cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DNA structure: what's in charge?

DNA structure is well known to be sensitive to hydration and ionic strength. Recent theoretical predictions and experimental observations have raised the idea of the intrusion of monovalent cations into the minor groove spine of hydration in B-form DNA. To investigate this further, extensions and further analysis of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on d(CGCCGAATTCGCG), d(ATAGGCAAAAAATAGGCAAAAATGG) and d(G(5)-(GA(4)T(4)C)(2)-C(5)), including counterions and water, have been performed. To examine the effective of minor groove ions on structure, we analyzed the MD snapshots from a 15 ns trajectory on d(CGCGAATTCGCG) as two subsets: those exhibiting a minor groove water spine and those with groove-bound ions. The results indicate that Na(+) at the ApT step of the minor groove of d(CGCCGAATTCGCG) makes only small local changes in the DNA structure, and these changes are well within the thermal fluctuations calculated from the MD. To examine the effect of ions on the differential stability of a B-form helix, further analysis was performed on two longer oligonucleotides, which exhibit A-tract-induced axis bending localized around the CpG step in the major groove. Plots of axis bending and proximity of ions to the bending locus were generated as a function of time and revealed a strong linear correlation, supporting the idea that mobile cations play a key role in local helix deformations of DNA and indicating ion proximity just precedes the bending event. To address the issue of "what's in charge?" of DNA structure more generally, the relative free energy of A and B-form d(CGCGAATTCGCG) structures from MD simulations under various environmental circumstances were estimated using the free energy component method. The results indicate that the dominant effects on conformational stability come from the electrostatic free energy, but not exclusively from groove bound ions per se, but from a balance of competing factors in the electrostatic free energy, including phosphate repulsions internal to the DNA, the electrostatic component of hydration (i.e. solvent polarization), and electrostatic effects of the counterion atmosphere. In summary, free energy calculations indicate that the electrostatic component is dominant, MD shows temporal proximity of mobile counterions to be correlated with A-track-induced bending, and thus the mobile ion component of electrostatics is a significant contributor. However, the MD structure of the dodecamer d(CGCGAATTCGCG) is not highly sensitive to whether there is a sodium ion in the minor groove.
Imaging of fluorescence yield and lifetime from multiply scattered light re-emitted from random media

The feasibility of employing fluorescent agents to perform optical imaging in tissues and other scattering media has been examined through experimental and computational studies. Fluorescence lifetime and yield can give crucial information about local metabolite concentration or environmental conditions within tissues. This information can be employed towards disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment if non-invasively quantitated from re-emitted optical signals. However, the inverse problem for image reconstruction of fluorescence yield and lifetime is complicated due to the highly scattering nature of the tissue. In this work, a light propagation model employing the diffusion equation is used to account for the scattering of both the excitation and fluorescent light. Simulated measurements of frequency-domain parameters of fluorescent modulated AC amplitude and phase-lag are used as inputs to an inverse image reconstruction algorithm which employs the diffusion model to predict frequency-domain measurements resulting from a modulated input at the phantom periphery. In the inverse image reconstruction algorithm, we employ a Newton-Raphson technique combined with Marquardt algorithm to converge upon the fluorescent properties within the medium. The successful reconstruction of both the fluorescence yield and lifetime in the case of heterogeneous fluorophore distribution within a scattering medium has been demonstrated without a priori information or without the necessity of obtaining `absence' images.
Modulation of the serotonin system by endocannabinoid signaling

The cannabinoid CB(1) receptors and their endogenous agonists, endocannabinoids (eCBs), are ubiquitously distributed throughout the central nervous system (CNS), where they play a key role in the regulation of neuronal excitability. As such, CB signaling has been implicated in the regulation of a myriad of physiological functions ranging from feeding homoeostasis to emotional and motivational processes. Ample evidence from behavioral studies also suggests that eCBs are important regulators of stress responses and a deficit in eCB signaling contributes to stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression. The eCB-induced modulation of stress-related behaviors appears to be mediated, at least in part, through the regulation of the serotoninergic system. In this article, we review the role of eCB signaling in the regulation of the serotoninergic system with special emphasis on the cellular mechanisms by which cannabinoid CB(1) receptors modulate the excitability of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons.
Mixed dark matter and the pattern of neutrino masses

There is increasing evidence that more than 90% of the mass of the universe is in an unseen, non-baryonic form. The model of this dark matter which best fits the structure of the universe on all scales is a mixture of ∼ 70% cold dark matter and ∼ 30% neutrinos of ∼ 7 eV. If the solar νe and atmospheric νμ deficits both result from neutrino mass, these three mass requirements allow only three possible patterns of neutrino mass: (A) νe, νμ, and ντ are all 2–3 eV; (B) the νe, νμ, and ντ are all very light, and a sterile neutrino νs is the component of dark matter; or (C) the νe and νs are light, and the νμ and ντ are 3–4 eV. Neutrinoless double beta decay should constrain (A) for the much more likely Majorana masses, but recent preliminary data make this an interesting possibility. (B) is unlikely because νs would decouple early, reducing its number density, forcing up its mass so much that it would no longer be hot dark matter. There is no problem with (C), for which the solar νe deficit is explained by νe → νs, with nucleosynthesis constraints being obeyed for the non-adiabatic MSW and vacuum oscillation cases, which have almost the same parameters as for νe → νs. Both (A) and (C) can be tested in the near future.
Neural network control of a space manipulator

A neural network approach to online learning control and real-time implementation for a flexible space robot manipulator is presented. Motivation for and system development of the Self-Mobile Space Manipulator (SM/sup 2/) are discussed. The neural network learns control by updating feedforward dynamics based on feedback control input. Implementation issues associated with online training strategies are addressed, and a simple stochastic training scheme is presented. A recurrent neural network architecture with improved performance is proposed. By using the proposed learning scheme, the manipulator tracking error is reduced by 85% compared to conventional PID control. The approach possesses a high degree of generality and adaptability in various applications and will be a valuable method in learning control for robots working in unstructured environments. >
Erratum to: Abuse victimization and risk of breast cancer in the Black Women’s Health Study

Erratum to: Cancer Causes Control (2011) 22:659–669DOI 10.1007/s10552-011-9738-3The correct title of this article is ‘‘Abuse victimization andrisk of breast cancer in the Black Women’s Health Study.’’In Table 4, the conﬁdence interval for ‘‘intermediatephysical abuse frequency’’ should read: ‘‘(0.91–2.43)’’.
Inferring stellar sources for the elements from astrophysical observations

Abstract Low-mass metal-poor stars were formed at early times when only a small number of massive stars had had time to evolve and chemically enrich the universe. Therefore, the observed elemental abundances in these metal-poor stars are fossil records of the nucleosynthetic contributions of massive stellar sources. Based on these observations, it is argued that there must be three distinct sources for the elements from Na to U in the early universe, and these are low-mass supernovae, normal supernovae, and hypernovae associated with massive stars of ~8–11 M ⊙ , ~12–25 M ⊙ , and >25 M ⊙ , respectively.
The growth of growth

Over a 40-year period, 1940 through the present, human growth research has increased for a minimal to a major part of physical anthropology. Such research, originally conducted at the major American growth centers, has become more diverse and more specialized, extending to National Probability Samplings, nutritional surveys, studies of twins, investigations restricted to the craniofacial complex, and studies of the growth and development of various primate species. Besides extending knowledge of growth and development in general and control mechanisms in particular, there has been major feedback into physical anthropology affording far greater understanding of human variability, ot taxonomic differences, and of changes previously believed to be phylogenetic in nature. To the larger extent, all physical anthropologists have some degree of growth awareness.
Photoinduced Electron-Transfer within Free Base and Zinc Porphyrin Containing Poly(Amide) Dendrimers

The synthesis and photophysical characterization of a series of free base and zinc porphyrin containing, Newkome-type dendrimers terminated with anthraquinone groups (FbP-Ga-AQn and ZnP-Ga-AQn) and ethyl groups (FbP-Ga-Etn and ZnP-Ga-Etn) are described. These dendrimers were designed for use as mimics of the photosynthetic reaction center. Red-shifts in the absorption spectra, particularly in the anthraquinone-terminated series, were interpreted as resulting from backfolding of the dendrimer branches. Dendrimers FbP-Ga-AQn were shown to exhibit substantial quenching (58−75%) of the porphyrin fluorescence as measured against the analogous ethyl-terminated dendrimers (FbP-Ga-Etn) in steady-state fluorescence experiments. The zinc porphyrin containing dendrimers ZnP-Ga-AQn exhibited nearly complete quenching (96−99.5%) of the porphyrin fluorescence. An intramolecular electron-transfer mechanism is proposed for the substantial decrease in fluorescence in both series of dendrimers. Time-resolved fluorescence e...
Immunohistochemical and fluorescent microscopic study of histogenesis of salivary mucoepidermoid carcinoma

The purpose of the present investigation was to study the histogenesis of the mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands. Eleven cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the minor salivary glands and five of the major glands were extensively studied employing immunohistochemical and fluorescent microscopic techniques. Both the intermediate cells and the duct cells showed a rather similar pattern of reactivity for vimentin, actin and EMA. Also, the intermediate cells and the myoepithelial cells showed a similar reaction pattern for keratin and UGA-1. The intermediate, myoepithelial and duct cells shared a similar reaction pattern for desmin, myosin, CEA, and S-100 protein. However, the rest of the tumor markers studied (AFP, PNA and WGA) were found to be non contributary. We also found that the intermediate and to some extent the epidermoid tumor cells showed a positive reaction with Azophloxine GA, which is a selective stain for myoepithelial cells in the normal glands. Based on these findings, the duct cells, the myoepithelial cell in the normal glands and the intermediate cells of the mucoepidermoid carcinoma share certain similar characteristics. The intermediate cells may actually be a mixed population, some having characteristics of the myopithelial cells and others of duct cells. These findings are relevant to the possible role of the intermediate cell in the histogenesis of the mucoepidermoid carcinoma.
Lipid shape as a determinant of lipid composition in Clostridium butyricum. The effects of incorporation of various fatty acids on the ratios of the major ether lipids

Abstract The lipid composition of Clostridium butyricum is strongly influenced by the aliphatic chain compositions of the membrane lipids. Growth on cis -monounsaturated fatty acids in the absence of biotin was shown to affect the relative proportions of phosphatidylethanolamine, plasmenylethanolamine, and the glycerol acetal of plasmenylethanolamine most strongly, with smaller effects on the acidic lipids, phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin. The ratio of the glycerol acetal of plasmenylethanolamine to total phosphatidylethanolamine in cells grown on a series of fatty acids is shown to decrease in the following order; cis -vaccenic acid ≥ oleic acid = C 19 -cyclopropane fatty acid > linoleic acid > petroselinic acid > elaidic acid > 14-methylhexadecanoic acid (anteiso-C 17 ) > 12-methyltridecanoic acid (iso-C 14 ). All fatty acids were extensively incorporated into the lipid acyl, alkenyl, and alkyl chains. There was considerable chain-elongation of the iso-C 14 to iso-C 16 . The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the membrane lipid composition is strongly influenced by lipid shape and that the observed changes in lipid composition serve to stabilize the bilayer arrangement of the cell membrane.
An analysis of black liquor falling film evaporation

Abstract Scaling in conventional black liquor evaporators has presented problems for decades, impeding the improvement of productivity in paper mills. Recent investigations suggest that falling film technology may effectively minimize black liquor fouling and improve productivity in a paper mill. This finding motivates the current work to analyze the transport phenomenon, enrichment and scale fouling of black liquor in a falling film evaporator. In the paper, a mathematical model based on a turbulent two-phase flow with multiple components is presented to investigate the transport processes of black liquor in a falling film evaporator. A phenomenological model of crystallization fouling is used to predict the fouling process. The results show the relationship between heat and mass transfer occurring within a very thin viscous sublayer close to the heat transfer surface, and the influence of soluble solids concentration and thermal boundary condition on the enrichment and scale fouling of black liquor.
Associations between Watching TV during Family Meals and Dietary Intake Among Adolescents

Abstract Objective To examine associations between watching television during family meals and dietary intake among adolescents. Design Cross-sectional study using survey data from a diverse sample of adolescents. Setting Data were collected from a school-based survey during the 1998-1999 school year. Participants Middle and high school students (N = 4746) from 31 public schools in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Response rate was 81.5%. Variables Measured Intake of fruits, total vegetables, dark green/yellow vegetables, calcium-rich food, grains, soft drinks, fried food, snack food, calories, family meal frequency, and watching television during meals. Analysis General linear modeling comparing dietary intake across 3 groups. Results 33.5% of boys and 30.9% of girls reported watching television during family meals. Adolescents watching television were found to have lower intakes of vegetables, dark green/yellow vegetables, calcium-rich food, and grains and higher intakes of soft drinks compared to adolescents not watching television during meals. However, watching television during family meals was associated with a more healthful diet than not eating regular family meals. Conclusions and Implications Watching television during family meals was associated with poorer dietary quality among adolescents. Health care providers should work with families and adolescents to promote family meals, emphasizing turning the TV off at meals.
The fracture behavior of B2 structured MgR intermetallics

Recent discovery of ductile B2 intermetallics containing a rare earth (R) element and a transition or simple metal (M) raises questions regarding their fracture behavior. We have compared archetypal cases with some MgR compounds, which tend to exhibit brittle cleavage on {1 0 0} cleavage planes, with the exception of MgCe which cleaves on {1 1 1} planes.
Bathymetry in Petermann fjord from Operation IceBridge aerogravity

Abstract Petermann Glacier is a major glacier in northern Greenland, maintaining one of the few remaining floating ice tongues in Greenland. Monitoring programs, such as NASA's Operation IceBridge have surveyed Petermann Glacier over several decades and have found it to be stable in terms of mass balance, velocity and grounding-line position. The future vulnerability of this large glacier to changing ocean temperatures and climate depends on the ocean–ice interactions beneath its floating tongue. These cannot currently be predicted due to a lack of knowledge of the bathymetry underneath the ice tongue. Here we use aerogravity data from Operation IceBridge, together with airborne radar and laser data and shipborne bathymetry-soundings to model the bathymetry beneath the Petermann ice tongue. We find a basement-cored inner sill at 540–610 m depth that results in a water cavity with minimum thickness of 400 m about 25 km from the grounding line. The sill is coincident with the location of the melt rate minimum. Seaward of the sill the fjord is strongly asymmetric. The deepest point occurs on the eastern side of the fjord at 1150 m, 600 m deeper than on the western side. This asymmetry is due to a sedimentary deposit on the western side of the fjord. A 350–410 m-deep outer sill, also mapped by marine surveys, marks the seaward end of the fjord. This outer sill is aligned with the proposed Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) grounding-line position for Petermann Glacier. The inner sill likely provided a stable pinning point for the grounding line in the past, punctuating the retreat of Petermann Glacier since the LGM.
Straining and Attachment of Colloids in Physically Heterogeneous Porous Media

Colloid transport studies were conducted in water-saturated physically heterogeneous systems to gain insight into the processes controlling transport in natural aquifer and vadose zone (variably saturated) systems. Stable monodispersed colloids (carboxyl latex microspheres) and porous media (Ottawa quartz sands) that are negatively charged were employed in these studies. The physically heterogeneous systems consisted of various combinations of a cylindrical sand lens embedded in the center of a larger cylinder of matrix sand. Colloid migration was found to strongly depend on colloid size and physical heterogeneity. A decrease in the peak effluent concentration and an increase in the colloid mass removal in the sand near the column inlet occurred when the median grain size of the matrix sand decreased or the size of the colloid increased. These observations and numerical modeling of the transport data indicated that straining was sometimes an important mechanism of colloid retention. Experimental and simulation results suggest that attachment was more important when the colloid size was small relative to the sand pore size. Transport differences between conservative tracers and colloids were attributed to flow bypassing of finer-textured sands, colloid retention at interfaces of soil textural contrasts, and exclusion of colloids from smaller pore spaces. Colloid retention in the heterogeneous systems was also influenced by spatial variations in the pore water velocity. Parameters in straining and attachment models were successfully optimized to the colloid transport data. The straining model typically provided a better description of the effluent and retention data than the attachment model, especially for larger colloids and finer-textured sands. Consistent with previously reported findings, straining occurred when the ratio of the colloid and median grain diameters was >0.5%.
Beyond the poverty of national security: toward a critical human security perspective in educational policy

This article examines the intersecting logics of human capital and national security underpinning the corporate school reform movement in the United States. Taking a 2012 policy report by the Council on Foreign Relations as an entry point, it suggests that these logics are incoherent not only on their own narrow instrumental terms, but also more importantly in terms of progressive ideals of human and educational flourishing. The article proceeds to draw on discussions within the fields of international relations and critical security studies in order to think through what it might mean to reframe educational policy within the terms of human security rather than human capital and national security. It further explores both the possibilities and distinct limitations of extant human security discourses and policies in relation to global neoliberal governance and biopolitics. The article concludes by advocating for a critical human security framework in educational policy along three conceptual lines: (1) A H...
Bridging children's social development and social network analysis.

How do we study peer relationships and the socialization processes that occur within them? Social network analysis provides tools that can be used to answer questions about the structure and organization of peer relationships and the ways in which children influence one another.
Conservative management of duodenal trauma: A multicenter perspective

The experience of eight trauma centers with duodenal injuries was analyzed to identify trends in operative management, sources of duodenal-related morbidity, and causes of mortality. During the 5-year period ending December 1988, 164 duodenal injuries were identified. Patient ages ranged from 5 to 78 years. There were 38 Class I, 70 Class II, 48 Class III, four Class IV, and four Class V injuries. Injury mechanism was penetrating in 102 (62%) patients and blunt in 62. Primary repair of the duodenal injury was performed in 117 (71%) patients, including 27 patients also managed with pyloric exclusion and 12 with tube duodenostomy. Duodenal resection with primary anastomosis was used in six (4%) patients and pancreatoduodenectomy was necessary in five (3%). There were 30 (18%) deaths. The cause of death was uncontrolled hemorrhage from severe hepatic or vascular injuries in 22 (73%) patients. In only two (1%) patients could death be attributed to the duodenal injury; each as the result of duodenal repair dehiscence and subsequent sepsis. Duodenal-related morbidity was documented in 29 (18%) patients, including 22 patients with intra-abdominal abscess, six with duodenal fistula, and five with frank duodenal dehiscence. In summary, this analysis demonstrated: 1) the great majority of duodenal injuries can be managed by simple repair; 2) tube duodenostomy is not a mandatory component of operative treatment; 3) pyloric exclusion is a useful adjunct for more complex injuries; 4) pancreatoduodenectomy is rarely necessary for civilian duodenal trauma; 5) morbidity following duodenal trauma is more dependent on associated intra-abdominal injuries than the extent of duodenal trauma; and 6) mortality following duodenal injuries is primarily related to associated vascular and hepatic trauma.
Interactions Of Evaporated Nickel And Silicon Thin Films

Interactions of evaporated Ni and Si thin films were investigated by a combination of backseat tering spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy. The presence of amorphous Si has no significant effects on Ni 2 Si and NiSi formation, but it drastically lowers the formation temperature of NiSi. Experiments with evaporated thin markers established that Ni is the dominant diffusing species in the growth of the three suicides. The stability of NiSi was examined by sequential evaporation of Ni 34 Si 66 and Ni 50 Si 50 thin films both on Si(100) and on evaporated Si substrates. The results showed that NiSi 2 grows at the expence of NiSi when the stucture is in contact with evaporated Si, while it dissociates into NiSi and Si when in contact with single crystal Si.
Refinement of X-Ray Data on Proteins. I. Adjustment of Atomic Coordinates to Conform to a Specified Geometry

The atomic coordinates of a protein derived from x-ray-diffraction studies yield bond lengths and bond angles which depart significantly from those obtained from the crystal structures of the individual amino acids. A method is described for adjusting the dihedral angles (φi , ψi , χj) of the backbone and side chains by a least-squares approximation to the x-ray coordinates so that the computed structure conforms to those derived from crystal structures of its constituent amino acids. This structure may then be used as a starting point for conformational energy calculations. The performance of various minimization procedures in the least-squares computations is described, and a comparison of the adjusted structure with the x-ray structure is made in terms of deviations of the atom positions and dihedral angles from their original values. The method is applied here to the x-ray coordinates of lysozyme and chymotrypsin.
Benchmark characterization for experimental system evaluation

Ways of measuring benchmark characteristics independent of system design are presented. These benchmark characteristics include memory access behavior, control transfer behavior, and data dependencies. Measuring benchmark characteristics independently of the design parameters provides for cross-design and cross architecture comparisons using the same benchmark set. These characteristics also serve as the basis for interpreting benchmarking results. Instruction memory access behavior and control transfer behavior are extracted from real programs and presented to illustrate the usefulness of benchmark characterization. >
A linearly constrained wideband adaptive array antenna with orthogonal filter structure

A linearly constrained wideband adaptive array sensor is described whose adaptive processor is realized with a multichannel orthogonal filter structure. It is shown that the transform domain processor utilizing the computationally simple LMS algorithm is capable of convergence speeds which rival the least squares methods which are more expensive to implement. Furthermore, there is no additional cost in terms of the adaptive coefficient requirements (and only a modest increase in nonadaptive computational requirements) when compared to the standard tapped-delay-line structure array utilizing the LMS algorithm. >
Subcategorization inheritance in Old English P-V compounds

This article deals with the relation between subcategorization and the notion head in OE [P-V] compounds. Many morphosyntactic properties such as category and morphological class percolate from the head to the mother. Subcategorization, however, can percolate to the mother from a nonhead as well as from the head. This is evident from the comparison of their case government properties. This paper shows that the process of ARGUMENT ATTRACTION developed within Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar permits a straightforward account of this phenomenon. This paper will examine the subcategorization (or valence) of P-V compounds (for example, over-come) in Old English (OE) and the relationship between the subcategorization of the whole compound and the subcategorizations of its parts, as evidenced by their respective case government. The symbol P represents a preverb (for example, over) which is homophonous with a
Decoupled Data for Privacy Preserving Record Linkage with Error Management

Data from social networks are an excellent source of information for studying human behaviors and interactions. Typically, when analyzing such data, the default mode of access is de-identified data, which provides a level of privacy protection. However, due to its inability to link to other data, de-identified data has limitations with regard to answering broad and critically important questions about our complex society. In this paper, we (1) investigate the properties of information related to privacy, and (2) present a novel model of data access, decoupled data access, for studying personal data using these properties. Decoupling refers to separating out the identifying information from the sensitive data that needs protection. We assert that decoupled data access can provide flexible record linkage with error management while still providing the same level of privacy protection as de-identified data.
A Noncontact Velocimeter Using Sensing Arrays

A method for measuring the velocity of a surface moving relative to two area-sensing arrays is described. The arrays are separated by a known distance and are driven by a common clock so that their outputs can be correlated element for element. The velocity of the surface in the direction of the center line between the arrays is measured by determining the transit time required for a portion of the surface imaged onto the leading array to move to the trailing array. This is accomplished by exposing the leading array for one frame scan, and after some adjustable time delay, exposing the trailing array and correlating its output with the leading-array output. The time delay which gives the best correlation is the transit time. Experimental results from a laboratory model are presented.
Microbiome Disturbances and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are considered a heterogenous set of neurobehavioral diseases, with the rates of diagnosis dramatically increasing in the past few decades. As genetics alone does not explain the underlying cause in many cases, attention has turned to environmental factors as potential etiological agents. Gastrointestinal disorders are a common comorbidity in ASD patients. It was thus hypothesized that a gut-brain link may account for some autistic cases. With the characterization of the human microbiome, this concept has been expanded to include the microbiota-gut-brain axis. There are mounting reports in animal models and human epidemiologic studies linking disruptive alterations in the gut microbiota or dysbiosis and ASD symptomology. In this review, we will explore the current evidence that gut dysbiosis in animal models and ASD patients correlates with disease risk and severity. The studies to date have surveyed how gut microbiome changes may affect these neurobehavioral disorders. However, we harbor other microbiomes in the body that might impact brain function. We will consider microbial colonies residing in the oral cavity, vagina, and the most recently discovered one in the placenta. Based on the premise that gut microbiota alterations may be causative agents in ASD, several therapeutic options have been tested, such as diet modulations, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, antibiotics, fecal transplantation, and activated charcoal. The potential benefits of these therapies will be considered. Finally, the possible mechanisms by which changes in the gut bacterial communities may result in ASD and related neurobehavioral disorders will be examined.
Two-material, air-clad, grating-in-the-waveguide optical interconnects

The fabrication and testing of two-material, air-clad, volume grating-in-the-waveguide optical interconnects are described. Avatrel 2190P photopolymer from Promerus, LLC, and Omnidex HRF600 photopolymer from Dupont are incorporated as the waveguide and grating materials, respectively. Waveguide/grating interconnects exhibiting waveguide propagation losses of a/sub wg/ = -(0.47-3) dB/cm and grating coupling coefficients a/sub g/ = 1.4-5.3 mm/sup -1/ are demonstrated.
Comparing Multiple Measures of Glycemia: How to Transition from Biomarker to Diagnostic Test?

The underlying pathophysiology of diabetes varies, but all patients share a common a metabolic derangement of carbohydrate metabolism, which causes hyperglycemia. Many patients with diabetes develop debilitating complications, ranging from retinopathy and nephropathy, to myocardial infarction and stroke. The accumulated evidence reveals that reducing an increased glucose concentration, as documented by a lower hemoglobin A1c (Hb A1c)4 concentration, decreases complications (1, 2). Hb A1c is extensively used to monitor glycemic control and to adjust therapy, and it has recently been accepted as a criterion for the diagnosis of diabetes (3). Hb A1c reflects long-term glycemia, because glucose attaches irreversibly (the process is termed glycation) to hemoglobin in erythrocytes. Hb A1c can be modified independently of glycemia, however, by conditions (e.g., anemia or renal failure) that alter the mean age of erythrocytes by changing either their production or their rate of disappearance. Recent observations have revealed that the life span of erythrocytes in healthy individuals who have normal blood counts and indices can vary sufficiently from the commonly taught 120 days to cause clinically relevant differences in Hb A1c concentrations (4). These limitations have led to investigations of an expanding group of alternative markers of glycemia. The best studied of these analytes is fructosamine, which is the generic name for plasma protein ketoamines. Because albumin is the most abundant protein in serum, fructosamine is predominantly a measure of glycated albumin. The covalent attachment of glucose to albumin forms glycated albumin, which can also be assayed directly (5). The half-life of albumin in the blood is 14–20 days, so both fructosamine and glycated albumin indicate the mean blood glucose concentration over the preceding 2 weeks. The fructosamine assay was developed in 1983 (6), but it was modified—and improved—in 1990 by the addition …
Algorithms for minimizing standby power in deep submicrometer, dual-V/sub t/ CMOS circuits

Addresses the problem of delay constrained minimization of standby power of CMOS digital circuits that are implemented with dual-V/sub t/ technology. The availability of two or more threshold voltages on the same chip provides a new opportunity for circuit designers to make tradeoffs between power and delay. Three efficient algorithms that operate on a gate level netlist are described. Each algorithm assigns one of two threshold voltages (high and low V/sub t/) to each transistor so that the standby power dissipation is minimized without violating a user specified delay constraint. Experimental results on the MCNC91 benchmark circuits show that up to one order of magnitude power reduction can be achieved without any increase in delay when compared to the configuration in which all devices are at the low V/sub t/.
Practical geometrical behavior of Knife-Edge Diffraction

This paper presents the scalar knife-edge diffraction (KED) solution is a workhorse for RF and optics engineers who regularly deal with practical diffraction phenomena. Yet the approximate, polarization-independent KED result is formulated in a way that does not provide direct physical insight. In this paper, we demonstrate how the KED formula contains similar underlying physics to other geometrically-based half-screen diffraction solutions. The analysis proves that the diffracted wave emanating from a knife edge is an ideal middle ground between the Sommerfeld solutions for perpendicular (soft) and parallel (hard) polarizations. This justifies the widespread use of KED for radio wave propagation whenever polarization or composition of the diffracting screen is unknown. The GTD coefficient derived in this paper also allows engineers to tackle difficult multiple diffraction problems with geometrical techniques, rather than more cumbersome procedures such as Millingtonpsilas technique.
High-yield membrane protein expression from E. coli using an engineered outer membrane protein F fusion

Obtaining high yields of membrane proteins necessary to perform detailed structural study is difficult due to poor solubility and variability in yields from heterologous expression systems. To address this issue, an Escherichia coli-based membrane protein overexpression system utilizing an engineered bacterial outer membrane protein F (pOmpF) fusion has been developed. Full-length human receptor activity-modifying protein 1 (RAMP1) was expressed using pOmpF, solubilized in FC15 and purified to homogeneity. Using circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy, purified full-length RAMP1 is composed of approximately 90% α-helix, and retains its solubility and structure in FC15 over a wide range of temperatures (20–60°C). Thus, our approach provides a useful, complementary approach to achieve high-yield, full-length membrane protein overexpression for biophysical studies.
Requirements for VHDL 200X

VHDL is being successfully applied to the design of digital systems from the behavioral level down to the gate level. Powerful libraries such as VITAL exist for gate level models. Powerful synthesis tools have been developed that will generate FPGA and ASIC implementations from behavioral VHDL descriptions. However, VHDL has not found general acceptance as a language for describing systems from the requirements level down to the behavioral level. This includes the functions of hardware/software partitioning and codesign, and high level performance and dependability modeling. In addition, a seamless integration between VHDL and the proposed System Level Design Language (SLDL) must be ensured so that SLDL models can be refined down to an implementation using VHDL in an incremental manner. Finally, the issue of model reuse, especially as it applies to high level modeling elements, needs to be addressed.There are currently two ongoing efforts to extend the VHDL language, Object Oriented VHDL (OOVHDL) and Systems and Interface-based Design (SID) which may answer some of these issues, but it is doubtful if they will address them all. There also may be additional issues that VHDL must address that have not yet been identified.The VHDL community is just beginning the process of planning for the next update to the VHDL language, VHDL 200X. The first step in this process is the development of a requirements document for VHDL 200X.This workshop will discuss the requirements necessary for VHDL to be successfully applied to the complex system designs of the future. Discussions will begin with a presentation of the preliminary results of the recent VHDL survey. The workshop participants will then be asked to provide feedback on the relative importance of the requirements identified thus far and identify any additional requirements they deem necessary. The results of this workshop will be used by the organizers to help develop a draft version of the VHDL 200X requirements document.
A track search optimization method for implicit coordination

As one of the future surveillance applications that support high performance operations in the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), Airborne Conflict Management (ACM) includes self-separation as well as conflict detection and resolution (CDR) functions. The functions evaluate possible future loss of separation, detect conflicts in a timely manner, and provide resolution options where necessary. Furthermore, CDR can be performed either independently or coordinated. Implicit conflict coordination is an efficient solution to CDR since it allocates the maneuver requirement to multiple aircraft and often results in a less overall disruption to airspace while assuming no data exchange between conflicting aircraft other than surveillance data (i.e. positions, velocity). This paper summarizes the methodology of typical geometric-based conflict resolution, explores the issues and problems of extending independent resolution methods to coordination methods, and proposes a track search optimization method to find the optimal solution for coordination based on criteria that minimizing certain cost functions.
Cadmium binding to a histidine-rich glycoprotein from marine mussel blood plasma: potentiometric titration and equilibrium speciation modeling.

Cadmium-binding parameters (conditional stability constants and carrying capacities) of Mytilus edulis blood plasma histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) were investigated by potentiometric titrations using a Cd ion-specific electrode. Titration data were applied to a single-component complexation model and expressed as Scatchard plots that were analyzed using the graphical curve peeling method and the algebraic statistical mechanical method. These sets of binding parameters, derived for the purified HRG, were subsequently entered into the geochemical speciation model MINTEQA2 and then used to simulate the experimental titration, thereby determining which set of log K and CL values best represented the titration data. The Cd binding to HRG was best described by a two-class model with log K values of 7.65 +/- 0.10 and 5.41 +/- 0.06 M-1 and carrying capacities of 6.0 +/- 1.2 and 9.5 +/- 0.4 sites/molecule, respectively. At concentration of total Cd measured in the blood plasma of field-collected mussels ( 93.5% of total Cd binds to HRG), whereas HRG itself would only be 0.05% saturated with Cd, indicating a high-capacity, apparently nonsaturable Cd transport system.
Lutein decreases oxidative stress and inflammation in liver and eyes of guinea pigs fed a hypercholesterolemic diet

Guinea pigs were fed a hypercholesterolemic diet (0.25 g/100 g cholesterol) and randomly allocated either to a Control group (n = 9) or to a Lutein (0.1 g/100 g) group (n = 10) for 12 weeks to evaluate oxidative stress and inflammation in both liver and eyes. Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and inflammatory cytokines were measured as well as hepatic nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) binding. Lutein concentrations were greater in eyes (P < 0.01) and liver (P < 0.001) in the Lutein group. All guinea pigs had high concentrations of hepatic cholesterol as well as high plasma ALT and AST levels indicative of liver injury. However, the Lutein group had 43% lower hepatic free cholesterol than the Controls (P < 0.05). Hepatic MDA and MDA in the eye were lower in the Lutein compared to the Control group (P < 0.05). Hepatic tumor necrosis factor-α was 32% lower in the Lutein group (P < 0.05). Lastly, the Lutein group presented lower NF-κB DNA binding activity than the Control group (P < 0.001). These results suggest that in the presence of high cholesterol, lutein exerts both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which can be explained by attenuated NF-κB DNA binding activity. Furthermore, results also suggest that lutein accumulates in the eyes of guinea pigs to protect against oxidative stress.
Parental attitudes towards early intervention in children at high risk for affective disorders.

Abstract Background: Parents volunteered to complete surveys on attitudes toward treatment intervention in children at a theoretically high (20–30%) or very high (70%) risk for affective disorders because of an assumed uni-lineal or bi-lineal family history of bipolar illness. Methods: Questions focused on examining at what ages and stage of symptom and syndrome evolution parents would wish their child to begin treatment with different types of therapeutic approaches and clinical trial designs. Sixty percent of the respondents had a personal history of unipolar or bipolar affective disorders. Results: In 156 completed surveys, 83% of parents favored acute medication intervention and 67% favored long-term medication treatment for those children at very high risk at or before the development of severe symptoms (i.e. even prior to meeting full diagnostic thresholds). On the average, parents indicated that they would enter their child in a trial of: two types of psychotherapy at a point in illness evolution between moderate and severe symptoms, two types of open medications between severe symptoms and a definite diagnosis, two blind medications at a definite diagnosis, and a blind trial of placebo and medication after a definite diagnosis but before multiple recurrences of the illness. Parents, primarily on the basis of perceived safety, would allow their children to use medications that have been found to be effective in adults. Limitations: In addition to a number of methodological limitations, responders to the survey were self-selected. Conclusions: The results indicate a willingness on the part of most parents to treat a child at high risk for affective illness early in the course of symptom evolution, even prior to a full syndromic illness or diagnosis. This and other parental views of the risk–benefit and ethical dimensions of early intervention may be helpful in the initiation and design of studies aimed at assessing the efficacy of early interventions in childhood-onset bipolar illness and its prodromes.
Quantum Chemical Characterization of the Structural and Energetic Properties of HCN-BF3.

The structure, dipole moment, binding energy, and vibrational frequencies of HCN−BF3 are investigated via 12 DFT methods as well as MP2, MC-QCISD, and MCG3 calculations. By comparing the DFT results to both experimental data and results from post-Hartree−Fock molecular orbital methods, we gauge the effectiveness of various density functionals in modeling this fairly weak donor−acceptor system. For structural data, B3PW91, B98, and mPWPW91 provide results that compare favorably with experiment. All DFT methods that yield a reasonable structure predict dipole moments that are only slightly larger than the experimental value by 0.1 to 0.2 D. Moreover, to ensure that a comparison of calculated (equilibrium) and experimental (vibrationally averaged) data is indeed valid for this system, the B−N distance potential is calculated using B3PW91, MP2, and MCG3, and the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation for motion along this bond-stretching coordinate is solved to obtain vibrational energy levels, wave functions, ...
Effect of Hot Boning and Pre-Rigor Pressurization of Beef on Factors of Economic Importance

One randomly selected side from each of ten beef carcasses was hot boned and subjected to hydrostatic pressurization (103.5 MNm/sup -2/) for 2 min; the corresponding control sides were cold boned at 48 hr. Twelve boneless wholesale beef cuts were removed from each side and evaluated for boning yields, purge loss, wholesale cut yields, and trimmed retail cut yields. No significant differences were found in yield of bone, fat, or lean trim between hot- and cold-boned sides, nor was there any difference in purge loss between the 12 control and pre-rigor pressurized (PRP) boneless wholesale cuts (P > 0.05). There was a higher (P 0.05) in total trimmed retail yield between conventional (control) and hot-boned PRP sides.
HOW AN ACTIN NETWORK MIGHT CAUSE FOUNTAIN STREAMING AND NUCLEAR MIGRATION IN THE SYNCYTIAL DROSOPHILA EMBRYO

We show here using time-lapse video tapes that cytoplasmic streaming causes nuclear migration along the anterior-posterior axis (axial expansion) in the early syncytial embryo of Drosophila melanogaster. Using confocal microscopy and labeled phalloidin we explore the distribution of F-actin during axial expansion. We find that a network of F-actin fibers fills the cytoplasm in the embryo. This actin network partially disassembles around the nuclei during axial expansion. Our observations of normal development, fixed embryos, and drug injection experiments indicate that disassembly of the actin network generates cytoplasmic movements. We suggest that the cell cycle regulates disassembly of the actin network, and that this process may be mediated directly or indirectly by the microtubules. The cytoplasmic movements we observe during axial expansion are very similar to fountain streaming in the pseudopod of amoebae, and by analogy with the pseudopod we propose a working hypothesis for axial expansion based on solation-contraction coupling within the actin network.