cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
MAINTENANCE OF HYPERTEXT-BASED SPECIFICATIONS FOR STATE HIGHWAY PROJECTS

The performance of construction projects heavily depends on how well information is managed. In Iowa the management of this information means locating details and tracking changes in several printed volumes that define design details, material specifications, construction methods, and testing procedures. The details of the development of an electronic reference library (ERL) that provides a virtual library for construction design and management of state highway projects in Iowa are provided. ERL is a large document containing more than 25,000 hyperlinks and is updated and distributed twice a year. The details described include the development of the initial prototype, training of existing staff to maintain an electronic document, and issues related to the production of biannual updates. The major challenges for the development of an ERL include determination of the user interface, document selection, reproduction of accurate content, and maintenance of the electronic version.
NITRIC OXIDE FORMATION AROUND DROPLETS BURNING AT ELEVATED PRESSURES

Abstract NO formation around single droplets may be an important phenomenon with respect to total NO formation in the diesel engine. A model is presented to predict the NO formed by a fuel droplet burning above the critical pressure of the fuel. The model is applied to the diesel engine in an attempt to predict measured exhaust gas NO concentrations. The results indicate individual droplet burning is important for low fuel/air ratios.
Liquid meniscus condensation in dip-pen nanolithography

The condensation of a liquid meniscus between a curved tip and a completely wetting substrate is theoretically studied in the context of dip-pen nanolithography(DPN). Utilizing the grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation of a two-dimensional lattice gas model, we studied the onset and broadening of menisci by tips with a range of curvatures. The tip–liquid interaction is characterized in terms of the wettability of the tip, and both wetting and drying tips are considered to mimic the various (hydrophilic and hydrophobic) ink molecule–water interactions possible in DPN. We study the microscopic details of the meniscus formation and examine the thermodynamic stability of the meniscus by focusing on the fluctuation in its width. After its initial formation, a meniscus grows continuously with increasing saturation (relative humidity), but the meniscus is typically wider than 10 molecular diameters until the saturation is sufficiently high that the entire interfacial region frills with liquid. For large tip–substrate distances, meniscus formation only occurs in the high saturation limit where conventional capillary condensation occurs. A general trend is that a sharp (small radius of curvature), dry tip results in a smaller meniscus width which further shrinks upon shortening the tip–substrate distance and/or raising temperature. At very short tip–substrate distances, the nascent meniscus is unstable and its width is independent of the tip curvature and wettability. The minimum width corresponds to a physical dimension of about 2.5 nm.
Spatial Yield Distribution in Cotton Following Early‐Season Floral Bud Removal

A better understanding of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) compensatory growth after loss of early-season floral buds requires an assessment of the actual patterns of spatial yield distribution in damaged and undamaged plants. This study was conducted to determine if spatial yield distribution or yield components are altered in cotton in response to removal of early-season floral buds. Beginning with the second week of squaring, floral buds were removed by hand for one, two, or three consecutive weeks. At 90 d after planting, plant height, leaf area index, main stem node number, fruit present, total fruiting positions, and dry weights were measured. The contribution to total yield from each fruiting position was determined at crop maturity. Results from this study show the lowest level of floral bud removal resulted in no differences in spatial yield distribution. As the intensity of early-season floral bud removal increased, however, the probability of harvesting a mature boll decreased in the lower canopy but increased in the upper canopy. Removal of floral buds resulted in fewer first sympodial position fruit but more third sympodial position fruit at harvest. Thus, early-season removal of floral buds resulted in additional seed cotton production on more apical and distal fruiting positions. These modifications in spatial yield distribution adequately replaced those floral buds removed early in the season because total seed cotton yield was not different among the treatments at crop maturity.
Review of Client-centered therapy, its current practice, implications, and theory.

Reviews the book, Client-centered therapy, its current practice, implications, and theory by Carl R. Rogers et al. (1951). In “Client-Centered Therapy” we have the sequel to “Non-Directive Counseling and Psychotherapy.” This report of development and change comprises three parts. Part one (231 pages
Effects of a static magnetic field on audiogenic seizures in black Swiss mice

Effects of a static magnetic field (SMF) with strong gradient components were studied in black Swiss mice. Exposure to SMF (100-220 mT, 15-40 T/m for 1h) did not affect the threshold for detecting auditory brainstem responses. Serial seizures elevated the hearing threshold at some frequencies, but there was no difference between SMF-exposed and unexposed control mice. EEG changes were recorded during audiogenic seizures. Pretreatment with SMF prolonged seizure latency in response to stimulation with white noise of increasing intensity from 74 to 102 dBA (1 min interval between 2 and 4 dBA increments) without significant effects on seizure severity. Gender-related differences were not statistically significant. Stimulation with 10 min sound steps revealed prolongation of latency and reduction of seizure severity in SMF-exposed, but not unexposed, mice. Pretreatment with phenytoin (5 mg/kg) in combination with SMF had significantly greater effects on seizure latency and severity than either pretreatment alone. These findings indicate that the SMF studied here under different conditions elevated seizure threshold and had anticonvulsant properties in Black Swiss mice and increased the efficacy of a conventional anticonvulsant drug.
Crumpled surface structures

We present a scalable patterning method based on surface plate buckling, or crumpling, to generate a variety of topographies that can dynamically change shape and aspect ratio in response to stimuli.
Localized Bridging Centrality for Distributed Network Analysis

Centrality is a concept often used in social network analysis to study different properties of networks that are modeled as graphs. We present a new centrality metric called localized bridging centrality (LBC). LBC is based on the bridging centrality (BC) metric that Hwang et al. recently introduced. Bridging nodes are nodes that are strategically located in between highly connected regions. LBC is capable of identifying bridging nodes with an accuracy comparable to that of the BC metric for most networks. As the name suggests, we use only local information from surrounding nodes to compute the LBC metric, whereas, global knowledge is required to calculate the BC metric. The main difference between LBC and BC is that LBC uses the egocentric definition of betweenness centrality to identify bridging nodes, while BC uses the sociocentric definition of betweenness centrality. Thus, our LBC metric is suitable for distributed or parallel computation and has the benefit of being an order of magnitude faster to calculate in computational complexity. We compare the results produced by BC and LBC in three examples. We applied our LBC metric for network analysis of a real wireless mesh network. Our results indicate that the LBC metric is as powerful as the BC metric at identifying bridging nodes. The LBC metric is thus an important tool that can help network administrators identify critical nodes that are important for the robustness of the network in a distributed manner.
Combined active and passive remote sensing of the properties of cirrus clouds

Since October 1987, a uniquely extensive high cloud dataset has been collected from the University of Utah Facility for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (FARS). The measurements, which currently total over 3000-h of ruby (0.694 /spl mu/m) lidar data, have been directed toward (i) basic cloud physics research, (ii) improving satellite-based and GCM cloud property predictions by providing climatologically representative local cloud statistics, and (iii) creating parameterizations of the mean cirrus cloud radiative properties.
Suppression of the GTPase-activating protein RGS10 increases Rheb-GTP and mTOR signaling in ovarian cancer cells

The regulator of G protein signaling 10 (RGS10) protein is a GTPase activating protein that accelerates the hydrolysis of GTP and therefore canonically inactivates G proteins, ultimately terminating signaling. Rheb is a small GTPase protein that shuttles between its GDP- and GTP-bound forms to activate mTOR. Since RGS10 suppression augments ovarian cancer cell viability, we sought to elucidate the molecular mechanism. Following RGS10 suppression in serum-free conditions, phosphorylation of mTOR, the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), p70S6K and S6 Ribosomal Protein appear. Furthermore, suppressing RGS10 increases activated Rheb, suggesting RGS10 antagonizes mTOR signaling via the small G-protein. The effects of RGS10 suppression are enhanced after stimulating cells with the growth factor, lysophosphatidic acid, and reduced with mTOR inhibitors, temsirolimus and INK-128. Suppression of RGS10 leads to an increase in cell proliferation, even in the presence of etoposide. In summary, the RGS10 suppression increases Rheb-GTP and mTOR signaling in ovarian cancer cells. Our results suggest that RGS10 could serve in a novel, and previously unknown, role by accelerating the hydrolysis of GTP from Rheb in ovarian cancer cells.
Toxicity and Resistance Potential of Selected Fungicides to Galactomyces and Penicillium spp. Causing Postharvest Fruit Decays of Citrus and Other Crops

McKay, A. H., Forster, H., and Adaskaveg, J. E. 2012. Toxicity and resistance potential of selected fungicides to Galactomyces and Penicillium spp. causing postharvest fruit decays of citrus and other crops. Plant Dis. 96:87-96. A diverse collection of isolates of Galactomyces citri-aurantii and G. geotrichum, the causal pathogens of sour rots of citrus and other fruit crops, respectively, was evaluated for sensitivity to demethylationinhibiting (DMI) fungicides of the triazole group. Propiconazole was found to be highly effective in reducing mycelial growth of both species in vitro. For 139 isolates of G. citri-aurantii, a mean effective concentration for 50% reduction of mycelial growth (EC50 value) of 0.34 µg/ml was determined; whereas, for 33 isolates of G. geotrichum, this value was 0.14 µg/ml. In a comparison of additional DMI fungicides, mean EC50 values for 60 isolates of G. citri-aurantii and 20 isolates of G. geotrichum, were 0.27 and 0.17 µg/ml for cyproconazole, 0.25 and 0.14 µg/ml for metconazole, and 1.16 and 0.73 µg/ml for tebuconazole, respectively. Propiconazole was also highly active against mycelial growth of imazalil-sensitive isolates of Penicillium digitatum, the pathogen that causes green mold of citrus, with a mean EC50 value of 0.008 µg/ml for 63 isolates. Imazalil-resistant isolates of this fungus were cross-resistant to propiconazole. When G. citri-aurantii and P. digitatum were grown at selected pH values between 3 and 9, inhibition by propiconazole occurred over the entire pH range. The fungicide was most effective at pH 5 when compared with the nonfungicide-amended control grown at the same pH. In laboratory mass platings of single-spore isolates sensitive to propiconazole onto selective media, isolates with an up to 81.6-fold decrease in sensitivity to the fungicide were recovered for P. digitatum. For G. geotrichum, isolates with an approximately twofold decrease in sensitivity were obtained. No isolates with reduced sensitivity were recovered for G. citri-aurantii. Propiconazole is currently being registered for postharvest use on citrus and other crops, and the information provided will be valuable in monitoring of fungicide resistance and in designing effective fungicide application strategies.
Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Jasplakinolide

An enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-jasplakinolide is described. The synthesis of the polyketide template utilized a diastereoselective syn-aldol, ortho-ester Claisen rearrangement followed by efficient conversion to a cyanide. The β-amino acid unit was constructed in a highly diastereoselective manner utilizing nucleophilic addition to a chiral sulfinimine. Yamaguchi macrocyclization and removal of the protecting group provided a convenient access to (+)-jasplakinolide.
The Delay, Energy, and Bandwidth Comparisons between Copper, Carbon Nanotube, and Optical Interconnects for Local and Global Wiring Application

The interconnect bottleneck presents a compelling reason to explore novel interconnect architectures. We compare two promising interconnects: carbon nanotube (CNT) and optical, with traditional Cu/low-K wires. We find that the optical wires yield the lowest latency and the highest bandwidth density. However, in terms of a system's top- down, novel, metric-bandwidth density per latency per power, CNTs can yield comparable performance to optical wires provided a certain mean free path and packing density is achieved. We quantify these technology parameters and also examine the impact of CNT diameter and bundle width on the performance comparison with Cu/low-K.
STANDARD SETTING FOR OIL AND GAS ACCOUNTING: AN ANALYSIS USING ALLISON'S APPROACH

: The three models advanced by G. T. Allison in Essence of Decision are applied to FASB's Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 19 to explain the adoption of the “successful-efforts” method. In the first model, the decision is explained as the action that reflects a consistent, value maximizing choice within specific constraints. In the second, it is interpreted as the “output” of the FASB regulated by standard procedures, namely in recognizing an asset. In the third, it is viewed as a political resultant in a struggle involving interest groups. The analysis revealed the usefulness and some weaknesses of the Allison Approach to an understanding of the standard setting decision by the FASB. The approach is applicable world-wide to other standard setting scenarios.
Stiffness control of 2-DOF exoskeleton for brain-machine interfaces

Previous demonstrations of brain-machine interfaces have shown the potential for controlling a neuroprosthesis under pure motion control, i.e. predicting end effector kinematics from neural ensemble activity. For real world tasks, however, pure motion control lacks the information required for versatile manipulation in which the dynamic interactions of forces and torques between the musculoskeletal system and the environment play a crucial role. Thus, our current efforts aim at enabling a subject using a brain-machine interface to volitionally control the mechanical impedance of the prosthetic device. Here we propose the use of a two-link arm exoskeleton to investigate upper limb stiffness in non-human primates. We show that the device can be used to experimentally measure end-point limb stiffness, as well as to control the stiffness when the exoskeleton is used in slave-robot mode. Experimental results show that this platform allows for both stiffness measurement and control of the robotic device.
Leadership of scientists and engineers: A three‐vector model

Existing models have not adequately accounted for the leadership of scientists and engineers engaged in creative work. In this Incubator, we present a model of creative leadership of scientists and engineers and argue that such leaders should possess expertise in three vectors. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Catalytic iron-mediated ene carbocyclizations of trienes: The stereoselecitve preparation of N-acylpiperidines

Abstract 5- and 6-Aza-(2Z,8E)-2,8,10-undecatriene and a 6-aza-(3Z,9E)-3,9,11-dodecatriene derivatives, substrates containing a nitrogen atom in the chain connecting the 1,3-diene and alkene functionalities, undergo efficient, stereoselective [4+4]-ene carbocyclization to yield trans -disubstituted N-acylpiperidines. In contrast, the corresponding (2Z,8Z)-diastereonmer yields predominantly the corresponding cis isomer.
Policy Tools for Electronics Recycling Characteristics of a specific certificate market design

Several countries across the globe have implemented or are about to implement specific electronics recycling regulations based on the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR). Both existing and proposed solutions are implemented with various degrees of centralization; one solution involves a steering regulatory authority, another connects the EPR with strong competitive market structures. As different WEEE recycling approaches evolve, the best way to achieve a cost- and eco-efficient system organization is still contentious. Theoretical system characteristics intended by policy-makers and their realization in practice often don't coincide. Practical implementations can give rise to absurd organizational outcomes. Some incentive structures are counterproductive, and actual environmental purposes of recycling legislation are often poorly reflected. This paper presents a specific certificate market tool that potentially has intriguing properties in terms of system performance, control, organization and cost. The approach introduces competition on several levels in the value chain and sets incentives for the eco-efficient treatment of WEEE. In addition, it enables decentralized decision-making which is one of the key levers for a cost-efficient system organization in a competitive market setting
The remarkable nature of radially symmetric deformation of spherically uniform linear anisotropic elastic solids

Antman and Negron-Marrero [1] have shown the remarkable nature of a sphere of nonlinear elastic material subjected to a uniform pressure at the surface of the sphere. When the applied pressure exceeds a critical value the stress at the center r=0 of the sphere is infinite. Instead of nonlinear elastic material, we consider in this paper a spherically uniform linear anisotropic elastic material. It means that the stress-strain law referred to a spherical coordinate system is the same for any material point. We show that the same remarkable nature appears here. What distinguishes the present case from that considered in [1] is that the existence of the infinite stress at r=0 is independent of the magnitude of the applied traction σ0 at the surface of the sphere. It depends only on one nondimensional material parameter κ. For a certain range of κ a cavitation (if σ0>0) or a blackhole (if σ0<0) occurs at the center of the sphere. What is more remarkable is that, even though the deformation is radially symmetric, the material at any point need not be transversely isotropic with the radial direction being the axis of symmetry as assumed in [1]. We show that the material can be triclinic, i.e., it need not possess a plane of material symmetry. Triclinic materials that have as few as two independent elastic constants are presented. Also presented are conditions for the materials that are capable of a radially symmetric deformation to possess one or more symmetry planes.
Antiretroviral Drug Exposures Reported to Texas Poison Centers

Background. A number of different antiretroviral drugs are used to manage patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Objective. This study describes antiretroviral drug exposures reported to a large statewide poison center system. Methods. Cases were all antiretroviral drug exposures reported to the Texas Poison Center Network during 2000 to 2014. The distribution of cases was determined for various demographic and clinical factors. Results. Of a total of 632 exposures, the most commonly reported drugs were emtricitabine–tenofovir combination (17.1%), efavirenz–emtricitabine–tenofovir combination (13.8%), ritonavir (10.9%), lamivudine–zidovudine combination (10.3%), and efavirenz (10.1%). The annual number of antiretroviral drug exposures increased from 34 in 2000 to 67 in 2014. Males comprised 67.9% of the patients; 72.2% were 20 years or older. The exposures were 58.5% unintentional and 37.5% intentional. Only antiretroviral drugs were reported in 440 of the exposures. Of these exposures, 62.5% w...
A novel system for the production of fully deleted adenovirus vectors that does not require helper adenovirus.

Fully deleted adenovirus vectors (FD-AdVs) would appear to be promising tools for gene therapy. Since these vectors are deleted of all adenoviral genes, they require a helper adenovirus for their propagation. The contamination of the vector preparation by the helper limits the utility of currently existing FD-AdVs in gene therapy applications. We have developed an alternative system for the propagation of FD-AdVs, in which the adenoviral genes essential for replication and packaging of the vector are delivered into producer cells by a baculovirus–adenovirus hybrid. A hybrid baculovirus Bac-B4 was constructed to carry a Cre recombinase-excisable copy of the packaging-deficient adenovirus genome. Although the total size of the DNA insert in Bac-B4 was 38 kb, the genetic structure of this recombinant baculovirus was stable. Bac-B4 gave high yields in Sf9 insect cells, with titers of 5 × 108p.f.u./ml before concentration. Transfection of 293-Cre cells with lacZ-expressing FD-AdV plasmid DNA followed by infection by Bac-B4 at a MOI of 2000 p.f.u./ml resulted in rescue of the helper-free vector. Subsequent passaging of the obtained FD-AdV using Bac-B4 as a helper resulted in ∼100-fold increases of the vector titer at each passage. This resulting vector was completely free of helper virus and was able to transduce cultured 293 cells. However, scaling-up of FD-AdV production was prevented by the eventual emergence of replication-competent adenovirus (RCA). Experiments are underway to optimize this system for the large-scale production of helper virus-free FD-AdVs and to minimize the possibility of generation of replication-competent adenovirus (RCA) during vector production. This baculovirus-based system will be a very useful alternative to current methods for the production of FD-AdVs.
Crystal Growth through Field-Assisted Electrochemical Redox and Ion-Exchange Reactions: A Case Study of K4.2Na3.8Si46 Clathrate-I

Single crystals of the ternary clathrate-I compound K4.2Na3.8Si46 were grown by a unique ion-exchange process employing spark plasma sintering (SPS). Single crystal structure refinements of clathrate-I K4.2Na3.8Si46 at 100 and 300 K indicate that the 6d crystallographic site contains both Na and K. Extended Huckel tight binding calculations suggest that K4.2Na3.8Si46 is metallic and that the Fermi level lies within bands having Si–Si antibonding character. The selective synthesis of clathrate-I and -II compositions was possible by changing the reaction temperature. Our results indicate that SPS can be employed in electrochemical redox and ion-exchange reactions simultaneously, thus allowing for the rapid synthesis of single crystals of multinary inorganic clathrate phases that cannot be accessible by traditional crystal growth techniques.
Power, Gender, and Ethnic Spaces: Geographies of Power in Roma Communities

This study examines the inextricable (and understudied) link between ethnicity, gender, power, and space, to assess how gender and power relations operate in, and mark, the ethnic spaces of one com...
Auditory Lexical Decision and Repetition in Children: Effects of Acoustic and Lexical Constraints.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to identify factors that may detract from children's ability to identify words they do and do not know. Factors investigated were acoustic constraints stemming from the presence of hearing loss (HL) or an acoustic competitor, and lexical constraints due to an impoverished or cluttered vocabulary. DESIGN Eleven children with normal hearing (NH) and 11 children with bilateral, mild to moderately severe sensorineural HL were asked to categorize and repeat two-syllable real and nonsense words. Stimuli were amplified and frequency shaped for each child with HL and presented randomly at a level consistent with average conversational speech (65 dB SPL). About half of the children in each group listened in quiet while the other half listened in multitalker babble. In addition to overall performance, responses were judged based on the word category chosen by the child (real or nonsense), the category of the word produced by the child as judged by an examiner (real or nonsense), and the accuracy of the verbal response compared with the stimulus. From these judgments, 10 discrete types of errors were identified. Analyses were conducted for three different combinations of the 10 error categories to best characterize the effects of acoustic and lexical constraints. RESULTS Performance was highest for real words presented in quiet and poorest for nonsense words presented in multitalker babble. Also, the performance of the children with HL was poorer than that of the children with NH. Error analyses revealed strong effects of acoustic constraints on performance but few effects of lexical constraints. The two most frequently occurring errors were the same for both children with NH and the children with HL and entailed the misperception of nonsense words and the mistaking of nonsense words for real words. However, while both groups of children exhibited these errors in multitalker babble, the children with HL demonstrated these errors in quiet as well. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that children's interactions with real and nonsense words are significantly constrained when the acoustic signal is degraded by HL and/or an acoustic competitor. The children's tendency to repair unknown words into real words in the presence of acoustic interference may be beneficial when perceiving familiar speech, but could also be detrimental if that tendency causes them to miss opportunities to learn new words.
Psychologizing and the Anti-Psychologist: Dewey, Lacan, and Contemporary Art Education

Art education throughout the 20th and into the 21st century has drawn on both psychology and psychoanalysis to support approaches to teaching and learning in the arts. This article examines the concept of “psychologizing” as it appears in the writing of psychologist/philosopher John Dewey (1859-1952) and psychiatrist/psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan (1901-1981) to complicate our assumptions about what it means to learn in engagement with images and objects. Dewey’s psychologizing has provided a way for teachers to help students gain access to new knowledge through experience and conscious reflection while Lacan viewed psychologizing as a fundamental misunderstanding of the human subject. Contemporary writings in art education are used to illustrate ways the two approaches have manifested in contemporary art education theory and practice.
Exposure Potential and Health Impacts of Indium and Gallium, Metals Critical to Emerging Electronics and Energy Technologies

The rapid growth of new electronics and energy technologies requires the use of rare elements of the periodic table. For many of these elements, little is known about their environmental behavior or human health impacts. This is true for indium and gallium, two technology critical elements. Increased environmental concentrations of both indium and gallium create the potential for increased environmental exposure, though little is known about the extent of this exposure. Evidence is mounting that indium and gallium can have substantial toxicity, including in occupational settings where indium lung disease has been recognized as a potentially fatal disease caused by the inhalation of indium particles. This paper aims to review the basic chemistry, changing environmental concentrations, potential for human exposure, and known health effects of indium and gallium.
Outcomes in childhood following therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)

In this article, we review the childhood outcomes of neonates with birth depression and/or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The outcomes of these children prior to the era of hypothermia for neuroprotection will first be summarized, followed by discussion of results from randomized controlled trials of therapeutic hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The predictors of outcome in childhood following neonatal HIE using clinical and imaging biomarkers following hypothermia therapy will be described.
Learning Through Reflective Exercises and Community Experience

With the goal of encouraging readers to develop their own classroom- and community-based lessons for experiencing and reflecting on community, this chapter provides a starting point with exercises utilizing a variety of principles and practices. They include a holistic community study, a service-learning exercise that encourages reflection on the value and pitfalls of service and volunteering, reflection on access to social services through small-group visits to organizations that provide the services, a role-playing debate on a community infrastructure project, a lobbying assignment involving an issue of real-world importance to the student lobbyists, and an exercise in community transformation. These exercises allow students to experience communities directly or replicate their experiences. The community becomes a classroom, a learning laboratory, a place of engagement, while the classroom becomes a locus of discussion about community and its impact, both on our lives and in the broader policy context.
A novel mechanism of tandem activation of ryanodine receptors by cytosolic and SR luminal Ca2+ during excitation–contraction coupling in atrial myocytes

Key points In atrial myocytes excitation-contraction coupling is strikingly different from ventricle because atrial myocytes lack a transverse tubule membrane system: Ca2+ release starts in the cell periphery and propagates towards the cell centre by Ca2+ -induced Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store. The cytosolic Ca2+ sensitivity of the ryanodine receptor (RyRs) Ca2+ release channel is low and it is unclear how Ca2+ release can be activated in the interior of atrial cells. Simultaneous confocal imaging of cytosolic and intra-SR calcium revealed a transient elevation of store Ca2+ that we termed 'Ca2+ sensitization signal'. We propose a novel paradigm of atrial ECC that is based on tandem activation of the RyRs by cytosolic and luminal Ca2+ through a 'fire-diffuse-uptake-fire' (or FDUF) mechanism: Ca2+ uptake by SR Ca2+ pumps at the propagation front elevates Ca2+ inside the SR locally, leading to luminal RyR sensitization and lowering of the cytosolic Ca2+ activation threshold. Abstract In atrial myocytes Ca2+ release during excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) is strikingly different from ventricular myocytes. In many species atrial myocytes lack a transverse tubule system, dividing the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ store into the peripheral subsarcolemmnal junctional (j-SR) and the much more abundant central non-junctional (nj-SR) SR. Action potential (AP)-induced Ca2+ entry activates Ca2+ -induced Ca2+ release (CICR) from j-SR ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca2+ release channels. Peripheral elevation of [Ca2+ ]i initiates CICR from nj-SR and sustains propagation of CICR to the cell centre. Simultaneous confocal measurements of cytosolic ([Ca2+ ]i ; with the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator rhod-2) and intra-SR ([Ca2+ ]SR ; fluo-5N) Ca2+ in rabbit atrial myocytes revealed that Ca2+ release from j-SR resulted in a cytosolic Ca2+ transient of higher amplitude compared to release from nj-SR; however, the degree of depletion of j-SR [Ca2+ ]SR was smaller than nj-SR [Ca2+ ]SR . Similarly, Ca2+ signals from individual release sites of the j-SR showed a larger cytosolic amplitude (Ca2+ sparks) but smaller depletion (Ca2+ blinks) than release from nj-SR. During AP-induced Ca2+ release the rise of [Ca2+ ]i detected at individual release sites of the nj-SR preceded the depletion of [Ca2+ ]SR , and during this latency period a transient elevation of [Ca2+ ]SR occurred. We propose that Ca2+ release from nj-SR is activated by cytosolic and luminal Ca2+ (tandem RyR activation) via a novel 'fire-diffuse-uptake-fire' (FDUF) mechanism. This novel paradigm of atrial ECC predicts that Ca2+ uptake by sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ -ATPase (SERCA) at the propagation front elevates local [Ca2+ ]SR , leading to luminal RyR sensitization and lowering of the activation threshold for cytosolic CICR.
Investigation of an arbitrarily shaped inclusion embedded in a two-dimensional finite domain

Abstract As one of the fundamental problems in contemporary composite mechanics and micromechanics, the disturbance induced by an inclusion embedded in an elastic matrix has been garnering increasing attention in a wide variety of engineering applications. The focus of this study is particularly placed on constructing a general methodology to seek for the analytical solutions of the disturbed elastic field within a two-dimensional (2D) finite domain containing an arbitrarily shaped inclusion. In the theoretical derivation, the complex potential method is adopted and Laurent series expansion is employed to express the governing potential functions within the finite elastic domain. To overcome the mathematical challenges imposed by the complex geometries of inclusion-matrix interface and matrix boundary, the inclusion is replaced with an arbitrarily-sided polygon, which enables 1) the shape of inclusion to be closely approximated and 2) the gap function on the inclusion-matrix interface to be evaluated by Cauchy integrals performed on the straight edges. Then conformal mapping is utilized to map the real domain to a virtual unit circle. It is found that after the boundary condition is enforced, the coefficient of every term in the Laurent series expansions for the potential functions can be explicitly determined by evaluating the Fourier transform of the boundary effect function and its conjugate on the exterior boundary. To further delineate the mathematical framework, several examples are presented, and the obtained results are verified by numerical analysis and some analytical benchmark solutions available in the literature.
Outcomes associated with sunitinib alternative schedule compared to traditional schedule: a single-center experience.

e15611 Background: Sunitinib is a front-line therapy for metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC). Recommended dose is 50 mg daily; 28 days (d) on/14 d off (traditional schedule; TS). Sunitinib is assoc...
Enzyme-dependent fluorescence recovery of NADH after photobleaching to assess dehydrogenase activity of isolated perfused hearts

Reduction of NAD+ by dehydrogenase enzymes to form NADH is a key component of cellular metabolism. In cellular preparations and isolated mitochondria suspensions, enzyme-dependent fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (ED-FRAP) of NADH has been shown to be an effective approach for measuring the rate of NADH production to assess dehydrogenase enzyme activity. Our objective was to demonstrate how dehydrogenase activity could be assessed within the myocardium of perfused hearts using NADH ED-FRAP. This was accomplished using a combination of high intensity UV pulses to photobleach epicardial NADH. Replenishment of epicardial NADH fluorescence was then imaged using low intensity UV illumination. NADH ED-FRAP parameters were optimized to deliver 23.8 mJ of photobleaching light energy at a pulse width of 6 msec and a duty cycle of 50%. These parameters provided repeatable measurements of NADH production rate during multiple metabolic perturbations, including changes in perfusate temperature, electromechanical uncoupling, and acute ischemia/reperfusion injury. NADH production rate was significantly higher in every perturbation where the energy demand was either higher or uncompromised. We also found that NADH production rate remained significantly impaired after 10 min of reperfusion after global ischemia. Overall, our results indicate that myocardial NADH ED-FRAP is a useful optical non-destructive approach for assessing dehydrogenase activity.
ScanGEO: parallel mining of high-throughput gene expression data

Summary Current options to mine publicly available gene expression data deposited in NCBI's gene expression omnibus (GEO), such as the GEO web portal and related applications, are optimized to reanalyze a single study, or search for a single gene, and therefore require manual intervention to reanalyze multiple studies for user-specified gene sets. ScanGEO is a simple, user-friendly Shiny web application designed to identify differentially expressed genes across all GEO studies matching user-specified criteria, for a flexible set of genes, visualize results and provide summary statistics and other reports using a single command. Availability and implementation The ScanGEO source code is written in R and implemented as a Shiny app that can be freely accessed at http://scangeo.dartmouth.edu/ScanGEO/. For users who would like to run a local instantiation of the app, the R source code is available under a GNU GPLv3 license at https://github.com/StantonLabDartmouth/AppScanGEO. Contact katja.koeppen@dartmouth.edu. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Postimplantation Mga expression and embryonic lethality of two gene-trap alleles.

Abstract Background The dual-specificity T-box/basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor MGA is part of the MAX-interacting network of proteins. In the mouse, MGA is necessary for the survival of the pluripotent epiblast cells of the peri-implantation embryo and a null, gene-trap allele MgaGt results in embryonic lethality shortly after implantation. We have used this allele to document expression of Mga in postimplantation embryos and also investigated a second, hypomorphic gene-trap allele, MgaInv. Results Compound heterozygotes, MgaGt/MgaInv, die prior to midgestation. The extraembryonic portion of the embryos appears to develop relatively normally while the embryonic portion, including the pluripotent cells of the epiblast, is severely retarded by E7.5. Mga expression is initially limited to the pluripotent inner cell mass of the blastocyst and epiblast, but during organogenesis it is widely expressed, notably in the central nervous system and sensory organs, reproductive and excretory systems, heart, somites and limbs. Conclusions Widespread yet specific areas of expression of Mga during organogenesis raise the possibility that the transcription factor may play roles in controlling proliferation and potency in the progenitor cell populations of different organ systems. Documentation of these patterns sets the stage for the investigation of specific progenitor cell types.
Attraction of Paratelenomus saccharalis (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), an Egg Parasitoid of Megacopta cribraria (Hemiptera: Plataspidae), to Host-Associated Olfactory Cues

Abstract Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is an egg parasitoid of Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Hemiptera: Plataspidae). Although the parasitoid has been previously reported in parts of Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia, it was first reported in North America in 2013 on M. cribraria that was introduced from Asia into North America in 2009. Field observations showed that P. saccharalis females readily parasitize eggs of M. cribraria. However, the cues used by the parasitoid for host location have not been investigated. It was hypothesized that P. saccharalis uses olfactory cues to locate M. cribraria. The objective of this study was to test the attraction of P. saccharalis to host-associated cues in Y-tube olfactometer bioassays. Compared to the control of no host plant or eggs, female P. saccharalis showed significantly greater attraction to M. cribraria-damaged soybean, M. cribraria eggs only, and damaged soybean plus M. cribraria eggs, in separate bioassays. However, the para...
Exploiting Price and Performance Tradeoffs in Heterogeneous Clouds

Parallel applications are composed of several tasks, which have different computational demands among them. Moreover, most cloud providers offer multiple instance configurations, with large variations of computational power and cost. A combination between the application requirements and the variety of instance types of the cloud could be explored to improve the cost efficiency of the application execution. In this paper, we introduce the cost-delay product as a metric to measure the cost efficiency of cloud systems. With this metric, cloud tenants can evaluate different tradeoffs between cost and performance for their application, depending on their preferences. We explore the use of multiple instance types to create heterogeneous cluster systems in the cloud. Our results show that heterogeneous clouds can have a better cost efficiency than homogeneous systems, reducing the price of execution while maintaining a similar application performance. Furthermore, by comparing the cost-delay product, the user can select an instance mix that is most suitable for his needs.
Secure information flow and file movements: A topological theory of discretionary access controls

Achieving total information flow security is feasible through the use of formal mathematical models. A fundamental theorem of a topological theory of Discretionary Access Controls is presented: Let U be a set of UNIX users. The association from each data owner p to its data owners group F(p) defines a generalized topological space (U, F) and a binary relation B F . Thus, a DAC-system is information-flow-secure (via file movements): if and only if (U, F) is a finite topological space; if and only if (U, B F ) is a reflexive and transitive graph. An important consequence is the following proved secure system in current UNIX: The information flow (via file movements) of UNIX generated by Read-access is information-flow-secure: if (U, F) is a finite topological space;if (U, B F ) is a reflexive and transitive graph. This model is based on a modified security principle: Every data owner p has the discretionary authority (Individual Data Owner p's authority, or IDO(p)-authority) over who can access the data. The precise security policy is the integration of IDO(p)-security for All data owner p in All possible data states. Once granted access, information propagation can still be controlled by the topological structure.
Phantom evaluations of nonlinear inversion MR elastography

This study evaluated non-linear inversion MRE (NLI-MRE) based on viscoelastic governing equations to determine its sensitivity to small, low contrast inclusions and interface changes in shear storage modulus and damping ratio. Reconstruction parameters identical to those used in recent in vivo MRE studies of mechanical property variations in small brain structures were applied. NLI-MRE was evaluated on four phantoms with contrast in stiffness and damping ratio. Image contrast to noise ratio was assessed as a function of inclusion diameter and property contrast, and edge and line spread functions were calculated as measures of imaging resolution. Phantoms were constructed from silicone, agar, and tofu materials. Reconstructed property estimates were compared with independent mechanical testing using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The NLI-MRE technique detected inclusions as small as 8 mm with a stiffness contrast as low as 14%. Storage modulus images also showed an interface edge response distance of 11 mm. Damping ratio images distinguished inclusions with a diameter as small as 8 mm, and yielded an interface edge response distance of 10 mm. Property differences relative to DMA tests were in the 15%-20% range in most cases. In this study, NLI-MRE storage modulus estimates resolved the smallest inclusion with the lowest stiffness contrast, and spatial resolution of attenuation parameter images was quantified for the first time. These experiments and image quality metrics establish quantitative guidelines for the accuracy expected in vivo for MRE images of small brain structures, and provide a baseline for evaluating future improvements to the NLI-MRE pipeline.
L1 Stability for the One-dimensional Broadwell Model of a Discrete Velocity Gas

We prove L 1 stability for the one-dimensional Broadwell model for a discrete velocity gas. For initial data in L 1(R) ∩ L + ∞ (R) with small mass, we show that bounded mild solutions are L 1-stable. For this, we employ a nonlinear functional H(t) that is equivalent to the L 1 distance between two mild solutions and non-increasing in time t.
Interaction of Pseudovirions with Infectious Virions of Papova Viruses in Susceptible Host Cells

Summary Examination of the population of virions of a productive infection with Simian virus 40 (SV40) was undertaken and methods were developed for the quantitation of the various kinds of DNA encapsidated. Since the potential for generalized transduction by SV40 pseudovirions had previously been reported by us, studies were undertaken to demonstrate phenotypic alterations produced by gene transfer from one host cell to another host cell of a different animal species. Polyoma virus was grown on SV40-transformed mouse cells, and pseudovirions obtained thereby were used to infect primary monkey tissues at high multiplicities. Immunofluorescent staining, carried out to identify the expression of the transfer of the SV40-T-gene, failed to establish the presence of transduced cells with the SV40-T-gene. Previous experiments have demonstrated the appearance of three distinct populations of particles, following infection of susceptible cells with Simian virus 40 (SV40). The populations consist of mature plaque-forming particles containing circular DNA molecules, a defective particle with a somewhat smaller DNA [27], and a third particle, the pseudovirus, containing random linear host DNA fragments in a SV40 capsid [9,23]. Methods were devised for the ready quantitation of these three species of DNA in a population of SV40. Although a number of workers have now demonstrated the ability of several of the papova viruses to encapsidate host DNA [9, 15, 17, 26] and to introduce the DNA into the nucleus of an infected cell [19, 7], no evidence has been presented for the expression or replication of this genetic material. The very elegant experiments recently reported by Merril et al. provide the first evidence for the transduction of human cells, albeit by a bacteriophage [14]. Our experiments were designed to provide a technique for the quantitation of the components of a population of papova particles and to demonstrate the transduction of functional genes from one host cell to another by pseudovirions. Several methods for the detection of functional genes were investigated. The method to be described depends on the immunofluorescent demonstration of the transfer of SV40-associated tumor antigens by polyoma pseudovirions from mouse cells to African green monkey cells.