cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of receptor-mediated endocytosis of elastic nanoparticles

It is now widely recognized that mechanical properties play critical roles in the cell uptake of nanomaterials. Here we conduct a theoretical study on the kinetics of receptor-mediated endocytosis of elastic nanoparticles that is limited by receptor diffusion, specifically focusing on how the uptake rate depends on the nanoparticle stiffness and size, membrane tension and binding strength between membrane receptors and ligands grafted on the nanoparticle surface. It is shown that, while soft nanoparticles are energetically less prone to full wrapping than stiff ones, the wrapping of the former is kinetically faster than that of the latter. Spherical and cylindrical elastic nanoparticles show dramatic differences in the effect of stiffness on the uptake rate. Additional theoretical analysis is performed to investigate the role of the stochastic receptor-ligand binding in the endocytosis of elastic nanoparticles. The relation between the uptake efficiency and uptake proneness is discussed. This study provides new insight into the elasticity effects on cell uptake and may serve as a design guideline for the controlled endocytosis and diagnostics delivery.
Enhancing Blind Interference Alignment with Reinforcement Learning

Blind interference alignment (IA) is a signaling scheme that suppresses interference in multi-user systems, without the knowledge of channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT). The key to performing IA without CSIT is the use of reconfigurable antennas (RA) that are capable of dynamically switching among a fixed number of radiation patterns to introduce artificial fluctuations in the channel. The radiation patterns used to realize blind IA have significant impacts on the overall performance of the system. Hence, an intelligent antenna pattern selection strategy is a crucial component of any practical RA-based blind IA implementation. In this work, we propose two reinforcement learning algorithms for selecting the optimal antenna configuration for blind IA. Furthermore, we evaluate the performance of these antenna mode selection techniques using over the air measurements on our software defined radio implementation of blind IA using a Reconfigurable Alford Loop Antenna that is capable of generating multiple radiation patterns. We quantify the performance of the algorithms in terms of received signal to interference and noise ratio (SINR) and show that our learning-based mode selection strategies are capable of choosing the highest performing mode 90% of the time and attain over 2 dB gain in SINR over other selection approaches.
Gastric Intussusceptions in a Red Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) Associated with Cryptosporidiosis

A 3-year-old female red corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus) was presented for a three-week history of anorexia and decreased defecations. On physical examination, a soft midbody intracoelomic swelling was palpated. Transcutaneous coelomic ultrasound revealed a target-like mass on a transverse section of the stomach, suggesting the presence of a gastrointestinal intussusception. On exploratory coeliotomy, a double compounded esophagogastric and gastroduodenal intussusception was diagnosed and reduced surgically. A gastropexy was also performed to prevent recurrence. On histopathology, the gastric glandular mucosa showed moderate to marked proliferation. Diffusely lining the luminal surface of glandular epithelium and free within the lumen were a myriad of protozoa consistent with Cryptosporidium sp. A diagnosis of chronic proliferative gastritis due to Cryptosporidium sp. was made based on these findings. Intussusceptions are rare in reptiles and are infrequently reported in snakes. This is the first report of a double compounded intussusception in a nonmammalian species and the first report of an intussusception involving the stomach in a snake with gastritis due to Cryptosporidium sp.
Paleontology: Outrunning Time

In this paper, I discuss several temporal aspects of paleontology from a philosophical perspective. I begin by presenting the general problem of “taming” deep time to make it comprehensible at a human scale, starting with the traditional geologic time scale: an event-based, relative time scale consisting of a hierarchy of chronological units. Not only does the relative timescale provide a basis for reconstructing many of the general features of the history of life, but it is also consonant with the cognitive processes humans use to think about time. Absolute dating of rocks, fossils, and evolutionary events (such as branching events on the tree of life) can be accomplished through the use of radiometric dating, chronological signals extractable from fossil growth patterns, and the “molecular clock.” Sometimes these different methods of absolute dating, which start from largely independent assumptions and evidentiary bases, converge in their temporal estimates, resulting in a consilience of inductions. At other times they fail to agree, either because fossils and molecules are giving temporal information about different aspects of nature and should not be expected to agree, or because of flawed assumptions that give rise to an inaccurate estimate. I argue that in general, despite the fact that it can be difficult to integrate disparate kinds of evidence, the principle of total evidence should be applied to the dating of evolutionary events. As a historical science, paleontology studies past events we cannot observe directly. This raises questions of epistemic access, meaning that due to the fragmentary nature of the fossil record we may find ourselves without access to the relevant traces to adjudicate between rival hypotheses about the past. The problems and prospects of epistemic access are explored through a case study of the reconstruction of the colors of dinosaurs. The paper closes with a reflection on the Darwin-Lyell metaphor of the fossil record as a highly fragmentary history book, and a call for a reconsideration of the book metaphor in favor of a systems view of the geologic and fossil records.
Within-person relationship between self-efficacy and performance across trials: effect of task objective and task type.

BACKGROUND Self-efficacy has been shown to be a consistent, positive predictor of between-persons performance in sport. However, there have been equivocal results regarding the influence of self-efficacy on a person's performance over time. This study investigated the influence of self-efficacy on motor skill performance across trials with respect to two different task objectives and task types. METHODS Participants (N.=84) performed 4 blocks of 10 trials of a dart throwing (closed skill) and a hitting (open skill) task under 2 different task objectives: competitive and goal-striving. For the goal-striving condition, success was defined as reaching a predetermined performance level. The competitive condition involved competing against an opponent. RESULTS Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the influence of past performance and self-efficacy on the within-person performance across multiple trials. Previous performance was negatively related with subsequent performance on all conditions. Self-efficacy was not a significant predictor of performance on any of the conditions. CONCLUSIONS While task objective and task type did not moderate the efficacy-performance relationship in the current study, it is important to consider the role of other moderators in future research.
Orthosteric- versus allosteric-dependent activation of the GABA A receptor requires numerically distinct subunit level rearrangements

Anaesthetic molecules act on synaptic transmission via the allosteric modulation of ligand-gated chloride channels, such as hetero-oligomeric α1β2γ2 GABAA receptors. To elucidate the overall activation paradigm via allosteric versus orthosteric sites, we used highly homologous, but homo-oligomeric, ρ1 receptors that are contrastingly insensitive to anaesthetics and respond partially to several full GABA α1β2γ2 receptor agonists. Here, we coexpressed varying ratios of RNAs encoding the wild-type and the mutated ρ1 subunits, which are anaesthetic-sensitive and respond with full efficacy to partial GABA agonists, to generate distinct ensembles of receptors containing five, four, three, two, one, or zero mutated subunits. Using these experiments, we then demonstrate that, in the pentamer, three anaesthetic-sensitive ρ1 subunits are needed to impart full efficacy to the partial GABA agonists. By contrast, five anaesthetic-sensitive subunits are required for direct activation by anaesthetics alone, and only one anaesthetic-sensitive subunit is sufficient to confer the anaesthetic-dependent potentiation to the GABA current. In conclusion, our data indicate that GABA and anaesthetics holistically activate the GABAA ρ1 receptor through distinct subunit level rearrangements and suggest that in contrast to the global impact of GABA via orthosteric sites, the force of anaesthetics through allosteric sites may not propagate to the neighbouring subunits and, thus, may have only a local and limited effect on the ρ1 GABAA receptor model system.
Perfectly Python

Michael Jay Schillaci reviews “Computational Modeling and Visualization of Physical Systems with Python” by Jay Wang, declaring it deserving of becoming a standard in undergraduate and graduate curricula where scientific computing plays a role.
Self-stabilizing fine-grained parallel incomplete LU factorization

Abstract This paper presents an investigation into the use of various mechanisms for improving the resilience of the fine-grained parallel algorithm for computing an incomplete LU factorization. These include various approaches to checkpointing as well as a study into the feasibility of using a self-stabilizing periodic correction step. Results concerning convergence of all of the self-stabilizing variants of the algorithm with respect to the occurrence of faults, and the impact of any sub-optimality in the produced incomplete L and U factors in Krylov subspace solvers are given. Numerical tests show that the simple algorithmic changes suggested here can ensure convergence of the fine-grained parallel incomplete factorization, and improve the performance of the resulting factors as preconditioners in Krylov subspace solvers in the presence of transient soft faults.
Toward Fault-Tolerant User Interfaces

Abstract Errors in hardware and software are often the result of inadequate design. This paper takes a similar view with respect to errors at the user interface, and introduces a new conceptualization for user interfaces, namely fault-tolerant user interfaces. The paper describes work done in the first phase of a project to investigate user interfaces which minimize the opportunity for user error and which generally tolerate or avoid faults. The work is based on the idea that users' cognitive limitations contribute to errorful behaviour, and that these limitations can be overcome or used advantageously in careful interface design. A program and interface were constructed according to the precepts identified by the research, and were tested empirically against a preexisting program, comparing ease of use and error behaviour. Results demonstrated that the proposed framework for fault-tolerant user interfaces produced a superior user interface by virtue of being simpler to learn, educing fewer errors, and taking less time to complete the task. A goal of successful interaction by first time users without resort to manual documentation was achieved.
Effect of ball mill size on media wear

Correlation of scale-up from small-scale batch laboratory mills to large-diameter industrial mills was established by performing two series of laboratory and pilot plant grinding tests using a magnetic taconite ore and a siliceous sulfide ore. In one series, controlled batch grinding tests in 203-, 508-, and 914-mm (8-, 20-, and 36-in.) diameter mills were carried out followed by a second series involving continuous grinding tests using 305-mm (12-in.) and then 1067-mm (42-in.) diameter pilot plant ball mills in open circuits. The effects of ball diameter on wear and of mill diameter on grinding power and ball wear are illustrated.
Learning Deviation Payoffs in Simulation-Based Games

We present a novel approach for identifying approximate role-symmetric Nash equilibria in large simulation-based games. Our method uses neural networks to learn a mapping from mixed-strategy profiles to deviation payoffs—the expected values of playing pure-strategy deviations from those profiles. This learning can generalize from data about a tiny fraction of a game’s outcomes, permitting tractable analysis of exponentially large normal-form games. We give a procedure for iteratively refining the learned model with new data produced by sampling in the neighborhood of each candidate Nash equilibrium. Relative to the existing state of the art, deviation payoff learning dramatically simplifies the task of computing equilibria and more effectively addresses player asymmetries. We demonstrate empirically that deviation payoff learning identifies better approximate equilibria than previous methods and can handle more difficult settings, including games with many more players, strategies, and roles.
A microarray-based pathogen chip for simultaneous molecular detection of transfusion-transmitted infectious agents.

New and emerging transfusion–transmitted infections remain a threat to the blood supply. Blood donors are currently screened for less than half of known agents, primarily by individual tests. A screening platform that could simultaneously detect all known transfusion–transmitted pathogens and allow rapid addition of new targets would significantly increase blood safety and could improve the response to new agents. We describe the early stage development and validation of a microarray-based platform (pathogen chip) for simultaneous molecular detection of transfusion–transmitted RNA viruses. Sixteen RNA viruses that pose a significant risk for transfusion–transmission were selected for inclusion on the pathogen chip. Viruses were targeted for detection by 1769 oligonucleotide probes selected by Agilent eArray software. Differentially concentrated positive plasma samples were used to evaluate performance and limits of detection in the context of individual pathogens or combinations to simulate coinfection. RNA-viruses detection and concentration were validated by RT-qPCR. Hepatitis A, B and C, Chikungunya, dengue 1–4, HIV 1–2, HTLV I–II, West Nile and Zika viruses were all correctly identified by the pathogen chip within the range of 105 to 102 copies/mL; hepatitis E virus from 105 to 104. In mixtures of 3–8 different viruses, all were correctly identified between 105 and 103 copies/mL. This microarray-based multi-pathogen screening platform accurately and reproducibly detected individual and mixed RNA viruses in one test from single samples with limits of detection as low as 102 copies mL.
Peer Socialization of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Adolescents’ Close Friendships

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), or self-harming behavior without intent to die (Nock Current Directions in Psychological Science, 18, 78–83, 2009), is associated with distress and impairment across domains, including increased risk for suicidality (Kiekens et al. Journal of Affective Disorders, 239, 171–179, 2018). In adolescence, prevalence of NSSI is high (Swannell et al. Suicide and Life-threatening Behavior, 44, 273–303, 2014), and peer influence regarding NSSI is thought to be strong (Brechwald and Prinstein Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21, 166–79, 2011). Although concern regarding “clusters” of NSSI has long been documented, peer socialization of NSSI in adolescence is understudied. This paper tests peer influence on NSSI frequency within adolescent friendship dyads. Emotion regulation difficulties and friendship quality were evaluated as factors that may influence susceptibility to peer influence effects. Adolescents (N = 196, M age = 15.68, 69.9% female, 87.6% White) nested within 93 friendship dyads reported on their own NSSI frequency, difficulties in emotion regulation, and friendship quality at three time points spaced 3 months apart. Cross-lagged Actor-Partner Interdependence Models examined peer influence effects over time. Friends’ Time 1 frequency of NSSI uniquely predicted adolescents’ own NSSI frequency over 3 and 6 months, controlling for initial similarity among friends as well as individual risk factors for NSSI. Peer influence effects were strongest in adolescents with higher levels of emotion regulation difficulty but did not vary as a function of friendship quality. Friends’ NSSI frequency is a significant and unique predictor of increases in adolescents’ own NSSI frequency over time. Implications for interventions that leverage the important developmental context of peer relationships are discussed.
Current clinical management of patients with glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GB) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor, historically resistant to treatment, and with overall fatal outcome. RECENT FINDINGS Recently, several molecular subgroups and rare genetic alterations have been described in GB. In this review article, we will describe the current clinical management of patients with GB in the United States, discuss selected next-generation molecular-targeted therapies in GB, and present ongoing clinical trials for patients with GB. This review is intended for clinical and preclinical researchers who conduct work on GB and would like to understand more about the current standard of treatment of GB patients, historical perspectives, current challenges, and ongoing and upcoming clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS GB is an extremely complex disease, and despite recent progress and advanced therapeutic strategies, the overall patient's prognosis remains dismal. Innovative strategies and integrative ways of approach to disease are urgently needed.
Higher Purpose, Incentives and Economic Performance

How does organizational higher purpose affect employee behavior and firm output? We develop an optimal-contracting model which shows that pursuing organizational higher purpose dissipates agency frictions, lowers wage costs and elicits higher employee effort. The effect on profits, however, depends on whether the authenticity of the firm’s higher purpose matters to employees or they care only about how much the firm invests in that purpose. When authenticity does not matter, the firm’s profit declines with its investment in higher purpose. But when authenticity matters, firm profit is non-monotonic in the commitment to higher purpose. The possibility of agency costs of external finance in some firms creates a negative externality, crowding out higher-purpose investments by other firms, with profits nonincreasing in higher-purpose investments cross-sectionally. When customers and/or investors care about the firm’s higher purpose, the equilibrium wages of employees decline and higher purpose investments by firms increase.
Role and Mechanisms of Mitophagy in Liver Diseases.

The mitochondrion is an organelle that plays a vital role in the regulation of hepatic cellular redox, lipid metabolism, and cell death. Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with both acute and chronic liver diseases with emerging evidence indicating that mitophagy, a selective form of autophagy for damaged/excessive mitochondria, plays a key role in the liver’s physiology and pathophysiology. This review will focus on mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy regulation, and their roles in various liver diseases (alcoholic liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, drug-induced liver injury, hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury, viral hepatitis, and cancer) with the hope that a better understanding of the molecular events and signaling pathways in mitophagy regulation will help identify promising targets for the future treatment of liver diseases.
Laparoscopic HIPEC for Low-Volume Peritoneal Metastasis in Gastric and Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma.

We seek to determine whether laparoscopic hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemoperfusion (LS-HIPEC) improves overall survival (OS) in patients with gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma and low-volume peritoneal metastasis compared with standard of care treatment. We reviewed data from a prospectively maintained database of patients with gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma to identify patients with radiologically occult carcinomatosis or positive peritoneal cytology, no evidence of distant metastasis, and without disease progression during initial chemotherapy or observation. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of LS-HIPEC on OS. We identified 25 patients who underwent LS-HIPEC and 27 treated with a standard of care approach due to patient (33.3%) or provider (51.9%) preference or financial limitations/lack of insurance coverage (14.8%). Resection was ultimately performed in 28% of LS-HIPEC patients and no standard care patients. At a median follow-up of 18.9 months, median OS was 24.7 (IQR 20.8–34.2) months in LS-HIPEC patients and 21.3 (IQR 12.3–23.1) months in standard care patients (p = 0.08). Three-year OS in the LS-HIPEC group was 19.1%, compared with 9.6% (p = 0.08). Patients who underwent resection had a median OS of 25.3 (IQR 22.6–47.1) months compared with 21.3 months in standard care patients (p = 0.05). Neoadjuvant LS-HIPEC for the treatment of low-volume peritoneal disease in gastric and gastroesophageal cancer patients did not significantly improve OS compared with standard care. Multiinstitutional studies are necessary to further elucidate the benefit of LS-HIPEC for this patient population.
The Potential Impact of Job Automation on Veterans in Vocational Rehabilitation Programs.

Objective:The study aimed to examine the potential impact of job automation on veterans in the largest U.S. vocational rehabilitation program, the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) program.Methods:Six...
Identifying the fundamental structures and processes of care contributing to emergency general surgery quality using a mixed-methods Donabedian approach.

Acute Care Surgery (ACS) was developed as a structured, team-based approach to providing round-the-clock emergency general surgery (EGS) care for adult patients needing treatment for diseases such as cholecystitis, gastrointestinal perforation, and necrotizing fasciitis. Lacking any prior evidence on optimizing outcomes for EGS patients, current implementation of ACS models has been idiosyncratic. We sought to use a Donabedian approach to elucidate potential EGS structures and processes that might be associated with improved outcomes as an initial step in designing the optimal model of ACS care for EGS patients. We developed and implemented a national survey of hospital-level EGS structures and processes by surveying surgeons or chief medical officers regarding hospital-level structures and processes that directly or indirectly impacted EGS care delivery in 2015. These responses were then anonymously linked to 2015 data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) annual survey, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review claims (MedPAR), 17 State Inpatient Databases (SIDs) using AHA unique identifiers (AHAID). This allowed us to combine hospital-level data, as reported in our survey or to the AHA, to patient-level data in an effort to further examine the role of EGS structures and processes on EGS outcomes. We describe the multi-step, iterative process utilizing the Donabedian framework for quality measurement that serves as a foundation for later work in this project. Hospitals that responded to the survey were primarily non-governmental and located in urban settings. A plurality of respondent hospitals had fewer than 100 inpatient beds. A minority of the hospitals had medical school affiliations. Our results will enable us to develop a measure of preparedness for delivering EGS care in the US, provide guidance for regionalized care models for EGS care, tiering of ACS programs based on the robustness of their EGS structures and processes and the quality of their outcomes, and formulate triage guidelines based on patient risk factors and severity of EGS disease. Our work provides a template for team science applicable to research efforts combining primary data collection (i.e., that derived from our survey) with existing national data sources (i.e., SIDs and MedPAR).
Lyapunov-Based Real-Time and Iterative Adjustment of Deep Neural Networks

A real-time Deep Neural Network (DNN) adaptive control architecture is developed for general uncertain nonlinear dynamical systems to track a desired time-varying trajectory. A Lyapunov-based method is leveraged to develop adaptation laws for the output-layer weights of a DNN model in real-time while a data-driven supervised learning algorithm is used to update the inner-layer weights of the DNN. Specifically, the output-layer weights of the DNN are estimated using an unsupervised learning algorithm to provide responsiveness and guaranteed tracking performance with real-time feedback. The inner-layer weights of the DNN are trained with collected data sets to increase performance, and the adaptation laws are updated once a sufficient amount of data is collected. Building on the results in (Joshi and Chowdhary, 2019) and (Joshi et al., 2020), which focus on deep model reference adaptive control for linear systems with known drift dynamics and control effectiveness matrices, this letter considers general control-affine uncertain nonlinear systems. The real-time controller and adaptation laws enable the system to track a desired time-varying trajectory while compensating for the unknown drift dynamics and parameter uncertainties in the control effectiveness. A nonsmooth Lyapunov-based analysis is used to prove semi-global asymptotic tracking of the desired trajectory. Numerical simulation examples are included to validate the results, and the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is used to train the weights of the DNN.
56656 Programmatic Enhancements to Advance Racial Equity in Indiana (IN) CTSI

ABSTRACT IMPACT: We present new programs aimed at training, retaining and preparing a diverse cadre of scientists to lead the field in transforming population health and advancing health equity OBJECTIVES/GOALS: To mitigate biases inherent to the R01 grant funding process, trainees from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine (URM) may benefit from enhanced mentorship and a longer ‘runway’ to funding. As such, we have deployed two synergistic programs that aim to support URM retention and advancement. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The URM Program for Advising in Research and Development (UPwARD) pairs URM trainees with 2 mentors: 1) an institutional leader from outside their discipline to serve as an internal advocate and 2) an external eminent scholar who will facilitate the scholar’s development and prominence within their discipline. Additionally, the KL2 Program to Launch URM Success (KL2 PLUS) offers URM trainees a third year of funding to focus on scholarship, grant writing and leadership development. Four specific training components of KL2 PLUS include: 1) PLUS II Seminar Series, 2) Faculty Success Program, 3) attendance at the AAMC Minority Faculty Leadership Conference, and 4) CTSI Committee Service. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Along with measures of productivity (papers, grants, K to R transition), we will utilize social network analyses and measures of collaboration, retention, and future CTSI engagement to evaluate the programs “success’‘ as both are designed to enhance trainee scholarly development and expand their professional and social networks. UPwARD does so by supporting engagement with external mentors at professional meetings and travel to present work across institutions. PLUS writing accountability groups will enhance publication rates and grant submissions, while also building connections with other URM faculty. Trainees also serve on IN CTSI committees to groom talent for future IN CTSI leadership. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: Systemic inequities underlie the ‘leaky pipeline’ challenge we face in cultivating a diverse cadre of senior scientists and independent investigators. With intentional programming and targeted investments, IN CTSI aims to advance more equitable funding outcomes and diverse leadership.
Variation in Daily Shedding Pattern of Staphylococcus aureus in Naturally Occurring Intramammary Infections

The cost of mastitis has been calculated at 6% of the value of production; at 2007 prices that is upwards of 2.1 billion dollars. It is estimated that 70-80% of this loss is due to subclinical intramammary infections (IMI) caused by organisms such as Staphylococcus aureus (SA). The control of SA is contingent on accurate diagnosis of IMI, yet currently there exists no standard for the diagnosis of SA IMI. As a result, comparisons between published works are difficult. In addition, the shedding of SA from infected quarters has been described as "intermittent", resulting in recommendations for the diagnosis of SAIMI that are cumbersome and cost-prohibitive in veterinary practice and field research. The goal of this study was to describe shedding patterns of naturally occurring SA IMI over an extended period of time and to provide a reasonable foundation upon which to determine appropriate diagnostic criteria for SAIMI. The effect of PFGE pulsotype on shedding was also examined.
Post-Remediation Monitoring for Soil, Sediment and Water Contamination by Lead from a Controlled Superfund Site in Mississippi

The United States Congress enacted the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), commonly known as the Superfund, in 1980, with the purpose of dealing effectively with the dangers posed by the nation's hazardous waste sites (HWS). In this research, we evaluated lead levels in soil, sediment, and surface water collected from selected locations near a HWS in Mississippi, and estimated the potential ecological health risk associated with the presence of lead in these environmental matrices. Monthly samples were collected for a period of 12 months, at four different stations selected with respect to the HWS, and analyzed for their lead content by AA or UV/Visible spectrometry following a sample preparation by microwave -assisted acid digestion, or by mild digestion on hot plate. Other physical and chemical parameters including BOD, COD, conductivity, DO, nitrate, pH, sulfate, temperature, TDS, TSS, and turbidity were also assessed. Levels of lead in soil, sediment, and water collected from the sampling site (Site 1) closest to the controlled HWS were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the other three sampling sites. While lead levels in soil and sediment were found to fall below the screening level (500 mg/kg), its concentrations in water samples exceeded the required criterion (3.2 ug/L) set by EPA for protection of aquatic life from chronic toxicity. No significant difference was found in the values of nitrate, pH and temperature at the 4 sampling sites; however, there were significantly (p < 0.05) lower levels of DO, and higher levels of BOD, COD, conductivity, sulfate, TDS, TSS, and turbidity, at Site 1 compared with Sites 2, 3, and 4.
Ten Deg Off-Axis Test for Shear Properties in Fiber Composites

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation was conducted to assess the suitability of the 10 deg off-axis tensile test specimen for the intralaminar shear characterization of unidirectional composites. Composite mechanics, a combined-stress failure criterion, and a finite variation across the specimen width and the relative stress and strain magnitudes at the 10 deg plane. Strain gages were used to measure the strain variation across the specimen width at specimen midlength and near the end tabs. Specimens from Mod-I/epoxy, T-300/epoxy, and S-glass/epoxy were used in the experimental program. It was found that the 10 deg off-axis tensile test specimen is suitable for intralaminar shear characterization, and it is recommended that it should be considered as a possible standard test specimen for such a characterization.
Novel Optimizations for Hardware Floating-Point Units in a Modern FPGA Architecture

As FPGA densities have increased, the feasibility of using floatingpoint computations on FPGAs has improved. Moreover, recent innovations in FPGA architecture have changed the design tradeoff space by providing new fixed circuit functions which may be employed in floating-point computations. These include high density multiplier blocks and shift registers. This paper evaluates the use of such blocks for the design of a family of floating-point units including add/sub, multiplier, and divider. Portions of the units that would receive the greatest benefit from the use of multipliers and shift registers are identified. It is shown that the use of these results in significant area savings compared to similar floating-point units based solely on conventional LUT/FF logic. Finally, a complete floating-point application circuit that solves a classic heat transfer problem is presented.
Yeast Two‐hybrid System and Related Methodology

The identification and detailed characterization of the binary interactions between gene products in a cell is an essential step toward understanding the functions of genes and how they control cellular systems. Two-hybrid assays have become powerful tools for this purpose. Keywords: two-hybrid; yeast; protein interaction; networks; complementation
Design of a controller for the turret system using H ∞ synthesis

This paper presents the results of a controller design exercise on the turret test fixture using the H∞ synthesis method. The controller is required to provide good step and ramp tracking performance in the presence of firing disturbances. An important step in this design exercise has been the formulation of an appropriate synthesis model. We describe this process in great detail. Results of the linear analysis and simulation of the closed-loop response (with both linear and non-linear plant models) are presented.
Cytoplasmic sequestration of wild-type p53 protein impairs the G1 checkpoint after DNA damage.

Wild-type p53 protein is abnormally sequestered in the cytoplasm of a subset of primary human tumors including neuroblastomas (NB) (U. M. Moll, M. LaQuaglia, J. Benard, and G. Riou, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 92:4407-4411, 1995; U. M. Moll, G. Riou, and A. J. Levine, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.USA 89:7262-7266, 1992). This may represent a nonmutational mechanism for abrogating p53 tumor suppressor function. To test this hypothesis, we established the first available in vitro model that accurately reflects the wild-type p53 sequestration found in NB tumors. We characterized a series of human NB cell lines that overexpress wild-type p53 and show that p53 is preferentially localized to discrete cytoplasmic structures, with no detectable nuclear p53. These cell lines, when challenged with a variety of DNA strand-breaking agents, all exhibit impaired p53-mediated G1 arrest. Induction analysis of p53 and p53-responsive genes show that this impairment is due to suppression of nuclear p53 accumulation. Thus, this naturally occurring translocation defect compromises the suppressor function of p53 and likely plays a role in the tumorigenesis of these tumors previously thought to be unaffected by p53 alterations.
A hybrid neural expert system for traffic estimation and failure detection in communication networks

The authors address a novel methodology to estimate user traffic demand and to detect topological changes in a large-scale communication network by using a hybrid neural expert system. They develop a framework for hierarchical acquisition and estimation using multiple supervised learning neural network modules augmented in a distributed tree structure. Simulation results are presented, and possible future developments are discussed. >
Volume-Scattering Functions in Ocean Waters

Absolute values of the volume-scattering function, obtained in situ for a variety of natural ocean waters, are presented. The use of optical techniques to infer the concentration, optical characteristics, and size distribution of suspended particulate material in the ocean is outlined. The technique of using single-angle scatter meters to estimate the total volume-scattering function (and hence the suspended particle concentration) is discussed and an optimization of the technique, based upon the data presented, is suggested.
Cationic domain 141-150 of apoE covalently linked to a class A amphipathic helix enhances atherogenic lipoprotein metabolism in vitro and in vivo

We previously showed 1 that a peptide, Ac-hE18A-NH(2), in which the arginine-rich heparin-binding domain of apolipoprotein E (apoE) [residues 141;-150] (LRKLRKRLLR), covalently linked to 18A (DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF; a class A amphipathic helix with high lipid affinity), enhanced LDL uptake and clearance. Because VLDL and remnants contain more cholesterol per particle than LDL, enhanced hepatic clearance of VLDL could lead to an effective lowering of plasma cholesterol. Therefore, in the present article we compared the ability of this peptide to mediate/facilitate the uptake and degradation of LDL and VLDL in HepG2 cells. The peptide Ac-hE18A-NH(2), but not Ac-18A-NH(2), enhanced the uptake of LDL by HepG2 cells 5-fold and its degradation 2-fold. The association of the peptides with VLDL resulted in the displacement of native apoE; however, only Ac-hE18A-NH(2) but not Ac-18A-NH(2) caused markedly enhanced uptake (6-fold) and degradation (3-fold) of VLDL. Ac-hE18A-NH(2) also enhanced the uptake (15-fold) and degradation (2-fold) of trypsinized VLDL Sf 100;-400 (containing no immuno-detectable apoE), indicating that the peptide restored the cellular interaction of VLDL in the absence of its essential native ligand (apoE). Pretreatment of HepG2s with heparinase and heparitinase abrogated all peptide-mediated enhanced cellular activity, implicating a role for cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG). Intravenous administration of Ac-hE18A-NH(2) into apoE gene knockout mice reduced plasma cholesterol by 88% at 6 h and 30% at 24 h after injection. We conclude that this dual-domain peptide associates with LDL and VLDL and results in rapid hepatic uptake via a HSPG-facilitated pathway.
Defending the Objective List Theory of Well‐Being

The objective list theory of well-being holds that a plurality of basic objective goods directly benefit people. These can include goods such as loving relationships, meaningful knowledge, autonomy, achievement, and pleasure. The objective list theory is pluralistic (it does not identify an underlying feature shared by these goods) and objective (the basic goods benefit people independently of their reactive attitudes toward them). In this paper, I discuss the structure of this theory and show how it is supported by people's considered judgments. I then respond to three objections. First, I argue that there is no conceptual reason to favor a monistic theory of well-being over a pluralistic one (such as the objective list theory). Second, I argue that states of affairs can benefit people even though they hold no positive reactive attitudes toward them. And, third, I argue that objective list theorists can identify a fairly-determinate list of basic goods.
Gamma‐Ray Induced Polymerization of Vinyl Monomers in Bagasse

Vinyl monomers such as vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, methyl methacrylate and styrene etc., can be polymerized without catalyst into the composites of bagasse material by gamma-radiation induced in situ liquid polymerization process. The fundamental factors, such as polymerization-rate, effect of swelling agent, molecular weight of vinyl polymers and graft reaction between bagasse cellulose and vinyl polymers, have been investigated and discussed. The use of suitable low G-value polar swelling agents and the application of suitable gamma dose-rate are two key factors found to control the smooth in situ liquid polymerization system of vinyl monomers in bagasse.
Trace elements: too little or too much and how plants cope

Plants acquire essential trace elements from the rhizosphere and must adapt to conditions that can range from deficiency to excess. Knowledge of how trace elements move from root to shoot to seed is critical for agriculture and human nutrition.
A BINDING SITE FOR CHLORAMBUCIL ON METALLOTHIONEIN

It is of interest to test the hypothesis that induced metallothionein (MT) acts in acquired drug resistance by covalent sequestration. In this study MT was incubated in vitro with chlorambucil (CHB) under conditions where only 1:1 covalent adducts were formed. The proteolytic products of these adducts were analyzed by HPLC and mass spectrometry to reveal two major sites of modification. These were the sulfur atoms of cysteines 33 and 48, which cochelate the same metal atom in native MT. The time course of the reaction was followed using on-line electrospray ionization with a double-focusing mass spectrometer. These experiments showed that drug-modified MT binds seven metal ions, as does the unmodified protein. Molecular docking experiments showed that the selectivity of drug binding is influenced by the presence of the aziridinium ion in the drug structure and complementary charge densities in the protein structure.
Growth of high current density MgB2 films using ex-situ precursor approach

Abstract Superconducting MgB 2 films with T c =39.0 K were prepared using an ex-situ precursor approach. Precursor films of boron, ∼0.6 μm thick, were deposited onto Al 2 O 3 (1 0 2) substrates by electron beam evaporation; subsequent post-anneal at 890 °C in the presence of MgB 2 and Mg metal produced highly crystalline MgB 2 films. Detailed X-ray diffraction studies indicate that the film is polycrystalline with some degree of c -axis texture. A transport J c of over 4×10 6 A/cm 2 was obtained on MgB 2 films at 25 K and self-field. The higher irreversibility fields, B irr obtained from the transport measurements on MgB 2 films indicate that there is some improvement in flux pinning at lower temperatures. The details of the film growth and transport property measurements are reported.
The Stanford Medical Youth Science Program: educational and science-related outcomes.

Biomedical preparatory programs (pipeline programs) have been developed at colleges and universities to better prepare youth for entering science- and health-related careers, but outcomes of such programs have seldom been rigorously evaluated. We conducted a matched cohort study to evaluate the Stanford Medical Youth Science Program’s Summer Residential Program (SRP), a 25-year-old university-based biomedical pipeline program that reaches out to low-income and underrepresented ethnic minority high school students. Five annual surveys were used to assess educational outcomes and science-related experience among 96 SRP participants and a comparison group of 192 youth who applied but were not selected to participate in the SRP, using ~2:1 matching on sociodemographic and academic background to control for potential confounders. SRP participants were more likely than the comparison group to enter college (100.0 vs. 84.4 %, p = 0.002), and both of these matriculation rates were more than double the statewide average (40.8 %). In most areas of science-related experience, SRP participants reported significantly more experience (>twofold odds) than the comparison group at 1 year of follow-up, but these differences did not persist after 2–4 years. The comparison group reported substantially more participation in science or college preparatory programs, more academic role models, and less personal adversity than SRP participants, which likely influenced these findings toward the null hypothesis. SRP applicants, irrespective of whether selected for participation, had significantly better educational outcomes than population averages. Short-term science-related experience was better among SRP participants, although longer-term outcomes were similar, most likely due to college and science-related opportunities among the comparison group. We discuss implications for future evaluations of other biomedical pipeline programs.
Transmission and damage-threshold measurements in AgGaSe 2 at 2.1 μm

Measurements of transmission loss coefficients in AgGaSe2 at 2.1 μm ranged from 0.012 to 0.072 cm−1. Energy density, not peak-power density, proved to be the determining factor in AgGaSe2 damage threshold. Coated-surface damage thresholds originally were found to be in the 1.1–2.5-J/cm2 region by using 180-nsec laser pulses, but damage thresholds as high as 3.5 J/cm2, with a 3 J/cm2 average, were measured in coated samples with improved surface quality.
Risk factors for asthma in inner city children

Inner city children have the highest prevalence and the highest mortality rates for asthma in the United States. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sensitization and exposure to common indoor allergens among children aged 3 years to 15 years seen for treatment of asthma at Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Ga. Eighty children in this study were enrolled in the emergency department and 64 in hospital clinics. Dust from 57 homes, assayed for three indoor allergens (dust mite, cat, and cockroach), revealed similar exposure for asthma and control groups. Sixty-nine percent of the childen with asthma had IgE antibodies to dust mite, cockroach, or cat; only 27% of the control subjects were similarly sensitized ( p p
Characterization of skeletal muscle insulin receptor.

The insulin receptor from rat skeletal muscle was characterized. Treatment of muscle membranes with the photoactive insulin analog, 125I[N-ϵB29-monoazidobenzoyl]-insulin revealed a single protein band of 135,000 Da, the α subunit. Iodination of total membrane protein followed by Triton X-100 solubilization and immunoprecipitation demonstrated the presence of a protein band of 90,000 Da, the β subunit, together with a protein band of 190,000 Da, which may be the receptor precursor. In partially purified receptor preparations, the β subunit exhibited dose-dependent, insulinstimulated phosphorylation with incorporation of phosphate solely into tyrosine residues, which was also observed in the 190,000-Da receptor precursor. Purified plasma membranes contained a large amount of insulin-degrading activity which had to be inactivated prior to performing insulin-binding studies. If degradation of insulin was not prevented, apparent enhanced binding in the presence of unlabeled insulin was observed.