cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Middle Ordovician bathyurid trilobite Pseudoolenoides, with a revised trilobite biostratigraphy of the Dapingian and lower Darriwilian of western Laurentia

The Middle Ordovician bathyurid trilobite Pseudoolenoides Hintze has been treated in only a small handful of papers andfew of its species have been adequately known. Here we revise all previously known species on the basis of new materialand illustrations, and describe four new species, three of which are formally named. The genus now comprises 10 species,nine of which are formally named. Five of these are Dapingian and five are early Darriwilian in age. Cladistic parsimonyanalysis of the nine named species results in a generally well supported hypothesis of relationship which is fully congruentwith stratigraphic order. A particularly well supported subclade (11 unreversed synapomorphies and 100% bootstrap sup-port in 10,000 pseudoreplicates) consists of six species, including the type, which are likely a product of neotenic paedo-morphosis. Three other species are resolved as successive sister taxa to this derived clade. A new trilobite zonationrecently proposed for the Tulean and Blackhillsian stages (Lower Ordovician) is extended through Middle Ordovician(Dapingian and lower Darriwilian) rocks in western Laurentia. New species are P. pogonipensis (Dapingian; Pseudoole- noides dilectus Zone) and P. fossilmountainensis (lower Darriwilian; P. fossilmountainensis Zone), both from the Kanosh Formation of western Utah, and P. oilcreekensis (lower Darriwilian) from the Oil Creek Formation of Oklahoma.
In vitro studies of protein synthesis in drosophila.

Abstract Comparative in , vitro studies of protein synthesis in Oregon-R wild-type and A 53g mutant Drosophila , melanogaster indicate that the A 53g genotype has an effect at the translation level. The A 53g post-microsomal supernatant fluid stimulates the incorporation of C14 amino acids by cell-free systems using ribosomes prepared from either A 53g or Oregon-R wild-type flies. The level of in , vitro charging of Drosophila and calf liver tRNA with C14 amino acids by the A 53g post-microsomal supernatant fraction is also greater than the level of charging by the Oregon-R supernatant fluid.
Flash crystallization kinetics of methane (sI) hydrate in a thermoelectrically-cooled microreactor

The crystallization kinetics of methane (sI) hydrate were investigated in a thermoelectrically-cooled microreactor with in situ Raman spectroscopy. Step-wise and precise control of the temperature allowed acquisition of reproducible data within minutes, while the nucleation of methane hydrates can take up to 24 h in traditional batch reactors. The propagation rates of methane hydrate (from 3.1-196.3 μm s-1) at the gas-liquid interface were measured for different Reynolds' numbers (0.7-68.9), pressures (30.0-80.9 bar), and sub-cooling temperatures (1.0-4.0 K). The precise measurement of the propagation rates and their subsequent analyses revealed a transition from mixed heat-transfer-crystallization-rate-limited to mixed heat-transfer-mass-transfer-crystallization-rate-limited kinetics. A theoretical model, based on heat transfer, mass transfer, and intrinsic crystallization kinetics, was derived for the first time to understand the non-linear relationship between the propagation rate and sub-cooling temperature. The molecular diffusivity of methane within a stagnant film (ahead of the propagation front) was discovered to follow Stokes-Einstein, while calculated Hatta (0.50-0.68), Lewis (128-207), and beta (0.79-116) numbers also confirmed that the diffusive flux influences crystal growth. Understanding methane hydrate crystal growth is important to the atmospheric, oceanic, and planetary sciences and to energy production, storage, and transportation. Our discoveries could someday advance the science of other multiphase, high-pressure, and sub-cooled crystallizations.
ECB Policies Involving Government Bond Purchases: Impact and Channels

We evaluate the effects of three ECB policies (the Securities Markets Programme, the Outright Monetary Transactions, and the Long-Term Refinancing Operations) on government bond yields. We use a novel Kalman-filter augmented event-study approach and yields on euro-denominated sovereign bonds, dollar-denominated sovereign bonds, corporate bonds, and corporate CDS rates to understand the channels through which policies reduced sovereign bond yields. On average across Italy, Spain and Portugal, considering both the Securities Markets Programme and the Outright Monetary Transactions, yields fall considerably. Decomposing this fall, default risk accounts for 37%, redenomination risk accounts for 13%, and market segmentation effects accounts for 50%. In Italy, Spain and Portugal, the default risk premium and market segmentation channel were the dominant policy channels. The redenomination risk premium channel also contributed for Spain and Portugal, but not Italy. Stock price increases in distressed and core countries suggest that these policies also had beneficial macro-spillovers.
Neonatal Behavioral Effects of Anesthetic Exposure during Pregnancy

In the last several decades, human infant development has increasingly become the focus of interest for a wide range of professionals in medicine, psychology, nursing, and affiliated disciplines. Knowledge from these fields has converged to the extent that we have greatly increased our understanding of early human life events—especially those associated with childbirth. Reflection on the nature of these advances awes us with the complexity of those processes involved with the creation of new life and their influence on subsequent life events. Current interest in the study of intrapartum processes arises not only out of medical necessity for facilitating life itself, but also out of a more fundamental need—the need to understand ourselves. Life does not begin with birth, yet human birth marks a beginning in life. Logic dictates that to understand ourselves, we must begin to understand such critical events. In this chapter, we will explore the current state of knowledge in a more limited way and with a more limited focus, but, at the same time, we will attempt to place current knowledge into the larger context of understanding human development.
Review of Deep Learning Algorithms and Architectures

Deep learning (DL) is playing an increasingly important role in our lives. It has already made a huge impact in areas, such as cancer diagnosis, precision medicine, self-driving cars, predictive forecasting, and speech recognition. The painstakingly handcrafted feature extractors used in traditional learning, classification, and pattern recognition systems are not scalable for large-sized data sets. In many cases, depending on the problem complexity, DL can also overcome the limitations of earlier shallow networks that prevented efficient training and abstractions of hierarchical representations of multi-dimensional training data. Deep neural network (DNN) uses multiple (deep) layers of units with highly optimized algorithms and architectures. This paper reviews several optimization methods to improve the accuracy of the training and to reduce training time. We delve into the math behind training algorithms used in recent deep networks. We describe current shortcomings, enhancements, and implementations. The review also covers different types of deep architectures, such as deep convolution networks, deep residual networks, recurrent neural networks, reinforcement learning, variational autoencoders, and others.
Modelling potential groundwater recharge in the Limpopo River Basin with SWAT-MODFLOW.

Abstract Understanding groundwater recharge processes is important for development of water resources in arid and semi-arid regions. This study sought to build a regional-scale surface water-groundwater model with SWAT-MODFLOW for assessing the spatial distribution of annual and seasonal groundwater recharge and interactions with surface water in the Limpopo River Basin (LRB), Africa. The model was calibrated and evaluated for monthly streamflow from 1984 to 2013 in the basin. Due to the lack of reliable measured water table data, water table elevation was compared to estimates of water table depth reported in the literature for the basin. Simulation results from this study suggest an annual average recharge of almost 0–530 mm over the basin while simulations show a range of 1300 m in summer to 1400 m in autumn for groundwater table elevation. Annual and seasonal analysis show high spatial variability in both water table and recharge. Annual recharge along the Limpopo main river and at the outlet of the basin was high compared to other locations in the basin. Groundwater table appears generally shallow in the rainy east region and along the Limpopo River network. Summer months have the highest groundwater recharge with an average of 147 mm/year over the basin, followed by autumn with an average of 27 mm/year, spring with 3.2 mm/year, and winter having the lowest seasonal recharge of 0.3 mm/year during the 30-year study period. The simulations also suggest high spatial variability in groundwater-surface water interactions in the basin's rivers. Rivers in the southern region show input from groundwater discharge while west river channels appeared to seep to the underlying aquifer. The results can assist with groundwater management by providing insights into areas of high recharge and problematic areas susceptible for water quality pollution, especially where groundwater discharge is experienced.
Evidence-based development of a nephrotoxic medication list to screen for acute kidney injury risk in hospitalized children.

Purpose Medications are commonly associated with acute kidney injury (AKI). However, in both clinical practice and research, consideration of specific medications as nephrotoxic varies widely. The Nephrotoxic Injury Negated by Just-in-time Action quality improvement collaborative was formed to focus on prevention or reduction of nephrotoxic medication-associated AKI in noncritically ill hospitalized children. However, there were discrepancies among institutions as to which medications should be considered nephrotoxic. The collaborative convened a Nephrotoxic Medication (NTMx) Subcommittee to develop a consensus for the classification of nephrotoxic medications. Summary The NTMx Subcommittee initially included pediatric nephrologists, a pharmacist, and a pediatric intensivist. The committee reviewed NTMx lists from the collaborative and identified changes from the initial NTMx list. The NTMx Subcommittee conducted a literature review of the disputed medications and assigned an evidence grade based on the reported association with nephrotoxicity and the quality of the data. The association between medication exposure and AKI was also determined using administrative data from the Pediatric Health Information Systems database. The NTMx Subcommittee then came to a majority consensus regarding which medications should be included on the list. The subcommittee's recommendations were presented to the larger collaborative for approval, and consensus was achieved. The list continues to be reviewed and updated annually. Conclusion Formation of a multicenter quality-improvement initiative exposed current limitations as to which medications are considered nephrotoxic in clinical and research settings and presented an opportunity to approach this problem using an evidence-based process. A consensus definition of nephrotoxic-medication exposure was achieved.
Sozial Studies: How Travel Abroad Empowers a Global Perspective

The personal experiences and values of individual teachers can tend to restrict the ability to promote a “global perspective” in the social studies, the subject area most suited to that concept. One antidote to this instructional myopia is the prospect of overseas travel, in the form of study tours, the type of which have been shown to have a great impact in this area (Wilson, 1982, 1983, 1993a, 1993b; Germain, 1998; Kirkwood, 2002). This article is a reflection on the findings of a two-week study tour of Germany in 2013, sponsored by the Transatlantic Outreach Program and the Goethe-Institut. During this tour, I was able to visit German schools, corporations, museums, , and to meet German educators. In this article, the value of such experiences to promote a global perspective, essential to global education, is examined—additionally, I analyze the impact that the German sozial approach might have on American educational decisions.
Comparison of Reproducibility, Accuracy, Sensitivity, and Specificity of miRNA Quantification Platforms

Given the increasing interest in their use as disease biomarkers, the establishment of reproducible, accurate, sensitive, and specific platforms for microRNA (miRNA) quantification in biofluids is of high priority. We compare four platforms for these characteristics: small RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), FirePlex, EdgeSeq, and nCounter. For a pool of synthetic miRNAs, coefficients of variation for technical replicates are lower for EdgeSeq (6.9%) and RNA-seq (8.2%) than for FirePlex (22.4%); nCounter replicates are not performed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis for distinguishing present versus absent miRNAs shows small RNA-seq (area under curve 0.99) is superior to EdgeSeq (0.97), nCounter (0.94), and FirePlex (0.81). Expected differences in expression of placenta-associated miRNAs in plasma from pregnant and non-pregnant women are observed with RNA-seq and EdgeSeq, but not FirePlex or nCounter. These results indicate that differences in performance among miRNA profiling platforms impact ability to detect biological differences among samples and thus their relative utility for research and clinical use.
Sulfuryl Fluoride Mediated Synthesis of Amides and Amidines from Ketoximes via Beckmann Rearrangement

A metal-free and redox-neutral method for Beckmann rearrangement employing inexpensive and readily available SO2 F2 gas is described. The reported transformation proceeds at ambient temperature and is compatible with a wide range of sterically and electronically diverse aromatic, heteroaromatic, aliphatic and lignin-like oximes providing amides in good to excellent yields. The reaction proceeds through the formation of an imidoyl fluoride intermediate that can also be used for the synthesis of amidines.
Cholesterol-lowering effect of statin therapy in a clinical HIV cohort: an application of double propensity score adjustment.

Abstract Purpose Propensity score matching (PSM) is often used to estimate the average treatment effect among the treated (ATT) using observational data. We demonstrate how the use of “double propensity score adjustment” can reduce residual confounding and avoid bias due to incomplete matching compared with traditional PSM methods. Methods The DC Cohort is an observational clinical HIV cohort in Washington, DC. We compared the mean percent change in non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non–HDL-C) concentration after 3–12 months between participants treated and participants not treated with statin therapy between 2011 and 2018. We conducted traditional PSM procedures (optimal, nearest neighbor, and nearest neighbor caliper matching) and double propensity score adjustment. Results Among 202 treated and 1252 untreated participants, the ATT was −14.5% (95% CI: −18.4, −10.6) after optimal matching (202 matched pairs; 15/22 covariates balanced), −14.9% (−18.9, −11.0) after nearest neighbor matching (202 matched pairs; 17/22 covariates balanced), and −12.0% (−16.5, −7.5) after nearest neighbor caliper matching (153 matched pairs; 21/22 covariates balanced). After double propensity score adjustment, the ATT was -13.0% (−16.0, −10.1). Conclusions In PSM analyses, double propensity score adjustment is a readily accessible alternative approach for estimating ATTs when sufficient covariate balance between treatment groups cannot be achieved without excluding treated participants.
Structural disorder, phase stability and compressibility of refractory body-centered cubic solid-solution alloys

Abstract The Debye-Waller factors of refractory bcc solid-solution alloys TiVNbTa and TiVNbMoTa measured by low temperature neutron diffraction are obviously larger than that of the face-centered cubic (fcc) solid-solution alloy NiCoFeCrMn. The bcc lattice of the studied solid-solution alloys is stable up to ∼50 GPa, but a structural distortion is clearly observed at pressures higher than ∼20 GPa. The bulk modulus of bcc high entropy alloys (HEAs) is closely relevant to both the size mismatch in the lattice and the number of elements in the systems.
On the sandpile group of Eulerian series-parallel graphs

A sandpile configuration is a representation of the current layout of theoretical sand on a graph in which every vertex is assigned a nonnegative integer value. The Abelian sandpile group is a finite group composed of the recurrent sandpile configurations of a graph. We investigate the sandpile group of graphs constructed using the composition rules of series-parallel graphs, and determine the sandpile groups of parallel compositions of path-graphs.
The Bakari© Project: A Lifeline for African American Adolescent Development and Success:

The Bakari© Project is an African-centered, community-based, educational, and mentoring program for adolescent youth. The program is designed to address the challenges Black youth and other youth o...
The impact of say-on-pay on executive compensation

Abstract We investigate the impact of say-on-pay on 2010 executive compensation, finding that affected firms reduced compensation and made it more performance-based in advance of the initial 2011 vote, with the decrease being greater for firms that previously overpaid their CEOs. We also find that the percentage of votes cast against executive pay is lower when the firm reduced executive compensation in advance of that initial say-on-pay vote, but higher when the firm pays higher total compensation, has a large increase in compensation, has a larger amount of compensation that cannot be explained by economic factors, or has a higher amount of “other compensation,” a category which includes perquisites. Last, but not least, we find that the tone and prominence of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis (CD&A) are associated with the vote, as is the recommendation of Institutional Shareholders Services.
Impact of Pulse Mode on Dusting Effect for Holmium Laser Lithotripsy: In Vitro Evaluation With Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate Stones

Abstract Objective To assess the distribution of stone fragments ( 2 mm) after in vitro dusting laser lithotripsy with varying pulse modes using canine calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) stones. Recent work demonstrates that fragments Methods A 3D-printed bulb was used as a calyceal model containing a single COM stone. A 230-core fiber (Lumenis) was passed through a ureteroscope (LithoVue, Boston Scientific). Contact laser lithotripsy by a single operator was performed with dusting settings (0.5J x 30Hz; Moses Pulse120H) to deliver 1kJ of energy for each trial. Short pulse (SP), long pulse (LP), Moses Distance (MD) and Moses Contact (MC) modes were tested with 5 trials for each parameter. Primary outcome was mass of fragments Results Mass of stone fragments Conclusion Regardless of pulse mode, greater than one-third of the mass of COM stone was reduced to fragments
Transient lipid-bound states of spike protein heptad repeats provide insights into SARS-CoV-2 membrane fusion.

Entry of SARS-CoV-2 into a host cell is mediated by spike, a class I viral fusion protein responsible for merging the viral and host cell membranes. Recent studies have revealed atomic-resolution m...
Integrated loss- and gain-of-function screens define a core network governing human embryonic stem cell behavior

Understanding the genetic control of human embryonic stem cell function is foundational for developmental biology and regenerative medicine. Here we describe an integrated genome-scale loss- and gain-of-function screening approach to identify genetic networks governing embryonic stem cell proliferation and differentiation into the three germ layers. We identified a deep link between pluripotency maintenance and survival by showing that genetic alterations that cause pluripotency dissolution simultaneously increase apoptosis resistance. We discovered that the chromatin-modifying complex SAGA and in particular its subunit TADA2B are central regulators of pluripotency, survival, growth, and lineage specification. Joint analysis of all screens revealed that genetic alterations that broadly inhibit differentiation across multiple germ layers drive proliferation and survival under pluripotency-maintaining conditions and coincide with known cancer drivers. Our results show the power of integrated multilayer genetic screening for the robust mapping of complex genetic networks.
Internalized Nanoceria Modify the Radiation-Sensitivity Profile of MDA MB231 Breast Carcinoma Cells

Owing to its unique redox properties, cerium oxide (nanoceria) nanoparticles have been shown to confer either radiosensitization or radioprotection to human cells. We investigated nanoceria’s ability to modify cellular health and reactive oxygen species (ROS) at various absorbed doses (Gray) of ionizing radiation in MDA-MB231 breast carcinoma cells. We used transmission electron microscopy to visualize the uptake and compartmental localization of nanoceria within cells at various treatment concentrations. The effects on apoptosis and other cellular health parameters were assessed using confocal fluorescence imaging and flow cytometry without and with various absorbed doses of ionizing radiation, along with intracellular ROS levels. Our results showed that nanoceria were taken up into cells mainly by macropinocytosis and segregated into concentration-dependent large aggregates in macropinosomes. Confocal imaging and flow cytometry data showed an overall decrease in apoptotic cell populations in proportion to increasing nanoparticle concentrations. This increase in cellular health was observed with a corresponding reduction in ROS at all tested absorbed doses. Moreover, this effect appeared pronounced at lower doses compared to unirradiated or untreated populations. In conclusion, internalized nanoceria confers radioprotection with a corresponding decrease in ROS in MDA-MB231 cells, and this property confers significant perils and opportunities when utilized in the context of radiotherapy.
Tuning the acid–metal balance in Pd/ and Pt/zeolite catalysts for the hydroalkylation of m-cresol

Abstract The liquid-phase hydroalkylation of m-cresol catalyzed by zeolite catalysts doped with noble metals was investigated at 473 K and 5200 kPa of H 2 . Metals (Pt and Pd) were incorporated in HY (Si/Al = 30) and H-Mor (Si/Al = 10) zeolites by incipient wetness impregnation. The structural properties of the samples were characterized by NMR, XPS, and BET. Hydroalkylation of m-cresol involves a series of steps that start with the ring saturation to 3-methylcyclohexanone (MCONE), which is the primary product and is further hydrogenated to methylcyclohexanol (MCNOL) on the metal function. This, in turn, is dehydrated on the acid sites to 3-methylcyclohexene, which readily alkylates the unreacted m-cresol to form bicyclic compounds that fall in the desirable fuel range. In these bifunctional catalysts, differences in intrinsic hydrogenation activity of metals play an important role in determining the final selectivity to alkylated products. In fact, the ratio of number of acid sites ( n A ) to exposed metal sites ( n M ) can be tuned to maximize the selectivity toward bicyclic compounds because this selectivity is determined by the fate of the intermediate 3-methylcyclohexene (MCENE). That is, if the C C hydrogenation on the metal is fast compared to alkylation on the acid site, the selectivity decreases. However, if the hydrogenation is too slow, the overall product yield decreases. Thus, to optimize the hydroalkylation yield, a delicate metal/acid balance is required. Moreover, in the absence of metal, the zeolite would deactivate very quickly. Therefore, having the metal and acid functions together is also important for extending the catalyst life. Finally, it has been observed that 3D-pore zeolites, such as HY, are preferred over 1D-pore zeolites such as H-Mor, which sharply diminish the formation of alkylation compounds, despite being more acidic than HY.
A Brilliant Perspective: Diamondian Ethics

The aims of this paper are twofold: (i) to bring out how Cora Diamond's essays on ethics represent a shift in perspective when considered against the backdrop of dominant trends in contemporary moral philosophy and thereby (ii) to shed light on and indicate strategies for combating sources of philosophical resistance to her ethical project.
A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law

Calving is a primary process of mass ablation for glaciers and ice sheets, though it still eludes a general physical law. Here, we propose a calving framework based on continuum damage mechanics coupled with the equations of viscous deformation of glacier ice. We introduce a scalar damage variable that quantifies the loss of load-bearing surface area due to fractures and that feeds back with ice viscosity to represent fracture-induced softening. The calving law is a standard failure criterion for viscous damaging materials and represents a macroscopic brittle instability quantified by a critical or threshold damage. We constrain this threshold using the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM) by inverting for damage on the Larsen B ice shelf prior to its 2002 collapse. By analyzing the damage distribution in areas that subsequently calved, we conclude that calving occurs after fractures have reduced the load-bearing capacity of the ice by 60 ± 10%. © 2012. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
Analysis of WLAN traffic in the wild

In this paper, we analyze traffic seen at public WLANs "in the wild" where we do not have access to any of the backend infrastructure. We study six such traces collected around Portland, Oregon and conduct an analysis of fine time scale (second or fraction of a second) packet, flow, and error characteristics of these networks.
Ultracentrifuge studies with absorption optics. I. An automatic photoelectric scanning absorption system.

Abstract An automatic photoelectric scanning system is described for use with absorption optics in the ultracentrifuge. The system consists of a constant-speed drive assembly which by means of a flexible, self-centering coupling causes a lead screw to rotate, thereby imparting linear motion to the photomultiplier-slit assembly. In 5 sec. the photomultiplier scans a magnified image of the ultracentrifuge cell. High resolution is achieved by the use of a slit about 25 μ in width in front of the photocathode. Appropriate electronic circuits based upon well-established data sampling techniques provide for simultaneous measurement of the intensity of light and its derivative or, alternatively, the optical density and its derivative as a function of distance in the cell. Direct measurement of light intensity furnishes a sensitive index for the proper alignment of the optical system; optical density measurements supply the necessary data for sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium experiments. Detailed consideration is given to tests of the performance of the instrument. Sedimentation velocity experiments with bushy stunt virus show that results of high accuracy are obtained readily. These data include not only the determination of sedimentation coefficients but also the concentration and its change with time during an experiment. Results of molecular weight determinations of adenosine by sedimentation equilibrium are also given. The precision of these measurements is high. Although the accuracy also seems to be high, certain reservations are discussed and further work is outlined which should lead to greater reliability. At its present state of development the automatic scanner represents a vast improvement over the photographic method in terms of versatility, convenience, and precision. As yet the full potential of the method, especially with regard to accuracy, has not been realized.
Pulsed power driven radiographic approaches

Summary form only given, as follows. Pulsed power driven flash radiographic sources have been used for over thirty years to interrogate the interior mass distribution evolution in dynamic objects. A wide variety of drivers and electron beam diodes have been developed for this purpose, providing a spectrum of test capabilities in voltage (penetration capability), dose (detected signal level), and spot size (spatial resolution) in sub-hundred-nanosecond pulses (motion freeze). Recent efforts by a multiorganizational team have been directed toward understanding the underlying physical mechanisms governing the performance of radiographic sources. Industrial tapered anode, paraxial gas transport, rod-pinch, and magnetically immersed diodes have been studied. Modern numerical simulation codes (Fluid/Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo) have been developed and are being compared to experimental data from these different radiographic diodes on a variety of pulsed power drivers. This coupled experimental-theoretical approach is providing insight into the fundamental limits of different source architectures and gives confidence in the design of future radiographic systems. For example, led by these new insights the radiographic performance (dose/spot size) of an existing accelerator was increased by a factor of seven. Future pulsed power driven radiographic system options are also discussed.
Constriction band at the craniocervical junction in Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome.

A 13-year-old girl with a history of mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) type VI (Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome) presented to our clinic with a progressive history of spastic quadriparesis after a suboccipital craniectomy and C1 laminectomy for bony decompression of the craniocervical junction and concurrent occipitocervical fusion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) workup is shown in Fig. 1. She underwent a re-do surgery, including intradural exploration to lyse a meningeal constriction band around the cervicomedullary junction (Fig. 2). Spinal cord compression is one of the major clinical complications of Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome [1–3]. Abnormal storage of glycoaminoglycans occurs in the dura mater, meninges, and supporting ligaments. In cases such as the present report, we recommend decompression (both extradural and intradural) and concurrent occipitocervical fusion (or, in cases of unfavorable bony cervical anatomy, occipitocervicothoracic fusion) with spinal instrumentation.
Debugging practices for complex legacy software systems

Modern software development can require large numbers of people over long periods of time to create complex products. Industry trends showing rapid movement of people between companies and job assignments and use of specialized software maintenance groups for all maintenance activities frequently mean that the software engineers supporting (debugging, fixing, enhancing, and completing) products were not involved in the original design or coding. Hence it is important for engineers to be able to quickly find defects in unfamiliar code and to safely make changes. This paper describes results from an industrial survey initiated to collect information about software debugging and maintenance best practices. It describes failure reproduction, defect isolation, and debugging practices and tools. The paper is based on numerous actual examples and results of problem solving and analysis exercises. >
Crystal structure of the nucleotide‐binding domain of mortalin, the mitochondrial Hsp70 chaperone

Mortalin, a member of the Hsp70-family of molecular chaperones, functions in a variety of processes including mitochondrial protein import and quality control, Fe-S cluster protein biogenesis, mitochondrial homeostasis, and regulation of p53. Mortalin is implicated in regulation of apoptosis, cell stress response, neurodegeneration, and cancer and is a target of the antitumor compound MKT-077. Like other Hsp70-family members, Mortalin consists of a nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) and a substrate-binding domain. We determined the crystal structure of the NBD of human Mortalin at 2.8 A resolution. Although the Mortalin nucleotide-binding pocket is highly conserved relative to other Hsp70 family members, we find that its nucleotide affinity is weaker than that of Hsc70. A Parkinson's disease-associated mutation is located on the Mortalin-NBD surface and may contribute to Mortalin aggregation. We present structure-based models for how the Mortalin-NBD may interact with the nucleotide exchange factor GrpEL1, with p53, and with MKT-077. Our structure may contribute to the understanding of disease-associated Mortalin mutations and to improved Mortalin-targeting antitumor compounds.
Stabilization of jump linear Gaussian systems

The importance of jump linear (JL) systems in modeling practical physical systems, e.g., tracking, repairable systems, systems subject to abrupt changes etc., has drawn extensive attention. Results have been obtained in control, stabilization and filtering, when the mode (system model) is assumed to be directly and perfectly observable, which, in many applications, is an unrealistic assumption. When this is not the case, the optimal control and the stabilization problems become very difficult due to the dual effect. In this work, the authors assume that the mode is not observable, but the base state is perfectly measured. The authors give a sufficient condition to stabilize a JL system using an "i.i.d. controller" (a controller derived using an i.i.d. assumption for the system mode), a necessary condition of stabilizability and an upper and a lower bound to the optimal cost for a JL system. It is shown that a controller stabilizing the noise-free system also stabilizes the noisy one. An algorithm (and its convergence) to compute the optimal feedback gain for a system with i.i.d. modes is presented. >
Economic Research Conference on U.S. Food System Regulation

This conference grew out of concerns that food system regulation is not a well-defined research area, that economic regulation is a much more inclusive subject than is commonly recognized, and that regulation is likely to be a major policy issue in the years ahead. Cosponsorship by the Economics, Statistics and Cooperatives Service (ESCS), the Food System Research Group (NC-117), the Farm Foundation and the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA) provided a broad base for planning the agenda and for assuring representation of a wide variety of interests. This conference and the conference proceedings will contribute to raising the consciousness of the profession regarding the importance of this area of investigation and will bring new insights concerning the dimensions and complexity of the field of economic regulation.
Pregnancy outcome when both members of a couple have balanced translocations

Background: Couples in which one partner is the carrier of a balanced translocation have increased risks of infertility, recurrent abortion, and delivery of chromosomally abnormal offspring. Pregnancies in which both partners carry balanced translocations are uncommon; therefore, only limited information regarding risk figures is available. We present a couple in which both members had a balanced translocation and discuss their pregnancy outcomes. Case: A couple had three first-trimester spontaneous abortions at 12, 10, and S weeks' gestation, respectively. Both partners were found to be carriers of balanced autosomal translocations. The mother had a Robertsonian translocation with the karyotype 45,XX,t(13q14q). The father had a reciprocal translocation with a 46,XY,t(1;4)(q32;q25) karyotype. There was no information regarding the karyotype of the patient's first-born child with a previous partner. The patient's first-born child with her current partner carried a double balanced translocation karyotype of 45,XX,t(13;14)t(1;4). Their second and third children both had a 45,XX, t(13ql4q) karyotype. Conclusion: Couples in which both members have a balanced translocation are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy and fetal outcomes, but precise information regarding risk estimates for this rare circumstance is limited. Genetic counseling of such couples therefore presents a unique challenge.
Reactivity of Glutaredoxins 1, 2, and 3 fromEscherichia coli Shows That Glutaredoxin 2 Is the Primary Hydrogen Donor to ArsC-catalyzed Arsenate Reduction

In Escherichia coli ArsC catalyzes the reduction of arsenate to arsenite using GSH with glutaredoxin as electron donors. E. coli has three glutaredoxins: 1, 2, and 3, each with a classical -Cys-Pro-Tyr-Cys- active site. Glutaredoxin 2 is the major glutathione disulfide oxidoreductase in E. coli, but its function remains unknown. In this report glutaredoxin 2 is shown to be the most effective hydrogen donor for the reduction of arsenate by ArsC. Analysis of single or double cysteine-to-serine substitutions in the active site of the three glutaredoxins indicated that only the N-terminal cysteine residue is essential for activity. This suggests that, during the catalytic cycle, ArsC forms a mixed disulfide with GSH before being reduced by glutaredoxin to regenerate the active ArsC reductase.
TAXONOMY AND ECOLOGY: A MARRIAGE OF NECESSITY

Rather than a marriage of convenience, which implies a relationship that is non-rigorous and has a substantial degree of independence, we argue that as we move forward through the 21st Century, studies on the taxonomy and ecology of freshwater diatoms will, and by necessity must, be linked. This linkage will be forged by integrated research programs and facilitated by tools that support both taxonomy and ecology. We examine the history of taxonomic and ecological research with freshwater diatoms, and suggest the potential interplay and mutual support offered by these two disciplines. Future research programs, including conservation of freshwater ecosystems, will require a formal commitment of conceptual and practical issues for each of these areas of science.
Evaluation of the developmental toxicity of citrinin using Hydra attenuata and postimplantation rat whole embryo culture

Abstract Citrinin (a mycotoxin produced as a frequent contaminant of food and feed by numerous species of Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi) is embryo/fetoxic and embryocidal in mice and rats. The present study was designed to examine whether the in vivo observed developmental toxicity of citrinin could be recapitulated using the Hydra attenuata (HA) bioassay and then be confirmed in rat whole embryo culture (WEC). Results from the HA assay indicated that the minimal effective concentrations of citrinin required to elicit a toxic response in the adult hydra (MACA) and in the regenerating hydra (MACD) were 30 mg/l and 20 mg/l, respectively. The Hydra developmental hazard index (A/D ratio) was equal to 1.5, classifying citrinin as a coaffective developmental toxin. In WEC, rat embryos were cultured in homologous (rat) serum containing citrinin at various concentrations ranging from 0.0 and 300 μg/ml for a period of 45 h. The results indicated a concentration-dependent reduction in yolk sac diameter, crown-rump lenght, somite number, protein and DNA contents. No embryonic dysmorphogenesis was observed in any treatment group. Histological examination revealed severe diffuse mesodermal and ectodermal necrosis in embryos treated with 250 μg/ml citrinin. At lower concentrations of citrinin, embryos were neither grossly nor histologically different from controls. Both the HA and WEC bioassays demonstrated that citrinin is not a primary developmental toxin. The use of HA and WEC bioassays in tandem may facilitate the rapid detection and ranking of the developmental hazards of food and feedborne myocotoxins.
Positron correlation energy in metals

Abstract The positron correlation energy in an interacting electron gas is calculated in the metallic density range, using a theory which has satisfactorily explained the annihilation rates. Implications of the results on the positron work function are discussed briefly.
Accuracy of maximum likelihood estimates of a two-state model in single-molecule FRET

Photon sequences from single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments can be analyzed using a maximum likelihood method. Parameters of the underlying kinetic model (FRET efficiencies of the states and transition rates between conformational states) are obtained by maximizing the appropriate likelihood function. In addition, the errors (uncertainties) of the extracted parameters can be obtained from the curvature of the likelihood function at the maximum. We study the standard deviations of the parameters of a two-state model obtained from photon sequences with recorded colors and arrival times. The standard deviations can be obtained analytically in a special case when the FRET efficiencies of the states are 0 and 1 and in the limiting cases of fast and slow conformational dynamics. These results are compared with the results of numerical simulations. The accuracy and, therefore, the ability to predict model parameters depend on how fast the transition rates are compared to the photon count rate. In the limit of slow transitions, the key parameters that determine the accuracy are the number of transitions between the states and the number of independent photon sequences. In the fast transition limit, the accuracy is determined by the small fraction of photons that are correlated with their neighbors. The relative standard deviation of the relaxation rate has a “chevron” shape as a function of the transition rate in the log-log scale. The location of the minimum of this function dramatically depends on how well the FRET efficiencies of the states are separated.
Cardiopulmonary Stress Testing: A Review of Noninvasive Approaches

With readily available techniques, cardiopulmonary exercise testing permits noninvasive measurement of such parameters as heart rate, cardiac output, oxygen saturation, ventilation, and gas exchange to bring out abnormalities which are either underestimated or not detectable at rest. These parameters may be used to characterize a patient's primary limitation of exercise tolerance as either cardiac or pulmonary in origin. They can also provide precise data to assess response to treatment. Pulmonary gas exchange is evaluated primarily by measurement of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and ventilation over time. The relationship of these parameters to one another changes throughout the course of incremental exercise testing. By appreciating these basic relationships, the more complex abnormalities found in disease states can be understood.
Norms of linear functionals on the space of bounded analytic functions on an annulus

Many functionals on the space of bounded analytic functions on an annulus are defined in terms of a multiplier sequence for the Laurent series. This paper studies the norms of such functionals in terms of a real valued function which induces the functional by integration along the boundary. An application is that symmetric partial sums of the Laurent series give functionals of norm 1 on proper subannuli. Another is a characterization of the Hilbert space operators having the annulus as a spectral set.
Photoheterotrophic Fluxome in Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803 and Its Implications for Cyanobacterial Bioenergetics

This study investigated metabolic responses in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 to photosynthetic impairment. We used 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU; a photosystem II inhibitor) to block O2 evolution and ATP/NADPH generation by linear electron flow. Based on (13)C-metabolic flux analysis ((13)C-MFA) and RNA sequencing, we have found that Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 employs a unique photoheterotrophic metabolism. First, glucose catabolism forms a cyclic route that includes the oxidative pentose phosphate (OPP) pathway and the glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (PGI) reaction. Glucose-6-phosphate is extensively degraded by the OPP pathway for NADPH production and is replenished by the reversed PGI reaction. Second, the Calvin cycle is not fully functional, but RubisCO continues to fix CO2 and synthesize 3-phosphoglycerate. Third, the relative flux through the complete tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and succinate dehydrogenase is small under heterotrophic conditions, indicating that the newly discovered cyanobacterial TCA cycle (via the γ-aminobutyric acid pathway or α-ketoglutarate decarboxylase/succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase) plays a minimal role in energy metabolism. Fourth, NAD(P)H oxidation and the cyclic electron flow (CEF) around photosystem I are the two main ATP sources, and the CEF accounts for at least 40% of total ATP generation from photoheterotrophic metabolism (without considering maintenance loss). This study not only demonstrates a new topology for carbohydrate oxidation but also provides quantitative insights into metabolic bioenergetics in cyanobacteria.
Myosin Heavy Chain Composition of the Human Genioglossus Muscle

Background The human tongue muscle genioglossus (GG) is active in speech, swallowing, respiration, and oral transport, behaviors encompassing a wide range of tongue shapes and movement speeds. Stud...
Performance characterization of an intensity-modulated fiber optic displacement sensor

A testbed simulating an intensity-modulated fiber optic displacement sensor is experimentally characterized, and the implications regarding sensor design are discussed. Of interest are the intensity distribution of the transmitted optical signal and the relationships between sensor architecture and performance. Particularly, an intensity-modulated sensor's sensitivity, linearity, displacement range, and resolution are functions of the relative positioning of its transmitting and receiving fibers. In this paper, sensor architectures with various combinations of these performance metrics are discussed. A sensor capable of micrometer resolution is reported, and it is concluded that this work could lead to an improved methodology for sensor design. This paper has been approved by Los Alamos National Laboratory for unlimited public distribution (LA-UR 10-06637).
Management of Non-Islet-Cell Tumor Hypoglycemia: A Clinical Review

Context: Non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia (NICTH) is a rare but serious paraneoplastic syndrome in which a tumor secretes high molecular weight IGF-II, causing hypoglycemia. Complete tumor resection is curative but is often delayed or unfeasible. There is no clear “standard of care” for managing these patients. Evidence Acquisition: PubMed searches were conducted for: “non-islet-cell tumor hypoglycemia,” “NICTH,” “Doege-Potter,” “Doege-Potter syndrome,” “high molecular weight IGF-II,” and “big IGF-II.” Relevant articles were reviewed in detail. We limited our review to English-language articles, focusing on 1988–2013 (corresponding with the elucidation of the pathophysiology of NICTH). Evidence Synthesis: The available literature exists as case reports or small case series, with a void of higher-order treatment studies. Thus, an evidence-based approach to data synthesis was difficult. Nevertheless, the available literature is presented objectively with an attempt to describe clinically useful trends and ...