cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EOF Representations of the Madden–Julian Oscillation and Its Connection with ENSO

Abstract Although recent El Nino events have seen the occurrence of strong intraseasonal winds apparently associated with the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO), the usual indices of interannual variability of the MJO are uncorrelated with measures of the ENSO cycle. An EOF decomposition of intraseasonal outgoing longwave radiation and zonal wind identifies two modes of interannual variability of the MJO: a zonally stationary variation of amplitude that is unrelated to ENSO and a roughly 20°-longitude eastward extension of the MJO envelope during El Nino events. The stationary mode is represented by the first two EOFs, which form the familiar lag-correlated quadrature pair, and the eastward-extending mode is represented by the third EOF, which is usually ignored although it is statistically significant. However, the third EOF also has a systematic phase relation with the first pair, and all three should be considered as a triplet; rotating the EOFs makes the phase relation clear. The zonal shift represents a...
Flower development and evolution: new answers and new questions.

Certain genes have a way of rewarding continued study, as can be seen from the long histories of discoveries that have resulted from work on mammalian hemoglobin genes, on the Escherichia coli lacZ gene, and on many others. A plant gene that may fit this mold is the homeotic flower-development gene AGAMOUS (AG). In the past few years, study of the genetics and molecular genetics of this Arabidopsis thaliana gene and of its orthologues in other plant species has led to a stream of discoveries that have revealed some of the mechanisms and some of the complexity of flower development. Two recent papers (1, 2), one in this issue, describe a new level of regulation of AG and raise new questions about the function and evolutionary history of this gene.
Liberalism: Political and Economic

Political liberalism began in the eighteenth century with the effort to establish a secular state in which religious differences would be tolerated. If religious views include universal principles to apply to all by force if necessary, diverse religions must conflict, perhaps fatally. In a sense, then, political liberalism was an invention to resolve a then current, awful problem. Its proponents were articulate and finally persuasive. There have been many comparable social inventions, many of which have failed, as Communism, egalitarianism, and perhaps socialism have all failed to date. The extraordinary thing about political liberalism is that it seems to have succeeded in its authors' initial hope for it. It may have helped end the turmoil occasioned by religious differences. Political liberalism has since expanded in various ways under other influences, and, if it were not for Islamic fundamentalism with its seemingly coercive theocratic program, we might no longer today associate religious conflict with the core of liberalism in its actual practice.
Wear‐Resistant Nanoscale Silicon Carbide Tips for Scanning Probe Applications

The search for hard materials to extend the working life of sharp tools is an age-old problem. In recent history, sharp tools must also often withstand high temperatures and harsh chemical environments. Nanotechnology extends this quest to tools such as scanning probe tips that must be sharp on the nanoscale, but still very physically robust. Unfortunately, this combination is inherently contradictory, as mechanically strong, chemically inert materials tend to be difficult to fabricate with nanoscale fidelity. Here a novel process is described, whereby the surfaces of pre-existing, nanoscale Si tips are exposed to carbon ions and then annealed, to form a strong silicon carbide (SiC) layer. The nanoscale sharpness is largely preserved and the tips exhibit a wear resistance that is orders of magnitude greater than that of conventional silicon tips and at least 100-fold higher than that of monolithic, SiO-doped diamond-like-carbon (DLC) tips. The wear is well-described by an atom-by-atom wear model, from which kinetic parameters are extracted that enable the prediction of the long-time scale reliability of the tips. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Selecting Species for Marine Assessment of Radionuclides Around Amchitka: Planning for Diverse Goals and Interests

Considerable attention has been devoted to selecting bioindicator species as part of monitoring programs for exposure and effects from contaminants in the environment. Yet the rationale for selection of bioindicators is often literature-based, rather than developed with a firm site-specific base of data on contaminant levels in a diverse range of organisms at different trophic levels in the same ecosystem. We suggest that this latter step is an important phase in the environmental assessment process that is often missing. In this paper we address the problem of how to select a wide range of species representing different trophic levels that serve as a basis for selecting a few species suitable as bioindicators. We illustrate this with our assessment of radionuclides on Amchitka Island, Alaska. We propose a multi-stage process for arriving at the list of available species that includes review of literature, review by experts experienced in the area, review by interested and affected parties, selection of trophic levels or groups for analysis, arraying of possible species, and selection of species within each trophic level group for sample collection. We first had to identify all likely species, then narrow our focus to those we could collect and analyze. In all cases, review includes suggestions for possible target species with justifications. While this method increases the up-front costs of developing bioindicators for an ecosystem, it has the advantage of providing information for selection of species that will be most informative in the long run, including those that are the best bioaccumulators, thus providing the earliest warning of any potential environmental consequences. Further, the recognition that a range of stakeholder's needs and interests should be included increases the utility for public-policy makers, and the potential for continued usage to establish long-term trends.
Theoretical Characterization of the Structures and Vibrational Spectra of Benzene−(H2O)n (n = 1−3) Clusters

The (H2O)n and benzene−(H2O)n (n = 1−3) clusters have been characterized by means of the MP2 and density functional methods. The minimum-energy structures were optimized, and the harmonic frequencies were calculated for both the benzene−water clusters (BWn) and the free water clusters (Wn). The Wn clusters are π-hydrogen-bonded to the benzene ring, with the strength of this interaction being greatest for BW2. The geometries of the Wn portions of the BWn clusters are found to be close to those of the free water clusters, with the perturbation due to the interaction with the benzene being greatest for BW3. For the OH stretching modes good agreement is found between the calculated and measured OH stretch IR spectra for both Wn and BWn clusters. Both geometric and electronic (i.e., charge transfer/polarization interactions) effects are responsible for the significant changes in the OH stretch IR spectra brought about by the complexation of the water clusters with the benzene molecule.
α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) and [Nle4, D-Phe7]-α-MSH: Effects on core temperature in rats

The thermoregulatory effects of alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH), its potent analog, [Nle4,D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH (NDP-MSH), and the 1-7, 4-10, and 7-13 amino acid fragments of NDP-MSH were examined by administering these substances to the anterior hypothalamic-preoptic area (AHPOA) of rats. In Experiments 1a (MSH) and 1b (NDP-MSH), animals received 0, 0.5, 1, 5, 10, or 50 pM peptide in 0.5 microliters sterile saline (n = 6/group), with core rectal temperatures being recorded 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min after injection. In Experiment 2, subjects received 5 pM NDP-MSH1-7, NDP-MSH4-10, NDP-MSH7-13, NDP-MSH, or the vehicle, 0.5 microliters sterile saline, in a counterbalanced fashion (n = 13). Results indicated a significant effect of dose for both MSH, F(5, 30) = 2.81, p = 0.03, and NDP-MSH, F(5, 30) = 4.98, p = 0.002. A Newman-Keul's analysis indicated that mean temperatures for all groups receiving MSH or NDP-MSH were significantly greater than for the group that received saline (p < 0.05). An analysis of the data from Experiment 2 indicated a significant effect of substance, F(4, 48) = 17.31, p < 0.001. Mean temperature of animals receiving NDP-MSH, the 4-10, or the 7-13 fragments, did not differ from each other but were significantly greater than mean temperatures for animals receiving sterile saline or the 1-7 fragment of NDP-MSH (p < 0.05).
Emergence of human rotavirus genotype G9 in metropolitan Detroit between 2007 and 2009

Between January 2007 and April 2009, rotavirus (RV)-positive stool samples from 238 children with acute gastroenteritis, seen at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, USA, were collected and RV genotyping was performed. G and P genotypes were determined by RT-PCR and nucleotide sequencing was conducted on selected G9 and P[6] strains. Correlation between the severity of gastroenteritis episode and the infecting G genotype was done using a 14-point scoring system. The predominant G genotype was G9 (39.5 %), followed by G1 (35.3 %) and G4 (15.5 %), while P[8] was the most prevalent P genotype (66.5 %), followed by P[4] (21.9 %) and P[6] (11.2 %). The gene combinations G1P[8] and G9P[8] were the most prevalent (21.4 % and 20.6 %, respectively), followed by G4P[8] (13 %) and G9P[6] (8.8 %). Immunization data showed that only 17/238 (7.1 %) children received ≥one dose of RV vaccine (the pentavalent vaccine RotaTeq or the monovalent vaccine Rotarix) and that 10/17 were infected with G4P[8] strains. Severity of RV gastroenteritis episodes was not related to the infecting G genotype. Our results suggest a high proportion of genotype G9 strains in combination with P[8], P[6] and P[4] specificity circulating in the metropolitan Detroit area. While the protective efficacy of the RV vaccines has been demonstrated against G9P[8] strains, the level of cross-protection offered by the vaccines against G9 strains with P[6] and P[4] genotypes in the Detroit paediatric population remains to be determined.
Three fluid transport models by particle-in-cell method for RF glow discharges

Three self-consistent fluid transport models, simulated by the particle-in-cell simulation method (PIC/FE), have been developed for parallel-plate RF glow discharges. The electron transport is modeled by the equilibrium single-moment and nonequilibrium two- and three-moment fluid equations. In the equilibrium single-moment model, the alpha and gamma discharges are underestimated and the nonlocal gamma -discharge behavior is difficult to measure. On the other hand, the nonequilibrium three-moment model can clearly demonstrate the distinct alpha - and gamma -discharge effects similar to self-consistent Monte Carlo model results. Moreover, the three-moment model can describe the transition of plasma density, sheath width, and bulk mean energy from the alpha regime to the gamma regime and verify the transition boundary between alpha and gamma regimes which are all consistent with experimental results. The results of the three-fluid models are presented, analyzed, and compared with each other in terms of the plasma density, electric field, average velocity, current density, mean energy, and ionization rate. >
Electrode Effects in the Measurement of Ionic Conductivity

Even with thermodynamically reversible electrodes, slow processes inhibiting the discharge of ions at the interface between a solid ionic conductor and the electrode can give rise to overvoltages when current is passed or to an interface impedance in ac measurements. Some of the more important of the mechanisms responsible for this inhibition, i.e. boundary layers, slow charge-transfer processes with double-layer formation, product storage in the electrodes with slow mass transport to the ultimate thermodynamic reservoirs, and rough or porous surfaces, can be understood in a nonrigorous physical way with the help of simple models. The properties of such systems can often be expressed in terms of equivalent circuits, and these are then very useful in analyzing the behavior of specific systems. Examples from studies of materials such as CaO-stabilized ZrO2 (oxygen-ion conductor) and β-Al2O3 (sodium-ion conductor) illustrate these effects.
[Ca2+]i Elevations Detected by BK Channels during Ca2+ Influx and Muscarine-Mediated Release of Ca2+ from Intracellular Stores in Rat Chromaffin Cells

Submembrane [Ca2+]i changes were examined in rat chromaffin cells by monitoring the activity of an endogenous Ca(2+)-dependent protein: the large conductance Ca(2+)-and voltage-activated K+ channel (also known as the BK channel). The Ca2+ and voltage dependence of BK current inactivation and conductance were calibrated first by using defined [Ca2+]i salines. This information was used to examine submembrane [Ca2+]i elevations arising out of Ca2+ influx and muscarine-mediated release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores. During Ca2+ influx, some BK channels are exposed to [Ca2+]i of at least 60 microM. However, the distribution of this [Ca2+]i elevation is highly nonuniform so that the average [Ca2+]i detected when all BK channels are activated is only approximately 10 microM. Intracellular dialysis with 1 mM or higher EGTA spares only the BK channels activated by the highest [Ca2+]i during influx, whereas dialysis with 1 mM or higher BAPTA blocks activation of all BK channels. Submembrane [Ca2+]i elevations fall rapidly after termination of short (5 msec) Ca2+ influx steps but persist above 1 microM for several hundred milliseconds after termination of long (200 msec) influx steps. In contrast to influx, the submembrane [Ca2+]i elevations produced by release of intracellular Ca2+ by muscarinic actetylcholine receptor (mAChR) activation are much more uniform and reach peak levels of 3-5 microM. Our results suggest that during normal action potential activity only 10-20% of BK channels in each chromaffin cell see sufficient [Ca2+]i to be activated.
A prospective study of familial and social influences on girls' body image and dieting

Objective This study examines the emergence of body image concerns and dieting behaviors in early adolescence as a function of girls' perceptions of family relationships, maternal modeling of dieting behaviors and body image concerns, and familial and peer pressures to diet. Method Self-report measures were obtained from 77 White girls and their mothers in early adolescence (mean age = 12.3 years) and 1 year later. Results Girls' perceptions of family relations and mothers' perceptions of daughters' weight at Time 1 significantly predicted girls' dieting behavior 1 year later over and above Time 1 dieting and body image. Only girls' previous body image and dieting behaviors significantly predicted more body dissatisfaction 1 year later. Girls' body image was found to mediate the relationship between family relations and dieting at Time 1 assessment, but not over time. Discussion The importance of implementing early prevention and interventions programs is discussed. © 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 28: 155–164, 2000.
Excited-state detachment dynamics and rotational coherences of C2− via time-resolved photoelectron imaging

Abstract Time-resolved photoelectron imaging (TRPEI) is used to investigate the effect of time-evolving alignment on the photoelectron angular distribution (PAD) from anion photodetachment. The B ← X 0 0 0 transition in C 2 − is pumped with a femtosecond laser pulse at 541 nm and probed by femtosecond photodetachment at 264 nm. The pump pulse produces rotational coherences in the upper state that exhibit partial and full revivals, as evidenced by modulation of the PAD anisotropy moments. From these, one can extract the excited state rotational constant of C 2 − and information regarding the molecular frame PAD.
Overview of the Software Design of the Community Climate System Model

The Community Climate System Model (CCSM) is a computer model for simulating the Earth's climate. The CCSM is built from four individual component models for the atmosphere, ocean, land surface, and sea ice. The notion of a physical/dynamical component of the climate system translates directly to the software component structure. Software design of the CCSM is focused on the goals of modularity, extensibility, and performance portability. These goals are met at both the component level and within the individual component models. Performance portability is the ability of a code to achieve good performance across a variety of computer architectures while maintaining a single source code. As a community model, the CCSM must run on a variety of machine architectures and must perform well on all these architectures for computationally intensive climate simulations.
A Phase I Study of Dasatinib with Concurrent Chemoradiation for Stage III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Objectives: Src family kinases (SFKs) are expressed in NSCLC and may be involved in tumor growth and metastases. Inhibition of SFK may also enhance radiation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a maximum dose of 100 mg of dasatinib could be safely administered with concurrent chemoradiation and then continued as maintenance for patients with newly diagnosed stage III NSCLC. Methods: Patients with stage III locally advanced NSCLC received paclitaxel, 50mg/m2/week, with carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) = 2, weekly for 7 weeks, and concurrent radiotherapy, 64.8 Gy. Three dose levels of dasatinib 50, 70 and 100mg/day were planned. Results: Eleven patients with locally advanced NSCLC were entered. At the 70 mg dose level 1 patient had grade 5 pneumonitis not responsive to therapy, and 1 patient had reversible grade 3 pneumonitis and grade 3 pericardial effusion. Due to these toxicities the Brown University Oncology Group Data Safety Monitoring Board terminated the study. Conclusion: Dasatinib could not be safely combined with concurrent chemoradiation for stage 3 lung cancer due to pneumonitis.
A model of configuration complexity and its application to a change management system

The complexity of configuring computing systems is a major impediment to the adoption of new information technology (IT) products and greatly increases the cost of IT services. This paper develops a model of configuration complexity and demonstrates its value for a change management system. The model represents systems as a set of nested containers with configuration controls. From this representation, we derive various metrics that indicate configuration complexity, including execution complexity, parameter complexity, and memory complexity. We apply this model to a J2EE-based enterprise application and its associated middleware stack to assess the complexity of the manual configuration process for this application. We then show how an automated change management system can greatly reduce configuration complexity.
Purification of prostate-specific membrane antigen using conformational epitope-specific antibody-affinity chromatography

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a type II membrane protein that has attracted significant attention as a target for immunioscintigraphic and radioimmunotherapeutic applications for prostate cancer. However, definitive studies on its substrate and inhibitor specificity as well as protein-protein interactions have been somewhat limited by difficulties in the purification of native PSMA. In this study, we optimized the purification of native PSMA from LNCaP cells using conformational epitope-specific antibody-affinity chromatography. Western blot analysis and an HPLC-based enzymatic activity assay were used to compare the yield and activity of PSMA purified by different methods. The ratio of purified PSMA in a native and active conformation was determined by quantifying the amount of non-native PSMA not retained in a second antibody-affinity isolation. The addition of both a neutralization step and the inclusion of Zn(2+) to the equilibration buffer in desalting step provides considerable enhancement in the yield of active PSMA from LNCaP cells.
Z-source inverter with grid connected for wind power system

This paper proposes the use of the Z-source inverter with grid connected wind turbine generation systems. The maximum boost control is used to boost up the output voltage with lower voltage stress across the IGBTs. The grid-connected control method is proposed for the system. The two independent control variables, the shoot-through duty ratio and the modulation index, are used to control the proposed system in order to provide the required voltage and power. The simulation and experimental results show that the system and control method effectively produce the desired voltage and precisely deliver the produced power to the utility grid, even though the input voltage can be lower or higher than the output voltage.
Computing Diffusion Rates in T2-dark Hematomas and Areas of Low T2 Signal

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: It has been suggested that restricted diffusion is present within hematomas with intact red cell membranes; however, computing apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in areas of low T2 signal can be problematic. Our purpose was to show the pitfalls of measuring diffusion within hematomas with intracellular blood products and to present a framework based on the properties of expected values for computing ADC values from regions with signal intensities close to that of the background noise (ie, T2-dark hematomas). METHODS: Twelve patients with intracranial hematomas who had undergone diffusion imaging were retrospectively identified during a 2-year period (four intracellular oxyhemoglobin, seven intracellular deoxyhemoglobin, one intracellular methemoglobin). Regions of interest were drawn on the hematomas, the contralateral white matter, and over the background. ADC values were computed using a variety of methods: 1) using expected values incorporating the variance of the background, 2) computing the mean of the regions of interest before taking the natural log, 3) masking negative values, and 4) masking the background at 0.5% increments from 0.5 to 5.5% and including the masked voxels (an intrinsically flawed method). Two-tailed Student9s t test was performed between the white matter and the hematoma ADC values. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the hematomas and the white matter for methods 1 through 3 (P = .14, P = .23, and P = .83, respectively). Only method 4 revealed a statistically significant difference, beginning at 0.5% masking (P = .04) and becoming progressively more significant with increased masking (P = 4.14 × 10−7 at 5.5% masking). The effect of masking was limited to the T2-dark hematomas. CONCLUSION: There is no restriction of diffusion for in vivo hematomas with intracellular blood products. The T2 blackout effect for T2-dark hematomas on diffusion-weighted images should not be interpreted as fast diffusion. The method of expected values can be used to obtain measurements for regions with signal intensities near the background noise. Using literature values for RBC self-diffusion, we computed lower limits of diffusion for hematomas with intracellular blood products to be 0.3 × 10−3 mm2/s.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae porin P1.B induces endosome exocytosis and a redistribution of Lamp1 to the plasma membrane.

The immunoglobulin A (IgA) protease secreted by pathogenic Neisseria spp. cleaves Lamp1, thereby altering lysosomes in a cell and promoting bacterial intracellular survival. We sought to determine how the IgA protease gains access to cellular Lamp1 in order to better understand the role of this cleavage event in bacterial infection. In a previous report, we demonstrated that the pilus-induced Ca(2+) transient triggers lysosome exocytosis in human epithelial cells. This, in turn, increases the level of Lamp1 at the plasma membrane, where it can be cleaved by IgA protease. Here, we show that porin also induces a Ca(2+) flux in epithelial cells. This transient is similar in nature to that observed in phagocytes exposed to porin. In contrast to the pilus-induced Ca(2+) transient, the porin-induced event does not trigger lysosome exocytosis. Instead, it stimulates exocytosis of early and late endosomes and increases Lamp1 on the cell surface. These results indicate that Neisseria pili and porin perturb Lamp1 trafficking in epithelial cells by triggering separate and distinct Ca(2+)-dependent exocytic events, bringing Lamp1 to the cell surface, where it can be cleaved by IgA protease.
Fuzzy Logic Control of a Fuel Cell/Battery/Ultra-capacitor Hybrid Vehicular Power System

Fuel cell (FC) and ultra-capacitor (UC) based hybrid power systems appear to be very promising in order to satisfy high energy and high power requirements for vehicular applications. The improvement of control strategies for hybrid vehicular power systems is very important for dynamic response under various load conditions. In this study, a full bridge DC/DC power converter is used to control power flow from the FC to the drive-train, while a bidirectional DC/DC converter is employed for the UC bank. We focus on a novel fuzzy logic control algorithm integrated into the power conditioning unit (PCU) for FC/UC hybrid vehicular power systems. The control strategy is capable of determining the desired FC power and keeps the DC voltage around its nominal value by supplying propulsion power and recuperating breaking energy. Simulation results obtained using MATLABreg & Simulinkreg, SimPowerSystemsreg, fuzzy logic toolbox and ADVISORreg are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm
The Bursa of Fabricius: The Evolution of a Discovery

It has been a joy these past 40 yr to have traveled the "Bursal Road"--a road we helped construct and whose route allowed us to make a variety of observations that contributed either to basic science or indirectly or directly to the role of the bursa of Fabricius in the B cell repertoire. The chicken's bursa of Fabricius introduced me to endocrine, heritability, and growth studies, which allowed serendipity to occur and the revelation of the classical and modification of the classical theses of bursal function. The modification of the classical thesis, presence of immunoglobulin in the absence of the bursa, raised questions that directed us to study hypothalamic control of behavior, which was not directly related to bursal function. This forced us to learn various techniques, e.g., autoradiography, cell labeling, and electron microscopy, that made it possible to study long- and short-lived lymphocytes, lymphokines, labeled cells, and the fine structure and function of the bursa of Fabricius, cecal tonsil, Harderian gland, lymph nodes, Meckel's diverticulum, Pineal gland, and spleen. In an attempt to use cyclophosphamide to understand how the spleen acquired the ability to produce antibodies, we revealed a dendritic cell in the bursa, the bursal-secretory dendritic cell (BSDC), and in the spleen, the ellipsoid-associated cell (EAC). The BSDC is a novel cell in the bursal microenvironment and may be involved in an interaction with prebursal or bursal stem cells, leading to the differentiation or selection of the B cell repertoire of the chicken.
Association Between Trabecular Meshwork Anteroposterior Length and Anterior Chamber Angle Width

Purpose To investigate the association between trabecular meshwork anteroposterior length and anterior chamber angle width in nonglaucomatous subjects. Design Prospective, cross-sectional study. Methods Time-domain and spectral-domain anterior segment optical coherence tomography images for 561 eyes from 366 nonglaucomatous subjects were analyzed to determine trabecular meshwork anteroposterior length and 3 anterior chamber angle width parameters measured at different distances from the scleral spur: angle opening distance at 250 μm (AOD250), 500 μm (AOD500), and 750 μm (AOD750) from the scleral spur; trabecular–iris space area at 500 μm (TISA500) and 750 μm (TISA750) from the scleral spur; angle recess area at 750 μm (ARA750) from the scleral spur. Univariable and multivariable linear mixed-effect regression models, the latter adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, axial length, and the use of both eyes in the same subject, were used to evaluate the association between trabecular meshwork anteroposterior length and anterior chamber angle width parameters. Results Mean trabecular meshwork anteroposterior length was 824.86 ± 181.77 μm. Univariate regression analyses showed a significant positive association between trabecular meshwork anteroposterior length and all anterior chamber angle width parameters: AOD250 ( P P P P P P P = .005; β = 294.02), AOD500 ( P = .036; β = 172.94), AOD750 ( P = .049; β = 125.58), TISA500 ( P = .004; β = 611.51), TISA750 ( P = .011; β = 333.96), ARA750 ( P Conclusions Wider anterior chamber angle is associated with greater trabecular meshwork anteroposterior length.
Long-time behaviour of quantized distributions in forward-backward semiclassical dynamics

The paper reports investigations of the characteristics of phase space distributions in forward–backward semiclassical dynamics (FBSD) calculations. By virtue of Liouville's theorem and energy conservation, the volume of the negative regions is rigorously conserved and the energy distribution is invariant during time evolution. Thus, while the phase space density is not invariant under FBSD, exhibiting a weak time dependence mostly in its wings, it retains its quantum mechanical characteristics and does not revert to a classical Boltzmann distribution at long times. Illustrative applications on liquid neon near its triple point are presented.
Weyl's theorem for closed operators on Fréchet spaces☆

Abstract A celebrated theorem of H. Weyl asserts that if A is a normal operator on a Hilbert space X, then the points in the spectrum of A which can be removed by perturbing A with a compact operator are precisely the eigenvalues of finite multiplicity which are isolated points of the spectrum of A. In these notes we develop appropriate Fredholm theory that enables us to provide interesting sufficiency and necessary conditions for a closed operator on a Frechet space to satisfy Weyl's theorem. We complement and extend results of L. A. Coburn, V. Istraţescu, S. K. Berberian, and M. Schechter, respectively.
Mixed Convection in an Obstructed Open-Ended Cavity

Mixed convection in an obstructed cavity with heated horizontal walls is investigated in this work. Brinkman-Forchheimer-extended Darcy model is utilized to describe the flow characteristics within a porous medium for different angles of attack with respect to the forced convection. Numerical results are obtained for a wide range of Grashof numbers (102–109), Reynolds numbers (102–105), Darcy numbers (10−6–10−1), and aspect ratios (0.25–2). Effects of the pertinent physical parameters are investigated in terms of the flow and temperature fields, as well as Nusselt number distributions. The presented results show that the Darcy number plays a significant role on the flow and thermal fields and the Nusselt number distributions for different flow configurations. For an inclined flow, the vertical velocity component is substantially diminished within a narrow entrance section near the inlet boundary. It is shown that as the aspect ratio increases the thickness of the thermal boundary layer increases, resultin...
Deriving Efficient Area and Delay Estimates by Modeling Layout Tools

This paper presents a novel approach to deriving area and delay estimates for high level synthesis using machine learning techniques to model layout tools. This approach captures the relationships between general design features (e.g., topology, connectivity, common input, and common output) and layout concepts (e.g., relative placement). Experimentation illustrates the effectiveness of this approach for a variety of real-world designs.
Devulcanization of Waste Tire Rubber by Powerful Ultrasound

Ground rubber tire (GRT) is devulcanized in a continuous process where the rubber crumb is conveyed by a screw extruder to a thin gap between a stationary die and a vibrating horn. Ultrasound amplitude, gap thickness and the duration of the treatment are varied, and their effect on the rubber properties is studied. The degree of devulcanization is characterized by the crosslink density and gel fraction of the devulcanized rubber. These characteristics are found to correlate uniquely with each other over a wide range of the treatment conditions. The results specific energy of ultrasound consumed per unit mass of the rubber is found to be the operating parameter correlating with the properties of the devulcanized rubber. The mechanical properties of thr re-vulcanized samples reach a maximum with an increasing degree of devulcanization, and then drop as a result of excessive degradation. Even without optimization of cure recipes, tensile strength and ultimate elongation of re-vulcanized tire rubber as high as 10.5 MPa and 250u, respectively, are achieved
Epigenetic Readers of Lysine Acetylation Regulate Cocaine-Induced Plasticity

Epigenetic processes that regulate histone acetylation play an essential role in behavioral and molecular responses to cocaine. To date, however, only a small fraction of the mechanisms involved in the addiction-associated acetylome have been investigated. Members of the bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) family of epigenetic “reader” proteins (BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and BRDT) bind acetylated histones and serve as a scaffold for the recruitment of macromolecular complexes to modify chromatin accessibility and transcriptional activity. The role of BET proteins in cocaine-induced plasticity, however, remains elusive. Here, we used behavioral, pharmacological, and molecular techniques to examine the involvement of BET bromodomains in cocaine reward. Of the BET proteins, BRD4, but not BRD2 or BRD3, was significantly elevated in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of mice and rats following repeated cocaine injections and self-administration. Systemic and intra-accumbal inhibition of BRD4 with the BET inhibitor, JQ1, attenuated the rewarding effects of cocaine in a conditioned place preference procedure but did not affect conditioned place aversion, nor did JQ1 alone induce conditioned aversion or preference. Investigating the underlying mechanisms, we found that repeated cocaine injections enhanced the binding of BRD4, but not BRD3, to the promoter region of Bdnf in the NAc, whereas systemic injection of JQ1 attenuated cocaine-induced expression of Bdnf in the NAc. JQ1 and siRNA-mediated knockdown of BRD4 in vitro also reduced expression of Bdnf. These findings indicate that disrupting the interaction between BET proteins and their acetylated lysine substrates may provide a new therapeutic avenue for the treatment of drug addiction. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Proteins involved in the “readout” of lysine acetylation marks, referred to as BET bromodomain proteins (including BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and BRDT), have been shown to be key regulators of chromatin dynamics and disease, and BET inhibitors are currently being studied in several clinical trials. However, their role in addiction-related phenomena remains unknown. In the current studies, we revealed that BRD4 is elevated in the nucleus accumbens and recruited to promoter regions of addiction-related genes following repeated cocaine administration, and that inhibition of BRD4 attenuates transcriptional and behavioral responses to cocaine. Together, these studies reveal that BET inhibitors may have therapeutic utility in the treatment of cocaine addiction.
Eminent Domain After Kelo v. City of New London: An Argument for Banning Economic Development Takings

Last summer's U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kelo v. City of New London elicited angry responses from legislators, citizens and many scholars. The 5-4 decision held that the use of the eminent domain power to transfer non-blighted property to private entities for economic development satisfied the public use requirement of the Taking Clause. This article argues that the Kelo decision was correct as a matter of law, following naturally from U.S. Supreme Court precedent and consistent with prevailing judicial and legislative approaches to the public use question that pre-date the U.S. Constitution. Nonetheless, the practical result of existing public use doctrine is an eminent domain regime that frequently produces unjust and inefficient results, favors special interests over property owners, and provides inadequate protection of private property. After surveying the history of forced property transfers in the United States from the Colonial Era through the present, and analyzing the consequences of the present doctrine, the article calls for a ban on takings for economic development, preferably by state constitutional amendment.
Improvised Transnationalism: Clandestine Migration at the Border of Anthropology and International Relations

To travel undetected by state authorities and criminal predators, Central Americans pass as Mexican during their journey to the United States. This ‘passing’ underscores the ambiguities of social roles, such as nationality. Over time, these performances partially reconstruct imagined communities, blurring the boundaries between foreigners and citizens. However, international-relations scholarship tends to overlook how uncoordinated everyday practice complicates borders in a globalized world. By tracing the co-constitutive relationship between migration policing, national performances, and transnational routes, this article reveals the makeshift nature of the identities that underscore distinctions between citizens and foreigners. I argue for the continued inclusion of ethnography as a method for exploring the dynamic relationship between territory, state, and nation. Migrants complicate borders, but also suffer the very real, material consequences of both state and nonstate violence. My analysis of clandestine transnationalism therefore chronicles challenges to, and reconfigurations of, sovereignty.
New Technologies to Enable Millimeter-Wave Imaging

We apply structured passive elements and computational imaging to millimeter waves to enable a mobile imager. Experimental results are presented.
Conformational Exchange Coupled to Ionization of Lys Residues Buried in Hydrophobic Environments in Proteins

Ionizable amino acids buried in hydrophobic environments in proteins can titrate with anomalous pKa values. Despite the central role of these amino acids in energy transduction and catalysis, the determinants of their unusual properties are difficult to reproduce with computational approaches. Conformational reorganization of the protein backbone is a key determinant of pKa values. This reflects the ability of the protein to sample conformational microstates, which is particularly challenging to reproduce computationally. To characterize structural details and timescales of conformational reorganization coupled to ionization of buried groups, NMR spectroscopy was used to identify locations, measure timescales, and determine the extent of pH dependence of conformational exchange in the L25K and L125K variants of staphylococcal nuclease. Lys-25 or Lys-125 titrate with pKa values of 6.3 and 6.2, respectively. Using relaxation dispersion spectroscopy we observed that the β barrel of the L25K protein fluctuates between the native and an alternate state on the 0.4 to 7 ms timescale. The HN chemical shifts of the alternate state, assigned using ZZ-exchange spectroscopy, were less dispersed than those of the native state, consistent with unfolding of the β barrel. The equilibrium between these states is strongly pH dependent, with the partially unfolded state dominating at pH values at which the internal Lys residue is charged. In contrast, the L125K protein exhibited fluctuations near Lys-125 on the µs-ms timescale but in a faster regime than the L25K protein and without pH dependence. These results show the extent of coupling between conformational change and proton binding is highly dependent on local structural properties. Computational models attempting to reproduce the properties and pKa values of buried ionizable groups must be able to represent conformational exchange between native and subglobally unfolded states on ms timescales.
Effects of Sex, Developmental Stage, and Temperature on Predation by Geocoris punctipes

The number of prey consumed daily in the laboratory at 20, 25, 30, and 35°C by Geocoris punctipes (Say) was found to vary by several hundred percent, depending on an individual predator's sex, developmental stage, and the temperature. Nymphs in successively later instars tended to eat more prey daily than did those in earlier instars. Nymphs and adult males consumed greater numbers of prey daily at each higher experimental temperature; the same was true for adult females, except that they consumed fewer prey daily at 35 than at 30°C. Prey were eggs of the soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker).
Image Fusion Principles: Theory

Imaging is an integral component in the investigation of urologic disease. Continued advancement in both hardware and software tools have given rise to novel image modalities and innovative approaches for diagnosis and intervention. An appreciation of the fundamentals of imaging techniques is essential to enable Urologists to continually employ them in routine clinical practice. The objective of this chapter is to review the current state of the art regarding techniques in imaging and their applications in urologic interventions, with special attention to registration, image fusion, and tracking in diagnostic and therapeutic implementation.
The Sociologist: His Values, His Role, His Philosophical Orientation

Ever since sociology came into scientific existence debates on the place of value-judgments in scientific work in sociology have gone on. The claim that sociology is value-free is met by the counter claim that this puritan goal is unattainable. Even the claim that though value-free, nevertheless sociology must take account of men’s values as facts (or as Goode and Hatt say: “Value judgments are merely the formalized expressions of sentiments and emotions derived from the culture and impelling men to action [and] values are thus major determinants of human behavior and hence major areas for study of social science”) — even this claim has been met by the extreme behaviorist with the retort that the concept of value is animistic and can be reduced to behavioral components of a stimulus-response sort. Therefore, say the latter, we should not study something called values but rather break down what men call values into their material elements and thus having reduced them to manageable form study them and their manifestations. That is, in this latter view, values must not be taken on their own terms.
Treatment of Extreme Family Accommodation in a Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in youth is typically characterized by high degrees of family accommodation or changes to parent behavior aimed at aiding the youth in avoiding or alleviating distress caused by the disorder. Coercive-disruptive behaviors are also prevalent among youth with OCD and describe forceful attempts to impose family accommodation on parents and siblings. High degrees of family accommodation are associated with greater symptom severity and with poorer response to treatment. Parent-based interventions offer an alternative or enhancement to therapy with the youth. Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) is a parent-based treatment for pediatric OCD and anxiety disorders. SPACE works to systematically reduce family accommodation and provides parents with practical tools for coping with the youth’s responses, including coercive-disruptive behaviors. This chapter presents an overview of SPACE and illustrative case example. Alyssa was a 14-year-old girl with severe OCD whose parents reported severe coercive-disruptive behaviors and extreme family accommodation. Over treatment, parents systematically charted their accommodation and implemented plans to reduce it. The therapist guided the parents in applying SPACE modules to cope with Alyssa’s anger and distress and to improve their ability to work collaboratively with each other. Following treatment, Alyssa showed significant improvement in obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and parents reported greatly reduced family accommodation and coercive-disruptive behaviors. A discussion of complicating factors is included.
Structure and Function of the PriC DNA Replication Restart Protein

Collisions between DNA replication complexes (replisomes) and barriers such as damaged DNA or tightly bound protein complexes can dissociate replisomes from chromosomes prematurely. Replisomes must be reloaded under these circumstances to avoid incomplete replication and cell death. Bacteria have evolved multiple pathways that initiate DNA replication restart by recognizing and remodeling abandoned replication forks and reloading the replicative helicase. In vitro, the simplest of these pathways is mediated by the single-domain PriC protein, which, along with the DnaC helicase loader, can load the DnaB replicative helicase onto DNA bound by the single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-binding protein (SSB). Previous biochemical studies have identified PriC residues that mediate interactions with ssDNA and SSB. However, the mechanisms by which PriC drives DNA replication restart have remained poorly defined due to the limited structural information available for PriC. Here, we report the NMR structure of full-length PriC from Cronobacter sakazakii. PriC forms a compact bundle of α-helices that brings together residues involved in ssDNA and SSB binding at adjacent sites on the protein surface. Disruption of these interaction sites and of other conserved residues leads to decreased DnaB helicase loading onto SSB-bound DNA. We also demonstrate that PriC can directly interact with DnaB and the DnaB·DnaC complex. These data lead to a model in which PriC acts as a scaffold for recruiting DnaB·DnaC to SSB/ssDNA sites present at stalled replication forks.
Abstract 15582: Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Breast Cancer Survivors: Analysis of NHANES 1999-2012

Introduction: There are 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. With improved survival from breast cancer, cardiovascular disease has emerged as one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. However, few studies have assessed CVD risk factors among breast cancer survivors. Methods: We analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2012 to assess CVD risk factors, as defined by AHA/ACC, in adult women with and without a history of breast cancer. Results: A total of 537 women, age 20 and older, with breast cancer history and 17,902 women without cancer history were included in the analysis. Among women with breast cancer, the mean (SE) age at diagnosis was 56y (0.81). 32.8% had the diagnosis < 5 years; 39.9% survived more than 10 years after diagnosis. Compared to women without cancer, the breast cancer survivors were older (mean age 65 (0.80) vs 46 (0.23)), and more likely to be white (84.2% vs. 67.6%) (both p<0.0001), but with similar education level. In stratified analyses, after adjustment for age, black women with breast cancer compared to black women without cancer history had significantly higher SBP (128.9 vs 124.5, p=0.003), and were more likely to be obese, have hypertension and diabetes (Table). In contrast, there were no significant differences in CVD risk factors in non-black women. There were no differences in lipids profiles between women with and without breast cancer. Conclusion: CVD risk factors are very prevalent in breast cancer survivors. Improving cardiovascular health through lifestyle change and preventive strategies, particularly in black women with breast cancer, is a public health priority. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif