cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Use of Ligand Binding Techniques to Identify Transport Proteins: The Characterization of the [125I]-Iodophenylarsine Oxide Receptor in Rat Mitochondrial Membranes

The use of radioactive ligands that bind selectively and with high affinity to specific proteins has long been a valuable tool for the identification and purification of membrane proteins and receptors (Cuatrecasas and Hollenberg, 1975; Enna, 1985; Snyder, 1986). This report introduces a novel radioligand, [125I]-4-iodophenylarsine oxide ([125I]PAO) and its application to the study of mitochondrial proteins. The broader goal of this study is to emphasize the utility of radioligand binding assays as an approach which complements standard biochemical and biophysical methods. Indeed, the functional assay for mitochondrial transport proteins often necessitates detergent solubilization, biochemical purification, and reconstitution into phospholipid vesicles. The use of specific radioligands for the purpose of defining a membrane-bound protein by its receptor properties has permitted the purification of numerous ion channels and transport proteins. Moreover, by using covalent radioligand, the specific binding protein can be purified under denatured conditions. Examples of the application of radiolabelled amino acid-selective covalent modifying reagents (e.g. [14C] dicyclohexylcarbodiimide ([14C]DCCD) (Cattell, et al. 1970; 1971) and [3H]N-ethylmaleimide ([3H]NEM) (Coty and Pedersen, 1975)) presented valuable information about the structure of the DCCD-binding protein and the phosphate/proton transporter (PiT), respectively. Also, the synthesis of photoactivatable radiolabelled nucleotide analogs (e.g. 8-azido-ADP (Lauguin, et al., 1978), 8-azido-ATP (Winkler and Klingenberg, 1992), and substrate analogs (e.g. 2-azido-4-nitrophenylphosphate (Tommassino, et al. 1987); 5-(1-hydroxy-4-azidophenylazo)-. 1, 2, 3-benzetricarboxylic acid (Szewczyk, et al. 1991) have also been of great ultility in the study of specific mitochondrial carriers.
Lessons in Leading: Developing a Culture of Innovation in Public Sector Planning and Governance

,n this thought provoking article, :illiam Riggs discusses the importance and principles of leadership, and how they can help eficiency, community satisfaction, and innovation in public planning and governance. Leadership in the public sector is more about creating an environment for success and unleashing the power of others.
Resident-as-teacher programs in general surgery residency - A review of published curricula.

Abstract Introduction The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) requires that residents are trained to fulfill their educational duties toward medical students. This study reviews the literature on resident-as-teacher programs (RATPs) aimed at surgical residents. Methods Literature search with MeSH terms internship, residency, general surgery, teaching, education, and curriculum was performed using PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and ERIC. Curriculum components and how curricula's success was measured were extracted for each study. Quality was scored using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). Results For the seven relevant publications the average MERSQI score was 9.9 (range 6.5–13.5). The RATPs were either lecture based (4/7) or content was distributed electronically (3/7). Change in attitude toward teaching was the most frequently assessed outcome. Highly rated curricular components were individualized feedback and iterative reminders to make teaching part of practice. Conclusions Few published RATPs in general surgery training exist. The literature suggests that pairing lectures with observation and feedback is successful. Distributing the content electronically is a feasible alternative to class-room based teaching in a busy surgical residency.
Spatial analysis of the relative risk of suicide for Virginia counties incorporating uncertainty of variable estimates

Abstract Purpose This research aimed to identify significantly elevated areas of risk for suicide in Virginia adjusting for risk factors and risk factor uncertainty. Methods We fit three Bayesian hierarchical spatial models for relative risk of suicide adjusting for risk factors and considering different random effects. We compared models with and without incorporating parameter estimates’ margin of error (MOE) from the American Community Survey and identified counties with significantly elevated risk and highly significantly elevated risk for suicide. Results Incorporating MOEs and using a mixing parameter between unstructured and spatially structured random effects achieved the best model fit. Fifty-two counties had significantly elevated risk and 18 had highly significantly elevated risk of suicide. Models without MOEs underestimated relative risk and over-identified counties with elevated risk. Conclusions Accounting for uncertainty in parameter estimates achieved better model fit. Efficient allocation of resources for suicide prevention can be attained by targeting clusters of counties with elevated risk.
Compressing the Four-Index Two-Electron Repulsion Integral Matrix using the Resolution-of-the-Identity Approximation Combined with the Rank Factorization Approximation.

The four-index two-electron repulsion integral (4-2ERI) matrix is compressed using the resolution-of-the-identity (RI) approximation combined with the rank factorization approximation (RFA). The 4-2ERI is first approximated by the RI product. Then, the singular value decomposition (SVD) approximation is used to eliminate low-weighted singular vectors. The SVD RI approximation maintains the canonical form of the RI approximation and introduces a tunable compression factor. The characteristics of the SVD RI approximation along with the stochastic RI and natural auxiliary function approximation were numerically examined by applying these methods to the closed-shell second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2). The results show that, while the SVD RI approximation yields large errors for absolute properties (e.g., the correlation energy), it provides accurate relative properties (potential energy surface, binding energy) of the applied ab initio method (e.g., RHF, MP2).
Time-Resolved Electron Density Measurement Characterization of E–H-Modes for Inductively Coupled Plasma Instabilities

Inductively coupled plasma sources driven by RF power at low-pressure regimes are well adopted for high-volume manufacturing of semiconductor devices. One vexing challenge to the utility of these plasma processing reactors is the existence of the E–H-mode transition. Industry notably avoids the process region associated with this transition, where plasma instabilities and bimodal power coupling prohibit reliable RF power delivery. One plasma instability detailed in this paper is associated with a hysteresis in coupled RF power (current) varying for the E-mode, or weakly capacitive coupling to the plasma, in comparison to the stronger current coupling in the H-mode, where inductive coupling is preferentially dominant. As a result, approximately two orders of magnitude of electron density is relinquished in this transition region from serving industrial manufacturing processes. We characterize the plasma parameter variation through the E-mode to H-mode with a time-resolved measurement of the electron density. Electronegative chemistries are incorporated into our experimental setup. The experimental scheme serves to evaluate RF power delivery and ameliorate its coupling through the transition region. We seek to extend this paper to adopt more efficient power coupling for toroidal plasma sources.
Imbalanced High-Current Multi-Phase Buck Converters for High-Performance CPUs

High-performance CPUs require buck converters with high-current ratings (4-12 A), fast dynamic response, and high efficiency across a wide load range. The most common approach for realizing such buck converters is the conventional multi-phase topology with phase-shedding, where all the active phases are identical in terms of the inductor, the switching frequency, and the share of the total load current, i.e. balanced phases. Instead, this paper proposes using a different inductor, switching frequency, and share of the total load current for each individual phase, i.e. imbalanced phases. This approach provides additional degrees of freedom by the independent choice of the inductor and the switching frequency of each phase, which enables higher maximum load current rating and higher efficiency across the entire load current range compared to conventional balanced multi-phase designs. To demonstrate the viability and the advantages of imbalanced multi-phase buck converters in high-current application, a 12-A 4-phase design in 0.13-µm CMOS for high-performance CPUs is presented and compared to three conventional balanced reference designs in the same process technology.
Maximizing five-cycles in $K_r$-free graphs

The Erdos Pentagon problem asks to find an n-vertex triangle-free graph that is maximizing the number of 5-cycles. The problem was solved using flag algebras by Grzesik and independently by Hatami, Hladky, Kral, Norin, and Razborov. Recently, Palmer suggested the general problem of maximizing the number of 5-cycles in K_{k+1}-free graphs. Using flag algebras, we show that every K_{k+1}-free graph of order n contains at most \[\frac{1}{10k^4}(k^4 - 5k^3 + 10k^2 - 10k + 4)n^5 + o(n^5)\] copies of C_5 for any $k \geq 3$, with the Turan graph begin the extremal graph for large enough n.
The safety of additional procedures at the time of revisional bariatric surgery.

The third most common bariatric operation is revisions of previous bariatric surgeries. Patients may require revisional bariatric surgery for inadequate weight loss or complications. Patients undergoing revisional bariatric surgery may also have other conditions that require surgery. This study evaluates the 30-day postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing revisional bariatric surgery and additional procedures. A retrospective review of the 2005–2017 ACS NSQIP database identified 7249 patients who underwent revisional bariatric surgery with 3115 (48%) occurring with additional procedures. A 1:1 propensity score matching analysis was completed for 13 patient demographics and comorbidities. Postoperative variables were then analyzed as available in the NSQIP database. Subgroup analyses were completed for those undergoing paraesophageal hernia repair and abdominal wall hernia repair at the time of revisional bariatric surgery. The most common bariatric surgery that was converted or revised was the AGB (57%) and the most common additional procedure was paraesophageal hernia repair (n = 181, 15%). When additional procedures were completed at the time of revisional bariatric surgery, overall complications (p < 0.001), major systemic complications (p = 0.009) and mortality/major complications (p = 0.018) were all significantly increased. After matching for operative time, only postoperative sepsis remained significant with additional procedures (p = 0.042). In the subgroup analyses on paraesophageal and abdominal wall hernias there were no differences in postoperative complications after matching for operative time. Additional procedures, including paraesophageal and abdominal wall hernia repairs at the time of revisional bariatric surgery increase postoperative complications. Operative time was longer when additional procedures were performed. Postoperative sepsis was the only complication which remained significant after propensity matching when additional procedures are completed at the time of revisional bariatric surgery.
CEPA: CNN-based early performance assertion scheme for analog and mixed-signal circuit simulation

The design and verification of analog and mixed-signal (AMS) circuits typically involve many time-consuming simulations to qualify target specifications or optimize the design parameters for better performance. The long simulation time significantly slows down the speed of optimization iterations for both human designers and automatic AMS optimizers, inevitably resulting in high design costs and less-optimized designs. In this work, we propose a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based early performance assertion (CEPA) scheme to identify designs with unsatisfactory performance quickly and accurately. Thanks to the feature extraction capability of CNN, CEPA only requires a short duration of transient waveform to predict the satisfaction of the target specifications for a certain design that is otherwise obtained by a long transient simulation. In addition, applying the fine-tuning technique to the proposed CEPA scheme can further extend the inference from schematic-level simulation to post-layout simulation with only a few training samples (i.e., enhancing CEPA's usage with a low training cost). A sample-and-hold circuit and a delta-sigma digital-to-analog converter are presented to prove the effectiveness of the proposed CEPA scheme. With its maximum assertion accuracy of 99%, CEPA reduces the simulation time for assertion by orders of magnitude.
Machine Time: Unifying Chronos and Kairos in an Era of Ubiquitous Technologies

Chronos and kairos are often understood as separate from one another in discussions of rhetorical temporality. For online and other highly mediated contexts, however, chronos and kairos can be unde...
Design of Solar Blind Photodetectors for Communication with Blue Signal (λ=441nm) in Space. Part III

Commercial lasers operating in red, green and blue lights combined with three photodetectors, each sensitive to selected wavelengths (colors) present basics of long distance wireless optical communication system. Current study (Part III) presents design and operation of photo-detector which is completely blind to solar spectra while working explicitly with blue signal. High frequency of blue signal can carry more information. In addition, high frequency of optical signal is not impacted by electromagnetic storms, which often interrupt radio communication. The overall structure of our solar blind photodetector consists of two sections fabricated from InGaN (Indium Gallium Nitride) hetero-structure- a filter and a double barrier tunneling diode. The topmost 0.8μm thick section with E g (Energy Band Gap)=2.81eV acts as a filter and as a p-i-n solar cell biasing the photodiode. The filter absorbs all photons with wavelengths shorter than 441nm. The photodiode which comprises the lower section operates as double barrier tunneling photodiode with E g =2.76eV. It consists of lightly n-type doped 3nm wide quantum well housed between two lightly doped barriers of 10nm thickness. The 0.12μm topmost and bottom region of the photodiode are doped with p- and n-type impurities to the order of 1.2×105cm-3. The illuminated cross-section area of the device is 1mm2
Pragmatic Rights

In this essay I explore competing senses and tensions of the relation between the etymology of ta pragmata (things) and praxis (doing), with specific attention paid to Heidegger’s theorization of modernity. In so doing I question the relation between rights and persons, and whether there might not be a new way of thinking about rights that does not presuppose or privilege the agency of personhood. Pragmatic rights would not assume the liberal values of self-determination that underpin personhood, and would enable a notion of rights beyond liberal humanism more appropriate for twenty-first century political concerns and problems.
HIV Increases the Inhibitory Impact of Morphine and Antiretrovirals on Autophagy in Primary Human Macrophages: Contributions to Neuropathogenesis

HIV enters the CNS early after peripheral infection, establishing reservoirs in perivascular macrophages that contribute to development of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in 15-40% of people with HIV (PWH) despite effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). Opioid use may contribute to dysregulated macrophage functions resulting in more severe neurocognitive symptoms in PWH taking opioids. Macroautophagy helps maintain quality control in long-lived cell types, such as macrophages, and has been shown to regulate, in part, some macrophage functions in the CNS that contribute to HAND. Using Western blotting and confocal immunofluorescence in primary human macrophages, we demonstrated that morphine and a commonly prescribed ART regimen induce bulk autophagy. Morphine and ART also inhibited completion of autophagy. HIV infection increased these inhibitory effects. We also examined two types of selective autophagy that degrade aggregated proteins (aggrephagy) and dysfunctional mitochondria (mitophagy). Morphine and ART inhibited selective autophagy mediated by p62 regardless of HIV infection, and morphine inhibited mitophagic flux in HIV-infected cells demonstrating potential mitotoxicity. These results indicate that inhibition of autophagy, both in bulk and selective, in CNS macrophages may mediate neurocognitive dysfunction in PWH using opioids. Increasing autophagic activity in the context of HIV may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for reducing HAND in these individuals.
Decrease in Exacerbations During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in a Cohort of Veterans with COPD.

Background: Studies have shown a decline in hospitalizations due to acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the impact of the pandemic in AECOPD of all severities in longitudinal cohorts of patients is lacking. Methods: We conducted analysis of 123 individuals with COPD who have been followed since 2017. AECOPDs of mild (treatment at home), moderate (emergency department or urgent visit evaluation), and severe (hospitalization) type were assessed by chart review and patient interview. Compliance with preventive measures to avoid COVID-19 infection was assessed in 2020. Differences between the rate of AECOPD by year was analyzed as well as differences in preventive measures by COPD disease severity. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, there was a significant reduction in AECOPDs in our cohort with 26 participants (21%) having an exacerbation compared to 46 (37%) in 2019, 52 (42%) in 2018, and 44 (36%) in 2017. Mean exacerbation rates decreased 54% overall and 74% in frequent exacerbators compared with the prior 3-year average. The decrease was noted in AECOPDs of all severities. Overall, there was a high rate of reported compliance with social distancing and face mask use that was significantly higher in the group with more severe COPD based on symptoms and forced expiratory volume in 1 second. Conclusions: Individuals with COPD, including frequent exacerbators, showed a marked decrease in AECOPD during the COVID-19 pandemic and high adherence to recommended preventive measures. Evaluation of the impact of preventive strategies on AECOPD in a non-pandemic setting may be of value and requires further study.
Chapter 6 – Wavelet Transform

The wavelet transforms, particularly those for orthonormal and biorthogonal wavelets with finite support, have emerged as a new mathematical tool for multiresolution decomposition of continuous-time signals with potential applications in computer vision, signal coding, and others. These wavelet bases are closely linked with the unitary two-band perfect reconstruction quadrature mirror filter (PR-QMF) banks and biorthogonal filter banks. This chapter describes the continuous wavelet transform as a signal analysis tool with the capability of variable time-frequency localization and compares it with the fixed localization of the short-time Fourier transform. The chapter discusses link between the multiresolution aspect of the compactly supported wavelet and subband techniques. The two-band PR filter banks play a major role in this linkage. The multiresolution aspect becomes clear upon developing the one-to-one correspondence between the coefficients in the fast wavelet transform and the dyadic or octave-band subband tree. The chapter introduces the concept of Haar wavelets, which are discontinuous in time, and the Shannon wavelets, which are discontinuous in frequency, to illustrate the examples of multiresolution wavelet concepts.
Racial and Gender Consciousness Among African-American Women: Sources and Consequences

Abstract African-American women face discrimination on the bases of both race and gender, and scholars have argued that their double status disadvantage should predispose them to high levels of group consciousness. Using data from the 1984 National Survey of Black Americans, this study finds substantial levels of racial consciousness among black women, and moderately high levels of gender consciousness, as well. These two types of group consciousness are correlated but distinct and have different sources and consequences.
Characterization of microstrip interconnects over gridded ground planes

An equivalent circuit and modeling approach for microstrip packaging interconnects over a gridded ground plane are proposed. The equivalent characteristic impedance and propagation constant of the line are derived. The modeling approach is verified by frequency/time domain measurements.
Learning Activity Models for Multiple Agents in a Smart Space

With the introduction of more complex intelligent environment systems, the possibilities for customizing system behavior have increased dramatically. Significant headway has been made in tracking individuals through spaces using wireless devices [1, 18, 26] and in recognizing activities within the space based on video data (see chapter by Brubaker et al. and [6, 8, 23]), motion sensor data [9, 25], wearable sensors [13] or other sources of information [14, 15, 22]. However, much of the theory and most of the algorithms are designed to handle one individual in the space at a time. Resident tracking, activity recognition, event prediction, and behavior automation becomes significantly more difficult for multi-agent situations, when there are multiple residents in the environment.
Desorption of organic adsorbates from carbon. II. Determining kinetic parameters non-isothermally

Abstract In recent years, many methods have been proposed for determining kinetic parameters from non-isothermal experiments. Most share the basic assumptions of simple reaction order and Arrhenius temperature dependence but differ mainly in mathematical treatment of the integrated of differential rate equation. The reliability and ease of application of representative methods were evaluated using data for the linear programmed temperature desorption of acetone from microcrystalline carbon. This system exhibits mobile adsorption with several overlapping but resolvable desorption peaks. In accord with the nature of this surface interaction, the calculated average activation energies ( E a ) ranged from 9 to 15 kcal/mole with frequency factors ( Z ) of 10 4 to 10 6 min −1 for individual peaks. The single point Redhead procedure was subsequently used to determine the kinetic constants for acetone desorption from fumed silica. The much higher values for E a and Z which were obtained suggest a stronger, more localized interaction on the oxide surface.
Statistical modeling of fading and diversity for outdoor 60 GHz channels

While there is significant ongoing effort in indoor applications of 60 GHz unlicensed wireless communication, the 60 GHz band also has significant potential in providing an easily deployable outdoor broadband infrastructure, using mesh networks with link ranges of the order of hundreds of meters. In this paper, we investigate the statistics of a typical lamppost-to-lamppost 60 GHz link by using ray tracing. Due to the directionality of the link, the multipath is sparse but strong, leading to significant fades that must be combated using multiple antennas. We show that the diversity provided by a 2 by 2 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) link with moderate antenna separation is sufficient for robust link performance. The two schemes we consider are transmit precoding along the dominant eigenmode (which requires channel state information at the transmitter) and the Alamouti space-time coding (which does not). We also show that the channel coefficients are well modeled as complex Gaussian with nonzero means, but the channel capacity is slightly overestimated by a Gaussian model whose correlations match those obtained from ray tracing.
Normality rules in large-deformation plasticity

Abstract It is shown that in large-deformation plasticity the maximum-dissipation postulate is equivalent to a six-dimensional and not a nine-dimensional normality rule, just as in small-deformation plasticity.
Alternative High School Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities

Successful completion of high school is indicated for most students by the receipt of a diploma and a walk across the stage to receive that diploma. The meaning of this document, the standard diplo...
The role of vivid information in fear appeals and attitude change

Abstract Fear-arousing persuasive communications frequently incorporate so many types of information that the results can be difficult to interpret. R. Nisbett and L. Ross' (1980 , Human inference: Strategies and shortcomings of social judgment , Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall) analysis of informational vividness offers an attractive conceptual framework that identifies and predicts the effects of several types of information that have been confounded with other variables in fear appeal studies. Thus, the first purpose of this factorial experiment was to investigate the persuasive impact of three types of vivid information frequently used in fear appeals: emotional interest, concreteness, and proximity. It was predicted that vivid information would be more persuasive than pallid information. The results disclosed that emotionally interesting information was highly effective in changing intentions to seek protection from the depicted health threat. Also, the impact of information of high emotional interest and greater temporal and spatial proximity was enhanced with the passage of time, but information of low emotional interest and proximity diminished over time. Additional findings indicated that concrete, specific information was memorable and affected beliefs. The data rejected the hypothesis that memorial availability mediated the effects of vivid information. Implications for designing and strengthening fear appeals were discussed.
'We won't die for fourpence': Malawian labour and the Kariba dam

Recent events in Southern Africa have focused attention on the hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in that region, and this short article recalls the role of those from Malawi – before that country became independent – in the strike which held up the construction of the Kariba dam in 1959. As is well known, there had been previous strikes in this area,1 but the Kariba walk-out coincided with an outbreak of opposition to colonial rule in Nyasaland, and prompted the declaration of a state of emergency, perhaps the first unmistakeable sign that the Central African Federation was doomed.
Molecular genetic evidence for the post‐Pleistocene divergence of populations of the arctic‐alpine ground beetle Amara alpina (Paykull) (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Summary Aim This study examines the hypothesis that the biogeographic history of a species is reflected in the distribution of molecular genetic diversity and the phylogenies of extant populations. Location Populations of arctic-alpine ground beetle Amara alpina were analysed from Beringia (Alaska and northernmost British Columbia), the Hudson Bay region, the northern Appalachian Mountains, and the central Rocky Mountains of North America. Methods Mitochondrial restriction site variation of specimens from twenty-two populations were assayed by using radioactively labelled mtDNA to probe Southern membranes containing restriction enzyme digested total DNA. Restriction sites were mapped and genetic distances were calculated by pairwise comparison of presence and absence of restriction sites. Genetic distances were used in a molecular analysis of variance and to construct a minimal spanning tree. Parsimony methods were used to investigate the phylogenetic relationships between the haplotypes. These results were compared to an existing model for postglacial dispersal based on fossil and modern occurrences of arctic-alpine beetles. Results Among the twenty-two populations, fifteen haplotypes were detected. Genetic variation within each of the four regions corresponded to that expected from the palaeontologically based model. Beringian populations were the most genetically diverse. In contrast, no restriction site variation was observed in populations from the Hudson Bay region. Intermediate amounts of variation were observed in alpine populations of the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains. Maximum parsimony and cluster analysis provide evidence that at least two ancestral haplotypes existed in the Southern refugium from which the Rocky and the Appalachian Mountains populations were founded. Main conclusions The genetic results are generally consistent with the palaeontologically based model. The diversity of Beringian populations is consistent with this region having been continuously inhabited by Amara alpina throughout the Pleistocene. The Hudson Bay region was not deglaciated until about 6000 years, and its populations have no restriction site variation. The molecular genetic data support the interpretation that the Hudson Bay region was colonized from Beringia based on the occurrence of the same haplotype in both regions.
A note on the generation of the main-phase ring current of a geomagnetic storm

A model is described which permits an approximate calculation of the effects of repeated hydromagnetic shock waves on particles trapped in the magnetosphere. It is shown that an existing trapped plasma might be accelerated to yield an energetic particle distribution with the characteristics of a ring current. The change in magnetic moment DELTA M of such a ring current is calculated approximately as a function of the number n of hydromagnetic shock events. The approximate change in magnetic field DELTA H at the earth is also calculated as a function of n. Observed time variations of DELTA M and DELTA H are compared with the behavior of the model. The implications of the mechanism relative to other geomagnetic disturbances and to auroras are also discussed.
Resolving the origin of the petrogenic hydrocarbon background in Prince William Sound, Alaska

The dominant sources of the petrogenic hydrocarbon background in benthic sediments of Prince William Sound, AK (PWS), site of the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill, are eroding Tertiary shales and residues of natural oil seepage. Mass balance considerations and statistical analyses of hydrocarbon fingerprints independently indicate that coal contributes generally less than 1% of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and chemical biomarkers in this background. This is environmentally significant because of presumed differences in the bioavailability of PAH in coal, seep oil residues, and shales. Coal particles are present in PWS sediments, but their PAH and chemical biomarker contributions are overwhelmed by those of seep oil residues and organic particles from shales of low-to-high thermally maturity. In the late Tertiary or early Quaternary, the currently exposed and eroding shale formations were heated into the oil-generation window and, consequently, are now relatively rich in extractable PAH and chemical biomarkers. The exposed and eroding coals in the area, in contrast, experienced long hot burial and are now thermally overmature with respect to oil generation. The concentrations of thermally sensitive PAH and biomarker compounds in PWS sediments are not consistent with a mature coal origin but are consistent with the low-to-high maturity shales and seep oils in the area.
Electric field distributions in strongly coupled plasmas

Corrections to the adjustable-parameter exponential (APEX) model recently proposed by Iglesias, Lebowitz, and MacGowan for electric field distributions in a strongly coupled plasma are defined and discussed. The results for a neutral point are compared with those from Monte Carlo calculations for two values of the plasma parameter, and good agreement is obtained.
Rapid Evolution by Positive Selection and Gene Gain and Loss: PLA 2 Venom Genes in Closely Related Sistrurus Rattlesnakes with Divergent Diets

Rapid evolution of snake venom genes by positive selection has been reported previously but key features of this process such as the targets of selection, rates of gene turnover, and functional diversity of toxins generated remain unclear. This is especially true for closely related species with divergent diets. We describe the evolution of PLA2 gene sequences isolated from genomic DNA from four taxa of Sistrurus rattlesnakes which feed on different prey. We identified four to seven distinct PLA2 sequences in each taxon and phylogenetic analyses suggest that these sequences represent a rapidly evolving gene family consisting of both paralogous and homologous loci with high rates of gene gain and loss. Strong positive selection was implicated as a driving force in the evolution of these protein coding sequences. Exons coding for amino acids that make up mature proteins have levels of variation two to three times greater than those of the surrounding noncoding intronic sequences. Maximum likelihood models of coding sequence evolution reveal that a high proportion (∼30%) of all codons in the mature protein fall into a class of codons with an estimated d N /d S (ω) ratio of at least 2.8. An analysis of selection on individual codons identified nine residues as being under strong (p < 0.01) positive selection, with a disproportionately high proportion of these residues found in two functional regions of the PLA2 protein (surface residues and putative anticoagulant region). This is direct evidence that diversifying selection has led to high levels of functional diversity due to structural differences in proteins among these snakes. Overall, our results demonstrate that both gene gain and loss and protein sequence evolution via positive selection are important evolutionary forces driving adaptive divergence in venom proteins in closely related species of venomous snakes.
From the Editor in Chief: Welcome A-Board

IEEE Micro Editor in Chief David H. Albonesi welcomes six new emmbers to teh IEEE Micro Editorial Board and previews this general interest issue.
Backplane test bus applications for IEEE STD 1149.1

Prior to the mid 1980s, the dominance of through-hole packaging of integrated circuits (ICs) provided easy access to nearly every pin of every chip on a printed circuit board. Providing accessibility and controllability for board testing was simply a matter of probing the board. With the advent of surface mount packaging, the accessibility for probing printed circuit boards began to diminish. Logic cores being integrated onto chips made them inaccessible as well. One of the solutions to address this problem eventually became standardized and is defined in IEEE STD 1149.1. On the printed circuit board level, this standard has become widely used. The classic method of probing boards at accessible test points is still widely used as well, and there are often hybrid test solutions that leverage both "bed-of-nails" testing and the IEEE STD 1149.1 standard test bus. Decisions for whether or not to use one versus the other are predicated on cost and familiarity with the techniques and architecture. The scope of this paper addresses the application of the IEEE STD 1149.1 test bus standard for system-level applications, which are considered to be systems with multiple printed circuit boards in a backplane configuration. This paper deals specifically with implementations of IEEE STD 1149.1 in a backplane architecture and compare them with some of the other common methods of backplane testing.
Significant changes in 16 S RNA conformation accompanying assembly of the 30 S ribosome in vitro.

Our previous studies have shown that 16 S RNA can assume two different conformational forms as detected by agarose gel electrophoresis, and that these two forms vary in their ability to bind individual 30 S ribosomal proteins specifically. In this paper we show that the faster electrophoretic form can be converted to the slower electrophoretic form by the binding of either protein S4, S8, S7 or S15. The slower form can then be transformed into a fast form by heat-activating the reconstitution intermediate (RI) particle, which has been constructed under reconstitution conditions at 0 °C, to RI∗. We demonstrate that the transformation of the 16 S RNA conformation by binding of protein S7 permits the subsequent binding of protein S9 following deproteination. We propose that many of the classical assembly-dependent relationships are due to induced changes in the 16 S RNA conformation.
Interactively optimizing information retrieval systems as a dueling bandits problem

We present an on-line learning framework tailored towards real-time learning from observed user behavior in search engines and other information retrieval systems. In particular, we only require pairwise comparisons which were shown to be reliably inferred from implicit feedback (Joachims et al., 2007; Radlinski et al., 2008b). We will present an algorithm with theoretical guarantees as well as simulation results.
Laser processing of cast iron for enhanced erosion resistance

The surfaces of nodular and gray cast iron specimens have been modified by CO2 laser processing for enhanced hardness and erosion resistance. Control of the near-surface microstructure was achieved primarily by controlling resolidification of the laser melted layer through variations in laser beam/target interaction time and beam power density. Typical interaction times and power densities used in this study were 5 msec and 500 kW/cm2. Analysis of the laser melted surface showed a dramatic increase in hardness and a greatly refined microstructure. Depending on the processing parameters, two basic kinds of microstructure can be produced in the laser hardened layer—a feathery microstructure with a very high hardness (up to 1245 HV) and a dendritic microstructure with a metastable, fully austenitic matrix and a lower hardness (600 to 800 HV). Erosion testing was done in a rotating paddle device using slurries of SiO2 or SiC in water. Weight loss and crater profile measurements were used to evaluate the erosion characteristics of the various microstructures. Both ductile and gray cast iron showed marked improvement in erosion resistance after laser processing.
An APL Compiler for a Vector Processor

Dans cet article, la conception d'un compilateur pour le langage APL, qui produit un code permettant a plus d'operations d'etre ameliorees en parallele, est decrite. Cette conception est basee sur un compilateur sequentiel similaire couramment utilise
Differential impact of antiepileptic drugs on the effects of contraceptive methods on seizures: Interim findings of the epilepsy birth control registry

Abstract Purpose To present the interim findings of the Epilepsy Birth Control Registry (EBCR) regarding the impact of various contraceptive methods on seizures, stratified by antiepileptic drug (AED) type. Methods This is an observational study that reports interim findings on the first 750 subjects. Results There are significantly greater relative risks (RR) for both seizure increase and decrease with hormonal contraception (HC) than with non-hormonal contraception (NHC). The rates of HC experiences associated with seizure increase (21.0%) are greater than with NHC (3.9%) (RR=5.39 [95% CI=3.77–7.73, p p =0.0006]). While differences can reflect biological effects or reporting bias, the finding of a greater RR for seizure increase with hormonal patch than with combined oral contraceptive, perhaps related to the delivery of substantially higher concentrations of hormones, and a greater RR for seizure decrease with depomedroxyprogesterone, known to reduce seizure frequency when used in dosages which produce amenorrhea, support biological effects. All AED categories showed significantly higher frequencies of reports of seizure increase when combined with HC than with NHC. RR for seizure increase with HC was higher with valproate than with any other AED category. There were no significant differences among AEDs for seizure decrease with HC at this juncture of the study. Overall, NEIAEDs had the most favorable profile with regard to reports of seizure increase and decrease when used with HC. Conclusions Interim EBCR findings suggest that contraception category and interactions between contraception category and AED category are predictive factors for changes in seizure frequency in WWE.
Mercury Hazard and Its Control during Operation of Fluorescent Tube Breakers

The use of commercially available tube breakers to crush large numbers of fluorescent light tubes for easier disposal was found to produce potentially hazardous mercury concentrations in the air in the vicinity of the operation. Concentrations varied from negligible to more than 1 mg Hg per cubic meter. Exposures in the operator's breathing zone were mostly below the acceptable limits, however the potential for excessive concentrations was demonstrated. A system for control of the hazard by local exhaust ventilation was devised.
The Effects of Osmotic Stress on the Viscoelastic and Physical Properties of Articular Chondrocytes

The metabolic activity of chondrocytes in articular cartilage is influenced by alterations in the osmotic environment of the tissue, which occur secondary to mechanical compression. The mechanism by which osmotic stress modulates cell physiology is not fully understood and may involve changes in the physical properties of the membrane or the cytoskeleton. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of the osmotic environment on the mechanical and physical properties of chondrocytes. In isoosmotic medium, chondrocytes exhibited a spherical shape with numerous membrane ruffles. Normalized cell volume was found to be linearly related to the reciprocal of the extracellular osmolality (Boyle van't Hoff relationship) with an osmotically active intracellular water fraction of 61%. In deionized water, chondrocytes swelled monotonically until lysis at a mean apparent membrane area 234 +/- 49% of the initial area. Biomechanically, chondrocytes exhibited viscoelastic solid behavior. The instantaneous and equilibrium elastic moduli and the apparent viscosity of the cell were significantly decreased by hypoosmotic stress, but were unchanged by hyperosmotic stress. Changes in the viscoelastic properties were paralleled by the rapid dissociation and remodeling of cortical actin in response to hypoosmotic stress. These findings indicate that the physicochemical environment has a strong influence on the viscoelastic and physical properties of the chondrocyte, potentially through alterations in the actin cytoskeleton.
Pure Genes, Pure Genius

The 2012 Albert Lasker Special Achievement Award in Medical Science will be shared by Donald Brown and Tom Maniatis for their scientific work leading to the purification and study of single genes by physical and molecular biological methodologies. Brown and Maniatis are also recognized for their extraordinary commitment and generosity in promoting the careers of young scientists. The impact of these accomplishments has transformed biological and medical science over the past four decades.
Pericardial Fluid Adenosine in Ischemic and Valvular Heart Disease

Adenosine released by ischemic myocardial cells stimulates coronary artery vasodilation. Measurement of adenosine concentrations in pericardial fluid in animal models of myocardial ischemia has been used to study the process of adenosine release. To determine whether pericardial fluid adenosine concentrations are increased in human ischemic heart disease, adenosine concentrations were measured in pericardial fluid in 23 subjects undergoing open-heart surgery for coronary artery disease. The results were compared with adenosine concentrations measured in pericardial fluid obtained from 20 subjects undergoing surgery for valvular heart disease. Adenosine concentrations also were measured in pleural fluid obtained during internal mammary artery bypass grafting. Adenosine concentrations were significantly increased in subjects with coronary artery disease compared with fluid obtained from subjects with valvular heart disease (2.47±0.24 vs 1.36±0.21 [SEM] µM [p=0.0013]). Adenosine concentrations were higher in pleural fluid than pericardial fluid from the same individuals. Adenosine concentrations were significantly correlated with pericardial fluid cell counts and lactate dehydrogenase concentrations (r=0.48; p=0.0012 and r=0.77, p=0.0001, respectively). The results are consistent with myocardial release of adenosine in ischemic heart disease. If adenosine concentrations in pericardial fluid approximate those in myocardial interstitial fluid, sufficient adenosine is present to stimulate adenosine receptor activation in coronary artery smooth muscle.
Vibrational frequencies and structural determination of phosphorous tricyanide

Abstract The normal mode frequencies and corresponding vibrational assignments of phosphorous tricyanide (P(CN)3) are examined theoretically using the Gaussian98 set of quantum chemistry codes. Each of the vibrational modes was assigned to one of four types of motion predicted by a group theoretical analysis PC stretch, CN stretch, PCC bend, and CPC bend) utilizing the C3v symmetry of the molecule. A uniform scaling factor was derived for each type of motion. Predicted infrared and Raman intensities are reported.
Effect of suloctidil on tomographically quantitated platelet accumulation in Dacron aortic grafts.

Abstract Platelet deposition contributes to the thrombotic and embolic complications of prosthetic materials in man. To determine if the investigational platelet inhibitory drug suloctidil (200 mg 3 times daily) reduces platelet deposition on Dacron® aortic grafts, a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial was conducted in 12 men with grafts that had been in place more than 9 months. Platelet deposition in the graft was assessed by quantitative analysis of planar images obtained at 24, 48 and 72 hours after injection of indium-111-labeled platelets. Also, a tomographic method of imaging and quantitating labeled platelet deposition in the graft was developed. Tomographic imaging was performed at 24 and 72 hours after platelet injection and was quantitated by a graft/ blood ratio that compared indium-111 platelet activity in summed 1.8-cm-thick transaxial tomographic slices of the aortic graft to indium-111 platelet activity in well-counted whole blood. Compared with placebo, suloctidil failed to decrease the tomographic graft/blood ratio at 24 hours (6.2 ± 1.3 vs 5.7 ± 0.8) and 72 hours (11.4 ± 2.9 vs 10.7 ±2.2). Similarly, the graft/blood ratio determined by planar imaging was not different between placebo and suloctidil therapy at 24 hours (1.7 ± 0.3 vs 1.6 ± 0.2), 48 hours (2.2 ± 0.4 vs 2.4 ± 0.4) or 72 hours (2.6 ± 0.5 vs 2.8 ± 0.5) after labeled platelet injection. Thus, suloctidil does not significantly reduce platelet deposition on chronically implanted Dacron grafts in humans.
Application of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer vegetation index to study atmosphere‐biosphere exchange of CO2

Normalized difference vegetation indices derived from radiances measured by the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer were used to prescribe the phasing of terrestrial photosynthesis. The satellite data were combined with field data on soil respiration and a global map of net primary productivity to obtain the seasonal exchange of CO2 between the atmosphere and the terrestrial biosphere. The monthly fluxes of CO2 thus obtained were employed as source/sink functions in a global three-dimensional atmospheric tracer transport model to simulate the annual oscillations of CO2 in the atmosphere. The results demonstrate that satellite data of high spatial and temporal resolution can be used to provide quantitative information about seasonal and longer-term variations of photosynthetic activity on a global scale.