46%) muscles on the third postburn day. Ca2+-activated neutral proteinase was unchanged at this time. Neutral proteinase and Ca2+-activated neutral proteinase activities were unaltered at 21 days postinjury. These results may reflect a protein-sparing effect on the third postburn day which could be an early intracellular change prior to an increase in selected enzyme proteins during the hypermetabolic phase after thermal injury.
Low-latency, concurrent checkpointing for parallel programs

Presents the results of an implementation of several algorithms for checkpointing and restarting parallel programs on shared-memory multiprocessors. The algorithms are compared according to the metrics of overall checkpointing time, overhead imposed by the checkpointer on the target program, and amount of time during which the checkpointer interrupts the target program. The best algorithm measured achieves its efficiency through a variation of copy-on-write, which allows the most time-consuming operations of the checkpoint to be overlapped with the running of the program being checkpointed. >
Production and characterization of a monoclonal antibody to dog hepatic lipase

Abstract Partially purified dog hepatic lipase was used as antigen to produce monoclonal antibodies in mice. In addition to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a reliable and efficient procedure for screening antibodies reacting to hepatic lipase has been developed. A method to distinguish antibodies directing to active site or non-active site epitopes has also been described. We obtained three positive clones that survived after subcloning and expansion. All three monoclonal antibodies possess gamma one (γ 1 ) heavy chains and kappa (κ) light chains. Specificity of monoclonal antibody LDHL No. 537 to dog hepatic lipase was demonstrated by passing post-heparin plasma through its immunoaffinity column. Only dog hepatic lipase was removed by LDHL No. 537 from post-heparin plasma. The immunoaffinity chromatography also demonstrated the co-existence of three enzyme activities (mono- and triacylglycerol lipase and phospholipase A 1 ) on the dog hepatic lipase molecule. The subunit weight of dog hepatic lipase has been estimated at 57500 ± 600 ( n = 3) by using immunoaffinity chromatography and the combination of immunoprecipitation and autoradiography methods.
Modeling direct effects of neural current on MRI

We investigate the effect of the magnetic field generated by neural activity on the magnitude and phase of the MRI signal in terms of a phenomenological parameter with the dimensions of length; it involves the product of the strength and duration of these currents. We obtain an analytic approximation to the MRI signal when the neuromagnetically induced phase is small inside the MRI voxel. The phase shift is the average of the MRI phase over the voxel, and therefore first order in that phase; and the reduction in the signal magnitude is one half the square of the standard deviation of the MRI phase, which is second order. The analytic approximation is compared with numerical simulations. For weak currents the agreement is excellent, and the magnitude change is generally much smaller than the phase shift. Using MEG data as a weak constraint on the current strength we find that for a net dipole moment of 10 nAm, a typical value for an evoked response, the reduction in the magnitude of the MRI signal is two parts in 105, and the maximum value of the overall phase shift is , obtained when the MRI voxel is displaced 2/3 the size of the neuronal activity. We also show signal changes over a large range of values of the net dipole moment. We compare these results with others in the literature. Our model overestimates the effect on the MRI signal. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.