cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intracellular-pH dependence of Na-H exchange and acid loading in quiescent and arginine vasopressin-activated mesangial cells.

Abstract We studied intracellular pH (pHi) regulation in the absence of HCO3- in single mesangial cells (MCs) with the pH-sensitive dye 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(and -6)carboxyfluorescein. Our approach was to acid load the cells by an NH+4 prepulse and to monitor the subsequent pHi recovery. Previous work on MCs and other cells has shown that the recovery is prevented by adding ethylisopropyl amiloride (EIPA) or removing Na+ before the recovery begins, suggesting that at low pHi only Na-H exchange contributes to the recovery. This conclusion is often extrapolated to the entire pHi range. To test this, we interrupted the recovery with EIPA at various pHi values, finding that EIPA unmasked a background acidification that was negligible at pHi less than approximately 6.7 but increased steeply at higher pHi values. Correcting the total recovery rate for this EIPA-insensitive component, we found that the EIPA-sensitive (Na-H exchange) rate fell steeply with increasing pHi between 6.3 and 6.7 but was relatively pHi insensitive between 6.7 and 7.2. Thus, the recovery halts as pHi approaches approximately 7.2 not so much because Na-H exchange slows, but because acid loading accelerates. Applying the mitogen arginine vasopressin (AVP; 100 nM) caused a rapid pHi decrease of approximately 0.4, followed by a slower increase to a level approximately 0.15 higher than the initial pHi. Coincident with this biphasic change in pHi was a biphasic change in Na-H exchange kinetics. In the early phase (i.e., pHi recovery commencing approximately 8 min after AVP addition), AVP linearized the pHi dependence of the exchanger; its rate was unaffected by AVP at pHi less than approximately 6.7 but was progressively inhibited at higher pHi values. In the later phase (i.e., pHi recovery commencing approximately 14 min after AVP addition), AVP shifted this linear pHi dependence in the alkaline direction; the exchanger was stimulated at pHi less than 6.9 but was modestly inhibited at higher pHi values (i.e., in the physiological range). At all times, AVP greatly inhibited background acid loading. Thus, AVP raises steady-state pHi not because Na-H exchange is stimulated but because, although the exchanger is inhibited, acid loading is inhibited even more.
Primary care remuneration--a simple fix.

Fixing primary care is critical to health care reform but will require simultaneously fixing several problems, including those related to remuneration, the work environment, and medical education.1 The most critical of these issues is remuneration. The week of June 15 to 26, 2009, was bittersweet for those of us who care about primary care. President Barack Obama addressed the American Medical Association, emphasizing the central role that primary care must play in health care reform.2 We then learned of the death of Dr. Lynn Carmichael, a founder of the modern field of family medicine.3 The roller coaster continued with the . . .
Discovery of N-(3-(morpholinomethyl)-phenyl)-amides as potent and selective CB2 agonists.

Abstract Recently sulfamoyl benzamides were identified as a novel series of cannabinoid receptor ligands. Replacing the sulfonamide functionality and reversing the original carboxamide bond led to the discovery of N-(3-(morpholinomethyl)-phenyl)-amides as potent and selective CB2 agonists. Selective CB2 agonist 31 (Ki = 2.7; CB1/CB2 = 190) displayed robust activity in a rodent model of postoperative pain.
Smart networked systems and societies: What will the future look like?

• This talk evolved on a concept developed with Donna Dodson (NIST) in 2010 • Thanks to Subrahmanian (Sub), Ramesh Jain and NICT collaborators (Kyoungsook Kim and Koji Zettsu) for many of the slides • Thanks also to Soundar Kumara, Steven Ray, Ruzena Bajscy, L. Ahmed, Eric Simmon, Kevin Brady, Fred Hosea, Fred de Vaulx, Jeff Voas, and our collaborators from NICT (Japan) • Some ideas taken from an AAAS panel organized with Vint Cerf • Commercial equipment and software, many of which are either registered or trademarked, are identified in order to adequately specify certain procedures. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor does it imply that the materials or equipment identified are necessarily the best available for the purpose.
Productivity, diet, and environmental contaminants in bald eagles nesting near the Wisconsin shoreline of Lake Superior.

Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nesting in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and along the Wisconsin shoreline of Lake Superior produced an average of 0.8 young/occupied nest and had an average nest success of 57% during 1983–1988, compared to 1.3 young/occupied nest and 77% nest success in inland Wisconsin. Contaminant levels in nestling bald eagle carcasses collected from nests near Lake Superior were higher than those collected inland, suggesting local contamination. Prey remains collected at nests consisted of fish (50%); birds, primarily herring gulls (Larus argentatus) (48.4%); and mammals (1.2%). Organochlorine and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) residues were present at low levels (DDE: ¯x=0.07 μg/g wet wt, PCB:¯x=0.21 μg/g wet wt) in fish. Herring gulls contained higher concentrations (DDE∶x=5.5 μg/g wet wt, PCB∶¯x=16.95 μg/g wet wt) and appear to be the major source of elevated contaminant levels in bald eagles nesting near Lake Superior.
Simulation of non‐isothermal flow in modular co‐rotating twin screw extrusion

Non-isothermal flow is simulated in the screw and kneading disc elements in a modular co-rotating twin screw extruder. Methods of calculating mean temperature rises for individual elements are discussed and results are presented. The implications of non-isothermal operation for scale-up is discussed. A method is then described for making calculations in a modular co-rotating machine, that contains many different elements. Example calculations are given showing the tendency of larger machines to buildup greater temperatures when viscous heating is included.
Closed disbond detection in marine glass-epoxy/balsa composites

A method is devised and demonstrated for the detection of disbonds in E-glass-epoxy/end-grain balsa core composites. Guided acoustic waves are exploited in an approach that leads to positive identification of disbonds in these complex marine composites. The method uses the fact that a propagating Lamb wave in the 3-mm glass-epoxy facesheet composite will exist only when a disbond (even a disbond in partial contact) is present at the location of the incident acoustic beam. The resulting leaky wave field in the fluid is then detected and monitored over the scanned area, producing a C-scan of the interface with clear discrimination between bonded areas and disbonds. Numerical evaluations of the received transducer voltage corresponding to different interface conditions are compared with the experimental measurements. A theoretical calculation based on prior work predicts accurately the results of several experiments on a variety of samples with different disbond conditions.
Contribution of Seafood to Total Vitamin B12 Intake and Status of Young Adult Men and Women

Previous research suggests 20% of omnivores and 40% of vegetarians do not consume enough vitamin B12. The contribution of seafood to dietary B12 intake stratified by frequency of seafood consumption and B12 status of young adults was assessed. Seafood was the greatest contributor to B12 intake (31%) among nonvegetarians, and intake comparisons based on frequency of seafood consumption revealed that frequent seafood consumers had higher (p < 0.001) B12 intakes. None of the frequent seafood consumers had suboptimal status, which occurred mainly in subjects consuming seafood < 1 time/month and vegetarians. Our findings suggest that modest seafood intake contributes to maintaining normal B12 status.
Carboplatin for treatment of a Sertoli cell tumor in a mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

A 13-year-old male mallard was diagnosed with a non-resectable Sertoli cell tumor involving the left testis. The duck was treated with four doses of single-agent carboplatin given at 4- to 5-week intervals. Heteropenia, 2 weeks after each treatment, was the acute dose-limiting toxicity. The tumor reduced in size by 25%, and the duck's clinical condition improved for 12 months. Sertoli cell tumors are rare in birds, and this is the first report, to our knowledge, of attempted chemotherapy treatment in the veterinary literature.
Effects of airflow infiltration on the thermal performance of internally insulated ducts.

Abstract Air flowing through a supply duct infiltrates perviously faced, porous, internal duct insulation, degrading its thermal performance. Encapsulating the insulation's air-facing surface with an impervious barrier prevents infiltration, increasing the capacity of the conditioned supply air to heat or cool the space to which it is delivered. This study determined the air-speed dependence of the thermal conductivity of fiberglass insulation by measuring the inlet-to-outlet temperature drop of heated air flowing through a long, insulated flexible duct. The conductivity of a flexible duct's low-density, internal, fiberglass-blanket insulation increased with the square of the duct air speed, rising by 140% as the duct air speed increased from 0 to 15 m s −1 . At air speeds recommended for branch ducts, the conductivity of such insulation would increase by 6% above its still-air value in a residential system and by 16% in a commercial system. Results partially agreed with those reported by an earlier study. Simulations indicate that encapsulating the air-stream surface of internal fiberglass duct insulation with an impervious barrier increases the effectiveness with which a duct delivers the thermal capacity of supply air by 0.15%–0.9% in typical duct systems.
Effects of sorption modes on the transport and physical properties of nylon 6

The presence of low molecular weight molecules in a polymeric matrix often has a marked effect on material properties. Knowledge of specific penetrant distributions and component interactions is important for an elucidation of structure-property relationships, plasticization phenomena, and any modification of structure induced by the presence of penetrants. The sorption-mode characteristics of water, methanol, and ethanol in Nylon 6 films have been investigated by the application of the differential sorption method. The sorption and diffusion behavior were interpreted in terms of clustering theory with suitable account being made for penetrant molecular size and hydrogen-bonding capability. The examination of transport and mechanical properties of these films indicates a pronounced dependence of those properties on the concentration of penetrants. The effect of penetrant cluster formation at characteristic concentrations of sorbed penetrant is to decrease the concentration dependence of both diffusion and mechanical relaxation processes in the case of alcohols. The onset of water clustering apparently only affects the mechanical relaxation process. The samples were further characterized by DSC, X-ray diffraction and density measurements to detect any significant changes in the structure of Nylon 6 induced by the penetrant conditioning.
Expanding the one-dimensional CdS-CdSe composition landscape: Axially anisotropic CdS1- xSex nanorods

We report the synthesis and characterization of CdS1–xSex nanorods with axial anisotropy. These nanorods were synthesized via single injection of a mixture of trioctylphosphine sulfur and selenium precursors to a cadmium–phosphonate complex at high temperature. Transmission electron microscopy shows nanoparticle morphology changes with relative sulfur and selenium loading. When the synthetic selenium loading is between 5% and 10% of total chalcogenides, the nanorods exhibit pronounced axial anisotropy characterized by a thick “head” and a thin “tail”. The nanorods’ band gap red shifts with increasing selenium loading. X-ray diffraction reveals that CdS1–xSex nanorods have a wurtzite crystal structure with a certain degree of alloying. High-resolution and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirm the head of the anisotropic nanorods is rich in selenium, whereas the tail is rich in sulfur. Time evolution and mechanistic studies confirm the nanorods for...
Muscle RING finger-1 attenuates IGF-I-dependent cardiomyocyte hypertrophy by inhibiting JNK signaling.

Recent studies implicate the muscle-specific ubiquitin ligase muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF1) in inhibiting pathological cardiomyocyte growth in vivo by inhibiting the transcription factor SRF. These ...
Asymptotic properties of Kaplan-Meier estimator for censored dependent data

In some long term studies, a series of dependent and possibly censored failure times may be observed. Suppose that the failure times have a common marginal distribution function, and inferences about it are of interest to us. The main result of this paper is that, under certain regularity conditions, the Kaplan-Meier estimator can be expressed as the mean of random variables, with a remainder of some order. In addition, the asymptotic normality of the Kaplan-Meier estimator is derived.
Comparison of the cellularity and presence of residual leukemia in bone marrow aspirate and biopsy specimens in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at day 7-14 of chemotherapy.

Background. Many pediatric chemotherapy protocols for treatment of ALL require a bone marrow examination at day 7 or day 14 after initiation of therapy. The usefulness of a bone marrow biopsy, in addition to an aspirate, has been a frequently asked question. Procedure. This study addresses the evaluation of bone marrow cellularity and presence of residual leukemia in both aspirate and biopsy specimens in 45 consecutive pediatric patients (ages 1-19 years, 19 females, and 26 males) with ALL 7-14 days after initiation of therapy. Discussion. 20/45 patients showed evidence of residual leukemia by bone marrow biopsy; 16/20 (80%) of these had evidence of residual leukemia in the aspirate specimen. Of the 4 aspirate specimens that did not demonstrate residual leukemia, 2 had 79% cellularity) in 8/34. Conclusions. We conclude that both the bone marrow aspirate and biopsy specimens provide important information in evaluating the response to chemotherapy in pediatric patients with ALL at day 7-14 of induction chemotherapy. The aspirate alone may be misleading in terms of cellularity in many patients and may not provide evidence of residual leukemia.
Controlling erosion in the Missouri River Basin

The most pervasive conservation concern in the vast 510,000 square mile Missouri River basin in the western United States is excessive rates of wind erosion during dry periods, though conservation efforts can help control erosion, according to a 30 August report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Conservation Effects Assessment Project. During some dry years, rates of wind erosion—which include nitrogen and phosphorus losses—can be higher than 4 tons per acre on 12% and higher than 2 tons per acre on 20% of the approximately 148,000 square miles of cultivated cropland, notes the report Assessment of the Effects of Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland in the Missouri River Basin. Between 2003 and 2006, conservation practices, including reducing tillage and building terraces, yielded about a 75% reduction in sediment runoff and phosphorus loss and a 68% reduction in nitrogen loss, according to the report. About 15 million acres in the region—18% of cultivated cropland—are considered to have either a high or moderate level of need for conservation treatment, and efforts in those areas in particular could result in additional reductions in sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen loss, the report states.
Hyperoxaluria and intestinal disease. The role of steatorrhea and dietary calcium in regulating intestinal oxalate absorption.

Hyperoxaluria was documented in patients with pancreatic insufficiency, adult celiac disease, regional enteritis after ileectomy and partial colectomy, and jejunoileal bypass. The degree of hyperoxaluria correlated directly with the severity of the steatorrhea and inversely with the dietary calcium content. High-calcium diets suppressed oxalate excretion to normal when fecal fat excretion was approximatelys 30 g/day or less. In patients with more severe steatorrhea, decreasing dietary fat and oxalate content further reduced urinary oxalate excretion. These data suggest that while steatorrhea is the most important determinant for enhanced absorption of dietary oxalate, variations in dietary calcium content modulate the amount of oxalate absorbed.
Ranking fMRI time courses by minimum spanning trees: assessing coactivation in fMRI.

Abstract In fMRI, time courses with similar temporal “activation” patterns may belong to different brain regions (i.e., these regions are functionally connected, coactivated). A group of time courses (TCs) corresponding to a particular type of temporal activation pattern should be maximally self-consistent (homogeneous). We demonstrate that ordering a group of multidimensional fMRI time courses by a minimum spanning tree (MST) may be used to investigate the temporal homogeneity of a group of TCs. We show the utility of MST ranking for data-driven analysis methods in investigating coactivation in fMRI. MST ranking is equally useful for hypothesis-led methods. Furthermore, MST ranking enables pairwise comparisons of groups/clusters (i.e., any collection of TCs, no matter how derived) of fMRI time courses.
The moral ambiguity of social control in cyberspace: a retro-assessment of the ‘golden age’ of hacking

The tension between doing right and doing the opposite often blends into blurry boundaries where the two merge and a dialectical dance between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ plays out. Computer hacking helps to illustrate this tension. Here, the dual ethical frameworks underlying the enterprise both of computer hackers and law enforcement agents in the late 1980s and early 1990s is examined. It is suggested that the moral nature of ‘computer deviance’ is slightly more ambiguous and far more complex than we often recognize. The article concludes by suggesting that the broader issue raised here is not so much whether the hackers’ behaviors were wrong, but in determining where the line between right and wrong lies and how this line is defended.
Recovering a compactly supported function from knowledge of its Hilbert transform on a finite interval

Inverting the finite Hilbert transform is a crucial step in some algorithms for tomographic imaging and signal processing. In this letter, a new method for inverting the finite Hilbert transform that requires data only on a finite interval is proposed. The new method is compared to the Jacobi-polynomial collocation method, which is employed for solving the airfoil integral equation, which is equivalent to inverting the finite Hilbert transform. Quantitative results show that the new method is more accurate and less susceptible to data noise than collocation and other methods.
Planning the development of electricity grids in developing countries: An initial approach using Agent Based Models

This paper presents a proof of concept model for the electrification process of developing countries. Considering the general needs and characteristics in those countries is important as they share factors far from the developed world situation. However, enough flexibility is included to allow implementation in individual countries with unique circumstances. To achieve a robust yet flexible model, Agent Based Modeling is utilized. The model is built in the NetLogo architecture, which combines user interphases and geographic information extensions for adaptability. The result is a tool that addresses a gap in the literature. Although models for developing countries exist, they fail to adequately capture the characteristics of their energy sectors. Agent Based Modeling allows the modeling of the electrification process through dynamic agents that do not focus on historical data or the normal development path followed by developed countries. The model's strength is in the ease of scenario building so that policy makers and researchers can see the impact of decisions on the overall process. This also allows the stakeholders to quickly and easily seek the paths desired based on their objectives and identify the catalysts needed for those results.
Hereditary Uricemia and Articular Gout in Chickens

Abstract Ten generations of selection for uricemia and articular gout have led to the development of the HUA line which is characterized by a threefold increase in plasma level of uric acid when compared to the control LUA line, even when fed diets containing normal levels of protein. Articular gout results in many cases, especially among adult males fed a normal breeder diet. Restricting protein level of the diet delays or prevents the development of articular gout in mature males of the HUA line. The data suggest that relatively few genes are responsible for the defect in renal transport of uric acid which underlies the uricemia and gout. The association of lower levels of uric acid with dominant white plumage color suggests a linkage of a major recessive gene for the defect with the locus for the I gene. Ambient temperature, because of its effect on food consumption, influences the level of uric acid in blood plasma. The HUA line and its control (LUA line), both sex-linked dwarfs, would appear to provide an excellent animal model for the experimental study of gout in man.
Raman‐induced kerr effect spectroscopy of solutions

Raman-induced Kerr effect spectroscopy (RIKES) as a tool for the investigation of species in solution is presented. RIKES has proved to be a particularly useful probe for Raman modes of molecules in solution because control of the polarizations of the interacting laser fields allows non-resonant solvent contributions to the background to be minimized. New techniques to subtract laser power fluctuations from the signal have further increased the sensitivity of RIKES. Spectra of carbon tetrachloride, benzene and the hydroxide ion are presented to show the utility of RIKES for investigating solutions. The ability to decrease background noise by controlling the polarization of the pump laser was demonstrated by studying the 459 cm−1 carbon tetrachloride resonance. Concentration studies on benzene in carbon tetrachloride showed a narrowing of the 992 cm−1 mode of benzene as its concentration was decreased. The sensitivity of the technique is demonstrated with spectra recorded on 0.01 M benzene in carbon tetrachloride. The 3620 cm−1 OH− resonance is presented for a 10 M solution of NaOH in water. A nearby water resonance makes the OH− mode difficult to see at lower concentrations. Polarization tuning was not able to improve the RIKES sensitivity in this case.
Improvement of Liver Injury and Survival by JNK2 and iNOS Deficiency in Liver Transplants from Cardiac Death Mice

Background & Aims: Inclusion of liver grafts from cardiac death donors (CDD) would increase the availability of donor livers but is hampered by a higher risk of primary non-function. Here, we seek to determine mechanisms that contribute to primary non-function of liver grafts from CDD with the goal to develop strategies for improved function and outcome, focusing on c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation and mitochondrial depolarization, two known mediators of graft failure. Methods: Livers explanted from wild-type, inducible nitric oxide synthase knockout (iNOS � /� ), JNK1 � /� or JNK2 � /� mice after 45-min aorta clamping were implanted into wild-type recipients. Mitochondrial depolarization was detected by intravital confocal microscopy in living recipients. Results: After transplantation of wild-type CDD livers, graft iNOS expression and 3-nitrotyrosine adducts increased, but hepatic endothelial NOS expression was unchanged. Graft injury and dysfunction were substantially higher in CDD grafts than in non-CDD grafts. iNOS deficiency and inhibition attenuated injury and improved function and survival of CDD grafts. JNK1/2 and apoptosis signal-regulating kinase-1 activation increased markedly in wild-type CDD grafts, which was blunted by iNOS deficiency. JNK inhibition and JNK2 deficiency, but not JNK1 deficiency, decreased injury and improved function and survival of CDD grafts. Mitochondrial depolarization and binding of phospho-JNK2 to Sab, a mitochondrial protein linked to the mitochondrial permeability transition, were higher in CDD than in non-CDD grafts. iNOS deficiency, JNK inhibition and JNK2 deficiency all decreased mitochondrial depolarization and blunted ATP depletion in CDD grafts. JNK inhibition and deficiency did not decrease 3-nitrotyrosine adducts in CDD grafts. Conclusion: The iNOS-JNK2-Sab pathway promotes CDD graft failure via increased mitochondrial depolarization, and is an attractive target to improve liver function and survival in CDD liver transplantation recipients. 2015 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published
Development and evaluation of an interprofessional communication intervention to improve family outcomes in the ICU

The intensive care unit (ICU), where death is common and even survivors of an ICU stay face the risk of long-term morbidity and re-admissions to the ICU, represents an important setting for improving communication about palliative and end-of-life care. Communication about the goals of care in this setting should be a high priority since studies suggest that the current quality of ICU communication is often poor and is associated with psychological distress among family members of critically ill patients. This paper describes the development and evaluation of an intervention designed to improve the quality of care in the ICU by improving communication among the ICU team and with family members of critically ill patients. We developed a multi-faceted, interprofessional intervention based on self-efficacy theory. The intervention involves a "communication facilitator" - a nurse or social worker - trained to facilitate communication among the interprofessional ICU team and with the critically ill patient's family. The facilitators are trained using three specific content areas: a) evidence-based approaches to improving clinician-family communication in the ICU, b) attachment theory allowing clinicians to adapt communication to meet individual family member's communication needs, and c) mediation to facilitate identification and resolution of conflict including clinician-family, clinician-clinician, and intra-family conflict. The outcomes assessed in this randomized trial focus on psychological distress among family members including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder at 3 and 6 months after the ICU stay. This manuscript also reports some of the lessons that we have learned early in this study.
Highest density gates for target tracking

The problem of forming validation regions or gates for new sensor measurements obtained when tracking targets in clutter is considered. Target dynamics and measurement characteristics are modeled with, possible non-Gaussianities or nonlinearities, so that some degree of approximation is usually required in the computation of the filtering densities for the target position and predictive densities for future measurements. Highest density gates (HDGs) are proposed as summaries of the predictive densities. These gates are constructed numerically, via simulation from the filtering density approximation. The algorithm results in gates that are "exact" (up to numerical accuracy) regardless of the approximation used for the filtering density. That is, given an approximation to the filtering density, the gating procedure accounts for all further nonlinearities and non-Gaussianities. Numerical example show that when the predictive density is markedly non-Gaussian, HDGs offer advantages over the more common rectangular and ellipsoidal gates.
The dyskerin ribonucleoprotein complex as an OCT4/SOX2 coactivator in embryonic stem cells

The stem cells found in an embryo are able to develop into any of the cell types found in the body of the animal: an ability called pluripotency. When a cell becomes a specialized cell type, such as a nerve cell or a muscle cell, it loses this ability. However, mature cells can be reprogrammed back to a pluripotent state by artificially introducing certain proteins (known as ‘reprogramming factors’) into the mature cells. A core group of reprogramming factors are known to activate networks of genes that are normally only expressed in stem cells, and by doing so trigger and maintain a pluripotent state. Other proteins help these core factors to regulate these networks of genes. In 2011, researchers discovered that a protein complex called XPC—which is normally involved in DNA repair—also helps two core reprogramming factors to activate an important gene related to pluripotency. Now, Fong et al., including several of the researchers involved in the 2011 work, have identified another unexpected partner for the same two core reprogramming factors. The protein complex, called DKC1, has a number of known functions related to the processing of RNA molecules. This complex has also been linked to a fatal, rare human disorder called dyskeratosis congenita—a condition that affects many parts of the body, including the skin and bone marrow. Fong et al. found that when embryonic stems cells from mice are depleted of the DKC1 complex, the activation of important pluripotency-related genes by two of the core reprogramming factors is markedly reduced. The XPC and DKC1 protein complexes were found to interact in pluripotent cells, and together they can activate a pluripotency-related gene to a greater extent than either can individually. Fong et al. propose that DKC1 binds to XPC, which in turn binds to two of the core reprogramming factors. The DKC1 complex also binds to RNA molecules, and Fong et al. found that when the DKC1 complex binds to certain RNAs it is more able to help reprogramming factors activate pluripotency-related genes. On the other hand, other RNA molecules seem to inhibit the complex's ability to activate these genes. Mutations identified in people with dyskeratosis congenita can prevent the DKC1 complex from binding to a subset of human RNA molecules. Moreover, the activity of stem cells is impaired in people with this developmental condition. As such, one of the next challenges will be to investigate if these mutations and RNA binding could be linked to problems with the activation of genes related to pluripotency in stem cells.
Tourist compliance to a Code of Conduct and the resulting effects on whale shark (Rhincodon typus) behavior in Donsol, Philippines

Abstract This study examines tourist compliance to the Code of Conduct for whale shark (Rhincodon typus) interactions and assesses impacts of tourists on whale sharks in Donsol, Philippines. Whale sharks feed in Donsol's nutrient rich waters between November and June, drawing up to 7100 visitors annually. Tourist, tour operator, and whale shark behavior were examined during human–whale shark interactions (n = 777) on 117 boat trips (March, April and May) in 2004, and on 76 boat trips in 2005 (n = 620). Average compliance to Code of Conduct regulations in 2004 and 2005 was 44% for the minimum distance kept; 82% for no touching, no path obstruction and a maximum of six swimmers per whale shark; 89% for a maximum of one boat per shark, 99% for no flash photography and no SCUBA, scooters, and jet-skis. Significant predictors of whale shark's directional changes were path obstruction and proximity of swimmer to whale shark, while for whale shark's dive response it was first-time sighting and whale shark feeding. The significant predictor of a violent shudder behavior was touching. Generalized linear modeling evaluated change in direction, dive response and violent shuddering variables, and found that touching, flash photography, and swimmer diving towards the whale shark significantly affected the magnitude of disturbance. Tourism impacts on whale sharks can be minimized through adaptive management that monitors tourism and alters interaction regulations to reflect tourist and tour operator actions that have detrimental effects on whale sharks.
The Quest to Derive Keratinocytes from Pluripotent Stem Cells

The derivation of keratinocytes from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) is a worthy goal. Epidermal and corneal keratinocytes cultured from normal human tissue have been very well-characterized for their growth and differentiation properties and their ability to regenerate permanent tissue as autologous transplants. PSC-derived keratinocytes would therefore be ideal for establishing proof-of-principle that normal, well-defined, and functional somatic cell types can be derived from PSCs and used successfully in tissue replacement therapies. Much progress has been made to identify experimental protocols for deriving cells that display some keratinocyte properties from ES and iPS cells. However, the proliferative potential of these cells typically is very limited and many features of these cells are common to all members of the large family of p63 epithelial cell types. Thus many lines of investigation remain to be examined more thoroughly in this important and exciting field.
An image processing strategy for the quantification and visualization of exercise-induced muscle MRI signal enhancement

Exercise increases the skeletal muscle water signal in T2-weighted images. Potential medical applications of MR studies of exercise-induced muscle signal intensity changes are the assessment of myopathies, sport training regimens, and physical therapy approaches following surgeries. We developed an automated image processing technique that provides volumetric analysis and visualization of exercise-related T2-weighted image intensity changes. The image processing was applied to the segmentation and quantification of activated muscle volumes. Qualitative assessment of muscle activation is demonstrated with three-dimensional surface rendering. Quantitative determination of active muscle volume, signal intensity, and change over time is demonstrated. Visualization of the activated muscles allows functional anatomical assessment of exercise, which in turn allows detection of muscle utilization.
Interfacial friction based quasi-continuum hydrodynamical model for nanofluidic transport of water

In this work, we formulate a one-dimensional isothermal hydrodynamic transport model for water, which is an extension to our recently proposed hydrodynamic model for Lennard-Jones type fluid [R. Bhadauria and N. R. Aluru, J. Chem. Phys. 139, 074109 (2013)]. Viscosity variations in confinement are incorporated by the local average density method. Dirichlet boundary conditions are provided in the form of slip velocity that depends upon the macroscopic interfacial friction coefficient. The value of this friction coefficient is computed using a novel generalized Langevin equation formulation that eliminates the use of equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation. Gravity driven flows of SPC/E water confined between graphene and silicon slit shaped nanochannels are considered as examples for low and high friction cases. The proposed model yields good quantitative agreement with the velocity profiles obtained from non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations.
The Mystory: The Garage d’Or of Ereignis

The performance of identity involves impression management, social skills, and self-reflexivity. To perform identity in media environments involves writing our identities into being. Media environments have facilitated a new kind of selfhood—brand—in which we model our identities on celebrities. However, because brand identity has no ethical grounding, it raises legitimate concerns. To incorporate ethics, I perform my identity through mystory, Gregory Ulmer’s genre of reflexive writing. By composing a mystory, I consult with an avatar—which in Hindu tradition was a god descended into earthly form—that reveals my ethical condition and a pathway through it. This consultation functions as pharmakon (Derrida, 1995), revealing truths to me which both wound and heal. I use mystory to address a personal question, “How do I lead an ethical life?” and a policy problem: water pollution in Florida. The conclusion of this essay presents a response to this problem: a performance art piece designed to teach manatees about mortality.
An Interactive Approach for Situated Task Teaching through Verbal Instructions

The ability to specify a task without having to write special software is an important and prominent feature for a mobile service robot deployed in a crowded office environment, working around and interacting with people. In this paper, we contribute an interactive approach for enabling the users to teach tasks to a mobile service robot through verbal commands. The input is given as typed or spoken instructions, which are then mapped to the available sensing and actuation primitives on the robot. The main contributions of this work are the addition of conditionals on sensory information that the specified actions to be executed in a closed-loop manner, and a correction mode that allows an existing task to be modified or corrected at a later time by providing a replacement action during the test execution. We describe all the components of the system along with the implementation details and illustrative examples in depth. We also discuss the extensibility of the presented system, and point out potential future extensions.
Conservative Approach to Energy Resources Development

The realization that the world's major energy resources are finite came to most of the American people only two years ago as a result of the Arab oil embargo, which caused severe gasoline and other fuel shortages. Civil engineers are responsible for enormous energy consumption. In transportation planning, building construction, environmental control, water resources management and planning, and land use, they commit a tremendous amount of human, energy, and material resources. They bear a great responsibility for using these resources in the best interests of our society. The next generation of civil engineers will have to cope with the problems of providing for the real needs of society in the face of decreased energy availability or increased energy costs.
Triticum mosaic virus exhibits limited population variation yet shows evidence of parallel evolution after replicated serial passage in wheat

An infectious cDNA clone of Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) (genus Poacevirus; family Potyviridae) was used to establish three independent lineages in wheat to examine intra-host population diversity levels within protein 1 (P1) and coat protein (CP) cistrons over time. Genetic variation was assessed at passages 9, 18 and 24 by single-strand conformation polymorphism, followed by nucleotide sequencing. The founding P1 region genotype was retained at high frequencies in most lineage/passage populations, while the founding CP genotype disappeared after passage 18 in two lineages. We found that rare TriMV genotypes were present only transiently and lineages followed independent evolutionary trajectories, suggesting that genetic drift dominates TriMV evolution. These results further suggest that experimental populations of TriMV exhibit lower mutant frequencies than that of Wheat streak mosaic virus (genus Tritimovirus; family Potyviridae) in wheat. Nevertheless, there was evidence for parallel evolution at a synonymous site in the TriMV CP cistron.
Litter Sizes of Ha(ICR) Mice: A Preference For Even Numbers?

The frequency distributions of litter sizes at birth for eight sublines derived from the same Ha(ICR) mouse stock with or without selection for large litters have their modes at even numbers of young. Each of the eight sublines produced a majority of even-numbered litters. An upward integral shift relationship among the medians of the frequency distributions was established. These findings are interpreted to mean that, in response to continued plus selection, ovarian and uterine performance of the Ha(ICR) bipartite reproductive system tends to be maximal bilaterally, which results in an excess of even-numbered litter sizes.
Evaluation of the Importance of the Striped Lynx Spider, Oxyopes salticus (Araneae: Oxyopidae), as a Predator in Texas Cotton

Predation by the striped lynx spider, Oxyopes salticus Hentz, on cotton arthropods was studied in an unsprayed field in east Texas. O. salticus was the most abundant spider species in cotton (68% of all spiders collected by D-Vac), with population densities of <0.1 spiders per m2 in June gradually increasing to 7.2 per m2 in September. This diurnally and nocturnally feeding spider captured prey ranging between 0.1 and 1.1 of its own size. Most prey were small (average body length = 2.61 ± 0.16 mm [SEM]). The natural diet of O. salticus , a generalist predator, wasdiverse, and consisted (by number) mainly of Solenopsis invicta Buren (21.9%), leafhoppers (17.2%), dipterans (15.6%), aphids (14.1%), and spiders (14.1%). Predaceous arthropods, including Geocoris bugs, and larvae of Chrysopa and Syrphidae, composed 42% of the spiders' diet. The proportion of O. salticus feeding at any one time was <5% throughout the 1985 season. Asubadult/adult spider captured about one prey daily in the middle of the growing season. Based on population density counts and the assessment of the prey capture rate we estimated that in the middle of the growing season ca. 0.12 million prey may have been killed by O. salticus per ha cotton land per wk (weekly kill ca. 4.5% of the average arthropod density).
FAULT DIAGNOSIS FOR POWER EQUIPMENT BASED ON ROUGH SET METHOD

The fault diagnosis of power equipment can be looked as pattern classification problem. Each fault of power equipment is corresponding to a set of traits. In this paper, according to fault status and correlated measured parameters of power equipment fault cases, a fault diagnosis decision-making table (i.e. "knowledge base") is structured. By way of the decision-making table, the diagnosis rules is extract directly from fault patterns using rough set method. The extracted rules can be used to offer the effective fault diagnosis for power equipment. This paper brings forward a new approach to process diagnosis and give the more satisfied diagnosis service for power equipment in remote diagnosis by information network when some diagnosis data information offered by user is not complete.
Numerical Calculation of Ampacity for XLPE Cables in Cluster Laying

International Electrotechnical Commission(IEC) methods for calculating cable ampacity assume that buried cables are surrounded by a single,homogeneous material.These ampacity methods have limited application when a thermal backfill is used.IEC correction methods are presented to calculate cables' ampacity of non-homogeneous soil.Based on the finite difference method of field-circuit coupling theory,a new numerical calculation method of cable ampacity of non-homogeneous soil is presented.The numerical calculation method which is accomplished through the calculation of cable temperature field distribution can deal with any combination of backfill materials that are placed adjacent to the cable.The calculated results show that IEC thermal resistance correction methods can be effectively used to calculate amapcity when the thermal resistivity of the backfill soil is lower.When the thermal resistivity of the backfill soil is higher,IEC calculating ampacities of correction methods are obviously lower.
The autopsy. Some ethical reflections on the obligations of pathologists, hospitals, families, and society.

. Since the 18th century, the autopsy has been seen as an essential tool for advancing medical knowledge and monitoring the quality of patient care. In recent years, based on the mistaken assumption that newer diagnostic antemortem procedures, especially imaging techniques, have rendered the autopsy obsolete, it has fallen into serious disuse and disrepute. Data disproving this assumption are now emerging. The autopsy is still needed as a final test of the newer diagnostic techniques and as a means for integrating anatomic, physiologic, biochemical, and clinical features of new, as well as established, diseases. This essay examines the sources of clinicians' and pathologists' moral obligations to obtain, perform, and attend autopsies. It underscores the ethical responsibilities of families, hospitals, and society to restore the autopsy to a place of importance in the elaboration of the natural history of human disease.
Team-based learning in a data structures course

This paper discusses the author's experience using team-based learning in a Data Structures course. Outside of class, students were expected to read relevant portions of the text book to prepare for class time. Student comprehension of the book material was assessed through quizzes that could be taken online through the university's course management system. During class time, students completed assignments and laboratory activities in teams that helped to strengthen their understanding of the material. At the end of the course students completed an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved questionnaire. Analysis of the completed questionnaires suggests high student satisfaction with the author's team-based learning approach to Data Structures.
Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms within DNA repair genes with bronchial premalignant lesions in heavy ex-smokers.

A38 Lung cancer develops as a result of complex interactions between genetic predisposition and environmental influences. Exposure to carcinogens such as tobacco smoke leads to DNA damage. Altered DNA repair capacity (DRC) combined with chronic, repetitive exposure to carcinogens may cause irreversible mutations and ultimately lead to the development of lung cancer. Little is known about the potential role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within DNA repair genes on the risk of lung pre-malignant lesions. We hypothesize that aberrant functional SNPs of genes involved in DNA repair may increase lung cancer susceptibility, contribute to lung carcinogenesis and is associated with presence of premalignant lesions in high-risk individuals. In an on-going lung cancer chemoprevention trial entitled, “Lung Cancer Chemoprevention with Celecoxib in EX-smokers (U01 CA96134, PI: J T Mao), high risk former smokers are being recruited and screened with spiral CT and fluorescence bronchoscopy for detection and monitoring of pre-malignant lesions. A variety of biological specimens, including buccal cells are being collected simultaneously from these subjects. To test our hypothesis, we utilized DNA isolated from buccal cells obtained from baseline screening and assayed functional SNPs of 29 genes in the DNA damage repair pathway. Using the ABI high-throughput SNPlex platform, 12 double strand break repair (DSBR) genes, 13 base excision repair (BER) genes, and 4 nucleotide excision repair (NER) genes have been evaluated. Based on preliminary analyses of SNPs in 89 participants, after adjusting for age, sex, race, education level, income, and pack-years of smoking, possible associations were suggested between presence of abnormal bronchial biopsy (squamous metaplasia and/or dysplasia) and the NBS1 of the DSBR pathway and ADPRT of the BER pathway, using a case-control study design (presence vs. absence of squamous metaplasia and/or dysplasia on bronchial biopsies). Our findings suggest that SNPs of DNA repair pathway may be useful in the identification of lung pre-malignant lesions and in the prediction of lung cancer risk.