cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure of Adenovirus Virus Associated RNA-I

Protein kinase R (PKR) is activated by dsRNA produced during virus replication and plays a major role in the innate immunity response to virus infection. In response, viruses have evolved multiple strategies to evade PKR. Adenovirus virus-associated RNA I (VAI) is a short, non-coding transcript that function as an RNA decoy to sequester PKR in an inactive state. VAI consist of an apical stem-loop, a highly structured central domain, and a terminal stem. Chemical probing and mutagenesis experiments were used to produce a refined secondary structure of VAI and to probe tertiary structure within the central domain. Nucleotides within two loops are protected from SHAPE modification, indicating that they participate in tertiary interactions. Mutations within either loop designed to disrupt a putative pseudoknot result in enhanced modification at both sites. Introduction of compensatory basepairs induces protection, indicating that these loops interact to form a pseudoknot. The residue-level constraints from SHAPE and low-resolution structural information from SAXS measurements were used to develop an atomic model of VAI. The ab initio model of VAI derived from SAXS measurements contains a central bulged region flanked by a short arm and a longer, kinked arm. A putative atomic model of VAI was predicted based on the experimental constraints from SHAPE analysis using a fragment assembly approach. The atomic structure agrees well with the SAXS envelope. This model rationalizes the roles of the three domains of VAI in mediating high affinity PKR binding.
Anorexia: the toll for lipopolysaccharide recognition

the reviews of Hart ([13][1]) and Kent et al. ([20][2]) have drawn attention to the so-called sickness syndrome, a suite of autonomic and behavioral manifestations (sickness symptoms or responses) of systemic inflammation. The syndrome unites sickness responses (e.g., fever, hypothermia,
Integrating Civil Society and Economic Growth in Appalachia

Building from a framework that incorporates ideas from the civil society per- spective into market-based sociological models of economic growth, this article examines the effects of three measures of civic engagement on measure of economic growth in Appalachian counties during the 1990-1995 period. The analysis shows that net of other market competition- based measures, civic engagement does have a net positive impact on economic growth (increases in private non-farm employment, private establishment, per capita income, earnings, etc.). The three measures of civic engagement are (1) percent of population in civically engaged denomi- nations (1990), (2) number of national associations per capita (1990), (3) and number of third places per capita (1990). All three measures have significant positive effects in one or more models. Percent in civically engaged denominations has the most consistent effects. Implications are discussed.
On Orderpotent Rings

In [1] has been given the definition and some basic properties of orderpotent rings, at that time called l-nilpotent rings (see the definition below). The main theorem concerned the structure of orderpotent algebras over a totally ordered ring. Presently we restate the theorem along with a much better proof. We also give the answers to the two questions asked at the end of that paper.
Multifunctional class I transcription in Trypanosoma brucei depends on a novel protein complex

The vector-borne, protistan parasite Trypanosoma brucei is the only known eukaryote with a multifunctional RNA polymerase I that, in addition to ribosomal genes, transcribes genes encoding the parasite's major cell-surface proteins—the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) and procyclin. In the mammalian bloodstream, antigenic variation of the VSG coat is the parasite's means to evade the immune response, while procyclin is necessary for effective establishment of trypanosome infection in the fly. Moreover, the exceptionally high efficiency of mono-allelic VSG expression is essential to bloodstream trypanosomes since its silencing caused rapid cell-cycle arrest in vitro and clearance of parasites from infected mice. Here we describe a novel protein complex that recognizes class I promoters and is indispensable for class I transcription; it consists of a dynein light chain and six polypeptides that are conserved only among trypanosomatid parasites. In accordance with an essential transcriptional function of the complex, silencing the expression of a key subunit was lethal to bloodstream trypanosomes and specifically affected the abundance of rRNA and VSG mRNA. The complex was dubbed class I transcription factor A.
Breathing through an inspiratory threshold device improves stroke volume during central hypovolemia in humans

Inspiratory resistance induced by breathing through an impedance threshold device (ITD) reduces intrathoracic pressure and increases stroke volume (SV) in supine normovolemic humans. We hypothesize...
It Makes a Village: Residential Relocation after Charter School Admission

Although numerous studies investigate how student achievement is impacted by educational vouchers and charter schools, there appears to be no research on how these programs impact the surrounding environment. This study examines residential relocation of families whose children attend a charter school. We develop a conceptual model that predicts where relocating families are likely to move, given ex ante distance and direction to the school. The model is parameterized using data from student mailing address changes. We find that families are almost twice as likely to relocate toward the school as would be expected if the school did not exert any attraction. Moreover, although families are not required to live near the school, the child's school exerts a significantly stronger attraction than parent workplaces. This result may have important implications for mitigating urban sprawl, fostering urban renewal and promoting sustainable real estate development.
Application MTTFE vs. Platform MTBF: A Fresh Perspective on System Reliability and Application Throughput for Computations at Scale

When running on HPC systems characterized by component failure rates high enough to impact productivity, it becomes important to consider the impact of those failures on individual applications. Typically, this is done by assuming that the mean time between failures (MTBF) for hardware and software components on the system is equivalent to the mean time to fatal error (MTTFE) for an application running on that system. In addition, one commonly applies the rule of thumb estimate that application MTTFE scales as the inverse of the number of nodes used to run the application, so that running on half as many nodes increases MTTFE by a factor of two. However, this estimate does not take into account the fact that a non-trivial fraction of failures affect multiple compute nodes, so a single component failure has the potential to cause multiple application fatal errors. In the work that follows, a new model for application MTTFE is derived based on the impact of multi-component failures and their potential to terminate multiple applications.
Type IV Pilus Secretins Have Extracellular C Termini

ABSTRACT Type IV pili (T4Ps) are surface appendages used by Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens for motility and attachment to epithelial surfaces. In Gram-negative bacteria, such as the important pediatric pathogen enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), during extension and retraction, the pilus passes through an outer membrane (OM) pore formed by the multimeric secretin complex. The secretin is common to Gram-negative assemblies, including the related type 2 secretion (T2S) system and the type 3 secretion (T3S) system. The N termini of the secretin monomers are periplasmic and in some systems have been shown to mediate substrate specificity. In this study, we mapped the topology of BfpB, the T4P secretin from EPEC, using a combination of biochemical and biophysical techniques that allowed selective identification of periplasmic and extracellular residues. We applied rules based on solved atomic structures of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) to generate our topology model, combining the experimental results with secondary structure prediction algorithms and direct inspection of the primary sequence. Surprisingly, the C terminus of BfpB is extracellular, a result confirmed by flow cytometry for BfpB and a distantly related T4P secretin, PilQ, from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Keeping with prior evidence, the C termini of two T2S secretins and one T3S secretin were not detected on the extracellular surface. On the basis of our data and structural constraints, we propose that BfpB forms a beta barrel with 16 transmembrane beta strands. We propose that the T4P secretins have a C-terminal segment that passes through the center of each monomer. IMPORTANCE Secretins are multimeric proteins that allow the passage of secreted toxins and surface structures through the outer membranes (OMs) of Gram-negative bacteria. To date, there have been no atomic structures of the C-terminal region of a secretin, although electron microscopy (EM) structures of the complex are available. This work provides a detailed topology prediction of the membrane-spanning domain of a type IV pilus (T4P) secretin. Our study used innovative techniques to provide new and comprehensive information on secretin topology, highlighting similarities and differences among secretin subfamilies. Additionally, the techniques used in this study may prove useful for the study of other OM proteins.
Anaconda: simulation-based synthesis of analog circuits via stochastic pattern search

Analog synthesis tools have traditionally traded quality for speed, substituting simplified circuit evaluation methods for full simulation in order to accelerate the numerical search for solution candidates. As a result, these tools have failed to migrate into mainstream use primarily because of difficulties in reconciling the simplified models required for synthesis with the industrial-strength simulation environments required for validation. We argue that for synthesis to be practical, it is essential to synthesize a circuit using the same simulation environment created to validate the circuit. In this paper, we develop a new numerical search algorithm efficient enough to allow full circuit simulation of each circuit candidate, and robust enough to find good solutions for difficult circuits. The method combines the population-of-solutions ideas from evolutionary algorithms with a novel variant of pattern search, and supports transparent network parallelism. Comparison of several synthesized cell-level circuits against manual industrial designs demonstrates the utility of the approach.
Phosphorylation of connexin 32, a hepatocyte gap-junction protein, by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase C and Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II

Phosphorylation of connexin 32, the major liver gap-junction protein, was studied in purified liver gap junctions and in hepatocytes. In isolated gap junctions, connexin 32 was phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PK), by protein kinase C (PKC) and by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (Ca2+/CaM-PK II). Connexin 26 was not phosphorylated by these three protein kinases. Phosphopeptide mapping of connexin 32 demonstrated that cAMP-PK and PKC primarily phosphorylated a seryl residue in a peptide termed peptide 1. PKC also phosphorylated seryl residues in additional peptides. Ca2+/CaM-PK II phosphorylated serine and to a lesser extent, threonine, at sites different from those phosphorylated by the other two protein kinases. A synthetic peptide PSRKGSGFGHRL-amine (residues 228–239 based on the deduced amino acid sequence of rat connexin 32) was phosphorylated by cAMP-PK and by PKC, with kinetic properties being similar to those for other physiological substrates phosphorylated by these enzymes. Ca2+/CaM-PK II did not phosphorylate the peptide. Phosphopeptide mapping and amino acid sequencing of the phosphorylated synthetic peptide indicated that Ser233 of connexin 32 was present in peptide 1 and was phosphorylated by cAMP-PK or by PKC. In hepatocytes labeled with [32P]orthophosphoric acid, treatment with forskolin or 20-deoxy-20-oxophorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBt) resulted in increased 32P-incorporation into connexin 32. Phosphopeptide mapping and phosphoamino acid analysis showed that a seryl residue in peptide 1 was most prominently phosphorylated under basal conditions. Treatment with forskolin or PDBt stimulated the phosphorylation of peptide 1. PDBt treatment also increased the phosphorylation of seryl residues in several other peptides. PDBt did not affect the cAMP-PK activity in hepatocytes. It has previously been shown that phorbol ester reduces dye coupling in several cell types, however in rat hepatocytes, dye coupling was not reduced by treatment with PDBt. Thus, activation of PKC may have differential effects on junctional permeability in different cell types; one source of this variability may be differences in the sites of phosphorylation in different gap-junction proteins.
ASAP-a symbolic algebra package for accelerator design

The conceptual design and primary implementation steps of a symbolic algebra program based on MACSYMA for the design of accelerators, storage rings, and transport lines are discussed. The motivation for using symbolic algebra is discussed. A design case that shows the advantage of this approach is presented. >
USE OF HIGHER -ORDER STATISTICS IN SIGNAL PROCESSING AND SYSTEM THEORY: AN UPDATE

During the past few years there has been an increasing interest in applying higher-order statistics, namely cumulants, and their associated Fourier transforms, polyspectra, to a wide range of signal processing and system theory problems. Cumulants and polyspectra can make a big difference in those problems where signals are non-Gaussian and systems are nonminimum phase (or, nonlinear). This paper provides a brief overview of much of the work that has occurred when parametric models are used in conjunction with higher-order statistics. It covers: identification of MA processes, identification of AR processes, identification of ARMA processes, order determination, calculation of cumulants, calculation of polyspectra, extensions to multi-channel and two-dimensional systems, and applications.
Investigating the use of autonomic cloudbursts for high-throughput medical image registration

This paper investigates the use of clouds and autonomic cloudbursting to support a medical image registration. The goal is to enable a virtual computational cloud that integrates local computational environments and public cloud services on-the-fly, and support image registration requests from different distributed researcher groups with varied computational requirements and QoS constraints. The virtual cloud essentially implements shared and coordinated task-spaces, which coordinates the scheduling of jobs submitted by a dynamic set of research groups to their local job queues. A policy-driven scheduling agent uses the QoS constraints along with performance history and the state of the resources to determine the appropriate size and mix of the public and private cloud resource that should be allocated to a specific request. The virtual computational cloud and the medical image registration service have been developed using the CometCloud engine and have been deployed on a combination of private clouds at Rutgers University and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Amazon EC2. An experimental evaluation is presented and demonstrates the effectiveness of autonomic cloudbursts and policy-based autonomic scheduling for this application.
Childhood maltreatment and combat posttraumatic stress differentially predict fear-related fronto-subcortical connectivity.

BACKGROUND: Adult posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been characterized by altered fear-network connectivity. Childhood trauma is a major risk factor for adult PTSD, yet its contribution to fear-network connectivity in PTSD remains unexplored. We examined, within a single model, the contribution of childhood maltreatment, combat exposure, and combat-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) to resting-state connectivity (rs-FC) of the amygdala and hippocampus in military veterans. METHODS: Medication-free male veterans (n = 27, average 26.6 years) with a range of PTSS completed resting-state fMRI. Measures including the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and Combat Exposure Scale (CES) were used to predict rs-FC using multilinear regression. Fear-network seeds included the amygdala and hippocampus. RESULTS: Amygdala: CTQ predicted lower connectivity to ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), but greater anticorrelation with dorsal/lateral PFC. CAPS positively predicted connectivity to insula, and loss of anticorrelation with dorsomedial/dorsolateral (dm/dl)PFC. Hippocampus: CTQ predicted lower connectivity to vmPFC, but greater anticorrelation with dm/dlPFC. CES predicted greater anticorrelation, whereas CAPS predicted less anticorrelation with dmPFC. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood trauma, combat exposure, and PTSS differentially predict fear-network rs-FC. Childhood maltreatment may weaken ventral prefrontal-subcortical circuitry important in automatic fear regulation, but, in a compensatory manner, may also strengthen dorsal prefrontal-subcortical pathways involved in more effortful emotion regulation. PTSD symptoms, in turn, appear to emerge with the loss of connectivity in the latter pathway. These findings suggest potential mechanisms by which developmental trauma exposure leads to adult PTSD, and which brain mechanisms are associated with the emergence of PTSD symptoms. Language: en
Selecting RMF Controls for National Security Systems

In 2014, the United States Department of Defense started tra nsitioning the way it performs risk management and accreditation of informatio n systems to a process entitled Risk Management Framework for DoD Information Technology or RMF for DoD IT. There are many more security and privacy contro ls (and control enhancements) from which to select in RMF, than there w ere in the previous Information Assurance process. This report is an attempt t o clarify the way security controls and enhancements are selected. After a brief overview and comparison of RMF for DoD I T with the previously used process, this report looks at the determination of systems as National Security Systems (NSS). Once deemed to be an NSS, this report addr esses the categorization of the information system with respect to impact level s of the various security objectives and the selection of an initial baseline o f controls. Next, the report describes tailoring the controls through the use of overl ays and scoping considerations. Finally, the report discusses organizatio n-defined values for tuning the security controls to the needs of the information system.
Gap Analysis Guidelines for Assessing Acute, Chronic, and Lifetime Exposures to High Levels of Various Nutrients

Twenty-two tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) have been established using data available from research with both humans and animals. No ULs were established for another 10 nutrients for which the existing data were evaluated. Gaps in knowledge on the adverse health effects that may arise as a result of acute, chronic, and lifetime exposures to high levels of many of these nutrients remain. The existence of a UL for a nutrient is not an indication that no gaps in the desired information exist, nor does the absence of a UL suggest that no risk of adverse health effects exists for very high levels of nutrient intake. Finally, it is important to keep in mind the definition of a UL. It is "the highest level of daily nutrient intake that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects for almost all individuals in the general population." There are many gaps in knowledge about the levels at which several nutrients cause adverse health effects. As these gaps are filled, the values for ULs will be adjusted as appropriate.
Effect of Exertion on Vital Capacity of Normal Subjects

SummaryThe vital capacity of normal subjects is not diminished by exercise severe enough to cause marked dyspnea. It is concluded that the dyspnea of exertion of normal subjects is not due to impaired pulmonary function consequent to congestion of the lungs.
The State of American Federalism 1989–1990

American federalism in 1989-1990 had a certain familiar ring to it. The salient themes and debates of the Reagan era continued to characterize the Bush era-in the White House, the Congress, the Supreme Court, and the states. Where changes could be discerned, they tended to be more stylistic than substantive.' Thus, on 16 February 1990, President George Bush confirmed his administration's support for the New Federalism of the 1980s by reaffirming President Ronald Reagan's 1987 Executive Order 12612, which requires federal executive agencies to conduct federalism assessments of proposed legislation and regulations.2 At the same time, the U.S. Supreme Court continued to be divided over policies of abstention from and active intervention in state and local affairs. In the Bush administration, however, there has been a distinct turn toward dialogue and liaison between the White House and state and local governments. For this, the Bush administration has received kudos from many state and local officials for at least lending a sympathetic ear to their concerns. As the executive director of the National Governors' Association said, "I'm immensely impressed with how much listening is going on [in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs], but it's liaison activity as opposed to policy-making activity.''3 While the White House has opened communication channels, it has not yet put forth an explicit philosophy of federalism policymaking. At the moment, exhortations to do good, do it better, and do it on the state or local plane perhaps best summarize Bush's approach.
Parameter Estimation for a Multivariate Exponential Distribution

Simple consistent estimates are derived for the parameters of a multivariate exponential distribution. The mean squared error of the estimates is computed, and a lower bound for their efficiency is derived. A precise lower bound for the efficiency is computed in the bivariate case. It does not seem feasible to compute the efficiency precisely in the multivariate case. Some attention is given to the behavior of the estimates when observations are rounded prior to analysis.
Diminished Innate Antiviral Response to Adenovirus Vectors in cGAS/STING-Deficient Mice Minimally Impacts Adaptive Immunity

ABSTRACT Infection by adenovirus, a nonenveloped DNA virus, induces antiviral innate and adaptive immune responses. Studies of transformed human and murine cell lines using short hairpin RNA (shRNA) knockdown strategies identified cyclic guanine adenine synthase (cGAS) as a pattern recognition receptor (PRR) that contributes to the antiadenovirus response. Here we demonstrate how the cGAS/STING cascade influences the antiviral innate and adaptive immune responses in a murine knockout model. Using knockout bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMOs), we determined that cGAS and STING are essential to the induction of the antiadenovirus response in these antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in vitro . We next determined how the cGAS/STING cascade impacts the antiviral response following systemic administration of a recombinant adenovirus type 5 vector (rAd5V). Infection of cGAS −/− and STING −/− mice results in a compromised early antiviral innate response compared to that in wild-type (WT) controls: significantly lower levels of beta interferon (IFN-β) secretion, low levels of proinflammatory chemokine induction, and reduced levels of antiviral transcript induction in hepatic tissue. At 24 h postinfection, levels of viral DNA and reporter gene expression in the liver were similar in all strains. At 28 days postinfection, clearance of infected hepatocytes in cGAS or STING knockout mice was comparable to that in WT C57BL/6 mice. Levels of neutralizing anti-Ad5V antibody were modestly reduced in infected cGAS mice. These data support a dominant role for the cGAS/STING cascade in the early innate antiviral inflammatory response to adenovirus vectors. However, loss of the cGAS/STING pathway did not affect viral clearance, and cGAS deficiency had a modest influence on the magnitude of the antiviral humoral immune response to adenovirus infections. IMPORTANCE The detection of viral infection by host sentinel immune cells contributes to the activation of a complex and varied antiviral innate and adaptive immune response, which limits virus replication, spread, and susceptibility to infection. In this study, we have characterized how the cGAS/STING DNA-sensing cascade contributes to early detection of adenovirus infections. cGAS influences APC activation and early innate antiviral inflammatory immune responses, but adaptive immune pathways associated with virus clearance and anti-Ad antibody production were minimally influenced by the loss of the cGAS PRR signaling cascade.
Reflex Anoxic Seizure in a 13-Year-Old Healthy Girl by Performing the “Mess Trick” and “Fainting Lark”

“Mess Trick” is the process of simultaneous squatting with hyperventilation followed by sudden erect posturing to induce syncope. “Fainting Lark” is the “mess trick” combined with forced valsalva while erect. This rare behavior, when identified, has been isolated to autistic, cognitively impaired children. More unlikely is this behavior discovered in the cognitively-well population. A 13-year-old healthy girl presented with a first episode of seizure. The seizure was unprovoked according to the history provided by the patient and an eyewitness. Routine radiology and laboratory analysis could not reveal an etiologic source. After speaking with the adolescent in the absence of her parents, she admitted playing a “black-out” game performing the “mess trick” and “fainting lark.” The resultant myoclonic jerks were the result of intentionally provoked syncope. Therefore, high-risk behaviors should be included in the differential of first episode of unprovoked seizure in a healthy adolescent.
Non-invasive sensor solutions for activity recognition in smart homes

Smart home sensor systems that infer residents' activities enable a number of exciting medical monitoring and energy conservation applications. Existing home activity recognition systems are invasive, since they require significant manual effort from the end user in installing or training the system, inconvenience the resident by requiring them to constantly wear tags, or require invasive cameras or expensive sensors. Our main hypothesis is that by effectively using data fusion techniques, leveraging the existing smart meter infrastructure in homes, and using only weak biometric sensing, we can build convenient, accurate home activity recognition solutions for the end user. The key challenges for home activity recognition systems addressed in this dissertation include reducing configuration effort from the end user, reducing sensor installation effort, and identifying residents in multi-person homes without using invasive sensors. To reduce user configuration effort, we develop an unsupervised activity recognition algorithm called AUTOLABEL that leverages data fusion and cross-home activity models to accurately recognize resident activities without user training. To eliminate many direct sensors in the home for activity recognition, we develop effective Bayesian data fusion techniques, which combine the existing smart meter infrastructure in homes, with one low cost, non-invasive sensor per room. In our WaterSense approach, we combine a single smart water meter per home, with an occupancy sensor per room to eliminate direct sensors on individual water fixtures. In our LightSense approach, we combine a single smart energy meter per home with a light sensor per room, to eliminate direct sensors on individual light fixtures. Finally, we propose the use of resident height, which is a weak biometric, in an effective data fusion approach, to identify residents for activity recognition in multi-person homes. We evaluate our proposed activity recognition solutions through short term prototype sensor deployments in home environments lasting from 7 to 10 days each. We show that our low cost, convenient solutions satisfy the activity recognition needs of numerous smart home applications, such as remote medical monitoring for elderly residents, and fine-grained resource consumption monitoring of light and water fixtures in the home. Finally, we observe that our unsupervised activity recognition algorithm can be used in a wireless snoop attack on smart homes, to infer the residents' daily activities with high accuracy in spite of encrypted wireless transmissions. We propose and evaluate a suite of privacy solutions to mitigate the inference accuracy of such an attack without affecting the performance or functionality of the home activity recognition system.
Exploring Post-Treatment Reversion of Antimicrobial Resistance in Enteric Bacteria of Food Animals as a Resistance Mitigation Strategy

Antimicrobial drug use in food animals is associated with an elevation in relative abundance of bacteria resistant to the drug among the animal enteric bacteria. Some of these bacteria are potential foodborne pathogens. Evidence suggests that at least in the enteric nontype-specific Escherichia coli, after treatment the resistance abundance reverts to the background pre-treatment levels, without further interventions. We hypothesize that it is possible to define the distribution of the time period after treatment within which resistance to the administered drug, and possibly other drugs in case of coselection, in fecal bacteria of the treated animals returns to the background pre-treatment levels. Furthermore, it is possible that a novel resistance mitigation strategy for microbiological food safety could be developed based on this resistance reversion phenomenon. The strategy would be conceptually similar to existing antimicrobial drug withdrawal periods, which is a well-established and accepted mitigation strategy for avoiding violative drug residues in the edible products from the treated animals. For developing resistance-relevant withdrawals, a mathematical framework can be used to join the necessary pharmacological, microbiological, and animal production components to project the distributions of the post-treatment resistance reversion periods in the production animal populations for major antimicrobial drug classes in use. The framework can also help guide design of empirical studies into the resistance-relevant withdrawal periods and development of mitigation approaches to reduce the treatment-associated elevation of resistance in animal enteric bacteria. We outline this framework, schematically and through exemplar equations, and how its components could be formulated.
A Unified Analysis of CCM Boost PFC for Various Current Control Strategies

A single phase continuous conduction mode (CCM) boost PFC can be classified by the method in which input current shaping is done: average-current, peak-current and valley-current controlled PFC. The output of voltage compensator is different in above current controllers for the same loading condition. In this paper, a mathematical derivation using Fourier analysis of input current is presented to determine the value of the compensator output. The analysis is applied to determine the boundary condition for CCM operation. Theoretical comparison of the above derivations is supported by simulation results. A small-signal model of the system is required to design the voltage compensator parameters. A unified method of deriving small-signal model and the transfer function of the outer voltage loop is proposed. A design example of a compensator for average-current controlled PFC is given and differences at various points in conjunction with other current controllers are presented.
QueF-Like, a Non-Homologous Archaeosine Synthase from the Crenarchaeota.

Archaeosine (G+) is a structurally complex modified nucleoside ubiquitous to the Archaea, where it is found in the D-loop of virtually all archaeal transfer RNA (tRNA). Its unique structure, which includes a formamidine group that carries a formal positive charge, and location in the tRNA, led to the proposal that it serves a key role in stabilizing tRNA structure. Although G+ is limited to the Archaea, it is structurally related to the bacterial modified nucleoside queuosine, and the two share homologous enzymes for the early steps of their biosynthesis. In the Euryarchaeota, the last step of the archaeosine biosynthetic pathway involves the amidation of a nitrile group on an archaeosine precursor to give formamidine, a reaction catalyzed by the enzyme Archaeosine Synthase (ArcS). Most Crenarchaeota lack ArcS, but possess two proteins that inversely distribute with ArcS and each other, and are implicated in G+ biosynthesis. Here, we describe biochemical studies of one of these, the protein QueF-like (QueF-L) from Pyrobaculum calidifontis, that demonstrate the catalytic activity of QueF-L, establish where in the pathway QueF-L acts, and identify the source of ammonia in the reaction.
Adsorption of Homotrifunctional 1,2,3-Benzenetriol on a Ge(100)-2 × 1 Surface

The adsorption of the homotrifunctional 1,2,3-benzenetriol on Ge(100)-2 × 1 has been investigated by density functional theory calculations, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray-photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show that the adsorption can occur through OH dissociation of all three hydroxyl groups, and that all three reaction pathways are kinetically and thermodynamically favorable. A coverage-dependent analysis shows that at low coverage, the molecule reacts to form a mix of trifold and dually bound adsorbates. As the coverage increases, the reactions are limited to dissociative adsorption through single and dual attachments. Calculations on the three possible dually bound configurations further reveals that the dissociative adsorption of the third hydroxyl group is limited by geometrical constraints to only two reaction channels. Finally, the proximity between OH-groups in the molecule favors intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which stabilizes singly and dually bound adsorb...
A Framework for Multimedia Software Engineering

On December 31, 1998 USA Today carried an interesting article, “Birth of a New Order”, talking about the year that the world’s lines of time and space collapsed. The most incisive paragraphs are excerpted below:
An Examination of Parental Involvement Practices in Their Children's Schooling by Zimbabwean Immigrant Mothers in Cincinnati, Ohio.

This study examined parental involvement practices by Zimbabwean immigrant mothers in Cincinnati, Ohio. Research had shown the link between parental involvement and children’s academic success. We ...
Metformin treatment decreases nitroxidative stress, restores nitric oxide bioavailability and endothelial function beyond glucose control.

Abstract Reduction of nitric oxide (NO), a potent vasodilator, and an increase in cytotoxic peroxynitrite (ONOO−) may be associated with the uncoupling of NO synthase (eNOS) and endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction. In addition to its effect on glucose control, metformin, may also directly benefit in the restoration of the function of eNOS and EC. Obese Zucker rats were administered vehicle or 300 mg/kg/day metformin for 4 weeks. NO concentration [NO] and ONOO− concentration [ONOO−] were measured in aortic and glomerular endothelial cells from Zucker rats in vitro. Compared with controls, aortic and glomerular endothelial [NO] was reduced by 32% and 41%, while [ONOO−] release increased 79% and 69%, respectively. Metformin treatment increased aortic and glomerular endothelial [NO] by 37% and 57%, respectively, while decreasing [ONOO−] by 32% and 34%, compared with vehicle-treated animals. Treatment with metformin significantly restored the balance in the [NO]/[ONOO−] ratio with 101% and 138% increase for aortic and glomerular endothelial cells, respectively. Fasting glucose levels were not significantly changed. These findings indicate that metformin therapy has a direct and beneficial effect on arterial and renal EC function in obese rats, including enhanced NO release and reduced nitroxidative stress, beyond any effects on fasting glucose levels.
The Instructional Quality Assessment as a tool for reflecting on instructional practice

The Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA) identifies the nature and quality of classroom instruction by considering students’ opportunities to engage in cognitively demanding mathematical work and discussions. The IQA assesses ambitious mathematics instruction based on the following dimensions: potential of the task, task implementation, rigor of the discussion, teacher’s questions, and accountable talk (e.g., teacher’s and students’ talk moves related to linking and press). The IQA rubrics have been tested for reliability and validity by the IQA team and external researchers. The IQA has previously been used in research to assess ambitious mathematics instruction. Through looking at three episodes of classroom instruction, this article will highlight how the IQA can go beyond assessing instruction and serve as a tool to enhance instruction by providing formative feedback to mathematics teachers targeted towards planning and implementing cognitively demanding tasks. While the IQA’s specific focus on assessing ambitious mathematics instruction may limit its applicability in research, when used as a professional learning tool, the IQA rubrics can provide explicit pointers to frame teachers’ learning, self-reflection, and instructional change.
DNA methylation and socioeconomic status in a Mexican-American birth cohort.

Maternal social environmental stressors during pregnancy are associated with adverse birth and child developmental outcomes, and epigenetics has been proposed as a possible mechanism for such relationships. In a Mexican-American birth cohort of 241 maternal-infant pairs, cord blood samples were measured for repeat element DNA methylation (LINE-1 and Alu). Linear mixed effects regression was used to model associations between indicators of the social environment (low household income and education, neighborhood-level characteristics) and repeat element methylation. Results from a dietary questionnaire were also used to assess the interaction between maternal diet quality and the social environment on markers of repeat element DNA methylation. After adjusting for confounders, living in the most impoverished neighborhoods was associated with higher cord blood LINE-1 methylation (β = 0.78, 95%CI 0.06, 1.50, p = 0.03). No other neighborhood-, household-, or individual-level socioeconomic indicators were significantly associated with repeat element methylation. We observed a statistical trend showing that positive association between neighborhood poverty and LINE-1 methylation was strongest in cord blood of infants whose mothers reported better diet quality during pregnancy (pinteraction = 0.12). Our findings indicate a small yet unexpected positive association between neighborhood-level poverty during pregnancy and methylation of repetitive element DNA in infant cord blood and that this association is possibly modified by diet quality during pregnancy. However, our null findings for other adverse SES indicators do not provide strong evidence for an adverse association between early-life socioeconomic environment and repeat element DNA methylation in infants.
What Differences Unionizing Teachers Might Make on Child Care in the USA: Results from an Exploratory Study

This exploratory case study assesses the impacts of unionizing teachers in 12 child care centers in Seattle, Washington. Open-ended, qualitative interviews with teachers, directors, and parents assessed participants' perspectives on the impact that unionization has had on wages, benefits, working conditions, and turnover in the unionized centers. Participants reported significant changes they attributed to unionizing in the following areas: winning a pilot Career and Wage Ladder which has increased wages, improved benefits including a pension plan and additional teacher planning days, decreased staff turnover, improved teacher/director communication, more systematic policies and procedures, and enhanced teacher ownership of job. Although teachers observed no negative effects, some directors and parents were more ambivalent about union impacts. Specific challenges to widespread child care unionization are discussed.
Climate Adaptive Planning for Preventing Heat-related Health Impacts in New York City

This paper explores the formal planning processes used by cities and local governments to adapt to and mitigate the hazards associated with current climate variability and expected climate change. Increased rates of mortality and morbidity due to summertime heat are a significant problem in New York City (NYC) and for many cities around the world, and are expected to increase with a warming climate. Populations may be at increased risk because of greater heat exposure—for example, due to the urban heat island (UHI)—or by virtue of demographic, social, or medical risk factors. Those at greater risk for heat-related health impacts in American cities include the elderly, low-income and communities of color, those with limited mobility and little social contact, those with pre-existing health conditions, and those lacking access to public facilities and public transportation. A case study describes the initial work of the NYC Climate Adaptation Task Force and the formal planning undertaken by the city to prevent heat-related health effects from excessive summertime heat. A community-based adaptation planning process may help address the social justice dimension of the impacts of extreme events and climate change in NYC while increasing the effectiveness of adaptive programs and policies. This paper represents primary research into the climate adaptation strategies of municipalities and could be useful for a range of urban actors.
Patterns of Suspensory Feeding in Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, and Cebus capucinus

The positional behavior of a primate is not an end in itself, but is instead a means to many ends (Andrews and Groves, 1976; Charles-Dominique, 1990; Cant, 1992). One of the most important of these is food acquisition. Compared to other orders of mammals, primates consume a wide variety of food resources, most of which can be subsumed under the categories of fruit, leaves, seeds, exudates, and insect prey (Harding, 1981; Sussman, 1987). These food resources often present alternative demands to a primate consumer and probably greatly influence patterns of substrate preference and canopy use. Although data suggest that broad correlations do not exist between diet and positional behavior, it is likely that specific positional behaviors are particularly important for specific resources in the diets of many primate species (Fleagle and Mittermeier, 1980; Fleagle, 1984). The identification of such relationships is critical if we are to interpret the positional behaviors of extant primates, or the reconstructed positional behaviors of extinct primates. Only when we know the ecological context of locomotor modes and feeding postures can we begin to address questions concerning their adaptive significance (Fleagle, 1979).
‘Sen pátrea nin lareira’: los espacios nacionales y domésticos en la novela transatlántica ¡A Besta! de Xan de Masma

Autores gallegos en el exterior participaron en el Rexurdimento utilizando la literatura como vehiculo para anunciar una idea de Galicia ya como region (si no nacion), patria y hogar. Entre esos autores cuyas obras aparecieron en las revistas habaneras se encuentra Xan de Masma, el pseudonimo bajo lo cual se publico una de las pocas novelas en gallego durante el periodo, iA Besta! (1899). El autor emigrante, soldado e intelectual gallego ofrece una vision multiple y transatlantica de la cultura gallega en el fin de siglo. La novela nos presenta con dos Galicias diferentes, la de los personajes y la del autor/ narrador emigrante. El retorno al hogar familiar, calido y romantizado que experimentan sus personajes le es negado al autor/ narrador emigrante. A la medida que la nacion gallega fue limitada a lo literario en el XIX, la Galicia idealizada y modernizada representada en la novela era posible solo en la ficcion y no en la realidad historica que le toco vivir Xan de Masma.
Party System Change in Legislatures Worldwide: Moving Outside the Electoral Arena

Part I. The Prospect of Party-System Change between Elections: 1. The phenomenon of party and party-system change 2. How parliamentary party-system change matters for policy 3. Why and how individual incumbents change legislative party systems Part II. Discerning Mechanisms through Case Studies: 4. Legislators' pursuit of benefits and legislative party-system change 5. Avoidance of electoral costs and stability in parliamentary parties Part III. Generalizing in a Broader Empirical Setting: 6. Setting up the analysis of 110 parliaments 7. Institutional inducements and preference-based deterrents to legislative party-system change 8. Comparative statics: where our assumptions may not apply 9. Conclusions.
A memetic algorithm for solving optimal control problems of Zika virus epidemic with equilibriums and backward bifurcation analysis

Abstract The large-scale outbreak of Zika virus in 2015–2016 attracted global attention. As of January 2018, 137,515 cases of Zika virus were confirmed in the United States and Brazil, and 223,477 cases were confirmed in the world by PAHO and WHO. This paper utilizes an existed mathematics model in the Zika virus, then analyzes the stability and bifurcation by changing the closed population system to an open system. Moreover, this paper establishes an optimal control problem associated with the open population system based on several popular disease intervention strategies frequently used by public health agencies to mitigate the Zika epidemics. Comparisons of traditional Pontryagin's maximum principle and a new memetic algorithm are conducted for different intervention strategies. Also, our computational results suggest that continuous optimal control strategies may not be practical in real-world applications. Instead, the memetic algorithm-based discrete is relatively easy to be implemented.
Intervention Strategies to Elicit MVPA in Preschoolers during Outdoor Play

Approximately 50% of preschoolers do not meet physical activity recommendations and children who reside in low-income rural communities may be further at risk for higher levels of sedentary behavior. Outdoor play is essential for preschool children; however, literature is unclear as to which types of interventions elicit moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for all preschoolers. The aim of this study was to determine which type of intervention, physical activity or fundamental motor skill focus, elicits MVPA during outdoor play. Ninety-eight preschool children (M age = 4.48 years) from one Head Start center participated in an outdoor play intervention two days per week for 7 weeks. Classes were randomly assigned to one of four groups: fundamental motor skill focus (FMS), physical activity focus (PA), FMS and PA (FMS + PA), and control. An accelerometer worn on the hip measured MVPA. Results showed that age, sex and group assignment contributed to MVPA at the beginning of the intervention and age, sex, group assignment and MVPA during the beginning of the intervention contributed to MVPA at the end of the intervention. Overall, the FMS + PA group elicited MVPA from males and females of all ages. Interventions that combine both FMS and PA may reduce physical activity disparities in preschool children.