cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stellar evolution at high mass including the effect of a stellar wind

The effect of a stellar wind on the evolution of stars in the mass range from 15 to 120 solar masses is investigated. All the stellar models are constructed with the use of Cox-Stewart opacities. Four possible cases of mass loss are considered: (1) no mass loss at all; (2) substantial mass loss from stars in all stages of evolution; (3) heavy mass loss from red supergiants only; and (4) sudden and very heavy mass loss from luminous yellow supergiants. The assumption of mass loss during the main-sequence phase of evolution is found to lead to a lowering of the luminosity and, unless the mass loss is extremely heavy, of the effective temperature as well. A comparison of the adopted mass-loss rates with observed rates suggests that stellar winds are probably not an important factor in the evolution of main-sequence stars and supergiants unless the initial masses are greater than about 30 solar masses.
Thioether side chain cyclization for helical peptide formation: inhibitors of estrogen receptor-coactivator interactions.

: Cystine, lanthionine, and cystathionine containing cyclic peptides incorporating the signature nuclear receptor (NR) box (LXXLL) motif have been synthesized and the abilities of these peptides to inhibit estrogen receptor (ER)–coactivator interactions have been determined. We found that helicity of these peptides directly correlated with their bioactivity. Cystathionine proved to be a redox-stable, isosteric replacement for the cystine disulfide. Cystathionine containing peptide 3 showed higher helical character and a lower inhibition constant (Ki, 7 nm) when compared with its cystine counterpart.
Cyclic strain stimulates isoform-specific PKC activation and translocation in cultured human keratinocytes.

Previous studies have demonstrated that cyclic strain induces keratinocyte proliferative and morphological changes. Since protein kinase C (PKC) is known to play an important role in the regulation of keratinocyte growth and differentiation, the objective of this study was to determine the role of the PKC signaling pathway as a mediator of strain modulation of the keratinocyte phenotype. In particular, we tested the following specific hypotheses: (1) cyclic strain stimulates PKC activity and translocation, (2) cyclic strain activates PKC in an isoform-specific manner, and (3) PKC mediates the strain activated proliferative and morphological response in cultured human keratinocytes. To test these hypotheses, keratinocytes were subjected to vacuum-generated cyclic strain (10% average strain), followed by measurement of PKC activity, PKC isoform distribution by Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy, and examination of the effect of PKC inhibitors (calphostin C and staurosporine) on strain induced proliferative and morphological changes. We observed stimulation of PKC activity (62.3 ± 5.1% increase) coupled with translocation of PKC from the cytosolic to the membrane fraction in keratinocytes subjected to acute cyclic strain. Cyclic strain also caused translocation of PKC α and δ, but not ζ isoforms, from the cytosolic to the membrane fraction as demonstrated by both Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy. PKC β was not detected in these cells. PKC inhibitors, calphostin C (10 nM), and staurosporine (5 nM), inhibited strain-induced PKC activation and keratinocyte proliferation, but did not block the effects of strain on cellular morphology or alignment. We conclude that these data support our hypothesis that cyclic strain stimulates PKC activity and translocation in an isoform-specific manner in cultured human keratinocytes. Moreover, our studies with PKC inhibitors support the hypothesis that strain-induced changes in the keratinocyte phenotype may be selectively modulated by PKC. J. Cell. Biochem. 67:327–337, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Continuous glucose detection using boronic acid-substituted viologens in fluorescent hydrogels: linker effects and extension to fiber optics.

A fluorescent anionic dye and a viologen appended with boronic acids, which serve as glucose receptors, have been synthesized and immobilized into a poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogel for use as a continuous glucose monitor. The fluorescence of the dye is modulated by the quenching efficiency of the viologen-based receptor, which in turn is dependent on the glucose concentration. Two monomeric versions of the quencher/receptor unit were prepared and their performance within the hydrogel evaluated. By tethering the quencher/receptor to the hydrogel matrix using a single-point attachment, slightly improved glucose sensing was observed. The hydrogels were tested for their ability to continuously and reversibly detect glucose over the course of several hours. The tests were carried out using a cuvette-based system, as well as a fiber-optic-based configuration. Under physiological conditions (0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.4, 37 °C), the fluorescent hydrogels display an excellent dynamic response to gluc...
Transnational Corporations' Outward Expression of Inward Self-Constitution: The Enforcement of Human Rights by Apple, Inc.

Societal constitutionalism presents us with alternatives to state-centered constitutional theory. But this alternative does not so much displace as extend conventional constitutional theory as a set of static premises that structure the organization of legitimate governance units. Constitutional theory, in either its conventional or societal forms, engages in both a descriptive and a normative project—the former looking to the incarnation of an abstraction and the later to the development of a set of presumptions and principles through which this incarnation can be judged. Constitutional theory is conventionally applied to states—that is, to those manifestations of organized power constituted by a group of individuals, bounded by a territory, and evidenced by the institution of government. But today a certain measure of disaggregation has managed to manifest a constituting power. Globalization has opened holes in the walls that used to serve to police and protect states and their power authority. Societal aggregations can exist now between borders. Groups of individuals (and not just natural persons) incarnate abstractions of governance and then judge them in ways that are consonant with constitutional theory. These emerging realities have produced societal constitutionalism. But like conventional constitutionalism, societal constitutionalism seeks the comfort of equilibrium and stasis as the basic operating premises of * W. Richard and Mary Eshelman Faculty Scholar & Professor of Law, Professor of International Affairs, Pennsylvania State University. The author may be contacted at lcb911@gmail.com. The paper was first presented at the International conference, Societal Constitutionalism and Globalization, hosted by the Hague Institute for the Internationalization of Law and the International University College, Torino, Italy, May 18, 2012. My thanks to Gunther Teubner (Goethe Universitat Frankfurt am Main) and Anna Beckers (Maastricht University) for organizing this excellent conference. 806 INDIANA JOURNAL OF GLOBAL LEGAL STUDIES 20:2 self-constituting governance systems. This paper considers societal constitutionalism in its dynamic element—as a system structures constant adjustment among the constituting elements of a governance unit (whether state, corporation, religion, etc.)—in three dimensional governance space. After an introduction, Section I engages in framework setting, focusing on the structures of societal constitutionalism within the logic of globalization. Section II provides an illustration of a societally constituted enterprise operating in three dimensional dynamic governance space. Section III then develops the more important characteristics of this new dynamic and permeable constitutional framework. The paper concludes where it started—suggesting the need to expand our understanding of constitutional theory to include communication among systems in a complex polycentric constituting universe.
Man and computer: Computer applications in medicine

Abstract The second international conference L'Homme et l'Informatique (Man and Computer) was held in Bordeaux, France, under the sponsorship of L'Institut de la Vie (The Institute of Life) of Paris, during 11–16 September 1972. Of approximately 120 computer scientists and engineers and computer users (educators, physicians, sociologists, economists, urban planners, etc.) from twenty-one countries attending the conference, thirty were in the group on computer applications in medicine. This group presented and discussed fifteen papers on such topics as “Hospital Information and Data Systems”, “Computer Aided Instruction in Medicine”, “Computer Applications in Pharmacokinetics”, “Computer Aided Diagnosis”, “Patient Monitoring”, “Computer Aided X-ray Evaluation”, and “Social and Moral Implications of the Use of Computers in Medicine”. Following the presentation of a report on this work to a plenary session of the conference and a subsequent discussion, the group formulated a final report which included conclusions, prognostications, and resolutions in the above areas.
Cross-domain relationships in two sport populations: Measurement validation including prediction of motivation-related variables

Abstract Background While coach–athlete and teammate interactions and relationships help predict motivation in sport, past studies have focused on specific styles (e.g., democratic decision-making, mastery climate) and functions (e.g., instruction, social support) of interactions. The sport-specific or out-of-sport content of these social interactions has not been considered. Objectives This study had two purposes: (1) to assess factorial validity for a measure of cross-domain relationships in sport (i.e., how well coaches and/or teammates know about non-sport aspects of athletes' lives) and (2) to examine the association among cross-domain relationships and motivation-related variables. Method Youth (N = 222, 12–18 years, M = 14.68, SD = 1.26) and collegiate (N = 209, 18–24 years, M = 19.99, SD = 1.35) participants completed questionnaires assessing coach and teammate cross-domain relationships, enjoyment, perceived competence, and commitment. Results and Conclusions Through confirmatory factor analyses, preliminary factorial validity of a measure of cross-domain relationships was demonstrated with youth and collegiate samples. Path analyses also showed that coach cross-domain relationships predicted greater enjoyment (both samples), commitment (both samples), and perceived competence (collegiate sample), while teammate cross-domain relationships predicted greater commitment (both samples) and enjoyment (collegiate sample). Encouraging coaches to know more about athletes' non-sport interests may enhance enjoyment, self-perceptions, and motivation in sport. Ideas for future research and practical implications are discussed.
Soil sampling fields that have received banded fertilizer applications.

Abstract Banding of fertilizers below the seed at planting under reduced tillage conditions is becoming more commonplace. This technique however, can lead to difficulties in obtaining a representative soil sample for determining the status of mobile (N,S) and nonmobile (P,K) nutrients. This study was designed to evaluate three different soil sampling techniques. These techniques included: systematic (taking a series of soil cores perpendicular to band rows), controlled (random soil sampling avoiding the band row), and random soil sampling. All three sampling techniques adequately estimated the mobile nutrient status of soils; however, differences as a consequence of soil sampling techniques were observed for non‐mobile nutrients. The systematic sampling technique provided the highest non‐mobile nutrient values, while the controlled sampling procedure the lowest. Considering time, labor costs and the lack of availability of skilled labor the random sampling technique was the best for sampling fertilizer ba...
Contrasting Effects of Exterior and Interior Hydrophobic Moieties in the Complexation of Amino Acid Functionalized Gold Clusters with α-Chymotrypsin

A series of l-amino acid functionalized gold nanoparticles with oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) tethers of varying length are prepared. These studies show that the hydrophobic side chains of amino acids facilitate the structural retention of α-chymotrypsin (ChT) but the interior alkyl chains promote its denaturation. An 80-fold range of denaturation rate constants were obtained for ChT in the presence of various nanoparticles. Thus, the tunable denaturation of protein could be achieved by rational combination of amino acid side chains and OEG tethers.
Twists and turns of the nucleosome: tails without ends

The high-resolution structure of a nucleosome core particle gives us our first detailed look at the primary level of eukaryotic DNA organization. The structure reveals the nature of histone-DNA contacts and provides some surprises regarding the histone tails and their possible involvement in higher levels of chromatin organization.
Associations Between a Dopamine D4 Receptor Gene, Alcohol Use, and Sexual Behaviors among Female Adolescent African Americans

Adolescent African-American females are disproportionately impacted by HIV, thus there is a clear need to understand factors associated with increased HIV-risk behaviors among this vulnerable population. We sought to explore the association between a dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4), a genetic marker associated with natural variations in rewarding behaviors, and self-reported alcohol-use and sexual risk-behaviors, while controlling for other known correlates of risk-taking such as impulsivity, sensation seeking, and peer norms among a group of high-risk African American female adolescents to evaluate whether this biological factor enhances our understanding of patterns of risk in this vulnerable group.
Analysis of effective power budget in optical bus and star networks using erbium-doped fiber amplifiers

The use of erbium-doped fiber optical amplifiers (EDFAs) in bus and star networks is studied. The number of stations that can be supported with and without amplifiers in a single folded bus, a double bus, and a star is determined. For a typical case, when only one station on the bus is allowed to transmit at a time, as is the case in a time-division multiplexed network, the number of stations that can be supported with amplifiers is on the order of several thousands. This number drops to less than a thousand when all stations are allowed to transmit simultaneously on different channels in a wavelength-division multiplexed network, because of amplifier gain saturation. In the former case, the bus has the potential to outperform the star, but in the latter case, the star topology is still better. >
Transparent p-n Heterojunction Thin Film Diodes

Transparent p-n heterojunction diodes are fabricated using p-type CuYO2:Ca and n-type ZnO:Al thin films on a glass substrate coated with indium-tin oxide (ITO). The contact between the n-ZnO:Al / p-CuYO2:Ca heterojunction is found to be rectifying, while the ITO / ZnO:Al contact is ohmic. The typical ratio of forward to reverse current is 15 in the range -3 to 3V. The diode current-voltage characteristics are dominated by the flow of space charge limited current, which is ascribed to the existence of an insulating ZnO interfacial layer. The diode structure has a total thickness of 0.85 μm and an optical transmission of 40%-50% in the visible region.
Plow and ridge nanofabrication.

In general, there are two approaches to scanning probe lithography differentiated by what is being delivered to the patterned surface. One class of tools, such as nanografting,[1] anodic oxidation,[2] and indenting,[3] deliver different forms of energy to a surface to create desired patterns. The other class of tools, such as dip-pen nanolithography,[4] polymer pen lithography,[5] and hard-tip, soft-spring lithography,[6] often referred to as molecular printing techniques,[7] rely on the direct delivery of materials to a surface. The resolution of all of these tools is determined in part by the diameter of the tip, and therefore, poses the question, is it possible to do scanning probe lithography at a resolution that exceeds such a limitation? Herein, we describe a novel strategy that relies on a scanning probe to generate patterns on a surface by using the tip as a plow to create depressions and adjacent raised ridges on a polymer-coated substrate. Anisotropic etching can be used to expose the entire underlying surface except for the corresponding raised features. Subsequent etching allows one to transfer such patterns into the underlying material. Note that these raised features can have geometries significantly smaller than the tip curvature.
Evolution of long-distance migration in and historical biogeography of Catharus thrushes: a molecular phylogenetic approach

Abstract We addressed the evolution of long-distance migration in and the historical biogeography of Catharus thrushes within a phylogenetic framework. Catharus thrushes are a Nearctic–Neotropical genus consisting of five migrant and seven resident species. We reconstructed a molecular phylogeny using a combined analysis of cytochrome-b and ND2 genes. Phylogenetic reconstructions indicate the nonmonophyly of migratory Catharus species. The Neotropics are the most likely ancestral geographic area for the entire lineage, and migratory species are sister to resident taxa whose ranges are restricted to Central America, Mexico, or both. Resident behavior may be ancestral within the lineage, with migratory behavior evolving three times, although confidence in those reconstructions is equivocal in many cases. However, uncertainty in ancestral character states presents an interesting scenario including potential drop-offs of resident species from migratory ancestors.
A single‐cell assay of β‐galactosidase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A novel assay of single-cell exogenous beta-galactosidase activity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been developed. Intracellular fluorescence due to the hydrolysis of resorufin-beta-D-galactopyranoside attains a steady state between production of resorufin and its subsequent leakage from the cell. The cells are permeabilized with Triton X-100, and the assay is performed at 0 degrees C. These conditions were chosen to minimize intercellular fluorescence communication. Free resorufin in the extracellular space is bound by bovine serum albumin to prevent its uptake by cells. Two regimes of fluorescence accumulation are observed, one limited by the rate of diffusion of substrate into the cell, and one limited by the rate of enzymatic cleavage of the substrate. A quantitative correlation between fluorescence and beta-galactosidase activity is obtained under optimized assay conditions.
Parameter identification and optimization in piezoelectric energy harvesting: analytical relations, asymptotic analyses, and experimental validations:

Mathematical analyses of distributed-parameter piezoelectric energy harvester equations are presented for parameter identification and optimization. The focus is placed on the single-mode voltage and vibration frequency response functions (FRFs) per translational base acceleration. Asymptotic trends of the voltage output and the tip displacement FRFs are investigated and expressions are obtained for the extreme conditions of the load resistance. The relationship between the linear voltage asymptotes and the optimal load resistance is dis- cussed. Resonance frequencies of the voltage and the tip displacement FRFs are obtained accounting for the presence of mechanical losses. Closed-form expressions are extracted for the optimal electrical loads of maximum power generation at the short-circuit and open- circuit resonance frequencies of the voltage FRF. Analytical relations are given also for the identification of modal mechanical damping both from the voltage and the vibration FRFs using a single data point. Vibration attenuation and amplification due to resonance frequency shift is also addressed. An experimental case study is presented to validate some of the major equations derived here.
On the capacity of multiple-antenna systems in Rician fading

The effect of Rician-ness on the capacity of multiple-antenna systems is investigated under the assumption that channel state information (CSI) is available only at the receiver. The average-power-constrained capacity of such systems is considered under two different assumptions on the available knowledge about fading at the transmitter: the case in which the transmitter has no knowledge of fading at all, and the case in which the transmitter has knowledge of the distribution of the fading process but not the instantaneous CSI. The exact capacity is given for the former case, while capacity bounds are derived for the latter case. A new signaling scheme is also proposed for the latter case and it is shown that by exploiting the knowledge of Rician-ness at the transmitter via this signaling scheme, significant capacity gain can be achieved. The derived capacity bounds are evaluated explicitly to provide numerical results in some representative situations.
Prognostic Significance of Interleukin-6 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Genotypes in Neuroblastoma: rs1800795 (Promoter) and rs8192284 (Receptor)

Purpose: Neuroblastoma is a childhood cancer of the sympathetic nervous system and many patients present with high-risk disease. Risk stratification, based on pathology and tumor-derived biomarkers, has improved prediction of clinical outcomes, but overall survival (OS) rates remain unfavorable and new therapeutic targets are needed. Some studies suggest a link between interleukin (IL)-6 and more aggressive behavior in neuroblastoma tumor cells. Therefore, we examined the impact of two IL-6 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) on neuroblastoma disease progression. Experimental Design: DNA samples from 96 high-risk neuroblastoma patients were screened for two SNP that are known to regulate the serum levels of IL-6 and the soluble IL-6 receptor, rs1800795 and rs8192284 , respectively. The genotype for each SNP was determined in a blinded fashion and independent statistical analysis was done to determine SNP-related event-free survival (EFS) and OS rates. Results: The rs1800795 IL-6 promoter SNP is an independent prognostic factor for EFS and OS in high-risk neuroblastoma patients. In contrast, the rs8192284 IL-6 receptor SNP revealed no prognostic value. Conclusions: The rs1800795 SNP [−174 IL-6 (G > C)] represents a novel and independent prognostic marker for both EFS and OS in high-risk neuroblastoma. Because the rs1800795 SNP [−174 IL-6 (G > C)] has been shown to correlate with production of IL-6, this cytokine may represent a target for development of new therapies in neuroblastoma. (Clin Cancer Res 2009;15(16):5234–9)
The predominant cultivable dental plaque flora of beagle dogs with periodontitis

The predominant dental plaque flora of 15 female beagle dogs (1,3 and 6 year old) with naturally developed gingivitis was studied using a continuous anaerobic culturing technique. Supra- and sul^ingival plaque samples from the buccal aspect of the upper third premolar were cultured on various growth media and the organisms were partially characterized. The flora in all dogs was composed mostly of anaerobic Gram negative organisms. B. asaccharoiyticus (B. melaninogenicus ss. asaccharoiyticus) was found in both types of plaques in all animals and decompKJsed hydrogen peroxide suggesting catalase activity. F. nucleatum was found in higher proportions in the subgingival plaque as compared to B. asaccharoiyti cus and actinomycetes. Spirochetes were found in 10 of 15 supra- and in 1 of 15 subgingival specimens. S. mutans, S. mitior, S. salivarius, Veillonella, Selenomonas or vibrios could not be detected in any of the plaque samples. A combined data analysis showed, that the total viable CFU and the proportions of Gram positive organisms were significantly higher in the supra- than the subgingival plaque. Although the proportions of Gram negative bacteria were higher in subgingival plaque, the differences between the two tyi>es of plaques excluding F. nucleatum were not significant.
Abstraction for liveness

Unlike model checking which is restricted to finite-state systems, there are two methods which can be applied for the verification of arbitrary infinite-state systems. These are the methods of deductive verification and finitary abstraction (FA). Finitary abstraction is the process which provides an abstraction mapping, mapping a potentially infinite-state system into a finite-state one. After obtaining the finite-state abstraction, we may apply model checking in order to verify the property.In the talk, we will explore some of the relations between the methods of finitary abstraction and deductive verification. One important connection is the recent proof that finitary abstraction is as powerful as deductive verification, thus establishing the completeness (and universality) of the finitary abstraction method. In order to obtain this result, it was necessary to extend the procedure by allowing augmentation of the verified system with auxiliary variables prior to the application of abstraction. With this extension, it is possible to transform the phenomenon of well-founded descent which is essential for proofs of liveness properties into fairness properties of the finite abstracted system.Since the proof of completeness of the FA method builds upon the proof of completeness of deductive verification, one may get the false impression that, while being as powerful as deductive verification, FA is not much easier to apply. The focus of the talk is aimed at dispelling this false impression, in particular for the case of liveness properties.We consider first the case of predicate abstraction, which is a special case of FA. We can view predicate abstraction as an effort to find an inductive assertion, where the user does not know the full form of the assertion but can identify a set of atomic formulas under the conjecture that there exists a useful inductive assertion which is some boolean combination of these atomic formulas. In this case, we let the model checker find for us the correct (and best) boolean combination that yields an inductive assertion. In analogy with this view, we will consider the “augmented finitary abstraction” approach as a situation that the user finds it difficult to formulate a full ranking function, as required by deductive verification, but can identify some components of such a ranking function. In that case, we let the model checker arrange and combine these components into a full liveness proof. In both cases, the method relies on the superior ability of model checkers to exhaustively analyze all the combinations of a finite (but possibly large) set of components.This is work is based on collaboration with Ittai Balaban, Yonit Kesten, and Lenore Zuck.
Circulating immunoglobulin G can play a critical role in clearance of intestinal reovirus infection.

Reoviruses are encapsidated double-stranded RNA viruses that cause systemic disease in mice after peroral (p.o.) inoculation and primary replication in the intestine. In this study, we define components of the immune system involved in the clearing of reovirus from the proximal small intestine. The intestines of immunocompetent adult CB17, 129, and C57BL/6 mice were cleared of reovirus serotype 3 clone 9 (T3C9) within 7 days of p.o. inoculation. Antigen-specific lymphocytes were important for the clearance of intestinal infection, since severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice failed to clear T3C9 infection. To define specific immune components required for intestinal clearance, reovirus infection of mice with null mutations in the immunoglobulin M (IgM) transmembrane exon (MuMT; B cell and antibody deficient) or beta 2 microglobulin gene (beta 2-/-; CD8 deficient) was evaluated. beta 2-/- mice cleared reovirus infection with normal kinetics, while MuMT mice showed delayed clearance of T3C9 7 to 11 days after p.o. inoculation. Adoptive transfer of splenic lymphocytes from reovirus-immune CB17 mice inhibited growth of T3C9 in CB17 SCID mouse intestine 11 days after p.o. inoculation. The efficiency of viral clearance by adoptively transferred cells was significantly diminished by depletion of B cells prior to adoptive transfer. Results in SCID and MuMT mice demonstrate an important role for B cells or IgG in clearance of reovirus from the intestines. Polyclonal reovirus-immune rabbit serum, protein A-purified immune IgG, and murine monoclonal IgG2a antibody specific for reovirus outer capsid protein sigma 3 administered intraperitoneally all normalized clearance of reovirus from intestinal tissue in MuMT mice. This result demonstrates an IgA-independent role for IgG in the clearance of intestinal virus infection. Polyclonal reovirus-immune serum also significantly decreased reovirus titers in the intestines of SCID mice, demonstrating a T-cell-independent role for antibody in the clearance of intestinal reovirus infection. B cells and circulating IgG play an important role in the clearance of reovirus from intestines, suggesting that IgG may play a more prominent functional role at mucosal sites of primary viral replication than was previously supposed.
Prevalence of Force by Police in Rhode Island Jurisdictions: Implications for Use-of-Force Training and Reporting

This article examines the prevalence and severity of police use of force in Rhode Island by reviewing arrest reports from a sample of police departments. The article reports results from 3,300 adul...
Scalable DDoS protection using route-based filtering - DISCEX III demonstration

We describe a DISCEX III Demonstration from the DARPA Fault-Tolerant Networks Program Project "Toward Scalable Solutions for Distributed Denial of Service Attack Prevention," aimed at providing large-scale proactive/reactive protection against DDoS attacks. After giving a brief overview of the DDoS problem, we provide a synopsis of route-based packet filtering followed by an outline of the planned demo.
Development of a heme protein structure–electrochemical function database

Proteins containing heme, iron(protoporphyrin IX) and its variants, continue to be one of the most-studied classes of biomolecules due to their diverse range of biological functions. The literature is abundant with reports of structural and functional characterization of individual heme proteins which demonstrate that heme protein reduction potential values, E(m), span the range from -550 mV to +450 mV versus SHE. In order to unite these data for the purposes of global analysis, a new web-based resource of heme protein structure-function relationships is presented: the Heme Protein Database (HPD). This database is the first of its kind to combine heme protein structural classifications including protein fold, heme type and heme axial ligands, with heme protein reduction potential values in a web-searchable format. The HPD is located at http://heme.chem.columbia.edu/heme.php. The data illustrate that heme protein E(m) values are modulated over a 300 mV range by the type of global protein fold, a 600 mV range by the type of porphyrin and an 800 mV range by the axial ligands. Thus, the 1 V range observed in heme protein reduction potential values in biological systems arises from subtle combinations of these various factors.
Nested Latin hypercube designs

We propose an approach to constructing nested Latin hypercube designs. Such designs are useful for conducting multiple computer experiments with different levels of accuracy. A nested Latin hypercube design with two layers is defined to be a special Latin hypercube design that contains a smaller Latin hypercube design as a subset. Our method is easy to implement and can accommodate any number of factors. We also extend this method to construct nested Latin hypercube designs with more than two layers. Illustrative examples are given. Some statistical properties of the constructed designs are derived.
Predicting paravalvular leak after balloon-expandable TAVR.

Key Points Objective measurement of a Valve Calcification Index (calcium volume/BSA) may predict PVL after TAVR using a cutoff value > 418 mm3/mm2 Oversizing the balloon-expandable SAPIEN valve with a goal ratio of valve diameter: average annulus diameter > 1.055 may reduce PVL after TAVR Single parameters are unlikely to provide adequate sensitivity to reduce PVL; a thorough analysis of root sizing, calcification, and morphology is important to balloon-expandable TAVR safety and efficacy
Large Scale Signal and Interconnect FDTD Modeling for BGA Package

This paper introduces a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) approach to modeling portions of ball grid array (BGA) package interconnect circuits. A full wave circuit model including vias, trace segments, and ground vias was generated, using a computer gridding tool, and fed into the FDTD (Taflove and Hagness, 2005) program. The simulated results were correlated with TDR measurements
Lightning Discharge and Fundamentals of Lightning Protection

A review of lightning protection concepts introduced by Benjamin Franklin (18th century) and James Clerk Maxwell (19th century) is given. Modern approaches to lightning protection of various structures and systems are discussed. In particular, the widely used electrogeometrical model (one version of which is the Rolling Sphere Method) and the topological shielding are presented. Bonding requirements, needed to avoid side flashes (in air or in the soil), are discussed. Lightning parameters important for lightning protection are reviewed.
A General, Analytic Method for Generating Robust Strategies and Narrative Scenarios

Robustness is a key criterion for evaluating alternative decisions under conditions of deep uncertainty. However, no systematic, general approach exists for finding robust strategies using the broad range of models and data often available to decision makers. This study demonstrates robust decision making (RDM), an analytic method that helps design robust strategies through an iterative process that first suggests candidate robust strategies, identifies clusters of future states of the world to which they are vulnerable, and then evaluates the trade-offs in hedging against these vulnerabilities. This approach can help decision makers design robust strategies while also systematically generating clusters of key futures interpretable as narrative scenarios. Our study demonstrates the approach by identifying robust, adaptive, near-term pollution-control strategies to help ensure economic growth and environmental quality throughout the 21st century.
Correlation of the National Board of Medical Examiners Emergency Medicine Advanced Clinical Examination Given in July to Intern American Board of Emergency Medicine in-training Examination Scores: A Predictor of Performance?

Author(s): Hiller, Katherine; Franzen, Doug; Heitz, Corey; Emery, Matthew; Poznanski, Stacy | Abstract: Introduction: There is great variation in the knowledge base of Emergency Medicine (EM) interns in July. The first objective knowledge assessment during residency does not occur until eight months later, in February, when the American Board of EM (ABEM) administers the in-training examination (ITE). In 2013, the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) released the EM Advanced Clinical Examination (EM-ACE), an assessment intended for fourth-year medical students. Administration of the EM-ACE to interns at the start of residency may provide an earlier opportunity to assess the new EM residents’ knowledge base. The primary objective of this study was to determine the correlation of the NBME EM-ACE, given early in residency, with the EM ITE. Secondary objectives included determination of the correlation of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 or 2 scores with early intern EM-ACE and ITE scores and the effect, if any, of clinical EM experience on examination correlation.Methods: This was a multi-institutional, observational study. Entering EM interns at six residencies took the EM-ACE in July 2013 and the ABEM ITE in February 2014. We collected scores for the EM-ACE and ITE, age, gender, weeks of clinical EM experience in residency prior to the ITE, and USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores. Pearson’s correlation and linear regression were performed.Results: Sixty-two interns took the EM-ACE and the ITE. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the ITE and the EM-ACE was 0.62. R-squared was 0.5 (adjusted 0.4). The coefficient of determination was 0.41 (95% CI [0.3-0.8]). For every increase of one in the scaled EM-ACE score, we observed a 0.4% increase in the EM in-training score. In a linear regression model using all available variables (EM-ACE, gender, age, clinical exposure to EM, and USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 scores), only the EM-ACE score was significantly associated with the ITE (pl0.05). We observed significant colinearity among the EM-ACE, ITE and USMLE scores. Gender, age and number of weeks of EM prior to the ITE had no effect on the relationship between EM-ACE and the ITE.Conclusion: Given early during intern year, the EM-ACE score showed positive correlation with ITE. Clinical EM experience prior to the in-training exam did not affect the correlation.
What’s Literature to Ethics or Ethics to Literature? With Reflections on Business Ethics

The paper suggests that the typical application of ethical theories to ethical problems, including those faced in business, by asking about duties and consequences is less effective than reflecting on the stories of human life as portrayed in literature. Decisions about ethical courses of action are better determined by reflecting on visions of the good life and the blend of passion and reason involved in living such lives. Good literature shows such pictures and causes reflection about them, leading to “enlightened reflection and strengthened affections”. The paper concludes with a view of some literary portrayals of business persons and their passions and character from Charles Dickens’ Scrooge to Ayn Rand’s John Galt.
Technique for staining leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) salivary sheaths and eggs within unsectioned plant tissue

A technique that allows the staining and observation of whole leafhopper salivary sheaths left behind in plant tissue is described. A derivation of McBride’s acid fuchsin stain for fungal hyphae was used, followed by clearing of the plant tissue for observation under a dissecting microscope. Data gathered included the shape and location of sheaths, and the orientation of sheaths to veins. The technique simultaneously stained eggs present ill the plant tissue. Thus, measures of both feeding and oviposition were acquired from the same plant. This method is reliable in recovering known sheaths and is applicable to several hemipteran sheath-feeders. The method should be useful to researchers studying host plant resistance and other aspects of the feeding of haustellate insects.
Radiofrequency pulse design with numerical optimization in the Fourier domain

A radiofrequency (RF) pulse design technique is presented that uses iterative constrained minimization to determine Fourier domain coefficients for an optimal time domain RF pulse. The design of new RF pulses is especially beneficial for field strengths of 7.0 T and above, where challenges pertaining to specific absorption rate (SAR) are exacerbated. A pair of 90° and 180° spin-echo pulses was designed to lower SAR without the need for a variable slice gradient. The optimized pulses were deployed to a 7.0 T human scanner to demonstrate a reduction in SAR while retaining signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio.
Do Daily Egg-Laying Rates Of Less Than 3,000 Found By Recent Investigators Indicate Average Queenbees?

A daily gain of 20 to 25 pounds of honey during a honey-flow is considered high for any colony of honeybees. Scientific data as to average nectar loads, number of trips per day, and the amount of water eliminated from nectar after it is brought into the hive indicate that a queenbee having an average daily egg-laying rate of less than 3,000 can produce enough workers to gather an excess of 25 pounds of nectar during anyone day. Consequently, recent scientific brood-rearing investigations were made on colonies having average queen bees, even though none of the latter were found to layover 3,000 eggs in twenty-four hours.
177. Das Analcarcinom

Das Anal-Ca. ist ein seltener Tumor. Er mus histologisch in zwei verschiedene Carcinomtypen unterteilt werden: 1. Basaloidzell-Ca., 2. Plattenepithel-Ca. Die Prognose ist sehr verschieden. Beim Basaloidzell-Ca. des analen Kanales betragt die 5-Jahres-Uberlebensrate 33%, beim Plattenepithel-Ca. der perianalen Region 44%. Die Therapie kann die lokale Abtragung sein, 5-Jahres-Uberlebensrate (Plattenepithel-Ca.) 60% und die A-p-Rectumexcision (Basaloidzell-Ca.) 44%. 26 Patienten mit einem Anal-Ca. werden von 1961–1976 behandelt. Die lokale Excision soll nur bei vollig perianal gelegenen Lasionen angewandt werden.
Specific and Nonspecific Effects of Glycosylation

Glycosylation regulates vital cellular processes and dramatically influences protein folding and stability. In particular, experiments have demonstrated that asparagine (N)-linked disaccharides drive a "conformational switch" in a model peptide. The present work investigates this conformational switch via extensive atomically detailed replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations in explicit solvent. To distinguish the effects of specific and nonspecific interactions upon the peptide conformational ensemble, these simulations considered model peptides that were N-linked to a disaccharide and to a steric crowder of the same shape. The simulations are remarkably consistent with experiment and provide detailed insight into the peptide structure ensemble. They suggest that steric crowding by N-linked disaccharides excludes extended conformations, but does not significantly impact the tetrahedral structure of the surrounding solvent or otherwise alter the peptide free energy surface. However, the combination of steric crowding with specific hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic stacking interactions more dramatically impacts the peptide ensemble and stabilizes new structures.
Observations on the Birch Leaf Mining Sawfly

The following paper summarizes the facts known about a rather unusual type of forest insect pest, Phyllotoma nemorata Fallen, that threatens to destroy the white birch in New England. The insect is of foreign origin and has spread at an alarming rate, from Nova Scotia westward across New Brunswick and Maine into New Hampshire. Although the mining of the leaves occurs late in the summer, the injury practically stops the growth of the trees the following season.
The risk of radiation exposure to laboratory personnel

Millions of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions involving radioisotopes are performed in hospitals annually. Frequently, specimens with low levels of radioactivity are received in hospital laboratories without warning to laboratory personnel. The radionuclides 131I, technetium Tc 99m, and other radiopharmaceuticals are often present in patients' blood and urine following nuclear medicine procedures. 131I is particularly hazardous to the laboratory technician because of its long half-life (>8 days) and its potential for internal contamination. Although most patients receiving large doses of radiopharmaceuticals are closely monitored by hospital staff, radioactive specimens without specific hazardous labels continue to be received in the laboratory. A heightened awareness of the potential radiation hazards and implementation of several simple measures can reduce the likelihood of significant radiation exposure to laboratory personnel.
449 HIV PROVIRAL DNA AND MONOCYTE CHEMOATTRACTANT PROTEIN 1 IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID FROM HIV-1-INFECTED CHILDREN.

Purpose of Study Children infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1) have developmental delays due to viral infection of the central nervous system. While the exact mechanisms are still unclear, HIV-1 proviral DNA (HIV DNA) and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1) may play a role, neither of which have been studied extensively in children. Even with effective antiretroviral therapy, HIV DNA is still present, which may facilitate neurotoxicity. In conjunction, mutations in the MCP1 gene are associated with high MCP1 levels, which may further attract activated macrophages to the CNS having HIV DNA leading to further CNS toxicity. The objective of the study was to measure HIV DNA and characterize MCP1 genotypes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from HIV-1-infected children. The significance of these parameters is that they may identify potential targets for intervention to improve growth and development in children, who are significantly affected by the virus. Methods DNA was purified from CSF obtained from HIV-1-infected children as per Institutional Review Board guidelines. HIV DNA copy was measured by real-time PCR using standards set up with HIV GAG and β-globin primers; and quantified as HIV DNA copies per 106 cells. MCP1 genotype was assessed by amplifying a 361 bp region of the MCP1 gene and analyzing for a point mutation identified by the restriction site, PvuII, due to the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at position 2578. Results Good quality DNA was purified from 27 pediatric CSF specimens. By real-time PCR, all of the samples had detectable HIV DNA ranging from 4.0 × 10-3 to 9.4 × 10-6 copies/106 cells. MCP1 SNP analysis for the A2578G allele showed the mutation in 10 samples, 14 without the mutation, 3 were indeterminate. Conclusion In this feasibility study, we showed for the first time a range of HIV DNA in CSF from HIV-1-infected children. We also demonstrated that the MCP1 genetic allele can be characterized from CSF cells. This study provides data to support measuring HIV DNA and assessing MCP1 genotype in CSF from HIV-1-infected children. The significance of this study is that the assays could potentially be incorporated in treatment and/or intervention strategies to compare CSF HIV DNA and MCP1 mutations to neurocognition in HIV-1-infected children. Both factors may be potentially important in growth and development of children infected with HIV-1. Supported in part by grants P20RR16467; U54NS43049; G12RR03061; MH69173; RR03010; and U01A134853N.
The correction of cross-eye.

Cross-eye does not always involve an impairment of the eye muscle. The synergism between the higher brain centers controlling convergence and divergence also may be a causative factor. Operation is frequently the most dependable remedy, but surgical results cannot be accurately predicted. The value of nonsurgical procedures should not be overlooked.
Distributed neural network: Dynamic learning via backpropagation with hardware neurons using arduino chips

In this paper we present an implementation of and a proposed algorithm for an easily expandable hardware Artificial Neural Network (ANN) capable of learning using inexpensive, off-the-shelf microprocessors. While significant work has been done in hardware ANN implementations, this research offers a unique, general use, unspecialized, and inexpensive model with a flexible architecture representation. Using Arduino Pro Mini microprocessors and a flexible data communication framework that makes use of the built-in circuit bus called the Inter-Integrated Circuit, this implementation involves the programming of one neuron per microchip. This one to one ratio allows for the computational parallelism inherent in neural networks and provides for the flexibility of building various ANN architectures. The prototype that was developed consists of an input layer element microchip, two hidden layer neuron microchips, and an output layer neuron microchip. Learning happens completely on hardware via backpropagation without a data connection to a computer. Tests showed that the prototype can learn the logical operations OR, AND, XOR, and XNOR, and that the system can accommodate dynamic changes in learning between logical operations.