cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved Classification of Phonocardiography Signal Using Optimised Feature Selection

Objectives: To propose hybrid feature selection technique based on Particle Swarm Optimization and Genetic Algorithm for phonocardiography. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The system estimated using heart sounds corresponding to different heart conditions like 320 signals out of which 150-normal, 70-Mitral Valve Prolapse, 50-Ventricular Septal Defect and 50-Pulmonary Stenosis. Features are extracted using DWT. Finding: A phonocardiographic signal reflects the health status of the heart. Generally there exists two heart sounds, but further sounds indicate disease. Phonocardiography is non-invasive, low-cost and accurate method to detect heart disease. This work proposes a framework to extract information from phonocardiography signal to classify whether it is proper or improper. Discrete Wavelet Transform method is implemented to extract features followed by Singular value decomposition for feature selection. Applications/Improvements: pplications/Improvements: An experimental result gives the improvement of the proposed method by increasing the efficacy of the corresponding feature selection technique.
Economics at the FCC, 2016–2017: Auction Designs for Spectrum Repurposing and Universal Service Subsidies

The Federal Communications Commission is responsible for federal regulation in the telecommunications and electronic media sectors, and for management of the nation’s non-federal radio frequency spectrum. During the past year, Commission economists contributed to the agency’s ongoing efforts to use market-based mechanisms—such as auctions—to allocate spectrum and distribute universal service subsidies efficiently. This includes repurposing broadcast television spectrum for more efficient use by wireless service providers through the recently concluded Broadcast Incentive Auction and structuring auction mechanisms to promote efficient allocation of universal service subsidies for the increased build-out of mobile wireless and fixed broadband service in unserved and underserved areas.
Genetic Parasitism in the European Starling

Genetic parasitism in birds has two components, cuckoldry and conspecific brood parasitism (GBP). Genetic parasitism is important because it negatively affects the reproductive success of hosts and implies the existence of more than one reproductive strategy, i.e., an individual may provide parental investment to some offspring while leaving others to be raised by conspecifics. Trivers (1972) called this a “mixed reproductive strategy.”
Intervento sulla crisi con bambini a seguito di violenze scolastiche

Le scuole si sono ritrovate al centro dell’attenzione per quanto riguarda il bisogno di sviluppare risposte ad eventi di crisi a tutti i livelli, dalle scuole elementari fino ad istituzioni educative superiori. Quando si verifica una tragedia in una scuola, sia gli studenti— tutti— sia la comunita intera subiscono l’impatto causato dalla perdita di una vita o da altre forme di devastazione; i tipi di crisi che si possono manifestare in una scuola variano dalla perdita di una vita, una malattia, un incidente automobilistico, l’incendio di un’abitazione, disastri naturali, fino a progredire verso casi complessi di violenza a livello domestico e della comunita, tra cui l’omicidio. Infine, le crisi all’interno degli ambienti scolastici sono progredite tanto da arrivare a riguardare casi di violenza ed omicidio entro le mura delle scuole stesse. Nel 1991 e stato istituito, negli Stati Uniti, un progetto— ”Iniziativa di Risposta alla Crisi Scolastica“— per occuparsi di come le scuole potessero meglio prepararsi alla crisi; il gruppo organizzativo e stato formato scegliendo specialisti rappresentativi dei campi dell’educazione, della pediatria, della psicologia, dell’assistenza sociale e della polizia. Il gruppo si e dato tre obiettivi iniziali: sviluppare un protocollo organizzativo sistematico; fornire l’addestramento necessario a preparare il personale della scuola ad offrire dei servizi; aumentare i rapporti di collaborazione tra le scuole, il centro di salute mentale e gli assistenti sociali (Chemtob, Nakashima e Carlson, 2002; Lichtenstein, Schonfeld, Kline e Speese-Linehan, 1995; Schonfeld, Kline e Members of the Crisis Intervention Committee, 1994).
The Neurobiology of Developmental Disorders

Developmental disorders affecting intelligence and behavior are among the most mystifying diseases of humankind. This is because they are primarily caused by abnormalities in the development of the most complex human organ, the brain. Perhaps the reason so little is understood about mental retardation, autism, childhood schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder, specific learning disorders, and Tourette disorder is that very little is still understood about how a normal brain develops. The premise of this chapter is that the key to understand these illnesses is an understanding of the processes involved in neurodevelopment.
Real-Time Traffic Pattern Collection and Analysis Model for Intelligent Traffic Intersection

The traffic congestion hits most big cities in the world - threatening long delays and serious reductions in air quality. City and local government officials continue to face challenges in optimizing crowd flow, synchronizing traffic and mitigating threats or dangerous situations. One of the major challenges faced by city planners and traffic engineers is developing a robust traffic controller that eliminates traffic congestion and imbalanced traffic flow at intersections. Ensuring that traffic moves smoothly and minimizing the waiting time in intersections requires automated vehicle detection techniques for controlling the traffic light automatically, which are still challenging problems. In this paper, we propose an intelligent traffic pattern collection and analysis model, named TPCAM, based on traffic cameras to help in smooth vehicular movement on junctions and set to reduce the traffic congestion. Our traffic detection and pattern analysis model aims at detecting and calculating the traffic flux of vehicles and pedestrians at intersections in real-time. Our system can utilize one camera to capture all the traffic flows in one intersection instead of multiple cameras, which will reduce the infrastructure requirement and potential for easy deployment. We propose a new deep learning model based on YOLOv2 and adapt the model for the traffic detection scenarios. To reduce the network burdens and eliminate the deployment of network backbone at the intersections, we propose to process the traffic video data at the network edge without transmitting the big data back to the cloud. To improve the processing frame rate at the edge, we further propose deep object tracking algorithm leveraging adaptive multi-modal models and make it robust to object occlusions and varying lighting conditions. Based on the deep learning based detection and tracking, we can achieve pseudo-30FPS via adaptive key frame selection.
Separate measurement of the 5f5/2 and 5f7/2 unoccupied density of states of UO2

Abstract Coupling High Energy Resolution Fluorescence Detection (HERFD) with electric dipole selection rules, the uranium 5f5/2 and 5f7/2 Unoccupied Densities of States (UDOS) have been determined in UF4, UO2 and UCd11. Striking changes were observed between UF4 (5f2) to UCd11 (5f3), consistent with the Intermediate Coupling Model. Results for UO2 were confirmed by Bremstrahlung Isochromat Spectroscopy (BIS). This new approach can be a powerful tool for shedding light on the hidden mysteries of Actinides 5f-electrons properties.
Tele-glaucoma versus clinical evaluation: The New Jersey Health Foundation Prospective Clinical Study:

IntroductionGlaucoma, the second most common cause of blindness, is normally detected in clinic. With technological improvements, tele-glaucoma exams can identify these changes off-site. The qualit...
Muon Identification using Neural Networks With the Muon Telescope Detector at STAR

Abstract The installation of the Muon Telescope Detector (MTD) at STAR allows a measurement of the dimuon ( μ + μ − ) production in heavy-ion collisions over a large invariant mass range for the first time. Data has been collected with the MTD from Au+Au collisions at s N N = 200 GeV and from p+p collisions at s = 200 GeV . These two datasets allow for new opportunities to measure the dimuon invariant mass spectra at STAR. Before any dimuon measurements can be made, muons must be identified. This contribution presents muon identification employing deep neural networks (DNN) and compares it with other multi-variate techniques. Applications of the DNN technique for data-driven purity measurements are discussed.
Safety and Consistency of Subject Attributes for Attribute-Based Pre-Authorization Systems.

Attribute-based access control (ABAC) systems typically enforce pre-authorization, whereby an access decision is made once prior to granting or denying access. This decision utilizes multiple components: subject’s, object’s and environment’s attribute values as well as the authorization policy. Here, we assume that the policy, object and environment attribute values are known with high assurance while subject attributes are collected incrementally from multiple attribute authorities. This incremental assembly with differing validity periods for subject attribute values creates potential for inconsistency leading to incorrect access decisions. This problem was studied in context of trust negotiation systems by Lee and Winslett (LW), who define four different notions of consistency which are partially ordered in strictness. In this paper, we propose an alternate set of five consistency levels, also partially ordered in increasing strictness. Three of our levels are equivalent to counterparts in LW. The third LW level is differentiated by receive time, to which we are agnostic. Our fifth and highest level is new in that it utilizes request time which is not recognized in LW. We define the formal specification of each of our consistency levels and identify the properties guaranteed by each level. We discuss implication of these consistency levels in different practical scenarios and compare our work with related previous research.
A Rare Mimic of Malignancy: Papillary Endosalpingiosis.

Endosalpingiosis is the presence of ectopic Mullerian-type epithelium resembling Fallopian tube epithelium. It usually appears as small glandular inclusions in various peritoneal sites or lymph nodes. Rarely, it is papillary in configuration, and lack of familiarity with this entity could lead to overinterpretation as a malignancy. We recently encountered a case of papillary endosalpingiosis found incidentally at laparotomy for ectopic pregnancy. Awareness of this entity is important, as it may be a diagnostic challenge.
Lateralization in seven lemur species when presented with a novel cognitive task.

Objectives Asymmetrical behavior patterns are observed in many animal species, but the potential adaptive significance of lateralization and the evolutionary forces driving it remain unclear. Most laterality studies have focused on a single species, which makes interspecies comparisons difficult. The aim of this study was to examine differences in the strength and direction of lateralization in multiple lemur species when engaged in a standardized, novel cognitive task. Materials and methods We assessed laterality in seven lemur species at the Duke Lemur Center when using a novel puzzle-box. We recorded which hand opened the apparatus door and which hand picked up the food reward. We also recorded whether the mouth was used for either action instead of the hands. We then calculated handedness indices (HI), z-scores, and mouth-use rates. Results Overall, 62% of individuals were more lateralized than chance. However, within-genera, there were relatively equal numbers of individuals with a left- or right-hand bias, which resulted in ambipreference at the genus level. The hand a lemur used on its first success in the task predicted its overall HI value, and the strength of lateralization increased as the number of successes increased. Varecia had significantly higher mouth-use rates than all other genera. Discussion We found evidence of an individual learning trajectory in which the hand used on a lemur's first success was canalized as the preferred (and lateralized) hand, in support of the "cognitive simplicity" hypothesis. Individual variability in hand preference was high, which is consistent with previous research. Between-genera differences in mouth use appear to reflect species-specific feeding postures and differences in manual dexterity.
Mogamulizumab in the treatment of advanced mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome: safety and efficacy

Advanced mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS) are forms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma characterized by a poor prognosis. Treatments are associated with high rates of relapse, and thus the...
Anionic nanoparticle-induced perturbation to phospholipid membranes affects ion channel function

Understanding the mechanisms of nanoparticle interaction with cell membranes is essential for designing materials for applications such as bioimaging and drug delivery, as well as for assessing engineered nanomaterial safety. Much attention has focused on nanoparticles that bind strongly to biological membranes or induce membrane damage, leading to adverse impacts on cells. More subtle effects on membrane function mediated via changes in biophysical properties of the phospholipid bilayer have received little study. Here, we combine electrophysiology measurements, infrared spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations to obtain insight into a mode of nanoparticle-mediated modulation of membrane protein function that was previously only hinted at in prior work. Electrophysiology measurements on gramicidin A (gA) ion channels embedded in planar suspended lipid bilayers demonstrate that anionic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) reduce channel activity and extend channel lifetimes without disrupting membrane integrity, in a manner consistent with changes in membrane mechanical properties. Vibrational spectroscopy indicates that AuNP interaction with the bilayer does not perturb the conformation of membrane-embedded gA. Molecular dynamics simulations reinforce the experimental findings, showing that anionic AuNPs do not directly interact with embedded gA channels but perturb the local properties of lipid bilayers. Our results are most consistent with a mechanism in which anionic AuNPs disrupt ion channel function in an indirect manner by altering the mechanical properties of the surrounding bilayer. Alteration of membrane mechanical properties represents a potentially important mechanism by which nanoparticles induce biological effects, as the function of many embedded membrane proteins depends on phospholipid bilayer biophysical properties.
MicroRNA-24-3p promotes skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration by regulating high mobility group AT-hook 1

Skeletal muscle regenerates throughout the lifetime to maintain normal development, growth, and physiological function. Skeletal muscle regeneration occurs in a coordinated fashion and requires strict regulation of myogenic gene expression during the process. Numerous studies have established the critical role of microRNAs in regulating post-transcriptional gene expression in diverse biological processes including differentiation, development, and regeneration. We have revealed in an earlier study that a large number of microRNAs were differentially expressed during myoblast differentiation. Here, we report the role of one such microRNA, the miR-24-3p, in skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration. miR-24-3p is induced during myoblast differentiation and skeletal muscle regeneration. Exogenous miR-24-3p promotes while inhibition of miR-24-3p represses myoblast differentiation. miR-24-3p promotes myoblast differentiation by directly targeting and regulating the high mobility group AT-hook 1 (HMGA1). Consistent with the finding that HMGA1 is a repressor of myogenic differentiation, the miR-24-3p-resistant form of HMGA1 devoid of 39untranslated region, inhibits myoblast differentiation. Intramuscular injection of antagomirs specific to miR-24-3p into the tibialis anterior muscle prevents HMGA1 down-regulation and impairs regeneration. These findings provide evidence for the requirement of the miR-24-3p/HMGA1 axis for skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration.
Deuterated water imaging of the rat brain following metabolism of [ 2 H 7 ]glucose.

Purpose To determine whether deuterated water (HDO) generated from the metabolism of [2 H7 ]glucose is a sensitive biomarker of cerebral glycolysis and oxidative flux. Methods A bolus of [2 H7 ]glucose was injected through the tail vein at 1.95 g/kg into Sprague-Dawley rats. A 2 H surface coil was placed on top of the head to record 2 H spectra of the brain every 1.3 minutes to measure glucose uptake and metabolism to HDO, lactate, and glutamate/glutamine. A two-point Dixon method based on a gradient-echo sequence was used to reconstruct deuterated glucose and water (HDO) images selectively. Results The background HDO signal could be detected and imaged before glucose injection. The 2 H NMR spectra showed arrival of [2 H7 ]glucose and its metabolism in a time-dependent manner. A ratio of the HDO to glutamate/glutamine resonances demonstrates a pseudo-steady state following injection, in which cerebral metabolism dominates wash-in of HDO generated by peripheral metabolism. Brain spectroscopy reveals that HDO generation is linear with lactate and glutamate/glutamine appearance in the appropriate pseudo-steady state window. Selective imaging of HDO and glucose is easily accomplished using a gradient-echo method. Conclusion Metabolic imaging of HDO, as a marker of glucose, lactate, and glutamate/glutamine metabolism, has been shown here for the first time. Cerebral glucose metabolism can be assessed efficiently using a standard gradient-echo sequence that provides superior in-plane resolution compared with CSI-based techniques.
Managing Electronic Commerce Transaction Costs for Customer Value

We investigate how electronic commerce (EC) retailers, or e-tailers, manage transaction costs and generate customer value. We integrate information systems and marketing theories in a framework for transaction cost management based on four contingency factors: channel, customer, product and shopping occasion characteristics. We build the framework using archival case studies and validate it with customer interviews. We show that trying to minimize the entire cost of retail transactions is either unsustainable or devalues the customer shopping experience. Instead, looking at transactions as a series of atomic steps enables e-tailers to better understand and manage what really matters for consumers.
Optical MIMO Communication Using Holographic Spectral Multiplexing of Pulsed Ultrashort Laser.

In this paper, we introduce Holographic Spectral Multiplexing (HSM) as a novel technique to enable multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication in optical networks. HSM uses the spectral space of ultrashort laser pulses to create line codes in the form of 2D holograms. The pulse processing is performed in the temporal Fourier domain by spatially dispersing the pulse frequency components in a spectral processing device (SPD). The 2D holograms are composed of the patterns of intensity disparities that an SLM inscribes on the spectrally-decomposed Fourier plane of the pulse. The holographic line codes defined in this way transform the ultrashort laser pulses into high-entropy data symbols, hence, enhance the communication's spectral efficiency. Unlike conventional optical multiplexing schemes (e.g., TDM, WDM, or SDM), HSM does not physically or abstractly separate the communication propagation space into subchannels. Rather, HSM realizes a MIMO communication paradigm by allowing the photonic waves under the pulse envelope to propagate in the same space so they scatter and interfere by chromatic dispersion. This allows HSM to form beams between the pixels of SLM at the sender and receiver sides and optimize the beam to adapt to channel scattering situations. In this way, HSM delivers a rate gain that in the best case exponentially increases the information rate of communication.
A parallel multigrid preconditioned conjugate gradient algorithm for groundwater flow simulations

The numerical simulation of groundwater flow through heterogeneous porous media is discussed. The focus is on the performance of a parallel multigrid preconditioner for accelerating convergence of conjugate gradients, which is used to compute the pressure head. The numerical investigation considers the effects of boundary conditions, coarse grid solver strategy, increasing the grid resolution, enlarging the domain, and varying the geostatistical parameters used to define the subsurface realization. Scalability is also examined. The results were obtained using the PARFLOW groundwater flow simulator on the CRAY T3D massively parallel computer.
The Enzymatic Conversion of All-trans β-Carotene into Retinal

Abstract Studies were conducted dealing with the cleavage in vitro of β-carotene into 2 molecules of retinal. The cleavage reaction was catalyzed by a soluble enzyme, from rat intestinal mucosa, which was partially purified by precipitation with ammonium sulfate between 20 and 45% saturation. The enzyme was stimulated by the addition of thiols, and was strongly inhibited by sulfhydryl inhibitors and by the chelating agents α,α'-dipyridyl and o-phenanthroline. The latter properties are consistent with the postulated mechanism of the reaction (a dioxygenase reaction). The cleavage reaction had a narrow optimal pH range (7.5 to 8.0) and displayed Michaelis kinetics, with a Vmax of 8 x 10-9 mole of retinal formed per hour (for 7 mg of protein of the active ammonium sulfate fraction) and a Km of 3 x 10-6 m. Addition of an appropriate detergent was required in order to effect the conversion in vitro of β-carotene into retinal. In the absence of bile salt or synthetic detergent no enzyme activity was seen. Maximal activity was obtained by addition of an appropriate combination of detergent plus lipid. The detergent-lipid requirement was found to be nonspecific. Effective detergents included both bile salts and synthetic detergents; effective lipids included phospho- and nonphospholipids, as well as synthetic detergents. Stimulation was not related to the electrical charge of the compound added. In the absence of added lipid, the reaction was stimulated by the addition of cell particles to incubations containing bile salt. The particles apparently functioned to provide membrane-bound lipids, and were able to stimulated the reaction to the same maximal rate as that obtained by the addition of an effective detergent-lipid combination. The role of the detergent-lipid combination, in activating the cleavage reaction, has not been defined.
Colour detection thresholds as a function of chromatic adaptation and light level

Colour threshold discrimination ellipses were measured for a number of states of chromatic adaptation and a range of luminance levels using the Colour Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD) test. An analysis of these results was carried out by examining the cone excitation signals along the cardinal axes that correspond to detection thresholds in the +L-M (reddish), -L+M (greenish), +S (bluish) and -S (yellowish) colour directions. The results reveal a strong linear relationship between the excitations induced by the adapting background field in each cone class and the corresponding changes needed for threshold detection. These findings suggest that the cone excitation change for threshold detection of colour signals is always the same for a given background excitation level (in any cone class), independent of the excitations generated in the other cone classes. These observations have been used to develop a model to predict colour detection thresholds for any specified background luminance and chromaticity within the range of values investigated in this study (e.g., luminances in the range 0.3 to 31 cd.m(-2) and chromaticities within the gamut of typical CRT displays). Predicted colour thresholds were found to be in close agreement with measured values with errors that do not, in general, exceed the measured within-subject variability.
NavChair: an example of a shared-control system for assistive technologies

The NavChair assistive navigation system was originally conceived as an application of mobile robot obstacle avoidance to a power wheelchair. In this system, the user shares wheelchair control with obstacle avoidance and other navigation components. The philosophy of shared control has important implications for the design of these components. This paper discusses the development of navigation methods for the NavChair guided by design criteria for shared control systems.
Effect on Pro-inflammatory and Antioxidant Genes and Bioavailable Distribution of Whole Turmeric vs Curcumin: Similar Root but Different Effects

Curcuma longa is a perennial member of the Zingiberaceae family, and cultivated mainly in India, and Southeast Asia. The hypothesis for this study is that turmeric will have distinctive effects from curcumin due to the presence of other bioactive compounds. Thirty Eight-week old Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into 3 oral feeding groups. Group 1, standard rat chow, Control diet - AIN 93M, group 2 Curcumin- 700 ppm or 0.7 g/kg diet, and group 3 - Turmeric -14,000 ppm or 14 g/kg diet for a total of 3 weeks. One group of rats were feed all three diets only and another group underwent esophagoduodenal anastomosis to evaluate the effects of bioavailability. Curcumin diet did not increase the transcription of mRNA of TNF-alpha, IL-6, iNOS and COX-2. The average fold change in the mRNAs level was not significant. Whereas turmeric diet increases the levels of IL-6 (1.9 fold, p=0.05) iNOS (4.39 fold, p=0.02), IL-8 (3.11 fold, p=0.04) and COX-2 (2.02 fold, p=0.05), suggesting that turmeric either was more bioavailabile or had more affect on pro-inflammatory genes compare to curcumin diet. We have demonstrated the molecular effects of curcumin and turmeric in the role as an anti-inflammatory therapy. However, significant bioavailable differences do occur and must be considered in further chemopreventative investigative trials the setting of reflux esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus, and other upper gastrointestinal cancers.
Answers and Questions: Evans-Pritchard On Nuer Religion

When I was in the Southern Sudan carrying out fieldwork among the pastoral Nilotic-speaking Atuot, I kept in my possession a paperbound edition of Evans-Pritchard's monograph Nuer religion. As things turned out, during the course of our visit, the senior administrative official for the area in which Atuot reside happened to have been Nuer by birth. In the course of a somewhat formal meeting early on, he asked if I had any copies of the work written by
Massive hepatic necrosis associated with dantrolene therapy

Hepatic toxicity associated with dantrolene sodium is generally believed to be mild and unusual. Despite the large number of patients treated for spastic conditions with this drug, reports of this complication are few. Side effects associated with dantrolene sodium are mainly drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, and headache (2-5). Abnormalities of liver function have been reported, but have usually been mild and have not necessitated withdrawal of the drug (2, 4, 6). Recently, Schneider and Mitchell described a case of jaundice they felt was due to dantrolene sodium in which needle biopsy of the liver showed cytotoxic effects and cholestasis. They urged caution if this drug is used in patients with liver disease (7). In this communication the authors report what they believe to be the first death from liver damage in a patient being treated with dantrolene sodium.
“Design Your Own Disease” Assignment: Teaching Students To Apply Metabolic Pathways

One of the major focuses of biochemistry courses is metabolic pathways. Although certain aspects of this content may require a rote approach, more applied techniques make these subject areas more interesting. This article describes the use of an assignment, “Design Your Own Disease” to teach students metabolic regulation and biosignaling mechanisms. Concepts related to peer review and scientific literacy are emphasized in the context of disease processes. There are three phases that are associated with this assignment. In the first phase, students choose a biosignaling mechanism from the textbook. In the second phase, the students use this mechanism to propose a new disease process that is associated with one of the regulatory steps of a metabolic pathway and present the information as a paper. Finally in the third stage, the students peer review three student papers using three biosignaling mechanisms that they did not use in their own paper. Possible modifications to the assignment include the use of guest speakers, refinement of the peer-review process, and removal of the biosignaling mechanism requirement. A grading rubric makes assigning grades more straightforward and helps students conduct their peer reviews. Student comments and interest concerning the assignment and areas related to the assignment are positive and reflect its applied nature.
Influences on Active Family Leisure and a Healthy Lifestyle Among Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to examine how attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control influence adolescents’ intent to participate in active family leisure within the theory of plan behavior framework. Adolescents (N = 472) completed an online questionnaire about their perceptions and actual participation in active family leisure. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. A post-hoc analysis also considered individual leisure and its role on active family leisure. Attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were significant predictors of intent to participate in active family leisure.
Interval mapping of quantitative trait loci for reproductive, morphological, and seed traits of soybean (Glycine max L.)

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) were mapped in segregating progeny from a cross between two soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivars: ‘Minsoy’ (PI 27.890) and ‘Noir 1’ (PI 290.136). The 15 traits analyzed included reproductive, morphological, and seed traits, seed yield and carbon isotope discrimination ratios (13C/12C). Genetic variation was detected for all of the traits, and transgressive segregation was a common phenomenon. One hundred and thirty-two linked genetic markers and 24 additional unlinked markers were used to locate QTL by interval mapping and one-way analysis of variance, respectively. Quantitative trait loci controlling 11 of the 15 traits studied were localized to intervals in 6 linkage groups. Quantitative trait loci for developmental and morphological traits (R1, R5, R8, plant height, canopy height, leaf area, etc.) tended to be clustered in three intervals, two of which were also associated with seed yield. Quantitative trait loci for seed oil were separated from all the other QTL. Major QTL for maturity and plant height were linked to RFLP markers R79 (31% variation) and G173 (53% variation). Quantitative trait loci associated with unlinked markers included possible loci for seed protein and weight. Linkage between QTL is discussed in relation to the heritability and genetic correlation of the traits.
Antioxidant enzyme gene transfer for ischemic diseases

The balance of redox is pivotal for normal function and integrity of tissues. Ischemic insults occur as results of a variety of conditions, leading to an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an imbalanced redox status in the tissues. The oxidant stress may activate signaling mechanisms provoking more toxic events, and eventually cause tissue damage. Therefore, treatments with antioxidants, free radical scavengers and their mimetics, as well as gene transfer approaches to overexpress antioxidant genes represent potential therapeutic options to correct the redox imbalance. Among them, antioxidant gene transfer may enhance the production of antioxidant scavengers, and has been employed to experimentally prevent or treat ischemic injury in cardiovascular, pulmonary, hepatic, intestinal, central nervous or other systems in animal models. With improvements in vector systems and delivery approaches, innovative antioxidant gene therapy has conferred better outcomes for myocardial infarction, reduced restenosis after coronary angioplasty, improved the quality and function of liver grafts, as well as outcome of intestinal and cerebral ischemic attacks. However, it is crucial to be mindful that like other therapeutic armentarium, the efficacy of antioxidant gene transfer requires extensive preclinical investigation before it can be used in patients, and that it may have unanticipated short- or long-term adverse effects. Thus, it is critical to balance between the therapeutic benefits and potential risks, to develop disease-specific antioxidant gene transfer strategies, to deliver the therapy with an optimal time window and in a safe manner. This review attempts to provide the rationale, the most effective approaches and the potential hurdles of available antioxidant gene transfer approaches for ischemic injury in various organs, as well as the possible directions of future preclinical and clinical investigations of this highly promising therapeutic modality.
Can Cheaters Play the Game

(1981). Can Cheaters Play the Game? Journal of the Philosophy of Sport: Vol. 8, No. 1, pp. 41-46.
Family Skills for General Psychiatry Residents: Meeting ACGME Core Competency Requirements

The authors discuss the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed for a resident to be competent in supporting and working with families, as mandated by the residency review committee (RRC) core competencies. The RRC core competencies, as they relate to patients and their families, are reviewed. The Group for Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP) presents an operational version of these core competencies. Methods of assessment, challenges in teaching, and ways of overcoming programmatic constraints are outlined. Examples of training programs that offer ways of integrating the teaching of family skills into existing programs are described. The implications of the current RRC core competency requirements pertaining to families have the potential to change the training environment substantially. The GAP Family Committee proposes recommendations to facilitate the training of residents in family skills.
Tetraethylammonium‐sensitive apical K+ channels mediating K+ secretion by turtle colon.

1. Apical membrane K+ channels in turtle colon were identified and characterized using current fluctuation analysis. 2. Under short-circuit conditions in NaCl-Ringer solution, the power density spectrum (PDS) of the short-circuit current (Isc) sometimes exhibited a clearly discernible Lorentzian component, indicating spontaneous fluctuations produced by a population of apical ion channels. The Lorentzian component had a characteristic corner frequency (fc) which averaged 10.2 +/- 0.9 Hz (mean +/- S.E.M., n = 20). 3. The power of the spontaneous fluctuations was enhanced (So increased) by manoeuvres that depolarize the apical membrane electrical potential (Va). Discernible fluctuations were enhanced or induced by raising the serosal K+ concentration ([K+]s = 50-115 mM, Na+ replacement), by clamping the transepithelial potential (Vt) to serosa-positive values, or by blocking basolateral K+ channels with Ba2+. 4. Mucosal amiloride (100 microM) attenuated the spontaneous fluctuations observed in NaCl-Ringer solution but had no effect in the presence of serosal high K+, indicating that amiloride did not block the K(+)-permeable channels but these channels resided in the same cells as the amiloride-sensitive Na+ channels. 5. Raising the mucosal K+ concentration attenuated spontaneous fluctuations. 6. In the presence of serosal high K+ and mucosal amiloride, the spontaneous fluctuations were often accompanied by a reversed Isc consistent with K+ secretion. These conditions were used to test the effects of putative channel blockers. 7. Mucosal Ba2+ and tetraethylammonium (TEA+) were effective inhibitors of the spontaneous fluctuations and the reversed Isc. At a concentration of 10 mM, TEA+ was maximally effective but the TEA+ analogues tetramethylammonium (TMA+) and tetrapropylammonium (TPrA+) were much less effective. Mucosal Rb+ or Cs+ did not inhibit at a concentration of 10 mM. 8. Mucosal lidocaine (200 microM), quinidine (200 microM), or diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC, 1 mM) had little or no effect on the spontaneous fluctuations and reversed Isc. Quinine (100 microM), 4-aminopyridine (1 mM), and apamin (100 nM) were also without effect. 9. Mucosal TEA+ (10 mM) abolished the active secretory K+ flux measured in the presence of serosa-positive transepithelial potentials. 10. These experiments identified a population of TEA(+)-sensitive, apical K+ channels which mediate active K+ secretion in turtle colon. Sensitivity to external TEA+ distinguishes these channels from basolateral K+ channels in turtle colon and demonstrates similarity to apical K+ channels in mammalian colon.
Induction of a Hemogenic Program in Mouse Fibroblasts

Definitive hematopoiesis emerges during embryogenesis via an endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition. We attempted to induce this process in mouse fibroblasts by screening a panel of factors for hemogenic activity. We identified a combination of four transcription factors, Gata2, Gfi1b, cFos, and Etv6, that efficiently induces endothelial-like precursor cells, with the subsequent appearance of hematopoietic cells. The precursor cells express a human CD34 reporter, Sca1, and Prominin1 within a global endothelial transcription program. Emergent hematopoietic cells possess nascent hematopoietic stem cell gene-expression profiles and cell-surface phenotypes. After transgene silencing and reaggregation culture, the specified cells generate hematopoietic colonies in vitro. Thus, we show that a simple combination of transcription factors is sufficient to induce a complex, dynamic, and multistep developmental program in vitro. These findings provide insights into the specification of definitive hemogenesis and a platform for future development of patient-specific stem and progenitor cells, as well as more-differentiated blood products.
Complexity of distributed commit protocols

Implementation of atomic actions in a distributed system in the presence of fail-stop failures is investigated. Worst case time and message complexities of the protocols realizing this are studied on complete graphs, rings, trees, and arbitrary graphs. Two modes of communication are considered — point-to-point and broadcast. Individual lower and upper bounds on time and messages are presented and the simultaneous achievability of the optimum message and time bounds is shown impossible in all the interesting cases.
A Rare Cause of Chronic Diarrhea and Weight Loss

A78-year-old woman was evaluated for fatigue, unintentional weight loss of 38 pounds, and diarrhea over the past year. She appeared in no acute distress. Her blood pressure was 120/80 mm Hg and her heart rate was 76 beats/min. She was 61 inches tall and weighed 96 pounds, with a body mass index of 18 kg/m. An abdominal examination was significant for mild epigastric tenderness to palpation. The patient would have approximately 7 nonbloody watery bowel movements during the day with occasional nocturnal diarrhea. Her bowel movements were not affected by fasting. She had associated lower abdominal pain and intermittent epigastric pain. Prior work-up included negative stool studies for Clostridium difficile, ova and parasites, culture, and Gram stain. Laboratory studies showed a normal hemoglobin level, mean corpuscular volume, thyroid-stimulating hormone level, alanine aminotransferase level, total bilirubin level, albumin level, and C-reactive protein level. She had an abnormal alkaline phosphatase level of 130 IU/L (38–126 IU/L), an aspartate aminotransferase level of 52 IU/L (15–41 IU/L), a g-glutamyl transpeptidase level of 49 IU/L (<41 IU/L), and a lipase level of less than 3 U (15–70 U/L). A colonoscopy and upper endoscopy showed no gross or histologic evidence of malignancy, celiac disease, or microscopic colitis. A contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scan of the abdomen and pelvis showed cirrhosis, an obstructing distal pancreatic duct calculus, and complete fatty replacement of the pancreas, which was highly suggestive of lipomatous pseudohypertrophy (Figure A). An endoscopic ultrasound was performed and confirmed the diagnosis and excluded an underlying pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Figure B). The patient denied alcohol use. Viral hepatitis serologies, iron saturation level, ceruloplasmin level, autoimmune serologies, and a-1 antitrypsin level all were normal. The most likely etiology of the patient’s cirrhosis was nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The patient denied previous episodes of pancreatitis, but the presumptive etiology of the distal pancreatic duct calculus was chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapywas initiated and the patient reported resolution of her symptoms 2 days later. At our patient’s follow-up visit 1 month after initiation of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, her weight increased to 101 pounds and her symptoms resolved. Lipomatous pseudohypertrophy is a rare idiopathic clinical entity that has been described only in case reports and case series. Based on a small case series and literature review, Altinel et al determined that this condition occurs with equal frequency in males and females, with approximately 70% of cases diffusely involving the pancreas. Histologically, adipose pseudotumor replacement of pancreatic exocrine tissue is seen. Because of its low prevalence, the etiology of lipomatous pseudohypertrophy has yet to be determined. Varying presentations have been described including large pancreatic tumors subsequently diagnosed as lipomatous
Automated microsequence analysis by use of radioactive phenylisothiocyanate

Abstract The use of radioactive phenylisothiocyanate as a coupling reagent in conjunction with an automated protein sequenator permits N-terminal sequence analysis of 1.5 nmoles of protein. This procedure should facilitate chemical studies on several membrane proteins of current interest (e.g., histocompatability and Ir-associated alloantigens) which are available in only small quantities.
An automated method for measuring thicknesses of layered sediments

Varves from many environments have been used as paleoclimatic indicators. Measurement of varve thicknesses has typically been done manually, but an automated procedure would provide more accurate measurements with considerable savings in time. An automated method described herein involves digitizing an x ray of the core with a high-resolution optical densitometer. The two-dimensional optical density field is filtered to enhance the varve signal, and the filtered series is then used to define a series of line segments representing varve boundaries. The distance between adjacent boundaries is then averaged across the core to obtain the mean thickness of each layer. A section of thin laminae from near the bottom of a long core from the Gulf of California (Deep Sea Drilling Project Hole 480) is analyzed to illustrate the technique.
Copulation-induced abbreviation of estrus in the female guinea pig: Block by clonidine

In the female guinea pig, copulation produces a rapid inhibition of subsequent sexual receptivity. Injection of the alpha adrenergic agonist clonidine before mating blocked the early inhibitory effects of coital stimulation, while the serotonergic antagonist methysergide, and the dopaminergic antagonist pimozide were without effect. The effects of clonidine were prevented by pretreatment with the alpha adrenergic antagonist yohimbine. These results suggest that an adrenergic system is involved in the copulation-induced inhibition of receptivity and provide further evidence that such a system has an important facilitative role in the control of female sexual behavior in the guinea pig.
A model for fiber length attrition in injection-molded long-fiber composites

Abstract Long-fiber thermoplastic (LFT) composites consist of an engineering thermoplastic matrix with glass or carbon reinforcing fibers that are initially 10–13 mm long. When an LFT is injection molded, flow during mold filling degrades the fiber length. Here we present a detailed quantitative model for fiber length attrition in a flowing fiber suspension. The model tracks a discrete fiber length distribution at each spatial node. A conservation equation for total fiber length is combined with a breakage rate that is based on buckling of fibers due to hydrodynamic forces. The model is combined with a mold filling simulation to predict spatial and temporal variations in fiber length distribution in a mold cavity during filling. The predictions compare well to experiments on a glass–fiber/PP LFT molding. Fiber length distributions predicted by the model are easily incorporated into micromechanics models to predict the stress–strain behavior of molded LFT materials.
Smoking and emphysema: the stress connection

The stress response protein Rtp801 mediates damage to the lung in response to smoke. This finding might lead to new ways to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema (pages 767–773).
Concentrated Solar Power Harvesting Using Self-powered, Wireless, Thin-profile, Lightweight Solar Tiles

This paper presents a modular and scalable approach to concentrated solar power (CSP) harvesting by using low-profile, lightweight, sun-tracking, millimeter-to-centimeter-scale mirror arrays that can be wirelessly controlled to reflect the incident solar energy to a central receiver. Conventional, utility-scale CSP plants use large-area heliostats, parabolic troughs, or dish collectors that are not only heavy and bulky, but also require significant labor for installation and maintenance infrastructure. Furthermore, form-factors of current heliostats are not compatible with low-profile roof-mountable systems, as seen by the dominance of the conventional Photovoltaic systems for roof-top installations. Solar TILE (STILE) technology to be presented in this work enables concentrated solar power harvesting on a given surface with form factor and weight per unit area comparable to those of ceramic tiles used on walls/floors or that of Photovoltaic modules. Self-powered operation by integrated solar cells, elimination of wiring for power transfer, wireless control, and weather-proof enclosure of moving parts help STILE technology promise lower installation and maintenance costs than PV approaches, while enabling novel beam-redirection applications over large surfaces. As the STILEs are made of mostly plastic, which costs at least an order of magnitude less than solar grade silicon, associated material costs could potentially be much cheaper than silicon PV cells. After a description of the STILE technology and a discussion of mirror scaling, we present a prototype tile with dimensions 33 × 33 x 6.4 cm 3 and detail its wireless operation.