cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single-particle reconstruction from EM images of helical filaments

Helical filaments were the first structures to be reconstructed in three dimensions from electron microscopic images, and continue to be extensively studied due to the large number of such helical polymers found in biology. In principle, a single image of a helical polymer provides all of the different projections needed to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure. Unfortunately, many helical filaments have been refractory to the application of traditional (Fourier-Bessel) methods due to variability, heterogeneity, and weak scattering. Over the past several years, many of these problems have been surmounted using single-particle type approaches that can do substantially better than Fourier-Bessel approaches. Applications of these new methods to viruses, actin filaments, pili and many other polymers show the great advantages of the new methods.
The utility of accurate mass and LC elution time information in the analysis of complex proteomes

The combination of mass and normalized elution time (NET) of a peptide identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) measurements can serve as a unique signature for that peptide. However, the specificity of an LC-MS measurement depends upon the complexity of the proteome (i.e., the number of possible peptides) and the accuracy of the LC-MS measurements. In this work, theoretical tryptic digests of all predicted proteins from the genomes of three organisms of varying complexity were evaluated for specificity. Accuracy of the LC-MS measurement of mass-NET pairs (on a 0 to 1.0 NET scale) was described by bivariate normal sampling distributions centered on the peptide signatures. Measurement accuracy (i.e., mass and NET standard deviations of ±0.1, 1, 5, and 10 ppm, and ±0.01 and 0.05, respectively) was varied to evaluate improvements in process quality. The spatially localized confidence score, a conditional probability of peptide uniqueness, formed the basis for the peptide identification. Application of this approach to organisms with comparatively small proteomes, such as Deinococcus radiodurans, shows that modest mass and elution time accuracies are generally adequate for confidently identifying most peptides. For more complex proteomes, more accurate measurements are required. However, the study suggests that the majority of proteins for even the human proteome should be identifiable with reasonable confidence by using LC-MS measurements with mass accuracies within ±1 ppm and high efficiency separations having elution time measurements within ±0.01 NET.
Reconfigurable and actuating structures from soft materials

The recent interest in reconfigurable soft materials may lead to the next paradigm in the development of adaptive and actuating materials and structures. Actuating soft materials eventually can be precisely designed to show stimuli-sensing, multi-length scale actuation, tunable transport, programmed shape control and multifunctional orthogonal responses. Herein, we discuss the various advances in the emerging field of reconfigurable soft materials with a focus on the various parameters that can be modulated to control a complex system behavior. In particular, we detail approaches that use either long-range fields (i.e. electrical, magnetic) or changes in local thermodynamic parameters (e.g., solvent quality) in order to elicit a precise dimensional and controlled response. The theoretical underpinnings and practical considerations for different approaches are briefly presented alongside several illustrative examples from the recent studies. In the end, we summarize recent accomplishments, critical issues to consider, and give perspectives on the developments of this exciting research field.
Numerical Analysis of Local Heat Transfer From a Flat Plate to a Swirling Air Impingining Jet

Local heat transfer from a flat plate to a swirling circular air impinging jet is investigated numerically. Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS) and energy equation are solved for the axisymmetric, three dimensional flow. Eddy-viscosity based turbulence models, RNG and V2F, are used. Non-uniform meshes are used for the three dimensional flows and mesh independent solutions are obtained. The flow Reynolds number, which is based on the jet diameter, is kept at 23,000. In the analysis, local heat transfer coefficients are obtained for different swirl numbers, S = 0.21, 0.35 and 0.47 and jet-to-plate distance, L/D, ranging from 2 to 9. Investigation of the effect of swirl flow profile at the exiting plane of the jet on heat transfer is also presented. It is found that different swirl profiles with the same swirl number lead to very different heat transfer behaviors in the stagnation region of the impinging jet.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Diffusion of copper into gold plating

The value of the room-temperature copper-gold interdiffusion coefficient derived by extrapolating from high-temperature measurements is an underestimate by several orders of magnitude. Plating copper with a gold film has several disadvantages. Two specimens were analyzed by using Auger electron spectroscopy. Once the full thickness of the gold film is penetrated, copper accumulates on the surface, and a layer of high concentration of copper exists immediately below the gold-air interface. Electrical resistivity of an alloy is much higher than the resistivity of either component. This high-resistivity layer may be localized within the skin depth of propagating electromagnetic waves; in cases where copper has reached the surface, it is permanently within the skin depth at any frequency. A nickel diffusion barrier, commonly applied between copper and gold, is unsuitable in many microwave and millimeter-wave applications because of ferromagnetism of nickel at room temperature. The compound that forms on the surface of untreated copper at room temperature in a reasonably clean atmosphere is cuprous oxide. Its properties make it a better alternative to gold in microwave and millimeter-wave engineering. >
Donor cell-derived myelodysplastic syndrome with ring chromosome 7 after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant in 2 patients with lymphomas as primary disease

Donor cell leukemia (DCL) is a rare condition defined as leukemia or myelodysplasia that develops in grafted donor cells. To the authors’ knowledge, this report presents the first cases of DCL with r(7) abnormality (ring chromosome 7). Although abnormalities of chromosome 7 are common in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome, detection of r(7) and recognition of its origin can be challenging. This is also the first report of del(12p) (deletion of 12p) resulting in ETV6 (ets translocation variant gene 6) deletion in DCL. Progression of disease in the patient with del(12p)/ ETV6, from myelodysplastic syndrome to acute myeloid leukemia, suggests that del(12p)/ETV6 may play an important role in leukemia transformation in DCL.
Theoretical predictions of the structure and vibrational infrared frequencies of 2,2'-dichlorodiethyl sulfide and hydrolysis products

Abstract We report the computed equilibrium geometries and vibrational infrared frequencies for 2,2′-dichlorodiethyl sulfide and six related hydrolysis products, utilizing the HF/6-311G∗∗ and MP2/6-31G∗ levels of theory. A comparison of the calculated frequencies to the corresponding experimental data yields correction factors for the vibrational modes. In general, we find the use of larger basis sets tends to improve the consistency of the correction factors while inclusion of electron correlation tends to improve their accuracy. The agreement between the experimental and calculated data enables us to make predictions about the major features of the infrared spectra of the hydrolysis species for which no infrared data have been reported.
Effect of flow angle and flow profile on phase contrast flow measurements: overestimation at extreme angles and skewed profiles

Flow measurements derived from phase contrast velocity mapping (PC-MRI) have become an important part of pediatric cardiology, allowing accurate quantification of shunts, valve regurgitation, and cardiac output. Clinicians generally try to align the imaging plane orthogonal to flow. However, while flow velocities decrease by the cosine of the angle from orthogonal, the area should ideally increase by the same rate. There are situations in which it may be desirable to quantify flow in a vessel on an image that was not intended during the acquisition. In addition, in some flow regimes with highly skewed flow it is sometimes difficult to align the imaging plane with flow. Understanding the settings in which PC-MRI is accurate is important to the evaluation of congenital heart disease.
Structure of l -class groups of certain number fields and l -extensions

Let l be a rational prime, and let ℤl denote the ring of l-adic integers. Let k0 be a finite extension field of the rational numbers ℚ, and let K be a ℤl-extension of k0 (i.e., Gal (K/k0) is topologically isomorphic to the additive group of Zl). Let the intermediate fields be denoted as follows:where knk0 is a cyclic extension of degree ln, and Let An denote the l-class group of kn (i.e., the Sylow l-subgroup of the ideal class group of kn). It is known that the order of An is given by , with
Emerging trends-Full-duplex and the switched LAN

Ethernet, token-ring, and FDDI are well established protocols for regulating the access to a common transmission medium among a large number of stations. All of the attached stations share this common medium and its bandwidth. Sharing of a common medium reduces the bandwidth that is available to an individual station. To increase bandwidth to the end user, emerging LAN topologies are departing from shared-media, shared-bandwidth methods in favor of dedicated-media and dedicated-bandwidth methods. Dedicated-bandwidth switched LANs can take advantage of full-duplex operation of attached stations. This is in contrast to the normal half-duplex operation of LAN stations on a shared-bandwidth LAN. This paper describes the evolution of shared-media, shared-bandwidth LANs into dedicated-media, dedicated-bandwidth switched LANs with full-duplex operation of the attached stations. >
Biology and Immature Stages of Snail-Killing Flies Belonging to the Genus Tetanocera (Diptera: Sciomyzidae). V. Biology of Three Additional Species Having Larvae that Prey on Aquatic Pulmonate Snails

ABSTRACT Information is presented on the distribution, life histories, and larval feeding habits of three species of Tetanocera Dumeril (T. bergi Steyskal, T. plumosa Loew, T. stricklandi Steyskal) that prey as larvae on pulmonate aquatic snails. Tetanocera bergi is widely distributed in the western United States and Canadian provinces, T. stricklandi is known only from Alberta, and T. plumosa has a transcontinental distribution. Larvae of all three species are general feeders and consume several taxa of aquatic snails.
The role of paradoxical arterial emboli of the extremities

Background The heart is the main source of arterial emboli (>80%). The majority of remaining sources are arterioarterial or of unknown origin, with each accounting for 5% to 10% of cases. This study covers an 8-year period and analyzes the etiology of arterial emboli of the extremities, with emphasis on patients with paradoxical emboli. Methods The hospital records of all patients were reviewed, with emphasis on patients with paradoxical emboli. The sources of emboli were classified as cardiac, arterioarterial, paradoxical emboli (fulfilled Johnson's criteria triad with cardiac defect and right-to-left shunting), possible paradoxical emboli (met two of Johnson's criteria), or unknown. Results This series included a total of 406 cases, and the sources of emboli were as follows: 248 (61%) cardiac, 62 (15%) arterioarterial, 6 (2%) paradoxical emboli, 8 (2%) possible paradoxical emboli, and 82 (20%) had an unknown source or incomplete work-up. The mean age of paradoxical emboli patients was 39 years, in contrast to a mean of 68 years for the entire series. All 6 paradoxical emboli patients presented with acute ischemia of an extremity, symptoms of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism or both, and a documented patent foramen ovale with right-to-left shunting. None of the patients had evidence of cardiac or peripheral atherosclerotic disease. Their treatment included one or more of the following: embolectomy, lytic therapy, anticoagulation, caval filters, or closure of a patent foramen ovale. Conclusions Paradoxical emboli should be considered when the source of emboli is unknown, particularly in young patients. A complete work-up on these patients should include contrast saline or transesophageal echocardiography, lung scan, and peripheral venous imaging, particularly if conventional echocardiography and arteriography did not lead to a diagnosis.
The myriad roles of Miro in the nervous system: axonal transport of mitochondria and beyond

Mitochondrial rho GTPase (Miro) is a mitochondrial outer membrane protein containing two GTPase domains and two helix-loop-helix Ca2+-binding domains called EF hands. Pioneering genetic studies in Drosophila first revealed a key function of Miro in regulating the axonal transport of mitochondria, during which Miro forms a multi-protein transport complex with Milton and Kinesin heavy chain (KHC) to link trafficking mitochondria with the microtubule cytoskeleton. Recent studies showed that through binding to the EF hands of Miro and causing conformational changes of Miro and alteration of protein-protein interactions within the transport complex, Ca2+ can alter the engagement of mitochondria with the microtubule (MT)/kinesin network, offering one mechanism to match mitochondrial distribution with neuronal activity. Despite the importance of the Miro/Milton/Kinesin complex in regulating mitochondrial transport in metazoans, not all components of the transport complex are conserved in lower organisms, and transport-independent functions of Miro are emerging. Here we review the diverse functions of the evolutionarily conserved Miro proteins that are relevant to the development, maintenance, and functioning of the nervous system and discuss the potential contribution of Miro dysfunction to the pathogenesis of diseases of the nervous system.
A systemic mentoring model in computer science

In recent years, mentoring has been widely discussed as a highly effective technique to improve students' learning in all fields of science. In this paper, we present a systemic mentoring model that helps computer science students, in particular those at the early stage of their study, more effectively learn concepts, write better programs, and conduct quality projects. The model takes advantage of faculty mentors and undergraduate and graduate peer-mentors to establish early contacts with mentees and to maintain systemic mentoring through which both the mentee and peer-mentor will learn. The mentoring relationship between mentors and mentees is established early in the semester and will continue for as long as the need for such a relationship exists. A unique feature of this model is that the mentee-mentor role might be switched depending on the problem or concepts at hand.
Trans-illuminated image restoration of Nevoscope

Nevoscope is an optical imaging device to obtain images of skin-lesions through back-scattered diffused light using trans-illumination to determine abnormalities such as skin-cancers. Due to the nature of the process of trans-illumination, images obtained from Nevoscope suffer from a dark-field effect. We proposed a two-step algorithm to restore Nevoscope images under the trans-illumination mode. First, a background attenuation matrix was extracted from an image of normal skin close to the suspicious abnormality. This matrix was then applied to the trans-illuminated image to correct background. Second, the background corrected image was decomposed using wavelet transform. By adjusting the wavelet coefficients judiciously, a denoised and feature enhanced image was obtained
Interannual variability of surface energy exchange depends on stand age in a boreal forest fire chronosequence

Understanding how changes in the boreal fire regime will affect high latitude climate requires knowledge of the sensitivity of the surface energy budget to shifts in vegetation cover. We measured components of the surface energy budget in three ecosystems that were part of a fire chronosequence in interior Alaska for 3 years. Our sites were within the perimeter of stand-replacing fires that occurred in 1999, 1987, and ∼1920 (hereafter referred to as the 1999-burn, the 1987-burn, and the control). Vegetation cover consisted primarily of sparse short grasses at the 1999-burn, aspen and willow (deciduous trees and shrubs) at the 1987-burn, and black spruce (evergreen conifer trees) at the control. Averaged over the 3 years of our study, annual net radiation decreased by approximately 25% at the 1999-burn and 30% at the 1987-burn, relative to the control. Sensible heat decreased by an even larger amount, by approximately 57% for the 1999-burn and 44% for the 1987-burn as compared with the control. Climate during spring and summer varied considerably among the 3 years. The three stands responded differently to this climate variability with consequences for surface energy exchange. As a result of earlier snow cover loss in 2003 and 2004, net radiation during spring increased substantially in the recently disturbed stands, but not in the control. In response to a sustained summer drought in 2004, latent heat decreased more in the 1987-burn during August than in the control. Our results imply that a shift in plant functional types expected to accompany increases in boreal fire activity may amplify interannual climate variability during both spring and summer.
cis-Acting Sequences That Contribute to the Synthesis of Relaxed-Circular DNA of Human Hepatitis B Virus

Synthesis of the relaxed-circular (RC) genome of hepadnaviruses is a multistep process that requires template switching during reverse transcription. Studies of duck hepatitis B virus indicated the presence of cis-acting sequences, distinct from the donor and acceptor sequences for the template switches, which contribute to the synthesis of RC DNA. However, knowledge about cis-acting requirements distinct from the donor and acceptor sites for human hepatitis B virus (HBV) was lacking. In this study, we searched for cis-acting sequences for synthesis of HBV RC DNA by analyzing a set of deletion variants that collectively represent most of the HBV genome. Sequences of epsilon, DR1, DR2, 5′r, and 3′r were not analyzed in the study. Results from Southern blotting showed that multiple cis-acting sequences were involved in the synthesis of HBV RC DNA. Analysis of several HBV/woodchuck hepatitis virus chimeras corroborated the findings from the analysis of deletion variants. This study represents a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of cis-acting sequences that contribute to the synthesis of HBV RC DNA.
The path through math: Course sequences and academic performance at the intersection of race-ethnicity and gender

Using new national data from Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement (AHAA), this article examines high school math patterns for students of different race-ethnicity and gender. Compared with white males, African American and Latino males receive lower returns from taking Algebra I during their freshman year, reaching lower levels of the math course sequence when they begin in the same position. This pattern is not explained by academic performance, and, furthermore, African American males receive less benefit from high math grades. Lower returns are not observed for minority female students, suggesting that more attention to racial-ethnic inequality in math among male students is needed.
Development of a specific-locus assay in the ad-3 region of two-component heterokaryons of Neurospora: A review

In recognition of the need for a more comprehensive data base for genetic risk assessment of human exposure to mutagenic agents in the environment, a model system was developed for specific-locus studies in Neurospora crassa. This lower eukaryotic organism permits the utilization of microbial techniques for recovery of large numbers of specific-locus mutations at two closely linked loci as well as their subsequent genetic analysis. In particular, this assay makes possible exploratory experiments with different environmental mutagens to obtain data on a wide variety of experimental conditions. Such data make it possible to study induction kinetics and mutational spectra in a manner that is not as yet feasible in higher eukaryotic organisms. The adenine-3 (ad-3) specific-locus assay was modeled after the 2-gene, morphological specific-locus assay in the dilute-short-ear region of the mouse, and it also detects forward-mutations at two closely linked loci, namely, ad-3A and ad-3B. Because ad-3 mutations are recovered by a direct method, based on the accumulation of a reddish-purple pigment in the vacuoles of the mycelium rather than their requirement for adenine, this system is both a morphological and biochemical specific-locus assay. The use of the ad-3 assay system in experiments with different environmental mutagens has providedmore » precise dose-response curves not only for inactivation, but also the overall induction of ad-3 mutations. Genetic characterization of these ad-3 mutations by a series of 3 rapid and simple genetic tests permits the identification of 18 subclasses of gene/point mutations, and 12 subclasses of multilocus deletion mutations. In summary, this specific-locus assay provides a capability that is unique among eukaryotic organisms for the recovery and analysis of genetic damage at 2 closely linked loci. 55 refs.« less
Detection of milk oligosaccharides in plasma of infants

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) are one of the major components of human milk. HMO are non-digestible by the human gut, where they are known to play important functions as prebiotics and decoys for binding pathogens. Moreover, it has been proposed that HMO may provide sialic acids to the infant that are important in brain development, however this would require absorption of HMO into the bloodstream. HMO have consistently been found in the urine of humans and other mammals, suggesting systemic absorption. Here, we present a procedure for the profiling of milk oligosaccharides (MO) in plasma samples obtained from 13 term infants hospitalized for surgery for congenital heart disease. The method comprises protein denaturation, oligosaccharide reduction, and porous graphitized carbon solid phase extraction for purification followed by analysis using nHPLC-PGC-chip-TOF-MS. Approximately 15 free MO were typically observed in the plasma of human infants, including LNT, LDFP, LNFT, 3′SL, 6′SL, 3′SLN, and 6′SLN, of which the presence was confirmed using fragmentation studies. A novel third isomer of SLN, not found in human or bovine milk was also consistently detected. Differences in the free MO profiles were observed between infants that were totally formula-fed and infants that received at least some part breast milk. Our results indicate that free MO similar in structure to those found in human milk and urine are present in the blood of infants. The method and results presented here will facilitate further research toward the possible roles of free MO in the development of the infant.
Determination of Storage Lengths of Left-Turn Lanes at Signalized Intersections

A new method has been developed for estimating the storage lengths of left-turn lanes at signalized intersections. To prevent lane overflow, the left-turn lane should be designed to have a length sufficient to store the longest expected queue. In this study, the left-turn queue length was estimated by considering two factors: (a) vehicles that arrive during the red phase and (b) the queue of vehicles carried over from previous cycles. A method based on the discrete-time Markov chain was applied to model the leftover queue length at the end of the green phase. A case study was provided to demonstrate the application of the proposed model. In the model evaluation, the estimated left-turn queue lengths were compared with field observations and estimates from other existing methods. The results showed that the proposed model significantly outperformed existing methods by providing more accurate estimates of the lengths of left-turn queues.
Attachment organization, emotion regulation, and expectations of support in a clinical sample of women with childhood abuse histories

Despite the consistent documentation of an association between compromised attachment and clinical disorders, there are few empirical studies exploring factors that may mediate this relationship. This study evaluated the potential roles of emotion regulation and social support expectations in linking adult attachment classification and psychiatric impairment in 109 women with a history of childhood abuse and a variety of diagnosed psychiatric disorders. Path analysis confirmed that insecure attachment was associated with psychiatric impairment through the pathways of poor emotion regulation capacities and diminished expectations of support. Results suggest the relevance of attachment theory in understanding the myriad psychiatric outcomes associated with childhood maltreatment and in particular, the focal roles that emotion regulation and interpersonal expectations may play.
Borrowing from Blackacre: Expanding Tribal Land Bases Through the Creation of Future Interests and Joint Tenancies

This article offers solutions to American Indian land tenure issues. By suggesting that tribes consider employing future interests laws as a way of acquiring property interests that would not otherwise be available on the market, this article offers creative options for restoring tribal land bases.
Wannier-Slater theorem for solids with nonuniform band structure

The Wannier-Slater theorem for the Hamiltonian of a solid in an external field of force is generalized for solids with a nonuniform band structure, such as graded-gap mixed semiconductors. Our formulation is related to that of Gora and Williams, and their effectivemass equation is obtained if a $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{k}}$-space Taylor expansion is permissible. This paper extends a too-restricted, earlier discussion by us in connection with transport in position-dependent band structures. The concept of a graded effective mass $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}}{M}$ and position-dependent band bottom ${E}_{c}$ is derived from this treatment. It is pointed out, however, that the concept of a position-dependent effective mass has no strict quantum-mechanical validity. In the correspondence limit, Hamilton's equations lead to an acceleration which contains the effect of an external field ${\stackrel{\ensuremath{\leftrightarrow}}{M}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{\mathrm{F}}$, plus a dissipative term which stems from the deviation in periodicity of the crystal potential.
The phylogeny and evolution of Figitidae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea)

A phylogeny of the Figitidae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea) is presented based on combined analysis of molecular (28S-D2 and D3, COI and 18S-E17-35), morphological and life-history data. Data are analyzed by parsimony and Bayesian inference methods. Taxon sampling was held at a premium, and the resulting matrix contained 168 terminal taxa representing eight of nine subfamilies (Pycnostigminae not included) and all major subgroups of each subfamily. Alignment of the 28S D2 + D3 gene fragment based on a structural model resulted in the most defendable and least conflicting alignment tested. Melanips, previously classified in Figitinae, was consistently found to be the sister group of the Aspicerinae; Euceroptres, historically classified in Thrasorinae, frequently rendered that subfamily paraphyletic in these analyses. The general evolutionary trend is for early figitids to be parasitoids of gall inducing insects, with later host shifts occurring to exposed hosts associated with aphids. © The Willi Hennig Society 2007.
Closely Spaced Parallel Approaches in Terminal Airspace

As the amount of U.S. air traffic continues to grow, the capacity limitations of major airports threaten the efficiency of the national airspace system (NAS). Runways and wake vortex avoidance procedures represent the primary capacity constraints for terminal area operations. The Raytheon Company is developing the terminal area capacity enhancement concept (TACEC) in an effort to increase the capacities of select airports. The TACEC system allows multiple commercial aircraft to fly in close formation during final approach and land on very closely spaced parallel runways via autopilot. The student design team at George Mason University has developed alternative system architectures for TACEC, based on the local area augmentation system (LAAS), wide area augmentation system (WAAS), and instrument landing system (ILS). This paper discusses these system architectures and analyses performed in order to evaluate them. Knowledge of operational environments is critical to the evaluation of physical architectures, however, little is known about the frequencies of Category I, II, and III weather conditions at major U.S. airports. Data from the national weather service aviation climatology assessment has been used to develop ceiling and visibility frequency models for TACEC designated airports. Data obtained from the weather condition frequency models, information regarding operational limitations of navigation subsystems, and cost estimates have been used to perform trade-off analysis of physical architecture alternatives. Additionally, simulations incorporating navigation subsystem accuracy and flight dynamics have been developed to evaluate the safety of alternative functional and physical architectures for TACEC. This paper presents the results of the system architecture evaluations performed by the George Mason University student design team supporting the TACEC project
Contrasting effects of Deadend1 (Dnd1) gain and loss of function mutations on allelic inheritance, testicular cancer, and intestinal polyposis

Certain mutations in the Deadend1 (Dnd1) gene are the most potent modifiers of testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) susceptibility in mice and rats. In the 129 family of mice, the Dnd1 Ter mutation significantly increases occurrence of TGCT-affected males. To test the hypothesis that he Dnd1 Ter allele is a loss-of-function mutation; we characterized the consequences of a genetically-engineered loss-of-function mutation in mice, and compared these results with those for Dnd1 Ter . We found that intercrossing Dnd1 +/KO heterozygotes to generate a complete loss-of-function led to absence of Dnd1 KO/KO homozygotes and significantly reduced numbers of Dnd1 +/KO heterozygotes. Further crosses showed that Dnd1 Ter partially rescues loss of Dnd1 KO mice. We also found that loss of a single copy of Dnd1 in Dnd1 KO/+ heterozygotes did not affect baseline occurrence of TGCT-affected males and that Dnd1 Ter increased TGCT risk regardless whether the alternative allele was loss-of-function (Dnd1 KO ) or wild-type (Dnd1 + ). Finally, we found that the action of Dnd1 Ter was not limited to testicular cancer, but also significantly increased polyp number and burden in the Apc +/Min model of intestinal polyposis. These results show that Dnd1 is essential for normal allelic inheritance and that Dnd1 Ter has a novel combination of functions that significantly increase risk for both testicular and intestinal cancer.
A Comparison of Two Alcohol Biomarkers in Clinical Practice: Ethyl Glucuronide Versus Ethyl Sulfate

This study compared the characteristics of two direct alcohol biomarkers, ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate. Both biomarkers were analyzed from urine specimens submitted by 58 active duty service members at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center's Addiction Treatment Service. These 58 individuals, as a result of serial testing, submitted a total of 374 urine specimens for laboratory analysis. Of 374 specimens, the paired tests were most often negative (n = 295, 78.9%).The paired tests were both positive less frequently (n = 38, 10.2%). In an interesting development ethyl sulfate produced more positive results than ethyl glucuronide (n = 32, 8.6%).
Simultaneous Vibration and Noise Reduction in Rotorcraft - Practical Implementation Issues

of a passive approach based on varying the sweep on the tip of the rotor to modify noise and vibration characteristics of the rotor is also considered. The study is based on a comprehensive rotorcraft aeroelastic/aeroacoustic simulation code that was validated against the experimental data obtained in the Higherharmonic-control Aeroacoustic Rotor Test (HART) program. The eectiveness of the ACF system for vibration and noise reduction is explored on two dierent helicopter configurations, one resembling a four-bladed MBB BO-105 hingeless rotor and the other similar to a five-bladed MD-900 bearingless rotor. Issues associated with the practical implementation of the ACF approach are emphasized and examined such as: the eects of practical flap saturation limits, constant and 1/rev control inputs and flap overhang. The simulation results demonstrate the capability of the ACF system for eective vibration and BVI noise reduction.
Assimilation of Precipitable Water Measurements into a Mesoscale Numerical Model

Abstract Significant progress has been made over the past decade in the development of remote-sensing instruments to profile wind and temperature. However, the current technology of profiling water vapor remotely is still far from perfect. Although some promising optical research systems, such as the Raman lidar, can provide high vertical resolution profiles of water vapor, it may be years before they are generally available. Currently, there are several systems that can measure the vertically integrated water vapor (i.e., precipitable water) with a high degree of accuracy. In this paper we use a simple method to assimilate precipitable water measurements (possibly from a network of dual-channel ground-based microwave radiometers or a satellite-based system) into a mesoscale model. The basic idea is to relax the predicted precipitable water toward the observed value, while retaining the vertical structure of the model humidity field. We test this method with the special 3-h soundings available from the Se...
A Probability Model for Severe Cyclonic Storms Striking the Coast around the Bay of Bengal

Abstract We consider data on severe cyclonic storms striking the Day of Bengal coast during the period 1877–1977. In the literature these data have been modeled by a homogeneous Poisson process in which case times between storm occurrences are independent of one another, making prediction, and hence advance planning, impossible. We give some evidence against the adequacy of a Poisson process model and suggest a Poisson cluster model that appears to describe the data better. The features of fills model are such as to enable some planning procedures to he developed.
The Poison and the Spider's Web: Diderot and Eighteenth-Century French Epicureanism

SUMMARYThis article argues that the term ‘Epicurean’ had multiple meanings in the moral and political thought of the eighteenth century. Concentrating on the reception of Epicureanism in France, it shows that some critics focused on Epicurus’ hedonistic moral psychology and labelled Epicurean those thinkers who denied natural sociability; for others, who instead focused on Epicurus’ materialist natural philosophy, to label a thinker an Epicurean was to label them an atheist. This polyvalence is presented as a salutary caution against essentialising claims about the content of eighteenth-century Epicureanism per se. Despite this sceptical stance, however, the article goes on to argue that it is nevertheless fruitful to investigate the engagement with Epicureanism by particular thinkers or in particular texts. Indeed, a comparative reading of Denis Diderot's Encyclopedie entry on ‘Epicureisme’ and his source material in Johan Jakob Bruker and Pierre Bayle demonstrates that Diderot used his discussion of Epi...
Entropy and Principle of Maximum Entropy

Clausius coined the term ‘entropy’ from the Greek meaning transformation. Thus, entropy originated in physics and occupies an exceptional position among physical quantities. It does not appear in the fundamental equations of motion. Its nature is, rather, a statistical or probabilistic one, for it can be interpreted as a measure of the amount of chaos within a quantum mechanical mixed state. It is an extensive property like mass, energy, volume, momentum, charge, number of atoms of chemical species, etc., but, unlike these quantities, it does not obey a conservation law. Entropy is not an observable; rather it is a function of state. For example, if the state is described by the density matrix, its entropy is given by the van Neumann formula. In physical sciences, entropy relates macroscopic and microscopic aspects of nature and determines the behavior of macroscopic systems in equilibrium.
Pathophysiology of Volume Regulation and Sodium Metabolism

The human body contains approximately 60 mEq of Na per kg. As illustrated in Figure 1, in a 70-kg individual this represents a total body Na content of 4200 mEq. About 40%–45% of total body Na (~1800 mEq) is contained in bone. Of the remaining 2400 mEq, about 2100 mEq are contained in the extracellular fluid (ECF) and only about 300 mEq are contained in the intracellular fluid (ICF) of soft tissues. About 70% of total body Na is exchangeable. The remaining 30% is most likely adsorbed to hydroxyapatite crystals in long bones. Exchangeable Na, therefore, includes all of the Na contained in the ECF and ICF of soft tissues, and a fraction of the Na present in bone. Exchangeable Na is in dynamic equilibrium with ECF Na, and represents a reservoir that can in part compensate for decreases of ECF Na concentration.
Track Gage Widening: Model Study

The paper contains a study of two models which represent the mechanisms of gage widening and rail roll in a track subjected to vertical, lateral, and longitudinal loading. The deformation mechanisms of the rail-fasteners-tie system under service loads was investigated, and the results compared with track test data. It was found that two distinct deformation mechanisms, rail translation and rail roll are mechanically coupled by the track system and can not be readily separated in any analysis.
Diffusion distance for signals supported on networks

Diffusion distance is introduced as a metric to compare signals supported in the nodes of a network. This metric considers the given signals as initial temperature distributions in the graph nodes and diffuses heat through the edges of the graph. The similarity between the given vectors is determined by the similarity of the respective diffusion profiles. We prove that diffusion distance defines a valid metric and is stable to perturbations in the underlying network. We utilize numerical experiments to illustrate its utility in classifying ovarian cancer histologies using gene mutation profiles of different patients. Diffusion distance is also used as part of a label propagation method in semi-supervised learning to classify handwritten digits.
X-Ray Diffraction Study of Inalas-Ingaas on Inp High Electron Mobility Transistor Structure Prepared by Molecular-Beam Epitaxy

High-Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) can be prepared by growing alternating epitaxial layers of InAlAs and InGaAs on InP substrates. Lattice matched HEMTs are obtained by growing layers of In x Al (1-x) As and In y Ga (1-y) As with x ≃ 0.5227 and y ≃ 0.5324. Varying the values of x and y by controlling the individual flux during molecular-beam epitaxial (MBE) growth, one can obtain pseudomorphic HEMTs. Pseudomorphic HEMTs may have superior electronic transport properties and larger conduction band discontinuity when compared to an unstrained one. The precise control of the composition is thus important to the properties of HEMTs. This control is however very difficult and the values of x and y may vary from run to run. We will demonstrate in this paper the capability of a double crystal rocking curve (DCRC) on the structure characterization. All the structure information: including composition and thickness of both the buffer and top InAlAs layers and the active channel InGaAs layer, can be obtained from one x-ray diffraction measurement. It is accomplished through a computer simulation process of DCRCs. The structure parameters of the epitaxial layers are used to calculate (simulate) the DCRCs. The simulated one is then to compare with the experimental curves. During the simulation one or more of these structure parameters are adjusted until the best fitted DCRC is obtained. The limitation of DCRC in measuring small variations in layer thickness as well as the small changes in composition for both InAlAs and InGaAs layers will be discussed.
A STORM in a teacup?-the challenges of adjuvant therapy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Globally, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death, with rising worldwide incidence (1). Surveillance programs for early detection of HCC in high-risk populations and improvement of therapeutic modalities have increased the likelihood of potentially curative treatments. Hepatic resection (HR) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) result in 5-year survival rates of 40–70%. However, high tumor recurrence rates of 50% at 3 years and 70% at 5 years lead to sub-optimal curative outcomes (2)
Harvest‐Induced Size Structure Shifts Alter Nutrient Release by a Population of Omnivorous Fish

AbstractFish body size can have important consequences for physiological factors, such as feeding, respiration, and nutrient excretion. Thus, the size structure of a fish population can greatly impact its role in lake nutrient cycles. We examined how shifts in body size influenced phosphorus cycling by Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum in Lake Dora, Florida, which underwent a size-selective fish harvest during 2005 and 2006. We combined a size-structured stock assessment model with excretion prediction coefficients to determine how shifts in population biomass and size distribution affected nutrient cycling. The harvest selectively removed larger Gizzard Shad, reducing the population biomass by 29.4% during the 2 years after removal, and shifted the population toward predominance by smaller size-classes. However, phosphorus excretion decreased by only 19.7% during this period because smaller fish excreted more P/g of body size. Three years following the harvest, biomass averaged 8.0% below the pre-harvest ...
The blood picture of the goat. V. Variations due to season, sex and reproduction.

SUMMARY Moving averages of 10 goats bled each month for 3 years suggested the following seasonal changes. Packed cell volumes were higher in the late summer and autumn, and this was reflected in higher values for erythrocyte counts, haemoglobin values, viscosity and the sp. gr. of whole blood. The leucocyte counts were higher in spring and the sp. gr. of plasma was highest in summer. Coagulation time was quickest in autumn. Body-weight, MCV, MCHC and fragility varied irregularly. Changes during pregnancy were indefinite and were limited to a quicker rise in body-weight and a quicker fall in leucocyte count with some low viscosity values in the fourth and fifth month. At parturition there was an increase in viscosity extending from the day before to the day after kidding, and the only suggestion of stress was a slight increase in leucocyte counts and a slight increase in neutrophil percentage in some of the goats. During lactation changes were more definite and consisted of a fall in weight and a fall in packed cell volume over the first 5 months. This fall in PCV was due mainly to a decrease in cell size and the fall was reflected in the haemoglobin values, the sp. gr. of whole blood and the viscosity. A comparison between males and females showed that, after the age of 3 months, males had a higher erythrocyte count which was balanced by a fall in corpuscular size, so that the values for packed cell volume and haemoglobin remained similar to those of the female. The leucocyte count of males over 3 months in age was lower than those in the female. Few of the above changes were definite enough to form a reliable basis for the prediction of changes that would occur on future occasions, and the cause of the wide variation between individuals remains without explanation.
Research on distribution,serogroups and virulence genes of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in different samples

Objective To understand the distribution of Vibrio parahaemolyticus from diarrhea patients and aquatic products in Jianggan district,and explore the similarities and differences of the serogroups and virulence genes of these Vibrio parahaemolyticus from different sources. Methods The Vibrio parahaemolyticus was isolated and identified according to GB / T4789. 7-2008,and the real-time PCR was used to detect the virulence gene tdh and trh from these strains. Results The detection rates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in sporadic diarrhea patients,food poisoning patients and aquatic products were 16. 36%( 45 /275),85. 71%( 18 /21) and 39. 69%( 102 /257). Clinical strains( including sporadic and outbreaks patients) were concentrated on serum group O3,O1 and O4,and the strains from aquatic products were concentrated on serum group O1,O10,O2,O5 and O11. The detection rates of tdh and trh from clinical strains were 96. 88%( 62 /64),1. 56%( 1 /64),while the tdh and trh were not detected in strains from aquatic product. Conclusion Vibrio parahaemolyticus is the main pathogen of sporadic and outbreak diarrhea patients in Jianggan district. Retail aquatic products were contaminated heavily by Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The serogroups and virulence genes of strains had large difference between clinical patients and aquatic products.
Detection of Molds in Foods and Feeds: Potential Rapid and Selective Methods †.

Most laboratories still rely on traditional microbiological methods to detect molds in foods and feed. These methods are modified bacteriological methods. Plate count techniques are time consuming and do not detect dead fungi, which are a sign of past contamination. Development of rapid methods to detect molds in foods is still in its embryonic stage. Recently mycologists have begun to develop media that are differential and selective for particular mold species. The use of these media is of great value for the detection of specific groups of fungi such as toxigenic fungi. Other potential rapid methods include chemical and biochemical assays for, e.g., chitin and ergosterol, and immunological and electrical impedance methods.