cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The challenge of conserving indigenous domesticated animals

Abstract This special issue contains many valuable studies of indigenous domesticated animal genetic resources. Individual farmers throughout the world are abandoning many breeds that have been locally adapted over thousands of years in favor of new exotic but more productive breeds. Economics can explain some of this transition as cheaper grains and modem genetic tools have made more intensive husbandry more profitable. Poorly designed government policies may have contributed to the decline as well. The general decline of indigenous species especially in developing countries raises many conservation issues. What role should local breeds continue to have in local economies? Is there a social argument such as keeping historical livelihoods intact or keeping genetic diversity intact for government programs to maintain economically inferior breeds? What is the most efficient design for animal conservation programs?
Computational methods for image restoration, image segmentation, and texture modeling

This work is devoted to new computational models for image segmentation, image restoration and image decomposition. In particular, we partition an image into piecewise-constant regions using energy minimization and curve evolution approaches. Applications of denoising-segmentation in polar coordinates (motivated by impedance tomography) and of segmentation of brain images will be presented. Also, we decompose a natural image into a cartoon or geometric component and an oscillatory or texture component using a variational approach and dual functionals. Thus, new computational methods will be presented for denoising, deblurring and texture modeling.
The effectiveness of nonprofit lead-organization networks for social service delivery

Public agencies increasingly contract with nonprofit organizations to lead community-based networks for social service delivery. We explore the role that partnership characteristics play in the effectiveness of these networks. Using data on children and family services in Los Angeles County, we consider the impact of both the motivations for forming partnerships and the nature of the resulting partnerships on perceived outcomes for clients, interorganizational relationships, and organizational learning. We find that client outcomes and interorganizational relationships are enhanced when partnerships are formed to meet certain programmatic and organizational goals. Organizational learning, however, is affected only when partnerships are formed to enhance organizational legitimacy. Partners selected because they share common vision increase effectiveness, while those selected because there are few alternative partners decrease effectiveness. Finally, when partnerships use an interorganizational coordination mechanism, client outcomes are improved. The managerial implications of these impacts for the nonprofit sector are developed. The results lend considerable support to the role of partnership motivation and partner selection in the effectiveness of nonprofit lead-organization networks, and specificity about the nature of that role.
In Defense of Reverse Inference

Reverse inference is the most commonly used inferential strategy for bringing images of brain activation to bear on psychological hypotheses, but its inductive validity has recently been questioned. In this article, I show that, when it is analyzed in likelihoodist terms, reverse inference does not suffer from the problems highlighted in the recent literature, and I defend the appropriateness of treating reverse inference in these terms.
Using multisource feedback in the classroom: a computer-based approach

This paper shows the application and results of a computer-based approach to solicit student self- and peer assessment and multisource feedback on student learning outcomes linked to the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology's EC-2000. The issues addressed include the efficacy of student self and peer review, correlation with faculty grading, faculty and student acceptance, and process management. Results demonstrate that multisource feedback supports the development of specific student learning outcomes when used in conjunction with team-based projects.
Pricing WiFi at Starbucks: issues in online mechanism design

We consider the problem of designing mechanisms for online problems in which agents arrive over time and truthfully announce their arrival. These problems are becoming extremely common in a wide variety of problems involving wireless networking and webserving. We show how the standard results of mechanism design can be modified to apply to this setting, provide conditions under which efficient and incentive compatible mechanisms exist and analyze several important online models including wireless networks and web serving.
Biopharmacology of Anabolic Agents II: Radio-Phosphorus Uptake in Molars of Rats Fed Norethandrolone and Phosphorus-Enriched Caries-Test Diets

No statistically significant difference existed between the radio‐phosphorus content in the molar teeth of animals treated with norethandrolone and the respective control animals. In addition, radio‐phosphorus levels in the molar teeth of norethandrolone‐treated animals fed a high phosphorus diet equalled the radio‐phosphorus level in those animals on a high phosphorus diet alone. These results were not effected by the age of the animal within the experimental period studied, nor was there a difference in these results upon comparison of first, second, and third molar teeth with their respective controls.
Purification of papillomavirus structural polypeptides from papillomas by immunoaffinity chromatography.

SUMMARY A broadly cross-reactive monoclonal antibody directed against papillomavirus, coupled to immunoaffinity columns, was used to isolate bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) and human papillomavirus type 1 (HPV-1) structural polypeptides from homogenates of productively infected cells. One of the polypeptides isolated from bovine fibropapillomas appeared to be the BPV-1 major capsid protein since it had a mol. wt. of 54K and was reactive by Western blots with papillomavirus genus- and BPV-1 type-specific rabbit antibodies as well as monoclonal antibodies cross-reactive with BPV-1/BPV-2 and BPV-1/deer PV. A polypeptide from human plantar warts similarly appeared to be the major capsid component since it also had a mass of 54K to 55K and reacted with papillomavirus genus- and HPV type-specific rabbit antibodies. By using this technique structural viral polypeptides from papillomavirus-induced lesions containing readily detectable viral structural antigens but relatively few virus particles, such as seen with mucosotropic HPVs can now be isolated for mapping of virus-specific epitopes.
The murine gammaherpesvirus-68 M11 protein inhibits Fas- and TNF-induced apoptosis.

The murine gammaherpesvirus-68 (MHV-68) M11 gene encodes a protein predicted to have limited homology to the bcl-2 family of proteins. Unlike most of the other viral bcl-2 homologues, which have both BH1 and BH2 domains conserved with respect to bcl-2, the M11 protein has a BH1 domain, but apparently lacks a BH2 domain. Transfection of HeLa cells with an epitope-tagged MHV-68 M11 construct showed that the protein is predominantly located in the cytoplasm of cells. In HeLa cells, M11 inhibited apoptosis induced by anti-Fas antibody and by TNF-α. Thus, despite its limited conservation with respect to other bcl-2 family members, the MHV-68 M11 protein is a potent inhibitor of apoptosis.
Parental Death and Subjective Age: Indelible Imprints from Early in the Life Course?*

Past research suggests that sustaining a young identity helps adults maintain a greater sense of well-being. The experience of subjective aging, however, is not a spontaneous phenomenon, but stems from lifelong developmental experiences. Drawing from writings on the life course and self-concept, I consider how parental death in childhood shapes subjective age in adulthood. To examine the effects of maternal and paternal death on subjective age, I employ the Midlife Development in the United States Study (MIDUS). A series of linear regression analyses indicates that maternal death during childhood is associated with an older subjective age in adulthood, death of a father does not have a similar influence on subjective age, and that the effect on subjective age is stronger if maternal death occurred during childhood than during other periods of the life course. The findings highlight interconnections between timing of transitions in the life course, linked lives, and the development of self-concept. Subjective age in adulthood seems to hinge on important biographical experiences from childhood, such as parental death, though the processes differ by the gender of the deceased parent.
The adaptor complex AP-2 regulates post-endocytic trafficking through the non-clathrin Arf6-dependent endocytic pathway.

The ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6) GTPase functions as a key regulator of endocytic trafficking, participating in clathrin-independent endocytosis in most cell types. Unexpectedly, we found that siRNA-mediated depletion of clathrin or of adaptor protein 2 (AP-2)-complex subunits alters trafficking of Arf6 pathway cargo proteins, such as major histocompatibility complex class I (MHCI) and β1 integrin. Internalization of these cargoes from the plasma membrane was not affected in cells depleted of clathrin, but was modestly delayed in cells lacking AP-2. Furthermore, depletion of clathrin or AP-2 altered the intracellular distribution of MHCI and β1 integrin, inducing clustering in a perinuclear region. Despite this altered localization in both depleted populations, enhanced lysosomal targeting of MHCI was observed uniquely in cells that lack AP-2. Total levels of MHCI were modestly but consistently reduced in AP-2-depleted cells, and restored by the lysosomal inhibitor bafilomycin A. Furthermore, the half-life of surface-derived MHCI was reduced in AP-2-depleted cells. Consistent with enhanced degradative sorting, colocalization of Arf6 cargo with the late endosome and lysosome markers CD63 and Lamp1 was increased in cells depleted of AP-2 but not clathrin. These studies indicate a role for AP-2 in maintaining normal post-endocytic trafficking through the Arf6-regulated, non-clathrin pathway, and reveal pervasive effects of clathrin and AP-2 depletion on the endosomal and lysosomal system.
Resiliency to Victimization: The Role of Genetic Factors

There is a burgeoning line of criminological research examining the genetic underpinnings to a wide array of antisocial phenotypes. From this perspective, genes are typically viewed as risk factors that increase the odds of various maladaptive behaviors. However, genes can also have protective effects that insulate against the deleterious effects of environmental pathogens. The authors use this logic as a springboard to examine whether four different genes protect against victimization in a sample of youths determined to be at risk for being victimized. Analysis of data drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) revealed that certain genetic polymorphisms protected adolescents from victimization. The authors conclude by discussing the complex ways in which genes and the environment can promote resiliency to victimization.
Treating endometriosis as an autoimmune disease.

Abstract Objective: To review the literature on the role of autoimmunity in the etiology of endometriosis, compare the similarities in the pathophysiologies between endometriosis and autoimmune diseases, and discuss the use of immunomodulators currently used to treat autoimmune diseases as potential therapies for endometriosis. Design: The literature on endometriosis and other autoimmune diseases was reviewed, and summary data are presented. Results: Endometriosis shares many similarities with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and psoriasis. These similarities include elevated levels of cytokines, decreased cell apoptosis, and T- and B-cell abnormalities. Because the use of immunomodulators and inflammatory modulators has proven to be an effective means of medical management for these autoimmune diseases, similar therapies may prove useful in treating endometriosis. Conclusion(s): Although substantial evidence indicates that endometriosis at least shares many similarities with autoimmune diseases, endometriosis is primarily treated by using compounds that induce a hypoestrogenic environment. A review of the literature combined with the shortcomings of current means of medical management for endometriosis support the postulate that treatment of endometriosis with immunomodulators and inflammatory modulators is warranted.
Role of cyberinfrastructure in educating the next generation of computational materials scientists

An overview of cyberinfrastructures developed to advance the field of materials modeling is presented. The role of cyberinfrastructures in educating the next generation of the workforce is also discussed, with an emphasis on the Cyberinfrastructure for Atomistic Simulation (CAMS). The paper concludes with a summary regarding the future outlook of cyberinfrastructures, especially with regard to education.
Eimeria Species from Serows ( Capricornis spp.) in Japan with Descriptions of Two New Species

Fresh fecal samples from 35 Japanese serows Capricornis crispus (Temminck, 1845), and 5 Formosan serows Capricornis swinhoei Gray, 1862, were collected between October 1998 and March 1999. Eimeriid coccidians were found in 12 (34%) Japanese serows and in 1 (20%) Formosan serow. Three Eimeria species were found, and 2 are described here as new. The third species is consistent with the description of Eimeria kamoshika Inoue, 1989. Sporulated oocysts of 1 new species are broadly ellipsoidal, 20.7 × 16.8 μm (18–23 × 14–19 μm) with a length (L):width (W) ratio of 1.2 (1.1–1.4); these lack a micropyle (M) and oocyst residuum (OR) but 1–2 polar granules (PGs) are sometimes present. Sporocysts are elongate-ellipsoidal, 10.5 × 5.9 μm (9–13 × 5–7 μm), with a L/W ratio of 1.8 (1.5–2.4), and have a Stieda body (SB) and sporocyst residuum (SR). Oocysts of the second new species are broadly ovoidal, 28.2 × 22.0 μm (25–33 × 19–23 μm), with a L/W of 1.3 (1.1–1.5), and have a M at the slightly pointed end, but lack an OR ...
BLOOD COAGULATION INITIATION BY A COMPLEMENT- MEDIATED PATHWAY*

A variety of complement-activating substances, including inulin, immunoglobulin aggregates, bacterial endotoxins, and staphylococcal protein A, were found to initiate blood coagulation through a complement-mediated pathway. These substances markedly accelerated blood coagulation in normal rabbit blood. That this clot-promoting activity requires an intact complement system was demonstrated by an almost total lack of effect on blood from rabbits with an inherited deficiency of the sixth component of complement (C6). Small amounts of isolated C6 conferred to C6-deficient blood the ability to respond with accelerated coagulation upon activation of the complement system. In addition, it was determined that activation of complement through the previously described C3 activator system resulted in the initiation of blood coagulation. The participation of C1, C2, and C4 was not necessary.
Some equivalence theorems

Presents ways of formalizing the similarity between core allocations and competitive equilibria. Equations on allocations; Comparison to other works on theorem on exchange economy; Formulation of the limit economy as nonstandard exchange economy; Proofs of theorems. (Из Ebsco)
Phase Transitions and Transient Liquid-Phase Sintering in Calcium-Substituted Lanthanum Chromite

This paper investigates sintering and phase transitions of La0.7CaxCrO3(0.25≥x≥0.35), a material useful as electrical interconnections in solid oxide fuel cells. Heating of the quenched, metastable single-phase chromite resulted in exsolution of CaCrO4 due to Ca solubility limitations below 1200°C. A transient liquid phase formed between 850° and 1000°C as the CaCrO4 melted, causing partial densification in materials having 0.25 < x < 0.30. A slight increase in Ca content induced an additional liquid-phase sintering event, likely due to melting of Ca3(CrO4)2, which facilitated near-complete densification by 1250°C. After enhancing sintering, the secondary phases redissolved into the chromite.
A Neural Coding Scheme Formed by the Combined Function of Gamma and Theta Oscillations

Brain oscillations are important in controlling the timing of neuronal firing. This process has been extensively analyzed in connection with gamma frequency oscillations and more recently with respect to theta frequency oscillations. Here we review evidence that theta and gamma oscillations work together to form a neural code. This coding scheme provides a way for multiple neural ensembles to represent an ordered sequence of items. In the hippocampus, this coding scheme is utilized during the phase precession, a phenomenon that can be interpreted as the recall of sequences of items (places) from long-term memory. The same coding scheme may be used in certain cortical regions to encode multi-item short-term memory. The possibility that abnormalities in theta/gamma could underlie symptoms of schizophrenia is discussed.
Synthetic Biology: Modulating the MAP Kinase Module

Summary In a recent study, the MAP kinase module involved in many human cancers has been reconstructed in yeast, in order to tinker with its behavior.
Pathologic classification of chronic allograft nephropathy: pathogenic and prognostic implications.

Background. After transplantation renal allografts frequently develop interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy, and these pathologic changes are the hallmarks of chronic allograft nephropathy (CN). However, the diagnosis of CN has no specific pathogenic implications. In this study we sought to determined whether a subclassification of CN according to vascular pathology correlates with posttransplant events, particularly acute rejection, and graft survival. Methods. A total of 419 patients with moderate to severe CN were subdivided into: (1) transplant arteriopathy (TA, n=233, 56%); (2) arteriolar hyalinosis (AH, n=89, 21%); and (3) no characteristic vascular pathology (IFb, n=97, 23%). Results. Patients with AH differed significantly from patients with TA or IFb in the following parameters: (1) AH was diagnosed later after transplantation (P=0.001); (2) fewer patients with AH had acute rejection (AR) before the diagnosis of CN (P<0.0001). For example, 44% of AH and 75% of TA had AR before CN; (3) patients with AH also had fewer AR episodes than the other two groups (P<0.0001); finally, (4) graft survival was better in patients with AH than in patients with TA (P=0.01 by x 2 , P=0.001 by Cox). In contrast, there were no significant differences between patients with TA and IFb. By multivariate analysis the survival of grafts with CN correlated with: (1) serum creatinine at diagnosis (P<0.0001), (2) recipient's weight (P=0.004); (3) presence of FGS or level of proteinuria (P=0.03); and (4) the occurrence of AR after the diagnosis of CN (P<0.0001). Regarding the latter, AR were more common (P=0.007) and more numerous (P=0.005) in patients with TA or IFb than in AH. Conclusions. CN can be classified according to vascular pathology in the majority of cases, and this classification correlates with graft survival. Although some forms of CN are closely associated with the occurrence of AR others are not. This study also uncovered several variables that correlate with the survival of grafts with CN.
Enhanced dispersion of repolarization explains increased arrhythmogenesis in severe versus therapeutic hypothermia.

Background— Hypothermia is proarrhythmic, and, as the use of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) increases, it is critically important to understand the electrophysiological effects of hypothermia on cardiac myocytes and arrhythmia substrates. We tested the hypothesis that hypothermia-enhanced transmural dispersion of repolarization (DOR) is a mechanism of arrhythmogenesis in hypothermia. In addition, we investigated whether the degree of hypothermia, the rate of temperature change, and cooling versus rewarming would alter hypothermia-induced arrhythmia substrates. Methods and Results— Optical action potentials were recorded from cells spanning the transmural wall of canine left ventricular wedge preparations at baseline (36°C), during cooling and during rewarming. Electrophysiological parameters were examined while varying the depth of hypothermia. On cooling to 26°C, DOR increased from 26±4 ms to 93±18 ms ( P =0.021); conduction velocity decreased from 35±5 cm/s to 22±5 cm/s ( P =0.010). On rewarming to 36°C, DOR remained prolonged, whereas conduction velocity returned to baseline. Conduction block and reentry was observed in all severe hypothermia preparations. Ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia was seen more during rewarming (4/5) versus cooling (2/6). In TH (n=7), cooling to 32°C mildly increased DOR (31±6 to 50±9, P =0.012), with return to baseline on rewarming and was associated with decreased arrhythmia susceptibility. Increased rate of cooling did not further enhance DOR or arrhythmogenesis. Conclusions— Hypothermia amplifies DOR and is a mechanism for arrhythmogenesis. DOR is directly dependent on the depth of cooling and rewarming. This provides insight into the clinical observation of a low incidence of arrhythmias in TH and has implications for protocols for the clinical application of TH.
An Examination of the Role of Attachment and Efficacy in Life Satisfaction

The study examined interrelationships between attachment, social self-efficacy, career decision-making self-efficacy, and life satisfaction. Social cognitive career theory and attachment theory were integrated to provide a framework for this study. A conceptual model was proposed and tested to determine if social self-efficacy and career decision self-efficacy were full or partial mediators between attachment and life satisfaction. Structural equation modeling methods were utilized to test the model. Findings indicated that social self-efficacy and career decision self-efficacy partially mediated between attachment and life satisfaction among college students, the majority of whom were Caucasian females. This lends support to the idea that adult attachment is a fundamental source of efficacy information and operates as a critical component in college students’ perceptions of their efficacy in the domains of close relationships and career decisions, both of which impact life satisfaction. Implications for ...
“I Cannot Harm Thee Now”: The Ethic of Satire in Anna Barbauld's Mock-Heroic Poetry

Anna Barbauld's satiric verse has been omitted from studies of satire, including studies of specific satiric modes such as the mock heroic. Drawing upon her knowledge of both scientific ideology and the satiric tradition, Barbauld uses the mock-heroic mode in “A Fragment of an Epic Poem,” “Washing-Day,” and “The Caterpillar” to interrogate the process of satiric differentiation, whereby the satirist distances himself or herself from the satiric object. As she does so, she constructs an ethic of satire that questions the configuration of the mode as a weapon. Barbauld employs the mock-heroic mode not to “wound,” but to emphasize the bonds that connect the “great” and the “small,” the mock-heroic satirist and the satiric object. Meanwhile, she identifies the appropriate object of satire not as those considered weak or inferior, but as those who misuse social and political power. Ultimately, Barbauld's work suggests the significance of women poets’ contributions to satire, which has traditionally been identi...
Arrhythmia diagnosis and management throughout life in congenital heart disease

Arrhythmias, covering bradycardia and tachycardia, occur in association with congenital heart disease (CHD) and as a consequence of surgical repair. Symptomatic bradycardia can occur due to sinus node dysfunction or atrioventricular block secondary to either unrepaired CHD or surgical repair in the area of the conduction system. Tachyarrhythmias are common in repaired CHD due to scar formation, chamber distension or increased chamber pressure, all potentially leading to abnormal automaticity and heterogeneous conduction properties as a substrate for re-entry. Atrial arrhythmias occur more frequently, but ventricular tachyarrhythmias may be associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death, notably in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot or aortic stenosis. Defibrillator implantation provides life-saving electrical therapy for hemodynamically unstable arrhythmias. Ablation procedures with 3D electroanatomic mapping technology offer a viable alternative to pharmacologic or device therapy. Advances in electrophysiology have allowed for successful management of arrhythmias in patients with congenital heart disease.
Nucleotide sequence encoding the carboxyl-terminal half of apolipoprotein B from spontaneously hypercholesterolemic pigs

Previous studies from this laboratory characterized the hypercholesterolemia of pigs with a mutant allele of apolipoprotein B (apoB), designated Lpb5. This apoB allele is associated with low density lipoprotein (LDL) particles deficient in binding to the LDL receptor. To identify potential causative mutations in Lpb5 DNA, 10.6 kb of genomic DNA, encoding the carboxyl-terminal 58% of apoB were sequenced from the Lpb5 allele and from an allele encoding phenotypically normal apoB. Comparison of the two DNA sequences revealed 33 polymorphisms, 13 of which resulted in amino acid polymorphisms. To determine whether any of the amino acids at the polymorphic positions in Lpb5-encoded apoB were unique to that isoform, those positions were sequenced in four other pig apoB alleles encoding phenotypically normal apoB. None of the amino acids were by themselves uniquely encoded by the Lpb5 allele. However, a unique haplotype consisting of Asp3164 in conjunction with Ala3447 distinguished the Lpb5-encoded apoB from all other allelic isoforms sequenced in this region. To gain insight into changes in the tertiary structure of the mutant apoB, 13C-NMR analysis of LDL reductively methylated with [13C]-formaldehyde was performed. LDL has lysine residues that titrate at pH 10.5 and others that titrate at pH 8.9. The latter residues are thought to include those involved in the interaction of LDL with the LDL receptor. LDL from Lpb5 pigs possessed a smaller proportion of lysine residues titrating at pH 8.9 than did LDL from non-Lpb5 pigs, suggesting that the Lpb5-encoded apoB is altered in a manner affecting the microenvironment of particular lysine residues.
Lampreys as Diverse Model Organisms in the Genomics Era

Lampreys, one of the two surviving groups of ancient vertebrates, have become important models for study in diverse fields of biology. Lampreys (of which there are approximately 40 species) are being studied, for example, (a) to control pest sea lamprey in the North American Great Lakes and to restore declining populations of native species elsewhere; (b) in biomedical research, focusing particularly on the regenerative capability of lampreys; and (c) by developmental biologists studying the evolution of key vertebrate characters. Although a lack of genetic resources has hindered research on the mechanisms regulating many aspects of lamprey life history and development, formerly intractable questions are now amenable to investigation following the recent publication of the sea lamprey genome. Here, we provide an overview of the ways in which genomic tools are currently being deployed to tackle diverse research questions and suggest several areas that may benefit from the availability of the sea lamprey genome.
Cardiac Myocyte-Specific AHR Activation Phenocopies TCDD-Induced Toxicity in Zebrafish

Exposure of zebrafish embryos to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) activates the zebrafish aryl hydrocarbon receptor 2 (AHR) to produce developmental and cardiovascular toxicity. AHR is found in the heart; however, AHR activation by TCDD is not confined to the heart and occurs throughout the organism. In order to understand the cause of cardiotoxicity, we constructed a constitutively active AHR (caAHR) based on the zebrafish AHR2 and expressed it specifically in cardiomyocytes. We show that AHR activation within the cardiomyocytes can account for the heart failure induced by TCDD. Expression of the caAHR within the heart produced cardiac malformations, loss of circulation, and pericardial edema. The heart-specific activation of AHR reproduced several other well-characterized endpoints of TCDD toxicity outside of the cardiovascular system, including defects in swim bladder and craniofacial development. This work identifies a single cellular site of TCDD action, the myocardial cell, that can account for the severe cardiovascular collapse observed following early life stage exposure to TCDD, and contributes to other forms of toxicity.
A Service-Learning Initiative â€œService-learning to build a better future, one caring student at a timeâ€

Our goal is to assist schools, administrators, and teachers with developing their own service- learning initiatives. Service-learning is such a great way to foster authentic learning experiences directed towards making the world a better place. Service builds compassion for others in need of assistance. Service contributes to the development of quality leaders who can think beyond themselves. The service of one can make a positive change, and the service of a community can have a profound impact. With service-learning in mind, we have designed, developed, and completed a pilot study with pre-service teachers. We hope you will be inspired to implement our service-learning initiative in your own setting.
Medicine and the Paranormal in Gravity’s Rainbow: Ephyre, Anaphylaxis, and That Charles Richet

Since Lawrence Wolfley’s 1977 article “Repression’s Rainbow: The Presence of Norman O. Brown in Pynchon’s Big Novel,” commentators on Pynchon’s writing have often found themselves in uncomfortable and sometimes ridiculous positions where they are forced to argue about the importance of something although or because it is not explicitly in Pynchon’s text. Using various forms of logic, they find themselves “seeking other orders behind the visible” (GR 188), often concluding that something’s present because it’s absent. This paper, which proudly follows in that tradition, is divided into four short parts: the first part is a brief biography of Charles Richet; the second surveys his interests in the paranormal and psychic phenomena, emphasizing what we think are echoes in Gravity’s Rainbow; the third discusses his work on anaphylaxis, particularly as it relates to Gravity’s Rainbow; and in the fourth, we will try to connect the pieces and explain why Richet is, to our minds, perhaps one of the most important historical figures not mentioned in Gravity’s Rainbow.
A stable 1D multigroup high-order low-order method

ABSTRACTThe high-order low-order (HOLO) method is a recently developed moment-based acceleration scheme for solving time-dependent thermal radiative transfer problems, and has been shown to exhibit orders of magnitude speedups over traditional time-stepping schemes. However, a linear stability analysis by Haut et al. (2015) revealed that the current formulation of the multigroup HOLO method was unstable in certain parameter regions. Since then, we have replaced the intensity-weighted opacity in the first angular moment equation of the low-order (LO) system with the Rosseland opacity. This results in a modified HOLO method (HOLO-R) that is significantly more stable.This paper has two primary components. First, we present results from a linear stability analysis of the HOLO-R method for a 2-group problem. These results show that HOLO-R is stable in all regions of the parameter space we considered, and strongly suggest that HOLO-R is unconditionally stable. The predicted decay factors from the stability anal...
Revision of Rowley's Ordovician(?) and Silurian crinoids from Missouri

Eight of the crinoids described by Rowley (1904) are redescribed and reclassified. This material is from northeastern and southeastern Missouri and was believed to include both Early Silurian and Middle Silurian material (Rowley, 1904). Reconsideration of this material changes considerably the interpretation of these fossils. All are assigned to a different genus with some assigned to a different order or subclass. Also, age assignments are clarified. Crinoids studied here that are considered to be probably Late Ordovician rather than Early Silurian are Calceocrinus alleni (previously Deltacrinus alleni), Ptychocrinus insperatus (previously Abludoglyptocrinus insperatus, Glyptocrinus insperatus, and G. insperatus var. carinatus of Rowley, 1904), Ptychocrinus pentagonus (previously Glyptocrinus insperatus var. pentagonus), Gnorimocrinus? problematicus (previously Gissocrinus? problematicus), and Glyptocrinidae genus unknown (previously Lampterocrinus? comptus). Two Middle Silurian (lower Ludlovian) crinoids that were described by Rowley are restudied, Thalamocrinus ovalis (previously Cyathocrinus? ovalis) and Clematocrinus dubius (previously Cordylocrinus? dubius).
Biochemical properties and subcellular localization of tyrosine aminotransferases in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Plants produce various L-tyrosine (Tyr)-derived compounds that are of pharmaceutical or nutritional importance to humans. Tyr aminotransferase (TAT) catalyzes the reversible transamination between Tyr and 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (HPP), the initial step in the biosynthesis of many Tyr-derived plant natural products. Herein reported is the biochemical characterization and subcellular localization of TAT enzymes from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Arabidopsis has at least two homologous TAT genes, At5g53970 (AtTAT1) and At5g36160 (AtTAT2). Their recombinant enzymes showed distinct biochemical properties: AtTAT1 had the highest activity towards Tyr, while AtTAT2 exhibited a broad substrate specificity for both amino and keto acid substrates. Also, AtTAT1 favored the direction of Tyr deamination to HPP, whereas AtTAT2 preferred transamination of HPP to Tyr. Subcellular localization analysis using GFP-fusion proteins and confocal microscopy showed that AtTAT1, AtTAT2, and HPP dioxygenase (HPPD), which catalyzes the subsequent step of TAT, are localized in the cytosol, unlike plastid-localized Tyr and tocopherol biosynthetic enzymes. Furthermore, subcellular fractionation indicated that, while HPPD activity is restricted to the cytosol, TAT activity is detected in both cytosolic and plastidic fractions of Arabidopsis leaf tissue, suggesting that an unknown aminotransferase(s) having TAT activity is also present in the plastids. Biochemical and cellular analyses of Arabidopsis TATs provide a fundamental basis for future in vivo studies and metabolic engineering for enhanced production of Tyr-derived phytochemicals in plants.
Exploring static and dynamic flash-based FPGA design topologies

Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are the implementation platform of choice when it comes to design flexibility. However, SRAM-based FPGAs suffer from high power consumption, prolonged boot delays (due to the volatility of the configuration bits), and a significant area overhead (due to the use of 5T SRAM cells for the configuration bits). Floating gate (flash) based FPGAs can avert these problems. This paper presents a study of flash-based FPGA designs (both static and dynamic), and presents the tradeoff of delay, power dissipation and energy consumption of the various designs. Our work differs from previously proposed flash-based FPGAs, since we embed the flash transistors (which store the configuration bits) directly within the logic and interconnect fabrics. We also present a detailed description of how the programming of the configuration bits is accomplished. Our delay and power estimates are derived from circuit level simulations. Our proposed static flash-based LUT structure yields 10% faster operation, 12% lower dynamic power dissipation, 21% lower energy consumption and 29% lower static power dissipation compared to a traditional SRAM-based LUT. We also show that, for high performance applications, a dynamic flash-based LUT can achieve further performance improvements (32% lower delay) with higher energy consumption (37% higher) compared to an SRAM-based LUT. We also show that a flash-based interconnect structure provides 89% lower delay and 71% lower overall power consumption compared to the traditional interconnect structure used in SRAM-based FPGAs.
Optimizing phage λ survival in a changing environment: Stochastic model predictions

Bacteriophages - viruses that infect and replicate inside bacteria - undergo rapid degradation outside their hosts. Thus, a common expectation is that phages will minimize environmental exposure by maximizing their adsorption rate, i.e., infection rate. Here we show that, while maximized adsorption is a good strategy when bacterial host cells are healthy, situations exist where bypassing hosts may be beneficial, such as when host cells are not productive for infection. In these situations, optimal adsorption rates may take on intermediate values, thereby increasing phage dispersal. We aim to develop a theoretical understanding of the intermediate, optimal adsorption rate for phage λ, in environments where changing conditions lead to either good or poor quality hosts. We develop a Markov chain model and define optimal adsorption as the adsorption rate that maximizes the probability of survival. We impose experimentally-achievable periodicity in environmental change and derive novel analytic results for the probability of phage λ survival, from which optimal adsorption is computed. We then discuss the sensitivity of the phage survival probability to relevant biological parameters and environmental conditions. Finally, we extend these results to approximate the probability of phage λ survival when environment change is random, which better represents of natural dynamics, and show that stochasticity facilitates phage λ survival in sub-optimal conditions.
Student Leadership TEAMs: A Leadership Empowerment Intervention for School (Re)Connectedness

ABSTRACTSchools face ongoing pressure to increase a sense of connectedness and prosocial behaviors among students, an especially challenging objective when working with marginalized youth. Leadership empowerment interventions can accomplish this while also building student self-efficacy, wellness, self-exploration, and social support. We draw from research on these interventions to examine a new team-focused leadership empowerment intervention (Student Leadership TEAMs; SLTs). Initial qualitative data from four second-grade students appears to support the conceptual basis of SLTs.
Dysregulation of interleukin 5 expression in familial eosinophilia.

Background Familial eosinophilia (FE) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterized by the presence of lifelong peripheral eosinophilia (>1500/μL). Mapped to chromosome 5q31-q33, the genetic cause of FE is unknown, and prior studies have failed to demonstrate a primary abnormality in the eosinophil lineage. Objective The aim of the present study was to identify the cells driving the eosinophilia in FE. Methods Microarray analysis and real-time PCR were used to examine transcriptional differences in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and in purified cell subsets from affected and unaffected family members belonging to a single large kindred. Cytokine levels in serum and PBMC culture supernatants were assessed by suspension array multiplexed immunoassays. Results Whereas IL5 mRNA expression was significantly increased in freshly isolated PBMC from affected family members, this was not accompanied by increased mRNA expression of other Th2 cytokines (IL4 or IL13). Serum levels of IL-5 and IL-5 receptor α, but not IgE, were similarly increased in affected family members. Of note, IL5 mRNA expression was significantly increased in purified CD3+ CD4+, CD14+, CD19+ and ILC2 cells from affected family members, as were IL-5 protein levels in supernatants from both stimulated PBMC and ILC2 cultures. Conclusions These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the eosinophilia in FE is secondary to dysregulation of IL-5 production in PBMC (and their component subsets). This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Spatial variability of tight oil well productivity and the impact of technology

New well productivity levels have increased steadily across the major shale gas and tight oil basins of North America since large-scale development began a decade ago. These gains have come about through a combination of improved well and hydraulic fracturing design, and a greater concentration of drilling activity in higher quality acreage, the so called “sweets spots.” Accurate assessment of the future potential of shale and tight resources depends on properly disentangling the influence of technology from that of well location and the associated geology, but this remains a challenge. This paper describes how regression analysis of the impact of design choices on well productivity can yield highly erroneous estimates if spatial dependence is not controlled for at a sufficiently high resolution. Two regression approaches, the spatial error model and regression-kriging, are advanced as appropriate methods and compared to simpler but widely used regression models with limited spatial fidelity. A case study in which these methods are applied to a large contemporary well dataset from the Williston Basin in North Dakota reveals that only about half of the improvement in well productivity is associated with technology changes, but the simpler regression models substantially overestimate the impact of technology by attributing location-driven improvement to design changes. Because of the widespread reliance on these less spatially resolved regression models, including by the U.S. Energy Information Administration to project shale gas and tight oil resource potential, the overestimate of technology’s role in well productivity has important implications for future resource availability and economics, and the development choices of individual operators.
Book Review: Oxygen: A Four Billion Year History by Donald E. Canfield

Book Review: Oxygen: A Four Billion Year History. (2015) By Donald E. Canfield. Princeton University Press. ISBN: 9781400849888, 216 pp. Paperback $17.95. A glance at the table of contents of Oxygen: A Four Billion Year History , by Donald Canfield (University of Southern Denmark) suggests that his book will be an up-to-date summary of almost the entire subject matter of oxygen levels through time. This is a heroic undertaking even for an Earth history and geochemistry specialist, and the book does not disappoint. A goal of the book is to bridge the gap between experts in their field and a more general readership interested in learning about Earth’s O2 history. The effort is as important …
Improved cascaded multilevel battery inverters with phase-to-phase SOC balancing capability

This paper presents a circuit to enable phase-to-phase SOC balancing for cascaded multilevel battery inverters that have separate battery modules for each phase. The balancing circuit called six-switch energy-level balancing circuit can help achieve a uniform three-phase SOC operation of the battery units in the entire system among all the phases. The balancing operation by transferring energy among different phases can be carried out without interrupting the whole system and the uniform SOC can be continuously maintained. Moreover, the three-phase balancing circuit can be a part of the cascaded multilevel inverters to increase the system power/energy capacity if needed. Since the uniform SOC operation is achieved for the entire battery energy storage system (BESS), the utilization and reliability of the batteries are increased. Simulation results have been carried out to verify the performance of the proposed three-phase SOC balancing circuit.
Structure and Distribution of Gangliosides

The carbohydrate-rich glycocalyx that surrounds mammalian cells and determines surface properties includes a variety of sialic-acid-containing oligosaccharides linked to either ceramide or a peptide chain. The CNS appears to be unique in containing over half its sialic acid in lipid-bound, form, with the result that gangliosides reach their highest concentration in this tissue. Organs such as lung, intestine, mammary gland, and thyroid are reported to have total sialic acid concentrations equal to or greater than that of brain (Warren, 1959; Puro et al., 1969), but in these and other extraneural tissues, gangliosides account for less than 10% of the total (Puro et al., 1969). Although sialoglycocongugates are often viewed as membrane-specific compounds, it is noteworthy that brain, despite its abundance of membranous processes, does not greatly exceed other tissues in total sialic acid content.
Common misunderstandings and challenges in learning Gauss’s Law in a junior level electromagnetic engineering course

Common misunderstandings when learning Gauss’s Law in a college junior level electromagnetic engineering course are identified by observing normal course assessments and conducting one on one student interviews. Additionally, the extent to which students in this course struggle to translate prior mathematics is investigated by codifying student performance on normal assessments using a rubric developed by the authors based on Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Criterion 3 (a) and (e). Five misconceptions are identified, three of which agree with physics educational literature, as well as a need for better scaffolding the translation of calculus II and multidimensional calculus material. Future work and possible intervention strategies are discussed.
Expert monitoring and verbal feedback as sources of performance pressure.

Abstract The influence of monitoring-pressure and verbal feedback on the performance of the intrinsically stable bimanual coordination patterns of in-phase and anti-phase was examined. The two bimanual patterns were produced under three conditions: 1) no-monitoring, 2) monitoring-pressure (viewed by experts), and 3) monitoring-pressure (viewed by experts) combined with verbal feedback emphasizing poor performance. The bimanual patterns were produced at self-paced movement frequencies. Anti-phase coordination was always less stable than in-phase coordination across all three conditions. When performed under conditions 2 and 3, both bimanual patterns were performed with less variability in relative phase across a wide range of self-paced movement frequencies compared to the no-monitoring condition. Thus, monitoring-pressure resulted in performance stabilization rather than degradation and the presence of verbal feedback had no impact on the influence of monitoring pressure. The current findings are inconsistent with the predictions of explicit monitoring theory; however, the findings are consistent with studies that have revealed increased stability for the system's intrinsic dynamics as a result of attentional focus and intentional control. The results are discussed within the contexts of the dynamic pattern theory of coordination, explicit monitoring theory, and action-focused theories as explanations for choking under pressure.
Modeling the Costs of Carbon Capture

This paper explores the fundamental concepts required to model intertemporal carbon capture costs. A technical overview of post-combustion, pre-combustion, and alternative combustion carbon capture technologies is followed by a discussion of cost measures that allow for side-by-side comparison of one technology to the next. Carbon capture cost measures include capital cost per unit output power, levelized electricity cost (LEC) and CO2 avoidance cost. The relationships between these cost measures are mathematically explored and cost data for several carbon capture technologies obtained from a survey of the literature are provided. We then discuss the most significant drivers of intertemporal carbon capture cost reduction, which include learning by doing (LBD), production returns to scale and research and development (R&D).