cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Distributed energy storage system control for optimal adoption of electric vehicles

In recent years, automotive manufactures have introduced plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) into the automotive market. This market is expected to expand rapidly in the near future. Depending on the charging rates and charging times of PEVs, distribution networks can face significant stress. In this paper, distributed energy storage (DES) systems are proposed to improve the flexibility of residential distribution networks to support PEV adoption. Operating these DES systems optimally not only facilities PEV adoption but also reduces operating costs by taking advantage of the real-time energy market to profit from charging and discharging the DES units. This paper presents a Discrete Ascent Optimal Programming algorithm for optimizing energy market participation.
Corrective Reading Program An Analysis of Effectiveness with Learning Disabled and Mentally Retarded Students

The Corrective Reading Program (CRP) was used with a group of learning disabled (LD) and educable mentally retarded (EMR) adolescents with data collected on the achievement of these students in the domains of reading recognition and comprehension. When compared to reading progress made in prior years, both groups showed significantly greater improvement. LD students experienced larger achievement gains than EMR students in both recognition and comprehension with differences in the former domain being statistically significant. Implications are discussed with regard to the two issues of possible benefits of a remedial orientation in curricula for adolescent students and of the validity of cross-categorical programming, respectively.
Treatment of fibrositis with fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac).

We report on a patient who did not respond to amitriptyline or cyclobenzaprine but who was completely cured by fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac ® ). This is the first documented report of successful treatment of fibrositis with fluoxetine hydrochloride. There have been suggestions that the sleep disturbances in fibrositis may be related to serotonin metabolism
Type I interferon signaling contributes to the bias that Toll-like receptor 4 exhibits for signaling mediated by the adaptor protein TRIF.

Signaling by Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is mediated by either of two adaptor proteins: myeloid differentiation marker 88 (MyD88) or Toll–interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor (TIR) domain–containing adaptor inducing interferon-β (TRIF). Whereas MyD88-mediated signaling leads to proinflammatory responses, TRIF-mediated signaling leads to less toxic immunostimulatory responses that are beneficial in boosting vaccine responses. The hypothesis that monophosphorylated lipid A structures act as TRIF-biased agonists of TLR4 offered a potential mechanism to explain their clinical value as vaccine adjuvants, but studies of TRIF-biased agonists have been contradictory. In experiments with mouse dendritic cells, we found that irrespective of the agonist used, TLR4 functioned as a TRIF-biased signaling system through a mechanism that depended on the autocrine and paracrine effects of type I interferons. The TLR4 agonist synthetic lipid A induced expression of TRIF-dependent genes at lower concentrations than were necessary to induce the expression of genes that depend on MyD88-mediated signaling. Blockade of type I interferon signaling selectively decreased the potency of lipid A (increased the concentration required) in inducing the expression of TRIF-dependent genes, thereby eliminating adaptor bias. These data may explain how high-potency TLR4 agonists can act as clinically useful vaccine adjuvants by selectively activating TRIF-dependent signaling events required for immunostimulation, without or only weakly activating potentially harmful MyD88-dependent inflammatory responses.
Toxicity of Chromobacterium subtsugae to southern green stink bug (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) and corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Abstract Diabrotica spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) beetles and southern green stink bugs,Nezara viridula (L.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), are pests on corn,Zea mays L., and soybean,Glycine max (L.) Merr., as well as on cucurbits. Control of these insects has depended on chemicals. An alternative to chemical control is the use of biologicals. Use of bacteria, fungi, viruses, pheromones, and metabolites to control these insects can potentially improve resistance management and reduce pesticide use. Other thanBacillus thuringiensis Berliner, few bacteria have been discovered that are lethal to either of these pests.Chromobacterium subtsugae Martin et al., a newly described bacterium that is known to be toxic to Colorado potato beetle,Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), larvae, was found to be toxic to both diabroticite adult beetles and southern green stink bug adults. In laboratory assays, toxins produced by these bacteria kill 80–100% of the adults of two species of diabroticite beetles,Diabrotica undecimp...
Simulation of Rapid Thermal Processing Equipment and Processes

We present finite element simulations of fluid flow, heat transfer, and chemical reactions in axisymmetric rapid thermal processing (RTP) configurations. A new approach to simulating radiation heat transfer between lamps, substrates, and system walls is described. The method accounts for multiple reflections and readily allows the inclusion of temperature, radiation wavelength, and materials specific emissivity parameters. The influence of system geometry, lamp power profile, substrate and wall emissivity parameters, and process gas flow upon RTP performance characteristics is illustrated through examples. Transient flow and heat transfer simulations are used to identify operating conditions where flow recirculations are avoided. The further use of physically based models in the design and optimization of RTP systems is discussed.
The Agricultural Mechanization Controversy

Attorneys of California Rural Legal Assistance are suing the University of California on behalf of 19 farm workers, alleging that publicly funded mechanization research displaces farm workers, eliminates small farmers, hurts consumers, impairs the quality of rural life, and impedes collective bargaining. This article reviews the evidence and finds that it does not support the charges. The mechanization lawsuit is important because applied research by universities is often authorized by legislation stipulating multiple goals, leaving researchers and universities vulnerable to lawsuits alleging that only some of the legislative goals are being pursued.
Hypothalamus-adipose tissue crosstalk: neuropeptide Y and the regulation of energy metabolism

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an orexigenic neuropeptide that plays a role in regulating adiposity by promoting energy storage in white adipose tissue and inhibiting brown adipose tissue activation in mammals. This review describes mechanisms underlying NPY’s effects on adipose tissue energy metabolism, with an emphasis on cellular proliferation, adipogenesis, lipid deposition, and lipolysis in white adipose tissue, and brown fat activation and thermogenesis. In general, NPY promotes adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation, leading to energy storage in adipose tissue, with effects mediated mainly through NPY receptor sub-types 1 and 2. This review highlights hypothalamus-sympathetic nervous system-adipose tissue innervation and adipose tissue-hypothalamus feedback loops as pathways underlying these effects. Potential sources of NPY that mediate adipose effects include the bloodstream, sympathetic nerve terminals that innervate the adipose tissue, as well as adipose tissue-derived cells. Understanding the role of central vs. peripherally-derived NPY in whole-body energy balance could shed light on mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of obesity. This information may provide some insight into searching for alternative therapeutic strategies for the treatment of obesity and associated diseases.
Stable anatase TiO2 coating on quartz fibers by atomic layer deposition for photoactive light-scattering in dye-sensitized solar cells

Quartz fibers provide a unique high surface-area substrate suitable for conformal coating using atomic layer deposition (ALD), and are compatible with high temperature annealing. This paper shows that the quartz fiber composition stabilizes ALD TiO2 in the anatase phase through TiO2–SiO2 interface formation, even after annealing at 1050 °C. When integrated into a dye-sensitized solar cell, the TiO2-coated quartz fiber mat improves light scattering performance. Results also confirm that annealing at high temperature is necessary for better photoactivity of ALD TiO2, which highlights the significance of quartz fibers as a substrate. The ALD TiO2 coating on quartz fibers also boosts dye adsorption and photocurrent response, pushing the overall efficiency of the dye-cells from 6.5 to 7.4%. The mechanisms for improved cell performance are confirmed using wavelength-dependent incident photon to current efficiency and diffuse light scattering results. The combination of ALD and thermal processing on quartz fibers may enable other device structures for energy conversion and catalytic reaction applications.
THE MYTH OF AMATEUR CROWDS

This paper analyzes the discourse of amateurism as it relates to crowdsourcing, a now relatively common model where organizations engage online communities to design goods and solve problems. This paper's findings are twofold: (1) crowdsourcing is discussed in the popular press as a process driven by amateurs and hobbyists, yet empirical research on crowdsourcing indicates that crowds are largely self-selected professionals and experts who opt-in to crowdsourcing arrangements; and (2) the myth of the amateur in crowdsourcing ventures works to label crowds as mere hobbyists who see crowdsourcing ventures as opportunities for creative expression, as entertainment, or as opportunities to pass the time when bored. This amateur/hobbyist label then undermines the fact that large amounts of real work and expert knowledge are exerted by crowds for relatively little reward and to serve the profit motives of companies. The myth of amateur crowds thus has critical implications for labor rights in the digital age. To...
CHEMOKINES AND ANTITUMOR IMMUNITY: WALKING THE TIGHTROPE

Chemokines play an important role in the generation of the immune system and in virtually every aspect of an immune response. The role of chemokines in antitumor immunity has been less straightforward to discern. A dichotomy exists in the field. One area of research has focused on the impact of tumor-derived chemokines, implicating them in everything from metastases to immune suppression. Another area of research has been dedicated to the introduction of chemokines into tumor cells in order to facilitate immune cell recruitment. In this review these two areas of investigation will be explored.
Epigenetic Regulation of Gene Programs by EMF1 and EMF2 in Arabidopsis

The EMBRYONIC FLOWER (EMF) genes are required to maintain vegetative development in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Loss-of-function emf mutants skip the vegetative phase, flower upon germination, and display pleiotropic phenotypes. EMF1 encodes a putative transcriptional regulator, while EMF2 encodes a Polycomb group (PcG) protein. PcG proteins form protein complexes that maintain gene silencing via histone modification. They are known to function as master regulators repressing multiple gene programs. Both EMF1 and EMF2 participate in PcG-mediated silencing of the flower homeotic genes AGAMOUS, PISTILLATA, and APETALA3. Full-genome expression pattern analysis of emf mutants showed that both EMF proteins regulate additional gene programs, including photosynthesis, seed development, hormone, stress, and cold signaling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was carried out to investigate whether EMF regulates these genes directly. It was determined that EMF1 and EMF2 interact with genes encoding the transcription factors ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3, LONG VEGETATIVE PHASE1, and FLOWERING LOCUS C, which control seed development, stress and cold signaling, and flowering, respectively. Our results suggest that the two EMFs repress the regulatory genes of individual gene programs to effectively silence the genetic pathways necessary for vegetative development and stress response. A model of the regulatory network mediated by EMF is proposed.
Prasterone (DHEA) and Mania

OBJECTIVE:To inform clinicians and investigators of the potential for severe mania in conjunction with the use of prasterone (DHEA; dehydroepiandrosterone).CASE SUMMARY:A 31-year-old Hispanic man was admitted on a 72-hour observation period from a neighboring hospital after threatening to kill himself, family members, and a friend. A loaded rifle was found under his bed. The family confirmed that he had begun using DHEA several weeks prior to his mood and behavioral changes. He denied any past violence, but had once been given an unsubstantiated diagnosis of bipolar disorder. He used alcohol episodically, and had difficulties controlling his anger while intoxicated. Although he improved with valproate, his threats of homicide led to involuntary commitment.DISCUSSION:Several studies and case reports strongly suggest that anabolic steroids can induce significant psychiatric difficulties, including mania, impaired cognition, and overt psychosis. Although the Food and Drug Administration noted in 1985 that th...
Statistical techniques in ophthalmic journals.

• Over the years, the use of statistics to evaluate experimental data in ophthalmology has increased. The present study sought to assess the frequency and types of statistical techniques used in ophthalmic journals. We reviewed 974 original articles from theArchivesfor 1970,1980, and 1990; the American Journal of Ophthalmology for 1990; and Ophthalmology for 1990. Of the 592 articles reviewed for 1990, 391 (66.0%) contained statistics, with measures of central tendency most commonly used (385 articles [65.0%]), followed by dispersion (298 [50.3%]), t test (120 [20.3%]), and contingency tables (98 [16.6%]). A reader familiar with 10 statistical techniques would have "statistical accessibility" to 526 (88.9%) of 1990 articles. A statistically significant difference was found in the percentage of articles containing statistical methods among the journals ( P =.0003;Archives, 75.3%; Ophthalmology , 66.8%; and American Journal of Ophthalmology , 55.2%).
Lithium and valproate-induced tremors

Lithium and valproate are mood stabilizers known to cause tremor. This article concisely addresses etiological questions, expected time frame of tremor onset, and treatment options for this medication-induced side effect. Along with dosage modifications of the tremor-inducing medication, authors review evidence from small trials of adjunctive treatment modalities.
Taxonomy: where are we now?

This is a commentary by the author on the current state of taxonomy - comprising past, present and future taxonomic perspectives.
The dual effect of lithium ions on sodium efflux in skeletal muscle.

Sartorius muscle cells from the frog were stored in a K-free Ringer solution at 3°C until their average sodium contents rose to around 23 mM/kg fiber (about 40 mM/liter fiber water). Such muscles, when placed in Ringer's solution containing 60 mM LiCl and 50 mM NaCl at 20°C, extruded 9.8 mM/kg of sodium and gained an equivalent quantity of lithium in a 2 hr period. The presence of 10-5 M strophanthidin in the 60 mM LiCl/50 mM NaCl Ringer solution prevented the net extrusion of sodium from the muscles. Lithium ions were found to enter muscles with a lowered internal sodium concentration at a rate about half that for entry into sodium-enriched muscles. When sodium-enriched muscles labeled with radioactive sodium ions were transferred from Ringer's solution to a sodium-free lithium-substituted Ringer solution, an increase in the rate of tracer sodium output was observed. When the lithium-substituted Ringer solution contained 10-5 M strophanthidin, a large decrease in the rate of tracer sodium output was observed upon transferring labeled sodium-enriched muscles from Ringer's solution to the sodium-free medium. It is concluded that lithium ions have a direct stimulating action on the sodium pump in skeletal muscle cells and that a significantly large external sodium-dependent component of sodium efflux is present in muscles with an elevated sodium content. In the sodium-rich muscles, about 23% of the total sodium efflux was due to strophanthidin-insensitive Na-for-Na interchange, about 67% being due to strophanthidin-sensitive sodium pumping.
Attitudes of Middle Grades Principals toward Online Teacher Preparation Programs in Middle Grades Education: Are Administrators Pushing "Delete"?.

This descriptive study investigated the attitudes of middle school building principals toward the desirability of preservice teacher preparation programs conducted wholly or almost wholly online. This project included middle schools in the states of Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio where random cluster sampling was utilized to select participants from a population list of schools and districts. After districts were determined, each middle school principal in the selected district was provided with a questionnaire. Seventy-five of 120 principals (16 from Indiana, 36 from Kentucky, 23 from Ohio) completed questionnaires for a response rate of 63%. The principals expressed apprehension about teacher dispositions and the social aspects of teaching that may be compromised in an online program, as well as general ethical concerns surrounding online courses. If middle grades principals are to acknowledge ultimately the marketability of online teacher preparation, the degree-granting institutions need to address these concerns and actively seek the input of administrators in program design.
The impact of uterine fibroid embolization on resumption of menses and ovarian function.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) on menstruation and ovarian function. METHODS The authors performed an observational study of UFE for the treatment of symptomatic fibroids. All patients had regular predictable menses before intervention and none had clinical or laboratory findings of menopause. UFE was performed with use of standard methods with 355–700-mm-diameter polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) foam particles. The incidence of ovarian failure was calculated for women younger than 45 years and for those 45 years or older, based on retrospective stratification by age. The authors assessed statistical differences in ovarian failure between the two age groups with use of the χ 2 test. RESULTS Sixty-six premenopausal women (age range, 30–55 years) underwent bilateral UFE and were followed for an average of 21 weeks (range, 12–77 weeks). In 56 of 66 (85%) patients, regular menses resumed after an average of 3.5 (range, 1–8) weeks. In 10 of 66 (15%) patients, regular menses did not resume. Clinical and biochemical findings consistent with ovarian failure and presumed menopause were seen in nine of 10 patients without resumption of menses (14% of total patients). Ovarian failure occurred in nine of 21 (43%) women older than 45 years and in none of the 45 women younger than 45 years ( P CONCLUSION The majority of patients undergoing UFE will have resumption of menses, but the incidence of postprocedure ovarian failure is considerably higher than reported to date. Loss of menses induced by UFE is significantly more likely to occur in women older than 45 years.
Describing hypoglycemia — Definition or operational threshold?

Severe glucose deficiency leads to cerebral energy failure, impaired cardiac performance, muscle weakness, glycogen depletion, and diminished glucose production. Thus, maintenance of glucose delivery to all organs is an essential physiological function. Normal term infants have sufficient alternate energy stores and capacity for glucose production from glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis to ensure normal glucose metabolism during the transition to extrauterine life and early neonatal period. Milk feedings particularly enhance glucose homeostasis. Energy sources often are low in preterm and growth restricted infants, who are especially vulnerable to glucose deficiency. Plasma glucose concentration is the only practical measure of glucose sufficiency, but by itself is a very limited guide. Key to preventing complications from glucose deficiency is to identify infants at risk, promote early and frequent feedings, normalize glucose homeostasis, measure glucose concentrations early and frequently in infants at risk, and treat promptly when glucose deficiency is marked and symptomatic.
Fibroblast growth factor is a direct neural inducer, which combined with noggin generates anterior-posterior neural pattern

Neural tissue in developing Xenopus embryos is induced by signals from the dorsal mesoderm. Induction of anterior neural tissue could be mediated by noggin, a secreted polypeptide found in dorsal mesoderm. We show that bFGF, a known mesoderm inducer of blastula staged ectoderm, induces neural tissue from gastrula stage ectoderm. The type of neural tissue induced by bFGF from stage 10.25 ectoderm is posterior, as marked by Hox B9 expression. When bFGF and noggin are combined on early gastrula stage ectoderm, a more complete neural pattern is generated and no mesodermal tissue is detected. Explants treated with noggin and bFGF elongate and display distinct anterior and posterior ends marked by otx2 and Hox B9 expression, respectively. Furthermore, treatment of early gastrula ectoderm with noggin and bFGF results in the induction of En-2, a marker of the midbrain-hindbrain junction and Krox 20, a marker of the third and fifth rhombomeres of the hindbrain. Neither of these genes is induced by noggin alone or bFGF alone at this stage, suggesting a synergy in anterior-posterior neural patterning. The response of later gastrula (stage 11-12) ectoderm to bFGF changes so that Krox 20 and En-2 are induced by bFGF alone, while induction of more posterior tissue marked by Hox B9 is eliminated. The dose of bFGF affects the amount of neural tissue induced, but has little effect on the anteriorposterior character, rather the age of the ectoderm treated is the determinant of the response. Thus, an FGF signal may account for posterior neural induction, and anteriorposterior neural patterning could be partly explained by the actions of noggin and FGF, together with the changing response of the ectoderm to these factors. SUMMARY
The Curse of the Nine-Banded Armadillo: Case Report and Review.

ABSTRACT Hansen's disease (leprosy) is an ancient condition characterized by hypopigmented patches that progress to become plaques with hypoesthesia. Several case reports suggest that armadillos may be a source of Mycobacterium leprae for clinical cases, and contact with armadillos has been shown to be a significant risk factor in several case-control studies. Early diagnosis and treatment result in an excellent prognosis and provide an effective means to prevent complications of peripheral nerve injury, social stigma, and disability. We present a case of Hansen's disease in a previously healthy veteran and provide an overview of the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of the condition. Clinicians should consider leprosy in the differential diagnosis when confronted with chronic skin lesions in the appropriate clinical setting.
Spatio-temporal dynamics of a system of two-isotope ensembles where initially only one of the species was selectively excited

Abstract I analyze, for a slab geometry, the spatio-temporal electrodynamics of a mixture of two isotopes ensembles where only one of the species was initially selectively excited. The solutions are obtained numerically using the functions bases formed by the eigenfunctions of the 1-D Lienard–Wiechert kernel. I show that both the ratio of the forward to backward emitted photon-fluxes and the spatial distribution, at different times, of the excited atoms are strongly dependent on the value of the detuning between the resonance frequencies of the two species and the value of the initial population difference of the excited species.
Organometallic Polymers as Drugs and Drug Delivery Systems

The use of metal and organometallic containing polymers in medical applications is widespread focusing on siloxane polymers and to a lesser degree on polyphosphazenes (for instance 1). This work is focused on the use of these polymers as medical materials in applications such as biomedical implants in catheters, blood pumps and breasts.
NoCVision: A Network-on-Chip Dynamic Visualization Solution

Networks-on-chip (NoCs) are the communication infrastructure of choice for integrating the many components of modern silicon systems, deployed anywhere from systems-on-chip, to chip multi-processors, and to heterogeneous systems. The growing design complexity of these systems, coupled with shrinking times-to-market, requires efficient analysis of complex applications mapped onto the network in a short span of time. In this work, we propose NoCVision, a novel platform for the analysis of NoC characteristics and traffic flows. NoCVision enables design-space exploration, performance tuning, and validation of the NoC subsystem. It allows to consolidate and summarize the network's simulation data and visualize it through intuitive diagrams and plots, either in a static form or animating it to depict changes occurring over time during an application's execution. To showcase the features and benefits of NoCVision, we present several case studies developed on a 64-node CMP organized in a 8x8 mesh NoC and running multi-programmed workloads.
Developmental aspects of immunity.

Publisher Summary The chapter focuses on the developmental aspects of immunity. The ontogenetic development of immune responses in the immature animal and the developmental cellular stages of the immune response in the adult animal are discussed in this chapter. The cellular mechanisms underlying the several immune responses have not received the full attention either to the evolutionary principles underlying the development of all biological systems or to the broad biological rules that govern the proliferative and differentiate activities of cells in any biologically functioning system. The chapter reviews the immunological status of fetal and neonatal mammals as well as several aspects of the ontogeny of the immune response when examined by the most sensitive technique presently available. Developmental stages of immune reactions and their mutual relationships such as relationship of phagocytosis to specific cellular reactions, relationship of delayed hypersensitivity to antibody formation, and dynamics of antibody formation are also presented in this chapter. The increase of immunological capacity with age and the appearance of natural antibodies result solely from specific antigenic stimulation; the chapter discusses the Unitarian concept of cell differentiation and proliferation underlying any form of immunological response. Several methods for studying developmental aspects of immunity and immunological development are also discussed in this chapter.
Evaluation of the Staph-Strip coagulase test.

A strip coagulase test (Staph-Strip, Biotrol Co., Inc., Jamaica, N. Y.) was compared with conventional methods. Bound coagulase was tested by strip and slide, free coagulase by strip and tube. Dextrose and mannitol fermentation were tested in agar stab medium. The strip gave 1.5% false positives with 199 clinical isolates of Micrococcaceae, 1% with the 190 that were Staphylococcus; false negatives were 4% and 3.5%, respectively. The strip test correlated with 94.5% of conventional tests for Micrococcaceae and 95.3% for Staphylococcus. Because of convenience, accuracy, and price, the Staph-Strip coagulase test can be recommended for clinical use.
An interactive approach to mobile app verification

Static explicit information flow analysis can help human auditors find malware. We propose a process for eliminating false positive flows due to imprecision in the reachability analysis: the developer provides tests cases, and only tested code is analyzed. Then, the app is instrumented so that executing untested code terminates the app. We use abductive inference to minimize the instrumentation, and interact with the developer to ensure that only unreachable code is instrumented. Our verification process successfully discharges 11 out of the 12 false positives in a corpus of 77 Android apps.
Fuller and Language

A sense of law builds on a sense of language, but the experience of law can inform an understanding of language. Work on the relationship between law and language developed markedly in the second half of the Twentieth Century. Behind that development lies the work of Lon Fuller, known today principally for his critique of positivism in jurisprudence. In 1930, Fuller took up the problem of language in a series of articles. Toward the end of his time he republished this initial ground-establishing effort as a book, Legal Fictions, with a new introduction, and republished also his 1940 book, The Law in Quest of Itself, which is something of a companion to it. His concern with language as such, and with what a lawyer might be able to say to a linguist or a scientist about it, thus brackets his work. The rediscovery of the linguistic part of Fuller's contribution and of Fuller's challenge to look at language and see what it tells -- if rediscovery it be rather than acknowledgment of influence -- bears on current issues in law and beyond law.
In vivo and in vitro effects of synthetic luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) upon the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in intact and castrated, fed and starved adult male rats.

SummarySerum LH concentrations increased significantly following the administration of synthetic LH-RH in vivo in both intact and castrated, normally fed and starved adult male rats. Synthetic LH-RH failed to affect the serum concentration of FSH in the same animals. In vitro, basal and LH-RH-induced secretion of LH and FSH from pituitaries donated by intact and castrated, fed and starved rats were similar. The data indicate that the pituitary of the starved adult male rat is as sensitive to the gonadotropin-releasing effects of synthetic LH-RH as is the pituitary of the normally fed rat both in vivo and in vitro.
Minimalist Relativistic Force Field: Prediction of Proton–Proton Coupling Constants in 1H NMR Spectra Is Perfected with NBO Hybridization Parameters

We previously developed a reliable method for multiparametric scaling of Fermi contacts to achieve fast and accurate prediction of proton–proton spin–spin coupling constants (SSCC) in 1H NMR. We now report that utilization of NBO hybridization coefficients for carbon atoms in the involved C–H bonds allows for a significant simplification of this parametric scheme, requiring only four general types of SSCCs: geminal, vicinal, 1,3-, and long-range constants. The method is optimized for inexpensive B3LYP/6-31G(d) molecular geometries. A new DU8 basis set, based on a training set of 475 experimental spin–spin coupling constants, is developed for hydrogen and common non-hydrogen atoms (Li, B, C, N, O, F, Si, P, S, Cl, Se, Br, I) to calculate Fermi contacts. On a test set of 919 SSCCs from a diverse collection of natural products and complex synthetic molecules the method gave excellent accuracy of 0.29 Hz (rmsd) with the maximum unsigned error not exceeding 1 Hz.
Limitations of CaCl2 salinity to shoot and root growth and nutrient uptake in ‘Honeoye’ strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)

SummarySalinity thresholds are required to develop better water and nutrient management practices for the production of saltsensitive crops such as strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.). To determine these thresholds, ‘Honeoye’ strawberry plants were grown in soilless media, fertigated daily with five concentrations of CaCl2 [0 (control), 5, 10, 15, and 20 mM] plus a complete nutrient solution with each, and harvested for growth and nutrient analysis after 31, 58, 87, and 114 d of treatment. To adjust for plant growth, CaCl2 concentrations were doubled in each treatment after 90 d. The electrical conductivities (ECs) of the solutions increased by approx. 0.2 dS m–1 for each 1.0 mM CaCl2 added. Salinity had no effect, relative to the 0 mM CaCl2 control, on the dry weights (DWs) of leaves, crowns, or mature primary roots, but CaCl2 concentrations ≥ 10 mM or ≥ 15 mM reduced the DWs of stolons by 15 – 32% and of new daughter plants by 5 – 22%, respectively, at 87 d. Salinity also reduced the DWs of new prima...
The three Type 2A protein phosphatases, PP2Ac, PP4c and PP6c, are differentially regulated by Alpha4

Alpha4 is a non-canonical regulatory subunit of Type 2A protein phosphatases that interacts directly with the phosphatase catalytic subunits (PP2Ac, PP4c, and PP6c) and is upregulated in a variety of cancers. Alpha4 modulates phosphatase expression levels and activity, but the molecular mechanism of this regulation is unclear, and the extent to which the various Type 2A catalytic subunits associate with Alpha4 is also unknown. To determine the relative fractions of the Type 2A catalytic subunits associated with Alpha4, we conducted Alpha4 immunodepletion experiments in HEK293T cells and found that a significant fraction of total PP6c is associated with Alpha4, whereas a minimal fraction of total PP2Ac is associated with Alpha4. To facilitate studies of phosphatases in the presence of mutant or null Alpha4 alleles, we developed a facile and rapid method to simultaneously knockdown and rescue Alpha4 in tissue culture cells. This approach has the advantage that levels of endogenous Alpha4 are dramatically reduced by shRNA expression thereby simplifying interpretation of mutant phenotypes. We used this system to show that knockdown of Alpha4 preferentially impacts the expression of PP4c and PP6c compared to expression levels of PP2Ac.
Needs Analysis and Application of Teaching Materials——An Applied Explorative Study on Graduate English for 21st Century

Using questionnaire and random interview,the paper investigates the application and feedback of Graduate English for the 21st Century(Comprehensive Reading) among 147 non-English majors from three universities in Shaanxi province.The students make an objective assessment from the angle of individual needs from three aspects of teaching materials: text theme,text language and after-class exercises.The results show that the students as a whole reflect positively about the teaching materials,particularly in the selection of text theme,and next comes after-class exercises,and the third goes to text language.Meanwhile,it is suggested that more materials and exercises related to applied research and daily life should be added.In addition,it is also suggested to adjust some languages,difficult sentences and vocabulary in order to satisfy the students′ needs with the purpose of facilitating teaching effects.
Use of High-Performance Workstations in Military Communications and ADP/Network Experiments

Advances in high-performance computer workstation technology make it possible to merge traditionally distinct communications and automatic data processing functions into an integrated terminal device. The ADDCOMPE program has used these state-of-the-art, high-performance workstations to support distributed command, control, and communication (C3) in an active Army Testbed. These workstations are internetworked to provide a distributed processing and communications environment that forms the foundation for enduring survivable C3 concepts; and, at the same time, are used to test experimental concepts in advanced military automatic data processing and network communications.
The Aging Network

The Aging Network is an extensive and diverse nationwide system of government-funded providers serving older adults in their local communities. Despite the important role that the Aging Network can play in supporting victims of elder abuse and in potentially helping older adults avoid victimization, collaboration between protective services and aging services does not routinely occur in many communities. To examine the role of the Aging Network and the ways in which its diverse services can address the needs of abused, neglected, and at-risk older adults, this chapter begins with a discussion of the background and history of both the Aging Network services and protective service programs. We compare and contrast the approaches and services offered by each and discuss ways in which they can effectively work together to prevent abuse, address it when it occurs, and reduce the likelihood that victims will suffer from recurring maltreatment.
Prevalence of Self-Reported Hypertension and Antihypertensive Medication Use Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years — United States, 2011–2015

Hypertension, which affects nearly one third of adults in the United States, is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke (1), and only approximately half of those with hypertension have their hypertension under control (2). The prevalence of hypertension is highest among non-Hispanic blacks, whereas the prevalence of antihypertensive medication use is lowest among Hispanics (1). Geographic variations have also been identified: a recent report indicated that the Southern region of the United States had the highest prevalence of hypertension as well as the highest prevalence of medication use (3). Using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), this study found minimal change in state-level prevalence of hypertension awareness and treatment among U.S. adults during the first half of the current decade. From 2011 to 2015, the age-standardized prevalence of self-reported hypertension decreased slightly, from 30.1% to 29.8% (p = 0.031); among those with hypertension, the age-standardized prevalence of medication use also decreased slightly, from 63.0% to 61.8% (p<0.001). Persistent differences were observed by age, sex, race/ethnicity, level of education, and state of residence. Increasing hypertension awareness, as well as increasing hypertension control through lifestyle changes and consistent antihypertensive medication use, requires diverse clinical and public health intervention.
Phosphorus addition shifts the microbial community in the rhizosphere of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.)

Abstract Phosphorous (P) fertilization is critical to enhance plant P uptake and proper growth. Soil microorganisms play a key role in P cycle and mediating P availability to plants. However, it is presently unknown if its application may have detrimental effects on the soil bacterial community. Blueberries are sensitive to fertilization hinting to close relationships with beneficial microbes related to soil nutrition. Our study explored the effect of P fertilization amendments on soil bacterial community composition in two varieties of commercial blueberry (Vaccinium sp. var. “Misty” and “Biloxi”). Shifts in microbial community composition and diversity were found in response to P amendment. The rhizosphere microbiome was influenced by P level and differentiated based on low P (0 and 50 kg/ha) and high P (101 and 192 kg/ha) rates. Additionally, predictive microbial acid phosphatase activity decreased with increasing levels of decomposition and solubility of mineral P. Thus, our results suggest that P fertilization decreases the ability of P–solubilizing microbes to naturally provide P to the plant.
Unbiased Groupwise Registration of White Matter Tractography

We present what we believe to be the first investigation into unbiased multi-subject registration of whole brain diffusion tractography of the white matter. To our knowledge, this is also the first entropy-based objective function applied to fiber tract registration. To define the probability of fiber trajectories for the computation of entropy, we take advantage of a pairwise fiber distance used as the basis for a Gaussian-like kernel. By employing several values of the kernel’s scale parameter, the method is inherently multi-scale. Results of experiments using synthetic and real datasets demonstrate the potential of the method for simultaneous joint registration of tractography.
Progress Toward High Power Applications of Ceramic Superconductors in USA

We cite recent US progress toward high amperage conductor and compare the present state of the art with what would be needed for several projects now being discussed in the U.S. for application there. Attention is given to Bi-2223, current leads, large motors, underground cable, and commercial cryocoolers.
VizCluster and its Application on Classifying Gene Expression Data

Visualization enables us to find structures, features, patterns, and relationships in a dataset by presenting the data in various graphical forms with possible interactions. A visualization can provide a qualitative overview of large and complex datasets, can summarize data, and can assist in identifying regions of interest and appropriate parameters focused on quantitative analysis. Recently, DNA microarray technology provides a broad snapshot of the state of the cell, by measuring the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously. Such information can thus be used to analyze different samples by gene expression profiles. It has already had a significant impact on the field of bioinformatics, requiring innovative techniques to efficiently and effectively extract, analyze, and visualize these fast growing data. In this paper, we present a dynamic interactive visualization environment, VizCluster, and its application on classifying gene expression data. VizCluster takes advantage of graphical visualization methods to reveal underlining data patterns. It combines the merits of both high dimensional projection scatter-plot and parallel coordinate plot. In its core lies a nonlinear projection which maps the n-dimensional vectors onto two-dimensional points. To preserve the information at different scales and yet reduce the typical problem of parallel coordinate plots being messy caused by overlapping lines, a zip zooming viewing method is proposed. Integrated with other features, VizCluster is developed to give a simple, fast, intuitive, and yet powerful view of the data set. Its primary applications are on the classification of samples and evaluation of gene clusters for microarray datasets. Three gene expression datasets are used to illustrate the approach. We demonstrate that VizCluster approach is promising to be used for analyzing and visualizing microarray data sets and further development is worthwhile.
Bad Signs: Sickle-Cell Disease and Stroke

Johnny was a delightful little boy who was born with sickle-cell disease, an inherited genetic disorder that affects hemoglobin, a protein in the red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen. Normal red blood cells are soft and round. In sickle-cell disease, the red blood cells are hard and sickle in shape. Consequently, they are likely to get stuck within blood vessels, causing severe pain and other medical complications. Specifically, sickle-cell disease is associated with increased incidence of vascular occlusions (pain crisis), cerebrovascular occlusions (stroke), infections, pulmonary difficulties, and organ damage. Some individuals with sickle-cell disease experience few complications, while others experience many.
Information Theoretic Organization Principles for Autonomous Multiple-Agents

An increased interest in autonomous swarms and their applications has motivated research in a variety of directions. The possible applications for intelligent self-organizing agents range from military to humanitarian. An important desired feature of self-organizing multiple agents is decentralized decision making for fault-tolerant mission accomplishment capability. In this chapter, we propose a principled decentralized organization approach that roots from the concept of information theoretic particle interactions. As an example, the problem of self-organizing a set of multiple agents uniformly over a circular region in a two dimensional space. In addition, variations to the proposed approach will be demonstrated for target tracking and obstacle avoiding tasks.
Classification and Nomenclature of CRISPR-Cas Systems: Where from Here?

Abstract As befits an immune mechanism, CRISPR-Cas systems are highly variable with respect to Cas protein sequences, gene composition, and organization of the genomic loci. Optimal classification ...
Apocalyptic Body Song: The Book of Joan

Throughout Lidia Yuknavitch’s novel The Book of Joan, music haunts the narrator. Like the Golden Record project, this is a love story, not only between the narrator Christine and a futuristic Joan of Arc, but also between this human heroine and the Earth she has left behind. As readers finds out more about what led survivors to escape their dead planet, they also find that music is not mere accompaniment to the story: it is Joan’s weapon, her cluster-bomb ignited by sound. This music forces readers not only to face future geo-catastrophe but also to imagine their own potential violence in times of drought, war, epidemic, and dictatorship. Its sounding of the disaster echoes Maurice Blanchot’s words on voicing trauma through erasure, or destruction itself.
No One is Safe: Victimization Experiences of High-Status Youth

Traditionally, victims were seen as weak, disempowered youth who typically had low-status in the peer hierarchy. However, accumulating evidence suggests that victimization experiences are not limited to those with low-status and that high-status adolescents may also be at risk. This review outlines a theoretical framework that explains high-status youth’s risk for victimization using evolutionary psychological, social dominance, and related perspectives which suggest that those with access to desirable resources may be targeted by peers who want those resources for themselves. Next, the review summarizes the empirical research demonstrating that high-status youth are targets of their peers’ aggressive behavior. Specific attention is given to the forms of aggression most often used to target high-status youth as well as the methods used to identify victims with high social status. Lastly, the review concludes with recommendations for future work on this burgeoning area of research.
Release of functional peptides from mother's milk and fortifier proteins in the premature infant stomach

Digestion of milk proteins in the premature infant stomach releases functional peptides; however, which peptides are present has not been reported. Premature infants are often fed a combination of human milk and bovine milk fortifiers, but the variety of functional peptides released from both human and bovine milk proteins remains uncharacterized. This study applied peptidomics to investigate the peptides released in gastric digestion of mother's milk proteins and supplemental bovine milk proteins in premature infants. Peptides were assessed for homology against a database of known functional peptides-Milk Bioactive Peptide Database. The peptidomic data were analyzed to interpret which proteases most likely released them from the parent protein. We identified 5,264 unique peptides from bovine and human milk proteins within human milk, fortifier or infant gastric samples. Plasmin was predicted to be the most active protease in milk, while pepsin or cathepsin D were predicted to be most active in the stomach. Alignment of the peptide distribution showed a different digestion pattern between human and bovine proteins. The number of peptides with high homology to known functional peptides (antimicrobial, angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, etc.) increased from milk to the premature infant stomach and was greater from bovine milk proteins than human milk proteins. The differential release of bioactive peptides from human and bovine milk proteins may impact overall health outcomes in premature infants.