cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Control strategies for distributed energy resources to maximize the use of wind power in rural microgrids

This paper investigates the control strategies for distributed energy resources (DERs), including diesel generators, energy storage and demand response (DR), to achieve high penetration of wind energy in a rural microgrid. In such a system, it could be both economical and environmentally friendly to harness wind power and displace the consumption of fossil fuels. In the study, energy storage and DR are used to contain frequency deviations and reduce diesel generators' movement, while maximizing the use of wind energy. Detailed dynamic models of DERs and household loads are built to simulate the microgrid. Combinations of centralized (direct control) and decentralized (autonomous response) control strategies on DERs are implemented. The control capabilities of each type of DERs are also explored under different scenarios. The system responses under high wind speeds and to large disturbances are tested. Results show that coordinated DR and energy storage can effectively compensate for wind variability as well as provide desired frequency response. This consequently reduces the movements of diesel generators and thereby the amount of mechanical stress.
The Chance of a Long Lifetime for Brownian Motion in a Horn-Shaped Domain

By means of a simple conditioning/comparison argument, we derive the chance of a long lifetime for Brownian motion in a horn-shaped domain.
Defective viral genomes: critical danger signals of viral infections

Viruses efficiently block the host antiviral response in order to replicate and spread before host intervention. The mechanism initiating antiviral immunity during stealth viral replication is unknown, but recent data demonstrate that defective viral genomes generated at peak virus replication are critical for this process in vivo. This article summarizes the supporting evidence and highlights gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms and impact of immunostimulatory defective viral genomes generated during natural infections.
Nonlinearly stable compact schemes for shock calculations

The applications of high-order, compact finite difference methods in shock calculations are discussed. The main concern is to define a local mean which will serve as a reference for introducing a local nonlinear limiting to control spurious numerical oscillations while maintaining the formal accuracy of the scheme. For scalar conservation laws, the resulting schemes can be proven total-variation stable in one space dimension and maximum-norm stable in multiple space dimensions. Numerical examples are shown to verify accuracy and stability of such schemes for problems containing shocks. These ideas can also be applied to other implicit schemes such as the continuous Galerkin finite element methods.
Vitamin D2 Is Much Less Effective than Vitamin D3 in Humans

Vitamins D2 and D3 are generally considered to be equivalent in humans. Nevertheless, physicians commonly report equivocal responses to seemingly large doses of the only high-dose calciferol (vitamin D2) available in the U.S. market. TherelativepotenciesofvitaminsD2andD3wereevaluated by administering single doses of 50,000 IU of the respective calciferols to 20 healthy male volunteers, following the time course of serum vitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) over a period of 28 d and measuring the area under the curve of the rise in 25OHD above baseline. The two calciferols produced similar rises in serum concentration of the administered vitamin, indicating equivalent absorption. Both produced similar initial rises in serum 25OHD over the first 3 d, but 25OHD continued to rise in the D3-treated subjects, peaking at 14 d, whereas serum 25OHD fell rapidly in the D2-treated subjects and was not different from baseline at 14 d. Area under the curve (AUC) to d 28 was 60.2ngd/ml(150.5nmold/liter)forvitaminD2and204.7(511.8) for vitamin D3 (P < 0.002). Calculated AUC indicated an even greater differential, with the relative potencies for D3:D2 being 9.5:1. Vitamin D2 potency is less than one third that of vitamin D3. Physicians resorting to use of vitamin D2 should be aware of its markedly lower potency and shorter duration of action relative to vitamin D3 .( J Clin Endocrinol Metab 89: 5387–5391, 2004)
National Utilization Patterns of Warfarin Use in Older Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Population-Based Study of Medicare Part D Beneficiaries

BACKGROUNDAlthough warfarin therapy reduces stroke incidence in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), the rate of warfarin use in this population remains low. In 2008, the Medicare Part D program was expanded to pay for medications for Medicare enrollees.OBJECTIVETo examine rates and predictors of warfarin use in Medicare Part D beneficiaries with AF.METHODSThis population-based retrospective cohort study used claims data from 41,447 Medicare beneficiaries aged 66 and older with at least 2 AF diagnoses in 2007 and at least 1 diagnosis in 2008. All subjects had continuous Medicare Part D prescription coverage in 2008. Statistical analysis using χ2 was used to examine differences in warfarin use by patient characteristics (age, ethnicity, sex, Medicaid eligibility, comorbidities, contraindications to warfarin, and whether they visited a cardiologist or a primary care physician [PCP]), CHADS2 score (congestive heart failure, hypertension, age, diabetes, and stroke or transient ischemic attack; higher score...
Automated Power System Planning

As electric utilities grow in size and complexity, planning for future expansion and system security has become increasingly complicated. The cost of making corrective changes in the power system has made it necessary for utilities to consider long-range design options and to perform detailed computer studies when considering network modifications (especially when the modifications will have a large impact upon system performance and overall operation.) To assist engineers in system planning, an Automated Power System Planning (ASP) tool that uses machine intelligence concepts is presented. In response to system planning scenarios imposed by a system planner, the ASP will propose corrective planning options, based upon expert knowledge in the power system planning field, known physical constraints, and historical system information.
Stereospecific hydrogenations using palladium-on-poly-L-leucine

Studies have been conducted concerning the stereospecific nature of catalysts prepared by depositing palladium upon a poly-L-amino acid. The poly- L -amino acid chosen for this study was poly- L -leucine which was prepared from N-carboxy- L -leucine anhydride. The substrates employed in this work were α-methylcinnamic acid and α-acetamidocinnamic acid. Hydrogenation of α-methylcinnamic acid catalyzed by palladium-on-poly- L -leucine produced predominately R(−)-dihydro-α-methylcinnamic acid and hydrogenation of α-acetamidocinnamic acid using the same catalyst produced, after hydrolysis, S(−)-phenylalanine.
Response to Libby and Kremer

My assertion that the “Perestroikans” offend some who might favor disciplinary change has upset some folks.
Enhanced Recovery of Crude Oil From Shale Formations by Gas Injection in Zipper-fractured Horizontal Wells

The zipper-frac technique is implemented in two adjacent horizontal wells to maximize the exposure of shale rocks. The hydraulic fractures are propagated in a manner in which they are connected with natural fracture network to improve the fracture complexity. In this study, the authors exploit the advantage of stimulated fracture complexity to access more of the hydrocarbons trapped in very low permeability of shale matrix. The recovery process efficiencies by cyclic CO2 injection and CO2 flooding in zipper-fractured horizontal wells are compared. The role of diffusion recovery mechanism in recovering oil from fractured shales will be discussed.
Two Novel Psychomotor Tasks in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Objective: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) is a neurological disorder presenting with gait, cognitive, and bladder symptoms in the context of ventricular enlargement. Although gait is the primary indicator for treatment candidacy and outcome, additional monitoring tools are needed. Line Tracing Test (LTT) and Serial Dotting Test (SDT), two psychomotor tasks, have been introduced as potential outcome measures but have not been widely studied. This preliminary study examined whether LTT and SDT are sensitive to motor dysfunction in INPH and determined if accuracy and time are important aspects of performance. Methods: Eighty-four INPH subjects and 36 healthy older adults were administered LTT and SDT. Novel error scoring procedures were developed to make scoring practical and efficient; interclass correlation showed good reliability of scoring procedures for both tasks (0.997; p<.001). Results: The INPH group demonstrated slower performance on SDT (p<.001) and made a greater number of errors on both tasks (p<.001). Combined Time/Error scores revealed poorer performance in the INPH group for original-LTT (p<.001), modified-LTT (p≤.001) and SDT (p<.001). Conclusions: These findings indicate LTT and SDT may prove useful for monitoring psychomotor skills in INPH. While completion time reflects impaired processing speed, reduced accuracy may suggest planning and self-monitoring difficulties, aspects of executive functioning known to be compromised in INPH. This is the first study to underscore the importance of performance accuracy in INPH and introduce practical/reliable error scoring for these tasks. Future work will establish reliability and validity of these measures and determine their utility as outcome tools. (JINS, 2016, 22, 341–349)
Abstract 3879: High-throughput, homogeneousin cytoassays to monitor histone H3 post-translational modifications

Histone proteins are an integral part of DNA packaging into chromatin, a dynamic process partly regulated by post-translation modification of histone N-terminal tails. Aberrant histone acetylation (ac) or methylation (me) levels is associated with a number of diseases. For example, histone deacetylases (HDACs and sirtuins) regulate the expression of many genes involved in neurodegeneration and can be aberrantly expressed in different tumors. In addition, deregulation of the methyl marks H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 are found associated with the development of several types of cancer. This work presents the development of high-throughput AlphaLISA® in cyto assays to monitor four specific histone marks: H3K9ac, H3K4me2, H3K27ac and H3K27me3. These assays were performed using an all-in-one well histone extraction protocol requiring no acid extraction or centrifugation steps. The level of each histone mark was first measured in cell titration experiments, seeding cells from 500 to 10 000 in 384 well plates. The chemical modulation of H3K4me2, H3K9ac and H3K27ac was monitored following overnight treatment of HeLa, HEK293, and Jurkat cells with the non-selective histone deacetylase inhibitors sodium butyrate and trichostatin A. Signal increases were all corroborated by Western blot analysis using the same antibodies as in the AlphaLISA detection assay. In the absence of chemical modulation, measurement of different H3K27me3 mark levels was performed in two B cell lymphoma cell lines: OCI-LY-19 and SU-DHL-6. OCI-LY-19 cells express wild-type EZH2 methyltransferase while SU-DHL-6 cells bear a heterozygous EZH2 mutation (Y641N) that alters its substrate selectivity, resulting in increased H3K27me3 levels. These novel cell-based assays showed suitability for high-throughput screening (HTS) protocols as demonstrated by Z’ factors superior to 0.6 for all four marks. In summary, these homogeneous cell-based AlphaLISA assays allow the simple and rapid monitoring of cellular histone H3 mark levels. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3879. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3879
Effectiveness of Peers Who Reentered College in a Program to Enhance Retention

To study the effects of counseling by reentered peers on the 1-yr. retention rate of nontraditional college students, 77 female students were randomly assigned to a group who received peer counseling and 78 were randomly assigned to a control group who did not receive peer counseling. Although a higher percentage of the counseled group than of the control group (57 vs 53) were retained, the difference was nonsignificant. Suggestions for improving a replication of the study were made
Application of Simplified Ecotype Targeting Induced Local Lesions in Genomes(EcoTILLING) Technique for Genotyping and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism(SNP) Detection in Rice

Ecotype targeting induced local lesions in genomes (EcoTILLING) is a high-throughput method of detection and analysis of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variations in natural populations. However, it requires a substantial investment in sophisticated equipment and costly fluorescence labeled primers to detect CELⅠ- cut products that limit its use in laboratories with common financial resources. The technology of traditional EcoTILLING had been appropriately improved in this study. Here, we simplified extraction procedure of the CELⅠ enzyme, prepared heteroduplex DNA products for CELⅠdigestion by use of natural cooling method, and detected the CEL I-cleaved products through general silver staining. The results of activities of crude CELⅠenzyme extracts showed that the activity of CELⅠwas high enough for detection of mismatch bases. Using the simplified EcoTILLING technique, the G/T polymorphism at the first intron 5' splice site of the Wx gene among 18 rice(Oryza sativa L.) accessions were successfully genotyped. In addition, CELⅠdigested bands of a 417 bp fragment within the Wx gene of the 18 rice accessions were distinguished into several types. On comparisons with sequencing results, CELⅠcut bands could accurately reflect the SNP variations between the materials. The results suggested that the simplified EcoTILLING is an effective method for SNP discovery and genotyping in rice that will provide powerful tool for rice functional genomics research.
Pratapa Rudra (R. 1289–1323): the demise of the regional kingdom

The story of Pratapa Rudra, the last sovereign of the Kakatiya dynasty in the eastern Deccan, forms the larger story of the extension of this axis from Delhi to the Deccan plateau. Pratapa Rudra's new title and new clothes, given him as he solemnly bowed toward Delhi from atop his citadel's ramparts. Both were only two of many elements in this semantic transfer, as ever more quarters of the plateau would become ideologically integrated into the still larger world of Perso-Islamic civilization. The dynamic of a moving economic and social frontier is reflected in the different kinds of temples patronized in the Kakatiya period. Pratapa Rudra's capital, Warangal, is largely bypassed by the main communication arteries of modern India. The collapse of Pratapa Rudra's kingdom was only one in a series of upheavals that shook the Deccan at that time. It is true that for several decades after 1309, Pratapa Rudra was a tributary king in the Tughluq imperial system.
Electoral Systems and Political Context: How Political Context Shapes the Effect of Electoral Rules on Women's Representation

In this chapter, we turn our attention away from strategic defection by voters and elites and the number of parties under plurality rules to focus on the types of people who win office in democratic elections. More specifically, we explore how political context conditions the impact of electoral rules on the election of women to legislative office. The election of women to public office is inherently important. Intuitively, female representation offers symbolic benefits for gender equality (see Phillips 1995), and there is evidence that female legislators behave differently from their male counterparts (Mansbridge 1999; Bratton and Ray 2002). It is therefore noteworthy that electoral systems are important in shaping the degree to which women win elected office. Significant research indicates that larger shares of women gain office under closed-list proportional representation rules than in single-member districts, but this finding is more consistent in consolidated democracies than in new ones. The literature implicitly highlights two features of PR that especially help women’s representation. First, the closed-list party vote in many PR systems would appear to help women over the more candidate-centered balloting under SMDs: compared with the process by which candidates are nominated for SMD races, national party leaders appear more inclined to nominate women, so closed party lists and centralized party nomination processes are seen as more conducive to women’s representation (Norris 1993; Valdini 2005, 2006). Moreover, some voters may not wish to vote for a woman under SMD rules when they cast their ballots for individual candidates, but see no problem with casting a ballot for a list that includes women under PR where they vote for a party. Second, the higher district magnitudes of PR systems also appear to offer women a better shot at election than single-member districts (especially FPTP) by lowering the effective threshold (i.e., the share of the vote) necessary for election.
The Reduction of Ferric Iron

A widely observed electronic transition discovered in iron compounds is the reduction from the ferric to the ferrous state. In a series of studies since 1967 such reduction has been observed in perhaps forty to fifty compounds including halides, cyanides, hydrates, salts of organic acids, and a variety of organometallic compounds [1]. Higher oxidation states, such as the ferrates, also reduce with pressure [2]. The mechanism involves the thermal transfer of an electron from a ligand non-bonding level to the metal dπ orbitals. As indicated in Chapter 6, the optical absorption peaks corresponding to ligand to metal charge transfer have maxima in the range 2 to 4 eV which shift to lower energy by as much as 0.2 to 0.4 eV in 150 kbar. The factors which permit a large energy difference between thermal and optical electron transfer are discussed in detail in Chapter 3. In this case the excited state consists of the ferrous ion and a collectively oxidized set of ligands. The presence of a ‘hole’ on the ligands decreases the probability that the Fe(II) site will exhibit typically ferrous behavior as regards metal-ligand vibrational frequency, etc. Much of the earlier data must be regarded as qualitative because of difficulties in perfecting experimental techniques. Furthermore, it is difficult to compare the earlier results due to the wide range of structural and bonding characteristics. These difficulties have been largely eliminated in recent studies on two series of acetylacetonate [3] and hydroxamate [4] derivatives. The examination of a related series of compounds with similar structural and bonding characteristics permits systematic variation of the electron donor properties of the ligand which can be correlated with the conversion. Refinements of technique have been used to minimize effects of sample concentration, of shear, and other experimental artifacts discussed in Chapter 5. In addition, optical data complementing the basic Mossbauer data are available for these two series of compounds. For these reasons, we shall restrict our detailed discussion to these recent investigations.
A Cloud-Based Immersive Learning Environment for Distributed Systems Algorithms

As distributed systems become more complex, understanding the underlying algorithms that make these systems work becomes even harder. Traditional learning modalities based on didactic teaching and theoretical proofs alone are no longer sufficient for a holistic understanding of these algorithms. Instead, an environment that promotes an immersive, hands-on learning of distributed system algorithms is needed to complement existing teaching modalities. Such an environment must be flexible to support learning of a variety of algorithms. Moreover, since many of these algorithms share several common traits with each other while differing only in some aspects, the environment should support extensibility and reuse. Finally, it must also allow students to experiment with large-scale deployments in a variety of operating environments. To address these concerns, we use the principles of software product lines (SPLs) and model-driven engineering and adopt the cloud platform to design an immersive learning environment called the Playground of Algorithms for Distributed Systems (PADS). The research contributions in PADS include the underlying feature model, the design of a domainspecific modeling language that supports the feature model, and the generative capabilities that maximally automate the synthesis of experiments on cloud platforms. A prototype implementation of PADS is described to showcase a distributed systems algorithm illustrating a peer to peer file transfer algorithm based on BitTorrent, which shows the benefits of rapid deployment of the distributed systems algorithm.
Anorexia Nervosa: Analysis of Trabecular Texture with CT

Patients with anorexia nervosa had increased skewness and kurtosis and decreased entropy and mean value of positive pixels compared with normal-weight control subjects, and these parameters were associated with lowest lifetime weight and duration of amenorrhea; there were no such associations with bone mineral density, and these findings suggest that trabecular texture analysis might contribute information about bone health in anorexia nervosa that is independent of information provided with bone mineral density.
Abstract 12: Regulation of Hypertension by Sex specific T Cell Subtypes

Background: Studies in humans and animal models of hypertension indicate arterial pressure is modulated by distinct T cell populations. Recombination activating gene-1 (Rag1)-deficient mice lack B and T cells and exhibit lower mean arterial pressure (MAP) than wild type mice during angiotensin II (Ang II) -induced hypertension. Adoptive transfer of splenic T cells from male wild type (WT) mice restores the Ang II-dependent hypertension in male Rag1 mice. Objective: This study investigated the impact of the sex of the T cell donor on T cell modulation of blood pressure during Ang II-induced hypertension in the male Rag1 mouse in order to gain insight into the mechanisms contributing to sex differences in hypertension. Method: Mature CD8 + T cells were isolated using flow cytometry from male ( CD8 M ) and female ( CD8 F ) C57/Bl6 WT mice and injected into the jugular vein (8 x 10 6 T cells/mouse) of male Rag1 mice. Three weeks later, radiotransmitters were implanted and MAP was recorded before and after Ang II (490 ng/min/kg) was infused by osmotic minipump for two weeks. Once the experiment was terminated, T cell subpopulation frequencies in the spleen and kidney were assessed by fluorescence activated cell sorting, immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Results: Adoptive transfer of CD8 M restored the magnitude of the Ang II-induced hypertension to WT levels in male Rag1 mice. In contrast, adoptive transfer of CD8 F attenuated the hypertension [peak MAP (mm Hg): WT 143 ± 4.1; Rag1, 127 ± 2.8*; Rag1+CD8 M , 142 ± 4.0; Rag1+CD8 F , 120 ± 4.0*; n=10-12/group *p + CD4 + T regulatory ( Treg ) cells in the male WT mouse spleen than in female spleens in the whole mature T cell population [Treg (%): Male, 3.2 ± 0.4 vs Female, 5.2 ± 0.3; p + CD125 + Treg cells in the CD4 + population after adoptive transfer of CD8 M compared to CD8 F in male Rag 1 mice [Treg (%): Rag1+CD8 M , 9.7 ± 1.4 vs CD8 F , 14.7 ± 1.7; p Conclusions: This study suggests sex differences in the Treg population contributes to why men have higher MAP than women up through the fifth decade of life.
Crackling noise in advanced gravitational wave detectors: A model of the steel cantilevers used in the test mass suspensions

The response of elastic materials to external changing conditions can proceed through small and discrete releases of stress, rather than a continuous and smooth deformation as described by the classical elasticity theory. In a macroscopic elastic body, the sum of all those small crackling events can create a detectable displacement noise (crackling noise). In this paper we consider the case of the steel cantilevers used in the seismic isolation systems of ground based gravitational wave detectors, to provide the vertical isolation needed to reach the detector target sensitivity. Those instruments are reaching unprecedented displacement sensitivity, at a level that might be limited by crackling noise in the aforementioned cantilevers. Understanding this source of noise is extremely important, especially considering its intrinsic nonlinear nature. Since a detailed microscopical model of crackling noise in polycrystalline steel is not available at the moment, we suggest a phenomenological microscopical model, and the focus of this paper is on how crackling noise scales with the size and geometry of the cantilevers. The goal of this paper is to provide a method to scale up future measurements of crackling noise from small test cantilevers to the large ones used in advanced gravitational wave detectors.
A Listening Tour: Conversations about Obamacare across America's Heartland.

During my sabbatical, I rode my bike 3300 miles from Washington, DC, to Seattle, WA, in order to engage in dialog with people along the northern tier of America9s heartland. Through informal and candid conversations with >100 people, I gained insights into attitudes and opinions about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). The comments were overwhelmingly negative. In this reflective essay, I share some of the conversations I had and the insights I gained from this remarkable journey across our beautiful country.
Campus Sexual Assault: Future Directions for Research:

Campus sexual assault (CSA) has received unprecedented attention over recent years, resulting in an abundance of federal guidance and mandates. In response, efforts to address and prevent CSA at Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) across the country have grown quickly, including the development and implementation of programs and policies. Because the changes on campuses have occurred at such a rapid pace, a number of gaps exist within the field of CSA research. To ensure that changes on IHE are evidence-based, there is a need to review the existing research available and the inquiry still needed, based on key areas outlined in federal guidance, the expressed needs of campus community members, survivors, and students who commit sexual offenses on college campuses. The purpose of this review is to summarize the empirical research related to CSA gained from the past two decades and identify areas in which further work is needed, specifically related to key areas identified in recent guidance provided to IHE. This article concludes with guidance for research moving forward to help strengthen response and prevention efforts.
An open source solution for testing NAT'd and nested iptables firewalls

As firewalls have increased in power and flexibility, the complexity of configuring them correctly has grown significantly. An error in the firewall configuration can compromise the security of the system or interfere with normal network activity. The chance of an error increases when coordinating multiple firewalls, because the interaction between filters may hide errors more easily noticed on a single firewall. Firewalls on many networks use network address translation, which further increases the complexity of the firewall policy and creates additional opportunities for errors. Because errors in the firewall configuration are often extremely costly in time and security, system administrators need tools for verifying and debugging their firewall policy. ITVal is a tool for analyzing iptables-based firewalls that provides a plain English query language for simple firewall analysis. In this work, we describe extensions to ITVal that allow it to process network address translation rules and analyze multiple firewalls connected sequentially.
Noise-tolerant conceptual clustering

Fisher (1987a, b) introduced a performance task for conceptual clustering: flexible prediction of arbitrary attribute values, not simply the prediction of a single 'class' attribute. This paper extends earlier analysis by considering the effects of noise and other environmental factors. The degradation in flexible prediction accuracy that results from noise is mitigated by 'preferred' prediction points for individual attributes. Methods that identify these prediction points are inspired by pruning in learning from examples. We extend these noisetolerant techniques to untutored learning. In addition, prediction point preferences shed light on relationships between conceptual clustering, case-based, and default reasoning.
Electronic Structure of Two Catalytic States of the [FeFe] Hydrogenase H-Cluster As Probed by Pulse Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

The active site of the [FeFe] hydrogenase (HydA1), the H-cluster, is a 6-Fe cofactor that contains CO and CN- ligands. It undergoes several different oxidation and protonation state changes in its catalytic cycle to metabolize H2. Among them, the well-known Hox state and the recently identified Hhyd state are thought to be directly involved in H2 activation and evolution, and they are both EPR active with net spin S = 1/2. Herein, we report the pulse electronic paramagnetic spectroscopic investigation of these two catalytic states in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii HydA1 ( CrHydA1). Using an in vitro biosynthetic maturation approach, we site-specifically installed 13C into the CO or CN- ligands and 57Fe into the [2Fe]H subcluster of the H-cluster in order to measure the hyperfine couplings to these magnetic nuclei. For Hox, we measured 13C hyperfine couplings (13CO aiso of 25.5, 5.8, and 4.5 MHz) corresponding to all three CO ligands in the H-cluster. We also observed two 57Fe hyperfine couplings (57Fe aiso of ∼17 and 5.7 MHz) arising from the two Fe atoms in the [2Fe]H subcluster. For Hhyd, we only observed two distinct 13CO hyperfine interactions (13CO aiso of 0.16 and 0.08 MHz) and only one for 13CN- (13CN aiso of 0.16 MHz); the couplings to the 13CO/13CN- on the distal Fe of [2Fe]H may be too small to detect. We also observed a very small (<0.3 MHz) 57Fe HFI from the labeled [2Fe]H subcluster and four 57Fe HFI from the labeled [4Fe-4S]H subcluster (57Fe aiso of 7.2, 16.6, 28.2, and 35.3 MHz). These hyperfine coupling constants are consistent with the previously proposed electronic structure of the H-cluster at both Hox and Hhyd states and provide a basis for more detailed analysis.
Suppression of B2 phase in Pd Cu1- alloy thin films

Abstract Thin films of pure metals and alloys can adopt phases that differ from those of the corresponding bulk alloy phase diagram. In the bulk, PdzCu1-z adopts a B2 phase (CsCl structure) for 0.35 6 nm. However, at film thicknesses in the range 4–6 nm, only the FCC phase was observed. Stabilization of the FCC phase for films that are
Midbrain activity can explain perceptual decisions during an attention task.

We introduce a decision model that interprets the relative levels of moment-by-moment spiking activity from the right and left superior colliculus to distinguish relevant from irrelevant stimulus events. The model explains detection performance in a covert attention task, both in intact animals and when performance is perturbed by causal manipulations. This provides a specific example of how midbrain activity could support perceptual judgments during attention tasks. Herman et al. exploit the reliable effects of perturbing superior colliculus (SC) neuronal activity on perceptual choice behavior to demonstrate a plausible mechanism by which SC may contribute to perceptual judgments during covert attention tasks.
Enantioselective construction of the tricyclic core of curcusones A-D via a cross-electrophile coupling approach.

Herein we report our recent progress toward the enantioselective total synthesis of the diterpenoid natural products curcusones A–D by means of complementary Stetter annulation or ring-closing metathesis (RCM) disconnections. Using the latter approach, we have achieved the concise construction of the 5–7–6 carbocyclic core embedded in each member of the curcusone family. Essential to this route is the use of a cross-electrophile coupling strategy, which has not previously been harnessed in the context of natural product synthesis.
Evaluation of a Novel Multiplex PCR Panel Compared to Quantitative Bacterial Culture for Diagnosis of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections.

ABSTRACT Quantitative bacterial culture of bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) is labor-intensive, and the delay involved in performing culture, definitive identification, and susceptibility testing often results in prolonged use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The Unyvero lower respiratory tract (LRT) panel (Curetis, Holzgerlingen, Germany) allows the multiplexed rapid detection and identification of 20 potential etiologic agents of pneumonia within 5 h of collection. In addition, the assay includes detection of gene sequences that confer antimicrobial resistance. We retrospectively compared the performance of the molecular panel to routine quantitative bacterial culture methods on remnant BALF. Upon testing 175 BALF, we were able to analyze positive agreement of 181 targets from 129 samples, and 46 samples were negative. The positive percent agreement (PPA) among the microbial targets was 96.5%, and the negative percent agreement (NPA) was 99.6%. The targets with a PPA of
Alberto Savinio and the Myth of Babel: Homecoming, Genealogies, and Translation in Hermaphrodito

This article approaches Alberto Savinio’s multifaceted oeuvre by interpreting his avant-garde novel Hermaphrodito (1918) through its epistemological, linguistic, and political implications. Hermaph...
Entrepreneurship as a Leap of Faith

Entrepreneurial start-ups require a “leap of faith.” Since a person’s faith represents a belief in something for which there is limited information and considerable uncertainty, this suggests that the entrepreneur’s faith orientation may influence the start-up process for some entrepreneurs. Due to the paucity of research in this area and the need to better understand the start-up process, this study utilized an inductive, longitudinal research design. Specifically, we studied the new venture creation process for four entrepreneurs operating throughout the United States over a five-year period from 2005 to 2009. As a result of this study, new theoretical insights are generated on entrepreneurial motivations, creativity, expectations and emotions for those entrepreneurs who seek to integrate their faith journey with a new entrepreneurial start-up.
A Surgical Technique to Avoid Mediolateral Overhang during Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Abstract Femoral component sizing and positioning is an essential component of performing a successful total knee arthroplasty. Failure to size or position the femoral component correctly can result in reduced range of motion, instability, soft-tissue impingement, and irritation. The following is a description of a novel technique that allows the surgeon to use an intercondylar autograft to translate the femoral component in the mediolateral direction and avoid the consequences of mediolateral femoral component overhang.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea as a Risk Factor for Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background and Purpose: To determine whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) risk, we assessed premorbid OSA exposure of patients with nontraumatic I...
Resolution of tissue signatures of therapy response in patients with recurrent GBM treated with neoadjuvant anti-PD1

The response of patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme to neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade has been challenging to interpret due to the inter-patient and intra-tumor heterogeneity. We report on a comparative analysis of tumor tissues collected from patients with recurrent glioblastoma and high-risk melanoma, both treated with neoadjuvant checkpoint blockade. We develop a framework that uses multiplex spatial protein profiling, machine learning-based image analysis, and data-driven computational models to investigate the pathophysiological and molecular factors within the tumor microenvironment that influence treatment response. Using melanoma to guide the interpretation of glioblastoma analyses, we interrogate the protein expression in microscopic compartments of tumors, and determine the correlates of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, tumor growth, treatment response, and immune cell-cell interaction. This work reveals similarities shared between glioblastoma and melanoma, immunosuppressive factors that are unique to the glioblastoma microenvironment, and potential co-targets for enhancing the efficacy of neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade.
‘Because we are not apart, we are a part’: an interview with Vandana Singh

This interview with science fiction writer Vandana Singh focuses on her rapidly expanding oeuvre in climate fiction. More specifically, she discusses her cli-fi under the umbrella of three major co...
Oleophobic monolayers: I. Films adsorbed from solution in non-polar liquids☆

It was found that certain types of polar organic molecules are adsorbed from solutions in non-polar solvents to form well-oriented monolayers on polished solid surfaces. Such monolayers imparted both hydrophobic and oleophobic properties to the polished surfaces of a variety of metallic and non-metallic solids and could be formed from a large variety of solvents, those used ranging from hydrocarbons like hexadecane, mineral oils, benzene, methylnaphthalene and dicyclohexyl to other solvents such as carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, bromobenzene and diphenyloxide. It is shown that the mechanism of the formation of these films on platinum was reversible adsorption from solution and that it definitely was not the accumulation of insoluble films floating at the liquid-air interface as in the Langmuir-Blodgett method. It is concluded that the adsorbed films were made up of almost vertically oriented molecules which were nearly close-packed and attached to the surface through a surface active or polar group. Attention is called to the possibility that such films do not conform to the shape of the solid surface but might bridge over those surface depressions whose areas are not too great compared to the cross-sectional area of the molecules. In order that a compound be able to adsorb as an oleophobic monolayer it appears necessary that its molecular structure be in keeping with the following requirements. First, the molecules of the compound must be capable of approximating close-packed orientation in a monolayer. Second, the surface active or polar group must be located at one extremity of the molecule and one or more methyl groups must be located at the opposite extremity. Finally, the molecules must adsorb to a fiat solid surface with sufficient close-packing so that the outermost portion of the film is essentially a plane surface, densely populated with methyl groups. It was found that compounds whose molecular configurations resemble a long rod or a flat plate, with a polar group attached to one end of the rod or rim of the plate and one or more methyl groups at the opposite end of the rod or rim of the plate, readily satisfy these requirements. Exceptions were found in the case of aliphatic, unbranched polar molecules containing one or more unsaturated bonds, for these did not form oleophobic films. It is suggested that such molecules adsorb on solids at both the polar end group and the unsaturated bonds so that, instead of orienting with their axes vertical to the surface, they are arranged more nearly horizontally. Observations were made to determine the smallest concentrations of each of the various types of oleophobic compounds which would permit the formation of oleophobic monolayers on platinum and pyrex. While weight concentrations of only 10−7 were required for primary aliphatic amines and monocarboxylic acids, roughly 1000 times more was needed for the aliphatic alcohols, esters and ketones and for cholesterol. Some of the relations of these findings to past theoretical and applied research are discussed.
Methylation of Deoxyribonucleic Acid during Hormonal Stimulation of Mammary Cells in Vitro

Abstract The methylation of DNA in organ cultures of mouse mammary gland has been studied during hormone-dependent cell proliferation and cell differentiation. Methionine-methyl-14C was incorporated into DNA, and 5-methylcytosine was the only methylated base found. Incubation of explants with insulin and other factors induced coordinate and proportional increases in the rates of DNA replication and methylation in the epithelial cells. DNA methylation was prevented by inhibitors of DNA synthesis. Density labeling of the DNA with 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine demonstrated that the newly synthesized segments of DNA were methylated in these experiments. Induction of cell differentiation by insulin, hydrocortisone, and prolactin was not associated with alteration of the methylation of main or satellite DNA, and did not alter the formation of 5-methylcytosine-containing dipyrimidine sequences. These results indicate that DNA methylation has an obligatory dependence upon DNA synthesis, but is otherwise independent from the hormonal regulation of mammary cell differentiation.
Implementation of analog neural networks

The topics discussed are: architectures of analog neural networks; multilevel or analog DRAM synapses; and a continuous time neural network using a high performance multilevel DRAM system. Neural networks must be implemented in hardware to achieve real time performance. The size and performance of the synapse element play a critical role in the overall system performance. In addition, a long term analog memory circuit is critical for most analog neural network implementations. Dynamic refreshing schemes potentially allow very compact synapses with fast read and write operations, but are only achievable with state of the art analog VLSI design theories and techniques. The implementation described performs an 8 to 10 bit transmission of a dynamically stored value and a 2 MHz, successive approximation analog-to-digital (A/D) to digital-to-analog (D/A) converter. >
Perfecting Mankind: Eugenics and Photography. International Center for Photography, New York City, New York

PERFECTING MANKIND: EUGENICS AND PHOTOGRAPHY. International Center for Photography, New York City, New York, January 11-March 18, 2001
Overproduction of Anabaena 7120 ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase in Escherichia coli

As a prerequisite to protein engineering, we have overexpressed the rbcLS operon of the cyanobacterium Anabaena 7120, in Escherichia coli. The operon encodes the large and small subunits of ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco). Levels of active enzyme exceed 6% of soluble protein. We noted an apparent third gene, an unidentified open reading frame (URF) referred to here as rbcX, in the 558-bp intergenic space between the large and small subunit encoding genes. The URF, rbcX, has no known function. High-level production of Rubisco activity from the rbc operon in E. coli required simultaneous overproduction of the GroESL chaperonins under a regimen of limited growth, in contrast to more modest conditions which suffice for efficient production of the Anacystis nidulans cyanobacterial Rubisco. Deletion of rbcX or inversion of the rbcL-rbcS order did not enhance expression levels. The recombinant Rubisco, purified to near homogeneity, exhibited functional properties [Km(ribulose-P2), kcat, transition-state-analogue binding stoichiometry/exchange, and specificity factor] essentially identical to those of the enzyme obtained from Anabaena.
WMO reiterates concern about extreme weather events

Public concern about a spate of well-publicized, extreme weather events around the world this year has prompted the World Meteorological Organization to issue a statement that, as global temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, the number and intensity of extreme events might increase. The 2 July statement is based on scientific assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and others, rather than on any new studies, according to Ken Davidson, director of the WMO's World Climate Program Department. The statement cites record high temperatures so far this summer in southern France and in Switzerland, an abnormally high number of tornadoes in the U.S. in May, and particularly heavy rains from tropical cyclones in Sri Lanka.
Visualizing Hepatitis C Virus Infections in Human Liver by Two-Photon Microscopy

Background & Aims Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a common cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer, efforts to understand the pathogenesis of HCV infection have been limited by the low abundance of viral proteins expressed within the liver, which hinders the detection of infected cells in situ. This study evaluated the ability of advanced optical imaging techniques to determine the extent and distribution of HCV-infected cells within the liver. Methods We combined 2-photon microscopy with virus-specific, fluorescent, semiconductor quantum dot probes to determine the proportion of hepatocytes that were infected with virus in frozen sections of liver tissue obtained from patients with chronic HCV infection. Results Viral core and nonstructural protein 3 antigens were detected readily in liver tissues from patients with chronic infection without confounding tissue autofluorescence. Specificity was confirmed by blocking with specific antibodies and by tissue colocalization of distinct viral antigens. Between 7% and 20% of hepatocytes were infected in patients with plasma viral RNA loads of 10 5 IU/mL or greater. Infected cells were in clusters, which suggested spread of the virus from cell to cell. Double-stranded RNA, a product of viral replication, was abundant within cells at the center of such clusters, but often scarce in cells at the periphery, consistent with more recent infection of cells at the periphery. Conclusions Two-photon microscopy provides unprecedented sensitivity for the detection of HCV proteins and double-stranded RNA. Studies using this technology indicate that HCV infection is a dynamic process that involves a limited number of hepatocytes. HCV spread between cells is likely to be constrained by host responses.