cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A designed protein binding-pocket to control excited-state intramolecular proton transfer fluorescence

Excited-state intramolecular proton transfer involves a photochemical isomerization and creates the opportunity for the emission of two distinct wavelengths of light from a single fluorophore. The selectivity between these two wavelengths of emission is dependent on the environment around the fluorophore and suggests the possibility for ratiometric monitoring of protein microenvironments. Unfortunately, nonspecific binding of ESIPT fluorophores does not often lead to dramatic changes in the ratio between the two wavelengths of emission. A protein binding pocket was designed to selectively discriminate between the two channels of emission available to an ESIPT fluorophore. This work is significant because it demonstrates that specific interactions between the protein and the fluorophore are essential to realize strong ratiometric differences between the two possible wavelengths of emission. The design strategies proposed here lead to an ESIPT fluorophore that can discern subtle differences in the interface between two proteins.
Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Dry BeansOpen image in new window

Meat is the edible portion of mammals—the flesh of animals used for food. “Meat” may include rabbit, venison, and other game, as well as the nonmammals poultry and fish. The flesh from various animals may be used as food throughout the world.
Keith Jarrett, Miscegenation & the Rise of the European Sensibility in Jazz in the 1970s

In the 1970s, pianist Keith Jarrett emerged as a major albeit controversial innovator in jazz. He succeeded in making completely improvised solo piano music not only critically acclaimed as afresh ...
The human saliva proteome: overview and emerging methods for characterization

Among the different biomolecules found in human saliva, proteins are among the most prominent. Proteins carry out many vital roles in saliva, from enzymatic catalysis to structure. Proteins also have great potential as diagnostic biomarkers, which can be easily collected using non-invasive methods. In order to catalog salivary proteins, and determine those with diagnostic potential for human disease and other health conditions, mass spectrometry-based proteomic technologies have been used over the last decade or more. Using these conventional technologies, several thousand proteins have been identified in whole saliva, with numerous studies identifying proteins with diagnostic promise for a variety of health conditions. In addition, these technologies have been used to identify proteins expressed by microbial communities in human saliva. In recent years, new mass spectrometry-based proteomics technologies have emerged that are giving researchers new tools for characterizing the proteome of whole saliva, as well as other biological sample types. Two of the most promising of these new technologies include methods for “data-independent acquisition”, which allows for large-scale hypothesis-driven proteomic discovery studies, and proteogenomics, a bioinformatics-driven approach which integrates genomic and proteomic data to characterize novel gene products missed by conventional methods. This paper will summarize the efforts of cataloging the saliva proteome to-date, including highlights of studies identifying salivary protein biomarkers of disease. In addition, the emerging technologies of data-independent acquisition and proteogenomics will be described, along with their potential in characterizing the saliva proteome for diagnostic applications.
Orbital Tumors: Differential Diagnosis in Adults

Although specific lesions often present in certain locations within the orbit, significant variation may occur. However, a focused differential diagnosis minimizes the morbidity and cost of the diagnostic workup and helps establish the diagnosis effectively and efficiently. Specific elements of the history and the physical examination help establish a differential diagnosis, and the possible etiologies are further refined through appropriate imaging studies. In general, well-circumscribed lesions are more likely to be benign such as a cavernous hemangioma, fibrous histiocytoma, lipoma, neurofibroma, schwannoma or neurilemmoma, and pleomorphic adenoma. Conversely, malignant tumors more commonly present with a diffuse infiltrative pattern.
Teacher Race and Racial Disparities in Special Education

The U.S. teacher population is predominantly White, yet research has not yet determined how teacher race might matter to the identification of students with disabilities. This study examines the ro...
The effect of leptin on blood pressure considering smoking status: a Mendelian randomization study

Studies on leptin and blood pressure (BP) associations have yielded inconsistent findings. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of genetically determined leptin on BP and to explore whether smoking status modified this effect. We conducted a Mendelian randomization analysis using the baseline data of 3860 participants in the Framingham Heart Study 3rd generation cohort. Pairwise associations among leptin genetic risk score (GRS), log-transformed leptin (log-leptin), and BP were assessed by multivariate linear regression models. Age and sex were adjusted in the base model, and education, smoking, drinking, and physical activity were adjusted in the full model. The interaction between leptin GRS and smoking was evaluated by adding an interaction term, GRS × smoking, in the fully adjusted model. In the age- and sex-adjusted analyses, log-leptin was positively associated with systolic BP (SBP) (P = 2.35 × 10-79), diastolic BP (DBP) (P = 6.19 × 10-76), mean arterial pressure (MAP) (P = 1.10 × 10-90), and pulse pressure (P = 4.38 × 10-19). Leptin GRS significantly increased log-leptin (P = 0.00001). Leptin GRS was associated with reduced SBP (P = 0.04), DBP (P = 0.006), and MAP (P = 0.008) among current smokers. In the fully adjusted model, significant interactions between GRS and smoking were identified for SBP (P = 0.02), DBP (P = 0.002), and MAP (P = 0.003). Sensitivity analyses among participants not taking antihypertensive or glucose-lowering medications revealed similar associations. Our study provided evidence for a potentially causal relationship between leptin and BP among current smokers.
Prevalence of Depression in Gynecologic and Breast Cancer Patients

Objective Depression has historically been an underdiagnosed and undertreated condition with a large impact on patient quality of life. Screening and diagnosis of depression may differ for various reasons, making proper diagnosis and treatment difficult. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed the associations between the prevalence of depression and patient-specific factors in gynecologic and breast cancer patients who had received a palliative care consult. This study was conducted in a single institution that specializes in women and infant care. The primary objective was to quantify the prevalence of depression among palliative care patients. The secondary objective was to determine patient specific factors associated with a diagnosis of depression. Results Over the course of the one year inclusion period, a total of 73 patients met inclusion criteria. The prevalence of depression in this study was found to be 54.8%. A diagnosis of anxiety was associated with the presence of depression (77.5% vs 25%, p < 0. 0001). Cancer of the fallopian tube was also independently associated with depression (12. 5% vs 0, p = 0. 44). Conclusion The prevalence of depression for palliative care patients, specifically for patients with gynecologic and breast malignancies, in this study was higher than estimates of depression prevalence for the general population. The results of this study may indicate that a greater awareness of the need for screening and treatment of depression is necessary in this population, in order to properly diagnose and treat patients with depression.
Johnson, Charles A., and Kathryn E. Newcomer. U.S. Inspectors General: Truth Tellers in Turbulent Times: Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2020. 270 Pages. $34.99 (Softcover)

This book is very timely. With what the New York Times editorial board has appropriately labeled “Mr. Trump’s War on Accountability,” the inspectors general (IG) are in the crosshairs of the curren...
Predicting neonatal outcomes in infants with giant omphalocele using prenatal magnetic resonance imaging calculated observed-to-expected fetal lung volumes.

OBJECTIVE To examine the association between prenatal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based observed/expected total lung volume (O/E TLV) and outcome in neonates with giant omphalocele (GO). METHODS Between 06/2004 and 12/2019, 67 cases with isolated GO underwent prenatal and postnatal care at our institution. MRI-based O/E TLVs were calculated based on normative data from Meyers and from Rypens and correlated with postnatal survival and morbidities. O/E TLV scores were grouped based on severity into 50% (mild) for risk stratification. RESULTS O/E TLV was calculated for all patients according to Meyers nomograms and for 49 patients according to Rypens nomograms. Survival for GO neonates with severe, moderate, and mild pulmonary hypoplasia based on Meyers O/E TLV categories was 60%, 92%, and 96%, respectively (p = 0.04). There was a significant inverse association between Meyers O/E TLV and risk of neonatal morbidities (p < 0.05). A similar trend was observed with Rypens O/E TLV, but associations were less often significant likely related to the smaller sample size. CONCLUSION Neonatal outcomes are related to fetal lung size in isolated GO. Assessment of Meyers O/E TLV allows identification of GO fetuses at greatest risk for complications secondary to pulmonary hypoplasia.
Beyond Originalism: Conservative Declarationism and Constitutional Redemption

Almost 150 years after the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, the redemption of the nation from chattel slavery has become important—and for many conservatives, central—to the understanding of American politics. Slavery itself may be a thing of the past, but the purported political and constitutional lessons of its initial acceptance and subsequent eradication—once a preoccupation primarily of the liberal/left—are very much on the mind of the modern American right. In a marked departure from the old, more familiar conservative narrative,
Gingival colonization with selective HACEK microbes in children with congenital heart disease.

It was previously shown that children with congenital heart disease (CHD) harbored Hemophilus, Actinobacillus, Cardiobacter, Eikenella, and Kingella (HACEK) microbes to a greater extent and had more severe gingival inflammation than a normal group of children. The purpose of this study was to determine if HACEK microbes are more prevalent in children with CHD than in normal children when there is no difference in gingival inflammation. Two groups of 12 children were matched with respect to gingival inflammation. Each child had a gingival index recorded as described by Massler. The experimental group consisted of 12 children with CHD 2.5-10 years old (average 5.5) and the control group consisted of 12 healthy children 2-13 years old (average 5.6). Subgingival samples were obtained and cultured for HACEK microbes. Fischer's exact test was performed with the significance level defined at P<0.05. The average gingival indices for the experimental and control groups were 6.5 and 6.4, respectively (N.S.). Nine of 12 children with CHD had Eikenella corrodens (E.c.) compared to 3/12 control patients ( P<0.05). Three of 12 CHD patients but no control patient had Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.) (N.S.). There were no significant differences in E.c. or A.a. presence between cyanotic and acyanotic CHD patients. This study found that the greater extent of specific HACEK microbes harbored by children with CHD is not associated with cyanosis or the degree of gingival inflammation. Further study is needed to delineate fully the medical significance of this observation.
Vitamin B12 excretion as index of hepatic disorder.

Observations on lowered excretion of vitamin B12 after intramuscular injection of 60 µg. of this vitamin in hepatic disease have been extended and confirmed. Except for some borderline cases in other diseases with possible involvement of the liver, we find low excretion in rheumatic heart disease as well as in lobar pneumonia, previously reported. The mechanism underlying the deviations from the normal situation in liver disease and rheumatic heart disease in respect to the vitamin B12 binding factor, to the serum protein composition, and the role played by the kidney is the subject of current studies.
Effect of dietary fatty acid composition on the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids in rat liver microsomes

A study was made of the influence of semisynthetic diets of low and high unsaturation on the fatty acid composition and desaturation-chain elongation enzymatic activity of the liver microsomal fractions of male Sprague-Dawley rats of different ages. Groups of rats were fed 5 or 20% coconut oil (CO), or a 5 or 20% mixture of corn and menhaden oils (3∶7) (CME) from weaning to 100 wk of age. Growth rate and food consumption were measured during this period in which animals were sacrificed at 36, 57, 77 and 100 wk of age. Both the level and composition of the dietary fat supplements produced marked effects on the fatty acid composition of the liver microsomal lipids. In general, the fatty acid composition of the microsomal fractions reflected that of the dietary fat and was more unsaturated with the higher level of fat fed. The rate of conversion of linoleic to arachidonic acid in assays performed in vitro with liver microsomal preparations from animals of the different groups also showed marked differences. The 6-desaturase-chain elongation activity was higher in the 5% than 20% group and corresponded to the essential fatty acid (EFA) status of the animals in these groups as represented by the triene-tetraene ratio of the microsomal lipid. The relationship of the 6-desaturase activity to fatty acid composition of the microsomal lipid indicated that if varied directly with the level of 20∶3ω9, 18∶1 and 16∶1 and was inhibited by arachidonic acid. The activity of the 6-desaturase enzyme system was lowest in the liver microsomal fraction obtained from the animals fed the CME diets and appeared to be suppressed by the high levels of 20∶5 and 22∶6 that accumulated in the microsomal lipid. Accordingly, the levels of arachidonic acid were lower in the microsomal lipid of these groups than those of the corresponding CO groups in spite of a greater abundance of linoleic acid in the diet. The data suggest that the activity of the 6-desaturase-chain elongation system is regulated by the fatty acid composition of the microsomal lipid as influenced by the composition of the dietary fat.
Attenuation correction in confocal laser microscopes: a novel two-view approach

Confocal microscopy is a three-dimensional (3D) imaging modality, but the specimen thickness that can be imaged is limited by depth-dependent signal attenuation. Both software and hardware methods have been used to correct the attenuation in reconstructed images, but previous methods do not increase the image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) using conventional specimen preparation and imaging. We present a practical two-view method that increases the overall imaging depth, corrects signal attenuation and improves the SNR. This is achieved by a combination of slightly modified but conventional specimen preparation, image registration, montage synthesis and signal reconstruction methods. The specimen is mounted in a symmetrical manner between a pair of cover slips, rather than between a slide and a cover slip. It is imaged sequentially from both sides to generate two 3D image stacks from perspectives separated by approximately 180 degrees with respect to the optical axis. An automated image registration algorithm performs a precise 3D alignment, and a model-based minimum mean squared algorithm synthesizes a montage, combining the content of both the 3D views. Experiments with images of individual neurones contrasted with a space-filling fluorescent dye in thick brain tissue slices produced precise 3D montages that are corrected for depth-dependent signal attenuation. The SNR of the reconstructed image is maximized by the method, and it is significantly higher than in the single views after applying our attenuation model. We also compare our method with simpler two-view reconstruction methods and quantify the SNR improvement. The reconstructed images are a more faithful qualitative visualization of the specimen's structure and are quantitatively more accurate, providing a more rigorous basis for automated image analysis.
Adopting Information Technology to Drive Improvements in Patient Safety: Lessons from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Health Information Technology Grantees

In its report, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System (2000), the Institute of Medicine (IOM) called upon the health care community and policy makers to build a safer health care system, and it recommended use of innovative health information technologies (health IT) that would provide system-wide support to reduce medical errors and improve the quality of care. At the time of the IOM report release, only a small number of hospitals and physician practices had made investments in health IT to manage patient care (Fonkych and Taylor 2005). A number of studies suggest that effective implementation of health IT, such as electronic health records (EHRs), computerized physician order entry (CPOE), and data exchange networks have the potential to generate cost savings and improve patient safety (Audet et al. 2004,Classen, Avery, and Bates 2007). Hillestad et al. (2005) estimated that widespread, nationwide adoption of EHR systems could produce efficiency and safety savings of US$142 billion in the ambulatory care setting and US$371 billion in the inpatient setting over a 15-year period. A systematic review of the health IT literature concluded that “health IT has the potential to assist in dramatically transforming the delivery of health care, making it safer, more effective, and more efficient” (Shekelle et al. 2006). As described in another article in this issue (Farley and Battles 2008), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), within the Department of Health and Human Services, contracted with RAND in September 2002 to serve as its Patient Safety Evaluation Center (evaluation center) and perform a longitudinal evaluation of the AHRQ patient safety initiative. The evaluation was completed in September 2006. As part of this 4-year evaluation, the evaluation center characterized the health IT projects funded by AHRQ and examined the experiences of the health IT grantees. This paper presents the results of this portion of the evaluation. Critical lessons learned by these grantees are a valuable resource for policy makers and health care providers considering investments in health IT.
Thrombin generation assay and other universal tests for monitoring haemophilia therapy.

Summary. Factor VIII bypassing agents have different multiple modes of action, but share the common feature of inducing or facilitating thrombin generation. The information obtained from most overall assays to measure the haemostatic response to inhibitor-bypassing agents is limited to the initial phase of blood coagulation (clotting time measurement) or the formation of a solidifying clot followed by fibrinolysis (thrombelastography), and excludes the real endpoint of thrombin generation. Thrombin generation assays (TGAs) measure the whole kinetics of thrombin generation even after the clot formation, and thus assess all activating and inactivating systems of coagulation. Therefore, TGAs are not only becoming a universal tool to improve understanding of haemostasis and to investigate biochemical principles of the haemostatic system, but are also evolving as a powerful prognostic and monitoring tool for inhibitor bypassing therapies.
OBSERVATIONS OF TRANSITIONS BETWEEN STATIONARY STATES IN A ROTATING MAGNETIC FIELD

The stationary states of an atom in a combined static and rotating magnetic field have been investigated by using two frequency transitions in an atomic-beam machine. Very accurate measurements of a strong rf magnetic field may be made by inducing transitions between the stationary states with a small "tickling" rf field. The relaxation of the selection rules associated with the $z$ component of angular momentum makes normally forbidden hyperfine transitions visible.
Analysis of nonvolcanic tremor on the San Andreas fault near Parkfield, CA using U. S. Geological Survey Parkfield Seismic Array

[1] Reports by Nadeau and Dolenc (2005) that tremor had been detected near Cholame Valley spawned an effort to use UPSAR (U. S. Geological Survey Parkfield Seismic Array) to study characteristics of tremor. UPSAR was modified to record three channels of velocity at 40–50 sps continuously in January 2005 and ran for about 1 month, during which time we recorded numerous episodes of tremor. One tremor, on 21 January at 0728, was recorded with particularly high signal levels as well as another episode 3 days later. Both events were very emergent, had a frequency content between 2 and 8 Hz, and had numerous high-amplitude, short-duration arrivals within the tremor signal. Here using the first episode as an example, we discuss an analysis procedure, which yields azimuth and apparent velocity of the tremor at UPSAR. We then provide locations for both tremor episodes. The emphasis here is how the tremor episode evolves. Twelve stations were operating at the time of recording. Slowness of arrivals was determined using cross correlation of pairs of stations; the same method used in analyzing the main shock data from 28 September 2004. A feature of this analysis is that 20 s of the time series were used at a time to calculate correlation; the longer windows resulted in more consistent estimates of slowness, but lower peak correlations. These values of correlation (peaks of about 0.25), however, are similar to that obtained for the S wave of a microearthquake. Observed peaks in slowness were traced back to source locations assumed to lie on the San Andreas fault. Our inferred locations for the two tremor events cluster near the locations of previously observed tremor, south of the Cholame Valley. Tremor source depths are in the 14–24 km range, which is below the seismogenic brittle zone, but above the Moho. Estimates of error do not preclude locations below the Moho, however. The tremor signal is very emergent but contains packets that are several times larger than the background tremor signal and lasts about 5 s. These impulsive wavelets are similar to low-frequency earthquakes signals seen in Japan but appear to be broader band rather than just higher in low-frequency energy. They may be more appropriately called high-energy tremor (HET). HET signals at UPSAR correlate well with the record of this event from station GHIB of the HRSN borehole array at Parkfield and HETs typically have a higher cross-correlation coefficient than the rest of the tremor event. The amplitudes of a large HET are consistent with a magnitude of 0.1 when compared with a M2.3 event that had about the same epicenter. Polarizations of the tremor episode at UPSAR are mostly just north of east. Both linearity and azimuth evolve over time suggesting a change in tremor source location over time and linearity is typically higher at the HETs.
Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Realism about Communities and Ecosystems

In this essay I first provide an analysis of various community concepts. Second, I evaluate two of the most serious challenges to the existence of communities—gradient and paleoecological analysis respectively—arguing that, properly understood, neither threatens the existence of communities construed interactively. Finally, I apply the same interactive approach to ecosystem ecology, arguing that ecosystems may exist robustly as well.
Improving readers’ estimates of learning from text: The role of inserted questions

Abstract The current study examined the effect of inserted questions in text with and without feedback on students’ estimates of posttest performance. The literature examining students’ estimates of posttest performance consistently has reported very low relationships between students’ estimates of performance and their actual posttest performance. The current study found that requiring students to answer inserted questions during reading and then providing students feedback on their responses led to significantly more accurate student estimates of posttest performance than reading without inserted questions. The theoretical and applied implications of the results are described.
Decreased total antioxidant capacity and elevated lipid hydroperoxide concentrations in sera of epileptic patients receiving phenytoin

Abstract Oxidative stress (free radical generation exceeds antioxidant defense) occurs in many diseases and after exposure to certain chemicals. We automated assays estimating the antioxidant status of serum and lipid hydroperoxide concentrations using the Syva-30R automated analyzer. In this assay, the antioxidant status of serum is measured by its ability to inhibit the generation of free radicals from 2,2′-amino-di-[3-ethylbenzthiazole sulphonate] by metmyoglobin and hydrogen peroxide. The assay for measuring lipid hydroperoxide concentration in serum utilizes the ability of lipid hydroperoxide to generate methylene blue from 10N-methylcarbamyl 3,7-dimethylamino 10H-phenothiazine. Phenytoin is known to initiate oxidative damage to proteins and lipids in murine maternal hepatic and embryonic tissue organelles. Therefore, we measured lipid hydroperoxide concentrations in sera of epileptic patients receiving phenytoin. We observed significantly elevated lipid hydroperoxide concentrations in epileptic patients receiving phenytoin compared to controls. The total antioxidant capacity of sera of epileptic patients was lower than the antioxidant capacity of control sera. We observed poor correlation between the serum lipid hydroperoxide concentration and triglyceride or cholesterol concentration in epileptic patients. We conclude that lipid hydroperoxide concentrations were elevated in sera of epileptic patients.
Selective dopamine D4 receptor antagonists reverse apomorphine-induced blockade of prepulse inhibition

Recent evidence suggests that the dopamine D4 receptor may play a role in schizophrenia, and that the atypical properties of the antipsychotic clozapine may be attributable in part to its antagonistic actions at this receptor. In the present study, clozapine and three other compounds having D4 dopamine receptor antagonist properties were examined for their effectiveness in reducing losses in prepulse inhibition (PPI) induced in rats by the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine. Previously, activity in the PPI model has been shown to correlate highly with the antipsychotic potency of a number of neuroleptics. As previously reported, clozapine (1–5.6 mg/kg) significantly reduced apomorphine-induced PPI deficits. The three D4-selective compounds, CP-293,019 (5.6–17.8 mg/kg), U-101,387 (3–30 mg/kg) and L-745,870 (1–10 mg/kg), also significantly blocked the losses in PPI produced by apomorphine. Taken together, these results suggest that dopamine receptor antagonists with selectivity for the D4 dopamine receptor subtype may be effective in the treatment of schizophrenia, while being less likely to produce dyskinesias associated with D2 receptor antagonists.
THE SOCIAL ECOLOGY OF POLICE MISCONDUCT

The present study examined whether variations in social ecological conditions in New York City police precincts and divisions have predicted patterns of police misconduct from 1975 to 1996. The study included misconduct cases involving bribery, extortion, excessive force, and other abuses of police authority, as well as certain administrative rule violations. Using a longitudinal framework, the analyses found that dimensions of structural disadvantage and population mobility— drawn from the social disorganization literature—as well as changes in Latino population—drawn from the racial conflict perspective— explained changes in police misconduct over time. Further, most of the variations occurred within, as opposed to between, precincts and divisions over time, strengthening the case for a longitudinal examination.
SU‐FF‐T‐266: Impact of MLC Leaf Size On the Quality of IMRT Plan

Objective: For a given set of constraints, IMRT optimization searches for a minimum of the cost function to within the user specified convergence limit. The efficacy of segmentation and subsequent delivery may be dependent on the design and the leaf width of the MLC. The objective of the present study is to investigate if leaf resolution affects the quality of the treatment plan. Materials & Methods: Two accelerators with different MLC leaf resolution (10mm and 5 mm) are chosen in this study for three different cases (prostate, lung and head and neck). The dosimetry of the two machines are identical to within ±1%. With identical beam angles and dose grid (2 mm), IMRT plans are generated for the same set of constraints for both machines. The DVHs of the PTV and the relevant organs‐at‐risk (OAR) are compared. Results: Figure 1(a, b, c) shows the DVH for prostate, lung, and head and neck. There are very little differences between PTV coverage and OARs except for small structures (<2 cm3) for which the differences are appreciable. Conclusions: For treatment sites which involve small structures (volume< 2 cm3), the use of 5 mm MLC is more beneficial as demonstrated in this study in the head‐and‐neck IMRT. For IMRT treatments with reasonable size OARs, MLC resolution does not appear to be a significant factor for all practical purpose. Thus in general, IMRT optimization and segmentation is relatively insensitive to the leaf width.
The selectins and their ligands

The selectins are a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins, or lectins, that have stimulated tremendous interest because of their involvement in a wide array of interactions between leukocytes and endothelial cells. Highlights of recent progress include an extension of the list of instances of selectin participation in inflammatory diseases, further definition of selectin carbohydrate specificities, and identification of their carbohydrate-based ligands.
Systematic estimation of state noise statistics for extended Kalman filters

The successful application of model-based control depends on the information about the states of the dynamic system. State-estimation methods, like extended Kalman filters (EKF), are useful for obtaining reliable estimates of the states from a limited number of measurements. They also can handle the model uncertainties and the effect of unmeasured disturbances. The main issue in applying EKF remains that one needs to specify the confidence in the model in terms of process noise covariance matrix. The information about the model uncertainties can effectively and systematically calculate the process noise covariance matrix for an EKF. Two systematic approaches are used for this calculation. The first is based on a Taylor series expansion of the nonlinear equations around the nominal parameter values, while the second accounts for the nonlinear dependence of the system on the fitted parameters by Monte Carlo simulations that can easily be performed on-line. The value of the process noise covariance matrix obtained is not limited to a diagonal form and depends on the current state of the dynamic system. Thus the a-priori information regarding the uncertainty in the model is utilized and the need for extensive tuning of the EKF is eliminated. The application of these techniques to example processes is also discussed (Transesterification process; Methyl methacrylate polymerization; and Semibatch system using tendency models). The accuracy of this methodology is compared very favorably with the traditional methods of trial-and-error tuning of EKF.
Did Descartes abandon dualism? The nature of the union of mind and body.

Evaluation de la possibilite d'une interpretation trialiste de la conception de la relation esprit-corps chez Descartes. Reperant dans la doctrine cartesienne de l'union de l'esprit et du corps une troisieme sorte de substance finie, autre que la matiere etendue et la pensee, l'A. compare le trialisme ontique de T. Vernon avec le trialisme sensationniste de J. Cottingham et le trialisme psychophysique de M. Gueroult, d'une part, et conclut au maintien d'une metaphysique dualiste et interactionniste chez Descartes, fondee sur la reconnaissance de lois psychophysiques entre la perception sensible et l'esprit, d'autre part
An Erdős-Stone Type Conjecture for Graphic Sequences

Abstract We consider a variation of the classical Turan-type extremal problem as introduced by Erdős, Jacobson and Lehel in [Erdős, P., M. Jacobson, and J. Lehel, Graphs realizing the same degree sequence and their respective clique numbers, Graph Theory, Combinatorics and Applications, 1, 1991, ed. Alavi, Chartrand, Oellerman and Schwenk, 439–449]. Let π be an n-element graphic sequence and let H be a graph. We wish to determine the smallest even integer m such that any n-term graphic sequence π having degree sum at least m has some realization containing H as a subgraph. Denote this value m by σ ( H , n ) . For an arbitrarily chosen H, we construct a graphic sequence π ( H , n ) whose degree sum plus two is at least σ ( H , n ) . Furthermore, we conjecture that equality holds in general, as this is the case for all choices of H where σ ( H , n ) is currently known.
Dry versus wet aging of beef: Retail cutting yields and consumer sensory attribute evaluations of steaks from ribeyes, strip loins, and top sirloins from two quality grade groups

Abstract Top Choice ( n = 48) and Select ( n = 48) paired bone-in ribeye rolls, bone-in strip loins, and boneless top sirloin butts were assigned randomly to one of two aging treatments, dry or wet, and were aged for 14, 21, 28 or 35 d. Cutting tests, performed to determine retail yields and processing times, showed dry-aged subprimals had lower total saleable yield percentages and increased processing times compared to wet-aged subprimals. Sensory and Warner–Bratzler shear evaluation was conducted to determine palatability characteristics. For the most part, aging treatment and aging period did not affect consumer sensory attributes. However, ribeye and top loin steaks from the Top Choice quality grade group received higher sensory ratings than their Select counterparts. For top sirloin steaks, no consumer sensory attributes were affected by aging treatment, aging period, or quality grade group.
A PROPOSED CLASSIFICATION OF DIET1

ABSTRACT This is a report of an investigation into the spatial distribution of food consumption and dietary patterns throughout the world. The attempt is made to classify them in a scheme which will facilitate ordering the available information and provide a basis for a satisfactory explanation of the spatial variation. A classification is suggested which takes into account both the adequacy and nutritional variety of the staple items of diet in different areas and at the same time identifies some of the specific foods eaten. Data were compiled from primary and secondary sources, and an overview of foods consumed over the entire world was obtained on a macroscopic scale. A scheme was next devised which was based on two elements: 1) major sources of calories derived from protein, for example, meats and legumes, and 2) other major sources of calories, such as food grains and fats. Twenty classes were delineated and their spatial distribution was depicted on a world map. The major foods and the location of e...
Eigenproblem solution of damped structural systems

This article presents an efficient numerical algorithm and a complete listing of the associated computer program, developed for the eigenproblem solution of discrete damped structures, including spinning ones. The numerically stable procedure is based on a combined Sturm sequence and inverse iteration technique, which fully exploits the banded form of the relevant matrices and proves to be most substantially economical when compared to similar existing softwares. Numerical results are presented for representative structures, solved by the present computer program written in FORTRAN V for the JPL UNIVAC 1108 computer.
A three-dimensional parabolic equation model of sound propagation using higher-order operator splitting and Padé approximants

An alternating direction implicit (ADI) three-dimensional fluid parabolic equation solution method with enhanced accuracy is presented. The method uses a square-root Helmholtz operator splitting algorithm that retains cross-multiplied operator terms that have been previously neglected. With these higher-order cross terms, the valid angular range of the parabolic equation solution is improved. The method is tested for accuracy against an image solution in an idealized wedge problem. Computational efficiency improvements resulting from the ADI discretization are also discussed.
Compton effect interpretation of solar red shift

The hypothesis that the solar red shift is due to Compton scattering of solar radiation through the electrons in the solar atmosphere predicts a variation in magnitude of the red shift with position in good agreement with observation. Quasar red shifts may be similarly explained.
Spectral mapping of Jupiter and the Galilean satellites in the near infrared

A near-infrared mapping spectometer is included in the science complement of the Galileo Mission, which will explore Jupiter and its satellites in the mid-1980s. The objectives of the infrared mapping spectrometer experiment are to map compositional units on the surfaces of the Jovian satellites and to characterize the mineral content of these units. For Jupiter's atmosphere, this experiment will investigate such areas as cloud properties and the spatial and temporal variability of minor species. The instrument consists of a telescope, a plane grating spectrometer, a Si and InSb detector array, and a passive radiative cooler. The spectral range is 0.7 - 5.2 μ, covered with a resolution of 0.025 μ. A wobbling secondary mirror in the telescope provides one dimension of spatial scanning, while the other dimension is provided by motion of the spacecraft scan platform.
Spectrotemporal resolution tradeoff in auditory processing as revealed by human auditory brainstem responses and psychophysical indices

Auditory filter theory dictates a physiological compromise between frequency and temporal resolution of cochlear signal processing. We examined neurophysiological correlates of these spectrotemporal tradeoffs in the human auditory system using auditory evoked brain potentials and psychophysical responses. Temporal resolution was assessed using scalp-recorded auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) elicited by paired clicks. The inter-click interval (ICI) between successive pulses was parameterized from 0.7 to 25 ms to map ABR amplitude recovery as a function of stimulus spacing. Behavioral frequency difference limens (FDLs) and auditory filter selectivity (Q10 of psychophysical tuning curves) were obtained to assess relations between behavioral spectral acuity and electrophysiological estimates of temporal resolvability. Neural responses increased monotonically in amplitude with increasing ICI, ranging from total suppression (0.7 ms) to full recovery (25 ms) with a temporal resolution of ∼3-4 ms. ABR temporal thresholds were correlated with behavioral Q10 (frequency selectivity) but not FDLs (frequency discrimination); no correspondence was observed between Q10 and FDLs. Results suggest that finer frequency selectivity, but not discrimination, is associated with poorer temporal resolution. The inverse relation between ABR recovery and perceptual frequency tuning demonstrates a time-frequency tradeoff between the temporal and spectral resolving power of the human auditory system.
Falls Risk and Simulated Driving Performance in Older Adults

Declines in executive function and dual-task performance have been related to falls in older adults, and recent research suggests that older adults at risk for falls also show impairments on real-world tasks, such as crossing a street. The present study examined whether falls risk was associated with driving performance in a high-fidelity simulator. Participants were classified as high or low falls risk using the Physiological Profile Assessment and completed a number of challenging simulated driving assessments in which they responded quickly to unexpected events. High falls risk drivers had slower response times (~2.1 seconds) to unexpected events compared to low falls risk drivers (~1.7 seconds). Furthermore, when asked to perform a concurrent cognitive task while driving, high falls risk drivers showed greater costs to secondary task performance than did low falls risk drivers, and low falls risk older adults also outperformed high falls risk older adults on a computer-based measure of dual-task performance. Our results suggest that attentional differences between high and low falls risk older adults extend to simulated driving performance.
Pinwheel binding of hydrogen molecules to acetylene

Abstract Ab initio and model potential calculations have been performed to investigate the interaction between hydrogen molecules and acetylene. The hydrogen–acetylene dimer has a T-shaped structure. Additional hydrogen molecules prefer the same arrangement with respect to the acetylene and, in successive steps, form a pinwheel structure with up to six hydrogen molecules pointing outward from the carbon–carbon triple bond of acetylene. Ground vibrational state calculations done with a model potential have been performed to make predictions of the zero-point energies of the small clusters and to understand the nature of the interactions leading to the pinwheel (H 2 ) 6 –HCCH cluster.
Apples and Oranges: Or, Why Apples Are Not Orange and Don't Need to Be A Response to Firth and Wagner

This is a response to the article by Firth and Wagner (FW claims that are attributed to certain researchers were not ones made by those researchers. In particular, the scope of inquiry that F&W attribute to some SLA research is quite different from the actual area of inquiry. Second, I deal with the notion of “learners as deficient communicators,” arguing that F&W's attribution of this concept to SLA researchers is flawed. Finally, I discuss F&W's reanalysis of data that originally appeared in some of my earlier publications.
Damage Control and Its Costs: BM Failure in Fanconi Anemia Stems from Overactive p53/p21

Despite having well-characterized disease-associated mutations, the mechanisms underlying the progressive bone marrow failure and cancer susceptibility of Fanconi anemia have been unclear. In this issue of Cell Stem Cell, Ceccaldi et al. identify an overactive p53/p21 stress response and cell cycle arrest as an underlying cause that starts during fetal development.
Non-peptide angiotensin II receptor antagonists. II. Pharmacology of S-8308.

2-Butyl-4-chloro-1-(2-nitrobenzyl)imidazole-5-acetic acid, sodium salt (S-8308), inhibited the specific binding of labeled angiotensin II (AII) to its receptor sites in rat adrenal cortical microsomes and in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells with IC50s of 15 and 4.5 μM, respectively. In the presence of S-8308 (15 μM) the dissociation constant for AII was increased 2-fold and the total number of binding sites was unaltered. In a concentration-dependent manner S-8308 blocked the 45Ca2+ influx induced by AII (3 × 10−8 M) in rat aortic rings (IC50 7 μM) and the contractile response in rabbit aorta was competitively inhibited (pA2 = 5.74). This agent was highly specific for AII: it showed no affinity for α1-adrenoceptors or Ca2+ channels and in addition, it did not alter the contractile responses to norepinephrine (10−7 M) or KCl (55 mM). In conscious renal artery-ligated rats, S-8308 (30 mg/kg i.v.) elicited a rapid decrease of mean arterial pressure with a duration of about 30 min. The results demonstrate that S-8308 is a weak, but specific and compatitive, non-peptide antagonist of AII exerting its inhibitory at the receptor level.
Parenting a child with a chronic medical condition.

Purpose Parents of children with chronic medical conditions and associated disabilities have substantial caregiving responsibilities different from those of typical children. This ethnographic study examined how parents manage these caregiving demands, how they maintain their social lives, and how they form their self identities. Method Graduate students interviewed eight parents of children with chronic medical conditions and disabilities and participated in 60 hours of activities with them over a 6-month time period. The interview transcripts, students' field notes, and journals were analyzed for themes that related to caregiving, social activities, and self-identity. Results Parents felt that they "always needed to be with their child," and most had changed their career plans to devote more time to caregiving. Parents also expressed anxiety about making difficult medical and educational decisions for their children. Activities outside the home required extensive planning and preparation and maintaining a social life was perceived as challenging because friends and relatives did not always understand the families' limitations in activity. Conclusions Although the parents expressed stress related to coping with the caregiving load, they viewed having a child with chronic medical conditions as a positive experience that brought cohesion to their family. The parents explained that their experiences with their children helped them to appreciate life and develop more sensitivity to and tolerance of individual differences. The parents had become strong advocates for their children and other children with similar needs.
Stimulation of human B lymphocytes by antibodies to IgM and IgG: functional evidence for the expression of IgG on B-lymphocyte surface membranes.

Abstract Isolated human tonsillar and peripheral blood B lymphocytes were induced to proliferate in vitro after exposure to F(ab′)2 fragments of affinity purified antibodies to IgM, IgG, Fab, κ, and λ chain determinants. Low levels of DNA synthesis were observed in cultures containing anti-IgA antibodies, whereas DNA synthesis was not detected in cultures stimulated with anti-IgD. Divalent antibodies were essential for the generation of blastogenesis. These proliferative responses were T-cell independent and susceptible to suppression by excess numbers of monocytes. In addition, they were elicitable in cultures not containing FCS or 2-mercaptoethanol. Highly specific antibodies to IgG induced marked proliferation and this was similar in degree to that induced by anti-IgM. Subfractionation studies demonstrated that the anti-IgG responsive cells were contained to a major extent within the surface IgM+ B-cell population. None of the antibody preparations elicited B-cell differentiation to antibody producing cells. Moreover, anti-μ antibodies completely abrogated Ig synthesis by pokeweed mitogen-stimulated cultures of unseparated tonsillar mononuclear cells. Anti-IgG antibodies similarly suppressed PWM-induced antibody production, although this was most apparent on the IgG response. In contrast anti-IgD antibodies both failed to suppress Ig production and in certain instances resulted in an increased level of Ig synthesis. These functional studies suggest that IgG molecules are intimately associated with the surface membrane of some B cells and that coexpression of IgG with IgM occurs. In addition, the observations emphasize further the divergent functional roles which surface IgM and IgG vs surface IgD have in B-cell proliferation and differentiation.