cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid detection and quantification of triacylglycerol by HPLC-ELSD in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella strains.

Triacylglycerol (TAG) analysis and quantification are commonly performed by first obtaining a purified TAG fraction from a total neutral lipid extract using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and then analyzing the fatty acid composition of the purified TAG fraction by gas chromatography (GC). This process is time-consuming, labor intensive and is not suitable for analysis of small sample sizes or large numbers. A rapid and efficient method for monitoring oil accumulation in algae using high performance liquid chromatography for separation of all lipid classes combined with detection by evaporative light scattering (HPLC–ELSD) was developed and compared to the conventional TLC/GC method. TAG accumulation in two Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (21 gr and CC503) and three Chlorella strains (UTEX 1230, CS01 and UTEX 2229) grown under conditions of nitrogen depletion was measured. The TAG levels were found to be 3–6 % DW (Chlamydomonas strains) and 7–12 % DW (Chlorella strains) respectively by both HPLC–ELSD and TLC/GC methods. HPLC–ELSD resolved the major lipid classes such as carotenoids, TAG, diacylglycerol (DAG), free fatty acids, phospholipids, and galactolipids in a 15-min run. Quantitation of TAG content was based on comparison to calibration curves of trihexadecanoin (16:0 TAG) and trioctadecadienoin (18:2 TAG) and showed linearity from 0.2 to 10 μg. Algal TAG levels >0.5 μg/g DW were detectable by this method. Furthermore TAG content in Chlorella kessleri UTEX 2229 could be detected. TAG as well as DAG and TAG content were estimated at 1.6 % DW by HPLC–ELSD, while it was undetectable by TLC/GC method.
Feminists and Nonfeminists: Contrasting Profiles in Independence and Affiliation

A rationale, based on Ausubel's developmental theory, was given for predicting that feminists would tend to be dominated by independence needs and nonfeminists by affiliation needs. By means of an inventory based on controversial issues espoused by the feminist movement, 39 university women were identified as feminists and 39 as nonfeminists. These subjects were administered a battery of four personality tests, from which 10 scales related to independence and 10 related to affiliation were chosen as predictor variables. Discriminant function analysis applied to these 20 measures produced a prediction equation in which nearly all of the independence and affiliation scores were weighted with opposite signs. The equation classified correctly 92% of the feminist subjects and 95% of the nonfeminists. These results were interpreted as confirming the expectation that feminists and nonfeminists can be differentiated on the basis of their independence and affiliation needs.
Pectenotoxin-2 Synthetic Studies. 1. Alkoxide Precoordination to [Rh(NBD)(DIPHOS-4)]BF4 Allows Directed Hydrogenation of a 2,3-Dihydrofuran-3-ol without Competing Furan Production

The alkoxide-directed hydrogenation shown is reported as a key step in a concise synthesis of a fully functionalized precursor to the C29−C40 F/G sector of pectenotoxin-2.
Hyperpolarizabilities of substituted polyphenyls

Abstract The dipole axis diagonal components of static polarizability α, first-order hyperpolarizability β and second-order hyperpolarizability γ of a series of push-pull polyphenyls are calculated via a simplified sum over states (SOS) technique based on ab initio Hartree-Fock (HF) data with the 6-31G∗∗ basis set. Additional calculations on similar molecules at the same level of theory are performed to help the analysis of results. An explanation is provided for the behavior of the dipole and the three polarizabilities with respect to the increasing molecular size. The role of molecular structure and interactions is analyzed. A new formulation for the simplified missing state analysis is proposed.
A thermodynamic description of the self-association of flavin mononucleotide.

Abstract Systematic heat of dilution studies of the self-association of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) have been conducted as a function of ionic strength (0.05 – 2.0 m ) and pH (5–9) in aqueous solution. The data are adequately described by the expression Q T = ΔH − ( ΔH K ) 1 2 ( Q T c T ) 1 2 for an isodesmic self-association. QT is the molar heat of dilution, ΔH and K are the derived enthalpy and equilibrium constants for the process FMN + (FMN)i−1 ⇌ (FMN)i, and cT is the concentration of FMN expressed in monomer units. Typical values derived for the various thermodynamic parameters at 25 °C are ΔG = −3.56 kcal mol−1, ΔH = −3.72 kcal mol−1, and ΔS = −0.54 cal (mol · deg)−1. These data, plus nuclear magnetic resonance evidence (Yagi, K., Ohishi, N., Takai, A., Kawano, K., and Kyogoku, Y., 1976, Biochemistry15, 2877–2880) argue in favor of an open-ended association of flavin molecules. The signs of the various thermodynamic parameters suggest that both hydrophobic and surface energy forces contribute significantly to the association, while the lack of any significant ionic strength dependence indicates the lack of any ionic centers in the association.
Incremental Forming for Aluminum Automotive Technology

Insufficient formability can be a major issue in the manufacturing of complex parts, particularly in aluminum alloys that have less formability when compared to steel. The approach which is the subject of this work is to determine the technical feasibility of partial forming, followed by a fast heat treatment and then further deformation. Alloys for consideration would include both 5xxx and 6xxx alloys typically used on interior and exterior automotive panels. The heat treatment regimes used for 6xxx alloys did not affect the material structure, which was confirmed by microstructural analysis and comparison of mechanical properties before and after the heat treatment. Experiments on 5xxx alloys indicated relative improvement of 300% or more. Regimes of material deformation and heat treatment will be presented.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Depth separation fails to modulate the orientation-inhibition effect

When a rod-and-frame display has a circumscribing circle added to it, the usual orientation effect is greatly reduced or neutralized (Ebenholtz &Utrie, 1982, 1983). Placing a depth interval between frame and circle, the frame beyond or in front of the circle, produced no significant decrement in the orientation-inhibition effect (OIE) relative to an apparent coplanar condition. It is proposed that the OIE and other phenomena that are insulated from effects of depth separation be regarded as instances of ambient system processing (Leibowitz & Post, 1982).
Simulation of ternary ammonia–water–salt absorption refrigeration cycles

Abstract This paper proposes a new working fluid for refrigeration cycles utilizing low temperature heat sources. The proposed working fluid consists of the ammonia–water working fluid mixture and a salt. The salt is used to aid the removal of ammonia from the liquid solution. This effect is a manifestation of the well known “salting-out” effect. While the addition of salt improves the generator performance, it also has a detrimental effect on the absorber. The overall effects on the performance of three absorption cycles using the NH3–H2O–NaOH working fluid have been investigated using computer simulations. The results indicated that salting out can lower the generator operating temperature while simultaneously improving the cycle performance. Furthermore, limiting the salt to the generator suggests potential for further improvement in cycle performance.
Hyperauthorship: A postmodern perversion or evidence of a structural shift in scholarly communication practices?

Classical assumptions about the nature and ethical entailments of authorship (the standard model) are being challenged by developments in scientific collaboration and multiple authorship. In the biomedical research community, multiple authorship has increased to such an extent that the trustworthiness of the scientific communication system has been called into question. Documented abuses, such as honorific authorship, have serious implications in terms of the acknowledgment of authority, allocation of credit, and assigning of accountability. Within the biomedical world it has been proposed that authors be replaced by lists of contributors (the radical model), whose specific inputs to a given study would be recorded unambiguously. The wider implications of the ‘hyperauthorship’ phenomenon for scholarly publication are considered.
A Direct Substitution, Equation Error Technique for Solving the Thermographic Tomography Problem

A new technique for solving the combined state and parameter estimation problem in thermographic tomography is presented. The technique involves the direct substitution of known skin temperatures into the finite difference form of the bio-heat transfer equation as formulated for solving an initial value problem with a convection boundary condition at the skin surface. These equations are then used to solve the inverse bio-heat transfer problem for the unknown subcutaneous tissue temperatures and physiological parameters. For a small number of nodal points, closed form algebraic solutions are obtained. For larger sets of equations, a hybrid technique is used in which the problem is initially posed as an unconstrained optimization problem in which the model equation error is minimized using the conjugate gradient descent technique to get close to a solution. Then a generalized Newton-Raphson technique was used to solve the equations. A numerical simulation of a one-dimensional problem is investigated both with and without noise superimposed on the input (transient) skin temperature data. The results show that the technique gives very accurate results if the skin temperature data contains little noise. It is also shown that if the physical properties of the tissue and the metabolism are known, that a given set of proper transient skin temperature inputs yields a unique solution for the unknown internal temperatures and blood perfusion rates. However, the similar problem with known blood perfusion rates and unknown metabolisms does not yield a unique solution for the internal temperatures and metabolisms.
Suicide in Older Adults

This article makes the case that late-life suicide is a cause for great concern that warrants ongoing attention from researchers, health care providers, policy makers, and society at large. It reviews the evidence for factors that place older adults at risk for suicide, or protect them from it. The authors introduce the notion that suicide preventive interventions target individuals or groups at different levels of risk at different points on the developmental trajectory toward death by suicide, offering examples and recommending their strategic, combined application to create an effective, community-level response to the mounting problem of suicide in older adults. Language: en
Impact of pseudo-continuous fermentation on the ethanol tolerance of Scheffersomyces stipitis.

In this work we conducted the pseudo-continuous fermentation, i.e., continuous fermentation with cell retention, using Scheffersomyces stipitis, and studied its effect on ethanol tolerance of the strain. During the fermentation experiments, S. stipitis was adapted to a mild concentration of ethanol (20–26 g/L) for two weeks. Two substrates (glucose and xylose) were used in different fermentation experiments. After fermentation, various experiments were performed to evaluate the ethanol tolerance of adapted cells and unadapted cells. Compared to the unadapted cells, the viability of adapted cells increased by 8 folds with glucose as the carbon source and 6 folds with xylose as the carbon source following exposure to 60 g/L ethanol for 2 h. Improved ethanol tolerance of the adapted cells was also revealed in the effects of ethanol on plasma membrane permeability, extracellular alkalization and acidification. The mathematical modeling of cell leakage, extracellular alkalization and acidification revealed that cells cultured on glucose show better ethanol tolerance than cells cultured on xylose but the differences become smaller for adapted cells. The results show that pseudo-continuous fermentation can effectively improve cell's ethanol tolerance due to the environmental pressure during the fermentation process.
An agent architecture for e-services privacy policy compliance

The growth of the Internet has been accompanied by the growth of e-services (e.g. e-commerce, e-health). This proliferation of e-services and the increasing regulatory and legal requirements for personal privacy have fueled the need to protect the personal privacy of e-service users. Approaches are needed to ensure that providers of e-services comply with the privacy policies of service users. In this paper, we examine privacy legislation to derive requirements for privacy policy compliance systems. We then propose an agent-based architecture for a privacy policy compliance system that satisfies many of the requirements and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of our proposed architecture.
The highly rearranged chloroplast genome of Trachelium caeruleum (Campanulaceae): multiple inversions, inverted repeat expansion and contraction, transposition, insertions/deletions, and several repeat families

Comprehensive gene mapping reveals that the chloroplast genome of Trachelium caeruleum is highly rearranged relative to those of other land plants. Evolutionary scenarios that consist of seven to ten inversions, one or two transpositions, both expansion and contraction of the typically size-conserved inverted repeat, a presumed gene loss, deletions within two large open reading frames and several insertions, are sufficient to derive the Trachelium arrangement from the ancestral angiosperm chloroplast DNA arrangement. Two of the rearrangements disrupt transcriptional units that are otherwise conserved among land plants. At least five families of small dispersed repeats exist in the Trachelium chloroplast genome. Most of the repeats are associated with inversion endpoints and may have facilitated inversions through recombination across homologous repeats.
RISK OF BAYESIAN INFERENCE IN MISSPECIFIED MODELS, AND THE SANDWICH COVARIANCE MATRIX

It is well known that, in misspecified parametric models, the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) is consistent for the pseudo-true value and has an asymptotically normal sampling distribution with “sandwich” covariance matrix. Also, posteriors are asymptotically centered at the MLE, normal, and of asymptotic variance that is, in general, different than the sandwich matrix. It is shown that due to this discrepancy, Bayesian inference about the pseudo-true parameter value is, in general, of lower asymptotic frequentist risk when the original posterior is substituted by an artificial normal posterior centered at the MLE with sandwich covariance matrix. An algorithm is suggested that allows the implementation of this artificial posterior also in models with high dimensional nuisance parameters which cannot reasonably be estimated by maximizing the likelihood.
Geometric global genomic informatics for RNA viruses

The W-curve is in the class of autoregressive, geometrical algorithms that will permit bioinformaticists to visualise repeating and/or shifting patterns embedded within the whole genome. Herein, we inspect whole HIV-1 genomes. Conventional string based phylogenetic trees are insufficient to visualise the 3-D information content of an HIV-1 genome. String based analysis cannot visualise, as can a typical W-curve based treatment, the subtlety of quasi-species shifting between different HIV-1 genomes. Herein we have conveyed some of the similar patterns embedded in different HIV-1 genomes. It is hoped that conventional string-based phylogenetic trees will enjoy some reinterpretation of the definition of quasi-species of the HIV-1 genome, in light of HIV-1 shift experiment performed with W-curves.
Evolutionary theory and the social sciences

Gintis's article is an example of growing awareness by social scientists of the significance of evolutionary theory for understanding human nature. Although we share its main point of view, we comment on some disagreements related to levels of behavioral analysis, the explanation of social cooperation, and the ubiquity of inter-individual differences in human decision-making.
Fabrication of 3-D hybrid polymer-magnetite nanostructures with geometric shape anisotropy

This paper reports fabrication of three-dimensional (3-D) hybrid polymer-magnetite nanoparticles with designed asymmetric shapes. The fabrication strategy exploited in this work is to fabricate nanotemplates for positional assembly of target water soluble polystyrene (PS) and iron-oxide (Fe 3 O 4 ) nanoparticles, producing 3-D hybrid nanostructures as designed. This work has demonstrated 3-D asymmetric PS-(Fe 3 O 4 ) composite nanostructures (e.g. “nano-broccoli-flowers”) with a feature size of sub-20 nm exhibiting ferromagnetic properties. Such magnetic 3-D asymmetric nanostructures may have specific advantages over 0-D symmetric spherical counterparts due to their geometric anisotropy, for example offering additional design freedom for nanoparticle functionality in biomedical and clinical applications.
Complex regulation of the yeast heat shock transcription factor.

The yeast heat shock transcription factor (HSF) is regulated by posttranslational modification. Heat and superoxide can induce the conformational change associated with the heat shock response. Interaction between HSF and the chaperone hsp70 is also thought to play a role in HSF regulation. Here, we show that the Ssb1/2p member of the hsp70 family can form a stable, ATP-sensitive complex with HSF—a surprising finding because Ssb1/2p is not induced by heat shock. Phosphorylation and the assembly of HSF into larger, ATP-sensitive complexes both occur when HSF activity decreases, whether during adaptation to a raised temperature or during growth at low glucose concentrations. These larger HSF complexes also form during recovery from heat shock. However, if HSF is assembled into ATP-sensitive complexes (during growth at a low glucose concentration), heat shock does not stimulate the dissociation of the complexes. Nor does induction of the conformational change induce their dissociation. Modulation of the in vivo concentrations of the SSA and SSB proteins by deletion or overexpression affects HSF activity in a manner that is consistent with these findings and suggests the model that the SSA and SSB proteins perform distinct roles in the regulation of HSF activity.
Going it alone: comparing subtypes of withdrawal on indices of adjustment and maladjustment in emerging adulthood

Scholars have distinguished conceptually between multiple forms of social withdrawal among children and adolescents, but this distinction has yet to be investigated fully during emerging adulthood. Therefore, the overarching goal of this study was to employ a person-oriented approach to examine differences between subtypes of withdrawal on indicators of internalizing issues and relationships in emerging adulthood. The sample for the current study ("M[subscript age]" = 19.60, "SD" = 1.85, "range" = 18-29) consisted of 791 undergraduate students (548 women, 243 men). RESULTS revealed that three distinct forms of social withdrawal (shyness, avoidance, unsociable) can be identified in emerging adulthood, with each one uniquely related to indices of maladjustment in regard to internalizing problems and relationship difficulties. In general, both shy and avoidant individuals reported more problems of an internalizing nature and in their relationships. Far fewer problems appear to exist for unsociable individuals. Language: en
Output MAI distributions of linear MMSE multiuser receivers in DS-CDMA systems

Multiple-access interference (MAI) in a code-division multiple-access (CDMA) system plays an important role in performance analysis and characterization of fundamental system limits. We study the behavior of the output MAI of the minimum mean-square error (MMSE) receiver employed in the uplink of a direct-sequence (DS)-CDMA system. We focus on imperfect power-controlled systems with random spreading, and establish that in a synchronous system (1) the output MAI of the MMSE receiver is asymptotically Gaussian, and (2) for almost every realization of the signatures and received powers, the conditional distribution of the output MAI converges weakly to the same Gaussian distribution as in the unconditional case. We also extend our study to asynchronous systems and establish the Gaussian nature of the output interference. These results indicate that in a large system the output interference is approximately Gaussian, and the performance of the MMSE receiver is robust to the randomness of the signatures and received powers. The Gaussianity justifies the use of single-user Gaussian codes for CDMA systems with linear MMSE receivers, and implies that from the viewpoints of detection and channel capacity, signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) is the key parameter that governs the performance of the MMSE receiver in a CDMA system.
Active Ion Transport by Mitochondria

The ability of isolated mitochondria to accumulate very large amounts of Ca++ by an active transport mechanism was discovered by V a s i n g t o n and M u r p h y in 1961 [1]. The accumulation process was found to be blocked by respiratory inhibitors and by uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation, and thus was completely dependent on electron transport and the energy coupling mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation. Significantly, oligomycin does not inhibit Ca++ uptake under these conditions. Later it was found that during the accumulation of Ca++, inorganic phosphate disappears from the medium and also accumulates in mitochondria in amounts that are stoichiometrically related to the Ca++; the molar ratio with which Ca++ and phosphate are accumulated is almost exactly that of Ca++ hydroxyapatite. The amounts of Ca++ and phosphate that accumulate may exceed 200 times the normal mitochondrial content; such accumulation is called “massive loading”. The accumulation of Ca++ and phosphate can also be driven by ATP hydrolysis, and in this case it is not sensitive to respiratory inhibitors, but is inhibited by uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation and by oligomycin. Ca++ uptake is evidently associated with the dinitrophenolsensitive formation of the first high energy intermediate formed during electron transport, before the point of action of oligomycin.
Existence and uniqueness of solutions to characteristic evolution in Bondi-Sachs coordinates in general relativity

We show that the theorem of Duff on the existence and uniqueness of solutions to linear characteristic initial-value problems holds in the case of linearized characteristic evolution in Bondi-Sachs coordinates in general relativity. This represents the characteristic equivalent to the manifest existence and uniqueness of the case of standard Cauchy problems. This extends Sachs' original work on the characteristic approach to the Einstein equations, by considering a null-timelike approach rather than a null-asymptotic one.
Ribonucleoprotein formation by the ORF1 protein of the non-LTR retrotransposon Tx1L in Xenopus oocytes

The Tx1L elements constitute a family of site-specific non-LTR retrotransposons found in the genome of the frog Xenopus laevis . The elements have two open reading frames (ORFs) with homology to proteins of retroviruses and other retroelements. This study demonstrates an expected activity of one of the element-encoded proteins. The RNA binding properties of ORF1p, the product of the first ORF of Tx1L, were examined after expression from RNA injected into Xenopus oocytes. Using sucrose gradient sedimentation and non-denaturing gel electrophoresis, we show that ORF1p associates with RNA in cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles. Discrete RNPs are formed with well-defined mobilities. The ORF1p RNPs are distinct from endogenous RNPs that contain stored oocyte mRNAs and two specific endogenous mRNAs do not become associated with ORF1p. ORF1p appears to be capable of associating with its own mRNA and with other injected RNAs, independent of specific recognition sequences. Although nuclear localization of ORF1p was anticipated, based both on the supposed mechanism of transposition and on the presence of a potential nuclear localization signal, no significant fraction of the protein was found in the oocyte nucleus. Nonetheless, the RNA binding capability of ORF1p is consistent with the proposed model for transposition of non-LTR retrotransposons.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection Does Not Influence Viral Dynamics during Early HIV-1 Infection

Objective. We sought to compare baseline and longitudinal plasma HIV- 1 loads between herpes simplex virus Objective. We sought to compare baseline and longitudinal plasma HIV- 1 loads between herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)-seropositive and -seronegative individuals who are enrolled in a primary HIV-1 infection cohort in San Diego, California. Design. The study was a retrospective cohort analysis. Methods. We categorized antiretroviral-naive subjects on the basis of HSV-2 serostatus at baseline using an HSV-2 enzyme immunoassay. Low positive results (1.1-3.5) were confirmed by Western blotting. We compared baseline HIV-1 loads of the 2 groups using a linear model. To detect differences in HIV-1 dynamics, we analyzed longitudinal viral loads using a flexible semiparametric model, controlling for the time to antiretroviral therapy and stratifying by HIV-1 infection stage at entry. Results. We studied 294 adult men. Ninety percent reported sex with men as their main HIV-1 risk factor. The seroprevalence of HSV-2 was 41.5%. The HSV-2-seropositive and -seronegative groups had similar baseline HIV-1 loads during acute infection (5.52 vs. 5.72 log 10 copies/mL; P = .39) and early infection (4.57 vs. 4.67 logic copies/mL; P = .5). Longitudinally, the difference in HIV-1 loads between HSV-2-seropositive and-seronegative men remained close to 0 during the first year of infection. Conclusions. HSV-2 serostatus has minimal influence on the dynamics of HIV-1 during acute and early HIV-1 infection.
A portrait of pediatric radiologists in the United States.

OBJECTIVE. In recognition of the importance of pediatric radiology and the apparent shortage of radiologists in the field, the purpose of this study was to provide an extensive and detailed portrait of pediatric radiologists, their professional activities, and the practices in which they work.MATERIALS AND METHODS. We tabulated data from the American College of Radiology's 2003 Survey of Radiologists, a stratified random sample survey that achieved a 63% response rate with a total of 1,924 responses. Responses were weighted to make them representative of all radiologists in the United States. We compare information about pediatric radiologists with that for other radiologists.RESULTS. Approximately 3% of radiologists, some 800-900 physicians, are pediatric radiologists. Depending on how pediatric radiologist is defined, two thirds to three quarters of them spend 70% or more of their clinical work time doing pediatric radiology. Unlike other radiologists, a greater percentage of pediatric radiologists desi...
Adaptive-Q with LQG stabilizing feedback and real time computation for disk drive servo control

A method of stabilizing feedback control, known as adaptive-Q control is applied to a LQG disk drive control system to improve its disturbance rejection property. This approach follows the well known result that all stabilizing controllers for a plant can be synthesized by conveniently parametrized augmentations to a nominal controller. The augmentation is parametrized by an arbitrary stable filter Q which is adapted online. The Q filter is restricted to a FIR stable filter which minimizes the H/sub 2 /norm of the transfer function from the disturbance to the track following error. Simulations and experimental results show a 15% improvement in the achievable TMR (track misregistration). The Q filter is adapted using a recursive least squares numerically stable adaptive array algorithm. Two algorithms based on inverse QR factorization are considered for implementation. The computation issues involved in updating the Q filter every servo cycle are discussed.
Metal-induced apoptosis: mechanisms

The past decade has seen an intense focus on mechanisms of apoptosis. Many important observations on the various signaling pathways mediating apoptotic cell death have been made and our understanding of the importance of apoptosis in both normal growth and development and pathophysiology has greatly increased. In addition, mechanisms of metal-induced toxicity continue to be of interest given the ubiquitous nature of these contaminants. The purpose of this review is to summarize our current understanding of the apoptotic pathways that are initiated by metals, mainly established (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, beryllium) and possible (lead, antimony, cobalt) human carcinogens. Increased understanding of metal-induced apoptosis is critical to illuminate mechanisms of metal-induced carcinogenesis, as well as the potential of metal species (arsenic) as chemotherapeutic agents.
DIELECTRONIC RECOMBINATION: AN OVERVIEW OF THEORY AND EXPERIMENT, AND SOME ASTROPHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS

The status of dielectronic recombination (DR) rate coecien ts used for modeling cosmic plasmas is discussed. A brief overview of theoretical and experimental studies of DR is given. Results are shown which demonstrate the astrophysical importance of accurate DR rates for studies of the intergalactic medium.
Stiff arc length constraint in nonlinear FEA

Arc length constraints enable iterative solution procedures in nonlinear finite element analysis to converge even at critical points. The arc length constraint replaces the conventional m×m stiffness matrix with an augmented (m+1)×(m+1) stiffness matrix. Its use is referred to as arc length control, in contrast to load control which furnishes the conventional stiffness matrix. In the current article, an apparently new arc length constraint is introduced. It identifies arc length parameters maximizing the stiffness (absolute value of the determinant) of the augmented matrix. The parameters, viewed as a vector, must be perpendicular to the rows of the stiffness matrix, likewise considered vectors. The augmented stiffness matrix is nonsymmetric and lacks the small bandwidth of the conventional stiffness matrix. However, using a block triangularization, it is demonstrated that a solution may be attained by standard finite element operations, namely triangularization of a banded nonsingular portion of the stiffness matrix followed by forward and backward substitutions involving banded lower and upper triangular matrices. The proposed constraint is expected to permit convergence under longer arc lengths than currently implemented methods. A simple example is given illustrating the application of the constraint.
Immunotherapy of neuropathies in patients with diabetes mellitus requires closer scrutiny.

In the November 1995Archives, Krendel et al 1 presented data about 15 patients with diabetes whose neuropathies improved with immunotherapy. These findings are exciting and add to the growing literature about immunotherapy for patients with disabling diabetic neuropathies. 2,3 They proposed that some such patients have an axonal inflammatory vasculopathy mimicking proximal diabetic neuropathy (PDN) or a syndrome indistinguishable from chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and may be distinct from other patients with diabetes with clinically similar conditions that are not immune-mediated. This is a valid hypothesis but it is not well-supported by their data. I present a similar case, comment on the conclusions drawn by Krendel et al, and suggest ways to address the important questions that they have raised. Report of a Case. A progressive, painful, asymmetric proximal lower limb paresis that spared the upper extremities developed in a 67-year-old with insulin-dependent diabetes. Electrodiagnostic studies demonstrated a
Structure of the membrane proximal oxidoreductase domain of human Steap3, the dominant ferrireductase of the erythroid transferrin cycle

The daily production of 200 billion erythrocytes requires 20 mg of iron, accounting for nearly 80% of the iron demand in humans. Thus, erythroid precursor cells possess an efficient mechanism for iron uptake in which iron loaded transferrin (Tf) binds to the transferrin receptor (TfR) at the cell surface. The Tf:TfR complex then enters the endosome via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Upon endosomal acidification, iron is released from Tf, reduced to Fe 2+ by Steap3, and transported across the endosomal membrane by divalent metal iron transporter 1. Steap3, the major ferrireductase in erythrocyte endosomes, is a member of a unique family of reductases. Steap3 is comprised of an N-terminal cytosolic oxidoreductase domain and a C-terminal heme-containing transmembrane domain. Cytosolic NADPH and a flavin are predicted cofactors, but the NADPH/flavin binding domain differs significantly from those in other eukaryotic reductases. Instead, Steap3 shows remarkable, although limited homology to FNO, an archaeal oxidoreductase. We have determined the crystal structure of the human Steap3 oxidoreductase domain in the absence and presence of NADPH. The structure reveals an FNO-like domain with an unexpected dimer interface and substrate binding sites that are well positioned to direct electron transfer from the cytosol to a heme moiety predicted to be fixed within the transmembrane domain. Here, we discuss possible gating mechanisms for electron transfer across the endosomal membrane.
Bioactive nanoparticles improve calcium handling in failing cardiac myocytes

Aims: To evaluate the ability of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) decorated nanoparticles and their cargo to modulate calcium handling in failing cardiac myocytes (CMs). Materials & methods: Primary CMs isolated from normal and failing hearts were treated with GlcNAc nanoparticles in order to assess the ability of the nanoparticles and their cargo to correct dysfunctional calcium handling in failing myocytes. Results & conclusion: GlcNAc particles reduced aberrant calcium release in failing CMs and restored sarcomere function. Additionally, encapsulation of a small calcium-modulating protein, S100A1, in GlcNAc nanoparticles also showed improved calcium regulation. Thus, the development of our bioactive nanoparticle allows for a ‘two-hit’ treatment, by which the cargo and also the nanoparticle itself can modulate intracellular protein activity.
From Big to Little Data for Natural Disaster Recovery: How Online and On-the-ground Activities are Connected?

Following a major natural disaster, many turn to social media to communicate about their situation and try to seek help in disaster recovery. With millions of social media posts, it can be difficult for disaster management organizations to tap into these immense social networks to find the data needed and to connect individuals to networks that can provide assistance. This study takes big data analytics methods and applies them to a specific context, examining how active and influential members of Facebook groups aided in disaster recovery following Hurricane Sandy. It uses network analysis methods for finding influential members and a web-survey for learning about their background and volunteer activity inside and outside of their Facebook groups. The findings show that the majority of the active online members are also actively involved in on-the-ground recovery activities. They also have the capacity and willingness to work as volunteers. These members have important roles in the integration of online and on-the-ground disaster recovery efforts. Local governments and disaster management organizations should be prepared to incorporate social media data in their formal disaster recovery processes. This incorporation requires the integration of big data analysis methods with social science theories and methods.
Role of CRTC1/MAML2 Translocation in the Prognosis and Clinical Outcomes of Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma.

Importance The CRTC1/MAML2 fusion transcript, which arises from the CRTC1/MAML2 translocation, is a molecular marker unique to mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), the most common malignant tumor of the salivary gland. The extent to which the transcript influences disease features and patient survival is unclear. Objective To determine whether the CRTC1/MAML2 fusion transcript is associated with disease stage, tumor grade, or survival outcomes in patients with MEC. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective medical record review was performed at a tertiary-care academic medical institution. The review included 90 patients with MEC who underwent treatment from January 1, 1995, to December 31, 2011, and for whom archived formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens were available. Records were reviewed for clinical, demographic, and survival data. Tumor specimens underwent fluorescence in situ hybridization. Follow-up was completed on May 15, 2014, and data were analyzed from June 1 to July 1, 2014. Main Outcomes and Measures CRTC1/MAML2 fusion transcript status. Statistical analysis determined whether transcript status was associated with disease stage, tumor grade, and/or overall and disease-free survival. Results Among the 90 eligible patients (median [range] age, 55.1 [7.8-89.2] years), 42 were female and 48 were male. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed a CRTC1/MAML2 translocation in 50 patients (56%). The translocations were more prevalent in intermediate-grade tumors (31 of 49 [63%]) than in high-grade (11 of 49 [22%]) and low-grade (7 of 49 [14%]) tumors; 1 tumor sample had no available grading. Similar proportions of patients with translocation-positive disease had T1 (13 of 49 [26%]), T2 (15 of 49 [31%]), T4a (14 of 49 [28%]), or T0 or Tx (8 of 49 [16%]) stages of disease. Thirty-eight of 49 patients with translocation-positive MEC (78%) had N0 stage of disease. Rates of 5-year overall survival were similar for patients with translocation-positive and translocation-negative disease (76.8% vs 75.5%, respectively; P = .17), as were rates of disease-free survival (65.2% vs 57.4%, respectively; P = .28). Conclusions and Relevance Detection of the CRTC1/MAML2 fusion transcript provides useful information for MEC diagnosis but is not associated with differences in survival outcomes.
Deutsche Kriegskarten der Schweiz 1939−1945. Ein Vademecum

Switzerland had been a neighbour of the German Reich since the latter’s formation in 1871, sharing a common boundary in Lake Constance and the River Rhine. From the late 1930s, however, the Swiss w...
The Constitutional Validity of Pro Forma Recess Appointments: A Bright-Line Test Using a Substance-over-Form Approach

In 2007, the Senate began using pro forma sessions in an attempt to curtail the President’s recess-appointment power. On January 4, 2012, President Obama challenged the propriety of pro forma sessions by issuing four recess appointments. Due to the nature of the appointments, a constitutional challenge appears evident. This Note addresses the constitutional validity of the appointments, taking into account the constitutional and historical framework of recess appointments and evaluating both the short- and long-term effects of a resolution. This Note recommends a bright-line approach in which recess appointments are valid when the Senate has failed to meet a quorum and has conducted no official business for four consecutive days.
Ultra Reliable Space Life Support

Space life support systems can provide the crew with water and oxygen either as materials launched from Earth or by recycling a small initial supply. Recycling saves the cost of launching large masses of water and oxygen but recycling equipment is more complex and much less reliable than storage tanks. Near Earth missions such as the space station or a Moon base can easily receive supplies and rotate crews. Spares can be provided after a failure occurs. If a life support failure cannot be repaired, the crew can quickly return to Earth. In contrast, Mars or other long distance missions must travel with all their needed materials, equipment, and spares, since additional supplies cannot be sent. Such distant missions must achieve ultra reliability, a very low daily failure rate, since they will take years rather than weeks and emergency spares or crew returns are not possible. Spacecraft life support systems can increase reliability by providing spares to repair failed components. However, providing spares cannot cure common cause failures that may be due to an inbuilt design flaw or manufacturing error. Using two technically diverse redundant systems can prevent common cause failures but is much more expensive than providing spare parts, since it roughly doubles the development and operations cost as well as doubling the launch mass and cost. Recycling systems do not currently have sufficient reliability for effective deep space use. If recycling cannot be made ultra reliable, the minimum water and oxygen necessary for survival must be provided from Earth and stored.
Human Factor Study in Gesture Based CAD Environment

This study proposes a gesture based CAD interface that uses pose, position, velocity and direction of fingers as input data in order to draw, extrude, scale, translate and rotate an object in the 3D space. The system allows the user to generate basic geometrical primitives and advanced geometries (geometries that cannot be realized using the CSG primitives) and to perform basic CAD operations described above. As opposed to traditional systems wherein path based gestures are used to carry out operations, the proposed system uses switches that operate on simple binary principles thus reducing the computational cost of the system by eliminating the use of a classifier scheme to a high extent. A user study involving 10 subjects is also presented in order to determine the qualitative and quantitative efficacy of the proposed system.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Enhanced growth of Legionella pneumophila in tetrahydrocannabinol-treated macrophages.

SummaryLegionella pneumophila is an opportunistic intracellular pathogen that infects macrophages, both in vivo and in vitro. Tetrahydrocannabinol is a major psychoactive component of marijuana and can affect the functional activity of macrophages. In the present study, it was found that the treatment of macrophage cultures from permissive A/J mice with THC enhanced the growth of Legionella in these cells. Legionella grew much better in macrophages treated with low doses of THC, which caused no alteration in the number or viability of macrophages, as compared with growth in untreated cells. Furthermore, lipopolysaccharide-treated A/J mouse macrophages restricted the growth of Legionella, but this growth restriction was overcome by the addition of THC to LPS-treated macrophage cultures after infection. Thus, it is apparent that THC has the ability to enhance the growth of the intracellular opportunistic pathogen Legionella that grows in A/J mouse macrophages.
In the Footsteps of Vavilov: Plant Diversity Then and Now

N.I. Vavilov's theories direct present-day global activities in plant science, breeding, and conservation. His expeditions around the world located centers of diversity of crop evolution. Vavilov was one of the earliest scientists to realize that wild genetic diversity could be lost, through genetic erosion, reducing the possibilities for future crop improvement. To measure genetic erosion, Gary Nabhan and colleagues traveled in 11 countries following routes that Vavilov had taken more than half a century before. The detailed notes concerning the vegetation and flora that Vavilov observed could be used as a baseline in contrast with Nabhan's plant and cultivar inventories to observe changes in plant diversity at specific sites. The objective of this manuscript is to summarize potential genetic erosion at three case study locations, the Pamiri Highlands of Tajikistan, the Ethiopian Highlands, and the Colorado Plateau of Southwestern North America. Attheselocalities Vavilov'snotescanbecomparedwiththeagriculturalactivitiesof themodern day.Ineachcase, significant climatic, environmental, and human-caused changes have affected the local agriculture during the intervening years. Localities that have retained diversity have suffered the least. Reduction of diversity is associated with decreased agricultural stability and productivity. Programs encouraging farmers to manage diversity and promote involvement of local youth in agriculture may reduce or moderate the effect of genetic erosion.
Imaging of the Sellar Region

Imaging of the sellar and parasellar regions is clinically indicated in patients with symptoms or signs of endocrinopathy or visual field deficiency. However, a greater proportion of sellar and parasellar pathologies are often discovered incidentally as cross-sectional imaging of the brain is increasingly performed during diagnostic evaluation of unrelated neurologic problems or during staging of systemic malignancy. The latest improvements in high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) techniques have greatly increased our ability to detect small sellar lesions and delineate the extent of disease prior to surgical resection. Understanding both the advantages and limitations of these imaging techniques is essential for optimizing imaging protocol and improving diagnostic accuracy.
Electric Grid Vulnerabilities to Rising Air Temperatures in Arizona

Abstract Ambient air temperatures are expected to increase in the US desert southwest by 1-5 °C mid-century which will strain the electric power grid through increased loads, reduced power capacities, efficiencies, and material lifespans. To better understand and quantify this risk, a power infrastructure failure model is created to estimate changes in outage rates of components for increases in air temperatures in Arizona. Components analyzed include generation, transmission lines, and substations, because their outages can lead to cascading failures and interruptions of other critical infrastructure systems such as water, transportation, and information/communication technology. Preliminary results indicate that components could require maintenance or replacement up to 3 times more often due to mechanical failures, outages could occur up to 30 times more often due to overcurrent tripping, and the probability of cascading failures could increase 30 times as well for a 1 °C increase in ambient air temperature. Preventative measures can include infrastructure upgrades to more thermal resistant parts, installation of cooling systems, smart grid power flow controls, and expanding programs for demand side management and customer energy efficiency.
Inhibition of Cancer-Associated Mutant Isocitrate Dehydrogenases by 2-Thiohydantoin Compounds

Somatic mutations of isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) at R132 are frequently found in certain cancers such as glioma. With losing the activity of wild-type IDH1, the R132H and R132C mutant proteins can reduce α-ketoglutaric acid (α-KG) to d-2-hydroxyglutaric acid (D2HG). The resulting high concentration of D2HG inhibits many α-KG-dependent dioxygenases, including histone demethylases, to cause broad histone hypermethylation. These aberrant epigenetic changes are responsible for the initiation of these cancers. We report the synthesis, structure-activity relationships, enzyme kinetics, and binding thermodynamics of a novel series of 2-thiohydantoin and related compounds, among which several compounds are potent inhibitors of mutant IDH1 with Ki as low as 420 nM. X-ray crystal structures of IDH1(R132H) in complex with two inhibitors are reported, showing their inhibitor-protein interactions. These compounds can decrease the cellular concentration of D2HG, reduce the levels of histone methylation, and suppress the proliferation of stem-like cancer cells in BT142 glioma with IDH1 R132H mutation.