cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Empirical Evaluation of the Performance of Real-Time Illumination Approaches: Realistic Scenes in Augmented Reality

Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality (AR/VR/MR) systems have been developed in general, with many of these applications having accomplished significant results, rendering a virtual object in the appropriate illumination model of the real environment is still under investigation. The entertainment industry has presented an astounding outcome in several media form, albeit the rendering process has mostly been done offline. The physical scene contains the illumination information which can be sampled and then used to render the virtual objects in real-time for realistic scene. In this paper, we evaluate the accuracy of our previous and current developed systems that provide real-time dynamic illumination for coherent interactive augmented reality based on the virtual object’s appearance in association with the real world and related criteria. The system achieves that through three simultaneous aspects. (1) The first is to estimate the incident light angle in the real environment using a live-feed \(360^\circ \) camera instrumented on an AR device. (2) The second is to simulate the reflected light using two routes: (a) global cube map construction and (b) local sampling. (3) The third is to define the shading properties for the virtual object to depict the correct lighting assets and suitable shadowing imitation. Finally, the performance efficiency is examined in both routes of the system to reduce the general cost. Also, The results are evaluated through shadow observation and user study.
The rise of Coccidioides: forces against the dust devil unleashed.

Coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) is a fungal disease caused by the inhalation of Coccidioides posadasii or C. immitis. This neglected disease occurs in the desert areas of the western United States, most notably in California and Arizona, where infections continue to rise. Clinically, coccidioidomycosis ranges from asymptomatic to severe pulmonary disease and can disseminate to the brain, skin, bones, and elsewhere. New estimates suggest as many as 350,000 new cases of coccidioidomycosis occur in the United States each year. Thus, there is an urgent need for the development of a vaccine and new therapeutic drugs against Coccidioides infection. In this review, we discuss the battle against Coccidioides including the development of potential vaccines, the quest for new therapeutic drugs, and our current understanding of the protective host immune response to Coccidioides infection.
Defect‐Mediated Ordering of Condensed Water Structures in Microporous Zeolites

Ab-initio molecular dynamics simulations and transmission infrared spectroscopy are employed to characterize the structure of water networks in defect-functionalized microporous zeolites. Thermodynamically stable phases of clustered water molecules are localized at some of the defects in zeolite Beta, which include catalytic sites such as framework Lewis acidic Sn atoms in closed and hydrolyzed-open forms, as well as silanol nests. These water clusters compete with ideal gas-like structures at low water densities and pore-filling phases at higher water densities, with the equilibrium phase determined by the water chemical potential. The physical characteristics of these phases are determined by the defect identity, with the local binding and orientation of hydroxyl moieties around the defects playing a central role. The results suggest general principles for how the structure of polar solvents in microporous solid acids is influenced by local defect functionalization, and the thermodynamic stability of the condensed phases surrounding such sites, in turn, implies that the catalysis of Lewis acids will be influenced by local water ordering.
Chapter 14 – PharmGKB: The Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase

The Pharmacogenomics Knowledgebase (PharmGKB: www.pharmgkb.org) is a publicly available online resource that annotates, aggregates, and integrates information from primary literature about the effect of human genetic variation on drug response. It also contributes to clinical pharmacogenomic implementation projects, and enables data-centric and knowledge-centric consortia. Through the creation of various materials, such as variant annotations, clinical annotations, Very Important Pharmacogene (VIP) summaries and pathways, PharmGKB provides a wealth of pharmacogenomic information presented in an organized and easy-to-use manner. Knowledge on PharmGKB is also downloadable, and represents a valuable resource for researchers, as well as students and clinicians. PharmGKB helps to answer important pharmacogenomic questions by taking part in consortia such as the International Warfarin Pharmacogenetics Consortium (IWPC), and assists in the development of drug-dosing guidelines as part of the Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC). In addition to these activities, the knowledgebase continues to develop new ways to better understand and manipulate the vast quantities of knowledge available on the website. As the foremost knowledgebase of pharmacogenomic data, PharmGKB is an important resource for all individuals interested in the growing field of pharmacogenomics.
Low-tension gas process in high-salinity and low-permeability reservoirs

Polymer-based EOR methods in low-permeability reservoirs face injectivity issues and increased fracturing due to near wellbore plugging, as well as high-pressure gradients in these reservoirs. Polymer may cause pore blockage and undergo shear degradation and even oxidative degradation at high temperatures in the presence of very hard brine. Low-tension gas (LTG) flooding has the potential to be applied successfully for low-permeability carbonate reservoirs even in the presence of high formation brine salinity. In LTG flooding, the interfacial tension between oil and water is reduced to ultra-low values (10−3 dyne/cm) by injecting an optimized surfactant formulation to maximize mobilization of residual oil post-waterflood. Gas (nitrogen, hydrocarbon gases or CO2) is co-injected along with the surfactant slug to generate in situ foam which reduces the mobility ratio between the displaced (oil) and displacing phases, thus improving the displacement efficiency of the oil. In this work, the mechanism governing LTG flooding in low-permeability, high-salinity reservoirs was studied at a microscopic level using microemulsion properties and on a macroscopic scale by laboratory-scale coreflooding experiments. The main injection parameters studied were injected slug salinity and the interrelation between surfactant concentration and injected foam quality, and how they influence oil mobilization and displacement efficiency. Qualitative assessment of the results was performed by studying oil recovery, oil fractional flow, oil bank breakthrough and effluent salinity and pressure drop characteristics.
Adaptive Behavior and Executive Functioning in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Using a Mixed Design.

Objective Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) demonstrate poorer adaptive functioning compared with same-aged peers; however, there is limited research about the longitudinal pattern of adaptive behavior. The aim of this investigation was to examine parent-reported adaptive behavior of children with NF1 longitudinally beginning in early childhood and to examine relations with executive functioning. Method Children with NF1 were assessed during early childhood (n = 59; aged 3-7; mean = 4.8, SD = 1.42) or school age (n = 39; aged 9-13; mean = 10.85, SD = 1.58), and a subset was seen at both time points (n = 26). The Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised was used to assess adaptive functioning, and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Preschool Version/Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function was used to evaluate everyday executive functioning. Results Adaptive behavior in early childhood was significantly correlated with adaptive behavior at school age (with the exception of social interaction and communication skills) and was significantly poorer at school age. The frequency of difficulties increased over time for overall adaptive behavior and motor skills. Executive functioning was related to adaptive behavior cross-sectionally within early childhood and at school age and showed longitudinal predictive value over time. Conclusion This research contributes to the limited NF1 adaptive behavior literature by characterizing the longitudinal pattern of adaptive behavior and relations with executive abilities.
The Influence of Redox-Active Linkers on the Stability and Physical Properties of a Highly Electroactive Porphyrin Nanoprism.

Redox-active metal–organic nanocages are of interest for many applications, but the development of cages with extensive redox activity is often hindered by their limited stability and solubility ac...
A new neutrophil subset promotes CNS neuron survival and axon regeneration

Transected axons typically fail to regenerate in the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in chronic neurological disability in individuals with traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, glaucoma and ischemia–reperfusion injury of the eye. Although neuroinflammation is often depicted as detrimental, there is growing evidence that alternatively activated, reparative leukocyte subsets and their products can be deployed to improve neurological outcomes. In the current study, we identify a unique granulocyte subset, with characteristics of an immature neutrophil, that had neuroprotective properties and drove CNS axon regeneration in vivo, in part via secretion of a cocktail of growth factors. This pro-regenerative neutrophil promoted repair in the optic nerve and spinal cord, demonstrating its relevance across CNS compartments and neuronal populations. Our findings could ultimately lead to the development of new immunotherapies that reverse CNS damage and restore lost neurological function across a spectrum of diseases. Segal and colleagues identify a neuroprotective immature-like neutrophil subset that participates in dectin-1-dependent axon repair and regeneration in the central nervous system.
Developing a Greenhouse Protocol for Evaluating Resistance to Corynespora cassiicola in Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum).

Target spot, caused by Corynespora cassiicola, has reemerged as a disease of economic importance in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in the southeastern United States. Although this pathogen affects ...
Review of the Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Religion

"The Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Religion is divided into six sections, including the Introduction, Religion and Human Capital, The Nature of Religious Economies, Regulation of the Religion Market, Economic Aspects of Religion, and Data Sets on Religion. In the introduction, McCleary gives a masterful summary of the study of the economics of religion, ranging from its theoretical foundation in Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations to more contemporary interpretations. McCleary includes an extended treatment of the basic concepts of the economics of religion, allowing this volume to serve as an introduction for the student and a summary for the scholar who may need a re-introduction to the field."
Aquaporins: An Introduction to a Key Factor in the Mechanism of Skin Hydration

While it is well known that a balanced level of hydration is fundamental for healthy skin, the physiological mechanisms underlying the control of hydration, particularly in the epidermis, are yet to be fully elucidated. Over the past 10 years, much research has been carried out to understand the nature and regulation of the water gradient that exists across the layers of the epidermis. Of central importance is the role played by membrane-bound pores called aquaporins, which facilitate the passage of water and, in some cases, small molecules such as glycerol. This paper provides an overview of the principal aquaporin present in the epidermis, aquaporin 3, and how the level of hydration of the epidermis is correlated to endogenous levels of glycerol and to the distribution of aquaporin 3 channels. The role of aquaporin 3 in skin diseases is considered along with possible clinical implications of aquaporin 3 modulation.
FIRPTA, Branch Profit Tax and Earning Stripping: Reflections on Non-Discrimination

In the 1980s, the United States enacted three modifications to its taxation of non-residents that are arguably discriminatory. This paper discusses which of them were actually discriminatory and what the proper criterion for tax discrimination should be. It suggests that the key question should be whether a payment to a non-resident is taxable in its country of residence in the way that a payment to a resident is taxable in the country imposing the arguably discriminatory tax.
Heterogeneous access to service-based distributed computing: the RMIX approach

Service-based distributed computing as a mode of resource sharing is receiving increased attention, motivated both by enterprise applications and by standardization efforts in the grid community. In this context, significant effort is being devoted to service descriptions and related issues, primarily via Web Services and associated technologies. However, it is also critical to enable access to these services via a variety of heterogeneous transport protocols with dynamic runtime flexibility. The RMIX framework is being developed to facilitate the use of heterogeneou transport protocols for access to distributed services via a well-understood and semantically stable language framework, viz. remote method invocation. RMIX permits dynamic negotiation of service-access transport and the selection of the access mechanism that is most appropriate to a given client-service relationship, while retaining a uniform invocation interface. Interoperability issues, the handling of heterogeneous transports, and preliminary experiences with RMIX are described in this paper.
Adaptive file system consistency for unreliable mobile computing environments

This paper presents the design and implementation of the Mobile File and Adaptation System (MFAS), a system to provide efficient data access mechanisms over variable quality of service networks. MFAS supports fine-grained file caching and consistency, and provides a mechanism for mobility-aware applications to adapt the caching and consistency behavior as network conditions change. Over low-bandwidth links, MFAS shows substantial performance gains over typical network file systems by sending only the modified portions of files. To our knowledge, MFAS is the first system that efficiently supports application-directed consistency policies at the subfile level.
Development of a condensed SAPRC-07 chemical mechanism

Abstract The development of a condensed version of the SAPRC-07 mechanism, designated CS07A, is described. It is comparable in size to CB05 and was derived directly from detailed SAPRC-07, which serves as the basis for its predictive capability and evaluation against chamber data. It incorporates the more condensed and approximate peroxy radical lumped operator method employed in SAPRC-99, and condensations involving removing or lumping less reactive compounds, lumping some product species in isoprene or aromatic mechanisms with other species with similar mechanisms using reactivity weighting, removing some compounds and reactions that are rapidly reversed, and using fewer model species to represent emitted alkanes and similar species. It gives predictions of O 3 , total PANs and OH radicals that are very close to the standard SAPRC-07 mechanism for airshed models used as the starting point, but predicts about 15% more H 2 O 2 . Use of CS07A is suitable for models where the priority is O 3 formation, while the less condensed version should be used if more accurate hydroperoxide predictions are a priority.
Evaluation of Degradation Pathways for Plasmid DNA in Pharmaceutical Formulations via Accelerated Stability Studies

The stability of highly purified supercoiled plasmid DNA formulated in simple phosphate or Tris-buffered saline solutions has been characterized to establish the overall degradation processes that occur during storage in aqueous solution. Plasmid DNA stability was monitored during accelerated stability studies (at 50 degrees C) by measurements of supercoiled, open-circle, and linear DNA content, as well as the accumulation of apurinic sites and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine residues over time. The effects of formulation pH, demetalation, metal ion chelators, and ethanol (hydroxyl radical scavenger) on the supercoiled content of plasmid DNA during storage at 50 degrees C were also determined. The results indicate that free radical oxidation may be a major degradative process for plasmid DNA in pharmaceutical formulations unless specific measures are taken to control it by the addition of free radical scavengers, specific metal ion chelators, or both. The generation of hydroxyl radicals in phosphate-buffered saline was confirmed by examining the hydroxylation of phenylalanine over time by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Ethanol was found to enhance plasmid DNA stability and to inhibit the hydroxylation of phenylalanine; both observations are consistent with the known ability of ethanol to serve as a hydroxyl radical scavenger. Moreover, the combination of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and ethanol had a synergistic enhancing effect on DNA stability. However, the metal ion chelator diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) was as potent as the combination of EDTA and ethanol for enhancing the stability of plasmid DNA. By controlling free radical oxidation with EDTA and ethanol, the rate constants of plasmid DNA degradation by means of depurination and beta-elimination were then determined, allowing accurate predictions of DNA storage stability as a function of formulation pH and temperature. The ability to predict plasmid DNA storage stability in the absence of free radical oxidation should prove to be a valuable tool for the design of stable pharmaceutical formulations of plasmid DNA.
Spatial and temporal distributions of two sympatric Homalodisca spp. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): Implications for areawide pest management

Four-year landscape-scale monitoring was conducted to investigate dynamics of the spatial and temporal distributions of Homalodisca coagulata and H. liturata and their spatial associations with the surrounding vegetation. Temporal trap catches of H. liturata and H. coagulata showed two peaks per year, and the peaks of the two species coincided. Spatial analysis with distance indices (SADIE) showed that spatial distributions of each species were significantly consistent between years. All patches (i.e. clusters of significantly high trap catches) of H. coagulata were located near citrus, and no patch was found in urban landscapes. Major patches of H. liturata and major gaps (i.e. clusters of significantly lower trap catches) of H. coagulata were located in desert saltbush scrub and urban areas, resulting in negative spatial association between the two species. Between-year spatial consistency of H. coagulata and H. liturata and their spatial relationship with the surrounding vegetation implies that areawide management targeting specific areas would be possible by identifying the patches and gaps of H. coagulata and H. liturata in space and time.
Hydrogen and oxygen isotope fractionation during crystallization of mirabilite and ice

Abstract The equilibrium fractionation factors between mirabilite (Na2SO4·10H2O) and saturated sodium sulphate solution at 25°C and 0°C and between ice and 2·5 molal sodium chloride solution at −10°C have been measured. For mirabilite, the deuterium factors are 1·017 and 1·019, and the oxygen-18 factors are 1·0014 and 1·0020 at 25°C and 0°C, respectively. For ice, the factors are 1·024 for deuterium and 1·0022 for oxygen-18 at −10°C. These fractionation factors are used to estimate the fractionation factors between ice and mirabilite and concentrated sea water at −10°C. It is concluded that the average binding strengths of hydrogen in ice and mirabilite are very similar.
Treatment of hypereosinophilic syndrome with imatinib mesilate

Patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome show persistent eosinophilia without recognised cause. We treated five such patients with 100 mg imatinib mesilate (formerly STI-571) daily; four male patients with normal serum interleukin 5 showed complete haematological responses; a female patient who did not respond had raised serum interleukin-5 concentrations. One patient developed leucopenia after 4 days of treatment; counts returned to normal when treatment was stopped. After 1 month, eosinophilia recurred; with further treatment for 2 days, eosinophil counts again became normal. All patients who responded stopped other treatments and reduced imatinib mesilate to 200 mg per week. This drug effectively controls eosinophilia in patients with hypereosinophilic syndrome and normal interleukin-5 concentrations.
Loss of Midgut Alkalinity in Chilled or Narcotized Mosquito Larvae

Larvae of Culex pipiens, Aedes aegypti , and Anopheles stephensi normally maintain the contents of the anterior midgut at about p H 10. If chilled to inactivity, p H declines to near neutrality in 3-5 hours. On return to room temperatures, activity recommences within 5 min and the anterior midgut p H starts to rise a few minutes later, generally attaining normal values within 2 hours. Larvae of C. pipiens narcotized by CO2 or chloroform became inactive in 5-10 min, with concurrent decline in midgut p H to neutrality; if the narcotizing agent was removed at the 1st signs of inactivity, activity recommenced about 15 (CO2) and 45 (chloroform) min later, accompanied, in those individuals that ultimately recovered normal activity, by the gradual development of high alkalinity in the midgut. For midgut alkalinity to redevelop after inactivation, it is crucial that the spiracles be open at the water surface and tracheal ventilation unhindered. Since p H begins to decline within a minute of removing the intact gut from a live larva, it is concluded that gut contents are virtually unbuffered and that maintenance of high p H in the normal larva must be a continuously active metabolic process, apparently dependent on an unrestricted air supply.
Scarf Joints of Composite Materials: Testing and Analysis

The objective of this study is to develop a reliable computational model in order to investigate joint strengths of scarf joint configurations constructed from carbon-fiber and glass-fiber woven fabric laminates with different material combinations like glass/glass, glass/carbon, carbon/glass, and carbon/carbon under various loading conditions such as axial, bending moment and shear loading. Both experimental and computational studies are conducted. For the experimental study, specimens made of hybrid scarf joints using carbon-fiber and glass-fiber woven fabrics are tested under compressive loadings to determine their joint failure strengths. Computational models are then developed using the discrete resin layer model along with fracture mechanics and virtual crack closure techniques. The numerical models are validated against the experimental data. The validate models are used to predict the joint strengths under different loading conditions such as axial, shear, and bending moment loadings.
High temperature failure of ceramics

Microstructural heterogeneities are observed to have a dual influence on the creep rupture behavior of a polycrystalline alumina. The duality is related to a transition in rupture mechanism. The heterogeneous regions in the microstructure provide the cracks which cause creep crack propagation controlled failures at small strains. Additionally, shear bands nucleate at the heterogeneities, and thereby contribute to damage controlled failure at large strains. The transition in rupture mechanism is associated with a high incidence of creep blunting of cracks at a threshold stress intensity factor.
Comparison of broadband and short-period seismic waveform stacks : implications for upper-mantle discontinuity structure

Stacks of short-period and broadband seismic waveforms from four deep (h > 550 km) earthquakes in South America recorded in California exhibit small amplitude signals between the direct P and surface-reflected pP phases. The anomalous and variable slownesses of these signals in short-period stacks, as well as differences between short-period and broadband stacks suggest that the weak arrivals originate by reflection from laterally varying structure in the mantle near the subduction zone. The only structure consistently producing near-source and near-receiver reflections is the “410 km” discontinuity, which varies in depth by ±10 km, and has an impedance contrast comparable with that predicted by reference Earth models.
IKK regulates the deubiquitinase CYLD at the postsynaptic density

K63-linked polyubiquitination of proteins regulates their trafficking into specific cellular pathways such as endocytosis and autophagy. CYLD, a deubiquitinase specific for K63-linked polyubiquitins, is present in high quantities at the postsynaptic density (PSD). It was previously shown that, under excitatory conditions, CaMKII activates CYLD in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. The observation that CYLD can also be phosphorylated in the absence of Ca(2+) in isolated PSDs led us to further explore the regulation of CYLD under basal conditions. A possible involvement of the autonomous form of CaMKII and IKK, both kinases known to be localized at the PSD, was examined. A CaMKII inhibitor CN21 had no effect on CYLD phosphorylation in the absence of Ca(2+), but two different IKK inhibitors, IKK16 and tatNEMO, inhibited its phosphorylation. Immuno-electron microscopy on hippocampal cultures, using an antibody for CYLD phosphorylated at S-418, revealed that the phosphorylated form of CYLD is present at the PSD under basal conditions. Phosphorylation of CYLD under basal conditions was inhibited by IKK16. NMDA treatment further promoted phosphorylation of CYLD at the PSD, but IKK16 failed to block the NMDA-induced effect. In vitro experiments using purified proteins demonstrated direct phosphorylation and activation of CYLD by the beta catalytic subunit of IKK. Activation of IKK in isolated PSDs also promoted phosphorylation of CYLD and an increase in endogenous deubiquitinase activity for K63-linked polyubiquitins. Altogether, the results suggest that in the absence of excitatory conditions, constitutive IKK activity at the PSD regulates CYLD and maintains basal levels of K63-linkage specific deubiquitination at the synapse.
Sphingolipids from a Symbiotic Microbe Regulate Homeostasis of Host Intestinal Natural Killer T Cells

SUMMARY Coevolution of beneficial microorganisms with the mammalianintestine fundamentally shapes mammalian physiology. Here, we report that the intestinal microbe Bacteroides fragilis modifies the homeostasis of host invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells by supplementing the host’s endogenous lipid antigen milieu with unique inhibitory sphingolipids. The process occurs early in life and effectively impedes iNKT cell proliferation during neonatal development. Consequently, total colonic iNKT cell numbers are restricted into adulthood, and hosts are protected against experimental iNKT cell-mediated, oxazolone-induced colitis. In studies with neonatal mice lacking access to bacterial sphingolipids, we found that treatment with B. fragilis glycosphingolipids— exemplified by an isolated peak (MW = 717.6) called GSL-Bf717—reduces colonic iNKT cell numbers and confers protection against oxazolone-induced colitis in adulthood. Our results suggest that the distinctive inhibitory capacity of GSL-Bf717 and similar molecules may prove useful in the treatment of autoimmune and allergic disorders in which iNKT cell activation is destructive.
Synthesis and self-assembled ring structures of Ni nanocrystals

Narrow size distribution Ni nanocrystals with average diameters from 5 to 13 nm ( approximately 20% standard deviation) and a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure were synthesized via rapid thermo-decomposition in the presence of surfactants in solution. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize these nanocrystals. It was found that the solvent determined the rate of the decomposition of Ni precursors, while the surfactants controlled the size and shape of Ni nanocrystals. A three-step process was proposed to explain the synthesis. The purified Ni nanocrystals readily formed micrometer-sized ring structures on TEM grids after solvent evaporation (hexanes), and the magnetic field was found to increase the density of the rings.
Effects of Carboxyl-terminal Truncations on the Activity and Solubility of Human Monoamine Oxidase B

Monoamine oxidase is an outer mitochondrial membrane protein that catalyzes the deamination of a number of neurotransmitters and dietary amines. To determine the roles of the carboxyl-terminal amino acids on the activity and solubility of human monoamine oxidase (MAO B), 10 sequential mutants were made with stop codons at amino acid positions 511, 504, 498, 492, 486, 481, 476, 467, 417, and 397, respectively. All truncated mutants were expressed in Sf21 insect cells using baculovirus, and the enzyme kinetic parameters were determined. Truncations at amino acid positions 511, 504, and 498 slightly decreased MAO B catalytic activity and had no significant changes on deprenyl inhibition. Further deletions up to amino acid 417 decreased the specific activity 10–100-fold without significant changes of the K mfor phenylethylamine or dopamine or the IC50 for deprenyl and clorgyline. The truncation mutant C397, which lacks covalently attached FAD, was inactive. Progressive carboxyl-terminal truncations up to position 481 were correlated with increased solubility of MAO B mutants. 47% of the activity of the truncated C481 was found in the 105,000 × g supernatant in the absence of detergent. However, further truncated mutants, C476, C467, and C417, remained associated with the membrane fraction. In contrast to crude homogenate, the water-soluble C481 mutant was rapidly inactivated at 4 °C and 37 °C, which indicates that the membrane environment is required for the stability of MAO B. Expression of the green fluorescent protein-MAO B C481 fusion protein revealed that this mutant was located in the cytoplasm, whereas its counterpart in MAO A, truncated mutant C490, was located on the mitochondria. These results suggest that the carboxyl-terminal amino acid residues 417–520 of MAO B are not directly involved in the active site but are required for maintaining the appropriate conformation and interaction with the outer mitochondrial membrane. The different solubilities of the various carboxyl-terminal truncation mutants indicate that the interaction of MAO B with mitochondrial membrane is not simply anchoring through the carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic tail. Further, our results suggest that the carboxyl-terminal of MAO A and B plays different roles in mitochondrial attachment.
Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum pneumonia in an immunologically intact host

Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum, a gram-positive bacillus commonly found in the human oropharynx, has been reported as a rare cause of infection in compromised hosts. We report herein a case of lower respiratory tract infection with Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum in a previously healthy 29-yr-old trauma victim. The organism was the predominant bacterial isolate from two endotracheal aspirates and a specific humoral response was demonstrated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Wireless power transmission to sensors in reinforced concrete via Magnetic Resonance

Wireless power transmission by Strongly Coupled Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) by spiral resonators to sensor in reinforced concrete is analyzed. The power transfer mechanism consists of two self-resonant spirals and two single loops in contrast to the two resonant loops traditionally used in resonant inductive systems. The efficiency of wireless power transmission in two different rebar configuration is reported. The concrete material is modeled for various humidity levels by extended Debye's model. The efficiency analyzed for different depths and rebar configuration.
The Relationship of Lightning to Surface Convergence at Kennedy Space Center: A Preliminary Study

Abstract Cloud-to-ground lightning is a significant meteorological problem at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). Of particular importance is the growth of lightning-bearing clouds in the vicinity of KSC, for which warnings must be considered on a daily basis. In this study, lightning was related in time and space with surface convergence for 42 days during the summer of 1983 over a 280 km2 analysis area at KSC. Several events are examined in detail. Previous studies in south Florida have shown that a signature in the surface convergence field frequently precedes convective precipitation; however, the 1983 KSC data constitute the first dataset interrelating the surface wind field, radar echoes, and lightning. It is emphasized that a larger surface-wind network is needed to validate these preliminary result, together with monitoring and understanding the synoptic-scale situation based on upper-air and other reports in the region.
Phylogenetic utility of the external transcribed spacer (ETS) of 18S-26S rDNA: congruence of ETS and ITS trees of Calycadenia (Compositae).

The 3' region of the external transcribed spacer (ETS) of 18S-26S nuclear ribosomal DNA was sequenced in 19 representatives of Calycadenia/Osmadenia and two outgroup species (Compositae) to assess its utility for phylogeny reconstruction compared to rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) data. Universal primers based on plant, fungal, and animal sequences were designed to amplify the intergenic spacer (IGS) and an angiosperm primer was constructed to sequence the 3' end of the ETS in members of tribe Heliantheae. Based on these sequences, an internal ETS primer useful across Heliantheae sensu lato was designed to amplify and sequence directly the 3' ETS region in the study taxa, which were the subjects of an earlier phylogenetic investigation based on ITS sequences. Size variation in the amplified ETS region varied across taxa of Heliantheae sensu lato from approximately 350 to 700 bp, in part attributable to an approximately 200-bp tandem duplication in a common ancestor of Calycadenia/Osmadenia. Phylogenetic analysis of the 200-bp subrepeats and examination of apomorphic changes in the duplicated region demonstrate that the subrepeats in Calycadenia/Osmadenia have evolved divergently. Phylogenetic analyses of the entire amplified ETS region yielded a highly resolved strict consensus tree that is nearly identical in topology to the ITS tree, with strong bootstrap and decay support on most branches. Parsimony analyses of combined ETS and ITS data yielded a strict consensus tree that is better resolved and generally better supported than trees based on either data set analyzed separately. We calculated an approximately 1.3- to 2.4-fold higher rate of sequence evolution by nucleotide substitution in the ETS region studied than in ITS-1 + ITS-2. A similar disparity in the proportion of variable (1.3 ETS:1 ITS) and potentially informative (1.5 ETS:1 ITS) sites was observed for the ingroup. Levels of homoplasy are similar in the ETS and ITS data. We conclude that the ETS holds great promise for augmenting ITS data for phylogenetic studies of young lineages.
Biological control of Oligonychus perseae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on avocado: IV. evaluating the efficacy of a modified mistblower to mechanically dispense Neoseiulus californicus (acari: phytoseiidae)

Abstract A Stihl SR400 backpack mistblower was modified to mechanically dispense the phytoseiid predator, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) onto artificial and actual avocado trees. The ability of the mistblower to broadcast N. californicus vertically was initially evaluated on a group of four artificial trees (4 m height). Distribution of corn grits, the carrier material in which N. californicus is commercially packaged, was unevenly distributed. Analysis of sticky cards arranged at 0.5 m intervals on artificial trees indicated that 75% of grits adhered to cards at heights ranging from 1.5-3.5 m. In an avocado orchard, the efficacy of three treatments for dispensing N. californicus was assessed: (1) mistblower application of phytoseiids mixed with corn grits with water setting on 0.5 (provided a fine spray to adhere predators and grits to leaves); (2) mistblower application of phytoseiids mixed with corn grits with water setting on 1.0 (provided a coarse spray); and (3) 4-point hand-release of predators...
Actinometric Determination of the Dissociation of Carbon Dioxide by a Single Flash

Significant amounts of carbon dioxide have been dissociated by a single flash of a xenon-filled quartz flash tube. For any one piece of quartz, the effectiveness of a discharge varied as expected with the various parameters. Considerable variation was found between any two pieces of quartz. The maximum output encountered was equivalent in the spectral region used to a blackbody of about 8000°K.
Computer science accreditation: the advantages of being different

Outcome-based learning, as embraced by the CAC criteria for accrediting computing programs, requires by its very nature the active, on-going participation of faculty in the assessment process. This paper will describe a means of involving faculty at the earliest stages of development in a comprehensive assessment plan without making undue demands of their time or fostering the anxiety that oftentimes accompanies implementation of the assessment process. The proposed process takes advantage of the flexibility of the CAC criteria.
Male Athletes' Violence Against Women: A Critical Assessment of the Athletic Affiliation, Violence Against Women Debate

How can we use what we know about male athletes' violence against women to reduce the frequency of this crime? The current sociological debate on whether male athletes commit more violence against women compared to those who do not participate in organized spon is unproductive and simplistic. Theoretical constructs such as athletic affiliation and rape culture are too broad to capture the unique dynamics of athletes' violence. Similarly, violence against women is also too broad. A typology of violence against women is needed to deconstruct which aspects of athletic life contribute to this physical abuse. The author discusses the intersection between male athletes' lives and precipitating factors that may facilitate their violence against women; he suggests reframing the debate in terms of Messerschmidt's (1993) theory of men's crime, which incorporates power relations and social structures while allowing for variations among situationally distinct men.
Step Your Game Up: Teaching Sociology Through the Art of the Hip-hop Rap Battle

Sociology has many theoretical concepts educators attempt to get undergraduate students to grasp. As technology, popular culture, and our students evolve, educators must create new and innovative approaches to reach our students and keep them interested in the subject matter. This article describes an innovative exercise used to get students to actively participate in sociological explication, critique, and debate. In a Sociology of Hip-Hop course, the author uses the format of the Hip-Hop Rap Battle to engage students in sociological competition.
Effects of Prostacyclin and Milrinone on Pulmonary Hemodynamics in Newborn Lambs With Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension Induced by Ductal Ligation

Prostacyclin (PGI(2)) stimulates adenyl cyclase to synthesize cAMP within the vascular smooth muscle resulting in vasodilatation. Milrinone inhibits cAMP clearance by phosphodiesterase type III. We studied the dose response of pulmonary and systemic hemodynamics to intratracheal (IT) PGI(2) in newborn lambs with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and whether intravenous milrinone potentiate these effects. IT-PGI(2) at varying doses was administered to lambs with PH induced by prenatal ductal ligation. IT-PGI(2) doses were repeated in the presence of intravenous milrinone (bolus-100 microg/kg followed by infusion at 1 microg/kg/min). Increasing doses of IT-PGI(2) significantly decreased mean pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and increased pulmonary blood flow (PBF). Intravenous milrinone by itself produced a significant reduction in PVR and a significant increase in PBF. Intravenous milrinone significantly shortened the onset, prolonged the duration and degree of pulmonary vasodilation produced by PGI(2). We conclude that intravenous milrinone potentiates the pulmonary vasodilator effects of PGI(2) at lower doses.
Role of temperature in quanta mechanisms of facilitation in the frog neuromuscular junction

The results of computer simulations on the Double Barrier Synapse (DBS) model are presented which quantify the relationship between the synapse parameters and the quanta transfer process. The DBS model is applicable to a variety of states of synaptic activity, and by changing the synapse parameters it is possible to simulate various conditions of quanta transmission. The influence of the bathing solution temperature change on the synaptic parameters under different conditions of transmitter release in the frog neuromuscular junction is investigated. Simulations demonstrate that several synaptic parameters, including the parameters of the presynaptic membrane, are not affected by the temperature change. It is shown that a stimulation frequency exists at which the steady-state level of facilitation during a long train of stimuli is the same for a wide range of temperatures.
Changes in Intramembranous Particle Topography and Concanavalin A Receptor Mobility Associated with Myoblast Differentiation

These studies have examined the distribution of plasma membrane intramembranous particles (PMP) visualized by freeze fracture and concanavalin A receptors seen by ultrastructural cytochemistry of differentiated and undifferentiated L6 myoblasts. Undifferentiated mononucleated cells have a clustered distribution of PMP on the majority of the fracture faces. Associated with cell differentiation and cell fusion a more uniform distribution of PMP is observed. Changes also occur with myoblast differentiation in the topography and dynamics of receptors bound to concanavalin A. If undifferentiated or differentiated cells are fixed with glutaraldehyde and then reacted with con-A a uniform distribution of con-A is seen on the cell surfaces. In contrast to this if unfixed live cells are reacted at 37° C with con-A a profound redistribution occurs on differentiated cells (greater than 99% showing redistribution) while receptors remain in a uniform array on undifferentiated cells (approximately 95% uniform distribution). In addition to the membrane binding, con-A is observed to bind to an extracellular filamentous matrix seen in high density undifferentiated cultures which then appears to be degraded with differentiation and myoblast fusion. These studies show that a number of membrane changes, both structural and dynamic occur with myoblast differentiation.
Attributes of domestic political terrorism in Canada, 1960–1985

Abstract The author presents the methodology and selected results from his original chronology and data set on Canadian terrorist events. The data base covers the years 1960–1985, includes almost 500 separate events, is coded on forty variables, and is more detailed, rigorous, and comprehensive than other compilations. The domestic events were analyzed in order to determine their frequency, nature, severity, scope, range, and intensity. Analyses of selected variables of this data set are presented in this article.
Impact of RZ pulse carver phase errors on optical DQPSK

The impact of phase errors caused by imperfect return-to-zero (RZ) pulse carving on optical differential quadrature phase-shift keying (DQPSK) is analyzed. The two-symbol-delayed interferometric demodulation is proposed as an effective means to mitigate this degradation.
Hamilton decompositions of complete graphs with a 3-factor leave

Abstract We show that for any 2-factor U of K n with n even, there exists a 3-factor T of K n such that E ( U )⊂ E ( T ) such that K n − E ( T ) admits a hamilton decomposition. This is proved with the method of amalgamations (graph homomorphisms), using a new result that concerns graph decompositions that are fairly divided, but not necessarily regular.
Monitoring refractive index variations in turbid media using phase-sensitive frequency-domain OCT

Functional imaging of clear and tissue-simulating phantoms using phase-resolved swept-source spectroscopic OCT (PhS-SSOCT) is described. Superior sensitivity of PhS-SSOCT technique to monitor ultra-small changes in sample refractive index is demonstrated using aqueous solutions of glucose and aqueous suspensions of polystyrene microspheres and glucose. Glucose-induced changes in the phase are found to be 0.039 rad/mM and 0.037 rad/mM in the 200 μm-thick cell for clear and turbid media, respectively, that is in good agreement with our previous data obtained using differential-phase time-domain OCT. Obtained results suggest that PhS-SSOCT has a potential for noninvasive, depth-resolved, real-time quantitative monitoring of concentrations of glucose and other analytes with high accuracy.
A rapid tetrazolium dye reduction assay to assess the bactericidal activity of oyster (Crassostrea virginica) hemocytes against Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Abstract An assay was developed to assess the ability of oyster, Crassostrea virginica , hemocytes to kill the human pathogenic bacterium, Vibrio parahaemolyticus (ATCC 17802). Bacterial killing was estimated colorimetrically by the enzymatic reduction of a tetrazolium dye, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2 H -tetrazolium (MTS), and phenylmethasulfazone (PMS). The assay proposed here provides an indicator of immunocompetence of oysters against V. parahaemolyticus . The assay involved: (1) exposure of plasma-free oyster hemocytes to a streptomycin (SM)-resistant mutant strain of V. parahaemolyticus in a 96-well plate for 3 h at 17°C in SM-augmented sea water; (2) growout of surviving bacteria in nutrient broth for 2 h at 37°C; (3) addition of MTS and PMS; and (4) measurement of MTS/PMS reduction product (formazan) at 490 nm using a microplate reader. Advantages of this assay include the absence of radio-isotopes used in some killing assays and requirement of low volumes of plasma and numbers of hemocytes. In addition, we demonstrated greater precision than traditional, plate counting methods for bacterial estimation. This technique has the potential to evaluate oyster capacity to eliminate microbial agents and to assess effects of environmental changes and pollutant stress on defense capabilities of oysters.
RRtools—a Maple package for aiding the discovery and proof of finite Rogers–Ramanujan type identities

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to introduce the RRtools and recpf Maple packages which were developed by the author to assist in the discovery and proof of finitizations of identities of the Rogers–Ramanujan type.
Computational assessment of the environmental fate, bioaccumulation, and toxicity potential of brominated benzylpolystyrene

Brominated benzylpolystyrene (BrBPS) is a fire safety polymer, which imparts flame retardancy in a variety of styrenic polymers and resins. In this study, the individual components of BrBPS were evaluated using a novel screening process to inform various endpoints relevant for assessing risks to the environment and human health. For this purpose, representative components were created using the B3LYP density functional method to generate the energetically optimal bromine substitution patterns of the parent molecules toluene, ethylbenzene, and cumene. Representative low energy conformations of the components were identified by using repetitive short bursts of Molecular Dynamics, followed by Molecular Mechanics minimization. The resulting structures were energy minimized at the quantum mechanical Becke-Perdew GGA density functional level. Thereafter, octanol:water partition coefficients, maximum molecular lengths, average maximum diameters, and cross-sectional diameters were calculated to inform parameters ...