cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Dynamic Sampling Effect With Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) Imagers

Using CCD and CID image sensors, the array of detector elements performs a spatial sampling, which sets a maximum limit (Nyquist frequency) on the spatial resolution. In some sensors the MTF is high at and beyond the Nyquist frequency. By moving the sensor relative to the scene it is possible to obtain samples in between the stationary sampling positions. Thereby, the maximum spatial frequency limit is increased. This paper describes measurements with a CCD image sensor using this dynamic sampling effect. Resolution up to 3.5 times the Nyquist limit is shown. A theoretical calculation of expected obtainable MTF's for different sets of parameters is presented. This can be used to select parameters for best possible result when using the dynamic sampling effect.
Measuring Disclosure Risk for Multimethod Synthetic Data Generation

Government agencies must simultaneously maintain confidentiality of individual records and disseminate useful microdata. We propose a method to create synthetic data that combines quantile regression, hot deck imputation, and rank swapping. The result from implementation of the proposed procedure is a releasable data set containing original values for a few key variables, synthetic quantile regression predictions for several variables, and imputed and perturbed values for remaining variables. To measure the disclosure risk in the resulting synthetic data set, we extend existing probabilistic risk measures that aim to imitate an intruder attempting to match a record in the released data with information previously available on a target respondent.
Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence quenching with transition metal ions as short-distance probes for protein conformation.

Abstract A series of model dye-labeled histidine-containing peptides was used to investigate the nature of the quenching mechanism with Cu 2+ and Ni 2+ . The strong reduction in steady-state fluorescence was found to be unaccompanied by any noticeable changes in lifetime kinetics. This static nature of quenching is not consistent with the dynamic Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) phenomenon, which was assumed to dominate the quenching mechanism, and is likely caused by shorter range orbital coupling. Our results indicate that the FRET-like sixth power of distance dependence of quenching cannot be automatically assumed for transition metal ions and that time-resolved measurements should be used to distinguish various quenching mechanisms.
Observations on Navicula thallodes (Bacillariophyceae), a blade-forming diatom from the Bering Sea

A thallus-forming diatom, Navicula thallodes Proschkina-Lavrenko, previously known only from the original collection at Bering Island (V.S.S.R.), has been found at Amchitka Island in the Aleutians, Alaska. The most remarkable observation of the present report is that N. thallodes may form blades up to 50 crn long, which to our knowledge is the greatest length reported for a colonial diatom. SEM observations of this diatom are presented for
Building Better E-Health Through a Personal Health Informatics Pedagogy

E-health use is increasing worldwide, but no current e-health paradigm fulfills the complete range of user needs for online health services. This dilemma clouds a number of issues surrounding e-health, as promoters of e-commerce, personal health records, and consumer health informatics paradigms attempt to create encompassing e-health within the constraints of each unique perspective. In the long term, the most important of these issues may be the need to develop an e-health pedagogy that offers conceptual grounding and course curricula in order to effectively represent all facets of e-health. To address that issue, this article introduces a personal health informatics (PHI) paradigm that incorporates the best features of preceding paradigms by integrating informatics, personal, and healthcare perspectives. Drawing from PHI, a pedagogical framework is proposed to guide instruction in the design and development of encompassing e health.
Automatic target recognition with intensity- and distortion-invariant hybrid composite filters

Realistic scenery not only has out-of-plane rotation as a distortion but may also contain extreme intra-class intensity variations. We apply a distortion-invariant correlation filter bank known at the Hybrid Composite filter bank to realistic scenery. Hybrid Composite filters are a unification of several well known synthetic discriminant functions which include the classical synthetic discriminant function, Minimum Average Correlation Energy filter, Linear Phase Coefficient Composite filter and Linear Phase Response synthetic discriminant function. it has been demonstrated that Hybrid Composite filter detection and discrimination performance is better than the individual filter types that they are formed from. Hybrid Composite filters act to perform morphological transformations on distorted target and clutter images. The resulting small set of feature shapes can be used to estimate a local peak to sidelobe ratio which is intensity-invariant. Only target training images are used to design the filter bank. Clutter is inherently discriminated against because of the complex phasor relationships used in Hybrid Composite filter design. No scene segmentation is necessary to remove unwanted regions. We demonstrate best case and worst case performance with a set of vehicle images.
Panel discussion for "have we overcome the challenges associated with SoC and multi-core testing?"

With a growing number of system-on-chip (SoC) and multi-core products entering the marketplace, innovative solutions have been created to overcome the challenges these products bring in terms of testability. Some of the challenges associated with SoC and multi-core testing are related to scan test, memory test, asynchronous interface, debug, and tester related challenges. This paper describes the particular ways the CELL processor has overcome these challenges
Big mac attack: does it play a direct role for monocytes/macrophages in type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes is conventionally thought to result from T-cell–mediated autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells (1–3). Experimental and clinical evidence accumulated over the past two decades indicates that T-cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes in both humans and the nonobese diabetic (NOD) mouse model of this disease (4). Indeed, the important contribution of T-cells toward the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes has been supported not only by a variety of physiologic and histological studies but, in addition, through a number of immunotherapeutic-based studies involving selective targeting of T-cells (4,5). More recently, it has been shown that B-cells also play an important role in type 1 diabetes development (6), since NOD mice deficient in these cells do not develop insulitis or overt diabetes (7), and that the depletion of B-cells with anti-CD20 antibody prevents disease (8). Apart from diabetogenic T- and B-cells, emerging evidence suggests that macrophages are involved in the final stage of autoimmune-mediated β-cell destruction (9,10). For example, after monocyte depletion, passively transferred diabetogenic T-cells fail to induce diabetes, and activated macrophages can directly kill β-cells in vitro (10). However, direct evidence that activated monocytes/macrophages kill β-cells is minimal or lacking, depending on one's perspective. In the current issue of Diabetes , Martin et al. …
Derived operating conditions for classifier performance understanding

The target classification algorithm community is making a special effort to explicitly treat operating conditions (OCs) in classifier assessments and performance modeling. This is necessary because humans do not intuitively appreciate what makes classification difficult for computers-it just seems so easy to us. In analyzing OCs, some OCs are more direct or primitive while others are more abstract or integrating. These more abstract or "Derived OCs" provide an intermediate step between direct OCs and classifier performance. Similar to the target, sensor, environment partition of OCs, the AFRL COMPASE Center introduces the "Mossing 3" partition of derived OCs into "Clarity," "Uniqueness," and "Conformity." Clarity is primarily concerned with the relevant information content available in the sensor data. Uniqueness is about the inherent separability between the types of objects to be classified (i.e., the library) and between all those types and objects not known to the classifier. Conformity is about the relationship between the OCs of the test instances and the OCs represented in the library types or training data. Furthermore, by analyzing derived OCs from multiple perspectives, informative subpartitions of the Mossing 3 are created. Clarity measures are well developed, particularly as image quality metrics. The other partitions are less well developed, but relevant work exists and is brought into context. While derived OCs and the Mossing 3 partition are not a complete solution to performance modeling, they help bring in powerful existing technologies and should enrich and facilitate dialogue on classifier performance theory and modeling.
Localized DNA cleavage secondary to genotoxic exposure adjacent to an Alu inverted repeat.

Radiation is a potent inducer of DNA damage leading to both random DNA loss and mutation. As part of a study focused on the mechanism whereby cells undergo loss of heterozygosity (LOH), a region of common LOH telomeric termination at 11q24 was observed in clones of H292 mucoepidermoid cells established after irradiation (IR). A 10-kbp region including the telomeric extent of LOH termination was analyzed after IR using six sets of ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers to detect the presence of DNA breaks. A cluster of DNA breaks was detected that closely mapped to the telomeric extent of LOH and which were observed up to 8 hr after IR. Repeating the experiment in the presence of the inhibitor of apoptosis, zVAD.fmk, did not change the location or amount of cleavage. A similar distribution of breaks was also seen in the MCF-10A breast cancer cell line after IR. Further inspection of the involved region showed that 22/32 and 7/7 DNA breaks found in H292 and MCF-10A cells, respectively, were located either in or immediately adjacent to an AluSx1 sequence, itself ∼1 kbp 5′ to an AluSq2 that was in an inverted orientation to the AluSx1. The region between the inverted Alu repeats was notable for both DNAse hypersensitivity and an open chromatin conformation inferred from histone modification data. These factors may contribute to genomic instability at this location. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of Necrotizing Enterocolitis on Length of Stay and Hospital Charges in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Objective. To determine the impact of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) on length of stay and hospital charges. Design. Case-control study. Setting. Two neonatal intensive care units in an academic medical center. Patients. Infants born in 1992–1994 with birth weight Measurements and Main Results. We performed odds ratio and t testing. As with previous studies, there was no single factor that increased the risk for developing NEC. However, the diagnosis of NEC increased the risk for death, infection, and the need for central line placement. Infants with surgical NEC had lengths of stay that exceeded those of controls by 60 days, whereas lengths of stay among infants with medical NEC exceeded those of controls by 22 days. Based on length of stay, the estimated total hospital charges for infants with surgical NEC averaged $186 200 in excess of those for controls and $73 700 more for infants with medical NEC. The yearly additional hospital charges for NEC were $6.5 million or $216 666 per survivor. Conclusions. A diagnosis of NEC in the very low birth weight infant imposes a significant additional financial burden to the individual patient as well as the neonatal community as a whole. This expense justifies additional research into preventive measures and potentially costly therapies aimed at reducing the incidence of NEC. These data also provide an estimated cost to compare the cost effectiveness of new preventive measures for NEC.
Renormalization invariance of a Hamiltonian system near the saddle point

Abstract The rescaling property of a one degree of freedom Hamiltonian system near the saddle point is analytically studied as regards the transformations of time-periodic perturbations. Two kinds of perturbation functions are considered: (a) linear functions and (b) homogeneous polynomial functions of canonical variables with time-periodic coefficients. The simple rescaling law of the phase-space of the Hamiltonian system near the hyperbolic fixed point with respect to a transformation of the amplitude and phase of the time-periodic perturbation is derived.
Viruses, the immune system and central nervous system diseases.

Abstract Workshop on Virus Infection of Immunocytes, Immunologic Dysregulation and CNS Disease, sponsored by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, the Towbes Foundation and the San Diego Area Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 4–7 March, 1987, San Diego, CA, USA.
EBV LMP2A affects LMP1-mediated NF-κB signaling and survival of lymphoma cells by regulating TRAF2 expression

A mechanism used by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) for in vitro transformation of B cells into lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) is activation of the NF-κB pathway, which is largely mediated by the EBV latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1). LMP1 is coexpressed with LMP2A in many EBV-associated lymphoid malignancies. Since inhibition of NF-κB leads to apoptosis of EBV-infected LCLs and lymphoma cell lines, we sought to determine whether LMP1 alone, or in combination with other viral proteins, is responsible for initiating NF-κB activation in these cells, thereby playing a role in cell survival. We found that suppression of LMP1 by RNA interference results in inhibition of basal NF-κB and induction of apoptosis. Unexpectedly, knockdown of LMP2A also resulted in comparable decrease of NF-κB activity and apoptosis. We report that LMP2A protein controls the expression of TRAF2 mRNA, which in turn is necessary for signaling by LMP1. Our data contrast with previous studies showing that transfected LMP1 can signal in the absence of LMP2A or TRAF2, and demonstrate that both LMP2A and TRAF2 are required for survival in naturally infected lymphoma cells and LCLs. These results also support LMP1, LMP2A, and TRAF2 as potential therapeutic targets in a subset of EBV-associated lymphoid malignancies.
Thyroid hormone transport in a human glioma cell line

The uptake of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) was studied in human glioma cells (Hs 683) and compared with that in several other neural cell lines. At 25 degrees C or 37 degrees C, total cell uptake rose rapidly and reached equilibrium within 60 min. The glioma cells had the highest uptake: 47.6 fmol of L-T3 and 43.4 fmol of L-T4 per 10(6) cells at 37 degrees C. These were inhibited 77% and 72%, respectively, by excess unlabeled hormone. Uptake in the nuclei reached equilibrium between 90 and 120 min and was also highest in glioma cells: 1.46 fmol of L-T3 and 0.49 fmol of L-T4 per 10(6) cells. When expressed as percent of total cell uptake, however, glioma cells had the lowest values (3.1% for L-T3 and 1.1% for L-T4). Also in contrast to other cell lines, glioma cells transported L-T4 almost as effectively as L-T3. D-T3 and D-T4 total cell uptake was 86% and 96% lower than that of the respective L-isomers, and the nuclear uptake as a fraction of the cell uptake was similar. Kinetic analysis of the initial rate of cell uptake gave Vmax values for D-T3 and D-T4 that were 97% and 98% lower than for the L-isomers. Antimycin and monodansylcadaverine decreased the Vmax as well as the equilibrium cell and nuclear uptake of the L-isomers. The apparent nuclear affinity constant for L-T4 in intact cells was inhibited 90% in the presence of antimycin, whereas no effect was observed in isolated nuclei.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Oil price shocks and macroeconomic activities: evidence from an oil dependent exporting economy

The upward trend in the global price of crude oil in recent years has led to increasing concerns about its macroeconomic implications especially in developing countries. While empirical research has concentrated on developed and oil importing countries, there is scant research on the impact of oil price volatility on oil-dependent exporting economies. Using quarterly time series data from 1970q1 to 2011q4, this paper analyses the impact of oil price shocks on output and some macroeconomic variables in Nigeria. The findings reveal that oil price shocks have substantial effects on output and other macroeconomic variables in Nigeria. The estimated elasticity of 0.164 suggests that when the real oil price increases by 100%, the real GDP would increase by 16.4%. In addition, real output in Nigeria is positively associated with public expenditure consumption, money supply and imports, and is negatively influenced by real depreciation of the domestic currency. The main policy implication is that in order to mitigate the effect of the continuous swings in oil prices on the Nigerian economy and disruption to development programmes, it is germane that government continues to maintain the national sovereign wealth fund (NSWF) account to stabilise government revenue.
An analysis of supercritical adsorption in the context of continuum mechanics

To illustrate a new extension of continuum mechanics to the nanoscale (not the molecular scale), we analyze the supercritical adsorption of argon, krypton, and methane on Graphon. We compare our results both with existing experimental data and with prior molecular-based theories.
INFLUENZA IN THE ACUTE HOSPITAL SETTING

Summary Influenza poses special hazards inside healthcare facilities and can cause explosive outbreaks of illness. Healthcare workers are at risk of acquiring influenza and thus serve as an important reservoir for patients under their care. Annual influenza immunisation of high-risk persons and their contacts, including healthcare workers, is the primary means of preventing nosocomial influenza. Despite influenza vaccine effectiveness, it is substantially underused by healthcare providers. Influenza can be diagnosed by culturing the virus from respiratory secretions and by rapid antigen detection kits; recognition of a nosocomial outbreak is important in order to employ infection-control efforts. Optimal control of influenza in the acute-care setting should focus upon reducing potential influenza reservoirs in the hospital, including: isolating patients with suspected or documented influenza, sending home healthcare providers or staff who exhibit typical symptoms of influenza, and discouraging persons with febrile respiratory illness from visiting the hospital during a known influenza outbreak in the community. (Note: influenza and other respiratory viruses can cause non-febrile illness but are still transmissible.) The antiviral M2 protein inhibitors (amantadine, rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitors (zanamivir, oseltamivir) have proven efficacy in treating and preventing influenza illness; however, their role in the prevention and control of influenza in the acute hospital setting remains to be more fully studied.
Paul Mead Doty (1920–2011)

Paul Mead Doty, early leader in applying physical chemistry to the study of synthetic polymers, proteins, and nucleic acids and in the efforts of senior U.S. scientists to bring arms control thinking to governments on both sides of the Cold War, mentor and constant friend to many in both fields, died on 5 December at age 91 at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Numerical solution of slender channel laminar flows

Abstract The slender channel approximate equations are used to describe flows in curved channels of varying height. The governing equations are transformed in order that similar solutions can be obtained and used as initial profiles. A second-order accurate Crank-Nicolson finite difference scheme is developed with the pressure treated directly as one of the dependent variables. The rechnique is applied to several channel geometries, and solutions are obtained at various Reynolds numbers.
Microfluidic library screening for mapping antibody epitopes

The capability to screen molecular libraries using disposable microfluidic devices provides the potential to simplify and automate reagent generation and to develop integrated bioanalytical systems for clinical diagnostics. Here, antibody epitopes were mapped using a disposable microfluidic device to screen a combinatorial peptide library composed of 5 x 108 members displayed on bacterial cells. On-chip library screening was achieved in a two-stage, continuous-flow microfluidic sorter that separates antibody-binding target cells captured on microspheres through dielectrophoretic funneling. The antibody fingerprints identified were comparable to those obtained using state-of-the-art commercial cell sorting instrumentation.
Getting The Most Out of Pay-Per-View: A Feasibility Study and Discussion of Mediated and Unmediated Options

The increasing costs of science, technology, and medical journals, combined with decreasing or stagnant budgets, have forced libraries to take a hard look at current journal subscriptions. Even when budgets remain stable or increase, they may not keep pace with the escalating costs of subscriptions from various publishers. In the face of potential journal cancellations, some libraries are turning to pay-per-view (PPV) as an alternative method of providing access to material demanded by patrons. This paper discusses PPV options in general and, in particular, a feasibility study carried out at Florida Institute of Technology, in which the library purchased Wiley tokens and used them in both a mediated and unmediated fashion over the course of a year.
Phenotypes of sphingolipid-dependent strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract To study sphingolipid function(s) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have investigated the effects of environmental stress on mutant (SLC) strains (R. C. Dickson, G. B. Wells, A. Schmidt, and R. L. Lester, Mol. Cell. Biol. 10:2176-2181, 1990) that either contain or lack sphingolipids, depending on whether they are cultured with a sphingolipid long-chain base. Strains lacking sphingolipid were unable to grow at low pH, at 37 degrees C, or with high salt concentrations in the medium; these environmental stresses are known to inhibit the growth of some S. cerevisiae strains with a defective plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase. We found that sphingolipids were essential for proton extrusion at low pH and furthermore found that cells lacking sphingolipid no longer exhibited net proton extrusion at normal pH after a 1-min exposure to pH 3. Cells lacking sphingolipid appeared to rapidly become almost completely permeable to protons at low pH. The deleterious effects of low pH could be partially prevented by 1 M sorbitol in the suspension of cells lacking sphingolipid. Proton extrusion at normal pH (pH 6) was significantly inhibited at 39 degrees C only in cells lacking sphingolipid. Thus, the product of an SLC suppressor gene permits life without sphingolipids only in a limited range of environments. Outside this range, sphingolipids appear to be essential for maintaining proton permeability barriers and/or for proton extrusion.
A review and meta-analysis of prospective studies of red and processed meat intake and prostate cancer

Over the past decade, several large epidemiologic investigations of meat intake and prostate cancer have been published. Therefore, a meta-analysis of prospective studies was conducted to estimate potential associations between red or processed meat intake and prostate cancer. Fifteen studies of red meat and 11 studies of processed meat were included in the analyses. High vs. low intake and dose-response analyses were conducted using random effects models to generate summary relative risk estimates (SRRE). No association between high vs. low red meat consumption (SRRE = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.96-1.05) or each 100 g increment of red meat (SRRE = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.95-1.05) and total prostate cancer was observed. Similarly, no association with red meat was observed for advanced prostate cancer (SRRE = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.94-1.09). A weakly elevated summary association between processed meat and total prostate cancer was found (SRRE = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.99-1.12), although heterogeneity was present, the association was attenuated in a sub-group analysis of studies that adjusted for multiple potential confounding factors, and publication bias likely affected the summary effect. In conclusion, the results of this meta-analysis are not supportive of an independent positive association between red or processed meat intake and prostate cancer.
Ryanodine receptor Ca2+ sensitivity and excitation-contraction coupling in muscular dystrophy and heart failure: similar and yet different.

duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe inherited disease of striated muscle caused by a mutation of the dytrophin gene ([7][1]). Dystrophin is part of a large complex that forms a transmembrane bridge between nonsarcomeric actin on the intracellular end and the extracellular matrix on the
Stellar SEDs from 0.3 to 2.5 μm: Tracing the Stellar Locus and Searching for Color Outliers in the SDSS and 2MASS

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) are rich resources for studying stellar astrophysics and the structure and formation history of the Galaxy. As new surveys and instruments adopt similar filter sets, it is increasingly important to understand the properties of the ugrizJHKs stellar locus, both to inform studies of ‘normal’ main sequence stars as well as for robust searches for point sources with unusual colors. Using a sample of � 600,000 point sources detected by SDSS and 2MASS, we tabulate the position and width of the ugrizJHKs stellar locus as a function of g i color, and provide accurate polynomial fits. We map the Morgan-Keenan spectral type sequence to the median stellar locus by using synthetic photometry of spectral standards and by analyzing 3000 SDSS stellar spectra with a custom spectral typing pipeline, described in full in an attached Appendix. Having characterized the properties of ‘normal’ main sequence stars, we develop an algorithm for identifying point sources whose colors differ significantly from those of normal stars. This algorithm calculates a point source’s minimum separation from the stellar locus in a seven-dimensional color space, and robustly identifies objects with unusual colors, as well as spurious SDSS/2MASS matches. Analysis of a final catalog of 2117 color outliers identifies 370 white-dwarf/M dwarf (WDMD) pairs, 93 QSOs, and 90 M giant/carbon star candidates, and demonstrates that WDMD pairs and QSOs can be distinguished on the basis of their J Ks and r z colors. We also identify a group of objects with correlated offsets in the u g vs. g r and g r vs. r i color-color spaces, but subsequent follow-up is required to reveal the nature of these objects. Future applications of this algorithm to a matched SDSS-UKIDSS catalog may well identify additional classes of objects with unusual colors by probing new areas of color-magnitude space. Subject headings: surveys — stars:late-type — stars:early-type — Galaxy:stellar content — infrared:stars
Lethal systemic air embolism in a multi-trauma patient.

19-year-old man was an unretrained passenger in a motor veicle that hit a tree. He arrived at he trauma bay intubated. He had ow oxygen saturation, and was hyotensive, and tachycardic. Diffuse ubcutaneous emphysema was noted ver his chest without obvious rib ractures or flail segments. Tube thoacostomies were inserted into both leural spaces, and manual ventilaion with PEEP resulted in improveent of his oxygenation. Five liters f crystalloids and 2 U of blood were dministered; a FAST examination id not show evidence of peritoneal r pericardial fluid. With improvement of vital signs, he had a CT can of the head, chest, and abdomen. Head CT (A) demonstrated ntravascular air in the right cerebral hemisphere. Chest CT (B) howed bilateral pulmonary contusions and an air-filled right suerior pulmonary vein (B, arrow). Subsequent scans of the heart emonstrated air within a coronary artery (C, arrow), and air ithin the left ventricle (D). While completing the CT scan, the atient became acutely bradycardic with subsequent loss of all vital igns. Advanced cardiac life support was initiated, but he could not e resuscitated and died. Systemic air embolism occurs most often from penetrating chest rauma, but can also result from iatrogenic and blunt chest injury. he signs and symptoms can be difficult to detect, but clinical suspiion should be raised when patients with chest injury have hemoptyis, CNS dysfunction, and acute cardiovascular collapse after starting echanical ventilation. These CT scans illustrate the pathophysiolgy of systemic air embolism: lung injury leading to a breach of the roncho-venous system, and air being forced into the systemic circuation through the pulmonary veins. Treatment options vary dependng on the clinical presentation and can include lung isolation using ronchial blockers, resection, or hyperbaric oxygen. It should be oted that in blunt trauma patients systemic air embolism is univerally fatal.
Towards structural genomics of RNA: rapid NMR resonance assignment and simultaneous RNA tertiary structure determination using residual dipolar couplings.

We report a new residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) based NMR procedure for rapidly determining RNA tertiary structure demonstrated on a uniformly (15)N/(13)C-labeled 27 nt variant of the trans-activation response element (TAR) RNA from HIV-I. In this procedure, the time-consuming nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE)-based sequential assignment step is replaced by a fully automated RDC-based assignment strategy. This approach involves examination of all allowed sequence-specific resonance assignment permutations for best-fit agreement between measured RDCs and coordinates for sub-structures in a target RNA. Using idealized A-form geometries to model Watson-Crick helices and coordinates from a previous X-ray structure to model a hairpin loop in TAR, the best-fit RDC assignment solutions are determined very rapidly (<five minutes of computational time) and are in complete agreement with corresponding NOE-based assignments. Orientational constraints derived from RDCs are used simultaneously to assemble sub-structures into an RNA tertiary conformation. Through enhanced speeds of application and reduced reliance on chemical shift dispersion, this RDC-based approach lays the foundation for rapidly determining RNA conformations in a structural genomics context, and may increase the size limit of RNAs that can be examined by NMR.
yellow-in-the-dark Mutants of Chlamydomonas Lack the CHLL Subunit of Light-Independent Protochlorophyllide Reductase

Light-independent protochlorophyllide reduction leading to chlorophyll formation in the dark requires both chloroplast and nuclear gene expression in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . Mutations in any one of the plastid ( chlL , chlN , and chlB ) or nuclear ( y-1 to y-10) genes required for this process result in the phenotype of the yellow-in-the-dark or y mutants. Analysis of the chlL , chlN , and chlB transcript levels in both light- and dark-grown wild-type and y mutant cells showed that the y mutations have no effect on the transcription of these plastid genes. Protein gel blot analysis showed that the CHLN and CHLB proteins are present in similar amounts in light- and dark-grown wild-type cells, whereas CHLL is present only in wild-type cells grown in the dark or at light intensities ≤15 μmol m –2 sec –1 . Analysis of chlL transcript distribution on polysome profiles and rates of protein turnover in chloramphenicol-treated cells suggested that CHLL formation is most probably blocked at translation initiation or elongation. Furthermore, treatment of cells with metabolic inhibitors and uncouplers of photosynthetic electron transport showed that regulation of CHLL formation is linked to the physiologic status of the chloroplast. Similar to wild-type cells, y mutants contain nearly identical amounts of CHLN and CHLB when grown in either light or darkness. However, no CHLL is present in any of the y mutants except y-7 , which contains an immunoreactive CHLL smaller than the expected size. Our findings indicate that CHLL translation is negatively photoregulated by the energy state or redox potential within the chloroplast in wild-type cells and that nuclear y genes are required for synthesis or accumulation of the CHLL protein.
Shape memory polymers with built-in threshold temperature sensors

The design, fabrication and characterization of a new shape memory polymer (SMP) with built-in temperature sensing capabilities are reported. The material was prepared by incorporating a fluorescent, chromogenic oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) dye into a cross-linked poly(cyclooctene) (PCO) matrix via guest diffusion. The dye concentration was chosen to allow for self-assembly of the dye upon drying, resulting in the formation of excimers. Exposure of these phase-separated blends to temperatures above the melting point (Tm) of the PCO leads to dissolution of the dye molecules, and therefore causes a pronounced change of their absorption and fluorescence color. The optical changes are reversible; i.e., the aggregate absorption and emission are restored upon cooling below Tm. The color is dictated by the phase behavior and is independent of the mechanical state of the SMP. Thus the effect allows one to monitor reaching of the set/release temperature of the polymer.
The Value of Occupation as the Core of Treatment: Sandy’s Experience

Since 1917, when the occupational therapy profession was first established, the therapeutic value of occupation has been questioned, researched, valorized, and even trivialized. This article discusses one typical occupation-centered treatment, namely a community outing, the shopping spree. The purpose is to articulate the value of occupation-centered intervention and particularly (a) its importance for building rapport between patient and therapist so that genuinely meaningful treatment can be carried out; (b) its role in providing opportunities for patients to imagine futures through felt meanings and future images; and (c) its integrative qualities with respect to identities and performance components.
Estimation of multiple directional light sources for synthesis of mixed reality images

We present a new method for the detection and estimation of multiple directional illuminants, using a single image of any object with known geometry and Lambertian reflectance. We use the resulting highly accurate estimates to modify virtually the illumination and geometry of a real scene and produce correctly illuminated mixed reality images. Our method obviates the need to modify the imaged scene by inserting calibration objects of any particular geometry, relying instead on partial knowledge of the geometry of the scene. Thus, the recovered multiple illuminants can be used both for image-based rendering and for shape reconstruction. Our method combines information both from the shading of the object and from shadows cast on the scene by the object. Initially we use a method based on shadows and a method based on shading independently. The shadow based method utilizes brightness variation inside the shadows cast by the object, whereas the shading based method utilizes brightness variation on the directly illuminated portions of the object. We demonstrate how the two sources of information complement each other in a number of occasions. We then describe an approach that integrates the two methods, with results superior to those obtained if the two methods are used separately. The resulting illumination information can be used (i) to render synthetic objects in a real photograph with correct illumination effects, and (ii) to virtually re-light the scene.
Total ionizing dose effects on high resolution (12-/14-bit) analog-to-digital converters

This paper reports total dose radiation test results for high resolution 12-/14-bit A/D converters. Small changes in internal components can cause these devices to fail their specifications at relatively low total dose levels. Degradation of signal-to-noise ratio becomes increasingly important for high-accuracy converters. Rebound effects in the thick-oxide MOS devices cause these responses to be different at low and high dose rates, which is a major concern for space applications. >
Flow through curved rectangular channels of large aspect ratio

Numerical solutions were obtained for the field of velocity in angular forced flow through the annulus between two concentric cylinders of large and infinite aspect ratio with a gap-to-inner radius ratio of 0.05 using a finite-element representation and the FIDAP code. For an infinite aspect ratio, velocity vectors reveal a purely angular motion below a critical Dean number of 37.31 and a secondary motion in the form of pairs of counterrotating vortices above that value. The wavelength of these vortices and the friction factor are correlated in terms of the Dean number. For large but finite aspect ratios a weak secondary motion around the periphery is found to occur below the critical Dean number, while for greater values the vortex at each end of the channel is greatly extended. The computed patterns of flow are in good agreement with prior experimental visualizations as well as with those carried out as part of this investigation. The computed characteristics are also in good agreement with prior theoretical results for limiting cases. The adaptation of the results for flow through an Archimedean spiral is described.
Sulfur Isotope and Mineralogical Studies of Ni-Cu Sulfide Mineralization in the Bovine Igneous Complex Intrusion, Baraga Basin, Northern Michigan

The Bovine Igneous Complex (referred to as the BIC intrusion) occurs within the Marquette-Baraga dike swarm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The intrusion is likely related to the ~1.1 Ga Midcontinent Rift system based on chemical similarities with the nearby Eagle mine and other Midcontinent Rift-related picrites, the lack of deformation fabric, and well-developed hornfels that overprints Penokean deformation fabrics. However, there is currently no age date for the BIC intrusion to confirm that it is a rift-related intrusion. The BIC is a relatively small layered intrusion with dimensions of ~1,100 × 400 × 732 m thick. Units include feldspathic wehrlite/olivine melagabbros, feldspathic olivine clinopyroxenite, and gabbro. The Little BIC, a satellite intrusion located ~100 m from the main intrusion, is primarily feldspathic wehrlite. Ni-Cu sulfide mineralization occurs in both intrusions, with a higher relative proportion in the Little BIC intrusion. Sulfide assemblages are comprised predominantly of pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and pentlandite; textural types vary from disseminated through globular to semimassive net-textured and locally massive. The δ 34S values of sulfide minerals in the BIC intrusion range from −6.0 to +1.5‰, with ~ 80% of the values between 0 and 1.5‰. The Proterozoic Michigamme Formation country rocks show δ 34S values between 3.0 and 9.8‰. The δ 34S values of the semimassive sulfides in the Little BIC intrusion are similar to those in country rock (3.8−6.7‰), whereas the massive sulfide values are similar to those of the sulfide minerals in the BIC intrusion. Although many values are near those of mantle-derived sulfur, the presence of strongly negative values in both intrusions indicates that crustally derived sulfur was involved in the mineralization process. In addition the distinctly positive values of disseminated sulfides in the Little BIC intrusion indicate that a large fraction of the sulfur involved in the mineralization was of country-rock origin and that at least two pulses of sulfide-saturated liquids were involved in its genesis. The Δ33S values for sulfide minerals in the BIC and the Little BIC intrusions range from −0.33 to +0.35‰, indicating that a component of Archean sulfur was also involved in the mineralization. Olivine Fo and Ni contents are consistent with rock types being related via fractional crystallization, but this process cannot account for the wide range of sulfide zones found throughout both intrusions. Multiple pulses of magma, several sulfide saturated and with distinct sulfur isotope compositions, were involved in the formation of the BIC and the Little BIC intrusions. Both sulfide concentration and isotopic composition suggest that sulfide saturation was promoted via the addition of country rock-derived sulfur.
Detection of Precytopathic Effect of Enteroviruses in Clinical Specimens by Centrifugation-Enhanced Antigen Detection

Rapid enterovirus detection is important for decisions about antibiotic administration and length of hospital stay. The efficacy of rapid antigen detection-cell culture amplification (Ag-CCA) was evaluated with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 5-D8/1 (DAKO) and Pan-Enterovirus clone 2E11 (Chemicon) with 10 poliovirus, echovirus, and coxsackievirus type A and B stock isolates and College of American Pathologists check samples. By using Ag-CCA technology, MAb 2E11 was more sensitive than 5-D8/1 at detecting a greater number of stock isolates at or past tube (cytopathic effect [CPE]) culture (TC) end points. The efficacy of Ag-CCA in the clinical setting was subsequently confirmed with 273 consecutively freshly collected nasopharyngeal aspirate or swab specimens, rectal swab, and cerebrospinal fluid specimens during the 1999 enterovirus season. All specimens were tested by Ag-CCA in parallel with rhesus monkey kidney (RhMk), MRC-5, and A549 conventional TCs. Approximately 60% of field specimens were additionally tested with Hep-2 and HNK conventional TCs. Sixty-two percent of the clinical specimens tested were Ag-CCA positive after 48 h. Among 51 isolates, the mean time to CPE or culture confirmation was 5.5 days (range, 2 to 18 days). After 48 h, Ag-CCA achieved sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 62, 100, 100, and 93%, respectively. During the same period, TC-CPE displayed test parameters of 12, 100, 100, and 85%, respectively. After 5 days, the sensitivity and specificity of Ag-CCA increased to 92 and 98%, respectively. Within the same period, isolation attained sensitivity and specificity of 52 and 100%, respectively. Although Ag-CCA displayed slightly reduced sensitivity and reduced specificity compared with conventional cell culture after 14 days, the markedly superior 48-h enterovirus Ag-CCA detection rate supports incorporation of this assay into the routine clinical setting.
Multi-View Stereo for Community Photo Collections

We present a multi-view stereo algorithm that addresses the extreme changes in lighting, scale, clutter, and other effects in large online community photo collections. Our idea is to intelligently choose images to match, both at a per-view and per-pixel level. We show that such adaptive view selection enables robust performance even with dramatic appearance variability. The stereo matching technique takes as input sparse 3D points reconstructed from structure-from-motion methods and iteratively grows surfaces from these points. Optimizing for surface normals within a photoconsistency measure significantly improves the matching results. While the focus of our approach is to estimate high-quality depth maps, we also show examples of merging the resulting depth maps into compelling scene reconstructions. We demonstrate our algorithm on standard multi-view stereo datasets and on casually acquired photo collections of famous scenes gathered from the Internet.
VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION AFFILIATION AND NATIONAL DIVERSITY

Par nature, les associations volontaires sont des intermediaires qui etablissent les liens necessaires entre les institutions de la societe. Plus une societe est heterogene, plus elle requiert d'associations qui peuvent representer les divers interets et, a la fois, empecher ces divers interets de mener a une desorganisation individuelle et sociale. L'analyse de donnees de cinq nations revele une correspondance entre la diversite nationale et l'affiliation a des associations volontaires. Cette correspondance est vue comme fournissant un support partiel a la these avancee. It is argued that voluntary associations are interstitial in character, providing needed linkages between society's institutions. More heterogeneous societies require greater numbers of associations to represent divergent interests and at the same time to prevent these varied interests from leading to personal and social disorganization. Analysis of data from five nations shows a correspondence between national diversity and voluntary organization affiliation. The correspondence is interpreted as partial support for the thesis advanced.
Regulation of OSU-03012 Toxicity by ER Stress Proteins and ER Stress–Inducing Drugs

The present studies examined the toxic interaction between the non-coxib celecoxib derivative OSU-03012 and phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, and also determined the roles of endoplasmic reticulum stress response regulators in cell survival. PDE5 inhibitors interacted in a greater than additive fashion with OSU03012 to kill parental glioma and stem-like glioma cells. Knockdown of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response proteins IRE1 or XBP1 enhanced the lethality of OSU-03012, and of [OSU-03012 þ PDE5 inhibitor] treatment. Pan-caspase and caspase-9 inhibition did not alter OSU-03012 lethality but did abolish enhanced killing in the absence of IRE1 or XBP1. Expression of the mitochondrial protective protein BCL-XL or the caspase-8 inhibitor c-FLIP-s, or knockdown of death receptor CD95 or the death receptor caspase-8 linker proteinFADD,suppressedkillingby[OSU-03012 þPDE5inhibitor]treatment.CD95activationwasblockedby thenitricoxidesynthaseinhibitorL-NAME.KnockdownoftheautophagyregulatoryproteinsBeclin1orATG5 protected the cells from OSU-03012 and from [OSU-03012 þ PDE5 inhibitor] toxicity. Knockdown of IRE1 enhanced OSU-03012/[OSU-03012 þ PDE5 inhibitor]–induced JNK activation, and inhibition of JNK suppressed the elevated killing caused by IRE1 knockdown. Knockdown of CD95 blunted JNK activation. Collectively, our data demonstrate that PDE5 inhibitors recruit death receptor signaling to enhance OSU03012 toxicity in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(10); 2384–98. � 2014 AACR.
Applying metaheuristic techniques to search the space of bidding strategies in combinatorial auctions

Many non-cooperative settings that could potentially be studied using game theory are characterized by having very large strategy spaces and payoffs that are costly to compute. Best response dynamics is a method of searching for pure-strategy equilibria in games that is attractive for its simplicity and scalability (relative to more analytical approaches). However, when the cost of determining the outcome of a particular set of joint strategies is high, it is impractical to compute the payoffs of all possible responses to the other players actions. Thus, we study metaheuristic approaches--genetic algorithms and tabu search in particular--to explore the strategy space. We configure the parameters of metaheuristics to adapt to the problem of finding the best response strategy and present how it can be helpful in finding Nash equilibria of combinatorial auctions which is an important solution concept in game theory.