cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Architecture of Ca2+ Channel Pore-lining Segments Revealed by Covalent Modification of Substituted Cysteines

The cysteine accessibility method was used to explore calcium channel pore topology. Cysteine mutations were introduced into the SS1-SS2 segments of Motifs I-IV of the human cardiac L-type calcium channel, expressed in Xenopusoocytes and the current block by methanethiosulfonate compounds was measured. Our studies revealed that several consecutive mutants of motifs II and III are accessible to methanethiosulfonates, suggesting that these segments exist as random coils. Motif I cysteine mutants exhibited an intermittent sensitivity to these compounds, providing evidence for a β-sheet secondary structure. Motif IV showed a periodic sensitivity, suggesting the presence of an α-helix. These studies reveal that the SS1-SS2 segment repeat in each motif have non-uniform secondary structures. Thus, the channel architecture evolves as a highly distorted 4-fold pore symmetry.
Detection of antigen specific rosette formation with the FACS

Donors previously sensitized to conventional antigens PPD and KLH were evaluated for their antigen binding responses, utilizing a rosette forming technique with antigen-conjugated autologous erythrocytes. Reactivity is directly correlated with prior sensitization. Furthermore, antigen specificity is suggested by inhibition of rosette formation by prior incubation with the relevant antigen. The frequency of RFCs detected cytofluorometrically was compared with conventional fluorescent microscopy determinations. RFCs detected in this manner were identified as antibody armed monocytes by cell depletion and histochemical studies. The usefulness of the rosette forming technique for the routine evaluation of donor immunity is discussed.
The hyperbolic singular perturbation problem: An operator theoretic approach

Abstract We study the convergence of solutions of e2u″(t) + u′(t) = (e2A + B) u(t) to solutions of u′(t) = Bu(t) as e → 0, where A and B are linear unbounded operators in a Banach space.
Pattern-reversal auditory evoked potential.

Abstract The late auditory evoked potential (AEP) was studied in response to an alternatingly frequency-modulated complex tone. This ‘pattern-reversal’ AEP was found to be a heartier response than the conventional tone-burst evoked potential, albeit longer in latency.
The Effect of Body Mass Index on Fasting Blood Glucose After Initiation of Thiazide Therapy in Hypertensive Patients

BACKGROUND The prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasing in the United States. In this setting, it is important to understand the effects of antihypertensives on glucose metabolism. We therefore examined the association between body mass index (BMI) (kg/m(2)) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) in subjects in whom thiazide antihypertensive therapy had been initiated. METHODS A retrospective observational study was carried out on individuals with hypertension who had been started on thiazide therapy. The subjects' age, thiazide dose, BMI, serum potassium, FBG, new onset of diabetes mellitus, and concurrent use of other antihypertensives were included in the analysis. Predictors of change in FBG were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis, while predictors of new-onset diabetes mellitus were determined using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS A total of 2,624 individuals who had been started on thiazide therapy for hypertension were divided into quartiles of increasing BMI. FBG was found to be associated with baseline BMI and, after thiazide initiation, there was a step-wise increase in the magnitude of change in FBG with increasing BMI (P < 0.001 for both). Analysis using multiple linear regression found that BMI and baseline FBG predicted the magnitude of FBG change in subjects initiated on thiazide treatment (P < 0.001 for both). Analysis with logistic regression found that, after thiazide initiation, BMI, serum potassium baseline (P < 0.05 for both), and baseline FBG (P < 0.001) predicted the development of diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS There is an overall increase in FBG in individuals who are started on treatment with thiazides for hypertension. The magnitude of change in FBG and the development of new-onset diabetes mellitus after thiazide initiation were associated with increases in BMI and baseline FBG. American Journal of Hypertension (2008) doi:10.1038/ajh.2007.75American Journal of Hypertension (2008); 21 4. 438-442 doi:10.1038/ajh.2007.75.
Incorporation of 131I-fibrinogen in a coronary artery thrombus, detected in vivo with a scintillation camera

A study was designed to evaluate scintillation images from an experimentally-induced thrombus in the anaesthetized, intact dog and explore the feasibility of detecting thrombus in the coronary artery in vivo by a non-invasive method. 131I-fibrinogen was infused systemically or into the coronary artery during the formation of a platelet thrombus with a catheter electrode. The Anger camera with pinhole collimator demonstrated only fair discrimination with systemic infusion despite substantial uptake of label in the thrombus. A clear definition of thrombus was accomplished during intracoronary infusion of isotope, largely due to the reduction of background activity from blood in the cardiac chambers. Thus, reduction of background should enable detection of a platelet thrombus in vivo, but the time limits of incorporation of label remain to be defined.
Art, self-censorship, and public discourse: contemporary Moroccan artists at the crossroads

Since the reign of King Mohammed VI in 1999, there has been a recent democratic trend in Morocco that has led to political liberalization and symbolic concessions. This essay explores how a new generation of artists is beginning to test the notions of the Islam, the monarch, and the rights of ethnic groups and women within Morocco. I argue that while they are beginning to test the limits of recent religious, social, and political reforms, these artists show self-restrain and selfcensorship, creating art that falls within the public discourse allowed by the new Moroccan king.
Art Spiegelman’s In the Shadow of No Towers and the art of graphic autofiction

This essay discusses Art Spiegelman’s 2004 publication In the Shadow of No Towers (New York: Pantheon) as a graphic representation of 9/11, Spiegelman’s reaction to the event and its political consequences, and a metafiction of Spiegelman’s creative process. The result is what I refer to in this essay as graphic autofiction: a visual articulation of the paradoxical relationship between ‘autobiography’ and ‘fiction’ in the visual representation of a particular period in the artist’s life. In the Shadow of No Towers’ publication history engaged Spiegelman and his work in an international dialogue and positioned 9/11 as both a local and global event. Further, the collection’s inclusion of Spiegelman’s political commentary alongside his descriptions stresses a rethinking of both autofiction and 9/11 as enacted through authorial embodiment. Although Spiegelman uses 9/11 as an originary, personal experience in In the Shadow of No Towers, the collection ultimately makes a case for a re-negotiated understanding o...
On the Role of the Wideband Inhibitor in the Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus: A Computational Modeling Study

Principal cells (type IV units) in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) are uniquely sensitive to (are inhibited by) energy minima or notches in acoustic spectra, which provide cues to sound localization. The once accepted conceptual model of the DCN suggested that this sensitivity was shaped largely by inhibitory inputs from wideband inhibitors (WBIs), which received auditory nerve inputs over a wide frequency range and inhibited type IV units over a narrow frequency range. A computational model based on this wide-input narrow-output conceptual model was able to reproduce quantitatively type IV unit responses to notch-noise stimuli as a function of notch width. Recent physiological results have shown however that WBIs are unresponsive to notch-noise stimuli with wide notch widths and thus have narrower auditory nerve fiber input bandwidths than previously assumed. A computational model based on a narrow-input narrow-output model of the WBI was unable to account fully for the notch sensitivity of type IV units suggesting the need to add a new component to the DCN circuit. The goal of this study was to test whether making the output bandwidth of the WBIs wide while keeping their input bandwidth narrow could explain the responses of type IV units to notch-noise stimuli. Anatomical evidence supports this model configuration, and the results show that such a model can produce strong inhibition in type IV units for wide notches. The results thus suggest that WBIs, in narrow-input wide-output form, are sufficient to account for the notch sensitivity of DCN type IV units.
Characterization of chimeric lipopolysaccharides from Escherichia coli strain JM109 transformed with lipooligosaccharide synthesis genes (lsg) from Haemophilus influenzae.

Previously, we reported the expression of chimeric lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in Escherichia colistrain JM109 (a K-12 strain) transformed with plasmids containingHaemophilus influenzae lipooligosaccharide synthesis genes (lsg) (Abu Kwaik, Y., McLaughlin, R. E., Apicella, M. A., and Spinola, S. M. (1991) Mol. Microbiol.5, 2475–2480). In this current study, we have analyzed theO-deacylated LPS and free oligosaccharides from three transformants (designated pGEMLOS-4, pGEMLOS-5, and pGEMLOS-7) by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization, electrospray ionization, and tandem mass spectrometry techniques, along with composition and linkage analyses. These data show that the chimeric LPS consist of the complete E. coli LPS core structure glycosylated on the 7-position of the non-reducing terminal branch heptose with oligosaccharides from H. influenzae. In pGEMLOS-7, the disaccharide Gal1→ 3GlcNAc1→ is added, and in pGEMLOS-5, the structure is extended to Gal1→4GlcNAc1→3Gal1→3GlcNAc1→. PGEMLOS-5 LPS reacts positively with monoclonal antibody 3F11, an antibody that recognizes the terminal disaccharide of lacto-N-neotetraose. In pGEMLOS-4 LPS, the 3F11 epitope is apparently blocked by glycosylation on the 6-position of the terminal Gal with either Gal or GlcNAc. The biosynthesis of these chimeric LPS was found to be dependent on a functional wecA (formerlyrfe) gene in E. coli. By using this carbohydrate expression system, we have been able to examine the functions of the lsg genes independent of the effects of other endogenous Haemophilus genes and expressed proteins.
Pathophysiology of Cerebral Ischemia and Brain Trauma: Similarities and Differences:

Current knowledge regarding the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia and brain trauma indicates that similar mechanisms contribute to loss of cellular integrity and tissue destruction. Mechanisms of cell damage include excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, free radical production, apoptosis and inflammation. Genetic and gender factors have also been shown to be important mediators of pathomechanisms present in both injury settings. However, the fact that these injuries arise from different types of primary insults leads to diverse cellular vulnerability patterns as well as a spectrum of injury processes. Blunt head trauma produces shear forces that result in primary membrane damage to neuronal cell bodies, white matter structures and vascular beds as well as secondary injury mechanisms. Severe cerebral ischemic insults lead to metabolic stress, ionic perturbations, and a complex cascade of biochemical and molecular events ultimately causing neuronal death. Similarities in the pathogenesis of these cerebral injuries may indicate that therapeutic strategies protective following ischemia may also be beneficial after trauma. This review summarizes and contrasts injury mechanisms after ischemia and trauma and discusses neuroprotective strategies that target both types of injuries.
Truth-telling and Turner Syndrome: the importance of diagnostic disclosure.

Objective A targeted analysis with transcript data from previous research was designed to study the perceived effects of secret-keeping on individuals with Turner syndrome (TS). Study design Girls and women (n = 97) and 21 parents participated in the initial interview study. Transcripts were coded and analyzed for constructs related to secret-keeping. Results Thirty percent of participants spontaneously mentioned that their health care providers (HCP) or parents had withheld all or part of their TS diagnosis. Of those, 15 individuals were not informed of the infertility component of their diagnosis. Individuals reporting secret-keeping were more likely to have had a negative perception of the HCP's role in the disclosure process compared with those participants who did not report that a secret had been kept ( P Conclusion The prevalence of secret-keeping within this sample population suggests it is likely an existing concern in the greater TS population. How HCPs disclose a TS diagnosis may affect whether secrets are kept. Conversely, secret-keeping may result in a negative disclosure experience. These observations suggest the need for interventions aimed at helping HCPs disclose health-related information to parents and their children in a timely, caring, and sensitive manner.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Psychiatric aspects and use of psychotropics

Abstract Many of the psychiatric side effects—especially depression—of agents (corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and hydroxychloroquine) commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis may be mistaken for psychological sequelae to the disease itself. By and large, psychotropics can be used safely with the usual cautions but without undue concern for drug interactions, except for the tendency of lithium clearance to be reduced by several of the NSAIDs. Most specific choices of antidepressant or neuroleptic are made to avoid the side effects most disruptive to the patient with RA.
Serologic characteristics of certain root-nodule bacteria of legumes

Rhizobium trifolii organisms associated with eleven species ofTrifolium were isolated and studied by means of antigen-antibody agglutination and immune diffusion techniques. Ten serologic types were differentiated from the eleven species of nativeTrifolium.
Wasted Money or Worthy Investment? Ideological Values Color Perceptions of Escalation of Commitment

Much attention has been devoted to why and when decision-makers escalate their commitments to failing courses of action. However, little is known about how this decision is perceived. Across three ...
Online tools for understanding rat physiology

Rat models have been used to investigate physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms for decades. With the availability of the rat genome and other online resources, tools to identify rat models that mimic human disease are an important step in translational research. Despite the large number of papers published each year using rat models, integrating this information remains a problem. Resources for the rat genome are continuing to grow rapidly, while resources providing access to rat phenotype data are just emerging. An overview of rat models of disease, tools to characterize strain by phenotype and genotype, and steps being taken to integrate rat physiological data is presented in this article. Integrating functional and physiological data with the rat genome will build a solid research platform to facilitate innovative studies to unravel the mechanisms resulting in disease.
Compressible separated flows

Etude experimentale d'ecoulements turbulents bidimensionnels presentant de grandes regions de decollement. Etude du developpement de l'ecoulement de recirculation
Thermochemical water splitting cycles: impact of thermal burdens and kinetics

Abstract Equations are rigorously derived for evaluating the thermal efficiency of a thermochemical water splitting cycle, from which it is possible to assess the impact of each heat burden or loss separately. The equations of continuity are shown to be coupled, as a consequence, heat flow is found to be the rate determining process for the operation of a thermochemical water splitting plant. Since heat flow is rate determining, the chemical rate of reaction must be fast relative to heat flow even in the asymptotic approach to completion. The conclusion is drawn that recycling of reactants, which is required if ΔG ⩾ 0, will probably result in an uneconomical cycle. Unlike a thermomechanical engine which can be characterized by a single parameter, the thermal efficiency η, the thermochemical engine requires two, one, η, which measures the effective use of heat and a second, τ, which measures the effective use of power. The former is defined in the conventional manner, namely the work divided by the heat. The latter is defined as the ratio of the average chemical rate for product in the reaction volume for each stage multiplied by the heat required by the cycle to split a mol of water divided by the power of the source: τ=vR α i V i Q/P=vp i Q/PδH i =1 ν adjusts for the stoichiometry, pi is the power absorbed at stage i and ΔHi is the enthalpy change in the reaction at i. To maintain a balanced plant τ must equal unity. It is, also, concluded that hybrid cycles are favoured because of the additional degree of freedom.
SU‐FF‐I‐59: A Machine Independent Threshold Method for PET Target Delineation

Purpose: We have developed a PET image segmentation method for accurate target delineation and volume estimation and compared the performance with other published methods without prior volume estimates from CT or MR. Method and Materials: Eight spheres containing a uniform concentration of FDG and ranging in size from 1 cc to 95 cc were imaged in a Jaszczak phantom. The spheres to background concentration ratio were variable from 3:1 to 12:1. Our hypothesis is that the optimal threshold depends on target volume and target/background concentration ratio and can be derived only from PET image. However, the target volume and concentration ratio both can not be obtained from image directly. For this work, a mean intensity segmentation method was used to obtain an initial target volume. Based on this initial volume estimate and source/background ratio, the concentration ratio was computed. This ratio combined with initial volume provided enough information to derive desired threshold to segment PET image and outline target volume. These volumes were compared with the actual measured sphere volumes. To determine the performance of this method, we also compared the segmentation results from adaptive thresholding, mean SUV and spatial derivative segmentation methods. Preliminary patient studies of lung lesion were also conducted. Results: The overall average error for sphere volume estimation was 8.7%. The performance was robust and uniform for all spheres in wide range of size and concentration ratio. Preliminary patient studies showed substantial clinic utility. Conclusions: This method results a high‐quality and uniform performance for PET image segmentation with acceptable clinic delineation. The method was shown to be superior compared to other methods in phantom studies overall, especially for small volumes.
Flight Results of Autonomous Fixed-Wing UAV Transitions to and from Stationary Hover

Fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with the ability to hover have significant potential for applications in urban or other constrained environments where the combination of fast speed, endurance, and stable hovering flight can provide strategic advantages. This paper discusses the use of dynamic inversion with neural network adaptation to provide an adaptive controller capable of transitioning a fixed-wing UAV to and from hovering flight in a nearly stationary position. This approach allows utilization of the entire low speed flight envelope even beyond stall conditions. The method is applied to the GTEdge, an 8.75 foot wing span fixed-wing aerobatic UAV which has been fully instrumented for autonomous flight. Results from actual flight test experiments of the system where the airplane transitions from high speed steady flight into a stationary hover and then back are presented.
Clinical exophthalmometry: a comparative study of the Luedde and Hertel exophthalmometers.

Exophthalmometry, the quantitative assessment of the position of the globe in the orbit, is a clinically useful measurement. The purpose of this study was to examine the performance of a simple exophthal-mometer that would lend itself to accurate and convenient use in clinical practice. In this study, two observers independently performed exophthalmometry on 100 eyes using the Hertel and Luedde instruments. The results were compared between instruments and between observers. There was no statistically or clinically significant difference between measurements taken with the Luedde as compared with the Hertel instrument. The Luedde exophthal-mometer has a number of advantages over the Hertel exophthalmometer, and represents a simple, inexpensive and equally reliable means of evaluating clinically the anteroposterior position of the eye in the orbit.
Social science in school finance court cases

Most states in the U.S. have experienced litigation concerning the constitutionality of their school finance systems. I examine the potential role of social science in affecting the outcomes of these cases. The text of the decisions of recent cases is examined to see to what extent social science appears to influence the courts. While the potential use of social science is large, its actual use is idiosyncratic. Where its use is apparent, however, it is difficult to confidently conclude that it affected the court’s decision. Other factors could have been determinative and social science might have been used only to buttress the court’s decision.
Thin glass dielectric films on anodized aluminum

Abstract Thin inorganic oxide dielectrics were formed on aluminum by first anodizing the metal in oxalic-sulfuric acid electrolytes followed by the electrophoretic deposition of lead borosilicate glass powder. Air firing at 600°C produced dielectric layers of the order of 10 μm in thickness. Films using anodized substrates were more uniform in thickness and exhibited improved breakdow characteristics, up to approximately 500 V, compared with glass films formed on aluminum metal, which were generally short circuited by pinholes. Because of the glass flow which occurred during firing and the observed variation in dielectric constant with the ratio of anodic film thickness to glass thickness, it was concluded that the anodization layer was partially dissolved by the glass, accompanied by enhanced bonding and wetting of the surface. This in turn led to the elimination of pinhole defects and to improved electrical properties. Application of this coating method to capacitors is briefly discussed.
Managing the behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia

As the world's population ages, increasing numbers of patients with dementia can be expected, the signs and symptoms of which can be extremely disruptive. In particular, behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia reduce the quality of life of carers (usually family members) and increase the cost of care. Conventional neuroleptics have been used for many years in the management of disturbed and disruptive demented patients, although there are few well-controlled clinical trials demonstrating their efficacy. The use of the low-potency neuroleptics is associated with orthostatic hypotension, cardiac toxicity, anticholinergic side effects and daytime sedation. The high-potency neuroleptics tend to cause extrapyramidal side effects and akathisia. Clozapine although less likely to cause extrapyramidal symptoms than conventional neuroleptics, can cause orthostatic hypotension and requires continual blood monitoring. Early-phase open trials suggest that risperidone is efficacious in patients with behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia and that it has a low side-effects profile. Further trials are needed to confirm this, but it is likely that the newer antipsychotics, as typified by risperidone, will lead to safer and more effective management of patients with the disruptive and costly behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia. Non-pharmacologic interventions may also provide benefit, though controls are rare.
Cost- and time-effective three-dimensional bone-shape reconstruction from X-ray images.

Background Three-dimensional (3D) bone shapes need to be created for visualization and pre-operative surgery planning. Conventionally such shape data is extracted from volumetric data sets, obtained by three-dimensional sensors, such as computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This conventional method is highly labor intensive and time consuming. Methods This paper presents a cost- and time-effective computational method for generating a 3D bone shape from multiple X-ray images. Starting with a predefined 3D template bone shape that is clinically normal and scaled to an average size, our method scales and deforms the template shape until the deformed shape gives an image similar to an input X-ray image when projected onto a two-dimensional (2D) plane. The hierarchical freeform deformation method is used to scale and deform the template bone. The problem of finding the 3D shape of the bond is reduced to a sequence of optimization problems. The objective of this optimization is to minimize the error between the input X-ray image and the projected image of the deformed template shape. The sequential quadratic programming (SQP) is used to solve this multi-dimentional optimization problem. Results The proposed X-ray image-based shape reconstruction is more computationally efficient, cost-effective and portable compared to the conventional CT- or MRI-based methods. Within a couple of minutes with a standard personal computer, the proposed method generates a 3D bone shape that is sufficiently accurate for many applications, such as (a) making a 3D physical mock-up for training and (b) importing into, and using in, a computer-aided planning system for orthopedic surgery, including bone distraction and open/closed wedge osteotomy. Conclusions Because the proposed method requires only a small number of X-ray images and a minimum input from the user, the method can serve as a cost- and time-effective 3D bone shape reconstruction method for various medical applications. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Information Preserving Time Decompositions of Time Stamped Documents

Extraction of sequences of events from news and other documents based on the publication times of these documents has been shown to be extremely effective in tracking past events. This paper addresses the issue of constructing an optimal information preserving decomposition of the time period associated with a given document set, i.e., a decomposition with the smallest number of subintervals, subject to no loss of information. We introduce the notion of the compressed interval decomposition, where each subinterval consists of consecutive time points having identical information content. We define optimality, and show that any optimal information preserving decomposition of the time period is a refinement of the compressed interval decomposition. We define several special classes of measure functions (functions that measure the prevalence of keywords in the document set and assign them numeric values), based on their effect on the information computed as document sets are combined. We give algorithms, appropriate for different classes of measure functions, for computing an optimal information preserving decomposition of a given document set. We studied the effectiveness of these algorithms by computing several compressed interval and information preserving decompositions for a subset of the Reuters---21578 document set. The experiments support the obvious conclusion that the temporal information gleaned from a document set is strongly dependent on the measure function used and on other user-defined parameters.
NEDD9 Depletion Destabilizes Aurora A Kinase and Heightens the Efficacy of Aurora A Inhibitors: Implications for Treatment of Metastatic Solid Tumors

Aurora A Kinase (AURKA) is overexpressed in 96% of human cancers and is considered an independent marker of poor prognosis. While the majority of tumors have elevated levels of AURKA protein, few have AURKA gene amplification, implying that posttranscriptional mechanism regulating AURKA protein levels are significant. Here we show that NEDD9, a known activator of AURKA, is directly involved in AURKA stability. Analysis of a comprehensive breast cancer tissue microarray revealed a tight correlation between the expression of both proteins, significantly corresponding with increased prognostic value. A decrease in AURKA, concomitant with increased ubiquitination and proteasome-dependent degradation, occurs due to depletion or knockout of NEDD9. Re-expression of wild type NEDD9 was sufficient to rescue the observed phenomenon. Binding of NEDD9 to AURKA is critical for AURKA stabilization, as mutation of S296E was sufficient to disrupt binding and led to reduced AURKA protein levels. NEDD9 confers AURKA stability by limiting the binding of the cdh1-substrate recognition subunit of APC/C ubiquitin ligase to AURKA. Depletion of NEDD9 in tumor cells increases sensitivity to AURKA inhibitors. Combination therapy with NEDD9 shRNAs and AURKA inhibitors impairs tumor growth and distant metastasis in mice harboring xenografts of breast tumors. Collectively, our findings provide rationale for the use of AURKA inhibitors in treatment of metastatic tumors and predict the sensitivity of the patients to AURKA inhibitors based on NEDD9 expression.
Novel methoxy-carotenoids from the burgundy-colored plumage of the Pompadour Cotinga Xipholena punicea

Recent advances in the fields of chromatography, mass spectrometry, and chemical analysis have greatly improved the efficiency with which carotenoids can be extracted and analyzed from avian plumage. Prior to these technological developments, Brush (1968) [1] concluded that the burgundy-colored plumage of the male pompadour Cotinga Xipholena punicea is produced by a combination of blue structural color and red carotenoids, including astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, isozeaxanthin, and a fourth unidentified, polar carotenoid. However, X. punicea does not in fact exhibit any structural coloration. This work aims to elucidate the carotenoid pigments of the burgundy color of X. punicea plumage using advanced analytical methodology. Feathers were collected from two burgundy male specimens and from a third aberrant orange-colored specimen. Pigments were extracted using a previously published technique (McGraw et al. (2005) [2]), separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and analyzed by UV/ Vis absorption spectroscopy, chemical analysis, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and comparison with direct synthetic products. Our investigation revealed the presence of eight ketocarotenoids, including astaxanthin and canthaxanthin as reported previously by Brush (1968) [1]. Six of the ketocarotenoids contained methoxyl groups, which is rare for naturally-occurring carotenoids and a novel finding in birds. Interestingly, the carotenoid composition was the same in both the burgundy and orange feathers, indicating that feather coloration in X. punicea is determined not only by the presence of carotenoids, but also by interactions between the bound carotenoid pigments and their protein environment in the barb rami and barbules. This paper presents the first evidence of metabolically-derived methoxy-carotenoids in birds.
Thoughts on modeling complexity

The simplest and probably the most familiar model of statistical processes in the physical sciences is the random walk. This simple model has been applied to all manner of phenomena, ranging from DNA sequences to the firing of neurons. Herein we extend the random walk model beyond that of mimicking simple statistics to include long-time memory in the dynamics of complex phenomena. We show that complexity can give rise to fractional-difference stochastic processes whose continuum limit is a fractional Langevin equation, that is, a fractional differential equation driven by random fluctuations. Furthermore, the index of the inverse power-law spectrum in many complex processes can be related to the fractional derivative index in the fractional Langevin equation. This fractional stochastic model suggests that a scaling process guides the dynamics of many complex phenomena. The alternative to the fractional Langevin equation is a fractional diffusion equation describing the evolution of the probability density for certain kinds of anomalous diffusion. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 11: 33–43, 2006
Gaseous elemental and reactive mercury in Southern New Hampshire

Abstract. We conducted measurements of Hg0 and RGM at two inland sites, Thompson Farm (TF) and Pac Monadnock (PM), and a marine site (Appledore Island (AI)) from the UNH AIRMAP observing network in New Hampshire in 2007. Measurements of other important trace gases and meteorological variables were used to help understand influences on the atmospheric Hg budget in New England. Seasonal variation in both species observed at TF and PM is attributable to such factors as seasonal variation in deposition strength, meteorological conditions and biogenic emissions. Hg0 and RGM varied diurnally at TF, particularly in spring, following the trend in air temperature and jNO2 and suggesting photochemical production of RGM. The diurnal patterns of Hg0 and RGM at AI during summer were nearly opposite in phase, with Hg0 decreasing through late afternoon, suggesting more significant photochemical oxidation of Hg0 to RGM in the marine environment, likely due to the presence of marine halogen compounds. A significant relationship of RGM with SO2 at TF suggests a strong contribution of RGM from anthropogenic sources. Significant levels of halogen compounds measured at TF in previous studies, as well as similar Hg0 levels and Hg0-CO ratios at TF and AI may suggest that similar air masses are prevalent at these sites.
Wide-area performance profiling of 10GigE and InfiniBand technologies

For wide-area high-performance applications, light-paths provide 10Gbps connectivity, and multi-core hosts with PCI-Express can drive such data rates. However, sustaining such end-to-end application throughputs across connections of thousands of miles remains challenging, and the current performance studies of such solutions are very limited. We present an experimental study of two solutions to achieve such throughputs based on: (a) 10Gbps Ethernet with TCP/IP transport protocols, and (b) InfiniBand and its wide-area extensions. For both, we generate performance profiles over 10Gbps connections of lengths up to 8600 miles, and discuss the components, complexity, and limitations of sustaining such throughputs, using different connections and host configurations. Our results indicate that IB solution is better suited for applications with a single large flow, and 10GigE solution is better for those with multiple competing flows.
Inspiration and conversation: Breat(h)ing the other

(1993). Inspiration and conversation: Breat(h)ing the other. Text and Performance Quarterly: Vol. 13, Performance and Conversation, pp. 186-188.
Scaling trends and challenges of advanced memory technology

DRAM and NAND technologies have been successfully developed so far thanks to advanced patterning and device technologies, meeting high density, high performance and low cost requirements. However, imminent scaling limit in DRAM and NAND requires breakthrough technologies to meet market needs.
Trajectory triangulation: 3D motion reconstruction with ℓ 1 optimization

In this paper, we first explain the formulation of the trajectory triangulation: 3D reconstruction of a moving point from a series of 2D projections. The system has to be overconstrained to be solved by least squares techniques. We take advantage of the sparseness of real-world motions in the transformed domain, and borrow the concept of compressive sampling to reformulate the problem with l 1 optimization so that it is possible to reconstruct the trajectory even in an underconstrained system. Thus, fewer measurements are needed to reconstruct a 3D trajectory of even larger bandwidth coverage. We conduct experiments on both synthetic and real-world motion data to verify our proposed method, and compare the reconstruction results based on l 1 and l 2 optimization.
Delayed light action spectra of several algae in visible and ultraviolet light.

Action spectra for delayed light production by several algae were determined from 250 to 750 mµ incident light. In the visible portion of the spectrum the action spectra resemble those reported by previous workers for photosynthesis and light emission. Blue-green algae had a maximum at 620 mµ, red algae at 550 mµ, whereas green and brown algae have action spectra corresponding to chlorophyll and carotenoid absorption. In the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum delayed light is emitted by algae down to 250 mµ incident light. The action spectra of the different algae are not alike in the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum. This indicates that pigments other than chlorophyll must be sensitizing or shielding the algae in the ultraviolet region.
Brief paper: Notes on averaging over acyclic digraphs and discrete coverage control

In this paper we study averaging algorithms and coverage control laws in a unified light. First, we characterize the convergence properties of averaging algorithms over acyclic digraphs with fixed and controlled-switching topology. Second, we introduce and study novel discrete coverage control laws, which are useful in practical implementations of coverage strategies. We characterize the close relationship of the novel discrete control laws with continuous coverage control laws and with averaging algorithms over a class of acyclic digraphs, that we term discrete Voronoi graphs. These results provide a unified framework to model a vast class of distributed optimization problems.
Evolutionary ecology during the rise of dioxygen in the Earth's atmosphere

Pre-photosynthetic niches were meagre with a productivity of much less than 10−4 of modern photosynthesis. Serpentinization, arc volcanism and ridge-axis volcanism reliably provided H2. Methanogens and acetogens reacted CO2 with H2 to obtain energy and make organic matter. These skills pre-adapted a bacterium for anoxygenic photosynthesis, probably starting with H2 in lieu of an oxygen ‘acceptor’. Use of ferrous iron and sulphide followed as abundant oxygen acceptors, allowing productivity to approach modern levels. The ‘photobacterium’ proliferated rooting much of the bacterial tree. Land photosynthetic microbes faced a dearth of oxygen acceptors and nutrients. A consortium of photosynthetic and soil bacteria aided weathering and access to ferrous iron. Biologically enhanced weathering led to the formation of shales and, ultimately, to granitic rocks. Already oxidized iron-poor sedimentary rocks and low-iron granites provided scant oxygen acceptors, as did freshwater in their drainages. Cyanobacteria evolved dioxygen production that relieved them of these vicissitudes. They did not immediately dominate the planet. Eventually, anoxygenic and oxygenic photosynthesis oxidized much of the Earth's crust and supplied sulphate to the ocean. Anoxygenic photosynthesis remained important until there was enough O2 in downwelling seawater to quantitatively oxidize massive sulphides at mid-ocean ridge axes.
Liver and Extrahepatic Bile Ducts

Penetrating liver injury offers surgeons a wide spectrum of challenges ranging from making a decision for non-operative management to devising strategies to manage complex combined hepatic vascular and biliary injuries. The successful management of complex penetrating liver injuries can require a broad range of skills, from the ability to expose and control bleeding rapidly, to the ability to coordinate care of an unstable patient over a long period. A theme pervading all management of complex liver injuries, though, is the simple notion that, ultimately, the liver is a forgiving organ, if one can keep the patient from bleeding to death on the day of injury or dying of sepsis from leaking bile later on, even the most complex injuries can be managed successfully. Damage control in the face of complex or multiple injury with bleeding arrestable with compression is the standard of care. For ease of discussion, I will discuss management of liver and extrahepatic biliary injuries separately.
Genome-wide aberrations in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Chromosomal instability, manifesting as copy number alterations (CNAs), is characteristic of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We used bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to examine the pancreatic adenocarcinoma genome for submicroscopic amplifications and deletions. Profiles of 33 samples (17 first-passage xenografts and 16 cell lines) identified numerous chromosomal regions with CNAs, including losses at 1p36.33 approximately p34.3, 1p13.3 approximately p13.2, 3p26, 3p25.2 approximately p22.3, 3p22.1 approximately p14.1, 4q28.3, 4q31, 4q35.1, 5q14.3, 6p, 6q, 8p23.3 approximately p12, 9p, 9q22.32 approximately q31.1, 13q33.2, 15q11.2, 16p13.3, 17p, 18q11.21 approximately q23 , 19p13.3 approximately p13.12, 19q13.2, 21p, 21q, and 22p, 22q and gains at 7p21.1 approximately p11.2, 7q31.32, 7q33, 8q11.1 approximately q24, 11p13, 14q22.2, 20p12.2, and 20q11.23 approximately q13.33. Novel regions containing CNAs were identified and refined by combining the increased resolution of our BAC CGH array with a statistical algorithm developed for assigning significance values to altered BACs across samples. A subset of array-based CNAs was validated using polymerase chain reaction-based techniques, immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. BAC aCGH proved to be a powerful genome-wide strategy to identify molecular alterations in pancreatic cancer and to distinguish differences between cell line and xenograft aberration profiles. These findings should greatly facilitate further research in understanding the pathogenesis of this lethal disease, and could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and biomarkers for early detection.
Communication Dynamics of the Transnational Family

This study explores how Turkish transnational families use communication technology to maintain connections across oceans. Its findings are drawn from a larger study that examined how transnational families maintain intergenerational relationships over distance and time. A grounded theory approach was used to conduct and analyze interviews with 30 Turkish immigrants living in the Midwest region of the United States. Results pertaining to the use of communication technology demonstrate that Turkish transnational families use a variety of communication strategies to maintain family relations. Specifically, they indicate that (1) telephone calls are crucial in facilitating communication; (2) e-mail facilitates communication, particularly between the younger generations; and (3) web-cams are used relatively infrequently. Each of these themes is discussed, and implications for future research are presented.
Characterization approaches to place invariant sites on sitraceable scales

Understanding Earth's climate requires remote sensing imagery that is consistent across time and multiple countries. A method is described here for a model-based, SI-traceable prediction of at-sensor radiance over selected sites with defensible error budgets. The predicted radiance would be valid for arbitrary view and illumination angles and for any date of interest that is dominated by clear-sky conditions. The effort effectively works to characterize the sites as sources with known top-of-atmosphere radiance allowing accurate intercomparison of sensor data without the need for coincident views. A set of recommendations to ensure future SI-traceable cross calibration using future missions such as CLARREO and TRUTHS are presented. Highly accurate measurements of at-sensor radiance of sufficient quality allow an understanding of spectral and BRDF characteristics of the site. Sufficient historical data are necessary to develop an understanding of temporal effects from changing surface and atmospheric conditions.
Decimal Place Setting And Error In AMORT Function In Texas Instruments BA-II Plus Calculator

Setting decimal places to two in Texas Instruments BA-II Plus financial calculator to be consistent with our currency denomination is insidious. It yields erroneous amortization answers that elude unsuspecting users. The only remedy to minimize the erroneous answers is to increase the decimal places to nine, the maximum permissible by the calculator.
Changes in Cytokine Signaling and Extracellular Matrix Production Induced by Inflammatory Factors in Cultured Vocal Fold Fibroblasts

Objectives: Modulating cytokine signaling in vocal fold fibroblasts after injury may influence extracellular matrix (ECM) production and eventual fibrotic outcome. To evaluate previously establishe...
Cycle-Resolved Laser-Velocimetry Measurements in a Reentrant-Bowl-in-Piston Engine

Cycle-resolved measurements of in-cylinder air velocity have been made in a motored engine (600-r/min engine speed, 10.6:1 compression) having a high-squish reentrant-bowl piston. The velocity fluctuations have been analyzed both by low-pass/highpass frequency filtering and by evaluation of non-stationary velocity autocorrelation functions. These two complementary analyses and general issues pertaining to their interpretation are carefully examined
'Persecution and Exile': Fr. Angelo Tutuo and Revelations from the South Sudan National Archive

Beyond his short entry in Sudanese Catholic Clergy and a few letters in Rome’s Comboniani Archives, very little is known of Fr. Angelo Tutuo, the first Zande priest. However, during a cataloging project at the South Sudan National Archives last summer, I stumbled upon 1950s-era letters written by and about Fr. Tutuo. These letters disclose reflections on his time with the Verona Fathers, the racism he experienced, and his role in a 1958 election. This paper explores his troublesome reflections and attitudes towards his Italian counterparts. In turn, the paper directs attention to the role of Southern clerics in the First Civil War, the tendency to position missionaries with Southerners in the North-South conflict, and the racialized discourse often framing the conflict as one between ‘Arabs’ against ‘Blacks’. The paper argues that Tutuo’s correspondence not only challenges the assessment of missionaries in the liberation movement but also complicates understandings of the racial dynamics at play. At stake is a reevaluation of the interplay between race, missionaries, and the motif of liberation during the First Civil War.
Uncertainty Analysis and Robust Design of Low-Boom Concepts using Atmospheric Adjoints

This paper seeks to quantify the uncertainty associated with atmospheric conditions when propagating shaped pressure disturbances from a vehicle flying at supersonic speeds. A discrete adjoint form...