cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of BMP Signaling by O-GlcNAcylation

Precise regulation of signal transduction is critical throughout organismal life, both for embryonic development and for adult homeostasis. To ensure proper spatio-temporal signal transduction, Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) signaling pathways, like all other signaling pathways, are regulated by both agonists and antagonists. Here, we report identification of a previously unrecognized method of signal antagonism for Dpp (Decapentaplegic), a Drosophila BMP family member. We demonstrate that the BMP type I receptor Saxophone (Sax) functions as a Dpp receptor in the Drosophila embryonic epidermis, but that its activity is normally inhibited by the O-linked glycosyltransferase Super sex combs (Sxc). In wild-type embryos, inhibition of Saxophone (Sax) activity in the epidermis marks the BMP type I receptor Thickveins (Tkv) as the sole conduit for Dpp. In contrast, in sxc mutants, the Dpp signal is transduced by both Tkv and Sax, and elevated Dpp signaling induces errors in embryonic development that lead to embryonic death. We also demonstrate that Sax is the O-glycosylated target of Sxc and that O-glycosylation of Sax can be modulated by dietary sugar. Together, these findings link fertility to nutritive environment and point to Sax (activin receptor-like kinase [Alk] 1/2) signaling as the nutrient-sensitive branch of BMP signaling.nnGraphical AbstractnnO_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200 SRC="FIGDIR/small/784629v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1">nView larger version (51K):norg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@d8cc6forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@155afbforg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@854722org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1210a_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG
Full-state nonlinear trajectory tracking control of underactuated surface vessels:

This article presents the development, implementation, and comparison of two trajectory tracking nonlinear controllers for underactuated surface vessels. A control approach capable of stabilizing a...
Improving Scalability of Parallel CNN Training by Adjusting Mini-Batch Size at Run-Time

Training Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is a computationally intensive task, requiring efficient parallelization to shorten the execution time. Considering the ever-increasing size of available training data, the parallelization of CNN training becomes more important. Data-parallelism, a popular parallelization strategy that distributes the input data among compute processes, requires the mini-batch size to be sufficiently large to achieve a high degree of parallelism. However, training with large batch size is known to produce a low convergence accuracy. In image restoration problems, for example, the batch size is typically tuned to a small value between 16 ∼ 64, making it challenging to scale up the training. In this paper, we propose a parallel CNN training strategy that gradually increases the mini-batch size and learning rate at run-time. While improving the scalability, this strategy also maintains the accuracy close to that of the training with a fixed small batch size. We evaluate the performance of the proposed parallel CNN training algorithm with image regression and classification applications using various models and datasets.
The Influence of Evidence-Based Exercise and Age Reattribution on Physical Function in Hispanic Older Adults: Results From the ¡Caminemos! Randomized Controlled Trial.

Older Hispanics routinely exhibit unhealthy beliefs about “normal” aging trajectories, particularly related to exercise and physical function. We evaluated the prospective effects of age reattribut...
Sequoia: A Playground for Logicians

Sequent calculus is a pervasive technique for studying logics and their properties due to the regularity of rules, proofs, and meta-property proofs across logics. However, even simple proofs can be large, and writing them by hand is often messy. Moreover, the combinatorial nature of the calculus makes it easy for humans to make mistakes or miss cases. Sequoia aims to alleviate these problems. Sequoia is a web-based application for specifying sequent calculi and performing basic reasoning about them. The goal is to be a user-friendly program, where logicians can specify and “play” with their calculi. For that purpose, we provide an intuitive interface where inference rules can be input in Open image in new window and are immediately rendered with the corresponding symbols. Users can then build proof trees in a streamlined and minimal-effort way, in whichever calculus they defined. In addition to that, we provide checks for some of the most important meta-theoretical properties, such as weakening admissibility and identity expansion, given that they proceed by the usual structural induction. In this sense, the logician is only left with the tricky and most interesting cases of each analysis.
Do Glasses Modulate Age Perception

No formal studies have reported how glasses influence age perception, except for a London Vision Clinic survey that found that people over 45 look 5 or more years older when wearing eyeglasses. To ...
Deep Learning in Economic Load Dispatch with Short-Term Wind Power

In economic load dispatch (ELD) complemented by wind power, it is highly desirable to develop a quick scheme to adjust the real power generated by thermal units. In this paper, we apply the deep learning (DL) methodology to solve such a problem. A system of multiple generators and 100 wind turbines is chosen as a case study. The DL scheme is implemented with the feed-forward neural network (FNN). All stages of DL, namely training, validation, and testing, are covered in the simulation. It is shown that the training and validation achieved the expected performance criteria. By using the trained FNN, the time of solving ELD is significantly reduced.
Hepatic glycogen synthesis from duodenal glucose and alanine. An in situ 13C NMR study.

Abstract An in situ and in vivo surface coil 13C NMR study was performed to study hepatic glycogen synthesis from [3-13C]alanine and [1-13C]glucose administered by intraduodenal infusion in 18-h fasted male Sprague-Dawley rats. Combined, equimolar amounts of alanine and glucose were given. Hepatic appearance and disappearance of substrate and concurrent glycogen synthesis was followed over 150 min, with 5-min time resolution. Active glycogen synthesis from glucose via the direct (glucose----glycogen) and indirect (glucose----lactate----glycogen) pathways and from alanine via gluconeogenesis was observed. The indirect pathway of glycogen synthesis from [1-13C]glucose accounted for 30% (+/- 6 S.E.) of total glycogen formed from labeled glucose. This estimate does not take into account dilution of label in the hepatic oxaloacetate pool and is, therefore, somewhat uncertain. Hepatic levels of [3-13C]alanine achieved were significantly lower than levels of [1-13C]glucose in the liver, and the period of active glycogen synthesis from [3-13C]alanine was longer than from glucose. However, the overall pseudo-first-order rate constant during the period of active glycogen synthesis from [3-13C]alanine (0.075 min-1 +/- 0.026 S.E.) was almost 3 times that from [1-13C]glucose via the direct pathway (0.025 min-1 +/- 0.005 S.E.). The most likely reason for the small rate constant governing direct glycogen formation from duodenally administered glucose compared to that from duodenally administered alanine is a low level of glucose phosphorylating capacity in the liver.
CMa R1: a Case of Supernova-Induced Star Formation?

The idea that Supernovae might sometimes cause star formation is an old one. It was suggested as early as 1953 by Opik. However, strong observational evidence in favor of this has, to my knowledge, never been presented. What one would like to find is a young, star formation region at the edge of a SNR of comparable age. In this talk I would like to present some evidence which is suggestive of such a situation.
Group Performance in a Visual Signal-Detection Task

Sixteen male subjects were run in groups of four on 720 trials of a 16-alternative, forced-choice, visual signal-detection task. The first and third blocks of 240 trials required individual judgments concerning target location. The second block of 240 trials required a group decision as to target location for two groups of subjects, and individual responses followed by a group decision for the other two groups. Comparisons were made among individual performance, real group performance, and the performance of two types of pseudogroup (derived from individual data) using an information-integration and a decision-threshold model. Group performance was better than individual performance, and was midway between the performances predicted by the two pseudogroup models, indicating that neither of the latter were adequate models for group performance. Real groups showed some characteristics both of independence and dependence among subjects, with some apparent use of logical decision rules in pooling individual i...
A spatio-temporal role-based access control model

With the growing advancement of pervasive computing technologies, we are moving towards an era where spatio-temporal information will be necessary for access control. The use of such information can be used for enhancing the security of an application, and it can also be exploited to launch attacks. For critical applications, a formal model for spatio-temporal-based access control is needed that increases the security of the application and ensures that the location information cannot be exploited to cause harm. In this paper, we propose a spatio-temporal access control model, based on the Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) model, that is suitable for pervasive computing applications. We show the association of each component of RBAC with spatio-temporal information. We formalize the model by enumerating the constraints. This model can be used for applications where spatial and temporal information of a subject and an object must be taken into account before granting or denying access.
CHAPTER 312 – Regulation of mRNA Turnover by Cellular Stress

This chapter focuses on the current understanding of how stress-triggered signaling pathways influence mRNA stability and regulate the expression of labile mRNAs. Changes in gene expression occurring in response to stressful stimuli are controlled at multiple levels, through a variety of regulatory mechanisms. Although there is presence of extensive knowledge of the transcriptional mechanisms involved in altering gene expression, the posttranscriptional regulatory events are poorly understood. Alterations in mRNA stability constitute a major mechanism of posttranscriptional gene regulation, effecting rapid changes in gene expression. In mammalian cells, the stability of mRNA fluctuates widely, ranging from 20 min to 24 hr. In the absence of altered gene transcription, even small differences in half-life provide a very effective means of dramatically altering the abundance of a given mRNA and consequently the amount of protein expressed. Different types of mRNA turnover have been identified, some promoting mRNA stability, others enhancing mRNA degradation. Among the genes whose expression is regulated through altered mRNA turnover are many encoding T-cell activation molecules, cell cycle regulators, cell survival proteins, and stress-response factors. Given their pivotal role in many physiological and pathological conditions, including conditions of stress, there is increasing interest in understanding the mechanisms that govern mRNA stability and mRNA degradation.
Dissociation of sympathetic nervous system and adrenal medullary responses

The relative importance of sympathetic nerve (SNS) activity and adrenal medullary secretion in various physiological situations has generally been inferred from measurements of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E), respectively, in urine or plasma. Increasing evidence, however, indicates that under certain conditions the adrenal medulla may release substantial amounts of NE as well as E. In several of these circumstances, estimates of SNS activity based on the measurement of NE turnover in peripheral tissues of experimental animals indicate diminished SNS function, a reduction that is independent of adrenal medullary secretion. These reciprocal alterations in SNS and adrenal medullary activity fall into two patterns. First, when SNS activity is suppressed by fasting, adrenal medullary responses to various stimuli are enhanced. Second, for certain stimuli the SNS response is biphasic, with an initial suppression followed by subsequent stimulation; during the first phase adrenal medullary secretion is markedly increased. The physiological contribution of the adrenal medulla, therefore, would be particularly important under conditions of SNS suppression.
Arthropods on islands: colonization, speciation, and conservation.

▪ Abstract Islands have traditionally been considered to be any relatively small body of land completely surrounded by water. However, their primary biological characteristic, an extended period of isolation from a source of colonists, is common also to many situations on continents. Accordingly, theories and predictions developed for true islands have been applied to a huge array of systems, from rock pools, to single tree species in forests, to oceanic islands. Here, we examine the literature on islands in the broadest sense (i.e., whether surrounded by water or any other uninhabitable matrix) as it pertains to terrestrial arthropods. We categorize islands according to the features they share. The primary distinction between different island systems is “darwinian” islands (formed de novo) and “fragment” islands. In the former, the islands have never been in contact with the source of colonists and have abundant “empty” ecological niche space. On these islands, species numbers will initially increase thr...
IS RELIGIOUS NATURALISM ENOUGH

∗A critical review of Professor Stewart G. Cole's paper, entitled “The Church and Religious Naturalism.”
A general theory of polynomial conjoint measurement

Abstract The present theory generalizes conjoint measurement in five major respects. (a) It is formulated in terms of partially rather than fully ordered data. (b) It applies to both ordinal and numerical data. (c) It is applicable to finite as well as infinite data structures. (d) It provides a necessary and sufficient condition for measurement. (e) This condition applies to any polynomial measurement model; that is, any model where each data element is expressed as a specified real-valued, order-preserving polynomial function of its components. Examples of polynomial measurement models include Savage's subjective expected utility model, Hull's and Spence's performance models, Luce's choice model, and multidimensional scaling models. It is shown that a data structure D satisfies a given polynomial measurement M if and only if D satisfies an abstract irreflexivity axiom with respect to M. The interpretation of the result and its implications to measurement theory are discussed.
Analysis of Synaptic Transmission in the Neuromuscular Junction Using a Continuum Finite Element Model

There is a steadily growing body of experimental data describing the diffusion of acetylcholine in the neuromuscular junction and the subsequent miniature endplate currents produced at the postsynaptic membrane. To gain further insights into the structural features governing synaptic transmission, we have performed calculations using a simplified finite element model of the neuromuscular junction. The diffusing acetylcholine molecules are modeled as a continuum, whose spatial and temporal distribution is governed by the force-free diffusion equation. The finite element method was adopted because of its flexibility in modeling irregular geometries and complex boundary conditions. The resulting simulations are shown to be in accord with experiment and other simulations.
Association of Phialophora gregata with Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi in Garbanzo Beans in California.

In 1992, a vascular disease was found in two fields of cultivar UC-15 garbanzo beans (Cicer arietinum). The fields were located on the central coast of California and Phialophora gregata was consistently isolated from the aboveground tissue in the host UC-15 plants. Diseased patches in the fields mimicked the more common Fusarium wilt with its discolored vascular tissue in the stems, but in these instances P. gregata was the sole fungus that grew out of the tissue after 5 to 8 days of incubation on isolation agar. Greenhouse pathogenicity tests yielded only minor symptoms whether a dip technique or stem puncture inoculations were used. In subsequent years it was noted that this disease was observed only in garbanzo fields where a pea crop (Pisum sativum) had been previously grown. Further isolation from small foot and root lesions of diseased field plants revealed that they were infected with Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi (Fsp) in addition to P. gregata. In greenhouse experiments with a combination of soilb...
Hemispheric Specialization in Normally and Slowly Developing Children: A Tachistoscopic and Dichaptic Evaluation

Summnry.-The purpose of the study was a description of hemispheric specialization characteristics of normally developing right- and lefr-handed children and determination of what differences in such characteristics, if any, existed between young normally developing and older slowly developing children. With dichaptic and tachistoscopic methods, hemispheric specialization characteristics of 15 slowly developing children (5-0 to 9-6 yr.) and 25 normally developing children (6-0 co 6-11 yr.) were assessed. Latencies and the number of correct responses were analyzed. Both right- and left-handed normally developing 6-yr.-olds showed considerable evidence of bilateralization of hemispheric functions for spatial and verbal information processing; slowly developing children exhibited unusual patrerns of hemispheric specialization usually opposire those typically expected in children or adults. Response latency measures of performances of slowly developing children suggested a bilateralization of hemispheric function for processing of verbal and spatial information; number of correct responses indicated that lateralization of such functions was present. The existence of functional differences between the two cerebral hemispheres is well documented (Sperry, 1974; Kimura, 1966, 1969, 1973; Bradshaw, 1978). Universally it appears that language/verbal or sequential information-processing functions are the primary domain of the left cerebral hemisphere (Kimura, 1966, 1969, 1973; Bryden, 1966; Sperry, 1974; Kimura 8: Durnford, 1974; Levy, 1978; Bradshaw, 1978), while spatial/holistic information processing functions seem to be specialized in the right cerebral hemisphere (Bradshaw, 1978; Sperry, 1974; Kimura, 1966, 1969, 1973; Levy, 1978; Berlucchi, et al., 1979; Broman, 1978; Kimura & Durnford, 1974). Fot example, a single-letter, multiple letters, and words projected tachistoscopically are detected more rapidly and accurately by adults when they are presented in the right visual field (left cerebral hemispheric specialization) than in the left visual field. In contrast, nonsense or ocher kinds of spatial forms are identified more rapidly when presented to the left visual field (right cerebral hemispheric specialization). Dichotomous tactile stimulation (dichaptic.) techniques have also been used to study differences in cerebral hemispheric
Weighing Lysimeters for Evapotranspiration Research on Clay Soil

Local crop evapotranspiration (ET) measurements are needed for northeastern Louisiana. Objectives were to install, calibrate, and assess soil water characteristics of paired weighing lysimeters at Saint Joseph, LA. Installed in 2005, the lysimeters have inner tanks 1.5 m long, 1.5 m deep, and 1.0 m wide that rest on load cells within outer tanks. The inner tanks contain refilled Sharkey clay (very-fine, smectitic, thermic Chromic Epiaquerts) and allow removal of freely draining water. Available irrigated fetch is ≥50 m in all directions with two discontinuities. Calibration yielded, with little hysteresis, a linear relationship (R 2 > 0.99) between applied mass and summed load cell output for each lysimeter. Measurement errors for mass changes during calibration were consistently equivalent to <0.2 mm water. In 2007, at a 1.2-m depth, lysimeter and surrounding field soil water potentials were similar. The lysimeters appear suitable in mechanical operation and drainage to measure daily well-watered crop ET.
Resonant multiphoton ionization of krypton by intense uv laser radiation.

Low-pressure Kr and Xe gas has been irradiated by a high-intensity (3 x 10/sup 12/--10/sup 14/ W cm-2), short-pulse (1.3 ps), tunable laser beam. Enhancement of the Kr/sup +/ yield by 2 orders of magnitude by three-photon--resonant four-photon ionization is observed at intensities 1 to 2 orders of magnitude above previous results. The 4p..-->..5d ((1/2)/sub 1/ and 4p..-->..4d ((3/2)/sub 1/ three-photon Kr resonance profiles are measured as a function of peak laser intensity and are well fitted by a simple model incorporating line shifts and widths scaling linearly with laser intensity.
Evaluating Responsibilities of the Department Chairperson

We describe an instrument and process for evaluating responsibilities of the department chairperson. The instrument is based on Knight and Holen s (1985) study that related responsibilities to two dimensions of effective leadership—initiating structure and consideration.
“Membrane‐Associated” Immunoglobulins in Cyst and Ascites Fluids of Ovarian Cancer Patients*

: A new column chromatography technique, utilizing peroxidase-labeled antihuman immunoglobulins, is described, which can measure the binding of specific antibodies to membrane fragments containing relevant antigens. Using this assay, the presence of bound immunoglobulin is demonstrated on membrane fragments isolated from ascites fluids, but not from tumor tissues. In this study, two populations of immunoglobulins were examined: ‘free’ immunoglobulins and immunoglobulins bound to ascites fluid-derived membrane fragments. Immunoglobulins eluted from membrane fragments of the ascites fluids were capable of binding to the tumor. These were specific for binding to tumor membrane preparations, in that there was two orders of magnitude greater binding of these immunoglobulins at a given concentration than ‘free’ immunoglobulins at the same concentration.
Determination of the chiral SU(4) x SU(4) breaking parameters

We consider broken chiral SU(4) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} SU(4) symmetry. From the observed mass spectrum of pseudoscalar charmed mesons, we are able to solve for the symmetry-breaking parameters of the theory. We find that both vacuum and Hamiltonian breaking play an important role as far as charmed states are concerned. Purely from the masses of $D$ and $F$ mesons we deduce the current-algebra mass ratio $\frac{{m}_{c}}{{m}_{s}}l5$. This differs greatly from values obtained using linear or quadratic mass formulas. Considering $\ensuremath{\eta}$, ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$, and ${\ensuremath{\eta}}_{c}$ mixing we further obtain a good solution with $\frac{{m}_{c}}{{m}_{s}}\ensuremath{\simeq}3.2$ and $\frac{〈\overline{c}c〉}{〈\overline{u}u〉}\ensuremath{\simeq}5.67$.
Fuzzy Logic and Neural Network Approximation to Indoor Comfort and Energy Optimization

Research about indoor environmental satisfaction has indicated that allowing building occupants to adjust their local environment to their preferences increases thermal satisfaction and human performance at the workplace. However, such systems have been considered as a reason of possible increase in energy consumption of environmental control systems. In our previous study [1], we minimized the energy consumption of distributed environmental control systems without increasing occupant thermal dissatisfaction using gradient-based optimization. We then approximated the optimal models using fuzzy systems based on the nearest neighbors. Those fuzzy models were specific to different outside temperatures. This required a considerable storage space to keep all the fuzzy rules of each outside temperature. In this study, we generated a fuzzy system and a neural network system, which are generated for any outside temperature. Our results show these two models approximate the results of gradient-based optimization in a practically feasible fashion.
Reversed Phase High - Performance Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Tricyclic Antidepressants in Plasma

Abstract A reversed phase HPLC procedure is described for measuring the plasma concentration of four commonly used tricyclic anti-depressants (TCA): amitriptyline, desipramine, imipramine and nortriptyline in the range of 25 to 800ng per ml. The procedure involves rapid extraction, and HPLC analysis using a μBondapak C-18 column at 50°C, and a 254nm detector. Coefficients of variation are less than 5% for within run, and 7% for day-to-day experiments. Detection limits are: desipramine -0.5ng, nortriptyline or imipramine -0.6ng, and amitriptyline -0.7ng. Propoxyphene interferes with amitriptyline while chlorpromazine interferes with clomipramine. The procedure is easily adapted for clinical drug monitoring of TCA.
Should Small Firms Launch New Products during High or Low Seasons

The current research examines the trade-offs between launching new products during high seasons, when both demand and competition are high, and low seasons, when both demand and competition are les...
Millimeter-wave achromatic half-wave plate.

We have constructed an achromatic half-wave plate (AHWP) suitable for the millimeter wavelength band. The AHWP was made from a stack of three sapphire a-cut birefringent plates with the optical axes of the middle plate rotated by 50.5 deg with respect to the aligned axes of the other plates. The measured modulation efficiency of the AHWP at 110 GHz was 96 ± 1.5%. In contrast, the modulation efficiency of a single sapphire plate of the same thickness was 43 ± 4%. Both results are in close agreement with theoretical predictions. The modulation efficiency of the AHWP was constant as a function of incidence angles between 0 and 15 deg. We discuss design parameters of an AHWP in the context of astrophysical broadband polarimetry at the millimeter wavelength band.
Forms and functions of family mealtimes: Multidisciplinary perspectives

This introduction to the volume examines the evolution of contemporary family mealtime practices and how they have changed, and it synthesizes theory and research from across disciplines regarding the opportunities that mealtimes provide for child and adolescent development.
Nilpotent Ideals in Lie and Anti-Lie Triple Systems

Abstract The concept of nilpotent ideal is defined in the categories of Lie and anti-Lie triple systems, the existence of a nil-radical is proven, and the relationship between the nil-radical of a triple system and that of its standard embedding is examined. Finally, Engel′s theorem is generalized to Lie triple systems in characteristic zero.
A Rotated Eigenanalysis of the Correlation between 700 mb Heights and Sea Surface Temperatures in the Pacific and Atlantic

Abstract Associations between Pacific and Atlantic sea surface temperature (SST) and the 700 mb circulation were studied using 30 years (1949-78) of gridded monthly data. The monthly data were grouped into four (nonstandard) seasons for the analysis. The linear correlation between the two fields (SST and 700 mb heights) was analyzed by finding the eigenvalue solution of the mean product matrix of the cross correlations. This technique, introduced by Prohaska, was modified through the use of a varimax rotation. The result is a set of pairs of patterns (one pattern for each medium) which explains part of the linear correlation between the two fields. The number of significant modes (pairs) was determined by a Monte Carlo simulation. One well-known atmospheric teleconnections pattern, referred to as the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern by Wallace and Gutzler, was found in all seasons; however, seasonal differences were noted. During the warm season, the PNA pattern manifests itself as the Great Plains (G...
‘Ageism’ in dental care delivery

Older adults will comprise increasingly higher proportions of dentists’ practice time in the future, and issues regarding their treatment are more salient now than ever before. Psychosocial issues and attitudes toward treating older patients are among the most important of these. Ageism, defined as negative attitudes or prejudice toward older adults, has implications in dental care delivery. It can be manifested by the attitudes that older people have toward their own aging process, by those who provide their health care, and by society. This article proposes a more appropriate definition of ageism and discusses the forms ageism can take in the dental care setting.
Development of an assay for β-lactam hydrolysis using the pH-dependence of enhanced green fluorescent protein

An assay has been developed utilizing the pH-dependent fluorescence of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). This photoprotein allows for the study of kinetic properties of hydrolytic enzymes based on the production of protons. As a model system, β-lactamase, a well-characterized enzyme responsible for antibiotic resistance in many bacteria, was used. More specifically, EGFP and β-lactamase were genetically fused using overlap extension PCR and incorporated into a bacterial expression vector. The vector was subsequently transformed into Escherichia coli, and the fusion protein was expressed and purified. β-Lactamase catalyzes the hydrolysis of the β-lactam ring of ampicillin. This causes a decrease in the local pH, which in turn changes the spectral properties of EGFP. This property was utilized to perform enzyme kinetic studies on the new fusion protein as well as on the β-lactamase inhibitor, sulbactam. The assay can be used to evaluate substrates and inhibitors of β-lactamase in a format that should be amenable to high-throughput screening.
In vivo dialysis setup with a loop injection valve facilitates retrodialysis studies

Abstract Introduction Retrodialysis, as used in neuropharmacological research, is a technique for in vivo delivery of neuroactive agents with concurrent monitoring of their effects on cellular activity with a separation between certain degree of spatial and temporal resolution. Typically, this is accomplished either by the use of a liquid-switch requiring multiple pumps, or by exchange of flow tubing requiring stopping and restarting dialysis. In the present study, we describe the use of a medium pressure injection valve for retrodialysis that overcomes these problems. Methods The valve was configured with a loop to deliver 20 μL of solution, and artificial CSF flow from the pump to the probe was established via this device. The application of this setup was evaluated in urethane anesthetized adult male C57BL/6J mice prepared with a CMA 11 probe implanted in the ventral hippocampus. By switching between the load and inject positions, the loop was filled with escitalopram solution (0.3 μM) and delivered at a rate of 1 μL/min at the probe for retrodialysis. Escitalopram (2 mg/kg BW) was administered subcutaneously for microdialysis studies. During these treatments, dialysate fractions were collected for the determination of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). Results Irrespective of route of escitalopram administration, the pattern of dialysate 5-HT, and 5-HIAA response was comparable to that reported by other investigators. Accordingly, the in-line valve assembly did not compromise retrodialysis or microdialysis sampling. The manipulations to carry out retrodialysis using the valve setup are easy and simple. Discussion An in-line injection valve is a promising adaptation for retrodialysis studies and can be incorporated as a standard part of in vivo dialysis instrumentation.
Empowerment evaluation of worker safety and health education programs.

Background The need to expand the use of evaluation to learn how education programs contribute to workers' occupational safety and health is well documented. Similarly recognized is the need to expand workers' involvement as primary stakeholders in program evaluation. Methods Articles for this review were identified through computer database and manual searches related to: intervention research and evaluation; occupational safety, health training, and education; and worker participation and empowerment. Results After identifying empowerment as a multilevel and multidimensional concept, this review used a theoretical framework of evaluation to show how various participatory and empowering approaches can affect evaluation studies and their use. Conclusions The field of occupational safety and health has a unique historical opportunity to further expand workers' involvement in their own education through the use of participatory and empowering approaches to evaluation. Use of these approaches has the potential to strengthen capacities for organizational learning and improve both program theory and practice. Am. J. Ind. Med. 38:584–597, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Investigation of extraction, transformation, and loading techniques for traffic data warehouses

Archived data management systems (ADMSs) are data warehouses created to support analyses that are based on data collected by transportation operations systems. Whereas many believe that an ADMS can be created by simply exporting data from an operations system, experience in developing the Virginia ADMS illustrates that the creation of an effective ADMS requires careful attention to the extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) process. This process refers to the activities conducted when a data warehouse is created from an operational data store. Four critical elements of an ADMS ETL process are addressed: data aggregation, data quality assessment, data imputation, and data characterization. For each element the purpose and need are documented, a review of available alternative implementation methods is presented, and, finally, a description of the approach used in the Virginia ADMS is detailed.
The laboratory school protocol: its origin, use, and new applications.

Objective: ADHD is the most common childhood psychiatric disorder, with impairments seen in home and academic settings. To investigate such impairments in a school-like setting, the laboratory school protocol (LSP) was developed at the University of California, Irvine. Method: This model provides a rigorously controlled environment to examine pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic aspects of responses to treatment. A key principle of this methodology is to exercise tight control of the timing and context of measurements by establishing a cycle of activities repeated across each study day. In addition, the LSP approach has been extended to both younger and older populations than the typically studied school-aged group. This extension requires corresponding modifications in measures to characterize drug efficacy and to allow evaluation of ADHD symptoms in a highly standardized setting. Results: This article provides guidelines for employing the LSP for the assessment of medication effects for both preschool an...
Coarsening of granular segregation patterns in quasi-two-dimensional tumblers

A fundamental characteristic of granular flows is segregation on the basis of particle size or density. For bidisperse mixtures of particles, revolutions of the order of 10 produce a segregation pattern of several radial streaks in quasi-two-dimensional rotating tumblers with fill fractions between 50% and 70%. By extending the duration of the experiments to the order of 102–103 tumbler revolutions, we have found the first evidence of coarsening of the radial streak pattern to as few as one streak, resulting in an unexpected wedge-shaped segregation pattern. This phenomenon occurs for a wide range of conditions including several fill fractions, particle sizes and mixtures of particles varying in both size and density in circular tumblers as well as for particles varying in size in square tumblers. Coarsening seems to be driven by transport of small (or dense) particles from streak to streak through the semicircular radial core, leading to new questions about the physics of coarsening of granular segregation patterns. Mixing two different types of grains in a revolving tumbler produces several radial streaks as the grains segregate. Unexpectedly though, after hundreds of revolutions, only one streak remains.
Predicting barrier passage and habitat suitability for migratory fish species

Abstract Fish migrate to spawn, feed, seek refuge from predators, and escape harmful environmental conditions. The success of upstream migration is limited by the presence of barriers that can impede the passage of fish. We used a spatially explicit modeling strategy to examine the effects of barriers on passage for 21 native and non-native migratory fish species and the amount of suitable habitat blocked for each species. Spatially derived physical parameter estimates and literature based fish capabilities and tolerances were used to predict fish passage success and habitat suitability. Both the fish passage and the habitat suitability models accurately predicted fish presence above barriers for most common, non-stocked species. The fish passage model predicted that barriers greater than or equal to 6 m block all migratory species. Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) was expected to be blocked the least. The habitat suitability model predicted that low gradient streams with intact habitat quality were likely to support the highest number of fish species. The fish passage and habitat suitability models were intended to be used by environmental managers as strategy development tools to prioritize candidate dams for field assessment and make decisions regarding the management of migratory fish populations.
Application of capillary electrophoresis/ electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry to subcellular proteomics of Escherichia coli ribosomal proteins.

We introduce capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) as an efficient means for the on-line separation and identification of protein mixtures. It was found that while CE/electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS analysis of whole-cell lysate was too complicated for the one-dimensional CE-MS analysis, the technique was useful for the analysis of protein mixtures of moderate complexity (∼50 intact proteins). CE/ESI-MS was applied to the subcellular proteomics of ribosomal Escherichia coli. 55 out of the 56 ribosomal proteins were detected with ease by using only ∼3.4 ng of ribosomal proteins. In addition, it was found that the mass accuracy of the conventional MS (such as quadrupole ion traps) was good enough to identify many post-translational modifications of the intact proteins by simply comparing their measured average molecular weight with the average molecular weight predicted from gene banks.
Synaptic potential summation and repetitive firing mechanisms: input-output theory for the recruitment of neurons into epileptic bursting firing patterns.

Abstract Neurons in human epileptic foci (and in the various animal models of epilepsy) tend to discharge in high-frequency bursts. If a normal neuron received enough inputs from such epileptic bursting neurons, the temporal and spatial summation of PSPs might elicit a high-frequency burst from the normal neuron itself. This paper considers quantitative models for PSP summation: The average depolarization is the product of mean PSP rates and the area beneath a single PSP, ignoring non-linearities. The size of PSPs, due to single inputs, in mammalian CNS neurons is reviewed and used to estimate the mean depolarization caused by nominal 20/sec firing rates in an input fiber; from this, it is estimated that 2% of a normal neuron's inputs would be required to give enough spatial summation to start low frequency firing, 8% to cause high-frequency responses. Temporal and spatial summation were simulated on a computer using actual spike trains from epileptic neurons bursting at high frequency, thus giving an estimate of the depolarization sequence to be expected in a normal cortical neuron which might receive synapses from an epileptic bursting neuron. Depolarization-to-firing-rate curves from normal cortical neurons were then used to illustrate the firing patterns to be expected from the normal neuron's response. It was concluded that a normal neuron could be recruited into a high-frequency bursting firing pattern if about 1% of its inputs possessed such firing patterns. The input spikes need not be synchronous; only the bursts themselves need overlap in time (simultaneous recording from several epileptic neurons often exhibit such overlap of bursts). Bursts lasting longer than several postsynaptic time constants will nearly achieve their maximal mean depolarizations; bursts longer than that may not achieve significantly greater depolarization levels, but will increase the chances of overlap in bursts from different inputs.
The nylon scintillator containment vessels for the Borexino solar neutrino experiment

Abstract Borexino is a solar neutrino experiment designed to observe the 0.86 MeV Be 7 neutrinos emitted in the pp cycle of the sun. Neutrinos will be detected by their elastic scattering on electrons in 100 ton of liquid scintillator. The neutrino event rate in the scintillator is expected to be low ( ∼ 0.35 events per day per ton), and the signals will be at energies below 1.5 MeV, where background from natural radioactivity is prominent. Scintillation light produced by the recoil electrons is observed by an array of 2240 photomultiplier tubes. Because of the intrinsic radioactive contaminants in these PMTs, the liquid scintillator is shielded from them by a thick barrier of buffer fluid. A spherical vessel made of thin nylon film contains the scintillator, separating it from the surrounding buffer. The buffer region itself is divided into two concentric shells by a second nylon vessel in order to prevent inward diffusion of radon atoms. The radioactive background requirements for Borexino are challenging to meet, especially for the scintillator and these nylon vessels. Besides meeting requirements for low radioactivity, the nylon vessels must also satisfy requirements for mechanical, optical, and chemical properties. The present paper describes the research and development, construction, and installation of the nylon vessels for the Borexino experiment.
The Sox Family of Transcription Factors: Versatile Regulators of Stem and Progenitor Cell Fate

Sox family transcription factors are well-established regulators of cell fate decisions during development. Accumulating evidence documents that they play additional roles in adult tissue homeostasis and regeneration. Remarkably, forced expression of Sox factors, in combination with other synergistic factors, reprograms differentiated cells into somatic or pluripotent stem cells. Dysregulation of Sox factors has been further implicated in diseases including cancer. Here, we review molecular and functional evidence linking Sox proteins with stem cell biology, cellular reprogramming, and disease with an emphasis on Sox2.
Estimates of quasipolar absorption by methane in the atmosphere of Titan

Abstract The basis for “quasipolar” absorption (QPA) by CH 4 is the existence of a small electric dipole moment in its ground state. The integrated intensity α QPA at a temperature of 90K is calculated to be between 4.8 × 10 −5 and 1.9 × 10 −2 cm −2 atm −1 . With an assumed mean pressure of 0.1 atm and a relative abundance of [ CH 4 ] [ H 2 ] = 1 , it is estimated that the ratio of quasipolar to pressure-induced absorption (PIA) is 0.05 ≲ α QPA / α PIA ≲ 18 for the spectral range from 0 to 300 cm −1 . This result suggests that quasipolar absorption may contribute to a weak, CH 4 -induced greenhouse in the atmosphere of Titan.
New developments in two-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy for rapid detection of organics in seawater

fluorimeter for rapid detection and speciation of organic compounds in seawater. Thepurpose of this detection is to recognize the presence of anthropogenic hydrocarbonsassociated with submarine activity, and to use this hydrocarbon signature for trackingpurposes.Aromatic hydrocarbons are pervasive environmental contaminants of waters,originating from both natural and man-made sources. Examples are humic and fulvicacids, which are naturally-occurring mixtures of aromatic organic acids leached from
Transfer of Toxicants from Exposed Nymphs of the Drywood Termite Incisitermes snyderi (Isoptera: Kalotermitidae) to Unexposed Nestmates

Two formulations of spinosad (NAF-85 and NAF-371) were evaluated to determine the effect of concentration, deposit condition (dried, wet, or topical), and exposure time (0.1–10 h) for toxicant transfer among nestmates in the drywood termite Incisitermes snyderi (Light). Spinosad treatments were compared with two formulations of disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) (10% aqueous dilution, 98% dust) and with 35% calcium arsenate dust. Termites were dyed and individually exposed to different treatments for 0.1, 1.5, 1.0, 5.0, 10.0 h, or 0.1 and 1.0 h (DOT and calcium arsenate dust) and then placed with 10 unmarked, untreated nestmates in a petri dish. Spinosad formulations also were evaluated by topical application to dyed termites. Transfer of lethal doses of toxicants between termites was indicated by significant mortality of untreated termites in 25 of 28 treatments by 28 d after introduction of dyed, treated termites. Only three treatments, one spinosad treatment (NAF-371, wet, 1 h) and both DOT 10% solution treatments, resulted in mortality of untreated termites that was not significantly different than that of water-treated controls. Two spinosad treatments and both calcium arsenate dust treatments resulted in >90% (94–98%) mortality of untreated termites by 28 d after introduction. Mortality of untreated termites was significantly different from controls for the two spinosad formulations, depending on condition of deposit and duration of dyed termite exposure to treatments.
Ordinal optimization approach to rare event probability problems

In this paper we introduce a new approach to rare event simulation. Because of the extensive simulation required for precise estimation of performance criterion dependent on rare event occurrences, obstacles such as computing budget/time constraints and pseudo-random number generator limitations can become prohibitive, particularly if comparative study of different system designs is involved. Existing methods for rare events simulation have focused on simulation budget reduction while attempting to generate accurate performance estimates. In this paper we propose a new approach for rare events system analysis in which we relax the simulation goal to the isolation of a set of “good enough” designs with high probability. Given this relaxation, referred to as ordinal optimization and advanced by Ho et al. (1992), this paper's approach calls instead for the consideration of an appropriate surrogate design problem This surrogate problem is characterized by its approximate ordinal equivalence to the original problem and its performance criterion's dependence not on rare event occurrences, but on more frequent events. Evaluation of such a surrogate problem under the relaxed goals of ordinal optimization has experimentally resulted in orders of magnitude reduction in simulation burden.
The Synthesis and Characterization of a Pentafluorosulfanylated Peptide

The design and synthesis of pentafluorosulfanyl-containing heptad amino acid sequence was described. The three-dimensional conformation of the peptide was investigated by using CYANA (combined assignment and dynamics algorithm for NMR applications) and the integrated autoassignment. This study shows that the one of the diastereomers assumed a very tight coiled conformation in [D6]DMSO where both pentafluorosulfanyl groups assumed a synclinal relationship. The propensity of the protected heptapeptide to form such a tight coil and of the pentafluorosulfanyl groups to align so uniformly is suggestive of the utility of pentafluorosulfanylated amino acids in promoting conformational control.