cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case study of the 15 July 2000 magnetic storm effects on the ionosphere-driver of the positive ionospheric storm in the winter hemisphere

[1] The ionospheric response to the magnetic storm of 15 July 2000 is investigated using the global total electron content (TEC) maps provided by global positioning system and the measurements of ion density, composition, and drift velocity from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F13 and F15 spacecraft. The global TEC maps showed clear seasonal effects that can be characterized by a dominance of a negative ionospheric storm (decrease in plasma density) in the summer (northern) hemisphere and the pronounced positive ionospheric storm (increase in plasma density) in the winter (southern) hemisphere. The northern negative storm phase rapidly expanded to the equator at midnight and even penetrated to the opposite hemisphere during the storm main phase. In the southern hemisphere, the negative storm phase began in the morning sector but was confined to narrow latitude and local time sectors owing to strong poleward winds and ion drag on the dayside. The negative storm phases in the opposite hemispheres kept out of phase, lasted for a day, and corotated with Earth. These characteristics show good qualitative similarity with the predictions of global model simulations. The positive storm phase prevailed in the southern low-middle latitudes and was most pronounced during nighttime. In that region, the quiet time DMSP measurements at 1800 LT, 2100 LT, 0600 LT, and 0900 LT showed low ion density, low O+ proportion, and large downward ion drift velocity compared with those in the northern hemisphere. During storm time the O+ proportion and ion concentration increased to the levels seen in the northern hemisphere while the downward ion drift velocity was much decreased. The excellent temporal and spatial correspondence of the increase in ion concentration with the decrease in downward ion drift velocity indicates that the maintenance of the F layer at high altitudes by the storm-induced equatorward neutral winds was the main driver of the positive ionospheric storm. The quiet time hemispheric asymmetry was most significant at nighttime, and therefore the positive storm effect appeared most pronounced at nighttime in the winter hemisphere.
Protein homology detection with biologically inspired features and interpretable statistical models

Computational classification of proteins using methods such as string kernels and Fisher-SVM has demonstrated great success. However, the resulting models do not offer an immediate interpretation of the underlying biological mechanisms. In this work, we propose a biologically motivated feature set combined with a sparse classifier, based on a small subset of positions and residues in protein sequences, for protein superfamily detection and show the performance of our models is comparable to that of the state-of-the-art methods on a benchmark dataset. The set of sparse critical features discovered by the models is consistent with the confirmed biological findings.
LIMBIC REGULATION OF HYPOTHALAMO-PITUITARY-ADRENOCORTICAL FUNCTION DURING ACUTE AND CHRONIC STRESS

The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis is responsible for initiation of glucocorticoid stress responses in all vertebrate animals. Activation of the axis is regulated by diverse afferent input to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). This review discusses brain mechanisms subserving generation and inhibition of stress responses focusing on the contribution of the limbic system and highlighting recent conceptual advances regarding organization of stress response pathways in the brain. First, control of HPA axis responses to psychogenic stimuli is exerted by a complex neurocircuitry that involves oligosynaptic networks between limbic forebrain structures and the PVN. Second, individual stress-modulatory structures can have a heterogeneous impact on HPA axis responses, based on anatomical micro-organization and/or stimulus properties. Finally, HPA axis hyperactivity pursuant to chronic stress involves a substantial functional and perhaps anatomical reorganization of central stress-integrative circuits. Overall, the data suggest that individual brain regions do not merely function as monolithic activators or inhibitors of the HPA axis and that network approaches need be taken to fully understand the nature of the neuroendocrine stress response.
Mesothelioma: Path to Multimodality Treatment

Multimodality treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) with surgery, radiation therapy, and adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the sole path to extended survival for select patients with favorable prognostic factors. No single-modality approach has produced equivalent results. Much effort has been expended since first recognition of this insidious pleural cancer to elucidate the underlying cause and optimal treatment strategy. Despite recent breakthroughs, the principal barrier to achieving a cure rests with the propensity for disease recurrence in the ipsilateral hemithorax. Despite these limitations, however, the results hold promise for improved survival with further refinement in patient selection and targeted therapy. Other approaches to multimodality treatment have capitalized on an array of innovative technologies in search of the silver bullet strategy that will ultimately undermine the biological behavior demonstrated by MPM. These range from the use of different means of radiation delivery, biological agents, virally mediated gene therapy, photodynamic therapy, and immunotherapy. Additionally, studies using gene ratios will yield more accurate means by which to diagnose, distinguish prognosticators, and more selectively assign patients to aggressive treatments. In light of the current worldwide epidemic, the lessons learned over the past several decades serve as a humbling reminder of the treatment barriers that remain.
Effects of ultrasonic vibration-assisted pelleting of cellulosic biomass on sugar yield for biofuel manufacturing

Ultrasonic vibration-assisted (UV-A) pelleting can increase the bulk density of cellulosic biomass, thus reduce the feedstock transportation cost in cellulosic biofuel manufacturing. UV-A pelleting can also increase the biomass sugar yield in enzymatic hydrolysis. There are two major processes in the sugar conversion of cellulosic biomass: pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. Sugar yield definition used in reported UV-A pelleting studies is enzymatic hydrolysis sugar yield. This definition is based on enzymatic hydrolysis this single process without considering the pretreatment process. In fact, converting cellulosic biomass into fermentable sugar (glucose) is the combined effort of pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. There are no papers in the literature investigating whether UV-A pelleting could increase the total sugar yield when both pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis are considered. This paper reports the first study using total sugar yield to investigate the effects UV-A pelleting on biomass sugar yield. Experimental results show that, for all the four types of cellulosic biomass (wheat straw, corn stover, switchgrass, and sorghum stalk) used in this study, total sugar yield of biomass processed with UV-A pelleting was 30 to 43 % higher than that of biomass not processed with UV-A pelleting.
An intelligent electrical outlet for autonomous load control for electric power grids with a large percentage of renewable resources

We describe an experimental intelligent electrical outlet that is capable of autonomously controlling loads in a smart grid or micro-grid environment without a centralized computer. The outlet comprises four receptacles, each with voltage sensing, current sensing, actuation, a CPU for implementing closed loop control, and an Ethernet bridge for communicating with other outlets and for transmitting data to a collection PC. The outlet can measure the direction of power flow, and the real and reactive components to power. We demonstrate multiple outlets adapting the collective load to the available supply from one and two photovoltaic inverter sources, responding to changes in ~ 100ms intervals.
Optimization of non-hydrostatic Euler model for water waves

Abstract The distribution of variables in the water column controls the dispersion properties of non-hydrostatic models. Because solving the Poisson equation is the most time consuming part of a non-hydrostatic model, it is highly desirable to reduce the number of unknowns in the water column by placing them at optimal locations. The paper presents the analytical dispersion relationship of a non-hydrostatic Euler model for water waves. The phase speed of linear waves simulated by the semi-discretized Euler model can be expressed as a rational polynomial function of the dimensionless water depth, kh, and the thicknesses of layers encompassing the water column become optimizable parameters in this function. The dispersion error is obtained by comparing this phase speed against the exact solution based on the linear wave theory. It is shown that for a given dispersion error (e.g. 1%), the range of kh can be extended if the layer thicknesses are optimally selected. The optimal two- and three-layer distributions for the aforementioned Euler model are provided. The Euler model with the optimized layer distribution shows good linear dispersion properties up to kh ≈ 9 with two layers, and kh ≈ 49.5 with three layers. The derived phase speed was tested against both numerical and exact solutions of standing waves for various cases. Excellent agreement was achieved. The model was also tested using the fifth-order Stokes theory for nonlinear standing waves. The phase speed of nonlinear waves follows a similar trend of the derived phase speed although it deviates proportionally with the increase of wave steepness ka0. Thus, the optimal layer distribution can also be applied to nonlinear waves within a range of ka0 and kh. The optimization method is applicable to other non-hydrostatic Euler models for water waves.
Change in the Structure of Bureaucracy A Longitudinal Analysis

The impact of pressures for change over time in three city government bureaucracies is analyzed, and the cities are found to accommodate demands for change by adding structural units and not hiring additional employees. It is suggested that managers respond to pressures for change by adding structures, regardless of increases in administrative cost and complexity, because bureaucratic structure is the legitimate, socially prescribed vehicle to accomplish bureaucratic goals. This implies that attempts at major changes in public bureaucracies may lead to more bureaucratic structure and increased costs of administration.
Detection of paraoxon by immobilized organophosphorus hydrolase in a Langmuir–Blodgett film

Abstract Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) film deposition technique was employed for the immobilization of organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH). OPH enzyme was covalently bonded to a fluorescent probe, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), and used as a biological recognition element. Under optimal experimental conditions, OPH monolayers were deposited onto the surface of silanized quartz slides as LB film and utilized as a bioassay for the detection of paraoxon. Two different methods were employed for detection of paraoxon: the fluorescence quenching of the fluorescence probe (FITC) covalently bonded to OPH and the UV–vis absorption spectrum of the paraoxon hydrolysis product. The UV–vis absorption measurement demonstrated a linear relationship between the absorbance at 400 nm and the concentration of paraoxon solutions over the range of 1.0 × 10−7–1.0 × 10−5 M (0.27–27 ppm). By observing the FITC fluorescence quenching, the concentration of paraoxon can be detected as low as 10−9 M (S/N = 3). The research described herein showed that the LB film bioassay had high sensitivity, rapid response time and good reproducibility.
Q: Can patients with COPD or asthma take a beta-blocker?

A: Yes. Treatment with beta-adrenergic receptor blockers decreases the mortality rate in patients with coronary artery disease or heart failure, as well as during the perioperative period in selected patients (eg, those with a history of myocardial infarction, a positive stress test, or current chest pain due to myocardial ischemia). The current evidence supports giving beta-blockers to patients with coronary artery disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, which lowers the 1-year mortality rate to a degree similar to that in patients without COPD or asthma, and without worsening respiratory function. 1 However, many clinicians still hesitate to start patients with COPD or asthma on a beta-blocker due to the fear of bronchoconstriction. 2 .
Considering normal and abnormal together: The essence of developmental psychopathology

When psychopathology is defined as developmental deviation, its study necessarily involves a wedding of research on the normal and the pathological. In such an endeavor, understanding of normal processes is enhanced, because critical normative issues can only be defined in terms of their implications when development goes awry and because disordered behavior often brings into sharp relief the nature of basic developmental phenomena. At the same time, such work is critical to defining general principles of development, which apply to normal and abnormal alike. In this article, examples are provided of the reciprocally enhancing nature of studies of normal and pathological development and of the fruitfulness of weaving back and forth between studies of normality and disturbance for understanding important aspects of development. Examples include a discussion of attachment and dependency and the origins of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It is concluded that developmental psychopathology may make its greatest contribution in the endeavor to understand development of individuals.
OSQR: A framework for ontology-based semantic query routing in unstructured P2P networks

Efficient searching for information is an important goal in unstructured peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. While several P2P systems have been proposed for data sharing purposes, many support only semantics-free keyword searches or coarser grained file name searches. In this paper, we present an ontology based semantic query routing algorithm that performs efficient semantic search in unstructured P2P overlay networks. In our proposed system, the queries are routed in the network by forwarding to peers with highly relevant content in their local storages. To aid in this semantic query routing, we propose a scheme where each peer in the network adheres to a global ontology and semantically tags its local document collection with concepts in the ontology. Based on the semantic tags, peer level semantic summaries are generated, exchanged with neighboring peers and propagated along search paths which aid in efficient local query processing and overlay query routing. An extensive set of simulations performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the system on P2P networks show 380% and 717% improvement in average recall rate, and 410% and 725% improvement in average precision over Ontology Index based Query Routing [20] and Random Walk [18], respectively for dynamic networks at comparable message overheads. Thus, our approach represents a significant advance in practical terms.
Virtual Judgment: Legal Implications of Online Gaming

The legal issues inherent in virtual worlds and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) are extremely complex yet still in their infancy. The author gives an overview of this dangerous combination and describes the current legal landscape.
The DØ high voltage system

Abstract A VMEbus based high voltage power supply system is being built for the DO experiment at Fermilab. This system includes power supplies delivering O to either +5.6 KV or -5.6 KV with output current up to 1 mA and O to +2.0 KV with output current up to 3 mA. The ripple on the high voltage output for frequencies up to 1 KHz is less than 100 mV peak-to-peak on a single supply. For frequencies above 1 KHz the ripple is less than 1 mV RMS. The control of this power supply system is achieved exclusively through computer interfacing with VMEbus. A 15-bit-plus-sign ADC provides fast readback of high voltage signals at 50 μs per read, allowing efficient control of a large system as well as detailed monitoring of any particular supply. The supply trips on over voltage, over current, or external interlock signals. In addition each supply has an external trip line which can be used to tie multiple supplies together into a group. The trip of any supply in the group will then trip the entire group.
Postoperative alterations in interorgan glutamine exchange in enterectomized dogs.

Abstract The effect of enterectomy on postoperative visceral organ glutamine exchange was studied in order to gain further understanding of the role of the intestinal tract in the altered glutamine metabolism that occurs following catabolic illness. In addition to studying glutamine, which transports 1 3 of whole blood amino acid nitrogen, we determined the fluxes of glutamate and alanine across the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidneys in 18 postoperative dogs. Arterial glutamine and glutamate were significantly higher in enterectomized animals than in controls. With enterectomy the gut became an organ of glutamine balance while in control dogs the GI tract consumed glutamine (0.11 ± 0.04 vs 1.67 ± 0.14 μmole/kg · min, P
Decoding the Pattern of Photon Colors in Single-Molecule FRET

Conformational dynamics of a single molecule can be studied using Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) by recording a sequence of photons emitted by a donor and an acceptor dye attached to the molecule. We describe a simple and robust method to estimate the rates of transitions between different conformational states and the FRET efficiencies associated with these states. For a photon trajectory with measured interphoton times, the pattern of colors is decoded by maximizing the appropriate likelihood function. This approach can be used to analyze bursts of photons from diffusing molecules as well as photon trajectories generated by immobilized molecules. The procedure is illustrated using simulated photon trajectories corresponding to two-state and three-state molecules. The method works even when the photon colors appear to be scrambled because of high background noise, the photophysical properties of the conformers are similar, or the conformational and photon count rates are comparable. The consistency of the model with the data can be checked by recoloring the photon trajectories and comparing the predicted and observed FRET efficiency histograms.
Role of various brain areas in recovery from partial cerebellar lesions in the adult rat.

Several experiments were performed to assess: (1) the effects of partial cerebellar lesions on gross locomotion, balance, and posture in the rat; (2) the rate and degree to which deficits are compensated; and (3) the location of brain systems responsible for recovery. On our tests, lesions of the lateral cerebellar cortex produce no motor or postural deficits. As in other species, unilateral lesions of the vermal cortex produce ipsilateral limb extension, while hemicerebellectomies and lesions of the entire fastigial nucleus, or only its rostral part, produce contralateral limb extension. Lesions of the caudal fastigial nucleus alone produce symptoms similar to a vermal cortex lesion. Animals with medial cortex lesions had recovered by 10–15 days postoperatively, while those with fastigial nucleus lesions or hemicerebellectomies showed complete recovery by 30–35 days. Those animals which suffered gliosis or chromatolysis within the lateral vestibular nucleus showed more persistent symptoms. Finally, secondary-lesion experiments suggest that circuits through the contralateral fastigial nucleus, rather than the motor cortex, are primarily responsible for recovery after unilateral cerebellectomy in the adult rat.
Evaluation of host resistance and immune function in cadmium-exposed mice

Adult female B6C3F1 mice received distilled water only or water containing 10, 50, or 250 ppm of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) for 90 days. Body weights were measured weekly. On selected days during exposure and on Day 91, Cd tissue concentrations were measured along with changes in primary antibody responses. On Day 91 mice also received a primary challenge with various infectious agents. T- and B-cell mitogenesis, natural killer (NK) cell function, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) as well as macrophage bactericidal activity, and phagocytosis were measured. There was no change in body weight gain, organ weights, or in humoral immunity during treatment even though cadmium had accumulated in significant quantities in the tissues. Compared with controls, exposure to cadmium had no statistically significant effect on mortality and mean survival time following primary or secondary challenge with any of the infectious agents. However, there was a dose-related, increased susceptibility to Herpes simplex type 2 virus. T- and B-lymphocyte proliferation was significantly reduced, and macrophage phagocytosis was significantly increased following cadmium exposure. NK cell activity was augmented, but not significantly. Macrophage bactericidal activity and DTH were not significantly altered.
Primary cutaneous mantle cell lymphoma with blastic features: report of a rare case with special reference to staging and effectiveness of chemotherapy.

We describe a case of blastic primary cutaneous mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) in an 83-year-old male with a complex medical history. The patient presented to his primary care physician with a nodular erythematous skin eruption on his thighs. Histopathologic examination showed a diffuse lymphoid infiltrate of intermediate to large cells that involved the dermis and subcutis but spared the epidermis. Immunohistochemical staining showed expression of CD20, CD5 and cyclin-D1. The lymphoma cells were negative for CD10 and CD23. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis revealed a characteristic translocation [t(11;14)(q13;q32)], which is diagnostic of MCL. Cutaneous involvement by MCL is typically secondary because of widespread disease, and primary cutaneous MCL can only be diagnosed in the absence of extracutaneous involvement. Primary cutaneous MCL is extremely rare and requires proper clinical staging. In this case, clinical staging revealed no evidence of bone marrow or peripheral blood involvement, and positron emission tomography (PET) scan revealed weak, abnormal uptake only in a few cervical lymph nodes. Because of the lack of disseminated involvement, we favor the lesion to be a primary cutaneous MCL. Lynch DW, Verma R, Larson E, Geis MC, Jassim AD. Primary cutaneous mantle cell lymphoma with blastic features: report of a rare case with special reference to staging and effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Evaluation of myocardial metabolism and perfusion with positron-emitting radionuclides

Unfortunately, in spite of vigorous research efforts and some very promising successes, to date conventional nuclear medicine technology has not provided a totally satisfactory method for the regional, noninvasive differentiation of dead myocardium from ischemic but still viable tissue. This lack of success stems from the physical limitations of the imaging methods used and from the inadequacies of the radiopharmaceuticals administered. At present, most conventional myocardial
Characterization of serum ferritin in iron overload: possible identity to natural apoferritin

Serum ferritins from a patient with haemochromatosis and from a patient with transfusional siderosis were compared with tissue isoferritins on the basis of their iron content, isoferritin spectrum and immunological properties. Both serum ferritins had a low iron content and corresponded to only the most basic isoferritins in liver. The serum ferritins were very similar to the natural apoferritin from liver in all respects.
Advancing Caregiver Research: Weighing Efficacy and Feasibility of Interventions

D ESPITE periodic questioning of the merits and utility of the vast number of publications focused on family caregivers by key scholars in the field (e.g., George, 1990; Zarit, 1989), the number of studies of caregiving and family caregivers has not diminished. A review of the contents of The Journals of Gerontology and The Gerontologist in just the past three years reveals a total of 61 articles concerned with caregiving issues. When attention is given to the study designs and data analysis techniques reported in these articles, there is a clear indication that the work in this area has advanced beyond a natal stage to a more sophisticated adolescence. When, however, attention is given to the research questions most frequently addressed, there is reason to question the advancement of this field of study. A large majority of research on caregiving continues to use cross-sectional data to describe the prevalence of various family members as caregivers, differences among family members and cultural groups in the patterns of care provided, and the consequences (or lack of consequences) of such care for various family members. A disproportionate emphasis has been placed on psychological distress and caregiver burden, while studies of the ameliorative effects of
Stage II neuroblastoma—does adjuvant irradiation contribute to cure?

Twenty-one children with Stage II neuroblastoma diagnosed between 1973 and 1983 were analyzed retrospectively. Median age at diagnosis was eleven months (1 week to 153 months). Primary tumor was above the diaphragm in 67% and below the diaphragm in 33%. All patients underwent surgical resection and pathologic diagnosis was neuroblastoma in 76% and ganglioneuroblastoma in 24%. Regional lymph nodes were positive in three of eleven patients sampled. Sixty-seven percent had gross residual disease, and thirty-three percent had microscopic residual disease. Seventeen patients received postoperative irradiation and none has relapsed (median follow-up 57 months). Four patients received surgery alone (median follow-up 24 months); one local relapse occurred in this group and was subsequently treated with irradiation. All patients are alive and disease free, with a median length of follow-up of 55 months. Radiation dosage was 1000-1800 rad in patients less than 12 months of age, and 1800-3000 rad in those greater than 12 months of age at diagnosis. The high disease-free survival rate in both groups of patients, but especially in the group receiving adjuvant irradiation, emphasizes the need for a controlled, prospective study to determine which Stage II neuroblastoma patients, if any, would be benefitted by postoperative irradiation.
Continuous monitoring of nearest neighbors on land surface

As geo-realistic rendering of land surfaces is becoming commonplace in geographical information systems (GIS), games and online Earth visualization platforms, a new type of k Nearest Neighbor (kNN) queries, "surface" k Nearest Neighbor (skNN) queries, has emerged and been investigated recently, which extends the traditional kNN queries to a constrained third dimension (i.e., land surface). All existing techniques, however, assume a static environment, limiting their utility in emerging applications (e.g., Location-based Services) where objects move. In this paper, for the first time, we propose two exact methods that can continuously answer skNN queries in a highly dynamic environment which allows for arbitrary movements of data objects. The first method, inspired by the existing techniques in monitoring kNN in road networks [7] maintains an analogous counterpart of the Dijkstra Expansion Tree on land surface, called Surface Expansion Tree (SE-Tree). However, we show the concept of expansion tree for land surface does not work as SE-tree suffers from intrinsic defects: it is fat and short, and hence does not improve the query efficiency. Therefore, we propose a superior approach that partitions SE-Tree into hierarchical chunks of pre-computed surface distances, called Angular Surface Index Tree (ASI-Tree). Unlike SE-tree, ASI-Tree is a well balanced thin and tall tree. With ASI-Tree, we can continuously monitor skNN queries efficiently with low CPU and I/O overheads by both speeding up the surface shortest path computations and localizing the searches. We experimentally verify the applicability and evaluate the efficiency of the proposed methods with both real world and synthetic data sets. ASI-Tree consistently and significantly outperforms SE-Tree in all cases.
Improving protein structure prediction with model-based search

Motivation:De novo protein structure prediction can be formulated as search in a high-dimensional space. One of the most frequently used computational tools to solve such search problems is the Monte Carlo method. We present a novel search technique, called model-based search. This method samples the high-dimensional search space to build an approximate model of the underlying function. This model is incrementally refined in areas of interest, whereas areas that are not of interest are excluded from further exploration. Model-based search derives its efficiency from the fact that the information obtained during the exploration of the search space is used to guide further exploration. In contrast, Monte Carlo-based techniques lack memory and exploration is performed based on random walks, ignoring the information obtained in previous steps. Results: Model-based search is applied to protein structure prediction, where search is employed to find the global minimum of the protein's energy landscape. We show that model-based search uses computational resources more efficiently to find lower-energy conformations of proteins than one of the leading protein structure prediction methods, which relies on a tailored Monte Carlo method to perform a search. The performance improvements become more pronounced as the dimensionality of the search problem increases. We argue that model-based search will enable more accurate protein structure prediction than was previously possible. Furthermore, we believe that similar performance improvements can be expected in other problems that are currently solved using Monte Carlo-based search methods. Availability: An implementation of model-based search can be obtained by contacting the authors. Contact: [email protected]
Bacterial cell-wall recycling

Many Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria recycle a significant proportion of the peptidoglycan components of their cell walls during their growth and septation. In many--and quite possibly all--bacteria, the peptidoglycan fragments are recovered and recycled. Although cell-wall recycling is beneficial for the recovery of resources, it also serves as a mechanism to detect cell-wall-targeting antibiotics and to regulate resistance mechanisms. In several Gram-negative pathogens, anhydro-MurNAc-peptide cell-wall fragments regulate AmpC β-lactamase induction. In some Gram-positive organisms, short peptides derived from the cell wall regulate the induction of both β-lactamase and β-lactam-resistant penicillin-binding proteins. The involvement of peptidoglycan recycling with resistance regulation suggests that inhibitors of the enzymes involved in the recycling might synergize with cell-wall-targeted antibiotics. Indeed, such inhibitors improve the potency of β-lactams in vitro against inducible AmpC β-lactamase-producing bacteria. We describe the key steps of cell-wall remodeling and recycling, the regulation of resistance mechanisms by cell-wall recycling, and recent advances toward the discovery of cell-wall-recycling inhibitors.
Image simulation for electron energy loss spectroscopy

Aberration correction of the probe forming optics of the scanning transmission electron microscope has allowed the probe-forming aperture to be increased in size, resulting in probes of the order of 1 A in diameter. The next generation of correctors promise even smaller probes. Improved spectrometer optics also offers the possibility of larger electron energy loss spectrometry detectors. The localization of images based on core-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy is examined as function of both probe-forming aperture and detector size. The effective ionization is nonlocal in nature, and two common local approximations are compared to full nonlocal calculations. The affect of the channelling of the electron probe within the sample is also discussed.
Work in Progress: A Pilot Study to Assess the Impact of a Special Topics Energy Module on Improving Energy Literacy of High School Youth

An energy education program that embeds energy topics within a societal context that is meaningful to students may improve energy literacy and effectively prepare students to interpret energy issues and make sound actions and choices as voters, consumers, and professionals. High school environmental science students participate in a project-based energy module where they explore technical, environmental, societal, and economic concerns related to the production, delivery, and use of hydrogen fuel and fuel cells for transportation. In-depth assessment evaluates the course's impact on students' energy-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, as well as their feelings of general self-efficacy. The analysis uses a triangulated mixed-methods design, including pre/post written questionnaires, classroom observations, post-program focus group interviews, and post-program opinion surveys.
Mismatch Repair, Genetic Stability and Tumour Avoidance

Escherichia coli methyl-directed mismatch repair eliminates premutagenic lesions that arise via DNA biosynthetic errors; components of the repair system also block ectopic recombination between diverged DNA sequences. A mismatch-dependent, methyl-directed excision reaction that accounts for function of the system in replication fidelity has been reconstituted in a purified system dependent on ten activities. The reaction displays a broad specificity for mismatched base pairs and is characterized by an unusual bidirectional excision capability. Human cell nuclear extracts support strand-specific mismatch correction in a reaction that is similar to bacterial repair, with respect to both mismatch specificity and unusual features of mechanism. Like the bacterial system, the human pathway also functions in mutation avoidance because several classes of mutator human cells are deficient in the reaction. These include an alkylation-tolerance cell line that is resistant to the cytotoxic action of N-methyl-N'-nitro-nitrosoguanidine, as well as hypermutable RER+ tumour cells such as those associated with hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer. In vitro experiments indicate that the human repair reaction is dependent on at least six activities, excluding DNA ligase, and that distinct defects in the system can lead to the RER+ phenotype.
SUCCESSION: A POPULATION PROCESS

For over 80 years succession theory has played a central role in plant ecology, providing both a predictive tool and organizational scheme. Drawing on this long history of research and observation, Margalef (1968), Odum (1969), Whittaker (1975) and others have identified general trends in community development. Their synthetic treatments have helped focus the efforts of subsequent workers examining the empirical and experimental basis of succession theory (e.g. Connell & Slatyer 1977, Drury & Nisbet 1973, Egler 1975, Horn 1974, Pickett 1976, van Hulst 1978). This more recent work suggests that the classical succession paradigm is seriously flawed and that many long held concepts need to be reexamined.
Reaction dependence of nuclear decay linewidths

Various light- and heavy-ion reactions, 20 < E < 100 MeV, have been used to study the reaction dependence of α-decay widths for 8Be∗(2 + , 2.9 MeV) and 16O∗(1−, 9.6 MeV). Although slight differences (< 20 %) are found for the observed line shapes (Γ), the resonance widths inferred (ΓR) are self-consistent and indicate little if any reaction dependence (< 10 %). Near a decay threshold one may expect Γ < ΓR by 20 % or more, however, and thus care must be taken in comparing decay widths inferred from nuclear reactions with those from scattering resonances. Reduced formal α-decay widths of γλ2 = 680 ± 100 keV (s = 4.8 fm) and γλ2 = 350 ± 50 keV(s = 5.4 fm), corresponding to θλ2 = 0.50 and θλ2 = 0.49 are deduced for 8Be∗(2 + , 2.9 MeV) and 16O∗(1−, 9.6 MeV) using the nuclear-reaction ΓR values and a particular set of α-nucleus potentials.
Mechanisms of zinc uptake in gills of freshwater rainbow trout: interplay with calcium transport

The uptake mechanism of Zn2+ through the gill epithelium of freshwater rainbow trout was investigated both in intact animals and in isolated basolateral membranes. Involvement of the apical Ca2+ uptake sites in Zn2+ uptake was examined in vivo by pharmacological manipulation of the apical Ca2+ permeability. The apical entries of Ca2+ and Zn2+, but not Na2+ and Cl-, were inhibited by addition of La to the water. Addition of 1.0 microM La reduced the influxes of Ca2+ and Zn2+ to 22 +/- 3 and 53 +/- 7% (mean +/- SE) of the control value, respectively. Injection of CaCl2 also reduced the branchial influxes of Ca2+ and Zn2+. This treatment decreased the influx of Ca2- to 45 +/- 4% of the control level and the Zn2+ influx to 68 +/- 5%. These results strongly imply that Zn2+ passes across the apical membrane of the chloride cells of the gills via the same pathway as Ca2+. The presence of an active basolateral transporter for Zn2+ was investigated in vitro on isolated basolateral membranes. There was no ATP-dependent or Na2+(-)gradient driven transport of Zn2+ at physiological Zn2+ activities. The same system was used to study potential effects of Zn2+ on the basolateral Ca2+(-)adenosinetri-phosphatase. Zn2+ was found to be a potent blocker of this transporter, causing a mixed inhibitory effect on the ATP driven Ca2+ transport at a free Zn2+ activity of 100 pM.
A nonparametric examination of market information: application to technical trading rules

Abstract This paper develops a nonparametric approach for testing whether an information set is useful for generating greater stock market returns. The approach is model free and thus the test of the information does not depend on the particular assumptions of an asset pricing model. Assuming No Arbitrage, a stochastic discount factor (SDF) is constructed from observed market assets. This SDF can be used as a pricing operator for examining dynamic portfolio returns to indicate the information content in the underlying trading strategy. Trading strategies based on technical trading rules are examined with the developed approach.
Computed tomography guided laparoscopy: Proof of concept

Current generation minimally invasive surgeries present many visualization challenges, including two-dimensional representation of three-dimensional anatomy and a lack of visualization of deeply recessed structures. Coupled with the loss of tactile feedback which places greater emphasis on available visual cues, improved surgical visualization remains a long-standing need. Our response to address this need is Live Augmented Reality (Live AR), in which processed images from live radiologie scans of the surgical field are merged with optical images, accounting for spatial and temporal registration. We have demonstrated the feasibility of Live AR, but its clinical implementation is hampered by many current technical limitations. Ln this report, we have presented guidance of a simple laparoscopic maneuver completely based on computed tomography (CT) scanning and rapid 3D rendering of the acquired images in the CT room. The capability developed here and the reported results constitute a step toward the eventual goal of routine clinical implementation of Live AR.
Early, prolonged use of postnatal antibiotics increased the risk of necrotising enterocolitis.

Are prolonged courses of antibiotics in early postnatal life associated with increased rates of necrotising enterocolits? ### Design Retrospective cohort study within an ongoing multicentre registry. ### Setting Nineteen tertiary neonatal units of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Neonatal Research Network, USA. ### Patients Four thousand and thirty-nine extremely low–birth-weight (ELBW; 401–1000 g) babies born in the centres between 1998 and 2001 who survived 5 days or more were included in the study. Babies with major abnormalities (n=80) and proven sepsis within 72 h of birth were excluded. Four hundred and forty babies developed necrotising enterocolitis (NEC); 919 babies either died or developed NEC. Prolonged (>5day) courses of antibiotics were administered to 2147 infants. Babies who had not received immediate postnatal antibiotics were excluded from the analysis. ### Risk factors Gestational age, small-for-gestational age status, sex, maternal race, 5-min Apgar score, prolonged rupture of membranes, location of birth (outborn and study centre), prenatal steroid treatment, intrapartum antibiotic treatment, maternal hypertension, maternal haemorrhage and multiple birth (table 1). View this table: Table 1 Risk of NEC, death …
Basic Emotion Questions

Among discrete emotions, basic emotions are the most elemental; most distinct; most continuous across species, time, and place; and most intimately related to survival-critical functions. For an emotion to be afforded basic emotion status it must meet criteria of: (a) distinctness (primarily in behavioral and physiological characteristics), (b) hard-wiredness (circuitry built into the nervous system), and (c) functionality (provides a generalized solution to a particular survival-relevant challenge or opportunity). A set of six emotions that most clearly meet these criteria (enjoyment, anger, disgust, fear, surprise, sadness) and three additional emotions (relief/contentment, interest, love) for which the evidence is not yet quite as strong is described. Empirical approaches that are most and least useful for establishing basic-emotion status are discussed. Basic emotions are thought to have a central organizing mechanism and to have the capacity to influence behavior, thoughts, and other fundamental proc...
Rayleigh–Taylor and Richtmyer–Meshkov instabilities of flat and curved interfaces

In this work we discuss a non-trivial effect of the interfacial curvature on the stability of uniformly and suddenly accelerated interfaces, such as liquid rims. The new stability analysis is based on operator and boundary perturbation theories and allows us to treat the Rayleigh–Taylor and Richtmyer–Meshkov instabilities as a single phenomenon and thus to understand the interrelation between these two fundamental instabilities. This leads, in particular, to clarification of the validity of the original Richtmyer growth rate equation and its crucial dependence on the frame of reference. The main finding of this study is the revealed and quantified influence of the interfacial curvature on the growth rates and the wavenumber selection of both types of instabilities. Finally, the systematic approach taken here also provides a generalization of the widely accepted ad hoc idea, due to Layzer (Astrophys. J., vol. 122, 1955, pp. 1–12), of approximating the potential velocity field near the interface.
Oxidation of d-Limonene in Presence of Low Density Polyethylene

Headspace oxygen contents of sodium citrate-water buffers containing d-limonene with and without low density polyethylene (LDPE) were measured on a weekly basis for 10 wk. d-Limonene was readily sorbed into LDPE. Results indicated first order kinetics for limonene oxidation. GC/MS analyses determined production of limonene oxidation end-products, including d-carvone, carveol, limonene oxide, perrilaldehyde and linalool, as well as α-terpineol, a hydrolysis product. Headspace oxygen contents of the d-limonene/buffer (control) samples were lower thau that of the d-limonene/buffer/LDPE samples, suggesting a higher oxidation rate in the control than in LDPE. Oxidation rate constants and half-lives were 5.9 × 10-3 log(%O2) wk-1, t1/2= 116 wk for control and 1.2 × 10-3 log(%O2) wk-1, t1/2= 580 wk for LDPE samples, respectively.
From O(N) to O(M): Time-domain layered finite-element reduction-recovery methods for large scale electromagnetics-based analysis and design of on-chip circuits

As on-chip design scales into the nanometer regime, full-wave electromagnetics (EM)-based analysis has increasingly become essential for four main reasons: (1) reduced feature sizes that lead to subwavelength optical lithography, (2) increased clock frequency, (3) the transition from single core to multicore, and (4) increased level of integration. However, the design of next- generation ICs results in numerical problems of very large scale, requiring billions of parameters to describe them accurately. In general, to solve problems with TV parameters, the optimal computational complexity one can hope for is linear complexity 0(N). For the next generation VLSI circuit problem, however, even 0(N) is prohibitively high since N is too large. Our research objective is to overcome the large problem size of 0(N) to achieve a complexity of 0(M), with MLtN, also in a rigorous fashion.
Inhibition of glycoprotein processing by L-fructose and L-xylulose

A number of unusual and rare carbohydrates were tested as potential inhibitors of various glycosidases, as well as inhibitors of N-linked oligosaccharide processing. The best inhibitors of several arylglycosidases and of glucosidase I were L-xylulose and L-fructose. Both of these sugars showed some inhibitory activity towards yeast alpha-glucosidase but were inactive against beta-glucosidase and other arylglycosidases. The inhibition of yeast alpha-glucosidase by L-xylulose was of a competitive nature and required a concentration of 1 x 10(-5) M for 50% inhibition. Both L-xylulose and L-fructose also inhibited the purified soybean glucosidase I, with 50% inhibition occurring at about 1 x 10(-4) M, but showed no inhibitory activity against soybean glucosidase II. When influenza virus-infected MDCK cells were raised in the presence of L-xylulose, there was a dose-dependent inhibition in the formation of complex types of oligosaccharides on the viral glycoproteins consistent with the inhibition of the processing glucosidase I. This inhibition resulted in the occurrence of oligosaccharides on the viral glycoproteins that were characterized as Glc3Man9(GlcNAc)2 structures. L-Fructose also inhibited glycoprotein processing in cell culture, and the inhibition resulted in the formation of similar oligosaccharides to those seen with L-xylulose. However, L-fructose was a poorer inhibitor than L-xylulose and required much higher concentrations for the same degree of inhibition. Neither of these compounds inhibited protein synthesis or the formation of lipid-linked saccharides in culture MDCK cells, even when tested at concentrations of 5 mg/ml (about 30 mM) of culture media.
DISPLAY BEHAVIORS, MECHANICAL SOUNDS, AND EVOLUTIONARY RELATIONSHIPS OF THE CLUB-WINGED MANAKIN (MACHAEROPTERUS DELICIOSUS)

Abstract Male Club-winged Manakins (Machaeropterus deliciosus) are known to produce a unique mechanical sound with their extremely modified secondary feathers, yet the species remains poorly known behaviorally. I observed lekking males in Reserva Maquipucuna, Pichincha Province, Ecuador, to better understand the role of mechanical sounds, the behavioral repertoire, and other details of the natural history of this species. The behavioral repertoire of M. deliciosus is much more diverse than previously documented; it includes four mechanical phrases, two vocal sounds, and seven display behaviors. Mechanical sounds constitute the most prominent elements of the species' displays, replacing vocal sounds for territorial advertisement. I examine possible homology of the observed behaviors and propose a new phylogenetic hypothesis, that Machaeropterus forms a monophyletic clade with the genus Pipra, based on the existence of a complex shared courtship display.