cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HAMPI: A solver for word equations over strings, regular expressions, and context-free grammars

Many automatic testing, analysis, and verification techniques for programs can be effectively reduced to a constraint-generation phase followed by a constraint-solving phase. This separation of concerns often leads to more effective and maintainable software reliability tools. The increasing efficiency of off-the-shelf constraint solvers makes this approach even more compelling. However, there are few effective and sufficiently expressive off-the-shelf solvers for string constraints generated by analysis of string-manipulating programs, so researchers end up implementing their own ad-hoc solvers.To fulfill this need, we designed and implemented Hampi, a solver for string constraints over bounded string variables. Users of Hampi specify constraints using regular expressions, context-free grammars, equality between string terms, and typical string operations such as concatenation and substring extraction. Hampi then finds a string that satisfies all the constraints or reports that the constraints are unsatisfiable.We demonstrate Hampi's expressiveness and efficiency by applying it to program analysis and automated testing. We used Hampi in static and dynamic analyses for finding SQL injection vulnerabilities in Web applications with hundreds of thousands of lines of code. We also used Hampi in the context of automated bug finding in C programs using dynamic systematic testing (also known as concolic testing). We then compared Hampi with another string solver, CFGAnalyzer, and show that Hampi is several times faster. Hampi's source code, documentation, and experimental data are available at http://people.csail.mit.edu/akiezun/hampi1
UV absorption spectrum of BrOCl

Abstract The UV absorption cross sections for BrOCl in the gas phase have been measured over the wavelength range 230–390 nm. Absorption measurements were made at 298 K using a 100 cm long absorption cell and a diode array spectrometer. BrOCl was generated in the gas phase by exposing a BrCl/Cl2/Br2 gas mixture to solid HgO. The BrOCl absorption spectrum showed peaks at 272 (2.00×10−18 cm2 per molecule) and 320 nm (0.574×10−18 cm2 per molecule). Absorption cross sections were determined by mass balance following the decomposition of the gas mixture.
A New Regulating Wheel Truing Method for Through-Feed Centerless Grinding

A new regulating wheel truing method for through-feed centerless grinding is presented. In conventional regulating wheel truing systems, a single-point diamond tool is traversed across the regulating wheel in a straight line. The interference between the regulating wheel and workpiece exists. This interference problem, a main source of error in precision through-feed centerless grinding, is due to the radius of curvature of the regulating wheel and workpiece. A new concept for regulating wheel truing is developed to eliminate the interference problem. In this new truing system, the rotary diamond truing tool has the same size as the finished workpiece, locates at the same center-height of the workpiece, and moves across the regulating wheel in the direction parallel to axes of workpiece and grinding wheel. A mathematical model is developed to calculate the surface profile for the regulating contact and to study the curved line of contact between workpiece and regulating wheel. An example is used to illustrate the model and to demonstrate that the interference between regulating wheel and workpiece has been eliminated. @DOI: 10.1115/1.1366684#
Vibrational motions of buckminsterfullerene

Abstract A non-Cartesian coordinate system is developed which permits the vibrational motions of Buckminsterfullerene to be expressed in terms of four force constants. A 180 × 180 matrix is then derived which, when diagonalized, yields the complete vibrational spectrum. These results are compared with those obtained previously via a MNDO calculation.
Uptake of Gas Phase Nitrous Acid onto Boundary Layer Soil Surfaces

Nitrous acid (HONO) is an important OH radical source that is formed on both ground and aerosol surfaces in the well-mixed boundary layer. Large uncertainties remain in quantifying HONO sinks and determining the mechanism of HONO uptake onto surfaces. We report here the first laboratory determination of HONO uptake coefficients onto actual soil under atmospheric conditions using a coated-wall flow tube coupled to a highly sensitive chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS). Uptake coefficients for HONO decrease with increasing RH from (2.5 ± 0.4) × 10–4 at 0% RH to (1.1 ± 0.4) × 10–5 at 80% RH. A kinetics model of competitive adsorption of HONO and water onto the particle surfaces fits the dependence of the HONO uptake coefficients on the initial HONO concentration and relative humidity. However, a multiphase resistor model based on the physical and chemical processes affecting HONO uptake is more flexible as it accounts for the pH dependence of HONO uptake and bulk diffusion in the soil matrix. Fourie...
Zebrafish eve1 regulates the lateral and ventral fates of mesodermal progenitor cells at the onset of gastrulation

Zebrafish eve1, a member of the even-skipped related gene family, is expressed initially in the animal pole of late blastula embryo and subsequently restricted to the ventral mesoderm of the gastrula embryo under the signaling control of bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp). Overexpression of eve1 in embryos results in similar ventralized phenotypes to that seen in embryos overexpressing Bmp, suggesting that Eve1 acts downstream of the Bmp signaling pathway to regulate the fate of mesodermal progenitor cells (MPCs). How eve1 functions in the normal development of MPCs is unknown. Using overexpression of a chimeric protein of Eve1 fused to the Gal4 activation domain and gene-knockdown approaches, we investigated the role of eve1 in MPC development of zebrafish embryos at early gastrulation. We find that Eve1 functions as a transcriptional repressor and is required for normal MPC development. The role of eve1 in MPCs requires the redundant and cooperative functions of Bmp-activated downstream homeobox genes, ved, vent and vox. Inhibition of eve1, ved, vent and vox in double and triple combinations results in dorsalized phenotypes. Furthermore, specific inhibition of eve1 and ved causes the expression of an ectopic patch of the brachyury ortholog no tail and leads to the formation of an ectopic tail. Our data show that Eve1 functions together with Ved, Vent and Vox in a transcriptional network to prevent the spread of anti-Bmp gene activity from the dorsal side, leading to the establishment of the Bmp gradient activity along the dorsoventral axis to induce distinct transcriptional outputs in MPCs to maintain the lateral and ventral MPC fates during gastrulation.
Conflict between children: Social‐cognitive and sociometric correlates

What children fight about during play and their degree of success in such fights are related to their understanding of peers and social rules.
Storage alters feline bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytological analysis

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) collection is a valuable respiratory diagnostic procedure in cats. This study evaluated effects of BALF storage on total nucleated cell counts (TNCCs) and differential cell counts (DCC), cell morphology, and cytological diagnosis. Forty-five research cats with neutrophilic, eosinophilic, and mixed inflammation, and healthy controls were enrolled. BALF samples were processed within 1h (baseline) or stored at 4°C (4C24) or room temperature (RT24) for 24h, or 4°C (4C48) or room temperature (RT48) for 48h before processing. Stored BALF at RT48 had decreased TNCC compared to baseline. The RT24 and RT48 samples had greater eosinophil % and the RT24, 4C48, and RT48 samples had decreased neutrophil % compared with baseline. Cellular morphology deteriorated in all stored samples. Storage resulted in a change in cytological diagnosis in up to 57% of stored samples. We conclude that cytological analysis of BALF in cats should be performed promptly for optimal results.
How likely is Simpson's paradox in path models?

Simpson's paradox is a phenomenon arising from multivariate statistical analyses that often leads to paradoxical conclusions in the field of e-collaboration as well as many other fields where multivariate methods are employed. This work derives a general inequality for the occurrence of Simpson's paradox in path models with or without latent variables. The inequality is then used to estimate the probability that Simpson's paradox would occur at random in path models with two predictors and one criterion variable. This probability is found to be approximately 12.8 percent, slightly higher than 1 occurrence per 8 path models. This estimate suggests that Simpson's paradox is likely to occur in empirical studies, in the field of e-collaboration and other fields, frequently enough to be a source of concern.
Sinonasal blue naevus: case report and clinicopathological review.

Objective To highlight the important clinical and histological features of sinonasal blue naevi. Methods A case of blue naevus of the nasal cavity is described (including endoscopic and histological pictures) and the existing literature is reviewed. Results There have been five reported cases (including the presented case). Clinically, sinonasal blue naevi are heavily pigmented lesions that are small and asymptomatic. Histopathologically, blue naevi exhibit heavily pigmented dendritic melanocytes that are never abnormal in form. Conclusion Blue naevus should be a differential diagnosis for pigmented lesions within the sinonasal cavity, despite its rarity. It may be initially suspected by its small size and asymptomatic nature. However, histological examination is required for definitive diagnosis, looking for the key microscopic features described above.
Isotopic evidence for Holocene climate change in the northern Rockies from a goethite-rich ferricrete chronosequence

Abstract Climate proxy records often show regional heterogeneity due to the complex interplay of large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns and local topographic features. This is especially prevalent in the mountainous regions of the western United States where the interaction of two seasonally distinct weather systems can result in locally abrupt climate boundaries. Here we establish oxygen isotope ratios of goethite from ferricrete chronosequences formed by natural acid rock drainage as a new source of spatially small-scale Holocene climate information. Systematic study of these deposits may prove useful in understanding regional variations in response to global Holocene climate change. Oxygen isotope ratios of goethites from the mountainous northeastern Yellowstone region show an increase of ∼3‰ over the past 9000 years. We attribute this isotopic change to a local increase of isotopically heavier summer precipitation since the early Holocene, possibly augmented by seasonal temperature differences brought on by orbitally forced insolation changes over the past 9000 years. Our interpretation is compatible with palynology studies as well as Holocene climate simulations, which indicate a decrease in monsoon intensity from 9000 years B.P. to the present. Unlike the southwestern United States, this change may have resulted in wetter summers in our study area.
A new packing variant of catena-poly[[aquachlorocopper(II)]-μ-pyrazine-2-carboxylato-O,N:N′]

Single crystals of the title coordination polymer, [CuCl(C5H3N2O2)(H2O)], have been prepared by hydro­thermal synthesis. The compound is composed of infinite one-dimensional chains of pseudo-square-pyramidal CuII ions connected via pyrazine-2-carboxyl­ate ligands. A network of O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding between adjacent chains is responsible for a bilayer structure different from the previously reported polymorph.
Building dynamic capabilities around organizational learning challenges

Purpose – The knowledge that is embedded within people, relationships, and organizational routines present key, but varied, sources of capabilities needed to compete. The value of this knowledge depends on the investment costs and benefits that come as employees draw on and utilize these different forms of knowledge to respond to global challenges. But something as intangible as knowledge can be a major source of misunderstanding and mismanagement. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework that explores the underlying path of how knowledge assets might be configured to overcome misunderstanding and mismanagement. Design/methodology/approach – The authors develop a framework to help scholars and organizations understand how to manage their different knowledge assets to ensure continual organizational effectiveness. To do this, the authors juxtapose three classes of knowledge assets – human capital, social capital, and organizational capital – against three types of learning – knowledge generation...
The reaction of cytochalasin A with sulfhydryl groups.

Abstract The reaction of cytochalasin A with sulfhydryl groups was examined. Cysteine and glutathione reacted readily with cytochalasin A at pH 7.0, 20°C, following second-order kinetics with rate constants of 7,600 M −1 sec −1 and 870 × 10 3 M −1 sec −1 . No reaction of cytochalasin B could be demonstrated under the same conditions. The reaction of cytochalasin A with the amino group of glycine ethyl ester had a second-order rate constant of 0.02 M −1 sec −1 . Cytochalasin A did not react with sufhydryl groups of native ovalbumin or lactic dehydrogenase but reacted with an least 2 and 12 groups respectively when the proteins were denatured in 0.1% SDS. The reactivity of cytochalasin A with sulfhydryl groups is attributable to the α,β-unsaturated ketone groups it contains.
A general radiochemical-color method for quantitation of immunoblots.

Abstract Quantitative interpretation of protein immunoblotting procedures is hampered by a variety of technical liabilities inherent in the use of photographic and densitometric methods. In this paper, we present a novel, simple, and generally applicable alternative procedure to acquire quantitative data from immunoblots. Our strategy employs both the standard alkaline phosphatase color reaction and radiolabelled Protein A. The color reaction is used to localize the polypeptide of interest after transfer to a solid support. The colored bands are then excised and the radioactivity in the colocalized Protein A is quantitated in gamma counter. In addition to avoiding the problems associated with photographic and densitometric procedures, our assay also overcomes common problems associated with variable gel lane width and individual band distortion. The resulting data is linear over a range of at least 50-fold (10–500 ng of specific protein, for the example used in this study) and is highly reproducible.
Cl2-based inductively coupled plasma etching of CoFeB, CoSm, CoZr and FeMn

Abstract Thin films of CoFeB, CoSm, CoZr and FeMn have been etched in inductively coupled plasma Cl 2 discharges with He, Ar or Xe as the inert gas additive as an additional physical component to the etch process. The etch rates decrease with pressure and go through maxima with rf chuck power and discharge composition. There is a transition from net deposition to etching with increasing source power and rf chuck power, consistent with the need to provide sufficient ion energy and ion/neutral flux ratio to achieve efficient etching of magnetic materials.
BEST POSTDUCTAL pO 2 (BPDPO 2 ) AND pCO 2 (BPDPCO 2 ) DO NOT PREDICT OUTCOME OF CDH INFANTS IN EXTREMIS, STABILIZED WITH ECMO PRIOR TO SURGICAL REPAIR

BEST POSTDUCTAL pO 2 (BPDPO 2 ) AND pCO 2 (BPDPCO 2 ) DO NOT PREDICT OUTCOME OF CDH INFANTS IN EXTREMIS, STABILIZED WITH ECMO PRIOR TO SURGICAL REPAIR
In vitro rescue study of a malignant familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy phenotype by pseudo-phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain.

Pseudo-phosphorylation of cardiac myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) has never been examined as a rescue method to alleviate a cardiomyopathy phenotype brought about by a disease causing mutation in the myosin RLC. This study focuses on the aspartic acid to valine substitution (D166V) in the myosin RLC shown to be associated with a malignant phenotype of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC). The mutation has also been demonstrated to cause severe functional abnormalities in transgenic mice expressing D166V in the heart. To explore this novel rescue strategy, pseudo-phosphorylation of D166V was used to determine whether the D166V-induced detrimental phenotype could be brought back to the level of wild-type (WT) RLC. The S15D substitution at the phosphorylation site of RLC was inserted into the recombinant WT and D166V mutant to mimic constitutively phosphorylated RLC proteins. Non-phosphorylatable (S15A) constructs were used as controls. A multi-faceted approach was taken to determine the effect of pseudo-phosphorylation on the ability of myosin to generate force and motion. Using mutant reconstituted porcine cardiac muscle preparations, we showed an S15D-induced rescue of both the enzymatic and binding properties of D166V-myosin to actin. A significant increase in force production capacity was noted in the in vitro motility assays for S15D-D166V vs. D166V reconstituted myosin. A similar pseudo-phosphorylation induced effect was observed on the D166V-elicited abnormal Ca2+ sensitivity of force in porcine papillary muscle strips reconstituted with phosphomimic recombinant RLCs. Results from this study demonstrate a novel in vitro rescue strategy that could be utilized in vivo to ameliorate a malignant cardiomyopathic phenotype. We show for the first time that pseudo-RLC phosphorylation can reverse the majority of the mutation-induced phenotypes highlighting the importance of RLC phosphorylation in combating cardiac disease.
John the Baptist as exemplar for the understanding: Reading Kierkegaard’s Philosophical Fragments alongside an upbuilding discourse:

In the appendix to Chapter 3 of Philosophical Fragments, Soren Kierkegaard’s pseudonym Johannes Climacus describes a fictional encounter between personified versions of the understanding and the paradox. Although Climacus provides an extensive account of the unhappy result of this meeting, what he calls offence, he offers little by way of concrete description concerning the alternative to offence, namely, the happy meeting that leads towards faith. My purpose in this paper is to fill out in greater depth the happy meeting in Philosophical Fragments, and I do so by drawing on the concrete image of John the Baptist and his relation to the Messiah that Kierkegaard develops in his 1844 discourse ‘He Must Increase; I Must Decrease’. I argue that John, with his disposition of humble self-denial and his task of preparation, can serve as an exemplar for the understanding in its relation to the paradox. Not only does this reading provide us with a more concrete picture of the happy meeting that is compatible with ...
Cerebroside and cerebroside III-sulfate in brain cytosol. Evidence for their involvement in myelin assembly

Abstract Nonhydroxy- and hydroxycerebroside concentrations in cytosol and total participates during early brain development were determined by measuring the perbenzoyl derivatives by high performance liquid chromatography. The ratio of cytosol cerebrosides to particulate cerebrosides increased from 0.05 at 6 days to 0.60 at 8–9 days, then sharply declined. Cerebroside concentrations in cytosol increased from 0.37 nmol/g at 6 days to 6.1 nmol/g at 8 days. These results indicate that Cerebroside synthesis precedes myelination and that the cerebrosides remain in cytosol until myelination begins. The possible role of cytosol in the synthesis of myelin cerebrosides and cerebroside III-sulfates was further investigated by determining the turnover rates of cerebrosides and cerebroside III-sulfates in the subcellular fractions of 16-day-old rat brain after intraperitoneal injection of [U-14C]glucose. The specific activities of nonhydroxy- and hydroxycerebrosides in microsomes and cytosol 1,4 and 16 h after injection were nearly identical; the highest activity was obtained at 4 h. On the other hand, the specific activities of myelin cerebrosides increased with time and were highest at 16 h. Although the specific activities of nonhydroxy- and hydroxysulfatides in microsomes and myelin changed in the same way as cerebrosides, those in cytosol did not decline after 4 h; instead they increased. These observations suggest that the transfer of newly synthesized cerebrosides in endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi apparatus to myelin is mediated by a cytosol component. However, a similar role by a cytosol component in cerebroside III-sulfate transfer was not clearly shown.
“What Happened to our Audience?” Radio and New Technology Uses and Gratifications Among Young Adult Users

Recent industry research in the United States suggests younger audiences are leaving terrestrial radio for new technologies like MP3 players, Internet radio, and satellite radio. This paper presents findings from a survey of 430 undergraduate students regarding their uses and gratifications of these new technologies. The sample consisted entirely of young adults age 18–24, where the likelihood of new media use and adoption is expected to be high. The situation in the U.S. may describe similar patterns in other countries. The study discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the findings, and the potential impact on terrestrial radio.
Degenerative Cervical Kyphosis: Treatment, Complications, and Outcomes

Degenerative disease in the cervical spine is a common source of axial neck pain and neurologic disturbances. In addition to pain, upper extremity radiculopathy and myelopathy, advanced cervical degenerative disease can result in altered biomechanics, most commonly manifested as a kyphotic deformity. As the disk spaces narrow, the weight-bearing axis of the spine is translated anteriorly, placing the posterior structures under an abnormal tensile load. This in turn leads to attenuation of the posterior ligamentous structures, allowing further progression of the deformity. Treatment of cervical kyphotic deformities is generally multimodal, often beginning with conservative measures. In cases in which conservative measures have failed or in cases of incapacitating pain or progressive neurologic decline, operative measures might be indicated.
Influence of oligospermines architecture on their suitability for siRNA delivery.

Spermines are naturally abundant polyamines that partially condense nucleic acids and exhibit the proton-sponge effect in an acidic environment. However, spermines show a limited efficiency for transfecting nucleic acids because of their low molecular weight. Therefore, spermines need to be modified to be used as nonviral vectors for nucleic acids. Here, we synthesized linear bisspermine as well as a linear and dendritic tetraspermine with different molecular architectures. These oligospermines were self-assembled into polyplexes with siRNA. The structure–activity relationship of the oligospermines was evaluated in terms of their efficiency for delivering siRNA into a nonsmall cell lung carcinoma cell line. Oligospermines displayed minimal cytotoxicity but efficient siRNA condensation and showed better stability against polyanions than polyethylenimine. The morphology of the polyplexes was strongly affected by the oligospermine architecture. Linear tetraspermine/siRNA polyplexes showed the best gene-silencing efficiency among the oligospermines tested at both the mRNA and protein expression levels, indicating the most favorable structure for siRNA delivery.
Effects of Cyclic Nucleotides and Protein Kinases on Platelet Calcium Homeostasis and Mobilization

(1993). Effects of Cyclic Nucleotides and Protein Kinases on Platelet Calcium Homeostasis and Mobilization. Platelets: Vol. 4, No. 5, pp. 231-242.
As Necessity Creates the Rule: Eisentrager, Boumediene and the Enemy - How Strategic Realities Can Constitutionally Require Greater Rights for Detainess in the Wars of the Twenty-First Century

With the 2006 publication of the Army-Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manual, adhering to law has officially become a strategic imperative. Yet, court decisions and briefs still operate under the assumption that the application of law to the battlefield shackles the military. Even decisions like Boumediene, in which the Court granted Guantanamo Bay detainees habeas rights, does so apologetically. But this article demonstrates that law is not only a strategic necessity in today’s conflicts, but that the Constitution itself is a strategically pragmatic document that was designed to allow restrictions on individual rights when military necessity requires it - but only so long as that necessity exists. The Court must continue to exercise its constitutional duty to review executive claims of necessity, and as the strategic situation changes, so must the level of rights afforded to detainees. Accordingly, this article posits a battlefield jurisprudence. At the far end, only constitutional enemies, defined as those individuals connected to a state engaged in hostilities, can receive prisoner of war treatment, including indefinite detention. For all other individuals, the strategic or pragmatic Constitution affords lawmakers the opportunity to tailor rules to optimize the level of legal rights and thereby maximize the chances for a positive outcome for the U.S.
Healing for destruction: tRNA intron degradation in yeast is a two-step cytoplasmic process catalyzed by tRNA ligase Rlg1 and 5′-to-3′ exonuclease Xrn1

In eukaryotes and archaea, tRNA splicing generates free intron molecules. Although ∼ 600,000 introns are produced per generation in yeast, they are barely detectable in cells, indicating efficient turnover of introns. Through a genome-wide search for genes involved in tRNA biology in yeast, we uncovered the mechanism for intron turnover. This process requires healing of the 5' termini of linear introns by the tRNA ligase Rlg1 and destruction by the cytoplasmic tRNA quality control 5'-to-3' exonuclease Xrn1, which has specificity for RNAs with 5' monophosphate.
Development of pediatric sleep questionnaires as diagnostic or epidemiological tools: A brief review of Dos and Don’ts

Questionnaires are a useful and extensively used tool in clinical sleep medicine and in sleep research. The number of sleep questionnaires targeting the pediatric age range has tremendously increased in recent years, and with such explosion in the number of instruments, their heterogeneity has become all the more apparent. Here, we explore the theoretical and pragmatic processes required for instrument design and development, i.e., how any questionnaire, inventory, log, or diary should be created and evaluated, and also provide illustrative examples to further underline the potential pitfalls that are inherently embedded in every step of tool development.
Studies of the distribution of yellowing viruses in the sugar beet root crop from 1981 to 1984

Two viruses, beet yellows virus (BYV) and beet mild yellowing virus (BMW), cause yellowing of sugar beet, their principal vector being Myzus persicae. Although the viruses have different properties which are likely to influence their spread within root crops, for the purpose of control they have been treated in the past as one disease. This paper describes the results of a crop survey carried out in co-operation with agricultural staff of British Sugar plc from 1981 to 1984 in which leaves from plants with symptoms of virus yellows were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for BYV and BMW. The two viruses differed in their incidence and distribution within the national sugar beet root crop; BMW was the main cause of yellowing and occurred in all parts of the growing region while BYV, which has the more severe effect on yield, was more limited in distribution. The survey located areas in southern East Anglia which are at greatest risk from BYV infection. The possible need to modify control measures depending on which virus threatens to invade the crops is discusssed. A high proportion of leaves visually identified as infected was found to contain neither BYV nor BMYV, emphasizing the difficulties of identifying virus-infected plants by field symptoms.
Exploring interorganizational systems at the industry level of analysis: evidence from the US home mortgage industry

Interorganizational Systems (IOS) can have influences that extend beyond the organizations that implement them. Much can be learned at the industry-level of analysis that might not be revealed in studies conducted at the organizational level of analysis. This article summarizes a case study of one industry – the US home mortgage industry – in order to illustrate three types of industry-level phenomena that surface when examining use of interorganizational IT-driven coordination systems: collective actions among industry participants, performance effects, and structural effects. Our discussion of case results distinguishes between industry outcomes that are the net result of the accumulation of organizational actions vs. outcomes where industry-level consequences are qualitatively different from what is observed at the organizational level.
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate regulates SNARE-dependent membrane fusion.

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI 4,5-P2) on the plasma membrane is essential for vesicle exocytosis but its role in membrane fusion has not been determined. Here, we quantify the concentration of PI 4,5-P2 as ∼6 mol% in the cytoplasmic leaflet of plasma membrane microdomains at sites of docked vesicles. At this concentration of PI 4,5-P2 soluble NSF attachment protein receptor (SNARE)–dependent liposome fusion is inhibited. Inhibition by PI 4,5-P2 likely results from its intrinsic positive curvature–promoting properties that inhibit formation of high negative curvature membrane fusion intermediates. Mutation of juxtamembrane basic residues in the plasma membrane SNARE syntaxin-1 increase inhibition by PI 4,5-P2, suggesting that syntaxin sequesters PI 4,5-P2 to alleviate inhibition. To define an essential rather than inhibitory role for PI 4,5-P2, we test a PI 4,5-P2–binding priming factor required for vesicle exocytosis. Ca2+-dependent activator protein for secretion promotes increased rates of SNARE-dependent fusion that are PI 4,5-P2 dependent. These results indicate that PI 4,5-P2 regulates fusion both as a fusion restraint that syntaxin-1 alleviates and as an essential cofactor that recruits protein priming factors to facilitate SNARE-dependent fusion.
The MicroGrid: a scientific tool for modeling computational gridsr

The complexity and dynamic nature of the Internet (and the emerging Computational Grid) demand that middleware and applications adapt to the changes in configuration and availability of resources. However, to the best of our knowledge there are no simulation tools which support systematic exploration of dynamic Grid software (or Grid resource) behavior.We describe our vision and initial efforts to build tools to meet these needs. Our MicroGrid simulation tools enable Globus applications to be run in arbitrary virtual grid resource environments, enabling broad experimentation. We describe the design of these tools, and their validation on micro-benchmarks, the NAS parallel benchmarks, and an entire Grid application. These validation experiments show that the MicroGrid can match actual experiments within a few percent (2 percent to 4 percent).
Pattern Recognition Using Functions of Multiple Instances

The Functions of Multiple Instances (FUMI) method for learning a target prototype from data points that are functions of target and non-target prototypes is introduced. In this paper, a specific case is considered where, given data points which are convex combinations of a target prototype and several non-target prototypes, the Convex-FUMI (C-FUMI) method learns the target and non-target patterns, the number of nontarget patterns, and determines the weights (or proportions) of all the prototypes for each data point. For this method, training data need only binary labels indicating whether the data contains or does not contain some proportion of the target prototype; the specific target weights for the training data are not needed. After learning the target prototype using the binary labeled training data, target detection is performed on test data. Results showing detection of the skin in hyper spectral imagery and sub-pixel target detection in simulated data are presented.
Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic characteristics of a variety of lithologies from the Guerrero composite terrane, west-central Mexico: constraints on their origin

Lead, Sr, and Nd isotope analyses of Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks from the southern part of Guerrero terrane in Mexico provide a better understanding of their origin. Metamorphic rocks collected south of Arteaga (Zihuatanejo terrane) have similar Pb isotope values to basement rocks from Nevado de Toluca, indicating a possible connection of the basement in these areas. Lead isotope ratios of rocks from the Mesozoic Guerrero and Paleozoic Mixteca terranes are similar to those of north Peruvian Mesozoic Olmos and Paleozoic Maranon complexes, but more radiogenic than Grenville-age basement of southeast Mexico (Guichicovi complex) and north Colombia (Garzon massif and Santa Marta massif). Present-day Pb, Sr, and Nd isotope ratios of Mesozoic sedimentary rocks from Zihuatanejo and Teloloapan terranes define two clusters: rock from the Huetamo region (Zihuatanejo terrane), with less evolved isotopic signatures, and rocks from the Coastal belt (Colima and Purificacion areas in Zihuatanejo terrane) and from the Teloloapan area (Teloloapan terrane) with higher isotopic ratios. Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopic ratios suggest the involvement of a more evolved component, possibly the basement rocks, in the generation of the sedimentary rocks from the Coastal belt and south of Teloloapan area compared to the sedimentary rocks from the Huetamo area. Cenozoic plutonic rocks from La Verde have more radiogenic isotopic ratios than samples from Inguaran, El Malacate, and La Esmeralda. These differences could result from assimilation of different rocks (Arteaga complex or sedimentary rocks) or different extents of contamination. Initial Sr and Nd isotopic values of the Cretaceous granitoids from Manzanillo and Jilotlan plot very close to the igneous samples from Inguaran, El Malacate, and La Esmeralda; this similarity may indicate that they had a common source. Isotopic compositions of Cenozoic plutonic rocks are consistent with subduction-related magmatism and suggest involvement of crustal material by assimilation during the rise of the magma, or by incorporation of subducted sediments, or both.
Use of isolated perfused lung in determining pulmonary disposition and potential toxicological significance of inhaled environmental pollutants

Recent interest in the investigation of the effect of environmental pollutants on the nonrespiratory and respiratory functions of the lung has stimulated the refinement and application of the technique of perfusing isolated intact lung preparations from suitable experimental animals in toxicological and biochemical studies. Available techniques include perfusion with whole blood or constituted perfusion media via pulmonary artery while maintaining ventilation with alternating negative or positive pressure. Viable, ventilating lung preparations can be maintained for 3 h. Such preparations have been employed for studies of uptake, metabolism and disposition of intratracheally or vascularly administered endogenous or exogenous chemicals. Recent development in unilateral or split-lung perfusion preparations will undoubtedly further enhance the application of these techniques in the study of the interactions of endogenous and exogenous substances in the lung tissue. Isolated, perfused split-lung preparations are particularly suited to investigate early toxic effects of inhaled pollutants in an attempt to gain insight into underlying mechanisms that lead to lung injury. Areas in which intact perfused lungs have been employed extensively with notable success include uptake, metabolism and disposition of toxic chemicals. These preparations have been used to study the effects of gases such as SO2, NO2, O3 and CO on lung metabolism. Perfused lung preparations have been particularly useful in demonstrating pulmonary activation of toxic chemicals and in the demonstration of specific effects on the lung after chronic administration of chemicals. Areas which have not been actively investigated include the uptake and disposition of gases or vapors, effects of toxic chemicals on respiratory and nonrespiratory functions of the lung and alteration in the hemodynamics of the pulmonary circulation in the presence of interacting chemical or physical agents. It should be technically feasible to adapt the perfused lung preparations for such investigations, and interest in this area will continue.
Test Setup for Supporting Human Implantation of Intracortical Visual Prosthesis Device

Earlier experiments in the field of cortical visual prosthesis have shown the possibility of generation of phosphenes. Experiments have been performed with different types of electrodes, researchers have found the stimulation parameters required to elicit a phosphene and they have shown the possibility of targeting different areas of visual cortex to elicit phosphenes. Experiments have not been conducted in which an image was captured and processed in real time, and an array of electrodes stimulated, corresponding to the image, to generate a sense of vision. Development of a prosthetic device faces the crucial question whether a practical number of cortical stimulating electrodes can provide a useful sense of vision. We aim to answer this question by designing a wearable cortical prosthesis device and testing it on blind human volunteers. Before we implant this device in human volunteers, we want to estimate the performance we might expect from a human implantation. We are planning to conduct psychophysical tests on normally-sighted humans and stimulation tests on non-human primates. Results from these experiments will help us understand what we should expect from implantation in a human volunteer.
Effect of beam size parameters on internal fields in an infinite cylinder irradiated by an elliptical Gaussian beam.

The scattered and internal fields of an infinite, homogeneous cylinder illuminated by a linearly polarized beam depend on the following parameters: the object size parameter of the cylinder (ka, where k=2π/λ, λ is the wavelength of the incident beam in the surrounding medium, and a is the radius of cylinder), the complex relative refractive index of the object, the beam size parameters (kω1 and kω2, where ω1, ω2 are the representative beam dimensions), the angle between the cylinder axis and the Poynting vector of the incident wave, and the angle between the plane of polarization and the plane of incidence. Only when the dimensions of the beam are much greater than the cylinder diameter, and hence the portion of the beam interacting with the cylinder is essentially uniform, can the plane-wave solution be used in computing the scattered and internal fields. Hence a rigorous electromagnetic approach like the generalized Lorenz-Mie theory for spheres is used to study the effect of beam size parameters on the internal fields in an infinite cylinder irradiated by elliptical Gaussian beams. The significant effects of beam size parameters on the internal fields in an infinite cylinder are presented using specific cases of (1) resonance effects in a glass cylinder (ka=45.726, transverse-electric mode 53,3) and (2) a cylindrical microchannel (ka∼760) irradiated by a 632.8 nm laser beam.
P74 Mediates Specific Binding of Autographa californica M Nucleopolyhedrovirus Occlusion-Derived Virus to Primary Cellular Targets in the Midgut Epithelia of Heliothis virescens Larvae

P74, an envelope protein of the occlusion-derived virus (ODV) of Autographa californica M nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), is critical for oral infection of Trichoplusia ni larvae. The role of P74 during primary infection, however, is unknown. Here we provide evidence that P74 facilitates binding of AcMNPV ODV to a specific receptor within the larval midgut epithelia of another host species, Heliothis virescens. We adapted a fluorescence dequenching assay to compare binding, fusion, and competition of wild-type AcMNPV ODV in vivo with itself and with the ODV of a p74-deficient AcMNPV mutant. We found that relative to wild-type ODV, binding and fusion of ODV deficient in P74 were both qualitatively and quantitatively different. Unlike wild-type ODV, an excess of P74-deficient ODV failed to compete effectively with wild-type ODV binding, and the overall binding level of the mutant ODV was one-third that of the wild type. These results implicated P74 as an ODV attachment protein that binds to a specific receptor on primary target cells within the midgut.
Learning by Teaching A Resident-Taught Oral Therapy Program for Acute Diarrhea

An educational program on oral rehydration therapy (ORT) for diarrhea was instituted in our residents' continuity clinics to evaluate the impact that residents teaching parents would have on the knowledge and practices of both groups. Sixty-one residents and 287 parents answered the initial written questionnaire before the teaching program began, and 48 residents and 147 parents completed a second questionnaire at the end of the program. Nineteen residents in two clinics were told to participate frequently in teaching the parents, while 29 residents in three other clinics were given no such instructions. The parents were divided into three groups: 58 received teaching and an instructional handout on the management of diarrhea; 73 received only the instructional handout; and 16 received neither intervention. The 19 "teaching" residents had a significantly improved overall score compared with the "nonteaching" residents (p <.03). No improvement was found in the scores of the 58 parents who received teaching...
Attention-based target localization using multiple instance learning

We propose a novel Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) framework to perform target localization from image sequences. The proposed approach consists of a softmax logistic regression MIL algorithm using log covariance features to automatically learn the model of a target that persists across input frames. The approach makes no assumptions about the target's motion model and can be used to learn models for multiple targets present in the scene. The learned target models can also be updated in an online manner. We demonstrate the validity and usefulness of the proposed approach to localize targets in various scenes using commercial-grade surveillance cameras. We also demonstrate its applicability to bootstrap conventional tracking systems and show that automatic initialization using our technique helps to achieve superior performance.
Positive Input Reachability And Controllability Of Positive Systems

Abstract We study controllability and reachability for discrete linear control systems, x ( k + 1) = Ax ( k ) + Bu ( k ), in which the state vector x ( k ), the control vector u ( k ), the n × n matrix A , and the n × m matrix B have nonnegative entries. For an unconstrained system, controllability is equivalent to reachability from the zero state in n steps. Furthermore, ( A , B ) is controllable if and only if the matrix C n = [B AB A 2 B ⋯A n − 1 B] has rank n . We show that these properties are not equivalent for positive systems. This has important implications for control strategy. The timing of control inputs and the size and structure of the control matrix B are much more critical. The zero-nonzero pattern of C n plays a crucial role. We illustrate these fundamental differences with models of a two species reversible chemical reaction, and with two pharmacokinetic models of drug distribution in the human body.
Test methods for determining asphaltene stability in crude oils

Abstract The high cost of remediating asphaltene deposition in crude oil production and processing has necessitated the development of test methods for determining the stability of asphaltenes in crude oils. In the current work, the stability of asphaltenes in crude oils of varying API gravity is predicted using the Oliensis Spot Test, the Colloidal Instability Index, the Asphaltene–Resin ratio, and a solvent titration method with NIR solids detection. The test methods are described in detail and experimental data from them presented. The experimental stability data were validated via correlation with field deposition data. The effectiveness of the various tests as predictors of the stability of asphaltenes in oils is discussed. The Colloidal Instability Index and the solvent titration method were found to predict a crude oil's propensity towards asphaltene precipitation better than both the Asphaltene–Resin ratio and the Oliensis Spot Test. For oils with low asphaltene content where most stability tests ...
Skeletal health in Duchenne dystrophy: Bone-size and subcranial dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry analyses

Introduction We performed subcranial and bone-size-adjusted whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to evaluate skeletal health in Duchenne dystrophy (DMD). Methods Total body bone mineral density (TBBMD)-for-age, subcranial, and size-adjusted DXA analyses were performed on 22 DMD patients (5-17 years) and compared with 267 controls from a database. The skull contribution to total body bone mineral content (TBBMC) and corticosteroid effects were also examined. Results DMD boys had deficits in TBBMD-for-age (Z = -1.2), which increased with age. The skull's contribution to TBBMC decreased from 45% to 15% with growth. Z-scores for subcranial skeleton were significantly lower than TBBMC-for-area and TBBMD-for-age. Conclusions Size-adjusted and subcranial analyses improve evaluation of whole body DXA. DMD boys have low BMD for size not commensurate with total body areal BMD-for-age. Bone fragility fractures in DMD may result from both decreased BMD and smaller bones. This information is vital to determine appropriate intervention. Muscle Nerve 49:512-519, 2014.
The Influence of School Social Composition on Teachers' Collective Efficacy Beliefs.

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to determine how school social composition is related to perceived collective efficacy. Several hypotheses tested in this research were derived from social cognitive theory and based on the extant literature.Participants:Data were drawn from 1,981 teachers in 41 K-8 schools in a diverse urban school district in the southwestern United States.Findings:The results of two-level hierarchical linear models indicated that a school’s past academic achievement, rate of special program placement for gifted children, and faculty ethnic composition explained 46% of the variation among schools in perceived collective efficacy. The article also reports a much smaller but statistically significant relationship between collective efficacy beliefs and teacher race and experience. Teachers of color and those with more than 10 years experience reported slightly higher levels of perceived collective efficacy.Conclusions:The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical and prac...
Crystallography and magnetism of radicals with hindered hydroxyl groups: 2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-3-oxide-1-oxyl and 2-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazole-1-oxyl

Radicals 1–2 form networks of OH⋯ON and OH⋯Me(nitroxide) interactions. In 2, a frustrated network forms with insufficient N–O units to form extended chain interactions. The magnetism of 1 fits a 1-D Heisenberg model with J/k = −25 J mol−1, while 2 shows more complex exchange behaviour consistent with its disordered crystal lattice.