cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of the 6 lysines and the terminal amine of escherichia coli single‐strand binding protein in its binding of single‐stranded DNA

Differential chemical modification of the lysines and amino-terminus of Escherichia coli single-strand binding (SSB) protein was used to determine their roles in the binding of SSB to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). A combination of isotope labeling and mass spectrometry was used to determine the rates at which SSB was acetylated by acetic anhydride. First, SSB was labeled by deuterated acetic anhydride for given lengths of time in the presence or absence of single-stranded ssDNA. Then, the protein was denatured and completely acetylated by nondeuterated acetic anhydride. Enzymatic digests of the completely acetylated, isotopically labeled SSB were analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The intensities of the deuterated and nondeuterated forms of acetylated peptides provided accurate quantification of the reactivity of the amines in native SSB, either free or bound to ssDNA. Acetylation rate constants were determined from time course measurements. In the absence of ssDNA, the terminal alpha-amine of SSB was 10-fold more reactive than Lys residues at positions 43, 62, 73, and 87. The reactivities of Lys 7 and 49 were much lower yet, suggesting that they have very limited access to solution under any condition. In the presence of ssDNA, the reactivities of the amino-terminus and Lys residues 43, 62, 73, and 87 were reduced by factors of 3.7-25, indicating that the environments around all of these amines is substantially altered by binding of SSB to ssDNA. Three of these residues are located near putative ssDNA binding sites, whereas Lys 87 is located at the monomer-monomer interface.
JWARS: the joint warfare system (JWARS): a modeling and analysis tool for the defense department

Joint Warfare System (JWARS) is a campaign-level model of military operations. User will include the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), the Joint Staff, the Services, and the US Warfighting Commands. Program requirements documents specify implementation that fosters insight into cause and effect relationships encountered by military forces. JWARS will support multi-billion dollar resource allocation decisions and critical operational planning. As a closed-form analytic simulation, JWARS will provide "balanced" representation of joint (modern) warfare. The simulation is mixed-mode, with models that are stochastic or deterministic. The JWARS program will include explicit representation of effects and perturbations caused by information operations on command and control systems in military operations. Relying on state-of-the-art uncertainty modeling concepts, JWARS engineers and domain experts have developed high-level abstractions of sensor and communications systems, the related information flows, imperfect perception of the battle-space, and command decision making.
Development and application of a modified monoclonal hybridoma technique for isolating monoclonal antibodies to human brain regions.

Abstract We developed a modified monoclonal hybridoma technique that combines two conventional methods: a conventional immunosuppression method with cyclophosphamide treatment and an in vitro immunization method. This technique is advantageous over conventional methodologies because it requires a shorter period for immunization of mice and a smaller quantity of antigen, and gives rise to antibody-secreting hybridomas with higher efficiency. One monoclonal hybridoma line, designated as BG5, was established by this technique after activation of lymphocytes with muramyl dipeptide and with the immunogen obtained from human entorhinal cortex. Western blot analysis showed a relatively high expression of BG5 antigen in human entorhinal cortex. Our results suggest that this hybridoma technique may rapidly facilitate the acquisition of brain region-specific antibodies. We call this technique ‘suppression immunization followed by in vitro stimulation procedure’ (SOFISTIC).
The structure of interpersonal trust in the workplace.

The importance of each of five underlying interpersonal trust components (competence, consistency, integrity, loyalty, and openness) as they affect trust among supervisors, subordinates, and peers ...
Rate of change load balancing in distributed and parallel systems

Abstract Dynamic load balancing (DLB) is an important system function destined to distribute workload among available processors to improve throughput and/or execution times of parallel computer programs either uniform or non-uniform (jobs whose workload varies at run-time in unpredictable ways). Non-uniform computation and communication requirements may bog down a parallel computer if no efficient load distribution is effected. A novel distributed algorithm for load balancing is proposed and is based on local rate of change (RoC) observations rather than on global absolute load numbers. It is a totally distributed algorithm and requires no centralized trigger and/or decision makers. The strategy is discussed and analyzed by means of experimental simulation.
A versatile dot-ELISA method with femtomole sensitivity for detecting small peptides

Abstract Several protocols for conjugating peptides in situ to a protein carrier on paper, nitrocellulose, or nylon membranes were explored for their usefulness in dot-ELISA detection of the peptides. The most sensitive method in which peptide diluted in bovine serum albumin is applied to nitrocellulose, then fixed with glutaraldehyde, can detect several peptides, ranging from 4 to 38 amino acids in length, at the level of 2–10 fmol. Both immunohistochemical grade antisera and monoclonal antibodies have been used successfully. The method may be a useful alternative to radioimmunoassay since there is no requirement for radiolabelled peptide, or (for quantitation) for known quantities of unlabelled peptide. The method has been used to monitor, semiquantitatively, the fractionation of FMRFamide-like or CCK-like peptides from the nematode Ascaris, and to detect peptide-like immunoreactivities in tissue extracts.
Copper Layers Deposited on Aluminum by Galvanic Displacement

Metallization layers nanometers to tens of nanometers thick are desirable for semiconductor interconnects, among other technologically relevant nanostructures. Whereas aqueous deposition of such films is economically attractive, fabrication of continuous layers is particularly challenging on oxidized substrates used in many applications. Here it is demonstrated that galvanic displacement can deposit thin adherent copper layers on aluminum foils and thin films from alkaline copper sulfate baths. According to scanning electron microscopy and quartz crystal microbalance measurements, the use of relatively low CuSO4 concentrations produced films composed of copper nanoparticles overlying a uniform continuous copper layer on the order of nanometers in thickness. It seems that there are no precedents for such thin layers formed by aqueous deposition on oxidized metals. The thin copper layers are explained by a mechanism in which copper ions are reduced by surface aluminum hydride on Al during alkaline dissolution.
Determination of the mechanical properties of rock in situ

Abstract It is suggested that an in situ testing technique to determine the Shear Modulus of a cohesive, non-fissured rock can be devised by measuring the elastic deformation in the vicinity of a pressurized hole in the rock. A laboratory simulation of the proposed field technique is described in which tests were made on blocks of sandstone and marble loaded biaxially. The theoretical stress distribution around the pressurized hole was compared with the elastic deformation demonstrated by a photoelastic coating surrounding the hole. The results appear to indicate that the method would be feasible in the field and that it could form a useful adjunct to the determination of residual stress by borehole stress-relief methods.
Adenosine diphosphate induces binding of von Willebrand factor to human platelets.

Blood platelets seal off leaks in the vessel wall to prevent haemorrhage by a mechanism involving their activation, adhesion to the zone of vessel injury and aggregation1. This physiologically important haemostatic process requires Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (vWF), a plasma glycoprotein missing in the genetic, haemorrhagic disorder called von Willebrand disease, in which platelets cannot adhere to the subendothelial layer of the vessel wall2. Thus vWF is necessary for anchoring platelets to the vessel wall, and it mediates platelet–platelet interaction. This interaction requires an appropriate receptor on the platelet surface. Until recently, the antibiotic ristocetin was used to induce in vitro receptor-mediated binding of vWF to platelets and to cause their aggregation or agglutination3–7. But although a useful laboratory tool8, ristocetin is clearly non-physiological, so we turned our attention to thrombin, which appears in venous blood within 45 s of venipuncture and is a very potent physiological inducer of platelet aggregation. Thrombin causes platelets to change shape from discoid to spiny spheres, and alters the platelet membrane resulting in release of ADP, serotonin and other constituents of platelet storage granules9. We recently showed that low concentrations (0.1–0.5 nM) of thrombin, attainable in blood, induce binding of vWF to a specific platelet receptor10. We now report that the binding of vWF to platelet receptors is also induced by ADP on its addition to platelets. Moreover, ADP released from platelet storage granules by thrombin is, at least in part, responsible for subsequent binding of 125I-labelled vWF.
Nocturnal behavior of gulls in coastal New Jersey

We studied the behavior of gulls at night with an image intensifier telescope to determine whether they were active at night, and the extent of their foraging in coastal habitats of New Jersey in the summer, fall, and winter of 1989–1990. Regression models and Kruskal-Wallis tests indicated that date, time of day, tide, cloud cover, moon phase, and study location all influenced variations in the presence and nocturnal activities of gulls. For each site and species, an, average of 48–88% of the nocturnal surveys recorded gulls foraging or flying about. More laughing gulls (Larus atricilla) foraged at night at Brigantine Beach compared to ring-billed gulls (L. delawarensis) at the northern New Jersey sites. However, more gulls were flying about at the Raritan River site compared to the other places. We suggest that more laughing gulls fed at night compared to ring-billed gulls because the former were breeding. Breeding gulls spend half their time incubating or caring for chicks, and thus might have time constraints on foraging during the day. Laughing gulls foraged at all times of the night on some surveys, but were more frequent around midnight, and the number of flying laughing gulls decreased after 0200 hours. Ring-billed gulls, however, seemed to be equally active all night. Our data indicate that gulls can be active all night, and in all habitats.
Reducing Refrigeration Costs in the Dairy Plant

Summary The first step in reducing costs of refrigeration is to produce the refrigeration efficiently, by operating at as high a suction pressure and at as low a head pressure as possible, while still maintaining the desired evaporator temperature. By following these practices, it is estimated many plant operators can reduce their costs on an average of $3 per day for a plant with 40,000-lb. capacity. The next step is to reduce the need for these refrigeration services wherever possible. Then study each individual operation, to locate sources of energy losses. The principles are the same, whether steam or refrigeration are involved. If the plant operations are observed critically, costs can be reduced and income increased.
Extraterrestrial accretion from the GISP2 ice core

The rate of extraterrestrial accretion for particles in the size range 0.45 μm to ∼20 μm was determined from dust concentrates extracted from Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2) ice core samples. Using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), we determined the iridium (Ir) content of the dust. Following a core-specific correction for terrestrial Ir and assuming a chondritic Ir abundance of 500 ppb, we measure an average accretion rate for 0.45 μm to ∼20 μm particles over the entire Earth of 0.22 (± 0.11) × 109 g/yr (kton/yr) for 317 years of ice through the interval 6 to 20 ka. This is consistent with the interplanetary dust accretion rate of 0.17 (± 0.08) x 109 g/yr that we derive from published 3He data for the GISP2 core. Accounting for particles that are larger and smaller than those detected by or experiment, our best estimate of the total accretion rate (including particle sizes up to about 4 cm in diameter) is 2.5 × 109 g/yr. The uncertainty in this estimate is dominated by statistical fluctuations in the number of particles expected to end up in the ice core and not by measurement error. Based on Monte Carlo simulations, we estimate the upper limit for total extraterrestrial accretion to Earth of 6.25 × 109 g/yr (95% confidence level). This accretion rate is consistent with some estimates from micrometeorite concentrations in polar ice, estimates from ground-based radar studies, and with accretion estimates of 3He-bearing interplanetary dust particles, assuming that 3He is correlated with particle surface area. It is, however, lower than estimates based on platinum group element studies of marine sediments. The conflict may indicate systematic errors with either the marine or the non-marine samples, departures from the assumed particle spectrum of Grun and coauthors, or time-variable accretion rates, with the early Holocene period being characterized by low levels of accretion.
Gastroenteritis of basenji dogs.

Intestinal digestive and absorptive function and the gross and histologic appearance of the gas- trointestinal tract were evaluated in Basenji dogs with chronic diarrhea, asymptomatic Basenji dogs, and healthy control dogs. Gastric rugal hypertrophy, lymphocytic gastritis, and gastric mucosal atrophy occurred in asymp- tomatic and affected Basenji dogs. All affected dogs had moderate or severe intestinal lesions characterized by villous clubbing and fusion, increased tortuousity of intestinal crypts, and diffuse infiltration of mononuclear inflammatory cells. Intestinal lesions in asymptomatic Basenji dogs invariably were less severe than those in affected dogs, but the small intestinal lamina propria of asymptomatic Basenji dogs consistently contained greater numbers of mononuclear inflammatory cells than did that of control dogs. The proportion of cells containing each immunoglobulin isotype (IgG, IgM, IgA) was similar among affected Basenji dogs, asymptomatic Basenji dogs, and control dogs. As compared to healthy beagle controls, intestinal function was abnormal in both affected and asymptomatic Basenji dogs evaluated by combined N-benozoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid and d-xylose test, but malabsorption and maldigestion were most pronounced in affected Basenji dogs.
Linear feedback stabilization of critical bilinear systems

Linear feedback stabilization of critical bilinear systems in which the zero-input linear system possesses either a simple zero eigenvalue or a pair of simple, purely imaginary eigenvalues is studied. The bilinear system loses its linearity through the applied feedback and may exhibit bifurcations if subject to parameter variation. Feedback control laws are developed to achieve the local asymptotic stability of the resulting nonlinear system, which is better than the stability possessed by the zero-input bilinear system. >
Theories of learning in games and heterogeneity bias

work begins with pooled estimation of the model(s) under scrutiny. I show that in the presence of parameter heterogeneity, pooled estimation can produce a severe bias that tends to unduly favor reinforcement learning relative to belief learning. This occurs when comparisons are based on goodness of fit and when comparisons are based on the relative importance of the two kinds of learning in hybrid structural models. Even misspecified random parameter estimators can greatly reduce the bias relative to pooled estimation.
Neonatal effects of maternal nadolol therapy.

Abstract Described is the case of an infant, exposed during gestation to the β-blocker nadolol, who experienced cardiorespiratory depression, mild hypoglycemia, and growth retardation. The longer duration of action of nadolol and the fact that it is only 30% protein bound make it less desirable than propranolol for use as a β-blocker during pregnancy.
A Comparison of Seismic Array Processing Methods

Summary This paper discusses a number of alternative schemes for combining the outputs of the seismometers in an array so as to maximize the improvement in signal-to-noise ratio while imposing a minimal distortion on the waveform of the signal arrival. For gaussian noise, these requirements lead to linear processors. A brief review is given of the class of such processors that involves a single delay or a single delay and amplitude weight in each sensor output before summation. The more general class of linear processing involving a linear filtering operation on each output before summation is then described. The two principal procedures of this kind are maximum-likelihood and Wiener processing. The first of these results from imposing the condition of zero frequency distortion of the signal; the latter results in an optimum tradeoff between noise and signal distortion in the output. Experimental results are presented showing the result of using these various schemes on small numbers of seismometers at installations in Arizona (TFO) and Montana (LASA).
Thermal conductivity of diamond between 170 and 1200 K and the isotope effect

The thermal conductivity of single-crystal diamond has recently received increased attention resulting from an announcement by General Electric of a 50% enhancement in the thermal conductivity of synthetic diamond of high isotopic purity[1] at room temperature. This increase was unexpected by standard theory. Thermal conductivity measurements on natural diamond between 500 and 1200K, and on synthetic, nearly isotopically pure (0.07% 13 C) diamond between 170 and 320K are reported here. The large temperature range allows a more accurate determination of the isotope effect than previously possible[1,2].
Scarless and site-directed mutagenesis in Salmonella enteritidis chromosome.

Background A variety of techniques have been described which introduce scarless, site-specific chromosomal mutations. These techniques can be applied to make point mutations or gene deletions as well as insert heterologous DNA into bacterial vectors for vaccine development. Most methods use a multi-step approach that requires cloning and/or designing repeat sequences to facilitate homologous recombination. We have modified previously published techniques to develop a simple, efficient PCR-based method for scarless insertion of DNA into Salmonella enteritidis chromosome.
Evaluation of statistical methods for normalization and differential expression in mRNA-Seq experiments

High-throughput sequencing technologies, such as the Illumina Genome Analyzer, are powerful new tools for investigating a wide range of biological and medical questions. Statistical and computational methods are key for drawing meaningful and accurate conclusions from the massive and complex datasets generated by the sequencers. We provide a detailed evaluation of statistical methods for normalization and differential expression (DE) analysis of Illumina transcriptome sequencing (mRNA-Seq) data. We compare statistical methods for detecting genes that are significantly DE between two types of biological samples and find that there are substantial differences in how the test statistics handle low-count genes. We evaluate how DE results are affected by features of the sequencing platform, such as, varying gene lengths, base-calling calibration method (with and without phi X control lane), and flow-cell/library preparation effects. We investigate the impact of the read count normalization method on DE results and show that the standard approach of scaling by total lane counts (e.g., RPKM) can bias estimates of DE. We propose more general quantile-based normalization procedures and demonstrate an improvement in DE detection. Our results have significant practical and methodological implications for the design and analysis of mRNA-Seq experiments. They highlight the importance of appropriate statistical methods for normalization and DE inference, to account for features of the sequencing platform that could impact the accuracy of results. They also reveal the need for further research in the development of statistical and computational methods for mRNA-Seq.
“To Avoid Evaluation, Withdraw”: Fears of Evaluation and Depressive Cognitions Lead to Social Anxiety and Submissive Withdrawal

We propose a cognitive model of social anxiety-related submission based upon psycho-evolutionary accounts of social anxiety and depression and present results of two studies supporting this model. We tested a confirmatory factor model consisting of three latent lower-order factors (fear of negative evaluation, fear of positive evaluation, and depressive cognitions), all of which load onto a single latent higher-order submissive cognitions factor. In essence, we propose that the symptoms associated with social anxiety and depression (in part) served adaptive functions for coping with social threats in the ancestral environment and that the cognitive symptoms associated with these disorders may function collectively as integrated components of a social anxiety-related submission mechanism. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the hypothesized model fit well. A score derived from the submissive cognitions factor correlated strongly with social anxiety-related measures and less strongly with measures of generalized anxiety/worry in Studies 1 and 2. Furthermore, this submissive cognitions score correlated in the expected direction with self-report measures of social comparison, negative affect, and positive affect in Study 2, and mediational analyses indicated that submissive cognitions may mediate the relationship between social comparison and submissive behaviors. Findings from both studies provide support for the proposed model.
Fission Yeast Tel1 ATM and Rad3 ATR Promote Telomere Protection and Telomerase Recruitment

The checkpoint kinases ATM and ATR are redundantly required for maintenance of stable telomeres in diverse organisms, including budding and fission yeasts, Arabidopsis, Drosophila, and mammals. However, the molecular basis for telomere instability in cells lacking ATM and ATR has not yet been elucidated fully in organisms that utilize both the telomere protection complex shelterin and telomerase to maintain telomeres, such as fission yeast and humans. Here, we demonstrate by quantitative chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays that simultaneous loss of Tel1ATM and Rad3ATR kinases leads to a defect in recruitment of telomerase to telomeres, reduced binding of the shelterin complex subunits Ccq1 and Tpz1, and increased binding of RPA and homologous recombination repair factors to telomeres. Moreover, we show that interaction between Tpz1-Ccq1 and telomerase, thought to be important for telomerase recruitment to telomeres, is disrupted in tel1Δ rad3Δ cells. Thus, Tel1ATM and Rad3ATR are redundantly required for both protection of telomeres against recombination and promotion of telomerase recruitment. Based on our current findings, we propose the existence of a regulatory loop between Tel1ATM/Rad3ATR kinases and Tpz1-Ccq1 to ensure proper protection and maintenance of telomeres in fission yeast.
Ground Covers Influence the Abundance and Behavior of Japanese Beetles

Ground covers were tested for 3 consecutive yr for their effect on Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), abundance and behavior in a blueberry planting. Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.), buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), pe- rennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and bare ground were compared within row-middles for their effect on abundance of adult female beetles, female beetle behavior after landing, density of larvae in the soil, and survival of larvae. Adult beetles were consistently most abundant on buckwheat, followed by clover and ryegrass, while they were generally absent from bare ground plots. Larval density was three times greater in ryegrass and clover than in buckwheat, with the fewest found in bare ground. There was high variability in larval survival within treatments, but overall survival was highest in plots with ryegrass. Observations of adult beetles revealed that the proportion of time spent feeding and the frequency of feeding were higher on buckwheat and clover than on ryegrass, and the average duration of digging bouts lasted longer on ryegrass than on the other two plant treatments. These results reveal that adult P. japonica behavior is affected by cover crops and that this behavior translates into variation in larval density of this pest.
Impacts of Transgenic Sugarcane Expressing GNA Lectin on Parasitism of Mexican Rice Borer by Parallorhogas pyralophagus (Marsh) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Parallorhogas pyralophagus (Marsh) is the principal parasitoid of Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar), the primary pest of sugarcane in south Texas. Insect resistant transgenic sugarcane producing Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA) was developed to improve control of E. loftini. The present laboratory study addressed whether transgenic sugarcane adversely affects parasitism of E. loftini by P. pyralophagus. Females of P. pyralophagus preferentially probed, drilled, and parasitized E. loftini larvae fed artificial diet based on conventional sugarcane versus larvae fed diet based on transgenic sugarcane. Activity levels of E. loftini were reduced when fed diet based on transgenic sugarcane, but no differences were evident in frass volatile profiles. Overall, the results suggested a positive association between larval activity level and likelihood of parasitism, which may render E. loftini larvae feeding on transgenic sugarcane less susceptible to parasitism by P. pyralophagus. However, it was concluded that this may not significantly affect control of E. loftini because (1) while E. loftini larvae that are most susceptible to transgenic sugarcane may be less prone to parasitism by P. pyralophagus, they are less likely to cause severe crop damage and reproduce successfully; and (2) those E. loftini larvae least susceptible to transgenic sugarcane, and therefore more active and damaging to plants, may be more prone to parasitism by P. pyralophagus.
Effect of Acidosis on the Properties of the Glutaminase mRNA pH-Response Element Binding Protein

The pH-responsive stabilization of the rat renal glutaminase (GA) mRNA during metabolic acidosis is mediated by a pH-response element (pH-RE). The primary pH-RE within the GA mRNA consists of a direct repeat of an 8-base adenosine and uridine-rich sequence, which binds a specific cytosolic protein, the pH-response element binding protein (REBP). The functional analysis of this system was performed in LLC-PK(1)-F(+) cells, a pH-responsive line of porcine proximal tubule-like cells. Cytosolic extracts of LLC-PK(1)-F(+) cells also contain a protein that binds with high affinity to the rat GA mRNA pH-RE. The apparent binding of this protein is increased threefold in cytosolic extracts prepared from LLC-PK(1)-F(+) cells that were grown in acidic medium (pH = 6.9, HCO(3)- = 10 mM). Extracts prepared from the renal cortex of rats that were made acutely acidotic also exhibit a similar increase in binding to the RNA probe that contains the direct repeat of the pH-RE. The temporal increase in binding correlates with the temporal increase in GA mRNA. Scatchard analysis indicates that the increased binding is due to an increase in both the affinity and the maximal binding of the pH-REBP. Thus, increased binding of the pH-REBP to the GA mRNA may initiate its stabilization and increased expression during acidosis.
Inhalational Anthrax and Bioterrorism: Key Recommendations for Acute Respiratory Failure

Anthrax is caused by exposure to Bacillus anthracis an aerobic, Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterial infection that most commonly infects herbivore mammals. Human infection occurs in those with close exposure to infected animal products. In fact, the first reported cases of anthrax, during the mid-1800s, were related to the textile and tanning industries in both England and Germany [1]. Infections were first documented in mill workers who were frequently exposed to imported animal fibers contaminated with B. anthracis spores.
Practice and Research on Chinese Language Learning in Study Abroad Contexts

This chapter provides an overview of the field of Chinese language learning in study abroad contexts. It consists of three sections. The first section presents the major models and features of American university-run study abroad (SA) programs in mainland China. The major models hinge on the program’s length and content. The features are reflected in curriculum requirements, location, extracurricular activities, and program accommodations. Section two shares a review of theories and empirical studies that investigate the learning process and outcomes in Chinese SA contexts. Gaps between existing research studies and future research are identified. Section three discusses salient issues in curriculum design and pedagogy faced by various types of SA programs and provides practical guidance based on theories and empirical research results for administrators and educators to launch and ameliorate short or long-term SA programs. Both researchers and practitioners in the field of teaching Chinese as a foreign language in the U.S. can gain insights from this chapter.
Method of interchannel compensation of pulse noise in problems of the restoration of multicomponent digital images

A method is proposed for the restoration of multicomponent digital images, based on preliminary adaptive detection of pulse noise, followed by compensation, using the property of interchannel redundancy. The proposed method has been numerically investigated in a wide intensity range of pulse noise, the results of which show that the accuracy of the restoration of three-component (color) images has been increased. Examples are given of image restoration, using previously known processing methods and the proposed method.
Pulmonary Distribution and Kinetics of Inhaled [11C]Triamcinolone Acetonide

Triamcinolone acetonide (TAA) is an anti-inflammatory steroid used for topical treatment of allergic rhinitis and asthma. Drug deposition onto target tissues is an important parameter, so methods for accurate deposition measurement are needed. Lung deposition is especially problematic to measure because of the large field of view and low relative drug penetration. Our main objective was to use PET to measure the deposition and postdeposition kinetics of TAA in the lung after administration from the Azmacort inhaler. The second objective was to evaluate changes in distribution caused by the inhalation spacer that is built into the product. Methods:11C-labeled TAA was formulated as the Azmacort product, 5 healthy volunteers inhaled it, and PET scans were obtained of its distribution in the head and chest. Region-of-interest analysis with CT overlay was used to analyze the distribution and kinetics in the airway and lung. Results: From 10% to 15% of the inhaled drug dose was deposited in target airway regions in a distally decreasing pattern. Deposition in the oral cavity was about 30% of the dose. Slow absorption or clearance of drug from target tissues was observed over time. Use of the inhalation spacer caused statistically significant increases in all target tissues (factor of 2–5) and a roughly 40% decrease in oral deposition. Measurable amounts of the drug remained in target regions throughout the scanning period. Conclusion: Local pulmonary distribution and kinetics of inhaled drugs can be measured accurately by PET for drug development. The integrated actuator–spacer significantly enhanced deposition of TAA in target tissues and reduced deposition in the oropharyngeal region.
The urgent need for monitoring and intervention to reduce metabolic risk factors in patients with schizophrenia.

Serious mental illness is associated with a significant reduction in life expectancy of ≤30 years. Among patients with schizophrenia, mortality due to coronary heart disease is ∼50% higher than that of the general population. Patients with schizophrenia have substantially higher rates of cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension, physical inactivity, obesity/overweight, and diabetes) than the general population. Approximately 75% of individuals with schizophrenia smoke compared to ∼25% of the general population. Patients with schizophrenia also have lipid profiles that are significantly worse than those of individuals in the general population.
Eggs of Flood Water Mosquitoes III (Diptera, Culicidae). Conditioning and Hatching of Aedes Vexans

Eggs of floodwater mosquitoes are capable of withstanding adversities such as drought, cold and unfavorable submersion. Once the eggs of a species have been subjected to adversity, a sequence of events called “conditioning” is required to predispose them to respond to the final stimulus. This sequence of events necessary for conditioning varies according to the species. Accordingly some may hatch shortly after the onset of any period of inundation in spring and summer; others respond to a hatching stimulus only as the ice breaks up late in the winter or early in the spring. Eggs of both groups refrain from hatching whenever they are flooded before they have been conditioned or prepared for hatching. Once eggs are conditioned, the ultimate stimulus to hatching of any of the species is a decreasing gradient of oxygen dissolved in the water under which the eggs are submerged (Borg and Horsfall, 1953).
Estimating the Mechanical Behavior of the Knee Joint During Crouch Gait: Implications for Real-Time Motor Control of Robotic Knee Orthoses

Individuals with cerebral palsy frequently exhibit crouch gait, a pathological walking pattern characterized by excessive knee flexion. Knowledge of the knee joint moment during crouch gait is necessary for the design and control of assistive devices used for treatment. Our goal was to 1) develop statistical models to estimate knee joint moment extrema and dynamic stiffness during crouch gait, and 2) use the models to estimate the instantaneous joint moment during weight-acceptance. We retrospectively computed knee moments from 10 children with crouch gait and used stepwise linear regression to develop statistical models describing the knee moment features. The models explained at least 90% of the response value variability: peak moment in early (99%) and late (90%) stance, and dynamic stiffness of weight-acceptance flexion (94%) and extension (98%). We estimated knee extensor moment profiles from the predicted dynamic stiffness and instantaneous knee angle. This approach captured the timing and shape of the computed moment (root-mean-squared error: 2.64 Nm); including the predicted early-stance peak moment as a correction factor improved model performance (root-mean-squared error: 1.37 Nm). Our strategy provides a practical, accurate method to estimate the knee moment during crouch gait, and could be used for real-time, adaptive control of robotic orthoses.
Molecular Pathology of Fibroepithelial Neoplasms of the Breast

Fibroepithelial neoplasms (FEN) of the breast including fibroadenoma (FA) and phyllodes tumor (PT) are commonly encountered lesions in surgical pathology practice. FA is the most common benign tumor of the breast and shares many histomorphologic features with less commonly encountered PT. PT is further classified into benign, borderline and malignant PT. Distinction between FA and PT and accurate classification of PT is critical to predict behavior and appropriate management. A subset of FA may progress to PT and rarely epithelial malignancy may be seen associated with FA. In this chapter we discuss molecular pathways involved in tumorigenesis and progression of FEN and also review the literature with respect to biomarkers that may assist in the differential diagnosis of this group of tumors.
Prophylactic infusion therapy in hemophilia.

When part of a program of comprehensive care and patient-family education, home infusion of the missing coagulation factor by patient or parent can provide a high degree of hemorrhage control, or even complete prophylaxis, enabling the great majority of patients with hemophilia to lead nearly normal lives. Third-party coverage and government support are essential to eliminate cost as a major obstacle to treatment.
Dynamic inverse models in human-cyber-physical systems

Human interaction with the physical world is increasingly mediated by automation. This interaction is characterized by dynamic coupling between robotic (i.e. cyber) and neuromechanical (i.e. human) decision-making agents. Guaranteeing performance of such human-cyber-physical systems will require predictive mathematical models of this dynamic coupling. Toward this end, we propose a rapprochement between robotics and neuromechanics premised on the existence of internal forward and inverse models in the human agent. We hypothesize that, in tele-robotic applications of interest, a human operator learns to invert automation dynamics, directly translating from desired task to required control input. By formulating the model inversion problem in the context of a tracking task for a nonlinear control system in control-a_ne form, we derive criteria for exponential tracking and show that the resulting dynamic inverse model generally renders a portion of the physical system state (i.e., the internal dynamics) unobservable from the human operator's perspective. Under stability conditions, we show that the human can achieve exponential tracking without formulating an estimate of the system's state so long as they possess an accurate model of the system's dynamics. These theoretical results are illustrated using a planar quadrotor example. We then demonstrate that the automation can intervene to improve performance of the tracking task by solving an optimal control problem. Performance is guaranteed to improve under the assumption that the human learns and inverts the dynamic model of the altered system. We conclude with a discussion of practical limitations that may hinder exact dynamic model inversion.
On the effects of structural zeros in regression models

Count variables are commonly used in public health research. However, the count variables often do not precisely capture differences among subjects in a study population of interest. For example, drinking outcomes such as the number of days of any alcohol drinking (DAD) over a period of time are often used to assess alcohol use in alcohol studies. A DAD value of 0 for a subject could mean that the subject was continually abstinent from drinking such as lifetime abstainers or that the subject was alcoholic, but happened not to use any alcohol during the period of time considered. In statistical analysis, zeros of the first kind are referred to as structural zeros, to distinguish them from the second type, sampling zeros. As the example indicates, the structural and sampling zeros represent two groups of subjects with quite different psychosocial outcomes. Although many recent studies have begun to explicitly account for the differences between the two types of zeros in modeling drinking variables as responses, none have acknowledged the implications of the different types of zeros when such drinking variables are used as predictors. This chapter is an updated version of He et al. (J Data Sci 12(3), 2014), where we first attempted to tackle the issue and illustrate the importance of disentangling the structural and sampling zeros in alcohol research using simulated as well as real study data.
Comparison of norepinephrine and isoproterenol clearance in congestive heart failure.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is accompanied by increased sympathetic nervous activity. Previous studies have demonstrated that plasma norepinephrine (NE), a marker of sympathetic nervous activity, is elevated in CHF due to increased NE spillover into the circulation and decreased NE clearance. In this study we compared the clearance of NE and isoproterenol (ISO) in eight CHF subjects (plasma NE 601 +/- 133 pg/ml), and in nine controls (plasma NE 285 +/- 53 pg/ml) by using steady-state infusions of tritiated NE ([3H]NE) and tritiated ISO ([3H]ISO). Because ISO is not a substrate of neuronal reuptake but is removed from the circulation in a way that is similar to NE after neuronal reuptake blockade with desipramine, ISO clearance may permit a gross estimation of non-neuronal uptake of circulating NE. The NE clearance was lower in CHF than in the control group (CHF 1.25 +/- 0.13, controls 2.04 +/- 0.22 l.min-1.m-2; P = 0.009). The ISO clearance was reduced similarly in CHF (CHF 0.90 +/- 0.09, controls 1.59 +/- 0.12 l.min-1.m-2; P less than 0.001). Because the ratio of ISO to NE clearance was similar in both groups, our findings suggest that a low cardiac output in CHF decreases the availability of circulating catecholamines to tissue elimination sites.
The Basic Hodgkin–Huxley Model

In this chapter, the cable model is extended to allow ions to flow through voltage dependent gates. Hence, this is an axon model. The gates are modeled as Hodgkin–Huxley ion gates which are curve fit solutions to a gate model whose opening and closing is controlled by the interaction of activation and inactivation variables which satisfy first order dynamics. Under the use of the voltage clamped protocol, this gives a second order ODE to solve whose external ion currents are very nonlinear in time and voltage. The solution to this model in MatLab is discussed very carefully with many examples and careful explanations of code choices. Finally, many sample action potential generation models are solved in the case of single and multiple applied pulses. The full dendritic cable model is then glued to the axon model to create a simple model of an excitatory cell.
100 Years of Erosion at Poncho House

ABSTRACTA photographic comparison of Poncho House cliff ruin shows the degree of natural and human erosion during the last 100 years and stresses the need for stabilization of and supervised access to such important ruins.
Design of stabilizing control laws for second-order switched systems

Abstract In this paper, we design asymptotically stabilizing switching control laws for switched systems consisting of several second-order LTI subsystems with unstable foci. Switching is needed for the stabilization of a system consisting of several subsystems if each of its subsystems is unstable. We first study switched systems consisting of two subsystems with unstable foci and conic switching stabilizing control laws are derived. Then the result is extended to several subsystems. In particular, necessary and sufficient conditions for the asymptotic stabilizability of a switched system are derived. If the switched system is asymptotically stabilizable, an asymptotically stabilizing switching law can also be obtained. Finally, we briefly compare the method derived here to a matrix inequality based design method.
Invisible seams: Preventing childhood obesity through an improved obstetrics-pediatrics care continuum.

Progress in altering the current obesity epidemic among children and adolescents remains elusive. Evidence continues to underscore the challenges of altering weight status as children age. Further, weight loss interventions among children and adults alike tend to demonstrate efficacy in the short-term, however individuals tend to slowly revert back to their original weight status over time. New understanding of obesity's early origins suggests the need to rethink current approaches, particularly within healthcare. Instead of a predominant focus on “mid-flight course corrections,” healthcare should consider the “take-off” time period for health trajectories. This means improved support and promotion of healthy behaviors before and after birth, and with both the mother and infant. To meet the challenge, greater continuity will be required across obstetrics and pediatrics, which often operate independently, focused on different clinical outcomes. Likewise, there is an urgent need to remedy a significant skills gap within both practices. Through its connection with almost every new mother, healthcare plays a unique and vital role in maternal and child health outcomes. A more seamless obstetrics-pediatrics care continuum could better address the early origins of obesity, factors that we are coming to learn have life-long consequences.
Mechanical, thermal, and electrical analysis of a compliant interconnect

Ball grid array (BGA) package styles use solder balls as electrical interconnects between packages and application boards. Solder balls are rigid and tend to fracture under thermal fatigue and/or shock loading. Metalized polymer spheres (MPS) offer a more compliant interconnect, compared to solder balls, thereby increasing the thermal cycling fatigue life. A reduction in thermal and electrical performance may be expected for MPS interconnects as a result of its higher thermal and electrical resistances. A 5% and an 8% increase in MPS thermal resistance was measured for a carrier array ball grid array (CABGA) package and a plastic ball grid array (PBGA) package, respectively, compared to eutectic solder balls. However, this small reduction was offset by large gains in the solder joint life. A 1.6 times increase in the mean thermal fatigue life was measured for a CABGA using MPS interconnects compared to eutectic solder balls. A first-order model showed that eutectic solder balls provide greater process margins, compared to MPS interconnects, due to the ball collapse during reflow.
Delivering on the Promise of Smoke-Free Public Housing.

On November 30, 2016, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a final rule mandating that public housing authorities it supports prohibit all smoking on their residential premises, including within residents’ apartments. The primary rationale for this action was to protect nonsmoking residents from the harms of tobacco smoke exposure.Although the harms of secondhand smoke are clear and the potential for reducing nonsmoking residents’ exposure is real, it will be no simple matter to successfully implement the policy requirements set down by HUD. Some challenges to policy implementation will apply to all public housing authorities, and others will be unique to specific settings.By being aware of the benefits of smoke-free public housing as well as the challenges inherent in complying with HUD’s rule, public housing authorities stand the best chance of fulfilling the potential of this major policy initiative to significantly improve public health in a vulnerable population.
Effects of Glutamate Receptor Activation on Local Oxygen Changes.

Glutamate is ubiquitous throughout the brain and serves as the primary excitatory neurotransmitter. Neurons require energy to fire, and energetic substrates (i.e., O2, glucose) are renewed via cerebral blood flow (CBF) to maintain metabolic homeostasis. Magnetic resonance brain functionality studies rely on the assumption that CBF and neuronal activity are coupled consistently throughout the brain; however, the origin of neuronal activity does not always coincide with signals indicative of energy consumption (e.g., O2 decreases) at high spatial resolutions. Therefore, relationships between excitatory neurotransmission and energy use must be evaluated at higher resolutions. In this study, we showed that both endogenously released and exogenously ejected glutamate decrease local tissue O2 concentrations, but whether hyperemic O2 restoration followed depended on the stimulus method. Electrically stimulating the glutamatergic corticostriatal pathway evoked biphasic O2 responses at striatal terminals: first O2...