cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blind channel estimation and equalization with partial-response input signals

A typical assumption made in most of the existing blind channel estimation and/or equalization approaches is that the signal input to the digital communications channel is i.i.d. One important case where this is not true is that of correlative coded, or partial-response (PR), signals where a controlled amount of ISI (intersymbol interference) is introduced at the transmitting end in order to eliminate any need for "excess" bandwidth. We consider the problem of blind equalization for such signals. We propose a constrained optimization approach where the coding structure of the transmitted signal is assumed to be a priori known. Computer simulation results using 16-QAM signals, and duobinary and modified duobinary PR codes, are presented where the proposed approach is compared with two other possible approaches. >
A statistical study of covert timing channels using network packet frequency

This paper first reviews covert timing channels with network packet frequencies as information carriers. Then, based on the study of communication and statistical models, it proposes a method to detect an enhanced covert timing channel and its use of carrier frequencies. With the help of MATLAB for simulation, several experiments have been conducted for the verification of the proposed method.
Localization of Action of the Is50-Encoded Transposase Protein

ABSTRACT The movement of the bacterial insertion sequence IS50 and of composite elements containing direct terminal repeats of IS50 involves the two ends of IS50, designated O (outside) and I (inside), which are weakly matched in DNA sequence, and an IS50 encoded protein, transposase, which recognizes the O and I ends and acts preferentially in cis. Previous data had suggested that, initially, transposase interacts preferentially with the O end sequence and then, in a second step, with either an O or an I end. To better understand the cis action of transposase and how IS50 ends are selected, we generated a series of composite transposons which contain direct repeats of IS50 elements. In each transposon, one IS50 element encoded transposase (tnp+), and the other contained a null (tnp-) allele. In each of the five sets of composite transposons studied, the transposon for which the tnp+ IS50 element contained its O end was more active than a complementary transposon for which the tnp- IS50 element contained its O end. This pattern of O end use suggests models in which the cis action of transposase and its choice of ends is determined by protein tracking along DNA molecules.
Direct repeats flanking the Bacteroides transposon Tn4351 are insertion sequence elements.

Abstract The clindamycin-erythromycin resistance (Ccr Emr) region of the Bacteroides transposon Tn4351 is flanked by direct repeats. This study showed that the direct repeats are insertion sequence (IS) elements. Although both IS elements can mediate transfer of the chloramphenicol (Cmr) marker on pBR328 by cointegrate formation with the conjugal IncW plasmid R388, IS4351R-mediated transfer of Cmr occurred at a consistently lower frequency than did the transfer mediated by IS4351L. Analysis of plasmids from the resultant transconjugants revealed IS-mediated activities such as deletions, tandem duplication of IS4351L, and excision of IS4351R.
Sensitivity of CEO Wealth to Stock Price: A New Tool for Assessing Pay for Performance

In recent years, there has been considerable debate as to whether CEO compensation is actually correlated with performance in U.S. companies. This issue is known as “pay for performance.” While the debate is often heated, there tends to be little in the way of concrete analysis to inform conclusions.We explain an important new method for measuring pay for performance. This involves examining the sensitivity of CEO equity ownership to potential large-scale changes in the stock price. We explain how the convexity of this relationship can give shareholders and stakeholders a better understanding of the incentives that the company is offering to its CEO. We also explain that it is important to review this information in the context of the company’s strategy to determine whether potential payments are appropriate and whether they encourage “excessive” risk taking.Topics, Issues and Controversies in Corporate Governance and Leadership: The Closer Look series is a collection of short case studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue that is relevant to the current debate on governance and explain why it is so important. Larcker and Tayan are co-authors of the book Corporate Governance Matters, and A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance.
Differentially expressed genes in dicamba‐resistant and dicamba‐susceptible biotypes

In an ongoing effort to investigate the mechanism of auxinic herbicide resistance in Kochia scoparia (kochia), polymerase chain reaction-based cDNA suppression subtractive hybridization was used to identify genes that are differentially expressed between dicamba-resistant (HRd) and dicamba-susceptible (S1) kochia biotypes in response to herbicide treatment. Both the HRd and S1 adaptor-ligated cDNAs were used in separate hybridizations in order to generate biotype-specific clones. A total of 710 cDNAs, representing putative differentially expressed mRNAs, were isolated and subjected to further screening. The false-positive cDNAs were removed by conducting two colony hybridizations and at least one Northern hybridization. Differential or biotype-specific expression was confirmed for six clones each from the HRd and S1 plants. The S1-related genes were constitutively expressed at higher levels than in the HRd plants, but none had significant sequence similarity to known genes. Among the HRd-related genes, HRd-88 had 42% amino acid sequence identity to a conserved domain within thiol peptidases, which might be involved in auxin-regulated gene expression. The constitutively expressed and inducible (by the dicamba treatment) HRd-39 had 40% identity and 60% similarity to a domain from the Fe(II)/α-ketoglutarate-dependent hydroxylase superfamily. The HRd-39 gene product had the characteristics of an enzyme that is able to detoxify dicamba via oxidative hydroxylation and thus its overexpression might confer the dicamba resistance phenotype.
Spectrum access system for the citizen broadband radio service

As a part of the global effort to address the overwhelming demand for wireless broadband capacity, the wireless communities in the United States have undertaken innovative initiatives such as tiered-access to shared spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission has proposed a dynamic spectrum management framework for a Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) governed by a spectrum access system (SAS). The implementation of a SAS capable of dynamic frequency assignment and interference management is critical for the success of the proposed framework. In this paper we present the efforts toward a spectrum sharing system in the U.S. context by summarizing different interest groups’ standpoint on the FCC proposed framework. We also present an example SAS architecture that accommodates the tiered access to shared spectrum and example approaches to achieve important SAS capabilities.
Directed mutagenesis to probe the structure and function of photosystem II

In the last few years various advances have contributed to an increased understanding of Photosystem II (PS II). Most notably, the X-ray diffraction analysis of crystallized bacterial reaction centers, along with the recognition that there is functional and structural homology between the bacterial reaction center and PS II, has led to detailed information regarding the potential function of individual proteins and residues in the PS II complex. In-depth studies of PS II structure and function, however, require the availability of specific mutants in which certain proteins have been altered. Recombinant DNA technology has provided the methodology by which generation of such mutants has become feasible. This minireview focuses on methods for mutagenesis of PS II components and on the impact of mutant analysis on the understanding of PS II structure and function.
Improving Lifecycle Assessments of Biofuel Systems

We apply systems thinking to the background, complexity and weaknesses of liquid biofuel lifecycle assessments and propose a new way of approaching the problem. The history of corn-based ethanol in North America is illustrative of the problematic interdependencies that can arise when decisions about liquid biofuel are made without comprehensive systems analysis [17]. At the direction of Congress [25], the EPA has proposed new standards for renewable fuels to be based on lifecycle assessment (LCA) methodology [6]. At the same time, the European Commission explicitly dictates the use of LCA for biofuel in their Renewable Energy Sources Directive [8]. Likewise, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has directed that biofuel assessment be made based on LCA [1]. Recent lifecycle assessments of complex biofuel systems follow standard methodology such as EPA guidelines and ISO14040 standards, yet there are wide variations in the results. Studies conducted on the same liquid biofuel system reveal diverse and even conflicting results, some showing a net greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, while others show a net increase for the same biofuel system [16], [18]. The results from these studies, therefore, cannot be considered viable for quantitative system impact comparisons. [While there are solid and gaseous biofuels, this paper focuses on liquid biofuel for simplicity and because of a strong economic need for liquid transportation fuels. The conclusions would apply to all three modes of biofuel.] We present an overview of the complexity of different liquid biofuel system processes and relate this complexity to the principal deficiencies in current biofuel LCA methodology: inconsistencies in LCA system boundaries, system boundaries that exclude relevant sub-processes, elements and environmental factors, a lack of standardized units and the reliance of commonly used LCA tools on industry average data without regard for relevant impact. We conclude that improved methodologies of determining system boundaries based on a comprehensive system impact assessment are necessary to adequately assess biofuels and their environmental effect. We propose work on a new approach based on an integrated hybrid assessment with unitized impact metrics (Renewable System Impact Rating - RSIR). This work will also lead to viable system impact optimization, permitting engineers and farmers to maximize the net energy balance of a biofuel system, while minimizing negative impacts on the environment and on world food supplies.
Purification and characterization of the major whey proteins from the milks of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris), and the beagle (Canis familiaris)

Abstract The major whey proteins of the milks of the dolphin, manatee, and beagle were purified by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography and characterized and identified by molecular weight determination, amino acid analysis, N-terminal sequencing, and activity measurements. The major whey protein components from all three species were found to be monomeric β-lactoglobulins. These proteins were all active in binding retinol. Dolphin milk contained two β-lactoglobulins (designated 1 and 2) which showed a slight difference in molecular weight and considerably divergent N-terminal sequences, whereas the other milks only contained a single form of β-lactoglobulin. α-Lactalbumins were purified from dolphin and dog milks and were active in promoting lactose synthesis by bovine galactosyltransferase. The dolphin protein had an N-terminal sequence more similar to ruminant α-lactalbumins than to those known from other species. Although α-lactalbumin activity has been detected in manatee milk at low levels, the corresponding protein was not isolated. In addition, dog milk was found to contain high levels of lysozyme (greater than 1.0 mg/ml), which were identified by activity and sequencing. The functional and evolutionary implications of these results are discussed.
Emerging research directions in air-to-ground target detection and discrimination (Invited Paper)

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has embarked on a variety of research programs that embrace the insertion of new electro-optical and infrared technology as well as advanced operational concepts to significantly improve capabilities for the detection and discrimination of difficult targets. The AFRL vision employs a distributed, layered sensor system combining passive and active sensors to rapidly detect battlefield threats and support high confidence identification to take immediate action. This paper will provide an overview of this layered sensing vision as well as describe the technology development directions that AFRL is pursuing in support of this advanced concept. The paper will specifically focus on relevant passive infrared technology areas such as spatial, spectral, polarimetric, and temporal sensing (separate and combined). It will also discuss how this technology is envisioned to be applied to the range of operational platforms, from standoff surveillance from large aircraft to close-in sensing from small unmanned aerial vehicles.
Simulation of coherent nonlinear neutrino flavor transformation in the supernova environment: Correlated neutrino trajectories

We present results of large-scale numerical simulations of the evolution of neutrino and antineutrino flavors in the region above the late-time post-supernova-explosion proto-neutron star. Our calculations are the first to allow explicit flavor evolution histories on different neutrino trajectories and to self-consistently couple flavor development on these trajectories through forward scattering-induced quantum coupling. Employing the atmospheric-scale neutrino mass-squared difference ($|\ensuremath{\delta}{m}^{2}|\ensuremath{\simeq}3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{eV}}^{2}$) and values of ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{13}$ allowed by current bounds, we find transformation of neutrino and antineutrino flavors over broad ranges of energy and luminosity in roughly the ``bi-polar'' collective mode. We find that this large-scale flavor conversion, largely driven by the flavor off-diagonal neutrino-neutrino forward scattering potential, sets in much closer to the proto-neutron star than simple estimates based on flavor-diagonal potentials and Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein evolution would indicate. In turn, this suggests that models of $r$-process nucleosynthesis sited in the neutrino-driven wind could be affected substantially by active-active neutrino flavor mixing, even with the small measured neutrino mass-squared differences.
Fracture assessment of shallow-flaw cruciform beams tested under uniaxial and biaxial loading conditions

A technology to determine shallow-flaw fracture toughness of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels is being developed for application to the safety assessment of RPVs containing postulated shallow surface flaws. Matrices of cruciform beam tests were developed to investigate and quantify the effects of temperature, biaxial loading, and specimen size on fracture initiation toughness of two-dimensional (constant depth), shallow, surface flaws. The cruciform beam specimens were developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to introduce a far-field, out-of-plane biaxial stress component in the test section that approximates the nonlinear stresses resulting from pressurized-thermal-shock or pressure–temperature loading of an RPV. Tests were conducted under biaxial load ratios ranging from uniaxial to equibiaxial. These tests demonstrated that biaxial loading can have a pronounced effect on shallow-flaw fracture toughness in the lower transition temperature region for an RPV material. The cruciform fracture toughness data were used to evaluate fracture methodologies for predicting the observed effects of biaxial loading on shallow-flaw fracture toughness. Initial emphasis was placed on assessment of stress-based methodologies, namely, the J–Q formulation, the Dodds–Anderson toughness scaling model, and the Weibull approach. Applications of these methodologies based on the hydrostatic stress fracture criterion indicated an effect of loading-biaxiality on fracture toughness; the conventional maximum principal stress criterion indicated no effect. A three-parameter Weibull model based on the hydrostatic stress criterion is shown to correlate with the experimentally observed biaxial effect on cleavage fracture toughness by providing a scaling mechanism between uniaxial and biaxial loading states.
Clozapine-induced mitochondria alterations and inflammation in brain and insulin-responsive cells.

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a constellation of factors including abdominal obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemias, and hypertension that increase morbidity and mortality from diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and affects more than a third of the population in the US. Clozapine, an atypical antipsychotic used for the treatment of schizophrenia, has been found to cause drug-induced metabolic syndrome (DIMS) and may be a useful tool for studying cellular and molecular changes associated with MetS and DIMS. Mitochondria dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation are mechanisms proposed for the development of clozapine-related DIMS. In this study, the effects of clozapine on mitochondrial function and inflammation in insulin responsive and obesity-associated cultured cell lines were examined.
A structure with trigonally and tetra­hedrally coordinated CuI cations: rac‐(acetonitrile)[2,2′‐bis­(1‐propyl‐1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐yl)biphenyl]copper(I) bis­(acetonitrile)[2,2′‐bis­(1‐propyl‐1H‐benzimidazol‐2‐yl)biphenyl]copper(I) bis­(perchlorate)

The asymmetric unit of the title salt, [Cu(C32H30N4)(C2H3N)][Cu(C32H30N4)(C2H3N)2](ClO4)2, contains two per­chlor­ate anions and two crystallographically distinct CuI complexes, viz. [Cu(L1b)(acetonitrile)]+ (A) and [Cu(L1b)(acetonitrile)2]+ (B), where L1b is 2,2′-bis­(1-propyl­benzimidazol-2-yl)biphenyl. The A and B cations exhibit approximate trigonal–planar and tetra­hedral coordination geometries, respectively. In the solid state, the ligand L1b is chiral but the crystal structure is a racemate. The cations form separate, enanti­omerically pure columns along the a-axis direction. Centrosymmetrically related alternating R and S columns of A and of B cations, centered about the planes y = 0 and y = {1 \over 2}, respectively, progress along the c-axis direction. The perchlorate ions, which form columns along the a-axis direction, are linked to the cations by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
ATA box transcription mutation in β-thalassemia

DNA sequence analysis of a cloned beta-globin gene from a Chinese patient with beta-thalassemia revealed a single nucleotide substitution (A leads to G) within the ATA box homology and 28 base pairs upstream from the cap site. The patient was homozygous for this particular allele based on restriction mapping at nine different polymorphic sites in the beta-globin gene cluster. Upon transient expression in HeLa cells this gene directed the production of 3-5-fold less beta-globin mRNA than the normal beta-gene. In RNA isolated from the patient's erythroid cells beta-RNA was 10-fold less abundant relative to alpha-RNA than normal, indicating close approximation of the heterologous cell expression results and the in vivo state. These findings support the validity of such transient expression assays for analysis of phenotypes associated with naturally occurring mutant genes and establish the functional significance of nucleotide substitutions at position -28 for human beta-globin gene transcription.
Energy reproducibility in beam analyzing magnets

Abstract Measurements of magnetic field reproducibility made with one of the Michigan State University cyclotron beam analyzing magnets indicate that an energy setting can be reproduced to better than 1 part in 15 000.
Estimating the efficacy of a vote

The efficacy of a vote by an individual citizen in an election may be defined roughly as the expected effect it has on the outcome of the election. This is a measure of how much that voter contributes to the decision making of the social system in which he is. A number of political scientists have rightly claimed that the efficacy of a vote is small when the electorate is large. We argue here that they have somewhat misdefined an important parameter of the problem and we strengthen their work by means of a Bayesian analysis. Many people derive personal utility from the act of voting quite apart from the efficacy of the vote as such. This analysis depends primarily on the voter's estimate of the probability that his vote will either produce or resolve a tie. The asymptotic form for this probability is quite different from one that has appeared in the literature. The probability is tabulated on the assumption of a beta prior and the problem of choosing the parameters in this distribution is analyzed.
Development of a calcium phosphate co-precipitate/poly(lactide-co-glycolide) DNA delivery system: release kinetics and cellular transfection studies.

Abstract One of the most common non-viral methods for the introduction of foreign deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) into cultured cells is calcium phosphate co-precipitate transfection. This technique involves the encapsulation of DNA within a calcium phosphate co-precipitate, particulate addition to in vitro cell culture, endocytosis of the co-precipitate, and exogenous DNA expression by the transfected cell. In this study, we fabricated a novel non-viral gene transfer system by adsorbing DNA, encapsulated in calcium phosphate (DNA/Ca-P) co-precipitates, to biodegradable two- and three-dimensional poly(lactide- co -glycolide) matrices (2D-DNA/Ca-P/PLAGA, 3D-DNA/Ca-P/PLAGA). Co-precipitate release studies demonstrated an initial burst release over the first 48 h. By day 7, approximately 96% of the initially adsorbed DNA/Ca-P co-precipitate had been released. This was followed by low levels of co-precipitate release for 42 days. Polymerase chain reaction was used to demonstrate the ability of the released DNA containing co-precipitates to transfect SaOS-2 cells cultured in vitro on the 3D-DNA/Ca-P/PLAGA matrix and maintenance of the structural integrity of the exogenous DNA. In summary, a promising system for the incorporation and controlled delivery of exogenous genes encapsulated within a calcium phosphate co-precipitate from biodegradable polymeric matrices has been developed and may have applicability to the delivery of therapeutic genes and the transfection of other cell types.
Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis Hits the Target

Propionic (PA) and methylmalonic (MMA) acidemias are inborn errors of the metabolism of several important amino acids, the side chain of the cholesterol molecule, and dietary odd chain-length fatty acids. PA results from a deficiency of mitochondrial propionyl-CoA carboxylase, an enzyme that requires biotin as a cofactor and converts propionyl-CoA to D-methylmalonyl-CoA. Classical MMA results from deficiency of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, a cobalamin- (vitamin B12) dependent enzyme, which converts L-methylmalonyl-CoA to succinyl-CoA. The 2 enzymes are almost adjacent in this important metabolic pathway, and the 2 defects are very similar from the perspective of clinical presentation and metabolic biomarkers(1). For example, in expanded screening programs for metabolic diseases in newborns, observation of increased propionyl-carnitine (C3-carnitine) by tandem mass spectrometric analysis is predictive of the occurrence of both defects(2). Currently, the 2 defects are differentiated biochemically with targeted analysis by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of characteristic urinary organic acid. Specifically, large amounts of MMA acid and several propionate metabolites are found in the urine from patients with MMA, whereas increased MMA acid has not been found in tests of urine, and more recently dried blood spots, from patients with PA(3). Although both of these disorders have been studied for more than 4 decades, several features and metabolic issues remain unresolved. Before the introduction of diagnostic methods to measure urinary organic acids, these disorders were defined as a syndrome called ketotic hyperglycinemia(4). The mechanism that leads to increased blood glycine has never been determined, and most patients remain hyperglycinemic throughout life. It is not known if hyperglycinemia contributes at all to the phenotype. It has been established, however, that several alternate pathways of propionyl-CoA metabolism that exist as minor pathways in healthy individuals are used extensively in patients with these …
Complexities of particle deposition and re-entrainment in turbulent pipe flow

Abstract Some of the complexities are shown of particle deposition in relationship to the observed particle flux passing in turbulent flow adjacent to the deposition surface in a vertical tube. The magnitude of the particle flux is a function of whether or not the surface is a perfect sink for particles. Even particle sizes as small as 2 μm dia. can be re-entrained from untreated surfaces. For larger particle diameters the particle flux can be higher near the tube surface than the average flux across the tube. For a constant air velocity, deposition velocities can increase with an increase in particle size even though re-entrainment is occurring. This increase in deposition is probably caused by the greater particle concentration near the surface. These high concentrations yield more rapid deposition by effective diffusion. Eventually the re-entrainment mechanisms cause particles to diffuse further from the surface. Consequently, the observed deposition decreases due to the combined effect of re-entrainment and outward diffusion opposing the diffusion towards the deposition surface.
Saturation effects in laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy

Laser based spectroscopic diagnostic tools offer the possibility of spatially and temporally resolved measurements of species concentrations in complex reacting gas flows of engineering interest. The major problem associated with such measurements is the effect of quenching reactions on the fluorescence signal. To overcome this difficulty operating in the saturation mode is proposed. For suitable systems the fluorescence signal is then no longer a function of quenching rates or laser power. Very low detectability limits appear possible.
The myth of the short esophagus

Background: The advent of laparoscopic surgery has increased the number of fundoplications performed today. With the increase in laparoscopic fundoplications, the reports of short esophagus continue to increase. This investigation was undertaken to review our data regarding the entity described as “short esophagus.” Method: All charts of patients who had laparoscopic fundoplications performed from 1991 to 2000 were reviewed. Patients with laparoscopic fundoplications received esophagrams at 3 months postoperatively and then at 6 months. Results: A total of 628 fundoplications were performed, with 351 requiring hiatal hernia repair. After appropriate esophageal mobilization was performed, no further esophageal lengthening procedure was needed. There were 4 conversions, 16 recurrences, and 7 complications, and no deaths. Recurrences were due to “slipped fundoplications” (n = 3), ineffective valves (n = 5), and hiatal hernia disruptions (n = 8). Conclusions: In our series of fundoplications and hiatal hernia repairs, no short esophagus was noted. With proper esophageal mobilization, clinically the entity described as “short esophagus” may not exist.
Parity progression ratio and fertility rate

A formula that expresses the relationship between the maximum likelihood estimators of the parity progression ratio and the parity specific fertility rate has been derived [by C. L. Chiang and B. J. van den Berg] based on the assumption that fertility is independent of a womans age. This assumption is unrealistic and severely limits theoretical development of fertility analysis. The purpose of the present note is to derive a similar formula for the corresponding unknown parameters without the independence assumption. (EXCERPT)
Gene Structure Induced Epigenetic Modifications of pericarp color1 Alleles of Maize Result in Tissue-Specific Mosaicism

Background The pericarp color1 (p1) gene encodes for a myb-homologous protein that regulates the biosynthesis of brick-red flavonoid pigments called phlobahpenes. The pattern of pigmentation on the pericarp and cob glumes depends upon the allelic constitution at the p1 locus. p1 alleles have unique gene structure and copy number which have been proposed to influence the epigenetic regulation of tissue-specific gene expression. For example, the presence of tandem-repeats has been correlated with the suppression of pericarp pigmentation though a mechanism associated with increased DNA methylation. Methodology/Principal Findings Herein, we extensively characterize a p1 allele called P1-mosaic (P1-mm) that has mosaic pericarp and light pink or colorless cob glumes pigmentation. Relative to the P1-wr (white pericarp and red cob glumes), we show that the tandem repeats of P1-mm have a modified gene structure containing a reduced number of repeats. The P1-mm has reduced DNA methylation at a distal enhancer and elevated DNA methylation downstream of the transcription start site. Conclusions/Significance Mosaic gene expression occurs in many eukaryotes. Herein we use maize p1 gene as model system to provide further insight about the mechanisms that govern expression mosaicism. We suggest that the gene structure of P1-mm is modified in some of its tandem gene repeats. It is known that repeated genes are susceptible to chromatin-mediated regulation of gene expression. We discuss how the modification to the tandem repeats of P1-mm may have disrupted the epigenetic mechanisms that stably confer tissue-specific expression.
Lattice Gas Dynamics: Application to Driven Vortices in Two Dimensional Superconductors

A continuous time Monte Carlo lattice gas dynamics is developed to model driven steady states of vortices in two dimensional superconducting networks. Dramatic differences are found when compared to a simpler Metropolis dynamics. Subtle finite size effects are found at low temperature, with a moving smectic that becomes unstable to an anisotropic liquid on sufficiently large length scales.
Extended Result Reading Window in Lateral Flow Tests Detecting Exposure to Onchocerca volvulus: A New Technology to Improve Epidemiological Surveillance Tools

Onchocerciasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by infection with the parasite Onchocerca volvulus (Ov). An estimated 180 million people are at risk for Ov infection, and 37 million people are infected, mostly in Africa. A lateral flow-based assay to detect human IgG4 antibodies to the Ov-specific antigen Ov-16 was developed as a rapid tool to detect exposure to Ov. The test, when performed on 449 sera specimens from patients with microfiladermia and Ov-negative patients, has a sensitivity of 89.1% (95% confidence interval: 86.2%–92.0%), and specificity of 97% (95% confidence interval: 95.4%–98.6%). Because the intended use of the test is for surveillance, it is highly desirable to have a stable, long-lasting result. An extended read window is thus desirable for a high-volume, busy workflow and facilitates post-surveillance quality assurance. The main restriction on achieving an extended read window for this assay was the erythrocyte lysis that can alter the signal-to-noise ratio, especially in those with low IgG4 levels (weak positives). We describe a test housing that incorporates a user-independent feature driven by assay fluid and an expanding wick that detaches the blood separation membrane from the nitrocellulose used in the assay, but before hemolysis occurs. We demonstrated material functionality at extreme operational conditions (37°C, 80% relative humidity) and a read window of a minimum of 70 days. The fluid-driven assay device performs equally as well with whole blood as with plasma, as demonstrated with 100 spiked clinical specimens (with a correlation coefficient of 0.96). We show a novel, inexpensive, and simple approach to actuating the detachment of the blood separation membrane from the nitrocellulose test with no impact on the performance characteristics of the test.
New evidence that an epigenetic mechanism mediates testosterone-dependent brain masculinization.

Since the seminal publication of Raisman and Field (1) showing that neonatal exposure to testosterone organizes male-typical features of synaptic relationships in the rat hypothalamus, dozens of studies have reaffirmed the critical role of perinatal testosterone in the masculinization of aspects of brain morphology and function in rats and mice as well as in several other mammalian animal models (2). Several lines of investigation exploring the mechanisms of testosterone action in male-typical brain sexual differentiation have evolved since 1973 (3). Numerous studies have explored the contribution of perinatal testosterone to specifying the male-typical profile of neurotransmitter phenotypes in specific groups of neurons, of neuronal migration into specific sexually dimorphic nuclei, and in the expression of genes that control programmed cell death (apoptosis) within these nuclei. Other studies have examined the role of perinatal conversion of testosterone to estradiol (aromatization) and actions via estradiol receptors vs. direct actions of testosterone or its androgenic metabolite, dihydrotestosterone, on neural androgen receptors in the control of the above-named functions leading to male-typical brain sexual differentiation. Until recently, however, little attention has been paid to the molecular mechanisms whereby testosterone and/or estradiol modulate the expression of genes controlling the development of the male nervous system. A new study (4) published in this issue of Endocrinology points to a possible epigenetic action of neonatal testosterone in controlling the masculinization of the principal nucleus of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNSTp), in which neuronal number and nuclear volume are normally greater in male than in female mice (5). Epigenetic modification of chromatin structure due to the addition or deletion of acetyl groups to lysine residues of histone tails can lead to long-term changes in the expression of particular genes in the absence of any underlying change in DNA sequences. The critical observation of this new study was that neonatal administration of the anticonvulsant drug valproic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, completely blocked the masculinizing action of either exogenous, neonatal testosterone in female mice or of testicular testosterone secreted neonatally in males on the development of BNSTp morphology.
Development of an optical fiber monolith reactor for photocatalytic wastewater Treatment

A photocatalytic reactor, which employs a ceramic multi-channel monolith as a support for TiO2 and bare quartz fibers inserted inside the monolithic channels as both a light-transmitting conductor and a support for TiO2, was constructed and tested for water treatment by investigating the photocatalytic degradation of o-dichlorobenzene (DCB) and phenanthrene (PHE). This configuration provides a higher surface area for catalyst coating per unit reactor volume compared to the continuous annular reactor (CAR) and optical fiber reactor (OFR). The light distribution profile inside each cell of the monolith is analyzed. Exponential decay of light was observed in propagation along the quartz fiber core and penetration into the TiO2 film. Optimum thickness of TiO2 layer on the optical fiber was found to be ≈ 0.4 μm in this study. The kinetics of DCB and PHE degradation were pseudo-first order. The effect of the water flow velocity was investigated and showed that the operation was in the mass transfer control regime. Overall rate constants were extracted from the experimental data; and these were then used to calculate the apparent quantum efficiency of photocatalytic degradation. Greater apparent quantum efficiency was observed for the optical fiber monolithic reactor (OFMR) compared with that of the CAR.
The Principles of Economics from Now until Then.

(1988). The Principles of Economics from Now until Then. The Journal of Economic Education: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 133-147.
miRNA modulation of the cellular stress response

Cellular stress responses are potent and dynamic, allowing cells to effectively counteract diverse stresses. These pathways are crucial not only for maintaining normal cellular homeostasis, but also for protecting cells from what would otherwise lead to their demise. A novel class of genes, termed miRNAs, has recently been implicated in the cellular stress response. For example, it has been demonstrated that a cardiac-specific miRNA that is not required for normal development is requisite for a normal cardiac stress response in mice. In addition, we have found that a miRNA family is able to modulate the cellular response to cytotoxic cancer treatment both in vitro and in vivo. In this review, we will discuss these and other important developments in the field. In particular, we will focus on studies that have linked miRNAs to the genotoxic stress response and will suggest how this connection may be both important for our understanding of biology and pertinent for the development of novel cancer therapies.
Enhancing Experiential Learning in Collaborative-Competitive Student Design Teams

Engineering educators and practitioners have suggested that collaborative-competitive team design events promote innovation. These competitions are popular, and they attract sponsors and participants. Beyond being popular, they are believed to provide rich learning opportunities for students. In this paper we present a peer-to-peer learning environment for student centered learning to have a more appropriate mix of theory and experience (hands-on activities) to provide a complete experiential learning environment for collaborative-competitive student design teams. A student-taught seminar course on designing an FSAE vehicle is being offered to new members of the team to address issues in collaborative-competitive student design teams, which addresses the concrete experience and active experimentation element of the experiential model, but has deficiencies in the reflective observation and abstract conceptualization elements of the cycle. In this paper we will present the structure of the seminar course and how it tries to support and enhance the experiential learning in the FSAE team.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Degerming the Cutaneous Surface1

As was pointed out in the first paper (1) under this title, the bacterial population of the skin may be reduced both by removal of the bacteria from the cutaneous surface and by killing the bacteria which inhabit that surface. In the past there have been many attempts to combine these two actions by adding a germicide to a detergent. These attempts have seldom been successful because as a rule the detergent, usually soap, tends to inactivate the germicide. This has been particularly true of the phenolic compounds.
HMG CoA reductase inhibitors and quality of life.

To the Editor. —The Air Force Coronary Atherosclerosis Prevention Study (AFCAPS) is an ongoing randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled primary prevention trial to determine whether treatment with the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase inhibitor, lovastatin, will prevent coronary heart disease in persons with mild to moderate elevations of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. A total of 6605 participants without clinical evidence of coronary heart disease are enrolled, including men aged 45 to 73 years and women aged 55 to 73 years. Participants will be followed annually for total coronary heart disease events during a minimum of 5 years. A trial of this size and duration provides an opportunity to evaluate the long-term impact of cholesterol-lowering drug treatment on patient quality of life (QoL). In fact, it may be argued that it is imperative to assess the impact of long-term pharmacologic therapy on QoL in asymptomatic
Neutron-proton mass difference in a generalized SU(3) linear sigma model

Abstract We compute the strong contribution to the neutron-proton mass difference in the SU(3) linear sigma model. Our collective-coordinate quantization approach involving only isospin degrees of freedom leads to a result which is roughly twice too large. Taking also into account residual gluon exchange, we simultaneously obtain satisfactory values for the nucleon-delta and neutron-proton mass splittings.
Susceptibility Testing of Anaerobic Bacteria—The State of the Art

Demand for susceptibility testing of anaerobes has increased, but no consensus on procedure and interpretation has been achieved. The need for reliable methods for testing anaerobic bacteria extends from small hospital laboratories to large research centers. Agar dilution testing is too costly and labor intensive for many clinical laboratories. Microbroth dilution is more convenient; however, some fastidious anaerobes do not grow well enough in this system, and the choice of antimicrobial agents may not reflect the hospital formulary. Disapproval of the broth disk elution system leaves fewer options open to clinical laboratories and emphasizes the need for more convenient and reliable techniques. Some newer methods are undergoing evaluation
The phenomenon of conglomerate crystallization. XII. Spontaneous resolution in coordination compounds. X. The structure and absolute configuration of δ(λδλ)(+)589-[cis-α-Co(trien)(NO2)2]Cl·H2O and of Λ(δλδ)(−)589-[cis-α-Co(trien)(NO2)2]I·H2O

Abstract Compounds [cis-α-Co(trien)(NO2)2]X·H2O (with X  I and Cl) are obtained as conglomerates when aqueous solutions of these species are crystallized either by evaporation at room temperature or cooled in a refrigerator at ca. 2 °C. Both crystallize in the orthorhombic system, space group P212121. The chloride crystal examined is the enantiomer of that previously reported and this study merely verifies that the crystalline material obtained consists of a conglomerate; thus, little additional discussion is necessary for this compound. The cell constants of the iodide are: a=8.041(3), b=13.013(3) and c=14.169(2) A; V=1482.64 A3 and D(calc;z=4)=1.980 g cm−3. The structure of the iodide was refined with 1536 independent data to final discrepancy indices of R=0.027 and Rw= 0.026. The chloride and iodide are isomorphous and nearly isostructural — the halide anions are not placed at the exact same fractional coordinates and this results in a small, but meaningful, difference in the hydrogen bonding between halide and the secondary amino hydrogens with which they interact in the lattice. The fact that the halides interact in the solid with the secondary nitrogen protons is significant for the mechanism of conglomerate crystallization since in the nitrates, which crystallize as racemates, the NO3− anions form strong hydrogen bonds to the terminal- (primary) −NH2 hydrogens. It has been postulated in the past that intramolecular hydrogen bonds between the cis-(NO2) oxygens and the primary −NH2 hydrogens is responsible for the conglomerate crystallization of these compounds. Finally, solution 1H NMR studies by Yoneda and associates revealed that the halides of related bis- ethylenediamine species seemed to be associated with the basal plane amino hydrogens trans to the cis-X2 moiety. We observe, in the solid state, the same type of preferential interaction between halide and amino hydrogens trans to the −NO2 ligands. Thus, the ion pair observed in out solid state studies seems to persist in solution sufficiently to be detectable by NMR measurements — a behaviour never documented previously.
Pediatric bone density and fracture

As children grow, they accumulate bone mineral, which serves as a "bone bank" for the future. Any condition that interferes with normal bone mineral accrual during childhood has the potential to reduce peak bone mass and subsequently increase future risk for fracture. In contrast to adults, for whom dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) has become the standard clinical instrument for assessing bone mineral density and criteria have been developed to define osteopenia and osteoporosis, information for children is still limited. Numerous issues confound the interpretation of DXA-derived bone mineral density measurements in children, and clinicians often find themselves caught between the limitations of these methods and the practical issue of taking care of their pediatric patient. The explosion of treatment options for postmenopausal osteoporosis has resulted in new options for the treatment of children and adolescents. However, most of these agents have not been sufficiently well studied in children to permit the development of standardized treatment guidelines.
A Developmental Model of Addictions, and Its Relationship to the Twelve Step Program of Alcoholics Anonymous

A shift in the psychoanalytic literature is seen to have taken place in the 1960s, when psychoanalysts abandoned the psychoanalysis of patients suffering from addictions. This was due to poor outcomes, and assertions such as Kohut's, that addiction was not analyzable. The author asserts that there is a similarity in the psychological part of all addictions, and that this is seen in his work with addicted patients, including psychoanalysis of addicted patients. Addiction is presented as a pathological solution to a fixation during separation-individuation. This conceptualization helps to explain why such varying previous psychoanalytic formulations have been offered. The addictive solution to a fixation during separation-individuation is compared and contrasted to a similar fixation seen in patients suffering from borderline personality disorder and patients suffering from pathological narcissism. The developmental model presented clarifies how denial of addiction can be an interpersonal expression of an intrapsychic defense.
Rabbit kidney vacuolating virus: ultrastructural studies.

Abstract The ultrastructure of the rabbit kidney vacuolating (RKV) virus, grown in secondary cultures of rabbit kidney cells, was studied by electron microscopy of (1) sectioned cells and (2) negatively stained virus particles. Abundant intracellular virus particles were observed in thin sections of tissue culture cells harvested on the 6th and 7th days after inoculation with RKV virus. The RKV virus particles consisted of a dense, 38-mμ core and an outer capsid. The capsid was approximately 47 mμ in its outer diameter and was composed of capsomeres about 50 A in diameter. Elongated forms with a surface structure composed of capsomeres were observed in negatively stained preparations. Filaments or tubules of smaller diameter than the elongated forms were sometimes seen in close association with linear arrays of intracellular virus particles. Negative staining often revealed clusters of virus particles in which one to several particles were enclosed within a membrane.