cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tiling array data analysis: a multiscale approach using wavelets

Tiling array data is hard to interpret due to noise. The wavelet transformation is a widely used technique in signal processing for elucidating the true signal from noisy data. Consequently, we attempted to denoise representative tiling array datasets for ChIP-chip experiments using wavelets. In doing this, we used specific wavelet basis functions, Coiflets, since their triangular shape closely resembles the expected profiles of true ChIP-chip peaks. In our wavelet-transformed data, we observed that noise tends to be confined to small scales while the useful signal-of-interest spans multiple large scales. We were also able to show that wavelet coefficients due to non-specific cross-hybridization follow a log-normal distribution, and we used this fact in developing a thresholding procedure. In particular, wavelets allow one to set an unambiguous, absolute threshold, which has been hard to define in ChIP-chip experiments. One can set this threshold by requiring a similar confidence level at different length-scales of the transformed signal. We applied our algorithm to a number of representative ChIP-chip data sets, including those of Pol II and histone modifications, which have a diverse distribution of length-scales of biochemical activity, including some broad peaks. Finally, we benchmarked our method in comparison to other approaches for scoring ChIP-chip data using spike-ins on the ENCODE Nimblegen tiling array. This comparison demonstrated excellent performance, with wavelets getting the best overall score.
Liver microsomal oxidations in baboon (Papio papio).

1. The activity of baboon (Papio papio) hepatic microsomes was evaluated using several model substrates.2. As with other species studied in this laboratory, baboon microsomal enzyme activities were in the decreasing order: aldrin epoxidation > p-nitroanisole O-demethyl-ation > dihydroisodrin hydroxylation > benzo(a)pyrene oxidations.3. Substrate, time, protein and cofactor requirements were examined.4. Activities of stored frozen tissue and microsomal pellets remained similar up to seven days.5. In the six animals studied (three male, three female), no differences in hepatic microsomal activity due to sex were apparent.
Plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite coating: effect of different calcium phosphate ceramics

Three kinds of calcium phosphate ceramic powders, namely commercial hydroxyapatite (CHA), self-made hydroxyapatite (SMHA) and synthesized hydroxyapatite (SHA), are employed as starting materials for plasma-sprayed coating onto a stainless steel (316L) substrate. Results show a mixture of hydroxyapatite (HA), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), and tetracalcium phosphate (TeCP) phases appearing in the CHA and SHA-derived coatings and a primary of a HA with trace contents of tricalcium phosphate phases resulting in the SMHA-derived coating. The HA appears to be the only observable crystalline phase present in the SMHA-derived coating after 7 days of incubation with a simulated body fluid (SBF); however, part of the impurities, i.e. TCP and TeCP, remain in the other coatings. No apparent microcracks can be found on the coated surfaces when SMHA and SHA are used. The poor packing density of SHA reflects its weakness in bonding strength to the substrate surface compared with that obtained using CHA and SMHA powders. The surface morphology of the coatings was found to alter significantly after a sufficient period of incubation.
A study of the thermomechanical properties of the graphite-bearing refractores

Etude des proprietes mecaniques et de la resistance aux chocs thermiques de refractaires corindon-graphite
The Use of Local Linear Transforms to Reduce the Size of a Two-Dimensional Associative Memory

We discuss associative memory in the analysis of two-dimensional data where the variables are transformed before data accumulation. Local linear transforms reduce the number of associative locations required, while a two-dimensional search scheme shortens the search among the fewer locations. Application of these methods results in some saving of memory space and an appreciable saving in execution time.
INTERLEUKIN-1β CONVERTING ENZYME INHIBITION BLOCKS PROGRESSION OF TYPE II COLLAGEN-INDUCED ARTHRITIS IN MICE

To IL-1 beta is a principal mediator in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disease. The IL-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE), a novel cysteine protease, is required for processing of the 31 kDa IL-1 beta precursor to generate the 17 kDa proinflammatory mature form. We investigated the effect of two irreversible peptidyl ICE inhibitors, VE-13,045 and VE-16,084, on IL-1 production in vitro and in vivo in acute and chronic inflammatory disease models. In vitro, VE-13,045 and VE-16084 inhibited IL-1 beta secretion by LPS-stimulated human adherent mononuclear cells (IC50's of 0.4 microM and 2.0 microM, respectively) and murine splenic monocytes (IC50's of 10 microM and 1.3 microM, respectively). Both VE-13,045 and VE-16,084 also inhibited LPS stimulated IL-1 alpha secretion, although with reduced potency. In vivo, a single intraperitoneal dose of VE-13,045 (50 mg/kg) administered to mice 60 to 75 minutes after a 40 mg/kg LPS challenge significantly reduced IL-1 beta serum levels by 50 to 70%. In the DBA/1J mouse model of Type II collagen-induced arthritis, prophylactic treatment with VE-13,045 (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) significantly delayed the onset of inflammation, with a 60% overall reduction in disease severity. VE-13,045 was more effective than either indomethacin (2 mg/kg/day) or methyl prednisolone (10 mg/kg/day). VE-13,045 was also effective in reducing inflammation and progression of arthritis when administered to mice with established disease. Histological analysis of wrist joints showed a reduction in synovial membrane damage, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis, and cartilage erosion in VE-13,045-treated animals. This is the first demonstration of efficacy for an ICE inhibitor in a chronic disease model and suggests that ICE is an important target for design of anti-inflammatory or disease modifying drugs.
Origins of Karenia brevis harmful algal blooms along the Texas coast

The dinoflagellate Karenia brevis is the major harmful algal bloom (HAB) species in the Gulf of Mexico. Given that the rapid appearance of K. brevis cannot be explained by plankton growth alone, advection is likely important in bloom initiation. Forward- and backward-moving numerical surface drifters were employed in a numerical model of the Texas–Louisiana shelf to help determine the basic physical mechanisms explaining sporadic interannual occurrences of K. brevis along the Texas coastline. Results from data analysis from the area show that HAB events occur in years in which there are weaker mean downcoast, along-shore wind speeds. The drifter experiments suggest that southern waters play a role in HAB event initiation, providing an offshore source of cells at the end of summer. As winds switch from upcoast to downcoast in early fall, offshore populations of K. brevis are swept southward by wind-driven currents in years with strong downcoast winds. However, when the downshore wind is weak, shoreward Ekman transport creates a convergent flow near the coast that allows cells to concentrate and initiate a bloom.
Adrenocorticotropin Induction of Stress-activated Protein Kinase in the Adrenal Cortex in Vivo

A broad array of stressors induce ACTH release from the anterior pituitary, with consequent stimulation of the adrenal cortex and release of glucocorticoids critical for survival of the animal. ACTH stimulates adrenocortical gene expression in vivo and inhibits adrenocortical cell proliferation. Binding of ACTH to its G-protein-coupled receptor stimulates the production of cAMP and activation of the protein kinase A pathway. The stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) (or c-Jun N-terminal kinases) and the extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) are members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family of serine/threonine kinases, which have recently been implicated in G-protein-coupled receptor intracellular signaling. The SAPKs are preferentially induced by osmotic stress and UV light, whereas the ERKs are preferentially induced by growth factors and proliferative signals in cultured cells. In these studies, ACTH stimulated SAPK activity 3–4-fold both in the adrenal cortex in vivo and in the Y1 adrenocortical cell line. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate but not cAMP induced SAPK activity in Y1 cells. The isoquinolinesulfonamide inhibitors H-8 and H-89 blocked ACTH induction of SAPK activity at protein kinase C inhibitory doses but not at protein kinase A inhibitory doses. The calcium chelating agent EGTA inhibited ACTH-induced SAPK activity and the calcium ionophore A23187 induced SAPK activity 3-fold. In contrast with the induction of SAPK by ACTH, ERK activity was inhibited in the adrenal cortex in vivoand in Y1 adrenal cells. Together these findings suggest that ACTH induces SAPK activity through a PKC and Ca+2-dependent pathway. The induction of SAPK and inhibition of ERK by ACTH in vivo may preferentially regulate target genes involved in the adrenocortical stress responses in the whole animal.
A theorem on cross-classification

Abstract (1)Cardinalities permitting, a finite set partitioned in two ways is the union of disjoint matrices all of whose rows and columns are systems of representatives of the first and second partition respectively. The proof uses: (2) A rectangular matrix of non-negative integers with a constant row sum and a constant column sum is the sum of matrices of non-negative integers for which the two constants are relatively prime.
Contact and bulk electromodulated transmission spectra of blue bronze

We have used electromodulated infrared transmission spectroscopy to search for states associated with soliton excitations of the CDW phase in blue bronze with tunable diode lasers. In particular, we have searched the spectral region near the edge of the CDW gap and compared the spectra associated with contact polarization (i.e. current injection) with that associated with bulk CDW polarization. No new states are observed, implying that the lifetime of injected solitons is < 0.5 μs. Both bulk and contact polarization are observed to shift the frequency of high energy phonons, suggesting that the density of electronic states in the gap, present because of CDW fluctuations, depends on CDW polarization.
Research on the Problems and Measures in the Exploitation and Utilization of New Energy

With the arrival of an era of low-carbon economy, the planning and development of energy industry comes into global limelight. And the development of China’s energy industry faces both opportunities and challenges. This paper gives an introduction of some countries’ energy development, and studies some of their advanced measures and ideas. The paper then states the current status in China’s energy industry development, analyses the existing problems, and brings forward opinions on fueling the development of China’s energy industry, thus promoting the adjustment of energy structure and industrial structure towards low-carbon economy in order to enhance international competitiveness.
A Survey of Yield Modeling and Yield Enhancement Methods

Fast yield learning is critical to bringing products to the market in a timely fashion and is strongly linked to product revenues. This paper reviews methods to enable efficient yield learning, focusing on methods to quantify the most significant yield detractors and on in-line excursion detection methodologies.
AN INDIRECT TEST FOR DIVIDEND RELEVANCE

This paper provides an indirect test of dividend relevance conducted in periods that straddle the tax law changes effected by the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Using the abnormal ex-dividend day return to proxy for the tax penalty of dividends, I find a negative relation between changes in this tax penalty and changes in dividends paid. This result is consistent with corporations' equating, at the margin, the costs of dividend payout to its benefits. Hence, this is indirect evidence of dividend relevance.
Desensitization of the Neurokinin 1 Receptor Is Mediated by the Receptor Carboxy-Terminal Region, but Is Not Caused by Receptor Internalization

The carboxy-terminal cytoplasmic regions of the rat neurokinin 1 (substance P) and neurokinin 2 (neurokinin A) receptors have been exchanged to determine if this region of the neurokinin 1 receptor is involved in its desensitization. When expressed at similar levels in stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines, receptors containing the carboxy-terminal region of the neurokinin 1 receptor desensitized significantly more (as measured by reduction of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate response) when preexposed for 1 min to 1 microM neurokinin, indicating a role for the carboxy-terminal region of the neurokinin 1 receptor in its desensitization. Measurement of receptor internalization using radiolabeled neurokinins (0.3 nM) indicated that approximately 75-80% of the receptors were internalized in each cell line after 10 min at 37 degrees C, with no observable correlation between neurokinin receptor desensitization and internalization. Measurement of loss of receptor surface sites for cell lines CHO NK1 and CHO NK1NK2 following exposure to 1 microM substance P also indicated no obvious relationship between the percent desensitization and percent of receptors internalized. Also, two inhibitors of neurokinin 1 receptor internalization, phenylarsine oxide and hyperosmolar sucrose, did not inhibit neurokinin 1 receptor desensitization. The protein kinase inhibitors Ro 31-8220, staurosporine, and Zn2+ had no effect on neurokinin 1 receptor desensitization, indicating that the kinases affected by these agents are not rate-limiting in neurokinin 1 receptor desensitization in this system.
Ds controlling elements of maize at the Shrunken locus are large and dissimilar insertions

Abstract A recombinant clone for the wild-type gene of sucrose synthetase has been selected. Subclones of the genomic clone were made and used as probes to construct a restriction map of the wild-type locus. The transcribed region and the direction of transcription in the map were also determined. Four Ds -induced mutations of the locus that were isolated by B. McClintock were analyzed and partially mapped. Two mutations contain insertions of ∼20 kb of foreign DNA into the transcribed region; two others are at the 5′ end of the gene. There are profound differences in the restriction maps of the Ds elements in the mutants analyzed, even though these elements have a common genetic origin and are separated by only a few generations. Comparison of one pair of closely related Ds elements indicates that these differences may be the result of extensive internal rearrangements. Exchange with other elements in the genome remains an alternative possibility. A revertant of one of the Ds -induced mutations has maintained a 21–22 kb insert at the same location in the transcribed region. This insert differs from its predecessor by extensive rearrangement in two thirds of its length. Part, or all, of this rearrangement presumably permits functional expression of the gene.
Electronic Properties of the Biphenylene Sheet and Its One-Dimensional Derivatives

We have studied the electronic properties and relative stability of the biphenylene sheet composed of alternating eight-, six- and four-carbon rings and its one-dimensional derivatives including ribbons and tubes of different widths and morphologies by means of density functional theory calculations. The two-dimensional sheet presents a metallic character that is also present in the planar strips with zigzag-type edges. Armchair-edged strips develop a band gap that decreases monotonically with the ribbon width. The narrowest armchair strip considered here (0.62 nm wide) presents a large band gap of 1.71 eV, while the 2.14 nm wide armchair strip exhibits a band gap of 0.08 eV. We have also found that tubes made by rolling these ribbons in a seamlessly manner are all metallic, independent of their chirality. However, while the calculated energy landscape suggests that planar strips present a relative stability comparable to that of C(60), in the tubular form, they present a more pronounced metastable nature with a Gibbs free energy of at least 0.2 eV per carbon higher than in C(60).
Optical property of bovine plasma albumin between 2 and 82 eV.

The optical constants of bovine plasma albumin in the form of a dry solid film have been determined in the 2–82 eV region of photon energy. The extinction coefficient k was obtained by transmission measurements on thin films on a calcium fluoride substrate and on ultrathin films of polystyrene supported by mesh screen. The refractive index n was determined by a Kramers–Kronig analysis using the measured values of k. The complex dielectric function e and the energy-loss function −Im(1/e) for charged particles were derived from the data of n and k. The result for k exhibit, in addition to the well-known absorptions at 4.4, 5.5, and 6.4 eV, a small peak at 7.6 eV, a shoulder around 9.7 eV, and a strong peak at 14.0 eV. A prominent peak at 22.7 eV in the energy-loss function exhibits a large degree of collective nature.
Distributed dynamic state estimator enables seamless DSA

This paper/panel proposes an integrated and seamless infrastructure for protection, control and operation of an electric power system that enables a seamless Dynamic Security Assessment. At the lower level of the infrastructure a dynamic state estimation of protection zones (individual components) operates continuously for the purpose of providing protection for the zone. This scheme simplifies the protection approach for the zone by not requiring coordination with other protection zones. The scheme provides the real time dynamic model of the zone as well as the real time operating conditions. The scheme is ideally fitted in the most recent automation schemes for substations based on merging units and process bus with GPS synchronization — in this case the implementation is as simple as connecting a computing device (PC or relay) to the process bus. An object oriented approach has been implemented which provides the dynamic state and model estimate of each protection zone (individual component) in a standard syntax and format. The component dynamic state and model estimate is referenced to UTC time. At the substation, synthesis of all components of the same UTC time stamp provides the substation state estimate. This task is performed each cycle (60 times per second for 60 Hz systems and 50 times per second for 50 Hz systems) and the substation state estimate is transmitted to the control center. At the control center synthesis of all substation state estimates of the same UTC time stamp provides the system wide state estimate (system wide real time model). This approach provides the real time model of the system at speeds of 60 times per second and latency in the order of one cycle. The paper describes the use of the real time model for dynamic security assessment in a seamless way. The DSA can be performed with the system wide real time model or for problems that tend to be local in nature, as the voltage/VAR control problem tends to be, the described infrastructure can provide the model of a subsystem (system of interest) and an equivalent of the rest of the system at the boundaries of the subsystem. Examples will be provided.
Controlling the internal energy content of size‐selected cluster ions: An experimental comparison of the metastable decay rate and photofragmentation methods of quantifying the internal excitation of (H2O)−n

The metastable decay rates of (H2O)−n clusters are found to be strongly dependent on source conditions and are correlated to the distribution of photofragments. We relate these variations to changes in the internal energy content of the clusters and analyze the effects to provide two independent determinations of the internal energy variation. The two methods are found to be in surprisingly good agreement. Measurements on larger clusters are carried out using photofragmentation, and changes on the order of 0.30 eV are easily affected by changing the pressure of argon backing the expansion. An interesting result of this work is that the cooling efficiency increases with cluster size.
Impact of 24 h continuous hypothermic perfusion on heart preservation by assessment of oxidative stress.

Introduction: Despite investigating numerous solutions, additives, and techniques over the last two decades, extending donor heart preservation beyond 4-6 h has not been achieved. Hypothermic heart preservation (HP) induces oxidative stress (OS) with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, causing DNA cleavage and impairing repair. Quantification of cardiomyocyte concentrations of DNA damage by-products (8-oxoG) and mismatch repair enzymes (MYH, OGG-1, MSH2) reflects the severity of OS. If increased repair enzyme production is insufficient to repair injury, cell death occurs and functional outcomes are impacted. We investigated continuous hypothermic perfusion (CHP), a new form of HP, and the mechanism of injury associated with hypothermic storage, by assessing functional outcome and OS after allotransplantation of canine hearts. Methods: Fourteen canine hearts were harvested using standard techniques after baseline echocardiograms and haemodynamic parameters were obtained. The hearts were implanted after 24 h CHP (n = 10) or 4 h static preservation (SP; n = 4). After weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), recipients were kept alive for 6 h. Repeat echocardiograms and haemodynamic parameters were obtained. Quantification of MYH, OGG-1, and MSH2 concentrations were performed on biopsies using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Results: Twelve out of 14 hearts (8/10 CHP; 4/4 SP) were successfully weaned on moderate inotropic support. Post-implant echocardiogram, completed in 6/10 CHP and 2/4 SP hearts, demonstrated hyperdynamic function and normal wall motion. The expression and activity of DNA repair enzymes was identical between normal baseline and CHP hearts. Conclusion: CHP reduces OS associated with prolonged hypothermic preservation and may allow longer preservation periods without compromising function. CHP offers several potential advantages: (1) resuscitation of non-beating heart donor organs, (2) time for HLA tissue typing, (3) facilitate interventions improving graft function, and (4) increased organ sharing.
Effect of substrate and lid on the optical response of an axially excited slab of a dielectric thin-film helicoidal bianisotropic medium

The optical response of a thin-film helicoidal bianisotropic medium (TFHBM) slab to a normally incident plane wave is shown to be affected by a substrate and a lid, both nondissipative. The theoretical transmissivity of the TFHBM changes with the incorporation of the substrate and the lid, as does the optical rotation. The apparent circular dichroism changes slightly in the Bragg regime, but the true circular dichroism does not appear to be greatly affected by the substrate and lid. These results are pertinent to experimental characterization of TFHBMs. ©1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 20: 218–222, 1999.
A New Heat Shock Protein That Binds Nucleic Acids

We describe the isolation of Hsp15, a new, very abundant heat shock protein that binds to DNA and RNA. Hsp15 is well conserved and related to a number of RNA-binding proteins, including ribosomal protein S4, RNA pseudouridine synthase, and tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase. The region shared between these proteins appears to represent a common, but previously unrecognized, RNA binding motif. Filter binding studies showed that Hsp15 binds to a 17-mer single-stranded RNA with a dissociation constant of 9 microM in 22.5 mM Hepes, pH 7. 0, 5 mM MgCl2. A role of Hsp15 in binding nucleic acids puts this protein into a different functional category from that of many other heat shock proteins that act as molecular chaperones or proteases on protein substrates.
Exact, dynamical analysis of the Kukhtarev equations in photorefractive barium titanate using rigorous coupled-wave diffraction theory

Rigorous coupled-wave diffraction theory is used to analyze two-wave and multiwave mixing in diffusion-controlled photorefractive barium titanate, which is modeled by the Kukhtarev equations. These equations are partially decoupled to yield a system of two equations between the electron density and the electrostatic field (and hence the induced refractive index profile). The transmitted and reflected optical fields, the dielectric modulation, the electrostatic field, and the electron density are studied for the cases in which the interfering, incident optical fields have equal and unequal amplitudes for different values of the linear refractive index mismatch and for different values of photorefractive crystal length. In each case the exact longitudinal inhomogeneity in the photorefractive medium is analyzed with the use of rigorous coupled-wave diffraction theory and an exact Kukhtarev analysis. We compare the evolution of the diffracted orders for different sample lengths to show that the nature of the steady state (oscillatory or nonoscillatory) critically depends on the sample length. Our computations study in BaTiO3 the conditions for temporal instability resulting in self-pulsation and for anisotropic diffraction contributing to significant generation of higher orders (assuming that two plane waves are incident on the photorefractive material).
Controlled Topical Delivery of Hydrocortisone and Mannitol Via Select Pathways

AbstractIn an earlier report (1) we described the controlled follicular delivery of hydrophobic macromolecules from nonionic lipid-based formulations composed of glyceryl dilaurate (GDL), cholesterol (CH), and polyoxyethylene-10-stearyl ether (POE-10). However, the influence of lipid composition on topical delivery of marginally hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs from these nonionic lipid-based systems has not been investigated. In this report we describe the effect of variation of GDL to POE-10 ratio in the nonionic lipid-based formulations on the extent and route of delivery of hydrocortisone and mannitol, a marginally hydrophobic and hydrophilic model drug, respectively, into and through hairless mouse skin mounted on Franz diffusion cells. The results indicate that the extent of hydrocortisone uptake increased with increasing GDL to POE-10 weight ratio whereas mannitol uptake was quite the opposite and decreased with increasing GDL to POE-10 weight ratio. The diametrically opposite trends for the two d...
Extracellular Calcium Modulates Actions of Orthosteric and Allosteric Ligands on Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 1α

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 1α (mGluR1α), a member of the family C G protein-coupled receptors, is emerging as a potential drug target for various disorders, including chronic neuronal degenerative diseases. In addition to being activated by glutamate, mGluR1α is also modulated by extracellular Ca2+. However, the underlying mechanism is unknown. Moreover, it has long been challenging to develop receptor-specific agonists due to homologies within the mGluR family, and the Ca2+-binding site(s) on mGluR1α may provide an opportunity for receptor-selective targeting by therapeutics. In the present study, we show that our previously predicted Ca2+-binding site in the hinge region of mGluR1α is adjacent to the site where orthosteric agonists and antagonists bind on the extracellular domain of the receptor. Moreover, we found that extracellular Ca2+ enhanced mGluR1α-mediated intracellular Ca2+ responses evoked by the orthosteric agonist l-quisqualate. Conversely, extracellular Ca2+ diminished the inhibitory effect of the mGluR1α orthosteric antagonist (S)-α-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine. In addition, selective positive (Ro 67-4853) and negative (7-(hydroxyimino)cyclopropa[b]chromen-1a-carboxylate ethyl ester) allosteric modulators of mGluR1α potentiated and inhibited responses to extracellular Ca2+, respectively, in a manner similar to their effects on the response of mGluR1α to glutamate. Mutations at residues predicted to be involved in Ca2+ binding, including E325I, had significant effects on the modulation of responses to the orthosteric agonist l-quisqualate and the allosteric modulator Ro 67-4853 by extracellular Ca2+. These studies reveal that binding of extracellular Ca2+ to the predicted Ca2+-binding site in the extracellular domain of mGluR1α modulates not only glutamate-evoked signaling but also the actions of both orthosteric ligands and allosteric modulators on mGluR1α.
Moderate Temperature Dense Phase Hydrogen Storage Materials within the US Department of Energy (DOE) H2 Storage Program: Trends toward Future Development

Hydrogen has many positive attributes that make it a viable choice to augment the current portfolio of combustion-based fuels, especially when considering reducing pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, conventional methods of storing H2 via high-pressure or liquid H2 do not provide long-term economic solutions for many applications, especially emerging applications such as man-portable or stationary power. Hydrogen storage in materials has the potential to meet the performance and cost demands, however, further developments are needed to address the thermodynamics and kinetics of H2 uptake and release. Therefore, the US Department of Energy (DOE) initiated three Centers of Excellence focused on developing H2 storage materials that could meet the stringent performance requirements for on-board vehicular applications. In this review, we have summarized the developments that occurred as a result of the efforts of the Metal Hydride and Chemical Hydrogen Storage Centers of Excellence on materials that bind hydrogen through ionic and covalent linkages and thus could provide moderate temperature, dense phase H2 storage options for a wide range of emerging Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEM FC) applications.
Results from the evaluation of the effectiveness of an online tutor on expression evaluation

Researchers have been developing online tutors for various disciplines, including Computer Science. Educators are increasingly using online tutors to supplement their courses. Are online tutors effective? Can they help students learn? If so, what features contribute to their effectiveness? We will examine these questions in the context of an online tutor that we developed for introductory Computer Science. The tutor is designed to help students learn expression evaluation in C++/Java.We evaluated the tutor over several years, in multiple sections of Computer Science I each year. We used controlled tests with differential treatments, and used pre and post-tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the tutor. Our results show that online tutors indeed help students learn. Students who use the tutor for practice learn better than those who use a printed workbook. Students who receive both graphic visualization and text explanation learn better than those who receive only graphic visualization. Students who use graphic visualization learn better than those who receive no explanation. These results will be of interest to both developers and users of online tutors.
Receptor-independent 4D-QSAR analysis of a set of norstatine derived inhibitors of HIV-1 protease.

A training set of 27 norstatine derived inhibitors of HIV-1 protease, based on the 3(S)-amino-2(S)-hydroxyl-4-phenylbutanoic acid core (AHPBA), for which the -log IC50 values were measured, was used to construct 4D-QSAR models. Five unique RI-4D-QSAR models, from two different alignments, were identified (q2 = 0.86−0.95). These five models were used to map the atom type morphology of the lining of the inhibitor binding site at the HIV protease receptor site as well as predict the inhibition potencies of seven test set compounds for model validation. The five models, overall, predict the -log IC50 activity values for the test set compounds in a manner consistent with their q2 values. The models also correctly identify the hydrophobic nature of the HIV protease receptor site, and inferences are made as to further structural modifications to improve the potency of the AHPBA inhibitors of HIV protease. The finding of five unique, and nearly statistically equivalent, RI-4D-QSAR models for the training set demo...
Best Practices for Robotic Surgery Training and Credentialing

Purpose: With the rapid and widespread adoption of robotics in surgery, the minimally invasive surgical landscape has changed markedly within the last half decade. This change has had a significant...
Blackstone's Science of Legislation

In 1795, Dugald Stewart, the professor of moral philosophy at the University of Edinburgh and reigning Athenian of the North, observed in a famous estimate of the career of Adam Smith that “the most celebrated works produced in the different countries of Europe during the last thirty years” had “aimed at the improvement of society” by “enlightening the policy of actual legislators.” Among such celebrated productions Stewart included the publications of Francois Quesnay, Anne-Robert Jacques Turgot, Pedro Campomanes, and Cesare Beccaria and, above all, the writings of Smith himself, whose Wealth of Nations “unquestionably” represented “the most comprehensive and perfect work that has yet appeared on the general principles of any branch of legislation.” One of the more striking achievements of recent scholarship on eighteenth-century social thought has been to make sense of this description of Smith's Inquiry and to enable us better to appreciate why Smith chose to describe his system of political economy as a contribution to the “science of a legislator.” In a cultural setting in which, as J. G. A. Pocock has put it, “jurisprudence” was “the social science of the eighteenth century,” law and legislation further featured, in J. H. Burns's formula, as “the great applied science among the sciences of man.” Moralists and jurists of the period, echoing earlier political conventions, may readily have acknowledged with Rousseau that “it would take gods to give men laws.” Nevertheless, even in Rousseau's program for perfecting “the conditions of civil association”—“men being taken as they are and laws as they might be”—a mortal “legislator” appeared plainly “necessary.”
The acnD Genes of Shewenella oneidensis and Vibrio cholerae Encode a New Fe/S-Dependent 2-Methylcitrate Dehydratase Enzyme That Requires prpF Function In Vivo

The propionate utilization operons of several bacteria differ from each other in the occurrence of two genes, acnD and prpF, in place of or in addition to the prpD gene encoding an Fe/S-independent 2-methylcitrate dehydratase enzyme. We cloned the acnD and prpF genes from two organisms, Shewanella oneidensis and Vibrio cholerae, and found that, together, the AcnD and PrpF proteins restored the ability of a prpD mutant strain of Salmonella enterica to grow on propionate as a source of carbon and energy. However, neither acnD nor prpF alone was able to substitute for prpD. The AcnD and PrpF proteins were isolated and biochemically analyzed. The AcnD protein required reconstitution of an Fe/S cluster for activity. All detectable AcnD activity was lost after incubation with iron-chelating agents, and no AcnD activity was observed after attempted reconstitution without iron. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and in vitro activity assay data showed that AcnD dehydrated 2-methylcitrate and citrate to 2-methyl-cis-aconitate and cis-aconitate, respectively; AcnD also hydrated cis-aconitate. However, 2-methylisocitrate and isocitrate were not substrates for AcnD, indicating that AcnD only catalyzes the first half of the aconitase-like dehydration reactions. No aconitase-like activity was found for PrpF. It is hypothesized that, in vivo, PrpF is an accessory protein required to prevent oxidative damage of the Fe/S center of active AcnD enzyme or that it may be involved in synthesis or repair of the Fe/S cluster present in AcnD.
Progress on the MICE Tracker Solenoids

The first magnets for the muon ionization cooling experiment will be the tracker solenoids that form the ends of the MICE cooling channel. The primary purpose of the tracker solenoids is to provide a uniform 4 T field (to better than plusmn0.3 percent over a volume that is 1 meter long and 0.3 meters in diameter) spectrometer magnet field for the scintillating fiber detectors that are used to analyse the muons in the channel before and after ionization cooling. A secondary purpose for the tracker magnet is the matching of the muon beam between the rest of the MICE cooling channel and the uniform field spectrometer magnet. The tracker solenoid is powered by three 300 amp power supplies. Additional tuning of the spectrometer is provided by a pair of 50 amp power supplies across the spectrometer magnet end coils. The tracker magnet will be cooled using a pair of 4 K pulse tube coolers that each provide 1.5 W of cooling at 4.2 K. Final design and construction of the tracker solenoids began during the summer of 2006. This report describes the progress made on the construction of the tracker solenoids.
Cost-effective WDM backbone network design with OXCs of different bandwidth granularities

We propose a framework for designing a WDM backbone network with OXCs of different grooming granularities. Numerical examples are presented showing that granularity-heterogeneous networks are more cost-effective than granularity-homogeneous networks.
A Construction of Difference Sets in High Exponent 2-Groups Using Representation Theory

Nontrivial difference sets in groups of order a power of 2 are part of the family of difference sets called Menon difference sets (or Hadamard), and they have parameters (22d+2, 22d+1±2d, 22d±2d). In the abelian case, the group has a difference set if and only if the exponent of the group is less than or equal to 2d+2. In l14r, the authors construct a difference set in a nonabelian group of order 64 and exponent 32. This paper generalizes that result to show that there is a difference set in a nonabelian group of order 22d+2 with exponent 2d+3. We use representation theory to prove that the group has a difference set, and this shows that representation theory can be used to verify a construction similar to the use of character theory in the abelian case.
Culture Independent Analysis of Ileal Mucosa Reveals a Selective Increase in Invasive Escherichia Coli of Novel Phylogeny Relative to Depletion of Clostridiales in Crohn's Disease Involving the Ileum

Intestinal bacteria are implicated increasingly as a pivotal factor in the development of Crohn's disease, but the specific components of the complex polymicrobial enteric environment driving the inflammatory response are unresolved. This study addresses the role of the ileal mucosa-associated microflora in Crohn's disease. A combination of culture-independent analysis of bacterial diversity (16S rDNA library analysis, quantitative PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization) and molecular characterization of cultured bacteria was used to examine the ileal mucosa-associated flora of patients with Crohn's disease involving the ileum (13), Crohn's disease restricted to the colon (CCD) (8) and healthy individuals (7). Analysis of 16S rDNA libraries constructed from ileal mucosa yielded nine clades that segregated according to their origin (P<0.0001). 16S rDNA libraries of ileitis mucosa were enriched in sequences for Escherichia coli (P<0.001), but relatively depleted in a subset of Clostridiales (P<0.05). PCR of mucosal DNA was negative for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis, Shigella and Listeria. The number of E. coli in situ correlated with the severity of ileal disease (ρ 0.621, P<0.001) and invasive E. coli was restricted to inflamed mucosa. E. coli strains isolated from the ileum were predominantly novel in phylogeny, displayed pathogen-like behavior in vitro and harbored chromosomal and episomal elements similar to those described in extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli and pathogenic Enterobacteriaceae. These data establish that dysbiosis of the ileal mucosa-associated flora correlates with an ileal Crohn's disease (ICD) phenotype, and raise the possibility that a selective increase in a novel group of invasive E. coli is involved in the etiopathogenesis to Crohn's disease involving the ileum.
Axisymmetric expansion of a gas from a nozzle into a vacuum

Using a test-particle Monte Carlo method the general features of a gas expanding from a circular nozzle into a vacuum were investigated. Calculations were performed by considering the flow to be uniform and axial at the exit plane of the nozzle with an exit Mach number of 3 and a throat Reynolds number of 25. Results are presented for the density, mean flow velocity and kinetic temperature of the gas. Near the axis of the jet the calculated density distributions were found to agree well with those given by Robertson & Willis. Results are also presented for regions far from the jet's axis where no other solution is available.
Comparing the Evidence Relevant to Impact and Flood Basalt at Times of Major Mass Extinctions

The five major mass extinctions identified in 1982 by Raup and Sepkoski have expanded to six, with the suggestion that the Permian-Triassic extinction was a double event. Is there a general explanation for great mass extinctions, or can they result from different triggers, or even from internal system instabilities? The two most-discussed candidates for a general extinction mechanism are impacts and flood-basalt eruptions. A compilation of evidence for impact at the times of mass extinctions shows that this cause is abundantly confirmed in the case of the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction and the late Eocene, which is a time of minor and gradual extinction, but little or no evidence connects other major extinctions to impact. On the other hand, there is a remarkable time correlation between flood basalts and four major extinctions, but no other evidence that flood basalts cause mass extinctions. The evidence for an impact-extinction linkage is strikingly different from that for a connection between flood bas...
The Consequences of Fatherhood Transition Among Disadvantaged Male Offenders: Does Timing Matter?

Drawing on a relatively understudied population of disadvantaged male offenders, this study assesses potentially differential consequences of having a first child under different social contexts such as timing of an event. After determining the effects of fatherhood transition on offending and other proposed mediators at different stages of life (late adolescence vs. early adulthood) by adopting propensity score matching (PSM) and additional regression adjustment, mediating processes are assessed explicitly by employing multiple mediator models within a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. This study finds that having a first child has no beneficial effects on teen fathers’ lives, whereas becoming a father during early adulthood has transformative potential. Crime-generating effects of teen fatherhood are significantly related to the changes in immediate and proximate correlates of crime such as lifestyles and delinquent peer association. These findings support the prediction from life course perspectives which posit that the impact of salient life events is not homogeneous but varies substantially by the timing of a transition. Further understanding of not just how timely arrival of turning points exerts influence on the reduction in subsequent offending but also why untimely transitions do not inhibit or even facilitate future offending would be fundamental to a more complete understanding of criminal desistance.
Category change in the absence of cognitive conflict.

The cognitive conflict hypothesis asserts that information that directly contradicts a prior conception is 1 of the prerequisites for conceptual change and other forms of nonmonotonic learning. There have been numerous attempts to support this hypothesis by adding a conflict intervention to learning scenarios with weak outcomes. Outcomes have been inconsistent and various methodological difficulties have prevented a decisive test. We present 3 experiments that demonstrate nonmonotonic category change in the absence of any contradictory or falsifying information in a category learning paradigm called recategorization. The results show that direct falsification is not necessary for nonmonotonic learning in this paradigm, and it might in fact slow the learning process. If the results scale up to more complex learning scenarios, theories of conceptual change need to include cognitive processes that predict change even in the absence of conflict or contradiction. The resubsumption theory is summarized as 1 example of such a theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Design of an enhanced multi-aisle order-picking system considering storage assignments and routing heuristics

Abstract Order-picking is the activity to retrieve items from the shelves to fulfill customers' orders. Order-picking is one of the most costly operations in warehousing accounting for 50–75% of total operating costs. This paper presents a novel model that is motivated by the normative order-picking algorithm known as “bucket brigades” to address multiple aisles in warehouses where workers have finite walk-back velocities and are allowed to pass successors. In order-picking operations, the majority of the previous research works have applied bucket brigades over a single-line (serial) system. The contributions of this research work are as follows. (1) A summary of an updated literature review of bucket brigades using a state-of-the-art-matrix. (2) A novel multi-aisle order picking model motivated by the normative single-aisle bucket brigade, which represents a more comprehensive and realistic scenario in order fulfillment warehouses. (3) A comparison between the single-line and multi-aisle models in order to analyze the difference in performance in terms of average system utilization, order cycle time and throughput. (4) A sensitivity analysis of different parameters and scenarios in order to identify the best routing heuristic, storage assignment and order type that maximizes utilization, minimizes cycle time and maximizes throughput in multi-aisle order picking systems. The results of the simulation studies are reported and analyzed. The proposed model is flexible and easily scalable to include other real-life warehousing considerations.
Route of Hysterectomy: An Evidence-based Approach

The number of hysterectomies performed has long been a concern; now the appropriateness of the surgical method is under more careful scrutiny. What is the clinically appropriate route and method for hysterectomy in a given patient? To ensure that each patient receives the best possible care at reasonable costs, physicians must closely examine recent data comparing surgical approaches to hysterectomy. So, what is the most evidence-based approach for hysterectomy?
Noninvasive Prenatal Testing: An Update on Prenatal Screening and Testing Options

The landmark discovery that cell-free fetal DNA was present in maternal plasma paved the way for significant changes in prenatal screening and diagnosis. Although traditional screening approaches relied on measuring maternal serum markers and ultrasound findings, analyzing cell-free fetal DNA held the promise of increasing the sensitivity and specificity of prenatal screening. Nearly 15 years after the initial discovery, this testing finally became a reality with the publication of several large clinical trials that validated its use for aneuploidy screening. We review several approaches for noninvasive prenatal testing that are currently available, including whole genome massively parallel shotgun sequencing, targeted sequencing, and analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Although noninvasive prenatal testing holds great promise, it is important that patients receive adequate counseling of its benefits and limitations. It is anticipated that this field will continue to experience rapid growth, and the ability to test for smaller genomic changes and single gene disorders by using this noninvasive testing will likely follow.