cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Circadian Clock Control of Translation Initiation Factor eIF2α Activity Requires eIF2γ-Dependent Recruitment of Rhythmic PPP-1 Phosphatase in Neurospora crassa .

The circadian clock controls the phosphorylation and activity of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α). In Neurospora crassa, the clock drives a daytime peak in the activity of the eIF2α kinase CPC-3, the homolog of yeast and mammalian GCN2 kinase. This leads to increased levels of phosphorylated eIF2α (P-eIF2α) and reduced mRNA translation initiation during the day. We hypothesized that rhythmic eIF2α activity also requires dephosphorylation of P-eIF2α at night by phosphatases. In support of this hypothesis, we show that mutation of N. crassa PPP-1, a homolog of the yeast eIF2α phosphatase GLC7, leads to high and arrhythmic P-eIF2α levels, while maintaining core circadian oscillator function. PPP-1 levels are clock-controlled, peaking in the early evening, and rhythmic PPP-1 levels are necessary for rhythmic P-eIF2α accumulation. Deletion of the N terminus of N. crassa eIF2γ, the region necessary for eIF2γ interaction with GLC7 in yeast, led to high and arrhythmic P-eIF2α levels. These data supported that N. crassa eIF2γ functions to recruit PPP-1 to dephosphorylate eIF2α at night. Thus, in addition to the activity of CPC-3 kinase, circadian clock regulation of eIF2α activity requires dephosphorylation by PPP-1 phosphatase at night. These data show how the circadian clock controls the activity a central regulator of translation, critical for cellular metabolism and growth control, through the temporal coordination of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events.IMPORTANCE Circadian clock control of mRNA translation contributes to the daily cycling of a significant proportion of the cellular protein synthesis, but how this is accomplished is not understood. We discovered that the clock in the model fungus Neurospora crassa regulates rhythms in protein synthesis by controlling the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of a conserved translation initiation factor eIF2α. During the day, N. crassa eIF2α is phosphorylated and inactivated by CPC-3 kinase. At night, a clock-controlled phosphatase, PPP-1, dephosphorylates and activates eIF2α, leading to increased nighttime protein synthesis. Translation requires significant cellular energy; thus, partitioning translation to the night by the clock provides a mechanism to coordinate energy metabolism with protein synthesis and cellular growth.
Affective autonomous agents for supporting investment decision processes using artificial somatic reactions

Sometimes, the conscious act of decision-making in humans is dramatically interrupted by situations that warrant an immediate response (e.g. when there is an imminent risk). The human body somatizes this interruption such that an action could be taken without a rational analysis. The above is known as a somatic marker. According to the somatic marker hypothesis, somatic markers could directly influence several ambits of decision-making. This research work presents the incorporation of artificial somatic reactions into affective autonomous agents who implement decision-making in the stock market. This implies the design of a general decision architecture for stock markets considering artificial somatic reactions and the definition of a set of decision-making algorithms for supporting investment decisions performed by affective autonomous agents (considering artificial somatic reactions). Test scenarios were defined using official data from Standard & Poor's 500 and Dow Jones. The experimental results are promising and indicated that affective autonomous agents are able to experience artificial somatic reactions and achieve effectiveness and efficiency in their decision-making.
Borreliosis Transmission from Ticks Associated with Desert Tortoise Burrows: Examples of Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever in the Mojave Desert

Ticks transmit pathogens and parasitize wildlife in turn causing zoonotic diseases in many ecosystems. Argasid ticks, such as Ornithodoros spp., harbor and transmit Borrelia spp., resulting in tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) in people. In the western United States, TBRF is typically associated with the bite of an infected Ornithodoros hermsi tick found in habitats at high elevations (>1500 ft). This report describes the first TBRF cases in people in the Mojave Desert (Clark County, NV). Individuals documented in these case studies were exposed to Ornithodoros ticks during excavation of soil burrows associated with Mojave Desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii), with bacteria from one of the human case's blood sample genetically matching to Borrelia turicatae as determined by quantitative PCR and sequencing. Our findings should serve as a precaution to individuals working with tortoises or animal burrows, or those in contact with Ornithodoros ticks in this region.
Electronic Structure and Stacking Arrangement of Tungsten Disulfide at the Gold Contact

There is an intensive effort to control the nature of attractive interactions between ultrathin semiconductors and metals and to understand its impact on the electronic properties at the junction. Here, we present a photoelectron spectroscopy study on the interface between WS2 films and gold, with a focus on the occupied electronic states near the Brillouin zone center (i.e., the Γ point). To delineate the spectra of WS2 supported on crystalline Au from the suspended WS2, we employ a microscopy approach and a tailored sample structure, in which the WS2/Au junction forms a semi-epitaxial relationship and is adjacent to suspended WS2 regions. The photoelectron spectra, as a function of WS2 thickness, display the expected splitting of the highest occupied states at the Γ point. In multilayer WS2, we discovered variations in the electronic states that spatially align with the crystalline grains of underlying Au. Corroborated by density functional theory calculations, we attribute the electronic structure variations to stacking variations within the WS2 films. We propose that strong interactions exerted by Au grains cause slippage of the interfacing WS2 layer with respect to the rest of the WS2 film. Our findings illustrate that the electronic properties of transition metal dichalcogenides, and more generally 2D layered materials, are physically altered by the interactions with the interfacing materials, in addition to the electron screening and defects that have been widely considered.
Economic Demand Theory and Psychological Studies of Choice1

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces a framework borrowed from economics within which choices between different commodities may be studied in a consistent manner. This framework is “demand theory” and the particular concept within demand theory that most directly applies to studies of choice is that of “substitutability.” The relationship between psychology and economic demand theory is explored. The chapter explores that demand theory is not so much a psychological theory as it is a definition of psychological utility. It specifies an internal mechanism or can be proven true or false. Using economic concepts of budget lines, indifference curves, and substitutability, two series of experiments are conducted involving rats' choices between two different commodities. Consumption of the commodities changed as changes are introduced into the budget set-the rats consumed more of the lower priced commodity and less of the higher priced commodity. Through computer simulation, the maximization of overall rate of reinforcement results in matching of relative rate of responding to relative rate of reinforcement.
The repeated DNA sequences of Microtinae. II. Localization and interdispersion of repeated sequences in Microtus agrestis.

Abstract The repetitive DNA of Microtus agrestis which reassociates at a C0t of less than 5 is composed of two highly repetitive satellite-like components, comprising about 8 % of the nuclear DNA, and a fast-intermediate repetitive DNA component comprising about 17 %. In this investigation, labelled complementary RNA (c-RNA) to these components was synthesized and hybridized with a vast excess of nuclear DNA fragments at short, single-stranded terminal regions, mechanically generated by mild shear. Following density gradient centrifugation in neutral CsCl, the UV absorbance and amount of labelled hybrid within each fraction were determined. The resulting radioactive labelling patterns of the hybrids, after superimposition upon the UV absorbance patterns of the DNA, served as markers for the determination of the buoyant densities of the repetitive DNA components, as well as the study of their organization within nuclear DNA. The results suggest that the three repetitive DNA components are interdispersed since they cannot be isolated totally free from each other and their buoyant densities are dependent upon the molecular weight of the nuclear DNA. In situ hybridization of c-RNA to the three repetitive DNAs with metaphase chromosomes showed a preferential labelling of the giant and heterochromatic sex chromosomes, and a small amount of labelling over the centromeric regions and arms of the autosomes.
Dynamic Response of Equity Market Returns to Corporate Profit Growth Shock

This study investigates how returns on the S&P 500 (SP) dynamically respond to the aggregate corporate profit growth (CP) shock. The results from running the VAR model using quarterly data from 1951Q4 to 2012Q4 shows that returns on the SP significantly and positively respond to the CP shock instantly in the first quarter and retreat back to the zero territory afterwards. The results obtained from running the Granger-causality Wald tests show that CP Granger-causes SP to spike. CP forecasts about 3.50% of variability of the returns on the SP at the two- to eight-quarter horizons.
California's paid leave law : A model for other states?

SUMMARY On July 1, 2004 California implemented the first and only paid family leave bill in the nation's history. This article explores the formulation and passage of the law and reviews its utilization patterns and impact one year later. Included is a brief historical overview of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; the role of the states in the development of leave policy before and after the passage of the FMLA; the unique political and economic circumstances surrounding the adoption of California's law in 2002; and a discussion of whether or not the nation's only paid family leave law is a model for other states to follow.
Orbit Theorems and Sampling

This paper proposes a notion of smooth action on a manifold, and establishes a general integrability result for certain associated distributions. As corollaries, various classical and new results on manifold structures of orbits are established, and the main theorem on preservation of transitivity under sampling is shown to be a simple consequence.
Evaluating neutrality and the escalation hypothesis in brachiopod communities from shallow, high-productivity habitats

Background: Two hypotheses that can explain restricted distribution of brachiopods in present-day environments are: (1) escalation – more competent predators and competitors limit brachiopods to refuges; and (2) brachiopods are negatively affected by drift driven by demographic and environmental stochasticity. Brachiopods, once dominant invertebrates of the benthos, tend to be found in low-productivity habitats at present. But in the San Juan Islands, large-sized brachiopods occur in shallow and productive habitats with relatively high consumer pressure and space-limitation, suggesting that the escalation hypothesis may need to be modified. Questions: Does ecological equivalence explain brachiopod abundance, co-occurrence, and community-structure patterns in the San Juan Islands? Is brachiopod abundance highest in patches with the lowest intensity of biotic interactions and is their niche breadth smaller than in other groups, in accord with the escalation hypothesis? Methods: To evaluate the neutrality of hard-bottom benthic communities with brachiopods, I compare the observed patterns of the variation in community composition (measured by Bray-Curtis similarities) and co-occurrence patterns with those predicted by (1) randomized null models and (2) simulations of the neutral model of ecological equivalence. I analyse overall niche separation based on the relationship between environmental variables and abundances (percent covers) with the multivariate analyses at two spatial scales: patch (metre to decimetre) and site (decametre). To test the prediction of the escalation hypothesis, I analyse brachiopod niche positions and breadth by computing weighted mean and weighted standard deviation of patch and site scores occupied by brachiopods. Results: Variation in community composition among patches is generally higher than the neutral model of ecological equivalence predicts. Benthic groups co-occur less commonly than predicted by randomized null models in sites with high variation among patches. They show significant niche separation with respect to disturbance and substrate complexity at patch scales. Neither of two null models thus accounts for the microhabitat differences between brachiopods and other invertebrates. Brachiopods have unique niche positions in patches with the lowest disturbance, highest complexity, and highest percent cover, and have a smaller niche breadth, relative to other groups, along a disturbance gradient and with respect to substrate complexity. At the site scale, environmental variance in complexity and disturbance is lower
De La Retórica a La Práctica: El Enfoque De Derechos En La Protección Social En América Latina (From Rhetoric to Practice: Rights-Based Approach Social Protection in Latin America)

Spanish Abstract: Este documento busca contribuir al desarrollo teorico conceptual de un enfoque de derechos en las politicas y programas de proteccion social y analiza las lecciones aprendidas en algunos programas emblematicos de la region, que han buscado avanzar en un enfoque de derechos. El documento destaca la obligatoriedad y el valor agregado del enfoque de derechos, describe el contenido normativo del derecho a la seguridad social y describe los elementos basicos de un enfoque de derechos humanos, analizando cuales son las implicaciones que el respeto de estos principios requeriria en el diseno, implementacion y evaluacion de politicas y programas de proteccion social. Se analizan asimismo algunos programas especificos de proteccion social implementados en la region y se busca demostrar que, a pesar de la gran brecha que sigue existiendo entre la retorica de un enfoque de derechos y su operacionalizacion en politicas concretas, en algunos paises de la region ha habido avances importantes. Los logros conseguidos pueden servir de ejemplo para la consolidacion de un enfoque de derechos dentro y fuera de la region. El documento concluye con algunas recomendaciones de politica publica para consolidar un enfoque de derecho en las politicas y programas de proteccion social. English Abstract: This paper aims to contribute to developing the normative framework for rights-based social protection systems and discusses lessons learned in some emblematic programs implemented in Latin America which have sought to advance a rights approach. The paper first emphasizes the added value of the rights approach and describes the normative content of the right to social security. It then describes the basic elements of a rights-based approach and examine how is operationalize in the design, implementation and evaluation of landmark social protection programs in the region. The paper seeks to demonstrate that despite the large gap that still exists between the rhetoric of a human rights approach and its implementation in specific policies, there have been significant achievements in some countries in Latin America . It argues that some of the good practices in the region can serve as policy examples to follow elsewhere. The paper concludes with several public policy recommendations to consolidate rights perspective in social protection programmes.
A construção de uma moral da existencialização do indivíduo a partir da ética sapiencial kierkegaardiana em consonância com a ética prudencial kantiana

Neste artigo, sera deliberada a forma como a moral da existencializacao comeca por se formar nos escritos kierkegaardianos, principalmente aqueles que se restringem ao livro A alternativa e como a conceituacao de tais principios eticos relaciona-se formando um corpus sapiencial, aludindo-se, primariamente, a etica prudencial kantiana, em voga no seculo XIX. Abstract : In this article, shall be decided how the moral´s fact existential begins to form in a Kierkegaardian writings, especially those confined to the book The alternative , such as the concept of ethical principles related to form a corpus of wisdom, alluding to, primarily, prudential kantian ethic, in vogue in the XIX century. Key words : Moral of existence; Individual ; ethical wisdom.
Who, What, When, Where, How: Design Issues of Capture & Access Applications

One of the general themes in ubiquitous computing is the construction of devices and applications to support the automated capture of live experiences and the future access of those records. Over the past five years, our research group has developed many different capture and access applications. In this paper, we present an overview of six of these applications. We discuss the different design issues encountered while creating each of these applications and share our approaches to solving these issues (in comparison and in contrast with other work found in the literature). From these issues we define the large design space for automated capture and access. This design space may then serve as a point of reference for designers to extract the requirements for systems to be developed in the future.
The Utility of MR in Planning the Radiation Therapy of Oligodendroglioma

Newer methods of radiation therapy for treating oligodendroglioma after surgical resection have produced promising results using high doses of radiation, However, these doses are close to those that cause necrosis of normal brain, making the accurate spatial localization of tissue at risk for containing tumor cells more important. Because MR imaging is superior to CT in detecting some types of intracranial disease, nine patients with oligodendroglioma were studied with both MR and CT, Results were compared with surgical findings. In six cases, MR identified some tumor volume found during surgery that was not detected by CT. In addition, the interface between abnormality (tumor plus edema) and normality was depicted much more clearly by MR than by CT in most cases. Such superior depiction of the margins of abnormality is important for radiation therapy planning because of the known tendency of oligodendroglioma to infiltrate adjacent edema, making all areas of abnormality potential tumor-bearing tissue. Finally, MR showed normal brain tissue in areas considered suspicious by CT, because they were not well seen on CT in several patients. In these cases of low-grade oligodendroglioma, MR was believed to be superior to CT in providing information needed for radiation therapy planning because of its ability to distinguish tumor and adjacent edema (considered tissue at risk for containing microscopic tumor) from contiguous normal brain.
Comparative transcriptomics implicates mechanisms of evolved pollution tolerance in a killifish population

Wild populations of the killifish Fundulus heteroclitus resident in heavily contaminated North American Atlantic coast estuaries have recently and independently evolved dramatic, heritable, and adaptive pollution tolerance. We compared physiological and transcriptome responses to embryonic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposures between one tolerant population and a nearby sensitive population to gain insight into genomic, physiological and biochemical mechanisms of evolved tolerance in killifish, which are currently unknown. The PCB exposure concentrations at which developmental toxicity emerged, the range of developmental abnormalities exhibited, and global as well as specific gene expression patterns were profoundly different between populations. In the sensitive population, PCB exposures produced dramatic, dose-dependent toxic effects, concurrent with the alterations in the expression of many genes. For example, PCB-mediated cardiovascular system failure was associated with the altered expression of cardiomyocyte genes, consistent with sarcomere mis-assembly. In contrast, genome-wide expression was comparatively refractory to PCB induction in the tolerant population. Tolerance was associated with the global blockade of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signalling pathway, the key mediator of PCB toxicity, in contrast to the strong dose-dependent up-regulation of AHR pathway elements observed in the sensitive population. Altered regulation of signalling pathways that cross-talk with AHR was implicated as one candidate mechanism for the adaptive AHR signalling repression and the pollution tolerance that it affords. In addition to revealing mechanisms of PCB toxicity and tolerance, this study demonstrates the value of comparative transcriptomics to explore molecular mechanisms of stress response and evolved adaptive differences among wild populations.
Who are People Willing to Date? Ethnic and Gender Patterns in Online Dating

The United States is a rapidly diversifying country with ethnic minorities comprising over a quarter of the US population. By the year 2050, over half of the United States will be ethnic minority, underscoring the importance of better understanding race relations and willingness to date intra- and inter-racially. Data from 2,123 online dating profiles were randomly collected from four racial groups (Asian, Black, Latino, and White). Results indicated that willingness to date intra-racially was generally high and that willingness to date inter-racially was lower and influenced by racial social status. Because men evidenced an overall high willingness to date inter-racially, women’s willingness to out-date provided a more accurate depiction of racial social status and exchange. Women of higher racial status groups were less willing than those from lower status groups to outdate. Results are explored and discussed in relation to different theories of interpersonal attraction and dating.
Ethical issues in oncology biostatistics

A medical statistician's routine professional activities are likely to have important ethical consequences. This is due in part to the fact that good medical practice and scientifically valid medical research both require as precursors high quality statistical design and data analysis. In this paper I discuss various ethical issues that I have encountered while working as a biostatistician at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. I describe particular experiences and the ethical issues involved. Topics include medical decision making, benefit-harm trade-offs, safety monitoring, adaptive randomization, informed consent, and publication bias.
BONE MARROW (BM) LYMPHOID PROGENITOR CELLS IN SEVERE COMBINED IMMUNODEFICIENCY (SCID)

SCID is a heterogeneous disorder often associated with lymphopenia; hypothesized to be due to defective lymphoid differentiation or proliferation. We studied this hypothesis by analyzing BM mononuclear cells from 6 pt with SCID (as well as 5 age matched controls) for the presence of lymphoid progenitor cells. Such cells are E rosette , surface Ig and include cells that express terminal transferase (TDT), the common ALL antigen (CALLA) or p24. BM cells were studied using immunofluorescent microscopy. Over 1000 cells per slide were examined and counted. Two patterns were seen. Group 1 (n=2) with no detectable lymphoid progenitor cells were more lymphopenic (p= .03) than pt in group 2 (n=4). Both groups were more lymphopenic than age matched controls (p=.04). All pt had SCID based on absent response to mitogens, recurrent infections and failure to thrive. 5/6 pt had hypogammaglobulinemia. Group 2 contained 1 pt with adenosine deaminase deficiency on transfusion therapy and 1 pt with the spurious lymphocyte syndrome. These results suggest that some pts with SCID have reduced numbers of BM lymphoid precursors and the absence of such cells may be related to the severity of lymphopenia seen.
Toward Standardized, Comparable Public Health Systems Data: A Taxonomic Description of Essential Public Health Work

Over 2,500 local health departments (LHDs) in the United States share an overarching mission to ensure the conditions in which people can be healthy (Institute of Medicine 2002; National Association of County and City Health Officials 2006;). There is a nationally acknowledged need for managing the performance of these organizations to provide consistent service to all constituents and to be adaptable in an increasingly complex environment (Exploring Accreditation Planning Committee 2006; Salinsky and Gursky 2006;). Yet there is little uniformity in how LHDs are organized and little understanding of how work within LHDs is accomplished (Mays 2007). Despite local differences between LHDs, mission-driven commonalities are likely to exist and LHDs are likely to share common features with other organizational forms in the public and private sector (Rainey 2000; Beitsch et al. 2007; Mays 2007;). To accurately specify how common organizational features may influence performance, it is necessary to understand the elements of work (Pulakos, Arad, and Donovan 2000). Systems theory is a familiar framework used for understanding organizational performance (Bertalanffy 1968; Donabedian 1980; Nadler and Tushman 1988; Lichiello 1999; Handler, Issel, and Turnock 2001; Public Health Foundation 2004a,b;). An instance of systems theory applied to organizations is presented in the congruence model displayed in Figure 1 (Nadler and Tushman 1988). The model depicts an organization as a system of interrelationships and feedback loops. Inputs received from the external environment are transformed by work processes into outputs. Outputs influence outcomes (long-term results) related to the organization's mission and also produce feedback, which in turn influences the environment in which the organization operates. When management strategies optimize congruence or “fit” between the environment and the work, better performance in achieving outcomes is more likely (Woodward 1965; Nadler and Tushman 1988; Burton and Opel 1998;). Researchers have operationalized the work processes represented in the congruence model as a set of connected networks representing the employees, the tasks to which they are assigned, the knowledge they possess, and the resources to which they have access (Thompson 1967; Krackhardt and Carley 1996; Carley 2007;). Interactions between these elements can be studied with network analysis, a computational technique for understanding complex systems (Carley and Wallace 2001; Scott et al. 2005;). The goal is to reveal common patterns and insights that support management decisions to improve organizational performance. Herein this general theoretical approach is applied to public health (PH) organizations. Figure 1 A Congruence Model of an Organizational System Adapted from Nadler and Tushman (1988)
Overview of the CNS pharmacology of BW 1370U87 : a chemically novel, reversible, selective MAO-A inhibitor with potential to be a new antidepressant drug

BW 1370U87 is a potent, reversible, selective inhibitor of rat and human brain MAO-A with a competitive mechanism of action. The ED50 of BW 1370U87 for inhibition of MAO-A in rat brain is 8 mg/kg after oral administration, and the duration of action exceeds 7 hr. The ED80 dose for inhibition of MAO-A (20 mg/kg) elevates NE, DA, and 5-HT levels in brains of rats without significantly potentiating the blood pressure effects of a 15 mg/kg oral dose of tyramine. This dose of tyramine, extrapolated to man, exceeds the amount that could be consumed at one time from dietary sources. No inhibition of MAO-B has been observed with BW 1370U87 either in vitro or ex vivo. BW 1370U87 was effective in the 5-hydroxytryptophan potentiation test over the dose range that produced MAO-A inhibition in brain in both rats and mice, and it reduced swim stress induced immobility in the Porsolt test. The compound has positive effects on abnormal social behavior produced by early social deprivation in the rhesus monkey. BW 1370U87 had no adverse cardiovascular effects in dogs or rats. It also had no significant pharmacological effects on various isolated tissue preparations and did not cause changes in the neuronal transport or the receptor systems which mediate the antidepressant effects or side effects of the tricyclic antidepressants. An acute oral dose 100 times that which produced an 80% inhibition of brain MAO-A exhibited no signs of toxicity. BW 137OU87 appears to be a safe reversible MAO-A inhibitor with potential for treating depression, anxiety conditions, panic, phobias, obsessive compulsive behaviors, and borderline personality disorders.
Electronic structure and magnetism of metastable bcc Co(001)

Abstract The electronic structure and magnetism of thin films of metastable bcc phase Co(001) consisting of one-, five- and nine-layers is determined by means of all-electron local spin density full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) calculations at the lattice constant found for bcc Co stabilized on a GaAs substrate by Prinz. Band structure, surface states, density of states, charge and spin densities and contact hyperfine fields are presented. The center layer of the many-layer films yields a spin magnetic moment of 1.76μB which agrees well with results of bulk calculations for bcc Co. The surface layer has a moment (1.94μB) which is only 10% greater than the bulk value - in sharp contrast to the enhancement found for other transition metal surfaces [35% for Fe(001), 20% for Ni(001) and over 300% for Cr(001)]. Unlike these other transition metal surfaces, even the first layer below the surface layer in Co has the bulk magnetic moment - which indicates that the spin density, like the charge density, shows very short range screening of the surface-vacuum interface.
Tera-scale Computing - Interconnect Challenges

Future CPU directions are increasingly emphasizing parallel compute platforms which are critically dependent upon upon greater core to core communication and generally stress the overall memory and storage interconnect hierarchy to a much greater degree than extrapolations of past platform needs. Performance is critically dependent upon bandwidth/latency but must be moderated with power and cost considerations. Motivation, requirements, and potential solutions are summarized briefly in this paper.
Real Time Correlator for Detecting Single Units in Peripheral Nerve

An inexpensive instrument is described for isolating single units from the population response of a nerve bundle. The isolation technique, based on the different conduction latencies between two recording sites exhibited by different neural fibers, permits single unit observations in real time without complex computer programming. Excellent separation can be obtained in preparations of six to eight neurons.
Investigation of distribution factors for bilateral contract assessment

Abstract In deregulated power systems, several market models are prevalent as alternatives to the traditional vertically integrated utilities. Consequently transmission networks are subjected to various bilateral service contracts between customers and suppliers. These transactions adversely affect power system security, and are thus executed only as far as the system design and operating conditions permit. Therefore, fast assessment of the impact of such transactions is one of the prime responsibilities of any system operator. This paper presents a scheme for comprehensive assessment of the impact of multiple, simultaneous bilateral transactions on the operating state of the transmission network. It employs improved distribution factors derived from the base case Jacobian matrix, for computation of voltage and real power flow (and real power loss). Results are presented for three standard test systems, and a comparison with the AC load flow results (and results obtained using DC power flow based distribution factors) shows that the method is fairly accurate. The paper is organized in the particular context of bilateral transactions, but possible applications of the proposed approach are also enumerated.
Widespread Occurrence of Ergot in Upper Midwestern U.S. Barley, 2005.

Ergot, caused by Claviceps purpurea (Fr.) Tul., occurs every year on cereals and grasses in North Dakota, but the occurrence on barley (Hordeum vugare L) is generally sporadic with a very low incidence of sclerotia. Disease surveys conducted during the 2005 growing season revealed an unusually widespread occurrence. This is of concern since barley production in North Dakota was estimated at 1.25 million metric tons, 27% of the total 2005 U.S. production. Barley samples (n = 304, ~0.50 kg) collected in all crop-reporting districts of North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, and northeastern Montana, as part of an annual regional survey of barley crop quality (4), were examined for sclerotia. All barley samples were cleaned for dockage, and ergot (% [w/w]) was estimated on subsamples of ~100 g from a sample divider. Of all barley samples collected, 62% contained ergots. The regional average for ergot infested kernels was 0.06%, and samples ranged from <0.01 to 1.19%. Approximately 15% of all samples were in ex...
Bright-spot detection in pyramids

Abstract The determination of bright spots in an image is an operation that has many uses in image analysis, especially when the images can be transforms of other images. Parallel pyramid machines can rapidly determine bright spots with particular local and/or global properties very efficiently. A variety of algorithms for finding various kinds of bright spots using pyramid machines are presented. Some of these find sets of bright spots in parallel. An analysis of the kinds of spots that can be found is presented. Applications of the approach are described in finding seed pixels for region growing, obtaining starting points for contour following, and identifying representative pixels in regions.
Saturn A ring surface mass densities from spiral density wave dispersion behavior

Abstract We have undertaken an analysis of the Voyager photopolarimeter (PPS) stellar occultation data of Saturn's A ring. The Voyager PPS observed the bright star δ Scorpii as it was occulted by Saturn's main rings during the spacecraft flyby of the Saturn system in 1981. The occultation measurement produced a ring profile with radial resolution of approximately 100 m, and radial structure is evident in the profile down to the resolution limit. We have applied an autoregressive technique to the data for estimating the power spectrum as a function of radius, which has allowed us to identify 40 spiral density waves in Saturn's A ring, associated with the strongest torques due to forcing from the moons. The majority of the detected waves are observed to disperse linearly in regions beginning a few kilometers from the resonance location. We have used the dispersion behavior for those waves to calculate local surface mass densities in the vicinity of each wave. We find that the inner three-quarters of the A ring (up to the beginning of the Encke gap) has an average surface mass density of 43.8±7.9 g cm −2 , while the outer region has an average surface mass density of 28.3±10.8 g cm −2 . The two regions have different mean surface mass densities with a significance of approximately 0.999993, as estimated with a T-statistic, which corresponds to about 4.5σ. While the mean optical depth of the A ring increases slightly with increasing distance from Saturn, we find that it is not significantly correlated with the surface mass density; the two quantities having a linear Pearson's correlation coefficient of rcorr≈−0.03. The variation of mass density, independent of PPS optical depth, is consistent with previous conjectures that the particle size distribution and composition are not constant across the entire A ring, particularly in the very outer portion. We estimate the mass of Saturn's A ring from our surface mass density estimates as 4.9×1021 gm, or 8.61×10−9 of the mass of Saturn, roughly equivalent to the mass of a 110-km diameter icy satellite. This mass is almost 25% smaller than estimates from previous studies, but is well within the expected errors of the derived mass densities. We also identified three previously unstudied features which exhibit linear dispersion. The strongest of these features is tentatively identified as the Janus 13:11 density wave. The other two features do not fall near any known satellite resonances and may represent density waves created by previously undetected satellites.
Nephrotoxicity of cadmium-metallothionein : Protection by zinc and role of glutathione

Chronic cadmium (Cd) exposure can cause renal proximal tubular dysfunction resulting from the release of Cd metallothionein (CdMT) from the liver and its accumulation and degradation in the renal tubular epithelial cells. Pretreatment with zinc (Zn) can protect against acute CdMT nephrotoxicity. While induction of MT by Zn plays a part in Zn protection, other factors, such as glutathione (GSH), may also be involved because protection is offered even in MT-null mice. The present study was designed to investigate the involvement of GSH in Zn protection against acute CdMT nephrotoxicity. The study was carried out in MT-null mice to remove the induction of MT by Zn as a confounding variable. Three approaches were used to modulate renal cortex GSH levels: buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) was administered to inhibit GSH synthesis, and GSH and Zn were administered to increase the GSH levels. Both GSH and Zn were effective in protecting against CdMT nephrotoxicity. Elevation in renal cortex GSH levels, however, was not essential for Zn protection, as a low dose of Zn that caused no significant increase in renal GSH also protected against CdMT. On the other hand, maintenance of normal GSH status was essential for Zn protection, as inhibition of GSH synthesis abolished this protection. Both GSH and Zn reduced the accumulation of Cd as well as MT in the renal cortex, with Zn causing greater reduction in Cd accumulation than that of MT. The relative intracellular distribution of Cd was unaltered. These results suggest that in MT-null mice Zn protects against CdMT nephrotoxicity by possibly displacing some of the Cd from CdMT as well as reducing the uptake of CdMT, and that this protection requires the maintenance of normal GSH status.
Challenges for High-Performance Networking for Exascale Computing

Achieving the next three orders of magnitude performance increase to move from petascale to exascale computing will require a significant advancements in several fundamental areas. Recent studies have outlined many of the challenges in hardware and software that will be needed. In this paper, we examine these challenges with respect to high-performance networking. We describe the repercussions of anticipated changes to computing and networking hardware and discuss the impact that alternative parallel programming models will have on the network software stack. We also present some ideas on possible approaches that address some of these challenges.
Equilibrium assignments in pairwise team contests: How to form political slates and tennis teams

Abstract We study the problem political parties face in matching candidates when multiple elections take place simultaneously. This game has the same structure as the assignment game tennis coaches play in dual team matches. Assigning players to matches according to their abilities is an equilibrium strategy only when all feasible player match-ups result in the same payoffs. Otherwise, one team prefers to manipulate its assignment strategically to gain advantages in a subset of matches. Assigning players to matches with equal probabilities, making all match-ups equally likely, is the unique equilibrium generically. Either the stronger or weaker side gains in equilibrium relative to the outcome under enforcement of ‘fair rankings’.
SU-E-J-93: Fourier Transform-Based Medical Image Registration.

Purpose: To evaluate the use of a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) based pattern‐matching algorithm for two‐dimensional translational and rotational medical image registration.Methods: The FFT pattern matching algorithm is based on the Fourier shift theorem. Briefly, image registration is accomplished by obtaining the Fourier Transform (FT) of two images, taking the normalized cross‐correlation of the two FT, and performing an inverse FT on this correlation matrix. This results in a Dirchlet delta function that has a maximum value at a location corresponding to the translational shift between the two images. Rotational registration can also be achieved by performing this algorithm on the polar transformation of the FT images. The FT registration method was evaluated through the use of clinical images with induced translational and rotational shifts. Results: Over a range of induced shifts of +/−10 mm in both the x and y directions, and induced rotations of +/−10 degrees, all recovered rotations were within 0.1 degree of the induced rotation, and all recovered translations were within 0.5 mm of the induced translation. The computational time of the FT registration on a 1024×1024 image was approximately 2.23 sec. Conclusions: An FFT based image registration algorithm is computationally efficient and provides a high degree of accuracy for two dimensional image registrations. The FFT registration approach provides a distinct analytical solution and does not rely on iterative methods to converge on a solution. In addition, the discrete nature of the FFT means that the accuracy of the solution is directly related to the size of the pixels in the images. The equivalent of sub‐pixel registration can be achieved by simply resizing the image to a larger matrix (i.e. 512×512 to 1024×1024).
Energy Splitting, Substantial Inequality, and Minimization for the Faddeev and Skyrme Models

In this paper, we prove that the Faddeev energy E1 at the unit Hopf charge is attainable. The proof is based on utilizing an important inequality called the substantial inequality in our previous paper which describes how the Faddeev energy splits into its sublevels in terms of energy and topology when compactness fails. With the help of an optimal Sobolev estimate of the Faddeev energy lower bound and an upper bound of E1, we show that E1 is attainable. For the two-dimensional Skyrme model, we prove that the substantial inequality is also valid, which allows us to greatly improve the range of the coupling parameters for the existence of unit-charge solitons previously guaranteed in a smaller range of the coupling parameters by the validity of the concentration-compactness method.
The fluid mechanics of photothermal systems

The flow of a binary mixture of perfect gases confined in a cylindrical container and excited by a pulsed laser beam is treated using linear theory. Chebyshev methods and a variable time step implicit scheme are employed to obtain an accurate numerical method for solving the equations of motion. The results of sample calculations are presented to assess previous theories of the flow in photothermal systems.
Small Changes Huge Impact: The Role of Protein Posttranslational Modifications in Cellular Homeostasis and Disease

Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) modulate protein function in most eukaryotes and have a ubiquitous role in diverse range of cellular functions. Identification, characterization, and mapping of these modifications to specific amino acid residues on proteins are critical towards understanding their functional significance in a biological context. The interpretation of proteome data obtained from the high-throughput methods cannot be deciphered unambiguously without a priori knowledge of protein modifications. An in-depth understanding of protein PTMs is important not only for gaining a perception of a wide array of cellular functions but also towards developing drug therapies for many life-threatening diseases like cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Many of the protein modifications like ubiquitination play a decisive role in various drug response(s) and eventually in disease prognosis. Thus, many commonly observed PTMs are routinely tracked as disease markers while many others are used as molecular targets for developing target-specific therapies. In this paper, we summarize some of the major, well-studied protein alterations and highlight their importance in various chronic diseases and normal development. In addition, other promising minor modifications such as SUMOylation, observed to impact cellular dynamics as well as disease pathology, are mentioned briefly.
Observation of mass transport on Au(110)-(1 × 2) reconstructed surfaces using scanning tunneling microscopy☆

Abstract Observations of the temporal evolution of antiphase boundaries on Au(110)-(1 × 2) surfaces using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are discussed. Our results support the suggestion that mass transport via kink sites is important for the nucleation and growth of the (1 × 2) phase. Cross-channel motion of atoms in the [001] direction is also observed, but less frequently, resulting in the collapse of domain wall structures. We propose that atomic rows of the superstructure-forming antiphase domain walls perpendicular to the [110] direction move in a concerted fashion.
Some effects of a power plant on marine microbiota

Various analytical methods, including primary productivity, chlorophylla, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), bacterial counts, total and dissolved solids, temperature and dissolved oxygen were used to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of power plant cooling water on marine microbiota. Both “shock” effects and changes occurring as organisms remained exposed to the warmer effluent were determined by following and sampling the heated water as it flowed out the discharge canal.
Anal atresia, eye anomalies, and an additional small abnormal acrocentric chromosome (47,XX,mar+): Report of a case

A 2 1/2-year-old girl had anal atresia, bilateral microphthalmia, and preauricular skin tags. Her clinical pattern resembled that of 6 reported cases, all of which had an extra small acrocentric chromosome. Chromosome analysis revealed a similar extra acrocentric chromosome, which is smaller than a G group chromosome. These clinical and cytogenetic findings support the concept of a distinctive partial trisomy syndrome. The extra chromosome shows late labeling with autoradiography using tritiated thymidine. Gene marker and chromosome family studies have not revealed any unusual inheritance patterns or the origin of the marker chromosome.
The role of magnetostriction in pulsed laser irradiation of amorphous alloys

Abstract Samples of Fe 66 Co 18 B 15 Si 1 , Fe 40 Ni 38 Mo 4 B 18 and Fe 72.6 Cr 22 Al 4.8 Si 0.3 Y 0.3 metallic glasses were irradiated with a pulsed alexandrite laser ( λ =750 nm, τ =60 μs) using different laser fluences. Irradiation-induced structural and property modifications were characterized using Mossbauer spectroscopy. Complementary information was obtained from hysteresis loop measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The experimental data obtained demonstrate the key role played by the magnetostriction constant in explaining the mechanism of irradiation-induced phase transformations in amorphous magnets.