cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Year of the Rat: The Rat Genome Database at 20: a multi-species knowledgebase and analysis platform

Formed in late 1999, the Rat Genome Database (RGD, https://rgd.mcw.edu) will be 20 in 2020, the Year of the Rat. Because the laboratory rat, Rattus norvegicus, has been used as a model for complex human diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, neurological disorders and arthritis, among others, for >150 years, RGD has always been disease-focused and committed to providing data and tools for researchers doing comparative genomics and translational studies. At its inception, before the sequencing of the rat genome, RGD started with only a few data types localized on genetic and radiation hybrid (RH) maps and offered only a few tools for querying and consolidating that data. Since that time, RGD has expanded to include a wealth of structured and standardized genetic, genomic, phenotypic, and disease-related data for eight species, and a suite of innovative tools for querying, analyzing and visualizing this data. This article provides an overview of recent substantial additions and improvements to RGD's data and tools that can assist researchers in finding and utilizing the data they need, whether their goal is to develop new precision models of disease or to more fully explore emerging details within a system or across multiple systems.
From Image Politics to Image Politics 2.0

We are pleased to have the invitation to reflect on the twentieth anniversary of Kevin DeLuca's Image Politics: The New Rhetoric of Environmental Activism. The book was an inspiration for our own e...
Symplectic ab initio no-core shell model

Resumen en: The present study confirm the significanc of the symplectic Sp(3,R) symmetry in nuclear dynamics as unveiled, for the firs time, by examinations of reali...
Abstract I09: Tumor-specific T cells reprogram mononuclear phagocytes for destruction of checkpoint blockade-resistant pancreatic cancer

Like virally infected cells, tumors can evade CD8 T-cell recognition by downregulation of MHC class I. Loss of MHC class I and IFNg sensing are major causes of primary and acquired resistance to checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. The cellular (c)-IAPs regulate classical and alternative NF-kB signaling, and induction of noncanonical NF-kB signaling using IAP antagonists mimics costimulatory signaling, augmenting antitumor immunity. We now show that induction of noncanonical NF-kB signaling promotes antitumor immunity across a range of orthotopic and spontaneous pancreatic cancer models, and induces T cell-dependent immune responses even in b2m-/- tumors, demonstrating that direct CD8 T-cell recognition of tumor cell expressed MHC class I is not required. Here we show that MHC class I negative tumors can be controlled in a T-cell dependent fashion by repolarized intratumoral phagocytes. In wild-type mice, but not mice incapable of mounting antigen-specific T cell responses, treatment with IAP antagonists increases phagocytosis of tumor cells, as determined by flow cytometry, imaging flow cytometry, and quantitative immunofluorescence. This mechanism of action inspired combination therapy with CD47 blockade, a strategy that induced curative responses in otherwise refractory preclinical models. To our knowledge, this is the first example of antigen specific immunotherapy for tumors that are refractory to checkpoint blockade due to loss of MHC class I or IFNg sensing. Citation Format: Stephanie K. Dougan. Tumor-specific T cells reprogram mononuclear phagocytes for destruction of checkpoint blockade-resistant pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care; 2019 Sept 6-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(24 Suppl):Abstract nr I09.
Chapter 4 – Combustion Chambers for Air-Breathing Engines

Publisher Summary This chapter explains the function of the combustion chamber which is a critical component in the configuration of the jet engine. Its primary function is to direct large amounts of heat energy toward the nozzle at the proper temperature level and with an appropriate temperature distribution. A good combustion chamber must provide full combustion with minimum pressure loss, operate without significant accumulation of deposits, ignite the fuel readily, and give reliable service over long periods of time. A primary approach to combustor design, considers a combustor whose cross-sectional area is constant. Furthermore, it is assumed that the large energy release due to combustion represents the main driver for the combustor and those other effects, such as heat transfer and friction, are negligible in comparison. In a constant pressure combustor, if there is no pressure change, there is no velocity change. Jet fuels are primarily paraffin hydrocarbons and calculations are given for optimum use of octane.
Investigating Cash Bail Patterns in Pennsylvania

A key component of pretrial justice reform has been to overhaul the cash bail system, which has been known to unfairly and disproportionately affect poor communities of color. The lack of clear standards and the variability in decision making by magistrate judges has resulted in a system that is inconsistent in determining who must pay cash bail as well as the amount of bail. Together with the lack of any metrics or transparency associated with this process, the problem has escalated. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been at the forefront of this fight to reform the bail determination system. To support their efforts, we utilized a dataset containing all criminal offenses charged within the state of Pennsylvania in 2016-17 in order to derive analytical insights, and perform a series of statistical tests to evaluate and quantify biases in the bail determination system in Pennsylvania. In addition to this, we also developed a predictive model and utilised model interpretability tools to evaluate the factors affecting bail type assignment. One of the key focus areas of our work was the determination of racial bias, particularly between the defendants identified as Black and White in the court records. Through our work, we were able to develop a pipeline for identifying racial bias and conclusively establish that bail assignment patterns do vary across judges.
Implementation of a quality improvement strategy to increase outpatient kidney transplant referrals.

Kidney transplantation remains the optimal therapy for patients with end stage kidney disease (ESKD), though a small fraction of patients on dialysis are on organ waitlists. An important barrier to both preemptive kidney transplantation and successful waitlisting is timely referral to a kidney transplant center. We implemented a quality improvement strategy to improve outpatient kidney transplant referrals in a single center academic outpatient nephrology clinic. Over a 3 month period (July 1–September 30, 2016), we assessed the baseline kidney transplantation referral rate at our outpatient nephrology clinic for patients 18–75 years old with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of less than 20 mL/min/1.73m2 (2 values over 90 days apart). Charts were manually reviewed by two reviewers to look for kidney transplant referrals and documentation of discussions about kidney transplantation. We then performed a root cause analysis to explore potential barriers to kidney transplantation. Our intervention began on July 1, 2017 and included the implementation of a column in the electronic medical record (EMR) which displayed the patient’s last eGFR as part of the clinic schedule. In addition, physicians were given a document listing their patients to be seen that day with an eGFR of < 20 mL/min/1.73m2. Annual education sessions were also held to discuss the importance of timely kidney transplant referral. At baseline, 54 unique patients with eGFR ≤20 ml/min/1.73 m2 were identified who were seen in the Clinic between July 1, 2016 and September 30, 2016. 29.6% (16) eligible patients were referred for kidney transplantation evaluation. 69.5% (37) of these patients were not referred for kidney transplant evaluation. 46.3% (25) did not have documentation regarding kidney transplant in the EMR. nephrologist’s most recent note. Following the intervention, 66 unique patients met criteria for eligibility for kidney transplant evaluation. Kidney transplant referrals increased to 60.6% (p < 0.001). Our pilot implementation study of a strategy to improve outpatient kidney transplant referrals showed that a free, simple, scalable intervention can significantly improve kidney transplant referrals in the outpatient setting. This intervention targeted the nephrologist’s role in the transplant referral, and facilitated the process of patient recognition and performing the referral itself without significantly interrupting the workflow. Next steps include further investigation to study the impact of early referral to kidney transplant centers on preemptive and living donor kidney transplantation as well as successful waitlisting.
A Small Slice of the Chicago Eight Trial

The Chicago Eight trial was not the typical criminal trial, in part because it occurred at a time of society’s polarization, student demonstrations, and the rise of the House Un-American Activities Committee. Charges were levied against eight defendants, who were individuals that represented leaders in a variety of movements and groups during this time. This Essay examines the opening stages of this trial from the lens of a then relatively new criminal defense attorney, Gerald Lefcourt. It looks at his experiences before Judge Julius Hoffman and highlights how strong, steadfast criminal defense attorneys can make a difference in protecting key constitutional rights and values. Although judicial independence is crucial to a system premised on due process, it is also important that lawyers and law professors stand up to misconduct and improprieties.
Rational Choice, Behavioral Economics, and the Law

Jolls, Sunstein, and Thaler wish to use the insights of behavioral economics to improve economic analysis of law, which they believe to be handicapped by its commitment to the assumption that people are rational.1 The editors of the Review have asked me to comment on JST's paper, no doubt because of my identification with rational-choice economics. Since JST complain with some justice that economists and economically minded lawyers do not always make clear what they mean by "rationality," let me make clear at the outset what I mean by the word: choosing the best means to the chooser's ends. For example, a rational person who wants to keep warm will compare the alternative means known to him of keeping warm in terms of cost, comfort, and other dimensions of utility and disutility, and will choose from this array the means that achieves warmth with the greatest margin of benefit over cost, broadly defined. Rational choice need not be conscious choice. Rats are at least as rational as human beings when rationality is defined as achieving one's ends (survival and reproduction, in the case of rats) at least cost. No doubt my definition lacks precision and rigor. But it is good enough to indicate the difference in approach between rational-choice economics and behavioral economics.
Effects of NAVA Compared to SIMV Ventilation on Cardiac Function in Preterm Neonates

Background: Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA) provides proportional assist ventilation in synchrony with the patient’s respiratory drive and improves patient-ventilator synchronization compared to conventional ventilation (SIMV PC/PS). This improved synchrony on NAVA may also impact the cardiovascular system. Previous studies show systolic blood pressure higher during NAVA compared to conventional ventilation modes. The effect on cardiac function from improved ventilatory synchronization with NAVA is unknown. This study evaluates left ventricular function in preterm neonates on NAVA ventilation when compared to SIMV. Methods: Randomized, single blinded, crossover trial of preterm neonates, 23 -37 weeks on invasive mechanical ventilation. A coin toss determined the initial mode of ventilation (NAVA vs. SIMV). After a stabilization period (at least 1 hour) initial Doppler echocardiographic measurements were obtained. The patient was then switched to the other mode of ventilation and, after a stabilization period, a repeat Doppler echocardiographic measure of cardiac function was obtained. The patient was then returned back to the original ventilatory mode. Quantitative assessment of LV systolic function was performed using echocardiographic and Doppler measurements. Ejection fraction was measured from parasternal short axis using m-mode, and Simpsons 2 chamber (2c) and 4 chamber (4c) were measured from apical views. Other measurements included Left Ventricular (LV) Velocity Time Integral (VTI) and cross-sectional area (CSA - calculated at the level of aortic valve annulus). The reading cardiologist was blinded to the mode of ventilation. Left ventricular output was calculated as follows: LV output = [VTI (cm/beat) x CSA (cm2) x heart rate /body weight. Paired t-test was used to compare the variables on NAVA vs. SIMV. P Results: Fourteen patients were randomized. Gestational age was 25±3.2 weeks, birth weight was 923±566 grams, age at study was 8.6±5.9 days and weight at study was 776±411 grams. During NAVA, LV output (P Conclusions: This pilot study shows that neonates have improved left ventricular output on NAVA ventilation compared to on SIMV. We speculate that higher LV output during NAVA may be the consequence of a better cardio-respiratory synchronization.
Bioimpedance Spectroscopy A Predictor of Compensated Versus Decompensated Heart Failure In The Emergency Room

Introduction Approximately 20% of ambulatory HF care occurs in ER, where the need to exclude PE, COPD, infection and ischemia often govern care, leaving assessment of HF risk and management of diuresis inadequate. ER physicians typically overestimate risk of decompensation in low-risk HF and underestimate risk in high-risk HF patients (pts). Four out of five HF ER pts are admitted and use of an assessment tool at triage and through the continuum could add value. Background The AHA has called for further study of HF pts in ER as there are no consistently used tools for congestion. BIS has been shown to accurately assess ECF levels and as an excellent discriminator for HF caused sob. In previous studies, ECF%TBW has shown value as a tool to risk stratify pts in the acute setting. Further, the higher the ECF%TBW the higher the risk of morbidity. Methods Patients with NYHA II or III heart failure (n=66) were enrolled. There were 6 pts readmitted for heart failure (decomp), while 60 were not (comp). Non-HF data (n=69) was obtained (control). ECF%TBW was evaluated for differences across these 3 groups.ResultsMedian ECF%TBW for decomp, comp and control were 52.5, 48.8, and 44.8%, respectively. Statistically significant differences were shown between all 3 groups (p Conclusions ECF%TBW has been shown as a marker of fluid overload in pts presenting with sob. This bedside device gives instantly useful data, when coupled with physical exam and traditional markers shows promise as a value add in HF care.
Gauge Field Theories on a Transverse Lattice

In these notes, the transverse ($\perp$) lattice approach is presented as a means to control the $k^+\to 0$ divergences in light-front QCD. Technical difficulties of both the canonical compact formulation as well as the non-compact formulation of the $\perp$ lattice motivate the color-dielectric formulation, where the link fields are linearized.
Enhancement of FDM ULTEM® 9085 bond strength via atmospheric plasma treatment

Abstract The present study investigates a process to improve the bond strength of ULTEM® 9085 manufactured via fused deposition modeling and presents an application of this technique as a repair method for damaged 3D-printed structures. The initial surface characteristics, roughness, and wettability of AM parts are shown to vary with the print orientation. Atmospheric plasma treatment (APT) was utilized to improve the wetting characteristics and bond behavior of ULTEM® 9085 as verified by contact angle measurements, XPS analysis, and flatwise tensile testing. The plasma treated samples displayed improved wettability of the polymer surface with a decrease in the contact angle from 115° to 22°. Furthermore, flatwise tensile testing of treated samples that were initially hydrophobic showed a 35 % increase in interfacial strength. The surface modifications were characterized by XPS. Increases in the concentration of oxygen on the surface contributed to the improved wettability of the samples, while increases in the concentration of carboxyl groups led to enhanced interfacial bond strength with an epoxy paste adhesive. However, with overexposure to plasma treatment weakly bound ash forms on the surface and leads to a degradation of strength. An optimized plasma treatment is proposed for ULTEM® 9085, and an application for a repair doubler was tested. Utilizing a damaged tensile dogbone specimen, this plasma treatment and bonding technique are shown to produce a 100 % recovery of strength, demonstrating the applicability and potential for repairing 3D-printed structures.
Naming and disrupting epistemic injustice across curated sites of learning

Curated sites of learning—places that are created by people to promote formal and informal knowledge and knowledge production practices (such as schools and museums)—are deemed foundational by many...
Improving handover competency in preclinical medical and health professions students: establishing the reliability and construct validity of an assessment instrument

Background As part of the worldwide call to enhance the safety of patient handovers of care, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) requires that all graduating students "give or receive a patient handover to transition care responsibly" as one of its Core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) for Entering Residency. Students therefore require educational activities that build the necessary teamwork skills to perform structured handovers. To date, a reliable instrument designed to assess teamwork competencies, like structured communication, throughout their preclinical and clinical years does not exist. Method Our team developed an assessment instrument that evaluates both the use of structured communication and two additional teamwork competencies necessary to perform safe patient handovers. This instrument was utilized to assess 192 handovers that were recorded from a sample of 229 preclinical medical students and 25 health professions students who participated in a virtual course on safe patient handovers. Five raters were trained on utilization of the assessment instrument, and consensus was established. Each handover was reviewed independently by two separate raters. Results The raters achieved 72.22 % agreement across items in the reviewed handovers. Krippendorff's alpha coefficient to assess inter-rater reliability was 0.6245, indicating substantial agreement among the raters. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) demonstrated the orthogonal characteristics of items in this instrument with rotated item loadings onto three distinct factors providing preliminary evidence of construct validity. Conclusions We present an assessment instrument with substantial reliability and preliminary evidence of construct validity designed to evaluate both use of structured handover format as well as two team competencies necessary for safe patient handovers. Our assessment instrument can be used by educators to evaluate learners' handoff performance as early as their preclinical years and is broadly applicable in the clinical context in which it is utilized. In the journey to optimize safe patient care through improved teamwork during handovers, our instrument achieves a critical step in the process of developing a validated assessment instrument to evaluate learners as they seek to accomplish this goal.
W -Band SiGe Frequency Doubler With Optimum Harmonic Termination for 14% Efficiency

A $W$ -band balanced frequency doubler with an optimized harmonic termination and neutralization technique is proposed for high output power and high conversion efficiency in a 90-nm SiGe process. The proposed design demonstrates a peak conversion gain of 0.7 dB and the maximum output power higher than 4 dBm at an output frequency of 84 GHz with the conversion efficiency of 14%.
A historical introduction and theoretical concept

As one of a series of books dealing with biomedical effects of the environment, this volume presents the thesis that more should be learned about the influence a social system has on the health of its members. Adequate experimental approaches are now available for studying the forces that can unleash the pathophysiologic influences latent in any social system, despite its current health. This holds true as much for rodent societies living in population cages as for modern man in his cities. Thus colonies of small laboratory mammals can be used in making controlled social-ethologic observations of the mechanism of disease, and data from such colonies will form a major part of this work. There have, however, been a number of similar viewpoints during the past 40 years, and reference must first be made to the observations of some men on whose work the present approach is based.
The Story of Ex parte Young: Once Controversial, Now Canon

This is a chapter in the forthcoming federal courts stories. Ex parte Young is a central part of the federal courts canon, yet the underlying historical details are little known or understood. This is unfortunate. Many cases in the canon are contested by advocates of greater or lesser federal court intervention. Ex parte Young, however, is bedrock, almost universally admired across the ideological spectrum. At the time, though, this decision opening the doors to federal court was widely condemned by progressives who disdained judicial involvement in economic legislation. The Story of Ex Parte Young tells of the cases’ origins in Reconstruction and the Gilded Age, shedding light on how we should understand this now widely-accepted decision.
Intraneuronal compartments of the amyloid precursor protein

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the parent molecule from which beta-amyloid protein is cleaved and deposits as amyloid fibrils in the senile plaques of Alzheimer9s disease. Its primary structure resembles a receptor; however, no ligand has been identified. In growing hippocampal neurons APP is localized to growth cones. APP immunoreactivity was highly enriched in the axons of mature cultured neurons, where it appears as a specialization of the axonal membrane. Its anterograde translocation occurs via a kinesin-based motor. Following cytosolic acidification, APP colocalizes with late endosomes that get redistributed from the neuronal cell body to the processes. APP colocalizes in cultured hippocampal neurons to clathrin- immunoreactive clusters of vesicular-like structures. The finding lends additional credence to the possibility that APP could function as a receptor.
How to Beat the Adaptive Multi-Armed Bandit

The multi-armed bandit is a concise model for the problem of iterated decision-making under uncertainty. In each round, a gambler must pull one of $K$ arms of a slot machine, without any foreknowledge of their payouts, except that they are uniformly bounded. A standard objective is to minimize the gambler's regret, defined as the gambler's total payout minus the largest payout which would have been achieved by any fixed arm, in hindsight. Note that the gambler is only told the payout for the arm actually chosen, not for the unchosen arms. Almost all previous work on this problem assumed the payouts to be non-adaptive, in the sense that the distribution of the payout of arm $j$ in round $i$ is completely independent of the choices made by the gambler on rounds $1, \dots, i-1$. In the more general model of adaptive payouts, the payouts in round $i$ may depend arbitrarily on the history of past choices made by the algorithm. We present a new algorithm for this problem, and prove nearly optimal guarantees for the regret against both non-adaptive and adaptive adversaries. After $T$ rounds, our algorithm has regret $O(\sqrt{T})$ with high probability (the tail probability decays exponentially). This dependence on $T$ is best possible, and matches that of the full-information version of the problem, in which the gambler is told the payouts for all $K$ arms after each round. Previously, even for non-adaptive payouts, the best high-probability bounds known were $O(T^{2/3})$, due to Auer, Cesa-Bianchi, Freund and Schapire. The expected regret of their algorithm is $O(T^{1/2}) for non-adaptive payouts, but as we show, $\Omega(T^{2/3})$ for adaptive payouts.
Examination of the Extinguishment Performance of a Water Mist System Using Continuous and Cycling Discharges

We conducted a series of full-scale fire tests of a twin-fluid water mist system in an empty enclosure and in a simulated machinery space. During the tests, two water mist discharge modes, continuous and cycling, were used. We investigated the extinguishment performance of the water mist system using these two discharge modes under various fire scenarios, including different fire sizes, types, and locations, and different ventilation conditions. Test results showed that use of the cycling discharge substantially improved the effectiveness of the water mist system for fire suppression, in comparison to the continuous discharge. The corresponding extinguishing time and water requirement for fire suppression were significantly reduced, and some fires that could not be extinguished with the continuous discharge were extinguished with the cycling discharge. The improvement in fire suppression was attributed to high depletion and dilution rate of oxygen and the recurrent dynamic mixing generated by the cycling water mist discharge in the compartment.
Thermal and electrochemical studies of carbons for Li-ion batteries: 1. Thermal analysis of petroleum and pitch cokes

Abstract Thermal analyses involving simultaneous thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) were used to study the air oxidation of petroleum (fluid and needle cokes) and coal-tar pitch cokes. The intent of this study is to understand the relationship between the structure of carbonaceous materials and their thermal oxidation behavior in air (Part 1). A correlation between the thermal oxidative properties of cokes and their electrochemical Li-intercalation performance is discussed in the following paper (Part 2). The carbon samples were heat-treated at temperatures up to 2800°C, and three thermal parameters were determined — ignition temperature ( T i ), temperature maximum ( T m ) in the DTA curves, and the temperature at which 15% carbon weight loss was attained ( T 15 ). The measurements showed trends that are consistent with prior reports that the active sites on the surface and not the total surface area (TSA) are responsible for the thermal behavior of the carbons. Because of the difference in the graphitizability of petroleum and pitch cokes that was obtained by heat treatment, variations in the thermal parameters were observed. Needle cokes are the most easily graphitized and this is reflected in the higher values of the thermal parameters compared to the fluid and pitch cokes.
Comparison of error probability for OFDM and SC-FDE

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the effects of frequency and timing offsets in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and single carrier systems and to compare their relative sensitivities. This is done in two ways. First, by simulation and second, by a numerical computation using a method first introduced by Beaulieu. We show that the standard approach, which is based on approximating the ICI (or ISI) term as a Gaussian random variable, is inadequate to characterize performance degradation. Our results show that the Gaussian approximation can be overly optimistic or overly pessimistic, depending upon the case. In contrast the numerical method is shown to agree closely with simulation in all cases. While the numerical method used here has been previously employed for calculation with OFDM, it has not been used in the comparison of single carrier and OFDM.
The Existence and Uniqueness of Lyons' Group

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the existence and uniqueness of Lyons' group. Lyons considered a finite simple group G possessing an involution whose centralizer in G is isomorphic to A, the two fold covering group of A 11 . He determined the character table and structure of G. The chapter describes that a group G satisfying Lyons' hypothesis exists and is unique up to isomorphism.
Bearing fluting in AC motors, DC motors and rolls on paper machines

When unexpected bearing losses were questioned at a paper mill, work began at the mill that led to a long-term investigation to determine the causes and incidence of a type of bearing damage called "bearing fluting." It was discovered that many paper machines have bearing fluting and that this has caused significant down time and increased maintenance costs. Additionally, bearing fluting was found to be associated with the use of AC or DC sectional variable speed control. This problem is not new, but the understanding of its origin, magnitude and treatment has improved over the past couple of years. A number of ways to control the problem were investigated. Bearing fluting was found to be readily controllable with proper application of shaft grounding thereby eliminating a significant source of lost operating time and associated maintenance costs.
Review: Daphne M. Keats (2001). Interviewing: A Practical Guide for Students and Professionals

Das Buch von Daphne M. KEATS fuhrt in die Praxis des Interviewens ein, indem zunachst verschiedene Arten von Interviews vorgestellt werden. Daran anschliesend werden Schritt fur Schritt wichtige Aspekte des Interviewens und mogliche Probleme im Interviewverlauf besprochen. In der vorliegenden Rezension angesprochene Kritikpunkte dieser Darstellung sollen keinesfalls die Nutzlichkeit des Buches in Frage stellen, sondern sie werden eher als Vorschlage fur eventuelle kunftige Uberarbeitungen verstanden: Denn auch wenn KEATS selbst darauf hinweist, dass es nicht moglich ist "in a book of this scope to cover all kinds of interviews and all levels of interviewing skill" – das Buch ist sorgfaltig konzipiert und ein wertvoller Wegweiser fur alle, die sich fur die Praxis des Interviewens interessieren. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs020183
GUVs Melt Like LUVs: The Large Heat Capacity of MLVs Is Not Due to Large Size or Small Curvature

The excess heat capacity functions (ΔCp) associated with the main phase transition of large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) and multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) are very different. Two explanations are possible. First, the difference in vesicle size (curvature) results in different gel-fluid interactions in the membrane; those interactions have a large effect on the cooperativity of the phase transition. Second, there is communication between the bilayers in an MLV when they undergo the gel-fluid transition; this communication results in thermodynamic coupling of the phase transitions of the bilayers in the MLV and, consequently, in an apparent increase in the cooperativity of the transition. To test these hypotheses, differential scanning calorimetry was performed on giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) of pure dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. The ΔCp curve of GUVs was found to resemble that of the much smaller LUVs. The transition in GUVs and LUVs is much broader (half-width ∼1.5°C) than in MLVs (∼0.1°C). This similarity in GUVs and LUVs indicates that their size has little effect on gel-fluid interactions in the phase transition. The result suggests that coupling between the transitions in the bilayers of an MLV is responsible for their apparent higher cooperativity in melting.
First-principles calculation of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy and magnetostriction in strained colossal magnetoresistance films

We performed first-principles relativistic full-potential linearized augmented plane-wave calculations for strained tetragonal ferromagnetic $\mathrm{La}(\mathrm{Ba}){\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ with an assumed experimental structure of thin strained tetragonal ${\mathrm{La}}_{0.67}{\mathrm{Ca}}_{0.33}{\mathrm{MnO}}_{3}$ (LCMO) films grown on ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}[001]$ and ${\mathrm{LaAlO}}_{3}[001]$ substrates. The calculated uniaxial magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE) values are in good quantitative agreement with experiments for LCMO films on ${\mathrm{SrTiO}}_{3}$ substrate. We also analyze the applicability of linear magnetoelastic theory for describing the stain dependence of MAE, and estimate magnetostriction coefficient ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{001}.$
Mystery of multidrug transporters: the answer can be simple

Summary Multidrug efflux transporters, found in all living cells and protecting them from multiple structurally dissimilar hydrophobic toxins, have fascinated researchers for decades and presented a number of puzzling questions. These transporters demonstrate a remarkably broad substrate specificity, which seemingly contradicts established dogmas of biochemistry. Although sharing highly unusual properties, in some unexplained way, they have arisen multiple times in the evolution of several families of membrane proteins. Furthermore, the number of multidrug transporters encoded in each genome is so large that their role in cellular physiology has remained un-certain. Recent advances in the structural analysis of a number of soluble multidrug-recognizing proteins show that these proteins possess large hydrophobic binding sites and bind their substrates through a combination of a hydrophobic effect and electrostatic attraction, rather than by establishing a precise network of hydrogen bonds and other specific interactions characteristic of traditionally studied enzymes and receptors. Low-resolution structural studies of multidrug transporters suggest that they possess similar large binding sites and may use similar simple principles of substrate recognition. This would explain not only their broad substrate specificity, but also their unusual evolutionary relationships and the apparent multiplicity in genomes of organisms of all evolutionary kingdoms. Although further structural studies will be needed to prove this hypothesis, it is already clear that the explanation of the puzzling phenomenon of multidrug efflux may not necessarily require any substantially new biochemical or biological principles.
Self-consistent diffraction in the multiperipheral model (IV)

Abstract Numerical fits to high-energy proton-proton scattering data are made using formulae obtained previously from a self-consistent solution to the multiperipheral model. Agreement with the total cross section and elastic differential cross section is satisfactory.
Regulation of aortic endothelial vesicular uptake of cationized ferritin by plasmalemmal binding.

Abstract Endothelial uptake of cationized ferritin (CF, pI > 9.0) was investigated in the rabbit aorta. After in situ perfusion with CF at concentrations less than 0.35 mg/ml in Tyrode's solution, the endothelial plasmalemmal membrane was partially covered by a ferritin monolayer except at some vesicle necks and regions of cell overlap where particles aggregated. At a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml, CF entered all luminal vesicles and bound to the membrane as a uniform layer usually several particles deep. A steady state was reached after 5 s; particle binding and vesicle filling were not affected by perfusion flow rate up to 20 ml/min. The number of particles per loaded vesicle ( F N L ) increased with the density of particles at vesicle necks (PDv), suggesting that particle concentration in the vesicle was in equilibrium with that at the neck. At CF concentrations above 1 mg/ml, binding sites at vesicle necks and elsewhere on the membrane became saturated and luminal vesicles became maximally loaded. Under these conditions, F N L was greater than that expected for equilibrium with the PDv found. Our findings indicate that anionic sites at vesicle necks and cell overlaps are more strongly negatively charged than elsewhere, and suggest that CF vesicle loading is regulated by the degree of binding at the neck and by the relative strength of the attractive forces at the neck and the vesicle interior.
Oligosaccharins: structures and signal transduction.

Oligosaccharins are complex carbohydrates that can function in plants as molecular signals that regulate growth, development, and survival in the environment [3]. Studies of plant-microorganism interactions yielded the first evidence that oligosaccharins could serve as biological signals. Much of this research focused on the synthesis and accumulation of antimicrobial phytoalexins in response to microbial attack. Phytoalexin synthesis and accumulation are observed not only after microbial infection, but also after treatment of plant tissue with cell-free extracts of microbial origin. The active components in these extracts are commonly referred to as ‘elicitors’. The term ‘elicitor’ was originally used to refer to molecules and other stimuli that induce the synthesis and accumulation of phytoalexins in plant cells [130], but is now commonly used for molecules that stimulate any plant defense mechanism [68, 70, 71, 104].
Low Back Pain and Disability in Older Women: Independent Association With Difficulty But Not Inability to Perform Daily Activities

Background Low back pain is a highly prevalent chronic condition, yet little is known about the disabling effects of this common problem in older adults. This study examines the relationship between the presence and severity of low back pain and disability in older women. Methods The study population was 1,002 disabled older women participating in a population-based prospective study of disablement. Key outcome measures of disability included level of difficulty and inability to perform the following daily activities: light housework, shopping, walking one-quarter mile, climbing stairs, lifting, and activities of daily living (ADLs). Results Forty-two percent of participants reported they had low back pain for at least one month in the year before baseline. The prevalence of severe back pain decreased markedly with age (10% of those > or = 85 yr versus 23% in each of the two younger 10 yr age groups). After multivariate adjustments, women with severe back pain were 3 to 4 times more likely than other women to have a lot of difficulty with light housework or shopping. There was also an increased likelihood of difficulty with mobility tasks and basic ADLs among those with severe back pain. No associations were found between back pain and being unable to perform any of the daily activities studied, indicating possible differences in disablement processes leading to functional difficulties versus functional incapacity. Conclusions There was a strong association between back pain and functional difficulties in older women, pointing to the need for further research using longitudinal methods.
An application of lomax distributions in receiver operating characteristic(roc)curve analysis

Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves are useful for studying the performance of diagnostic tests. ROC curves occur in many fields of applications including psychophysics, quality control and medical diagnostics. In practical situations, often the responses to a diagnostic test are classified into a number of ordered categories. Such data are referred to as ratings data. It is typically assumed that the underlying model is based on a continuous probability distribution. The ROC curve is then constructed from such data using this probability model. Properties of the ROC curve are inherited from the model. Therefore, understanding the role of different probability distributions in ROC modeling is an interesting and important area of research. In this paper the Lomax distribution is considered as a model for ratings data and the corresponding ROC curve is derived. The maximum likelihood estimation procedure for the related parameters is discussed. This procedure is then illustrated in the analysis of ...
Differential Effects of Prenatal Testosterone Timing and Duration on Phenotypic and Behavioral Masculinization and Defeminization of Female Sheep

Abstract The process of sexual differentiation leaves genetically female individuals at risk of being masculinized by exogenous androgens. Previous research with sheep indicates that exposure to excess testosterone from Gestational Day (GD) 30 to GD 90 of the 147-day gestation masculinizes and defeminizes behavior as well as genitalia. Lower doses and shorter durations produce animals with varying degrees of genital virilization and alterations of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, but to our knowledge, the effects on complex behavior and its prediction by the amount of external virilization have not been explored. Previous research in rodents has suggested that sexual differentiation of the central nervous system and the external genitalia can be dissociated. Therefore, we hypothesized that the extent of virilization of external genitalia would not be predictive of the lack of female-typical, or the presence of male-typical, mating behavior. To test this hypothesis, we compared control females, fem...
Multipath and ducting tolerant location techniques for automatic vehicle location systems

This paper discusses various methods of improving the accuracy of a linear least squares solution algorithm which is commonly used in Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA), hyperbolic location systems. Topics considered include methods of generating a useful weighting matrix and a residue examination scheme as the basis for rejecting data contaminated by large propagation delay errors. The performance of two linear schemes is compared to that of the nonlinear least squares solution using some 2000 sets of actual TDOA measurements.
Our experience with aortic root replacement using hand-sewn composite valve graft

Background The purpose of this study is to examine our experience with aortic root replacement using composite valve grafts in patients with proximal aortic disease.
Thoughtlessness and resentment: Determinism and moral responsibility in the case of Adolf Eichmann

Is a devoted Nazi or a zombie bureaucrat a greater moral and political problem? Because the dangers of immoral fanaticism are so clear, the dangers of mindless bureaucracy are easy to overlook. Yet...
Probe dynamics constraints on theoretical models for polymer dynamics

Measurements of diffusion and driven motion by probe particles in polymer solutions constrain theoretical models of polymer solution dynamics. In this paper, motions of large, intermediate (smaller than a polymer chain, larger than a solvent molecule), and small (solvent, ion) probes through polymer solutions and viscous small-molecule solvents are analyzed. The resulting constraints limit the physical models that can plausibly be used to describe polymer motion and separately limit the mathematical structures that might be used to obtain quantitative predictions from those models. A transition in small-molecule mobility through polymer solutions, at polymer concentrations near 400 g/l, is explained in terms of the size of a solvent molecule relative to the gaps between pairs of chain segments on adjacent polymer molecules.
Preschoolers' Cognitive Performance Improves Following Massage∗

Preschoolers (Mage = 4 years, 4 months) were given WPPSI subtests, including Block Design, Animal Pegs and Mazes, before and after receiving a 15‐minute massage or spending 15 minutes reading stories with an experimenter. Results revealed that performance on Block Design improved following massage and accuracy was greater on Animal Pegs in the massage group, particularly in more temperamental children. ∗This research was supported by an NIMH Research Scientist Award (#MH00331) and an NIMH Research Grant (#MH46586) to Tiffany Field and a grant from Johnson and Johnson to the Touch Research Institute. The authors wish to thank the children, parents and teachers for participating in this study. We also thank Claudia Thyssen and the volunteer massage therapists for helping with data collection.
On Negabinary-Binary Arithmetic Relationships and Their Hardware Reciprocity

This correspondence emphasizes the close relationship between binary addition and negative negabinary addition (n.n.b.a.). This is established by describing two possible ways of utilizing binary adders for performing n.n.b.a. Similar techniques of using n.n.b.a. adders for binary addition are also outlined and thus, negative addition is seen to be a primitive operation. These algorithms lead to four simple conversion processes of numbers from binary to negabinary system and vice versa.
Industrial perspective on research needs and opportunities in manufacturing assembly

Abstract This paper investigates whether investments in research and development (R&D) could have a significant impact on reducing the cost and/or enhancing the effectiveness of manufacturing assembly. It also recommends a research agenda that from an industrial perspective would result in the highest return on investment in assembly R&D. The assessment was conducted on 24 product lines across companies ranging in size from $10 million to $2 billion in annual sales. Approximately 64% of the assembly dollar value surveyed corresponded to Department of Defense (DoD) products. A needs and trends analysis was conducted to determine the perception of industrial participants regarding their current investment, need for investment, and cost impact potential of assembly activities. Findings for government contractors versus commercial firms, for prime contractors versus subtier contractors, and for electrically intense versus mechanically intense operations are presented. The research methodology also included analysis of qualitative data from open-ended questions and interviews. This resulted in identification of three major assembly issues: R&D opportunities, R&D inhibitors, and technology transfer. These findings are also summarized.
Thomas Verner Moore and the Electronic Road to the Unconscious: A Reminiscence

A number of contemporary commentators and observers have urged a rapprochement between customary methods of psychoanalytic treatment and other modalities in order to shorten the traditional duration of “standard” psychoanalysis. In particular, adoption or adaptation of treatment modalities drawn from the repertoire of behavior therapy has been advocated. This note recalls that nearly 50 years ago the remarkable priest-psychologist-psychiatrist Thomas Verner Moore proposed in The Driving Forces of Human Nature and Their Adjustment, his capstone work, an “electronic road” to the unconscious via the psychogalvanometer as an alternate to the “royal road” of dream analysis and free association, attributing its development to von Stauffenberg, who demonstrated the technique in Munich between 1913-1915. By such reckoning, the union between psychoanalysis and the psychogalvanometer may be nearing its 85th anniversary.
Development of Void Prediction Models for Kansas Concrete Mixes Used in PCC Pavement

Abstract Permeability of the concrete material used in Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) pavement structures is a major factor for long-term durability assessment. To properly characterize the permeability response of a PCC pavement structure, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) generally runs the Boil Test (BT) to determine the % void response. The BT typically measures the volume of permeable pore space within the concrete samples over a period of five hours at a concrete age of 7, 28, and 56 days. In this study, backpropagation Artificial Neural Network- (ANN) and Regression-based % void response prediction models for the BT are developed by using the database provided by KDOT in order to reduce the duration of the testing period or ultimately eliminating the need to conduct the BT. The noted excellent prediction accuracy of the developed models proved that the ANN and the Regression models have efficiently characterized the BT response. Therefore, they can be considered as effective and applicable models to predict the permeability (% void response) response of concrete mixes used in PCC pavements.