cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Life cycle assessment of novel technologies for algae harvesting and oil extraction in the renewable diesel pathway

Abstract There are many challenges and technical barriers to implementation of a viable commercial process to produce algae-based biofuels. Biofuels made from algae must typically go through a complicated series of unit processes for algae cultivation, harvesting, dewatering, oil extraction, conversion, and other logistical steps. The National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (NAABB) was developed to produce new technologies to be implemented by the algal biofuel industry in an effort to improve the process economics and environmental benefits associated with algae fuels. This LCA study investigated the environmental impacts associated with four harvesting and two extraction technologies developed by NAABB researchers. Gate-to-gate LCA results show that all novel technologies appear to have the potential to provide at least modest decreases in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to current default algae process technologies. 14 scenarios of different combinations of harvesting and extraction unit operations were further evaluated in the context of the full life cycle for producing algae-based renewable diesel. Results indicate that selection of a particular technology for a unit operation can have consequences that affect other stages of the full biofuels life cycle, both upstream and downstream from the unit operation in question. Considering material and energy inputs, operation efficiency, impacts on on-site recycled energy, and co-products credits, acoustic harvesting followed by acoustic oil extraction give the best performance on the overall lifecycle, which reduce the GHG emissions by roughly 45% compared to the base case. LCA modeling also demonstrates that co-products produced at various points of the value chain, for use within or outside the algae biofuels system boundary, considerably affect the LCA results beyond harvesting and extraction unit processes.
Abstract IA16: Macrophages orchestrate early dissemination and metastasis

Cancer cell dissemination can occur during very early stages of breast cancer, but the mechanisms controlling this process are unclear. Here we show that a previously reported early MMTV-HER2+/P-p38lo/TWISThi/E-cadherinlo cancer cell subpopulation depends on macrophages for early dissemination. Depletion of macrophages before overt tumor detection drastically reduced early dissemination and diminished the late metastatic burden. CD206+/Tie2+ macrophages were attracted into early lesions in part by CCL2 produced by early HER2+ cancer cells and myeloid cells. Upregulation of Wnt-1 by macrophages could be stimulated by CCL2 and correlated with loss of E-cadherin in HER2+ early cancer cells. Both MMTV-PyMT and MMTV-HER2 early lesions showed macrophage-containing tumor microenvironments of metastasis (TMEM) structures, and PyMT early cancer cells also showed a reduction in early lesion E-cadherin junctions. Intraepithelial macrophages and loss of E-cadherin junctions was also found more frequently in high-grade human DCIS than in low-grade and normal breast tissue, but no association was found with HER2 status. We reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism by which macrophages play a causal role in early dissemination, impacting long-term metastasis development. Citation Format: Nina Linde, Maria Casanova-Acebes, Maria Soledad Sosa, Arthur Mortha, Adeeb Rahman, Eduardo F. Farias, Kathryn Harper, Ethan Tardio, Ivan Reyes-Torres, Joan G. Jones, John S. Condeelis, Miriam Merad, Julio A. Aguirre-Ghiso. Macrophages orchestrate early dissemination and metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2017 Oct 1-4; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2018;6(9 Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.
Performance of Cancer Recurrence Algorithms After Coding Scheme Switch From International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision to International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision

PURPOSEWe previously developed and validated informatic algorithms that used International Classification of Diseases 9th revision (ICD9)–based diagnostic and procedure codes to detect the presence...
Exact simulation of the queue-hawkes process

The Queue-Hawkes process is a generalization of the self-exciting Hawkes process in which the counting process is coupled with an infinite server queue. That is, when a service is completed the process intensity jumps downwards. Thus, the influence an arrival brings to the intensity is ephemeral, as it expires upon the entity's departure. In this poster we provide an exact simulation procedure for this new process via an update of methodology from the traditional Hawkes process literature and discuss the model in general.
Real Effects of Markets on Politics: Evidence from U.S. Presidential Elections

Despite the economic importance of the U.S. stock market, there is strikingly little evidence of its impact on elections. Using county-level variation in stock market participation, we document a causal impact of market returns on election outcomes. High-participation counties are more likely to vote for the incumbent party when the market has performed well relative to low-participation counties. The effect is weaker in Republican-leaning counties and more politically active counties, and comes mostly through the intensive margin rather than affecting turnout. Our findings provide evidence of a novel channel through which stock market fluctuations could be transmitted into the real economy.
Abstract 901: Muscle-specific Stress Fibers Give Rise to Sarcomeres in Cardiomyocytes

The sarcomere is the contractile unit that drives muscle contraction. Despite its importance, little is understood about how a disordered acto-myosin distribution converts into an ordered contracti...
Tunable Repression of Key Photosynthetic Processes Using Cas12a CRISPR Interference in the Fast-Growing Cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. UTEX 2973

Cyanobacteria are photoautotrophic prokaryotes that serve as key model organisms to study basic photosynthetic processes and are potential carbon-negative production chassis for commodity and high-value chemicals. The development of new synthetic biology tools and improvement of current ones is a requisite for furthering these organisms as models and production vehicles. CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) allows for targeted gene repression using a DNase-dead Cas nuclease ("dCas"). Here, we describe a titratable dCas12a (dCpf1) CRISPRi system and apply it to repress key photosynthetic processes in the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. UTEX 2973 (S2973). The system relies on a lac repressor system that retains tight regulation in the absence of inducer (0-10% repression) while maintaining the capability for >90% repression of high-abundance gene targets. We determined that dCas12a is less toxic than dCas9. We tested the efficacy of the system toward eYFP and three native targets in S2973: the phycobilisome antenna, glycogen synthesis, and photosystem I (PSI), an essential part of the photosynthetic electron transport chain in oxygenic photoautotrophs. PSI was knocked down indirectly by repressing the protein factor BtpA involved in stabilizing core PSI proteins. We could reduce cellular PSI titer by 87% under photoautotrophic conditions, and we characterized these cells to gain insights into the response of the strain to the low PSI content. The ability to tightly regulate and time the (de)repression of essential genes in trans will allow for the study of photosynthetic processes that are not accessible using knockout mutants.
Enhanced Stability of Peptide Nanofibers Coated with a Conformal Layer of Polydopamine.

The susceptibility of self-assembled materials to changes of environmental conditions and mechanical forces often limits their utility for many applications. In this work, the surface of nanofibers formed by β-sheet peptide self-assemblies were coated by polydopamine (PDA) deposition. This conformal coating process rendered the nanofiber dimensions and internal π-stacking chirality impervious to changes in pH, temperature, and physical processing by spin-coating onto a silicon wafer. Whereas sonication-induced shearing of the dopamine/naphthalenediimide-dilysine (DA/NDI-KK) composite irreversibly shortened the nanofibers into 100-200 nm segments, the uncoated nanofibers unraveled into single strands upon similar treatment. Additionally, the PDA-coated nanofibers could be wrapped by an additional layer comprised of a positively charged polyelectrolyte polymer.
Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), which accounts for 30–40% of adult NHL with 27,650 estimated new cases diagnosed in the United States in 2016. DLBCL is defined as a B-cell neoplasm with a diffuse growth pattern of large tumor cells with a nuclear size larger than that of a histiocyte nucleus or more than twice that of a normal small lymphocyte.
Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans

This chapter begins with a recounting of Hurricane Katrina and City of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 2005. It examines why so many residents were forced to relocate to other communities such as Houston and Atlanta and the impact of this relocation on the migrants themselves, the City of New Orleans, and the communities that hosted them. An estimated 1.5 million people living along the Gulf Coast were displaced as a result of the hurricane. Many of the former residents of New Orleans experienced mental and behavioral health problems and social isolation due to separation from family and friends. Host cities such as Houston experienced a severe strain on resources as they were challenged with finding adequate housing, services, and schooling for the new residents. This resulted in tension between established residents and new arrivals. Katrina also provides an illustration of how the inequities associated with race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and place of residence impacted the decision to move and the decision to return.
Surveillance and identification of clusters of healthcare workers with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Multidimensional interventions at a comprehensive cancer center.

Background Cases of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were first reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019. In this report, we describe three clusters of COVID-19 infections among health care workers (HCWs), not associated with patient exposure, and the interventions undertaken to halt ongoing exposure and transmission at our cancer center. Methods A cluster of cases was defined as two or more cases of positive COVID19 among HCWs who work in the same unit area at the same time. Cases were identified by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing. Contact tracing, facility observations and infection prevention assessments were performed to investigate the three clusters between March 1 and April 30, 2020 with subsequent implementation of containment strategies. Results The initial cluster involved HCWs from an ancillary services unit, with contact traced back to a gathering in a break room, where one of the employees was symptomatic, although not yet diagnosed with COVID-19, and subsequent transmission to 7 employees. The second cluster involved 4 employees determined to be community related. The 3rd cluster involved only 2 employees with possible transmission while working in the same office at the same time. A step-up approach was implemented in order to control the spread of infection among employees, including universal masking, enhanced cleaning, increase awareness, and surveillance testing. No nosocomial transmission to patients transpired. Conclusions This is to our knowledge the first report of a hospital-based cluster of COVID19 infections among HCWs in a cancer hospital describing our steps to mitigate further transmission.
Neuromuscular ultrasound findings in carpal tunnel syndrome with symptoms mainly in the nondominant hand

BACKGROUND Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) may be associated with structural lesions or anatomical variations at the wrist, especially in patients whose symptoms are more severe in, or limited to, the nondominant hand. The aims of this study were to identify the type and frequency of structural abnormalities and anatomical variations, and to demonstrate the contribution of ultrasound in this subgroup of CTS patients. METHODS A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients referred to the electromyography laboratory who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for CTS and who underwent neuromuscular ultrasound. RESULTS Of 114 CTS patients with symptoms mainly in nondominant hand, 51 (44.7%) had structural abnormalities or anatomical variations detected by ultrasound. In multivariable analysis, symptoms mainly in the nondominant hand and a body mass index (BMI) <30 kg/m2 were the only independent variables significantly associated with structural findings, odds ratios 2.3 (P < .001) and 1.9 (P = .006), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Neuromuscular ultrasound, in addition to electrodiagnostic studies, should be considered in all CTS patients with symptoms more severe in nondominant hand as a significant number have abnormal structural abnormalities or anatomical variations that may be causative or change the therapeutic approach.
Re-Designing A Mobile App with Patients with Discordant Chronic Comorbidities: Usability Study

Patients with complex conditions and treatment plans often find it challenging to communicate with multiple providers and to prioritize various management tasks. The challenge is even greater for patients with discordant chronic comorbidities (DCCs), a situation where a patient has conditions that have unrelated and/or conflicting treatment plans. We identified possible needs and designed the Apps that addressed those needs (including: goal setting, ease of use, monitoring, and motivation). We then tested this App with patients with DCCs to see if those needs were addressed. We present results from that a usability study that highlight the design preference of patients with DCCs.
Adhesive Bonding of Copper Prepared by Laser-Interference near the Interference Structuring Limits.

Adhesive bonding requires adequate surface preparation for ensuring an appropriate joint quality. The interest in adhesive joining has recently expanded to thermal systems having a large number of joints employed for manufacturing and assembly. This study presents surface topology of copper 110 produced by a laser-interference setup that would theoretically yield a periodicity of 1.7 μm, which is near the 1.6–2 μm structuring limit that was estimated based on thermal diffusion length scale for an 8 ns laser pulse. The results show that although the expected periodic interference structuring was not attained, the melt-induced texturing was affected by the laser-interference profile. Single-lap shear tests were performed with specimen surfaces prepared by traditional abrasion and laser-interference structuring methods. Several laser processing parameters, such as the laser spot size, density, number of pulses, and raster speed, were studied. Scanning electron microscope and profilometry measurements were used to characterize the processed surface microstructures. Web-like structures, which indicate widespread melting, were shown to be formed at different processing conditions. Based on the surface topologies investigated, two laser raster speeds were selected to make single-lap-joint specimens. Baseline joints were prepared by abrading joining specimens. The shear-lap strength and displacement at maximum load were shown to be higher by 16.8% and 43.8% for the laser-structured specimens than those of the baseline specimens, respectively. Moreover, the load-displacement curves indicated that the laser-structured joints were more ductile than those without laser-structuring. The increased ductility for the laser-structured joints was found to yield an increase in the energy absorbed during shear-lap testing of approximately of 80–90% over those measured for baseline joints. It is another indicator that laser-interference structuring enhanced the bonding performance of single-lap shear joints.
Re-Imagining Accountability in K-12 Education: A Behavioral Science Perspective

The policy debate on accountability in education can be informed by the literature from behavioral science, which makes clear that accountability comes in many forms and that it can produce positive or negative effects. Reviewing the literature, we conclude that an effective accountability regime in education will involve (1) multiple forms of accountability; (2) multiple measures of educational practice and educational outcomes; and (3) feedback mechanisms to promote the improvement of practice. Moreover, a multi-pronged accountability approach should specifically increase professional accountability, which has historically been underutilized in schools.
Real-Time Message Compression in Software

Many parallel applications spend a substantial amount of their total execution time exchanging data between processes. As a result, much work has been done on enhancing the performance of messaging libraries. However, little attention has been paid to improving the achievable bandwidth of large messages because network utilization is relatively good with large message sizes. Yet, large messages dominate the overall message makeup and communication time in many applications. For example, in simulation codes it is typical to transfer a significant amount of floating-point data between compute nodes after each time step.
Exception Handling in Workflow Systems

In this paper, defeasible workflow is proposed as a framework to support exception handling for workflow management. By using the “justified” ECA rules to capture more contexts in workflow modeling, defeasible workflow uses context dependent reasoning to enhance the exception handling capability of workflow management systems. In particular, this limits possible alternative exception handler candidates in dealing with exceptional situations. Furthermore, a case-based reasoning (CBR) mechanism with integrated human involvement is used to improve the exception handling capabilities. This involves collecting cases to capture experiences in handling exceptions, retrieving similar prior exception handling cases, and reusing the exception handling experiences captured in those cases in new situations.
Gamma Ray Astrophysics at Energies up to 10 GeV

During the last two decades, gamma-ray astronomy has developed into a quantitative science, with accurate flux measurements from several sources. The Crab pulsar emits 6.17 x 10-4 E-2.2 photons cm-2 s-1 MeV-1 from 50 KeV to 5 GeV. This corresponds to about 2 x 1035 erg s-1 in each of two decades of energy. The Vela pulsar emits 3.6 x 10-4 E-1.6 photons cm-2 s-1 MeV-1 at energies 1 to 30 MeV. The luminosity of gamma rays between 10 MeV and 1 GeV is about 2 x 1034 erg/s. For the Crab nebula, the gamma ray flux is 3 x 10-3 E-2.3 photons cm-2 s-1 MeV-1 from 1 KeV to 3 GeV. The flux of the 26Al line of 1.81 MeV (if assumed to be an extended source) is (4 ± 0.4) N 10-4 photons cm-2 s-1 rad-1. The e+ annihilation line in the Galactic plane is (1.6 ± 0.3) x 10-3 photons cm-1 s-1 rad-1 on which a variable flux of < 1 x 10-3 cm-1 s-1 from the Galactic center is superimposed at certain times. Theoretical models of the sources and observations relate gamma-ray astrophysics to pulsars, neutron stars, black holes, and interstellar clouds, supernovae and supernova remnants. The processes of nucleosynthesis in supernovae and novae, and pair production near black holes yield gammaray lines. Gamma-ray observations are also related to particle acceleration processes at pulsars, neutron stars, supernova remnants, and near black holes.
Formulations and Delivery Limitations of Nucleic-Acid-Based Therapies

Gene delivery has expanded to include the delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and oligonucleotides (ON), which can be used to decrease or downregulate the expression of a target protein. An effective gene delivery system can protect the nucleic acid from degradation, target the appropriate cell population, be efficiently internalized by the cell, avoid degradative pathways, and ultimately localize to the nucleus (DNA) or cytosol. This article focuses on systemic injection formulations, direct injection formulations, matrix-based delivery, and limitations of nonviral nucleic acid delivery. Keywords: oligonucleotides; interfering RNA; gene delivery; nonviral nucleic acids
Martha Stewart and the Forbidden Fruit: A New Story of Eve

This paper narrates a biblical story - Eve’s ingestion of the forbidden fruit - and analogizes it to a recent business law story that I explore in my scholarship and use in my teaching - Martha Stewart’s sale of ImClone stock as alleged insider trading. The analogy, while imperfect, helps expose interesting questions about the descriptive and normative content of U.S. insider trading law and related legal process issues. Although many of the points made in the paper (and the related details and examples presented) can be and have been explored or used in other ways, I contend that the juxtaposition of Eve’s story with Martha’s has utility in illustrating desirable and undesirable attributes of U.S. insider trading regulation, in motivating related scholarship, and in teaching insider trading theory, doctrine, and enforcement under Section 10(b) and Rule 10b-5.
Bacteriophage-based nanoprobes for rapid bacteria separation

The lack of practical methods for bacterial separation remains a hindrance for the low-cost and successful development of rapid detection methods from complex samples. Antibody-tagged magnetic particles are commonly used to pull analytes from a liquid sample. While this method is well-established, improvements in capture efficiencies would result in an increase of the overall detection assay performance. Bacteriophages represent a low-cost and more consistent biorecognition element as compared to antibodies. We have developed nanoscale bacteriophage-tagged magnetic probes, where T7 bacteriophages were bound to magnetic nanoparticles. The nanoprobe allowed the specific recognition and attachment to E. coli cells. The phage magnetic nanprobes were directly compared to antibody-conjugated magnetic nanoprobes. The capture efficiencies of bacteriophages and antibodies on nanoparticles for the separation of E. coli K12 at varying concentrations were determined. The results indicated a similar bacteria capture efficiency between the two nanoprobes.
Transport properties of BaCe0.95Y0.05O3−α mixed conductors for hydrogen separation

We have characterized the transport properties of a mixed ionic-electronic conductor, BaCe0.95Y0.05O3−α (BCY), by using impedance spectroscopy and open-cell voltage measurements. Such mixed conductors have many applications, including hydrogen separation. Results indicate that in an oxygen/water vapor atmosphere, proton conduction is dominant at low temperatures (500 to 600 °C) while oxygen ion conduction dominates at higher temperatures (700 to 800 °C). In a hydrogen/water vapor atmosphere, however, proton conduction dominates over the entire temperature range studied (500 to 800 °C). The proton conductivity of BCY ranges from 1.9 × 10−3 Ω−1 cm−1 at 800 °C in an oxygen/water vapor atmosphere to 1.27 × 10−2 Ω−1 cm−1 in a hydrogen/water vapor atmosphere. Compared to protonic conductivity (≈ 7.2 × 10−3 Ω−1 cm−1), electronic conductivity in a H2/H2O atmosphere is relatively low (≈2.1 × 10−3 Ω−1 cm−1) at 700 °C and must be enhanced in order to improve the rate of gas permeation when BCY is used as a membrane for gas separation.
Performance and Reliability of the Multistage Bus Network

A Multistage Bus Network(MBN) has been proposed as a viable alternative to the existing interconnection networks. The MBN consists of multiple stages of buses connected in a manner similar to the conventional Multistage Interconnection Networks(MINs) and has the same bandwidth at each stage. Due to the bidirectional nature of the MBN, there exist a number of separate paths between any source and destination pair. Some paths make a U-turn at an intermediate stage switch which is a common ancestor of the source and destination. We present self routing techniques for the various paths. We also present a performance analysis of a synchronous packet switched MBN and compare the results with those of a MIN. Finally we present a reliability analysis of the MBN and show its superiority over the MIN.
The circle of internal communication

It was apparent that the knowledge base in our ticketing system was both woefully out of date and hardly used. The problem was that nobody owned the process and the users of the system had been jaded by missing or out-of-date information. In this paper, we describe the process of cleaning up the out-of-date knowledge base and reinventing the process to encourage use of a valuable tool.
Effects of Reiki, Yoga, or Meditation on the Physical and Psychological Symptoms of Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy A Randomized Pilot Study

Three complementary approaches for managing physical and psychological symptoms related to chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy were evaluated against an education-only control arm. This study included 26 participants who were randomly assigned to weekly, hour-long sessions of yoga, Reiki, meditation, or an educational control experience for 6 weeks. Each participant completed pre–post measures of neurotoxicity, quality of life, psychological distress, and mindfulness. Descriptive analysis of the data indicated that all experimental group participants demonstrated improved within-group scores on quality of life and neurotoxicity outcomes following intervention; however, the improvements were not statistically significant. Neurotoxicity worsened significantly in the control group, but there were no pre–post changes with respect to quality of life, psychological distress, or mindfulness. Effect sizes were large with respect to meditation and mindfulness and with Reiki and psychological distress. Moder...
The Sexual Opinion Survey: Structure and use.

Abstract As sex research has expanded, a plethora of similar but unconnected theoretical constructs has arisen. Recently, Byrne (1977) and colleagues have developed a conceptual framework which establishes a set of relationships between erotic stimuli, theoretical constructs, and sexual behavior. One main component of this theory is a type of emotional response to sexual stimuli labelled erotophobia‐erotophilia as measured by the Sexual Opinion Survey. Research on this theory indicates that its constructs are important for sex therapists and researchers. Based on previous studies establishing the reliability and validity of the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS), a study was conducted in which the Survey was administered to 327 adults. Responses to the SOS were used to develop a set of standard scores, percentiles, and preliminary norms to facilitate use of the Survey in clinical practice and research. A principal components analysis of the SOS also was conducted, yielding three reliable and interpretable factor...
Last Interglacial age of the Eva Forest Bed, Central Alaska, from thermoluminescence dating of bracketing loess

Abstract The Eva Forest Bed in the Yukon-Tanana Upland of east-central Alaska represents a frozen, buried, boreal forest. This bed consists of well-preserved peat lenses, sticks, roots, logs, as well as rooted and unrooted stumps of trees. Where preserved, the Eva Forest Bed is overlain by the Goldstream Formation and underlain by Gold Hill Loess. Almost all exposures have a prominent unconformity at the top of the Gold Hill Loess, even where the forest bed is not preserved. Attempts have been made over the last 50 yr to determine the age of this bed numerically. We report here details of thermoluminescence (TL) dating of 14 samples of loess from above and below this unconformity in the Fairbanks area. Together with knowledge about the climatic indicators from the Eva Forest Bed, these TL age estimates: (1) indicate that the most probable age of the Eva Forest Bed is ∼125 ka, the time of the warmest part of oxygen isotope stage 5; and (2) confirm stratigraphic inferences from tephra beds in the upper Gold Hill Loess that erosion has removed variable thicknesses of the original loess complex “just prior” to the development of the Eva Forest Bed.
Cutting performance of a chemical oxygen-iodine laser

Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser (COIL) is a member of the class of high power lasers for industrial applications, including the materials processing tasks of high speed cutting and drilling. COIL technology has received considerable interest over the last several years due to its short, fiber- deliverable wavelength (1.315 microns), scalability to very high powers (tens of kilowatts, cw), and demonstrated nearly diffraction-limited optical quality. Its material interaction characteristics are similar to the Nd:YAG laser since the wavelengths of these lasers are comparable. This paper documents the cutting performance of a high power, good optical quality COIL. In this experiment different types of materials were cut with the COIL, and the cut depth and width are presented here as a function of various process parameters.
Disinhibition in pitch memory

Recognition of the pitch of a tone is disrupted by the interpolation of other tones during the retention interval. The disruptive effect of an interpolated tone varies systematically as a function of its pitch relationship to the tone to be remembered, and is maximal at a 2/3-tone separation. When such a tone is interpolated, the interpolation in addition of a further tone that is 2/3 tone removed from this disruptive tone (and 4/3 tone removed from the tone to be remembered) causes recognition of the first tone substantially to return. When recognition performance is plotted as a function of the pitch relationship between these two interpolated tones, the results accord well with a model assuming mutual inhibitory interactions between pitch memory elements.
Nature of the protein universe.

The protein universe is the set of all proteins of all organisms. Here, all currently known sequences are analyzed in terms of families that have single-domain or multidomain architectures and whether they have a known three-dimensional structure. Growth of new single-domain families is very slow: Almost all growth comes from new multidomain architectures that are combinations of domains characterized by ≈15,000 sequence profiles. Single-domain families are mostly shared by the major groups of organisms, whereas multidomain architectures are specific and account for species diversity. There are known structures for a quarter of the single-domain families, and >70% of all sequences can be partially modeled thanks to their membership in these families.
Neuropeptides in identified Aplysia neurons: precursor structure, biosynthesis and physiological actions

Abstract In Aplysia , it is possible to study the function and regulation of neuropeptide action in single cells using molecular, cellular and physiological techniques. Several genes encoding preprohormones have been cloned and analysed in detail. These studies define the primary sequence of neuropeptide precursors, suggesting mechanisms whereby the active peptides have evolved and are processed. Biochemical investigations of protein processing in conjunction with immunohistochemical localization studies enable the peptide content of individual neurons and secretory granules to be inferred. As a result, physiological studies of peptide action and ionic mechanisms are possible. Here we review the activity of the egg-laying hormone (ELH) and other substances on neurons involved in feeding. This type of multidimensional analysis promises to lead to an understanding of molecular and physiological regulatory mechanisms that govern animal behavior.
DISSOCIATION OF SEPTO-HIPPOCAMPAL METABOLISM IN THE CONGENITALLY HELPLESS RAT

Congenitally helpless rats, selectively bred to model features of endogenous depression, appear to have a paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) that is markedly hyperactive. This study investigated septal and hippocampal regions purported to regulate the PVH. We found that cytochrome oxidase, an index of oxidative metabolism and neural activity, was significantly elevated in the hippocampus and subiculum of congenitally helpless rats. However, reduced activity was observed in the lateral and medial septal nuclei, the nucleus of the diagonal band, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. This dissociation between hippocampal and septal activity may be a predisposing factor for the development of helpless behavior.
Multivariate k-nearest neighbor density estimates

Abstract Under appropriate assumptions, expressions describing the asymptotic behavior of the bias and variance of k-nearest neighbor density estimates with weight function w are obtained. The behavior of these estimates is compared with that of kernel estimates. Particular attention is paid to the properties of the estimates in the tail.
Mechanisms of Na and Cl absorption across the distal colon epithelium of the pig.

Porcine distal colon epithelium was mounted in Ussing chambers and bathed in plasma-like Ringer solution. Tissue conductances ranged from 10 to 15 mS and the short-circuit current (Isc) ranged from-15 to 220 μA·cm-2. Variations in basal Isc resulted from differences in the amount of amiloride (10μM mucosal addition)-sensitive Na+ absorption. Ion substitution and transepithelial flux experiments showed that 10 μM amiloride produced a decrease in the mucosal-to-serosal (M-S) and net Na flux, and that this effect on Isc was independent of Cl- and HCO3-replacement. When the concentration of mucosal amiloride was increased from 10 to 100 μM, little change in Isc was observed. However, increasing the concentration to 1 mM produced a further inhibition, which often reversed the polarity of the Isc. The decrease in Isc due to 1 mM amiloride was dependent on both Cl- and HCO3-, and was attributed to reductions in the M-S and net Na+ fluxes as well as the M-S unidirectional Cl- flux. Ion replacement experiments demonstrated that Cl- substitution reduced the M-S and net Na fluxes, while replacement of HCO3-with HEPES abolished net Cl- absorption by reducing the M-S unidirectional Cl- flux. From these data it can be concluded that: (1) Na+ absorption is mediated by two distinct amiloride-sensitive transport pathways, and (2) Cl- absorption is completely HCO3--dependent (presumably mediated by Cl-/HCO3-exchange) and occurs independently of Na+ absorption.
Ecological Notes on Fiddler Crabs of South Texas, with Special Reference to Uca subcylindrica

ABSTRACT The distribution of fiddler crabs (genus Uca) in the semiarid zone of south Texas and northeastern Mexico was studied. Up to five sympatric species of Uca can be found in intertidal habitats with salinities below 45 ppt. Each appears to exploit specific segments of the environment by its special ability to use a portion of the available resources. In higher salinity habitats, only one species is found, Uca subcylindrica. It lives at the extreme upper edge of the supralittoral zone and has evolved specializations for a terrestrial existence. In these habitats, Uca subcylindrica burrows to a depth of 1.8 m. Since the feeding apparatus is rarely used in sediment sorting, massive feeding has superseded particulate processing on the desiccated soils. Activity patterns in nature are timed by daily solar events. The phasing of diurnal activity periods varies throughout the year to permit foraging under optimal temperature and humidity. This behavior reflects adaptations of a fiddler crab for occupying one of the more terrestrial arid environments inhabited by a member of the intertidal genus.
Octreotide reverses hyperinsulinemia and prevents hypoglycemia induced by sulfonylurea overdoses.

Emergency therapy of sulfonylurea overdoses with glucose is often unsatisfactory because glucose stimulates insulin release and initiates a need for escalating quantities of hypertonic glucose to maintain normoglycemia. We tested the hypothesis that octreotide, an analog of somatostatin, would reverse hyperinsulinemia induced by a sulfonylurea overdose. Eight normal subjects received glipizide (1.45 mg/kg) on three occasions. Within 3 h, all subjects became hypoglycemic (< 50 mg/dL) and were initially treated with 50% dextrose followed by 1) dextrose infusion, 2) octreotide (30 ng/kg.min, iv), or 3) diazoxide (300 mg, iv, every 4 h). Euglycemia (85 mg/dL) was maintained with supplementary dextrose in treatment limbs 2 and 3. Insulin concentrations were 4-5 times greater with dextrose alone or in combination with diazoxide than with octreotide (P < 0.01). Dextrose requirements during diazoxide or dextrose alone were not different, but were both greater than those during octreotide treatment (P < 0.0001). A...
Fluctuations of steady-state VEPs: interaction of driven evoked potentials and the EEG.

Abstract We performed a detailed analysis of the variability of a steady-state human evoked potential (EP) and the spectral properties of the simultaneously recorded electroencephalogram (EEG). This allowed us to determine whether the background EEG was influenced by the evoked potential stimulus, and to what extent variability of evoked potential estimates is simply due to the addition of the background EEG. Steady-state visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were elicited by a checkerboard undergoing contrast-reversal modulation at 1 of 3 fundamental frequencies f: 5.0 Hz, 7.5 Hz, and 10.0 Hz. To a first approximation, the evoked potential (at frequency 2 f) and the undriven components of the EEG combined linearly. However, two kinds of interactions were present: (i) patterned visual stimulation decreased the power in the undriven EEG in the 5–17 Hz range by as much as a factor of 2; (ii) superimposed on this overall effect of pattern stimulation, there were changes in the EEG power at specific harmonics of the input frequency. Power increased by as much as 6-fold at the stimulus reversal rate (2 f) and its second harmonic (4 f). These findings imply a complex non-linear interaction between the visual input and the EEG.
Rectal absorption of nitroglycerin in the rat: Avoidance of first‐pass metabolism as a function of rectal length exposure

Nitroglycerin administered orally undergoes substantial presystemic elimination. It was shown recently that first-pass hepatic metabolism of high clearance drugs can be substantially avoided via rectal administration. In applying this concept to nitroglycerin in rats, it was found that unrestricted rectal instillation of nitroglycerin (at 3.5-mg/kg dose) gave a mean ± SD bioavailability of 26.7 ± 7.0% (n = 6) compared to 1.8 ± 0.9% (n = 5) from oral dosing. This mode of dosing did not lead to complete avoidance of first-pass metabolism of nitroglycerin in rats. When the rectal exposure length to nitroglycerin was restricted to 3.5 cm from the anus, the mean ± SD bioavailability increased to 83.5 ± 74.5% (n = 14). However, the variability in bioavailability was extremely large. When the rectal exposure length was restricted to 2.0 cm from the anus (at 1.75-mg/kg dose), nitroglycerin bioavailability was estimated at 91.2 ± 30.4% (n = 6). The plasma nitroglycerin concentrations (> 5 min) obtained after this mode of administration were similar to those achieved after intravenous dosing. The data showed that substantial avoidance of presystemic nitroglycerin metabolism can be achieved via rectal administration. This avoidance can be nearly complete if nitroglycerin is limited in exposure to only the lower rat rectum. It was also demonstrated that sustained (at least 24 hr) nitroglycerin delivery via the rat rectal route was feasible with an experimental osmotic minipump. This delivery system also produced nearly complete bioavailability for nitroglycerin in the rat.
Sleep and sleep disorders in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death in the US. Numerous studies have demonstrated that sleep disturbances are common in COPD patients, with more prominent complaints in patients with more severe disease and with increasing age. Sleep disturbances may occur due to the effects of breathing abnormalities on sleep and sleep disruption. However, other etiologies may include the medications used to treat COPD, concomitant anxiety and depression, and the presence of comorbid sleep disorders. The respiratory disturbances that occur in these patients during sleep have been evaluated by examining sleep-related oxygen desaturation, reduction in pulmonary function during sleep, and development of hypoventilation during rapid eye movement sleep. Treatment includes use of nocturnal oxygen therapy, noninvasive positive pressure ventilation, and long-acting medications. There has been little study on improving sleep quality beyond treating the respiratory disease, despite the fact that numerous studies show poor sleep quality, a high prevalence of insomnia, and tolerability of newer hypnotic agents in the setting of COPD. This article defines the scope of sleep problems in the setting of COPD, reviews the impact of sleep on ventilation, explores the role of obstructive sleep apnea in the setting of COPD, and reviews therapeutic options.
Impact of an Emergency Medicine Decision Support and Risk Education System on Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Use

Abstract Background Increasing computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) use in the emergency department (ED) over the last decade is well documented. Objective Our aim was to assess the impact of an electronic decision support and risk education system (DS-RES) on CT/MRI use. Methods We conducted an age-, sex-, and risk-adjusted analysis of CT/MRI use and ED and inpatient rebound rates before and after implementation in 2009 at a Kaiser Permanente Northwest medical center. Results In the pre period, a total of 12,531 encounters occurred for unique patients within each of 10 chief complaint categories. In the post period, 16,864 total encounters occurred for unique patients within each chief complaint category, 11.4% of patients were at low risk and 24.8% and 63.8% were at medium and high risk, respectively. Adjusted CT/MRI use increased 1.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0%–2.3%) between pre and post periods. Among low-risk and medium-risk patients, CT/MRI use decreased by 5.0% (95% CI 2.5%–7.5%) and 10.4% (95% CI 7.9%–12.8%). Among patients at high risk, CT/MRI use increased by 3.9% (95% CI 2.5%–5.3%). The proportion of patients with a 3- or 7-day rebound to the ED or an inpatient facility decreased between pre and post periods by 1.4% (95% CI 0.7%–2.2%) and 0.7% (95% CI 0.2%–1.5%). Conclusions DS-RES implementation did not decrease overall CT/MRI rates, but it was associated with a shift in use toward high-risk patients and less patient rebound to the ED and hospital. Further research is required to identify mechanisms underlying imaging utilization shifts.
Preparation of Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger entangled states with multiple superconducting quantum-interference device qubits or atoms in cavity QED

A scheme is proposed for generating Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) entangled states of multiple superconducting quantum-interference device (SQUID) qubits by the use of a microwave cavity. The scheme operates essentially by creating a single photon through an auxiliary SQUID built in the cavity and performing a joint multiqubit phase shift with assistance of the cavity photon. It is shown that entanglement can be generated using this method, deterministic and independent of the number of SQUID qubits. In addition, we show that the present method can be applied to preparing many atoms in a GHZ entangled state, with tolerance to energy relaxation during the operation.
International sourcing, social responsibility and human assets: a framework for labor procurement negotiations in baseball’s talent supply chain

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the question: how does socially responsible buying/sourcing applies to human talent? The authors examine this question in the unique context of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) relationship with the “buscones” (agents) representing prospects from the Dominican Republic. Design/methodology/approach – Using game theory, the authors model how MLB teams create rules to curb unethical behavior within the supply chain. The principal relationship the authors will model is that of the franchises and the prospects. This relationship has as its core an investment decision by the individual franchises: should they incur costs to ameliorate the context in which the prospects find themselves, or not? The costs of investment, whether it is in academies, general education, a revision of recruiting policies or something else, must be weighed against the negative externalities that are likely to result if the exploitation of the DR recruits becomes common knowledge to other s...
Relation between trains of action potentials across an inhibitory synapse. Influence of presynaptic irregularity.

The correspondence between pre- and postsynaptic fluctuations in generation of action potentials was studied using the inhibitory synapse on the crayfish stretch receptor neuron. The presynaptic discharges were imposed by an appropriately controlled stimulator modulated with triangular or sine waves at 1/60 to 10 cps by±1 to 10 ips and around an average rate of 5 to 10 ips. The rate of the regular postsynaptic discharge was set, in the absence of IPSPs, at 5 to 20 ips by the degree of constant stretch on the receptor organ. Cycle histograms were constructed, i.e. discharges were averaged across several cycles, presynaptically on the one hand and postsynaptically on the other. This exploration led to the recognition of some of the rules whereby the correspondence between spike trains is established across a synapse with IPSPs. The mapping or coding from the presynaptic to the postsynaptic cycle histogram was complex, and its main facets were: i) the possibility of the transfer of a broad spectrum of frequencies, at least from 1/60 to 10 cps; ii) a general tendency for faster presynaptic discharges to be associated with slower postsynaptic ones (i.e. a negative overall slope in the presynaptic rate-postsynaptic rate graph); iii) interspersed consistently located segments of appreciable size where inhibitory accelerations led to faster postsynaptic discharges (i.e. positively-sloped “paradoxical” segments); iv) a sensitivity to whether the presynaptic cell was accelerating or decelerating (hysteresis); and, finally, v) minimal consequences of changes around extremes where the receptor was either hardly affected or halted by very low or high rates, respectively (saturation). The type, magnitude and ubiquity of the deviations (iii, iv, v) from a simple and negatively-sloped linearity (suggested by ii) makes them integral and practically important facets of inhibitory transfer. The form of the correspondence depended on such issues as the overall pre- and postsynaptic rates (e.g. 5 versus 10 ips), the modulation frequency (e.g. 1/60 versus 2 cps) and depth (e.g.±1 versus 10 ips), etc. When restrictions were placed upon these variables, the correspondence adopted special forms whose particular descriptions (e.g. linear in- or out-of-phase, rectifier-like, etc.) were acceptable only if conditional to those restrictions. A rapid presynaptic irregularity which increased the varibility of individual cycles without altering the average cycle reduced, sometimes markedly, deviations from linearity. This demonstrates the applicability to the living synapse, represented here by a system whose input and output spike trains are assimilated to point processes, of a concept developed for system whose input or output are continuous: namely, that the addition at the input of a high frequency “dither” reduces the complexities of the element. This effect has interesting physiological possibilities and explains apparent discrepancies between earlier publications.