cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Architecture for Low-Power, High-Agility Multibody Control

Control-moment gyroscopes (CMGs) have been used for attitude control on spacecraft that require large torques. We propose them for use in multibody robotic systems where high agility (or dexterity) and low power are important design goals. Although many CMG arrangements are possible, our baseline concept includes a scissored pair of CMGs for each rotational joint. A scissored pair is an array of two single-gimbal CMGs with parallel gimbal axes and opposite angular velocities. The scissored-pair arrangement ensures that the sum of the CMGs’ angular momentum aligns with a single axis, like that of a reaction wheel, which drastically simplifies the control algorithms. This architecture offers singularity-free, reactionless slewing of a multi-joint robotic arm. We describe the implementation of this concept as a manipulator arm on a free-flying MaintenanceBot. When a joint is actuated, the torque comes not from a direct-drive motor that interacts with its neighboring body, but from manipulating the distribution of momentum among the CMGs and the body to which they are mounted. Perhaps the most important impact of reactionless CMG-based control is that it requires only 1%-10% the electrical power for a comparable RWA-based or joint-driven robotic system. This entirely new approach to actuating kinematic chains in orbit holds promise for highly effective in-situ construction and repair of satellites. The CMG-based MaintenanceBot architecture can radically outperform other systems in power for high-agility maneuvers. Furthermore, this architecture opens up a large trade space for power vs. agility, allowing highly effective MaintenanceBots to be incorporated for relatively low power-specific mass. Or, for a given mass, the MaintenanceBot can withstand more demanding operations for longer than competing architectures. A prior paper presented a preliminary design for the CMG-actuated MaintenanceBot. In this paper, we present new results from the incorporation of robot arm dynamics into the simulation and the development of algorithms (i.e. inverse kinematics) to position the arm.
High rate shear insult delivered to cortical neurons produces heterogeneous membrane permeability alterations.

� Abstract— Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when brain tissue is subjected to stresses and strains at high rates and magnitudes, yet the mechanisms of injury and cellular thresholds are not well understood. The events that occur at the time of and immediately after an insult are hypothesized to initiate cell dysfunction or death following a critical cell strain and strain rate. We analyzed neuronal plasma membrane disruption in two in vitro injury modelsfluid shear stress delivered to planar cultures and shear strain induction of 3-D neural cultures. We found that insult severity positively correlated with the degree of membrane disruptions in a heterogeneous fashion in both cell configurations. Furthermore, increased membrane permeability led to increases in electrophysiological disturbance. Specifically, cells that exhibited increased membrane permeability did not fire random action potentials, in contrast to neighboring cells that had intact plasma membranes. This approach provides an experimental framework to investigate injury tolerance criteria as well as mechanistically driven therapeutic strategies.
Extraction in Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar1

Extraction is treated in Head-driven Phrase Structure Grammar (HPSG) as a series of linked identities, enforced by a small number of interacting constraints, in the specification of a syntactic feature, slash. HPSG's monostratal formalism ensures that this strictly local determination of slash identities connects the relevant morphosyntactic properties of the filler to those imposed by conditions at the gap site. This connectivity mechanism operates in precisely the same manner whether the filler is linked to a single gap site or several, thus yield strictly parallel treatments for single and multiple gap phenomena, respectively. The inherently local nature of HPSG's connectivity mechanism is supported by data from languages in which all clausal levels in filler/gap pathways are flagged by grammatical effects restricted to such pathways. Interruption in connectivity, familiar in syntax as ‘island’ effects, are regarded as outside the formal combinatorics of the syntax itself, as argued in an increasingly broad and deep literature documenting the origins of these effects in real-time processing, pragmatic and other functional aspects of linguistic cognition. And this simple characterization of extraction connectivity is compatible with a review of arguments that purport to argue for a heterogeneous characterization of extraction constructions, but which prove to lack empirical motivation. Nonetheless, despite a homogeneous connectivity mechanism, extraction constructions differ from each other idiosyncratically in many respects, and these idiosyncrasies are the subject of much ongoing research in HPSG.
Physical-activity-assessment measures compared in a biethnic rural population: the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study.

We evaluated the consistency of three questionnaire methods of assessing work and leisure activity in the rural biethnic population of the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study. A 7-d physical activity recall (PAR), a ranking of usual activity, and a history of usual participation in vigorous activity were used. Energy expenditure (kJ.kg-1.wk-1) (EE) was estimated from PAR. Subjects were 503 adults [49% non-Hispanic white (NHW), 51% Hispanic]. Physical activity at work rather than leisure-time activity largely determined total energy expenditure. Average EE at work increased with work rank for all subjects combined [mean EE (SEE) for rank 1 (low) = 324.2 (24.4), rank 4 (high) = 874.0 (102.1)] and within sex, ethnic, and occupational subgroups. Leisure EE increased with leisure rank only for NHW men and employed women. Similar patterns were observed in comparisons of PAR data with history of vigorous activity. Further development and validation of instruments appropriate for use across population subgroups are needed.
Identification of ejaculated proteins in the house mouse ( Mus domesticus ) via isotopic labeling

Seminal fluid plays an important role in successful fertilization, but knowledge of the full suite of proteins transferred from males to females during copulation is incomplete. The list of ejaculated proteins remains particularly scant in one of the best-studied mammalian systems, the house mouse (Mus domesticus), where artificial ejaculation techniques have proven inadequate. Here we investigate an alternative method for identifying ejaculated proteins, by isotopically labeling females with 15N and then mating them to unlabeled, vasectomized males. Proteins were then isolated from mated females and identified using mass spectrometry. In addition to gaining insights into possible functions and fates of ejaculated proteins, our study serves as proof of concept that isotopic labeling is a powerful means to study reproductive proteins. We identified 69 male-derived proteins from the female reproductive tract following copulation. More than a third of all spectra detected mapped to just seven genes known to be structurally important in the formation of the copulatory plug, a hard coagulum that forms shortly after mating. Seminal fluid is significantly enriched for proteins that function in protection from oxidative stress and endopeptidase inhibition. Females, on the other hand, produce endopeptidases in response to mating. The 69 ejaculated proteins evolve significantly more rapidly than other proteins that we previously identified directly from dissection of the male reproductive tract. Our study attempts to comprehensively identify the proteins transferred from males to females during mating, expanding the application of isotopic labeling to mammalian reproductive genomics. This technique opens the way to the targeted monitoring of the fate of ejaculated proteins as they incubate in the female reproductive tract.
Prototype aided Knowledge Base of Incremental Specification for Evolutionary Complex Systems

Complex Software Systems, such as Telecom OSS/BSS, evolve over the years, based on a stream of incremental specifications. This paper examines the raison d'etre and an approach for building a repository of validating prototypes against key requirements in the incremental specifications, to formalize the specifications in a Requirements Engineering Knowledge Base.
Thiazolidinediones in Type 2 Diabetes: A Cardiology Perspective

Objective:To examine the cardiovascular effects of thiazolidinediones (TZDs), discuss concerns regarding this drug class and its relation to heart failure (HF) and myocardial infarction (Ml), and address the clinical implications of HF and Ml.Data Sources:Literature was accessed through MEDLINE (1979-April 2008) using the search terms type 2 diabetes mellitus. thiazolidinediones. cardiovascular events, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and edema. Reviews, meta-analyses, clinical trials, observational studies (case-control, cohort), and descriptive studies (case reports, caso series) were included.Study Selection and Data Extraction:All articles that were written in English and identified from the data sources were reviewed.Data Synthesis:The American Diabetes Association recommends metformin as first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes, with the subsequent addition of a TZD, sulfonylurea, or insulin if the target is not met. Beyond glucose lowering, TZDs improvo various factors associated with cardiovasc...
Flicker photometric study of chromatic adaptation: selective suppression of cone inputs by colored backgrounds

Flicker photometric equivalence is both additive and transitive when the test and standard are alternated upon a relatively more intense colored background. When the balance of red versus green cone excitation from the background is unequal, the contribution of one cone type to flicker photometric spectral sensitivity may be depressed in relation to that of the other by at least 1 order of magnitude more than Weber's law predicts. The resultant spectral sensitivity is determined predominantly by only one class of cone. The cone spectral sensitivities of normals are then seen to be the same as those of dichromats, although there is some individual variation. A model is developed to explain this surprising phenomenon.
Reliability, validity, and prevalence of partner violence measured by the conflict tactics scales in male-dominant nations

article i nfo This article evaluates whether use of the Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS) with women in male-dominant nations results in reliable and valid data. Tabulation of ten published studies in male-dominant nations found a median alpha coefficient of reliability of .86. For university students in the 32 nation International Dating Violence Study, the median alpha for women is .82 and .78 for males. Similar alpha coefficients were found regardless of the national level of male-dominance. Validity was measured by estimating the sensitivity of the CTS in eliciting data on perpetration of physical assault, by evaluating the degree to which assaults reported by the womenwereacts of self-defense, and byconstructvalidityanalysestotest thehypothesisthat being a victim of physical assault as measured by the CTS is associated with physical injury, depressive symptoms, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. The hypothesized relationships were found regardless of the degree of male dominance in a nation. The results support continued use of the CTS to investigate PV in the lives of women worldwide. The discussion suggests that the effort to combat violence against women could be enhanced by using the full CTS to provide data on perpetration by women as well as victimization of women.
Longitudinal quality of life analysis in a phenylketonuria cohort provided sapropterin dihydrochloride

Sapropterin dihydrochloride effectively lowers plasma phenylalanine (Phe) for at least a third of phenylketonuria (PKU) patients, with potential for increased dietary Phe tolerance and decreased medical food requirement. To investigate long-term quality of life (QOL) in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) who took sapropterin (BH4, Kuvan®) for up to one year. 37 PKU patients, ages 10–49 years, were asked to complete a PKU-specific self-report QOL questionnaire (QOLQ) at baseline, 1, 4, 8, and 12 months. Questions were scored on a 5-point Likert scale under 5 sub-sections measuring Impact, Worries, Satisfaction, Support, and General wellbeing in relation to PKU. Responders with a plasma Phe decrease ≥ 15% after 1 month on sapropterin remained on the drug; Nonresponders ceased sapropterin after the trial month. Responders able to relax medical diet and maintain plasma Phe control were classified as Definitive; Responders unable to relax medical diet were classified as Provisional. All patients were routinely monitored by a registered dietitian. Data was analyzed in SPSS 19.0 using regression techniques. Of 17 Responders, 11 could maintain adequate Phe control on a less restrictive diet. One year mean Impact sub-score trends improved significantly for all sapropterin response groups, with greatest improvement among Definitive Responders (p < 0.0001). Satisfaction sub-scores also improved for Definitive Responders (p = 0.001). Trends for Total QOL score improved significantly over time for both Definitive (p = 0.001) and Provisional Responders (p = 0.028). Improvements in Definitive Responder scores were associated with increased Phe tolerance (Impact: p < 0.0001, Satisfaction: p = 0.022, Total QOL: p = 0.005) and MF adjustment (Satisfaction: p = 0.014, Total QOL: p = 0.026). Other sub-section scores remained steady, unaffected by sapropterin response or diet modification. Increased Phe tolerance and reduced MF requirement in sapropterin Definitive Responders improves QOL perception across one year, specifically for life impact and satisfaction.
Site-specific monoubiquitination activates Ras by impeding GTPase-activating protein function

Cell growth and differentiation are controlled by growth factor receptors coupled to the GTPase Ras. Oncogenic mutations disrupt GTPase activity, leading to persistent Ras signaling and cancer progression. Recent evidence indicates that monoubiquitination of Ras leads to Ras activation. Mutation of the primary site of monoubiquitination impairs the ability of activated K-Ras (one of the three mammalian isoforms of Ras) to promote tumor growth. To determine the mechanism of human Ras activation, we chemically ubiquitinated the protein and analyzed its function by NMR, computational modeling and biochemical activity measurements. We established that monoubiquitination has little effect on the binding of Ras to guanine nucleotide, GTP hydrolysis or exchange-factor activation but severely abrogates the response to GTPase-activating proteins in a site-specific manner. These findings reveal a new mechanism by which Ras can trigger persistent signaling in the absence of receptor activation or an oncogenic mutation.
Abstract 2848: Combination of DNA methyltransferase and PARP inhibitors as a novel therapy strategy for poor prognosis acute myeloid leukemia

We present here strong preclinical data for a novel, mechanistically based, combinatorial approach to using DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi’s), such as decitabine (DAC) and 5-Azacytidine (AzaC), with PARP inhibitors (PARPi’s) as a treatment strategy for acute myelogenous leukemias (AML). AzaC and DAC alone show efficacy in AML but combinatorial approaches will be required to maximize therapeutic responses. PARPi9s have not been well studied as agents for these diseases. The mechanistic rationale for our approach is based upon: 1) data from our group and others showing DNMT9s and PARP co-reside in DNA damage induced protein complexes; 2) the fact that AzaC and DAC trap DNMT9s into DNA via their mechanism of action, led us to hypothesize that these drugs might also increase PARP trapping at DNA damage sites 3) the cytotoxicity of clinically available PARPi’s, and especially the most potent ones, appears to correlate with degree of trapping of PARP1 at DNA damage sites in chromatin. We first find that, indeed, in cultured human AML cells, the DNMTi9s (10 to 20 nM DAC) and PARPi9s (1 to 10 nM BMN 673) alone trap PARP into chromatin and this effect is enhanced when the drugs are combined. Concomitant with this, the combined doses, especially, strongly reduce double strand break (DSB) repair thereby increasing cytotoxic DNA damage. In association with these findings, in methylcellulose cloning assays of both cultured (N = 4) and primary AML cells (N = 9), a combination of the DNMTi9s and PARPi9s strongly decreased colony survival compared to each of the agents alone. Interestingly those cell lines and primary samples expressing poor prognostic FLT3/ITD (Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 internal tandem duplication) mutations, were particularly sensitive to the combination treatment. Based on all the above results, we developed an in-vivo treatment model, using human FLT3/ITD-positive, MV411-luc xenografts in immunocompromised mice. As opposed to mock treatment, and treatment with AzaC or BMN673, alone, the combined drug treatment, over a 40 day treatment course, starkly and significantly decreases leukemia burden, as measured by luciferase imaging, peripheral blood blast counts and spleen weights. Our data suggest a novel use of both DNMTi9s and PARPi9s in a compelling therapeutic strategy for poor prognosis AML, that will be funded by Van Andel-SU2C for a clinical trial to be based at the University of Maryland. Citation Format: Nidal E. Muvarak, Carine Robert, Pratik K. Nagaria, Khadiza Chowdhury, Eun Yong Choi, Vu Duong, Ashkan Emadi, Maria R. Baer, Rena Lapidus, Stephen Baylin, Feyruz Rassool. Combination of DNA methyltransferase and PARP inhibitors as a novel therapy strategy for poor prognosis acute myeloid leukemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2848. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2848
Decade of HIV in Rhode Island: demographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed in 2001 and 2010.

This article provides an overview of the current epidemiology of HIV infection in Rhode Island, summarizes disease trends over the last decade, and describes circumstances surrounding patient diagnosis. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients newly diagnosed with HIV who presented to the Immunology Clinic of The Miriam Hospital in 2001 and 2010. Results: From 2001 to 2010 there was an increase in patients reporting MSM (men who have sex with men) as their primary risk factor, and in diagnosis occurring at outpatient sites (p=.03). CD4 count at diagnosis was highest when diagnosed at an HIV testing site and lowest in inpatients (p=.0003). Late presenters were more likely to be tested because of illness (p=.001), as inpatients (p=.000), and heterosexuals (p=.017)). Conclusions: MSM and minorities are overrepresented in the RI HIV population. Patients without traditional risk factors are more likely to present late and are poorly served by historic screening practices.
Incidental regression of an advanced basal cell carcinoma after ipilimumab exposure for metastatic melanoma.

Ipilimumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, is approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma. Its potential activity in keratinocytic cancers, however, is not well known. We present a case of a man in his 60s with advanced basal cell carcinoma (BCC) that regressed after incidental exposure to ipilimumab to treat the patient's concurrent metastatic melanoma.
Cytokine Prestimulation as a Gene Therapy Strategy: Implications for Using the MDR1 Gene as a Dominant Selectable Marker

A major obstacle to stem cell gene therapy is the extremely low efficiency of stem cell transduction. In vivo selection is a strategy for enriching a minor population of genetically modified bone marrow cells through the introduction of a drug resistance gene, followed by subsequent administration of the corresponding cytotoxic drug in vivo. Achieving persistent effects from in vivo selection is expected to require selection at the level of stem cells or, minimally, selection at the level of progenitors. Major limitations to in vivo selection are the nonhematologic toxicities of the cytotoxic drugs used and the resistance of stem cells and progenitors to killing by most cytotoxic agents. Experiments were performed in mice to evaluate whether the drugs used for selection in combination with multiple drug resistance gene 1 (MDR1) could have an enhanced effect on clonogenic progenitors if preceded by administration of the cytokine, stem cell factor (SCF). Single doses of taxol, navelbine, or vinblastine produced 10-fold reductions in the total number of mononuclear cells per femur, indicating a significant depletion of nonclonogenic precursor cells. However, for each of these agents, clonogenic progenitors, assayed as colony-forming unit cells and day-12 spleen colony-forming units, were relatively spared. Administration of SCF before taxol, navelbine, or vinblastine completely abrogated the progenitor-sparing phenomenon, because clonogenic progenitors were depleted as effectively as nonclonogenic precursor cells. Furthermore, the administration of SCF before drug administration allowed the dosages of taxol and vinblastine to be reduced by more than half, while retaining reductions in progenitor numbers that were unachievable using very high doses of the cytotoxic drug alone. Doxorubicin administration resulted in a 30- to 40-fold depletion in progenitors that was not significantly altered by preceding SCF administration. These results suggest that previous observations of in vivo selection using MDR1 gene transfer followed by taxol administration may have resulted from selection at the level of relatively mature, nonclonogenic precursor cells. Furthermore, these data suggest that cytokine prestimulation may be a useful strategy for improving the selection of drug-resistant clonogenic progenitors and, possibly, stem cells in vivo.
Medical Tourism, Opportunities for American Radiologists?

Prognostication in the configuration of the structure and economics of medicine is a risky business. Unlike scientific experiments we do not and cannot know all the variables pertinent to the delivery of healthcare because the likelihood that any innovation will enter practice is subject to many uncertainties. First to consider or confound is the trajectory of its further development, of course. Yet also one must pay attention to the impress of competing technology as well as legal, political, financial, sociocultural and now transnational influences, each of which may become compelling and even determinative almost overnight. For example, take note of how quickly the current fiscal crisis has transformed values, settled elections and stimulated legislation that might have revolutionary consequences about how, why and by what means care is rendered.
IL-21 Signaling in Immunity

IL-21 is a type I cytokine produced by T cells and natural killer T cells that has pleiotropic actions on a wide range of immune and non-immune cell types. Since its discovery in 2000, extensive studies on the biological actions of IL-21 have been performed in vitro and in vivo. Recent reports describing patients with primary immunodeficiency caused by mutations of IL21 or IL21R have further deepened our knowledge of the role of this cytokine in host defense. Elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that mediate IL-21's actions has provided the rationale for targeting IL-21 and IL-21 downstream mediators for therapeutic purposes. The use of next-generation sequencing technology has provided further insights into the complexity of IL-21 signaling and has identified transcription factors and co-factors involved in mediating the actions of this cytokine. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the biology and signaling of IL-21 and how this knowledge can be potentially translated into clinical settings.
TD-LTE Network Planning based on Big-Data Mining

As for TD-LTE,network structure has a definite effect on the quality of LTE network,so network planning is of great significance to the contruction quality of TD-LTE.Aiming at the traditional LTE network planning and optimization with single data and in blind valuable hotspots,this paper innovatively proposes a big-data analytical method based on the current users in 2G /3G network.Through multi-dimension evaluation system involving value evaluation,interference evaluation,and coverage evaluation and by introducing the new idea like big-data mining into this system to comprehensively guide LTE network palnning,the quality of LTE network construction is obviously improved,the ability of network optimization in various directions enhanced,and the investment return also raised.
Advance of the Domestic and Overseas Flow Pattern Experimental Study of Oil-gas-water Three-phase Flow

The advance of the research on the three-phase flow pattern experiment in at home and overseas was discussed,it indicated that all the experiments have been done indoors until now.The test medium is different from the oil-gaswater in actual pipeline.Whether the experimental study can be applied to the actual three-phase flow pattern needs further validation.
Surgical Treatment of Renovascular Hypertension in Children: The Role of Renal Autotransplantation

We describe 2 children with renovascular hypertension treated successfully by autotransplantation, as well as an additional child in whom ex vivo microsurgical repair was attempted. The literature is reviewed and all patients within the pediatric age group with renovascular hypertension who were treated surgically are reported. The different types of vascular reconstructive techniques and, particularly, the previous use of autotransplantation are discussed.
Impact of dietary resistant starch type 4 on human gut microbiota and immunometabolic functions

Dietary modulation of the gut microbiota impacts human health. Here we investigated the hitherto unknown effects of resistant starch type 4 (RS4) enriched diet on gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations in parallel with host immunometabolic functions in twenty individuals with signs of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Cholesterols, fasting glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, and proinflammatory markers in the blood as well as waist circumference and % body fat were lower post intervention in the RS4 group compared with the control group. 16S-rRNA gene sequencing revealed a differential abundance of 71 bacterial operational taxonomic units, including the enrichment of three Bacteroides species and one each of Parabacteroides, Oscillospira, Blautia, Ruminococcus, Eubacterium, and Christensenella species in the RS4 group. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed higher faecal SCFAs, including butyrate, propionate, valerate, isovalerate, and hexanoate after RS4-intake. Bivariate analyses showed RS4-specific associations of the gut microbiota with the host metabolic functions and SCFA levels. Here we show that dietary RS4 induced changes in the gut microbiota are linked to its biological activity in individuals with signs of MetS. These findings have potential implications for dietary guidelines in metabolic health management.
The Coming of Age of WI-381 2

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the patent issues with human diploid cell strains WI-38. When the human diploid cells were first established, efforts were made by the Wistar Institute to patent them. However, the patent laws in 1962 simply did not cover patents protecting life-forms. In 1978, all of this changed when the United States Supreme Court upheld a patent application for a microorganism. Until then, the patent laws did not allow protection for living cells. This decision opened the way for the ultimate patentability of many new organisms resulting from the then emerging rDNA and hybridoma technologies. For six years, WI-38 was freely distributed to all those who requested it. Despite the millions of dollars in gross sales earned during the period 1962–1968, not a penny reverted to the Wistar Institute or the United States Government. Today, not only is it possible to patent cell populations but universities and their scientists actually retain title to and profit from the sale of self-duplicating life-forms produced with government support.
Racial and Ethnic Gaps in Postsecondary Aspirations and Enrollment

One major finding of the Equality of Educational Opportunity (EEO) report was that a smaller proportion of African Americans than whites reported “wanting to go no further than high school in each region of the country.” Blacks in the 1960s had high college aspirations, and those aspirations have continued, but today, as then, fewer blacks than whites attend four-year colleges. Since the EEO report, the U.S. population has become increasingly diverse, and postsecondary aspirations and enrollment now vary considerably among racial and ethnic groups. Whereas the EEO report focused on the significant role of students’ concrete knowledge about college in postsecondary attendance, it paid limited attention to variation in postsecondary preparation activities. This study contrasts earlier indicators of student college knowledge with college preparation activities to understand variations in college enrollment among different racial and ethnic groups. Results indicate that concrete knowledge has less impact on minority postsecondary enrollment than taking more-advanced academic courses.
Cultural Fragmentation or Acquired Dispositions? A New Approach to Accounting for Patterns of Cultural Change

The authors argue that cultural fragmentation models predict that cultural change is driven primarily by period effects, whereas acquired dispositions models predict that cultural change is driven ...
Geometrical irradiance changes in a symmetric optical system

The concept of the aberration function is extended to define two functions that describe the light irradiance distribution at the exit pupil plane and at the image plane of an axially symmetric optical system. Similar to the wavefront aberration function, the irradiance function is expanded as a polynomial, where individual terms represent basic irradiance distribution patterns. Conservation of flux in optical imaging systems is used to derive the specific relation between the irradiance coefficients and wavefront aberration coefficients. It is shown that the coefficients of the irradiance functions can be expressed in terms of wavefront aberration coefficients and first-order system quantities. The theoretical results—these are irradiance coefficient formulas—are in agreement with real ray tracing.
Low-dose rosiglitazone plus sulfonylurea was effective and safe for treating hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Source Citation Wolffenbuttel BHR, Gomis R, Squatrito S, Jones NP, Patwardhan RN. Addition of low-dose rosiglitazone to sulphonylurea therapy improves glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic patients....
The proline rich domain of p53 is dispensable for MGMT-dependent DNA repair and cell survival following alkylation damage

In addition to promoting cell death and senescence, p53 also has important cellular survival functions. A mutant p53, lacking a proline-rich domain (p53ΔP), that is deficient in controlling both cell death and cell cycle arrest, was employed to determine the biological means by which p53 mediates survival upon DNA damage. While p53ΔP and p53-/- cells were equally resistant to many DNA damaging agents, p53ΔP cells showed an exquisite resistance to high doses of the alkylating agent Diazald (N-Methyl-N-(p-tolylsulfonyl)nitrosamide), as compared to cells completely deficient for p53 function. We determined that p53ΔP was capable of transcribing the repair gene, MGMT (O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase) after irradiation or alkylation damage, resulting in DNA repair and cell survival. Consistent with these observations, p53ΔP mice show enhanced survival after IR relative to p53-/- mice. Suppression or deletion of MGMT expression in p53ΔP cells inhibited DNA repair and survival after alkylation damage, whereas MGMT overexpression in p53-deficient cells facilitated DNA repair and conferred survival advantage. This study shows that when cell death and cell cycle arrest pathways are inhibited, p53 can still mediate MGMT-dependent repair, to promote cell survival upon DNA damage.
In Vitro Synthesis, Transport, and Assembly of Ribulose 1, 5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase Subunits

It is well established that the chloroplast synthesizes only a limited number of its own proteins. Many stromal enzymes and thyla-koid membrane polypeptides are made in the cytosol and must be transferred subsequently from their sites of synthesis to their final locations inside the chloroplast (1). The mechanism of intracellular transport of proteins across the two chloroplast envelope membranes and the events associated with it are unknown.
Housework and Sex in Midlife Marriages: An Examination of Three Perspectives on the Association

Studies of the link between housework and sex sometimes reach divergent conclusions—partly resulting from varying perspectives on this relationship. We identify three perspectives found in prior studies of housework and sex—temporal, distributional, and fairness—each reflecting a different view of the processes linking these two domestic realms. To contribute to this literature, we examine housework measures reflecting each perspective. Negative binomial and OLS regression models using data from the National Survey of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS 2, 2004–2006) reveal that housework measures reflecting the fairness and distributional perspectives are significantly associated with sexual satisfaction but not frequency. Lower sexual satisfaction is associated with wives' greater investment in housework than husbands' and the view of housework arrangements as unfair to wives. These findings, which held for wives and husbands, suggest that the inequitable, and gendered, housework arrangements of many heterosexual married couples may negatively affect their sex lives. Measures reflecting the temporal perspective are associated with neither sexual satisfaction nor frequency. Our findings are derived from an older sample than those used in most prior studies of this topic, raising the possibility that some processes linking housework and sex change as individuals age and their relationships lengthen.
“I Don’t Know That I’ve Ever Felt Like I Got the Full Story”: A Qualitative Study of Courtroom Interactions Between Judges and Litigants in Domestic Violence Protective Order Cases:

One in three U.S. women has experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and many seek domestic violence protective orders (DVPOs) for secondary IPV prevention. Because judges have considerable autonomy making DVPO decisions, there is a need to describe how courtroom interactions and information available to judges may influence DVPO dispositions. We conducted DVPO hearing observations and phone interviews with District Court Judges. Qualitative themes emerged that may influence judges' decision making in DVPO hearings: case information availability, judge engagement level, and litigant credibility. Recommendations include more time for judges to review case files, IPV-related training for judges, and increased court advocate use.
A New Fossil Vertebrate Locality of the Jetmore Chalk Member of the Upper Cretaceous Greenhorn Limestone in North-Central Kansas, U.S.A.

The Jetmore Chalk Member of the Greenhorn Limestone is a Late Cretaceous rock unit deposited under the Western Interior Seaway in North America. We here report an assemblage of vertebrate fossils collected through surface collecting and bulk sampling at a new Jetmore Chalk locality in Republic County, Kansas, U.S.A. Taxonomically, it consists of diverse carnivorous fish taxa (e.g., Ptychodus, Cretoxyrhina, Squalicorax, Pachyrhizodus, and Plethodidae), indicating that the marine paleoecology during the deposition of the Jetmore Chalk was quite complex. The fossil assemblage also includes the first record of the aquatic lizard, Coniasaurus cf. C. crassidens, from the Jetmore Chalk, as well as the first record of a ‘billfish’-type bony fish, Cylindracanthus sp., from Kansas that also represents the oldest fossil record for the genus. Whereas the overall taxonomic composition of known fossil vertebrates from the Jetmore Chalk is consistent with typical Cenomanian-Santonian vertebrate assemblages of the Western Interior Seaway, this study demonstrates the presence of local differences in the relative abundance of fossils across different fish taxa between a known Jetmore Chalk locality and the new Jetmore Chalk locality described in this study.
Biometrics and Business Information Visualization: Research Review, Agenda and Opportunities

Business Intelligence & Analytics’ dashboards, data visualizations, and visual analysis systems are cognitive tools that heavily rely on our understanding of subconscious-level processing, human perception and cognitive processes overall. These cognitive tools are the focal point of data visualization subfield called Business Information Visualization (BIV). While the BIV field has seen calls for an increased need of deploying physiological sensing techniques and the use of biometric data, these calls have yet to translate to a more comprehensive evaluation of human response to visual displays and systems using business data. This research identifies and describes biometric sensors researchers should consider in BIV, provides a brief review of literature at the nexus of data visualization and biometrics, and identifies a biometric data-based research agenda and opportunities for BIV.
Evaluation of Biomarkers in Multiple Ipsilateral Synchronous Invasive Breast Carcinomas.

Context.— The College of American Pathologists guidelines recommend testing additional tumor foci in multifocal invasive breast carcinomas for the biomarkers estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone re...
A chemometric strategy for forensic analysis of condom residues: Identification and marker profiling of condom brands from direct analysis in real time-high resolution mass spectrometric chemical signatures.

Abstract The rapid and accurate identification of condom-derived lubricant traces takes on heightened importance in sexual assault cases where the assailant has used a condom in order to avoid leaving behind incriminating DNA evidence. Previous reports have demonstrated that a variety of techniques can be used to confirm that a given residue is condom-derived, based on the detection of spermicides, slip agents and/or other common additives. However, limited success has been achieved in differentiating brands from among a broad range of condom types. In this study, the utility of direct analysis in real time-high resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS) combined with chemometrics, for the rapid and accurate attribution of brands to condom residues of various types, was explored and developed. A database of condom residue spectra comprised of 110 different condom types representing 16 brands was generated, with the spectra serving as representative fingerprints for each brand. The spectral fingerprints were subjected to pre-processing prior to the application of Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) which was used to generate a classifier that permitted identification of condom brands with an accuracy of 97.4%. An additional criterion was imposed on the PLS-DA to provide the confidence level and credibility of each prediction. The effect of time since deposition, the presence of contaminants and the influence of residue transfer on the prediction accuracy of the model were also assessed. The results from Sparse Discriminant Analysis (SDA) and PLS-DA were followed by application of the Student's t-test to determine m/z values representative of small-molecule markers that were most important for defining brand classes. The m/z values revealed by the two methods were found to be consistent in indicating which masses were representative of markers. The SDA method also provided low-dimensional views of the discriminative directions for classification of condom residues, thereby enabling easy visualization of the relationship between the indicated m/z values and brand discrimination. The results further revealed a subset of 14 m/z values that were observed in all 110 condoms representing the 16 brands, and some of these may serve as potential universal small-molecule condom markers. Overall, the results show that the DART-HRMS database of condom residue spectra can be used to identify residues based on differences in chemical components peculiar to each brand. The database can be readily expanded to include more condoms.
Fruit and vegetable consumption and emotional distress tolerance as potential links between food insecurity and poor physical and mental health among homeless adults

Abstract Food insecurity is associated with mental health outcomes among adults experiencing homelessness. Different theoretical explanations have emerged to account for the negative health outcomes among vulnerable populations. The neomaterial theoretical perspective suggests that nutritional deficiencies from experiencing food insecurity are related to negative health outcomes. Whereas, the psychosocial theoretical perspective indicates that perceived disadvantages or inability to cope emotionally (i.e. lower distress tolerance) from food insecurity leads to adverse health outcomes. Building on these theoretical perspectives, the purpose of the study was to determine whether fruit and vegetable consumption (as a measure of diet quality) or emotional distress tolerance act as potential links between food insecurity and poor physical and mental health among adults experiencing homelessness. Adults were recruited from six area shelters in Oklahoma City (N = 566) during July–August 2016. Data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire on a tablet computer. Self-rated poor health, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were regressed on food insecurity using logistic regressions. Indirect effects were assessed using bootstrapping methods outlined by Preacher and Hayes. In covariate-adjusted models, lower levels of distress tolerance, but not fruit and vegetable consumption, partially mediated the association between food insecurity and poor health (β = 0.28, [0.14, 0.44]), depression (β = 0.56, [0.33, 0.88]), and PTSD (β = 0.39, [0.22, 0.60]). Results suggest that experiencing food insecurity may lower the ability to withstand emotional distress and consequently contributes to negative health outcomes.
Blood Proteins as Carcinogen Dosimeters

The widespread application of bacterial and other bioassays for the mutagenicity of environmental chemicals has shown that humans regularly encounter large numbers of chemical substances with geno toxic activity. These observations have led to concern over the potential impact of environmental mutagens on the incidence of cancer and genetically-related pathologic states in humans, and have emphasized the need for risk assessment.
A Remarkable “Emotional Community” of Rescuers in Occupied Warsaw: The Cases of Zofia Kossak and Jarosław and Anna Iwaszkiewicz

ABSTRACTJaroslaw and Anna Iwaszkiewicz and Zofia Kossak were posthumously awarded the Medal of the Righteous among the Nations for rescuing Jews. The former hid Jews on their estate of Stawisko nea...
Cradles of the first stars: self-shielding, halo masses, and multiplicity

The formation of Population III (Pop III) stars is a critical step in the evolution of the early universe. To understand how these stars affected their metal-enriched descendants, the details of how, why and where Pop III formation takes place needs to be determined. One of the processes that is assumed to greatly affect the formation of Pop III stars is the presence of a Lyman-Werner (LW) radiation background, that destroys H$_2$, a necessary coolant in the creation of Pop III stars. Self-shielding can alleviate the effect the LW background has on the H$_2$ within haloes. In this work, we perform a cosmological simulation to study the birthplaces of Pop III stars, using the adaptive mesh refinement code Enzo. We investigate the distribution of host halo masses and its relationship to the LW background intensity. Compared to previous work, haloes form Pop III stars at much lower masses, up to a factor of a few, due to the inclusion of H$_2$ self-shielding. We see no relationship between the LW intensity and host halo mass. Most haloes form multiple Pop III stars, with a median number of four, up to a maximum of 16, at the instance of Pop III formation. Our results suggest that Pop III star formation may be less affected by LW radiation feedback than previously thought and that Pop III multiple systems are common.
“At Last to a Condition of Dignity”: Anthony Hecht’s Holocaust Poetry

This essay considers Anthony Hecht’s Holocaust poetry. Drawing from his own experiences as a GI liberating the Flossenburg concentration camp, Anthony Hecht crafted a number of intricate, challenging metrical forms—including sestina, ballad, and rhyming forms borrowed from Renaissance metaphysical poetry—in order to consider what he called “the contemplation of horror.” Hecht’s Holocaust poetry frequently describes monuments of Western culture in close proximity to the camps. His deft use of sophisticated, historical forms similarly foregrounds the question of how a culture produced such refinement and barbarity. His mastery of the forms both honors and indicts the culture that produced them.
FAMILY HISTORY OF SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH IN BRUGADA SYNDROME: A SYSTEMIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is an inherited arrhythmic disease associated with major arrhythmic event (MAE). The presence of a positive family history of sudden cardiac death (SCD) as a risk predictor of MAE remains to be controversial. In the systematic review we aimed to assess the association of
Chapter 6 – Water Balance and Gas Exchange

Because amphibians and reptiles live on land, in fresh water, and in salt or brackish water, a wide range of physiological mechanisms helps to maintain ionic homeostasis in body fluids. Homeostasis is generally maintained by movement of water and/or ions into and out of the body, involving kidneys, specialized salt glands, and respiratory surfaces. Water loss is a major challenge for amphibians because water easily is lost through their skin. Many examples reveal the diversity of mechanisms used by these animals to maintain homeostasis, including a particularly interesting mechanism in the desert tortoise. Water loss and gas exchange are tied together because significant water loss occurs across respiratory surfaces and gas exchange cannot occur without a wet surface across which oxygen and carbon dioxide can move.