cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NESDIS operational sounding products from Polar Orbiting Satellites

Abstract NOAA has been producing vertical temperature and moisture profiles from the TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) since 1979. In 1985, NOAA also began producing vertical temperature profiles from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's (DMSP) SSM/T (Special Sensor Microwave/Temperature) instrument. The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) is NOAA's center of expertise for processing these satellite data. NESDIS carefully monitors and performs quality checks on these data throughout the processing stream. Raw radiance data and the derived products are archived for use by non-real-time users. The raw radiance data are archived completely with suspected data flagged. The derived product archive contains only good data. In the past, vertical temperature data were used primarily in numerical weather prediction (NWP) models. Now, as more research scientists turn to climate modeling, NESDIS is enhancing the archive products to satisfy this new demand. Current modifications include enlarging the file and adding more quality control information.
Residues in the pathway through a membrane transporter

The structure of solute transporters is understood largely from analysis of their amino acid sequences, and more direct information is greatly needed. Here we report work that applies cysteine scanning mutagenesis to describe structure-function relations in UhpT, a bacterial membrane transporter. By using an impermeant SH-reactive agent to probe single-cysteine variants, we show that UhpT transmembrane segment 7 spans the membrane as an alpha-helix and that the central portion of this helix is exposed to both membrane surfaces, forming part of the translocation pathway through this transporter.
Atomic-scale analysis of the solvation thermodynamics of hydrophobic hydration

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to model the transfer thermodynamics of krypton from the gas phase into water. Extra long, nanosecond simulations are required to reduce the statistical uncertainty of the calculated "solvation" enthalpy to an acceptable level. Thermodynamic integration is used to calculate the "solvation" free energy, which together with the enthalpy is used to calculate the "solvation" entropy. A comparison series of simulations are conducted using a single Lennard-Jones sphere model of water to identify the contribution of hydrogen bonding to the thermodynamic quantities. In contrast to the classical "iceberg" model of hydrophobic hydration, the favorable enthalpy change for the transfer process at room temperature is found to be due primarily to the strong van der Waals interaction between the solute and solvent. Although some stabilization of hydrogen bonding does occur in the solvation shell, this is overshadowed by a destabilization due to packing constraints. Similarly, whereas some of the unfavorable change in entropy is attributed to the reduced rotational motion of the solvation shell waters, the major component is due to a decrease in the number of positional arrangements associated with the translational motions.
The sources of liberal-conservative thinking: Education and conceptualization

In this study, I examine two sources of liberal-conservative thinking within the American electorate: Education and level of conceptualization. This analysis differs from previous work in at least two important ways. First, I test the impacts of education and conceptualization simultaneously. Second, I focus on the degree to which people actively use the liberal-conservative continuum to organize their perceptions of the parties and candidates. Empirical analysis of data from the 1984 CPS National Election Study confirms that education and conceptualization have roughly equivalent effects on ideological structuring in political perceptions. I discuss the implications of this finding for the study of mass belief systems and information processing within the American public.
THE ROCKEFELLER REFUGE OIL SPILL: A TEAM APPROACH TO INCIDENT RESPONSE

ABSTRACT Rockefeller Refuge staff identified a potential petroleum pipeline leak on the evening of March 13, 1995. Approximately 40 barrels of condensate oil (API Gravity 40-42) and minimal produced water leaked from the pipeline, affecting 50 acres of brackish marsh. It soon became evident that vehicular traffic, human ingress, and mechanical cleanup procedures were negatively impacting the marsh. Refuge personnel made a verbal request to the United States Coast Guard to apply an in-situ burn to the spill-affected area. A tremendous cooperative effort between industry, state, and federal agencies ensued on March 17, 1995, to develop and implement a written burn plan. Regional Response Team VI approved the burn plan at 2:30 P.M., and the burn was applied to the area at 3:00 P.M. By 5:30 P.M. the in-situ burn had removed condensate oil from approximately 20 acres of spill-affected marsh.
Scaling properties of glycine-rich sequences in guanidine hydrochloride solutions.

The intrinsic polymer properties of glycine-rich sequences are evaluated with a set of iso-1-cytochrome c variants with N-terminal inserts of the sequence (GGGGGK)n for n = 1–5. The thermodynamics and kinetics of His-heme loop formation are measured as a function of guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) concentration for loop sizes ranging from 22 to 46 residues. The scaling exponent for loop formation, ν3, evaluated using the Jacobson-Stockmayer equation is near 1.8, at 1.5 and 3.0 M GdnHCl, but it increases to 2.2 in 6.0 M GdnHCl. Previous work on a set of iso-1-cytochrome c variants with (AAAAAK)n inserts gave ν3 = 2.2 for alanine-rich sequences in both 3.0 and 6.0 M GdnHCl. Chain stiffness was evaluated from the relative magnitude of Flory's characteristic ratio, Cn, for alanine-rich versus glycine-rich sequences. In 3.0 M GdnHCl, Cn(Ala)/Cn(Gly) is 1.6, decreasing to 1.3 in 6.0 M GdnHCl. The data suggest that solvent-backbone interactions dominate polypeptide conformational properties under good solvent conditions whereas side-chain-dependent properties are more important under poor solvent conditions. The results provide a direct experimental assessment in terms of polymer properties of the distinct roles of Gly versus Ala in the folding code.
Structure of the Type III Secretion Effector Protein ExoU in Complex with Its Chaperone SpcU.

Disease causing bacteria often manipulate host cells in a way that facilitates the infectious process. Many pathogenic gram-negative bacteria accomplish this by using type III secretion systems. In these complex secretion pathways, bacterial chaperones direct effector proteins to a needle-like secretion apparatus, which then delivers the effector protein into the host cell cytosol. The effector protein ExoU and its chaperone SpcU are components of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa type III secretion system. Secretion of ExoU has been associated with more severe infections in both humans and animal models. Here we describe the 1.92 A X-ray structure of the ExoU–SpcU complex, a full-length type III effector in complex with its full-length cognate chaperone. Our crystallographic data allow a better understanding of the mechanism by which ExoU kills host cells and provides a foundation for future studies aimed at designing inhibitors of this potent toxin.
CFD Investigation of Room Ventilation for Improved Operation of a Downdraft Table: Novel Concepts

We report a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study of containment of airborne hazardous materials in a ventilated room containing a downdraft table. Specifically, we investigated the containment of hazardous airborne material obtainable under a range of ventilation configurations. The desirable ventilation configuration should ensure excellent containment of the hazardous material released from the workspace above the downdraft table. However, increased airflow raises operation costs, so the airflow should be as low as feasible without compromising containment. The airflow is modeled using Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations with a high Reynolds number k-epsilon turbulence model. CFD predictions are examined for several ventilation configurations. Based on this study, we find that substantial improvements in containment are possible concurrent with reduction in airflow, compared with the existing design of ventilation configuration.
Optics education in an optometric setting

We discuss optics education within the context of an Optometric professional program leading to a degree of Doctor of Optometry (O.D.). Basic course work in Geometric, Physical, Ophthalmic and Visual Optics will be described and we will discuss how basic optical phenomena can be made relevant to the Optometric student with different academic backgrounds.
SHIFTS AND SELF-REVERSED LINES IN THE VUV SPECTRA OF HIGHLY IONIZED ATOMS IN LASER-GENERATED PLASMAS.

Giant pulse Q switched lasers generated plasmas, noting VUV spectral line shifts, asymmetries and existence of satellite lines
Fractionalized Estates in a Centralized Regime: the Holdings of Al-Ashraf Qāytbāy and Qānṣūh Al-Ghawrī According to Their Waqf Deeds

The article examines two cases of estate management from the late Mamlūk period in Egypt: shares in rural properties appropriated from former state lands by Sultans al-Ashraf Qāytbāy (872-901/1468-96) and Qānṣūh al-Ghawrī (906-22/1501-16) as indicated in their charitable endowment (waqf) deeds. Its objectives are: first, to plot the location of these property shares and thereby to determine whether any clustering or other geographic patterns are discernible. What does the location of sites suggest about the concept of property accumulation, the security of rural landholdings in the Delta and Nile Valley, and a proprietor's sense of his holdings as a coherent entity? Second, what are the implications of fractionalized shares for the operations of Egypt's fiscal and land administrative bureaus under the Mamlūk regime? The phenomenon of estate holding by shares facilitated the sultans' attempts to create private sources of revenues they could exploit to ward off bankruptcy in the face of their troops' fiscal demands.
Thin hydroxyapatite layers formed on porous titanium using electrochemical and hydrothermal reaction

In our previous study, it was found that hydroxyapatite (HA) microcrystals were precipitated by hydrothermal treatment on an anodic titanium oxide film containing calcium and phosphorus (AOFCP) with an equivalent Ca/P ratio to HA, which was formed on a titanium metal anode in an aqueous electrolytic solution of dissolved calcium acetate and β-glycerophosphate. In this study, the formation mechanism of the AOFCP has been clarified. Spark discharges, which occur on titanium surface with a large amount of heat generation, cause crystallization of the TiO2 matrix of the AOFCP and incorporation of calcium and phosphorus into the matrix from these electrolytes simultaneously. The calcium and phosphorus in the matrix seem to exist as ions rather than as calcium phosphate. Also, thin HA layers consisting of the many precipitated microcrystals can be uniformly formed even on titanium with complex shapes or surface geometries such as the mesh, roughened surfaces and bead-coated porous coating by the present method.
Regulation of testicular proopiomelanocortin gene expression.

The POMC gene is expressed in testicular Leydig cells, but its mRNA is about 150–200 nucleotides shorter in these cells than in the pituitary. For this reason this testicular mRNA has been termed POMC-like mRNA. The purpose of the present study was to define the ontogeny and regulation of POMC gene expression in rat testis. The level of POMC-like mRNA was very low in the testes of 15- and 20-day-old animals. A dramatic increase in mRNA concentration was observed between 20 and 25 days of age, and maximal levels were detected at 40 days. The ontogeny of testicular POMC gene expression correlates with the reported increases in Leydig cell numbers, immunostainable β-endorphin in Leydig cells, and testicular LH receptors during development. Since these observations suggested that the expression of testicular POMC gene might be influenced by LH, we studied the effect of hypophysectomy and hCG treatment on testicular POMC-like mRNA. Total contents of testicular RNA and POMC-like mRNA decreased in parallel with ...
Epidemiological models of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex infections

The resurgence of tuberculosis in the 1990s and the emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis in the first decade of the 21st century increased the importance of epidemiological models for the disease. Due to slow progression of tuberculosis, the transmission dynamics and its long-term effects can often be better observed and predicted using simulations of epidemiological models. This study provides a review of earlier study on modeling different aspects of tuberculosis dynamics. The models simulate tuberculosis transmission dynamics, treatment, drug resistance, control strategies for increasing compliance to treatment, HIV/TB co-infection, and patient groups. The models are based on various mathematical systems, such as systems of ordinary differential equations, simulation models, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods. The inferences from the models are justified by case studies and statistical analysis of TB patient datasets.
The Determination of Thermal Diffusivities of Thermal Energy Storage Materials: Part II—Molten Salts Beyond the Melting Point

A quasisteady method for measuring the thermal diffusivity of molten salts at temperatures above their melting point is described. Essentially, the difference between the temperature at the surface and at the center of a cylindrical container is measured for a constant rate of surface temperature rise. The liquid, whose thermal diffusivity is to be measured, is contained in a narrow annular groove concentric with the surface. The advantages of this method are: (a) no heat flux measurements are needed; (b) no liquid temperature need be measured; (c) theoretically assumed boundary conditions can be experimentally realized; (d) absence of convection can be experimentally verified. Results of measurements are reported for liquid lithium fluoride and sodium nitrate. The results for sodium nitrate agree with previously published results. The thermal conductivity of lithium fluoride can be empirically expressed in terms of the melting point, the molecular weight and the density, as k = 0.9Tm1/2ρm2/3M−7/6
Porous Behavior and Dielectric Properties of Barium Strontium Titanate Synthesized by Sol−Gel Method in the Presence of Triethanolamine

This investigation presents a novel method of preparation of barium strontium titanate (BST) from [Ba(2,4-pentadionate)-Sr(2,4-pentadionate)-Ti(OC3H7)4-TEA-i-PrOH-water] system. Triethanolamine (TEA) was used as an additive, which prevents the precipitation of oxides from the alcoholic titanium isopropoxide solution in the presence of excess water. An increasing molar ratio of water from 4.5 to 6.5 did not show any precipitation in the precursor sols in the presence of triethanolamine. Thermal behavior of the xerogel was studied by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that the pure BST phase was crystallized at 900 °C. Triethanolamine was observed to influence the porous behavior of the final powders. Pore diameter of the powder calcined at 900 °C, was increased from 0.013 μm to 0.080 μm when the molar ratio of triethanolamine increased from zero to four. Therefore, a porous powder of BST was obtained at a higher molar ratio of triethanolamine. Porous behavior was also stu...
The Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Syndecan Is an In Vivo Ligand for the Drosophila LAR Receptor Tyrosine Phosphatase

Background: Receptor tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) are essential for axon guidance and synaptogenesis in Drosophila. Each guidance decision made by embryonic motor axons during outgrowth to their muscle targets requires a specific subset of the five neural RPTPs. The logic underlying these requirements, however, is still unclear, partially because the ligands recognized by RPTPs at growth cone choice points have not been identified. RPTPs in general are still “orphan receptors” because, while they have been found to interact in vitro with many different proteins, their in vivo ligands are unknown. Results: Here we use a new type of deficiency screen to identify the transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan Syndecan (Sdc) as a ligand for the neuronal RPTP LAR. LAR interacts with the glycosaminoglycan chains of Syndecan in vitro with nanomolar affinity. Genetic interaction studies using Sdc and Lar LOF mutations demonstrate that Sdc contributes to LAR’s function in motor axon guidance. We also show that overexpression of Sdc on muscles generates the same phenotype as overexpression of LAR in neurons and that genetic removal of LAR suppresses the phenotype produced by ectopic muscle Sdc. Finally, we show that there is at least one additional, nonproteoglycan, ligand for LAR encoded in the genome. Conclusions: Taken together, our results demonstrate that Sdc on muscles can interact with neuronal LAR in vivo and that binding to Sdc increases LAR’s signaling efficacy. Thus, Sdc is a ligand that can act in trans to positively regulate signal transduction through LAR within neuronal growth cones.
Automated Gene-Retrieval System for Biological Information Needs

In this day and age, conducting a biological experiment is presumably a very expensive procedure largely owing to the highly sophisticated and expensive equipment necessitated by the process. Conceivably, being capable of isolating and focusing on a smaller set of imperative genes or gene products that are of high relevance to the experiment, pathway, or biological system under investigation is very desirable largely owing to the potential savings in experimental costs. In this work, we propose an intelligent information system capable of generating a ranked list of genes and gene products that are most pertinent to a given biological pathway, experiment or system (referred to as a biological context henceforth). We assume that the biological context of interest can be described by various textual query terms and phrases from the biological domain which, in turn, relate to various molecular functions, biological processes and cellular components of genes and their products. Intelligent text-based analyses and mining are utilised for this purpose by using the published literature, in the form of publication abstracts downloaded from PubMed, with the intention of ranking genes and gene products having identified relationships to the specified description terms based on the gene ontology (GO) standard. At this stage, our approach is capable of producing promising results given all surrounding restrictions, one of which is the lack of similar work in the literature. For demonstration purposes, we report experimental results on the molting regulation pathway in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly).
Fiber-coupled laser-induced breakdown and Raman spectroscopy for flexible sample characterization with depth profiling capabilities

Abstract A combined laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and Raman spectroscopy system for depth profile analyses is presented. The system incorporates a single 532 nm laser source, which is delivered through an optical fiber to the sample site. The homogenized laser beam results in well-defined cylindrical craters with diameters of 100 μm. LIBS depth profiling analyses of metals was performed applying pulse energies of about 1 mJ. The application of up to 500 pulses allowed to drill through layers of several tens of microns, while observing sharp transitions at the layer interfaces. The capability of the system for Raman spectroscopy was investigated for various polymer samples by reducing the pulse energies below the respective ablation threshold. A combined Raman/LIBS depth profiling was applied to a polymer-coated metal. Additionally, the capability of the system for calibration-free LIBS quantification (CF-LIBS) was evaluated. Quantification of major elements in metallic reference materials showed good agreement with the certified values with relative deviations of less than 30%. Finally, the optimized system was applied for depth profiling and elemental composition analysis of ancient Roman bronze rings. Overall, the presented setup combines the high flexibility of a fiber-coupled system with Raman and micro-LIBS, making the system interesting for depth profiling and elemental quantification in archaeometric as well as industrial applications.
Situation analysis for driver assistance systems at urban intersections

Intersections are one major accident location type. This paper presents a situation analysis that combines a driver intent prediction and probabilistic reachable sets to determine the criticality of a scene. The intent prediction algorithm is presented and its evaluation in a study in real world driving. It is explained how the reachable sets are calculated and the collision probability is defined. These approaches use detailed digital maps and a graph based environmental model to perceive these complex situations.
Oral Agents in Cancer Treatment: The Context for Adherence

Objectives To review oral agents approved for cancer, discuss their mechanism of action and/or molecular targets, and outline side effects and challenges that impact adherence. Data Sources Peer reviewed literature and on-line drug information. Conclusion Oral agents to treat cancer, although not new, are common and increasing dramatically. The context of adherence to oral agents is complicated by increased knowledge of food-drug interactions and combinations of agents with overlapping or synergistic toxicity profiles. Implications for Nursing Practice The role of nursing in the administration and education of oral cancer treatments is critical to optimal treatment outcomes.
Progesterone potentiates calcium release through IP3 receptors by an Akt-mediated mechanism in hippocampal neurons.

Progesterone (P4) is a steroid hormone that plays multiple roles in the central nervous system (CNS) including promoting neuroprotection. However, the precise mechanisms involved in its neuroprotective effects are still unknown. Given that the regulation of the intracellular calcium (Ca2+) concentration is critical for cell survival, we determined if inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) are relevant targets of P4. Using primary hippocampal neurons, we tested the hypothesis that P4 controls the gain of IP3R-mediated intracellular Ca2+ signaling in neurons and characterized the subcellular distribution and phosphorylation of potential signaling intermediates involved in P4s actions. Our results reveal that P4 treatment altered the intensity and distribution of IP3R immunoreactivity and induced the nuclear translocation of phosphorylated Akt. Further, P4 potentiated IP3R-mediated intracellular Ca2+ responses. These results suggest a potential involvement of P4 in particular and of steroid hormone signaling pathways in general in the control of intracellular Ca2+ signaling and its related functions.
Aggregates and their distributions determined from LOPC observations made using an autonomous profiling float

Abstract The vertical flux of particles in the ocean drives the movement of organic carbon to the deep ocean. We have been studying the distribution and flux of these particles using the SOLOPC, a profiling Lagrangian (SOLO) float with a Laser Optical Particle Counter (LOPC). We have been able to distinguish between aggregate-like and zooplankton-like particles with diameters > 2 mm but needed a way to separate the smaller particles into aggregates and zooplankton. Observations included a lognormal-shaped fraction in the normalized volume distribution similar to that observed in results for simulations of particles in the euphotic zone. By fitting a lognormal distribution to the volume spectrum of particles with diameters ≤ 2 mm , we have been successful at making a separation of marine snow material from other, presumably living, particles. The particle volumes derived using the separations are positively correlated with fluorescence, particulate organic carbon, and the volume of larger particles classified as aggregate-like, which supports the conclusion that these particles are truly aggregates, in some cases derived from phytoplankton. The residual volumes (total less the above fit) are highly correlated with the volumes of large, zooplankton-like particles. Downward velocities of the aggregate fraction calculated from time series of particle profiles are consistent with previous estimates of particle settling rates ( 20 – 70 m d − 1 ) . We now have a tool to estimate aggregate distributions, properties, and vertical fluxes in the euphotic zone, including when and where they change.
Nonlinear second order equations with applications to partial differential equations

where A and B are (usually unbounded) linear operators in a Banach space. These problems arise often in the study of partial differential equations. As is usual we control a nonlinear perturbation (possibly involving spatial derivatives) by the linear terms, which contain higher order spatial derivatives. But contrary to the usual method of reducing the problem to a first order system in some “energy” norm space (as in [9, 5]), we use the factoring method of [lo]. This method allows the equation to be written as an integral equation containing a double integral involving the nonlinearity, reflecting the fact that the equation is second order. There are several advantages to this approach which will be illustrated fully in the examples. First, we show that the equation is locally well posed if (loosely) the nonlinearity satisfies the local Lipschitz condition
The antiferromagnetic Potts model in two dimensions: Berker-Kadanoff phase, antiferromagnetic transition, and the role of Beraha numbers

Abstract Using methods of integrable systems and conformal field theory, we study the Q -state Potts model on the square lattice with e K real. We discover a surprisingly rich phase diagram that involves, besides the usual ferromagnetic critical line, an antiferromagnetic critical line and a Berker-Kadanoff phase (i.e., a massless low-temperature phase with coupling-independent exponents) that has singularities at the Baraha numbers (including Q integer) Q = 4cos 2 π / n . Critical properties are derived; we show in particular that the Q = 4cos 2 π / δ antiferromagnetic critical Potts model is in the “Z δ−2 ” universality class with c = 2−6/ δ . Extensions to other lattices are considered. We discuss the consequences of our results on the coloring problem and the Beraha conjecture. Three appendices deal with the geometrical interpretation of the Temperley-Lieb algebra and U q sl(2) symmetry in the Potts and associated loops model, and with the vertex-Potts model correspondence in systems with free boundary conditions.
Pure numbers, invariants and symmetry in the evolution of life histories

Certain dimensionless numbers related to life histories are approximately conserved within some taxa; this suggests that the underlying life-history tradeoffs satisfy yet-to-be-discovered symmetry principles. Some possible examples are discussed.
Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy in patients with sleep apnea while being treated with continuous positive airway pressure

Purpose To report three cases of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) that occurred in patients with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) while being treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Design A prospective, noncomparative case series. Methods Prospective review of 108 patients with NAION diagnosed between 2002 and 2003 to identify any patients who developed NAION while being treated for SAS with CPAP. Results One patient had bilateral sequential NAION and two patients had unilateral NAION despite treatment with CPAP for SAS. All the patients were being treated with CPAP for a period ranging from 4 months to 6 years before the onset of NAION. Conclusions In this series, CPAP did not prevent the development of NAION in SAS patients. Larger observational studies are needed to study the benefit of CPAP in preventing NAION in patients with SAS.
The nature of the pi1 colour mechanism of W.S. Stiles.

The ppi1 colour mechanism was isolated by means of Stile's auxiliary field technique: that it is pi1 which is isolated is proven by both test and field action spectra. 2. The fundamental mechanisms of human trichromatic colour vision must satisfy Grassman's law of additivity. The hypothesis that pi1 is one of the three fundamentals is tested by experiments in which pairs (u1, u2) of monochromatic adapting fields are mixed 3. When two fields with wave-lengths in the neighbourhood of its primary mode (mu1, mu2 less than or equal to 500 nm) are combined, pi1 is field-additive, consistent with the hypothesis that this portion of the pi1 action spectrum is that of the short-wave-length-sensitive photoreceptors. 4. When a short-wave-length adaptation field (mu1 less than or equal to 500 nm) is mixed with a longer wave-length field (mu2 greater than or equal 550 nm) i1 is strongly non-additive. This result proves that the long-wave-length portion of the pi1 field spectrum is generated at least in part by a signal originating in the long- or middle-wave-length sensitive cones. 5. Analysis of the additivity failures supports a model of pi1 in which the signal to be detected is generated in the short-wave-length cones, and must pass serially through two gain stages: the gain in the first stage is controlled by the short-wave-length cones alone; the gain in the second stage is controlled by a signal originating in the middle, or long-wave-length cones, or both.
Cellular Basis for Response Diversity in the Olfactory Periphery

An emerging idea in olfaction is that temporal coding of odor specificity can be intrinsic to the primary olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). As a first step towards understanding whether lobster ORNs are capable of generating odor-specific temporal activity and what mechanisms underlie any such heterogeneity in discharge pattern, we characterized different patterns of activity in lobster ORNs individually and ensemble using patch-clamp recording and calcium imaging. We demonstrate that lobster ORNs show tonic excitation, tonic inhibition, phaso-tonic excitation, and bursting, and that these patterns are faithfully reflected in the calcium signal. We then demonstrate that the various dynamic patterns of response are inherent in the cells, and that this inherent heterogeneity is largely determined by heterogeneity in the underlying intrinsic conductances.
A GIS-based landslide susceptibility evaluation using bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses

Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were used to predict the spatial distribution of landslides in the Cuyahoga River watershed, northeastern Ohio, U.S.A. The relationship between landslides and various instability factors contributing to their occurrence was evaluated using a Geographic Information System (GIS) based investigation. A landslide inventory map was prepared using landslide locations identified from aerial photographs, field checks, and existing literature. Instability factors such as slope angle, soil type, soil erodibility, soil liquidity index, landcover pattern, precipitation, and proximity to stream, responsible for the occurrence of landslides, were imported as raster data layers in ArcGIS, and ranked using a numerical scale corresponding to the physical conditions of the region. In order to investigate the role of each instability factor in controlling the spatial distribution of landslides, both bivariate and multivariate models were used to analyze the digital dataset. The logistic regression approach was used in the multivariate model analysis. Both models helped produce landslide susceptibility maps and the suitability of each model was evaluated by the area under the curve method, and by comparing the maps with the known landslide locations. The multivariate logistic regression model was found to be the better model in predicting landslide susceptibility of this area. The logistic regression model produced a landslide susceptibility map at a scale of 1:24,000 that classified susceptibility into four categories: low, moderate, high, and very high. The results also indicated that slope angle, proximity to stream, soil erodibility, and soil type were statistically significant in controlling the slope movement.
Simulation Of Cultural Scenes For Passive Infrared Sensors

A set of electromagnetic, thermal and shaded computer graphics models that form the basis for passive infra-red band imagery simulations are presented. Pertinent theory is also reviewed. Applications of the simulation system are illustrated graphically with plots and simulated imagery for a typical infrared sensor system. The simulation system presented here represents a significant improvement in IR modeling in terms of scene realism and total simulation flexibility. This approach uses a geometric scene, environment, and sensor that are each functionally separate in models.
Recognition of glycoprotein peroxidase via Con A-carrying self-assembly layer on gold.

We have successfully fabricated a self-assembled layer of concanavalin A (Con A) on a gold surface for recognition of glycoproteins. The type IV Con A is covalently bound to 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) on gold with a 2-(5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboximido)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate (TNTU) linkage. The binding interaction between glycoproteins and self-assembled Con A is studied using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as a model glycoprotein. Voltammetric, electrochemical impedance studies, and photometric activity measurements show the presence of both specific and nonspecific bindings of HRP to the Con A interface. The specific binding is attributed to the Con A−sugar interaction where Con A selectively recognizes the glycosylation sites of HRP. The catalytic current of the HRP-loaded electrode, because of catalytic oxidation of thionine in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), is found to be proportional to the HRP concentrations in the incubation solution. A linear correlation coeffic...
Activin-A in Myometrium : Characterization of the Actions on Myometrial Cells

Activin is a pleiotropic growth factor with a broad pattern of tissue distribution that includes reproductive tissues. Although direct actions of activin have been described in gonadalanduterinetissues,actionsinthemyometriumhavenot been defined. In this study we have characterized the responsiveness of uterine tissue and myometrial cell lines to activin-A. Uterine tissue and two myometrial cell lines, PHM1 (pregnant human myometrial 1) and hTERT HM (telomerase reverse transcriptase-infected human myometrial) respond toactivin-AasmeasuredbyphosphorylationofSmad-2.Those cell lines express a full complement of activin receptors, as well as activin A subunit and follistatin. Activin inhibited proliferation of PHM1 and human telomerase reverse transcriptase-infected human myometrial cell line cells, with more extensive growth inhibition observed in PHM1s. In PHM1s, activin-A decreased oxytocin receptor and HoxA-10 mRNA expression but did not alter total progesterone receptor, cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2), and connexin 43 mRNA expressionlevels.Furthermore,treatmentofPHM1myometrialcells with activin-A attenuated oxytocin and thromboxaneA2 induced intracellular Ca 2 accumulation. In conclusion, myometrial cells are activin sensitive, and activin-A can regulate myometrial cell functions. (Endocrinology 149: 2506–2516, 2008)
Investigation of the reaction kinetics of isolated Lewis acid sites in Beta zeolites for the Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley reduction of methyl levulinate to γ-valerolactone

Abstract We investigate the reaction kinetics of the Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley (MPV) reduction of methyl levulinate (ML) to 4-hydroxypentanoates and subsequent lactonization to γ-valerolactone (GVL) catalyzed by Lewis acid zeolites. Reaction kinetics studies show a first-order dependence on ML and 2-butanol, confirm that the hydride shift is the rate-limiting step, and support a dual-binding mechanism on a single Lewis acid site. All catalysts generate GVL with selectivities >97%, with Hf-Beta exhibiting the highest activity in the temperature range of 393–453 K. Sn-, Zr-, and Hf-Beta show apparent activation energies of ca. 52 kJ mol −1 , which is significantly lower than that of Ti-Beta (69 kJ mol −1 ). Secondary alcohols consistently exhibit higher reaction rates than primary alcohols with lower apparent activation energies. Increasing polarity of the hydrogen donor leads to a decrease in reaction rates. The experimental data are used to build a kinetic model for the MPV reaction in a tubular packed-bed reactor.
Electroproduction of slow pions on nuclei and giant resonance vibrations

Abstract The (e, e′π) reaction at high momentum transfer on light nuclei is show to excite Jπ = 0− spin-isospin vibrations preferentially, thus allowing for their experimental observation.
Requirement for BDNF in Activity-Dependent Survival of Cortical Neurons

Cultured embryonic cortical neurons from rats were used to explore mechanisms of activity-dependent neuronal survival. Cell survival was increased by the activation of voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCCs) but not by activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors. These effects correlated with the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) induced by these two classes of calcium channels. Antibodies to BDNF (which block intracellular signaling by BDNF, but not by nerve growth factor, NT3, or NT4/5) reduced the survival of cortical neurons and reversed the VSCC-mediated increase in survival. Thus, endogenous BDNF is a trophic factor for cortical neurons whose expression is VSCC-regulated and that functions in the VSCC-dependent survival of these neurons.
A fast, wide-range, time-to-height conversion system

Abstract A time-to-height conversion system has been developed which is useful for measuring time intervals from 10 ps to 200 μs. When driven by a mercury-relay pulse generator through appropriate fixed delays, the resolution of the system, FWHM, is 6 ps, the apparent time shift with temperature is less than 2 ps/°C, and the integral linearity is within ± 1%. The apparent time distribution through a type-58 AVP photo-multiplier tube driven by a mercury relay light pulser was less than 0.3 ns at a fixed light level equivalent to 10 3 photoelectrons per pulse. The apparent time shift was less than 0.5 ns for variations from 10 2 to 10 4 photoelectrons per pulse.
Clinical practice. Screening for osteoporosis.

At her annual visit, a 60-year-old woman asks her physician whether she should have a bone-density test to screen for osteoporosis. The patient went through menopause at the age of 52 years and received postmenopausal hormone therapy for four years. She takes 500 mg of calcium twice daily and exercises regularly. She has no personal history of fractures, but her mother had a hip fracture at the age of 82. Her height is 63 in. and her weight is 120 lb. What should her physician advise?
Invariant U2 snRNA Nucleotides Form a Stem Loop to Recognize the Intron Early in Splicing

U2 snRNA-intron branchpoint pairing is a critical step in pre-mRNA recognition by the splicing apparatus, but the mechanism by which these two RNAs engage each other is unknown. Here, we identify a U2 snRNA structure, the branchpoint-interacting stem loop (BSL), which presents the U2 nucleotides that will contact the intron. We provide evidence that the BSL forms prior to interaction with the intron and is disrupted by the DExD/H protein Prp5p during engagement of the snRNA with the intron. In vitro splicing complex assembly in a BSL-destabilized mutant extract suggests that the BSL is required at a previously unrecognized step between commitment complex and prespliceosome formation. The extreme evolutionary conservation of the BSL suggests that it represents an ancient structural solution to the problem of intron branchpoint recognition by dynamic RNA elements that must serve multiple functions at other times during splicing.
Acute Post-Surgical Pain Management: A Critical Appraisal of Current Practice

The Acute Pain Summit 2005 was convened to critically examine the perceptions of physicians about current methods used to control postoperative pain and to compare those perceptions with the available scientific evidence. Clinicians with expertise in treatment of postsurgical pain were asked to evaluate 10 practice-based statements. The statements were written to reflect areas within the field of acute-pain management, where significant questions remain regarding everyday practice. Each statement made a specific claim about the usefulness of a specific therapy (eg, PCA or epidural analgesia) or the use of pain-control modalities in specific patient populations (eg, epidural analgesia after colon resection). Members of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) were asked, via a Web-based survey, to rate their degree of agreement with each of the 10 statements; 22.8% (n = 632) of members responded. In preparation for the pain summit, a panel member independently conducted a literature search and summarized the available evidence relevant to each statement. Summit participants convened in December 2005. The assigned panel member presented the available evidence, and workshop participants then assigned a category for the level of evidence and recommendation for each statement. All participants then voted about each statement by use of the same accept/reject scale used earlier by ASRA members. This manuscript details those opinions and presents a critical analysis of the existing evidence supporting new and emerging techniques used to control postsurgical pain.
Socialism: A property or knowledge problem?

In a series of recent articles in The Review of Austrian Economics, Joseph Salerno began to de-homogenize the often conflated economic and social theories of Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich A. Hayek. In particular, he has shown that their views on socialism are distinctly different, and he has argued in effect that Mises's original argument in the so-called socialist calculation debate was correct all along and was also the final word, whereas Hayek's distinct contribution to the debate was fallacious from the outset, and merely added confusion. The following note will provide additional support to Salerno's thesis. Mises's well-known calculation argument states this: If there is no private property in land and other production factors, then there can also be no market prices for them. Hence, economic calculation, i.e., the comparison, in light of current prices, of anticipated revenue, and expected cost expressed in terms of a common medium of exchange-money-(thus permitting cardinal accounting operations), is literally impossible. Therefore, socialism's fatal error is the absence of private property in land and production factors, and, by implication, the absence of economic calculation. For Hayek, socialism's problem is not a lack of property but a lack of knowledge. His distinctly own thesis is altogether different from Mises's.' For Hayek, the ultimate flaw of socialism is the fact that knowledge, in particular "the knowledge of the
Inverse boundary traction reconstruction with the bem

Abstract A boundary integral formulation is presented for the solution of the inverse elastostatics problem (IESP) of reconstructing missing boundary tractions in two-dimensional structural members. Traction reconstruction may involve the determination of the location of the traction distribution in addition to its extent and amplitude. The missing boundary tractions are rebuilt from measured quantities such as displacements, strains or stresses. These quantities may be obtained from sensors located at some internal or boundary points of the object. The proposed formulation starts with an initial guess for the magnitude, extent and location of the missing boundary tractions and proceeds towards the final traction distribution in a sequence of iterative steps. The inverse problem is written as an optimization problem with the objective function being the sum of the squares of the differences between the measured quantities at each sensor location and the corresponding computed quantities for the assumed boundary traction distribution. The constraints that the missing traction distribution lies within a certain portion of the boundary of the object are imposed. This is done using the step retraction and inverse penalty function approach in which the objective function is augmented by the constraint equations using a penalty parameter. The unknown traction distribution and its location are defined in terms of load and geometric parameters, and the sensitivities with respect to these parameters are obtained in the boundary element framework using the implicit differentiation approach. A series of numerical examples involving the reconstruction of linear, parabolic and trigonometric boundary tractions, respectively, are solved using the present approach. The effect of Gaussian errors in the sensors is also studied. Good reconstruction of the missing boundary tractions is obtained for the examples studied. The advantages of the present boundary element formulation over the corresponding finite element formulations are also outlined.
Microbiome in human health and disease.

Metagenomic studies have truly revolutionised biology and medicine, and changed the way we study genomics. As genome sequencing becomes cheaper, it is being applied to study complex metagenomes. ‘M...
Financial crises, Asian stock indices, and current accounts: An Asian-U.S. comparative study.

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of financial crises-based exchange rate, real interest rate, and personal consumption expenditure on stock market indices and balances of current account in four Asian countries/areas, and the U.S. from 1997 to 2010. Results obtained from Sims's first-order DSGE representation suggest that two policy variables – changes in the exchange rate and changes in the real interest rate lagged by one quarter – act as stabilizers for contemporaneous changes in stock indices for Thailand, Malaysia, and the U.S., but as destabilizers for Taiwan and Hong Kong. However, changes in personal consumption expenditure lagged by one quarter only play a destabilizing role in Hong Kong. For contemporaneous changes in the current account balance, all three policy variables become destabilizers for all five countries except the one-quarter lagged change in real interest rate, which acts as a stabilizer in Malaysia.
Is transplantation tolerable

To test the hypothesis that chronic stimulation of T cells with a weak agonistic antigen will generate regulatory T cells and immune tolerance, a study reported in this issue employed the redesign of a minor histocompatibility antigen. Using knowledge of residues at which the antigen contacts the T cell receptor, a weak agonist was produced. Pretreatment with this altered antigen produced transplant tolerance, generation of regulatory T cells, and a loss of many antigen-reactive T cells.