cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural Symmetry in Membrane Proteins

Symmetry is a common feature among natural systems, including protein structures. A strong propensity toward symmetric architectures has long been recognized for water-soluble proteins, and this propensity has been rationalized from an evolutionary standpoint. Proteins residing in cellular membranes, however, have traditionally been less amenable to structural studies, and thus the prevalence and significance of symmetry in this important class of molecules is not as well understood. In the past two decades, researchers have made great strides in this area, and these advances have provided exciting insights into the range of architectures adopted by membrane proteins. These structural studies have revealed a similarly strong bias toward symmetric arrangements, which were often unexpected and which occurred despite the restrictions imposed by the membrane environment on the possible symmetry groups. Moreover, membrane proteins disproportionately contain internal structural repeats resulting from duplication and fusion of smaller segments. This article discusses the types and origins of symmetry in membrane proteins and the implications of symmetry for protein function.
Superiority of treadmill walking exercise versus strength training for patients with peripheral arterial disease. Implications for the mechanism of the training response.

BACKGROUNDIn patients with intermittent claudication, a supervised walking exercise program increases peak exercise performance and community-based functional status. Patients with peripheral arterial disease also have muscle weakness in the affected extremity that may contribute to the walking impairment. However, the potential benefits of training modalities other than walking exercise, such as strength training, have not been critically evaluated in this patient population. The present study tested the hypothesis that a strength training program would be as effective as treadmill walking exercise and that combinations of strengthening and walking exercise would be more effective than either alone in improving exercise performance.METHODS AND RESULTSTwenty-nine patients with disabling claudication were randomized to 12 weeks of supervised walking exercise on a treadmill (3 h/wk at a work intensity sufficient to produce claudication), strength training (3 h/wk of resistive training of five muscle groups ...
Pressure distribution simulation for SNS ring vacuum systems

Brookhaven is responsible for the design and construction of the US Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) accumulator ring and beam transport lines. Ultrahigh vacuum of a few nano-Torr is required for the accumulator ring to minimize the residual gas ionization. To size the pumps and to optimize the pump locations, the pressure distribution in the vacuum systems has to be calculated based on chamber conductance, the static and dynamic outgassing of the chamber walls and the beam components. A computer program, based on finite differential approximation, was used to model the pressure in the accumulator ring, using the measured outgassing rates of chambers with and without TiN coating. The simulation results indicate that the designed vacuum will be achieved after prolonged pumping due to the high outgassing associated with the low secondary electron yield coatings.
Electrophoretic Evidence for Genetic Differentiation in Two Host Races of Hemlock Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense)

Key Word Index--Arceuthobium tsugense; Viscaceae; dwarf mistletoe; electrophoresis; allozymes; host race. Abstract--Three host races of hemlock dwarf mistletoe have been described: the western hemlock race (mainly parasitic on Tsuga heterophylla), the shore pine race (mainly on Pinus contorta ssp. contorta) and the mountain hemlock race (mainly on Tsuga mertensiana and R monticola). Mistletoe shoots from 21 populations representing the three host races and eight host species were obtained and analysed using starch gel electrophoresis. Over 900 individuals were examined and 13 electro- phoretic loci were used. On average, 84% of the loci were polymorphic and mean heterozygosity was 0.260. The mistletoes from the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Vancouver Island, B.C. and Orcas Island) were less diverse genetically than mainland populations. Mistletoe populations parasitic on two more hosts per population had higher numbers of alleles per locus and a higher percentage of polymorphic loci than populations colonizing only one host. The UPGMA phenogram showed a strong correspondence between geographic location and genetic distance indicating a clinal pattern from north to south. The most distinct cluster is composed of four populations from the Sierra Nevada in Califor- nia. The population from Juneau, Alaska, is also distinct but shows greater affinity to the more northern populations using UPGMA analysis. The Oregon Cascade populations referred to the mountain hemlock race were allied with the western hem- lock populations with UPGMA analysis but showed affinity to the Sierra Nevada populations when analysed with the distance Wagner procedure. Cluster and cladistic analyses did not result in discrete clusters of populations composed of either the western hemlock or shore pine races. Thus, the mountain hemlock dwarf mistletoe appears to be a separate taxon deserving of taxonomic recognition, possibly at the subspecies level. Isozyme data do not support the recognition of the shore pine race as distinct from the dwarf mistletoes on western hemlock.
Crystal and NMR structures of a Trp-cage mini-protein benchmark for computational fold prediction.

To provide high-resolution X-ray crystallographic structures of a peptide with the Trp-cage fold, we prepared a cyclized version of this motif. Cyclized Trp-cage is remarkably stable and afforded two crystal forms suitable for X-ray diffraction. The resulting higher resolution crystal structures validate the prior NMR models and provide explanations for experimental observations that could not be rationalized by NMR structural data, including the structural basis for the increase in fold stability associated with motif cyclization and the manner in which a polar serine side chain is accommodated in the hydrophobic interior. A hexameric oligomer of the cyclic peptide is found in both crystal forms and indicates that under appropriate conditions, this minimized system may also serve as a model for protein–protein interactions.
A DOUBLE COAXIAL DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR DEPLOYMENT OF A TWO‐STAGE STENT‐GRAFT

Purpose: To design and test a delivery system for successive, rapid two-stage deployment of an aortic stent graft. Material and Methods: An aortic stent graft was made that consisted of two separate parts. A delivery system composed of two independent coaxial mechanisms was fabricated and used to deploy the stages of the graft in dogs' aortas. Results: Delivery was successful in all four dogs, and required less than 2 min in each animal. Conclusion: The double coaxial delivery system enabled quick endovascular assembly of a two-stage aortic stent-graft.
Using qualitative research techniques to learn the cultural language

Explains how specific qualitative research techniques can be used to better understand a work culture in another country. These techniques include: (1) collecting ethnographic information; (2) consciously observing surroundings; (3) choosing a broad range of informants; (4) finding a key informant; (5) conducting ethnographic interviews; (6) analyzing artifacts; (7) recording observations, interviews, and impressions; and (8) respecting privacy.
Gata4 Regulates Testis Expression of Dmrt1

The doublesex and mab-3 related transcription factor 1 (Dmrt1) is a putative transcriptional regulator that is expressed exclusively in the gonads and is required for postnatal testis differentiation. Here we describe the transcriptional mechanisms regulating testis-specific expression of the Dmrt1 gene. Transient-transfection analysis identified a region of the promoter between kb −3.2 and −2.8 that is important for Sertoli cell-specific expression. DNase I footprinting revealed four sites of DNA-protein interaction within this region, three of which were prominent in primary Sertoli cells. Analysis of these sites, using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, revealed that Gata4 and another unknown factor bound within these regions. Further transient-transfection assays of various mutant promoters established the functional relevance of the Gata4-response and unknown factor-response elements, while studies of Dmrt1 expression in 13.5 days postcoitum Fog2 null gonads supported the in vivo importance of Gata4's regulation. As a whole, these studies identify Gata4 as an important regulator in the Dmrt1 transcriptional machinery that is responsible for robust expression of Dmrt1 in the testis.
What actions do teachers envision when asked to facilitate mathematical argumentation in the classroom

Mathematical argumentation in classrooms has been linked with students’ increased understandings of and achievement in mathematics. A key component of mathematical argumentation is the teacher’s use of questioning strategies. In particular, effective questioning asks students to explain and justify their work and probes student understanding. However, literature has consistently shown that instead of asking questions that probe student understanding, teachers generally ask leading or recall-oriented questions. Though reform efforts in the US and elsewhere have called for teachers to adopt more effective questioning strategies, the trend in teacher questioning suggested in the literature continues. One possible explanation for this trend is that teachers’ interpretation of facilitating mathematical argumentation is not aligned with what reformers in mathematics education envision. Examining teacher-created representations of practice, the present study explores this possible difference in interpretation and presents preliminary evidence suggesting that the teachers’ conceptions of facilitating mathematical argumentation may indeed be substantially different from what reformers intend.
Traffic grooming in WDM ring networks to minimize the maximum electronic port cost

We consider the problem of traffic grooming in WDM ring networks. Traffic grooming is a variant of the well-known logical topology design problem, and is concerned with the development of techniques for combining low speed traffic components onto high speed channels in order to minimize network cost. Previous studies have focused on aggregate representations of the network cost. In this work, we consider a Min-Max objective, in which it is desirable to minimize the cost at the node where this cost is maximum. Such an objective is of high practical value when dimensioning a network for unknown future traffic demands and/or for dynamic traffic scenarios. We present new theoretical results which demonstrate that traffic grooming with the Min-Max objective is NP-complete even when wavelength assignment is not an issue. We also present new polynomial-time traffic grooming algorithms for minimizing the maximum electronic port cost in both unidirectional and bidirectional rings. We evaluate our algorithms through experiments with a wide range of problem instances, by varying the network size, number of wavelengths, traffic load, and traffic pattern. Our results indicate that our algorithms produce solutions which are always close to the optimal and/or the lower bound, and which scale well to large network sizes, large number of wavelengths, and high loads. We also demonstrate that, despite the focus on minimizing the maximum cost, our algorithms also perform well in terms of the aggregate electronic port cost over all ring nodes.
Differential expression of components of the retinoic acid signaling pathway in the adult mouse olfactory epithelium

Position within a tissue often correlates with cellular phenotype, for example, differential expression of odorant receptors and cell adhesion molecules across the olfactory mucosa (OM). The association between position and phenotype is often paralleled by gradations in the concentration of retinoic acid (RA), caused by differential expression of the RA synthetic enzymes, the retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (RALDH). We show here that RALDH-1, -2, and -3 are enriched in the sustentacular cells, deep fibroblasts of the lamina propria, and the superficial fibroblasts, respectively, of the ventral and lateral OM as compared to the dorsomedial OM. The shift from high to low expression of the RALDHs matches the boundary defined by the differential expression of OCAM/mamFasII. Further, we found that RA-binding proteins are expressed in the epithelium overlying the RALDH-3 expressing fibroblasts of the lamina propria. Both findings suggest that local alterations in RA concentration may be more important than a gradient of RA across the epithelial plane, per se. In addition, RALDH-3 is found in a small population of basal cells in the ventral and lateral epithelium, which expand and contribute to the neuronal lineage following MeBr lesion. Indeed, transduction with a retrovirus expressing a dominant negative form of retinoic acid receptor type alpha blocks the reappearance of mature, olfactory marker protein (OMP) (+) olfactory neurons as compared to empty vector. These results support the notion of a potential role for RA, both in maintaining the spatial organization of the normal olfactory epithelium and in reestablishing the neuronal population during regeneration after injury.
Some Considerations for the R to One Matching Situation

The asymptotic relative efficiency of the R to one matching design is compared to a standard one to one matching design for both continuous and dichotomous data. An additional consideration which separates this work from previous work is that in this work the pairwise correlations of the matched design are not necessarily equal. For both types of data, it is seen that the efficiency of the R to one design relative to the matched pairs design is influenced by the correlation among the R matching “controls” relative to the correlation between the R matching “controls” and the “case”.
Involvement of endothelin in morphine tolerance in neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells

Long-term use of morphine in pain management leads to adverse effects, such as development of antinociceptive tolerance. We have previously shown the involvement of central endothelin (ET) mechanisms in morphine analgesia and development of tolerance in vivo. The present study was conducted to investigate the in vitro mechanism of interaction of the ET(A) receptor antagonist, BMS182874, and morphine during acute and chronic morphine tolerance in SH-SY5Y cells. SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to acute and chronic treatment with vehicle, morphine, ET-1, BMS182874, or morphine plus BMS182874. Activation of G-protein-coupled receptors in SH-SY5Y cells was determined using [35S]GTPgammaS binding assays. Acute morphine treatment produced a concentration-dependent increase in GTP binding. Median effective concentration (EC50) values were significantly decreased after acute morphine treament, suggesting sensitization of opioid receptors. Chronic morphine treatment produced a lower maximal response of GTP binding compared with both control (vehicle treated) and acute morphine treatment, indicating uncoupling of G-proteins. Acute and chronic exposure of cells to ET-1 did not affect changes in ET-1-induced GTP binding. BMS182874 treatment alone (acute or chronic) did not produce G-protein activation. However, in cells chronically cotreated with 10 microM morphine and 1 microM BMS182874, morphine-induced GTP stimulation was significantly higher than control (vehicle treated). The EC50 value after control treatment was 414 nM, and was significantly increased in chronically morphine-treated cells (>1000 nM ). However, the EC50 value in cells receiving a chronic treatment of BMS182874 and 63 nM morphine was significantly reduced compared with control (vehicle treated) and chronic morphine treatment. ET(A) antagonists significantly enhance the coupling of G-protein to opioid receptors. Therefore, we propose that restoration of morphine antinociception by ET(A) antagonists in morphine-tolerant animals is likely via a G-protein mediated mechanism.
Beyond grasping: Representation of action in human anterior intraparietal sulcus

The fronto-parietal network has been implicated in the processing of multisensory information for motor control. Recent methodological advances with both fMRI and TMS provide the opportunity to dissect the functionality of this extensive network in humans and may identify distinct contributions of local neural populations within this circuit that are not only related to motor planning, but to goal oriented behavior as a whole. Herein, we review and make parallels between experiments in monkeys and humans on a broad array of motor as well as non-motor tasks in order to characterize the specific contribution of a region in the parietal lobe, the anterior intraparietal sulcus (aIPS). The intent of this article is to review: (1) the historical perspectives on the parietal lobe, particularly the aIPS; (2) extend and update these perspectives based on recent empirical data; and (3) discuss the potential implications of the revised functionality of the aIPS in relationship to complex goal oriented behavior and social interaction. Our contention is that aIPS is a critical node within a network involved in the higher order dynamic control of action, including representation of intended action goals. These findings may be important not only for guiding the design of future experiments investigating related issues but may also have valuable utility in other fields, such social neuroscience and biomedical engineering.
Should LSIL with ASC-H (LSIL-H) in cervical smears be an independent category? A study on SurePath™ specimens with review of literature

Cervical smears exhibiting unequivocal features of 'low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion' (LSIL) are occasionally also admixed with some cells suspicious for, but not diagnostic of, 'high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion' (HSIL). Only a few studies, mostly reported as abstracts, have evaluated this concurrence. In this study, we evaluate the current evidence that favors a distinct category for "LSIL, cannot exclude HSIL" (LSIL-H), and suggest a management algorithm based on combinations of current ASCCP guidelines for related interpretations.
Average power limits of diode-laser-pumped solid state lasers

We investigated the average power limits of diode laser pumped slab lasers and present design calculations for several laser configurations. In the laser designs, a number of diode lasers, each one of which is coupled to an optical fiber are employed to pump a solid state laser material in a zigzag slab or a disk geometry. The systems described here can produce multiple kilowatts of average output power with currently available diode lasers in a cost-effective manner.
Interference management through cooperation

We consider a two-user interference channel where the source/destination nodes can cooperate with each other by virtue of being able to both transmit and receive. For the full-duplex mode of operation, we characterize the sum capacity of a linear deterministic channel exactly, and that of the Gaussian channel up to a constant number of bits. This reveals a reciprocity between the cases where the sources cooperate and the destinations cooperate. The main contributions are novel strategies and new upper bounds.
Vertical Variability of Undertow and Longshore Currents outside the Surf Zone

AbstractUndertow and longshore current profiles outside of the surf zone were analyzed using a canonical situation involving an alongshore-uniform barred beach. Forcing mechanisms due to the presence of surface gravity waves are of interest. As is customary for surf zone studies, dynamics related to wave breaking and associated wave rollers were included. Also considered were the effects of the wave orbital velocities on the bottom and surface boundary layers. The effect of Earth’s rotation in the dynamics is included through two mechanisms: (1) the Coriolis-Stokes stress that results from the effect of Earth’s rotation on the wave orbital velocities, and (2) the Coriolis terms in the cross-shore and alongshore momentum equations. Model results qualitatively reproduce observed undertow profile shapes inside and just outside of the surf zone, as well as a few surf zone widths offshore and far offshore on the inner shelf. In particular, the results explain the surface-intensified undertow currents often obs...
Ethanol fermentation in a yeast immobilized tubular fermentor

In this article, a mathematical model describing the kinetics of ethanol fermentation in a whole cell immobilized tubular fermentor is proposed. Experimental results show reasonable agreement with the proposed model. A procedure for treating the fermentation data for determining the ethanol inhibition constants k(1) and k(2) is described. The ethanol productivity of the immobilized cell fermentor is compared with those of traditional fermentors. Experimental studies indicate that with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (NRRL Y132) culture, ethanol productivity in the range 21.2-83.7 g ethanol L(-1) h(-1) at ethanol concentration of 76-60 g/L can be achieved. This is comparable to or higher than those reported in the literature for yeast. The product yield factor of 0.5 g ethanol/g glucose was obtained. The immobilized cell fermentor does not show washout at dilution rates of 7 h(-1) and shows good stability over a 650-h operating period.
Vinyl Ester—Glass Hollow Particle Composites: Dynamic Mechanical Properties at High Inclusion Volume Fraction

This study entails the analysis of dynamic mechanical properties of hollow particle filled composites, called syntactic foams. A theoretical model is developed to predict the dynamic mechanical beh...
Seed dispersal by neotropical seed predators

From a plant's perspective, the difference between a seed predator and a seed disperser should be straightforward: attract animals that will disperse seeds and defend seeds from potential predators. Unlike pulp-eating frugivores, seed predators regularly encounter diverse plant protective mechanisms. The purpose of this paper is to examine feeding constraints, morphological adaptations, and the mechanical process of seed predation. While there is evidence that some seed predators cause severe losses to seed crops, there is also evidence that seed predators enhance seed dispersal and germination. We also examine four methods by which neotropical seed predators may contribute to dispersal. 1) Seed predators examined here ingested fruit when seeds were full-sized, but not yet mature (i.e., seeds of mature fruit may be avoided by seed predators and available for dispersal by other frugivores). 2) Sympatric seed predators may ingest seeds from different plants thus reducing overall predator load on any individual plant. 3) Seed predators that manipulate seeds (e.g., remove pericarp and seed coat) may enhance germination if the prepared seeds are dropped, discarded, or buried and not ingested. 4) Small seeds may miss mastication and swallowed intact with a food bolus. The last mechanism is the most likely to contribute to seed dispersal by the widest array of vertebrate seed predators, but primate seed predators may facilitate seed dispersal using all four mechanisms. Therefore, the traditional dichotomy of seed predator vs. seed disperser oversimplifies the interactions between seed predators and plants.
Designing clean jet-noise facilities and making accurate jet-noise measurements †

The main objective of this paper is to provide guidelines for designing and calibrating a high quality, static, jet-noise research facility and making high-quality jet noise measurements. Particular emphasis is placed on methodology for determining if internal noise is dominant in the jet noise spectrum. A section of this document is devoted to clarifying the terminology associated with microphone frequency response corrections and providing a step-wise description of other corrections that must be applied to the measured raw spectra before the jet noise data can be considered accurate and ready for use for extrapolation to full-scale jet engine noise.
In-home wireless monitoring of physiological data for heart failure patients

The current project proposes an integrated system (hardware and software) for real-time, wireless, remote acquisition of cardiac and other physiologic information from HF patients while in the home environment. Transducers for measurement of electrocardiogram (ECG), heart rate variability (HRV), acoustical data are embedded into patient clothing for unobtrusive monitoring for early, sensitive detection of changes in physiologic status. Sampling rate for this system is 1 kHz per channel. Signal conditioning is performed in hardware by the patient wearable system, after which information is wirelessly transmitted to a central server located elsewhere in the home for signal processing, data storage, and data trending. The dynamic frequency ranges for the ECG and heart sounds (HS) are 0.05-160 Hz and 35-1350 Hz, respectively. The range-of-operation for the current patient-wearable physiologic data capture design is 100/spl plusmn/10 feet with direct line-of-sight to the home server station. Weight measurements are obtained directly by the in-home medical server using a digital scale. Physiologic information (ECG, HRV, HS, and weight) are dynamically analyzed using a combination o the LabVIEW (National Instruments, Inc.; Austin, TX) and MATLAB (MathWorks, Inc.; Inc; Natick, MA) software strategies. Software-based algorithms detect out-of-normal or alarm conditions for HR and weight as defined by the health care provider, information critical for HF patients. Health care professionals can remotely access vital data for improved management of heart failure.
Local anchor scheme for reducing signaling costs in personal communications networks

A personal communications network (PCN) location tracking scheme called local anchoring is introduced which reduces the signalling cost as compared to the location management strategy proposed in the IS-41 standard. Local anchoring reduces the number of location registration messages between the home location register (HLR) and the visitor location registers (VLRs) in a way that location change is reported to a nearby VLR called the local anchor (LA) instead of to the HLR. This method successfully reduces the cost for location tracking when the call arrival rate is low relative to the mobility rate and the cost for location registration is high. A dynamic local anchoring mechanism is then introduced which dynamically selects the LA such that the expected cost for location registration and call delivery can be further reduced. It is demonstrated that the cost of dynamic local anchoring is always lower than or equal to that of the IS-41 scheme.
Systematics of the White-Footed Mouse (Peromyscus Leucopus) in the Mid-Atlantic Region

Since the description of Peromyscus leucopus easti Paradiso, 1960, scant work has been directed toward examining the evolutionary relationships of P. leucopus in the mid-Atlantic region. We used morphometric and molecular analyses to examine the phylogenetic relationships of 3 subspecies known from the eastern United States (P. l. easti, P. l. leucopus, and P. l. noveboracensis); additional specimens from North and South Dakota (P. l. aridulus) were incorporated in the molecular analysis. Morphometric analyses revealed that large mice are found in New England and the Appalachian Mountains as far south as west-central North Carolina and that intermediate-sized mice inhabit the Cumberland Plateau and the lowlands from Virginia southward at least to Alabama. These groups represent P. l. noveboracensis and P. l. leucopus, respectively. The smallest specimens, which are referable to P. l. easti, were found in the vicinity of Princess Anne County, Virginia. The largest mice were found on the southern half of Hatteras Island, North Carolina. Examination of D-loop sequence data revealed that there is no apparent restriction of gene flow among P. leucopus on the mainland of the eastern United States, including those from Princess Anne County, Virginia. However, mice from the southern end of Hatteras Island, North Carolina, were as distinct from specimens from the eastern United States as were mice from North and South Dakota. The population of white-footed mice from Hatteras Island, North Carolina, represents an undescribed subspecies.
Equilibrium-Point Hypothesis

The equilibrium point (EP) hypothesis was introduced by Anatol Feldman about 50 years ago ( Feldman, 1966 ). Its fate is very unusual. It has been the target of waves of criticism and attempts to disprove it, while only a handful of researchers have tried to work with this hypothesis and develop it. Despite this imbalance between the numbers of opponents and champions, the EP hypothesis has survived and is currently considered one of the main hypotheses in the field of motor control. The community of scientists in the field of motor control owes a great deal of gratitude to Anatol Feldman who introduced the EP hypothesis, defended it from the waves of skepticism, educated generations of followers, and developed the EP hypothesis to its current state.
Anti-proliferative evaluation of monoterpene derivatives against leukemia

The cure rate of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has significantly improved in the past thirty years, however not all patient cohorts respond well to current chemotherapy regimens. Among the high risk patient cohort is infants with MLL-rearranged (MLL-r) B-ALL, which remains dismal with an overall survival rate <35%. Our program is interested in identifying new molecular scaffolds to better understand the underlying mechanisms and ultimately provide new targeted treatments. Based on a phenotypic screen, phenolic natural products were identified as promising scaffolds for further chemical evaluation. Herein we disclose the effects of a potent anti-proliferative compound 31 against human ALL leukemia cellular models.
The Role of the First Responder at a Hostage Situation

ABSTRACT The first responder at a hostage situation plays a critical role in deciding the ultimate resolution of the incident. The responding patrol officer must have a clear understanding of many of the dynamics of the hostage situation and be knowledgeable about what to do in containing the incident, reducing stress and emotions in the hostage taker and hostages, and communicating with the hostage taker. Unfortunately, most patrol officers are not taught what to do as a first responder at a hostage situation. The purpose of this paper is to provide a framework for training first responders. The essential elements of hostage negotiations and crisis communication are discussed as are the duties and responsibilities of the first responder.
Astrocyte‐intrinsic regulation of central nervous system inflammation and neurodegeneration

Astrocytes constitute the majority of cells in the mammalian brain, where they carry out fine-tuned tasks that include, for example, the formation of the blood–brain barrier, the provision of structural support, the regulation of ion homeostasis and neurotransmitter recycling, and the modulation of neuronal function. In the context of autoimmune inflammation in the central nervous system during multiple sclerosis, these and other functions are challenged, while astrocytes modulate the local inflammatory response not only by regulating the blood–brain barrier permeability, but also by controlling the recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells and neurotoxicity. In the present review, we discuss astrocyte-intrinsic mechanisms that affect multiple sclerosis pathology and might provide potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
Characterization and Modeling of Frequency Dispersion in Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Transistors

The large number of localized energy states in amorphous and polysilicon thin film transistors causes non-crystalline effects in both the DC and AC transistor characteristics. The observed frequency dispersion of the device capacitances is linked to the characteristic times of electron trapping and emission from localized thin film transistors and is modeled analytically by introducing effective RC time constants, which are proportional to the electron transit times, determined by the field effect mobility. The small-signal gate-to-source and gate-to-drain capacitances have been derived using Meyer's approach, which takes into account the non-zero drain-source voltage to achieve a partitioning of the channel capacitance. We have verified the model for amorphous silicon thin film transistors for varying gate lengths and frequencies.
Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Pteroylpolyglutamates in Cabbage

SummaryThe presence of folate conjugase(s) was established in cabbage. The conjugase(s) was found to have its pH optimum at 5.0 and 8.0 in acetate buffer and Tris buffer, respectively. At pH 8.0 this conjugase was able to split down to third gamma-linkage yielding pteroyltriglutamate while the polyglutamates were split to monoglutamate at pH 5.0.
PRELUDE TO POWER: THE CRISIS OF 1649 AND THE FOUNDATION OF ENGLISH NAVAL POWER

(1995). PRELUDE TO POWER: THE CRISIS OF 1649 AND THE FOUNDATION OF ENGLISH NAVAL POWER. The Mariner's Mirror: Vol. 81, No. 2, pp. 148-155.
Development of the Axis of the Lower Extremities in children

Chronological changes of the axis of the lower extremities in 96 children from 3 to 5 years old were studied. Distance between medial condyles or medial malleoli and Carter's index of joint laxity were physically examined and the following angles were roentgenographically examined; (1) femoro-tibial angle (FTA), (2) femora-vary (PV), (3) tibia-vara (TV), (4) proximal tibial metaphysealdiaphyseal angle (TMDA), and (5) distal tibial metaphyseal diaphyseal angle (TMDAD).Results were as follows; 1, FTA was the most useful among those angles for evaluation of the chronological changes of the axis of the lower extremities. 2, At the age of 3 years FTA was the smallest. In other words, the knees showed marked valgus position. From 3 to 5 years old, FTA decreased with growth. The valgus position of the knee is corrected by itself gradually. 3, The change at the proximal metaphysis of the tibia (TMDA) was found to influence most closely on the changes in FTA.
Energy Trade and the National Security Exception to the GATT

(1994). Energy Trade and the National Security Exception to the GATT. Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law: Vol. 12, International Energy Trade, pp. 117-127.
Triazine-Substituted and Acyl Hydrazones: Experiment and Computation Reveal a Stability Inversion at Low pH

Condensation of a hydrazine-substituted s-triazine with an aldehyde or ketone yields an equivalent to the widely used, acid-labile acyl hydrazone. Hydrolysis of these hydrazones using a formaldehyde trap as monitored using HPLC reveals that triazine-substituted hydrazones are more labile than acetyl hydrazones at pH >5. The reactivity trends mirror that of the corresponding acetyl hydrazones, with hydrolysis rates increasing along the series (aromatic aldehyde < aromatic ketone < aliphatic ketone). Computational and experimental studies indicate a reversal in stability around the triazine pKa (pH ∼5). Protonation of the triazine moiety retards acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of triazinyl hydrazones in comparison to acetyl hydrazone analogues. This behavior supports mechanistic interpretations suggesting that resistance to protonation of the hydrazone N1 is the critical factor in affecting the reaction rate.
Predictability of 2-year La Niña events in a coupled general circulation model

The predictability of the duration of La Nina is assessed using the Community Earth System Model Version 1 (CESM1), a coupled climate model capable of simulating key features of the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, including the multi-year duration of La Nina. Statistical analysis of a 1800 year long control simulation indicates that a strong thermocline discharge or a strong El Nino can lead to La Nina conditions that last 2 years (henceforth termed 2-year LN). This relationship suggest that 2-year LN maybe predictable 18 to 24 months in advance. Perfect model forecasts performed with CESM1 are used to further explore the link between 2-year LN and the “Discharge” and “Peak El Nino” predictors. Ensemble forecasts are initialized on January and July coinciding with ocean states characterized by peak El Nino amplitudes and peak thermocline discharge respectively. Three cases with different magnitudes of these predictors are considered resulting in a total of six ensembles. Each “Peak El Nino” and “Discharge” ensemble forecast consists of 30 or 20 members respectively, generated by adding a infinitesimally small perturbation to the atmospheric initial conditions unique to each member. The forecasts show that the predictability of 2-year LN, measured by the potential prediction utility (PPU) of the $${\mathrm{Ni}{\tilde{\mathrm{n}}}\mathrm{o}}$$ -3.4 SST index during the second year, is related to the magnitude of the initial conditions. Forecasts initialized with strong thermocline discharge or strong peak El Nino amplitude show higher PPU than those with initial conditions of weaker magnitude. Forecasts initialized from states characterized by weaker predictors are less predictable, mainly because the ensemble-mean signal is smaller, and therefore PPU is reduced due to the influence of forecast spread. The error growth of the forecasts, measured by the spread of the $${\mathrm{Ni}{\tilde{\mathrm{n}}}\mathrm{o}}$$ -3.4 SST index, is independent of the initial conditions and appears to be driven by wind variability over the southeastern tropical Pacific and the western equatorial Pacific. Analysis of observational data supports the modeling results, suggesting that the “thermocline discharge” and “Peak El Nino” predictors could also be used to diagnose the likelihood of multi-year La Nina events in nature. These results suggest that CESM1 could provide skillful long-range operational forecasts under specific initial conditions.
Preventing Unintended Adolescent Pregnancy.

Among adolescents, educational interventions increase reported condom use at most recent intercourse, whereas contraceptive-promoting interventions increase use of hormonal contraception.
Immutability specification and its applications: Research Articles

A location is said to be immutable if its value and the values of selected locations reachable from it are guaranteed to remain unchanged during a specified time interval. We introduce a framework for immutability specification, and discuss its application to code optimization. Compared with a final declaration, an immutability assertion in our framework can express a richer set of immutability properties along three dimensions—lifetime, reachability and context. We present a framework for processing and verifying immutability annotations in Java, as well as extending optimizations so as to exploit immutability information. Preliminary experimental results show that a significant number (61p) of read accesses could potentially be classified as immutable in our framework. Further, use of immutability information yields substantial reductions (33–99p) in the number of dynamic read accesses, and also measurable speedups in the range of 5–10p for certain benchmark programs. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Calibrating a spatially encoded time delay for transient absorption spectroscopy

A novel spectroscopy termed single shot transient absorption (SSTA) is presented that can collect a transient absorption spectrum in 6 ms by using laser pulses with tilted wavefronts to spatially encode the delay between pump and probe pulse arrival times at the sample. The transient absorption technique determines the change in sample transmission that results from sample photoexcitation, and tracks this change as a function of the time delay between the arrival of the pump pulse and the probe pulse. Typically, these time delays are generated using a retroreflecting mirror mounted on a motorized translation stage, with a measurement collected at each translation stage position. Because these measurements must be performed in series, data collection requires a significant amount of time. This limits transient absorption to the measurement of systems that are static for the duration of the experiment. SSTA overcomes this restriction by employing pump and probe pulses which are each focused into a line and tilted with respect to each other to spatially encode time delays within the sample. Here, we describe the SSTA technique and instrumentation, demonstrate the principle of this spectroscopy, and present a method for calibrating the spatially encoded time delay by autocorrelation. This instrument will broaden the scop
Impact of Microcrack Generation and Surface Degradation on a Nickel-Rich Layered Li[Ni0.9Co0.05Mn0.05]O2 Cathode for Lithium-Ion Batteries

To address the growing demand for energy density, the Ni-rich layered [Ni0.90Co0.05Mn0.05]O2 cathode has been synthesized and its electrochemical performance in lithium-ion cells has been benchmarked against a lower-Ni content Li[Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2]O2 cathode. Li[Ni0.90Co0.05Mn0.05]O2 delivers a high discharge capacity of 227 mA h g–1 compared to a capacity of 189 mA h g–1 for Li[Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2]O2 when cycled up to a lower cutoff voltage of 4.3 V, making it an appealing candidate for electric vehicles. With an increase in the charge cutoff voltage to 4.5 V, Li[Ni0.90Co0.05Mn0.05]O2 displays a capacity of 238 mA h g–1 compared to a capacity of 208 mA h g–1 for Li[Ni0.6Co0.2Mn0.2]O2. Although Li[Ni0.90Co0.05Mn0.05]O2 suffers during cycling from the usual rapid capacity fade in a manner similar to that of LiNiO2, 87 and 81% of the initial capacity could still be retained after 100 cycles even after cycling to higher cutoff voltages of 4.3 and 4.5 V, respectively. A comparison of Li[Ni0.90Co0.05Mn0.05]O2 and Li...
Functionality, Implementation, Impact, and the Role of Health Literacy in Mobile Phone Apps for Gestational Diabetes: Scoping Review

Background: The increasing ownership of mobile phones and advances in hardware and software position these devices as cost-effective personalized tools for health promotion and management among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Numerous mobile phone apps are available online; however, to our knowledge, no review has documented how these apps are developed and evaluated in relation to GDM. Objective: The objective of our review was to answer the following 2 research questions: (1) What is known from the existing literature about the availability, functionality, and effectiveness of mobile phone apps on GDM prevention and management? (2) What is the role of health literacy in these apps? Methods: We searched 7 relevant electronic databases for original research documents using terms related to mobile phone apps, GDM, and health literacy. We thematically categorized selected articles using a framework adapted from Arksey and O’Malley. Results: We included 12 articles related to 7 apps or systems in the final analysis. We classified articles around 2 themes: (1) description of the development, feasibility, or usability of the apps or systems, and (2) trial protocols. The degree of personalization varied among the apps for GDM, and decision support systems can be used to generate time-efficient personalized feedback for both patients and health care providers. Health literacy was considered during the development or measured as an outcome by some apps. Conclusions: There is a limited body of research on mobile phone apps in relation to GDM prevention and management. Mobile phone apps can provide time- and cost-efficient personalized interventions for GDM. Several randomized controlled trials have been launched recently to evaluate the effectiveness of the apps. Consideration of health literacy should be improved when developing features of the apps.
Autism Narratives in Media Coverage of the MMR Vaccine-Autism Controversy under a Crip Futurism Framework

While previous studies in health communication have examined online news media regarding autism, there is a lack of research that critically examines how such media representations may stigmatize autism and seeks to eliminate the condition, particularly in the context of the resurging measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine-autism controversy. To address this gap in the literature, this study analyzes 153 articles that engage the MMR vaccine-autism controversy from the top 10 online news sources in the U.S. from September 2015 through July 2017. It draws from Kafer's (2013) work in Feminist, Crip, Queer, using a lens of crip futurism to interpret three major narrative themes: a death and survival narrative that purports autism as a worst-case scenario, a societal problem narrative, and a preventative narrative that seeks to eliminate the condition. These themes suggest that online news media narratives about autism surrounding the autism-MMR controversy play into stereotypes about autism, including stigmatization and prioritization of preventive behaviors and cures over supporting the lived experiences of autistic individuals. Continued research on the impact of online media portrayals of autism specifically, and disability in health contexts generally, is called for.
An Unsymmetric FDTD Subgridding Algorithm With Unconditional Stability

To preserve accuracy in a grid with arbitrary subgrids, a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) subgridding scheme, in general, would result in an unsymmetric numerical system. Such a numerical system can have complex-valued eigenvalues, which will render a traditional explicit time marching of FDTD absolutely unstable. In this paper, we develop an accurate FDTD subgridding algorithm suitable for arbitrary subgridding settings with arbitrary contrast ratios between the normal grid and the subgrid. Although the resulting system matrix is also unsymmetric, we develop a time-marching method to overcome the stability problem without sacrificing the matrix-free merit of the original FDTD. This method is general, which is also applicable to other subgridding algorithms whose underlying numerical systems are unsymmetric. The proposed FDTD subgridding algorithm is then further made unconditionally stable, thus permitting the use of a time step independent of space step. Extensive numerical experiments involving both 2- and 3-D subgrids with various contrast ratios have demonstrated the accuracy, stability, and efficiency of the proposed subgridding algorithm.
Polygonalization of mm-wave dual-band circular phased arrays for multi-mode beamforming

The modularization of 28 GHz multi-mode circular arrays and 60 GHz phased sub-arrays onto N-sided convex polygons is presented. This includes a study on the basic impact of phase error arising from this mapping and the achievable radiation performance from both bands. The intent of this mapping is to investigate the manufacturability and modularization of dual-band mm-wave phased arrays operating at 28 GHz and 60 GHz. The faceted 28 GHz design is operated as a non-uniform multi-mode array, where the polygon is used to approximate the ideal uniform circular array. This gives rise to a subarray concept for a multi-band (or wide band) antenna that operates as a traditional phased array panel in this architecture. In this work, we constrain the resulting design space to provide an approximation of uniform spacing based on the geometric parameterization of the structure for half-wave spacing in the 28 GHz band. The basic layout of the design is presented first and constrained to examine the error arising from modularization. A wavelength-scaled prototype operating at 2.4 GHz is used to demonstrate the measurement and error of the system.