cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Macrocyclic bis-thioureas catalyze stereospecific glycosylation reactions

Carbohydrates are involved in nearly all aspects of biochemistry, but their complex chemical structures present long-standing practical challenges to their synthesis. In particular, stereochemical outcomes in glycosylation reactions are highly dependent on the steric and electronic properties of coupling partners; thus, carbohydrate synthesis is not easily predictable. Here we report the discovery of a macrocyclic bis-thiourea derivative that catalyzes stereospecific invertive substitution pathways of glycosyl chlorides. The utility of the catalyst is demonstrated in the synthesis of trans-1,2-, cis-1,2-, and 2-deoxy-β-glycosides. Mechanistic studies are consistent with a cooperative mechanism in which an electrophile and a nucleophile are simultaneously activated to effect a stereospecific substitution reaction.
The Diverging Destinies of Fathers and What it Means for Children’s Lives

There is a growing social class divide in the American family. While the most-educated couples are enjoying greater stability in family life than in previous decades, the opposite is true for those at the bottom of the distribution. For men, in particular, the least educated are more likely to become fathers in their early twenties, to have children outside of a marital bond with more than one partner, and to live apart from them. Interviews with low-income black and white fathers in Philadelphia and Camden, NJ reveal several important factors about this process. First, there is little partner search or selectivity regarding the woman who will become his child’s mother. Second, pregnancies happen quickly in the relationship and are by and large not intended, though not avoided either. Third, news of a pregnancy is usually greeted with enthusiasm and sparks a “fatherhood thirst” which leads to the attempt to solidify the couple’s relationship “for the sake of the baby.” Yet because of the fragility of the couple’s bond, the relationships rarely survive until the child turns five, and men find it increasingly hard to stay in contact with the child once the relationship ends. The fatherhood thirst remains unsatisfied, which may drive further childbearing with a new partner. Understanding this dynamic suggests several points of intervention for policymakers. First, we should do more to reduce early and unplanned childbearing among young men, targeting key features of the relationship formation process that lead to such outcomes. Second, in keeping with efforts of on-the-ground programs associated with the “responsible fatherhood movement,” policymakers should do more to keep unmarried fathers connected with children, including assuring that those who pay child support have a visitation agreement that is enforced. Policy should clearly signal that fathers’ potential contribution as parents, not just as paychecks, is valued.
Models, metamodels, and model transformation for cyber-physical systems

One approach to increasing the sustainability of critical systems is to fortify them with cyber infrastructure that monitors the system, enables early diagnosis of faults, and provides decision support that facilitates greater efficacy. Modeling and analysis of the resulting cyber-physical systems is a significant challenge, as the physical and cyber infrastructures can be very different in time scales, complexity, and architecture. Model composition is a potential solution. Metamodeling seeks to facilitate model composition by providing methods for composing models of different types, including performance and dependability models, as well as methods for transforming one type of model to another. This paper describes the application of metamodeling to cyber-physical systems. Our proposed approach to model transformation is based on abstract interpretation, a program analysis technique. Models exist for disparate attributes of cyber-physical systems, but these models are typically domain-specific. We seek to map models from one physical domain to another, or to extract a model of one system attribute from a model of another attribute. This ability would considerably increase the utility of the existing body of knowledge on modeling of cyber-physicals systems.
Identifying test-suite-overfitted patches through test case generation

A typical automatic program repair technique that uses a test suite as the correct criterion can produce a patched program that is test-suite-overfitted, or overfitting, which passes the test suite but does not actually repair the bug. In this paper, we propose DiffTGen which identifies a patched program to be overfitting by first generating new test inputs that uncover semantic differences between the original faulty program and the patched program, then testing the patched program based on the semantic differences, and finally generating test cases. Such a test case could be added to the original test suite to make it stronger and could prevent the repair technique from generating a similar overfitting patch again. We evaluated DiffTGen on 89 patches generated by four automatic repair techniques for Java with 79 of them being likely to be overfitting and incorrect. DiffTGen identifies in total 39 (49.4%) overfitting patches and yields the corresponding test cases. We further show that an automatic repair technique, if configured with DiffTGen, could avoid yielding overfitting patches and potentially produce correct ones.
The role of RANK-signaling in breast cancer development and metastasis

4200 RANK (Receptor Activator of NFκB) is a member of TNFα receptor super family. RANKL (RANK Ligand) activates RANK and its down-stream kinase IKKα, controlling osteoclast differentiation, mammary gland development as well as breast cancer tumorigenesis. Inhibition of RANK leads to reduction in tumor colonization and growth in bones in several mouse tumor metastasis models. However, the underlying mechanism underlying is still largely unknown. The purpose of the current study is to monitor and understand the influence of RANK-signaling on step-wise tumor development and metastasis. We used orthotopic tumor transplantation models with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and red fluorescent protein (DsRed2)-labeled Her2/neu transformed tumor cells which are under the control of RANK signaling. With the aid of real-time fluorescence imaging we can measure tumor growth, and monitor invasion, trafficking and colonization of tumor cells in real-time. To understand the mechanisms involved, we employed Western-blotting, RT-PCR, cell fractionation and transient transfection reporter assays. We found RANKL stimulation increased the nuclear accumulation of IKKα and expression of a group of genes involved in inflammation. However, genes which control the cell cycle and proliferation remained unchanged. This observation is consistent with that RANKL stimulation does not influence tumor-cell proliferation tumor growth. It is of great importance to analyze how blockage of RANK and RANK down-stream effectors, including IKKα and responsive genes affect tumor behavior and tumor-host interaction.
Changing God’s Expectations and Women’s Consequent Behaviors – How ISIS Manipulates “Divine Commandments” to Influence Women’s Role in Jihad

Given the evidence pointing to religiosity and gender as strong predictors of risk aversion, the recruitment of women into extremist organizations seems contradictory. This article is intended to help solve the puzzle of female behavior in terrorist groups by adding some nuance to the discussion: it is not religiosity itself that influences people’s willingness to take risks, but their perception of god’s expectations about them. This is illustrated here with an analysis of ISIS’s magazine Dar al-Islam and the evolution of their messages, from portraying a god that wants submission to a god that needs women’s active participation in battle.
Social Trust, Mistrust and Reciprocity

We need trust to approach other human beings, to live together and to interact. Trust joins us and strengthens social relations, whereas mistrust separates us from other human beings and destroys social structures. But what is relational trust, and what is mistrust? Trust has been defined in several disciplines, such as philosophy, psychology, sociology, law, politics, and economics. Being a social relation, trust can be conceptualized in terms of relations: actor A trusts actor B with respect to X (= reciprocity) in situation S. Relational trust differs from generalized trust, which – depending of definition – may be the more important aspect from the point of view of social capital.
Analytical Calculation of the Air-gap Flux Density and Magnetizing Inductance of Synchronous Reluctance Machines

This paper proposes an analytical method to calculate the air-gap flux density and magnetizing inductance of the direct and quadrature ( $\boldsymbol{d}$ and $\boldsymbol{q}$ ) axes of synchronous reluctance machines (SynRMs). Both magnetizing inductances are obtained through precise calculation of the air-gap flux density profile, which is achieved by taking advantage of conformal mapping and Maxwell's equations. A nonlinear magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) model is built to take the saturation effect into consideration by solving iteratively, and finally yields magnetic potentials on the rotor. Such magnetic potentials are then used as boundary conditions to solve the potential equations and calculate the air-gap flux density, from which the $\boldsymbol{d}$ and $\boldsymbol{q}$ axes magnetizing inductance can be computed. The computation results are verified by finite element analysis (FEA), and are showing perfect match with FEA simulation.
The role of interest rate swaps in financial institutions

Section I of this dissertation develops the following topics: the mechanics of an interest rate swap, the reasons for usage of swaps, and the history of how the instrument evolved. An interest rate swap is an agreement between two agents to trade interest payment obligations. The most powerful reason for the existence of interest rate swaps is the ability to hedge interest rate risk;Section II theoretically and empirically examines the relationship between the use of interest rate swaps and the level of capital in savings and loan associations. The results suggest that savings and loan associations tend to allocate more capital when they engage in swaps and that an increase in capital increases the likelihood of more swap market activity;The final section tests whether interest rate swaps can reduce fluctuations in stock prices of savings and loans by unanticipated interest rate changes. The results seem to suggest that interest rate swaps have only an indirect effect in reducing stock price variability.
Monitoring and improving antipsychotic adherence in outpatient forensic diversion programs

Outpatient diversion programs present an opportunity for severely mentally ill defendants to receive psychiatric treatment and have alleged offenses dismissed by the court. Moreover, the successful completion of pretrial diversion is associated with fewer post-program arrest and jail days. The target patient population for such programs is typically people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, but the care of such patients in outpatient settings presents challenges for monitoring treatment fidelity, specifically antipsychotic adherence, as low adherence rates are associated with increased rates of recidivism. Presented here is a review of evidence-based strategies that must be employed to track antipsychotic adherence in outpatient diversion programs, including pill counts, use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics, and determination of plasma antipsychotic levels to assess adherence and the adequacy of antipsychotic treatment. Antipsychotic therapy remains the foundation of schizophrenia treatment, but only through the use of all available modalities can clinicians maximize the odds that schizophrenia patients in pretrial diversion maintain psychiatric stability and successfully complete mental health court mandates.
Radiology Case 11

There are two main origins for developing osteomyelitis: hematogenous spread and direct inoculation. Microorganisms such as bacteria embed into the bone and initiate an inflammatory response that leads to osteoclast activation and subsequent bone destruction. Osteoblasts counteract the bone loss with intense bone production, which gives the periosteal reaction demonstrated in the above case. As the inflammatory response evolves, intraosseous vascular pathways are destroyed resulting in ischemia and osseous necrosis. Necrotic fragments then can be sequestered and serve as an infection nidus for chronic episodes of infection that are difficult to target medically. Sinus tracts can develop from the infected medullary cavity beyond the periosteum and drain pustulous material through the defect.
Clinical outcomes of adults with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis treated with the HLH-04 protocol: a retrospective analysis

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare syndrome of pathologic immune activation in children that is increasingly being recognized in adults. Efficacy data for the HLH-04 protocol in adu...
Dual Energy Differential Phase Contrast CT (DE-DPC-CT) Imaging

When more than two elemental materials are present in a given object, material quantification may not be robust and accurate when the routine two-material decomposition scheme in current dual energy CT imaging is employed. In this work, we present an innovative scheme to accomplish accurate three-material decomposition with measurements from a dual energy differential phase contrast CT (DE-DPC-CT) acquisition. A DE-DPC-CT system was constructed using a grating interferometer and a photon counting CT imaging system with two energy bins. The DE-DPC-CT system can simultaneously measure both the imaginary and the real part of the complex refractive index to enable a three-material decomposition. Physical phantom with 21 material inserts were constructed and measured using DE-DPC-CT system. Results demonstrated excellent accuracy in elemental material quantification. For example, relative root-mean-square errors of 4.5% for calcium and 5.2% for iodine were achieved using the proposed three-material decomposition scheme. Biological tissues with iodine inserts were used to demonstrate the potential utility of the proposed spectral CT imaging method. Experimental results showed that the proposed method correctly differentiates the bony structure, iodine, and the soft tissue in the biological specimen samples. A triple spectra CT scan was also performed to benchmark the performance of the DE-DPC-CT scan. Results demonstrated that the material decomposition from the DE-DPC-CT has a much lower quantification noise than that from the triple spectra CT scan.
Thermal impacts of built and vegetated environments on local microclimates in an Urban University campus

Abstract Extreme urban temperatures pose a significant threat to human health, and are expected to worsen in a warming climate. While many heat island studies use land surface temperature to estimate exposure, air temperatures are more relevant to human health and comfort. The Tech Climate Network (TCN) was established to monitor 37 sites across the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology and surrounding neighborhoods in various built and vegetated environments. This study seeks to answer: What is the distribution and intensity of the urban heat island on campus, and what impacts do surface-level land cover and surrounding tree canopy have on average summer air temperatures? Using multiple regression models, we examine the relationship between land cover parameters and minimum, maximum, and average air temperatures in the summer of 2017. We found that vegetated sites had lower temperatures than predominantly impervious environments, with differences in maximum temperatures up to 3.77 °C. UHI intensities were significantly correlated with tree canopy and landscaping. By characterizing the thermal properties of built and natural environments in such a diverse campus as Georgia Tech, this method allows for the estimation of local air temperatures without deploying a dense network of sensors.
The preponderance of initial orthostatic hypotension in postural tachycardia syndrome.

Significant initial orthostatic hypotension (IOH) occurs in ~50% of postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) patients and 13% of controls. Heart rate and blood pressure recovery are prolonged in IOH su...
Intent-Aware Pedestrian Prediction for Adaptive Crowd Navigation

Mobile robots capable of navigating seamlessly and safely in pedestrian rich environments promise to bring robotic assistance closer to our daily lives. In this paper we draw on insights of how humans move in crowded spaces to explore how to recognize pedestrian navigation intent, how to predict pedestrian motion and how a robot may adapt its navigation policy dynamically when facing unexpected human movements. Our approach is to develop algorithms that replicate this behavior. We experimentally demonstrate the effectiveness of our prediction algorithm using real-world pedestrian datasets and achieve comparable or better prediction accuracy compared to several state-of-the-art approaches. Moreover, we show that confidence of pedestrian prediction can be used to adjust the risk of a navigation policy adaptively to afford the most comfortable level as measured by the frequency of personal space violation in comparison with baselines. Furthermore, our adaptive navigation policy is able to reduce the number of collisions by 43% in the presence of novel pedestrian motion not seen during training.
Dynamics and Multiconfiguration Potential Energy Surface for the Singlet O2 Reactions with Radical Cations of Guanine, 9-Methylguanine, 2'-Deoxyguanosine, and Guanosine.

Reactions of electronically excited singlet oxygen (1O2) with the radical cations of guanine (9HG•+), 9-methylguanine (9MG•+), 2′-deoxyguanosine (dGuo•+), and guanosine (Guo•+) were studied in the ...
Interindividual plasticity in metabolic and thermal tolerance traits from populations subjected to recent anthropogenic heating

To better understand temperature's role in the interaction between local evolutionary adaptation and physiological plasticity, we investigated acclimation effects on metabolic performance and therm...
The Possible Role of Implant Materials in Promoting the Aseptic Loosening of Prosthetic Joints

In the absence of infection, a correctly inserted prosthetic hip can be expected to function well for several years. However, after about ten years there is a 25 per cent incidence of failure due to aseptic loosening. This probability rises rapidly thereafter, making aseptic loosening the leading cause of the failure of prosthetic joints. Although often considered predominantly a mechanical process, recent evidence points to an important biological component to the aseptic loosening of replacement joints.
Carotid Revascularization: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

Objective and Background The aim of this study is to provide an evidence-based review of the periprocedural safety and long-term effectiveness of carotid artery stenting (CAS) compared to carotid endarterectomy (CEA), with particular attention paid to the use of embolic protection devices and patients at high risk for CEA. Methods Electronic databases (Ovid Medline, Cochrane central register of controlled trials, Pubmed, and Embase) were searched to identify: (1) randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing outcomes of CEA and CAS, and (2) prospective clinical trials assessing the safety of CAS in patients at high surgical risk. Pooled incidence rates and one-sided 95% confidence interval for the periprocedural and long-term composite end-point of stroke, myocardial infarction, or death among high surgical risk patients were generated and compared to objective performance criteria (OPC) reported by previous trials. Results Six RCTs and 14 prospective clinical trials met our search criteria. Selected RCTs showed inconsistency in reported periprocedural and long-term outcome rates. Pooled incidence rates of the periprocedural and long-term composite end-point of stroke, myocardial infarction or death in high surgical risk candidates were 5.59% and 7.92%, respectively. These results were noninferior to selected OPCs (P-value <0.001). Conclusions CAS represents a safe and effective stroke prevention strategy in high surgical risk patients when compared with CEA. The inconsistent results from the RCTs and the improved outcomes in the prospective clinical trials are likely related to variability in operator experience, use of embolic protection devices, and patient selection strategies.
Videotape Data Bank

(1975). Videotape Data Bank. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 46, No. 7, pp. 31-34.
Temporal planning with mutual exclusion reasoning

Many planning domains require a richer notion of time in which actions can overlap and have different durations. The key to fast performance in classical planners (e.g., Graphplan, IPP, and Blackbox) has been the use of a disjunctive representation with powerful mutual exclusion reasoning. This paper presents TGP, a new algorithm for temporal planning. TGP operates by incrementally expanding a compact planning graph representation that handles actions of differing duration. The key to TGP performance is tight mutual exclusion reasoning which is based on an expressive language for bounding mutexes and includes mutexes between actions and propositions. Our experiments demonstrate that mutual exclusion reasoning remains valuable in a rich temporal setting.
A Collection of Test Problems for Constrained Global Optimization Algorithms

Quadratic programming test problems.- Quadratically constrained test problems.- Nonlinear programming test problems.- Distillation column sequencing test problems.- Pooling/blending test problems.- Heat exchanger network synthesis test problems.- Phase and chemical reaction equilibrium test problems.- Comlpex chemical reactor network test problems.- Reactor-seperator-recycle system test problems.- Mechanical design test problems.- VLSI design test problems.
The critique of Eros: Freud on narcissism and the prospects for romantic love

This paper examines the prospects for real/actual love as viewed from a classical psychoanalytic framework. It is argued that Freud’s prescient and controversial 1914 work On Narcissism: An Introduction holds great importance for an understanding of his views on love, which in many ways were never explicitly defined. After the concepts of narcissism and love are considered, the aim, process, consequences and specific choices of object love are analysed. Perhaps not surprisingly, both narcissism and the residue of infantile love objects permeate and continually influence subsequent object love in a powerful manner. These perseverations of the infantile, along with impediments arising from the beloved, society and the self, create a number of difficulties for a would-be lover. Despite these hindrances from both within and without, real/actual love is certainly possible within Freud’s framework, but it is hard won and appears to require the dispelling of illusions, emancipation through recognition of one’s d...
Leadership Education and Development (Lead) at the United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy has a deep and abiding commitment to the moral development of its midshipmen and to instilling the naval service’s core values. The Naval Academy’s mission is supported by the three pillars of moral, mental, and physical development. The goal of the Leadership Education and Development Division is to integrate the moral, ethical, and character development of midshipmen across every aspect of the Naval Academy experience. Because having a strong foundation of honor and character is of utmost importance for becoming an exceptional leader, the character program strives to educate and motivate the members of the Brigade into taking a serious step down the path of developing their own character in preparation for their fleet service. The leadership education program consists of formal instruction by military and civilian professionals in leadership, philosophy and ethics, human behavior, and law; complimented by the practical knowledge and real-time fleet experiences of Navy and Marine Corps commissioned officers.
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Operations for Vegetation Mapping of Invasive Exotics1

Resource managers realize the potential of remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) operations for detecting, monitoring, mapping, and modeling distributions of invasive plants. However, to make wise decisions, imagery must be evaluated in terms of geometric fidelity, spatial resolution, spectral resolution, area coverage, and cost. These data characteristics are discussed relative to mapping vegetation distributions and detecting exotic plants. Examples are drawn from projects conducted during the past 20 yr by the Department of Geography's Center for Remote Sensing and Mapping Science at the University of Georgia using remotely sensed data, GIS, and Global Positioning System techniques to produce detailed vegetation maps and databases for study areas in the southeastern United States. Many of these projects include a component of invasive plant detection and distribution mapping for monitoring spread and effectiveness of control. Additional index words: Hyperspectral image data, national parks, natural resource management, photo interpretation, satellite imagery. Abbreviations: ASTER, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Relection Radiometer; AVHRR, Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer; AVIRIS, Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer; CIR, color infrared; DMC, Digital Modular Camera; GIS, geographic information system; GPS, Global Positioning System; GR, ground resolution; LIDAR, light detection and ranging; lprs/mm, line pairs per millimeter; MODIS, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer; PAN, panchromatic; SPOT, System Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre; USGS, United States Geological Survey; XS, multispectral.
Free-Free Emission from Accretion Shocks

Shocks associated with the supersonic infall of matter onto a protostellar disk are sources of potentially detectable radio free-free emission: a protostar of mass ≈ 1.5[D/(100 pc)] M☉ is sufficient to generate an 8.4 GHz flux of 100 μJy from its protostellar disk when viewed face-on at a distance D. The free-free emission from an accretion shock is a good diagnostic of the mass of the protostar, which determines the area of the optically thick free-free emission from the shocked surface of the inner disk. Accretion shocks are a possible explanation of recent observations of the source NGC 1333 IRAS 4, in which the measured fluxes at 4.8 and 8.4 GHz exceed the values expected for circumstellar dust emission alone. The accretion shock explanation requires the presence in this source of a protostar of mass 3.5-4 M☉, a value that is consistent with the observed bolometric luminosity only if accretion through the disk is nonsteady and only if the protostellar luminosity lies substantially below its main-sequence value, as indeed is predicted by theoretical models for the evolution of pre-main-sequence stars. We also discuss an alternative model in which the observed free-free emission arises in shocks produced by circumstellar winds impacting dense circumstellar material.
Effect of handling time and repeated sampling on avian white blood cell counts

Abstract The practice of obtaining white blood cell (leukocyte) profiles and heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratios from avian blood smears has become increasingly popular to assess immune function in wild birds. I captured 28 House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) and made blood smears from samples obtained from them at 3, 30, and 60 min after capture to evaluate the effect of routine handling time on leukocyte profiles and H/L ratios. Total leukocyte counts decreased significantly with time, but the proportions of each leukocyte type remained the same over the 1-h time period. There was a nonsignificant increase in H/L ratios over time, but comparison with a group of birds held for 1 h before bleeding suggested that this was the result of the repeated bleedings, not handling time. I conclude that researchers should make every effort to obtain blood samples for making smears as soon as possible after capturing birds to ensure an accurate assessment of total leukocyte counts, but that routine handling times und...
Hydrogen production by photosystem I of Scenedesmus: Effect of heat and salicylaldoxime on electron transport and photophosphorylation.

Photosynthesis, photoreduction, the p-benzoquinone Hill reaction, and glucose uptake by whole cells, as well as cyclic photophosphorylation (with PMS) by chloroplast particles were strongly inhibited by 10-2 M salicylaldoxime or by heating whole cells for 1–2 min at 55°. In contrast, H2 photoproduction by whole cells of mutant No. 11 and wild type Scenedesmus and PS I-mediated MR reduction by chloroplast particles were either stimulated or not significantly inhibited by these agents. H2 production by mutant No. 8 was slightly depressed by salicylaldoxime. DCMU inhibited H2 photoproduction with 10-2 M salicylaldoxime approximately 20%, indicating some contribution of electrons by endogenous organic compounds to photosystem II between the O2-evolving mechanism and the DCMU-sensitive site. We conclude that photohydrogen production by PS I of Scenedesmus does not require cyclic photophosphorylation but is due to non-cyclic electron flow from organic substrate(s) through PS I to hydrogenase where molecular H2 is released.
Buckminster Fuller: starting with the universe

Whitney Museum of American Art, 26 June to 21 September 2008 The recent retrospective exhibition of the work of Richard Buckminster (“Bucky”) Fuller (1895–1983) at the Whitney Museum of American Ar...
The reversible depolymerization of actin by potassium iodide.

Abstract 1. 1. G-actin obtained from acetone-dried muscle polymerizes in 0.1 M KI after incubation in 0.6 M KI. 2. 2. G-actin prepared by depolymerizing F-actin by 0.6 M KI does not polymerize in 0.1 M KI. 3. 3. G-actin obtained by depolymerizing F-actin by 0.6 M KI in the presence of small concentrations of added adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or inosine triphosphate (ITP) polymerizes readily in 0.1 M KI. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP), inorganic pyrophosphate, or inorganic phosphate have no such protective action. 4. 4. Adenosine triphosphate, ADP, and ITP are effective maximally in amounts up to 5 × 10 −5 mole. 5. 5. The findings of Straub and Feuer that during polymerization ATP is dephosphorylated to ADP is confirmed. 6. 6. Contrary to the findings of Straub and Feuer no synthesis of ATP was observed during depolymerization, not even in the presence of ADP when depolymerization was reversible.
The TOR complex 1 is required for the interaction of multiple cargo proteins selected for the vacuole import and degradation pathway.

Upon starving Saccharomyces cerevisiae of glucose, the key gluconeogenic enzymes fructose1,6-bisphosphatase (FBPase), malate dehydrogenase (MDH2), isocitrate lyase (Icl1p) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pck1p) are induced. When glucose is added to cells that have been starved for 3 days, these gluconeogenic enzymes are degraded in the vacuole via the vacuole import and degradation (Vid) pathway. Moreover, it has been determined that during glucose starvation, these cargo proteins interact with the target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1), which is comprised of Tor1p, Tco89p, Lst8p and Kog1p. However, following glucose replenishment, Tor1p dissociates from the cargo proteins. We have determined that cells overexpressing TOR1 inhibited the phosphorylation of FBPase and its subsequent degradation in the vacuole. Interestingly, while the deletion of TCO89 inhibited FBPase degradation, it did not inhibit the phosphorylation of FBPase. Both Tor1p and Tco89p were found in endosomes originating from the plasma membrane as well as in retrograde vesicles forming from the vacuole membrane. Here we further discuss our findings and elaborate on our current model of the Vid pathway.
Tat-calpastatin fusion proteins transduce primary rat cortical neurons but do not inhibit cellular calpain activity

Abstract Excessive activation of calpains (calcium-activated neutral proteases) is observed following spinal cord contusion injury, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and in neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease. Calpain inhibition represents an attractive therapeutic target, but current calpain inhibitors possess relatively weak potency, poor specificity, and in many cases, limited cellular and blood–brain barrier permeability. We developed novel calpain inhibitors consisting of the endogenous inhibitor, calpastatin or its inhibitory domain I, fused to the protein transduction domain of the HIV trans-activator (Tat) protein (Tat 47–57 ). The Tat-calpastatin fusion proteins were potent calpain inhibitors in a cell-free activity assay, but did not inhibit cellular calpain activity in primary rat cortical neurons when applied exogenously at concentrations up to 5 μM. The fusion proteins were able to transduce neurons, but were localized within endosome-like structures. A similar endosomal uptake was observed for Tat-GFP. Together, the results suggest that endosomal uptake of the Tat-calpastatin prevents its interaction with calpain in other cellular compartments. Endosomal uptake of proteins fused to the Tat protein transduction domain severely limits the applications of this methodology.
Fabry-Perot interferometer for geostationary-based observations of tropospheric ozone

Monitoring tropospheric chemistry from space is the next frontier for advancing present-day remote sensing capabilities to meet future high-priority atmospheric science measurement needs. Paramount to these measurement requirements is that for tropospheric ozone, one of the most important gas-phase trace constituents in the lower atmosphere. Such space-based observations of tropospheric trace species are challenged by the need for sufficient horizontal resolution to identify constituent spatial distribution inhomogeneities (that result from non-uniform sources/sinks and atmospheric transport) and the need for adequate temporal resolution to resolve daytime and diurnal variations. Both of these requirements can be fulfilled from a geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) measurement configuration. An advanced atmospheric remote sensing concept for the measurement of tropospheric ozone from a GEO-based platform is presented. The concept is centered about an imaging Fabry-Perot interferometer (FPI) observing a narrow spectral interval within the strong 9.6 micron ozone infrared band with a spectral resolution approximately 0.07 cm-1. This concept could also simplify other atmospheric chemistry sensor designs (which typically require spectral resolutions in the range of 0.01 - 0.1 cm-1), since such an FPI approach could be implemented for those spectral bands requiring the highest spectral resolution and thus simplify overall design complexity.
Modeling Biodegradation of Subsurface Oil in Sand Beaches Polluted with Oil

ABSTRACT In April 2010, the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) drilling platform led to the release of nearly 4.9 million barrels of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The oil was brought to ...
A Theory of Thermal Fluctuations in DNA Miniplasmids

A recent analysis of the normal modes of vibration of a ring formed by bringing together and sealing, with or without the addition of twist, the ends of rods that are straight when stress free is taken as the basis for a theory of the statistical thermodynamics of a canonical ensemble of DNA minicircles with specified linking number difference deltaLk and number N of base pairs. It is assumed that N corresponds to a circumference in the range of one or two persistence lengths. For such an ensemble, the theory yields an expression for the average writhe (Wr), which can be employed to calculate the free energy, entropy, and enthalpy of supercoiling, deltaGsc, deltaSsc, and deltaHsc. The results obtained for the dependence of deltaGsc on deltaLk and N are in accord with experimental observations of equilibrium distributions of topoisomers of plasmids with N approximately 200 bp.
The death mask of the antarctic ice sheet: Comparison of glacial geomorphic features across the continental shelf

Abstract Multibeam swath bathymetry data, seismic lines, and shallow cores were collected seaward of all of the major drainage outlets of the Antarctic Ice Sheet from the Pennell Coast of North Victoria Land to the northwestern Weddell Sea. The results show that during the last glacial maximum, the ice sheet extended onto the outer shelf in all areas, to the shelf break in many. Swath bathymetry and deep-tow sidescan sonar data from the continental shelf also record the geomorphology left by the retreating ice sheet. Glacial troughs occur offshore of all major glacial outlets. In each drainage area except for parts of the Ross Sea, the inner shelf is characterized by acoustic basement interpreted as crystalline substrate. The geomorphology of these inner shelf areas consists of erosional features such as grooves that show that ice flow tended to follow the structural grain of the bedrock. Outer shelf areas are floored by sedimentary substrate where the direction of ice flow was more directly offshore and depositional features characterize the seafloor. In these areas the signature of the grounded ice consists of till deposits and large-scale geomorphic features, mega-scale glacial lineations. Drumlins occur within the region of contact between crystalline and sedimentary substrates. Meltwater channels also have been imaged in both inner and outer shelf settings. While the presence of meltwater across the shelf has long been suspected, we present here the first multibeam image of a meltwater channel on the outer continental shelf of Antarctica. At the shelf break gullies are in all areas where we know ice reached the shelf break. We note the remarkable similarity in form of mega-scale glacial lineations observed on the outer shelf over sedimentary substrate across all areas surveyed, typically measuring 200–600 m crest to crest. This suggests that the shape of these landforms is governed by the same process in each drainage area and that process was occurring under a large area of the ice sheet. The erosional and transitional features show much variability in form and distribution.
Design of an experimental reactor for intrinsic kinetics of chemical vapor deposition

Abstract Despite the importance of intrinsics in chemical vapor deposition, no satisfactory ecperimental reactor or method has been devised for the determination of intrinsic kinetics. Presented is the design of such a reactor and its use for the determination of intrinsic kinetics. The design involves satisfying five conditions. Any rectangular, horizontal reactor designed so as to satisfy the conditions can be used for intrinsic kinetics. Use of the experimental reactor for uniform deposition is also discused.
Parameterization of the Chandra point spread function

The Chandra X-ray Observatory point spread function (PSF) is a complex function of source position and energy. On-orbit calibration observations with sufficient S/N sample only a small fraction of the possible parameter space, and are complicated by detector systematics. Thus, the standard method of analyzing Chandra data uses the standard Chandra optics model as a reference. The optics model accurately simulates the telescope's PSF, but as it is a raytrace based technique, it can be time-consuming to run and is not always appropriate for a given analysis task. A simple parameterization of the PSF would be useful for many analysis purposes, in many cases obviating the need for users to run lengthy raytraces. We present an approach to a simple PSF parameterization of off-axis point sources, discussing its applicability to analysis of Chandra observations in light of the complicated PSF structure. We also present some results of our PSF parameterization and discuss its accuracy.
An Overview of Portico: An Electronic Archiving Service

As scholars have become more reliant upon electronic scholarly journals, the long-term preservation of these resources has become a growing and increasingly urgent need. In 2002, JSTOR launched a project which has now become Portico, a new, not-for-profit electronic archiving service established to address the scholarly community's critical need for a reliable means to preserve scholarly e-journals. Portico is focused on preserving the intellectual content of e-journals through source file normalization and format migration. To date, seven publishers have agreed to deposit more than 3,000 journals in the archive, which will be sustained by contributions from publishers and libraries.
The suspected association between methamphetamine ('ice') smoking and frequent episodes of alcohol intoxication: data from the 1993 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse.

This study estimates the strength of association between frequent episodes of alcohol intoxication and recent smoking of methamphetamine ('ice'). Drawn from the 1993 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, a total of 101 ice smokers were matched on neighborhood of residence to 816 non-smokers. Based upon conditional logistic regression analyses, persons with daily episodes of alcohol intoxication were an estimated five times more likely to have smoked ice, as compared with non-drinkers or drinkers with little or no history of alcohol intoxication. This estimate includes statistical adjustment for potential confounders (e.g. age, sex) and was statistically significant (P=0.01). The association between frequent alcohol intoxication and 'ice smoking' offers an intriguing lead for a broad range of new research.
Effects of inferior alveolar nerve severance on the eruption rate of the mandibular incisor in the 10-day-old Wistar albino rat.

Abstract Following severance of the inferior alveolar nerve on one side, the incisor tooth on that side invariably exhibited an acceleration of eruption. When the inferior alveolar nerve was severed bilaterally, both teeth showed an acceleration of eruption far beyond the rate in the control animals of the same litter. The teeth were notched in order that eruption rates could be measured and recorded. Notching was not attempted before the twenty-fifth to the thirtieth day in order to ensure degeneration of fibers in the distal segment and retrograde degenerative changes in the cells of origin of these fibers (that is, mesencephalic nucleus of the fifth cranial nerve). Degeneration of inferior alveolar nerve fibers at the periphery and chromatolytic changes in cells in the center were constant findings. Careful studies by Corbin on the peripheral distribution of fibers rising in the mesencephalic nucleus and by Corbin and Harrison on the function of the mesencephalic nucleus and root of the fifth cranial nerve had previously demonstrated the actual links in a highly stable anatomic substratum for segmental activity. This neural are served functionally to coordinate biting and chewing movements. Specialized receptors in this neural are are situated in organs of movement and their appendages (muscles, teeth, and supporting structures). Tension in these receptors largely determines muscle sense and stretch information. Large and medium-sized myelinated fibers which have their origin in the mesencephalic nucleus and their end terminals in these receptors mediate proprioceptive impulses from the muscles of mastication and deep pressure from the teeth, periodontal membranes, gingivae, and soft palate. The operation of nerve severance deliberately interrupts the afferent limb of this are. It is the sensory information from these receptors which is essential for the operation of a coordinated masticatory response. Lack of this information following on the heels of nerve severance leads to incoordination and imbalance in such vital activities as biting and chewing. From this vantage point, it is clear that the incisors and their investing structures do not stand alone. Thanks to a functional union of several related structures, the teeth are but part of a complex functional whole—a proprioceptive system. It is precisely the deep pressure sensibility information provided by this system of fibers and the inhibition conferred by the reflex which control the force of the bite and protect the teeth of the control animals and result in damage to the teeth and supporting structures of the experimental animals. Responses based upon this proprioceptive sensory information result in control of the special attritional and incisive activities of the teeth, both of which play a role in maintaining the length of the teeth and hence in their rates of eruption.
Tight dual models of pore spaces

Abstract The pore throats in a porous medium control permeability, drainage, and straining through their pore scale geometry and through the way they are connected via pore bodies on the macroscale. Likewise, imbibition is controlled through the geometry of the pore bodies (pore scale) and through the way the pore bodies are connected via pore throats on the macroscale. In an effort to account for both scales at the same time we recently introduced an image-based model for pore spaces that consists of two parts related by duality: (1) a decomposition of a polyhedral pore space into polyhedral pore bodies separated by polygonal pore throats and (2) a polygonal pore network that is homotopy equivalent to the pore space. In this paper we stick to the dual concept while amending the definition of the pore throats and, as a consequence, the other elements of the dual model. Formerly, the pore throats consisted of single two-dimensional Delaunay cells, while they now usually consist of more than one two-dimensional Delaunay cell and extend all the way into the narrowing ends of the pore channel cross sections. This is the first reason for naming the amended dual model “tight”. The second reason is that the formation of the pore throats is now guided by an objective function that always attains its global optimum (tight optimization). At the end of the paper we report on simulations of drainage performed on tight dual models derived from simulated sphere packings and 3D gray-level images. The C-code for the generation of the tight dual model and the simulation of drainage is publicly available at https://jshare.johnshopkins.edu/mhilper1/public_html/tdm.html .
A model for glutathione binding and activation in the fosfomycin resistance protein, FosA.

Abstract The genomically encoded fosfomycin resistance protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (FosAPA) utilizes Mn(II) and K+ to catalyze the addition of glutathione (GSH) to C1 of the antibiotic rendering it inactive. Although this protein has been structurally and kinetically characterized with respect to the substrate, fosfomycin, questions remain regarding how the enzyme binds the thiol substrate, GSH. Computational studies have revealed a potential GSH binding site in FosAPA that involves six electrostatic or hydrogen-bonding interactions with protein side-chains as well as six additional residues that contribute van der Waals interactions. A strategically placed tyrosine residue, Y39, appears to be involved in the ionization of GSH during catalysis. The Y39F mutant exhibits a 13-fold reduction of catalytic activity (kcat = 14 ± 2 s−1), suggesting a role in the ionization of GSH. Mutation of five other residues (W34, Q36, S50, K90, and R93) implicated in ionic of hydrogen-bonding interactions resulted in enzymes with reduced catalytic efficiency, affinity for GSH, or both. The mutant enzymes were also found to be less effective resistant proteins in the biological context of Escherichia coli. The more conservative W34H mutant has native-like catalytic efficiency suggesting that the imidazole NH group can replace the indole group of W34 that is important for GSH binding. In the absence of co-crystal structural data with the thiol substrate, these results provide important insights into the role of GSH in catalysis.