cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental study on fuzzy control of a HMMWV suspension system using magneto-rheological fluid damper

This work presents an experimental study of fuzzy logic control for a quarter-car-model of a high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle suspension system using a magneto-rheological fluid damper. Sprung mass displacement and velocity based fuzzy control, and acceleration based fuzzy control are proposed and compared to a skyhook control strategy. The displacement and acceleration of the sprung mass under rough road excitation are analyzed using power spectral density and root mean square methods. It is demonstrated that the displacement and acceleration based fuzzy control strategy performs well as compared to the other method considered.
How civic is it? Success stories in locally focused agriculture in Maine

Short food supply chains (SFSCs) and civic agriculture are emerging as promising means to support small and medium-sized farms, revitalize rural communities and transform producer/consumer relationships. To find out more about SFSCs and civic agriculture in Maine and to examine factors that promote their success, this study interviewed 31 successful, locally focused Maine farmers and observed many of their market outlets. The study documented the nature and extent of each farm enterprise and each marketing outlet. Farmers were asked to describe their goals, their reasons for success, what they would do differently, and what major problems they had encountered. In the interviews, key factors found to support successful locally focused farming were civic involvement in local communities, production of high-quality products tailored to customer wants and needs, vision and planning pursued in a flexible and adaptive fashion, and personal relationships with customers that foster ongoing mutual education and provide marketing feedback to the farmers. Major challenges revolve around the need for farmland preservation policies, training and financial support for new farmers, working capital for new and experienced farmers, business planning assistance, and lack of infrastructure, such as meat slaughtering and grain milling facilities.
Varicella in the immunocompromised host.

To the Editor.— We would like to comment on a recent article by Keene and colleagues (239:45-46, 1978) discussing a 17-year-old girl with disseminated varicella complicating ulcerative colitis. The approach taken to varicella in the immunocompromised host is a function of the point at which the diagnosis is entertained. In a patient receiving steroid therapy in whom varicella develops after an unsuspected exposure, therapy should consist of immediate tapering of steroid dosage to physiological levels insofar as is possible. 1,2 In addition, two other modes of therapy may be useful in such patients. Adenosine arabinoside, an investigational antiviral agent, is available to immunocompromised patients with either disseminated varicella or disseminated herpes zoster through Richard Whitely, MD, or the University of Alabama Medical Center, Birmingham (205-934-5316 or 205-822-6459). Ann Arvin, MD, and Thomas Merigan, MD, of Stanford University, Stanford, Calif (415-497-5715, 415-321-6015, or 415-854-3788) are making interferon, another investigational agent, available
The geometric, sedimentologic and hydrologic attributes of spring-dominated channels in volcanic areas

Abstract In volcanic areas of Idaho, Oregon and Montana, a number of perennial streams emerge from single springs or zones of springs. Surface drainage areas to these springs can be very small, often much smaller than the recharge area of the springs. Channels downstream of springs are often straight, or if sinuous, without regularity to the pattern. Bars are absent or poorly defined, but islands or downed timber are common in the channel. Channel width-to-depth ratios are large relative to those of runoff-dominated channels. Downstream hydraulic geometry exponents are similar, but the exponents for width and velocity are greater in spring-dominated channels. Manning roughness values are relatively large. The bedsurface in gravel-bed spring-dominated streams is armored. Computations indicate that bed material is probably capable of moving at bankfull stage. The hydrograph of spring-dominated streams is damped as compared to runoff-dominated streams locally and elsewhere. Peak flows occur months after precipitation or snowmelt. Mean annual flow for spring-dominated streams averages 72% of the flood with a recurrence interval of 2 years; the mean annual flow for runoff-dominated channels averages 18% locally and 25% elsewhere. The 50-year flood averages 1.6 times the 2-year flood on the annual series while the corresponding value for runoff-dominated channels in the region is 2.5. The damped hydrograph of spring-dominated streams suggests that they are somewhat different from runoff-dominated channels in the relationship between water and sediment. In spring-dominated channels, 34% of sediment is transported by flows above the 2-year flood—less than is observed typically in runoff-dominated channels. The effective discharge is similar in magnitude to the 2-year flood.
The worlds of Ibn Khaldun: introduction

Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun died in Cairo on Wednesday, 17 March 1406 (25 Ramadan 808). He was arguably one of the greatest thinkers of all times, enough so that he is claimed as father of the discip...
A symbiotic simulation architecture for evaluating UAVs collision avoidance techniques

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) currently have many real-world applications such as surveying, delivering small packages, and military applications. In order to maintain safe flight, UAVs require collision avoidance to divert them from collisions or other known dangerous paths. Many algorithms have been developed and implemented, but seldom are they compared to each other analytically within a single system. In this paper, an implementation of a symbiotic simulation architecture is described to conduct cyber-physical experiments and to allow different collision avoidance algorithms to be tested in real-time. Three algorithms based on mixed-integer linear programming (MILP), sparse A* search, and artificial potential fields (APF) are implemented, and results of computational experiments are presented. MILP provides the most efficient paths when given enough time. A* and APF exhibit similar performance, with APF being the least computing expensive. On the basis of the results of the experiments, three hybrid algorithms are proposed for future tests using the embedded simulation architecture.
Compact surface-normal coupled optical interconnects with wavelength-division-demultiplexing capability

We present a novel surface-normal optical wavelength-division-demultiplexer (WDDM), working at 750, 770, 790, 810, 830 and 850 nm wavelengths. The device is based on an integration of a planar waveguide, a substrate waveguide and waveguide holograms. The unique optical in-plane to surface-normal conversion converts the difficult three spatial and three angular edge coupling problem into a planar surface one, resulting in a practical compact face-to-face packaging between the photodetector array and the demultiplexer. A six-channel wavelength-division-demultiplexer with equally spaced collinear surface-normal outputs are designed and demonstrated in a polymer-based planar waveguide in conjunction with holograms on a glass substrate.
Effects of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and theophylline on biliary cholesterol secretion.

Abstract Glucagon increases hepatocellular cAMP and decreases biliary cholesterol output. In these experiments, we examined the relation between cAMP and biliary cholesterol secretion. Bile flow and composition were measured in conscious dogs previously prepared by cholecystectomy, ligation of the lesser pancreatic duct, and placement of duodenal and gastric cannulae. Sodium taurocholate (500 mg/hr) was given intravenously to stabilize bile flow. After 2 hr of taurocholate infusion, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (160 mg kg −1 hr −1 ) or theophylline (20 mg kg −1 hr −1 ) was administered intravenously. Dibutyryl cAMP caused a decrease in both cholesterol concentration (242 ± 25 μg/ml to 81 ± 11 μg/ml) and cholesterol output (692 ± 102 μg/15 min to 382 ± 47 μg/15 min). Theophylline decreased cholesterol concentration (282 ± 39 μg/ml to 221 ± 21 μg/ml), but there was no significant change in cholesterol output. Bile flow increased significantly with both dibutyryl cAMP (2.8 ± 0.2 ml/15 min to 4.9 ± 0.2 ml/15 min) and theophylline (2.6 ± 0.4 ml/15 min to 4.2 ± 0.4 ml/15 min). In additional experiments, aminophylline (85% theophylline, 15% ethylenediamine) was administered intravenously (24.7 mg kg −1 hr −1 ). Aminophylline reduced cholesterol concentration (59 ± 6 μg/ml to 36 ± 5 μg/ml), but cholesterol output was stable. Bile flow increased significantly (3.7 ± 0.2 ml/15 min to 6.5 ± 0.4 ml/15 min). The mechanisms of these changes remain unknown. The effect of dibutyryl cAMP on biliary cholesterol secretion supports but does not prove the hypothesis that glucagon decreases biliary cholesterol output via the second messenger, cAMP.
Structural and possible thermoregulatory differences in the ears of grey kangaroos

Abstract 1. 1. Western Grey Kangaroos generally inhabit more arid and hotter regions than Eastern Greys. 2. 2. Ears from Western Greys are significantly thinner, less furred and have smaller, thinner hairs than those from Eastern Grays. 3. 3. Ears may act as better heat dissipators in the Western Greys than in the Eastern Greys.
The Impact of Electoral Reform on Women's Representation

One concern about reform of the electoral system in the Netherlands is whether this would reduce the proportion of women members in the House of Representatives. What evidence is there for this expectation? This study considers these issues, with the first section summarizing the normative arguments why socially inclusive legislatures are thought to be desirable. The representation of women in the Netherlands parliament is compared against the record in other countries worldwide. The second section analyzes the impact of electoral systems on gender representation, confirming that substantially more women are usually elected in systems using party list proportional representation, especially those such as the Netherlands which have a large district magnitude, compared with majoritarian electoral systems using single member districts. Any reform that moves away from nationwide PR in the Netherlands will therefore probably reduce the proportion of women in parliament unless other compensatory actions are taken. Subsequent sections examine alternative strategies that could be adopted, including statutory quotas regulating the candidate selection process for all parties (for example, as used in Belgium), the role of reserved seats in legislatures, and the use of voluntary quotas in candidate selection rules implemented by particular parties. The conclusion summarizes the main findings and arguments surrounding electoral reform in the Netherlands.
Relationships among shiftworker eating habits, eating satisfaction, and self-reported health in a population of US miners

Abstract As part of a larger study on the health and safety of shiftworkers in the mining population by the US Bureau of Mines, the association between meal frequency, meal regularity, eating satisfaction and a self-reported health index was examined. Although the link between shiftwork and some health complaints, such as gastrointestinal disorders, has been established, the research needed to understand why this occurs has not been fully undertaken. Specifically, academic nutritional research has substantially ignored the question of how working irregular hours affects the eating behavior of industrial workers such as miners. In this study the eating habits of 101 surface mine workers were studied. It was found that working the day, afternoon/evening, and night-shifts was related to the number of meals eaten on those shifts and to the consistency of timing of those meals. The lowest eating satisfaction levels were reported by those who ate at different times on all shifts and who changed the number of me...
"Enhancing life?" Perspectives from traditional Chinese value-systems.

In his introduction to this symposium, “Religions and Cultures of East and West: Perspectives on Bioethics,” Dr. Robert Sade defined its purpose as follows: “The objective of [our] discussions…is to explore the limits of enhancement technologies in light of what makes us essentially human, in the view of world-wide cultures and religions.” These issues would seem to be at the cutting edge of any informed deliberation concerning the merits of “human enhancement” technologies. For instance, the issue of how “what makes us essentially human” affects our reflection on issues of technological “life enhancement” is raised in a 2007 book by Harvard professor Michael J. Sandel, The Case Against Perfection: Ethics in the Age of Genetic Engineering.
Long-term charge storage in GaP pn junction capacitors

pn junction storage capacitors are fabricated in GaP grown by gas source MBE. Storage times are thermally activated with activation energies between 1.10 and 1.38 eV. At 125 degrees C, the GaP recovery times are approximately 50 times longer than the best GaAs devices. >
The S Matrix in the Heisenberg Representation

A method is described whereby the S-matrix can be formulated directly in the Heisenberg representation. This has the advantage over the customary formulation in the interaction representation in that the concepts of space-like surfaces and their normals need never be introduced. Quantum electrodynamics and the $\ensuremath{\beta}$ formalism of charged mesons are treated as illustrative examples; in particular, it is shown that general rules for writing down the elements of the S-matrix for the latter case may be immediately inferred.In the second part of this paper, a covariant procedure, independent of the canonical formalism, is carried out for making the transition from the Heisenberg to the interaction representation and is applied to several typical cases; in this way, the S-matrix of the Heisenberg picture is identified with that of other authors.
A follow-up study of children adopted when older: criteria of success.

A follow-up interview study of 91 children who were placed for adoption when five years of age or older indicates a level of success which parallels success rates for adoptive infants. The criteria for the definition of “adoptive success,'' as employed in the study, is presented in some detail.
A new class of accurate, mesh-free hydrodynamic simulation methods

We present two new Lagrangian methods for hydrodynamics, in a systematic comparison with moving-mesh, smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), and stationary (non-moving) grid methods. The new methods are designed to simultaneously capture advantages of both SPH and grid-based/adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) schemes. They are based on a kernel discretization of the volume coupled to a high-order matrix gradient estimator and a Riemann solver acting over the volume ‘overlap’. We implement and test a parallel, second-order version of the method with self-gravity and cosmological integration, in the code gizmo:1 this maintains exact mass, energy and momentum conservation; exhibits superior angular momentum conservation compared to all other methods we study; does not require ‘artificial diffusion’ terms; and allows the fluid elements to move with the flow, so resolution is automatically adaptive. We consider a large suite of test problems, and find that on all problems the new methods appear competitive with moving-mesh schemes, with some advantages (particularly in angular momentum conservation), at the cost of enhanced noise. The new methods have many advantages versus SPH: proper convergence, good capturing of fluid-mixing instabilities, dramatically reduced ‘particle noise’ and numerical viscosity, more accurate sub-sonic flow evolution, and sharp shock-capturing. Advantages versus non-moving meshes include: automatic adaptivity, dramatically reduced advection errors and numerical overmixing, velocity-independent errors, accurate coupling to gravity, good angular momentum conservation and elimination of ‘grid alignment’ effects. We can, for example, follow hundreds of orbits of gaseous discs, while AMR and SPH methods break down in a few orbits. However, fixed meshes minimize ‘grid noise’. These differences are important for a range of astrophysical problems.
Frequencies of alternative mating strategies influence female mate preference in the swordtail Xiphophorus multilineatus

While studies demonstrating variation in female mating preferences are increasing, we still know very little about the factors that contribute to this variation, and we are therefore unable to predict how selection on males will vary due to female preference. A previous study of Xiphophorus multilineatus detected variation in female mate preference, where smaller females had a weaker strength of preference for males that court (courters) as compared to small males that use sneak-chase behaviour (sneakers). We tested the hypothesis that female experience with biased frequencies of courter and sneaker males would result in negative frequency-dependent selection on these male alternative mating strategies through female mate choice. We examined the preferences of naive females, females given experience with different frequencies of courter/sneaker males in laboratory mesocosm treatments, and wild-caught females collected when the frequencies of males were sneaker biased and equal. The frequency of courter to sneaker males experienced in the laboratory significantly influenced female preference for courter males, but not in the direction we predicted for one end of the frequency distribution: the weakest strength of preference for courter males was from the treatment where courter males were less frequent. The pattern detected in wild-caught females was similar to the pattern detected in the laboratory-mated females, and together they suggest that when frequencies are biased towards either type of male, smaller females have a weaker preference for courter males.
Adiponectin Modulates C-Jun N-Terminal Kinase and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin and inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma

Background & Aims Epidemiological studies have shown that obesity is a risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Lower adiponectin levels are associated with poor prognosis in obese HCC patients, hence it is plausible that adiponectin acts as a negative regulator of HCC. We investigated the effects of adiponectin on HCC development and its molecular mechanisms. Methods Assays with Huh7 and HepG2 HCC cells were used to examine the signal transduction pathways involved in the protective functions of adiponectin in HCC. These studies were followed by in vivo approaches using HCC xenografts and tumor analysis. Results from in vitro and in vivo findings were corroborated using human HCC tissue microarray and analysis of clinicopathological characteristics. Results Adiponectin increased apoptosis of HCC cells through activation of caspase-3. Adiponectin increased phosphorylation of c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) and inhibition of c-Jun-N-terminal kinase−phosphorylation inhibited adiponectin-induced apoptosis and caspase-3 activation. Adiponectin increased phosphorylation of 5′-adenosine monophosphate−activated protein kinase and tumor suppressor tuberous sclerosis complex 2 and inhibited mammalian target of rapamycin phosphorylation. Inhibition of 5′-adenosine monophosphate−activated protein kinase phosphorylation not only inhibited adiponectin-induced c-Jun-N-terminal kinase phosphorylation, but also blocked biological effects of adiponectin. Adiponectin substantially reduced liver tumorigenesis in nude mice. Importantly, analysis of adiponectin expression levels in tissue microarray of human HCC patients revealed an inverse correlation of adiponectin expression with tumor size. Conclusions Adiponectin protects against liver tumorigenesis; its reduced expression is associated with poor prognosis in obese patients with HCC.
Managing complex orthodontic problems: the use of implants for anchorage

Today implants are commonly used to replace missing teeth in partially edentulous adult orthodontic patients. Because these patients are missing teeth, orthodontic mechanics may be complicated or often impossible because of insufficient anchorage. In these situations, it may be feasible to use the implant initially as an orthodontic anchor to facilitate complex tooth movement and secondarily as an abutment for a crown or fixed prosthesis. This article will discuss the ramifications and requirements for using implants as anchors and abutments in adult orthodontic patients.
Phenotypic and Functional Characterization of Herpes Simplex Virus Glycoprotein B Epitope-Specific Effector and Memory CD8+ T Cells from Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Individuals with Ocular Herpes

ABSTRACT Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein B (gB)-specific CD8 + T cells protect mice from herpes infection and disease. However, whether and which HSV-1 gB-specific CD8 + T cells play a key role in the “natural” protection seen in HSV-1-seropositive healthy asymptomatic (ASYMP) individuals (who have never had clinical herpes disease) remain to be determined. In this study, we have dissected the phenotypes and the functions of HSV-1 gB-specific CD8 + T cells from HLA-A*02:01 positive, HSV-1 seropositive ASYMP and symptomatic (SYMP) individuals (with a history of numerous episodes of recurrent ocular herpes disease). We found the following. (i) Healthy ASYMP individuals maintained a significantly higher proportion of differentiated HSV-1 gB-specific effector memory CD8 + T cells (T EM cells) (CD45RA low CCR7 low CD44 high CD62L low ). In contrast, SYMP patients had frequent less-differentiated central memory CD8 + T cells (T CM cells) (CD45RA low CCR7 high CD44 low CD62L high ). (ii) ASYMP individuals had significantly higher proportions of multifunctional effector CD8 + T cells which responded mainly to gB 342–350 and gB 561–569 “ASYMP” epitopes, and simultaneously produced IFN-γ, CD107 a/b , granzyme B, and perforin. In contrast, effector CD8 + T cells from SYMP individuals were mostly monofunctional and were directed mainly against nonoverlapping gB 17–25 and gB 183–191 “SYMP” epitopes. (iii) Immunization of an HLA-A*02:01 transgenic mouse model of ocular herpes with “ASYMP” CD8 + T EM cell epitopes, but not with “SYMP” CD8 + T CM cell epitopes, induced a strong CD8 + T cell-dependent protective immunity against ocular herpes infection and disease. Our findings provide insights into the role of HSV-specific CD8 + T EM cells in protection against herpes and should be considered in the development of an effective vaccine. IMPORTANCE A significantly higher proportion of differentiated and multifunctional HSV-1 gB-specific effector memory CD8 + T cells (T EM cells) (CD45RA low CCR7 low CD44 high CD62L low ) were found in healthy ASYMP individuals who are seropositive for HSV-1 but never had any recurrent herpetic disease, while there were frequent less-differentiated and monofunctional central memory CD8 + T cells (T CM cells) (CD45RA low CCR7 high CD44 low CD62L high ) in SYMP patients. Immunization with “ASYMP” CD8 + T EM cell epitopes, but not with “SYMP” CD8 + T CM cell epitopes, induced a strong protective HSV-specific CD8 + T cell response in HLA-A*02:01 transgenic mice. These findings are important for the development of a safe and effective T cell-based herpes vaccine.
Identifying barriers to successful research during medical school

Despite an increase in the number of formal research courses and the support services that institutions provide, the success that students achieve is modest suggesting the involvement of other factors. The authors seek to determine the extent to which barriers and resources affect the ability for students to be successful in research endeavors. The authors distributed a cross-sectional survey via the Internet to members of the American Medical Association-Medical Student Section (AMAMSS) and the American Medical Student Association. The authors also distributed a paper version of the survey during the AMAMSS national conference in San Diego, CA, October 2010. The primary outcome was selfidentified successful research. The authors also assessed the supportive factors and barriers the respondents faced. 422 students completed the survey and identified having mentorship (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.11-1.60), student funding (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.26-1.69), and having an office or director of student research (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.26-1.70) as factors associated with successfully publishing as a medical student. Barriers to success in student research included being unaware what research occurs locally (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05- 1.76), lacking faculty mentors (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.07-1.95), and lack of a research office/coordinator (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.18-2.00). The effects of the barriers were not offset by the research curricula provided. To improve the success of medical students involved in involved in research, academic medical institutions must address barriers directly in addition to offering curricula in research methods.
Brainstem transcription of speech is disrupted in children with autism spectrum disorders

Language impairment is a hallmark of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The origin of the deficit is poorly understood although deficiencies in auditory processing have been detected in both perception and cortical encoding of speech sounds. Little is known about the processing and transcription of speech sounds at earlier (brainstem) levels or about how background noise may impact this transcription process. Unlike cortical encoding of sounds, brainstem representation preserves stimulus features with a degree of fidelity that enables a direct link between acoustic components of the speech syllable (e.g. onsets) to specific aspects of neural encoding (e.g. waves V and A). We measured brainstem responses to the syllable /da/, in quiet and background noise, in children with and without ASD. Children with ASD exhibited deficits in both the neural synchrony (timing) and phase locking (frequency encoding) of speech sounds, despite normal click-evoked brainstem responses. They also exhibited reduced magnitude and fidelity of speech-evoked responses and inordinate degradation of responses by background noise in comparison to typically developing controls. Neural synchrony in noise was significantly related to measures of core and receptive language ability. These data support the idea that abnormalities in the brainstem processing of speech contribute to the language impairment in ASD. Because it is both passively elicited and malleable, the speech-evoked brainstem response may serve as a clinical tool to assess auditory processing as well as the effects of auditory training in the ASD population.
Estimation of flashover rates of overhead power distribution lines by lightning strokes to nearby ground

Most outages on overhead power distribution lines are caused by lightning strokes to nearby ground. The electrostatic and the magnetic fields of the return stroke of a lightning stroke interact with the overhead line to induce transient voltages on the line. This interacting process is complex. However, the designer of an electric distribution system needs to know the outage rate of an overhead power line for a selected BIL (basic impulse insulation level) to meet the reliability criteria set for the system. A method is proposed which will facilitate estimating the outage rate of an overhead power distribution line caused by lightning strokes to nearby ground. In the analysis, the return-stroke current is varied from 1 kA to 200 kA, and the time to crest from 0.5 ?s to 10.5 ?s. The least perpendicular distance from the line to cause a strike to nearby ground is then computed from the striking distance of the stroke for the given current. Starting at this distance, the voltage induced on the line is calculated for the given current and the time to crest. If the induced voltage exceeds the BIL of the line, the strike point is receded from the line in steps until the induced voltage is below the BIL. A bivariate lognormal statistical analysis is made for each current level and for each given front time to estimate the probability of occurrence of that combination.
Adenocystic (pseudoadenomatous) basal cell carcinoma of vestibular glands of vulva.

Abstract Four examples of adenocystic (pseudoadenomatous) basal cell carcinoma of vestibular glands of vulva are reported. Three of these arose in the region of the Bartholin gland whereas the exact vulvar location of the fourth was not described but probably was from a major rather than a minor vestibular gland. The tumor is a histologic entiry and consists of small uniform basal cells with pseudoglandular and microcystic formations and usually considerable hyalinized acellular stroma. It pursues a slow insidious course, is prone to local recurrence and perineural spread, and has the ability to metastasize by vascular channels. The neoplasm should not be likened to mixed tumor of the salivary gland or confused with basal cell carcinoma of the skin, or adenocarcinoma of the vestibular glands.
Sm protein methylation is dispensable for snRNP assembly in Drosophila melanogaster

Sm proteins form stable ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes with small nuclear (sn)RNAs and are core components of the eukaryotic spliceosome. In vivo, the assembly of Sm proteins onto snRNAs requires the survival motor neurons (SMN) complex. Several reports have shown that SMN protein binds with high affinity to symmetric dimethylarginine (sDMA) residues present on the C-terminal tails of SmB, SmD1, and SmD3. This post-translational modification is thought to play a crucial role in snRNP assembly. In human cells, two distinct protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMT5 and PRMT7) are required for snRNP biogenesis. However, in Drosophila, loss of Dart5 (the fruit fly PRMT5 ortholog) has little effect on snRNP assembly, and homozygous mutants are completely viable. To resolve these apparent differences, we examined this topic in detail and found that Drosophila Sm proteins are also methylated by two methyltransferases, Dart5/PRMT5 and Dart7/PRMT7. Unlike dart5, we found that dart7 is an essential gene. However, the lethality associated with loss of Dart7 protein is apparently unrelated to defects in snRNP assembly. To conclusively test the requirement for sDMA modification of Sm proteins in Drosophila snRNP assembly, we constructed a fly strain that exclusively expresses an isoform of SmD1 that cannot be sDMA modified. Interestingly, these flies were viable, and snRNP assays revealed no defects in comparison to wild type. In contrast, dart5 mutants displayed a strong synthetic lethal phenotype in the presence of a hypomorphic Smn mutation. We therefore conclude that dart5 is required for viability when SMN is limiting.
Appraisal of the novel single contoured-cantilever beam

Research in the areas of rehabilitation and/or strengthening of concrete structures is currently focused on the external bonding of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) plates or fabrics. A concern, however, exists with the long-term reliable performance of the interface bond that is centrally critical to the successful application of this technology. Traditionally, interface studies of the wood-adhesive bond, as an example, had effectively been accomplished using the well-established fracture mechanics double cantilever beam (DCB) approach, which, unfortunately, could not be extended to investigating FRP-concrete interfaces because of the inherent weakness of the concrete material under tension. In order to overcome such a hindrance, the authors devised a novel fracture mechanics specimen known as the single contoured-cantilever beam (SCCB), and have used it to successfully characterize the FRP-concrete interface bond under pristine, dry, wet-dry, and freeze-thaw conditions. This paper attempts to both summarize the relevancy of this new test methodology and appraise its viability as an indispensable fracture mechanics tool for FRP-concrete interface bond characterization.
Parallel programming models for finite-element method using preconditioned iterative solvers with multicolor ordering on various types of SMP cluster supercomputers

Parallel iterative linear solvers for unstructured grids in FEM application, which were developed for the Earth Simulator (ES), have been ported to various types of SMP cluster supercomputers. Performance of flat-MPI and hybrid parallel programming model has been compared using more than 100 SMP nodes of ES, Hitachi SR8000 and IBM SP-3. Effect of coloring and method for storage of coefficient matrices have been also evaluated in various types of applications. Generally speaking, codes, which are developed for vector processors using multicolor ordering, demonstrate better performance with many colors on scalar processors. Flat-MPI and hybrid are competitive for each supercomputer. On ES, hybrid outperforms flat-MPI when number of SMP node is large and problem size is small because of MPI latency. In parallel computation of FEM-type applications, MPI latency is a very important parameter for choosing flat-MPI or hybrid
The Catalytic Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Liphagal

Ring a ding: The meroterpenoid natural product (+)-liphagal has been synthesized enantioselectively in 19 steps from commercially available materials. The trans-homodecalin system was achieved by ring expansion followed by stereoselective hydrogenation.
Intracellular Mg2+ is a voltage-dependent pore blocker of HCN channels

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are activated by membrane hyperpolarization that creates time-dependent, inward rectifying currents, gated by the movement of the intrinsic voltage sensor S4. However, inward rectification of the HCN currents is not only observed in the time-dependent HCN currents, but also in the instantaneous HCN tail currents. Inward rectification can also be seen in mutant HCN channels that have mainly time-independent currents (5). In the present study, we show that intracellular Mg(2+) functions as a voltage-dependent blocker of HCN channels, acting to reduce the outward currents. The affinity of HCN channels for Mg(2+) is in the physiological range, with Mg(2+) binding with an IC(50) of 0.53 mM in HCN2 channels and 0.82 mM in HCN1 channels at +50 mV. The effective electrical distance for the Mg(2+) binding site was found to be 0.19 for HCN1 channels, suggesting that the binding site is in the pore. Removing a cysteine in the selectivity filter of HCN1 channels reduced the affinity for Mg(2+), suggesting that this residue forms part of the binding site deep within the pore. Our results suggest that Mg(2+) acts as a voltage-dependent pore blocker and, therefore, reduces outward currents through HCN channels. The pore-blocking action of Mg(2+) may play an important physiological role, especially for the slowly gating HCN2 and HCN4 channels. Mg(2+) could potentially block outward hyperpolarizing HCN currents at the plateau of action potentials, thus preventing a premature termination of the action potential.
Diagnosability of analog circuits-a graph theoretical approach

Necessary and almost sufficient topological conditions for both node and branch fault diagnosis are presented and analyzed. The representation of the network through a pair of graphs constitutes the theoretical basis of the proposed conditions. These conditions are applicable to both active and passive networks. Examples are given to show the application of the proposed topological condition in fault diagnosis. >
Localization of the vasopressin V1a and V2 receptors within the renal cortical and medullary circulation

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a potent vasoconstrictor that preferentially reduces renal medullary blood flow through the stimulation of the vasopressin V1a receptor (V1aR). Studies have also shown that the vasopressin V2 receptor (V2R) may modulate AVP-mediated vasoconstriction. At present, the distribution of the V1aR and V2R within the renal cortical and medullary microcirculation has not been determined. This study was designed to localize the transcriptional and translational sites of the V1aR and V2R in microdissected intrarenal vascular segments from both the cortex and medulla, specifically the interlobar, arcuate, and interlobular arteries; afferent and efferent arterioles; glomeruli; and single outer medullary vasa recta capillaries using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. The results indicated that V1aR mRNA and proteins were present in the isolated cortical or medullary vasculature, but the V2R mRNA and proteins were not found. This study suggests that the vasoconstrictor action of AVP within the renal medulla is mediated through the V1aR and that the modulatory V2R-mediated vasodilation is probably through the release of paracrine hormones found within the renal interstitial or tubular cells.
Dissociation mediates the association between intimate partner violence and posttraumatic stress among treatment-seeking incarcerated women.

ABSTRACTObjective: Women in prison experience high rates of interpersonal trauma as well as elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relative to women in the general population. The present study examined the relationship between recent intimate partner violence (IPV), additional forms of lifetime trauma exposure, trait dissociation, and posttraumatic stress among a sample of incarcerated female survivors of IPV. Method: Participants were 186 treatment-seeking incarcerated women who reported experiences of IPV in the year prior to incarceration. Participants completed self-report measures of IPV, nonpartner-perpetrated lifetime trauma exposure, trait dissociation, and PTSD symptomatology. Associations among study variables were evaluated using sequential multiple regression. Results: Participants reported experiencing several forms of interpersonal trauma. More than half of respondents (i.e., 53%) fell beyond a conservative cutoff score on the PTSD Checklist–Civilian Version, indicating clin...
Low Pressure Distillation for Generating Fuels with Improved Cold-Start Characteristics

A low pressure fuel distillation system is proposed for extracting a high-volatility fraction of gasoline, and to improve start-up and warm-up behavior of Sl engines. More complicated methods for generating high-volatility start-up fuels have demonstrated improved cold start driveability and reduced HC emissions, but so far they have not been put into mass production. In this project, a 'bench-top' apparatus was used to investigate the feasibility of using sub-atmospheric pressures to extract a lighter and more volatile fraction from the parent gasoline. A series of experiments was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of the extracted fuel vapor as a function of temperature and pressure. The sensitivity to different brands and grades of gasoline was also explored. The results show that the extracted fuel consists mostly of C 5 and C 6 compounds, and that its Molecular Weight and Stoichiometric A/F ratio show little sensitivity to the pressure level used for the extraction.
High-resolution carbon isotope (δ13Ccarb) chemostratigraphy of the lower Permian from the U.S. midcontinent: Checking the pulse of the late Paleozoic ice age

High-resolution stable isotope chemostratigraphy (δ 13 C carb and δ 18 O) from the Asselian and Sakmarian stages (Cisuralian Series, Permian System) was carried out on the Newby 2–28R core from Stevens County, SW Kansas. The cyclothemic strata of the Council Grove and Chase groups sampled in this study record the rapid rise and fall of sea level due to the expansion and contraction of glacial mass during the early Permian in the waning phases of the late Paleozoic ice age. Lithologies interpreted to be deposited during higher sea-level stand consistently show elevated δ 13 C carb values when compared with shallower-water parts of each cycle and show as much as a 6.0‰ shift in δ 13 C carb within single cycles. The δ 13 C carb values recorded here mirror changes in sea level throughout the sampled interval, indicating a close correspondence between at least the local carbon cycle of the U.S. midcontinent and Anadarko Basin with global ice-sheet dynamics and eustatic sea level. As has been seen in previous studies, however, this basin contains generally lower absolute values of δ 13 C carb compared to other basins, such as those in Russia (Moscow Basin), China (Yangtze Platform), and Nevada (Great Basin). The data presented here represent the first high-resolution analysis of carbon cycle dynamics during the early Permian, and it remains to be seen if the heartbeat of the late Paleozoic ice age preserved in this region is recognizable globally.
Bounded Area Tests For Comparing The Dynamics Between ARMA Processes

This article presents a new test for discerning whether or not two independent autoregressive moving average (ARMA) processes have the same autocovariance structure. This test utilizes a specific geometric feature of a time series plot, namely the area bounded between the line segments that connect adjacent points and the time axis. It will be shown that if you sample two ARMA processes and calculate the magnitudes of the two resulting bounded areas, then a significant difference among these areas tends to imply a significant difference in autocovariances.
Protogen and its Relation to Ketoacids in Metabolism of Tetrahymena.

SummaryTetrahymena geleii strain W was grown in media in which the concentrations of protogen and of acetate were varied. The effect of additions of Krebs cycle intermediates and of fatty acids to such media was studied. In deficient media the organisms grow to a limited extent and then die. Death is due to the acidity of the medium. The acids accumulated have been tentatively identified as consisting mainly of pyruvic and α-ketoglutaric acids using paper chromatography and differential solubility of the 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazones. α-ketoglutaric acid accumulates at the expense of pyruvic acid in the absence of added acetate. In the presence of acetate or of higher fatty acids pyruvic acid and α-ketoglutaric acid accumulate in about equal amounts. A mixture of succinate and acetate does not replace protogen. A function other than the oxidation of pyruvic and α-ketoglutaric acids in the metabolism of Tetrahymena is postulated.
Structural insights into chaperone-activity enhancement by a K354E mutation in tomato acidic leucine aminopeptidase.

Tomato plants express acidic leucine aminopeptidase (LAP-A) in response to various environmental stressors. LAP-A not only functions as a peptidase for diverse peptide substrates, but also displays chaperone activity. A K354E mutation has been shown to abolish the peptidase activity but to enhance the chaperone activity of LAP-A. To better understand this moonlighting function of LAP-A, the crystal structure of the K354E mutant was determined at 2.15 A resolution. The structure reveals that the K354E mutation destabilizes an active-site loop and causes significant rearrangement of active-site residues, leading to loss of the catalytic metal-ion coordination required for the peptidase activity. Although the mutant was crystallized in the same hexameric form as wild-type LAP-A, gel-filtration chromatography revealed an apparent shift from the hexamer to lower-order oligomers for the K354E mutant, showing a mixture of monomers to trimers in solution. In addition, surface-probing assays indicated that the K354E mutant has more accessible hydrophobic areas than wild-type LAP-A. Consistently, computational thermodynamic estimations of the interfaces between LAP-A monomers suggest that increased exposure of hydrophobic surfaces occurs upon hexamer breakdown. These results suggest that the K354E mutation disrupts the active-site loop, which also contributes to the hexameric assembly, and destabilizes the hexamers, resulting in much greater hydrophobic areas accessible for efficient chaperone activity than in the wild-type LAP-A.
ADMINISTRATION OF PORCINE SOMATOTROPIN BY SUSTAINED-RELEASE IMPLANT : GROWTH AND ENDOCRINE RESPONSES IN GENETICALLY LEAN AND OBESE BARROWS AND GILTS

Previous studies have documented the effectiveness of porcine somatotropin (pST) administered by daily injection in promoting lean tissue growth in lean and obese pigs and the influence of sex and genotype. The present study examined the accretive responses in pigs of different lines and sexes to a slow release formulation of pST (pST-SR). Implants that deliver 2.0 mg of pST/d were implanted in genetically lean and obese barrows and gilts at 65 +/- .7 kg BW (mean +/- SE). Pigs received no, one, or two implants (i.e., doses of 0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg of pST/d). Pigs (four per line x sex x dose) were housed individually and continuously supplied with fresh water and a 19% CP diet containing 1.08% lysine. Pigs were slaughtered on d 0 (four per line x sex) and at the end of the trial (approximately 42 d after implantation) for estimation of initial composition and calculation of accretion rates. Blood samples were collected at d 0, 7, 14, 28, and 42 to measure endocrine and metabolite responses to pST-SR. Sustained-release pST elevated (P < .05) circulating pST throughout the trial with peak concentrations at d 7. On d 7, serum pST concentrations in the pigs given 2.0 mg of pST-SR per day were 16-fold greater than those in control pigs, and in pigs given 4.0 mg of pST-SR per day pST concentrations were 33-fold greater than in controls. Elevated serum pST resulted in increased (P < .05) serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, IGF-II, insulin, and glucose and in reduced (P < .05) concentrations of urea nitrogen and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-2. Gain was not influenced by pST-SR dose; however, feed consumption was reduced (P < .05) and efficiency of gain was increased (P < .05). Accretion of all body components except cold carcass weight, cecum, and untrimmed Boston butt and ham were changed (P < .05) with pST-SR administration. Heart and stomach were the only components of the carcass and offal whose accretion was not affected by line or sex. Increases in accretion of carcass components (< 75%) induced by sustained-release pST were considerably less than those measured in the organs (liver, 157%; lungs, 748%). The pST-SR treatment resulted in elevated serum concentrations of pST and its mediators and improved efficiency and composition of gain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Development of thermal mixing enhancement method for lower plenum of the High Temperature Test Facility

Abstract The High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) is one of the most mature Gen IV reactor concepts under development today. The High Temperature Test Facility (HTTF) at Oregon State University is a test facility that supports the R&D needs for HTGRs. This study focuses on the issue of helium mixing after the core section in the HTTF, the results of which are generally applicable in HTGRs. In the HTTF, hot helium jets at different temperatures are supposed to uniformly mix in the lower plenum (LP) chamber. However, the level of mixing is not sufficient to reduce the peak helium temperature before the hot jet impinges the LP structure, which can cause issues with structural materials and operational issues in the heat exchanger downstream. The maximum allowable temperature variation in the outlet duct connected to the lower plenum is defined as 40 K (±20 K from the average temperature), while the CFD simulations of this study indicate that the reference design suffers temperature variations in the duct as high as 100 K. To solve this issue, the installation of mixing-enhancing structures within the outlet duct were proposed and analyzed using CFD modeling. We show that using either an optimized “Kwiat” structure (developed in this study) or a motionless mixer installed in the outlet duct, the temperature variations can be brought dramatically, with acceptable increases in pressure drop. The optimal solution appears to be to install double motionless mixers with long blades in the outlet duct, which brings the temperature variation into the acceptable range (from 100 K down to 18 K), with a resulting pressure drop increase in the HTTF loop of 0.73 kPa (6% of total pressure drop).