cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phylogeny of Insects

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the different sources of evidence for the phylogenies. Well-founded and less well-founded traditional, even refuted, relationships are discussed, and if resolution appears to be lacking, this inadequacy is identified. Insects belong to arguably the most successful major lineage of the phylum Arthropoda, the joint-legged animals. The latter clade comprises myriapods (centipedes, millipedes, and their relatives), chelicerates (horseshoe crabs and arachnids), crustaceans (crabs, shrimps, and relatives), and hexapods (the six-legged arthropods, Insecta, and their relatives). Lobopods (onychophorans) sometimes have been included, but now almost universally are considered to lie outside of Arthropoda. Although traditionally each major arthropod group has been considered monophyletic, most have been suspected of non-monophyly by at least a few investigators. Results of molecular analyses have provided frequent challenges, particularly in suggesting the possible paraphyly of myriapods and of crustaceans. Ideas concerning the phylogenetic relationships among the major taxa of arthropods, and the included insects, are dynamic. Although there is a single evolutionary history, efforts to uncover this phylogeny vary between different researchers, techniques, and character systems studied. No technique or character system alone can guarantee to reveal the true relationships of the studied taxa; in actuality, convergent (homoplastic) similarity that confuses relationships is common to all data. The evidence behind traditional systems, representing perhaps the thorough understanding of a single character system rather than an integration of all knowledge, sometimes cannot withstand detailed scrutiny. Molecular sequence data often appear to overturn previous ideas derived from morphological interpretation but may be misleading due to undersampling, unrecognized sampling of alternative gene duplicates (paralogs), and/or inappropriate analyses.
Risk factors for desaturation after tonsillectomy

Objectives/Hypothesis To identify clinical risk factors for oxygen desaturation in the first 24 hours post-tonsillectomy, thus permitting the identification of those patients who warrant inpatient monitoring. Study Design A retrospective analysis of 4092 consecutive patients undergoing tonsillectomy over a two-year period. Methods Detailed clinical data were recorded for all patients who desaturated in the postoperative period (n = 294) and randomly selected controls (n = 368). Univariate and Multivariate analysis was performed in order to identify independent risk factors for desaturation. Results There were 294/4092 patients (7.2%) who experienced desaturations (defined as sustained saturations <90%) in the first 24 hours postoperatively (mean nadir, 78.7%). Multivariate analysis identified seven independent clinical risk factors for desaturation in the initial 24 hours post-tonsillectomy: trisomy 21, weight, coexistent cardiac disease, a coexistent syndromic diagnosis, a clinical diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a coexistent neurologic diagnosis, and a prior diagnosis of pulmonary disease. A policy that admits all patients exhibiting any one of these risk factors except OSA would have identified 92% of the patients who subsequently desaturated. However, such a policy would also have required admission of 60% of the patients in our control group. Conclusions These findings are generally consistent with the Clinical Practice Guidelines recently published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology. In a tertiary care center, it may not be possible to identify an algorithm that admits all children at risk of desaturation while permitting the discharge of a high percentage of patients. Level of Evidence 3b. Laryngoscope, 123:2554–2560, 2013
Retirement Assets to a Surviving Spouse – Rollovers and Portability are Your First Choice

This article examines the pros and cons of naming either a spouse or a trust for a spouse as the beneficiary of a retirement account. It integrates income tax planning with estate planning and recommends arrangements that will produce the best overall outcome.Rollovers can pose challenges. For couples in a second marriage, there is no way to assure that the surviving spouse will leave any remaining rollover assets to the children of the deceased spouse’s prior marriage. An estate tax problem is that the rollover assets could inflate the size of the surviving spouse’s taxable estate. Thus, estate planners might recommend a QTIP trust or a credit-shelter/bypass trust. The income tax problem caused by naming a trust for a spouse as the beneficiary of a retirement account is that the required minimum distribution (“RMD”) laws will usually require the account to be liquidated over the surviving spouse’s remaining life expectancy. The implication for the 50% of surviving spouses who live longer than their original projected life expectancy: the tax laws will require the inherited retirement account to be completely liquidated while they are still alive and at a time when they might need money to pay medical or long-term care expenses. By comparison, a rollover of a deceased’s spouse’s account to a surviving spouse allows ample resources to remain in the account for the surviving spouse’s entire lifetime because of much smaller RMDs. The article then examines how the new “portability” estate tax law permits married couples to get the income tax advantage of a rollover and avoid the estate tax problem. For elderly couples and for couples in a second marriage, the article demonstrates how a two-generation charitable remainder trust can do for retirement assets what a credit-shelter/bypass trust does for conventional assets.
Transient hyperlipidemia in a litter of kittens.

Objective To describe an entire litter of kittens with severe hyperlipidemia and subsequent successful, low-cost treatment that included high protein enteral support and parasite control. Previous case studies of similarly affected kittens have focused on a genetic etiology and on advanced interventions. The role of negative energy balance and additional factors influencing hyperlipidemia, as well as treatment and prognosis are discussed. Case Summary Three of 6 kittens died or were euthanized due to severe clinical signs attributable to multiorgan failure associated with subacute hyperlipidemia. The remaining 3 kittens, although subclinical, were found to have similar biochemical abnormalities, including severe anemia and hypertriglyceridemia. Flea treatment and weaning with assisted enteral support prevented the worsening of clinical signs and returned biochemical parameters to within reference intervals. Unique Information Provided Transient hyperlipidemia in kittens has been previously reported and successfully treated with administration of oxygen, blood transfusion, and diet change; these treatment recommendations may not always be financially feasible, resulting in euthanasia of affected kittens. In contrast, this report describes a successful, low-cost, outpatient approach of flea control, weaning, and introduction of a high protein enteral diet. It also highlights the importance of screening and treating seemingly unaffected littermates, provides new, previously unreported biochemical and histopathology findings, and proposes that negative energy balance is a significant factor in the development of transient hyperlipidemia in kittens.
Applications Panel: Agents Applied to Autonomous Vehicles

In order to make an unmanned vehicle drive truly autonomously, many different software components are needed. Each of these components is tasked with providing a particular function that is necessary to accomplish the ultimate goal of autonomous driving. Typical functions include perception, sensory processing, world modeling, planning, route following, behavior generation and value judgment. Each component can be seen as an individual agent, and the entire system can be viewed as an agent architecture. The agent architecture that is the focus of this paper is the RCS Control System (RCS) [1] developed in the Intelligent Systems Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Transgenic Analysis of a Hybrid Poplar Wound-Inducible Promoter Reveals Developmental Patterns of Expression Similar to That of Storage Protein Genes

The wound-inducible win3 multigene family from hybrid poplars (Populus trichocarpa x Populus deltoides) encodes proteins with structural similarities with Kunitz-type protease inhibitors (H.D. Bradshaw Jr., J.B. Hollick, T.J. Parsons, H.R.G. Clarke, M.P. Gordon [1990] Plant Mol Biol 14: 51-59), and at least one member, win3.12, is transcribed de novo in the injured and uninjured leaves of wounded trees (J.B. Hollick, M.P. Gordon [1993] Plant Mol Biol 22: 561-572). A previous study demonstrated that 1352 bp of 5' flanking DNA from the win3.12 gene confers local wound-regulated expression of the beta-glucuronidase gene in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi n.c.) (J.B. Hollick, M.P. Gordon [1993] Plant Mol Biol 22: 561-572). We extend this transgenic analysis here by examining the developmental regulation and systemic wound induction conferred by the same transgene construct in tobacco. Biochemical and histochemical surveys of beta-glucuronidase activity are described for four, independent transgenic lines. The observed spatial and temporal expression patterns coincide with dormant storage tissues and with previously described expression patterns for both seed and vegetative storage protein genes. Developmental northern blot analysis of win3 RNA levels in poplar seeds confirms that proper temporal expression of the reporter gene is maintained during tobacco seed maturation. These results demonstrate that a putative Kunitz-type protease inhibitor can be wound inducible in addition to being expressed in developing seeds.
Attachment to Parents, Social Anxiety, and Close Relationships of Female Students over the Transition to College

The current study examined the process by which attachment to parents influences satisfaction with and ease in forming friendships at college. One hundred seventy-two female college freshmen completed a measure of parental attachment security the summer before their first semester of college (July 2006) and measures to assess satisfaction with and ease in forming close relationships at the end of their first semester (December 2006). Students ranged in age from 18 to 20 years (M = 18.09, SD = 0.33) and were diverse in their racial makeup (30% racial minority). Consistent with predictions derived from attachment theory, secure attachment to parents was positively associated with ease in forming friendships among racial minority and white participants and satisfaction with friendships among minority participants. Moreover, indirect effects of parental attachment security on relationship outcomes through social anxiety were significant for minority participants but not for white participants. Findings may be useful in the development of retention programs targeted at incoming university freshmen, particularly minority students.
Koilocytotic atypia in Papanicolaou smears. Reproducibility and biopsy correlations.

BACKGROUND It would be useful if cervical smears containing koilocytes alone could be reliably separated from those containing other forms of nuclear atypia within the spectrum of low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and that this separation was predictive of differences in biopsy follow-up. In this article, the authors sought to test this possibility. METHODS Consecutive smears diagnosed as LSIL from 140 patients who had follow-up colposcopic biopsies were reviewed independently by three observers. The inter- and intraobserver reproducibility in diagnosing smears with koilocytes alone was assessed by the kappa statistic. Comparison of each reviewer's cytologic diagnosis with a reviewed biopsy diagnosis was assessed using chi-square analysis. The quantity of abnormal cells was compared with the presence or absence of a lesion on biopsy. RESULTS Kappa values for any 2 observers agreeing on koilocytosis as a separate category ranged from 0.22-0.47 (poor to good). Intraobserver reproducibility across all cytologic categories ranged from 0.35-0.62 (poor to good). A cytologic diagnosis of koilocytosis predicted a lower rate of high grade SIL (HSIL) on initial biopsy for one of the observers, but not for the other two. Koilocytosis did not predict a lower rate of LSIL on initial biopsy or HSIL in follow-up biopsies for any observer. The quantity of cells on the initial smear did not correlate with a lesion on biopsy. CONCLUSIONS Separation of LSIL into two diagnostic categories is not feasible because of its poor cytologic reproducibility and inability to predict differences in biopsy diagnosis. The quantity of abnormal cells in LSIL is not predictive of the detection of a lesion on biopsy. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 1997; 81:10-5. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Constraints on access in a problem solving context

The effects of previously acquired information on a later problem solving task were explored. Prior research has shown that the acquisition of potentially relevant information is not effective for cuing solutions in a later problem solving task unless subjects are informed of the connection. The present research extends these results and demonstrates that the problem solving failure is not due to subjects’ rejecting the potentially relevant information following retrieval. Rather, the apparent failure to appropriately use previous information is a result of uninformed subjects’ inability to spontaneously access such information. Furthermore, the observed access failure is not reversible by simply informing the subjects of the task connection prior to a second trial. Finally, the results indicate that problem solving failure on a later informed trial is a problem-specific phenomenon that does not generalize to new problems. The implications for contemporary episodic memory paradigms and the role of access in learning theory are discussed.
Flow control with hydrogels

With the advent of the genomic revolution and the sequencing of the human genome complete, the majority of pharmaceuticals under development are proteins. Consequently, new techniques to more effectively administer these new protein therapeutics need to be developed. One method that is gaining popularity in the research community involves the use of responsive hydrogel actuators for flow control in drug delivery devices. Responsive hydrogels are materials able to undergo a volume change in response to a stimulus from their local environment. The following paper overviews recent advances made using hydrogel actuators for flow control such as resistance based valves, hydrogel jacket valves, hybrid hydrogel membrane valve, electrically triggered valves, and biomimetic valves. Also reviewed are several hydrogel flow control systems such as a flow sorter and pH-regulation system. The chemistry of the hydrogel actuators can be tweaked to allow physiological variables to trigger the volume expansion of the hydrogel actuators as demonstrated by several glucose sensitive hydrogel valves reviewed below. Therefore, the door to physiological feedback controlling the infusion rate in a drug delivery device is opened and has the potential to revolutionize protein pharmaceutical drug delivery.
Photon-counting statistics of multimode squeezed light

We present photon-counting distributions of multimode squeezed light of bandwidth B. Such light, for example, is generated by the intracavity parametric down-converter of Wu et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 57, 2520 (1986)], which has now become a standard source for generating highly squeezed light. By expanding the electric-field operator into relevant modes over the counting interval T and applying the Bogoliubov transformation that generates squeezing, we calculate the photon-counting distributions under both BT\ensuremath{\gg}1 and BT\ensuremath{\ll}1 conditions. We find that the probability for counting an odd number of photons is identically zero under the former condition, whereas the latter is equivalent to having a photodetector with quantum efficiency that is much less than unity.
Single Subcutaneous Nodule as Initial Presentation of Atypical Lung Carcinoid

We report a 50-year-old woman whose atypical lung carcinoid presented as a single subcutaneous nodule. Biopsy of the nodule revealed neuroendocrine carcinoma likely from the lungs. Imaging studies revealed masses in lungs, pelvis and right axilla, and a seizure a few months later lead to discovery of brain metastasis. This case illustrates that an apparently innocuous subcutaneous nodule could be the initial presentation of an otherwise asymptomatic but widely metastatic atypical lung carcinoid. Physicians should be aware of signs of skin metastasis from lung malignancies and judiciously select patients with subcutaneous nodule for biopsy.
Electronic properties of p-GaAs deposited on n-Si with pulsed-laser deposition

By means of nanosecond laser pulses at 355, 532, and 1064 nm, p(Zn)-type GaAs was ablated and deposited on n-type Si. The samples showed rectification and Hall measurements established that the deposited material was p-type, but the active-doping concentration was six orders of magnitude below the target value. Because secondary-ion mass spectroscopy results indicated stoichiometric material transfer, we concluded that most of the Zn atoms do not act as acceptors because of the amorphous film texture. The work further showed indications that pulsed-laser deposition at 355 nm causes enhanced Si diffusion into the deposited film, compared to the ablations done at 532 and 1064 nm.
Enhancing Sterilisation Performance in Rajasthan: A Service Delivery Perspective

In the beginning of the year 2004-5 the demographic cell at the state level in Rajasthan realised during routine introspection that sterilisation performance had not picked up in the past few years and they decided to rework the goals outlined in the state population policy. Just advancing the policy goals would not yield results but would instead depend on accessibility and availability of sterilisation services and a host of other factors centred round the clients. A quick and rapid review examining existing patterns of service provisions and utilisation of sterilisation services in the state was undertaken from the providers perspective. The basic premise of the study was that sterilisation performance is a function of accessibility to sterilisation facilities availability of trained providers and seasonality in service provision and utilisation. In a nutshell the study recommended that sound and systematic planning in line with the utilisation pattern of the districts round-the-year services availability of trained providers evenness in providers load and close monitoring at different levels were critical dimension for enhancing sterilisation performance in the state. (authors)
Effect of Early Nutrition on Abdominal Fat in Broilers

Abstract Experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of isocaloric diets varying in protein and fat content or diluted with a combination of cellulose and sand during the 1st wk of life on subsequent abdominal fat pad size in male broiler chicks. In the first experiment chicks were fed diets containing 2,850 kcal metabolizable energy (ME)/kg with 23% protein and low or high total fat (23/LF or 23/HF) or 28% protein with low fat (28/LF) for the 1st 7 days and diets with varying protein and fat levels during the next 19 days. Abdominal fat was significantly higher in chicks fed 28/LF for 7 days followed by 23/HF than for the other treatments. In a second experiment chicks in battery brooders were fed diets with 18, 23, or 28% protein with or without added fat. They were then intermingled and placed in floor pens where they were fed corn-soy starter grower and finisher diets to 7 wk. Body weight at 4 and 7 wk and abdominal fat at 4 wk were not significantly different among treatments, but abdominal fat at 7 wk was significantly higher for chicks fed the 28/LF or 28/HF diets. Effects of feeding the same 18/LF, 23/LF, and 28/LF diets or practical diets containing 3,150 kcal ME/kg with various protein levels during the first week were examined in another experiment. Chicks all received the same diets from 7 to 49 days. No significant differences in size of abdominal fat pad was observed within each diet series. A final experiment was conducted to determine the effect on abdominal fat content of diluting a 23% protein, 3,150 kcal ME/kg diet with levels of 0 to 10% cellulose:sand (1:2 ratio) during the 1st 7 days followed by feeding the same practical diets to intermingled chicks from 7 to 49 days of age. No difference in body weight was observed but abdominal fat of birds fed 2.5% cellulose:sand was significantly higher than birds fed 0 or 10% cellulose:sand. Results of these experiments show that abdominal fat content in market broilers may be influenced by the composition of the diet fed during the first week of life.
Emerging methods in proteomics: top-down protein characterization by multistage tandem mass spectrometry

‘Top-down’ mass spectrometry methods have emerged as an attractive alternative to conventional ‘bottom-up’ approaches for the comprehensive characterization of co- and post-translational protein modifications. Here we present a brief overview of current strategies employed for top-down protein characterization and discuss the key technical challenges and solutions associated with their implementation on a range of mass spectrometry instrument platforms. For more specific details regarding the individual strategies described herein, interested readers are referred to the references cited at the end of this article.
The use of demand information in selecting production plans and schedules

Abstract The strategic problem of selecting a production plan for a given planning horizon is usually treated as independent of the tactical problem of scheduling the production plan. This paper approaches both selecting the production plan and scheduling it as one problem. The problem is formulated as a zero-one integer program. The formulation accommodates many real-life considerations. The integer program is solved using a branch and bound procedure which provides the optimal production plan and schedule as well as the importance indices of the orders, a concept which is introduced and used in this study to rank the available orders within the planning horizon according to their importance to the firm. The integer program and the search procedure can be used as a decision supporting tool to respond to any changes in the demand information, capacity of the firm, or its operating strategy, and it guarantees the selection of feasible production plan(s) and optimal schedules.
Electrochemical and Electrical Behavior of (111)-Oriented Si Surfaces Alkoxylated through Oxidative Activation of Si−H Bonds

The reaction chemistry of H-terminated (111)-oriented Si surfaces has been explored in the presence of one-electron oxidants in alcohol solvents. Similar chemistry was observed for Si surfaces exposed to methanolic solutions of ferrocenium tetrafluoroborate or to methanolic solutions of I2, as well as for Si electrodes that were subjected to anodic electrochemical oxidation processes in methanol. Oxidation in alcohols activates the surficial Si−H bond toward nucleophilic attack, producing alkoxylated surfaces. This mechanism for Si−H activation is supported by infrared spectroscopy, temperature-programmed desorption spectroscopy, and by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic studies of this system. These data explain a variety of observations regarding the surface chemistry and electrochemistry of Si electrodes and surfaces.
Abstract A41: Evaluation of maximum tolerated dose of aerosolized Rapamycin in A/J mice

Rapamycin, an approved anti-rejection drug for organ transplantation, has shown antitumor activity in preclinical studies and clinical trials. However, concerns regarding the prevalence of pneumanitis in few patients receiving Rapamycin by injection have prompted us to pursue an alternative and hopefully less toxic route of administration. Previously, we have shown that there was a good correlation between the dose-dependent increase in blood levels of Rapamycin and corresponding dose-dependent decrease in the activity of two biomarkers (phospho-AKT and mTOR) in the mouse lung. We have also observed that there was no significant difference between continuous or intermittent dosing regimens in reducing p-AKT and mTOR activity by rapamycin as the activity levels continued to remain suppressed (60 % inhibition) for up to 3 days after the last exposure. The objective of the current study is to assess the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of aerosolized rapamycin to select optimal doses for subsequent cancer prevention studies. Female A/J mice (8 wks old) were exposed to 3 different doses (0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg — equivalent to 1.6, 15.8 and 158 mg/m3 of air, respectively) of rapamycin by Nose-Only inhalation for 1 hr/day, 3 days (every other day) per week for 6 weeks. No toxicity was observed during or after the exposure in all dose groups except that the animals exposed to 10 mg/kg of rapamycin showed relatively slow body weight gain compared to other dose groups. Hematology of whole blood showed no significant difference among different dosing groups. Lymphocyte subpopulation evaluated by flow cytometry in blood showed that rapamycin at all doses had no effect on the ratio of T-helper cells/cytotoxic T-cells (CD4+/CD8+). Also, rapamycin did not affect the number of T regulatory cells, which was assessed by measuring FoxP3+/CD3+ ratio (4-5% in all groups) in lungs processed for immunohistochemistry. Pathological evaluation of HE3(12 Suppl):A41.
Characteristics of a new catalytic hydrogen current observed with albumin in the presence of cobalt(III) or (II) at the hanging mercury drop electrode

Abstract When the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) is placed in a solution which is 0.1 M in ammonia and 0.1 M in ammonium chloride and about 5 to 10×10−4 M in cobalt(III)-hexamine or cobalt(II) chloride and in very small concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA), the protein is slowly adsorbed. When the adsorption is highly incomplete and the HMDE is kept for 30 s at about −1.05 V vs. SCE, “active cobalt’ is deposited as a complex (Co(0)BSA). This is anodically oxidized at about 0.0 V to unstable Co(I)BSA). When the electrode is then rapidly (500 mV s−1) cathodized, a catalytic hydrogen current (ic) with peak at circa −1.45 V is observed. In this way it is even possible to detect and estimate BSA in concentrations of the order of 10−12 M. A detailed study has been made of the characteristics of ic under several conditions. “Active cobalt” on the HMDE does not affect Brdicka currents. Cystine and cysteine also yield the catalytic hydrogen current ic under the same conditions as does BSA.
The isolation and characterization of a purified house dust allergen fraction.

Abstract 1.1. An active house dust allergen fraction, low in nitrogen and colorless, has been isolated. 2.2. The material has been found to show activity with most, but not all, persons sensitive to less purified commercial preparations. This suggests the presence of more than one allergen specificity. 3.3. The dust fraction was found to be heterogeneous by electrophoretic and sedimentation analysis. Two main peaks were demonstrated by electrophoresis. The average sedimentation coefficient (Sw, 20) was found to be 2.6S. 4.4. The chemical composition was found to be roughly 5 per cent polypeptide and 95 per cent polysaccharide, with about equal amounts of uronic acid (probably glucuronic acid), D-glucose, D-galactose, and D-mannose as well as lesser amounts of L-rhamnose and L-arabinose. 5.5. The relationship of the composition and physical properties of the dust allergen fraction to current ideas concerning the origin of the house dust allergen was discussed.
Hydrogen-fueled diesel engine without timed ignition

Experiments were carried out to investigate the feasibility of converting a diesel engine to hydrogen-fueled operation without providing a timed ignition system. Use was made of a glow plug and a multiple-strike spark plug. The glow plug was found to provide reliable ignition and smooth engine operation. It caused the hydrogen to ignite almost immediately upon the start of injection. Indicated mean effective pressures were on the order of 1.3 MPa for equivalence ratios between 0.1 and 0.4 at a compression ratio of 18. This is significantly higher than the corresponding result obtained with diesel oil (about 0.6 MPa for equivalence ratios between 0.3 and 0.9). Indicated thermal efficiencies were on the order of 0.4 for hydrogen and 0.20-0.25 for diesel oil. Operation with the multiple-strike spark system yielded similar values for IMEP and efficiency, but gave rise to large cycle-to-cycle variations in the delay between the beginning of injection and ignition. Large ignition delays were associated with large amplitude pressure waves in the combustion chamber. The measured NO(x) concentrations in the exhaust gas were of the order of 50-100 ppm. This is significantly higher than the corresponding results obtained with premixed hydrogen and air at low equivalence ratios. Compression ignition could not be achieved even at a compression ratio of 29.
Final-state phases in doubly Cabibbo-suppressed charmed meson nonleptonic decays

Cabibbo-favored nonleptonic charmed particle decays exhibit large final-state phase differences in $\overline{K}\ensuremath{\pi}$ and ${K}^{*}\ensuremath{\pi}$ but not $\overline{K}\ensuremath{\rho}$ channels. It is of interest to know the corresponding pattern of final-state phases in doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays, governed by the $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{c}\mathrm{du}\overline{s}$ subprocess. An experimental program is outlined for determining such phases via measurements of rates for $\stackrel{\ensuremath{\rightarrow}}{D}{K}^{*}\ensuremath{\pi}$ and $K(\ensuremath{\rho},\ensuremath{\omega},\ensuremath{\varphi})$ channels and for determinaing the interference between bands in Dalitz plots. Such a program is feasible at planned high-intensity sources of charmed particles.
Specificity of site directed psoralen addition to RNA

We describe the attachment of a psoralen derivative (site specific psoralen, SSP) to the 5' end of a DNA oligonucleotide and the hybridization and the photoreaction of this reagent with a complementary target site on an RNA molecule. SSP was coupled to a variety of DNA oligonucleotides to investigate the structural requirements for addition to the RNA. Efficient SSP photoadducts were made on specific uridines by designing an intercalation site at an unpaired nucleotide in the RNA strand within the heteroduplex region. The optimal location for this site was five nucleotides from the oligonucleotide 5' end and just 5' to the target uridine residue. Because the attachment of the SSP to the oligonucleotide is through a disulfide bond, the DNA oligonucleotide can be removed with reduction to leave SSP attached to the RNA strand. The SSP adduct made in this way will be useful for subsequent biochemical and biophysical experiments.
The fast multipole boundary element method for molecular electrostatics: An optimal approach for large systems

We propose a fast implementation of the boundary element method for solving the Poisson equation, which approximately determines the electrostatic field around solvated molecules of arbitrary shape. The method presented uses computational resources of order O(N) only, where N is the number of elements representing the dielectric boundary at the molecular surface. The method is based on the Fast Multipole Algorithm by Rokhlin and Greengard, which is used to calculate the Coulombic interaction between surface elements in linear time. We calculate the solvation energies of a sphere, a small polar molecule, and a moderately sized protein. The values obtained by the boundary element method agree well with results from finite difference calculations and show a higher degree of consistency due to the absence of grid dependencies. The boundary element method can be taken to a much higher accuracy than is possible with finite difference methods and can therefore be used to verify their validity. © 1995 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Evaluation of a hybrid energy storage module for pulsed power applications

Before pulsed power systems can be fielded in either mobile or small footprint stationary applications, the prime power source must be optimized for both size and operational efficiency. In large footprint laboratories, prime power supplies are connected to a local utility grid to charge intermediate storage systems. In mobile platforms, alternative energy sources, such as electrochemical batteries or supercapacitors, must be used to backup smaller fossil fuel generators. The prime power source used in a pulsed power system must store high energy, to maximize the number of shots stored, and be able to source high power to recharge the intermediate store as fast as possible. Finding a single electrochemical energy storage device that has the right energy and power density for most applications is nearly impossible. Therefore, usage of batteries, which possess high energy density, along with electrochemical capacitors, which offer high power density, in a hybrid energy storage module (HESM) configuration is a promising way of combining both of these features into a single supply. Usage of this topology reduces the stress on the batteries, thereby prolonging their life, and also increases the instantaneous power capabilities of the system. This paper presents the design and validation of an actively controlled HESM built using commercial off the shelf power electronics and simple control strategies.
Harmonic Analysis of Neural Networks

Abstract It is known that superpositions of ridge functions (single hidden-layer feedforward neural networks) may give good approximations to certain kinds of multivariate functions. It remains unclear, however, how to effectively obtain such approximations. In this paper, we use ideas from harmonic analysis to attack this question. We introduce a special admissibility condition for neural activation functions. The new condition is not satisfied by the sigmoid activation in current use by the neural networks community; instead, our condition requires that the neural activation function be oscillatory. Using an admissible neuron we construct linear transforms which represent quite general functions f as a superposition of ridge functions. We develop • • a continuous transform which satisfies a Parseval-like relation; • • a discrete transform which satisfies frame bounds. Both transforms represent f in a stable and effective way. The discrete transform is more challenging to construct and involves an interesting new discretization of time–frequency–direction space in order to obtain frame bounds for functions in L 2 ( A ) where A is a compact set of R n . Ideas underlying these representations are related to Littlewood–Paley theory, wavelet analysis, and group representation theory.
Benzoate 1,2-Dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida: Single Turnover Kinetics and Regulation of a Two-Component Rieske Dioxygenase†

The benzoate 1,2-dioxygenase system (BZDOS) from Pseudomonas putida mt-2 catalyzes the NADH-dependent oxidation of benzoate to 1-carboxy-1,2-cis-dihydroxycyclohexa-3,5-diene. Both the oxygenase (BZDO) and reductase (BZDR) components of BZDOS have been purified and characterized kinetically and by optical, EPR, and Mossbauer spectroscopies. BZDO has an (alpha beta)(3) subunit structure in which each alpha subunit contains a Rieske [2Fe-2S] cluster and a mononuclear iron site. Two different purification protocols were developed for BZDO allowing the mononuclear iron to be stabilized in either the Fe(III) or the Fe(II) state for spectroscopic characterization. Using single turnover reactions, it is shown that fully reduced BZDO alone is capable of yielding the cis-diol product in high yield at rates that exceed the BZDOS turnover number. At the conclusion of turnover, quantification of each oxidation state of the metal sites by EPR and Mossbauer spectroscopies shows that the Rieske cluster and mononuclear iron are each oxidized in amounts equal to the product yield, suggesting that the two electrons required for catalysis derive from the two metal centers. These results are in agreement with our previous study of naphthalene 1,2-dioxygenase [Wolfe, M. D., Parales, J. V., Gibson, D. T., and Lipscomb, J. D. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 1945-1953], which belongs to a different Rieske dioxygenase subclass, suggesting that it is a universal characteristic of Rieske dioxygenases that oxygen activation and substrate oxidation are catalyzed by the oxygenase component alone. The EPR spectrum of the Fe(III) center after a single turnover is distinct from either of those of substrate-free or substrate-bound enzyme. The complex with this spectrum is not formed by addition of cis-diol product to the resting Fe(III) form of the enzyme but is observed when the Fe(II) form is oxidized in the presence of product. Together, these results suggest that product exchange occurs only when the mononuclear iron is reduced. Stopped-flow and rapid scan analyses monitoring the oxidation of the Rieske cluster during the single turnover reaction show that it occurs in three phases that are kinetically competent for catalysis. The rate of each phase was found to be dependent on the type of substrate present, suggesting that the substrate influences the rate of electron transfer between the metal clusters. The participation of substrate in the oxygen activation reaction suggests a new aspect of the mechanism of this process by the Rieske dioxygenase class.
Dopamine dependent decrease in enkephalin and substance P levels in basal ganglia regions of postmortem parkinsonian brains.

Abstract This study examined whether a relationship exists between the degree of dopamine (DA) loss and the changes in opioid (Met 5 -enkephalin, ME; dynorphin A (1–8) (DYN)) or tachykinin (substance P, SP) peptidergic systems in basal ganglia (caudate and putamen) and limbic (frontal cortex) regions of postmortem tissue samples derived from patients who died of Parkinson's disease (PD). The levels of ME, SP and DYN were determined by radioimmunoassays. The levels of DA and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and their metabolites were determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection. The degree of loss of DA in PD tissues was classified into two major categories, those with less than 80% and those with more than 80% loss as compared to control. The results reveals that only the category with greater than 80% DA loss exhibited lower levels of ME in caudate and SP in putamen whereas no differences were observed in the levels of DYN in these regions. The frontal cortical region exhibited no changes in the levels of peptides. In other studies, experimental DA deficiency in rodents induced by neurotoxin such as 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) produced an increase in ME and a decrease in SP in basal ganglia. However, the levels of both peptides were lower in postmortem Parkinsonian basal ganglia in the present study. It appears that there is a DA-dependent, secondary loss of enkephalin and tachykinin peptides in PD. In view of the involvement of these peptidergic systems in the regulation of behaviour, movement, memory and other functions, derangements in these systems should be considered as additional factors in the progression of symptoms of PD.
Explanation for the variance of the Ce3+ emission energy in LnI3 [Ln = Lu3+, Y3+, Gd3+]

Abstract The experimental result that the energy of the emitted photon increases with decreasing ionic radii of the host lattice is a remarkable feature of the Ce3+ luminescence in the isostructural LnI3 [Ln3+ = Lu3+, Y3+, Gd3+] family of materials. To understand this variation, the optical properties of YI3:Ce3+ is measured and compared with those reported for Ce3+ activated LuI3 and GdI3. The results indicate that the crystal field splitting and the centroid shift of the Ce3+ 5d1 electronic configuration in these iodides are of the same order of magnitude. The lowest energy Ce3+ 4f1 → 5d1 excitation transition in LnI3 [Ln3+ = Lu3+, Y3+, Gd3+] is practically uninfluenced by the ionic radii of the host lattice cation, which the Ce3+ ion substitutionally replaces. The increase in energy of the emitted photon with decreasing ionic radii of the host lattice is a result of the increasing Stokes shift of the Ce3+ emission in the sequence LuI3–YI3–GdI3. The quenching temperature of the Ce3+ emission in YI3 is high.
Technology awakening behind the veils

Background: While technology comes from outside sources, ideas and concepts are quietly evolved in local Arabian society. With advanced channels of communication and ease of available technological tools, the young minds of Qatari women are ready to adapt to forthcoming challenges. The notion of storytelling in the digital realm among these young Arab women reflects the interplay of traditional culture, Western modernism and changes brought about by media industries. As a result, the way these young minds convey meaning in their moving images is also changing dramatically. These women adopt and use new media as a vehicle to maneuver their interesting and fresh ideas. Their thinking methodology has culminated in pragmatic and dynamic visuals which celebrate, inform or create awareness about issues of their surrounding world. They are creating new visual culture with freedom of expression and forcing themselves to transform into a meaningful workforce for the region. The intuitive context of these animation...
Evaluating the Evidence Base of Shared Story Reading to Promote Literacy for Students with Extensive Support Needs

This study reviewed published literature to determine the level of evidence for using shared story reading to promote literacy. Shared story reading was defined as a practice used to access age-app...
Surface segregation in pseudobinary alloys

Alloys of the form ${A}_{x}$${B}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}x}$C almost always have a different surface concentration from the bulk in order to maintain a constant chemical potential for each layer in the alloy. We have calculated the degree of surface segregation for the pseudobinary alloys ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Cd}}_{\mathrm{x}}$Te and ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Zn}}_{\mathrm{x}}$Te. The enthalpy responsible for segregation is the difference in the energies for moving an A or B atom from the bulk alloy to the surface. There are two major contributions to this energy process: (1) a bond-breaking mechanism, whereby the element with the lowest surface energy segregates to the top, and (2) strain release, where the dilute element in the compound segregates to the surface to alleviate the strain energy due to mismatch of the AC and BC bond lengths. In our segregation model, the free energy of each layer is calculated in the regular and quasichemical approximations. By equating the chemical potentials of each successive layer to the bulk, the composition of each layer is obtained. Our results indicate that there is strong surface enrichment of Hg in ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Cd}}_{\mathrm{x}}$Te while there is less surface segregation of Hg in ${\mathrm{Hg}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{Zn}}_{\mathrm{x}}$Te at the low x values appropriate for infrared application. Mercury segregation to the surface will lower the band gap or may turn the surface into a semimetal, thereby affecting the passivation of the surface.
The Electron-Hole Interaction and Linear Optical Constants

We present an ab initio computational scheme to calculate e(ω) including the screened electron-hole interaction. Results are presented for GaP and optically-pumped GaAs. We also discuss a time-dependent formulation which has some conceptual advantages.
Coronary Collateral Circulation

Collateral coronary channels represent obvious compensatory mechanisms for the delivery of nutrients to the myocardium. In spite of extensive basic research, we are still unaware of the factors determining adequate compensatory adjustments. Extensive human pathologic studies have presented a quantitative overall view, but have said little about the individual stages of adaptation. Complex multidisciplinary studies in animals have played a role but have emphasized great species variation. Human angiography is establishing a large data base but one strongly biased by clinical and therapeutic considerations. Meanwhile, clinical research is aimed at establishing the sequential morphologic changes in the development of angina, insufficiency, and infarction. Final answers concerning the significances of the collateral circulation will very likely parallel our deeper investment in research into the basic problems of the atherosclerotic process.
Cognitive impairment in persons with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To explore the prevalence and possible predictors of cognitive impairment in persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Individuals from a longitudinal cohort study of RA participated in a study visit that included a range of physical, psychosocial, and biologic metrics. Cognitive function was assessed using a battery of 12 standardized neuropsychological measures yielding 16 indices. Subjects were classified as “impaired” if they performed 1 SD below age-based population norms on at least 4 of 16 indices. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify which of the following were significant predictors of cognitive impairment: sex, race, income, education, depression, disease duration, disease severity, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, glucocorticoid use, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Results A total of 115 subjects with a mean ± SD age of 58.6 ± 10.8 years were included; 64% were women and 81% were white. The proportion of persons who were classified as cognitively impaired was 31%. Education, income, glucocorticoid use, and CVD risk factors independently predicted cognitive impairment, controlling for sex, race, disease duration, disease severity, CRP level, and depression. Individuals with cognitive impairment were more likely to have low education (odds ratio [OR] 6.18, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.6–23.87), have low income (OR 7.12, 95% CI 1.35–37.51), use oral glucocorticoids (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.05–8.12), and have increased CVD risk factors (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.19–2.17 per risk factor). Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that the burden of cognitive impairment in RA is significant, and future studies identifying specific etiologic contributors to cognitive impairment are warranted.
Rebuilding synaptic architecture in HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disease: A therapeutic strategy based on modulation of mixed lineage kinase

Work from our laboratories has validated mixed lineage kinase type 3 (MLK3) as an enzyme pathologically activated in the CNS by human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) neurotoxins. In this review, we discuss MLK3 activation in the context of the neuropathogenesis of HIV-1 associated neurocognitive deficits (HAND). We use findings from the literature to substantiate the neuropathologic relevance of MLK3 to neurodegenerative disease, with an emphasis on Parkinson’s disease that shares a number of important phenotypic and neuropathologic characteristics with HAND. We discuss signal transduction pathways downstream from MLK3 activation, with an emphasis on their involvement in microglia and neurons in preclinical models of HAND. Finally, we make a case for pharmacologic intervention targeted at inhibition of MLK3 as a strategy to reverse HAND, in light of the fact that combination antiretroviral therapy, despite successfully managing systemic infection of HIV-1, has been largely unsuccessful in eradicating HAND.