cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viral peptides-MHC interaction: Binding probability and distance from human peptides.

Abstract Identification of peptides binding to MHC class I complex can play a crucial role in retrieving potential targets able to trigger an immune response. Affinity binding of viral peptides can be estimated through effective computational methods that in the most of cases are based on machine learning approach. Achieving a better insight into peptide features that impact on the affinity binding rate is a challenging issue. In the present work we focused on 9-mer peptides of Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and Human herpes simplex virus 1, studying their binding to MHC class I. Viral 9-mers were partitioned into different classes, where each class is characterized by how far (in terms of mutation steps) the peptides belonging to that class are from human 9-mers. Viral 9-mers were partitioned in different classes, based on the number of mutation steps they are far from human 9-mers. We showed that the overall binding probability significantly differs among classes, and it typically increases as the distance, computed in terms of number of mutation steps from the human set of 9-mers, increases. The binding probability is particularly high when considering viral 9-mers that are far from all human 9-mers more than three mutation steps. A further evidence, providing significance to those special viral peptides and suggesting a potential role they can play, comes from the analysis of their distribution along viral genomes, as it revealed they are not randomly located, but they preferentially occur in specific genes.
Social Studies and Sustainability: A Global Competency Framework

Using the framework of four critical global education competencies, this chapter considers the possibilities in curriculum and pedagogy for social studies to engage the concept of sustainability. Although it is acknowledged at the outset that social studies have just begun to engage with this concept, suggestions are offered for further development of sustainability within the disciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts of teaching this school subject in K-12 classrooms.
Kinship Care for the Safety, Permanency, and Well-Being of Children Removed from the Home for Maltreatment: A Systematic Review

Every year a large number of children around the world are removed from their homes because they are maltreated. Child welfare agencies are responsible for placing these children in out-of-home settings that will facilitate their safety, permanency, and well-being. However, children in out-of-home placements typically display more educational, behavioural, and psychological problems than do their peers, although it is unclear whether this results from the placement itself, the maltreatment that precipitated it, or inadequacies in the child welfare system.
Acute Kidney Injury in Cancer Patients

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is the rapid or sudden decline in glomerular filtration rate. The disorder occurs commonly in all hospitalized patients, though patients with cancer represent a population who may be particularly predisposed to the development of AKI. The increased risk is multi-factorial, due to underlying oncologic disease, tendency towards volume depletion, risk of sepsis and frequent exposure to multiple nephrotoxic agents, particularly drugs. In addition to the increase in mortality due to AKI itself, its development in patients with cancer may require alterations in chemotherapy protocols; therefore, potentially decreasing the ability to optimally treat the underlying disease. In addition, AKI can have long-term sequelae which impact future morbidity and mortality. These issues underscore the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of AKI. In this chapter, the features of AKI specific to patients with cancer are reviewed.
Trading Places: An Exchange Of (Human) Resources

During the 2016-17 academic year, the IT departments of Carleton and Macalester colleges exchanged two of their staff for a period of three months. Carleton's Director of Technology Support traded roles with Macalester's Academic Information Associate for Humanities. The idea was to provide both staff members and the respective departments with a fresh perspective on IT operations at a similar and yet different institution. The proximity of the schools, and an existing relationship between the departments, lent itself well to this professional development opportunity. Carleton's visiting Director of Technology Support, stepping in to lead an established team of ten employees, would gain some valuable management experience, and a perspective from that side of the IT equation. Meanwhile, Macalester's visiting Academic Information Associate, while embedded within the academic departments he was to support, would get a fresh perspective on academic IT support, and perhaps some distance from an intense management role. At an institutional level, through this intercollegiate collaboration, each college hoped to help two long term employees gain a broader perspective on IT support at primarily undergraduate institutions. Experiencing familiar challenges in a new setting would reveal new perspectives each staff member could bring back to their home institution, strengthening both IT organizations But, did it work? Did we get what we expected? Did we get what we wanted? Did we get something valuable? This paper will attempt to report on each of these questions.
Reaping the Rewards

This book has introduced you to a new method of ordering your financial life and planning for your financial future.
Sexual Dimorphism and Seasonal Variability of Shield Size in the Endangered Hawaiian Coot (Fulica alai)

The endangered Hawaiian Coot (Fulica alai) is one of few native waterbird species remaining in Hawaii, USA. On the island of Oahu, 56 adults were captured and sexed using a molecular method, and sexual dimorphism, seasonal variation in shield size (possibly sexually selected), and use of morphometrics to predict sex as an alternative to molecular sexing were investigated. The sex ratio was significantly male biased: 39 males, 17 females (P = 0.003). No morphometric character assessed independently differed significantly between sexes (0.056 < P < 0.975). However, a multiple regression approach indicated that tarsus length, bill height, tail length, and wing length in combination differed between sexes, but prediction of sex was nonetheless possible with only 65% accuracy. Male shield size was larger during the pre-breeding and breeding seasons than the post-breeding season, but did not vary significantly in females, the interaction between sex and season in the model being significant (P < 0.02). Within the breeding and pre-breeding seasons (a subsample of total birds), multiple regression indicated sexual dimorphism in shield width, shield length, and wing length, but prediction of sex was again only possible with 68% accuracy. Thus, neither model predicted sex sufficiently accurately for this morphometric approach to be a viable substitute for molecular sexing.
Biopsychosocial Approaches to Depression in the Older Adults

There is no health without mental health. This commonly cited phrase is particularly true in the elderly. Depression can be challenging to diagnose and treat in older adults patients and has a significant negative impact on the overall quality of physical and emotional well-being. A comprehensive biopsychosocial approach to assessment and management of depression is necessary to ensure maximal quality of life. Assessment of mood must take into account current life stressors, such as chronic and acute health problems, social isolation, age-related cognitive decline, prior history of depressions, recent losses (family, friends), drug and alcohol use, and financial challenges. Treatment interventions should address issues identified in the biopsychosocial assessment, with an emphasis on psychosocial treatment (such as enjoyable exercise and increased social interactions). Pharmacotherapy should be used cautiously and conservatively, as side effects and drug-drug interactions are a common problem in this population. Keeping the Golden Years truly golden requires attention to the overall mood state of older adult patient, not a sole focus on physical functioning.
Electroencephalographic Slow-Wave Activity During Sleep in Different Phases of Blood Pressure and Respiration Oscillations

Sleep is characterized by dynamic coupling between central (CNS) and peripheral autonomic (ANS) nervous systems. However, further research is needed to better understand the multiple interactions occurring among electroencephalographic (EEG) features and respiratory and cardiovascular (CV) outputs modulated by the ANS during sleep. Here, we developed new methods to study EEG slow-wave activity (SWA) during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep with respect to the phases of peripheral oscillations. EEG, respiration, and continuous blood pressure signals recorded from 20 participants were analyzed. Digital filters, designed to decompose the signals into different frequency bands, and the Hilbert transform were applied to estimate the instantaneous phases and frequencies of the peripheral oscillations. The peripheral oscillations were categorized into four phases representing up and down states. EEG delta power (synchronized SWA) was computed and compared across these phases during NREM sleep. Results show that EEG delta power is higher during down phases of slow and respiratory frequency components of blood pressure and during up phases of respiration, suggestive of CNS-ANS coupling during NREM sleep. The developed techniques provide the preliminary framework to further analyze and interpret complex interactions between cortical and cardiac oscillations and their synchrony.
Prostate Cancer Screening in Middle-Aged and Older American Men: Combined Effects of Ethnicity and Years of Schooling

Background Prostate cancer screening is more commonly utilized by highly educated people. As shown by marginalization-related diminished returns (MDRs), the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) such as education on the health outcomes are considerably smaller for ethnic minorities than for Whites. The role of MDRs as a source of ethnic health disparities is, however, still unknown. Objectives The current study had two aims: first, to explore the association between years of schooling and having taken a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test among men in the US, and second, to explore ethnic differences in this association. Methods This study was a secondary analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS-2015). The data of 5,053 men aged 55 years or older who were either Latino, non-Latino, African-American, or White were analyzed. Years of schooling was the independent variable. The dependent variable was taking a PSA test sometime during one's lifetime. Age, region, and employment were the control variables. Ethnicity was the focal moderating variable. Binary logistic regression was used for data analysis. Results A higher number of years of schooling was associated with higher odds of having taken a PSA test, net of all confounders. Ethnicity showed a significant statistical interaction with years of schooling on having taken a PSA test. This interaction was suggestive of a smaller slope for Latino men than non-Latino men. White and African American men did not show differential effects of years of schooling on having taken a PSA test. Conclusion Similar to the MDRs patterns in other domains, non-Latino White men show more health gain from their years of schooling than Latino men. Highly educated Latino men still need programs to encourage their use of prostate cancer screening.
Replacing Induction Motors With Caged-Rotor Permanent Magnet Motors: Application Considerations and Cost Analysis

Efficiency improvements attainable with permanent magnet (PM) motors have been well documented. Some PM motors have been equipped with an induction cage in the rotor to allow direct online (DOL) starting. Designs of this type have been referred to as line-start PM (LSPM) motors . A topic that has not received much attention is the use of this type of motor with an adjustable-speed drive (ASD). This article introduces the terminology caged-rotor PM (CRPM) motor to describe motors of this type that can be used either DOL or with an ASD. The details of several installations of CRPM motors are discussed. Each case study is documented from application selection to motor specification, cost justification, installation, operation, and measured performance.
Operation optimization of active distribution network considering maximum consumption of distributed generation

With the large-scale access of distributed generation in distribution network, operation control of distribution network faces new challenges. Active distribution network is not to distribute electric energy passively, but to achieve coordinated optimization of source-network-load-storage through active management. Considering different types of distributed generation such as wind power generation, photovoltaic power generation and so on, energy storage devices and flexible loads in active distribution network management, a day-ahead optimization model of active distribution network is established. Taking the day-ahead 24 hours active power output of the distributed generation as the optimization variable, and the minimum operating cost of electric power company as the objective function, the model can realize the maximum consumption of distributed generation and the economical and efficient operation of distribution network. The model is solved by means of adaptive particle swarm algorithm and verified by a modified IEEE 33-node distribution network.
Revisiting the concept of 'enzymic latch' on carbon in peatlands.

Abstract Peatlands are long-term sinks of atmospheric carbon (C) largely due to water-saturated soil conditions, decay-resistant plant litter, and the presence of biochemical compounds such as soluble phenolics. As phenolics are known inhibitors of microbial enzymes in soils, the concept of the ‘enzymic latch’ on peat C was introduced, assuming that phenolics accumulate in peat water due to protection from degradation by oxidative enzymes as a result of anoxia. However, their inhibitory role in peat has not been unambiguously confirmed. We aimed to verify whether peat phenolics inhibit microbial and enzyme activities in laboratory-incubated Sphagnum litter, and bog and fen peat. Soluble humic substances were extracted from bog water as a source of natural phenolics and separated into two molecular-weight fractions. We tested the effects of (1) phenolics concentration, (2) their molecular weight and (3) anoxia on the activity of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes, and on microbial respiration rate. The added phenolics did not suppress hydrolytic enzyme activities nor microbial respiration. Quite the contrary, phenolics addition (up to 1000 mg L−1) sometimes supported enzyme and microbial activities, indicating that phenolics (or another constituent of peat humic substances) served as a source of C. The activities of hydrolytic enzymes did not vary between oxic and anoxic peat but were double in oxic than anoxic conditions in Sphagnum litter. Differences in enzymatic and microbial activities were driven by peat type with about three times greater microbial respiration rates and enzyme activities in fen peats. Our results do not support the concept of the enzymic latch, particularly its key assumption that peat phenolics inhibit hydrolytic enzymes. While the concept was established on oceanic peatlands with low phenolic concentrations, the peat microbial community in our experiments seemed acclimated to the naturally high phenolic concentrations, characteristic for other, non-oceanic northern peatlands. Thus, the enzymic latch should not be considered as a determinative mechanism preserving the global C store in peatlands.
Feeling Through Spacesuits: Application of Space-Resilient E-Textiles to Enable Haptic Feedback on Pressurized Extravehicular Suits

Extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuits frequently remain bulky and pressurized, which impedes astronauts' ability to engage with the proximate environment and with fellow astronauts. In this project, a concept prototype for a sensate skin intended for the exterior of an EVA suit is manufactured using commercially available electronic fabric sensors. This prototype is then shown to discriminate between surfaces relevant to space explorers (metallic objects, rocky surfaces, and spacesuit gloves), implying that each surface can be translated into a unique sensory experience. Specifically, haptic actuators flush against the astronaut's biological skin can transduce sensory data from the external environment through the pressurized suit, allowing the astronaut to feel touch input right through the spacesuit. The key contribution of this work is to introduce a plausible application area for space-resilient electronic textiles using commercial off-the-shelf fabric sensors for demonstration.
Learning Functional Properties of Rooms in Indoor Space from Point Cloud Data: A Deep Learning Approach

This paper presents a method to derive functional labels of rooms from the spatial configuration of room objects detected from 3D point clouds representation. The method was inspired by the intuition that spatial configuration of room objects has intimate link with the intended functional purposes. To explore the possibility of inferring the room usage information from its spatial configuration, we designed and trained a deep learning model to learn the important features of spatial configuration of room scenes and examined the predictive power of the model in inferring room usage. We present an experiment on using the model to to predict room function category on Standford 3D (S3DIS) dataset, and achieved reasonable performance. Analysis of accuracy and confusion rates allows us to draw a number insight on the separability of rooms among top level categories (such as offices, conference rooms, lounge, hallways, and storage rooms). Our findings suggested that our method is promising, with an accuracy of 91.8% on predicting room function categories. Future work should further validate and refine our method using data with more balanced training samples on the range of room types as they become available.
Does Social Security serve as an economic stabilizer

In times of economic distress, both individuals and localities can benefit from stable sources of income. While a large literature documents the benefits that individuals enjoy from guaranteed income such as Social Security, less attention has been given to the stabilizing force of Social Security at the community level. Intuitively, if many people are insulated from recessions through stable Social Security income, they will continue to demand local goods and services, propping up local employment and earnings. This paper uses the American Community Survey to estimate the extent to which Social Security benefits stabilize local economies, by examining how the relationship between a county’s economic outcomes and those of its surrounding counties vary with the share of county income from Social Security.
Germ Theory : Medical Pioneers in Infectious Diseases

Table of Contents About the Author Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Hippocrates, the Father of Modern Medicine Chapter 3 Avicenna, a Thousand Years Ahead of His Time Chapter 4 Girolamo Fracastoro and Contagion in Renaissance Medicine Chapter 5 Antony van Leeuwenhoek and the Birth of Microscopy Chapter 6 The Demise of the Humoral Theory of Medicine Chapter 7 Edward Jenner and the Discovery of Vaccination Chapter 8 Ignaz Semmelweis and the Control of Puerperal Sepsis Chapter 9 Louis Pasteur and the Germ Theory of Medicine Chapter 10 Robert Koch and the Rise of Bacteriology Chapter 11 Joseph Lister, the Man Who Made Surgery Safe Chapter 12 Paul Ehrlich and the Magic Bullet Chapter 13 Alexander Fleming and the Discovery of Penicillin Chapter 14 Lillian Wald and the Foundations of Modern Public Health Chapter 15 Conclusions Index
Crimes against Children: Sexual Violence and Legal Culture in New York City, 1880-1960

In the first half of the twentieth century, Americans' intense concern with sex crimes against children led to a wave of public discussion, legislative action, and criminal prosecution. Stephen Robertson provides the first large-scale, long-term study of how American criminal courts dealt with the prosecution of sexual violence against children. Robertson describes how the nineteenth-century approach to childhood as a single phase of innocence began to shift at the end of the century to include several stages of childhood development, prompting reformers to create legal categories such as statutory rape and carnal abuse to protect children. However, while ordinary New Yorkers' involvement in the prosecution of those offenses reshaped their understandings of who was a child and produced a new concern to establish the age of their sexual partners, their beliefs in childhood innocence and in a concept of sexuality centered on sexual intercourse remained unchanged. As a result, families' use of the law and jurors' decisions ultimately diminished the protection the new laws offered to children. Robertson's study, based on the previously unexamined files of the New York County district attorney's office, reveals the importance of child sexuality and sex crimes in twentieth-century American culture.
Theory of counterion electrophoresis. Guidelines for determination of ligand-binding parameters.

Abstract A theory is formulated to provide guidelines for the quantitative interpretation of steady-state counterion electrophoretic patterns (T.-H. Ueng and F. Bronner, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 197 (1979) 205) in terms of intrinsic ligand-binding constant and number of binding sites on the protein molecule. Briefly, the prescribed procedure calls for extrapolation of the steady-state binding constant to infinite dilution of protein to obtain a quantity which is the product of a readily evaluated kinetic factor and the intrinsic binding constant. On the other hand, extrapolation of the steady-state number of binding sites to infinite dilution can probably be dispensed with if determined at a reasonably low protein concentration.
Who goes? Who cares? Who stays? Who wants to?:The role of contingent workers and corporate layoff practices

Traditional employment practices since the Second World War had usually ensured job security for a company’s workforce. However, the increasingly competitive environment and the restructuring of companies in the 1980s and 1990s have made this practice impossible to continue; therefore, layoffs have become a fact of life for employees in an increasing number of industries. The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes in two employment environments, one in which temporary workers were used to shield permanent employees from layoffs and another in which layoff decisions were made without regard to permanent or temporary status. Specifically, examination was made of the relationships among perceived organizational support (POS), organizational commitment, and intention to quit, and the relative levels of these variables across two environments and the two classes of workers. It was found that, as expected, the relationships among the commitment variables and intention to quit were similar within both environments. Also, as expected, levels of commitment in the “shield” environment were higher than in the “layoff” environment; and POS was higher among temporary employees in the “shield” environment than among permanent workers in the “layoff” environment. A particularly interesting finding was that, in the “layoff” environment, POS among temporary workers was higher than among permanent workers.
Abstinence-Only Sex Education: College Students' Evaluations and Responses.

This qualitative study explores the abstinence-only sex education experiences of a small group of young adults in the southeastern USA. Most participants felt that their abstinence-only sex education had mixed value and low overall impact in their lives. Perceptions about abstinence, virginity, and marriage varied significantly from those stressed in abstinence-only curricula. Distinct themes emerged about “ideal” sex education content, with strong support for comprehensive instruction and less for emphases on strictly negative outcomes of sexual activity. These responses reflect many curriculum components of comprehensive sex education. Future efforts to develop effective sex education programs should incorporate these concepts.
Is moving gendered? The effects of residential mobility on the psychological well-being of men and women

To reexamine the negative psychological effects of residential mobility, secondary analyses were conducted using a representative sample. Mobility had significant effects on depression, after controlling for social class, marital status, gender, and employment. In separate analyses by gender, the mobility effect was significant for women only. The “exposure” hypothesis, that women experience more stress, was partially supported: housework, children, and career sacrifices predicted depression, but did not account for the mobility effect. The “vulnerability” hypothesis, that women respond differently to stressors, was partly supported: weak social ties affected women more than men, but did not account for mobility effects. It appears that moving may contribute to gender differences in depression.
High Resolution X-ray Spectra of Cluster Cooling Flows

The cooling cores of clusters of galaxies are among the brightest thermal X-ray line sources in the universe. High resolution X-ray spectra would allow individual line fluxes to be measured. The fluxes of low ionization X-ray lines in cooling flows should be directly proportional to the cooling rate at relatively cool temperatures, and could be used to determine whether large amounts of gas are really cooling out of the X-ray band (below 10e6 K). By comparing the fluxes of many X-ray lines, we could determine the amounts of gas at different temperatures and densities. This would allow one to test the idea that cooling flows are highly inhomogeneous, as required to explain their surface brightness profiles. High resolution X-ray spectra can be used to determine velocities in the hot gas in cooling flows. If the gas is homogeneous, significant inflow velocities are expected. However, if the gas is as inhomogeneous as we currently believe, the inflow velocities are likely to be rather low (v < 30 km/s). Most of the central galaxies in cooling flows host radio sources, and it appears that the radio lobes are expanding against, displacing, and compressing the cooling X-ray gas. Significant motions associated with the expansion of radio sources should be detectable in X-ray lines. If the cooling X-ray gas rotates and viscosity is not important, rotational motions may also be detectable in X-ray line spectra.
Identification of a derived dental trait in the papionini relative to other old world monkeys

Variation in the shape of teeth provides an immense amount of information about the evolutionary history and adaptive strategy of a mammalian lineage. Here, we explore variation in the expression of a purported molar lingual remnant (the interconulus) across the Old World Monkeys (Primates: Cercopithecidae) with the aim of elucidating a component of the adaptive radiation of this family. This radiation is characterized by a wide geographic range (Asia and Africa) as well as diverse dietary niches. While all of the cercopithecids are distinguished by their derived bilophodont molars, the colobines have evolved taller and more pointed cusps compared with the cercopithecines. We investigate whether the interconulus also correlates with phylogenetic affinity and/or dietary adaptation. We assess the frequency and range of interconulus expression in 522 specimens representing seven species of Old World Monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis, n = 78; Macaca fascicularis, n = 85; Macaca mulatta, n = 70; Papio hamadryas, n = 55; Colobus guereza, n = 76; Presbytis melalophos, n = 82; Presbytis rubicunda, n = 76). Results show that the interconulus has a significantly higher frequency and degree of expression in Tribe Papionini and exhibits ordered metameric variation with greatest expression in the third molars. Given the rarity of the interconulus in other closely related taxa, and its morphological distinction from the purportedly homologous features in other primates, we interpret the high degree of expression of the interconulus to be a trait derived in papionins that originated in the Miocene baboon/macaque ancestor. Am J Phys Anthropol, 155:422–429, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Glyceride biosynthesis, glyceride breakdown and glycogen breakdown in adipose tissue: mechanisms and regulation

The sections in this article are: 1 I. Triglyceride Breakdown 1.1 A. Lipoprotein Lipase Activity 1.2 B. Hormone-Sensitive Lipase Activity 1.3 C. Mono- and Diglyceride Lipase Activities 1.4 D. Effect of Hormones on Lipase Activity 2 II. Triglyceride Synthesis 2.1 A. Biosynthetic Pathway and Related Enzymatic Reactions 2.2 B. Regulation of Rate of Triglyceride Synthesis 3 III. Glycogen Breakdown 3.1 A. Assay of Phosphorylase Activity 3.2 B. Effect of Hormones on Phosphorylase Activity 3.3 C. Mechanism of Action of Hormones on Phosphorylase Activity
New asynchronous atomic broadcast protocols

Presents three protocols for atomically broadcasting updates to the global state of a highly available service implemented by a team of replicated processes. The protocols are designed for asynchronous systems where no upper bounds exist on message transmission and process scheduling delays. The authors let correct team members that have achieved timely communication in the recent past form dynamic communication groups and they discuss the problem of maintaining consistency of replicated data inside each group as well as across groups. >
Protein structures at atomic resolution.

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the protein structures at atomic resolution. The number of very-high resolution structures currently deposited in the PDB clearly shows that protein crystals diffracting to atomic resolution are becoming less rare. Although the primary requirement is the ability of a macromolecule to form a highly ordered crystal, the very significant factor in the recent explosion of the atomic resolution analyses is the progress in all involved techniques. The availability of convenient and quick protein-purification methods, efficient crystal-growth screening conditions, convenient crystallization chambers that employ only small amounts of sample, and sometimes mechanisms (robots) to automate the setting up of crystallization trials all contribute to these successes. Moreover, the methods of protein purification and crystal growth, availability of bright synchrotron beam lines, and progress in software used in all stages of the analysis make such projects more tractable. The enhanced accuracy of the resulting models and the possibility of describing very fine structural features are very important for better understanding of the chemistry responsible for the biological properties of macromolecules, which is the ultimate goal of structural biology.
Shifting the financial burden: the VA ambulatory care discharge policy.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is a primary source of health care services for many of the nation's uninsured and underinsured. Changes in congressionally mandated eligibility criteria and limi...
RhoA Modulates Smad Signaling during Transforming Growth Factor-β-induced Smooth Muscle Differentiation

We recently reported that transforming growth factor (TGF)-β induced the neural crest stem cell line Monc-1 to differentiate into a spindle-like contractile smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype and that Smad signaling played an important role in this phenomenon. In addition to Smad signaling, other pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphoinositol-3 kinase, and RhoA have also been shown to mediate TGF-β actions. The objectives of this study were to examine whether these signaling pathways contribute to TGF-β-induced SMC development and to test whether Smad signaling cross-talks with other pathway(s) during SMC differentiation induced by TGF-β. We demonstrate here that RhoA signaling is critical to TGF-β-induced SMC differentiation. RhoA kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y27632 significantly blocks the expression of multiple SMC markers such as smooth muscle α-actin, SM22α, and calponin in TGF-β-treated Monc-1 cells. In addition, Y27632 reversed the cell morphology and abolished the contractility of TGF-β-treated cells. RhoA signaling was activated as early as 5 min following TGF-β addition. Dominant negative RhoA blocked nuclear translocation of Smad2 and Smad3 because of the inhibition of phosphorylation of both Smads and inhibited Smad-dependent SBE promoter activity, whereas constitutively active RhoA significantly enhanced SBE promoter activity. Consistent with these results, C3 exotoxin, an inhibitor of RhoA activation, significantly attenuated SBE promoter activity and inhibited Smad nuclear translocation. Taken together, these data point to a new role for RhoA as a modulator of Smad activation while regulating TGF-β-induced SMC differentiation.
Application of biocatalysis towards asymmetric reduction and hydrolytic desymmetrisation in the synthesis of a β-3 receptor agonist

Chemoenzymatic syntheses of two key intermediates in the preparation of a potent β-3 receptor agonist 1 are described. A lipase-catalysed hydrolytic desymmetrisation is employed in a new synthesis of intermediate 7, which avoids the use of alkyl-tin reagents. A second biotransformation delivers chiral chlorohydrin 5 from its parent ketone in greater enantiomeric excess than the previously-described Noyori-reduction process. A brief discussion of the enantioselectivity of a set of single-point mutants of Sporobolomyces salmonicoloraldehyde reductase in this bioreduction is also presented.
Anesthetic management in Joubert syndrome

We review the anesthetic implications of Joubert syndrome and report that spinal anesthesia under intravenous propofol sedation proved satisfactory for repair of an inguinal hernia in a spontaneously ventilating infant with this syndrome. We caution that anatomical peculiarities may complicate performance of a caudal epidural block and suggest consideration of the use of caffeine to ameliorate the apneic episodes seen in early infancy in this syndrome.
Influence of orifice geometry and flow rate on effective valve area: An in vitro study

Fluid dynamics suggests that orifice geometry is a determinant of discharge properties and, therefore, should influence empiric constants in formulas (such as the Gorlin formula) to calculate stenotic valve area. An in vitro study utilizing a model of transmitral flow was conducted to investigate how the discharge coefficient changes with 1) orifice eccentricity (ratio of long to short diameter), 2) absolute area, 3) the presence of a nozzle-like inlet, and 4) varying flow. Twenty-three orifices with areas varying between 0.3 and 2.5 cm2 and eccentricities from 1:1, or circular, to 5:1, or elliptic, were tested. The calculated discharge coefficients ranged between 0.675 and 0.93. For a given area, the discharge coefficient decreased by a mean value (+/- SD) of 5.5 +/- 1.3% between circular orifices and 5:1 ellipses. Discharge coefficients increased by a mean of 8.9 +/- 3.5% from 0.3 to 2.5 cm2 area within each eccentricity class. A gradually tapering inlet (nozzle) raised the discharge coefficient by 8.8 +/- 3.9%, leading to a discharge coefficient between 0.81 and 0.93 for round orifices. The discharge coefficient did not change appreciably with flow. The concept of the discharge coefficient and its role in assessing restrictive orifices in general by hydraulic formulas (for example, the Gorlin and pressure half-time calculations) are discussed.
Active Learning for Alert Triage

In the cyber security operations of a typical organization, data from multiple sources are monitored, and when certain conditions in the data are met, an alert is generated in a Security Event and Incident Management system. Analysts inspect these alerts to decide if any deserve promotion to an event requiring further scrutiny. This triage process is manual, time-consuming, and detracts from the in-depth investigation of events. We investigate the use of supervised machine learning to automatically prioritize these alerts. In particular, we utilize active learning to make efficient use of the pool of unlabeled alerts, thereby improving the performance of our ranking models over passive learning. We demonstrate the effectiveness of active learning on a large, real-world dataset of cyber security alerts.
NMR Studies of H2 Single Crystals. VI. Line shapes in the Orientationally Ordered Phase

We report the first experimental and theoretical study of the NMR lineshape anisotropy in the orientationally ordered cubic phase of H2 single crystals. After a brief review of the orientational phase diagram for ortho-para mixtures, we describe in detail the various cubic crystal structures that are obtained after a transformation from an initial single hcp crystal. We then calculate the NMR spectra for these structures as a function of the applied field direction. Excellent agreement between the calculations and the experiments is obtained for all directions of the applied field if a Gaussian distribution function of the molecular orientation is introduced with a root mean spreading of 8 deg. The effect of this distribution is to smear out the calculated NMR spectrum so as to produce the observed NMR structure with at most two well-separated peaks on each side of the center. This smearing is shown to be due to random tipping of the molecular axes when defects from para-H2 impurities are present. We present calculations of this tipping effect which take into account further neighbor interactions, orientational relaxation, and anharmonic effects. Descriptions of experiments on the line anisotropy as a function of ortho-H2 concentration and thermal cycling through the order-disorder transition are presented.
Hyperkinetic Movement Disorder Secondary to Punctate Hemorrhage in Lateral Ventricle Lining

We present the case of an elderly male with hyperkinetic movements of the right arm and leg due to a small hemorrhage in the lateral aspect of the left lateral ventricle atrium. As per our database search, this is a unique presentation of a stroke in this particular location.
Serous Adenocarcinoma of the Uterus Presenting as Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration is a rare complication of cancer and is most frequently associated with lung, ovary, and breast cancers as well as Hodgkins lymphoma. A 74-year-old female with a past history of breast cancer presented with vomiting, ataxia, slurred speech, and dizziness. Her serum chemistry, thyroid and liver function tests, acetylcholine antibodies, serum cortisol, CT, and MRI imaging were all normal. Serum testing for anti-YO antibodies was positive. Further evaluation including CT of the abdomen and pelvis revealed endometrial thickening. Subsequently, an endometrial biopsy showed a poorly differentiated serous adenocarcinoma. Surgical staging was consistent with a stage IIIc serous adenocarcinoma of the uterus. The risk factors, symptoms, signs, differential diagnosis, and clinical and antibody associations of the paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration syndrome are reviewed. In addition, an efficient approach to the diagnostic evaluation of such patients is proposed.
The Science Mentor: An Adventure in Chemistry Education

This activity is designed to be an independent project for high school chemistry students. Both the balloon demonstration and Alka-Pops activity were adapted from Super Science Connections (1). Students will have the opportunity to teach younger children (grades K–4) that science is fun and exciting. This will be a rewarding experience for both younger and older students. Elementary students will benefit by having additional "science time" with someone with whom they can identify. High school students will reap the rewards of cementing in their minds basic scientific principles and concepts, and knowing that they helped young children enjoy science!
Metabolism of [14C]-methylnaphthalene by rainbow trout (Salmo Gairdneri) in vivo

Abstract 1. Rainbow trout were exposed to aqueous [ 14 C]-methylnaphthalene and their bile was examined for metabolites of [ 14 C]-methylnaphthalene. 2. Trout which were pretreated with the monooxygenase inducer β-naphthoflavone exhibited greater levels of total metabolites, glucuronide conjugates and dihydrodiol metabolites of [ 14 C]2-methylnaphthalene in bile as compared to non-induced trout. 3. The ratio of 2-hydroxymethyl-naphthalene to dihydrodiols found was greater in non-induced than in induced trout. 4. These results are consistent with previously published studies on the metabolism of [ 14 C]2-methylnaphthalene by rat and trout hepatic mierosomes in vitro .
A comparative study of spectral detectors

Spectral matching algorithms can be used for the identification of unknown spectra based on a measure of similarity with one or more known spectra. This paper presents a limited evaluation comparing different spectral matching algorithms utilized to identify signatures from a spectral library containing item of interest. We modify the maximum likelihood correlation coefficient estimate of a spectral change detection scheme so that it could perform as a spectral detector. We compare the results of this adaptation to other well-known spectral detection algorithms: spectral correlation mapper; adaptive matched filter; and adaptive coherence/cosine estimator. Our detector is shown to be an alternative to other correlation-based methods increasing detection performance while being considerable more computationally efficient than the covariance-based methods (O(n) versus O(n3)). As such, our detector is likely more viable in real-time applications.
A nonhierarchical brand switching model for inferring market structure

Abstract An aggregate model of market structure based on brand switching data is presented which depicts the market as a set of overlapping clusters of substitutable brands. It generalizes earlier models based on latent class analysis by accounting for heterogeneity among consumers and by allowing for brand switching across clusters—a way of depicting variety seeking. A behavioral rationale for these aggregate models is demonstrated by deriving the aggregate model from an individual level of brand switching. An application to the ground caffeinated coffee market is given.
SEPARATION AND MOUNTING OF LEAF VEIN SKELETONS AND EPIDERMIS

30 X 38-50 ,u; oogonium 36-43 X 31-50 i; oospore 30-41 X 30-37 ,u; androsporangium 1 01 X 12-14 t; dwarf male stipe 10-13 X 23-43,u; antheridium 6 X 6 IA. Var. omnibus partibus gracilioribus; oogoniis singulis vel 2-3 continuis, operculo apertis, circumscissione superiore, angusta; oosporis subglobosis vel rarius globosis, oogonia non complentibus, velfere complentibus, membrana laevi, nannandribus subrectis, plerumque in cellulis suffultoriis vel oogoniis, rarius in cellulis vegetativis ceteris prope oogonia sedentibus; cellulis vegetativis 9-18 y latis, 30-50 I longis; cellulis suffultoriis 23-30 ,A latis, 38-50 / longis; oogoniis 36-43 / latis, 31-50 K longis; oosporis 30-41 /A latis, 30-37 / longis; cellulis androsporangiis 10-11 u latis, 12-14 I longis; nannandribus 19-13 /A latis, 23-43 p longis; cellulis antheridiis 6 , latis, 6 It longis. Occurred in small numbers in fruiting condition in collection of November 27 and more abundantly in that of December 1. Habitat: Epiphytic on grass leaves in shallow water. Type specimens: Author's Pacific collection #178; Chicago Natural History Museum; Farlow Herbarium; Herbarium University of Michigan; Philippine National Herbarium. Fig. 15-16. SUMMARY
Raman spectra of crystalline potassium chlorochromate, potassium fluorochromate, and potassium osmiamate: Interpreting spectra of solids with X-ray determined pseudo-symmetry

Abstract Raman spectra of crystalline KCrO 3 F, KCrO 3 F and KOs03N are reported. The consequences of the X-ray-determined pseudo-symmetry of KCrO 3 F and KOsO 3 N are considered. The spectra are interpreted in terms of factor group selection rules, using the known C 2h factor group symmetry in the case of KCrO 3 Cl and using a deduced C 2 h symmetry that would be present in the case of KCrO 3 F and KOsO 3 N if the respective MX 3 Y anions were specifically oriented throughout the crystal. The agreement with selection rules is excellent for KCrO 3 Cl and only fair for KCrO 3 F and KOsO 3 N. The broad bands found in the spectra of KCrO 3 F and KOsO 3 N are compared to the sharp bands found in the spectra of KCrO 3 Cl and other related compounds. The comparison suggests that the CrO 3 F and OsO 3 N- ions do not have preferred orientations in KCrO 3 F and KOsO 3 N, respectively.
Wide Field of View Compressive Light Field Display using a Multilayer Architecture and Tracked Viewers

In this paper, we discuss an intuitive extension to compressive multilayer light field displays that greatly extends their field of view and depth of field. Rather than optimizing these displays to create a moderately narrow field of view at the center of the display, we constrain optimization to create narrow view cones that are directed to a few viewers' eyes, allowing the available display bandwidth to be utilized more efficiently. These narrow view cones follow the viewers, creating a wide apparent field of view. Imagery is also recalculated for the viewers' exact eye positions, creating a greater depth of field. The view cones can be scaled to match the positional error and latency of the tracking system. Using more efficient optimization and commodity tracking hardware and software, we demonstrate a real-time, glasses-free 3D display that offers a 100° × 40° field of view.