cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial Relationship between L-Arginine and Heme Binding Sites of Endothelial Nitric-oxide Synthase

Abstract Binding of L-arginine and imidazole to the endothelial nitric-oxide synthase (eNOS) was characterized by direct heme spectral perturbation. L-Arginine is competitive with imidazole for binding to eNOS. Both equilibrium binding and kinetic binding were measured at 4 and 23°C for these two ligands. Kd (imidazole) is 60 μM and 110 μM, kon (imidazole) is 2.5 × 105 M−1 s−1 and 1.2 × 106 M−1 s−1, koff (imidazole) is 11.8 s−1 and 116 s−1 at 4 and 23°C, respectively. Corresponding values for L-arginine are calculated from the data of binding competition with imidazole and computer modeling. Kd (L-arginine) is 0.5 μM and 2.0 μM, kon (L-arginine) is 2 × 105 M−1 s−1 and 8 × 105 M−1 s−1, koff (L-arginine) is 0.08 s−1 and 1.6 s−1 at 4 and 23°C, respectively. It is suggested that binding of both ligands occurs through the same access channel to the heme site based on their similarly slow association rate constants. A series of potential heme ligands and amino acid analogs of L-arginine were evaluated for their binding and their effect on the heme structure. All ligands besides cyanide tested for binding inhibition are competitive with either L-arginine or imidazole. The space for the distal heme ligand was estimated to be ~6.3 × 6.7 A by three groups of rigid planar ligands: imidazole, pyridine, and pyrimidine. Results of the thiazole and amino acid ligand series permitted the conclusion that the guanidine group of L-arginine is critical for its binding affinity and its specific orientation relative to the heme. Such a specific conformation is essential for the oxygenase mechanism of eNOS.
A bayesian formulation for sub-pixel refinement in stereo orbital imagery

Generating accurate three dimensional planetary models is becoming increasingly more important as NASA plans manned missions to return to the moon in the next decade. This paper describes a stereo correspondence system for orbital images and focuses on a novel approach for the sub-pixel refinement of the disparity maps. Our method uses a Bayesian formulation that generalizes the Lucas-Kanade method for optimal matching between stereo pair images. This approach reduces significantly the pixel locking effect of the earlier methods and reduces the influence of image noise. The method is demonstrated on a set of high resolution scanned images from the Apollo era missions.
A Vision for Change in Bioscience Education: Building on Knowledge from the Past

High-quality undergraduate education is central to the success of all life scientists. Several major bioscience educational issues are the targets of much debate, research, funding, publications, and reports (e.g., Vision and Change). Surprisingly, these issues are considered by modern bioscience instructors as unresolved, despite historical reports that claim the contrary. Here, we illustrate with evidence how, more than 50 years ago, Sam Postlethwait successfully instituted strategies to address several issues in plant biology education with his audio tutorials. These strategies succeeded in individualizing the instruction of students with diverse educational backgrounds in large classes, incorporating authentic and active learning, integrating lab and lectures to teach about research, developing science competencies, and advancing curriculum and faculty change informed by empirical data. We contend that modern educators could greatly benefit by building on the historical advancements of the past, to ensure that they do not waste their efforts reinventing the wheel.
On counting position weight matrix matches in a sequence, with application to discriminative motif finding

Motivation and Results: The position weight matrix (PWM) is a popular method to model transcription factor binding sites. A fundamental problem in cis-regulatory analysis is to “count” the occurrences of a PWM in a DNA sequence. We propose a novel probabilistic score to solve this problem of counting PWM occurrences. The proposed score has two important properties: (1) It gives appropriate weights to both strong and weak occurrences of the PWM, without using thresholds. (2) For any given PWM, this score can be computed while allowing for occurrences of other, a priori known PWMs, in a statistically sound framework. Additionally, the score is efficiently differentiable with respect to the PWM parameters, which has important consequences for designing search algorithms. The second problem we address is to find, ab initio, PWMs that have high counts in one set of sequences, and low counts in another. We develop a novel algorithm to solve this “discriminative motif-finding problem”, using the proposed score for counting a PWM in the sequences. The algorithm is a local search technique that exploits derivative information on an objective function to enhance speed and performance. It is extensively tested on synthetic data, and shown to perform better than other discriminative as well as non-discriminative PWM finding algorithms. It is then applied to cis-regulatory modules involved in development of the fruitfly embryo, to elicit known and novel motifs. We finally use the algorithm on genes predictive of social behavior in the honey bee, and find interesting motifs. Availability: The program is available upon request from the author. Contact: sinhas@cs.uiuc.edu
Improving the performance and power efficiency of shared helpers in CMPs

Technology scaling trends have forced designers to consider alternatives to deeply pipelining aggressive cores with large amounts of performance accelerating hardware. One alternative is a small, simple core that can be augmented with latency tolerant helpers. As the demands placed on the processor core varies between applications, and even between phases of an application, the benefit seen from any set of helpers will vary tremendously. If there is a single core, these auxiliary structures can be turned on and off dynamically to tune the energy/performance of the machine to the needs of the running application.As more of the processor is broken down into helpers, and additional cores are added to a single chip that can potentially share helpers, the decisions that are made about these structures become increasingly important. In this paper we describe the need for methods that effectively manage these helpers. Our counter-based approach can dynamically turn off three helpers on average while staying within 2% of the performance when running with all helpers. In a multicore environment, our intelligent and exible sharing of helper provides an average 24% speedup compared to static sharing in conjoined cores. Furthermore we show a benefit from constructively sharing helpers among multiple cores running the same application.
Two-photon excitation via quantum interference

Summary form only given. It has been shown that two-photon absorption can be controlled by quantum interference in the multiple excitation paths created by a coupling field. Recently, Harris and Yamamoto (1998) described a four-level system that utilizes electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) to switch on and off the two-photon excitation. Because the cancellation of the one-photon excitation, the enhanced two-photon excitation may be observable under very low light intensities. We have carried out an experimental study of two-photon excitation via quantum interference in multi-level Rb atomic systems based on the D/sub 1/ and D/sub 2/ transitions. The Rb systems can be viewed as quasi-four level systems. The experiments were done in an /sup 87/Rb isotope vapor cell.
A Review of: “Methods of Elemento-Organic Chemistry. Organometallic Compounds of Transition Metals (in Russian). A. N. Nesmeyanov and K. A. Kocheshkov, Eds., Nauka Press, Moscow, 1975; 947 pp (in 2 volumes), 6.12 Rubles”

(1975). A Review of: “Methods of Elemento-Organic Chemistry. Organometallic Compounds of Transition Metals (in Russian). A. N. Nesmeyanov and K. A. Kocheshkov, Eds., Nauka Press, Moscow, 1975; 947 pp (in 2 volumes), 6.12 Rubles”. Synthesis and Reactivity in Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemistry: Vol. 5, No. 5-6, pp. 405-407.
JEDI: Just-in-Time Execution and Distribution Information Support System for Automotive Stamping Operations

Stamping is one of the most complex operations in the automotive supply chain, providing over 400 end items to dozens of assembly plants and service facilities. This operation consists of a complex network of blankers, presses, and subassemblies. Stamping is affected by much variability, such as unexpected machine and tool down time, quality concerns, and customer requirement fluctuations. These facilities typically run a tight schedule, and supply chain visibility is a critical factor in efficient operations. The data pertaining to operations is distributed across several systems including material requirements planning (MRP), plant floor automation, and logistics management. As a result, decision makers are faced with too much data and not enough information. This leads to time loss and effort spent in consolidating and comprehending the data. This chapter describes the Just-in-time Execution and Distribution Information (JEDI) system that collects and integrates relevant data from a set of disparate systems and generates a set of spreadsheet models that represent the stamping production and supply chain status. JEDI not only presents the information in an intuitive way, but also provides what-if analysis capability and decision support for scheduling and distribution.
Genomic signatures of diet-related shifts during human origins

There are numerous anthropological analyses concerning the importance of diet during human evolution. Diet is thought to have had a profound influence on the human phenotype, and dietary differences have been hypothesized to contribute to the dramatic morphological changes seen in modern humans as compared with non-human primates. Here, we attempt to integrate the results of new genomic studies within this well-developed anthropological context. We then review the current evidence for adaptation related to diet, both at the level of sequence changes and gene expression. Finally, we propose some ways in which new technologies can help identify specific genomic adaptations that have resulted in metabolic and morphological differences between humans and non-human primates.
The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844

List of illustrations List of maps Preface Part I. A Prepared People: 1. Dreams of the primal Adam 2. The true spiritual seed 3. Something of our ancestors Part II. Hermetic Purity and Hermetic Danger: 4. A Urim spiritual 5. Alchymical experiments 6. I was born in Sharon Part III. The Mormon Dispensation: 7. Secret combinations and slippery treasures in the land of Zarahemla 8. The mysteries defined 9. Temples, wives, bogus-making and war 10. The keys to the kingdom 11. A tangle of strings and the kingdom of God 12. Let mysteries alone Appendix: the sectarian and hermetic circumstances of Mormon origins in Vermont and New York Abbreviations used in notes Notes Index.
Interactions of Bromide, Iodide, and Fluoride with the Pathways of Chloride Transport and Diffusion in Human Neutrophils

Isolated human neutrophils possess three distinct pathways by which Cl- crosses the plasma membrane of steady state cells: anion exchange, active transport, and electrodiffusion. The purpose of the present work was to investigate the selectivity of each of these separate processes with respect to other external halide ions. (a) The bulk of total anion movements represents transport through an electrically silent anion-exchange mechanism that is insensitive to disulfonic stilbenes, but which can be competitively inhibited by alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate (CHC; Ki approximately 0.3 mM). The affinity of the external translocation site of the carrier for each of the different anions was determined (i) from substrate competition between Cl- and either Br-, F-, or I-, (ii) from trans stimulation of 36Cl- efflux as a function of the external concentrations of these anions, (iii) from changes in the apparent Ki for CHC depending on the nature of the replacement anion in the bathing medium, and (iv) from activation of 82Br- and 125I- influxes by their respective ions. Each was bound and transported at roughly similar rates (Vmax values all 1.0-1.4 meq/liter cell water.min); the order of decreasing affinities is Cl- greater than Br- greater than F- greater than I- (true Km values of 5, 9, 23, and 44 mM, respectively). These anions undergo 1:1 countertransport for internal Cl-. (b) There is a minor component of total Cl- influx that constitutes an active inward transport system for the intracellular accumulation of Cl- [( Cl-]i approximately 80 meq/liter cell water), fourfold higher than expected for passive distribution. This uptake is sensitive to intracellular ATP depletion by 2-deoxy-D-glucose and can be inhibited by furosemide, ethacrynic acid, and CHC, which also blocks anion exchange. This active Cl- uptake process binds and transports other members of the halide series in the sequence Cl- greater than Br- greater than I- greater than F- (Km values of 5, 8, 15, and 41 mM, respectively). (c) Electrodiffusive fluxes are small. CHC-resistant 82Br- and 125I- influxes behave as passive leak fluxes through low-conductance ion channels: they are nonsaturable and strongly voltage dependent. These anions permeate the putative Cl- channel in the sequence I- greater than Br- greater than Cl- with relative permeability ratios of 2.2:1.4:1, respectively, where PCl approximately 5 X 10(-9) cm/s.
Effects of GPi stimulation on human thalamic neuronal activity

Abstract Objective Determine the effects of globus pallidus interna (GPi) deep brain stimulation (DBS) on ventral oralis posterior nucleus of the thalamic (Vop) neuronal activity. Methods Microelectrode recordings in Vop during high frequency DBS GPi in a patient with dystonia. Results Twelve (48%) of 25 neurons in five locations neurons decreased their average discharge frequency, 2 (8%) increased and 11(44%) demonstrated no overall change. The patterns of responses were complex with periods of increase and decreased activity. All neurons were inhibited for the time period 3.5–5 ms following the DBS pulse. Eighty-eight percent of neurons showed brief but highly consistent increases in the first 1 ms following stimulation, 52% showed increased activities from 1.5 to 3 ms. Twenty-four percent of neurons increased activity following inhibition. Conclusions These findings are consistent with DBS activation of GPi axons to Vop and probable antidromic activation of Vop axons. Significance The physiological effects of DBS are far more complicated and will escape any theory that does not address the mechanisms of DBS as stimulation of a complex network of interactions. Further, the findings of post-inhibitory rebound increased raises questions about the role in inhibition in the current concepts of basal ganglia physiology.
ISSM-SESAW v1.0: mesh-based computation of gravitationally consistent sea-level and geodetic signatures caused by cryosphere and climate driven mass change

Abstract. A classical Green's function approach for computing gravitationally consistent sea-level variations associated with mass redistribution on the earth's surface employed in contemporary sea-level models naturally suits the spectral methods for numerical evaluation. The capability of these methods to resolve high wave number features such as small glaciers is limited by the need for large numbers of pixels and high-degree (associated Legendre) series truncation. Incorporating a spectral model into (components of) earth system models that generally operate on a mesh system also requires repetitive forward and inverse transforms. In order to overcome these limitations, we present a method that functions efficiently on an unstructured mesh, thus capturing the physics operating at kilometer scale yet capable of simulating geophysical observables that are inherently of global scale with minimal computational cost. The goal of the current version of this model is to provide high-resolution solid-earth, gravitational, sea-level and rotational responses for earth system models operating in the domain of the earth's outer fluid envelope on timescales less than about 1 century when viscous effects can largely be ignored over most of the globe. The model has numerous important geophysical applications. For example, we compute time-varying computations of global geodetic and sea-level signatures associated with recent ice-sheet changes that are derived from space gravimetry observations. We also demonstrate the capability of our model to simultaneously resolve kilometer-scale sources of the earth's time-varying surface mass transport, derived from high-resolution modeling of polar ice sheets, and predict the corresponding local and global geodetic signatures.
Effects of Inulin Chain Length on Fermentation by Equine Fecal Bacteria and Streptococcus bovis

Abstract Grass fructans can be fermented by Gram-positive bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus bovis ) in the equine hindgut, increasing production of lactic acid and decreasing pH. The degree of polymerization (DP) of fructans has been suggested to influence fermentation rates. The objective of the present study was to determine how DP impacts fermentation by equine fecal bacteria and a model S. bovis . Fecal microbes from three mares were harvested by differential centrifugation, washed, and resuspended in anaerobic media containing short-chain (SC; DP ≤ 10) or long-chain (LC) inulin (DP ≥ 23) from 0% to 2% wt/vol. After 24 hours of incubation (37°C), samples were collected for pH determination. Data were analyzed using the general linear models (GLM) procedure testing for the effect of treatment, concentration, and treatment × concentration (SAS v. 9.3). At all concentrations, the pH was lower in SC fermentations than in LC ( P S. bovis , cultures were grown (39°C, 9 hours) with 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1.3% SC or LC inulin. Optical density (600 nm) was determined by spectrophotometry. Maximum specific growth rates (μ) were determined by linear regression (2–5 hours). Data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance procedure (SAS v. 9.3). The final optical density (600 nm), μ, and yield were higher with SC than with LC fermentation ( P S. bovis , specifically.
The Role of Environmental Factors in the Northeastern Range Expansion of Papilio cresphontes Cramer (Papilionidae)

ABSTRACT. The Giant Swallowtail butterfly, Papilio cresphontes Cramer (Papilionidae), has been reported in New York State for nearly 150 years. In recent years there has been an unexplained increase in P. cresphontes occurrences along the northeastern periphery of its geographical range. This study examined historical records to describe the movement of P. cresphontes populations into New York State and adjacent Ontario. Climate data and field studies were used to identify environmental factors that may influence the range expansion, which was found to correspond with an absence of September frosts beginning in 2001. Field studies indicated that some P. cresphontes larvae were capable of withstanding multiple frosts and descended to pupate normally into late October in the range expansion area. Although the larvae may have adapted to endure cooler temperatures to some degree, the effects of warming temperatures on other factors such as natural enemies and larval host plant quality in autumn may influence ...
Return to Work for Individuals with Moderate to Severe Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury results in a number of cognitive, behavioral, and physical issues that can impact employment. One way to help overcome these barriers is to implement effective vocational interventions. This chapter provides information on ways to assist individuals with moderate to severe Traumatic Brain Injury with returning to work. It begins by explaining Traumatic Brain Injury and the progression of a patient’s recovery. Next, the problems and complications associated with injury are reviewed, followed by vocational implications arising from possible difficulties a patient may face. Some medically oriented treatment strategies to help circumvent these issues are also offered. Then attention is turned to a review of various return to work models, including a more in-depth look at the individualized supported employment model to assist individuals with moderate and severe Traumatic Brain Injury to obtain/gain and maintain real work for real pay. The chapter concludes with ideas for the direction of future research.
Size, Food-finding, and Dyar's Constant

Published data for spiders were analyzed to find out if the increment in size at molt (Dyar's constant) of spiders approached 28% as if each instar acts as an ecologically isolated form. Size increments of roughly 20% were found in small, actively hunting spiders, 25% in sallying predators which use no web or use only the upper surface of a web, and 30% for araneid and theridiid species which use the lower surface of a web; the highest value found for Dyar's constant was in an ambushing, thomisid species. Larger species of spiders have more instars, have larger values for Dyar's constant, and also seem to be less active foragers than smaller species. Published data for insects revealed that grazing holometabolous insects have the largest growth increments, and insects which hunt for food as immatures have lower values, the range from ca. 60% to ca. 20%. Lower “freight” costs and more constant agility (power/wt ratio) are mechanical advantages associated with low Dyar's constant–the implications of this for animals with continuous growth are discussed. Data on growth increments of both spiders and insects may be better explained by convergent evolution resulting from the need for agility during hunting than by Juberthie's (1955) idea of phylogenetically significant growth increments. Finally, the coexistence of species of lycosid-like spiders is discussed in relation to phenology, size and habitat; an r -adapted species of the genus Pardosa (Lycosidae) has the same increment at the molt as a related K -selected species, but uses fewer instars and smaller size to achieve rapid population growth in its distinct habitat.
Site-specific Mutation of M. tuberculosis by PCR

Objective:M. tuberculosis glmU gene is an essential gene for mycobacterial growth. The GlmU protein encoded by the glmU gene is a bi-functional enzyme which exhibits uridyltransferase and acetyltransferase and involves in the biosynthesis of UDP-Glc-NAc, a precursor of cell wall. It is necessary to study its crystal structure and design its inhibitors. Method:The M. tuberculosis glmU was cloned and the site specific mutagenesis of glmU gene was generated by PCR. The m-GlmU protein was over-expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). Result:The mutant glmU gene, m-glmU, was confirmed and the uridyltransferase and acetyltransferase activities of the purified m-GlmU protein were detected. Conclusions:The purified m-GlmU protein will be utilized for detection of its stability and analysis of its three-dimensional structure.
Surveillance on cadmium contents and dietary exposure assessment in Jinan

Objective To understand the condition of cadmium contamination in main food,and to assess the risk of dietary exposure to cadmium in Jinan. Methods Surveillance on cadmium contents in wheat,rice,aquatic products, livestock and poultry,vegetable,egg and dairy products was conducted in Jinan from 2011 to 2012. According to the average food intake of Shandong residents and the cadmium PTMI 25 μg / kg BW in food established by JECFA in 2010,the point assessment method was applied to assess resident exposure risk. Results 441 food specimens were tested. The average cadmium contents were 49. 39 μg / kg,the cadmium contents level at the 50th percentile( P50) was 13. 40 μg / kg, and P95 was 118. 20 μg / kg. The total detection rate was 90. 02% and the violation rate was 0. 91%. The cadmium contents in wheat,rice and vegetables were all detected but the detection rate of dairy products was the lowest. The cadmium contents in aquatic products was the highest withthe average cadmium contents of 206. 43 μg / kg. The monthly average cadmium intake from main food in Jinan was estimated to be 8. 83 μg / kg BW,accounted for 35. 32% of PTMI. Aquatic products,wheat and vegetable were the higher contributors and their contribution were 46. 43%,32. 62% and 9. 51%,respectively. These three foods contributed more than 80% to the total dietary cadmium exposure. Conclusion The level of dietary cadmium exposure from main food in Jinan was within safety limit,so the risk of dietary intake of cadmium was not obvious. However,more attention should be paid to cephalopods and shellfish.
Hybrid Transthoracic Esophagectomy

The patient is a 68-year-old man with a 20-year history of heartburn and regurgitation. He was initially treated empirically with H2 blocking agents and antacids. Ten years after onset, the patient felt that his symptoms were getting worse, so a complete work-up was done, with the following findings:
‘That’s just my own homeland security instinct’: teaching terror in times of war

Following the 11 September attacks, the United States exponentially expanded educational opportunities related to the global war on terror. The United States, for example, created hundreds of degre...
Comparison of EDTA and Apo-Lactoferrin with Lysozyme on the Growth of Foodborne Pathogenic and Spoilage Bacteria.

Combinations of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or apo-lactoferrin (Apo-Lf) and lysozyme were evaluated for their antimicrobial effectiveness in ultra-high temperature pasteurized milk against Pseudomonas fluorescens , Salmonella typhimurium , Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes . Neither P. fluorescens nor S. typhimurium growth was influenced by EDTA, Apo-Lf or lysozyme alone or in combinations. Escherichia coli O157:H7 was inhibited by EDTA alone, but no increase in antimicrobial effectiveness was noted in the presence of lysozyme. In contrast, EDTA and lysozyme had a significant interactive antimicrobial effect against L. monocytogenes . Apo-Lf, at concentrations up to 2.5 mg/ml, displayed similar inhibition patterns with lysozyme against the E. coli O157:H7 and L. monocytogenes however, the magnitude of inhibition was much less and of little practical significance. When evaluated over time, EDTA (1.5-2.5 mg/ml)-lysozyme (150 μg/ml) slowed growth of E. coli and was bactericidal to L monocytogenes . Apo-lactoferrin (15 mg/ml)-lysozyme (150 μg/ml) had little practical effect on E. coli growth but did slow growth of L. monocytogenes .
Failed Colonies in Africa and England: Civilizing Despair in Bleak House

In Bleak House (1852–53), Dickens mocks England’s self-proclaimed reputation as the greatest and most civilized nation in the world. Like Carlyle, he questions the status of civilization in England by suggesting that a sector of the familiar nation has strangely lapsed into a dark and savage continent. While Carlyle figures working-class discontent as a “boundless” Africa within England, Dickens locates the metaphor in London, the imperial metropolis. As Alexander Welsh observes, the city as a “wilderness or desert” represents one of the “stock literary ideas” available to nineteenth-century writers who sought to satirize the city (13). In Bleak House, however, the stock idea acquires a high degree of historical specificity; the wilderness of London reflects mid-Victorian conceptions of the Niger river delta, the location that in the 1840s and 1850s represented African darkness in its most indomitable form. In 1841, the African Civilization Society had conducted a highly publicized expedition to the region, intending to establish a model farm that would function as an outpost of civilizing progress on the upper reaches of the river. In 1848, several widely read narratives of the expedition gave the public a day-by-day account of its catastrophic progress. Malarial fever struck and incapacitated most of the European crew members and killed many of them. The model farm had struggled on for just a year, but its fields then reverted to jungle.
Retention of faculty of color in academic nursing

Abstract Background Racial and ethnic diversity among nursing faculty is low, preventing schools of nursing (SON) from reflecting the populations that they serve academically and clinically. Few studies address the experience and success of faculty of color (FOC) in nursing. Purpose The purpose of this article is to summarize the current literature related to FOC retention and promotion. Methods We reviewed 25 articles from the nursing literature following PRISMA guidelines, using a critical race theory framework. Discussion We describe barriers and promoters to retention, benefits of retaining FOC, and proposed solutions to FOC attrition. We also highlight polices by several SON that netted increased retention and promotion of nursing FOC. Conclusion FOC meet substantial challenges that influence their career pathway. SON can improve faculty retention through focused efforts on improving the institutional culture to promote an inclusive environment.
Meteoritic minerals and their origins

About 435 mineral species have been identified in meteorites including native elements, metals and metallic alloys, carbides, nitrides and oxynitrides, phosphides, silicides, sulfides and hydroxysulfides, tellurides, arsenides and sulfarsenides, halides, oxides, hydroxides, carbonates, sulfates, molybdates, tungstates, phosphates and silico phosphates, oxalates, and silicates from all six structural groups. The minerals in meteorites can be categorized as having formed by a myriad of processes that are not all mutually distinct: (1) condensation in gaseous envelopes around evolved stars (presolar grains), (2) condensation in the solar nebula, (3) crystallization in CAI and AOI melts, (4) crystallization in chondrule melts, (5) exsolution during the cooling of CAIs, (6) exsolution during the cooling of chondrules and opaque assemblages, (7) annealing of amorphous material, (8) thermal metamorphism and exsolution, (9) aqueous alteration, hydrothermal alteration and metasomatism, (10) shock metamorphism, (11) condensation within impact plumes, (12) crystallization from melts in differentiated or partially differentiated bodies, (13) condensation from late-stage vapors in differentiated bodies, (14) exsolution, inversion and subsolidus redox effects within cooling igneous materials, (15) solar heating near perihelion, (16) atmospheric passage, and (17) terrestrial weathering.
Relative Role of Turbulent and Radiative Flux on the Near-Surface Temperature in a Single-Layer Urban Canopy Model over Houston

AbstractNumerical simulations without hydrological processes tend to overestimate the near-surface temperatures over urban areas. This is presumably due to underestimation of surface latent heat flux. To test this hypothesis, the existing single-layer urban canopy model (SLUCM) within the Weather Research and Forecasting Model is evaluated over Houston, Texas. Three simulations were conducted during 24–26 August 2000. The simulations include the use of the default “BULK” urban scheme, the SLUCM without hydrological processes, and the SLUCM with hydrological processes. The results show that the BULK scheme was least accurate, and it overestimated the near-surface temperatures and winds over the urban regions. In the presence of urban hydrological processes, the SLUCM underestimates these parameters. An analysis of the surface heat fluxes suggests that the error in the BULK scheme is due to a lack of moisture at the urban surface, whereas the error in the SLUCM with hydrological processes is due to increase...
2-aminoimidazoles potentiate ß-lactam antimicrobial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis by reducing ß-lactamase secretion and increasing cell envelope permeability.

There is an urgent need to develop new drug treatment strategies to control the global spread of drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). The s-lactam class of antibiotics is among the safest and most widely prescribed antibiotics, but they are not effective against M. tuberculosis due to intrinsic resistance. This study shows that 2-aminoimidazole (2-AI)-based small molecules potentiate s-lactam antibiotics against M. tuberculosis. Active 2-AI compounds significantly reduced the minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of s-lactams by increasing M. tuberculosis cell envelope permeability and decreasing protein secretion including s-lactamase. Metabolic labeling and transcriptional profiling experiments revealed that 2-AI compounds impair mycolic acid biosynthesis, export and linkage to the mycobacterial envelope, counteracting an important defense mechanism reducing permeability to external agents. Additionally, other important constituents of the M. tuberculosis outer membrane including sulfolipid-1 and polyacyltrehalose were also less abundant in 2-AI treated bacilli. As a consequence of 2-AI treatment, M. tuberculosis displayed increased sensitivity to SDS, increased permeability to nucleic acid staining dyes, and rapid binding of cell wall targeting antibiotics. Transcriptional profiling analysis further confirmed that 2-AI induces transcriptional regulators associated with cell envelope stress. 2-AI based small molecules potentiate the antimicrobial activity of s-lactams by a mechanism that is distinct from specific inhibitors of s-lactamase activity and therefore may have value as an adjunctive anti-TB treatment.
Anterior and posterior rectopexy with levator repair in patients with rectal prolapse and incontinence

A prospective clinical, manometric and radiological study has been performed, before and after rectopexy, on 18 female patients with complete rectal prolapse, and varying degrees of incontinence. All patients, mean age 62 years, underwent anterior-posterior fixation (Ivalon or Vicryl) of the rectum with posterior pelvic repair of the puborectalis muscle. 13 patients with obstipation and rectal prolapse were treated by rectopexy combined with sigmoidectomy. Postoperatively there was a significant increase in the resting anal pressure and maximum voluntary contraction pressure (p = 0.01). Continence was improved in 16 patients (89 percent), 9 (56 percent) of whom regained normal continence. No significant change in pelvic descent or anorectal angle was seen postoperatively. Following abdominal rectopexy and resection obstipation was reduced in 9 of 13 patients (70 percent).
When Do Biological Attributions of Mental Illness Reduce Stigma? Using Qualitative Comparative Analysis to Contextualize Attributions:

Individuals increasingly have encountered messages that mental illness is explained by biological factors such as chemical imbalance or genetic abnormality. Many assumed this “biological turn” woul...
Stretching the arms of the type VI secretion sheath protein

The bacterial type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a multicomponent complex responsible for the translocation of effector proteins into the external milieu. The T6SS consists of an external sheath, an internal rigid tube, a baseplate, and a T6SS‐specific membrane complex. Secretion is accomplished by the contraction of the sheath, which expels the effector‐loaded tube. In this issue of EMBO reports , Brackmann et al [1] show how modifications of the sheath subunits can lock the T6SS assembly in the extended state. These findings allowed Wang et al [2] and Nazarov et al [3] to purify the T6SS sheath–tube–baseplate complex in the extended pre‐secretion state and to analyze its structure using cryo‐electron microscopy (cryoEM).
Supply Chain Risk after Swets: Evaluating the Financial Viability of Library Vendors

The financial collapse of a library vendor can have serious repercussions, but steps can be taken to investigate the financial health of vendors to help avoid surprises. Useful tools and techniques to minimize risk and maximize business continuity are described and the limits of such research explored. The broader supply chain context of library vendors is also outlined.
The Political Economy of Congressional Term Limits

From 1995 to 1997 the U.S. Congress made repeated attempts to limit the number of terms Representatives and Senators can serve. This paper is an empirical examination of this legislative history. Using spatial analysis, I generate two hypotheses: 1) term limits will redistribute political capital within the legislature; and 2) legislators do not represent their constituents' interests in voting on term limits. Roll call votes in both chambers are estimated with a logit model to test the two hypotheses. Regression results indicate that legislator characteristics are significant predictors of their voting behavior. Specifically, older, male, Republican legislators with relatively low tenure favor term limits. Contrarily, younger, female, tenured Democrats tend to oppose them. However, in pursuing their own interests, legislators are constrained by the parochial interests of their relevant constituencies. In particular, electoral security is inversely related to legislators' votes on term limits. Using aggregate data and anecdotal evidence, the hypothesis that term limits redistribute power within the legislature is upheld, while the shirking hypothesis is partly rejected. Congressmen pursue their own political capital subject to the interests of their constituents. I discuss the importance of institutional comparisons between the chambers of Congress, as well as implications of the empirical results for different aspects of public choice theory.
Rapid Detection of Hepatitis C Virus in Plasma and Liver Biopsies by Capillary Electrophoresis

Liver transplantation is one of the most complicated and costly medical procedures performed in hospitals and medical centers today. Candidates for liver transplantation include patients whose livers have been damaged by hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Since donated livers, however, sometimes carry HCV infection (Pereira et al. 1991), it would be beneficial to be able to test for HCV prior to transplantation. Because of the nature of organ transplantation, in which surgery must be performed within a few hours following organ donation, this test must be very fast but without a loss of sensitivity.
Optimizing Information Set Decoding Algorithms to Attack Cyclosymmetric MDPC Codes

Recently, several promising approaches have been proposed to reduce keysizes for code based cryptography using structured, but non-algebraic codes, such as quasi-cyclic (QC) Moderate Density Parity Check (MDPC) codes. Biasi et al. propose further reducing the keysizes of code-based schemes using cyclosymmetric (CS) codes. While Biasi et al. analyze the complexity of attacking their scheme using standard information-set-decoding algorithms, the research presented here shows that information set decoding algorithms can be improved, by choosing the columns of the information set in a way that takes advantage of the added symmetry. The result is an attack that significantly reduces the security of the proposed CS-MDPC schemes to the point that they no longer offer an advantage in keysize over QC-MDPC schemes of the same security level. QC-MDPC schemes are not affected by this paper’s result.
Music, Craft, and Technology in the Similes in Vergil’s Aeneid

Human beings in epic similes often rely on forms of specialized expertise to make new things and to create order in the world around them. The ways that the similes in a given epic poem represent craft and technology convey fundamental points about the larger world view of that poem in relation to human beings and the contours of epic poetry. A simile featuring a singer or poet in particular invites the audience of a poem to draw parallels between the musical simile and the epic poem in which it appears. The single musical simile in the Aeneid, 7.699-702, creates a portrait of the limits of human agency, the nature of group identity and musical performance, and the qualities of the Aeneid as an epic poem. The themes and modes of presentation in this simile are characteristic of the ‘song’ that Vergil has created with his own Aeneid .
Biosimilar and Follow-on Insulin: The Ins, Outs, and Interchangeability.

Objective: To provide an overview of the differences between biosimilars and generics, and to summarize regulatory requirements and outstanding issues related to biosimilar insulins in the United S...
Analysis of small vessel cochlear blood flow regulation during loud sound exposure in the mouse

Using optical coherence tomography angiography, we measured blood flow from the vessels in the lateral wall in the mouse cochlea directly through bone in mice with and without sympathetic neuronal function. We present in vivo imaging of blood flow and mechanical vibration in mice subjected to 30 min of loud sound. Loud sound caused blood flow reduction. In mice with superior cervical ganglion ablation, the loud sound-induced reduction in blood flow was partially ameliorated. These results demonstrate that sympathetic innervation likely plays a role in the pathological decrease in blood flow observed in the lateral wall vessels in response to loud sound.
E-176 Elevated serum S100B predicts adverse clinical outcome and DWI abnormalities in acute subarachnoid hemorrhage patients

Purpose To determine the correlation of serum S100B protein levels with clinical outcome and the presence of DWI abnormalities in acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods Patients with diffuse SAH at our institution were offered enrollment in a prospective study in which serial MRI, including DWI, FLAIR, PWI, and ASL sequences, was performed at admission, 7 days, 30 days, and upon the development of signs/symptoms of vasospasm. As well, serum S100B levels were measured at the time of each MRI. Patient demographics, Hunt-Hess grade, modified Fisher score, and underlying lesion and treatment technique were recorded. Poor clinical outcome was defined as mRS 3–6 at discharge. Mean S100B levels were compared using Student’s t-test. ROC analyses were performed using MedCalc v18.2.1. p Results Between November 2013 and August 2017, 50 patients were enrolled, 37 women, mean age 58, 20 current smokers. Hunt-Hess grade mean was 3.0. Modified Fisher score mean was 3.5. All underlying vascular lesions were treated endovascularly: 17 ACA aneurysms, 14 ICA aneurysms (including PCOM), 10 MCA aneurysms, 3 basilar tip aneurysms, 1 vertebral aneurysm, 1 posterior fossa AVM, and 4 angiographically-negative SAHs. Mean serum S100B was 73.4 ng/L, 55.1 ng/L and 57.8 ng/L on admission, at 7 days and 30 days, respectively. Overall, serum S100B was significantly higher on admission than at 7 days (p=0.01). Admission serum S100B was significantly higher in patients with poor outcome at discharge (p=0.0003) and in patients with any DWI abnormalities on admission (p=0.0004). The correlation of elevated serum S100B with the presence of DWI abnormalities persisted at 7 days (60.7 ng/L versus 42.8 ng/L, p=0.007). ROC analyses revealed a cutoff of admission S100B>69 ng/L resulting in a sensitivity of 54.8% and a specificity of 94.7% for poor outcome at discharge with an AUC of 0.74 (95% CI 0.60–0.85, p=0.0005), and a cutoff of admission S100B>61 ng/L resulting in a sensitivity of 64.5% and a specificity of 82.4% for the presence of any DWI abnormalities on admission with an AUC of 0.75 (95% CI 0.61–0.86, p=0.0004). Conclusion Admission S100B levels were elevated in setting of acute subarachnoid hemorrhage. Higher S100B levels were associated with poor outcomes at discharge and the presence of DWI abnormalities, both on admission and at 7 days. Disclosures Y. Kayan: 2; C; Medtronic, Penumbra. J. Delgado Almandoz: 2; C; Medtronic, MicroVention, Penumbra. J. Fease: None. A. Wallace: None. J. Scholz: None. A. Milner: None. N. Banerji: None. M. Mulder: None.
A High Performance Computational Framework for Dynamic Security Assessment under Uncertainty

Dynamic security assessment (DSA) is a critical function to evaluate power grids' capability to survive the transition caused by a set of disturbances to an acceptable steady-state condition. Its computational burden is heavy. With the challenges brought by renewable energy and new smart grid technologies, DSA under uncertainty has to be considered to study the impact of forecast errors on DSA simulation, which further increases the computational burden. To address this challenge, this paper presents a high performance computational framework to support DSA simulation user uncertainty. The computational framework provides a seamless work flow that links data from high performance computing, statistical analysis, to visualization so that a problem can be easily expressed in a way compatible with different functions. It also enables software compatibility such that application development can be more efficient. Case study results of the ESCA60 system and a western U.S. system show the advantages and efficiency of the computational framework.
Effects of medication intake in early pregnancy on the fetal fraction of cell-free DNA testing

OBJECTIVES To determine the association between medications intake in early pregnancy and variation in the fetal fraction (FF) in pregnant women undergoing cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study of women (n = 1051) undergoing cfDNA testing at an academic center. The exposed group included women taking medications (n = 400; 38.1%), while the nonexposed group consisted of women taking no medications (n = 651; 61.9%). Our primary outcome was FF. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses as appropriate. RESULTS The FFs were 8.8% (6.6-12.1), 8.7% (6.3-11.6), and 7.7% (5.1-9.3) among women taking 0, 1, and two or more medications, respectively (P < 0.01). Using multivariable linear mixed effects model, the mean FF was significantly lower among those taking two or more medications compared with the nonexposed group. FF was directly correlated with gestational age at the time of cfDNA testing and inversely correlated with maternal obesity. Exposure to metformin was associated with 1.8% (0.2-3.4) lower mean FF when compared with the nonexposed group (P = 0.02). Obesity and intake of two or more medications were associated with higher hazard ratio of having a low FF less than 4%. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to metformin or two or more medications was associated with decreased FF, and obesity is associated with delay in achieving adequate FF percentage. These findings should be considered while counseling patients on test limitations.