cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transfer and priming of surgical skills across minimally invasive surgical platforms.

Background Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) uses 3-dimensional visualization and wristed instruments that provide more degrees of freedom than rigid traditional laparoscopic (TLS) instrumentation. These features have been touted to improve accuracy and efficiency during surgical task performance. Little is known, however, about the transferability of skills between the two platforms or whether task performance on one platform primes surgeons for task performance on the other. Methods Twenty-six subjects naive to RALS were recruited to perform three Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery tasks on both TLS and RALS platforms: peg transfer, pattern cutting (PC), and intracorporeal suturing. All tasks were performed within Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery testing parameters and repeated three times by each subject on each platform. Platform and task order were randomized. Errors in task performance were defined as drops in the peg transfer task, faults 5 mm or more from the defined pattern during PC, and faults greater than 1 mm in suture placement from the defined points in intracorporeal suturing. Mean completion times and mean errors per trial (EPT) were calculated for each task on both platforms. Results were compared between those who performed TLS first (LF) and those who performed RALS first (RF) using unpaired Student's t-test (P < 0.05 considered statistically significant). Results No statistically significant differences in task completion time were noted between the LF and RF groups. RF subjects had fewer errors during robotic PC than LF subjects (1.02 EPT versus 1.86 EPT, respectively; P = 0.02). No other differences in task quality were noted. Conclusions In surgeon's naive to RALS, there is no evidence that skills acquired on RALS or TLS platforms are transferable to the other platform or that performing tasks on one platform primes a subject for task performance on the other. Performing TLS PC may have had a negative impact on subsequent RALS PC performance. These findings suggest that distinct programs for skills acquisition are necessary for both the TLS and RALS platforms.
Transition-Metal-like Behavior of Main Group Elements: Ligand Exchange at a Phosphinidene

(Phosphino)phosphaketenes (>P—P═C═O) behave as (phosphino)phosphinidene-carbonyl adducts (>P—P←:C═O). CO scrambling was observed using 13C labeled CO, and exchange reactions with phosphines afford the corresponding (phosphino)phosphinidene–phosphine adducts (>P—P←:PR3). The latter react with isonitriles and singlet carbenes giving (phosphino)phosphinidene–isonitrile (>P—P←:CNR) and −carbene adducts (>P—P←:C<). Based on experimental results and DFT calculations, it is shown that these “ligand” exchange reactions occur via an associative mechanism as classically observed with transition metal complexes.
SpeakQL: Towards Speech-driven Multi-modal Querying

Speech-based inputs have become popular in many applications on constrained device environments such as smartphones and tablets, and even personal conversational assistants such as Siri, Alexa, and Cortana. Inspired by this recent success of speech-driven interfaces, in this work, we consider an important fundamental question: How should one design a speech-driven system to query structured data? Recent works have studied new querying modalities like visual [4, 8], touch-based [3, 7], and natural language interfaces (NLIs) [5, 6], especially for constrained querying environments such as tablets, smartphones, and conversational assistants. The commands given by the user are then translated to the Structured Query Language (SQL). But conspicuous by its absence is a speech-driven interface for regular SQL or other structured querying. One might wonder: Why dictate structured queries and not just use NLIs or visual interfaces? From a practical standpoint, many users, including in the C-suite, enterprise, Web, and other domains are already familiar with SQL (even if only a subset of it) and use it routinely. A spoken SQL interface could help them speed up query specification, especially in constrained settings such as smartphones and tablets, where typing SQL would be painful. More fundamentally, there is a trade-off inherent in any query interface, as illustrated in Figure 1(A).
From Mother/Fetus to Holobiont(s): A Material Feminist Ontology of the Pregnant Body

Across scientific, medical, legal, political, popular, and religious discourses, the “mother” and the “fetus” are regarded as being separated by a physical boundary. Time and time again, feminist theorists have proposed ways to disband the mother/fetus division derived from Cartesian self/other binarism and individualism. The goal of this article is to introduce and explore an alternative ontology of the pregnant body I call the motherfetus. I follow material feminist Karen Barad (2007) in contending that the “fetus” does not preexist as an object with a distinct agency who interacts with the “mother,” but only materializes through what Barad calls intra-action. I argue that the pregnant body can be reconfigured in such a way that the material distinction between the “mother” and the “fetus” disappears. This endeavor entails re-interpreting material “evidences” provided by twenty-first century technosciences while mobilizing the motherfetus as an apparatus of bodily production. Through a lens that insists on rejecting the genetic, immunological, anatomical, and physiological separation of the “mother” and “fetus,” this article will borrow elements from immunology, microchimerism, and the human microbiome to generate multiple incarnations of the motherfetus as a material-discursive product. In the conclusion, I will examine how the motherfetus as a feminist theory can alter the ways in which the pregnant body is dealt with in feminist activisms as well as in scientific studies and medical practices.
Detecting the Oxidation of Zircaloy Claddings by Infrared Interference

As the expected life of dry cask storage installations increases, it becomes increasingly desirable to monitor the state and performance of the cask internals to ensure that they continue to safely contain the radioactive materials in the fuel. One aspect of this task is the monitoring of oxidation of the cladding. With this consideration in mind, Zircaloy-4 (Zr-4) cladding samples were exposed to air at 500∘C for various duration times to create thin corrosion oxide layers on the surface. The surfaces of the oxidized samples were then systematically scanned by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to achieve the infrared (IR) interference spectra and study the relationship between the optical interference and the various thicknesses of the oxide layers. The profiles of the oxide layers were verified througth cross-sectional examination by Scanning Electron Microscopy. The IR interference patterns varied with oxide layer thickness, enabling the determination of oxide layer thickness of values, i...
Defining new viewing behaviours: What makes and motivates TV binge-watching?

The term ‘binge watching’ is common in popular media and is one of several new ways of TV viewing that capitalizes on the wide availability of digital video and streaming services. However, the term lacks clear conceptualization, and the underlying motivations associated with it remain under-explored. Results from eleven focus groups of university students in the United States suggest binge watching is characterized as viewing suspenseful dramatic, narrative content for a considerable amount of time: often more than three or four hours. Analyses revealed four emergent motivations that contribute to individuals binge watching: (1) anticipation of what was coming next – facilitated by both content and technology features, (2) management of moods and excitement/ arousal, (3) procrastination and escapism, (4) social goals – related to both co-viewing, discussing content with others and identification with characters. Implications and future directions for research are discussed.
Impact of Child and Informant Gender on Parent and Teacher Ratings of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rating scales typically provide normative tables arranged according to child age, child gender, and type of informant, which facilitates addressing the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders developmental deviance requirement for diagnosing ADHD. Missing, however, is any consideration of the gender of the informant. The purpose of this paper was to conduct an exploratory examination of informant gender via secondary analyses of a large data set used to standardize the ADHD Rating Scale-5. Two (informant gender) by two (child gender) ANOVAs were conducted separately for parents and teachers using inattention (IN) symptoms, hyperactive-impulsive (HI) symptoms, the total impairment score related to IN, and the total impairment score for HI as dependent variables. Results showed that female parents rated male children significantly higher on both IN symptoms and impairment related to IN than did male parents. Female teacher ratings were also significantly higher than male teacher ratings for male children in terms of HI symptoms and with respect to impairment ratings related to both HI and IN. A significantly higher percentage of female parents (7.7%) identified male children as being at risk for ADHD relative to male parents (4.1%). This same pattern emerged for female teachers (11.9%) versus male teachers (5.3%). Such results suggest that informant gender may play a clinically meaningful role in assessing ADHD in children and adolescents, which is consistent with the developmental literature addressing gender stereotypes in children. Future research is needed to determine whether similar informant gender differences exist in other rating scale measures of ADHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Measuring CPU overhead for I/O processing in the Xen virtual machine monitor

Virtual Machine Monitors (VMMs) are gaining popularity in enterprise environments as a software-based solution for building shared hardware infrastructures via virtualization. In this work, using the Xen VMM, we present a light weight monitoring system for measuring the CPU usage of different virtual machines including the CPU overhead in the device driver domain caused by I/O processing on behalf of a particular virtual machine. Our performance study attempts to quantify and analyze this overhead for a set of I/O intensive workloads.
Supporting Parents to Promote Emotion Regulation Abilities in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A SCERTS Model Perspective

Emotional regulation is a key developmental capacity concerned with the regulation of physiological arousal, emotion, and attention. Effective emotional regulation is associated with social success, academic readiness, and pro-social behaviors. Young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have documented emotional regulatory challenges. These difficulties include challenges in managing emotions, focusing attention, inhibiting reactions, delaying gratification, and seeking comfort in conventional ways. Some of these difficulties are associated with neurological differences and cognitive learning style differences, which are associated with an ASD diagnosis. Other challenges may be associated with ASD-related social learning differences, which impact the nature and effectiveness of parent/child interactions that are geared toward expanding a young child’s emotional regulatory abilities. An emotional regulation approach to intervention represents a relatively new focus in intervention for young children diagnosed with ASD and holds the promise of supporting active engagement in everyday activities resulting in more emotionally satisfying social interactions between children and their caregivers. A brief framework for assessment of young children’s emotional regulatory abilities and selection of developmentally appropriate emotional regulatory objectives utilizing the SCERTS® Model is presented. Parent coaching, embedding teaching opportunities within natural routines, and modeling are discussed as developmentally appropriate intervention techniques for young children at presymbolic and symbolic levels of communication.
In-situ growth of silicon carbide nanowire (SCNW) matrices from solid precursors

Abstract In an effort to develop highly porous silicon carbide for high temperature air filtration, an alternative approach to forming silicon carbide nanowires (SCNW) was developed by blending carbon containing materials with silicon powder and heating these precursors to 1400 °C. The mixing ratio of precursor materials and processing temperature were investigated with respect to the formation of SCNWs. Results indicate that anthracite and starchy materials can yield high purity SiC ceramics, yet these combinations did not produce SiC nanowires. SCNWs were successfully grown from a combination of guar gum and silicon powder precursors at 1400 °C, when held for 4 h with an argon flow rate of 1 L/min. The produced SiC is a high purity product with nanowire diameters of approximately 40 nm and ranging in length from about 100 nm to several micrometers in length. Iron was used to catalyze the nanowire growth through vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanisms by adsorbing the silicon and carbon vapor at the iron rich tip, which then led the nanowire growth. TEM analysis revealed the growth of SCNWs followed the [1,1,2] direction. A wafer comprised of the synthesized SiC nanowire matrix has much higher hardness compared with a wafer of the porous commercially available cordierite.
Correction of NR2E3 Associated Enhanced S-cone Syndrome Patient-specific iPSCs using CRISPR-Cas9.

Enhanced S-cone syndrome (ESCS) is caused by recessive mutations in the photoreceptor cell transcription factor NR2E3. Loss of NR2E3 is characterized by repression of rod photoreceptor cell gene expression, over-expansion of the S-cone photoreceptor cell population, and varying degrees of M- and L-cone photoreceptor cell development. In this study, we developed a CRISPR-based homology-directed repair strategy and corrected two different disease-causing NR2E3 mutations in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generated from two affected individuals. In addition, one patient’s iPSCs were differentiated into retinal cells and NR2E3 transcription was evaluated in CRISPR corrected and uncorrected clones. The patient’s c.119-2A>C mutation caused the inclusion of a portion of intron 1, the creation of a frame shift, and generation of a premature stop codon. In summary, we used a single set of CRISPR reagents to correct different mutations in iPSCs generated from two individuals with ESCS. In doing so we demonstrate the advantage of using retinal cells derived from affected patients over artificial in vitro model systems when attempting to demonstrate pathophysiologic mechanisms of specific mutations.
Real-Time Sensor Anomaly Detection and Recovery in Connected Automated Vehicle Sensors

In this paper we propose a novel observer-based method to improve the safety and security of connected and automated vehicle (CAV) transportation. The proposed method combines model-based signal filtering and anomaly detection methods. Specifically, we use adaptive extended Kalman filter (AEKF) to smooth sensor readings of a CAV based on a nonlinear car-following model. Using the car-following model the subject vehicle (i.e., the following vehicle) utilizes the leading vehicle’s information to detect sensor anomalies by employing previously-trained One Class Support Vector Machine (OCSVM) models. This approach allows the AEKF to estimate the state of a vehicle not only based on the vehicle’s location and speed, but also by taking into account the state of the surrounding traffic. A communication time delay factor is considered in the car-following model to make it more suitable for real-world applications. Our experiments show that compared with the AEKF with a traditional $\chi ^{2}$ -detector, our proposed method achieves a better anomaly detection performance. We also demonstrate that a larger time delay factor has a negative impact on the overall detection performance.
Six sigma project generation and selection: literature review and feature based method proposition

The benefits of the Six Sigma approach are recognised since the 1990s and Six Sigma project selection is pointed out as being a key success factor in its implementation. Six Sigma project selection...
Information to Schrodinger/Feynman Based Life Processes

There is a parallel between the information that produces fundamental laws and life processes. In each case we observe, not the information, but the results of quantum mechanical equations: (1) Information → Schrodinger based protons and electrons that define the laws of nature; and (2) Information → Schrodinger/Feynman based evolution of body/vision/brain. Another interesting parallel is that the Information → life process is cyclical because information must be stored and unfolded as the body redevelops. The information stored appears to be fundamental and shared. It is reasonable to believe there was pre-existing information associated with creation. Information creation is a mathematical process related to probability. Probability is a ratio - One thing compared to everything else. It is possible that the Mind of creation holds information, including the information in the processes above. This article studies information storage for three life processes (body, perception, and brain). They occur later by several billion years but it is reasonable to suspect that (our) mind develops within the Mind of creation. Processes with two levels will be discussed. Information will be called level 1 and the result of an equation (computation) will be called level 2. The life processes require input and learning. For example, vision is based on light input, the body is dependent on DNA evolution and the brain requires feedback to develop networks. An equation developed by Feynman for light absorption yields a probability that depends on matching input wavelengths with stored wavelengths. Wavelength*probability are stored in molecules (level 1) and we perceive the equation output as color vision (level 2). There is evidence that Mind and mind use the same information code. Is our information more enduring than we think? Can nature recreate us with information similar to the way DNA information reconstructs the body? Could a goal of creation be the potential of ongoing creation?
Benefits of BCG‐induced metabolic switch from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis in autoimmune and nervous system diseases

The most commonly used vaccine worldwide, bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), appears to have the ability to restore blood sugar control in humans with early-onset but long-duration type 1 diabetes when a repeat vaccination strategy is used. This is a process that may be driven by a metabolic switch from overactive oxidative phosphorylation to accelerated aerobic glycolysis and a reset of the immune system. BCG is a live, attenuated strain of Mycobacteria bovis, a cousin of M. tuberculosis. Humans and Mycobacteria, which are found in the environment and in warm-blooded hosts, share a long coevolutionary history. In recent times, humans have had fewer exposures to these and other microorganisms that historically helped shape the immune response. By 're-introducing' an attenuated form of Mycobacteria via BCG vaccination, humans might benefit from an immunological perspective, a concept supported by a growing body of data in autoimmunity and robust data on the nonspecific immune effects of BCG related to protection from diverse infections and early mortality. New findings of immune and metabolic defects in type 1 diabetes that can be corrected with repeat BCG vaccination suggest that this therapeutic strategy may be applicable in other diseases with inadequate aerobic glycolysis, including Parkinson's disease, dementia, depression and other disorders affecting the nervous system.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Lesions

Neuroablative or lesion procedures represent some of the earliest surgical techniques used to treat psychiatric illness. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) remains one of the psychiatric illnesses most commonly treated with neurosurgery. In the past 50 years, more precise ablative techniques combined with careful patient selection and improved perioperative care have proven efficacious in treating patients with medically refractory OCD. Ablative techniques and functional imaging studies have also begun to uncover the neurobiological mechanisms underlying OCD and have identified cortico-striato-thalamic-cortical (CSTC) neurocircuitry implicated in OCD pathology. The most commonly reported procedures that have been used in modern psychiatric neurosurgical practice for OCD aim to target this pathologic circuitry and include the subcaudate tractotomy, cingulotomy, limbic leucotomy, and capsulotomy. Notably, lesion procedures exhibit similar efficacy to deep brain stimulation (DBS) in treating OCD and in some cases may be a more practical and preferred surgical treatment modality.
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) and lymphotoxin (TNF-β)

Abstract Distinctions between tumor necrosis factor, TNF-α, and lymphotoxin, TNF-β, have previously been based on the differences between their protein sequences, biological activity, and molecular regulation. In the past year, elucidation of the molecular nature of the two molecules and the interactions with common receptors has emphasized their similarities, although profound differences continue to emerge with regard to their mode of production, transcription rates, mRNA half-lives, and the importance of various DNA regulatory sequences. A role for both TNF-α and TNF-β has recently been suggested with regard to disease, particularly multiple sclerosis. The past year has also seen the description of an extensive microsatellite polymorphic system which should provide a more definitive understanding of the association of the TNF locus with disease.
Disaster resiliency of U.S. local governments: Insights to strengthen local response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This research presents implications of the global pandemic on local government resiliency in the United States. We explore insights from local government officials and managers at the frontlines of response and recovery efforts to the biological natural disaster. Also, findings from the latest nationwide survey of U.S. local governments regarding their preparedness for weather-related natural disasters informs responses to the current crisis. Results indicate that local governments are innovating and taking strategic actions to fight the virus. This, even though COVID-19 has exposed social inequities exacerbated as the virus spreads. Survey findings of disaster readiness of local governments to weather-related disasters shows that small, resource poor governments will not be able to respond well, and social inequities will grow. Policy strategies at all levels of government must recognize and account for these inequities as threat of this virus subsides, to support stronger, more effective readiness for the next biological catastrophe. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Nature, nurture, and noise in bird song ontogeny as determinants of phenotypic and functional variation among dialects

Abstract Bird song learning is well understood to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Songbirds are genetically predisposed to learn certain songs, but actual song exposure and social interactions strongly affect the outcome. In this chapter, I describe how plasticity enables songbirds to learn any of a range of songs. I then postulate that even without genetic or environmental variation, songbird clones would not always learn the same songs, due to stochastic internal processes. In species with song dialects, the efficacy of a given dialect in mate attraction and territory defense depends on the developmental history of the receiver (potential mate or rival). Stochastic developmental effects might therefore also influence functional differences among dialects. Stochastic developmental effects, documented in other taxa, have not been empirically investigated in birds. For the reasons described in this chapter, song ontogeny represents an interesting arena in which to investigate such effects.
Do Truth and Reconciliation Committees Improve Human Rights? Evidence From Africa

This article examines the impact of truth and reconciliation committees (TRCs) on human rights in Africa. It examines the effects of fifteen different TRCs from 1984–2014, and fills a gap in the ex...
PreKindergarten and kindergarten virtual school programs under COVID-19: A two-case comparative study

This case study aims to explore and compare two cases of virtual school programs, one asynchronized and one synchronized, regarding their pedagogical design and operationalization. The authors collected data from observations of learning activities and analyses of teaching materials. A comparison was drawn on the benefits and drawbacks of two teaching modes, and the strategies the instructors use to address the limitations.
A systematic analysis of basin effects on surface ground motion

Abstract “Basin effects” refers to trapped and reverberating earthquake waves in soft sedimentary deposits overlying convex depressions of the basement bedrock, which significantly alter frequency content, amplitude, and duration of seismic waves. This has played an important role on shaking duration and intensity in past earthquakes such as the Mw 8.0 1985 Michoa'can, Mexico, Mw 6.9 1995 Kobe, Japan, and Mw 7.8 2015 Gorkha, Nepal. Although the phenomenon has been understood and addressed in the literature, it has not been fully incorporated in seismic hazard analysis, and Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPE). In this study, we perform an extensive parametric study on the characteristics of surface ground motion associated with basin effects using finite element simulations. We use an elastic medium subjected to vertically propagating SV plane waves and utilize idealized basin shapes to examine the effects of basin geometry and material properties. We specifically study the effects of four dimensionless parameters, the width-to-depth (aspect) ratio, the rock-to-soil material contrast, a dimensionless frequency that quantifies the depth of the basin relative to the dominant incident wavelength, and a dimensionless distance quantifying distance of the basin edges relative to the dominant wavelength. Our results show that basin effects can be reasonably characterized using at least three independent parameters, each of which can significantly alter the resultant ground motion. To demonstrate the application of dimensional analysis applied here, we investigate the response of the Kathmandu Valley during the 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal using an idealized basin geometry and soil properties. Our results show that a simplified model can capture notable characteristics of the ground motion associated with basin effects which suggests that such studies can provide useful insights, relevant to the parameterization of basin effects in GMPEs and design code provisions.
The VIX is Your FIX: a Flexible Strategy to Timing the Stock Market

We use the VIX and basic trading behavior to time entry and exit from the market. Our strategy captures 89% of the bottom and 91% from the top (you miss only 11% and 9% from the peak point, respectively). We lay our strategy down in six acts. Act I: the daily average return in the stock market is negative when VIX above 23; then sell if VIX in the way up and exceeds this threshold. Act II: the average daily return during the journey of rising VIX above 23 is -0.6%. Act III: the average daily return during the journey of declining from the peak 0.56%. Act IV: exit (enter) when you have back-to-back two downs (up) days with overall 6% or more. Act V: watch the Federal Reserve rates; exit when rates increase (decrease) during expansion (contraction). Act VII: do not trust oil prices as a predictor for future economic growth since the supply side of oil is highly politicized between OPEC and OPEC+. Collectively: when it comes to transition between bear to bull markets or vice versa, the VIX is your FIX.
Electrowetting-assisted direct ink writing for low-viscosity liquids

Abstract In conventional direct ink writing (DIW) process, low-viscosity liquids are usually nonprintable, which greatly limits the choices of inks and the potential applications of DIW. To address this challenge, the present work reports a novel electric-field-assisted method to enable DIW of low-viscosity liquids. An external electric field is applied between the dispensing nozzle and the substrate, to vertically pull the printed filament for decreasing the internal pressure along the printing direction. Our proposed method overcomes the common capillary instability characteristic of continuous extrusion of low-viscosity materials. Compared with conventional approaches, the electric-field-assisted DIW process significantly widens the available range of process parameters, increases the throughput by over 150%, and improves the printing accuracy by more than four-fold. These findings indicate an innovative approach for the fabrication of next-generation functional devices using low-viscosity liquids, which used to be difficult or even impossible to print.
The Generalized Stochastic Knapsack

In this chapter we again consider a stochastic system consisting of C resource units and K classes of objects. And we again suppose that class-k objects have size bκ and arrive and depart at random times. But we now permit the arrival and service rates to depend on the current knapsack state. In particular, with n and S defined as in the previous chapter, the time until the next class-k arrival is exponentially distributed with parameter λ κ (n) when the knapsack is in state n. Analogously, the time until the next class-k departure is exponentially distributed with parameter μ κ (n) when the knapsack is in state n. Clearly, μ κ (n) must satisfy μ κ (n) = 0 whenever n κ = 0. Note that the generalized stochastic knapsack becomes the stochastic knapsack, as studied in the previous chapter, if we set λ κ (n) = λ κ and μ κ (n) = n κ μ κ for all n ∊ S.
Prediction of the neuropeptidomes of members of the Astacidea (Crustacea, Decapoda) using publicly accessible transcriptome shotgun assembly (TSA) sequence data.

Abstract The decapod infraorder Astacidea is comprised of clawed lobsters and freshwater crayfish. Due to their economic importance and their use as models for investigating neurochemical signaling, much work has focused on elucidating their neurochemistry, particularly their peptidergic systems. Interestingly, no astacidean has been the subject of large-scale peptidomic analysis via in silico transcriptome mining, this despite growing transcriptomic resources for members of this taxon. Here, the publicly accessible astacidean transcriptome shotgun assembly data were mined for putative peptide-encoding transcripts; these sequences were used to predict the structures of mature neuropeptides. One hundred seventy-six distinct peptides were predicted for Procambarus clarkii , including isoforms of adipokinetic hormone–corazonin-like peptide (ACP), allatostatin A (AST-A), allatostatin B, allatostatin C (AST-C) bursicon α, bursicon β, CCHamide, crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH)/ion transport peptide (ITP), diuretic hormone 31 (DH31), eclosion hormone (EH), FMRFamide-like peptide, GSEFLamide, intocin, leucokinin, neuroparsin, neuropeptide F, pigment dispersing hormone, pyrokinin, RYamide, short neuropeptide F (sNPF), SIFamide, sulfakinin and tachykinin-related peptide (TRP). Forty-six distinct peptides, including isoforms of AST-A, AST-C, bursicon α, CCHamide, CHH/ITP, DH31, EH, intocin, myosuppressin, neuroparsin, red pigment concentrating hormone, sNPF and TRP, were predicted for Pontastacus leptodactylus , with a bursicon β and a neuroparsin predicted for Cherax quadricarinatus . The identification of ACP is the first from a decapod, while the predictions of CCHamide, EH, GSEFLamide, intocin, neuroparsin and RYamide are firsts for the Astacidea. Collectively, these data greatly expand the catalog of known astacidean neuropeptides and provide a foundation for functional studies of peptidergic signaling in members of this decapod infraorder.
LuxR-Type Proteins in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing: Distinct Mechanisms with Global Implications

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa provides one of the most intensely studied examples of acylhomoserine lactone (acyl-HSL)-controlled gene expression. In P. aeruginosa, quorum-sensing gene regulation is accomplished by two complete acyl-HSL systems, LasR-LasI and RhlR-RhlI, and by an orphan receptor, QscR. One microarray study provided additional insights into the signal requirements for the activation of individual quorum-controlled genes. LuxR-type polypeptides can be subdivided into two functional domains based on sequence conservation, genetic and biochemical analysis of representative members, and the crystal structure of TraR from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. LuxR-type proteins also contain a helix-turn-helix motif (HTH) in their carboxy-terminal domain that is required for DNA binding. Based on the recent biochemical characterization of other LuxR-type proteins, general patterns of acyl-HSL/receptor interaction emerge that allow us to distinguish three separate classes. The three P. aeruginosa receptors LasR, RhlR, and QscR each represent one such class: LasR is a class 1 receptor. In contrast, if LuxR-type proteins such as LasR and QscR require their ligand for proper folding, they should induce transcription of target genes relatively slowly because protein activation through translation would be slow. Once a quorum is reached, a change in the gene expression profile is triggered that leads to the formation of a mature biofilm, reminiscent of a developmental program in more complex systems.
Variant Grapheme-Phoneme Correspondences in Unfamiliar Polysyllabic Words:

Ten college students and ten PhDs read aloud 30 unfamiliar English words, two to five syllables in length, of Greek, Latin, and Germanic origin. The average number of different subject pronunciations per word was five (range one to ten). Each response was compared to the rule-predicted (Venezky, 1970), dictionary-prescribed, and most frequent pronunciation for that word. The subjects agreed more with each other than with the dictionary, and with the latter more than with the rules. However, the rules predicted half of the prescribed pronunciations, which was better than the average number of individual subject's responses agreeing with the dictionary. The most frequent response to each word demonstrated considerably more agreement with both the dictionary and the rules than did the average number of responses for the subjects individually. The etymological source of the test words had no effect. While the PhDs as a group did significantly better than the students on most measures, the differences were sma...
Deoxycytidine Kinase II. PURIFICATION AND GENERAL PROPERTIES OF THE CALF THYMUS ENZYME

Abstract Deoxycytidine kinase has been purified 500-fold from calf thymus. It is concluded that the enzyme will catalyze the phosphorylation of deoxycytidine, 1-β-d-arabinofuranosyl cytosine, deoxyguanosine, and deoxyadenosine since the protein catalyzing these activities showed coincident purification. Also, this protein could not be further fractionated by isoelectric focusing, gel filtration, or sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and the nucleosides mutually inhibited each other's phosphorylation. However, the deoxycytidine-phosphorylating capacity of the preparation is considerably more stable than all other nucleoside-phosphorylating activities. The sedimentation constant, partial specific volume, and Stokes radius of the enzyme were estimated by zonal centrifugation, isodensity centrifugation, and gel filtration, respectively. These parameters were then used to calculate the molecular weight (56,000) and frictional ratio (1.36) of deoxycytidine kinase. The enzyme is very sensitive to sulfhydryl group inhibitors and is unstable in the absence of thiol; activity can be restored by incubating the enzyme with thiol compounds. Enzyme activity is fairly constant over the pH range 6 to 10, but there are marked effects of pH on nucleotide inhibition and heat stability. UDP, dTDP, dCMP, dCDP, and dCTP are all inhibitors of deoxycytidine kinase, but these inhibitions are reversed by UTP, dUTP, and dTTP.
Author Ethical Dilemmas in the Research Publication Process

While editors and their editorial teams play an important role in gatekeeping the knowledge dissemination process, the majority of the responsibility to ensure the quality of the created knowledge and its fair review actually falls on the shoulder of the authors. This essay discusses the dilemmas faced by authors between maximizing their publication possibilities and being truthful to data, to co-authors, and to editors. Potential solutions are also discussed.
Resonance Raman spectroscopy of horseradish peroxidase derivatives and intermediates with excitation in the near ultraviolet.

Abstract Resonance Raman enhancement of derivatives and intermediates of horseradish peroxidase in the near ultraviolet (N-band excitation) results in intensity and enhancement patterns that are different from those normally observed within the porphyrin Soret (B-band) and alpha-beta (Q-band) absorptions. In particular it allows the resolution of resonance Raman spectra of horseradish peroxidase compound I. The bands above 1300 cm-1 can be assigned to porphyrin vibrational modes that are characteristically shifted in frequency due to removal of an electron from the porphyrin ring. The resonance Raman frequency shifts follow normal mode compositions. Relative to resonance Raman spectra of compound II, the v4 frequency (primarily Ca-N) exhibits a 20 cm-1 downshift. The v2, v11, and v37 vibrational frequencies whose mode compositions are primarily porphyrin Cb-Cb, exhibit 10-20 cm-1 upshifts. The v3, v10, and v28 frequencies, whose mode compositions are primarily Ca-Cm, exhibit downshifts. The downshifts for v3 and v10 are small, 3-5 cm-1; however, the downshift for v28 is 14 cm-1. These frequency shifts are consistent with those of previously published resonance Raman studies of model compounds. In contrast to reports from other laboratories, the data presented here for horseradish peroxidase compound I can be attributed unambiguously to resonance Raman scattering from a porphyrin pi-cation radical.
Cryptophyte algae are robbed of their organelles by the marine ciliate Mesodinium rubrum

Mesodinium rubrum (Lohmann 1908) Jankowski 1976 (= Myrionecta rubra)1,2 is a common photosynthetic marine planktonic ciliate which can form coastal red-tides3. It may represent a ‘species complex’4,5 and since Darwin's voyage on the Beagle, it has been of great cytological, physiological and evolutionary interest4. It is considered to be functionally a phytoplankter because it was thought to have lost the capacity to feed and possesses a highly modified algal endosymbiont5,6. Whether M. rubrum is the result of a permanent endosymbiosis or a transient association between a ciliate and an alga is controversial7. We conducted ‘feeding’ experiments to determine how exposure to a cryptophyte alga affects M. rubrum. Here we show that although M. rubrum lacks a cytostome (oral cavity)8, it ingests cryptophytes and steals their organelles, and may not maintain a permanent endosymbiont. M. rubrum does not fall into recognized cellular or functional categories, but may be a chimaera partially supported by organelle robbery.
Identification of sites for feedback regulation of glutamine 5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase by nucleotides and relationship to residues important for catalysis.

Abstract Glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase, the key regulatory enzyme for de novo purine nucleotide synthesis, is subject to feedback regulation by adenine and guanine nucleotides. Affinity labeling with 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine (FSBA) and 8-azidoadenosine 5'-monophosphate (N3-AMP) was used to identify purine nucleotide sites for feedback control of the Escherichia coli amidotransferase. FSBA inactivated the amidotransferase with saturation kinetics. Specificity for inactivation was shown by the covalent attachment of 2.0-2.4 eq of [3H] sulfobenzoyladenosine (SBA) per subunit and protection by GMP and AMP against inactivation and incorporation of [3H]SBA. Six chymotryptic peptides modified with [3H]SBA were isolated and identified by differential labeling followed by high performance liquid chromatography and radioactivity. Mass spectrometry and Edman degradation analysis were used to identify 5 residues that were covalently modified by [3H]SBA: Tyr74, Tyr258, Lys326, Tyr329, and Tyr465. Tyr258 was also modified by N3-AMP. Mutant enzymes K326Q and Y329A had activity similar to that of the wild type enzyme. However, both mutants exhibited decreased sensitivity to inhibition by GMP and decreased binding of GMP but were inhibited by AMP. Mutant enzymes Y74A and Y258F were normally feedback-inhibited but were defective in glutamine amide transfer and synthase functions, respectively. Therefore Tyr74 and Tyr258 are important for activity and modification by FSBA and N3-AMP accounts for enzyme inactivation. These results localize residues important for catalysis in close proximity to a site for nucleotide binding. Two additional mutant enzymes, G331I and N351A, were constructed which were refractory to inhibition by GMP with little change in inhibition by AMP. A replacement of Tyr465 indicates that this residue is not essential for catalysis or feedback inhibition. Overall, these results are interpreted in terms of a two-nucleotide site model with Lys326, Tyr329, Gly331, and Asn351 defining a site required for inhibition by GMP. A second nucleotide site not affinity labeled by analogs is very close to or overlaps with the catalytic site.
Mesoscale modeling investigation of air-sea interactions over the Gulf of Mexico for a case study of Hurricane Gordon

Under the NASA/FAR Program, a study has been established to investigate air-sea interactions associated with the formation and development of Hurricane Gordon in the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Gordon was a Category 1 storm, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico on September 17th, 2000. We are using the Penn State/NCAR MM5 (version 3) modeling system for diagnostic studies of surface fluxes (sensible heat, latent heat, and momentum) over the Gulf of Mexico relevant to the air-sea interactions in the vicinity of this intense hurricane. The MM5 configuration features two nested domains over the Gulf of Mexico; with horizontal grid spacing of 90 km and 30 km. Nesting between the grids is two ways. Physics options selected include: non-hydrostatic; Grell cumulus parameterization on 90 km grid; explicit microphysics (Reisner) on 30 km grid; modified Mellor-Yamada boundary layer parameterization; and a cloud-resolving radiation scheme. Gridded analysis and rawinsonde data from NCAR were used to construct initial and boundary condition files. The model results will be discussed, along with relation to other theoretical and modeling studies of air-sea interactions in hurricane environments. Potential links between the model surface fluxes and precipitation at landfall will be considered.
The Roles of Mitochondrial Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns in Diseases.

Abstract Significance: Mitochondria, vital cellular power plants to generate energy, are involved in immune responses. Mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) are molecules that are released from mitochondria to extracellular space during cell death and include not only proteins but also DNA or lipids. Mitochondrial DAMPs induce inflammatory responses and are critically involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases. Recent Advances: Recent studies elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which mitochondrial DAMPs are released and initiate immune responses by use of genetically modulated cells or animals. Importantly, the levels of mitochondrial DAMPs in patients are often associated with severity and prognosis of human diseases, such as infection, asthma, ischemic heart disease, and cancer. Critical Issues: Although mitochondrial DAMPs can represent proinflammatory molecules in various experimental models, their roles in human diseases may be multifunctional and complex. It remains uncl...
The effect of cocaine on Ventricular fibrillation threshold in the normal canine heart.

We determined the effect of cocaine on ventricular vulnerability to fibrillation, as measured by ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT), and cardiac electrophysiology in 20 anesthetized dogs with normal hearts. Animals were randomized in blinded fashion to receive a continuous 3-hour infusion of cocaine 0.11 mg/kg/minute (total dose 20 mg/kg) or placebo (lactose dissolved in normal saline). The VFT, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, ventricular effective refractory period (ERP), and electrocardiographic intervals were measured at baseline and every 30 minutes during infusion. Baseline mean ± SE VFT in cocaine and placebo groups was 57.0 ± 7.8 and 51.8 ± 7.6 mA, respectively (p=0.64). Cocaine did not significantly decrease VFT, but actually increased it (i.e., reduced ventricular vulnerability to fibrillation) compared with placebo (84.6 ± 10.4 vs 55.8 ± 7.2 mA, respectively, at 150 minutes, p=0.04). Cocaine prolonged ERP and PR, QRS, QT, QT c , JT, and JT c intervals. Cocaine does not increase ventricular vulnerability to fibrillation in anesthetized dogs with normal intact hearts. Its electrophysiologic effects are similar to those of class I antiarrhythmic agents in this model.
Origins of marronage: Mitochondrial lineages of Jamaica's Accompong Town Maroons.

Objectives The Accompong Town Maroons are descendants of enslaved Africans who successfully waged war against British colonial rule and established an independent community in western Jamaica. There are discrepancies regarding Accompong Town Maroon ancestry with some scholars noting ancestry from both Africans and Tainos, Jamaica's indigenous population, while other scholars only acknowledge African ancestry. We considered the mitochondrial lineages of contemporary Accompong Town Maroons to address the question of ancestral origins. Methods We sequenced a section of the mitochondrial DNA control region (np 16,024–16,569) and genotyped a panel of hierarchically selected haplogroup diagnostic SNPs for 50 individuals with genealogical ties to Accompong Town. Mitochondrial haplotypes were also compared with publically available Jamaican mitochondrial haplotypes using an exact test as well as haplotypes within the EMPOP public database to further access biogeographic origins. Results L-type mitochondrial haplogroups were observed in 96% of samples, and the remaining 4% belonged to haplogroup B2. Haplotype diversity was 0.922 (SD = 0.024) and not significantly different than the comparable Jamaican population. Of the two B2 haplotypes, one matched haplotypes throughout the Americas and East Asia and the other matched only in East Asia. These results suggest both African and indigenous American maternal ancestries within Accompong Town. Conclusions Our data suggested that the maternal ancestry of contemporary Accompong Town Maroons is predominantly African and, despite claims to suggest otherwise, also indigenous American. Our study complemented Maroon oral histories, archeological data, and illuminated how colonization shaped human genetic variation within the Caribbean. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 27:432–437, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effectiveness of Citizen Volunteers Functioning as Counselors for High-Risk Young Male Offenders:

This research evaluated a counseling program utilizing citizen volunteers in 1:1 relationships with young male offenders placed on probation for 12 mo. 100 high-risk offenders were randomly assigne...