cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Dual Luciferase Reporter System for B. burgdorferi Measures Transcriptional Activity during Tick-Pathogen Interactions.

Knowledge of the transcriptional responses of vector-borne pathogens at the vector-pathogen interface is critical for understanding disease transmission. Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease in the United States, is transmitted by the bite of infected Ixodes sp. ticks. It is known that B. burgdorferi has altered patterns of gene expression during tick acquisition, persistence and transmission. Recently, we and others have discovered in vitro expression of RNAs found internal, overlapping, and antisense to annotated open reading frames in the B. burgdorferi genome. However, there is a lack of molecular genetic tools for B. burgdorferi for quantitative, strand-specific, comparative analysis of these transcripts in distinct environments such as the arthropod vector. To address this need, we have developed a dual luciferase reporter system to quantify B. burgdorferi promoter activities in a strand-specific manner. We demonstrate that constitutive expression of a B. burgdorferi codon-optimized Renilla reniformis luciferase gene (rlucBb ) allows normalization of the activity of a promoter of interest when fused to the B. burgdorferi codon-optimized Photinus pyralis luciferase gene (flucBb) on the same plasmid. Using the well characterized, differentially regulated, promoters for flagellin (flaBp), outer surface protein A (ospAp) and outer surface protein C (ospCp), we document the efficacy of the dual luciferase system for quantitation of promoter activities during in vitro growth and in infected ticks. Cumulatively, the dual luciferase method outlined herein is the first dual reporter system for B. burgdorferi, providing a novel and highly versatile approach for strand-specific molecular genetic analyses.
Effect of Caring for an Abusive Parent on Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem.

Background and Objectives This study examines a sample of filial caregivers to investigate whether and how a history of childhood abuse is associated with caregivers' mental health (i.e., depressed affect, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction). This study also investigates the mediational role of self-esteem between caring for an abusive parent and the mental health outcomes. Research Design and Methods Using the 2004-2006 National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, data from 219 filial caregivers were analyzed. A series of ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and mediational analyses were conducted to estimate the direct and indirect effects of providing care to an abusive parent on negative affect, psychological well-being, and levels of life satisfaction. Results Key results showed that providing care to an abusive parent was associated with greater depressed affect and lower levels of life satisfaction. In addition, self-esteem served as a significant mediator: providing care to an abusive parent was associated with lower self-esteem, which was, in turn, ultimately associated with greater depressed affect, diminished psychological well-being, and lower levels of life satisfaction. Discussion and Implications Filial caregivers with a history of childhood abuse should be acknowledged as a high-risk group of caregivers so that they can gain attention and support for targeted interventions. Additionally, evidence-based intervention programs (e.g., improving self-esteem issues) should be designed and implemented to address this group's unique challenges and concerns.
The Waterfall of Liberty: Decoy Routing Circumvention that Resists Routing Attacks

Decoy routing is an emerging approach for censorship circumvention in which circumvention is implemented with help from a number of volunteer Internet autonomous systems, called decoy ASes. Recent studies on decoy routing consider all decoy routing systems to be susceptible to a fundamental attack -- regardless of their specific designs--in which the censors re-route traffic around decoy ASes, thereby preventing censored users from using such systems. In this paper, we propose a new architecture for decoy routing that, by design, is significantly stronger to rerouting attacks compared to all previous designs. Unlike previous designs, our new architecture operates decoy routers only on the downstream traffic of the censored users; therefore we call it downstream-only decoy routing. As we demonstrate through Internet-scale BGP simulations, downstream-only decoy routing offers significantly stronger resistance to rerouting attacks, which is intuitively because a (censoring) ISP has much less control on the downstream BGP routes of its traffic. Designing a downstream-only decoy routing system is a challenging engineering problem since decoy routers do not intercept the upstream traffic of censored users. We design the first downstream-only decoy routing system, called Waterfall, by devising unique covert communication mechanisms. We also use various techniques to make our Waterfall implementation resistant to traffic analysis attacks. We believe that downstream-only decoy routing is a significant step towards making decoy routing systems practical. This is because a downstream-only decoy routing system can be deployed using a significantly smaller number of volunteer ASes, given a target resistance to rerouting attacks. For instance, we show that a Waterfall implementation with only a single decoy AS is as resistant to routing attacks (against China) as a traditional decoy system (e.g., Telex) with 53 decoy ASes.
Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Brain Metastases from Primary Tumors of the Urinary Bladder.

Background/aims Brain metastases from bladder cancer are rare and published outcomes data are sparse. To date, no institutions have reported a series of patients with brain metastases from bladder cancer treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Our aim was to identify patients with brain metastases from bladder primaries treated with SRS with or without surgical resection and report the clinical outcomes. Methods Patients meeting eligibility criteria at our institution between 2000 and 2017 were included. The clinical variables of interest, including overall survival (OS), local recurrence, V12, distant brain failure (DBF), and initial brain metastases velocity, were calculated. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to identify predictors of time-to-event outcomes. Results A total of 14 patients were included. The median OS from the time of treatment was 2.1 months. Factors predictive of OS include intracranial resection (HR 0.21, p = 0.03). The cumulative incidence of local failure was 21% at 6 months and 30% at 12 months. The cumulative incidence of DBF at 6 and 12 months was 23 and 31%, respectively. Conclusions The prognosis in this patient population remains guarded. Factors associated with improved survival include intracranial resection. Future, prospective work is needed to further define optimal management.
Peripheral atherectomy practice patterns in the United States from the Vascular Quality Initiative.

Abstract Objective Peripheral atherectomy has been shown to have technical success in single-arm studies, but clinical advantages over angioplasty and stenting have not been demonstrated, leaving its role unclear. We sought to describe patterns of atherectomy use in a real-world U.S. cohort to understand how it is currently being applied. Methods The Vascular Quality Initiative was queried to identify all patients who underwent peripheral vascular intervention from January 2010 to September 2016. Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze demographics of the patients, comorbidities, indication, treatment modalities, and lesion characteristics. The intermittent claudication (IC) and critical limb ischemia (CLI) cohorts were analyzed separately. Results Of 85,605 limbs treated, treatment indication was IC in 51% (n = 43,506) and CLI in 49% (n = 42,099). Atherectomy was used in 15% (n = 13,092) of cases, equivalently for IC (15%; n = 6674) and CLI (15%; n = 6418). There was regional variation in use of atherectomy, ranging from a low of 0% in one region to a high of 32% in another region. During the study period, there was a significant increase in the proportion of cases that used atherectomy (11% in 2010 vs 18% in 2016; P Conclusions Despite a lack of evidence for atherectomy over angioplasty and stenting, its use has increased across the United States from 2010 to 2016. It is applied equally to IC and CLI populations, with no identifiable pattern of comorbidities or lesion characteristics, suggesting that indications are not clearly delineated or agreed on. This study places impetus on further understanding of the optimal role for atherectomy and its long-term clinical benefit in the management of peripheral arterial disease.
Geothermal Energy in Imperial County, California

Geothermal energy is the natural heat of the earth. Anyone who has witnessed a volcanic eruption or penetrated the interior of a deep mine will attest to the observation that temperature rises with depth in the earth. This heat of the earth everywhere flows to the surface by conduction and by flowing water. Geothermal energy becomes a geothermal resource when it is capable of economic utilization. Geothermal energy is of economic interest only where heat is concentrated above the normal background level of the earth’s natural heat flow.
The use of asbestos in Japan and China and malignancy related findings

Asbestos use in industrialized countries is generally being curtailed, with the exception of Japan which, even if it is not a major producer, is now the world's largest user, and this use is still increasing. On the contrary, China is one of the major producers at world levels. The author refers data from the literature dealing with epidemiological, and also experimental, studies performed in these two countries, which confirm that asbestos produces mesotheliomas in man and laboratory animals. The author underlines the possibility of demonstrating, through epidemiological studies, differences with respect to western countries, possibly related to different life styles and genetic and racial influences, and proposes some categories at risk, for either environmental or occupational reasons, which are particularly interesting for this type of study.
A Cost-Saving Project: Adapting a Modern Satellite Control System to Replace an Outdated Ground Support System (GSSS)

The existing Ground Support Software System (GSSS) was used to provide I&T and launch support of multiple missions for two decades. The software has been rehosted a few times onto several computer systems: Modcomp IV, Modcomp Classic, MicroVax, and DEC 4000. Due to escalating GSSS maintenance costs and increasingly rapid technology changes, the HST Shuttle Carriers Development Office has embarked on a new approach to minimize cost through the use of reusable industry standard hardware and software.
A Survey of Some Results in the Mathematical Theory of Fluidization

Publisher Summary This chapter describes fluidization as the phenomenon that occurs when a collection of particles is immersed in a fluid stream moving antiparallel to gravity at velocities sufficiently large so that the drag exerted on the particles exceeds their net buoyant weight and they are thus free to move. The fluidized state has certain advantages when used as a reaction medium in which the particles themselves can be reactive or catalytic or as a fluid–solids contacting device in which the solids are chemically inert but other transport processes are taking place. If fluidization occurs under conditions for which the distributor has only a small pressure drop relative to that of the bed, motions are observed that are periodic in the horizontal and decay in the vertical. In two-dimensional beds, these take the form of two-dimensional cellular flows, while in three dimensions they are associated with a toroidal vortex near the distributor.
Moving toward urban sustainability: using lessons and legacies of the past

Abstract: This chapter attempts to root the current striving for urban sustainability within the broader spectrum of urban environment change and how cities have responded to past challenges. A primary focus is how reaction to environmental crises results in transitions and transformations that in turn result in legacy effects in cities which have implications for their future development trajectory. These conditions are illustrated by an examination of conditions in New York City and selected other examples.
The Probability of a Type I Error and the Power to Detect a Single Slippage for the Upper Limit Control Chart for Number of Defects

A procedure for testing an industrial process for control with respect to defects-per-unit is to compare the number of defects observed in each of k samples with an upper control limit. The control limit is calculated using a multiplier of the standard ..
Surgical Treatment of GERD: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Going?

Surgical management of gastroesophageal reflux disease has evolved from relatively invasive procedures requiring open laparotomy or thoracotomy to minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques. Although side effects may still occur, with careful patient selection and good technique, the overall symptomatic control leads to satisfaction rates in the 90% range. Unfortunately, the next evolution to endoluminal techniques has not been as successful. Reliable devices are still awaited that consistently produce long-term symptomatic relief with correction of pathologic reflux. However, newer laparoscopically placed devices hold promise in achieving equivalent symptomatic relief with fewer side effects. Clinical trials are still forthcoming.
Passages and Pivot Points: Experience and Education as Rites of Passage

This paper examines the intersection of a rite of passage and an educational experience. John Dewey’s theory of experiential learning is unpacked and compared to each element of the rite of passage: separation, transition, and incorporation. This paper utilizes a theoretical perspective as it compares and contrasts Dewey’s theories of experience with that of Arnold van Gennep’s rite of passage framework. Also, Dewey’s notion of the indeterminate situation is juxtaposed with the liminality component associated with the transition phase of a rite of passage. Finally, this paper offers a discussion of how the rite of passage framework connects to the broader field of Curriculum Studies.
Impact of noonan syndrome on admissions for pediatric cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND Noonan syndrome is the second most common genetic syndrome associated with congenital heart disease. Many patients with Noonan syndrome will require a cardiac intervention. This study aimed to characterize the difference in cardiac surgery admissions in patients with and without Noonan syndrome. METHODS Data regarding hospital admissions was collected using the Kids' Inpatient Database from 1997 to 2012. A cross-sectional study was conducted comparing baseline characteristics, cardiac morphology, cardiac surgery, and other comorbidities between those with and without Noonan syndrome. Regression analysis was conducted to determine factors related to Noonan syndrome and risk factors for increased length of hospitalization, need for ECMO, and inpatient mortality using Noonan syndrome as the independent variable. RESULTS A total of 46,169 admissions with cardiac surgery under 18 years of age were included in the final analyses. Of these 778 (1.6%) had Noonan syndrome. Pulmonary stenosis, coronary anomalies, and valvuloplasty without valve replacement were independently associated with Noonan syndrome. Those with Noonan syndrome were 90% more likely to have chylothorax. Pediatric cardiac surgery admissions tended to be 4.5 days longer and cost $54,296 more in total charges with Noonan syndrome. Inpatient mortality is also increased by Noonan syndrome. CONCLUSIONS Noonan syndrome is present in a relatively small proportion of pediatric cardiac surgery admissions. Noonan syndrome is independently associated with increased length and cost of such admissions as well as inpatient mortality.
Channel Estimation for Hybrid MIMO Communication with (Non-) Uniform Linear Arrays via Tensor Decomposition

This paper considers the problem of channel estimation for millimeter wave wireless communication channels. Many existing channel estimation approaches utilize the spatial sparsity of mmWave channels and employ compressive sensing based techniques to estimate the parameters of the channel, such as the Angles of Arrival (AoA) and Angles of Departure (AoD) of the channel paths. In this paper, we show how the problem of channel estimation can be converted into a fourth order tensor decomposition problem, which offers several benefits. Firstly, we do not need a grid-based search for the angles. More importantly, our algorithm is applicable for both uniform and non-uniform arrays at the transmitter and receiver. In particular, our method can exploit well-known benefits offered by the difference co-array of suitably designed sparse arrays and provably identify a larger number of channel paths compared to existing approaches1.
Study protocol for the implementation of the Gabby Preconception Care System - an evidence-based, health information technology intervention for Black and African American women.

Improving the health of women before pregnancy and throughout a woman’s lifespan could mitigate disparities and improve the health and wellbeing of women, infants and children. The preconception period is important for reducing health risks associated with poor maternal, perinatal and neonatal outcomes, and eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in maternal and child health. Low cost health information technology interventions provided in community-based settings have the potential to reach and reduce disparities in health outcomes for socially disadvantaged, underserved and health disparity populations. These interventions are particularly important for Black and African American women who have a disproportionate burden of pregnancy-related complications and infant mortality rates compared to any other racial and ethnic group in the U.S. This is a hybrid type II implementation-effectiveness cohort study aimed at evaluating appropriateness, acceptability and feasibility implementation outcomes, while also systematically examining the clinical effectiveness of a preconception care (PCC) intervention, the Gabby System, for Black and African American women receiving health services in community-based sites. The intervention will be implemented in six Community Health Centers and six Healthy Start programs across the U.S. Each study site will recruit and enroll 25–50 young Black and African American women who will participate in the intervention for a 6-month period. Appropriateness, acceptability and feasibility of implementing the PCC intervention will be assessed using: 1) Qualitative data derived from individual interviews with Gabby System end-users (clients and patients) and site staff; and, 2) Quantitative data from staff surveys, Gabby System usage and uptake. Aggregate health risk and utilization measures collected directly from the Gabby server will be used to examine the effectiveness of the Gabby System on self-reported behavior change. This study will examine implementation outcomes and clinical effectiveness of an evidence-based PCC intervention for Black and African American women receiving services in Healthy Start programs and Community Health Centers. Contextual factors that influence uptake and appropriate implementation strategies will be identified to inform future scalability of the intervention. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04514224 . Date of registration: August 14, 2020. Retrospectively Registered.
Sociosexuality and Sex With New Partners: Indirect Effects Via Drinking at Parties and Bars.

Objective:The desire for many novel, concurrent, uncommitted sex partners (i.e., unrestricted sociosexuality) may encourage individuals to seek out contexts that facilitate casual sex. We tested a ...
Successful Short-Term ECPELLA Support as a Bridge to Recovery Following STEMI Complicated by Refractory Cardiogenic Shock Despite Emergency PCI

Introduction Cardiogenic shock (CS) remains the leading cause of mortality (40 - 50%) in patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Early institution of complex mechanical support may preserve life. Case Report A 65-year-old male was admitted to the ED in CS after an acute inferior STEMI (ST-segment elevation MI) complicated by ventricular fibrillation (VF). He had a history of coronary artery disease (CAD), remote left anterior descending (LAD) STEMI complicated by VF arrest, and surgical LAD revascularization (normal left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] at that time). Multiple shocks were required during transit and upon admission to the catheterization suite for VF. Pertinent findings were blood pressure (BP) 78/52/63 (systolic/diastolic/mean) mmHg, wedge pressure 19 mmHg, cardiac index (CI) 1.3 L/minute/m2, LVEF 20%, patent LAD graft, 100% left circumflex culprit lesion and 90% right coronary artery stenosis. Left common femoral artery Impella CP support was expedited. At P9 level/ 3.1L per minute flow/mean arterial pressure 67 mmHg, two-vessel stenting was then performed. However, due to refractory cardiogenic shock, peripheral veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) was instituted immediately via right common femoral cannulation: 25F venous, 17F arterial, and 6F distal arterial reperfusion. Post-revascularization, he was transferred to the CCU on ECPELLA support: VA-ECMO at 3.7L/minute and Impella CP at P2 level with mean BP 91mmHg, wedge pressure 18 mmHg, CI 1.4 L/minute/m2. He improved rapidly with ECPELLA support and goal directed medical therapy. VA ECMO was decannulated within 36 hours and the Impella removed within 48 hours of the initiation of ECPELLA support. He was extubated within 12 hours of Impella removal and transferred to the Floor 5 days after admission on Milrinone 0.2 mcg/kg/min with CVP 9, MAP 77, CO 5.1, CI 2.8, and LVEF 30%. He was discharged home in stable condition 10 days following admission on guideline-directed medical therapy with a Life Vest. He returned to work two months after discharge. Summary Early multi-disciplinary collaboration and initiation of complex mechanical support such as ECPELLA can provide a survival advantage in very high risk patients presenting with AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock which has a very high mortality rate.
Black Political Thought from David Walker to the Present: edited by Sherrow O. Pinder, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2020, xii+359pp., $49.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-1316648995

Black Political Thought from David Walker to the Present, edited by Sherrow O. Pinder, is an anthology of readings aimed at undergraduate students. It covers figures that are standard in surveys of...
Data for Huzinaga Projection Embedding for Efficient and Accurate Energies of Systems with Localized Spin-densities

Geometry files are stored in xyz format. Geometries are optimized using the method defined within the accompanying text. QSoME output files are stored as out files and readable in ascii text format.
ADAP1 promotes latent HIV-1 reactivation by selectively tuning a T cell signaling-transcriptional axis

Immune stimulation fuels cell signaling transcriptional programs inducing biological responses to eliminate virus infected cells. Yet, retroviruses that integrate into host cell chromatin, such as HIV1, coopt these programs to switch between latent and reactivated states; however, the regulatory mechanisms are still unfolding. Here, we implemented a functional screen leveraging HIV1 dependence on CD4+ T cell signaling transcriptional programs and discovered ADAP1 is an undescribed modulator of HIV1 proviral fate. Specifically, we report ADAP1 (ArfGAP with dual PH domain containing protein 1), a previously thought neuronal restricted factor, is an amplifier of select T cell signaling programs. Using complementary biochemical and cellular assays, we demonstrate ADAP1 inducibly interacts with the immune signalosome to directly stimulate KRAS GTPase activity thereby augmenting T cell signaling through targeted activation of the ERK/AP1 axis. Single cell transcriptomics analysis revealed loss of ADAP1 function blunts gene programs upon T cell stimulation consequently dampening latent HIV1 reactivation. Our combined experimental approach defines ADAP1 as an unexpected tuner of T cell programs coopted by HIV1 for latency escape.
Zr surface diffusion in tetragonal yttria stabilized zirconia

The value for surface diffusivity of Zr tetragonal ZrO2–3mol % Y2O3 has been calculated from measurements of surface area reduction and pore growth in powder compacts during sintering. The surface diffusivity thereby obtained can be described by D\(_{s,Zr^{ + 4} } \) = 5.52 × 105 exp[−531(kJ mol-1)/RT] m2/s, which is in reasonable agreement with values calculated by prior researchers from direct TEM observation of neck growth between touching particles.
Nonlinear Theory of Random Vibrations

Publisher Summary Random vibration analysis of mechanical systems has become an important subject in recent years, principally because of advances in high speed flight. To design structures and equipment that will survive the randomly fluctuating loads caused by the flow of turbulent air or the efflux of jet or rocket engines, it has become necessary to develop a theory capable of analyzing the effect of such fluctuating loads on structures and equipment. Many of the techniques developed for the analysis of random excitation of nonlinear control systems are applicable to the analysis of nonlinear random vibrations, and conversely many of the techniques developed in the theory of nonlinear random vibrations are equally applicable to problems in communication theory and electronics. The chapter presents modeling in nonlinear random vibrations by Markov processes. The chief reason for adopting the idealized model of a system of differential equations excited by white noise is that the computations are much simpler in this case. One of the difficulties involved in modeling nonlinear random vibrations by Markov processes is that—one is restricted to quasi-linear systems. In the subsequent development of the theory, no distinction has been made between the physical nonlinearity and the mathematical model of that nonlinearity. Further, the chapter also discusses the basic theory of stochastic processes and its applications and solution techniques.
Compilation strategies for reducing code size on a VLIW processor with variable length instructions

This paper describes the development and compiler utilization of variable length instruction set extensions to an existing high-performance, 32-bit VLIW DSP processor. We describe how the instruction set extensions (1) reduce code size significantly, (2) are binary compatibile with older object code, (3) do not require the processor to switch "modes", and (4) are exploited by a compiler. We describe the compiler strategies that utilize the new instruction set extensions to reduced code size. When compiling our benchmark suite for best performance, we show that our compiler uses the variable length instructions to decreases code size by 11.5 percent, with no reduction in performance. We also show that our implementation allows a wider code size and performance tradeoff range than earlier versions of the architecture.
Transient nucleate pool boiling in microgravity: some initial results

Variable gravity provides an opportunity to test the understanding of phenomena which are considered to depend on buoyancy, such as nucleate pool boiling. The active fundamental research in nucleate boiling has sought to determine the mechanisms or physical processes responsible for its high effectiveness, manifested by the high heat flux levels possible with relatively low temperature differences. Earlier research on nucleate pool boiling at high gravity levels under steady conditions demonstrated quantitatively that the heat transfer is degraded as the buoyancy normal to the heater surfaced increases. Correspondingly, it was later shown, qualitatively for short periods of time only, that nucleate boiling heat transfer is enhanced as the buoyancy normal to the heater surface is reduced. It can be deduced that nucleate pool boiling can be sustained as a quasi-steady process provided that some means is available to remove the vapor generated from the immediate vicinity of the heater surface. One of the objectives of the research, the initial results of which are presented here, is to quantify the heat transfer associated with boiling in microgravity. Some quantitative results of nucleate pool boiling in high quality microgravity (a/g approximately 10(exp -5)) of 5s duration, obtained in an evacuated drop tower, are presented here. These experiments were conducted as precursors of longer term space experiments. A transient heating technique is used, in which the heater surface is a transparent gold film sputtered on a qua rtz substrate, simultaneously providing the mean surface temperature from resistance thermometry and viewing of the boiling process both from beneath and across the surface. The measurement of the transient mean heater surface temperature permits the computation, by numerical means, of the transient mean heat transfer coefficient. The preliminary data obtained demonstrates that a quasi-steady boiling process can occur in microgravity if the bulk liquid subcooling is sufficiently high and if the imposed heat flux is sufficiently low. This is attributed to suface tension effects at the liquid-vapor-solid junction causing rewetting to take place, sustaining the nucleate boiling. Otherwise, dryout at the heater surface will occur, as observed.
Climate-related trends in sapwood biophysical properties in two conifers: avoidance of hydraulic dysfunction through coordinated adjustments in xylem efficiency, safety and capacitance

In the Pacific north-west, the Cascade Mountain Range blocks much of the precipitation and maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean, resulting in distinct climates east and west of the mountains. The current study aimed to investigate relationships between water storage and transport properties in populations of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) adapted to both climates. Sapwood thickness, capacitance, vulnerability to embolism, and axial and radial conductivity were measured on samples collected from trunks of mature trees. The sapwood of ponderosa pine was three to four times thicker than Douglas-fir. Radial conductivity was higher in west-side populations of both species, but axial conductivity was higher in the east-side populations and in Douglas-fir. Eastern populations of both species had sapwood that was more vulnerable to embolism than west-side populations. Sapwood capacitance was similar between species, but was about twice as great in east-side populations (580 kg m⁻³ MPa⁻¹) as in west-side populations (274 kg m⁻³ MPa⁻¹). Capacitance was positively correlated with both mean embolism pressure and axial conductivity across species and populations, suggesting that coordinated adjustments in xylem efficiency, safety and water storage capacity may serve to avoid embolism along a gradient of increasing aridity.
Localization of synaptotagmin-binding domains on syntaxin

Synaptotagmin, an abundant calcium- and phospholipid-binding protein of synaptic vesicles, has been proposed to regulate neurotransmitter release at the nerve terminal. To understand better the biochemical mechanism of neurotransmitter release, we have investigated the calcium-dependent and -independent protein-protein interactions between synaptotagmin I and syntaxin 1a, a subunit of the receptor for synaptic vesicles on the presynaptic plasma membrane. Soluble syntaxin 1a binds to synaptotagmin glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion protein, and the binding was decreased in the presence of calcium. A synaptotagmin fragment containing the second C2 repeat (Syt3-5) had the same binding profile as the whole cytoplasmic domain; however, fragments containing the first C2 repeat (Syt1-3 and Syt2-3) showed calcium-dependent binding to syntaxin. In addition, the soluble full-length cytoplasmic domain of synaptotagmin binds to a syntaxin GST fusion protein in a calcium-dependent manner. Syntaxin domains required for calcium-dependent and -independent synaptotagmin-binding were localized using syntaxin deletion mutants. Amino acids 241-266 of the syntaxin C terminus were required for calcium-independent binding of synaptotagmin. The minimal domain required for calcium-dependent binding of synaptotagmin to syntaxin was localized to amino acids 220-266. The syntaxin domains required for synaptotagmin binding overlap with the domains for vesicle-associated membrane protein (or VAMP) and alpha-soluble N-ethyl-maleimide-sensitive fusion protein attachment protein (or alphaSNAP) interactions. The data suggest both calcium-dependent and -independent roles of synaptotagmin in regulating synaptic vesicle release and/or recycling.
ON THE UNIQUENESS OF TIME-OPTIMAL CONTROL FOR LINEAR PROCESSES

(b) the n o n e m p t y restraint set X2: [ u k ] ~ 1 ; k = 1, 2 "" m., (c) the initial point x o = (Xlo , x20, .-. X,o ) ~ R ~, (d) the constant, compact , convex, target set G C R ", (e) the cost funct ional of control, C(u) = q. T h e p rob lem of o p t i m u m control is to select u ( t ) = (ul(t), u2(t), ... u,,~(t)) f r o m D for each t, 0 < t £ t~, such that x( t ) = (x~(t), x2( t ) , -" x~(t)) moves f r o m x ( 0 ) = x o to an in tersect ion wi th the target G in m i n i m u m t ime t 1 = C(u). A control u is called opt imal in case C(u) ~ C(~) for any admiss ible control ~ e A, where A is the class of all measurable controls u(t) e g2 on var ious t ime intervals 0 < t < t ' which " s t ee r " x(t) f rom x 0 to G. Boltyanskff et al. [1] have shown that a t ime-op t ima l control is necessarily an ex t remal control , that is,
Bipolar diffusion charging of fibrous aerosol particles. II: Charge and electrical mobility measurements on linear chain aggregates

Charge distributions on chain aggregates with thicknesses of less than 0.1 μm and length-to-diameter ratios of 10 to several hundred were derived from measurements of electrical mobility distributions using a differential mobility analyzer (DMA), in combination with a condensation nuclei counter and an electrometer as particle detectors. The experiments are backed by measurements of chain size distributions with aerosol centrifuge and electron microscope, by DMA transfer function measurements, and by an investigation into the symmetry of the charging mechanism. Good agreement is found with the Boltzmann charge distribution when using a charging equivalent diameter DQE derived for conducting prolate spheroids.
Symposium on the Coase Theorem: Legal Fiction: The Place of the Coase Theorem in Law and Economics

Modern law and economics received much of its impetus from Ronald Coase's analysis in ‘The Problem of Social Cost,’ and a goodly amount of that comes from the Coase theorem, which states that, absent transaction costs, externalities will be efficiently resolved through bargaining. The fact that the analysis that came to be codified in the Coase theorem was (intentionally) an exercise in pure fiction on Coase's part did not deter the erection of a substantial edifice of positive and normative analysis on this foundation, nor, for that matter, has subsequent elaboration of Coase's intent done anything to abate the interest in the theorem and its implications.
Post-meiotic gene expression

Abstract Evolutionary arguments and well-designed experiments (based on false premises, however) bad suggested that post-meiotic gene expression did not occur in animals. The technique of molecular genetics have now clearly demonstrated such genetic activity in mammalian testes. The current problem is to understand why some classes of genes, such as Zfy and many oncogenes, are expressed in this manner.
Work in progress: Building information literacy assessment

In today's electronic age, information literacy skills are more important than ever. It has been challenging for most engineering faculty to find a place to infuse and integrate information literacy into already demanding curricula. However, engineering faculty need to address the topic of information literacy in order to support achievement of ABET student outcomes related to communication, contemporary issues, and lifelong learning. This paper presents the steps taken to assess and evaluate information literacy skills through the development of specific performance indicators related to ABET student outcomes g, i, and j. Using existing assignments, assessment data were captured and preliminary results are presented.
On continuation for variational inequalities

While many continuation methods for the numerical solution of nonlinear eigenvalue problems for ordinary and partial differential equations have been proposed and successfully applied, little has b...
Patterns of media use in an activity-centric collaborative environment

This paper describes a new collaboration technology that is based on the support of lightweight, informally structured, opportunistic activities featuring heterogeneous threads of shared items with dynamic membership. We introduce our design concepts, and we provide a detailed analysis of user behavior during a five month field study. We present the patterns of media use that we observed, using a variety of analytical methods including thread clustering and analysis. Major findings include four patterns of media use: communicating, exchanging mixed objects, coordinating, (e.g., of status reports), and semi-archival filing. We observed differential use of various media including highly variable use of chats and surprisingly informal uses of files. We discuss the implications for the design of mixed media collaborative tools to support the work activities of small to medium sized work teams.
Men's Relations with Kids: Exploring and Promoting the Mosaic of Youth Work and Fathering:

Using qualitative in-depth interviews with a sample of adult male youth workers (n = 55), including a subset of twenty-nine fathers, the author explores how men's fathering and youth experiences can be viewed as part of a larger, integrated social mosaic. Informed selectively by social constructionist, symbolic interactionist, life course, and generativity themes, the analysis expands the fatherhood literature by connecting it to men's volunteering and work with kids in public settings. While extending his framework of fathering trajectories (self-as-father, father-child, and coparental) to examine similar processes defining men's youth work, the author explores key points of intersection between youth work and fathering: youth work as inspiration and training for fathering, reciprocal influences between youth work and fathering, and men's contributions to social capital for kids in public settings. The author also sketches several ideas to foster conceptual and practical ties between youth work and fathe...
Evolution of convection pattern during the solidification process of a binary mixture: effect of initial solutal concentration

Abstract The evolution of convection pattern during the solidification of a binary mixture of ammonium chloride and water in a rectangular chamber was investigated experimentally. The solidification was carried out under a constant coolant temperature of −20 °C along the vertical walls of the test chamber. The convection patterns were obtained with the particle image velocimetry technique. The temperature distribution in the chamber was measured with a thermocouple rake. The initial concentrations of ammonium chloride ranged from 10 to 22 wt.%. The present paper presents detailed description of the transient evolution of the convection pattern during the solidification process.
A reliable power-line carrier-based relay system: Avoiding mistakes that cause PLC systems to misoperate or fail to operate

Power-Line Carrier (PLC) communications has been used since the 1930's for protection functions. It was one of the first widely used communications for this purpose. Presently there are tens of thousands of terminals installed in the United States as well as over the world. The majority of the terminals in the United States are “dedicated” or narrowband type PLCs. While there are other and even newer technologies available such as broadband PLC, the dedicated PLC type is by far the most pervasive, particularly for protection functions. In order to have a reliable communication channel, the engineer must know the pros and cons of the channel, no matter what type of channel is used. PLC experience is diminishing in the industry as this “simple” communication scheme is overshadowed by the complexity of highly flexible microprocessor — based protective relays and more complex communication solutions. This paper will present topics that are helpful to understand power-line carrier problems in order to provide a reliable channel for protection functions. Topics will include such things as issues with design, installation and maintenance. Information will be presented to help the protection engineer avoid those mistakes that cause PLC systems to misoperate or fail to operate. For tutorial type of information the reader is encouraged to see IEEE 643–2004, IEEE Guide for Power-Line Carrier Applications as well as several other references listed in the back of this paper. What this paper does not cover are the PLC applications that are not dedicated to protective relay applications such as Broadband PLC, Single side band PLC, or Digital PLC. These technologies are multi-purpose — typically combining multiple applications into one channel or multiple channels. These are all technologies that are in use today, but for differing reasons may not be as applicable to protective relaying as the dedicated PLC.
Passive induction and a solution to a Paris–Wilkie open question

In 1981, Paris and Wilkie raised the open question about whether and to what extent the axiom system IΣ0 did satisfy the Second Incompleteness Theorem under Semantic Tableaux deduction. Our prior work showed that the semantic tableaux version of the Second Incompleteness Theorem did generalize for the most common definition of IΣ0 appearing in the standard textbooks. However, there was an alternate interesting definition of this axiom system in the Wilkie–Paris article in the Annals of Pure and Applied Logic 35 (1987), pp. 261–302 which we did not examine in our year-2002 article in the Journal of Symbolic Logic. Our first goal is to show that the incompleteness results of our prior paper can generalize in this alternate context. We will also develop a formal analysis, using a new technique called Passive Induction, that is simpler than the formalism we had used before. A further reason our results are of interest is that we have shown in a companion paper published in Electronic Notes in Theoretical Computer Science 165 (2006), pp. 213–226 that some very unorthodox axiomizations for IΣ0 are anti-thresholds for the Herbrandized version of the Second Incompleteness Theorem. Thus, different axiomizations for IΣ0 have nearly fully opposite incompleteness properties. This paper is self-contained. It will not require a knowledge of our earlier results.
Building geospatial Web portal for use of national agricultural statistics in geographic context

The national agricultural statistics data are being widely used by federal and state government agencies for decision making and universities for academic research. It has great impacts on national economy and homeland security. However, most of these data are stored and published in the form of spreadsheet. Only few of them have been used to create a map for geographic analysis. This paper introduces a fully extensible geospatial Web portal designed to use Web services to integrate the various national agrcultural tabular data with relevant geographic data, and make them discoverable, retrievable, analyzable and visualizable in the geographic context over Web. This portal increases the visibility, usability of government tabular data and improves accuracy, promptness and broadness of decision support system.
On the coveting radius of extremal self-dual codes

It is known that every self-dual binary code which is not doubly even is a "child" of a doubly even parent. It will be shown that an (n-2,(n-2)/2) child of an (n,n/2,d) doubly even parent has covering radius \geq d-1 . Every extremal doubly even (32,16,8) code has covering radius 6 and every extremal doubly even (48,24,12) code has covering radius 8 . The complete coset weight distribution of the (32,16,8) quadratic residue code is given, as well as bounds or exact values for the covering radii of all extremai doubly even codes of length less than or equal to 96 .
The knee meniscus: structure-function, pathophysiology, current repair techniques, and prospects for regeneration.

Extensive scientific investigations in recent decades have established the anatomical, biomechanical, and functional importance that the meniscus holds within the knee joint. As a vital part of the joint, it acts to prevent the deterioration and degeneration of articular cartilage, and the onset and development of osteoarthritis. For this reason, research into meniscus repair has been the recipient of particular interest from the orthopedic and bioengineering communities. Current repair techniques are only effective in treating lesions located in the peripheral vascularized region of the meniscus. Healing lesions found in the inner avascular region, which functions under a highly demanding mechanical environment, is considered to be a significant challenge. An adequate treatment approach has yet to be established, though many attempts have been undertaken. The current primary method for treatment is partial meniscectomy, which commonly results in the progressive development of osteoarthritis. This drawback has shifted research interest toward the fields of biomaterials and bioengineering, where it is hoped that meniscal deterioration can be tackled with the help of tissue engineering. So far, different approaches and strategies have contributed to the in vitro generation of meniscus constructs, which are capable of restoring meniscal lesions to some extent, both functionally as well as anatomically. The selection of the appropriate cell source (autologous, allogeneic, or xenogeneic cells, or stem cells) is undoubtedly regarded as key to successful meniscal tissue engineering. Furthermore, a large variation of scaffolds for tissue engineering have been proposed and produced in experimental and clinical studies, although a few problems with these (e.g., byproducts of degradation, stress shielding) have shifted research interest toward new strategies (e.g., scaffoldless approaches, self-assembly). A large number of different chemical (e.g., TGF-β1, C-ABC) and mechanical stimuli (e.g., direct compression, hydrostatic pressure) have also been investigated, both in terms of encouraging functional tissue formation, as well as in differentiating stem cells. Even though the problems accompanying meniscus tissue engineering research are considerable, we are undoubtedly in the dawn of a new era, whereby recent advances in biology, engineering, and medicine are leading to the successful treatment of meniscal lesions.