cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
H2 Optimized PID Control of Quad-Copter Platform with Wind Disturbance

Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) scheme is the most commonly used algorithm for designing the controllers for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, tuning PID gains is a non trivial task. A number of methods have been developed for tuning the PID gains for UAV systems. However, these methods do not handle wind disturbances, which is a major concern for small UAVs. In this paper, we propose a new method for determining optimized PID gains in the H2 optimal control framework, which achieves improved wind disturbance rejection. The proposed method compares the classical PID control law with the H2 optimal controller to determine the H2 optimal PID gains, and involves solving a convex optimization problem. The proposed controller is tested in two scenarios, namely, vertical velocity control, and vertical position control. The results are compared with the existing LQR based PID tuning method.
P756 Risk factors for primary and secondary syphilis among females in chicago, 2010–2017

Background Trends in congenital syphilis (CS) usually parallel those of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis in women. Chicago has invested in a multi-pronged approach to address the syphilis epidemic in the city. Between 2010 and 2017, the total number of female P&S syphilis cases in Chicago decreased by 37% (from 87 to 55 cases) in parallel with a decrease in the number of CS cases (from 19 to 11). At the same time, national rates of CS increased 140%, from 9.7 per 100,000 live births in 2010, to a high of 23.3 per 100,000 live births in 2017. Methods A retrospective analysis of surveillance data from 2010 through 2017 was performed on female cases of P&S syphilis (n=483) reported to the Chicago Department of Public Health. Results Of 483 cases reported during this time, 382 (79.1%) were non-Hispanic black, 34 (7.0%) Hispanic, 27 (5.6%) non-Hispanic white, and 40 (8.3%) other or unknown ethnicity. Approximately 7% (32) of females were co-infected with HIV. The median age was 27 and did not change significantly over time, ranging from 24 to 32. Overall, 23% of interviewed females reported having sex while intoxicated with alcohol or drugs, and 15% reported having sex with anonymous partners. Only 6.2% of females diagnosed with P&S syphilis reported exchanging drugs for sex or money and Conclusion Our findings suggest that certain sexual behaviors, in particular anonymous sex and sex while intoxicated, are more frequently reported by women infected with syphilis. To curb the spread of CS further, there is a need to enhance surveillance and collect comprehensive behavioral risk factor data for females. Future interventions should focus on provider and public education, media campaigns targeted towards these sexual behaviors, and expansion of screening programs among females of reproductive age. Disclosure No significant relationships.
Perineural Spread of Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma of Müllerian Origin Resulting in Neoplastic Lumbosacral Plexopathy.

Background Adenocarcinomas of mullerian origin are malignancies derived from tissues of the proximal third of the vagina, cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes. These organs develop from the embryologic mullerian ducts. While reports of perineural spread of certain uterine and cervical carcinomas exist in the literature, to our knowledge, no reports of clear cell−type mullerian adenocarcinoma presenting with neural invasion of the lumbosacral plexus exist in the literature. Case Description A 77-year-old woman with a remote history of hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy for benign disease presented for evaluation of foot drop. We present clinical, electromyographic, and imaging findings of her condition, which revealed a diffuse intraneural lesion of the ipsilateral lumbosacral plexus. Percutaneous biopsy of the lesion confirmed nerve infiltrating clear cell adenocarcinoma of mullerian origin. Conclusions We present the first case of adenocarcinoma of mullerian origin with confirmed perineural spread presenting with ipsilateral lower extremity weakness. This case illustrates the importance of recognizing potential perineural spread of gynecologic malignancies to avoid delay in treatment.
Quantifying temporal and geographic variation in sunscreen and mineralogic titanium-containing nanoparticles in three recreational rivers

Detection of metal nanoparticles (NPs) in the environment is an analytical challenge of interest due to increasing use of nanomaterials in consumer and industrial products. Detecting NPs associated with human activities is affected by both the magnitude and variation in background concentrations of natural NPs. In this work, we investigated the potential release of titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs from sunscreen in three recreational rivers, with a time-intensive sampling regime on one river, in order to determine the range and variability of natural, background titania (Ti). Conventional ICP analysis for total metal concentrations, single particle ICP-MS for NP concentrations, and electron microscopy aided in assessing mineralogical morphology and composition. Oxybenzone, a widely-used organic sunscreen, was measured and used as a surrogate for the intensity of recreational activity in the water. Statistically significant increases in Ti concentrations were observed in Clear Creek, CO during one recreation period, but the significance of other instances of recreation-associated Ti increases was unclear, in part due to storm impacts on the natural suspended sediment load of the stream. A comparison of three recreational rivers showed increases in both Ti mass concentrations and NP sizes occur during recreation in both Clear Creek, CO and the Salt River, AZ, but no detectable changes in the Truckee River, NV. However, size distributions were variable in background samples, which make the significance of differences observed during recreation unclear. These results underline that the release of engineered nanoparticles to a natural system cannot be detected without a well-defined background, including measures of its variability during the study period.
Pogostemon guamensis Lorence & W.L.Wagner (Lamiaceae), a new species from Guam, Mariana Islands.

While undertaking a botanical survey of the Andersen Air Force Base on Guam (Mariana Islands) in 1994, botanists from the National Tropical Botanical Garden collected an unusual suffrutescent, non-aromatic member of the Lamiaceae family growing on limestone cliffs in the northeastern part of the island. Based on morphology and molecular data (trnLF, matK), it was determined to belong to the genus Pogostemon Desf., a genus previously unknown from the Micronesian, Melanesian, and Polynesian region. Moreover, the analysis also showed that it was not conspecific with P. cablin (patchouli), and of the species available to include in the phylogenetic analyses it is sister to P. hirsutus¸ a species from India and Sri Lanka. Differing from its congeners by its large, loose inflorescence 2.5-5 cm wide and up to 7 cm wide in fruit, it is here illustrated and described as a new species, Pogostemon guamensis Lorence & W.L. Wagner and its habitat and conservation status are discussed.
Use and Visualization of Electronic Health Record Data to Advance Public Health

COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on those of Black and Hispanic race/ethnicity, older adults, and those with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease 3 Higher-risk patients and practices could be selected for public health interventions and educational campaigns to decrease transmission, reduce inequities, and encourage patientswith symptoms to seek care early Neighborhood-level information can provide a helpful context for health risk factors and outcomes 7,9 Furthermore, linking EHRs to neighborhood-level resources could help providers connect patients in need to nearby food pantries, community centers, and housing assistance Previous comparisons with Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 500 Cities estimates (based on BRFSS) showed similar prevalence estimates with EHR-based data 10 It is noteworthy that Massachusetts has unusually high insurance coverage, with only 2 9% uninsured in 2019,11 which increases the generalizability of the MDPHnet system to the population as a whole Clearly there are challenges in linking data from different sources, including how to link and match data, how to protect privacy, and obtaining institutional review board permission 14 Yet such linkages could lead to a greater understanding of risk factors for disease, hospitalization and death, and the development of interventions for and targeted outreach to special populations
Party strength and party weakness in transitional elections: Myanmar’s National League for Democracy in 2015

The National League for Democracy secured an astonishing electoral victory in Myanmar’s 2015 general elections after nearly three decades of repression of the party. Despite this victory, there are...
East Asian Labor and Employment Law: International and Comparative Context

1. Perspective: globalism and its impacts 2. Global legal standards 3. Agenda items: criteria, alternatives, and evaluative standards 4. East Asian labor law regimes 5. Evaluating comparative and competitive advantages in East Asian HRM practices.
ANALYSIS OF CAKE FILTRATION: SOLUTIONS OF THE VOLUME-AVERAGED CONTINUITY EQUATIONS

The continuum approach, also known as the “multiphase flow theory,” has been applied to the analysis of a number of physical phenomena including cake. A substantial part of the materials presented in this chapter is based on these studies. The assumptions used in the multiphase flow theory approach are fewer and less restrictive than those employed in formulating the conventional theory are. Thus, the results obtained can be expected to be more accurate and complete. Furthermore, the continuity equations based on the multiphase flow theory are applicable not only to cake filtration, but to sedimentation and cake consolidation as well. These advantages are balanced by the fact that more demanding efforts are required for the solution of the continuity equation. It should be emphasized that the multiphase flow theory approach does have its limitations. Derivation of the continuity equations based on replacing the point variable with local mean ones itself is an assumption. Most of the cake filtration analyses were made with the assumption that particles of suspension to be treated are of uniform size. In practice, the sizes of particles present in a suspension often cover a wide range. The permeability of the cake (and therefore the specific cake resistance) depends not only on the extent of compression but also on the degree of fine particle retention.
“Nunca vayas a creer que estás abarcando la totalidad”, una entrevista a Daniel Caño

Como se vera en la entrevista que me ha concedido el autor, el asunto aqui no es “quien tiene la razon o quien no” (ya que en nuestros paises latinoamericanos diversas cosmovisiones cohabitan, incluso en un mismo individuo), ni es el objetivo del poemario “convencer al lector” de una experiencia que en el fondo no es posible verbalizar. Por el contrario, uno de los grandes logros de Stxaj no’ anima / Oracion salvaje es hacer de la poesia un antidoto en contra de los radicalismos religiosos de ciertas iglesias y ante la ignorancia de quienes repiten estereotipos sobre el chamanismo y comentan irresponsablemente sobre las espiritualidades indigenas, acaso por el miedo a ser llamados “salvajes”.
Effect of ethanol on intestinal calcium transport in chicks.

Abstract To test the hypothesis that chronic ethanol exposure would alter the membrane fluidity of the intestinal brush-border membrane, which would lead to calcium malabsorption, we gave chicks 15% ethanol in their drinking water from hatching to 3 or 4 wk of age. Although such chicks grew less quickly than their hatchmates not ingesting ethanol, their ability to absorb calcium from the duodenum in vivo was unimpaired. However, when calcium accumulation by isolated duodenal brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) was assessed, the BBMVs from chicks ingesting ethanol for 1–3 wk had a lower rate of uptake than the BBMVs from the controls at all calcium concentrations evaluated (0.1–25 mM). This difference could not be explained by differences in membrane fluidity as assessed by fluorescence depolarization, or by changes in intravesicular volume. Glucose uptake was not affected. The acute addition of ethanol (up to 1 M) in vitro to the control BBMVs increased both membrane fluidity and calcium accumulation. No difference in the fluidizing effect of ethanol in BBMVs between ethanol-ingesting chicks and control chicks could be demonstrated, although the acute effect of ethanol on calcium accumulation was blunted in the BBMVs from chicks ingesting ethanol. Increasing the temperature of the incubation medium also increased membrane fluidity and calcium accumulation in BBMVs from control and ethanol-ingesting chicks, with a greater increase in calcium uptake by the control BBMVs despite comparable increases in fluidity in BBMVs from the control and ethanol-ingesting chicks. We conclude that the chronic ingestion of ethanol by chicks, although markedly altering growth rates, has minimal impact on the intestinal absorption of calcium when assessed in vivo. However, chronic ethanol ingestion does appear to alter the intestinal brush-border membrane to make it less permeable to calcium and less susceptible to the stimulation by ethanol of calcium flux across this membrane; this adaptation may prevent increased flux of calcium across the brush-border membrane into the cell in the presence of ethanol.
A Review of “The Routledge Handbook of Terrorism Research”

For more than a quarter of a century, the standard reference work for terrorism has been Political Terrorism: A Guide to Actors, Authors, Concepts, Data Bases, Theories, and Literature, 1 edited by...
Unfunding Terror: The Legal Response to the Financing of Global Terrorism

Contents: Part I: The Legal Framework 1. The Evolution of the Legal Framework to Deprive al Qaeda of Funding Part II: Why Go After the Money? 2. Terrorists Need Money to Terrorize 3. Al Qaeda's Call to Jihad 4. Al Qaeda's Global Presence Part III: Financing the Global Jihad 5. State Sponsors of Terrorism, Drug Trafficking, and Deep-Pocket Donors 6. Corrupt Islamic Charities Part IV: Developing a Global Legal Framework to Combat Terrorist Financing 7. Engaging the Financial Sector to Prevent the Financing of Terrorism 8. Domestic Asset Freeze 9. International Asset Freeze 10. The Law Enforcement Response to Terrorist Financing 11. Private Causes of Action: Using the Civil Justice System to Hold Terrorist Financiers Accountable Part V: Has the Legal Response to the Financing of Terrorism Been Effective? 12. Accomplishments, Failures, and Recommendations for Enhancing the Anti-Terrorist Financing Legal Regime Bibliography Index
Egg White Avidin II. ISOLATION, COMPOSITION, AND AMINO ACID SEQUENCES OF THE TRYPTIC PEPTIDES

From a tryptic hydrolysate of reduced and carboxymethylated egg white avidin, 16 major peptides, ranging from 2 to 17 residues, were isolated by further purification of the fractions obtained by gradient elution from Dowex 50-X2. The combined compositions of these 16 peptides, together with free lysine which was also isolated from the tryptic hydrolysate, account for 128 residues in agreement with the composition of the subunit of avidin, determined by amino acid analysis. The complete amino acid sequences of these peptides were determined, and the sequences of other peptides, resulting from secondary cleavage, were also investigated. The presence of heterogeneity in the sequence at one position was established by the isolation in approximately equal yield of two forms of the same peptide, one form with NH2-terminal threonine, and the other form with NH2-terminal isoleucine. Carbohydrate analyses of avidin and the only tryptic peptide found to contain carbohydrate gave 4 residues of glucosamine and 5 residues of mannose in each.
Spatial evaluation of high-resolution modeled offshore winds using estimated winds derived from a network of HF radars

The temporal and spatial variability in the New Jersey offshore wind resource has large implications on the energy production for proposed offshore wind parks. The Rutgers University Weather Research and Forecasting (RUWRF) mesoscale atmospheric modeling system can begin to diagnose as well as predict key sources of variability both in space and time, including sea and land breezes and frontal passages. While vertically validating model performance in coastal and offshore regions is readily achieved through the use of meteorological towers and approved remote sensing systems, horizontal evaluation of winds-especially at sufficiently high resolutions-can be difficult with pre-existing systems. We apply the high-resolution surface current mapping capabilities of a high frequency (HF) radar network to infer wind fields over the offshore domain of RU-WRF. Surface wind fields derived from the HF radar network are compared to 10m wind fields modeled by the RU-WRF; correlations are generally between 0.5 and 0.8 in the study domain. Finally, to demonstrate the feature-tracking ability of the HF radar and RU-WRF model simulated offshore winds, we focus on a passing front and its associated thunderstorms. An area of divergence in RU-WRF modeled near-surface winds is evident as the thunderstorm line passes, likely caused by either a strong outflow boundary ahead of the thunderstorm front or directly from the cold downdraft in the core of the cold rain, which would reach the ocean's surface and diverge outwards. The forcing was so strong that the response was evident in both the HF radar currents and HF radar-inferred surface winds. The case warrants future analysis in surface ocean response to thunderstorm outflow boundaries and downdrafts, especially via the use of the HF radar-derived surface winds.
Structure of Human Luteinizing Hormone Alpha Subunit

Structural studies have substantiated the concept that the glycoprotein hormones consist of a "common" alpha subunit and "hormone-specific" beta subunit. Despite this, consensus is still lacking concerning certain portions of the amino acid sequences, including alignment of residues 81--82 in the alpha subunit. We have carried out sequence analysis of the alpha subunit of human luteinizing hormone (hLH) to clarify the assignment of these residues and to examine further the nature of the amino-terminal heterogeneity found among the different alpha subunits. Our structure showed residues 80--84 to be -His-Cys-Ser-Thy-Cys-, consistent with findings of others for human follicle stimulating hormone (hFSH) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The extensive degree of heterogeneity found in the amino terminal region of hFSH and hCG is present to only a minor extent in hLH. The differences in the pattern of amino-terminal heterogeneity among the various hormones may result from differences in the nature of cleavage of subunit from a larger intracellular precursor peptide.
Challenges to Defining a Role for Progesterone in Breast Cancer

Progesterone is an ovarian steroid hormone that is essential for normal breast development during puberty and in preparation for lactation. The actions of progesterone are primarily mediated by its high affinity receptors, including the classical progesterone receptor (PR) -A and -B isoforms, located in diverse tissues such as the brain where progesterone controls reproductive behavior, and the breast and reproductive organs. Progestins are frequently prescribed as contraceptives or to alleviate menopausal symptoms, wherein progestin is combined with estrogen as a means to block estrogen-induced endometrial growth. Estrogen is undisputed as a potent breast mitogen, and inhibitors of the estrogen receptor (ER) and estrogen producing enzymes (aromatases) are effective first-line cancer therapies. However, PR action in breast cancer remains controversial. Herein, we review existing evidence from in vitro and in vivo models, and discuss the challenges to defining a role for progesterone in breast cancer.
Recent Progress in Inertial Guidance

N is traditionally the art of steering a vehicle from an origin to a destination over a mapped course; inertial navigation is a mechanization of this art. In inertial navigation, the force in the vehicle is measured with accelerometers in a gyro referred coordinate system. Thus, during certain intervals, navigation is carried on without reference to the environment of the vehicle. From the measured force and a foreknowledge of the gravitational field through which the vehicle moves, the acceleration of the vehicle through the field is deduced. Part of this acceleration may be due to the rotation of the Earth, which must then be accounted for; thus sidereal time is also an input to the navigation system. The acceleration on course is doubly integrated to indicate the displacement along the course, or position; these data are then used for steering. Inertial navigation's beginnings, involving partial inertial guidance systems, go back to the first practical marine gyrocompass by Anschutz of Germany early in the present century (l). The next development pertinent to inertial navigation was the artificial horizon for air navigation, a long period pendulous gyroscope. As this device was improved it became a nonpendulous gyro coupled, through a pneumatic control system, to separate single axis pendulums. Thus, the general principles of today's inertial navigation devices emerged: The measurement of force with single axis accelerometers in coordinates determined by gyros. This type of system was the basis of the guidance of the German V-2 rocket during World War II (2). After the war, reports from abroad (3), plus the technological improvements developed during the war, stimulated fresh approaches, and the method was investigated for various airborne, marine and missile applications in this country. Most of the present system principles were in use in the designs of the mid-1950's (4) and successful tests were recorded. In 1953, for example, the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory was responsible for the first fully inertially guided coast to coast airplane flight. During this period, several other groups were also working on this problem: Among the earliest work may be mentioned that of the Autonetics Division of North American Aviation, Inc., and also that of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency. Engineers in the USSR also appear to have been interested in the navigation system problem (5) and particularly in the design of gyros (6). The distinctions between airborne, marine and missile applications of inertial navigation are drawn in terms of two -circumstances: The force environment to which the navigation system is subjected, and the expected time of operation as a purely inertial device. With respect to the force environment, the burden is, first, on the accelerometers, in that they must have the desired precision (this includes precision of analog to digital data conversion, if digital computation is
Combined Effects of Circulating Levels of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Th1 and Th2 Cytokines on Breast Cancer Estrogen Receptor Status

Vitamin D has been recognized for its immune-modulating properties. We have previously found that levels of 25OHD, and cytokines including IL5, IFNα2, and TNFα, are also associated with estrogen receptor (ER) negative breast cancer in younger women. Thus, we hypothesized that there may be interactions between vitamin D and the immune system in influencing breast cancer ER status, which was tested in 490 women with incident breast cancer. There was no correlation of the levels of 25OHD with any cytokine, and their associations with tumor ER negative status were independent of each other. However, premenopausal women with low 25OHD and high TNFα levels had the highest likelihood of having ER negative cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 7.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.44−21.98), with evidence of synergy between the two (relative excess risk due to interaction [RERI] = 5.46, p for additive interaction = 0.14, and p for multiplicative interaction = 0.09). There were similar synergistic associations between 25OHD and IL5, and several IFNα2 to Th2 cytokine ratios. This is the first study to provide evidence of interactions between vitamin D and the immune system in relation to breast cancer ER status, which may inform combinational use of vitamin D and anti-inflammatory drugs for cancer prevention and therapy.
Clinical evaluation of asaley

Asaley is an L-leucine derivative of sarcolysin which is more active against some rodent tumors. Studies in the USSR demonstrated activity in patients with ovarian and breast carcinoma, Hodgkin's disease, and multiple myeloma. This study in 73 evaluable patients indicated that an appropriate oral dose for patients with adequate bone marrow is 800 mg/M2/day X 4 days at 5-6 week intervals. The most common toxicities were myelosuppression, nausea, and vomiting. Antitumor activity was observed in 2 of 24 evaluable patients with melanoma, and stabilization of previously progressive disease was observed in patients with adenocarcinoma of the colon, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, breast carcinoma, and thyroid carcinoma. Responses were minimal and of short duration but most of the patients had received extensive prior therapy.
Oxygen uptake as related to work rate increment during cycle ergometer exercise.

We postulated that the commonly observed constant linear relationship between VO2 and work rate during cycle ergometry to exhaustion is fortuitous and not due to an unchanging cost of external work. Therefore we measured VO2 continuously in 10 healthy men during such exercise while varying the rate of work incrementation and analyzed by linear regression techniques the relationship between VO2 and work rate (delta VO2/delta wr). After excluding the first and last portions of each test we found the mean +/- SD of the delta VO2/delta wr in ml.min-1.W-1 to be 11.2 +/- 0.15, 10.2 +/- 0.16, and 8.8 +/- 0.15 for the 15, 30, and 60 W.min-1 tests, respectively, expressed as ml.J-1 the values were 0.187 +/- 0.0025, 0.170 +/- 0.0027 and 0.147 +/- 0.0025. The slopes of the lower halves of the 15 and 30 W.min-1 tests were 9.9 +/- 0.2 ml.min-1.W-1 similar to the values for aerobic work reported by others. However the upper halves of the 15, 30, and 60 W.min-1 tests demonstrated significant differences: 12.4 +/- 0.36 vs 10.5 +/- 0.31 vs 8.7 +/- 0.23 ml.min-1.W-1 respectively. We postulate that these systematic differences are due to two opposing influences: 1) the fraction of energy from anaerobic sources is larger in the brief 60 W.min-1 tests and 2) the increased energy requirement per W of heavy work is evident especially in the long 15 W.min-1 tests.
Regulatory Takings: The Emerging Doctrine and its Implications for Public Administration

In several key rulings since the mid-1980s, the U.S. Supreme Court has begun to reshape the contours of regulatory takings. The emerging doctrine appears to reaffirm private rights in property, narrow the reach of governmental regulation, and extend the scope of judicial review. Despite their "muddled" transitional nature, these developments in the regulatory takings arena are sending a clear signal to public administrators to attend more carefully to the effects of their regulatory actions on private property rights. The purpose of this article is to analyze the key issues currently at play and point to some of the potential implications for the field of public administration.
Communicating non-targeted effects of ionizing radiation to achieve adaptive homeostasis in tissues.

Non-targeted effects, i.e., those responses in cells or tissues that were not subject to energy deposition events after localized exposure to ionizing radiaton, are well-established. While they are not universal phenotype, when they do occur they can be associated with subsequent tissue or whole body responses. Here it is argued that non-targeted effects are a tissue level response to restore equilibrium within an organ system, and thus restores tissue homeostasis. This "adaptive homeostasis" has evolved in response to a variety of environmental and other such stresses an individual is exposed to in their lifetime. These non-targeted effects are not likely to impact significantly on estimates of potential risks associated with radiation exposure because they are presumably "built into" current risk estimates. However, they could have implications for radiation carcinogenesis, by driving processes in targeted and non-targeted cells that could eliminate transformed cells or transform cells from a normal phenotype to a phenotype associated with malignancy within a tissue.
Behind the wheel and under the hood: Functions of cyclin-dependent kinases in response to DNA damage

Cell division and the response to genotoxic stress are intimately connected in eukaryotes, for example, by checkpoint pathways that signal the presence of DNA damage or its ongoing repair to the cell cycle machinery, leading to reversible arrest or apoptosis. Recent studies reveal another connection: the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) that govern both DNA synthesis (S) phase and mitosis directly coordinate DNA repair processes with progression through the cell cycle. In both mammalian cells and yeast, the two major modes of double strand break (DSB) repair--homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)--are reciprocally regulated during the cell cycle. In yeast, the cell cycle kinase Cdk1 directly promotes DSB repair by HR during the G2 phase. In mammalian cells, loss of Cdk2, which is active throughout S and G2 phases, results in defective DNA damage repair and checkpoint signaling. Here we provide an overview of data that implicate CDKs in the regulation of DNA damage responses in yeast and metazoans. In yeast, CDK activity is required at multiple points in the HR pathway; the precise roles of CDKs in mammalian HR have yet to be determined. Finally, we consider how the two different, and in some cases opposing, roles of CDKs--as targets of negative regulation by checkpoint signaling and as positive effectors of repair pathway selection and function--could be balanced to produce a coordinated and effective response to DNA damage.
Parametric study of unsteady flow and heat transfer in a pin-fin heat exchanger

Abstract A numerical study has been carried out to analyze the unsteady three-dimensional flow and heat transfer in a parallel-plate channel heat exchanger with in-line arrays of periodically mounted rectangular cylinders (pins) at various Reynolds number and geometrical configurations. The three-dimensional unsteady Navier–Stokes and energy equations are solved using higher order temporal and spatial discretizations. The simulations have been carried out for a range of Reynolds number based on cylinder width (180–600) and a Prandtl number of 6.99 (corresponding to water). Conjugate heat transfer calculations have been employed to account for the conduction in the solid cylinder and convection in the fluid. The thermal performance factor (TPF) increases significantly when the flow becomes unsteady. The choice of aspect ratio of the cylinders is judged by their relative increase in friction factor and heat transfer at transitional Reynolds number. The TPF is found to increase with the increase in pitch of the cylinders. The increase in channel height enhances the TPF though the heat transfer decreases at higher channel height.
Intra-particle plasmonic coupling of tip and cavity resonance modes in metallic apertured nanocavities

Based on numerical studies of apertured metallic nanocavity structures, we describe a new intra-particle plasmonic interaction pathway that couples the plasmon resonance modes of the aperture edge and the cavity. In contrast to the inter-particle coupling schemes that require precisely arrayed nanoparticles, this intra-particle coupling scheme achieves the tunability in plasmonic resonance wavelength using a single standalone nanostructure. In addition, when the aperture edge is made sharp, it functions dually as a tip that amplifies its near-field producing the local filed enhancement effect. We investigate the details of the coupling mechanism and identify the dominant role of the tip mode in determining the coupling efficiency numerically. The numerical model results in good agreement with recent experimental results. This intra-particle coupling mechanism will help the monolithic integration of plasmonic functionalities and its application for the nanoscale spectroscopy of biological structures in vivo.
Local commissural interneurons integrate information from intersegmental coordinating interneurons.

The information that coordinates movements of swimmerets on different segments of the crayfish abdomen is conducted by interneurons that originate in each abdominal ganglion. These interneurons project axons to neighboring ganglia and beyond. To discover the anatomy of these axons in their target ganglia, we used Neurobiotin and dextran-Texas Red microelectrodes to fill them near their targets. Coordinating axons coursed through these target ganglia close to the midline and extended only a few short branches that did not approach the lateral neuropils. Two of the three types of coordinating axons made direct synaptic connections with a class of local commissural interneurons that relayed the information to targets in the swimmeret pattern-generating circuits. These commissural interneurons, named here ComInt 1 neurons, followed a particular route to cross the midline and reach their targets. ComInt 1 neurons were nonspiking; they received EPSPs from the coordinating axons near the midline and transmitted this information to their targets in the lateral neuropils using graded transmission. The output of each ComInt 1 was restricted to a single local circuit and had opposite effects on the power-stroke and return-stroke motor neurons driven by that circuit. ComInt 1 neurons were direct postsynaptic targets of both descending and ascending coordinating axons that originated in other anterior and posterior ganglia. Because of phase differences in the impulses in these different coordinating axons, their signals arrived simultaneously at each ComInt 1. We discuss these findings in the context of alternative models of the intersegmental coordinating circuit.
Catalytic C−H Insertions Using Iron(III) Porphyrin Complexes

Fe(III), Cu(II), and Ag(II) porphyrin complexes are active catalysts for benzylic and ring C−H insertions by carbene fragments transferred from methyl diazomalonate, 2. Temperatures above 100 °C are required, and yields greater than 70% have been achieved. C−H insertions with cyclohexane and tetrahydrofuran are catalyzed at a lower temperature of 60 °C with 60% yields when para-substituted methyl 2-phenyldiazoacetates, 15a−d, are used as carbene sources. The rate for Fe(TPP)Cl-catalyzed insertion into the C−H bond of cyclohexane was found to be first-order in the concentration of methyl 2-(p-chlorophenyl)diazoacetate, p-Cl-MPDA, indicating that formation of a carbene complex is the rate-determining step. Competition reactions for cyclohexane insertion with para-substituted methyl 2-phenyldiazoacetates correlated linearly with σ+ Hammett parameters with a ρ value of –1.11 ± 0.05 when Fe(TPP)Cl was used as a catalyst, demonstrating that electron-donating para-substituents on the phenyl group of the methyl 2...
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Global Engagement. 2012.

Responding to the U.S. FDA mission to protect the public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of our nation’s food supply, Dr. Margaret Hamburg (21st Commissioner of the FDA) has stated: “Today we recognize that to successfully protect U.S. public health, we must think, act, and engage globally. Our interests must be broader than simply those within our own borders.” Indeed, as of 2011, approximately 1 in 6 FDA-regulated food products consumed in the United States was sourced from abroad; 80% of the seafood, 50% of fresh fruit, and 20% of the fresh vegetables served on American tables are imported. Although this expanding global marketplace provides myriad health benefits, such as year-round availability of nutrientrich foods, it also presents unprecedented risks because many products entering the United States are made or grown in countries that lack the necessary regulatory oversight to ensure their quality and safety. Because the FDA can only inspect a small proportion (,3%) of food products arriving at U.S. ports of entry, it is crucial that it focus additional
EVIDENCE FOR FUNCTIONAL LOCALIZATION OF THE PROENKEPHALIN-PROCESSING ENZYME, PROHORMONE THIOL PROTEASE, TO SECRETORY VESICLES OF CHROMAFFIN CELLS

The biosynthesis of enkephalin opioid neuropeptides as well as numerous peptide hormones and neurotransmitters requires proteolytic processing of the respective prohormone precursors. We previously identified a novel cysteine protease known as prohormone thiol protease (PTP) as the major proenkephalin-processing enzyme in chromaffin granules (secretory vesicles) of bovine adrenal medulla. In this study, colocalization of PTP with (Met)enkephalin in regulated secretory vesicles was assessed by immunochemical approaches. Western blots demonstrated the presence of PTP in chromaffin granules, with equivalent levels of PTP protein in the soluble and membrane components of the vesicle. The presence of PTP in pituitary was also demonstrated by immunoblots. Immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated immunogold-labeled PTP and (Met)enkephalin within isolated chromaffin granules. In primary cultures of chromaffin cells, the discrete pattern of PTP and (Met)enkephalin immunofluorescence staining in neuritic extensions and cytoplasmic (perinuclear) regions of chromaffin cells is consistent with localization to secretory vesicles. Moreover, cosecretion of PTP and (Met)enkephalin from chromaffin cells occurred upon KCl depolarization in a calcium-dependent manner, indicating the localization of PTP and (Met)enkephalin within regulated secretory vesicles. Calcium-dependent secretion is a well known property of regulated secretory vesicle exocytosis. Overall, these results are consistent with the localization of PTP to functional, regulated secretory vesicles that contain (Met)enkephalin.
Direct Causes and the Trouble with Soft Interventions

An interventionist account of causation characterizes causal relations in terms of changes resulting from particular interventions. I provide a new example of a causal relation for which there does not exist an intervention satisfying the common interventionist standard. I consider adaptations that would save this standard and describe their implications for an interventionist account of causation. No adaptation preserves all the aspects that make the interventionist account appealing. Part of the fallout is a clearer account of the difficulties in characterizing so-called “soft” interventions.
Cationic O-ethylphosphatidylcholines and their lipoplexes: phase behavior aspects, structural organization and morphology.

Abstract Ethylphosphatidylcholines, positively charged membrane lipid derivatives in which the anionic charge of the phosphate oxygen has been eliminated by ethylation, are promising nonviral, metabolizable transfection agents. We studied in detail the phase behavior, structural organization and morphology of the ethylphosphatidylcholines and their lipoplexes. Unlike the other phospholipids, dehydration does not change the melting transition temperature of O-ethyl-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (EDPPC). Neither does an isoelectric amount of DNA, when added to the EDPPC aqueous dispersion. This is ascribed to the inability of EDPPC to form hydrogen bonds because of its headgroup modification. Similarly to its parent lipid DPPC, EDPPC displays a subtransition at 15 °C in its differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) heating scans after prolonged low-temperature incubation. The cooling behavior of the O-ethylphosphatidylcholines is sensitive to the thermal prehistory and the ionic strength. Different aggregate morphologies in the solid and the liquid-crystalline phases—respectively lamellar sheets and vesicles, as documented by light microscopy—are considered responsible for the cooling pattern. The interconversion between these morphologies is slow or even kinetically hindered, however, increasing the ionic strength to physiological values facilitates the conversion. The interdigitated chain arrangement of EDPPC gel phase tolerates incorporation of DNA between the bilayers. The minimum observed separation between the DNA strands is ∼30–32 A, at DNA/lipid molar ratio ≥1. Formation of lipoplexes with DNA ordered in a 1-D lattice sandwiched between interdigitated lipid bilayers is reported for the first time.
Comparison of different methods of classification in subband coding of images

Spatially varying quantization schemes try to exploit the non-stationary nature of image subbands. One technique for spatially varying quantization is classification based on AC energy of blocks. Several different methods of subband classification have been proposed in the literature. One method is to optimally classify each subband and send the classification maps as side information. Although image subbands can be shown to be roughly uncorrelated, they are not independent. Naveen and Woods proposed a method in which classification is done based on the AC energy of the block corresponding to the same spatial location, but from the lower frequency band. In their method, inter-subband dependence is exploited to almost completely eliminate side information, albeit at the cost of decreasing classification gain. In this paper, we proposed a new method of classification based on vector quantization of AC energy n-tuples formed by energies of blocks which correspond to the same spatial location in the original image but belong to different subbands. This method allows us to reduce the side information at the same time maximizing classification gain for each band under the vector constraint. The performance of the new method is compared with the other two methods. The comparison is made based on conditional entropies as well as actual bit rates.
Frequency-dependent amplification of stretch-evoked excitatory input in spinal motoneurons.

Voltage-dependent calcium and sodium channels mediating persistent inward currents (PICs) amplify the effects of synaptic inputs on the membrane potential and firing rate of motoneurons. CaPIC chan...
Principles of Chaperone-Assisted Protein Folding: Differences Between in Vitro and in Vivo Mechanisms

Molecular chaperones in the eukaryotic cytosol were shown to interact differently with chemically denatured proteins and their newly translated counterparts. During refolding from denaturant, actin partitioned freely between 70-kilodalton heat shock protein, the bulk cytosol, and the chaperonin TCP1-ring complex. In contrast, during cell-free translation, the chaperones were recruited to the elongating polypeptide and protected it from exposure to the bulk cytosol during folding. Posttranslational cycling between chaperone-bound and free states was observed with subunits of oligomeric proteins and with aberrant polypeptides; this cycling allowed the subunits to assemble and the aberrant polypeptides to be degraded. Thus, folding, oligomerization, and degradation are linked hierarchically to ensure the correct fate of newly synthesized polypeptides.
Gender-specific knee extensor torque, flexor torque, and muscle fatigue responses during maximal effort contractions.

The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in knee extensor and flexor peak torque, work, power, and muscle fatigue during maximal effort isokinetic contractions. Subjects included 19 healthy male and 20 healthy female volunteers. Following a dynamic warm-up period, subjects performed 30 reciprocal, concentric maximal knee extension and flexion contractions at a pre-set angular velocity of 3.14 rad·s–1 on the Biodex Isokinetic Dynamometer. Values for knee extensor peak torque, work, and power were calculated for each repetition over an angular displacement of 1.05 rad for each repetition. The single highest repetition value for knee extensor and flexor peak torque, work, and power was then calculated relative to body mass (N·m·kg–1, J·kg–1, W·kg–1) and allometric-scaled (N·m·kg– n , J·kg– n , W·kg– n ) units. The allometric-scaled units were derived from a log–log transformation and linear regression analysis to calculate the exponent to which body mass is raised. The rate of quadriceps femoris muscle fatigue was calculated as the decline in each isokinetic variable by the linear slope from the single highest repetition value through the 30th repetition, and by two different fatigue indexes. The results demonstrate higher knee extension and flexion peak torque, work, and power in absolute, relative, and allometric-scaled units for males compared to females. Males exhibited higher fatigue rates for both muscle groups of each isokinetic variable than females, as described by the slope and the fatigue index, except when adjusted for peak values via analysis of covariance. The findings suggest that during maximal-effort muscle contractions, males exhibit a higher susceptibility to muscle fatigue than females, a phenomenon that may be related to an inherent ability to generate higher knee extensor and flexor torque.
RULERS, SCHOLARS, AND INVADERS: A SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE SONGHAY EMPIRE

The Songhay Empire was a remarkable west African state, flourishing in several areas including territorial and trade expansion, development of a strong military and centralized government, unprecedented support for learning and scholarship, and skilful relations with the greater Sudanic and Islamic lands. Songhay arose out of the remains of the Mali empire under the rule of Sonni Ali ca. 1464. Yet it was the empire's second ruler, Askiya Muhammad, who initiated the centurylong golden age of peace and stability, bringing Songhay to its zenith. This era was particularly fruitful for the cities of Gao, Timbuktu, and Jenne, the empire's administrative, scholarly, and trade centers respectively. Timbuktu soared to preeminence in the Sudan and became known in other parts of the Muslim world, producing many respected scholars. However, by the later part of the sixteenth century fractious disarray among the descendants of Askiya Muhammad weakened the state, ultimately leading to the Moroccan invasion of 1591. Songhay's capitulation to the invaders ended the age of the great medieval west African states. The purpose of this bibliography is to collocate the major scholarly resources, providing a solid introduction to researching the Songhay empire. Included are books, book chapters, journal articles, and conference proceedings published through 2002, as well as a small number of significant unpublished dissertations. The citations represent scholarly research on the topic in English, French, Arabic, Spanish, Italian, German, and Polish. Also included are several published primary resources in many languages, often incorporating dual text translations, transcriptions, and transliterations of the original documents. Citations are limited to those that focus on or contain discreet chapters or sections pertaining to the Songhay empire. General works about
The calculation of the zero field splitting parameters in carbenes

Using ab initio methods, we have studied as a function of angle the spin dipole-spin dipole contribution to the zero field splitting parameters D and E for the 3B1 state of CH2 and CF2 and the 3A” state of HCF. We find the decrease in D upon going from CH2 to CHF to be 0.026 cm−1 while going from CHF to CF2 we obtain 0.023 cm−1. In addition we find a good correlation between E and the number of S electrons in the in-plane (σ) density and a reasonable correlation between |E|/D and the per cent S character in this same density.