cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the variational process in optimal control theory

The variational process is established and applied to the development of the second variation for the free-final-time optimal control problem. First, it is shown that, given a change in the control (the independent variable), the change in the state (the dependent variable) consists of all orders of the change in the control. Hence, the change in the state is a total change. This implies that variations of dependent variations exist. Next, the variational relationship between time-constant and time-free variations is developed, and the formula for taking the variation of an integral is presented. The results are used to derive the second variation following three different approaches: taking the variation of the first variation after performing the integration by parts; taking the variation of the first variation before performing the integration by parts; and using the Taylor series approach. The ability to get the same result requires the existence of the total change in the state or of the variation of the state variation. Finally, if the nominal path is not an extremal, this process gives extra terms in the second variation.
Divergent patterns of breakpoint reuse in Muroid rodents

Multiple Genome Rearrangement (MGR) analysis was used to define the trajectory and pattern of chromosome rearrangement within muroid rodents. MGR was applied using 107 chromosome homologies between Mus, Rattus, Peromyscus, the muroid sister taxon Cricetulus griseus, and Sciurus carolinensis as a non-Muroidea outgroup, with specific attention paid to breakpoint reuse and centromere evolution. This analysis revealed a high level of chromosome breakpoint conservation between Rattus and Peromyscus and indicated that the chromosomes of Mus are highly derived. This analysis identified several conserved evolutionary breakpoints that have been reused multiple times during karyotypic evolution in rodents. Our data demonstrate a high level of reuse of breakpoints among muroid rodents, further supporting the “Fragile Breakage Model” of chromosome evolution. We provide the first analysis of rodent centromeres with respect to evolutionary breakpoints. By analyzing closely related rodent species we were able to clarify muroid rodent karyotypic evolution. We were also able to derive several high-resolution ancestral karyotypes and identify rearrangements specific to various stages of Muroidea evolution. These data were useful in further characterizing lineage-specific modes of chromosome evolution.
Cell-Based Multiscale Computational Modeling of Small Molecule Absorption and Retention in the Lungs

Purpose For optimizing the local, pulmonary targeting of inhaled medications, it is important to analyze the relationship between the physicochemical properties of small molecules and their absorption, retention and distribution in the various cell types of the airways and alveoli.
Magneto‐optical measurements of hysteresis loop and anisotropy energy constants on amorphous TbxFe1−x alloys

Measurements of the Kerr magneto‐optic effect, coercivity, and anisotropy energy constants are performed in a magneto‐optical system that combines the Kerr rotation angle and ellipticity to enhance the strength of the signal. The temperature dependence of the polar Kerr effect is compared with the magnetization of the iron subnetwork in the mean‐field approximation and good agreement is obtained in all cases. Coercivity is found to be a strong function of the sweeping frequency and the saturating field and the results are found to be in qualitative agreement with the magnetization reversal model based on the existence of initial nuclei in a saturated film and the subsequent growth of these nuclei under a reverse field. Finally, perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy is studied by magneto‐optical techniques and the first two coefficients in the expansion of anisotropy energy in powers of the angle of deviation from the easy axis are determined.
A modular route to nonracemic cyclo-NOBINs. Preparation of the parent ligand for homo- and heterogeneous catalysis

A sequence which combines a nonracemic tether, a naphthyl diol, and an aminonaphthol has been developed leading to the new ligand cyclo-NOBIN, which can easily be mounted onto polystyrene. Opportunities for extending the route to substituted cyclo-NOBINs are also discussed.
Playing Along: Digital Games, YouTube, and Virtual Performance

Kiri Miller, New York: Oxford University Press, 2012, ISBN: 0199753458; 0199753466, 272 pp, $99.00 (hb), $27.95 (pb) Kiri Miller's Playing Along: Digital Games, YouTube, and Virtual Performance pro...
Effect of a phospholipase A2 with cardiotoxin-like properties, from Bungarus fasciatus snake venom, on calcium-modulated potassium currents.

Abstract Q.H. Gong , S.J. Wieland , J.E. Fletcher , G.E. Conner and M.S. Jiang . Effect of a phospholipase A 2 with cardiotoxin-like properties, from Bungarus fasciatus snake venom, on calcium-modulated potassium currents. Toxicon 27, 1339–1349, 1989.—The action of a 16,300mol. wt phospholipase A 2 with cardiotoxin-like properties from Bungarus fasciatus venom on membrane electrical properties of two human cell types was examined in vitro by using tight-seal whole-cell recording methods. Epithelial cells exhibited a voltage-and Ca 2+ -activated K + current; the sensitivity for voltage activation of the K + current was enhanced by increasing free Ca 2+ in the recording pipette from 10 −8 M to 2 × 10 −6 M. In contrast, peripheral blood lymphocytes possessed voltage-activated K + currents that were inhibited by increasing intracellular Ca 2+ . Exposure of either preparation to B.fasciatus toxin (0.2–5 × 10 −6 M) for up to 30 min in the bath did not alter membrane leakage current, as judged by the maintenance of low pre-treatment values over the range of − 140mV to − 40mV. However, the sensitivity for voltage activation of the K + current was enhanced in the epithelial cells even at the lowest concentrations tested. In contrast to the results with epithelial cells, toxin exposure inhibited the activation of voltage-activated K + currents in human lymphocytes, suggesting a specific increase in intracellular Ca 2+ levels in both cell types. The fluorescent probe indo-1/AM was used to monitor cytoplasmic Ca 2+ levels. Exposure of either lymphocytes or epithelial cells to toxin (10 −6 M) resulted in a transient increase in Ca 2+ . However, while the Ca 2+ response to toxin was transient, K-channel modulation by the toxin appeared to be irreversible over the experimental time course. The longer-lasting modulation of Ca 2+ -regulated K + channels may reflect an irreversible action of the B.fasciatus phospholipase A 2 on a Ca 2+ -dependent regulatory process.
Stability of Self-Concept and Fear of Failure

Avoidant and defensive achic-vement-related behaviors associated with fear of failure, such as extreme risk-taking, may deprive individuals who fear failure of important feedback concerning their abilities and limitations. Less personal knowledge and less certain expectations of the self may result. Previous research has demonstrated fear of failure is related to poor ego identity (1) and inaccurate estimation of one's own ability (3). In the present study, it was predicted that individuals predominantly fearful of failure possess less stable self-concepts. Forty-one males, enrolled in an introductory psychology class, participated. Subjects were group-administered the Thematic Apperception Test, a self-rating inventory, and a short form of the F scale used as a measure of rigidity of self-concept. Thematic Apperception Test responses were scored for need achievement (hope-of-success minus fear-offailure scores) according to deCharms and Dave (2). A positive Spearman correlation of .23 was obtained between achievement imagery and word productivity on the Thematic Apperception Test. To prevent confounding by verbal fluency, need achievement subcategories were not scored. An alternate form of the self-rating inventory was adminisrered when subjects returned later. Changes in self-rating scores represented stabiliry of self-concept. When rigidity was held constant, resultant achievement motivation was positively correlated with self-concept stability (r = .28, p < .05). Results supported the hypothesis that individuals more fearful of failure possess less stable self-concepts. Recent findlngs (4) have demonstrated fear of failure is associated with avoidance of self-related inforn~at~on in achievement situations. The present data suggest that avoidance of both achievement situations and self-related information by individuals who fear failure may be associated with instability of the self-concept. REFERENCES
Solution of the equations for the green’s functions of a two dimensional relativistic field theory

The explicit solution of the coupled set of equations for the Green’s functions for the self-coupled field theory model of Thirring is given. It is found that the infra-red problem causes no special difficulty. The question of how to define products of singular field operators at coincident space-time points arises and it is shown that the commutation relations for such products are not consistently given by making use of the formal expressions and the canonical commutation relations. The problem of gauge invariance in an external field is studied and it is shown that:a) the current and charge density do not commute at equal times, andb) this is necessary for and consistent with the gauge invariance of the field equations.
A test of diet versus diagenesis at Ventana Cave, Arizona

Abstract Eighty-two faunal specimens from three stratigraphic levels at Ventana Cave, Arizona, were analysed for multiple trace elements to investigate the effectiveness of Sr and Ba as dietary indicators and to assess the extent of diagenetic contamination. Focusing on predator-prey relationships within levels, comparisons with modern Sonoran Desert fauna and elemental correlations, the results suggest that Ba is a more sensitive paleodietary indicator than Sr in a desert environment, and that the extent of Sr diagenesis is more pronounced than Ba through time at the site. Variations in other elements, such as Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na and P, are considered as well.
Gas-surface reactions between pentakis(dimethylamido)tantalum and surface grown hyperbranched polyglycidol films.

We have investigated the growth of hyperbranched polyglycidol films, and their subsequent reaction with a transition metal coordination complex, pentakis(dimethylamido)tantalum, Ta[N(CH3)2]5 using ellipsometry, contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Up to thicknesses of approximately 150 A, the growth of polyglycidol is approximately linear with reaction time for growth activated using either sodium methoxide or an organic superbase. The reaction of Ta[N(CH3)2]5 at room temperature with these layers depends strongly on their thickness—the amount of uptake of Ta by the surface increases with the thickness of the organic layer, and thicker films also lead to more extensive ligand exchange reactions (with the R-OH groups), with as many as 4 ligands being lost on the thicker organic films. Ta penetrates the surface of all films examined (thicknesses 30−84 A), but the average depth of the penetration is nearly independent of the thickness of the organic ...
PSkip: estimating relevance ranking quality from web search clickthrough data

In this article, we report our efforts in mining the information encoded as clickthrough data in the server logs to evaluate and monitor the relevance ranking quality of a commercial web search engine. We describe a metric called pSkip that aims to quantify the ranking quality by estimating the probability of users encountering non relevant results that cost them the efforts to read and skip. A search engine with a lower pSkip is regarded as having a better ranking quality. A key design goal of pSkip is to integrate the findings from two sets of user studies that utilize eye-tracking devices to track users' browsing patterns on the search result pages, and that use specially instrumented browsers to actively solicit users' explicit judgments on their search activities. We present the derivation of the maximum likelihood estimation of pSkip and demonstrate its efficacy in describing the user study data. The mathematical properties of pSkip are further analyzed and compared with several objective metrics as well as the cumulated gain method that uses subjective judgments. Experimental data show that pSkip can measure aspects of the search quality that these existing metrics are not designed or fail to address, such as identifying the real search intents expressed in the ambiguous queries. Although effective and superior in many ways, we also report a series of experiments that show pSkip may be influenced by system issues that are not directly related to relevance ranking, suggesting that measurements complementary to pSkip are still needed in order to form a holistic and accurate characterization of the ranking quality.
The impact of the auditory system on phonation: a review.

Summary Objectives The relationship between the auditory system and voice production has been studied extensively in those with impaired hearing, indicating the potential importance of the auditory system to the voice. However, there has been only limited study on the phonatory implications in those with superior auditory systems. This article examines the current literature on the effects of different auditory system characteristics on voice quality and accuracy. Methods The following databases were searched from their inception to November 2013: PubMed, EBSCO, and CINAHL. The following keywords were used: “hearing impaired,” “auditory system,” “voice,” “professional voice user,” “hearing,” “singing,” and “hearing loss.” The references of articles were studied to identify further relevant citations. Additionally, Internet searches of Google and Google Scholar were performed. Relevant articles in English were included for review. Studies were excluded on article selection criteria, search strategy followed, search keywords, and searched databases. Results/Conclusions Current literature on the relationship between the auditory system and voice production focuses mostly on the hearing impaired, in which the changes in voice involve alterations in respiration, phonation, and articulation. Evidence on the phonatory effects of a superior auditory system is more limited. There is conflicting evidence as to the existence of a relationship between auditory pitch discrimination and vocal pitch accuracy. The role of the internal model on this relationship and the effects of training on enhancing and modifying the neural areas involved in the model have been studied. Professional singers have also been studied, examining the effects of training on auditory feedback and pitch accuracy. These studies have also produced inconsistent results. Further research is needed.
ANISOTROPIC SCATTERING FROM ANION DISORDER IN AN ORGANIC CONDUCTOR

We have performed magnetoresistance measurements along the least conducting $c$ direction in ${(\mathrm{TMTSF})}_{2}{\mathrm{ClO}}_{4}$ under 6 kbar pressure while the magnetic field was rotated in the $\mathrm{bc}$ plane. Here 6 kbar is sufficient to suppress the $(0,1/2,0)$ ordering transition observed at ambient pressure. Comparison with similar experiments on anion-ordered ${(\mathrm{TMTSF})}_{2}{\mathrm{ClO}}_{4}$ and with ${(\mathrm{TMTSF})}_{2}{\mathrm{PF}}_{6}$ allow the following conclusions: The periodicity is ill defined in the $b$ but not the $c$ direction in the presence of anion disorder, the disorder has a small to negligible effect on the scattering rate along $c,$ and the anion ordering is not responsible for previously observed differences in angular-dependent magnetoresistance in these sister salts.
Physical activity and inflammation in a multiethnic cohort of women.

ABSTRACTPurposeMany cross-sectional studies using data from a single time point have reported that higher levels of physical activity or fitness are associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers, but data examining change are limited, as are race/ethnicity-specific data. The purpose of this s
In situ end-point detection during development of submicrometer grating structures in photoresist

We describe a practical method for monitoring the evolution of the depth of grating structures exposed in photoresist during development of the resist. A diagnostic laser of nonexposing wavelength illuminates, through a quartz window, the grating surface immersed in developer solution. The intensity of the diffracted - 1 order is monitored. The intensities vary with time due to feature growth by dissolution. Using realistic models for the shape of the grooves created, we predict grating efficiency versus feature geometry for the grating in both air and developer solution. This knowledge allows us to make a determination of the stopping point during development that gives us the maximum grating efficiency for operation in air. The shape of the efficiency curve versus time during development also makes possible the determination of complete dissolution of the grating troughs to the substrate. This real-time monitoring corrects for exposure and bake variations, for example, and it permits the recycling of developer solution and thus decreases the waste stream for grating manufacture. It also allows for the determination of the end point for deep (>500 nm) gratings that show multiple extrema during development.
Grain Boundary Diffusion of Hydrogen in Nano-Structured Pd/Ag Alloy Membranes

Palladium and its alloys have long been used as hydrogen separation membranes due to their extremely high permeability and selectivity to hydrogen over all other gases [1]. The hydrogen permeation process begins with selective chemisorption of the gas onto the metal surface. As the adsorption process is the point in the permeation sequence where the majority of gases become excluded, it follows that a cleverly designed device could be created to take advantage of the so-called ‘fast’ diffusion paths of surface and grain-boundary diffusion to further enhance permeability without sacrificing selectivity. The contribution of grain-boundary diffusion to the overall permeation rate is dependent on the relative volume in the membrane occupied by grain-boundaries versus bulk material. Typically, grain boundaries only make up a miniscule fraction of the overall volume and therefore only contribute an appreciable amount to the overall diffusion process at temperatures low enough to make the bulk diffusion process nearly stagnant. However, in the case of a nanostructured membrane this paradigm is no longer valid. The fabrication methods associated with extremely thin membrane deposition typically lead to highly non-equilibrium microstructure with an average grain size on the order of tens of nanometers [2]. In order to exploit the potential advantages of grain boundary diffusion the nano-scale grains must persist throughout operation. To avoid the tendency for the grain structure to relax to a more equiaxed, coarse-grained morphology the self-diffusion of metal atoms in the film must be minimized by operating the membranes at a temperature much lower than the membrane melting temperature. Figure 1 shows the microstructural changes in a thin, sputtered, Pd/Ag alloy film before and after annealing. The initial fine-grained structure on the bottom surface of the membrane is due to a combination of low substrate temperature during deposition and the Ti adhesion layer onto which the Pd/Ag layer was deposited. After annealing at 400 C the grains have coarsened and the top and bottom structure are identical.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Fitness for service of welded components under creep and creep–fatigue loading

Abstract The welded materials are prone to damage particularly in heat-affected zones in base metal as well as in fusion line and weld metal. Therefore the treatment of welded components operating in the creep and creep–fatigue regime is of immediate industrial interest. It needs to be addressed by a methodology that will be developed and incorporated into design codes such as ASME, as well as in Fitness-for-Service assessment procedures. Assessment of welded components for Fitness-for-Service is addressed in fragments in various procedures. This is due to the complex microstructures of weldments that include base metal, heat-affected zone and weld metal. The R5 high temperature assessment procedure, produced by BE in the UK, formalized the methods for base metals loaded in static and creep–fatigue with sections describing the treatment of welds. Subsequently, procedures for assessing defects at high temperature, similar to those in R5, have been included in British Standards, the French A16 procedure and in API 579. Section 8 of the recent European thematic network FITNET Fitness-for Service procedure which is incorporated into R5, specifies methods for assessing defects in structures operating at high temperatures and subject to creep and creep–fatigue loading conditions. The reliability of the structural assessments following the codes depends strongly on availability of reliable data required as input data. Most of the data obtained to date on high temperature materials has been reported on creep crack growth (CCG), ignoring the creep crack initiation (CCI) where as creep–fatigue data is scarce. Recent European and international collaborative effort included EC projects CRETE and ECCC, and ESIS TC11, WG on High Temperature Testing of Welds concentrated on CCI as well as CCG testing and analysis of industrial specimens and assessment. This has led to development of a Code of Practice for High Temperature Testing of Weldments via Int. Institute of Welding (IIW) to be presented to ISO for standardization. The present paper gives an overview of the high temperature assessment procedures with recent developments in procedures. Experimental and analytical test results are presented following the codes and assessment procedures. The experimental work on deformation and crack behavior of similar welds of ferritic steel P22, studied at 550 °C are reported. P22 materials are commonly used by power generation and chemical processing industrial applications since couple of decades.
Clarithromycin Accumulation by Phagocytes and Its Effect on Killing of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

Background: Clarithromycin inhibits several periodontal pathogens and is concentrated inside gingival fibroblasts and epithelial cells by an active transporter. We hypothesized that polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and less mature myeloid cells possess a similar transporter for clarithromycin. It is feasible that clarithromycin accumulation inside PMNs could enhance their ability to kill Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (previously Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans).Methods: To test the first hypothesis, purified PMNs and cultured HL-60 cells were incubated with [3H]-clarithromycin. Clarithromycin transport was assayed by measuring changes in cell-associated radioactivity over time. The second hypothesis was examined with PMNs loaded by incubation with clarithromycin (5 μg/ml). Opsonized bacteria were incubated at 37°C with control and clarithromycin-loaded PMNs.Results: Mature human PMNs, HL-60 cells differentiated into granulocytes, and undifferentiated HL-60 cells all took up clarithromycin ...
Shifting the Center: Yakṣas on the Margins of Contemporary Practice

Contemporary Braj practice regarding yaksa worship invites us to reconsider notions of the interaction between the hegemonic Krishna-Gopal complex and the local traditions absorbed into this tradition. Practices comprising the naga-yaksa-Balarama continuum offer a counterpoint to the pastoral Krishna tradition that became dominant in the sixteenth century. Yaksas present an interesting test case, because, in contrast to Balarama-Sesa, they were not absorbed into Vaisnavism. Scholars and Vaisnava Brahmins have consistently privileged the pastoral Krishna as the center of the circle. However, attention to yaksa practices offers a revisioning of the center-periphery image that has dominated Braj thought and necessitates a re-conceptualization of the relationships between these traditions. This article focuses our attention on contemporary yaksa worship to re-map the landscape to reflect these multiple circles. These multiple circles will more accurately represent the dialectical and mutually interdependent relationships between the different traditions in Braj.
Persistent Diarrhea and Fecal Shedding of Retroviral Nucleic Acids in Children Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Gastrointestinal dysfunction is a serious problem in many children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the etiology of which has not been clearly defined. Quantitative nucleic acid amplification was used to study the correlation between shedding of HIV nucleic acids and gastrointestinal symptoms in HIV-infected infants and children. Many with HIV infection and persistent diarrheal disease shed HIV nucleic acids in their feces, as did an HIV-infected patient without apparent diarrheal disease. HIV nucleic acids were not found in feces of non-HIV-infected individuals. Intestinal infection with HIV appears to be important in the pathophysiology of gastrointestinal dysfunction in infants and children with HIV infection. Furthermore, the fecal shedding of HIV may play a role in HIV transmission in environments prone to high levels of fecal-oral contamination.
Influence of depression and age on selected cognitive functions

Abstract In order to test for possible interaction between the effects of age and the effects of depression, 45 patients with unipolar major depression and 118 normal controls ranging in age from 23 to 87 years completed tests of language, verbal and visual memory, copying, and complex psychomotor function. Biphasic regression analyses suggested more accelerated declines with age in the depressed group on tests of naming and complex psychomotor function. However, there were parallel age effects in depressives and controls on tests of verbal and visual memory, and copying. These results are discussed in terms of cognitive and neurobiologic processes that may underlie an interactive relationship between the effects of depression and the effects of age.
Challenges in Developing a Cultural Evidence-Based Psychotherapy in the USA: Suggestions for International Studies

In this article, we underscore some of the cultural challenges and limitations of the evidence-based psychotherapy (EBP) utilised within the USA with the hope that these problems will be avoided or ameliorated in Australia and other countries. Although the EBP research is very diverse and complex, we categorise this fast-growing literature using a threefold classification system that underscores culture. This classification system is proposed to examine the influence of culture on EBPs. The three categories used are (a) universal evidence-based psychotherapies or universal psychotherapies, (b) race and ethnic minority evidence-based psychotherapies or racial/ethnic psychotherapies, and (c) cultural evidence-based psychotherapies or cultural psychotherapies. After each category is described, its benefits and limitations are discussed, emphasising implications for culturally diverse and international studies. We conclude with suggestions to promote the advancement of a more effective and inclusive cultural EBP in which researchers from different countries can collaborate and learn from each other.
Singing voice identification using spectral envelope estimation

In this paper, we present a spectrum-based system for singer identification that operates for the ideal case in which audio samples contain only the singer's voice. Our method begins with the computation of a robust estimate of the spectral envelope called the composite transfer function (CTF). The CTF is derived from the instantaneous amplitude and frequency of the sinusoidal partials which make up the vocal signal. Unlike traditional source-filter theory , the CTF does not explicitly separate the spectral characteristics of the vocal source and the vocal tract filter. The principal components of the CTFs are used as features for a quadratic classifier to identify singers. The approach is validated on a database containing samples from twelve classically trained singers. In cross validation experiments, test set accuracies of approximately 95% are found for a baseline case. The classifier's performance is not degraded when different vowels are included in classifier training and evaluation. Restricting the frequency range of the CTFs and using a test set containing samples extracted from solo performances of Italian arias reduces the test set accuracy to 70-80%.
Fit of implant frameworks fabricated by different techniques

Abstract Purpose. This study evaluated the precision of fit between an implant framework and a patient simulation model that consisted of five implant abutments located in the mandibular symphysis area. One-piece cast frameworks were compared with Procera machined and laser-welded frameworks with laser videography. Material and methods. Five frameworks of each type were measured with a laser digitizer and a graphics computer program to determine a single point represented as the "Centroid" for each framework component and each implant abutment. Differences between the paired centroids for each framework/abutment interface are reported as x- and y-axis displacements, and z-axis gaps. The direction of the x- and y-axis displacements was determined. Results. There were significant differences ( p
Peptide and peptide nucleic acid syntheses using a DNA/RNA synthesizer

The use of an ABI 394 DNA/RNA synthesizer for peptide and peptide nucleic acid (PNA) syntheses is described. No additional physical part or software is needed for the application. A commercially available large DNA synthesis column was used, and only about half of its volume was filled with resin when the resin was fully swollen. With additional space in the top portion of the column, agitation of reaction mixture was achieved by bubbling argon from the bottom without losing solution. Removing solutions from column was achieved by flushing argon from top to bottom. Two peptide and two PNA sequences were synthesized. Good yields were obtained in all the cases. The method is easy to follow by researchers who are familiar with DNA/RNA synthesizer.
Assembly of the SpoIIIE DNA translocase depends on chromosome trapping in Bacillus subtilis.

Sporulation in Bacillus subtilis is an attractive system in which to study the translocation of a chromosome across a membrane. Sporulating cells contain two sister chromosomes that are condensed in an elongated axial filament with the origins of replication anchored at opposite poles of the sporangium [1, 2]. The subsequent formation of a septum near one pole divides the sporangium unequally into a forespore (the smaller compartment) and a mother cell [3]. The septum forms around the filament, trapping the origin-proximal region of one chromosome in the forespore. As a consequence, the trapped chromosome transverses the septum with the remainder being left in the mother cell [4]. Next, SpoIIIE assembles at the middle of the septum to create a translocase that pumps the origin-distal, two-thirds of the chromosome into the forespore [5]. Here, we address the question of how the DNA translocase assembles and how it localizes to the septal midpoint. We present evidence that DNA transversing the septum is an anchor that nucleates the formation of the DNA translocase. We propose that DNA anchoring is responsible for the assembly of other SpoIIIE-like DNA translocases, such as those that remove trapped chromosomes from the division septum of cells undergoing binary fission.
Fair Scheduling through Packet Election

In this paper, we consider the problem of designing a scheduling algorithm for input queued switches, that is both fair as well as throughput optimal. Most of the existing literature on input-queued switch fairness criteria concentrates on flow-based fairness. Since a large fraction of network traffic is about "short- flows" there is a need for packet-based fairness criterion. The significant body of literature developed over the past two decades for packet-based scheduling algorithms is primarily concerned with throughput and delay, but not fairness. One of the reasons for such a state of affairs is the lack of a proper definition for packet-based fairness. The difficulty in defining fair stems from the fact that any reasonable notion of fairness must combine the well-known notion of fairness for a single-queue with the scheduling constraint of an input queued switch in an appropriate manner. As one of the main results of this paper, we define a notion of packet-based fair scheduling by identifying it as the selection of a winner in the following ranked election: packets are voters; schedules are candidates and each packet ranks different schedules based on their priorities. Drawing upon the seminal work of Goodman and Markowitz (1952) on ranked elections, we obtain a unique characterization of the fair schedule. Another important contribution of this paper is proving that the thus obtained fair scheduling algorithm is throughput optimal. There is no a priori reason why this should be true, and we introduce some non-standard proof techniques to prove the result. Our results suggest a framework for defining fair scheduling algorithm for a constrained packet network; a nonstandard method to prove throughput stability for algorithms, such as ours, that are not based on queue-sizes.
Climate Policy Integration: Towards Operationalization

The climate change debate raises the issue of often identified, but as yet little explored, requirement to incorporate climate policy into other policy sectors, often termed climate "mainstreaming" or climate policy integration (CPI). This paper explores the imperative for CPI, the state of current understanding, and proposals for implementation at the crucial national policy scale. The paper draws on the longer-standing field of environmental policy integration, noting that literature's scant coverage of climate issues but its greater focus on policy and administrative structures and processes, and concludes that more attention needs to be given to these implementation mechanisms for CPI.
Porin Variation among Clinical Isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae over a 10-Year Period, as Determined by Por Variable Region Typing

The Neisseria gonorrhoeae porin protein (Por) is a potential vaccine target and is the antigenic determinant for serovar typing. Two classes of Por, PIA and PIB, and antigenically distinct variants within each class result from sequence variations in the por gene variable regions (VRs) encoding surface-exposed loops. Oligonucleotide probes to 5 VRs of each class were used in checkerboard hybridizations to type 282 clinical gonococcal isolates selected from strains collected over the course of 10 years. PIA strains (n = 63) showed limited por diversity, with 90% having 1 of 4 por types. PIB strains (n = 219) were more diverse, although several common por types were identified that persisted over time. Variation within individual VRs was found to be limited. The present study provides information about the diversity of Por in strains circulating in a single geographic region over time, illustrates the utility of a novel por typing method, and has implications for vaccine development.
Comparing effects of transmitters within and among populations: application to swimming performance of juvenile Chinook salmon

Abstract The sensitivity of fish to a transmitter depends on factors such as environmental conditions, fish morphology, life stage, rearing history, and tag design. However, synthesizing general trends across studies is difficult because each study focuses on a particular performance measure, species, life stage, and transmitter model. These differences motivated us to develop simple metrics that allow effects of transmitters to be compared among different species, populations, or studies. First, we describe how multiple regression analysis can be used to quantify the effect of tag burden (transmitter mass relative to fish mass) on measures of physiological performance. Next, we illustrate how the slope and intercept parameters can be used to calculate two summary statistics: θ, which estimates the tag burden threshold above which the performance of tagged fish begins to decline relative to untagged fish; and k, which measures the percentage change in performance per percentage point increase in tag burde...
Sociocultural Factors in Sexual Assault: Comparison of Two Representative Samples of Women

In previous research, the lifetime prevalence of sexual assault among U.S. women ranges from less than 15% to more than 50%. Much of this variability is due to methodological differences across studies, but some of the inconsistency may be substantively meaningful, reflecting the effects of social context on the risk of sexual assault. This paper provides a profile of sexual assault victims from a representative sample of urban and rural southern women. The profile includes information about the prevalence and characteristics of sexual assault, demographic correlates, self-reported effects of sexual assault, and sources of help seeking. This profile is compared with results from a representative, urban, and ethnically diverse sample of sexual assault victims in Los Angeles. Differences across and within the samples highlight the effects of social context on the risk, correlates, and consequences of sexual assault.
Head trauma can initiate the onset of adreno-leukodystrophy

X-linked adreno-leukodystrophy and its adult variant, adrenomyeloneuropathy, are caused by mutations in ABCD1 that encodes a peroxisomal membrane protein of unknown physiological significance. In spite of identical mutations, they can have markedly divergent neurological and neuropathologic characteristics. Adreno-leukodystrophy classically presents in normal boys with mild neuropsychiatric features, which progress to frank neurological signs, the vegetative state and death in approximately three years. Adrenomyeloneuropathy typically affects young men with spastic paraparesis and sensory ataxia that can progress over decades. The neuropathologic correlate for adreno-leukodystrophy is severe inflammatory demyelination of posterior cerebral white matter, while a chronic distal axonopathy of spinal cord and peripheral nerve occurs in adrenomyeloneuropathy. Consequently, both modifier genes and environmental factors have been implicated in their pathogeneses. We report five cases of adreno-leukodystrophy whose onsets were initiated by moderate to severe head trauma, two of whom were conversions from adrenomyeloneuropathy. Their clinical courses were rapidly incapacitating, short (i.e., weeks to a few years) and fatal due to marked cerebral inflammatory demyelination. These cases, in concert with several previous reports, indicate that head trauma is one environmental factor that can have a profoundly deleterious effect on those genetically at risk for, or with milder clinical phenotypes of, this disease. Avoidance of potential head trauma and a rapid response to episodes of moderate to severe head trauma in this patient population seem prudent.
LightFlood: an efficient flooding scheme for file search in unstructured peer-to-peer systems

"Flooding" is a fundamental operation in unstructured peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing systems, such as Gnutella. Although it is effective in content search, flooding is very inefficient because it results in a great amount of redundant messages. Our study shows that more than 70% of the generated messages are redundant for a flooding with a TTL of 7 in a moderately connected network. Existing efforts to address this problem have been focused on limiting the use of flooding operations. We propose LightFlood, an efficient flooding scheme, with the objective of minimizing the number of redundant messages and retaining the same message propagating scope as that of standard flooding. By constructing a tree-like suboverlay within the existing P2P overlay called FloodNet, the flooding operation in LightFlood is divided into two stages. In the first stage, a message is propagated by using the standard flooding scheme with three or four TTL hops, through which the message can be spread to a sufficiently large scope with a small number of redundant messages. In the second stage, the message propagating is only conducted across the FloodNet, significantly reducing the number of redundant messages. Our analysis and simulation results show that the LightFlood scheme provides a low overhead broadcasting facility that can be effectively used in P2P searching. Compared with standard flooding used in Gnutella, we show that the LightFlood scheme with an additional 2 to 3 hops can reduce up to more than 69% of flooding messages, and retain the same flooding scope
Small cell mesothelioma: A rare entity and diagnostic pitfall mimicking small cell lung carcinoma on fine-needle aspiration

Small cell mesothelioma (SCM) is an extremely rare variant of epithelioid mesothelioma that can be mistaken for other forms of small round blue cell tumors, particularly small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). Here, we describe a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) from a pleural lesion in a 75-year-old man with a history of known asbestos exposure. The FNA revealed cohesive clusters of uniform small round blue cells with high nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio, finely powdery chromatin, small inconspicuous nucleoli, and scant amount of cytoplasm. Mitoses were infrequent and nuclear molding was absent. Immunochemical profile supported a mesothelial origin, which was later confirmed by pleurectomy with a diagnosis of SCM. This report demonstrates the difficulties in cytologic evaluation of lung FNAs in differentiating SCM from SCLC or other small round blue cell tumors. As therapy differs for SCM, early recognition of the cytologic features is essential in making the correct diagnosis needed for appropriate clinical management. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:526-529. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fabrication and Characterization of Light Emitting Porous Silicon and Polymer Nanocomposites

We report the fabrication of nanocomposites by the infiltration of polymers into porous silicon. Polymers such as polyamide, polystyrene, PMMA, and PVC were chosen because they are commonly available and have been extensively studied. The pore-filling was accomplished by either diffusion of the polymer molecules into porous silicon or in-situ polymerization of the monomer. The Vickers hardness arid the thermal conductivity of the samples were measured. There was a difference in the nanocomposite characteristics depending on whether the samples were as-anodized or had been annealed in oxygen. By infiltrating polyamide into an as-anodized sample, a 42% increase in hardness and a 24% increase in thermal conductivity were observed at room temperature, without any degradation of luminescence.
Antisense Oligonucleotides Targeting Human Protein Kinase C-α Inhibit Phorbol Ester-Induced Reduction of Bradykinin-Evoked Calcium Mobilization in A549 Cells

Regulation of the bradykinin-evoked increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration by protein kinase C (PKC)-α was investigated in A549 human lung carcinoma cells. Bradykinin, a potent and selective kinin B2 receptor agonist, induces calcium mobilization in a concentration-dependent fashion in this cell line. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a potent activator of PKC, is known to reduce the amplitude of agonist-induced calcium mobilization in various cell lines. Because PKC-α is a major PKC isozyme in A549 cells, we investigated whether this isozyme plays a role in this process. A 20-mer phosphorothioate oligonucleotide targeting the 3′-untranslated region of the human PKC-α mRNA, which contains 2′-methoxyethyl modifications incorporated into the 5′ and 3′ segments of the oligonucleotide, was used to assess the putative role of PKC-α in the receptor regulation. ISIS 9606 reduced PKC-α mRNA for ≥72 hr after the initial treatment and the reduction was concentration dependent, whereas the mismatch control, ISIS 13009, had no effect. Concentrations of ISIS 9606 of 150 nmspecifically reduced the level of immunoreactive PKC-α protein by 66.3 ± 2.5% at 72 hr after treatment, without an effect on immunoreactive PKC-δ protein. This reduction in PKC-α was sufficient to inhibit the reduction of bradykinin-induced calcium mobilization by TPA. This finding is corroborated by the use of staurosporine, a nonselective PKC inhibitor, that prevented the effect of TPA. These results suggest that PKC-α is involved in kinin B2 receptor regulation by phorbol esters in A549 cells.
Task frame estimation during model-based teleoperation for satellite servicing

Model-based teleoperation is suitable for systems with large communication delay because the operator interacts with a model of the task while the remote robot uses sensor-based control to replicate that interaction on the physical system. When the model geometry is accurately known, it is only necessary to register it to the remote physical system. If registration errors can be detected during the task, it is possible to update the local task frame (as in model mediated teleoperation) or the remote task frame. This paper proposes the latter approach for the case of telerobotic satellite servicing where the remote (on-orbit) robot cuts the tape that secures the patch of insulation covering the satellite access panel. This task can be modeled as sliding a tool along a planar surface (or one that is locally planar). The remote task frame is used by a hybrid position/force controller to maintain contact with the planar surface. Registration errors, however, can affect the orientation of the cutting tool and cause cutting failures. Therefore, the registration is updated during the task by using position measurements under the effect of hybrid control. The contributions of this paper are in the application of this method to teleoperation, where it must handle user-specified motions, and in the experimental verification during cutting, where compliance of the environment must be estimated and taken into account.
Prenatal detection of congenital renal disease.

SUMMARY Prenatal ultrasonography can identify not only the structural aspects of many abnormalities of the urinary tract but also associated anomalies, some of which may be missed even after birth. Prenatal imaging alerts physicians to some infants with urinary tract lesions that ordinarily show no physical findings at birth, leading to earlier diagnosis. An early diagnosis may prevent the first urinary tract infection in an infant at risk. In addition, there are fewer hospitalizations for infection or electrolyte abnormalities in infants with urinary tract disease. Elective surgery may be planned instead of performed on an urgent basis and thus can be performed with lower morbidity. Although the early diagnosis and treatment of pediatric renal disease have certainly been facilitated by prenatal ultrasonography, longer follow-up is required to determine whether prenatal detection prevents the onset of chronic renal failure as children with congenital renal disease approach adolescence and adult life.