cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Substrate, product, and cofactor: The extraordinarily flexible relationship between the CDE superfamily and heme

Abstract PFam Clan 0032, also known as the CDE superfamily, is a diverse group of at least 20 protein families sharing a common α,β-barrel domain. Of these, six different groups bind heme inside the barrel’s interior, using it alternately as a cofactor, substrate, or product. Focusing on these six, an integrated picture of structure, sequence, taxonomy, and mechanism is presented here, detailing how a single structural motif might be able to mediate such an array of functions with one of nature’s most important small molecules.
Global environmental report card

Worldwatch Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, issued a gloomy yet hopeful annual “State of the World” report on global environmental trends on 10 January. The report notes some recent successful efforts to protect the environment, including the phasing out of the production of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and the 2001 signing of the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Nonetheless, the report calls for a global war on environmental degradation “that is as aggressive and well-funded as the war on terrorism” following the 11 September terrorist attacks in the United States.
Using “Ready-to-Go” Assessment Tools to Create a Year Long Assessment Portfolio and Improve Instruction

ABSTRACT Using “ready-to-go” assessment tools to gauge student learning outcomes makes practicing assessment a whole lot easier and less daunting. This article offers one librarian'sexperience using four pre-constructed assessment tools in 80% of all the classes taught during one academic year. The four assessment tools are included in this paper with instructions for use and hints to maximize utility. Discussion includes one element of data from each assessment tool that meaningfully provided feedback about successes or indicated areas in need of improvement. At the end of the pilot project, an assessment portfolio composed of synthesized evaluations was organized into a notebook binder.
Negotiating Constraints to Women's Physical Recreation

Abstract The purpose of this project was to examine how constraints to women's participation in physical recreation were negotiated. Physical recreation was defined as freely chosen, enjoyable experiences which involved gross body movement and were described as sport, exercise, fitness, dance, or outdoor activities. By using two sets of qualitative data that addressed adult female participation and nonparticipation in physical recreation activities, typologies emerged concerning the ways constraints were negotiated: achievers, attempters, compromisers, dabblers, and quitters/defaulters. These typologies were depicted in a model that showed how women responded to their constraints, their resistance to constraints, and the perceived benefits versus costs that were associated with physical recreation participation. The results have implications for examining trends in the negotiation of physical recreation for further understanding the leisure and sport behavior of women.
Determinants of Influence in Organizational Buying: A Contingency Approach:

The author investigates factors that affect an individual's influence in a buying center. A field investigation of 251 organizational purchase decisions suggests that expert power is the most impor...
Relativistic Wave Functions in the Continuous Spectrum for the Coulomb Field

For purposes of reference the continuous spectrum solutions of the Dirac wave equation for the Coulomb field are given. The solutions in the form of series and integral representations and the asymptotic behavior at large distances are included among the formulae.
The Bishops' Wars: Charles I's Campaigns against Scotland, 1638-1640

King Charles I twice mobilised England in an attempt to enforce religious uniformity in Scotland, and both times he failed. The result was the resurgence of Parliament as partner in the government of the realm. The Bishops' Wars is an essay in military history in a political context, which analyses the institutions of war, its financing, and above all the recruitment of forces. The main purpose of the book is to explain why the King could not and did not reduce Scotland by force. Its significance lies in that it demonstrates how the military failures of 1639 and 1640 were determined by Charles's hand. Moreover, it seeks to show how poor strategic and tactical operations, coupled with the political controversy surrounding the war, plagued the English army. In the final measure, it is concluded that the King must bear responsibility for defeat at the hands of the Scots.
Study of nutritional defects of a nonfat milk solids and glucose diet for young calves.

Abstract Very young calves fed a diet consisting of nonfat milk solids and glucose developed a characteristic syndrome including signs similar to those reported with deficiencies of thiamine, biotin, and magnesium. Supplementation with a B-vitamin mixture including high levels of thiamine and biotin or with magnesium did not prevent the problem, but a combination of these two regimes appeared to impart considerable protection. It was suggested that the dietary defect was a complicated one and may involve a general electrolyte imbalance.
Annual variation in fat storage by a migrant warbler overwintering in the Indian tropics

1. We studied fat storage in a population of greenish leaf warblers (Phylloscopus trochiloides) in southern India over four winters (1993–97). This species breeds in temperate regions and overwinters in India from October to April. 2. Diurnal variation in fat scores was comparable to that seen among temperate wintering passerines. Seasonal variation was slight, except for premigratory fattening. There was significant annual variation: in drier winters, which were also winters of low food supplies, fat scores were higher. 3. Energy metabolized overnight is unlikely to vary across winters, and annual variation in fat scores is considered a response to uncertainty of food intake on a given day. Fat scores varied inversely with short-term rainfall, which drives the abundance of arthropod prey. 4. Annual variation in fat scores was not accompanied by changes in total body mass. This suggests that protein reserves were being compromised by increased fat deposition in dry years and offers an explanation for the observed delay in moult during drier winters. These results suggest that strategies for maximizing short-term probability of survival translate into future fitness costs, and may shape long-term life-history strategies through simple physiological processes.
Mean position tracking of respiratory motion.

Modeling and predicting tumor motion caused by respiration is challenging due to temporal variations in breathing patterns. Treatment approaches such as gating or adaptive bed adjustment/alignment may not require full knowledge of instantaneous position, but might benefit from tracking the general trend of the motion. One simple method for tracking mean tumor position is to apply moving average filters with window sizes corresponding to the breathing periods. Yet respiratory motion is only semiperiodic, so such methods require reliable phase estimation, which is difficult in the presence of noise. This article describes a robust method to track the mean position of respiratory motion without explicitly estimating instantaneous phase. We form a state vector from the respiration signal values at the current instant and at a previous time, and fit an ellipse model to training data. Ellipse eccentricity and orientation potentially capture hysteresis in respiratory motion. Furthermore, we provide two recursive online algorithms for real time mean position tracking: a windowed version with an adaptive window size and another one with temporal discounting. We test the proposed method with simulated breathing traces, as well as with real time-displacement (RPM, Varian) signals. Estimation traces are compared with retrospectively generated moving average results to illustrate the performance of the proposed approach.
Micromechanics of shelf‐aged and retrieved UHMWPE tibial inserts: Indentation testing, oxidative profiling, and thickness effects

Understanding the surface micromechanical properties of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) may allow for improvement in its wear characteristics. Microtomed sections of two UHMWPE tibial bearings, one that had been irradiation sterilized and shelf-aged, and the other irradiation sterilized and used in a patient, were subjected to depth sensing indentation testing. The microtomed sections exhibited a white band in the subsurface region that is characteristic of oxidation, and the indentation testing, followed by FTIR analysis at the same testing locations, was performed across this region and into the bulk of the material. Indentation testing yielded data leading to hardness, modulus, and energy dissipation factor (EDF). FTIR profiling generated information about oxidation; oxidation indices were calculated by taking a ratio of peak heights at 1716 cm−1 (ketone) to 2022 cm−1 (methylene). The mechanical properties showed a strong linear correlation with oxidation index above a minimum thickness. Modulus, hardness, and EDF all increased with increasing oxidation. The appropriate thickness-to-indentation-depth ratio was determined by two methods and was found to be approximately 20:1. The mechanical properties through the oxidized region were seen to vary with depth into the sample in a profile similar to the oxidation profile. The differing aging environments of the tibial bearings are hypothesized to have had an effect on both the mechanical and oxidation profiles. The retrieved bearing exhibited a narrower oxidation profile with peaks closer to the surface, and oxidation indices of lower magnitude. The mechanical properties proved similar, with less intense and narrower readings for the retrieved sample. This research is consistent with much of the literature. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2005
Prediction of methyl viologen redox states for biological applications

Abstract Methyl viologen (MV) is an electron mediator that has been shown to be beneficial for enhancing product formation in biofuel processes. For example, increased yields have been observed for ethanol and butanol production. MV has also been used in bioremediation processes such as removal of pollutants from groundwater. However, MV has also been shown to have detrimental effects including inhibition of cell growth. Unfortunately, studies have shown little information regarding the MV redox state. A thermodynamic model is presented and validated in order to predict the most likely redox state of MV depending on the redox potential, pH, and degree of MV dimerization. Model results showed that there are narrow potential ranges in which MV can change from one redox state to another. During fermentation processes in which the potential is in these narrow ranges, slight perturbations in the redox potentials can drastically change the redox state of MV. This may explain the observed variations in the positive and negative effects of MV. Thus, caution should be used when applying MV to any biological system. If needed, an electrode system may prove useful for controlling the redox potential and the associated MV redox state.
THE FACTORY OF THE FUTURE: WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE?

Nearly everyone in the factory labor force—as well as those in management—will be in for changes. While some of the changes will be painful, it seems likely that factory automation will have a relatively favorable impact on jobs.
Hepatotoxicity and renal toxicity in rats of corn samples associated with field cases of equine leukoencephalomalacia

Currently there is no convenient bioassay to determine the potential toxicity of corn naturally contaminated with Fusarium moniliforme. A short-term bioassay would be useful for future investigations aimed at isolating as yet unidentified toxins produced by this fungus. Two groups of five male Sprague-Dawley rats were each fed one of two F. moniliforme contaminated corn samples, designated CS-1 and CS-2, that were associated with separate field cases of equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM). A control group, also consisting of five male rats, was fed uncontaminated seed corn. All animals survived to the end of the study and there were no apparent differences in appearance or behaviour among groups. Weight loss and irregular food consumption occurred in all groups and probably resulted from nutritional deficiencies inherent in the corn diets. Hepatocellular degeneration, necrosis and hyperplasia as well as biliary hyperplasia were found in the test groups only and were attributed to F. moniliforme. Serum transaminase and alkaline phosphatase activities in animals fed CS-1 and CS-2 for 4 wk were significantly increased compared with the controls, while serum bilirubin concentration was increased only in the CS-1 group. Tubular nephrosis was also present in the renal cortex of all animals fed CS-1 and CS-2. These effects may have been related to fumonisins B1 and B2, recently discovered metabolites of F. moniliforme, that were found in both CS-1 and CS-2. Short-term studies of this type may be useful in screening naturally-contaminated grains and other materials for hepatotoxic metabolites produced by F. moniliforme.
Elbow helical axes of motion are not the same in physiologic and kinetic joint simulators.

Physiologic and kinetic joint simulators have been widely used for investigations of joint mechanics. The two types of simulator differ in the way joint motion is achieved; through prescribed motions and/or forces in kinetic joint simulators and by tendon loads in physiologic joint simulators. These two testing modalities have produced important insights, as in elucidating the importance of soft tissue structures to joint stability. However, the equivalence of the modalities has not been tested. This study sequentially tested five cadaveric elbows using both a physiologic simulator and a robot/6DOF system. Using position data from markers on the humerus and ulna, we calculated and compared the helical axes of motion of the specimens as the elbows were flexed from full extension. Six step size increments were used in the helical axis calculation. Marker position data at each test's full extension and full flexion point were also used to calculate a datum (overall) helical axis. The angles between the datum axis and step-wise movements were computed and stored. Increasing step size monotonically decreased the variability and the average conical angle encompassing the helical axes; a repeated measures ANOVA using test type (robot or physiologic simulator) and step size found that both type and step caused statistically significant differences (p<0.001). The large changes in helical axis angle observed for small changes in elbow flexion angle, especially in the robot tests, are a caveat for investigators using similar control algorithms. Controllers may need to include increased joint compliance and/or C1 continuity to reduce variability.
A fast hierarchical algorithm for 3-D capacitance extraction

We present a new algorithm for computing the capacitance of three-dimensional perfect electrical conductors of complex structures. The new algorithm is significantly faster and uses much less memory than previous best algorithms, and is kernel independent. The new algorithm is based on a hierarchical algorithm for the n-body problem, and is an acceleration of the boundary element method for solving the integral equation associated with the capacitance extraction problem. The algorithm first adaptively subdivides the conductor surfaces into panels according to an estimation of the potential coefficients and a user-supplied error bound. The algorithm stores the potential coefficient matrix in a hierarchical data structure of size O(n), although the matrix is size n/sup 2/ if expanded explicitly, where n is the number of panels. The hierarchical data structure allows us to multiply the coefficient matrix with any vector in O(n) time. Finally, we use a generalized minimal residual algorithm to solve m linear systems each of size n/spl times/n in O(mn) time, where m is the number of conductors. The new algorithm is implemented and the performance is compared with previous best algorithms. For the k/spl times/k bus example, our algorithm is 100 to 40 times faster than FastCap, and uses 1/100 to 1/60 of the memory used by FastCap. The results computed by the new algorithm are within 2.7% from that computed by FastCap.
Using Laryngeal Electromyography to Differentiate Presbylarynges From Paresis

Purpose Differential diagnosis of patients over 64 years of age reporting hoarseness is challenging. Laryngeal electromyography (LEMG) was used to determine the status of the recurrent and superior...
Formal specification of a look manager

A formal specification of the look manager of a dialog system is presented. The look manager deals with the presentation of visual aspects of objects and the editing of those visual aspects. A formal model for specifying the look of objects based on the notion of texturing objects is presented. The texturing model is built from the observed real-life use of overlays of slides. The specification takes as a given hypothesis an invariant relation between the logical display of objects and their layout on the physical screen. The look on the screen is characterized as an invariant ideal show relation. The formalization achieves modularity for the look manager. The specifications are written using the Z notation. The experiment is an integral part of a larger effort in the formal design of a dialog system. It shows that the state-based specification methodology Z is very well suited for description of graphical interface software. Further, the formal specification yields insight into the inherent complexity of building graphical interfaces and their associated displays. >
Approximate mode filtering

Normal modes, the eigenfunctions of the ocean waveguide, are useful in matched field processing and acoustic tomography applications. Mode filter design typically requires exact knowledge of the ocean environment, i.e., the sound speed profile. This paper describes a technique for designing mode filters using modeshapes derived from a uniform WKB-like approximation. The errors introduced by using the approximate modeshapes are analyzed.
A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay specific for Streptococcus suis based on the gene encoding the glutamate dehydrogenase

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers that flank a 688-bp segment within the glutamate dehydrogenase gene (gdh) of Streptococcus suis type 2 could amplify efficiently the DNA of all 306 (100%) clinical S. suis isolates tested (pigs, n=305; human, n=1) encompassing all serotypes obtained from diverse organs, and geographic origins. When DNA from other bacteria were used as templates for amplification, no product was detected indicating specificity of the primers. Multiplex PCR was developed using the gdh gene primer pair and primers that targeted the gene encoding S. suis capsular biosynthesis (cps). This strategy enabled the detection of strains belonging to serotypes 1/2, 1, 2, 7, and 9, respectively. Using the multiplex-PCR technique, 12 out of 14 (86%) isolates that were previously identified as non-typable S. suis (based on biochemical reactions and serology) gave positive PCR results of which four were positive for serotype 7, three for serotype 2, and five for S. suis strains that belong to other serotypes. Retest results of all 14 isolates by several veterinary laboratories were identical with PCR and confirmed that the two non-PCR reactive isolates belonged to strains of other streptococcal species. These results indicated that PCR improved species determination and can thus be used as a reliable species-specific molecular diagnostic reagent for the accurate identification of S. suis isolates and a serotype-specific method for the detection of strains of serotypes 1/2, 1, 2, 7, and 9, respectively. The PCR method therefore has potential clinical and epidemiological applications.
Determinants of state diesel fuel excise tax rates: the political economy of fuel taxation in the United States

Ever-escalating gasoline and diesel fuel prices in the United States (US) are prompting some states to temporarily suspend the collections of gasoline, and in fewer instances, diesel fuel, taxes. The focus of this paper is on the determinants of US state excise taxes levied specifically on diesel fuel. Among other things, we find the freight trucking industry’s contribution to total state employment is a highly significant determinant of a state’s diesel tax rate, consistently suggesting that the greater this contribution, the lower the tax rate, ceteris paribus. We find little evidence that the degree of freight transportation usage on state highways impacts diesel tax rates. These two findings taken together suggest that state legislators, when determining the diesel tax rate, exhibit behavior consistent with Stigler’s (Bell J Econ Manag Sci 2: 3–21, 1971) economic or positive theory of regulation. Moreover, state law makers appear less concerned over the impact that heavy freight transportation has on highway infrastructure, which appears to be at odds with the public interest or normative theory of regulation as articulated by Posner (Bell J Econ Manag Sci 4: 335–358, 1974).
Genetic Dissection of the Host Tropism of Human-Tropic Pathogens

Infectious diseases are the second leading cause of death worldwide. Although the host multitropism of some pathogens has rendered their manipulation possible in animal models, the human-restricted tropism of numerous viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites has seriously hampered our understanding of these pathogens. Hence, uncovering the genetic basis underlying the narrow tropism of such pathogens is critical for understanding their mechanisms of infection and pathogenesis. Moreover, such genetic dissection is essential for the generation of permissive animal models that can serve as critical tools for the development of therapeutics or vaccines against challenging human pathogens. In this review, we describe different experimental approaches utilized to uncover the genetic foundation regulating pathogen host tropism as well as their relevance for studying the tropism of several important human pathogens. Finally, we discuss the current and future uses of this knowledge for generating genetically modified animal models permissive for these pathogens.
Evaluation of Simulated Clinical Breast Exam Motion Patterns Using Marker-Less Video Tracking.

Objective:This study investigates using marker-less video tracking to evaluate hands-on clinical skills during simulated clinical breast examinations (CBEs).Background:There are currently no standa...
Environment and longevity: emergence without interaction, multiple steady states and stochastic clocks

Because they are non-linear, biological systems are often characterized by emergent properties, multiple steady states, and thresholds. These are now well understood and appreciated in ecology; they are also important components for understanding life span, at both the level of the population and the level of the individual, and allow novel insights into the biology of ageing and longevity. The deceleration of mortality rate at later ages can be understood as an emergent property, in the sense of a macroscopic phenomenon (population mortality rate) arising (in this case, without interaction) from different microscopic ones (individual mortality). Models of individual ageing based on the autocatalysis and inhibition of replicating units lead to multiple stable steady states separated by thresholds. These systems respond to environmental challenges and this response leads to individual ontogeny of ageing; the environment thus sets a stochastic clock. Recognition of the implicit non-linearity of biological systems will be essential for advances in the theoretical formulation of life span and ageing.
PATHOLOGICAL PERSONALITY TRAITS AND THE NATURALISTIC COURSE OF INTERNALIZING DISORDERS AMONG HIGH-RISK YOUNG ADULTS.

Background A personality disorder diagnosis signals a negative prognosis for depressive and anxiety disorders, but the precise abnormal personality traits that determine the temporal course of internalizing psychopathology are unknown. In the present study, we examined prospective associations between abnormal personality traits and the onset and recurrence of internalizing disorders. Methods A sample of 371 young adults at high risk for internalizing problems completed the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality-Second Edition—a measure of 12 abnormal personality traits and three temperament dimensions (i.e., Negative Temperament, Positive Temperament, Disinhibition vs. Control)—and underwent annual diagnostic interviews over 4 years of follow-up. Results In multivariate survival analyses, Negative Temperament was a robust predictor of both new onsets and recurrences of internalizing disorder. Further, the Dependency and Self-Harm abnormal personality dimensions emerged as independent predictors of new onsets and recurrences, respectively, of internalizing disorders after statistically adjusting for variation in temperament. Conclusions Our findings suggest that abnormal personality traits and temperament dimensions have complementary effects on the trajectory of internalizing pathology during young adulthood. In assessment and treatment settings, targeting the abnormal personality and temperament dimensions with the greatest prognostic value stands to improve the early detection of enduring internalizing psychopathology.
A fast-acting reagent for accurate analysis of RNA secondary and tertiary structure by SHAPE chemistry.

Selective 2‘-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE) chemistry allows local nucleotide flexibility to be quantitatively assessed at single nucleotide resolution in any RNA. SHAPE chemistry exploits structure-based gating of the nucleophilic reactivity of the ribose 2‘-hydroxyl group by the extent to which a nucleotide is constrained or flexible. SHAPE chemistry was developed using N-methylisatoic anhydride (NMIA), which is only moderately electrophilic and requires tens of minutes to form ribose 2‘-O-adducts. Here, we design and evaluate a significantly more useful, fast-acting, reagent for SHAPE chemistry. Introduction of a nitro group para to the reactive carbonyl to form 1-methyl-7-nitroisatoic anhydride (1M7) yields a reagent that both reacts significantly more rapidly with RNA to form 2‘-O-adducts and is also more labile toward advantageous, self-limiting, hydrolysis. With 1M7, the single nucleotide resolution interrogation of the RNA structure is complete in 70 s. SHAPE analysis perf...
Therapeutic options for chronic hand dermatitis.

ABSTRACT: Hand dermatitis is a common skin condition that often has a chronic and/or relapsing clinical course. Several clinical forms of hand dermatitis have been described, including contact (i.e., allergic and irritant), hyperkeratotic (i.e., psoriasiform or tylotic), frictional, nummular, atopic, pompholyx (i.e., dyshidrosis), and chronic vesicular hand dermatitis. In the present review, therapeutic options for these types of hand dermatitis are discussed in detail, focusing on treatments for recalcitrant hand dermatitis.
Sonoelastographic characteristics of abscess induration associated with therapy failure.

OBJECTIVES Sonoelastography can visualize components of skin and soft tissue abscesses, including the abscess cavity and surrounding induration, related to the patient's response to the infection. We speculate that characteristics of the induration surrounding an abscess may predict which abscesses will eventually fail therapy. METHODS We conducted a prospective trial of patients with a suspected skin abscess requiring surgical drainage who were enrolled from the emergency department of an urban tertiary care center. In this pilot study, all patients underwent incision and drainage for the suspected abscesses. Abscesses (n = 56) were imaged in orthogonal planes (long-axis and transverse to the body part) using B-mode sonography and elastography before incision and drainage. Telephone follow-up using a standardized questionnaire was performed 7 to 10 days after the initial drainage procedure to determine therapy failure. Physicians blinded to patient outcome analyzed the sonograms for predetermined image characteristics of the abscess induration. RESULTS All patients underwent incision and drainage, but 16.1% of patients failed therapy. Asymmetry of the surrounding induration was associated with therapy failure. A higher percentage of patients who failed therapy had asymmetry (66%; 95% confidence interval, 35.1%-88.3%) versus those who were successfully treated (12.8%; 95% confidence interval, 5.6%-25.6%; P = .003). In all patients, the mean volumes ± SD of the abscess cavity and induration were 2.2 ± 3.7 and 19.9 ± 24.7 cm, respectively, with a mean volume ratio (induration to abscess cavity) of 31.9 to 1. CONCLUSIONS We describe sonographic characteristics of the abscess induration imaged with sonoelastography that are associated with therapy failure. We found that patients with asymmetric induration visualized with sonoelastography have higher rates of therapy failure.
Active Q switching of a fiber laser with a microsphere resonator

We propose and demonstrate an active Q-switched fiber laser using a high-Q microsphere resonator as the Q-switching element. The laser cavity consists of an Er-doped fiber as the gain medium, a glass microsphere reflector (coupled through a fiber taper) at one end of the cavity, and a fiber Bragg grating reflector at the other end. The reflectivity of the microsphere is modulated by changing the gap between the microsphere and the fiber taper. Active Q switching is realized by oscillating the microsphere in and out of contact with the taper. Using this novel technique, we have obtained giant pulses (maximum peak power ∼102W, duration ∼160ns) at a low pump-power threshold (∼3mW).
Role of Hope in Predicting Anxiety about Statistics.

Hope is defined as a cognitive set which consists of level of goal-directed determination (agency) and propensity to plan ways to achieve goals (pathways). This study investigated whether hope was ...
Microscopic simulations and nonlinear control of dissipative distributed processes

A nonlinear continuous-time feedback controller design methodology is developed for distributed processes, whose dynamic behavior can be described by microscopic evolution rules. Employing the micro-Galerkin method to bridge the gap between the microscopic-level evolution rules and the "coarse" process behavior, "coarse" process steady states are estimated and nonlinear process models are identified off-line through the solution of a series of nonlinear programs. Subsequently, nonlinear output feedback controllers are designed, on the basis of the identified process model that enforce stability in the closed-loop system. The method is used to control a system of coupled nonlinear one-dimensional PDEs (the FitzHugh-Nagumo equations), widely used to describe the formation of patterns in reacting and biological systems. Employing kinetic theory based microscopic realizations of the process, the method is used to design output feedback controllers that stabilize the FHN at an unstable, nonuniform in space, steady state.
Multiple-beam interference in a spiral phase plate

Optical transmission through a spiral phase plate is analyzed by treating the device as a Fabry–Perot etalon with an azimuthally varying thickness. The transmitted beam is calculated to contain a coherent superposition of optical vortices with different winding numbers. This yields an intensity profile with a periodic modulation as a function of azimuthal angle where the orientation rotates as a function of the laser frequency. These effects are quantified experimentally and theoretically.
Active calcium transport in frog skin: stimulation by cyclic AMP.

Cytosolic calcium activity is regulated at extremely low levels (10−7M). This is accomplished in part by maintenance of a balance between calcium entry and exit via Ca-Mg-ATPase activity and Na/Ca exchange as defined in red cells and excitable tissue.1 The distal nephron, in addition to maintaining cytosolic calcium activity must simultaneously regulate transepithelial calcium transport under the influence of parathyroid hormone and cyclic AMP.2 Little is known at present about cellular mechanisms which regulate this transport and the relationship of this process to cytosolic calcium regulation. In this report, we present preliminary data demonstrating CAMP sensitive active transepithelial calcium transport in frog skin.
Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of the Plastic BioSand Water Filter in Cambodia

About half of the rural population of Cambodia lacks access to improved water; an even higher percentage lacks access to latrines. More than 35,000 concrete BioSand Water filters (BSF) have been installed in the country. However, the concrete BSF takes time to produce and weighs hundreds of pounds. A plastic BSF has been developed but may not perform to the same benchmarks established by its predecessor. To evaluate plastic BSF performance and health impact, we performed a cluster randomized controlled trial in 13 communities including 189 households and 1147 participants in the Angk Snoul district of Kandal Province from May to December 2008. The results suggest that villages with plastic BSFs had significantly lower concentrations of E. coli in drinking water and lower diarrheal disease (incidence rate ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval: 0.24–0.69) compared to control villages. As one of the first studies on the plastic BSF in Cambodia, these are important findings, especially in a setting where the co...
Theoretical Analyses of Spin Exchange Interactions in Extended Magnetic Solids Containing Several Unpaired Spins per Spin Site

For extended magnetic solids containing several unpaired spins per spin site, we reviewed briefly recent progress in quantitative and qualitative methods of describing their spin exchange interactions on the basis of electronic structure calculations for their spin dimers.
Electrochemical Studies of Boron-doped Diamond Electrodes

The evolution of hydrogen and oxygen from a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution on heavily boron- doped diamond electrodes was studied. A very wide potential range without water decomposition, from approximately -1.5 to +2.75 V relative to the standard hydrogen electrode, was observed on high quality diamond. A much smaller range, from -0.7 to 1.7 V, and higher background currents were observed on diamond electrodes with significant sp2 content. The Ce(III)/Ce(IV) redox couple was observable on diamond electrodes, but was highly irreversible.
Singularities and Plane Maps

A bit of experimenting will show that there are other possibilities; point d in Figure 1 is a new type, for instance. Further experimenting, however, leads to the conclusion that arbitrarily small alterations in the position of the fabric can eliminate any points not of the first three types. The new shape at d disappears, for example, as soon as the bottom fold is pulled to the right by any amount whatsoever (Figure 2).
Comment on “Single-point kinetic energy density functionals: A pointwise kinetic energy density analysis and numerical convergence investigation”

We suggest a more nuanced view of the merit and utility of generalized gradient approximations (GGAs) for the noninteracting kinetic energy (KE) than the critique of Xia and Carter (XC) [Phys. Rev. B 91, 045124 (2015)]. Specifically, the multiple valuedness of the Pauli term enhancement factor (denoted $G[n]$ by XC) with respect to the inhomogeneity variable $s$ can be excluded by enforcement of a bound on the Kohn-Sham KE to achieve universality of the functional along with enforcement of proper large-$s$ behavior. This is physically sensible in that the excluded $G$ values occur for $s$ values that correspond to low densities. The behavior is exacerbated by peculiarities of pseudodensities. The VT84F KE GGA, constructed with these constraints, does not have the numerical instability in our older PBE2 functional analyzed by XC.
On the Peaceful Development of China and the Five Principles for Peaceful Co-existence

The peaceful development of China refers to 1) under the peaceful international condition only can China develop.2) China's peaceful development benefits maintaining the world peace.The five principles for peaceful co-existence create the peaceful international condition for the peaceful development of China.China's peaceful development has laid the solid material foundation for the implementation of the five principles for peaceful co-existence.
Instructo-soar: learning from interactive natural language instructions

Despite its ubiquity in human 1bW1 1 fiapning, very little work has been done in artificial intellig pence on lea rning from natural language instructions. In this video, we present a system, Instructo-Soar, that can both behave and learn from natural language instructions. The system is described in papers elsewhere [Huffman and Laird, 1993a; Huffman and Laird, 1993b]. The type of instruction we particularly address is situated, interactive instruction. Situated means that the student is within the task domain, attempting to perform tasks, when instruction is given. Interactive means that the student can request instruction as needed. Instructo-Soar can learn completely new procedures from sequences of interactive instruction, and can also learn how to extend its knowledge of previously known procedures to new situations. The video demonstrates .* a. . . . . 1 .A., . -1 its applicatron in a simple robotic aomam. 1 ne system starts with a small set of primitive operators. Given instructions in the form of imperative natural language sentences, it is able to learn a hierarchy of complex operators. An example instruction scenario is shown in Figure 1. Learning procedures from instructions involves more than simply memorization of instruction sequences. Acquiring a new procedure involves learning both the procedure’s goal concept, and a general implementation for the procedure. The instructed agent can learn the goal concept of a
Don't Box Me In: Rubrics for Àrtists and Designers

Two faculty developers at a professional art and design university were met with uneasy faculty attitudes toward grading when they opened their CTL 13 years ago. Conversations revealed that the faculty artists and designers suspected that grading would somehow shatter the fragile muse of creativity, which is so central to the processes of producing art and design. The developers' quest for transparent, consistent grading, and assessment practices resulted in an approach to rubric creation that taps into artists' reverence for the critique. This narrative account reveals how the approach allowed an interactive introduction of rubrics as teaching tools, ensured their use was rooted in the familiar pedagogy of art critique, and treated rubric assessment as an integral component of the teaching and learning process. The narrative culminates in the presentation of data that confirms the value of high-quality rubrics to the teaching and learning of art and design, and it specifically confirms that such rubrics rarely squelch creativity. The approach and research can inform assessment—and teaching—practice for teaching artists or educators in other creativity-driven fields.
State of the Art Assessment of NDE Techniques for Aging Cable Management in Nuclear Power Plants FY2015

This milestone report presents an update on the state-of-the-art review and research being conducted to identify key indicators of in-containment cable aging at nuclear power plants (NPPs), and devise in-situ measurement techniques that are sensitive to these key indicators. The motivation for this study stems from the need to address open questions related to nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of aging cables for degradation detection and estimation of condition-based remaining service life. These questions arise within the context of a second round of license extension for NPPs that would extend the operating license to 60 and 80 years. Within the introduction, a review of recently published U.S. and international research and guidance for cable aging management programs including NDE technologies is provided. As with any “state-of-the-art” report, the observations are deemed accurate as of the publication date but cannot anticipate evolution of the technology. Moreover, readers are advised that research and development of cable NDE technology is an ongoing issue of global concern.
Antihypertensives and Cardiovascular Medications

The use of antihypertensive drugs in the elderly population places patients at an increased risk of adverse drug events in both the inpatient and outpatient setting. The setting of appropriate blood pressure goals and using antihypertensive medications is complex and no consensus exists. Hypertension treatment goals need to be individualized. Well-known trials have described the risks of falls and fall-related injuries in older adults taking antihypertensive medications. The results from these studies may not be directly applicable to the population of frail older patients. In three meta-analyses conducted in 1999, 2009, and 2013, there was no clear statistically significant evidence indicating that antihypertensive medications increase the risk of falls, but the clinician still needs to be aware of the impact of drug therapies and fall-related injuries. Although the adverse relationship between cardiovascular medications and falls and fall-related injuries in older adults is supported by high-quality and well-conducted observational studies, only thiazide diuretics have been singled out. The safe and effective use of cardiovascular medications in physically frail older patients requires deliberate and thoughtful considerations. Managing polypharmacy, performing medication reconciliation and review, and employing deprescribing strategies will result in an appropriate cardiovascular medication regimen while minimizing adverse effects and reducing the risk for falls in older patients.
Contributions of low- and high-level properties to neural processing of visual scenes in the human brain

Visual scene analysis in humans has been characterized by the presence of regions in extrastriate cortex that are selectively responsive to scenes compared with objects or faces. While these regions have often been interpreted as representing high-level properties of scenes (e.g. category), they also exhibit substantial sensitivity to low-level (e.g. spatial frequency) and mid-level (e.g. spatial layout) properties, and it is unclear how these disparate findings can be united in a single framework. In this opinion piece, we suggest that this problem can be resolved by questioning the utility of the classical low- to high-level framework of visual perception for scene processing, and discuss why low- and mid-level properties may be particularly diagnostic for the behavioural goals specific to scene perception as compared to object recognition. In particular, we highlight the contributions of low-level vision to scene representation by reviewing (i) retinotopic biases and receptive field properties of scene-selective regions and (ii) the temporal dynamics of scene perception that demonstrate overlap of low- and mid-level feature representations with those of scene category. We discuss the relevance of these findings for scene perception and suggest a more expansive framework for visual scene analysis.This article is part of the themed issue 'Auditory and visual scene analysis'.
A Framework for Addressing End User Training Needs

Journal of Microcomputer Systems Management 24 The growth of end user computing has been one of the most significant information management developments of the 1980s (Benson, 1983). End user computing (EUC), the use and/or development of information systems by the principal users of the systems’ outputs or by their staffs (Wetherbe & Leitheiser, 1985), has diffused rapidly over the past two decades. This diffusion has generated substantial interest within the management information systems (MIS) discipline (Doll & Torkzadeh, 1989; Magal, Carr, & Watson, 1988; Rivard & Huff, 1988). It has also created an unprecedented need for end user training (Magal et al., 1988). Studies by Mackay (1987), Hughes (1988), and Mykytyn (1988) support the proposition that software A FRAMEWORK FOR ADDRESSING END USER TRAINING NEEDS
An Infrared Search for HDO in Comet D/2012 S1 (ISON) and Implications for iSHELL

We performed a sensitive search for HDO in comet D/2012 S1 (ISON) on 2013 November 16, 17, and 22 using CSHELL and the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. We constrained the HDO/H2O ratio to less than 2.0 VSMOW (the terrestrial ocean value) at the 3 sigma uncertainty level from two independent measurements corresponding to different H2O outgassing rates. This represents the best constrained HDO/H2O ratio for a comet using a small (3 m) telescope and illustrates that when CSHELL is replaced with iSHELL, 3 m class telescopes are still strong contenders for detecting minor volatile species in moderately bright comets.
Relationship Between Objectively Measured Physical Activity, Cardiovascular Disease Biomarkers, and Hearing Sensitivity Using Data From the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2006.

Purpose Limited research has examined the interrelationships among cardiometabolic parameters, physical activity, and hearing function, which was this study's purpose. Method Data from the National...
Estimating Pedestrian Densities, Wait Times, and Flows with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Sensors

Monitoring nonmotorized traffic is gaining more attention in the context of transportation studies. Most of the traditional pedestrian monitoring technologies focus on counting pedestrians passing through a fixed location in the network. It is thus not possible to anonymously track the movement of individuals or groups as they move outside each particular sensor’s range. Moreover, most agencies do not have continuous pedestrian counts mainly because of technological limitations. Wireless data collection technologies, however, can capture crowd dynamics by scanning mobile devices. Data collection that takes advantage of mobile devices has gained much interest in the transportation literature as a result of its low cost, ease of implementation, and richness of the captured data. In this paper, algorithms to filter and aggregate data collected by wireless sensors are investigated, as well as how to fuse additional data sources to improve the estimation of various pedestrian-based performance measures. Proced...
What is the role of systemic conditions and options for manipulation of bone formation and bone resorption in rotator cuff tendon healing and repair

Rotator cuff pathology is a significant cause of shoulder pain. Operative repair of rotator cuff is an established standard of care for these patient, however, failure of the procedure is common. Systemic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, hypocholesteremia, thyroid disease, and smoking significantly affect the outcomes of rotator cuff repair and have significant implications for the management of these patients. Diabetes mellitus has been proposed to damage tendons through non-enzymatic glycosylation of collagen with advanced glycation end product formation and impaired microcirculation. Hypocholesteremia may lead to fatty infiltration and subsequent pro-inflammatory degenerative enzymatic degeneration. Thyroid disease may disrupt tendon homeostasis through the alteration of collagen production and the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans. Lastly, smoking inhibits tendon healing through the induction of hypovascularity and hypoperfusion. Understanding of the implications these systemic conditions have on the outcomes is important in the management of rotator cuff disease.