cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CHARMM additive all-atom force field for aldopentofuranoses, methyl-aldopentofuranosides, and fructofuranose.

An additive all-atom empirical force field for aldopentofuranoses, methyl-aldopentofuranosides (Me-aldopentofuranosides), and fructofuranose carbohydrates, compatible with existing CHARMM carbohydrate parameters, is presented. Building on existing parameters transferred from cyclic ethers and hexopyranoses, parameters were further developed using target data for complete furanose carbohydrates as well as O-methyl tetrahydrofuran. The bond and angle equilibrium parameters were adjusted to reproduce target geometries from a survey of furanose crystal structures, and dihedral parameters were fit to over 1700 quantum mechanical (QM) MP2/cc-pVTZ//MP2/6-31G(d) conformational energies. The conformational energies were for a variety of complete furanose monosaccharides and included two-dimensional ring pucker energy surfaces. Bonded parameter optimization led to the correct description of the ring pucker for a large set of furanose compounds, while furanose−water interaction energies and distances reproduced QM H...
On The Approximability Of The Traveling Salesman Problem

We show that the traveling salesman problem with triangle inequality cannot be approximated with a ratio better than $$\frac{{117}}{{116}}$$ when the edge lengths are allowed to be asymmetric and $$\frac{{220}}{{219}}$$ when the edge lengths are symmetric, unless P=NP. The best previous lower bounds were $$\frac{{2805}}{{2804}}$$ and $$\frac{{3813}}{{3812}}$$ respectively. The reduction is from Hastad’s maximum satisfiability of linear equations modulo 2, and is nonconstructive.
Transcription of a long, interspersed, highly repeated DNA element in Xenopus laevis

Abstract We have analyzed the transcription of 1723, a long, repeated DNA element that is interspersed in the genome of Xenopus laevis ( B. K. Kay and I. B. Dawid (1983) J. Mol. Biol. 170, 583–596). We have detected RNA homologous to 1723 in total cellular RNA from ovaries, embryos, liver, and cultured kidney cells. Transcripts from both strands of the element are present at similar concentrations in these different RNA preparations. In oocytes, approximately 100 pairs of lampbrush chromosome loops are active in the transcription of 1723 elements. The abundance of 1723 RNA increases during embryogenesis, with the highest level reached at the tadpole stage. From cellular fractionation studies, we conclude that 1723 transcripts are largely limited to the nucleus.
ON THE COMPLEX EIGEN-VALUES OF LUIKOV SYSTEM OF EQUATIONS

ABSTRACT In the analysis and solutions of heat and mass diffusion problems governed by the Luikov system of linear partial differential equations subject to linear type boundary conditions, the existence of complex roots has been overlooked in almost all of the solutions available in the literature. A methodology is presented for establishing the existence of complex roots in such systems. The effects of complex roots on the results on temperature and moisture distributions are illustrated with a specific example on contact drying of a sheet of moist porous material on a hot plate.
Gastric secretion in the rat following histidine loading.

Nachweis, dass Pentagastrin (ICI-50123) 200 μg/ml/kgh die Magensaftsekretion in der Shay-Ratte 2 h nach Ligatur des Pylorus erhoht. Die Histaminspeicher des Rattenmagens wurden reduziert und Histidindecarboxylase-Aktivitat gesteigert. Verabreichung von 1000 mg/kg Histidin erhoht den basalen Histaminspiegel, jedoch wurde die Histidindecarboxylase-Aktivitat bei normaler Magensaftsekretion nicht durch Pentagastrin induziert.
Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Patients With Typical Retinitis Pigmentosa

We performed detailed audiologic testing in 45 patients with retinitis pigmentosa and 45 age- and sex-matched controls. Ten (22%) of the retinitis pigmentosa patients had a sensorineural hearing loss that varied from mild to severe. None of the control subjects had a hearing loss. Audiograms measured over a ten- to 30-year period were available for four patients with retinitis pigmentosa and each showed progressive hearing loss. The results indicate the important role of audiologic evaluation in treating patients with retinitis pigmentosa.
Direct cardiac massage without major thoracotomy: Feasibility and systemic blood flow

Abstract Background: Open-chest cardiac massage (OC-CM) provides higher blood pressure and flow than closed-chest compression and may improve the probability of successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest. Its clinical use has been limited by its requirement for a major thoracotomy. The present pilot study tested the technical feasibility of performing effective direct cardiac massage without a major thoracic incision, by using a simple, manually-powered plunger-like device, inserted through a small thoracic incision, to cyclically compress the cardiac ventricles. The method was termed minimally-invasive direct cardiac massage (MID-CM). Systemic blood flow using MID-CM was compared to that with OC-CM, by both direct systemic hemodynamic measurements, cumulative metabolic indicators of the ratio of whole body oxygen delivery and oxygen consumption, and a metabolic index of pulmonary blood flow. Methods: In 12 large swine, baseline systemic and pulmonary hemodynamic measurements were performed. Arterial and mixed venous blood gases and metabolic indicators of systemic blood flow were measured. Ventricular fibrillation was induced and after 4 min, animals underwent either bimanual OC-CM (N = 6) or MID-CM (N = 6). At 10, 20 and 30 min, hemodynamic and metabolic measurements were repeated. Results: Systemic Blood Pressure: Aortic systolic and diastolic blood pressures were reduced from baseline levels with both OC-CM and MID-CM. No difference in pressure was noted between OC-CM and MID-CM groups. Pulmonary Artery Pressure: Pulmonary artery systolic pressure was elevated from baseline during OC-CM and MID-CM. Pulmonary artery diastolic pressures remained constant throughout the resuscitation period in both groups. No differences in pulmonary systolic or diastolic pressure were noted between OC-CM and MID-CM groups. A trend towards higher pulmonary systolic pressures appeared with MID-CM. Thermodilution Blood Flow: Cardiac index fell from baseline levels with OC-CM and MID-CM. No difference in cardiac index was noted between OC-CM and MID-CM groups. Metabolic Indices: Mixed venous O 2 saturation decreased from baseline levels during resuscitation in both experimental groups, with a further decrease at 30 min compared to 10- and 20-min levels. No difference was noted between OC-CM and MID-CM groups at any point. Arterial pH was reduced from baseline levels at 30 min in both groups compared to baseline but no difference was noted between groups. Arterio-venous Pco 2 difference increased above baseline levels with both OC-CM and MID-CM. No difference was noted between groups. Lactate levels displayed a progressive increase up to 30 min in both groups compared to baseline. No differences were noted between OC-CM and MID-CM groups for any time-period. Conclusions: Direct cardiac massage without major thoracotomy is technically feasible. The level of systemic blood flow that can be achieved with MID-CM is hemodynamically and metabolically equivalent to that obtained using conventional bimanual OC-CM.
Electrical response of heterogeneous systems of clustered inclusions.

An exact formalism to calculate the multipole moments, electric field, and the effective dielectric function of a heterogeneous system of clustered spherical particles is presented. The formalism is derived from a boundary-value problem corresponding to the typical low-frequency experimental configuration of a system placed between two parallel electrode plates. The formalism is then suited to cluster distributions, neglecting fluctuations. When the correlations among cluster pairs are short range and spherically symmetric, the results are remarkably simple: only the dipole moments of the other clusters and the images contribute to the local field acting on each cluster, and the effective dielectric function has the Clausius-Mossotti form, with cluster polarizabilities directly related to the cluster configurations. We study as an illustrative example systems containing particle chains along the direction of the applied field. We find that if the conductivity of the particles is much larger than that of the host material, the multipole moments and the effective dielectric function are greatly enhanced, whereas in the opposite case the effect of chaining is negligible.
Trapping the African Fig Fly (Diptera: Drosophilidae) with Combinations of Vinegar and Wine

The African fig fly, Zaprionus indianus Gupta (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an invasive fruit pest that has spread rapidly through much of the eastern United States. Tests were conducted in southern Florida that recorded the response of Z. indianus to baits that included Merlot wine, rice vinegar, ethanol and acetic acid, alone and in combination. The flies were attracted to the wine but not to the vinegar or unbaited traps and were most strongly attracted to the combination of wine and vinegar. More flies were captured in traps baited with the combination of ethanol and acetic acid, the most abundant volatiles of wine and vinegar respectively, than in traps baited with either chemical alone or in unbaited traps. A subsequent test found that traps baited with wine plus acetic acid were as attractive as traps baited with wine plus vinegar. In this test, there was no difference in capture in unbaited traps or traps baited with ethanol plus acetic acid, and intermediate capture was obtained in traps baited with vinegar plus ethanol. These findings suggest that it may be possible to develop a synthetic chemical lure for Z. indianus that is based on volatiles from wine used in combination with acetic acid alone or in combination with other volatiles from vinegar.
Enriching Proportionalism Through Christian Narrative in Bioethics: The Decisive Development in Richard McCormick's Moral Theory?

In this short response to Peter Clarke's thorough and interesting tracing of the developments in Richard McCormick's approach to moral questions, I take a perspective external to the concerns of Clarke's paper. I propose to look at the developments in McCormick's approach not so much from the perspective of contemporary Catholic moral theology but from that of the impact on the practices and beliefs of the Catholic community. From that perspective, the really important events in McCormick's theological development are his rejection of the received teaching on contraception and his closely connected embracing of a moral theory that implies that there are no moral absolutes, namely, proportionalism.
A theoretical solution for the frictionless rolling contact of cylindrical biphasic articular cartilage layers

Abstract Previous studies have shown that interstitial fluid pressurization plays an important role in the load support mechanism of articular cartilage under normal step loading. These studies have demonstrated that interstitial fluid pressurization decreases with time if the applied load is maintained constant. In the present study, a theoretical solution is obtained for another common loading of articular cartilage, namely the contact of surfaces in rolling motion. Pure rolling of symmetrical frictionless cylindrical cartilage layers is analyzed under steady state. The linear biphasic model of Mow et al. [J. Biomech. Engng 102, 73–84 (1980)] is used to describe the mechanical response of articular cartilage. The solution of this contact problem reduces to simultaneously solving a set of four integral equations, akin to the dual integral problem of elastic contact. It is found that the solution is dependent on four non-dimensional parameters: R h = Vb H A k, W 2μb , R b , and v , where V is the surface velocity, b the cartilage thickness, HA the aggregate modulus, μ the shear modulus, v Poisson's ratio, k the permeability, R the radius of cylindrical surfaces, and W the applied load per unit cylinder length. For Rh⪡1, interstitial fluid pressurization is found to be negligible, and all the pplied load is supported by the solid collagen-proteoglycan phase of the tissue, thus causing significant cartilage deformation. As Rh increases to a physiological level (Rh≈104), interstitial fluid pressurization may support more than 90% of the total applied load, shielding the solid matrix from high effective stresses and reducing matrix strains and deformation. The protective effect of interstitial fluid pressurization is observed to increase with increasing joint congruence ( R b ); similarly, as the applied load ( W 2μb ) is increased, a greater proportion of it is supported by the fluid. In degenerative cartilage, Rh may drop by one or more orders of magnitude, primarily as a result of increased permeability. Thus, the protective stress-shielding effect of interstitial fluid pressurization may become less effective in diseased tissue, possibly setting a pathway for further tissue degeneration.
A modified method of islet isolation preserves the ability of pancreatic islets to increase protein O-glycosylation in response to glucose and streptozotocin.

Abstract An important link has recently been shown in vivo between β-cell O-linked protein glycosylation and β-cell apoptosis, with hyperglycemia having been demonstrated to reversibly increase β-cell O-linked protein glycosylation by providing substrate for the glucosamine pathway. In contrast, the same study showed that the administration of streptozotocin to rats prior to the induction of hyperglycemia results in irreversible increases in O-glycosylation and subsequent β-cell apoptosis. In light of these data, we investigated β-cell O-glycosylation in vitro by exposing isolated rat islets to high glucose, glucosamine, or streptozotocin and analyzing the pattern of O-glycosylated proteins present. All three compounds acutely increased O-glycosylation of a predominate 135-kDa protein (p135); however, their ability to stimulate p135 O-glycosylation was only consistently observed when islets were isolated in the presence of high glucose and 1 mM l -glutamine. Islets isolated in low glucose and no added l -glutamine demonstrated no consistent increase in p135 O-glycosylation in response to glucose, glucosamine, or streptozotocin. These data suggest that during islet isolation, β-cell enzymes responsible for regulating p135 O-glycosylation may be adversely affected by the absence of high glucose and glutamine, which together are necessary for O-linked N-acetylglucosamine synthesis. We propose that the combination of high glucose and glutamine during islet isolation generates UDP-N-acetylglucosamine and O-linked N-acetylglucosamine, thus providing substrate protection for these enzymes and preserving the ability of isolated islets to O-glycosylate p135.
CVD coatings from the Al-B-Si system on carbon

Abstract Borides of aluminum and silicon have previously shown superior resistance to oxidation at high temperature and other useful properties. In this paper, carbon substrates were coated using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from the Al-B-Si-H-Cl-Ar system in a cold-wall reactor. B-Si compounds such as SiB4 ± x and SiB6 were deposited as thick coatings by varying the B/Si molar ratio in the gas phase and the deposition temperature. A transition from nodular to faceted grain growth was observed between 1150 °C and 1250 °C. Al-B coatings were also deposited, but consisted of a boron-rich phase with faceted grains irrespective of the B/Al ratios or deposition temperatures used in this investigation. Although aluminum acted as a growth modifier to improve the quality and increase the size of grains, Al-B and B-Si compounds could not be deposited simultaneously from the gas phase and no ternary compounds from the Al-B-Si system were observed.
Modeling and Model Checking of a Clinical Diagnostic Algorithm

This paper proposes a framework to ensure the correctness of safety critical systems through formally modeling and model checking a clinical diagnostic algorithm. Petri nets are chosen to model the algorithm, and model checker NuSMV is used to verify the properties. The graphic notation of the framework provides a convenient way to facilitate the communication between algorithm designers and software developers. The mathematic foundation of the framework supports precise specification and formal analysis of the algorithm. In addition, the model checking tool provides an automatic approach to guarantees the correctness of the algorithm. The approach in this paper can be easily generalized to accommodate other systems.
The Soviet Approach to International Political Communication

Abstract : Some of the distinguishing features of Soviet political communications are discussed. Certain characteristics of this body of international communications that have remained relatively constant at least since the consolidation of Stalin's dictatorship, in spite of changes in the propaganda line, are described. Some of these relatively constant characteristics have to do with formal properties of the channels through which the communications pass; others, with the role assumed by the communicator toward his audience and the objectives that he seeks to attain. In both these respects, Soviet communications differ considerably from political communications of non-Soviet origin.
The expansion rate of Margulis expanders and LPS expanders for vertex set Z × Z

Expanders are potential mathematic tools to design robust computer networks and to analyze the formation and expansion of today's Internet. In this paper, we derive lower bounds regarding the expansion rate of Margulis expanders, lower bounds and upper bounds regarding the expansion rate of LPS expanders, for vertex set Z times Z . The two types of expanders we study are variants of the expanders due to Margulis [4] and Lubotzky, Philips, Sarnak (LPS) [3] respectively. We consider the compact planar integer point-sets Z times Z and the corresponding counting measure. Following [1], the proof is based on symmetrization.
Satellite and Radar Survey of Mesoscale Convective System Development

Abstract An investigation of several hundred mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) during the warm seasons (April–August) of 1996–98 is presented. Circular and elongated MCSs on both the large and small scales were classified and analyzed in this study using satellite and radar data. The satellite classification scheme used for this study includes two previously defined categories and two new categories: mesoscale convective complexes (MCCs), persistent elongated convective systems (PECSs), meso-β circular convective systems (MβCCSs), and meso-β elongated convective systems (MβECSs). Around two-thirds of the MCSs in the study fell into the larger satellite-defined categories (MCCs and PECSs). These larger systems produced more severe weather, generated much more precipitation, and reached a peak frequency earlier in the convective season than the smaller, meso-β systems. Overall, PECSs were found to be the dominant satellite-defined MCS, as they were the largest, most common, most severe, and most prolific ...
Biphasic-current-pulse self-calibration techniques for monopolar current stimulation

Monopolar biphasic current stimulation is widely used for neural prosthetic devices. The major design challenge is to ensure charge-balanced stimulation. This paper describes a compact negative-feedback self-calibration scheme to minimize the current amplitude mismatch between the anodic and the cathodic pulses for achieving the charge balance without using any large-value blocking capacitors and long duration of interpulse shorting. Dummy transmission gate technique is also adopted in the calibration circuit to minimize the charge injection error. With a 0.35-μm high-voltage CMOS process, the maximum amplitude mismatch between two current pulses in the stimulator is < 0.3 μA (0.03%) after calibration with a full-scale stimulation current of 1 mA. It corresponds to < 7.5 nA residual DC current error for supporting 10-µs pulse and high stimulation rate of 2500 pulses per second (pps).
Advanced concepts in time-frequency signal processing made simple

Time-frequency representations (TFRs) such as the spectrogram are important two-dimensional tools for processing time-varying signals. In this paper, we present the Java software module we developed for the spectrogram implementation together with the associated programming environment. Our aim is to introduce to students the advanced concepts of TFRs at an early stage in their education without requiring a rigorous theoretical background. We developed two sets of exercises using the spectrogram based on signal analysis and speech processing together with on-line evaluation forms to assess student learning experiences. In the paper, we also provide the positive statistical and qualitative feedback we obtained when the Java software and corresponding exercises were used in a signal processing course.
Tier-based analytical model for adaptive call admission control scheme in a UMTS-WCDMA system

UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) uses WCDMA (wideband code division multiple access) as its radio interface. The main advantage of this is flexibility in resource management. UMTS systems are based on a hierarchical cellular structure that provides high data rates with extended mobile speeds. Mobility causes resource allocation complications in the concerned cell and the cellular neighborhood. In addition, the heterogeneous nature of users in the UMTS systems requires quality of service (QoS) guarantee for each type of service (ToS). This paper proposes that higher bandwidth utilization can be achieved by managing the resource allocation at a bigger neighborhood level. Higher bandwidth utilization leads to lower blocking and dropping probabilities, which are the main QoS parameters that are addressed in this paper. The prevalent call admission control schemes are used to simulate the UMTS-WCDMA system. The system is first recognized as a multirate, multi-class, priority based system. The tier-based cellular structure is then proposed and analytically modeled.
Complementary DNA Cloning of a μ-Opioid Receptor from Rat Pertitoneal Macrophages

Abstract Treatment with opioid agonists in vitro and in vivo has been shown to affect the function of the immune system. Several investigators have suggested that immune cells may express opioid receptors, but it had been very difficult to demonstrate their presence on these cells by direct binding assays. Our earlier studies have shown that macrophage progenitor cells are highly sensitive to morphine treatment in vitro and in vivo . In the current investigation, we determined, unequivocally, the expression of μ-opioid receptor related transcripts in rat peritoneal macrophages by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) studies. In order to further characterize the transcript, the RT-PCR product was cloned and sequenced. The sequence analyses indicate that the transcripts from rat peritoneal macrophages are identical to those for the μ-opioid receptor described in the rat brain. To further confirm the presence of μ-opioid receptors, immunoreactivity to an antiserum raised against the carboxyl terminal fifteen amino acid residues of the μ-opioid receptor was determined. These studies show for the first time that rat peritoneal macrophages express a μ-opioid receptor.
Wireless Integrated Voltametric and Amperometric Biosensing

Central Nervous System (CNS) uses the interplay between signals of different modalities to transfer and process information. Neurological events are characterized by changes in both neurochemical concentrations and the electrical activity of neurons. Electro physiological and neurochemical events are highly correlated as one causes the other and vice-versa. The ability to simultaneously record electrical and chemical activity is of considerable research and diagnostic importance. Here, we present a hardware implementation for wireless power and clock transfer to and serial transmission of digitized neurochemical and electro physiological data from sensors over one RF link. The idea can be extended to sensors of different modalities having widely different data rates. Neurochemical data are acquired in real-time from a custom multichannel very large scale integrated (VLSI) potentiostat chip at 5 Hz. Field potential data were sampled at 400 Hz. A custom VLSI chip powers up and supplies clocks to the potentiostat and telemeters the multiplexed data. All the chips were fabricated in AMI 3M-2P 0.5? CMOS process. We demonstrate successful operation of the system with wireless powering and telemetry of the multiplexed data.
Existence of an optimal conductivity and Fréchet differentiability in 2-D electromagnetic inversion

SUMMARY A 2-D electromagnetic inverse problem relevant for geophysical exploration is considered. an exact theory is described which proves Frechet differentiability of the data and the existence of optimal, or best-fitting, solutions. the earth is represented by a 2-D electrical conductivity structure with a known, horizontal strike direction and the data are surface measurements of electric field due to telluric earth currents flowing along-strike. First, the TE-mode equations governing the forward problem are cast in variational form. It is then shown that there exists at least one admissible conductivity that minimizes the discrepancy between the observations and variational solutions to the forward problem. Admissible conductivities are drawn from any compact subset of the class of bounded, positive functions. Standard techniques from elliptic partial differential equations, non-linear functional analysis and optimization play key roles in establishing the result. In particular, the Lax-Milgram lemma assures that a unique solution to the forward problem exists. an implicit function theorem approach is used to establish the regularity of the mapping from the conductivity to the data. the existence of optimal models follows from the well-known fact that a continuous functional attains its minimum when varied over a compact set. Previously, Frechet differentiability and existence theories for geo-electromagnetic inverse problems have been limited to induction in 1-D media. However, characterization of the optimal models in two dimensions, analogous to Parker's D+ conductivity models in one dimension, is impeded by the lack of closed-form solutions to the forward problem.
Explaining the Oedipus conflict

The emergence and resolution of the Oedipus conflict are based in the preschool child's developing understanding of social roles in the nuclear family.
Novel procedure for estimating endogenous losses and measurement of apparent and true digestibility of phosphorus by growing pigs

An experiment was conducted to evalu- ate a novel procedure for estimating endogenous losses of P and for measuring the apparent total tract digest- ibility (ATTD) and true total tract digestibility (TTTD) of P in 5 inorganic P sources fed to growing pigs. The P sources were dicalcium phosphate (DCP), monocalcium phosphate (MCP) with 50% purity (MCP50), MCP with 70% purity (MCP70), MCP with 100% purity (MCP100), and monosodium phosphate (MSP). A gelatin-based, P- free basal diet was formulated and used to estimate endogenous losses of P. Five P-containing diets were formulated by adding 0.20% total P from each of the inorganic P sources to the basal diet. A seventh diet was formulated by adding 0.16% P from MCP70 to the basal diet. All diets were fed to 7 growing pigs in a 7
Perioperative renal preservation: Dopexamine and fenoldopam— New agents to augment renal performance

Summary Data clearly demonstrate significant increases in morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization in patients who developed postoperative renal dysfunction. The ability to “selectively” augment renal performance has farreaching implications in the perioperative setting. Of the two agents presented here, fenoldopam probably better offers the ability to selectively stimulate DA-1 receptors. Although clinical trials testing the ability to prevent or treat renal failure are clearly warranted, the introduction of fenoldopam into clinical practice provides a new pharmacologic option for managing perioperative renal function.
A Search for HI in Elliptical Galaxies with Nuclear Radio Sources

Many searches have been made in the last few years for 21 cm emission from neutral hydrogen in elliptical galaxies. Emission has been detected in several galaxies, which have 108 to 109 M⊙ of HI (for Ho = km s−1 Mpc−1). Upper limits between 106 and 109 M⊙ have been set for the HI mass in about 40 other galaxies. Why most E galaxies have so little gas, and why some few have detectable gas, remains a matter of great interest. Two of the galaxies with large HI mass, NGC 1052 and 4278, are known to have powerful nuclear continuum radio sources (H2380 ~ 1022 WHz−1). Since both of these attributes are fairly rare among elliptical galaxies, their coexistence in these galaxies is not likely to have occurred by chance. We have therefore observed twelve other elliptical galaxies with nuclear radio power P2380 > 1022 WHz−1 at Arecibo Observatory, to determine whether a large mass of HI is a necessary auxiliary to nuclear continuum emission.
Behavioral and Emotional Problems Among Adolescents of Jamaica and the United States Parent, Teacher, and Self-Reports for Ages 12 to 18

Nonreferred adolescent samples for ages 12 to 18 from Jamaica and the United States were compared via syndromes, syndrome groupings, and total problem scores on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL),...
Simulating radial diffusion of energetic (MeV) electrons through a model of fluctuating electric and magnetic fields

Abstract. In the present work, a test particle simulation is performed in a model of analytic Ultra Low Frequency, ULF, perturbations in the electric and magnetic fields of the Earth's magnetosphere. The goal of this work is to examine if the radial transport of energetic particles in quiet-time ULF magnetospheric perturbations of various azimuthal mode numbers can be described as a diffusive process and be approximated by theoretically derived radial diffusion coefficients. In the model realistic compressional electromagnetic field perturbations are constructed by a superposition of a large number of propagating electric and consistent magnetic pulses. The diffusion rates of the electrons under the effect of the fluctuating fields are calculated numerically through the test-particle simulation as a function of the radial coordinate L in a dipolar magnetosphere; these calculations are then compared to the symmetric, electromagnetic radial diffusion coefficients for compressional, poloidal perturbations in the Earth's magnetosphere. In the model the amplitude of the perturbation fields can be adjusted to represent realistic states of magnetospheric activity. Similarly, the azimuthal modulation of the fields can be adjusted to represent different azimuthal modes of fluctuations and the contribution to radial diffusion from each mode can be quantified. Two simulations of quiet-time magnetospheric variability are performed: in the first simulation, diffusion due to poloidal perturbations of mode number m=1 is calculated; in the second, the diffusion rates from multiple-mode (m=0 to m=8) perturbations are calculated. The numerical calculations of the diffusion coefficients derived from the particle orbits are found to agree with the corresponding theoretical estimates of the diffusion coefficient within a factor of two.
Optimization of the Cathode Structure of Lithium-Air Batteries Based on a Two-Dimensional, Transient, Non-Isothermal Model

A two-dimensional, transient, and non-isothermal model was developed in this work to study the mass transfer properties of the Li-air battery. Special attentions have been paid to the cathode carbon electrode and the distributions of oxygen, lithium ion, lithium peroxide, and temperature in the carbon electrode have been calculated in the model. The effects of discharge current, electrode thickness, porosity distribution in the electrode, and cathode open ratio on the discharge capacity of the battery have been investigated. Modeling results showed that the discharge capacity of a Li-air battery was primarily determined by the oxygen supply. Most of the available pores deep in the electrode were not utilized because Li2O2 accumulated at the electrode/air interface and blocked the oxygen. It was also found that the utilization rate of the electrode was lower when the electrode was thick, the cathode open ratio was low, and the discharge current was high. A unique design of the carbon electrode with a non-uniform porosity distribution was proposed, and the discharge capacity of the battery was increased by more than 25% after implementing the new electrode. © 2012 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.043210jes] All rights reserved.
The SufE Protein and the SufBCD Complex Enhance SufS Cysteine Desulfurase Activity as Part of a Sulfur Transfer Pathway for Fe-S Cluster Assembly in Escherichia coli

The sufABCDSE operon of the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli is induced by oxidative stress and iron deprivation. To examine the biochemical roles of the Suf proteins, we purified all of the proteins and assayed their effect on SufS cysteine desulfurase activity. Here we report that the SufE protein can stimulate the cysteine desulfurase activity of the SufS enzyme up to 8-fold and accepts sulfane sulfur from SufS. This sulfur transfer process from SufS to SufE is sheltered from the environment based on its resistance to added reductants and on the analysis of available crystal structures of the proteins. We also found that the SufB, SufC, and SufD proteins associate in a stable complex and that, in the presence of SufE, the SufBCD complex further stimulates SufS activity up to 32-fold. Thus, the SufE protein and the SufBCD complex act synergistically to modulate the cysteine desulfurase activity of SufS. We propose that this sulfur transfer mechanism may be important for limiting sulfide release during oxidative stress conditions in vivo.
An outbreak of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis in Upstate New York during 1971.

During August 1971 three horses died and one human infant became ill during an outbreak of Eastern equine encephalomyelitis in Upstate New York. Fifteen of 93 wild avian sera collected in the area reacted in hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) tests with Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE). EEE virus was isolated from four avian specimens (White-throated Sparrow, Towhee, Baltimore Oriole, Cedar Waxwing) and 5 of 159 arthropod pools (3 from Culiseta morsitans and 1 each from Culex territans and Culex restuans). Sera from 54 humans and 89 healthy equines were HI-negative for EEE. It is believed that southward moving Baltimore Orioles and White-throated Sparrows carried the virus into the area from an unknown location to the north. Virus circulation in the avian population is attributed to C. morsitans. The vector to equines and humans is unknown.
The Hair Follicle Stem Cell Niche: The Bulge and Its Environment

The hair follicle (HF) is a dynamic miniorgan that has become one of the best understood models of tissue stem cell (SC) behavior. Distinct temporal orchestration of HF SC self-renewal, differentiation, and quiescence makes the HF an ideal system for studying regulation in a SC niche during normal homeostasis of a tissue. The HF bulge structure acts as the SCs' maintenance niche, and houses a heterogeneous collection of SCs that promote HF growth and contribute to epidermal wound repair. Bulge-neighboring cells contribute to the niche environment and are important for regulating HFSC activation, quiescence and differentiation. This review will explore the HFSC behavior within their niche, and the mechanisms that contribute to the homeostasis and maintenance of HFSCs in adult skin.
The Mind Matters: Psychology as an Overlooked Variable Within Physiology Studies.

Data reproducibility has been a topic of intense discussion in recent years after the call from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) director Francis Collins ([3][1]). Scientists are being asked to be more cautious in study design and transparent in methods reporting as we collectively try to
CRT-200.03 The Hybrid Closure Technique: A Potential Standard for Large-Bore Arteriotomy Closure

The “pre-close” technique employing two Perclose (P) (Abott Vascular, CA) is well established for large-bore arteriotomy (LBA) closure. We theorized that using 1 P and 1 Mynx (M) (Accessclosure, CA) or Angioseal (A)(St. Jude Medical, MN) vascular closure device (VCD) in a hybrid closure (HC)
Central Lymph Node Dissection for Well-Differentiated Cancer

The goal of any operation for well-differentiated thyroid cancer is to provide the best oncologic outcome, individualized to the patient, but avoid the morbidity of excessively radical procedures. Clinically involved central neck lymph nodes require removal. A major area of controversy is whether prophylactic central neck dissection is required for thyroid cancer of follicular cell origin. The exact definition of a prophylactic versus a therapeutic neck dissection varies. When neck dissection is performed, there is varied practice in terms of how thoroughly the central compartment is cleared of its nodal burden. There is also controversy as to whether a unilateral versus a bilateral central neck dissection should be performed. How to interpret or act on the final pathologic findings is also an area of controversy. Although any nodal involvement is staged as N1 disease, biologically the findings of microscopic nodal involvement are clearly different than that of nodal replacement or extranodal extension. In terms of gaining a better perspective into any of these areas, it is important to understand that with well-differentiated thyroid cancer, although this may impact the recurrence rate in the neck, given the excellent long-term survival, mortality is unlikely to be affected.
Security Domain Design of Information Exchange between Hospitals and Center for Disease Control and Prevention

National health information system is accelerating its integration,hospital information systems(HIS) are stepping from a closed period into an open era.Security issues are increasingly pop out.The paper introduces the aim,the basis,the principle and the level protection concept in the partition of security domain,concretely discussed the design of security domain when information exchanged happened between HIS and center for disease control and prevention(CDC),meanwhile emphasized the significance of the security management.
Molecular Probes for Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging

Visualization of biological processes and pathologic conditions at the cellular and tissue levels largely relies on the use of fluorescence intensity signals from fluorophores or their bioconjugates. To overcome the concentration dependency of intensity measurements, evaluate subtle molecular interactions, and determine biochemical status of intracellular or extracellular microenvironments, fluorescence lifetime (FLT) imaging has emerged as a reliable imaging method complementary to intensity measurements. Driven by a wide variety of dyes exhibiting stable or environment-responsive FLTs, information multiplexing can be readily accomplished without the need for ratiometric spectral imaging. With knowledge of the fluorescent states of the molecules, it is entirely possible to predict the functional status of biomolecules or microevironment of cells. Whereas the use of FLT spectroscopy and microscopy in biological studies is now well-established, in vivo imaging of biological processes based on FLT imaging techniques is still evolving. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of the FLT of molecular probes for imaging cells and small animal models of human diseases. It also highlights some challenges that continue to limit the full realization of the potential of using FLT molecular probes to address diverse biological problems and outlines areas of potential high impact in the future.
How required US family medicine clerkships and preceptorships evaluate medical students.

BACKGROUND Despite the increasing representation of family medicine among required clinical experiences in medical school, relatively little has been written about how students are evaluated on these experiences. This survey reports on evaluation methods used on US family medicine clerkships/ preceptorships and educator satisfaction with these methods. METHODS Information was obtained by a survey mailed to the directors of all required allopathic family medicine clinical rotations (n = 69). RESULTS Ninety-one percent of sites contacted returned the survey. Forty-seven percent of family medicine required clinical rotations are 6 weeks or longer, and 71% occur in the third year of medical school. The clinical grade contributes an average of 60% to the final grade, while other assignments contribute 21% to the grade. Fifty-two percent of respondents indicated "moderate or less" overall satisfaction with their current evaluation methodologies. CONCLUSIONS Among institutions with required family medicine clerkships/preceptorships, this survey documents a trend toward these experiences occurring in the third year of medical school and lasting 6 weeks or more. In addition to traditional evaluation methodologies, other assignments contribute substantially to the overall grade on required family medicine rotations. The overall lack of satisfaction with current evaluation methodologies highlights the need for information sharing and networking among those who develop and implement evaluation methods on family medicine clerkships and preceptorships.
Bacterial motility via diffusion adaptation

Bacteria forage by moving towards nutrient sources in a process known as chemotaxis. The bacteria follow gradient variations by tumbling or moving in straight lines. Both modes of locomotion are affected by Brownian motion. Bacteria are also capable of interactions through chemical signaling. As the bacteria swim towards nutrients, they emit chemicals that can be sensed by their neighboring bacteria and used to adjust the direction of motion. In this paper, we propose schemes for cooperation and diffusion of information [1]–[7] and study their effect on bacteria motility. Because bacteria are limited in their abilities, we restrict the sharing of information to binary choices (such as whether to run or tumble). Simulation results suggest that cooperation among bacteria is critical for effective foraging to improve their decisions of movement.
Determination of the Solid–Vapor Interfacial Tension of Nitric Acid Dihydrate Crystals via Experiments on the Freezing of Aqueous Nitric Acid Droplets

We propose a method for determining the solid–vapor interfacial tension σsv of nitric acid dihydrate/trihydrate (NAD/NAT) crystals using experiments on crystal nucleation in aqueous nitric acid (NA) droplets. It exploits the dominance of the surface-stimulated mode of crystal nucleation in small droplets (of radii R ≲ 5 μm) and its negligibility in large ones (of radii R ≳ 20 μm). We show that, experimentally measuring the crystal nucleation rates in such large and small (but otherwise identical) droplets, one can determine the solid–vapor interfacial tension of that crystal facet which forms at the droplet surface in a surface-stimulated mode. A modified expression for the work of formation of NAD/NAT crystal nuclei in nonstoichiometric solutions is proposed; it more adequately takes account of the effects of NA vapors. Applying our method to existing experimental data, we estimate the σsv of NAD to be about 90 dyn/cm (in the temperature range from 190 to 204 K), weakly depending on temperature.
Gasotransmitter Heterocellular Signaling.

Abstract Significance: The family of gasotransmitter molecules, nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), has emerged as an important mediator of numerous cellular signal transduction and pathophysiological responses. As such, these molecules have been reported to influence a diverse array of biochemical, molecular, and cell biology events often impacting one another. Recent Advances: Discrete regulation of gasotransmitter molecule formation, movement, and reaction is critical to their biological function. Due to the chemical nature of these molecules, they can move rapidly throughout cells and tissues acting on targets through reactions with metal groups, reactive chemical species, and protein amino acids. Critical Issues: Given the breadth and complexity of gasotransmitter reactions, this field of research is expanding into exciting, yet sometimes confusing, areas of study with significant promise for understanding health and disease. The precise amounts of tissue and cellular...
The Impact of Information Technology Innovation on Firm Performance

Since the issue of the productivity paradox was first raised in the early 1990s, a vast amount of empirical research has been done on the performance impact of IT. Much existing research has focused on IT investment even though value creation with IT depends largely on how it is used in organizations. By focusing on innovative uses of IT, this research empirically examines the relationship between IT innovation and firm performance. It uses Information Week’s annual data set of innovative IT users and the Compustat database. To construct a measure of IT innovation, we develop a second-order construct from four IT innovation variables (technology strategy, ebusiness strategy, business practices, and customer knowledge) by conducting exploratory factor analysis. As measures of firm performance, we employ Tobin’s q, return on assets, and revenue per employee. Our results show that there is a strong positive relationship between IT innovation and firm performance as measured by Tobin’s q and revenue per employee. By using IT innovation data, this research demonstrates that innovative use of IT is an important link to IT value, which seems to be missing in the literature. Since simply putting money into IT does not automatically improve firm performance, the use of IT innovation, instead of IT investment, as a measure of IT can provide a means of examining the true value of IT.
Dawn Navigation and Mission Design at Dwarf Planet Ceres

Dawn, one of NASA’s Discovery Program missions, was launched on September 27, 2007, to explore two residents of the main asteroid belt in order to yield insights into important science questions about the formation and evolution of the solar system [1]. Its main objective is to acquire data from orbit around two complementary bodies, Vesta and Ceres, the two most massive objects in the main belt. From July of 2011 to September of 2012, the Dawn spacecraft orbited Vesta and returned much valuable science data, collected during the six planned mapping orbits at the protoplanet. Figure 1 depicts the Dawn’s interplanetary trajectory and timeline.
The effects of search task determinability on search behavior

Among the many task characteristics that influence search behaviors and outcomes, task complexity has received considerable attention. One view of task complexity is through the lens of a priori determinability—a measure of how much the searcher knows about the task outcomes, information requirements, and processes involved. In this paper, we explore a novel manipulation of a priori determinability in the context of comparative search tasks, which require comparing items (or alternatives) along different dimensions. Our manipulation involved explicitly including the items to be compared and/or the dimension by which to compare items in the search task description. We report on two user studies that investigate the effects of our manipulation on searchers’ pre-task perceptions, search behaviors and post-task outcomes. Our results found that specifying the items had an effect on searchers’ pre-task perceptions, but not their search behaviors and outcomes, and that specifying the dimension had no effect on perceptions, but made the task more difficult by possibly introducing uncertainty into the search process.