cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contact-dependent interbacterial toxins deliver a message

Both Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms harbor systems for delivering toxins to neighboring bacteria upon direct cell contact. These systems, typified by type VI secretion (T6S) and contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) systems, are defined by their ability to mediate interbacterial competition in vitro, while their biological roles have remained uncertain. Recent research into the mechanisms of toxin delivery and activity, as well as investigation of contact-dependent toxin function during relevant biological processes, has offered insight into how interbacterial competition might work outside of the laboratory. Furthermore, non-competitive roles for contact-dependent toxin delivery systems, including interbacterial signal transduction, have been described. This review suggests that contact-dependent toxin delivery systems that exhibit functions beyond interbacterial competition are probably more common than currently appreciated.
Theories and Methods in the Service of Data Construction in Developmental Psychology

On July 11,1987, the menace of our modern busy world — a heart attack — claimed the life of Joachim Wohlwill. Wohlwill’s contribution to this volume remains his ‘scientific testament’ — for his colleagues and disciples to study, understand, and to advance further. Wohlwill’s contribution to the methodology of developmental psychology ranges over 25 years, from his earlier work on the uses of scaling (Wohlwill, 1963a) and empirical extensions of Piagetian research (Wohlwill, 1963b), to the publication of his major monograph The study of be- havioral development (Wohlwill, 1973), and beyond — ending with his contribution to this volume. Wohlwill’s concerns about methodology that would fit the needs of developmental research advanced with great continuity over these decades. He understood the need for reorganization of the scientific method for the purposes of developmental psychology. His contribution to the present volume provides multiple lines of thought for further development of his ideas.
Analytical, Semi-Analytical, and Numerical Heavy-Gas Verification Benchmarks of the Effective Multiplication Factor and Temperature Coefficient

AbstractThe heavy-gas model with specific energy-dependent absorption cross sections is used to construct analytical, semi-analytical, and numerical free-gas scattering benchmarks for the neutron s...
Forecasting System Capability Using the Scenario-Based Experimental-Design Test Approach

During the requirement-based test approach (RBTE second, more-descriptive element-capability regression models (with respect to the entire SOI operational environment vice just the requirement-specific condition per RBT&E) to assess and mitigate SOI design risks and uncertainties. To demonstrate these advantages, the authors apply SBED's data analysis techniques to an existing U.S. Air Force flight test's dataset and compare the SBED-produced quantitative SOI capability forecasts against the test's original qualitative conclusions.
Differential Swelling of Elastomers

Differential swelling measurements give directly the difference between the free energies of mixing a solvent with an elastomer and with the corresponding linear chain polymer. In these experiments, the difference between the amounts of solvent vapor that are absorbed by crosslinked and uncrosslinked, but otherwise identical, samples of a polymer is measured at various solvent activities. According to the Flory—Rehner theory, the mixing and elastic contributions to the swelling free energy are separable and additive, and the measurements should therefore give the elastic contribution to the swelling free energy. Differential sorption experiments provide sensitive tests both of the theory of elasticity and of the Flory—Rehner additivity assumption. We review the theory and the experiments, and present new results that bear on the validity of the crucial assumption in swelling theory.
Associations of intimate partner violence with screening for mental health disorders among women in urban Bangladesh.

We examined the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and screening for depression in Bangladesh, a country with high prevalence of IPV and lack of data, awareness and provider infrastructure for mental illness. We used data from a representative sample of 11,202 women from the 2006 Bangladesh Urban Health Survey. Elements of social learning theory were used to examine the association. Additionally, we examined the interaction effect of experiencing IPV and justification of IPV on screening for mental health disorders. Results indicate that women who experienced IPV were significantly more likely to be screened for mental health disorders (AOR = 2.09; 95% CI = 1.86–2.34). However, the direction of this association is reversed for women who justify various forms of IPV to varying degrees. These findings reflect the importance of how women’s perception of violence may influence their mental health. Our results indicate a counter-intuitive association, given that we found that women’s justification of IPV is adaptive for them in terms of preventing symptoms of mental health problems and have potential to inform future public health policy and research.
The Role of Short-Term Plasticity in Neuromorphic Learning: Learning from the Timing of Rate-Varying Events with Fatiguing Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity

Neural networks (NNs) have been able to provide record-breaking performance in several machine-learning tasks, such as image and speech recognition, natural-language processing, playing complex games, and data analytics for scientific or business purposes [1]. They process their inputs through a series of linear and nonlinear operations and use learning algorithms, i.e., rules that optimize the parameters of the network.
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and problematic alcohol use in college students: The moderating role of alcohol protective behavioral strategies and gender.

Objective The present study evaluated the moderating role of alcohol protective behavioral strategy subtypes (alcohol PBS; serious harm reduction, manner of drinking, limiting/stopping drinking) and gender on the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol-related negative consequences. Method Participants were 2,138 traditional college students (i.e., age between 18 and 25 years old) recruited from 10 universities in the United States who reported drinking in the past month. All participants reported their gender and completed measures of PTSD symptoms, alcohol PBS use, alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related negative consequences through an online survey. Results Experiencing greater PTSD symptoms was associated with increased alcohol-related negative consequences and all alcohol PBS subtypes were independently associated with fewer alcohol-related negative consequences. Gender had a moderating effect such that the relationship between manner of drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences was weaker among men. Further, we found significant three-way interactions such that the associations between PTSD symptoms and alcohol-related negative consequences were weaker at higher levels of serious harm reduction and limiting/stopping drinking, but only among women. Conclusions Although alcohol PBS appear beneficial for all college student drinkers, these findings highlight the additional protective value of certain alcohol PBS for college women experiencing PTSD symptoms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
ChIP-GSM: cell type-specific cis-regulatory module inference for active regulatory element prediction

Abstract Transcription factors (TFs) usually function as cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) to activate enhancers or promoters and regulate target gene transcription. Cell type-specific ChIP-seq profiling of multiple TFs makes it feasible to infer functional CRMs for a particular cell type. Directly using ChIP-seq peaks may only recover CRMs partially since some weak binding events are likely missed by peak callers, resulting in an incomplete identification of co-binding events. We have developed a novel sampling-based approach, ChIP-GSM, for CRM inference and active regulatory element prediction. The approach uses a mixture model of Power-Law and Gamma distributions to model read counts in the foreground and background regions that enable the capture of more foreground regions regulated by CRMs with weak binding affinity. Specifically, ChIP-GSM samples read counts of multiple TFs iteratively for the joint effect of each potential TF combination; using inferred CRMs as novel features, ChIP-GSM employs logistic regression to accurately predict active regulatory elements. We first benchmarked ChIP-GSM on simulated ChIP-seq data and real data with known CRMs. ChIP-GSM shows superior performance over existing module inference methods. We then applied ChIP-GSM to ChIP-seq data acquired from breast cancer MCF-7 cells and revealed that CRMs are functional distinctly at enhancer and promoter regions. To broaden the applicability of ChIP-GSM, we further deployed ChIP-GSM to infer CRMs from 9 different cell types and used CRMs as features to predict active enhancers or target genes; the performance of ChIP-GSM is significantly improved over that of using individual TF peaks. Finally, we performed functional enrichment analysis of the target genes of CRMs inferred from K562 cells and demonstrated that CRMs are likely to be active at different time points to mediate distinct cellular functions.
Decision Making on the Gray-Green Stormwater Infrastructure Continuum

AbstractPrioritizing stormwater infrastructure projects is challenging. In addition to regulating runoff and complying with water quality standards, agencies also consider factors such as life cycl...
Th application of modified B-Lynch suture for postpartum hemorrhage due to severe uterine atony and patient can

Objective To explore the efficacy of B-Lynch suture for postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony during cesarean section. Methods 138 women with postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony were analyzed retrospectively. B-Lynch suture was applied in 51 of the women (study group) and conventional surgery for hemorrhage was performed in another 87 women (control group). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and postsurgical bleeding volume were compared between the two groups. Results The mean operation time was shorter and intraoperative blood loss and 24-hour postsurgical bleeding volume were much less in the study group than in the control[(33.7 ±6.2 ) min vs. (48.3 ± 10.4 ) min, (409. 7 ± 28.8 ) ml vs. ( 525.5 ± 41.8 ) ml, and ( 448.8 ± 20.8 ) ml vs.( 567.9 ± 31.6);P<0.05]. No hypogastralgia and inadequate lochia discharge were found. Ultrasonography showed uterine recovery and incision healing were ideal in all the women. Conclusions B-Lynch suture can effectively control post partum hemorrhage due to uterine atony during cesarean section. Key words: Postpartum hemorrhage; Uterine atony; B-Lynch suture; Hemostasis; Nursing care
Galkin Quandles, Pointed Abelian Groups, and Sequence A000712

For each pointed abelian group $(A,c)$, there is an associated Galkin quandle $G(A,c)$ which is an algebraic structure defined on $\Bbb Z_3\times A$ that can be used to construct knot invariants. It is known that two finite Galkin quandles are isomorphic if and only if their associated pointed abelian groups are isomorphic. In this paper we classify all finite pointed abelian groups. We show that the number of nonisomorphic pointed abelian groups of order $q^n$ ($q$ prime) is $\sum_{0\le m\le n}p(m)p(n-m)$, where $p(m)$ is the number of partitions of integer $m$.
Monitoring risk for sudden cardiac death: is there a role for EKG patches?

Abstract Improved electrocardiographic (EKG) markers and monitoring platforms for sudden cardiac death risk are urgently needed. Wearable wireless EKG patches offer a patient-friendly novel approach to long-term monitoring, in the range of two weeks, extending traditional Holter monitoring, which is typically limited to 24–48 h. The capacity to transmit recordings via telemetry to health care providers offers a further benefit for real-time detection and analysis of cardiac events. Until recently, the primary application of EKG patches has been evaluation of syncope and atrial and ventricular rhythm abnormalities. Used in combination with highly accurate algorithms for monitoring QT intervals and T-wave alternans, a beat-to-beat fluctuation in ST-segment and T-wave morphology linked to sudden cardiac death risk, the applications of EKG monitoring can be significantly expanded.
Modeling Team-level Multimodal Dynamics during Multiparty Collaboration

We adopt a multimodal approach to investigating team interactions in the context of remote collaborative problem solving (CPS). Our goal is to understand multimodal patterns that emerge and their relation with collaborative outcomes. We measured speech rate, body movement, and galvanic skin response from 101 triads (303 participants) who used video conferencing software to collaboratively solve challenging levels in an educational physics game. We use multi-dimensional recurrence quantification analysis (MdRQA) to quantify patterns of team-level regularity, or repeated patterns of activity in these three modalities. We found that teams exhibit significant regularity above chance baselines. Regularity was unaffected by task factors. but had a quadratic relationship with session time in that it initially increased but then decreased as the session progressed. Importantly, teams that produce more varied behavioral patterns (irregularity) reported higher emotional valence and performed better on a subset of the problem solving tasks. Regularity did not predict arousal or subjective perceptions of the collaboration. We discuss implications of our findings for the design of systems that aim to improve collaborative outcomes by monitoring the ongoing collaboration and intervening accordingly.
Evaluation of Candidate Items for Severe PTSD Screening for Patients With Chronic Pain: Pilot Data Analysis With the IRT Approach.

Objectives Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) commonly co-occurs with chronic pain. Although PTSD symptoms are associated with negative health outcomes in patients with chronic pain, PTSD is typically under-detected and under-treated in outpatient pain settings. There is a need for rapid, brief screening tools to identify those at greatest risk for severe PTSD symptoms. To achieve that goal, our aim was to use item response theory (IRT) to identify the most informative PTSD symptoms characterizing severe PTSD in patients with chronic pain. Methods Fifty-six patients (71% female, 61% White) with mixed etiology chronic pain completed the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) as part of their appointment with a pain psychologist at a tertiary outpatient pain clinic. We used an IRT approach to evaluate each item's discriminant (a) and severity (b) parameters. Results Findings revealed that "feeling upset at reminders" (a = 3.67, b = 2.44) and "avoid thinking or talking about it" (a = 3.61, b = 2.17) as being highly discriminant for severe PTSD. Conclusions We identified 2 candidate items for a brief PTSD screener as they were associated with severe PTSD symptoms. These 2 items may provide clinical utility in outpatient pain treatment settings to identify those suffering from severe PTSD, enabling physicians to refer them to trauma-specific evaluation or therapy. Future research is needed to further validate and confirm these candidate PTSD items in a larger clinic sample. Lay summary The current study used the IRT approach to identify candidate items for a brief screener for severe PTSD. We examined 17 items of the PCL-C, and identified 2 items that were highly discriminant for severe PTSD. The 2 items were "feeling upset at reminders" and "avoid thinking or talking about it." These 2 items may provide clinical utility, since they may enable physicians to screen and make a referral for further assessment or treatment for PTSD.
Organ system effects: endocrine toxicology

Abstract The endocrine system is defined as a vast network of tissues and individualized cells within the tissues that send and receive molecular signals through a chemical messenger system involving hormones and hormone receptors. This chapter provides a brief overview of hormones controlling some of the major physiological processes in the body and discusses how exogenous chemicals can affect this relationship. The number of known endogenous hormones continues to grow at a rapid pace and only a few of the major examples are presented. This chapter also underscores that the distinction between endocrine gland and target tissue is no longer clearly delineated. We now recognize that tissues designated as “non-endocrine tissues” (i.e., gut and adipose tissue) produce hormone signals that target adjacent or peripheral tissues. Lastly, we highlight the importance of a comparative approach in studying endocrine toxicity and present opportunities for future directions of the field.
Engineering 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase to improve heat tolerance in maize seed development

Abstract Endosperm starch synthesis is a primary determinant of grain yield and is sensitive to high temperature stress. The maize chloroplast-localized 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH), PGD3, is critical for endosperm starch accumulation. Maize also has two cytosolic isozymes, PGD1 and PGD2 that are not required for kernel development. We found that cytosolic PGD1 and PGD2 isozymes have heat stable activity, while amyloplast-localized PGD3 activity is labile under heat stress conditions. We targeted heat-stable 6PGDH to endosperm amyloplasts by fusing the Waxy1 chloroplast targeting peptide coding sequence to the Pgd1 and Pgd2 open reading frames. These WPGD1 and WPGD2 fusion proteins import into isolated chloroplasts demonstrating a functional targeting sequence. Transgenic maize plants expressing WPGD1 and WPGD2 with an endosperm specific promoter increased 6PGDH activity with enhanced heat stability in vitro. WPGD1 and WPGD2 transgenes complement the pgd3 defective kernel phenotype indicating the fusion proteins are targeted to the amyloplast. In the field, the WPGD1 and WPGD2 transgenes can mitigate grain yield losses in high nighttime temperature conditions by increasing kernel number. These results provide insight on subcellular distribution of metabolic activities in the endosperm and suggest the amyloplast pentose phosphate pathway is a heat-sensitive step in maize kernel metabolism that contributes to yield loss during heat stress. Significance Statement Heat stress reduces yield in maize by affecting the number of kernels that develop and the accumulation of seed storage molecules during grain fill. Climate change is expected to increase frequency and duration of high temperature stress, which will lower grain yields. Here we show that one enzyme in central carbon metabolism is sensitive to high temperatures. By providing a heat-resistant form of the enzyme in the correct subcellular compartment, a larger number of kernels develop per plant during heat stress in the field. This genetic improvement could be included as part of integrated approaches to mitigate yield losses due to climate change.
Management of long bone fractures in patients with cerebral fat embolism syndrome.

Abstract Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a rare complication associated with long bone fractures. Intramedullary nailing is the gold standard for treating patients with these injuries and early surgical intervention can prevent FES. However, there is a paucity of data on managing these patients once FES has developed. The purpose of this study is to present 3 unique cases of polytrauma patients with long bone fractures who underwent fixation with Taylor Spatial Frame, open reduction and internal fixation, or submuscular plating for treatment of these injuries. All 3 patients had complete cognitive and physical recovery.
Comparison of Heat Recovery Ventilator Frost Control Techniques in the Canadian Arctic: Preheat and Recirculation

Air-to-air heat/energy recovery ventilators can effectively reduce the cost associated with ventilating a home. However, high indoor moisture levels, in conjunction with extreme temperature differences between the outdoor and indoor air can cause frost accumulation in the mechanical equipment, leading to performance degradation or failure. In this research, a demonstration house using a heat recovery ventilation system in Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada was used to compare the performance of two frost control techniques: recirculation and electrical preheat. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are outlined to highlight the need to adapt southern strategies to ensure system functionality in the Arctic. The system was equipped with a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) with built-in recirculation technology to defrost the HRV, as well as two electric preheaters that can be used instead of recirculation and prevent frost formation. Between December 2018 and April 2019 the ventilation system’s performance was monitored for seven weeks while using either recirculation or electrical preheat. The experiments showed the ventilation system equipment consumed more absolute energy with electrical preheat than with recirculation as the frost control technique. However, when using recirculation, the ventilation system experienced more losses throughout the ventilation system, causing the whole building to consume more energy due to an increase in energy consumption by the home’s heating system. Moreover, the quantity of outdoor air that was restricted while using recirculation made electrical preheat the superior option for this ventilation system design. The energy use of the ventilation system with electric preheat enabled was 35% lower on a per volume of outdoor air basis. Contrary to some belief that preheating is a poor approach for frost control in heat/energy recovery ventilators, this research finds that preheating can be a more energy efficient method to provide ventilation if controlled well.
The Dreyfus Affair’s Forgotten Hero: Bernard Lazare and the First Modern Fight against Antisemitism

The historiography of the Dreyfus Affair has often neglected the crucial role played by Bernard Lazare as the first defender of the wrongly accused French army captain Alfred Dreyfus. Lazare authored three brochures, including the very first published work arguing Dreyfus’s defense, and pursued numerous lines of inquiry and advocacy to keep the Dreyfus case alive in the public sphere. In stark contrast to other Dreyfusards who preferred to consider the case as essentially an “error” of the judicial system, Lazare insisted that there was a potent antisemitism operating beneath the surface of the political stage. It was Lazare who made the “Affair” known to the world as an antisemitic plot. He confronted the leading antisemitic figures of his time, including Edouard Drumont, and solicited the support of charismatic celebrities such as Emile Zola. Lazare also crafted the language of “J’accuse” which moved a nation and became a celebrated page of history, though he was never credited for it. Instead, Lazare became a target for the resentments of both his Christian and Jewish contemporaries and died an untimely death as a pariah. This article aims to restore Lazare’s place at the center of the Dreyfus Affair narrative.
Infectious Diseases of Eastern Spotted Skunks (Spilogale putorius) within a One Health Framework

Owing to their omnivorous diet, den-site habits, foraging activities, mating behaviors, and other pertinent habitat-use and natural-history traits, Spilogale putorius (Eastern Spotted Skunk [ESS]) are exposed to a wide variety of pathogenic agents. Understanding the diversity of infectious diseases affecting ESS in conjunction with the role this species plays in the disease ecology of these pathogens is crucial not only for devising efficacious management strategies, but also in formulating comprehensive veterinary and public health strategies for combatting zoonotic diseases associated with this species. Herein I review the reported infectious diseases of ESS. I address the implications of these pathogens for current and future population health of the species with reference to the changing dynamics of ESS disease ecology, influenced by increasing habitat fragmentation, exposure to pathogens across the domestic–wildlife interface, fluctuating climatic patterns, antimicrobial-resistant pathogens, and the profusion of immunosuppressant chemicals throughout the environment. Employing a One Health framework to evaluate the role that ESS play in the disease ecology of zoonoses further highlights the interrelationships of ESS health to the health of humans, domestic animals, and other wildlife. The potential for ESS to serve as hosts, “dilutors”, and/or sentinels for zoonoses underscores their importance in public health and provides an opportunity to leverage their potential disease-mitigating attributes for the conservation of ESS aligned with their provision of ecosystem services.
Case 68: A Trans-Indian Ocean Flight

You are flying from Africa to Australia on a 14-h nonstop journey. Your sojourn in Africa is finished after 2 years in a mission hospital in the northern part of South Africa. You are in the economy section of the plane. Two hours into the trip you hear over the loudspeaker:
An Investigation of High School Students’ Mathematical Problem Posing in the United States and China

In the literature, problem posing is claimed to be important in learning mathematics. This study investigated US and Chinese high school students’ attitudes and abilities in posing mathematical problems. All of the participants were taking advanced mathematics in high school. A mathematics content test and a mathematical problem-posing test were administered to the students. The mathematical content test was adapted from the National Assessment of Educational Progress for 12th graders. The problem-posing test included three situations, namely a free problem-posing situation, a semi-structured problem-posing situation, and a structured problem-posing situation. Students who scored 39 or above out of 50 points were interviewed. During the interviews, the majority of the students reported that they had not had any prior experience in posing mathematical problems. Many students did not have a specific strategy for posing problems, and many had difficulty explaining their problem-posing processes. Most of the US students for various reasons said that problem posing was important in mathematics. Most Chinese students said that problem posing was not important in high school learning because of college entrance examinations.
Identification of the RPE65 protein in mammalian cone photoreceptors.

PURPOSE. The protein RPE65 plays a critical role in retinoid processing in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) Previous studies have identified the RPE65 mRNA in salamander cones. hut not in rods. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether RPE65 is expressed at the protein level in mammalian cones, as well as in those of amphibians. METHODS. The specificity of the anti-RPE65 antibody was demonstrated by Western blot analysis. RPE65 cellular localization was determined using immunohistochemistry on flatmounted retinas and retinal sections. RESULTS. RPE65 protein was detected in cones in flatmounted retinas of the mouse, rabbit, and cow, in addition to Xenopus laevis. The morphology and location of labeled cones in the retina were confirmed by double staining of mouse retina sections with the anti-RPE65 antibody and peanut agglutinin (PNA) lectin, which is known to label both types of cones in mouse. The double staining in the flatmounted retinas demonstrated that RPE65 was expressed in both types of the cones in the mouse retina. Under the same double-labeling conditions, however, cones in homozygous RPE65-knockout mouse were labeled by PNA lectin, but not by the anti-RPE65 antibody, indicating that the protein recognized by the anti-RPE65 antibody is encoded by the RPE65 gene rather than by another homologous gene. No RPE65 was detected in rods of any of the species tested. CONCLUSIONS. RPE65 is expressed in mammalian cones, but not in rods. These results provide further support for physiological observations that cones may have an alternative retinoid cycle.
An Executive's Guide to Information Technology: Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX) to Structured design methodologies

Definition: The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was enacted to “protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures made pursuant to the securities laws, and for other purposes” (Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, Report 107-610). Overview The Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 was a response to the financial reporting and disclosure problems associated with companies such as Enron, whose 2001 collapse was the largest bankruptcy in US history. This large and complex act pertains to corporate governance practices in public companies and contains eleven titles: Public company accounting oversight board Auditor independence Corporate responsibility Enhanced financial disclosures Analyst conflicts of interest Commission resources and authority Studies and reports Corporate and criminal fraud accountability White-collar crime penalty enhancements Corporate tax returns Corporate fraud and accountability While the act is wide-reaching in scope and focuses on corporate and executive accountability for financial data, the maintenance of internal control structures, and the role of accounting firms in the audit process, for the CIO or IT professional it does not contain any specific systems requirements and in fact never even mentions the word computer in its 66 pages. However, it is clear that technology and information systems will be central to corporate compliance with the act. The eleven titles of the act contain 69 sections, several of which are regarded as key from a CIO's perspective, including the following.
Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of 6-fluorotryptophan-substituted rat cellular retinol-binding protein II produced in Escherichia coli. Analysis of the apoprotein and the holoprotein containing bound all-trans-retinol and all-trans-retinal.

Rat cellular retinol-binding protein II (CRBP II) is a 15.6-kDa intestinal protein which binds all-trans-retinol and all-trans-retinal but not all-frons-retinoic acid. We have previously analyzed the interaction of Escherichia coli-derived rat apoCRBP II with several retinoids using fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. Interpretation of these experiments is complicated, because the protein has 4 tryptophan residues. To further investigate ligand-protein interactions, we have utilized 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of CRBP II labeled at its 4 tryptophan residues with 6-fluorotryptophan. Efficient incorporation of 6-fluorotryptophan (93%) was achieved by growing a tryptophan auxotroph of E. coli harboring a prokaryotic expression vector with a full-length rat CRBP II cDNA on defined medium supplemented with the analog. Comparison of the 19F NMR spectra of 6-fluorotryptophan-substituted CRBP II with and without bound all-frans-retinol revealed that resonances corresponding to 2 tryptophan residues (designated WA and WB) undergo large downfield changes in chemical shifts (2.0 and 0.5 ppm, respectively) associated with ligand binding. In contrast, 19F resonances corresponding to two other tryptophan residues (WC and WD) undergo only minor perturbations in chemical shifts. The 19F NMR spectra of 6-fluorotryptophan-substi-tuted CRBP II complexed with all-trans-retina/ and all-trans-retinol were very similar, suggesting that the interactions of these two ligands with the protein are similar. Molecular model building, based on the crystalline structures of two homologous proteins was used to predict the positions of the 4 tryptophan residues of CRBP II and to make tentative resonance assignments. The fact that ligand binding produced residue-specific changes in the chemical shifts of resonances in CRBP II suggests that NMR analysis of isotopically labeled retinoid-binding proteins expressed in E. coli will provide an alternate, albeit it complementary, approach to fluorescence spectroscopy for examining the structural consequences of their association with ligand.
On Systems with Transfer Functions Related to the Riemann Zeta Function

Publisher Summary This chapter analyzes systems with transfer functions related to the Riemann zeta function, and discusses that the qualitative theory of differential equations has been successful in solving many fundamental problems of the theory of control. The development of systems that contain computers leads to new types of problems that require special investigation. Such systems can operate in a succession of nonidentical steps of increasing complexity. Moreover, some critical quantities in the system can be determined by testing whether a certain condition is satisfied and by choosing the value of the quantity depending on the result of the test (logical feedback). This chapter presents three of the simplest mathematical models related to this subject. The first two are simple interpretations, in the control theory framework, of known results of Mobius and von Mangoldt. Both of these systems have transfer functions related to Riemann's zeta function. The qualitative behavior of the systems depends on the location of the zero of the function zeta, a problem which is still in the conjecture-checking stage. Both models very clearly illustrate some difficulties. In the chapter, a mathematical model for a pure computer feedback system (Mobius system) is discussed. A nonlinear dynamical system with logical feedback is also presented.
Performance of Synchronized Chaotic Optical Communication Systems

Chaotic optical communication is a novel communication scheme that utilizes optical chaotic waveform to transmit messages at a high bit rate. Its potential applications include secure communications and spread-spectrum communications. In a chaotic optical communication system, a nonlinear dynamical system is used to generate the optical chaotic waveform for message transmission. Messages are encoded through chaos encryption where the messages are mixed with the chaotic waveform. Message recovery is achieved by comparing the received signal with a reproduced chaotic waveform which synchronizes with the chaotic waveform from the transmitter. Details are discussed in this chapter regarding each of the above basic issues. Furthermore, we also review the experiment of chaotic optical communication at 2.5 Gb/s, which has the highest bit rate in any chaotic communication systems ever reported in the literature. This system uses semiconductor lasers with delayed optoelectronic feedback to generate chaotic pulses. Three major encoding and decoding schemes, namely, chaos masking, chaos shift keying, and chaos modulation, are implemented and compared in this 2.5 Gb/s chaotic optical communication system. The chaos modulation scheme is found to have the best performance. To investigate the potential applications of chaotic optical communications at an even higher bit rate, numerical simulations are carried out on chaotic optical communication systems operating at 10 Gb/s. In this numerical study, three different systems using semiconductor lasers with optical injection, optical feedback, or optoelectronic feedback, respectively are investigated. It is shown that chaotic optical communication at 10 Gb/s is feasible with high-speed semiconductor lasers.
Alternative ways of using field-based estimates to calibrate ecosystem models and their implications for carbon cycle studies

[1] Model-data fusion is a process in which field observations are used to constrain model parameters. How observations are used to constrain parameters has a direct impact on the carbon cycle dynamics simulated by ecosystem models. In this study, we present an evaluation of several options for the use of observations in modeling regional carbon dynamics and explore the implications of those options. We calibrated the Terrestrial Ecosystem Model on a hierarchy of three vegetation classification levels for the Alaskan boreal forest: species level, plant-functional-type level (PFT level), and biome level, and we examined the differences in simulated carbon dynamics. Species-specific field-based estimates were directly used to parameterize the model for species-level simulations, while weighted averages based on species percent cover were used to generate estimates for PFT- and biome-level model parameterization. We found that calibrated key ecosystem process parameters differed substantially among species and overlapped for species that are categorized into different PFTs. Our analysis of parameter sets suggests that the PFT-level parameterizations primarily reflected the dominant species and that functional information of some species were lost from the PFT-level parameterizations. The biome-level parameterization was primarily representative of the needleleaf PFT and lost information on broadleaf species or PFT function. Our results indicate that PFT-level simulations may be potentially representative of the performance of species-level simulations while biome-level simulations may result in biased estimates. Improved theoretical and empirical justifications for grouping species into PFTs or biomes are needed to adequately represent the dynamics of ecosystem functioning and structure.
Adherence to therapy for Barrett's esophagus-associated neoplasia.

ObjectivesMultiple endoscopic sessions may be necessary for treatment and surveillance of Barrett’s esophagus (BE)-associated neoplasia. Adherence to an endoscopic therapeutic regimen is important for longitudinal management of BE. The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with adherence to therapy for BE-associated neoplasia.MethodsWe retrospectively identified patients with BE whom were referred to a tertiary center for endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or radiofrequency ablation (RFA) between 2009 and 2012. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the medical record.ResultsWe had 69 subjects meet our inclusion criteria. Referral diagnosis was low-grade dysplasia in 9 (13%) subjects, high-grade dysplasia in 33 (48%) subjects and adenocarcinoma in 26 (38%) subjects. The majority (55%) lived more than 100 miles from the treatment center. The primary third-party payer was US Medicare for 54% of the subjects and private insurance for 36% of them; 45% of the subjects were s...
Higher-order MoM implementation to solve integral equations

Higher-order basis functions have received intensive attention for solving electromagnetic problems with the finite element and Galerkin's methods. The advantage of using higher-order basis functions lies in their ability to model the fields and sources, as well as geometries, more accurately than conventional low-order methods. We investigate the convergence properties of divergence conforming interpolatory higher-order basis functions for evaluating the Galerkin's solution of integral equations. Both the electric field integral equation (EFIE) and the magnetic field integral equation (MFIE) are used to obtain the scattered field from perfectly conducting objects. Our solution is first validated by comparing the radar-cross section (RCS) with the corresponding Mie series solution for conducting spheres. Next, we calculate the error convergence of the RCS from objects such as spheres and plates for several orders. In the case of objects with no analytical solution such as plates, over discretized solution is taken as the reference solution and the error results are then calculated.
GE's Ecomagination Challenge: An Experiment in Open Innovation:

This GE ecomagination Challenge case study takes place in 2010 when Beth Comstock, chief marketing officer and senior vice president of General Electric, was planning a meeting with GE's CEO Jeffrey Immelt. The pair plan to discuss the company's ecomagination Challenge, an open innovation process that solicited energy ideas from individuals and startups to identify potential ventures in green and renewable energy areas for GE to invest in. By 2011, the ecomagination Challenge had resulted in $140 million (out of its allocated $200 million) of investments in 23 ventures. However, the scale of these results was dwarfed by GE's $37 billion energy business. So the time has come for Comstock to evaluate the results of the ecomagination Challenge more carefully and decide on whether and how to continue this kind of activity within GE's energy business, or in other GE businesses. How should GE measure ecomagination's results in order to justify its existence and possible future investments? What new processes and structures would be required to make sure that some of the Challenge's investments would pay off for GE down the road? Based on the program's results to date, was the program a good investment for GE and something GE should repeat, or was it a noble experiment that should be discontinued?
Limitation of the ET(30) solvent strength scale in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Abstract The transition energies (ET) of the maximum absorption of the solvatochromic indicator denoted ET(33) [2,6-dichloro-4-(2,4,6-triphenyl-N-pyridi
Cooperative folding of the isolated alpha-helical domain of hen egg-white lysozyme.

Proteins in the alpha-lactalbumin and c-type lysozyme family have been studied extensively as model systems in protein folding. Early formation of the alpha-helical domain is observed in both alpha-lactalbumin and c-type lysozyme; however, the details of the kinetic folding pathways are significantly different. The major folding intermediate of hen egg-white lysozyme has a cooperatively formed tertiary structure, whereas the intermediate of alpha-lactalbumin exhibits the characteristics of a molten globule. In this study, we have designed and constructed an isolated alpha-helical domain of hen egg-white lysozyme, called Lyso-alpha, as a model of the lysozyme folding intermediate that is stable at equilibrium. Disulfide-exchange studies show that under native conditions, the cysteine residues in Lyso-alpha prefer to form the same set of disulfide bonds as in the alpha-helical domain of full-length lysozyme. Under denaturing conditions, formation of the nearest-neighbor disulfide bonds is strongly preferred. In contrast to the isolated alpha-helical domain of alpha-lactalbumin, Lyso-alpha with two native disulfide bonds exhibits a well-defined tertiary structure, as indicated by cooperative thermal unfolding and a well-dispersed NMR spectrum. Thus, the determinants for formation of the cooperative side-chain interactions are located mainly in the alpha-helical domain. Our studies suggest that the difference in kinetic folding pathways between alpha-lactalbumin and lysozyme can be explained by the difference in packing density between secondary structural elements and support the hypothesis that the structured regions in a protein folding intermediate may correspond to regions that can fold independently.
CDE: A Tool for Creating Portable Experimental Software Packages

As science becomes increasingly computational, reproducibility has become increasingly difficult, perhaps surprisingly. In many contexts, virtualization and cloud computing can mitigate the issues involved without significant overhead to the researcher, enabling the next generation of rigorous and reproducible computational science.
58 OVARIAN DOWN-REGULATION WITH ORAL PROGESTIN FOR FIXED-TIME LAPAROSCOPIC OVIDUCTAL ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION WITH FRESHLY COLLECTED AND FROZEN-THAWED SPERMATOZOA IN DOMESTIC CATS

Laparoscopic oviductal AI (LO-AI) with low numbers of freshly collected or frozen-thawed spermatozoa has resulted in high pregnancy success (50–70%) in domestic cats. However, proper timing of AI depends on identifying anestrual, non-luteal queens before exogenous gonadotropin injection, confounding AI scheduling and limiting applicability with felids housed at distant institutions. Recent research (Stewart et al. 2012 Biol. Reprod. 87, 1–11) has shown that daily oral progestin treatment is effective for down-regulating ovarian activity in cats and allowing synchronized stimulation with exogenous gonadotropins. Our study objectives were to (1) assess the effect of oral progestin treatment on pregnancy success following LO-AI in domestic cats and (2) compare relative fertility following LO-AI of each female with low numbers of freshly collected versus frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Young ( 0.05) between Con and OP cats in pregnancy success [Con: 6/8 (75%); OP: 6/7 (86%)] or in mean implantation number (Con: 6.0 ± 1.8; OP: 10.2 ± 2.0) or fetal number (Con: 4.3 ± 1.6; OP: 7.5 ± 1.6) in pregnant cats. Paternity assessment revealed that freshly collected and frozen-thawed spermatozoa were equally effective (P > 0.05) in producing pregnancies (fresh: 11/15 (73%); frozen: 10/15 (67%)], with no difference (P > 0.05) in total fetal numbers [fresh: 37/69 (54%); frozen: 32/69 (46%)]. These results indicate that oral progestin treatment may be used to down-regulate ovarian function in felids for fixed-time AI without compromising fertility in vivo, and that LO-AI with low numbers of cat sperm frozen in a soy lecithin medium may produce high pregnancy percentages and normal litter sizes.
The Colorado FRC Experiment

A new experiment is under development for the study of turbulence, flow, and cross-field transport in a field-reversed configuration. The facility is a merged-spheromak device driven by magnetized coaxial plasma guns. Experimental emphasis is given to advanced diagnostic development, including high spatial resolution and high time resolution instruments for measurement of fluctuating quantities and bulk velocity in high beta plasmas. Instruments at various stages of development include a multichord quadrature CO2 interferometer, a multichannel Mach-probe array, a multifrequency reflectometry system, a multi-point Doppler spectroscopy probe, and a number of magnetic diagnostics. Technical details of the experimental facility and planned studies are described.
Fish assemblage recovery and persistence

– Fish assemblages from a historical (1968) pre-impoundment survey of the Bear Creek system (Tennessee River drainage) were compared with fish assemblages from recent collections to examine spatial recovery in stream fish assemblages. A positive relationship was present for species richness and distance from impoundment for recent collections but was not significant for historic collections from the same sites with distance superimposed from the impoundments. A positive relationship was also present for similarity and distance using Jaccard's Index and the Morisita Similarity Index. Recent fish assemblages were dissimilar to historical collections immediately below impoundments, but were increasingly similar at 10–20 km. The results suggest that recovery patterns for stream fish assemblages are present downstream for some types of impoundments and that remnants of the stream community persist downstream from existing impoundments. Resumen 1. Comparamos los ensamblajes de peces observados en un muestreo realizado en 1968 antes de embalsar en Rio Bear Creek (Cuenca del Rio Tennessee, USA), con colecciones recientes con el fin de detectar niveles de recuperacion especial. 2. Para las colecciones recientes, detectamos una relacion positiva entre la riqueza de especies y la distancia desde los embalses pero esta relacion no fue significativa para las colecciones historicas de las mismas localidades y la distancia desde los embalses. Tambien hubo relaciones positivas entre la similitud y las distancias utilizando los indices de Jaccard y de Morisita. Inmediatamente por debajo de los embalses, los ensamblajes de peces difieron de las colecciones historicas pero los niveles de similitud aumentaron hacia los 10 y 20 Km de distancia. 3. Los resultados sugieren que los patrones de recuperacion para los ensamblajes de peces estan presentes aguas debajo de los embalses y que remanentes de la comunidad del rio persisten aguas debajo de los embalses actualmente existentes.