cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parallel and distributed computations of maximum independent set by a Hopfield neural net embedded into a wireless sensor network

Abstract This paper, as the first one in a three-paper sequence, presents a proposed framework to employ a wireless sensor network as a hardware computation platform for fully parallel and distributed computation of maximum independent set of a given graph through a Hopfield neural network. Theoretical and mathematical foundations of the proposed framework will be discussed. Mapping the maximum independent set problem to Hopfield neural network dynamics is presented. This is followed by the demonstration of embedding the Hopfield neural network as a static optimizer into the wireless sensor network in fully parallel and distributed mode. The outcome is a wireless sensor network operating as a parallel and distributed computing hardware platform for a Hopfield neural network configured to solve a static optimization problem. The nesC-TinyOS model of the proposed computational framework and the corresponding simulation study are deferred to the second and third papers, respectively, in the three-paper sequence.
Effect of SiC particle impact nano-texturing on tribological performance of 304L stainless steel

Abstract Topographical features on sliding contact surfaces are known to have a significant impact on friction and wear. Indeed, various forms of surface texturing are being used to improve and/or control the tribological performance of sliding surfaces. In this paper, the effect of random surface texturing produced by a mechanical impact process is studied for friction and wear behavior of 304L stainless steel (SS) under dry and marginal oil lubrication. The surface processing was applied to 304L SS flat specimens and tested under reciprocating ball-on-flat sliding contact, with a 440C stainless steel ball. Under dry contact, the impact textured surface exhibited two order of magnitude lower wear than the isotropically ground surface of the same material. After 1500 s of sliding and wearing through of the processed surface layer following occurring of scuffing, the impact textured surface underwent a transition in wear and friction behavior. Under marginal oil lubrication, however, no such transition occurred, and the wear for the impact textured surface was consistently two orders of magnitude lower than that for the ground material. Mechanisms for the tribological performance enhancement are proposed.
Relationship of morningness–eveningness questionnaire score to melatonin and sleep timing, body mass index and atypical depressive symptoms in peri- and post-menopausal women

Previous work shows a relationship between measures of morning or evening preference (e.g., morningness-eveningness questionnaire (MEQ) scores) and melatonin and sleep timing, body mass index (BMI) and mood. This study explores the relationship of these factors to atypical depression (ATD) symptoms, particularly increased appetite and hypersomnia, in depressed and non-depressed peri- and post-menopausal women. Participants were 19 normal control subjects and 10 depressed patients, 46-72 years of age. In a university hospital setting, we administered the MEQ and Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Seasonal Affective Disorders (SIGH-SAD version), which includes a measure of ATD, 3-5 weeks before obtaining nighttime polysomnography and overnight plasma melatonin in dim light (<30lx). Scores on SIGH-SAD appetite-related items were significantly correlated with MEQ, dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) time and midsleep time (MST); BMI was related to MST, sleep end time, phase-angle differences between sleep and melatonin timing, and appetite measures. Results suggest that relative to women with earlier DLMOs and MSTs, depressed peri- and post-menopausal women whose DLMOs and MSTs are phase-delayed may experience increases in appetite, hypersomnia, and BMI. These symptoms might be relieved by sleep or light manipulations that advance melatonin and sleep timing parameters.
Magnetic Vortex Dynamics Using the Optical Cotton-Mouton Effect

The first use of linear magnetic birefringence (optical Cotton-Mouton effect) to observe a magnetic resonance is reported. This allows us to make the first direct observation of resonant motion of a ferromagnetic vortex. This vortex is present in an easy-plane garnet film at the intersection of two 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} N\'eel walls. Agreement between the resonant frequencies and our theory confirms a previously proposed equation of vortex motion.
An Extension of the Kaskosz Maximum Principle

We strengthen the conventional maximum principle for the optimal control of nonsmooth differential equations with nonsmooth unilateral constraints. This strengthened principle applies, in particular, to any admissible relaxed trajectory whose endpoint lies on the boundary of the attainable set generated by unrelaxed admissible trajectories. In this new principle the generalized Jacobian of the right-hand side can be replaced by the generalized Jacobian of any compatible selectionh(t, x) of the convexified right-hand side that is Lipschitzian inx. This extends a recent result of Barbara Kaskosz that applies to problems without unilateral constraints and with the functionh restricted to a certain form. We also show how our arguments extend to unilateral problems defined by functional-integral equations (and, in particular, delay-differential equations).
`PRABHA'—a distributed concurrency control algorithm

We propose a non-preemptive, deadlock free concurrency control mechanism for distributed database systems. The algorithm uses a combination of transaction blocking and roll-back to achieve serialization. Unlike other locking mechanisms presented in the past, the algorithm proposed here uses dynamic attributes of transactions to resolve conflicts to achieve serialization. We argue that using the dynamic attributes of transactions economizes memory use and reduces conflict resolution time.
A model of diffusion/viscous mass transport in silicates during liquid-phase sintering

The model of capillary transport of liquid metals driven by shear stress resulting from the displacement of menisci [J.W. Nowok, Scripta Metal]. Mater. 29 , 931 (1993); Acta Metall. Mater. 42 , 4025 (1994)] is applicable to liquid-phase sintering of silicate/aluminosilicate glasses. The movement of a liquid phase between adjacent particles is compared with that in capillaries. It appears that the transport property of intergranular melt may be expressed by the viscosity (η) and volume diffusion ( D ) parameters if mean displacement of menisci is compared with the mean diffusive jump lengths of atoms/molecules ( L ). This leads to the following relation: (γ/η) L α = D cap , where α and D cap are a specific permeability and volume diffusion coefficient. The use of this model requires the assumption that the diffusing species are also the viscous flow units, and they can be either atoms or structural units. This assumption seems to be applicable for depolymerized silicate melts if the dominant mass transport is initiated by the diffusion of both nonbridging oxygen and silicon atoms.
Classical Hall effect in two-dimensional composites: A characterization of the set of realizable effective conductivity tensors

After Dykhne, the classical conductivity problem in any two-dimensional inhomogeneous medium is shown to be isomorphic to the conductivity problem in a family of associated inhomogeneous media. The transformation generating this isomorphism generalizes Keller's duality transformation. For conduction in two-component media in a magnetic field, there is a transformation to a conductivity problem with the magnetic field absent. This implies a linear relation between the determinant and skew part of the effective conductivity tensor which, in the low-field limit, reduces to Shklovskii's formula. A complete characterization is given of the set of all effective conductivity tensors that are obtained as the composite geometry is varied over all possible configurations.
Physicochemical Characterization of Zeolites SSZ-26 and SSZ-33

Detailed characterization of zeolites SSZ-26 and SSZ-33 is presented and includes data from adsorption experiments, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron diffraction (ED), and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). Simulated XRD patterns and HREM images of the proposed structures agree very well with all the experimental data. These zeolites are the first synthetic high-silica molecular sieves to contain a three-dimensional pore system comprised of intersecting 10- and 12-ring pores. The structures of SSZ-26 and SSZ-33 are compared to the structures of known zeolites, and the relationships between the geometry of the structure-directing agents used in the synthesis of SSZ-26 and the geometry of the pores are analyzed using energy minimization calculations. Several hypothetical zeolite structures are derived based on the proposed models for SSZ-26 and SSZ-33. SSZ-26 and SSZ-33 are the first examples of molecular sieves whose multidimensional pore systems have been formed by the purposeful design of their structure-directing agents.
ZAPS electrifies RIG-I signaling.

ZAPS, a member of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase family, modulates innate antiviral immunity by boosting signaling of the RNA helicase RIG-I.
Rotation of a γ-ε Subunit Domain in the Escherichia coli F1F0-ATP Synthase Complex THE γ-ε SUBUNITS ARE ESSENTIALLY RANDOMLY DISTRIBUTED RELATIVE TO THE α3β3δ DOMAIN IN THE INTACT COMPLEX

Abstract A triple mutant of Escherichia coliF1F0-ATP synthase, αQ2C/αS411C/eS108C, has been generated for studying movements of the γ and e subunits during functioning of the enzyme. It includes mutations that allow disulfide bond formation between the Cys at α411 and both Cys-87 of γ and Cys-108 of e, two covalent cross-links that block enzyme function (Aggeler, R., and Capaldi, R. A. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 13888–13891). A cross-link is also generated between the Cys at α2 and Cys-140 of the δ subunit, which has no effect on functioning (Ogilvie, I., Aggeler, R., and Capaldi, R. A. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 16652–16656). CuCl2 treatment of the mutant αQ2C/αS411C/eS108C generated five major cross-linked products. These are α-γ-δ, α-γ, α-δ-e, α-δ, and α-e. The ratio of α-γ-δ to the α-γ product was close to 1:2, i.e. in one-third of the ECF1F0 molecules the γ subunit was attached to the α subunit at which the δ subunit is bound. Also, 20% of the e subunit was present as a α-δ-e product. With regard to the δ subunit, 30% was in the α-γ-δ, 20% in the α-δ-e, and 50% in the α-δ products when the cross-linking was done after incubation in ATP + MgCl2. The amounts of these three products were 40, 22, and 38%, respectively, in experiments where Cu2+ was added after preincubation in ATP + Mg2+ + azide. The δ subunit is fixed to, and therefore identifies, one specific α subunit (αδ). A distribution of the γ and e subunits, which is essentially random with respect to the α subunits, can only be explained by rotation of γ-e relative to the α3β3 domain in ECF1F0.
Contribution of Light Chain Residues to High Affinity Binding in an HIV-1 Antibody Explored by Combinatorial Scanning Mutagenesis

Detailed analysis of factors governing high affinity antibody-antigen interactions yields important insight into molecular recognition and facilitates the design of functional antibody libraries. Here we describe comprehensive mutagenesis of the light chain complementarity determining regions (CDRs) of HIV-1 antibody D5 (which binds its target, ‘5-Helix’, with a reported KD of 50 pM). Combinatorial scanning mutagenesis libraries were prepared in which contact residues on the D5 light chain were varied among WT side chain identity or alanine. Selection of these libraries against 5-Helix, and then sequence analysis of the resulting population were used to quantify energetic consequences of mutation from wild-type to alanine (ΔΔGAla-WT) at each contact position. This analysis revealed several hotspot residues (ΔΔGAla-WT ≥ 1 kcal/mol) that formed combining site features critical to the affinity of the interaction. Tolerance of D5 light chain residues to alternative mutations was explored with a second library. We found that light chain residues located at the center and at the periphery of the D5 combining site contribute to shape complementarity and electrostatic characteristics. Thus, the affinity of D5 for 5-Helix arises from extended interactions involving both the heavy and light chains of D5. These results provide significant insight for future antibody engineering efforts.
FRIGHT: A flexible rule-based intelligent ghost team for Ms. Pac-Man

FRIGHT is a rule-based intelligent agent for playing the ghost team in the Ms. Pac-Man vs Ghosts Competition held at the 2012 IEEE Conference on Computational Intelligence and Games. FRIGHT uses rule sets with highlevel abstractions of the game state and actions, and employs evolutionary computation to learn rule sets; a distributed homogenous-agent approach is used. We compare the performance of a hand-coded rule set to one learned by the system and find that the rule set learned by the system outperforms the hand-coded rules.
Visualization of Retroviral Envelope Spikes in Complex with the V3 Loop Antibody 447-52D on Intact Viruses by Cryo-Electron Tomography

The gp120 portion of the envelope spike on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) plays a critical role in viral entry into host cells and is a key target for the humoral immune response, and yet many structural details remain elusive. We have used cryoelectron tomography to visualize the binding of the broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody (MAb) 447-52D to intact envelope spikes on virions of HIV-1 MN strain. Antibody 447-52D has previously been shown to bind to the tip of the V3 loop. Our results show antibody arms radiating from the sides of the gp120 protomers at a range of angles and place the antibody-bound V3 loop in an orientation that differs from that predicted by most current models but consistent with the idea that antibody binding dislodges the V3 loop from its location in the Env spike, making it flexible and disordered. These data reveal information on the position of the V3 loop and its relative flexibility and suggest that 447-52D neutralizes HIV-1 MN by capturing the V3 loop, blocking its interaction with the coreceptor and altering the structure of the envelope spike. IMPORTANCE Antibody neutralization is one of the primary ways that the body fights infection with HIV. Because HIV is a highly mutable virus, the body must constantly produce new antibodies to counter new strains of HIV that the body itself is producing. Consequently, antibodies capable of neutralizing multiple HIV strains are comparatively few. An improved understanding of the mechanism of antibody neutralization might advance the development of immunogens. Most neutralizing antibodies target the Env glycoprotein spikes found on the virus surface. The broadly neutralizing antibody 447-52D targets the highly conserved β-turn of variable loop 3 (V3) of gp120. The importance of V3 lies in its contribution to the coreceptor binding site on the target cell. We show here that 447-52D binding to V3 converts the Env conformation from closed to open and makes the V3 loop highly flexible, implying disruption of coreceptor binding and attachment to the target cell.
A study of the reactive properties of a VX model compound, as determined by electrostatic potential calculations

Abstract An ab initio self-consistent-field approach has been used to study the properties of an organophosphorus compound which is being taken as a model for VX ( O -ethyl- S -2-diisopropylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolate). The optimized geometry was determined at the STO-3G* level, and an STO-5G basis set was then used for computing the molecular electrostatic potential. This shows major negative regions (attractive toward electrophiles) near the phosphoryl oxygen and the nitrogen, with increasingly weaker ones in the vicinity of the alkoxy oxygen and the sulfur. It is suggested that an essential factor in the anticholinesterase activity of VX may be the presence of negative potentials of appropriate magnitudes associated with the oxygens and the sulfur. Our results support earlier speculation that the presence of the nitrogen may interfere with the metal-catalyzed hydrolysis of VX.
Who should guard the gates? : Evidentiary and professional warrants for claiming jurisdiction

This article explores empirical and theoretical literature relevant to accreditation of teacher education programs. The lack of substantial research on accreditation makes it impossible to make empirically based claims about the value-added of such processes, including how accreditation processes enhance the professionalization of teacher education. Contemporary scholarship, especially in sociology, also raises questions, especially about the uncritical acceptance of the professionalization movement in teacher education. After briefly reviewing three lines of criticism concerning professionalization, the authors use that literature to “read” both Wise’s (2005) description of the benefits of NCATE’s work and Murray’s (2005) description of TEAC’s role in enhancing professionalism in teacher education. Both authors presume that professionalization is a good; both fail to confront some of the central concerns about the exclusionary practices of professions in their descriptions of NCATE and TEAC. The authors ...
Effect of increasing atmospheric methane concentration on ammonium inhibition of soil methane consumption

SOILS currently consume about 30–40 Tg methane per year1,2, which is comparable to the net annual increase in atmospheric methane concentration from 1980 to 19903. Most soils consume methane2,4–9, but the extent varies with soil water content, land use and ammonium inputs5,10–13. Ammonium concentrations in many soils have increased in recent years as a result of land-use changes and increases in ammonium concentration in precipitation14,15. Ammonium strongly inhibits soil methane consumption, but the mechanism is uncertain. Even if enhanced ammonium concentrations are subsequently reduced, inhibition can still persist for months to years12,13. Here we show, from field and laboratory experiments, that the extent of ammonium inhibition increases with increasing methane concentration. We propose that nitrite formation from methanotrophic ammonium oxidation accounts for much of the observed inhibition, and that the persistence of inhibition with reduced ammonium concentrations is due to the limited capacity of methanotrophs to grow or recover in present concentrations of atmospheric methane. We suggest that past increases in atmospheric methane concentration may have increased the inhibitory effect of ammonium, thereby decreasing soil methane uptake capacity, and that this mechanism could also provide a positive feedback on future atmospheric methane concentrations.
The shape of the temperature-entropy saturation boundary

Abstract The phase diagram in temperature-entropy space plays an important role in the visualization, design and analysis of operating cycles in refrigerators and heat pumps. The shape of the phase boundary in this space varies dramatically from one material to another. The origin of these differences is shown to be a consequence of molecular structure. Relationships of varying accuracy are developed to estimate the slope of the vapour branch of the T - S diagram.
Structure of hydroperoxides obtained from autoxidized methyl linoleate

A sample of debromination methyl linoleate has been autoxidized to a peroxide value of 671 m.e./kg. at approximately 0°C. in the dark. An essentially pure concentrate of methyl octadecadienoate monohy-droperoxide was quantitatively separated; infrared and ultraviolet spectral studies were made on the peroxide concentrate and on the corresponding hydroxyl derivative obtained by reducing the peroxides with stannous chloride. The infrared data showed no conjugated peroxides having geometric configurations other than cis, trans; the same data also showed that the peroxide concentrate contained at least 90% conjugated cis,trans forms. Calculations based on ultraviolet spectrophotometric methods also indicated that the peroxides were at least 90% conjugated. The remaining 10% of the sample is most likely nonconjugated diene hydroperoxide. Since analogous cis, cis conjugated dienes have not been isolated and their infrared and ultraviolet properties are unknown, their presence here in small amounts is possible. Ultraviolet and infrared spectra of the reduced compounds conform closely to those of the peroxides except for reduction in the intensity of the OH bond at 2.88 μ. The infrared absorption spectra of the C−H structure and carbonyl groups of an essentially pure conjugated cis, trans methyl octadecadienoate monohydroperoxide were recorded, using a LiF prism. The infrared absorption spectra of the C−H strucfraction isolated from methyl linoleate autoxidized in the dark at 24°C. indicated that appreciable amounts of conjugated trans, trans hydroperoxides were present, in addition to those of the cis, trans type. It is possible that the conjugated cis, trans isomers were formed originally but were labile at the higher temperature and in the presence of catalysts (e.g., peroxides) were transformed to the thermodynamically more stable conjugated trans, trans isomer.
Detector and electronics design considerations for an emission–transmission medical imaging system

Capable of simultaneous x‐ray and nuclear‐medicine imaging, the emission–transmission computed tomography (ETCT) system is a unique approach to the problems of quantitation and localization in radionuclide measurements. Several potential improvements to the ETCT front‐end are assessed in terms of their benefit for quantitative measurements. First, a ‘‘triple‐mode’’ readout circuit has been designed to improve scatter rejection without sacrificing flexibility. The circuit can be operated in three modes: a slow pulse‐counting mode for detection of radionuclide events with excellent energy resolution, a fast pulse‐counting mode for simultaneous acquisition of emission and transmission data or for collection of dual‐energy x‐ray data at high rates with moderate energy resolution; and current‐mode operation for acquisition of x‐ray transmission data. Next, cadmium‐telluride and cadmium‐zinc‐telluride detectors are evaluated. These materials offer room‐temperature operation, large size, and good stopping efficiency; however, they also exhibit limited energy resolution and poor charge collection. It is shown that their most serious limitation is low photopeak efficiency. Thus, methods for reduction of charge‐trapping losses are proposed. Finally, the benefits of excellent scatter rejection are assessed. Although scatter introduces a measurable error, the effects of attenuation and collimator blur are more significant. In addition, at an energy resolution of several keV, the error due to scatter is small compared to the statistical uncertainty in quantitative measurements.
Levonorgestrel exposure to fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) alters survival, growth, steroidogenic gene expression and hormone production

Human pharmaceuticals are commonly detected in the environment. Concern over these compounds in the environment center around the potential for pharmaceuticals to interfere with the endocrine system of aquatic organisms. The main focus of endocrine disruption research has centered on how estrogenic and androgenic compounds interact with the endocrine system to elicit reproductive effects. Other classes of compounds, such as progestins, have been overlooked. Recently, studies have investigated the potential for synthetic progestins to impair reproduction and growth in aquatic organisms. The present study utilizes the OECD 210 Early-life Stage (ELS) study to investigate the impacts levonorgestrel (LNG), a synthetic progestin, on fathead minnow (FHM) survival and growth. After 28 days post-hatch, survival of larval FHM was impacted at 462 ng/L, while growth was significantly reduced at 86.9 ng/L. Further analysis was conducted by measuring specific endocrine related mRNA transcript profiles in FHM larvae following the 28 day ELS exposure to LNG. Transcripts of 3β-HSD, 20β-HSD, CYP17, AR, ERα, and FSH were significantly down-regulated following 28d exposure to 16.3 ng/L LNG, while exposure to 86.9 ng/L significantly down-regulated 3β-HSD, 20β-HSD, CYP19A, and FSH. At 2,392 ng/L of LNG, a significant down-regulation occurred with CYP19A and ERβ transcripts, while mPRα and mPRβ profiles were significantly induced. No significant changes occurred in 11β-HSD, CYP11A, StAR, LHβ, and VTG mRNA expression following LNG exposure. An ex vivo steroidogenesis assay was conducted with sexually mature female FHM following a 7 day exposure 100 ng/L LNG with significant reductions observed in pregnenolone, 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20-DHP), testosterone, and 11-ketotestosterone. Together these data suggest LNG can negatively impact FHM larval survival and growth, with significant alterations in endocrine related responses.
Competitiveness and the Urban Economy: Twenty-four Large US Metropolitan Areas

During the past decade, as trade barriers have been lowered as a consequence of trade liberalisation negotiations conducted at both the international and the regional levels, urban economies have been increasingly vulnerable to competitive forces emanating from the most distant corners of the global economy as well as having been presented with previously unimaginable opportunities for penetration of markets equally distant. National governments have accepted self-imposed constraints on their capacity to intervene in their own economies, through adoption of limitations on the use of tariffs, quotas and other traditional devices, and through establishment of impartial, trade dispute resolution mechanisms. Technological change has only exacerbated the situation facing each urban economy and, in many industries, industrial agglomerations are giving way to plants, such as mini-mills in steel production, that can be located according to a new set of criteriaÐ proximity to consumers and access to transport, rather than proximity to resources; or to labour with certain qualities, rather than to other ® rms in the same industry. In many industries, clustering, of course, remains important. The result of these two forces is the creation of new economic spaces within which new actors, urban economies, must make decisions about production and distribution; notions of periphery and centre must be rethought; and relationships of competition and co-operation take on new meaning and importance. This increased exposure of urban economies to economic change and rationality has made it imperative that each local government pay more attention to the competitiveness of its tradable goods industries. While they did not examine, nor do they recommend, speci ® c policy initiatives at the level of the urban economy, Schmitz and Musyck (1994, p. 905) conclude in their study of industrial districts in Europe that:
Abstract 2234: Catechol suppresses EGF-induced cell transformation by inhibiting ERK2 activity as confirmed by a crystallographic study.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Catechol (pyrocathechol, 1,2-dihydroxybenzene) is a chemical that is used by industry in the manufacture of certain products. It also occurs naturally in many fruits such as apple, apricot, grape, bananas, pear, plum, mango, avocado, potato, and mushrooms. Browning of fruit occurs because of a chemical reaction between catechol and oxygen. Even though, catechol has toxicity at a high dose as shown by an in vivo study, the Environmental Protection Agency has not classified catechol with respect to potential carcinogenicity. Whether a lower concentration (< 40 μM) of catechol treatment has effects on carcinogenesis is not known. We found that catechol binds to ERK2 and inhibits its activity. The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) belong to the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family, and regulate important biological processes such as cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, and transcription regulation. ERK2 is activated in response of UV, cytokines and growth factors, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor. Constitutive activation of ERK2 is observed in many human cancers such as colon, breast, lung and skin cancers. In this study we present the co-crystal structure of ERK2 bound with catechol in the ATP-active site. The conserved amino acid residues within the hinge region that are involved in the interaction of ERK and its inhibitors make the contacts with catechol. Contacts include side chain of Q105, and the main chains of the D106 and M108 residues. We found that catechol inhibits ERK2 in vitro kinase activity more than two-fold at a 20 μM concentration. This was confirmed by the observed decrease of the phosphorylation of Elk1, a specific downstream target of ERK2. In addition, 20 μM catechol inhibited EGF-induced JB6 cell transformation. Interestingly, JB6 cell proliferation was not affected at 20 μM concentration. Taken together, the results showed that catechol inhibits EGF-induced cell transformation without any toxicity through the inhibition of ERK2 activity. Citation Format: Do Young Lim, Margarita Malakhova, Igor Kurinov, Seung Ho Shin, Mee-Hyun Lee, Ann M. Bode, Zigang Dong. Catechol suppresses EGF-induced cell transformation by inhibiting ERK2 activity as confirmed by a crystallographic study. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2234. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2234
SU‐E‐T‐575: To Analyze the Clinical Impact of Esophageal Sparing on Treatment Plans for Patients with Grade 3 Esophagitis

Purpose: To analyze the clinical impact of esophageal sparing on treatment plans for patients with grade 3 esophagitis. Methods: The treatment plans of 8 patients (project total: 20 patients) who were treated with IMRT and exhibited stage 3 esophagitis were re‐planned to give a simulated clinical plan with dose distribution that mirrored our current clinical practice (74Gy to the target, and 5mm margins), and a plan that emphasized esophageal sparing. Doses to the esophagus, heart, cord, lung and PTV were compared. Results: Comparing the esophageal sparing plan to the simulated clinical plan, the mean reduction in esophageal volume receiving 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70Gy were 2.0, 3.2, 5.0, 7.2, and 10.9 cm3, respectively. The mean reduction in the continuous length of esophagus receiving 50, 55, 60, 65, and 70Gy were 12, 24, 38, 40, and 47mm, respectively. The associated reduction in dose to 90% and 95% of the PTV was 2.2 and 3.8Gy, respectively. Of the 8 patients examined, 2 showed a significant decrease in PTV coverage (4.6Gy, 12.3Gy for 90% of PTV), 4 showed decreases under 1.1Gy, but 2 showed an increase of 1.4Gy and 0.5Gy for 90% PTV. Cord dose was maintained below 50Gy, and there was a slight increase in mean heart dose and mean lung dose of 2.4Gy, and 2.7Gy, respectively. Data will also be presented comparing these plans with the actual treated plans (for which the patients had grade 3 esophagitis) and plans that emphasize PTV coverage. Conclusions:Treatment planning to emphasize esophageal sparing can reduce the volume and continuous length of the esophagus which receives high doses. There is some associated modest reduction in PTV coverage. In summary, in many cases esophageal sparing can be accomplished for lungcancer cases while maintaining adequate PTV coverage, although there is variability between patients.
Controls on soil respiration in semiarid soils

Soil respiration in semiarid ecosystems responds positively to temperature, but temperature is just one of many factors controlling soil respiration. Soil moisture can have an overriding influence, particularly during the dry/warm portions of the year. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the influence of soil moisture on the relationship between temperature and soil respiration. Soil samples collected from a range of sites arrayed across a climatic gradient were incubated under varying temperature and moisture conditions. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of substrate quality on short-term soil respiration responses by carrying out substrate-induced respiration assessments for each soil at nine different temperatures. Within all soil moisture regimes, respiration rates always increased with increase in temperature. For a given temperature, soil respiration increased by half (on average) across moisture regimes; Q10 values declined with soil moisture from 3.2 (at −0.03 MPa) to 2.1 (−1.5 MPa). In summary, soil respiration was generally directly related to temperature, but responses were ameliorated with decrease in soil moisture.
Predictions based on the maximum oscillator frequency of a transistor

A CONVENIENT starting point for any consideration of the transistor as a circuit element is the adoption of an equivalent circuit. Much has been written on this subject, and many different equivalent circuits proposed. Since an equivalent circuit which specified the transistor over the whole possible operating range would be impractically complex, it is necessary to make approximations, thereby restricting the region of usefulness of the equivalent circuit.
Immunological characterization of a low molecular weight polypeptide of murine leukemia virus.

Abstract A low molecular weight polypeptide (MW 16,000) of the Rauscher strain of mouse leukemia virus (MuLV) has been isolated. A very sensitive and highly specific radioimmunoassay has been developed for its quantitation. The present studies indicate that this polypeptide is virus-coded and antigenically distinct from another virion protein, the group-specific (gs) antigen Different strains of MuLV contain antigens immunologically cross-reactive with the low molecular weight polypeptide. Studies are presented comparing the level of expression of this virion antigen in normal and transformed cells.
The isolation and structural characterization of dichloro[2,6-diacetylpyridinebis(semicarbazone)]tin(IV) dichloride dihydrate

Abstract The planar pentadentate ligand 2,6-diacetylpyridinebis(semicarbazone), DAPSC, was found to combine with SnCl 3 − dissociated from [Pt(SnCl 3 ) 5 ] 3− and form a pentagonal bipyramidal complex of Sn(IV). The complex was characterized by an X-ray crystal structure study. The [Sn(DAPSC)Cl 2 ]·2H 2 O complex crystallized in space group P 2 1 / n with four molecules in a unit cell with dimensions a = 9.213(2), b = 13.391(4), c = 16.856(7) A and β = 95.60(3)°. The R and R w values were 0.047 and 0.061, respectively for 2832 reflections. The cation is a slightly distorted pentagonal bipyramid in which the DAPSC ligand forms a pentagonal plane and two chloride ions occupy the axis positions. This is the first example of a metal oxidation taking place in the presence of DAPSC and being stabilized by the ligand.
Effects of temperature on host-pathogen-drug interactions in red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, determined by 1H NMR metabolomics.

The antibiotic oxytetracycline (OTC) has shown immense promise for combating the causative agent of Withering syndrome (WS), a Rickettsia-like procaryote (WS-RLP) that has severely impacted Califor...
The marginal cost of carbon abatement from planting street trees in New York City

Urban trees can store carbon through the growth process and reduce fossil fuel use by lowering cooling and heating energy consumption of buildings through the process of transpiration, shading, and the blocking of wind. However, the planting and maintenance of urban trees come at a cost. We estimate the discounted cost of net carbon reductions associated with planting and caring for street trees in New York City (NYC) over 50- and 100-year horizons. Depending on the species planted, the cost of reducing carbon, averaged across planting locations, ranges from $3133 to $8888 per tonne carbon (tC), which is higher than current cost estimates of forest-based carbon sequestration. The London plane tree is the most cost-effective species because of its long life span and large canopy, and the marginal cost of carbon reduction for the species ranges from $1553 to $7396/tC across planting locations. The boroughs of Staten Island and Queens have planting locations with the lowest average costs of carbon reduction ($2657/tC and $2755/tC, respectively), resulting from greater reductions in energy consumption in nearby buildings, which have fewer stories and more residential use than buildings in the other boroughs.
The semantics and complexity of parallel programs for vector computations. Part I: a case study using Ada

Recent research in parallel numerical computation has tended to focus on the algorithmic level. Less attention has been given to the programming level where algorithm is matched, to some extent, to computer architecture. This two-part paper presents a three-level approach to parallel programming which distinguishes between mathematical algorithm, program and computer architecture. In part I, we motivate our approach by a case study using the Ada language. In part II, a mathematical concept of parallel algorithm is introduced in terms of partial orders. This serves as the basis of a theory of parallel computation which makes possible a precise semantics and a precise criterion of complexity of parallel programs. It also suggests some notation for specifying parallel numerical algorithms. To illustrate the ideas presented in part II, we concentrate here on parallel numerical computations which have vector spaces as their central data type and which are intended to be executed on a multi-processor system. The Ada language, with its task constructs, allows one to program computer algorithms to be executed on multi-processor systems, rather than on “vector (pipelined) architectures”. To provide a concrete example of the general problem of programming parallel numerical algorithms for multi-processor computers, we do a case study of how Ada can be used to program the solution of a system of linear equations on such computers. The case study includes an analysis of complexity which addresses the cost of data movement and process control/synchronization as well as the usual arithmetic complexity.
WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE: A NEW PARADIGM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Oppression based on gender exists in all aspects of women's lives and transcends contemporary cultures, economic systems, and even health care services. Radical feminism provides an alternative philosophic framework of health care that is based on a women-centered viewpoint, with the experiences of women as its unifying philosophy. Midwifery is a means to apply this new philosophic approach to the health care of women. A partnership between midwifery and feminist philosophy will allow women's voices to be heard, while guiding research in women's health care in new directions, and illuminating new approaches to current health problems. The new millennium provides an opportunity to explore an alternative framework and philosophy that will change the current paradigm of women's health care.
Quantifying Adventitious Error in a Covariance Structure as a Random Effect

We present an approach to quantifying errors in covariance structures in which adventitious error, identified as the process underlying the discrepancy between the population and the structured model, is explicitly modeled as a random effect with a distribution, and the dispersion parameter of this distribution to be estimated gives a measure of misspecification. Analytical properties of the resultant procedure are investigated and the measure of misspecification is found to be related to the root mean square error of approximation. An algorithm is developed for numerical implementation of the procedure. The consistency and asymptotic sampling distributions of the estimators are established under a new asymptotic paradigm and an assumption weaker than the standard Pitman drift assumption. Simulations validate the asymptotic sampling distributions and demonstrate the importance of accounting for the variations in the parameter estimates due to adventitious error. Two examples are also given as illustrations.
Dermoid sinus in a Rhodesian ridgeback

A dermoid sinus was identified in a Rhodesian ridgeback dog. Diagnosis was by physical examination, contrast radiography, gross and microscopic evaluations. Surgical resection of the lesion was curative.
Dietary γ-Linolenic Acid Enhances Mouse Macrophage-Derived Prostaglandin E1 Which Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation

We previously demonstrated that macrophages isolated from mice fed gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)-enriched diets reduce vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation in a cyclooxygenase-dependent fashion and may therefore favorably modulate the atherogenic process. The present study was conducted to elucidate the mechanism(s) by which dietary GLA influences the ability of macrophages to modulate SMC growth programs. Resident peritoneal macrophages were isolated from C57BL/6 female mice fed diets containing variable GLA compositions at 10% (wt/wt), treated with various antibodies and co-cultured with cycling naive vascular SMC isolated from nonpurified diet-fed mice. Smooth muscle cell proliferation and intracellular cAMP levels were measured after co-culture. In parallel experiments, cycling naive vascular SMC isolated from nonpurified diet-fed mice were dosed with exogenous prostaglandin E1 (PGE1 ) for various periods and challenged with cycloheximide for 4 h (8-12 h after PGE1 addition), and intracellular cAMP levels were measured at various time points. Macrophages isolated from mice fed GLA-enriched dietary oils significantly reduced SMC proliferation in co-culture compared with controls (macrophages from mice fed a corn oil diet containing no GLA). Anti-PGE1 antiserum treatment (1:50 or 1:100) blocked the ability of GLA-enriched macrophages to down-regulate SMC proliferation, a response reversed by exogenous PGE1 treatment. Macrophages isolated from mice fed GLA-enriched dietary oils elevated SMC intracellular cAMP levels in a biphasic fashion. In addition, exogenous PGE1 (1 nmol/L to 10 micromol/L) exerted a similar biphasic cAMP response in SMC, and the second phase of cAMP elevation was antagonized by cycloheximide. In conclusion, dietary GLA enhances mouse macrophage-derived prostaglandin E1, which inhibits vascular SMC proliferation.
Exploiting superword level parallelism with multimedia instruction sets

Increasing focus on multimedia applications has prompted the addition of multimedia extensions to most existing general purpose microprocessors. This added functionality comes primarily with the addition of short SIMD instructions. Unfortunately, access to these instructions is limited to in-line assembly and library calls. Generally, it has been assumed that vector compilers provide the most promising means of exploiting multimedia instructions. Although vectorization technology is well understood, it is inherently complex and fragile. In addition, it is incapable of locating SIMD-style parallelism within a basic block.In this paper we introduce the concept of Superword Level Parallelism (SLP) ,a novel way of viewing parallelism in multimedia and scientific applications. We believe SLPP is fundamentally different from the loop level parallelism exploited by traditional vector processing, and therefore demands a new method of extracting it. We have developed a simple and robust compiler for detecting SLPP that targets basic blocks rather than loop nests. As with techniques designed to extract ILP, ours is able to exploit parallelism both across loop iterations and within basic blocks. The result is an algorithm that provides excellent performance in several application domains. In our experiments, dynamic instruction counts were reduced by 46%. Speedups ranged from 1.24 to 6.70.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RACE AND GENDER IN SCHOOL SUCCESS AMONG LATINAS AND LATINOS IN COLLEGE

This article considers how race and gender shape latina and Latino paths to school success in college. A purposive sample of successful high school and college students was selected. Through interviews, fieldwork, and school records, the researchers find that Latinas navigate successfully through negative stereotypes by maintaining positive definitions of themselves and by emphasizing their group membership as Latina. Young Latino men also see themselves as part of a larger cultural group but tend to have less positive racial and ethnic identities than women do. Typically, they are supported by mentors, such as white athletic coaches, and tend to draw from the meritocratic ethos of sports, regarding their success in individualistic terms. While successful Latinas do not assimilate in the ways predicted by the literature, the young men in this study accept the individualistic and meritocratic ethos of the dominant culture, but with a psychological price.
Effect of Skin Content on Some Properties of Poultry Meat Loaves

Abstract Poultry loaves were prepared with turkey thigh meat and proportions of skin ranging from 10% to 50% of formulation. Raw mixes were prepared for extrusion using the FTC back extrusion cell. After cooking to 78 C internally, loaves were evaluated for Gardner color values, cooking losses, shear forces, and composition of the meat and meat exudate. Extrusion force values were 9.2 to 9.3 kg for loaves made with up to 30% skin and then significantly (P
Local synaptic learning rules suffice to maximize mutual information in a linear network

A network that develops to maximize the mutual information between its output and the signal portion of its input (which is admixed with noise) is useful for extracting salient input features, and may provide a model for aspects of biological neural network function. I describe a local synaptic Learning rule that performs stochastic gradient ascent in this information-theoretic quantity, for the case in which the input-output mapping is linear and the input signal and noise are multivariate gaussian. Feedforward connection strengths are modified by a Hebbian rule during a "learning" phase in which examples of input signal plus noise are presented to the network, and by an anti-Hebbian rule during an "unlearning" phase in which examples of noise alone are presented. Each recurrent lateral connection has two values of connection strength, one for each phase; these values are updated by an anti-Hebbian rule.
Alfalfa living mulch advances biological control of soybean aphid.

Abstract Despite evidence for biological control in North America, outbreaks of the invasive soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), continue to occur on soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.). Our objectives were to determine whether natural enemies delay aphid establishment and limit subsequent population growth and whether biological control can be improved by altering the within-field habitat. We hypothesized that a living mulch would increase the abundance of the aphidophagous community in soybean and suppress A. glycines establishment and population growth. We measured natural enemy and A. glycines abundance in soybean grown with and without an alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) living mulch. Soybean grown with an alfalfa living mulch had 45% more natural enemies and experienced a delay in A. glycines establishment that resulted in lower peak populations. From our experiments, we concluded that the current natural enemy community in Iowa can delay A. glycines establishment, and an increase...