cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural comparison of cytochromes P450 2A6, 2A13, and 2E1 with pilocarpine.

Human xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes can each bind and monooxygenate a diverse set of substrates, including drugs, often producing a variety of metabolites. Additionally a single ligand can interact with multiple cytochrome P450 enzymes, but often the protein structural similarities and differences that mediate such overlapping selectivity are not well understood. Even though the P450 superfamily has a highly canonical global protein fold, there are large variations in the active site size, topology, and conformational flexibility. We have determined how a related set of three human cytochrome P450 enzymes bind and interact with a common inhibitor, the muscarinic receptor agonist drug pilocarpine. Pilocarpine binds and inhibits the hepatic CYP2A6 and respiratory CYP2A13 enzymes much more efficiently than the hepatic CYP2E1 enzyme. To elucidate key amino acids involved in pilocarpine binding, crystal structures of CYP2A6 (2.4 A), CYP2A13 (3.0 A), CYP2E1 (2.35 A), and a CYP2A6 mutant enzyme, CYP2A6 I208S/I300F/G301A/S369G (2.1 A), have been determined with pilocarpine in the active site. In all four structures, pilocarpine coordinates to the heme iron, but comparisons reveal how individual amino acids lining the active sites of these three distinct human enzymes interact differently with the inhibitor pilocarpine. Hyperlinking to databases The atomic coordinates and structure factors have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank, Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ (http://www.rcsb.org/) with the following codes: CYP2A6 with pilocarpine (3T3R), CYP2A6 I208S/I300F/G301A/S369G with pilocarpine (3T3Q), CYP2A13 with pilocarpine (3T3S), and CYP2E1 with pilocarpine (3T3Z).
The Decomposition of Methyltrichlorosilane in Hydrogen and Helium

Experimental measurements of the decomposition of methyltrichlorosilane (MTS), a common silicon carbide precursor, in a high-temperature flow reactor are presented. Methane, hydrogen chloride, and silicon tetrachloride are observed as products of the decomposition. Trapping experiments with acetylene and ethylene also detected SiCl3 as a decomposition product. Upper limits on the concentrations of any CH3Cl, HSiCl3, H2SiCl2, or H2C=SiCl2 which might form are provided. Quantitative measurements of product branching and MTS decomposition rates are presented. The results suggest a radical-chain mechanism for the decomposition in hydrogen but not in helium.
THE ENZYMATIC PREPARATION OF ISOLATED INTACT PARENCHYMAL CELLS FROM RAT LIVER

Suspensions of isolated parenchymal cells were prepared from rat liver by incubation with collagenase and hyaluronidase followed by mechanical treatment. Utilization of 0.15% collagenase together with 0.15% hyaluronidase yielded adequate numbers of cells for experimental purposes. As shown by light and electron microscopy, approximately 75% of the isolated cells retain their structural integrity. The cell suspensions are capable of maintaining endogenous respiration in the presence of 1% albumin for periods of time up to 8 hr. These cell preparations consist almost entirely of parenchymal cells and offer a unique tissue preparation for the study of hepatic metabolism.
Gaining ground: assays for therapeutics against botulinum neurotoxin

Owing in part to recently heightened concern over bioterrorism, interest in the mechanism of action of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) and development of effective therapeutic strategies has dramatically increased. The emergence of BoNT as an effective treatment for a variety of neurological disorders and its growing use in the cosmetic industry have also increased interest in developing effective countermeasures. Although recent attempts to create effective vaccines appear promising, the multitude of clinical and cosmetic uses of BoNT make mass vaccination against the toxin undesirable and impractical, leading to intensified efforts to develop effective therapeutics to combat large-scale intoxications. In this review, we examine the relevant and available in vitro cell-based assays and in vivo assays for drug discovery and development, especially with regard to the potential for medium- to high-throughput automation and its use in identifying physiologically relevant inhibitors.
A quantitative assay for measuring mRNA decapping by splinted ligation reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction: qSL-RT-PCR

The degradation of messenger RNA is a critical node of gene regulation. A major pathway of mRNA decay is initiated by shortening of the poly(A) tail, followed by removal of the 59 cap structure (decapping) and subsequent degradation. Decapping is an important determinate in the destruction of many transcripts. Detailed kinetic analysis of in vivo decapping rates is necessary to understand how this step is regulated. Importantly, the product of decapping is recalcitrant for investigation, in part due to its transient nature. As such, little in vivo kinetic information is available. Here we report the development of an assay that measures decapping of mRNAs by combining splinted ligation and quantitative RT-PCR (qSL-RT-PCR). We apply this method to determine the decapping rate constant for a natural mRNA in vivo for the first time. The qSL-RT-PCR assay may be adapted for use on any mRNA, providing a new tool to study regulation of mRNA decay.
Filling Catheter Artifacts

Cystometry and urethrocystometry may be accomplished in a number of different ways. One of the variables that influence the performance of urethrocystometry is the size of the catheter or catheters in the urethra utilized to perform the cystometrogram. Research has shown that the larger the catheter or catheters in the urethra, the larger is the artifact that is introduced into the study.
Normal versus gamma: stochastic models of copepod molting rate

Communicating editor: K.J. Flynn Molting rate is a key life history parameter in copepods. Since copepod population growth is an inherently exponential process, accurate formulation of molting rate is of critical importance. Many experiments have been conducted to culture different copepod species under varying temperatures and food concentrations. Probability density functions (PDFs) then were used to estimate the median development time (MDT) of different copepod stages from the experimental data. These MDTs are used in copepod population models. Asymmetrical PDFs are widely used to model molting rate, because the shapes of these curves are similar to laboratory data on cohort development. In this paper, we developed an individual stochastic model (ISM) to simulate the molting rate with different PDFs. We showed that there was no connection between the asymmetry of cohorts and the asymmetry of the molting PDF. Although age-within-stage models have been widely used to simulate copepod population dynamics, we found that none had used the correct formulation of molting rate. The population model requires the probability of molting at each time step, whereas the laboratory-derived PDF is the frequency distribution of stage duration. Therefore, the PDF cannot be applied directly to the population model. We present here a corrected formula based on the PDF for use in copepod population models, termed the probability of molting for remaining individuals (PMR). Despite emphasis on use of the gamma function for copepod molting, we found simpler functions work equally well, but that prior use of incorrect molting rate functions in copepod models can seriously overestimate generation time.
A Novel Design of Adaptive Reconfigurable Multicell Battery for Power-Aware Embedded Networked Sensing Systems

Battery-powered embedded networked sensing systems become more and more pervasive with the fast-paced deployment of various remote sensing applications. How to prolong the battery operating time is one of the most challenging areas in the design and development of these sensing systems due to the fact that the battery operation is much more dynamic and complex than considered, which is derived from its application and its internal structure (multiple hardwired series/parallel cells) to produce a specific voltage and capacity. Current research on prolonging the battery operating time is mainly focusing on the low-power hardware and energy-efficient network protocol designs, and simply treats the battery as a passive two-terminal energy source. In this paper, we will propose a novel adaptive, proactive, and reconfigurable multicell battery design for supporting power-aware hardware and energy-efficient network protocols for embedded networked systems, which provides a whole new perspective to look at the energy problems of battery- powered embedded networked sensing systems. A theoretical modeling of the proposed design is provided, and simulation results show that the proposed design can significantly enhance the energy performance, especially for low voltage and low discharge current scenarios.
Explaining New CEO Origin: Firm Versus Industry Antecedents

We classified newly chosen CEOs' origins into three categories: intrafirm, intraindustry, and outside-industry, and examined their firm-level and industry-level antecedents. In a sample of 220 CEO ...
Perceived social support as a predictor of disease-specific quality of life in head-and-neck cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Treatment for head-and-neck cancer (HNC) can lead to severe decrements in disease-specific quality of life (DSQOL) due to disfigurement and disability in speech, eating, and/or breathing. Psychosocial factors such as social support may explain individual variance in DSQOL outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The researchers sought to evaluate changes in perceived availability of social support from pretreatment to posttreatment and to determine whether decreases in perceived social support predicted poorer posttreatment DSQOL among HNC patients, controlling for disease- and treatment-related factors. METHODS: Participants (n 32) were newly diagnosed with HNC and were awaiting surgery and/or radiation treatment. Measures included the ENRICHD Social Support instrument (ESSI) to assess perceived social support and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Head & Neck (FACT-H&N) to assess DSQOL. Paired-samples t-tests and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to determine relationships between pretreatment and posttreatment perceived social support and
An immunological approach to distinguish arthropod viviphagy from necrophagy

Scavenging activity of predators inhabiting agroecosystems has not been thoroughly investigated. Understanding the prevalence of necrophagy in predators is paramount to determining the effectiveness of biological control agents. A molecular predator gut content assay is described that can differentiate necrophagy from viviphagy. Cadaver sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and green lacewing, Chrysoperla rufilabris Burmeister (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) serving as targeted prey items were marked with rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) protein and live prey items were marked with chicken IgG, respectively. The marked prey items were fed to convergent lady beetles, Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and soft-winged flower beetles, Collops vittatus (Say) (Coleoptera: Melyridae). The frequency of detection of the protein-marked prey items in the gut of the predaceous beetles was assessed at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after feeding using a rabbit-IgG-specific or chicken-IgG-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Each IgG-specific ELISA detected the presence of the marker proteins in the gut of 90 % of the predators up to 12 h after prey consumption. A laboratory feeding study was also conducted to determine the propensity that each predator species engages in viviphagy and necrophagy. The laboratory feeding observations revealed that C. vittatus prefer carrion prey items. Finally, the laboratory observations of necrophagy were confirmed in a field study where C. vittatus was observed, directly and indirectly, feeding on H. convergens carcasses. The methodologies described here are useful for future studies on various aspects of insect predation.
An Evaluation of the Pharmacologic Activity of a New Series of Chalcone Derivatives

A series of fourteen new chalcone derivatives, synthesized as potential antagonists of norepinephrine biogenesis, were evaluated with regard to their hypotensive potency in the normotensive dog. The compound 2-(2-dimethylammoethoxy) chalcone citrate, selected as the most active member of this group, was subjected to further study including determination of depressor effect in the hypertensive rat, acute toxicity, influence on epinephrine toxicity, and modification of barbiturate induced “sleeping time.” This series of chalcones was also screened for antihistaminic and antispasmodic activity on isolated guinea pig ileum, and the three most effective compounds in this respect were examined for their ability to inhibit the histamine depressor response in the cat. The chalcones investigated in this study compared unfavorably with available therapeutic agents in regard to specificity, potency, and duration of action. Recommendation is made for synthesis of additional chalcones with consideration given to the activities reported.
Pathogenic Species of the Genus Haemophilus and Streptococcus pneumoniae Produce Immunoglobulin A1 Protease

Thirty-seven strains of the genus Haemophilus and five strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae were examined for their ability to produce extracellular enzyme that cleaves immunoglobulin molecules. All strains of H. influenzae, H. aegyptius, and S. pneumoniae elaborated enzyme that selectively cleaved human immunoglobulin A1 (IgA1) myeloma proteins but was inactive against a variety of other proteins including human IgA2, IgG, and IgM, porcine and bovine secretory IgA, human and bovine serum albumins, and ovalbumin. Although susceptible, human secretory IgA remained largely undigested. Two strains of H. pleuropneumoniae isolated from fatally infected pigs cleaved porcine secretory IgA, but had no effect on human IgA proteins. None of 16 strains that belonged to nonpathogenic Haemophilus species produced IgA protease. Analyses of the cleavage products of human IgA1 and secretory IgA proteins by immunochemical methods, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that Fab and Fc fragments were produced. Since the production of IgA1 protease by Neisseria meningitidis has been reported previously, our finding that H. influenzae and S. pneumoniae produce an IgA1 protease indicates that this is a property of all three major etiological agents of bacterial meningitis. This suggests that IgA1 protease production may be an important factor in the pathogenesis of this disease.
Probabilistic Reasoning for Secondary Spectrum Sharing: A Mechanism for Increasing Spectrum Access Efficiency and Assessing Alternative Secondary Sharing Models

Uncertainties regarding wireless propagation environments pose challenges for spectrum management in general and specifically hinder the implementation of dynamic spectrum sharing systems. Spectrum management mechanisms must balance increases in spectrum access efficiencies with risks of harmful interference among spectrum users. Without the ability to reliably assess the local propagation environment and spectrum usage in real time, secondary sharing systems have limited ability to evaluate interference risks. As a result, spectrum regulators specify spectrum access behaviors such as exclusion zones and maximum transmit powers based on risk thresholds applied to statistical results from propagation models and measurements. Because the models can contain significant levels of uncertainty, establishing behavior limits for low interference risk necessarily results in significant spectrum access inefficiencies. It is only by reducing the degree of uncertainty that risk thresholds can be maintained while increasing spectrum access efficiency. Probabilistic reasoning provides significant potential to increase spectrum access efficiency in dynamic spectrum sharing systems. Probabilistic reasoning approaches enable risk-constrained spectrum access, a concept in which regulators and spectrum users establish spectrum access rules defining acceptable levels of interference and spectrum access risks while potentially optimizing their decisions relative to sets of decision criteria. The theoretical foundations are established, and the concept is demonstrated through the development of a probabilistic reasoning model using Functional Causal Model Theory. The probabilistic reasoning model is coupled with multi-attribute decision theory to enable assessments of user decision-making subject to risk attitudes, levels of situational uncertainty, and alternative spectrum sharing models. Simulations demonstrate several significant capabilities associated with a probabilistic reasoning approach. First, risk-constrained access mechanisms inherently regulate spectrum access behaviors in accordance with the degree of situational uncertainty; greater situational uncertainty results in lower spectrum access performance (e.g., reduced transmit power levels) while maintaining the requisite level of risk. Second, current regulatory approaches based on spectrum models and surveys define the minimum performance level; additional information gained through local situational awareness mechanisms lead to increased performance. Third, probabilistic reasoning combined with situation-specific awareness potentially enables greater spectrum access by reducing requisite exclusion zone size and increasing user density. Finally, probabilistic reasoning combined with decision modeling enables assessment of alternative spectrum access regulations and models based on user behavior and risk attitudes.
Update on Treatment Recommendations For Gonococcal Infections

Since the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) last established recommendations for treating gonococcal infections in 1979 [1], new information gained from studies recently conducted and from feed-back provided by practitioners has suggested certain revisions. An area of major concern is the treatment of infections caused by penicillinaseproducing Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG). Since these infections and their associated complications are increasing [2], a review of the current alternatives for effective treatment of PPNG infections is particularly important at this time. This paper will be a review of recent English language reports related to the following sections of CDC's 1979 recommended treatment schedules for gonorrhea: uncomplicated gonococcal infections, PPNG infections, and the prevention of gonococcal ophthalmia. Other sections of the 1979 treatment schedules for gonorrhea will be discussed elsewhere in this series of position papers. Recommendations remain essentially the same in four areas: treatment in pregnancy, disseminated gonococcal infection, neonatal disease, and gonorrhea in childhood, although new treatment schedules for PPNG infections in these groups are suggested.
Ontogenesis of corticotropes and lactotropes in situ in the pituitary gland of the hamster. An immunohistochemical study.

The development of corticotropes and lactotropes was investigated in the golden Syrian hamster using an anti-porcine ACTH antiserum and a homologous antihamster PRL antiserum. Oval corticotropes were first visible in the ventral region of the pars distalis at 13 days of gestation. By the end of gestation, corticotropes were found throughout the pars distalis and in the pars intermedia. Corticotropes in the pars distalis of postnatal hamsters were either round or irregularly-shaped, often appearing in clusters. Throughout development, corticotropes often appeared to be surrounding other cells. Scarce, very small lactotropes were first observed in the pars distalis of hamsters on the first postnatal day. The number of these cells, which were either round or polyhedral, increased dramatically between 4 and 20 days of postnatal life. These observations indicate that the sequence of appearance of corticotropes and lactotropes in the hamster is similar to that in other species and that lactotropes are confined to the pars distalis of postnatal hamsters.
Production of meningoceles and cranioschisis in chick embryos with lead nitrate.

Conclusion(1) Injection of lead into the albumen of fertile eggs may result in the production of meningoceles in chick embryos. (2) Copper and mercury ions were noted to be as toxic as similar quantities of the lead ion, but meningoceles were not seen in the embryos surviving 13 days incubation. (3) Sodium salts of anion used in the metal experiments failed to produce meningoceles.
Training the next generation analyst using red cell analytics

We have seen significant change in the study and practice of human reasoning in recent years from both a theoretical and methodological perspective. Ubiquitous communication coupled with advances in computing and a plethora of analytic support tools have created a push for instantaneous reporting and analysis. This notion is particularly prevalent in law enforcement, emergency services and the intelligence community (IC), where commanders (and their civilian leadership) expect not only a birds’ eye view of operations as they occur, but a play-by-play analysis of operational effectiveness. This paper explores the use of Red Cell Analytics (RCA) as pedagogy to train the next-gen analyst. A group of Penn State students in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at the University Park campus of The Pennsylvania State University have been practicing Red Team Analysis since 2008. RCA draws heavily from the military application of the same concept, except student RCA problems are typically on non-military in nature. RCA students utilize a suite of analytic tools and methods to explore and develop red-cell tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), and apply their tradecraft across a broad threat spectrum, from student-life issues to threats to national security. The strength of RCA is not always realized by the solution but by the exploration of the analytic pathway. This paper describes the concept and use of red cell analytics to teach and promote the use of structured analytic techniques, analytic writing and critical thinking in the area of security and risk and intelligence training.
Minimal model of beta-cell mitochondrial Ca2+ handling.

We develop a simplified, but useful, mathematical model to describe Ca2+ handling by mitochondria in the pancreatic beta-cell. The model includes the following six transport mechanisms in the inner...
Antibodies to β2-glycoprotein I inhibit phospholipid dependent coagulation reactions

Lupus anticoagulants are antibodies that inhibit phospholipid dependent coagulation reactions in vitro. These antibodies are of clinical interest because of their association with a variety of clinical manifestations characterized by microvascular thrombosis. Although these antibodies were originally thought to be directed at negatively charged phospholipid, recent studies have suggested that they may be directed at phospholipid-protein complexes. The effect of antibodies directed against beta 2-glycoprotein I (beta 2-GP I, apolipoprotein H) on phospholipid-dependent coagulation reactions has been studied. Polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to beta 2-GP I were found to inhibit thrombin generation in a dose dependent manner. Inhibition of thrombin formation was due to specific interaction with beta 2-GP I. There was no evidence that inhibition was due to crossreactivity with other proteins involved in the prothrombinase complex. These findings document that antibodies directed against beta 2-GP I can have anticoagulant activity analogous to lupus anticoagulant activity and are consistent with the recent observation of such activity in lupus anticoagulant patient samples.
Making the Case for Feature-Rich Memory Systems: The March Toward Specialized Systems

Many emerging workloads are constrained by the high cost of data access. Innovation in the memory system may soon be the primary driver of the computing economy. The result will be a memory system that is specialized, not commoditized. This article discusses the features that can be meaningfully added to memory devices. Not only do these features execute parts of an application, they may also take care of auxiliary operations that maintain high efficiency, reliability, and security.
Localization for a Random Discrete Wave Equation

It is possible for a discrete wave equation with random local propagation speed to have only dense point spectrum in a certain range of frequency. This means that the only waves in this frequency are localized standing waves.
An Enantiomer of an Oral Small-Molecule TSH Receptor Agonist Exhibits Improved Pharmacologic Properties.

We are developing an orally available small molecule, allosteric TSH receptor (TSHR) agonist for follow up diagnostics of patients with thyroid cancer. The agonist C2 (NCGC00161870) that we have studied so far is a racemic mixture containing equal amounts of two enantiomers, E1 and E2. As enantiomers of many drugs exhibit different pharmacologic properties, we assessed the properties of E1 and E2. We separated the two enantiomers by chiral chromatography and determined E2 as the (S)-(+) isomer via crystal structure analysis. E1 and E2 were shown to bind differently to a homology model of the transmembrane domain of TSHR in which E2 was calculated to exhibit lower binding energy than E1 and was therefore predicted to be more potent than E1. In HEK293 cells expressing human TSHRs, C2, E1, and E2 were equally efficacious in stimulating cAMP production, but their potencies were different. E2 was more potent (EC50 = 18 nM) than C2 (EC50 = 46 nM) which was more potent than E1 (EC50 = 217 nM). In primary cultures of human thyrocytes, C2, E1, and E2 stimulated increases in thyroperoxidase mRNA of 92-, 55-, and 137-fold and in sodium-iodide symporter mRNA of 20-fold, 4-fold and 121-fold above basal levels, respectively. In mice, C2 stimulated an increase in radioactive iodine uptake of 1.5-fold and E2 of 2.8-fold above basal level, whereas E1 did not have an effect. C2 stimulated an increase in serum T4 of 2.4-fold, E1 of 1.9-fold, and E2 of 5.6-fold above basal levels, and a 5 day oral dosing regimen of E2 increased serum T4 levels comparable to recombinant human TSH (rhTSH, Thyrogen®). Thus, E2 is more effective than either C2 or E1 in stimulating thyroid function and as efficacious as rhTSH in vivo. E2 represents the next step toward developing an oral drug for patients with thyroid cancer.
Project Selection, Commercial Risks, and the Allocation to Small Business of Federal Research and Development Contracts

The previous chapter was concerned with the nature, organization, and technical outcome of industrial research and development. In this chapter, we continue to focus on industrial research and development, but our attention shifts to different, though related, aspects of this topic. Specifically, we are interested in the extent to which firms are using various quantitative techniques to select R and D projects. These techniques have been the object of considerable investigation by operations researchers and management scientists. Also, we are interested in the extent of the commercial risks—as distinct from technical risks—involved in research and development. The previous chapter dealt only with technical risks.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. 33047.

ABSTRACT This study presents the complete nucleotide sequence of Anabaena sp. ATCC 33047 (Anabaena CA), a filamentous, nitrogen-fixing marine cyanobacterium, which under salt stress conditions accumulates sucrose internally. The elucidation of the genome will contribute to the understanding of cyanobacterial diversity.
Rethinking State Delegations in Congress

In 2010, 2012, and 2014 Republican Dan Sebring challenged incumbent Gwen Moore (D-WI) to represent the Fourth Congressional District in Wisconsin. As mentioned in Chapter 1, much to Sebring's dismay, he never received an endorsement from a sitting Republican congressman from the state of Wisconsin due to the “Unwritten Rule.”The “Unwritten Rule” states that sitting congressmen should not endorse candidates challenging incumbents in the state, even if the incumbent is a member of a different political party. The “Unwritten Rule” is an explicit protection of the state's incumbents – by the state's incumbents – regardless of party affiliation. This example illustrates that even in today's polarized Congress, members prefer their delegation to have a consistent and experienced membership regardless of its partisan makeup. Additionally, the example suggests that members of states are still interested in protecting incumbents. Members seemingly value experience, seniority, and consistency in the delegation over its partisan makeup. This begs the question: How are members utilizing the delegation today that makes them care about the consistency of membership? This book sets forth to address this question and also the more general puzzle I encountered when asking members of Congress about influences on their legislative behavior. When asked, members consistently told me their party played an important role in influencing their behavior, but more often than not, members also emphasized the importance of their state delegation. This led me to ask three questions: 1) How often are state delegations voting similarly and sponsoring similar legislation in today's Congress? 2) How can members of a delegation utilize each other's legislative agendas to stay abreast of issues important to the state? 3)How do members utilize their delegation to help ensure their own electoral success? Members clearly value their state, which makes me assume states and their delegations are providing members with important information and assistance. What type of benefits are state delegations providing their members? And how do these benefits enhance representation and responsiveness in Congress? To demonstrate how state delegations today assist their members to promote successful representation and responsiveness and aid in the members’ electoral success, I put forward the theory of agenda crossover.
Fault Prognosis and Remaining Useful Life Prediction of Wind Turbine Gearboxes Using Current Signal Analysis

Gearbox faults constitute a significant portion of all faults and contribute to a significant portion of the downtime of wind turbines. Thus, an accurate prediction of the gearbox remaining useful life (RUL) is important to achieve condition-based maintenance to ensure secure and reliable operations of wind turbines and reduce the cost of wind power. This, however, is a challenging work due to the lack of accurate physical degradation models and limited data. This paper proposes a new fault prognostic and RUL prediction method for gearboxes based on the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and particle filtering (PF) approaches. In the proposed method, the fault feature is extracted from the measured one phase stator current of the generator connected with the gearbox; the ANFIS learns the state transition function of the extracted fault feature; the PF algorithm then predicts the RUL of the gearbox based on the learned state transition function and new information of the fault feature. Experimental results on a gearbox run-to-failure test are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Electronic cigarette aerosols induce DNA damage and reduce DNA repair: Consistency across species.

We read with great interest the work of Lee et al. (1), in which the authors report that mice exposed to electronic cigarette aerosol have increased levels of DNA lesions and decreased DNA repair activity. This work sparked important discussion both in PNAS (2, 3) and science media (4). We do share some concerns previously raised, including the very high dose of electronic cigarette aerosol exposure and the lack of plasma nicotine measurements. Additionally, while we agree with the authors that the exposure to electronic cigarette aerosol led to an increase in O6-methyl-deoxuguanosine and γ-hydroxy-1, N2 -propano-deoxyguanosines adducts, we do not share their … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: Lurdes-queimado{at}ouhsc.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Dissolved organic matter and estrogen interactions regulate estrogen removal in the aqueous environment: A review

Abstract This review summarizes the characterization and quantification of interactions between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and estrogens as well as the effects of DOM on aquatic estrogen removal. DOM interacts with estrogens via binding or sorption mechanisms like π-π interaction and hydrogen bonding. The binding affinity is evaluated in terms of organic-carbon-normalized sorption coefficient (Log KOC) which varies with types and composition of DOM. DOM has been suggested to be a more efficient sorbent compared with other matrices, such as suspended particulate matter, sediment and soil; likely associated with its large surface area and concentrated carbon content. As a photosensitizer, DOM enhanced estrogen photodegradation when the concentration of DOM was below a threshold value, and when above, the acceleration effect was not observed. DOM played a dual role in affecting biodegradation of estrogens depending on the recalcitrance of the DOM and the nutrition status of the degraders. DOM also acted as an electron shuttle (redox mediator) mediating the degradation of estrogens. DOM hindered enzyme-catalyzed removal of estrogens while enhanced their transformation during the simultaneous photo-enzymatic process. Membrane rejection of estrogens was pronounced for hydrophobic DOM with high aromaticity and phenolic moiety content. Elimination of estrogens via photolysis, biodegradation, enzymolysis and membrane rejection in the presence of DOM is initiated by sorption, accentuating the role of DOM as a mediator in regulating aquatic estrogen removal.
In-Vehicle Software Defined Networking: An Enabler for Data Interoperability

As future transportation systems evolve, new in-vehicle network designs are required to handle the heterogeneous data generated by different Electronic Control Modules (ECUs). Enabling interaction between these data sources can trigger innovation and the emergence of new smart features significantly impacting upon security and riders experience. The interoperability between the ECUs is of high value in the context of autonomous transportation systems. Indeed, it enables different technologies to collaborate for achieving complex tasks. Without this interoperability, features like radar system connected to the Media Oriented Systems Transport bus (MOST) cannot trigger the electronic stability control connected to the Controller Area Network (CAN). These features allow the car to mitigate a high-risk situation using existing modules. In this work, we propose a Software Defined Network (SDN) approach that enables in-vehicle data sources interoperability that allows ECUs to share a medium. The benefits of the proposed approach are backed by the implementation of a relevant use case and the generation of simulation results.
Factors Responsible for Local Recurrence of Brain Metastasis

Up to 30% of cancer patients will ultimately develop brain metastases, the treatment of which consists of surgery, radiation therapy, or a combination of the two modalities. Over the past two decades, an incredible body of work has helped us identify the factors responsible for local recurrence of brain metastasis. The factors that have been shown to affect local control can be divided into two categories: those that are intrinsic to the lesion and those that are treatment related. The histology and volume of the tumor are intrinsic factors. The primary treatment modality and adjuvant whole-brain radiotherapy have also consistently been found to affect local control. Here we review the clinical data to date.
Tektins from Ciliary and Flagellar Microtubules

Microtubules are essential eukaryotic cell organelles involved in cell division, cytoplasmic motility, ciliary and flagellar function, and morphogenesis (Alberts et al. 1989; Darnell et al. 1990). Advances in our general understanding of microtubules have come from studies of cilia and flagella, including the discovery of dynein (Gibbons 1963), the basic structure of microtubules (Amos and Klug 1974), and the polarity of microtubule structure and assembly (Allen and Borisy 1974). A more recent discovery concerns the proteins tektins.
Mental Health Programs: Children and Adolescents

History demonstrates that the meaning of mental health programs for children and adolescents changes dramatically with changing views of children, adolescents, and mental health. Here, then, the subject of mental health programs for children and adolescents will be discussed from a historical perspective, one that explains current approaches in the context of the following major historical shifts: (a) A shift away from competing perspectives, disciplines, and models working on a small scale and toward complementary perspectives, disciplines, and models working to create comprehensive systems of care. (b) A shift away from segregating and toward integrating troubled children into ‘normal’ environments, with ‘normal’ defined in terms of family, school, community, and culture. (c) A shift away from focusing on treatment and guidance only and toward focusing on prevention as well, especially on prevention for children deemed ‘at risk.’ This discussion explains some of the main reasons for these shifts as well as explains why, despite the progress made in thinking about mental health programming, so many troubled children and adolescents still receive inadequate care or no care at all.
Size matters: Grammaticalization; metaphor; and the Spanish diminutive

Cognitive linguistics has brought to the forefront the notion that metaphorical conceptualization plays a most important role in the structuring of grammatical categories. The present article analyzes size metaphors involved in the structuring of the category diminutive in Spanish; for instance; CATEGORY CENTRALITY IS (A SCALE OF) SIZE and MARGINAL IS SMALL (Cf. Jurafsky; 1996). My analysis of the diminutive in Spanish suggests that its current multiplicity of functions reflects a process of grammaticalization which has resulted in the extension of its meaning from the domain of physical size to increasingly abstract contexts. Metaphor is shown to have played a crucial role in this process; as well as semantic-pragmatic mechanisms such as the conventionalization of inferences or implicatures. In addition; a brief comparison of the category diminutive in English and Spanish is also presented as well as some examples of the application of the present analysis to the translation of diminutives from Spanish to English.
The Impact of Subjective Measures on Nonbehavioral Practice Research: Outcome vs. Process:

The author describes a study designed to assess the therapeutic reactive effects of filling out subjective self-ratings administered during a period of psychodynamic clinical social work intervention. A summary of quantitative findings related to outcome is followed by a more detailed presentation of anecdotal findings related to the impact of subjective measures on the intervention process. Results are considered in terms of their implications for social work's current interest in single-system designs and the challenges of applying these designs to nonbehavioral practice.
Genotypic differences in yield loss of irrigated soybean attributable to charcoal rot

Charcoal rot, caused by the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid., is a disease of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) that causes yield loss worldwide. The purpose of this research was to dete...
Interface-Enabled Ion Conduction in Li10GeP2S12–Poly(ethylene Oxide) Hybrid Electrolytes

Organic–inorganic hybrid solid electrolytes are expected to integrate the merits of both moieties for addressing the challenges in achieving fast ion conduction and high stability for energy storag...
Artificial mixing of spermatozoa from honeybees and evidence for sperm competition.

SummaryIn each of 6 experiments, about 300 μl of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) semen was diluted, mixed, and used to inseminate about 20 queens. The mixture for each experiment contained a portion of genetically marked sperm. Since the queens were also genetically marked, one could estimate the ratio of marked and unmarked sperm in each queen by counting her marked and unmarked progeny. The objective was to determine if each queen received equal proportions of marked sperm. In two experiments having semen mixtures with about 50% marked sperm, the 95% confidence interval for percent marked progeny was ±9·7% among the 22 queens in group 1 (semen was diluted 1:1 and stirred for 3·5 min) and ±9·0% among the 16 queens in group 6 (semen diluted 1:40 and centrifuged). The confidence intervals were similar and both were significantly greater than ±4·5% (expected 95% confidence interval when sampling a perfect mix with 500 workers from each queen) (P<0·0l). In experiments having a very low frequency of marked sperm...
Contested Terrains and Incubators of Violence: Carceral Establishments in Democratic Brazil

In January of 2017, at least 130 inmates were killed in a series of battles that occurred in carceral establishments in the Brazilian states of Amazonas, Roraima, and Rio Grande do Norte. These events were the most recent examples of how Brazil’s carceral establishments are central terrains on which rival comandos, or factions, struggle not just over administrative dominance of the inmate population but also over illicit commerce more broadly. This paper has two primary objectives. First, it presents some of the central historical, political, legislative, and administrative factors that have shaped and contributed to the forms of violence incited in Brazil’s carceral establishments. Second, it highlights pathways for future research to advance more thorough understanding of the dynamics of incarceration and the workings of penal insitutions in democratic Brazil.
3D Printing-based Liquid Metal Patch Antennas with Wide-Band Frequency and Multi-Polarization Reconfigurations

In this paper, we present two reconfigurable patch antenna designs utilizing liquid metal tuning slots: a wide-band frequency reconfigurable patch antenna with frequency tuning bandwidth of 70% and instantaneous bandwidth of 2%; and a multi-polarization reconfigurable patch antenna with right-hand circular polarization (RHCP), left-hand circular polarization (LHCP), and linear polarization (LP) with arbitrary orientation in x-y plane. The design and prototype strategy developed in this paper can be applied to other potential topologies with various reconfigurable functionalities.
Retrospective analysis of cases of intraoperative awareness in a large multi-hospital health system reported in the early postoperative period

Awareness with recall under general anesthesia remains a rare but important issue that warrants further study. We present a series of seven cases of awareness that were identified from provider-reported adverse event data from the electronic anesthesia records of 647,000 general anesthetics. The low number of identified cases suggests an under-reporting bias. Themes that emerge from this small series can serve as important reminders to anesthesia providers to ensure delivery of an adequate anesthetic for each patient. Commonalities between a majority of our identified anesthetic awareness cases include: obesity, use of total intravenous anesthesia, use of neuromuscular blockade, and either a lack of processed electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring or documented high depth of consciousness index values. An interesting phenomenon was observed in one case, where adequately-dosed anesthesia was delivered without technical issue, processed EEG monitoring was employed, and the index value suggested an adequate depth of consciousness throughout the case. Provider-reported adverse event data in the immediate post-operative period are likely insensitive for detecting cases of intraoperative awareness. Though causation cannot firmly be established from our data, themes identified in this series of cases of awareness with recall under general anesthesia provide important reminders for anesthesia providers to maintain vigilance in monitoring depth and dose of anesthesia, particularly with total intravenous anesthesia.
Imaging studies of emission and laser scattering from a solution-cathode glow discharge

Imaging experiments are performed on a solution-cathode glow discharge. Laser scattering is used to observe droplet trails ejected at a range of angles from the solution surface. Interference filters are used to photograph a variety of analyte emission lines and background emission bands. The effects of low molecular weight organic compounds (HCOOH and CH3CH2OH) and non-ionic surfactants (Triton X-45 and Triton X-405) on the spatial distributions of emission are studied. Low molecular weight organic compounds are found to affect the degree of emission for some species, but do not detectibly change the plasma structure. The lighter surfactant affects the degree of emission for some background species, but does not noticeably affect analyte emission or plasma structure. The heavier surfactant (Triton X-405) is found to affect both the degree of emission from some species and the overall structure of the plasma.
38-OR: Differences in Diabetes Medication Use between Commercial and Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries, 2013-2018

DPP-4 inhibitors, GLP-1 receptor agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors have low hypoglycemia risk, do not cause weight gain, and post-marketing outcomes trials found cardiovascular and renal benefits with GLP-1RA and SGLT2i use. Using 2013-2016 data, we previously found low and delayed early adoption of SGLT2i among Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries compared to commercial beneficiaries, despite similar formulary coverage. With greater experience using these medications and emerging evidence supporting their preferred use by patients with comorbidities, prescribing patterns may have changed. Using OptumLabs Data Warehouse, a de-identified dataset of commercial and MA beneficiaries, we examined the proportions of pharmacologically-treated adults with type 2 diabetes with commercial vs. MA insurance who filled a DPP-4i, GLP-1RA, or SGLT2i each quarter between 2013-2018. We found significant differences across medications and health plans (Figure). Overall, after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, baseline medications, year, prescriber specialty, and comorbidities, the odds of DPP-4i, GLP-1RA, and SGLT2i use were significantly lower for MA vs. commercial beneficiaries: OR 0.61 (95% CI 0.60-0.63), 0.45 (95% CI 0.44-0.46), and 0.31 (95% CI 0.30-0.31), respectively. These findings call for better understanding of non-clinical factors contributing to treatment decisions. Disclosure R.G. McCoy: None. H. Van Houten: None. J. Ross: Research Support; Self; Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., U.S. Food and Drug Administration. P. Karaca-Mandic: None. V.M. Montori: None. N. Shah: None. Funding National Institutes of Health (K23DK114497); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (1U19HS024075, R01HS025164)