cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Histone concentration regulates the cell cycle and transcription in early development

ABSTRACT The early embryos of many animals, including flies, fish and frogs, have unusually rapid cell cycles and delayed onset of transcription. These divisions are dependent on maternally supplied RNAs and proteins including histones. Previous work suggests that the pool size of maternally provided histones can alter the timing of zygotic genome activation (ZGA) in frogs and fish. Here, we examine the effects of under- and overexpression of maternal histones in Drosophila embryogenesis. Decreasing histone concentration advances zygotic transcription, cell cycle elongation, Chk1 activation and gastrulation. Conversely, increasing histone concentration delays transcription and results in an additional nuclear cycle before gastrulation. Numerous zygotic transcripts are sensitive to histone concentration, and the promoters of histone-sensitive genes are associated with specific chromatin features linked to increased histone turnover. These include enrichment of the pioneer transcription factor Zelda, and lack of SIN3A and associated histone deacetylases. Our findings uncover a crucial regulatory role for histone concentrations in ZGA of Drosophila.
Deep Learning-based Prescription of Cardiac MRI Planes.

Author(s): Blansit, Kevin; Retson, Tara; Masutani, Evan; Bahrami, Naeim; Hsiao, Albert | Abstract: PurposeTo develop and evaluate a system to prescribe imaging planes for cardiac MRI based on deep learning (DL)-based localization of key anatomic landmarks.Materials and methodsAnnotated landmarks on 892 long-axis (LAX) and 493 short-axis (SAX) cine steady-state free precession series from cardiac MR images were retrospectively collected between February 2012 and June 2017. U-Net-based heatmap regression was used for localization of cardiac landmarks, which were used to compute cardiac MRI planes. Performance was evaluated by comparing localization distances and plane angle differences between DL predictions and ground truth. The plane angulations from DL were compared with those prescribed by the technologist at the original time of acquisition. Data were split into 80% for training and 20% for testing, and results confirmed with fivefold cross-validation.ResultsOn LAX images, DL localized the apex within mean 12.56 mm ± 19.11 (standard deviation) and the mitral valve (MV) within 7.68 mm ± 6.91. On SAX images, DL localized the aortic valve within 5.78 mm ± 5.68, MV within 5.90 mm ± 5.24, pulmonary valve within 6.55 mm ± 6.39, and tricuspid valve within 6.39 mm ± 5.89. On the basis of these localizations, average angle bias and mean error of DL-predicted imaging planes relative to ground truth annotations were as follows: SAX, -1.27° ± 6.81 and 4.93° ± 4.86; four chambers, 0.38° ± 6.45 and 5.16° ± 3.80; three chambers, 0.13° ± 12.70 and 9.02° ± 8.83; and two chamber, 0.25° ± 9.08 and 6.53° ± 6.28, respectively.ConclusionDL-based anatomic localization is a feasible strategy for planning cardiac MRI planes. This approach can produce imaging planes comparable to those defined by ground truth landmarks.© RSNA, 2019 Supplemental material is available for this article.
Paleoclimate and paleoecology of the latest Eocene Florissant flora of central Colorado, U.S.A.

Abstract The uppermost Eocene Florissant Formation of central Colorado, U.S.A. contains a diverse flora and fauna preserved in lacustrine facies and represents a key episode in Earth history immediately preceding the Eocene-Oligocene boundary. Laminated shales contain impressions of non-monocot angiosperm leaves that were used to estimate paleoecological and paleoclimatic parameters using leaf physiognomic methods including: leaf mass per area (MA), digital leaf physiognomy (DiLP), leaf margin analysis (LMA), and leaf area analysis (LAA). The majority (58%) of the morphotypes analyzed for MA suggested a semi-evergreen leaf lifespan, whereas another 27% indicated a deciduous habit and 15% an evergreen habit. There was no significant relationship between MA and insect damage based on a small subset of Florissant's leaves. Higher MA values (~73% of leaves ≥ one-year lifespan), coupled with a tendency toward long and narrow leaf shapes and small leaf areas, indicate the existence of sclerophyllous vegetation. Using the global regression for mean annual temperature (MAT), the DiLP estimate of MAT was anomalously cold: 5.5 ± 4 °C. However, using a Northern Hemisphere regression the DiLP MAT estimate of 11.6 ± 3.3 °C was more plausible. Using DiLP, mean annual precipitation (MAP) was estimated at 740 + 608/−334 mm∙yr−1, which supports dry conditions. Estimates for MAT and MAP using the univariate LMA and LAA methods overlapped within uncertainty of the DiLP results. In addition, those taxa classified as growing in wet areas (riparian) had significantly more teeth than non-riparian taxa. These paleoclimatic and paleoecological results suggest that outside the riparian forest, the Florissant flora sampled a seasonally dry temperate sclerophyllous shrubland to woodland, perhaps similar to modern chaparral forests, in the western interior of the U.S.A. just before the transition into the cooler Oligocene.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Oxygen Transport through ω-Alkoxy-n-alkanethiolate Self-Assembled Monolayers on Gold and Copper

We have used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the influences of the position of the ethereal oxygen on the ability of omega-alkoxy-n-alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) to act as barrier films against through-film oxygen transport as relevant to the uses of these films in corrosion inhibition. Our MD simulations reveal that when the ether linkage is too close to the metal surface or to the chain ends, the free-energy barrier of SAMs toward oxygen diffusion was approximately 5 kJ/mol less than for a non-ether-containing n-alkanethiolate SAM having the same chain length. MD simulations show that SAMs having an ether linkage near a chain end contain a highly disordered terminal region. As a result, the SAMs allow a more rapid transport of oxygen across these monolayers than through n-alkanethiolate SAMs of similar length lacking the ether unit. Additionally, SAMs with the ether linkage close to the metal surface undergo a structural transition to an alternating flipped structure that is less crystalline compared to that of an n-alkanethiolate SAM. Together, these factors diminish the barrier properties of the omega-alkoxy-n-alkanethiolate SAMs below those for their unsubstituted analogues.
Radiosurgery for Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia

Radiosurgery is an accepted treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. The following chapter discusses patient selection, treatment technique, and outcomes in trigeminal neuralgia patients treated with radiosurgery. trigeminal neuralgia.
Understanding faculty perspectives of supports and barriers to interprofessional collaboration within a clinical scholars program: A qualitative study

Abstract Aim This study explores the faculty perspective of an interprofessional clinical scholars program to identify recommendations for strengthening team collaboration between academia and clinical practice. Background Interprofessional evidence-based practice, pairing higher education and clinical practice, is a critical part of nursing education. Design This qualitative study consisted of two phases of participant engagement, in both data collection and data analysis. Methods Specifically, faculty participated in a focus group discussion followed by a card sort of initial codes. Results The major themes identified are Unifying the Team and Navigating Layers of Challenge, encompassing concepts of teamwork and programmatic context that supported or disrupted interprofessional collaboration. This study affirms the importance of role clarity, connectedness, intentionality and continuity within clinical teams. Moreover, faculty identified barriers to teamwork based on workload, leadership turnover and constraining environmental forces. Conclusions Recommendations for effective teamwork in an interprofessional setting will strengthen future collaboration between higher education and clinical settings.
Modern Management of Type B Aortic Dissections

The following describes the recent advancement in the diagnosis, imaging, and treatment of type B aortic dissections. We will review the recent updates of aortic dissection classifications, and potential impact on clinical management. Type B aortic dissections can be classified anatomically and temporally using the recent Society for Vascular Surgery and Society of Thoracic Surgeons reporting standards. A number of high-risk features have been correlated with poor prognoses with medical management alone, leading to the expansion of indications for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Emerging data suggest that timing of intervention may play a role in patient outcomes. Special attention to endovascular technique regarding landing zones and device selection can also significantly impact patient outcomes. Anti-impulse therapy should promptly be initiated for all dissections. Type A dissections continue to depend largely on emergent open surgical intervention, whereas TEVAR remains first line for complicated type b aortic dissections. Uncomplicated type b aortic dissections are historically managed conservatively; however, data continue to emerge suggesting benefits of early endovascular intervention to prevent risk of late aortic degeneration or rupture. These approaches continue to be challenged as growing registry data and progressive endovascular technology develop. Regardless of initial management strategy, continued surveillance is crucial. Widespread utilization of standardized classification systems can aid in understanding the natural history and outcomes of aortic dissections.
Present Status and Future Directions of High Performance Cutting in Aerospace Manufacturing

Manufacturing remains the largest and most important wealth generating sector. Within this sector, material cutting is a key technology in the aerospace and automotive industries, contributing to more than C$200 billion to the economy in North America on annual basis. The demand for high productivity and high accuracy is steadily increasing, along with the increasing attention to the impact on the environment. With more than 700 companies in the aerospace sector, Canada has been ranked third globally in terms of global civil aircraft production, especially for aerostructures, providing more than C$27 billion of direct revenue annually. It is clear that improvement and optimization of metal cutting processes are essential for continuous improvement in this sector. This paper presents the recent advances in high-performance cutting technologies that are aligned with the I4.0 paradigm through featuring environmental and economical sustainability, effective digital inter-connectivity and integrated intelligence. The focus in this paper is placed on the following enabling technologies: (i) Superabrasive grinding using diamond and Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) abrasives for grinding difficult-to-cut aerospace materials. (ii) Integrated process of laser-assisted machining (LAM) and laser surface heat treatment. (iii) New sustainable hybrid cooling using liquid nitrogen (LN2) with minimum quantity lubrication (MQL). (iv) Intelligent tool condition monitoring (TCM) to predict and prevent tool failure. (v) Virtual machining for tool geometry and cutting conditions optimization in drilling of fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) and hybrid stacks.
Court of Appeal Opens the Door to LIBOR and Benchmark Misrepresentation Claims

Despite planning to phase it out by 2021 and replacing it with a proxy, the FCA calls the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) a “systemically important benchmark”. In the case of Property Alliance Group Ltd v The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc [2018] EWCA Civ 355 (02 March 2018), Etherton MR, Longmore and Newey LJJ considered the subject of LIBOR manipulation. These proceedings concerned a series of swaps that were sold to PAG by RBS. Notably, their Lordships held that in the present case there were lengthy discussions between PAG and RBS before the swaps were concluded. RBS was undoubtedly proposing the swap transactions with their reference to LIBOR as transactions which PAG could and should consider as fulfilment of the obligations contained in the loan contracts. In these circumstances the Court of Appeal was satisfied that RBS did make some representation to the effect that RBS itself was not manipulating and did not intend to manipulate LIBOR. They held that that RBS did impliedly represent that it was not manipulating and did not intend to manipulate sterling LIBOR. In addition to endorsing the logic in the case of Graiseley Properties – that the banks were representing that their own participation in the setting of the rate was an honest one – the outcome in this case marks a significant development and it shall undoubtedly steer future misrepresentation claims of this nature.
The impact of COVID-19 and the NCAA’s (National Collegiate Athletic Association) season cancellation on sport support professionals

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced athletes to learn to navigate a world void of athletic competition and contend with the intricacies that life during a pandemic brings. Similarly, those that dedicate their lives to these athletes such as sport psychology practitioners, sport medicine personnel, athletic trainers, or academic advisors (i.e., sport support professionals ) also experienced an abrupt ending to their routines, and in some cases their livelihoods. These professionals have been pushed to modify their art and find ways to engage their community from a distance (e.g., virtually, or physically from a social distance). Sport support professionals are experiencing a collective loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper addresses the impact of a global pandemic and the subsequent issues faced by sport support professionals across diverse disciplines, emphasizing the significance of these relationships and the necessary adjustments to manage the cessation of these relationships.
Synchronous collaborative systems project

There are many multi-user or collaborative computing systems and applications being used today, but little is known in regards to evaluating their usability. As a research assistant, I have focused on extending usability inspection techniques for multi-user systems. To do so, I helped to revise heuristics (rules of thumb) and validate them through use, while searching for and recording collaborative problems that can be analyzed and used in further experimental work.
A Joint Optimization Framework for Request Scheduling and Energy Storage Management in a Data Center

This paper addresses the problem of profit maximization for a data center with battery banks deployed at various levels of the power hierarchy. An optimization framework that covers the request dispatch, server resource allocation, and battery charging management is proposed. Instead of controlling the input/output power of the batteries after knowing the power profile of all other components of the data center as in a set of prior work, an optimal management policy is proposed which adjusts the power consumption (or supply) of servers and the battery banks at the same time. A response time dependent revenue model is adopted based on the delay estimation using the generalized processor sharing model. The rate capacity effect and the state of health degradation of the batteries, as well as the conversion and transmission loss in the power delivery network, are considered for the purpose of accurate power modeling and utility cost estimation. It is shown that the problem can be transformed into a series of convex optimization problems and then solved using standard solvers.
Intracellular interaction of Hsp47 and type I collagen in corneal endothelial cells.

PURPOSE. Previous studies by the current investigators showed that type I collagen was posttranslationally regulated in corneal endothelial cells (CECs). These cells synthesize type I procollagen and degrade it intracellularly; however, when CECs are modulated with fibroblast growth factor-2 and/or corneal endothelium modulation factor, they synthesize and secrete type I collagen. Heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47), an endoplasmic reticulum resident protein, is known to function as a molecular chaperon in regulating procollagen folding and/or assembly. The interaction of Hsp47 with type I procollagen synthesis in CECs was also studied. METHODS. Expression of proteins was analyzed by radioactive labeling or immunoblot analysis. The steady state level of type I collagen and Hsp47 mRNAs was determined by northern blot analysis. Coprecipitation using immunoprecipitation followed by immunoblotting was performed to determine the association profile between Hsp47 and type I procollagen. Subcellular localization of Hsp47 and type I procollagen was determined by immunofluorescent staining. RESULTS. Normal and modulated cells expressed Hsp47 and Hsp70. The relative amount of Hsp47 produced by modulated cells was much higher than that of control cells, but the expression level of Hsp70 was the same in control and modulated cells. The steady state levels of type I collagen transcripts were higher in normal cells than in modulated cells, whereas modulated cells contained a much higher steady state level of Hsp47 mRNA. Type 1 procollagen was found to be associated with Hsp47 when analyzed by coprecipitation or cross-linking. The cytoplasmic localization profile of Hsp47 and type I collagen was different in normal cells, although a colocalization profile was observed to some degree. These two proteins were predominantly colocalized in the Golgi area in modulated CECs. CONCLUSIONS. Hsp47 may be involved in the synthesis and/or intracellular transport of type 1 collagen in CECs. Modulated cells that secrete type I collagen into the extracellular matrix express a higher level of Hsp47 than do control cells. {Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 1999;40:289-295)
Detection of significant sets of episodes in event sequences

We present a method for a reliable detection of "unusual" sets of episodes in the form of many pattern sequences, scanned simultaneously for an occurrence as a subsequence in a large event stream within a window of size w. We also investigate the important special case of all permutations of the same sequence, which models the situation where the order of events in an episode does not matter, e.g., when events correspond to purchased market basket items. In order to build a reliable monitoring system, we compare obtained measurements to a reference model which in our case is a probabilistic model (Bernoulli or Markov). We first present a precise analysis that leads to a construction of a threshold. The difficulties of carrying out a probabilistic analysis for an arbitrary set of patterns, stems from the possible simultaneous occurrence of many members of the set as subsequences in the same window, the fact that the different patterns typically do have common symbols or common subsequences or possibly common prefixes, and that they may have different lengths. We also report on extensive experimental results, carried out on the Wal-Mart transactions database, that show a remarkable agreement with our theoretical analysis. This paper is an extension of our previous work where we laid out foundation for the problem of the reliable detection of an "unusual" episodes, but did not consider more than one episode scanned simultaneously for an occurrence.
Three-dimensional graphene-based composite for flexible electronic applications

Flexible and stretchable electronics have aroused tremendous attentions in the field of stretchable circuits, wearable electronic devices, artificial tissues and biomedical sensors. To realize the function of these devices, one critical parameter is to retain the high conductivity under mechanical deformations. A solution to this challenge is to form a hybrid conductive architecture where elastomeric components can be integrated. In this research, we report on a facile synthesis of graphene aerogel via spontaneous reduction. The porous structure of the aerogel greatly facilitates the incorporation of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) elastomer into the graphene framework. The graphene/PDMS composite has demonstrated a high conductivity of 95 S/m and less than 20% resistance variation under different bending conditions. With unique electrical feature and robust mechanical strength, the as-fabricated graphene/PDMS composite poses the great potential as flexible interconnect materials.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease probably acquired from a cadaveric dura mater graft: Case report

✓ A case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is reported in a 28-year-old woman who had received a cadaveric dural graft 19 months earlier after resection of a cholesteatoma. The circumstances of the case point to the graft as the most likely source of the disease. Cadaveric dura should be added to the list of materials that may transmit CJD, and it must be very carefully screened if it is used at all for grafting. Autologous tissue should be considered whenever possible.
Conformational analysis : XVII. Conformations of silyl-, methylsilyl- and dimethylsilylarenes

Abstract The chemical shifts of the silicon bound hydrogens of arylsilanes, methylarylsilanes and dimethylarylsilanes, where the aryl group is phenyl, 1-naphthyl and 2-naphthyl, have been determined in dilute solutions of carbon tetrachloride at 34°. The changes in the chemical shifts with respect to aryl structure increase in the series SiH 3 τ SiH 2 CH 3 τ SiH(CH 3 ) 2 . Quantitative correlations of the chemical shifts with relative anisotropic contributions of the aromatic ring are examined as a function of the molecular parameters of bond angles, bond lengths, and dihedral angles. From these correlations it is established that in solution the preferred conformation of the α-silicon is one in which a silicon-hydrogen bond is coplanar with the aromatic ring. It is suggested that d π - p π bonding may be responsible for the high field chemical shift of arylsilanes and vinylsilane.
Electrical slow wave of the proximal colon of the cat in diarrhea.

Electric slow waves of the circular muscle layer were studied in the isolated proximal colon of the cat. Six electrodes, applied to the exposed circular muscle layer, were spaced equally in a straight line over a distance of 28.8 mm. Studies were made in both longitudinal and transverse axes, just below the ileocecal junction. Four groups of animals were studied: (1) apparently healthy cats; (2) cats with idiopathic diarrhea; (3) cats treated with corn oil; (4) cats treated with castor oil to induce diarrhea. In both groups of animals with diarrhea there was a significant reduction in the proportion of time in which slow waves appeared to be conducted uniformly across all six electrodes in both axes. That is, the number of pacemakers operating simultaneously in this segment increased. Also, during uniform conduction, patterns of apparent spread were such that there appeared to be more pacemakers in diarrheic than in healthy animals. Apparent velocity of spread in the transverse axis was increased in both groups of animals treated with oils. Slow wave frequency was slightly diminished in the diarrheic animals.
An avian leukosis virus related to RSV(O): Properties and evidence for helper activity

Abstract The ability of Rous sarcoma virus type O [RSV(O)] to reproduce depends on the host cell. Most single infections in type C A chicken cells yield infectious progeny, whereas cells of Japanese quail embryos produce noninfectious progeny under such conditions. Quail embryos do not contain the congenitally transmitted group-specific ( gs ) antigen of the avian leukosis and sarcoma complex; all type C A chick embryos harbor this antigen. In addition, cultures from some C A embryos release a non-transforming avian RNA tumor virus which shares surface antigens with RSV(O) and which can act as helper virus for RSV(O) in quail cells. This agent is referred to as Rous-associated virus type O (RAV-O). RSV produced with the aid of RAV-O in quail cells has the envelope properties of parental RSV(O). Our observations suggest that RAV-O plays an essential role in the replication of RSV(O) in gs negative cells and that it is also involved in the reproduction of RSV(O) in gs positive cells. RAV-O differs from the common type of helper virus by its greater physical instability, its poor ability to interfere with related viruses, and its dependence on RSV(O) in the infection of quail cells.
MUC2 expression in primary mucinous and nonmucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate: an analysis of 50 cases on radical prostatectomy

The expression of mucin (MUC2) in prostate cancer has not been well studied previously and may be of prognostic and pathobiologic significance. It is, however, well known that MUC2 expression in mucinous pancreatic and breast cancer represents an indolent pathway since these tumors have a significantly better outcome than their conventional counterparts. Twenty-five cases each of Gleason pattern 3 and 4 mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate defined by greater than 25% mucinous component and nonmucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate were obtained from the surgical pathology files of the Johns Hopkins Hospital and Emory University Hospital. Immunohistochemical stains were performed for MUC2 on all 50 cases. Mean patient age was 60 years (range 44-72 years). MUC2 was expressed in all 25 cases (100%) of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate, irrespective of the Gleason pattern. The nonmucinous component of these cases was negative for MUC2. In contrast, MUC2 expression was significantly lower in nonmucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate, detected in only 6/25 cases as a focal finding, while 19/25 (76%) of nonmucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate were completely negative for MUC2 (P<0.01). In six cases that showed focal positivity, MUC2 was expressed in areas with Gleason pattern 3 cancer with extensive mucinous fibroplasia (one case) and prominent intraluminal mucin (five cases). Other areas of these tumors were negative for MUC2. Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate shows diffuse expression of MUC2, a known tumor suppressor, which is not present in either normal prostate or the majority of conventional adenocarcinomas of this organ. This indicates that mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate is indeed of the 'colloid type' akin to those in other exocrine organs. It is highly conceivable that this de novo expression of MUC2 has a role, not only in the mucinous differentiation of these tumors and their colloid pattern, but also in their relatively indolent behavior that has been recently elucidated.
Overcoming insulin resistance with CNTF.

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) enhances fatty-acid oxidation in muscle and reduces insulin resistance in obese, diabetic mice. Because skeletal muscle is the major site of insulin-mediated glucose uptake, this action of CNTF could benefit individuals with diabetes ( pages 541–548 ).
FFT Analysis Using LabView as a Part of Vibration and Preventive Maintenance Class for Senior Level MET students

An existing senior level elective course on vibration in Mechanical Engineering Technology program at Georgia Southern University has been modified significantly. Two major components have been added to this course. Those are theoretical topics on preventive maintenance and laboratory experiments. As a part of laboratory experiments, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was introduced as a possible tool for vibration analysis for the purposes of machine diagnosis. Utilizing the current laboratory set up for the data acquisition systems, LabView software has been used for FFT analysis of signals from various sources. Four different modules were developed and implemented. The modules are as follows: random variation in acceleration of a toy cart due to roughness of the track and pulley, regular uniform wave signal which is generated by the lateral vibration of a cantilever beam at its natural frequency, signal generated by the imported raw data from other sources (e.g. MATLAB) and vibration signal of a shaft mounted on ball bearings in order to detect the defects in the bearing. Each of these modules is illustrated in this paper with suitable examples and suggested student activities and involvements. The results from FFT analysis have been cross checked using other methods and observations. As a follow up, students have been taken to a local industry where significant amount of emphasis is given to preventive maintenance of machineries by vibration data analysis using FFT. Future possible projects include the analysis of vibration data gathered from actual machine shop. This project opens the scope for greater collaborative effort between local industries and classroom activities.© 2005 ASME
Data Collection and Processing for Simultaneous Small- and Wide-Angle Protein Solution Scattering

The procedures used at beamline X9 of National Synchrotron Light Source for collecting and processing protein solution scattering data are described. The scattering data are collected simultaneously on two CCD detectors, one (SAXS) located at the end of the ∼2.5m-long flight tube and the other (WAXS) at ∼0.4m from the sample in vacuum. A package of python scripts, named pyXS, are used to apply data corrections pertain to the scattering geometry and reduce the 2D SAXS and WAXS CCD images to a combined 1D curve spanning the full q-range, typically from 0.007 A−1 to 2.0 A−1. The subtraction of buffer scattering is performed based on either the intensity of water scattering peak near 2.0 A−1, or the combination of the protein volume fraction and transmitted beam intensity. Fluorescence from a salt solution is utilized to calibrate the X-ray energy as well as to determine the flat field response of the detector and the geometric corrections. Details of the data conversion and corrections, as well as example data, will be presented.
Desnutrin/ATGL activates PPARδ to promote mitochondrial function for insulin secretion in islet β cells.

Summary Excessive caloric intake leading to obesity is associated with insulin resistance and dysfunction of islet β cells. High-fat feeding decreases desnutrin (also called ATGL/PNPLA2) levels in islets. Here we show that desnutrin ablation via RIP-Cre (βKO) or RIP-CreER results in hyperglycemia with impaired glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS). Due to decreased lipolysis, islets have higher TAG content but lower free FA levels. βKO islets exhibit impaired mitochondrial respiration and lower production of ATP required for GSIS, along with decreased expression of PPARδ target genes involved in mitochondrial oxidation. Furthermore, synthetic PPARδ, but not PPARα, agonist restores GSIS and expression of mitochondrial oxidative genes in βKO mice, revealing that desnutrin-catalyzed lipolysis generates PPARδ ligands. Finally, adenoviral expression of desnutrin in βKO islets restores all defects of βKO islet phenotype and function, including GSIS and mitochondrial defects, demonstrating the critical role of the desnutrin-PPARδ-mitochondrial oxidation axis in regulating islet β cell GSIS.
Charge independence breaking and the triton binding energy

We demonstrate, using an energy-dependent separable-potential model, that the triton binding energy is sensitive to variations of the singlet effective range, ${r}_{\mathrm{nn}}$, for fixed off-shell and intermediate-energy phase-shift constraints.
Prediction of Remarkable Ambipolar Charge-Transport Characteristics in Organic Mixed-Stack Charge-Transfer Crystals

We have used density functional theory calculations and mixed quantum/classical dynamics simulations to study the electronic structure and charge-transport properties of three representative mixed-stack charge-transfer crystals, DBTTF–TCNQ, DMQtT–F4TCNQ, and STB–F4TCNQ. The compounds are characterized by very small effective masses and modest electron–phonon couplings for both holes and electrons. The hole and electron transport characteristics are found to be very similar along the stacking directions; for example, in the DMQtT–F4TCNQ crystal, the hole and electron effective masses are as small as 0.20 and 0.26 m0, respectively. This similarity arises from the fact that the electronic couplings of both hole and electron are controlled by the same superexchange mechanism. Remarkable ambipolar charge-transport properties are predicted for all three crystals. Our calculations thus provide strong indications that mixed-stack donor–acceptor materials represent a class of systems with high potential in organic...
Contrasting Foraging Strategies and Coexistence of Two Bee Species on a Single Resource

The foraging patterns of two eusocial stingless bees, Trigona fuscipennis and Trigona fulviventris, were studied on a population of the shrub, Cassia biflora, in a tropical dry forest in Costa Rica. Trigona fuscipennis, which forages in large groups that monopolize plants, restricted its visits to large, dense clumps of Cassia. Visited plants had significantly more flowers than nonvisited plants. Trigona fulviventris, which forages as individuals or in small groups, visited more widely spaced or isolated plants. In the isolated plants visited by T. fulviventris, there was no significant difference in the number of flowers on visited vs. non- visited plants. In clumps, however, the few plants visited by T. fulviventris had significantly fewer flowers than plants not visited. This observation and observations of interspecific ag- gression suggests that T. fulviventris is excluded from the better plants in clumps by T. fus- cipennis. We believe the observed foraging patterns result from both evolved strategies and displacement due to short-term ecological competition. To explain the results, we hypothesize that two species may stably partition and coexist on a single resource, provided that (1) the resource has a highly variable spatial dispersion pattern, ranging from dense local patches to large regions of thinly spread resource, (2) the thinly spread resource is profitably harvested by only one of the species, (3) the dense patches are controlled by the second species, and (4) the resource is nonmobile such that no mixing of resource occurs between dense and sparse areas. We propose the terms "low- and high-density specialists" to describe such species.
AN ESTIMATE OF THE ‘COST’ OF NUTRIENT LEACHING FROM FOREST CANOPIES BY RAIN

SUMMARY Inorganic and organic substances are leached from forest canopies by rain. Estimates have been made of the percentage of net carbon assimilation associated with providing energy for both uptake and assimilation of substances leached from the canopy by rain. While leaching of nutrients from the canopy is a very significant component of nutrient cycles in forest ecosystems, it appears from the present calculations that it is generally only a minor factor in the energy (C) cycle. Energy losses associated with increased leaching as a result of rain acidification will probably cause only small reductions in forest productivity, unless they are the result of specific nutrient deficiencies.
Optical studies of metal-infiltrated opal photonic crystals

We have studied the optical properties of metal infiltrated opal photonic crystals and metallic replicas made of Sb, Hg, Bi and Pb. We observed dramatic differences in the reflectivity spectra of two kinds of metallic structures, namely those with either network or cermet topologies. We found that all metallic photonic crystals have Bragg stop bands in the visible spectral range. Highly interconnected metallic photonic crystal structures, however, showed about one order of magnitude decrease in the effective plasma frequency compared to that of the bulk metals. Coherent backscattering measurements showed a much larger optical mean free path for the metal-infiltrated opals compared to the skin depth of the metals, in agreement with the reduction in the plasma frequency. We also found an extra band in the reflectivity spectra of network-type samples that is related to surface plasmons. A theoretical model that considers the metallic mesh inside the opal as a cubic wire network agrees well with the experimental results.
A review of the Geomydoecus minor complex (Mallophaga: Trichodectidae) from Thomomys (Rodentia: Geomyidae)

Sixteen species and subspecies of the Geomydoecus californicus complex are described and illustrated: G. californicus from 14 subspecies of Thomomys bottae (type-host: T. b. bottae); G. centralis , n. sp. from 59 subspecies of T. bottae and 1 of T. umbrinus (type-host: T. b. centralis); G. albati , n. sp. from 4 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. albatus); G. angularis , n. sp. from 9 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. angularis); G. bajaiensis , n. sp. from 16 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. abbotti); G. clausonae , n. sp. from 2 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. anitae); G. limitaris limitaris , n. sp. from 9 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. limitaris); G. l. bakeri , n. subsp. from 7 subspecies of T. bottae and 1 of T. umbrinus (typehost: T. b. fulvus); G. l. halli , n. subsp. from 3 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. proximus); G. l. tolleci , n. subsp. from 5 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. toltecns): G. aurei aurei , n. sp. from 9 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. aureus); G. a. grahamensis , n. subsp. from 6 subspecies of T. bottae and 1 of T. umbrinus (type-host: T. b. grahamensis); G. actuosi , n. sp. from 13 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. actuosus); G. sinaloae , n. sp. from 2 subspecies of T. bottae (type-host: T. b. sinaloae); G. crovelloi , n. sp. from 2 subspecies of T. umbrinus (type-host: T. u. sonoriemis ); and G. warmanae , n. sp. from 1 subspecies of T. bottae and 13 of T. umbrinus (type-host: T. u. madrensis ). Distinctions among taxa are shown using qualitative and quantitative characters. Discriminant functions for 2 or 3 characters are provided in instances where they are shown to offer enhanced differentiation over single characters. A key is provided for the identification of these 16 taxa.
Joint and skeletal deformities in Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and progressive supranuclear palsy

The objective of this study is to characterize clinical features of joint and skeletal deformities in Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Clinical information including age, gender, presence of deformity, initial symptom side, neuropsychological and motor features, family history, and treatment with levodopa/dopamine agonists was collected on consecutive patients with PD, MSA, and PSP evaluated at the Movement Disorders Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine. In this series of 202 patients, 36.1% had deformities of the limbs, neck, or trunk, including 33.5% of PD, 68.4% of MSA, and 26.3% of PSP patients. "Striatal" hand and foot deformities were present in 13.4%, involuntary trunk flexion in 12.9%, anterocollis in 9.4%, and scoliosis in 8.4% of all patients. Patients with these joint and skeletal deformities had higher mean Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores (57.4 vs. 46.6; P < 0.01) and were more often treated with levodopa (69.9% vs. 50.4%; P < 0.01) than patients without deformity, independent of disease duration. Patients with striatal deformity were younger than patients without deformity (mean 60.4 vs. 68.6 years; P < 0.01), and they tended to have an earlier age of onset of initial parkinsonian symptoms (mean 54.7 vs. 62.5 years; P < 0.01). Furthermore, the side of striatal deformity correlated with the side of initial parkinsonian symptoms in all patients (100%) with striatal hand and in 83.3% of patients with striatal foot. Joint and skeletal deformities are common and frequently under-recognized features of PD, MSA, and PSP that often cause marked functional disability independent of other motor symptoms.
A Semiconductor Diode Multivibrator

The operation and design of a novel semiconductor multivibrator circuit is described. Consisting of one double-base diode, one diode, three resistors, and one capacitor, the diode multivibrator affords a circuit economy of two-to-one over the more conventional Eccles-Jordan configuration. The active element is the double-base diode, which is a three-terminal single-junction negative-resistance semiconductor device. Applications of the diode multivibrator to square-wave oscillators and delayed-pulse generators are illustrated. Control of the period of oscillation or variation of the pulse-delay time is accomplished by the variation of a single capacitor. Hence, this new circuit simplifies the design of astable, monostable or bistable multivibrators.
Contribution of secondary structure to the heat capacity and enthalpy distribution of the unfolded state in proteins

We have recently shown that one can construct the enthalpy distribution for protein molecules from experimental knowledge of the temperature dependence of the heat capacity. For many proteins the enthalpy distribution evaluated at the midpoint of the denaturation transition (corresponding to the maximum in the heat capacity vs temperature curve) is broad and biphasic, indicating two different populations of molecules (native and unfolded) with distinctly different enthalpies. At temperatures above the denaturation point, the heat capacity for the unfolded state in many proteins is quite large and using the analysis just mentioned, we obtain a gaussian-like enthalpy distribution that is very broad. A large value of the heat capacity indicates that there are structural changes going on in the unfolded state above the transition temperature. In the present paper we investigate the origin of this large heat capacity by considering the presence of changing amounts of secondary structure (specifically, alpha-helix) in the unfolded state. For this purpose we use the empirical estimates of the Zimm-Bragg sigma and s factors for all of the native amino acids in water as determined by Scheraga and co-workers. Using myoglobin as an example, we calculate probability profiles and distribution functions for the total number of helix states in the specific-sequence molecule. Given the partition function for the specific-sequence molecule, we can then calculate a set of enthalpy moments for the molecule from which we obtain a good estimate of the enthalpy distribution in the unfolded state. This distribution turns out to be quite narrow when compared with the distribution obtained from the raw heat capacity data. We conclude that there must be other major structural changes (backbone and solvent) that are not accounted for by the inclusion of alpha-helix in the unfolded state.
Task-oriented human and machine cooperation in telerobotic systems

Abstract A new task-oriented human and machine cooperation scheme for telerobotic systems has been developed based on the event-based planning and control theory. It provides a unified model to integrate a human operator control command with action planning and control of autonomous operation. As a result, the robotic systems can perform tasks which cannot be done by either human operator or autonomous planner/controller alone. This scheme lays down a foundation for planning and control of a general robotic system involving human operators, and provides a natural and efficient way to fuse the human intelligence with the machine intelligence. The scheme is implemented and tested on a PUMA 560 dual-arm system. The experimental results of obstacle avoidance, force and impact control as well as dual-arm coordinated teleoperation are presented.
"Ladies" or "loudies"?: Perceptions and experiences of Black girls in classrooms.

Although much scholarship has focused on the schooling experiences of African American boys, this article demonstrates that African American girls encounter unique educational perceptions and obstacles. Black girls in a predominately minority school performed well academically, but educators often questioned their manners and behavior. Some tried to mold many of these girls into “ladies,” which entailed curbing behavior perceived as “loud” and assertive. This article advances theories of intersectionality by showing how race and class shape perceptions of femininity for Black girls, and how the encouragement of more traditionally feminine behavior could ultimately limit their academic potential.
Surfactant- and elasticity-induced inertialess instabilities in vertically vibrated liquids

We investigate instabilities that arise when the free surface of a liquid covered with an insoluble surfactant is vertically vibrated and inertial effects are negligible. In the absence of surfactants, the inertialess Newtonian system is found to be stable, in contrast to the case where inertia is present. Linear stability analysis and Floquet theory are applied to calculate the critical vibration amplitude needed to excite the instability and the corresponding wavenumber. A previously reported long-wavelength instability is found to persist to finite wavelengths, and the connection between the long-wavelength and finite-wavelength theories is explored in detail. The instability mechanism is also probed and requires the Marangoni flows to be sufficiently strong and in the appropriate phase with respect to the gravity modulation. For viscoelastic liquids, we find that instability can arise even in the absence of surfactants and inertia. Mathieu equations describing this are derived and these show that elasticity introduces an effective inertia into the system.
Designing and Evaluating a Cost-Effective Optical Network for Multiprocessors

In this paper we propose the OPTNET, a novel optical network and associated coherence protocol for scalable multiprocessors. The network divides its channels into broadcast and point-to-point groups. The broadcast channels are used for memory block request, coherence, and synchronization transactions, while the point-to-point channels are utilized for memory block transfer operations. The three main distinguishing features of the OPTNET are: (a) its broadcast channels behave well under high contention; (b) its point-to-point channels do not require any access control mechanism; and (c) it can achieve good communication performance at a low hardware cost. We use detailed execution-driven simulations of ten applications to evaluate a 16-node OPTNET-based multiprocessor. We compare our multiprocessor against highly efficient systems based on the DMON and LambdaNet optical interconnects. Our results demonstrate that our system outperforms the DMON multiprocessors consistently for our applications, even though the OPTNET requires no more hardware than DMON. The comparison between our multiprocessor and the LambdaNet system shows performance differences that average 4% in favor of the LambdaNet. However, the LambdaNet requires a factor of p more hardware than the OPTNET, where p is the number of computational nodes in the multiprocessor. Based on these results and on our parameter space study, our main conclusion is that the combination of our network and coherence protocol strikes an excellent cost/performance ratio for scalable multiprocessors under most architectural assumptions.