cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extracellular ATP Acts on Jasmonate Signaling to Reinforce Plant Defense.

Damaged cells send various signals to stimulate defense responses. Recent identification and genetic studies of the plant purinoceptor, P2K1 (also known as DORN1), have demonstrated that extracellular ATP is a signal involved in plant stress responses, including wounding, perhaps to evoke plant defense. However, it remains largely unknown how extracellular ATP induces plant defense responses. Here, we demonstrate that extracellular ATP induces plant defense mediated through activation of the intracellular signaling of jasmonate (JA), a well-characterized defense hormone. In Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) leaves, ATP pretreatment induced resistance against the necrotrophic fungus, Botrytis cinerea. The induced resistance was enhanced in the P2K1 receptor overexpression line, but reduced in the receptor mutant, dorn1-3. Mining the transcriptome data revealed that ATP induces a set of JA-induced genes. In addition, the P2K1-associated coexpression network contains defense-related genes, including those encoding jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins, which play key roles as repressors of JA signaling. We examined whether extracellular ATP impacts the stability of JAZ1 in Arabidopsis. The results showed that the JAZ1 stability decreased in response to ATP addition in a proteasome-dependent manner. This reduction required intracellular signaling via second messengers—cytosolic calcium, reactive oxygen species, and nitric oxide. Interestingly, the ATP-induced JAZ1 degradation was attenuated in the JA receptor mutant, coi1, but not in the JA biosynthesis mutant, aos, or upon addition of JA biosynthesis inhibitors. Immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that ATP increases the interaction between COI1 and JAZ1, suggesting direct cross talk between extracellular ATP and JA in intracellular signaling events. Taken together, these results suggest that extracellular ATP signaling directly impacts the JA signaling pathway to maximize plant defense responses.
Effective particle size from molecular dynamics simulations in fluids

We report molecular dynamics simulations designed to investigate the effective size of colloidal particles suspended in a fluid in the vicinity of a rigid wall where all interactions are defined by smooth atomic potential functions. These simulations are used to assess how the behavior of this system at the atomistic length scale compares to continuum mechanics models. In order to determine the effective size of the particles, we calculate the solvent forces on spherical particles of different radii as a function of different positions near and overlapping with the atomistically defined wall and compare them to continuum models. This procedure also then determines the effective position of the wall. Our analysis is based solely on forces that the particles sense, ensuring self-consistency of the method. The simulations were carried out using both Weeks–Chandler–Andersen and modified Lennard-Jones (LJ) potentials to identify the different contributions of simple repulsion and van der Waals attractive forces. Upon correction for behavior arising the discreteness of the atomic system, the underlying continuum physics analysis appeared to be correct down to much less than the particle radius. For both particle types, the effective radius was found to be $$\sim 0.75\sigma $$ , where $$\sigma $$ defines the length scale of the force interaction (the LJ diameter). The effective “hydrodynamic” radii determined by this means are distinct from commonly assumed values of $$0.5\sigma $$ and $$1.0\sigma $$ , but agree with a value developed from the atomistic analysis of the viscosity of such systems.
Building community bonds, bridges, and linkages to promote the career readiness of high school students in the United States

The career readiness of high school students has been a longstanding issue that has received renewed attention in recent years. To document an approach to promoting career readiness in the United S...
Endogenous Cell Type-Specific Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 Interactomes Reveal Protein Networks Associated With Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Abstract Background Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) has been implicated in a number of psychiatric diseases along with neurodevelopmental phenotypes such as the proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitor cells. While there has been significant effort directed toward understanding the function of DISC1 through the determination of its protein-protein interactions within an in vitro setting, endogenous interactions involving DISC1 within a cell type–specific setting relevant to neural development remain unclear. Methods Using CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9) genome engineering technology, we inserted an endogenous 3X-FLAG tag at the C-terminus of the canonical DISC1 gene in human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We further differentiated these cells and used affinity purification to determine protein-protein interactions involving DISC1 in iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells and astrocytes. Results We were able to determine 151 novel cell type–specific proteins present in DISC1 endogenous interactomes. The DISC1 interactomes can be clustered into several subcomplexes that suggest novel DISC1 cell-specific functions. In addition, the DISC1 interactome in iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells associates in a connected network containing proteins found to harbor de novo mutations in patients affected by schizophrenia and contains a subset of novel interactions that are known to harbor syndromic mutations in neurodevelopmental disorders. Conclusions Endogenous DISC1 interactomes within iPSC-derived human neural progenitor cells and astrocytes are able to provide context to DISC1 function in a cell type–specific setting relevant to neural development and enables the integration of psychiatric disease risk factors within a set of defined molecular functions.
Left Ventricular Dilatation and Posterior Papillary Muscle Displacement in an Ex Vivo Pulsatile Model of Functional Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Surgical method of choice for functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) is debatable, since recurrence of FMR post-annuloplasty has been reported in a significant number of cases. Developing a pulsatile FMR heart model by left ventricular dilatation can be a favorable option for usage in the primary stages of developing new surgical techniques that adjunctively targets the posterior papillary muscle (PPM) geometry.Methods: PPM of ex vivo ovine hearts (N = 22) was displaced by three different sizes of patches to induce left ventricular dilatation and FMR. Mitral regurgitation (MR) flow, left ventricular and annular geometry were measured from the dynamic pulsatile flow system before and after patch placement.Results: Outward displacement of PPM was significantly increased in all patch sizes compared to baseline (P = .016, P = .031, and P = .008 from small to large patch, respectively). Left ventricular volume (LVV) significantly increased from 18.53 (15.01-26.03) mL at baseline to 27.5 (19.45-42.46) mL after large patch placement (P = .031). However, the small and medium patch groups did not show significant changes in the LVV after patch placement. MR significantly increased 554 (185-1,919.3) mL/min after applying the large patch compared to baseline (P = .016). There were no significant changes from baseline in MR flow after applying the small and medium patch. Application of the large patch produced the highest proportion of FMR heart models (87.5%, P = .031).Conclusion: The large patch ex vivo pulsatile heart model demonstrated outward displacement of the PPM and significantly produced MR flow. This ex vivo pulsatile heart model can be used to facilitate surgical techniques that targets the PPM displacement in FMR patients.
Protection Systems with Phasor Inputs

Synchronized phasor measurements have offered solutions to a number of vexing protection problems. These include the protection of series compensated lines, protection of multiterminal lines, and the inability to satisfactorily set out-of-step relays. In many situations, the reliable measurement of a remote voltage or current on the same reference as local variables has made a substantial improvement possible.
Tutorial on structured continuous-time Markov processes

A continuous-time Markov process (CTMP) is a collection of variables indexed by a continuous quantity, time. It obeys the Markov property that the distribution over a future variable is independent of past variables given the state at the present time. We introduce continuous-time Markov process representations and algorithms for filtering, smoothing, expected sufficient statistics calculations, and model estimation, assuming no prior knowledge of continuous-time processes but some basic knowledge of probability and statistics. We begin by describing "flat" or unstructured Markov processes and then move to structured Markov processes (those arising from state spaces consisting of assignments to variables) including Kronecker, decision-diagram, and continuous-time Bayesian network representations. We provide the first connection between decision-diagrams and continuous- time Bayesian networks.
Confirmation in Archaeology

Strong claims for the hypothetico-deductive method of confirmation have been made in recent works by new archaeologists. Although the explicit formulation of hypotheses and the testing of these hypotheses by observation and experiment are important to scientific archaeology, emphasis on deductive methods is misplaced. This chapter presents an alternative account of confirmation along Bayesian lines. This account recognizes the importance of plausibility arguments for assigning probabilities prior to testing. This approach to confirmation also provides a framework for distinguishing between tests that significantly alter the status of a hypothesis and those that make little difference. Popperian claims about the importance of falsification can be accommodated within this pattern of confirmation, and it has the distinct advantage of recognizing the role of alternative hypotheses. The chapter discusses the problem of the limits of analogy as a method of obtaining knowledge of the lives of archaeologically known peoples.
Experiences of Computer Science Transfer Students

About half of recent computer and information science graduates attended community college at some point. Prior work on transfer students in general suggests that the transfer process can engage people from underrepresented communities, but can also be academically and socially "shocking". However, we know little about the experiences of transfer students in computer science in particular. We used the Laanan-Transfer Student Questionnaire (L-TSQ) to survey 25 transfer students and 135 native (non-transfer) students and conducted follow-up interviews with 8 transfer students attending a large public 4-year university in a city with significant technology industry presence. We found that while transfer students were more diverse demographically, the support of the university for transfer student orientation tended to mitigate social shocks of transferring. This did not, however, eliminate gaps in academic performance. These findings suggest that there are other non-social factors that influence academic performance that CS programs must support to equitably engage students who transfer.
Expanded Statistical Decision Rules for Interpretations of Results of Rodent Carcinogenicity Studies of Pharmaceuticals

The FDA draft Guidance for Industry, Statistical Aspects of the Design, Analysis, and Interpretation of Chronic Rodent Carcinogenicity Studies of Pharmaceuticals (US Department of Health and Human Services 2001) recommends that a positive dose–response alone in tumor incidence of an individual tumor type be tested at 0.005 or 0.025 and that a pairwise comparison alone of an increase in tumor incidence in a treated group over the control group of the tumor type be tested at 0.01 or 0.05 level of significance for a common or a rare tumor, respectively, in a standard NDA or IND submission with two chronic studies in both sexes of rats and mice. The use of these decision rules (levels of significance) in statistical tests of the drug effect on individual tumor types results in an overall false-positive rate of about 10% in such a submission. However, the decision rules for two types of submissions other than those with two chronic studies in rats and mice were either not discussed or barely mentioned in the 2001 draft guidance document. They are submissions including one chronic study in rats and one six-month study in transgenic mice and submissions including only one chronic study in either rats or mice.
Personal Curation in a Museum

An established body of work in CSCW and related communities studies social and cooperative interaction in museums and cultural heritage sites. A separate and growing body of research in these same communities is developing ways to understand the design and use of social media from a curating perspective. A curating perspective focuses on how social media is designed and used by people to develop and manage their own digital archives. This paper uses a cultural heritage museum as the empirical basis and setting along with new information visualization methods we have developed to better integrate these bodies of work and introduce the concept of personal curation; a socio-technical practice in which people collect, edit, and share information using personal information devices and social media as they move through physical environments rich with meaning potential. In doing so this paper makes three contributions. First, it illustrates how to combine a spatial focus on people's movement and interaction through the physical environment with an analysis of social media use in order to gain a deeper understanding of practices such as personal curation. Second, it shows in greater detail how visitors to museums and cultural heritage sites use and link digital information with physical information to shape others' understandings of cultural heritage. Third, it suggests how museums and cultural heritage sites may leverage personal curation to support more expansive learning opportunities for visitors.
Productivity in an Era of Multi-Teaming: The Role of Information Dashboards and Shared Cognition in Team Performance

When and why do information dashboards enhance team productivity? We explore this question in the context of project teams whose members have to work across multiple teams at the same time. We expected multi-teaming, especially that involving a high variety in team members, would have a negative effect on team performance by impairing a team's transactive memory system (TMS), a critical form of shared cognition allowing members to keep track of who knows what. Further, we expected the use of an information dashboard with member skills could combat the harmful effects of high-variety multi-teaming. To test our hypotheses experimentally, we developed an online game (Knowledge Worker's Dilemma) that simulates the coordination decisions that professionals face in app development teams. Results show multi-teaming hurt team performance by reducing TMS; use of an information dashboard benefited high-variety teams and, surprisingly, hurt the performance of low-variety teams. Potential explanations and implications are discussed.
Multiple Perspectives: Engaging Diverse Voices in the Social Studies Classroom

The C3 Framework and Common Core Standards place an emphasis on the role of sources in social studies instruction, creating the opportunity for teachers to engage English language learners (ELLs) through the investigation of multiple perspectives. In order to demonstrate the importance of examining multiple perspectives within social studies content, our chapter showcases two pedagogical strategies – Structured Academic Controversy and Reader’s Theater – that teachers can use to make content accessible and highlight students’ diverse voices. In this chapter, we draw on a framework for multicultural education, present each pedagogical strategy, and discuss how these strategies support a social studies curriculum that is culturally and linguistically responsive to the needs of ELLs.
Peri-Operative Serum Amiodarone Levels are Not Predictive of Graft Dysfunction in Orthotopic Heart Transplantation

Purpose Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) in orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) carries a large morbidity and mortality. We have previously reported a dose-dependent association with pre-transplant amiodarone usage and PGD in patients with OHT. We conducted a prospective study to elucidate if preoperative serum amiodarone level could predict PGD. Methods Since 2017, we began to monitor serum amiodarone and amiodarone metabolite levels in the peri-operative period prior transplantation . Degree of PGD was determined for each patient post-operatively using the ISHLT Diagnostic Criteria and Classification of PGD. The data was prospectively collected in 54 patients. The risk of PGD was calculated with linear regression . Results The median age for the cohort was 54.5 (IQR 45-65) and 77.8% were male. Baseline height and BMI were 172.7cm (IQR 167- 178) and 27.5 kg/m2 (24.6- 30.8), respectively. Forty-one patients (75.9%) were bridged to transplant. Median cardiopulmonary bypass and ischemic times were 132 (IQR 118- 154) and 163 min (IQR 120- 208), respectively. Median intraoperative inotrope score was 6.9 (3.7-12.6). Twenty-six patients (48.2%) were taking amiodarone prior to OHT with a median dose of 200 mg daily, and the median total serum amiodarone level was 1.7μg/mL (1.2-2.1). Two patients (3.7%) experienced mild PGD. One (1.9%) and eleven (20.4%) patients experienced moderate and severe PGD, respectively. The risk of developing PGD was not correlated with amiodarone level ( r= 0.31, 95% CI= -1.2-1.9, p=0.68). The risk of developing severe PGD was also not correlated with amiodarone level (r= -0.05, 95% CI=-1.4-1.4, p=0.94). Conclusion No predictive association could be made between the one-time preoperative amiodarone serum level and the risk of developing PGD.
Profiling of Pluripotency Factors in Single Cells and Early Embryos.

Cell fate decisions are governed by sequence-specific transcription factors (TFs) that act in small populations of cells within developing embryos. To understand their functions in vivo, it is important to identify TF binding sites in these cells. However, current methods cannot profile TFs genome-wide at or near the single-cell level. Here we adapt the cleavage under targets and release using nuclease (CUT&RUN) method to profile TFs in low cell numbers, including single cells and individual pre-implantation embryos. Single-cell experiments suggest that only a fraction of TF binding sites are occupied in most cells, in a manner broadly consistent with measurements of peak intensity from multi-cell studies. We further show that chromatin binding by the pluripotency TF NANOG is highly dependent on the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex in individual blastocysts but not in cultured cells. Ultra-low input CUT&RUN (uliCUT&RUN) therefore enables interrogation of TF binding from rare cell populations of particular importance in development or disease.
Gamma irradiation effect studies on monolayer CVD grown graphene on metallic substrates

Graphene is a two-dimensional material and has demonstrated an exceptional electronic and photonic properties for unlimited applications including its use in extreme environments of the space. There are several known techniques of formation of graphene onto different types of substrates such as the substrate transfer process and direct deposition. In this work, we deposited monolayer graphene over copper and nickel substrates in NanoCVD-8G Graphene reactor using argon plasma, and methane as a carbon source and studied effects of gamma irradiation using Cobalt-60 source. Radiation effects on crystalline structure of graphene is examined using Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Photo Electron Spectroscopy (XPS). In our experiment, we used irradiation dose from 1 kGy to 2.65 kGy for different samples of graphene over copper and nickel substrates. For the graphene grown on the nickel substrates, we exposed the irradiation dose of 1.0 kGy and 2.5 kGy on two samples, respectively. For the graphene grown on the copper substrates, we exposed 1.25 kGy, 1.75 kGy, and 2.65 kGy irradiation dose on three samples, respectively. We observed D-peak in graphene deposited over nickel and copper substrates caused by disordered structure of graphene after Co-60 exposure. After the Raman spectroscopy and XPS studies, same amount of irradiation was used for second set of irradiation dose experiment. XPS data on Co-60 exposed samples showed four peaks positioned at 284.8eV, 285.3eV, 286.0 eV and 288.5 eV for C-C, C-OH, C-O-C and COOH bonds, respectively. Analysis of the results shows weakening of C-C bonds and formation of C-OH, C-O-C and COOH bonds implying reduced electrical conductivity of graphene.
Memory Theaters: Casablanca and Breathless

If Casablanca (1942) sums up the fifteen-year glory of Classic Hollywood, Breathless (1959) anthologizes the important moments in film history beginning in 1945. Regarding these movies as memory theaters enables us to treat things on screen as resembling computer icons, capable of being activated by a touch. Thus, Casablanca recalls not only the rise of Hitler and U.S. isolationism but also German Expressionist filmmaking, Hollywood’s continuity style, and French poetic Realism. Breathless, on the other hand, recalls Sartre’s existentialism, the German occupation, Italian Neorealism, and American film noir.
The point of epiphyseal penetration affects rotational stability of screw fixation in slipped capital femoral epiphysis: A biomechanical study

The epiphyseal tubercle, a posterosuperior projection of the epiphysis into the metaphysis, serves as the axis of rotation in slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) and a source of physeal stability. We hypothesized that in a biomechanical model of single screw fixation of stable SCFE, a screw passing through the epiphyseal tubercle (the axis of rotation) would confer less rotational stability than a centrally placed screw. Three femurs were selected from a sample population of 8- to 15-year-old healthy hips to represent three stages of maturation: a "young" femur with a prominent epiphyseal tubercle and decreased epiphyseal cupping around the metaphysis, a "median" femur with a subsiding tubercle, and a "mature" femur with a subsided epiphyseal tubercle and increased peripheral epiphyseal cupping. Specimens were three-dimensional printed with one of two screw trajectories: passing centrally in the epiphysis or directly through the epiphyseal tubercle. Resistance to rotational displacement was measured through stiffness and maximum torque over 30° degrees of displacement. In the "young" model, epiphyseal tubercle screw position conferred less rotational stiffness and required less maximum torque during rotational displacement when compared to a centrally placed screw (P < .001). In the "median" and "mature" models where the tubercle has subsided and is replaced by peripheral epiphyseal cupping, screw position through the tubercle was associated with equal or greater rotational stiffness and maximum torque during displacement as a centrally placed screw.
Music for Birthdays: Commemorative Birthday Pieces in Johannes Brahms’s Circle (1853–1854) and Elsewhere

Musical commemoration of birthdays is a subject ripe for exploration. This essay takes as its departure point two little-known examples from Johannes Brahms and his friend Julius Grimm in the 1850s, conceived as private jokes and personal birthday gifts. These pieces reveal an array of humorous musical techniques reflecting the joviality of the composers’ relationships and the conviviality of the commemorated occasions, provide a humanizing glimpse into Brahms’s personal relationships, and offer insight into musical practices surrounding birthdays in their time and place. The remainder of the chapter contextualizes these works within a larger tradition of musical birthday commemorations, public and private, in nineteenth-century Germany and elsewhere and highlights ways in which birthday music of the period resonates with broader cultural trends of the time.
Two-electron quantum dot in a magnetic field: Analytic solution for finite potential model

Abstract The energy levels of two interacting electrons in a 2D quantum dot confined by a finite Gaussian potential and subjected to a uniform magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of the dot are studied. Analytic results are obtained for the energy spectrum of the two-electron system as well as for a single electron. The magnetic field at which the ground state transitions from the spin-singlet to the spin-triplet state for the two-electron system is calculated and compared with the experimental data and previous theoretical results for the infinite harmonic confining potential. The ground state energy of the two-electron system as a function of the magnetic field is calculated and compared with the experimental data.
Carbon storage and sediment trapping by Egeria densa Planch., a globally invasive, freshwater macrophyte.

Abstract Invasive plants have long been recognized for altering ecosystem properties, but their long-term impacts on ecosystem processes remain largely unknown. In this study, we determined the impact of Egeria densa Planch, a globally invasive freshwater macrophyte, on sedimentation processes in a large tidal freshwater region. We measured carbon accumulation (CARs) and inorganic sedimentation rates in submerged aquatic vegetation SAV dominated by E. densa and compared these rates to those of adjacent tidal freshwater marshes. Study sites were chosen along a range of hydrodynamic conditions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of California, USA, where E. densa has been widespread since 1990. Cores were analyzed for bulk density, % inorganic matter, % organic carbon, 210Pb, and 137Cs. Our results show that E. densa patches constitute sinks for both “blue carbon” and inorganic sediment. Compared to marshes, E. densa patches have greater inorganic sedimentation rates (E. densa: 1103–5989 g m−2 yr−1, marsh: 393–1001 g m−2 yr−1, p 0.05). Sediment stored by E. densa likely reduces the resilience of adjacent marshes by depleting the sediment available for marsh-building. Because of its harmful traits, E. densa is not a suitable candidate for mitigating carbon pollution; however, currently invaded habitats may already contain a meaningful component of regional carbon budgets. Our results strongly suggest that E. densa patches are sinks for carbon and inorganic sediment throughout its global range, raising questions about how invasive SAV is altering biogeochemical cycling and sediment dynamics across freshwater ecosystems.
DOT1L primarily acts as a transcriptional repressor in hematopoietic progenitor cells

ABSTRACT DOT1L is essential for early hematopoiesis but the precise mechanisms remain largely unclear. The only known function of DOT1L is histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) methylation. We generated two mouse models; a Dot1L-knockout (Dot1L-KO), and another possessing a point mutation in its methyltransferase domain (Dot1L-MM) to determine the role of its catalytic activity during early hematopoiesis. We observed that Dot1L-KO embryos suffered from severe anemia, while Dot1L-MM embryos showed minimal to no anemia. However, ex vivo culture of Dot1L-MM hematopoietic progenitors (HPCs) exhibited defective development of myeloid and mixed progenitors. DOT1L is a well-recognized, cell-type specific epigenetic regulator of gene expression. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying such diverse hematopoietic properties of Dot1L-KO and Dot1L-MM HPCs, we examined their whole transcriptomes. Extensively self-renewing erythroblast (ESRE) cultures were established using yolk sac (YS) cells collected on embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5). Dot1l-KO and Dot1l-MM cells expanded significantly less than the wildtype cells and showed slower progression through the cell cycle. Total RNA extracted from the wildtype and Dot1l-mutant ESRE cells were subjected to RNA-seq analyses. We observed that the majority (~82%) of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated in both of the Dot1L-mutants, which suggests that DOT1L predominantly acts as a transcriptional repressor in HPCs. We also observed that about ~40% of the DEGs were unique to either of the mutant group, suggesting that DOT1L possesses both methyltransferase domain-dependent and -independent functions. We further analyzed Gene Ontology and signaling pathways relevant to the DEGs common to both mutant groups and those that were unique to either group. Among the common DEGs, we observed upregulation of CDK inhibitors, which explains the cell cycle arrest in both of the Dot1L-mutant progenitors.
Near-Infrared Spectrometry in Remote Biosensing

A near-infrared optical telescope with an aperture of approximately one-meter has been constructed and optimized to detect interstellar laser transmissions. The near-IR telescope (4760 to 25000 cm) is being operated at the University of Kentucky in conjunction with a microwave radiotelescope for Project Argus. The telescope is based on a one meter visible / near-IR Fresnel lens, an aluminum compound parabolic concentrator, tunable interference filters, a robot for detector translation and star tracking, a liquid nitrogen Dewar and detectors (PbS, InSb, and InGaAs) and a 50 MHz preamplifier with 26 dB gain (max. data rate approximately 3 Gb per minute). Autocorrelation and cross-correlation are applied in screening the data collected. The telescope is currently used in targeted searches, in part because of the volume of data collected. In this experiment, spectra were collected near the star Altair.
Coordinated Voltage and Power Control in a Distribution System with PV Penetration

Advances in photovoltaic (PV) technology as well as the increase in the efficiency levels of power electronics converters have led to a rise in the penetration level of rooftop PVs in the distribution system, especially among residential neighborhoods. Although utilization of the PV resource offers many economic and environmental benefits, it can lead to some operational challenges for the power grid. These may for instance consist of power and voltage fluctuations, voltage flicker, and/or overvoltage instances. Regulation of voltage and reactive power has traditionally been achieved in the power grid through voltage and var control (VVC) applications, where substation transformer on-load tap changers (OLTC), voltage regulating transformers, and shunt capacitors are controlled in order to maintain an acceptable voltage profile across the network and/or minimize system losses. When PV penetration level increases, the energy resource can no longer be ignored in the operation of the power system and needs to be coordinated with other voltage control devices, thus necessitating a unified framework for voltage, var, and watt control (VVWC). Proposing one such solution is the objective of the current paper. A methodology has been proposed for VVWC based on a mixed-integer nonlinear multi-objective optimization problem, which is solved by utilizing goal programing approach in order to guarantee Pareto optimality of the solution. Three objective functions have been considered, namely minimizing active power curtailment of PVs, minimizing system losses, and conservation voltage reduction. The proposed method is applied to a modified version of the IEEE 123-bus test distribution system to validate its effectiveness.
Since everyone has a donor, why are some eligible patients still not transplanted?

Abstract Hematopoietic cell transplantation is an important treatment option for malignant and non-malignant hematologic diseases. Despite increasing the potential donor pool for hematopoietic cell transplantation there are many patients who are unable to access this treatment. There are several biologic and non-biologic factors that may explain lower utilization of transplantation. Biologic factors associated with lower utilization include older age, multiple comorbidities, persons of African American descent and high-risk disease that may not respond optimally to hematopoietic cell transplantation. Non-biologic factors associated with lower utilization include lower educational (without a high school diploma) or social status, uninsured, Medicaid or Medicare insurance and in persons aged ≥60 years, when the distance between their residence and hospital was greater than 37 miles. The decision to proceed to hematopoietic cell transplantation is a dialogue between the patient and the treating physician. While some patients may be considered poor candidates for continued treatment including hematopoietic cell transplantation others may be offered novel pharmacologic and cellular therapies with a capacity to deliver specific immunologic antitumor responses. Pharmacologic and cellular therapies are relatively recent, and it is not known whether the biologic and non-biologic factors that limit access to transplantation will limit access to these newer treatments.
Molecular mechanisms of membrane polarity in renal epithelial cells

Exciting discoveries in the last decade have cast light onto the fundamental mechanisms that underlie polarized trafficking in epithelial cells. It is now clear that epithelial cell membrane asymmetry is achieved by a combination of intracellular sorting operations, vectorial delivery mechanisms and plasmalemma-specific fusion and retention processes. Several well-defined signals that specify polarized segregation, sorting, or retention processes have, now, been described in a number of proteins. The intracellular machineries that decode and act on these signals are beginning to be described. In addition, the nature of the molecules that associate with intracellular trafficking vesicles to coordinate polarized delivery, tethering, docking, and fusion are also becoming understood. Combined with direct visualization of polarized sorting processes with new technologies in live-cell fluorescent microscopy, new and surprising insights into these once-elusive trafficking processes are emerging. Here we provide a review of these recent advances within an historically relevant context.
Towards a Notion of Quantitative Security Analysis

The traditional Dolev-Yao model of security limits attacks to “computationally feasible” operations. We depart from this model by assigning a cost to protocol actions, both of the Dolev-Yao kind as well as non traditional forms such as computationally-hard operations, guessing, principal subversion, and failure. This quantitative approach enables evaluating protocol resilience to various forms of denial of service, guessing attacks, and resource limitation. While the methodology is general, we demonstrate it through a low-level variant of the MSR specification language.
Methylation meets genomics.

The methylome—a neologism that describes the complete set of DNA methylation modifications of a cell—has its own life cycle, and alterations in the methylome may be linked to aging and cancer, as well as polymorphic variation in populations. A study of the methylome in embryonic fibroblasts further underscores the potent effect of p53 expression.
Use of high dielectric constant insulators for bypass capacitance in WSI and wafer scale hybrid multichip modules

The exceptionally large amounts of bypass-capacitance requirements of wafer scale integration (WSI) and wafer scale hybrid packaging/multichip module (WSHP/MCM) based systems operating at state-of-the-art switching speeds are explored. The capacitance required may become considerably larger than can be obtained by simply making thin-oxide-metal-plate capacitors unless alternate design styles which exhibit less switching noise are adopted for the circuits employed. Some of the criteria for picking the value of the bypass capacitance are examined, together with techniques for introducing high-dielectric-constant materials into the processing of the semiconductor substrates. The possibility of depositing thin layers of amorphous BaTiO/sub 3/ at low temperature to form a reliable, pin-hole free dielectric for bypass capacitance by use of ionized cluster beam techniques is explored. Deposition of the amorphous material on both metal and semiconductor substrates is possible. >
Automated Analysis of Text in Graduate School Recommendations

Graduate school recommendations are an important part of admissions in higher education, and natural language processing may be able to provide objective and consistent analyses of recommendation texts to complement readings by faculty and admissions staff. However, these sorts of high-stakes, personal recommendations are different from the product and service reviews studied in much of the research on sentiment analysis. In this report, we develop an approach for analyzing recommendations and evaluate the approach on four tasks: (a) identifying which sentences are actually about the student, (b) measuring specificity, (c) measuring sentiment, and (d) predicting recommender ratings. We find substantial agreement with human annotations and analyze the effects of different types of features.
Murine Acid α-Glucosidase: Cell-Specific mRNA Differential Expression during Development and Maturation

Acid α-glucosidase (GAA) cleaves the α1-4 and α1-6 glycosidic linkages of glycogen and related α-glucosyl substrates within lysosomes. Its deficiency results in glycogen storage disease type II (GSDII) variants including Pompe disease. To gain insight into the tissue patterns of involvement by glycogen storage in GSDII, GAA mRNA expression in mouse tissues was evaluated by Northern blot and in situ hybridization analyses. Extensive temporal and spatial variation of GAA mRNA was observed. During preterm maturation, GAA mRNA levels of whole mice progressively increased as assessed by Northern analysis. By in situ hybridization with GAA antisense mRNA, low signals were detected in most tissues throughout gestation. However, increased expression in specific cell types of different tissues was observed beginning at 16 days post coitum in developing brain neurons, primitive inner ear cells, and seminiferous tubular epithelium. In adult mice, whole-organ GAA mRNA levels were highest in brain, moderate in heart, liver, and skeletal muscle, and lowest in the series kidney > lung > testis > spleen. By in situ hybridization, the highest-intensity signals were in neurons of the central and peripheral nervous systems whereas neuroglial cells had only low-level signal. Signals of moderate intensity were in cardiomyocytes whereas low signals were in hepatocytes and skeletal muscle myocytes and very low in cells of the lungs, thymus, pancreas, spleen, and adrenal glands. However, testicular Sertoli cells and kidney tubular epithelial cells had significant signals even though surrounding cells had very low signals. The discrete temporal and spatial variations of GAA mRNA during development indicate different physiological roles for this enzyme in various cell types and developmental stages.
Millennial-scale variability in western subtropical North Atlantic surface and deep water circulation during marine isotope stages 11 and 12

[1] Marine isotope stages (MISs) 11 and 12 (∼460–380 ka) contain what may be the most extreme climate conditions of the last 500,000 years and occurred at a time when Earth received a similar amount of solar insolation as the most recent glacial-interglacial cycle. Two high-deposition rate sediment cores, Ocean Drilling Program Sites 1059 (31.6°N, 75.4°W, 2985 m) and 1055 (32.6°N, 76.2°W, 1799 m) from the western North Atlantic were studied in order to examine the nature of millennial-scale variability in North Atlantic surface and thermohaline circulation during this time interval. Detailed records of δ18O and δ13C in the benthic foraminifera species Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi and the planktonic species Globigerinoides ruber (white) as well as detailed records of carbonate content were generated for both sites. These records suggest rapid variability in the strength of North Atlantic Deep Water production throughout MISs 11 and 12. Most of the observed changes in deep-water circulation appear to be associated with or coupled to changes in sea-surface hydrography. The duration of interglacial conditions during MIS 11 (20,000–30,000 years) is much longer than subsequent interglacial stages. Combined δ18O measurements and Mg/Ca based temperature estimates from G. ruber suggest sea-surface temperatures increased 2–3°C across the MIS 12–MIS 11 transition.
What Has Science Done To Religion?1)

Definitions of religion cover a distressingly wide range in consequence of the essentially non-convergent outcome of a struggle to reach agreement about this word. At one extreme, Communism, the very antithesis to religion in most people's minds, has been termed a religion on account of its appearance as a system of intense emotional dedication to doctrinal principles by those within its fold. Recently I heard Felix Greene, the cousin of Christopher Isherwood and of Graham Greene, describe this dedication within Communism; Greene had just returned from five full months in Red China where he even was granted a personal interview with Chou en Lai. The near half a billion Chinese people live in a political and economic system which is controlled by a hard core of just several million Communist Party Members. He continually ran into Chinese youth who described to him their real despair over being refused membership in the Party because of failure to measure up to the fantastically high standards of conduct and commitment required of a Party member.. He likened the Party to a reigious order in every sense of the word in which some of the choice youth of China have evidently "found themselves" through utter and absolute commitment to the Party. They exhibit a selflessness that is frightening in its future implications and renders a stark warning to the apathy and easy-going faiths of so many of us in America in general and in Christianity in particular. Without doubt, the definition of religion is not violated when it is stretched to include Communism, at any rate, when it is stretched to include that element of Communism related to commitment.
EDUCATION AND PARTNERSHIPS IN CHILD WELFARE: MAPPING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CHILD WELFARE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

This article presents the results of focus groups conducted with participants following the completion of a Child Welfare Practice Certificate Program. Concept mapping was used as the guiding research method for the data collection and analysis. Social work students and child welfare workers generated statements during the focus group session that were then sorted into conceptual piles. Participants then rated the statements as to their importance and practicality and their interest in learning about them. Results revealed that the concept Reporting, Assessment, and Case Planning in the Real World was rated highest in all three categories. Recommendations are provided regarding infusing a child welfare curriculum into social work programs, and the authors discuss how concept mapping can be used in evaluation research. CHILD WELFARE TRAINING and education have historically received considerable attention in the field of social work. Child welfare has roots in the development of social work (Charity Organization Societies) and has been heralded as a cornerstone of the profession (Lindsey, 1994; Tracy & Pine, 2000). Recently, as attention continues to focus on the child protection field, the need for more social work professionals with specialized training is becoming apparent. A curriculum was designed to bring child welfare workers and students together in an educational setting to enhance existing skills in child welfare assessment and gain an understanding of the mental health aspects of maltreatment from a developmental perspective. The purpose of this article is to present the findings from the focus-group portion of the evaluation, which was held after participants completed both child welfare courses in the Child Welfare Certificate Program, spring 2001 In addition to the focus group, a Web-based and vignette-driven exam was developed and administered to those students who had completed the academic and field components of the certificate program. The goal of the Webbased exam was to determine if students and child welfare workers had an increase in their skills in assessment and mental health issues with this population. The sample size from the exam portion of the evaluation was too small for any meaningful summaries, at this
Internal model control framework using neural networks for the modeling and control of a bioreactor

Abstract An internal model control (IMC) framework using neural networks for the modeling and control of a nonlinear bioreactor is presented. Unlike existing IMC design techniques, this approach needs no mathematical models. It is shown that, to obtain an accurate inverse model, one needs to use steady-state data in addition to the transient data for training the networks. An integration of neural networks and an unstructured math model of the bioreactor is also proposed to improve the neural networks' modeling accuracy. This hybrid approach shows significantly better performance than the “black box” method, and almost as good a performance as a nonlinear IMC based on an exact mathematical model. The hybrid method also has other advantages, such as the use of only steady-state data and the need for only one neural network that can be used for both the process model and the inverse process model. Simulation results show that the neural-net strategy is superior to a PI controller.
Small Farm Scale Production of Aerobic Compost from Hardwoods Predigested by Lentinula edodes

ABSTRACT The shiitake mushroom industry produces a waste product in the form of spent hardwood logs that have been partially digested by the lignicolous fungi, Lentinula edodes. Currently, there is no economically viable mechanism for disposal of these logs. The objectives of this research were to test several methods of composting chipped shiitake logs and to evaluate the use of the compost material for spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) production. Four methods for producing compost from spent shiitake logs were compared: (a) in-vessel tumbler; (b) wire mesh cage; (c) passively aerated static pile; and (d) actively aerated static pile. Compost was produced from a mixture of 85% chipped spent shiitake logs and 15% grass clippings. In order to adjust C:N to 30:1. urea was added. Scale and production cost of the aerated static pile methods were superior to the other two methods. The resulting compost contained relatively high concentrations of Ca and low concentrations of P. Composting of chipped shiitake logs...
Six new species of Elaphoglossum (Elaphoglossaceae)

The fern genusElaphoglossum is well represented in wet, mountainous regions of Latin America, from which many species have recently been described. Six more new species ofElaphoglossum are reported:E. bryogenes from Ecuador andE. caudulatum, E. diminutum, E. delasotae, E. lellingeri, E. subcordatum, andE. xiphiophorum from Colombia.
Origin of the Moon by Tidal Capture and Some Geophysical Consequences

Of the many proposed modes of origin of the Moon, some violate physical laws; many are in conflict with observations; all are improbable. Perhaps the least improbable - based on recent tidal theory calculations and on the interpretation of lunar rock data - is capture of the Moon as it passed near the Earth in adirect (prograde) orbit, shortly after the formation of Moon and Earth, about 4.5 billion years ago. (Capture of the Moon from an initiallyretrograde orbit which had been proposed some years ago, leads to physically unacceptable consequences.) The effects of capture on the Earth would have been cataclysmic, leading to intensive heating of its interior, to volcanism, and to the immediate formation of an atmosphere and hydrosphere. Thus capture of a Moon may have given rise to the unique properties of the Earth (in the Solar System) and to the early evolution of life, about 3.5 billion years ago.