cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Skp Chaperone Helps Fold Soluble Proteins in Vitro by Inhibiting Aggregation

The periplasmic seventeen kilodalton protein (Skp) chaperone has been characterized primarily for its role in outer membrane protein (OMP) biogenesis, during which the jellyfish-like trimeric protein encapsulates partially folded OMPs, protecting them from the aqueous environment until delivery to the BAM outer membrane protein insertion complex. However, Skp is increasingly recognized as a chaperone that also assists in folding soluble proteins in the bacterial periplasm. In this capacity, Skp coexpression increases the active yields of many recombinant proteins and bacterial virulence factors. Using a panel of single-chain antibodies and a single-chain T-cell receptor (collectively termed scFvs) possessing varying stabilities and biophysical characteristics, we performed in vivo expression and in vitro folding and aggregation assays in the presence or absence of Skp. For Skp-sensitive scFvs, the presence of Skp during in vitro refolding assays reduced aggregation but did not alter the observed folding rates, resulting in a higher overall yield of active protein. Of the proteins analyzed, Skp sensitivity in all assays correlated with the presence of folding intermediates, as observed with urea denaturation studies. These results are consistent with Skp acting as a holdase, sequestering partially folded intermediates and thereby preventing aggregation. Because not all soluble proteins are sensitive to Skp coexpression, we hypothesize that the presence of a long-lived protein folding intermediate renders a protein sensitive to Skp. Improved understanding of the bacterial periplasmic protein folding machinery may assist in high-level recombinant protein expression and may help identify novel approaches to block bacterial virulence.
Housing Choice Voucher Location Patterns a Decade Later

In 2003, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) prepared a study of the location patterns of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program. This study became an important baseline for the evaluation of the HCV program and its ability to serve the goal of poverty deconcentration. The study examined the ability of HCV households in the 50 largest metropolitan areas to make entry to a broad array of neighborhoods and to locate in high-opportunity neighborhoods with low levels of poverty.New data from HUD and the American Community Survey permit the study to be replicated. We find that vouchers continue to consume only a small portion of the housing stock, with relatively small amounts of spatial concentration. Unfortunately, only about one in five voucher households locate in low-poverty neighborhoods, and this share is rising only very slowly. If the nation wants to pursue poverty deconcentration through the HCV program, we cannot rely on the program, as it is now structured, to accomplish th...
Knudsen and Langmuir measurements of the sublimation pressure of CoF2

Abstract Sublimation studies of CoF2 by the Knudsen and Langmuir techniques over the range 972–1241°K have established the heat of sublimation at 298°K as 78 ± 5·0 kcal/mole−1.
Purulent pericarditis occurring in a patient with cecal carcinoma: Report of a case

We report the unusual concatenation of cecal carcinoma complicated by bacteremia and purulent pericarditis. The organism responsible for the pericarditis was not definitely established. The pericarditis was successfully managed by surgical drainage and antibiotic therapy. Colonic surgery followed eradication of the pericarditis.
Construction of a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library for citrus and identification of BAC contigs containing resistance gene candidates

A BAC library was constructed from the genomic DNA of an intergeneric Citrus and Poncirus hybrid. The library consists of 24,576 clones with an average insert size of 115 kb, representing approximately seven haploid genome equivalents and is able to give a greater than 99% probability of isolating single-copy citrus DNA sequences from this library. High-density colony hybridization-based library screening was performed using DNA markers linked to the citrus tristeza virus (CTV) resistance gene and citrus disease resistance gene candidate (RGC) sequences. Between four and eight clones were isolated with each of the CTV resistance gene-linked markers, which agrees with the library’s predicted genome coverage. Three hundred and twenty-two clones were identified using 13 previously cloned citrus RGC sequences as probes in library screening. One to four fragments in each BAC were shown to hybridize with RGC sequences. One hundred and nine of the RGC BAC clones were fingerprinted using a sequencing gel-based procedure. From the fingerprints, 25 contigs were assembled, each having a size of 120–250 kb and consisting of 2–11 clones. These results indicate that the library is a useful resource for BAC contig construction and molecular isolation of disease resistance genes.
Energy efficient wireless sensor network for structural health monitoring using distributed embedded piezoelectric transducers

Piezoceramic based transducers are widely researched and used for structural health monitoring (SHM) systems due to the piezoceramic material's inherent advantage of dual sensing and actuation. Wireless sensor network (WSN) technology benefits from advances made in piezoceramic based structural health monitoring systems, allowing easy and flexible installation, low system cost, and increased robustness over wired system. However, piezoceramic wireless SHM systems still faces some drawbacks, one of these is that the piezoceramic based SHM systems require relatively high computational capabilities to calculate damage information, however, battery powered WSN sensor nodes have strict power consumption limitation and hence limited computational power. On the other hand, commonly used centralized processing networks require wireless sensors to transmit all data back to the network coordinator for analysis. This signal processing procedure can be problematic for piezoceramic based SHM applications as it is neither energy efficient nor robust. In this paper, we aim to solve these problems with a distributed wireless sensor network for piezoceramic base structural health monitoring systems. Three important issues: power system, waking up from sleep impact detection, and local data processing, are addressed to reach optimized energy efficiency. Instead of sweep sine excitation that was used in the early research, several sine frequencies were used in sequence to excite the concrete structure. The wireless sensors record the sine excitations and compute the time domain energy for each sine frequency locally to detect the energy change. By comparing the data of the damaged concrete frame with the healthy data, we are able to find out the damage information of the concrete frame. A relative powerful wireless microcontroller was used to carry out the sampling and distributed data processing in real-time. The distributed wireless network dramatically reduced the data transmission between wireless sensor and the wireless coordinator, which in turn reduced the power consumption of the overall system.
Mimesis, Duality, and Rhetorical Education

The pedagogical strategy of imitatio cultivates particular attitudes and habits that are useful resources for democratic citizens. Specifically, a mimetic pedagogy cultivates duality, as manifest in a faculty of perspective taking and enabled through the close analysis of rhetorical texts. Reviving imitatio as the central component of a rhetorical education entails a productive critique of norms of sincerity that prevail in contemporary culture, and as such constitutes one of the more significant contributions that rhetorical education can make toward enhancing and sustaining democratic culture.
Dual alkali approaches for the capture and separation of CO2

DUAL ALKALI APPROACHES FOR THE CAPTURE AND SEPARATION OF CO 2 H.P. Huang † , Y. Shi # , W. Li # , and S.G. Chang * Environmental Energy Technology Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory University of California Berkeley, CA 94720 Abstract The Solvay process utilizes two alkalis in sequential order to convert CO 2 to sodium carbonate for commercial use. The ability to transform CO 2 into sodium carbonate cost- effectively would be a breakthrough in CO 2 sequestration by providing benign long-term storage of CO 2 . However, the Solvay process was not designed for CO 2 sequestration and is not practical for use in the sequestration of CO 2 from fossil fuel power plants. This paper investigates methods to modify the process in order to make it effective for the control of power plant CO 2 emissions. The new modified process, called the Dual Alkali Approach, attempts to replace either or both bases, ammonia and lime, in the Solvay process with other compounds to make CO 2 capture and separation efficient. Ammonia was replaced with different amines in aqueous solutions of salts and it was found that bicarbonate precipitation did occur. A method to regenerate the amine in the second step has not been implemented. However, the second step in Solvay Process has been implemented without using lime, namely, ammonia has been regenerated from an ammonium chloride solution using activated carbon. The HCl adsorbed in the activated carbon was removed by water to regenerate the activated carbon. Introduction Existing techniques to sequester CO 2 from stationary power plants involve two steps. The first step uses an amine, as an alkali, to capture CO 2 from flue gas. The captured CO 2 is then stripped by steam at high temperatures. In the second step, the concentrated CO 2 gas is pressurized to supercritical CO 2 liquid and disposed of in geologic formations and/or the deep ocean. Although the pressurization of CO 2 is energy intensive, the first step accounts for two thirds to three fourths of the entire cost. In addition to the energy required for both steps, when large amounts of SO 2 and NOx are present in the flue gas reagent loss also occurs. The reagent loss arises due to the formation of heat stable salts such as amine sulfates and nitrates. As well as the extensive energy required to implement existing CO 2 sequestration techniques, there are also ecological concerns regarding the consequences of storing CO 2 in the ocean and in geological formations. Corresponding author, Email: SGChang@lbl.gov On leave from the College of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, P. R. China # On leave from the Department of Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, P.R. China
Extreme Gestational Starvation Ketoacidosis: Case Report and Review of Pathophysiology

A case of severe starvation ketoacidosis developing during pregnancy is presented. The insulinopenic/insulinresistant state found during fasting in late gestation predisposes to ketosis. Superimposition of stress hormones, which further augment lipolysis, exacerbates the degree of ketoacidosis. In our patient, gestational diabetes, twin pregnancies, preterm labor, and occult infection were factors that contributed to severe starvation ketoacidosis. Diagnosis was delayed because starvation ketosis is not generally considered to be a cause of severe acidosis, and because the anion gap was not elevated. Improved understanding of the complex fuel metabolism during pregnancy should aid in prevention, early recognition, and appropriate therapy of this condition.
Sedentary time and vigorous physical activity are independently associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in middle school youth

Abstract The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between objectively measured physical activity, sedentary time, and cardiorespiratory fitness in a diverse sample of youth. Participants were recruited from three middle schools and completed assessments of height, weight, cardiorespiratory fitness, and wore an accelerometer for a minimum of four days. Hierarchical general linear models controlling for age, body mass index (BMI) percentile, and sex were used to evaluate the association of time (minutes per day) spent sedentary, and in moderate physical activity and vigorous physical activity with cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., heart rate response [beats per minute], dependent variable). Results indicated age (β = –0.16, P 0.05) and vigorous (β = –0.22, P < 0.05) physical activity explained 29% of the variance in cardiorespiratory fitne...
Wittgenstein, Kant and Husserl on the dialectical temptations of reason

There is an interesting sense in which philosophical reflection in the transcendental tradition is thought to be unnatural. Kant claims that metaphysical speculation is as natural as breathing and that transcendental critique is necessary to prevent reason from lapsing into a natural dialectic of dogmatism and skepticism. Husserl argues that the critique of theoretical reason is grounded upon a transcending of the natural attitude in which we are at first unjustifiably and naively directed toward objects as separate from consciousness. A perfectly sensible question arises: Why do we need to effect a change in our natural cognitive orientation to both ourselves and the world in order to know each respectively? Why does a sort of dialectical self-deception come so naturally to us, and why is an effort so great as to seem unnatural necessary for philosophical self-knowledge? The aim of this paper is threefold: first, to argue that seemingly compulsory philosophical assumptions are inevitably generated from within reason itself and thus remain resistant to a complete therapy; second, to show how Kant diagnoses reason’s dialectical tendencies as inevitable and ever-recurring without transcendental vigilance; finally, to argue that the early Husserl’s appropriation of a transcendental epistemology is influenced decisively by Kant’s transcendental reflection in order to combat the reigning naturalism of his day. My overall claim is that by thematizing the natural dialectic of reason best articulated in the first Critique, we can disclose the Kantian way in which Husserl conceives of the natural temptation to naturalize consciousness. We first turn, however, to an influential contemporary account of a decidedly non-transcendental philosophy, what has come to be known as “therapeutic Wittgensteinianism.”
Inferring one’s beliefs from one’s behavior as a function of belief relevance and consistency of behavior

Ss, asked to perform attitudinally consistent or inconsistent behavior, had the implication drawn that the behavior had relevance for belief or did not. The results indicated that individuals do infer their beliefs from their behavior—when the behavior is consistent with prior beliefs and when the implication exists that behavior has relevance for belief.
Multitude of bivariate t distributions

Bivariate t distributions have attracted somewhat limited attention of researchers for the last 70 years in spite of their increasing importance in classical as well as in Bayesian statistical modeling. These distributions have been perhaps unjustly overshadowed – during all these years – by the bivariate normal distribution. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the known bivariate t distributions with the hope of encouraging further research activities in this area.
Comparisons of chromium status in diabetic and normal men

Abstract Diabetes mellitus has been shown to develop as a consequence of chromium (Cr) deficiency in experimental animals and humans sustained by prolonged total parenteral nutrition. However, a relative lack in body Cr stores has not been demonstrated in the adult American diabetic population. In the present study, we measured fasting and postprandial total Cr in plasma, RBC and urine, and total Cr in hair, as well as volatile and ultrafilterable Cr in plasma and urine from 46 adult male diabetics and from 20 age-matched nondiabetic subjects. Diabetics were in the following categories: 21 ketosis-prone, 7 non-ketosis-prone and nonobese, and 18 non-ketosis-prone and obese. In addition, plasma lipids, glucose, and glucose tolerance were measured in all populations. A wide individual variation in Cr levels, amounting in some instances to an order of magnitude, was seen in the various samples from both diabetics and normals. Ketosis-prone, insulin-requiring diabetics had significantly higher plasma Cr than either of the other diabetic subgroups or the normals. The non-ketosis-prone, nonobese diabetics had elevated urinary Cr output as contrasted to the other groups. Although the mean values for hair and RBC Cr did not differ significantly among the groups, analysis of distribution indicated that the lowest values were found in the diabetics. No correlations were found among the hair, RBC, plasma, or urine, suggesting that these samples may reflect different Cr body stores. Cr levels were generally unrelated to obesity, use of alcohol and tobacco, modality of diabetes therapy (i.e., diet, oral hypoglycemic agents, or insulin), age, race, cholesterol or triglyceride levels. However, a significant inverse correlation was seen between RBC Cr and fasting plasma glucose in the diabetic population. There was a similarly significant inverse correlation between the postprandial increment in plasma Cr and fasting plasma glucose. Although these observations do not confirm the presence of Cr deficiency in the male diabetic population, there is suggestive evidence for a relationship between certain body pools of Cr and carbohydrate metabolism in diabetes.
Synthesis of a nanocar with organometallic wheels

Abstract A new class of nanovehicles incorporating trans -alkynyl(dppe) 2 ruthenium-based wheels is reported. A four-wheeled nanocar and a three-wheeled trimer were synthesized for future studies at the single molecule level.
Xanthomonas Type III Effector XopD Desumoylates Tomato Transcription Factor SlERF4 to Suppress Ethylene Responses and Promote Pathogen Growth

XopD, a type III secretion effector from Xanthomonas euvesicatoria (Xcv), the causal agent of bacterial spot of tomato, is required for pathogen growth and delay of host symptom development. XopD carries a C-terminal SUMO protease domain, a host range determining nonspecific DNA-binding domain and two EAR motifs typically found in repressors of stress-induced transcription. The precise target(s) and mechanism(s) of XopD are obscure. We report that XopD directly targets the tomato ethylene responsive transcription factor SlERF4 to suppress ethylene production, which is required for anti-Xcv immunity and symptom development. SlERF4 expression was required for Xcv ΔxopD-induced ethylene production and ethylene-stimulated immunity. XopD colocalized with SlERF4 in subnuclear foci and catalyzed SUMO1 hydrolysis from lysine 53 of SlERF4, causing SlERF4 destabilization. Mutation of lysine 53 prevented SlERF4 sumoylation, decreased SlERF4 levels, and reduced SlERF4 transcription. These data suggest that XopD desumoylates SlERF4 to repress ethylene-induced transcription required for anti-Xcv immunity.
Depressive States Induced by Drugs of Abuse: Clinical Evidence, Theoretical Mechanisms and Proposed Treatment Part II

(1976). Depressive States Induced by Drugs of Abuse: Clinical Evidence, Theoretical Mechanisms and Proposed Treatment Part II. Journal of Psychedelic Drugs: Vol. 8, Innovative Approached to Drug Abuse Treatment, pp. 235-262.
Centromeres and telomeres: structural element's of eukaryotic chromosomes

The architecture of eukaryotic chromosomes within the cell nucleus has a sign&ant impact on transcriptional, replicative and segregational processes. The evidence for discrete chromosomal domains was provided initially by cytological observations of mitotic chromosomes. Morphological landmarks, including primary and secondary constrictions, were seen to reside at specilic positions that characterized a given chromosome. The primary constriction along a condensed chromosome is known as the centromere region, and the end of the chromosome as the telomere. These regions are essential for the proper integrity and segregation of chromosomes, as well as for the hierarchy of order within the cell nucleus. Progress in the yeast, Su&~omyce.s cerevtie, and the ciliated protozoa, Tetrabymena tiermophikz, have provided a detailed molecular description of centromere and telomere structure and function.
Performance of GaAs on silicon power amplifier for wireless handset applications

Recently RF devices formed by the epitaxial growth of GaAs on a Si substrate have been demonstrated. The RF performance of these new devices compares well with devices on a conventional GaAs substrate process. This new GaAs-on-Si technology has the potential for replacing expensive RF components such as power amplifiers with lower cost devices fabricated on GaAs-on-Si while still maintaining good DC-RF performance. This paper presents the RF performance of these GaAs/STO/Si devices and shows for the first time their viability as power amplifiers in wireless handsets.
The computational basis of an identified neuronal circuit for elementary motion detection in dipterous insects

Based on comparative anatomical studies and electrophysiological experiments, we have identified a conserved subset of neurons in the lamina, medulla, and lobula of dipterous insects that are involved in retinotopic visual motion direction selectivity. Working from the photoreceptors inward, this neuronal subset includes lamina amacrine (alpha) cells, lamina monopolar (L2) cells, the basket T-cell (T1 or beta), the transmedullary cell Tm1, and the T5 bushy T-cell. Two GABA-immunoreactive neurons, the transmedullary cell Tm9 and a local interneuron at the level of T5 dendrites, are also implicated in the motion computation. We suggest that these neurons comprise the small-field elementary motion detector circuits the outputs of which are integrated by wide-field lobula plate tangential cells. We show that a computational model based on the available data about these neurons is consistent with existing models of biological elementary motion detection, and present a comparable version of the Hassenstein-Reichardt (HR) correlation model. Further, by using the model to synthesize a generic tangential cell, we show that it can account for the responses of lobula plate tangential cells to a wide range of transient stimuli, including responses which cannot be predicted using the HR model. This computational model of elementary motion detection is the first which derives specifically from the functional organization of a subset of retinotopic neurons supplying the lobula plate. A key prediction of this model is that elementary motion detector circuits respond quite differently to small-field transient stimulation than do spatially integrated motion processing neurons as observed in the lobula plate. In addition, this model suggests that the retinotopic motion information provided to wide-field motion-sensitive cells in the lobula is derived from a less refined stage of processing than motion inputs to the lobula plate.
Coarse-Grained Structural Modeling of Molecular Motors Using Multibody Dynamics

Experimental and computational approaches are needed to uncover the mechanisms by which molecular motors convert chemical energy into mechanical work. In this article, we describe methods and software to generate structurally realistic models of molecular motor conformations compatible with experimental data from different sources. Coarse-grained models of molecular structures are constructed by combining groups of atoms into a system of rigid bodies connected by joints. Contacts between rigid bodies enforce excluded volume constraints, and spring potentials model system elasticity. This simplified representation allows the conformations of complex molecular motors to be simulated interactively, providing a tool for hypothesis building and quantitative comparisons between models and experiments. In an example calculation, we have used the software to construct atomically detailed models of the myosin V molecular motor bound to its actin track. The software is available at www.simtk.org.
Low‐energy plasma in Neptune's magnetosphere

Plasma data from the region of Neptune's magnetosphere between L = 6.5 and L = 13.5 are analyzed. Selecting only spectra where both light and heavy ions are present, density and temperature profiles are derived under the assumption that the ions are H(+) and N(+). These results are used to calculate the total flux shell content (for a shell of unit width in L), N, of each ion in this region. Values of N derived from inbound and outbound data are similar, indicating the plasma distribution functions are isotropic. Average values of NL2 are 3 x 10 to the 32nd for H(+) and 1 x 10 to the 32nd for N(+). Profiles of NL2 for both H(+) and N(+) increase outwards, suggesting that Triton is the probable source of both these plasma components. Evidence is presented for significant inbound-outbound asymmetries in the plasma morphology.
Reduction of CuO nanowires confined by a nano test tube

Using in situ transmission electron microscopy observations of the thermally induced reduction of CuO nanowires sheathed by a carbon shell, we show that a confined nanoscale geometry leads to changes in the oxide reduction mechanism from a surface dominated process to the bulk dominated process. It is shown that the reduction of carbon-confined CuO nanowires occurs via oxygen vacancy clustering in the bulk that results in the nanowire fragmentation into Cu2O segments encapsulated by the carbon shell while the reduction of un-confined CuO nanowires proceeds via the nucleation and growth of Cu2O islands on the nanowire surface. The comparative in situ TEM observations demonstrate that the surface coating layer reduces the thermal stability of the oxide nanowires, which is in contrast to the commonly anticipated effect of enhancing the nanostructure stability by developing a surface protective coating layer. Our density functional theory analyses reveal that the effects of oxygen vacancy ordering at the surface and in the bulk of CuO are comparable in energy, which support the alternative reduction process observed in the bulk of the sheathed CuO nanowires.
Use of conservation practices by women farmers in the Northeastern United States

Women are the fastest growing segment of farm operators in the United States, comprising approximately 14% of principal operators and 30% of all operators of the nation's 2.2 million farms. Although several studies have examined the adoption of conservation practices by farmers, no study of which we are aware has focused on the use of conservation practices among women farmers in the US. Therefore, in 2008, we conducted a survey of women farmers in the Northeast US to better understand their use of conservation practices, and how their use is affected by demographic and farm characteristics, and membership in agricultural organizations and networks. We examined the practices related to the type of agricultural organizations, including commodity producer organizations, general farm organizations, women's groups associated with general farm or commodity organizations, farm women's organizations, and sustainable/organic agriculture organizations. Over 85% of the 815 respondents belonged to at least one organization. The most common organizations reported were sustainable/organic agriculture organizations (53.5%) and general farm organizations (50.8%). About one-third of respondents belonged to commodity-based organizations. The states with organized women farmers' networks—Pennsylvania, Maine and Vermont—represented more than half of them. Members of women's and sustainable or organic agriculture organizations tended to be younger, have less farming experience, and to have received more formal agricultural education than did members of commodity-based, general farm and women's agricultural groups within general farm organizations. Our results indicate that organizational membership and participation provide critical networks that support and reinforce the use of conservation practices. Some practices were positively associated with one type of organization while negatively associated with others. For example, compost production/application, crop rotation, manure incorporation, and organic crop and livestock production are more likely among members of sustainable/organic agriculture organizations, but less likely among members of general farm organizations. The converse is true for integrated pest management (IPM) on crop farms. Specific conservation practices had unique sets of variables linked to their use, with farm products being the most frequent predictors. This research serves as a baseline to understand the array of conservation practices used by women farmers in the Northeast US, and some factors associated with their use. The results suggest the need for consideration of the applicability of existing adoption models for women farmers. As women tend to have diversified operations with multiple markets, educational and regulatory programs that attempt to reach women farmers may need to consider the specific types of farms they operate to best match practices to their situations and goals.
The Teenage Brain Altered Fear in Humans and Mice

Fear learning is an adaptive, evolutionarily conserved process that allows people to respond appropriately to threats in the environment. These threats can vary across different contexts and across the life course. Taking into account the high degree of neural and behavioral conservation across species in fear regulation and its underlying neural circuitry, we examined how fear learning changes across contexts and over the course of development, focusing specifically on the environmentally changing and challenging period of adolescence. We show two surprising developmental findings specific to adolescents, relative to older and younger individuals: (a) diminished fear to previously aversive contexts and (b) heightened fear to previously aversive cues. These behavioral changes are paralleled by developmental changes in frontolimbic circuitry. We discuss how these evolutionarily conserved mechanisms may be essential to survival of the species, given the changing environmental demands (social, sexual, and ph...
Contrast gain control: a bilinear model for chromatic selectivity

We report the results of psychophysical experiments on color contrast induction. In earlier work [ Vision Res.34, 3111 ( 1994)], we showed that modulating the spatial contrast of an annulus in time induces an apparent modulation of the contrast of a central disk, at isoluminance. Here we vary the chromatic properties of disk and annulus systematically in a study of the interactions among the luminance and the color-opponent channels. Results show that induced contrast depends linearly on both disk and annulus contrast, at low and moderate contrast levels. This dependence leads us to propose a bilinear model for color contrast gain control. The model predicts the magnitude and the chromatic properties of induced contrast. In agreement with experimental results, the model displays chromatic selectivity in contrast gain control and a negligible effect of contrast modulation at isoluminance on the appearance of achromatic contrast. We show that the bilinear model for chromatic selectivity may be realized as a feed-forward multiplicative gain control. Data collected at high contrast levels are fit by embellishing the model with saturating nonlinearities in the contrast gain control of each color channel.
Vascular Calcification: The Killer of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Vascular calcification is a common complication in CKD, and investigators have demonstrated that the extent and histoanatomic type of vascular calcification are predictors of subsequent vascular mortality. Although research efforts in the past decade have greatly improved our knowledge of the multiple factors and mechanisms involved in vascular calcification in patients with kidney disease, many questions remain unanswered. No longer can we accept the concept that vascular calcification in CKD is a passive process resulting from an elevated calcium-phosphate product. Rather, as a result of the metabolic insults of diabetes, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, uremia, and hyperphosphatemia, "osteoblast-like" cells form in the vessel wall. These mineralizing cells as well as the recruitment of undifferentiated progenitors to the osteochondrocyte lineage play a critical role in the calcification process. Important transcription factors such as Msx 2, osterix, and RUNX2 are crucial in the programming of osteogenesis. Thus, the simultaneous increase in arterial osteochondrocytic programs and reduction in active cellular defense mechanisms creates the "perfect storm" of vascular calcification seen in ESRD. Innovative clinical studies addressing the combined use of inhibitors that work on vascular calcification through distinct molecular mechanisms, such as fetuin-A, osteopontin, and bone morphogenic protein 7, among others, will be necessary to reduce significantly the accrual of vascular calcifications and cardiovascular mortality in kidney disease. In addition, the roles of oxidative stress and inflammation on the fate of smooth muscle vascular cells and their function deserve further translational investigation.
It's Not What You Ask, It's the Way That You Ask It: Question Form and Public Opinion on the Death Penalty

For all their faults, public opinion polls are of great importance to public policymaking, especially on issues that are highly visible and controversial. In the context of capital punishment, rese...
Interploidy hybridization barrier of endosperm as a dosage interaction

Crosses between plants at different ploidy levels will often result in failure of endosperm development. The basis of this phenomenon has been attributed to parental gene imprinting of genes involved with endosperm development but a review of the data from maize indicates a dosage interaction between the contributions of the female gametophyte and the primary endosperm nucleus to early endosperm development. However, it is noted that parental imprinting is a non-mutational means that can alter dosage sensitive factors and therefore can contribute to this effect. Operationally, the genes determining ploidy hybridization barrier would qualify for Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities that prevent gene flow between species.
A complex variable boundary element method: Development

A generalized boundary integral equation method for the solution of the Laplace equation is developed based on the Cauchy integral theorem for analytical complex variable functions. Although the approach is complicated by the utilization of complex variable theory, the resulting model involves direct integration along straight-line boundary segments (elements) rather than using quadrature formulae that are required in current real variable boundary element formulations. Previously published boundary integral equation methods based on the Cauchy integral theorem are shown to be a subset of the generalized model theory developed in this paper.
Pharmacotherapy of Congenital Heart Defects

Congenital cardiovascular defects account for significant morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population. Complications of congenital heart disease are lesion-dependent and may range from mild heart failure with no cyanosis to severe cyanosis and shock. Pharmacotherapy of congenital heart disease is also lesion-dependent and usage may range from palliative agents (e.g., prostaglandin E1 for relaxation of aortic stricture) to corrective agents (e.g., indomethacin for closure of the ductus arteriosus). This review will discuss the aberrant pathophysiology and complications associated with specific congenital heart defects, as well as the selection of pharmacological agents used in the management of these defects.
α-1,6-Mannosylation of N-Linked Oligosaccharide Present on Cell Wall Proteins Is Required for Their Incorporation into the Cell Wall in the Filamentous Fungus Neurospora crassa

The enzyme α-1,6-mannosyltransferase (OCH-1) is required for the synthesis of galactomannans attached to the N-linked oligosaccharides of Neurospora crassa cell wall proteins. The Neurospora crassa och-1 mutant has a tight colonial phenotype and a defective cell wall. A carbohydrate analysis of the och-1 mutant cell wall revealed a 10-fold reduction in the levels of mannose and galactose and a total lack of 1,6-linked mannose residues. Analysis of the integral cell wall protein from wild-type and och-1 mutant cells showed that the mutant cell wall had reduced protein content. The och-1 mutant was found to secrete 18-fold more protein than wild-type cells. Proteomic analysis of the proteins released by the mutant into the growth medium identified seven of the major cell wall proteins. Western blot analysis of ACW-1 and GEL-1 (two glycosylphosphatidylinositol [GPI]-anchored proteins that are covalently integrated into the wild-type cell wall) showed that high levels of these proteins were being released into the medium by the och-1 mutant. High levels of ACW-1 and GEL-1 were also released from the och-1 mutant cell wall by subjecting the wall to boiling in a 1% SDS solution, indicating that these proteins are not being covalently integrated into the mutant cell wall. From these results, we conclude that N-linked mannosylation of cell wall proteins by OCH-1 is required for their efficient covalent incorporation into the cell wall.
Phytotoxicity of Pheromonal Chemicals to Fruit Tree Foliage: Chemical and Physiological Characterization

Some recent high-load, low-density pheromone-release devices emit an ethanolic blend of pheromone directly onto crop foliage to control insect pests by mating disruption. This study characterized the phytotoxicity associated with deposition of some pheromonal compounds in concentrated drops on the foliage of trees bearing aerosol release devices. The relative toxicity of straight-chained alkanes, alcohols, aldehydes, and acetates with chain lengths varying from C-2 to approximately C-20 was quantified in the laboratory by the severity of necrotic lesions. The order of severity for phytotoxicity caused by pheromonal compounds was alkanes << acetates = aldehydes < or = alcohols. Within compound classes tested, pheromones with chain lengths of 6-13 carbons were the most phytotoxic. Phytotoxicity was not detectable at dosages <1 mg administered in 10 microl of ethanol. Phytotoxicity of pheromones was highly correlated with presence of both a hydrophilic and lipophilic molecular domain. We postulate nonspecific membrane disruption as a likely mode of action for pheromonal phytotoxicity. Limited attempts to remediate this effect by changing carrier solvents or adding surfactants, spreaders, or nonvolatile diluents were not successful. Because the toxic action of pheromones upon plant tissues appears relatively benign, and growers have not been adverse to localized phytotoxicity to foliage and fruits on two trees per 0.4 ha, we propose that limited phytotoxicity associated with first-generation aerosol dispenser technology can be viewed as non-threatening.
Absatzprognosen als Basis für die operative Vertriebsplanung bei Volkswagen

Zentrales Kriterium fur eine optimale quantitative Vertriebsplanung bei Volkswagen ist die Gute der Prognose fur die Bedarfsentwicklung nach Neufahrzeugen der verschiedenen Konzern-Fahrzeugmodelle in allen Vertriebsbereichen des Konzerns.
Fast Demand Response for Building Clusters

This paper describes an approach for performing fast demand response involving a cluster of buildings. This approach is adaptive as well as distributed in nature. The approach is adaptive in the sense that the amount of targeted demand reduction, in an interval, is adjusted based on the performance of demand response actions executed in the last interval. The approach is distributed because the demand reduction is performed in each building in such a way that a global demand reduction target is met while the costs of performing the demand reduction actions are minimized. The developed method was implemented on a cluster of three buildings situated at U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. The results show that the developed approach was able to meet the demand reduction target, which was based on the amount of actual load that were deemed controllable for the DR events.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Can the source-sink hypothesis explain macrofaunal abundance patterns in the abyss? A modelling test.

Low food availability is a major structuring force in deep-sea benthic communities, sustaining only very low densities of organisms in parts of the abyss. These low population densities may result in an Allee effect, whereby local reproductive success is inhibited, and populations are maintained by larval dispersal from bathyal slopes. This slope–abyss source–sink (SASS) hypothesis suggests that the abyssal seafloor constitutes a vast sink habitat with macrofaunal populations sustained only by an influx of larval ‘refugees9 from source areas on continental slopes, where higher productivity sustains greater population densities. Abyssal macrofaunal population densities would thus be directly related to larval inputs from bathyal source populations. We evaluate three predictions derived from the SASS hypothesis: (i) slope-derived larvae can be passively transported to central abyssal regions within a single larval period, (ii) projected larval export from slopes to the abyss reproduces global patterns of macrofaunal abundance and (iii) macrofaunal abundance decreases with distance from the continental slope. We find that abyssal macrofaunal populations are unlikely to be sustained solely through influx of larvae from slope sources. Rather, local reproduction probably sustains macrofaunal populations in relatively high-productivity abyssal areas, which must also be considered as potential larval source areas for more food-poor abyssal regions.
Influence of Titration of Neurohormonal Antagonists and Blood Pressure Reduction on Renal Function and Decongestion in Decompensated Heart Failure

Background— Reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP reduction) during the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure is strongly and independently associated with worsening renal function. Our objective was to determine whether SBP reduction or titration of oral neurohormonal antagonists during acute decompensated heart failure treatment negatively influences diuresis and decongestion. Methods and Results— SBP reduction was evaluated from admission to discharge in consecutive acute decompensated heart failure admissions (n=656). Diuresis and decongestion were examined across a range of parameters, such as diuretic efficiency, fluid output, hemoconcentration, and diuretic dose. The average reduction in SBP was 14.4±19.4 mm Hg, and 77.6% of the population had discharge SBP lower than admission. SBP reduction was strongly associated with worsening renal function (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.2–2.9; P =0.004), a finding that persisted after adjusting for parameters of diuresis and decongestion (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.3–3.2; P =0.002). However, SBP reduction did not negatively affect diuresis or decongestion ( P ≥0.25 for all parameters). Uptitration of neurohormonal antagonists occurred in >50% of admissions and was associated with a modest additional reduction in blood pressure (≤5.6 mm Hg). Notably, worsening renal function was not increased, and diuretic efficiency was significantly improved with the uptitration of neurohormonal antagonists. Conclusions— Despite a higher rate of worsening renal function, blood pressure reduction was not associated with worsening of diuresis or decongestion. Furthermore, titration of oral neurohormonal antagonists was actually associated with improved diuresis in this cohort. These results provide reassurance that the guideline-recommended titration of chronic oral medication during acute decompensated heart failure hospitalization may not be antagonistic to the short-term goal of decongestion.
Radiative and nonradiative exciton energy transfer in monolayers of two-dimensional group-VI transition metal dichalcogenides

We present results on the rates of interlayer energy transfer between excitons in monolayers of two-dimensional group-VI transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). We consider both radiative (mediated by real photons) and nonradiative (mediated by virtual photons) mechanisms of energy transfer using a unified Green's function approach that takes into account modification of the exciton energy dispersions as a result of interactions. The large optical oscillator strengths associated with excitons in TMDs result in very fast energy transfer rates. The energy transfer times depend on the exciton momentum, exciton linewidth, and the interlayer separation and can range from values less than 100 femtoseconds to more than tens of picoseconds. Whereas inside the light cone the energy transfer rates of longitudinal and transverse excitons are comparable, outside the light cone the energy transfer rates of longitudinal excitons far exceed those of transverse excitons. Average energy transfer times for a thermal ensemble of longitudinal and transverse excitons is temperature dependent and can be smaller than a picosecond at room temperature for interlayer separations smaller than 10 nm. Energy transfer times of localized excitons range from values less than a picosecond to several tens of picoseconds. When the exciton scattering and dephasing rates are small, energy transfer dynamics exhibit coherent oscillations. Our results show that electromagnetic interlayer energy transfer can be an efficient mechanism for energy exchange between TMD monolayers.
Price Discrimination in the World Trade of Agricultural Commodities

Price discrimination between domestic and export markets by exporters of agricultural commodities is a long-established practice. It has been common for exporters to charge lower prices in world markets than in home markets. In recent years, some countries that are major importers of agricultural products have adopted minimum-import-price schemes to insulate their domestic prices from world prices. The effects of such trade barriers on the price-discrimination practices of exporters is examined. As minimum-import-price schemes become more widespread, it may be more profitable for exporters to charge higher prices in export markets than in their own domestic markets. The implications of reversing the direction of price discrimination are explored for exporters, importers employing minimum-import-price schemes, and importers with no or minimal trade barriers.
Severe hypoglycemia in the Look AHEAD Trial

Abstract Objective The Look AHEAD trial was a multi-center, randomized controlled trial, to determine whether weight loss reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of severe hypoglycemia in patients enrolled in Look AHEAD. Research Design and Methods 5,145 subjects were randomized to diabetes support and education (DSE) or intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI). Instances of severe hypoglycemia were recorded. Regression analysis was used to compare the development of severe hypoglycemia between groups. Results Over the entire study, the severe hypoglycemia rate was not different between ILI and DSE groups (0.49 ILI, 0.51 DSE/100 person–years, rate ratio=1.12, p=0.41), but was greater in ILI during year 1 (p=0.008 for year by intervention interaction). During follow-up, severe hypoglycemia risk was higher with insulin, sulfonylurea or glitinide use at baseline (p Conclusions Reduction in insulin is necessary during intensive weight loss to avoid episodes of hypoglycemia. Although limited by self-reported evaluation of hypoglycemia, greater weight loss in ILI during year 1 was associated with reduced insulin use and lower rates of hypoglycemia later in the trial.