cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward accurate microscopic calculation of solvation entropies: extending the restraint release approach to studies of solvation effects.

The evaluation of the solvation entropies is a major conceptual and practical challenge. On the one hand, it is interesting to quantify the factors that are responsible for the solvation entropies in solutions, whereas on the other, it is essential to be able to assess the contributions of the solvation entropies to the binding free energies and related properties. In fact, the solvation entropies are neglected in almost all of the studies of the binding entropies. The main problem is that widely used approaches, such as the quasiharmonic (QH) approximation, do not provide reliable results particularly in cases of shallow potential and multidimensional surfaces while brute force evaluations of the entropic effects by simulating temperature dependence of the free energy converges very slowly. This paper addresses the above issue by starting with an analysis of the factors that are responsible for the negative solvation entropy of ions, showing that it is not due to the change in the solvent vibration modes...
Cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, parkinsonism-demantia, and Alzheimer disease.

Hyperendemic Pacific foci of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and parkinsonism-dementia (PD) represent naturally occurring models of late-onset chronic degenerative diseases that occur in different cultures, in different ecological zones, and among genetically divergent populations. These diseases occur among the Chamorros of the Mariana Islands, among the Auyu and Jakai of southern West New Guinea, and among the Japanese from the Kill Peninsula of Honshu Island. Accumulating evidence supports the hypothesis that a defect in mineral metabolism may be etiologically involved. Toxic and essential elements, such as calcium aluminum, and silicon cross the blood-brain barrier, deposit in affected neurons, and disrupt the axonal transport system, resulting in the abnormal copolymerization of cytoskeletal and amyloid β-proteins in neurons. The pathological accumulation of these and other proteins into neurofibrillary tangles (the hallmark neuropathological lesion) causes neuronal dysfunction and death. Recent immunocytochemical and biochemical studies indicate that the amyloid β-protein in Guamanian PD has an identical amino acid sequence, a similar N-terminus heterogeneity (variation in polypeptide length), and a similar immunoreactivity to those found in Alzheimer disease, suggesting a common mechanism of pathogenesis. Investigations are now underway to determine whether the abnormal accumulation of amyloid β-protein in neurons of Guamanian patients with ALS and PD is the result of an aberrant post-translational modification of a larger precursor protein, an additional copy of the amyloid gene, or an impairment of amyloid catabolism all of which may be mediated by metal-enzyme or metal-gene interactions. The abnormal copolymerization of other proteins such as neurofilament, microtubule-associated protein tau, and ubiquitin in affected neurons suggests their interrelationship in the disease process.
Regulatory crosstalk at composite response elements

Transcriptional regulatory factors from different families interact with each other when bound to DNA at composite response elements. This level of communication has two striking consequences: ubiquitous factors can effect cell specificity, and closely related factors from a given family can produce very different regulatory patterns.
Residency work-hours reform. A cost analysis including preventable adverse events.

BACKGROUND: In response to proposed federal legislation, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education limited resident work-hours in July 2003. The cost may be substantial but, if successful, the reform might lower preventable adverse event costs in hospital and after discharge.
Fabrication of carbon fibers with nanoporous morphologies from electrospun polyacrylonitrile/poly(L-lactide) blends

Porous carbon nanofibers were prepared through electrospinning a blend solution of polyacrylonitrile and poly(L-lactide), followed by carbonization at different temperatures and in different atmospheres. Structural features of these porous carbon nanofibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Surface area and pore structure were evaluated using the nitrogen adsorption technique. It was found that carbon fibers prepared by this scalable and relatively economical method exhibited a porous surface morphology with high specific surface area and large pore volume. The fiber diameter, surface area, pore volume, bulky crystalline structure, and surface crystalline structure of these carbon nanofibers showed a strong dependence on the polymer precursor composition and carbonization condition. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 493–503, 2009
Numerical solution of integral equations

A new method for the solution of integral equations is presented. The method is based on direct approximation of Dirac's delta operator by linear combination of integral operators. This avoids some pitfalls which arise in more conventional numerical procedures for integral equations.
Solving multivariate functional equations

This paper presents a new method to solve functional equations of multivariate generating functions, such as F(r,s)=e(r,s)+xf(r,s)F(1,1)+xg(r,s)F(qr,1)+xh(r,s)F(qr,qs), giving a formula for F(r,s) in terms of a sum over finite sequences. We use this method to show how one would calculate the coefficients of the generating function for parallelogram polyominoes, which is impractical using other methods. We also apply this method to answer a question from fully commutative affine permutations.
Estimation of residential outdoor water use in Los Angeles, California

The current study analyzes existing methods for estimating outdoor use and landscape irrigation in highly developed residential areas across Los Angeles. Outdoor use was estimated using three methods: two methods described by the Pacific Institute and a third approach that utilizes remotely sensed vegetation and water billing data. Monthly individual water use records were provided by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for 2000–2010. This period includes voluntary and mandatory restrictions due to drought conditions across the state. Records were aggregated to the census tract level to protect customer privacy. The two Pacific Institute methods, which are based on water billing data, generally underestimate outdoor use due to assumptions that the lowest water consumption month represents indoor use, which is likely not the case in Los Angeles. The remote-sensing model developed between single-family water use and the Landsat normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) surplus performed well in greener areas of the city and indicates that landscape irrigation use represents 54% of total single-family water use. The model also predicts an average decrease in landscaping irrigation of 6% and by 35% during voluntary and mandatory restrictions, respectively. Voluntary conservation and mandatory waste restrictions were less effective for higher income groups in the city, while more stringent pricing and non-pricing mandatory restrictions in FY2010 had similar effects across income groups. Study results contribute to a better understanding of the partitioning of Los Angeles residential water use and can be utilized to evaluate pricing structures and target water conservation efforts.
A non-modality specific impairment in spatial learning after fornix lesions in monkeys.

Abstract The present study compared the performance of monkeys with formix or partial hippocampal lesions on spatial and object reversals in the tactile modality. Performance of operated and normal control monkeys on the spatial reversal task in the tactile modality was also contrasted with that in the visual modality. Finally, we assessed some long-term effects of fornix sections. The selective spatial deficit after fornix lesions was found to be independent of sensory modality. However, operated monkeys were more impaired in the tactile modality, and the effects of fornix sections on spatial reversal learning were found to be relatively transient.
Ion exchange and electrochemical evaluation of the microporous phosphate Li9Fe7(PO4)10

Abstract A new lithium iron(III) phosphate, Li9Fe7(PO4)10, has been synthesized and is currently under electrochemical evaluation as an anode material for rechargeable lithium-ion battery applications. The sample was prepared via the ion exchange reaction of Cs5K4Fe7(PO4)10 1 in the 1 M LiNO3 solution under hydrothermal conditions at 200 °C. The fully Li+-exchanged sample Li9Fe7(PO4)10 2 cannot yet be synthesized by conventional high-temperature, solid-state methods. The parent compound 1 is a member of the Cs9−xKxFe7(PO4)10 series that was previously isolated from a high-temperature (750 °C) reaction employing the eutectic CsCl/KCl molten salt. The polycrystalline solid 1 was first prepared in a stoichiometric reaction via conventional solid-state method then followed by ion exchange giving rise to 2. Both compounds adopt three-dimensional structures that consist of orthogonally interconnected channels where electropositive ions reside. It has been demonstrated that the Cs9−xKxFe7(PO4)10 series possesses versatile ion exchange capabilities with all the monovalent alkali metal and silver cations due to its facile pathways for ion transport. 1 and 2 were subject to electrochemical analysis and preliminary results suggest that the latter can be considered as an anode material. Electrochemical results indicate that Li9Fe7(PO4)10 is reduced below 1 V (vs. Li) to most likely form a Fe(0)/Li3PO4 composite material, which can subsequently be cycled reversibly at relatively low potential. An initial capacity of 250 mAh/g was measured, which is equivalent to the insertion of thirteen Li atoms per Li9+xFe7(PO4)10 (x = 13) during the charge/discharge process (Fe2+ + 2e → Fe0). Furthermore, 2 shows a lower reduction potential (0.9 V), by approximately 200 mV, and much better electrochemical reversibility than iron(III) phosphate, FePO4, highlighting the value of improving the ionic conductivity of the sample.
Lead and the Romans

Lead poisoning has been a problem since early history and continues into modern times. An appealing characteristic of lead is that many lead salts are sweet. In the absence of cane and beet sugars, early Romans used “sugar of lead” (lead acetate) to sweeten desserts, fruits, and sour wine. People most at risk would have been those who consumed the most wine, the aristocracy, although they appeared unaware of the neurological and reproductive damage to themselves and their children. This article focuses on lead use in the Roman Empire as an example and attempts to address some of the major concerns voiced by opponents of Nriagu’s 1983 article, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, on saturnine gout in the Roman Empire. Despite new theories formulated since 1983, current archeological evidence does not match the claims of widespread use of leaden vessels made by historical accounts. Although historical sources are consistent, more substantive archeological evidence is needed before convincing ar...
The Maximum Rate Accumulator

This paper concerns the application of a result of Arden and Arthurs to a particular finite-state machine, the accumulator. Arden and Arthurs have shown that given a complete set of devices for some fixed sequence rate, any finite-state machine may be constructed from these devices to operate at this maximum rate. In this paper we consider the construction of a good representation (in terms of overall delay) of the m-bit accumulator, operating at the maximum rate. Examples are presented using state-of-the-art devices which illustrate the construction and give measures of usefulness and cost Of this accumulator.
Discovery of a potent, nonpolyglutamatable inhibitor of glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase.

Glycinamide ribonucleotide transformylase (GAR Tfase) catalyzes the first of two formyl transfer steps in the de novo purine biosynthetic pathway that require folate cofactors. Herein we report the discovery of a potent, nonpolyglutamatable, and selective inhibitor of GAR Tfase. Compound 12, which possesses a tetrazole in place of the γ-carboxylic acid in the l-glutamate subunit of the potent GAR Tfase inhibitor 1, was active in cellular-based functional assays exhibiting purine-sensitive cytotoxic activity (IC50 = 40 nM, CCRF−CEM) and was selective for inhibition of rhGAR Tfase (Ki = 130 nM). Notably, 12 was only 2.5-fold less potent than 1 in cellular assays and 4-fold less potent against rhGAR Tfase. Like 1, this functional activity of 12 in the cell-based assay benefits from and requires transport into the cell by the reduced folate carrier but, unlike 1, is independent of folyl polyglutamate synthase (FPGS) expression levels and polyglutamation.
Effect of interference screw fixation on ACL graft tensile strength

Tibial-sided fixation of soft tissue grafts in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has often been identified as the weak link in the fixation construct, with interference screws being a commonly used technique. A significant concern surrounding the use of interference screws for soft tissue fixation is graft laceration and the possibility of loss of pull-out strength and slippage. The act of interference screw insertion for soft tissue graft fixation in ACL reconstruction alters the biomechanical properties of the graft. Two groups of 12 porcine knees (24 total) were utilized for the tibial-sided fixation of porcine flexor digitorum tendons using single-insertion interference screws, in a model of soft tissue ACL reconstruction. Two different screw types were used for comparison. Following screw insertion, the grafts were dissected free and underwent biomechanical testing in tension to failure. Control flexor digitorum tendons underwent the same biomechanical testing for comparison. Control soft tissue grafts exhibited significantly higher yield load, ultimate load, and stiffness (p < 0.001) in comparison to both groups of treated grafts, without evidence of significant macroscopic damage. Single insertion of interference screws for soft tissue graft fixation in ACL reconstruction weakens the biomechanical properties of the graft itself.
Neural regulation of endocrine and autonomic stress responses.

The survival and well-being of all species requires appropriate physiological responses to environmental and homeostatic challenges. The re-establishment and maintenance of homeostasis entails the coordinated activation and control of neuroendocrine and autonomic stress systems. These collective stress responses are mediated by largely overlapping circuits in the limbic forebrain, the hypothalamus and the brainstem, so that the respective contributions of the neuroendocrine and autonomic systems are tuned in accordance with stressor modality and intensity. Limbic regions that are responsible for regulating stress responses intersect with circuits that are responsible for memory and reward, providing a means to tailor the stress response with respect to prior experience and anticipated outcomes.
Challenges in operationalizing cultural practices in classroom and peer communities

Abstract This paper explores challenges encountered in a study of culturally relevant pedagogy that examines numeracy practices of under-served youth in secondary mathematics classrooms and in their peer communities at school. Taking a sociocultural stance toward studying under-served youths’ cultural practices as valuable resources for mathematics learning poses several methodological challenges, including identifying distinct cultural groups; adopting a view of mathematics as a social practice; and examining youth cultural practices to identify what counts as a viable example of practice relevant to mathematics practices and knowledge. Two dimensions of cultural practices are the focus: (1) communication, interaction, and language-use patterns that youth develop as they engage in the cultural practices of their peer communities; and (2) mathematical funds of knowledge that youth have developed over time. The complexities of identifying mathematical practices in youth peer communities and leveraging them in schooled mathematics are discussed, as are implications for further research.
THE EFFECT OF PH ON THE UPTAKE AND ACCUMULATION OF PHOSPHATE AND SULFATE IONS BY BEAN PLANTS)

A B S T R A C T Phosphate uptake above pH 6.0 followed the concentration of H-PO4. Sulfate studies were used to aid evaluation of phosphate data. Phosphate absorption was nearly linearly proportional to transpiration at pH 4.0; at pH 8.7, phosphate absorption occurred only early in the experiments. It was inferred that phosphate entered as H2PO4; that which entered at pH 8.7 did so as the result of a depressed pH at the absorption sites.
The effect of edge blur on grating induction magnitude

Abstract In order to assess the contribution of high spatial frequency channels (i.e. local, edge-dependent mechanisms) to the grating induction effect, grating induction magnitude was measured as a function of systematic amounts of blurring of the inducing/test field boundary for four test field heights which spanned a two octave range (0.25–2.0°). Measurements were obtained from two subjects using both the cancelling procedure of McCourt [(1982) Vision Research, 22, 119–134] and a contrast matching paradigm. The two measures yielded similar outcomes: consistent with previous results, both matching and cancelling contrast decreased monotonically with increasing test field height. The effect of blurring the edge was to produce a small (η2 = 0.6–5.1%), but significant (P
Limited Transcriptional Responses of Rickettsia rickettsii Exposed to Environmental Stimuli

Rickettsiae are strict obligate intracellular pathogens that alternate between arthropod and mammalian hosts in a zoonotic cycle. Typically, pathogenic bacteria that cycle between environmental sources and mammalian hosts adapt to the respective environments by coordinately regulating gene expression such that genes essential for survival and virulence are expressed only upon infection of mammals. Temperature is a common environmental signal for upregulation of virulence gene expression although other factors may also play a role. We examined the transcriptional responses of Rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, to a variety of environmental signals expected to be encountered during its life cycle. R. rickettsii exposed to differences in growth temperature (25°C vs. 37°C), iron limitation, and host cell species displayed nominal changes in gene expression under any of these conditions with only 0, 5, or 7 genes, respectively, changing more than 3-fold in expression levels. R. rickettsii is not totally devoid of ability to respond to temperature shifts as cold shock (37°C vs. 4°C) induced a change greater than 3-fold in up to 56 genes. Rickettsiae continuously occupy a relatively stable environment which is the cytosol of eukaryotic cells. Because of their obligate intracellular character, rickettsiae are believed to be undergoing reductive evolution to a minimal genome. We propose that their relatively constant environmental niche has led to a minimal requirement for R. rickettsii to respond to environmental changes with a consequent deletion of non-essential transcriptional response regulators. A minimal number of predicted transcriptional regulators in the R. rickettsii genome is consistent with this hypothesis.
Perfectionism and dimensions of psychological well-being in a college student sample : A test of a stress-mediation model

To date little is known about whether and how perfectionism relates to indices of psychological well–being. Using Ryff's (1989) conceptualization of psychological well–being as composed of six theoretically and empirically distinguishable dimensions (viz., self–acceptance, positive relations with others, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life, and personal growth), the present study examined the links between perfectionism, stress, and dimensions of psychological well–being in a sample of 265 college students. The results of conducting a series of path analyses indicated that stress fully mediated the relations between socially prescribed perfectionism and three dimensions of psychological well–being, namely, autonomy, environmental mastery, and purpose in life. A mediation model involving self–oriented perfectionism and other–oriented perfectionism could not be tested. Implications of the present findings for research on perfectionism and for intervention in working with socially prescribed per...
A method of HIV-1 inactivation compatible with antibody-based depletion of abundant proteins from plasma.

We have examined several methods, including heat treatment and treatment with detergents, to inactivate HIV-1 present in plasma to be depleted of abundant proteins utilizing an antibody-based technology. Treatment with Triton X-100 was not compatible with abundant protein depletion with an antibody column and heat treatment alters the composition of the plasma proteome. However, treatment with 1.2% N-octylglucoside for 5 min completely inhibited HIV-1 infectivity. The detergent was easily removed through buffer exchange, and this treatment had no discernable effect on protein depletion.
What role does UV‐B radiation play in freshwater ecosystems?

Increases in incident UV-B radiation (280-320 nm) have been observed at temperate as well as polar latitudes in recent decades. Although UV-B radiation makes up only a small portion of the total energy of solar radiation and attenuates rapidly in the water column, the high sensitivity of living organisms to UV-B radiation makes the observed increases potentially important in aquatic ecosystems. To date, research has focused largely on the primary producers in marine ecosystems in Antarctica where ozone depletion and subsequent increases in UV-B radiation have been most pronounced. This review addresses the potential role of UV-B radiation in freshwaters by taking into account some of the information available in marine systems and applying some of the recent advances in our understanding of the ecology of freshwaters. The potential for complex rather than simple responses of freshwater ecosystems to UV-B radiation is emphasized.
Competitive Sourcing in the Federal Civil Service

Competitive sourcing, meaning public—private competitions to perform work in the federal civil service, was made a priority management policy of the George W. Bush administration. Competition, it is believed, will greatly enhance administrative efficiency whichever bidder, public or private, wins. Introduction of such market-based human resource policies into the federal civil service has engendered debate over long-term effects on merit principles, public service motives and ethics, and administrative performance. This article contributes to that discussion by examining the policy origins and purposes behind competitive sourcing and by analyzing implementation of the policy during the Bush administration. Results show that the market ideology expressed in competitive sourcing has been moderated and mediated by the implementation process. Congressional and public employee involvement alongside that of the administration produced policy outcomes of mixed results.
Regulating “Caller ID:” Emulation and learning in US state-level telecommunication policy processes☆

Abstract Analysis of the development of Calling Line Identification (CLID) Service (commonly described as “Caller ID”) policy in all 51 state telecommunication regulatory agencies and the Federal Communications Commission over time shows state telecommunication policy to be embedded in complex emulation, learning and innovation processes. Our analysis shows a convergence around specific policy solutions at specific time periods, but the convergence points are shifted when commissions ‘break from the pack’ as a result of learning. CLID number-blocking solutions shift from low-privacy to high-privacy forms over time. The notion of a learning curve, whereby commissions and stakeholders learn about the new service over time utilizing discovery, interrogatory, cross-examination and other procedures, explains the direction of policy development. The likely mechanisms of policy convergence and divergence are discussed. The zigzags of federal policy on number blocking are explained utilizing Noll's external signals theory, the FCC's isolation from state-level policy networks, and federal pre-emption concerns.
Oxygen equilibrium studies of the radular muscle myoglobins of the gastropod molluscs, buccinum undatum L. and Bustcon canaliculatum L.

Abstract 1. 1. The radular muscle myoglobin of Buccinum undatum is dimeric in the carbonmonoxy-, oxy-, and deoxy- forms and has a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 2.7. 2. 2. The radular muscle myoglobin of Busycon canaliculatum is dimeric in the carbonmonoxy- and oxy- forms and has a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 3.1. 3. 3. Purified Buccinum myoglobin combines with oxygen according to a pH-independent sigmoid dissociation curve with n equal to 1.4 and P50 of 13.0 mm. Hg at 20° C. 4. 4. Purified Busycon myoglobin combines with oxygen according to a slightly sigmoid dissociation curve with n equal to 1.2 and P50 of approximately 0.7 mm. Hg at 20° C. 5. 5. The oxygen affinity and sigmoid nature of the oxygen dissociation curve of Buccinum myoglobin are not affected by the concentration of the myoglobin or by the presence of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, α-glycerophosphate, lactate, adenosine triphosphate, or phosphocreatine. 6. 6. An increase in the concentration of sodium chloride in the buffer from 0.1 M to 2.0 M does not affect the sigmoid nature of the dissociation curve of Buccinum myoglobin but does decrease the value of P50 at 25° C. from 16.3 mm. Hg to 13.2 mm. Hg. 7. 7. The overall heat of oxygenation (ΔH) is −8.4 Cal. per mole for Buccinum myoglobin and −8.8 Cal. per mole for Busycon myoglobin. 8. 8. The oxygen affinities of Buccinum and Busycon myoglobins are greater than the oxygen affinities of their respective haemocyanins. 9. 9. The oxygenation and structural properties of Buccinum and Busycon myoglobins are compared with one another and with vertebrate haemoglobins and myoglobins.
Magnetoresistance of the metallic compounds Cu2Sb and YZn to 220 kG

Topological properties of the Fermi surfaces of Cu2Sb and YZn have been investigated. Cu2Sb is a compensated metal with open orbits in [001], 〈100〉, 〈011〉, and several higher-order directions. The results are consistent with the nearly-free-electron Fermi surface model. In YZn the data indicate that there is an open sheet of Fermi surface which supports open orbits in 〈110〉 and/or 〈100〉 directions. This conclusion, along with de Haas-van Alphen results of Jan, provides evidence for the topological accuracy of one of two recent augmented-plane-wave, band-structure calculations; the two calculations predict quite different Fermi surfaces.
Trivalent Antigens for Degranulation of Mast Cells

Degranulation of basophils and mast cells plays a central role in allergic reactions. Degranulation is a response to cell surface receptor aggregation caused by association of receptors with antibodies bound to multivalent antigens. Tools used in studying this process have included small-molecule divalent antigens, but they suffer from weak signaling apparently due to small aggregate size. We have prepared trivalent antigens that allow formation of larger aggregates and potent responses from mast cells.
Regulation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Internalization by G Protein-Coupled Receptors†

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) plays a central role in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. Cellular responses to EGF are dependent upon the amount of EGFR present on the cell surface. Stimulation with EGF induces sequestration of the receptor from the plasma membrane and its subsequent downregulation. Recently, internalization of the EGFR was also shown to be required for mitogenic signaling via the activation of MAP kinases. Therefore, mechanisms regulating internalization of the EGFR represent an important facet for the control of cellular response. Here, we demonstrate that EGFR is removed from the cell surface not only following stimulation with EGF, but also in response to stimulation of G protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and beta2 adrenergic (beta2AR) receptors. Using a FLAG epitope-tagged EGFR to quantitate receptor internalization, we show that incubation with EGF, LPA, or isoproterenol (ISO) causes the time-dependent loss of cell surface EGFR. Internalization of EGFR by these ligands involves the tyrosine kinase activity of the receptor itself and c-Src, as well as the GTPase activity of dynamin. Unexpectedly, we find that internalization of the EGFR by EGF is dependent upon Gbetagamma and beta-arrestin proteins; expression of minigenes encoding the carboxyl terminii of the G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2, or beta-arrestin1, attenuates LPA-, ISO-, and EGF-mediated internalization of EGFR. Thus, G protein-coupled receptors can control the function of the EGFR by regulating its endocytosis.
Superresolution of uncorrelated interference sources by using adaptive array techniques

By using adaptive techniques an antenna array can achieve an angular resolution of uncorrelated interference sources substantially greater than the aperture of diffraction limit. The antenna beam is scanned over the interference source locations, and for each scan condition the adaptive processor is allowed to reach its steady state. It is shown that for realistic ratios of interference strengths to system thermal noise, resolutions in excess of 0.25 times the Rayleigh limit can be achieved.
Knowledge Discovery in Services

Service mashups can be useful in understanding Web-scale workflows. Although creating a service mashup shares similar challenges with data integration, a more exciting aspect of this area is the ability to predict which services are viable candidates for a mashup. Such "service mashup recommendations" can enable knowledge discovery, an approach the author calls knowledge discovery in services (KDS).
Object-centered attentional biases and object recognition contributions to scene segmentation in left- and right-hemisphere-damaged patients

Participants viewed elongated rectangular displays in which two regions shared a central contour. In experimental stimuli, the central contour portrayed a known object on one, high-denotative, side. In control stimuli, no known objects were portrayed on either side of the central contour, but one side of each control stimulus was a scrambled version of one of the high-denotative regions, matching it on all factors known to influence scene segmentation other than object recognition. For each display, participants decided whether the left or the right region was more likely to be an object. Paradoxically, both right-hemisphere- (RH) and left-hemisphere- (LH) damaged individuals were more likely to see objects lying on the contralesional rather than the ipsilesional side of the central contour. This tendency is attributed to an object-centered attentional bias toward the central contour when objects lie on its contralesional side and away from the central contour when objects lie on its ipsilesional side. Object-centered attentional biases were stronger following RH than LH damage. Elderly control participants showed a slight bias in the same direction as RH-damaged individuals. More high-denotative regions than scrambled regions were seen as objects, even when object-centered attention was biased away from the central contour carrying the object recognition information. The latter result suggests that the object recognition processes contributing to scene segmentation are preattentive.
The New BPD

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Explain the anatomy of the new bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). 2. List the factors that contribute to BPD. 3. Explain the effect of corticosteroids on alveolarization. 4. Explain the contribution of mechanical ventilation and supplemental oxygen to BPD. BPD was described by Northway and associates in 1967 as a syndrome of severe lung injury in preterm infants receiving mechanical ventilation and high levels of supplemental oxygen. (1) The mean birthweight of the infants who survived mechanical ventilation with BPD was 2.3 kg, and the mean gestational age was 34 weeks. Subsequently, Bonikos and colleagues demonstrated that oxygen exposure alone could cause many of the anatomic changes of BPD in newborn mice. (2) The initial description of BPD occurred in the era when mechanical ventilation was just beginning to be used for preterm infants and few infants whose birthweights were less than 1 kg survived. This “classical” BPD was characterized by prominent airway injury, epithelial metaplasia, smooth muscle hypertrophy, and parenchymal fibrosis alternating with emphysema. The experimental work during that era demonstrated that the causes of BPD were primarily mechanical ventilation and oxygen exposure of the preterm lung. (3) Fortunately, neonatal care practices and outcomes have changed over the last 25 years, with the use of continuous positive airway pressure, antenatal corticosteroids, surfactant, improved ventilation equipment and strategies, and improvements in nutrition and other care practices. Now many infants whose birthweights are less than 1 kg and gestational ages are less than 28 weeks survive. The infants described by Northway have almost no long-term lung-related morbidity in 2006. However, the incidence of BPD in survivors of preterm birth has not decreased because of the survival of large numbers of extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants whose gestational ages are less than 28 weeks and birthweights are …
First Report of Ascochyta Blight of Field Pea Caused by Ascochyta pisi in South Dakota

Tan lesions approximately 1.7 × 0.8 cm with distinct dark brown margins and small pycnidia were observed on leaves of field peas (Pisum sativum L. ‘Agassiz’) growing in Campbell County, South Dakota (45°45.62′N, 100°9.13′W) in July 2008. Small pieces of symptomatic leaves were surface sterilized (10% NaOCl for 1 min, 70% EtOH for 1 min, and sterile distilled H2O for 2 min) and placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) for 7 days under fluorescent lights with a 12-h photoperiod to induce sporulation. A pure culture was established by streaking a conidial suspension on PDA and isolating a single germinated spore 3 days later. The culture was grown on clarified V8 media for 10 days. Conidia were 10 to 16 × 3 to 4.5 μm and uniseptate with a slightly constricted septum, similar to those of Ascochyta pisi Lib. The exuding spore mass from pycnidia growing on the medium was carrot red. No chlamydospores or pseudothecia were observed (1,2). To confirm the identity of A. pisi, DNA was extracted from the lyophilized myce...
SimRare: a program to generate and analyze sequence-based data for association studies of quantitative and qualitative traits

Motivation: Currently, there is great interest in detecting complex trait rare variant associations using next-generation sequence data. On a monthly basis, new rare variant association methods are published. It is difficult to evaluate these methods because there is no standard to generate data and often comparisons are biased. In order to fairly compare rare variant association methods, it is necessary to generate data using realistic population demographic and phenotypic models. Result: SimRare is an interactive program that integrates generation of rare variant genotype/phenotype data and evaluation of association methods using a unified platform. Variant data are generated for gene regions using forward-time simulation that incorporates realistic population demographic and evolutionary scenarios. Phenotype data can be obtained for both case–control and quantitative traits. SimRare has a user-friendly interface that allows for easy entry of genetic and phenotypic parameters. Novel rare variant association methods implemented in R can also be imported into SimRare, to evaluate their performance and compare results, e.g. power and Type I error, with
Distance, production, and trade

Abstract This paper investigates the relationship between geographical distance and both the extent of trade and foreign production. Industries engaged in exporting and co-production activities across national boundaries are identified through their use of the Offshore Assembly Provisions in the US tariff code. Findings counter conventional wisdom. Trade and foreign production activities are found to drop off rapidly over the first third of the distance scale, rise over the middle portion, reach a peak in the final third, and decline thereafter. This pattern suggests frictions associated with distance can be offset by government policies and other country attributes. Management control, information and communications costs, and the ability to implement just-in-time delivery strategies may not be as distance sensitive as previously thought. Theorists should re-evaluate the role of distance in trade models and refrain from using distance as a proxy for transport costs.
Fourth Triennial Special Issue on Images in Plasma Science

This special issue presents compelling images that acknowledge the important role that visualization plays in plasma science. The 278 papers not only discuss significant physics issues, but offer aesthetically pleasing images as well.
Hammerhead ribozymes selectively suppress mutant type I collagen mRNA in osteogenesis imperfecta fibroblasts.

Ribozymes are a promising agent for the gene therapy of dominant negative genetic disorders by allele-specific mRNA suppression. To test allele-specific mRNA suppression in cells, we used fibroblasts from a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). These cells contain a mutation in one alpha1(I) collagen allele which both causes the skeletal disorder and generates a novel ribozyme cleavage site. In a preliminary in vitro assay, ribozymes cleaved mutant RNA substrate whereas normal substrate was left intact. For the studies in cell culture we generated cell lines stably expressing active (AR) and inactive (IR) ribozymes targeted to mutant alpha1(I) collagen mRNA. Quantitative competitive RT-PCR analyses of type I collagen mRNA, normalized to beta-actin expression levels, revealed that the level of mutant alpha1(I) collagen mRNA was significantly decreased by approximately 50% in cells expressing AR. Normal alpha1(I) collagen mRNA showed no significant reduction when AR or IR was expressed from the pHbetaAPr-1-neo vector and a small (10-20%) but significant reduction when either ribozyme was expressed from the pCI.neo vector. In clonal lines derived from cells expressing AR the level of ribozyme expression correlated with the extent of reduction in the mutant:normal alpha1(I) mRNA ratio, ranging from 0.33 to 0.96. Stable expression of active ribozyme did not affect cell viability, as assessed by growth rates. Ribozyme cleavage of mutant mRNA results in a reduction in mutant type I collagen protein, as demonstrated by SDS-urea-PAGE. This is the first report of ribozymes causing specific suppression of an endogenous mutant mRNA in cells derived from a patient with a dominant negative genetic disorder.
LIGO: The laser interferometer gravitational-wave observatory

LIGO is a trio of extremely sensitive Michelson interferometers built to detect gravitational waves from space. We describe predicted sources of gravitational waves, our detectors, and the results of our recent observations.
Mode I and Mixed Mode I and II Measurements for Stiction Failed MEMS Devices

Recently, we have shown that in-service repair of stiction failed MEMS devices is possible with structural vibrations. In order to further understand this phenomenon and better predict, theoretically, the onset of repair we have constructed an apparatus to determine the Mode I, II, and III interfacial adhesion energies of MEMS devices failed on a substrate. Though our method is general, we are specifically focused on devices created using the SUMMiT V process. An apparatus has been constructed that has 8 degrees-of-freedom between the MEMS device, the surface on which the device is failed, and a scanning interferometric microscope. Deflection profiles of stiction failed MEMS (micro-cantilevered beams 1500 microns long, 30 microns wide, and 2.6 microns thick) have their deflection profiles measured with nanometer resolution by the scanning interferometric microscope. Then non-linear elastic models are used in order to determine the interfacial adhesion energy between the failed micro-cantilevers and the surface. In this work we report the interfacial energies from Mode I and Mixed Mode I and II type failures. We also show further experimental results of repair of stiction failed MEMS and corresponding modeling results that use data from the Mode I and II experiments.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Methods for analyzing certain signals and images in astronomy using Haar wavelets

There are a number of signal and image analysis problems in high-energy astrophysics for which wavelet-based denoising methods seem particularly appropriate. These problems typically are characterized by photon counting often at low levels. As a result, care is needed in choosing thresholds that adequately account for the Poisson nature of the noise; simple adaptation of typical Gaussian-based methods usually oversmooths peaks and other sharp structures. The author present a method for denoising Poisson signals and images which contain a sparse structure amid a relatively diffuse background, using Haar wavelets. The method is a variant of the standard wavelet shrinkage algorithm, with appropriately calibrated thresholds, and is implemented in a translation-invariant fashion. The performance of this method is demonstrated using astrophysical data collected on board NASA's Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory.
Immunoelectron microscopical examination of the surface distribution of opsin in rat rod photoreceptor cells

The distribution of the visual pigment protein opsin in postnatal day 8 and adult rat retinal photoreceptor cells was studied using several well characterized monoclonal antibodies against rhodopsin and a sensitive, modified colloidal gold technique. Distribution of opsin was studied in intact tissue, explant cultures and freshly dissociated cell preparation. At PN8 labeling was seen in the plasma membrane overlying the cell body, inner and outer segment. Adult retinas still showed heavy labeling of the cell body and outer segment, but reduced labeling of the inner segment surface. Semi-quantitative estimates of colloidal gold particles bound indicated a ratio of 3-20 times more particles per unit length in the outer vs. the inner segment, depending on tissue age, preparation and antibody. Together with the subcellular localization of other photoreceptor plasma membrane proteins, these data reveal a complex system of membrane domains into which different protein components are segregated.
Zinc Deficiency Alters Lipid Metabolism in LDL Receptor–Deficient Mice Treated with Rosiglitazone

Zinc is a structural and functional component of PPAR and zinc deficiency may be associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. We tested the hypothesis that zinc deficiency compromises lipid metabolism in rosiglitazone (RSG)-treated mice lacking the LDL-receptor (LDL-R) gene. LDL-R-deficient mice were maintained for 3 wk on low-fat (7 g/100 g) diets that were either zinc deficient or zinc adequate. Subsequently, diets were adjusted to a high-fat (HF) (15 g/100 g) regimen for 1 wk to produce a biological environment of mild oxidative and inflammatory stress. One-half of the mice within each zinc group was gavaged daily with the PPARgamma agonist RSG starting 2 d prior to the HF feeding. Selected lipid parameters were studied. Zinc deficiency increased plasma total cholesterol, which was also elevated by RSG. Zinc deficiency also caused an increased lipoprotein-cholesterol distribution toward the non-HDL fraction (VLDL, intermediate density lipoprotein, LDL). Plasma total fatty acids tended to increase during zinc deficiency and RSG treatment resulted in similar changes in the fatty acid profile in zinc-deficient mice. Fatty acid translocase (FAT/CD36) expression in abdominal aorta was upregulated by RSG only in zinc-deficient mice. In contrast, RSG treatment markedly increased lipoprotein lipase (LPL) expression only in zinc-adequate mice. In vitro studies confirmed that adequate zinc is required for RSG-induced PPARgamma activity to transactivate target genes. These data suggest that in this atherogenic mouse model treated with RSG, lipid metabolism can be compromised during zinc deficiency and that adequate dietary zinc may be considered during therapy with the antidiabetic medicine RSG.
The Effect of a Golden Hour Policy on the Morbidity and Mortality of Combat Casualties

Importance The term golden hour was coined to encourage urgency of trauma care. In 2009, Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates mandated prehospital helicopter transport of critically injured combat casualties in 60 minutes or less. Objectives To compare morbidity and mortality outcomes for casualties before vs after the mandate and for those who underwent prehospital helicopter transport in 60 minutes or less vs more than 60 minutes. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective descriptive analysis of battlefield data examined 21 089 US military casualties that occurred during the Afghanistan conflict from September 11, 2001, to March 31, 2014. Analysis was conducted from September 1, 2014, to January 21, 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures Data for all casualties were analyzed according to whether they occurred before or after the mandate. Detailed data for those who underwent prehospital helicopter transport were analyzed according to whether they occurred before or after the mandate and whether they occurred in 60 minutes or less vs more than 60 minutes. Casualties with minor wounds were excluded. Mortality and morbidity outcomes and treatment capability–related variables were compared. Results For the total casualty population, the percentage killed in action (16.0% [386 of 2411] vs 9.9% [964 of 9755]; P P P = .71) remained unchanged. Decline in CFR after the mandate was associated with an increasing percentage of casualties transported in 60 minutes or less (regression coefficient, –0.141; P P P P P P P P P P Conclusions and Relevance A mandate made in 2009 by Secretary of Defense Gates reduced the time between combat injury and receiving definitive care. Prehospital transport time and treatment capability are important factors for casualty survival on the battlefield.