cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amplification-free point of care immunosensor for detecting type V collagen at a concentration level of ng/ml

Point-of-care testing (POCT) is applicable in the immediate vicinity of the patient, where timely diagnosis or prognostic information could help doctors decide the following treatment. Among types of developed POCT, gold nanoparticle based lateral flow strip technology provides advantages such as simple operation, cost-effectiveness, and a user-friendly platform. Therefore, this type of POCT is most likely to be used in battlefields and developing countries. However, conventional lateral flow strips suffer from low detection limits. Although enzyme-linked amplification was demonstrated to improve the detection limit and sensitivity by stronger visible lines or by permitting electrochemical analytical instrumentation, the enzyme labels have potential to cause interference with other enzymes in our body fluids. To eliminate this limitation, we developed an amplification-free gold nanoparticle-based immunosensor applied for detecting collagen type V, which is produced or released abnormally during rejection of lung transplants and sulfur mustard exposure. By using suitable blocking protein to stabilize gold nanoparticles as the reporter probe, a low detection limit of ng/ml was achieved. This strategy is a promising platform for clinical POCT, with potential applications in military or disaster response.
A new adaptive estimator for linear systems

An adaptive estimator is proposed for a linear time-invariant plant with unknown parameters. The estimator is (globally) uniformly asymptotically stable, provided that the control input is persistently exciting. In particular, there is no need to solve the Lyapunov equation. This result implies that in many other adaptive situations it is not necessary to explicitly solve the Lyapunov equation. >
Ibuprofen protects dopaminergic neurons against glutamate toxicity in vitro

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, although the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Glutamate excitotoxicity has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and others. We examined the effects of aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen on cultured primary rat embryonic neurons from mesencephalon, the area primarily affected in Parkinson's disease. We evaluated whether these drugs protect dopaminergic neurons against excitotoxicity. All three NSAIDs significantly attenuated the decrease in dopamine uptake caused by glutamate, indicating preservation of neuronal integrity. One hundred micro-moles ibuprofen protected both dopaminergic neurons and neurons overall against glutamate toxicity. In addition, ibuprofen alone increased the relative number of dopaminergic neurons by 47%. Thus, NSAIDs protected neurons against glutamate excitotoxicity in vitro, and deserve further consideration as neuroprotective agents in Parkinson's disease.
The kinematics of Milky Way halo gas. I - Observations of low-ionization species

Ultraviolet interstellar line day observed with the IUE toward 70 halo stars and four extragalactic sight lines are analyzed in a study of the large-scale kinematic properties of the Milky Way halo gas. The motions of the low-ionization gas is focused on. Large systematic velocities are found, and a pronounced asymmetry in the absorption characteristics of halo gas toward the Galactic poles is indicated. In the north, substantial amounts of material are falling toward the disk at velocities up to about 120 km/s in the most extreme case. Toward the south, low-ionization material shows no extreme or systematic motions.
The roles of associational and causal reasoning in problem solving

Abstract Efficiency and robustness are two desirable, but often conflicting, characteristics of problem solvers. This article describes the Generate, Test and Debug (GTD) paradigm, which combines associational and causal reasoning techniques to efficiently solve a wide range of problems. GTD uses associational reasoning to generate initial hypotheses, and uses causal reasoning to test hypotheses and to debug faulty hypotheses, if necessary. We contend that the characteristics of associational and causal reasoning differ mainly in the way they deal with interactions—associational reasoning presumes independence; causal reasoning explicitly represents interactions. This difference helps account for the strengths and weaknesses of the reasoning techniques, and indicates the problem-solving roles for which they are best suited. The GTD paradigm has been implemented and tested in several planning and interpretation domains, with an emphasis on geologic interpretation.
Social context of needle selling in Baltimore, Maryland.

Although much of the debate surrounding the distribution of sterile syringes to injection drug users (IDUs) has focused on needle exchange programs (NEPs), IDUs acquire their syringes from three major sources: NEPs, pharmacies, and secondary exchangers or needle sellers. The purpose of the present study is to examine types and frequencies of social interactions among drug injectors who sell needles, most of which come from NEPs, compared with individuals who do not sell needles. Specifically, we compared engagement in drug-related behaviors, roles in the drug economy, and social network membership. Data were collected as part of the SHIELD study, an HIV prevention intervention targeted at drug users and their social networks (n = 910) from February 2001 through September 2003 in Baltimore, Maryland (USA). In this sample, 56 participants reported selling needles. Needle sellers had higher levels of engagement in drug-related social interactions, including using drugs with others, giving or receiving drugs ...
Multiple staged methane recovery from solid wastes

Abstract Multiple staging of anaerobic digestion has been investigated as a means of optimizing the bioconversion of solid waste to methane fuel gas. Stage separation was achieved by pH control of the acid production stage. The results obtained from a laboratory‐scale experimental program are promising. The acidogenic stage was operable at 22°C without sacrifice of methane productivity. There was essentially no difference between the gross energy conversion efficiency of the single vs. multiple stage systems. The methane production stage off‐gases were enriched for methane with a partial pressure averaging 0.8. Multiple staging provided greater stability than did the single stage digesters.
Influence of intraocular scattered light on lightness-scaling experiments

Following Munsell’s bisection procedure [ J. Opt. Soc. Am.23, 394 ( 1933)], we established a nine-step gray scale in which each step is an equal increment in lightness. We calculated retinal illuminances after intraocular scatter by using the point-spread function of Vos et al. [ Vision Res.16, 215– 219 ( 1976)]. After this correction for intraocular scatter, we find a logarithmic relationship between retinal illuminance and achromatic lightness scales that are determined by the bisection method. Additional bisection experiments with a series of different backgrounds corroborate this result. We find that lightness depends linearly on the logarithm of scatter-corrected retinal illuminance, with different slopes for backgrounds of different lightness. This study also highlights the importance of using scatter-corrected illuminance in any quantitative model of lightness.
Structural Dynamics and Multiregion Interactions in Dynein-Dynactin Recognition

Cytoplasmic dynein is a 1.2-MDa multisubunit motor protein complex that, together with its activator dynactin, is responsible for the majority of minus end microtubule-based motility. Dynactin targets dynein to specific cellular locations, links dynein to cargo, and increases dynein processivity. These two macromolecular complexes are connected by a direct interaction between dynactin's largest subunit, p150Glued, and dynein intermediate chain (IC) subunit. Here, we demonstrate using NMR spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry that the binding footprint of p150Glued on IC involves two noncontiguous recognition regions, and both are required for full binding affinity. In apo-IC, the helical structure of region 1, the nascent helix of region 2, and the disorder in the rest of the chain are determined from coupling constants, amide-amide sequential NOEs, secondary chemical shifts, and various dynamics measurements. When bound to p150Glued, different patterns of spectral exchange broadening suggest that region 1 forms a coiled-coil and region 2 a packed stable helix, with the intervening residues remaining disordered. In the 150-kDa complex of p150Glued, IC, and two light chains, the noninterface segments remain disordered. The multiregion IC binding interface, the partial disorder of region 2 and its potential for post-translational modification, and the modulation of the length of the longer linker by alternative splicing may provide a basis for elegant and multifaceted regulation of binding between IC and p150Glued. The long disordered linker between the p150Glued binding segments and the dynein light chain consensus sequences could also provide an attractive recognition platform for diverse cargoes.
The photographic method for rècording average illuminations

1. The photographic neutral-tint wedge method of measuring the total illumination falling on an area over a long period of time is described.2. A study is made of the chief sources of error inherent in photographic methods, i.e. (a) the uncertainty in the value of the wedge constant, and (b) the failure of the reciprocity law, in that the amount of blackening of the photographic emulsion is not, in general, strictly proportional to the product of the intensity of the illumination and the duration of the exposure.3. It is shown that P.O.P. obeys the reciprocity law sufficiently closely for durations of exposure between 1 and 24 hr. Gaslight paper, on the other hand, can only be used when the duration of exposure is less than about I hr.4. It is shown that when P.O.P. is used, and a sheet of diffusing glass is placed above the wedge, the value of the wedge constant is sensibly independent of the direction and quality of the incident light.5. Spectral sensitivity curves to tungsten filament light for gaslight paper and P.O.P. have been evaluated. From these, and other data, correction factors have been calculated for converting the photographic measurements of illumination into visual units.6. It is concluded that the method is sufficiently reliable for use in the field, where its simplicity and the small amount of apparatus required, make it specially suitable. The experimental uncertainty is about ±5 to ±10%.
Targeted Overexpression of the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+-ATPase Increases Cardiac Contractility in Transgenic Mouse Hearts

Cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure are known to be associated with a reduction in Ca2+-ATPase pump levels of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). To determine whether, and to what extent, alterations in Ca2+ pump numbers can affect contraction and relaxation parameters of the heart, we have overexpressed the cardiac SR Ca2+-ATPase specifically in the mouse heart using the alpha-myosin heavy chain promoter. Analysis of 2 independent transgenic lines demonstrated that sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase isoform (SERCA2a) mRNA levels were increased 3.88+/-0. 4-fold and 7.90+/-0.2-fold over those of the control mice. SERCA2a protein levels were increased by 1.31+/-0.05-fold and 1.54+/-0. 05-fold in these lines despite high levels of mRNA, suggesting that complex regulatory mechanisms may determine the SERCA2a pump levels. The maximum velocity of Ca2+ uptake (Vmax) was increased by 37%, demonstrating that increased pump levels result in increased SR Ca2+ uptake function. However, the apparent affinity of the SR Ca2+-ATPase for Ca2+ remains unchanged in transgenic hearts. To evaluate the effects of overexpression of the SR Ca2+ pump on cardiac contractility, we used the isolated perfused work-performing heart model. The transgenic hearts showed significantly higher myocardial contractile function, as indicated by increased maximal rates of pressure development for contraction (+dP/dt) and relaxation (-dP/dt), together with shortening of the normalized time to peak pressure and time to half relaxation. Measurements of intracellular free calcium concentration and contractile force in trabeculae revealed a doubling of Ca2+ transient amplitude, with a concomitant boost in contractility. The present study demonstrates that increases in SERCA2a pump levels can directly enhance contractile function of the heart by increasing SR Ca2+ transport.
An IL-4Rα Allelic Variant, I50, Acts as a Gain-of-Function Variant Relative to V50 for Stat6, But Not Th2 Differentiation

Signaling through the IL-4R alpha-chain (IL-4Ralpha) is crucial for the development of Th2 cells, central effectors in atopic disease. Alleles of the IL-4Ralpha have been identified that have been variably associated with increased incidence of allergic disease, but there is little direct evidence that any variant is sufficient to alter a target that determines allergic pathophysiology or susceptibility. Variants of IL-4Ralpha encoding isoleucine instead of valine at position 50 (I50 vs V50, respectively) can signal increased Stat6-dependent transcriptional activity, whether in an I50, Q551 or I50, R551 haplotype. Strikingly, signaling through these receptors did not increase the efficiency of Th2 development or the IL-4 mediated repression of Th1 development or a target gene, IL-18Ralpha. Further, IL-4-induced proliferation was similar for Th2 cells independent of the variant expressed. Together these findings indicate that IL-4Ralpha variants that exhibit gain-of-function with respect to Stat6 do not act directly through alterations in Th2/Th1 induction after Ag exposure. The data further suggest that for such variants, any mechanistic involvement is based on a role in cellular targets of Th2 cytokines.
Hierarchically Supervised Latent Dirichlet Allocation

We introduce hierarchically supervised latent Dirichlet allocation (HSLDA), a model for hierarchically and multiply labeled bag-of-word data. Examples of such data include web pages and their placement in directories, product descriptions and associated categories from product hierarchies, and free-text clinical records and their assigned diagnosis codes. Out-of-sample label prediction is the primary goal of this work, but improved lower-dimensional representations of the bag-of-word data are also of interest. We demonstrate HSLDA on large-scale data from clinical document labeling and retail product categorization tasks. We show that leveraging the structure from hierarchical labels improves out-of-sample label prediction substantially when compared to models that do not.
HierarchyScan: a hierarchical similarity search algorithm for databases of long sequences

We present a hierarchical algorithm, HierarchyScan, that efficiently locates one-dimensional subsequences within a collection of sequences of arbitrary length. The subsequences identified by HierarchyScan match a given template pattern in a scale- and phase-independent fashion. The idea is to perform correlation between the stored sequences and the template in the transformed domain hierarchically. Only those subsequences whose maximum correlation value is higher than a predefined threshold will be selected. The performance of this approach is compared to the sequential scanning and an order-of-magnitude speedup is observed.
StrideBV: Single chip 400G+ packet classification

Hardware firewalls act as the first line of defense in protecting networks against attacks. Packets are organized into flows based on a set of packet header fields and a predefined rule is applied on the packets in each flow to filter malicious network traffic. This is realized using packet classification, which is implemented in secure networking environments where mere best-effort delivery of packets is not adequate. Existing packet classification solutions are highly dependent on the properties (or features) of the ruleset. We present a bit vector based lookup scheme and a parallel hardware architecture that does not rely on ruleset features. A detailed performance analysis of the proposed scheme is given under different configurations. Post place-and-route results of our parallel pipelined architecture on a state-of-the-art Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device shows that for real-life firewall rulesets, the proposed solution achieves 400G+ throughput. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first packet classification engine that achieves 400G+ rate on a single FPGA. Further, on the average we achieve 2.5× power efficiency compared with the state-of-the-art solutions.
Siblings of Infants and Toddlers With Disabilities in Early Intervention

The current study investigated the perceptions of families regarding the inclusion of siblings of children with disabilities by early intervention providers. Eighty-seven respondents who had a child enrolled in one state’s Part C early intervention program completed the survey. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Results indicated a significant correlation (a) between having goals for siblings on the Individualized Family Service Plan and parents’ report of whether siblings were included by the service provider in sessions, (b) between wanting goals and the respondent’s relationship to the child, and (c) between having goals and county of residence. Qualitative results verified how siblings were included in early intervention routines by early intervention providers, that goals related to siblings were not often included in the Individualized Family Service Plan, and that parents reported that siblings wanted more information about the child’s disability. In addition, famil...
Memory, narrative and the search for identity in psychoanalytic psychotherapy: a second chance.

Abstract The need to create order out of chaos is a driving force, ethologicalty determined, and part of the human condition. Narrative, especially autobiography and self narrative, helps us sort out myriad fantasies, events, and images, weaving them into a cohesive whole that eventually promotes self-awareness. The narratives of Virginia Woolf, St. Augustine, and Samuel Beckett are briefly described. Attachment theory and current research demonstrates that secure attachment is a first step in the socialization process and helps put one's life in perspective. The therapeutic use of narrative is demonstrated by three clinical vignettes of patients with various psychiatric disorders who had successful therapeutic outcomes.
The South Carolina Plan for Improved Curriculum Articulation Between High Schools and Colleges

A revision of the admissions requirements to state-supported colleges and universities included a minimum of two years' high school study of one foreign language. In response to this policy, a large group of secondary and postsecondary colleagues organized the South Carolina Council on Foreign Language Placement and Curriculum (SCCFLPAC). This independent ad hoc committee serves as a forum for the exchange of information and helps provide professional critique of plans to change curriculum and implement new placement tests at the various postsecondary institutions. Secondary teachers have been trained to write proficiency-oriented outcome statements for each of four years of language instruction; these statements are designed to serve as the basis for future revisions of postsecondary curricula.
Multiwavelength observations of NaSt1 (WR 122): equatorial mass loss and X-rays from an interacting Wolf–Rayet binary

NaSt1 (aka Wolf–Rayet 122) is a peculiar emission-line star embedded in an extended nebula of [N ii] emission with a compact dusty core. The object was previously characterized as a Wolf–Rayet (WR) star cloaked in an opaque nebula of CNO-processed material, perhaps analogous to η Car and its Homunculus nebula, albeit with a hotter central source. To discern the morphology of the [N ii] nebula we performed narrow-band imaging using the Hubble Space Telescope and Wide-field Camera 3. The images reveal that the nebula has a disc-like geometry tilted ≈12° from edge-on, composed of a bright central ellipsoid surrounded by a larger clumpy ring. Ground-based spectroscopy reveals radial velocity structure (±10 km s^−1) near the outer portions of the nebula's major axis, which is likely to be the imprint of outflowing gas. Near-infrared adaptive-optics imaging with Magellan AO has resolved a compact ellipsoid of K s-band emission aligned with the larger [N ii] nebula, which we suspect is the result of scattered He i line emission (λ2.06 μm). Observations with the Chandra X-ray Observatory have revealed an X-ray point source at the core of the nebula that is heavily absorbed at energies <1 keV and has properties consistent with WR stars and colliding-wind binaries. We suggest that NaSt1 is a WR binary embedded in an equatorial outflow that formed as the result of non-conservative mass transfer. NaSt1 thus appears to be a rare and important example of a stripped-envelope WR forming through binary interaction, caught in the brief Roche lobe overflow phase.
Wnt Signaling in Axial Patterning and Regeneration: Lessons from Planaria

Wnt signal transduction plays a crucial role in stem cell proliferation and regeneration. When canonical Wnt signaling is low, heads develop, and when it is high, tails are formed. In planarians, Wnt transcription is activated by wounding in a beta-catenin-independent way. Hedgehog is one of the signals involved, because it induces regeneration of tails (instead of heads) through the activation of Wnt transcription. Depletion of Smad4 blocks regeneration entirely, which suggests that the bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway and the Wnt pathway are required for regeneration and body patterning.
CaV3.2 T-type Ca2+ channels in H2S-mediated hypoxic response of the carotid body

Arterial blood O2 levels are detected by specialized sensory organs called carotid bodies. Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels (VGCCs) are important for carotid body O2 sensing. Given that T-type VGCCs con...
GENETICS OF A NEW IgVH (T15 IDIOTYPE) MARKER IN THE MOUSE REGULATING NATURAL ANTIBODY TO PHOSPHORYLCHOLINE

The idiotype present on the Fab of a phosphorylcholine-binding IgA myeloma protein TEPC 15 (T15) of BALB/c origin was found in normal serum of BALB/c mice. Molecules carrying the T15 idiotype in normal serum could be adsorbed with Sepharose phosphorylcholine beads and R36A pneumococci. The T15 idiotype is absent in germ-free BALB/c but appears when the mice are conventionalized. A survey of normal sera of inbred strains for the T15 idiotype showed it to be present in BALB/c, 129, C57L, C58, and ST and absent or in low levels in CBA, C3H, C57BL/6, C57BL/Ka, C57BL/10, SJL, B10.D2, DBA/2, RIII, A, AL, AKR, NZB, and NH inbred strains of mice. The T15 idiotype is associated with some but not all strains carrying the IgCH allotypes found in BALB/c. Linkage of genes controlling the T15 idiotype in normal serum to the IgCH locus of BALB/c was demonstrated in F2 progeny of a BALB/c and C57BL cross, Bailey's recombinant inbred strains, C x BD, C x BE, C x BG, C x BH, C x BI, C x BJ, C x BK, and CB20 congenic strains. Among these strains, only those possessing the IgCH locus of BALB/c including the F2 progeny consisting of BALB/c homozygotes and BALB/c/C57BL heterozygotes and C x BG and C x BJ recombinants showed the T15 idiotype.
The effect of an experimental chlorate product on Salmonella recovery of Turkeys when administered prior to feed and water withdrawal

Previously, an experimental chlorate product (ECP) has been observed to reduce Escherichia coli and Salmonella infections in swine, cattle, and broilers. The following studies were performed to investigate the effects of different concentrations and durations of administering ECP on crop and ceca Salmonella typhimurium (ST) colonization of turkeys. In 2 separate trials, each conducted with 2 replicates, 15-wk-old turkey toms were challenged with 10(7) to 10(9) cfu of ST. In Experiment 1, toms were administered 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 4.0x of ECP (a 1.0x concentration is equivalent to a 15 mM chlorate ion concentration) in the drinking water for 38 h. In Experiment 2, toms were administered a 2x concentration of ECP in the drinking water for 0, 14, 26, or 38 h prior to water withdrawal. All treatments were followed by a 10-h water withdrawal and an 8-h feed withdrawal prior to organ sampling. In Experiment 1, turkeys provided ECP had significantly (P 1.4 log reduction) and ceca (>0.6 log reduction) ST as compared with control birds (2.1 and 0.94 log ST average for all trials, respectively), with little or no additional benefit from administration of higher ECP concentrations. In Experiment 2, toms provided ECP had lower populations of crop (>2.2 log reduction) and ceca (>1.5 log reduction) ST when compared with controls (3.1 and 1.8 log ST, respectively). Again, there appeared to be little benefit in longer administration intervals on quantitative reduction of ST. These experiments suggest that the ECP significantly reduces Salmonella colonization in commercial turkeys when administered prior to feed and water withdrawal.
Methane production on thickened, pre-fermented manure

Over 9 million dairy cows generate an estimated 226 billion kg of wet manure annually in the US. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the viability of a novel two-stage anaerobic digestion (AD) process for producing methane-rich biogas on pre-fermented dairy manure. In summary, it was observed that AD of thickened pre-fermented manure can generate comparable biogas quantities to AD using raw manure, with enhanced methane content. Despite receiving a lower quality (i.e., partially biodegraded) substrate, biogas stoichiometry and overall process stability in the two-stage system was also comparable to AD receiving raw manure. Finally, the two-stage AD was more enriched with the acetoclastic methanogen Methanosarcinaceae (Msc; compared to AD of raw manure) and biogas production appeared closely linked with the Msc fraction. In fact, the enhanced enrichment of Msc likely contributed to the successful and stable operations.
Pulse inversion harmonic imaging improves endocardial border visualization in two-dimensional images: Comparison with harmonic imaging

Pulse inversion harmonic imaging (PIHI) is a new modality that increases the detection of harmonic echoes and myocardial contrast by cancelling linearly transmitted signals. We tested whether PIHI improved the detection of endocardial borders in noncontrast 2-dimensional echocardiography. We compared PIHI with tissue harmonic imaging (THI), which decreases linearly transmitted signals using filters. Fundamental mode (FM) was compared with THI and PIHI in 50 consecutive patients. The global and segmental endocardial visualization scores measured with FM were significantly improved by using either THI or PIHI. The improvement of the global score compared with FM was slightly higher using PIHI than THI, because of an improved visualization of the base and the anterior wall with the PIHI technique compared with THI. The ratio of myocardial-to-cavity signal was similarly increased from FM with THI and PIHI. PIHI, a new modality for detection of myocardial contrast, can also be used for endocardial border visualization. It provides an improvement relative to THI for specific regions of the endocardium.
REGULATION OF SUBSTRATE RECOGNITION BY THE MIAA TRNA PRENYLTRANSFERASE MODIFICATION ENZYME OF ESCHERICHIA COLI K-12

Abstract We purified polyhistidine (His6)-tagged and native Escherichia coliMiaA tRNA prenyltransferase, which uses dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) to isopentenylate A residues adjacent to the anticodons of most tRNA species that read codons starting with U residues. Kinetic and binding studies of purified MiaA were performed with several substrates, including synthetic wild-type tRNAPhe, the anticodon stem-loop (ACSLPhe) of tRNAPhe, and bulk tRNA isolated from a miaA mutant. Gel filtration shift and steady-state kinetic determinations showed that affinity-purified MiaA had the same properties as native MiaA and was completely active for tRNAPhe binding. MiaA had aK m app (tRNA substrates) ≈3 nm, which is orders of magnitude lower than that of other purified tRNA modification enzymes, aK m app (DMAPP) = 632 nm, and ak cat app = 0.44 s−1. MiaA activity was minimally affected by other modifications or nonsubstrate tRNA species present in bulk tRNA isolated from a miaA mutant. MiaA modified ACSLPhe with ak cat app/K m appsubstrate specificity about 17-fold lower than that for intact tRNAPhe, mostly due to a decrease in apparent substrate binding affinity. Quantitative Western immunoblotting showed that MiaA is an abundant protein in exponentially growing bacteria (660 monomers per cell; 1.0 μm concentration) and is present in a catalytic excess. However, MiaA activity was strongly competitively inhibited for DMAPP by ATP and ADP (K i app = 0.06 μm), suggesting that MiaA activity is inhibited substantially in vivo and that DMAPP may bind to a conserved P-loop motif in this class of prenyltransferases. Band shift, filter binding, and gel filtration shift experiments support a model in which MiaA tRNA substrates are recognized by binding tightly to MiaA multimers possibly in a positively cooperative way (K d app ≈0.07 μm).
Protein kinases in seeds

Reversible phosphorylation is catalysed by protein kinases that transfer the γ-phosphate from ATP to amino acid residues of proteins. The process can be reversed by protein phosphatases. Phosphorylation can dramatically activate or inhibit enzymes and affect protein-protein interaction. Through phosphorylation protein kinases can amplify and propagate cellular signals. In plants and now seeds, protein kinases involved in hormone, defence and environmental stress responses are being identified. Increasingly, these protein kinases are being cloned and characterized, demonstrating the major role of reversible protein phosphorylation in seeds.
Active cleaning of label noise

Mislabeled examples in the training data can severely affect the performance of supervised classifiers. In this paper, we present an approach to remove any mislabeled examples in the dataset by selecting suspicious examples as targets for inspection. We show that the large margin and soft margin principles used in support vector machines (SVM) have the characteristic of capturing the mislabeled examples as support vectors. Experimental results on two character recognition datasets show that one-class and two-class SVMs are able to capture around 85% and 99% of label noise examples, respectively, as their support vectors. We propose another new method that iteratively builds two-class SVM classifiers on the non-support vector examples from the training data followed by an expert manually verifying the support vectors based on their classification score to identify any mislabeled examples. We show that this method reduces the number of examples to be reviewed, as well as providing parameter independence of this method, through experimental results on four data sets. So, by (re-)examining the labels of the selective support vectors, most noise can be removed. This can be quite advantageous when rapidly building a labeled data set. HighlightsNovel method for label noise removal from data is introduced.It significantly reduces the required number of examples to be reviewed.Support vectors of SVM classifier can capture around 99% of label noise examples.Two-class SVM captures more label noise examples than one-class SVM classifierCombination of one-class and two-class SVM produces a marginal improvement.
Change in The Stature and Body Weight of North American Boys During the Last 80 Years

Publisher Summary The North American literature on secular change in body size is a conglomerate of products of facts and byproducts of conjectures. Products of facts have helped elucidate the direction and magnitude of somatic change in recent generations. Byproducts of conjectures have suggested varied determinants and implications of the changes discovered. This chapter synthesizes a major segment of current knowledge regarding the direction and magnitude of secular change with respect to human stature and body weight during the first twenty years of postnatal life. The knowledge is delimited to the continent of North America and to the human organisms of one sex (males). The predominant objective is limited to substantive synthesis.
Carbonic anhydrase III in obese Zucker rats

Proteins from 5- to 7-wk-old lean and obese Zucker rats were separated by one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and two-dimensional SDS-isoelectric focusing-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Laser densitometry revealed an obesity-related decrease in the concentration of a 28-kDa cytosolic adipocyte protein, the most abundant protein in adipocytes from lean Zucker rats. Microsequencing revealed the identity of this protein to be carbonic anhydrase III (CA III). The identity and obesity-related decrease was further confirmed using isoform-specific antisera and CA III enzyme activity measurements made by 18O mass spectrometry. Immunoblotting studies also revealed that CA III is present in at least two charge isoforms in adipocytes. Our data indicate that lean Zucker rat adipocytes may represent the richest source of CA III in nature (24% of the cytosolic protein content). An obesity-related decrease in both the concentration and activity of CA III was observed in two lipogenic tissues, liver and white fat, but not in soleus muscle. Adipocyte CA III activity was no longer depressed when hyperinsulinemic obese rats were made insulin deficient by streptozotocin injection. This suggests that the obesity-related decrease in CA III may be related to the hyperinsulinemia as well as to the insulin hyperresponsiveness that adipocytes from obese Zucker rats of this age display.
An eDNA assay for river otter detection: a tool for surveying a semi-aquatic mammal

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is an effective tool for the detection of elusive or low-density aquatic organisms. However, it has infrequently been applied to mammalian species. North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) are both broad ranging and semi-aquatic, making them an ideal candidate for examining the uses of eDNA for detection of mammals. We developed a species-specific assay for detection of North American river otters using eDNA. The assay was tested for specificity against closely-related mustelids native to western North America, and was validated through testing environmental samples.
Bazaar: strengthening user reputations in online marketplaces

Online marketplaces are now a popular way for users to buy and sell goods over the Internet. On these sites, user reputations--based on feedback from other users concerning prior transactions--are used to assess the likely trustworthiness of users. However, because accounts are often free to obtain, user reputations are subject to manipulation through white-washing, Sybil attacks, and user collusion. This manipulation leads to wasted time and significant monetary losses for defrauded users, and ultimately undermines the usefulness of the online marketplace.In this paper, we propose Bazaar, a system that addresses the limitations of existing online marketplace reputation systems. Bazaar calculates user reputations using a max-flow-based technique over the network formed from prior successful transactions, thereby limiting reputation manipulation. Unlike existing approaches, Bazaar provides strict bounds on the amount of fraud that malicious users can conduct, regardless of the number of identities they create. An evaluation based on a trace taken froma real-world online marketplace demonstrates that Bazaar is able to bound the amount of fraud in practice, while only rarely impacting non-malicious users.
Three Component LDA Measurements in the Near and Far Field of Swirling Jets

Swirling jets with difierent swirl distributions and swirl intensities have been investigated. Measurements are made using a three-component Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA) system in the near fleld, and, in two cases, the far fleld. The LDA measurements have been performed using two difierent conflgurations, where the measurements in one of the conflgurations is more susceptible to geometric positioning errors. Geometric uncertainties have been evaluated and their efiect on the measurements has been investigated. The present results have been found to be in agreement with the results from other studies, when comparable data exist. Higher swirling cases are shown to evolve faster with distance from the jet exit than their non-swirling counterparts with both the mean and second order quantities approaching self-similar proflles within the range of axial distances investigated. The mean quantities approached their self-similar proflles faster than the Reynolds stresses.
Application to Economic Development

In Chapter 5, we return to the important motivation for the entire monograph. Much of the debate over corruption reform in developing countries has been about failure stories. Our analytical narrative focuses instead upon an enormous success in corruption reform, and lessons to be drawn from it. But this example occurred years ago and far away, in both distance and potentially in economic and cultural conditions, from contemporary developing economies. We do not intend to suggest that Parker’s specific reforms as such should be the guide for current corruption reform efforts. Parker’s specific policies were applicable to and successful for Los Angeles in the 1950s. What we do believe is that the conditions that we identified in Chapter 4 that supported Parker’s efforts can be generalized across time and circumstances. Thus, we examine the importance of political contestability, a free media, and a focal system of values in the context of the current debate over corruption reform in developing countries. We close with an application to the novel “Charter Cities” movement.
EEG in Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus

Ictal and interictal EEG findings and the diagnostic utility of iv diazepam in 78 patients with nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) are reported from the Department of Neurology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, VA.
Parametric study of density cavities caused by ion outflow in the topside ionosphere

Abstract Plasma density cavities are correlated with heavy ion outflow where ions are heated transversely by wave particle interactions (WPIs). This paper presents the first result of a 3D ionospheric fluid model that incorporates plasma temperature anisotropies and a phenomenological treatment of WPIs, leading to transversely accelerated ions (TAIs). It is demonstrated that O+ outflow can generate density cavities in the topside ionosphere. With the empirical heating rate applied in a designated heating region on the dayside, the O+ species in the heating region is accelerated upward by the mirror force. The O+ species below the heating region upflows under the parallel pressure gradient force and the parallel electric force. As the O+ species flows upward, the plasma is eroded both below and inside the heating region. Parametric modeling studies show that the depth of density cavities in the upper ionosphere increases as the heating rate increases. The percent change in the density of the cavity relative to the local background density is practically independent of the low-altitude cutoff of the heating region, but the altitude of the relative density minimum moves upward with the increasing altitude of cutoff. The O+ flux is insensitive to the change of the heating rate, while depends strongly on the altitude of cutoff. Using empirical values of the initial heating rate and the height of the low-altitude boundary as input, the ranges of the modeled electron density and the O+ outflow moments are in reasonable agreement with observations of a storm-time density cavity observed by the FAST satellite. The 3D ionospheric model has the potential to be coupled to magnetospheric models for magnetosphere-ionosphere (MI) coupling.
Utility of a 3D File Database

Technological advancements have brought about profound improvements in the ability to capture high-quality medical images. However, full understanding of two-dimensional (2D) data is limited by the brain’s capacity to translate it into a three-dimensional (3D) representation within the mind’s eye. Digital 3D imaging and printing technology are emerging as essential for comprehension of the anatomic spatial relationships in complex congenital heart disease. With deteriorating pathologic specimens and the inherent limitations of 2D content, an opportunity to enhance medical visualization and understanding led to the creation of the 3D Heart Library, a collection within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) 3D Print Exchange. The Exchange serves as an open-source resource from the NIH containing bioscientific and medical 3D models for digital 3D imaging and printing. The purpose is to facilitate storage and dissemination of 3D representations of heart anatomy, with a special focus on congenital heart disease. Submissions are evaluated through a process that builds on the traditional peer-review model of medical case study publications. Users can access high-quality, validated models that can be used in educational curricula or as references to inform decision making in medical treatment plans. In this chapter, we describe the creation of this resource, the methodologies behind 3D image segmentation and quality control, and the utility of the 3D Heart Library today, and into the future.
Allies or Adversaries: NGOs and the State in Africa

This work analyses relations between the state and one critically important nonstate actor: the nongovernmental organisation (NGO). The sheer number of NGOs working in Africa and the broad range of...
Technology and the Objectivity of Values

Our task concerns the problems of learning to live with technology. Since the characterization of technology is itself an issue of some debate, let me begin with some preliminaries. I treat technology as humanity at work in the world. That is, technology is not a thing in itself; it is the techniques and methods, including machines, tools, social systems. etc., we use to make our way in the world. Given this perspective, let me now, for the purpose of focusing our efforts here, rephrase the objective of learning to live with technology in the following way: We are concerned with the problems created by the methods we use to manipulate and investigate the world. As such, the philosophical problems of technology are problems associated with the reasoning we use to develop and employ these methods and techniques and to assess the consequences, expected and otherwise, of their use. These problems range over a variety of issues. I will be concerned only with the nature and role of values in assessing technologies. And even then, my worries are narrow and restricted to the problem of structuring the debate over how best to assess technologies.
Chemical- and Radiation-Induced Esophageal Injury

The esophageal wall can only respond to injury in a limited fashion. This article explores some of the protective mechanisms involved as well as current approaches to diagnosis and management of chemical- and radiation-induced esophageal injury.
Welcoming Address by Dr. Raymond E. Miller Director of the School of Information and Computer Science Georgia Institute of Technology

On behalf of the School of Information and Computer Science and Georgia Tech I am happy to welcome you to this Fourth Symposium on Empirical Foundations of Information and Software Sciences. We are very pleased to be able to host the symposium here at Georgia Tech, and I am particularly pleased with the leading organizational role that Dr. Pranas Zunde, of our faculty, has been taking in these conferences.
Differences in alcohol cognitions, consumption, and consequences among first-time DUI offenders who co-use alcohol and marijuana.

Abstract Background A significant portion of alcohol-related DUI offenders engage in co-use of alcohol and marijuana (AM). Given expanding marijuana legalization and the impaired driving risks associated with co-use, it is of increased importance to understand how characteristics of AM co-users compare to those who use alcohol only (AO) in order to inform DUI interventions and prevent recidivism. Methods Participants were 277 first-time DUI offenders enrolled in a first-time DUI offender program across three locations. Using well-established measures, we evaluated differences in alcohol-related cognitions (positive expectancies and self-efficacy), frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related consequences between AO users and AM co-users by running a series of multivariate generalized linear models. Results Compared to AO users, AM co-users reported lower self-efficacy to achieve abstinence and avoid DUI. Differences in abstinence self-efficacy largely explain higher relative rates of average and peak drinking quantity and higher odds of binge drinking among AM co-user. Despite lower self-efficacy and higher drinking quantity, there were no significant differences between AM and AO-users on alcohol-related consequences and past month reports of drinking and driving. Conclusions Our results provide preliminary evidence that DUI offenders who co-use alcohol and marijuana have higher alcohol use and lower self-efficacy than AO-users, and long-term consequences for this group should be monitored in future research. DUI programs may screen and identify co-users and consider tailoring their interventions to build self-efficacy to address the risks associated with AM co-use uniquely.
Motivation and Bias in Group Decision Making: A Computational Approach

In the group decision-making research, the development of a synthetic framework integrating information processing biases and motivated information processing will benefit researchers to systematically understand the group information processing mechanism and its performance. We built an agent-based computational model to simulate a group deliberation and decision-making process by identifying and integrating human motivations and biases in group information processing. From the computational model, theoretical propositions of motivated information processing regarding the relationship between different types of information processing biases and motivation, the effect of motivated information processing on the quality and quantity of learning, and group performance were built. We propose that while high epistemic motivation will improve the actual performance of group decision-making process, prosocial motivation will improve the perceived performance of group decision-making process. The gap between the ...