cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a MnO2-coated, cylindrical denuder for removing NO2 from atmospheric samples

Abstract In order to develop a diffusion denuder for the removal of NO 2 from ambient atmospheric samples, a number of materials were screened for their ability to adsorb NO 2 : 1. (1) MgO; 2. (2) MnO 2 on alpha-Al 2 O 3 ; 3. (3) water-treated MnO 2 on alpha-Al 2 O 3 ; and 4. (4) MnO 2 (activated). A simple cylindrical denuder coated with MnO 2 (activated) was very effective in the removal of NO 2 from a feedgas of NO 2 in air at ambient temperature and pressure. The other materials were unsatisfactory. The strong oxidizing properties, along with the hydrated surface of the MnO 2 (activated), appear to be important for the sorption of NO 2 , as suggested in applications elsewhere. Quantification of denuder sorption efficiencies indicates that MnO2 (activated) is nearly a perfect sorbent for NO 2 . The diffusion coefficient of NO 2 in air was found to be 10.8 ± 0.3 cm 2 min −1 at 22–23°C, which compares favourably with a theoretical estimate. Although MnO 2 (activated)-coated denuders were also found to adsorb SO 2 , interference with NO 2 sorption was not sufficient to impair ambient applications.
Joint morphology and its relation to function in elite sprinters

Abstract Joint structure seems well suited to the functional needs of the various animals who excel at running, digging, swimming, and other activities, but there is little evidence to suggest that variation in joint structure among humans determines function. We present experimental measurements made in human sprinters and non-sprinters, including measurements of tendon excursion from ultrasound imaging and bone geometry from magnetic resonance imaging, that suggest differences in ankle joint anatomy between these two groups. The functional significance of these morphological differences is explored using non-periodic forward dynamic simulation of a sprinter's initial acceleration.
THE NATIONAL ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

(1971). THE NATIONAL ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Annals of the Association of American Geographers: Vol. 61, No. 4, pp. 791-793.
Luttinger liquids in higher dimensions

One-dimensional chains arranged into a many-dimensional mesh are analyzed. The model is used to study the relevance of strong forward- and backward-scattering processes in systems that look isotropic over large scales. The model combines Luttinger- and Fermi-liquid features, depending on the position in the Fermi surface. Over most of it, Luttinger behavior prevails, although, at isolated points in the Brillouin zone, finite quasiparticle peaks exist.
Rehabilitation of Alexia: A Case Study

Summary This case study described the success of a technique labeled Multiple Oral Rereading (MOR) in the remediation of a case of acquired alexia in an adult male. Unusually slow visual-verbal processing characteristic of this patient is sometimes noted in dyslexic children. The possibility that MOR might prove effective for other selected cases of acquired alexia and “developmental” dyslexia is considered.
All MSCs are pericytes

In this issue of Cell Stem Cell , Crisan et al. (2008) document a subpopulation of human perivascular cells that express both pericyte and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers in situ. The isolated population can expand and is clonally multipotent in culture, establishing that MSCs found throughout fetal and adult tissues are members of the pericyte family of cells.
Abstract 3072: HER2 signaling affects SRC-3 phosphorylation and gene regulatory potential within the cistrome

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Steroid Receptor Coactivator-3 (SRC-3/AIB1) is a potent transcriptional coregulator for nuclear receptors and other transcription factors and is often amplified or overexpressed in tumors. The growth promoting effects of SRC-3 involve its ability to integrate extracellular signals into discrete patterns of gene expression. SRC-3 is regulated by various post-translational modifications, including multiple phosphorylations that define a combinatorial code that tailors SRC-3 activity in response to specific signaling stimuli. HER2 is a member of the ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase family of growth factor receptors and is often associated with cancer. Clinical studies show that breast cancer patients with tumors expressing high levels of both HER2 and SRC-3 have reduced disease-free survival, and SRC-3 phosphorylation is influenced by HER2. The current study seeks to define the effect of HER2 signaling events on SRC-3 activity in breast cancer cells. HER2 knock down using siRNA affects multiple kinase pathways, as evidenced by decreased AKT and c-Raf phosphorylation. HER2 knockdown causes the isoelectric point of SRC-3 to shift, suggesting that post-translational modification of SRC-3 is actively altered by HER2 signaling. Reduction of SRC-3 phosphorylation in HER2-depleted cells also was evident using a phospho-specific antibody to SRC-3. Expression microarray analysis revealed that many genes are altered by HER2 knockdown. Parsing the microarray with SRC-3 ChIP-seq data identified genes that are coordinately regulated by a HER2/SRC-3 signaling axis. Collectively, this work describes transcriptomic and cistromic mechanisms for oncogenic cooperation between HER2 and SRC-3 and identifies key genes that contribute to proliferation of breast cancer cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3072. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3072
BORON DISTRIBUTION AT BOUNDARIES IN RAPIDLY SOLIDIFIED Ni3Al

Etude par microscopie ionique a emission de champ-sonde atomique et par microscopie electronique en transmission de la segregation du bore dans l'alliage Ni-24% at Al-0,24% at. B. On observe une segregation du bore aux joints de grains et aux parois d'antiphase, et la distribution du bore n'est pas uniforme le long des joints. Ce phenomene influe sur la ductilite de l'alliage
SEROTONIN BINDING TO NERVE-ENDING PARTICLES OF THE RAT BRAIN AND ITS INHIBITION BY LYSERGIC ACID DIETHYLAMIDE.

The binding of serotonin to nerve-ending particles and other preparations from rat brain has been examined. By investigating the amount bound as a function of serotonin concentration from 10-7M to 1O-2M, it was possible to identify three major components having Kassoc (association constant) values of 2 x 106, 5 x 104, and 5 x 102. The component having the highest binding constant was not present in liver and appeared to be confined to the cortex and midbrain regions. This component is inhibited by d-lysergic acid diethylamide at low concentrations. Solubilization of this binding component has been achieved.
Hypertension and risk of stroke recurrence.

Hypertension is a risk factor for initial stroke, but its relation to stroke recurrence is unclear. Therefore, we sought to analyze the effect of hypertension and its control on risk of stroke recurrence. Within 1 month of onset, a population-based cohort of 662 patients from the Lehigh Valley with an initial stroke were enrolled. Hypertension was determined at enrollment by history. Blood pressure was also measured at enrollment and at each follow-up at 4- to 6-month intervals for up to 48 months (mean, 24 months). Stroke recurrence was verified by history, examination, and review of medical reports. Various criteria for control of blood pressure were defined. History of hypertension, measured blood pressure, and its control were analyzed in relation to stroke recurrence frequency using Kaplan-Meier and univariate, multivariate, and time-dependent Cox proportional hazards models. At enrollment, 59.4% of the cohort had a history of hypertension and 81 patients had a second stroke. Those with a history of hypertension had a significantly higher stroke recurrence rate than those without such a history (P = .01). Among those with measured diastolic blood pressure at enrollment > or = 95 mm Hg, 43% had a stroke recurrence by the end of the study compared with only 19% below this cutoff (P = .005). Recurrence risk was reduced in a multivariate analysis as quality of diastolic blood pressure control increased (relative risk = 8.4, 3.9, and 2.0 among those with poor, fair, and good control, respectively, compared with nonhypertensive subjects). Systolic blood pressure and its control appeared less or not significantly associated with stroke recurrence. History of hypertension and elevated measured diastolic pressure after the initial stroke were associated with an increased risk of second stroke. Controlling diastolic pressure substantially reduced this risk.
Engineering NIR dyes for fluorescent lifetime contrast

The excited state of an organic molecule is a crossroads which can lead to many directions, such as non-radiative emission as heat, fluorescence, intersystem crossing and phosphorescence. Due to the unpredictable nature of the excited molecular structure, manipulation of this represents significant challenges for physicists and chemists. However, the successful management of the excited state provides a number of benefits with innumerable applications to fields like photonics and medicine. One such property of the excited state with powerful ramifications in medical diagnostics is fluorescence lifetime.
An Adaptive Algorithm for Hybrid Electric Vehicle Energy Management Based on Driving Pattern Recognition

In this paper we present a novel adaptation method for the Adaptive Equivalent fuel Consumption Minimization Strategy (A-ECMS). The approach is based on Driving Pattern Recognition (DPR). The Equivalent (fuel) Consumption Minimization Strategy (ECMS) method provides real-time suboptimal energy management decisions by minimizing the "equivalent" fuel consumption of a hybrid-electric vehicle. The equivalent fuel consumption is a combination of the actual fuel consumption and electrical energy use, and an equivalence factor is used to convert electrical power used into an equivalent chemical fuel quantity. In this research, a driving pattern recognition method is used to obtain better estimation of the equivalence factor under different driving conditions. A time window of past driving conditions is analyzed periodically and recognized as one of the Representative Driving Patterns (RDPs). Periodically updating the control parameter according to the driving conditions yields more precise estimation of the equivalent fuel consumption cost, thus providing better fuel economy. Besides minimizing the instantaneous equivalent fuel consumption, the battery State of Charge (SOC) management is also maintained by using a PI controller to keep the SOC around a nominal value. The primary improvement of the proposed A-ECMS over other algorithms with similar objectives is that it does not require the knowledge of future driving cycles and has a low computational burden. Results obtained in this research show that the driving conditions can be successfully recognized and good performance can be achieved in various driving conditions while sustaining battery SOC within desired limits.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Can There Be a Political Science of the Holocaust

The substantial literature on mass violence, from ethnic cleansing to civil wars, has paid surprisingly little attention to the largest instance of mass violence in human history: the Holocaust. When political scientists have approached the subject, the trend has been to treat the Holocaust as a single case, comparing it—sometimes controversially—with other instances of genocide such as Rwanda or Cambodia. But historically grounded work on the destruction of European Jewry can help illuminate the microfoundations of violent politics, unpack the relationship between a ubiquitous violence-inducing ideology (antisemitism) and highly variable murder, and recast old questions about the origins and evolution of the Holocaust itself. After reviewing new trends in history-writing, I highlight opportunities for social-scientifically oriented research centered on the interaction of state power, local communities, and violent mobilization in five areas: military occupation, repertoires of violence, alliance politics, genocidal policymaking, and resistance. My conclusion addresses thorny issues of comparison, morality, and memory.
Displacement of an E-box-binding repressor by basic helix-loop-helix proteins: implications for B-cell specificity of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain enhancer.

Abstract The activity of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IgH) enhancer is restricted to B cells, although it binds both B-cell-restricted and ubiquitous transcription factors. Activation of the enhancer in non-B cells upon overexpression of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein E2A appears to be mediated not only by the binding of E2A to its cognate E box but also by the resulting displacement of a repressor from that same site. We have identified a "two-handed" zinc finger protein, denoted ZEB, the DNA-binding specificity of which mimics that of the cellular repressor. By employing a derivative E box that binds ZEB but not E2A, we have shown that the repressor is active in B cells and the IgH enhancer is silenced in the absence of binding competition by bHLH proteins. Hence, we propose that a necessary prerequisite of enhancer activity is the B-cell-specific displacement of a ZEB-like repressor by bHLH proteins.
Relationships of phytogeography and diversity of tropical tree species with limestone topography in southern Belize

Aim The flora of northern Mesoamerica conventionally has been thought to be derived from taxa that emigrated from South America, but this view has recently been challenged as too simple. The dominance of limestone substrata in much of northern Mesoamerica, and its rarity in the rest of the continental Neotropics, may be one cause of the complexity of northern Mesoamerican floristics. Furthermore, northern Mesoamerica experiences longer and more intense seasonal drought than the rest of the continental Neotropics. As edaphic drought is accentuated with elevation on limestone soils, it may be expected that different topographic features have different phytogeographical affinities for seasonally drought-prone areas of the Neotropics. The objective of this study was to test for effects of different topographic positions on the composition, phytogeography and diversity of tree species in a limestone area of Belize. Location Maya Mountains, Belize, Mesoamerica. Methods The diversity and local, regional, and hemispheric distributions of tree species on limestone valley floors, lower and upper slopes, and ridges were compared in southern Belize using 2 · 500 m transects as sample plots. Results Stem density increased, and percentage of large trees decreased, significantly with elevation above the valley floors. The proportions of species that had widespread distributions decreased significantly with increasing elevation above the valley floors. The proportions of species having northern Mesoamerican distributions increased significantly with elevation above the valley floors. All of the forests generally had the
Stability of feedback systems with sensor or actuator failures: analysis

Abstract This paper studies the linear, time-invariant, multi-input multi-output unity-feedback system with possible failures in the sensor or actuator-connections. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the system with failures in k of the sensor-connections or with failures in m of the actuator-connections and develop conditions for stability, It is shown that if the system is stable for all possible failures of k of the sensor-connections or of m of the actuator-connections, then the plant and the controller must have certain properties explained in terms of denominator-matrices of their coprime-factorizations. These conditions imposed on the coprime-factorizations are important for design of fault-tolerant systems.
Scalable clustering algorithm for N-body simulations in a shared-nothing cluster

Scientists' ability to generate and collect massive-scale datasets is increasing. As a result, constraints in data analysis capability rather than limitations in the availability of data have become the bottleneck to scientific discovery. MapReduce-style platforms hold the promise to address this growing data analysis problem, but it is not easy to express many scientific analyses in these new frameworks. In this paper, we study data analysis challenges found in the astronomy simulation domain. In particular, we present a scalable, parallel algorithm for data clustering in this domain. Our algorithm makes two contributions. First, it shows how a clustering problem can be efficiently implemented in a MapReduce-style framework. Second, it includes optimizations that enable scalability, even in the presence of skew. We implement our solution in the Dryad parallel data processing system using DryadLINQ. We evaluate its performance and scalability using a real dataset comprised of 906 million points, and show that in an 8-node cluster, our algorithm can process even a highly skewed dataset 17 times faster than the conventional implementation and offers near-linear scalability. Our approach matches the performance of an existing hand-optimized implementation used in astrophysics on a dataset with little skew and significantly outperforms it on a skewed dataset.
Recent Advances and Existing Research Questions in Platform Security

In this talk I will provide a description of recent uses Intel has made of cryptography in our platforms, including providing a hardware random number generator, using anonymous signatures, and improving performance of cryptographic algorithms. I will discuss how processor capabilities could be used more effectively by cryptographic algorithms. I will then discuss research questions in cryptographic protocols and platform security that are motivated by our goals.
Vasectomy reversal for the post-vasectomy pain syndrome: a clinical and histological evaluation.

Purpose: The cause of the post-vasectomy pain syndrome is unclear. Some postulated etiologies include epididymal congestion, tender sperm granuloma and/or nerve entrapment at the vasectomy site. To our knowledge nerve proliferation has not been evaluated previously as a cause of pain. Vasectomy reversal is reportedly successful for relieving pain in some patients. We report our experience and correlate histological findings in resected vasal segments with outcome to explain the mechanism of pain in these patients.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 13 men who underwent vasectomy reversal for the post-vasectomy pain syndrome. We compared blinded histological evaluations of the vasal ends excised at vasectomy reversal in these patients with those of pain-free controls who underwent vasectomy reversal to reestablish fertility. Controls were matched to patients for the interval since vasectomy. Histological features were graded according to the degree of severity of vasitis nodos...
The average length of the season with snow-cover of various depths in New England

The general significance of a snow-cover as it affects many physiographical and ecological processes, and in human economy, is so well known that a review of the subject is hardly necessary here; but statistical material on the occurrence of snow-cover at various places is surprisingly meager in published sources. Records of the depth of precipitation in form of snow are abundantly available, of course, but they are not of such immediate practical utility as those of the depth of snow lying on the ground. Unfortunately there is no simple correlation between the two phenomena, a fact which becomes obvious upon even superficial observation. It has long been the custom in many meteorological services to observe and record the depth of snow lying, but there is a disinclination to publish or analyze the results owing to uncertainties about the reliability of the observations. It is very difficult to obtain a representative measure of the snow-cover and few of the ordinary Weather Bureau stations are in a position thoroughly to cope with the problem within the means at their disposal. Drifting and other local influences will often render a single spot-reading of the depth quite meaningless for obtaining a general estimate for the vicinity. Even a system of sampling a number of neighboring spots calls for a large exercise of judgment on the part of the observer. These shortcomings, however, are really serious chiefly for studies of individual situations, such as comparisons on a given date, whereas the averaging of large numbers of observations tends to eliminate individual errors in so far as they have a random character. Systematic local influences can often be allowed for in considering averages, if something is known about the exposure of the station, the method of observation, and the conditions of weather, etc. Yet the majority of published studies of the distribution of snow lying restrict themselves to merely the duration regardless of depth; only in regions where the depth is a question of prime economic importance do we find it given intensive analysis, as in the Alpine and more northerly parts of Europe, and in the snow-surveys of limited areas in the United States.
Efficient and Robust EM Algorithm for Multiple Wideband Source Localization

Source-localization techniques are crucial in transportation applications such as navigation or Global Positioning Systems (GPS). A computationally efficient technique for multiple wideband source localization is presented in this paper using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm in the near field of a sensor array/area. Our basic idea is to decompose the recorded sensor data, which is a superimposition of multiple sources, into individual components in the frequency domain and then separately estimate the corresponding location parameters associated with each source. Instead of the conventional alternating projection (AP) method, we propose to adopt the EM algorithm in this paper; our method involves two steps, namely, Expectation (E-step) and Maximization (M-step). In the E-step, the individual incident source waveforms are estimated. Then, in the M-step, the maximum-likelihood (ML) estimates of the source-location parameters are obtained. These two steps are iteratively and alternatively executed until the user's predefined convergence is reached. The computational complexity comparison between our proposed EM algorithm and the existing AP scheme is also investigated. Provably, it is shown through Monte Carlo simulations that the computational complexity of the proposed EM algorithm is significantly lower than that of the conventional AP scheme. We also derive the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) for the source-location estimates.
School bus pollution and changes in the air quality at schools: a case study

Millions of children attending US schools are exposed to traffic-related air pollutants, including health-relevant ultrafine aerosols generated from school buses powered with diesel fuel. This case study was established in a midwestern (USA) metropolitan area to determine the concentration and elemental composition of aerosol in the vicinity of a public school during morning hours when the bus traffic in and out of the adjacent depot was especially intense. Simultaneous measurements were performed at a control site. The ambient aerosol was first characterized in real time using a particle size selective aerosol spectrometer and then continuously monitored at each site with a real-time non-size-selective instrument that detected particles of 20 nm to >1 microm. In addition, air samples were collected with PM2.5 Harvard Impactors and analyzed for elemental composition using the X-ray fluorescence technique (for 38 elements) and thermal-optical transmittance (for carbon). The measurements were conducted during two seasons: in March at ambient temperature around 0 degrees C and in May when it ranged mostly between 10 and 20 degrees C. The particle number concentration at the test site exhibited high temporal variability while it was time independent at the control site. Overall, the aerosol particle count at the school was 4.7 +/- 1.0 times (March) and 2.2 +/- 0.4 times (May) greater than at the control site. On some days, a 15 min-averaged particle number concentration showed significant correlation with the number of school bus arrivals and departures during these time intervals. On other days, the correlation was less than statistically significant. The 3 h time-averaged particle concentrations determined in the test site on days when the school buses operated were found to be more than two-fold greater (on average) than those measured on bus-free days at the same location, and this difference was statistically significant. Overall, the data suggest a possible association between the number of detected aerosol particles and the school bus traffic intensity. Analysis of the filter samples collected at the school site between 6:00 and 9:00 AM revealed higher concentrations of elemental carbon as compared to the control site (2.8 +/- 0.9 times in March and 3.1 +/- 1.1 times in May). The data collected in this case study suggest that school buses significantly contribute to exposure of children to aerosol pollutants (including diesel exhaust particles) in the school vicinity.
The impacts of crop yield and price volatility on producers’ cropping patterns: A dynamic optimal crop rotation model

Abstract A dynamic optimization model is developed to show how crop yield and price volatility could impact acreage response under crop rotation considerations. By maximizing net present value of expected current and future farm profits, a modified Bellman equation helps optimize planting decisions. Our model is capable of simulating crop rotations with different lengths and structures. The corn–soybean rotation was simulated using the model to determine break-even prices for alternative planting decisions. Furthermore, we assume that the extent to which crop yields are penalized when skipping a rotation scheme is not fixed. Then we investigated the relationship between yield penalty levels and break-even corn price percentage changes. By considering both 1-year and 2-year carry-over effects which represent how previous crops affect current crop yield, our results indicate that producers are more likely to choose a crop rotation scheme when yield penalties are higher.
Ideology and Leadership in Somalia

The 1977–8 war in the Horn of Africa and its traumatic aftermath has brought Somalia to a critical junction. The expulsion of the Soviets in November 1977, following their overtures to Ethiopia, and the subsequent rout of the Somali army, along with Ogadeni guerrillas, by a combined Cuban–Ethiopian–Yemini force led by Russian generals, has left this nation demoralised, isolated, and ideologically sundered. A fluid and somewhat confused socio-economic and political situation, only made less chaotic by President Mohamed Siad Barre's powerful personality and will to survive, characterises this post-war Somalia.
ENOB calculation for ADCs with input-correlated quantization error using a sine-wave test

The equation for calculating ENOB from SNDR of a sine-wave test is only accurate when noise is uncorrelated to the input. In this paper, the equation for calculating ENOB from SNDR is derived for an ideal and a uniform stochastic ADC. The result of these derivations shows that calculating ENOB from SNDR using the conventional equation causes a better-than-actual result in the case a uniform stochastic ADC.
Infertility in a Line of Mice with the high growth Mutation Is Due to Luteal Insufficiency Resulting from Disruption at the Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

Animals with extreme body growth frequently experience poor reproductive performance, but the cause for this association has not been clearly established. A line of mice homozygous for the high growth (hg) mutation, a mutation that has a major effect on post-weaning growth, exhibits several reproductive deficits including an abnormally high incidence of luteal failure. The objective of the present study was to investigate luteal failure in high-growth (HG) mice during pregnancy and to determine whether the cause of the apparent luteal failure resides in the ovary or the hypothalamic-pituitary unit. In HG females with a demonstrated history of infertility, progesterone injections (1 mg s.c. daily) beginning on Day 1 postcoitum (p.c.) increased the proportion of animals pregnant at Day 17 of gestation. Twice-daily injections of 100 mg of ovine prolactin (PRL) in alkaline saline given to another group of females beginning on Day 1 p.c. increased the proportion of HG females that were pregnant on Day 6 of gestation compared with saline-injected HG females, although PRL did not increase the pregnancy rate in HG females when compared with a group of noninjected control females. When ovaries from HG females were transplanted into ovariectomized congenic C57 hosts, the C57 graft hosts displayed normal estrous cycles, and upon mating the majority of graft hosts became pregnant. In contrast, when ovaries from C57 females were transplanted into ovariectomized HG hosts, the HG graft hosts displayed normal estrous cycles, but upon mating most were unable to maintain pregnancy. These results suggest that the hypothalamic-pituitary unit of the HG female provides an inadequate signal to the ovaries to maintain pregnancy. Luteal failure in HG females may be due to insufficient PRL as required for establishment and early maintenance of the CL during pregnancy in mice.
Affinity of transducin for photoactivated rhodopsin: dependence on nucleotide binding state.

The interaction of the rod GTP binding protein, Transducin (Gt), with bleached Rhodopsin (R*) was investigated by measuring radiolabeled guanine nucleotide binding to and release from soluble and/or membrane-bound Gt by reconstituting Gt containing bound GDP (Gt-GDP) or the hydrolysis-resistant GTP analog guanylyl imidodiphosphate (Gt-p[NH]ppG) with R* under physiological conditions. Release of GDP and p[NH]ppG from Gt occurred to the same extent and with the same light sensitivity both in the presence and absence of added GTP. Significant amounts of Gt without bound nucleotide (Gt-) were generated. When ROS containing bleached rhodopsin (R*) were centrifuged in low ionic strength buffer, Gt- remained associated with the membrane fraction, whereas Gt-GDP remained in the soluble fraction. These results suggest that Gt-GDP and Gt-p[NH]ppG have similar affinities for R*. The results also suggest that Gt-, rather than Gt-GDP, is the moiety which exhibits tight, "light-induced" binding to rhodopsin. [BMB reports 2008; 41(7): 555-560]
ReQ-ReC: high recall retrieval with query pooling and interactive classification

We consider a scenario where a searcher requires both high precision and high recall from an interactive retrieval process. Such scenarios are very common in real life, exemplified by medical search, legal search, market research, and literature review. When access to the entire data set is available, an active learning loop could be used to ask for additional relevance feedback labels in order to refine a classifier. When data is accessed via search services, however, only limited subsets of the corpus can be considered, subsets defined by queries. In that setting, relevance feedback has been used in a query enhancement loop that updates a query. We describe and demonstrate the effectiveness of ReQ-ReC (ReQuery-ReClassify), a double-loop retrieval system that combines iterative expansion of a query set with iterative refinements of a classifier. This permits a separation of concerns, where the query selector's job is to enhance recall while the classifier's job is to maximize precision on the items that have been retrieved by any of the queries so far. The overall process alternates between the query enhancement loop, to increase recall, and the classifier refinement loop, to increase precision. The separation allows the query enhancement process to explore larger parts of the query space. Our experiments show that this distribution of work significantly outperforms previous relevance feedback methods that rely on a single ranking function to balance precision and recall.
A 5 GHz pHEMT transformer-coupled VCO

A transformer-coupled technique is shown to be an area-efficient method for reducing oscillator phase noise. Higher signal amplitude and inductor Q can be achieved without breakdown. A pHEMT process was used to fabricate the 5 GHz VCO. The measured phase noise at 3 MHz offset frequency is -129 dBc/Hz. The VCO dissipates 9 mW.
Variables associated with performance of an active limb movement following within-session instruction in people with and people without low back pain.

�� = 0.654 , �� = 0.008 ), and gender ( �� = 0.570 , �� = 0.027 ) were related to motion demonstrated during the active-instructed condition. Motion demonstrated during the passive condition explained 76%(�� < 0.001) of the variance in motion demonstrated during the active-instructed condition. A similar relationship did not exist in people without LBP. The findings of the study suggest that it may be important to assess motion demonstrated during passive HLR to determine how difficult it will be for someone with LBP to modify the performance of HLR. Prognosis should be worst for those who display similar movement patterns during passive HLR and active-instructed HLR.
Learning the architecture of neural networks for speech recognition

Results are presented that suggest that it is possible to learn the architecture of neural networks for speech recognition systems. The Tempo 2 algorithm is proposed. It is a training algorithm for neural networks that trains the temporal parameters of the network (delays and widths of the input windows) as well as the weights. A comparison of the performances with one adaptive parameter set (either weights, delays or widths) shows that the main parameters are the weights. Delays and widths seem to be of lesser importance, but in combination with the weights the temporal parameters can improve performance, especially generalization. A Tempo 2 network with trained delays and widths and random weights can classify 70% of the phonemes correctly. The application to phoneme classification, shows that this adaptive architecture can approach the performance of a carefully hand-tuned TDNN (time-delay neural network) and leads to more compact networks. >
Five specific protein-transfer RNA interactions.

(1980). Five Specific Protein-Transfer RNA Interaction. Critical Reviews in Biochemistry: Vol. 9, No. 3, pp. 207-251.
Preliminary Computation on NOx Emission Reduction for Different Temperatures

Wet compression is an enhancing tool for power augmentation in land based gas turbine system. One of the advantages of wet compression is NOx reduction. High exhaust temperature (in the range of 1300 and 1400 K) from combustion chamber is responsible for NOx generation. High amount of NOx causes acid rain in the industrial area, which is a big concern. As wet compression reduces NOx emission, it is very important to validate this fact. Comparison needs to be made between the combustion of natural gas (methane mainly) with the combustion of same with air in reduced temperature with the presence of water vapor. As a preliminary step of this, NOx emission needs to be modelled with proper prediction of it in a natural gas combustion environment. As a preliminary study, a simple rectangular geometry is considered here. Result shows that NOx emission is reduced with lower temperature, which needs to be validated further.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Robust broadly tunable mid-infrared spectrometer based on difference-frequency generation for gas sensing applications

The recent development and characterization of a fiber coupled difference-frequency spectroscopic source tunable from 3.25 µm to 4.3 µm will be reported.
Abstract 5124: Genomic and proteomic characterization of tamoxifen sensitive and resistant MCF7 cells

Among the most common and challenging aspect to the management of breast cancer is the development of tumor resistance to virtually all therapies. Our major research focus is to investigate genes and pathways that contribute to this process. We have previously derived a series of cultured breast cancer cell lines that were either highly sensitive or naturally resistant to tamoxifen to study the factors that lead to drug resistance. By comparing tamoxifen sensitive and resistant sub-clones we identified 227 genes that responded to tamoxifen in sensitive but not in resistant cells. From these, a signature of 67 genes demonstrated that women whose tumors matched the resistance pattern had a significantly greater likelihood of early relapse while on tamoxifen. Using automated high-throughput cell-based assays; we identified 31 kinases that repeatedly conferred resistance to tamoxifen when ectopically expressed. To further expand our understanding of the development of tamoxifen resistance to a genome level, we employed 6 of our tamoxifen-sensitive and -resistant sister cell lines. We previously showed that all 6 of these cell lines, which were all sub-cloned from the same parent without any drug selection, were identical for a set of 24 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs), confirming that they all derived from the same parent MCF7 line. We reasoned that they should be nearly identical genetically, thus allowing us to find genetic differences that account for the profound difference in drug response. For the genotyping, genomic DNA from an early passage of three independent sensitive and three resistant sub-clones were analyzed for copy number variation (CNV) and SNP by Illumina BeadArray and HiSeq200 next-generation sequencing. Preliminary analysis showed segregation between the genomic profiles of sensitive and resistant sub-clones in general. Chromosomes that showed more variation between sensitive and resistant sub-clones included chromosome number 2, 7, 10, 15 and 20. Visual examination of the data identified several regions of sub-clone specific chromosomal gain or loss across all chromosomes, where overlap regions across both sub-clones and regions that are either copy number gain in one cell but loss in the other one. Furthermore, by comparative analysis with cDNA microarray data, we also found that mRNA expression levels of several genes in these chromosomal regions were indeed correlated with their chromosomal status. In addition to a gene-level analysis, we are performing quantitative mass spectrometry analysis (SILAC) to identify the differences in proteomes of sensitive and resistant cells, which may account for molecular mechanisms underlying drug resistance. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5124. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5124
Do bile acids reflux into the esophagus? A study in normal subjects and patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Abstract To determine if bile acids reflux into the esophagus in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and in normal subjects during physiological gastroesophageal reflux episodes, esophageal aspiration and pH monitoring were performed simultaneously in 16 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and 8 normal subjects. Esophageal samples were collected for 30 min in the fasting state and for 3 h (as hourly samples) after the ingestion of a test meal (egg salad sandwich, peaches, and milk). Bile acids were assayed by a standard enzymatic assay and also by a sensitive and specific assay, liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry. Bile acids were not detected by enzymatic assay in any of the fasting samples. In 6 of the 8 normal subjects and 15 of the 16 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, bile acid-like reactivity was detected by the enzymatic assay in postprandial samples. However, bile acid-like reactivity was also found by enzymatic assay in aliquots of the homogenized test meal in concentration similar to the highest concentrations detected in esophageal aspirates. Bile acids were not detected by the liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry method in any of the fasting or postprandial esophageal aspirates (limit of detection >2 μM). However, this assay accurately identified samples to which exogenous bile acids were added as controls. Our results suggest that (a) bile acids did not reflux into the esophagus of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease whom we studied and (b) caution must be exercised in the use of enzymatic assay for bile acids in postprandial gastrointestinal fluids, as the commonly used hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase assay is not specific for bile acids alone.
Plant fibers—some economic considerations

The problems of plant fibers today are fairly well summed up in one word-competition. The problems of cotton are in many ways representative of those associated with all plant fibers. In terms of quantity and value, cotton is the only plant fiber (excluding wood fiber) of any consequence grown in the United States. A few statistics can serve to give a broad picture of the current cotton situation. In 1963, per capita mill consumption of cotton was at a record low of 21.6 pounds, down 4% from 1962-yields were at a record high of over one bale per acre. The carryover on August 1, 1964 is expected to be about 13 million bales, up from the 11.2 million bales of a year earlier. Cotton's share of the total fiber consumption declined from more than 59% in 1962 to a record low of less than 57% in 1963. Per capita man-made fiber consumption in 1963 stood at a record high of 14.2 pounds, up 9% from a year earlier. These statistics are indications of trends that have been occurring over a number of years-roughly since the end of World War II.
Ethylene binding to Au/Cu alloy nanoparticles

Abstract Weak chemisorption of ethylene has been shown to be an important characteristic in the use of metals for the separation of ethylene from ethane. Previously, density functional theory (DFT) has been used to predict the binding energies of various metals and alloys, with Ag having the lowest chemisorption energy amongst the metals and alloys studied. Here Au/Cu alloys are investigated by a combination of DFT calculations and experimental measurements. It is inferred from experiments that the binding energy between a Au/Cu alloy and ethylene is lower than to either of the pure metals, and DFT calculations confirm that this is the case when Au segregates to the particle surface. Implications of this work suggest that it may be possible to further tune the binding energy with ethylene by compositional and morphological control of films produced from Au-surface segregated alloys.
Reagent approaches for improved detection of chlorate and perchlorate salts via thermal desorption and ionization.

Rationale Techniques for improving the detectability of chlorate and perchlorate salts with thermal desorption based ionizers (i.e. radioactive, corona discharge and photoionization-based) are desired. This work employs acidic reagents to chemically transform chlorate and perchlorate anions into traces of chloric and perchloric acid. These high vapor pressure acids are easier to detect than the originating salts. Methods The efficacy of the reagent chemistry was quantified with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer interfaced with a custom-built thermal-desorption atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (TD-APCI) source. Additional experiments were conducted using tandem IMS/MS instrumentation. Reagent pKa and pH values were varied in order to gain a better understanding of how those parameters affect the degree of observed signal enhancement. Results Samples of chlorates and perchlorates treated with liquid acidic reagents exhibit signal enhancement of up to six orders of magnitude compared with signals from untreated analytes. Three orders of magnitude of signal enhancement are demonstrated using solid-state reagents, such as weakly acidic salts and polymeric acids. Data is presented that demonstrates the compatibility of the solid-state approach with both MS and IMS/MS platforms. Conclusions Several methods of acidification were demonstrated for enhanced vaporization and detection of chlorates and perchlorates. For applications where rapid surface collection and analysis for chlorates and perchlorates are desired, the solid-state approaches offer the simplest means to integrate the reagent chemistry into MS or IMS detection. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The ghrelin and leptin responses to short-term starvation vs a carbohydrate-free diet in men with type 2 diabetes; a controlled, cross-over design study

We recently have reported the 24-hour glucose, insulin and glucagon responses to a 72-hour fast compared to a 72-hour macronutrient-sufficient, carbohydrate-free diet in men with type 2 diabetes. The 72-hour time period was used because it is the time required for the major metabolic adjustments to a lack of food to be instituted. As part of that study, ghrelin and leptin responses were monitored. Twenty-four-hour total ghrelin and overnight fasting leptin concentrations were determined in males with type 2 diabetes when ingesting a standard, mixed meal diet (control), followed by a carbohydrate-free diet for 72 h or were starved for 72 h, using a crossover design. A rise in ghrelin concentration before and a decrease after meals was present when the standard diet was ingested. However, in contrast to literature reports in normal subjects, a circadian variation was not apparent. Meal related changes were absent with starvation. A carbohydrate-free diet resulted in a daylong decrease in ghrelin. It also resulted in a 19 % decrease in the overnight fasting leptin concentration. Leptin was decreased 54 % with total starvation. Ingestion of a typical mixed-meal diet results in meal-related changes in ghrelin similar to those reported in normal subjects, although the circadian rhythm was not apparent. Except for the lack of meal-related changes, starvation did not change the concentration. A carbohydrate-free, high fat diet resulted in a daylong suppression of ghrelin. The leptin concentration was decreased by both the carbohydrate-free diet and starvation. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01469104 .
The Mechanism of Clot Retraction

Nearly 2000 years elapsed between the first observation of blood clotting by Aristotle and that of Hewson (1772) on the subsequent retraction of the spontaneously formed blood clot. The recognition of the crucial role of platelets in the phenomenon of clot retraction had to await the promotion of platelets from the undignified status of being derived from red cells or chyle (Donne, 1842) to that of a glorified element with its own megakaryocytic parenthood (Wright, 1906). The early observation that clots formed by the blood of severely thrombocytopenic subjects or prepared from platelet-poor plasma of normal subjects do not retract, whereas clots containing normal platelets retract drastically to about 10% of their original volume, leaves little doubt as to the role of platelets in clot retraction. The first monograph on clot retraction published by Budtz-Olsen three decades ago (1951) still represents an excellent document on this subject and there have been several more recent reviews (Cohen and Luscher, 1975; Behnke, 1976; Pollard et a., 1977; Cohen, 1982).