cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential Regulation of Action Potential Shape and Burst-Frequency Firing by BK and Kv2 Channels in Substantia Nigra Dopaminergic Neurons

Little is known about the voltage-dependent potassium currents underlying spike repolarization in midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Studying mouse substantia nigra pars compacta dopaminergic neurons both in brain slice and after acute dissociation, we found that BK calcium-activated potassium channels and Kv2 channels both make major contributions to the depolarization-activated potassium current. Inhibiting Kv2 or BK channels had very different effects on spike shape and evoked firing. Inhibiting Kv2 channels increased spike width and decreased the afterhyperpolarization, as expected for loss of an action potential-activated potassium conductance. BK inhibition also increased spike width but paradoxically increased the afterhyperpolarization. Kv2 channel inhibition steeply increased the slope of the frequency–current (f–I) relationship, whereas BK channel inhibition had little effect on the f–I slope or decreased it, sometimes resulting in slowed firing. Action potential clamp experiments showed that both BK and Kv2 current flow during spike repolarization but with very different kinetics, with Kv2 current activating later and deactivating more slowly. Further experiments revealed that inhibiting either BK or Kv2 alone leads to recruitment of additional current through the other channel type during the action potential as a consequence of changes in spike shape. Enhancement of slowly deactivating Kv2 current can account for the increased afterhyperpolarization produced by BK inhibition and likely underlies the very different effects on the f–I relationship. The cross-regulation of BK and Kv2 activation illustrates that the functional role of a channel cannot be defined in isolation but depends critically on the context of the other conductances in the cell. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This work shows that BK calcium-activated potassium channels and Kv2 voltage-activated potassium channels both regulate action potentials in dopamine neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta. Although both channel types participate in action potential repolarization about equally, they have contrasting and partially opposite effects in regulating neuronal firing at frequencies typical of bursting. Our analysis shows that this results from their different kinetic properties, with fast-activating BK channels serving to short-circuit activation of Kv2 channels, which tend to slow firing by producing a deep afterhyperpolarization. The cross-regulation of BK and Kv2 activation illustrates that the functional role of a channel cannot be defined in isolation but depends critically on the context of the other conductances in the cell.
Monoclonal antibody to an epitope on the heavy chain of factor IX missing in three hemophilia-B patients.

A murine hybridoma cell line that produces a monoclonal IgG1 antibody to human factor IX was established to provide a conformational probe for the clotting factor and its genetic variants. The antibody inhibited factor IX procoagulant activity, but did not appreciably interfere with the cleavage of factor IX by factor XIa nor with the binding of antithrombin-III-heparin complex to factor IXa. The antigen- solid-phase-antibody complex could be readily dissociated by relatively low concentrations of guanidine or sodium dodecyl sulfate, but only partially by high concentrations of urea. After gel electrophoresis and blotting of reduced samples of factor IXa, the antibody bound exclusively to the heavy chain. Sensitive immunoradiometric assays were developed using insolubilized monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Bovine factor IX had little cross-reactivity with the monoclonal antibody. Of 55 patient samples representing different pedigrees with hemophilia-B, antigen levels by the two assays were in excellent agreement in 49. There were 2 severely affected patients whose levels were too low to quantitate in the monoclonal antibody assay. A third, who had the lowest level of all by polyclonal antibody testing, and 3 less severely affected patients had no detectable antigen in the monoclonal antibody assay system (less than 0.03 U/dl). The latter 3 had at least 100–500 times as much antigen by polyclonal antibody testing. It is proposed that these 3 individuals have structural defects involving the epitope recognized by the monoclonal antibody and that they are due to amino acid substitutions between residues 188 through 359. Furthermore, it is suggested the substitutions lead to abnormal kinetic properties.
American Cold War Propaganda Policy during the Truman Administration

At 7:00 p.m., on the night of August 14, 1945, US President Harry Truman announced to a group of reporters gathered around his desk that Japan had agreed to unconditional surrender. This announcement set off a wild celebration in Washington with almost half a million people filling the streets. Crowds gathered around the White House chanting “We want Truman!” Truman and his wife appeared on the front lawn of the White House, with Truman saying to the crowd, “This is great day, the day we’ve been waiting for. This is the day for free governments in the world. This is the day that fascism and police government ceases in the world.”1 Lost among the celebration were concerns about a Europe in ruin and the United States’ faltering partnership with a Soviet regime firmly in control of much of Central and Eastern Europe. It was in this spirit of wartime celebration that on August 31, 1945, President Truman signed an executive order abolishing the Office of War Information (OWI), the agency responsible for informing both Americans and foreigners about the American war during the Second World War.2 This was the beginning of a complex journey for American propaganda efforts, which resulted in very different propaganda strategy and policy than those pursued by Britain.
Structural analysis reveals the flexible C-terminus of Nop15 undergoes rearrangement to recognize a pre-ribosomal RNA folding intermediate

The RNA recognition motif (RRM) is the most abundant RNA-binding domain in eukaryotes, and it plays versatile roles in RNA metabolism. Despite its abundance, diversity of RRM structure and function is generated by variations on a conserved core. Yeast Nop15 is an RRM protein that is essential for large ribosomal subunit biogenesis. We determined a 2.0 A crystal structure of Nop15 that reveals a C-terminal α-helical region obscures its canonical RNA-binding surface. Small-angle X-ray scattering, NMR and RNA-binding analyses further reveal that the C-terminal residues of Nop15 are highly flexible, but essential for tight RNA binding. Moreover, comparison with a recently reported cryo-electron microscopy structure indicates that dramatic rearrangement of the C-terminal region of Nop15 in the pre-ribosome exposes the RNA-binding surface to recognize the base of its stem-loop target RNA and extends a newly-formed α helix to the distal loop where it forms protein interactions.
Adaptive design of experiments for model order estimation in subspace identification

Abstract The first step in subspace methods for identification of multivariable systems is the estimation of the order of the model to be identified. Model order estimation is especially difficult for ill-conditioned systems. In previous work we showed heuristically that appropriately designed experiments with rotated PRBS inputs greatly facilitate model order estimation, hence overall model accuracy. However, design of such experiments depends on the very system to be identified. To overcome that difficulty, in this paper we propose an adaptive design of experiments. The proposed approach follows rigorous justification of the need for rotated PRBS inputs, and is tested through computer simulations on two case studies involving a high-purity distillation column and a fluidized catalytic cracking unit. Comparisons of the approach to open- and closed-loop alternatives are presented, and suggestions for further development are made.
Signal Probability and Response Bias in California Sea Lions

Frequently, marine mammals in a variety of signal-detection tasks maintain a low level of false alarms while attempting to maximize their correct detections or hits. In the present experiment it was shown that variations in the probability of visual or acoustical underwater signals generated isosensitivity curves in sea lions.
Shedding Light on Misconceptions: An Act of Advocacy

This paper discusses common misconceptions about English learners that often come up with ESOL teachers. The ESOL teacher's role as advocate for English learners continues to evolve. It is therefore imperative that ESOL teachers are empowered with facts that dispell misconceptions that come up in casual conversations in the hall or at the lunch table with colleagues. Knowing how to counter these common misconceptions is an aspect of advocacy that should not be taken for granted.
Resource utilization patterns using non-invasive ventilation in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome.

To describe the frequency of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and endotracheal intubation use in neonates diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS); to describe resources utilization (length of stay (LOS), charges, costs) among NIV and intubated RDS groups. Retrospective study from the national Kid’s Inpatient Database of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, for the years 1997–2012. Propensity scoring and multivariate regression analysis used to describe differences. A total of 595,254 out of 42,912,090 cases were identified with RDS. There was an increase in NIV use from 6% in 1997 to 17% in 2012. After matching, patients receiving NIV only were associated with shorter LOS: (95%CI) 25 (25.3,25.7) vs. 35 (34.2,34.9) days, decreased costs: ($/1k) 46.1 (45.5,46.8) vs. 65.0 (64.1,66.0), decreased charges: 130.3 (128.6,132.1) vs. 192.1 (189.5,194.6) compared to intubated neonates. There was a three-fold increase in NIV use within the 15-year study period. NIV use was associated with decreased LOS, charges and costs compared to intubated patients.
Massive-scale Streaming Analytics: Models, Parallelism, & Real-world Applications

Emerging real-world graph problems include: detecting and preventing disease in human populations; revealing community structure in large social networks; and improving the resilience of the electric power grid. Unlike traditional applications in computational science and engineering, solving these social problems at scale often raises new challenges because of the sparsity and lack of locality in the data, the need for research on scalable algorithms and development of frameworks for solving these real-world problems on high performance computers, and for improved models that capture the noise and bias inherent in the torrential data streams. Highlighting this keynote talk, Bader will discuss the opportunities and challenges in massive data-intensive computing for applications in social sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. Focusing on parallel algorithm design and implementation, Bader formalizes a practical model for graph analysis on streaming data. In this model, a massive graph undergoes changes from an input stream of edge insertions and removals. The model supports concurrent updating of the graph while algorithms execute concurrently on the dynamic data structure. The talk introduces a concept of validity: an algorithm is valid if the output is correct for a graph consisting of the initial graph with some subset of concurrent changes. Practical examples of this model are given for valid implementations of breadth first search, connected components, PageRank, and triangle counting, all useful graph kernels in real-world applications. This is joint work with E. Jason Riedy and Chunxing Yin.
Phenotypic Properties of Preneoplastic and Neoplastic Hepatic Lesions Induced by Peroxisome Proliferators in Rats

Xenobiotic induced proliferation of peroxisomes in hepatic parenchymal cells of rats, mice and several other species is a unique biological phenomenon. Sustained peroxisome proliferation induced in the livers of rats and mice by several structurally unrelated non-mutagenic peroxisome proliferators leads to the development of altered hepatocyte foci, neoplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas. Histological features and biological behaviour of peroxisome proliferator-induced hepatic lesions are essentially similar to those induced by classical genotoxic hepatocarcinogens. In the rat, peroxisome proliferator-induced preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions display some phenotypic properties such as resistance to iron accumulation, and decrease in the activities of glucose-6-phosphatase and adenosine triphosphatase, which are similar to those expressed in liver lesions induced by classical carcinogens. Despite these similarities, peroxisome proliferator-induced preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in rat liver are phenotypically distinctly different from those induced by classical carcinogens in that these lesions do not express the activities of A-glutamyltranspeptidase and placental form of glutathione-S-transferase. This is due to the absence of these two proteins in liver nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas. In addition, the activities of phase II drug detoxifying enzymes are reduced in peroxisome proliferator-induced liver lesions. These differences suggest possible divergence in the mechanism by which non-mutagenic peroxisome proliferators and mutagenic classical carcinogens induce hepatocellular carcinomas.
Abstract 4254: Associations of sleep, quality of life and energy level with breast cancer mortality and recurrence: The Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study

Background: Sleep disorder is highly prevalent among breast cancer patients. Whether sleep disorder is associated with breast cancer prognosis has rarely been investigated. The objective of this study is to prospectively assess the association of self-reported sleep difficulty and sleep quality with total mortality and breast-cancer specific mortality/recurrence in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study. Methods: This study included 4,219 women with stage I-III breast cancer diagnosed at an age between 20 to 75 years. Information on sleep attributes was collected at approximately 18 months and 36 months after breast cancer diagnosis. Information on disease recurrence and survival status was obtained via in-person follow-up and via record linkage with vital statistics registry data. Cox proportional hazard model was used to derive hazard ratios (HR) and confidence intervals (CIs) for all-cause mortality and breast cancer-specific mortality/recurrence. Stratified analyses according to self-reported overall quality of life, depression and energy level assessed at 18 months were also conducted. Results: During a median follow-up of 9.8 years (range: 0.1-12.2 years), 757 deaths due to any causes and 672 breast cancer recurrences or related deaths were recorded after the 18-month post-diagnosis survey. Sleep difficulty and low sleep quality were not significantly associated with total or breast-cancer specific mortality/recurrence. The respective HRs were 0.98 (95% CI: 0.79, 1.22) and 1.01 (95% CI: 0.77, 1.31) for total mortality and 1.04 (95% CI: 0.82, 1.31) and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.26) for breast cancer-specific mortality/recurrence. On the other hand, low quality of life, depression and low energy level were significantly associated with increased total mortality, with HRs of 3.19 (2.45, 4.15), 1.61 (1.21, 2.14) and 1.53 (1.23, 1.91), respectively. These three factors did not modify the association of sleep measurements with breast cancer outcomes (all P-interactions > 0.10). Conclusions: In a large population-based cohort study, we did not observe any significant association of sleep difficulty and poor sleep quality with increased risk of death and recurrence in breast cancer patients. Instead, low quality of life and energy level were found to be associated with disease prognosis and thus they could be important indicators for targeting population with poor breast cancer prognosis. Citation Format: Jingjing Zhu, Pingping Bao, Hui Cai, Liang Shi, Ying Zheng, Wei Zheng, Xiao-ou Shu. Associations of sleep, quality of life and energy level with breast cancer mortality and recurrence: The Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4254.
An MPC-Based Power Management of a PV/Battery System in an Islanded DC Microgrid

In this paper, a power management strategy for a photovoltaic (PV)/battery system in an islanded DC microgrid is proposed based on a Model Predictive Control (MPC) approach. A PV system and a battery storage source are connected to a common DC bus through two DC/DC converters that are providing power to the loads. The considered PV-Battery system is presented by a nonlinear model with four operational modes. As part of the proposed MPC power management strategy, an optimization problem is formulated to meet the voltage performance in the system with respect to operating conditions and constraints. The aim of the proposed MPC is to control the DC/DC converter to extract the maximum power from the PV system under different weather conditions and also to control the bi-directional DC/DC converter for charging and discharging the battery by considering the State of Charge SoC of the battery. The battery storage source is incorporated into the system to compensate power generation due to possible fluctuation in PV or changes in load demand, and as a result, to regulate DC bus voltage and supply the loads when necessary. The simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.
Deep image with non-degenerated two-photon excitation (Conference Presentation)

In non-degenerate 2-photon excitation (ND-2PE) microscopy, a fluorophore simultaneously absorbs two photons of different energies. We performed a ND-2PE study of fluorescent proteins and synthetic dyes (eg.eGFP, FITC, and etc.) continuously varying energies and numbers of both photons to create two-dimensional map of fluorescence landscapes. By using the best photon energy combination from our two-dimensional map, we found an increase in detected fluorescent image brightness with ND-2PE as we imaged cortical neurons labeled with enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP). It should be noted that the photons corresponding to longer wavelength will penetrate deeper into the tissue at reduced scattering. Additionally, using non-overlapping spatial modes carrying the photons at different energies will significantly reduce out of focus fluorescence from the large number of low energy photons, and by a proper choice of the number of high energy photons the ND-2PE fluorescence can be obtained from deep tissue. Experimentally, we strategically displaced two laser beams until they reached the sample plane such that the unwanted background in the excitation beam path was suppressed. In contrast, these two pump beams were well overlapped at focus which still produced sufficient number fluorescence photons for detection. In our experiment, the temporal alignment was achieved with optical delay line in the optical path of IR beam. With this technique we demonstrated experimentally that ND-2PE with side-by-side beams provided a better signal to background ratio in the scattering phantom as compared with D-2PE. The excitation volume of ND-2PE with side-by-side beam was also investigated and determined to be comparable in size with that of the D-2PE.
Having it all overseas: Aid workers and the international division of reproductive labour

This article examines the dynamics of power and privilege at work in international development through the prism of domestic service for expat aid workers in developing countries. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork amid aid workers and their domestic staff in Dakar, Senegal, I argue that access to affordable care work greatly enhances the lives of women who work overseas in development. The postcolonial underdevelopment and poverty that aid work addresses is paradoxically critical to the aid workers' own access to affordable care, family balance and the means to do their jobs. I put this insight into the larger scholarly conversation about domestic work and global inequality, including on the Global Care Chain.
"Tarasoff" defendants: social justice or ethical decay?

In 1976, the California Supreme Court ruled in Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California that a duty to protect arises when a psychotherapist's patient poses a serious danger of physical harm to an identifiable third party. Discharging this duty by the issuance of a warning breaches the confidentiality of the psychotherapist-patient relationship. However, the potential benefit to society offsets the possible harm caused by the breach of confidentiality. Until recently, such warnings have served little purpose outside of possibly preventing harm. However, the cumulative effect of three recent California Supreme Court cases has been to permit the use of these confidentiality breaches in criminal proceedings to fulfill prosecutorial goals. Nonetheless, the cost of achieving social justice may be at the expense of other important ethical values for both the psychotherapeutic professions and society in general.
Bronchial Thermoplasty in Severe Asthmatics: Pre and Post Anxiety Levels

Background: In adult populations with asthma, the reported incidence of anxiety disorder ranges from 6.5% to 24%. In addition, 5-10% of asthmatics are considered difficult to control requiring a disproportionate high level of health care resources. For these difficult-to-control persistent asthma patients, bronchial thermoplasty (BT), an outpatient bronchoscopic treatment procedure can be performed to improve asthma. Although the prevalence of anxiety in asthmatics maybe high, contrary to what has been reported, we hypothesize that BT does not increase pre-procedural anxiety levels. To our knowledge, this study is the first to measure levels of anxiety pre-BT utilizing a validated anxiety scoring system. Methods: In this prospective study, subjects were surveyed using the Burn Anxiety Inventory questionnaire to measure pre-BT procedural anxiety just before each of the three sessions. Subjects rated their symptoms based on three major categories (Anxiety Feeling, Anxiety Thoughts, and Physical Symptoms) that were summed up to a score that ranges between 0-99. In addition, Asthma Control Test (ACT) were administered before BT (baseline) and after completion of all three sessions of BT. Result: A total of 22 subjects were enrolled in this study with mean age of 49. 7 ± 15.65. 11 (50%) subjects completed all 3 BT procedures. Patients anxiety level at baseline was found to be higher prior to BT1 compared to the last BT . ACT was also found to increase. A non-parametric test showed a significant decrease in their anxiety level (P Conclusions: These findings from our ongoing study suggest that pre-procedural anxiety levels in severe asthmatics decrease as patients progress with BT procedures. Also, ACT score after the third BT procedure is significantly higher compared to the ACT Score before the first BT procedure. Improvement in asthma control could potentially affect anxiety level. A Large cohort is needed to validate these findings which may help enrich overall objective data about BT and assist clinicians in guiding evidence based practice.
Changes in urban and rural cigarette smoking and cannabis use from 2007 to 2017 in adults in the United States.

Abstract Introduction Rural-urban differences in cigarette and cannabis use have traditionally shown higher levels of cigarette smoking in rural areas and of cannabis use in urban areas. To assess for changes in this pattern of use, we examined trends and prevalence of cigarette, cannabis, and co-use across urban-rural localities. Methods Urban-rural trends in current cigarette and/or cannabis use was evaluated using 11 cohorts (2007–2017) of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH; N = 397,542). We used logistic regressions to model cigarette and cannabis use over time, adjusting for demographics (age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, education), in addition to assessing patterns of cannabis use among cigarette smokers and nonsmokers. Results Despite decreases in cigarette smoking overall, between 2007 and 2017, the urban-rural disparity in cigarette smoking increased (AOR = 1.17), with less reduction in rural as compared to urban cigarette smokers. Cannabis use increased in general (AOR = 1.88 by 2017), with greater odds in urban than rural regions. Cannabis use increased more rapidly in non-cigarette smokers than smokers (AOR = 1.37 by 2017), with 219% greater odds of cannabis use in rural non-cigarette smokers in 2017 versus 2007. Conclusions Rurality remains an important risk factor for cigarette smoking in adults and the fastest-growing group of cannabis users is rural non-cigarette smokers; however, cannabis use is currently still more prevalent in urban areas. Improved reach and access to empirically-supported prevention and treatment, especially in rural areas, along with dissemination and enforcement of policy-level regulations, may mitigate disparities in cigarette use and slow the increase in rural cannabis use.
Simple Solution to a Difficult Problem: Removal of Large Bladder Calculi Using a Laparoscopic Entrapment Sac.

Introduction and Objectives: Percutaneous management of large bladder calculi with the use of a laparoscopic entrapment sac is a minimally invasive procedure that may have advantages over open cystolithotomy and transurethral cystolithotripsy, as well as standard percutaneous cystolithotomy. We first performed this procedure in 2008, and refined it after our initial publication in 2013 by changing the position from lithotomy to supine by using a urethral catheter postoperatively instead of a suprapubic (SP) catheter, by using ultrasound guidance for access, and by changing the procedure from being inpatient to outpatient. Our objective is to assess the continued feasibility of percutaneous entrapment sac cystolithotomy (PESC) and describe modifications that simplify the technique (mPESC), comparing outcomes and complications. Methods: Forty seven male patients underwent PESC from 2008 to 2019, 16 who had PESC and 31 who had mPESC. After extraction of calculi, either an SP catheter was placed, or the wound was closed and a urethral catheter was placed. Operative and follow-up parameters were compared between the two cohorts. Results: All patients were rendered stone free. Procedure time and length of stay were both significantly shorter in the mPESC cohort. Stone burden and estimated blood loss were equivalent between cohorts. There were no complications of urethral trauma in either cohort. The PESC cohort had higher rates of leakage from the SP site (25% vs 0%), increased need for catheter over 5 days (18.8% vs 0%), and greater likelihood of recurrent retention (12.5% vs 6%). Conclusions: Modifications of PESC, mPESC, leads to fewer complications and reduced length of stay compared with the original PESC procedure. This safe and efficacious technique can reduce morbidity during the management of large bladder calculi and is well suited for an outpatient procedure.
Deconfinement phase transition in the S U (3 ) instanton-dyon ensemble

Confinement remains one the most interesting and challenging nonperturbative phenomenon in non-Abelian gauge theories. Recent semiclassical [for $SU(2)$] and lattice (for QCD) studies have suggested that confinement arises from interactions of statistical ensembles of instanton dyons with the Polyakov loop. We extend studies of a semiclassical ensemble of dyons to the $SU(3)$ Yang-Mills theory. We find that such interactions do generate the expected first-order deconfinement phase transition. The properties of the ensemble, including correlations and topological susceptibility, are studied over a range of temperatures above and below ${T}_{c}$. Additionally, the dyon ensemble is studied in the Yang-Mills theory containing an extra trace-deformation term. It is shown that such a term can cause the theory to remain confined and even retain the same topological observables at high temperatures.
A Novel Intervention: Implementation of a Neutropenic Infection-Prevention Bundle and Audit Tool in an Oncology Unit.

Abstract Infectious complications are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with chemotherapy-induced neutropenia 1 . Specific infection control practices targeting this patient population are widely endorsed, but little guidance exists on how to implement and monitor compliance with these practices 2 , 3 . At our institution, we increased compliance with infection control measures by using a bundled neutropenic precaution (NP) audit and feedback tool.
A non-conventional ERL configuration for high-power EUV FELs

Abstract We show that a standard Linac configuration (consisting of accelerating sections, linearizing section, and magnetic chicane compressor) currently used in drivers for single-pass EUV/x-ray FELs is compatible with energy recovery, provided that certain timing constraints are met. By circulating the spent, rather than the fresh beam as in a conventional high-power ERL FEL design, the beam brightness can be more easily preserved thus facilitating lasing at short wavelength. As in a conventional ERL, the proposed design allows for energy-spread compression, enabling low-energy beam dumping and high energy-recovery efficiency. Results from numerical simulations presented in this paper show that this configuration could, in principle, support the generation of multi-kW average radiation power required for high-volume production EUV lithography.
Comparison of Some Seismic Imaging Techniques

Scalar wave theory is applied to solve three-dimensional seismic imaging problems. Different ways of implementing the solutions lead to various migration techniques where the areal distribution of subsurface reflection coefficients is obtained. Current widely used migration techniques are the Kirchhoff summation method, the frequency domain method and the finite difference method. Other algorithms include the use of Fresnel imaging, Fraunhofer imaging, the lensless Fourier transform holography and the wave vector diversity concepts to generate subsurface images.
1 – Basic principles

Publisher Summary Database tuning is the activity of making a database application run more quickly. Tuning rests on a foundation of informed common sense. Five basic principles pervade performance considerations (1) think globally, (2) partitioning breaks bottlenecks, (3) start-up costs are high, (4) render unto server what is due unto server, and (5) be prepared for trade-offs. This chapter describes each of these principles and gives examples of its application. Effective tuning requires a proper identification of the problem and a minimalist intervention. This entails measuring the right quantities and coming to the right conclusions. Partitioning in database systems is a technique for reducing the load on a certain component of the system either by dividing the load over more resources or by spreading the load over time. Obtaining the best performance from a data-intensive system entails more than merely tuning the database management portion of that system. An important design question is the allocation of work between the database system (the server) and the application program (the client). Where a particular task should be allocated depends on three main factors: (1) the relative computing resources of client and server, (2) where the relevant information is located, and (3) whether the database task interacts with the screen.
Flattening Basic Blocks

The application of cross country elimination strategies requires access to the computational graph or at least subgraphs for certain scopes, e.g. a basic block. Under the presence of aliased variables the construction of these (sub)graphs encounters ambiguities. We propose an algorithm to construct ambiguity free subgraphs.
The tendons of Todaro and the "triangle of Koch": lessons from eponymous hagiolatry.

Todaro's Tendons and the “Triangle of Koch.”Introduction: There is growing use of the Todaro tendon and triangle of Koch as anatomic icons for invasive cardiac electrophysiologists. Reasons exist to doubt this validity. Methods and Results: Histologic sections were prepared from 96 anatomically normal human hearts. The study area extended from the crista supraventricularis to the eustachian valve and included the AV node and His bundle. This encompasses any tendon of Todaro. Because the purported triangle of Koch includes the tendon of Todaro, all of Koch's available publications were examined. The tendon of Todaro is absent in only one fourth of infant hearts, hut in two thirds of adult hearts. Tendons present were less often single than double or more, rarely exceeded 4 mm in length, and were seldom > 1 mm in diameter. Tendons usually originated from the central fibrous body and ended in the eustachian valve. Their origin most often was over the His bundle or its junction with the AV node, rather than the AV node. Tendons were primarily composed of collagen. Koch never described any triangle or acknowledged existence of tendons of Todaro. Conclusion: Todaro tendons are too often absent (or multiple) to warrant use as anatomic landmarks. Without this side of the supposed triangle of Koch, the entire tendon and triangle concept collapses and should be abandoned. There are numerous far more constant anatomic landmarks available to orient one to the human AV node and His bundle; these are briefly reviewed.
Further delineation of "social/interpersonal compatibility's" role in employability.

There has been no more fundamental concept in the field of industrial and organizational (I–O) psychology than “employability,” whereby individuals seek to gain and retain jobs with organizations, and organizations desire to attract and keep quality employees. Indeed, theory, research, and practice in the field continually have sought to identify the best predictors of performance and career success. Expansion of the predictor and criterion domains has been a focus of scholarly and practical concern for at least the past couple of decades, as we have realized that the fundamental nature of work, jobs, and organization have changed considerably in U.S. organizations.
Photosynthesis in Sewage Treatment

The stabilization of organic matter in sewage wastes requires oxygen, which in secondary treatment plants is normally obtained from the atmosphere. The primary source of atmospheric oxygen is photo...
Drone Defense: The Inherent Right of Self-Defense and U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan

This paper examines the ongoing U.S. drone campaign against militant groups in Pakistan in the context of the inherent right of self-defense and customary international law. The paper provides some brief background information on drones and their technical capabilities and outlines the history of the U.S. drone campaign in Pakistan. The paper examines the parameters of self-defense under Article 51 of the U.N. Charter as well as customary international law and evaluates drone strikes in Pakistan in this context. To the extent that the U.S. drone campaign clashes with current International Court of Justice interpretations of the law of self-defense, this paper distinguishes the conflict in Pakistan and posits that the restrictive requirements of state attribution and consent are untenable in light of the new realities presented in a 21st century asymmetrical war against non-state militant and terrorist groups.
The N-end rule in Escherichia coli: cloning and analysis of the leucyl, phenylalanyl-tRNA-protein transferase gene aat.

Abstract The N-end rule relates the in vivo half-life of a protein to the identity of its N-terminal residue. Distinct versions of the N-end rule operate in bacteria, fungi, and mammals. We report the cloning and analysis of aat, the Escherichia coli gene that encodes leucyl, phenylalanyl-tRNA-protein transferase (L/F-transferase), a component of the bacterial N-end rule pathway. L/F-transferase is required for the degradation of N-end rule substrates bearing an N-terminal arginine or lysine. The aat gene maps to the 19-min region of the E. coli chromosome and encodes a 234-residue protein whose sequence lacks significant similarities to sequences in data bases. In vitro, L/F-transferase catalyzes the posttranslational conjugation of leucine or phenylalanine to the N termini of proteins that bear an N-terminal arginine or lysine. However, the isolation and sequence analysis of a beta-galactosidase variant engineered to expose an N-terminal arginine in vivo revealed the conjugation of leucine but not of phenylalanine to the N terminus of the beta-galactosidase variant. Thus, the specificity of L/F-transferase in vivo may be greater than that in vitro. The aat gene is located approximately 1 kb from clpA, which encodes a subunit of ATP-dependent protease Clp. Although both aat and clpA are required for the degradation of certain N-end rule substrates, their nearly adjacent genes are convergently transcribed. The aat gene lies downstream of an open reading frame that encodes a homolog of the mammalian multidrug resistance P glycoproteins.
Expert system based automated selection of industrial AC drive

The author discusses expert system-aided automated selection of industrial drive product based on application specifications supplied by a skilled or semi-skilled user. The selection is made by computer dialog of a program that is developed with the help of an expert system shell called PC PLUS. The knowledge base of the program incorporates cage-type induction motor drives in the range of 1-300 hp from three different vendors, although provision is made for other types of drives. Both voltage-fed and current-fed inverters are considered using appropriate devices, such as bipolar junction transistor (BJT), IGBT thyristor, and gate turn-off thyristor (GTO) devices. The authors highlight the methodology of the program development rather than the detailed description of the program itself with the intention of familiarizing similar technique to the power electronics community. >
A Psychophysical Approach to Estimating Endurance in Performing Physically Demanding Work

A psychophysical approach utilizing ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) was used to assess endurance in performing strenuous work. First, each subject was tested to determine the peak workload. Maximum aerobic power and RPE's were measured. Then, the subjects worked at various rates on a treadmill. Regression equations were developed from which point estimates of maximum working time at each level of work were determined.
The role of Syk kinase in ultraviolet-mediated skin damage

Summary Background Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is the main cause of skin photodamage; the resulting modulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) leads to collagen degradation. There is no easily accessible molecular indicator of early skin UV damage. Objectives In this study, we investigated the effects of Syk kinase on MMP expression and evaluated the sensitivity and usefulness of Syk as an early indicator of skin UV damage. Methods Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were transfected with Syk cDNA to overexpress Syk. MMP-1 expression and Syk activity were determined by Western blot after UV exposure. The effect of Syk on MMP-1 expression in HDFs was further explored by either Syk siRNA or a selective Syk inhibitor. Possible downstream molecules of Syk were also evaluated in HDFs upon UV exposure. The relationship between Syk and collagenase was further explored in vivo (MMP-13, hairless mice). Results Our studies in HDFs demonstrated that both a Syk inhibitor and Syk siRNA were able to inhibit MMP-1 expression in HDFs exposed to UV and that overexpression of Syk increased MMP-1 expression and the activity of JNK kinase, but not p38 or Erk1/2 MAP kinase. UV exposure enhanced both expression and activity of Syk in HDFs. Experiments with hairless mice suggested that Syk expression is an earlier indicator of UV exposure than MMP-13 expression. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that Syk expression correlates well with increase of MMPs (MMP-1 in humans and MMP-13 in mice) in response to UV exposure. The findings suggest that Syk may be a novel target for the prevention and treatment of skin photodamage by modulating MMPs.
CFD simulations of the flow field of a laboratory-simulated tornado for parameter sensitivity studies and comparison with field measurements

A better understanding of tornado-induced wind loads is needed to improve the design of typical structures to resist these winds. An accurate understanding of the loads requires knowledge of near-ground tornado winds, but observations in this region are lacking. The first goal of this study was to verify how well a CFD model, when driven by far field radar observations and laboratory measurements, could capture the flow characteristics of both full scale and laboratory-simulated tornadoes. A second goal was to use the model to examine the sensitivity of the simulations to various parameters that might affect the laboratory simulator tornado. An understanding of near-ground winds in tornadoes will require coordinated efforts in both computational and physical simulation. The sensitivity of computational simulations of a tornado to geometric parameters and surface roughness within a domain based on the Iowa State University laboratory tornado simulator was investigated. In this study, CFD simulations of the flow field in a model domain that represents a laboratory tornado simulator were conducted using Doppler radar and laboratory velocity measurements as boundary conditions. The tornado was found to be sensitive to a variety of geometric parameters used in the numerical model. Increased surface roughness was found to reduce the tangential speed in the vortex near the ground and enlarge the core radius of the vortex. The core radius was a function of the swirl ratio while the peak tangential flow was a function of the magnitude of the total inflow velocity. The CFD simulations showed that it is possible to numerically simulate the surface winds of a tornado and control certain parameters of the laboratory simulator to influence the tornado characteristics of interest to engineers and match those of the field.
An overview of AUV algorithms research and testbed at the University of Michigan

This paper provides a general overview of the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) research projects being pursued within the Perceptual Robotics Laboratory (PeRL) at the University of Michigan. Founded in 2007, PeRL's research thrust is centered around improving AUV autonomy via algorithmic advancements in sensor-driven perceptual feedback for environmentally-based real-time mapping, navigation, and control. In this paper we discuss our three major research areas of: (1) real-time visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM); (2) cooperative multi-vehicle navigation; and (3) perception-driven control. Pursuant to these research objectives, PeRL has acquired and significantly modified two commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Ocean-Server Technology, Inc. Iver2 AUV platforms to serve as a real-world engineering testbed for algorithm development and validation. Details of the design modification, and related research enabled by this integration effort, are discussed herein.
Modal Expansion of Structural Systems with Time Delays

Conventional modal analyses are not applicable to structural systems with time delays because time delays destroy any possible orthogonality among system eigenvectors. A new series solution method is proposed for transient response analysis of a class of delayed linear structural systems. In this method, inverse Laplace transform is combined with a root locus sensitivity analysis, leading to a relation between the transfer function residues and eigensolutions of the delayed system. With this relation, closed-form time-domain response can be accurately and efficiently estimated in series of eigenvectors, without involving transfer function singularities and s-domain integration, which are usually encountered in inverse Laplace transform. The proposed method is illustrated on a gyroscopic dynamic system under delayed feedback control.
An examination of job attitudes of white, black, and hispanic nurses in a public hospital

This paper reviews the literature on racial differences in job satisfaction and examines differences among whites, blacks and hispanics in job-related attitudes for a sample of nurses employed in a public hospital. Levels of job satisfaction, organizational commitment, turnover intentions, and job burnout were compared among the three race categories. Results indicated that significant differences existed for levels of job satisfaction, organizational commitment and job burnout among whites, blacks and hispanics. Hispanics reported significantly higher job satisfaction than whites and blacks, and whites reported less organizational commitment and higher levels of job burnout than blacks.
Collection of small subunit (16S- and 16S-like) ribosomal RNA structures: 1994

A collection of diverse 16S and 16S-like rRNA secondary structure diagrams are available. This set of rRNAs contains representative structures from all of the major phylogenetic groupings--Archaea, (eu)Bacteria, and the nucleus, mitochondrion, and chloroplast of Eucarya. Within this broad phylogenetic sampling are examples of the major forms of structural diversity currently known for this class of rRNAs. These structure diagrams are available online through our computer-network WWW server and anonymous ftp, as well as from the author in hardcopy format.
Near-infrared two-dimensional photonic band-gap materials.

We describe the fabrication and optical transmission of two-dimensional periodic dielectric structures with photonic band gaps in the near infrared. The structures consist of triangular arrays of air cylinders embedded in a glass matrix, with center-to-center nearest-neighbor separations between 1.08 and 0.73 μm. The band gaps corresponding to the first Brillouin zone’s boundaries occur at wavelengths between 2.5 and 1.1 μm. For each array size, the band gaps along the two high-symmetry propagation directions are spectrally overlapped for light polarized perpendicular to the cylinder axes. The observed positions, widths, and polarization dependence of the band gaps are in good agreement with theoretical calculations.