cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inferring and assisting with constraints in shared autonomy

Our goal is to enable robots to better assist people with motor impairments in day-to-day tasks. Currently, such robots are teleoperated, which is tedious. It requires carefully maneuvering the robot by providing input through some interface. This is further complicated because most tasks are filled with constraints, e.g. on how much the end effector can tilt before the glass that the robot is carrying spills. Satisfying these constraints can be difficult or even impossible with the latency, bandwidth, and resolution of the input interface. We seek to make operating these robots more efficient and reduce cognitive load on the operator. Given that manipulation research is not advanced enough to make these robots autonomous in the near term, achieving this goal requires finding aspects of these tasks that are difficult for human operators to achieve, but easy to automate with current capabilities. We propose constraints are the key: maintaining task constraints is the most difficult part of the task for operators, yet it is easy to do autonomously. We introduce a method for inferring constraints from operator input, along with a confidence-based way of assisting the user in maintaining them, and evaluate in a user study.
Hope for help-seeking: A positive psychology perspective of psychological help-seeking intentions.

In the present study, we used multigroup structural equation modeling in a sample of college students (N = 2,461) to examine ethnic and gender differences in the connections between dispositonal ho...
Modifying the Monte Carlo Quiz to Increase Student Motivation, Participation, and Content Retention

ABSTRACTFernald developed the Monte Carlo Quiz format to enhance retention, encourage students to prepare for class, read with intention, and organize information in psychology classes. This author modified the Monte Carlo Quiz, combined it with the Minute Paper, and applied it to various courses. Students write quiz questions as part of the Minute Paper and the instructor selects questions to include in the next day's quiz. Rolling a die determines if the quiz will be taken on a particular day. If yes, a second roll of the die determines the quiz question answered. There was improved performance on quizzes and tests while students favorably reported that this format increases their out-of-class preparation and content retention.
Apolipoproteins were predictive of coronary artery disease in men

Source Citation Sigurdsson G, Baldursdottir A, Sigvaldason H, et al. Predictive value of apolipoproteins in a prospective survey of coronary artery disease in men. Am J Cardiol. 1992 May 15;69:1251-4.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the paranasal sinuses: Frequency and type of abnormalities

This retrospective study reports on sinus abnormalities detected in patients having magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Over a 12-month period, 1120 patients (aged 2-87 years) had MRI scans done for suspected intracranial pathology. Scans were reviewed independently for abnormal sinuses using four criteria: increased signal of the epithelial lining, cloudy or opacified sinus cavity, air-fluid levels, and intrasinus polyps. Thirteen percent of the 1120 patients had abnormal sinus images with the maxillary being the most involved cavity. A cloudy or opacified sinus was found in 43% of these cases. An increased signal to the epithelial lining was present in 44%. Intrasinus polyps were found in 27 paranasal sinus cavities (27 subjects). Furthermore, a seasonal pattern was evident for abnormal sinus scans. The months of July, August, September, and December had the highest frequency of abnormalities noted (greater than 16% of total scans done) whereas there was a low percentage (less than 8%) found during February and November. In summary, abnormalities of the paranasal sinuses occur frequently and vary with the time of year.
Single-Neuron Correlates of Awareness during Attentional Blinks.

A recent single-neuron study revealed an anatomical anterior-to-posterior gradient of awareness-related responses by ‘concept neurons’ in the human medial temporal lobe (MTL). Delayed and weaker responses were indicative of the failure of a stimulus to reach awareness, suggesting that reliable fast responses are a critical aspect of the neural mechanisms of consciousness.
Romance, piety, and fun: The transformation of qawwali and Islamicate culture in Hindi cinema

This article charts the trajectory of the qawwali, one of the foremost markers of Islamicate culture in Bombay cinema. Between the 1940s and 1980s, the film qawwali was a secular, romantic genre ce...
r-Process nucleosynthesis from three-dimensional jet-driven core-collapse supernovae with magnetic misalignments

We investigate $r$-process nucleosynthesis in three-dimensional general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of jet-driven supernovae resulting from rapidly rotating, strongly magnetized core-collapse. We explore the effect of misaligning the pre-collapse magnetic field with respect to the rotation axis by performing four simulations: one aligned model and models with 15, 30, and 45 degree misalignments. The simulations we present employ a microphysical finite-temperature equation of state and a leakage scheme that captures the overall energetics and lepton number exchange due to post-bounce neutrino emission and absorption. We track the thermodynamic properties of the ejected material with Lagrangian tracer particles and analyse its composition with the nuclear reaction network SkyNet. By using different neutrino luminosities in post-processing the tracer data with SkyNet, we constrain the impact of uncertainties in neutrino luminosities. We find that, for the aligned model considered here, the use of an approximate leakage scheme results in neutrino luminosity uncertainties corresponding to a factor of 100-1000 uncertainty in the abundance of third peak $r$-process elements. Our results show that for misalignments of 30 degrees or less, $r$-process elements are robustly produced as long as neutrino luminosities are reasonably low ($\lesssim 5 \times 10^{52}$ erg s$^{-1}$). For a more extreme misalignment of 45 degrees, we find the production of $r$-process elements beyond the second peak significantly reduced. We conclude that robust $r$-process nucleosynthesis in magnetorotational supernovae requires a progenitor stellar core with a large poloidal magnetic field component that is at least moderately (within $\sim 30$ degrees) aligned with the rotation axis.
High-throughput sequencing data clarify evolutionary relationships among North American Vitis species and improve identification in USDA Vitis germplasm collections.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Grapes are one of the most economically important berry crops worldwide, with the vast majority of production derived from the domesticated Eurasian species Vitis vinifera. Expansion of production into new areas, development of new cultivars, and concerns about adapting grapevines for changing climates necessitate the use of wild grapevine species in breeding programs. Diversity within Vitis has long been a topic of study; however, questions remain regarding relationships between species. Furthermore, the identity of some living accessions is unclear. METHODS This study generated 11,020 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for more than 300 accessions in the USDA-ARS grape germplasm repository using genotyping-by-sequencing. Resulting data sets were used to reconstruct evolutionary relationships among several North American and Eurasian Vitis species, and to suggest taxonomic labels for previously unidentified and misidentified germplasm accessions based on genetic distance. KEY RESULTS Maximum likelihood analyses of SNP data support the monophyly of Vitis, subg. Vitis, a Eurasian subg. Vitis clade, and a North American subg. Vitis clade. Data delineate species groups within North America. In addition, analysis of genetic distance suggested taxonomic identities for 20 previously unidentified Vitis accessions and for 28 putatively misidentified accessions. CONCLUSIONS This work advances understanding of Vitis evolutionary relationships and provides the foundation for ongoing germplasm enhancement. It supports conservation and breeding efforts by contributing to a growing genetic framework for identifying novel genetic variation and for incorporating new, unsampled populations into the germplasm repository system.
Highlights in T-cell lymphoma from the 2011 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition.

s/poster summaries in the natural history of T-cell lymphomas presented at the ASH 2011 Annual Meeting • Assess the results of these new study findings, including current clinical trials evaluating therapy in the treatment of T-cell lymphomas • Integrate into clinical practice the latest knowledge and methods for treating patients with these lymphomas in an effort to improve current prognosis statistics • Identify future research directions for all therapies in T-cell lymphomas Accreditation Statement This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of Postgraduate Institute for Medicine (PIM) and Millennium Medical Publishing. PIM is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Electrochemistry of Metalloporphyrins Containing A Metal-Metal or Metal-Carbon Bond

The synthesis, chemical properties, and electrochemistry of metalloporphyrins with metal-metal and metal-carbon bonds have recently been described in two extensive reviews1,2. Porphyrins are known to coordinate with most metallic and pseudo-metallic elements and, in theory, synthesis of numerous organometallic porphyrins is possible. However, to date, the synthesis of metal-carbon σ-bonded complexes has been limited to metalloporphyrins with the following central metals: Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ir, Ti, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Si, Ge, Sn and Zn. These organometallic complexes are of importance as model compounds for understanding the functions and relationships of several biologically important macromolecules, as well as for their chemical reactivity. The insertion of small molecules between the metal ion and the carbon atom of a metalloporphyrin may result in activation of the inserted molecule or may generate new monomeric or polymeric materials. In addition, metal-carbon σ-bonded porphyrins can act as precursors in the synthesis of metal-metal bonded derivatives.
BAMBERG: The Paleontological Collection at the Museum of Natural History in Bamberg (NKMB)

In the nineteenth century, the special focus of the natural history collection at the Museum of Natural History in Bamberg was the field of zoology. It was only at the beginning of the twentieth century, under the direction of museum curator Theodor Schneid, that regional paleontology began to gain importance. Schneid mainly collected White Jurassic (Weisjura) ammonites and left behind a comprehensive collection, which included numerous specimens. From 2004 onwards, the regional focus has been expanding further through our own scientific excavations in the Late Jurassic Plattenkalk of Wattendorf (in Germany’s Upper Franconia). As a result of these excavations numerous new taxa have come into our possession, most notably among the vertebrate animals. Currently, the museum’s paleontological collection includes some 16,000 specimens.
Optimum Hybrid Modulation for Improvement of Efficiency Over Wide Operating Range for Triple-Phase-Shift Dual-Active-Bridge Converter

Triple-phase-shift modulation of a dual-active-bridge converter allows soft switching over the complete power flow range due to additional degree of freedom control over the transformer current. Optimization of conduction angles and a phase shift between the primary and secondary bridges can allow minimized rms and peak current, which directly influence device stress and conduction and switching losses. However, the existing state of the art addresses this by using either an offline optimization-based controller or large offline data-based methods, which are expensive and require excessive resources. In this article, a piecewise model of the modulation scheme is developed, which allows analytical optimization. In addition, soft-switching conditions are included in the optimization framework allowing a complete solution, which reduces both conduction and switching losses. Finally, a hybrid controller has been proposed based on the generalized optimization results. It utilizes the optimum modulation for a given power and ensures the highest efficiency over a wide operating range. The model, the optimization framework, and the hybrid controller were developed theoretically and simulated in the MATLAB environment. A 200-W prototype was built as a proof of concept. The optimization results and the proposed controller were experimentally verified with good agreement to the theoretical analysis.
Roles for the Endoplasmic Reticulum in Regulation of Neuronal Calcium Homeostasis

By influencing Ca2+ homeostasis in spatially and architecturally distinct neuronal compartments, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) illustrates the notion that form and function are intimately related. The contribution of ER to neuronal Ca2+ homeostasis is attributed to the organelle being the largest reservoir of intracellular Ca2+ and having a high density of Ca2+ channels and transporters. As such, ER Ca2+ has incontrovertible roles in the regulation of axodendritic growth and morphology, synaptic vesicle release, and neural activity dependent gene expression, synaptic plasticity, and mitochondrial bioenergetics. Not surprisingly, many neurological diseases arise from ER Ca2+ dyshomeostasis, either directly due to alterations in ER resident proteins, or indirectly via processes that are coupled to the regulators of ER Ca2+ dynamics. In this review, we describe the mechanisms involved in the establishment of ER Ca2+ homeostasis in neurons. We elaborate upon how changes in the spatiotemporal dynamics of Ca2+ exchange between the ER and other organelles sculpt neuronal function and provide examples that demonstrate the involvement of ER Ca2+ dyshomeostasis in a range of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases.
Taking the Reparatory Turn at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice

This article suggests that communication scholars take the reparatory turn in critical public memory studies. Using a case study based on the reparatory efforts of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), we critique the affective materialization taking place at Montgomery’s National Memorial for Peace and Justice (NMPJ) in Montgomery, Alabama. We argue that the NMPJ invites visitors to experience both the magnitude of historical lynchings as well as the affective afterlife of racial terrorist pasts that are linked to those historical lynchings. Consistent with the EJI’s goals, the NMPJ’s reparatory rhetorics are aimed at revising lynching histories in race-conscious ways so that visitors from some of America’s 800 counties might acknowledge, apologize, or even consider paying reparations for past lynchings as well as present carceral injustices.
Caspases from Scleractinian Coral Show Unique Regulatory Features

Diseases affecting coral have led to massive decline and altered the community structure of reefs. In response to immune challenges, cnidaria activate apoptotic or autophagic pathways, and the particular pathway correlates with disease sensitivity (apoptosis) or resistance (autophagy). Although cnidaria contain complex apoptotic signaling pathways, similar to those in vertebrates, the mechanisms leading to cell death are largely unexplored. We identified and characterized two caspases each from Orbicella faveolata, a disease-sensitive stony coral, and Porites astreoides, a disease-resistant stony coral. The four caspases are predicted homologs of human caspases-3 and -7, but OfCasp3a and PaCasp7a contain an amino-terminal caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD) similar to human initiator/inflammatory caspases. In contrast, OfCasp3b and PaCasp3 have short pro-domains, like human effector caspases. We show that OfCasp3a and PaCasp7a are DxxDases, like human caspases-3 and -7, while OfCasp3b and PaCasp3 are more similar to human caspase-6, with VxxDase activity. Our biochemical analyses suggest a mechanism in coral in which the CARD-containing DxxDase is activated on death platforms, but the protease does not directly activate the VxxDase. We also report the first X-ray crystal structure of a coral caspase, that of PaCasp7a determined at 1.57A resolution. The structure reveals overall conservation of the caspase-hemoglobinase fold in coral as well as an N-terminal peptide bound near the active site that may serve as a regulatory exosite. The binding pocket has been observed in initiator caspases of other species, suggesting mechanisms for the evolution of substrate selection while maintaining common activation mechanisms of CARD-mediated dimerization.
Clinical, genetic, and pathologic determinants of prostate cancer brain metastasis.

5536Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) brain metastasis (BM) is a rare event occurring in 0.16-0.63% of PCa patients. Current clinical data on this phenomenon is limited to small retrospective cohor...
From the Liner Vulcania to the Martin Memorial Lectures: Paul Oskar Kristeller’s First Fifteen Years in America

From the Liner Vulcania to the Martin Memorial Lectures: Paul Oskar Kristeller’s First Fifteen Years in America
Nfkbid is required for immunity and antibody responses to Toxoplasma gondii

Protective humoral responses are important in generating natural immunity to parasitic infections but have been difficult to elicit by vaccines. Among parasites that evade vaccine-induced immunity is Toxoplasma gondii. We previously reported that South American strains of Toxoplasma gondii are adept at immune evasion and cause lethal secondary infections in chronically infected mice. Here we report that unlike susceptible C57BL/6J mice, A/J mice were highly resistant to secondary infection. To identify correlates of immunity, mouse genetics were used to map immunity loci that segregated within a recombinant inbred panel (AxB, BxA). We identified Nfkbid, a nuclear regulator of NF-κB that is required for B cell activation and B-1 cell development. Nfkbid-null mice (bumble) were susceptible to secondary, but not primary infections. Bumble mice did not generate parasite-specific IgM and lacked robust parasite-specific IgG, which correlated with defects in B-2 cell maturation and class-switch recombination. Though high-affinity antibodies are B-2 derived, B-1 cells are absent in bumble mice and transfer of B-1 cells partially rescued the observed immunity defect. In comparison, humoral immunity to T. gondii in resistant A/J mice correlated with robust isotype class-switching in both B cell lineages, which can be fine-tuned by Nfkbid gene expression. We propose a model where humoral immunity to T. gondii is driven by Nfkbid and must be "layered" by both B-1 and B-2 cells to promote protection to virulent challenge.
Biotechnology, Policy and the Problem of Unintended Consequences: The Case of rBST

This chapter applies the ethics framework for evaluating emerging technology developed in Chaps. 1 and 2. It illustrates the application of a risk-based approach to the ethical analysis of agrifood technology by reviewing the policy debate in the United States over the first important product of agrifood biotechnology, recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST). The US debate anticipated European reactions to biotechnology by a decade. It formed the basis for a regulatory approach that continues to influence the governance of agrifood biotechnology in the United States to this day. At the same time that this approach established relatively strong standards for safety evaluation, it precludes governance on other ethically relevant criteria. This forces critics to mount all resistance within the narrow window of legally actionable safety standards. The rBST case thus explains why activists who were opposed to trends in mainstream industrial agriculture on environmental and socioeconomic grounds adapted their protests to include more speculative concerns about food safety.
RELIABILITY OF CENTER OF PRESSURE-BASED MEASURES DURING DUAL-TASK POSTURAL CONTROL TESTING IN A YOUTH POPULATION.

Background Dual-task assessments can identify changes in postural control during recovery from a concussion. However, developing postural control in children presents a challenge when using adult balance assessments to examine children. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of a cognitive dual-task postural control testing protocol among a youth sample with no history of concussion or exposure to head impacts. Study design Reliability pilot study. Methods Testing comprised nine 120 second trials of standing on a force plate collecting data at 250 Hz. Test conditions included no dual-task, counting backwards by 2, counting backwards by 3, listening, and the Stroop test. Subjects completed each test with open and closed eyes, except for the Stroop test. The force plate was used to measure the subjects' center of pressure (COP) trajectory. Results Nine healthy, youth subjects (average age: 11.6 ± 0.5 years) with no history of concussion or exposure to head impacts participated. Reliability was good (>0.6) or excellent (>0.75) for COP speed, sway, and sample entropy measures for several test conditions. The eyes open, no task condition produced the lowest COP measures. No differences were observed between the other dual-task conditions. Conclusion Given its high measures of reliability, this dual-task protocol might be able to detect postural control changes in concussed youth athletes. Evidence level 2.
Getting Out the Black Vote in Washington DC: A Field Experiment

Over the past two decades, hundreds of experiments have explored how best to increase voter turnout, including dozens of experiments focused on how best to mobilize members of low-propensity communities of color. Yet, little published work focuses on how to increase turnout among African American voters. We partnered with a local nonpartisan community organization to conduct a mail and door-to-door canvassing effort during the 2018 Midterm Elections, focused on increasing turnout in two low-participation wards in Washington DC. Prior to conducting the outreach effort, we conducted focus groups in order to determine effective messaging. [Results from the experiment are not yet available, as DC has yet to certify voter turnout data.
Applications to Functions Two Variables, Infinite Series

That a functional value can be determined by two, or more, variables is no surprise. Our purpose in this section is not simply to evaluate such functions — that we have done before. Rather, we want to discuss some introductory numerical techniques for solving some of the problems which arise in the calculus of several variables. We restrict our attention to functions of the form z = z(x,y), i.e., explicit functions of two variables.
Passive Feed Network Designs for Microfluidic Beam-Scanning Focal Plane Arrays and Their Performance Evaluation

Microfluidic focal plane arrays (MFPAs) have been recently introduced to implement compact high-gain beam-scanning antennas without resorting to active RF devices. This beam-scanning technique relies on a patch antenna element that can be microfluidically repositioned at the focal plane of a microwave lens. The feed network is strategically designed to be passive and accommodate the position variation in the antenna element. This paper, for the first time, considers the design details and performance evaluation of three different passive network layouts that can potentially be utilized to excite MFPAs. Specifically, resonant corporate, resonant straight, and nonresonant straight microstrip line feed networks are introduced and their loss/bandwidth performances are investigated using the transmission line theory. In addition, a method of moments and ray tracing-based hybrid analysis is utilized to demonstrate the impact of the proposed feed networks on the radiation properties of the MFPA in terms of realized gain and side lobe levels (SLLs). It is shown that the resonant and nonresonant straight microstrip line feed networks reduce the SLL by more than 10 dB relative to the resonant corporate feed network utilized in the prior work. The performance improvements are experimentally verified through an eight-element extended hemispherical dielectric lens-based MFPA prototype. Different than the recent work that relied on liquid metal, the antenna element of this MFPA is implemented from a metalized plate by carrying out flow characterizations on various microfluidic channel geometries. This metalized plate approach paves the way for reliable liquid-metal-free microfluidic reconfigurable devices with higher efficiency and power-handling capabilities.
Evolutionary Genetics — From Molecules to Morphology

This volume is the first of three volumes from a Festschrift marking the occasion of Richard C. Lewontin's 65th birthday and the approximate time of his retirement. The volumes were planned and invitations to authors were formalized in 1996. This first volume appeared in 2000, but a celebration, colloquially referred to as Dickfest, was held on September 6, 1998 at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard. The frontispiece is a photograph of 115 friends, former students and post docs that attended Dickfest.
Use of the PHM Framework to Create Safe-Sex Ads Targeted to Mature Women 50 and Older

This research applies the Witte's persuasive health message (PHM) framework to the development of creative concepts that promote sexual health strategies to senior-aged women. The PHM framework proposes an integrated approach to improving message effectiveness and maximizing persuasion in health communication campaigns. A focus group method was used to explore two research questions focused on message effectiveness and persuasion. The findings suggest the PHM framework can be a useful starting point for ensuring that health communicators identify the criteria most relevant to successful ad promotions.
Caste, Colonialism and Schooling : Education in British India

This chapter reviews the development of enrollment and literacy in the colonial period with a focus on British India. Beginning in the 1850’s numerous acts were passed, various recommendations were made, and public and private funds were used to increase mass literacy. But, the outcome was disappointing — only 10 percent of the population could read and write by 1931. I identify potential factors responsible for this disappointing performance. Low public spending, a strong emphasis on secondary education and the presence of numerous castes and religions collectively appear to have constrained the development of human capital in India.
Global supply chains in Chinese industrialization: Impact on waste scavenging in developing countries

China has undergone remarkable economic growth spearheaded by industrialization. Chinese industry demands a wide variety of raw materials in increasing amounts in order to manufacture all kinds of products. Industrial demand exceeds domestic supply for several materials. Thus, China needs to import raw materials. In order to satisfy its needs, China has developed global supply chains, which link two apparently separate worlds: its industry and millions of scavengers that recover recyclable materials from waste in developing countries. This paper examines this new phenomenon and argues that it has been mostly beneficial to the poor in developing countries.
Chemical and Physical Characteristics of the Deoxycholate-Soluble and Magnesium-Reaggregated Membrane Nicotinamade Adenine Dinucleotide (Reduced Form) Oxidase of Bacillus megaterium

Abstract The inactive components of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form) (NADH) oxidase present in the 0.4% deoxycholate-soluble fraction obtained from Bacillus megaterium KM membranes were reaggregated into active NADH oxidase by dilution in the presence of Mg2+. The reaggregated oxidase was different from the original membrane with respect to sedimentation behavior in a sucrose gradient and morphological appearance. The deoxycholate-insoluble portion of the membrane had membrane-like structure whereas the reaggregated oxidase appeared to be a filamentous aggregate of small particles. The reaggregated oxidase and the deoxycholate-insoluble membrane residue were similar to the original membrane with respect to total protein and total lipid content. The inactive components of the NADH oxidase system exist in deoxycholate as two molecular species which were separable by sucrose density gradient centrifugation or gel filtration in deoxycholate-containing solutions. Both components and dilution in the presence of Mg2+ were necessary for restoration of oxidase activity. The smaller-molecular-weight component contained all of the NADH-2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol oxidoreductase activity of the original membrane.
Multinational Corporations, Property Rights, and Legitimization Strategies: US Investors in the Argentine and Peruvian Oil Industries in the Twentieth Century

Multinational corporations in the extractive sector have historically faced challenges to their property rights, particularly in oil. International business scholars argue that firms can decrease these challenges by approaching domestic legitimating actors or seeking home government support. Through a study of the operations of Standard Oil of New Jersey in Peru and Argentina in the twentieth century, we find that these legitimating strategies can backfire due to two main elements: first, the multinational might approach actors with a different agenda from those defining, delineating, and enforcing property rights. Second, host countries can use home government support to multinationals to delegitimise foreign firms' operations.
Resolution of the spectral technique in kinetic modeling

Physiologic systems can be represented by compartmental models which describe the uptake of radio-labeled tracers from blood to tissue and their subsequent washout. Arterial and venous time-activity curves from isolated heart experiments are analyzed using spectral analysis, in which the impulse response function is represented by a sum of decaying exponentials. Resolution and uniqueness tests are conducted by synthesizing isolated heart data with predefined compartmental models, adding noise, and applying the spectral analysis technique. Venous time-activity curves are generated by convolving a typical arterial input function with the predefined spectrum. The coefficients of a set of decaying exponential basis functions are determined using a non-negative least squares algorithm, and results are compared with the predefined spectrum. The uniqueness of spectral method solutions is investigated by computing model covariance matrices, using error propagation and prior knowledge of noise distributions. Coupling between model parameters is illustrated with correlation matrices.
Metal-Mediated Protein Modification

Posttranslational modification of proteins is a general mechanism for regulating biological activity and expanding the functionality in this family of biopolymers. Metal ions have been found to be intimately involved in many of these protein-processing reactions, whether as cofactors of processing metalloenzymes, intrinsic cofactors for self-processing proteins, or protein-targeting solution complexes. A broad range of covalent modifications have been identified as the products of these metal-mediated reactions. Novel amino acid residues resulting from oxygenation, oxidation, or cross-linking side chains play important roles in the structure and reactivity of proteins. In a number of cases, the modified amino acids serve as built-in catalytic cofactors. Reactions of certain metal complexes have been implicated in biomedically important protein modifications, and synthetic complexes have been developed as probes of macromolecular structure. These links underscore the close connections between inorganic and biological chemistry. Keywords: metalloprotein; metalloenzyme; posttranslational modification; self-processing; biogenesis; quinoenzyme; quinocofactor
Toward Solving the Mysteries of the Exotic Eclipsing Binary є Aurigae: Two Thousand years of Observations and Future Possibilities

The long period ( P = 27.1 yr) eclipsing binary є Aurigae (F0 Ia + disk?) is truly an exotic star. It has a deep eclipse that lasts for nearly two years. This eclipse arises as a huge, cool, flattened disk transits the F-supergiant star. Modeling of the eclipse observations shows that the disk has a radius as large as ∼ 9 AU. Infrared observations indicate that the disk is cool with temperatures between 450 − 1000 K. Yet there is evidence of significant FUV emission also originating from the disk. At present, our knowledge of the mass and luminosity of the binary is still too uncertain to distinguish between two competing models of the system. The high mass model assumes that the F0 supergiant is a normal Pop. I star with a mass appropriate for its spectral type of M ∽ 15 M ⊙ . It is accompanied by a flattened disk companion with a slightly smaller mass. In this model the disk object is a young proto-stellar or protoplanetary disk. In the low mass model, the F0I star is assumed to be a bloated, old, solar mass post-AGB star. In this case the secondary object is an accretion disk with a mass of 4-5 M ⊙ . This disk is a remnant of postmain sequence mass transfer that occurred within the last few thousand years. In both models there are still problems explaining the object (or objects) at the center of the disk. Candidates include a pre-main sequence object, a black hole, or a close binary. In this paper we review the properties of ϵ Aurigae and discuss the advances in our understanding of this enigmatic star from observations made since its last eclipse in 1982-1984. With new technologies and advanced instrumentation it is possible that the physical properties of this puzzling binary star will be found during the next decade. Once found, then ϵ Aurigae and its eclipses can be used as a laboratory for exploring (and testing) current astrophysical concepts and theories that include rapid stages of stellar evolution, binary star evolution, and the structure and dynamics of large disks.
Spatial Econometric Analysis of the Determinants of Location in Turkish Manufacturing Industry

This paper examines the determinants of location within the Turkish manufacturing industry with respect to spatial interaction. Extending on previous studies on Turkey, this paper is the first attempt to model the location decision incorporating both region-specific and sector-specific factors. The econometric analysis is based on the Moran’s I values following Anselin (1988). The estimation results of the Spatial Lag Model indicate a significant spatial dependence of the location decision for the Turkish manufacturing industry. The most significant determinants of the location decision are found out to be the population density, share of manufacturing in total employment, percentage of people with university degrees and the average January temperature.
Engagement of CD46 and α5β1 integrin by group A streptococci is required for efficient invasion of epithelial cells

Summary Membrane cofactor protein (MCP or CD46), a widely distributed complement regulatory human protein, is a cell surface receptor for many pathogens including group A streptococci (GAS). The surface M protein of GAS binds CD46 and mediates GAS adherence to keratinocytes. In the present study, we studied the role of CD46 in GAS invasion of human lung epithelial cells, A549. Anti-CD46 antibody which specifically blocks the domain to which M protein binds inhibited adherence to and invasion of A549 cells by GAS. Moreover, downregulation of CD46 expression on A549 by RNA interference resulted in reduced invasion of these cells by GAS. A mutant form of CD46 with a deletion in the cytoplasmic domain was overexpressed in A549 cells, which resulted in partial inhibition of invasion. This indicates that the cytoplasmic tail is required for CD46 to promote invasion by GAS. Invasion assays with Lactococcus lactis that express M protein demonstrated the dependence of CD46-promoted invasion on interaction with M protein. In addition, CD46-mediated invasion was also found to be dependent on the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin.
Performance of first order pseudonoise code tracking loop using smart antenna under multi-path fading environment

It has been reported that a smart antenna can improve bit error rate (BER) performance significantly in a mobile communications system (Tanaka, S. et al., IEEE JSAC, vol.18, no.8, p.1495-504, 2000). However, the smart antenna has not been applied and analyzed much for the pseudonoise (PN) code tracking loop, which is one of the important aspects in spread spectrum communications receivers. We present a performance analysis of a first order PN-code tracking loop with a smart antenna under a frequency selective fading environment, and show that the smart antenna can also improve the PN code tracking loop significantly, compared to a single antenna element system. We employ the root mean square (RMS) error and mean time to lose lock (MTLL) of the PN code tracking loop as performance criterion.
Interpreting diffusion coefficients of electrochemical probes in oil‐in‐water microemulsions

The relationship between apparent diffusion coefficients, D′, of electroactive probe and thc microstructure of an oil-in-water anionic microemulsion, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/dodecane/I-pentanol/0.1M NaCIaq has been investigated. Three probes, ferrocene (Fc), Fe(CN) and methyl viologen (MV2+) allowed the effect of ditrerent microstructure and interactions on the D′-values to be investigated. The results indicate that the droplet as well as hicontinuous microemulsion structures can be identified and point to the effects of cross- phase exchange, partitioning, and multiple binding on the D′-values.
Jupiter: its infrared spectrum from 16 to 40 micrometers.

Spectral measurements of the thermal radiation from Jupiter in the band from 16 to 40 micrometers are analyzed under the assumption that pressure-broadened molecular hydrogen transitions are responsible for the bulk of the infrared opacity over most of this spectral interval. Both the vertical pressure-temperature profile and the molecular hydrogen mixing ratio are determined. The derived value of the molecular hydrogen mixing ratio, 0.89 plus or minus 0.11, is consistent with the solar value of 0.86.
Self-monitoring and the assessment of binge eating

Thirty women diagnosed with either bulimia nervosa (BN) or binge eating disorder (BED) kept continuous prospective records of their food intake without receiving additional simultaneous treatment. Compared with the frequency of binge eating assessed during initial structured interviews, participants showed a substantial decrease in their frequency of binge eating during self-monitoring. Average binge-eating frequency fell from 0.91 to 0.40 binge episodes per day, t(29) = 5.04, p ≤ .001. Participants with both disorders reduced their binge eating at similar rates. Half of all participants with BED and 16.6% of those with BN ceased to meet DSM-IV binge-eating frequency criteria for their disorder during the self-monitoring phase. Of participants with BED, 27.8% were abstinent from binge eating during self-monitoring. These findings suggest that self-monitoring of food intake may substantially reduce binge eating in women with bulimia nervosa or binge eating disorder.
A one-year trial of triamcinolone acetonide aerosol in severe steroid-dependent asthma.

Twenty-three steroid-dependent severely asthmatic patients, ranging in age from 20 to 67 years, tolerated reduction in their oral dosage of steroids during a one-year trial of triamcinolone acetonide aerosol. Sixteen patients maintained their initial one-second forced expiratory volume without oral therapy with steroids, two required resumption of daily steroid dosage because of lethargy and arthralgia, and four required 2.5 to 20 mg of prednisone every other day to control their asthma. Five-day oral courses of steroids were occasionally required because of episodes of asthma from a variety of external causes. One patient failed to benefit within two months and withdrew from the study. One patient had precipitins to Candida albicans prior to the study, and he developed transient oropharyngeal culture-positive thrush, which subsided with use of a gargle containing nystatin. None of the other patients had oral candidiasis, and laryngoscopic examination revealed no lesions attributed to the aerosol. The mean fasting cortisol level did not increase throughout the one-year trial. Thus, the use of triamcinolone acetonide aerosol (2,000µg or less daily) can eliminate or greatly reduce oral requirements for steroids in patients with severe steroid-dependent asthma. Side effects are mild, but adrenal recovery may be exceedingly slow.
Cortical cerebral blood flow governed by the basal forebrain: age-related impairments.

This study sought to compare resting and evoked increases in cortical microvascular perfusion elicited by electrical microstimulation of the basal forebrain (BF) in young (4–6 months) and aged (22–26 months) Sprague-Dawley rats. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured in chloralose-anesthetized rats for twelve bilateral regions using 14C-iodoantipyrine with regional brain dissection, while second-to-second changes in tissue perfusion were concurrently assessed using laser-doppler flowmetry (LDF). In young animals, BF stimulation elicited significant ipsilateral increases in CBF in parietal (+123%) and frontal (+107%) cortices, caudate nucleus (+63%) and thalamus (+59%) (p<0.05). The BF-elicited increases were preserved in frontal cortex and thalamus, but not in parietal cortex or caudate nucleus of aged animals. No frequency- or current-specific attenuations were observed in the spared frontal cortex of aged animals. However, there was a significant (+70%) age-related increase in the latency to reach maximal blood flow increases (p<0.05), without any change in the total time of increased blood flow. These findings support the hypothesis that cortical CBF is in part governed by BF neurons, and suggest that regionally selective, age-related impairments of cortical coupling of neuronal to dynamic vascular responses exist. It remains to be determined whether the mechanism of this impairment relates to an age-related impairment in coupling of blood flow and metabolism.
An alternative approach to indirect land use change: Allocating greenhouse gas effects among different uses of land

Abstract Indirect land use change (iLUC) is hypothesized to occur when increasing demand for land due to bioenergy production displaces food and feed production onto new lands, thereby potentially producing large greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) during the land conversion event. Thus far, the totality of the projected iLUC effect has been assigned to biofuel production. In fact, multiple drivers of land use change exist and the resulting GHG releases should, in fairness, be allocated among these drivers. It seems more useful and intellectually rigorous to allocate potential land use change effects among these many drivers. This paper focuses on how to allocate the environmental consequences of iLUC to the multiple drivers through a function-oriented approach, namely human nutritional requirements for calories and protein. “Food versus Biofuel” issues can then be more usefully addressed as “Nutrition versus Biofuel” issues. Human beings actually have many choices in how we provide ourselves with adequate diets, and these choices have very different GHG and land use consequences. Therefore, in this paper, GHG assigned to iLUC is allocated between ethanol and human dietary preferences via a human nutrition-based method. Applying allocation approaches to iLUC lowers the estimated GHG of iLUC by up to 73% compared to GHG estimates in the GTAP model. For example, global warming intensity (GWI) of ethanol measured as CO2 equivalent becomes 58.2 g MJ−1, while GWI of ethanol calculated using GREET is 68.9 g MJ−1.
Response of peanut to strains of Bradyrhizobium and N fertilizer

Abstract Percent nitrogen (N) in peanut leaves (Arachis hypogaea L.) is known to decline as the season progresses. If leaf N drops below the critical level for maximum photosynthesis, the yield potential for that crop will decrease. In an attempt to increase leaf N, several studies were conducted during 1979, 1980, and 1981 at two locations in the state of Georgia, USA. Both inoculation and N fertilization of the peanut cv. Florunner failed to increase either ZN in the plant (shoot and fruit composite). Although strains of Bradyrhizobium showed a wide range of effectiveness (total N accumulation in the plant) in controlled environment conditions, no significant differences were seen in field studies. Discrepancies between these studies could be due to poor nodule occupancy of the introduced strains of Bradyrhizobium in the field studies or to differences in strain performance due to environment. Post‐emergence treatments of urea or Ca(NO3)2 fertilizers also failed to increase either %N in the plant tissue...
Involvement of 5-lipoxygenase metabolites of arachidonic acid in cyclic AMP-stimulated steroidogenesis and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene expression.

To understand the mechanism for the role of arachidonic acid (AA) in steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) gene transcription, sections of the -1/-966 StAR promoter were deleted to produce constructs of -1/-426,-1/-211, -1/-151, and -1/-110 and inserted into the PGL3 vector to drive luciferase expression. Results indicated that -1/-151 StAR promoter contains the elements that are most responsive to AA. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using nuclear extracts from AA-treated MA-10 Leydig tumor cells showed that AA enhanced specific binding of the nuclear extract to a 30 bp (-67/-96) sequence of the StAR promoter. Also, HPLC was used to identify AA metabolites involved in StAR gene transcription. It was found that 1 mM N6,2-O-dibutyryladenosine 3:5-cyclic monophosphate (dbcAMP) significantly increased the 5-lipoxygenase metabolites, 5-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HPETE) and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE). Moreover, in the presence of 0.2 mM dbcAMP addition of 20 μM 5-HPETE or 5-HETE significantly enhanced StAR protein expression and progesterone production (P < 0.05). Similar results were obtained for StAR gene transcription with StAR mRNA levels and StAR promoter activities being significantly increased ( P < 0.05) when 5-HPETE was added to MA-10 cell cultures. In summary, the present studies demonstrated that cyclic AMP (cAMP) stimulated the production of the AA metabolites, 5-HPETE and 5-HETE, and showed that these metabolites enhanced StAR gene expression and steroid hormone production. The results further suggested that the AA-responsive element resides in the -67/-96 region of the StAR promoter.
Psychosocial Antecedents and Consequences of Periodontal Disease: A New Agenda1

Although it is generally recognized that the antecedents of periodontal disease are multiple, relatively little attention has been paid to the role of psychosocial variables. The present paper argues that psychological variables can help identify additional risk factors for periodontal disease, define the generalizability of periodontal research across different elderly adult sub-populations, and serve as adjunct clinical markers. Changes in psychological well being offer additional measures of the impact of the disease, and suggest criteria for the evaluation of treatment impact. Consideration of environmental antecedents of periodontitis points to the importance of pathological rather than developmental dynamics in the etiology of the disease. Recommendations are made for an interdisciplinary, but carefully balanced approsch, to the study of periodontal diseases in older adults.