cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of wheelchair dynamic load data for use with finite element analysis

A methodology is introduced for the experimental determination of the dynamic loads which act on a wheelchair. A box frame wheelchair and a cantilever frame wheelchair were tested on an ANSI/RESNA curb-drop tester. The accelerations of an ANSI/RESNA test dummy were recorded with an array of 12 accelerometers mounted as four three-axis groups. Signal averaging was used to produce a composite dynamic load history. The dynamic loads were calculated from the acceleration data and the inertia of the test dummy using software written by the authors. These loads were imported into a finite element program (ALGOR) as load cases. A prototype carbon fiber design was then optimized through design and analysis iterations. The results of the acceleration data indicate that the curb-drop test produces an asymmetric loading scheme. One of the rear wheels hits the ground before the other, placing most of the dynamic load on one side of the wheelchair. The favored side appears to be fixed at the time of setup, preliminary results are given for the design of a modular carbon fiber wheelchair using the finite element (FE) method. These results indicate, however, that the use of a static factor of safety is, in most cases, inadequate for the dynamic loads present in the curb-drop test.
Work in progress-science in the afternoon: a new public-private outreach partnership

The University of Wisconsin - Madison and the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County recently formed a partnership to offer a sustained after-school informal science program to children ages 7-12. Designed to improve scientific literacy and engender an affinity for science, the program provides inquiry-based, hands-on learning opportunities stressing the interdisciplinary nature of science. With an initial focus on the ecology of the local watershed, participants explore methods of scientific inquiry, the nature of watersheds, connections between human activity and water quality, and the ecosystem impacted by the watershed. Given the opportunity to discover scientific and ecological principles firsthand, participants are encouraged to become stewards of their own environment and share what they have learned with friends and families. Sustained exposure to informal science activities will lead to improved performance in science classes and increased likelihood that these children will consider science and engineering careers.
Respiratory patterns and oxygen consumption in singing zebra finches

SUMMARY Song production in birds is driven by temporally complex respiratory patterns. In zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), song consists of repetitions of a stereotyped sequence of distinct syllables (motif). Syllables correspond to distinct expiratory pulses, which alternate with short deep inspirations. We investigated the effect of the song motor pattern on respiration using a newly developed mask system to measure oxygen consumption while simultaneously monitoring subsyringeal air sac pressure. The metabolic cost of song is closely related to song duration (mean=85.7 μl O2 g-1 min-1 over pre-song levels) and confirms earlier estimates for this species. When motif duration is controlled for, there is only small interindividual variability in oxygen consumption per motif. The oxygen measurements were also used to evaluate various methods of estimating and reporting the metabolic cost. Up to 20s before song, respiratory activity and oxygen consumption increased. Shortly before and during the introductory notes of the song bout, respiration and oxygen consumption decreased markedly. In some individuals, significant hyperventilation occurred during song, causing almost complete apnea after the song. In three different birds, we measured tracheal airflow and air sac pressure during song. Birds with higher airflow during song relative to flow during quiet respiration had a more pronounced decrease in respiratory activity after the song bout. These results suggest that gas exchange continues in the lung during the song bout and that long expiratory pressure pulses of the song motif can lead to hyperventilation but that no oxygen debt resulted from song. This research allows a first assessment of respiratory constraints that may influence the evolution of song complexity.
A non-invasive approach to dynamic Web services provisioning

Service-oriented computing has emerged as a new component-based software development paradigm in a network-centric environment. By using a standard description language and protocol, services can be used to wrap legacy software systems to be integrated beyond the enterprise boundary across heterogeneous platforms. Nevertheless, the challenges come in tandem with the opportunities because of the inherent dynamic characteristics within a distributed environment. In particular, there is a need for dynamic adaptation for provisioned services to accommodate the ever-changing business requirements externally as well as the computing resource status internally, while maintaining the continuousness of service provisioning. We present a dynamic Web service provisioning approach based on .NET common language runtime, one of the two primary Web services platforms, exploring the runtime code manipulation at the intermediate language (IL) level rather than at the source code level. Meanwhile, we show how the service provisioning can be adapted in a modularized way by complementing the conventional service-oriented architecture (SOA) with a repository of adaptation aspects. Moreover, we demonstrate how dynamic service provisioning can be used for nonfunctional property assurance.
Fracture Morphology of Graphite/ Epoxy Composites:

The delamination failure planes of graphite/epoxy composites that failed in three- point bending fatigue were examined microscopically to identify and relate fracture surface morphology to the composite microstructure and the applied loading condi tions. The failure surfaces were also examined for indications of crack initiation and propagation from manufacturing induced defects in the microstructure. The dominant failure surface features were found to be matrix cleavage, hackle formation, and wear regions. No indication of crack propagation from defects was observed. Instead, the role of intrinsic defects on fatigue lifetime seems to be one of damage enhancement around the defect.
Effect of vehicle on brain uptake of [11C]toluene

Abstract With the goal of investigating the pharmacokinetics of the abused solvent, toluene we have adapted the rapid coupling of methyl iodide with tributylphenylstannane mediated by palladium(0) complex to the synthesis of no-carrier-added [ 11 C]toluene starting with 11 CH 3 I. Two methods for purification and formulation of the tracer were developed. The first one yielded [ 11 C]toluene dissolved in dimethylacetamide/saline solution, for the second one we adapted supercritical fluid technology where the tracer was purified using and conventional C 18 HPLC column and pure supercritical CO 2 fluid as a mobile phase operating at 2000 psi. Formulation of the tracer in cyclodextrin resulted in a significantly higher integrated uptake and distribution volume values. Additionally, we observed higher uptake and slower clearance of 11 C-toluene in white matter, consistent with higher lipid content and neurotoxicological evidence indicating restricted and diffuse white matter changes in toluene abusers. This trend was observed when either DMA or cyclodextrin was used as a vehicle. It appears then, that the choice of a vehicle affected only the degree of bioavailability, but not the regional brain pharmacokinetics. Finally, we demonstrated the effect of a decreased percent difference between DV values for the studies performed on the same day, that is, test/retest variability was lower for all brain regions in β-cyclodextrin experiments. Present results clearly demonstrate that the choice of a vehicle has a significant effect on tracer uptake and should be considered as a potential factor contributing to the pharmacokinetic measurements.
Gender Differences in Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Toddlers.

Gender differences in symptoms representing the triad of impairments of Autism Spectrum Disorders remain unclear. To date, the majority of research conducted on this topic has utilized samples of older children. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to utilize a sample of toddlers to investigate gender differences in symptom endorsements of ASD. Also, deficits in areas such as cognition have been shown to affect gender in this same population (i.e., gender ratios). Therefore, each toddler's level of developmental ability was accounted for in the current study. In this sample of toddlers, gender differences were only found in regards to the restricted interests and repetitive behavior domain, with females with an average Developmental Quotient having significantly fewer endorsements on items related to restrictive and repetitive behaviors. Implications of the findings are discussed.
The Domains of Glycoprotein D Required To Block Apoptosis Depend on Whether Glycoprotein D Is Present in the Virions Carrying Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Genome Lacking the Gene Encoding the Glycoprotein

An earlier report showed that viruses lacking the open reading frames encoding glycoproteins J and D but containing the glycoprotein D in their envelopes (gD−/+ stocks) and viruses lacking both the open reading frames and the glycoproteins in their envelopes (gD−/− stocks) induce apoptosis (G. Zhou, V. Galvan, G. Campadelli-Fiume, and B. Roizman, J. Virol. 74:11782–11791, 2000). Furthermore, apoptosis was blocked by delivery in trans of genes expressing glycoprotein D or J. Whereas gD−/− stocks attach but cannot initiate productive infection, gD−/+ stocks infect cells and produce gD−/− progeny virus. The difference in the infectivity of these two stocks suggested the possibility that the requirements for blocking apoptosis may be different. To test this hypothesis, we cloned into baculoviruses the entire wild-type glycoprotein D (Bac-gD-WT), the ectodomain only (Bac-gD-A), the ectodomain and the transmembrane domain (Bac-gD-B), the ectodomain and the cytoplasmic domain without the transmembrane domain (Bac-gD-C), or the transmembrane domain and the carboxyl-terminal cytoplasmic domain (Bac-gD-D). We report the following. Apoptosis induced by gD−/+ stocks was blocked by delivery in trans of recombinant baculovirus Bac-gD-WT, Bac-gD-A, Bac-gD-B, or Bac-gD-C but not of Bac-gD. Apoptosis induced by gD−/− stocks was blocked by Bac-gD-WT or by a mixture of Bac-gD-B and Bac-gD-D but not by any baculoviruses expressing truncated glycoprotein D alone or by the mixture of Bac-gD-A and Bac-gD-D. We conclude that the requirements to block apoptosis induced by the two virus stocks are different. The gD ectodomain is sufficient to block apoptosis induced by gD, whereas both the ectodomain and the cytoplasmic domain are required to block apoptosis induced by gD−/− stocks. The results indicate that in the case of gD−/− stocks, the transmembrane domain is required either to deliver the ectodomain to the appropriate intracellular compartment or to form multimeric constructs which virtually reconstitute gD through the interaction of transmembrane domains.
Long-range side-chain-main-chain interactions play crucial roles in stabilizing the (betaalpha)8 barrel motif of the alpha subunit of tryptophan synthase

The role of hither-to-fore unrecognized long-range hydrogen bonds between main-chain amide hydrogens and polar side chains on the stability of a well-studied (βα)8, TIM barrel protein, the alpha subunit of tryptophan synthase (αTS), was probed by mutational analysis. The F19–D46 and I97–D124 hydrogen bonds link the N terminus of a β-strand with the C terminus of the succeeding antiparallel α-helix, and the A103–D130 hydrogen bond links the N terminus of an α-helix with the C terminus of the succeeding antiparallel β-strand, forming clamps for the respective βα or αβ hairpins. The individual replacement of these aspartic acid side chains with alanine leads to what appear to be closely related partially folded structures with significantly reduced far-UV CD ellipticity and thermodynamic stability. Comparisons with the effects of eliminating another main-chain–side-chain hydrogen bond, G26–S33, and two electrostatic side-chain–side-chain hydrogen bonds, D38–H92 and D112–H146, all in the same N-terminal folding unit of αTS, demonstrated a unique role for the clamp interactions in stabilizing the native barrel conformation. Because neither the asparagine nor glutamic acid variant at position 46 can completely reproduce the spectroscopic, thermodynamic, or kinetic folding properties of aspartic acid, both size and charge are crucial to its unique role in the clamp hydrogen bond. Kinetic studies suggest that the three clamp hydrogen bonds act in concert to stabilize the transition state leading to the fully folded TIM barrel motif.
Enhanced electrochemical and structural properties of carbon cryogels by surface chemistry alteration with boron and nitrogen

Abstract Resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF) derived carbon cryogels (CCs) with narrow pore size distribution were obtained via chemical modification using ammonia borane (AB). This chemical modification was achieved by adding AB to the hydrogels during the solvent exchange stage. Nitrogen sorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are used to investigate the pore structure, morphology, and electrochemical properties of the modified CCs. After pyrolysis, the AB modified CCs show an increased surface area and larger mesopore volume in comparison to the untreated precursor. In addition, a uniform porous structure with a narrow pore size distribution is produced with a mesopore diameter that does not change significantly during pyrolysis. Moreover, electric double-layer supercapacitors (EDLS) used to characterize the AB modified samples shows pseudocapacitive behavior, higher current density and capacitance.
Exploring the structure and formation mechanism of amyloid fibrils by Raman spectroscopy: a review

Amyloid fibrils are β-sheet rich protein aggregates that are strongly associated with various neurodegenerative diseases. Raman spectroscopy has been broadly utilized to investigate protein aggregation and amyloid fibril formation and has been shown to be capable of revealing changes in secondary and tertiary structures at all stages of fibrillation. When coupled with atomic force (AFM) and scanning electron (SEM) microscopies, Raman spectroscopy becomes a powerful spectroscopic approach that can investigate the structural organization of amyloid fibril polymorphs. In this review, we discuss the applications of Raman spectroscopy, a unique, label-free and non-destructive technique for the structural characterization of amyloidogenic proteins, prefibrilar oligomers, and mature fibrils.
Recent advances in the biosynthesis of unusual polyketide synthase substrates

Covering: 2003 to July 2015 for polyketide synthase starter units and 2012 to September 2015 for polyketide synthase extender units This highlight provides an overview of recent advances in understanding the diversity of polyketide synthase (PKS) substrate building blocks. Substrates functioning as starter units and extender units contribute significantly to the chemical complexity and structural diversity exhibited by this class of natural products. This article complements and extends upon the current comprehensive reviews that have been published on these two topics (Moore and Hertweck, Nat. Prod. Rep., 2002, 19, 70; Chan et al., Nat. Prod. Rep., 2009, 1, 90; Wilson and Moore, Nat. Prod. Rep., 2012, 29, 72).
Prediction of MACE after ACS: demographics and angiography versus imaging.

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose —Lyndon B. Johnson [(1)][1] Current prevention of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is based on aggressive medical therapy, and guideline-driven treatment of traditional
Amoebae and Their Relatives (Phylum: Sarcomastigophora; Subphylum: Sarcodina)

Motility by cytoplasmic streaming is an effective mode of locomotion for cells that creep in an amoeboid fashion or move by extended fingerlike pseudopodia in contact with the substratum. Many of the Sarcodina exhibit some form of cytoplasmic streaming during locomotion, or as a means of gathering food particles and other matter from the environment. Some arenaceous species, for example, collect mineral particles and organize them into rather consistent species-specific shell shapes. Many of these arenaceous species, with rather uniform sized grains in the shell, apparently select particles according to size and composition during the process of shell construction. The particles are transported to the shell and arranged in a specific pattern by rhizopodial activity. Complex patterns of cytoplasmic streaming and movement of the rhizopodia are used to arrange the shell particles. Cytoplasmic streaming also occurs in pseudopodia of planktonic sarcodinads and is used to apprehend and dismember large prey such as copepods. These organisms extrude a halo of pseudopodia, varying among species from a weblike rhizopodial array to fine filamentous filopodia or a corona of stiffened axopodia surrounding the cell. In some planktonic species such as radiolaria and planktonic Foraminifera, a mineralized shell or skeleton is secreted as protection for the soft cytoplasm and as support for the web of peripheral pseudopodia. These extracellular mineralized structures serve a twofold function as a skeleton for attachment and support of the pseudopodia, in addition to protection of the enclosed mass of cytoplasm.
Instability and Expansionism: Why the Former No Longer Produces the Latter in US Foreign Policy

Why is expansionism absent from the Obama foreign policy agenda? The question seems bizarre precisely because expansionism is so completely absent from US policy discussions. In the modern world, the lack of great-power expansionism in the international system may be overdetermined, but the single strongest deterrent against twenty-first-century expansionism is likely the US commitment to oppose it. This commitment, repeatedly confirmed both through military actions like the Gulf War and consistent diplomatic rhetoric, is rooted in the commitment of the US to reject expansionism in its own foreign policy. It is therefore not a stretch to say that much of the stability of the current international system is the result of the US decision to forgo expansionism in its own foreign policy, a decision that represented a 180° turn from the aggressive expansionism of early US foreign policy (despite Jefferson‘s words quoted above). Obviously, this decision cannot be explained by the US‘ own deterrent power, but neither can it be fully explained by any of the other major arguments concerning the current stability in the modern literature. This paper offers an answer to the question of why expansionism faded from US foreign policy after its heyday in the early 1800s.
Study of Transport Phenomena in Guayule Deresination

Abstract Renewed interest in guayule as an alternative source of natural rubber has brought the processing aspect back into focus as an important determinant in the effort of guayule commercialization. To meet the current technological requirement, the quality of the guayule rubber needs to be standardized like the presently known Technically Specified Natural Rubber. In order to produce good standard quality guayule rubber, the resin constituent must be thoroughly and consistently eliminated. This condition stipulates an effective and efficient extraction process which in consequence demands a thorough understanding of the resin compounds and their behavior during extraction with acetone. The emphasis of this study is to examine the physical state of resin inclusion in the rubber and the mechanism of its removal during solvent extraction. The ultimate objective is to determine the necessary transport parameters in the deresination process of guayule latex coagulum, better known as ‘worms’ in popular term...
Consistency between kinetics and thermodynamics: general scaling conditions for reaction rates of nonlinear chemical systems without constraints far from equilibrium.

We examine the problem of consistency between the kinetic and thermodynamic descriptions of reaction networks. We focus on reaction networks with linearly dependent (but generally kinetically indep...
Clinical characteristics and response to therapy of autoimmune hepatitis in an urban Latino population.

Aim : We hypothesized that AIH outcomes might be different in our patient population that consists of a large number of Latinos. Background : Literature has suggested that the presentation and outcome of autoimmune hepatitis can be different among different ethnicity and communities. Patients and methods : We performed a retrospective chart review of Latino patients with AIH diagnosed between 2002-2012. Complete and partial remissions were defined as normalization of liver enzyme values, or achieving less than twice the upper limit normal (ULN), respectively. Results : A total of 28 patients were identified. 26 (93%) were female. 13 (46%) had an acute presentation, one with type 2 AIH and 3 with ANA seronegative disease. The average pathologic stage (Ishak score) was 3.44±1.67 (range: 0-6). Complete and partial remission was achieved in 20 (71%) and 5 (18%) patients respectively. Ten patients (38%) required maintenance prednisone either alone (2), or in combination with Azathioprine (6) or Mycophenolate Mofetil (2). Remission in the majority of patients, including 14 (50%) who were cirrhotic. Six of 14 (43%) cirrhotic patients were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis. Conclusion : In an urban Latino population, cirrhosis was the initial presentation of AIH in a significant percentage of patients raising concerns regarding insufficient screening for AIH in this patient population. A large number of patients required continuous prednisone to avoid relapse.
Effects of geometry and material on the insertion oi very small neural electrode

For neural probes to be used chronically for years in the human body, they must provoke minimal scarring. Recently, a number of groups have reported substantially reduced scar tissue using cellular scale electrodes below 15 μm in size. This size scale is accessible to manufacturing techniques, but can be very difficult to insert in the brain for most common electrode materials. In this study, we explore the design space available to cellular scale electrodes that will self-insert into the brain. First a mathematical model is developed using beam buckling equations for different materials and geometries. Buckling mode was found to be one fixed and one hinged end resulting in a mode conditional constant of, n, 2.045. Model predicts insertion success between 90–100% for a 6.8 μm diameter electrode and was used to approximate applied force as 750 μΝ which is close to reference data of 780 μΝ [1]. Second, we developed a PVC phantom that mimics the brain's elastic modulus. This phantom was matched to insertion success data obtained from carbon fiber arrays [1]. Overall, these results enable studies to be conducted on other proposed cellular scale electrodes prior to animal testing or large scale fabrication.
Use of the term "rule out" in requisition forms may cause diagnostic delays in dermatopathology practice.

Background Timely pathologic diagnosis relies on the communication of specific clinical information in the requisition form (RF). Clinical information may use nonspecific terms such as “rule out”, the use of which may result in diagnostic delays and the unnecessary application of pathology stains and sections. Objective This study was designed to evaluate the relationship between use of the term “rule out” and time to diagnosis, and the use of additional pathology stains and sections in integrated and non-integrated dermatopathology practices. Methods A retrospective double-cohort study of 475 RFs from the integrated practice (of which 182 used the term “rule out” [RO] and 293 did not [NRO]) and 412 RFs from the non-integrated practice (RO, n = 126; NRO, n = 286) was performed. Results No significant differences emerged between groups of patients with, respectively, RO and NRO RFs in the integrated practice with respect to time to diagnosis, and numbers of additional tissue sections or stains applied. By contrast, the use of RFs containing the term “rule out” was associated with significantly longer times to diagnosis and higher rates of use of pathology stains and sections in comparison with NRO RFs in the non-integrated practice. However, the study is limited by its status as a retrospective review of data sourced from a single institution. Conclusions Use of the term “rule out” in RFs may not significantly impact key care delivery outcomes in an integrated practice. However, it may cause diagnostic delays and the use of unnecessary pathology services in a non-integrated practice.
A critical review of sociological dialogue between China and the West

This paper promotes sociological dialogue between China and the West in the wake of China’s recent economic growth. The roots of this dialogue in the history of relations between China and the West, as well as in the history of sociology as an academic discipline, are discussed. So too are new developments, such as the communication revolution, which not only enhance opportunities for sociological dialogue but also contribute to the urgent need for dialogue as world tensions escalate. Sociological dialogue, because of its grounding in the methods and systemic focus of sociology as a discipline, has a great potential to be a positive force in increasing international understanding.
The New Promotions Mix: A Proposed Paradigm, Process, and Application

This paper proposes a new paradigm for the marketing communications (promotions) mix. Six components are identified and discussed, including the role each plays in an integrated communications program. The paper develops a model identifying the process followed in using these components to get the desired behavior from the target audience. Finally, the paper shows how an organization can develop a matrix to identify the appropriate components of the communications process to be used in achieving the desired objective. Managerial and educational implications of the proposed paradigm are also discussed.
Children’s Gender-Typed Behavior from Early to Middle Childhood in Adoptive Families with Lesbian, Gay, and Heterosexual Parents

Gender-typed behaviors—both gender-conforming and nonconforming—were investigated longitudinally among children in 106 adoptive U.S. families with lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parents at two times (Wave 1, preschool-age; Wave 2, school-age) over 5 years. At Wave 1 (W1), parents reported on children’s gender-typed behavior using the Pre-School Activities Inventory (PSAI; Golombok and Rust 1993), and children’s gender-typed toy play was evaluated using observational methods. At Wave 2 (W2), children reported on their own gender-typed behavior using the Children’s Occupations, Activities, and Traits Personal Measure (COAT-PM; Liben and Bigler 2002). Observations of children’s gender-conforming toy play and parents’ reports of children’s gender nonconformity (PSAI) in early childhood (W1) were associated with children’s self-reports of gender nonconformity (COAT-PM) in middle childhood (W2); toy play was most strongly predictive of gender nonconformity 5 years later. Children’s gender-typed behavior also varied by age and gender at both time points, but no significant differences were found as a function of parental sexual orientation across time. Informative to ongoing debates about same-sex parenting, our findings indicate that among children reared by lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parents, gender-typing appears to be similar, and predominantly gender-conforming, across early to middle childhood.
Optical mapping of cardiac arrhythmias.

The concept of mapping rhythmic activation of the heart dates back to the beginning of last century, with initial descriptions of reentry in turtle hearts1, to the first systematic mapping of sinus rhythm and then atrial flutter by Lewis et al2. Barker et al3 were the first to map the human heart. Initial mapping was primarily performed using single probes to record activation in different regions of the heart. The 1960’s and 70’s saw the development of computerized mapping of the human heart, e.g. in the cure of Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome as well as in the study of Langendorff preparations4. In fact, most of the recent advances in cardiac mapping have focused on improvements in multisite recordings within the heart, with the ability to simultaneous record electrical activation from several hundreds of sites having contributed significantly to our understanding of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Despite these recent advances, multisite contact mapping suffers from several limitations, including the technical problems associated with amplification, gains, sampling rates, signal-to-noise ratio, and the inability to see signals during high-voltage shocks. In addition, an intrinsic limitation of current mapping techniques is their inability to provide information about repolarization characteristics of electrically active cells, thereby limiting our ability to study entire action potentials. In fact, intracellular microelectrode recordings are still considered the gold standard for the study of action potential characteristics in whole tissue. Microelectrode techniques are limited however, by an inability to record action potentials from several sites simultaneously, thereby precluding their use in high-density activation mapping. In part due to the above-mentioned limitations, the last few years have seen the development and use of voltage-sensitive dyes as a means to map not only activation, but repolarization as well. Voltage-sensitive dyes, when excited, provide an optical signal that mimics an action potential and thus allows the visualization of both activation and recovery processes in any region under view. This allows one to precisely evaluate the propagation of a wave of excitation and to measure its wavelength visually. Optical mapping techniques use imaging devices such as a photodiode array or a charge-coupled device video camera with the heart being illuminated and either continuously or spatially scanned. The basis for these techniques is the use of voltage-sensitive dyes that bind to or interact with cell membranes.
Cerebral arteriolar dilations by KATP channel activators needl-lysine orl-arginine

We investigated the effects of various amino acids on responses to ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel openers in anesthetized cats equipped with cranial windows. The application of pinacidil by...
A synthesis of l-α-phosphatidyl-d-myo-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate (4,5-PIP2) and glyceryl lipid analogs

Abstract The title bioactive phosphatidylinositide and short-chain glyceryl lipid analogs were prepared from deoxyinosose 2, which was ultimately derived from 3-dehydroshikimic acid.
Defense Against the Dark Cars: How People Grief Autonomous Vehicles

As autonomous vehicles (AVs) become a reality on public roads, researchers and designers are beginning to see unexpected behaviors from the public. Ranging from curiosity to vandalism, these behaviors are concerning as AV platforms will need to know how to deal with people behaving unexpectedly or aggressively. We call these antagonistic behaviors griefing of AVs, adopting the term from online gaming, which Warner and Raiter define as "Intentional harassment of other players...which utilizes aspects of the game structure or physics in unintended ways to cause distress''. We used the term griefing (rather than bullying), as not all behavior was intended to be violent or demeaning. However, any behavior that delays an AV's journey could be problematic for AV developers and consumers. We observed ten griefing instances over four years and five studies of pedestrian-AV behavior in three countries. For each study, we modified a conventional vehicle to appear autonomous through fake LiDAR and decals saying "Driverless Vehicle''. The driver hid beneath a costume that looked like a car seat, allowing them to remain in control of the vehicle at all times while the vehicle appeared fully autonomous from the outside. Pedestrians were generally convinced of the illusion, as confirmed through interviews with consenting pedestrians and video recordings of all interactions. Full detail on the study, as well as proposed design principles to counter this behavior, will be published at HRI 2020 as a full paper. These observations build on accounts of bullying towards robots that have been previously reported in the HRI community. While AV developers such as Uber and Waymo have shared anecdotes of past vandalism, we believe this to be the first public video made available that captures the range of griefing from playful to aggressive. We hope this video stimulates conversation regarding appropriate design principles to counter griefing towards AVs. Several researchers study motivations behind this behavior, and it remains unclear how long it will take for it to naturally subside. In the meantime, AVs should be designed with this behavior in mind.
GFIT3: a full physics retrieval algorithm for remote sensing of greenhouse gases in the presence of aerosols

Abstract. Remote sensing of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in cities, where high GHG emissions are typically associated with heavy aerosol loading, is challenging due to retrieval uncertainties caused by the imperfect characterization of scattering by aerosols. We investigate this problem by developing GFIT3, a full physics algorithm to retrieve GHGs ( CO2 and CH4 ) by accounting for aerosol scattering effects in polluted urban atmospheres. In particular, the algorithm includes coarse- (including sea salt and dust) and fine- (including organic carbon, black carbon, and sulfate) mode aerosols in the radiative transfer model. The performance of GFIT3 is assessed using high-spectral-resolution observations over the Los Angeles (LA) megacity made by the California Laboratory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing Fourier transform spectrometer (CLARS-FTS). CLARS-FTS is located on Mt. Wilson, California, at 1.67 km a.s.l. overlooking the LA Basin, and it makes observations of reflected sunlight in the near-infrared spectral range. The first set of evaluations are performed by conducting retrieval experiments using synthetic spectra. We find that errors in the retrievals of column-averaged dry air mole fractions of CO2 ( XCO2 ) and CH4 ( XCH4 ) due to uncertainties in the aerosol optical properties and atmospheric a priori profiles are less than 1 % on average. This indicates that atmospheric scattering does not induce a large bias in the retrievals when the aerosols are properly characterized. The methodology is then further evaluated by comparing GHG retrievals using GFIT3 with those obtained from the CLARS-GFIT algorithm (used for currently operational CLARS retrievals) that does not account for aerosol scattering. We find a significant correlation between retrieval bias and aerosol optical depth (AOD). A comparison of GFIT3 AOD retrievals with collocated ground-based observations from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) shows that the developed algorithm produces very accurate results, with biases in AOD estimates of about 0.02. Finally, we assess the uncertainty in the widely used tracer–tracer ratio method to obtain CH4 emissions based on CO2 emissions and find that using the CH 4 / CO 2 ratio effectively cancels out biases due to aerosol scattering. Overall, this study of applying GFIT3 to CLARS-FTS observations improves our understanding of the impact of aerosol scattering on the remote sensing of GHGs in polluted urban atmospheric environments. GHG retrievals from CLARS-FTS are potentially complementary to existing ground-based and spaceborne observations to monitor anthropogenic GHG fluxes in megacities.
Recovering mixtures of fast diffusing states from short single particle trajectories

Single particle tracking (SPT) directly measures the dynamics of proteins in living cells and is a powerful tool to dissect molecular mechanisms of cellular regulation. Interpretation of SPT with fast-diffusing proteins in mammalian cells, however, is complicated by technical limitations imposed by fast image acquisition. These limitations include short trajectory length due to photobleaching and shallow depth of field, high localization error due to the low photon budget imposed by short integration times, and cell-to-cell variability. To address these issues, we developed methods to infer distributions of diffusion coefficients from SPT data with short trajectories, variable localization accuracy, and absence of prior knowledge about the number of underlying states. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of these approaches relative to other frameworks for SPT analysis.
Trim9 and Klp61F promote polymerization of new dendritic microtubules along parallel microtubules

Axons and dendrites are distinguished by microtubule polarity. In Drosophila, dendrites are dominated by minus-end-out microtubules, whereas axons contain plus-end-out microtubules. Local nucleation in dendrites generates microtubules in both orientations. To understand why dendritic nucleation does not disrupt polarity, we used live imaging to analyze the fate of microtubules generated at branch points. We found that they had different rates of success exiting the branch based on orientation: correctly oriented minus-end-out microtubules succeeded in leaving about twice as often as incorrectly oriented microtubules. Increased success relied on other microtubules in a parallel orientation. From a candidate screen, we identified Trim9 and kinesin-5 (Klp61F) as machinery that promoted growth of new microtubules. In S2 cells, Eb1 recruited Trim9 to microtubules. Klp61F promoted microtubule growth in vitro and in vivo, and could recruit Trim9 in S2 cells. In summary, the data argue that Trim9 and kinesin-5 act together at microtubule plus ends to help polymerizing microtubules parallel to pre-existing ones resist catastrophe.
Acclimation to future climate exposes vulnerability to cold extremes in intertidal sea hares.

Highly dynamic environments like estuaries will undergo unpredictable shifts in thermal and salinity regimes with ongoing climate change. These interactive stressors fluctuate predictably and seasonally over historical periods, which has facilitated the evolution of wide environmental tolerance in some estuarine inhabitants. However, physiological and behavioral acclimatization is seasonally based for many estuarine species, meaning that a shift in the unpredictability of climate events and trends will disrupt the effectiveness of evolved tolerance mechanisms. Of particular concern are extreme cold events and high-volume precipitation events, which will acutely and unpredictably alter an estuarine habitat. The eelgrass sea hare, Phyllaplysia taylori, has documented euryhaline and eurythermal tolerance to summer conditions, but the winter environment may pose a greater challenge to seasonally relevant acclimatization scenarios. Here, we characterized lower critical thermal limits, and behavioral responses to stimuli leading up to these limits, in two central California P. taylori populations under four temperature-salinity scenarios in a laboratory acclimation experiment. Acclimation to warmer conditions significantly increased critical thermal minima, while fresher conditions resulted in high mortality. However, the surviving individuals in the fresher conditions were able to respond to stimuli more quickly overall, despite their shortest response time being at a higher temperature than the saltier-acclimated individuals. Within the environmental context of their natural habitats, we find that acclimation to climate change-induced warming will hinder sea hares' ability to weather existing and future cold extremes and precipitation events.
Multibow: Digital Spectral Barcodes for Cell Tracing

We introduce a multicolor labeling strategy (Multibow) for cell tracing experiments in developmental and regenerative processes. Building on Brainbow-based approaches that produce colors by differential expression levels of different fluorescent proteins, Multibow adds a layer of label diversity by introducing a binary code in which reporters are initially OFF and then probabilistically ON or OFF following Cre recombination. We have developed a library of constructs that contains seven different colors and three different subcellular localizations. Combining constructs from this library in the presence of Cre generates cells labeled with multiple independently expressed colors based on if each construct is ON or OFF following recombination. These labels form a unique "barcode" that allows the tracking of the cell and its clonal progenies in addition to expression level differences of each color. We tested Multibow in zebrafish which validates its design concept and suggests its utility for cell tracing applications in development and regeneration.
Design and analysis of experiments on mutagenicity. II. Assays involving microorganisms.

Abstract The design and statistical analysis of mutagenicity experiments involving microorganisms and a single dose of mutagen are discussed. Test statistics are derived for use in determining the mutagenicity of a chemica; when survival data are available and also when such data are not available. One's likelihood (power) of correctly concluding a chemical is mutagenic is examined, and minimum total sample sizes required for 95% power are presented. It is found that one generally has greater power when survival data are available. Required precision is estimating survival is discussed in reference to type-1 and type-2 errors. The proper use of the formulae and figures presented is illustrated by examples.
The Application of Fuzzy ARTMAP in the Detection of Computer Network Attacks

The timely and accurate detection of computer and network system intrusions has always been an elusive goal for system administrators and information security researchers. Existing intrusion detection approaches require either manual coding of new attacks in expert systems or the complete retraining of a neural network to improve analysis or learn new attacks. This paper presents a new approach to applying adaptive neural networks to intrusion detection that is capable of autonomously learning new attacks rapidly using feedback from the protected system.
Finding optimal solutions to cooperative pathfinding problems

In cooperative pathfinding problems, non-interfering paths that bring each agent from its current state to its goal state must be planned for multiple agents. We present the first practical, admissible, and complete algorithm for solving problems of this kind. First, we propose a technique called operator decomposition, which can be used to reduce the branching factors of many search algorithms, including algorithms for cooperative pathfinding. We then show how a type of independence common in instances of cooperative pathfinding problems can be exploited. Next, we take the idea of exploiting independent subproblems further by adding improvements that allow the algorithm to recognize many more cases of such independence. Finally, we show empirically that these techniques drastically improve the performance of the standard admissible algorithm for the cooperative pathfinding problem, and that their combination results in a complete algorithm capable of optimally solving relatively large problems in milliseconds.
WebSifter: An Ontological Web-Mining Agent for E-Business

The World Wide Web provides access to a great deal of information on a vast array of subjects. A user can begin a search for information by selecting a Web page and following the embedded links from page to page looking for clues to the desired information. An alternative method is to use one of the Web-based search engines to select the Web pages that refer to the general subject of the information desired. In either case, a vast amount of information is retrieved. The quantity can be overwhelming, and much of the information may be marginally relevant or completely irrelevant to the user’s request.
Power Spectral Heart Rate Analysis Demonstrates Decreased Activity of the Sympathetic Nervous System During Low Bupivacaine Spinal Anesthesia

Abstract Study Objective: To evaluate the onset of spinal anesthesia with power spectral heart rate analysis to determine the influence of the block on the autonomic nervous system. Design: Prospective, clinical evaluation. Setting: Tertiary-care teaching hospital. Patients: 27 ASA physical status I and II patients scheduled for lower extremity orthopedic surgery and free of major cardiac disease or cardiac drugs with direct influence of heart rate (HR) or blood pressure (BP). Interventions: Prior to anesthesia, a baseline power spectral heart rate reading was taken in the supine position. Spinal anesthesia was established in the sitting position with 15 mg of bupivacaine and 0.2 mg epinephrine introduced at the L 3 –L 4 interspace with a 22-gauge Quincke needle. The patient was returned supine, and power spectral heart rate data were again collected at 5-minute intervals throughout the procedure. Level of the spinal block was checked at 5-minute intervals until 30 minutes and considered complete when two consecutive readings were unchanged. Measurements and Main Results: Heart rate and BP were recorded at baseline and at five-minute intervals after injection. Power spectral heart rate data included low-frequency activity (LFa), high-frequency activity (HFa), and the ratio (LFa/HFa). Spinal level achieved was recorded by thoracic dermatome at complete onset. Heart rate and BP remained within 20% of control in all cases. Complete onset of the spinal block was present by 30 minutes in all cases. The average level of spinal anesthesia was T 8 . Compared with baseline, LFa activity decreased, HFa activity remained unchanged, and the ratio was decreased. During endoprosthesis insertion, 9 of 14 total hip patients had a transient ten-fold increase in LFa activity, without HFa change, and a corresponding increase in the ratio. Conclusions: Power spectral heart rate analysis during low thoracic bupivacaine spinal anesthesia is compatible with decreased sympathetic activity during stable hemodynamic intervals. Insertion of hip endoprosthesis resulted in a dramatic, transient increase in sympathetic activity, indicating that sympathetic activation was still possible despite the presence of surgical anesthesia from the subarachnoid block.
Joshua Takano Chambers-Letson, A Race So Different: Performance and Law in Asian America

ABSTRACT: To explore “racial exception” as a force of Asian American subject formation, Chambers-Letson moves nimbly across examples drawn from everyday life and transnational geopolitics, tying evidence from visual, legal, sonic, and theatrical sources in discrete case studies.
Cloud Seeding Effects on Precipitation Intensity and Duration of Wintertime Orographic Clouds.

Abstract The nature of precipitation changes resulting from seeding cold orographic clouds is examined by separating the observed total precipitation change into duration and intensity change components. The total precipitation change and its two components are then evaluated as functions of cloud temperature using precipitation data recorded in the primary target area during the cloud seeding experiment conducted near Climax, Colo. The results show that the total change in observed precipitation is mainly controlled by changes in precipitation duration, rather than intensity. The main effects of seeding appear to be the initiation of a precipitation release for the warmer clouds during many hours when it would not have occurred naturally, and the suppression of precipitation for the coldest clouds during some hours when it would have occurred naturally. These results are consistent with the concepts of cloud microstability and cloud over-seeding.