cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The performance of disk arrays in shared-memory database machines

In this paper, we examine how disk arrays and shared memory multiprocessors lead to an effective method for constructing database machines for general-purpose complex query processing. We show that disk arrays can lead to cost-effective storage systems if they are configured from suitably small formfactor disk drives. We introduce the storage system metric data temperature as a way to evaluate how well a disk configuration can sustain its workload, and we show that disk arrays can sustain the same data temperature as a more expensive mirrored-disk configuration. We use the metric to evaluate the performance of disk arrays in XPRS, an operational shared-memory multiprocessor database system being developed at the University of California, Berkeley.
Metastasis suppressors and the tumor microenvironment.

The most dangerous attribute of cancer cells is their ability to metastasize. Throughout the process of metastasis, tumor cells interact with other tumor cells, host cells and extracellular molecules. This brief review explores how a new class of molecules – metastasis suppressors – regulate tumor cell–microenvironmental interactions. Data are presented which demonstrate that metastasis suppressors act at multiple steps of the metastatic cascade. A brief discussion for how metastasis suppressor regulation of cellular interactions might be exploited is presented.
Exploration of Cytosine Methylation Effects on Protein-DNA Binding

Bisulfite sequencing has been employed to great effect to identify DNA methylation changes between different tissues, through stem cell differentiation, and even in cancer development. However, there is an ever increasing problem of assessing the functional importance of these methylation changes- though work has demonstrated that methylation affects protein-DNA interaction, a clear and comprehensive delineation of the strength of these effects is lacking. We employed a modified chromatin immunoprecipitation method combined with bisulfite sequencing to identify the distribution of methylation patterns present in bound DNA. We used both synthetically generated in vitro samples for an unbiased measurement and samples derived from cell lines for physiologically relevant patterns. Our library preparation methodology uses magnetic bead ChIP (Life Technologies) combined with methylated hairpin adapters (NEB) and low-input bisulfite methods (Zymo Research) with custom modifications. We then sequenced these libraries on an Illumina MiSeq for the long-read length offered (2x300). The results were compared to the input methylome to determine the relative frequency of methylation patterns bound by protein. In our initial work, we examined the methylation patterns of DNA bound by CTCF and MeCP2. The number of methylated locations required to affect protein-binding was measured, as well as the frequency of binding versus a known binding sequence. We specifically examined DNA upstream and downstream of the known binding motifs, to determine non-local effects of methylation on protein-DNA affinity.
Saccadic eye movements following kainic acid lesions of the pulvinar in monkeys

Behavioral and anatomical experiments have suggested that the pulvinar might play a role in the generation of saccadic eye movements to visual targets. To test this idea, we trained monkeys to make visually-guided saccades by requiring them to detect the dimming of a small target. We used three different saccade paradigms. On single-step trials, saccades were made from a central fixation point (FP) to a target at 12, 24 or 36° to the left or right. On overlap trials, the FP remained lit during presentation of a target at 12 or 24°. On double-step trials, the target stepped first to 24°, and then back to 12° on the same side. Animals were trained to criterion, received kainic acid lesions of the pulvinar, and were retested on all three tasks. The lesions were very large, destroying almost all of the visually responsive pulvinar. They also encroached on the lateral geniculate nucleus, thereby producing small foveal scotomas, and this resulted in some behavioral changes, including difficulty in maintaining fixation on the target and in detecting its dimming. Results on the saccade tests suggest that the pulvinar is not crucial for initiation of saccadic eye movements. Saccade latency and amplitude were unimpaired on both single-step and overlap trials. Saccadic performance was also normal on double-step trials. In a second experiment, we measured the average length of fixations during spontaneous viewing of a complex visual scene. Fixation lengths did not differ from those of unoperated control monkeys. We suggest that the neglect, increased saccadic latencies, and prolonged fixations attributed to pulvinar damage in previous studies were probably the result instead of inadvertent damage to tectal afferents. The present results, together with single unit data, point to a role for the pulvinar not in the generation of saccades, but rather in the integration of saccadic eye movements with visual processing.
The role of nitrite in preventing development of warmed-over flavour

Abstract Development of warmed-over flavour (WOF) was followed in samples of beef, pork and chicken with and without added nitrite. Samples were evaluated by the 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test and by sensory panel scores both before and after cooking at 0 days and again after storage for 48 h at 4°C. Added nitrite inhibited WOF development in cooked meat, resulting in a two fold reduction in TBA values for beef and chicken and a five fold reduction in pork. Sensory panel scores confirmed the protective effect of added nitrite in meat from all three species. Total lipid levels were not significantly related to WOF, but there was evidence for involvement of phospholipids.
Mixed mucinous and papillary adenocarcinoma involving male urethra, probably originating in periurethral glands

The case of a patient with primary adenocarcinoma involving the urethra is described. Morphologic evidence supporting an origin in the periurethral glands is presented. The urologist and pathologist must maintain a high index of suspicion in evaluating patients with urethral structure or urethrocutaneous fistulae because superficial transurethral biopsy may fail to obtain adequate depth to demonstrate malignancy.
Weak electromagnetic fields attenuate tremor in multiple sclerosis

It has been estimated that about 75% of patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) have tremor which can be exceedingly disabling. The most common tremor observed in patients with MS is a cerebellar intention tremor (‘kinetic tremor’) although postural tremor ('static tremor’) is also common and often extremely incapacitating. Currently there is no effective medical treatment for the tremor of MS which, in some severe cases, may be abolished by stereotactic thalamotomy. It was reported recently that extracranial application of brief AC pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the picotesla (pT) range produced improvement in motor and cognitive functions in patients with MS. The present communication concerns three MS patients with a chronic progressive course of the disease (mean age: 39.3 ± 8.3 years; mean duration of illness: 11.3 ± 3.2 years) in whom brief external applications of pulsed EMFs of 7.5 pT intensity reduced intention and postural tremors resulting in significant functional improvement....
Adaptive Markov random fields for example-based super-resolution of faces

Image enhancement of low-resolution images can be done through methods such as interpolation, super-resolution using multiple video frames, and example-based super-resolution. Example-based super-resolution, in particular, is suited to images that have a strong prior (for those frameworks that work on only a single image, it is more like image restoration than traditional, multiframe super-resolution). For example, hallucination and Markov random field (MRF) methods use examples drawn from the same domain as the image being enhanced to determine what the missing high-frequency information is likely to be. We propose to use even stronger prior information by extending MRF-based super-resolution to use adaptive observation and transition functions, that is, to make these functions region-dependent. We show with face images how we can adapt the modeling for each image patch so as to improve the resolution.
Transformation with oligonucleotides creating clustered changes in the yeast genome.

We have studied single-strand oligonucleotide (oligo) transformation of yeast by using 40-nt long oligos that create multiple base changes to the yeast genome spread throughout the length of the oligos, making it possible to measure the portions of an oligo that are incorporated during transformation. Although the transformation process is greatly inhibited by DNA mismatch repair (MMR), the pattern of incorporation is essentially the same in the presence or absence of MMR, whether the oligo anneals to the leading or lagging strand of DNA replication, or whether phosphorothioate linkages are used at either end. A central core of approximately 15 nt is incorporated with a frequency of >90%; the ends are incorporated with a lower frequency, and loss of the two ends appears to be by different mechanisms. Bases that are 5–10 nt from the 5′ end are generally lost with a frequency of >95%, likely through a process involving flap excision. On the 3′ end, bases 5–10 nt from the 3′ end are lost about 1/3 of the time. These results indicate that oligos can be used to create multiple simultaneous changes to the yeast genome, even in the presence of MMR.
Constructing zeros of accretive operators

We prove a convergence theorem for an implicit iterative scheme and then apply it to an explicit one.
Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) from a Jute ( Corchorus olitorius ) cDNA Library

Analysis of the genome of jute (Corchorus olitorius) was done by creating a new cDNA library of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) in pBluescript as the previous libraries reported earlier in this journal yielded only small DNA fragments from chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA. This report discusses results from a cDNA library constructed using poly A+ mRNA purified from 7-day old etiolated jute seedlings. Out of 700 recombinant plasmids obtained, 250 were analyzed using WU-BLAST (www.arabidopsis.org) for similar EST sequences in Arabidopsis thaliana and other higher plants. So far the analysis of the library has yielded several significant sequences, including the complete open reading frame of the 60S acidic ribosomal protein P3 and a partial cDNA of Class I chitinase. These results and future EST sequences from this library will be made available in Genbank and the sequence information will be used to clone full length DNA through PCR.
Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E7 Oncoprotein Can Induce Abnormal Centrosome Duplication through a Mechanism Independent of Inactivation of Retinoblastoma Protein Family Members

The human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E7 oncoprotein rapidly induces centrosome duplication errors in primary human cells, thereby increasing the propensity for multipolar mitoses, which can lead to chromosome missegregation and aneuploidy. We analyzed a series of HPV-16 E7 mutants and demonstrate that this biological activity of the E7 oncoprotein is mediated by sequences encompassing the core pRB binding site but is independent of its ability to inactivate the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein pRB and the related pocket proteins p107 and p130. In addition, interaction of E7 with the S4 subunit of the 26S proteasome and dysregulation of cdc25A transcription are also dispensable for the induction of centrosome duplication errors. Consistent with these results, expression of HPV-16 E7 induces abnormal centrosome duplication in a cell line that lacks functional pRB and in mouse embryo fibroblasts that are deficient for pRB, p107, and p130. These results demonstrate that the molecular mechanism whereby HPV-16 E7 induces centrosome duplication errors is independent of its ability to inactivate pRB, p107, and p130 or to interact with the S4 proteasome subunit.
A newly recognized intrinsically knotted graph

In [Adams, [1994]; The Knot Book], Colin Adams states as an open question whether removing a vertex and all edges incident to that vertex from an intrinsically knotted graph must yield an intrinsically linked graph. In this paper, we exhibit an intrinsically knotted graph for which there is a vertex that can be removed, and the resulting graph is not intrinsically linked. We further show that this graph is minor minimal with respect to being intrinsically knotted. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 43: 199–209, 2003
Synthesis and antibacterial activities of water‐soluble methacrylate polymers containing quaternary ammonium compounds

New water-soluble methacrylate polymers with pendant quaternary ammonium (QA) groups were synthesized and used as antibacterial materials. The polymers with pendant QA groups were obtained by the reaction of the alkyl halide groups of a previously synthesized functional methacrylate homopolymer with various tertiary alkyl amines containing 12-, 14-, or 16-carbon alkyl chains. The structures of the functional polymer and the polymers with QA groups were confirmed with Fourier transform infrared and 1H and 13C NMR. The degree of conversion of alkyl halides to QA sites in each polymer was determined by 1H NMR to be over 90% in all cases. The number-average molecular weight and polydispersity of the functional polymer were determined by size exclusion chromatography to be 32,500 g/mol and 2.25, respectively. All polymers were thermally stable up to 180 °C according to thermogravimetric analysis. The antibacterial activities of the polymers with pendant QA groups against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were determined with broth-dilution and spread-plate methods. All the polymers showed excellent antibacterial activities in the range of 32–256 μg/mL. The antibacterial activity against S. aureus increased with an increase in the alkyl chain length for the ammonium groups, whereas the antibacterial activity against E. coli decreased with increasing alkyl chain length. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5965–5973, 2006
N‐Oxide 1,2,4,5‐Tetrazine‐Based High‐Performance Energetic Materials

One route to high density and high performance energetic materials based on 1,2,4,5-tetrazine is the introduction of 2,4-di-N-oxide functionalities. Based on several examples and through theoretical analysis, the strategy of regioselective introduction of these moieties into 1,2,4,5-tetrazines has been developed. Using this methodology, various new tetrazine structures containing the N-oxide functionality were synthesized and fully characterized using IR, NMR, and mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray analysis. Hydrogen peroxide (50 %) was used very effectively in lieu of the usual 90 % peroxide in this system to generate N-oxide tetrazine compounds successfully. Comparison of the experimental densities of N-oxide 1,2,4,5-tetrazine compounds with their 1,2,4,5-tetrazine precursors shows that introducing the N-oxide functionality is a highly effective and feasible method to enhance the density of these materials. The heats of formation for all compounds were calculated with Gaussian 03 (revision D.01) and these values were combined with measured densities to calculate detonation pressures (P) and velocities (νD ) of these energetic materials (Explo 5.0 v. 6.01). The new oxygen-containing tetrazines exhibit high density, good thermal stability, acceptable oxygen balance, positive heat of formation, and excellent detonation properties, which, in some cases, are superior to those of 1,3,5-tritnitrotoluene (TNT), 1,3,5-trinitrotriazacyclohexane (RDX), and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX).
Large-scale servo control using a matrix wire network for driving a large number of actuators

Traditionally, a dedicated power amplifier is used for driving each actuator. For a system with a large number of actuator, this one-to-one architecture may be inefficient and costly. This paper presents a new, scalable architecture, called networked actuation architecture, for the power drive and control of large-scale actuation systems. The networked actuation architecture allows sharing of the drive amplifiers among many actuators, and thereby reducing the number of the drive amplifiers and wiring requirements. Since several actuators are sharing a drive amplifier, traditional control algorithms are not applicable. Several new control algorithms for large-scale actuation are presented and compared. Simulation is performed for different types of control algorithm for different types of inputs.
Terabit Ethernet: A Time-Space Carrier Sense Multiple Access Method

To achieve Terabit and Petabit switching, both time (high transmission speed) and space (multi-stage interconnection network) technologies are required. We propose an Ethernet for which for both time and space are carrier sensed. We extend CSMA/CD to a time- space protocol called CSMA/TS. We call the space-time transmission medium Terabit Ethernet (TbE). This space sensing CSMA/TS protocol allows routing in ether to be done by the network interface card (NIC). The advantages are scalability, lower cost, and most importantly, reduced delay end-to-end. Simple analysis is given for evaluating throughput for 2-stage and 3-stage TbE networks.
Paternal sperm DNA methylation associated with early signs of autism risk in an autism-enriched cohort

Background: Epigenetic mechanisms such as altered DNA methylation have been suggested to play a role in autism, beginning with the classical association of PraderWilli syndrome, an imprinting disorder, with autistic features. Objectives: Here we tested for the relationship of paternal sperm DNA methylation with autism risk in offspring, examining an enriched-risk cohort of fathers of autistic children. Methods: We examined genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) in paternal semen biosamples obtained from an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) enriched-risk pregnancy cohort, the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) cohort, to estimate associations between sperm DNAm and prospective ASD development, using a 12-month ASD symptoms assessment, the Autism Observation Scale for Infants (AOSI). We analysed methylation data from 44 sperm samples run on the CHARM 3.0 array, which contains over 4 million probes (over 7 million CpG sites), including 30 samples also run on the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 (450K) BeadChip platform (� 485 000 CpG sites). We also examined associated regions in an independent sample of postmortem human brain ASD and control samples for which Illumina 450K DNA methylation data were available. Results: Using region-based statistical approaches, we identified 193 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in paternal sperm with a family-wise empirical P-value
Regionalism and the United Nations

Old soldiers may “just fade away” as General Douglas MacArthur reminded us, but the controversy over the relative merits of regionalism and globalism in international organization will ever be with us. That question generated as much heat as any other issue at San Francisco in 1945 with the possible exception of the veto. In more recent years the inadequacies of the United Nations, the changing nature of the Cold War, the growth and expansion of regional organizations, the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the continued shrinking of the universe have kept the heat of this controversy at a relatively high level.
God is in the Details: Reflections on Religion's Public Presence in the United States in the Mid-1990s*

L'A. s'interesse a la pratique religieuse aux Etats-Unis. Il montre que le climat religieux est marque dans ce pays par un desinteret pour les croyances fixees, definies. Il souligne que cette situation n'est pas sans poser de probleme pour les sociologues en ce qui concerne l'appreciation des phenomenes et des croyances religieuses. Il reevalue, en ce sens, les presupposes rationalistes, universalistes et positivistes de la sociologie des religions
Impact of fibrosis progression on clinical outcome in patients treated for post-transplant hepatitis C recurrence.

Background & Aims Patients who achieve sustained virological response (SVR) following the treatment of post-liver transplant (LT) recurrence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection have improved outcomes. The full impact of eradication of HCV on allograft histology is, however, not clearly known. Methods We studied allograft histology in protocol-based paired liver biopsies in consecutive LT recipients who underwent post-LT treatment of recurrence of HCV. Results A total of 116 patients were treated with interferon-based therapy for recurrent HCV. Paired pre-treatment baseline biopsies and post-treatment biopsies were available in 83.2% of patients. SVR was achieved in 37.9% of patients. Among the patients who achieved SVR, 20.5% had progression of fibrosis on post-treatment biopsies vs. 65.5% of patients with non-response/relapse (P < 0.001). The impact of virological response on fibrosis progression was sustained and a similar outcome was observed in the subset of patients who had 4–5 year post-treatment biopsies available. In the SVR group, 12.8% progressed to fibrosis stage ≥3 on post-treatment biopsies vs. 37.9% in the non-response/relapse group (P = 0.001). The 5-year survival in patients with progression of fibrosis 86% vs. 98% among patients who had improvement/stable fibrosis [P = 0.003; HR 3.8 (1.2–11.8)]. A small subset of patients who achieve SVR unfortunately still experience progression of fibrosis, most commonly associated with plasma cell hepatitis. Conclusions In post-transplant patients treated for HCV, SVR is associated with improved graft survival and also with sustained and significant improvement in histological outcome. Importantly, progression of fibrosis still occurred in a small subset of patients who achieved SVR.
The genetic basis of adaptive pigmentation variation in Drosophila melanogaster

In a broad survey of Drosophila melanogaster population samples, levels of abdominal pigmentation were found to be highly variable and geographically differentiated. A strong positive correlation was found between dark pigmentation and high altitude, suggesting adaptation to specific environments. DNA sequence polymorphism at the candidate gene ebony revealed a clear association with the pigmentation of homozygous third chromosome lines. The darkest lines sequenced had nearly identical haplotypes spanning 14.5 kb upstream of the protein-coding exons of ebony . Thus, natural selection may have elevated the frequency of an allele that confers dark abdominal pigmentation by influencing the regulation of ebony .
Multi-pass mapping schemes for parallel sparse matrix computations

Consider the solution of a large sparse linear system Ax = b on multiprocessors. A parallel sparse matrix factorization is required in a direct solver. Alternatively, if Krylov subspace iterative methods are used, then incomplete forms of parallel sparse factorization are required for preconditioning. In such schemes, the underlying parallel computation is tree-structured, utilizing task-parallelism at lower levels of the tree and data-parallelism at higher levels. The proportional heuristic has typically been used to map the data and computation to processors. However, for sparse systems from finite-element methods on complex domains, the resulting assignments can exhibit significant load-imbalances. In this paper, we develop a multi-pass mapping scheme to reduce such load imbalances and we demonstrate its effectiveness for a test suite of large sparse matrices. Our scheme can also be used to generate improved mappings for tree-structured applications beyond those considered in this paper.
Relationship between the reaction–diffusion master equation and particle tracking models

The reaction–diffusion master equation (RDME) is a model for chemical systems in which both noise in the chemical reaction process and the diffusion of molecules are important. It extends the chemical master equation for well-mixed chemical reactions by discretizing space into a collection of voxels. In this work, we show how the RDME may be rewritten as an equivalent 'particle tracking' model following the motion and interaction of individual molecules on a lattice. This new representation can be interpreted as a discrete version of the spatially-continuous 'probability distribution function' stochastic reaction–diffusion model studied by Doi. We show how this new representation can be mapped to a quantum field theory, complementing the existing work by Peliti mapping the RDME, and Doi mapping his spatially continuous model, to quantum field theories. The formal continuum limit, as the voxel size approaches zero, of the 'particle tracking' representation is studied to consider the question of whether the RDME approximates any spatially continuous model.
Neanderthals: Names, Hypotheses, and Scientific Method

The Neanderthal “problem” is less likely to be solved by hypotheses which are broad and inclusive, with respect to late Pleistocene hominids, than by more limited ones for which existing data are suitable and which conform in as many dimensions as possible to evolutionary theory. Specifically, the Brose-Wolpoff hypothesis (1971) fails to use a “population” understanding of Upper Pleistocene hominid variation and argues a universal model of Middle Paleolithic-Upper Paleolithic cultural and physical transition unsuitable for southern Africa or Southeast Asia.
Identifying dynamic IP address blocks serendipitously through background scanning traffic

Today's Internet contains a large portion of "dynamic" IP addresses, which are assigned to clients upon request. A significant amount of malicious activities have been reported from dynamic IP space, such as spamming, botnets, etc. Accurate identification of dynamic IP addresses will help build blacklists of suspicious hosts with more confidence, and help track the sources of different types of anomalous activities. In this paper, we contrast traffic activity patterns between static and dynamic IP addresses in a large campus network, as well as their activity patterns when countering outside scanning traffic. Based on the distinct characteristics observed, we propose a scanning-based technique for identifying dynamic IP addresses in blocks. We conduct an experiment using a month-long data collected from our campus network, and instead of scanning our own network, we utilize identified outside scanning traffic. The experiment results demonstrate a high classification rate with low false positive rate. As an on-going work, we also introduce our design of an online classifier that identifies dynamic IP addresses in any network in real-time.
Statins and almonds to lower lipoproteins (the STALL Study)

Background Dietary supplementation with almonds has demonstrated dose-dependent decreases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), likely because of their composition of beneficial nutrients including mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, fiber, and protein. Objective The primary objective of this study was to determine the changes in the lipid profile (LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], triglycerides, total cholesterol, non–HDL-C), LDL-C particle size, and lipoprotein (a) when 100 g of almonds daily were added to background statin therapy for 4 weeks. Methods Subjects (N = 48) receiving a consistent statin dose were randomized to 100 g of almonds daily and to The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel's third report Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet counseling (almond group; n = 22) or solely Adult Treatment Panel's third report Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet counseling (non-almond group; n = 26), for 4 weeks. Results No significant changes in weight and weekly physical activity were noted between the 2 groups from baseline. However, the almond group consumed significantly more calories at 4 weeks compared with controls. The almond group experienced a 4.9% reduction in non–HDL-C compared with a 3.5% increase for the non-almond group ( P = .02). Additionally, notable improvements were observed in LDL-C and triglycerides, but did not achieve statistical significance ( P = .068 for both parameters). There was also a shift from LDL pattern A to pattern B particles ( P = .003) in the almond group. No significant differences in total cholesterol ( P = .1), HDL-C ( P = .3), or lipoprotein (a) ( P = .1) were observed. Conclusion Adding 100 g of almonds daily to chronic statin therapy for 4 weeks significantly reduced non–HDL-C. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00603876 .
How Differences in Enzyme Expression Can Translate into Pharmacokinetic Variance and Susceptibility to Toxicity

Advances in risk assessment methodologies invite the consideration of more pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and biochemical information than ever before. When toxicity data are adequate, the identification of enzymes responsible for detoxication or bioactivation motivate their consideration in risk assessment. Consideration should be given not only to the ontogeny of enzyme expression, but to other biochemical factors such as tissue lipid content and changes in relative organ size and blood flow during development. Dogma that enzyme alterations result in alterations of risk requires reexamination. Sometimes these do not alter risk, even though the enzymes form toxicologically active metabolites. Knowledge that a given enzyme is responsible for metabolism of an environmental contaminant often stimulates the search for and use of information on its variance in expression and/or activity. Separate data on enzyme expression (content) and enzymatic activity can be useful in human health risk assessment, but r...
The Ultraviolet Spectra of Flavones and Flavonols

The methanol spectra of flavones and flavonols exhibit two major absorption peaks in the region 240 – 400 nm1. These two peaks are commonly referred to as Band I (usually 300 – 380 nm, Table V-1 records the λmaxvalues for Band I for all flavones and flavonols examined in the present investigation), and Band II (usually 240 – 280 nm). Band I is considered to be associated with absorption due to the B-ring cinnamoyl system, and Band II with absorption involving the A-ring benzoyl system (see III) [1].
Population genetic analysis of Bromus tectorum (Poaceae) indicates recent range expansion may be facilitated by specialist genotypes

 Premise of the study: The mechanisms for range expansion in invasive species depend on how genetic variation is structured in the introduced range. This study examined neutral genetic variation in the invasive annual grass Bromus tectorum in the Intermountain Western United States. Patterns of microsatellite (SSR) genotype distribution in this highly inbreeding species were used to make inferences about the roles of adaptively signifi cant genetic variation, broadly adapted generalist genotypes, and facultative outcrossing in the recent range expansion of B. tectorum in this region.  Methods: We sampled 20 individuals from each of 96 B. tectorum populations from historically and recently invaded habitats throughout the region and used four polymorphic SSR markers to characterize each individual.  Key results: We detected 131 four-locus SSR genotypes; however, the 14 most common genotypes collectively accounted for 79.2% of the individuals. Common SSR genotypes were not randomly distributed among habitats. Instead, characteristic genotypes sorted into specifi c recently invaded habitats, including xeric warm and salt desert as well as mesic high-elevation habitats. Other SSR genotypes were common across a range of historically invaded habitats. We observed very few heterozygous individuals (0.58%).  Conclusions: Broadly adapted, generalist genotypes appear to dominate historically invaded environments, while recently invaded salt and warm desert habitats are dominated by distinctive SSR genotypes that contain novel alleles. These specialist genotypes are not likely to have resulted from recombination; they probably represent more recent introductions from unknown source populations. We found little evidence that outcrossing plays a role in range expansion.
A Proposal for an Empirical Approach to the Re-creation of Vehicle Drive Cycles

Vehicles such as buses, delivery trucks, mining equipment, and motorsport vehicles often repeat a highly defined pattern, route, or track during normal use. For these vehicles, standard dynamometer drive cycles are of little use. In this paper it is proposed that deriving a vehicle drive cycle from empirical data collected from on-board vehicle sensors would produce more accurate vehicle characteristic predictions for special purpose vehicles. This study answers the question “Is it possible to use recorded vehicle data to replicate a real world driving scenario for the purpose of vehicle diagnostics?” To reduce the complexity of the project, an electric go-kart is to be used as test vehicle.
Pseudoatrial Flutter Waves—When a Flutter Is Not a Flutter

The patient’s medical history was significant for chronic obstructive lung disease, obstructive sleep apnea, type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and major depressive disorder. The patient denied palpitations or light-headedness in the postoperative period. The patient reported a history of intermittent dizziness and falls over the preceding months. A telemetry strip that prompted the referral is shown in Figure 1. On examination, the patient was in no apparent distress. Her heart rate was regular without murmurs or gallops. Auscultation of lungs revealed normal breath sounds. She had a resting tremor in her right hand. There was no rigidity in any extremities, and the rest of the physical examination findings were normal. She was admitted to the cardiology service for management of new-onset atrial flutter. Serum chemistries (including potassium and magnesium) and complete blood cell count were within normal limits. A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was performed on arrival to the telemetry unit. It was determined that the ECG demonstrated artifactual waves, most prominent in the limb leads (Figure 2). It was determined that she had pseudoatrial flutter waves and she was subsequently discharged with an event monitor to determine the underlying cause of her falls.
Remote sensing evidence for an ancient carbon-bearing crust on Mercury

Mercury appears darker globally than expected. Remote sensing evidence from the MESSENGER spacecraft indicates that the planet’s darkening agent is carbon and suggests that it originates from an ancient graphite-rich crust.
Gold porphyrin complexes. Evidence for electrochemically inert gold (III)

Abstract Gold(III) tetraphenylporphine tetrachloroacurate, gold(III) etioporphyrin I tetrachloroacurate, and gold. (III) mesoporphyrin IX dimethylester acetate were synthesized and characterized by visible spectral and electrochemical (classical and cyclic voltammetry and coulometry) studies. The gold porphyrin complexes show spectral properties similar to those reported for other metalloporphyrins, except Mn and Mo, and electrochemical properties similar to those of metalloporphyrins with a stable central metal ion. Interestingly, in these gold complexes the tripositive metal ion is electrochemically inert.
Vitilevumyia, an enigmatic new genus of Stratiomyidae from Fiji (Diptera)

A new genus and species of Stratiomyidae (Diptera), Vitilevumyia bobwoodleyi gen. et sp. nov. is described from the island of Viti Levu, Fiji. It exhibits an unusual combination of character states, but is tentatively placed in the tribe Prosopochrysini of the subfamily Stratiomyinae.
Humanism and social responsibility: the role of certification and recertification.

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things, because the innovation has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new.
Linking Cholinergic Interneurons, Synaptic Plasticity, and Behavior during the Extinction of a Cocaine-Context Association

Despite the fact that cholinergic interneurons are a key cell type within the nucleus accumbens, a relationship between synaptic plasticity and the in vivo activity of cholinergic interneurons remains to be established. Here, we identify a three-way link between the activity of cholinergic interneurons, synaptic plasticity, and learning in mice undergoing the extinction of a cocaine-context association. We found that activity of cholinergic interneurons regulates extinction learning for a cocaine-context association and generates a sustained reduction in glutamatergic presynaptic strength onto medium spiny neurons. Interestingly, activation of cholinergic interneurons does not support reinforcement learning or plasticity by itself, suggesting that these neurons have a modulatory rather than a reinforcing function.
Vision-Based Object Tracking Using an Optimally Positioned Cluster of Mobile Tracking Stations

This paper presents a novel, highly capable strategy for utilizing a multirobot network to track a moving target. This method optimizes the configuration of mobile tracking stations in order to produce the position estimate for a target object that yields the smallest estimation error, even when the sensor performance varies. This is verified in both simulation and physical experiments using groups of two and three quadrotor aerial robots as mobile tracking stations controlled using a cluster control approach. These quadrotors track and follow an autonomous robot using only the data provided by the quadrotors’ onboard cameras. This results in a simple, robust system that can accurately follow a moving object.
A Tool to Remotely Collect and Visualize Users' Interactions with Web-Based Content

In a remote, unmoderated experiment, we tested readers' performance and perceptions as they used web-based documents to perform information-seeking tasks. The high value of specific participant experiences motivated us to develop a low-overhead tool to collect specific information remotely about readers' experiences with web-based documents. The tool we developed overlays a web document and prompts readers with a specific request to which they respond by highlighting a location in the document. In our experiment, we found the interaction to be very clear and easy for readers of a web site to use. The tool required very low communication bandwidth and processing power to collect and analyze the data and produced easy to interpret response visualizations and statistical analyses. This paper describes our experience with the tool in the course of the experiment. Further, we propose broader applications of the tool to support research activities in other document genres and, to adapt it for professional use in content management systems and web publishing platforms.
Variance of the Sample Space-time Autocorrelation Function

SUMMARY An important part of the diagnostic checking of space-time autoregressive moving average (STARMA) models is testing the temporal independence of the residuals. In the context of the three-stage modelling procedure,. such a test is based on the sample space-time autocorrelation function. This paper developes approximate variances of the sample space-time autocorrelation function when the underlying process is white noise, which are needed to test significance of the observed autocorrelations.
Effective visual surveillance of human crowds using cooperative unmanned vehicles

The goal of this work is to propose an effective and efficient visual surveillance system for detection, geo-localization, and data association of moving human crowds using teams of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) in a border patrol application. Such complex system suffers from various emerging challenges such as: heterogeneous dynamic data, non-rigid target shapes, dynamic background due to moving sensors, and occlusion. Therefore, different fidelity levels have been considered in this work for UAVs and UGVs based on their different characteristics, and a number of related computer vision algorithms have been proposed based on the dynamic data driven application system (DDDAS) paradigm. Moreover, a testbed involving real hardware (UAVs, UGVs, and cameras) and an agent-based simulation model is developed to verify, validate, and demonstrate the system. The experimental results reveal the effectiveness of the proposed approaches for visual surveillance of human crowds by unmanned vehicles.
Protein kinase C-alpha suppresses autophagy and induces neural tube defects via miR-129-2 in diabetic pregnancy

Gene deletion-induced autophagy deficiency leads to neural tube defects (NTDs), similar to those in diabetic pregnancy. Here we report the key autophagy regulators modulated by diabetes in the murine developing neuroepithelium. Diabetes predominantly leads to exencephaly, induces neuroepithelial cell apoptosis and suppresses autophagy in the forebrain and midbrain of NTD embryos. Deleting the Prkca gene, which encodes PKCα, reverses diabetes-induced autophagy impairment, cellular organelle stress and apoptosis, leading to an NTD reduction. PKCα increases the expression of miR-129-2, which is a negative regulator of autophagy. miR-129-2 represses autophagy by directly targeting PGC-1α, a positive regulator for mitochondrial function, which is disturbed by maternal diabetes. PGC-1α supports neurulation by stimulating autophagy in neuroepithelial cells. These findings identify two negative autophagy regulators, PKCα and miR-129-2, which mediate the teratogenicity of hyperglycaemia leading to NTDs. We also reveal a function for PGC-1α in embryonic development through promoting autophagy and ameliorating hyperglycaemia-induced NTDs.
Circulating MicroRNAs in Serum from Cattle Challenged with Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is an RNA virus that is often associated with respiratory disease in cattle. MicroRNAs have been proposed as indicators of exposure to respiratory pathogens. The objective of this study was to identify microRNAs in cattle that had been challenged with a non-cytopathic field strain of BVDV. Five colostrum deprived neonate Holstein calves were inoculated with BVDV (challenged) and 4 were mock challenged (control). Serum from all calves was collected at 4 different times: prior to challenge (day 0) and at 4, 9, and 16 days post challenge. RNA was extracted from sera, and expression, via read counts, of small non-coding RNAs were obtained using next-generation sequencing. A total of 905,861 sequences identified 427 microRNAs. Sixty-two microRNAs had > 1,000 total reads across all samples. Bta-miR-339a, bta-miR-185, bta-miR-486, Bta-miR-92a, bta-miR-30e-5p, bta-let-7c, and bta-miR-2284x were significantly different (P<0.05) across time regardless of challenge status. Bta-miR-423-5p (P=0.008) and bta-miR-151-3p (P=0.005) were significantly different between challenged and control animals across time. In challenged animals, bta-miR-423-5p peaked in number of reads by day 4 and steadily declined from day 4 to 16. In control animals, bta-miR-423-5p declined from day 0 to day 9 and increased in number by day 16. By day 16, both challenged and control animals had similar levels of bta-miR-423-5p, and these levels were similar to day 0 levels. Bta-miR-151-3p peaked at day 9 in challenged animals, while control animals decreased across time. By day 16, the number of reads of bta-miR-151-3p were similar between challenged and control animals. The level in challenged animals had returned to day 0 levels by day 16, whereas the levels for control animals was significantly lower (P=0.006) than day 0. Further studies are needed to establish if bta-miR-423-5p or bta-miR-151-3p could be used as a biomarker for exposure to BVDV.
Whole blood volumes associated with milking intact and cut umbilical cords in term newborns.

The objective of this study is to determine placental transfusion blood volumes with intact and cut umbilical cord milking in term newborns. Sixty women at ≥37 weeks’ gestation were enrolled. Following delivery, the umbilical cord was immediately clamped and cut to separate the newborn. Either intact umbilical cord milking (I-UCM) of the placental–umbilical cord unit or cut umbilical cord milking (C-UCM) of the cut umbilical cord segment was performed. For I-UCM, the cord underwent milking three or four times while being attached to placental circulation. For C-UCM, a 10, 20, or 30 cm cord segment was cut separately and milked four times. Blood volumes were compared between I-UCM and C-UCM methods. Mean blood volume with I-UCM (×4) was increased compared to the 30 cm C-UCM technique (48.5 ± 19.0 vs. 24.8 ± 4.0 mL, P < 0.001). For C-UCM, blood volume increased proportionally to cord length and, by the second milking, 98.1 ± 4.5% of blood volume was delivered. I-UCM provides a greater blood volume than C-UCM. With C-UCM, milking the cord more than twice offers no additional advantage.
Absorption by Small Regular Non-Spherical Particles in the Rayleigh Region

Smaller particles characterized by a complex refractive index generally absorb more radiation per unit mass than larger particles. This absorption reaches a maximum in the Rayleigh region where it becomes size independent. We explore the dependence of dipolar resonant absorption on both shape and refractive index in the Rayleigh region.
Surgeons as mirrors of common life: a novel inquiry into the ethics of surgery.

Surgeons in their operating theaters are a world removed from the lives of ordinary citizens. Away from the streets and buildings of urban and rural life, they perform operations in settings that are foreign and off-limits to the vast majority of citizens. This, however, should not mask the ways in which the values and ethics of surgery reflect the common values and ethical principles upon which societies rest. Viewing surgeons as mirrors of common life leads to an expanded understanding of the ethics of surgery, a straightforward description of “standard” surgical ethics, and the identification of a major dimension of surgical practice that has received virtually no ethical attention.
Politics and Value, Part 1

Although an animal may very well have a consciousness of himself, it is inconceivable that he should have a consciousness of history in any way analogous to that of man. Let us take for purposes of illustration a dog—in this instance a pug, that friendly little breed good primarily for sitting on the laps of old ladies. It is quite clear that the pug has an image, and a complex image, of the world. He has a memory; although it may be dependent more on the sense of smell than on other senses (and certainly more dependent on this sense than is man), this is not the point. The fact is he has a memory. And this is fairly well developed, as in the capacity to distinguish among a whole series of toys by name. In the second place, it is quite obvious that they have a rich range of emotional responses; they are sensitive to joy and sadness. I am inclined to think the range of emotional responses is wider than that of the human being, or at least of many human beings. They have a strong sense of sympathy and will comfort a suffering or unhappy child or adult. The ears are very expressive and go down in times of contentment and up in times of danger or excitement. The tail, needless to say, registers a whole range of emotions! What is more, they also have wills, which become quite apparent every time one passes the favorite fire plug or oak tree. They also have multiple forms of self-expression, as revealed in Daniel Schorr’s story about the dog in East Germany. Why then did you leave? Well every now and then I sort of wanted to bark!