cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metabolism of Sulfolipids in Mammalian Tissues

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the metabolism of mammalian sulfolipids, which are unique acidic glycolipids that are selectively concentrated in biological membranes. These lipids are synthesized by the microsomal sulfotransferases. Excessive accumulation of sulfolipids occurs in metachromatic leukodystrophy and multiple sulfatase deficiency. These disorders are characterized by an inborn deficiency of arylsulfatase A and arylsulfatase C, along with arylsulfatases A and B. Recent immunological studies have indicated that metachromatic leukodystrophy patients contain a mutated arylsulfatase A, which immunologically crossreacts with the antibody of arylsulfatase A. The role of sulfolipids in mammalian metabolism is not understood. Karlsson and his colleagues suggested that sulfolipids may act as a cofactor site for the activity of Na+, K+-dependent ATPase. Iwamori et al. have postulated three major physiological roles for cholesterol sulfate: (1) it may serve to transport cholesterol between tissues, (2) it may be a key intermediate in cholesterol metabolism, and (3) it may be an important cell-membrane component. The cholesterol sulfate level was highest in the nerve-ending-rich fraction of brain subcellular components. Recent studies have shown that arylsulfatase A inhibits the binding of GABA and muscimol to bovine cerebellar synaptic membranes. This observation has been interpreted to indicate that some components of the GABA recognition site may also contain sulfolipids in addition to phospholipids. There has been a lot of interest in immunological properties of sulfolipids, and it has been suggested that membrane glycolipids may play important roles as information receptors in various phases of the immunological response.
The Cell Cycle and Cell Differentiation in the Drosophila Ovary

Females belonging to certain evolutionary advanced groups of insects (such as the Diptera, Lepidoptera, and the Hymenoptera) are characterized by ovarioles that contain egg chambers in which the oocyte is one member of a cluster of interconnected cells (Brown and King, 1964; King and Aggarwal, 1965; Cassidy and King, 1972). The other cells of the cluster, the “nurse cells”, grow and simultaneously transfer their cytoplasm to the oocyte by a system of intercellular canals. In Drosophila melanogaster, as in most Diptera belonging to the superfamily Muscoida, each egg chamber consists of an oocyte, its fifteen “nurse” cells, and a surrounding monolayer of follicle cells (see Fig. 1B). The egg and its fifteen interconnected nurse cells are fourth generation descendants of a single cell, the germinal “cystoblast”. The interconnected cells formed by the division of a cystoblast are called “cystocytes”. It is within the apical portion of the ovariole (the germarium) that the consecutive divisions occur which produce the sixteen cell cluster, and it is here also that the cluster becomes enveloped by profollicle cells. However, it is within the more posterior part of the ovariole (the vitellarium) that the major growth of the egg chamber occurs (see Fig. 1A). Here, under optimal conditions it takes only three days for the cytoplasmic volume of the oocyte to increase ninety thousand times (King, 1970, his Fig. 11–19).
A Warning System for Anthracnose Fruit Rot on Strawberries

Anthracnose fruit rot (AFR) of strawberry is caused by three Colletotrichum spp. In the Midwest, however, only Colletotrichum acutatum is found. This fungus can attach itself to apparently healthy plants and spread throughout the field without causing symptoms on the foliage. When fruit beginsto ripen and weather conditions are rainy and warm, AFR can suddenly cause great damage to the fruit. To protect against AFR where it has appeared in the past, growers need to spray every 7 to 10 days beginning at the start of bloom until harvest.
Ubiquitous energy conversion of two-dimensional molecular crystals

Two-dimensional (2D) atomic crystals have triggered significant excitement due to their rich physics as well as potential industrial applications. The possibility of a molecular counterpart with scalable processability and superior performance is intriguing from both fundamental and applied perspectives. Here, we present the freestanding 2D molecular charge-transfer bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene-C60 crystals prepared by a modified Langmuir-Blodgett method, with precisely controlled few-layer thickness and centimeter-scale lateral dimension. The interconversion of intrinsic excited process, the long-range ordering and anisotropic stacking arrangement of the molecular layered crystals generate external stimuli responsive behaviors and anisotropic spin-charge conversion with magnetic energy conversion ability, as well as a superior UV photosensitivity. Moreover, the 2D freestanding crystals demonstrate superior magneto-electrical properties. These results suggest that a new class of 2D atomically thin molecular crystals with novel electronic, optical and magnetic properties have great potential for spintronic, energy and sensor applications.
Modeling Intensity Distributions of Advanced Daylight Systems Surrounded by Arbitrary Luminance Maps

AbstractFor more than a decade, daylighting optical devices (DOD) using reflection, refraction and diffraction have been used in commercial buildings. Some of these systems show considerable promise for south facing facades, as they can reject or redirect sunlight and diffuse daylight. However, their daylight performance is not clearly understood. Simulation tools employing Monte Carlo forward ray tracing are now available and can used to trace rays from the source (the exterior environment) through a devise and into the building interior. Two problems remain, however. The first is the generation of a ray distribution of the exterior environment. The second problem is the representation of the resulting daylight distributions at the DOD exit surface. There would be several advantages if an exiting ray distribution could be represented as an intensity distribution in narrow angular increments in a photometric file format. We shows how to generate ray representations of hemispherical luminance maps for exte...
Reseña de LAWO-SUKAM, Alain (2019). La poesía guineoecuatoriana en español en su contexto colonial y (trans)nacional

Guineo-Ecuadorian literature written in Spanish involves a diversity of colonial and (trans)national environments whose expression reflects a powerful and fervent inclination towards the emotional and symbolic, that is, towards poetry. In this book, a history of Guineo-Ecuadorian literature is forged and it is both fascinating and ominous: fascinating because Guineo-Ecuadorian poetry written in Spanish is tempered by a fertile cultural and ethnic variety; harmful for the sad reality that engendered it. Guineo-Ecuadorian poetry written in Spanish urges, because it has been earned, a relevant space in university academic research.
Economic value of genetic merit of dairy semen

Attempts to calculate the economic value of semen have been made since at least the 1970s. The basic calculations have since become available (Dechow 2016). This new 3-page fact sheet reviews these calculations, adds a few other considerations, and offers estimates of the worth of the genetics of dairy semen. Written by Albert De Vries, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, January 2018. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an338
A quantitative approach to comparing high velocity impact experiments and simulations using XCT data

Abstract While computational models of impact events have the potential to accelerate the design cycle, one's confidence in a material model should be related to the extent of validation work that has been performed for that model. Quantities of interest used for validation are often either scalar volume-averaged quantities (such as the average density, or the force applied to a boundary) or field quantities (such as the strain field obtained from digital image correlation, or density maps computed from X-ray computed tomography (XCT)). Volume averaged quantities are easy to compare quantitatively since they are either a single value or a simple time series. However, these averaged quantities do not capture differences in the failure process within a material and can be blunt instruments for validation efforts. Field quantities provide spatial information, but are difficult to reduce to a scalar that quantifies the goodness of a particular model with respect to another model. This work describes an approach to using XCT data to quantify how well a particular simulation agrees with simulation data while accounting for the statistical nature of failure in brittle materials.
Week-by-week alcohol consumption in early pregnancy and spontaneous abortion risk: A prospective cohort study

ABSTRACT Background Half of women use alcohol in the first weeks of gestation, but most stop once pregnancy is detected. The relationship between timing of alcohol use cessation in early pregnancy and spontaneous abortion risk has not been determined. Objective Evaluate the association between week-by-week alcohol consumption in early pregnancy and spontaneous abortion. Study Design Participants in Right from the Start, a community-based prospective pregnancy cohort, were recruited from eight metropolitan areas in the United States (2000–2012). In the first trimester, participants provided information about alcohol consumed in the prior four months including whether they altered alcohol use, date of change in use, and frequency, amount, and type of alcohol consumed before and after change. We assessed the association between spontaneous abortion and week of alcohol use, cumulative weeks exposed, number of drinks per week, beverage type, and binge drinking. Results Among 5,353 participants, 49.7% reported using alcohol during early pregnancy and 12.0% miscarried. Median gestational age at change in alcohol use was 29 days (inter-quartile range, 15–35 days). Alcohol use during weeks five through ten from last menstrual period was associated with increased spontaneous abortion risk, with risk peaking for use in week nine. Each successive week of alcohol use was associated with an 8% increase in spontaneous abortion relative to those who did not drink (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.12). This risk is cumulative. Risk was not related to number of drinks per week, beverage type, or binge drinking. Conclusion Each additional week of alcohol exposure during the first trimester increases risk of spontaneous abortion, even at low levels of consumption and when excluding binge drinking.
LiNbO 3 Photonic Crystal Optical Modulator

We report LiNbO 3 photonic-crystal electro-optic modulators (EOMs) with a modulation efficiency up to 11 pm/V and a bandwidth up to 17.5 GHz, the smallest LiNbO 3 EOM ever demonstrated while with the highest modulation efficiency.
Mapping the immune environment in clear cell renal carcinoma by single-cell genomics.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is one of the most immunologically distinct tumor types due to high response rate to immunotherapies, despite low tumor mutational burden. To characterize the tumor immune microenvironment of ccRCC, we applied single-cell-RNA sequencing (SCRS) along with T-cell-receptor (TCR) sequencing to map the transcriptomic heterogeneity of 25,688 individual CD45+ lymphoid and myeloid cells in matched tumor and blood from three patients with ccRCC. We also included 11,367 immune cells from four other individuals derived from the kidney and peripheral blood to facilitate the identification and assessment of ccRCC-specific differences. There is an overall increase in CD8+ T-cell and macrophage populations in tumor-infiltrated immune cells compared to normal renal tissue. We further demonstrate the divergent cell transcriptional states for tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and identify a MKI67 + proliferative subpopulation being a potential culprit for the progression of ccRCC. Using the SCRS gene expression, we found preferential prediction of clinical outcomes and pathological diseases by subcluster assignment. With further characterization and functional validation, our findings may reveal certain subpopulations of immune cells amenable to therapeutic intervention. Borcherding and Vishwakarma et al. characterize the tumor immune microenvironment in treatment-naive clear cell renal carcinoma patients using single-cell RNA- and T-cell receptor sequencing. They find CD8 + T cells and macrophages are enriched in tumor tissue, and identify a proliferative CD8 + T-cell population, which may be relevant for anti-cancer responses.
Another Life. Democracy, Suicide, Ipseity, Autoimmunity

Aquest article elabora algunes de les implicacions conceptuals de l’exigencia de Derrida d’un «altre pensament de la vida» a Voyous: Deux essais sur la raison. L’article soste en primer lloc que la desconstruccio de Derrida de l’oposicio entre els usos metaforics i literaris del discurs de la vida a La vie la mort es radicalitza a Voyous quan s’afirma que el «suicidi autoimmunitari» de la democracia hauria de ser el punt de partida per repensar la vida en general. Per comprendre millor aquestes tendencies autoimmuno-suicides, l’article valora el compromis de Derrida amb la figura conceptual del primer motor d’Aristotil a Voyous. L’article soste que Derrida torna a Aristotil perque el primer motor il·lustra la manera en que el concepte de vida roman historicament i estructuralment informat pel valor filosofic de la sobirania ipseitocratica, que es al·lergica a les qualitats disseminants, proliferants i impropies que la tradicio sempre ha atribuit a la democracia. Aixi, l’autoimmunitat ofereix una manera de pensar la vida democratica que no esta del tot determinada pel poder teleologic de cap vida divinament bona.
Exhaled CO2 as a COVID-19 Infection Risk Proxy for Different Indoor Environments and Activities

CO2 is co-exhaled with aerosols containing SARS-CoV-2 by COVID-19-infected people and can be used as a proxy of SARS-CoV-2 concentrations indoors Indoor CO2 measurements by low-cost sensors hold promise for mass monitoring of indoor aerosol transmission risk for COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases We derive analytical expressions of CO2-based risk proxies and apply them to various typical indoor environments The relative infection risk in a given environment scales with excess CO2 level, and thus, keeping CO2 as low as feasible in a space allows optimization of the protection provided by ventilation We show that the CO2 level corresponding to a given absolute infection risk varies by >2 orders of magnitude for different environments and activities Although large uncertainties, mainly from virus exhalation rates, are still associated with infection risk estimates, our study provides more specific and practical recommendations for low-cost CO2-based indoor infection risk monitoring ©
Longitudinal assessment of mental health and well-being in patients being treated with medications for opioid use disorder in primary care.

Abstract Opioid use disorder (OUD) continues to be a significant problem in the United States, contributing to overdose and death. Recent efforts to expand access to treatment of OUD in primary care have increased the availability of medications for OUD (MOUDs). However, OUD is often accompanied by poor mental health and well-being, and it is not known if treatment with MOUDs alone is associated with improved psychological well-being. This study’s purpose was to examine changes in mental health and well-being in the first 6 months of treatment with MOUDs in a family medicine residency clinic. Patients (N = 126; M age = 34.6 years, SD = 10.6; 54.8% male; 71.4% white) completed validated screeners of mental health and well-being (depression, anxiety, anger, loneliness, perceived stress, meaning in life, and life satisfaction) at baseline (induction visit for buprenorphine), 1-month, and 6-months. Results indicated that the mental health and well-being indices did not significantly change over the first 6 months of treatment on MOUDs. There were initial decreases in depression and anxiety at 1-month; however, both increased and were equivalent to baseline levels at 6-months. These results suggest that MOUD treatment alone does not significantly impact mental health or well-being in patients with OUD. Additional treatments or supports are clearly needed to address the comorbid mental health and well-being challenges in this population, as these factors can be both antecedents and consequences of substance misuse.
Validity and Reliability of the Neuromuscular Gross Motor Outcome.

Abstract Background Approved treatments in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) have resulted in unprecedented gains for many individuals. Use of available outcomes, typically developed for a specific type of SMA, do not cover the range of progression, often resulting in a battery of functional testing being completed at visits. Our objective was to validate the Neuromuscular Gross Motor Outcome (GRO) as a tool to quantify function in SMA across the span of abilities. Methods Patients with genetically confirmed SMA completed functional testing at each visit including the Neuromuscular GRO and other appropriate gross motor outcomes. Results We enrolled 91 patients with SMA types 1 to 3 between 8 days and 32.1 years. The GRO utilizes a 0- to 2-point scale with scores in our cohort ranging from 1 to 95 points with no floor or ceiling effect. GRO scores were significantly different across functional categories (P Conclusion The Neuromuscular GRO quantifies function across the span of age and abilities included in our cohort, allowing for continuous longitudinal monitoring on one scale to reduce the burden of testing in our heterogeneous clinic population.
Detecting change in psychiatric functioning in clinical trials for cocaine use disorder: sensitivity of the Addiction Severity Index and Brief Symptom Inventory.

Abstract Background Assessment instruments commonly used in clinical trials to measure functional outcomes in substance users may lack sensitivity to detect change during treatment, potentially limiting findings regarding benefits of reduced drug use. This study evaluated the sensitivity of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) to detect change in psychiatric functioning among cocaine users. Methods Data were pooled across five clinical trials for cocaine use disorder (N = 492) that included a 12-week treatment period and 6-month follow-up. Within-person cohen’s d′ was used to evaluate effect size of change on the Psychiatric Composite Score of the ASI (ASI-Psych) and Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Brief Symptom Inventory, as well as cocaine use. Results Effect sizes were larger for GSI than ASI-Psych from baseline to week 12 (GSI d′ = 0.59; ASI-Psych d′ = 0.16), and 6-month follow-up (GSI d′ = 0.48; ASI-Psych d′ = 0.10). For those with non-zero ASI-Psych at baseline (n = 252), medium effect sizes were found over the 12-week period (d′ = 0.53) and 6-month follow-up (d′ = 0.47). Effect sizes for change in days of cocaine use were most similar to GSI in either sample. Conclusions The ASI Psychiatric Composite Score may have limited sensitivity to detect change in psychiatric functioning among clinical trial participants who reduce cocaine use. It may be useful for detecting change amongst those reporting some psychiatric problems at the start of treatment. Future research should consider an instrument’s sensitivity to change when assessing the potential functional benefits of reducing cocaine use.
Decoding the function of bivalent chromatin in development and cancer.

Bivalent chromatin is characterized by the simultaneous presence of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, histone modifications generally associated with transcriptionally active and repressed chromatin, respectively. Prevalent in embryonic stem cells (ESCs), bivalency is postulated to poise/prime lineage-controlling developmental genes for rapid activation during embryogenesis while maintaining a transcriptionally repressed state in the absence of activation cues; however, this hypothesis remains to be directly tested. Most gene promoters DNA-hypermethylated in adult human cancers are bivalently marked in ESCs, and it was speculated that bivalency predisposes them for aberrant de novo DNA methylation and irreversible silencing in cancer, but evidence supporting this model is largely lacking. Here we show that bivalent chromatin does not poise genes for rapid activation but protects promoters from de novo DNA methylation. Genome-wide studies in differentiating ESCs reveal that activation of bivalent genes is no more rapid than that of other transcriptionally silent genes, challenging the premise that H3K4me3 is instructive for transcription. H3K4me3 at bivalent promoters, a product of the underlying DNA sequence, persists in nearly all cell types irrespective of gene expression and confers protection from de novo DNA methylation. Bivalent genes in ESCs that are frequent targets of aberrant hypermethylation in cancer are particularly strongly associated with loss of H3K4me3/bivalency in cancer. Altogether, our findings suggest that bivalency protects reversibly repressed genes from irreversible silencing and that loss of H3K4me3 may make them more susceptible to aberrant DNA methylation in diseases such as cancer. Bivalency may thus represent a distinct regulatory mechanism for maintaining epigenetic plasticity.
Synergy between Advanced Composites and New NDI Methods

A D Sight Aircraft Inspection System (DAIS 500) large area composite impact damage detection capability has been demonstrated using several structures. In order to obtain equivalent impact damage depths, the IM7/5250-4 structures had to be subjected to much higher impact energies than conventional AS4/3501-6 structures. It is postulated that the application of DAIS with its better than visual inspection sensitivity could lead to both increased design allowables and an alternate approach to certification of composite structures based on impact cumulative probability of occurrence. Further evidence of impact indent depth relaxation (over 30%) was observed. Indent relaxation may have significant implications with respect to the airworthiness of composite structures designed to BVID (barely visible impact damage) limits since this relaxation makes the damage site less apparent.
Using the Dynamically Coupled Behavior of Land‐Surface Geometry and Soil Thickness in Developing and Testing Hillslope Evolution Models

Many landforms whose dynamics we wish to understand evolve too slowly to directly measure their rates of change, so extracting basic kinematic information from these landforms for the purpose of testing dynamical models that are aimed at describing their geomorphic behavior is problematical. Hillslopes undergoing dispersive soil transport are a particularly good example. That is, land-surface configuration, viewed alone, is not necessarily indicative of a steady or transient state. Differences in hillslope geometry associated with alternative, hypothesized forms of the soil transport relation are not readily distinguishable at an arbitrary instant from effects related to uncertainty in parametric quantities, and initial and boundary conditions, thus making it difficult to test alternative transport relations. This and similar problems beg for strategies to extract kinematic information from limited observations of landforms, with the aim of exacting more demanding tests of our models. One possibility involves focusing on several variable quantities whose behaviors are coupled. The essential idea is that this obliges a proposed (coupled) model to correctly predict an observable landform configuration that is defined by more than one quantity. This places more stringent demands on the model, and may provide sufficient information to discriminate between the effects of alternative models for comparison with field observations. This idea is illustrated with the simple, familiar example of forced convection in HagenPoiseuille flow, then examined in more detail for the case of hillslope evolution in which the land-surface geometry and soil thickness are coupled; alternative models assume that transport is proportional to either the land-surface gradient or to the product of soil thickness and surface gradient. Numerical simulations illustrate how, for both models, it is possible to distinguish steady from transient hillslope conditions based on observations of both land-surface geometry and soil thickness. The simulations also suggest that the behaviors of the land surface and soil thickness associated with the alternative models are sufficiently distinct that, depending on the level of confidence in specifying initial and boundary conditions, one (or both) of the models could be falsified by observations of these coupled quantities, whereas this might not be possible based on land-surface geometry or soil properties alone. This strategy of focusing on measurable quantities whose behaviors are coupled-as a way of revealing otherwise unaccessible information having temporal content or usefulness in model testing-has a straightforward basis that naturally lends itself to examining other slowly evolving landforms.
Photocurrent distribution of a superfluorescent fiber source

We report measurements of the photocurrent of a PIN photodiode illuminated by a spectrum-sliced, erbium-doped superfluorescent fiber source. The statistical distribution of the current fluctuation is non-Gaussian. The true statistics predict much improved performance over the Gaussian assumption for spectrum-spliced WDMA systems.
Regulation of CCN2 and CCN3 in bone marrow through myloid zinc finger-1 and its medical implication in hematopoiesis (1005.4)

CCN2, also known as CTGF, the connective tissue growth factor, has recently been found to be in high abundance in platelets and released upon activation, an effect inhibited by aspirin, suggesting ...
Small dual band modified meander antenna with multiple elements

Two prototype antennas were designed for the use of MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) wireless LAN technology for a PC card size application and its performance is evaluated and presented in this report. Two types of antennas are designed; antenna with 2 elements and with 4 elements in the area of 12 /spl times/ 45mm. The shape of the element is based on the conventional meander type dual band antenna and modified to suit the small area. The performance measurement data showed that the correlation coefficient for the 2 element antenna is 0.38 and those of 4 elements are between 0.13 and 0.93. With the 2GHz band MIMO throughput measurement with the 2 element antenna showed 41 Mbit/s with 23 Mbit/s for normal 1 to 1 connection. It was shown that the two element MIMO antenna can be realized even in a small area which can be used for PC card and this design can also be applicable for a mobile system as embedded antenna. Further investigation would be expected for 5GHz band and 4 element MIMO antenna.
EFFECT OF STRONG GLUTEN FLOUR ON QUALITY OF WHEAT TORTILLAS FORTIFIED WITH CROSS-LINKED RESISTANT STARCH

ABSTRACT Tortillas have become popular and thus are an attractive vehicle to improve dietary fiber consumption. This work investigated the effect of a high dietary fiber cross-linked resistant starch (RS4), and strong gluten bread flour on wheat tortilla textural and quality attributes. Commercial tortilla and bread flours (TF and BF, respectively) were substituted with RS4 containing 90% dietary fiber at 0, 15, 20 and 25%. RS4 substitution decreased mixing resistance of both BF and TF dough, but had minimal effect on water absorption. The RS4-substituted tortillas required significantly less force (4.5–8.8 N) to extend than control (8.7–10.6 N), implying they were more tender. RS4 substitution increased opacity and diameter of tortillas, both desirable attributes. The RS4-substituted BF tortillas were significantly more shelf stable, retaining good flexibility (average score = 4.0) after 18 days of storage, compared with RS4-substituted TF tortillas, which lost flexibility within 4 days of storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Tortillas are currently popular due to the convenience they provide consumers and have surpassed sandwich bread as the preferred wrap for quick meals in the U.S.A. This makes tortillas a logical target to improve dietary fiber consumption. However, attempts to increase the dietary fiber content of tortillas have been unsuccessful due to the negative impact on product texture and shelf stability. Complicating the problem further is the fact that wheat tortilla flour does not have clearly defined quality parameters, as is the case with bread flour. This leads to inconsistent and unpredictable product quality. Taking advantage of the strong gluten in bread flour and the well-defined raw material quality parameters can allow for incorporation of significant dietary fiber in tortillas without adverse impact on product texture and shelf stability. This would eliminate the need for expensive additives to obtain desirable product texture.
New Skills, New Learning: Legal Education and the Promise of Technology

Today's legal workplace demands technology-related skills that the traditional law school curriculum does not cover. The original research conducted for this white paper finds that these skills include organizing complex distributed teams, exploiting data and information on the Web, and "meta-lawyering" (establishing systems of practice). The study also finds that traditional methods of training such as apprenticeship have eroded in recent years and that law schools often overlook skills education, leaving a large gap in training of all skills and not just technology-related ones. The paper discusses how thoughtful use of pedagogical technology can address these needs, arguing for integrated and authentic learning experiences rather than "teaching technology" in the abstract.
Reactive power management for overvoltage prevention at high PV penetration in low voltage distribution system

In this paper, a new approach for reactive power management based on inverter's capacity and sensitivity to the critical bus has been presented. The approach addresses the voltage rise and reverse power flow issue when residential renewable energy sources such as rooftop solar panels produce more energy than the local load demand. The overvoltage issues are controlled by active management of reactive power flow. This method improves the voltage regulation of distributed system with high penetration of renewable energy sources while utilizing the inverters' reactive power capacity.
Darwinian gradualism and its limits: The development of Darwin's views on the rate and pattern of evolutionary change

The major tenets of the recent hypothesis of punctuated equilibrium are explicit in Darwin's writing. His notes from 1837–1838 contain references to stasis and rapid change. In the first edition of the Origin (1859), Darwin described the importance of isolation of local varieties in the process of speciation. His views on the tempo of speciation were influenced by Hugh Falconer and also, perhaps, by Edward Suess (1831–1914). It is paradoxical that, although both topics were recorded in his unpublished notes of 1837–1838, the second was not explicitly and fully discussed until the fourth edition of the Origin (1866). While no wholly satisfactory explanation of this paradox suggests itself, it seems probable that Falconer's work on the persistence of fossil species of elephant helped Darwin to see the wider significance of the tempo of evolution for his general theory.
Induction of tolerance in rat cortical neurons: hypoxic preconditioning

Sublethal ischemia leads to increased tolerance against subsequent prolonged cerebral ischemia in vivo. In the present study we modeled preconditioning mechanisms in a neuronal-enriched culture. Damage was significantly reduced (up to 72%) with 1.5 h of oxygen-glucose deprivation 48–72 h before 3 h oxygen-glucose deprivation. Tolerance was also elicited by Na+-K+-ATPase inhibition. No damage was observed when astroglial or endothelial cells were exposed to hypoxia for 3 and 6 h, respectively. We conclude that hypoxic preconditioning is a robust neuronal phenomenon in vitro with a similar temporal pattern and selective cellular vulnerability as the ischemic tolerance phenomenon shown in vivo.
Recent progress in flexor tendon healing

Although advances in the treatment of flexor tendon injuries have led to improved clinical outcomes during the past several decades, a subset of patients continue to experience a loss of function. Using a canine model of sharp transection of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon followed by repair and rehabilitation using clinically relevant techniques, we have examined the influence of multistrand suture and postoperative rehabilitation variables on digital function and tendon strength. Our findings highlight the critical role of repair technique in providing a stiff and strong repair and indicate that continued refinement of suture techniques is warranted in order to minimize repair-site elongation (gap). Gap formation continues to occur at a high frequency, and the formation of gaps greater than 3 mm delays the accrual of repair-site strength that occurs with time. Furthermore, our results indicate that passive-motion rehabilitation that produces a moderate amount of tendon excursion (2 mm) at low levels of tendon force (5 N) is sufficient to inhibit adhesion formation and to promote healing. Increases in excursion or force beyond these levels do not accelerate the healing process. These findings suggest that we are approaching the limit of the extent to which we can modulate healing by manipulating rehabilitation variables such as tendon excursion and force. Future advances will probably require manipulation of the biological factors that promote healing.
Changes in vulvar and vestibular tissue of the bovine during the estrous cycle as determined by the use of near-infrared interactance

Near-infrared interactance spectra of the vulva and vestibule of cows were analyzed throughout the estrous cycle to determine if they could be used to detect tissue changes that are associated with estrus. The spectra were collected daily from 16 cyclic Holstein cows beginning at 40 days post partum and continuing for 3 estrous cycles, or until pregnancy was verified. Spectra collected on the day when estrus was exhibited were compared with spectra collected on the nonestrous days. There were spectral differences at 1695 to 1705, at 1790 to 1800 and at 1880 to 1900 nm (P<0.05), regions that are associated with changes in carbohydrate, protein, and water content of the tissues, respectively. Discriminant analysis of interactance measurements at the significant wavelengths was used to develop an equation to predict the day of estrus. The error rate associated with the equation was 26%. Results indicate that near-infrared analysis can detect changes in vestibular and vulvar tissue during the estrous cycle. However, accurate estrus detection using near-infrared interactance techniques will require additional study to reduce variation in the results.
Batch process monitoring and its application to polymerization systems

Slight changes in raw material properties or operating conditions during critical periods of operation of batch and semi-batch polymerization reactors may have a strong influence on reaction mechanism and impact final product quality. Online process monitoring, fault detection, fault diagnosis, and product quality prediction in real-time ensure safe reactor operation and warn operators about excursions from normal operation that may lead to deterioration in product properties. Multivariate statistical process monitoring and quality prediction using multiway principal components analysis and multiway partial least squares have been successful in detecting abnormalities in process operation and product quality. When abnormal process operation is detected, fault diagnosis tools are used to determine the source cause of the deviation. Illustrative case studies are presented via simulated polyvinyl acetate polymerization.
Design and Application of a Pulsed Cavity Ring-Down Aerosol Extinction Spectrometer for Field Measurements

This paper describes the design and application of a pulsed cavity ring-down aerosol extinction spectrometer (CRD-AES) for in-situ atmospheric measurement of the aerosol extinction coefficient and its relative humidity dependence. This CRD-AES measures the aerosol extinction coefficient (σ ep) at 355 nm, 532 nm, 683 nm, and 1064 nm with a minimal size dependent bias for particles with diameter less than 10 μm. The σ ep at 532 nm is measured with an accuracy of 1% when extinction is ≥ 10 Mm −1 . The precision is limited by statistical fluctuations within the small optical volume and the time resolution of extinction at 2% uncertainty for various air mass types is evaluated. The CRD-AES is configured with two separate cavity ring-down cells for measurement of the extinction coefficient at 532 nm. This allows the determination of the RH dependence of extinction at 532 nm through independent RH control of the sample for each measurement. Gas phase absorption and minimization of potential interferences is also...
'Perceiving the present' as a framework for ecological explanations of the misperception of projected angle and angular size.

An implicit, underlying assumption of most Helmholtzian/Bayesian approaches to perception is the hypothesis that the scene an observer perceives is the probable source of the proximal stimulus. There is, however, a nontrivial latency (on the order of 100 ms) between the time of a proximal stimulus and the time a visual percept is elicited. It seems plausible that it would be advantageous for an observer to have, at any time t, a percept representative of what is out there at that very time t, not a percept of the recent past. If this is so, it implies a modification to the implicit hypothesis underlying most existing probabilistic approaches to perception: the new hypothesis is that, given the proximal stimulus, the scene an observer perceives is the probable scene present at the time of the percept. That is, the hypothesis is that what an observer perceives is not the probable source of the proximal stimulus, but the probable way the probable source will be when the percept actually occurs. A model of an...
Multiorgan Microsporidiosis: Report of Five Cases and Review

We describe five cases and review 34 reported cases of multiorgan microsporidiosis. Most of the patients with multiorgan involvement have been adults with AIDS. Organs most commonly infected include the small intestine, urinary tract, biliary tree, and eye ; involvement of the respiratory tract, nasal sinuses, and central nervous system is also described but appears to be less frequent. Although patients with multiorgan disease may be asymptomatic, clinical presentation usually relates to the involved organs. Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Septata intestinalis are the most frequently identified species of pathogens. An affinity for certain tissues is observed among different microsporidial species. In all but one case of E. bieneusi infection, infection was limited to intestinal and hepatobiliary tracts, a finding suggestive of local extension. In contrast, the patients infected with S. intestinalis had widespread involvement, suggesting true hematogenous or lymphatic dissemination. Treatment may have to be based on findings regarding which organs and specific microsporidial species are involved. Further investigation of the pathogenic tendencies and route of acquisition of these organisms and the therapeutic agents active against them is needed.
Lifestyle intervention in obese patients with type 2 diabetes: impact of the patient's educational background.

Objective: To determine whether people with different educational backgrounds respond differently to a lifestyle intervention program for obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Research Methods and Procedures: The study consisted of a 12-month randomized controlled trial of 147 health plan members with type 2 diabetes who were overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2). Participants were randomized to lifestyle case management or usual care. Case management (CM) involved group and individual education, support, and referral by registered dietitians. Usual care (UC) participants received educational material. Both groups received ongoing primary care. A post hoc analysis was performed, evaluating the impact of education level on intervention group differences with respect to change in weight and waist circumference. Results: There was a significant education by group interaction for both changes in weight (p = 0.02) and waist circumference (p = 0.01) during the study period. Contrary to expectations, CM participants with less formal education had greater risk reductions compared with more educated participants. Models predicted that, by 12 months, those with less education in the UC group gained 1.71 kg more in weight and 3.67 cm more in waist circumference than those with greater education. However, by 12 months, those in the CM group with less education lost a model-predicted 3.30 kg more in weight and 4.95 cm more in waist circumference than those with more formal education. Discussion: People with varied educational backgrounds may respond differently to a lifestyle intervention for weight management and diabetes control.
Genetically based resistance to the antiinflammatory effects of methotrexate in the air‐pouch model of acute inflammation

Objective Low-dose methotrexate (MTX), a mainstay in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis, is effective in only 60–70% of patients, a finding mirrored by poor anti-inflammatory efficacy in some animal models, most notably collagen-induced arthritis. To determine whether genetic factors or the model itself were responsible for the poor response to MTX we directly compared the responses of four inbred mouse strains to MTX in the air pouch model of acute inflammation.
Linking information for mobile use

Information Management (IM) has been an area of research and discussion for several decades. Studies have been conducted by both behavioral and computer scientists on how people organize their information and workspaces in order to come up with an efficient way to store, organize and retrieve information on personal computers. This paper explores improving a user's ability to manage information on mobile devices. The goal is to make placing information on such devices a more attractive prospect, with an emphasis on retrieval of stored information regardless of the document type. This will result in mobile users having quick access to the right information at the right time while away from the office or home. This paper describes the challenges inherent in a mobile scenario and proposes a system to address those challenges. The system provides visual and navigational features that are not currently available on mobile applications, specifically the ability to view multiple types of items in a single interface. Additionally, the ability to logically link related items as an IM tool is examined.
Acculturation and Drug Use Stigma Among Latinos and African Americans: An Examination of a Church-Based Sample.

Substance use patterns among Latinos likely reflect changes in attitudes resulting from acculturation, but little is known about Latinos’ attitudes regarding drug addiction. We surveyed a church-based sample of Latinos and African Americans (N = 1,235) about attitudes toward drug addiction and socio-demographics. Linear regression models compared Latino subgroups with African-Americans. In adjusted models, Latinos had significantly higher drug addiction stigma scores compared to African Americans across all subgroups (US-born Latinos, β = 0.22, p < .05; foreign-born Latinos with high English proficiency, β = 0.30, p < .05; and foreign-born Latinos with low English proficiency, β = 0.49, p < .001). Additionally, Latinos with low English proficiency had significantly higher mean levels of drug use stigma compared Latinos with high proficiency (both foreign-born and US-born). In this church-affiliated sample, Latinos’ drug addiction stigma decreases with acculturation, but remains higher among the most acculturated Latinos compared to African-Americans. These attitudes may pose a barrier to treatment for Latino drug users.
Resource edibility and trophic exploitation in an old-field food web

I tested a food web model that predicts how environmental productivity (nutrient supply) and top carnivores should mediate interactions among herbivores, edible plants, and plants that are resistant to herbivory because they possess anti-herbivore defenses. Feeding trials with the dominant grasshopper herbivore at the study site confirmed that certain plant species were resistant to herbivory because of protection by pubescent leaves and stems. Experimental food webs with various numbers of trophic levels composed of edible and resistant plants, grasshoppers, and hunting spiders were assembled in enclosure cages. I randomly assigned half of the cages to a nutrient-enrichment treatment and half remained as a control. Nutrient supply directly enhanced primary productivity and plant and herbivore biomass. Experimentally changing spider abundance caused a classic "trophic cascade" in which herbivore biomass increased and edible plant biomass decreased. Resistant plant biomass increased. These results matched predictions of the model with one exception. A trophic cascade was not observed under enriched conditions. The study nevertheless shows that a simple model attempting to explain heterogeneous interactions in food webs may give considerable insight into the dynamics of natural systems.
Design and R&D for the liquid nitrogen cooled poloidal field coil system for the Compact Ignition Tokamak (CIT)

The Compact Ignition Tokamak requires a liquid-nitrogen-cooled, pulsed poloidal field coil system for plasma heating, shaping, and control. It will dissipate about 1780 MJ in a total pulse length of 22 s and will require a peak power of 390 MW. The central solenoid will have a bore diameter of 0.68 m, a height of 2.4 m, and a central field of almost 22 T. Geometric restrictions are such that an aggressive structural concept is required; hence, the coil consists of a stack of explosively bonded copper/steel plates. Each plate is cut into eight turns by a water-jet cutting process. Features of the design and selected results from an R&D (research and development) program which is underway are reviewed. >
EDUCATING MUSICALLY IN DIFFERENCE: THE CHALLENGES THE ARTS PLACE UPON EDUCATION

The aim of this article is to create a link between critical attributes to meaningful educational change and the kind of learning and thinking that is facilitated by artistic endeavors. The goal is not to simply advocate for the Arts, but rather to present a doorway to an educational practice that can be used in educational thought in general. The article starts from David McCarthy’s (2000) proposition that “we must think possibility within constraint; that is the condition of our time” (150), arguing that the kinds of thought experiences that individuals ‘doing art’ participate in, can serve as a model for educational thinking, particularly given the complexity, volatility and speed realities of a 21 st century education.
Ferroelectric behavior in solvent cast poly(vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene) copolymer films

Abstract The ferroelectric behavior of thin films of vinylidene fluoride (VDF) and hexafluoropropylene (HFP) random copolymers with two different HFP molar contents was investigated. Films were prepared by solvent casting using dimethyl formamide (DMF) as the solvent. The HFP molar content of the solvent cast films were 5 and 15%. The observed remanent polarization (Pr) obtained from dielectric displacement versus electric field ( D – E ) data for the 5 and 15% HFP copolymer samples were 80 and 50 mC/m 2 , respectively. The Pr of these films is discussed in terms of the HFP molar content.