cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visualizing the 1D Diffusion of Eukaryotic DNA Repair Factors Along a Chromatin Lattice

The ability of DNA binding proteins to efficiently locate a target sequence or structure amongst a vast excess of nonspecific genomic DNA is a critical function affecting a variety of processes such as DNA repair, gene expression and DNA replication. This genomic search is further complicated in eukaryotes where DNA is organized into chromatin and it remains unclear whether nucleosomes act as obstructions which disrupt the scanning process, or whether eukaryotic DNA-binding factors are capable of bypassing these obstacles. Through the use of a single-molecule optical microscopy assay that aligns arrays of DNA molecules in an extended configuration we are able to visualize the facilitated diffusion of the mismatch repair factors Msh2-Msh6 and Mlh1-Pms1 along naked DNA as well as chromatin. Under physiological salt conditions Mlh1-Pms1 moved along DNA by a one-dimensional random walk and exhibited characteristics consistent with a model where the protein moved via a hopping mechanism while wrapped around DNA in a ring-like configuration. Notably, the average diffusion coefficient obtained for Mlh1-Pms1 is approximately an order of magnitude greater than that of its mismatch repair partner Msh2-Msh6 suggesting that these proteins may travel along DNA by distinct mechanisms. Additionally, application of hydrodynamic flow strongly biased the motion of Mlh1-Pms1, highlighting the importance of our technique that maintains DNA in an extended conformation in the absence of perturbing forces. Mlh1-Pms1 was able to freely bypass nucleosomes as it diffused along DNA whereas Msh2-Msh6 was partially confined by nucleosome barriers, passing much less frequently. This work demonstrates that Mlh1-Pms1 is capable of rapidly traveling along naked DNA as well as chromatin whereas the movement of Msh2-Msh6 is significantly hindered by the presence nucleosomes and suggests possible roles that facilitated diffusion may play in mismatch repair.
A unifying hypothesis for scleroderma: identifying a target cell for scleroderma.

We propose that a recent change in the conception of the role of type 1 interferon and the identification of adventitial stem cells suggests a unifying hypothesis for scleroderma. This hypothesis begins with vasospasm. Vasospasm is fully reversible unless, as proposed here, the resulting ischemia leads to apoptosis and activation of type 1 interferon. The interferon, we propose, initiates immune amplification, including characteristic scleroderma-specific antibodies. We propose that the interferon also acts on adventitial stem cells, producing myofibroblasts, rarefaction, and intimal hyperplasia—three morphologic changes that characterize this disease. Regulator of G-protein signaling 5 (RGS5), a regulator of vasoactive G-protein–coupled receptors, is a cell type–specific marker of pericytes and scleroderma myofibroblasts. RGS5 may provide a key link between initial hyperplasia and fibrosis in this disease.
Cold Engine Transient Fuel Control Experiments in a Port Fuel Injected CFR Engine

Air-fuel mixture preparation is particularly challenging during cold engine throttle transients due to poor fuel vaporization and transport delays in port fuel injected (PFI) engines. In this study, a PFI cooperative fuels research engine is used to evaluate torque and to measure in-cylinder and exhaust CO, CO2, and unburned hydrocarbons during throttle transients at various early stages of engine warmup. Fast flame ionization detectors and nondispersive infrared fast CO and CO2 detectors are used to provide a detailed cycle-by-cycle analysis. Ttorque after cold throttle transients is found to be comparable to steady-state torque due to allowable spark advance. However, cold transients produce up to four times the unburned hydrocarbons when compared to steady-state operation. Finally, the x-tau fuel control model is evaluated in this challenging operating regime and is found to provide poor transient fuel control due to excessive fueling.
A Lagrangian decomposition approach for the pump scheduling problem in water networks

Abstract Dynamic pricing has become a common form of electricity tariff, where the price of electricity varies in real time based on the realized electricity supply and demand. Hence, optimizing industrial operations to benefit from periods with low electricity prices is vital to maximizing the benefits of dynamic pricing. In the case of water networks, energy consumed by pumping is a substantial cost for water utilities, and optimizing pump schedules to accommodate for the changing price of energy while ensuring a continuous supply of water is essential. In this paper, a Mixed-Integer Non-linear Programming (MINLP) formulation of the optimal pump scheduling problem is presented. Due to the non-linearities, the typical size of water networks, and the discretization of the planning horizon, the problem is not solvable within reasonable time using standard optimization software. We present a Lagrangian decomposition approach that exploits the structure of the problem leading to smaller problems that are solved independently. The Lagrangian decomposition is coupled with a simulation-based, improved limited discrepancy search algorithm that is capable of finding high quality feasible solutions. The proposed approach finds solutions with guaranteed upper and lower bounds. These solutions are compared to those found by a mixed-integer linear programming approach, which uses a piecewise-linearization of the non-linear constraints to find a global optimal solution of the relaxation. Numerical testing is conducted on two real water networks and the results illustrate the significant costs savings due to optimizing pump schedules.
Sexual Arousal and Self-Control: Results From a Preliminary Experimental Test of the Stability of Self-Control

A central proposition of Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) General Theory of Crime is the relative stability of low self-control, however research on “selfcontrol strength” suggests that it may vary across contexts. The current study examines these differing conceptions by randomly assigning participants to one of two sexual arousal conditions or to a no-arousal condition. Group differences in the six components of self control, as captured on the Grasmick et al. (1993) scale were then examined. Unexpectedly, individuals in the most intense arousal condition actually reported higher self-control than those in the other conditions (both in absolute value and in changes in relative rank within the sample). Such findings provide additional empirical support for the recent conceptualization of self-control strength as a personal characteristic that can be both exercised and potentially depleted when overused.
Single Ventricle with Transposition

Fifty-seven cases of single (common) ventricle with transposition of the great vessels are reviewed. The diagnosis had been confirmed by necropsy in 25 and by angiocardiography in 32 cases. Single (common) ventricle is defined as that condition in which both atrioventricular valves separately enter a single ventricular cavity. According to this definition, cases presenting with common atrioventricular valve, atresia of one atrioventricular valve, or straddling valves have been excluded. Two structural types of common ventricle are identified: the left ventricular type and the primitive type of single ventricle. The former showed anatomic features similar to a left ventricle, whereas in the latter, features characteristic of a left ventricle were not present. The latter was considered a more primitive condition than the former. A classification based upon the type of single ventricle and its outflow tract and upon the relationship of the great vessels is presented. Of the 25 cases of single ventricle with ...
Computing Optimal Diameter-Bounded Polygon Partitions

The minimum α-small partition problem is the problem of partitioning a given simple polygon into subpolygons, each with diameter at most α, for a given α > 0. This paper considers the version of this problem that disallows Steiner points. This problem is motivated by applications in mesh generation and collision detection. The main result in the paper is a polynomial-time algorithm that solves this problem, and either returns an optimal partition or reports the nonexistence of such a partition. This result contrasts with the recent NP-completeness result for the minimum α-small partition problem for polygons with holes (C. Worman, 15th Canadian Conference on Computational Geometry, 2003). Even though the running time of our algorithm is a polynomial in the input size, it is prohibitive for most real applications and we seek faster algorithms that approximate an optimal solution. We first present a faster 2-approximation algorithm for the problem for simple polygons and then a near linear-time algorithm for convex polygons that produces, for any e > 0, an (α+e)-small partition with no more polygons than in an optimal α-small partition. We also present an exact polynomial-time algorithm for the minimum α-small partition problem with the additional constraint that each piece in the partition be convex.
Mechanisms of accelerated hepatic glutamine efflux in the tumour-bearing rat.

Abstract The mechanisms potentially controlling the net release of glutamine by the liver that occurs in tumour-bearing rats were investigated. Studies were undertaken when the tumour comprised approximately 7% (15 ± 2 g) of total body weight. Hepatic glutamine gradient ratios were calculated by dividing hepatic glutamine content by arterial blood glutamine concentration. Both sodium-dependent and sodium-independent hepatocyte carrier-mediated glutamine transport were evaluated employing hepatic plasma membrane vesicles (HPMVs). In TBR the hepatic glutamine gradient ratio doubled (P
The Effects of an Airborne Inter-Arrival Spacing Tool on Pilot Workload and Acceptability

An airborne inter-arrival spacing tool was developed by NASA Langley Research Center to aid pilots in maintaining a time-based spacing interval behind another aircraft in the arrival sequence. A number of display features, including numeric speed commands, a speed pointer on the Fast/Slow Indicator, and graphical depiction of the desired aircraft position on the navigation display, were developed to assist pilots in maintaining the proper speed to achieve the required spacing interval. Because the use of such automated tools requires the acceptance of the user population, a study was conducted to assess the impact on user workload and acceptability. The tool was tested in a full-task simulation in a Boeing-757 full-mission, fixed-base simulator. Subject pilots were paired with a confederate pilot to complete tasks in both the pilot flying and pilot not flying positions. This paper presents the subjective evaluations of the inter-arrival spacing tool. The qualitative workload data from eight current B-757 ...
Time response of carboplatin-induced hearing loss in rat.

Abstract Carboplatin is currently being used as an anticancer drug against human cancers. However, high dose of carboplatin chemotherapy resulted in hearing loss in cancer patients. We have shown that carboplatin-induced hearing loss was related to dose-dependent oxidative injury to the cochlea in rat model. However, the time response of ototoxic dose of carboplatin on hearing loss and oxidative injury to cochlea has not been explored. The aim of the study was to evaluate the time response of carboplatin-induced hearing loss and oxidative injury to the cochlea of the rat. Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups of 30 animals each and treated as follows: (1) control (normal saline, i.p.) and (2) carboplatin (256 mg/kg, a single i.p. bolus injection). Auditory brain-evoked responses (ABRs) were recorded before and 1–5 days after treatments. The animals ( n =6) from each group were sacrificed on day 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 and cochleae were isolated and analyzed. Carboplatin significantly elevated the hearing thresholds to clicks and to 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 kHz tone burst stimuli only 3–5 days post-treatment. Carboplatin significantly increased nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) activity in the cochlea 4–5 and 3–5 days post-treatment, respectively, indicating enhanced influx of free radicals and oxidative injury to the cochlea. Carboplatin significantly depressed the reduced to oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio, antioxidant enzyme activities such as copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) as well as enzyme protein expressions in the cochlea 3–5 days after treatment. The data suggest that carboplatin-induced hearing loss involves oxidative injury to the cochlea of the rat in a time-dependent manner.
The metabolism of Brucellae; the nature of the effects of pH and concentration on the rate of oxidation of succinate.

A dramatic increase in the rate of oxidation of an organic acid by bacterial cells often occurs when the concentration of hydrogen ions or of the substrate is grossly increased. As an explanation, t,he effect may be due to a permeability response at the cell surface or, alt,ernatively, to an enzymatic change internally. The present experiment#s were designed to distinguish between these possibilities in the oxidation of succinate by Brucella abortus, in which the rate of the reaction is markedly altered with adjustment of pH and substrate concentration, and to analyze the effect in terms of substrate ionization. For want of direct methods of measuring the penetration process in whole cells, a comparison of t,he relat,ive changes in the rates of oxygen and substrate uptake with adjustment of pH and concent,rat,ion first was made. The effect of pH and concentration changes on oxidat,ion, uptake, and intermediate accumulat,ion with succinate as compared to a reported metabolic precursor, glutamate, gave substantiating informat,ion. Further investigation of the two variables revealed a11 interdcpendency and a possible basis of their action. Finally, t’he changes that accompanied physical disruption of the cells were studied. The results generally favored the explanation that the test variables exert an external influence on the dissociation of succinate, upon which utilization by the cell is primarily but not exclusively dependent.
Innovation and pattern entropy of stationary processes

We obtain bounds on the probability that the n'th variable in a stationary random process differs from all previous ones, and use it to show that the pattern entropy rate of any finite-entropy stationary process equals the process entropy rate. In the particular case of i.i.d. processes we also bound the speed at which the per-symbol pattern entropy converges to the sequence entropy
Thermal desorption in the pressure gap and at high pressure using a Micro Knudsen Effusion Cell

A new method and apparatus are described for performing thermal desorption at relatively high adsorbate pressure over single crystals and over porous adsorbents and catalysts. The apparatus, a Micro Knudsen Effusion Cell, encloses a sample in a small chamber or cell and allows only a limited pumping speed from the cell. Adsorbate pressures from ultrahigh vacuum to industrial reaction pressures are attainable depending on the ratio of surface area to pumping speed.
Effect of variation in membrane excitability on propagation velocity of simulated action potentials for cardiac muscle and smooth muscle in the electric field model for cell-to-cell transmission of excitation

We have previously published several studies on the propagation of simulated action potentials (APs) of cardiac muscle and smooth muscle using the PSpice program. Those studies were done on single chains of five to ten cells in length to examine longitudinal propagation between the cells, either not connected by gap-junction (g.j) channels or connected by various numbers of channels. In addition, transverse propagation was examined between parallel chains (two to five chains) not connected by g.j. channels. In all those studies, the myocardial cells and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) were unintentionally somewhat hyperexcitable by virtue of the values inserted into the GTABLEs of the PSpice program. Because transmission of excitation from cell to cell occurred very well in the absence of g.j. channels, by virtue of the electric field (EF) generated in the narrow junctional clefts (negative cleft potential V/sub JC/), the present study was carried out, in which the cells were made hypo-excitable by altering the GTABLE values. Three levels of excitability of the cardiac cells and SMC were examined: 1) high; 2) intermediate; and 3) low. It was found that propagation of excitation, both longitudinally and transversely, can occur by the EF mechanism alone, even when the excitability of the cells was low. Therefore, the EF mechanism alone can account for propagation of excitation in cardiac muscles and smooth muscles that do not possess gap junctions. In those cases in which gap junctions do exist and are functioning, the EF mechanism would act in parallel and thereby increase the safety factor for conduction.
The use of frozen-stored sheep erythrocytes for demonstrating lymphocytic membrane markers

Abstract The usefulness of cryopreserved sheep erythrocytes (unsensitized or coated with fluorescein, IgG-type antibody or complement) for marker tests on human blood lymphocytes was studied. It appears that the rosetting properties of freshly prepared or frozen-stored erythrocytes are not significantly different. The method may be used to provide homogeneous stocks of sensitized erythrocytes for lymphocyte rosetting techniques.
Amino acid residues forming the interface of a neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor with κ-bungarotoxin : a study using single residue substituted peptide analogs

Abstract κ-Bungarotoxin is a high affinity antagonist of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of the α3 subtype. Three sequence segments of the α3 subunit that contribute to forming the binding site for κ-bungarotoxin were previously located using synthetic peptides corresponding to the complete α3 subunit, i.e., α3(1–18), α3(50–71) and α3(180–201). Here we use single residue substituted peptide analogs of the α3(50–71) sequence, in which amino acids are sequentially replaced by Gly, to determine which residues are important for κ-bungarotoxin binding activity. Although no single substitution obliterated κ-bungarotoxin binding, several amino acid substitutions lowered the affinity for κ-bungarotoxin — i.e., two negatively charged residues (Glu51 and Asp62), and several aliphatic and aromatic residues (Leu54, Leu56, and Tyr63). These results indicate that the interface of the α3 subunit with κ-bungarotoxin involves primarily hydrophobic interactions, and a few negatively charged residues.
Utilization of Health Care Among Female-to-Male Transgender Individuals in the United States

Female-To-Male (FTM) transgender individuals were approached at a conference and several peer support groups in the United States and asked to complete a short questionnaire regarding their medical care. Results from the 122 completed questionnaires indicated that a high number of respondents were taking testosterone (n = 106) and had some gender-confirming surgery (n = 68). Seventy percent of respondents rated their overall quality of health care "good" or "excellent." A surprising finding was the low number (7%) reporting diagnoses of polycystic ovarian syndrome--the incidence of which has been reported elsewhere as high as 50%. Also notable were the high levels of employment, insurance, knowledge of standards of care, and access to providers, contrasting with reports from studies involving predominantly Male-To-Female (MTF) individuals. Finally, FTM's usage of transition-related medical resources can vary, but many within this study are foregoing genital surgery.
PERFORMANCE OF THE AMBER94, MMFF94, AND OPLS-AA FORCE FIELDS FOR MODELING ORGANIC LIQUIDS

Current “second-generation” force fields have been developed for use in Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations for organic and biomolecular systems in solution. The performance of three such force fields, AMBER94, MMFF94, and OPLS-AA, is tested here through Monte Carlo (MC) statistical mechanics simulations for liquid butane, methanol, and N-methylacetamide (NMA). These liquids were chosen for their range of polarity and their representation of typical interactions found in proteins. From simulations at constant temperature and 1 atm pressure, the average errors in the computed densities and heats of vaporization are 3.8% and 5.1% with AMBER94 and 1.5% and 1.3% with OPLS-AA. With MMFF94, the computed densities and heats of vaporization for methanol and NMA are too low by 21−27%, while butane at −0.5 °C does not stop expanding during the simulation. A MC simulation using MMFF94 for butane with the density fixed at the experimental value yields a 32% error in the energy of vaporization. Analyses sho...
Effect of prenatal exposure to ethanol on glutamate and GABA immunoreactivity in macaque somatosensory and motor cortices: Critical timing of exposure

The present study explored the effects of gestational ethanol exposure on enduring changes in the distribution of projection neurons and local circuit neurons in somatosensory/motor cortex. Critical events in corticogenesis occur during macaque gestation: the first six weeks of gestation include the period of primary stem cell production and the next 18 weeks are marked by the birth, migration, early differentiation, and death of cortical neurons. Monkeys were exposed to ethanol (or saline) one day per week during the first six or during the entire 24 weeks of gestation. Offspring were killed as adolescents. Projection neurons and local circuit neurons were identified immunohistochemically with antibodies directed against glutamate and anti-GABA, respectively. In all animals, both projection neurons and local circuit neurons were distributed in all laminae of both somatosensory and motor cortices. Ethanol did not affect the size of Cresyl Violet-stained, glutamate-positive, or GABA-immunolabeled somata, however, it did decrease neuronal density. The total density of Cresyl Violet-stained neurons was reduced in monkeys treated with ethanol (or saline) one day per week during the first six weeks of gestation and during the entire 24 weeks of gestation. Similar reductions were detected for glutamate- and GABA-positive neurons. The densities of Cresyl Violet-stained and of glutamate- and GABA-expressing neurons were reduced in all cortical layers. The only exception was layer V which was unaffected in monkeys treated with ethanol (or saline) one day per week during the first six weeks of gestation and during the entire 24 weeks of gestation. Thus, the parallel effects on both neuronal subpopulations suggest that ethanol targets a population of undetermined neuronal precursors.
Proximity of fast food restaurants to schools: Do neighborhood income and type of school matter?

Objectives. To investigate the proximity of fast food restaurants to public schools and examine proximity by neighborhood income and school level (elementary, middle, or high school). Methods. Geocoded school and restaurant databases from 2005 and 2003, respectively, were used to determine the percentage of schools with one or more fast food restaurants within 400 m and 800 m of all public schools in Los Angeles County, California. Single-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) models were run to examine fast food restaurant proximity to schools by median household income of the surrounding census tract and by school level. Two-factor ANOVA models were run to assess the additional influence of neighborhood level of commercialization. Results. Overall, 23.3% and 64.8% of schools had one or more fast food restaurants located within 400 m and 800 m, respectively. Fast food restaurant proximity was greater for high schools than for middle and elementary schools, and was inversely related to neighborhood income for schools in the highest commercial areas. No association with income was observed in less commercial areas. Conclusions. Fast food restaurants are located in close proximity to many schools in this large metropolitan area, especially high schools and schools located in low income highly commercial neighborhoods. Further research is needed to assess the relationship between fast food proximity and student dietary practices and obesity risk.
Redescription ofaulopus bajacali parin & kotlyar, 1984, comments on its relationships and new distribution records

Aulopus bajacali, described from the eastern Pacific Ocean from a single specimen, is redescribed. It is now known from over 400 specimens. It is the only Pacific species ofAulopus belonging with the Atlantic species group ofA. nanae, A. filamentosus, andA. cadenati. It shares a short dorsal-fin base and some color pattern characters with this group. New distribution records from Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands extend its range; it is now known from mid-Baja California (25°N) to about 3°S in the eastern central Pacific.
Accessing, Waiting, Plunging in, Wondering, and Writing: Retrospective Sense-Making of Fieldwork:

This article presents five personal narratives about a field-worker's experience during an eighteen-month study of a residential college. The narratives focus on five distinct aspects of fieldwork:...
Polar Effects on Iodine Atom Abstraction by Charged Phenyl Radicals

The ability of differently substituted charged phenyl radicals (a class of distonic radical cations) to abstract an iodine atom from allyl iodide was systematically examined in the gas phase by using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. The reaction products and second-order reaction rate constants were determined for several radicals that differ by the type and/or number of substituents located in the ortho- and/or meta-position with respect to the radical site. All the radicals also carry a para-pyridinium group needed for mass spectrometric manipulation. These electron-deficient phenyl radicals react with allyl iodide by predominant iodine atom abstraction. The reaction is facilitated by the presence of neutral electron-withdrawing substituents, such as F, CF3, Cl, or CN. The extent of rate increase depends on the type and number of the substituents, as well as their location relative to the radical site. Based on molecular orbital calculations (PM3 and Becke3LYP/6-31G(d)+ZPVE),...
The site density criterion and the mechanism of n-heptane cracking over a rare earth type X sieve

Abstract The cracking of n -heptane over a rare earth X sieve was studied between 235 and 350 °C up to atmospheric pressure in a flow system. The reaction is first order in reactant pressure. The catalyst deactivates rapidly. Apparent activation energies for activities obtained at 15 and 30 min are, respectively, 19.6 and 16.3 kcal/mole; the apparent initial activation energy, obtained by extrapolation of the 15- and 30-min activities, is 22.7 kcal/mole. Using transition state theory, site densities, the number of sites/cm 2 catalyst surface, are calculated for 0, 15, and 30 min. The calculation is made for each of several postulated slow steps. Some of the site densities calculated are physically impossible. A detailed analysis of the results indicates that adsorption is not the slow step, even though the reaction is first order, and that it is likely that the slow step is decomposition on a sparsely covered surface. Site density calculations for alkane cracking over both amorphous and crystalline catalysts were made for systems reported in the literature; the same conclusion can be made for these systems. It is suggested that a criterion for a mechanism in which one step is postulated to be slow is that the site density calculated for that step be physically possible.
Characterizing changes in maturity of lakes resulting from supplementation of walleye populations

Abstract We constructed mass-balance models in two lakes to measure changes in community maturity associated with walleye stocking. Community maturity is related to stability. Stability, in terms of a particular community structure and total biomass, is a desirable characteristic. It is important to understand how management actions, such as fish stocking and fishery regulations, affect the stability of aquatic communities in order to effectively manage them. Walleye are stocked throughout North America and have the potential to dramatically affect aquatic ecosystems. We examined simulated changes in maturity, as measured by Finn's cycling index and relative overhead, associated with walleye stocking. We simulated three scenarios for each lake: (1) changes in angler effort associated with walleye stocking, (2) changes associated with the physical addition of juvenile walleyes, and (3) changes associated with both the physical addition of juvenile walleyes and changes in angler effort. For each scenario we also examined the role of prey vulnerability by varying the vulnerability parameter for each scenario. We found that expected increases in angler effort associated with walleye stocking generally acted to decrease community maturity and more than offset small increases associated with the physical addition of juvenile walleyes. Changes in maturity metrics were more dramatic when prey vulnerability was high (i.e. “top–down” control) than when then they were low (i.e. “bottom–up” control). Walleye stocking may cause aquatic systems to be less stable due to expected increases in the amount of angler effort, particularly in systems controlled primarily through top–down mechanisms.
Optimal bucket size for multiattribute retrieval in partitioned files

Abstract The problem of optimal bucket size for multiattribute retrieval in partitioned files is considered. The query types considered include exact match queries, range queries, partial match queries, and best match (including nearest neighbor) queries. The similarities among formulas which have been derived in several different contexts are examined.
System Tradeoffs in Optical PPM Communications with Diode Combining

Optical power combining with laser diodes is receiving considerable attention. The objective is to noncoherently combine the diffraction limited beams of N diodes into a single beam, thereby increasing the field intensity by N. To accomplish this it is necessary to operate the diodes at different wavelengths in order to achieve the required combining. A question then arises as to the most efficient way to encode the diodes for maximum digital performance. In this paper, three different system architectures are considered, with combining achieved by dichroic mirrors operating in conjunction with a pulse position modulated (PPM) format. The basic criterion is maximization of data rate with increasing number of diodes, while maintaining a fixed decoding bit error probability. The three systems are: 1) power combining into a single pulse, followed by PPM encoding; 2) parallel channels, in which each diode is separately PPM encoded; and 3) color-coding, in which diodes are encoded over a common wavelength-time slot alphabet. All systems use beam combining, but the latter two require wavelength splitting as well. Data rate performance is evaluated as a function of the number of diodes, mirror combining losses, PPM alphabet size, and the operating optical SNR.
Noise reduction in seismic data using Fourier correlation coefficient filtering

The correlation coefficient between two frequency (or two wave number) componets equals the cosine of their phase‐angle difference. This relation can be exploited to build a filter that separates noise from signal in seismic data in either the F‐X or F-K domain (termed “correlation coefficient filtering”). To implement this filter, seismic data are first divided to form two subsets that are then compared using the cosine function. Signal is defined as the correlative frequencies (or wavelengths) while noncorrelative energy is attributed to noise. Depending on the application, appropriate subsets may consist of (1) groups of adjacent traces or (2) low‐fold stacks created from differing shot gathers. When comparing adjacent traces [i.e., (1)], the correlation coefficient filter combines both phase and dip information and assumes that reflections advance relatively little in time across traces and less than the noise. Correlation coefficient filtering of low‐fold stacks [i.e., (2)] does not depend on dip. Re...
PRDM16 Expression in the Developing Mouse Embryo

PRDM16 is a member of the PR domain-containing protein family and is associated with various disease states including myelodysplastic syndrome and adult T-cell leukemia, as well as developmental abnormalities such as cleft palate. It is also known to act as a regulator of cell differentiation. Expression analysis of PRDM16 is limited, especially within the developing embryo. The current study evaluated the temporal and spatial localization of PRDM16 during early mouse development (embryonic days 8.5-14.5). PRDM16 was first detected on E9.5 in a limited number of tissues and by E14.5, was expressed in a broad range of developing tissues including those of the brain, lung, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract. The expression pattern is consistent with a role for PRDM16 in the development of multiple tissues. Collectively, these studies are the first to characterize the expression of the PRDM16 gene during early murine development.
Imatinib Mesylate in the Treatment of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Imatinib mesylate binds to the inactive conformation of BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, suppressing the Philadelphia chromosome-positive clone in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Clinical studies of imatinib have yielded impressive results in the treatment of all phases of CML. With the higher rates of complete cytogenetic response with imatinib, molecular monitoring of disease has become mandatory in assessing response and determining prognosis. The practical aspects of the treatment of CML with imatinib are discussed. The emergence of imatinib resistance, albeit in a small percentage of patients, has prompted an evaluation of innovative treatment strategies.
Fantasy baseball: A new way to gamble or just another game?

The controversy over whether fantasy sports should be considered a new form of gambling was investigated. The predominance rule was used to operationally define gambling. This rule states that an activity is gambling if outcomes are due more to chance than to skill. Individuals active in a fantasy baseball league (commonly referred to as "owners") and individuals who had never entered any type of fantasy league ("non-owners") participated. Perceptions of skill-to-chance ratios were assessed and a content analysis of the specific skill and chance features involved in fantasy baseball was conducted. The results showed that fantasy baseball owners and non-owners judged outcomes to be more the result of skill. In an attempt to determine whether these results were supported by actual outcomes, a second study analyzed the records of a fantasy baseball league over an extended period. The findings of this additional study also suggest that skill may predominant over chance.
Geotechnical Materials Considerations for Conceptual Repository Design in the Palo Duro Basin, Texas

The Palo Duro Basin is only one of numerous potential repository locations for placement of a nuclear waste repository. Conceptual designs in the Palo Duro Basin involve considerations of the character and properties of the geologic materials found on several sites throughout the Basin. The first consideration presented includes current basin exploration results and interpretations of engineering properties for the basin geologic sequences. The next consideration presented includes identification of the characteristics of rock taken from the geologic sequence of interest through laboratory and field testing. Values for materials properties of representative samples are obtained for input into modeling of the material response to repository placement. Conceptual designs which respond to these geotechnical considerations are discussed.
Competition between Native Populus deltoides and Invasive Tamarix ramosissima and the Implications for Reestablishing Flooding Disturbance

Abstract: Changes in historical disturbance regimes have been shown to facilitate non-native plant invasions, but reinstatement of disturbance can be successful only if native colonizers are able to outcompete colonizing invasives. Reintroduction of flooding in the southwestern United States is being promoted as a means of reestablishing Populus deltoides subsp. wislizenii, but flooding can also promote establishment of an introduced, invasive species, Tamarix ramosissima. We investigated competition between Populus and Tamarix at the seedling stage to aid in characterizing the process by which Tamarix may invade and to determine the potential ability of Populus to establish itself with competitive pressure from Tamarix. We planted seedlings of Tamarix and Populus in five ratios at three densities for a total of 15 treatments. The growth response of each species was measured in terms of height, above-ground biomass, and tissue concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous. These measurements across treatments were modeled as three-dimensional response surfaces. For both species, Populus density was more important than Tamarix density for determining growth response. Both species were negatively affected by increasing numbers of Populus seedlings. Due to the larger size of the native Populus, we predict that its superior competitive ability can lead to its dominance when conditions allow native establishment. Our results suggest that even in the presence of an invader that positively responds to disturbance, reestablishment of historical flooding regimes and post-flood hydrology can restore this ecosystem by promoting its dominant plant species.
Coping with genetic testing for breast cancer susceptibility.

Objective:To examine how women cope with genetic testing for heightened susceptibility to breast cancer.Methods:Participants were 126 White women (age = 44 ± 9 years) who were participants in a larger study of genetic testing for risk of different chronic diseases. All women were at higher-than-aver
A Multi-Wire Chamber System for Heavy Ion Beam Monitoring at the Bevalac

Horizontal and vertical integrated beam-current profiles are generated by a system of multi-wire chambers (32 wires/profile) operating in either the ionization or proportional mode. Sixteen distinct displays (1024 words) are digitally stored and any four may be simultaneously displayed. A new display can be generated at 64 ms intervals. A central control unit selects the mode of operation, the amount of delay after an appropriate trigger, the chamber integration time, and the particular chambers to be displayed. Operating in the proportional mode relativistic heavyion beam intensities as low as 104 charges cm-2 sec-1 can be detected.
American College of Clinical Pharmacy's Vision of the Future: Postgraduate Pharmacy Residency Training as a Prerequisite for Direct Patient Care Practice

John E. Murphy, Pharm.D., FCCP, Jean M. Nappi, Pharm.D., FCCP, John A. Bosso, Pharm.D., FCCP, Joseph J. Saseen, Pharm.D., FCCP, Brian A. Hemstreet, Pharm.D., Mary Ann Halloran, Pharm.D., Sarah A. Spinler, Pharm.D., FCCP, Timothy E. Welty, Pharm.D., FCCP, Paul P. Dobesh, Pharm.D., FCCP, Lingtak-Neander Chan, Pharm.D., Cory G. Garvin, Pharm.D., Patricia E. Grunwald, Pharm.D., Claudia A. Kamper, Pharm.D., Cynthia A. Sanoski, Pharm.D., and Paul L. Witkowski, Pharm.D.
Characterizing Human Spacecraft Safety and Operability Through a Minimum Functionality Design Methodology

A systematic methodology is presented for defining a minimum functionality baseline configuration of a human spacecraft. To estimate a lower bound for the spacecraft mass, a set of essential functions is coupled to single-string subsystems with zero fault tolerance. This minimum functionality baseline is defined to meet the physical requirements needed to transport the crew to the target destination and to ensure that their physiological needs are met, but without margin, dispersions, redundancy, or factor of safety. This constitutes a set of nonnegotiable requirements based on fundamental parameters derived from physics and physiology. By definition, this represents a technically feasible solution, but it results in the highest-risk design. Mass additions beyond the minimum functional configuration are allocated to increased safety or operability through the addition of component redundancy, fault tolerance, factor of safety, additional mission functionality, and improved human–system interfaces. This pr...
ROUTING THROUGH DYNAMIC OCEAN CURRENTS: GENERAL HEURISTICS AND EMPIRICAL RESULTS IN THE GULF STREAM REGION

Abstract Anticipating the availability of good quality ocean current data in the near future, we formulate the problem of routing an ocean vessel through currents to minimize fuel consumption, propose methods to increase the efficiency of the solution techniques, and simulate voyages to investigate the performance of our approach. We formulate the problem as a dynamic program (DP) with two variables: Heading and Power (H&P). We then develop two heuristics, Headingthen-Power (H/P) and Heading-Alone (HA), that reduce the complexity of the formulation by decomposing the heading optimization from the power-setting optimization. To improve computational efficiency, we propose three approaches based on ship and ocean current dynamics to limit the spatial and temporal ranges that must be investigated to solve our DP formulations. In our simulation study, these approaches reduced the spatial ranges by over one third and the temporal ranges by over 70%. The study simulated minimum fuel current routing of 96 voyages in the Gulf Stream region, leading to average fuel savings of 7.4% and 4.5% for eastbound and westbound voyages, respectively. Moreover, the simplest HA heuristic, which emphasizes heading over power optimization, provided solutions as good as those provided by the most complete H&P formulation while reducing the computational time by a factor of 40. This indicates that the shipping industry's practice of emphasizing heading considerations seems appropriate in the current routing case and that current routing implementations and algorithmic developments might be able to reduce problem complexity by concentrating on spatial variables at the expense of temporal variables.
Evaluating the effectiveness of on-street bicycle lane and assessing risk to bicyclists in Charlotte, North Carolina

The objectives of this manuscript are (1) to evaluate the effectiveness of on-street bicycle lane in reducing crashes involving bicyclists on urban roads, (2) to quantify and compare risk to bicyclists on road segments with and without on-street bicycle lane, (3) to evaluate the effect of on-street bicycle lane on other road network users (all crashes), and, (4) to assess the role of on-network characteristics (speed limit, the number of lanes, the width of on-street bicycle lane, the width of the right-most travel lane, and, the numbers of driveways, unsignalized approaches and signalized intersections per unit distance) on risk to bicyclists. Data for thirty-six segments with on-street bicycle lane and twenty-six segments without on-street bicycle lane in the city of Charlotte, North Carolina were extracted to compute and compare measures such as the number of bicycle crashes per center-lane mile, the number of bicycle crashes per annual million vehicle miles traveled (MVMT), the number of all crashes per center-lane mile, and the number of all crashes per MVMT. The results obtained from analysis indicate that bicyclists are three to four times at higher risk (based on traffic conditions) on segments without on-street bicycle lane than when compared to segments with on-street bicycle lane. An analysis conducted considering all crashes showed that on-street bicycle lanes do not have a statistically significant negative effect on overall safety. An increase in annual MVMT (exposure) and the number of signalized intersections per mile increases the number of bicycle crashes, while an increase in on-street bicycle lane width or right-most travel lane width (if on-street bicycle lane cannot be provided) decreases the number of bicycle crashes. Installing wider on-street bicycle lanes, limiting driveways to less than 50 per mile and unsignalized approaches to less than 10 per mile, increasing spacing between signalized intersections, and, facilitating wider right-most travel lane if on-street bicycle lane cannot be provided reduces occurrence of bicycle crashes and lowers risk to bicyclists on roads.
Cross-reactivities of polyclonal antibodies against extensin precursors determined via elisa techniques

We raised four sets of rabbit polyclonal antibodies against two highly glycosylated extensin precursors, P1 and P2, before and after hydrogen fluoride-deglycosylation. Use of an indirect non-competitive sandwich ELISA technique to determine antibody-antigen cross-reactivities revealed three epitope classes: 1. Glycosylated; 2. Nonglycosylated in the intact glycoprotein; 3. Exposed only after deglycosylation. Thus polyclonals raised against glycosylated P1 or P2 cross-reacted highly (50 %) with the heterologous glycosylated antigen, i.e. antibody-antigen pairs P1 /P2 and P2/P1, but much less with the deglycosylated antigens dP1 and dP2 (< 25 %), implying that the major epitopes are glycosylated; these probably correspond to hydroxyproline oligoarabinosides. The free sugars d-glucose, d-galactose and l-arabinose did not inhibit antibody-antigen binding, in contrast to free hydroxyproline arabinooligosaccharides which did compete at high levels (20–50 mM). Cross-reactivities towards other related macromolecules were low but positive for the following antibody/antigen pairs: P 1/potato lectin, P2/AGP, but negative towards larch arabinogalactan. Polyclonals dP1 and dP2 (raised against the deglycosylated precursors dPl and dP2 crossreacted significantly with their homologous glycosylated antigen (reactions dP1/P1 and dP2/P2), but only slightly with their heterologous antigen (reactions dP1/P2 and dP2/P1). These results imply that nonglycosylated epitopes of the glycosylated antigens P1 and P2 differ markedly from one another, and therefore corroborate primary structure information suggesting Val-Lys-Pro-Tyr-His-Pro as the major nonglycosylated epitope of P1 and Val-Tyr-Lys-Tyr-Lys as the major nonglycosylated epitope of P2.
Essential value of cocaine and food in rats: tests of the exponential model of demand

Rationale To provide a prospective test of the predictive adequacy of the exponential model of demand (Hursh and Silberberg, Psych Rev 115(1):186–198, 2008).