cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unsupervised Semantic Scene Labeling for Streaming Data

We introduce an unsupervised semantic scene labeling approach that continuously learns and adapts semantic models discovered within a data stream. While closely related to unsupervised video segmentation, our algorithm is not designed to be an early video processing strategy that produces coherent over-segmentations, but instead, to directly learn higher-level semantic concepts. This is achieved with an ensemble-based approach, where each learner clusters data from a local window in the data stream. Overlapping local windows are processed and encoded in a graph structure to create a label mapping across windows and reconcile the labelings to reduce unsupervised learning noise. Additionally, we iteratively learn a merging threshold criteria from observed data similarities to automatically determine the number of learned labels without human provided parameters. Experiments show that our approach semantically labels video streams with a high degree of accuracy, and achieves a better balance of under and over-segmentation entropy than existing video segmentation algorithms given similar numbers of label outputs.
Modeling and Simulation of Microgrid

Abstract Complex computer systems and electric power grids share many properties of how they behave and how they are structured. A microgrid is a smaller electric grid that contains several homes, energy storage units, and distributed generators. The main idea behind microgrids is the ability to work even if the main grid is not supplying power. That is, the energy storage unit and distributed generation will supply power in that case, and if there is excess in power production from renewable energy sources, it will go to the energy storage unit. Therefore, the electric grid becomes decentralized in terms of control and production. To deal with this change, one needs to interpret the electrical grid as a system of systems (SoS) and build new models that capture the dynamic behavior of the microgrid. In this paper, different models of electric components in a microgrid are presented. These models use complex system modeling techniques such as agent-based methods and system dynamics, or a combination of different methods to represent various electric elements. Examples show the simulation of the solar microgrid is presented to show the emergent properties of the interconnected system. Results and waveforms are discussed.
Cetuximab-associated elongation of the eyelashes: case report and review of eyelash trichomegaly secondary to epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors

Eyelash trichomegaly is an uncommon drug-associated sequelae experienced during treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors. Elongation of the eyelashes induced by these agents has predominantly been observed in oncology patients with either colorectal or lung cancer. It is most frequently associated with cetuximab and erlotinib; however, it has also been described in individuals treated with gefitinib or panitumumab. We describe cetuximab-associated eyelash trichomegaly in a woman with metastatic rectal carcinoma. We review the clinical presentation, adverse effects, and management of EGFR inhibitor-related eyelash trichomegaly. The long eyelashes are not a drug-limiting adverse effect and some patients consider the change to be cosmetically enhancing. Trimming the lashes with scissors can usually ameliorate local symptoms. The eyelashes often return to their original length at variable time periods after EGFR inhibitor therapy is discontinued.
Building a high-performance deduplication system

Modern deduplication has become quite effective at eliminating duplicates in data, thus multiplying the effective capacity of disk-based backup systems, and enabling them as realistic tape replacements. Despite these improvements, single-node raw capacity is still mostly limited to tens or a few hundreds of terabytes, forcing users to resort to complex and costly multi-node systems, which usually only allow them to scale to singledigit petabytes. As the opportunities for deduplication efficiency optimizations become scarce, we are challenged with the task of designing deduplication systems that will effectively address the capacity, throughput, management and energy requirements of the petascale age. In this paper we present our high-performance deduplication prototype, designed from the ground up to optimize overall single-node performance, by making the best possible use of a node's resources, and achieve three important goals: scale to large capacity, provide good deduplication efficiency, and near-raw-disk throughput. Instead of trying to improve duplicate detection algorithms, we focus on system design aspects and introduce novelmechanisms--thatwe combinewith careful implementations of known system engineering techniques. In particular, we improve single-node scalability by introducing progressive sampled indexing and grouped mark-and-sweep, and also optimize throughput by utilizing an event-driven, multi-threaded client-server interaction model. Our prototype implementation is able to scale to billions of stored objects, with high throughput, and very little or no degradation of deduplication efficiency.
SPINAL CORD PATHWAYS TRANSMITTING INFORMATION ABOUT NOXIOUS THERMAL STIMULI

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the effect of lesions of the spinal cord on the response of a WDR thalamic neuron to noxious heat. The primate spino-thalamic tract contains neurons that respond in a graded fashion to noxious heat stimuli. Many of these neurons also respond to noxious cold stimuli. The stimulus–response function following noxious heat stimuli can be described by a positively accelerating function that resembles the stimulus–response functions of primate thermal nociceptors. Similar responses can be observed in recordings from neurons in the ventral posterior lateral nucleus that project to the SI cortex. The thalamic responses depend upon a pathway ascending in the ventral quadrant of the spinal cord contralateral to the receptive field, suggesting that the responses are mediated by the spino-thalamic tract. These findings are consistent with an important role of the spino-thalamic tract in noxious heat sensation.
The Development of Metalinguistic Ability

Most readers of this book will recognize right away the structural ambiguity of a celebrated sentence from Chomsky (1965, p. 21): Flying planes can be dangerous.
Seeing like a state athletic commission: Multi-case ethnography and the making of ‘underground’ combat sports:

How can ethnographers access and assess macro-sociological influences on everyday life? This article extends Burawoy’s multi-case solution, which illuminates structural forces through case comparis...
Addressing the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Examining Micro- and Macro-Level Variables that Affect School Disengagement and Subsequent Felonies

This study examines the School-to-Prison Pipeline (STPP) by identifying individual legal and extra-legal variables and school-level factors that predict juvenile/criminal justice involvement using ...
In the Eye of the Beholder: Political Risk, Regime Type, and China’s Multinational Corporations

Chinese investment has been observed to favor politically risky destinations and authoritarian countries, which is puzzling for the conventional understanding of multinational corporations. One prevailing explanation is that Chinese firms’ embeddedness in risky, authoritarian institutions at home enhances their capabilities to cope with risks abroad. We argue, however, that the risk mitigation strategies firms employ in autocracies are often extra-institutional due to a lack of institutionalized political access and credible commitments; they require the accumulation of country-specific knowledge and political capital, and thus, are not easily transferrable. Therefore, we expect that Chinese investors remain sensitive to political risks in host countries. Empirically we leverage two experiments embedded in original surveys of business executives and find that Chinese firms are deterred by a wide range of political risks and have no preference for autocracy. Our study provides new insights into our understanding of the risk preferences and behavior of Chinese investors.
Linguistic Predictors of Single-Word Spelling in First-Grade Students With Speech and/or Language Impairments:

The purpose of this study was (a) to compare the single-word spelling performance of first graders across four groups that varied by speech and language status; and (b) to determine the linguistic predictors of first-grade spelling for children with speech and/or language impairment compared to children with typical development. First grade children (N = 529) completed measures of spelling, early word reading, expressive vocabulary, phonological awareness, and morphosyntactic knowledge. Children with language impairment, with or without speech impairments, demonstrated lower spelling performance than children with typical development; children with speech impairment only did not differ from children with typical development. Additionally, early word reading and phonological awareness predicted spelling performance, regardless of group. Study findings indicate that language status, but not speech status, is a risk factor for low spelling performance in first grade, and that first grade spelling instruction should focus on developing early word reading and phonological awareness.
Chemical Modifications of Hemoglobin S at the 2,3-Diphosphoglycerate Binding Site: An Approach to Therapy of Sickle Cell Disease

ABSTRACT A general strategy is presented for the design of reagents that react specifically with amino groups of hemoglobin S within the 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) binding site and that, as a result, disrupt the sickling process. The prototype of this class of compounds, bis (3,5-dibromosalicyl) fumarate, is shown to satisfy each of the criteria required for a clinically useful antisickling agent. The modification of hemoglobin is site specific; the potential of the modified hemoglobin to polymerize is greatly reduced; the modified hemoglobin is physiologically competent; and the reagent is permeable to the red cell membrane. Solution studies indicate that by far the predominant mode of reaction with oxyhemoglobin is to crosslink the β chains of the tetramer. Little crosslinking occurs with deoxyhemoglobin. The site of crosslinking was established by x-ray crystallographic studies. The crosslink forms a symmetric bridge spanning Lys 82β 1 to Lys 82β 2 across the DPG binding site. This modification was found to markedly increase the solubility of deoxyhemoglobin S. The crystallographic studies reveal that the crosslink strongly perturbs the acceptor site in deoxyhemoglobin for Val 6β in the lateral contact between hemoglobin molecules within the double strand of the sickle cell fiber. Our current hypothesis is that this structural perturbation weakens the lateral contact and results in the observed increase in solubility of deoxyhemoglobin S. The strategy for future drug design is laid out with two specific examples being given. Initial in vivo trials in the mouse with one reagent from this class, bis (3,5-dibromosalicyl) succinate, appear very encouraging.
Functional neuroimaging biomarkers of resilience in major depressive disorder.

Purpose of review In this review we provide an overview of definitions and determinants of resilience in the context of neuroimaging research in major depressive disorder (MDD). We summarize emerging literature on functional neuroimaging biomarkers of resilience in MDD and discuss their clinical relevance and implications for future research. Recent findings Resilience in MDD is characterized by dissociable profiles of activation and functional connectivity within brain networks involved in cognitive control, emotion regulation, and reward processing. Increased activation of frontal cortical brain regions implicated in cognitive appraisal and emotion regulation is a common characteristic of resilient individuals at high risk for MDD and of individuals with MDD with a favorable illness course. Furthermore, significant associations between fronto-striato-limbic functional connectivity and both positively interpreted stressful life events in resilient high-risk individuals and a favorable response to first-line treatments in depressed individuals suggest that neuro-compensatory changes and experience-dependent plasticity underlie resilience in MDD. Summary Emerging research has identified functional neuroimaging biomarkers of resilience in MDD. A continued focus on identifying neurobiological underpinnings of resilience, in the context of dynamic environmental and developmental influences, will advance our understanding of resilience and improve approaches to prevention and treatment of MDD.
IMMUNOLOGIC DIFFERENTIATION IN ONTOGENY

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the immunologic differentiation in ontology. The differentiation of cells in the fetus with respect to the formation of different classes of immunoglobulins is similar in many respects to that seen in the adult. Prior to experimental antigenic stimulation of the fetus of most species, the formation of ϒM-globulins can usually be detected in the fetal tissue, and in some species, ϒG-globulin formation has been observed. The initial immunologic responses of the immature opossum appear to be very closely associated with the first appearance of thymocytes in this animal and with the development of primitive lymph nodes in the cervical region. One of the most striking findings to emerge from studies on the development of immunologic capabilities by the mammalian fetus is that maturation does not appear as a transition from a previously postulated immunologic null state to one of general competence. It rather appears to develop in a series of discrete steps peculiar to each species, and highly dependent upon the antigen employed. No correlation could be made between the position of an antigen in the hierarchy of immunogenicity and its chemical nature, its size, or the sensitivity of the assay system employed to detect the antibodies formed against it.
Artificial intelligence for resilience enhancement of power distribution systems

Abstract The threat of high impact low probability (HILP) events on power distribution system is substantial but quite unpredictable. Enhancing the resilience of power distribution grids against such events requires solving combinatorial planning and operational problems in stochastic spaces, as well as classifying system conditions based on high-dimensional input data. Since traditional mathematical solutions struggle with both uncertainty and the curse of dimensionality, data-driven techniques based on artificial intelligence (AI) are gaining momentum for solving those problems. This paper reviews AI capabilities for decision making in uncertain and high-dimensional spaces in general, and their particular application in resilient enhancement problems such as damage detection and estimation, cyber-physical anomaly detection, stochastic operation, and cyber security enhancement. Efficient data structures and AI approaches are suggested for each problem, which depend on the type of input signals, search-based or game-based structure of the problem, as well as the uncertainty sources involved. In particular, potential applications of supervised and unsupervised deep learning combined with Monte Carlo Tree Search and e -greedy search is explored to find near optimal operational decisions that help enhance the resilience of power distribution systems.
Distinguishing seedling volunteer corn from soybean through greenhouse color, color-infrared, and fused images using machine and deep learning

Abstract Volunteer corn (VC; Zea mays L.), as a weed in corn-soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) rotation, has negatively impacted soybean production by reducing yield, lowering grain quality, and increasing the production costs. To assess the level of VC infestation to guide chemical applications, farmers usually rely on field visual observation. Since the field visual inspection is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and subjective, an automatic solution to differentiate VC from soybeans is required. As a first step toward that goal, this study aimed to develop a solution to differentiate those crops at seedling stage under greenhouse conditions. Color RGB and color-infrared (CIR) images of VC and soybean seedlings were collected in a greenhouse. A fused image dataset was created by blending the RGB and CIR image datasets. The top 20 extracted relevant features and the image datasets were fed into four different machine learning (ML) classifiers and four deep learning (DL) algorithms, respectively. All ML classifiers resulted in the highest accuracies on the fused images, with support vector machine (SVM) outperforming the other classifiers. Similarly, all the DL algorithms had a superior performance on the fused images, with GoogLeNet as the best algorithm. Overall, GoogLeNet was selected for its high accuracy 99.9%, reasonable computation time (0.02 s per plant), and simple and direct application. The application of fused images along with GoogLeNet can be used as a novel tool to automatically distinguish VC from soybean. Future research should focus on field testing this methodology in a real-time mode.
A Tangled Placenta.

A pregnant woman undergoes increased fetal ultrasonographic surveillance during the pregnancy for an amnion-chorion separation and fetal growth restriction. At 34 weeks’ gestation, an ultrasound finding prompts the recommendation for a preterm delivery. Video 1 shows the placental finding seen after an uncomplicated delivery of a late preterm infant. This finding can increase a neonate’s risk of which of the following? Video 1 Click here to view the video. Placental findings in this case that are consistent with the presence of amniotic bands. Video 2 provides commentary of the placental findings in this case, which are consistent with the presence of amniotic bands. Amniotic bands are fibrous strands that separate from the amniotic sac. Frequently they are not visualized postnatally but may result …
Leveraging lifetime information to perform real-time 3D single-particle tracking in noisy environments.

A microscopy platform that leverages the arrival time of individual photons to enable 3D single-particle tracking of fast-moving (translational diffusion coefficient of ≃3.3 µm2/s) particles in high-background environments is reported here. It combines a hardware-based time-gating module, which enables the rate of photon processing to be as high as 100 MHz, with a two-photon-excited 3D single-particle tracking confocal microscope to enable high sample penetration depth. Proof-of-principle experiments where single quantum dots are tracked in solutions containing dye-stained cellulose, are shown with tracking performance markedly improved using the hardware-based time-gating module. Such a microscope design is anticipated to be of use to a variety of communities who wish to track single particles in cellular environments, which commonly have high fluorescence and scattering background.
The Complex AC Susceptibility — Critical Current Relationship in Oxide Superconductors

The critical currents of the high-temperature superconducting oxides (LaBaCuO & YBaCuO) in either bulk or thin film form are limited by the Josephson coupling between the superconducting grains. This coupling is also reflected in the complex ac susceptibility as a function of the ac magnetic field, h. The inductive component x′ actually consists of an ac field dependent contribution that reflects the coupling strength between the grains and an essentially field independent contribution at larger fields which represents the Meissner state of the grains. The resistive component x″ shows a maximum that shifts to lower temperatures with increasing h and correlates with the temperature dependence of the critical current. Furthermore, the ac susceptibility data can be analyzed by assuming that these granular materials are composed of a multiconnected Josephson network which behaves coherently as a single, weakly-connected superconducting loop.
Ginnalins and Maplexins from Maple Species Inhibit the Formation of Advanced Glycation Endproducts

Glycation is a non-enzymatic process leading to the formation of Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs). The accumulation of AGEs in vivo plays an important role in the pathology of complications in...
Problems controlling fraud and abuse in the home health care field

Purpose – The purpose of the current study is to assess the efforts to control fraud in the home health care industry in the USA by examining the problems that criminal justice officials confronted in their attempts to control home health care fraud and abuse.Design/methodology/approach – Attention is given to the history of the home health care industry in the USA, the types of fraud found in the health care field in general, and the officials who are given the duty of controlling health care fraud.Findings – The results of this study suggest that the problems fraud control officials face in their response to home health care offenders are similar to those confronted in the response to white‐collar offending, but also similar to those confronted in the response to many conventional offenses.Originality/value – Highlights the problems in controlling fraud and abuse in the US home care health field.
Chapter 16 Experimental genetic disorders and visual neurophysiology

Publisher Summary The past decade has seen an enormous increase in our understanding of the genetic basis of human diseases. These advances have been particularly evident in the identification of eye diseases, and the realization that a particular clinical phenotype may be induced by a mutation in any one of a wide range of proteins with very different functions. This situation and related advances in mouse genetics has led to the identification of spontaneously occurring mutants and creation of mutant models using transgenic techniques. These mutant mice with visual disorders have been used to characterize the role of specific gene products in normal retinal function, to define the mechanisms that underlie retinal dysfunction and degeneration and to evaluate experimental strategies to halt disease progression. The literature describing the identification and generation of these mouse models of eye diseases is discussed in this chapter. As the vast majority of these genes involve retinal proteins, most of these models also involve the retina. Therefore, this chapter includes a particular emphasis on the electroretinogram (ERG) of the mouse, which represents the mass response of retinal neurons to light.
Tradeoffs between Identification and Control in Dynamic Systems

A quantitative study of the tradeoffs between the tasks of control law design and plant identifcation for linear dynamic systems is presented. The problem is formulated in the context of optimal control and optimal identification through the intermediary concept of an optimal input. The duality between identification and control is quantified by optimal inputs, which have a specified amount of energy, and which minimize the objective function. An example of a single degree-of-freedom oscillator is used to illustrate the basic concepts underlying the proposed approach. Significant tradeoffs between identification and control tasks are observed, the tradeoffs becoming increasingly important for increasing levels of input energy.
Modeling Variability Order: A Semiparametric Bayesian Approach

In comparing two populations, sometimes a model incorporating a certain probability order is desired. In this setting, Bayesian modeling is attractive since a probability order restriction imposed a priori on the population distributions is retained a posteriori. Extending the work in Gelfand and Kottas (2001) for stochastic order specifications, we formulate modeling for distributions ordered in variability. We work with Dirichlet process mixtures resulting in a fully Bayesian semiparametric approach. The details for simulation-based model fitting and prior specification are provided. An example, based on two small subsets of time intervals between eruptions of the Old Faithful geyser, illustrates the methodology.
River basin salinity management via the ASTRAN method: I. Model development☆

Abstract A new salinity management strategy for irrigated stream-aquifer systems, called the accelerated salt transport ( astran ) method, is described. It is based on the idea that the generally slow salt transport naturally occurring in the saturated zone of a groundwater basin can be augmented by using well pumpage on irrigated lands downstream of the well source. This controls excessive buildup of salts in the groundwater in any one area. An optimizing or screening model is developed for optimal basin-wide application of the astran method. Since the optimization problem is large-scale, it is proved that an efficient, sequential algorithm will yield optimal basin-wide solutions, under certain assumptions. A hierarchical algorithm links the optimizing model with quantity-quality simulation models of both the unsaturated and saturated zones in order to predict concentrations of important ions under astran management. A companion paper (Part II) describes the application of the astran method to a case study.
Adenosine dialdehyde and nitrous oxide induce HL-60 differentiation.

Abstract Adenosine dialdehyde and nitrous oxide, specific S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and methionine synthetase inhibitors, respectively, induced differentiation of the human promyelocytic cell line HL-60. Their effect did not appear to be mediated through changes in transmethylation or decreased S-adenosylmethionine synthesis because (1) there was little correlation between the concentrations of adenosine dialdehyde that induced differentiation and those that changed the ratio of the intracellular concentrations of S-adenosylmethionine to S-adenosylhomocysteine, and (2) inhibition of methionine adenosyltransferase by cycloleucine did not induce differentiation. The differentiation induced by adenosine dialdehyde was prevented by homocysteine and that by nitrous oxide was inversely related to the medium methionine concentration. This suggested that differentiation was secondary to decreased methionine synthesis.
Distributed heterogeneous information systems

Abstract only given, as follows. Many organization have major investments in information systems, ranging from legacy programs written in COBOL to newer relational database management systems. These distributed heterogeneous information systems (DHISs) do not generally interoperate or share information. However, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) software products are becoming available that can make DHISs appear as though they were a single integrated system. MITRE recently completed an internal project that examined two COTS DHIS integration products in a test environment consisting of six information systems, and two clients running on eight platforms in three cities. Based on this prototyping effort, the authors believe that there are many applications in which DHIS integration technologies would be appropriate. The paper includes an overview of prototypes, a description of the work done, and a summary of the lessons learned. >
MEMS, Ka-band single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch for switched line phase shifters

Ka-band MEMS doubly anchored cantilever beam capacitive shunt devices are used to demonstrate a MEMS SPDT switch fabricated on high resistivity silicon (HRS) utilizing finite ground coplanar waveguide (FGC) transmission lines. The SPDT switch has an insertion loss (IL), return loss (RL), and isolation of 0.3 dB, 40 dB, and 30 dB, respectively, at Ka-band.
Carotenoid biomarkers as an imperfect reflection of the anoxygenic phototrophic community in meromictic Fayetteville Green Lake

Organic biomarkers in marine sedimentary rocks hold important clues about the early history of Earth’s surface environment. The chemical relicts of carotenoids from anoxygenic sulfur bacteria are of particular interest to geoscientists because of their potential to signal episodes of marine photic-zone euxinia such as those proposed for extended periods in the Proterozoic as well as brief intervals during the Phanerozoic. It is therefore critical to constrain the environmental and physiological factors that influence carotenoid production and preservation in modern environments. Here, we present the results of coupled pigment and nucleic acid clone library analyses from planktonic and benthic samples collected from a microbially dominated meromictic lake, Fayetteville Green Lake (New York). Purple sulfur bacteria (PSB) are abundant and diverse both in the water column at the chemocline and in benthic mats below oxygenated shallow waters, with different PSB species inhabiting the two environments. Okenone (from PSB) is an abundant carotenoid in both the chemocline waters and in benthic mats. Green sulfur bacteria and their primary pigment Bchl e are also represented in and below the chemocline. However, the water column and sediments are devoid of the green sulfur bacteria carotenoid isorenieratene. The unexpected absence of isorenieratene and apparent benthic production of okenone provide strong rationale for continued exploration of the microbial ecology of biomarker production in modern euxinic environments.
Hypothalamic glucocorticoid implants prevent fetal ovine adrenocorticotropin secretion in response to stress.

We evaluated the role of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in control of ACTH secretion in fetal sheep. Dexamethasone (DEX, 700 μg) (n = 6) or cholesterol (CHOL, 700 μg) (n = 5) implants were placed bilaterally 2 mm lateral to PVN of fetal sheep at 108 to 111 days of gestation (dga). After 5 days recovery, fetuses were challenged with: 1) hypotension (50% drop of blood pressure), 2) hypoxemia (fall of > 5 mm Hg in fetal PaO2), and 3) corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) (10 μg iv, single injection to fetus). Hypotension and hypoxemia were repeated after 125 dga. Compared with CHOL, DEX fetuses had lower average concentrations of ACTH in plasma after hypotension [23 ± 0.5 vs. 149 ± 83.8 and 31 ± 13.1 vs. 101 ± 31.3 pg ml-1 at less than 125 and more than 125 dga, respectively (mean ± SEM, P < 0.05)] and during hypoxemia [11 ± 1.6 vs. 292 ± 152.8 and 33 ± 9.4 vs. 304 ± 91.3 pg ml"1 at less than 125 and more than 125 dga, respectively (P < 0.05)]. DEX and CHOL responses to CRH at 122 to 127 dga ...
Teachers' Behavior Toward LD and Non-LD Children A Strategy for Change

Teachers' differential behavior toward isolated/rejected LD children and toward popular non-LD children was assessed in fourth, fifth and sixth grade classrooms. Differential behavior was defined by classroom observations of the interaction patterns and sequences of behavior that occurred between teachers and target students. In addition, an intervention strategy designed to make teachers aware of their behaviors was employed. Results indicated that prior to the awareness program, teachers initiated significantly more interactions, responded with greater frequency of corrective behavior, and used more negative verbal and nonverbal behaviors with isolated/rejected LD than they used with popular non-LD children. Post-awareness, the quantity of teachers' interactions remained essentially the same; however, the negative quality of these interactions was significantly reduced. When attempting to promote a more positive social climate for LD children who are low in social status, direct intervention with teache...
Fluoride-mediated capture of a noncovalent bound state of a reversible covalent enzyme inhibitor: X-ray crystallographic analysis of an exceptionally potent α-ketoheterocycle inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase.

Two cocrystal X-ray structures of the exceptionally potent α-ketoheterocycle inhibitor 1 (Ki = 290 pM) bound to a humanized variant of rat fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) are disclosed, representing noncovalently and covalently bound states of the same inhibitor with the enzyme. Key to securing the structure of the noncovalently bound state of the inhibitor was the inclusion of fluoride ion in the crystallization conditions that is proposed to bind the oxyanion hole precluding inhibitor covalent adduct formation with stabilization of the tetrahedral hemiketal. This permitted the opportunity to detect important noncovalent interactions stabilizing the binding of the inhibitor within the FAAH active site independent of the covalent reaction. Remarkably, noncovalently bound 1 in the presence of fluoride appears to capture the active site in the same “in action” state with the three catalytic residues Ser241−Ser217−Lys142 occupying essentially identical positions observed in the covalently bound structure o...
Biochemical and immunological characterization of Na+, K+-ATPase from lens membrane and other tissues

Abstract Two-dimensional mapping of radioiodinated peptides from the purified α-subunit of Na+, K+-ATPase has been used to identify the α-subunit from fiber cell membrane of chick lens. Purified α-subunits from the electric organ of eel, the rectal gland of spiny dogfish, the outer medulla of dog kidney, and the chick brain all possess molecular weights of approximately 97 000. In addition, they all share at least three radioiodinated peptides in common. Two of these peptides have been localized to the C-terminal half of the molecule that is strongly associated with the lipid bilayer. The similarities of Na+, K+-ATPases from these tissues have been used to identify the α-subunit of the Na+, K+-ATPase from fiber cell membrane of chick lens. Peptide mapping of the chick lens 97 000 dalton component indicates homology with all α-subunits of all Na+, K+-ATPases studied, with closest homology with the α-subunits from chick brain. Antisera made against the purified holoenzyme of dog kidney inhibits Na+, K+-ATPase activity of both dog kidney and chick lens fiber membrane. This antisera specifically binds to components of approximately 97 000 daltons of chick lens membrane. Together, these results demonstrate that the α-subunit of Na+, K+-ATPase from chick lens membrane is comprised of polypeptides of approximately 97 000 daltons that share biochemical and antigenic homology with the Na+, K+-ATPase of other tissues and species.
Hydrogen Storage in Mesoporous Metal Oxides with Catalyst and External Electric Field

The effects of catalyst and external electric field on hydrogen storage were evaluated for mesoporous nickel oxide and magnesium oxide. When Pt was introduced into the metal oxides, the capacity of hydrogen adsorption increased remarkably. Furthermore, the measurements of hydrogen adsorption were also carried out on metal oxides by using piezoelectric materials PMN-PT to generate the external electric field. It was observed that the external electric field can increase hydrogen uptake by 37.5% for nickel oxide and 25% for magnesium oxide in a pressure range from 0 to 60 bar. Our DFT calculations support this electrical field enhancement.
Learning foreign vowels.

Two hypotheses have recently been put forward to account for listeners' ability to distinguish and learn contrasts between speech sounds in foreign languages. First, Best's Perceptual Assimilation Model and Flege's Speech Learning Model both predict that the ease with which a listener can tell onenon-native phoneme from an other varies directly with the extent to which these sounds assimilate to different native phonemes (Best, 1994; also Best, McRoberts, & Goodell, 2001; Flege, 1991). Second, Logan, Lively, & Pisoni (1991)have argued that training listeners to identify nonnative phonemes teaches them sets of exemplars rather than more abstract distinctive feature values. Ireport here the results of three sets of experiments designed to test these hypotheses, in which American English listeners were trained to categorize German nonlow vowels. The first set of experiments show that some instances of the same contrast between German vowels are more easily discriminated than others, a result incompatible wit...
Increasing the thermostability of staphylococcal nuclease: implications for the origin of protein thermostability.

Abstract Seven hyper-stable multiple mutants have been constructed in staphylococcal nuclease by various combinations of eight different stabilizing single mutants. The stabilities of these multiple mutants determined by guanidine hydrochloride denaturation were 3.4 to 5.6 kcal/mol higher than that of the wild-type. Their thermal denaturation midpoint temperatures were 12.6 to 22.9 deg. C higher than that of the wild-type. These are among the greatest increases in protein stability and thermal denaturation midpoint temperature relative to the wild-type yet attained. There has been great interest in understanding how proteins found in thermophilic organisms are stabilized. One frequently cited theory is that the packing of hydrophobic side-chains is improved in the cores of proteins isolated from thermophiles when compared to proteins from mesophiles. The crystal structures of four single and five multiple stabilizing mutants of staphylococcal nuclease were solved to high resolution. No large overall structural change was found, with most changes localized around the sites of mutation. Rearrangements were observed in the packing of side-chains in the major hydrophobic core, although none of the mutations was in the core. It is surprising that detailed structural analysis showed that packing had improved, with the volume of the mutant protein’s hydrophobic cores decreasing as protein stability increased. Further, the number of van der Waals interactions in the entire protein showed an experimentally significant increase correlated with increasing stability. These results indicate that optimization of packing follows as a natural consequence of increased protein thermostability and that good packing is not necessarily the proximate cause of high stability. Another popular theory is that thermostable proteins have more electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions and these are responsible for the high stabilities. The mutants here show that increased numbers of electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions are not obligatory for large increases in protein stability.
The Escherichia coli Cell Division Protein FtsW Is Required To Recruit Its Cognate Transpeptidase, FtsI (PBP3), to the Division Site

The bacterial cell division protein FtsW has been suggested to perform two functions: stabilize the FtsZ cytokinetic ring, and facilitate septal peptidoglycan synthesis by the transpeptidase FtsI (penicillin-binding protein 3). We show here that depleting Escherichia coli cells of FtsW had little effect on the abundance of FtsZ rings but abrogated recruitment of FtsI to potential division sites. Analysis of FtsW localization confirmed and extended these results; septal localization of FtsW required FtsZ, FtsA, FtsQ, and FtsL but not FtsI. Thus, FtsW is a late recruit to the division site and is essential for subsequent recruitment of its cognate transpeptidase FtsI but not for stabilization of FtsZ rings. We suggest that a primary function of FtsW homologues—which are found in almost all bacteria and appear to work in conjunction with dedicated transpeptidases involved in division, elongation, or sporulation—is to recruit their cognate transpeptidases to the correct subcellular location.
Learning binary operations, groups, and subgroups

This paper is one in a series of studies by members of the “Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Community,” orRUMEC, concerning the nature and development of college students' mathematical knowledge. The present paper examines how abstract algebra students might come to understand binary operations, groups, and subgroups. We give preliminary theoretical analyses of what it could mean to understand these topics, expressed in terms of the Action-Process-Object-Schema epistemological framework. We describe an instructional treatment designed to help foster the formation of mental constructions postulated by the theoretical analysis, and discuss the results of interviews and performance on examinations. These results suggest that our pedagogical approach was reasonably effective in helping students to develop strong conceptions of binary operations, groups, and subgroups. Based on the data collected as part of this study, we proposed revised epistemological analyses of these topics, and give some pedagogical suggestions related to these topics.
Relative adrenal insufficiency in patients with septic shock; a close look to practice patterns.

Purpose To assess patterns of practice in our institution specifically regarding corticosteroid deficiency diagnosis in patients with septic shock. Methods Consecutive adult patients with vasopressor-dependent septic shock admitted to the medical intensive care unit between January 2002 and September 2003 were studied. Relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) was diagnosed by a random serum cortisol level ≤15 μg/dL or by a random cortisol level between 15 and 34 μg/dL and an increase in response to cosyntropin stimulation test (250 μg) ≤9 μg/dL. Results Ninety-two patients were included in the study. Mean (±SD) age was 59 ± 18 years. Overall mortality was 53%. Relative adrenal insufficiency was suspected in 44 (48%) patients and confirmed in 25 (57%). Maximal doses of vasopressors were comparable between groups but more patients in whom AI was suspected were on phenylephrine and/or vasopressin and more were treated with activated protein C (P < .05). Diagnosis of RAI was confirmed by a low basal cortisol (<15 μg/dL) in 12 (48%) patients, whereas a diagnosis of RAI was made by a lack of response to the stimulation test in the rest. Conclusions Relative adrenal insufficiency was diagnosed in half of the patients investigated. Patients with presumed RAI were more likely to be on phenylephrine or vasopressin infusions and treated with activated protein C and had a longer intensive care unit stay but no difference in intensive care unit survival.
An imaginary robot model and double-PD control for redundant robotic systems

The theory and applications of an imaginary robot model with a double-PD control law for redundant robotic systems are presented. The imaginary robot model is based on a special Riemannian metric decomposition for general nonlinear dynamic systems. This model offers an effective way for reducing nonlinear feedback formulation while preserving the linearized system equation. The developed procedure is also applicable to redundant robots. A three-dimensional redundant robot main-frame having three revolute joints plus a prismatic joint is used in the paper to illustrate the design procedure based on the imaginary robot model with the double-PD control scheme. The entire dynamic control algorithm is also verified by a simulation study on the four-joint three-dimensional robot arm.
EFFICIENT HYDRAULIC AND THERMAL ANALYSIS OF HEAT SINKS USING VOLUME AVERAGING THEORY AND GALERKIN METHODS

Air- and water-cooled heat sinks are still the most common heat rejection devices in electronics, making their geometric optimization a key issue in thermal management. Because of the complex geometry, the use of finite-difference, finite-volume, or finite-element methods for the solution of the governing equations becomes computationally expensive. In this work, volume averaging theory is applied to a general heat sink with periodic geometry to obtain a physically accurate, but geometrically simplified, system model. The governing energy and momentum equations are averaged over a representative elementary volume, and the result is a set of integro-partial differential equations. Closure coefficients are introduced, and their values are obtained from data available in the literature. The result of this process is a system of closed partial differential equations, defined on a simple geometry, which can be solved to obtain average velocities and temperatures in the system. The intrinsic smoothness of the solution and the simplified geometry allow the use of a modified Fourier‐Galerkin Method for efficient solutions to the set of differential equations. Modified Fourier series are chosen as the basis functions because they satisfy the boundary conditions a priori and lead to a sparse system of linear equations for the coefficients. The validity of the method is tested by applying it to model the hydraulic and thermal behavior of an air-cooled pin-fin and a water-cooled micro-channel heat sink. The convergence was found to be O(N i3:443 ), while the runtime was »0.25 s for N = 56. The numerical results were validated against the experimental results, and the agreement was excellent with an average error of »4% and a maximum error of »5%.
The Association Between Parental Incarceration and Health, Education, and Economic Outcomes in Young Adulthood

Of the more than two million persons incarcerated in U.S. prisons, the majority are also parents to children under the age of 18. A growing body of research has explored the impact of parental incarceration on these children and has consistently found a link between this experience and negative life outcomes. Fewer studies, however, examined the longitudinal impact of parental incarceration on offspring. This analysis attempts to address this shortcoming by exploring the relationship between parental incarceration during childhood and adult outcomes later in life. More specifically, we examine the associations between paternal incarceration during childhood and health, educational, and economic outcomes in young adulthood. Using data from the Add Health, we utilize a series of regression analyses to examine these relationships. Results suggest that parental incarceration is significantly related to a number of outcomes in early adulthood, including educational attainment, physical and mental health, and receipt of public assistance.
958-93 Prevention of Mental Stress-induced Wall Motion Abnormalities by Nifedipine GITS and Atenolol Therapy

Previous investigators have demonstrated that mental stress can induce myocardial ischemia in selected patients with coronary disease manifested by new wall motion abnormalities on radionuclide ventriculography. It is unknown whether such ischemia is due to coronary vasoconstriction or to increased myocardial O2demand. We studied the effect of nifedipine GITS and atenolol as single-agent therapy on mental stress-induced ischemia in a double-blind. placebo-controlled, three-way crossover trial in 16 patients with stable angina. Each patient received maximally tolerated doses of nifedipine (mean daily dose: 88 mg). atenolol (mean daily dose: 91 mg) or placebo during each of 3 4-week treatment phases. At the end of each phase, patients underwent a mental stress procedure (Stroop color word test, mental arithmetic, and stress interview) with skin conductance monitored to gauge physiologic arousal. Left ventricular wall motion was graded in each of 5 regions using a scale from 3 (normal) to -1 (dyskinesis), and by regional ejection fraction. The segment with the largest deterioration in wall motion during placebo therapy was determined, and the effects of nifedipine and atenolol on this segment were compared. Results Mental stress caused a significant increase in skin conductance levels, with peak values similar on each therapy. Therapy with either nifedipine or atenolol prevented a deterioration in wall motion score (-0.6 for placebo; 0.0 for nifedipine. 0.0 for atenolol, each p l 0.01 vs. placebo). while only nifedipine prevented a significant decrease in regional ejection fraction (-13.0% on placebo; -5.6% for atenolol, p = 0.08 vs. placebo; -1.9% on nifedipine, p = 0.01 vs placebo, p = 0.4 vs. atenolol). The rate pressure product (heart rate x systolic blood pressure. RPP) at peak mental stress (i.e., peak myocardial O2demand)was 15.792 on placebo, and was reduced only by atenolol (12,287, p = 0.001). but not by nifedipine (15,185, p = NS). Conclusion Both nifedipine GITS and atenolol are effective at preventing mental stress-induced ischemic wall motion abnormalities. although the mechanisms may be different. Nifedipine improved reg’lonal wall motion without reducing RPP. and thus may have prevented mental stress-induced coronary vasoconstriction. Atenolol improved regional wall motion and reduced RPP. and thus may have been effective by reducing myocardial O2demand.