cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel interaction between kinase activities in regulation of cilia formation

The primary cilium is an extension of the cell membrane that encloses a microtubule-based axoneme. Primary cilia are essential for transmission of environmental cues that determine cell fate. Disruption of primary cilia function is the molecular basis of numerous developmental disorders. Despite their biological importance, the mechanisms governing their assembly and disassembly are just beginning to be understood. Cilia growth and disassembly are essential events when cells exit and reenter into the cell cycle. The kinases never in mitosis-kinase 2 (Nek2) and Aurora A (AurA) act to depolymerize cilia when cells reenter the cell cycle from G0. Coexpression of either kinase with its kinase dead companion [AurA with kinase dead Nek2 (Nek2 KD) or Nek2 with kinase dead AurA (AurA KD)] had different effects on cilia depending on whether cilia are growing or shortening. AurA and Nek2 are individually able to shorten cilia when cilia are growing but both are required when cilia are being absorbed. The depolymerizing activity of each kinase is increased when coexpressed with the kinase dead version of the other kinase but only when cilia are assembling. Additionally, the two kinases act additively when cilia are assembling but not disassembling. Inhibition of AurA increases cilia number while inhibition of Nek2 significantly stimulates cilia length. The complex functional relationship between the two kinases reflects their physical interaction. Further, we identify a role for a PP1 binding protein, PPP1R42, in inhibiting Nek2 and increasing ciliation of ARPE-19 cells. We have uncovered a novel functional interaction between Nek2 and AurA that is dependent on the growth state of cilia. This differential interdependence reflects opposing regulation when cilia are growing or shortening. In addition to interaction between the kinases to regulate ciliation, the PP1 binding protein PPP1R42 directly inhibits Nek2 independent of PP1 indicating another level of regulation of this kinase. In summary, we demonstrate a complex interplay between Nek2 and AurA kinases in regulation of ciliation in ARPE-19 cells.
Defending Electrical Substations Against 0-Day Malware Through Decoy I/O in Protective Relays

Recent cyber attack campaigns, such as those supported by the BlackEnergy and Dragonfly malware, have targeted protective relays over the network. Protective relays are the ultimate attack target as they interface directly with physical lines and equipment in electrical substations. A compromised relay allows the attacker to operate circuit breakers, and thus disrupt the transmission and distribution of power. Malware that implement control theoretical models can cause and also maximize physical permanent damage to the power equipment. We present a defensive deception approach that operates on the protective relays of an electrical substation. We use kernel drivers on a protective relay to create dynamic decoys, which consist of emulated I/O boards and their hardware controllers. A phantom I/O board is operated in conjunction with closely monitored memory buffers that are accessible in user space. We store in those buffers dynamic decoy data associated with the phantom substation equipment and processes that the phantom I/O board appears to interface with. Those data are generated and stored as per the IEC 61850 protocol, and can be retrieved over the MMS and OPC protocols. Our approach mimics a protective relay's interaction with segments of the electrical substation, which in fact are all decoys. Our approach can detect 0-day malware on protective relays in production, without any prior knowledge of their internal code and data. We performed practical validations against malware samples involved in recent cyber attack campaigns, and discuss the findings in the paper.
Noninvasive Measurement of Cardiac Functions

The preceding chapter summarized the physiology of the cardiovascular system and suggested avenues, especially neural and hormonal mechanisms, through which behavioral or psychological factors might influence its regulation. The focus of this chapter will be to describe methodologies for observing changes in cardiac function which are particularly suitable for behavioral studies in humans due to their low risk, noninvasiveness, and for some methodologies, their unobtrusiveness.
Computer Contexts for Supporting Metacognitive Learning

A major challenge for both educational researchers and practitioners is to understand why some people seem to learn more effectively than others and to design tools that can help less successful people improve their abilities to learn. In this chapter, we describe the most frequently documented metacognitive learning outcomes including: recall/memory; content learning/problem solving; and social interactions as knowledge acquisition. We then use each of these metacognitive learning outcomes to examine how today’s computer tools have or have not reached their fullest potential to support these learning outcomes and we suggest ways that computers tools can be designed to achieve these outcomes.
Mutating Internet Memes and the Amplification of Copyright’s Authorship Challenges

Collaborative creativity has long been recognized as valuable to society, and has also long represented a challenge to copyright law’s authorship considerations. Over time, the courts have developed and applied an authorship test that focuses on notions of formalistic intent and hierarchical supervision – a test that often acts to reinforce the existing power structure of traditional creative industries. The internet has evened the playing field for access to the means of creative production and has therefore amplified the imperfect nature of the authorship test, exposing the fact that courts have never developed a clear and adequate method for analyzing what it means to be considered an “author.” As the traditional means of production break down and a growing number of amateur creators enter the fray, a test that presupposes detailed contracts and sophisticated negotiations as the baseline for acceptable behavior feels increasingly obsolete and is of deepening lack of utility to courts. This Article critically examines copyright’s authorship test as it has developed through the twentieth century, using recent cases to demonstrate how it is inadequate to meet the needs of twenty-first century productivity. It then turns to the phenomenon of mutating internet memes that depend on sequential collaboration to result in massive amounts of rich creativity. The Article proposes that a refocusing of the authorship test on the creative contribution of the author would better align with copyright’s incentivizing purpose. When applied to mutating internet memes, this re-focused test will result in a massive number of “authors,” given the number of internet users who participate in a mutating meme. Therefore, courts should be comfortable with declaring mutating internet memes to be works without authors, thereby protecting memes from censorship from any one contributor.
The Effect of TNF Inhibition on Bone Density and Fracture Risk and of IL17 Inhibition on Radiographic Progression and Bone Density in Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis: a Systematic Literature Review.

Osteoporosis in axial spondyloarthritis may be modified by therapy. The purpose of this systematic review is to describe (i) the effect of TNFi on BMD, (ii) the effect of secukinumab on BMD, and (iii) the effect of secukinumab on radiographic disease progression in axSpA. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane using the following retrieval languages: spondyloarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, TNF, IL-17, x-rays, and osteoporosis. Twenty-nine studies were included; 27 re: TNFi and BMD, and 2 re: IL-17 blockers and x-ray progression. TNFi over 2–4 years increased BMD of the lumbar spine (3.2–14.9%) and hip (2.26–4.7%) without reducing vertebral fractures. Secukinumab reduced radiographic progression; none (73%) and minimal (79%) at 4 years. No data on IL-17 blockade and bone were found. TNFi therapy improves bone density but not vertebral fracture rates. Secukinumab improves symptoms and may slow radiographic progression. Data is lacking regarding the effects of secukinumab on BMD and fractures. These are important questions which may impact the choice of therapy.
Adequacy of self-reported family history in electronic health record for genetic risk assessment for Lynch syndrome.

1515Background: Self-reported family cancer history (FCH) is one of the key indicators of hereditary cancer risk. Studies have shown that accurate FCH documentation by healthcare providers is subop...
Genetic and Physiological Analysis of a Circadian Clock Gene in Neurospora crassa

For more than a century developmental biologists have understood the importance of temporal order, or temporal organization, in biological systems. Events during embryogenesis must occur not only in the right position of the embryo but at the correct time and in the correct sequence. Cell biologists, too, have recognized the necessity of specific timing signals in the control of nuclear and cell division in the integrated sequence of events of the cell cycle.
Redundancy of Progress Notes for Serial Office Visits.

Abstract Using sequence alignment to compare more than 12,000 pairs of progress notes, we find that progress notes were, on average, 74.5% redundant with the prior progress note written for the same patient.
A Parametric Approach to Unmixing Remote Sensing Crop Growth Signatures

Remote sensing data are often measured or reported over wide spatial footprints with heterogeneous ground cover. Different types of vegetation, however, have unique signatures that evolve throughout the growing season. Without additional information, signals corresponding to individual vegetation types are unidentifiable from satellite measurements. In this paper, we propose a parametric mixture model to describe satellite data monitoring crop development in the US Corn Belt. The ground cover of each satellite footprint is primarily a mixture of corn and soybean. Using auxiliary data from multiple sources, we model the aggregate satellite signal, and identify the signatures of individual crop types, using nonlinear parametric functions. Estimation is performed using a Bayesian approach, and information from auxiliary data is incorporated into the prior distributions to identify distinct crop types. We demonstrate our parametric unmixing approach using data from the European Space Agency’s Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite. Lastly, we compare our model estimates for the timing of key crop phenological stages to USDA ground-based estimates. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.
Changes in Salt Taste Sensitivity and Heart Failure Readmissions

Introduction Increased salt taste sensitivity may be associated with improved heart failure (HF) outcomes following HF hospitalization. Hypothesis An increase in salt taste sensitivity from admission to 12-weeks follow-up will be associated with fewer days rehospitalized and higher Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire clinical summary scores (KCCQ-CSS) compared to subjects with no increase in salt taste sensitivity. Methods We examined salt taste sensitivity in the GOURMET-HF trial, a pilot study investigating the effects of home-delivered meals in post-discharge patients with HF. Salt taste sensitivity was assessed by measuring changes in salt taste recognition threshold on enrollment, discharge, 1, 4, and 12-weeks follow-up using Salsave test strips standardized with 0.6-1.6 mg/cm2 NaCl solution. Subjects were divided into two groups: increase or no increase salt taste sensitivity. Baseline characteristics between groups and outcomes were compared using two-sample t-tests, chi-squared tests, and log-transformed t-tests for parameters that were not normally distributed. Results Baseline characteristics did not differ for subjects with an increase in salt taste sensitivity over 12-weeks (n=25) compared to those without an increase in salt taste sensitivity (n=24); they were elderly (71 vs. 69 years) and predominately male (76 vs. 75%). There was a high representation of black (36 vs. 29%) and Hispanic (28 vs. 42%) subjects. Baseline KCCQ-CSS (45.84 [21.74] vs. 44.31 [17.70]) were similar. The enrollment salt taste recognition threshold was higher (1.19 [0.39]) vs. 0.76 [0.28] mg/cm2, p=0.001) and the 12-week threshold was lower (0.71 [0.16] vs. 0.86 [0.32] mg/cm2, p=0.042) in the group with increased salt taste sensitivity. The total number 12-week hospital days was 60 vs. 121 days, with an average number of hospital days of 5.45 [3.88] vs. 11.00 [6.74] (p=0.028) among those hospitalized in the groups with an increase vs. no increase in salt taste sensitivity, respectively (Figure 1). KCCQ-CSS at 12-weeks trended higher in the group with an increase in salt taste sensitivity: (64.24 [23.06] vs. 56.25 [24.80], p=0.195). Conclusions Changes in salt taste sensitivity occurred in some but not all subjects in a 12-week period following hospitalization for HF. Subjects with increased salt taste sensitivity over this time period were rehospitalized for fewer days. Improved salt taste sensitivity may represent a novel prognostic factor in post-discharge patients with HF.
Assessment of the 2017 AHA/ACC/HRS Guideline Recommendations for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Implantation in Cardiac Sarcoidosis

Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are used to prevent sudden cardiac death in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis. The most recent recommendations for implantable cardioverter-defib...
Robotic Abdominoperineal Resection

Abdominoperineal resection (APR) has been considered the operation of choice for lower rectal and anal canal tumors. First described by W. Ernest Miles in 1908 as a combined perineal and abdominal approach, abdominoperineal resection surgery has experienced many changes with the availability of minimally invasive techniques, but it follows the same key oncological principles. In this chapter, we describe robotic abdominoperineal resection with different perineal approaches (lithotomy and prone).
Halometry from Astrometry: New Gravitational Methods to Search for Dark Matter

Time domain astronomy offers the possibilty of news lensing searches. By looking for dramatic proper motions, measureable changes in them, or correlations between them, we can infer or constrain the presence of dark objects in our halo, such as black holes, subhalos, or other exotic objects. We consider new search strategies and the possibilities for current and future experiments.
Legitimizing myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: indications of change over a decade

This commentary identifies recent scientific and clinical milestones that appear to have increased legitimization of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). These milestones in...
Women adapting: bringing three serials of the roaring twenties to stage and screen: by Bethany Wood, Iowa City, University of Iowa Press, 2019, 304 pp., $90.00 (paper), ISBN 978 1 6093 8649 8

The title of Bethany Wood’s Women Adapting contains a double meaning; the women Wood studies adapt novels into films, and serialized narratives into stage plays, but they also adapt to the changes ...
Bench over Ballot: The Fight for Judicial Supremacy and the New Constitutional Politics, 1910–1916

The nature of American constitutional politics was forever changed during the Progressive Era. In the nineteenth century, the process of constitutional interpretation was a vague and decentralized enterprise balanced between the courts and the public square. The meaning of the Constitution was decided as much at the polls or on the battlefield as in court opinions. This balance started to give way at the turn of the century as federal courts began asserting greater authority in the definition of constitutional bounds. “Bench over Ballot” illustrates how the assertion of judicial supremacy in the Progressive Era precipitated a fight that upended the traditional dynamic of American politics. Populist-progressives championed the people's ultimate right to correct judicial decisions while traditionalist-conservatives stood for judicial supremacy to ensure a “government of laws.” The outcome of the political battle in 1912 was a consensus between Wilsonian progressives and Taftian conservatives in favor of judicial supremacy that banished the notion of popular supremacy and transformed the nature of constitutional politics from a popular, decentralized process to a vicious battle over the personal composition of the bench—a phenomenon deeply familiar over a century later.
Long-Term Outcomes from an Intraoperative Bleb Needling Procedure Augmented with Continuous Infusion

Purpose To investigate long-term outcomes of a modified bleb needling technique performed in the operating room in controlling intraocular pressure (IOP) and to report risk factors for procedure failure. Design Retrospective, observational cohort study. Participants One hundred six eyes of 98 consecutive patients undergoing intraoperative bleb needling with a continuous infusion of balanced salt solution at the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins Hospital, in the setting of a failed trabeculectomy or express shunt, between May 2011 and December 2015. Methods Postoperative data were collected between May 2011 and August 2019. Success was defined as achieving a previously determined target IOP regardless of (qualified success) or without (complete success) glaucoma medications. Patients who underwent additional glaucoma surgery were censored in the survival analysis. Main Outcome Measures Primary outcome measures included IOP, attainment of target IOP, and number of glaucoma medications used at different time points pre- and post-operatively. Results Needling was performed in 106 eyes at an average of 4.3 years from the time of trabeculectomy (standard deviation [SD], 6.5 years) and an average baseline IOP of 20.7 mmHg (SD, 7.2 mmHg). Further glaucoma surgery was required for 33 eyes. We observed a 70% qualified success rate with a mean IOP lowering of 25% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.8%–36.4%) at 1 year after surgery and a 52% qualified success rate and 44.3% reduction in IOP (95% CI, 34.9%–53.6%) at 5 years after surgery. Nearly half and a third of the eyes did not require medications after 1 and 5 years, respectively. The average medication reduction was 0.8 at year 1 (95% CI, 0.5–1.1) and 0.4 at year 5 (95% CI, –0.2 to 1.0). Postoperative complications were uncommon. Poorer outcomes were not associated with the age of the bleb but were more likely in Black patients. Conclusions Reductions in IOP were maintained in most patients over the long term using a modified bleb needling technique, despite an average time from trabeculectomy of over 4 years. No significant adverse events were observed. Bleb needling may defer or avoid more invasive procedures such as tube-shunts or repeat trabeculectomy.
On six dimensional ``gauge" theories with irrational theta angle

A recent proposal for 6d ``gauge" theories with rational theta angle is discussed. These theories were constructed from nC coinciding (p,q) 5-branes of IIB in the limit of vanishing string constant. They have (1,1) supersymmetry and the low energy theory is 6d Yang-Mills with gauge group SU(nC) and a rational theta angle θ6/2π = f/q, where fp = 1 (mod q). By changing the point of view, considering the (p,q) 5-branes to be D5-branes, the 6d theta angle is identified with a 10d theta angle. This point of view together with some assumptions suggests a generalization of the previous limit to arbitrary theta. This limit seems to define a decoupled 6d theory even though the 10d theory does not become free in general.
Glucocorticoid receptor dimerization in the cytoplasm might be essential for nuclear localization

Abstract The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) plays an important role in steroid-dependent regulation of metabolism, development, and the immune response in humans. Although GR is known to be activated by the binding of glucocorticoid, the mechanism of action is poorly understood. We investigated dimerization of GR in the cytoplasm and nuclear trans-localization in response to treatment with the ligand dexamethasone. GFP-tagged GR and FLAG-tagged GR were co-expressed in COS-1 cells, and cell lysates were subjected to co-immunoprecipitation assay with anti-GFP antibody to determine their dimerization. FLAG-GR was co-precipitated with GFP-GR in the cytoplasmic fraction of COS-1 cells. Treatment with the GR agonist dexamethasone significantly decreased the cytoplasmic interaction between FLAG- and GFP-GR, and significantly increased interaction of the GRs in the nuclear fraction. The two amino acids, Pro625 and Ile628 known to be located in GR-GR dimer interface, were mutated to alanine and the influence of the mutation on dimerization, ligand-dependent nuclear localization, and transcriptional activities were determined. Mutant GR showed a dramatic decrease in interaction in the cytoplasmic fraction and no detectable nuclear translocation in the presence or absence of dexamethasone. Furthermore, luciferase assays showed that mutant GR showed no detectable transcriptional activation via the GR-responsive DNA element (GRE) compared to the wild-type. Our results suggest that GR exists as a dimer in the cytoplasm and this dimerization may be essential for GRE-mediated transcriptional activation following ligand binding.
Valentine’s Day: 29 Tributes to Love and Passion

Imagine being asked to assemble 30 vintage romantic recordings for a new Valentine’s Day CD. Which song titles and artists immediately come to mind? Clearly, “My Funny Valentine” (1957) by Ella Fit...
The passive leg movement technique for assessing vascular function: the impact of baseline blood flow.

New findings What is the central question of this study? The passive leg movement (PLM) assessment of vascular function utilizes the blood flow response in the common femoral artery (CFA): what is the impact of baseline CFA blood flow on the PLM response? What is the main finding and its importance? Although an attenuated PLM response is not an obligatory consequence of increased baseline CFA blood flow, increased blood flow through the deep femoral artery will diminish the response. Care should be taken to ensure that a genuine baseline leg blood flow is obtained prior to performing a PLM vascular function assessment. Abstract The passive leg movement (PLM) assessment of vascular function utilizes the blood flow response in the common femoral artery (CFA). This response is primarily driven by vasodilation of the microvasculature downstream from the deep (DFA) and, to a lesser extent, the superficial (SFA) femoral artery, which facilitate blood flow to the upper and lower leg, respectively. However, the impact of baseline CFA blood flow on the PLM response is unknown. Therefore, to manipulate baseline CFA blood flow, PLM was performed with and without upper and lower leg cutaneous heating in 10 healthy subjects, with blood flow (ultrasound Doppler) and blood pressure (finometer) assessed. Baseline blood flow was significantly increased in the CFA (∼97%), DFA (∼109%) and SFA (∼78%) by upper leg heating. This increase in baseline CFA blood flow significantly attenuated the PLM-induced total blood flow in the DFA (∼62%), which was reflected by a significant fall in blood flow in the CFA (∼49%), but not in the SFA. Conversely, lower leg heating increased blood flow in the CFA (∼68%) and SFA (∼160%), but not in the DFA. Interestingly, this increase in baseline CFA blood flow only significantly attenuated the PLM-induced total blood flow in the SFA (∼60%), and not in the CFA or DFA. Thus, although an attenuated PLM response is not an obligatory consequence of an increase in baseline CFA blood flow, an increase in baseline blood flow through the DFA will diminish the PLM response. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure that a genuine baseline leg blood flow is obtained prior to performance of a PLM vascular function assessment.
Prior Information and Consumer Search: Evidence from Eye-tracking

This paper develops a search model in which both the information obtained during the search process and the information possessed by consumers prior to search influence their choices. We estimate our model on a data set from an experiment that has two novel features: (i) it contains information on consumers’ prior brand ownership, familiarity with each brand, and prior experience using different product features; and (ii) it uses eye-tracking methods to capture search behavior during the experiment. Using these data we show consumers are generally more likely to search and buy brands they own and are familiar with, highlighting the importance of their prior information. We then quantify the impact of prior information on consumer choices, as well as document the estimation bias arising when brand prior information is absent from the model. Finally, through a series of counterfactuals, we explore the managerial value of using consumers’ brand priors to construct personalized ranking-based recommendation systems.
Financing Infrastructure with Inattentive Investors: The Case of US Municipal Governments

In the United States, building infrastructure (e.g., schools, roads, hospitals) is primarily the responsibility of state and local governments and financed by borrowing in the municipal bond market. Despite the governments' low historical default rate and statutory taxing power, prior empirical evidence suggests they are borrowing-constrained. This paper provides new evidence and theory that link the constraint to the dominance of retail investors in the market, who might not pay perfect attention to the financial needs of their municipal governments. It makes the capital available to more specialized investors, such as municipal mutual funds, a crucial determinant for the borrowing capacity of those governments. Supporting this hypothesis, I find that the mutual funds are among the first investors of municipal bond issues, and they gradually resell their bonds to other investors. Furthermore, in response to a 1% inflow to the mutual funds that are among the major investors of a county government, the government borrows more by 0.2% in the subsequent quarter, conditional on issuing new bonds, while the inflow reduces the interest rate by 0.002%. To rationalize these observations, I develop a model of the municipal bond market in which mutual funds act as the "attentive intermediaries.'' By calibrating the model with the empirical estimates, I find that the elasticity of bond supply by the municipal governments is about 100; moreover, is at least one order of magnitude larger than the short-term elasticity of the bond demand. The results support market interventions by the federal government in times of crisis if they accompany massive outflows from municipal mutual funds.
How to End an Introduction in a Computer Science Article? A Corpus-based Approach

Where corpus linguistics has offered new perspectives on linguistic analyses, it has provided a myriad of opportunities to academic discourse analysts also. Much work has been done on the academic (MICASE) and scientific discourse (Atkinson, 1993; Cooper, 1985; Peng 1987; Swales and Najjar, 1987; Thompson, 1993). With the advent of the computer revolution, information technology continues to steamroll into our lives. In this information society a few linguists have paid scholarly attention to the discourse of computer science (CS) (Anthony 1999, 2000, 2001 and Pestiguillo 1999). This paper discusses the patterns of the ending of the introductions to research articles in CS based on the structures of introductions presented by Swales (forthcoming) and Lewin et.al. (2001) with a special focus on outlining the structure of the text of a CS research article A corpus of authentic academic texts of 56 research articles published during 2003 in five different journals of IEEE was analyzed using Wordsmith tools .The study reveals that the need for this metadiscourse of outlining the structure of the paper in the CS introductions arises because of the variable number of the sections, ranging from 4-11, and follows a variable order according to the technical needs of the paper. The use of the word SECTION, found throughout the corpus, is discussed with reference to the lack of structural variation in Computer Science research papers.
Physical Properties of Alumina-Boron Carbide Whisker/Particle Composites

The alumina-boron carbide composites were prepared by sintering and hot pressing. The mechanical properties of hot pressed alumina-boron carbide composites are better than the inherent alumina matrix. A maximum fracture toughness, of 7.26 MPa m exp 1/2 is achieved for alumina-boron carbide whisker composites as is a 47 percent increase in flexural strength. The fracture toughness is dependent on the volume fraction of boron carbide. The lower thermal expansion coefficient of the composites as a function of boron carbide whisker content is shown. 13 refs.
A Comparative Study of Real Workload Traces and Synthetic Workload Models for Parallel Job Scheduling

Two basic approaches are taken when modeling workloads in simulation-based performance evaluation of parallel job scheduling algorithms: (1) a carefully reconstructed trace from a real supercomputer can provide a very realistic job stream, or (2) a flexible synthetic model that attempts to capture the behavior of observed workloads can be devised. Both approaches require that accurate statistical observations be made and that the researcher be aware of the applicability of a given trace for his or her experimental goals.
Macroeconomic Adjustment in a Highly Dollarized Economy: The Case of Cambodia

Cambodia became dollarized suddenly in the early 1990s, as a result of massive dollar inflows stemming from a postconflict situation. Considering that the amount of dollars in circulation is unusually high, we attempt to estimate the true degree of dollarization empirically. Our results show that Cambodia has been virtually fully dollarized since 1995. Against a background of severe institutional limitations, the authorities have implemented in recent years policies akin to those of a de facto currency board arrangement, in particular with respect to fiscal discipline. The paper concludes that this policy mix has been appropriate for Cambodia`s circumstances.
Calcium signaling of glial cells along mammalian axons

Glial [Ca2+]i signaling was examined in a mammalian white matter lacking neuronal cell bodies and synapses. Rat optic nerves (postnatal days 2 and 7) were stained with calcium indicator dyes and confocal images of [Ca2+bdi were recorded at approximately 25 degrees C or approximately 37 degrees C. Glial cell bodies showed spiking or sustained [Ca2+], response to bath-applied glutamate (50-500 microM). The metabotropic glutamate agonist trans-ACPD elicited transient, sometimes spiking, [Ca2+], responses, whereas ionotropic agonists kainate and AMPA elicited a 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione-sensitive, mostly sustained [Ca2+]i response. Transient and spiking glial [Ca2+]i responses also were elicited by adenosine and ATP (0.1-100 microM). Repetitive nerve stimulation (10-20 Hz) elicited [Ca2+bdi spiking in 15-25% of glial cells in postnatal day 7 nerves, with spiking typically occurring 15-60 sec after onset of nerve stimulation. At 37 degrees C, the frequency of glial [Ca2+]i spikes increased from approximately 0.06 Hz to approximately 0.11 Hz when axonal stimulation was increased from 10 to 20 Hz. This activity-dependent glial spiking was inhibited by TTX, could not be mimicked by increasing the bath K+ by 20 mM, and occurred when nerves were stimulated in the absence of bath calcium. Activity-dependent and glutamate-induced glial spiking could be mimicked by altering ionic gradients known to favor release of glutamate via glutamate transporters, including elevation of intracellular Na+ by veratridine concurrent with external K+ elevation. We suggest that glial [Ca2+]i spiking observed during electrical activity resulted from activation of glial receptors (e.g., metabotropic glutamate receptor, adenosine receptor) by substances (e.g., glutamate, adenosine) released from the optic nerve in a nonvesicular fashion, possibly through a reversal of sodium-coupled transporters when Na+ and K+ gradients are altered by prolonged nerve activity.
Media, Education and Corruption: Investigating the Associations

We study the interactive association of press freedom, access to media and education with a nation's corruption levels. A free press generates unbiased information that greater access to the media helps propagate; and a greater degree of education, in the same context, helps individuals apply that information. This entire process generates a vigilant and corruption-free economy. It is therefore important to consider these factors in conjunction.
Climatological analysis of December rainfall in the Panama Canal Watershed

Monthly accumulated precipitation over the tropical Panama Canal Watershed has the largest interannual variability in December, with the wettest month on record being December 2010. December accumulated precipitation over the watershed is found to vary with sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in both the tropical North Atlantic and equatorial Pacific oceans, but a considerably stronger relationship is found with the difference between these SST anomalies. The configuration of SST anomalies in these two ocean basins during December has a strong effect on the flux of low-level moisture over the Caribbean Sea, southern Central America, and the eastern Pacific Ocean through the modification of the Caribbean Low-Level Jet (CLLJ) and the Chorro del Occidente Colombiano (CHOCO) jet. Wet Decembers in the watershed are associated with cool (warm) SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific (North Atlantic), a weakening (strengthening) of the CLLJ (CHOCO jet), and increased moisture convergence over and around Panama, with the opposite conditions associated with dry Decembers. The SST anomalies in these two ocean basins affect the distribution of daily precipitation during December differently, with SST anomalies in the Pacific (Atlantic) predominately associated with changes in the frequency of heavier (lighter) precipitation. The analysis shows that December 2010 followed the pattern of associations of wet Decembers but with the highest intensity of precipitation and CHOCO jet strength.
A long-term database on raptor migration at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, northeastern United States

In most northern temperate regions diurnal birds of prey, or raptors, migrate seasonally between their breeding and wintering grounds. Although their populations can be logistically difficult to survey and monitor because the birds are largely secretive and wide-ranging, most raptors are obligate or facultative soaring migrants that congregate along major thermal and orographic updraft corridors during their seasonal movements. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (41° N, 75° W), which straddles the Kittatinny Ridge, the southernmost ridge in the Appalachian Mountains in eastern Pennsylvania, witnesses large numbers of migrating raptors during autumn migration. The Sanctuary's long-term migration-count database is the oldest detailed archive on the timing and magnitude of migratory raptors in the world. Records comprise daily (1934–1965) or hourly (1966–present) counts of 18 North American species of raptors migrating past the Sanctuary, as well as detailed weather data recorded from the lookout during autumn migratio...
Positive selection and recombination: major molecular mechanisms in colicin diversification

Colicins, a family of antimicrobial proteins produced by Escherichia coli, are one of the best characterized microbial systems for studying processes of molecular diversification. Recent studies employing DNA sequence comparisons and experimental evolution suggest that positive selection and recombination play dominant roles in colicin diversification. Recombination between distantly related colicins has repeatedly generated novel classes of colicins, while positive selection for novel colicin immunity systems produces further diversity among closely related colicins. Together, these forces have resulted in a surprisingly large and diverse class of antimicrobials. Colicins are thought to play an important role in the invasion of bacteria into novel habitats.
Post-fracture analyses of polyethylene-metal interfaces

Abstract We have analyzed the surfaces created by peeling deuterated polyethylene films from copper, aluminum, and brass substrates. The polymer was analyzed for metal residues by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), while secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) was used to detect deuterium on the metal. Optical microscopy always indicated apparent adhesive (i.e. interfacial) failure for all polymer—metal samples, but SIMS consistently showed extensive coverage by polymer at all exposed metal surfaces. XPS of the polymer revealed traces of metal on samples peeled from copper and brass, but not from aluminum. Ellipsometry and electron microscopy confirmed the presence of a 60 ± 20 A polymer layer on the metal surface.
Pulmonary disorders, including vocal cord dysfunction.

The lung is a very complex immunologic organ and responds in a variety of ways to inhaled antigens, organic or inorganic materials, infectious or saprophytic agents, fumes, and irritants. There might be airways obstruction, restriction, neither, or both accompanied by inflammatory destruction of the pulmonary interstitium, alveoli, or bronchioles. This review focuses on diseases organized by their predominant immunologic responses, either innate or acquired. Pulmonary innate immune conditions include transfusion-related acute lung injury, World Trade Center cough, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Adaptive immunity responses involve the systemic and mucosal immune systems, activated lymphocytes, cytokines, and antibodies that produce CD4 + T H 1 phenotypes, such as for tuberculosis or acute forms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and CD4 + T H 2 phenotypes, such as for asthma, Churg-Strauss syndrome, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
Splitting the S&P 500 futures

In this paper we investigate the consequences of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange's 1997 redesign of the S&P 500 futures contract. The focus is on two important measures of exchange efficacy: member proprietary income and outside customer volume. Floor traders did not appear to benefit in their proprietary trading from the redesign—revenue fell after the contract split and doubling of the minimum tick. On the other hand, looking at relative volumes, it appears that customer volume was relatively constant, showing little sensitivity to the increase in tick size, possibly due to an increased use of limit orders by customers, bypassing floor traders. Through this redesign the futures exchange was apparently interested in preserving customer volume in an increasingly competitive index trading environment, not enhancing member noncompetitive proprietary trading revenue. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 24:1147–1163, 2004
Influence of carrier freeze-out on SiC Schottky junction admittance

Incomplete impurity ionization is investigated in the case of nitrogen donors and aluminum and boron acceptors in 4H and 6H SiC. We calculate the degree of ionization for these impurities residing on different lattice sites in a broad temperature range and for different impurity concentrations. It is shown that the degree of carrier freeze-out is significant in heavily N-doped 6H SiC and in Al- and B-doped SiC. Using the general Schottky junction admittance model we calculate the temperature and frequency dependencies of the junction admittance in the case when impurity ionization by the applied ac bias is present. It is shown that admittance frequency dispersion may be significant at room temperature in the case of N- and B-doped SiC. Finally, we calculate the Schottky junction capacitance as a function of the applied dc bias and simulate the doping profile, using the capacitance-voltage data. The calculated profile is shown to deviate from the actual impurity concentration profile if the impurity ionization time constant is comparable with the ac bias period, which is so for N-and B-doped SiC with certain values of the impurity activation energy and capture cross-section.
Terahertz plasmonic waveguides created via 3D printing

We demonstrate that 3D printing, commonly associated with the manufacture of large objects, allows for the fabrication of high quality terahertz (THz) plasmonic structures. Using a commercial 3D printer, we print a variety of structures that include abrupt out-of-plane bends and continuously varying bends. The waveguides are initially printed in a polymer resin and then sputter deposited with ~500 nm of Au. This thickness of Au is sufficient to support low loss propagation of surface plasmon-polaritons with minimal impact from the underlying layer, thereby demonstrating a useful approach for fabricating a broad range of plasmonic structures that incorporate complex geometries. Using THz time-domain spectroscopy, we measure the guided-wave properties of these devices. We find that the propagation properties of the guided-wave modes are similar to those obtained in similar conventional metal-based waveguides, albeit with slightly higher loss. This additional loss is attributed to roughness associated with limitations that currently exist in commercial 3D printers.
Security concerns of a plug-in vehicle

Electric vehicles, no doubt, will bring in many benefits to the economy and to the stakeholders concerned; however these will come at certain costs. Modern vehicles already have several intelligent electronic components, also known as electronic control units (ECU), which control several functionalities of the car and on top of that, with the introduction of the electric vehicles and in particular plug-in electric vehicles, a vehicle is no longer a vehicle, it is more of a network connected device. This paper therefore looks specifically at some of the security concerns that will emerge from plug-in electric vehicles charging and communicating to the utility and their potential impacts on the power grid as a whole.
Rat brain aryl acylamidase: further characterization of multiple forms.

Abstract 1. 1. Two fractions of aryl acylamidase (EC 3.5.1.13) were further separated from rat brain extracts at pH 7.5 by ammonium sulfate precipitation and Bio-Gel chromatography. 2. 2. 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydro-β-carboline competitively inhibited (67%) fraction-1 but slightly inhibited (13%) fraction-2. Tetrahydroharman, 6-hydroxy-tetrahydroharman and harminic acid slightly inhibited both fractions. Harmalol inhibited fraction-1 but enhanced fraction-2. 6-Methoxy-harman, 6-methoxy-harmalan and harmaline enhanced both fractions. 3. 3. Pargyline did not affect either fraction. Methiothepin, cyproheptadine and chlorimipramine inhibited fraction-1 but stimulated fraction-2. 4. 4. Neostigmine moderately (30%) inhibited AAA-2 but did not have any significant effect on AAA-1. 5. 5. These results indicate that the β-carboline compounds might play a role in regulating activity of AAA-1 and 2 in brain. 6. 6. Both fractions might be related to serotonergic neurons but only AAA-2 might be associated with acetylcholinesterase.
Model selection analysis of temporal variation in benefit for an ant-tended treehopper

Recent studies of mutualism have emphasized both that the net benefit to participants depends on the ecological context and that the density-dependent pattern of benefit is key to understanding the population dynamics of mutualism. Indeed, changes in the ecological context are likely to drive changes in both the magnitude of benefit and the density-dependent pattern of benefit. Despite the close linkage between these two areas of research, however, few studies have addressed the factors underlying variation in the density-dependent pattern of benefit. Here I use model selection to evaluate how variation in the benefits of a mutualism drives temporal variation in the density-dependent pattern of net benefit for the ant-tended treehopper Publilia concava. In the interaction between ants and treehoppers in the genus Publilia, ants collect the sugary excretions of treehoppers as a food resource, and treehoppers benefit both directly (e.g., by feeding facilitation) and indirectly (e.g., by predator protection). Results presented here show that temporal changes in the relative magnitude of direct and indirect benefit components of ant tending, especially the effectiveness of predator protection by ants, qualitatively change the overall pattern of density-dependent benefit between years with maximum benefit shifting from treehoppers in small to large aggregations. These results emphasize the need for empirical studies that evaluate the long-term dynamics of mutualism and theoretical studies that consider the population dynamics consequences of variation in the density-dependent pattern of benefit.
Slow Crack Growth-Notches-Pressurized Polyethylene Pipes

A general method for predicting the lifetime of a polyethylene structure that fails by slow crack growth was applied to the case of externally notched pressurized pipes. An analysis of experimental data indicated that the residual stress must be taken into account. The critical notch depths associated with a given lifetime were calculated as a function of pipe size, PENT value of the resin, and temperature. The results were tabulated to serve as practical guide lines for deciding whether a pipe should be discarded if the notch is too deep. The current 10% of the thickness rule now used by industry was found to be invalid. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1951–1955, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers
Gauging intraurban variability of ambient particulate matter arsenic and other air toxic metals from a network of monitoring sites

A four site monitoring network was established in the Missouri portion of Metropolitan St. Louis during 2008 to characterize spatiotemporal patterns in PM10 arsenic. Arsenic measured at two urban sites in the City of St. Louis was typically higher than arsenic at two suburban sites. Spatiotemporal variability in arsenic is examined by plotting the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) against the coefficient of divergence (COD) for each site-pair to merge the temporal tracking ability of PCC with COD's ability to gauge spatial homogeneity. Arsenic measured across the network is apportioned into a network-wide baseline and site-specific excess concentrations to semi-quantitatively differentiate local-scale emission source contributions from sources exerting influence over larger spatial scales. Comparing measured concentrations at each site against the network-wide baseline concentration using a scattergram of PCC and COD emphasizes the impact of local sources on intraurban variability. Conditional probability function (CPF) plots constructed using site-specific measured arsenic and surface winds identify a broad emission source region towards the east, but mask the bearings of local sources in the urban core. CPF plots using site-specific arsenic in excess of the baseline concentrations provide better resolution of local emission source bearings and are triangulated to identify a likely arsenic emission source zone along the industrialized Mississippi Riverfront. Additional air toxic metals measured in this study (selenium, manganese and lead) are also investigated to examine the efficacy of this methodology to characterize intraurban variability.
Changes in conformation and function of hemoglobin and myoglobin induced by adsorption to silica.

Abstract Adsorption of myoglobin (Mb) or hemoglobin (Hb) to silica (Cab-O-Sil) causes marked alterations in protein hydrogen exchange kinetics. The exchange is slower for cyanometMb and faster for both cyanometHb and oxyHb in adsorbed state than for the corresponding species in the free state. For Hb, adsorption increases oxygen affinity (P 50 = 12.9 mmHg vs. 16.7 for free) and decreases cooperativity (n = 2.05 vs. 2.87 for free). Myoglobin has the same oxygen affinity in both the free and adsorbed states.