cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Study on Reconfigurable Nanomagnetic Array and Effect of Gilbert Damping on Reconfigurability

A 2-D grid of circular nanomagnets (NMs) has been effectively used to solve binary quadratic optimization problems via magnetic interaction in the X-Y plane. Reconfiguring this architecture is challenging due to the geometry and spacing constraints imposed by the computational algorithm, but can be achieved by destabilizing the uniform and unidirectional magnetic influence from the non-computing cell. In this paper, we studied how the straightforward spin transfer torque (STT) can induce a rotational coupling field between the non-computing and computing cells to impair static interaction. This mechanism is also better than spin orbital torque (SOT)-based reconfiguration in terms of power, speed and system integration. Our study shows that STT-based solution requires 14× less current desnsity and is 25% faster than the SOT-based counterpart. We extended the study to achieve low-power reconfiguration by altering the Gilbert damping. A lower damping can further reduce 60% of the required current than the high damping case.
Bridge to Sapien: Mechanical Circulatory Support as a Bridge to Transcatheter Mitral Intervention.

Veno-arterial membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) can be used as a rescue therapy for patients in refractory cardiogenic shock. While there is experience as a bridge-to-transplant and bridge-to-ventricular assist device in the heart failure population, there are not reports of its use as a bridge to definitive valvular intervention. Here we present a case of VA-ECMO as a bridge to transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve (TMVIV) with a Sapien aortic prosthesis (Edwards Life Sciences, Irvine, CA).
A Comparative Analysis of Use of Google Glass versus. GoPro Intraoperative Video Recording of Scleral Buckle Surgery

Importance The scleral buckle technique is difficult to teach, given a decrease in the frequency of its use and the challenges of its video recording. Background This study compares two different modalities for recording intraoperative videos of scleral buckle surgery. Design Present study is a cross-sectional survey conducted in an academic hospital. Participants A total of 36 medical students, ophthalmologic residents, and vitreoretinal surgery fellows participated in this survey. Methods Five scleral buckle surgeries were filmed simultaneously using Google Glass and GoPro. Single-masked survey of trainees comparing video and audio quality of 38 10-second clips from each device, and listing the steps of scleral buckle surgery. Institutional review board approval and informed consent were obtained. Main Outcome Measures Trainees were asked for grading the video device with respect to audio and video quality as favorable or unfavorable. Results GoPro clips had more favorable ratings of video (73.3%) and audio (75.9%), compared with Google Glass (36.7 and 58.5%, respectively; p Conclusion and Relevance Wearable recording devices can allow for video recording of scleral buckle surgery which has high utility in teaching trainees. GoPro and Google Glass each have distinct advantages.
Take the Time to Walk

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. "The busyness of life distracts me from the One I long to be with. Sometimes life just takes over, and I get busy writing this paper and reading that chapter, prioritizing what’s due first. Then I remember that God is always first and I stop to revaluate my priorities. I take the time to refocus and be with my Creator. The best times I have with God are when I’m taking a walk outside." This the world seen through the lens of faith is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol6/iss2/9 Emily K. Lalka Take the Time to Walk The busyness of life distracts me from the One I long to be with. Sometimes life just takes over, and I get busy writing this paper and reading that chapter, prioritizing what’s due first. Then I remember that God is always first and I stop to revaluate my priorities. I take the time to refocus and be with my Creator. The best times I have with God are when I’m taking a walk outside. One day when the weather was beautiful I decided to take the time to walk. As I began walking I thought, “Wow, it’s been a long time since I walked with my best friend...I missed you;” I felt laughter erupt inside of me and I heard, “What do you mean? I always walk with you; every step you take, I take too. Sometimes you just forget that I’m there.” I realized that this was entirely true. I felt a flicker of guilt for ignoring my only friend that has been with me all my life. But just as quickly the guilt was swept away as I was overcome with intense love. At that moment I walked past a waterfall and I stopped. I looked up at the sky and all around me and admired the beautiful world my best friend created. For the rest of my walk I was walking on earth, but I was in an entirely different world. When it came time to return to my home, my friend said to me, “Remember I am always with you. The steps that you take will be lighter and the path you follow will be easier if you remember this.” Since then I talk to God all of the time in everything that I am doing. I feel incredible peace inside of me. My steps are lighter and my path is easier. I just continuously remember that my best friend is always by my side. Take the time to walk. You may think you are walking by yourself, but soon you’ll realize that you are never alone, because my best friend is also your best friend.
Role of conserved residues in hydrophilic loop 8-9 of the lactose permease

A peptide motif, GXXX(D/E)(R/K)XG(R/K)(R/K), has been conserved in a large group of evolutionarily related membrane proteins that transport small molecules across the membrane. Within the superfamily, this motif is located in two cytoplasmic loops that connect transmembrane segments 2 and 3 and transmembrane segments 8 and 9. In a previous study concerning the loop 2-3 motif of the lactose permease (A. E. Jessen-Marshall, N. J. Paul, and R. J. Brooker, J. Biol. Chem. 270:16251-16257, 1995), it was shown that the first-position glycine and the fifth-position aspartate are critical for transport activity since a variety of site-directed mutations greatly diminished the rate of transport. In the current study, a similar approach was used to investigate the functional significance of the conserved residues in the loop 8-9 motif. In the wild-type lactose permease, however, this motif has been evolutionarily modified so that the first-position glycine (an alpha-helix breaker) has been changed to proline (also a helix breaker); the fifth position has been changed to an asparagine; and one of the basic residues has been altered. In this investigation, we made a total of 28 single and 7 double mutants within the loop 8-9 motif to explore the functional importance of this loop. With regard to transport activity, amino acid substitutions within the loop 8-9 motif tend to be fairly well tolerated. Most substitutions produced permeases with normal or mildly defective transport activities. However, three substitutions at the first position (i.e., position 280) resulted in defective lactose transport. Kinetic analysis of position 280 mutants indicated that the defect decreased the Vmax for lactose uptake. Besides substitutions at position 280, a Gly-288-to-Thr mutant had the interesting property that the kinetic parameters for lactose uptake were normal yet the rates of lactose efflux and exchange were approximately 10-fold faster than wild-type rates. The results of this study suggest that loop 8-9 may facilitate conformational changes that translocate lactose.
Scalable precomputed search trees

The traditional A*-search method builds a search tree of potential solution paths during runtime. An alternative approach is to compute this search tree in advance, and then use it during runtime to efficiently find a solution. Recent work has shown the potential for this idea of precomputation. However, these previous methods do not scale to the memory and time needed for precomputing trees of a reasonable size. The focus of this paper is to take a given set of actions from a navigation scenario, and precompute a search tree that can scale to large planning problems. We show that this precomputation approach can be used to efficiently generate the motions for virtual human-like characters navigating in large environments such as those in games and films. We precompute a search tree incrementally and use a density metric to scatter the paths of the tree evenly among the region we want to build the tree in. We experimentally compare our algorithm with some recent methods for building trees with diversified paths. We also compare our method with traditional A*-search approaches. Our main advantage is a significantly faster runtime, and we show and describe the tradeoffs that we make to achieve this runtime speedup.
Temperature modulation and the presence of C20 fatty acids in mono‐ and digalactosyldiacylglycerol of Euglena gracilis and Lepocinclis acus: A modern interpretation of euglenid galactolipids using positive‐ion electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry

Summary Mono- and digalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG and DGDG, respectively) are important galactolipids that comprise photosynthetic membranes in almost all photosynthetic organisms. Intact forms of MGDG and DGDG of Euglena gracilis and Lepocinclis acus, two example euglenids with secondary plastids of green algal origin, were elucidated with fatty acid regiochemistry via positive-ion electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry at two growth temperatures. At 20°C, E. gracilis and L. acus produced predominantly 18:3/16:4 (sn-1/sn-2) MGDG, whereas at 30°C this was supplanted by 18:2/16:2 MGDG. At both temperatures were also observed a variety of other MGDG and DGDG forms, including C20 fatty acid-containing forms not expected in a green algal-derived plastid. In addition to providing structural details of MGDG and DGDG not available in past studies, these results suggest a previously unknown relationship between these two organisms and the red algae. This study also illustrates that temperature modulation of galactolipids occurs via modification of unsaturation of both the sn-1 and sn-2 fatty acids; this is fundamentally different from previously published studies from our laboratory on other algal classes.
A Case of Double Identity: The Public and Private Faces of the Palazzo Tolomei in Siena

The Palazzo Tolomei (1270–75) was not only the private residence of a prominent Sienese family, but was also the first legislative headquarters of the Guelph commune. In A Case of Double Identity: The Public and Private Faces of the Palazzo Tolomei in Siena, Max Grossman argues that the unusual features and ornament of this building may be linked to the original public function of its ground-level hall and to the city’s allegiance to the papacy and the Angevin monarchy after 1270. As a hybrid civic-private edifice, the Palazzo Tolomei defies traditional categorization and calls into question our current understanding of the typology and function of civic palaces. Grossman suggests that as a new architectural type, the building served as the template for the initial versions of the Palazzo Pubblico in Siena and the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence.
How to study weakly coupled neutral vector bosons

A weakly coupled new neutral gauge boson, forming a narrow resonance, can be efficiently produced at e+e- colliders through radiative return processes if the collider energy is larger than the gauge boson mass. This contribution analyzes the sensitivity of a future linear collider for weakly coupled gauge bosons and briefly discusses how, in case of discovery, its properties can be determined with high precision.
Family Functioning and Externalizing Behaviour among Low-income Children: Self-regulation as a Mediator.

The purpose of this study was to examine self-regulation as a mediator of the relation between family functioning and externalizing behaviour in 731 low-income children (M age = 41 months) across three time points. Specifically, this study focused on whether chaos in the home and positive behaviour support were indirectly related to externalizing problems through their influence on inhibitory control. The primary findings were as follows: (a) chaos in the home at age 3 years was indirectly related to externalizing behaviour at age 5.5 years through children’s inhibitory control at age 4 years, and (b) positive behaviour support at age 3 years was indirectly related to externalizing behaviour at age 5.5 years through inhibitory control at age 4 years. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
Methaqualone1 Overdose: Analytical Methodology, and the Significance of Serum Drug Concentrations

Methaqualone abuse and overdose have recently become "epidemic." We determined concentrations of the drug in serum in 15 cases of overdose by gas— liquid chromatography (GLC) and ultraviolet spectraphotometry (UV). Values by GLC were consistently lower than those determined by UV after chloroform extraction, but correlated well with those obtained by UV after hexane extraction. Our studies show that at least one chloroform extractable metabolite has a spectrum very similar to that of the parent drug. This may in part explain the lower results obtained by GLC and suggests that other reported data based on UV analysis of chloroform and ether extracts may be too high. Extraction with hexane, a less polar solvent, followed by back extraction into HCl provides an accurate UV method suitable for emergency use. Concentration of unchanged methaqualone in serum after overdose ranged from 2 mg/liter to 22 mg/liter in this series; those greater than 8 mg/liter were usually associated with unconsciousness.
The Cdu and the Politics of Gender in Germany: Introduction: A Democratic Paradox?

The summer of 2005 was an exciting one in German politics. On May 22, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) suffered a serious defeat in its electoral heartland, North Rhine-Westfalia, which led Chancellor Gerhard Schroder to call for surprise early elections in the fall. The Christian Democrats chose to run Angela Merkel, chair of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), as their candidate. After starting the summer with a 25 percent point lead, Merkel lost ground throughout the campaign. From her controversial choice of Paul Kirchhof as future Finance Minister to her poor performance in the televised debate, it seemed Merkel could do nothing right. On September 18, the Christian Democrats received 35.2 percent of the vote and the Social Democrats received 34.2 percent. Neither major party had sufficient votes to form a government with its preferred coalition partner. After two months of wrangling, Merkel finally emerged as the leader of a grand coalition made up of the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats. Merkel may have seemed like an odd choice for the Christian Democrats. After all, the CDU is a traditionally Catholic party and she is a Protestant. The CDU has traditional social values, yet it elected a woman. The CDU has struggled to gain votes in the former East Germany and has often seemed ineffective when campaigning there, yet the party elected the first eastern Chancellor. How did this conservative party come to make such an unusual choice for the most important position in the country?
The calculation of molecular and cluster auger spectra

Abstract The work of Asaad and Burhop and of Shirley on atoms is Shown to form the basis of a useful theory for the analysis of molecular core-valence-valence Auger spectra. If the static relaxation term of Shirley is neglected, the theory requires only a single SCF calculation on the neutral molecule. Since this approximation seems justified for the class of itinerant holes, the theory not only pemits the interpretation of the spectra of molecules considerably larger than previously analyzed, but potentially the spectra of chemisorbed molecules from cluster calculations. Theory and experiment are compared for the carbon KW spectra ofCH 4 , C 2 H 2 , C 2 H 4 and CH 3 OH.
Tests of the exponential decay law at short and long times.

We have studied the $\ensuremath{\beta}$ decays of $^{60}\mathrm{Co}$ at times $\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}{t}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ and those of $^{56}\mathrm{Mn}$ over the interval $0.3{t}_{\frac{1}{2}}\ensuremath{\le}t\ensuremath{\le}45{t}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ to search for proposed deviations from the exponential decay law at short and long times, respectively. Over all time periods examined, our data are consistent with purely exponential behavior. From these measurements, stringent limits are derived on the amplitudes of possible deviations from the exponential decay law.
Point-of-care testing reduces length of stay in emergency department chest pain patients

Study objective We determine the effect of cardiac troponin I point-of-care testing on emergency department (ED) length of stay in chest pain patients. Methods This was a before-and-after trial in a university-based ED with 75,000 annual visits. Participants were consecutive patients with a chief complaint of chest pain who were admitted to the hospital. During the first 2-week period (before), only central laboratory testing of troponin was performed. During the second 2-week period (after), treating nurses performed bedside point-of-care testing for troponin I, as well as central laboratory testing. Test turnaround times, time from triage until calling in admissions, and time from triage until patients left the ED to be transferred to a floor (ED length of stay) were determined and compared between the 2 study periods. Comparisons between study periods are expressed as mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A sample of 100 patients in each group had 90% power to detect a 1-hour difference in length of stay (2-tailed α=0.05). Results There were 232 patients before and 134 after introduction of point-of-care testing. Mean age (SD) was 63 years (16 years), and 44% were female patients. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. The rate of positive troponins was also similar (9.5% versus 6.1%). ED length of stay was significantly reduced after introduction of point-of-care testing (5.2 hours [95% CI 4.6 to 5.8 hours] versus 7.1 hours [95% CI 6.6 to 7.7 hours]; mean difference 1.9 hours [95% CI 1.1 to 2.7 hours]). The time until the admission was called in to bed control was also significantly reduced by introducing point-of-care testing (2.7 hours [95% CI 2.4 to 3.1 hours] versus 4.7 hours [95% CI 4.3 to 5.0 hours]; mean difference 1.9 hours [95% CI 1.4 to 2.5 hours]). Point-of-care testing turnaround (14.8 minutes [95% CI 14.1 to 15.5 minutes]) was significantly shorter than for central laboratory testing (83 minutes [95% CI 77 to 89 minutes]; mean difference 68 minutes [95% CI 62 minutes to 74 minutes]). With central testing as the criterion standard, point-of-care testing had a sensitivity of 100% (95% CI 63% to 100%) and a specificity of 96% (95% CI 92% to 99%). Conclusion Bedside performance of troponin I point-of-care testing by treating nurses significantly reduces ED length of stay.
Stroke. 'Spotting' patients at the highest risk of hematoma growth.

Clinical trials aimed at preventing hematoma expansion in patients with intraparenchymal hemorrhage have failed to show benefit from experimental intervention. Novel methods for identifying those patients at the highest risk of hemorrhage growth might enable better patient selection and, hence, increase the chance of demonstrating an improvement in clinical outcome.
Application of stereology to the statistical description of the spatial distribution of composition and other scalar properties in three dimensional space

Abstract The composition distribution in a chemically nonuniform system may be described as a set of scalar fields X k ( x , y, z ), one for each component k , where X k is the atom fraction of component k . For each component statistical information about this spatial distribution may be obtained by combining a sampling of microprobe line traces with stereological analysis. This analysis yields the volume weighted concentration distribution function, f v ( X k ), where f v ( X k ) dX k is the fraction of the volume of the system that has compositions in the range X k to X k + dX k , and S v ( X k ), the area per unit volume of structure of the isocomposition contour at each composition. The harmonic mean of the distribution of concentration gradients over each isocomposition contour can be computed from this information. The methodology also can be applied to the analysis of the distribution of any scalar property that is nonuniform in a structure.
Quantum games and quaternionic strategies

It is well-known that the phenomenon of entanglement plays a fundamental role in quantum game theory. Occasionally, games constructed via maximally entangled initial states (MEIS) will have new Nash equilibria yielding to the players higher payoffs than the ones they receive in the classical version of the game. When examining these new games for Nash equilibrium payoffs, a fundamental question arises; does a suitable choice of an MEIS improve the lot of the players? In this paper, we show that the answer to this question is yes for at least the case of a variant of the well-known two player, two strategy game of Chicken. To that end, we generalize Landsburg's quaternionic representation of the payoff function of two player, two strategy maximally entangled states to games where the initial state is chosen arbitrarily from a circle of maximally entangled initial states and for the corresponding quantized games show the existence of superior Nash equilibrium payoffs when an MEIS is appropriately chosen.
Broad-Host-Range Plasmids in Treated Wastewater Effluent and Receiving Streams

The occurrence of broad-host-range (BHR) plasmid amplicons belonging to incompatibility (Inc) groups IncA/C, IncN, IncP, and IncW in two wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and effluent-receiving streams in Northwest Arkansas, Mud Creek and Spring Creek, was determined. Community DNA captured on filter membranes and plasmid DNA extracted from antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from Mud Creek was used for polymerase chain reaction at amplification of partial gene sequences specific to BHR plasmids. IncP plasmid amplicons were detected in effluent and downstream sites in both streams, while IncN and IncW plasmid amplicons were detected in Spring Creek in effluent and downstream but not upstream. IncA/C plasmid amplicons, in contrast, were detected at all sites, including upstream in most samples in Spring Creek and in one sample from Mud Creek. One IncP and two IncN were the only BHR plasmid amplicons found in 85 screened antibiotic-resistant E. coli isolates, and were detected only in isolates from effluent and downstream samples. Broad-host-range plasmids frequently carry antibiotic-resistance genes and can facilitate horizontal transfer of those genes. While BHR plasmids have been detected in WWTPs, WWTPs do not target these genetic elements for destruction. This study indicates that BHR plasmids are in WWTP effluent and are introducing BHR plasmids into streams. Additionally, species other than E. coli may be better targets as indicator bacteria for future studies of the impact of treated effluent on environmental dissemination of BHR plasmids.
Pollinator shifts drive increasingly long nectar spurs in columbine flowers.

In 1862, in explaining the exceptionally long nectar spur of Angraecum sesquipedale, the star-of-Bethlehem orchid, Darwin proposed that a coevolutionary 'race' had driven the increase in length of a plant's spur and its pollinator's tongue. He predicted the existence of an exceptionally long-tongued moth. It — Xanthopan morgani ssp. praedicta — was discovered in 1903, with a tongue length of 22 cm. But the 'race' model remained contentious as there are other ways in which a curiously long tongue could evolve. Now, using a species-level phylogeny of the columbine genus, Aquilegia, Justen Whittall and Scott Hodges show that nectar spurs in Aquilegia have indeed evolved in an ever-increasing fashion, but due to a predictable series of adaptations to unrelated pollinators, concentrated during speciation events. Nectar spurs in Aquilegia have evolved in an ever-increasing 'co-evolutionary race' fashion, but due to a predictable series of adaptations to unrelated pollinators, concentrated during speciation events. These findings show how evolutionary history and ecological setting can drive predictable changes in morphology. Directional evolutionary trends have long garnered interest because they suggest that evolution can be predictable. However, the identification of the trends themselves and the underlying processes that may produce them have often been controversial1. In 1862, in explaining the exceptionally long nectar spur of Angraecum sesquipedale, Darwin proposed that a coevolutionary ‘race’ had driven the directional increase in length of a plant’s spur and its pollinator’s tongue2. Thus he predicted the existence of an exceptionally long-tongued moth. Though the discovery of Xanthopan morgani ssp. praedicta in 1903 with a tongue length of 22 cm validated Darwin’s prediction3, his ‘race’ model for the evolution of long-spurred flowers remains contentious4. Spurs may also evolve to exceptional lengths by way of pollinator shifts as plants adapt to a series of unrelated pollinators, each with a greater tongue length5. Here, using a species-level phylogeny of the columbine genus, Aquilegia, we show a significant evolutionary trend for increasing spur length during directional shifts to pollinators with longer tongues. In addition, we find evidence for ‘punctuated’ change in spur length during speciation events6, suggesting that Aquilegia nectar spurs rapidly evolve to fit adaptive peaks predefined by pollinator morphology. These findings show that evolution may proceed in predictable pathways without reversals and that change may be concentrated during speciation.
Genetic and environmental components of adolescent adjustment and parental behavior: A multivariate analysis

Adolescent adjustment measures may be related to each other and to the social environment in various ways. Are these relationships similar in genetic and environmental sources of covariation, or different? A multivariate behavior-genetic analysis was made of 6 adjustment and 3 treatment composites from the study Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development, using 674 same-sex adolescent sibling pairs aged 9-11. Cholesky decompositions of the total covariance matrix yielded additive and nonadditive genetic, and shared and nonshared environmental matrices. Factor analyses led to 3 factors for all but shared environment. The first 2 factors resembled Neuroticism and Extraversion factors typically found for personality; the third factor, parental monitoring and control, appeared to have different associations in different matrices.
Anxiety reactions of extraverts and introverts to experienced and anticipated sensory redundancy.

Anxiety reactions of 5 extraverted and 6 introverted male Ss to 45 min. of extreme sensory redundancy and to the prospect of prolonging the experience were measured. Extraverts were slightly more a...
A random choice method for two-dimensional steady supersonic shock wave diffraction problems☆

A random choice method for the numerical solution of steady, supersonic, two-dimensional plane and three-dimensional axisymmetric gas flows is presented. The random choice method uses exact solutions of Riemann problems and sampling techniques. It is applicable to steady, supersonic flows in more than one dimension because these flows are described by a hyperbolic system of conservation laws in two independent variables. The method is applied to a variety of supersonic shock wave diffraction problems and compared to solutions obtained with the method of characteristics. The main advantages of the method presented are its general applicability and its sharp resolution of discontinuities in the flow.
Robust control of robots by the computed torque law

Abstract For the trajectory following problem of a robot manipulator, the standard computed torque control law is shown to be robust with respect to unknown dynamics by judiciously choosing the feedback gains and the estimates of the nonlinear dynamics. The choices for the constant gains depend only on the coefficients of a polynomial bound of the unknown dynamics. The asymptotic stability of the position and velocity tracking errors is also investigated.
Hungry, but not thirsty, rats prefer flavors paired with ethanol☆

The present experiments examined the reinforcing effects of an ethanol (EtOH) unconditioned stimulus (UCS) on conditioned flavor preferences in food-deprived rats and in water-deprived rats. In Experiment 1A food and water deprived animals received distinct conditioning treatments. One half of the animals were intragastrically intubated with EtOH (0.5 g/kg), and thereafter allowed 20 min free access to similar flavored drinking solutions. Remaining animals were intubated with distilled water. All animals received 15 presentations of an EtOH-paired flavor. A two-bottle preference test was subsequently used to evaluate preferences or aversions to flavors paired with EtOH in food-deprived and water-deprived animals. Results of Experiment 1A showed that food-deprived animals preferred the flavor associated with EtOH. Conversely, preferences for EtOH-paired flavors were not established in water-deprived animals. In Experiment 1B deprivational states of animals used in Experiment 1A were reversed without further drug training. Following a two week habituation period to deprivation state animals again received a two-bottle preference test to re-evaluate preferences or aversions to the EtOH-paired flavors. Results of those manipulations indicated that an ethanol aversion was established in the water-deprived animals. Those results indicated that water-deprived animals of Experiment 1B reversed their EtOH-paired flavor preference when the caloric need associated with food deprivation conditions was eliminated. Since deprivational state determined the development of EtOH preferences, the present results indicate that caloric need may play an initial role in establishing conditioned preferences for EtOH.
A simplified preparation of D-arginine.

Abstract Concentration of the digestion mixture of acetyl- dl -arginine with acylase I gave the very insoluble acetyl- d -arginine in high yield and purity. Hydrolysis of the latter compound with HCl yielded d -arginine-HCl nearly quantitatively.
Accumulation and release of fuel-oil-derived diaromatic hydrocarbons by the polychaete Neanthes arenaceodentata

Male and gravid female Neanthes arenaceodentata (Moore) (Polychaeta: Annelida) were experimentally exposed to a sublethal concentration of No. 2 fuel oil seawater extract for 24 h. Within 1 h both sexes had incorporated, in equal proportions, most of the diaromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene, methylnaphthalenes) eventually accumulated. No net loss of accumulated naphthalenes was observed during the exposure period. When returned to hydrocarbon-free seawater, male worms slowly released naphthalenes down to undetectable (< 0.1 ppm) levels in 400 h (17 days). Gravid females retained essentially all of the originally accumulated naphthalenes for 3 weeks, at which time they released their eggs during fertilization, with subsequent dramatic decreases in naphthalenes content. Zygotes and trochophore larvae from exposed females contained 18 ppm naphthalenes, accounting for a majority of those amounts initially present in parent females. As trochophore larvae developed into 18-segment juveniles, naphthalenes concentrations dropped to near undetectable levels (0.4 ppm) in 21-day old juveniles (= 18-segment worms). When sampled at the next stage of development (32-segment worms) 5 days later (1050 h after exposure of gravid females), offspring were free of naphthalenes. Results suggest the importance of lipid-rich eggs in the accumulation and retention of diaromatic hydrocarbons by marine polychaetes.
Emulating cache organizations on real hardware using performance cloning

Computer system designers need a deep understanding of end users’ workload in order to arrive at an optimum design. Unfortunately, many end users will not share their software to designers due to the proprietary or confidential nature of their software. Researchers have proposed workload cloning, which is a process of extracting statistics that summarize the behavior of users’ workloads through profiling, followed by using them to drive the generation of a representative synthetic workload (clone). Clones can be used in place of the original workloads to evaluate computer system performance, helping designers to understand the behavior of users workload on the simulated machine models without the users having to disclose proprietary or sensitive information about the original workload. In this paper, we propose infusing environment-specific information into the clone. This Environment-Specific Clone (ESC) enables the simulation of hypothetical cache configurations directly on a machine with a different cache configuration. We validate ESC on both real systems as well as cache simulations. Furthermore, we present a case study of how page mapping affects cache performance. ESC enables such a study at native machine speed by infusing the page mapping information into clones, without needing to modify the OS or hardware. We then analyze the factors that determine how page mapping impact cache performance, and how various applications are affected differently.
Approximation methods for estimating gamma means using a hierarchical exchangeable model

Consider the problem of simultaneously estimating p Gamma means when the means are believed a priori to be exchangeable. A Bayesian hierarchical model is employed to model this exchangeability assumption. Several approximation methods are discussed to compute the hierarchical Bayes estimate of the Gamma means. The accuracy of the different approaches is investigated.
The growth hormone–insulin-like growth factor-I axis in chronic kidney disease

Growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) are important physiologic regulators of growth, body composition, and kidney function. Perturbations in the GH-IGF-I axis are responsible for many important complications seen in chronic kidney disease (CKD), such as growth retardation and cachectic wasting, as well as disease progression. Recent evidence suggests that CKD is characterized by abnormalities in GH and IGF-I signal transduction and the interaction of these pathways with those that involve other molecules such as ghrelin, myostatin, and the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) family. Further understanding of GH/IGF pathophysiology in CKD may lead to the development of therapeutic strategies for these devastating complications, which are associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity.
For whom the bell tolls: state-society relations and the Sichuan earthquake mourning in China

In the wake of the devastating Sichuan earthquake in 2008, the Chinese state, for the first time in the history of the People’s Republic, held a nationwide mourning rite for ordinary disaster victims. Why did this “mourning for the ordinary” emerge in the wake of the Sichuan earthquake but not previous massive disasters? Moreover, the Chinese state tried to demonstrate through the mourning that the state respected ordinary people’s lives and dignity. But this moral-political message contradicted the state’s normal repressive practice. The contradiction was salient when the state forbade the parents of child victims, who died of school collapse, to mourn their children at anniversaries of the earthquake. What can account for this contradiction? Drawing on the state-society relations perspective, I argue that the emergence of “mourning for the ordinary” can be explained by some important changes in structural state-society relations in China in the 2000s, such as the rapidly developing civil society with moral consciousness and the more adaptive authoritarian Chinese state with concern about its moral legitimacy. These changes were strengthened in the situational dynamics in 2008, which led to the state’s acceptance of a mourning proposal from the public sphere. The mourning did not occur in previous disasters because those structural factors were absent or weak and the situational dynamics were different. The state suppressed parents’ mourning and outside activists’ alternative mourning because the state’s concern with stability overrode its moral legitimation, particularly in the changing political context after the Beijing Olympics, and, meanwhile, the civil society was unable to resist the state’s repression. This study theorizes an important but understudied mourning genre, “mourning for the ordinary,” and introduces the state-society perspective into public ritual study.
Directed submodularity, ditroids and directed submodular flows

Set relations and operations such as inclusion, union and intersection are generalized to directed subsets whose elements are distinguished between forward and backward elements. The concepts of submodular functions, matroids and polymatroidal network flows are extended to the concepts of directed submodular functions, ditroids and directed submodular flows on directed subsets. Two unrelated matroids (submodular functions) can be embedded in one ditroid (directed submodular function). Total dual integrality is preserved in these generalizations and proved for very general set-function class-directed odd submodular functions.
Rethinking the Divide: Modules and Central Systems

In this paper I argue that the cognitive system is best viewed as a continuum of cognitive processing from modules to central systems rather than having these as discrete and wholly different modes of cognitive processing. I rely on recent evidence on the development of theory of mind (ToM) abilities and the developmental disorder of autism. I then turn to the phenomenology of modular processes. I show that modular outputs have a stronger force than non-modular or central system outputs. I then evaluate social cognitions and show them to occupy a middle ground with respect to phenomenal strength between modular and non-modular outputs. The evidence presented then seems to indicate a continuum of cognitive processing rather than the traditional division between modules and central systems.
Acute pulmonary disorders associated with cancer

Abstract From a nursing perspective, acute pulmonary disorders associated with cancer present similar problems regardless of the etiology. The presenting symptoms, nursing assessment, diagnosis, and interventions assume a pattern that focuses on maintenance of adequate oxygenation, dealing with the anxiety and fear that accompany difficulty in breathing, adaptation to the limitations imposed by the pneumonopathy and its manifestations, and preparing the patient and significant others to cope with the eventual outcome. Nurses must consistently monitor pulmonary status and possible signs of pneumonopathies as part of the routine assessment of all patients receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation in which the lungs are included in the treatment field. This is especially true in those patients receiving singleagent chemotherapy known to be pneumotoxic; radiation therapy to the lungs; multiple-agent therapy in which the combination of drugs has a potentiating or synergistic toxic effect on the lungs; and systemic drug therapy combined with either simultaneous or sequential radiation therapy. Alertness to the pneumotoxicities associated with cancer therapies and the reflection of this in the assessment, planning, interventions, and evaluation of nursing care may contribute to a decreased incidence, morbidity, and mortality of these pneumonopathies. The responsibilities of the nurse include an accurate knowledge base and assessment skills necessary for the identification of causative agents and clinical manifestations of pulmonary complications associated with cancer.
Pharmacogenomics of β1-adrenergic Receptor Polymorphisms in Heart Failure

The major pathologic beta(1)-adrenergic receptor (beta(1)-AR) subtype in heart failure is beta(1)-AR. The authors' laboratory has thus pursued genetic variation of the beta(1)-AR gene at the molecular, cellular, physiologic, and clinical levels as the potential basis for interindividual variability in the response to beta-blocker treatment during heart failure. This article reviews these findings, with emphasis on mechanism of action and future directions.
Communication and collective action: language and the evolution of human cooperation

All social species face various “collective action problems” (CAPs) or “social dilemmas,” meaning problems in achieving cooperating when the best move from a selfish point of view yields an inferior collective outcome. Compared to most other species, humans are very good at solving these challenges, suggesting that something rather peculiar about human sociality facilitates collective action. This article proposes that language — the uniquely human faculty of symbolic communication — fundamentally alters the possibilities for collective action. I explore these issues using simple game-theoretic models and empirical evidence (both ethnographic and experimental). I review several standard mechanisms for the evolution of cooperation — mutualism, reciprocal altruism, indirect reciprocity and signaling — highlighting their limitations when it comes to explaining large-group cooperation, as well as the ways in which language helps overcome those limitations. Language facilitates complex coordination and is essential for establishing norms governing production efforts and distribution of collective goods that motivate people to cooperate voluntarily in large groups. Language also significantly lowers the cost of detecting and punishing “free riders,” thus greatly enhancing the scope and power of standard conditional reciprocity. In addition, symbolic communication encourages new forms of collectively beneficial displays and reputation management — what evolutionists often term “signaling” and “indirect reciprocity.” Thus, language reinforces existing forces that favor the evolution of cooperation, as well as creating new opportunities for collective action not available even to our closest primate relatives.
An iron-requirement for growth of Entamoeba histolytica in culture, and the antiamebal activity of 7-iodo-8-hydroxy-quinoline-5-sulfonic acid.

Abstract Entamoeba histolytica were cultivated in a three-amino acid medium to which serum and penicillin-inhibited cells of Bacteroides symbiosus had been added. Omission of iron salts from the medium caused loss of the amebal culture within 2 or 3 transfers. The multiplication of the amebae was a direct function of total iron concentration for first transfers from an iron-sufficient medium. The ferrous-ferric equilibrium in the medium is strongly displaced in the direction of the ferrous form. Potentiometric titrations with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid and 7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid gave the following values for pKa1, pKa2, and the chelation constant with ferrous iron, respectively: pKa1, 3.77 and 2.30; pKa2, 8.55 and 7.01; chelation constant, 13.7 and 11.5. By using amebal growth in the presence of added iron and 7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (the active ingredient of the drug Chiniofon) as an estimate of free ferrous iron concentration the biologically determined chilation constant for the Iron(II)-ligand2 chelate was 10.5. The possibility that the antiamebal activity of 7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid is due to its iron-binding property is discussed.
Noise Adaptive LDPC Decoding Using Expectation Propagation

Belief propagation (BP) is a powerful algorithm to decode low- density parity check (LDPC) codes over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. However, the traditional BP algorithm cannot adapt efficiently to the statistical change of SNR in an AWGN channel. This paper proposes an adaptive scheme that incorporates expectation propagation (EP) into the BP based LDPC decoding process. The proposed scheme is able to perform online estimation of both stationary and time-varying SNR at the bit-level, and enhance the BP decoding performance simultaneously. Moreover, the proposed EP estimator shows a very fast convergence speed, and the additional computational overhead of the proposed decoder is less than 10% of the standard BP decoder.
Nano-Structured Catalytic Material for Solar-Powered Biofuel Reforming

The main goal of this project is to combine two renewable energy conversion technologies (low-temperature fuel cells and solarthermal collectors) to achieve synergies in terms of cost and energetic efficiency compared to systems based on a single energy source and energy conversion technology. Direct solar-to-electric energy conversion, such as photovoltaics, is currently not economically competitive with traditional electric power generation. Fuel cell technology using alcoholic fuel possibly generated from biomass (e.g. methanol) is not competitive in terms of costs either. The system proposed for this project is based on relatively cheap, commercially available hardware components (intermediate-temperature solar collector, pressurized gas tank, hydrogen-fed Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell) and benefits in terms of energetic efficiency from the cost-free supply of solar heat. By applying micro-fabrication technology and nano-scale structures (e.g. for catalytic surfaces), the efficiency of all individual system components and of the entire system can be increased drastically.The catalytic activity of micro-reactors containing this foam-like ceramic is tested in terms of their ability to convert alcoholic biofuel (e.g. methanol) to a hydrogen-rich gas mixture with low concentrations of carbon monoxide (up to 75% hydrogen content and less than 0.2% CO, for the case of methanol). This gas mixture is subsequently used in a low-temperature fuel cell, converting the hydrogen directly to electricity. A low concentration of CO is crucial to avoid poisoning of the fuel cell catalyst. Since conventional Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) fuel cells require CO concentrations far below 100 ppm and since most methods to reduce the mole fraction of CO (such as Preferential Oxidation or PROX) have CO conversions of up to 99%, the alcohol fuel reformer has to achieve initial CO mole fractions significantly below 1%. The catalyst and the porous ceramic reactor of the present study can successfully fulfill this requirement.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
SUMO modification of cell surface Kv2.1 potassium channels regulates the activity of rat hippocampal neurons.

Voltage-gated Kv2.1 potassium channels are important in the brain for determining activity-dependent excitability. Small ubiquitin-like modifier proteins (SUMOs) regulate function through reversible, enzyme-mediated conjugation to target lysine(s). Here, sumoylation of Kv2.1 in hippocampal neurons is shown to regulate firing by shifting the half-maximal activation voltage (V1/2) of channels up to 35 mV. Native SUMO and Kv2.1 are shown to interact within and outside channel clusters at the neuronal surface. Studies of single, heterologously expressed Kv2.1 channels show that only K470 is sumoylated. The channels have four subunits, but no more than two non-adjacent subunits carry SUMO concurrently. SUMO on one site shifts V1/2 by 15 mV, whereas sumoylation of two sites produces a full response. Thus, the SUMO pathway regulates neuronal excitability via Kv2.1 in a direct and graded manner.