cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On convex quadratic programs with linear complementarity constraints

The paper shows that the global resolution of a general convex quadratic program with complementarity constraints (QPCC), possibly infeasible or unbounded, can be accomplished in finite time. The method constructs a minmax mixed integer formulation by introducing finitely many binary variables, one for each complementarity constraint. Based on the primal-dual relationship of a pair of convex quadratic programs and on a logical Benders scheme, an extreme ray/point generation procedure is developed, which relies on valid satisfiability constraints for the integer program. To improve this scheme, we propose a two-stage approach wherein the first stage solves the mixed integer quadratic program with pre-set upper bounds on the complementarity variables, and the second stage solves the program outside this bounded region by the Benders scheme. We report computational results with our method. We also investigate the addition of a penalty term y T Dw to the objective function, where y and w are the complementary variables and D is a nonnegative diagonal matrix. The matrix D can be chosen effectively by solving a semidefinite program, ensuring that the objective function remains convex. The addition of the penalty term can often reduce the overall runtime by at least 50 %. We report preliminary computational testing on a QP relaxation method which can be used to obtain better lower bounds from infeasible points; this method could be incorporated into a branching scheme. By combining the penalty method and the QP relaxation method, more than 90 % of the gap can be closed for some QPCC problems.
Comparison of CALOR89 model predictions with scintillator plate calorimeter data

Abstract The CALOR code system has been recently revised by adding a high energy collision model for energies ≥ 5 GeV. This version is called as CALOR89. Calculations with this version have been carried out and compared with experimental data from four test beam scintillator plate calorimeter configurations. The agreement is good within the systematics. The limiting uncertainty in CALOR simulation at 10 GeV is the choice of collision model. We have addressed this uncertainty by appealing to the experimental data and determined that by a careful transition from the Intranuclear Cascade model to the FLUKA model this can be reduced to 1.5%. The other mostly mechanical effects such as cladding, scintillator saturation, shower integration time and shower containment can each produce systematic shifts as much as 4%. However, careful modeling of the experimental configuration should allow the systematic effects from each of these to be minimised to 1%. We find that an overall systematic uncertainty of 2.5% in the model predictions may then be achieved.
Periaqueductal gray neuroplasticity following chronic morphine varies with age: role of oxidative stress

The development of tolerance to the antinociceptive effects of morphine has been associated with networks within ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and separately, nitric oxide signaling. Furthermore, it is known that the mechanisms that underlie tolerance differ with age. In this study, we used a rat model of antinociceptive tolerance to morphine at two ages, postnatal day (PD) 7 and adult, to determine if changes in the vlPAG related to nitric oxide signaling produced by chronic morphine exposure were age-dependent. Three pharmacological groups were analyzed: control, acute morphine, and chronic morphine group. Either morphine (10mg/kg) or equal volume of normal saline was given subcutaneously twice daily for 6½ days. Animals were analyzed for morphine dose-response using Hot Plate test. The expression of several genes associated with nitric oxide metabolism was evaluated using rtPCR. In addition, the effect of morphine exposure on immunohistochemistry for Fos, and nNOS as well as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d) reaction at the vlPAG were measured. In both age groups acute morphine activated Fos in the vlPAG, and this effect was attenuated by chronic morphine, specifically in the vlPAG at the level of the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDTg). In adults, but not PD7 rats, chronic morphine administration was associated with activation of nitric oxide function. In contrast, changes in the gene expression of PD7 rats suggested superoxide and peroxide metabolisms may be engaged. These data indicate that there is supraspinal neuroplasticity following morphine administration as early as PD7. Furthermore, oxidative stress pathways associated with chronic morphine exposure appear age-specific.
ABC's of Regulator Maintenance

A practical approach to the maintenance of electrical and electronic regulators is presented. It is possible to identify and record critical points which define regulator performance. This simplifies maintenance routines on complex networks and permits ready comparison with previously recorded data for evaluation and troubleshooting, thereby reducing training and diagnostic time. Examples of actual systems are given.
Energy analysis and efficiency assessment of reverse osmosis desalination process

Abstract A new concept of ideal RO process is introduced in this study for a more appropriate assessment of energy efficiency of water desalination, in which all the extra energy above the thermodynamic minimum is spent to maintain the required permeate flux. A pressure-recovery diagram was developed as a graphical method for better analyses and presentations of energy consumption in cross flow RO. It was demonstrated that the total energy input to a cross flow RO was much higher than the thermodynamic minimal energy for water desalination. Aside from the energy that remained in the retentate stream, a substantial amount of additional energy was needed in cross flow RO to maintain an economically meaningful nonzero permeate flux and overcome the elevated osmotic pressure due to salt accumulation along the membrane channel (configuration associated energy). The configuration associated energy became dominant at high recoveries and set the ultimate limit on the energy requirement of cross flow RO, which could not be reduced by further improvement in membrane permeability. Finally, the energy efficiency of cross flow RO was compared to an ideal RO process in which the configuration energy was completely eliminated.
Parasitization of Liriomyza spp. (Diptera: Agromyzidae) infesting commercial watermelon plantings in Hawaii.

Liriomyza sativae Blanchard and L. trifolii (Burgess) are the major insect pests attacking the foliage of watermelon grown on Oahu, Hawaii. Five spring and three summer commercial plantings of watermelon were surveyed in 1984 to identify major parasite species and level of parasitization of the Liriomyza complex. L. sativae was the predominant agromyzid species found in Kahuku, Oahu and composed > 70% of leafminers reared from watermelon. Overall, Chrysonotomyia punctiventris (Crawford) (45.2%) and Halticoptera circulus (Walker) (22.4%) were the predominant parasites reared from foliage collected in spring plantings. In summer plantings, importance of Ganaspidium hunteri (Crawford) (43.8%) increased and C. punctiventris (29.6%) decreased. Although insecticides were occasionally applied for secondary pests, the mean percentage of maximum leafminer parasitism was ca, 75.1%. However, pesticides were sometimes required for leaf miner control near harvest time.
Use of Cardiac Biomarker Testing in the Emergency Department

Importance Cardiac biomarker testing is not routinely indicated in the emergency department (ED) because of low utility and potential downstream harms from false-positive results. However, current rates of testing are unknown. Objective To determine the use of cardiac biomarker testing overall, as well as stratified by disposition status and selected characteristics. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective study of ED visits by adults (≥18 years old) selected from the 2009 and 2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a probability sample of ED visits in the United States. Exposures Selected patient, visit, and ED characteristics. Main Outcomes and Measures Receipt of cardiac biomarker testing during the ED visit. Results Of 44 448 ED visits, cardiac biomarkers were tested in 16.9% of visits, representing 28.6 million visits. Biomarker testing occurred in 8.2% of visits in the absence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS)–related symptoms, representing 8.5 million visits, almost one-third of all visits with biomarker testing. Among individuals subsequently hospitalized, cardiac biomarkers were tested in 47.0% of all visits. In this group, biomarkers were tested in 35.4% of visits despite the absence of ACS-related symptoms. Among all ED visits, the number of other tests or services performed was the strongest predictor of biomarker testing independent of symptoms of ACS. Compared with 0 to 5 other tests or services performed, more than 10 other tests or services performed was associated with 59.55 (95% CI, 39.23-90.40) times the odds of biomarker testing. The adjusted probabilities of biomarker testing if 0 to 5, 6 to 10, or more than 10 other tests or services performed were 6.3%, 34.3%, and 62.3%, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance Cardiac biomarker testing in the ED is common even among those without symptoms suggestive of ACS. Cardiac biomarker testing is also frequently used during visits with a high volume of other tests or services independent of the clinical presentation. More attention is needed to develop strategies for appropriate use of cardiac biomarkers.
Recent experiences with gestalt, encounter and hypnotic techniques.

I would like to propose the following basic principles about therapy. 1. The therapist must conduct the therapy or else no therapy takes place. As Horney and others have put it, patients come into therapy to enhance, repair and improve their neuroses. It is our job to redirect them towards growth and self-realization. 2. Patients are most open to therapeutic changes in an atmosphere of strong involvement—involvement of the patient with his own feelings and thoughts, involvement between patient and therapist. In groups, this intense involvement may occur between patients. Patients move best when they aremoved. I would include here the experience of feeling “intellectually” stimulated.
The End of the Person–Situation Debate: An Emerging Synthesis in the Answer to the Consistency Question

We review the history and current status of the person–situation debate. We propose that the person–situation debate (1) is over and (2) that it ended in a ‘Hegelian’ synthesis. Specifically, we propose the following synthesis resolution: There are multiple types of consistency; behavior is consistent for some of those types and not for others; and personality and traits exist in the forms that produce the consistent behaviors. Incorporating both personality processes and trait structures in research will move personality research forward. In this article, we summarize the advances that the two perspectives have generated by working in opposition; we explain why both sides will suffer from continuing to work independently; and we anticipate several future directions that synthesis-informed personality research can and should take.
Normal serum calcium levels in albino mice.

Abstract Normal serum calcium levels are reported for 235 albino mice, as follows: mean 83 sd 40 ± 1·09 mg per cent, range 4·8−11·2 mg per cent. These values followed a normal distribution.
Azlocillin levels in human tears and aqueous humor.

We administered 4 g of azlocillin sodium intravenously to 24 patients scheduled to undergo elective intraocular surgery and collected specimens of serum, tears, and aqueous humor from zero to six hours after infusion for assay by high-pressure liquid chromatography. We found that azlocillin is distributed into tears and penetrates into the aqueous humor of human volunteers with noninflamed eyes after a single intravenous dose. Levels of 4.17 μg/ml and 4.44 μg/ml were achieved in tears and aqueous humor, respectively.
Software design with invocation diagram

This paper describes a medium being developed for abstraction and expression of program structure. The medium is to be used to represent programs during the design process; It forms the basis for their implementation.The following point of view is adopted. Program design is an iterative, trial-and-error process, in which a basic solution to part of the problem is refined, added to, and modified into a complete solution. The final result should be well-structured in the sense described by Dijkstra (1) in order for the designer to understand the program sufficiently to be confident in its correctness.
COMPUTATIONAL GEOMETRY COLUMN 25

The recent breakthrough of Halperin and Sharir on the complexity of lower envelopes of surfaces is described.
Effect of atomic layer deposition coatings on the surface structure of anodic aluminum oxide membranes.

Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes were characterized by UV Raman and FT-IR spectroscopies before and after coating the entire surface (including the interior pore walls) of the AAO membranes by atomic layer deposition (ALD). UV Raman reveals the presence of aluminum oxalate in bulk AAO, both before and after ALD coating with Al2O3, because of acid anion incorporation during the anodization process used to produce AAO membranes. The aluminum oxalate in AAO exhibits remarkable thermal stability, not totally decomposing in air until exposed to a temperature >900 °C. ALD was used to cover the surface of AAO with either Al2O3 or TiO2. Uncoated AAO have FT-IR spectra with two separate types of OH stretches that can be assigned to isolated OH groups and hydrogen-bonded surface OH groups, respectively. In contrast, AAO surfaces coated by ALD with Al2O3 display a single, broad band of hydrogen-bonded OH groups. AAO substrates coated with TiO2 show a more complicated behavior. UV Raman results show that very th...
Cut vertices and their renormalization: A generalization of the Wilson expansion

Cut vertices, a generalization of matrix elements of composite operators, are introduced. Their renormalization is discussed. The Bogalubov-Parasink-Hepp-Zimmermann method of renormalization of cut vertices allows one to obtain a generalization of the Wilson expansion where cut vertices multiplied by singular functions appear rather than local operators times singular functions. A Callan-Symanzik equation for the moments of the structure function in e/sup +/ + e/sup -/ ..-->.. hadron (p) + anything is derived. This equation is valid to all orders of perturbation theory in both gauge and nongauge theories. Expamples of renormalization through the two-loop level are given.
Motion analysis of floating structures by a surface singularity panel method

A singularity panel method based on Green's function integral equation is used to calculate the motion characteristics of ships and offshore structures. The free surface and the body surface are discretized by source-sink and dipole type singularity panels. This reduces the governing integral equation for the velocity potential to a system of algebraic equations which can easily be solved by a computer. The added mass and damping coefficients are computed by appropriate summations along the body surface. The approach is unique since it uses the free space Green's function instead of more complicated Green's function satisfying the free-surface boundary condition. The applications of the method are limited to linear, two-dimensional, incompressible free-surface problems. The extension to three-dimensional geometries is straightforward.
Launch Vehicle Self-Sustained Oscillation from Aeroelastic Coupling Part 2: Analysis

Aeroelastic theory developed in a companion paper is applied to the analysis of a launch vehicle mission, and the corresponding loads are compared with those for other transonic events. Limit cycle amplitudes are computed for several payload fairing lengths using both the present theory and the classical approach for analysis of launch vehicle aeroelastic coupling. Thepresent theory explicitly identie esa generalized timelag as the critical parameter for aeroelastic coupling. The amplitude of the self-sustained oscillation can be signie cantly smaller than that predicted by the so-called stability criterion in the classical theory, depending on the value of this parameter. The singlemode representation forlaunch vehicle aeroelasticanalysis is assessed through transient analysis of the fully coupled system. It is shown that higher-order Fourier components of the oscillating e ow forces can excite system modes other than the bending mode, which was expected to dominatethecoupling. Data exhibiting oscillating e ow states during a e ight of the Titan IV launch vehicle are presented.
Challenges in Mucosal HIV Vaccine Development: Lessons from Non-Human Primate Models

An efficacious HIV vaccine is urgently needed to curb the AIDS pandemic. The modest protection elicited in the phase III clinical vaccine trial in Thailand provided hope that this goal might be achieved. However, new approaches are necessary for further advances. As HIV is transmitted primarily across mucosal surfaces, development of immunity at these sites is critical, but few clinical vaccine trials have targeted these sites or assessed vaccine-elicited mucosal immune responses. Pre-clinical studies in non-human primate models have facilitated progress in mucosal vaccine development by evaluating candidate vaccine approaches, developing methodologies for collecting and assessing mucosal samples, and providing clues to immune correlates of protective immunity for further investigation. In this review we have focused on non-human primate studies which have provided important information for future design of vaccine strategies, targeting of mucosal inductive sites, and assessment of mucosal immunity. Knowledge gained in these studies will inform mucosal vaccine design and evaluation in human clinical trials.
Methylnaltrexone attenuates taste aversion conditioned by low-dose ethanol

Previous research has shown that activation of a subset of peripheral opioid receptors located in the gut produce aversive effects as measured in the place and taste conditioning (CTA) paradigms. Endogenous opioid activity and tetrahydroisoquinolines (TIQs) are stimulated or formed after ethanol (EtOH) administration and both are known to activate opioid receptors. We therefore examined the hypothesis that a portion of the aversive effects of EtOH may be mediated through peripheral opioid receptors, activated by EtOH-induced opioids or TIQs. EtOH CTAs were slightly attenuated when animals were pretreated with the putative peripheral opioid receptor antagonist methylnaltrexone. By itself MNTX did not condition a taste preference or aversion. However, blood EtOH levels (BELs) in animals pretreated with MNTX were lower than those of saline-pretreated subjects, an effect that just reached statistical significance and was not present at specific EtOH doses. The results indicate that a portion of the aversive conditioning effects of EtOH (using a two-bottle CTA paradigm) may be receptor-mediated effects, exerted by an action on peripheral opioid receptors, but the specific mechanism of attenuation is unclear.
Viscoelastic analysis applied to the determination of long‐term creep behavior for magnetic tape materials

Creep-compliance experiments were performed for three representative magnetic tapes. Two of these tapes used a magnetic particle (MP) coating, and one used a metal-evaporated (ME) coating. The MP tapes used the following polyester substrates: semitensilized poly(ethylene naphthalate) (PEN) and supertensilized poly(ethylene terephthalate). The ME tape used an aromatic poly(amide) or aramid substrate. Time–temperature superposition was used to make creep-compliance predictions at 30 and 50°C reference temperatures. Comparisons were made with dimensional stability requirements based on position error signal (PES) specifications for magnetic tape drives along with in-cartridge creep specifications based on PES measurements. Circumferential and lateral creep strains were determined that account for storage of the tapes in a reel, and creep strains were predicted for future tapes with thinner, lower compliance coatings. A rule of mixtures method was also used to extract compliance information for individual layers of MP-PEN tapes, and stress profiles through the thickness of the tapes were determined. Additional measurements and analyses were performed to determine the creep recovery and shrinkage characteristics for the magnetic tapes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 1106–1128, 2006
Melnikov Analysis for a Singularly Perturbed DSII Equation

Rigorous Melnikov analysis is accomplished for Davey-Stewartson II equation under singular perturbation. Unstable fiber theorem and center-stable manifold theorem are established. The fact that the unperturbed homoclinic orbit, obtained via a Darboux transformation, is a classical solution, leads to the conclusion that only local well posedness is necessary for such a Melnikov analysis. The main open issue regarding a proof of the existence of a homoclinic orbit to the perturbed Davey-Stewartson II equation is discussed in the Appendix.
α‐Ketoglutaric Acid

α-Ketoglutaric acid intermediate: Triethyl oxalylsuccinate product: α-Ketoglutaric acid Keywords: acylation; cleavage, hydrolytic
RFID solutions for the express parcel and airline baggage industry

Texas Instruments has been developing a passive tag which removes some of the practical difficulties, meeting the optimum cost/performance trade off and performance requirements for two dedicated market sectors. In the form of a "smart label" the transponder electronics have been laminated into paper labels and plastic cards and this product is called Tag-it/sup TM/. This passive transponder has been developed for the target markets of express parcels and airline baggage though, over time, we expect that it will be adapted for use in other market sectors. In these two markets a flexible label is required where it can meet existing label specifications and form factors and be easily introduced into existing hardware.
Variation of net radiation over heterogeneous surfaces: measurements and simulation in a juniper–sagebrush ecosystem

As part of a larger study of carbon dioxide and energy exchange, energy components in an open-canopied juniper‐sagebrush ecosystem located in the semi-arid region of Eastern Oregon were measured with the eddy covariance technique. Daytime net radiation averaged 20‐30% greater than the sum of sensible, latent and soil heat fluxes. On cloudless days several days after a rain event the imbalance was 200‐250 W m 2 . At such times, differences between the surface radiation temperatures of soil and foliage were large, and we investigated whether such differences may generate systematic errors in the measurement of net radiation. A point measurement of net radiation above an open-canopied forest ecosystem is uncertain, because vegetation structure around the measurement location can be highly variable. Depending on location, various fractions of the upwelling radiation from the soil are intercepted by vegetation and do not reach the radiometer. To determine the magnitude of this uncertainty, we measured tree locations and dimensions, and surface radiation temperature (Tr) and shortwave reflection coefficients ( ) of soils and vegetation in a 100 by 100 m area. Geometrical models generated by ray tracing and rendering software were used to calculate the upwelling radiation that would reach radiometers placed at random locations above the surface. In summer, under cloudless skies the measured radiative surface temperatures of soil and vegetation varied considerably, from a mean of 56C for sunlit soil to 25C for shaded soil, and 27‐29C for sunlit and shaded vegetation (trees and shrubs). The mean shortwave reflection coefficient varied little between components (with vD0.10 for vegetation and sD0.13 for soil). Spatial variability in upwelling radiation ( Ru) arises mainly from component variability at viewing angles from 30 to 60, where contributions to Ru are large and variation in fractional cover between radiometer locations is large. Our measurements and modeling suggest that a radiometer deployed from a tower in a small clearing will only be affected slightly by the clearing since only about 10% of Ru arises from viewing angles less than 15 (directly below the radiometer). The spatial variation in the upwelling radiation reaching a sensor above the canopy increases with increasing differences between the radiation temperatures and reflection coefficients of the various ecosystem components. For the radiative properties found at our site, where the radiative temperature of sunlit soil was 30C larger than the temperature of vegetation and shaded components, the spatial variability in the longwave upwelling radiation (Rlu) was less than 20 W m 2 . The spatial variation in the shortwave upwelling radiation (Rsu) for the small differences in the reflection coefficient of the ecosystem
Hepatic Glucose Metabolism in Late Pregnancy Normal Versus High-Fat and -Fructose Diet

Net hepatic glucose uptake (NHGU) is an important contributor to postprandial glycemic control. We hypothesized that NHGU is reduced during normal pregnancy and in a pregnant diet-induced model of impaired glucose intolerance/gestational diabetes mellitus (IGT/GDM). Dogs (n = 7 per group) that were nonpregnant (N), normal pregnant (P), or pregnant with IGT/GDM (pregnant dogs fed a high-fat and -fructose diet [P-HFF]) underwent a hyperinsulinemic-hyperglycemic clamp with intraportal glucose infusion. Clamp period insulin, glucagon, and glucose concentrations and hepatic glucose loads did not differ among groups. The N dogs reached near-maximal NHGU rates within 30 min; mean ± SEM NHGU was 105 ± 9 µmol⋅100 g liver−1⋅min−1. The P and P-HFF dogs reached maximal NHGU in 90–120 min; their NHGU was blunted (68 ± 9 and 16 ± 17 µmol⋅100 g liver−1⋅min−1, respectively). Hepatic glycogen synthesis was reduced 20% in P versus N and 40% in P-HFF versus P dogs. This was associated with a reduction (>70%) in glycogen synthase activity in P-HFF versus P and increased glycogen phosphorylase (GP) activity in both P (1.7-fold greater than N) and P-HFF (1.8-fold greater than P) dogs. Thus, NHGU under conditions mimicking the postprandial state is delayed and suppressed in normal pregnancy, with concomitant reduction in glycogen storage. NHGU is further blunted in IGT/GDM. This likely contributes to postprandial hyperglycemia during pregnancy, with potential adverse outcomes for the fetus and mother.
DNA Binding Mode Transitions of Escherichia coli HUαβ: Evidence for Formation of a Bent DNA – Protein Complex on Intact, Linear Duplex DNA

Abstract Escherichia coli HUαβ, a major nucleoid-associated protein, organizes chromosomal DNA and facilitates numerous DNA transactions. Using isothermal titration calorimetry, fluorescence resonance energy transfer and a series of DNA lengths (8 bp, 15 bp, 34 bp, 38 bp and 160 bp) we established that HUαβ interacts with duplex DNA using three different nonspecific binding modes. Both the HU to DNA molar ratio ([HU]/[DNA]) and DNA length dictate the dominant HU binding mode. On sufficiently long DNA (≥ 34 bp), at low [HU]/[DNA], HU populates a noncooperative 34 bp binding mode with a binding constant of 2.1 ± 0.4 × 106 M− 1, and a binding enthalpy of + 7.7 ± 0.6 kcal/mol at 15 °C and 0.15 M Na+. With increasing [HU]/[DNA], HU bound in the noncooperative 34 bp mode progressively converts to two cooperative (ω∼20) modes with site sizes of 10 bp and 6 bp. These latter modes exhibit smaller binding constants (1.1 ± 0.2 × 105 M− 1 for the 10 bp mode, 3.5 ± 1.4 × 104 M− 1 for the 6 bp mode) and binding enthalpies (4.2 ± 0.3 kcal/mol for the 10 bp mode, − 1.6 ± 0.3 kcal/mol for the 6 bp mode). As DNA length increases to 34 bp or more at low [HU]/[DNA], the small modes are replaced by the 34 bp binding mode. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer data demonstrate that the 34 bp mode bends DNA by 143 ± 6° whereas the 6 bp and 10 bp modes do not. The model proposed in this study provides a novel quantitative and comprehensive framework for reconciling previous structural and solution studies of HU, including single molecule (force extension measurement), fluorescence, and electrophoretic gel mobility-shift assays. In particular, it explains how HU condenses or extends DNA depending on the relative concentrations of HU and DNA.
Risks to children from cellular telephone radiation

Are children more vulnerable to the microwave radiation from cellular mobile telephones? It is an open question. The paucity of laboratory results should make anyone hesitate in making definitive remarks on the health and safety of mobile-phone radiation on children. On the other hand, there have been plenty of computational studies on deposition of mobile-phone radiation or the specific absorption rate (SAR) in head models of youngsters and adults.
Wavelength tuning range enhanced single resonant band fiber filter using a long period grating (LPG) with ultra thin cladding layer

A unique fiber filter using a LPG with ultra thin cladding layer (/spl sim/32 /spl mu/m) is presented, which has a single resonant band within 1000 nm to 1700 nm wavelength tuning sensitivity as large as 30 nm shift for a 2/spl times/1O-3 surrounding refractive index change.
Cooperation Between RNA Polymerase Molecules in Transcription Elongation

Transcription elongation is responsible for rapid synthesis of RNA chains of thousands of nucleotides in vivo. In contrast, a single round of transcription performed in vitro is frequently interrupted by pauses and arrests that drastically reduce the elongation rate and the yield of the full-length transcript. Here we demonstrate that most transcriptional delays disappear if more than one RNA polymerase (RNAP) molecule initiates from the same promoter. Anti-arrest and anti-pause effects of trailing RNAP are due to forward translocation of leading (backtracked) complexes. Such cooperation between RNAP molecules links the rate of elongation to the rate of initiation and explains why elongation is still fast and processive in vivo even without anti-arrest factors.
Early-Life Socioeconomic Status and Mortality in Later Life: An Integration of Four Life-Course Mechanisms

Objectives Using data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we examine (a) how socioeconomic status (SES) at age 18 affects all-cause mortality at ages 54-72, and (b) whether the effect of early-life SES is consistent with the critical period, accumulation of risks, social mobility, and pathway models. We also explore gender differences in the effect of early-life SES and life-course mechanisms. Method Participants (N = 6,547) were surveyed in 1957, 1975, and 1993, with vital status established until 2011. We combine discrete-time survival analysis with structural equation modeling. SES and health behaviors are modeled as latent factors. Results Early-life SES affects mortality indirectly via status attainment and health behaviors in adulthood and midlife. This finding is contrary to the critical period and consistent with the pathway model. Persistent disadvantage at three life stages is a strong risk factor for mortality, thus, supporting the accumulation of risks. Moreover, the mortality risk of individuals who experienced downward socioeconomic mobility is comparable to their peers with persistent disadvantage. Discussion This study highlights the complexity of interrelated life-course processes underlying the effect of early-life SES on mortality in later life.
Enhancer-activated plasmid transcription complexes contain constrained supercoiling.

Abstract It has been proposed that transcriptionally active chromatin contains totally unconstrained supercoiling. The results of recent studies have raised the possibility that this topological state is the property of highly transcribed genes. Since the transcription rate of RNA polymerase II genes can be dramatically increased by the presence of an enhancer, we have determined if the transcription complex of an enhancer-activated plasmid contains totally unconstrained supercoils. Following transfection into COS7 cells, the topology of the transcription complex DNA was determined directly by agarose gel electrophoresis. We find that an enhancer-activated plasmid transcription complex is supercoiled, and these supercoils remain following topoisomerase I treatment. Thus the transcribing complexes contain constrained supercoils, and the level of supercoiling suggests a nucleosome-like organization. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that unconstrained supercoils exist in addition to these constrained supercoils in the transcription complex in the cell.
EXAFS simulation refinement based on broken-symmetry DFT geometries for the Mn(IV)–Fe(III) center of class I RNR from Chlamydia trachomatis

Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) catalyze the reduction of ribonucleotides into deoxyribonucleotides necessary for DNA biosynthesis. Unlike the conventional class Ia RNRs which use a diiron cofactor in their subunit R2, the active site of the RNR-R2 from Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) contains a Mn/Fe cofactor. The detailed structure of the Mn/Fe core has yet to be established. In this paper we evaluate six different structural models of the Ct RNR active site in the Mn(IV)/Fe(III) state by using Mossbauer parameter calculations and simulations of Mn/Fe extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, and we identify a structure similar to a previously proposed DFT-optimized model that shows quantitative agreement with both EXAFS and Mossbauer spectroscopic data.
All-optical demultiplexing of Nyquist OTDM using a Nyquist gate

We present an approach to all-optical demultiplexing of ultrafast Nyquist OTDM signals using four-wave mixing with a Nyquist gate. Our design does not suffer from the tradeoff between SNR and ISI of existing approaches.
A baroclinic quasigeostrophic open ocean model

A baroclinic quasigeostrophic open ocean model is presented, calibrated by a series of test problems, and demonstrated to be feasible and efficient for application to realistic mid-oceanic mesoscale eddy flow regimes. Two methods of treating the depth dependence of the flow, a finite difference method and a collocation method, are tested and intercompared. Sample Rossby wave calculations with and without advection are performed with constant stratification and two levels of nonlinearity, one weaker than and one typical of real ocean flows. Using exact analytical solutions for comparison, the accuracy and efficiency of the model is tabulated as a function of the computational parameters and stability limits set; typically, errors were controlled between 1 percent and 10 percent RMS after two wave periods. Further Rossby wave tests with realistic stratification and wave parameters chosen to mimic real ocean conditions were performed to determine computational parameters for use with real and simulated data. Finally, a prototype calculation with quasiturbulent simulated data was performed successfully, which demonstrates the practicality of the model for scientific use.
Intrauterine inoculation of seronegative heifers with bovine viral diarrhea virus concurrent with transfer of in vivo-derived bovine embryos.

Abstract Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) has been shown to be associated with single transferable in vivo–derived bovine embryos despite washing and trypsin treatment. Hence, the primary objective was to evaluate the potential of BVDV to be transmitted via the intrauterine route at the time of embryo transfer. In vivo–derived bovine embryos (n = 10) were nonsurgically collected from a single Bos tarus donor cow negative for BVDV. After collection and washing, embryos were placed into transfer media containing BVDV (SD-1; Type 1a). Each of the 10 embryos was individually loaded into an 0.25-mL straw, which was then nonsurgically transferred into the uterus of 1 of the 10 seronegative recipients on Day 0. The total quantity of virus transferred into the uterus of each of the 10 Bos tarus recipients was 878 cell culture infective doses to the 50% end point (CCID 50 )/mL. Additionally, control heifers received 1.5 × 10 6 CCID 50 BVDV/.5 mL without an embryo (positive) or heat-inactivated BVDV (negative). The positive control heifer and all 10 recipients of virus-exposed embryos exhibited viremia by Day 6 and seroconverted by Day 15 after transfer. The negative control heifer did not exhibit a viremia or seroconvert. At 30 d after embryo transfer, 6 of 10 heifers in the treatment group were pregnant; however, 30 d later, only one was still pregnant. This fetus was nonviable and was positive for BVDV. In conclusion, the quantity of BVDV associated with bovine embryos after in vitro exposure can result in viremia and seroconversion of seronegative recipients after transfer into the uterus during diestrus.
Brazilian Racial Terms: Some Aspects of Meaning and Learning

Harris notes that the New Ethnography has been characterized by a lack of quantitative methods. In a study of racial vocabulary in a Brazilian village, quantitative procedures are employed to show that, despite considerable ambiquity, a small portion of the corpus of 116 terms forms the cognitive map of most informants and organizes the bulk of the domain. Data on how children acquire the vocabulary is used to demonstrate that skin color and hair form are the primary variables.
The Effectiveness of Alcohol Warning Lables: A Review and Extension

Since the appearance of the federally mandated alcohol warning labels in 1989, there have been numerous research studies examining the effectiveness of the warnings. Such studies have explored awareness levels, risk perceptions, believability, attitudes, and behavioral changes associated with the alcohol warning labels. Unfortunately, although frequent and heavier drinkers are aware and have knowledge of consumption risks, they are also likely to discount such information and are quite reticent to change patterns of abusive behavior. Reasons for such resistance are offered based on what has been learned from cigarette warning research, the fear appeal literature, psychological reactance theory, the persuasive communications field, and studies of addictive behavior. Public policy alternatives are discussed, including the enhancement of warning information, counteradvertising, and alcohol education programs in the process of building cognitive defenses, changing beliefs, and internalizing alcohol risk information.
Rice pesticide concentrations in the Colusa Basin Drain and the Sacramento River, California, 1990-1993.

The pesticides molinate, thiobencarb, and carbofuran are applied to rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields in the Sacramento Valley, California, each year during April through June. These pesticides are of concern because of their adverse effects on water quality and their potential adverse effects on aquatic life. Therefore, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB) mandated the holding of irrigation-return water in rice fields to increase pesticide degradation and dissipation before the water is released to the Sacramento River. The CRWQCB also established performance goals to maintain drinking water quality for the city of Sacramento and to protect the habitat for aquatic life. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of increased irrigation-return water holding times on rice pesticide concentrations and loads in the Colusa Basin Drain and the Sacramento River. Dissolved pesticide concentrations were measured in water samples collected in May through July during 1990–1993 at the Colusa Basin Drain at Road 99E near Knights Landing (Colosa Basin Drain) and at the Sacramento River at Sacramento. Pesticide concentrations and loads at both sites showed a decrease from 1990–1992 and an increase in 1993. This trend cannot be explained by the yearly holding time regulations but can be explained by the amount of yearly emergency releases. The yearly changes in pesticide concentration detected demonstrate that continued monitoring and management of pesticides is necessary to maintain water quality.
Comparing Standard Versus Prosocial Internet Support Groups for Patients With Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Helper Therapy Principle

Purpose Internet support group (ISG) members benefit from receiving social support and, according to the helper therapy principle, by providing support to others. To test the mental health benefits of providing support to others, this trial compared the efficacy of a standard ISG (S-ISG) and an enhanced prosocial ISG (P-ISG). Methods A two-armed randomized controlled trial with 1-month pretest and post-test assessments was conducted with women (N = 184) diagnosed in the past 36 months with nonmetastatic breast cancer who reported elevated anxiety or depression. Women were randomly assigned to either the S-ISG or P-ISG condition. Both conditions included six professionally facilitated live chat sessions (90-minute weekly sessions) and access to an asynchronous discussion board; P-ISG also included structured opportunities to help and encourage others. Results Relative to the S-ISG, participants in the P-ISG condition exhibited more supportive behaviors (emotional, informational, and companionate support), ...
Active Boosted Learning (ActBoost)

Active learning deals with the problem of selecting a small subset of examples to label, from a pool of unlabeled data, for training a good classifier. We develop an active learning algorithm in the boosting framework. In contrast to much of the recent efforts, which has focused on selecting the most ambiguous unlabeled example to label based on the current learned classifier, our algorithm selects examples to maximally reduce the volume of the version space of feasible boosted classifiers. We show that under suitable sparsity assumptions, this strategy achieves the generalization error performance of a boosted classifier trained on the entire data set while only selecting logarithmically many unlabeled samples to label. We also establish a partial negative result, in that with out imposing structural assumptions it is difficult to guarantee generalization error performance. We explicitly characterize our convergence rate in terms of the sign pattern differences produced by the weak learners on the unlabeled data. We also present a convex relaxation to account for the non-convex sparse structure and show that the computational complexity of the resulting algorithm scales polynomially in the number of weak learners. We test ActBoost on several datasets to illustrate its performance and demonstrate its robustness to initialization.
Fast Spinning-Top Dynamics of Photorefractive Grating

The photorefractive grating along with the two coupled waves produce a rich spatiotemporal dynamics such as those of solitons and chaos. In this paper, we relate this dynamics to that of a spinning top where the photorefractive coupling constant is large or more importantly the photorefractive dynamics is much faster than the photorefractive response time of the material. The solutions are in the form of Jacobi's Elliptic functions where their periods interestingly depend on the boundary and initial conditions. In a special case, the solutions are not periodic and are described in the form of hyperbolic functions. In this study we also encountered two conservations laws: one was expected, namely, the total pump and probe intensity is constant. The other is that the sum of the weighted pump intensity and the grating magnitude is constant.
A Stringent Systems Approach Uncovers Gene-Specific Mechanisms Regulating Inflammation

Much has been learned about transcriptional cascades and networks from large-scale systems analyses of high-throughput datasets. However, analysis methods that optimize statistical power through simultaneous evaluation of thousands of ChIP-seq peaks or differentially expressed genes possess substantial limitations in their ability to uncover mechanistic principles of transcriptional control. By examining nascent transcript RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, and binding motif datasets from lipid A-stimulated macrophages with increased attention to the quantitative distribution of signals, we identified unexpected relationships between the in vivo binding properties of inducible transcription factors, motif strength, and transcription. Furthermore, rather than emphasizing common features of large clusters of co-regulated genes, our results highlight the extent to which unique mechanisms regulate individual genes with key biological functions. Our findings demonstrate the mechanistic value of stringent interrogation of well-defined sets of genes as a complement to broader systems analyses of transcriptional cascades and networks.
Fast Online Learning of Antijamming and Jamming Strategies

Competing Cognitive Radio Network (CCRN) coalesces communicator (comm) nodes and jammers to achieve maximal networking efficiency against adversarial threats. We have previously developed two contrasting approaches based on multiarmed bandit (MAB) and value-iterated Q-learning. Despite their differences, both approaches have demonstrated the efficacy of applying a machine learning technique to jointly compute comm and jammer actions in hypothetical two-network competition for an open dynamic spectrum. When sampled channel reward characteristics are time-invariant-i.e., stationarity of learned information, both MAB and Q-learning based strategies have resulted in the best possible reward empirically.
TPRIVEXEC: Private Execution in Virtual Memory

Private Browsing Mode has become a popular feature in modern browsers. However, despite its prevalence, a similar privacy enhancing technology has not been replicated in other user applications. PrivExec is an operating system service that provides an application-agnostic, system-wide private execution mode. We present TpriVexeC, a novel approach to system-level privacy support that affords faster application execution over PrivExec. TpriVexeC uses memory as its principal backing store but falls back to system swap on high memory pressure. Upon swapping, it encrypts and decrypts private application data as it transits into and out of disk. By doing away with much of persistent disk as primary storage, TpriVexeC provides stronger privacy guarantees and faster application runtime. As shown by our evaluation, TpriVexeC application performance is indistinguishable from a vanilla system and compared to PrivExec, it is up to 30 times faster in writes and 38 times faster in reads for I/O bound tasks.
Fertile Ground, Narrow Choices: Women on Texas Cotton Farms, 1900–1940. By Rebecca Sharpless. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999. xxiii, 319 pp. Hardbound $59.95; Softbound $19.95.

(2000). Fertile Ground, Narrow Choices: Women on Texas Cotton Farms, 1900–1940. By Rebecca Sharpless. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999. xxiii, 319 pp. Hardbound $59.95; Softbound $19.95. The Oral History Review: Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 184-185.
Characterization of dystrophin in muscle-biopsy specimens from patients with Duchenne's or Becker's muscular dystrophy

A deficiency of the protein dystrophin has recently been shown to be the probable cause of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. We sought to determine the relation between the clinical phenotype and the status of dystrophin in muscle-biopsy specimens from 103 patients with various neuromuscular disorders. We found very low levels (less than 3 percent of normal levels) or no dystrophin in the severe Duchenne phenotype (35 of 38 patients), low concentrations of dystrophin in the intermediate (outlier) phenotype (4 of 7), and dystrophin of abnormal molecular weight in the mild Becker phenotype (12 of 18). Normal levels of dystrophin of normal molecular weight were found in nearly all the patients (38 of 40) with 20 other neuromuscular disorders we studied. These data show the clinical consequences of both quantitative alterations (in Duchenne's and intermediate dystrophy) in a single protein. The biochemical assay for dystrophin should prove helpful in delineating myopathies that overlap clinically with Duchenne's and Becker's dystrophies, and it shows promise as an accurate diagnostic tool.