cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A homogeneous framework for visual recognition

A homogeneous paradigm for evidence integration is presented, and a vision system to recognize 3D objects is demonstrated using this paradigm. A new concept called generalizedfeatures supports a highly modular architecture, and allows a uniform treatment of features at all levels of recognition - from simple partial features to complex feature assemblies and 3D objects. Layered, concurrent parameter transforms vote for feature hypotheses on the basis of image data and previously reconstructed features. Additional transforms identify supporting or conflicting relationships between hypotheses. The entire reconstruction and indexing process occurs within recognition networks, which collect votes, fuse evidence from various sources and insure global consistency. The overall approach allows the system to completely avoid the common weak point of explicit, low-level scene segmentation. Features reconstructed by the vision system include surface regions and 3D surface intersection curves. Experimental results, including noise sensitivity, for real data from a laser range finder are presented.
Shaped pupil coronagraph: disk science mask experimental verification and testing

The Shaped Pupil Coronagraph (SPC) is one of the two operating modes of the baseline coronagraph instrument for the proposed WFIRST mission. While in SPC mode, multiple sets of shaped pupil masks and focal plane masks would be available for various imaging tasks. The disk science mask set (SPC-DSM) is designed for exozodiacal disk science. With a 360 degree high contrast field of view, extending up to 20 λ/D, the SPC-DSM provides a powerful tool to study exozodiacal dust clouds associated with stellar debris disks to gain insight of the exoplanet formation and stellar disk dynamics. We will describe the performance verification and demonstration of the SPC-DSM coronagraph as tested in the high contrast imaging testbed (HCIT) at JPL. The goal of the testbed demonstration is an average contrast of 5e-9 over a 10% bandwidth centered at 565nm, in a field of view extending from 6.5 λ/D to 20 λ/D. We will discuss electric field conjugation, performance metrics, and model agreement as applied to the SPC-DSM.
Intraseasonal Variability in a Cloud-Permitting Near-Global Equatorial Aquaplanet Model

AbstractRecent studies have suggested that the Madden–Julian oscillation is a result of an instability driven mainly by cloud–radiation feedbacks, similar in character to self-aggregation of convec...
Are Harpins Universal Elicitors of the Hypersensitive Response of Phytopathogenic Bacteria

The entire hrp gene cluster of Erwinia amylovora strain Ea321 had been cloned previously on a single cosmid, designated pCPP430. This cosmid is well expressed in Escherichia coli and Gram-negative bacteria harboring it strongly elicit the hypersensitive response (HR) on non-host plants. Cell-free sonicates of E. coli DH5α(pCPP430) and Ea 321 caused collapse of tobacco leaf tissue within 12 hrs after infiltration of the intercellular spaces. From the HR-eliciting sonicates, we purified a 44 kD, heat-stable, cell-surface-associated protein (harpin) by ion-exchange chromatography and reverse-phase chromatography. Purified harpin caused collapse of leaf tissue that was indistinguishable from the collapse caused by DH5α(pCPP430) or wild-type E. amylovora. Harpin also elicited the K+/H+ exchange reaction in tobacco cell suspensions. A polyclonal antibody raised in rabbits in response to injections of harpin may prove useful in the diagnosis of the fire blight pathogen.
Extending the Reynolds Number Range of High-Frequency Control of Dynamic Stall

A recently proposed high-frequency control concept for dynamic-stall mitigation is demonstrated using large-eddy simulation of a pitching NACA 0012 airfoil at a chord Reynolds number of Rec=106. At...
General Framework of Mathematics

With the explosive growth of data nowadays, a young and interdisciplinary field, data science , has emerged, which uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract knowledge and insights from data in various forms, both structured and unstructured. This data science field is becoming popular and needs to be developed urgently so that it can serve and guide for the industry of the society. Rigorously, applied data science is a “concept to unify statistics, data analysis, machine learning and their related methods” in order to “understand and analyze actual phenomena” with data. It employs techniques and theories drawn from many fields within the context of mathematics, statistics, information science, and computer science.
Topical Itraconazole for the Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma in Patients With Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome or High-Frequency Basal Cell Carcinomas: A Phase 2, Open-Label, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

This phase 2, open-label, placebo-controlled examines topical itraconazole as a treatment for basal cell carcinoma.
Editorial: Operationalizing the Concepts of Resilience and Resistance for Managing Ecosystems and Species at Risk

Ecological resilience is essential for maintaining ecosystem services in an era of rapid global change, but successful attempts to operationalize it for managing ecosystems at risk have been limited. Clear formulation and application of ecological resilience concepts can guide ecosystem management so that it enhances the capacity of ecosystems to resist and recover from disturbances and provides adaptive space for periods of ecological reorganization. As originally defined, ecological resilience measures the amount of perturbation required to change an ecosystem from one set of processes and structures to a different set of processes and structures, or the amount of disturbance that a system can withstand before it shifts into a new regime or alternative stable state (Holling, 1973). In applied ecology, ecological resilience is increasingly used to evaluate the capacity of ecosystems to absorb, persist, and adapt to inevitable and often unpredictable change, and to use that information to determine the most effective management strategies.
Empirical and numerical determination of the freezing point depression of an unsteady flow in a scraped surface crystallizer

Abstract Scraped surface Crystallizers are widely used in the chemical and food industry to homogenize viscous fluids during a material phase transition through nucleation by removing heat while continuously mixing with an agitator. Obtaining in-situ measurements using particle velocimetry/thermometry techniques is a challenging task due to the inaccessibility to the interrogation region given the rotating components and the cooling jacket attached to the mixing chamber. Also, fluid dynamics simulations offer quantitative information about the microscopic mass and heat transfer characteristics, but they are difficult to validate given the absence of symmetry, lack of experimental data, and weak characterization of the physical system. The goal of this research was to determine the freezing temperature of a multi-phase aqueous solution using optical absorbance in-situ. Results show significant variations in optical signatures at the phase-transition temperature in the ultra-violet and visible spectrum. A numerical simulation was developed to characterize the fluid dynamics and temperature gradients. Measurements of pressure and temperature validated the predicted values from the transient computational model.
Protocol for Immuno-Enrichment of FLAG-Tagged Protein Complexes.

Summary This protocol describes immunoprecipitation of proteins associated with FLAG-tagged recombinant proteins followed by mass spectrometry-based proteomics to identify the associated interactome components. FLAG epitope was chosen, because existing high-affinity monoclonal antibodies allow for sensitive immunoprecipitation and FLAG peptides permit efficient elution of protein complexes. With many commercially available FLAG tools, this protocol is highly versatile. This procedure reduces immunoprecipitation of nonspecific binding proteins. Gene ontology analyses performed following mass spectrometry-based proteomics may elucidate novel functions of proteins of interest. For complete details on the use and application of this protocol, please refer to Valdez-Sinon et al. (2020) .
An Addressable Microfluidics device for Nondestructive Manipulation of Cells and Chemicals within Live Cultures

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, nearly 115,000 people in the U.S needed a lifesaving organ transplant in 2018, while only ~10% of them have received it. Yet, almost no artificial FDA-approved products[1] are commercially available today - three decades after the inception of tissue engineering. It is hypothesized that the major bottlenecks restricting its progress stem from lack of access to the inner pore space of the scaffolds. Specifically, the inability to deliver nutrients to, and clear waste from, the center of the scaffolds limits the size of the products that can be cultured. Likewise, the inability to monitor, and control, the cells after seeding them into the scaffold results in nonviable tissue, with an unacceptable product variability. To resolve these bottlenecks, we present a prototype addressable microfluidics device capable of non-invasive fluid and cell manipulation (i.e., both additive and subtractive manufacturing) within living cell cultures. As proof-of-concept, we demonstrate its ability to perform additive manufacturing by seeding cells in patterns (including co-culturing multiple cell types); and subtractive manufacturing, by removing surface adherent cells via targeted trypsin release. Additionally, we show that the device is capable of sampling fluids non-invasively, from any location within the cell culturing chamber. Finally, the on-chip plumbing is completely automated using external electronics. This opens up the possibility to perform long-term computer-driven tissue engineering experiments, where the cell behavior is modulated in response to the non-invasive observations throughout the whole duration of the cultures. It is expected that the proof-of-concept technology will eventually be scaled up to 3D addressable microfluidic scaffolds, capable of overcoming the limitations bottlenecking the transition of tissue engineering technologies to the clinical setting.
"It's way more than just writing a prescription": A qualitative study of preferences for integrated versus non-integrated treatment models among individuals with opioid use disorder.

Increasingly, treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is offered in integrated treatment models addressing both substance use and other health conditions within the same system. This often includes offering medications for OUD in general medical settings. It remains uncertain whether integrated OUD treatment models are preferred to non-integrated models, where treatment is provided within a distinct treatment system. This study aimed to explore preferences for integrated versus non-integrated treatment models among people with OUD and examine what factors may influence preferences. This qualitative study recruited participants (n = 40) through Craigslist advertisements and flyers posted in treatment programs across the United States. Participants were 18 years of age or older and scored a two or higher on the heroin or opioid pain reliever sections of the Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Medications, and Other Substances (TAPS) Tool. Each participant completed a demographic survey and a telephone interview. The interviews were coded and content analyzed. While some participants preferred receiving OUD treatment from an integrated model in a general medical setting, the majority preferred non-integrated models. Some participants preferred integrated models in theory but expressed concerns about stigma and a lack of psychosocial services. Tradeoffs between integrated and non-integrated models were centered around patient values (desire for anonymity and personalization, fear of consequences), the characteristics of the provider and setting (convenience, perceived treatment effectiveness, access to services), and the patient-provider relationship (disclosure, trust, comfort, stigma). Among this sample of primarily White adults, preferences for non-integrated versus integrated OUD treatment were mixed. Perceived benefits of integrated models included convenience, potential for treatment personalization, and opportunity to extend established relationships with medical providers. Recommendations to make integrated treatment more patient-centered include facilitating access to psychosocial services, educating patients on privacy, individualizing treatment, and prioritizing the patient-provider relationship. This sample included very few minorities and thus findings may not be fully generalizable to the larger population of persons with OUD. Nonetheless, results suggest a need for expansion of both OUD treatment in specialty and general medical settings to ensure access to preferred treatment for all.
A New Look at an Old Conundrum: The Determinative Test for the Hybrid Sales/Service Transaction Under Section 402A of the Restatement (Second) of Torts

Historically, the concept of strict tort liability was confined to two areas: injuries resulting from dangerous activities, and harm inflicted by wild and/or dangerous animals. However, in 1963, the California Supreme Court held in Greenman v. Yuba Power Products that the theory of strict liability in tort also included products. Then, in 1965, The Restatement (Second) of Torts adopted Section 402A and endorsed the theory of Greenman that strict liability was available as a distinct cause of action in litigation involving injuries caused by defective products. Though there was some initial confusion associated with the application of some of the provisions of Section 402A, much of that is now settled. Yet, there are a few questions that still require explanation or refinement, including one issue of particular importance concerning hybrid transactions, transactions which involve furnishing a product while also performing some kind of service. These transactions make it difficult to determine the true essence or thrust of a transaction regarding whether it is a sale or service, and make it difficult to determine the applicability of Section 402A to the transaction. Further complicating this matter is that there are two tests, one from the area of torts, the other from the sphere of contracts, which can each be applied to determine whether strict liability is applicable, and the two tests often produce different results. In order to resolve this issue and select the most appropriate test for determining strict liability, it is necessary to review the history and application of both standards. Armed with the information and insight revealed by such a review, it becomes clear that the “gravamen” test from the sphere of contracts is best suited to determine Section 402A applicability. This test is not only more direct and logical, but it also achieves more equitable results.
Sensor Reduction, Estimation, and Control of an Upper-Limb Exoskeleton

A multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) exoskeleton relies on an array of sensors to communicate its state (e.g., positions/orientations) and operator-exoskeleton contact interactions (e.g., forces/torques) to its control system. Although sensor redundancy is common in biological systems to cope with uncertainty and partial failure of sensors, in man-made systems, sensor redundancy increases the overall system's cost and control complexity. This study presents a sensor reduction technique for force/torque (F/T) sensors utilizing a Kalman filter-based sensor fusion system in the context of admittance control. The methodology is applied to the EXO-UL8 exoskeleton, which is a powered, redundant, dual-arm, upper-limb robotic system with (7 arm + 1 hand) DOFs incorporating three 6-axis F/T sensors in each arm. Motivated by improving wearability through minimizing human-exoskeleton contact interfaces, which reduces spurious contact forces due to joint misalignment; and reducing cost, the proposed strategy emulates the admittance controller's virtual dynamics with only a subset of sensors, resulting in the physical human-robot interaction feeling the same from the operator's perspective. Experimental results indicate that human-exoskeleton power exchange and actuation stresses of the operator's joints, with the proposed strategy on a subset of two sensors, are comparable to those in the full three-sensor case (p $ 0.01). The experiments verify the proposed methodology for the EXO-UL8, and support the feasibility of operating other Kalman filter-based sensor fusion systems with fewer sensors without sacrificing transparency in physical human-robot interaction.
Narrow interconnects: The most conductive metals

In situ transport measurements on epitaxial metal layers (Cu, Co, Ru, Rh, Ir) in combination with first-principles simulations are used to evaluate the resistivity scaling and determine the most conductive metals in the limit of narrow interconnect lines. Rh and Ir are promising because their product of the bulk resistivity times the bulk electron mean free path ρ o ×λ is the smallest. However, their grain boundary reflection probability is approximately two times higher than for Cu, negating some of the benefit of the small λ. Ru is also promising, because its ρ o ×λ value is slightly (24%) below that of Cu but more importantly because of the smaller liner thickness which provides a larger cross-sectional area for narrow Ru interconnect lines.
swSim: Solid wave simulation

Abstract Physics-based nondestructive evaluation (NDE) models provide a means to improve inspection setup and interpretation for more accurate assessments of the health state of a structure. The more complex a structure to be inspected is, the more complex the simulation must be, often outpacing readily available compute and data analysis resources. High performance computing (HPC) can provide the requisite compute resources, but leveraging HPC often requires specialized code. To this end, the Computational Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) Group at the NASA Langley Research Center developed the Solid Wave Simulation (swSim) software that solves heterogeneous, anisotropic elastodynamic equations for ultrasonic NDE simulation. A time-explicit staggered grid finite difference (FD) scheme is employed and solved on graphics processing units (GPUs). Parallelism via the Message Passing Interface (MPI) allows for deployment on a cluster, or on a single computer with one or more GPUs. Wavefield data is output using Visualization Toolkit (VTK) file formats for 3D rendering capabilities via open source tools, and a kernel composition module allows high-level registration of sequences of matrix operations, providing extensibility in equations and physics solved. This article presents details about the swSim implementation, code features, performance metrics, and example applications to demonstrate the capabilities of this codebase.
Demystifying Excellence: Remembering Sachin Tendulkar Beyond 22 Yard Pitch

This paper is an attempt to demystify the notion of excellence, which most of the time encapsulated as godly gifted attributed that only few individuals possess/attain/born with. Society at collective conscious level finds it comfortable to see excellence not as mystery to be explored, but as myth, beyond exploration. This overarching cloud of thought blocks the creative environment in our academic and social institutions. This leads to conditions where excellence is not nurtured through practice and perseverance, but seen as gifted attributes, to be praised and reversed and left to the [exceptional] individual to pursue in all odds. To build the narrative for demystifying the notion of excellence, I will take cue from farewell speech of present generation sporting icon Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. And the reason taking the speech is his achievements and failures in the field of sports – cricket – and his perseverance to take that journey for over two decades, is unparallel in competitive sports. It is very rare in history of human society, when people across gender, age, class and professionals come together to accolade someone’s lifetime success and failure too. In this background the article is an attempt to open the debate about the importance of relationships and role of institutions in nurturing excellence rather than just accepting it as gifted attributes that can be possessed by few individuals only.
Continuous-time scheduling of tanker lightering in crude oil supply chain

Abstract This paper address the scheduling of marine vessels for the crude oil tanker lightering process. A novel continuous-time mathematical formulation is developed based on the concept of event points proposed in earlier work on scheduling of chemical processes [1-5]. A sequence of event points is introduced for each vessel and binary variables are defined to determine whether or not at each event point the vessel is to start a task consists of docking/undocking, pumping oil, and traveling. The model leads to a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) problem, which can be solved to global optimality efficiently. A case study will be presented and the computational result demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Cell-mediated immunity to human malignant cells: A brief review and further studies with two gynecologic tumors

Abstract A growing interest in cell-mediated immune response to human malignant tumors is reflected in the recent reports of several investigators. Some of these are briefly reviewed. In addition, evidence is presented that patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix and adenocarcinoma (serous) of the ovary circulate presensitized peripheral blood lymphocytes which in vitro produce a prompt cytotoxic effect on allogenic tumor cells in tissue culture. Lymphocytes from normal donors were cytocidal only after a “learning” period of 48 to 96 hours. The presence of tumor-specific antigens in these two malignancies is suggested. Observations on the interaction of tumor cells and lymphoid cells are described. A “blocking” or enhancing antibody could not be demonstrated in 22 patients studied with progressive disease.
Mass Preserving Mappings and Image Registration

Image registration is the process of establishing a common geometric reference frame between two or more data sets from the same or different imaging modalities possibly taken at different times. In the context of medical imaging and in particular image guided therapy, the registration problem consists of finding automated methods that align multiple data sets with each other and with the patient. In this paper we propose a method of mass preserving elastic registration based on the Monge-Kantorovich problem of optimal mass transport.
Plan execution monitoring through detection of unmet expectations about action outcomes

Modeling the effects of actions based on the state of the world enables robots to make intelligent decisions in different situations. However, it is often infeasible to have globally accurate models. Task performance is often hindered by discrepancies between models and the real world, since the true outcome of executing a plan may be significantly worse than the expected outcome used during planning. Furthermore, expectations about the world are often stochastic in robotics, making the discovery of model-world discrepancies non-trivial. We present an execution monitoring framework capable of finding statistically significant discrepancies, determining the situations in which they occur, and making simple corrections to the world model to improve performance. In our approach, plans are initially based on a model of the world that is only as faithful as computational and algorithmic limitations allow. Through experience, the monitor discovers previously unmodeled modes of the world, defined as regions of a feature space in which the experienced outcome of a plan deviates significantly from the predicted outcome. The monitor may then make suggestions to change the model to match the real world more accurately. We demonstrate this approach on the adversarial domain of robot soccer: we monitor pass interception performance of potentially unknown opponents to try to find unforeseen modes of behavior that affect their interception performance.
Patient flows and optimal health-care resource allocation at the macro-level: a dynamic linear programming approach.

In this paper we present a deterministic allocation model in which a patient's health‐state changes due to health‐care interventions. This change in a patient's health‐state has a direct effect on the patient's expected future need for health‐care. Hence, current allocation decisions determine to some extent the set of possible allocation decisions in the future. In order to take this into account we have formulated a dynamic linear programming version of a patient‐flow system. This enables us to describe the effects of using different objective functions on the optimum level and composition of the provision of health services within given resource constraints. The linear programming approach enables the quantification of the health effects and therefore the desirability of the (re‐)allocation of health‐care resources. We provide some simulation results in order to illustrate the working of the model.
Judicial Deference to Executive Branch Treaty Interpretations: A Historical Perspective

In recent years, the Supreme Court has almost always deferred to executive branch views on treaty interpretation issues. Executive dominance was not always the norm, though. In the first fifty years of U.S. constitutional history, between 1789 and 1838, the Supreme Court decided nineteen cases in which the U.S. government was a party, at least one party raised a claim or defense on the basis of a treaty, and the Court decided the merits of that claim or defense. The U.S. government won only three of those nineteen cases. Two other cases were effectively split decisions. And the government lost fourteen of the nineteen cases. Thus, there is a striking contrast between the zero deference approach that the Court applied in the early nineteenth century, and the near-total deference approach that the Court applies today. This essay surveys judicial decisions from 1789 to 1838 in cases raising treaty interpretation issues where the U.S. government was a party. The analysis demonstrates that, during this period, courts did not defer at all to the executive branch on most treaty interpretation questions. The judicial record from the early nineteenth century suggests, at a minimum, that the Constitution does not require judicial deference to the executive branch on treaty interpretation issues. Insofar as judicial decisions in the initial decades after adoption of the Constitution provide evidence of the Founders' original understanding, the historical record suggests that the zero deference approach is consistent with the Framers' views on this issue.
Knowing and Voluntary Waivers of Federal Employment Claims: Replacing the Totality of Circumstances Test with a 'Waiver Certainty' Test

The vast majority of federal circuits now use the totality of circumstances test to determine if an employee's waiver of most non-ADEA federal employment claims meets the requisite knowing and voluntary standard. This test does not contain any per se requirements; instead, it includes six or more factors (depending upon the circuit) that a court must weigh. Many of these factors depend solely upon the employee and are outside of an employer's control. These factors can, for example, include: (1) whether the employee actually consulted with an attorney before waiver signature; (2) whether the employee actually knew or should have known of his or her employment rights at the time of waiver signature; and (3) whether the employee actually read and considered the waiver before signature. The test's other factors are solely within the control of the employer and do not depend upon, or vary with, the employee. This article proposes a Waiver Certainty Test as the better choice for determining whether a waiver of non-ADEA federal employment claims is knowing and voluntary. This new test imposes four employer-controlled requirements for a valid waiver: (1) it must contain clear, unambiguous waiver language; (2) it must be supported by valid consideration; (3) the employer must afford the employee up to twenty-one days to review the waiver before signature; and (4) the employer must advise the employee in writing to consult with legal counsel before signature.The Waiver Certainty Test both dovetails with the do-it-yourself waiver philosophy that Congress embraced in the OWBPA and offers a black-and-white approach that better serves the interests of employees, employers and the courts. Specifically, this new test is more beneficial for: (1) employees, by affording concrete waiver protections and rights that the totality of circumstances test omits; (2) good-faith employers, by setting forth a set of waiver requirements that are within an employer's control; and (3) the judicial system, by reducing the trend of often unsuccessful, waiver-related litigation caused by the uncertainties inherent in the totality of circumstances test.
Cell-Specific Gene Expression in the Nematode

Publisher Summary The detailed molecular analysis of genes has provided important information on the mechanisms of gene expression. The free-living soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an excellent organism for the multidisciplinary study of gene regulation during development. C. elegans is a genetically manipulable, multicellular eukaryote that differentiates specific tissue types. One of the additional advantage of the nematode as an experimental system is its simple and extensively characterized anatomy. This chapter describes a number of genes in C.elegans whose tissue-specific regulation is currently being investigated. It also presents the culture methods, development, and genetics of the organism. C.elegans can be easily cultured in the laboratory and is routinely grown on agar plates and fed Escherichia coli. Many different approaches have been used for the study of the cell-specific expression of genes of C.elegans . Most analyses use a specific antibody to demonstrate the tissue-specific location and temporal regulation of the protein. Another general approach that has been used is to construct a cDNA clone bank followed by differential screening to identify genes expressed at specific developmental stages or in certain tissues. Such a procedure is used to identify genes expressed during spermatogenesis in the nematode.
Biological learning modeled in an adaptive floating-gate system

We have implemented an aspect of learning and memory in the nervous system using analog electronics. Using a simple synaptic circuit we realize networks with Hebbian type adaptation rules. With increased synaptic activity, the synaptic weights are increased or decreased. That increase or decrease continues with subsequent synaptic activity. This paper explores the relationship between synaptic activity and weight for various inputs We will use our relatively simple network to bootstrap into larger, more complex systems. This system helps to provide insight into intricate natural designs, such as cerebellar cortex. Using the physical properties of our floating-gate pFET device, we are able to re-establish properties seen previously and build upon these first steps. We can modify our learning rule rates and dynamics through capacitively coupled input voltages. Our learning rule has connections to reinforced learning, and therefore may find useful engineering applications.
Some Organizational Characteristics of Speech Movement Control

The neuromotor organization for a class of speech sounds (bilabials) was examined to evaluate the control principles underlying speech as a sensorimotor process. Oral opening and closing actions fo...
Subpicosecond dynamics of excitons and photoexcited intrinsic polarons in the quasi-one-dimensional solid PtCl

Subpicosecond transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy was used to identify excited states, and to measure their relaxation kinetics as a function of excitation wavelength in the halogen-bridged transition-metal $(\mathrm{MX})$ compound PtCl. For pump photon energies ${E}_{\mathrm{pump}}$ between 1.3 and 1.8 eV, below the threshold for exciton formation, intrinsic polarons are photoexcited and decay within 1--3 ps. Excitation into the exciton absorption tail (2.0--2.3 eV) yields singlet excitons that rapidly decay into an even-parity state, which has a lifetime (\ensuremath{\sim}100 ps) varying with the intial photon energy. Excitation (3.1 eV) well above the exciton threshold appears to generate more slowly decaying excitons, as well as polarons that are formed upon exciton dissociation. The TA spectra also indicate that relaxation of excitons for ${E}_{\mathrm{pump}}g2\mathrm{}\mathrm{eV}$ is mediated by large-amplitude vibrations perpendicular to the chains. Using third-harmonic generation spectroscopy in addition to TA, we develop an energy-level diagram for the excited states, including polaron levels, and the lowest odd- and even-parity excitons.
Characterization of the gene encoding manganese peroxidase isozyme 3 from Phanerochaete chrysosporium

The gene encoding manganese peroxidase isozyme 3 (MnP3) from the white-rot basidiomycete Phanerochaete chrysosporium was cloned and sequenced. The mnp3 gene encodes a mature protein of 357 amino acids with a 25 amino-acid signal peptide. The amino acids involved in peroxidase function, as well as those forming the MnII binding site and those involved in disulfide bond formation, are conserved in the MnP3 sequence. The mnp3 gene has six introns, indicating that the sequenced P. chrysosporium mnp genes can be divided into three subfamilies on the basis of intron-exon structure. The mnp3 gene promoter contains putative metal response elements and heat shock elements which may be involved in the regulation of mnp gene transcription by Mn, the substrate for the enzyme, and by heat shock.
Two body fluids containing bovine estrous pheromone(s)

Bovine females produce an estrous pheromone(s). Because only other cattle are reliable detectors of the pheromone(s), we evaluated various body fluids (cervico-vaginal mucus, serum and vulval skin gland secretion) with a bull behavioral assay in the absence of a female. It specified 15 behaviors involving attraction to the body fluids, detection of the stimulus, and subseqeunt sexual preparation responses. These behaviors were stereotypical and occurred in a specific sequence. We discovered that serum (10-15 ml) taken at estrus was behaviorally positive, as well as vulval skin glands secretion (< 1 ml on a swab, dissolved in 5 ml distilled water). We postulate that vulval skin glands may be a specialized site for the production or concentration of the pheromone or that the blood transports the pheromone(s) either from vulval skin glands or another source.
Towards robust person recognition on handheld devices using face and speaker identification technologies

Most face and speaker identification techniques are tested on data collected in controlled environments using high quality cameras and microphones. However, the use of these technologies in variable environments and with the help of the inexpensive sound and image capture hardware present in mobile devices presents an additional challenge. In this study, we investigate the application of existing face and speaker identification techniques to a person identification task on a handheld device. These techniques have proven to perform accurately on tightly constrained experiments where the lighting conditions, visual backgrounds, and audio environments are fixed and specifically adjusted for optimal data quality. When these techniques are applied on mobile devices where the visual and audio conditions are highly variable, degradations in performance can be expected. Under these circumstances, the combination of multiple biometric modalities can improve the robustness and accuracy of the person identification task. In this paper, we present our approach for combining face and speaker identification technologies and experimentally demonstrate a fused multi-biometric system which achieves a 50% reduction in equal error rate over the better of the two independent systems.
Characterization of a recurrent 3.8kb deletion involving exons 17a and 17b within the CFTR gene.

Abstract Background Large deletions within CFTR have been estimated to constitute 1–2% pathogenic alleles, but the occurrence could be much higher in classical cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with one mutation detectable by the routine screening/sequencing work-up. Currently, evaluation of major CFTR rearrangements is not included in the mutation analysis for the reproductive partner of a CF patient/carrier. Methods Exon sequencing and Multiplex Ligation-dependent Amplification (MLPA) analyses were used to make a molecular diagnosis of two unrelated CF patients. Long PCR, restriction mapping, cloning, and hot start sequencing were employed to accurately annotate the rearrangement junctions. Results Both patients had a heterozygous single amino acid deletion mutation identified by sequencing, and a heterozygous deletion of CFTR exons 17a and 17b detected by MLPA. Molecular characterization of the rearrangement breakpoints indicated that the two patients had an identical complex c.2988+1616_c.3367+356del3796ins62 change, flanked by a pair of perfectly inverted repeats of 32 nucleotides. Conclusions The c.2988+1616_c.3367+356del3796ins62 complex rearrangement is a recurrent mutation from patients of different ethnic backgrounds. This mutation can be detected through a simple PCR based analysis.
Geographic variation in diets of ancient populations of 5-million-year-old (early Pliocene) horses from southern North America

Abstract Using tooth morphology and carbon isotopes, geographic differences in diets are presented for four species of early Pliocene horses (late Hemphillian, Hh 4, between 5.8 and 4.8 Ma) from four localities in Florida, Texas, and Mexico. These four species include three-toed Nannippus aztecus , Neohipparion eurystyle , and one-toed Astrohippus stockii , and Dinohippus mexicanus . The amount of dental variation represented in local populations of these extinct species is similar to that seen in extant equid populations (coefficients of variation, V s, between ~ 4 and 10). As such, the fossil accumulations of individual species from single localities can be treated as paleopopulations. All four of these horses have high-crowned teeth (hypsodonty indices between 2.6 and 3.1) and the question is addressed how these closely-related species partitioned their available resources to minimize competition. Comparisons of tooth morphology indicate negligible geographic differences between paleopopulations of the same species. Therefore local differences in diets evolved within a context of stasis in tooth morphology. Carbon isotopes of fossil equid tooth enamel indicate that most of the populations and species studied here were primarily C4 grazers, although with some exceptions: Nannippus aztecus tends to be more negative, indicating a higher proportion (~ 20%, or sometimes greater) of C3 plants in its diet. A few individuals within the paleopopulations demonstrate relatively negative tooth enamel carbon isotope values (between ~ − 3 and − 10‰), indicating a diet with some, to predominantly, C3 plants. The sources of isotopic variation result from a variety of factors including latitudinal and seasonal differences in C4 and C3 grass availability, local microhabitat differences, and possibly migration patterns. For the most part these four species of early Pliocene horses have similar diets consisting of predominantly C4 grasses. They therefore differentiated their niches through other evolutionary and ecological strategies, possibly including body size and local habitat differences.
Energetically Unfavorable Interactions among the Zinc Fingers of Transcription Factor IIIA When Bound to the 5 S rRNA Gene

Abstract Xenopus transcription factor IIIA (TFIIIA) binds to over 50 base pairs in the internal control region of the 5 S rRNA gene, yet the binding energy for this interaction (ΔG 0 = −12.8 kcal/mol) is no greater than that exhibited by many proteins that occupy much smaller DNA targets. Despite considerable study, the distribution of the DNA binding energy among the various zinc fingers of TFIIIA remains poorly understood. By analyzing TFIIIA mutants with disruptions of individual zinc fingers, we have previously shown that each finger contributes favorably to binding (Del Rio, S., Menezes, S. R., and Setzer, D. R. (1993) J. Mol. Biol. 233, 567–579). Those results also suggested, however, that simultaneous binding by all nine zinc fingers of TFIIIA may involve a substantial energetic cost. Using complementary N- and C-terminal fragments and full-length proteins containing pairs of disrupted fingers, we now show that energetic interference indeed occurs between zinc fingers when TFIIIA binds to the 5 S rRNA gene and that the greatest interference occurs between fingers at opposite ends of the protein in the TFIIIA·5 S rRNA gene complex. Some, but not all, of the thermodynamically unfavorable strain in the TFIIIA·5 S rRNA gene complex may be derived from bending of the DNA that is necessary to accommodate simultaneous binding by all nine zinc fingers of TFIIIA. The energetics of DNA binding by TFIIIA thus emerges as a compromise between individual favorable contacts of importance along the length of the internal control region and long range strain or distortion in the protein, the 5 S rRNA gene, or both that is necessary to accommodate the various local interactions.
Bis(hinokitiolato)copper(II): modification (III).

Bis(hinokitiolato)copper(II), Cu(hino)2, exhibits both anti­bacterial and anti­viral properties, and has been previously shown to exist in two modifications. A third modification has now been confirmed, namely tetra­kis(μ2-3-isopropyl-7-oxocyclo­hepta-1,3,5-trien-1-olato)bis­(3-isopropyl-7-oxocyclohepta-1,3,5-trien-1-olato)tricopper(II)–bis­(μ2-3-isopropyl-7-oxocyclo­hepta-1,3,5-trien-1-olato)bis­[(3-isopropyl-7-oxocyclohepta-1,3,5-trien-1-olato)copper(II)] (1/1), [Cu(C10H11O2)2]3·[Cu(C10H11O2)2]2, where 3-isopropyl-7-oxocyclo­hepta-1,3,5-trien-1-olate is the systematic name for the hinokitiolate anion. This new modification is composed of discrete [cis-Cu(hino)2]2[trans-Cu(hino)2] trimers and [cis-Cu(hino)2]2 dimers. The Cu atoms are bridged by μ2-O atoms from the hinokitiolate ligands to give distorted square-pyramidal and distorted octa­hedral CuII coordination environments. Hence, the CuII environments are CuO5/CuO6/CuO5 for the trimer and CuO5/CuO5 for the dimer. Each trimer and dimer has crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry. The trimer has never been observed before, the dimer has been seen only once before, and the combination of the two together in the same lattice is unprecedented. The CuO5 cores exhibit four strong basal Cu—O bonds [1.915 (2)–1.931 (2) A] and one weak apical Cu—O bond [2.652 (2)–2.658 (2) A]. The CuO6 core exhibits four strong equatorial Cu—O bonds [1.922 (2)–1.929 (2) A] and two very weak axial Cu—O bonds [2.911 (3) A]. The bite angles for the chelating hinokitiolate ligands range from 83.13 (11) to 83.90 (10)°.
Numerical Simulation of Synthetic Aperture Radar Image Spectra for Ocean Waves

A numerical model for predicting the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image of a moving ocean surface is described, and results are presented for two SIR-B data sets collected off the coast of Chile. Wave height spectra measured by the NASA radar ocean wave spectrometer (ROWS) were used as inputs to this model, and results are compared with actual SIR-B image spectra from orbits 91 and 106. Additional parametric variations are presented to illustrate the effects of nonlinearities in the imaging process.
Oxidation effects on CTE and thermal shock fracture initiation in polycrystalline graphites

The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) was measured as a function of oxidation for three commercial fine-grained graphites derived from petroleum cokes and coal tar pitches and fabricated by extrusion, undirectional molding, and isostatic molding. The CTE was observed to vary with the crystallite size and the preferred orientation and to decrease as much as 20% with increasing oxidation. This CTE decrease was attributed to an increase of the accommodation by Mrozowski cracks enlarged by the oxidation process. Effects on thermal shock fracture initiation were examined by estimating changes in the thermal shock resistance parameter, R. It is concluded that in spite of the continuous decrease in CTE, changes in R with oxidation are not continuous for these graphites. The complexity is a consequence of the different extents to which graphite oxidation affects CTE, strength and the Young's elastic modulus.
Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Solanezumab in Patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease: Results of Two Phase 3 Studies

Poster Number: NR 14 Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Solanezumab in Patients with Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease: Results of Two Phase 3 Studies Ann M. Hake, MD; Eric Siemers, MD; Christopher Carlson, PhD; Wahiba Estergard, PharmD; Karen Sundell, BS; David Henley, MD; Jennifer Eads, PharmD; Cora Sexton, BSN; Robert A. Dean, PhD, MD; Brian Willis, PhD; Ronald DeMattos, PhD; Richard Mohs, PhD
Automated fault model discretization for inversions for coseismic slip distributions

[1] Geoscientists increasingly rely on coseismic slip distributions inferred from geodetic observations to drive sophisticated models of the seismic cycle. To date, little work has been done on optimizing the parameterization of these fault models so that they reflect the resolving power of observed surface displacements. The locations of noisy surface displacement observations are often widely scattered far from features we wish to analyze in the subsurface and result in highly variable model resolution with depth. The few attempts to produce variably discretized fault planes are arduously constructed by hand and may not correctly reflect the ability of the data to resolve slip features. Motivated by the increasing size of geodetic data pools and the need for distributed slip models that accurately represent features the data can resolve, we present a fully automated algorithm that iteratively adjusts the sizes of dislocations in a fault model. We use the concept of smoothing scales, derived from the model resolution matrix, to resize dislocations so that each dislocation is sized appropriately given the area over which slip in that region of the fault would be smoothed. We present a series of synthetic tests that utilize both sparse and dense data sets, and we compare our variably discretized inversions to traditional regularly discretized inversions. We also use our approach to invert for slip from geodetic observations of the 2004 Mw 6.0 Parkfield, California, earthquake and the 1995 Mw 8.1 Antofagasta, Chile, earthquake.
Lipid binding region (2303-2332) is involved in aggregation of recombinant human FVIII (rFVIII).

Factor VIII (FVIII) is a multi-domain protein that is important in the clotting cascade. Its deficiency causes Hemophilia A, a bleeding disorder. The unfolding of protein domains can lead to physical instability such as aggregation, and hinder their use in replacement therapy. It has been shown that the aggregation of rFVIIII is initiated by small fluctuations in the protein’s tertiary structure (Grillo et al., 2001, Biochemistry 40:586–595). We have investigated the domain(s) involved in the initiation of aggregation using circular dichroism (CD), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), fluorescence anisotropy, domain specific antibody binding, and clotting activity studies. The studies indicated that aggregation may be initiated as a result of conformational change in the C2 domain encompassing the lipid-binding region (2303–2332). The presence of O-phospho-L-Serine (OPLS), which binds to the lipid-binding region of FVIII, prevented aggregation of the protein.