cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuous Glucose Monitoring: A Perspective on Its Past, Present, and Future Applications for Diabetes Management.

The transition from urinary glucose measurement to more sophisticated self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) systems in the 1970s and 1980s dramatically changed the approach to and understanding of diabetes management (1). Innovations in the design and technology of portable blood glucose meters have become integral to the success of intensive treatment of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and the outcome of this treatment has led to a tremendous decrease in the development of long-term micro- and macrovascular complications (2–4). However, intensive insulin therapy has its limitations, including increased frequency of hypoglycemia and the need for frequent SMBG testing. In the past decade, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology has evolved into a novel tool to support diabetes management. Unlike conventional glucose meters, which provide a snapshot of the blood glucose value at the time of testing, CGM provides semi-continuous information about glucose levels. It does this indirectly, by extrapolating blood glucose levels from interstitial fluid glucose via an algorithm. Importantly, CGM allows users to make decisions regarding their day-to-day diabetes management using real-time glucose trends. Along with this information, CGM systems provide customizable hypo- and hyperglycemia alarms and display trends of the rate of change of glucose levels. Most recently, CGM systems have been integrated with insulin pumps and are being used in artificial pancreas clinical trials. In this article, we discuss the clinical benefits of CGM; its challenges, including accuracy and user experience; and its present and future role in the management of diabetes. Numerous studies have explored whether sustained use of CGM offers clinical benefits in individuals with diabetes. Randomized, multicenter clinical trials have shown improved glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes using CGM compared to those using SMBG and a reduction in the time spent in hypoglycemia with concomitant improvement in A1C …
Toward all-optical control of rare-earth ions for on-chip quantum technology

We present the characterization of the AC Stark shift in a rare-earth ion doped photonic crystal cavity. The strength of the interaction creates opportunities within previously inaccessible regimes of all-optical quantum memory protocols.
Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis: Genes, Environment, and a Comprehensive Therapeutic Approach

Abstract Background Pediatric multiple sclerosis is an increasingly recognized and studied disorder that accounts for 3% to 10% of all patients with multiple sclerosis. The risk for pediatric multiple sclerosis is thought to reflect a complex interplay between environmental and genetic risk factors. Main Findings Environmental exposures, including sunlight (ultraviolet radiation, vitamin D levels), infections (Epstein-Barr virus), passive smoking, and obesity, have been identified as potential risk factors in youth. Genetic predisposition contributes to the risk of multiple sclerosis, and the major histocompatibility complex on chromosome 6 makes the single largest contribution to susceptibility to multiple sclerosis. With the use of large-scale genome-wide association studies, other non-major histocompatibility complex alleles have been identified as independent risk factors for the disease. The bridge between environment and genes likely lies in the study of epigenetic processes, which are environmentally-influenced mechanisms through which gene expression may be modified. Conclusions This article will review these topics to provide a framework for discussion of a comprehensive approach to counseling and ultimately treating the pediatric patient with multiple sclerosis.
Adapted waveform analysis, wavelet packets, and local cosine libraries as a tool for image processing

Adapted wave form analysis, refers to a collection of FFT like adapted transform algorithms. Given an image these methods provide special matched collections of templates (orthonormal bases) enabling an efficient coding of the image. Perhaps the closest well known example of such coding method is provided by musical notation, where each segment of music is represented by a musical score made up of notes (templates) characterised by their duration, pitch, location and amplitude, our method corresponds to transcribing the music in as few notes as possible. The extension to images and video is straightforward we describe the image by collections of oscillatory patterns (paint brush strokes)of various sizes locations and amplitudes using a variety of orthogonal bases. These selected basis functions are chosen inside predefined libraries of oscillatory localized functions (trigonometric and wavelet-packets waveforms) so as to optimize the number of parameters needed to describe our object. These algorithms are of complexity N log N opening the door for a large range of applications in signal and image processing, such as compression, feature extraction denoising and enhancement. In particular we describe a class of special purpose compressions for fingerprint irnages, as well as denoising tools for texture and noise extraction. We start by relating traditional Fourier methods to wavelet, wavelet-packet based algorithms using a recent refinement of the windowed sine and cosine transforms. We will then derive an adapted local sine transform show it's relation to wavelet and wavelet-packet analysis and describe an analysis toolkit illustrating the merits of different adaptive and nonadaptive schemes.
Coupling Drosophila melanogaster Cryptochrome Light Activation and Oxidation of the Kvβ Subunit Hyperkinetic NADPH Cofactor

Motivated by the observations on the involvement of light-induced processes in the Drosophila melanogaster cryptochrome (DmCry) in regulation of the neuronal firing rate, which is achieved by a redox-state change of its voltage-dependent K+ channel Kvβ subunit hyperkinetic (Hk) reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) cofactor, we propose in this work two hypothetical pathways that may potentially enable such coupling. In the first pathway, triggered by blue-light-induced formation of a radical pair [FAD•–TRP•+] in DmCry, the hole (TRP•+) may hop to Hk, for example, through a tryptophan chain and oxidize NADPH, possibly leading to inhibition of the N-terminus inactivation in the K+ channel. In a second possible pathway, DmCry’s FAD•– is reoxidized by molecular oxygen, producing H2O2, which then diffuses to Hk and oxidizes NADPH. In this work, by applying a combination of quantum and empirical-based methods for free-energy calculations, we find that the oxidation of NADPH by TRP•+ or H2O...
Early HIV Infection Predictions: Role of Viral Replication Errors

In order to prevent and/or control infections it is necessary to understand their early-time dynamics. However this is precisely the phase of HIV about which the least is known. To investigate the initial stages of HIV infection within a host we have developed a multi-type, continuous-time branching process model. This model is a stochastic extension of the standard viral dynamics model, under the assumption that the number of cell targets for viral infection is constant, biologically reasonable since, during the earliest stages of HIV infection, very few cells are infected relative to their total population size. We use our model to investigate three important clinical characteristics of early HIV infection following intravenous challenge: risk of infection, time to infection clearance (assuming failed infection), and time to infection detection. Our focus is on the impact of errors in viral replication that result in non-infectious virus production on these characteristics. Only a small fraction of circulating virus in any chronically infected individual is capable of infecting susceptible cells: estimates range from 1/104 - 1/103. Characterization and quantification of the processes by which virus becomes defective remains incomplete. We consider two mechanisms that result in defective virus: (1) Copying errors, i.e., lethal errors in reverse transcription, which introduce mutations into the HIV-1 proviral genome, some of which may cripple the viral genome produced, and (2) Packaging errors, i.e., errors during viral packaging, at the end of the viral replication cycle, which cause defective virus by packaging new virions without, for example, viral RNA or key proteins required for infectivity. We show that assumptions on mechanisms of defective virus production can significantly impact early HIV infection model predictions. For example, the risk of infection is orders of magnitude higher if all defective virus is associated with packaging errors, but infection is predicted to be detectable sooner following HIV exposure if all defective virus is associated with copying errors. Thus, in order to make reliable predictions of risk, clearance time, and detection time, better characterization of viral replication is required.
Nutrients and Peripherally Secreted Molecules in Regulation of Energy Homeostasis

Obesity, a growing epidemic with a current prevalence of 30.9% in the United States (1), is directly responsible for the rapidly increasing morbidity and mortality from insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory ailments, arthritis, reproductive challenges, and psychosocial problems (2). Obesity is responsible for approx 300,000 deaths in the United States every year and was thus recently declared the major public health problem in this country, superceding smoking (3). Moreover, the recent rapid increase in the incidence of obesity in children has resulted in nearly half of all children with newly diagnosed diabetes now having type 2 diabetes (4), which, in turn, is expected to result in increasing morbidity and mortality at relatively younger ages in the future, a fact with enormous public health consequences.
Chaos in Optics

Recently there has been a renewed interest in the random motion of deterministic systems, a subject dating back to Poincare. The original interest lay in trying to explain the fact that many-body problems in physics are well described by theories based on random behavior. Classical physics, however, views such systems as deterministic. It was discovered that most classical motions are, in fact, erratic, but the discovery of quantum mechanics caused the interest in this subject to die down. The revived interest lies in trying to understand turbulent behavior, which may be related to these erratic motions.
34-OR: COMPLETE NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCES FOR MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED KIR HAPLOTYPES

Aim Expressed by NK cells and T cells, KIR are critical for immune responses to infection, cancer and tissue transplants. KIR also contribute to autoimmunity and pregnancy syndromes. The human KIR locus is polygenic and polymorphic, with over 300 protein variants described, yet remains poorly characterized worldwide. We have developed a method to sequence complete KIR haplotypes, in parallel with HLA haplotypes, from genomic DNA. Methods After capture of fragments with oligonucleotide probes the entire KIR locus is sequenced to high depth (>500x) using Illumina paired-end technology. In this way we analyzed 104 HLA homozygous cell lines from the 12th IHWC, for which there was limited prior KIR knowledge. To acquire these data we created a pipeline that automatically analyses the KIR -specific reads; it attributes sequencing-reads to specific KIR genes, determines presence/absence genotype by read depth, and then calls high-resolution genotypes for each of the 13 KIR and two pseudogenes that are present. Results The genotype calls were independently verified on eight of the IHWC cell lines using our high-resolution pyrosequencing method, also targeted to all KIR genes and alleles. The pipeline was further validated by comparison with 25 KIR-specific SNPs present in a whole-genome array (Omni1Quad). Only four IHWC cell lines are completely homozygous for all KIR genes and alleles, but ∼25% cells are homozygous for KIR gene content, due to high KIR A haplotype frequency. Accordingly, we are using population genetics to determine the composition of the 204 distinct KIR haplotypes represented in the 104 IHWC cells. All these methods were validated using the COX cell line, for which both KIR haplotypes were sequenced previously using standard techniques. Both methods gave 100% coverage and complete concordance. Conclusions This versatile technique and the data so far obtained provide valuable contributions to future immunogenetic studies in transplantation and of other clinical diagnostics.
A Hypersensitive Serotonergic Receptor Theory of Depression: The Role of Stress

There is an ever increasing body of evidence, both from the animal laboratory and clinical studies which suggests that stress may provoke psychotic depression through the mechanism of neurotransmitter depletion. This hypothesis has been strengthened by the newer concept of hypersensitive postsynaptic receptors, especially with regard to the serotonergic system, which our laboratory has been studying since 1960. This work, based on our animal model, provides evidence that should be seriously considered in any attempt to understand the chemistry of affective disorders.
Bone and the Brain

Abstract Since the year 2000, there has been a tremendous increase in research activity investigating how skeletal physiology is regulated by the nervous system. It is becoming more widely accepted that the innervation of bone plays important roles in bone development, fracture healing, and remodeling. In bone and marrow, we have observed both sensory and sympathetic nerve fibers, as well as several neurotransmitters and their receptors. Furthermore, functional and direct neurological connections between the hypothalamus and bone have been identified, and there is evidence that neural regulation of bone may, in turn, control global energy homeostasis through endocrine mechanisms. However, it remains unclear how afferent neuronal pathways feedback to control sympathetic and parasympathetic outflow. Understanding how the nervous system interacts with the skeleton will be critical for the treatment of skeletal pathologies in patients with underlying neurological disorders and may uncover new avenues for treatment of bone diseases.
Incentivized Urbanization in Philadelphia: The Local Politics of Globalized Zones

Today, establishing zones for globally-oriented free enterprise is a common strategy of post-industrial urban revitalization and economic development. These large-scale projects typically operate t...
The examination of the relationship between experiential value and price fairness in consumers’ dining experience

Consumers enjoy sharing meaningful consumption experiences with others. The purpose of this study is to better understand this behavior by identifying the specific aspects of experiential value tha...
A novel approach to determine generalist nematophagous microbes reveals Mortierella globalpina as a new biocontrol agent against Meloidogyne spp. nematodes

Root-knot nematodes (RKN) such as Meloidogyne spp. are among the most detrimental pests in agriculture affecting several crops. New methodologies to manage RKN are needed such as efficient discovery of nematophagous microbes. In this study, we developed an in vitro high-throughput method relying on the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the infection of those nematodes with a soil slurry containing a microbiome likely to house nematophagous microbes. Nematodes were monitored for presence of infection and sub-cultured repeatedly for the purpose of isolating pure cultures of the microbe responsible for conferring the nematicidal activity. Once soil microbes were confirmed to be antagonistic to C. elegans, they were tested for pathogenicity against Meloidogyne chitwoodi. Using this methodology, the fungal isolate Mortierella globalpina was confirmed to be pathogenic in vitro against M. chitwoodi by nematode trapping via hyphal adhesion to the cuticle layer, penetration of the cuticle layer, and subsequently digestion of its cellular contents. M. globalpina was also observed to reduce disease symptomology of RKNs in vivo via significant reduction of root-galls on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. Rutgers).
Examining the identification of age-related atrophy between T1 and T1 + T2-FLAIR cortical thickness measurements.

Cortical thickness is traditionally derived from T1-weighted MRI images. Recent studies have shown an improvement in segmentation with the combination of T1 + T2-FLAIR images. MRI data from 54 adults (mean: 71 years, 65–81 years, 48% females) that are part of an ongoing cohort study were analyzed to investigate whether T1 + T2-FLAIR cortical thickness measurements were superior to those derived from T1-weighted images in identifying age-related atrophy. T1-weighted and T2-FLAIR MRI images were processed through FreeSurfer v6.0. Data was extracted using the Desikan-Killiany (DKT) atlas. FreeSurfer’s GUI QDEC examined age-related atrophy. Nonparametric tests, effect sizes, and Pearson correlations examined differences between T1-only and T1 + T2-FLAIR cortical thickness data. These analyses demonstrated that T1 + T2-FLAIR processed images significantly improved the segmentation of gray matter (chi-square x2, p < 0.05) and demonstrated significantly thicker cortical thickness means (p < 0.05) with medium to large effect sizes. Significant regions of age-related cortical atrophy were identified within the T1 + T2-FLAIR data (FDR corrected, p < 0.05). This is in contrast to the T1-only data where no regions survived FDR correction. In summary, T1 + T2-FLAIR data were associated with significant improvement in cortical segmentation and the identification of age-related cortical atrophy. Future studies should consider employing this imaging strategy to obtain cortical thickness measurements sensitive to age-related changes.
Establishing Multiple-Control Responding of Children with Autism to People and Emotions in Context by Utilizing Derived Stimulus Relations

This study evaluated the efficacy of a set of procedures in evoking responding under multiple stimulus control (identifying emotions when provided a person and context) in a match-to-sample arrangement. Three participants with autism achieved a mastery criterion following direct training of the target relations, and two of the participants additionally demonstrated derived relations without direct training (identifying people when provided an emotion and context). Corrective procedures were effective in promoting the emergence of derived relations for the third participant. These data suggest that incorporating derived stimulus relation training and testing procedures may have utility for clinical interventions in children with autism.
Policy Determinants of Inequitable Exposure to the Criminal Legal System and Their Health Consequences Among Young People

Criminalizing young people, particularly Black- and Brown-identified young people, has increasingly been a feature of US rhetoric, policies, and practices. Thus, the domains in which young people are exposed to the legal system have continued to expand, encompassing their communities, schools, and homes. Importantly, public health researchers have begun exploring links between legal system exposure and health, although this literature is primarily focused at the interpersonal level and assesses associations within a single domain or in adulthood.Using critical race theory and ecosocial theory of disease distribution, we identified potential policy-level determinants of criminalization and briefly summarized the literature on downstream health outcomes among young people. Our analysis suggests that policy decisions may facilitate the targeting of structurally marginalized young people across domains.Future research should (1) position these legislative decisions as primary exposures of interest to understand their association with health among young people and inform institutional-level intervention, (2) measure the totality of exposure to the criminal legal system across domains, and (3) use theory to examine the complex ways racism operates institutionally to shape inequitable distributions of associated health outcomes.
Chapter 13 – Reproductive Structures, Strategies, and Patterns

The anatomy and physiology of the reproductive system in pinnipeds, cetaceans, and sirenians is summarized. Mating systems that range from monogamy to polygyny to promiscuity are described. Life-history traits (i.e., capital vs income breeding) and lactation strategies (i.e., fasting, foraging, aquatic nursing) for the major lineages of marine mammals are discussed. Finally, the evolution of reproductive patterns in pinnipeds is presented.
Enhancing the seed germination process of Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum Ten.)

Montezuma cypress (Taxodium. mucronatum) is an ecological, cultural and economically valuable riparian tree species. Two experiments evaluating the effectiveness of various seed treatments were con...
Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Pneumonia has been recognized as a common and potentially lethal condition for nearly two centuries. Comprehensive studies of the disease in the pre-antibiotic era showed mortality rates of about 1 per 1000 per year; over 80 percent of the cases were due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, and mortality rates were generally reported at 20 to 40 percent.1,2 Community-acquired pneumonia (as distinguished from that acquired nosocomially or in a nursing home) continues to be a common and serious illness. Current estimates for the United States are 4 million cases annually, an attack rate of 12 per 1000 adults per year, about . . .
Sperm length divergence as a potential prezygotic barrier in a passerine hybrid zone

The saltmarsh sparrow Ammospiza caudacuta and Nelson's sparrow A. nelsoni differ in ecological niche, mating behavior, and plumage, but they hybridize where their breeding distributions overlap. In this advanced hybrid zone, past interbreeding and current backcrossing result in substantial genomic introgression in both directions, although few hybrids are currently produced in most locations. However, because both species are nonterritorial and have only brief male-female interactions, it is difficult to determine to what extent assortative mating explains the low frequency of hybrid offspring. Since females often copulate with multiple males, a role of sperm as a postcopulatory prezygotic barrier appears plausible. Here, we show that sperm length differs between the two species in the hybrid zone, with low among-male variation consistent with strong postcopulatory sexual selection on sperm cells. We hypothesize that divergence in sperm length may constitute a reproductive barrier between species, as sperm length co-evolves with the size of specialized female sperm storage tubules. Sperm does not appear to act as a postzygotic barrier, as sperm from hybrids was unexceptional.
Development of view potential metrics and the financial impact of views on office rents

Abstract Views contribute to occupants’ visual comfort and health in the workplace—reducing stress, improving concentration, and bolstering creativity. In this work, we introduce two new metrics, based on a 3D simulation in the urban context, to assess potential view access in open floorplans; and using the metrics, we measure the economic impact of views on office rents. We evaluate the view potential in 5,154 office spaces in Manhattan, New York City. Then, combining the analysis results with rent transaction data, we model the financial performance of rents paid by tenants with varying views whilst controlling for other vital factors impacting office rents. We find that spaces with high access to views have a 6% net effective rent premium over spaces with low access to views. This financial impact is independent of other value drivers like daylight. Where there is both high daylight and view access, we find, there is also a 6% effective rent premium. Tenants’ marginal willingness to pay for daylight and views is a financial incentive for developers and building owners to invest in these visual qualities. The metrics introduced in this work can be applied in design and planning to analyze view access in an existing urban context; and the financial incentive for views can motivate design and planning policies that preference and protect view access and sightlines from all buildings.
Neuronal activity in the human amygdala and hippocampus enhances emotional memory encoding

Emotional events are often easier to recall, and comprise our most valuable memories. Here, as subjects performed a memory task in which they recalled emotional stimuli more readily than neutral stimuli, we used direct brain recording and stimulation in the hippocampus and amygdala to identify how the brain prioritizes emotional information for memory encoding. High-frequency activity (HFA), a correlate of local neuronal spiking, increased in both hippocampus and amygdala when subjects successfully encoded emotionally arousing stimuli. Direct electrical stimulation applied to these regions during encoding decreased HFA and selectively impaired retrieval for emotional stimuli. Finally, depressed subjects9 memory was biased more by valence than arousal, and they exhibited a congruent increase in HFA as a function of valence. Our findings thus provide evidence that emotional stimuli up-regulate activity in the amygdala--hippocampus circuit to enhance memory for emotional information, and suggest that targeted modulation of this circuit alters emotional memory processes.
Morphine and diprenorphine together potentiate responding for positively reinforcing brain stimulation

Rats fixed with chronically indwelling bipolar electrodes for stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus were trained to press for brain stimulation. Subsequent to training, they were allowed to press for 30 min a day for a moderate intensity of stimulation until response rates stabilized. Then, prior to some opportunities to press, the rats were given either a 10-mg/kg dose of morphine sulfate or a 30-μg/kg dose of diprenorphine (an antagonist of morphine’s analgesia and behavioral suppression), or both. The large dose of morphine suppressed responding, and the small dose of diprenorphine facilitated responding, replicating previous observations. Morphine plus diprenorphine produced marked increments in pressing. These data provide further support for the idea that morphine’s capacity to facilitate responding for brain stimulation is unrelated to its analgesic properties. Also, the data support the idea of a separate opioid receptor for opioid reward.
Tooth enamel protein amelogenin binds to ameloblast cell membrane-mimicking vesicles via its N-terminus

We have recently reported that the extracellular enamel protein amelogenin has affinity to interact with phospholipids and proposed that such interactions may play key roles in enamel biomineralization as well as reported amelogenin signaling activities. Here, in order to identify the liposome-interacting domains of amelogenin we designed four different amelogenin mutants containing only a single tryptophan at positions 25, 45, 112 and 161. Circular dichroism studies of the mutants confirmed that they are structurally similar to the wild-type amelogenin. Utilizing the intrinsic fluorescence of single tryptophan residue and fluorescence resonance energy transfer [FRET], we analyzed the accessibility and strength of their binding with an ameloblast cell membrane-mimicking model membrane (ACML) and a negatively charged liposome used as a membrane model. We found that amelogenin has membrane-binding ability mainly via its N-terminal, close to residues W25 and W45. Significant blue shift was also observed in the fluorescence of a N-terminal peptide following addition of liposomes. We suggest that, among other mechanisms, enamel malformation in cases of Amelogenesis Imperfecta (AI) with mutations at the N-terminal may be the result of defective amelogenin-cell interactions.
PWCET: Power-Aware Worst Case Execution Time Analysis

Worst case execution time (WCET) analysis is used to verify that real-time tasks on systems can be executed without violating any timing constraints. Power consumption is not considered in most of the WCET research work. However, real-time embedded systems have limited power resources and the leakage power cost by the cache could take up to 40% of the total power consumption. Because of the nature of data reuse in programs, not all of the cache may be needed during the execution. Traditional WCET analysis, which derives the WCET bound by assuming all cache is utilized, results in higher power dissipation. In this paper, we propose a Power-aware WCET analysis framework (PWCET) to improve energy efficiency by reducing cache size with no penalty on the WCET result. A compiler analysis based useful cache calculation algorithm is used to determine the non-useful cache size to be turned off to save power. Experiments on benchmarks demonstrate the effectiveness of the PWCET framework in obtaining considerable power savings without any effect on WCET bounds.
Critical Exponents and Renormalization in the (⌽)4 Scaling Limit

For dimensions d ≤ 3, the ⌽4 scaling limit defines a nonrenormalizable field theory. The standard relations between critical exponents and renormalization are presented. Arguments supporting the existence of the scaling limit are based on correlation inequalities and the numerical values of Ising model exponents, \( 2\eta _ \ne ^ < \eta _E \) for d=2,3.
PROTEOLYTIC ATTACK OF THE CHROMOPROTEINS OF PORPHYRA BY MARINE BACTERIAL ENZYMES

Merkel, Joseph R. (College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C.), Gordon D. Braithwaite, and Henry Kritzler. Proteolytic attack of the chromoproteins of Porphyra by marine bacterial enzymes. J. Bacteriol. 88:974–980. 1964.—Three chromoproteins were isolated from the marine red alga, Porphyra leucosticta (Thuret), and were purified by adsorption chromatography on calcium phosphate gel and by ammonium sulfate fractionation. The algal chromoproteins were subjected to the proteolytic action of cultures of actively growing marine bacteria, marine bacterial culture filtrates, trypsin, and various marine bacterial enzyme preparations. Digestion of the chromoproteins was followed through various incubation intervals by measuring the loss of chromophore color and the increase in either ninhydrin-positive material (570 mμ) or 280-mμ light-absorbing material. There was good correlation between the loss of color and enzymatic hydrolysis of the proteins. this was particularly evident when a marine pseudomonad proteinase preparation was used as the proteolytic agent. In every digestion mixture, phycoerythrin was more resistant to degradation than was phycocyanin or allophycocyanin. Phycoerythrin was also more resistant to heat than was phycocyanin or allophycocyanin.
Tactical Modeling of Surface Oil Transport During the Deepwater Horizon Spill Response

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) provides scientific support for oil and chemical spills. During the unprecedented Deepwater Horizon oil spill response in the Gulf of Mexico, the Emergency Response Division (OR&R/Emergency Response Division) provided daily 72 h tactical forecasts for movement of the surface oil. Surface oil distribution was initialized daily from analysis of satellite imagery and incorporation of visual overflight observations. Computation of oil trajectories utilized currents from a number of hydrodynamic models allowing an ensemble forecasting approach. Results from the suite of trajectories were combined to produce a final forecast product for distribution to the Incident Command Posts. These forecasts were utilized during the Deepwater Horizon response for planning, allocation of resources, and direction of response assets.
High energy density pulsed power capacitors

Pulsed power in mobile systems requires high energy density capacitors as energy storage and power compression devices. Applications range from medical defibrillators to naval artillery, with a wide envelope of operating conditions requiring several technology approaches. The ongoing, multifaceted development effort on high energy density pulsed power capacitors at General Atomics Energy Products has yielded capacitors with significantly higher energy densities (> 5 J/cc) than were available a few years ago. Substantially higher energy densities are also being achieved in capacitors designed for microsecond discharge applications. This paper describes this progress and the state of the art in pulsed power capacitors.
The Study of Prehistoric Artefacts in National Context: Belgian Archaeologists and the Problem of Ancient Stone Implements

During the early nineteenth century European archaeologists were formulating new ideas about the significance of ancient stone artefacts. Some, such as Christian Thomsen in Copenhagen, believed that in Scandinavia, a Stone Age had preceded the Bronze and Iron Ages. In France some excavations had retrieved stone artefacts from deep levels of peat and cave deposits that suggested that these objects were of very great antiquity. While the collection and study of stone artefacts occurred across much of Europe, there were regional variations in their interpretation. Assisted by local institutions and motivated by patriotism, Belgian archaeologists who participated in this research, had much in common with their colleagues elsewhere in Europe, but the nature of local archaeological sites and the ideas of local researchers had an impact on the development and contributions of Belgian prehistoric archaeology.
Hong Sang-soo's Geuk-jang-jeon [A Tale of Cinema]: redaction criticism and production analysis

Hong Sang-soo's Geuk-jang-jeon [A Tale of Cinema] (2005) consists of two clearly delineated accounts of a relationship drama, the second of which repeats elements (basic narrative, locations, lines of dialogue) from the first. Instead of comparing the two halves in a catch-as-catch-can way, the authors have employed two methodologically neutral analytical tools. First, a redaction critical analysis of the narratives reveals tendencies in the parallel and divergent materials. Second, a production analysis quantifies the formal strategies employed by the filmmakers. Interestingly, both the narrative and stylistic studies, the redaction and production analyses, yield remarkably similar results, ones that suggest a central concern of A Tale of Cinema, as Hong's film's title hints, extrapolates a premise of his earlier films – the limitations of any single point of view – into a critique of filmmaking itself as another selective, distorting artificial construction.
IgA rheumatoid factor synthesis by dissociated synovial cells. Characterization and relationship to IgM rheumatoid factor synthesis

We examined patterns of IgA rheumatoid factor (RF) and IgM-RF synthesis by dissociated synovial cells obtained from 27 patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. Synthesis of IgA-RF was observed in 19 of 34 synovial cell preparations from these patients and constituted a mean of 16% of the total IgA produced. IgA-RF expression correlated only weakly with IgM-RF production (r = 0.385) and could be dissociated from production of IgA-RF (and IgM-RF) exhibited by simultaneously obtained peripheral blood plasma cells. While wide variations were observed in the ratio of IgA-RF:IgM-RF produced by synovial B cells in the patient sample studied, remarkable consistency in the relationship of IgA-RF to IgM-RF synthesis was observed over time in different joints of the same patient. IgA-RF synthesized by dissociated synovial cells was predominantly of the IgA1 subclass and existed in both monomeric and polymeric forms. Our results are compatible with the view that local production of IgA-RF and IgM-RF are regulated independently of each other.
Studies on the orientations of the mitochondrial redox carriers. II. Orientation of the mitochondrial chromophores with respect to the plane of the membrane in hydrated, oriented mitochondrial multilayers.

Abstract Orientations of the active site chromophores of the mitochondrial redox carriers have been investigated in hydrated, oriented multilayers of mitochondrial membranes using optical and EPR spectroscopy. The hemes of cytochrome c oxidase, cytochrome c 1 , and cytochromes b were found to be oriented in a similar manner, with the normal to their heme planes lying approximately in the plane of the mitochondrial membrane. The heme of cytochrome c was either less oriented in general or was oriented at an angle closer to the plane of the mitochondrial membrane than were the hemes of the “tightly bound” mitochondrial cytochromes. EPR spectra of the azide, sulfide and formate complexes of cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondria in situ obtained as a function of the orientation of the applied magnetic field relative to the planes of the membrane multilayers showed that both hemes of the oxidase were oriented in such a way that the angle between the heme normal and the membrane normal was approx. 90°.
The Role of Optics in Applying Correlation Functions to Pattern Recognition

This paper describes some previously invented optical means for performing convolutions (i.e., correlations) of designs in two dimensions and teaches through optics the physical meaning of these functions. The paper also discusses how these operations can be used for pattern recognition and also for measuring the similarity of two patterns. It is shown how the well-known cross-correlations function, A(uv)=1ab∫0a∫0bρ(x,y)ρ′(x+u,y+v)dxdy,is a part of a new function we call here the “similarity” function, S(ρρ′)=1ab∫0a∫0bA2(uv)dudv.This function (having the highest value for identical patterns and lower values for dissimilar patterns) can, like the correlation function, be performed by optical means without any computation whatsoever. The mathematical discussion of the characteristics of S(ρρ′) are given. The possible role of these methods in information retrieval are suggested, and some of the limitations mentioned.
Phosphorylation-mediated 14-3-3 Protein Binding Regulates the Function of the Rho-specific Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor (RhoGEF) Syx

Syx is a Rho-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) that localizes at cell-cell junctions and promotes junction stability by activating RhoA and the downstream effector Diaphanous homolog 1 (Dia1). Previously, we identified several molecules, including 14-3-3 proteins, as Syx-interacting partners. In the present study, we show that 14-3-3 isoforms interact with Syx at both its N- and C-terminal regions in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. We identify the protein kinase D-mediated phosphorylation of serine 92 on Syx, and additional phosphorylation at serine 938, as critical sites for 14-3-3 association. Our data indicate that the binding of 14-3-3 proteins inhibits the GEF activity of Syx. Furthermore, we show that phosphorylation-deficient, 14-3-3-uncoupled Syx exhibits increased junctional targeting and increased GEF activity, resulting in the strengthening of the circumferential junctional actin ring in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. These findings reveal a novel means of regulating junctional Syx localization and function by phosphorylation-induced 14-3-3 binding and further support the importance of Syx function in maintaining stable cell-cell contacts.
Molecules with high rotational angular momentum: a generalized ab initio approach

An outline is given of a systematic and automated computational procedure based upon our successful ab initio approach to the theoretical study of centrifugal distortions of rotating molecules and their associated energy stabilizations. Such a generalized procedure permits the ready evaluation of the centrifugal distortion spectroscopic constants for moderate-sized molecules of low or no symmetry; these molecules represent cases for which the older version of our computational procedure is unwieldy. More broadly, we explore the energies and geometries of molecules in those regions of nuclear coordinate hyperspace which are accessible by such distortions from the equilibrium geometry. A method is outlined for optimizing the geometry of a molecule in the presence of a centrifugal field which is parametrically dependent upon the rotational angular momentum. The field is not fixed for a given angular momentum, but is coupled with the geometry via the moment of inertia tensor. This development should prove to be of major benefit to both computational chemists and molecular spectroscopists, as it will advance the interplay of theoretical and experimental studies of molecular structure.
The role of coated vesicles in recycling of synaptic vesicle membrane

Abstract The uptake of extracellular tracers into synaptic nerve terminals has been a phenomenon of persistent interest. Uptake is into synaptic vesicles, hence vesicles spend part of their life in continuity with the plasma membrane, as expected if exocytosis underlies the quantal discharge of neurotransmitters. However, exactly how or when synaptic vesicles acquire extracellular tracers has not been unambiguously determined. Two schools of thought have developed, one holding that vesicles acquire tracers directly via a reversible exo/endocytotic sequence in which they consistently maintain their biochemical identity during their transient continuity with the plasma membrane, the other holding that synaptic vesicles acquire tracers indirectly , via the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles which are spatially and temporally separate from exocytosis and reverse a temporary loss of the vesicles' individual identity upon merger with the plasma membrane. Efforts to distinguish between these two alternatives have generated an interesting diversity of electron microscopic experiments, many of which are reviewed here. However, definitive determination of which view is correct may ultimately require direct visualization of synaptic vesicle turnover in living nerve terminals. To this end, we here review the results of visualizing endocytosis in tissue cultured cells, where light microscopy can provide sufficient resolution to reveal membrane dynamics in living cells. This has allowed visual discrimination of two different types of endocytosis, one clathrin-mediated (coated vesicle formation) and the other actin-mediated (macropinocytosis). Current work is also reviewed which aims at determining experimental methods for inhibiting each type of endocytosis selectively. Hypertonicity and severe cytoplasmic acidification turn out to inhibit coated vesicle formation, while cytochalasin D and mild cytoplasmic acidification selectively inhibit macropinocytosis. Applied to nerves, these various treatments affect synaptic vesicle turnover in a manner that supports the notion that synaptic vesicle membrane recycles via the “indirect” route of coated vesicle formation.
Enzastaurin (LY317615), a Protein Kinase C Beta Selective Inhibitor, Enhances Antiangiogenic Effect of Radiation

Purpose: Angiogenesis has generated interest in oncology because of its important role in cancer growth and progression, particularly when combined with cytotoxic therapies, such as radiotherapy. Among the numerous pathways influencing vascular growth and stability, inhibition of protein kinase B(Akt) or protein kinase C(PKC) can influence tumor blood vessels within tumor microvasculature. Therefore, we wanted to determine whether PKC inhibition could sensitize lung tumors to radiation. Methods and Materials: The combination of the selective PKC{beta} inhibitor Enzastaurin (ENZ, LY317615) and ionizing radiation were used in cell culture and a mouse model of lung cancer. Lung cancer cell lines and human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVEC) were examined using immunoblotting, cytotoxic assays including cell proliferation and clonogenic assays, and Matrigel endothelial tubule formation. In vivo, H460 lung cancer xenografts were examined for tumor vasculature and proliferation using immunohistochemistry. Results: ENZ effectively radiosensitizes HUVEC within in vitro models. Furthermore, concurrent ENZ treatment of lung cancer xenografts enhanced radiation-induced destruction of tumor vasculature and proliferation by IHC. However, tumor growth delay was not enhanced with combination treatment compared with either treatment alone. Analysis of downstream effectors revealed that HUVEC and the lung cancer cell lines differed in their response to ENZ and radiationmore » such that only HUVEC demonstrate phosphorylated S6 suppression, which is downstream of mTOR. When ENZ was combined with the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, in H460 lung cancer cells, radiosensitization was observed. Conclusion: PKC appears to be crucial for angiogenesis, and its inhibition by ENZ has potential to enhance radiotherapy in vivo.« less
Ollier disease with synchronous multicentric chondrosarcomas: scintigraphic and radiologic demonstration.

Ollier disease is a nonhereditary dyschondroplasia usually diagnosed during early childhood. It is characterized by the presence of multiple enchondromas affecting predominantly limbs unilaterally or bilaterally. As this dysplasia progresses, there is an increased risk of malignant degeneration into
Water pollution monitoring using matched spatial filters

Presented are some results obtained from the application of matched spatial filtering techniques to the identification of biological specimens called diatoms (i.e., water algae). A prototype semiautomatic optical processor has been developed that utilizes the Vander Lugt type complex spatial filters. We describe the optical filter averaging technique employed and discuss our semi in situ developing method for the filters. The advantage of this method with regards to the critical position requirements for time sharing optical filters is also presented. The filter holder is mounted on X, Y stages and precision positioned under the control of a PDP-11-40 computer.
Additive satiety-delaying effects of capsaicin-induced visceral deafferentation and NMDA receptor blockade suggest separate pathways.

Both ablation of visceral afferents and blockade of NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic transmission by MK-801 result in overconsumption of sucrose solution and other food, apparently by interrupting visceral signals and thus delaying satiation. If these two manipulations act on the same pathway, namely, the propagation of vagal afferent signals to NTS neurons, their effects would be expected to be non-additive. To test this hypothesis, two groups of rats — one with prior systemic capsaicin (n=11) and one with vehicle treatment (n=10) — were trained to drink 15% sucrose solution after 15 h food deprivation every 3–4 days, and then injected with MK-801 (100 μg/kg, i.p.) or saline. Both capsaicin and MK-801 produced the expected significant (P<.001) increase in 30 and 60 min sucrose intake if compared to their respective controls. Administration of MK-801 to capsaicin-treated rats further increased 60 min sucrose intake significantly (P<.001) in a fully additive fashion. These results suggest that the two treatments do not impinge on the same neural pathway to delay satiation. MK-801 may interfere with signals from capsaicin-resistant vagal afferents, or alternatively may act on other areas in the brain or periphery.
Dielectric property improvement of polymer-nanosized strontium titanate-composites for applications in microelectronics

With respect to applications in microelectronics the frequency and temperature dependent dielectric properties of a series of polymer-based composites, consisting of a thermally curable unsaturated polyester-styrene resin and nanosized strontium titanate filler, have been characterized. Following earlier investigations targeting an improvement of dielectric properties the impact of a thermal treatment of the dielectric filler on the resulting composite properties was determined. In case of composites containing 55 wt% strontium titanate heat treatment at 1,000°C increases the permittivity by almost 25% and lowers the loss factor value by a factor of almost 10 due to grain growth and larger crystallite sizes.