cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic noninvasive monitoring of renal function in vivo by fluorescence lifetime imaging

Kidneys normally filter the blood of excess salts and metabolic products, such as urea, while retaining plasma proteins. In diseases such as multiple myeloma and diabetes mellitus, the renal function is compromised and protein escapes into the urine. In this study, we present the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLI) to image excess serum protein in urine (proteinuria). The near-infrared fluorescent dye LS-288 has distinct lifetimes when bound to protein versus free in solution, providing contrast between the protein-rich viscera and the mostly protein-free bladder. FLI with LS-288 in mice revealed that fluorescence lifetime (FLT) differences in the bladder relative to surrounding tissues was due to the fractional contributions of the bound and unbound dye molecules. The FLT of LS-288 decreased in the case of proteinuria while fluorescence intensity was unchanged. The results show that FLI can be useful for the dynamic imaging of protein-losing nephropathy due to diabetes mellitus and other renal diseases and suggest the potential use of the FLI to distinguish tumors from fluid-filled cysts in the body.
Improved Atoms-in-Molecule Charge Partitioning Functional for Simultaneously Reproducing the Electrostatic Potential and Chemical States in Periodic and Nonperiodic Materials.

We develop a nonempirical atoms-in-molecules (AIM) method for computing net atomic charges that simultaneously reproduce chemical states of atoms in a material and the electrostatic potential V(r) outside its electron distribution. This method gives accurate results for a variety of periodic and nonperiodic materials including molecular systems, solid surfaces, porous solids, and nonporous solids. This method, called DDEC/c3, improves upon our previously published DDEC/c2 method (Manz, T. A.; Sholl, D. S. J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2010, 6, 2455–2468) by accurately treating nonporous solids with short bond lengths. Starting with the theory all AIM charge partitioning functionals with spherically symmetric atomic weights must satisfy, the form of the DDEC/c3 functional is derived from first principles. The method is designed to converge robustly by avoiding conditions that lead to nearly flat optimization landscapes. In addition to net atomic charges, the method can also compute atomic multipoles and atomic s...
Work in progress: ACTIVATE: Advancing computing and technology interest and innovation through teacher education

In the Northern Appalachian region around Pittsburgh, PA, many high schools do not have computer science courses, so students are not introduced to this critical subject that is needed for most technical career paths. Our unique strategy is to invite current high school science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers, in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland, to participate in 3 summer workshops showing how to incorporate computing concepts into existing STEM courses. By working with teachers on how to assimilate programming and computational thinking into their classrooms we will effectively reach a large population of students in areas where computer science classes are not available. In this paper, we outline the current state of the project and some of the data we have collected. Future goals for this project include performing a rigorous evaluation of teacher impact and developing the workshop materials for wider dissemination.
Strong valid inequalities for fluence map optimization problem under dose-volume restrictions

Fluence map optimization problems are commonly solved in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) planning. We show that, when subject to dose-volume restrictions, these problems are NP-hard and that the linear programming relaxation of their natural mixed integer programming formulation can be arbitrarily weak. We then derive strong valid inequalities for fluence map optimization problems under dose-volume restrictions using disjunctive programming theory and show that strengthening mixed integer programming formulations with these valid inequalities has significant computational benefits.
Probabilistic particle flow algorithm for high occupancy environment

Abstract Algorithms based on the particle flow approach are becoming increasingly utilized in collider experiments due to their superior jet energy and missing energy resolution compared to the traditional calorimeter-based measurements. Such methods have been shown to work well in environments with low occupancy of particles per unit of calorimeter granularity. However, at higher instantaneous luminosity or in detectors with coarse calorimeter segmentation, the overlaps of calorimeter energy deposits from charged and neutral particles significantly complicate particle energy reconstruction, reducing the overall energy resolution of the method. We present a technique designed to resolve overlapping energy depositions of spatially close particles using a statistically consistent probabilistic procedure. The technique is nearly free of ad-hoc corrections, improves energy resolution, and provides new important handles that can improve the sensitivity of physics analyses: the uncertainty of the jet energy on an event-by-event basis and the estimate of the probability of a given particle hypothesis for a given detector response. When applied to the reconstruction of hadronic jets produced in the decays of tau leptons using the CDF-II detector at Fermilab, the method has demonstrated reliable and robust performance.
Spectral and spatial energy transfer in insulators: review and recent advances

Abstract In this brief review we will discuss the status of our understanding of the interactions which lead to the diffusion and transport of optical excitations in activated insulators. We will revisit the microscopic and macroscopic aspects of the transfer problem and further demonstrate the role of lattice excitations in mediating these transfer processes. We will discuss the role transition metal and rare earth activators have played in these studies and will discuss the extension of these studies to multicenter non-linear processes.
Automated analyses of environmental samples

Abstract This paper discusses the problem of why one should automate a PIXE system, how and when it should be done and what is the next step after automation is achieved.
Bioconversion of compactin to pravastatin by Actinomadura sp. ATCC 55678

Abstract The screening of known and unidentified actinomycetes revealed three strains which could hydroxylate compactin to pravastatin. The best was a new culture identified as Actinomadura sp. (ATCC 55678). Actinomadura sp. effectively converted compactin to pravastatin. The degree of conversion by cells was 65–78% of compactin added and 65–88% of compactin taken up, depending on the concentration of compactin and duration of the experiment. Increasing the compactin concentration resulted in a higher final pravastatin concentration especially when compactin was added intermittently. The conversion was linear for 16 h. The system required no induction with compactin. The hydroxylase in cell-free extracts of Actinomadura sp. converted compactin to pravastatin. It required NADPH as coenzyme and Mg 2+ as cofactor; Mn 2+ partially replaced Mg 2+ . In contrast to the inducible cytochrome P 450 system of Streptomyces carbophilus which catalyzes the same overall reaction, this constitutive hydroxylase was stimulated by ATP and ascorbic acid and was not inactivated by CO. Actinomadura sp. required vitamins to support its growth. Addition of folic acid, thiamine and cyanocobalamin allowed growth in chemically defined medium. Cells grown in chemically defined medium were as capable of converting compactin to pravastatin as cells grown in complex medium.
Neural actions of imidacloprid and their involvement in resistance in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say).

BACKGROUND: The development of resistance to imidacloprid in eastern US populations of the Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), threatens this critical use for neonicotinoid insecticides. Previous pharmacokinetic studies with resistant adult CPBs provided no explanation for the high resistance level (over 200-fold) to topically applied imidacloprid. The authors assessed the neural activity of imidacloprid by recording spontaneous activity from a motor nerve leaving the isolated central nervous system to compare the sensitivity of the latter to imidacloprid between susceptible and resistant CPBs. RESULTS: On the isolated central nervous system, imidacloprid was initially neuroexcitatory, and neuroinhibitory at higher concentrations. The neuroexcitatory action of imidacloprid was blocked by coapplication of a specific nAChR antagonist, methyllycaconitine, indicating that it is a result of action on nAChRs. The sensitivity to the neuroexcitatory and inhibitory activities of imidacloprid varied independently among individuals in each population. The sensitivity of the central nervous system of resistant CPBs to excitation by imidacloprid did not differ from that of susceptible insects, but the sensitivity to inhibition by imidacloprid was reduced 52- to 58-fold, indicating a possible change in the sensitivity of at least one subgroup of nAChRs. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that reduced nerve sensitivity to the blocking action of imidacloprid is associated with imidacloprid resistance in the CPB. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry
Intraluminal stents in atherosclerotic iliac artery stenosis: preliminary report of a multicenter study.

Fifteen patients with symptomatic iliac artery stenosis were treated with intraluminal placement of balloon-expandable stents. Before treatment, 14 patients had intermittent claudication, and one had a limb at risk for amputation. One patient had diabetes mellitus, nine had hypertension, and all were long-term smokers. Two patients had surgical placement of the stent; in one patient this was part of a combined revascularization procedure. All other stents were placed percutaneously. The transstenotic gradient after injection of vasodilating drugs distal to the lesion decreased from a mean of 32.3 mm Hg +/- 16.7 to 3.1 mm Hg +/- 4.2 after stent placement. Ankle-arm Doppler systolic pressure index increased from a mean of 0.68 +/- 0.22 to 0.96 +/- 0.24 after the procedure. The treatment eliminated intermittent claudication in 14 patients and increased exercise tolerance to 500 m in the patient with a limb at risk for amputation before the procedure. The improved condition persisted in all patients during th...
IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR (FGF) BINDING DOMAIN IN THE CYSTEINE-RICH FGF RECEPTOR

Three distinct transmembrane glycoproteins bind fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family members. These include heparan sulfate proteoglycans, the tyrosine kinase-containing FGF receptors (FGFRs), and a cysteine-rich FGF receptor (CFR). The four FGFRs are thought to mediate FGF-signaling events but require the participation of the heparan sulfate proteoglycans to bind FGFs and transduce intracellular signals. However, a number of groups have proposed that FGF action requires events independent of FGFR activation. CFR, a high affinity FGF-binding protein, was first isolated from chicken embryos. To better understand the interactions between CFR and FGFs, we have constructed a series of CFR deletion mutants and CFR fragments. Analysis of these has identified a ∼200-amino acid domain that constitutes a CFR FGF binding site. A CFR fragment of 450 residues, CFR290-740, binds FGF-2 with an affinity indistinguishable from the full-length molecule, whereas smaller fragments display greatly reduced FGF binding. Although CFR binds heparin with high affinity, an analysis of the heparin-CFR interaction failed to identify a linear sequence containing a heparin binding site. Two types of FGF binding sites were identified: an ionic strength and heparin-independent site that represents FGF binding to CFR290-740 and an additional FGF binding site that is heparan sulfate-dependent and sensitive to high ionic strength. This latter site is likely to bind FGF indirectly via heparan sulfate binding to CFR. FGF-2 peptides that encompass a sequence implicated in FGF-2 binding to FGFRs also block FGF-2 binding to CFR. Our data suggest that binding of FGFs to CFR and FGFRs is mutually exclusive, since the CFR FGF binding site does not require heparan sulfate, and similar regions on FGF-2 interact with both FGFRs and CFR.
A new procedure for the synthesis of L-histidinol and its application in preparing L-[14C]histidinol

Abstract A new procedure for the synthesis of l -histidinol is described. The starting material, l -histidine, is first converted into its silinated ester by using the silylation reagent bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide, and then readily reduced to l -histidinol by LiAlH 4 . This method was successfully applied to the synthesis of l -[ 14 C]histidinol from small amounts of L -[ 14 C]histidine.
Hu neuronal proteins are expressed in proliferating neurogenic cells

We have utilized immunochemical techniques to investigate the developmental expression of the Hu proteins, a neuron-specific family of RNA binding proteins in vertebrates. Previous work suggests that these proteins may play an important role in neuronal development and maintenance. For the present study, we developed a monoclonal antibody (MAb 16A11) that binds specifically to an epitope present in gene products of all known Hu genes, including HuD, HuC, and Hel-N1. Using brief pulses (1-2 h) of the DNA precursor analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) in conjunction with MAb 16A11, we observed Hu+/BrdU+ cells in nascent sensory and sympathetic ganglia in vivo, and in populations of cultured neural crest cells. In addition, a few Hu+ cells were ambiguously BrdU+ in the neural tube. We conclude that Hu+ cells first appear in avian neurogenic populations immediately before neuronal birthdays in the peripheral nervous system, and at the time of withdrawal from the mitotic cycle in the central nervous system. Consistent with these conclusions, we have also observed neural crest-derived cells that are both Hu+ and in metaphase of the cell cycle. We suggest that Hu proteins function early in neurogenic differentiation.
The Use of Complementary/Alternative Therapies Among Children Attending an Urban Pediatric Emergency Department

The incidence of and factors associated with complementary/alternative medicine use by pediatric patients was determined by face-to-face interviews with 602 parents/caregivers of children aged birth to 18 years who presented to an urban pediatric emergency department from February 2004 to September 2004. The overall use of complementary/alternative medicine among children was 15% and more common among children older than 5 years (21%). Families who used complementary/alternative medicine thought results were best when both complementary/alternative medicine and conventional medicine were integrated (P < .001). Most common types of complementary/alternative therapies used were folk remedies/home remedies (59%), herbs (41%), prayer healing (14%), and massage therapy (10%). Complementary/alternative medicine use was significant among the sample of children visiting an urban pediatric emergency department. Pediatricians should inquire about complementary/alternative use in the emergency department, particularly in children older than 5 years and those with parents/caretakers using complementary/alternative medicine themselves.
New triangular operator generators for fuzzy systems

Triangular operators (t-operators) form an integral part in the design and analysis of fuzzy systems. Simple monotonic, continuous, nonconditional functions are used in an operator generator to generate t-operators. Depending on the operator generator and the function that it uses, it becomes easier to characterize and classify the families of t-operators. In this paper, the author proposes two operator generators that will extend the domain of triangular operators in the realm of fuzzy set theory. The conventional operator generators generate a t-norm and a t-conorm by using a decreasing function and an increasing function, respectively. In contrast, in this study, increasing functions generate t-norms, while decreasing functions generate t-conorms, respectively.
Viterbi detection of matched spectral null codes for PR4 channels

Practical considerations for implementation of trellis coding in magnetic storage channels are examined in a simulation study. Matched spectral null codes are shown to offer significant coding gains on magnetic channels over baseline PRML (class-4 partial response maximum likelihood sequence estimation). In magnetic storage products, requirements of minimum detection latency and guaranteed worst-case performance dictate the use of non-quasi-catastrophic codes. Degradation in simulated error rate performance due to quantization effects prior to Viterbi detection is characterized. Detector performance in the presence of colored noise, introduced in equalization of a Lorentzian channel to class-IV response via a zero-forcing or least-mean-square equalizer, is shown. The results shown are consistent with an asymptotic coding gain on the order of 3 dB over baseline PRML, despite the presence of colored noise. >
New insights into the evolutionary history of photoreceptor cells

Although the common descent of all life has been widely accepted since Darwin's time, new research occasionally provides us with arresting reminders of the unity of evolutionary history. Recent papers by Arendt et al. and Panda et al. provide one such reminder. They illustrate that the two classes of animal photoreceptors, ciliary and rhabdomeric photoreceptors, are likely to share an ancient common ancestor and have been evolving in parallel since their duplication over 600 million years ago.
The Shield of Argive Abas at Aeneid 3.286

Aeneas' stopover at Actium has struck most readers as an Augustan interlude in the odyssey of Aeneid 3. The scene is conspicuous among the other episodes in the trip for its brevity and for the fact that it does not advance the action toward the Trojan exiles' Italian goal. Instead the accent falls on prefiguring actions of Aeneas' distinguished descendant, Octavian, after he achieved victory over Antony at the same site in 31 B.C. Where the future Augustus dedicated spoils from the battle to Actian Apollo and instituted a festival called the Actian Games, the Trojans celebrate athletic games at Actium and their leader affixes an enemy trophy to the temple of Apollo there. This last act, however, Aeneas' dedicatio, points allusively to the mythical past as well as to the Augustan future. To appreciate the full force of that complex reference, which enriches the thematics of the entire scene, hinges on our recognition of a mythological figure whose identity has been long in doubt. The narrator Aeneas reports that he hung up on Apollo's shrine ‘the bronze shield worn by great Abas’ (3.286 ‘aere cavo clipeum, magni gestamen Abantis’). Who is this Abas, and why is his mention here significant?
Biased attention and dysphoria: Manipulating selective attention reduces subsequent depressive symptoms

Selective attention for dysphoric stimuli has been observed in individuals with depression and those at risk for depression. To date, no studies have investigated the effects of directly manipulating selective attention for dysphoric stimuli on depressive symptoms. Mild to moderately depressed college students (N=34) were randomly assigned to complete 4 sessions of either attention training (AT) or no training (NT) during a two-week period. Participants completed self-reported assessments of depressive symptoms at baseline, post-training, and follow-up. Participants in the AT condition had a significantly greater decrease in depressive symptoms from baseline to follow-up than participants in the NT condition. This group difference was mediated by change in attention bias. Our findings suggest that biased attention may have a causal role in the maintenance of depressive symptoms.
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria Presenting with a Left Intraventricular Thrombus in a Patient with Prior Thymoma and Aplastic Anemia

We report the case of a 37-year old man presenting with a left ventricular cardiac thrombus in the setting of subclinical paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinura (PNH) developing two years after immunosuppressive therapy for thymoma-associated aplastic anemia. The literature regarding the interplay between autoimmunity and immunosuppression, aplastic anemia, thymoma and the emergence of PNH is reviewed.
Synthesis of the natural herbicide δ-aminolevulinic acid from cellulose-derived 5-(chloromethyl)furfural

Cellulose-derived 5-(chloromethyl)furfural is converted into δ-aminolevulinic acid in three chemical steps involving conversion to 5-(azidomethyl)furfural, photooxidation, and catalytic hydrogenation in 68% overall yield. δ-Aminolevulinic acid is a natural product with important agrochemical and pharmaceutical applications.
Rejection of narrowband interference in PN spread-spectrum systems using neural networks

A multilayer back-propagation perceptron model is presented as a means of detecting a wideband signal in the presence of narrowband jammers and additive white noise. The performance of the neural network is compared with that of the estimation-type filter, which uses a least-mean-squared (LMS) adaptive filter, in terms of the interference rejection (notching) capability, the bit error probability, and the overall robustness of the system. The nonlinear neural network filter is shown to offer a faster convergence rate and overall better performance than the LMS Widrow-Hoff filter. >
Target-Specific Neuropeptide Y-Ergic Synaptic Inhibition and Its Network Consequences within the Mammalian Thalamus

Neuropeptides are commonly colocalized with classical neurotransmitters, yet there is little evidence for peptidergic neurotransmission in the mammalian CNS. We performed whole-cell patch-clamp recording from rodent thalamic brain slices and repetitively stimulated corticothalamic fibers to strongly activate NPY-containing GABAergic reticular thalamic (RT) neurons. This resulted in long-lasting (∼10 sec) feedforward slow IPSPs (sIPSPs) in RT cells, which were mimicked and blocked by NPY1 (Y1) receptor agonists and antagonists, respectively, and were present in wild-type mice but absent in NPY-/- mice. NPYergic sIPSPs were mediated via G-proteins and G-protein-activated, inwardly rectifying potassium channels, as evidenced by sensitivity to GDP-β-S and 0.1 mm Ba2+. In rat RT neurons, NPYergic sIPSPs were also present but were surprisingly absent in the major synaptic targets of RT, thalamic relay neurons, where instead robust GABAB IPSPs occurred. In vitro oscillatory network responses in rat thalamus were suppressed and augmented by Y1 agonists and antagonists, respectively. These findings provide evidence for segregation of postsynaptic actions between two targets of RT cells and support a role for endogenously released NPY within RT in the regulation of oscillatory thalamic responses relevant to sleep and epilepsy.
Preparation of 4-Acetylamino-2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine-1-Oxoammonium Tetrafluoroborate, and the Oxidation of Geraniol to Geranial

4-Acetylamino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxonium tetrafluoroborate 4-Acetylamino-2,2-6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxoammonium perchlorate 4-Acetamido-TEMPO Tetrafluoroboric acid 1-Decanol Hydrogen peroxide 4-Amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinium acetate Geraniol Geranial Sodium hypochlorite Keywords: oxoammonium salts; oxidation; tetrafluoroborate salts; alcohols; side reactions; oxidizing agents; waste disposal
Non-uniform deployment of nodes in clustered wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we consider the problem of placing, with course-grained control, a large number of wireless networked sensor nodes employing a clustering network architecture. The goal of the deployment strategy is to maximize the lifetime while ensuring connectivity between cluster-heads so that samples from the monitored area may be forwarded to a fusion center. A model is derived to approximate the lifetime of a differentially deployed random network using both the density of cluster-heads and non-clusterheads as variables. Through optimization of the lifetime expression over both variables and through simulation results, it is shown that 1) a differential node deployment with a uniform cluster-head density increases the lifetime of the network over a uniform deployment and 2) the addition of a suitable differential cluster-head density further increases lifetime over the differential node deployment with uniform cluster-head density.
Computer-guided training: how to make it work

Much research has been conducted to study computer- guided training. Training wheels, chunking, information content, minimal manual, and color coding are important principles in designing on-line help. While the usefulness of each principle has been demonstrated individually, the combined effect of following all the principles is unknown. This paper investigates the combined effect of these principles to better understand the application of pro-active and passive computer guidance. Results demonstrate useful guidelines for software engineers in designing computer-aided instruction and tutoring. >
Characterization of the folate salvage enzyme p-aminobenzoylglutamate hydrolase in plants

Folates break down in vivo to give pterin and p-aminobenzoylglutamate (pABAGlu) fragments, the latter usually having a polyglutamyl tail. Pilot studies have shown that plants can hydrolyze pABAGlu and its polyglutamates to p-aminobenzoate, a folate biosynthesis precursor. The enzymatic basis of this hydrolysis was further investigated. pABAGlu hydrolase activity was found in all species and organs tested; activity levels implied that the proteins responsible are very rare. The activity was located in cytosol/vacuole and mitochondrial fractions of pea (Pisum sativum L.) leaves, and column chromatography of the activity from Arabidopsis tissues indicated at least three peaks. A major activity peak from Arabidopsis roots was purified 86-fold by a three-column procedure; activity loss during purification exceeded 95%. Size exclusion chromatography gave a molecular mass of approximately 200 kDa. Partially purified preparations showed a pH optimum near 7.5, a Km value for pABAGlu of 370 microM, and activity against folic acid. Activity was relatively insensitive to thiol and serine reagents, but was strongly inhibited by 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid and stimulated by Mn2+, pointing to a metalloenzyme. The Arabidopsis genome was searched for proteins similar to Pseudomonas carboxypeptidase G, which contains zinc and is the only enzyme yet confirmed to attack pABAGlu. The sole significant matches were auxin conjugate hydrolase family members and the At4g17830 protein. None was found to have significant pABAGlu hydrolase activity, suggesting that this activity resides in hitherto unrecognized enzymes. The finding that Arabidopsis has folate-hydrolyzing activity points to an enzymatic component of folate degradation in plants.
Continuous synthesis of colloidal chalcopyrite copper indium diselenide nanocrystal inks

A continuous synthetic method in a micro-tubular reactor is introduced for synthesizing mono-disperse and solution-stable chalcopyrite colloidal copper indium diselenide nanocrystal (CuInSe2 NC) inks with potential scalability. It was found that the morphologies of the CuInSe2 NCs were dependent on the Cu/In/Se composition. The NC morphology changed from spherical to hexagonal to trigonal with increasing In or Se content, whereas trigonal morphologies synthesized at high temperature yielded chalcopyrite CuInSe2 NCs. A laboratory-scale photovoltaic device with 1.9% efficiency under AM1.5G illumination was also fabricated to verify the utility of these inks.
Molecular Epidemiologic Identification of Escherichia coli Genes That Are Potentially Involved in Movement of the Organism from the Intestinal Tract to the Vagina and Bladder

A first step in urinary tract infection (UTI) pathogenesis in the otherwise healthy host is the movement of uropathogenic Escherichia coli from the intestinal tract to the urinary tract. We conducted a genomic subtraction to isolate genetic regions associated with this movement. A representative UTI isolate present in the rectum, vagina, and bladder of a woman with UTI was chosen as the tester; the driver was a phylogenetically distant rectal isolate (based on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis) with a profile of uropathogenic virulence genes similar to that of the tester. Tester-specific regions identified by the subtraction were screened, using DNA dot blot hybridization, against a collection of 88 uropathogens isolated from the rectum, urine, and/or vagina of women with UTIs and 54 E. coli isolates from the same women that were found only in the rectum. Twelve genetic regions occurred more often in multisite isolates than in rectal site-only isolates. Eleven of these 12 genetic regions are homologous to regions in the sequenced uropathogenic E. coli CFT073 strain.
Effects of particle arrangements on the drag force of a particle in the intermediate flow regime

The drag force of a single particle in the presence of other equal-sized particles arranged in specific configurations is measured directly for Re from 30 to 106. Four particle arrangements are investigated: a two-particle configuration (Model I), a three-coaligned particle configuration (Model II), a hexagonal particle configuration (Model III) and a cubic particle configuration (Model IV). Variables studied include the particle Reynolds number (Re) and the separation distance. The effect of pipe wall on the measurement results is also examined. The measured drag force, expressed in terms of the drag ratio, is compared with the theoretical values at zero Re and the experimental values for 100 < Re < 103 reported in the literature. Comparisons of the experimentally determined drag ratios with numerically simulated values are also conducted. Because of the Re effect, the drag ratio curves for Model I are no longer symmetrical with respect to θ = 90° as observed for the Stokes flow. The results for Model I at θ = 90° show that the drag ratio increases with the separation distance and then decreases with further increasing separation distance, and the combination of the Re and wall effects causes the drag ratios higher than unity. For Model II, the drag ratio of the middle particle is lower than that of the upper particle at small separation distances but becomes slightly higher beyond a certain separation distance. The computational results provide detailed information on the flow field around each particle, and the pressure and the shear stress distributions on particle surfaces. The numerically simulated drag ratios compare reasonably well with the experimental data. The drag ratio behavior for Model IV is found to be similar to Models I and III; however, the Re does not seem to affect the drag ratio. The results of the flow visualization conducted in this study clearly demonstrate a significant change of the wake structure of Models I and III at different separation distances.
Certification and Job Task Analysis (JTA): Establishing validity of translator certification examinations

Translator certification examinations are offered by many entities worldwide. This article considers the question of how such examinations can be strengthened by applying certification theory and practice. ISO standards are used as a basis to describe how job task analysis is typically used in establishing the validity of a certification examination. The article describes a job task analysis that was conducted by the American Translators Association, then summarizes the literature on translator competence and compares a recent European project with the ATA job task analysis results. The ATA job task analysis results are compared with the current ATA examination and the broader certification program. Finally, the significance of the ATA job task analysis for both ATA and other professional translator associations is discussed.
Non‐lithographic SERS Substrates: Tailoring Surface Chemistry for Au Nanoparticle Cluster Assembly

Near-field plasmonic coupling and local field enhancement in metal nanoarchitectures, such as arrangements of nanoparticle clusters, have application in many technologies from medical diagnostics, solar cells, to sensors. Although nanoparticle-based cluster assemblies have exhibited signal enhancements in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors, it is challenging to achieve high reproducibility in SERS response using low-cost fabrication methods. Here an innovative method is developed for fabricating self-organized clusters of metal nanoparticles on diblock copolymer thin films as SERS-active structures. Monodisperse, colloidal gold nanoparticles are attached via a crosslinking reaction on self-organized chemically functionalized poly(methyl methacrylate) domains on polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) templates. Thereby nanoparticle clusters with sub-10-nanometer interparticle spacing are achieved. Varying the molar concentration of functional chemical groups and crosslinking agent during the assembly process is found to affect the agglomeration of Au nanoparticles into clusters. Samples with a high surface coverage of nanoparticle cluster assemblies yield relative enhancement factors on the order of 10⁹ while simultaneously producing uniform signal enhancements in point-to-point measurements across each sample. High enhancement factors are associated with the narrow gap between nanoparticles assembled in clusters in full-wave electromagnetic simulations. Reusability for small-molecule detection is also demonstrated. Thus it is shown that the combination of high signal enhancement and reproducibility is achievable using a completely non-lithographic fabrication process, thereby producing SERS substrates having high performance at low cost.
Actions of Androgens on the Kidney of Female Mice: Strain Differences in the DNA and β‐Glucuronidase Responses

The anabolic effects of testosterone on kidneys from two strains of female mice were studied over a course of 25 days. The A/J and C57BL/6J strains were selected because they carry regulatory alleles Gura and Gurb which determine rapid and slow induction of β-glucuronidase, respectively. (A major goal of this study was to determine whether these mouse strains have other differences in their responses to testosterone). The wet weight, dry weight and total protein content of the kidneys of both strains increased about 70% in both strains. Total RNA increased 112% and 93% in a biphasic manner in the A/J and C57BL/6J mouse strains, respectively. The steep slope during the first 5 to 7 days was attributed to a selective stimulation of RNA accumulation while the latter, less rapid, RNA increase occurred in parallel with tissue growth. The total DNA content of kidneys from testosterone treated A/J mice never increased above that of controls, indicating that hypertrophy could account for renal enlargement in this strain. By contrast, testosterone treatment produced a 24% increase in total kidney DNA in C57BL/6J mice, signifying that both hypertrophy and hyperplasia are important factors in the anabolic response of this strain. These observations indicated another difference in the androgen induced response of A/J and C57BL/6J mice. As a consequence of the testosterone stimulated increase in renal β-glucu-ronidase synthesis, the excretion of the lysosomal form of the enzyme into the urine increased 2200-fold in A/J but only 57-fold in C57BLIGJ. The total enzyme activity excretedidayimouse was only 4 times higher in A/J versus C57BLi6J with the differences reflecting the basal activity which was 10-fold higher in C57BLIGJ mice. The basal excretion of another lysosomal enzyme, β-galactosidase, was also several fold higher in C57BL/6J, suggesting that lysosomes in those animals are either larger or their contents are excreted at a faster rate.
Rate of change of the Quincy-Monument Peak baseline from a translocation analysis of LAGEOS Laser Range Data

Translocation studies of Lageos laser range data from Quincy and Monument Peak in California observed during 1984-1987 suggest that plate tectonic motion across the San Andreas fault system in the direction of the baseline between the two stations is uniform at a rate of -30(+ or - 3) mm/yr. Changes in the components of the baseline vector were inferred from repeat determinations using the solutions from successive 0.5-year intervals. The changes in the vertical and transverse components of the Quincy-Monument Peak baseline are -0.4(+ or - 5) mm/yr and +14(+ or -5) mm/yr, respectively. The vertical component determinations attest to the height stability of the laser ranging method. Lageos measurements made from Quincy and Monument Peak before 1984 are inaccurate enough to limit their usefulness for plate tectonic studies.
Differential Foci and Synaptic Organization of the Principal and Spinal Trigeminal Projections to the Thalamus in the Rat

The thalamus is known to receive single-whisker 'lemniscal' inputs from the trigeminal nucleus principalis (PrV) and multiwhisker 'paralemniscal' inputs from the spinal trigeminal nucleus (SpV), yet the responses of cells in the thalamic ventroposteromedial nucleus (VPM) are most similar to and contingent upon inputs from PrV. This may reflect a differential termination pattern, density and/or synaptic organization of PrV and SpV projections. This hypothesis was tested in adult rats using anterograde double-labelling with fluorescent dextrans, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and choleragenoid, referenced against parvalbumin and calbindin immunoreactivity. The results indicated that PrV's most robust thalamic projection is to the whisker-related barreloids of VPM. The SpV had robust projections to non-barreloid thalamic regions, including the VPM 'shell' encapsulating the barreloid area, a caudal and ventral region of VPM that lacks barreloids and PrV inputs, the posterior thalamic nucleus, nucleus submedius and zona incerta. Within the barreloid portion of VPM, SpV projections were sparse relative to those from PrV, and most terminal labelling occurred in the peripheral fringes of whisker-related patches and in interbarreloid septae. Thus, PrV and SpV have largely complementary projection foci in the thalamus. Intra-axonal staining of a small sample of trigeminothalamic axons with whisker or guard hair receptive fields revealed highly localized and somatotopic terminal aggregates in VPM that spanned areas no larger than that of a single barreloid. In the electron microscopic component of this study, HRP transport to the barreloid region of VPM from left SpV and right PrV in the same cases revealed PrV terminals contacting dendrites with a broad range of minor axis diameters (mean +/- SD: 1.51 +/- 0.10 microns). SpV terminals were indistinguishable from those of PrV, but they had a disproportionate number of contacts on narrow dendrites (1.27 +/- 0.07 microns, P < 0.01). PrV endings were also more likely to contact VPM somata (11.0 +/- 4.2% of all labelled terminals) than those from SpV (3.0 +/- 1.0%, P < 0.01). Insofar as primary dendrites are thicker than distal dendrites in VPM, these data suggest a differential distribution of PrV and SpV inputs onto VPM cells that may account for their relative efficacies in dictating the responses of VPM cells to whisker stimulation. Multiwhisker receptive fields in VPM may also reflect direct transmission of convergent inputs from PrV.
The Two Species Totally Asymmetric Simple Exclusion Process

The two species totally asymmetric simple exclusion process 1,2, or two species TASEP, is an interacting particle system3 in which two types of particles, first class and second class, live on the sites of a one dimensional lattice, hopping at random times to the adjacent site to their right; the model is called totally asymmetric because particles can jump only to the right, while more general ASEP models permit jumps in both directions, with a preference for one or the other. Here we study steady states—time invariant measures on the space of all configurations—for this model, and in particular discuss a family of explicitly computable translation invariant steady states on the infinite lattice; we show that these are precisely the extremal members of the set of all translation invariant steady states for the system. The family is parameterized by the densities ρ 1 and ρ 2 of the two species, and includes states with all densities lying within the triangle ρ 1,≤ ρ 2 0, ρ 1 + ρ 2 ≤ 1. On the boundary of this triangle the model reduces to the the standard one species TASEP3 and the states constructed here reduce to the product states invariant for this simpler model.
Judgments of the Value of Information:The Role of Information Provider Behavior and Information Seeker Goal Orientation

Although marketing managers and customers often seek information to make decisions or gain knowledge, we know little about what affects individual judgments of the value of received information. We argue that, in settings where information comes from multiple information providers with whom the information seeker have had no prior interaction (i.e., no face-to-face interaction), aspects of information provider behavior influence seeker judgments of the value of received information. Analysis of a web forum for marketing professionals shows that an information provider's current behavior, that is, how quickly, how frequently, and how elaborately they respond to an information query; and an information provider's past behavior, that is, their reputation as an expert in a given domain and their reputation as a generalist, impact judgments of information value. Importantly, these effects are moderated by the information seeker's goal orientation; in particular, whether they are trying to learn something new (a learning orientation) or whether they are seeking advice about what to do (a decision-making orientation).
cis,cis-Muconic acid: separation and catalysis to bio-adipic acid for nylon-6,6 polymerization

cis,cis-Muconic acid is a polyunsaturated dicarboxylic acid that can be produced renewably via the biological conversion of sugars and lignin-derived aromatic compounds. Subsequently, muconic acid can be catalytically converted to adipic acid – the most commercially significant dicarboxylic acid manufactured from petroleum. Nylon-6,6 is the major industrial application for adipic acid, consuming 85% of market demand; however, high purity adipic acid (99.8%) is required for polymer synthesis. As such, process technologies are needed to effectively separate and catalytically transform biologically derived muconic acid to adipic acid in high purity over stable catalytic materials. To that end, this study: (1) demonstrates bioreactor production of muconate at 34.5 g L−1 in an engineered strain of Pseudomonas putida KT2440, (2) examines the staged recovery of muconic acid from culture media, (3) screens platinum group metals (e.g., Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru) for activity and leaching stability on activated carbon (AC) and silica supports, (4) evaluates the time-on-stream performance of Rh/AC in a trickle bed reactor, and (5) demonstrates the polymerization of bio-adipic acid to nylon-6,6. Separation experiments confirmed AC effectively removed broth color compounds, but subsequent pH/temperature shift crystallization resulted in significant levels of Na, P, K, S and N in the crystallized product. Ethanol dissolution of muconic acid precipitated bulk salts, achieving a purity of 99.8%. Batch catalysis screening reactions determined that Rh and Pd were both highly active compared to Pt and Ru, but Pd leached significantly (1–9%) from both AC and silica supports. Testing of Rh/AC in a continuous trickle bed reactor for 100 h confirmed stable performance after 24 h, although organic adsorption resulted in reduced steady-state activity. Lastly, polymerization of bio-adipic acid with hexamethyldiamine produced nylon-6,6 with comparable properties to its petrochemical counterpart, thereby demonstrating a path towards bio-based nylon production via muconic acid.
Application of ARIMA model and BP neural network model on prediction of hepatitis B incidence in China

Objective To explore suitable prediction models for hepatitis B incidence in China;to provide reference for forecasting warning system of hepatitis B.Methods ARIMA model and Back-Propagation(BP)neural network model were established based on monthly incidence of hepatitis B from 2004 to 2012.Predication performance of both models were verified by monthly incidence of hepatitis B in 2013.Mean absolute error(MAE),mean error rate(MER)and nonlinear correlation coefficient(RNL)were used to compare prediction effects of above two models.Results The monthly incidence of hepatitis B from2004 to 2013were in the range of 2.79/105-9.44/105,demonstrating obvious long-term trends.The MAE,MER,RNL between actual values and predicted values of the monthly incidence of hepatitis B in 2013 using the fitting ARIMA(0,1,1)(0,1,1)12model and BP neural network model were 0.445,0.065,0.909 and 0.635,0.093,0.872,respectively.MAE and MER of ARIMA model were lower than those of BP neural network model(△MAE=-0.190,△MER=-0.028),its RNL was higher than that of BP neural network model(△RNL=0.037).Conclusion Both ARIMA model and BP neural network model performed well in predicting hepatitis B incidence in China.The prediction and nonlinear fitting ability of ARIMA model was slightly better than those of BP neural network model.
Photon Echo Measurements in Liquids Using Pulses Longer Than the Electronic Dephasing Time

We present three pulse stimulated photon echo peak shift measurements on several polar protic and aprotic solvents using 22 and 90 fs pulses. Measurements with both pulse durations reveal distinct ultrafast (<100fs) incipient relaxations followed by identical decays after about 300 fs.
Structural Analysis of KCNE1 Transmembrane Mutant Yielding KCNE3-Like Function

The KCNE family contains five single transmembrane-spanning proteins that modulate the voltage-gated potassium channel, KCNQ1 and provide functional diversity to the KCNQ1 channel. For example, KCNE1 modulates the KCNQ1 channel by slowing its activation and increasing its conductance. The KCNE3 protein also increases the conductance, but induces constitutive activation of the channel. In 2001, Melman et al made a series of KCNE1 and KCNE3 chimeras, and identified the transmembrane region as key to distinct functions of KCNE1 and KCNE3. They showed that by swapping three transmembrane residues, T71V72G73, of KCNE3 for KCNE1, F57T58L59, to create a KCNE1/3 chimera they could create a current trace similar to KCNE3 and eliminate KCNE1's ability to delay opening. Thus, KCNE1 with TVG from KCNE3 yields a constitutively active channel without a delay in opening. We hypothesize that this is due to changes in flexibility of the transmembrane-helix of KCNE1 when TVG triple mutation is present. By using NMR spectroscopy, biochemical studies, and computational docking, we aim to look at structural and conformational differences between KCNE1 and KCNE1TVG. We have expressed and purified KCNE1TVG for NMR studies and collected 2D-NMR spectra using a TROSY-based pulse sequence. Partial backbone assignments of KCNE1TVG have been determined by aligning and transfer assignments of the WT KCNE1 previous determined in our lab. Further 3D experiments have been carried out to complete assignments. Further NMR studied will be done to structurally determine KCNE1TVG. Computational models of KCNE1TVG/KCNQ1 in the open and closed state will be created. These models, along with working models for KCNQ1/KCNE1 will provide insight into how KCNE1TVG interacts with the channel differently and similarly than both KCNE1 and KCNE3. This will provide insight into how KCNE1TVG interacts with the channel differently and similarly than both KCNE1 and KCNE3.