cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generalized inhibition of cell-free translation by the amino-terminal propeptide of chick type I procollagen.

Abstract Fragments of the amino-terminal propeptide of procollagen have been shown to inhibit the synthesis of procollagen in cultured cells and in a reticulocyte lysate cell-free system (for review see Timpl, R. and Glanville, R.W. (1981) Clin. Orth. Rel. Res. 158, 224–242). In this report, we show that the full-length amino-terminal propeptide of chick pro α1(I) chains inhibits the translation of chick tendon mRNA and rat brain mRNA in a reticulocyte lysate cell-free system. The synthesis of procollagen and non-collagenous proteins was equally affected. Inhibition was dose-dependent up to 10 μM. A similar pattern of inhibition was observed for the collagenase-resistant fragment, col 1(I).
Genome‐wide detection of tissue‐specific alternative splicing in the human transcriptome

We have developed an automated method for discovering tissue-specific regulation of alternative splicing through a genome-wide analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs). Using this approach, we have identified 667 tissue-specific alternative splice forms of human genes. We validated our muscle-specific and brain-specific splice forms for known genes. A high fraction (8/10) were reported to have a matching tissue specificity by independent studies in the published literature. The number of tissue-specific alternative splice forms is highest in brain, while eye-retina, muscle, skin, testis and lymph have the greatest enrichment of tissue-specific splicing. Overall, 10-30% of human alternatively spliced genes in our data show evidence of tissue-specific splice forms. Seventy-eight percent of our tissue-specific alternative splices appear to be novel discoveries. We present bioinformatics analysis of several tissue-specific splice forms, including automated protein isoform sequence and domain prediction, showing how our data can provide valuable insights into gene function in different tissues. For example, we have discovered a novel kidney-specific alternative splice form of the WNK1 gene, which appears to specifically disrupt its N-terminal kinase domain and may play a role in PHAII hypertension. Our database greatly expands knowledge of tissue-specific alternative splicing and provides a comprehensive dataset for investigating its functional roles and regulation in different human tissues.
Ultraviolet spectral differences between phosphorylase aandb

Abstract Phosphorylase a , a tetramer, and phosphorylase b , a dimer, were found to have very similar ultraviolet spectra. Essentially no difference was seen in the percentage exposure of tyrosinyl and tryptophanyl residues to solvent as measured by solvent perturbation spectroscopy. Differences (∼ 1% at 280 nm) were seen, however, when the conversion of phosphorylase a to phosphorylase b was followed spectrophotometrically. These spectral changes were faster than the rate of phosphate release from phosphorylase a and the rate of loss of activity as measured in the absence of AMP.
Development of a model for thin-film stability and spreading in solid–liquid–liquid systems

The presence of thin aqueous films and their stability has a profound effect on reservoir rock–fluids interactions involved in spreading and adhesion. The stability of thin wetting aqueous films on rock surfaces is governed by several variables including pH, brine and crude oil compositions, and capillary pressure. These variables govern the wetting states in the solid–liquid–liquid systems. The wetting states influence the residual oil saturation and the oil-water relative permeabilities and, consequently, the oil recovery. The objective of this study was to deduce a functional dependence of thin-film stability on the above parameters by considering intermolecular and surface interactions in rock–crude oil–brine systems. The surface forces are manifested as disjoining pressure in thin films. The disjoining pressure isotherms for the selected solid–liquid–liquid systems have been computed in terms of the bulk properties of the media. The equilibrium contact angles have also been computed from the integrat...
Intact Genetic Material is Present in Commercially Processed Cadaver Allografts Used for Pubovaginal Slings

ABSTRACTPurpose: We determined the presence, quantitated the concentration and assessed the length of DNA present in 4 commercially available human cadaver allografts.Materials and Methods: We evaluated 10 tissue samples from each of 4 commercial sources of human allograft (Mentor Corp., Santa Barbara, California; Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation, Edison, New Jersey; Regeneration Technologies, Inc., Alachua, Florida; and Life Cell Corp., Woodlands, Texas) for intact DNA segments. All allograft samples underwent a standard extraction technique (proteinase K/sodium dodecyl sulfate/phenol) to isolate genetic material. Spectrophotometry evaluation was done to quantify DNA concentrations. Polymerase chain reaction was performed to amplify the retrieved DNA material. Agarose gel electrophoresis was performed to determine the size of DNA fragments.Results: Of the 49 samples tested from all 4 commercial sources of human allograft fascia 39 (97.5%) contained DNA of 400 to 2,000 bp segments. A 400 bp DNA segme...
Influence of social experience on sexual readiness of male house crickets,Acheta domestica

MaleAcheta domestica were deprived of social experience at three different life stages and mated as 2-or 3-day adults. Those deprived from the egg stage were found to copulate morereadily than males which had social experience.
Simple Method for Determining Potential Evapotranspiration from Temperature Data

A value for the total amount of water that, theoretically, could be lost from soil and vegetation through evaporation and transpiration, if sufficient soil moisture were always available, may be obtained readily by multiplying a given time-period factor by the sum of time-unit means of positive centigrade temperatures divided by the number of time units in the period.
Induction of xenobiotic metabolism in rats by brominated diphenyl ethers administered for 90 days

Abstract The administration of doses as low as 0.78 μmol/kg/day p.o. for 90 days of the commercial fire retardants pentabromodiphenyl ether and octabromodiphenyl ether to rats resulted in increased O-ethyl O-p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate (EPN) detoxification and p-nitroanisole demethylation. This dose of pentabromodiphenyl ether and higher doses of octabromodiphenyl ether also increased cytochrome P-450 and NADPH cytochrome c reductase. Measurements made at 30 and 60 days after the last dose showed that these indicators of induced xenobiotic metabolism return to control levels slowly. The results demonstrate that these inducers are not only potent but that their effects may be long-lasting.
Relationships of Race and Sex to Physical and Motor Measures

Scores on jump and reach, sit-ups, flexed-arm hang, soccer wall volley, sit and reach, Shape-O-Ball, zig-zag run, and 600-yd. walk-run for 2,546 children (both black and white) in Grades 2, 4, and 6 showed few differences in motor performance as a function of race, but clear-cut differences by sex.
Machine vision techniques for subpixel estimation of critical dimensions

Novel edge detection and line-fitting machine vision algorithms are applied for linewidth measurement on optical images of integrated circuits. The techniques are used to achieve subpixel resolution. The strategy employs a two-step procedure. In the first step, a neural network is used for edge detection ofthe image. Three neural network approaches are investigated: self-organizing, bootstrap linear threshold, and constrained maximization strategies. The weights of the neural networks are estimated using unsupervised learning procedures, the advantage of which is the ability to adapt to the imaging environment. Consequently, these proposed neural network approaches for edge detection do not require an a priori data base of images with known linewidths for calibration. In the second step, line-fitting methods are applied to the edge maps defined by the neural network to compute linewidth. Two methods are investigated: the Hough transform method and an eigenvector strategy. By employing this two-step strategy, the entire image is used to estimate linewidth as opposed to the use of just a single or a few line scans. Thus, edge roughness effects can be spatially averaged to obtain an optimal estimate of linewidth, and subpixel resolution can be achieved. However, the accuracy (or variance) of this estimate will, of course, be dependent on issues such as pixel size and the capability of the imaging system. The techniques are general and can be used on images from a variety of microscopes, including optical and electron-beam microscopes.
Gravitational perturbations of spherically symmetric systems. I. The exterior problem

Gravitational perturbations of the Schwarzschild metric are treated from a point of view which is adapted, in a natural way, to the gauge group of the perturbed Einstein equations. The metric perturbations are explicitly decomposed into their gauge invariant, gauge dependent and constrained parts and a variational principle for the perturbation equations is derived. The Regge-Wheeler and Zerilli equations are rederived and shown to have a gauge invariant significance. The Hamiltonian for the perturbations is constructed and used to discuss the stability properties of the Schwarzschild black hole.
Europeanising Antitrust: British Competition Policy Reform and Member State Convergence

This article argues that the patterns of competition policy convergence in EU member states challenge formulations of the process of Europeanisation and specifically the notion that the likelihood of policy harmonisation is a function of the pre-existing compatibility or ‘fit’ between national and supranational policies. In the case of antitrust, the member states in which existing arrangements were least compatible with the European policy were generally the first to adopt the European competition enforcement regime, while Britain, in spite of having an established—albeit dysfunctional—competition regime since the 1940s, was the last of the medium- and large-sized members to move towards harmonising its antitrust rules. The article finds that the pre-existence of an antitrust system actually made harmonisation more difficult for Britain by allowing British industrial interests to develop preferences for the domestic system, which stymied attempts to Europeanise British policy.
Blind estimation of reverberation time.

The reverberation time (RT) is an important parameter for characterizing the quality of an auditory space. Sounds in reverberant environments are subject to coloration. This affects speech intelligibility and sound localization. Many state-of-the-art audio signal processing algorithms, for example in hearing-aids and telephony, are expected to have the ability to characterize the listening environment, and turn on an appropriate processing strategy accordingly. Thus, a method for characterization of room RT based on passively received microphone signals represents an important enabling technology. Current RT estimators, such as Schroeder’s method, depend on a controlled sound source, and thus cannot produce an online, blind RT estimate. Here, a method for estimating RT without prior knowledge of sound sources or room geometry is presented. The diffusive tail of reverberation was modeled as an exponentially damped Gaussian white noise process. The time-constant of the decay, which provided a measure of the RT, was estimated using a maximum-likelihood procedure. The estimates were obtained continuously, and an order-statistics filter was used to extract the most likely RT from the accumulated estimates. The procedure was illustrated for connected speech. Results obtained for simulated and real room data are in good agreement with the real RT values.
Host plant toxins and unpalatability of Neacoryphus bicrucis (Hemiptera:Lygaeidae).

. 1. Host plant choice of the seed bug, Neacoryphus bicrucis Say (Hemiritera, Lygaeidae), was evaluated in four different Georgia habitats. N. bicrucis utilized only species of Senecio as host plants at a granite outcrop and at old fields on the coastal plain, in the piedmont, and in the Blue Ridge Mountains. 2. In laboratory tests N. bicrucis is distasteful to the green anole lizard, Anolis carolinensis Voight. Only six of ninety field-collected bugs were eaten in palatability trials while eighty-four of the remaining ninety attacked bugs were rejected by lizards without apparent harm. However, the bugs were palatable to Fowler's toads, Bufo woodhousei fowleri Hinckley, which ate all thirty-six bugs offered to them. 3. N. bicrucis selectively sequesters pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Senecio spp. These may cause the insects' distastefulness to green anoles. In palatability trials, lizards ate all twenty insects reared on sunflower seeds, Helianthus annus, but rejected all twenty reared on Senecio smallii.
High spectral purity microwave generation via optical division

We generate 10 GHz microwave signals from high quality factor (Q∼1011) optical resonators via optical frequency division. The demonstrated phase noise is comparable to or better than that obtained via cryogenic systems for timescales &#60; 1s.
Development of transgenic collards (Brassica oleracea L., var. acephala) expressing a cry1Ac or cry1C Bt gene for control of the diamondback moth

Abstract Collards (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) are an important vegetable crucifer produced worldwide for human consumption, and one subject to severe injury by Lepidoptera. We have produced Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)-transgenic collard lines that have the potential to be used either for direct control or as a “dead end” trap crop for Lepidoptera. To produce collard lines expressing Bt genes, a cry1Ac Bt gene, in association with the nptII gene for kanamycin-resistance, and a cry1C Bt gene, in association with the hpt gene for hygromycin-resistance, were introduced into seedling explants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. A total of 30 kanamycin-resistant and 28 hygromycin-resistant plants were regenerated from two collard cultivars (“McCormack's Green Glaze” [glossy leaves] and “Champion” [non-glossy leaves]). PCR assays of the kanamycin- and hygromycin-resistant plants and Southern analyses of the hygromycin-resistant Champion plants confirmed the presence and integration of the associated Bt genes. ELISA analyses of leaf tissue from the antibiotic-resistant plants showed that production of the Cry1Ac and Cry1C Bt proteins varied greatly among independent transformants, ranging from undetectable to over 2000 ng of Bt protein/mg of total soluble protein. All cry1Ac and cry1C collard plants in which Bt protein was detected caused complete mortality of larvae from susceptible diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. Cry1Ac-transgenic plants also controlled P. xylostella populations resistant to Cry1C protein, while cry1C-transgenic plants controlled Cry1Ac-resistant P. xylostella. Sexual crosses have produced lines with both Bt genes. “McCormack's Green Glaze” plants were more attractive for P. xylostella oviposition than cabbage plants and hence are suitable for use as “dead end” trap crops. If approved for human consumption in the future, Bt collards could serve not only as a trap crop but also as a cash crop, thereby expanding the traditional role of a trap crop. This example of Bt collards illustrates the potential for using biotechnology in multiple ways for insect control.
Echolocation in the blinded rat

The difference threshold for detection of barriers at different distances using a modified method of limits was found, for four blinded rats, to be 9 in. White noise 20 dB above ambient level reduced discrimination performance to chance, indicating that auditory cues were involved in the discrimination. A second determination, utilizing the method of constant stimuli, confirmed the difference threshold to be 9 in. and reduced individual S variation by further training. Evidence with a black and a white barrier indicated the possibility that infrared heat cues do not enter into the discrimination.
An information theoretic histogram for single dimensional selectivity estimation

We study the problem of one dimensional selectivity estimation in relational databases. We introduce a new type of histogram based on information theory. We compare our histogram against a large number of other techniques and on a wide array of datasets. We observe our histograms to have the overall best accuracy on the real datasets. We also observe that the accuracy ranking of all methods varies significantly across datasets. As such, we observe results not consistent with several conclusions drawn in past literature. Thus, we believe a gap exists in the past accuracy characterization.
Magnetostatic wave technology: a review

Magnetostatic wave (MSW) technology has been under investigation for more than a decade. Using ferrimagnetic films such as liquid-phase epitaxial (LPE) yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films, MSW devices and subsystems offer instantaneous bandwidths of up to 1 GHz at operating frequencies in the microwave bands (0.5-26.5 GHz). Because MSWs travel with velocities two-to-four orders of magnitude slower than electromagnetic waves, compact devices can be built using hybrid and monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) techniques. These devices include delay lines, dispersive delay lines, filters, resonators, and directional couplers. Subsystems using these devices, such as electronically tunable delay lines channelized filter banks, delay-line discriminators, oscillators, and frequency multipliers can be used for applications in signal identification, control and processing directly at microwave frequencies. An overview of the MSW technology is presented and an assessment of the various devices and subsystems that can be built using thin and thick LPE-YIG films is provided. >
Tuberous Sclerosis Complex With a Single Brain Lesion on MRI Mimicking Focal Cortical Dysplasia

Of 105 children with epilepsy who had presurgical evaluation because of solitary extratemporal focal cortical dysplasia, the 5 cases reported here had a final diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex without classic findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Four were infants with spasms (n = 2) or partial seizures (n = 2); the fifth was a 12-year-old boy with right motor seizures. Cranial MRI indicated solitary left frontal dysplasia in two cases (one with calcification) and right frontal, left parietal, and right parietal dysplasia in one case each. Tuberous sclerosis complex was considered based on hypopigmented macules in three cases, on cardiac rhabdomyomas on echocardiography for hypotension in one case, and on calcification in the dysplastic region and a family history of seizures in one case. Four of the patients had mutations in the TSC1 (n = 2) and TSC2 (n = 2) genes. No mutation was found in the fifth patient, who had only TSC1 sequencing. Four had epilepsy surgery, and were seizure-free on one (three cases) or two antiepileptic drugs (one case) at 1-2 year follow-up. Pathologic examination revealed cortical dysplasia without any characteristic features of tuberous sclerosis complex. These findings suggest that, in tuberous sclerosis complex, solitary focal cortical dysplasia may be the only cranial MRI finding. Tuberous sclerosis complex should be considered when focal cortical dysplasia is associated with seizure onset in infancy, family history of seizures, and peridysplastic calcification.
Intraoperative angiography of brain arteriovenous malformations.

OBJECTIVE: The gold standard for documentation of surgical cure of a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a postoperative angiogram. Intraoperative angiography also has been used for assessing surgical obliteration of AVMs. The objective of this work is to determine the incidence of unexpected residual AVM in patients undergoing intraoperative angiography after brain AVM surgery, the incidence of false-negative intraoperative angiography, and whether there are any identifiable factors that would predict such an occurrence. METHODS: Patient age and sex, AVM location and size, clinical presentation of the AVM, day of surgery after hemorrhage, whether embolization was performed preoperatively, presence of intraoperative brain swelling or substantial bleeding, and postoperative course were recorded prospectively on 34 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for brain AVMs. Intraoperative angiography was performed after the surgeon thought that the AVM was completely obliterated. The incidence of unexpected residual AVM and false-negative intraoperative angiography was determined. Factors predicting these findings were identified by multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-five of 34 patients underwent intraoperative angiography to assess the extent of resection, and two patients underwent the examination to localize the AVM. Postoperative angiograms were obtained for 26 patients. Intraoperative angiography showed unexpected residual AVM in 2 (8%) of 25 patients. In two patients, intraoperative angiography was useful to locate a small AVM in the wall of a hematoma cavity. Three patients (18%) whose intraoperative angiograms had not shown AVM had postoperative angiograms that showed residual or recurrent AVM. One (11 %) of nine patients who had only postoperative angiography had an unexpected residual nidus; the patient underwent a reoperation and successful resection. There were no significant clinical or radiological features that predicted the intraoperative angiographic finding of residual AVM or of false-negative intraoperative angiogram. CONCLUSION: Intraoperative angiography is useful to demonstrate residual AVM in about 8% of patients undergoing AVM resection. It can be used to localize small AVMs, but other methods for localization may be as useful and may avoid the risks and cost of additional angiography. Intraoperative angiography does not replace postoperative angiography to confirm AVM removal because of false-negative findings, which occurred in 18% of patients in this series.
Use of a New Method in Reaching Consensus on the Cause of Cytologic-Histologic Correlation Discrepancy

Pathologists exhibit very poor agreement in adjudicating the cause of cytologic-histologic correlation discrepancies, which contributes to problems in designing interventions to reduce discrepancy frequency. In this observational study, we developed a visual method of adjudicating discrepancy cause, termed the No-Blame Box method, which consisted of initially assessing specimen interpretability by separately evaluating specimen quality and the presence of tumor. Five pathologists blindly adjudicated the cause of discrepancy in pulmonary specimens from 40 patients. The kappa statistic of all pathologist pairs in adjudicating discrepancy cause using the No-Blame Box method ranged from 0.400 to 0.796, indicating acceptable to excellent agreement. Pathologists ranged in their assessment of specimen interpretability from 13% to 20%, and in no case did all 5 pathologists concur that a specimen was interpretable. Most discrepancies resulted from pathologists diagnosing noninterpretable samples. Pathologists who used the No-Blame Box showed significant agreement in the adjudication of discrepancy cause.
Fast atom bombardment combined with tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of nucleosides

The positive and negative ion fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectra and fast atom bombardment collisionally activated decomposition (CAD) spectra of a series of nucleosides and two dinucleotides are reported. The nucleosides studied are substituted forms of guanosine, adenosine, nebularine, tubercidin, uridine, and related pyrimidines. The FAB and CAD data both contain similar information. The CAD spectra are found to provide some structural information not found in the FAB mass spectra. Tandem mass spectrometry also allows emphasis to be put on weak fragments which are either not observed in the FAB mass spectrum or are lost in the matrix ion signals.
Evidence That Voltage Rather Than Resistance is Quantized in Breakdown of the Quantum Hall Effect.

Abstract : Quantized longitudinal voltage drops are observed along a length of a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure quantum Hall effect device at applied currents large enough for the device to be in the breakdown regime. The range of currents is extensive enough to demonstrate that it is the longitudinal voltage that is quantized, rather than the longitudinal resistance. A black-box and a quasi-elastic inter-Landau level scattering (QUILLS) model are then employed to calculate the fraction of electrons making transitions into higher Landau levels, the transition rates, and the maximum electric field across the device.
Fuzzy handoff algorithms for wireless communication

Abstract In order to manage the high call density expected of future cellular systems, microcells must be used. A migration to microcells will increase the number of handoffs, and require faster handoff algorithms – in terms of decision making. In the case of line-of-sight transmission, it is important that the handoff algorithm detects the cell boundary early enough, otherwise this will lead to channel dragging into the new cell subsequently increasing the chance of co-channel interference. In the case of non-line-of-sight transmission, a mobile station on turning a street corner will experience a phenomenon known as the Manhattan corner effect that causes the received signal level to drop by 20–30 dB in 20–30 m. This corner effect problem can lead to a loss of communication if not identified early enough. This paper presents two new handoff techniques using fuzzy logic as possible solutions to microcellular handoff. The first algorithm uses an adaptive fuzzy predictor, while the second uses a fuzzy averaging technique. The results of the simulation show that fuzzy is a viable option for microcellular handoff.
Secondary emission yields for 3–50 keV H° atoms striking a copper target

Abstract By measuring the fractions of all three charged particles (H − , H + , and H 0 ) emerging from energetic (3–50 keV) collisions of H − ions with helium atoms, the absolute secondary negative particle emission yields γ have been determined for H 0 atoms striking a copper surface at an angle of incidence of 30° relative to the normal to the copper surface. The measured secondary emission yields monotonically increase from a value of 1.6 negative particles per atom at an incident energy of 3 keV to a value of 4.0 negative particles per atom at an incident energy of 50 keV. The impact energy dependence of the yield γ is found to be similar to the energy dependence of the yield γ exhibited by the data of previous investigators, which were obtained at projectile angles of incidence different from 30°.
Distributed storage healthcare - the basis of a planet-wide public health care network.

Background: As health providers move towards higher levels of information technology (IT) integration, they become increasingly dependent on the availability of the electronic health record (EHR). Current solutions of individually managed storage by each healthcare provider focus on efforts to ensure data security, availability and redundancy. Such models, however, scale poorly to a future of a planet-wide public health-care network (PWPHN). Our aim was to review the research literature on distributed storage systems and propose methods that may aid the implementation of a PWPHN. Methods: A systematic review was carried out of the research dealing with distributed storage systems and EHR. A literature search was conducted on five electronic databases: Pubmed/Medline, Cinalh, EMBASE, Web of Science (ISI) and Google Scholar and then expanded to include non-authoritative sources. � Results: The English National Health Service Spine represents the most established country-wide PHN but is limited in deployment and remains underused. Other, literature identified and established distributed EHR attempts are more limited in scope. We discuss the currently available distributed file storage solutions and propose a schema of how one of these technologies can be used to deploy a distributed storage of EHR with benefits in terms of enhanced fault tolerance and global availability within the PWPHN. � We conclude that a PWPHN distributed health care record storage system is technically feasible over current Internet infrastructure. Nonetheless, the socioeconomic viability of PWPHN implementations remains to be determined.
Janus-faced trafficking at glutamatergic synapses.

Rapid communication in the nervous system requires the release and detection of neurotransmitters at synapses. These two events occur at opposite faces of the synaptic cleft and involve very different cellular machinery in presynaptic and postsynaptic compartments. Such asymmetry, manifested by synaptic vesicle exocytosis and recycling at the presynaptic terminal and receptor activation and generation of ionic currents at the postsynaptic membrane, provides the foundation for unidirectional information propagation in all neural circuitry.
Kinetic Analysis of Chlorofluorocarbon Discharges

The fundamental plasma kinetics of chlorofluorocarbon discharges have been studied experimentally and modeled. Electrical impedance analysis of the plasma discharge during the etching process was used to estimate the average electron energy and the electron concentration. Assuming the electron-impact generation of reactant species is the rate limiting step, the etching rate of polysilicon etching was modeled using a simplified expression for the electron-impact rate coefficient for dissociation and the experimentally estimated electron densities and electron energies. Dissociative electron attachment should play a significant role in the production of etchant species at low electron energies. The lower threshold energy and the larger cross-section (σ) for dissociative attachment of chlorofluorocarbons (σ max ,∼6×10 -18 cm 2 at ∼ 3 eV for CF 3 Cl) in coomprpsanrtison to that of fluorocarbons (σ max ∼0.8×10 -18 cm 2 at ∼7 eV for CF 4 ), increases the significance of this machanism in chlorofluorocarbon discharges. In addition, the production of appreciable concentrations of C1 - could influence the transport of positive ions to the electrode surfaces.
An Introduction to the Echo State Network and its Applications in Power System

Echo State Network (ESN) is a new type of Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) proposed in recent years. The training process of ESN is easier and requires less computational effort than regular RNN which has the same size. Due to its high modeling capability of complex dynamic system, ESN has been used in various power system applications such as power system nonlinear load modeling and true harmonic current detection, wide area monitoring, intelligent control of an Active Power Filter (APF), overhead conductor thermal dynamics identification, wind speed or water inflow forecasting, etc. This paper introduces the basic concept and the offline and online training algorithms of the ESN in detail and reviews the state of the art of ESN applications in power systems. I. INTRODUCTION
Does Breastfeeding Education of Nurses Increase Exclusive Breastfeeding Rates in a Large Academic Medical Institution

Newborn Care Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program To determine if increased breastfeeding education among 500 perinatal nursing staff using the Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) requirements is effective for increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates. Proposed Change A large academic women's medical center that delivers 12,500 infants per year entered into the Baby Friendly Health Initiative in January 2011 and initiated breastfeeding nursing education in April 2013. This hospital is the largest hospital to date to enter the Baby Friendly pathway. Before entering into the BFHI, there were very few nursing breastfeeding education opportunities offered. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation In April 2013, 20 hours of nursing breastfeeding education were initiated as mandated by the BFHI. A multidisciplinary team of advanced practice nurses, managers, lactation consultants, and education coordinators from the neonatal intensive care unit, labor and delivery unit, and mother–baby unit came together to plan for this initiative. The perinatal service line used a variety of methods to meet the 20-hour requirement of education needs. Fifteen of these hours involved a didactic portion of education. Programs chosen to meet the didactic requirements were one of the following: Certified Lactation Counselor course, Certified Breastfeeding Counselor course, The University of Virginia Breastfeeding Education course, or the Breastfeeding Advisor course. Five of the hours of training were required for hands-on skilled nursing breastfeeding education. The multidisciplinary team developed a breastfeeding educational skills workshop, electronic learning module, and a hands-on bedside learning opportunity to meet these requirements. Following implementation of a comprehensive educational program, the rates of initiation of exclusive breastfeeding have trended upward. Before nursing breastfeeding education from December 2012 to March 2013, the average exclusive breastfeeding rate was 38.55%. After completion of nursing breastfeeding education, from April 2013 to July 2013, the average exclusive breastfeeding rate was 53.5%. By providing a comprehensive breastfeeding education plan to perinatal nursing staff, we have demonstrated that the BFHI is a valid breastfeeding educational program and leads to increased exclusive breastfeeding rates. Implications for Nursing Practice A multidisciplinary team approach is an effective way to develop a plan to support breastfeeding nursing education based on the principles of the BFHI and effectively change breastfeeding culture and increase exclusive breastfeeding rates in a large academic medical setting.
Inferring Regulatory Interactions between Transcriptional Factors and Genes by Propagating Known Regulatory Links

Determining transcriptional regulatory networks has been one of the most important goals in the field of functional genomics. Despite the recent advances in experimental techniques, complementary computational techniques have lagged behind. We introduce a novel computational methodology that uses DNA microarray data and known regulatory interactions to predict unknown regulatory interactions. Our method involves three steps: in the training stage, we utilize network component analysis (NCA) (Liao et al., 2003; Kao et al., 2004; Boscolo et al., 2005) to reconstruct the hidden activity profiles of transcriptional factors (TF); then we cluster TFs into functional modules according to the similarities of their reconstructed activity profiles; in the prediction stage, we infer additional TF-gene regulatory links by selecting TF profiles that best interpret genes expression profiles via a linear model. We applied the methodology to a gene expression dataset of bacterium Escherichia coli, whose partial TF-gene regulatory structure is obtained from RegulonDB (Salgado et al., 2004). Cross-validation results show that when the profiles of all TFs regulating a gene are reconstructed from NCA, we could identify 36% of the TF-gene interactions, and the prediction accuracy is 89%. And when the profiles of partial (50% or more) TFs regulating a gene can be reconstructed, we can identify 14% of the TF-gene interactions, and the accuracy rate is 69%. These represent some of the best known accuracy and coverage statistics reported in the literature so far
Enhanced Nicotine Metabolism in HIV-1–Positive Smokers Compared with HIV-Negative Smokers: Simultaneous Determination of Nicotine and its Four Metabolites in Their Plasma Using a Simple and Sensitive Electrospray Ionization Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry Technique

Smoking is approximately three times more prevalent in HIV-1–positive than HIV-negative individuals in the United States. Nicotine, which is the major constituent of tobacco, is rapidly metabolized mainly by cytochrome P450 (CYP2A6) to many metabolites. In this study, we developed a simple, fast, and sensitive electrospray ionization liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method using a strong cation solid phase extraction, and determined the concentration of nicotine and its four major metabolites (cotinine, nornicotine, norcotinine, and trans-3′-hydroxycotinine) in the plasma of HIV-1–positive and HIV-negative smokers. The multiple reaction monitoring transitions for nicotine, cotinine, trans-3′-hydroxycotinine, nornicotine, norcotinine, nicotine-d4, and cotinine-d3 were selected at mass-to-charge ratios of 163.3/117.1, 177.5/80.3, 193.2/80.1, 149.5/132.3, 163.4/80.3, 167.3/121.4, and 180.3/101.2, respectively. The lower limit of quantitation for nicotine and its metabolites was 0.53 ng/ml, which is relatively more sensitive than those previously reported. The concentration of nicotine was detected 5-fold lower in HIV-1–positive smokers (7.17 ± 3.8 ng/ml) than that observed in HIV-negative smokers (33.29 ± 15.4 ng/ml), whereas the concentration of the metabolite nornicotine was 3-fold higher in HIV-1–positive smokers (6.8 ± 2.9 ng/ml) than in HIV-negative smokers (2.3 ± 1.2 ng/ml). Although it was statistically nonsignificant, the concentration of the metabolite cotinine was also higher in HIV-1–positive smokers (85.6 ± 60.5 ng/ml) than in HIV-negative smokers (74.9 ± 40.5 ng/ml). In conclusion, a decrease in the concentration of nicotine and an increase in the concentration of its metabolites in HIV-1–positive smokers compared with HIV-negative smokers support the hypothesis that nicotine metabolism is enhanced in HIV-1–positive smokers compared with HIV-negative smokers.
Field inversion by consensus and compressed sensing

We study the inversion of a random field from pointwise measurements collected by a sensor network. We assume that the field has a sparse representation in a known basis. To illustrate the approach, consider the inversion of an acoustic field created by the superposition of a discrete number of propagating noisy acoustic sources. Our method combines compressed sensing (sparse reconstruction by l 1 -constrained optimization) with distributed average consensus (mixing the pointwise sensor measurements by local communication among the sensors). The paper describes the approach and demonstrates its good performance with synthetic data for several scenarios of practical interest.
Tamoxifen inhibits malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor growth in an estrogen receptor-independent manner.

Few therapeutic options are available for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs), the most common malignancy associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Guided by clinical observations suggesting that some NF1-associated nerve sheath tumors are hormonally responsive, we hypothesized that the selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulator tamoxifen would inhibit MPNST tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo. To test this hypothesis, we examined tamoxifen effects on MPNST cell proliferation and survival, MPNST xenograft growth, and the mechanism by which tamoxifen impeded these processes. We found that 1–5 μM 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen induced MPNST cell death, whereas 0.01–0.1 μM 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen inhibited mitogenesis. Dermal and plexiform neurofibromas, MPNSTs, and MPNST cell lines expressed ERβ and G-protein-coupled ER-1 (GPER); MPNSTs also expressed estrogen biosynthetic enzymes. However, MPNST cells did not secrete 17β-estradiol, exogenous 17β-estradiol did not stimulate mitogenesis or rescue 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen effects on MPNST cells, and the steroidal antiestrogen ICI-182,780 did not mimic tamoxifen effects on MPNST cells. Further, ablation of ERβ and GPER had no effect on MPNST proliferation, survival, or tamoxifen sensitivity, indicating that tamoxifen acts via an ER-independent mechanism. Consistent with this hypothesis, inhibitors of calmodulin (trifluoperazine, W-7), another known tamoxifen target, recapitulated 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen effects on MPNST cells. Tamoxifen was also effective in vivo, demonstrating potent antitumor activity in mice orthotopically xenografted with human MPNST cells. We conclude that 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen inhibits MPNST cell proliferation and survival via an ER-independent mechanism. The in vivo effectiveness of tamoxifen provides a rationale for clinical trials in cases of MPNSTs.
Functional gastrointestinal disorders: past and present

Chronic abdominal pain is a common complaint in childhood and adolescence. Despite decades of clinical observations and research, it still poses a challenge to pediatric health care professionals. The aim of this review is to highlight the epidemiology of pediatric chronic abdominal pain and to describe the pathogenesis of this disorder, its clinical manifestations, evaluation and therapeutic options. Articles on chronic abdominal pain in the recent years from PubMed, MEDLINE, and reference textbooks were reviewed. Chronic abdominal pain, a functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGID), is a multifactorial condition that results from a complex interaction between psychosocial and physiologic factors via the brain-gut axis. A thorough history coupled with a complete physical examination and normal screening studies rule out an organic cause in 95% of the cases. It is highly important for the physician to establish a trusting relationship with the child and parents because successful treatment including modification of physical and psychological stress factors, dietary changes, and drug therapy depends greatly on education, reassurance and active psychological support. FGIDs are a cause of great anxiety, distress and morbidity in children as well as adults. As our understanding of these conditions improves, our therapeutic interventions will progress not only to overcome them but also to intervene early in the disease course so as to limit long-term impact.
Globalization and Educational Reform: The Challenges Ahead

This article addresses three goals that pertain to globalization and its impact on public policy in general and Hispanic higher education in particular. First, the author defines globalization as it relates to education. Then, he considers what globalization suggests with regard to the public good. Finally, four implications are suggested about how globalization frames Hispanic higher education. The purpose of this article is to suggest that the structural and cultural actions that we provide in response to a call for help is circumscribed by the pervasive nature of globalization.
Analysis of C5a-mediated chemotaxis by lentiviral delivery of small interfering RNA

Immune cells respond to chemotactic signals by means of G protein-coupled receptors. Attempts to elucidate the function of specific G protein family members in these responses is complicated by redundancy among the different G protein isoforms. We have used lentiviral-based RNA interference to eliminate expression of specific G protein subunits selectively in J774A.1 mouse macrophages. The chemotactic response to the complement factors C5a and C3a is ablated in cells lacking Gβ2 but is unaffected in cells lacking Gβ1, Gαi2, or Gαi3. Similarly, the C5a-mediated calcium response of single cells is either absent or significantly delayed and weakened by Gβ2 knockdown. Assessment of Akt1 phosphorylation levels in response to C5a shows rapid and sustained phosphorylation in both wild-type cells and cells lacking Gβ1. Cells lacking Gβ2 retain the rapid response but cannot sustain phospho-Akt1 levels. The phenotype of cells lacking Gβ2 can be reversed by overexpression of either human Gβ2 or mouse Gβ1. These data demonstrate the usefulness of lentiviral-based RNA interference in the systematic analysis of a signaling pathway, and they suggest that in J774A.1 cells, Gβ2-derived Gβγ is the most effective mediator of chemotaxis to C5a.
High-Fat, Low-Carbohydrate Diet and the Etiology of Non-Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus: The San Luis Valley Diabetes Study

Diet has long been believed to be an important risk factor for non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Animal studies generally support a relation between high-fat diets and development of insulin resistance. However, conclusive epidemiologic evidence is lacking. To further investigate the role of dietary fat and carbohydrate as potential risk factors for the onset of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, current diet was assessed among a geographically based group of 1,317 subjects without a prior diagnosis of diabetes who were seen in the period from 1984 to 1988 in two countries in southern Colorado. In this study, 24-hour diet recalls were reported prior to an oral glucose tolerance test. Persons with previously undiagnosed diabetes (n = 70) and impaired glucose tolerance (n = 171) were each compared with confirmed normal controls (n = 1,076). The adjusted odds ratios relating a 40-g/day increase in fat intake to non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance were 1.51 (95% confidence interval 0.85-2.67) and 1.62 (95% confidence interval 1.09-2.41), respectively. Restricting cases to diabetic persons with fasting glucose greater than 140 mg/dl and persons with impaired glucose tolerance confirmed on follow-up, the odds ratios increased to 3.03 (95% confidence interval 1.07-8.62) and 2.67 (95% confidence interval 1.33-5.36), respectively. The findings support the hypothesis that high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets are associated with the onset of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in humans.
Definition of Driver Information Instrumentation Features

Many new driver information features are being added to today's vehicles. This paper addresses the utility of these features to the customer and the functional parameters which must be specified in order to assure optimum performance of these features.
Cell Signaling in LPS Primed and PAF Stimulated P388D 1 Macrophage-Like Cells

Macrophages play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and other diseases. An early event in the activation of macrophages is the release of arachidonic acid (AA) and the subsequent formation of eicosanoids such as prostaglandins (PG), leukotrienes (LT), and thromboxanes (TX) (1). The metabolism of eicosanoids and their role in the inflammatory response have been described (2). The rate-limiting event in the biosynthesis of these inflammatory mediators is believed to be controlled by a phospholipase type enzyme, the simplest mechanism being the release of AA from the sn-2 position of phospholipids by a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) (3).
Bias in hard disk drive rotary actuator pivot bearings: measurements and lubrication phenomena

Bias in disk drive rotary actuator bearings exhibits complex behavior related to the history of the actuator movement. This paper investigates the hysteresis component of bias present after seeks. Measurements of bias during full stroke actuator movements composed of multiple seeks of fixed length reveal that the magnitude of the hysteresis decreases as the lengths of component seeks increase up to a critical seek length. When the lengths of the component seek lengths are larger than the critical seek length, the magnitude of the hysteresis remains essentially constant. We explain these phenomena using a hypothesis based on bearing lubrication theory and the relationship between actuator velocity and seek length. We demonstrate a good empirical fit to the data which is strikingly similar from drive to drive and strongly supports our hypothesis.