cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fungal mutualisms and pathosystems: life and death in the ambrosia beetle mycangia

Ambrosia beetles and their microbial communities, housed in specialized structures termed mycangia, represent one of the oldest and most diverse systems of mutualism and parasitism described thus far. Comprised of core filamentous fungal members, but also including bacteria and yeasts, the mycangia represent a unique adaptation that allows beetles to store and transport their source of nutrition. Although perhaps the most ancient of “farmers,” the nature of these interactions remains largely understudied, with the exception of a handful of emerging pathosystems, where the fungal partner acts as a potentially devastating tree pathogen. Such virulence is often seen during “invasions,” where (invasive) beetles carrying the fungal symbiont/plant pathogen expand into new territories and presumably “naive” trees. Here, we summarize recent findings on the phylogenetic relationships between beetles and their symbionts and advances in the developmental and genetic characterization of the mechanisms that underlie insect-fungal-plant interactions. Results on genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic aspects of these relationships are described. Although many members of the fungal Raffaelea-beetle symbiont genera are relatively harmless to host trees, specialized pathosystems including wilt diseases of laurel and oak, caused by specific subspecies (R. lauricola and R. quercus, in the USA and East Asia, respectively), have emerged as potent plant pathogens capable of killing healthy trees. With the development of genetic tools, coupled to biochemical and microscopic techniques, the ambrosia beetle-fungal symbiont is establishing itself as a unique model system to study the molecular determinants and mechanisms that underlie the convergences of symbioses, mutualism, parasitism, and virulence. • Fungal-beetle symbioses are diverse and ancient examples of microbial farming. • The mycangium is a specialized structure on insects that houses microbial symbionts. • Some beetle symbiotic fungi are potent plant pathogens vectored by the insect.
Importance of multimodal characterization and influence of residual Li2S impurity in amorphous Li3PS4 inorganic electrolytes

Amorphous Li3PS4 (LPS) solid-state electrolytes are promising for energy-dense lithium metal batteries. LPS glass, synthesized from a 3 : 1 mol ratio of Li2S and P2S5, has high ionic conductivity and can be synthesized by ball milling or solution processing. Ball milling has been attractive because it provides the easiest route to access amorphous LPS with a conductivity of 3.5 × 10−4 S cm−1 (20 °C). However, achieving the complete reaction of precursors via ball milling can be difficult, and most literature reports use X-ray diffraction (XRD) or Raman spectroscopy to confirm sample purity, both of which have limitations. Furthermore, the effect of residual precursors on ionic conductivity and lithium metal cycling is unknown. In this work, we illustrate the importance of multimodal characterization to determine LPS phase and chemical purity. To determine the residual Li2S content in LPS, we show that (1) XRD and 31P solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) are insufficient and (2) Raman loses sensitivity at concentrations below 12 mol% Li2S. Most importantly, we show that 7Li ssNMR is highly sensitive. Using 7Li ssNMR, we investigate the effect of ball milling parameters and develop a robust and highly reproducible procedure for pure LPS synthesis. We find that as the residual Li2S precursor content increases, LPS conductivity decreases and lithium metal batteries exhibit higher overpotentials and poor cycle life. Our work reveals the importance of multimodal characterization techniques for amorphous solid-state electrolyte characterization and will enable better synthetic strategies for highly conductive electrolytes for efficient energy-dense solid-state lithium metal batteries.
ARGUS: Interactive visual analysis of disruptions in smartphone-detected Bio-Behavioral Rhythms

Abstract Human Bio-Behavioral Rhythms (HBRs) such as sleep-wake cycles (Circadian Rhythms), and the degree of regularity of sleep and physical activity have important health ramifications. Ubiquitous devices such as smartphones can sense HBRs by continuously analyzing data gathered passively by built-in sensors to discover important clues about the degree of regularity and disruptions in behavioral patterns. As human behavior is complex and smartphone data is voluminous with many channels (sensor types), it can be challenging to make meaningful observations, detect unhealthy HBR deviations and most importantly pin-point the causes of disruptions. Prior work has largely utilized computational methods such as machine and deep learning approaches, which while accurate, are often not explainable and present few actionable insights on HBR patterns or causes. To assist analysts in the discovery and understanding of HBR patterns, disruptions and causes, we propose ARGUS, an interactive visual analytics framework. As a foundation of ARGUS, we design an intuitive Rhythm Deviation Score (RDS) that analyzes users’ smartphone sensor data, extracts underlying twenty-four-hour rhythms and quantifies their degree of irregularity.​ This score is then visualized using a glyph that makes it easy to recognize disruptions in the regularity of HBRs. ARGUS also facilitates deeper HBR insights and understanding of causes by linking multiple visualization panes that are overlaid with objective sensor information such as geo-locations and phone state (screen locked, charging), and user-provided or smartphone-inferred ground truth information. This array of visualization overlays in ARGUS enables​ analysts to gain a more comprehensive picture of HBRs, behavioral patterns and deviations from regularity. The design of ARGUS was guided by a goal and task analysis study involving an expert versed in HBR and smartphone sensing. To demonstrate its utility and generalizability, two different datasets were explored using ARGUS and our use cases and designs were strongly validated in evaluation sessions with expert and non-expert users.
Relationship Between the Grain Orientation and the Electromigration Reliability of Electronic Packaging Interconnects

Various studies of the electromigration (EM) reliability of solder interconnects have suggested that early EM failure may have different failure kinetics depending on the grain orientation of Sn within the solder bump. Since Sn has a body-centered tetragonal (BCT) crystal structure, it has anisotropic properties, having a fast EM diffusing axis, along [001] grain orientation due to a relatively larger diffusion path. In order to study a relationship between early EM failure and Sn grain orientation, both early failed and late failed samples from accelerated EM tests are characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). Unfortunately, SEM does not show distinctive differences between early and late failure features, but EBSD analysis shows a distinctive feature, which is an alignment of the c-axis with the EM direction. The early failed samples have a high degree of c-axis alignment with the EM direction, while the late failed samples have less or no degree of c-axis alignment. The failure analysis suggests that the presence of c-axis along the EM direction near the void nucleation area accelerates the EM failure kinetics.
New Mexico Chile Pepper Producers Are Affected by a Diverse Verticillium dahliae Population That Includes Many Race 2 Strains That Break Ve1-Mediated Resistance

Chile pepper is an important crop in in New Mexico (NM) for both its cultural heritage and its cash receipts. Wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae is one of the largest constraints on chile producti...
CHAPTER 15 – The Bipolar Transistor

The “bipolar” type of transistor is usually made from the element silicon. Bipolar transistors can be of either the PNP or NPN type. The PNP type is shown diagrammatically in this chapter. An analog of the transistor is a water faucet, where a small amount of energy can open or close a valve, thus controlling a high pressure or flow rate. The voltage that is reverse–biasing the collector is called Vcc, meaning the collector voltage at “cutoff”. The ratio of the input signal to the output signal is the “amplification factor,” sometimes called “gain” or “transfer function.” This artificial input is called “bias,” whether it is current or voltage. If the signal is an alternating current sine wave, being at either of the nonlinear ends of the characteristic curve will cause distortion of the waveform shape. One transistor can feed its amplified signal directly to another, which is called the Darlington circuit. If the piezo device is held as far away from the loudspeaker as the clip leads will allow, it can be sharply rapped with a pen near its edge, and a much louder noise will come from the speaker. The chapter presents the common base experiment, common emitter experiment, regulated power supply experiment, and the piezoelectric device experiment.
Patterning of Caenorhabditis elegans posterior structures by the Abdominal-B homolog, egl-5.

Abstract TheCaenorhabditis elegansbody axis, like that of other animals, is patterned by the action ofHoxgenes. In order to examine the function of oneC. elegans Hoxgene in depth, we determined the postembryonic expression pattern ofegl-5, theC. elegansmember of theAbdominal-B Hoxgene paralog group, by means of whole-mount staining with a polyclonal antibody. A major site ofegl-5expression and function is in the epithelium joining the posterior digestive tract with the external epidermis. Patterning this region and its derived structures is a conserved function ofAbd-Bparalog group genes in other animals. Cells that initiateegl-5expression during embryogenesis are clustered around the presumptive anus. Expression is initiated postembryonically in four additional mesodermal and ectodermal cell lineages or tissues. Once initiated in a lineage,egl-5expression continues throughout development, suggesting that the action ofegl-5can be regarded as defining a positional cell identity. A variety of cross-regulatory interactions betweenegl-5and the next more anteriorHoxgene,mab-5, help define the expression domains of their respective gene products. In its expression in a localized body region, function as a marker of positional cell identity, and interactions with anotherHoxgene,egl-5resemblesHoxgenes of other animals. This suggests thatC. elegans, in spite of its small cell number and reproducible cell lineages, may not differ greatly from other animals in the way it employsHoxgenes for regional specification during development.
Genetic Mechanisms in Neural and Hormonal Controls over Female Reproductive Behaviors

Building on well-established mechanisms that produce the primary female mating behavior, lordosis, research is extending into mechanisms for sexual arousal. Genes and neurochemcal pathways supporting sexual arousal are reviewed, and four neurochemical/biophysical routes by which generalized arousal could influence sexual arousal are charted.
Automated Assessment of Oral Reading Prosody

We describe an automated method to assess the expressiveness of children's oral reading by measuring how well its prosodic contours correlate in pitch, intensity, pauses, and word reading times with adult narrations of the same sentences. We evaluate the method directly against a common rubric used to assess fluency by hand. We also compare it against manual and automated baselines by its ability to predict fluency and comprehension test scores and gains of 55 children ages 7--10 who used Project LISTEN's Reading Tutor. It outperforms the human-scored rubric, predicts gains, and could help teachers identify which students are making adequate progress.
Effects of Guar Gum and Wheat Bran on Lipid Metabolism of Rats

The effects of guar gum and wheat bran on blood and liver lipid levels of rats were measured. In experiment 1, rats were fed ad libitum a 55% sucrose diet containing 0, 15 or 25% wheat bran for 3 weeks. Postprandial plasma triglyceride, liver triglyceride and liver cholesterol values in rats fed the sucrose diet with wheat bran were significantly lower than values for rats fed the diet without wheat bran. Neither fasting plasma triglyceride nor cholesterol values were altered by wheat bran. In experiment 2, rats were meal-fed one of four experimental diets for 3 weeks: sucrose, sucrose-cholesterol, sucrose-cholesterol-bran or sucrose-cholesterol-guar gum. Rats fed sucrose-cholesterol-guar gum diet had significantly lower fasting plasma total cholesterol, liver triglyceride and liver cholesterol values, but higher plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol values than those fed sucrose-cholesterol diet. These values were similar for the sucrose-cholesterol and sucrose-cholesterol-bran groups. Fasting plasma triglyceride levels were not altered by wheat bran or guar gum. These studies indicate that while guar gum lowers fasting plasma total cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol, wheat bran does not.
Total carbon analysis may overestimate organic carbon content of fresh waters in the presence of high dissolved inorganic carbon

Automated carbon analyzers often are configured to provide estimates of both total organic carbon (TOC) and nonpurgeable organic carbon (NPOC). We show there can be an overestimation of total carbon in the presence of moderate to large quantities of dissolved inorganic carbon. This leads to overestimates of TOC, which is measured as the difference between total carbon and inorganic carbon. Water samples were analyzed as both TOC and NPOC on a Shimadzu TC 5050 Carbon Analyzer. The difference between TOC and NPOC increased as a function of concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). Water samples spiked with DIC ranging from 0 to 100 mg DIC/L also reported increased TOC as large as 8 mg C/L. Our data suggest that the Shimadzu 5050 analyzer (and by analogy other instruments that estimate TOC by difference between TC and IC) overestimates total carbon (TC) when calibrated with an organic standard as recommended by the manufacturer. The magnitude of the overestimation varies both with the amount of DIC present in the sample and the extent to which measurement efficiency of the analyzer is less than 100%. The consequences will be most severe in analysis of samples from systems spanning a large range in DIC. Time series from individual systems are less likely to be affected because the necessary large change in DIC would be detected as changes in pH or other attributes well before any change in DOC. Systems with high DIC will, however, be susceptible to even small variations in measurement efficiency.
Genetics of swayback in American Saddlebred horses.

Summary Extreme lordosis, also called swayback, lowback or softback, can occur as a congenital traitor as a degenerative trait associated with ageing. In this study, the hereditary aspect ofcongenital swayback was investigated using whole genome association studies of 20affected and 20 unaffected American Saddlebred (ASB) Horses for 48 165 single-nucleotidepolymorphisms (SNPs). A statistically signiﬁcant association was identiﬁed on ECA20(corrected P = 0.017) for SNP BIEC2-532523. Of the 20 affected horses, 17 were homo-zygous for this SNP when compared to seven homozygotes among the unaffected horses,suggesting a major gene with a recessive mode of inheritance. The result was conﬁrmed bytesting an additional 13 affected horses and 166 unaffected horses using 35 SNPs in thisregion of ECA20 (corrected P = 0.036). Combined results for 33 affected horses and 287non-affected horses allowed identiﬁcation of a region of homozygosity deﬁned by four SNPsin the region. Based on the haplotype deﬁned by these SNPs, 80% of the 33 affected horseswere homozygous, 21% heterozygous and 9% did not possess the haplotype. Among thenon-affected horses, 15% were homozygous, 47% heterozygous and 38% did not possess thehaplotype. The differences between the two groups were highly signiﬁcant (P < 0.00001).The region deﬁned by this haplotype includes 53 known and predicted genes. Exons fromthree candidate genes, TRERF1, RUNX2 and CNPY3 were sequenced without ﬁnding dis-tinguishing SNPs. The mutation responsible for swayback may lie in other genes or inregulatory regions outside exons. This information can be used by breeders to reduce theoccurrence of swayback among their livestock. This condition may serve as a model forinvestigation of congenital skeletal deformities in other species.Keywords equine, lordosis, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, whole genome scanning.
Numerically-robust adaptive subspace tracking using Householder transformations

We develop simple principal and minor subspace tracking algorithms that exactly maintain the orthonormality of the subspace matrix estimate over time. Each of these algorithms use m identical Householder transformations to update the rows of the subspace matrix estimate at each time instant. Unlike many other approaches, ours have asymptotic complexities that scale linearly with the number of adaptive coefficients. We show that existing gradient-based and projection approximation subspace tracking (PAST) methods are first-order approximate versions of our proposed methods, and we also derive several more-accurate approximations. Simulations verify the numerical behavior of the proposed methods in subspace tracking tasks.
Multiplexing strategy for simultaneous detection of redox-, phospho- and total proteome-understanding TOR regulating pathways in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

New methods for studying the complexity of multiple PTMs in functional proteomics are required to understand cell signaling processes. In this study, a multiplexing 2DE-based approach is introduced for parallel analysis of the redox-, phospho-, and total-proteome. This triplexing approach uses spectrally distinct fluorophores, is not matrix-specific and requires relatively low sample amounts with applicability to any cell/tissue type. This methodology was applied for the study of Target of Rapamycin (TOR) regulating pathways in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. With emerging research demonstrating a complex yet unclear relationship between TOR kinase, autophagy, and lipid metabolism, rapamycin treatment was used to induce TOR inhibition in C. reinhardtii and redox-, phospho- and total proteome changes were assessed using the triplexing approach. We identified a total of 68 spot abundance changes in response to TOR inhibition which provide a basis for understanding this highly conserved, master regulator in algae.
TUTORIAL: Device Challenges and Opportunities for Optical Interconnects

Optical interconnects offer substantially reduced energy and increased density compared to wires, but very high-performance integrated devices are essential. The talk summarizes requirements and progress towards goals.
Optimal coils with zero mutual inductance for electromagnetic induction systems

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) systems often use separate transmit and receive coils. In these systems, it is desirable for the transmit and receive coils to have both minimal mutual coupling and a maximum field product, thus maximizing the detection depth. A mathematical representation is chosen for a pair of spiral coils that allows the coils to be optimized using an iterative convex method. This method, which is very fast, allows the coils to be optimized for the desired properties of minimum mutual coupling and a maximum field product. We then present results showing a pair of nonuniformly-wound, double-sided spiral coils.
Transform Residual K-Means Trees for Scalable Clustering

The K-means problem, i.e., to partition a dataset into K clusters is a fundamental problem common to numerous data mining applications. As it is an NP-hard problem, iterative optimizations are typically used such as the K-means algorithm to compute cluster centers. As the K-means algorithm is exponential both in computation and storage in terms of required bits to encode cluster centers, approaches with low computation and storage complexity have been actively studied both for signal compression under real-time constraints and for clustering of large scale high-dimensional datasets. By generating cluster centers via Cartesian products of cluster centers in multiple groups or multiple stages, product and residual K-means trees reduce computation and storage complexity, making it possible to cluster large scale datasets. As residual K-means trees do not require assumed statistical independence among groups that are required by product K-means trees, they generally give better clustering quality. A known limitation of residual K-means trees is that the gain diminishes with added stages. In this paper, by identifying increased intrinsic dimensions of residual vectors with more stages as a limiting factor of performance due to the curse of dimensionality, we propose transform residual K-means trees as a generalization by applying cluster specific transforms to increase the correlations of residual vectors. Our methods substantially reduce the increase of intrinsic dimensions and therefore increase the effectiveness of multiple-stage residual Kmeans trees. Experimental and comparative results using widely used datasets show our methods give the best performance among all scalable methods. Furthermore, our methods enable effective super-clustering learning and provide scalable solutions to duplicate detection and other data mining problems.
Partial purification and some properties of rat liver sulfotransferase I, a glucocorticoid sulfotransferase usually restricted to female rats.

Abstract Three rat liver enzymes, sulfotransferases I, II, and III, sulfate glucocorticoids. This report describes the purification of sulfotransferase I, the glucocorticoid sulfotransferase usually restricted to females, 227 ± 63-fold from cytosol. As shown, this represents a probable 1000- to 1250-fold enrichment compared to liver homogenates. Highly purified sulfotransferase I exhibits a molecular weight of approximately 156,000, determined by sedimentation velocity experiments. Its pH optimum is pH 6.0 ± 0.1. However, its properties are routinely measured at pH 6.8 for reasons enumerated in the text. At this pH it exhibits a sequential mechanism for cortisol sulfation. Its K m values for cortisol and its coenzyme, 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate, are 7.09 ± 0.65 and 10.6 ±1.1 μ m , respectively. Sulfotransferase I also appears to contain essential sulfhydryl groups, shown by p -hydroxymercuribenzoate inhibition studies. Furthermore, it is activated by divalent Co, Cr, Mg, or Mn and inhibited by 100 μ m Cd 2+ or 50 μ m Zn 2+ . Comparison of the ability of purified sulfotransferase I to sulfate 40 μ m cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone, deoxycorticosterone, estradiol-17β, and testosterone showed that sulfotransferase I is not as specific a glucocorticoid sulfotransferase as is sulfotransferase III (described earlier). Sulfotransferase I was inhibited strongly by a variety of steroids and diethylstilbestrol at 1.0 μ m concentrations. Extensive comparisons of the properties of sulfotransferases I and III and their potential significance are made throughout the text.
Swapping Nucleotides, Tuning Hsp70

Molecular chaperones such as heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) are crucial for protein folding. Crystal structures of Hsp70 in a complex with the nucleotide exchange factor (NEF) Hsp110 reported in this issue of Cell (Polier et al., 2008) and in Molecular Cell (Schuermann et al., 2008) provide new insights into how NEF action specifies Hsp70 cellular function.
Pitfalls in limiting studies of reactivity to a family of compounds

Abstract Case studies of the oxidation potentials for MeCpMn(CO) 2 B where B represents nitrogen and phosphorus donors, as well as the CO stretching frequencies of η-CpFe(CO)(COCH 3 )PX 3 adducts are used to illustrate potential errors in data interpretation than can arise when studies are restricted to one family of compounds. These systems show that the uncertainty in the parameters from the data fit exceeds that indicated by R 2 or the standard deviations in the fit when the C B / E B ratios of the donors employed do not vary significantly. When an improper scale is used in data analyses, the R 2 for data fits is improved by limiting the correlation to a single family of compounds at the expense of meaningful interpretations. By definition, substituent constant correlations are limited to a single family, so care must be exercised in interpreting the parameters from these data fits.
Influence of a dominant macrophyte, Juncus effusus, on wetland plant species richness, diversity, and community composition

Few studies have experimentally investigated the influence of competition for light on structure and composition of wetland vascular plant communities, despite the well-documented high productivity in such systems. Influences of the dominant emergent wetland plant Juncus effusus on the surrounding macrophyte community were evaluated in a shallow freshwater wetland through two consecutive growing seasons. Permanent transects were constructed along diagonals of randomly oriented 1 m2 plots centered around isolated, colonizing J. effusus tussocks. Percent areal cover was measured for each species or identifiable taxon group in 400 cm2 sub-plots centered 10, 20, 30, and 40 cm from the tussock edge, to evaluate species richness, diversity, and dominance indices. Observational studies during the first growing season indicated that plots having larger, more heavily shading tussocks yielded significantly lower cover and species richness in the surrounding plant community than less shaded plots. Shading by J. effusus was reduced experimentally during the second growing season by holding culms in a vertical position in half of the J. effusus-occupied study plots in order to assess directly the influence of shading by J. effusus. Manipulated plots became more diverse and species-rich and developed higher total percent areal cover. Within shaded reference plots, reductions in cover, richness, and diversity were correlated with intensity of shading; each of these measures was lowest in sub-plots centered 10 cm from the tussock, where measured light reduction was highest. Neighborhood analyses of biomass, species composition, and light reduction indicated that individual species biomass varied with distance from J. effusus tussocks and shading intensity, an indication of the potential for shifts in community composition as populations of this dominant macrophyte expand to fill a wetland area. A mathematical model is presented to illustrate shading effects of J. effusus as a population grows from isolated, colonizing tussocks to an interacting system of tussocks in an established population of this dominant macrophyte.
Social well‐being and community

An interactionist perspective is used to show the influence of community in the well‐being of people. Well‐being is discussed in terms of the humanist concept of self‐actualization. The thesis is d...
Methane Production from Acetate and Associated Methane Fluxes from Anoxic Coastal Sediments

The apparent microbial conversion of acetate to methane ranges seasonally from 0.7 to 88 micromoles per liter of whole wet sediment per hour in the top 5 centimeters of methane-producing sediments underlying sulfate-reducing sediments in Cape Lookout Bight, North Carolina. The associated methane flux across the sediment-water interface into overlying waters exhibits the same seasonal pattern. Significant methane production from acetate is observed only in sulfate-depleted sediments.
QPV Interval as a Measure of Arterial Stiffness in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with premature atherosclerosis and increased arterial stiffness. The QPV interval has been proposed as a measure of arterial stiffness. The QPV interval is based on the premise that transit time from cardiac ejection to brachial artery flow is shortened in patients with increased arterial stiffness. Hypothesis The objective of this study was to determine the significance of the QPV interval as a measure of arterial stiffness in patients with SLE. Methods We prospectively studied 46 female SLE patients. The QPV interval was calculated as the time from onset of the QRS complex to peak flow velocity of the brachial artery during ultrasound examination. Measurements of arterial stiffness: augmentation index (AI) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were obtained by applanation tonometry while patients were on a stable medical regimen. Results Mean age was 44 ± 14 y and mean QPV interval was 198 ± 18 msec QPV interval correlated inversely with age (r = − 0.39, p = 0.008), AI (r = − 0.41, p = 0.004), PWV (r = − 0.39, p = 0.007), and aortic pulse pressure (PP) (r = − 0.45, p = 0.002). On multivariate regression analysis, QPV interval was found to be an independent predictor of PWV after adjusting for age (R2 = 0.26, p < 0.001). Conclusion In women with SLE, QPV decreases with age and is inversely related with measures of arterial stiffness. QPV may be useful in identifying SLE patients with higher arterial stiffness in the clinical or research setting. Further larger studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results. Copyright © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Systematic Selection Of Undulator Magnets Using The Techniques Of Simulated Annealing.

The problem of sorting and placement of permanent magnets in undulators is considered. First, the constraints on the electron trajectory imposed by orbital stability and optimal synchrotron radiation output are used to construct a simple 'cost function' . This function describes the deviation of the magnetic field in the device from an ideal , and is dependent upon magnet placement. The cost function is then minimized using a Simulated Annealing algorithm until the optimal arrangement of elements is found. The results of optimization of magnet placement are presented for the particular case of the SSRL Beam Line V Multiundulator 15-period device. The electron path through the device is calculated and compared with a simpler optimization strategy, and with a random (unoptimi zed) magnet arrangement. The simulated annealing optimization strategy is found to offer significant advantages - resulting in a predicted electron trajectory that is close to ideal .
Diagnosis and management of pulmonary arterial hypertension: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

A n expert committee representing multiple disciplines has developed “Diagnosis and Management of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines.” This committee was impaneled at the request of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Health and Science Policy Committee, with the endorsement of the ACCP Board of Regents, who had selected pulmonary hypertension as a priority for evidence-based guideline development in 2001. Ten years ago, the ACCP formed a consensus panel on primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), which provided a well-received and concise general review of the pathobiology, diagnosis, and treatment of PPH. The objective of the current project was to create a guideline broader in scope and more evidence based than the earlier consensus statement. The Duke University Center for Clinical Health Policy Research provided the review and summaries of the current evidence on this subject. The resulting evidence-based recommendations are targeted toward an audience of cardiologists, pulmonologists, rheumatologists, and primary care physicians, as well as other health-care providers who treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Panel Selection and Composition
In VIVO hemodynamic performance of wild-type vs. Mutant zebrafish embryos using high-speed confocal micro-PIV

In developing cardiovascular systems, definite performance comparison between disease and healthy hemodynamics requires quantitative tools to support advanced microscopy. Mutations in the activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) gene are responsible for the autosomal dominant vascular disease, hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia type 2 (HHT2), characterized by high flow arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) [1]. Recent studies show that the zebrafish mutant violet beauregrade (vbg), which harbors a mutation in alk1, develops an abnormal circulation with dilated cranial vessels and AVMs [2]. Quantitative understanding of mechanical influences on the alk1 mutant phenotype will aid treatment of HHT2 patients. Inspired by earlier studies that demonstrate the capability of using confocal micro-PIV technique to quantify biofluid dynamics in vivo [3], primarily in major vessels (dorsal aorta, vitelline veins), the present study focused on secondary branching great vessels of zebrafish embryos where microcirculation flow regimes are different. Furthermore, confocal microscopy, essentially being an imaging modality, requires rigorous validation efforts with respect to the gold standard measurement protocols (such as PIV) and synthetic scan data. Another objective of this work was to document the intra-species differences of wall shear stress (WSS) and flow physics during embryonic development in aortic arch systems of zebrafish [4].Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Halogen exchange between thorium(IV) iodide and carbon(IV) chloride

Abstract The reaction between thorium(IV) iodide and carbon(IV) chloride at 100 or 200° has been shown to provide a carbon(IV) chloride-insoluble product from which thorium(IV) chloride may be separated in high yield. Other reaction products identified include iodine, carbon, and trichloroiodomethane. Studies relating to the composition of the initial carbon(IV) chloride-insoluble product are described and possible interpretations of the experimental data are suggested.
"Wolf-in-Sheep's-Clothing" Strategy of a Predaceous Insect Larva

The larva of the green lacewing Chrysopa slossonae lives in colonies of the wooly alder aphid Prociphilus tesselatus upon which it feeds. It disguises itself as its prey by plucking some of the waxy "wool" from the bodies of the aphids and applying this material to its own back. The investiture protects it from assault by the ants that ordinarily "shepherd" the aphids. Larvae artifically denuded are seized by the ants and removed from the aphid colonies. A larva requires on the average less than 20 minutes to coat itself with wax. A hungry denuded larva gives the coating procedure about the same behavioral priority as feeding.
Maternal diabetes and cardiovascular malformations: predominance of double outlet right ventricle and truncus arteriosus.

Most studies on the relationship of maternal diabetes to cardiovascular malformations (CVM) have been prospective investigations of pregnancy outcome and therefore could not identify associations with rare cardiac lesions. The results of a retrospective study shed new light on the risks of specific cardiac defects in diabetic pregnancies. The Baltimore-Washington Infant Study, a population-based case-control investigation of CVM, provides information on maternal diabetes reported in personal interviews. Among 2259 mothers of cases, 35 (1.5%) reported diabetes present before pregnancy (called “overt”) and 95 (4.2%) reported diabetes only during pregnancy (called “gestational”). Among 2,801 mothers of controls, 14 (0.5%) had overt diabetes and 83 (3.0%) had gestational diabetes. Malformationspecific risks were expressed as odds ratios (OR) with 99.5% confidence intervals (CI). The strongest associations with overt maternal diabetes were found with double outlet right ventricle (OR 21.33; 99.5% CI 3.34, 136.26), and truncus arteriosus (OR 12.81; 99.5% CI 1.43, 114.64). No significant diagnosis-specific associations were found with gestational diabetes. Non-cardiac malformations were present in 23% of infants with CVM whose mothers had overt diabetes and in 26% of infants with CVM whose mother had gestational diabetes, in 32% of infants with CVM whose mothers did not have diabetes, and in 4% of controls. Double outlet right ventricle and truncus arteriosus are malformations dependent upon neural-crest-cell-derived ectomesenchymal tissues; these are precisely the conotruncal abnormalities that result from experimental ablation of the neural crest in chick embryos. The association with diabetes suggests a further etiologic link between these two lesions.
Memory for “mean” over “nice”: The influence of threat on children’s face memory

Adults remember faces of threatening over non-threatening individuals. This memory advantage could be indicative of a system rooted deeply in cognitive evolution to track and remember individuals who have been harmful in the past and therefore might be harmful again. Conversely, adults may have learned through experience that it pays to be vigilant. In the present research, we investigated whether attention to threatening individuals is privileged in young children’s face memory. In Experiment 1, preschool-age children showed a face recognition memory advantage for individuals who were said to have committed harmful rather than helpful actions. In a further experiment, children did not selectively remember individuals who were described as the recipients of these actions, suggesting that the memory enhancement was produced by threat rather than negative valence. Together, these findings provide evidence for an early-developing system for remembering threatening individuals, consistent with an evolutionary account of its origins.
Transcription factor cascades in congenital heart malformation

Abstract New observations reveal that GATA - 4 mutations are one underlying cause of human cardiac septal defects. Recent data has shed light on a potential multiprotein complex formed by GATA-4, TBX5 and NKX2.5, which might act synergistically to transcriptionally regulate other cardiac specific genes. The addition of GATA - 4 to the list of genes involved in human congenital heart malformation prompts consideration of how modern molecular genetic advances should be applied to clinical care.
Cardiovascular effects of inhaled nitric oxide in a canine model of cardiomyopathy.

Abstract Background . The inhalation of nitric oxide (NO) in patients with heart failure decreases pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and is associated with an increase in pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP). The mechanism for this effect remains unclear. Methods . In dogs rapid-paced for 8 weeks to induce cardiac dysfunction, we performed left ventricular pressure-volume analysis of unpaced hearts in situ to determine whether during NO inhalation (80 ppm), the mechanism for the rise in PAWP is due to: 1) primary pulmonary vasodilation; 2) a direct negative inotropic effect; or 3) impairment of ventricular relaxation. Results . Inhalation of NO decreased PVR by 51% ± 3.8% (257 ± 25 vs 127 ± 18 dynes · sec · cm −5 [NO 80 ppm]; p p p p = 0.006). LV peak +dP/dt was unchanged by NO (1,082 ± 105 vs 1,142 ± 111 mm Hg/sec [NO 80 ppm]; p = NS). There was a trend toward a stroke volume increase (17.4 ± 1.2 vs 18.8 ± 1.3 mL; p = NS), but the relaxation time constant and end-diastolic pressure-volume relation were both unchanged. Conclusions . In this canine model of cardiomyopathy, inhaled NO decreases pulmonary vascular resistance. The associated increase in left ventricular filling pressure appears to be secondary to a primary pulmonary vasodilator effect of NO without primary effects on the contractile or relaxation properties of the left ventricle.
The crucible of physician performance reports.

To the Editors:—We all agree that inaccurate physician performance data confuses and obfuscates. It wreaks havoc with reputations, instigates work for internists like Dr. Woo and breeds cynicism about performance reports. These problems are not new. Ten years ago similar reports inaccurately attributed patients to a practice, omitted key data bases while collecting administrative data and used flawed diagnostic algorithms to categorize patients.1 These errors were intrinsic to the report card generation and greatly limited the report cards ability to measure true performance differences between physicians. Nor are these problems limited to health care. New York City teachers decried their reports cards which evaluated student progress and teaching skills of teachers on maternity leaves.2 I wonder if Dr. Woo uncovered systemic problems in how his report card was created. Such errors might have affected many of his California physician colleagues. His work is important as the enthusiasm for report cards on individual physicians3 has far exceeded their precision and reliability, particularly as sample sizes rarely conform to statistical standards.4
Comparison of crystalline thin poly(vinylidene (70%)–trifluoroethylene (30%)) copolymer films with short chain poly(vinylidene fluoride) films

Abstract We compare the photoemission and electron energy loss spectra of crystalline poly(vinylidene-fluoride with trifluoroethylene: 70% : 30%), P(VDF–TrFE), films, fabricated by the Langmuir–Blodgett technique and annealed in vacuum, with in situ thermally evaporated films of poly(vinylidene-fluoride) (PVDF) in vacuum. The electronic structure and vibrational modes of the short chain PVDF films compare well with the crystalline P(VDF–TrFE) films indicating that vacuum annealed films prepared ex situ are free of significant surface contamination once vacuum annealed. The electronic structure for the short chain PVDF films exhibits, however, different temperature dependence than the crystalline P(VDF–TrFE) films.
Behavioral and physiological responses of female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) to various stressful conditions

Stressful life events elicit hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation, which may alter psychological states or behavioral routines. Therefore, the current study focused on the HPA axis response to better understand such manifestations in female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). In Experiment 1, females were stressed for 1 h via one of the four stressors: exposure to a novel environment, immobilization ("plastic mesh"), brief social defeat, or prolonged social defeat. Following a 30-min recovery, the females received a 5-min elevated plus maze (EPM) test and, subsequently, blood was collected to measure plasma corticosterone concentrations. Only immobilization stress induced an anxiety-like behavioral response in the EPM test and elevated plasma corticosterone levels compared to the control groups. Corticosterone concentrations were also significantly elevated following exposure to prolonged social defeat compared to the control conditions, but not after novel environment stress or short social defeat. In Experiment 2, females were exposed to immobilization stress over 1, 3, or 7 days in a daily (predictable; pIMO) or irregular (unpredictable; uIMO) schedule. The biobehavioral stress response in females exposed to pIMO for 3 or 7 days did not differ significantly from controls, suggesting these females habituated. By comparison, females exposed to uIMO over 3 or 7 days did not habituate behaviorally or physiologically, even producing augmented corticosterone levels. In both experiments, positive correlations were found between corticosterone levels and anxiety-like behaviors in the EPM test. Together, our data suggest that the stress response by female prairie voles is dependent on stress intensity, source, previous experience, and predictability. Furthermore, the HPA axis response, as evident by corticosterone levels, is associated with the impact that these factors have on behavioral routine.
Labeling of active neural circuits in vivo with designed calcium integrators

The identification of active neurons and circuits in vivo is a fundamental challenge in understanding the neural basis of behavior. Genetically encoded calcium (Ca(2+)) indicators (GECIs) enable quantitative monitoring of cellular-resolution activity during behavior. However, such indicators require online monitoring within a limited field of view. Alternatively, post hoc staining of immediate early genes (IEGs) indicates highly active cells within the entire brain, albeit with poor temporal resolution. We designed a fluorescent sensor, CaMPARI, that combines the genetic targetability and quantitative link to neural activity of GECIs with the permanent, large-scale labeling of IEGs, allowing a temporally precise "activity snapshot" of a large tissue volume. CaMPARI undergoes efficient and irreversible green-to-red conversion only when elevated intracellular Ca(2+) and experimenter-controlled illumination coincide. We demonstrate the utility of CaMPARI in freely moving larvae of zebrafish and flies, and in head-fixed mice and adult flies.
Effects of Melatonin on Peripheral Reproductive Function: Regulation of Testicular GnIH and Testosterone

Study of seasonal reproduction has focused on the brain. Here, we show that the inhibition of sex steroid secretion can be seasonally mediated at the level of the gonad. We investigate the direct effects of melatonin on sex steroid secretion and gonadal neuropeptide expression in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). PCR reveals starling gonads express mRNA for gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) and its receptor (GnIHR) and melatonin receptors 1B (Mel 1B) and 1C (Mel 1C). We demonstrate that the gonadal GnIH system is regulated seasonally, possibly via a mechanism involving melatonin. GnIH/ GnIHR expression in the testes is relatively low during breeding compared with outside the breeding season. The expression patterns of Mel 1B and Mel 1C are correlated with this expression, and melatonin up-regulates the expression of GnIH mRNA in starling gonads before breeding. In vitro, GnIH and melatonin significantly decrease testosterone secretion from LH/FSH-stimulated testes before, but not during, breeding. Thus local inhibition of sex steroid secretion appears to be regulated seasonally at the level of the gonad, by a mechanism involving melatonin and the gonadal GnIH system.
Free radical chemistry of nitric oxide. Looking at the dark side

Pulmonary cells are both critical sources and targets of toxic reactive species, with the mechanisms of free radical formation and tissue target reactions poorly understood .NO can contribute to novel pathophysiologic reactions that can occur in lungs. The toxicology of inhaled .NO is poorly and incompletely described, and there is a limited mechanistic understanding of the significant contribution of .NO and O 2 . to pulmonary pathologic conditions. Finally, antioxidant defense supplementation will be the most effective when the location and nature of toxic species contributing to tissue injury are revealed, and the antioxidants are site-directed.
Immunoglobulin superfamily proteins: Structure, mechanisms, and drug discovery

We review the recent progress made in our laboratories in structure-based drug design targeting proteins of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF). We will focus on the CD4 protein, which is involved in T cell function, as a specific example of how the general concept and methodologies can be applied. Recent studies of CD4 structure and function have revealed new insight into possible mechanisms for CD4 self-association and its role in binding to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and initiation of T cell activation. This has led to the formulation of a hypothetical model of co-oligomerization of CD4, MHC class II, and T cell receptor (TCR). Such a basic understanding of CD4 structure and mechanisms has aided the development of a new generation of potential immunotherapeutics targeting specific CD4 surface functional sites. The design and discovery of small molecular inhibitors of CD4 and other IgSF proteins, in peptide, peptidomimetic, and nonpeptidic organic forms have opened new avenues for chemical research in which peptide, organic, and more recently combinatorial chemistry techniques can be used to further develop these promising lead analogs into a new generation of effective pharmaceuticals.