cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The glomerulonephritis of acute serum sickness: a study using light and electron microscopy.

Acute glomerulonephritis was produced in rabbits by single intravenous injections of bovine albumin. Characteristic subepithelial deposits, with or without preservation of the lamina rara externa, were seen in all rabbits as early as five days prior to and as late as three weeks after antigen clearance. An increase of mesangial cells was associated with increasing deposition of matrix. The latter appeared as electron-translucent trabeculae, which gradually increased in density with deposition of microfibrils. These frequently were found in continuity with similar intracellular structures. This seems to support the hypothesis that the mesangial cells contribute to the deposition of matrix. In most rabbits much glycogen was recognizable in the mesangial cytoplasm. There is no correlation between the severity of glomerulonephritis discernible by light microscopy and subepithelial deposits seen by electron microscopy. The mesangial changes did not resolve within four weeks of observation, and the deposits did not disappear completely within this period. Acute serum-sickness glomerulonephritis in rabbits closely resembles acute glomerulonephritis in man.
Problem Internet Overuse Behaviors in College Students: Readiness-to-Change and Receptivity to Treatment

This mixed methods study explores college students' readiness-to-change and receptivity to treatment for problem Internet overuse behaviors. Focus groups were conducted with 27 college students who self-identified as Internet over-users, and had experienced biopsychosocial problems related to Internet overuse. Participants completed standardized questionnaires assessing their Internet use and sociodemographic forms. Focus groups explored readiness to change problem Internet overuse behaviors and receptivity to treatment. Similar to college students with other addictive behaviors, students with problem Internet overuse fall along a continuum vis-a-vis readiness-to-change their behaviors. Over half of the participants were receptive to treatment for their problem Internet overuse behaviors.
Bone and Tendon Coverage via Dehydrated Human Amniotic/Chorionic Membrane and Split-Thickness Skin Grafting

Extremity wounds are debilitating and complex. When critical structures are not exposed, extremity wounds can be managed with conservative measures such as local wound care or skin grafting.1 However, exposure of critical structures such as bone or tendon precludes the use of these modalities. Skin grafts do not engraft onto bone and tendon, and with local wound care alone, bone develops osteomyelitis and tendons desiccate and rupture.2 Without soft tissue reconstruction, osteomyelitis leads to amputation 50% of the time and tendon rupture results in loss of function.2 Free flap reconstruction is currently the gold standard for limb salvage. The high technical expertise required for consistent free flap limb salvage poses a barrier for patient access to care, and not all patients are suitable candidates. Additionally, microsurgical free flaps in the lower extremity have an 8% failure rate, 75% of which proceed to amputation.3 Reliable alternatives to free flap reconstruction that lead to stable wound closure are needed. Dehydrated human amniotic/chorionic membrane (dHACM) is an FDA-approved biologic device that delivers a large number of growth factors.4 While dHACM is effective at closing diabetic foot ulcers and venous stasis ulcers,5,6 many applications of dHACM over prolonged periods are typically necessary for complete closure. The cost and time to closure makes dHACM alone an unsuitable method for limb salvage. We developed a novel limb salvage technique using dHACM to generate granulation tissue over critical structures and then definitively closing the wound with splitthickness skin grafts (STSG). Tendon coverage requires 1 week of dHACM treatment before STSG. Bone coverage requires 2 to 3 weeks of dHACM treatment before STSG. We present our early experiences using this innovative approach.
Religious leaders who have advocated and engaged in violence

Throughout history, numerous individuals have become pivotal to incidents and/or campaigns that advocate violence in support of religious beliefs. Not only have these figures championed and/or participated in violence, but they also have risen to leadership roles. Although perhaps pacifists at the beginning, they later believed and embraced violence as a necessary strategy-if not solution- for religious groups or organizations motivated, in whole or in part by religious concerns, to achieve their objectives. Most are charismatic figures with excellent writing and oratory skills, not to mention an ability for organizing a loyal group of followers. This chapter examines some of the implications related to leaders who turn to violence in spite of most religious tenets requiring peace and compassion.
Painting Dose: The ART of Radiation

The discovery of X rays in 1895 captivated society like no other scientific advance. Radiation instantly became the subject not only of numerous scientific papers but also of circus bazaars, poetry, fiction, costume design, comics, and marketing for household items. Its spread was "viral." What is not well known, however, is its incorporation into visual art, despite the long tradition of medicine and surgery as a subject in art. Using several contemporary search methods, we identified 5 examples of paintings or sculpture that thematically feature radiation therapy. All were by artists with exhibited careers in art: Georges Chicotot, Marcel Duchamp, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Robert Pope, and Cookie Kerxton. Each artist portrays radiation differently, ranging from traditional healer, to mysterious danger, to futuristic propaganda, to the emotional challenges of undergoing cancer therapy. This range captures the complex role of radiation as both a therapy and a hazard. Whereas some of these artists are now world famous, none of these artworks are as well known as their surgical counterparts. The penetration of radiation into popular culture was rapid and pervasive; yet, its role as a thematic subject in art never fully caught on, perhaps because of a lack of understanding of the technology, radiation's intangibility, or even a suppressive effect of society's ambivalent relationship with it. These 5 artists have established a rich foundation upon which pop culture and art can further develop with time to reflect the extraordinary progress of modern radiation therapy.
A Zero-Current-Switching High Conversion Ratio Modular Multilevel DC-DC Converter

As the demand of dc-dc converter for medium and high voltage application is increasing in recent years, more and more attention has been paid to modular multilevel converters (MMC). This paper proposes a novel transformerless MMC to achieve high-conversion-ratio DC-DC power conversion purpose. This converter can be used in Medium Voltage Direct Current (MVDC) system, as a high step-up ratio solid-state transformer (SST). The proposed converter possesses scalability, simplicity as well as inherent voltage balancing capability. No complex control algorithm is needed to balance the voltages in each submodule. By using the MMC concept, N low voltage submodules are connected in series to generate a high voltage output. The conversion ratio can be regulated by the phase-shifted control. Two kinds of submodules are outlined to build the MMC. By utilizing stray inductance distributed on wire, the bulky inductors with high power loss can be removed from the system. Resonant operation between wire stray inductance and submodule capacitors assists the converter to work under ZCS mode at high efficiency. A design example with 11-time step-up ratio is analyzed and simulated. And a 200W scaled down lab prototype with 7-time voltage step-up capability has been built to verify the proposed concept.
Molecular Modeling and Solution NMR Studies of the Structure and Dynamics of K-Ras at a Lipid Membrane Containing PIP2

Due to its vital role in regulating the cellular signal transduction and a high occurrence in human tumors, the small GTPase K-Ras has been the object of intense experimental and computational studies recently. In particular, research has focused on the role of membrane anchor on the structure and function of K-Ras. In this research, we investigate the structure and dynamics of K-Ras (GTP bound state) interacting with lipid membranes containing PIP2 (Phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-bisphosphate) by performing long time scale all atom molecular dynamics simulation with the CHAMM36 force field. The simulations show that that the K-Ras catalytic domain binds to the membrane within 100 ns, mainly due to the electrostatic attraction between membrane and K-Ras catalytic domain. PIP2 lipids, which possess four negative charges, form persistent (up to several hundreds of nanoseconds) contacts with residues (Arginine and Lysine) from the GTPase catalytic domain. Further, the lipid bound K-Ras presents several different membrane orientations with respect to the membrane. We find that the competitive interaction between the attraction of membrane with the positively charged protein residues and repulsion of membrane with the negatively charged residues likely determines the K-Ras4A orientation, but this also influenced by the extent of the K-Ras surfaces (in relation to the proteins shape)The simulation results are validated by an NMR solution study of K-Ras with nanodiscs and liposomes. Both the full length and hypervariable region truncated GTPase interact transiently with PIP2 doped membrane model systems through its catalytic domain. Similarly to another experimental and simulation study of K-Ras4B (reviewed by us in [1]), the results imply that membrane orientations could be correlated with K-Ras function by hindering or exposing the effector binding domain of the GTPase to solvent. Furthermore, the effect of membrane binding on the flexibility and conformation of nucleotide binding region, especially with the switch loops of K-Ras will be discussed. Reference: [1] Li, Z. L.; Cao S.; Buck, M.; New & Notable: K-RAS at Anionic Membrane: Orientation, Orientation⋯Orientation. Recent Simulations and Experiments. Biophys. J. 2016, 5, 1033-1035.
Bayesian methods to estimate urban growth potential

Abstract Urban growth often influences the production of ecosystem services. The impacts of urbanization on landscapes can subsequently affect landowners’ perceptions, values and decisions regarding their land. Within land-use and land-change research, very few models of dynamic landscape-scale processes like urbanization incorporate empirically-grounded landowner decision-making processes. Very little attention has focused on the heterogeneous decision-making processes that aggregate to influence broader-scale patterns of urbanization. We examine the land-use tradeoffs faced by individual landowners in one of the United States’ most rapidly urbanizing regions − the urban area surrounding Charlotte, North Carolina. We focus on the land-use decisions of non-industrial private forest owners located across the region’s development gradient. A discrete choice experiment is used to determine the critical factors influencing individual forest owners’ intent to sell their undeveloped properties across a series of experimentally varied scenarios of urban growth. Data are analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian approach. The estimates derived from the survey data are used to modify a spatially-explicit trend-based urban development potential model, derived from remotely-sensed imagery and observed changes in the region’s socioeconomic and infrastructural characteristics between 2000 and 2011. This modeling approach combines the theoretical underpinnings of behavioral economics with spatiotemporal data describing a region’s historical development patterns. By integrating empirical social preference data into spatially-explicit urban growth models, we begin to more realistically capture processes as well as patterns that drive the location, magnitude and rates of urban growth.
The National Landscape of Living Kidney Donor Follow-Up in the United States.

In 2013, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/ United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) mandated that transplant centers collect data on living kidney donors (LKDs) at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years postdonation, with policy-defined thresholds for the proportion of complete living donor follow-up (LDF) data submitted in a timely manner (60 days before or after the expected visit date). While mandated, it was unclear how centers across the country would perform in meeting thresholds, given potential donor and center-level challenges of LDF. To better understand the impact of this policy, we studied Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients data for 31,615 LKDs between January 2010 and June 2015, comparing proportions of complete and timely LDF form submissions before and after policy implementation. We also used multilevel logistic regression to assess donor- and center-level characteristics associated with complete and timely LDF submissions. Complete and timely 2-year LDF increased from 33% prepolicy (January 2010 through January 2013) to 54% postpolicy (February 2013 through June 2015) (p < 0.001). In an adjusted model, the odds of 2-year LDF increased by 22% per year prepolicy (p < 0.001) and 23% per year postpolicy (p < 0.001). Despite these annual increases in LDF, only 43% (87/202) of centers met the OPTN/UNOS-required 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year LDF thresholds for LKDs who donated in 2013. These findings motivate further evaluation of LDF barriers and the optimal approaches to capturing outcomes after living donation.
Fabrication of Hybrid Silicate Coatings by a Simple Vapor Deposition Method for Lithium Metal Anodes

Lithium metal anodes are highly promising for next-generation rechargeable batteries. However, implication of lithium metal anodes is hampered by the unstable electrochemical behavior. Herein, the fabrication of hermetic coatings of hybrid silicate on lithium metal surface using a simple vapor deposition technique under the ambient condition is reported. Such coatings consist of a “hard” inorganic moiety that helps to suppress lithium dendrites and a “soft” organic moiety that enhances the toughness. Lithium metal batteries, including Li–LiFePO4 and Li–S batteries, made with such coated anodes show significantly improved lifetime. This work provides a simple yet effective approach to stabilize lithium metal anodes for high-performance lithium metal batteries.
Human Embryonic Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine

Human embryonic stem cells have the capacity for self-renewal and pluripotency, making them a primary candidate for tissue engineering and regenerative therapies. To date, numerous human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines have been developed and characterized. In this chapter, we discuss how hESC lines are derived, the means by which pluripotency is monitored, and how their ability to differentiate into all three embryonic germ layers is determined. We also outline the methods currently employed to direct their differentiation into populations of tissue-specific, functional cells. Finally, we highlight the general challenges that must be overcome and the strategies being developed in order to generate highly purified hESC-derived cell populations that can safely be used for clinical applications.
A Unique Case of Recurrent Intracranial Extravascular Papillary Endothelial Hyperplasia After Gross Total Resection and Brachytherapy.

Background Extravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (EPEH) is an extremely uncommon form of papillary endothelial hyperplasia characterized by an exuberant reactive endothelial proliferation in areas of extravascular hemorrhage rather than within the vascular lumen. Intracranial EPEH is known to develop after radiosurgery in patients with intracranial neoplasms, suggesting a causative relationship between radiotherapy and the development of EPEH. Intracranial EPEH is typically treated with surgical resection; to date, there have been no reported cases of EPEH recurrence after gross total resection. Case Description A 75-year-old man with a history of atypical meningioma presented to our hospital with progressive right upper and lower extremity weakness. Eight and a half years before admission, he had undergone surgical resection and stereotactic radiosurgery for a World Health Organization grade II meningioma. Several years later, he experienced a mass in the prior resection cavity and was subsequently treated with gross total resection and cesium-131 brachytherapy seeds. Postoperative pathologic examination of the resected tissue at that time showed EPEH with no evidence of recurrent atypical meningioma. On this admission, magnetic resonance imaging showed a recurrent mass in the area of prior resection, at which time the patient underwent a third craniotomy and gross total resection. Postoperative histopathologic examination showed findings consistent with the diagnosis of recurrent EPEH. Conclusions This case report is the first known recurrence of intracranial EPEH occurring after gross total resection and brachytherapy.
Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing in Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer: a Pilot Study.

Tumor profiling by targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) and personalized treatment based on these results is becoming increasingly common in patients with metastatic solid tumors, but it remains unclear whether this strategy results in benefit to patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa). To assess the clinical utility of tNGS in treatment decision-making for patients with mPCa. Patients with available genomic profiling using tumor tissue (FoundationOne, F1) or cell-free DNA (FoundationACT, Guardant360) were included. Targetable genomic alterations (tGA) included a change in the copy number or mutations in DNA repair genes, mismatch repair genes, PTEN, cyclin-dependent kinases, ERBB2, BRAF, TSC, and the PIK3/mTOR pathway. The study included 66 patients, 86% of which had metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), and who had received a median of 3 (range 0–7) treatments prior to tNGS. The most frequent alterations were found in TP53 (42%), PTEN (35%), androgen receptor (AR) (30%), DNA repair (30%), PIK3CA signaling pathway (21%), cyclin-dependent kinases (15%), BRAF (9%), and MMR/MSI (6%) genes. Among the 45 (68%) tGA+ patients, tNGS influenced treatment in 13 (29%) [PARP inhibitor (n = 7), mTOR inhibitor (n = 4), anti-PD-1 (n = 2), anti-HER2 (n = 1)]. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.1 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.8–5.4]. Among tGA+ patients who did not receive tNGS-based therapy, systemic treatment (n = 17) included chemotherapy (71%), new generation anti-androgen therapy (24%), and cabozantinib (6%); the median PFS was 4.3 months (95% CI, 2.6–6.0; p = 0.7 for tGA+ with personalized therapy vs. tGA+ without personalized therapy). In this cohort, the use of tNGS was feasible, detected frequent genomic alterations, and was used late in the disease course. Further studies and larger portfolios of targeted therapy trials are needed to maximize the benefit of tNGS in this population.
Randomized Response Sampling: How to Ask Sensitive Questions

Pollsters often want information on issues that are considered sensitive. The IRS cannot estimate the proportion of persons who cheat on their taxes by asking a random sample of persons if they cheat, because everyone (almost) will say “no,” including some who are lying when they give that answer. The randomized response technique is a way around the problem of people lying when they are asked a sensitive question.
Phycobiliprotein Biosynthesis in Cyanobacteria: Structure and Function of Enzymes Involved in Post-translational Modification

Cyanobacterial phycobiliproteins are brilliantly colored due to the presence of covalently attached chromophores called bilins, linear tetrapyrroles derived from heme. For most phycobiliproteins, these post-translational modifications are catalyzed by enzymes called bilin lyases; these enzymes ensure that the appropriate bilins are attached to the correct cysteine residues with the proper stereochemistry on each phycobiliprotein subunit. Phycobiliproteins also contain a unique, post-translational modification, the methylation of a conserved asparagine (Asn) present at β-72, which occurs on the β-subunits of all phycobiliproteins. We have identified and characterized several new families of bilin lyases, which are responsible for attaching PCB to phycobiliproteins as well as the Asn methyl transferase for β-subunits in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. All of the enzymes responsible for synthesis of holo-phycobiliproteins are now known for this cyanobacterium, and a brief discussion of each enzyme family and its role in the biosynthesis of phycobiliproteins is presented here. In addition, the first structure of a bilin lyase has recently been solved (PDB ID: 3BDR). This structure shows that the bilin lyases are most similar to the lipocalin protein structural family, which also includes the bilin-binding protein found in some butterflies.
Editorial Essay: From Cautious Optimism to Renewed Pessimism: Labor Voice and Labor Scholarship in China:

This introductory essay highlights the changing foci of labor scholarship during five distinct periods in the evolution of Chinese industrial relations. In so doing, the author argues that labor sc...
Fabrication-Tolerant Efficient Dual-Etch Grating Couplers with Low Back Reflections

Using inverse electromagnetic design, we optimize dual-etch grating couplers with a 100 nm minimum feature size compatible with DUV lithography that achieve a record peak coupling efficiency of −0.7 dB and unprecedented low back reflection of < −40 dB.
Information Content of Ship Noise on a Drifting Volumetric Array for Passive Environmental Sensing

This study investigates the information content of ship noise received on a drifting volumetric array of hydrophones in shallow water marine environments for the purposes of conducting acoustic thermometry or other environmental inversions. Passive inversions for physical oceanographic parameters are conducted using travel time differences, determined by cross-correlating ship noise received on hydrophones suspended beneath drifting buoys. Ships are tracked using the automatic identification system. Information content gained from the inversion is assessed using traditional a posteriori error analysis. Numerical simulations using a standard normal mode propagation model are used to test limitations of the proposed approach with respect to frequency band, drifting receiver configuration, precision, and accuracy of the inversion results, along with sensitivity to environmental and position mismatch. Performance predictions using this model are compared with results from a field experiment using at-sea data collected off the coast of New London, CT, USA, in Long Island Sound. Information gathered using passive acoustic inversion methods on drifting arrays can be used to constrain general circulation models, in coastal environments, where ship noise is ubiquitous, environmental data is sparse, and the oceanography is dynamic and important for understanding large-scale ocean processes.
Behavioral neuroimaging in birds using PET.

Abstract Background: Birds comprise the most diverse group of terrestrial vertebrates. This success likely is related to the evolution of powered flight over 75 mya. Modern approaches for studying brain function, however, have yet to be fully adapted and applied to birds, especially as they relate to specific behaviors including flight. New method: We have developed a comprehensive set of in vivo experimental methods utilizing PET imaging with F-18 labeled fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) to study regional changes in metabolism specifically related to flight, yet applicable to other behaviors as well. It incorporates approaches for selection of species, behavioral/imaging paradigm, animal preparation, radiotracer injection route, image quantification, and image analysis via an enhanced brain atlas. We also carried out preliminary modeling studies to better understand tracer kinetics. Results: The methods were successful in identifying brain regions statistically associated with flight using only 8 animals. Peak brain uptake of FDG between birds and rodents is similar despite much higher blood glucose levels in birds. We also confirmed that brain uptake of FDG steadily decreases after the initial peak and provide evidence that it may be related to greater dephosphorylation of FDG phosphate than that observed in mammals. Comparison with existing methods: FDG PET has been used in only a few studies of the bird brain. We introduce a new species, more realistic flight behavior, paired (test/retest) design, and improved quantification and analysis approaches. Conclusions: The proposed imaging protocol is non-invasive yet sensitive to regional metabolic changes in the bird brain related to behavior.
Highly sensitive compression sensors using three-dimensional printed polydimethylsiloxane/carbon nanotube nanocomposites:

This article presents three-dimensional printed and highly sensitive polydimethylsiloxane/multi-walled carbon nanotube sensors for compressive strain and pressure measurements. An electrically cond...
Strategic Nonconformity to the TCJA, Part I: Personal Income Taxes

This essay analyzes ways that U.S. state governments can raise revenue by rethinking whether and how they conform to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. This essay is the first in a two-part series, with this essay focusing on strategic nonconformity with the TCJA for state-level personal income taxes, and with the second essay in the series to then focus on strategic nonconformity with the TCJA for state-level corporate income taxes.
Legal Entity Options for Worker Cooperatives

This article discusses legal entity options for low-income workers considering forming worker cooperatives. It argues for making use of available entity options to achieve goals of democratic control and governance.
Can Cannabidiol Affect the Efficacy of Chemotherapy and Epigenetic Treatments in Cancer

The success of cannabinoids with chronic neuropathic pain and anxiety has been demonstrated in a multitude of studies. With the high availability of a non-intoxicating compound, cannabidiol (CBD), an over-the-counter medication, has generated heightened interest in its use in the field of oncology. This review focuses on the widespread therapeutic potential of CBD with regard to enhanced wound healing, lowered toxicity profiles of chemotherapeutics, and augmented antitumorigenic effects. The current literature is sparse with regard to determining the clinically relevant concentrations of CBD given the biphasic nature of the compound's response. Therefore, there is an imminent need for further dose-finding studies in order to determine the optimal dose of CBD for both intermittent and regular users. We address the potential influence of regular or occasional CBD usage on therapeutic outcomes in ovarian cancer patients. Additionally, as the development of chemoresistance in ovarian cancer results in treatment failure, the potential for CBD to augment the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic and epigenetic drugs is a topic of significant importance. Our review is focused on the widespread therapeutic potential of CBD and whether or not a synergistic role exists in combination with epigenetic and classic chemotherapy medications.
A novel solar combined cycle integration: An exergy-based optimization using artificial neural network

Abstract The paper aims to solve drawbacks associated with Gas Turbine GT by integrating a novel cascaded system into a combined cycle simultaneously. Parabolic trough collectors preheat the air at the combustion chamber inlet, then drive an absorption inlet-air cooling cycle that controls the ambient-air temperature at the compressor's inlet. This study uses the 2nd law of thermodynamics to estimate the maximum available energy, calculate the electric exergy efficiency, and explore the maximum irreversible exergy destruction in the system's components. Artificial Neural Network was employed to develop a multi-objective optimization by linking data collected from equations in the Engineering Equation Solver software with Matlab. Spider diagrams investigated the effect of varying several key operating parameters on the performance of the system, identifying gas turbine as the highest irreversibility sub-unit and the solar field parabolic trough collectors as the second. Design improvement for the combustion chamber can reduce 303.6 MW, and for parabolic trough collectors field reduce 58.9 MW. Artificial neural networks with multi-objective optimization maximized the electric exergy destruction to 46.19% and minimized the exergy destruction to 489.4 MW, relative to the corresponding values from the simple design point.
Mutational analysis of secondary structure in the autoinhibitory and autophosphorylation domains of calmodulin kinase II.

A previous study has suggested that the autoinhibitory domain of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM-kinase II) may contain an alpha-helical structure, which is important for the proper orientation of inhibitory residues to interact with the catalytic domain (Smith, M. K., Colbran, R. J., Brickey, D. A., and Soderling, T.R. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 1761-1768). The present study was designed to test the importance of the secondary structure in the autoinhibitory domain (residues 281-302) by site-specific mutagenesis of selected residues to prolines. Single mutants C289P, C289A, A295P, and the double mutant C289P/A295P were expressed using the baculovirus/Sf9 cell system and purified on CaM-Sepharose. The single mutants had specific activities (7-12 mumol/min/mg) and eluted from gel permeation chromatography (600-650 kDa) identical to wild-type kinase. Since the double mutant had a very low specific activity and eluted as a mixture of a large aggregate and proteolyzed monomer, it was not characterized further. Only the C289P mutant exhibited enhanced Ca(2+)-independent activity (5-12% of total activity) prior to autophosphorylation. When autophosphorylation was performed in the absence of Ca2+/CaM at 5 degrees C, only the C289P mutant showed a significant increase in Ca(2+)-independent activity. This autophosphorylation of Thr286 in the absence of Ca2+/CaM has not been observed with wild-type kinase or any other autoinhibitory domain mutant we have characterized. This result suggests that Thr286, the autophosphorylation site responsible for Ca(2+)-independent activity, may not be available for autophosphorylation in the wild-type kinase or the other mutants because of structural restrictions due to the secondary structure in this region. This structural restraint is presumably disrupted by the binding of Ca2+/CaM or by insertion of a proline residue.
On the Design of Active Learning Controllers for Linear Systems with Quantized State Measurements

In this paper, we study the effect of state (or output) quantization in scalar discrete-time linear control systems by regarding the quantized state as a partial observation of the true state rather than an approximation. With this point of view, the quantized system is analyzed as a partially observed stochastic system and the problem of optimal state information gathering-from the history of the quantized output is investigated. It is shown that this problem is equivalent to an optimal control problem for a controlled Markov chain.
An Interior-Point Algorithm for Nonconvex Nonlinear Programming

The paper describes an interior-point algorithm for nonconvex nonlinear programming which is a direct extension of interior-point methods for linear and quadratic programming. Major modifications include a merit function and an altered search direction to ensure that a descent direction for the merit function is obtained. Preliminary numerical testing indicates that the method is robust. Further, numerical comparisons with MINOS and LANCELOT show that the method is efficient, and has the promise of greatly reducing solution times on at least some classes of models.
Design of a Roller-Collector Remotely Operated Vehicle

The Roller-Collector Remotely Operated Vehicle (RC-ROV) was designed to compete in the interscholastic Marine Advanced Technology Education Center (MATE) ROC competition. The objective of the competition was to build an ROV which would enter a mock shipwreck and collect as many objects as possible within a time limit. The most prominent feature of the RC-ROV is the roller collection system. This collection system was chosen because of its simplicity, effectiveness, and ease of use. The system consists of two foam rollers that rotate into each other in order to catch and funnel objects into a collection basket. The vehicle utilizes a fast and easy drive-over collection method which eliminates the need for fine positioning of the vehicle or of the collection mechanism. The electronic controls of the RC-ROV are also designed for simplicity. Using a "brute-force" approach all of the motors are wired through a subsurface breakout box directly to a topside controller. Two cameras are wired directly through the tether to topside monitors. The RC-ROV has two thrusters in each of the vertical, forward, and lateral axes in order to maximize speed and maneuverability. These thrusters can be paired, such that a pair operating in unison provides directional movement along the axis it governs. By operating the motors in opposition, the ROV can be maneuvered to pivot and make directional turns. The RC-ROV has two cameras, one forward-looking and one back-looking. The forward camera aids in both steering and object collection. The rear camera aids in looking behind to see that no objects have been missed in a sweep over the room. The RC-ROV design concept could be expanded and improved upon to create an efficient and inexpensive vehicle for underwater use in fields such as mining and underwater archeology. The roller concept can be used as a substitute or in conjunction with other collection systems that are commonly used today. The RC-ROV is simple to operate and do not require mush pilot training. Roller shape and positioning can be varied to fit specific jobs. The RC-ROV can also operate its rollers in reverse to shuttle cargo to underwater construction sites. Other improvements are likely to be found for the RC-ROV as its low cost, simplicity of design, and ease of use make it very attractive when compared to other, more complicated systems.
Critical electric field and self-heating in 3D SiC/Si MOSFETs

In this paper we evaluated the electric field and self-heating temperature of 3D 3C-SiC/Si MOSFETs. Using the numerical analysis simulator Silvaco Atlas, this device was found to have a critical electric field of 6.68×106 V/cm at a breakdown voltage close to 312V. Using COMSOL program, self-heating effect was investigated, and found that the temperature reached 866K at V DS =312V and V GS =5V.
Activating and Deactivating Repair Servers in Active Multicast Trees

For time-constrained applications, repair-server-based active local recovery approaches can be valuable in providing low-latency reliable multicast service. However, an active multicast repair service consumes resources at the repair servers in the multicast tree. Ascheme was thus presented in [10] to dynamically activate/deactivate repair servers with the goal of using as few system resources (repair servers) as possible, while at the same time improving application-level performance. In this paper, we develop stochastic models to study the distribution of repair delay both with and without a repair server in a simple multicast tree. From these models, we observe that the application deadline, downstream link loss rates, the number of receivers, and the upstream round trip time of a repair server all influence the overall value of activating an active repair server. Based on these observations, we propose a modified dynamic repair server activation algorithm that considers the packet loss rate, the number of downstream receivers, and the round trip time to the nearest upstream active repair server when activating/ deactivating a repair server. From simulation, we observe that our modified dynamic repair server activation algorithm provides a significant reduction in the latency of successful packet delivery (over the original algorithm) while using the same amount of system resources. We also find that much of the performance gains achievable by having active repair servers can be obtained by having only a relatively small fraction of repair servers actually being active.
National patient-safety strategy in the works.

Canada must establish a national patient-safety strategy and oversight council if Canadians are to retain their faith in the efficacy of the health care system, the president of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada says. To that end, representatives of 35 government, hospital,
Assessing the validity of station location assumptions made in the calculation of the Geomagnetic Disturbance Index, Dst

In this paper, the effects of the assumptions made in the calculation of the Dst index with regard to longitude sampling, hemisphere bias, and latitude correction are explored. The insights gained from this study will allow operational users to better understand the local implications of the Dst index and will lead to future index formulations that are more physically motivated. We recompute the index using 12 longitudinally spaced low-latitude stations, including the traditional 4 (in Honolulu, Kakioka, San Juan, and Hermanus), and compare it to the standard United States Geological Survey definitive Dst. We look at the hemisphere balance by comparing stations at equal geomagnetic latitudes in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. We further separate the 12-station time series into two hemispheric indices and find that there are measurable differences in the traditional Dst formulation due to the undersampling of the Southern Hemisphere in comparison with the Northern Hemisphere. To analyze the effect of latitude correction, we plot latitudinal variation in a disturbance observed during the year 2005 using two separate longitudinal observatory chains. We separate these by activity level and find that while the traditional cosine form fits the latitudinal distributions well for low levels of activity, at higher levels of disturbance the cosine form does not fit the observed variation. This suggests that the traditional latitude scaling is insufficient during active times. The effect of the Northern Hemisphere bias and the inadequate latitude scaling is such that the standard correction underestimates the true disturbance by 10–30 nT for storms of main phase magnitude deviation greater than 150 nT in the traditional Dst index.
Parallelized Hybrid TGRAPPA Reconstruction for Real-Time Interactive MRI

Real-time parallel MRI reconstruction was demonstrated using a hybrid implementation of the TGRAPPA algorithm. The GRAPPA coefficients were calculated in k-space and applied in the image domain after appropriate transformation, thereby achieving improved speed and excellent image quality. Adaptive B1-weighted combining of the per coil images permitted use of pre-calculated composite image domain weights providing significant decrease in computation. The weight calculation was decoupled from the real-time image reconstruction as a parallel processing thread which was updated in an adaptive manner to speed convergence in the event of interactive change in scan plane. The computation was parallelized and implemented on a general purpose multi-core architecture. Reconstruction speeds of 65-70 frames per second were achieved with a matrix of 192x144 with 15 coils.
Male mouse (Mus musculus) utrasonic vocalizations to female urine: Why is heterosexual experience necessary?

Previous research was consistent with the hypothesis that urinary chemosignals from female mice (Mus musculus) serve as a conditioned stimulus (CS) for the elicitation of male ultrasonic courtship vocalizations while some other unknown aspect of the female serves as an unconditioned stimulus (US). According to this hypothesis adult heterosexual experience is necessary for males to pair the urinary CS with the US. Three experiments further examined this hypothesis. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the hypothesized US was not female behavior. Experience with anesthetized males and females was just as effective as experience with awake conspecifics. Experiments 2 and 3, however, question the primacy of the Classical Conditioning hypothesis. In both experiments sexually naive males were allowed contact with either normal females or female surrogates. The female surrogates were neonatally castrated males (Experiment 2) or hypophysectomized females (Experiment 3), both of which appeared to possess the hypothesized US but not the urinary CS on the basis of previous research. While exposure to normal females caused the highest level of vocalization to urine from normal females, exposure to the two classes of female surrogates also resulted in vocalizations to the urine of normal females. Thus under some circumstances, males do not require experience with a normal female to emit ultrasounds to urine from normal females. Factors in addition to Classical Conditioning must be operating to account fully for the role of adult heterosexual experience in causing female urine to come to elicit male courtship vocalizations.
A NEW CONIFER FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

Stems with inner bark, wood, pith, and leaves from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) of central California are described. The name Margeriella cretacea gen. et sp. n. is assigned to the fossils. The leaves are long, narrow, spirally arranged, and each contains three resin canals, a thick vascular sheath, and a dense mesophyll. Only first-year wood is present in the stem. The large pith is composed of large cells among which are scattered clusters of even larger darkly colored cells. Leaf epidermis and wood characters suggest affinities with the Taxodiaceae, but the structure of the pith and the internal structure of the leaves have no counterpart among modern or known fossil members of that family. The fossil is regarded as an extinct form possibly belonging to the large taxodioid complex thought by some workers to have existed in the Mesozoic. AMONG THE WOOD fragments and pollen-rich nodules found in Upper Cretaceous marine sediments in the locality known as Del Puerto Canyon Ro-ad in central California (Page, 1967, 1970), occur numerous small, gypsum-encrusted blocks of mudstone. These blocks are usually devoid of plant megafossils, but two were found in which small stems clothed with long, narrow leaves were embedded. A third block contained only leaves. All three appeared to be fragments of a single plant specimen.
Identification of drugs in pharmaceutical dosage forms by X-ray powder diffractometry

A simple X-ray powder diffractometric (XRD) method was developed for the identification of the active ingredient in a variety of dosage forms. The method was successfully used to unambiguously identify the active ingredient(s) in tablet, capsule, suppository and ointment formulations. The unique feature of the method is that it provides information about the solid-state of the drug. Thus, a capsule formulation containing anhydrous ampicillin was readily distinguished from that containing ampicillin trihydrate. The USP stipulates the use of the β-polymorphic form of anhydrous carbamazepine in carbamazepine tablets. Contamination by the α-polymorph (down to a level of 1.4% w/w of the formulation) could be detected. In some of the multicomponent formulations, there was a pronounced overlap of the powder patterns of ingredients which made identification difficult. This problem was solved by using a pattern subtraction technique, which permitted selective subtraction of the XRD pattern of the constituents of the formulation from the overall XRD pattern. Such an approach enabled identification of the drug even when it constituted only 5% w/w of the formulation. The method also permitted simultaneous identification of the multiple active ingredients in trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and acetaminophen-aspirin-caffeine formulations.
Physical Structure of Ionomers

IONOMERS are plastics in which a copolymer of ethylene with an acid, such as methacrylic acid, is combined with a metal (unpublished results of R. W. Rees and D. J. Vaughan. What distinguishes ionomers from polyelectrolytes is that the ionic material forms a minor part of the whole, the remainder being substantially hydrocarbon. Thus the fully ionized sodium salt of polymethacrylic acid contains 21 per cent sodium whereas the ionomers typically contain less than 5 per cent.
Back to the future: Postmodernism and the early music revival

(1997). Back to the future: Postmodernism and the early music revival. The European Legacy: Vol. 2, Fourth International Conference of the International Society for the Study of European Ideas, pp. 92-97.
Dysfunctional elimination syndrome in children without obvious spinal cord diseases.

Elimination dysfunction (ED) is a functional disease that encompasses the urinary and gastrointestinal tract. Because the presentation is varied and ED is a disease of exclusion, a thorough history and physical examination are mandatory. Noninvasive management that includes the fundamental four, and continuous engagement and encouragement of the patient and family are the pillars of treatment. For patients who are refractory to this approach, new research in children-directed biofeedback research shows promise.
Determination of 1,3-Butadiene down to Sub-part-per-million Levels in Air by Collection on Charcoal and High-Resolution Gas Chromatography

Abstract The need for a more sensitive method for the determination of 1,3-butadiene in air led to the development of NIOSH Method 1024, in which samples are collected on tandem 400- and 200-mg coconut-shell charcoal samplers; desorbed in dichloromethane; separated by gas chromatography on an aluminum oxide, porous-layer, open-tubular, fused silica capillary column fitted with a backflushable precolumn; and detected by flame ionization. This article reports the development of the method and an assessment of its performance based on laboratory evaluations and field use. A sample volume of 25 L is recommended for 1,3-butadiene concentrations up to 100 ppm. Samples stored in a freezer are stable; a loss of 1.5 percent per day occurs at ambient temperature. The lower quantitation limit, based on maintaining desorption efficiency ≥ 75 percent, is about 40 μg/sample. The estimated limit of detection is 0.2 μg/sample. The estimated precision of the total sampling and analytical method is 6 percent relative stand...
Precompensation of gain nonuniformity in a Nd:glass amplifier using a programmable beam-shaping system

Abstract A programmable liquid crystal beam-shaping system was installed for a 200-mJ optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) system front end and was applied to dramatically improve the beam uniformity in the subsequent amplifier. A highly nonuniform beam profile caused by gain inhomogeneity in the amplifier was pre-compensated by the beam shaping system using significantly improved open-loop and closed-loop algorithms. The details of the improved algorithms will be described. The issues of running a liquid crystal device with a high-energy, ultrashort-pulse laser, such as damage risk and temporal contrast degradation, will be addressed.