cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-level Adelges tsugae infestation detection in New England through partition modeling of Landsat data

Abstract The hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) (Hemiptera: Adelges tsugae Annand) is an invasive insect causing damage to Eastern ( Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr.) and Carolina ( Tsuga caroliniana Engelm.) hemlock trees in the eastern United States. Maine and New Hampshire are currently the northernmost front of HWA's range. Developing methods to locate newly infested stands is paramount in the effort to monitor HWA range expansion; presently, the most reliable method of detection requires extensive on-the-ground manual surveying. Field surveys for invasive pests like HWA consume multiple resources, limiting the amount of area that can be surveyed, and the results often misrepresent the true extent or patchiness of an invasion. Satellite based remote sensing, using vegetation indices, enables us to detect insect driven changes in forest health at a landscape scale. Our objectives were to classify HWA infested hemlock stands along the infestation front and demonstrate how the classification product could be used to improve HWA survey planning. Our workflow consisted of 1) modeling hemlock habitat suitability using a Maximum Entropy algorithm; 2) developing decision tree rules to classify likely infested stands from a Landsat time series, using the habitat suitability model to mask out non-hemlock areas; and 3) field check the final classification product. The hemlock habitat suitability model attained an overall accuracy of 68.2%. Partitioning of leaf-on multi-year (1995–2013) Landsat 5 and 8 data resulted in seven probability of infestation classes with a training R 2 = 0.782. Agreement between the classification and previously reported HWA infestations was 75.0% in conifer forests, 33.3% in mixed forests and 50.0% in deciduous forests. Agreement between the classification and test-survey locations was 78.6%; verified new infestations were detected as far as 19 km away from previously reported infestations. The methods presented outline how Landsat could be used to detect low-level HWA infestations. Classification products such as this ultimately could be used by federal and state agencies to target specific areas for efficient survey, suppression, and eradication efforts.
Bundle Reduction and the Alignment Distance on Spaces of State-Space LTI Systems

This paper introduces a large class of differential-geometric distances between finite-dimensional linear dynamical systems, collectively called the alignment distance. Contrary to the existing distances, the alignment distance is based on the state-space description of dynamical systems, and is defined on the manifolds of systems of fixed order and fixed input–output dimension under a matrix rank constraint (e.g., minimality, controllability, or observability). While the quotient topology and principal fiber bundle structure associated with such manifolds have been known since the early days of modern control theory, distances natural to this structure have not been studied. The starting point for defining such a distance is to identify a linear system of order $n$ with its equivalence class of state-space realizations, all related by the so-called similarity action, i.e., state-space change of basis under $GL(n)$ , the Lie group of nonsingular $n \times n$ matrices. The main idea of the alignment distance is to first find the best state-space change of basis that brings a realization of a system “as close as possible” to a realization of another system (the alignment step), and then compare the aligned realizations. A direct implementation of this idea, due to noncompactness of $GL(n)$ , is complicated. However, using the notion of “reduction of the structure group” of a principal bundle, we show that the change of basis can be restricted to an orthogonal change of basis, provided one uses realizations in a reduced subbundle. This key observation brings about significant computational benefits. As a technical contribution (possibly of independent interest), we show that several forms of realization balancing available in the control literature have differential-geometric significance, and are, indeed, examples of reducing the structure group from $GL(n)$ to its subgroup of orthogonal matrices $O(n)$ . The alignment distance can be defined for stable and unstable systems, discrete or continuous-time, and stochastic systems.
Track how technology is transforming work.

Without data on how artificial intelligence is affecting jobs, policymakers will fly blind into the next industrial revolution, warn Tom Mitchell and Erik Brynjolfsson.
Defenseless Under the Night: The Roosevelt Years and the Origins of Homeland Security: by Matthew Dallek, New York: Oxford University Press, 2016. Xiii + 340 pp. $29.95

In recent years, historians of American political development have shown how the state's role in twentieth century liberalism was forged in large part by the exigencies of war and national security...
Looking westwards: Men in transnational men’s magazine advertising in India:

This study examines advertising content of four top-selling Indian editions of transnational men’s lifestyle magazines (Men’s Health India, GQ India, FHM India and Maxim India) to understand how it...
Simultaneous analysis of intracellular pH and Ca2+ from cell populations.

Manipulation of cell function through stable transfection of agonist-specific receptors, components of second messenger cascades, or proteins with specific functional activities (enzymes, transporters, channels) has provided the tools to study intra- and intercellular signaling phenomena at a molecular level. In addition, cotransfection of cells with sequences coding for fluorescent markers such as green fluorescent protein has facilitated the selection and analysis of transfected cells. Techniques are also required to screen for and to monitor the functional changes associated with the genetic manipulation in order to investigate the physiological role of a component within a complex system such as a cell. Hormones and other agonists often elicit changes in intracellular pH (pH(in)) and/or calcium ([Ca(2+)](i)) that modulate cell responses. Thus, methods for comparing steady-state ion concentrations and the regulation of these ions between cell populations in which signaling pathways have been modified can provide an approach to screen for functional changes in signal transduction for selective agonists.
Ultra-high-definition display for light-field display

When an image shown on an 8K display is projected onto the entire hemisphere, the size of a single pixel is almost equal to 1’, which is same as human visual acuity. This indicates that the resolution of an 8K display is beyond the visual ability of humans, in most cases. A display can show not only an image, but also coded information on its screen. When this ultra-high-definition display is used as a light-field display that consists of a high-definition display and lens array plate, its redundancy of resolution is used for depth information of 3D objects, and a volume 3D image can be reconstructed near the screen. We fabricate a 3D light-field display using a 4K cellular phone and obtain a good image quality. An 8K display is more suitable for a light-field display that generates 3D images of higher resolutions, although the reproduced depth is limited. Herein, I report our light-field display utilizing an ultra-high-definition flat display.
Detecting explosive hazards in 3D radar imaging through clustering and sequential learning

In this paper, we present a methodology for detecting side-attack explosive hazards using three-dimensional radar imaging. Our methodology is based on clustering intensities of voxel cubes extracted around points of interest generated from prescreener filters. To make our computations easier, and results visually comprehensible, we break our voxel cubes into slices within the x-, y-, and z-directions of equal dimensions. With these slices, we explore various feature extraction algorithms: K-Means, Fuzzy C-Means (FCM), and statistical moments on the radar intensity slices to create feature vectors based on a set number of cluster centers and number of slices within the extracted cubes. We evaluate the performance of the features produced using Hidden Markov Model (HMM) classifiers on a set of lane data supplied by the US Army.
A Comparative Analysis of Tree-Based Ensemble Methods for Detecting Imminent Lane Change Maneuvers in Connected Vehicle Environments:

Lane changing is one of the main contributors to car crashes in the U.S. The complexity of the decision-making process associated with lane changing makes such maneuvers prone to driving errors, an...
Stochastic Earthquake Modeling with Discretized Line Source

An earthquake model is developed, in which the earth is idealized as horizontally stratified layers and the seismic source as propagating dislocation along a line. The line source is further discretized into point sources at equal intervals, and the times at which seismic signals are emitted from the source points are assumed to be Poisson events. The strengths of individual sources are assumed to be independent and identically distributed random variables. A generalized version of the random-pulse-train theory is then used to compute the mean and covariance functions of the ground motion at one site, and the cross-covariance function at two sites. The covariance and cross-covariance functions are converted to the evolutionary spectral density and cross-evolutionary density of the ground motion, which are useful in the computation of the statistics of structural response to earthquake excitations.. Numerical examples are given for illustration.
Structural Elucidation Studies of Aurintricarboxylic Acid, a Potent Inhibitor of Protein Nucleic Acid Interactions

The triphenylmethane dye, aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), whose commonly accepted structure is shown in Figure 1, is a potent inhibitor of protein nucleic acid interactions. First employed by the metals industry for the quantitative determination of the aluminion ion (1), this dye in recent years has been utilized extensively by molecular biologists for the inhibition of a wide variety of important cellular processes that ultimately depend on the formation of a protein nucleic acid complex. Numerous studies employing both procaryotic (2–8) and eucaryotic systems (9–24) have clearly demonstrated that the initiation phase of protein synthesis is extraordinarily sensitive to the inhibitory action of ATA; by contrast, the subsequent step of chain elongation is much less sensitive to the dye. Two review articles (25–26) summarizing the inhibitory effects of ATA have been published. Commercial grade ATA also inhibits the synthesis of ppGpp (27), the poly rA, poly rC, and viral RNA directed DNA synthesis by detergent disrupted virions of Moloney murine leukemia virus (28), and the elaboration of progeny influenza virus (29).
Output feedback based adaptive robust fault-tolerant control for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems

An adaptive robust approach for actuator fault-tolerant control of a class of uncertain nonlinear systems is proposed. The two chief ways in which the system performance can de- grade following an actuator-fault are undesirable transients and unacceptably large steady-state tracking errors. Adaptive control based schemes can achieve good final tracking accuracy in spite of change in system parameters following an actuator fault, and robust control based designs can achieve guaranteed transient response. However, neither adaptive control nor robust control based fault-tolerant designs can address both the issues associ- ated with actuator faults. In the present work, an adaptive robust fault-tolerant control scheme is claimed to solve both the problems, as it seamlessly integrates adaptive and robust control design techniques. Comparative simulation studies are performed using a nonlinear hypersonic aircraft model to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme over a robust adaptive control based fault- tolerant scheme.
A comparative study of the ability of methionine or linolenic acid to act as precursors of ethylene in plant tissues

Abstract A comparative study has been made of the ability of three plant tissues to incorporate 14C into ethylene from 14C-labelled methionine and derivatives and from 14C-labelled linolenic acid. Incorporation of label occurs readily from methionine and its derivative 4-methylmercapto-2-oxobutyric acid with apple, tomato or cauliflower floret tissue. No incorporation of label occurred, however, from uniformly 14C-labelled linolenate.
Lighting Up Cancer Dynamics

Live-cell microscopy has revealed that signaling pathways carry elaborate time-varying activities. Yet, the connection between these dynamics and cellular disease has remained elusive. Recent work leverages cellular optogenetics to analyze the Ras-to-Erk transfer function in cancer cells. These analyses reveal how changes to the filtering properties of a pathway lead to the misperception of extracellular events. Overall, these studies suggest that mutations do not simply hyperactivate pathways but rather can also change their transmission properties in more subtle ways.
Kuwait: Why Did Women’s Suffrage Take So Long?

Aissa asks why women in Kuwait did not win the right to vote until 2005, much later than most of the rest of the world—as well as within the Arab region. She argues that the explanation requires an understanding of the state-building process and state-society relations in Kuwait in the aftermath of independence. The first part of the chapter discusses the campaign for women’s suffrage and the main actors that supported and opposed women’s right to vote and stand for elected office. The second part conducts a statistical analysis of survey data published by the Arab Barometer to explain the individual-level determinants of women’s propensity to vote.
Abstract A054: Tumor cell intrinsic factors dictate immune cell infiltration and response to immunotherapy

The establishment of immune heterogeneity in the tumor microenvironment (TME) is poorly understood, despite recent data that the success of immunotherapies is dictated by the immune environment of the tumor site. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is characteristically devoid of CD8 T-cells and resistant to therapeutic intervention. However, a small subset of patients (15%) have tumors highly infiltrated by CD8 T-cells, correlating with improved overall survival. To better elucidate the determinants of immune heterogeneity in the PDA TME, we generated clones from spontaneous tumors harvested from KrasG12D+/-;Trp53R172H+/-;Pdx-1 Cre (KPC) mice, a genetically engineered mouse model of PDA. Using a panel of 17 tumor clones, we found the clones segregated in to two groups with differential immune cell infiltration upon implantation in congenic C57BL/6 mice. 7/17 tumor clones were categorized as “T-cell high,” with an immune infiltrate comprising CD8 T-cells and CD103+ dendritic cells (DCs). In contrast, the remaining 10 tumor clones were categorized as “T-cell low” lines, with the TME dominated by myeloid cells and macrophages, especially granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Hypothesizing that increased T-cell infiltrate would render PDA sensitive to therapy, we treated two T-cell high and two T-cell low tumor clones with combination immunotherapy. Mice bearing T-cell high clones responded to therapy (7/7 and 4/7 mice cured) and formed protective memory responses against secondary tumor challenge, while none of the mice bearing T-cell low tumors responded to treatment (0/7 and 0/7 mice cured). At baseline, T-cell high tumors had similar proportions of functional CD8 T-cells as in T-cell low tumors. However, the proportion of activated CD44hiPD-1+ CD8 T-cells was significantly increased in T-cell high tumors (62.2% vs. 35.1% in T-cell low clones, p Citation Format: Katelyn T. Byrne, Jinyang Li, Robert H. Vonderheide, Ben Stanger. Tumor cell intrinsic factors dictate immune cell infiltration and response to immunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Fourth CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; Sept 30-Oct 3, 2018; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2019;7(2 Suppl):Abstract nr A054.
The Broken Ethnography: Lessons from an Almost Hero

In the past, ethnographers often presented themselves in the classic hero frame, where they appeared authoritative and calm. Recent ethnographers, though, reveal hardship and vulnerability yet prevail as “new age heroes” who overcame danger and doubt. Missing are the important methodological insights of ethnographers who experience multiple setbacks and obstacles, ones that lead to a broken ethnography, or one that never materializes or starts. Here, the ethnographer suffers, becoming dispirited and wanting to surrender or give up. This paper breaks that methodological silence, showing how difficult gang research in Los Angeles County placed me in a broken ethnography, one where I became disillusioned and questioned my abilities and resolve. In the end, the experience revealed important methodological lessons, ones that provide guidance for future ethnographers.
Abstract 501: Anemia of Inflammation in an Exonuclease Deficient Lupus Mouse

Background: Patients with chronic inflammatory conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, infections, and cancer, often display anemia of inflammation (AI). 50% of patients with systemic lupus erythe...
Vaporization of liquid droplet with large deformation and high mass transfer rate, I: Constant-density, constant-property case

Abstract A numerical model based on decomposed vaporization mechanisms has been developed for the study of vaporization of liquid droplets with large deformation and high mass transfer rate. In this model, the vaporization-induced volume, energy, and species source terms in the gas phase are modeled using a body-fitted layer placed around the interface on the gas side. In this layer, continuous distributions of volume, energy, and species sources are specified by the conservation laws. A corresponding body-fitted sink layer is placed on the liquid side of the interface to account for mass, energy and species loss in the liquid phase due to vaporization. The formulation retains the advantages of interface localization methods and mitigates the error and complexity caused by the combined treatment of mass/heat transfer and interface localization. The new model is versatile and does not depend on the specific interface localization method, and can thus be implemented in any of the existing methods. As a specific example, the present approach is implemented in a volume-of-fraction (VOF)-based code “Gerris”. A number of test cases concerning liquid vaporization in both quiescent and convective environments are presented, with the constant-density assumption, to verify and validate this model in terms of interface localization. In particular, the vaporization of a single n-decane droplet in a uniform air flow of 1000 K at 1 atm is investigated. The predicted liquid volume evolution demonstrates the robustness and accuracy of interface localization for cases with large density ratio and high vaporization rate. Vaporization of n-decane droplets with large deformation and high mass transfer is also investigated systematically.
A cellular atlas of skeletal muscle regeneration and aging

Summary An individual skeletal muscle is a complex structure, composed of large contractile myofibers, connective tissue, nerve tissue, immune cells, stem cells and the vasculature. Each of these components contribute to skeletal muscle function, maintenance, regeneration, and if perturbed can potentially contribute to or cause disease that reduces muscle function. To investigate the cellular inventory of skeletal muscle we carried out single cell RNA sequencing on cells isolated from adult uninjured muscle, adult post injury muscle, and from aged uninjured muscle. Our muscle atlas provides the cellular landscape and partial transcriptome of pre-injury, post injury, and aged muscle, identifying dramatic changes in the muscle stem cell, fibroblast and immune cell populations during regeneration. Our data highlight dynamic changes occurring during muscle regeneration, identify potential extrinsic mechanisms that control muscle stem cell behavior, and underscore the inflamed state of aged uninjured muscle.
Granulocyte transfusions in leukopenic dogs: in vivo and in vitro function of granulocytes obtained by continuous-flow filtration leukopheresis.

The present studies were carried out to (1) evaluate a leukoadhesive technique for obtaining granulocytes for transfusion, (2) assess the granulocytes by in vitro techniques, and (3) determine the efficacy of granulocyte transfusion in preventing sepsis in leukopenic dogs. Dogs were rendered transiently leukopenic (< 500 per cu mm) by intravenous cyclophosphamide, 40 mg/kg. Quantitative and qualitative blood cultures were obtained from all animals until death or hematologic recovery. Granulocytes were obtained on nylon filters by a continuous flow system and eluted with an ACD plasma saline solution. Granulocyte function was studied in vitro by chemotaxis, phagocytosis, intracellular killing, and electron microscopy. In vivo studies consisted of the measurement of granulocyte increments in transfused leukopenic dogs, T ½ of infused granulocytes, and protection of transfused dogs from septicemic episodes. Eluted granulocytes, when compared to normal controls, showed reduction in in vitro functions. These functions improved in granulocytes isolated post-transfusion from recipient dogs. An average of 3 x 1010 granulocytes could be obtained during a 1-hr leukopheresis of normal donors. Increments in recipient dogs averaged 2590 per cu mm. Five nontransfused leukopenic dogs developed septicemia and died within 7 days. Six dogs were treated with infusions of granulocytes. Three recovered completely, and three died of thrombocytopenic hemorrhage with negative blood cultures. One dog showed a transiently positive blood culture that became negative following transfusion. Septic episodes were significantly reduced in granulocyte transfused dogs ( p < 0.01). It was concluded that continuous-flow leukofiltration yielded granulocytes in sufficient number and with adequate functional capabilities to provide significant protection against septic death in the leukopenic host.
Open Science Promotes Diverse, Just, and Sustainable Research and Educational Outcomes:

Open science initiatives, which are often collaborative efforts focused on making research more transparent, have experienced increasing popularity in the past decade. Open science principles of op...
Vasomotor influences on glymphatic-lymphatic coupling and solute trafficking in the central nervous system.

Despite the recent description of meningeal lymphatic vessels draining solutes from the brain interstitium and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the physiological factors governing cranial lymphatic efflu...
The influence of adjuvant therapy on survival in patients with indeterminate margins following surgery for non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract Background The significance of indeterminate margins following surgery for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is unknown. We evaluated the influence of adjuvant therapy on survival in patients whose cancer showed indeterminate margins. Methods Patients whose cancer showed indeterminate margins following surgery for NSCLC were identified in the National Cancer Database between 2004 and 2015, and stratified by receipt of adjuvant treatment. The primary outcome was overall survival, which was evaluated with multivariable Cox proportional hazards. Results Indeterminate margins occurred in 0.31% of 232,986 patients undergoing surgery for NSCLC and was associated with worse survival compared with margin negative resection (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.40-1.67). Anatomic resection was protective against the finding of indeterminate margins in logistic regression. Amongst 553 patients with indeterminate margins, 343 (62%) received no adjuvant therapy, 96 (17%) received adjuvant chemotherapy, 33 (6%) received adjuvant radiation, and 81 (15%) received adjuvant chemoradiation. Any mode of adjuvant therapy was not associated with improved survival compared with no further treatment. Conclusions The finding of indeterminate margins is reported in 0.31% of patients undergoing curative-intent surgery for NSCLC. This was associated with worse overall survival compared with complete resection and not mitigated by adjuvant therapy. The risks and benefits of adjuvant therapy should be carefully considered for patients with indeterminate margins after surgery for NSCLC.
Reminiscences: Â Bibliography of Computer Conferencing in the 1980’S

ABSTRACTMichael G. Moore provides a bibliography of Â the early, 1980’s, literature of online learning which was compiled when he was Director of The American Center for Study of Distance Education.
Effects of age on pre-stimulus neural activity predictive of successful memory encoding: an fMRI study

Pre-stimulus subsequent memory effects (SMEs), differences in neural activity preceding the onset of study items that are predictive of later memory performance, have consistently been reported in young adults. The present fMRI experiment investigated potential age-related differences in pre-stimulus SMEs. During study, healthy young and older participants made one of two semantic judgments on images, with the judgment signaled by a preceding cue. In the test phase, participants first made an item recognition judgment and, for each item judged old, a source memory judgment. Age-invariant pre-stimulus SMEs were observed in left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, left hippocampus, and right subgenual cortex. In each case, the effects reflected lower BOLD signal for later recognized items, regardless of source accuracy, than unrecognized items. A similar age-invariant pattern was observed in left orbitofrontal cortex, but the effect in this region was specific to items attracting a correct source response compared to unrecognized items. In contrast, the left angular gyrus and fusiform cortex demonstrated negative pre-stimulus SMEs that were exclusive to young participants. The findings indicate that age differences in pre-stimulus SMEs are regionally specific and suggest that pre-stimulus SMEs reflect multiple cognitive processes, only some of which are vulnerable to advancing age.
Chemical plasticity in the fine root construct of Quercus spp. varies with root order and drought

Fine roots of trees exhibit varying degree of plasticity to adapt to environmental stress. Although the morphological and physiological plasticity of roots has been well studied, less known are the accompanying changes in the chemical composite (chemical plasticity) of fine roots, which regulates both root function and soil carbon sequestration. We investigated the changes in quantity, composition and localization of phenolic compounds in fine root orders of Quercus alba and Quercus rubra subjected to drought stress. In both species the total quantity of lignins varied only by root orders, where the distal (first and second) root orders had lower lignin compared to higher orders. Despite a lower lignin content, the distal root orders had higher content of guaiacyl lignin and bound phenolics that would provide a greater meshing of lignocellulosic matrix, and thus a higher tissue integrity. Unlike lignins, drought altered the quantity and composition of tannins. In Q. alba, the ellagitannins decreased in the distal root orders exposed to drought, while the fiber-bound condensed tannnins increased. The lower content of ellagitannins with antimicrobial properties under drought reveals an adaptive response by fine roots to promote symbiotic association, as evidenced by the higher colonization of ectomycorrhizal fungi. Our study revealed that, when exposed to drought, the composition of heteropolymers are strategically varied across fine root orders, so as to provide a greater root function without compromising the tissue protection.
Rhythms, Reward, and Blues: Consequences of Circadian Photoperiod on Affective and Reward Circuit Function

Circadian disruptions, along with altered affective and reward states, are commonly associated with psychiatric disorders. In addition to genetics, the enduring influence of environmental factors in programming neural networks is of increased interest in assessing the underpinnings of mental health. The duration of daylight or photoperiod is known to impact both the serotonin and dopamine systems, which are implicated in mood and reward-based disorders. This review first examines the effects of circadian disruption and photoperiod in the serotonin system in both human and preclinical studies. We next highlight how brain regions crucial for the serotoninergic system (i.e., dorsal raphe nucleus; DRN), and dopaminergic (i.e., nucleus accumbens; NAc and ventral tegmental area; VTA) system are intertwined in overlapping circuitry, and play influential roles in the pathology of mood and reward-based disorders. We then focus on human and animal studies that demonstrate the impact of circadian factors on the dopaminergic system. Lastly, we discuss how environmental factors such as circadian photoperiod can impact the neural circuits that are responsible for regulating affective and reward states, offering novel insights into the biological mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology, systems, and therapeutic treatments necessary for mood and reward-based disorders.
Investigating the role of valenced framing in perceptions of good governance

Media play a vital role in strengthening and promoting good governance. This study explores how valenced frames affect perceptions of good governance by examining two governance issues (Flint water...
Hepatitis B Virus Infection

More effective and less resistance-prone antiviral agents are now available to treat hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Profound, durable, therapeutic HBV DNA suppression to slow and reverse the progression of chronic HBV infection is important, given the evidence linking high-level HBV replication and the late consequences of chronic HBV infection. This article reviews strategies for treating HBV infection.
Topological-Based Measures with Flow Attributes to Identify Critical Links in a Transportation Network:

An important part of transportation network vulnerability analysis is identifying critical links where failure may lead to severe consequences, and the potential of such incidents cannot be conside...
Homocystinuria: Diagnosis and Management

Homocystinuria is caused by a deficiency in the enzyme, cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS), and results in the accumulation of homocysteine and methionine. Homocystinuria is a multisystem disorder with significant morbidity and mortality if untreated. The goal of therapy is the reduction of total homocysteine levels. Treatment is multifaceted with dietary restriction of methionine and supplementation with betaine, B6, B12, and folate. Outcome is improved with early diagnosis via newborn screening and treatment.
The specificity of electron impact mass spectroscopy for the identification of N-ethyl-1-phenylcyclohexylamine (PCE).

The electron impact mass spectrum of N-ethyl-1-phenylcyclohexylamine (PCE) was studied using both deuterium-labeled compounds and structurally related analogs. The deuterium-labeled compounds used were d2 . PCE with two deuterium atoms on the methylene carbon of the N-ethyl group, d3 . PCE with three deuterium atoms on the methyl carbon of the N-ethyl group, d4 . PCE with four deuterium atoms on the beta carbons of the cyclohexyl rings, and d5 . PCE with five deuterium atoms on the phenyl ring. Structurally related compounds used included the N,N-dimethyl, N-propyl, and cyclopentyl analogs. The identities of some major fragments and possible pathways leading to their formation are shown. Electron impact mass spectroscopy is shown to be a definitive test for the identification of PCE.
Positron-Emission Tomography in the Study of Hepatic Encephalopathy

Positron-emission tomography (PET) is a quantitative technique that produces images of biological or physiological processes. The nature of the image depends on the tracer used: common tracers used to study HE include 18F-fluordeoxyglucose, a marker of glucose metabolism; 15O-water, a marker of cerebral blood flow; and 13N-ammonia, a marker of ammonia metabolism. Combined blood flow and ammonia metabolism studies can be used to calculate the permeability surface area product for ammonia at the blood brain barrier. To take full advantage of PET, the data should be analyzed using one of the several sophisticated image processing and analysis techniques that are available. Thus, PET is an ideal technique to evaluate ammonia metabolism and, because of a close linkage of blood flow and glucose metabolism with neural activity, to investigate the neural response to drugs and other treatments and to examine neural systems that mediate specific tasks that are impaired in patients with HE.
Hochschild DGLAs and torsion algebras

The associator of a non-associative algebra is the curvature of the Hochschild quasi-complex. The relationship ``curvature-associator'' is investigated. Based on this generic example, we extend the geometric language of vector fields to a purely algebraic setting, similar to the context of Gerstenhaber algebras. We interprete the elements of a non-associative algebra with a Lie bracket as ``vector fields'' and the multiplication as a connection. We investigate conditions for the existance of an ``algebra of functions'' having as algebra of derivations the original non-associative algebra.
Using data versioning in database application development

Database applications such as enterprise resource planning systems and customer relationship management systems are widely used software systems. Development and testing of database applications is difficult because the program execution depends on the persistent state stored in the database. In this paper we show that how versioning of the persistent data stored in the database can solve some critical problems in the development and testing of database applications can be solved by versioning the data stored in the database. Our solution framework is based on long transaction management, a well-researched branch of database systems. We also present empirical results that show the proposed framework's effectiveness in practice.
Teaching apprenticeships for engineering students

Students who pursue academic careers will eventually have a major responsibility for university-level education. Many undergraduates find pre-college teaching an attractive option, particularly in view of shrinking job markets. Even those students who find employment in industry will spend some portion of their time educating customers, vendors, colleagues and support personnel. Thus, teaching is an essential skill for our students, but one that is largely ignored in engineering education. This paper describes several efforts which engage engineering students both in teaching and in reflecting on educational issues. In one project, undergraduates serve as teaching assistants in elementary school classrooms helping teachers support children's investigations of everyday technologies and the urban environment. Many of the participants in this program have expressed strong interest in becoming K-12 teachers. In the second example, graduate and undergraduate engineering students collaborate with the author in teaching an undergraduate course. In a new effort, directed more specifically towards certification, engineering undergraduates work with exemplary secondary science and technology teachers. In each of these cases, participants have regular opportunities to discuss and reflect upon their teaching experiences. In doing so, they develop critical thinking skills, participate in the development of innovative programs, and perhaps help to reform educational institutions.
Mental Health of the Oldest-Old: Listening to Their Stories

As more individuals live past age 100, it is important for health professionals to better understand characteristics important to the mental health of the oldest-old in our society. Few studies have been conducted on mental health in this group, but current literature suggests these individuals are very resilient with respect to mental health and life satisfaction, despite their health disadvantages. In interviews in a variety of studies, participants talked of the importance of both inner and outer resources for empowerment. Greater understanding of mental health in aging can inform policy makers as they draft new legislation and programs to enhance quality of life for the oldest-old.
Brief Communication: Electromagnetic Fields Improve Visuospatial Performance and Reverse Agraphia in a Parkinsonian Patient

A 73 year old right-handed man, diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) in 1982, presented with chief complaints of disabling resting and postural tremors in the right hand, generalized bradykinesia and rigidity, difficulties with the initiation of gait, freezing of gait, and mild dementia despite being fully medicated. On neuropsychological testing the Bicycle Drawing Test showed cognitive impairment compatible with bitemporal and frontal lobe dysfunction and on attempts to sign his name he exhibited agraphia. After receiving two successive treatments, each of 20 minutes duration, with AC pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of 7.5 picotesla intensity and 5 Hz frequency sinusoidal wave, his drawing to command showed improvement in visuospatial performance and his signature became legible. One week later, after receiving two additional successive treatments with these EMFs each of 20 minutes duration with a 7 Hz frequency sinusoidal wave, he drew a much larger, detailed and visuospatially organized bicycle and his signature had normalized. Simultaneously, there was marked improvement in Parkinsonian motor symptoms with almost complete resolution of the tremors, start hesitation and freezing of gait. This case demonstrates the dramatic beneficial effects of AC pulsed picotesla EMFs on neurocognitive processes subserved by the temporal and frontal lobes in Parkinsonism and suggest that the dementia of Parkinsonism may be partly reversible.
Pedestal-Free Pulse Source for High Data Rate Optical Time-Division Multiplexing Based on Fiber-Optical Parametric Processes

In this paper, an RF-driven pedestal-free cavity-less 40 GHz pulse source for generation of high-speed optical time-division multiplexing signal is presented. The pulse source is based on pulse compression by means of self-phase modulation in combination with subsequent filtering. Further compression and pedestal removal of the pulse was achieved in one-pump fiber-optic parametric amplifier seeded by a continuous-wave laser source. The obtained idler pulses were characterized by a full-width at half-maximum pulsewidth of 1.2 ps and an SNR of 36 dB. Generation of 320 Gb/s data stream with a Q-factor of 20 dB is successfully demonstrated using the proposed pulse source.
Geometrical parameterization of the crystal chemistry of P63/m apatite. II. Precision, accuracy and numerical stability of the crystal-chemical Rietveld refinement

A script developed for crystal-chemical Rietveld refinement of P63/m apatite with TOPAS is implemented in parallel with standard structure refinement. Least-squares standard uncertainty (s.u.) values for directly extracted crystal-chemical parameters are nearly an order of magnitude lower than those obtained indirectly by analysis of atom coordinates derived by standard Rietveld refinement. This amazing finding originates partly in the reduction of the number of refinement parameters from 21 to 17 and partly in the fact that cell data now derive from crystal-chemical parameters instead of vice versa. Great precision and accuracy otherwise funneled into unit-cell parameters is then more distributed among mostly crystal-chemical distance parameters. The least-squares s.u. values are supported by analysis of numerous refinements of the same experimental data with added artificial intensity noise. Structural parameters from single-crystal results agree better with those extracted by crystal-chemical refinement. On the basis of singular value decomposition analyses performed using the program SVDdiagnostic [Mercier et al. (2006). J. Appl. Cryst. 39, 458–465], crystal-chemical and standard Rietveld refinements are shown to have similar numerical stability. Crystal-chemical parameters extracted by direct Rietveld refinement, therefore, are more precise than, more accurate than and numerically as reliable as those derived from analysis of regular crystallographic refinement of the same data.
Mitochondrial DNA mutations in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

We undertook to systematically analyze the entire mitochondrial genome by gene amplification and direct sequencing in 10 patients with myelodysplasia; results were compared with concomitantly studied 8 healthy volunteers as well as mtDNA sequences in a standard database. Nucleotide changes that were present in our healthy controls as well as those in published databases were counted as polymorphisms. Overall, there was no increase in the number of mtDNA genes harboring polymorphisms or “new” mutations between our patients and healthy controls, although there were a few more mtDNA changes resulting in amino acid changes in myelodysplasia (9 in 8 controls versus 16 in 10 patients). Thirty new mutations, all nucleotide substitutions, were found among the 10 patients, distributed throughout the mitochondrial genome; 5 mutations resulted in amino acid changes. None of the mutations in controls produced amino acid changes. We were not able to confirm previously described mutations in sideroblastic anemia or “hot spots” in the cytochrome c oxidase I and II genes. Our data do not support a major role for mitochondrial genomic instability in myelodysplasia, and they fail to reproduce previous reports of significant or widespread mitochondrial mutations in this disease. Modest changes in mutation numbers and mitochondrial microsatellites may be evidence of increased mutagenesis in mtDNA, or, more likely, a reflection of limited clonality among hematopoietic stem cells in this bone marrow failure syndrome.
Future studies of overactive bladder: the need for standardization

Clinicians and researchers agree that pharmacologic studies of the overactive bladder (OAB) require precise planning, strict adherence to study design, and meticulous attention to study conduct and statistical methods. In addition, there should be straightforward and highly directed formulation of the conclusions derived expressly from data that have been collected. The exact methods to achieve these ends, however, are often debated among statisticians and experts in study design and by physicians who interpret the clinical implications of the findings. For these reasons, the conclusions of clinical research in OAB are commonly criticized on the basis of study objectives, study design, statistical methods, or conclusions. However, a subtler, but possibly more critical problem exists: the method of defining the population and the methods for collecting the data for the efficacy outcome parameters, including frequency, urgency, and urge incontinence.
Recent updates in the “Synchrotron Radiation Workshop” code, on-going developments, simulation activities, and plans for the future

Recent updates in the “Synchrotron Radiation Workshop” physical optics computer code, including the transition to the Open Source development format, the results of the on-going collaborative development efforts in the area of X-ray optics, in particular grazing incidence mirrors, gratings and crystal monochromators, and in other areas, as well as some simulation activities for storage ring and X-ray free-electron laser sources are reported. Future development plans are discussed.
Is carbon capture and storage really needed

If CO2 cannot be stored at profit, perhaps it is best to switch to low-carbon alternative energy post haste.
Experiments on Downstream Fining of Gravel: I. Narrow-Channel Runs

We present the results of three laboratory experiments in which longitudinally sorted deposits were formed by feeding poorly sorted sediment at the upstream end of a narrow, 45-m-long channel. The input sediment had a median size of 6 mm and included significant amounts of material up to 64 mm and down to 0.2 mm. Water discharge was constant at 49 L/s and sediment discharge varied from 0.048 to 0.19 kg/s. Downstream fining was produced in all three runs; the variation in sediment-feed rate had relatively little effect on the fining profiles. In all three runs, the formation of a longitudinally sorted deposit was mediated by the formation of a coarse surface layer. The surface layer remained at the top of the deposit during aggradation by continually reforming itself at the deposit surface. The coarse surface layer fined by approximately a factor of 2 in D90 and D50 consistently in all three experiments. The deposit (subsurface) fined less, with D90 fining more strongly than D50. The short channel length a...
Effects of the southwestern corn borer on Aspergillus flavus kernel infection and aflatoxin accumulation in maize hybrids.

ABSTRACT Field studies were conducted in 1995 to 1997 to determine the effect of the southwestern corn borer (SWCB) on Aspergillus flavus kernel infection and aflatoxin accumulation in maize hybrids. In 1995, when A. flavus conidia were applied to silks in a spray and SWCB neonate larvae in maize cob grits were placed in the leaf axil at the top ear of commercial hybrids, aflatoxin contamination and A. flavus kernel infection were highest in plants treated with both the fungus and the insect. In 1996, using the same inoculation and infestation techniques, aflatoxin levels and kernel infection were much lower than in 1995 and SWCB had no effect on aflatoxin contamination or kernel infection. In another study in 1996, the effect of SWCB on aflatoxin contamination and A. flavus kernel infection in hybrids resistant and susceptible to A. flavus was determined. The inoculation-infestation technique involved applying maize cob grits containing A. flavus conidia and SWCB larvae to silks. When SWCB was combined w...
MicroRNAs that interfere with RNAi

A recent study by Massirer et al. in the nematode C. elegans has shown that a family of microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-35-41, regulates the efficiency of RNA interference (RNAi), revealing a new connection between these small RNA pathways. In this commentary, we discuss the potential mechanisms for cross regulation in the miRNA and RNAi pathways and the implications for gene expression. While miRNAs are genetically encoded, the small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that function in RNAi can originate from processing of exogenous dsRNA (exo-RNAi) or from the production of siRNAs from endogenous transcripts (endo-RNAi). These small RNA pathways involve Dicer and Argonaute proteins and typically use antisense base pairing to target mRNAs for downregulated expression. The discovery that loss of miR-35-41 results in enhanced exo-RNAi sensitivity and reduced endo-RNAi effectiveness suggests that these miRNAs normally help balance the RNAi pathways. The effect of mir-35-41 on RNAi is largely through lin-35, the C. elegans homolog of the tumor suppressor Retinoblastoma (Rb) gene. lin-35/Rb previously has been shown to regulate RNAi sensitivity through unclear mechanisms and the new finding that accumulation of LIN-35/Rb protein is dependent on miR-35-41 adds another layer of complexity to this process. The utilization of miRNAs to control the responsiveness of RNAi exemplifies the cross-regulation embedded in small RNA-directed pathways.