cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ANOVA: The practical importance of heteroscedastic methods, using trimmed means versus means, and designing simulation studies

This paper addresses three issues related to the analysis of variance: the practical importance of heteroscedastic methods, replacing means with some other measure of location, with an emphasis on trimmed means, and the problem of how to design meaningful simulation studies. A reasonable argument is that if the variances of J independent groups are unequal, surely the means are unequal, in which case there is no worry about a Type I error. Assuming this is true, the temptation is to use the conventional F test, but this is a highly undesirable approach for several reasons described in the paper. Another practical concern is whether substantial gains in power can be achieved by switching from means to some other measure of location. It is already known that certain resistant measures of location have substantial advantages over the means when distributions are non-normal. This paper describes a few new results related to trimmed means. Finally, when simulations are used to study the properties of a particular testing procedure, how should they be designed? In particular, which distributions should be used, and how should our choice be influenced by experience with non-simulated data from actual studies? Also, which characteristics of a particular testing procedure need to be studied and reported? A few suggestions are made in the hope of improving upon current practice.
CEO compensation and healthcare organisation performance

Posits that most studies have found a significant, yet weak, link between the compensation of the CEO and the company’s performance. Herein extends research by focusing on an individual industry, building a model using only data from healthcare organisations. This article tests the relationship using data from 23 healthcare organisations.
Development and Initial Testing of a Structured Clinical Observation Tool to Assess Pharmacotherapy Competence

The authors developed and tested the feasibility and utility of a new direct-observation instrument to assess trainee performance of a medication management session. The Psychopharmacotherapy-Structured Clinical Observation (P-SCO) instrument was developed based on multiple sources of expertise and then implemented in 4 university-based outpatient medication management clinics with 7 faculty supervising 17 third-year residents. After each observation by a faculty member of a medication management session, residents received feedback in writing (the completed P-SCO) and verbally in person. Targets were 8 P-SCO observations per academic year per resident (or 0.67 per month) and 16 observations per year completed by each faculty (or 1.3 per month). Qualitative thematic analysis was employed to compare the frequency, specificity, type (reinforcing vs. corrective), and content of comments documented on the P-SCO forms to midpoint and end of rotation global assessments by the same faculty for the same residents in the same rotation. Faculty completed 2.4 (SD=1,2) P-SCOs per month during the study period. Each resident received 1.1 (SD=0.53) P-SCO observations per month. Faculty and residents completed significantly more observations than targeted (p=0.03 and p=0.003, respectively). Two percent of the P-SCOs had no written comments. Less than 3% of the P-SCO comments were nonspecific compared with 43% for the global assessments. Residents received, on average, 3.3 times more total, 2.6 times more reinforcing, and 5.3 times more corrective patient care specific comments on the P-SCO than on the global assessment (p<0.001). For the numerical ratings, residents received an average of 4.2 “exceeds expectations” and 1.7 “below expectations” ratings on P-SCOs compared with 2.6 and 0, respectively, on global assessments (p<0.02). Faculty can feasibly use the P-SCO instrument in a training clinic. Compared with traditional global assessment, the P-SCO provided much more specific feedback information, a better balance of corrective to re-enforcing comments, and a greater spread of ratings related to competency in pharmacodverbally
Dielectric relaxation and dipole interactions in a high temperature lattice

Dipole relaxation of a sphere and of a spherical region in surrounding dielectric are calculated by Zwanig's methods, using his assumed distribution function equation for Brownian motion and a modified one based on Kirkwood's transport theory. The latter is shown to give no new relaxation time from dipole forces and to give functions consistent with Glarum's relation but not with ones derived from cavity models.
Characterization of the Heme Environment in Arabidopsis thaliana Fatty Acid α-Dioxygenase-1

Plant alpha-dioxygenases (PADOX) are hemoproteins in the myeloperoxidase family. We have used a variety of spectroscopic, mutagenic, and kinetic approaches to characterize the heme environment in Arabidopsis thaliana PADOX-1. Recombinant PADOX-1 purified to homogeneity contained 1 mol of heme bound tightly but noncovalently per protein monomer. Electronic absorbance, electron paramagnetic resonance, and magnetic circular dichroism spectra showed a high spin ferric heme that could be reduced to the ferrous state by dithionite. Cyanide bound relatively weakly in the ferric PADOX-1 heme vicinity (K(d) approximately 10 mm) but did not shift the heme to the low spin state. Cyanide was a very strong inhibitor of the fatty acid oxygenase activity (K(i) approximately 5 microm) and increased the K(m) value for oxygen but not that for fatty acid. Spectroscopic analyses indicated that carbon monoxide, azide, imidazole, and a variety of substituted imidazoles did not bind appreciably in the ferric PADOX-1 heme vicinity. Substitution of His-163 and His-389 with cysteine, glutamine, tyrosine, or methionine resulted in variable degrees of perturbation of the heme absorbance spectrum and oxygenase activity, consistent with His-389 serving as the proximal heme ligand and indicating that the heme has a functional role in catalysis. Overall, A. thaliana PADOX-1 resembles a b-type cytochrome, although with much more restricted access to the distal face of the heme than seen in most other myeloperoxidase family members, explaining the previously puzzling lack of peroxidase activity in the plant protein. PADOX-1 is unusual in that it has a high affinity, inhibitory cyanide-binding site distinct from the distal heme face and the fatty acid site.
An ultrasonic displacement instrument with greater beam dispersal

An ultrasonic transit time device was modified to permit close placement of the crystals and to broaden the effective spatial angle of the beam of ultrasound. The device is ideal for chronic animal experiments since its output is linear for displacement and calibration may be performed at any time.
Distribution of indole-producing urease-negative pasteurellas in animals

Three hundred fifty-six animal isolates of indole-positive urease-negative cultures of Pasteurella, which would formerly have been classified as P. multocida, were examined with respect to their relationship to the recently described P. multocida subspecies (ssp.) multocida, septica, and gallicida and P. canis, P. stomatisl Taxon 16, and Pasteurella sp. B. Two hundred sixty-three (73.9%) of the cultures could be identified with one of these taxa, and 93 isolates (26. l%), representing 17 different biotypes, were unassignable. Pasteurella multocida ssp. multocida was the predominant taxon throughout and in most of the 25 animal species from which isolations were made. In dogs, P. canis was the most frequent. Different degrees of host predilection were observed also in P. multocida ssp. septica for cats, P. canis for sheep, and 2 of the unassignable biotypes for cattle and dogs, respectively. Overall, the respiratory tract was the most frequent source of isolates, but a propensity of P. multocida ssp. septica for localization in the central nervous system of cats was noted. Until relatively recently, a nonmotile, nonhemolyt- ic, oxidase- and indole-positive, urease-negative, fer- mentative, Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium that exhibited no special nutritional or atmospheric re- quirements would have been identified as Pasteurella multocida in routine laboratory diagnosis, especially if encountered in a sample of animal origin. In 1985, a study demonstrated sufficient diversity, including ge- netic heterogeneity, among such organisms to justify their division into a number of species and subspecies (ssp.). 9
The Concept of Ego Threat in Social and Personality Psychology: Is Ego Threat a Viable Scientific Construct?

Although widely invoked as an explanation for psychological phenomena, ego threat has been conceptualized and induced in a variety of ways. Most contemporary research conceptualizes ego threat as a threat to a person’s self-image or self-esteem, but experimental operationalizations of ego threat usually confound threats to self-esteem with threats to public image or decreased control over negative events, leading to an inability to distinguish the effects of threats to people’s personal egos from threats to public image or threats to feelings of control. This article reviews research on ego threat, discusses experimental manipulations that confound ego threat with other processes, and makes recommendations regarding the use of ego threat as a construct in personality and social psychology.
Closed-loop operation of actuator arrays

An actuator array performs distributed manipulation where an object being transported and manipulated rests on a large number of stationary supporting actuators. The authors have developed a macroscopic actuator array consisting of many motorized wheels. As opposed to a MEMS array, the analysis requires the explicit modeling of the discreteness in the system, including the set of supports, distribution of weight, and generation of traction forces. Using an open-loop wheel velocity field, discreteness causes undesirable behavior such as unstable rotational equilibria, suggesting the use of object feedback. Discrete distributed control algorithms are derived by inverting the dynamics of manipulation. These algorithms reduce the many-input-three-output control problem to a three-input-three-output control problem.
The Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease: Is Amyloid β‐Protein the Beginning or the End?

A central issue in Alzheimer's disease research is whether amyloid beta-protein (A beta) is a cause or effect of the pathogenic process. Several independent lines of evidence argue for causality, although human clinical trials may be required to finally settle the issue.
Neighborhood Availability of Convenience Stores and Diet Quality: Findings From 20 Years of Follow-Up in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study

Objectives. We examined the association between neighborhood convenience stores and diet outcomes for 20 years of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study.Methods. We used dietary data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study years 1985–1986, 1992–1993, and 2005–2006 (n = 3299; Birmingham, AL; Chicago, IL; Minneapolis, MN; and Oakland, CA) and geographically and temporally matched neighborhood-level food resource and US Census data. We used random effects repeated measures regression to estimate associations between availability of neighborhood convenience stores with diet outcomes and whether these associations differed by individual-level income.Results. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, greater availability of neighborhood convenience stores was associated with lower diet quality (mean score = 66.3; SD = 13.0) for participants with lower individual-level income (b = −2.40; 95% CI = −3.30, −1.51); associations at higher individual-level income were weaker. We o...
Neurobiology of Pavlovian fear conditioning.

▪ Abstract Learning the relationships between aversive events and the environmental stimuli that predict such events is essential to the survival of organisms throughout the animal kingdom. Pavlovian fear conditioning is an exemplar of this form of learning that is exhibited by both rats and humans. Recent years have seen an incredible surge in interest in the neurobiology of fear conditioning. Neural circuits underlying fear conditioning have been mapped, synaptic plasticity in these circuits has been identified, and biochemical and genetic manipulations are beginning to unravel the molecular machinery responsible for the storage of fear memories. These advances represent an important step in understanding the neural substrates of a rapidly acquired and adaptive form of associative learning and memory in mammals.
Molecular properties of amorphous high polymers. I. A cell theory for amorphous high polymers

A cell model is used to describe the structure-insensitive properties of amorphous high polymers. An amorphous polymer is characterized as a homogeneous, one-component phase containing N identical n-center polymer segments. Each center is acted on by a cylindrically symmetric square well potential which is developed by assuming a 6–12 type interaction between point centers along the axis of the polymer chain. Molecular constants, p-V-T behavior, glass-transition temperatures, and cohesion energy densities are predicted from a minimum of experimental data. A good agreement between theory and experimental data from various literature sources is shown for eight amorphous polymers.
Somatization and psychological distress among women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the distribution of psychological characteristics and pain reporting among women with vulvar vestibulitis syndrome (VVS). Methods: In this exploratory study, 109 women with VVS completed a battery of questionnaires to assess pain with intercourse and psychological characteristics (e.g. somatization, anxiety, distress). The distribution of these characteristics was compared, first with a conventional binary classification schema (primary and secondary) and subsequently with a 3-category schema (primary, latent primary, secondary). Results: Severity of pain with intercourse did not differ among the subgroups using either classification schema. Women with primary VVS consistently showed higher levels of somatization, anxiety, and distress compared with those with secondary VVS. Using a 3-tiered classification system, we found no difference between latent primary diagnosis and the other 2 groups (primary and secondary). Conclusion: This study highlights the critical need for research on subtype definition and the role of psychological factors in VVS. © 2008 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Role of Apoptosis in Sarcopenia

Skeletal muscle atrophy and the loss of myofibers contribute to sarcopenia, a condition associated with normal aging. However, relatively little is known regarding the relevance of apoptosis to skeletal muscle homeostasis and the possible mechanisms involved, although evidence suggests that apoptosis may play a role during muscle aging. By age 80 it is estimated that humans generally lose 30%-40% of skeletal muscle fibers, particularly from muscles containing type II fibers such as the vastus lateralis muscle. Studies using rodents show that between a 20%-50% loss in muscle fibers occurs depending on the specific fiber type studied. Caspases (cysteine-dependent, aspartate-specific proteases) such as caspase-3 play an important role in mediating cell death in that many of the apoptotic signaling pathways, such as the mitochondrial-mediated, receptor-mediated, and sarcoplasmic-reticulum-mediated pathways, converge at caspase-3 in the caspase cascade. Studies show that with age the levels of several caspases are significantly increased. Therefore, the activation of these proteolytic caspases may be partly responsible for the initiation of muscle protein degradation, loss of muscle nuclei, which is associated with local atrophy, and finally into cell death of the myocyte.
Studies on Stability of Enzyme Supplements to Pelleting, Long Storage, and Other Treatments

Abstract RECENTLY, experiments have shown a marked improvement in growth and feed utilization when diets containing barley were supplemented with enzymes (Jensen et al., 1957; Fry et al., 1958a; Dobson and Anderson, 1958; and Willingham et al., 1959). Diets containing barley supplemented with enzymes supported chick growth almost equal to that of a diet containing corn. Fry et al. (1958b) and Arscott (1958) suggested that the depressed growth and feed efficiency, which resulted when the corn component was replaced by barley, was due to a deficiency of available energy. Leong et al. (1958) found that the metabolizable energy of pearled barley was markedly increased by water treatment or by fungal enzyme supplementation. Because it has been shown that the nutritional value of barley can be improved by enzyme supplementation, it was desirable to determine the stability of these enzyme mixtures in feeds subjected to pelleting and storage. Results of such studies…
Fault tolerant matrix operations for networks of workstations using multiple checkpointing

Recently, an algorithm-based approach using diskless checkpointing has been developed to provide fault tolerance for high-performance matrix operations. With this approach, fault tolerance is incorporated into the matrix operations, making them resilient to any single process failure with low overhead. In this paper, we present a technique called multiple checkpointing that enables the matrix operations to tolerate a certain set of multiple processor failures by adding multiple checkpointing processors. Results of implementing this technique on a network of workstations show improvement in both the reliability of the computation and the performance of checkpointing.
Adaptive data collection in sensor networks

Overcoming the disparity between the amount of data a wireless sensor network can transfer before depleting its limited energy resources is an ongoing challenging. This is particularly important when the entire state of the network is required, such as when a global predicate must be evaluated. This paper presents an scalable adaptive data collection algorithm for gathering all sensor node readings. A novel paradigm, where observed sensor node readings and locations are encoded as bitmap data that conserves the spatial relationship between sensor nodes, is utilized. The technique provides a large reduction in the volume of data transmitted in a both dense and sparse sensor networks when attempting to gather an initial global snapshot of the system.
High-Temperature Oxidation Kinetics of Tungsten-Water Reaction with Hydrogen Inhibition

The high-temperature heterogeneous reaction rates of bulk tungsten (W) were studied using thermogravimetric analysis in steam (H2O) and hydrogen (H2) atmospheres. Reaction rates were determined at isothermal conditions for temperatures ranging from approximately 1100 to 1700 C. Constant system pressures of 1 atm were employed; however,H2O partial pressures ranged from 3.04 to 51.3 torr. Using Arrhenius reaction rate kinetics, the activation energy of the tungsten–H2O oxidation reactionwas calculated to be 51 kcal=mol, while theH2O pressure exponent, or reaction order, was determined to be 0.82. Increasing concentrations ofH2 were found to exponentially reduce the desorption rates of the tungsten oxides involved in the oxidation reaction. Addition of H2 slightly reduced the apparent activation energy of the reaction as well, indicating a stronger inhibiting effect at higher temperatures. Thederived oxidation rates indicate that, undermost rocketmotor conditions, corrosion of tungsten nozzles aremost likely limited by gas-phase diffusion of oxidizers to the nozzle surface and/or lack of available reaction sites (i.e., surface area limited or pressure independent).
Introduction to Statistical Methods: Estimating the Mean, Median, Variance, S/N, and Simple Probability

So far, we have been dealing with problems of predicting properties of data (e.g., their mean) from known probability laws. These are problems of the discipline called “probability theory.”
Improved ChIP-chip analysis by a mixture model approach

Microarray analysis of immunoprecipitated chromatin (ChIP-chip) has evolved from a novel technique to a standard approach for the systematic study of protein-DNA interactions. In ChIP-chip, sites of protein-DNA interactions are identified by signals from the hybridization of selected DNA to tiled oligomers and are graphically represented as peaks. Most existing methods were designed for the identification of relatively sparse peaks, in the presence of replicates.
Something distinctly American

Book reviewed in this article: Thomas Puttfarken, The Great American Thing: American Art and National Identity, 1915–1935
Trades in commodities, financial assets, and currencies: A triangle of arbitrage, hedging and speculative designs

Abstract This work brings three markets — (i) commodities (e.g., steel iron ores, electronic parts, oil), (ii) financial assets (such as various stocks, bonds, notes), and (iii) different currencies (like U.S. dollar, British pound, euro, yen and so on) and examines the scope of triple operations of arbitrage, hedging, and speculation. Trading of cross-listed cross-currency assets with arbitrage and hedging is already recorded and analyzed. Here one more dimension — cross-country trades in commodities are added, and speculation is juxtaposed too within one framework.
From the mouths of daughters: Caribbean and black Canadian women remember their mothers

The image of super-strong black mothers has dominated sociological discussions of the Black family particularly in the United States. In the Caribbean, mothering is viewed as women’s core identity. In essence, Black mothering across the African diaspora encompasses sacrifice and devotion. This article uses Black Canadian and Caribbean mothers’ relationship with their daughters’ to make both a methodological (the use of multiple sources) and epistemological (foregrounding Canada as a geographical site) intervention. I argue that while multiple sources may not get at all the facts, or the truth, taken together they do allow for a much more expansive portrait of the mother–daughter relationship. Equally important, by including interviews with middle-aged and elderly Black Canadian born and Caribbean migrant women in Canada, this article deviates from the adolescent–teenager relationship that dominates the mother–daughter scholarship while allowing for subjugated knowledge production.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data from the U.S. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a unique, state-based surveillance system currently active in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and three territories of the United States (hereafter, all referred to as “states”). For almost two decades, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with state health departments, has conducted telephone surveys of the civilian, noninstitutionalised adult population (persons aged 18 years or older) as a part of this system to estimate the prevalence of behaviours linked to specific health problems.
Multilevel Approaches to Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders: The Biobehavioral Interface

In this chapter, we review contemporary research findings and theories on schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Because the modal age at onset of these illnesses is in late adolescence/ early adulthood, they can derail the adult developmental course and impair virtually all domains of functioning. While not yet at the point of identifying specific causes or cures, we have achieved a clearer picture of the elements and processes involved in both vulnerability and the neurodevelopmental course of these disorders. Contemporary research findings are challenging long-held notions about conventional diagnostic boundaries and the specificity of risk factors. They indicate that psychotic disorders arise from complex interactions between neurobiology and psychosocial contexts. Multiple pathways have the potential to lead to the dysfunction in neural circuitry that ultimately gives rise to psychotic symptoms. Although daunting in complexity, the findings also point to potential points of leverage for future research on etiology and preventive intervention. Keywords: schizophrenia; psychosis; etiology; risk; neurodevelopment
A Method of Optimally Combining Sectors

This paper describes a procedure for combining under-utilized sectors so that controllers can be allocated to the busiest sectors at the busiest times. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming model for systematically combining under-utilized sectors is described and its performance is compared to another recently-developed greedy heuristic algorithm. The MILP model produces slightly better results than the greedy algorithm. Improvements are greater as the number of sectors considered for combining increases. While the improvements are modest, over time they become significant. Lengthy computation times associated with large data sets are addressed by using the greedy algorithm as a starting solution for the optimal solver.
Controlled-deactivation cannabinergic ligands.

We report an approach for obtaining novel cannabinoid analogues with controllable deactivation and improved druggability. Our design involves the incorporation of a metabolically labile ester group at the 2′-position on a series of (−)-Δ8-THC analogues. We have sought to introduce benzylic substituents α to the ester group which affect the half-lives of deactivation through enzymatic activity while enhancing the affinities and efficacies of individual ligands for the CB1 and CB2 receptors. The 1′-(S)-methyl, 1′-gem-dimethyl, and 1′-cyclobutyl analogues exhibit remarkably high affinities for both CB receptors. The novel ligands are susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis by plasma esterases in a controllable manner, while their metabolites are inactive at the CB receptors. In further in vitro and in vivo experiments key analogues were shown to be potent CB1 receptor agonists and to exhibit CB1-mediated hypothermic and analgesic effects.
Anything Is Possible? Explaining False Beliefs about Possibility

The author argues for two senses of the word ‘possibility’ in order to explain modal illusions, or false beliefs about what is possible. While it is metaphysically impossible that there could be hydrogen-less water, it might strike some people as possible. This is because it is epistemically possible: we cannot know a priori that water is not composed of something other than hydrogen and oxygen. Unlike other accounts in the literature, the author argues that the person who makes this mistake has a false belief about water that is not due to an intuition about some substance like water. This account can be extended to treat the illusion of mind-body dualism.
Structural basis for precursor protein–directed ribosomal peptide macrocyclization

Macrocyclization is a common feature of natural product biosynthetic pathways including the diverse family of ribosomal peptides. Microviridins are architecturally complex cyanobacterial ribosomal peptides that target proteases with potent reversible inhibition. The product structure is constructed via three macrocyclizations catalyzed sequentially by two members of the ATP-grasp family, a unique strategy for ribosomal peptide macrocyclization. Here we describe in detail the structural basis for the enzyme-catalyzed macrocyclizations in the microviridin J pathway of Microcystis aeruginosa. The macrocyclases MdnC and MdnB interact with a conserved α-helix of the precursor peptide using a novel precursor-peptide recognition mechanism. The results provide insight into the unique protein-protein interactions that are key to the chemistry, suggest an origin for the natural combinatorial synthesis of microviridin peptides, and provide a framework for future engineering efforts to generate designed compounds.
Non-traumatic neurosurgical emergencies.

These emergencies are considered from the standpoint of the presenting symptomatology: alterations in consciousness, paralysis, sudden blindness, deafness, and pain.
The Electromagnetic Spectrum

The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum consists of all forms of EM radiation, from DC to light to gamma rays. A chart of the EM spectrum can be arranged in order of frequency or wavelength into a number of regions, 1 usually wide in extent, within which the EM waves have some specified common characteristics ( e.g ., those characteristics relating to the production or detection of the radiation). A common example is the spectrum of the radiant energy in the region referred to as white light , which when dispersed by a prism will produce a rainbow of its constituent colors.
Optical nonlinear dynamics in a system of coupled semiconductor lasers

We study a system of nonlinearly coupled semiconductor lasers with opto-electronic feedback loops. The lasers are coupled in a way to formulate generalized Lotka-Volterra (GLV) equations. The interaction of lasers' phases, intensity and carrier inversion rates result in complex nonlinear dynamics.
Observer-based sliding mode control of a 6-DOF precision maglev positioning stage

A six DOF positioning stage that can provide both millimeter range of motion and high accuracy is presented. The proposed solution is based on the use of hybrid maglev actuators to control each DOF, integrated by a decoupling sliding mode controller in combination with a modified passive nonlinear observer. Simulation shows that high accuracy multi-axis motion can be achieved. The workspace of the proposed application is 1116 mum times1000 mum times1000 mum in translation and 13.3 mrad times 16.8 mrad times13.0 mrad in rotation.
Binding of single stranded nucleic acids to cationic ligand functionalized gold nanoparticles.

The interactions of nanoparticles (NPs) with single stranded nucleic acids (NAs) have important implications in gene delivery, and nanotechnological and biomedical applications. Here, the complexation of cationic ligand functionalized gold nanoparticles with single stranded deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are examined using all atom molecular dynamics simulations. The results indicated that complexation depends mostly on charge of nanoparticle, and, to lesser extent, sequence and type of nucleic acid. For cationic nanoparticles, electrostatic interactions between charged ligands and the nucleic acid backbone dominate binding regardless of nanoparticle charge. Highly charged nanoparticles bind more tightly and cause compaction of the single-stranded NAs through disruption of intrastrand π–π stacking and hydrogen bonding. However, poly-purine strands (polyA-DNA, polyA-RNA) show less change in structure than poly-pyrimidine strands (polyT-DNA, polyU-RNA). Overall, the results show t...
Genetically Engineered Human Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes to Study the Functionality of Cronos Titin

The giant sarcomeric protein titin has numerous important roles in cardiomyocytes, including providing passive tension and facilitating myofibril formation. An internal promoter has recently been identified in the titin gene (TTN) that is predicted to regulate expression of a previously unstudied isoform, Cronos. To study the role of Cronos titin in human hearts, we genetically engineered human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to introduce homozygous frameshift mutations in the TTN gene. TTN was mutated upstream of the Cronos start site in Exon 2 (Ex2 KO hiPSCs) to prevent translation of full-length titin but leave the Cronos isoform intact, and downstream of the Cronos start site in Exon 326 to prevent translation of both full-length and Cronos titin (Ex326 KO hiPSCs). Ex2 KO hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) visibly contract, and immunofluorescence studies indicate the formation of short, dispersed myofibrils. These myofibrils stain positively for the C-terminal MIR and M8-M10 regions of titin but not the N-terminal Z1Z2 domain, consistent with Cronos titin being the only isoform expressed in these cells. Additionally, twitch forces of Ex2 KO hiPSC-CMs in multicellular engineered heart tissues (EHTs) were ∼10% of isogenic wildtype controls (p<0.01), and single cell forces were reduced by ∼20% compared to wildtype (p=0.03). Interestingly, Ex326 KO hiPSC-CMs do not visibly beat, form sarcomeres, or produce measurable twitches in EHTs, but they do exhibit regular calcium transients. Based on these data, we conclude that Ex2 KO hiPSC-CMs express predominantly Cronos titin, which is sufficient for sarcomere formation but not normal function. Ongoing studies will investigate the role of Cronos titin during normal human heart development and maturation. This work was supported by NIH/NIBIB T32EB1650.
Mass spectrometry-based high throughput approach for identification of molecular modification of oxidative process in respiratory diseases.

Eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) have been implicated in generating reactive species and promoting oxidative modifications in numerous diseases. The detection and identification of potential pathways has been proven extremely challenge due to evanescence nature of these reactive species. An alternative approach to study the involvement of oxidative modification is to detect and quantify the stable molecular fingerprints, like oxidized tyrosine species, in biological matrices. Previously reported analytical methods for quantifying oxidized amino acids have typically been limited by: low sensitivity, specificity and the failure of detection potential oxidation products generated during sample handling. Using GC/MS in combination with stable isotope dilution, a sensitive and self-quality control assay was developed. Using this isotope-dilution GC/MS and multiple allergen challenge models, we demonstrate that EPO is the major pathway for generating protein-bound 3-bromotyrosine in vivo. However, the need for chemical derivatization of samples increases the possibility that artifactual generation of oxidation products which may interfere with the detection of native levels. Requirement of unique derivatization reagent for each oxidized tyrosine results sample analysis both cumbersome and time/labor intensive. Therefore, we develop a liquid chromatography with on-line electrospray ionization tandem mass
A de novo mutation in PRICKLE1 associated with myoclonic epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder

Homozygous recessive mutations in the PRICKLE1 gene were first described in three consanguineous families with myoclonic epilepsy. Subsequent studies have identified neurological abnormalities in humans and animal models with both heterozygous and homozygous mutations in PRICKLE1 orthologs. We describe a 7-year-old with a novel de novo missense mutation in PRICKLE1 associated with epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder and global developmental delay.
Mechanisms of Mitochondrial Free Radical Production and their Relationship to the Aging Process

Publisher Summary Is mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production responsible for cellular senescence? What one know so far about the mechanisms of ROS production and the biology of aging does not give a clear answer to this question. This chapter describes the mitochondrial ROS-producing mechanisms in the context of aging hypotheses. It describes the major mitochondrial ROS-producing sites as respiratory chain complexes I and III, with some consideration given to the less well described mitochondrial enzymes. ROS production was framed in terms of mitochondrial bioenergetics and physiology. With the purpose of instructing those that would set out to characterize ROS production in their system, particular consideration was given to the use of respiratory chain inhibitors to study ROS production in vitro . It also examines the mitochondrial antioxidant system with a view toward placing ROS neutralization into context alongside ROS production. Some interpretation are presented of the existing body of experimental evidence that both supports and refutes the mitochondrial aging hypothesis. What can be taken away from this interpretation is that ROS production is a physiological, and at times probably pathological, process. The hypothesis that mitochondrial ROS are the mechanism by which aging occurs is still as interesting now as it was at its inception in 1956, but to assess the role of oxidative damage in the aging process properly, one need to enhance understanding of these mechanisms.
Eutectic Electrolytes for High-Energy-Density Redox Flow Batteries

Redox flow batteries (RFBs) have attracted immense research interests as one of the most promising energy storage devices for grid-scale energy storage. However, designing cost-effective systems wi...
AT1 receptors in the subfornical organ modulate arterial pressure and the baroreflex in two-kidney, one-clip hypertensive rats

The subfornical organ (SFO), a forebrain circumventricular organ that lies outside the blood-brain barrier, has been implicated in arterial pressure and baroreflex responses to angiotensin II (ANG ...
Different clinical outcomes on the second side after staged total knee replacement. A systematic review.

Abstract Background The clinical outcomes of the contralateral side in staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) are relatively unknown. The purpose of this study was to answer: 1) Does the second-operated knee in a staged BTKA result in inferior clinical and functional outcomes? 2) Is the duration of time between the first- and the second-operated knee defined in a consistent fashion in the literature? 3) Does the time interval between TKAs influence clinical outcomes? Methods Two reviewers independently conducted a systematic search of the literature using different databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results Five of the seven included studies reported significantly inferior postoperative clinical outcomes for the second-operated knee compared with the first-operated knee. There was no difference in the overall major complication rate between first- and second-operated TKA (2.4% and 1.2% respectively). Based on the literature reviewed, there is no consensus on the optimal time interval between the stages. Most studies, which investigated the impact of different intervals on the outcomes of the second-operated knee, concluded that the differences in outcomes with different intervals were not significant. Conclusions Current literature suggests that the second-operated knee, in patients undergoing staged BTKAs, might have inferior clinical outcomes when compared with the first-operated knee.
Pathophysiology of Unresolving ARDS: The Role of the Host Defense Response

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) describes the clinical syndrome associated with the morphologic lesion termed diffuse alveolar damage (DAD). At presentation, early ARDS manifests with acute and diffuse injury to the endothelial and epithelial linings of the terminal respiratory units and causes increased vascular permeability with protein-rich exudative oedema. In nonsurvivors of ARDS, DAD rapidly advances through three histological phases (exudative, fibroproliferative, and fibrotic) with different clinico-physiological features. The objective of this review is to describe systematically the pathophysiology of unresolving ARDS relating to mechanisms of its development, structural alterations induced in the lung, and functional consequences of these morphologic changes.
Composite Poly(norbornene) Anion Conducting Membranes for Achieving Durability, Water Management and High Power (3.4 W/cm2) in Hydrogen/Oxygen Alkaline Fuel Cells

Alkaline fuel cells and electrolyzers are of interest because they have potential advantages over their acid counterparts. High-conductivity anion conducting membranes were analyzed and used in alkaline hydrogen/oxygen fuel cells. The membranes were composed of reinforced block copolymers of poly(norbornenes) with pendant quaternary ammonium head-groups. It was found that membranes with light cross-linking provided excellent mechanical stability and allowed very high ion exchange capacity polymers to be used without penalty of excessive water uptake and swelling. The optimum membrane and fuel cell operating conditions were able to achieve a peak power density of 3.4 W/cm2 using hydrogen and oxygen. The performance increase was greater than expected from minimizing ohmic losses. Mechanical deformations within the membrane due to excess water uptake can disrupt full cell operation. Cells were also run for over 500 h under load with no change in the membrane resistance and minimal loss of operating voltage.
NUCLEAR REACTIONS AND SCATTERING – FEW-BODY ASPECTS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the different aspects of nuclear reactions and scattering. The reduction of exact many-body transition amplitude to an approximate form such as is used in analyses of direct reactions involves various assumptions, both theoretical and technical. Some of the reactions can be considered, at least in the context of orientation toward a many-body description, as three-body systems or three-body processes. The successes of direct reaction theory make this a compelling procedure to undertake. There are two overlapping categories into which research efforts can be placed. One is the use of three-body models, either as testing grounds for approximations or as models sufficiently analogous to the many-body case that some of the physics of the latter can be deduced from the former. The second category is the use of three-body methods or their many-body generalizations as applied to realistic nuclear reactions. An example is the development of connected-kernel equations to use as a basis for going beyond the distorted wave Born approximation and including multistep processes. The adiabatic model has led to significant improvements in fits to angular distribution data and has also provided an argument for using nonelastic optical potentials.
A physical model of turbulence cascade via vortex reconnection sequence and avalanche

Viscous anti-parallel vortex reconnection is studied by means of direct numerical simulation for vortex Reynolds numbers ( , circulation/viscosity) up to 40 000. To suppress the inherent symmetry breaking due to the Kelvin–Helmholtz (planar jet) instability, as prevalent in prior studies, and to better explore the progression of the mechanism details, the simulation is performed by imposing symmetry and using double-precision arithmetic. We show, for the first time, the evidence of vortex reconnection cascade scenario initially proposed by Melander and Hussain (CTR Report, 1988), who suggested that the remnant threads, following the first reconnection, undergo successive reconnections in a cascade. Secondary reconnection (the details distinctly captured and visualized at a lower ) leads to the successive generation of numerous small-scale structures, including vortex rings, hairpin-like vortex packets and vortex tangles. As increases, the third and higher generations of reconnection form a turbulent cloud avalanche consisting of a tangle of fine vortices. The energy is rapidly transferred to finer scales during reconnection, and a distinct - 5/3 inertial range is observed for the kinetic energy spectrum, associated with numerous resulting fine-scale bridgelets and thread filaments. In addition, we also discover an inverse cascade at large scales through the accumulation of bridgelets. The separation distance before the first reconnection is found to scale as , which is different from the typical 1/2 scaling for classical and quantum vortex filament reconnections. Both peak enstrophy and its production rate grow with faster than the power law suggested by Hussain and Duraisamy (Phys. Fluids, vol. 23, 2011, 021701). Our simulations not only reveal the detailed mechanisms of high- reconnection, but also shed light on the physics of turbulence cascade and present the reconnection avalanche as a realistic physical model for turbulence cascade.
C -Conserving Decay η → π 0 e + e − in a Vector-Meson-Dominant Model

The decay $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ through a $C$-conserving, two-photon intermediate state is studied in a vector-meson-dominant model. The branching ratio $\frac{\ensuremath{\Gamma}(\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})}{\ensuremath{\Gamma}(\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma})}$ is found to be \ensuremath{\approx}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$. If, in addition, a quark model is assumed for the photon-pseudoscalar-vector-meson vertex, we obtain a value of 1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ eV for the decay width of $\ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\pi}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. General features of the decay spectrum with respect to the sum and difference of the electron and positron energies in the $\ensuremath{\eta}$ rest frame are discussed.
A Phonomotor Approach to Apraxia of Speech Treatment

Purpose This study continued Phase I investigation of a modified Phonomotor Treatment (PMT) Program on motor planning in two individuals with apraxia of speech (AOS) and aphasia and, with support from prior work, refined Phase I methodology for treatment intensity and duration, a measure of communicative participation, and the use of effect size benchmarks specific to AOS. Method A single-case experimental design with multiple baselines across behaviors and participants was used to examine acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of treatment effects 8-10 weeks posttreatment. Treatment was distributed 3 days a week, and duration of treatment was specific to each participant (criterion based). Experimental stimuli consisted of target sounds or clusters embedded nonwords and real words, specific to each participants' deficit. Results Findings show improved repetition accuracy for targets in trained nonwords, generalization to targets in untrained nonwords and real words, and maintenance of treatment effects at 10 weeks posttreatment for one participant and more variable outcomes for the other participant. Conclusions Results indicate that a modified version of PMT can promote generalization and maintenance of treatment gains for trained speech targets via a multimodal approach emphasizing repeated exposure and practice. While these results are promising, the frequent co-occurrence of AOS and aphasia warrants a treatment that addresses both motor planning and linguistic deficits. Thus, the application of traditional PMT with participant-specific modifications for AOS embedded into the treatment program may be a more effective approach. Future work will continue to examine and maximize improvements in motor planning, while also treating anomia in aphasia.
An advance in transfer line chilldown heat transfer of cryogenic propellants in microgravity using microfilm coating for enabling deep space exploration.

The extension of human space exploration from a low earth orbit to a high earth orbit, then to Moon, Mars, and possibly asteroids is NASA’s biggest challenge for the new millennium. Integral to this mission is the effective, sufficient, and reliable supply of cryogenic propellant fluids. Therefore, highly energy-efficient thermal-fluid management breakthrough concepts to conserve and minimize the cryogen consumption have become the focus of research and development, especially for the deep space mission to mars. Here we introduce such a concept and demonstrate its feasibility in parabolic flights under a simulated space microgravity condition. We show that by coating the inner surface of a cryogenic propellant transfer pipe with low-thermal conductivity microfilms, the quenching efficiency can be increased up to 176% over that of the traditional bare-surface pipe for the thermal management process of chilling down the transfer pipe. To put this into proper perspective, the much higher efficiency translates into a 65% savings in propellant consumption.