cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulsed EPR/ENDOR Characterization of Perturbations of the Cu_A Center Ground State by Axial Methionine Ligand Mutations

The effect of axial ligand mutation on the Cu_A site in the recombinant water soluble fragment of subunit II of Thermus thermophilus cytochrome c oxidase ba_3 has been investigated. The weak methionine ligand was replaced by glutamate and glutamine which are stronger ligands. Two constructs, M160T0 and M160T9, that differ in the length of the peptide were prepared. M160T0 is the original soluble fragment construct of cytochrome ba_3 that encodes 135 amino acids of subunit II, omitting the transmembrane helix that anchors the domain in the membrane. In M160T9 nine C-terminal amino acids are missing, including one histidine. The latter has been used to reduce the amount of a secondary T2 copper which is most probably coordinated to a surface histidine in M160T0. The changes in the spin density in the Cu_A site, as manifested by the hyperfine couplings of the weakly and strongly coupled nitrogens, and of the cysteine β-protons, were followed using a combination of advanced EPR techniques. X-band (∼9 GHz) electron-spin−echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) and two-dimensional (2D) hyperfine sublevel correlation (HYSCORE) spectroscopy were employed to measure the weakly coupled ^(14)N nuclei, and X- and W-band (95 GHz) pulsed electron−nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy for probing the strongly coupled ^(14)N nuclei and the β-protons. The high field measurements were extremely useful as they allowed us to resolve the T2 and Cu_A signals in the g⊥ region and gave ^1H ENDOR spectra free of overlapping ^(14)N signals. The effects of the M160Q and M160E mutations were: (i) increase in A∥(^(63,65)Cu), (ii) larger hyperfine coupling of the weakly coupled backbone nitrogen of C153, (iii) reduction in the isotropic hyperfine interaction, a_(iso), of some of the β-protons making them more similar, (iv) the a_(iso) value of one of the remote nitrogens of the histidine residues is decreased, thus distinguishing the two histidines, and finally, (v) the symmetry of the g-tensor remained axial. These effects were associated with an increase in the Cu−Cu distance and subtle changes in the geometry of the Cu_2S_2 core which are consistent with the electronic structural model of Gamelin et al. (Gamelin, D. R.; Randall, D. W.; Hay, M. T.; Houser, R. P.; Mulder, T. C.; Canters, G. W.; de Vries, S.; Tolman, W. B.; Lu, Y.; Solomon, E. I. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1998, 120, 5246−5263).
Inhibition of the Cyclic AMP Signaling Cascade and Nuclear Factor Binding to CRE and κB Elements by Cannabinol, a Minimally CNS-Active Cannabinoid

Abstract Immune suppression by cannabinoids has been widely demonstrated in a variety of experimental models. The identification of two major types of G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors expressed on leukocytes, CB1 and CB2, has provided a putative mechanism of action for immune modulation by cannabinoid compounds. Ligand binding to both receptors negatively regulates adenylate cyclase, thereby lowering intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels. In the present studies, we demonstrated that cannabinol (CBN), a ligand that exhibits higher binding affinity for CB2, modulates immune responses and cAMP-mediated signal transduction in mouse lymphoid cells. Direct addition of CBN to naive cultured splenocytes produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of lymphoproliferative responses to anti-CD3, lipopolysaccharide, and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate/ionomycin stimulation. Similarly, a concentration-related inhibition of the in vitro anti-sheep red blood cell IgM antibody forming cell response was also observed by CBN. Evaluation of cAMP signaling in the presence of CBN showed a rapid and concentration-related inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity in both splenocytes and thymocytes. This decrease in intracellular cAMP levels produced by CBN resulted in a reduction of protein kinase A activity, consequently leading to an inhibition of transcription factor binding to the cAMP response element and κB motifs in both cell preparations. Collectively, these results demonstrate that CBN, a cannabinoid with minimal CNS activity, inhibited both cAMP signal transduction and immune function, further supporting the involvement of CB2 receptors in immune modulation by cannabimimetic agents.
A Logistic Regression/Markov Chain Model for NCAA Basketball

Each year, more than $3 billion is wagered on the NCAA Division 1 men's basketball tournament. Most of that money is wagered in pools where the object is to correctly predict winners of each game, with emphasis on the last four teams remaining (the Final Four). In this paper, we present a combined logistic regression/Markov chain model for predicting the outcome of NCAA tournament games given only basic input data. Over the past 6 years, our model has been significantly more successful than the other common methods such as tournament seedings, the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls, the RPI, and the Sagarin and Massey ratings. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2006.
Multi-electrode Array Recordings of Neuronal Avalanches in Organotypic Cultures

The cortex is spontaneously active, even in the absence of any particular input or motor output. During development, this activity is important for the migration and differentiation of cortex cell types and the formation of neuronal connections. In the mature animal, ongoing activity reflects the past and the present state of an animal into which sensory stimuli are seamlessly integrated to compute future actions. Thus, a clear understanding of the organization of ongoing i.e. spontaneous activity is a prerequisite to understand cortex function. Numerous recording techniques revealed that ongoing activity in cortex is comprised of many neurons whose individual activities transiently sum to larger events that can be detected in the local field potential (LFP) with extracellular microelectrodes, or in the electroencephalogram (EEG), the magnetoencephalogram (MEG), and the BOLD signal from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The LFP is currently the method of choice when studying neuronal population activity with high temporal and spatial resolution at the mesoscopic scale (several thousands of neurons). At the extracellular microelectrode, locally synchronized activities of spatially neighbored neurons result in rapid deflections in the LFP up to several hundreds of microvolts. When using an array of microelectrodes, the organizations of such deflections can be conveniently monitored in space and time. Neuronal avalanches describe the scale-invariant spatiotemporal organization of ongoing neuronal activity in the brain. They are specific to the superficial layers of cortex as established in vitro, in vivo in the anesthetized rat, and in the awake monkey. Importantly, both theoretical and empirical studies suggest that neuronal avalanches indicate an exquisitely balanced critical state dynamics of cortex that optimizes information transfer and information processing. In order to study the mechanisms of neuronal avalanche development, maintenance, and regulation, in vitro preparations are highly beneficial, as they allow for stable recordings of avalanche activity under precisely controlled conditions. The current protocol describes how to study neuronal avalanches in vitro by taking advantage of superficial layer development in organotypic cortex cultures, i.e. slice cultures, grown on planar, integrated microelectrode arrays (MEA).
Menstrual Joy: The Construct and Its Consequences

Fifty female college students participated in a study of women's health. In a counterbalanced design, half of the participants completed the Menstrual Joy Questionnaire (MJQ) and the Menstrual Atti...
Analysis of Helical Buckling

A new solution to helical buckling is presented yielding real helical shapes of buckled pipes with a varying helix pitch. This solution has been developed with the beam/column equation. The change in length and the bending stress can be computed from the helical-buckling solution. In addition, a new equation for tool clearance in helically buckled pipes is provided.
What Do Cigarette Pack Colors Communicate to Smokers in the U.S.

Background New legislation in the U.S. prohibits tobacco companies from labeling cigarette packs with terms such as light , mild , or low after June 2010. However, experience from countries that have removed these descriptors suggests that different terms, colors, or numbers communicating the same messages may replace them. Purpose The main purpose of this study was to examine how cigarette pack colors are perceived by smokers to correspond to different descriptive terms. Methods Newspaper advertisements and CraigsList.org postings directed interested current smokers to a survey website. Eligible participants were shown an array of six cigarette packages (altered to remove all descriptive terms) and asked to link package images with their corresponding descriptive terms. Participants were then asked to identify which pack in the array they would choose if they were concerned with health, tar, nicotine, image, and taste. Results A total of 193 participants completed the survey from February to March 2008 (data were analyzed from May 2008 through November 2010). Participants were more accurate in matching descriptors to pack images for Marlboro brand cigarettes than for unfamiliar Peter Jackson brand (sold in Australia). Smokers overwhelmingly chose the “whitest” pack if they were concerned about health, tar, and nicotine. Conclusions Smokers in the U.S. associate brand descriptors with colors. Further, white packaging appears to most influence perceptions of safety. Removal of descriptor terms but not the associated colors will be insufficient in eliminating misperceptions about the risks from smoking communicated to smokers through packaging.
Response of the Equine Metacarpus to Conventional and Ion‐Beam Textured Lag Screws

Four pairs of ASIF MP35N stainless steel screws, one conventional smooth surfaced and one that had its surface modified by texturing with an ion-beam, were inserted in the third metacarpus of six horses. The pairs of screws were placed from dorsal to palmar in the metaphyses and diaphysis of the bone using the lag-screw principle. When the screws were examined at 90 and 150 days after insertion, micromovement was detected histologically but not radiographically around the screw in the dorsal cortex but not the palmar cortex. The removal torque of all screws 90 days after insertion was reduced compared to the insertion torque, and no difference was found between the rough and smooth screws. At 150 days after insertion, the removal torque of the smooth screws remained low, but the removal torque of the rough screws was increased significantly (p < 0.001). The removal torque of both smooth and rough screws was significantly higher in the diaphysis than in the metaphysis (p < 0.02). Since the need for a screw's holding ability is greatest early after fracture repair, it is doubtful that ion-beam textured screws have any advantage over smooth screws in the repair of metacarpal fractures. The response of the dorsal and palmar cortices indicated that the equine metacarpus undergoes bending during loading and that the dorsal and palmar cortices of the bone move relative to each other.
LXXXVIII. Fluorescence and photo-chemistry

(1922). LXXXVIII. Fluorescence and photo-chemistry. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 43, No. 256, pp. 757-765.
Characterization of the essential oil of Artemisia annua L.

ABSTRACT A germplasm collection of Artemisia annua L. consisting of 13 accessions was field grown. The essential oil, which was obtained from dry leaves and flowers by hydrodistillation was analyzed by GC and GC/MS for essential oil composition. The oil content of leaves ranged from 0.84% to 1.51% (volume/dry weight) with individual plants as high as 2.35%. Thirty-two constituents were identified in the oil of the leaves and flowers, and the greatest concentration of oil was found in fully mature leaves (47% total oil/plant), the middle third portion of the foliage. The major components of the oil include: artemisia ketone (35.6%) and 1,8-cineole (28.1%) in the leaves of early summer harvested plants, artemisia ketone (26.8%) and camphor (20.5%) in leaves of fall harvested plants, and artemisia ketone (56%) and camphor (10.5%) in flowers of fall harvested plants. Certain accessions which were rich in specific constituents (as % of essential oil) were identified, e.g., artemisia ketone (68.5%), camphor (27...
Eosinophils alter colonic epithelial barrier function: role for major basic protein.

Mucosal eosinophils increase in a number of gastrointestinal diseases that are often associated with altered epithelial barrier function, including food allergic enteropathies and inflammatory bowe...
An electrical method of measuring crack length during crack propagation tests of polymers

Measurement of fatigue crack propagation rate (da/dn) in polymers is normally done optically with a travelling microscope. Electrical methods have not been very successful due to lack of sensitivity and to inaccuracies caused by factors such as plastic deformation and temperature variation. Use of electrically conductive surface grids eliminates these problems. An electrically conductive grid pattern is vapor-deposited onto the surface of a compact tension specimen. The electrically conductive grid pattern is vapor-deposited onto the surface of a compact tension specimen. The electrically conductive grid lines run across the expected path of the crack. With crack advancement, the grid lines are successively torn apart. Proper interpretation of the discontinuous steps that result when electrical current is plotted against time directly generates da/dn data.
Optical wind sensing by observing the scintillations of a random scene

We demonstrate the feasibility of using a naturally illuminated scene, such as a hillside or forest, as a passive optical source to measure the path-averaged crosswind between the scene and the observer. The resultant path weighting function for the crosswind cannot be varied arbitrarily, but we can obtain a useful range of weighting functions by adjusting the geometry of the receiver.
The Monster Evil: Policing and Violence in Victorian Liverpool. By John E. Archer. (Liverpool, England: Liverpool University Press, 2011. Pp. xv, 281. $34.95.)

A policeman's lot was not a happy one in Victorian Liverpool. It was by reputation the most violent city in Britain; in 1869 over 1,500 of its police officers were assaulted. In The Monster Evil, J...
Mechanical energy flow models of rods and beams

It has been proposed that the flow of mechanical energy through a structural/acoustic system may be modeled in a manner similar to that of flow of thermal energy/in a heat conduction problem. If this hypothesis is true, it would result in relatively efficient numerical models of structure-borne energy in large built-up structures. Fewer parameters are required to approximate the energy solution than are required to model the characteristic wave behavior of structural vibration by using traditional displacement formulations. The energy flow hypothesis is tested in this investigation for both longitudinal vibration in rods and transverse flexural vibrations of beams. The rod is shown to behave approximately according to the thermal energy flow analogy. However, the beam solutions behave significantly differently than predicted by the thermal analogy unless locally-space-averaged energy and power are considered. Several techniques for coupling dissimilar rods and beams are also discussed. Illustrations of the solution accuracy of the methods are included.
Driven equilibrium magnetic resonance imaging of articular cartilage: initial clinical experience.

Purpose To evaluate three-dimensional driven equilibrium Fourier transform (3D-DEFT) for image quality and detection of articular cartilage lesions in the knee. Materials and Methods We imaged 104 consecutive patients with knee pain with 3D-DEFT and proton density (PD-FSE) and T2-weighted (T2-FSE) fast spin echo. Twenty-four went on to arthroscopy. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) efficiency were measured. Subjective image quality, fat suppression, and cartilage thickness visibility were assessed. Cartilage lesions on 3D-DEFT and T2-FSE were compared with findings outlined in operative reports. Results SNR efficiency was higher for 3D-DEFT and PD-FSE than for T2-FSE (P < 0.02). 3D-DEFT and PD-FSE showed superior cartilage thickness visibility compared with T2-FSE (P < 0.02). T2-FSE showed better fat suppression and fewer image artifacts than 3D-DEFT (P < 0.04). 3D-DEFT had similar sensitivity and similar specificity for cartilage lesions compared with PD-FSE and T2-FSE. Conclusion 3D-DEFT provides excellent synovial fluid-to-cartilage contrast while preserving signal from cartilage, giving this method a high cartilage SNR. 3D-DEFT shows the full cartilage thickness better than T2-FSE. T2-FSE had superior fat saturation and fewer artifacts than 3D-DEFT. Overall, 3D-DEFT requires further technical development, but is a promising method for imaging articular cartilage. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;21:476–481. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Activation of Thermosensitive TRP Channels

Recently identified thermosensitive transient receptor potential (ThermoTRP) channels are thought to be sensors for ambient temperature. How temperature changes drive activation conformational rearrangement remains unknown. We used electrophysiological methods to investigate temperature-dependent activation of thermoTRP channels as well as the highly temperature-sensitive CLC-0 chloride channel in culture cells. We developed a fast temperature switching technique (20-80°C/sec) to analyze current responses to temperature change.We observed that temperature-driven activation rates of thermoTRP channels were different, while temperature-driven deactivation rates of all the thermoTRP channels were similarly fast. These results indicate that thermoTRP channels can be divided into two groups: fast-activation channels and slow-activation channels. Together with their diverse expression profiles, our results indicate that thermoTRP channels may serve multiple temperature-sensing functions.We also observed that entropic and enthalpic changes associated with temperature-driven activation vary when thermoTRP channels permeate different ions. With previous mutagenesis studies showing that certain residuals in the pore region of TRPV1 and TRPV3 are critical for their temperature-dependent behaviors, our observation further suggests that the pore region is involved in temperature-sensing and gating of thermoTRP channels.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Release of Copper, Chromium and Arsenic from CCA-C Treated Lumber in Estuaries

Laboratory and field studies were conducted to determine the rates of release for Cu, Cr and As from CCA-C treated southern yellow pine in estuaries. Retention of the CCA-C preservative was shown to vary across the surface of the wood (4·5–64 kg m−3), however, the ratio of the elements present as oxides was close to the specified preservative treatment levels throughout the wood. Results of the leaching studies showed that the release of Cu, Cr and As was continuous throughout the 90 day leaching period and, in general, the leaching was highest for Cu and lowest for Cr. Initial 12 h fluxes for these elements ranged from 9 to 28×10−10 mol mm−2 day−1for Cu, 0·4 to 1·9×10−10 mol mm−2 day−1for Cr, and 0·2 to 5·2×10−10 mol mm−2 day−1for As. The rate of release for these elements decreased between 0·5 and 2 orders of magnitude following 90 days leaching. Long-term (90 day) Cu and Cr leaching rates were highest in wood where CCA-C retention levels were >35 kg m−3. In contrast, long-term As leaching rates increased in wood where CCA-C retention levels were <35 kg m−3. Differences in the As:Cr and Cu:Cr ratios were measured in CCA-C treated lumber samples removed from a bulkhead following 14 years weathering. The greatest changes in the elemental ratios were measured in wood submerged in the subtidal zone where a 52% decrease in the As:Cr and Cu:Cr ratios were measured.
A Social Network Analysis of Positive and Negative Gossip in Organizational Life

The authors use social network analysis to understand how employees’ propensity to engage in positive and negative gossip is driven by their underlying relationship ties.They find that expressive friendship ties between employees are positively related to engaging in both positive and negative gossip, whereas instrumental workflow ties, which are less trusting than friendship ties, are related solely with positive gossip. The authors also find that structural embeddedness in the friendship network further increases the chance that the pair will engage in negative gossip. Finally, an employee’s total gossiping activity (both positive and negative) is negatively related to supervisors’ evaluations of the employee’s performance, whereas total gossip activity is positively related to peers’ evaluations of the employee’s informal influence.
GLGM-3: A degree-150 lunar gravity model from the historical tracking data of NASA Moon orbiters

In preparation for the radio science experiment of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) mission, we analyzed the available radio tracking data of previous NASA lunar orbiters. Our goal was to use these historical observations in combination with the new low-altitude data to be obtained by LRO. We performed Precision Orbit Determination on trajectory arcs from Lunar Orbiter 1 in 1966 to Lunar Prospector in 1998, using the GEODYN II program developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. We then created a set of normal equations and solved for the coefficients of a spherical harmonics expansion of the lunar gravity potential up to degree and order 150. The GLGM-3 solution obtained with a global Kaula constraint (2.5 x 10(exp -4)/sq l) shows good agreement with model LP150Q from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, especially over the nearside. The levels of data fit with both gravity models are very similar (Doppler RMS of approx.0.2 and approx. 1-2 mm/s in the nominal and extended phases, respectiVely). Orbit overlaps and uncertainties estimated from the covariance matrix also agree well. GLGM-3 shows better correlation with lunar topography and admittance over the nearside at high degrees of expansion (l > 100), particularly near the poles. We also present three companion solutions, obtained with the same data set but using alternate inversion strategies that modify the power law constraint and expectation of the individual spherical harmonics coefficients. We give a detailed discussion of the performance of this family of gravity field solutions in terms of observation fit, orbit quality, and geophysical consistency.
Merremia discoidesperma : Its taxonomy and capacity of its seeds for ocean drifting

Merremia discoidesperma (Donn. Sm.) O’Donell (Mary’s-bean) is a rarely collected and inadequately described high climbing woody liana of Chiapas, Mexico; Guatemala; Costa Rica; Hispaniola; and Cuba. There is only one record of this species being cultivated and this from Guanajuato, Mexico in 1894, though seeds are used in folk remedies. These seeds are topographically unlike other known convolvulaceous seeds, thus permitting their positive identification. Because seeds remain buoyant for more than three years in seawater, those produced in the Caribbean and Atlantic drainage region may be transported by the Gulf Stream System as far north as the Norwegian coast, a distance of about 9,500 km. Seeds produced in the Pacific drainage region from Chiapas, Mexico south to Costa Rica may be transported by the North Pacific Equatorial Current as far west as Wotho Atoll in the Marshall Islands, a distance of about 11,000 km. Records of drifting and subsequent stranding of these and other tropical New World disseminules are supported by drift bottle studies and drift debris records in the Atlantic Ocean. In the Pacific Ocean region distribution of stranded Mary’s-bean seeds is supported by a similar distribution of New World pumice. There is an indication in the literature that Mary’s-bean seeds may drift to the Philippines. The record from Wotho Atoll to Norway constitutes the widest drift range of any seed or fruit which has been documented. Other tropical disseminules may drift as far or farther, but their origins cannot be ascertained with certainty. The plant is described, its synonyms listed, and its distribution as well as the distribution of its stranded seeds recorded.
Centromere size and position in Candida albicans are evolutionarily conserved independent of DNA sequence heterogeneity

The centromere regions (CEN) of all eight chromosomes in Candida albicans have been characterized in terms of nucleotide sequence and size. The boundaries of each of the eight CEN DNA regions were mapped by chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR using polyclonal rabbit antibodies generated against C. albicans centromere-specific protein CaCse4p (CENP-A homolog). A single 3–4.5 kb unique DNA sequence on each chromosome was found to be bound to CaCse4p. Sequence analysis revealed that the eight CEN regions in C. albicans lack any conserved DNA sequence motifs common to the group; all are quite different in overall DNA sequence. In contrast to centromeres in many organisms, the C. albicans centromeres are generally free of repeated DNA elements and transposons. However, a few small inverted repeats and long terminal repeats do occur in the centromeric and pericentric regions on a few chromosomes. We also characterized the CEN DNAs in four groups of phylogenetically divergent C. albicans strains, estimated to be separated from each other by 1–3 million years. The same eight different and unique 3–4.5 kb DNA sequences are utilized as centromeres in all of these strains. The chromosomal locations and the sizes of CEN DNAs have remained conserved, in agreement with the idea that CEN function in C. albicans is templated by heritable epigenetic mechanisms.
Analysis and interpretation of excess molar properties of amphlphile + water systems. I. Excess molar volumes VE for 1-propanol + water

Abstract A recently developed version of the four segment composition model for analysing the excess molar properties of binary amphiphile + water systems has been applied to the excess molar volumes of 1-propanol + water, as reported by Benson and Kiyohara (J. Solution Chem., 9 (1980) 791). The model, which was found to provide a gratifying quality of fit to these excellent data, is formulated in such a way as to explore the composition dependence of excess thermodynamic properties in terms of transitions among a sequence of different metastable patterns of aggregation.
Evidence for the extreme overestimation of choline acetyltransferase in human sperm, human seminal plasma and rat heart: A case of mistaking carnitine acetyltransferase for choline acetyltransferase☆

Detection of choline acetyltransferase (ChAc) in a number of non-neuronal tissues has been extremely overestimated. There are two major types of errors encountered. Type 1 error occurs when endogenous substrates (e.g. L-carnitine) are acetylated by acetyltransferase enzymes (e.g. carnitine acetyltransferase ( CarAc ) ) yielding an acetylated product mistaken for acetylcholine (AcCh). In the past, human sperm and human seminal plasma putative ChAc activity has been extremely overestimated due to Type 1 error. This study demonstrates (1) an endogenous acetyltransferase and substrate activity in human sperm and human seminal plasma forming an acetylated product that is not AcCh but probably acetylcarnitine ( AcCar ); (2) that the addition of 5 mM choline substrate does not significantly increase acetyltransferase activity; (3) that boiled seminal plasma contains an endogenous acetyltransferase substrate which is not choline, but probably L-carnitine. Type 2 error occurs when endogenous carnitine acetyltransferase synthesizes true AcCh, resulting in mistaken evidence for ChAc. This is demonstrated by the fact that the choline substrate Km-value for the neuronal or true ChAc from mouse brain is 0.73 +/- 0.06 mM while the Km-value of choline substrate for purified CarAc from pigeon breast muscle is 108 +/- 4 mM. Type 2 error has occurred for the estimation of putative ChAc in rat heart. The rat heart ChAc was measured in previous studies utilizing a concentration of 30 mM choline substrate. While saturation of neuronal ChAc is observed at 2-5 mM choline, saturation of the rat heart CarAc enzyme is not reached until over 800 mM. Purified CarAc significantly synthesizes AcCh at 30 mM choline. Thus, putative ChAc has been greatly overestimated in the scientific literature for mammalian sperm, human seminal plasma and rat heart.
Cargo Revenue Management for Space Logistics

This paper covers the development of a framework for the application of revenue management, specifically capacity control, to space logistics for use in the optimization of mission cargo allocations, which in turn affects duration, infrastructure availability, and forward logistics. Two capacity control algorithms were developed; the first is based on partitioning of Monte Carlo samples while the second is based on bid pricing with highfrequency price adjustments. The algorithms were implemented as a plug-in module to SpaceNet 2.0, an integrated modeling and simulation tool for space logistics. The module was tested on a lunar exploration concept, which emphasizes global exploration of the Moon using mobile infrastructure. Results suggest that revenue management may produce better capacity allocations in shorter duration missions, while producing nominal capacity allocations (i.e. those in the deterministic case) in the long run.
Revolutionizing Prosthetics software technology

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Revolutionizing Prosthetics 2009 program has the goal of developing a neurally-integrated upper limb prosthesis to provide amputee soldiers with pre-injury levels of function. A team of over 30 collaborating institutions from industry and academia set out to design and construct a prosthetic limb that achieves natural human limb performance by combining the state of the art in neuroscience, robotics, sensors, power systems, actuation, and complex embedded software. The Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL) is the result of Phase II of the program which successfully demonstrated robotic limb operation in December 2009. MPL design and development addressed several areas of technical complexity such as space, power, and mass constraints, safety-critical operation, and modularity for patient customizations based on the location of disarticulation. This paper provides an overview of the MPL system architecture, the robotic arm control strategy, and detailed information on the embedded system software that integrates the MPL components to enable patient-based control.
Development of whole-body and skeletal muscle insulin resistance after one day of hindlimb suspension

Hindlimb suspension (HS) of rats is a model of simulated weightlessness and induces dynamic alterations in insulin action. In the present study, the effect of acute (1-day) HS on whole-body glucose tolerance and insulin action on skeletal muscle glucose transport was assessed in juvenile, female Sprague-Dawley rats. Compared to weight-bearing control rats, 1-day HS animals displayed significantly decreased glucose tolerance and diminished whole-body insulin sensitivity. Glucose transport activity in the 1-day unweighted soleus muscle was significantly decreased (P <.05) compared to weight-bearing control muscles both in the absence and presence of insulin (2 mU/mL). Insulin-mediated glucose transport activity in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles also tended (P =.09) to be lower. There was no change in the protein expression of insulin receptor beta-subunit (IR-beta), insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), IRS-2, the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3-kinase), Akt, and glucose transporter protein 4 (GLUT-4). The activities of these proteins were also unchanged, as insulin-stimulated IR-beta tyrosine phosphorylation, IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation, IRS-1-associated p85, and Akt serine phosphorylation were similar to controls. However, basal Akt phosphorylation was significantly depressed (P <.05) in the 1-day HS soleus. In addition, the protein expression and basal phosphorylation of the stress-activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) were significantly elevated (P <.05) in the 1-day unweighted soleus. These results indicate that the development of insulin resistance in the 1-day unweighted soleus is not due to impaired functionality of elements involved in the IR/IRS-1/PI3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. However, activation of p38 MAPK may play a role in this response.
Bench to bedside translation of antibody drug conjugates using a multiscale mechanistic PK/PD model: a case study with brentuximab-vedotin.

To build a multiscale mechanism based pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model for antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), using brentuximab-vedotin as an example, for preclinical to clinical translation of ADC efficacy. Brentuximab-vedotin experimental data, collected from diverse publications, were employed in the following steps to build and validate the model: (1) characterization of ADC and payload PK at the cellular level, (2) characterization of payload PK in plasma and tumor tissue of xenograft mouse, (3) characterization of ADC PK in mouse plasma, (4) prediction of the tumor payload concentrations in xenograft mouse by integrating parameters obtained from steps 1–3 with the novel tumor disposition model for ADC, (5) characterization of preclinical brentuximab-vedotin tumor growth inhibition data using the novel PK/PD model, (6) characterization of ADC and payload PK in cancer patients, and (7) prediction of clinical responses of brentuximab-vedotin using the PK/PD model, by integrating PK parameters obtained from step 6, and translated mouse parameters from step 5; and comparing them with clinical trial results. The tumor disposition model was able to accurately predict xenograft tumor and plasma payload concentrations. PK/PD model predicted progression free survival rates and complete response rates for brentuximab-vedotin in patients were comparable to the observed clinical results. It is essential to understand and characterize the disposition of ADC and payload, at the cellular and physiological level, to predict the clinical outcome of ADC. A first of its kind mechanistic model has been developed for ADCs, which can integrate preclinical biomeasures and PK/PD data, to predict clinical response.
A lightweight, high performance communication protocol for grid computing

This paper describes a lightweight, high-performance communication protocol for the high-bandwidth, high-delay networks typical of computational Grids. One unique feature of this protocol is that it incorporates an extremely accurate classification mechanism that is efficient enough to diagnose the cause of data loss in real time, providing to the controller the opportunity to respond to different causes of data loss in different ways. The simplest adaptive response, and the one discussed in this paper, is to trigger aggressive congestion control measures only when the data loss is diagnosed as network related. However, even this very simple adaptation can have a tremendous impact on performance in a Grid setting where the resources allocated to a long-running, data-intensive application can fluctuate significantly during the course of its execution. In fact, we provide results showing that the utilization of the information provided by the classifier increased performance by over two orders of magnitude depending on the dominant cause of data loss. In this paper, we discuss the Bayesian statistical framework upon which the classifier is based and the classification metrics that make this approach highly successful. We discuss the integration of the classifier into the congestion control structures of an existing high-performance communication protocol, and provide empirical results showing that it correctly diagnosed the cause of data loss in over 98% of the experimental trials.
Juvenile Offender Recidivism: An Examination of Risk Factors.

One hundred and seventy three male juvenile offenders were followed two years postrelease from a residential treatment facility to assess recidivism and factors related to recidivism. The overall recidivism rate was 23.9%. Logistic regression with stepwise and backward variable selection methods was used to examine the relationship between recidivism and nine specific variables: offense type, age at initial involvement in juvenile justice, child welfare system involvement, termination of parental rights, parental criminal history, family support, program completion status, length of treatment stay, and discharge placement. Offender type was the only factor found to have a significant impact on recidivism with general and substance-involved offenders more likely to recidivate than sex offenders. Implications for future research are discussed.
Application of energy balance and direct substitution methods for thermal margins and data evaluation

Abstract Thermal limits, such as critical heat flux (CHF), flow excursion (FE) and incipient boiling (IB), are used to determine the maximum operating power for a variety of thermal systems, most importantly nuclear reactors. In doing so, a variety of analytical tools, concepts, and techniques are involved. Concepts and definitions involved include the critical heat flux ratio (CHFR), the critical power ratio (CPR) or departure from nucleate boiling power ratio (DNBPR), the direct substitution method (DSM), the heat balance method (HBM), local correlations, system or global correlations, and upstream effects. Some of these concepts and terms cause confusion and misunderstanding in the technical community as to their real physical meaning and their proper application. Some investigators argue strongly in support of using the CPR for determining safety margins in nuclear reactors rather than the CHFR and still others argue that the use of the HBM for thermal limits data and correlation evaluation gives “consistently better predictions than when using DSM”. Those claims are an indication of a general confusion in understanding and applying these concepts. The intent of this paper is to first define and clarify the issues involved and second to show that either concept, CHFR or CPR, can be used for defining margins. The selection depends on the interest of the investigator and is conditional on understanding what the results mean physically. However, the present author believes that the use of HBM for data evaluation can be misleading and tends to imply incorrectly a closer agreement between the data and the correlation than can be justified. Furthermore, some correlations cannot be used correctly for certain applications, in spite of the fact that they seem to be “statistically superior”.
"Sexual" behavior in parthenogenetic lizards (Cnemidophorus).

Abstract All-female, parthenogenetic species afford a unique test of hypotheses regarding the nature and evolution of sexuality. Basic data on the behavior of parthenogens are lacking, however. We have discovered, from observations of captive Cnemidophorus uniparens, C. velox, and C. tesselatus, behavior patterns remarkably similar to the courtship and copulatory behavior of closely related sexual species. Briefly, in separately housed pairs, one lizard was repeatedly seen to mount and ride its cagemate and appose the cloacal regions. Dissection or palpation revealed that, in each instance, the courted animal was reproductively active, having ovaries containing large, preovulatory follicles, while the courting animal was either reproductively inactive or postovulatory, having ovaries containing only small, undeveloped follicles. These observations are significant for the questions they raise. For example, is this behavior a nonfunctional vestige of the species' ancestry, or is this behavior necessary for successful reproduction in the species (e.g., by priming reproductive neuroendocrine mechanisms as has been demonstrated in sexual species)?
Summary of 1974 IEEE annual conference on nuclear and space radiation effects

The eleventh IEEE Annual Conference on Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects was held in Fort Collins, Colorado on July 15–18, 1974 on the campus of Colorado State University. More than 290 attended. The Conference was officially sponsored by the Radiation Effects Committee of the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society in cooperation with the Office of Conferences and Institutes, Colorado State University and partially supported by the Defense Nuclear Agency.
Preparation, Optical and Dielectric Properties of Vapor‐Deposited Niobium Oxide Thin Films

Thin dielectric films of niobium oxide have been deposited on silicon and quartz substrates by pyrolysis of the niobium alcoholate in an oxidizing ambient. Optical measurements have been made on these films in the spectral range 0.2–2.6 µm. Information on dispersion, fundamental absorption edge, and absorption coefficient (as related to photon energy) has been obtained. An electrical evaluation of the films has been made, including dielectric properties and MOS behavior.
Production of single-crystal K3C60

A simplified technique for synthesizing high-quality millimeter-sized single-crystals of K3C60 is reported. The preparation method consists of a two-step process where pure C60 crystals are first grown and later doped with potassium vapor. The undoped crystals are grown using an open-tube vapor transport with a flowing helium gas carrier. Doping occurs in a highvacuum environment inside a specialized quartz tube which allows phase purity to be monitored via magnetization measurements of the superconducting state. Utilizing the aforementioned procedure, one can attain samples with magnetically determined superconducting transition widths (10–90% diamagnetic shielding) of less than 1 K.
Elektrophile Aktivierung von Alkenen mit Platin(II): sehr viel mehr als eine langsame Variante von Palladium(II)

Die elektrophile Aktivierung von Alkenen durch Ubergangsmetallkatalysatoren ist die erste Reaktionsstufe bei einer Vielzahl von katalytischen Prozessen. Das bekannteste Metall fur diesen Zweck ist Palladium, in jungerer Zeit konnten aber auch die besonderen Eigenschaften des verwandten Platins (starke Metall-Ligand-Bindungen, langsame Substitutionen) genutzt werden, um haufig komplementare Umsetzungen zu entwickeln, die durch Addition von protischen Kohlenstoff-, Stickstoff-, Sauerstoff-, Phosphor- sowie Alken- und Aren-Nucleophilen an eine CC-Bindung eingeleitet werden. Die Umsetzungen mit Platinreagentien zeigen oft sehr charakteristische Reaktivitatsprofile, die zu ganzlich neuen Reaktionsprodukten fuhren. Dieser Aufsatz gibt einen Uberblick uber Platin-katalysierte elektrophile Aktivierungen von Alkenen, wobei die Beschreibung von Reaktionsmechanismen, die Unterschiede zwischen Platin- und Palladiumkatalysatoren und die Aussichten fur die Entwicklung neuer Systeme im Mittelpunkt stehen.
Self-Esteem Enhancing Reasons for Having Sex and The Sexual Behaviors of African American Adolescents

A sample of 146 African American adolescents living in impoverished neighborhoods with high HIV rates participated in the Chicago HIV Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Project (CHAMP), a longitudinal study of adolescent HIV risk exposure. The current study examined self-reported reasons why African American adolescents may participate in risky sexual behavior. Adolescents completed a questionnaire regarding their sexual behaviors and reasons for having sex at Wave 3 of data collection. Findings from the study revealed that females used condoms less consistently while males had more sexual partners and sexually debuted earlier. Regression analyses also indicated that males were more likely to endorse self-esteem enhancing reasons for having sex and those who did also reported a higher number of sexual partners. Males were more likely to endorse power-related reasons for having sex and those who did tended to sexually debut earlier. Across both genders, results suggested that those adolescents who endorsed more self-esteem enhancing reasons for having sex were less likely to use condoms consistently. Implications for prevention programs and future research are discussed.
Structures of the carbohydrate moiety attached to one site in the first domain of turkey ovomucoid: Elucidation by 1H-N.M.R. spectroscopy

Abstract 1 H-N.m.r. spectroscopy was used to elucidate the primary structures of the carbohydrate moiety attached to asparagine at residue 53 in the first domain of turkey ovomucoid, a serine proteinase inhibitor. The carbohydrate moiety is a heterogeneous mixture of three structurally closely related complex-type oligosaccharides. Of the total carbohydrate moiety, 61% is tetra-antennary with terminal galactose and with an intersecting N -acetylglucosamine, and containing an additional N -acetylglucosamine (10′) attached to mannose (4′). Another 23% is tri-antennary with terminal galactose and with an intersecting N -acetylglucosamine. The remaining 16% is tri-antennary with terminal galactose (6 and 8 only), with an intersecting N -acetylglucosamine.
A commutator approach to absolute continuity for unbounded Jacobi operators

This paper uses commutator equations to study the absolute continuity of spectral measures associated with certain subclasses of unbounded self-adjoint Jacobi matrix operators determined by properties of the diagonal and subdiagonal sequences. If the diagonal sequence is the zero sequence, properties of the difference sequence of the subdiagonal determine the choice of a bounded operator for the commutator equation. The structure of the resulting commutator leads to results on absolute continuity.
Incorporating a journal club in associate degree clinical conferences

Abstract The purpose of this article is to discuss the implementation of a journal club in associate degree nursing program clinical conferences. The benefits to students and instructors are examined, including the effective use of time, professional development opportunities, promotion of critical thinking, and encouraging the use of research and evidenced-based nursing to improve nursing care. Associate degree nursing students have reacted positively to the incorporation of a journal club in clinical conferences.
Natural language access to structured text

This paper discusses the problem of providing natural language access to textual material. We are developing a system that relates a request in English to specific passages in a document on the basis of correspondences between the logical representations of the information in the request and in the passages. In addition, we are developing procedures for automatically generating logical representations of text passages, directly from the text, by means of an analysis of the coherence structure of the passages.
GASTRIC BLOOD FLOW FOLLOWING SIMULTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION OF SEROTONIN AND HISTAMINE.

Left gastric-artery flow was measured with a Medicon FM-6 gated sine-wave electromagnetic flowmeter. Histamine, 4 µg./min., produces a small increase (9%) in flow. Serotonin in increasing doses of 10, 20, 40, and 60 µg./kg./min. given concomitantly with the same dose of histamine, progressively augment left gastric-artery flow in increments of 25, 43, 87, and 189%, respectively. The increases in left gastric-artery flow found with increasing doses of serotonin represent a single, direct, exponential relationship.