cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In-depth characterization of the fluorescent signal of HyPer, a probe for hydrogen peroxide, in bacteria exposed to external oxidative stress

Genetically encoded, fluorescent biosensors have been developed to probe the activities of various signaling molecules inside cells ranging from changes in intracellular ion concentrations to dynamics of lipid second messengers. HyPer is a member of this class of biosensors and is the first to dynamically respond to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a reactive oxygen species that functions as a signaling molecule. However, detailed characterization of HyPer's signal is not currently available within the context of bacteria exposed to external oxidative stress, which occurs in the immunological response of higher organisms against invasive pathogenic bacteria. Here, we performed this characterization, specifically in Escherichia coli exposed to external H2O2. We found that the temporal behavior of the signal does not correspond exactly to peroxide concentration in the system as a function of time and expression of the sensor decreases the peroxide scavenging activity of the cell. We also determined the effects of cell number, both before and after normalization of externally added H2O2 to the number of cells. Finally, we report quantitative characteristics of HyPer's signal in this context, including the dynamic range of the signal, the signal-to-noise ratio, and the half saturation constant. These parameters show statistically meaningful differences in signal between two commonly used strains of E. coli, demonstrating how signal can vary with strain. Taken together, our results establish a systematic, quantitative framework for researchers seeking to better understand the role of H2O2 in the immunological response against bacteria, and for understanding potential differences in the details of HyPer's quantitative performance across studies.
The industrial research lab: a relic of the past?

Basic research performed in industrial laboratories is declining — is the focus on profitability to the detriment of furthering scientific knowledge?
Systematic characterization of protein folding pathways using diffusion maps: Application to Trp-cage miniprotein

Understanding the mechanisms by which proteins fold from disordered amino-acid chains to spatially ordered structures remains an area of active inquiry. Molecular simulations can provide atomistic details of the folding dynamics which complement experimental findings. Conventional order parameters, such as root-mean-square deviation and radius of gyration, provide structural information but fail to capture the underlying dynamics of the protein folding process. It is therefore advantageous to adopt a method that can systematically analyze simulation data to extract relevant structural as well as dynamical information. The nonlinear dimensionality reduction technique known as diffusion maps automatically embeds the high-dimensional folding trajectories in a lower-dimensional space from which one can more easily visualize folding pathways, assuming the data lie approximately on a lower-dimensional manifold. The eigenvectors that parametrize the low-dimensional space, furthermore, are determined systematically, rather than chosen heuristically, as is done with phenomenological order parameters. We demonstrate that diffusion maps can effectively characterize the folding process of a Trp-cage miniprotein. By embedding molecular dynamics simulation trajectories of Trp-cage folding in diffusion maps space, we identify two folding pathways and intermediate structures that are consistent with the previous studies, demonstrating that this technique can be employed as an effective way of analyzing and constructing protein folding pathways from molecular simulations.
New JECSS Newsletter

A new series of the Japan and East China Seas Study (JECSS) Newsletter began with number 1, dated October 1984. The purpose of the newsletter is to keep participants and other interested scientists informed of activities and announcements related to research in the Japan and East China Seas. Discussion will include criticism of the program, proposals for cooperative work, data analysis and modeling, reviews of past and current studies in the JECSS area, and preliminary results from recent works. Subscriptions to the newsletter are available from its editor, Takashi Ichiye, Department of Oceanography, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843.
Polymer–polymer mutual diffusion via rheology of coextruded multilayers

The mutual diffusion coefficient of a pair of polyethylenes using coextruded multilayers has been measured. Two polyethylenes with different molecular weight were coextruded in 32 alternating layers in about 45 s of contact time. When the multilayer sample was remelted in a parallel plate rheometer, its apparent viscosity increased due to interdiffusion. By following the kinetics of the apparent viscosity increase, the mutual diffusion coefficient was measured. The theory of Kramer et al. (Polymer. 1984; 25:473-480) was used to describe the mutual diffusion coefficient as a function of the chain mobility parameter, molecular weight, and concentration. The finite element method was used to solve the nonlinear interdiffusion problem to give a concentration profile in these multilayers. By fitting the apparent viscosity of the sample vs. time, the chain mobility parameter was found to be 4.5 × 1011 m/N s, and the range of the mutual diffusion coefficient for these two PE's was 10−12–10−14 m2/s at 200°C (depending on concentration). This is an easy and rapid method to measure the mutual diffusion coefficient for miscible polymers with different melt viscosities. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2007
The renal handling of beta2-microglobulin in the dog

The renal handling of beta 2 -microglobulin in the dog. The renal extraction of beta 2 -microglobulin (β 2 M) was investigated under steady-state conditions achieved by constant infusion of human β 2 M. Fifteen animal experiments were conducted. Beta 2 microglobulin was infused at rates ranging from 51 to 269 µg/min. The renal arterial and venous blood levels remained constant throughout the study period. The data showed that renal extraction of β 2 M exceeded the rate of filtration at all levels of β 2 M delivered to the kidney. The tubular uptake of filtered β 2 M increased linearly as did the extraglomerular extraction throughout the range investigated. There was no evidence that either mechanism was saturated. The fractional excretion of β 2 M (FE β 2 M) increased linearly with the fractional excretion of filtered water (FE H 2 O). The results are interpreted to indicate that β 2 M is extracted from renal blood by glomerular filtration and, in addition, by a mechanism independent of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Under the conditions existing in these experimental animals, the linear relationship between FE β 2 M and FE H 2 O is evidence to suggest that factors affecting proximal tubular water reabsorption also affect β 2 M reabsorption. L'elimination renale de la beta 2 microglobuline chez le chien. L'extraction renale de la beta 2 microglobuline (β 2 M) a ete etudiee dans des conditions d'equilibre obtenues par perfusion continue de β 2 M humaine. Quinze experiences animales ont ete entreprises. La beta 2 microglobuline a ete perfusee a des debits de 51 a 269 µg/min. Les concentrations sanguines arterielles et veineuses renales sont restees constantes tout au long de l'etude. Les resultats indiquent que l'extraction renale de β 2 M a depasse le debit de filtration pour toutes les quantites de β 2 M delivrees aux reins. La captation tubulaire de la β 2 M filtree s'est elevee lineairement, de meme que l'extraction extraglomerulaire, pour l'ensemble des debits etudies. Il n'y a pas eu d'indice de saturation d'un des deux mecanismes. L'excretion fractionnelle de β 2 M (FE β 2 M) s'est elevee lineairement avec l'excretion fractionnelle de l'eau filtree (FE H 2 O). Ces resultats indiquent que la β 2 M est extraite du sang renal par filtration glomerulaire, et, en plus, par un mecanisme independant du debit de filtration glomerulaire (GFR). Dans les conditions existant chez ces animaux experimentaux, la relation lineaire entre FE β 2 M et FE H 2 O est une preuve de ce que les facteurs modifiant la reabsorption tubulaire proximale de l'eau modifient aussi la reabsorption de β 2 M.
Tumor necrosis factor and its potential role in insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a spectrum of hepatic pathology that resembles alcohol-induced fatty liver disease(AFLD), but which develops in individuals who are not heavy drinkers. In people, NAFLD is associated strongly with obesity,insulin resistance, and dysmetabolic syndrome, but the exact mechanisms that promote liver disease in this clinical context remain poorly understood. The proinflammatory cytokine, funor necrosis factor alpha is known to be a key mediator of AFLD. This article discusses clinical and experimental evidence that tumor necrosis factor plays a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance syndromes, including nonalcoholic fatty syndromes, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
The discovery of trapped energetic electrons in the outer cusp

We report on the POLAR/ CEPPAD discovery of a trapped, 60°<θ<120° pitch angle electron population in the outer cusp (7-9+ Re), whose energetic electron component extends from below 30 keV to ∼2 MeV. Because the time variability in the outer cusp precludes mapping with POLAR, we have carried out test particle simulations using the Tsyganenko 1996 model (T96) to demonstrate the trapping of these energy electrons in the outer cusp region and the resonant frequencies of its trapped motion. We discuss the boundaries and regions of the cusp trap and show that it is analogous to the dipole trap. We show that the phase space densities observed there are equal or greater than the phase space densities observed in the radiation belts at constant magnetic moment, thus allowing the possibility of diffusive filling of the radiation belts from the cusp.
Modulation of human tumor colony growth in soft agar by serum.

The factors controlling the growth of human tumor cells in soft agar are poorly understood. However, it has been demonstrated that serum provides factors which promote anchorage-independent growth. We tested 58 tumor specimens, which were obtained from patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung, colon, ovary or squamous cell carcinoma, for their ability to form colonies in soft agar in serum-free or serum-supplemented media. The cells were unable to replicate, and none of the hormones or growth factors tested: insulin (I), transferrin (T), selenium (S), estradiol (E), hydrocortisone (H) or epidermal growth factor (EGF) could substitute for serum. Examination of the serum dose-response curves indicated that growth factors reduced the serum concentrations needed to support anchorage-independent growth. The addition of the supplements and the lowering of serum concentrations increased cloning efficiencies (C.E.) in 38/51 trials, when cells were able to grow initially. The addition of ITS increased C.E. in 18/21 cases, HITES in 15/17 cases and EGF in 12/18 cases as compared to controls. ITS and HITES increased the number of colonies only when serum was the limiting factor. EGF, however, increased the number of colonies even when serum was not the limiting factor. The ability of the supplements to enhance growth could not be correlated to tumor type or initial cloning efficiencies. However, in only 1/25 cases were cells that were unable to form colonies under standard conditions induced to form colonies in the presence of the growth factors. Normal and tumor-derived human fibroblasts did not form colonies in soft agar in the presence of these growth factors. The results suggest that human tumor cells may require the presence of serum-derived factors for growth in soft agar.
Management and Outcomes in Pediatric Patients Presenting with Acute Fulminant Myocarditis

Objective To investigate factors associated with mechanical circulatory support and survival in patients with acute fulminant myocarditis (AFM). Study design Retrospective cohort of AFM patients admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit during 1996–2008. AFM was defined as distinct onset of symptoms ≤14 days before admission, rapid-onset cardiogenic shock, and normal left ventricular size. Demographic and physiological variables were compared between patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and those who were not and between survivors and nonsurvivors. Results Twenty patients (median age 12.7 years) met inclusion criteria. Seventeen patients (85%) survived to hospital discharge. One underwent heart transplantation. Ten (50%) patients required ECMO, and 7 (70%) of these survived. On admission, patients requiring ECMO had elevated lactate (9 vs 1 mmol/L), creatinine (0.8 vs 0.6 mg/dL), and aspartate aminotransferase (256 vs 35 IU/L) (all P P = .07). During hospitalization, non-survivors had higher peak lactate (10 vs 3 mmol/L), creatinine (1.5 vs 0.8 mg/dL), and aspartate aminotransferase (3007 vs 156 IU/L) (all P Conclusions Patients with AFM with end organ dysfunction or arrhythmias on admission may require mechanical circulatory support. The transplant-free survival rate in this critically ill cohort was excellent (80%).
Reactions of College Recruiters to Interviewee Sex and Self-Presentation Style.

Abstract College recruiters evaluated the qualifications and employability of either a male or a female applicant for a supervisory position. Half the recruiters in the experiment viewed a videotape of the candidate presenting himself or herself in a passive manner. The other half of the recruiters viewed a moderately aggressive interviewee. Contrary to the hypotheses, the moderately aggressive female was rated as favorably as the moderately aggressive male and the passive male was rated as negatively as the passive female. Although recruiters were as willing to hire a moderately aggressive male as they were the moderately aggressive female, they perceived the female's overall qualifications and her experience/training as superior to that of the male's.
Optimism vs. Pessimism: Design Decisions in the Face of Process Capability Uncertainty

Product development firms continually struggle to simultaneously keep product cost low while increasing product quality. This paper focuses on variation and its impact on the quality-failure costs-scrap, rework, extra labor, customer dissatisfaction, and product returns. In many cases, reducing quality failures requires an increase in product cost. Balancing these two costs is challenging because perfect information about process variability is rarely, if ever, available. As a result of process variation uncertainty, there is no clear optimal solution to the quality-failure cost/unit cost tradeoff. The author has observed that companies take one of two approaches to this dilemma: optimistic or pessimistic. The optimistic approach risks high rework costs to ensure the lowest cost product. On the other hand, the pessimistic approach forgoes potential unit cost reductions to avoid any quality failure. This paper presents a utility theory model of decision making under process capability uncertainty. This model is used to describe why either approach can be optimal depending on the organization, market, and product characteristics. In addition, information value theory is applied to explain the relative value of process capability information and variation reduction in the two approaches. The paper uses a frequently encountered design scenario to demonstrate the approach. In addition, a variety of other examples from industry are used to describe how the theory can be applied.
HIV care: continuing medical education and consultation needs of nurses, physicians, and pharmacists.

This article explores the impact of provider characteristics on their HIV-related continuing medical education (CE) attendance, consultation needs, satisfaction with skills, and willingness to provide care. A total of 731 users (52% physicians, 26% nurses, 11% pharmacists, and 10% nurse practitioners and physician assistants) of an HIV consultation were surveyed by mail (76% response). Significant differences in provider variables were found to be related to HIV experience and profession. Experienced providers reported more CE, more satisfaction with skills, lower consultation needs, more consultations sought, and more willingness to take new patients than other providers. “Unwillingness” was commonly explained by concerns over quality of care or staying up-to-date. Relative to physicians, nurses had more CE hours, were more dissatisfied with their skills, and had greater consultation needs. Although all providers had high consultation or CE needs in some areas, accessibility to such programs is particularly important for lowvolume providers.
Contact lenses in the management of myopic anisometropic amblyopia.

We treated 16 patients aged 1½ to 11 years with myopic anisometropic amblyopia with contact-lens correction of refractive error and occlusion. The degree of visual improvement compared favorably with that reported with the use of spectacles. There were no complications from contact lenses, and only one patient required anesthesia for fitting. Contact lenses appear to be more satisfactory than spectacle lenses in the management of myopic anisometropia amblyopia in regard to cosmesis, comfort, and treatment compliance. Patients with myelinated retinal nerve fibers and unilateral severe myopia had a poor visual prognosis. Treatment should not be abandoned in these children, but prolonged occlusion is not indicated. The presence of strabismus at the start of treatment appeared to have little effect on the final visual results. Most patients with strabismus responded well to occlusion, and all such children should be considered candidates for treatment of their amblyopia.
Thermal Tranesterification of Bis(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diyl Units in (Poly(ethyl terephthalate) and Poly(butylene terephthalate): A Route to Thermoset Polyesters

Copolymerization of 5,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxane with dimethyl terephthalate and either ethylene glycol or 1,4-butanediol affords polyesters with pendant ketals. Acid-promoted debenzalation provides 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propane-1,3-diyl structural units. Thermal transesterification to afford rigid, adhesive thermosets is controlled by the composition of the copolymer and curing conditions (temperature and time).
Ion pair catalysis of the autooxidative cleavage of benzoin in emulsion systems

A study was made of the autooxidation of benzoin in organic-aqueous sodium hydroxide emulsions in the presence of several quaternary ammonium salts. The rate of the reaction was found to be accelerated by these salts, probably by ion pair extraction. In pyridine and acetonitrile systems the reaction was almost exclusively the formation of benzoate. Neither benzil nor benzaldehyde were intermediates in the oxidation process. The rate law for the reaction was found to be which led to the conclusion that the rate-determining step in the catalyzed pathway was the reaction of oxygen with the ion pair:
Central epinergic inhibition of corticosterone release in rat

Abstract Drugs known to inhibit phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.28), the final enzyme in the epinephrine synthetic pathway were administered to rats and their effects on pituitary-arenal function studied. 2, 3-Dichloro-α-methylbenzylamine (DCMB) produced dose-related increases in plasma corticosterone in basal and stressed rats. Evidence for the central nature of this tonic inhibitory effect of epinephrine was its continued presence in adrenal demedullated rats. 2-chloro-3-trifluoromethyl-α-benzylamine (CTFMB) administration elevated plasma corticosterone and this effect was highly correlated to the decrease in hypothalamic epinephrine concentration in both sham operated and adrenal demedullated rats. These findings argue for tonic epinergic inhibition of pituitary-adrenal function.
An Evaluation of Low-Rank Mahalanobis Metric Learning Techniques for Hyperspectral Image Classification

We provide a comparative study of several state-of-the-art Mahalanobis metric learning algorithms evaluated on three well-studied, high-dimensional hyperspectral images captured by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) instrument. We focus on the problem of low-rank Mahalanobis metric learning, where our objective is to learn an n × m projection matrix A, where m ≪ n. Low-rank metrics offer a “plug-in” enhancement to similarity-based classifiers that can reduce computation time and improve classification accuracy with fewer training samples, enabling operations in resource-constrained environments such as onboard spacecraft. Our results indicate that applying a simple shrinkage-based regularization procedure to multiclass Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) produces comparable or better classification accuracies than the low-rank extensions of several widely used Mahalanobis metric learning algorithms, at considerably lower computational cost.
The use of equivalent networks to minimize the tolerance of passive thin film circuits

Abstract A three resistor thin film network possessing minimum sensitivity to random variations in individual components was designed, constructed and compared with a single thin film resistor with the same terminal impedance. Theoretical analysis showed the network would have narrower statistical spread in resistance values than its equivalent resistor, the ratio being 1 3 . Upon measuring a sample of 256 networks and equivalent resistors, the ratio was found to vary from 0·52–0·92, the average being 0·78. The result demonstrates the usefulness of minimum sensitivity equivalent networks in microelectronics.
On the rapid postseismic uplift along Turnagain Arm, Alaska following the 1964 Prince William Sound Earthquake

An analysis of leveling data obtained along Turnagain Arm, Alaska in the aftermath of the 1964 Prince William Sound earthquake shows that the postseismic uplift rate was constant during the first year following the earthquake. The maximum 1-yr peak-to-trough uplift was about 15 cm, while the maximum uplift relative to a tide gauge site in Anchorage was about 9 cm. There is some evidence for a modest decrease in the uplift rate between May and October of 1965, although the evidence is weakened by the lack of an appropriate reference point. The longer term temporal evolution of uplift rates, as compiled from leveling, GPS, tide gauge, and VLBI observations by Cohen [1996], can be modeled by an Omori-like or exponential transient decay curve with a time constant of several years. The geodetic data, taken in conjunction with seismological constraints, can be explained by aseismic-slip-at-depth along the tectonic plate interface with an initial slip rate of 35 cm/yr and a slip depth of 25–37 km.
Digital inspection: an interactive stage for viewing surface details

In a wide range of applications, we often wish to quickly inspect and visualize historically significant and highly detailed objects. For such scientific illustration applications, often the focus is on high-frequency surface details and on conveying important shape and feature information. In our work, we provide a complete system to visualize objects on the spot. Our approach uses photometric and geometric processing, combined with a set of visualization methods tuned to the interactive inspection and analysis of objects. Highly accurate models are acquired in about 30 seconds using an uncalibrated setup, obtaining both detailed surface geometry and detailed surface normal information. Subsequently, captured objects are visually tracked enabling hand-held manipulation and visualization. In this paper, we demonstrate our system using several real-world objects.
Changes in Social Behavior and Their Hormonal Correlates during Pregnancy in Pig-tailed Macaques

I conducted a longitudinal study of hormones and social behavior during pregnancy in 8 female pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) living in a captive social group. Females exhibited reduced grooming activity after the first month of pregnancy and reduced aggressiveness in the last month. Female-male hindquarter presentations and male-female foot-clasp mounts decreased steadily during pregnancy. The week before parturition was associated with lower involvement in all social activities. Monthly changes in plasma concentrations of estradiol and progesterone are correlated with some changes in sexual behavior and grooming performed by pregnant females. Altogether, the findings suggest that pregnancy does not bring about a major disruption of female social relationships with other group members and that the influence of pregnancy hormones on female affiliative and agonistic behavior is less marked than that previously observed for infant-directed behavior.
Learning Stochastic OT Grammars: A Bayesian Approach using Data Augmentation and Gibbs Sampling

Stochastic Optimality Theory (Boersma, 1997) is a widely-used model in linguistics that did not have a theoretically sound learning method previously. In this paper, a Markov chain Monte-Carlo method is proposed for learning Stochastic OT Grammars. Following a Bayesian framework, the goal is finding the posterior distribution of the grammar given the relative frequencies of input-output pairs. The Data Augmentation algorithm allows one to simulate a joint posterior distribution by iterating two conditional sampling steps. This Gibbs sampler constructs a Markov chain that converges to the joint distribution, and the target posterior can be derived as its marginal distribution.
Opportunistic Channel-Aware Spectrum Access for Cognitive Radio Networks with Interleaved Transmission and Sensing

Opportunistic spectrum access in a cognitive radio network has been a challenge due to the dynamic nature of spectrum availability and possible collisions between the primary user (PU) and the secondary user (SU). To maximize the spectrum utilization, we propose a spectrum access strategy where SU's packets are interleaved with periodic sensing to detect PU's return. Similar to earlier works on distributed opportunistic scheduling (DOS), we formulate the sensing/probing/access process as a maximum rate-of-return problem in the optimal stopping theory framework and show that the optimal channel access strategy is a pure threshold policy. We consider a realistic channel and system model by taking into account channel fading and sensing errors. We jointly optimize the rate threshold and the packet transmission time to maximize the average throughput of SU, while limiting interference to PU. Our numerical results show that significant throughput gains can be achieved with the proposed scheme compared to other well-known schemes. Our work sheds light on designing DOS protocols for cognitive radio with optimal transmission time that takes into account the dynamic nature of PUs.
VLSI design of multi-rate arrays for DSP algorithm

Multirate arrays where the data transmission rate at different paths varies are introduced. Using a multirate clock, transparent data or data with small delays are propagated K times faster than the computed data, achieving a speedup of a factor of K as compared to systolic arrays. A new synthesis method for a class of nonuniform recurrence equations named DURE (directional uniform recurrence equations) for multirate arrays is introduced. The synthesis method consists of obtaining the DURE from the initial algorithm and finding the symmetric plane, the schedule vector, and the projection vector. >
Femtosecond-pulse-driven 10-Hz 41.8-nm laser in Xe ix

We report the observation of extreme UV lasing at 41.81 nm on the 4d95d1S0−4d95p1P1 transition in Xe ix, as proposed by Lemoff [ Opt. Lett.19, 569 ( 1994)]. A 10-Hz circularly polarized 800-nm laser pulse with an energy of ∼70 mJ and a duration of ∼40 fs is longitudinally focused to a peak intensity of >3 × 1016 W/cm2 over a length of 8.4 nm in a differentially pumped cell containing 12 Torr of Xe gas. Laser amplification was observed with an estimated gain coefficient of 13 cm−1 and a total gain of exp(11).
Cold Injury from Pressurized Liquid Ammonia: A Report of Two Cases

Patients exposed to pressurized liquids or gases present unique diagnostic and treatment challenges to the Emergency Physician. The potential for injury depends upon the properties of the chemical in addition to the thermodynamic effects from exposure to a pressurized substance. We present two cases of exposure to pressurized ammonia during an industrial accident. One patient's symptoms were consistent with an ammonia alkali burn, whereas the other patient's symptoms were more characteristic of a significant thermal injury caused by the rapid expansion and evaporation of a pressurized liquid.
Tight recovery thresholds and robustness analysis for nuclear norm minimization

Nuclear norm minimization (NNM) has recently gained significant attention for its use in rank minimization problems. Using null space characterizations, recovery thresholds for NNM have been previously studied for the case of Gaussian measurements as matrix dimensions tend to infinity. However simulations show that the thresholds are far from optimal, especially in the low rank region. In this paper we apply the recent analysis of Stojnic for l 1 -minimization to the null space conditions of NNM. The results are significantly better and in particular our weak threshold appears to match with simulation results. Further, our closed form bounds suggest for any rank growing linearly with matrix size n one needs only three times of oversampling (the model complexity) for weak recovery and eight times for strong recovery. Additionally, the results for robustness analysis are given which indicate with slightly more measurements recovery guarantees for approximately low rank matrices can be given.
The neurophysics of consciousness

Consciousness combines information about attributes of the present multimodal sensory environment with relevant elements of the past. Information from each modality is continuously fractionated into distinct features, processed locally by different brain regions relatively specialized for extracting these disparate components and globally by interactions among these regions. Information is represented by levels of synchronization within neuronal populations and of coherence among multiple brain regions that deviate from random fluctuations. Significant deviations constitute local and global negative entropy, or information. Local field potentials reflect the degree of synchronization among the neurons of the local ensembles. Large-scale integration, or 'binding', is proposed to involve oscillations of local field potentials that play an important role in facilitating synchronization and coherence, assessed by neuronal coincidence detectors, and parsed into perceptual frames by cortico-thalamo-cortical loops. The most probable baseline levels of local synchrony, coherent interactions among brain regions, and frame durations have been quantitatively described in large studies of their age-appropriate normative distributions and are considered as an approximation to a conscious 'ground state'. The level of consciousness during anesthesia can be accurately predicted by the magnitude and direction of reversible multivariate deviations from this ground state. An invariant set of changes takes place during anesthesia, independent of the particular anesthetic agent. Evidence from a variety of neuroscience areas supporting these propositions, together with the invariant reversible electrophysiological changes observed with loss and return of consciousness, are used to provide a foundation for this theory of consciousness. This paper illustrates the increasingly recognized need to consider global as well as local processes in the search for better explanations of how the brain accomplishes the transformation from synchronous and distributed neuronal discharges to seamless global subjective awareness.
FLIGHT BEHAVIOR AND PHASE POLYMORPHISM IN THE MOSQUITO AEDES TAENIORHYNCHUS

Adults of Aedes taeniorhynchus, reared under two different population densities at 27° under LD 12: 12, exhibit differences in their flight behavior. Adults reared under crowded conditions show a main flight peak on the day of emergence as compared to adults reared under non-crowded conditions, which do not. On the basis of their flight activity, these adults are designated as belonging to migrant and non-migrant phases. Adults from both these conditions did not show statistically significant differences in their morphological characteristics, percent glycogen and state of autogeny, but those belonging to migrant phase are much lighter in dry body weight and have lower percentages of lipid than those belonging to non-migrant phase. Analysis of these results and earlier work on this insect suggests that phase polymorphism in this insect is due to the plasticity in its ontogenetic potential. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG FLUGGEWOHNHEITEN UND PHASENPOLYMORPHISMUS BEI DER MUCKE AEDES TAENIORHYNCHUS Erwachsene Aedes taeniorhynchus, die unter 27° und LD 12: 12 bei zwei unterschiedlichen Populationsdichten aufgezogen wurden, weisen Unterschiede in ihrem Flugverhalten auf. Unter Gedrangebedingungen aufgewachsene Imagines zeigen am Schlupftage einen Hauptfluggipfel, nicht gedrangt aufgezogene dagegen nicht. Auf Grund ihrer Flugaktivitat werden diese Adulten als Angehorige der migranten und der non-migranten Phase bezeichnet. Die unter diesen verschiedenen Bedingungen aufgezogenen Imagines weisen in ihren morphologischen Eigenschaften, dem prozentualen Glykogengehalt und im Autogeniezustand keine statistisch signifikanten Unterschiede auf, aber die zur Migrantenphase gehorenden haben ein viel geringeres Trockengewicht und geringere Prozentgehalte an Lipiden als die zur non-migranten Phase zu rechnenden. Die Analyse dieser Ergebnisse und fruhere Untersuchungen lassen vermuten, das der Phasenpolymorphismus bei diesem Insekt eine Folge der Plastizitat seines ontogenetischen Potentials ist.
Burst of young retrogenes and independent retrogene formation in mammals.

Retroposition and retrogenes gain increasing attention as recent studies show that they play an important role in human new gene formation. Here we examined the patterns of retrogene distribution in 8 mammalian genomes using 4 non-mammalian genomes as a contrast. There has been a burst of young retrogenes not only in primate lineages as suggested in a recent study, but also in other mammalian lineages. In mammals, most of the retrofamilies (the gene families that have retrogenes) are shared between species. In these shared retrofamilies, 14%–18% of functional retrogenes may have originated independently in multiple mammalian species. Notably, in the independently originated retrogenes, there is an enrichment of ribosome related gene function. In sharp contrast, none of these patterns hold in non-mammals. Our results suggest that the recruitment of the specific L1 retrotransposons in mammals might have been an important evolutionary event for the split of mammals and non-mammals and retroposition continues to be an important active process in shaping the dynamics of mammalian genomes, as compared to being rather inert in non-mammals.
cNMA: a framework of encounter complex-based normal mode analysis to model conformational changes in protein interactions.

Motivation: It remains both a fundamental and practical challenge to understand and anticipate motions and conformational changes of proteins during their associations. Conventional normal mode analysis (NMA) based on anisotropic network model (ANM) addresses the challenge by generating normal modes reflecting intrinsic flexibility of proteins, which follows a conformational selection model for protein–protein interactions. But earlier studies have also found cases where conformational selection alone could not adequately explain conformational changes and other models have been proposed. Moreover, there is a pressing demand of constructing a much reduced but still relevant subset of protein conformational space to improve computational efficiency and accuracy in protein docking, especially for the difficult cases with significant conformational changes. Method and results: With both conformational selection and induced fit models considered, we extend ANM to include concurrent but differentiated intra- and inter-molecular interactions and develop an encounter complex-based NMA (cNMA) framework. Theoretical analysis and empirical results over a large data set of significant conformational changes indicate that cNMA is capable of generating conformational vectors considerably better at approximating conformational changes with contributions from both intrinsic flexibility and inter-molecular interactions than conventional NMA only considering intrinsic flexibility does. The empirical results also indicate that a straightforward application of conventional NMA to an encounter complex often does not improve upon NMA for an individual protein under study and intra- and inter-molecular interactions need to be differentiated properly. Moreover, in addition to induced motions of a protein under study, the induced motions of its binding partner and the coupling between the two sets of protein motions present in a near-native encounter complex lead to the improved performance. A study to isolate and assess the sole contribution of intermolecular interactions toward improvements against conventional NMA further validates the additional benefit from induced-fit effects. Taken together, these results provide new insights into molecular mechanisms underlying protein interactions and new tools for dimensionality reduction for flexible protein docking. Availability and implementation: Source codes are available upon request. Contact: ude.umat@nehsy
Methods to improve digital MOS macromodel accuracy

This paper presents accurate series-transistor reduction techniques which extend the applicability of linear and nonlinear macromodels to more complex structures through accurately modeling the channel length modulation effect, effective transconductance, input terminal position dependence, parasitic capacitances, such as gate coupling capacitances, and the body effect. Adequate solutions to address these sources of delay errors, which may total 100% or more, have not been previously provided. The significant improvement in simulation accuracy using these proposed techniques is shown. The timing macromodel used to implement these techniques is up to several hundred times faster than SPICE2 and up to several times faster than existing nonlinear macromodels. The accuracy of this macromodel over a wide range of operating conditions is demonstrated. The macromodel and reduction techniques can be used to minimize VLSI simulation time, provide fast feedback in circuit optimization, and generate accurate data for higher-level macromodels. The proposed reduction techniques apply to linear and nonlinear macromodels. >
Provider-Delivered Tobacco Dependence Treatment to Medicaid Smokers

Introduction: Smoking prevalence is 49% among Medicaid enrollees in Ohio. The objective of this pilot project was to test a comprehensive tobacco dependence treatment program targeting rural Medicaid-enrolled smokers for both physician-level and smoker-level outcomes.
Synchrony in Silicon: The Gamma Rhythm

In this paper, we present a network of silicon in-terneurons that synchronize in the gamma frequency range (20-80 Hz). The gamma rhythm strongly influences neuronal spike timing within many brain regions, potentially playing a crucial role in computation. Yet it has largely been ignored in neuromorphic systems, which use mixed analog and digital circuits to model neurobiology in silicon. Our neurons synchronize by using shunting inhibition (conductance based) with a synaptic rise time. Synaptic rise time promotes synchrony by delaying the effect of inhibition, providing an opportune period for interneu-rons to spike together. Shunting inhibition, through its voltage dependence, inhibits interneurons that spike out of phase more strongly (delaying the spike further), pushing them into phase (in the next cycle). We characterize the interneuron, which consists of soma (cell body) and synapse circuits, fabricated in a 0.25- mum complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS). Further, we show that synchronized interneurons (population of 256) spike with a period that is proportional to the synaptic rise time. We use these interneurons to entrain model excitatory principal neurons and to implement a form of object binding.
Standardized Synoptic Cancer Pathology Reports — So What and Who Cares?: A Population-Based Satisfaction Survey of 970 Pathologists, Surgeons, and Oncologists

Context.—Cancer Care Ontario implemented synoptic pathology reporting across Ontario, impacting the practice of pathologists, surgeons, and medical and radiation oncologists. The benefits of standa...
Instance-Based State Identification for Reinforcement Learning

This paper presents instance-based state identification, an approach to reinforcement learning and hidden state that builds disambiguating amounts of short-term memory on-line, and also learns with an order of magnitude fewer training steps than several previous approaches. Inspired by a key similarity between learning with hidden state and learning in continuous geometrical spaces, this approach uses instance-based (or "memory-based") learning, a method that has worked well in continuous spaces.
MIDDLE PENNSYLVANIAN GASTROPODS FROM THE FLECHADO FORMATION, NORTH-CENTRAL NEW MEXICO

Abstract The lower Desmoinesian part of the Flechado Formation near Taos, New Mexico, contains a diverse marine fauna within predominantly dark gray shale and siltstone facies representing deposition in shallow marine environments adjacent to prograding lobes of a fan delta system. Gastropods are particularly abundant and diverse in a 60-m-thick section south of the town of Talpa; 157 species are described in this paper, including 19 new species and two new genera. New species are Euphemites hermosus, Luciellina ocultabanda, Spiroscala georgiannae, Glabrocingulum (Glabrocingulum) globosum, G. (Ananias) talpaensis, Worthenia legrandi, Cyclites diminutus, Platyzona hespera, Anomphalus? blancus, Stegocoelia (Donaldospira) taosensis, S. (Hypergonia) hoffmani, S. (H.) agraciada, Bicuerda procolumnare, new genus and species; Hermosanema varium, new genus and species, Pseudozygopleura (Stephanozyga) granda, P. (S.) lisaspira, Hemizyga (Hemizyga) larga, Strobeus immanis, and Meekospira delgada. Species of Pleurot...
Rural Women Veterans' Use and Perception of Mental Health Services

While the total number of veterans in the U.S. is decreasing overall, the number of women veterans is significantly increasing. There are numerous barriers which keep women veterans from accessing mental health care. One barrier which can impact receiving care is living in a rural area. Veterans in rural areas have access to fewer mental health services than do urban residing veterans, and women veterans in general have less access to mental health care than do their male colleagues. Little is known about rural women veterans and their mental health service needs. Women, who have served in the military, have unique problems related to their service compared to their male colleagues including higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and military sexual trauma (MST). This qualitative study investigated use of and barriers to receiving mental health care for rural women veterans. In-depth interviews were conducted with ten women veterans who have reported experiencing problems with either MST, PTSD, or combat trauma. All ten women had utilized mental health services during active-duty military service, and post service, in Veterans Administration (VA) community based-outpatient clinics. Several recurring themes in the women's experience were identified. For all of the women interviewed, a sentinel precipitating event led to seeking mental health services. These precipitating events included episodes of chronic sexual harassment and ridicule, traumatic sexual assaults, and difficult combat experiences. Efforts to report mistreatment were unsuccessful or met with punishment. All the women interviewed reported that they would not have sought services without the help of a supportive peer who encouraged seeking care. Barriers to seeking care included feeling like they were not really a combat veteran (in spite of serving in a combat unit in Iraq); feeling stigmatized by providers and other military personnel, being treated as crazy; and a lack of interest from those providing care in hearing their stories. This study may generate positive social change by helping providers approach women veterans in a way that is sympathetic to their experiences.
Conversion of methoxy and hydroxyl functionalities of phenolic monomers over zeolites

This study investigates the mechanisms of gas phase anisole and phenol conversion over zeolite catalyst. These monomers contain methoxy and hydroxyl groups, the predominant functionalities of the phenolic products of lignin pyrolysis. The proposed reaction mechanisms for anisole and phenol are distinct, with significant differences in product distributions. The anisole mechanism involves methenium ions in the conversion of phenol and alkylating aromatics inside zeolite pores. Phenol converts primarily to benzene and naphthalene via a ring opening reaction promoted by hydroxyl radicals. The phenol mechanism sheds insights on how reactive bi-radicals generated from fragmented phenol aromatic rings (identified as dominant coke precursors) cyclize rapidly to produce polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Resulting coke yields were significantly higher for phenol than anisole (56.4% vs. 36.4%) while carbon yields of aromatic hydrocarbons were lower (29.0% vs. 58.4%). Water enhances formation of hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals, thus promoting phenol conversion and product hydrogenation. From this finding we propose phenol–water–zeolite combination to be a high temperature hydrolysis system that can be used to generate both hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals useful for other kinds of reactions.
Interception of the triangular FM waveform via self-convolution

This paper proposes a technique for intercepting the symmetric signals and uses the example of the widely used Triangular FM waveform as a case study, due to its importance. The interception process involves performing convolution of the received signal with itself. Due to the symmetric nature of the Triangular FM waveform, the output of this self-convolution procedure is the same as the autocorrelation function of the Triangular FM waveform with a slightly higher sidelobe pedestal due to added noise. The higher sidelobe pedestal results in incurring a small SNR loss which is the price paid for blind interception of the triangular FM waveform. Simulations in this paper demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique in the presence of noise. In addition, the proposed technique is found to be immune to Doppler shift and fast fading.