cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of Tf1 integration events in S. pombe under nonselective conditions.

Integration of retroviral elements into the host genome is a phenomena observed among many classes of retroviruses. Much information concerning the integration of retroviral elements has been documented based on in vitro analysis or expression of selectable markers. To identify possible Tf1 integration events within silent regions of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome, we focused on performing an in vivo genome-wide analysis of Tf1 integration events from the nonselective phase of the retrotransposition assay. We analyzed 1000 individual colonies streaked from four independent Tf1 transposed patches under nonselection conditions. Our analysis detected a population of G418S/neo+ Tf1 integration events that would have been overlooked during the selective phase of the assay. Further RNA analysis from the G418S/neo+ clones revealed 50% of clones expressing the neo selectable marker. Our data reveals Tf1's ability to insert within silent regions of S. pombe's genome.
The lamprey: A jawless vertebrate model system for examining origin of the neural crest and other vertebrate traits

Lampreys are a group of jawless fishes that serve as an important point of comparison for studies of vertebrate evolution. Lampreys and hagfishes are agnathan fishes, the cyclostomes, which sit at a crucial phylogenetic position as the only living sister group of the jawed vertebrates. Comparisons between cyclostomes and jawed vertebrates can help identify shared derived (i.e. synapomorphic) traits that might have been inherited from ancestral early vertebrates, if unlikely to have arisen convergently by chance. One example of a uniquely vertebrate trait is the neural crest, an embryonic tissue that produces many cell types crucial to vertebrate features, such as the craniofacial skeleton, pigmentation of the skin, and much of the peripheral nervous system (Gans and Northcutt, 1983). Invertebrate chordates arguably lack unambiguous neural crest homologs, yet have cells with some similarities, making comparisons with lampreys and jawed vertebrates essential for inferring characteristics of development in early vertebrates, and how they may have evolved from nonvertebrate chordates. Here we review recent research on cyclostome neural crest development, including research on lamprey gene regulatory networks and differentiated neural crest fates.
Cosmogenic ion production rate in the high–middle–low altitude troposphere and its influence on the terrestrial cloud properties

Abstract Cosmic-ray-induced ion production rate in the atmosphere is important to evaluate the influence of the galactic cosmic ray (GCR) modulations on cloud properties, which control the global climate on the Earth. An air shower Monte Carlo simulation was carried out to estimate the amount of cosmic-ray-produced low-energy electrons (δ-ray) at the high–middle–low troposphere. At low altitudes, energetic knock-on electrons by gamma rays, muons, and electrons/positrons produced by a muon decay process contribute to the total amount of electrons, whereas cascade generations initiated by neutral pions play a big role at higher altitudes. The total ion production rate was estimated by considering δ-ray production, initiated by gamma rays, low-energy electrons, knock-on electrons, muons, and muon-decay positrons. Other charged components such as protons rapidly decrease with atmospheric depth, and thus they cannot produce many ion pairs at low altitudes. Calculated ion production rates within the atmospheric depth intervals d=50–100 g cm−2, 350–400 g cm−2, and 650–700 g cm−2 were n = 13.72 , 7.88, and 2.41 s−1 cm−3, respectively. Our simulation indicates that the high-energy component of the primaries controls the ion production rate at low altitudes. We found that very high-energy GCRs play an important role in the ion production rate at low altitudes. These results are consistent with the previously reported values (∼2 ion pairs s−1 cm−3 at ground level and up to ∼20–30 ion pairs s−1 cm−3 in the upper troposphere). Based on the simulation results, we estimated the influence of GCR modulation on the ion production rate during the last 11-year solar cycle. The estimated variation in the nucleation rate was ∼1.0% between the solar maximum and minimum. The simulation result may explain the observed variation of low clouds by ∼1.7%. We also discussed other possibilities to change the cosmic-ray intensity, including the galactic spiral arm crossings. We propose a possible method to find evidence of the correlation between cosmic-ray intensity and the climate change in the past by comparing cosmogenic radionuclides recorded in the seafloor to that in the glacial layer.
Biomechanical Comparison of the Fastball From Wind-Up and the Fastball From Stretch in Professional Baseball Pitchers

Background:It has long been thought by many baseball coaches and players that throwing the fastball from the stretch is more stressful to the shoulder and elbow than throwing the fastball from the wind-up. However, no research has compared the biomechanics of these 2 pitch variations.Hypothesis:There are differences in shoulder and elbow kinetics, kinematic position at front-foot contact, timing, and ball velocity between the 2 pitching variations.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Twenty-eight professional baseball pitchers (aged 22.1 ± 2.8 years) pitched fastballs from both the wind-up and stretch positions in an indoor laboratory setting. Three-dimensional motion-analysis systems were employed to capture the pitching motion. Kinetic variables, kinematic variables at lead-foot contact, and temporal variables of the 2 pitching variations were compared.Results:There was no significant difference between the 2 pitch variations for the kinetic, kinematic, or temporal variables. The difference ...
The Impact of Suppliers’ Perceptions of Reseller Market Orientation on Key Relationship Constructs

A number of researchers have reported the positive benefits of creating and maintaining a market orientation. This study is one of the first to explicitly investigate the effects of market orientation within a channel context. It is proposed that a supplier's perceptions of a reseller's market orientation will positively affect the supplier's perceptions of certain key relationship marketing constructs. Data collected from 380 suppliers were used to test the hypotheses. All hypotheses were supported.
Fluorescent antibody staining of human malaria parasites.

Abstract Globulin prepared from a patient with a long-standing Plasmodium vivax infection was labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate. Application of the specific labeled antibody to blood films containing P. vivax resulted in the fluorescent staining of the malaria parasite. The cytoplasm but not the nucleus of the organism showed immunofluorescence. Fluorescent antibody studies were conducted on the monkey malaria parasite, P. cynomolgi bastianellii , which recently has been shown to be transmissible to man. A globulin fraction, from a laboratory worker accidentally infected with the parasite, was labeled and the fluorescent antibody allowed to react with the organism. Fluorescence of this vivax -type malaria of rhesus monkeys was essentially the same as that observed for P. vivax , with the exception that Schuffner's dots were more regularly visualized. Preliminary observations were made on the staining reactions of P. vivax and P. cynomolgi bastianellii parasites after the application of fluorescent-labeled P. vivax antibody. The amount of fluorescence, as visually observed, appeared to be essentially the same for the two species of parasites. When labeled P. vivax antibody was tested against P. berghei and P. vivax organisms, the staining reactions appeared to be weaker for the berghei than for the vivax parasites.
Characteristics of the K‐252a‐induced increase in calcium uptake in PC12 cells

K-252a treatment produced a 30–50% increase in the uptake of radioactive calcium by PC12 cells within 3–4 minutes. The increase in uptake was partially blocked by inhibitors of voltage-operated calcium channels, such as nifedipine, but not by inhibitors of receptor-operated calcium channels, such as nickel or suramin. Introduction of phosphatase 2A into the cells completely blocked the effect of K-252a. Longterm treatment of the cells with either K-252a or with nerve growth factor blocked the subsequent actions of either K-252a or nerve growth factor on calcium uptake, but neither altered the subsequent action of the L-channel agonist Bay K 8644 on calcium uptake. Calcium uptake was not stimulated by K-252a in PC12nnr, cells that have little or no high-affinity nerve growth factor receptors; cells expressing increased levels of high-affinity nerve growth factor receptors showed a response to K-252a comparable to that seen in parent PC12. The data suggest that the increased uptake of radioactive calcium produced by K-252a is mediated by a mechanism very similar to that serving the increased calcium uptake produced by nerve growth factor. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.1
Potential Oral Delivery of 7-Ethyl-10-Hydroxy-Camptothecin (SN-38) using Poly (amidoamine) Dendrimers

Purpose To investigate potential application of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers for improving the delivery of SN-38.
DCM-Related Tropomyosin Mutants E40K/E54K Over-Inhibit the Actomyosin Interaction and Lead to a Decrease in the Number of Cycling Cross-Bridges

Two DCM mutants (E40K and E54K) of tropomyosin (Tm) were examined using the thin-filament extraction/reconstitu-tion technique. The effects of the Ca²⁺, ATP, phos-phate (Pi), and ADP concentrations on isometric tension and its transients were studied at 25°C, and the results were com-pared to those for the WT protein. Our results indicate that both E40K and E54K have a significantly lower T(HC) (high Ca²⁺ ten-sion at pCa 4.66) (E40K: 1.21±0.06 T(a), ±SEM, N = 34; E54K: 1.24±0.07 T(a), N = 28), a significantly lower T(LC) (low- Ca²⁺ tension at pCa 7.0) (E40K: 0.07±0.02 T(a), N = 34; E54K: 0.06±0.02 T(a), N = 28), and a significantly lower T(act) (Ca²⁺ activatable tension) (T(act) = T(HC)-T(LC,) E40K: 1.15±0.08 T(a), N = 34; E54K: 1.18±0.06 T(a), N = 28) than WT (T(HC) = 1.53±0.07 T(a), T(LC) = 0.12±0.01 T(a), T(act) = 1.40±0.07 T(a), N = 25). All tensions were normalized to T(a) ( = 13.9±0.8 kPa, N = 57), the ten-sion of actin-filament reconstituted cardiac fibers (myocardium) under the standard activating conditions. The Ca²⁺ sensitivity (pCa₅₀) of E40K (5.23±0.02, N = 34) and E54K (5.24±0.03, N = 28) was similar to that of the WT protein (5.26±0.03, N = 25). The cooper-a-tivity increased significantly in E54K (3.73±0.25, N = 28) compared to WT (2.80±0.17, N = 25). Seven kinetic constants were deduced using sinusoidal analysis at pCa 4.66. These results enabled us to calculate the cross-bridge distribution in the strongly attached states, and thereby deduce the force/cross-bridge. The results indicate that the force/cross-bridge is ∼15% less in E54K than WT, but remains similar to that of the WT protein in the case of E40K. We conclude that over-inhibition of the actomyosin interaction by E40K and E54K Tm mutants leads to a decreased force-generating ability at systole, which is the main mechanism underlying the early pathogenesis of DCM.
Seed preferences by desert rodents based on levels of mouldiness

Abstract Large species of kangaroo rats (family Heteromyidae) make extensive underground caches of seeds. During collection and storage, seeds become inoculated with fungal spores, most of which are common pernicious storage moulds in human agriculture systems. The moulds and their metabolites may be beneficial or detrimental, depending on the species of mould and the growth conditions. Feeding experiments were conducted to determine the preferences for mouldy seeds by Dipodomys spectabilis . Results showed that kangaroo rats prefer slightly mouldy seeds over very mouldy seeds, dry seeds, and unmouldy, imbibed seeds, apparently taking advantage of beneficial effects of moulds while avoiding the liabilities.
Teaching students behavior change skills: description and assessment of a new Motivational interviewing curriculum.

Background One of the US government health goals outlined in the Healthy People 2010 document (2000) is to increase the number of physicians who counsel their patients regarding unhealthy behaviors. Studies have shown a low rate of physicians provide smoking cessation counseling. We introduced a motivational interviewing curriculum into our medical school for first and third year students and then evaluated the effect of this curriculum on third year students counseling skills. Methods The motivational interviewing curriculum was comprised of a lecture series and small group teaching with practice in role plays. The effectiveness of the curriculum was evaluated by student performance in a videotaped interview with a standardized patient who portrayed a smoker. The interview was rated using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity scoring tool (MITI). The MITI assesses 6 criteria: empathy, MI spirit (autonomy, evocation and collaboration), MI adherence (asking permission, affirmation, emphasis of control and support), MI non adherence (advise, confront and direct), the types of questions (open or closed) and the number of reflections. Secondary outcomes included a knowledge exam related to motivational interviewing and students' evaluations of the effectiveness of the motivational interviewing curriculum. Results Analysis of the MITI scores showed that students reached a proficiency level on the rate of reflections, were just below proficiency in assessment of empathy and motivational interviewing spirit and substantially below proficiency in the percent of open ended questions. These proficiency scores were for professional counselors but nevertheless provided us with information on the effectiveness of the new curriculum and where the focus of our teaching should be. On the optional evaluation of the first-year MI curriculum by 112 students, 83% felt that the MI curriculum had helped them be more comfortable in discussing behavior change with patients and 98% felt it was an important skill for physicians to have.
Certified biological stains: a stability study.

Although the data presented in the accompanying table were collected much earlier, and the report is dated 1974, there have been sufficient inquiries for information on the stability of stains to merit publication at this time. The conclusions and description of conditions preceding the tabular material are identical with the original report; some noninformative entries have been omitted from the table. While reference is made to the eighth edition of Biological Stains, testing procedures are not significantly different from those described in the current ninth edition. Although this report is derived primarily from chemical data, attention is called to the statement that “in no instance was there a perceptible change in the staining performance of any of the dyes at the time of retesting.” The laboratory work of Charles T. Willis and Nicholas Parente required for this report is gratefully acknowledged.
Hemodynamic responses to angiotensin-(1-7) in women in their third trimester of pregnancy

Background: To understand the role of Angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-(1-7)) in vasculature of pregnant women, we compared cardiac output (CO), total peripheral resistance (TPR) and forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to Ang-(1-7) infusion between normotensive pregnant women in their third trimester and healthy age matched non-pregnant women. The responses of skin microcirculation to Ang-(1-7) were tested in preeclamptic, normotensive pregnant and non-pregnant women. Responses to Angiotensin II (Ang II) were also determined. Methods: Non-invasive methods for systemic (bioimpedance and VascuMAP), FBF (venous occlusion strain gauge plethysmography), and skin (laser Doppler) hemodynamics assessments were used. Results: Compared to non-pregnant women, systemic infusion of Ang-(1-7) (2000 pmol/min) resulted in a greater increase in CO (9.4 ± 6.4 versus −3.3 ± 2.1%, n = 9–10) in normotensive pregnant women. Brachial local infusion of Ang-(1-7) had no effect on FBF in either group. In non-pregnant and normotensive pregnan...
Hypochlorous acid modifies calcium release channel function from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum.

We have previously demonstrated that H2O2 at millimolar concentrations induces Ca2+ release from actively loaded sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles and induces biphasic [3H]ryanodine binding beha...
Generalized scattering matrices for unit cell characterization of grid amplifiers and device de-embedding

Amplifying grid arrays, consisting of periodic unit cells loaded with active devices such as HEMTs, are currently being developed for high frequency quasi-optical use. Motivation for their development includes the inherent advantages of an approach that employs spatial power combining and spatial amplification. Thus, losses between multistage amplifiers are virtually eliminated. Also due to the spatial combining, the phase of the array is determined by the phase of the incident wave which is then amplified by the planar circuit. This eliminates the need for complex phase shifters and the associated lines for independent element control. Other advantages include the existence of graceful degradation when failures occur. Typically, a unit cell of these planar arrays has been analyzed using quasi-static transmission line approaches. This approach is used due to its simplicity and the easy addition of the port locations required by the active devices. The benefit of a grid amplifier design at high frequency is limited by this approach which may ignore strong mutual coupling or surface waves present at higher frequencies. Based on more conventional periodic array analysis, the method described extended the generalized scattering matrix approach to include the port locations of the device. This allows accurate inclusion of the effects of the mutual coupling between elements, the presence of bias lines, ground planes, and superstrates/substrates. In addition this numerically generated scattering matrix can be combined with the conventional scattering matrix of the device to form a composite matrix of a grid amplifier.
Wavelength tunable selectively intermixed quantum well laser

We demonstrate a monolithic Fabry-Perot laser in which the wavelength is tuned by electrically steering the laser beam over a gain medium consisting of three laterally adjacent selectively intermixed quantum well regions.
On-line accuracy assessment for the dual six-port ANA: Treatment of systematic errors

Expressions are derived for calculating estimates of the systematic errors in dual six-port or four-port measurements of reflection coefficient and scattering parameters due to imperfections in the transmission-line standard used to calibrate the system. A new mathematical model for a four-port reflectometer makes it easier to visualize and analyze these errors. In this new model, two of the three parameters needed to characterize a four-port can be determined without standards. All imperfections in the standard perturb only the third parameter which acts as an impedance transformer.
Inferring biogeographic history from molecular phylogenies

The present study illustrates a method for analysing the biogeography of a group that is based on the group’s phylogeny but does not invoke founder dispersal or centre of origin. The case studies presented include groups from many different parts of the world, but most are from the south-west Pacific. The idea that basal groups are ancestral is not valid as a generalization. Neither the basal group, nor the oldest fossil represents the centre of origin, the time of origin or the ancestral ecology. Basal groups comprise less diverse sister groups and their distributions occur around centres of differentiation in already widespread ancestors, and not centres of origin for the whole group. Thus, the sequence of nodes in a phylogeny may indicate the spatial sequence of differentiation in a widespread ancestor rather than a series of founder dispersal events. Allocation of clades to a priori geographic areas, such as the continents, in the initial stages of biogeographic analysis has often involved incorrect assumptions of sympatry. This has led to the idea that the ‘areas of sympatry’ were centres of origin. Areas other than those defined by the taxa themselves need not be used in analysis. The fossil-calibrated molecular clock, with dates transmogrified from minimum to maximum dates, has been used to test for vicariance. Recent work in population genetics, however, indicates that allopatry is caused by vicariance rather than founder dispersal, and so vicariance can instead be used to test the clock. Deriving evolutionary chronology by calibrating spatial vicariance in molecular clades with associated tectonic events is more reasonable than relying on the fossil record to give maximum (absolute) dates. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 98, 757–774.
Global protected area impacts

Protected areas (PAs) dominate conservation efforts. They will probably play a role in future climate policies too, as global payments may reward local reductions of loss of natural land cover. We estimate the impact of PAs on natural land cover within each of 147 countries by comparing outcomes inside PAs with outcomes outside. We use ‘matching’ (or ‘apples to apples’) for land characteristics to control for the fact that PAs very often are non-randomly distributed across their national landscapes. Protection tends towards land that, if unprotected, is less likely than average to be cleared. For 75 per cent of countries, we find protection does reduce conversion of natural land cover. However, for approximately 80 per cent of countries, our global results also confirm (following smaller-scale studies) that controlling for land characteristics reduces estimated impact by half or more. This shows the importance of controlling for at least a few key land characteristics. Further, we show that impacts vary considerably within a country (i.e. across a landscape): protection achieves less on lands far from roads, far from cities and on steeper slopes. Thus, while planners are, of course, constrained by other conservation priorities and costs, they could target higher impacts to earn more global payments for reduced deforestation.
Drugs and criminal assaults by adolescents: a replication study

(1981). Drugs and Criminal Assaults by Adolescents: A Replication Study. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: Vol. 13, Drugs, Crime and Criminal Justice, pp. 277-287.
Noninvasive Diagnosis of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Quantification of Liver Fat Using a New Quantitative Ultrasound Technique

Background & Aims Liver biopsy analysis is the standard method used to diagnose nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Advanced magnetic resonance imaging is a noninvasive procedure that can accurately diagnose and quantify steatosis, but is expensive. Conventional ultrasound is more accessible but identifies steatosis with low levels of sensitivity, specificity, and quantitative accuracy, and results vary among technicians. A new quantitative ultrasound (QUS) technique can identify steatosis in animal models. We assessed the accuracy of QUS in the diagnosis and quantification of hepatic steatosis, comparing findings with those from magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) analysis as a reference. Methods We performed a prospective, cross-sectional analysis of a cohort of adults (N = 204) with NAFLD (MRI-PDFF, ≥5%) and without NAFLD (controls). Subjects underwent MRI-PDFF and QUS analyses of the liver on the same day at the University of California, San Diego, from February 2012 through March 2014. QUS parameters and backscatter coefficient (BSC) values were calculated. Patients were assigned randomly to training (n = 102; mean age, 51 ± 17 y; mean body mass index, 31 ± 7 kg/m 2 ) and validation (n = 102; mean age, 49 ± 17 y; body mass index, 30 ± 6 kg/m 2 ) groups; 69% of patients in each group had NAFLD. Results BSC (range, 0.00005–0.25 1/cm-sr) correlated with MRI-PDFF (Spearman ρ = 0.80; P P Conclusions QUS measurements of BSC can accurately diagnose and quantify hepatic steatosis, based on a cross-sectional analysis that used MRI-PDFF as the reference. With further validation, QUS could be an inexpensive, widely available method to screen the general or at-risk population for NAFLD.
Thermodynamics of (Cr, Mo, Nb, Ta, V, or W)–Si–Cu ternary systems

The room-temperature and 700 °C tie lines of the early transition metal–Si–Cu ternary systems have been calculated for the metals Cr, Mo, Nb, Ta, V, and W. The tie lines are determined by considering only binary and elemental phases in observance of strict stoichiometry and zero solid solubility. We find that copper is stable with the majority of transition metal silicides under consideration at 700 °C. The result is relevant to the design of stable copper metallizations for silicon.
Muscle protein synthesis and gene expression during recovery from aerobic exercise in the fasted and fed states

The purpose of this investigation was to assess mixed-muscle fractional synthesis rate (FSR) and the expression of genes involved in skeletal muscle remodeling after aerobic exercise in the fasted ...
Measurements of sound scattering as a means of examining ecological interactions between marine organisms and their environment

Significant advances in hydroacoustic systems have occurred in recent years and the availability and application of such systems has greatly improved the quality of quantitative sound scattering measurements from towed and moored sensors. There remain questions of relating the quantity of sound scatter observed (a highly precise measurement) to the quantity of biota or other material causing reflections or volume reverberation (a less well understood process, where behavior of the ensonified organisms causes variation in their target strength). Measurements of sound scattering coupled to directed sampling of target organisms (using nets or video) frequently reveals many aspects of interactions between organisms and their environment. This paper presents methods and examples of measurements and comparisons between sound scatter, causative organisms, and environmental data. >
ADC and AGC requirements of a direct-sequence spread spectrum signal

In a direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) digital receiver, sampling and quantization occur at a very high frequency. Since designing both a high sampling and high resolution analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is difficult, the ADC in a DSSS digital receiver must operate with the fewest bits necessary. To achieve high performance using the fewest quantization bits requires that the automatic gain controller (AGC) optimally scale the received signal. We quantify the quantization and scaling effects on the bit error rate of a DSSS signal when the additive noise is dominated by white Gaussian noise and multiple access interference. Our results suggest that a 3-bit quantizer with an effective AGC achieves near optimum performance.
Survey of popular robotics simulators, frameworks, and toolkits

Robotic simulators, frameworks, and related toolkits are very important in today's research community. The need to accurately simulate movements, algorithms, and interactions with the real world is quickly becoming a major research focus as humans and robots interact in more situations and differently than ever before. This is a survey of popular robotics simulators and some of the main frameworks and toolkits that are used to help bring robotics simulations to a one-to-one relationship with real-world interaction.
Perception of Auditory Motion Affects Language Processing

Previous reports have demonstrated that the comprehension of sentences describing motion in a particular direction (toward, away, up, or down) is affected by concurrently viewing a stimulus that depicts motion in the same or opposite direction. We report 3 experiments that extend our understanding of the relation between perception and language processing in 2 ways. First, whereas most previous studies of the relation between perception and language processing have focused on visual perception, our data show that sentence processing can be affected by the concurrent processing of auditory stimuli. Second, it is shown that the relation between the processing of auditory stimuli and the processing of sentences depends on whether the sentences are presented in the auditory or visual modality.
International Business Education At Best B-Schools

This paper investigates the preparation undergraduate students readying for participation in the global economy and interested in international business careers can receive at U.S. business schools. Existing literature point to the importance of internationalizing business education, but have been relatively silent in recent years regarding its status. Accordingly, this study seeks to contribute to business education and management practice by examining the attributes of international business programs currently offered by “best” business schools. Gap analysis and benchmarking tools are identified and summarized within the context of existing literature. Analysis and recommendation are provided to assist educators developing programs that successfully train graduates for the challenges and opportunities of today’s international workplace.
The Transistor Laser: Theory and Experiment

The quantum-well (QW) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) laser [the transistor laser (TL)], inherently a fast switching device, operates by transporting small minority base charge densities ~1016 cm-3 over nanoscale base thickness ( 900 A) in picoseconds. The base QW acts as an optical “collector,” in addition to the usual electrical collector, that selects out “fast” recombining carriers, resulting in a short lifetime (~ 29 ps) and higher differential laser gains. Charge and current continuity, together with the boundary conditions imposed by both collectors of the TL lead to a new charge control model, “unpinning” of population inversion beyond lasing threshold, quasi-Fermi level discontinuity across base QW, and a new equivalent circuit model requiring an extension to Kirchhoff's law. With the TL, the HBT becomes more than just a charge control device, but also a photon storage and switching device. The TL, owing to fast recombination speed, its unique three-terminal configuration, and the complementary nature of its optical and electrical collector output signals, enables resonance-free base current and collector voltage modulations, and compact realization of electro-optical applications such as nonlinear signal mixing, frequency multiplication, negative feedback, and optoelectronic logic gates.
The Face, The Fundamental Emotions, and Affect Interactions

A number of different theories now implicitly (and sometimes explicitly) suggest that an emotion has three components: the neural, the expressive (mainly facial), and the experiential. Further, an increasing number of investigators in personality and social psychology, and practitioners in psychiatry and clinical psychology have been placing emphasis on the importance of the expressive component of emotion. There are a number of reasons for this emphasis. The face is the supreme center for sending and receiving social signals that are crucial for development of the individual, interpersonal communication, and the cohesiveness of the family and society.
ANALYTIC REDUNDANCY MANAGEMENT FOR SYSTEMS WITH APPRECIABLE STRUCTURAL DYNAMICS

Abstract This paper deals with analytic redundancy management of systems that have appreciable structural dynamics and require active control. Specifically, the class of systems considered is large, light weight spacecraft that have large numbers of distributed sensors and actuators. The principal subject treated is on-line failure detection, identification, and recovery for control system component failures. An analytic redundancy management system has been proposed based on testing the residual sequence of a single Kalman filter. The NASA Langley Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment research facility (SCOLE) is used to evaluate the system. SCOLE is an experimental facility at the Langley Research Center which was designed for research in the control of large, flexible structures. The experimental apparatus is a functional model of the space shuttle with a large, flexible, offset-feed antenna attached.
Rotating Biodisks Recarbonate Alkaline Wastewater

Lime addition to raw wastewater as an upgrading technique can significantly aid a rotating biological contactor (RBC) plant in producing effluents in compliance with federal discharge permit limitations for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD\d5), amonia nitrogen and phosphorus. Low-level lime addition does not require recarbonation and does not produce the sludges typical of high pH lime treatment schemes. The pilot RBC process provided BOD\d5 removal when subjected to an influent pH of 9.5 for hydraulic loading rates of 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 gpd/sq ft (0.08, 0.12, and 0.6m³/m²·\N day). In addition to the removal of phosphorus, lime pretreatment reduced the organic loading on the RBC process and allowed for recarbonation by microbial populations which produced carbon dioxide, thereby forming carbonate alkalinity necessity for nitrification after the initial BOD\d5 had been removed. The resultant pH after recarbonation was also in the optimal range for nitrification.
Synthesis and Direct Visualization of Dumbbell-Shaped Molecular Brushes

Dumbbell-shaped triblock molecular brushes were synthesized by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of poly(lactide) macromonomers with terminal norbornene groups (NB-PLA) in a sequential addition manner. By changing the macromonomer size and the feed ratio of Grubbs’ catalyst to macromonomer, the dimensions of the “ball” and “bar” of the dumbbell-shaped molecular brushes were controlled. The growth and production of well-defined structures were verified by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and the final dumbbell-shaped architectures were visualized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). This synthetic methodology represents a rapid and convenient route to unique macromolecular topologies.
Fuel Cell Hybrid Power System Development for Extended Endurance SUAS Applications

I. Abstract he war on terrorism has put a high premium on the primary mission of small unmanned aerial systems (SUASs) for maintaining battlespace awareness and ensuring force protection. The U.S. military has a growing need to extend mission persistence for hand-launched Group 1 (<20 lbs) SUASs as a means of improving the overall mission performance and capabilities at the squad/fire team level. Traditionally, the use of the Group 1 systems has been limited primarily due to the constraints of the traditional power sources at that size scale. Typically, these SUASs utilize commercial off the shelf (COTS) power system technologies, such as rechargeable lithium polymer batteries with specific energy densities commonly in the range of 150-180 Whr/kg
Measuring the pK/pI of biomolecules using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Dissociation constants of GG–X–GG and X5 peptides (X = G, D, H, or K), and bovine albumin (BSA) and fibronectin (FN) were measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) in ultrahigh vacuum at room temperature. The biomolecules were deposited on Au substrates by drying 2.0 μL drops of 1.0 μg μL–1 stock solutions in 100 mM sodium phosphate buffers (pH 1–12) at room temperature. Because of the ∼+1.3 eV shift in binding energy (BE) of protonated amines, pK values of basic amino acids were calculated by plotting the fraction of protonated amines as a function of solution pH. Similarly, the BE of carboxyl groups shifted ∼−1.3 eV upon deprotonation. While C 1s spectra were convoluted by the multiple chemical states of carbon present in the samples, the ratio of the C 1s components centered at BE = 289.0 ± 0.4 and BE = 287.9 ± 0.3 proved to reliably assess deprotonation of carboxyl groups. The pK values for the Asp (3.1 and 2.4), His (6.7), and Lys (11.3 and 10.6) peptides, and the pI of BSA (4.8) and FN (5.7...
Thorium(IV) molecular clusters with a hexanuclear Th core.

Three polynuclear thorium(IV) molecular complexes have been synthesized under ambient conditions from reactions of an amorphous Th precipitate, obtained via hydrolysis, with carboxylate functionalized ligands. The structures of Th6(OH)4O4(H2O)6(HCO2)12·nH2O (1), Th6(OH)4O4(H2O)6(CH3CO2)12·nH2O (2), Th6(OH)4O4(H2O)6(ClCH2CO2)12·4H2O (3) each consist of a hexanuclear Th core wherein six 9-coordinate Th(IV) cations are bridged by four μ3-hydroxo and four μ3-oxo groups. Each Th(IV) center is additionally coordinated to one bound “apical” water molecule and four oxygen atoms from bridging carboxylate functionalized organic acid units. “Decoration” of the cationic [Th6(μ3-O)4(μ3-OH) 4]12+ cores by anionic shells of R-COO– ligands (R = H, CH3, or CH2Cl) terminates the oligomers and results in the formation of discrete, neutral molecular clusters. Electronic structure calculations at the density functional theory level predicted that the most energetically favorable positions for the protons on the hexanuclear co...
Fluctuating survival selection explains variation in avian group size

Most animal groups vary extensively in size. Because individuals in certain sizes of groups often have higher apparent fitness than those in other groups, why wide group size variation persists in most populations remains unexplained. We used a 30-y mark-recapture study of colonially breeding cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) to show that the survival advantages of different colony sizes fluctuated among years. Colony size was under both stabilizing and directional selection in different years, and reversals in the sign of directional selection regularly occurred. Directional selection was predicted in part by drought conditions: birds in larger colonies tended to be favored in cooler and wetter years, and birds in smaller colonies in hotter and drier years. Oscillating selection on colony size likely reflected annual differences in food availability and the consequent importance of information transfer, and/or the level of ectoparasitism, with the net benefit of sociality varying under these different conditions. Averaged across years, there was no net directional change in selection on colony size. The wide range in cliff swallow group size is probably maintained by fluctuating survival selection and represents the first case, to our knowledge, in which fitness advantages of different group sizes regularly oscillate over time in a natural vertebrate population.
Accelerated high-bandwidth MR spectroscopic imaging using compressed sensing.

Purpose To develop a compressed sensing (CS) acceleration method with a high spectral bandwidth exploiting the spatial-spectral sparsity of MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI). Methods Accelerations were achieved using blip gradients during the readout to perform nonoverlapped and stochastically delayed random walks in kx-ky-t space, combined with block-Hankel matrix completion for efficient reconstruction. Both retrospective and prospective CS accelerations were applied to 13C MRSI experiments, including in vivo rodent brain and liver studies with administrations of hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate at 7.0 Tesla (T) and [2-13C] dihydroxyacetone at 3.0 T, respectively. Results In retrospective undersampling experiments using in vivo 7.0 T data, the proposed method preserved spectral, spatial, and dynamic fidelities with R2 ≥ 0.96 and ≥ 0.87 for pyruvate and lactate signals, respectively, 750-Hz spectral separation, and up to 6.6-fold accelerations. In prospective in vivo experiments, with 3.8-fold acceleration, the proposed method exhibited excellent spatial localization of metabolites and peak recovery for pyruvate and lactate at 7.0 T as well as for dihydroxyacetone and its metabolic products with a 4.5-kHz spectral span (140 ppm at 3.0 T). Conclusions This study demonstrated the feasibility of a new CS approach to accelerate high spectral bandwidth MRSI experiments. Magn Reson Med, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Resource Property Rights

This article discusses the potential for changing property rights during resource constrained times. The driver of climate change is shaping different sectors of property law related to natural resources and why it is important for policymakers to proactively address the need for related foundational legal frameworks. The reality of climate change and its wide-ranging impacts are irrefutable, requiring seismic shifts in how we organize ourselves in order to survive and prosper.
Development of a Method and Validation for the Quantitation of FruArg in Mice Plasma and Brain Tissue Using UPLC–MS/MS

Aged garlic extract (AGE) is a popular nutritional supplement and is believed to promote health benefits by exhibiting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities and hypolipidemic and antiplatelet effects. We have previously identified N-α-(1-deoxy-d-fructos-1-yl)-l-arginine (FruArg) as a major contributor to the bioactivity of AGE in BV-2 microglial cells whereby it exerted a significant ability to attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammatory responses and to regulate the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response. Here, we report on a sensitive ultraperformance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS) protocol that was validated for the quantitation of FruArg in mouse plasma and brain tissue samples. Solid-phase extraction was used to separate FruArg from proteins and phospholipids present in the biological fluids. Results indicated that FruArg was readily absorbed into the blood circulation of mice after intraperitoneal injections. FruArg was reliably detected in the subregions o...
Predicting the cetane number of furanic biofuel candidates using an improved artificial neural network based on molecular structure

Author(s): Kessler, T; Sacia, ER; Bell, AT; Mack, JH | Abstract: Copyright © 2016 by ASME. The next generation of alternative fuels is being investigated through advanced chemical and biological production techniques for the purpose of finding suitable replacements to diesel and gasoline while lowering production costs and increasing process yields. Chemical conversion of biomass to fuels provides a plethora of pathways with a variety of fuel molecules, both novel and traditional, which may be targeted. In the search for new fuels, an initial, intuition-driven evaluation of fuel compounds with desired properties is required. Due to the high cost and significant production time needed to synthesize these materials at a scale sufficient for exhaustive testing, a predictive model would allow chemists to preemptively screen fuel properties of potentially desirable fuel candidates. Recent work has shown that predictive models, in this case artificial neural networks (ANN's) analyzing quantitative structure property relationships (QSPR's), can predict the cetane number (CN) of a proposed fuel molecule with relatively small error. A fuel's CN is a measure of its ignition quality, typically defined using prescribed ASTM standards and a cetane testing engine. Alternatively, the analogous derived cetane number (DCN), obtained using an Ignition Quality Tester (IQT), is a direct measurement alternative to the CN that uses an empirical inverse relationship to the ignition delay found in the constant volume combustion chamber apparatus. DCN data points acquired using an IQT were utilized for model validation and expansion of the experimental database used in this study. The present work improves on an existing model by optimizing the model architecture along with the key learning variables of the ANN and by making the model more generalizable to a wider variety of fuel candidate types, specifically the class of furans and furan derivatives, by including specific molecules for the model to incorporate. The new molecules considered include tetrahydrofuran, 2-methylfuran, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, 5,5'-(furan-2-ylmethylene)bis(2-methylfuran), 5,5'-((tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)methylene)bis(2-methyltetrahydrofuran), tris(5-methylfuran-2-yl)methane, and tris(5-methyltetrahydrofuran-2-yl)methane. Model architecture adjustments improved the overall root-mean-squared error (RMSE) of the base database predictions by 5.54%. Additionally, through the targeted database expansion, it is shown that the predicted cetane number of the furan-based molecules improves on average by 49.21% (3.74 CN units) and significantly for a few of the individual molecules. This indicates that a selected subset of representative molecules can be used to extend the model's predictive accuracy to new molecular classes. The approach, bolstered by the improvements presented in this paper, enables chemists to focus on promising molecules by eliminating less favorable candidates in relation to their ignition quality.
The draft genome of Ruellia speciosa (Beautiful Wild Petunia: Acanthaceae).

The genus Ruellia (Wild Petunias; Acanthaceae) is characterized by an enormous diversity of floral shapes and colours manifested among closely related species. Using Illumina platform, we reconstructed the draft genome of Ruellia speciosa, with a scaffold size of 1,021 Mb (or ∼1.02 Gb) and an N50 size of 17,908 bp, spanning ∼93% of the estimated genome (∼1.1 Gb). The draft assembly predicted 40,124 gene models and phylogenetic analyses of four key enzymes involved in anthocyanin colour production [flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase (F3'H), flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase (F3'5'H), and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR)] found that most angiosperms here sampled harboured at least one copy of F3H, F3'H, and DFR. In contrast, fewer than one-half (but including R. speciosa) harboured a copy of F3'5'H, supporting observations that blue flowers and/or fruits, which this enzyme is required for, are less common among flowering plants. Ka/Ks analyses of duplicated copies of F3'H and DFR in R. speciosa suggested purifying selection in the former but detected evidence of positive selection in the latter. The genome sequence and annotation of R. speciosa represents only one of only four families sequenced in the large and important Asterid clade of flowering plants and, as such, will facilitate extensive future research on this diverse group, particularly with respect to floral evolution.
Self-sustaining, solar-driven bioelectricity generation in micro-sized microbial fuel cell using co-culture of heterotrophic and photosynthetic bacteria

Abstract Among many energy harvesting techniques with great potential, microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is arguably the most underdeveloped. Even so, excitement is building, as microorganisms can harvest electrical power from any biodegradable organic source (e.g. wastewater) that is readily available in resource-limited settings. Nevertheless, the requirement for endless introduction of organic matter imposes a limiting factor to this technology, demanding an active feeding system and additional power. Here, we demonstrated self-sustaining bioelectricity generation from a microliter-scale microbial fuel cell (MFC) by using the syntrophic interaction between heterotrophic exoelectrogenic bacteria and phototrophs. The MFC continuously generated light-responsive electricity from the heterotrophic bacterial metabolic respiration with the organic substrates produced by photosynthetic bacteria. Without additional organic fuel, the mixed culture in a 90-μL-chamber MFC generated self-sustained current for more than 13 days, while the heterotrophic culture produced current that decreased dramatically within a few hours. The current from the mixed culture was about 70 times greater than that of the device with only photosynthetic bacteria. The miniaturization provided a short start-up time, a well-controlled environment, and small internal resistance. Those advantages will become the general design platform for micropower generation.