cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diffuse optical spectroscopy from bench to bedside to wearable to implant

Diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS), also known as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), offers sub-micromolar sensitivity to tissue composition, perfusion, and oxygen metabolism; low patient risk since DOS requires neither ionizing radiation nor contrast agents; and relatively low-cost instrumentation. Consequently, DOS methods are applied in virtually all major areas of clinical research including neurologic disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and trauma/critical care. Compared to other medical imaging technologies, DOS allows for ultracompact integration that can enable handheld, wearable, and even implanted DOS-based sensing strategies. In this presentation, we discuss our work to create a handheld frequency-domain quantitative tissue imager and a tumor-implantable DOS-based sensor roughly the size of a standard breast radiological clip.
pyBKT: An Accessible Python Library of Bayesian Knowledge Tracing Models.

Bayesian Knowledge Tracing, a model used for cognitive mastery estimation, has been a hallmark of adaptive learning research and an integral component of deployed intelligent tutoring systems (ITS). In this paper, we provide a brief history of knowledge tracing model research and introduce pyBKT, an accessible and computationally efficient library of model extensions from the literature. The library provides data generation, fitting, prediction, and cross-validation routines, as well as a simple to use data helper interface to ingest typical tutor log dataset formats. We evaluate the runtime with various dataset sizes and compare to past implementations. Additionally, we conduct sanity checks of the model using experiments with simulated data to evaluate the accuracy of its EM parameter learning and use real-world data to validate its predictions, comparing pyBKT's supported model variants with results from the papers in which they were originally introduced. The library is open source and open license for the purpose of making knowledge tracing more accessible to communities of research and practice and to facilitate progress in the field through easier replication of past approaches.
Rupture Site Location of Surgically Treated Thumb Metacarpophalangeal Ulnar and Radial Collateral Ligaments

Purpose Thumb metacarpophalangeal collateral ligament injuries occur in 50 per 100,000 people. The most frequent rupture site locations that are often cited are the thumb ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) occurring distally from the proximal phalanx and the radial collateral ligament (RCL) occurring proximally from the metacarpal head.2,16 In this study, we report the frequency of the rupture site location of both thumb UCL and RCL injuries. Methods A retrospective analysis of 1,004 consecutive finger collateral ligament surgeries performed at a single academic institution over 17 years was conducted. The inclusion criteria were any patient who underwent either a thumb UCL or RCL surgical repair. Patients were excluded if the rupture etiology was secondary to a laceration or a congenital or chronic deformity. Descriptive statistics were presented. Results Three hundred forty-seven patients were included in this study, including 288 thumb UCL injuries and 59 thumb RCL injuries. The rupture site location for the thumb UCL was proximal in 5.9% (n = 17) of the cases, distal in 92.7% (n = 267), and midsubstance in 1.4% (n = 4). Fifty-three (18.4%) Stener lesions were noted. The rupture site location for the thumb RCL was proximal in 69.5% (n = 41) of the cases, distal in 25.4% (n = 15), and midsubstance in 5.1% (n = 3). Conclusions In thumb UCL ruptures, the rupture site occurred most often at the proximal phalanx, whereas RCL injuries occurred most often at the metacarpal head. Overall, there was greater heterogeneity of RCL rupture site location frequency. Careful surgical exposure should be performed when repairing either the UCL or RCL. Further studies will determine if differences in rupture site location portend a difference in prognosis. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic III.
Affective Social Congruity and Store Patronage

A self-concept model involving a new construct referred to as “affective social congruity” is introduced and empirically tested using a sample of 372 shoppers of two stores, a discount department store and a clothing department store. The results provided moderate support for the model.
Fluctuating Lift and Drag Acting on a Cylinder in a Flow at Supercritical Reynolds Numbers

The fluctuating lift and drag acting on a circular cylinder in a flow of an incompressible fluid at large Reynolds numbers were measured. Data on the root-mean-square values of the lift and drag coefficients, the extreme values of these coefficients, and their power spectra at various Reynolds numbers are presented.
Brefeldin A promotes hydrolysis of sphingomyelin

Abstract The hydrolysis of sphingomyelin (SM) is a key reaction in the "sphingomyelin cycle," which plays a role in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation (Okazaki, T., Bell, R. M., and Hannun, Y. A. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 19076-19080). SM is produced from endoplasmic reticulum-derived ceramide and is delivered to organelle membranes in a regulated manner, presumably through the same endomembrane trafficking system used for sorting and delivery of proteins. Since brefeldin A (BFA) interferes with this endomembrane trafficking system and thus alters normal membrane and organelle distribution, we investigated the effect of BFA on SM levels in HL-60 leukemia cells. BFA caused a dose-dependent decrease of 20-25% in cellular SM levels, with effects observed at concentrations of BFA as low as 0.10 microgram/ml. BFA effects on SM levels were noted as early as 5 min and were maximal by 20 min, with no further SM hydrolysis observed up to 60 min following treatment with BFA, suggesting the presence of a fixed SM-sensitive pool. BFA did not cause SM hydrolysis at 16 degrees C, a temperature that inhibits the effects of BFA on endomembrane mixing. The very early effects and temperature dependence of BFA-induced SM hydrolysis suggest that the mechanism of hydrolysis may be closely related to endomembrane mixing. These studies are beginning to define important interrelationships between membrane trafficking and topology, SM metabolism, and cell regulation.
Analysis of the vacuolar luminal proteome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Despite its large size and the numerous processes in which it is implicated, neither the identity nor the functions of the proteins targeted to the yeast vacuole have been defined comprehensively. In order to establish a methodological platform and protein inventory to address this shortfall, we refined techniques for the purification of ‘proteomics-grade’ intact vacuoles. As confirmed by retention of the preloaded fluorescent conjugate glutathione–bimane throughout the fractionation procedure, the resistance of soluble proteins that copurify with this fraction to digestion by exogenous extravacuolar proteinase K, and the results of flow cytometric, western and marker enzyme activity analyses, vacuoles prepared in this way retain most of their protein content and are of high purity and integrity. Using this material, 360 polypeptides species associated with the soluble fraction of the vacuolar isolates were resolved reproducibly by 2D gel electrophoresis. Of these, 260 were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting and peptide sequencing by MALDI-MS and liquid chromatography coupled to ion trap or quadrupole TOF tandem MS, respectively. The polypeptides identified in this way, many of which correspond to alternate size and charge states of the same parent translation product, can be assigned to 117 unique ORFs. Most of the proteins identified are canonical vacuolar proteases, glycosidases, phosphohydrolases, lipid-binding proteins or established vacuolar proteins of unknown function, or other proteases, glycosidases, lipid-binding proteins, regulatory proteins or proteins involved in intermediary metabolism, protein synthesis, folding or targeting, or the alleviation of oxidative stress. On the basis of the high purity of the vacuolar preparations, the electrophoretic properties of the proteins identified and the results of quantitative proteinase K protection measurements, many of the noncanonical vacuolar proteins identified are concluded to have entered this compartment for breakdown, processing and/or salvage purposes.
Shaping Crystals with Biomolecules

The complex shapes of biominerals cannot be explained with simple mechanistic models of crystal growth. In their Perspective, De Yoreo and Dove, argue that the popular "stereochemical recognition" model, which postulates that some shapes are stabilized through the binding of peptides and proteins to otherwise unstable faces, is not the full answer, either. According to recent studies, specific interactions between growth modifiers such as proteins and the edges of individual steps on existing crystal faces change the elementary step change to generate a similarly modified bulk crystal shape. The emergence of new faces is a macroscopic manifestation of the kinetics caused by molecular-scale interactions at the step edges.
Peripheral sensory coding through oscillatory synchrony in weakly electric fish

Adaptations to an organism's environment often involve sensory system modifications. In this study, we address how evolutionary divergence in sensory perception relates to the physiological coding of stimuli. Mormyrid fishes that can detect subtle variations in electric communication signals encode signal waveform into spike-timing differences between sensory receptors. In contrast, the receptors of species insensitive to waveform variation produce spontaneously oscillating potentials. We found that oscillating receptors respond to electric pulses by resetting their phase, resulting in transient synchrony among receptors that encodes signal timing and location, but not waveform. These receptors were most sensitive to frequencies found only in the collective signals of groups of conspecifics, and this was correlated with increased behavioral responses to these frequencies. Thus, different perceptual capabilities correspond to different receptor physiologies. We hypothesize that these divergent mechanisms represent adaptations for different social environments. Our findings provide the first evidence for sensory coding through oscillatory synchrony.
Public Policy Decisions Related to Disability and Rehabilitation: Is it Time for a New Paradigm?:

Nurses are frequently called on to advocate for specific vulnerable populations. People with disabilities form a large cohort of those in need of rehabilitation or other health and social services. Availability of these services is greatly influenced by politics, price, and principles that culminate in public policy. Currently, it is difficult to discern a rationale that underpins some public policy decisions regarding disability and rehabilitation. The allocation of government resources appears to be inconsistent. When nurses advocate for specific groups, such as those with disabilities, it is important for them to understand the political context of their actions. This article identifies the major factors that influence the present system and suggests a new paradigm to use in making decisions about allocation of certain health care resources.
Selective Noncovalent Adsorption of Protein to Bifunctional Metallic Nanowire Surfaces

Metallic nanowires composed of nickel and gold as well as bimetallic nickel−gold nanowires were fabricated via templated electrodeposition in nanoporous alumina membranes. Gold surfaces were functionalized with alkanethiols with terminal hexa(ethylene glycol) groups (EG6), while nickel surfaces were functionalized with palmitic acid, a 16-carbon fatty acid. When exposed to a fluorescently tagged protein, hydrophobic nickel wires exhibited bright fluorescence while EG6-terminated gold wires did not, indicating that the protein did not adhere to the EG6-functionalized nanowires. Nickel−gold nanowires presenting distinct segments of alkyl and EG6 surfaces were also exposed to the fluorescent protein. Intense fluorescence was only observed on the nickel segment of these wires, demonstrating that proteins selectively adsorbed to one portion of these multicomponent nanostructures.
A Group of Trusts and Combinations

I. The Electric Lamp Combination; relation to General Electrical Company, 594. — Control of tantalum and tungsten filaments, 600. — Circuit Court decree of 1911, 601. — II. The Keystone Watch Case Company, 602. — Methods of destroying competition, 607. — III. The United Shoe Machinery Company, 608. — IV. The Consolidation Coal Company; how related to Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, 613. — V. The Bath Tub Pool, 617. — Control of the jobbing trade, 623. — VI. The Cash Register Company, 625. — Deliberate destructive competition, 626. — VII. Combination of Wholesale and Retail Dealers, 630. — Michigan lumber retailers, 632. — Other lumber retailers, 634. — Wholesale lumber dealers, 637. — Pacific Coast jobbers of plumbing supplies, 640. — Southern Wholesale Grocers' Association, 641. — VIII. Conclusion, 642.
Solving the Time-Dependent Transport Equation Using Time-Dependent Method of Characteristics and Rosenbrock Method

A new approach based on the method of characteristics (MOC) and Rosenbrock method is developed to solve the time-dependent transport equation in one-dimensional (1D) geometry without any approximation and considering delayed neutrons. Within the MOC methodology, the leakage term in time-dependent transport equation can be simplified to spatial derivative of the angular flux along the characteristics lines. For 1D geometry, the proposed exponential correlation derived from the steady-state MOC equations provides the correlation between the cell outgoing angular flux and the cell average angular flux. Thus, the spatial derivative term can be further substituted by the relation containing only the cell average angular flux that represents the unknowns. Therefore, the 1D time-dependent transport equation is decomposed into a series of locally coupled ordinary differential equations (ODE). Rosenbrock method was chosen to solve the system of ODEs. It is a fourth order explicit method with automatic step size control feature developed for stiff ODEs. The FORTRAN90 numerical program is developed to thus solve the time-dependent transport equation considering delayed neutrons in 1D geometry with both vacuum and reflective boundary conditions. The step perturbation is currently supported. The method presented in this paper was verified in comparison to 1D fast reactor benchmark showing good accuracy and efficiency.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Phosphorus Chemistry. III Preparation of Vinyl Deuterated Trisubstituted Alkenes

Abstract A facile procedure for the preparation of vinyl deuterated trisubstituted alkenes via reduction of the corresponding (2-oxoalkyl)triphenyl-phosphonium halides with sodium borodeuteride is described.
Cytisine binds with similar affinity to nicotinic α4β2 receptors on the cell surface and in homogenates

Abstract Cytisine and nicotine bound to specific sites in homogenates prepared from HEK 293 cells which stably express human neuronal nicotinic α4 and β2 subunits. The number of sites was the same for both ligands and nicotine was a full competitive inhibitor of cytisine binding. However, when binding was done to intact cells the number of binding sites per cell for nicotine was ∼4-fold the number of sites for cytisine. Nicotine fully blocked cytisine binding, but cytisine only partially blocked nicotine binding to intact cells. When cells were permeabilized with saponin, the number of sites for nicotine was unchanged, while the number of sites for cytisine was increased, and cytisine was able to fully block nicotine binding. These data indicate that cytisine binds only to surface receptors on intact cells. The apparent affinity of cytisine for surface receptors (Kd=0.8 nM) was not significantly different from that for receptors in the cell homogenate (0.3 nM).
Dietary Zinc Requirement of Hybrid Striped Bass, Morone chrysops×Morone saxatilis, and Bioavailability of Two Chemically Different Zinc Compounds

Zinc is a trace mineral element that plays an essential role in numerous biochemical processes, and has been shown to affect growth and health of several fish species. However, the dietary zinc requirement of hybrid striped bass has not been defined. Therefore, a feeding trial was conducted to determine the dietary requirement for zinc by this fish and to compare zinc bioavailability of two chemically different forms (zinc sulfate and zinc proteinate). Six experimental diets were formulated with purified ingredients and supplemented with ZnSO4 to provide total zinc concentrations of 7, 12, 16, 26, 42, and 80 mg/kg diet which were determined by analysis. Each diet contained 32% crude protein, 6% lipid, and approximately 14.2 kJ of digestible energy per gram. The experimental diets were fed twice daily for 10 wk to triplicate groups of 15 hybrid striped bass initially weighing 0.86 ± 0.05 g/fish in 38-L glass aquaria, connected as a recirculating system. Finally, after the feeding period, the fish were evaluated for weight gain, feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, and survival, as well as blood serum zinc, bone zinc, and hematocrit. All fish thrived during the feeding trial and not even the fish fed the basal diet displayed any apparent deficiency signs, although weight gain steadily increased with escalating levels of dietary zinc up to 42 mg/kg diet. On the basis of the most responsive indicators–bone zinc and serum zinc–the minimum dietary zinc requirement of hybrid striped bass was determined to be 17.0 and 17.3 mg Zn/kg diet, respectively, based on broken-line regression. This estimate is similar in magnitude to dietary zinc requirements reported for other fish species. In addition, the bioavailability of zinc proteinate versus that of ZnSO4 was estimated by deriving the ratio of the slopes of the regression lines fitted to bone zinc and serum zinc data. This analysis indicated that hybrid striped bass utilized zinc proteinate ∼1.7 times more efficiently than ZnSO4.
A Three Dimensional Thermohydrodynamic Finite Element Scheme for Fluid Film Bearings

A finite element procedure is presented for the solution of fluid film lubrication problem that allows for a temperature dependent viscosity. The major concern is with the solution of the three dimensional fluid film and pad energy equations. A major advantage of the method developed here over previous finite element schemes is that the system of equations for the temperature field may be solved by iterative methods. This is because the discrete equations are formulated using either the parabolic form of the energy equation along with appropriate backwards differencing, or using upwinding with the elliptic form of the energy equation. The method is powerful in that it can treat bearing film with reverse flow. A convenience of the method is that the film and pad are treated as a single continuum and their temperature fields solved for simultaneously. Presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California May 11–14, 1987
The effect of a series of anti-cancer drugs on plasma cholinesterase activity.

Prolonged apnoea caused by succinylcholine in combination with anti-cancer drugs in patients suffering from malignant tumors has been reported in past. In order to determine the potential inhibitory eSect of anti-cancer agents on plasma cholinesterase in vivo in cancer patients, a systematic study was carried out to determine their in vitro inhibitory effect. Utilizing Kalow’s ultraviolet spec-trophotometric method the hydrolysis of benzoylcholine and procaine by purified human cholinesterase and pooled human plasma was determined both in the presence and in the absence of anti-cancer agents. Of those studied, only the alkylating agents possess significant anticholinesterase effects. These are in decreasing order of effectiveness: triethylene-melamine (tem), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), mechlorethamine (Nitrogen Mustard) and triethylene thiophosphoramide (Thio-tepa). The corresponding I50 values are 3.3 X 10-4 m, 4.0 x 10-4 m, 6.3 X 10-4 m, and 7.9 X 10-3 m concentrations with benzoylcholine as the substrate. In patients and especially in those treated with large intravenous doses of these anti-cancer drugs, the dose of succinylcholine should be reduced in proportion to the reduction of plasma cholinesterase activity to prevent prolonged apnoea and cardiac arrythmias which even may result in arrest. Therefore, patients who have more than 70 iper cent reduction in plasma cholinesterase activity should be protected by wearing an Identification Tag.
Diet, obesity, and hyperglycemia in LG/J and SM/J mice.

Objective: To examine the differential response of obesity- and diabetes-related traits to a high- or low-fat diet in LG/J and SM/J mice. We also examined food consumption in these strains. Research Methods and Procedures: Mice were placed on a high- or low-fat diet after weaning. Animals were weighed once per week and subjected to glucose tolerance tests at 20 weeks. At sacrifice, fat pads and internal organs were removed along with serum samples. For food consumption, LG/J and SM/J mice of each sex were assigned to a high-fat or low-fat diet after reaching maturity. Mice were weighed three times per week, and food consumed was determined by subtraction. Results: LG/J animals consume more total food, but SM/J animals consume more food per gram of body weight. LG/J mice grow faster to 10 weeks but slower from 10 to 20 weeks, have higher cholesterol and free fatty acid levels, and have lower basal glucose levels and better response to a glucose challenge than SM/J mice. For most traits, SM/J mice respond more strongly to a high-fat diet than LG/J mice, including body weight and growth, basal glucose levels, organ weights, fat distribution, and circulating triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Discussion: Obesity-related phenotypes, as well as response to increased dietary fat, differ genetically between LG/J and SM/J and can, therefore, be mapped. This study indicates that the cross of SM/J and LG/J mice would be an excellent model system for the study of gene-by-diet interaction in obesity.
Vorticity Balance of Outcropping Isopycnals

Abstract The authors extend Marshall and Nurser's analysis of potential vorticity (PV) flux into outcropping isopycnic layers of the oceanic thermocline to the nonstationary case, allowing for the seasonal migration of isopycnal surfaces under surface heating and cooling. The most important new result is that the bulk of the surface PV flux arising from seasonal heating is used up in creating stratification as an isopycnal outcrop moves northward, extending the stratified layers of the thermocline. Residual PV transport (flux times the separation distance between adjacent isopycnals) reaching the interior thermocline is small in quiescent regions where only mean advection (connecting to subduction or upwelling at the outcrop) operates, and is given by Marshall and Nurser's formula, unaffected by the migration of the isopycnals. Where geostrophic turbulence is vigorous, it supports another pathway of PV transport, via Reynolds flux of vorticity. Larger PV transports are then possible within the range of ac...
The thalamocortical system as a neuronal machine: The interaction of ventrolateral nucleus with sensorimotor cortex in the cat

Summary The concept that the ventrolateral (VL) thalamic projections to sensorimotor cortex form a ‘self-modifying’ machine— i.e. , a machine whose response is due to both incoming information and information from its past history of use — has been substantiated by: (1) Developing a quantitative measure (specific output) of the cortical response evoked from pulse pairs delivered to VL. (2) Utilizing this measure to illustrate the differences which occur when nonsequential versus sequential testing is used. The dependence of specific output on both parameter changes put in by the experimenter and the existing conditions within the neuronal machine at the time of testing — i.e. , conditions set by past history — are illustrated. The adoption of a specific trajectory due to a selected sequence of stimuli further illustrates the adaptive nature of this system. Cerebellar influences have been investigated, in part, by ablating contralateral brachium conjunctivum and observing the changes which occur in machine performance. The principal influence of the cerebellum appears to be to impose stricter bounds on the modifying factors, on specific output amplitudes over sequential trajectories and on the dynamic cortical activity occurring during the first 10–25 msec after the delivery of a stimulus to VL.
Breastfeeding and Weaning in Mali: Cultural Context and Hard Data

Patterns of infant feeding based on cultural beliefs affect the nutritional status health and growth of children. In order to understand malnutrition and infant health in a particular community knowledge of both the beliefs and the practices associated with infant feeding in that community is essential. For this reason it is critical that research strategies for collecting both traditional "soft" data (the cultural contest) and "hard" data (observed patterns of infant feeding) be employed. A 2-year study of infant feeding in Mali (1982-1983) provides detailed data about breastfeeding and weaning beliefs and practices. In this comunity virtually all women breastfed their infants. Infants were nursed on demand for comfort as well as nutrition. Weaning took place at an average age of 20.8 months with a range of 6-32 months (N=136). Bottle/formula use was very rare. Bottle fed infants were perceived as being weaker and more sickly than breastfed infants. Breastfeeding and weaning practices affected the growth and development of infants during the 1st 2 years of life. In contrast to many other populations however a number of infants in this community showed improved growth after weaning. Some traditional beliefs about infant feeding are changing under the pressure of urban norms while others remain more resistant to change with varying effects on infant health. Women seemed willing or even eager to relinquish traditional beliefs that children should be allowed to nurse as long as they wanted but were more resistant to the notion of nursing during pregnancy believing it to be harmful. (Authors modified)
The unnatural culture of amino acids.

Researchers describe a general and highly efficient approach for incorporating a variety of unnatural amino acids into proteins at desired locations in mammalian cells.
Overlapping expectations and Hart's conditions for equilibrium in a securities model

Hart (J. Econ. Theory 9 (1974), 293–311) gave conditions for equilibrium to exist in a securities model where each agent undertakes asset transactions to maximize expected utility of wealth. These conditions rule out agents wanting to undertake unbounded balanced transactions to reach a Pareto superior allocation given their expectations. With mild extra assumptions to make agents unwilling to risk incurring unbounded losses on their portfolios, Hart's conditions become equivalent to an assumption of “overlapping expectations,” which is comparable to a much weaker form of Green's “common expectations” (Econometrica 41 (1973), 1103–1124).
Application of the method of integral relations to laminar boundary layers in three dimensions

The method of integral relations is extended to general three-dimensional compressible laminar boundary layer flows. The transformation employed to transform the basic three-dimensional compressible boundary layer equations into quasi-incompressible form is an extension of the Howarth transformation. The resulting system of differential equations is integrated numerically by the method of integral relations as proposed by Dorodnitsyn. To demonstrate the accuracy of the method, it is applied to calculation of the parabolic flow over a flat plate and the boundary flow over an infinite yawed cylinder, for which solutions are known. It is then applied to the flow over a flat plate disturbed by a cylinder normal to the plate, for which a finite-difference solution is available for comparison. It is finally applied to calculating the crossflow velocity variation for supersonic flow over a swept wedge.
Belief in Afterlife and Death Anxiety: Correlates and Comparisons:

Previous investigations of the relationship between death anxiety and belief in afterlife have often yielded inconsistent results. In an attempt to establish a common linkage between the two variab...
Two phases of C9H12O4: why is the structure at 295 K so complicated?

Molecules of 4,4′-dimethyl-2-hydroxy-6-oxocyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid, C9H12O4, crystallize at 295 K in a modulated superstructure with five half-molecules in the asymmetric unit; each molecule is located on one of the mirror planes of the space group Cmc21. Reflections with k ≠ 5n are systematically weak; a satisfactory refinement can be obtained in a Cmcm pseudocell having b′ = b/5. The important modulation involves small rotations of the molecules around axes perpendicular to the mirror plane; there is also an up/down disorder of the CMe2 fragment in four of the five molecules (two molecules with occupancy factors ca 4:1; two with occupancy factors ca 3:2). The modulation is a response to packing problems that can be traced to the differences between the thin, electron- and oxygen-rich `head' of the molecule and the thicker, methyl-rich `tail'. At 130 K the length of b is reduced by 2/5 and the Pmnb structure is ordered. Both structures can be described as modulated variants of the Cmcm substructure; the wavevectors are 2b′*/5 for the room-temperature structure and b′*/2 for the low-temperature structure, where b′* is the reciprocal axis of the subcell. The structure at room temperature can also be understood as a hybrid of the fully disordered pseudocell structure and the ordered structure that is found at low temperature.
Concurrent communication and synchronization mechanisms

Les concepts de commandes protegees et de processus sont devenus les blocs de construction de base dans la conception des langages de programmation. Dans cet article, on traite de nombreuses primitives de synchronisation et de communication proposees et on les compare a partir de la perspective de leur implementabilite. Notre evolution traite 4 criteres de base: la longueur de synchronisation, la terminaison du processus, le verrouillage et la complexite du protocole
Effects of Conspecifics on Feeder Choice by Northern Cardinals

Abstract Inter- and intra-specific competition are known to influence feeding decisions, but relatively little research has investigated how inter- and intra-sexual interactions can impact foraging. We studied foraging preferences of male and female Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) during winter and found they preferred sunflower seed to safflower seed when presented with paired feeders in the absence of conspecifics. Male cardinals avoided feeders occupied by other males and approached feeders occupied by females, regardless of feeder contents. Female cardinals avoided other females and especially males when choosing feeders. These changes in foraging behavior by male and female cardinals as a result of conspecific presence indicate inter- and intra-sexual interactions alter the attractiveness of a high or low energy food source.
Boundary lubricating films: formation and lubrication mechanism

Boundary lubricating films are critical in effective lubrication of engine components. Their formation mechanism is not fully understood due to the lack of understanding of how molecular structures of the base oils and the antiwear additives work together. This paper examines, the base oil molecular structures and their influence on the reaction rates leading to the formation of high molecular weight organometallic compounds. Three base oils have been separated into saturates, aromatics, and polar molecules by liquid column chromatography and these fractions are studied in a micro-oxidation test. Organometallic compounds were detected by a coupled gel permeation chromatograph-atomic absorption spectroscopy. Polar molecules show the highest organometallic compound formation rate while saturates the lowest. Analysis on films from worn samples and engine components confirmed the presence of similar organometallic compounds. When combined with reaction films from antiwear additive such as zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP), the soft organometallic compounds provide an easily shearable sacrificial layer and the inorganic phosphate glassy structure provides the load carrying capacity. The resultant boundary film is stronger and durable. This understanding provides a design guideline for future boundary films.
The Effect of Nitric Oxide Inhibition on Blood Pressure Depends on Rat Strain

Abstract Background. Nitric oxide is a continuously released endothelium-derived vasodilator and plays an important role in the maintenance of blood pressure (BP). Rat strains appear to differ in their resting BP and their response to the intravenous administration of Nω-nitro- l -arginine methyl ester ( l -NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. The presence of diabetes and hypertension also leads to differences in BP responses to l -NAME. We postulated that the contribution of NO to resting BP varies between rat strains and certain strains may be more sensitive to the effects of NO blockade. Methods. Blood pressure was continuously measured using a carotid arterial catheter and the responses to l -NAME were compared in anesthetized Lewis and Sprague–Dawley rats during a 2-h control period and a 2-h experimental period. l -NAME was given by a 50 mg/kg bolus followed by a 10 mg/kg/h infusion via a mesenteric vein. Results. During the control period, the Lewis animals had lower systolic and diastolic BPs of 103 ± 1 and 80 ± 1 mm Hg compared with 127 ± 1 and 105 ± 1 mm Hg measured in Sprague–Dawley rats (P l -NAME infusion increased systolic BP in both strains compared with control values (P l -NAME in Lewis animals but increased in Sprague–Dawley animals (P l -NAME in either group. Conclusion. These results indicate that the effect of l -NAME on systemic BP differs markedly in Sprague–Dawley and Lewis rats, suggesting that the role of nitric oxide in regulation of resting vascular resistance may differ significantly between these rat strains. Rat strain is an important consideration for valid comparisons between studies.
ORTHOGONAL POLYNOMIAL EXPANSIONS FOR SOLVING RANDOM EIGENVALUE PROBLEMS

This paper examines two stochastic methods stemming from polynomial dimensional decomposition (PDD) and polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) for solving random eigenvalue problems commonly encountered in dynamics of mechanical systems. Although the infinite series from PCE and PDD are equivalent, their truncations endow contrasting dimensional structures, creating significant differences between the resulting PDD and PCE approximations in terms of accuracy, efficiency, and convergence properties. When the cooperative effects of input variables on an eigenvalue attenuate rapidly or vanish altogether, the PDD approximation commits a smaller error than does the PCE approximation for identical expansion orders. Numerical analyses of mathematical functions or simple dynamic systems reveal markedly higher convergence rates of the PDD approximation than the PCE approximation. From the comparison of computational efforts, required to estimate with the same precision the frequency distributions of dynamic systems, including a piezoelectric transducer, the PDD approximation is significantly more efficient than the PCE approximation.
Motivated Reasoning and Performance on the was on Selection Task

People tend to approach agreeable propositions with a bias toward confirmation and disagreeable propositions with a bias toward disconfirmation. Because the appropriate strategy for solving the four-card Wason selection task is to seek disconfirmation, the authors predicted that people motivated to reject a task rule should be more likely to solve the task than those without such motivation. In two studies, participants who considered a Wason task rule that implied their own early death (Study 1) or the validity of a threatening stereotype (Study 2) vastly outperformed participants who considered nonthreatening or agreeable rules. Discussion focuses on how a skeptical mindset may help people avoid confirmation bias both in the context of the Wason task and in everyday reasoning.
Membrane permeability of the human granulocyte to water, dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol, propylene glycol and ethylene glycol

Granulocytes are currently transfused as soon as possible after collection because they rapidly deteriorate after being removed from the body. This short shelf life complicates the logistics of granulocyte collection, banking, and safety testing. Cryopreservation has the potential to significantly increase shelf life; however, cryopreservation of granulocytes has proven to be difficult. In this study, we investigate the membrane permeability properties of human granulocytes, with the ultimate goal of using membrane transport modeling to facilitate development of improved cryopreservation methods. We first measured the equilibrium volume of human granulocytes in a range of hypo- and hypertonic solutions and fit the resulting data using a Boyle-van't Hoff model. This yielded an isotonic cell volume of 378 μm(3) and an osmotically inactive volume of 165 μm(3). To determine the permeability of the granulocyte membrane to water and cryoprotectant (CPA), cells were injected into well-mixed CPA solution while collecting volume measurements using a Coulter Counter. These experiments were performed at temperatures ranging from 4 to 37°C for exposure to dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, and propylene glycol. The best-fit water permeability was similar in the presence of all of the CPAs, with an average value at 21°C of 0.18 μmatm(-1)min(-1). The activation energy for water transport ranged from 41 to 61 kJ/mol. The CPA permeability at 21°C was 6.4, 1.0, 8.4, and 4.0 μm/min for dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol, ethylene glycol, and propylene glycol, respectively, and the activation energy for CPA transport ranged between 59 and 68 kJ/mol.
Overexpression of bcl-2 alters usage of mutational hot spots in germinal center B cells.

Abstract Bcl -2 is an anti-apoptosic gene important in B cell development. In order to study how apoptosis regulates somatic hypermutation and selection of B cell clones in the germinal center, we examined the antibody response to phosphorylcholine (PC) in transgenic mice overexpressing bcl- 2 in the B cell compartment. The anti-PC antibody response is dominated by the S107V1 variable region heavy chain gene. We, therefore, analyzed S107V1-encoded heavy chains from germinal center cells. The proportion of germinal center sequences that were mutated, and the frequency of mutations did not differ significantly between the two groups of mice. No significant differences were found in the clustering of replacement mutations in the complementarity determining regions (CDRs) and in replacement to silent (R:S) mutation ratios. A significant difference between bcl-2 transgenic mice and controls, however, was found in the targeting of mutations to oligonucleotide motifs presumed to be mutational “hot spots.” While non-transgenic mice displayed the expected clustering of mutations in hot spots, mutations from bcl -2 transgenic mice lacked this pattern. This observation suggests that the mechanism for somatic hypermutation includes two distinct functions, a non-specific mutational apparatus and a mechanism to target mutation to hot spots, and that in certain circumstances these functions may be uncoupled.
Stocking Density and Physiological Adaptive Responses of Broilers

Abstract Three trials were conducted to assess the effects of stocking density on physiological adaptive responses of broilers. Male broilers were reared in floor pens under conditions similar to those used commercially in the United States. Accepted indicators of adaptation to a stressor were measured on d 49 including plasma concentrations of corticosterone, glucose, cholesterol, and total nitrites as an indicator of nitric oxide, as well as heterophil:lymphocyte ratio. In trial 1, calculated stocking densities were 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, and 55 kg of BW/ m2 and in trials 2 and 3, stocking densities were 30, 35, 40, and 45 kg of BW/m2. Stocking densities were calculated based on a final BW of 3.3 kg. Linear trend analyses were used to assess the role of stocking density on each of the physiological parameters. Results indicate that stocking density did not cause physiological adaptive changes indicative of stress.
Analysis of the Mpeg-1 Layer III (Mp3) Algorithm Using Matlab

The MPEG-1 Layer III (MP3) algorithm is one of the most successful audio formats for consumer audio storage and for transfer and playback of music on digital audio players. The MP3 compression standard along with the AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) algorithm are associated with the most successful music players of the last decade. This book describes the fundamentals and the MATLAB implementation details of the MP3 algorithm. Several of the tedious processes in MP3 are supported by demonstrations using MATLAB software. The book presents the theoretical concepts and algorithms used in the MP3 standard. The implementation details and simulations with MATLAB complement the theoretical principles. The extensive list of references enables the reader to perform a more detailed study on specific aspects of the algorithm and gain exposure to advancements in perceptual coding. Table of Contents: Introduction / Analysis Subband Filter Bank / Psychoacoustic Model II / MDCT / Bit Allocation, Quantiza ion and Coding / Decoder
Distinct Sensory Pathways in Vibrio cholerae El Tor and Classical Biotypes Modulate Cyclic Dimeric GMP Levels To Control Biofilm Formation

Quorum sensing (QS), or cell-cell communication in bacteria, is achieved through the production and subsequent response to the accumulation of extracellular signal molecules called autoinducers (AIs). To identify AI-regulated target genes in Vibrio cholerae El Tor ( V. cholerae El ), the strain responsible for the current cholera pandemic, luciferase expression was assayed in an AI − strain carrying a random lux transcriptional reporter library in the presence and absence of exogenously added AIs. Twenty-three genes were identified and shown to require the QS transcription factor, HapR, for their regulation. Several of the QS-dependent target genes, annotated as encoding hypothetical proteins, in fact encode HD-GYP proteins, phosphodiesterases that degrade the intracellular second messenger cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP), which is important for controlling biofilm formation. Indeed, overexpression of a representative QS-activated HD-GYP protein in V. cholerae El reduced the intracellular concentration of c-di-GMP, which in turn decreased exopolysaccharide production and biofilm formation. The V. cholerae classical biotype ( V. cholerae Cl ), which caused previous cholera pandemics and is HapR − , controls c-di-GMP levels and biofilm formation by the VieA signaling pathway. We show that the VieA pathway is dispensable for biofilm formation in V. cholerae El but that restoring HapR in V. cholerae Cl reestablishes QS-dependent repression of exopolysaccharide production. Thus, different pandemic strains of V. cholerae modulate c-di-GMP levels and control biofilm formation in response to distinct sensory pathways.
Solar Sail Attitude Control and Dynamics, Part 1

Results of a study of developing attitude control systems for solar sail spacecraft are presented. The study objective was to advance sailcraft attitude control technology so that a solar sail spaceflight experiment for validating sail attitude stability, as well as thrust-vector pointing performance, can be conducted in the near future. An overview of sail-attitude-control issues, solar-radiation-pressure models, and dynamic modeling and control analyses of a sailcraft in an Earth-centered elliptic orbit is presented. A simple spin-stabilization approach is emphasized, whereas other active three-axis control approaches, employing a gimbaled control boom, control vanes, or sail shifting/tilting, are presented in the companion paper. A 40 x 40 m, 160-kg sailcraft with a nominal solar-pressure force of 0.01 N, an uncertain center-of-mass/center-of-pressure offset of ±0.1 m (i.e., ±0.25% of 40 m), and moments of inertia of (6000, 3000, 3000) kg . m 2 is used to illustrate the various concepts and principles involved in dynamic modeling and attitude control design.
The Hall Effect and Resistance in Sputtered Tellurium Films

Effect of heat treatment on the Hall e.m.f. and resistance of sputtered tellurium films.---Aside from an ageing process the Hall e.m.f. was found to be directly proportional to the resistance both when the temperature coefficient of resistance was negative and when it was positive. The films were from ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ to ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ cm thick. Heating the film in a gas (air or hydrogen) when the film was not completely aged brought departures from the proportionality between Hall e.m.f. and resistance, while pumping out and cooling returned the film to its previous condition.
Analysis of fluid flow and heat transfer in a double pipe heat exchanger with porous structures

Abstract A numerical study of flow and heat transfer characteristics is made in a double pipe heat exchanger with porous structures inserted in the annular gap in two configurations: on the inner cylinder (A) and on both the cylinders in a staggered fashion (B). The flow field in the porous regions is modelled by the Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer model and the finite volume method is used to solve the governing equations. The effects of several parameters such as Darcy number, porous structures thickness and spacing and thermal conductivity ratio are considered in order to look for the most appropriate properties of the porous structures that allow optimal heat transfer enhancement. It is found that the highest heat transfer rates are obtained when the porous structures are attached in configuration B especially at small spacing and high thicknesses.
Improving the recovery of ionic solutes from aqueous media by modified thermospray liquid-liquid extraction

Our previously reported procedure for the extraction of charged compounds from aqueous samples by thermospray liquid−liquid extraction (TSLLE) was essentially a one-step extraction involving large sample volumes. In this report, recirculative extraction, analysis of small sample volumes, the halide ion effect, and the effect of solvency or solvent modification on the extraction efficiency of benzoic acid (BA) by TSLLE were investigated. Compared to the one-step procedure that resulted in an extraction efficiency of only 28% for BA in n-hexane, recirculative TSLLE resulted in a BA recovery of 65% after five extraction cycles. When applied to sample volumes of 5−10 mL, TSLLE extracted BA with a precision of 2.8−6.1%. NaF, NaCl, and NaBr were also used to enhance analyte recovery. NaF gave the best recovery, 104%, for BA relative to the 88% obtained by batch processing. Some improvements in the extraction efficiency was observed when solvent modifiers such as methanol, ethanol, and 2-propanol were used.
C6-substituted analogues of 8-azanebularine: Probes of an RNA-editing enzyme active site

We describe the synthesis of derivatives of 8-azanebularine, a known inhibitor of adenosine deaminases including the RNA-editing enzyme ADAR2. 6-Methyl, 6-hydroxymethyl, 6-cyano, and 6-mercapto derivatives were obtained from 6-bromo precursors using different cross-coupling or substitution reactions. The C6-methyl derivative was incorporated into an RNA substrate for ADAR2 via the phosphoramidite. Quantitative gel mobility shift experiments with the resulting RNA indicate that methylation at C6 dramatically reduces the affinity of 8-azanebularine for ADAR2.