cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bootstrap percolation on a Bethe lattice

A new percolation problem is posed which can exhibit a first-order transition. In bootstrap percolation, sites on an empty lattice are first randomly occupied, and then all occupied sites with less than a given number m of occupied neighbours are successively removed until a stable configuration is reached. On any lattice for sufficiently large m, the ensuing clusters can only be infinite. On a Bethe lattice for m>or=3, the fraction of the lattice occupied by infinite clusters discontinuously jumps from zero at the percolation threshold. From an analysis of stable and metastable ground states of the dilute Blume-Capel model (1966), it is concluded that effects like bootstrap percolation may occur in some real magnets.
Isoform specificity among ankyrins. An amphipathic alpha-helix in the divergent regulatory domain of ankyrin-b interacts with the molecular co-chaperone Hdj1/Hsp40.

Ankyrins-R, -B, and -G are a family of membrane-associated adaptors required for localization of structurally diverse proteins to specialized membrane domains, including axon initial segments, cardiomyocyte T-tubules, and epithelial cell lateral membranes. Ankyrins are often co-expressed in the same cells and, although structurally similar, have non-overlapping functions. We previously determined that the regulatory domain of ankyrin-B defines specificity between ankyrins B and G in cardiomyocytes. Here, we identify key residues on the surface of an amphipathic α-helix unique to the regulatory domain of ankyrin-B that are essential for the function of ankyrin-B in cardiomyocytes. Using circular dichroism, we determined that a peptide representing the predicted helix folds as a helix in solution. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis revealed that residues 1773, 1777, 1780, 1784, and 1788 located in a patch on one surface the helix are critical for ankyrin-B function in cardiomyocytes. In a parallel set of experiments we determined that the molecular co-chaperone human DnaJ homologue 1 (Hdj1)/Hsp40 interacts with the ankyrin-B regulatory domain. Moreover, interaction of Hdj1/Hsp40 with the regulatory domain was mapped by random mutagenesis to same surface of the α-helix that is required for ankyrin-B function. These results provide new insight into the molecular basis for specificity between ankyrin-based pathways by defining a key α-helix structure in the divergent regulatory domain of ankyrin-B as well as interaction of the helix with Hdj1/Hsp40, the first downstream target for ankyrin-B-specific function.
Misregulation of an adaptive metabolic response contributes to the age-related disruption of lipid homeostasis in Drosophila

Loss of metabolic homeostasis is a hallmark of aging and is commonly characterized by the deregulation of adaptive signaling interactions that coordinate energy metabolism with dietary changes. The mechanisms driving age-related changes in these adaptive responses remain unclear. Here, we characterize the deregulation of an adaptive metabolic response and the development of metabolic dysfunction in the aging intestine of Drosophila. We find that activation of the insulin-responsive transcription factor Foxo in intestinal enterocytes is required to inhibit the expression of evolutionarily conserved lipases as part of a metabolic response to dietary changes. This adaptive mechanism becomes chronically activated in the aging intestine, mediated by changes in Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling. Age-related chronic JNK/Foxo activation in enterocytes is deleterious, leading to sustained repression of intestinal lipase expression and the disruption of lipid homeostasis. Changes in the regulation of Foxo-mediated adaptive responses thus contribute to the age-associated breakdown of metabolic homeostasis.
Sidewall damage in plasma etching of Si/SiGe heterostructures

Plasma etching is a critical tool in the fabrication of Si/SiGe heterostructure quantum devices, but it also presents challenges, including damage to etched feature sidewalls that affects device performance. Chemical and structural changes in device feature sidewalls associated with plasma-surface interactions are considered damage, as they affect band structure and electrical conduction in the active region of the device. Here the authors report the results of experiments designed to better understand the mechanisms of plasma-induced sidewall damage in modulation-doped Si/SiGe heterostructures containing a two-dimensional electron gas. Damage to straight wires fabricated in the heterostructure using plasma etching was characterized both by measuring the width of the nonconductive “sidewall depletion” region at the device sidewall and by measuring the noise level factor γH/N determined from spectra of the low frequency noise. Observed increases in sidewall depletion width with increasing etch depth are te...
Virtual interaction using robust color skin detection

Virtual Interaction refers to a low immersion virtual reality system that allows users to participate in a scene with computer-generated graphics. The system's purpose is to provide interactive environments that allow physical activity for individuals with disabilities. This extended abstract briefly describes the current silhouette-based system and discusses the ongoing work of improving the system with the incorporation of a robust skin detection algorithm. Virtual Interaction with only the user's hands is discussed with regard to both two and three-dimensional environments.
Disorders of human hemoglobin

Studies of the human hemoglobin system have provided new insights into the regulation of expression of a group of linked human genes, the gamma-delta-beta-globin gene complex in man. In particular, the thalassemia syndromes and related disorders of man are inherited anemias that provide mutations for the study of the regulation of globin gene expression. New methods, including restriction enzyme analysis and cloning of cellular DNA, have made it feasible to define more precisely the structure and organization of the globin genes in cellular DNA. Deletions of specific globin gene fragments have already been found in certain of these disorders and have been applied in prenatal diagnosis.
Weak-coupling states in odd Zr isotopes☆

Abstract Weak-coupling states in 91, 93, 95Zr were investigated using the analog resonances technique. A consistent set of spectroscopic factors relative to those determined in a (d,p) experiment, was derived for a total of 24 states.
Gas chromatographic separation of methoxylated polychlorinated biphenyl atropisomers

Several polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their hydroxylated metabolites display axial chirality. Here we describe an enantioselective, gas chromatographic separation of methylated derivatives of hydroxylated (OH-)PCB atropisomers (MeO-PCB) using a chemically bonded β-cyclodextrin column (Chirasil-Dex). The atropisomers of several MeO-PCBs could be separated on this column with resolutions ranging from 0.42 to 0.87 under isothermal or temperature-programmed conditions. In addition, the enantiomeric fraction of OH-PCB 136 metabolites was determined in male and female rats treated with racemic PCB 136. The methylated derivatives of two OH-PCB 136 metabolites showed an enantiomeric enrichment in liver tissue, whereas PCB 136 itself was near racemic.
Valve-sparing aortic root replacement : Early experience with the de paulis valsalva graft in 51 patients

Background Valve-sparing aortic root replacement for treatment of aortic sinus disease avoids the problems of prosthetic valves, but some patients suffer late valve incompetence as a result of leaflet distortion or annular dilatation. The reimplantation technique using the De Paulis Valsalva graft might improve late results of valve-sparing aortic root replacement by maintaining annular stability and re-creating sinuses that minimize leaflet stress. Methods Retrospective review was conducted of all patients at our institution who underwent valve-sparing aortic root replacement using the Valsalva graft. Clinical data were obtained from hospital and clinic charts and patient contacts; echocardiograms were analyzed for aortic root dimensions and valve function. Results Between May 2002 and June 2005, 51 patients underwent valve-sparing aortic root replacement using the reimplantation technique with the Valsalva graft. Mean age was 33 ± 15 years; 22% (11 of 51) were children, and 80% (41 of 51) were male. Primary indication for surgery was root aneurysm in all patients. Preoperative mean root diameter was 5.0 ± 0.5 cm. Marfan syndrome was present in 67% (34 of 51), and 10% (5 of 51) had the newly described Loeys-Dietz syndrome. There were no operative or late deaths, and no patient required reoperation for bleeding. At mean follow-up of 1.8 years, there were no episodes of endocarditis or thromboembolism. Echocardiograms showed stability of the annulus and root dimensions on follow-up. No patient had more than 0 to 1+ aortic insufficiency or progression of aortic insufficiency. All were in New York Heart Association class I. Conclusions Valve-sparing aortic root replacement using the Valsalva graft and reimplantation technique has excellent early results. Preservation of valve competence is encouraging, but long-term results will determine whether the anatomic design of this aortic root prosthesis is superior for preservation of valve integrity.
Investigation of Geogrid-Reinforced Railroad Ballast Behavior Using Large-Scale Triaxial Testing and Discrete Element Modeling:

Geogrids are well known for improving the performance of unbound aggregate layers in transportation applications by providing confinement and restraining movement through interlock between individual aggregate particles and geogrid apertures. Geogrid reinforcement offers an effective remedial measure when railroad track structures are susceptible to track geometry defects resulting from excessive movement and particle reorientation within the ballast layer. This paper presents findings from an ongoing research study at the University of Illinois aimed at quantifying the effects of geogrid reinforcement on the shear strength behavior of railroad ballast. The effects of two geogrid types on ballast shear strength were evaluated through laboratory testing and numerical modeling. An imaging-based discrete element method (DEM) modeling approach was used to identify the optimal position for geogrid reinforcement to achieve the maximum shear strength gain in cylindrical triaxial specimens. Geogrids were installe...
Nematic films and radially anisotropic Delaunay surfaces

We develop a theory of axisymmetric surfaces minimizing a combination of surface tension and nematic elastic energies which may be suitable for describing simple film and bubble shapes. As a function of the elastic constant and the applied tension on the bubbles, we find the analogues of the unduloid, sphere, and nodoid in addition to other new surfaces.
A flow metamodel for delivery agents over a spatial area

This article studies fuzzy rules that were used to model autonomous entities and discusses the development of a metamodel to describe the traffic flow of autonomous agents over a spatial area. The agents deliver goods (and themselves) to prespecified locations on the given spatial area. The metamodel is defined as a set of equations, obtained through regression analysis, that are functions of several variables that affect the agent system. The performance measures are effective speed and collision probability. The fuzziest rule set consistently gave the best results in terms of collision avoidance for this study. The improved collision avoidance is gained at the cost of a lower effective speed. A “traffic control” policy may be desirable when congestion reaches a limit. The flow metamodel equations describe the emergent behavior of the system, or system-level behavior resulting from interactions at the level of the parts of the system. The equations can be used to determine whether congestion will be a pr...
Effective size, census size, and genetic monitoring of the endangered razorback sucker, Xyrauchen texanus

For the past several decades the Lake Mohave population of the federally endangered razorback sucker, Xyrauchen texanus, has had no natural recruitment because of intensive predation on larvae by non-native fishes. In response to impending extirpation, a repatriation program was implemented where larval razorbacks are collected from the wild following natural spawning, reared in protective custody, and then repatriated at a much larger size. In this study, we estimated annual (N bf) and generational female effective size (N ef) of the spawning stock by characterizing temporal genetic changes in mtDNA among larval cohorts, and then compared these estimates to the estimated number of reproductively capable (adult) females in Lake Mohave (N f). Razorback suckers have life history and mortality schedules that could yield values of N ef/N f as low as 10−5 due to match–mismatch recruitment (or the “Hedgecock effect”) that increases variance in reproductive success. Average N bf was estimated to be 160, N ef was 706, and the ratio N ef/N f was 0.29 and 0.38 for arithmetic and harmonic mean N f, respectively. Our findings indicate that (i) larval sampling in Lake Mohave sufficiently encompasses temporal and spatial variation within annual larval cohorts as to be representative of the spawning stock, (ii) roughly 3–16% (about 8% on average) of adult females contribute genetically to larval cohorts each year, and (iii) repatriated fishes appear to be contributing genetically to larval cohorts. Simultaneous genetic and demographic monitoring offers insights that neither approach can provide alone into effects of population decline and management practices in this species.
Direct Calculation of the Tube Potential Confining Entangled Polymers

We directly compute, for the first time, a confining “tube” potential acting on a flexible or semiflexible polymer chain entangled with like chains using equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations and compare these results to the conventional tube diameter inferred from the plateau in the time-dependent relaxation modulus G(t) and to an apparent tube diameter inferred from the crossover time τe from t1/2 to t1/4 scaling in the time-dependent monomer diffusivity g2(t). We find that the “narrow” tube diameter obtained at the equilibration time τe, where the monomer first “feels” that it is in a tube, widens with time as the tube potential softens and develops a nonquadratic tail. Our results help explain why the value of the entanglement spacing inferred by measurements at time scale τe is only half the conventional value obtained by measurements of the plateau modulus in the vicinity of the Rouse time τR.
Effect of Mesoporosity on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Polystyrene/Silica Composites

In this study, mesoporous or colloidal silica particles were incorporated into polystyrene matrices via melt blending or by styrene polymerization initiated from the particle surface. The relations...
Regional anesthesia does not significantly change surgical time versus general anesthesia—A meta-analysis of randomized studies

Background and Objectives The major determinant of variable operating room costs is surgical time. A number of factors contribute to surgical time. This study was designed to determine whether regional anesthesia decreases surgical time when compared with general anesthesia over several surgical procedures. Methods A search was conducted for clinical trials that reported surgical times and which compared outcomes from regional versus general anesthesia. A meta-analysis of these trials was completed to determine whether, on average, among many surgeons and surgical procedures, the use of regional anesthesia affects surgical time. Confidence intervals were calculated and random effects meta-analysis was used to pool results. Results Twenty-six studies (with 1,874 patients) were used in the meta-analysis. Regional anesthesia does not significantly decrease surgical time versus general anesthesia (mean general minus regional difference was 1.7 minutes, 95% confidence interval −0.5 to 3.9 minutes). Conclusions Overall, the use of regional anesthesia does not significantly decrease surgical time.
An Analysis of the Frame-Content Theory in Babble of 9-Month-Old Babies with Cleft Lip and Palate.

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the consonant–vowel co-occurrence patterns predicted by the Frame-Content theory in 16 nine-month-old babies with unrepaired cleft palate (±cleft lip) and 16 age-matched non-cleft babies. Babble from these babies was phonetically transcribed and grouped according to the intrasyllabic predictions of the theory (labial–central, alveolar–front, and velar–back). Both groups demonstrated the three consonant–vowel co-occurrence patterns predicted by the Frame-Content theory. Other patterns not predicted by the Frame-Content theory emerged as strong patterns as well. Learning outcomes: The reader will be able to: • Describe consonant–vowel co-occurrence patterns produced by babies with and without cleft palate. • Describe vowel inventories of babies with cleft palate. • Identify possible therapy targets for babies with cleft palate.
Experiments on interfaces to support query expansion

This paper focuses on the user and human‐computer interaction (HCI) aspects of the research based on the Okapi text retrieval system. Three experiments implementing different approaches to query expansion are described, highlighting the close relationship between the system’s functionality and different interface designs. The projects evaluated the retrieval effectiveness and usability of an automatic query expansion facility in a VT100 character‐based interface, and two different forms of interactive query expansion implemented in graphical user interface (GUI) environments with different windowing techniques. The experimental conditions, variables and constraints in undertaking operational user testing are discussed in relation to the interface features, and in terms of: the visibility of the system’s operations; the system/user control; and the cognitive load on the user. It is suggested that the quality and effectiveness of the search interaction for query expansion is dependent on resolving the tension between seemingly opposing interface and functional aspects, e.g. automatic vs interactive query expansion, explicit vs implicit use of a thesaurus, document vs query space.
Alteration of the pattern of β-adrenergic desensitization in cultured L6E9 muscle cells infected with Trypanosoma cruzi

Abstract L 6 E 9 myoblasts infected with Trypanosoma cruzi undergo desensitization to β-adrenergic catecholamines in a manner distinct from uninfected control myoblasts. Following incubation of intact cells with isoproterenol for 2h, homogenates prepared from differentiated, high density uninfected L 6 E 9 cells retain isoproterenol-dependent adenylate cyclase activity. In addition, previous exposure to isoproterenol is accompanied by a decrease in the number of β-adrenergic receptors. Homogenates of high density L 6 E 9 cells infected with T. cruzi retain their adenylate cyclase responsivity to isoproterenol but demonstrate a marked decrease in β-adrenergic receptors. Following desensitization infected cell homogenates lose their responsiveness to isoproterenol and demonstrate a more marked decrease in β-receptors. There does not appear to be any effect of T. cruzi infection on affinity of β-adrenergic agonists for the β-receptor or on changes in agonist affinity associated with desensitization. Infection of low density undifferentiated cells results in no apparent change in adenylate cyclase activity or in β-receptors. Their behavior in the setting of desensitization — decreased whole cell cyclic AMP, decreased adenylate cyclase, unchanged β-receptors — is also not affected by infection. The pattern of desensitization to β-adrenergic agonists in high density infected cells shares several properties with the pattern of desensitization in low density uninfected cells, suggesting that infection may be associated with part of the more primitive cellular response pattern.
Studies on dried Bombay duck (Harpoden nehereus). II.—changes in the nutritive value during processing

The effects of boiling, steaming, autoclaving and then drying under vacuum and without vacuum on the nutritive value of Bombay duck has been studied. An increase in the release of amino-acids during pepsin digestion and in the Pepsin Digest Residue (P.D.R.) Index was observed after pretreatments, the release of amino-acids and the P.D.R. Index being decreased by drying, to a lower degree in the vacuum-dried product. The retention of amino-acids was higher during vacuum drying.
Petrofabric stress analysis of the Dry Creek Ridge anticline, Montana

Macrofracture analysis and dynamic analysis of calcite twin lamellae and quartz deformation lamellae detail the stress history during evolution of the Dry Creek Ridge anticline — a multilayered, multilithologic fold near Livingston, Montana. This study analyzes data from sandstone and limestone units in the Jurassic Rierdon, Swift, and Morrison Formations and in the Cretaceous Kootenai Formation. During the early stages of folding, σ 1 was parallel to layering and was oriented normal to the anticlinal axis. A fracture system, F 1 , formed in all layers in response to this stress state. As predicted from mechanical bending theory, a neutral surface developed as folding proceeded. The location of this surface is indicated by petrofabric data and approximates the Kootenai-Morrison contact. In the lower portion of the anticline, σ 1 remained parallel to bedding, although locally the stress rotated. In the upper portion, σ 1 became reoriented normal to bedding. At this time (or later during fold growth), the lower units deforming in the compressional domain (σ 1 parallel to layering) of a single mechanical plate subdivided into two separate plates. The stratigraphically lower of these units (Rierdon Formation) was then located in the extensional domain of a mechanical plate (σ 1 normal to layering). During this stage of deformation, the upper portion of the fold (Morrison and Kootenai Formations) did not change behavior. The stress history of this anticline agrees in general with published theoretical models and explains the superposition of several fracture sets at one position in a fold.
Community Reactions to Attempted and Completed Child Suicide1

In order to assess community reactions to attempted and completed child suicide, 180 shoppers were asked to read a short newspaper article about a 10-year-old who either (a) attempted suicide, (b) completed suicide, (c) completed suicide after having previously attempted, (d) was psychiatrically hospitalized, (e) died of a viral illness, or (f) died of an accident. Subjects then completed a 9-item Likert scale designed to assess their reactions. A2 x 6 (Gender of Victim x Type of Incident) multivariate analysis of variance indicated a significant effect only for type of incident. Families of psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents received milder reactions than families of suicide attempters, in terms of (a) other's assessment of their psychological health, (b) how long they were expected to be sad and depressed after the incident, and (c) how tense respondents expected to feel while visiting them. Apparently, families of suicide attempters must face many of the same negative community reactions as families whose loved ones actually die by suicide, whereas families who have a loved one psychiatrically hospitalized face less problematic reactions from others in the community.
Factors influencing the pathogenicity and development of Mattesia trogodermae infecting Trogoderma glabrum larvae

Abstract Factors that regulate development of Mattesia trogodermae in Trogoderma glabrum were defined, and their quantitative effects were determined. The rate of and the extent to which spore formation proceeds is strictly governed by temperature. More spores are produced at 30° than at 25°C and very low numbers of spores are formed when the incubation temperature is 35°C. When insects are incubated at 35°C for 1–10 days and transferred to 30°C for the remainder of the 30-day experiment, spore production capacity gradually declines with increasing time at 35°C. Two hypotheses are proposed for this phenomenon. Larval size also regulates the extent of spore production, larger larvae having greater potential for spore development. This is not influenced by dosage. Spore production in pupae and adults was always retarded. Dosage and environmental conditions which influence the virulence of M. trogodermae were investigated. These studies show that rates of mortality are higher at higher temperatures. Low doses of spores result in longer LT50's than do high doses at 25° and 30°C. No differences in rates of mortality were found between different doses at 35°C.
The effect of verapamil on the cardiotoxic activity of Portuguese man-o'war (Physalia physalis) and sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) venoms.

Verapamil, a calcium antagonist, is effective in delaying death in mice after i.v. challenge with sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha) or Portuguese man-o'war (Physalia physalis) crude venom. Death caused by these venoms could also be delayed by prior medication of the animals. Continuous EKG monitoring of sea nettle venom-challenged rats demonstrated that a single rapid injection of verapamil might require 4 min to be effective and that up to four repeated injections may be necessary to counteract the venom-induced abnormalities. Verapamil reduced the sea nettle venom-induced positive inotropic effect on isolated guinea pig atrial strips. These data further indicate the effectiveness of verapamil as a therapeutic agent against jellyfish cardiotoxins.
The interpeduncular nuclear complex of selected rodents.

The internal differentiation of the interpeduncular nuclear complex was determined by quantitative cytoarchitectonic analysis in specimens from each of the suborders of Rodentia: rat (Rattus) of the Myomorpha; guinea pig (Cavia), chinchilla (Chinchilla), and capybara (Hadrochoerus) of the Caviamorpha; and the mountain beaver (Aplodonia) from the Sciuromorpha. In each of these rodents the constituent cells of the complex ae grouped into four spatially distinct subnuclei: pars lateralis (PL), pars medialis (PM), pars dorsalis magnocellularis (PDM), and pars dorsalis parvocellularis (PDP). There is a fifth subnucleus, the paramedian, in Chinchilla. Sample distributions, and means, of cell sixes were measured in each of these subdivisions in each species; and cell densities of each subdivision were determined in Rrattus. In all these animals PD had the smallest cells. PDM had the largest cells, except that in Hydrochoerus cells of PL, and in Cavia cells of PM, were as large as those of PDM. In Rattus and Aplodontia PL and PM were not different in cell size, and in Rattus their cells were of the same density. These findings cast doubt upon criteria previously used to subdivide this nuclear complex, and provide a consistent and replicable classification of its components.
Liberalism, Postmodernism, and Welfare Policy

Welfare policy in the United States has changed dramatically with the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) of 1996. The new policy mandated the implementation of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program replacing the former Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program implemented during the Great Depression. While arguments have been made in support of the TANF's success, others have identified its shortcomings. This article attempts to analyze the underlying principles in the debate over the legitimacy of welfare policy and income support. Included in this discussion is a postmodern critique of welfare policy. The argument put forth is that welfare rights need to be rethought in a postmodern society. Indeed, rights-based thinking in liberal political philosophy is inadequate. A postmodern welfare policy is presented as an alternative to current liberal models. The political project of postmodernism is to unmask the unseen describers and thus ...
Pubescence in Sugarcane as a Plant Resistance Character Affecting Oviposition and Mobility by the Sugarcane Borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Pubescence in sugarcane, Saccharum robustum , adversely affected oviposition and larval movement by the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), in tests conducted with clones ‘NG 77-147’ (pubescent) and ‘NG 77-195’ (glabrous). In a no-choice test, significantly fewer eggs were laid on potted plants of the pubescent clone, which also received fewer eggs, egg masses, and eggs per egg mass on abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces. Ovipositional activity on sheaths, stems, and surrounding soil of potted pubescent plants was higher than on potted glabrous plants. In a free-choice test, significantly more egg masses were laid on pubescent excised leaves than on glabrous leaves. No significant differences in the number of eggs and number of eggs per egg mass were observed between pubescent and glabrous excised leaves in either free-choice or no-choice tests. However, for all tests conducted, more eggs were laid on the adaxial leaf surface of the glabrous clone than on any other surface. Numbers of eggs per egg mass were less on the abaxial and adaxial leaf surfaces of the pubescent clone, while they were greatest on the midrib of the glabrous clone. Number of eggs, egg masses, and eggs per egg mass were higher on the midrib surface of the pubescent clone (midrib devoid of trichomes) than in the glabrous clone. Mobility of first instar surgarcane borers was also impaired by pubescence.
Mechanism of calcium/calmodulin inhibition of rod cyclic nucleotide-gated channels

Rod cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are heterotetramers comprised of both CNGA1 and CNGB1 subunits. Calcium/calmodulin (Ca2+/CaM) binds to a site in the N-terminal region of CNGB1 subunits and inhibits the opening conformational change in CNGA1/CNGB1 channels. Here, we show that polypeptides derived from an N-terminal region of CNGB1 form a specific interaction with polypeptides derived from a C-terminal region of CNGA1 that is distal to the cyclic nucleotide-binding domain. Deletion of the Ca2+/CaM-binding site from the N-terminal region of CNGB1 eliminated both Ca2+/CaM modulation of the channel and the intersubunit interaction. Furthermore, the interaction was disrupted by the presence of Ca2+/CaM. These results suggest that Ca2+/CaM-dependent inhibition of rod channels is caused by the direct binding of Ca2+/CaM to a site in the N-terminal region in CNGB1, which disrupts the interaction between this region and a distal C-terminal region of CNGA1. The mechanism underlying Ca2+/CaM modulation of rod channels is distinct from that in olfactory (CNGA2) CNG channels.
Fetal Exposure to Oral Pathogens and Subsequent Risk for Neonatal Intensive Care Admission

Background: Maternal periodontal infection has been associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. In utero fetal exposure to oral pathogens was also recognized as deleterious to the fetus. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between fetal exposure to oral pathogens and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission.Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study of maternal oral health and pregnancy outcome. Fetal immunoglobulin M against oral pathogens was detected in umbilical cord serum by immunoblot. The presence of at least one oral pathogen–specific antibody was considered seropositivity. The cord level of C-reactive protein was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and categorized as detectable versus undetectable. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the association between cord serum seropositivity or detectable C-reactive protein and NICU admission and length of stay.Results: Of 650 infants, 45 (6.9%)...
Application of pharmacokinetic principles to exposure to chemical mixtures.

Kinetic interactions among chemicals present in a mixture can influence the relationship between administered and delivered or effective dose; these interactions are distinct from dynamic interactions such as, for example, competition between two chemicals for receptor binding sites. The relationship between administered and effective dose depends on a number of biochemical, physiological, and physical factors such as age, sex, level of physical activity, route of administration, dose pattern, and bioavailability. In addition, interactions among chemicals may limit or increase the effective dose relative to the administered dose for any of the chemicals of a mixture. If the mechanism of the interaction is known, the direction and general magnitude of its effects may be predictable. A variety of potential interactions is briefly reviewed, and selected illustrations of these interactions are given. Two types of interactions likely to be pervasive in mixtures of chemically related bioactive materials are considered in greater detail. These interactions are induction of metabolizing enzymes such as the mixed-function oxidases, and competition of structurally similar chemicals for active sites on metabolizing enzymes. Simulations are presented to illustrate the consequences of these interactions, and examples of their occurrence are given. 17 references.
Soft-spot analysis: targeting compound noise effects in nanometer circuits

Soft-spot analysis identifies regions in a circuit that are most susceptible to multiple noise sources and their compound effects so that designers can harden those spots for greater robustness. HSpice simulation validates the methodology's quality, and demonstration on a commercial embedded processor shows its scalability.
An Evaluation of High Performance Fortran Compilers Using the HPFBench Benchmark Suite

The High Performance Fortran (HPF) benchmark suite HPF-Bench was designed for evaluating the HPF language and compilers on scalable architectures. The functionality of the benchmarks covers scientific software library functions and application kernels. In this paper, we report on an evaluation of two commercial HPF compilers, namely, xlhpf from IBM and pghpf from PGI, on an IBM SP2 using the linear algebra subset of the HPFBench benchmarks.Our evaluation shows that, on a single processor, there is a signicant overhead for the codes compiled under the two HPF compilers and their Fortran 90 companions, compared with the sequential versions of the codes compiled using xlf. The difference mainly comes from the difference in code segments corresponding to the communications when running in parallel. When running in parallel, codes compiled under pghpf achieve from slightly to signicantly better speedups than when compiled under xlhpf. The difference is mainly from better performance of communications such as cshift, spread, sum and gather/scatter under pghpf.
Development of a dynamic temperature controller for physico-chemical experiments

The development of a control system for controlling the temperature of a small-volume physicochemical apparatus is presented. A thermoelectric cooler is used as the actuator and temperature sensing is performed by thermocouples. The changing of setpoints at various stages of the experiment is automatically performed by the computer, using the information from a particular process parameter. The procedure offers a significant improvement over presently available standard procedures, which offer little, if any, dynamic control over various physicochemical processes.
An improved ZF-ML decoder for space time block codes over time selective channels

In this paper we propose a novel Zero-Forcing Maximum Likelihood (ZF-ML) decoder for symbol detection with reduced search space in Alamouti's space-time block coding (STBC) scheme over time-selective fading channels. Once the channel is time-varying in nature, the channel coefficients vary from one signaling interval to another and causes inter-transmit antenna interference(ITAI); the maximum likelihood (ML) decoder carries out exhaustive search and thus becomes computationally expensive. We evaluate the performance of proposed ZF-ML decoder as compared to the generalized simplified ML (GSML) decoder proposed by T. A. Tran and A. B. Sesay, and sphere decoder (SD) in time-varying channels assuming perfect channel state information(CSI) along with imperfect CSI, being more realistic, at the receiver. Simulation results suggest that the use of improved ZF-ML decoder in time-selective channel gives close to optimal results at much reduced complexity and improved results as compared to the GSML decoder having same computational complexity.
Tapetosomes in Brassica tapetum accumulate endoplasmic reticulum-derived flavonoids and alkanes for delivery to the pollen surface.

Tapetosomes are abundant organelles in tapetum cells during the active stage of pollen maturation in Brassicaceae species. They possess endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–derived vesicles and oleosin-coated lipid droplets, but their overall composition and function have not been established. In situ localization analyses of developing Brassica napus anthers revealed flavonoids present exclusively in tapetum cells, first in an ER network along with flavonoid-3′-hydroxylase and then in ER-derived tapetosomes. Flavonoids were absent in the cytosol, elaioplasts, vacuoles, and nuclei. Subcellular fractionation of developing anthers localized both flavonoids and alkanes in tapetosomes. Subtapetosome fractionation localized flavonoids in ER-derived vesicles, and alkanes and oleosins in lipid droplets. After tapetum cell death, flavonoids, alkanes, and oleosins were located on mature pollen. In the Arabidopsis thaliana mutants tt12 and tt19 devoid of a flavonoid transporter, flavonoids were present in the cytosol in reduced amounts but absent in tapetosomes and were subsequently located on mature pollen. tt4, tt12, and tt19 pollen was more susceptible than wild-type pollen to UV-B irradiation on subsequent germination. Thus, tapetosomes accumulate ER-derived flavonoids, alkanes, and oleosins for discharge to the pollen surface upon cell death. This tapetosome-originated pollen coat protects the haploidic pollen from UV light damage and water loss and aids water uptake.
Binarized composite filter design using majority-granted nonlinearity

A voting scheme for the construction of composite filter for distortion-invariant optical pattern recognition is addressed. The motivation is the limited modulation capability of the spatial light modulator (SLM) which is incorporated as a design constraint in the form of majority-granted nonlinearity. The technique is simple, and less computationally extensive nevertheless resulting in a robust enough SLM-realizable distortion-invariant correlator. Simulation results are presented for rotation invariant character recognition, which shows better correlation discrimination and robust recognition for threshold detectors.
Anatomy of the visual word form area: adjacent cortical circuits and long-range white matter connections.

Circuitry in ventral occipital-temporal cortex is essential for seeing words. We analyze the circuitry within a specific ventral–occipital region, the visual word form area (VWFA). The VWFA is immediately adjacent to the retinotopically organized VO-1 and VO-2 visual field maps and lies medial and inferior to visual field maps within motion selective human cortex. Three distinct white matter fascicles pass within close proximity to the VWFA: (1) the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, (2) the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus, and (3) the vertical occipital fasciculus. The vertical occipital fasciculus terminates in or adjacent to the functionally defined VWFA voxels in every individual. The vertical occipital fasciculus projects dorsally to language and reading related cortex. The combination of functional responses from cortex and anatomical measures in the white matter provides an overview of how the written word is encoded and communicated along the ventral occipital-temporal circuitry for seeing words.
A 1.1-1.9 GHz SETI Survey of the Kepler Field. I. A Search for Narrow-band Emission from Select Targets

We present a targeted search for narrow-band ( T_(eq) > 230 K, stars with five or more detected candidates or stars with a super-Earth (R_p 50 day orbit. Baseband voltage data across the entire band between 1.1 and 1.9 GHz were recorded at the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope between 2011 February and April and subsequently searched offline. No signals of extraterrestrial origin were found. We estimate that fewer than ~1% of transiting exoplanet systems host technological civilizations that are radio loud in narrow-band emission between 1 and 2 GHz at an equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) of ~1.5 × 10^(21) erg s^(–1), approximately eight times the peak EIRP of the Arecibo Planetary Radar, and we limit the number of 1-2 GHz narrow-band-radio-loud Kardashev type II civilizations in the Milky Way to be < 10^(-6) M⊙^(-1). Here we describe our observations, data reduction procedures and results.
T-cell receptor and immunoglobulin gene rearrangements in diagnosing skin disease.

During the past few decades, there have been major advances in our understanding of the human immune system and its associated lymphoproliferative disorders, including those involving the skin. These advances have been facilitated by the development of new genomic technologies that have led not only to more accurate classification and diagnosis of these diseases but also to fresh insights into their pathogenesis and improved means of staging disease, monitoring response to therapy, and detecting early relapse. Rather than exhaustively summarizing this field, the purpose of this review is to provide an overview of key advances, emphasizing their current and future relevance to general dermatologists. Most of the issues raised in this article are discussed and referenced in greater detail in a recent comprehensive textbook chapter. 1
Machine Learning–Based Differential Network Analysis: A Study of Stress-Responsive Transcriptomes in Arabidopsis

Machine learning (ML) is an intelligent data mining technique that builds a prediction model based on the learning of prior knowledge to recognize patterns in large-scale data sets. We present an ML-based methodology for transcriptome analysis via comparison of gene coexpression networks, implemented as an R package called machine learning–based differential network analysis (mlDNA) and apply this method to reanalyze a set of abiotic stress expression data in Arabidopsis thaliana. The mlDNA first used a ML-based filtering process to remove nonexpressed, constitutively expressed, or non-stress-responsive “noninformative” genes prior to network construction, through learning the patterns of 32 expression characteristics of known stress-related genes. The retained “informative” genes were subsequently analyzed by ML-based network comparison to predict candidate stress-related genes showing expression and network differences between control and stress networks, based on 33 network topological characteristics. Comparative evaluation of the network-centric and gene-centric analytic methods showed that mlDNA substantially outperformed traditional statistical testing–based differential expression analysis at identifying stress-related genes, with markedly improved prediction accuracy. To experimentally validate the mlDNA predictions, we selected 89 candidates out of the 1784 predicted salt stress–related genes with available SALK T-DNA mutagenesis lines for phenotypic screening and identified two previously unreported genes, mutants of which showed salt-sensitive phenotypes.
Electric drive system with BLDC motor

With the resource supply becoming severe recently, the use of hybrid car or electric car is a necessity that it can reduce the need of oil. This paper presents BLDC motor is the best choice for high-efficiency motor and shows a design of control system for BLDC motor. With the comparison of DC motor, Induction Motor and BLDC motor, Analysis will be done to determine which type of electric motor has the best characteristics and the motor will be modeled in MATLAB™ /Simulink™ to determine which type of motor has the best performances and the highest efficiency. A control system will be designed in the electric drive system.
DEVELOPMENT OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SOYBEAN OILS FOR FOOD APPLICATIONS

The major use of the ten billion pounds or so of soybean oil produced in the US is for food products such as cooking oils, shortenings and margarines. Refined, bleached and deodorized (RBD) soybean oil used for cooking is usually hydrogenated to increase storage life and stability during frying. RBD soybean oil is also extensively hydrogenated to increase melting point for functionality in shortenings and margarines. Hydrogenation results in oils rich in trans fatty acids, the consumption of which may be associated with coronary heart disease. RBD oils used for salad oils are not hydrogenated but are rich in palmitic acid, the consumption of which has also been associated with coronary heart disease. Therefore, it is nutritionally desirable to produce trans-free soybean oils rich in monounsaturated fatty acids with reduced palmitic acid for cooking and soybean oils with no saturated fatty acids for salad oils. It is also desirable to produce trans-free oils rich in stearic and oleic acids for shortenings and margarines. Cloned genes may be introduced into soybeans to create transgenic lines with improved oil traits. The design of transgene constructs has been assisted by the use of soybean somatic embryos in suspension culture as a model system for soybean seed transformation. This system has allowed the selection of the right genes and promoters to achieve the desired phenotypes in transgenic soybeans. Current soybeans in development include lines producing oil with reduced palmitic acid, lines with over 80% oleic acid and lines with up to 30% stearic acid. Commercialization of high oleic acid transgenic soybeans has demonstrated that it is possible to drastically alter the fatty acid composition of a soybean seed without affecting the yield or environmental sensitivity of the soybean plant.
Graph-based algorithms for lexical semantics and its applications

Lexical semantics studies the meaning of words, which is a useful tool for computer-based automatic natural language processing (NLP). This thesis explores graph-based algorithms to learn and apply distributional lexical semantics in NLP applications. One theory of lexical semanticists holds that semantic relations among words can be extracted from their textual context in natural languages. Based on this theory, we propose using graphs to represent natural language text according to the contextual relations of words in higher-level language units (e.g. sentences, definitions or documents). In these graphs, words and/or higher-level language units are represented with nodes, and edges are added between them according to their textual context to indicate their observed relatedness in a dictionary or a collection of documents. We explore two types of graph representations: the word-word graph which is used for modeling the semantic relations among words, and the instance-word bipartite graph which uses words as a medium to study the relatedness among higher-level language units. In this way, we can embed the semantic relations among words and optionally higher-level language units into the graph structure. We design algorithms to propagate semantic information through the graphs in order to recover the unobserved relatedness among words or higher-level language units, which is used in designing unsupervised, semi-supervised or active learning algorithms to reduce human supervision in NLP applications for harvesting or analyzing text data resources. Specifically, we design graph-based algorithms either for quantitatively assessing lexical semantic similarity, or for developing representativeness and diversity criteria for selecting a characteristic subset of terms, which is useful for problems such as keyword summarization and query design for active learning. In particular, we focus on designing graph-based algorithms to apply lexical semantics in three NLP applications, including Wiktionary lexical semantic similarity extraction, Twitter user interest extraction, and active learning for semantic orientation classification.