cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling forest carbon cycle using long‐term carbon stock field measurement in the Delaware River Basin

Process-based models are a powerful approach to test our understanding of biogeochemical processes, to extrapolate ground survey data from limited plots to the landscape scale, and to simulate the effects of climate change, nitrogen deposition, elevated atmospheric CO2, increasing natural disturbances, and land-use change on ecological processes. However, in most studies, the models are calibrated using ground measurements from only a few sites, though they may be extrapolated to much larger areas. Estimation accuracy can be improved if the models are parameterized using long-term carbon (C) stock data from multiple sites representative of the simulated region. In this study, forest biomass C stocks measured in 61 forested plots located in three research sites in the Delaware River Basin (DRB) were used to modify the PnET-CN model in three ways: (1) Field-measured mortality rates in each forest type were used to parameterize the wood turnover rate; (2) a numerical approach was used to calibrate the relationship between foliage N and maximum photosynthesis rate; and (3) stand age was incorporated into the model as an input variable, which determines the year of the last disturbance. The results showed that these model modifications improved model performance in capturing the spatial variation of forest C dynamics in the DRB forests. The spatial distribution of forest C pools and fluxes in the three sites was mapped using the modified model. The modified model was also used in experimental scenarios, which predicted that 39% of forest C sequestered over the past decade could be attributed to the combined effects of elevated CO2 and N deposition. This study demonstrated an effective method for using long-term biometric measurements of forest biomass C stocks to constrain and improve a process-based ecosystem model at a regional scale. Further research should target improving model parameters that are sensitive to the spatial variation of forest C dynamics.
Effects of flood inundation and invasion by Phalaris arundinacea on nitrogen cycling in an Upper Mississippi River floodplain forest

Although floodplains are thought to serve as important buffers against nitrogen (N) transport to aquatic systems, frequent flooding and high levels of nutrient availability also make these systems prone to invasion by exotic plant species. Invasive plants could modify the cycling and availability of nutrients within floodplains, with effects that could feedback to promote the persistence of the invasive species and impact N export to riverine and coastal areas. We examined the effect of flooding on soil properties and N cycling at a floodplain site in Pool 8 of the Upper Mississippi River with 2 plant communities: mature native forest (Acer saccharinum) and patches of an invasive grass (Phalaris arundinacea). Plots were established within each vegetation type along an elevation gradient and sampled throughout the summers of 2013 and 2014. Spatial trends in flooding resulted in higher soil organic matter, porosity, and total nitrogen and carbon in low elevations. Nutrient processes and NH4+ and NO3− availability, however, were best explained by vegetation type and time after flooding. Phalaris plots maintained higher rates of nitrification and higher concentrations of available NH4+ and NO3−. These results suggest that invasion by Phalaris may make nitrogen more readily available and could help to reinforce this species' persistence in floodplain wetlands. They also raise the possibility that Phalaris may decrease floodplain N storage capacity and influence downstream transport of N to coastal zones.
Dissociations of the number and precision of visual short-term memory representations in change detection

The present study dissociated the number (i.e., quantity) and precision (i.e., quality) of visual short-term memory (STM) representations in change detection using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and experimental manipulations. Across three experiments, participants performed both recognition and recall tests of visual STM using the change-detection task and the continuous color-wheel recall task, respectively. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the estimates of the number and precision of visual STM representations based on the ROC model of change-detection performance were robustly correlated with the corresponding estimates based on the mixture model of continuous-recall performance. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that the experimental manipulation of mnemonic precision using white-noise masking and the experimental manipulation of the number of encoded STM representations using consolidation masking produced selective effects on the corresponding measures of mnemonic precision and the number of encoded STM representations, respectively, in both change-detection and continuous-recall tasks. Altogether, using the individual-differences (Experiment 1) and experimental dissociation (Experiment 2 and 3) approaches, the present study demonstrated the some-or-none nature of visual STM representations across recall and recognition.
In situ force in the anterior cruciate ligament, the lateral collateral ligament, and the anterolateral capsule complex during a simulated pivot shift test.

The role of the anterolateral capsule complex in knee rotatory stability remains controversial. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the in-situ forces in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the anterolateral capsule, the lateral collateral ligament (LCL), and the forces transmitted between each region of the anterolateral capsule in response to a simulated pivot shift test. A robotic testing system applied a simulated pivot shift test continuously from full extension to 90o of flexion to intact cadaveric knees (n = 7). To determine the magnitude of the in-situ forces, kinematics of the intact knee were replayed in position control mode after the following procedures were performed: 1) ACL transection, 2) capsule separation, 3) anterolateral capsule transection and 4) LCL transection. A repeated measures ANOVA was performed to compare in-situ forces between each knee state (*p < 0.05). The in-situ force in the ACL was significantly greater than the forces transmitted between each region of the anterolateral capsule at 5o and 15o of flexion but significantly lower at 60o, 75o and 90o of flexion. This study demonstrated that the ACL is the primary rotatory stabilizer at low flexion angles during a simulated pivot shift test in the intact knee, but the anterolateral capsule plays an important secondary role at flexion angles greater than 60°. Furthermore, the contribution of the “anterolateral ligament” to rotatory knee stability in this study was negligible during a simulated pivot shift test. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Sleep apnea: a review of diagnostic sensors, algorithms, and therapies.

While public awareness of sleep related disorders is growing, sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) remains a public health and economic challenge. Over the last two decades, extensive controlled epidemiologic research has clarified the incidence, risk factors including the obesity epidemic, and global prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as well as establishing a growing body of literature linking OSA with cardiovascular morbidity, mortality, metabolic dysregulation, and neurocognitive impairment. The US Institute of Medicine Committee on Sleep Medicine estimates that 50-70 million US adults have sleep or wakefulness disorders. Furthermore, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) estimates that more than 29 million US adults suffer from moderate to severe OSA, with an estimated 80% of those individuals living unaware and undiagnosed, contributing to more than $149.6 billion in healthcare and other costs in 2015. Although various devices have been used to measure physiological signals, detect apneic events, and help treat sleep apnea, significant opportunities remain to improve the quality, efficiency, and affordability of sleep apnea care. As our understanding of respiratory and neurophysiological signals and sleep apnea physiological mechanisms continues to grow, and our ability to detect and process biomedical signals improves, novel diagnostic and treatment modalities emerge. Objective This article reviews the current engineering approaches for the detection and treatment of sleep apnea. Approach It discusses signal acquisition and processing, highlights the current nonsurgical and nonpharmacological treatments, and discusses potential new therapeutic approaches. Main results This work has led to an array of validated signal and sensor modalities for acquiring, storing and viewing sleep data; a broad class of computational and signal processing approaches to detect and classify SAS disease patterns; and a set of distinctive therapeutic technologies whose use cases span the continuum of disease severity. Significance This review provides a current perspective of the classes of tools at hand, along with a sense of their relative strengths and areas for further improvement.
Demonstrating Principles of Metabolism through Herbicide Treatment of Microalgae

An undergraduate laboratory experiment is described which illustrates blockade of a metabolic pathway and the potential environmental impacts of some herbicides. Students use a spectrophotometric assay to examine branched chain amino acid (BCAA) depletion in microalgae cultures treated with sulfosulfuron, an herbicide and known inhibitor of BCAA biosynthesis. Students also compare the growth of microalgae with and without sulfosulfuron treatment. The experiment provides student training in basic cell culture, biochemical assay techniques, and the use of a microplate spectrophotometer.
SN 2013fs and SN 2013fr: Exploring the circumstellar-material diversity in Type II supernovae

NSF [AST-1005313, AST-1515559, AST-1211916]; Discovery Communications; NASA's Astrophysics Data Analysis Program [NNX13AF35G]; PESSTO (the Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey for Transient Objects Survey) ESO programs [188.D-3003, 191.D-0935]; National Science Foundation [AST-1210599]; Gary & Cynthia Bengier; Richard & Rhoda Goldman Fund; Christopher R. Redlich Fund; TABASGO Foundation; Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science (U.C. Berkeley)
Oxygen self-diffusion mechanisms in monoclinic Zr O 2 revealed and quantified by density functional theory, random walk analysis, and kinetic Monte Carlo calculations

In this work, we quantify oxygen self-diffusion in monoclinic-phase zirconium oxide as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. A migration barrier of each type of oxygen defect was obtained by first-principles calculations. Random walk theory was used to quantify the diffusivities of oxygen interstitials by using the calculated migration barriers. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations were used to calculate diffusivities of oxygen vacancies by distinguishing the threefold- and fourfold-coordinated lattice oxygen. By combining the equilibrium defect concentrations obtained in our previous work together with the herein calculated diffusivity of each defect species, we present the resulting oxygen self-diffusion coefficients and the corresponding atomistically resolved transport mechanisms. The predicted effective migration barriers and diffusion prefactors are in reasonable agreement with the experimentally reported values. This work provides insights into oxygen diffusion engineering in $\mathrm{Zr}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$-related devices and parametrization for continuum transport modeling.
Development of a scalable synthetic route towards a 2,2,6-trisubstituted chiral morpholine via stereoselective hydroalkoxylation

Abstract A scalable synthetic route towards a chiral 2,2,6-trisubstituted chiral morpholine, which is a known opioid antagonist, was developed. The synthetic route involves incorporating an aryl group via Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and stereoselective hydroalkoxylation catalyzed by trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. Late stage incorporation of both the aryl and N-alkyl groups make this route suitable for further SAR studies on this molecule.
Inviting Industry into the Classroom: Meeting Learning Outcomes While Satisfying Industry Demands

The decision to invite industry into the classroom is rarely an easy one. Much like the separation of church and state, most academic universities acknowledge the need for separation between academia and industry. Industry should not dictate classroom curriculum, but neither should it be ignored when instructors are developing course content. There are a number of pros and cons as well as best practices to recognize when deciding if, when, and how industry should be brought into the academic classroom. This paper utilizes Kolb's (1984) four stage learning cycle to identify best practices for inviting industry into the classroom and offer suggestions for how to avoid common pitfalls with industry collaboration.
Preliminary Evaluation of a Tier 2 Mathematics Intervention for First-Grade Students: Using a Theory of Change to Guide Formative Evaluation Activities.

This pilot study examined the efficacy of a Tier 2 first-grade mathematics intervention program targeting whole-number understanding for students at risk in mathematics. The study used a randomized...
Cross Slip in the Face Centred Cubic Structure: An Atomistic Approach

Cross slip, the stress aided and thermally activated process by which a screw dislocation changes its glide plane, is of paramount importance in plastic deformation, e.g., in the later stages in single crystal plasticity, cyclic deformation and fatigue, and dislocation cell formation [1, 2, 3, 4]. Most models that attempt to describe plasticity, or some aspect of plasticity, invoke cross slip in a general sense without specific reference to the actual details of the process. However, modelling approaches such as the dislocation dynamics method (e.g. [5]) or analytical fatigue modelling (e.g. [4]) include specific cross slip properties quantitatively. Accurate knowledge about such properties is therefore crucial for the success of such approaches.
¿Quién le teme al populismo? La política entre la redención y el autoritarismo

I argue that in order to understand the relationships between populism, democratization, and authoritarianism scholars should build on the long Latin American experiences with populism. Differently from other world areas, in Latin America populists did not only challenge elites, but governed since the 1940s. Latin American social scientists developed theories of populism since Gino Germani wrote his seminal works in the 1950s. Furthermore, in Latin America populism manifested its more benign and inclusionary faces, whereas in Europe and the U.S. rightwing populists are racist and xenophobic. My second argument is for the need to differentiate the populist critique to constituted power from its solutions. Even though populists show the exclusions of real existing democracies, their solutions reduce the complexities of civil society and democracy to the struggle between to antagonistic camps. My third argument is that inclusion and democratization are not the same. Peronism and Chavism included politically, economically, and ethically the excluded while attempting against pluralism, transforming rivals into enemies, and closing spaces to the opposition. Finally, all populisms are not the same. Even though they share a political logic, they use different criteria to construct the people and their enemies. Some politicize socioeconomic exclusions, other use culture and ethnicity to mark boundaries of who belongs to the nation.
Difficult Airway Management of Neonates, Infants, and Children with Syndromes Involving the Airway

Children with difficult airways are particularly vulnerable. Recognition of a potential difficult airway and preparation are the key to caring for them successfully. A simple checklist and teamwork can help optimize care. Introduce all team members, and review the induction and intubation plan with the entire team, including identifying the clinician making each intubation attempt. Identify an individual who is available to assist before beginning airway management. The following principles should guide the care of these patients: 1. Limit the number of tracheal intubation attempts. 2. Know your equipment. Be prepared. 3. Always attempt to oxygenate during intubation. 4. Ensure an adequate depth of anesthesia before instrumenting the airway. 5. Be wary of cognitive biases that may delay action.
Robust Inference of Autonomic Nervous System Activation Using Skin Conductance Measurements: A Multi-Channel Sparse System Identification Approach

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) stimulates various sweat glands for maintaining body temperature as well as in response to various psychological events. Variations in skin conductance (SC) measurements due to salty sweat secretion can be used to infer the underlying ANS activity. Recovering both ANS activity and the underlying system from noisy single-channel recordings is challenging. As the same ANS activity drives all the sweat glands throughout the skin, the same information is encoded in different SC recordings. We perform system identification and develop a physiological model for multi-channel SC recordings relating them to ANS activation events. Using a multi-rate formulation, we estimate the number, timings, and amplitudes of ANS activity and the unknown model parameters from multi-channel SC data. We incorporate a generalized-cross-validation-based sparse recovery approach to balance between the sparsity level of the inferred ANS activity and the goodness of fit to the multi-channel SC data. We successfully deconvolve multi-channel experimental auditory stimulation SC data from human participants. We analyze experimental and simulated data to validate the performance of our concurrent deconvolution algorithm; we illustrate that we can recover the ANS activity due to the underlying auditory stimuli. Furthermore, we estimate stress using inferred ANS activity based on multi-channel deconvolution of SC data collected during different driving conditions and at rest. We propose a model for multi-channel SC recordings. Moreover, we develop a multi-channel deconvolution approach to perform robust sparse inference in the presence of noise. The proposed approach could potentially improve stress state estimation using wearables.
Unique metabolite preferences of the drug transporters OAT1 and OAT3 analyzed by machine learning

The multispecific organic anion transporters, OAT1 (SLC22A6) and OAT3 (SLC22A8), the main kidney elimination pathways for many common drugs, are often considered to have largely-redundant roles. However, whereas examination of metabolomics data from Oat-knockout mice (Oat1 and Oat3KO) revealed considerable overlap, over a hundred metabolites were increased in the plasma of one or the other of these knockout mice. Many of these relatively unique metabolites are components of distinct biochemical and signaling pathways, including those involving amino acids, lipids, bile acids, and uremic toxins. Cheminformatics, together with a "logical" statistical and machine learning-based approach, identified a number of molecular features distinguishing these unique endogenous substrates. Compared with OAT1, OAT3 tends to interact with more complex substrates possessing more rings and chiral centers. An independent "brute force" approach, analyzing all possible combinations of molecular features, supported the logical approach. Together, the results suggest the potential molecular basis by which OAT1 and OAT3 modulate distinct metabolic and signaling pathways in vivo As suggested by the Remote Sensing and Signaling Theory, the analysis provides a potential mechanism by which "multispecific" kidney proximal tubule transporters exert distinct physiological effects. Furthermore, a strong metabolite-based machine-learning classifier was able to successfully predict unique OAT1 versus OAT3 drugs; this suggests the feasibility of drug design based on knockout metabolomics of drug transporters. The approach can be applied to other SLC and ATP-binding cassette drug transporters to define their nonredundant physiological roles and for analyzing the potential impact of drug-metabolite interactions.
Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Tibial Tubercle Avulsion Fractures in Adolescents

Although rare, tibial tubercle avulsion fracture must be considered in the differential diagnosis for the pediatric patient presenting with acute knee pain. In the adolescent population, tibial tubercle avulsion fracture is a rare injury that is typically seen in boys who engage in sporting activities that involve jumping or sprinting. The proximal tibial physis closes distally in the posteromedial to anterolateral direction, creating an environment that predisposes the tubercle to a potential avulsion injury. Historically, the Ogden classification has guided nonoperative and operative management of this condition. Multiple fracture fixation methods have been described with the overall goal of restoring the extensor mechanism and the joint surface.
Diazotrophic bacteria from maize exhibit multifaceted plant growth promotion traits in multiple hosts

Sierra Mixe maize is a geographically remote landrace variety grown on nitrogen-deficient fields in Oaxaca, Mexico that meets its nutritional requirements without synthetic fertilizer by associating with free-living diazotrophs comprising the microbiota of its aerial root mucilage. We selected nearly 500 diazotrophic bacteria isolated from Sierra Mixe maize mucilage and sequenced their genomes. Comparative genomic analysis demonstrated that isolates represented diverse genera and possessed multiple marker genes for mechanisms of direct plant growth promotion (PGP). In addition to nitrogen fixation, we examined deamination of 1-amino-1-cyclopropanecarboxylic acid, biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid, and phosphate solubilization. Implementing in vitro colorimetric assays revealed each isolate9s potential to confer the alternative PGP activities that corroborated genotype and pathway content. We examined the ability of mucilage diazotrophs to confer PGP by direct inoculation of clonally propagated potato plants in planta, which led to the identification of bio-stimulant candidates that were tested for PGP by inoculating a conventional maize variety. The results indicate that, while many diazotrophic isolates from Sierra Mixe maize possessed genotypes and in vitro phenotypes for targeted PGP traits, a subset of these organisms promoted the growth of potato and conventional maize using multiple promotion mechanisms.
The Evolving 5G Case Study in the United States Unilateral Spectrum Planning and Policy

This paper tracks increasingly aggressive initiatives by the United States government to reallocate spectrum on an expedited and unilateral basis well before conclusion of inter-governmental coordination. Rather than embrace the customary commitment to achieve consensus on global spectrum allocations at the International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”), the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has auctioned off large blocks of frequencies for the next generation (“5G”) of wireless services. The FCC might have framed its first 5G auction, reassigning Ultra High Frequency (“UHF”) spectrum, as a one-time deviation from compliance with long standing, inter-governmental coordination procedures. These frequencies have ideal signal propagation characteristics and the Commission could use financial incentives — unavailable in most nations — to expedite “repacking” by incumbent broadcasters willing to move, share or abandon spectrum in exchange for ample financial compensation. However, the FCC has continued to auction off 5G spectrum on grounds that it must find ways to abate an acute shortage of wireless bandwidth and doing so will regain or maintain global leadership in wireless technologies. This paper offers a critical rebuke to unilateral spectrum management, because the short-term benefits expected by the U. S. government likely will be offset by countervailing harms to 5G manufacturers, carriers and consumers. The paper tracks fractious preparation for the ITU’s 2019 World Radio Conference by the U.S. delegation and the mixed record achieved there. Additionally, the paper explains how injecting trade, industrial policy and national security issues at the ITU can trigger more delays and disputes, including possible retaliation by nations displeased with U.S. efforts to subvert traditional technology optimization goals. A worst case scenario has the ITU deadlocked and unable to reach closure on “mission critical” spectrum planning issues at World Radio Conferences, convened every four years. The paper concludes that costs and likely challenges to the efficacy and legitimacy of the ITU will reduce the benefits accruing from the FCC’s unilateral, spectrum planning campaign.
Special Considerations in Social Network Interviewing and Mapping with Vulnerable Populations

This short take describes the process of enhancing social network interviews with qualitative inquiry to facilitate participant recall, contextualize participant–alter relationships, and increase c...
High-Dimensional Data Analysis with Low-Dimensional Models: Principles, Computation, and Applications

Connecting theory with practice, this systematic and rigorous introduction covers the fundamental principles, algorithms and applications of key mathematical models for high-dimensional data analysis. Comprehensive in its approach, it provides unified coverage of many different low-dimensional models and analytical techniques, including sparse and low-rank models, and both convex and non-convex formulations. Readers will learn how to develop efficient and scalable algorithms for solving real-world problems, supported by numerous examples and exercises throughout, and how to use the computational tools learnt in several application contexts. Applications presented include scientific imaging, communication, face recognition, 3D vision, and deep networks for classification. With code available online, this is an ideal textbook for senior and graduate students in computer science, data science, and electrical engineering, as well as for those taking courses on sparsity, low-dimensional structures, and high-dimensional data. Foreword by Emmanuel Candes.
High Glycemic Diet Is Related to Brain Amyloid Accumulation Over One Year in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease

Objective: To test the hypothesis that high glycemic diet is related to 1-year change in brain amyloid based on our prior cross-sectional evidence that high glycemic diet is associated with brain amyloid. Methods: This longitudinal, observational study assessed the relationship between reported habitual consumption of a high glycemic diet (HGDiet) pattern and 1-year brain amyloid change measured by Florbetapir F18 PET scans in 102 cognitively normal older adults with elevated or sub-threshold amyloid status that participated in a 1-year randomized, controlled exercise trial at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. Results: Among all participants (n = 102), higher daily intake of the HGDiet pattern (β = 0.06, p = 0.04), sugar (β = 0.07, p = 0.01), and total carbohydrate (β = 0.06, p = 0.04) were related to more precuneal amyloid accumulation. These relationships in the precuneus were accentuated in participants with elevated amyloid at enrollment (n = 70) where higher intake of the HGDiet pattern, sugar, and carbohydrate were related to more precuneal amyloid accumulation (β = 0.11, p = 0.01 for all measures). In individuals with elevated amyloid, higher intake of the HGDiet pattern was also related to more amyloid accumulation in the lateral temporal lobe (β = 0.09, p < 0.05) and posterior cingulate gyrus (β = 0.09, p < 0.05) and higher sugar and carbohydrate intake were also related to more amyloid accumulation in the posterior cingulate gyrus (β = 0.10, p < 0.05 for both measures). Conclusion: This longitudinal observational analysis suggests that a high glycemic diet relates to higher brain amyloid accumulation over 1 year in regions of the temporoparietal cortex in cognitively normal adults, particularly in those with elevated amyloid status. Further studies are required to assess whether there is causal link between a high glycemic diet and brain amyloid. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier (NCT02000583).
Revising the Role of Cortical Cytoskeleton During Secretion: Actin and Myosin XI Function in Vesicle Tethering

In plants, secretion of cell wall components and membrane proteins plays a fundamental role in growth and development as well as survival in diverse environments. Exocytosis, as the last step of the secretory trafficking pathway, is a highly ordered and precisely controlled process involving tethering, docking, and fusion of vesicles at the plasma membrane (PM) for cargo delivery. Although the exocytic process and machinery are well characterized in yeast and animal models, the molecular players and specific molecular events that underpin late stages of exocytosis in plant cells remain largely unknown. Here, by using the delivery of functional, fluorescent-tagged cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes (CSCs) to the PM as a model system for secretion, as well as single-particle tracking in living cells, we describe a quantitative approach for measuring the frequency of vesicle tethering events. Genetic and pharmacological inhibition of cytoskeletal function, reveal that the initial vesicle tethering step of exocytosis is dependent on actin and myosin XI. In contrast, treatments with the microtubule inhibitor, oryzalin, did not significantly affect vesicle tethering or fusion during CSC exocytosis but caused a minor increase of transient or aborted tethering events. With data from this new quantitative approach and improved spatiotemporal resolution of single particle events during secretion, we generate a revised model for the role of the cortical cytoskeleton in CSC trafficking.
Maintaining long-distance and cross-residential relationships

Contents: Preface. Introduction. Rationale, Definitions, and Assumptions. Theoretical Orientations. Long-Distance Dating Relationships. Adult Romantic Relationships. Young Children and Parents. Across Generations: Adult Children, Parents, and Grandparents. Peer Relationships: Siblings and Friends. Computer Mediated LDRs. Propositions, Implications, Limitations, and Lacunae. Toward an Expanded Vision of Relational Maintenance.
Possibilities of FAM-C method in diagnosing ship power plants

In the paper the FAM-C diagnostic method developed by the Air Force Institute of Technology, Warsaw, is described. The method based on measurements of electric alternator’s frequency modulation, makes it possible to assess the level of usual wear-and-tear of subassemblies and to locate defects during operation of aircraft power transmission systems. A few prototypes of a pocket-size tester based on this method were six years ago produced and practically implemented to indicate the most worn subassembly and its wear and-tear level. Actually, the computerized diagnostic system based on the testers’ results is used. Attempts to experimental application of the FAM-C method for diagnosing some ship power plant devices, are presented and discussed.
Theodosius Dobzhansky Up to Now

Theodosius Grigorievich Dobzhansky1 (Феодосий Григорьевич Добржанский) was born on January 25, 1900, in the town of Nemirov, which is located about 130 miles (200 km) southeast of Kiev in the Ukraine, and which at that time had a population of about 5,000. He was the only child of the former Sophia Voinarsky and Grigory Dobrzhansky, a teacher of mathematics. After his graduation from secondary school in Kiev, Dobzhansky majored in biology at the University of Kiev, from which he was graduated in 1921. He remained in Kiev at the Institute of Agriculture until 1924. He then moved to Leningrad, where he was a Lecturer in Genetics at the University from 1924 to 1927. While at this post, in 1926 he led an expedition to Central Asia to study domesticated animals.
Chapter 7 Immunoprecipitation Methods

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights immunoprecipitation methods along with variations that may be necessary under certain conditions. These methods are used in several major techniques for research in cell biology, such as identifying the molecular mass of an antigen, characterizing the specificity of antibodies, identifying molecules associated with antigens, and quantifying amounts of antigen with radioimmunoassays. The chapter emphasizes on the first three techniques, each of which uses gel electrophoresis to analyze the results. The basic steps for immunoprecipitation include (1) solubilizing the antigen preparation, (2) clearing the preparation of any insoluble material and molecules that bind, (3) incubating with primary antibody, (4) precipitating the primary antibody with protein A or G attached to a matrix, (5) washing the immunoprecipitate, and (6) resolving the immunoprecipitate on electrophoretic gels. The primary antibody is directed against the antigen. For most kinds of analysis, the use of purified immunoglobulin is required rather than crude serum. If the primary antibody is not in a class bound by protein A or G , a bridge antibody that is directed against the species of the primary antibody and that binds protein A or G is required. A secondary antibody directed against the immunoglobulin of the primary antibody can be coupled to a matrix such as Sepharose or agarose.
Earth's anthrobiogeochemical copper cycle

[1] An “anthrobiogeochemical” copper cycle, from Earth's core to the Moon, combining natural biogeochemical and human anthropogenic stocks and flows is derived for the mid-1990s. Although some aspects of the quantification have moderate to high uncertainty, the anthropogenic mining, manufacturing, and use flows (on the order of 104 Gg Cu/yr) clearly dominate the cycle. In contrast, the natural repositories of Earth's core, mantle, and crust, and of the Moon, hold much higher stocks of copper (>1010 Gg) than do anthropogenic repositories (<106 Gg). The results indicate that the present anthropogenic rate of copper extraction exceeds the natural rate of renewal by ∼106.
Asymptotic completeness for quantum-mechanical potential scattering : II. Singular and long-range potentials

The geometrical proof for the asymptotic completeness of the wave operators and the absence of a singular continuous spectrum of the Hamiltonian is extended to cover singular potentials where the Hamiltonian is defined as a form sum, and long-range interactions like Coulomb forces.
The human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anticorrelated functional networks

During performance of attention-demanding cognitive tasks, certain regions of the brain routinely increase activity, whereas others routinely decrease activity. In this study, we investigate the extent to which this task-related dichotomy is represented intrinsically in the resting human brain through examination of spontaneous fluctuations in the functional MRI blood oxygen level-dependent signal. We identify two diametrically opposed, widely distributed brain networks on the basis of both spontaneous correlations within each network and anticorrelations between networks. One network consists of regions routinely exhibiting task-related activations and the other of regions routinely exhibiting task-related deactivations. This intrinsic organization, featuring the presence of anticorrelated networks in the absence of overt task performance, provides a critical context in which to understand brain function. We suggest that both task-driven neuronal responses and behavior are reflections of this dynamic, ongoing, functional organization of the brain.
Detection of fatty acid synthase inhibition by magnetic resonance spectroscopy

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 4492 Introduction . Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is the key enzyme responsible for de novo synthesis of long-chain fatty acids (FA). FASN expression is significantly increased in cancer cells and is associated with poor prognosis, particularly in breast and prostate cancer. Furthermore, inhibition of FASN results in cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. We therefore became interested in using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to study the metabolic consequences of FASN inhibition and to identify pharmacodynamic markers of FASN inhibition. M&M For metabolic studies by MRS, PC3 human prostate cancer cells were grown in DMEM/F-12 with 1-13C labeled glucose (to monitor FA synthesis) and 1,2-13C labeled choline (to monitor choline metabolism). FASN was inhibited for 24 and 48 h with 30 μM orlistat. The effect of treatment on cell proliferation was determined by cell count. The effect on FASN activity was determined using a spectrophotometric assay. For MR studies cells were extracted using the dual-phase extraction method and spectra recorded on an Avance DRX500 Bruker spectrometer using a flip angle of 30o and repetition delays of 5s, 3.5s and 4.5 s for 1H 13C and 31P MRS respectively. Metabolite concentrations were determined by integration and normalization to reference and cell number. Choline kinase activity was determined by monitoring PCho synthesis in a cell lysate by MRS. Results FASN activity decreased by 51±10% (n=3) at 24 h and 83±11% (n=2) at 48 h following treatment with orlistat. This was associated with inhibition in cell proliferation by 32±21% (n=3) at 24 h and 63±7% (n=3) at 48 h relative to control. 13C and 31P MRS data indicated progressive inhibition of de novo synthesis of FA, PtdCho and PCho by 47±29%, 64±32% and 28±7%, respectively at 24 h (n=3) and by 84±1%, 66±5% and 47±23%, respectively, at 48 h (n=2). This was followed by a progressive decrease in their total pools down to 39±8%, 68±4% and 58±4% at 48 h, respectively. In addition, all membrane phospholipids decreased by 48 h. Importantly, significant correlations were found between inhibition of FASN and de novo synthesized pools of FA, PtdCho and PCho. Furthermore, FASN inhibition correlated with total PCho levels (R2=0.9987). Preliminary results also indicate that choline kinase activity was reduced by 64% (n=1) in orlistat treated cells relative to control. Discussion and Conclusions As expected, inhibition of FASN by orlistat decreased de novo FA synthesis. We hypothesize that this led to the downstream inhibition in synthesis of PtdCho as well as the synthesis of its precursor PCho. We show here that (i) the metabolic consequences of FASN inhibition on cellular metabolism and (ii) mechanistic information can be studied in detail by combining 1H, 13C and 31P MRS. Acknowledgments We would like to acknowledge the NCI Cancer Center Support Grant CA016672 for the support of Core NMR facility.
Obstetricians' attitudes toward nurse-midwives

Abstract Attitudes of Maryland physicians toward the ability of nurse-midwives to deliver normal obstetric care is the subject of this research. The findings indicate that physicians generally have negative attitudes toward the nurse-midwife's ability to provide services which require the greatest degree of technical competence and are “most professional,” while they are favorable toward many other tasks which complete the spectrum of medical care. Additionally, this research finds that physicians who tend to have the most favorable attitudes are also the ones who have had prior positive experience with nurse-midwives, perceive a shortage of obstetric services in their local community, or have had experience with nurse-midwives during their residency training.
The Prevalence of Neurological Symptoms among Chinese Older Adults in the Greater Chicago Area

Background: Neurological symptoms influence health and well-being among older adults. However, Chinese older adults are underrepresented in most studies on neurological symptoms. This study aims to examine the prevalence of neurological symptoms among U.S. Chinese older adults. Methods: Data were drawn from the PINE study, a population-based survey of U.S Chinese older adults in the greater Chicago area. Guided by a community-based participatory research approach, a total of 3,159 Chinese older adults aged 60 and above were surveyed. Clinical review of system (ROS) was used to assess the presence of dizziness, syncope/fainting, fall, seizures, weakness, numbness, tingling, tremor, and stiffness. Results: Neurological symptoms were commonly experienced by U.S Chinese older adults (50.6%). Symptoms as dizziness (31.0%), numbness (19.0%), and falls (14.8%) were commonly reported. Participants were more likely to report any neurological symptom if they were older , less educated, low income, with poorer self-perceived health status, poorer quality of life, and worsened health change over last year. Conclusions: Neurological symptoms are common among Chinese older adults in the U.S. Future longitudinal research is needed to examine risk factors and health outcomes associated with neurological symptoms.
Innovative PLC network design for bit loading algorithm and bistatic channel capacity

Block transmission is a very efficient scheme to combat with infer-symbol interference (ISI) caused by frequency-selective time-dispersive channels at the cost of interblock interference (IBI) occurring during block transmission. In particular, in order to suppress the IBI in the power-line communication (PLC) channel, we introduce a novel technique called lifting-trailing-zeros (LTZ). The power line channel is time-varying due to the appliances connected to outlets since appliances often exhibit input impedance that is a function of the instantaneous amplitude of the mains voltage which results in a periodically time-varying channel response. We here propose a discrete time-varying block channel model in the time domain, which allows for more realistic evaluation of modulation and coding strategies as well as for the design of bit loading strategies that can be resilient to the peculiar type of distortion in this harsh medium. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed power line network simulator for bistatic channel capacity with water-filling which is compared with constant power bit-loading algorithm.
Programming the next generation of dendritic cells.

Cancer vaccine strategies require the transfer of tumor-associated antigens from tumor cells to antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for degradation and presentation of peptide fragments on major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent APCs for priming T cells, and they can activate B cells to initiate antibody responses.1 However, DCs have several limitations related to their production, in that they are highly differentiated cells with a limited replicative potential and a short life span. In addition to the complexities associated with manufacturing therapeutic numbers of DCs, vaccine efficacy in clinical trials has generally fallen short of expectations, according to results from preclinical animal models.
Noradrenergic Receptor Blockade of the NTS Attenuates the Mnemonic Effects of Epinephrine in an Appetitive Light–Dark Discrimination Learning Task

Abstract These experiments examined the contribution of noradrenergic neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in mediating the memory-facilitating effects of epinephrine. In Experiment 1, saline or 0.05 or 0.1 mg/kg of epinephrine was given intraperitoneally (ip) to rats after the second day of training in a light-dark Y-maze discrimination task. On a 20-trial retention test given 2 and 7 days later, the 0.1 mg/kg epinephrine group made significantly more correct responses than controls and required fewer trials to reach criterion. In Experiment 2, phosphate-buffered saline or the noradrenergic antagonist dl -propranolol (0.3 or 1.0 μg/0.5 μl) was infused into the NTS prior to an ip injection of saline or 0.1 mg/kg of epinephrine. The memory-enhancing effects of epinephrine were attenuated by the infusion of 0.3 μg/0.5 μl of dl -propranolol into the NTS. These findings indicate an involvement of NTS noradrenergic neurons in mediating the effects of peripheral epinephrine on memory storage processes.
Threshold voltage predictions from MICROMOS: A 3-D MOS simulator

Abstract This paper provides predicted values of threshold voltage for the fully recessed MOS structure obtained from the 3-D code called MICROMOS. Uniform and implanted channel cases are both considered. Additionally, short channel, narrow width and small geometry effects are automatically included. Results for these conditions as well as variable oxide thickness and substrate doping are shown. All of the results obtained indicate the correct tendency of change for threshold voltage. Values for threshold voltage prediction are obtained from 3-D computer generated drain current vs gate voltage characteristics.
Physicochemical study of rock crab lipoproteins

Physicochemical studies have been carried out on the hemolymph and egg lipoproteins of the rock crab (Cancer antennarius). Analytical ultracentrifugal analyses of vitellogenic female HDL3 revealed the presence of two types of lipoproteins. The first with a sedimentation rate of 5.35 S was comparable to lipoproteins in male and non-vitellogenic female hemolymph. The second with a sedimentation rate of 10.74 S was comparable to the major lipoprotein of egg yolk. A similar comparison could be made following electrophoretic analyses in native polyacrylamide gels. Electrophoresis in SDS-polyacrylamide gels revealed three major apolipoproteins common to egg and vitellogenic HDL3. A fourth apolipoprotein was found in both male and female HDL3. In contrast to mammalian HDL, none of these crustacean apolipoproteins had a molecular weight less than 82000. One of these apolipoproteins appears to be comparable physicochemically to the enteric form of apolipoprotein B in mammals.
Refining the Predictive Pursuit Endophenotype in Schizophrenia

Background To utilize fully a schizophrenia endophenotype in gene search and subsequent neurobiological studies, it is critical that the precise underlying physiologic deficit is identified. Abnormality in smooth pursuit eye movements is one of the endophenotypes of schizophrenia. The precise nature of the abnormality is unknown. Previous work has shown a reduced predictive pursuit response to a briefly masked (i.e., invisible) moving object in schizophrenia. However, the overt awareness of target removal can confound the measurement. Methods This study employed a novel method that covertly stabilized the moving target image onto the fovea. The foveal stabilization was implemented after the target on a monitor had oscillated at least for one cycle and near the change of direction when the eye velocity momentarily reached zero. Thus, the subsequent pursuit eye movements were completely predictive and internally driven. Eye velocity during this foveally stabilized smooth pursuit was compared among schizophrenia patients (n = 45), their unaffected first-degree relatives (n = 42), and healthy comparison subjects (n = 22). Results Schizophrenia patients and their unaffected relatives performed similarly and both had substantially reduced predictive pursuit acceleration and velocity under the foveally stabilized condition. Conclusions These findings show that inability to maintain internal representation of the target motion or integration of such information into a predictive response may be the specific brain deficit indexed by the smooth pursuit endophenotype in schizophrenia. Similar performance between patients and unaffected relatives suggests that the refined predictive pursuit measure may index a less complex genetic origin of the eye-tracking deficits in schizophrenia families.