cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards Enabling Blind People to Independently Write on Printed Forms

Filling out printed forms (e.g., checks) independently is currently impossible for blind people, since they cannot pinpoint the locations of the form fields, and quite often, they cannot even figure out what fields (e.g., name) are present in the form. Hence, they always depend on sighted people to write on their behalf, and help them affix their signatures. Extant assistive technologies have exclusively focused on reading, with no support for writing. In this paper, we introduce WiYG, a Write-it-Yourself guide that directs a blind user to the different form fields, so that she can independently fill out these fields without seeking assistance from a sighted person. Specifically, WiYG uses a pocket-sized custom 3D printed smartphone attachment, and well-established computer vision algorithms to dynamically generate audio instructions that guide the user to the different form fields. A user study with 13 blind participants showed that with WiYG, users could correctly fill out the form fields at the right locations with an accuracy as high as 89.5%.
Practical aziridinations II: electronic modifications to poly(pyrazolyl)borate–copper catalysts

A significant influence of the electronic features of poly(pyrazolyl)borate ligands on the efficiency of the copper-catalyzed aziridination reaction has been noted. Electron-deficient, bidentate di(pyrazolyl)borates in conjunction with copper(II) chloride generated the most effective catalyst system for the aziridination of a variety of olefins.
Actively temperature controlled health-aware fast charging method for lithium-ion battery using nonlinear model predictive control

Abstract Previous research has shown that a drastic reduction of charging time compared to constant current constant voltage (CC/CV) charging protocol is possible while suppressing degradation causes by combining constant charging and pulse discharging current. However, effects of temperature variation on side reaction and lithium plating and effects of the frequency of pulse current on lithium stripping have not been considered. In fact, charging currents and operating temperatures dominantly affect the cycle life of battery, where both side reaction and lithium plating are competing. In this paper, reduced order electrochemical life models are developed and validated against experimental data collected at different currents and temperatures and then used to find out optimal temperatures at given charging currents with respect to degradation rates. Thereafter, an optimal charging current at different SOCs has been found using nonlinear model predictive control and then the optimal temperature is determined from the relationship obtained by the models, which reduces side reaction rate and lithium plating rate. In addition, pulse discharging current is added to promote the lithium stripping that recovers ions out of the plated lithium, where the amplitude and frequency of the pulse current are optimized using the models. Finally, the proposed charging method and the 1 C CC/CV charging method were tested in Battery-In-the-Loop using a large format pouch type lithium ion battery to compare each other, where 61% and 39% of charging time is reduced up to 80% and 100% SOC, respectively, while the capacity fade is comparable.
On the Spread of Coronavirus Infection. A Mechanistic Model to Rate Strategies for Disease Management

Abstract Effective policy making based on ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is an urgent issue. We present a mathematical model describing the viral infection dynamics, which reveals two transmissibility parameters influenced by the management strategies in the area for control of the current pandemic. The parameters readily yield the peak infection rate and means for flattening the curve. Model parameters are shown to be correlated to different management strategies by employing machine learning, enabling comparison of different strategies and suggesting timely alterations. Treatment of population data with the model shows that restricted non-essential business closure, school closing and strictures on mass gathering influence the spread of infection. While a rational strategy for initiation of an economic reboot would call for a wider perspective of the local economics, the model can speculate on its timing based on the status of the infection as reflected by its potential for an unacceptably renewed viral onslaught.
The Role of FDA CDER Statisticians in Response Efforts to the COVID-19 Pandemic

–The current outbreak of respiratory disease is caused by a novel coronavirus. The virus has been named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the disease it caus...
Exploration of unconventional oil and gas (UOAG) development on farmland: Findings from the Bakken shale of North Dakota

Abstract Few studies have examined the land use, fragmentation, and conversion impacts from siting unconventional oil and gas wells on farmland. This exploratory GIS study examined these issues in the Bakken shale region in North Dakota. A total of 3,577 well pads containing 6,201 wells located on farmland were digitized and examined in this study. The findings indicate that in addition to land used for agricultural purposes (such as cropland and rangeland), other land types such as native woodlands and wetlands have also been converted to well pads and associated infrastructure. The single-well and multi-well pad footprints in this study were higher than the industrial estimates. The overall average well pad footprint is 6.45 acres while the average single-well pad and multi-well pad footprint is 5.26 acres and 8.60 acres, respectively. Eighty two percent of well pads had 1-2 wells sited on them. The findings show that the well pad footprint differed based on whether the well pad was located in a core or periphery county, on rangeland or cropland, and that single-well well pad footprint increased over time. Several issues that require further research are outlined.
A price premium for the farmer‐owned label? A choice experiment with milk consumers in the Netherlands

Organized milk producers may use marketing mechanisms in response to price and policy variability. While adopted by numerous milk producer co‐operatives across the world, the farmer‐owned label is not yet used in the Dutch consumer marketplace. We estimate the viability of the farmer‐owned label in the Netherlands with a branded choice experiment. We observe a significant and positive willingness‐to‐pay for the farmer‐owned label, but only given the disclosure of additional information in terms of profit allocation to farmers as opposed to investors. Further variation in the willingness‐to‐pay across attributes is indicative of its complex position in the crowded landscape of marketing mechanisms. [EconLit Citations: C25, D83, D91, Q13].
Pressurizer dynamic model and emulated programmable logic controllers for nuclear power plants cybersecurity investigations

Abstract This work demonstrates the functionality of the pressurizer using a fast-running three regions, non-equilibrium model and control programs of emulated PLCs. The state variables from an integrated model of primary loop in a representative PWR plant are communicated to the pressurizer’s emulated PLCs using a synchronized data transfer function. In turn, the PLCs communicate back instructions to the pressurizer model to adjust the pressure and water level to remain within preprogramed setpoints. Pressurizer model simultaneously solves the coupled mass and energy conservation equations in the saturated vapor and saturated and subcooled liquid regions using fixed step solver. Results demonstrate the response of the pressurizer model linked to an emulated pressure and water level PLCs in a simulated transient involving surge-in and surge-out events. The 50 ms response delay time for the emulated PLCs insignificantly affects operation and predictions of the pressurizer model.
Thermodynamic Constraints on Electromicrobial Protein Production

Global consumption of protein is projected to double by the middle of the 21st century1. However, protein production is one of the most energy intensive and environmentally damaging parts of the food supply system today. Electromicrobial production technologies that combine renewable electricity and CO2-fixing microbial metabolism could dramatically increase the energy efficiency of commodity chemical production2-5. Here we present a molecular-scale model that sets an upper limit on the performance of any organism performing electromicrobial protein production. We show that engineered microbes that fix CO2 and N2 using reducing equivalents produced by H2-oxidation or extracellular electron uptake could produce amino acids with energy inputs as low as 64 MJ kg-1. This work provides a roadmap for development of engineered microbes that could significantly expand access to proteins produced with a low environmental footprint.
Can COVID-19 Reopening Plans Mitigate Cycles of Residential Displacement?

This article uses interviews of long-standing neighborhood residents’ sentiments of university expansion into their community. These data provide persuasive empirical evidence for the need of urban anchor institutions to include as an integral component of their campus reopening efforts, intentional plans for reducing the disruption of housing patterns of permanent residents. The term COVID exposure has come to signify not only the potential to succumb to the virus, but it also implies the revealing of inequities in systems that impact the effects of the crisis within Black and Brown communities. Every sector of U.S. society has been impacted by COVID-19, and it has required a paradigm shift in our interactions with one another. Academic institutions are enacting robust de-densification efforts which will stimulate dramatic shifts in the off-campus housing needs for students, but they stand the chance of displacing or further disadvantaging the long-standing residents who reside outside of their campus border. Universities must use reopening plans as an instrument to change the trajectory of relationships they hope to cultivate with their long-standing neighbors, through renewed engagement efforts that integrate lessons from the past and that seek to build stronger neighborhoods by challenging housing inequity and housing inequality.
Real-Time Static Gesture Recognition for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation Using the Leap Motion

Cerebral Palsy is a motor disability that occurs in early childhood. Conventional therapy methods have proven useful for upper extremity rehabilitation, but can lead to non-compliance due to children getting bored with the repetition of exercises. Virtual reality and game-like simulations of conventional methods have proven to lead to higher rates of compliance, the patient being more engaged during exercising, and yield better performance during exercises. Most games are good at keeping players engaged, but does not focus on exercising fine motor control functions. In this paper, we present an analysis of classification techniques for static hand gestures. We also present a prototype of a game-like simulation of matching static hand gestures in order to increase motor control of the hand.
Uncertainty assessment for fluid flow and contaminant transport modeling in heterogeneous groundwater systems

There is a growing awareness of the need to quantify uncertainty in groundwater flow and transport model results. Regulatory organizations are beginning to request the statistical distributions of predicted contaminant arrival to the biosphere, so that realistic confidence intervals can be obtained for the modeling results. To meet these needs, methods are being developed to quantify uncertainty in the subsurface flow and transport analysis sequence. A method for evaluating this uncertainty, described in this paper, considers uncertainty in material properties and was applied to an example field problem.
Polarization diversity receiver for PMD mitigation

In this contribution, we present a novel polarization diversity receiver and show that by using simple fixed optics and electronics we can obtain significantly better performance than is possible with the use of an equalizer (with no diversity) that requires optimization of the filter taps by some means. We also show that there is little additional improvement by incorporating electronic equalization into the diversity receiver structure, as the diversity structure eliminates the major part of the intersymbol interference (ISI) due to PMD.
Semi-quantitative analysis of contaminants in soils by direct analysis in real time (DART) mass spectrometry

RATIONALE Cleaning up contaminated sites is a goal of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A simple, high-throughput, inexpensive, selective, and specific screening method for semi-volatile, polar organic contaminants would provide high spatial resolution for monitoring remediation and for documenting successful clean ups in numerous Superfund, Brownfield, and other contaminated sites. METHODS An autosampler/Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART)/time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer, with or without a Vapur® evacuated flange, was used to analyze 0.01–33% levels of aspirin, diphenylamine, and pentachlorophenol mixed with soil. Triplicate water-soaked swabs were manually rotated in wet analyte:soil mixtures, air dried for 2–3 h, and analyzed directly. To minimize carryover, insensitive and sensitive instrumental conditions were used to analyze high and low analyte levels, respectively. Simulated two-dimensional (2D) mapping and remediation threshold experiments were performed to test the utility of DART-TOFMS for possible sampling strategies. RESULTS Analyte levels differing by factors of 10 were discernible. Data were acquired for 30 swabs in 0.9 min and 3 min with helium stream temperatures of 150 °C and 250 °C and swab transport velocities of 1.45 cm/s and 0.5 cm/s, respectively. With the Vapur flange attached, the average relative standard deviations (RSDs) (n = 3) were between 16% and 40% for different analytes and analyte levels. Carryover was greatly reduced by removing the Vapur flange, but higher RSDs and occasional plugging of the cone orifice were observed. CONCLUSIONS A rapid, simple, rugged, and relatively inexpensive, but selective and sufficiently sensitive, semi-quantitative screening method for semi-volatile, polar, organic compounds in soil was demonstrated. The technique would provide the high spatial resolution necessary to find localized areas of high contamination within contaminated sites that might pose a risk to human and ecological health. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Optimal Stopping and American Options

The models that we have created thus far are designed to price European options, which can only be exercised at the expiration time. However, in the real world, most stock options are of the American variety. In this chapter, we want to take a look at the issue of pricing American options, which can be exercised at any time between the purchase date and the expiration date.
Written Discipline Policies Used by Administrators

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to draw on the findings of two related studies about school discipline. The first study, a national survey of school law issues, indicated that over 37% of administrators report handling discipline either frequently or daily. The results of the second study, a content analysis of 64 written codes of conduct commonly used to make discipline decisions, were that these documents were primarily punitive in nature with an emphasis on suspension and expulsion. Implications of the study are that administrators spend excessive time handling discipline issues using punitive policies. Suggestions are made for future research about discipline policies and the ways in which they are used in schools. Implications for the creation of more proactive policies will be made.
A possible sequence of events for the generalized glacial‐interglacial cycle

[1] There is not yet widespread agreement as to the underlying cause of the 80–100 ppmv roughly 100-kyr-duration glacial-interglacial cycles in atmospheric pCO2. Most of the mechanisms which have been proposed to account for the observed pCO2 variations appear to in some way violate interpretations of paleo proxy data. The inability of a single mechanism to explain the observed cycles in atmospheric CO2 (which show amazing similarity over the past 430,000 years) is perplexing, and leads us to consider whether a combination of mechanisms might be consistent with available evidence. Consistent with previous work, we find that physical changes (ocean circulation, temperature, mixing) can only explain part of the observed atmospheric pCO2 variability; changes in ocean chemistry are invoked to explain the remainder. In order to account for the initial pCO2 drawdown (from “interglacial” to “intermediate” levels), we invoke physical changes in the ocean (mixing, temperature). The transition from intermediate atmospheric pCO2 levels to full glacial conditions involves a small increase in mean ocean nutrient levels and mean ocean alkalinity, accomplished by falling sea level and subsequent erosion of organic-rich shelf sediments. The first part of the transition out of full glacial conditions is achieved through increased temperature and increased mixing in the Southern Ocean. The final part of the atmospheric pCO2 rise up to full interglacial conditions is accomplished through rising sea level and the subsequent change in mean ocean alkalinity and phosphate, and a rise in the Northern Hemisphere temperature and ocean mixing. The proposed sequence of events is consistent with most existing proxy evidence for paleo-nutrient levels and changes in export production over the last glacial-interglacial cycle. Furthermore, it is consistent with evidence for a whole-ocean shift in δ13C toward significantly more negative values in the late glacial. The proposed scenario is also consistent with ice core-based timing constraints, as summarized by Broecker and Henderson (1998). We show that we are able to explain the full magnitude of the glacial-interglacial cycle in atmospheric pCO2 without the need to invoke iron-fertilization in the Southern Ocean.
Discrete time sliding mode observer for automotive alternator

This paper concerns with theoretical development of a sliding mode observer for the automotive alternator with time varying amplitude and frequency. Preliminary estimation of the back electromotive force is based on a sliding mode observer and, then, a time varying asymptotic observer is developed for estimating the back electromotive force with a crude measurement of the engine speed. The design of the observer with respect to battery current measurement is studied for an easier and less expensive implementation. Convergence analysis for different cases of the desired state estimators are presented. The discrete-time version of the aforementioned observer is developed and simulation results are presented for validation of the proposed observation algorithms.
A functionally specialized alpha-tubulin is required for oocyte meiosis and cleavage mitoses in Drosophila

Three alpha-tubulin proteins contribute to microtubules during oogenesis and early embryogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster: alpha TUB84B, alpha TUB84D, and alpha TUB67C. alpha TUB67C is unique in two respects. It is a structurally divergent alpha-tubulin, sharing only 67% amino acid identity with the generic isotypes alpha TUB84B and alpha TUB84D, and its expression is exclusively maternal. The genetic analysis of the alpha Tub67C gene described here demonstrates that alpha TUB67C is required for nuclear division in the oocyte and early embryo. Both meiosis and cleavage-stage mitoses are severely affected by mutations that result in a substantial decrease in the ratio of alpha TUB67C/alpha TUB84B+alpha TUB84D. A large increase in this ratio, achieved by increasing the gene dosage of alpha Tub67C, has little or no effect on meiosis, but severely disrupts mitotic spindle function. Thus, both classes of alpha-tubulin isotype present in the mature oocyte, alpha TUB67C and alpha TUB84B/84D, are essential for normal spindle function in early Drosophila development. These alpha-tubulins provide the first example of tubulin isotypes known to be coexpressed in wild-type animals whose encoded variation is required for the normal function of a microtubule array.
Toward the credibility of Northeast United States summer precipitation projections in CMIP5 and NARCCAP simulations

Precipitation projections for the northeast United States and nearby Canada (Northeast) are examined for 15 Fifth Phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) models. A process-based evaluation of atmospheric circulation features associated with wet Northeast summers is performed to examine whether credibility can be differentiated within the multimodel ensemble. Based on these evaluations, and an analysis of the interannual statistical properties of area-averaged precipitation, model subsets were formed. Multimodel precipitation projections from each subset were compared to the multimodel projection from all of the models. Higher-resolution North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) regional climate models (RCMs) were subjected to a similar evaluation, grouping into subsets, and examination of future projections. CMIP5 models adequately simulate most large-scale circulation features associated with wet Northeast summers, though all have errors in simulating observed sea level pressure and moisture divergence anomalies in the western tropical Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico. Relevant large-scale processes simulated by the RCMs resemble those of their driving global climate models (GCMs), which are not always realistic. Future RCM studies could benefit from a process analysis of potential driving GCMs prior to dynamical downscaling. No CMIP5 or NARCCAP models were identified as clearly more credible, but six GCMs and four RCMs performed consistently better. Among the “Better” models, there is no consistency in the direction of future summer precipitation change. CMIP5 projections suggest that the Northeast precipitation response depends on the dynamics of the North Atlantic anticyclone and associated circulation and moisture convergence patterns, which vary among “Better” models. Even when model credibility cannot be clearly differentiated, examination of simulated processes provides important insights into their evolution under greenhouse warming.
Physical Activity and Exercise in Children With Cystic Fibrosis

The purpose of this study was to describe both the level and relationship of physical activity and exercise in children with cystic fibrosis of varying degrees of severity. Thirty-six children (19 girls and 17 boys) between 6 and 19 years of age with cystic fibrosis underwent pulmonary function and graded treadmill testing. Physical activity was measured with a 7-item Likert-scaled Activity Questionnaire completed by parents (0.87, Alpha coefficient). Subject's severity of disease classifications based on pre-exercise pulmonary functions were as follows: 61% were in the normal category; 26% in mild; 8% in moderate; and 5% in severe. Activity scores ranged from 5 to 33 (x = 22. +/- 6.80). The subjects' levels of fitness were low as determined by their maximal oxygen uptake values. Correlations showed no significant relationships between the activity scores and oxygen uptake measures. Nurses can develop individualized exercise regimens based on clinical and psychosocial data as well as exercise testing for children with cystic fibrosis and their families.
Chemotherapy-Induced Normalization of FDG Uptake by Colorectal Liver Metastases Does Not Usually Indicate Complete Pathologic Response

Dramatic responses are being observed in colorectal cancer liver metastases treated with newer chemotherapeutic regimens. These have been associated with normalization of [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) uptake (complete metabolic response) on follow-up Positron Emission Tomography with [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG-PET) scans in some patients. It is unclear how often complete metabolic response is indicative of complete tumor destruction. We analyzed a subset of patients who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy for hepatic metastases from colorectal adenocarcinoma. Inclusion criteria were: (1) FDG-avid hepatic lesions before initiation of chemotherapy; (2) complete metabolic response of the same lesions after chemotherapy; and (3) histopathologic examination of hepatic lesions. Complete pathologic response was defined as no histologically identifiable viable tumor. Fourteen patients fit the inclusion criteria. All had synchronous, hepatic-only colorectal metastases. On microscopic examination, complete pathologic response to the neoadjuvant regimen was found in only 5 of 34 lesions (15%) and in only 3 of the 14 patients (21%). Seven lesions had complete metabolic response and disappeared on computed tomography (CT); of these, six still contained viable tumor. We conclude that complete metabolic response on FDG-PET after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an unreliable indicator of complete pathologic response. Therefore, currently, curative resection of liver metastases in these patients should not be deferred on the basis of FDG-PET findings.
Synthesis and optical properties of ZnO nanowires for nanophotonics

High quality ZnO nanowires were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition using both a catalyst-assisted vapor-liquid-solid and a catalyst-free vapor-solid deposition approach. and their optical properties studied using photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Strong UV near band edge along with defect related visible luminescence emissions were observed and their relative intensity compared. We report here the growth of ZnO nanowires by chemical vapor deposition using both a catalyst-assisted vapor-liquid-solid and a catalyst-free vapor-solid deposition approach. The nanowires were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, optical absorption, micro-photoluminescence, confocal Raman spectroscopy, and Terahertz time domain spectroscopy.
Nonlinear multiclass support vector machine–based health monitoring system for buildings employing magnetorheological dampers:

In this article, a nonlinear multiclass support vector machine–based structural health monitoring system for smart structures is proposed. It is developed through the integration of a nonlinear multiclass support vector machine, discrete wavelet transforms, autoregressive models, and damage-sensitive features. The discrete wavelet transform is first applied to signals obtained from both healthy and damaged smart structures under random excitations, and it generates wavelet-filtered signal. It not only compresses lengthy data but also filters noise from the original data. Based on the wavelet-filtered signals, several wavelet-based autoregressive models are then constructed. Next, damage-sensitive features are extracted from the wavelet-based autoregressive coefficients and then the nonlinear multiclass support vector machine is trained by a variety of damage levels of wavelet-based autoregressive coefficient sets in an optimal method. The trained nonlinear multiclass support vector machine takes new test ...
“PROPHETIC” NGO-GOVERNMENT RELATIONSHIPS: WHAT WOULD DANIEL DO?

Abstract The Bible provides three models for effective faith-based action in public life: Jeremiah, Obadiah, and Daniel. These biblical characters exemplify varying approaches to NGO-government relations. Like Jeremiah, some actors and organizations speak totheir own government as a representative of the victims of repression. Others, like Amnesty International, are free from the control of the offending government and canpublicly condemn malfeasance as Obadiah did. Those following Daniels example earn the trust and respect of the government by obeying God first and foremost. As a result, actors like Daniel are able to affect change from the inside even at the highest levels.
Characterization and localization of ouabain receptors in Schistosoma mansoni.

Saturable ouabain binding sites were detected in intact male schistosomes. The KD for binding of ouabain to Schistosoma mansoni was 2.6 × 10−7 M and to Schistosoma japonicum 2.9 × 10−7 M. The binding of ouabain to the receptor demonstrated pharmacological specificity. Binding sites, obtained by differential centrifugation, were associated with fractions containing tegument (58%) and microsomal membranes (33%). Binding sites were concentrated in tegumental membranes, i.e., a 19-fold enrichment of receptors was found in membranes isolated from intact schistosomes exposed to Triton X-100. The antiparasitic drugs praziquantel (IC50 = 9 × 10−7 M) and Ro-11-3128 (IC50 = 5 × 10−6 M) inhibit binding of [3H]ouabain to intact parasites in a pharmacologic specific manner. Both praziquantel and Ro-11-3128 are without effect (IC50 > 10−4 M) on [3H]ouabain binding to homogenates of S. mansoni. These findings indicate that ouabain receptors are present in S. mansoni and that these receptors represent Na+-K+ pump sites. In addition, the characteristics and location of these receptors are consistent with previous observations on the physiological action of ouabain on the parasite.
Collective Motion in Simple Classical Fluids

An earlier study of variational solutions of the Liouville equation for simple fluids is extended to include high-frequency thermal excitations. In the long-wavelength limit, variational eigenvalues are determined in correspondence with dispersion relations derived from linearized Navier-Stokes equations which contain frequency-dependent viscous and thermal transport coefficients. Two distinct sets of high-frequency longitudinal excitations arise. In the limit that mechanical moduli are much larger than thermal moduli, one of these excitations simplifies to a quasiphonon composed only of velocity fluctuations and associated time derivatives. On the other hand, in the case of vanishing viscosity, the excitation is seen to be composed only of energy fluctuations and time derivatives of energy fluctuations and, as such, may be the classical analog of high-frequency second sound in liquid He II. The various eigenfunctions are discussed in relation to results of recent neutron-scattering experiments.
Genome-scale disk-based suffix tree indexing

With the exponential growth of biological sequence databases, it has become critical to develop effective techniques for storing, querying, and analyzing these massive data. Suffix trees are widely used to solve many sequence-based problems, and they can be built in linear time and space, provided the resulting tree fits in main-memory. To index larger sequences, several external suffix tree algorithms have been proposed in recent years. However, they suffer from several problems such as susceptibility to data skew, non-scalability to genome-scale sequences, and non-existence of suffix links, which are crucial in various suffix tree based algorithms. In this paper, we target DNA sequences and propose a novel disk-based suffix tree algorithm called TRELLIS, which effectively scales up to genome-scale sequences. Specifically, it can index the entire human genome using 2GB of memory, in about 4 hours and can recover all its suffix links within 2 hours. TRELLIS was compared to various state-of-the-art persistent disk-based suffix tree construction algorithms, and was shown to outperform the best previous methods, both in terms of indexing time and querying time.
Expression cloning and characterization of the TGF-β type III receptor

The rat TGF-beta type III receptor cDNA has been cloned by overexpression in COS cells. The encoded receptor is an 853 amino acid protein with a large N-terminal extracellular domain containing at least one site for glycosaminoglycan addition, a single hydrophobic transmembrane domain, and a 41 amino acid cytoplasmic tail with no obvious signaling motif. Introduction of the cDNA into COS cells and L6 myoblasts induces expression of a heterogenously glycosylated 280-330 kd protein characteristic of the type III receptor that binds TGF-beta 1 specifically. In L6 myoblasts lacking the endogenous type III receptor, expression of the recombinant receptor leads to an increase in the amount of ligand bound and cross-linked to surface type II TGF-beta receptors. This indicates that the type III receptor may regulate the ligand-binding ability or surface expression of the type II receptor.
EcoG: A Power-Efficient GPU Cluster Architecture for Scientific Computing

Researchers built the EcoG GPU-based cluster to show that a system can be designed around GPU computing and still be power efficient.
Nano meets Biology: Structure and Function at the Nanoparticle Interface

Understanding the interactions of nanomaterials with biosystems is a critical goal in both biomedicine and environmental science. Engineered nanoparticles provide excellent tools for probing this interface. In this feature article, we will summarize one of the themes presented in our recent Langmuir lecture discussing the use of monolayer design to understand and control the interactions of nanoparticles with biomolecules and cells.
Racial/ethnic differences in stroke in young adults.

Racial and ethnic differences in the risk of stroke are widely recognized, and these differences are even greater among younger populations. Younger adults have a lower risk of stroke; however, they represent a major public health priority as they live longer with their disabilities, have complications throughout their life, and have a longer period of time of lost productivity [1] . The report by Pathak and Sloan [2] in this issue of Neuroepidemiology presents evidence that blacks are over 3 times more likely than whites to be hospitalized for a stroke, and that Hispanics also have a higher stroke hospitalization rate as compared to whites. In addition, they found that after risk adjustment, the fatality rates for stroke are similar for blacks and whites. Interestingly, even after adjustment, Hispanic patients had a 34% decreased likelihood of dying in hospital. These findings support the idea that the excess stroke mortality in blacks [3, 4] is due to a higher incidence rate, not a higher fatality rate; therefore, it is important that research continue to explore the racial/ethnic differences in risk factors and access to care. Prior research has shown race/ethnic differences in stroke incidence in young adults among specific urban communities. Among 74 young adults, aged 20–44 years, in the Northern Manhattan Stroke Study (NOMASS) [5] , blacks had 2.4 times the risk of stroke as compared to whites. Although not statistically significant, the NOMASS findings suggest that blacks are at greater risk of stroke than whites. These findings were corroborated by similar findings in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region [6] , in which blacks of all younger age groups ( ! 35, 35–44, and 45–54 years) were significantly more likely to have a stroke as compared to whites [RR 2.2 (1.3–3.1), 5.0 (3.9–6.1), and 2.6 (2.0–3.2), respectively]. As part of the Baltimore-Washington Cooperative Young Stroke Study, the odds of ischemic stroke in blacks versus whites were 2.1 (95% CI, 1.2–3.6), and the odds of intracerebral hemorrhage for blacks to whites were 3.1 (95% CI, 1.3–7.4) [7] . The findings of higher stroke incidence for blacks extends beyond the United States, and is consistent with a higher incidence among other black populations. In the United Kingdom, the South London Stroke Registry found an annual incidence rate for cerebral infarction of 1.86 per 1,000 for blacks and 0.79 per 1,000 for whites among individuals age 35–64 years [8] . These higher incidence rates are similar to those of other black populations around the world including those in South Africa [9] , Libya [10] , and Martinique [11] .
A contextual analysis of the association between demand/withdraw and marital satisfaction

In spite of research connecting the demand/withdraw pattern of marital interaction to marital dissatisfaction, questions remain about its association with marital satisfaction when it is considered in the context of other interpersonal behaviors. We explore the possibility that the correlation between demand/withdraw and dissatisfaction merely reflects the ubiquitous finding that expressions of negative affect are associated with dissatisfaction. We also examine whether the association between demand/withdraw and satisfaction is less strong when spouses have a highly affectionate marriage. Based on the current investigation, the demand/withdraw pattern of communication appears to be empirically distinguishable from the extent to which partners express negativity in their everyday lives, and it seems to account for variation in marital satisfaction over and above partners’ affectionate behaviors and negativity. Moreover, the inverse association between demand/withdraw and marital satisfaction may be less strong when one partner frequently expresses affection in daily life. Together, these results imply potential advantages to further exploring the interdependence among behaviors within marital interaction systems.
Pygo2 regulates β-catenin-induced activation of hair follicle stem/progenitor cells and skin hyperplasia

Understanding the epigenetic mechanisms that control the activation of adult stem cells holds the promise of tissue and organ regeneration. Hair follicle stem cells have emerged as a prime model to study stem cell activation. Wnt/β-catenin signaling controls multiple aspects of skin epithelial regeneration, with its excessive activity promoting the hyperactivation of hair follicle stem/progenitor cells and tumorigenesis. The contribution of chromatin factors in regulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway function in these processes is unknown. Here, we show that chromatin effector Pygopus homolog 2 (Pygo2) produced by the epithelial cells facilitates depilation-induced hair regeneration, as well as β-catenin-induced activation of hair follicle stem/early progenitor cells and trichofolliculoma-like skin hyperplasia. Pygo2 maximizes the expression of Wnt/β-catenin targets, but is dispensable for β-catenin-mediated expansion of LIM/homeobox protein Lhx2(+) cells, in the stem/early progenitor cell compartment of the hair follicle. Moreover, β-catenin and Pygo2 converge to induce the accumulation and acetylation of tumor suppressor protein p53 upon the cell cycle entry of hair follicle early progenitor cells and in cultured keratinocytes. These findings identify Pygo2 as an important regulator of Wnt/β-catenin function in skin epithelia and p53 activation as a prominent downstream event of β-catenin/Pygo2 action in stem cell activation.
Adolescent substance use and family-based risk and protective factors : A literature review

Adolescent substance use has become a serious concern nationwide. Although there are many ways of viewing adolescent substance use, family influence has been established as one of the strongest sources of risk and protection. A review of the literature indicated relevant theories for understanding adolescent substance use and specific family-based variables influencing adolescent substance use. In general, there seems to be a relationship between adolescent substance use and family-based risk and protective factors. Relevant theories identified in the literature review include family systems theory, social cognitive theory, social control theory, and strain theory. Specific family-based risk and protective factors include family relationships such as with siblings and parents and family characteristics such as ethnicity and religious backgrounds. Future implications for research and prevention/intervention in relation to family-based risk and protective factors are discussed.
The French Line

PAJ 95 (2010), pp. 51–54.  51 Since 1991, when Annie-B Parson and Paul Lazar founded their Big Dance Theater, the couple (she specializing more in choreography, he more in acting) has been evolving a distinctive performing style that is as entertaining, amusing, and accessible as it is disciplined. Often experimental theatre can be punitive and solemn, forcing the audience, in the name of some avant-garde ideal of austere difficulty, to “eat its spinach,” so to speak, by attending to languid permutations and repetitions. Big Dance Theater takes the opposite approach, keeping up a rapid pace of quick-changing, ebullient theatrical bits that alternate outbreaks of dance, singing, mixed media screens, wry dialogues, and melancholy soliloquies. Often the “glue” holding it together is an interpretation of some foreign culture— in their last three productions, they have moved from Japan (The Other Here), to ancient Greece (Orestes), and now to France—which may have as much to do with following funding sources as aesthetic interests. The company’s latest production, Comme Toujours Here I Stand, was commissioned by FIAF (the French Institute Alliance Francaise) and premiered at Les Subsistances in Lyons, before playing to sold-out houses at the Kitchen.
A multisided generalization of Bézier surfaces

In this paper we introduce a class of surface patch representations, called S-patches, that unify and generalize triangular and tensor product Bezier surfaces by allowing patches to be defined over any convex polygonal domain; hence, S-patches may have any number of boundary curves. Other properties of S-patches are geometrically meaningful control points, separate control over positions and derivatives along boundary curves, and a geometric construction algorithm based on de Casteljau's algorithm. Of special interest are the regular S-patches, that is, S-patches defined on regular domain polygons. Also presented is an algorithm for smoothly joining together these surfaces with Ck continuity.
Forward-backward SDEs and the CIR model

Abstract We consider a forward–backward stochastic differential equation associated with the bond price for the Cox–Ingersoll–Ross interest rate model and prove an existence and uniqueness result. This technique is generalizable to multidimensional affine term structure models.
Yukawa-coupling-generated fermion masses on the lattice

Abstract Yukawa couplings are studied on the latice for fermion coupled to scalr fields of a single component λϕ 4 tgheory. quenchd calculation of the physical fermion mass M F are carried out in the broken phase at zero bare fermion mass and for Yukawa coupling ranging between 1 and 2.5. Our results, when combined with recent nonperturbative determinations of the scalar field wave function renormalization Z by Huang, Manousakis and Polonyi, indicate that the ratio M F / ϕ ren vanishes as one approaches the critical point. This lends support to the idea that Yukawa-coupling-=generated fermion masses cannot become arbitrarily large without, at the same time, the model ceasing to be a valid effective low-energy theory.
Integrating ecology and developmental biology to explain the timing of frog metamorphosis

Amphibian metamorphosis has long intrigued ecologists and developmental biologists, yet the two research programs have progressed separately and toward different goals. Plasticity in metamorphic timing has profound effects on fitness, which has prompted ecologists to develop and test models for predicting how environmental factors affect the size and age of metamorphosis. These models rely upon untested assumptions about the mechanisms for regulating growth and development. Whereas developmental biologists explicitly investigate these mechanisms at the hormonal and genetic levels, they largely ignore the role of environmental input. Recent developments in our understanding of the molecular biology of frog metamorphosis are revealing how these two research programs could be integrated. Here, I review these developments to test ecologists' assumptions about frog metamorphosis, and to present strategies for both research fields to investigate the mechanistic basis of metamorphic plasticity.
Preliminary results in force-guided assembly for teams of heterogeneous robots

The missions to the Moon and to Mars currently being planned by NASA require the advanced deployment of robots to prepare sites for human life support prior to the arrival of astronauts. Part of the robot's work will be the assembly of modular structures such as solar arrays, radiators, antennas, propellant tanks, and habitation modules. The construction will require teams of robots to work cooperatively and with a certain degree of independence. Such systems are complex and require of human intervention in the form of teleoperation attending unexpected contingencies. Latency in communications, however, will require that robots perform autonomous tasks during this time window. This paper proposes an approach to maximize the likelihood of success for teams of heterogeneous robots as they autonomously perform assembly tasks using force feedback to guide the process. An evaluation of the challenges related to the cooperation of two heterogeneous robots to join two parts into a stable, rigid configuration in a loosely structured environment is conducted. A control basis is such approach: it recasts a control problem by concurrently running a series of controllers to encode complex robot behavior. Each controller represents a control law that parses the underlying continuous control space and provides asymptotic stability, even under local perturbations. The control basis approach allows several controllers to be active concurrently through the null space control technique. Preliminary experimental results are presented that demonstrate the effectiveness of the control basis to address the challenges of assembly tasks by teams of heterogeneous robots.
Identification of Novel Gene Targets and Functions of p21-Activated Kinase 1 during DNA Damage by Gene Expression Profiling

P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), a serine/threonine protein kinase, modulates many cellular processes by phosphorylating its downstream substrates. In addition to its role in the cytoplasm, PAK1 also affects gene transcription due to its nuclear localization and association with chromatin. It is now recognized that PAK1 kinase activity and its nuclear translocation are rapidly stimulated by ionizing radiation (IR), and that PAK1 activation is a component of the DNA damage response. Owing to the role of PAK1 in the cell survival, its association with the chromatin, and now, stimulation by ionizing radiation, we hypothesize that PAK1 may be contributing to modulation of genes with roles in cellular processes that might be important in the DNA damage response. The purpose of this study was to identify new PAK1 targets in response to ionizing radiation with putative role in the DNA damage response. We examined the effect of IR on the gene expression patterns in the murine embryonic fibroblasts with or without Pak1 using microarray technology. Differentially expressed transcripts were identified using Gene Spring GX 10.0.2. Pathway, network, functional analyses and gene family classification were carried out using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Ingenuity Pathway, Gene Ontology and PANTHER respectively. Selective targets of PAK1 were validated by RT-qPCR. For the first time, we provide a genome-wide analysis of PAK1 and identify its targets with potential roles in the DNA damage response. Gene Ontology analysis identified genes in the IR-stimulated cells that were involved in cell cycle arrest and cell death. Pathway analysis revealed p53 pathway being most influenced by IR responsive, PAK1 targets. Gene family of transcription factors was over represented and gene networks involved in DNA replication, repair and cellular signaling were identified. In brief, this study identifies novel PAK1 dependent IR responsive genes which reveal new aspects of PAK1 biology.