cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating protein conformation-based inheritance and disease in yeast.

Our work supports the hypothesis that a protein can serve as an element of genetic inheritance. This protein–only mechanism of inheritance is propagated in much the same way as hypothesized for the transmission of the protein–only infectious agent in the spongiform encephalopathies; hence these protein factors have been called yeast prions. Our work has focused on [ PSI + ], a dominant cytoplasmically inherited factor that alters translational fidelity.This change in translation is produced by a self–perpetuating change in the conformation of the translation–termination factor, Sup35. Most recently, we have determined that new elements of genetic inheritance can be created by deliberate genetic engineering, opening prospects for new methods of manipulating heredity. We have also uncovered evidence that other previously unknown elements of protein–based inheritance are encoded in the yeast genome. Finally, we have begun to use yeast as a model system for studying human protein folding diseases, such as Huntington9s disease. Proteins responsible for some of these diseases have properties uncannily similar to those that produce protein–based mechanisms of inheritance.
Counterpoint: the device with the most dose modulation capacity.

from the tissue by a balloon, modulation can be more finely tuned, with a trade-off that the V200 and V150 are higher than in the balloon devices. The SAVI is clearly neither a balloon device nor an interstitial implant, lacking some of the flexibility that makes interstitial the gold standard, but also not needing the requisite skill and experience demanded by the interstitial technique. Guidelines were developed empirically for the MammoSite (Hologic, Bedford, MA), and mandating balloon to skin distance of $5 mm was considered safe and have kept the toxicity acceptably low. However, although we know that the V150 and V200 guidelines established by MammoSite are safe, it does not mean that doses that exceed this in the absence of a balloon to displace the catheters from the normal tissue are unsafe. Nearly 2-year data on the SAVI catheter show acceptable toxicity with Grade 1 telangiectasias, hyperpigmentation, Grade 2 fibrosis, asymptomatic seromas, and asymptomatic fat necrosis rates of 1.9%, 9.8%, 1.9%, 2%, and 1.9%, respectively. Recurrence rate in this same population is acceptable at 1% as well (1).
Linkage design effect on the reliability of surface micromachined microengines driving a load

The reliability of microengines is a function of the design of the mechanical linkage used to connect the electrostatic actuator to the drive. The authors have completed a series of reliability stress tests on surface micromachined microengines driving an inertial load. In these experiments, the authors used microengines that had pin mechanisms with guides connecting the drive arms to the electrostatic actuators. Comparing this data to previous results using flexure linkages revealed that the pin linkage design was less reliable. The devices were stressed to failure at eight frequencies, both above and below the measured resonance frequency of the microengine. Significant amounts of wear debris were observed both around the hub and pin joint of the drive gear. Additionally, wear tracks were observed in the area where the moving shuttle rubbed against the guides of the pin linkage. At each frequency, they analyzed the statistical data yielding a lifetime (t{sub 50}) for median cycles to failure and {sigma}, the shape parameter of the distribution. A model was developed to describe the failure data based on fundamental wear mechanisms and forces exhibited in mechanical resonant systems. The comparison to the model will be discussed.
Rayleigh-Debye-Gans as a model for continuous monitoring of biological particles: Part II, development of a hybrid model

Rayleigh-Debye-Gans and Mie theory were previously shown to disagree for spherical particles under ideal conditions4. A Hybrid model for spheres was developed by the authors combining Mie theory and Rayleigh- Debye-Gans. The hybrid model was tested against Mie and Rayleigh- Debye-Gans for different refractive indices and diameter sizes across the UV-Vis spectrum. The results of this study show that the hybrid model represents a considerable improvement over Rayleigh-Debye-Gans for submicron particles and is computationally more effective compared to Mie model. The development of the spherical hybrid model establishes a platform for the analysis of non-spherical particles.
Effect of heat on foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in the components of milk from FMDV-infected cows.

Abstract Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) survived in skim milk, cream and the pelleted cellular debris components of milk obtained from FMDV-infected cows after pasteurization at 72 degrees C for 0-25 min. Virus was recovered from whole milk of infected cows after that milk was heated at 72 degrees C. for 5 min. and from the skim milk component after it was heated at the same temperature for 2 min. Evaporation of the whole milk samples after they were heated at 72 degrees C. for 3 min. did not inactivate the virus, but evaporation of infected skim milk samples after they were heated at 72 degrees C. for 0-5 min. did inactivate the virus. FMDV survived in the cream component after it was heated at 93 degrees C. for 0-25 min.
Managing complexity in massively parallel, adaptive, multiphysics applications

A new generation of scientific and engineering applications are being developed to support multiple coupled physics, adaptive meshes, and scaling in massively parallel environments. The capabilities required to support multiphysics, adaptivity, and massively parallel execution are individually complex and are especially challenging to integrate within a single application. Sandia National Laboratories has managed this challenge by consolidating these complex physics-independent capabilities into the Sierra Framework which is shared among a diverse set of application codes. The success of the Sierra Framework has been predicated on managing the integration of complex capabilities through a conceptual model based upon formal mathematical abstractions. Set theory is used to express and analyze the data structures, operations, and interactions of these complex capabilities. This mathematically based, conceptual modeling approach to managing complexity is not specific to the Sierra Framework—it is generally applicable to any scientific and engineering application framework.
Effects of aerobic exercise training on sympathetic and renal responses to mental stress in humans

The effects of aerobic exercise training (ET) on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and renal vascular responses to mental stress (MS) have not been determined in humans. We hypothesized that...
The Effects of Protest Format and Agent Use on Residential Appeals Adjustments

ABSTRACT: This study examines how protest format and use of an agent affect the magnitude of the adjustments obtained in property tax appeals. The sample includes all single-family residential properties in Harris County, Texas for which a property tax protest was filed in 2010 or 2011 (n = 290,022). A protest can be settled in one of three formats: electronically (only when an agent is not used), an informal hearing, or a formal hearing. Because an owner's decision to use an agent is voluntary, I use a two-stage estimation process to help control for potential selection bias. The first-stage probit model is used to generate the predicted probability that an owner will use an agent, while the second-stage Tobit regression models the appeals adjustment as a function of protest format, agent use, control variables, and the selection-bias variable. Empirical results show that when an owner does not use an agent, appeals adjustments for electronic settlements are smaller than for informal settlements, and ap...
Methylphenidate increases cigarette smoking in participants with ADHD

Rationale Methylphenidate (Ritalin®) is commonly prescribed for behavioral problems associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results of previous studies suggest that methylphenidate increases cigarette smoking in participants without psychiatric diagnoses. Whether methylphenidate increases cigarette smoking in participants diagnosed with ADHD is unknown.
Homocysteine augments cytokine-induced chemokine expression in human vascular smooth muscle cells: implications for atherogenesis.

Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and atherothrombosis. While in vitro studies have revealed a number of homocysteine-mediated alterations in the thromboregulatory properties of endothelial cells, comparatively little is known about homocysteine-modulated smooth muscle cell function. We observed that exposure of human aortic smooth muscle cells to pathophysiologically relevant concentrations of homocysteine results in concentration-dependent increases in cytokine-induced MCP-1 and IL-8 secretion. RNase protection assays revealed that both MCP-1 and IL-8 mRNA concentrations are increased in homocysteine-treated smooth muscle cells when compared to cells activated with cytokines alone. Homocysteine treatment also increased cytosolic-to-nuclear translocation of the p65 and p50 subunits of the Rel/NF-κB family of transcription factors but had no effect on AP-1 activation. Cumulatively, these data suggest that homocysteine may increase monocyte recruitment into developing atherosclerotic lesions by upregulating MCP-1 and IL-8 expression in vascular smooth muscle cells.
Where is the ‘Jennifer Aniston neuron’?

It is generally believed that spike timing features (firing rate, ISI) are the main characteristics that can be related to neural code. Contrary to this common belief, spike directivity, a new measure that quantifies transient charge density dynamics within action potentials (APs) provides better results in discriminating different categories of visual object recognition. Specifically, intracranial recordings from medial temporal lobe (MTL) of epileptic patients have been analyzed using firing rate, interspike intervals and spike directivity. A comparative statistical analysis of the same spikes from four selected neurons shows that electrical micro-mapped features in neurons display higher separability to input images compared to spike timing features. If the observation vector include data from all 4 neurons then the comparative analysis shows a highly significant separation between categories for spike directivity (p=0.0023) and does not display separability for ISI (p=0.3768) and firing rate (p=0.5492). The presence of electrical micro-maps within APs suggests the existence of an intrinsic “neural code" where information regarding input images is electrically written/coded and read/decoded during AP propagation in the neuron. The occurrence of electrical micro-maps within APs reflects information communication and computation in analyzed neuron within a millisecond-level time domain of AP occurrence. This existence of a “lower level” of coding where information is processed within neurons raises questions regarding the richness and reliability of models that constrain neural code to spike timing features. Additionally, this phenomenon that occurs within APs may provide a step forward in understanding the fundamental gap between molecular description, information processing and neuronal function. Importantly, this paper confirms a new paradigm regarding neural code where information processing, computation and memory formation in the brain can be explained in terms of dynamics and interaction of electric charges.
Issues in the culture of the extremely thermophilic methanogen, Methanothermus fervidus.

Basic issues in the culture of the extremely thermophilic archaeon, Methanothermus fervidus, have been investigated, including culture medium formulation, substrate yield and product yield coefficient, growth rate and stoichiometry, and H[sub 2] uptake kinetics. The pH optimum for growth of this organism was estimated at 6.9. Growth medium buffered with PIPES instead of bicarbonate supported both increased growth rate and maximum biomass concentration. Substitution of titanium(III) citrate for the reducing agent sodium sulfide improved culture performance as well. However, independent adjustment of iron and nickel concentrations from 11 to 111 [mu]M and 1 to 22 [mu]M, respectively, and carbon dioxide partial pressure from 5 to 20 psia did not impact the culture of M. fervidus significantly. An elemental balance approach was utilized to aid in design of a defined medium to support growth to a target maximum biomass concentration of at least 1.0 g dry wt/L. The growth of this organism was limited by H[sub 2] availability in this reformulated culture medium. The maximum growth rate and biomass concentration achieved in anaerobic vials with the defined medium was 0.16 h[sup [minus]1] and 0.74 g dry wt/L, respectively. This maximum biomass concentration was a 72% improvement over that obtained with amore » literature-based defined medium. The Monod parameter, K[sub s], with H[sub 2] as limiting substrate, was estimated at 1.1 [plus minus] 0.4 psia, based on a H[sub 2] consumption study. Representative values for the substrate yield, Y[sub x/CO[sub 2]], and product yield coefficient, Y[sub CH[sub 4]/X], were determined experimentally to be 1.78 [plus minus] 0.04 g dry wt/mol CO[sub 2], and 0.52 [plus minus] 0.01 mol CH[sub 4]/g dry wt, respectively. A bench-scale fermentation system suitable for the culture of extremely thermophilic anaerobes was designed and constructed and proved effective for the culture of M. fervidus.« less
Exploring ExoPlanets: NASA's Future Space Missions

"There are infinite worlds both like and unlike this world of ours... We must believe that in all worlds there are living creatures and plants and other things we see in this world." Epicurus (c. 300 BCE) "Do there exist many worlds, Or is there but a single world? This is one of the most noble and Exalted questions in the study of Nature." Albertus Magnus, d. 1280. NASA planning for the discovery and exploration of "exoplanets", that is, planets around stars other than our own, has been underway for more than a decade. During that time, over 250 exoplanets have been discovered using ground-based techniques. Existing space assets such as the Hubble space telescope and Spitzer space telescope have been able to provide follow-up observations to characterize the planets and the systems they occupy. Inherent limitations of the available techniques and instruments have limited these discoveries to large planets in odd orbits. Still, these activities add significantly to our understanding of the nature of the investigations that will be required to characterize terrestrial, potentially habitable, exoplanets. We discuss the technology investments and accomplishments that have resulted from the early investments in NASA's exoplanet exploration program. A rich set of investigation types that now are at hand to probe exoplanet science is discussed. A new strategic pathway is discussed that, while constrained by budgetary realities in the federal process, promises progress with new smaller space missions to move this emergent field forward, and leading eventually to the flagship missions that will bring us the images and understanding of that "pale blue dot."
Analysis of the factors that stabilize a designed two‐stranded antiparallel β‐sheet

Autonomously folding β-hairpins (two-strand antiparallel β-sheets) have become increasingly valuable tools for probing the forces that control peptide and protein conformational preferences. We examine the effects of variations in sequence and solvent on the stability of a previously designed 12-residue peptide (1). This peptide adopts a β-hairpin conformation containing a two-residue loop (D-Pro-Gly) and a four-residue interstrand sidechain cluster that is observed in the natural protein GB1. We show that the conformational propensity of the loop segment plays an important role in β-hairpin stability by comparing 1 with DP→ N mutant 2. In addition, we show that the sidechain cluster contributes both to conformational stability and to folding cooperativity by comparing 1 with mutant 3, in which two of the four cluster residues have been changed to serine. Thermodynamic analysis suggests that the high loop-forming propensity of the DPG segment decreases the entropic cost of β-hairpin formation relative to the more flexible NG segment, but that the conformational rigidity of DPG may prevent optimal contacts between the sidechains of the GB1-derived cluster. The enthalpic favorability of folding in these designed β-hairpins suggests that they are excellent scaffolds for studying the fundamental mechanisms by which amino acid sidechains interact with one another in folded proteins.
DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER IN SEAWATER AS A SOURCE OF PARTICULATE FOOD1

Particulate organic material produced by bubbling air through filtered seawater was fed to cultures of the brine shrimp Artemia salina Linnaeus. Growth rate of Artemia fed on organic particles was slower than that of Artemia fed on dried yeast. Growth of starved animals was significantly less than particle-fed animals; starved animals were dead by the fifth or eighth day after hatching. The possible importance of organic particles produced by wave-induced bubbles at sea is discussed.
Genotype-dependent Variability in Somatic Tissue and Shell Weights and Its Effect on Meat Yield in Mixed Species [Mytilus edulis L., M. trossulus (Gould), and Their Hybrids] Cultured Mussel Populations

Meat yield, expressed as the ratio of somatic tissue weight (flesh or meat weight) to total weight, is extensively used in the Atlantic Canadian mussel culture industry as a measure of product quality and market suitability at harvest. Atlantic Canadian mussel populations typically exhibit high genotypic variability with stocks at most sites consisting of mixtures of Mytilus edulis, M. trossulus, and their hybrids in widely varying proportions. In this paper, we examine relationships among genotypic variability, shell and somatic tissue weight, and their effect on measurement of meat yield. We further compare these relationships in populations grown from indigenous seed collection with those derived from transferred seedstock, and across different year classes within sites. Within 10 of 13 samples, M. edulis were greater than M. trossulus in shell length. Within all samples, weights of somatic tissue (flesh weight) and shell varied significantly with shell length. M. edulis typically had greater flesh and shell weights than M. trossulus. Hybrids tended to have intermediate values. Similar genotype-dependent relationships between shell weight and shell length occurred in all year classes taken from the same site. However, flesh weight relationships with shell length were inconsistent among year classes. Within-sample genotype-dependent relationships between flesh weight and shell length evident in indigenously-reared populations did not always persist in transferred populations. Meat yield was not significantly related to shell length. Meat yield was significantly greater in M. trossulus than in M. edulis in 12 of the 13 samples. Similar within-sample relationships between meat yield and genotype were evident among year classes and between indigenously-reared and transferred populations with M. trossulus having greater meat yields than M. edulis. Averaged over all samples, mean meat yield in M. trossulus was 7.4% greater than in M. edulis. Possible industry implications of these genotype-dependent differences are discussed.
Errors, Uncertainty, and Ethical Issues

Various medical giants have admonished us to “do no harm,” and yet as we swim in waters of uncertainty, errors do happen. Physician author Lewis Thomas praises restraint in health care, and Arthur Bloomfield reminds us that in our quest to help some, there are no patients we cannot harm.
Enterprise Information Systems Security: A Case Study in the Banking Sector

One important module of Enterprise Information System (EIS) is the development and implementation of the security component of EIS. Furthermore, this EIS Security structure needs to be monitored through the corporate governance of the firm. Based on a literature review and our previous work, we identified four key pillars of a model for EIS Security. These pillars are Security Policy (e.g., set rules for employee behavior), Security Awareness (e.g., continued education of employees), Access Control (e.g., access linked to employee job function), and Top Level Management Support (e.g., engrain information security into the company’s culture). We explore the relevance of this model using a case study approach by way of interviewing top-level information systems mangers in the banking sector. We validate the model through using key informant in-depth interviews and qualitative research methods.
Inhibition of thrombin-neutralizing activity of antithrombin III by steroid hormones.

Estrogens in high doses have been shown to inhibit in vitro the thrombin-neutralizing action of antithrombin 3 (AT 3). In this study the authors investigated the effect of estrogens on AT 3 in greater detail. To increase the sensitivity of measurement of AT 3 activity in the absence of heparin we have developed an assay system utilizing human platelets AT 3 and thrombin. The 2 proteins derived from human plasma were prepared in high purity. Platelet aggregation was induced by approximately 0.02 NIH U of thrombin. AT 3 was added in amounts that suppressed 95% of the aggregation-inducing effect of thrombin. Estrogens blocked the thrombin-neutralizing effect of AT 3 in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was shown to be specific for AT 3. Neither aggregability of platelets nor aggregating effect of thrombin were affected by the steroid hormone. Evidence for binding of estrogen to AT 3 was obtained from changes in intrinsic fluorescence of AT 3. Activity of AT 3 also was reduced in increasing order of effectiveness by cholesterol cortisone testosterone and progesterone. Our studies suggest a direct effect of estrogens and other steroids on AT 3 altering its specific neutralization of thrombin. (authors)
Radiochemical Evaluation of Commercial Iminodiacetate Hepatobiliary Radiopharmaceuticals

The radiochemical purity of commercially available hepatobiliary iminodiacetate radiopharmaceuticals was evaluated up to 24-hr postformulation. We used a rapid miniaturized chromatography system consisting of Gelman ITLC-SA and 20% NaCl to evaluate free pertechnetate and Gelman ITLC-SG and distilled water to evaluate hydrolyzed reduced Tc-99m (Tc-HR). Results indicate that minimal radiopharmaceutical breakdown occurred in all IDA agents tested within 5-hr post-formulation. At 8 hr after preparation, some breakdown was observed in specific IDA radiopharmaceuticals as evidenced by increasing pertechnetate levels. Greater radiopharmaceutical instability was observed at 24-hr postformulation. Tc-HR levels remained relatively low (
Larval feeding by malePolistes fuscatus andPolistes metricus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

MalePolistes fuscatus fed malaxated prey to larvae, with feeding behaviors similar in major aspects to females feeding larvae. A single instance of larval feeding by a maleP. metricus is also reported, and literature references to other observations of male social wasps feeding larvae are summarized.
Rapid Thermal Processing: When Will it Replace Batch Processing?

Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) is currently well established at the < 0.5 μm nodes for implant anneal and suicide formation/anneal in logic applications. Rapid Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition (RTCVD) is being evaluated to deposit thin nitride for the DRAM storage node dielectric. A combination RTP/RTCVD has been evaluated in the form of a cluster tool to evaluate 60 A gate oxides. These applications of RTP are considered to be process enabling because of either improved temperature ramp control or ambient control which are not available in batch processing. However, even with these specialized applications, rapid thermal processing comprises less than 20% of the front end thermal processes in a typical 0.35 μm fab. Process and equipment issues with rapid thermal processing remain which must be overcome if it is to replace batch processing at the 0.25 μm node. Process issues which are especially critical for RTCVD processing require improved temperature measurement, high growth/deposition rate, and an efficient method of cleaning the process chamber. Equipment issues are reliability and throughput which directly affect the tool cost of ownership. In this paper, each of these issues will be addressed and compared to batch processing using a generic logic process flow.
Kuramoto model with uniformly spaced frequencies: Finite-N asymptotics of the locking threshold.

We study phase locking in the Kuramoto model of coupled oscillators in the special case where the number of oscillators, $N$, is large but finite, and the oscillators' natural frequencies are evenly spaced on a given interval. In this case, stable phase-locked solutions are known to exist if and only if the frequency interval is narrower than a certain critical width, called the locking threshold. For infinite $N$, the exact value of the locking threshold was calculated 30 years ago; however, the leading corrections to it for finite $N$ have remained unsolved analytically. Here we derive an asymptotic formula for the locking threshold when $N\ensuremath{\gg}1$. The leading correction to the infinite-$N$ result scales like either ${N}^{\ensuremath{-}3/2}$ or ${N}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, depending on whether the frequencies are evenly spaced according to a midpoint rule or an end-point rule. These scaling laws agree with numerical results obtained by Paz\'o [D. Paz\'o, Phys. Rev. E 72, 046211 (2005)]. Moreover, our analysis yields the exact prefactors in the scaling laws, which also match the numerics.
Antibiotics susceptibility of clinical Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates in Suzhou,China

Objective To examine the resistance of S.pneumoniae to penicillin,tetracycline,erythromycin,chloramphenicol,rifampin,vancomycin,compound sulfamethoxazole(SMZ-TMP),clindamycin and ofloxacin in Suzhou,China.Methods During 2006,a total of 89 S.pneumoniae strains were isolated from new admitted children's nasopharyngeal swab and confirmed by optochin and/or sodium deoxycholate solution.The antibiotics susceptibility of these strains were accessed by Kirby-Bauer methods and E-test methods.Results A total of 52.8% of S.pneumoniae isolates were penicillin non-susceptible,the resistance prevalence of erythromycin was 88.8%,tetracycline 78.7%,clindamycin 86.5%,SMZ-TMP 55.1%,chloramphenicol 10.1%.And 89.9% of the isolates were multi-resistance.All of thepercentage of antibiotics-resistance of S.pneumoniae in Suzhou area,and mainly are strains were vancomycin and ofloxacin sensitivity.Conclusions There is a highmulti-resistance.Our results will provide some important information for the therapy and the choice of antibiotics of invasive pneumonia.
Amoxapine: A review of literature

Amoxapine, a new antidepressant, is a tricyclic debenzoxazepine compound, the demethylated metabolite of the neuroleptic loxapine. In animal pharmacological studies, amoxapine has shown striking similarities to imipramine. In contrast to the prototype antidepressant drug, however, amoxapine does not interact with serotonin. In 10 uncontrolled clinical trials amoxapine was shown to have antidepressant effects in the dosage range of 100-300 mg/day. This was verified in 10 published standard, and placebo and standard controlled clinical studies in which amoxapine was superior to placebo and equal in overall therapeutic efficacy to imipramine and amitriptyline. Side effects were similar to the reference drugs.
Exploring the role of pendant amines in transition metal complexes for the reduction of N2 to hydrazine and ammonia

Abstract This review examines the synthesis, properties, and acid reactivity of transition metal dinitrogen complexes bearing phosphine ligands containing pendant amine groups in the second coordination sphere. We have synthesized non-precious metal dinitrogen complexes containing bidentate, tridentate, and tetradentate phosphine ligands, some of which generate N 2 derived ammonia and/or hydrazine in the presence of excess acid. The metal identity, metal oxidation state, ligand denticity, and functional groups on phosphorus/nitrogen all play a role in controlling the site of protonation (at the metal, pendant amine, or coordinated dinitrogen) with the addition of exogenous acid.
The Pharmacology of Alcohol

Alcoholism is an illness or disease that requires medical diagnosis and treatment. Alcoholism is not a moral problem; rather, moral problems result from the alcoholism. Much of what appears to be alcoholism are the consequences of alcoholism. Alcoholism begins simply as an addiction to alcohol that is physical in origin. From the pursuit, compulsivity, and relapse to alcohol ensue the mental, medical, psychiatric, and spiritual consequences. The essential core of the alcoholism needs to be identified because the consequences will abate. Treating only the consequences will serve to distract the attention from the primary disease of alcoholism and enable the consequences to continue (1–3).
Monetary Policy Transmission in the Presence of Product and Labor Market Frictions: The Case of India

Tightly regulated product and labor markets in India have resulted in a lack of competition in product markets and the development of a large informal sector. This paper studies the effect of frictions in product and labor markets on the effectiveness of monetary policy, using a small open-economy DSGE model with informal and formal sectors, monopolistic competition, price and wage stickiness, and endogenous firm entry. Product market regulation affects firm entry costs and the degree of competition, and labor market regulation affects hiring costs and worker bargaining power. We show that monetary policy is less effective under tight regulations: monetary policy shocks have a smaller effect on inflation, compared to a situation with lower hiring costs or lower entry costs.
Speciation, Process of

Speciation is the process by which new species are formed. Understanding the origin of species and their contribution to the origin of biodiversity requires an understanding of the process of speciation and an appreciation of the problem of how to define a species.
The smoothing strategy of wind power combined with storage based on least square fitting

More and more renewable power with large capacity has been incorporated into power system. The high fluctuation and randomness features of wind power present a number of challenges for the safety grid. ‘Grid friendly’ wind farm with storage device can reduce the volatility impact of grid safety. The optimal output strategy based on least-square polynomial fitting was established for the wind farm with the storage device. The results showed separate order correspond to separate smoothing effect. In the case of a 49.5MW wind farm, the third order polynomial model achieved the optimal output simulation of wind farm with storage device. In contrast to other numerical value filter methods, least-square polynomial fitting method has fast computation speed, and can calculate the slope of optimal output power in real time.
Honoring the Past, Envisioning the Future: ABCT’s 50th Anniversary Presidential Address

The theme of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) 50th Anniversary was to honor the past and envision the future. From the wisdom, foresight, and determination of the pioneers of our organization, and the continuous upholding of the scientific method over the last 50 years, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has become the most empirically supported psychological treatment for a wide array of mental health problems. Yet, we still have a long way to go. This address outlines a vision for the future of CBT, which involves greater collaborative science, with all minds working together on the same problem, and greater attention to the risk factors and critical processes that underlie psychopathology and explain treatment change. Such knowledge generation can inform the development of new, more efficient and more effective therapies that are tailored with more precision to the needs of each person. Latest technologies provide tools for a precision focus while at the same time increasing the reach of our treatments to the many for whom traditional therapies are unavailable. Our impact will be greatly enhanced by large samples with common methods and measures that inform a precision approach. We have come a long way since ABCT was founded in 1966, and we are poised to make even larger strides in our mission to enhance health and well-being by harnessing science, our major guiding principle.
Association between intraoperative non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agent dose and 30-day readmission after abdominal surgery

Abstract Background We hypothesised that intraoperative non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) dose is associated with 30-day hospital readmission. Methods Data from 13,122 adult patients who underwent abdominal surgery under general anaesthesia at a tertiary care hospital were analysed by multivariable regression, to examine the effects of intraoperatively administered NMBA dose on 30-day readmission (primary endpoint), hospital length of stay, and hospital costs. Results Clinicians used cisatracurium (mean dose [ SD ] 0.19 mg kg−1 [0.12]), rocuronium (0.83 mg kg−1 [0.53]) and vecuronium (0.14 mg kg−1 [0.07]). Intraoperative administration of NMBAs was dose-dependently associated with higher risk of 30-day hospital readmission (adjusted odds ratio 1.89 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.26–2.84] for 5th quintile vs 1st quintile; P for trend: P Conclusions In a retrospective analysis, high doses of NMBAs given during abdominal surgery was associated with an increased risk of 30-day readmission, particularly in patients undergoing ambulatory surgery.
A pediatric-type follicular lymphoma with marginal zone and monotypic intracytoplasmic plasmacytic differentiation

Abstract Pediatric-type follicular lymphoma and pediatric nodal marginal zone lymphoma are rare indolent lymphomas that are distinctive entities with excellent prognoses. We present the histopathology and the immunophenotypic, cytogenetic, and gene rearrangement findings of a unique, heretofore, unreported case of a 15-year old boy with a right-groin mass (5.5×4.5×3.5cm) with three discrete malignant components: 1) follicular lymphoma positive for CD20, CD10, and BCL6, but negative for BCL2; by flow cytometry, 9% of the cells were kappa monotypic B-cells that expressed CD10, CD19, CD20, and CD38; 2) typical marginal zone B-cell differentiation; marginal zone B-cells were positive for CD20, CD43, BCL2, and MUM-1, but CD10 and BCL6 negative. A small subset was weakly positive for intracytoplasmic IgM and kappa consistent with early plasmacytic differentiation; 3) Plasmacytoid forms, intracytoplasmic globules and crystals strongly expressed intracytoplasmic monotypic IgM and kappa.
Pediatric and Adolescent ACL Injury and Sports Medicine: The Early Years

Since the 1970s, sports medicine has grown rapidly into a multispecialty discipline with development of societies, courses, journals, and fellowships. With a major focus on understanding knee injuries, the normal function of the ACL was first defined and an appreciation of the functional instability that results from its compromise with onset of premature degenerative joint disease. Arthroscopy created a revolution in diagnosis and management of ACL injuries.
Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy with Alzheimer’s Disease

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy is a disease characterized by the deposition of β-amyloid in small and medium size arteries of the cerebral cortex and leptomeninges leading to microaneurysm formation and subsequent bleeding. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy is closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease which is well detected on PET/MR imaging.
Serious Liver Injury Associated with Macitentan: A Case Report

Several endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) that were developed for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), including bosentan and sitaxentan, have been linked to clinically significant hepatocellular injury, as well as liver failure. We describe the first case of fulminant hepatitis to be reported in association with the ERA macitentan. This case was recently identified within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) and describes liver transplantation occurring 13 months after macitentan initiation in a young patient (23 years old) with idiopathic PAH New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III.
Bilayer metasurfaces integrated with MEMS switches for tunable transmissive IR filters

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch with an integrated, movable metasurface is combined with a fixed metasurface in the ground plane beneath the switch. Transmittance and bandwidth is tunable by actuation of the MEMS switch, bringing the two metasurfaces into or out of contact. Simulation results show potential modulation of up to 60% between the two states. Due to fabrication challenges, we observed maximum amplitude modulation in a single switched device of 12% Measurement across devices demonstrated that amplitude modulation of up to 34% is possible between the switched states with improved fabrication. We also unexpectedly observed single-device bandwidth modulation of up to 50%.
Diffusional and Electrical Properties of T-Tubules Are Governed by Their Constrictions and Dilations.

Abstract Cardiac t-tubules (TTs) form a network of complex surface membrane invaginations that is essential for proper excitation-contraction coupling. Although electron and optical microscopy studies provided a wealth of important information about the structure of TTs, assessing their functional properties remains a challenge. In this study, we investigated the diffusional accessibility of TTs in intact isolated adult mouse ventricular myocytes using, to our knowledge, a novel fluorescence-based assay. In this approach, a small part of TTs is first locally filled with fluorescent dextran and then its diffusion out of TTs is monitored after rapid removal of extracellular dextran. In normal cells, diffusion of 3 kDa dextran is characterized by an average time constant of 3.9 ± 1.2 s with the data ranging from 1.8 to 10.5 s. The data are consistent with essentially free diffusion of dextran in TTs although measurable contribution of binding is also evident. TT fluorescence is abolished in cells treated with high concentration of formamide or after hyposmotic stress. Importantly, the assay we use allows for quantitative, repetitive measurements of subtle dynamic changes in TT structure of the same cell that are not possible to observe with other approaches. In particular, dextran diffusion rate decreases two-to-threefold during cell swelling, suggesting significant structural remodeling of TTs. Computer modeling shows that diffusional accessibility and electrical properties of TTs are primarily determined by the constrictions and dilations of individual TTs and that, from a functional perspective, TTs cannot be considered as a network of cylinders of the same average diameter. Constriction/dilation model of cardiac TTs is in a quantitative agreement with previous high-resolution microscopy studies of TT structure and alternative measurements of diffusional and electrical time constants of TTs. The data also show that the apparent electrical length constant of cardiac TTs is likely several-fold smaller than that estimated in earlier studies.
Exploring Electronic Structure and Order in Polymers via Single-Particle Microresonator Spectroscopy

PEDOT:PSS, a transparent electrically conductive polymer, finds widespread use in electronic devices. While empirical efforts have increased conductivity, a detailed understanding of the coupled electronic and morphological landscapes in PEDOT:PSS has lagged due to substantial structural heterogeneity on multiple length-scales. We use an optical microresonator-based absorption spectrometer to perform single-particle measurements, providing a bottom-up examination of electronic structure and morphology ranging from single PEDOT:PSS polymers to nascent films. Using single-particle spectroscopy with complementary theoretical calculations and ultrafast spectroscopy, we demonstrate that PEDOT:PSS displays bulk-like optical response even in single polymers. We find highly ordered PEDOT assemblies with long-range ordering mediated by the insulating PSS matrix and reveal a preferential surface orientation of PEDOT nanocrystallites absent in bulk films with implications for interfacial electronic communication. Ou...
A novel stochastic integral equation method for MIMO communication in diffuse multipath environments

This paper investigates a novel stochastic integral equation method for the statistical analysis of wireless communication in diffuse multipath environments. The stochastic integral equation rigorously resolves the transmitting correlation, propagation correlation, and receiving correlation in the dense multipath environment. Moreover, it leads to nonstandard statistical models, which utilize the macroscopic properties of environments instead of detailed environmental specifics. The theoretical research is evaluated and validated through semi-empirical statistical fading models.
A Current View of Atmospheric CO2

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a current view of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). CO2 is required in the atmosphere for life to exist. It is necessary in the photosynthesis process and also provides a temperature-regulating mechanism that gives the planet a thermal regime suitable for human habitation. CO2 is relatively transparent to visible light from the sun but absorbs energy in the infrared wavelengths of the earth's radiation to space. This suggests that significant changes in precipitation patterns in several critical agricultural areas of the world may take place. The natural exchanges between the terrestrial biosphere and other elements of the global carbon cycle are many times larger than the current anthropogenic fluxes. There is no clear understanding, however, of the changes that have occurred in the fluxes between the biosphere and the atmosphere as a consequence of the anthropogenic disturbance of the natural quasi-equilibrium. Great uncertainty remains in connection with the full effects of atmospheric CO2 levels at elevated levels. Therefore, specifying a limit on a level to be avoided is impossible on the basis of present knowledge. The most effective and realistic way to limit atmospheric CO2 concentrations is to curtail fossil fuel combustion. For such action to become necessary, having alternatives is a requirement for preventing disaster.
Sensitivity Analysis of Self-Identified Race and Ethnicity (SIRE): Screening for Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms.

Within the realm of medical care, Self-Identified Race and Ethnicity (SIRE) categories are promoted as an inexpensive tool to identify underlying genotypic diversity. Scientific opinion is divided about the adequacy of SIRE to serve this function. If genetic diversity can guide medical decisions, it is important to know the effectiveness of genetic screening via SIRE. Proper development of self-reported measures such as SIRE requires sensitivity and specificity studies. These types of formal evaluation are largely absent for SIRE. To begin this formal process, we estimate the sensitivity of SIRE in screening for variant Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP). Our results indicate that the current use of SIRE is inadequate to screen for selected biotransformation related SNP in the N-Acetyl Transferase pathway. The widespread usage of SIRE to screen for genotypic diversity could promote erroneous assignment of patients to disease risk or therapeutic categories.
Bifurcation of Stationary Vortex Configurations

We examine the dynamics problem of finitely many vortices in a circular disk and study stationary configurations of the vortices. For any fixed number of two or more vortices we prove that there are families of stationary vortex configurations in which bifurcation occurs. Sharp lower bounds on the numbers of stationary configurations are obtained by topological methods.
Lost Propositions of the Archimedean Prototype

Having established the earlier tradition of the three propositions held in the extant DC and its prototype DC* we turn now to consider the ancient evidence relating to those other propositions that formed part of the older source A* but were omitted by the editor of DC*. From this survey we will perceive better the manner of the editing that resulted in DC*.
Strontium Isotope Ratios in Fish Otoliths as Biogenic Tracers of Coal Combustion Residual Inputs to Freshwater Ecosystems

Permitted and accidental releases of contaminants from coal combustion residual (CCR) storage facilities pose environmental and ecological risks for associated freshwater ecosystems around the worl...
Paternal Incarceration and Early Sexual Onset Among Adolescents

Despite a growing literature documenting deleterious intergenerational consequences of incarceration, relatively little is known about how exposure to paternal incarceration is associated with risk behaviors in adolescence. In this article, we use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 3405)—a cohort of urban children born around the turn of the twenty-first century and followed for 15 years—to examine the relationship between paternal incarceration and one indicator of adolescent risk behavior, early sexual onset. Results from adjusted logistic regression models show that paternal incarceration is associated with a greater likelihood of initiating sexual activity before age 15, in part resulting from externalizing problems that follow paternal incarceration. We also find that these associations are concentrated among boys living with their fathers prior to his incarceration. Given that paternal incarceration is a stressor concentrated among already vulnerable children, paternal incarceration may exacerbate inequalities in adolescent sexual risk behavior.
Perception and conception in understanding evolutionary trees.

Abstract Relationships depicted in evolutionary trees depend solely on levels of most recent common ancestry. Integrating discipline-based education research in biology with perceptual/cognitive psychology, the authors predicted, however, that the Gestalt principles of perceptual grouping would affect how students interpret these relationships. Experiment 1 (N = 93) found that students segment 6–9 branch trees in accordance with the Gestalt principle of connectedness. Experiment 2 (N = 310) found that students in introductory through advanced biology classes predominantly believed, incorrectly, that the evolutionary relationships among a set of target taxa differed in two trees because the grouping of those taxa differed. Experiment 3 (N = 99) found that students from these same classes were more likely to make inferences consistent with the depicted evolutionary relationships when Gestalt grouping supported those inferences. The authors discuss implications for improving students’ understanding of cladograms.
Incidence and prevalence of common respiratory pathogens before and after implementation of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Infection Prevention and Control Guideline

Background:The 2013 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Infection Prevention and Control Guideline (CFF IP&C) was developed to reduce the risk of acquisition and transmission of respiratory pathogens in p...