cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The moment when translational control had a theory of everything

Allan Jacobson reminds us of how a study by Dever et al. published in 1992 connected several data on translational regulation, bringing attention to its crucial role in the regulation of gene expression.
Using restaurant reviews to teach how to write literature reviews

Courses: Any communication course requiring a literature review, including, but is not limited to, Communication Research Methods and Communication Theory.Objectives: After completing this activity, students should be able to write better literature reviews by (1) locating a range of resources; (2) identifying a variety of relevant information (that directly relates to the question at hand) from within a popular social medium; (3) identifying relevant information from scholarly works and making informed judgments about what information should be used or discarded; and (4) synthesizing information from disparate sources, drawing appropriate inferences and conclusions from the available research to communicate a point clearly.
Decays K± → π± l+ l− and limits on the mass of the neutral Higgs boson

It is shown that the limits on the weak decays K ± → π ± I + I − imply a lower bound of about 325 MeV for the mass of the neutral Higgs boson.
Ab initio studies of structural features not easily amenable to experiment: Part 13. Structural consequences of methyl hyperconjugation in some CH3C(X)Y systems

Abstract The molecular structures of several conformations of acetaldehyde, acetic acid and isobutene were completely refined by standard single determinant ab initio procedures on the 4–21G level. Calculated and experimental parameters are in close agreement in all the cases in which the experimental values can be considered as reliably established. In some examples, however, some essential structural features that should be found in CH 3 C(=X)Y systems have not yet been resolved by any experimental technique. The structural consequences for methyl hyperconjugation in the various systems are discussed. The study demonstrates that high quality ab initio geometries can provide information which is complementary to experimental results. The calculations are particularly useful in discussing discrepancies between microwave and electron diffraction structures and in interpreting microwave substitution structure uncertainties which are often difficult to determine accurately.
Overnight non-contact continuous vital signs monitoring using an intelligent automatic beam-steering Doppler sensor at 2.4 GHz

Doppler-based non-contact vital signs (NCVS) sensors can monitor heart rates, respiration rates, and motions of patients without physically touching them. We have developed a novel single-board Doppler-based phased-array antenna NCVS biosensor system that can perform robust overnight continuous NCVS monitoring with intelligent automatic subject tracking and optimal beam steering algorithms. Our NCVS sensor achieved overnight continuous vital signs monitoring with an impressive heart-rate monitoring accuracy of over 94% (i.e., within ±5 Beats-Per-Minute vs. a reference sensor), analyzed from over 400,000 data points collected during each overnight monitoring period of ∼ 6 hours at a distance of 1.75 meters. The data suggests our intelligent phased-array NCVS sensor can be very attractive for continuous monitoring of low-acuity patients.
Mechanic stress generated by a time-varying electromagnetic field on bone surface

Bone cells sense mechanical load, which is essential for bone growth and remodeling. In a fracture, this mechanism is compromised. Electromagnetic stimulation has been widely used to assist in bone healing, but the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. A recent hypothesis suggests that electromagnetic stimulation could influence tissue biomechanics; however, a detailed quantitative understanding of EM-induced biomechanical changes in the bone is unavailable. This paper used a muscle/bone model to study the biomechanics of the bone under EM exposure. Due to the dielectric properties of the muscle/bone interface, a time-varying magnetic field can generate both compressing and shear stresses on the bone surface, where many mechanical sensing cells are available for cellular mechanotransduction. I calculated these stresses and found that the shear stress is significantly greater than the compressing stress. Detailed parametric analysis suggests that both the compressing and shear stresses are dependent on the geometrical and electrical properties of the muscle and the bone. These stresses are also functions of the orientation of the coil and the frequency of the magnetic field. It is speculated that the EM field could apply biomechanical influence to fractured bone, through the fine-tuning of the controllable field parameters.
Exporting and Distributing Your Film

You have storyboarded, filmed, built animations, edited media together, and massaged your storyline. Your film is complete! Almost. All of your earlier efforts will only benefit from a preview screening of your film with a small group representing the intended audience. This way you can learn how to tighten it with last minute refinements. Then it is time to export your film to a file that is most appropriate for where it will be broadcast. Film formatting for web streaming in a third world country is likely quite different from a movie that you are submitting to a high-end film festival.
Damage-associated molecular patterns in resuscitated hemorrhagic shock are mitigated by peritoneal fluid administration

Conventional resuscitation (CR) of hemorrhagic shock (HS), a significant cause of trauma mortality, is intravenous blood and fluids. CR restores central hemodynamics, but vital organ flow can drop,...
Indoor black carbon and biomarkers of systemic inflammation and endothelial activation in COPD patients

Abstract Rationale Evidence linking traffic-related particle exposure to systemic effects in chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) patients is limited. Objectives Assess relationships between indoor black carbon (BC), a tracer of traffic-related particles, and plasma biomarkers of systemic inflammation and endothelial activation. Methods BC was measured by reflectance in fine particle samples over a mean of 7.6 days in homes of 85 COPD patients up to 4 times seasonally over a year. After the completion of sampling, plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were measured. Current smokers and homes with major sources of BC were excluded; therefore, indoor BC was primarily a measure of infiltrated outdoor BC. Mixed effects regression models with a random intercept for each participant were used to assess BC effects at different times (1–9 days before phlebotomy) and in the multi-day sample. Results Measured median BC was 0.19 µg/m3 (interquartile range, IQR=0.22 µg/m3). Adjusting for season, race, age, BMI, heart disease, diabetes, ambient temperature, relative humidity, a recent cold or similar illness, and blood draw time, there was a positive relationship between BC and CRP. The largest effect size was for BC averaged over the previous seven days (11.8% increase in CRP per IQR; 95%CI = 1.8–22.9). Effects were greatest among non-statin users and persons with diabetes. There were positive effects of BC on IL-6 only in non-statin users. There were no associations with sVCAM-1. Conclusions These results demonstrate exposure-response relationships between indoor BC with biomarkers of systemic inflammation in COPD patients, with stronger relationships in persons not using statins and with diabetes.
Evaluation of heat wave forecasts seamlessly across subseasonal timescales

We develop an extreme heat validation approach for medium-range forecast models and apply it to the NCEP coupled forecast model, for which we also attempt to diagnose sources of poor forecast skill. A weighting strategy based on the Poisson function is developed to provide a seamless transition from short-term day-by-day weather forecasts to expanding time means across subseasonal timescales. The skill of heat wave forecasts over the conterminous United States is found to be rather insensitive to the choice of skill metric; however, forecast skill does display spatial patterns that vary depending on whether daily mean, minimum, or maximum temperatures are the basis of the heat wave metric. The NCEP model fails to persist heat waves as readily as is observed. This inconsistency worsens with longer forecast lead times. Land–atmosphere feedbacks appear to be a stronger factor for heat wave maintenance at southern latitudes, but the NCEP model seems to misrepresent those feedbacks, particularly over the Southwest United States, leading to poor skill in that region. The NCEP model also has unrealistically weak coupling over agricultural areas of the northern United States, but this does not seem to degrade model skill there. Overall, we find that the Poisson weighting strategy combined with a variety of deterministic and probabilistic skill metrics provides a versatile framework for validation of dynamical model heat wave forecasts at subseasonal timescales. A validation window that broadens with time is developed to provide seamless verification of extreme heat forecasts from days to weeks. Trent Ford (Southern Illinois University), Paul Dirmeyer (COLA-George Mason University), and David Benson (George Mason University) applied several skill metrics with a Poisson function weighting strategy to verify NOAA coupled forecast system model extreme heat forecasts over the United States. The model fails to persist heat waves as readily as is observed, and this inconsistency worsens with longer forecast lead times. Land surface–atmosphere interactions appear to influence heat wave persistence, but the model misrepresents these interactions, leading to poor skill in the Southwest and Midwest regions. The Poisson weighting strategy provides a versatile framework for verifying forecasts across subseasonal timescales. Continued verification and improvement of model forecasts contributes to reducing the risk of extreme climate events.
Approximation algorithm for security games with costly resources

In recent years, algorithms for computing game-theoretic solutions have been developed for real-world security domains. These games are between a defender, who must allocate her resources to defend potential targets, and an attacker, who chooses a target to attack. Existing work has assumed the set of defender's resources to be fixed. This assumption precludes the effective use of approximation algorithms, since a slight change in the defender's allocation strategy can result in a massive change in her utility. In contrast, we consider a model where resources are obtained at a cost, initiating the study of the following optimization problem: Minimize the total cost of the purchased resources, given that every target has to be defended with at least a certain probability. We give an efficient logarithmic approximation algorithm for this problem.
Ultralight Energy Converter Tile for the Space Solar Power Initiative

We have fabricated a functional prototype of an ultralight power converter tile; a modular building block for a space-based solar power system. The tile is $\sim 10\mathrm \times 15$ cm in area, and weighs $\sim 1.5$ kg/$\text{m}^{\mathbf {2}}$. It comprises a photovoltaic (PV) solar energy collector, a radio-frequency (RF) power converter, and an array of transmission antennas. The PV collector subassembly utilizes $\sim 15\mathrm {x}$, 1D parabolic trough reflective concentrators with triple-junction (3J) solar cells. It has areal mass of $\sim 0.8$ kg/$\textbf{m}^{\mathbf {2}}$, 74% optical efficiency, and a peak specific power of $\sim 230\mathrm {W} /$kg. We demonstrated wireless power transmission over a distance of $\sim 50$ cm in our lab. Analysis of the sources of mass and inefficiency suggest a path towards achieving dramatically higher performance with future designs.
Innovative packaging that saves food

Abstract Food waste is a great problem nowadays; while many people are starving around the world, tons of food is wasted every day. An efficient way to preserve food is using industrial processes such as heat, cold, drying, fermentation, irradiation, high pressure, pulsed electric fields and modified atmosphere, among others, but it is also possible to use active packaging (AP) to extend the shelf life of food products. This packaging uses active compounds, as antimicrobial and antioxidants that could be released over time in the food and its products and increase their shelf life. Active packaging can be produced from agroindustrial wastes from which it is possible to extract proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. These materials could be used to develop biodegradable and edible packages. The current chapter discusses existing and innovative packaging solutions to minimize food waste.
A multiple imputation-based sensitivity analysis approach for data subject to missing not at random

Missingness mechanism is in theory unverifiable based only on observed data. If there is a suspicion of missing not at random, researchers often perform a sensitivity analysis to evaluate the impact of various missingness mechanisms. In general, sensitivity analysis approaches require a full specification of the relationship between missing values and missingness probabilities. Such relationship can be specified based on a selection model, a pattern-mixture model or a shared parameter model. Under the selection modeling framework, we propose a sensitivity analysis approach using a nonparametric multiple imputation strategy. The proposed approach only requires specifying the correlation coefficient between missing values and selection (response) probabilities under a selection model. The correlation coefficient is a standardized measure and can be used as a natural sensitivity analysis parameter. The sensitivity analysis involves multiple imputations of missing values, yet the sensitivity parameter is only used to select imputing/donor sets. Hence, the proposed approach might be more robust against misspecifications of the sensitivity parameter. For illustration, the proposed approach is applied to incomplete measurements of level of preoperative Hemoglobin A1c, for patients who had high-grade carotid artery stenosisa and were scheduled for surgery. A simulation study is conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach.
Facile Proton Transport in Ammonium Borosulfate—An Unhumidified Solid Acid Polyelectrolyte for Intermediate Temperatures

High proton conductivity is reported for unhumidified ammonium borosulfate, NH4 [B(SO4 )2 ], a solid acid coordination polymer that contains 1D, hydrogen-bonded NH4+ ···1∞ [B(SO4 )4/2 ]- chains. NH4 [B(SO4 )2 ] is thermally stable to 320 °C and is amenable to sintering into monolithic, polycrystalline discs at 200 °C and about 300 MPa of uniaxial pressure. Impedance spectroscopy measurements reveal ionic conductivities for sintered ammonium borosulfate of 0.1 mS cm-1 at 25 °C and up to 10 mS cm-1 at 180 °C in ambient air. No superprotonic transition is observed in the temperature range of 25-180 °C. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations show these high conductivities are aided by free rotation of the NH4+ units and significant gyrational mobility of the SO4 tetrahedra, which, in turn, provide facile pathways for proton locomotion. High conductivities, a wide operational temperature window, and tolerance to both ambient and anhydrous conditions make NH4 [B(SO4 )]2 an attractive candidate electrolyte for intermediate-temperature hydrogen fuel cells that may enable operation at temperatures as high as 300 °C without active humidification.
Targeting Pan-ETS Factors Inhibits Melanoma Progression.

The failure of once promising target-specific therapeutic strategies often arises from redundancies in gene expression pathways. Even with new melanoma treatments, many patients are not responsive or develop resistance, leading to disease progression in terms of growth and metastasis. We previously discovered that the transcription factors ETS1 and PAX3 drive melanoma growth and metastasis by promoting the expression of the MET receptor. Here, we find that there are multiple ETS family members expressed in melanoma and that these factors have redundant functions. The small molecule YK-4-279, initially developed to target the ETS gene–containing translocation product EWS-FLI1, significantly inhibited cellular growth, invasion, and ETS factor function in melanoma cell lines and a clinically relevant transgenic mouse model, BrafCA;Tyr-CreERT2;Ptenf/f. One of the antitumor effects of YK-4-279 in melanoma is achieved via interference of multiple ETS family members with PAX3 and the expression of the PAX3-ETS downstream gene MET. Expression of exogenous MET provided partial rescue of the effects of YK-4-279, further supporting that MET loss is a significant contributor to the antitumor effects of the drug. This is the first study identifying multiple overlapping functions of the ETS family promoting melanoma. In addition, targeting all factors, rather than individual members, demonstrated impactful deleterious consequences in melanoma progression. Given that multiple ETS factors are known to have oncogenic functions in other malignancies, these findings have a high therapeutic impact. Significance: These findings identify YK-4-279 as a promising therapeutic agent against melanoma by targeting multiple ETS family members and blocking their ability to act as transcription factors.
Printing a Pacinian Corpuscle: Modeling and Performance.

The Pacinian corpuscle is a highly sensitive mammalian sensor cell that exhibits a unique band-pass sensitivity to vibrations. The cell achieves this band-pass response through the use of 20 to 70 elastic layers entrapping layers of viscous fluid. This paper develops and explores a scalable mechanical model of the Pacinian corpuscle and uses the model to predict the response of synthetic corpuscles, which could be the basis for future vibration sensors. The −3dB point of the biological cell is accurately mimicked using the geometries and materials available with off-the-shelf 3D printers. The artificial corpuscles here are constructed using uncured photoresist within structures printed in a commercial stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer, allowing the creation of trapped fluid layers analogous to the biological cell. Multi-layer artificial Pacinian corpuscles are vibration tested over the range of 20–3000 Hz and the response is in good agreement with the model.
FOXO1 represses Sprouty2 and Sprouty4 expression in endothelial cells to promote arterial specification and vascular remodeling in the mouse yolk sac

The establishment of a functional circulatory system is required for post-implantation development during murine embryogenesis. Previous studies in loss of function mouse models have shown that FOXO1, a Forkhead family transcription factor, is required for yolk sac vascular remodeling and survival beyond embryonic day (E) 11. Here, we demonstrate that loss of FoxO1 in E8.25 endothelial cells results in increased Sprouty2 and Sprouty4 transcripts, reduced expression of arterial genes, and decreased Flk1/Vegfr2 mRNA levels without affecting overall endothelial cell identity, survival, or proliferation. Using a Dll4-BAC-nlacZ reporter line, we found that one of the earliest expressed arterial genes, Delta like 4 (Dll4), is significantly reduced in the yolk sac of FoxO1 mutants without being substantially affected in the embryo proper. We show that in the yolk sac, FOXO1 not only binds directly to a subset of previously identified Sprouty2 gene regulatory elements (GREs), as well as newly identified, evolutionarily conserved Sprouty4 GREs, but can also repress their expression. Additionally, over expression of Sprouty4 in transient transgenic embryos largely recapitulates reduced expression of arterial genes seen in endothelial FoxO1 mutant mouse embryos. Together, these data reveal a novel role for FOXO1 as a key early transcriptional repressor controlling both pre-flow arterial specification and subsequent vessel remodeling within the murine yolk sac.
Swapping Insults, Neglecting Policy: How U.S. Presidential Candidates Communicate About Mental Health

Candidates for high office in the United States play an important role in determining the political agenda and shaping public and mass media understanding of which issues should receive attention. ...
Rostral Anterior Cingulate Activations Inversely Relate To Reward Payoff Maximation & Predict Depressed Mood

Choice selection strategies and decision making are typically investigated using multiple-choice gambling paradigms that require participants to maximize reward payoff. However, research shows that performance in such paradigms suffers from individual biases towards the frequency of gains to choose smaller local gains over larger longer term gain, also referred to as melioration. Here, we developed a simple two-choice reward task, implemented in 186 healthy human adult subjects across the adult lifespan to understand the behavioral, computational, and neural bases of payoff maximization versus melioration. The observed reward choice behavior on this task was best explained by a reinforcement learning model of differential future reward prediction. Simultaneously recorded and source-localized electroencephalography (EEG) showed that diminished theta-band activations in the right rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) correspond to greater reward payoff maximization, specifically during the presentation of cumulative reward information at the end of each task trial. Notably, these activations (greater rACC theta) predicted depressed mood symptoms, thereby showcasing a reward processing marker of potential clinical utility.
Open Government Data: Usage trends and metadata quality:

Open Government Data (OGD) have the potential to support social and economic progress. However, this potential can be frustrated if these data remain unused. Although the literature suggests that O...
Pilot-scale spinning and sucrose-tetra-aldehydes-crosslinking of feather-derived protein fibers with improved mechanical properties and water resistance

Abstract Pliable and water-resistant protein fibers from feathers were developed via continuous one-step spinning and crosslinking using sucrose-tetra-aldehydes. Though flexible protein fibers from feathers were developed, poor wet stability and low tenacity still limit the large and high-end applications of feather-derived fibers. Despite that saccharide aldehydes are considered as an efficient and sustainable crosslinker, substantial concerns such as generation of formaldehyde, high consumption of modifiers, loss of mechanical properties, yellowing, and decline in dyeability of fibers, exist after crosslinking. In this work, we controlled structures of crosslinkers and incorporated disaccharide-tetra-aldehydes into a continuous wet-spinning line. No formaldehyde was generated in the whole process. Protein fibers with controlled aldimine crosslinkages had not only a 92% tenacity retention after immersed in water for 1 week but also a substantial increase in mechanical properties. The dry and wet tenacity of feather-derived fibers was 120% and 90% of wool, respectively. Moreover, crosslinking from disaccharide-tetra-aldehydes retained the color of fibers and minimized the consumption of amine groups, the dyeing sites, on keratin. No toxicity was introduced by crosslinking. This work promotes resource recovery from poultry wastes, decreases the reliance of fiber industry on petroleum-based products, and diminishes environmental impact of fiber industries.
On the Sonic Drag of a Slender Body

The wave drag on a slender body in sonic flight is evaluated by matching linearized theory with the asymptotic solution of Guderley and Yoshihara along the sonic line. The result exhibits satisfactory agreement with Yoshihara's analysis of a conecylinder and, on this evidence, appears to furnish a reliable approximation to the head drag on any slender body of revolution terminating in a sharp shoulder; moreover, for this class of bodies the result can be extended to free-stream Mach Numbers slightly different than unity. If the body is smooth and terminates either in a cylindrical section or in a pointed end, the result assumes a particularly simple form and depends only on the cross-sectional distribution (and, therefore, is not restricted to a body of revolution). The reliability of the result for the latter class of bodies is less certain (especially for the converging portion of the body) and awaits further data for comparison. However, it appears that the sonic drag of a sharp shouldered body is of the same order of magnitude as its supersonic drag, whereas the sonic drag of a smooth body is only a very small fraction of its supersonic drag.
Social Schematicity and Causal Attributions

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the social schematicity and casual attributions. The research reveals possible explanations for these findings. Cognitively mature responding is difficult to demonstrate. In addition, a major problem in past research assessing problem interpretations and styles in real-world dilemmas is that the strategies and interpretations appear to be driven by the content variation in the different problem situations presented. The research approach also shows how a developmental perspective to the study of causal attributions expands on the generic rules advanced by mainstream social cognition in predicting the correspondence bias. There are important social factors influencing how and when an individual will attend to specific information and when this information will influence social cognitive functioning. Finally it is hoped that the quality and subtlety of the ideas can be limited only by the processing resources and not co-opted by the preexisting beliefs and values.
Yeast DNA Replication

We have explored various strategies for exploiting the yeast genetic and biochemical system for understanding DNA replication. Because of the long time that has intervened between the isolation of random replication mutants of yeast and the identification of the gene products affected, an alternative approach to elucidating the molecular basis of replication has been needed. One such alternative involves purifying replication proteins, isolating the genes encoding them, and constructing the appropriate mutant from the cloned gene. We have applied this “reverse genetics” strategy to three different replication activities: DNA polymerases, single-stranded DNA binding proteins, and proteins that bind to autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) elements.
Negro Children's Speech: Some Social Class Differences in Word Predictability.

Language samples of junior high school aged Negro girls of low and middle socio-economic classes were subjected to word predictability procedures undertaken by additional students from the same two populations. Results indicated that the middle class students could readily approximate the language of the middle and low class samples, but the lower class students did significantly more poorly in approximating the language of the middle class students, although they performed as well as the middle class students in approximating language in samples from students of their same social status.
cAMP stimulates cholesteryl ester clearance to high density lipoproteins in J7774 macrophages.

Abstract The regulation by cAMP of cholesteryl ester hydrolysis and net depletion of cellular cholesteryl ester (cholesteryl ester clearance) in J774 murine macrophages was explored. Using Sandoz 58035 to selectively inhibit acyl CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase, we showed that the absolute rate of cholesteryl ester hydrolysis was stimulated 2-fold in J774 cells by the cAMP analogues 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate and dibutyryl-cAMP. The rate of hydrolysis was also stimulated by prostaglandin E1, by cholera toxin, and by a mixture of forskolin and isobutylmethylxanthine, but was not affected by epinephrine or dibutyryl-cGMP. These data demonstrate that cholesteryl ester hydrolysis in J774 cells can be stimulated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Cholesteryl ester clearance from J774 cells was achieved upon incubation with high density lipoproteins (HDL) plus CPT-cAMP but not with HDL alone. HDL-mediated cholesteryl ester clearance was dependent on the concentration of both HDL and CPT-cAMP. The data suggest that the defect responsible for the lack of HDL-mediated cholesteryl ester clearance in J774 cells involves a failure to modulate cAMP levels.
The Proximal Promoter of the Human Transglutaminase 3 Gene STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS EPITHELIAL-SPECIFIC EXPRESSION IN CULTURED CELLS IS MEDIATED BY BINDING OF Sp1 AND ets TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS TO A PROXIMAL PROMOTER ELEMENT

The transglutaminase 3 enzyme is expressed during the late stages of the terminal differentiation of the epidermis and in certain cell types of the hair follicle. The enzyme is thought to be critically involved in the cross-linking of structural proteins and in the formation of the cornified cell envelope, thereby contributing to rigid structures that play vital roles in shape determination and/or barrier functions. To explore the mechanisms regulating the expression of the transglutaminase 3 gene (TGM3), 3.0 kilobase pairs of sequences upstream from the transcription start site were assessed for their ability to control the expression of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene. Deletion analyses in transiently transfected epidermal keratinocytes defined sequences between -126 and -91 as the proximal promoter region of the gene, and which can confer epithelial-specific expression to the TGM3 gene in vitro. Mutation and DNA-protein binding analyses indicated that a complex interaction between adjacent Sp1- and ets-like recognition motifs with their cognate binding factors is required for the function of the TGM3 promoter. As these TGM3 sequences can confer promoter/enhancer activity to reporter genes at a level comparable to the powerful SV40 promoter, they may be useful for gene therapy in keratinocytes.
Cytochrome P450 metabolism and inhibition: analysis for drug discovery.

Publisher Summary The cytochrome P450 (CYP) family of enzymes is arguably the most important human drug metabolizing enzymes (DME) system. All of the CYPs considered to be important in human drug metabolism have been studied to some degree with one or all of the techniques detailed in the chapter. Information produced from these studies has been used to gain an understanding of the high-level structural requirements, which will predispose a compound to interact with a particular member of this family, be that as a substrate or an inhibitor. The structure–activity relationships for the DMEs and their substrates is an important area of research that impacts pharmacology, toxicology, and basic enzymology. Thus, the case study examples in the chapter illustrates that while the high-level requirements for CYP hold true, the broad substrate specificity of these enzymes continues to frustrate efforts to develop series-specific metabolic SARs.
Volumetric MRI of the lungs during forced expiration

Purpose Lung function is typically characterized by spirometer measurements, which do not offer spatially specific information. Imaging during exhalation provides spatial information but is challenging due to large movement over a short time. The purpose of this work is to provide a solution to lung imaging during forced expiration using accelerated magnetic resonance imaging. The method uses radial golden angle stack-of-stars gradient echo acquisition and compressed sensing reconstruction. Methods A technique for dynamic three-dimensional imaging of the lungs from highly undersampled data is developed and tested on six subjects. This method takes advantage of image sparsity, both spatially and temporally, including the use of reference frames called bookends. Sparsity, with respect to total variation, and residual from the bookends, enables reconstruction from an extremely limited amount of data. Results Dynamic three-dimensional images can be captured at sub-150 ms temporal resolution, using only three (or less) acquired radial lines per slice per timepoint. The images have a spatial resolution of mm. Lung volume calculations based on image segmentation are compared to those from simultaneously acquired spirometer measurements. Conclusion Dynamic lung imaging during forced expiration is made possible by compressed sensing accelerated dynamic three-dimensional radial magnetic resonance imaging. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Scientific Method and Experimentation in Biology

Scientific method in biology has been of great interest since the time of the Greek philosopher Aristotle in the fourth century before the common era. Generally, the aim has been to be like the physical sciences in being causal and increasingly showing biology as a topic governed by universal natural laws. However, there has always been a debate about the end-directed nature of organisms, which seem to require explanations in terms of final causes. Although these were expelled from the physical sciences in the scientific revolution, they remained in biology until Darwin wrote the Origin of Species. Even after that, they remained but today can be seen to be natural and brought on by Darwin's mechanism of natural selection. Key Concepts: Aristotle had an organic view of nature that led him to value end-directed thinking, in terms of final cause. The Scientific Revolution introduced the mechanical metaphor, thus making final causes otiose. George Cuvier argued that organisms cannot be brought fully under the mechanical metaphor and thus demand final-cause thinking. Charles Darwin spoke to final-cause thinking through his mechanism of natural selection, although whether he eliminated such thinking is still debated. The coming of molecular biology seemed a triumph of reductionist thinking and the mechanistic viewpoint, however, many think that organisms still require understanding over and beyond that one finds in the physical sciences. Keywords: Charles Darwin; Georges Cuvier; Aristotle; final cause; Karl Popper; Stephen Jay Gould; organismic biology; mechanism
Traveling waves on two- and three-dimensional periodic arrays of lossless scatterers

[1] The kd–βd (dispersion) equations are found for traveling waves on two- and three-dimensional infinite periodic arrays of small lossless acoustic monopoles, electric or magnetic dipoles, and magnetodielectric spheres. Using Floquet mode expansions and then expressions for the rapid summation of Schlomilch series, prohibitively slowly convergent summations are converted to forms that can be used for the efficient calculation of the kd–βd equations. Computer programs have been written to obtain the kd–βd diagrams for all the arrays treated, and representative numerical results are presented and discussed. Expressions, more accurate than the Clausius-Mossotti relations, are obtained for the effective or bulk permittivity and permeability of the arrays utilizing quantities readily available from the solutions of the kd–βd equations. Exact computable expressions for the fields of three-dimensional lossless or lossy magnetodielectric sphere arrays that are finite in the direction of the array axis, illuminated by a plane wave parallel to the array axis, are obtained from the analyses performed to obtain the kd–βd curves for the infinite arrays.
Development of secondary breakdown circuit for DV/DT analysis of SIC devices

Silicon carbide (4H-SiC) is a leading option for increasing the power density of pulsed power and power electronic systems1, 2. SiC devices used in high voltage switching applications experience high dV/dt due to fast switching transients. Under high dV/dt conditions the devices can exhibit spurious turn-ON. For SiC devices to achieve widespread acceptance the dV/dt limit must be established. To measure the dV/dt limit, a circuit comprised of four silicon avalanche BJTs operating in secondary breakdown was constructed. This circuit is capable of generating dV/dts well in excess of what SiC unipolar and bipolar devices might be exposed to in typical applications. Two SiC diodes in an “OR” configuration are used to perform a comprehensive dV/dt analysis as a function of dc bias. Using this experimental setup dV/dts up to 200 V/ns were applied to SiC MOSFETs, and the induced gate to source voltage was measured. Preliminary dV/dt results achieved with the secondary breakdown circuit are shown for a range of dc biases.
(Invited) Characterizations of Direct Band Gap Photoluminescence and Electroluminescence from epi-Ge on Si

Characterizations of direct gap emission from epi-Ge through both optical and electrical pumping were studied for the application of Si compatible light sources such as on-chip optical interconnect. In-situ doping technique with PH3 during the epi-Ge growth was first applied to achieve high n-type doping concentrations. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements show that the direct band emission of Ge increases with higher doping concentration. This confirms that the Ge direct radiative recombination efficiency can be improved by band filling of electrons. A Ge n+/p light emitting diode (LED) on a Si substrate was then fabricated to study the electroluminescence (EL) properties related to the band filling. Direct band gap EL at 1.6 mu m was also obtained from this Ge LED. Unlike ordinary electrically pumped devices, this LED shows a superlinear luminescence enhancement at high current. Thermal enhancement effects observed in temperature dependent EL spectra show the capability of this device to be operated at room temperature or above.
Photochemical stability of atmospheric CFCl2NO2, CF2ClNO2 and CF3NO2

Abstract CFCl2NO2, CF2ClNO2 and CF3NO2 were prepared and purified in the laboratory from the oxidation of their corresponding nitrosomethanes with hydrogen peroxide and were characterized by their IR spectra. Quantitative measurements of their UV absorption spectra were made in order to obtain estimates of their atmospheric photochemical stability.
Barriers to Hydride Transfer in Wild Type and Mutant Dihydrofolate Reductase from E. coli

We have calculated the distribution of activation energies for the key hydride transfer step in the reduction of dihydrofolate by the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase in wild-type DHFR as well as the G121S and G121V variants of the Escherichia coli enzyme using combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical methods. Comparison of the activation energy distributions present in the three protein systems demonstrates that the ensemble of energy barriers differs in each. The features of these energy barrier distributions are consistent with experimentally determined reaction rates for the three proteins and support experimental observations demonstrating time-dependent variation in the reaction rate of individual enzyme molecules. This occurrence suggests that several distinct conformational substates in the proteins modify the potential energy surface for the reaction. A select set of distances and dihedral angles was observed to correlate well with the progress of the reaction or with the presence of protei...
Recent changes in mortality and labor force behavior among older Americans: consequences for nonworking life expectancy.

Increment-decrement working life tables for 1972 and 1980 are used to assess the relative impact of recent changes in mortality and labor force behavior on the number of years older men and women can expect to spend out of the labor force (nonworking life expectancy). The life tables are based on data from the [U.S.] Current Population Surveys and pertain to the population aged 55 and older for the observation points. The results indicate that nonworking life expectancy increased dramatically between 1972 and 1980 for both men and women. Although labor force behavior changed markedly for both population groups during the observation period the results clearly identify that changes in mortality were responsible for the increases in nonworking life expectancy. Implications of the findings for social policy are briefly discussed. (EXCERPT)
A case study of run-time errors in Pascal programs

The results of a case study in which over 100,000 Pascal program executions were monitored for run-time errors are reported. A large number of run-time errors in a wide variety of categories were observed. The data reported provided insight into the use and misuse of the features of Pascal by a large population of programmers. Some implications of these statistics on compiler implementation and programming language design are discussed. The number and variety of errors detected suggests that run-time checking mechanisms are more important and useful than is generally recognized, judging by the incompleteness of such mechanisms in many compilers.
Steady-state heat transfer from horizontally insulated slabs

Abstract A general solution for the steady-state heat conduction problem under a slab-on-grade floor with horizontal insulation is presented. The soil temperature field, the heat flux along the slab, and the total slab heat loss are obtained and analyzed using the Interzone Temperature Profile Estimation (ITPE) technique. The derived solution addresses all the common configurations for horizontal insulation of slab-on-grade floors. The effect of the outer inner edge insulation on heat flux variation along the slab floor surface and on total slab heat loss is discussed and analyzed. Finally, the influence of water table level on total slab heat loss is illustrated for various inner edge insulation configurations.
Extensive variation at the α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase locus in species of waterstriders (Gerridae: Hemiptera)

Variation at the α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (α-Gpdh; EC 1.1.1.8) locus was surveyed in 11 species of waterstriders (Gerridae: Hemiptera) and five other species of aquatic Hemiptera. Species of waterstriders exhibited considerable inter- and intraspecific variation in degree of winglessness. Average heterozygosity (0.401±0.090) and average number of observed electromorphs (5.36±0.96) for the 11 gerrid species were well above values reported for nearly all other insect species surveyed to date. Wing-monomorphic and wing-polymorphic species did not differ in average α-Gpdh heterozygosity. Of the three wing-polymorphic species surveyed geographically, two species exhibited marked variation in wing-morph frequencies but homogeneous α-Gpdh allele frequencies. The third species exhibited geographically homogeneous α-Gpdh and wing-morph frequencies, but no significant association between α-Gpdh phenotype and wing morph was observed in any surveyed population. These results are consistent with hypotheses evoking either relaxed purifying selection at the α-Gpdh locus in species of Gerridae due to the apparent reduced importance of flight, or selective maintenance of common α-Gpdh electromorphs.
Phospholipids and the regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase from rat adipocyte mitochondria.

Aqueous dispersions of 4 out of 9 phospholipids added individually to the mitochondrial fraction from rat adipocytes altered the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase in a dose-dependent manner from 1 to 300 µM. Phosphatidylserine increased and phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate decreased enzyme activity. The stimulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase induced by phosphatidylserine may be reversed to below basal activity by phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate and to basal activity by NaF, a pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase inhibitor. The inhibition of pyruvate dehydrogenase induced by phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate may be restored to basal levels by the addition of calcium. These results suggest that phosphatidylserine activates pyruvate dehydrogenase activity through activation of the phosphatase, perhaps forming a phosphatidylserine-calcium complex. The inhibition by phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate may be mediated by disruption of the enzyme complex. The phospholipids may play a physiological role in the regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity.
A flexible method for nonlinear multicriteria decision-making problems

An iterative and interactive approach to formulating and solving multicriteria decision-making problems is proposed in which the modeling and the solution phases are not strictly separated but overlap. At each iteration, the decision-maker is allowed to designate criterion functions as objective functions or as constraints or as something in between. The algorithm guarantees all intermediate solutions to be efficient and the final solution to be a most preferred solution. While the algorithm does not provide information about the marginal rates of substitution among the objective functions at a solution point as given by other methods, the marginal substitution rates are obtained by comparing two objectives at a time. The algorithm can also be used to solve linear multicriteria decision-making problems. However, since the surrogate function is nonlinear, the procedure introduces nonlinearities into the problems and may not be as computationally efficient as some of the other available algorithms. The algorithm is illustrated using a specific problem in water resources management. >
Alleviating forgetting of active shock-avoidance by apparently unrelated food presentations

Abstract A series of four experiments investigated why forgetting of an active shock-avoidance response was reduced when an apparently unrelated appetitive experience occurred both prior to avoidance training and during the retention interval between training and testing. Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrated the reliability of the phenomenon and found that a sufficient condition for the effect was the presentation of food from a pellet dispenser (not an operant response per se). Experiment 3 demonstrated that the effect was not the result of enhanced activity. Experiment 4 showed that forgetting was still reduced when the appetitive experience occurred only prior to active avoidance or only during the retention interval. The results are discussed in regard to the reinstatement of the reinforcer representation.