cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of heme environment and mechanism of peroxide bond cleavage in human prostacyclin synthase

Abstract Prostacyclin is a potent mediator of vasodilation and anti-platelet aggregation. It is synthesized from prostaglandin H2 by prostacyclin synthase (PGIS), a member of Family 8 in the cytochrome P450 superfamily. Unlike most P450s, which require exogenous reducing equivalents and an oxygen molecule for mono-oxygenation, PGIS catalyzes an isomerization with an initial step of endoperoxide bond cleavage of prostaglandin H2 (PGH2). The low abundance of PGIS in natural tissues necessitates heterologous expression for studies of structure/function relationships and reaction mechanism. We report here a high-yield prokaryotic system for expression of enzymatically active human PGIS. The PGIS cDNA is modified by replacing the hydrophobic amino-terminal sequence with the more hydrophilic amino-terminal sequence from P450 2C5 and by adding a four-histidine tag at the carboxyl terminus. The resulting recombinant PGIS associates with host cell membranes and was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by nickel affinity, hydroxyapatite and CM Sepharose column chromatography. The recombinant PGIS, with a heme:protein ratio of 0.9:1, catalyzes prostacyclin formation at a Km of 13.3 μM PGH2 and a Vmax of 980 per min. The dithionite-reduced PGIS binds CO with an on-rate of 5.6 × 105 M−1 s−1 and an off-rate of 15 s−1. The ferrous–CO complex of PGIS is very short-lived and decays at a rate of 0.7 s−1. Spectral binding assays showed that imidazole binds weakly to PGIS (Kd ∼0.5 mM,) but clotrimazole, a bulky and rigid imidazole derivative, binds strongly (Kd ∼1 μM). The transient nature of the CO complex and the weak imidazole binding seem to support an earlier proposal that PGIS active site has a limited space, but the tight binding of clotrimazole argues against this view. It appears that the heme distal pocket of PGIS is fairly adaptable to ligands of various structures. UV-visible absorption, magnetic circular dichroism and electron paramagnetic resonance spectra indicate that PGIS has a typical low-spin heme with a hydrophobic active site. PGIS catalyzes homolytic scission of the peroxide bond of a test substrate, 10-hydroperoxyoctadeca-8,12-dienoic acid, accompanied by formation of a heme intermediate with a Compound II-like optical spectrum.
Inhibition of MerTK increases chemosensitivity and decreases oncogenic potential in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Pediatric leukemia survival rates have improved dramatically over the past decades. However, current treatment protocols are still largely ineffective in cases of relapsed leukemia and are associated with a significant rate of chronic health conditions. Thus, there is a continued need for new therapeutic options. Here, we show that mer receptor tyrosine kinase (MerTK) was abnormally expressed in approximately one half of pediatric T-cell leukemia patient samples and T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cell lines. Stimulation of MerTK by the ligand Gas6 led to activation of the prosurvival proteins Erk 1/2 and Stat5, and MerTK-dependent activation of the STAT pathway in leukemia represents a novel finding. Furthermore, inhibition of MerTK expression increased the sensitivity of T-ALL cells to treatment with chemotherapeutic agents and decreased the oncogenic potential of the Jurkat T-ALL cell line in a methylcellulose colony-forming assay. Lastly, inhibition of MerTK expression significantly increased median survival in a xenograft mouse model of leukemia (30.5 days vs 60 days, P<0.0001). These results suggest that inhibition of MerTK is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of leukemia and may allow for dose reduction of currently used chemotherapeutics resulting in decreased rates of therapy-associated toxicities.
Why is the radial flow in central pA collisions stronger than in AA

Abstract Both the transverse size and entropy density per area in central pA collisions is smaller than in central AA , and yet the radial flow is stronger. We propose an explanation to this puzzle. Using a weak attraction between strings through the σ -meson exchange, fitted to the lattice data, we find collective implosion of the “spaghetti” multi-string state. Collectivization of the sigma field of the strings is the QCD analog of the black hole formation occurring in holographic models.
The NH2-terminal Half of the Tn10-specified Tetracycline Efflux Protein TetA Contains a Dimerization Domain

The 43.1-kDa tetracycline-cation/proton antiporter TetA from Tn10 comprises two equal-sized domains, alpha and beta (amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal halves, respectively). An inactivating mutation in the alpha domain can complement a mutation on a second polypeptide in the beta domain to restore partial tetracycline resistance in bacterial cells, suggesting that intermolecular interactions permit this transport protein to act as a multimer. In the present studies, multimer formation was examined in mixtures of dodecylmaltoside extracts of membranes from Escherichia coli cells containing different TetA derivatives. TetA, TetA alpha, and TetA beta were each fused genetically to a six-histidine carboxyl-terminal tail. The ability of these fusions, immobilized on a nickel affinity column, to bind wild type TetA or other Tet fusions was determined. An interaction between alpha domains on different polypeptides which resulted in multimerization was seen. The binding was specific for Tet protein and did not occur with other membrane proteins or another polyhistidine fusion protein. No alpha-beta interactions were detected by this method, although they are postulated to occur in the intact cell based on the alpha-beta genetic complementations. A dimeric model for TetA having intermolecular alpha-alpha and alpha-beta interactions is presented.
Can the risk of pancreatitis following endoscopic papillary balloon dilation for common bile duct stones be reduced

Can the risk of pancreatitis following endoscopic papillary balloon dilation for common bile duct stones be reduced?
The mechanism and photodissociation dynamics of the (S·SO2)+ cluster at 308 nm

Abstract A pulsed laser technique has been developed ofr studying the photodissociation of ions and ion clusters in a fast ion beam. The experiments were conducted using a reverse geometry double focusing mass spectrometer. Ions were produced via multiphoton ionization by crossing a continuous supersonic jet with a 20 nm pulse of a XeCI excimer laser. These ions were accelerated to 8 keV, mass selected by a magnet, and brought to a spatial focus where they were intercepted by the focused 308 nm output of a second pulsed XeCI excirem laser. The major ions produced in the ions source were S+, SO+ and clusters of these ion SO2. Photodissociation of the (S·SO2)+ cluster ion was investigated. The predominant product channel leads to SO+ + SO products, but small amounts of S+ + SO+2 + S products were also observed. Photofragment kinetic energy distributions were measured for each product channel. Production of S + SO+2 products in their ground electronic states is favored. In contrast, S+ + SO2 products are formed with S+ in electronically excited spin-orbit states. The observation of a strong SO+ + SO photodissociation channel is a surprising result. Photodissociation of an isomeric form of (S·SO2)+, the SO+2 dimer ion, is postulated to explain this result. The photofragment angular distributions and kinetic energy distribution for SO+ products lend support to this structural assignment.
Succinate:Quinol Oxidoreductases in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803: Presence and Function in Metabolism and Electron Transport

The open reading frames sll1625 and sll0823, which have significant sequence similarity to genes coding for the FeS subunits of succinate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase, were deleted singly and in combination in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. When the organic acid content in the Deltasll1625 and Deltasll0823 strains was analyzed, a 100-fold decrease in succinate and fumarate concentrations was observed relative to the wild type. A similar analysis for the Deltasll1625 Deltasll0823 strain revealed that 17% of the wild-type succinate levels remained, while only 1 to 2% of the wild-type fumarate levels were present. Addition of 2-oxoglutarate to the growth media of the double mutant strain prior to analysis of organic acids in cells caused succinate to accumulate. This indicates that succinate dehydrogenase activity had been blocked by the deletions and that 2-oxoglutarate can be converted to succinate in vivo in this organism, even though a traditional 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase is lacking. In addition, reduction of the thylakoid plastoquinone pool in darkness in the presence of KCN was up to fivefold slower in the mutants than in the wild type. Moreover, in vitro succinate dehydrogenase activity observed in wild-type membranes is absent from those isolated from the double mutant and reduced in those from the single mutants, further indicating that the sll1625 and sll0823 open reading frames encode subunits of succinate dehydrogenase complexes that are active in the thylakoid membrane of the cyanobacterium.
A low-power monolithically stacked 3D-TCAM

This paper presents three techniques to reduce the power consumption in ternary content-addressable memories (TCAMs). The first technique is to use newly developed monolithically stacked 3D-IC technology for the implementation, because vertical stacking can drastically reduce interconnect length in both matchlines and searchlines, hence reducing signal path delay and power consumption. The second technique is to replace the conventional SRAM memory in a TCAM with an array of programmable vias (or electrolyte non-volatile memory). Special programming circuitry is designed to read/write memory bits from/to the programmable via array because they do not simply store data in the form of low and high voltage levels. We also devised a new TCAM cell design to further reduce power consumption in TCAMs by taking full advantage of 3D-IC technology. A 1024 times 144-bit TCAM using the proposed schemes is implemented with 1.0-V 65 nm CMOS technology. Our analysis and simulations have shown that the proposed monolithically stacked 3D-TCAM can reduce the total dynamic power consumption by almost 3.5 times and increase TCAM cell density by about 4 times in comparison with a conventional 2D-TCAM chip of the same capacity.
Low-Income African American Adolescents who Avoid Pregnancy: Tough Girls who Rewrite Negative Scripts

The purpose of this research was to generate a grounded theory that explains the social-psychological processes of low-income African American adolescents who avoided pregnancy. Data collection included focus groups and in-depth interviews with 17 women aged 19 to 26. Data analysis using the grounded theory method revealed that these girls were the recipients of negative social-psychological scripts, putting them at risk for poverty and early childbearing. The "tough girls" struggled to rewrite these scripts by recognizing their negativity, being disenchanted with the scripts, determining to be different, and creating better lives. These aware, introspective young women believed in self-responsibility, self-protection, education, and financial independence. Practice implications and considerations for programmatic interventions can be based on this analysis.
Linear soft-input soft-output multiuser detection for coded multiuser systems

For coded multiuser systems, an iterative receiver consisting of a soft-input soft-output (SISO) multiuser detector and a bank of single-user (SISO) decoders can provide a system performance which approaches that of the single user system after many iterations. In this paper, we transform the traditional linear multiuser detectors, namely the decorrelator and MMSE detector, into SISO detectors which can cooperate with single-user decoders iteratively. The resulting system performance converges quickly, while the computational complexity is proportional to the number of users squared. Both performance analysis and simulation results are provided. Finally, the comparison between these two types of linear SISO detectors is presented.
COMPOSITION AND ORIENTATION EFFECTS ON GROUP COHESION

This study investigated the effects of homogeneous composition and orientation upon the development of cohesion in growth groups. Eight groups, each composed of seven members, were homogeneously composed on the basis of inclusion need using Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior. Members were graduate students enrolled in a group procedures course in counseling psychology. Two high-inclusion, two high-moderate, two low-moderate, and two low-inclusion groups were formed. One group from each of these levels was then randomly selected to receive either a cohesion or general-orientation message. Cohesion was measured by a questionnaire developed by Yalom and was assessed at three intervals. Results indicated that the two low-moderate inclusion groups surpassed the other groups in the development of cohesion; most work toward the establishment of cohesion was completed by Session 15 or mid-way period; and the effects of orientation were negligible.
Cachexia in chronic kidney disease: a link to defective central nervous system control of appetite

The explosion of information emerging from several fields, including molecular and cellular biology and neuroscience, has helped elucidate specific mechanisms that regulate appetite. A major impetus for investigating why we eat is the increasing prevalence of obesity. However, there is a flip side: we also need to understand how catabolic conditions cause anorexia, which can contribute to cachexia — the loss of fat and protein stores. In chronic kidney disease (CKD) there is evidence that the intake of calories, including protein, decreases as renal insufficiency advances (1). Although this is one reason for weight loss in CKD patients, metabolic abnormalities other than poor diet can also cause cachexia (2). Early studies of the anorexia associated with CKD established a link between this condition and the circulation of “middle molecules” — compounds with molecular weights between 1.0 and 5.0 kDa. While the structures of these anorexigenic middle molecules are unknown, injection of a mixture of them into a normal rat’s peritoneal cavity has been shown to decrease carbohydrate intake (3). Other potential causes of anorexia in CKD patients include a decreased ability to distinguish flavors (i.e., abnormal taste), stomach irritation caused by medicines such as iron compounds or phosphate binders, hemodynamic instability as a result of exposure to antihypertensive medicines or hemodialysis, and a sensation of fullness during peritoneal dialysis, as well as psychological and economic factors.
Running after w(z): Some stumbling blocks

One of the most viable explanations for the accelerated expansion of the universe at the present epoch entails a mysterious dark energy component in the energy budget of the universe. Although the existence of dark energy has been corroborated by several independent studies over the past decade, there is no compelling theoretical explanation for its existence. In order to learn more about this mysterious dark energy, a number of current and future observational studies are aimed at constraining its equation of state (EOS; w ( z ) ) with unprecedented precision. Here we address the heart of some of these projects. We first try to motivate a model-independent approach to constrain the EOS. We then concentrate on two potential sources of uncertainties in the EOS: systematics incorporated due to the lensing of supernova (SN), and systematics based on the the existence of two different SN populations.
Experiencing Pharmacy Practice in Rural Tanzania

Mvumi Hospital is located in a rural area of central Tanzania. It is a general hospital that has to cope with the wide variety of medical and surgical presentations encountered in this area of East Africa. Health care delivery is limited by distance and the endemic poverty of the population. Common presentations include malaria, anaemia, meningitis, cholera, dysentery, tick-borne relapsing fever, severe malnutrition in children, and complications of AIDS. Helping to provide the pharmacy service during a six-month period of voluntary work was a rewarding experience that can be highly recommended for pharmacists wishing to broaden their global perspective.
Kinetics of Glucose Incorporation by Aphanocapsa 6714

Photoautotrophic metabolism of CO(2) was compared with glucose metabolism in the facultative unicellular blue-green alga, Aphanocapsa 6714. Glucose-fed cells incorporated more (14)C into phosphorylated sugar intermediates of the reductive and oxidative pentose phosphate cycles than autotrophic cells. The relative increases were: 140-fold in dark cells; 32-fold in dichlorophenylmethylurea (DCMU)-inhibited cells; and 16-fold in cells assumilating glucose during photosynthetic carbon reduction. On the other hand, incorporation of (14)C from glucose into 3-phosphoglycerate and the amino acid pools of glutamate and aspartate was reduced in dark cells. Rates of protein synthesis in dark and DCMU-inhibited cells were reduced 50 and 80% compared to photoautotrophic cells. In cells assimilating glucose during photosynthesis, rates of (14)C incorporation into the two amino acids and protein were the same as in photoautotrophic cells. Chase experiments, using an excess of (12)C-glucose and CO(2), revealed slow turnover of carbon in dark cells and intermediate turnover rates in DCMU-inhibited cells, when compared to cells assimilating glucose during photosynthesis.
Multiple Myocardial Hamartomas Causing Ventricular Tachycardia in Young Children: Combined Surgical Modification and Medical Treatment

Objective To describe two cases of incessant ventricular tachycardia caused by multiple myocardial hamartomas. Material and Methods Two infants, 13 and 14 months old, who had had multiple episodes of symptomatic tachycardia were referred to our institution. Incessant ventricular tachycardia was diagnosed. Initially, the patients received pharmacologic therapy. The recurrent tachycardia resulted in notable hemodynamic instability. No structural abnormalities were detected on the echocardiograms. In one patient, an electrophysiologic study revealed that the site of ventricular ectopic beats was in the anterolateral wall of the left ventricle, midway between the apex and the base. In the other patient, a preoperative electrophysiologic study was not undertaken because of the inability to obtain central venous access. Results Diffuse hamartomas were found throughout the ventricular myocardium in both patients. Surgical resection and cryoablation of the lesions in combination with medical therapy helped control the tachyarrhythmia. At 7 and 17 months postoperatively, the patients were in normal sinus rhythm and were receiving medication. Conclusion In young children who have incessant ventricular tachycardia but no lesion evident on echocardiography, angiography, or other imaging modalities, a myocardial tumor should be suspected, and pharmacologic therapy should be instituted. If the medical regimen fails, surgical intervention should be undertaken, directed at areas localized by inspection and by preoperative and intraoperative electrophysiologic studies.
Reducing cross domain call overhead using batched futures

In many systems such as operating systems and databases it is important to run client code in a separate protection domain so that it cannot interfere with correct operation of the system. Clients communicate with the server by making cross domain calls, but these are expensive, often costing substantially more than running the call itself. This paper describes a new mechanism called batched futures that transparently batches possibly interrelated client calls. Batching makes domain crossings happen less often, thus substantially reducing the cost. We describe how the mechanism is implemented for the Thor object-oriented database system, and presents performance results showing the benefit of the mechanism on various benchmarks.
Development of Grounded Theory: Moving Towards a Theory of the Pathways into Street Prostitution Among Low-Income Women

The authors examined the social problem of addictions and prostitution using a qualitative study with 15 adult women who were also in addictions treatment. Findings from the study suggest that prostitution is a rite of passage for many women from poor communities and their approach to life is one of passive externalization in which they are ambivalent about their immediate circumstances. Addiction contributes to prostitution, “en-traps” many of the women in prostitution, and acts as barrier in escaping it. Suggestions are made regarding improved methods of practice with this population.
Commentary on Sources of Ostracism Research.

ABSTRACTThis article briefly introduces and provides commentary on this special issue, “Investigating How Individuals Feel Ostracizing Others” in the Journal of Social Psychology. This commentary uses first-person recollections from early ostracism studies to help frame the special issue in the larger scope of ostracism research. Modern ostracism research started in the early 1990s and hundreds of studies have advanced our understanding of this phenomenon. However, the preponderance of research has focused on the target of ostracism (those being ostracized) and relied primarily on a single method in experimental studies. The present special issue includes articles that employed a variety of research approaches and focused exclusively on the sources (those who do the ostracism). Finally, this commentary invites researchers to more fully investigate this understudied aspect of a common phenomenon that people are likely to engage in regularly.
Subband coding for fast controller implementation: the general case

This paper deals with a new wavelet packet based design methodology for efficient implementation of digital controllers that operate at very high sampling rates, but for reasons of compactness are fabricated on VLSI chips with limited surface area. The original problem was given previously by the author (2000). He argues that this brings about a fundamental tradeoff between sampling speed, accuracy due to signal quantization, and the chip area. Here he reconciles this tradeoff by using multirate subband coding techniques that exploit spectral disparities in the closed loop signals. A precise optimization problem. was formulated in the previous paper, but only a very restrictive solution given. In this paper he provides a more general solution to the problem.
Surface Structure of Single-Crystal MoS2(0002) and Cs/MoS2(0002) by X-ray Photoelectron Diffraction

The surface structure of a clean MoS2(0002) and an in situ Cs surface-doped MoS2(0002) has been studied using high-resolution X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The X-ray photoelectron diffraction (XPD) patterns of the Mo 3d5/2 and S 2p core levels from a clean, well-ordered MoS2(0002) show forward focusing intensity maxima along the directions of nearest neighbors in MoS2 in both the polar and azimuthal angle scans. The XPD patterns in the azimuthal angle scan exhibit a pronounced photoelectron intensity maximum at every 60°, reflecting the 6-fold rotational symmetry of the basal plane. In addition, because of the finite electron escape depth and the short-range order of the scattered photoelectrons, the azimuthal scans of both the Mo 3d5/2 and the S 2p core levels further display the 3-fold rotational symmetry of the trigonal prismatic local structure, which MoS2(0002) possesses. The deposition of Cs onto the MoS2(0002) surface at room temperature did not introduce any significant changes either in the l...
Benign glandular inclusions in para-aortic lymph nodes in women undergoing lymphadenectomies

Benign glandular inclusions in para-aortic lymph nodes are a relatively common occurrence. The chance of finding these benign glandular inclusions in the para-aortic lymph nodes is dependent on the intensity with which one searches. In our series of 106 para-aortic lymphadenectomies performed on patients with gynecologic malignancies, there were five patients in whom these benign Mullerian rests were found. Other series report up to a 40.8 per cent incidence of benign inclusions in nodes of patients with cervical cancer. They may have been either congenital or acquired. It is critical that these Mullerian tissues are not confused with metastatic disease. The significance of these benign glandular inclusions is discussed.
Augmented knowledge of results and its effect upon acquisition and retention of a gross motor skill.

Abstract College students (N=78) practiced the badminton long serve 20 times daily for eight days under four different knowledge conditions. Although the performance of males was significantly better than that of females were no significant treatment effects on the last day of practice with knowledge or on a post-test and a retention test with augmented knowledge removed from the situation.
Internal Fixation of Unstable Osteochondritis Dissecans in the Skeletally Mature Knee with Metal Screws.

PurposeSeveral bioabsorbable and metal options are available for internal fixation of an unstable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesion, but currently there are little data on outcomes with metal headless compression screws in the adult knee. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) the radiographic healing rates, (2) midterm clinical outcomes, and (3) comparison between healed and unhealed OCD fragments after use of headless metal compression screws for the treatment of unstable OCD lesions in the knees of skeletally mature patients.MethodsRetrospective chart review for all skeletally mature patients who presented with unstable femoral condyle OCD lesions of the knee was conducted. All patients underwent open or arthroscopic reduction and internal fixation using headless metal compression screws. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were reviewed with healing defined as radiographic evidence of union of the OCD progeny fragment with the condyle. Clinical outcome data were collected retrospec...
Investigations into the cellular mechanism of action of transplanaramines of the type trans-[Pt (O2CR)2 (L) (L’)]

B36 The current work investigates the influence of transplanaramine (TPA) platinum compounds of structure trans-[Pt (O2CR)2 (L) (L’)], (L=NH3, L’= pyridine, quinoline, isoquinoline; L = L ‘ = pyridine; R = H, CH3, CH2OH) on growth and viability of HCT116 human colon carcinoma and A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells as well as their putative mechanism(s) of cytotoxicity. A series of structural analogs was examined with a focus on the contribution of the carboxylate leaving group to drug action. The compounds, as a class, have been shown to induce cell death through caspase-dependent apoptosis, with activation of both caspase 3 and caspase 9 and concomitant PARP cleavage. Both A2780 and HCT116 WT cell lines are most sensitive to trans-[Pt (O2CH)2(NH3)(Isq)], which may be related to its enhanced cellular accumulation. The enhanced cytotoxicity of trans-[Pt(O2CH)2(NH3)(Isq)] compared to its isostructural -O2CCH3 analog may be a consequence of its increased hydrolytic activation, enhanced cellular uptake, interstrand cross-linking and abortive efforts by the cell to repair the cross linked DNA. Previous studies have shown higher levels of cytotoxicity specific tumor types when compared to cisplatin. Here we examine the contributions of molecular pathways to the cytotoxic effect of transplanaramines as compared to cisplatin and oxaliplatin. This data suggests that the trans-[Pt (O2CH)2(NH3)(Isq)] compound is a possible candidate for clinical development.
The Economics of Economic Expertise: Between Agent Competence and Societal Construction

This paper treats the structure of economic theory as a product of spontaneously ordered relationships among theorists in a setting where different institutional frameworks can govern those relationships. Those differences generate different selection principles among economic theories and, thus, different qualities of economic expertise. Under one framework, relationships among theorists are dyadic. This is the world of self-financed amateurs. Under an alternative framework those relationships are triadic. This is the world of professionals supported by third parties. In the former setting, expertise emerges through the conferral of admiration by participants. In the latter setting, the qualities of expertise can be governed to a significant degree by the interests of those third parties. In this instance, the selection among theoretical formulations is becomes biased in favor of conceptualizations that can enlist economics science in the service of those third parties. If in turn those outside interests reside in support of a progressivist and activist state, economic theory becomes oriented toward economic engineering rather than economic understanding. This claim is illustrated with respect to macro theory and public economics.
Mammals from the Mexican State of Sinaloa. I. Marsupialia, Insectivora, Edentata, Lagomorpha

Two marsupials, one insectivore, one edentate, and four lagomorphs are native to Sinaloa, Mexico. Accounts for these eight species present data on distribution, systematics, and natural history in this biogeographically strategic area of western Mexico.
Contribution to the Biology of the Haliplidæ (Coleoptera).

The literature contains several scattered references to the biology of Haliplidae. Except for the work of Matheson (1912, 156–193) and Wilson (1923, 231–345) on a few species, no extensive study of these beetles in America has been made. In connection with some life history (Hickman, 1930, 399–424) and experimental work (Hickman, in press) on haliplids, data were accumulated which seem worthy of publication. The beetles studied were found in the vicinity of Ann Arbor and of Douglas Lake, Michigan. In order to work out the life histories, it was necessary to develop culture methods by which the development could be carried through from the egg to imago. Such methods were discovered and the complete life cycles of all species known in Michigan were worked out.
Alternative first-principles calculation of entropy for liquids.

We present an alternative method for interpreting the velocity autocorrelation function (VACF) of a fluid with application to extracting the entropy in a manner similar to the methods developed by Lin et al. [J. Chem. Phys. 119, 11792 (2003)] and improved upon by Desjarlais [Phys. Rev. E 88, 062145 (2013)]. The liquid VACF is decomposed into two components, one gas and one solid, and each contribution's entropic portion is calculated. However, we fit both the gas and solid portions of the VACF in the time domain. This approach is applied to a single-component liquid (a two-phase model of liquid Al at the melt line) and two different two-component systems: a superionic-to-superionic (bcc to fcc) phase transition in ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$ at high temperatures and pressures and a metastable liquid state of MgO. For all three examples, comparisons to existing results in the literature demonstrate the validity of our alternative.
System design for a synergistic, low power mote/BLE embedded platform

Modern IoT prototyping platforms fall short in terms of energy efficiency, connectivity and software programming practices. We present the design of a new hardware and software platform that addresses these shortcomings by bringing together Mobile, Wearable, Maker and Wireless Sensor Network technologies to enable rapid prototyping with a high degree of synergy and energy efficiency. This is achieved in part by leveraging the Memory Protection Unit on modern microcontrollers along with a novel syscall interface to provide kernel / user isolation and a clean concurrency model. Such a design allows a wide range of languages to be used for application development without significant adaptation. We demonstrate how careful choice of application language allows the naturally asynchronous nature of embedded programming to be expressed cleanly and powerfully. Finally we evaluate the platform in several integrated use cases, providing examples of the capabilities introduced by Synergy.
Premeal insulin decreases arterial stiffness in children with type 1 diabetes.

Objective To determine the effects of omitting meal time insulin on arterial stiffness in children with type 1 diabetes. Research design and methods In this prospective, randomized, crossover study, radial artery tonometry and augmentation index adjusted to heart rate 75 (AI75) were used to measure arterial stiffness. Children were randomized to receive or omit premeal insulin and completed the crossover portion of the study on a subsequent day. AI75 was determined when fasting, 1, and 2 h postmeal. Results When comparing change in AI75 from baseline to 1 h and baseline to 2 h, when subjects received premeal insulin vs. no insulin, AI75 was 4.5 units lower at 1 h (p = 0.011, 95% CI:1.1 lower to 8 lower) and 4.3 units lower at 2 h (p = 0.062, 95% CI: 0.2 higher to 8.9 lower) (n = 40). Conclusions Arterial stiffness is decreased by premeal insulin in children with type 1 diabetes.
Moisture effects on degraded ballast shear strength behavior

Ballast consisting of large sized aggregate particles with uniform size distribution is an essential component of the track substructure, to facilitate load distribution and drainage. As freight tonnage accumulates with traffic, ballast will accumulate an increasing percentage of fines due to either aggregate breakdown or outside contamination such as subgrade soil intrusion and coal dust collection. According to the classical text by Selig and Waters [1], ballast degradation from traffic involves up to 76% of all fouling cases; voids will be occupied by fines from the bottom of ballast layer gradually causing ballast clogging and losing its drainage ability. When moisture is trapped within ballast, especially fouled ballast, ballast layer stability is compromised. In the recent studies at the University of Illinois, the focus has been to evaluate behavior of fouled ballast due to aggregate degradation using large scale triaxial testing. To investigate the effects of moisture on degraded ballast, fouled ballast was generated in the laboratory through controlled Los Angeles (LA) abrasion tests intended to mimic aggregate abrasion and breakdown and generate fouled ballast at compositions similar to those observed in the field due to repeated train loadings. Triaxial shear strength tests were performed on the fouled ballast at different moisture contents. Important findings of this preliminary study on characterizing wet fouled ballast are presented in this paper. Moisture was found to have a significant effect on the fouled ballast strength behavior. Adding a small amount of 3% moisture (by weight of particles smaller than 3/8 in. size or smaller than 9.5 mm) caused test specimens to indicate approximately 50% decrease in shear strength of the dry fouled ballast. Wet fouled ballast samples peaked at significantly lower maximum deviator stress values at relatively smaller axial strains and remained at these low levels as the axial strain was increased.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Combinatorial sputtering of Ga-doped (Zn,Mg)O for contact applications in solar cells

Abstract Development of tunable contact materials based on environmentally friendly chemical elements using scalable deposition approaches is necessary for existing and emerging solar energy conversion technologies. In this paper, the properties of ZnO alloyed with magnesium (Mg), and doped with gallium (Ga) are studied using combinatorial thin film experiments. As a result of these studies, the optical band gap of the sputtered Zn 1−x Mg x O thin films was determined to vary from 3.3 to 3.6 eV for a compositional spread of Mg content in the 0.04 17 cm − 3 or 10 20 cm −3 , respectively. Based on these results and on the Kelvin Probe work function measurements, a band diagram was derived using basic semiconductor physics equations. The quantitative determination of how the energy levels of Ga-doped (Zn, Mg)O thin films change as a function of Mg composition presented here, will facilitate their use as optimized contact layers for both Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS), Cu(In, Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) and other solar cell absorbers.
Does Everyone's Motivational Beliefs about Physical Science Decline in Secondary School?: Heterogeneity of Adolescents' Achievement Motivation Trajectories in Physics and Chemistry.

Students’ motivational beliefs about learning physical science are critical for achieving positive educational outcomes. In this study, we incorporated expectancy-value theory to capture the heterogeneity of adolescents’ motivational trajectories in physics and chemistry from seventh to twelfth grade and linked these trajectories to science-related outcomes. We used a cross-sequential design based on three different cohorts of adolescents (N = 699; 51.5 % female; 95 % European American; M ages for youngest, middle, and oldest cohorts at the first wave = 13.2, 14.1, and 15.3 years) coming from ten public secondary schools. Although many studies claim that physical science motivation declines on average over time, we identified seven differential motivational trajectories of ability self-concept and task values, and found associations of these trajectories with science achievement, advanced science course taking, and science career aspirations. Adolescents’ ability self-concept and task values in physics and chemistry were also positively related and interlinked over time. Examining how students’ motivational beliefs about physical science develop in secondary school offers insight into the capacity of different groups of students to successfully adapt to their changing educational environments.
Two Russellian Arguments for Acquaintance

ABSTRACTBertrand Russell [1912] argued that we are acquainted with our experiences. Although this conclusion has generated a lot of discussion, very little has been said about Russell's actual arguments for it. This paper aims to remedy that. I start by spelling out two Russellian arguments for acquaintance. Then I show that these arguments cannot both succeed. For if one is sound, the other isn't. Finally, I weigh our options with respect to these arguments, and defend one option in particular. I argue that we have good reason to believe that we can be, and sometimes are, acquainted with our experiences.
Elementary mathematics specialists in “departmentalized” teaching assignments: Affordances and constraints ☆

Abstract In this article, we describe the experiences of three Elementary Mathematics Specialists (EMS) who were part of a larger project investigating the impact of EMS certification and assignment (self-contained or “departmentalized”) on teaching practices and student achievement outcomes. All three of the teachers were “departmentalized,” in the sense that each was responsible for teaching mathematics to at least two groups of students, and accordingly, did not teach all subjects as would a typical self-contained elementary teacher. Each teacher had recently earned an Elementary Mathematics Specialist certificate through completion of a 24-credit, graduate-level program designed to build pedagogical content knowledge and leadership capacity in mathematics. Through a series of observations and interviews over the course of one school year, we examined how the teachers described and navigated specific affordances and constraints they encountered in their particular contexts. Common affordances included opportunities to revise and learn from instruction, and constraints included reduced flexibility introduced by the need to schedule multiple classes of mathematics. Despite these common features, we found important differences between the three models of departmentalization, which we describe as team approach , class swap , and grade-level mathematics teacher . For example, some of the models provided more opportunities for collaboration while others made it difficult for teachers to address potential inequities in learning opportunities across sections. Despite the constraints of their respective models, we found evidence of the EMS-certified teachers drawing on professional expertise in mathematics to meet student needs.
Abstract B10: Synthetic lethal screen to identify novel therapies targeting TP53-mutant colon cancer cells

We have performed a genome-wide synthetic lethal screen for pathways that are essential for the survival of colon cancer cells with TP53 mutations. RKO colon cancer cells are wild-type for TP53, and display robust p53-dependent growth arrest and apoptosis. We have utilized an isogenic pair of RKO cells differing only in TP53 gene status (Wild Type vs homozygous null derivative) to screen a genome-wide GeCKO CRISPR library and identified pathways that are novel therapeutic targets for TP53-mutant colon cancers. After infection of these cells with the GeCKO CRISPR library and one week of culturing in vitro, we performed deep GeCKO CRIPSR amplicon sequencing to enumerate and identify all CRISPRs that were underrepresented in TP53 mutant compared to wild type cells. We identified multiple CRISPRs targeting the CHEK1 and the SHH genes which were underrepresented in TP53 knockout cells. We then tested small molecule inhibitors of CHEK1 (UCN01) and the SHH receptor SMO (Cyclopamine) against isogenic pairs of RKO, HCT116, and DLD1 cells and confirmed that each molecule is significantly more toxic to cells with mutant TP53 than to those with wild-type TP53. Future studies will focus on testing these and additional targets alone and in combination against primary colon tumor and normal avatars, and preclinical models of TP53-mutant colon cancer. Citation Format: Charles C. Weige, Erin L. Anderson, Joseph Richardson, Carlo Contreras, Phillip J. Buckhaults. Synthetic lethal screen to identify novel therapies targeting TP53-mutant colon cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Targeting the Vulnerabilities of Cancer; May 16-19, 2016; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2017;23(1_Suppl):Abstract nr B10.
Regulation by Threat: Dodd-Frank and the Non-Bank Problem

A central lesson of the global financial crisis is that banks are not the only types of financial firms that can pose dangers to the broader financial system. One of Dodd-Frank’s primary mechanisms for responding to this reality is to empower a council of financial regulators to designate individual non-bank financial institutions as systemically risky. Although the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) has only exercised this authority four times, it has occasioned considerable controversy in court, in Congress, and among commentators. This Article defends the FSOC designation scheme, arguing that most of its critics misunderstand the mechanisms by which it helps to reduce systemic risk outside of the banking sector. FSOC designation does not, and cannot, precisely distinguish between firms that could pose a systemic risk and those that could not. FSOC’s broad discretion to impose costly sanctions on designated firms instead advances two quite different goals. First, it deters non-bank firms from seeking out systemically risky strategies or activities. Second, it holds financial regulators to account by threatening to impose additional restrictions and supervision on the firms they regulate if they fail to address systemic risk on their own. We term this approach “regulation by threat,” and suggest that it is appropriate when risks are hard to identify, the perils of mistake are great, and the downsides of misdiagnosis extreme. Systemic risk outside of the banking sector meets this description to a tee. Moreover, we argue that the Council’s discretion is better cabined by its structure – which features diverse membership, voting, review, and political safeguards – than by insistence on particularly “hard look” judicial review, accompanied by the requirement of a cost benefit analysis for any individual designation decision. Similarly, the various reform proposals to limit FSOC’s discretion or impose additional procedural limits on its operations generally threaten to undermine the Council’s effectiveness by unnecessarily limiting its discretion, and thus its capacity to regulate by threat.
Global Sources of Nitrous Oxide

Both natural and anthropogenic sources produce N2O. The primary natural sources of N2O are upland soils under natural vegetation, oceans, coastal waters, riparian zones, estuaries, and rivers. Riparian zones, rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters are also impacted by anthropogenic activities from agriculture. The anthropogenic source is associated with leaching and export from agricultural soils. Natural sources accounts for 64% of global N2O emissions. Riparian zones have saturated conditions and microbially available C, which contribute to higher rates of production of N2O than dry land soils. The oceans are another major source of natural of N2O emissions to the atmosphere with production of N2O primarily occurring in the water column. Agriculture accounts for 67–80% of anthropogenic N2O emissions. The major anthropogenic sources from agriculture include organic and inorganic N added to as fertilizers, cultivation of legumes that fixes atmospheric N2 biologically. Other anthropogenic sources include industrial processes, biomass burning, and fossil fuel combustion. The current estimated global N2O emissions are estimated at 19.8 Tg N2O-N year−1, of which the anthropogenic emissions are 6.7 Tg N2O-N year−1. The prediction of future emissions depends on the changing human activities as well as on climate patterns that are shifting because of global climate change.
Stochastic operation of interconnected microgrids

This paper proposes a new stochastic framework for optimal operation and management of interconnected microgrids (MGs). The proposed method aims to minimize the total network costs including the cost of power generation by units, start up and shut down costs of units, and cost of power exchange among the MGs themselves and with the main grid. In order to get a realistic analysis, unscented transform is employed to model the uncertainties associated with the wind turbine and photovoltaic output power, load demand, and energy price forecast errors. Since the proposed problem is a complex, nonlinear constraint optimization problem, a new optimization algorithm based on crow search algorithm is proposed, here in this paper. A new modification method based on Levy flight is developed to increase the algorithm diversity during the optimization process. The feasibility and satisfying performance of the proposed method are examined on the IEEE 32 bus test system.