cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seeking Accountability Through State-Appointed Emergency District Management

Michigan’s Local Government and School District Accountability Act of 2011 empowers the governor to appoint emergency managers (EMs) in financially troubled school districts. EMs assume all powers of the superintendent and school board. They can reshape academic programs, nullify labor contracts, and open and close schools. This article analyzes the law’s political origins and early implementation. Relative to prevailing accountability mechanisms applicable to all school districts, in what respects are EM districts more accountable, and in what respects are they less accountable? Our analysis reveals that although the law concentrates control over school operations, it weakens most standard dimensions of district accountability.
Domestic violence treatment referrals for men seeking alcohol treatment

The annual prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in samples of men seeking alcohol treatment has been estimated at 50% or higher. One proposed approach to these co-occurring problems is the provision of IPV screening and treatment referrals within alcohol treatment programs. The current study found that alcohol treatment providers infrequently referred men with a pretreatment year history of IPV to domestic violence treatment programs, and that men receiving such referrals rarely followed the recommendation and sought additional treatment. These findings suggest future research is necessary to identify factors that may act as barriers to IPV assessment or referral in alcohol treatment settings, factors that may limit client follow-through on such referrals, and new strategies for addressing IPV in substance abusing populations.
Economic Models of Arms Races Some Reformulations and Extensions

Some problems with the current models of arms races are pointed out, and some extensions and reformulations are proposed. Models of strategic exchange serve as building blocks for a more comprehensive variety that attempt to explain decisions about the division of national wealth into civilian and military components. The models take as given essential technological and preferential parameters and derive implied patterns of choice. The source and implications of discontinuity in the function relating postattack stocks of military wealth and the plausibility and results of successive strikes by a single adversary are examined. Bench marks for purely military preference patterns are established and then are modified to account for the desirability of civilian wealth. Portrayal of preferences via reaction curves is developed, and solutions to the problems of their internal and external inconsistency are proposed. Major problems remain, but economic concepts and principles can contribute at least to the state...
Responding to Black Political Interests in the Post-Civil Rights Era: The Substantive Results of Black Political Incorporation

This article analyzes political responsiveness to minority communities through a case study of municipal employment opportunities in Richmond, Virginia. Using equal employment opportunity reports, it analyzes racial exclusion (the representation of minority workers within occupations) and racial subordination (the distribution of minority and nonminority workers across occupations) among Richmond's public sector workers. Additionally, it looks at percentage point changes in the representation of minority and nonminority workers in municipal jobs, to provide a more detailed analysis of the quality of opportunities that are made available as the city's dominant council coalitions changed from a white conservative coalition to a black liberal regime to a multiracial conservative coalition. Qualitative data from interviews with the city's political actors clarify and support the patterns found in the employment data. The analysis demonstrates that the substantive resources black people are likely to gain differ significantly by political regime
Understanding fatal child abuse

Medical, social service and coroner reports were reviewed for 14 cases of fatal child abuse and neglect identified at a children's hospital from 1988-1992. Twelve cases involved physical abuse and two neglect. The median age was 6.5 months (range 24 days to 3 years). Six families (43%) had prior protective service involvement; however, four of the referrals involved a sibling. Only two of 12 physical abuse victims had a history of a prior suspicious injury. Clinical and postmortem findings are presented. The cause of death in all physically abused patients was blunt impact head injury; one also had contributing intraabdominal injuries. Ten cases were ruled due to homicide; 12 have come to legal closure resulting in nine felony convictions. These findings emphasize the role of blunt impact brain injury in fatal child abuse cases. Two findings have significant implications for prevention: (a) the paucity of injuries recognized prior to the fatal event, and (b) among families known to child protection agencies the focus was not the fatally injured child.
Spectral analysis of linear digital systems using BIFORE

A spectral analysis of linear digital systems using BIFORE is carried out. Expressions for power and amplitude spectra of the input and output signals are developed. The frequency-sequency structure of the power spectra, which are invariant to cyclic shift of the sampled data, is analysed.
Measured Energy Expenditure in Mechanically Ventilated Very Low Birth Weight Infants

ABSTRACT Forty-nine calorimetric studies were performed on 24 very low birth weight infants with respiratory distress syndrome on mechanical ventilation during the first seven postnatal days. Mean resting energy expenditure for the entire study was 59 ± 21 kilocalories/kg daily, with a respiratory quotient of 0.93 ± 0.1, reflecting the predominance of carbohydrate calories. A comparison of mean energy intake with mean resting energy expenditure showed a mean caloric deficit of 31 kcal/k daily during the first 4 postnatal days, followed by 3 days where resting energy expenditure was met by equivalent caloric intake. Wide variation was noted in resting energy expenditure.
Geology of the Fenton Hill, New Mexico, hot dry rock site☆

Abstract The Phase I prototype hot dry rock (HDR) geothermal system was developed in Precambrian basement rocks at Fenton Hill, New Mexico. Core and cuttings samples from the four deep wells indicate that the reservoir of this Phase I HDR system lies within a homogeneous biotite granodiorite body of very low permeability. Natural fractures, although present, are typically sealed with secondary minerals. The biotite granodiorite is intrusive into a heterogeneous metamorphic complex comprised of gneisses of variable composition and minor mafic schist, amphibolite, and metavolcanic rocks. The deeper part of this metamorphic section is the site of a deeper Phase II system currently under development. Differences in geology between the phase I and underlying Phase II systems will provide an opportunity for further testing of HDR development techniques.
A game-theoretic framework for control of distributed renewable-based energy resources in smart grids

Renewable energy plays an important role in distributed energy resources in smart grid systems. Deployment and integration of renewable energy resources require an intelligent management to optimize their usage in the current power grid. In this paper, we establish a game-theoretic framework for modeling the strategic behavior of buses that are connected to renewable energy resources and study the equilibrium distributed power generation at each bus. Our framework takes a cross-layer approach, taking into account the economic factors as well as system stability issues at each bus. We propose an iterative algorithm to compute Nash equilibrium solutions based on a sequence of linearized games. Simulations and numerical examples are used to illustrate the algorithm and corroborate the results.
Rocket Observations of Mass Loss from Hot Stars

Rocket observations have shown that the far-ultraviolet resonance lines have P-Cygni profiles in the spectra of many hot stars, including of and Wolf-Rayet stars and OB supergiants. Velocity shifts as high as−300- km sec−1 have been measured for the short-wavelength edges of some of the lines. Estimates of the rates of mass loss range from 10−8 to 10−6M⊙ year−1.
Runaway Wives: Husband Desertion in Medieval England

With an acutely imbalanced power relationship, no financial control, and a Marian ideal of total passivity flaunted before them, wives are usually thought to have borne the brunt of medieval marriages. In particular, in a Catholic world where marriage was held up as a sacrament, and thus a permanent, monogamous union, it has often been assumed that medieval wives were caught in an earthly purgatory, suffering a life-time of marital violence and misery. Over the past two decades, historians like R.H. Helmholz, Sue Sheridan Walker and Henry Ansgar Kelly have challenged previous ideals about the permanence of marriage. Helmholz has suggested that "self-divorce" among the medieval English may have been more common than we think. Walker and Kelly have made similar suggestions. The goal of this paper is to use their work as a foundation, to explore the various licit and illicit means of separation in late medieval England. Using marriage litigation, bishops' registers, ecclesiastical actbooks, manorial courts, chancery records, and assize rolls, this paper will attempt to discern the risks involved in husband desertion to both the wife and her "rescuers," common features of wife desertion, as well as contemporary attitudes held by both wives and society in general.
Genome-Wide Transcriptional Analysis of the Cold Shock Response in Wild-Type and Cold-Sensitive, Quadruple-csp-Deletion Strains of Escherichia coli

A DNA microarray-based global transcript profiling of Escherichia coli in response to cold shock showed that in addition to the known cold shock-inducible genes, new genes such as the flagellar operon, those encoding proteins involved in sugar transport and metabolism, and remarkably, genes encoding certain heat shock proteins are induced by cold shock. In the light of strong reduction in metabolic activity of the cell after temperature downshift, the induction of sugar metabolism machinery is unexpected. The deletion of four csps (cspA, cspB, cspG, and cspE) affected cold shock induction of mostly those genes that are transiently induced in the acclimation phase, emphasizing that CspA homologues are essential in the acclimation phase. Relevance of these findings with respect to the known RNA chaperone function of CspA homologues is discussed.
Children's Preliteracy Skills: Influence of Mothers' Education and Beliefs About Shared-Reading Interactions

Research Findings: This research investigated the associations among children's preliteracy skills, mothers' education, and mothers' beliefs about shared-reading interactions for 45 Appalachian families. These variables were studied for lower income, primarily European American, families residing in a geographically isolated, small, rural community in the Appalachian Mountains. Children's performance on standardized measures of preliteracy skills pertaining to print concepts and alphabet knowledge was substantially lower than normative references, but their performance on tasks assessing their understanding of environmental print was similar to normative references. The preliteracy skills of children with more educated mothers were significantly better than those of children with less educated mothers. More educated mothers had higher ratings on a measure of parental beliefs about shared reading than less educated mothers had; however, maternal reports of the frequency of home literacy practices were simi...
The Periodogram of American Business Activity

I. Various meanings of "period," 376. — II. Indices referred to "normal" are oscillatory, 378. — III. Statistical findings of cycle analysis, 380. — IV. Hidden periods indeterminable by cycle analysis, 384. — V. The periodogram; general theory, 387. — VI. Periodograms of special types of oscillation, 390. — VII. Illustration of effects of complex interference, 394. — VIII. Two rules and their limitations, 397. — IX. The periodograms for business activity, 400. — X. Details of the periodogram for 1790–1859, 400. — XI. Brief notes on the other periodograms, 405. — XII. Forecasting from the sinusoidal expressions, 407. — XIII. Schuster's statistical test for significance of periods, 409. — XIV. The number of "independent elements" in the series, 411. — XV. A crucial experiment, 413.
HIGHER RANDOM-PHASE APPROXIMATION AS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE EQUATIONS OF MOTION.

Starting from the equations of motion expressed as ground-state expectation values, we have derived a higher-order random-phase approximation (RPA) for excitation frequencies of low-lying states. The matrix elements in the expectation value are obtained up to terms linear in the ground-state correlation coefficients. We represent the ground state as eU|HF〉, where U is a linear combination of two particle-hole operators, and |HF〉 is the Hartree-Fock ground state. We then retain terms only up to those linear in the correlation coefficients in the equation determining the ground state. This equation and that for the excitation energy are then solved self-consistently. We do not make the quasiboson approximation in this procedure, and explicitly discuss the overcounting characteristics of this approximation. The resulting equations have the same form as those of the RPA, but this higher RPA removes many deficiencies of the RPA.
An Improved Model for a Microcomputer Component-The 6520 PIA

A student's or designer's ability to predict the outcome a process is only as good as the model for that process.
Relative influence of variables at multiple spatial scales on stream macroinvertebrates in the Northern Lakes and Forest ecoregion, U.S.A.

SUMMARY 1. We used 94 sites within the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion spanning Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan to identify environmental variables at the catchment, reach and riparian scales that influence stream macroinvertebrates. Redundancy analyses (RDA) found significantly influential variables within each scale and compared their relative importance in structuring macroinvertebrate assemblages. 2. Environmental variables included landcover, geology and groundwater delivery estimates at the catchment scale, water chemistry, channel morphology and stream habitat at the reach scale, and landcover influences at three distances perpendicular to the stream at the riparian scale. Macroinvertebrate responses were characterised with 22 assemblage attributes, and the relative abundance and presence/absence of 66 taxa. 3. Each scale defined macroinvertebrates along an erosional to depositional gradient. Wisconsin’s macroinvertebrate index of biotic integrity, Ephemeroptera–Plecoptera–Trichoptera taxa and erosional taxa corresponded with forest streams, whereas organic pollution tolerant, Chironomidae and depositional taxa corresponded with wetland streams. Reach scale analyses defined the gradient similarly as dissolved oxygen and wide, shallow channels (erosional) opposed instream macrophytes and pool habitats (depositional). Riparian forests within 30 m of the stream coincided with an erosional assemblage and biotic integrity. 4. Next, we combined all significant environmental variables across scales to compare the relative influence of each spatial scale on macroinvertebrates. Partial RDA procedures described how much of the explained variance was attributable to each spatial scale and each interrelated scale combination. 5. Our results appeared consistent with the concept of hierarchical functioning of scale in which large-scale variables restrict the potential for macroinvertebrate traits or taxa at smaller spatial scales. Catchment and reach variables were equally influential in defining assemblage attributes, whereas the reach scale was more influential in determining relative abundance and presence/absence.
Occupational therapists' reported experiences using weighted vests with children with specific developmental disorders

The purpose of this study was to identify specific practice patterns of a convenience sample of paediatric occupational therapists and the behavioural changes that they observe when they use weighted vests with children with developmental disorders. Although the practice of weighted vests is accepted clinically, there is little discussion of their use nor is there empirical evidence of their efficacy in the literature. A convenience sample of 51 occupational therapists from different geographic areas of the United States participated in a telephone survey about how they used weighted vests with specific children. This study was a follow-up to a mail survey about paediatric occupational therapists' opinions and general practice patterns with weighted vests. Although the interviewees observed some different behavioural changes in children with various developmental disorders when these children used weighted vests, their practice patterns in using the vests were similar across disabilities. The most common behavioural changes noted were increased attention and staying on task. Participants' opinions and practice patterns related to weighted vests are discussed. This study is not generalizable as it utilized a self-selected group of therapists. However, the findings from the qualitative data can provide direction for future quantitative studies by providing important data about practice patterns that may serve as independent variables examining the effectiveness of weighted vests.
Divide and conquer neural networks

Determining an effective architecture far a multi-layer feedforward back propagation neural network can be a time-consuming effort. We describe an algorithm called Divide and Conquer Neural Networks (DCN), which creates a feedforward neural network architecture during training, based upon the training examples. The first cell introduced on any layer is trained on all examples. Further cells on a layer are trained primarily on examples not already correctly classified. The learning algorithm is shown to be able to use several different learning rules, including the delta rule and perceptron rule, to modify the link weights one level at a time in the spirit of a perceptron. Error is never propagated backwards through a hidden cell. Examples are shown of networks generated for the exdusive-or, 4 and 5-parity, 2-spirals problem, Iris plant classification, predicting party affiliation from voting records, and the real-valued fuzzy exclusive-or. The results show the algorithm effectively learns viable architectures that can generalize.
Integrin α5β1 supports the migration of Xenopus cranial neural crest on fibronectin

Abstract During early embryonic development, cranial neural crest cells emerge from the developing mid- and hindbrain. While numerous studies have focused on integrin involvement in trunk neural crest cell migration, comparatively little is known about mechanisms of cranial neural crest cell migration. We show that fibronectin, but not laminin, vitronectin, or type I collagen can support cranial neural crest cell migration and segmentation in vitro. These behaviors require both the RGD and “synergy” sites located within the central cell-binding domain of fibronectin. While these two sites are sufficient for cranial neural crest cell migration, we find that the second Heparin-binding domain of fibronectin can provide additional support for cranial neural crest cell migration in vitro. Finally, using a function blocking monoclonal antibody, we show that cranial neural crest cell migration on fibronectin requires the integrin α5β1.
Some Features of Physical Forces Between Biological Cell Membranes

Abstract We have applied several advances in the theory of electrostatic and electrodynamic (van der Waals) forces to the problem of biological cell adhesion. Long-range interactions (i.e., those acting across separations much greater than interactomic distances) are strong enough to hold cells together or to artificial substrates. There is a wide range of attractive energies depending on the interacting substances, in particular a ten-fold range with the artificial materials and an energetic specificity between cells of like type to allow a population of mixed cell types to aggregate with likes sticking to likes (as is commonly observed experimentally). The present physical approach can provide a useful logic for designing techniques to probe the cell surface and points out several hitherto neglected aspects of the cell surface germane to the study of cellular adhesion.
On the Global Character of the Difference Equation X n + 1 =

We investigate the global stability, the periodic character, and the boundedness nature of solutions of the difference equation x n +1 = f + n x n m (2 k +1) + i x n m 2 l A + x n m 2 l , n =0,1, where k and l are non-negative integers, the parameters f , n , i , A are non-negative real numbers with f + n + i >0, and the initial conditions are non-negative real numbers. We show that the solutions exhibit a trichotomy character depending upon the parameters n , i and A .
Rapid separation of high-mannose-type oligosaccharides by high-pressure liquid chromatography.

Abstract Neutral oligosaccharides derived from dolichol-linked oligosaccharide intermediates have been separated by liquid chromatography on silica gel modified by organic amines. By using a mobile phase consisting of mixtures of acetonitrile and water, effective resolution of these oligosaccharides was achieved in less than 1.5 h on silica bearing chemically bonded aminopropyl groups or on silica with 0.05% 1,4-diaminobutane present in the mobile phase.
Entropic cages for trapping DNA near a nanopore

Nanopore sensors provide a useful way of analysing single molecules, such as DNA. Here, the authors present a nanopore-based single-molecule reactor, into which DNA can be fed and removed, and which also acts as an entropic cage allowing for DNA chemical modifications.
Polymorphism of the middle wavelength cone in two species of south american monkey: Cebus apella and callicebus moloch

The spectral sensitivity of the middle wavelength cone was measured in two species of South American monkey, Cebus apella and Callicebus moloch, using electroretinogram (ERG) flicker photometry. Both of these species were found to have a polymorphism of the middle wavelength cone. Eight male Cebus monkeys each had only a single type of middle wavelength cone having λmax values of either 550 or 562 nm. Eight Callicebus monkeys (7 male, 1 female) showed a similar polymorphism of the middle wavelength cone (λmax = 549 or 561 nm). A single female of this latter species had two types of middle wavelength cone. The cone polymorphisms of these species appear very similar to that previously described for the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).
Diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of natriuretic peptides in emergency department patients with dyspnea

More than 4.5 million Americans have congestive heart failure (CHF), close to 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and one third of known patients with CHF are annually admitted to the hospital. Emergency department diagnosis of CHF is often based on history and physical examination findings along with results of ancillary tests, such as chest radiography and ECG. Although signs and symptoms of fluid overload, such as lower extremity edema and dyspnea, raise the suspicion of CHF, their lack of sensitivity makes them poor screening tools. The natriuretic peptides are promising markers of myocardial dysfunction and heart failure. Because of their relationship to myocardial pressure and stretching, natriuretic peptides have been investigated over the past 5 decades as both diagnostic and prognostic markers in acute coronary syndromes and CHF. This article discusses each of the natriuretic peptides and attempts to delineate their potential diagnostic and prognostic roles in the ED.
Maxillofacial deformities and maxillofacial prosthetics

Abstract Maxillofacial prosthodontics is an essential adjunct to reconstructive surgery in many types of deformations and malformations of the jaws. Among the indications for prosthetic appliances are: (1) severe facial injuries with loss of bony framework, (2) defects of the mandible requiring bone grafting, (3) micrognathia, and (4) nasomaxillary atresia. The epithelial inlay technique for skin grafting in the oral or nasal cavities has been described, and a number of applications of the epithelial inlay technique have been illustrated. Close collaboration of the plastic surgeon and the prosthodontist is essential in the treatment of many types of orofacial defects.
On the role of a conserved, potentially helix-breaking residue in the tRNA-binding α-helix of archaeal CCA-adding enzymes

Archaeal class I CCA-adding enzymes use a ribonucleoprotein template to build and repair the universally conserved 39terminal CCA sequence of the acceptor stem of all tRNAs. A wealth of structural and biochemical data indicate that the Archaeoglobus fulgidus CCA-adding enzyme binds primarily to the tRNA acceptor stem through a long, highly conserved ahelix that lies nearly parallel to the acceptor stem and makes many contacts with its sugar-phosphate backbone. Although the geometry of this a-helix is nearly ideal in all available cocrystal structures, the helix contains a highly conserved, potentially helix-breaking proline or glycine near the N terminus. We performed a mutational analysis to dissect the role of this residue in CCA-addition activity. We found that the phylogenetically permissible P295G mutant and the phylogenetically absent P295T had little effect on CCA addition, whereas P295A and P295S progressively interfered with CCA addition (C74>C75>A76 addition). We also examined the effects of these mutations on tRNA binding and the kinetics of CCA addition, and performed a computational analysis using Rosetta Design to better understand the role of P295 in nucleotide transfer. Our data indicate that CCA-adding activity does not correlate with the stability of the pre-addition cocrystal structures visualized by X-ray crystallography. Rather, the data are consistent with a transient conformational change involving P295 of the tRNA-binding a-helix during or between one or more steps in CCA addition.
Rho Kinase Regulates the Intracellular Micromechanical Response of Adherent Cells to Rho Activation

Local sol-gel transitions of the cytoskeleton modulate cell shape changes, which are required for essential cellular functions, including motility and adhesion. In vitro studies using purified cytoskeletal proteins have suggested molecular mechanisms of regulation of cytoskeleton mechanics; however, the mechanical behavior of living cells and the signaling pathways by which it is regulated remains largely unknown. To address this issue, we used a nanoscale sensing method, intracellular microrheology, to examine the mechanical response of the cell to activation of the small GTPase Rho. We observe that the cytoplasmic stiffness and viscosity of serum-starved Swiss 3T3 cells transiently and locally enhances upon treatment with lysophosphatidic acid, and this mechanical behavior follows a trend similar to Rho activity. Furthermore, the time-dependent activation of Rho decreases the degree of microheterogeneity of the cytoplasm. Our results reveal fundamental differences between intracellular elasticity and cellular tension and suggest a critical role for Rho kinase in the regulation of intracellular mechanics.
Assessment of Motion of a Swing Leg and Gait Rehabilitation With a Gravity Balancing Exoskeleton

The gravity balancing exoskeleton, designed at University of Delaware, Newark, consists of rigid links, joints and springs, which are adjustable to the geometry and inertia of the leg of a human subject wearing it. This passive exoskeleton does not use any motors but is designed to unload the human leg joints from the gravity load over its range-of-motion. The underlying principle of gravity balancing is to make the potential energy of the combined leg-machine system invariant with configuration of the leg. Additionally, parameters of the exoskeleton can be changed to achieve a prescribed level of gravity assistance, from 0% to 100%. The goal of the results reported in this paper is to provide preliminary quantitative assessment of the changes in kinematics and kinetics of the walking gait when a human subject wears such an exoskeleton. The data on kinematics and kinetics were collected on four healthy and three stroke patients who wore this exoskeleton. These data were computed from the joint encoders and interface torque sensors mounted on the exoskeleton. This exoskeleton was also recently used for a six-week training of a chronic stroke patient, where the gravity assistance was progressively reduced from 100% to 0%. The results show a significant improvement in gait of the stroke patient in terms of range-of-motion of the hip and knee, weight bearing on the hemiparetic leg, and speed of walking. Currently, training studies are underway to assess the long-term effects of such a device on gait rehabilitation of hemiparetic stroke patients.
Compensation of Multimode Fiber Dispersion Using Adaptive Optics via Convex Optimization

In this paper, we propose a provably optimal technique for minimizing intersymbol interference (ISI) in multimode fiber (MMF) systems using adaptive optics via convex optimization. We use a spatial light modulator (SLM) to shape the spatial profile of light launched into an MMF. We derive an expression for the system impulse response in terms of the SLM reflectance and the field patterns of the MMF principal modes (PMs). Finding optimal SLM settings to minimize ISI, subject to physical constraints, is posed as an optimization problem. We observe that our problem can be cast as a second-order cone program, which is a convex optimization problem. Its global solution can, therefore, be found with minimal computational complexity, and can be implemented using fast, low-complexity adaptive algorithms. We include simulation results, which show that this technique opens up an eye pattern originally closed due to ISI. We also see that, contrary to what one might expect, the optimal SLM settings do not completely suppress higher order PMs.
Functional Characterization of the Alphavirus TF Protein

Alphavirus dogma has long dictated the production of a discrete set of structural proteins during infection of a cell: capsid, pE2, 6K, and E1. However, bioinformatic analyses of alphavirus genomes (A. E. Firth, B. Y. Chung, M. N. Fleeton, and J. F. Atkins, Virol. J. 5:108, 2008) suggested that a ribosomal frameshifting event occurs during translation of the alphavirus structural polyprotein. Specifically, a frameshift event is suggested to occur during translation of the 6K gene, yielding production of a novel protein, termed transframe (TF), comprised of a C-terminal extension of the 6K protein in the -1 open reading frame (ORF). Here, we validate the findings of Firth and colleagues with respect to the production of the TF protein and begin to characterize the function of TF. Using a mass spectrometry-based approach, we identified TF in purified preparations of both Sindbis and Chikungunya virus particles. We next constructed a panel of Sindbis virus mutants with mutations which alter the production, size, or sequence of TF. We demonstrate that TF is not absolutely required in culture, although disrupting TF production leads to a decrease in virus particle release in both mammalian and insect cells. In a mouse neuropathogenesis model, mortality was <15% in animals infected with the TF mutants, whereas mortality was 95% in animals infected with the wild-type virus. Using a variety of additional assays, we demonstrate that TF retains ion-channel activity analogous to that of 6K and that lack of production of TF does not affect genome replication, particle infectivity, or envelope protein transit to the cell surface. The TF protein therefore represents a previously uncharacterized factor important for alphavirus assembly.
Gust Factors and Turbulence Intensities for the Tropical Cyclone Environment

Abstract Gust factors are used to convert peak wind speeds averaged over a relatively short period (e.g., 3 s) to mean wind speeds averaged over a relatively long reference period (e.g., 1 h) or vice versa. Such conversions are needed for engineering, climatological, or forecasting purposes. In this paper, gust factors in tropical cyclone (TC) winds are estimated from Florida Coastal Monitoring Program (FCMP) observations of near-surface TC wind speeds representative of flow over the sea surface and over open flat terrain in coastal areas. Comparisons are made with gust factors in extratropical winds over open flat terrain that are available in the literature. According to the results of the study, for gust durations of less than 20 s, the Durst model underestimates, and the Krayer–Marshall model overestimates, gust factors of TC winds over surfaces with roughness specified in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 7 Standard Commentary as typical of open terrain. Consideration should be given to ...
Joint generalized models for multidimensional outcomes: A case study of neuroscience data from multimodalities

This paper is motivated from the analysis of neuroscience data in a study of neural and muscular mechanisms of muscle fatigue. Multidimensional outcomes of different natures were obtained simultaneously from multiple modalities, including handgrip force, electromyography (EMG), and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We first study individual modeling of the univariate response depending on its nature. A mixed-effects beta model and a mixed-effects simplex model are compared for modeling the force/EMG percentages. A mixed-effects negative-binomial model is proposed for modeling the fMRI counts. Then, I present a joint modeling approach to model the multidimensional outcomes together, which allows us to not only estimate the covariate effects but also to evaluate the strength of association among the multiple responses from different modalities. A simulation study is conducted to quantify the possible benefits by the new approaches in finite sample situations. Finally, the analysis of the fatigue data is illustrated with the use of the proposed methods.
Low-complexity blind timing synchronization for ACO-OFDM-based optical wireless communications

In this paper, we present a novel technique for coarse timing synchronization for Asymmetrically-Clipped Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (ACO-OFDM) systems. This technique is tailored specifically for the ACO-OFDM waveform, and performs coarse symbol timing synchronization without the need for training data. By using a specific symmetry property of the ACO-OFDM time-domain signal, the method can achieve accurate symbol timing synchronization with very low implementation complexity. Simulation results confirm this, and also show that the cyclic prefix-based correlation methods used commonly in traditional OFDM systems, such as 802.11×, cannot be applied to ACO-OFDM systems. The proposed method, therefore, provides an ideal replacement for the cyclic prefix-based method for future systems employing ACO-OFDM.
The effect of an intermediate dose of labetalol on heart rate and blood pressure responses to laryngoscopy and intubation

Abstract Study Objective : To evaluate the efficacy of an intermediate dose of labetalol (0.4 mg/kg) for attenuation of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) responses to laryngoscopy and intubation. Design : Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Setting : Inpatient gynecology service at a university medical center. Patients : Two groups of 18 patients each undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia. Interventions : Patients received either 0.4 mglkg of labetalol or an equal volume of normal saline 5 minutes prior to laryngoscopy and intubation. Measurements and Main Results : HR and BP were measured upon arrival in the operating room (OR) (baseline) and at 1 minute intervals thereafter for 4 minutes prior to intubation and through 10 minutes following intubation. The labetalol group had a significantly lower HR from induction through 1 minute following intubation. Intragroup differences in HR were greatest immediately following laryngoscopy and intubation (33% increase above baseline for the placebo group vs 1% for the labetalol group, p Conclusions : An intermediate dose of labetalol blunted the HR response to laryngoscopy and intubation during rapid-sequence induction in healthy patients but had a minimal effect on BP.
Characterization of Microbial Communities in Gas Industry Pipelines

Culture-independent techniques, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, and random cloning of 16S rRNA gene sequences amplified from community DNA were used to determine the diversity of microbial communities in gas industry pipelines. Samples obtained from natural gas pipelines were used directly for DNA extraction, inoculated into sulfate-reducing bacterium medium, or used to inoculate a reactor that simulated a natural gas pipeline environment. The variable V2-V3 (average size, 384 bp) and V3-V6 (average size, 648 bp) regions of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes, respectively, were amplified from genomic DNA isolated from nine natural gas pipeline samples and analyzed. A total of 106 bacterial 16S rDNA sequences were derived from DGGE bands, and these formed three major clusters: beta and gamma subdivisions of Proteobacteria and gram-positive bacteria. The most frequently encountered bacterial species was Comamonas denitrificans, which was not previously reported to be associated with microbial communities found in gas pipelines or with microbially influenced corrosion. The 31 archaeal 16S rDNA sequences obtained in this study were all related to those of methanogens and phylogenetically fall into three clusters: order I, Methanobacteriales; order III, Methanomicrobiales; and order IV, Methanosarcinales. Further microbial ecology studies are needed to better understand the relationship among bacterial and archaeal groups and the involvement of these groups in the process of microbially influenced corrosion in order to develop improved ways of monitoring and controlling microbially influenced corrosion.
An Expanded Conformation of Single-Ring GroEL-GroES Complex Encapsulates an 86 kDa Substrate

Summary Electron cryomicroscopy reveals an unprecedented conformation of the single-ring mutant of GroEL (SR398) bound to GroES in the presence of Mg-ATP. This conformation exhibits a considerable expansion of the folding cavity, with ∼80% more volume than the X-ray structure of the equivalent cis cavity in the GroEL-GroES-(ADP) 7 complex. This expanded conformation can encapsulate an 86 kDa heterodimeric (αβ) assembly intermediate of mitochondrial branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase, the largest substrate ever observed to be cis encapsulated. The SR398-GroES-Mg-ATP complex is found to exist as a mixture of standard and expanded conformations, regardless of the absence or presence of the substrate. However, the presence of even a small substrate causes a pronounced bias toward the expanded conformation. Encapsulation of the large assembly intermediate is supported by a series of electron cryomicroscopy studies as well as the protection of both α and β subunits of the substrate from tryptic digestion.
Laser-Annealed Gap Ohmic Contacts for High-Temperature Devices

The results of successful Nd:YAG laser annealed ohmic contacts on n-type GaP are reported. Comparisons on identical laser and thermal annealed contacts on the same substrates are performed. Aging investigations are also studied. The results indicate that laser annealed contacts have far superior electrical characteristics, much better surface morphology and are substantially more stable with aging than the same but thermally alloyed ones.
Antibody induced by one-dose varicella vaccine soon became weak in children: evidence from a cross-sectional seroepidemiological survey in Beijing, PRC

Numerous post-licensure studies, mostly from field epidemiological evidences such as outbreak surveys, have demonstrated the effectivenesss and insufficiency of one-dose varicella vaccine in outbreak control. Serological evidence of immunization failure is, however, relatively less reported in contrast. A cross-sectional seroepidemiological survey of Beijing residents was performed in 2012 in the People’s Republic of China, after the one-dose varicella vaccine had been widely used for several years. Multistage stratified random sampling method was designed to recruit 2 144 subjects. The ELISA method was used to test the present blood samples collected and the reserve samples collected in 2008 to assess the trends of anti-VZV seroprevalence in the past 5 years and to determine the risk factors for varicella infection. The age- and sex- adjusted overall anti-VZV seropositivity of Beijing residents in 2012 was 84.5 %. Two groups’ adjusted overall anti-VZV seroprevalence in 2012 showed obvious growth compared with 2008 (<1 yr old: from 6.3 % to 16.9 %; 1-4 yr old: from 27.6 % to 57.2 %). Reported one-dose vaccination history was 71.6 % (149/208), 80.9 % (182/225) and 82.2 % (180/219) in the 1-4 yr, 5-9 yr, 10-14 yr age groups, respectively. Of subjects who had received the one-dose vaccine, 36 % (216/603) showed negative anti-VZV concentrations (<110 mIU/mL); additionally 15.9 % (96/603) of such subjects’ anti-VZV concentrations were in the lowest positive concentration group (110-299 mIU/mL). Seropositivity in permanent residents of 1-9 yr old with verified vaccination was merely 61.8 %. Various age groups (1-3 yr, 4-6 yr, and 7-9 yr) all showed seropositivity that gradually decreased with increasing of the interval between vaccination and blood sampling. Mass varicella vaccination significantly improved the immunity of younger Beijing residents. However, vaccine-induced anti-VZV antibody soon became weak in children with high coverage (approximately 80 %) after vaccination for several years which is significantly higher than reported in pre-licensure studies. A government-funded 2-dose immunization program with mandatory vaccination schedule for Beijing residents may need consideration in the near future.
Measurement of cadaver lumbar spine motion segment stiffness.

Study Design. Prospective. Objectives. To measure lumbar spine motion segment stiffness and relate it to the degree of disc degeneration. Summary of Background Data. The association between the instability of the lumbar spine motion segment and disc degeneration remains unclear. The traditional method for determining motion segment instability at the time of decompressive surgery is a manual test performed by the surgeon. To quantify instability of the lumbar spine, a vertebrae distractor was developed in the authors’ laboratory to measure motion segment stiffness by applying a defined load at a constant rate. Methods. Lumbar stiffness was measured by subjecting cadaver lumbar spine motion segments to a constant rate flexion–traction load and recording the magnitude of the resistance to distraction versus the range of motion. Disc degeneration was measured by pressure–volume discography and by grading of disc morphology. Results. Motion segment stiffness decreased with the initial stages of disc degeneration and then increased with severe disc degeneration. This measure of motion segment stiffness correlated well with a manual stiffness measure. Conclusions. The observed results follow an accepted hypothesis of motion segment instability associated with disc degeneration.
Making the Complex Simple

This installment of computing prescriptions illustrates how complex arithmetic can simplify algorithms in two-dimensional Cartesian vector space as well as how to make difficult numerical integrals tractable. In other words, computer languages for scientific applications should support complex arithmetic.
A Kir6.2 pore mutation causes inactivation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels by disrupting PIP2-dependent gating.

In the absence of intracellular nucleotides, ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels exhibit spontaneous activity via a phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2)-dependent gating process. Previous studies show that stability of this activity requires subunit-subunit interactions in the cytoplasmic domain of Kir6.2; selective mutagenesis and disease mutations at the subunit interface result in time-dependent channel inactivation. Here, we report that mutation of the central glycine in the pore-lining second transmembrane segment (TM2) to proline in Kir6.2 causes KATP channel inactivation. Unlike C-type inactivation, a consequence of selectivity filter closure, in many K + channels, the rate of inactivation in G156P channels was insensitive to changes in extracellular ion concentrations or ion species fluxing through the pore. Instead, the rate of G156P inactivation decreased with exogenous application of PIP2 and increased when PIP2-channel interaction was inhibited with neomycin or poly-L-lysine. These findings indicate the G156P mutation reduces the ability of PIP2 to stabilize the open state of KATP channels, similar to mutations in the cytoplasmic domain that produce inactivation. Consistent with this notion, when PIP2-dependent open state stability was substantially increased by addition of a second gain-of-function mutation, G156P inactivation was abolished. Importantly, bath application and removal of Mg 2+ -free ATP or a nonhydrolyzable analog of ATP, which binds to the cytoplasmic domain of Kir6.2 and causes channel closure, recover G156P channel from inactivation, indicating crosstalk between cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains. The G156P mutation provides mechanistic insight into the structural and functional interactions between the pore and cytoplasmic domains of Kir6.2 during gating.
Broad-Band Modelling of Regional Seismograms: the Basin and Range Crustal Structure

Three-component broad-band displacement seismograms with paths sampling the Basin and Range province are studied to constrain the crustal structure. To find an average model that fits the data in both absolute time and waveform, we generate broad-band reflectivity synthetics and conduct sensitivity tests on different parts of a layered crustal model, where only a few layers are involved. Generalized rays are used to help identify the various phases. It proves useful to decompose a regional seismogram into segments so that the impact of model parameters on each segment can be clearly identified. Thus, for mid-crustal earthquakes, it is established that the top crustal layer controls the Rayleigh wave, the Airy phase, in shape over the range from 300 to 600 km, and the crustal layer just above the source depth controls its timing. The P_nl waves, the P_n and P_L portion, are controlled in broad-band character by the mid-crust while the top layer contributes to their long-period motion. These crustal parameters control the tangential motion similarly. The SV wave, the segment between the P_nl wave and the Rayleigh wave, is mostly controlled by the shear velocity of the lower crust. In judging the goodness of fit between the array observations and synthetic waveforms, we allow individual data segments to shift relative to the 1-D synthetics by a few seconds to account for some lateral variation. The amount of time shift is found by the cross-correlation in displacement between the data segment and the synthetics. Applying these tests in a forward modelling approach, we find that a simple two-layer crustal model is effective in explaining this data set. In this model, the main crustal layer has P and S velocities of 6.1 km s^(-1) and 3.6 km s^(-1), similar to those found by Langston & Helmberger (1974). A surface layer of thickness 2.5 to 3.5 km is required to fit the Rayleigh waves. The refined model can be used as a reference model for further studies in this region.