cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Replication of West Nile virus, Rabensburg lineage in mammalian cells is restricted by temperature

The genus Flavivirus currently consists of approximately 80 single-strand positive-sense RNA viruses. These replicate in a range of hosts including myriad vertebrate, insect, and tick species. As a consequence of this broad host range, the majority of flaviviruses can be propagated in most vertebrate and insect cell cultures. This ability to infect arthropods and vertebrates usually is essential for maintenance of these viruses in nature. But recently, there has been the discovery of a number of flaviviruses that infect mosquitoes but not vertebrates. It remains largely unknown why certain flaviviruses infect vertebrates and mosquitoes while others infect mosquitoes or vertebrates exclusively. Here, we initiated in vitro host range studies of Rabensburg virus (RABV), an intermediate between the mosquito-specific and horizontally transmitted flaviviruses, to provide information on the factor(s) that underlie the varying host range of flaviviruses. RABV is an intermediate between the mosquito-specific and horizontally transmitted flaviviruses because it does not infect mammalian or avian cell cultures, house sparrows, or chickens, but it does share genetic characteristics with the Japanese Encephalitis serogroup of flaviviruses. In vitro growth kinetic assays revealed the complete abrogation of RABV growth on Vero and E6 cells incubated at temperatures 35°C and higher, but surprisingly RABV infected, replicated efficiently, and displayed overt cytopathic effects (CPE) on Vero and E6 cell cultures incubated below 35°C. In contrast, RABV was fully viable, replicated efficiently, and displayed overt CPE on C6/36 cells incubated at 28°C or 37°C, thus implicating temperature as an important factor limiting the host range of RABV. These data are critical for further study to more fully identify the determinants that mediate the evolution of biological transmission among flaviviruses. It also will be useful for studies that look to provide a comprehensive molecular definition of flavivirus-host cell interactions. And it will provide a cadre of information to design wet lab experiments to investigate the genetic changes that facilitate host switching, which may lead to new vertebrate pathogens or transmission pathways.
Experiment design and UV-LIGA microfabrication technology to study the fracture toughness of Ni microstructures

One of the major difficulties faced by MEMS researchers today is the lack of data regarding properties of electroplated metals or alloys of which microstructures and microdevices are fabricated, especially in LIGA technology. These mechanical properties cannot be extrapolated from macro-scale data without experimental verification. Therefore, study on material properties of microfabricated structures is of vital importance to the development of LIGA technology and to its industrial applications. This paper reports an experiment scheme and UV-LIGA microfabrication technology to study the fracture toughness of nickel micro specimens. The devised testing mechanism demonstrated compatibility with the fabricated samples and capability of performing the desired experimentation by generating resistance-to-fracture values of the nickel specimens. The same experiment scheme and sample fabrication technology can be used in future work to study the fracture toughness values for LIGA fabricated samples in various metals and alloys.
The debt of life--Thai lessons on a process-oriented ethical logic.

In Thailand, families of dying patients often advocate for aggressive ICU care in order to pay their debt of life. Their reasoning is based on process, not outcome. Many Americans may similarly see the process of providing care as in some ways more important than cure.
BRCA1 does not paint the inactive X to localize XIST RNA but may contribute to broad changes in cancer that impact XIST and Xi heterochromatin

The BRCA1 tumor suppressor involved in breast and ovarian cancer is linked to several fundamental cell regulatory processes. Recently, it was reported that BRCA1 supports localization of XIST RNA to the inactive X chromosome (Xi) in women. The apparent cytological overlap between BRCA1 and XIST RNA across the Xi raised the possibility a direct role of BRCA1 in localizing XIST. We report here that BRCA1 does not paint the Xi or XIST territory, as do markers of Xi facultative heterochromatin. A smaller BRCA1 accumulation abuts Xi, although this is not exclusive to Xi. In BRCA1 depleted normal and tumor cells, or BRCA1 reconstituted cells, BRCA1 status does not closely correlate with XIST localization, however in a BRCA1 inducible system over-expression correlated strongly with enhanced XIST expression. We confirm frequent loss of an Xi in tumor cells. In addition to mitotic loss of Xi, we find XIST RNA expression or localization frequently become compromised in cultured breast cancer cells, suggesting Xi heterochromatin may not be fully maintained. We demonstrate that complex epigenetic differences between tumor cell subpopulations can have striking effects on XIST transcription, accumulation, and localization, but this does not strictly correlate with BRCA1. Although BRCA1 can have indirect effects that impact XIST, our results do not indicate a direct and specific role in XIST RNA regulation. Rather, regulatory factors such as BRCA1 that have broad effects on chromatin or gene regulation can impact XIST RNA and the Xi. We provide preliminary evidence that this may occur as part of a wider failure of heterochromatin maintenance in some cancers.
Factors Affecting Land Price Decline

Over the fifty years before 1981, land prices increased every year but two, 1961 and 1970, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) index of farmland prices. Both of those declines were only 1%. A third drop occurred from 1981 to 1982. In most years, the land price increased at least as much as the cost of living. Land has provided a moderate current rate of return and has been a good hedge against inflation. From 1959 through 1969, land prices in Illinois increased at 4.2% compounded annually, while the consumer price index (CPI) increased 2.3% annually. From 1970 to 1978, land prices increased at 13% compounded annually, while the CPI increased at 5.8% compounded annually. Land prices peaked near the end of 1980 in the cash grain area of the Midwest. During 1981 prices fluctuated from one quarter to the next, with a general annual decline of 4% to 5% depending on the state (Miller and Benjamin). A survey of ninety farm managers and rural appraisers conducted by the author at the annual meeting of the Illinois Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers in February 1982 indicated a decline of 12.5% in Illinois land prices from the previous year. The range was from 0 to -30%. The USDA land price index showed a 9% decline from 1 February 1981 to 1 April 1982 for Illinois, with comparable declines in other Corn Belt states. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago survey showed changes in that district ranging from +1 to -19% from the previous year (Miller and Benjamin). The largest declines occurred in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa.
Quick-freeze, deep-etch preparation of samples for 3-D electron microscopy

highlighted against a background that looks dark and shadowy, just the way objects look in the scanning electron microscope (but for an entirely different reason). This highlighting is complemented by viewing the images in three dimensions: the metal replica is tilted in the electron microscope and photographed from two slightly different vantage points; the photographs are then viewed simultaneously with the aid of stereo glasses or a stereo viewer. To understand why these 3-D images appear so lifelike, it is necessary to explain the freezing, freeze-drying, and replication steps in more detail. Freezing
Advice from teens to teens about dating: Implications for healthy relationships

Abstract Seventy-five Mexican American and White male and female adolescents were asked in focus groups to offer advice to other adolescents pertaining to dating relationships. Across ethnicities and sexes, “Stay on your feet” was the most prominent advice given, followed by advice to “Know when it's right”. “Have good reasoning…especially about that was a prominent theme among females; Mexican American females focused more on pressure associated with sexual activity while White females embedded their advice more often within futuristic and long-term relationship goals. Females offered roughly three times more relationship advice than did males and dialogued collaboratively at greater length, enriching their advice with personal and emotional experiences. Findings are interpreted within a developmental and feminist perspective and in line with recent recommendations for sexual and dating education as outlined by Romeo and Kelley (2009).
PREDICTING THE LOSS OF COMMUTER AIR SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES

Abstract This paper looks at the probability of loss of commuter air service in the United States. Logistic regression using a model consisting of geographic, economic, and social variables is constructed to examine those communities in the United States that are in danger of losing commercial air service. After modeling the loss of service, patterns are discovered as to the location of these communities. The paper concludes with analysis of those cities targeted for loss of service and solutions for what these communities can do to continue to be part of the commercial air system.
C1q binding to antibody-coated cells: predictions from a simple multivalent binding model.

Abstract We have derived a simple mathematical model describing the multivalent binding of Clq to IgG antibody-coated target cells. The model contains the assumptions that the Clq is hexavalent for IgG, that the cell-bound antibody is mobile in the plane of the plasma membrane, and that the six Clq subunits bind sequentially to the cell-surface antibody. We have calculated how Clq would bind at equilibrium to cells coated with different amounts of antibody, and how free monomeric IgG would inhibit this interaction. The model predicts that the degree of binding of Clq to the cells will be strongly enhanced by increasing the cell surface antibody density, but that even small amounts of cell-bound antibody will render the target cells capable of binding Clq. Scatchard plots of Clq binding invariably show negative curvature due to a fall in the density of free antibody sites as the cell-bound antibody becomes saturated with Clq. Over a wide range of cell-bound antibody densities little of the cell-associated Clq is bound pentavalently or hexavalently. While Clq binding is easily inhibitable by free IgG at low levels of cell-bound antibody, this inhibition is progressively overcome by increasing the density of antibody on the cell. This reflects the inherent property of multivalent ligands such as Clq to seek out regions of high site density.
Phebalium verrucosum (Rutaceae: Boronieae), new status for a taxon excluded from P. squamulosum on morphological and phytochemical evidence

Phebalium squamulosum Vent. subsp. verrucosum Paul G.Wilson (Rutaceae) is excluded from P. squamulosum and raised to the rank of species as P. verrucosum (Paul G.Wilson) I.Telford & J.J.Bruhl based on morphological and essential oil data. The distribution of the species is mapped and its conservation status is revised.
Biological clocks and the digestive system

Circadian rhythms play a major role in regulating the digestive systems of many organisms. Cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, and even structure vary as a function of time of day in many different digestive organs (i.e., stomach, gut, liver, and pancreas) and cell types, resulting in regionally specific temporal variations in protein and gene expression. Feeding and light set the hands of the digestive clock(s). However, the clockwork has a genetic basis. During the last 10 years, new developments have emerged in our understanding of how cells keep time. Surprisingly, clock genes in mammals are expressed not only in specialized time keepers in the brain, but also in peripheral organs, suggesting that the ability to keep time may also belong to cells within the digestive system. This article reviews several classic examples of circadian variation in the digestive system, with an emphasis on rhythms in cell proliferation, function, and structure. It also briefly summarizes several new ideas about how cells in the brain and possibly the digestive system keep time.
Bumetanide: A New Diuretic. Results of Clinical Efficacy and Safety in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

A clinical study of bumetanide, a new diuretic, was conducted in outpatients of a cardiology clinic to determine its long-term effectiveness and safety in the treatment of peripheral edema due to congestive heart failure. The drug was administered for at least 24 weeks on a selected group of 34 patients. The patients were monitored for clinical response, evidenced by changes in cardiac signs and symptoms, and by laboratory tests, as well as by slit-lamp ophthalmic examination, electrocardiogram, and chest x-ray. Based on the clinical evaluation of effects on body weight, chronic edema, functional physical capacity, and results of selected laboratory data, it was concluded that bumetanide is as effective as other diuretics and can be used as an initial diuretic for maintenance of body weight for long-term use in patients with peripheral edema due to congestive heart failure. Bumetanide mobilizes peripheral edema effectively in most patients and leads to improvement in functional physical capacity. Safety and adverse reactions during treatments are discussed.
Transition of health care from pediatric to adult care.

The purpose of this study was to provide a review article summarising current recommendations for transition planning and create a parent/patient education handout to facilitate understanding of the transition process.
I Believe I Can Fly: Re-Examining Individual Differences in Imaginative Involvement:

Many humans seemingly crave imaginative involvement, especially fantasy, spending billions of dollars on its industry (e.g., Harry Potter). However, we argue that individuals subjectively experience imaginative involvement at different levels of cognitive (imagery vividness) and emotional (engagement) intensity. Two studies examined the effects of fantasy proneness and absorption on imagery vividness and engagement after completing various flying or control visualization tasks. After having first confirmed the structure of fantasy proneness as comprising three dimensions—fantasy intensity, childhood make-believe, and extrasensory experiences—our studies showed that across visualization tasks, fantasy intensity best predicted imagery vividness, while absorption best predicted engagement. Further, increased positive mood fully mediated the relationship between absorption and engagement. Ultimately, not everyone experiences imaginative involvement the same: certain individuals report greater engagement and a...
Feasibility of a partial meal replacement plan for weight loss in low-income patients.

BACKGROUND: Low-income patients are disproportionately affected by obesity. Routine care is available to this population at the Venice Family Clinic (VFC) in Los Angeles. The current study examined the effectiveness of nutrition clinic utilizing meal replacements (Slim-Fast, Slim-Fast Foods Co., FL, USA) in low-income patients over a 6-month period compared with the routine care by their primary care physician (PMD) prior to enrolling in the nutrition clinic at similar time intervals METHODS: In total, 63 patients (51 F; 49±0.8 yo) who had been followed at the VFC by their PMD for at least 6 months were enrolled in this study. Patients had a body mass index (BMI) of 40±1.1 kg/m2, were 72% Hispanic, 25% Caucasian, and 3% African American. They had the following co-morbidities: hypertension (HTN) 45%, diabetes mellitus II (DM II) 50%, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) 34%, osteoarthritis 51%, and hypercholesterolemia 48%. All patients were provided with meal replacements to be taken twice a day and were instructed to consume one complete low calorie meal per day. Weights at the first visit to the nutrition clinic, 1, 3, and 6 months after enrollment in nutrition clinic were compared to their weights at the same time intervals during routine visits to their PMD prior to enrollment in the nutrition clinic. RESULTS: There was no significant weight change during the 6 months prior to enrollment in the nutrition program despite receiving care by a PMD. At 6 months after participating in the nutrition program, there was a mean decrease of 7% body weight with a reduction in BMI from 40–37 kg/m2 (P≤0.05). CONCLUSION: Implementation of nutrition clinic utilizing meal replacements in this low-income patient population was effective in achieving a significant reduction in weight over 6 months of treatment.
Bipolar/CMOS (Weak Inversion) Rail-to-Rail Constant-g m Input Stage

A rail-to-rail constant-gm input stage suitable for bipolar or weak inversion CMOS implementation is presented. To achieve rail-to-rail operation, two complementary differential pairs driven in parallel are used. To guarantee constant net transconductance each differential pair is augmented with a suitable biasing circuit. The biasing circuits are implemented without current mirrors, which results in low sensitivity to process variations and potentially higher bandwidth.
Assessment of immunological properties of neurofilament triplet proteins

Abstract The relationship between mammalian neurofilament triplet proteins was studied immunologically using rabbit and guinea pig antibodies to bovine neurofilament triplet proteins. Neurofilament proteins were separated by preparative electrophoresis, each protein being isolated and re-electrophoresed to enhance purification. Antisera to 68, 000 (P68), 150, 000 (P150) and 200, 000 (P200) dalton neurofilament proteins showed greatest activity with the corresponding protein immunogen but also revealed cross-reactivity with the other two neurofilament proteins when assessed by the ELISA method. The same antigenic inoculum elicited variable cross-reactivity, more in the guinea pig than in the rabbit. Rabbit antisera to P68 was specific in that it did not cross-react with P150 or P200. Rabbit antisera to P150 and to P200 were rendered specific by absortion with P200 and P150, respectively. By electron microscopy, isolated neurofilaments became decorated with an uniform coat of antibodies when exposed to specific antisera for each of the neurofilament proteins. By indirect immunofluorescence, each antisera showed identical patterns of tissue localization, corresponding to the distribution of neurofilaments in peripheral nerve, spinal ganglia, spinal cord, cerebellum and cerebrum. Neurofilament antigens were not detected in liver, kidney, spleen, lung, bladder, intestine, aorta, heart or tongue.
A statistical survey of dioxin-like compounds in United States beef: A progress report

The USEPA and the USDA have completed the first statistically designed survey of the occurrence and concentration of CDDs and CDFs in the fat of beef animals raised for human consumption in the United States. Back fat was sampled from 63 carcasses at federally inspected slaughter establishments nationwide. The sample design called for sampling beef animal classes in proportion to national annual slaughter statistics. All samples were analyzed using a modification of EPA method 1613, using isotope dilution, High Resolution GC/MS to determine the rate of occurrence of 2,3,7,8-substituted CDDs/CDFS. The whole weight method detection limits ranged from 0.05 ng kg-1 for TCDD to 3 ng kg-1 for OCDD. The results of this survey showed a mean concentration (reported as I-TEQ, lipid adjusted) in U.S. beef animals of 0.35 ng kg-1 and 0.89 ng kg-1 when either non-detects are treated as 0 value or assigned a value of 1/2 the detection limit, respectively.
Existence of Almost Exponentially Decaying States for Barrier Potentials

For a Schrodinger operator H on the half line whose potential has a trapping barrier, and is convex outside the barrier, there exists a φ, supported mostly inside the barrier, such that for t>0, ~e-izt up to a small error, where φ is obtained by cutting off a nonnormalizable solution ψ of Hψ=zψ, and z is in the lower half-plane. The imaginary part of z is estimated explicitly, and the error estimate is explicitly proportional to |Im z log |Im z‖.
Measurement of the Duration and Critical Exponent of Concentration Fluctuations in Lipid Bilayers Near the Critical Point

Membranes containing a wide variety of ternary mixtures of high chain-melting temperature lipids, low chain-melting temperature lipids, and cholesterol undergo lateral phase separation into coexisting liquid phases at a miscibility transition. Large composition fluctuations appear in lipid membranes prepared near miscibility critical points. We have measured the effective dynamic critical exponent relating the decay time τ0 of membrane composition fluctuations to the wavenumber k through=τ ∼ k-zeff(ξ), where the correlation length ξ characterizes the size of the largest fluctuations. We find that zeff increases from roughly 2 at ξ --> 0 to zeff = 2.31±0.03 at ξ = 16μm. Changes in lipid composition are known to affect membrane protein activity. We find that submicron membrane fluctuations corresponding to a wavenumber of (50nm)−1 persist for at least 0.8±0.3 ms, on the order of times required for changes in protein configuration (e.g. 1ms). Therefore, similar and longer-lived fluctuations in cell membranes can potentially alter protein function.” To our knowledge, we present the first measurement of in a 2-dimensional system of conserved order parameter, whether with or without conserved momentum.
Coronary artery disease and its management: Influence on survival in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement

Data from 1,156 patients ≥30 years of age who underwent aortic valve replacement alone or with coronary artery bypass grafting from 1967 through 1976 (early series) and 227 similar patients operated on during 1982 and 1983 (late series) were reviewed. In the early series, 414 patients (36%) had preoperative coronary arteriography (group 1): group 1A (n = 224) did not have coronary artery disease, group 1B (n = 78) had coronary artery disease but did not undergo bypass grafting and group 1C (n = 112) had coronary artery disease and underwent bypass grafting. The 742 patients in group 2 did not have preoperative arteriography. Operative mortality rates (30 day) in groups 1A, 1B, 1C and 2 were 4.5, 10.3, 6.3 and 6.3%, respectively (p = NS). The 10 year survival in both groups 1 and 2 was 54%; in groups 1A, 1B and 1C it was 63, 36 and 49%, respectively (1A and 1B, p In the late series, the 227 patients were divided into similar groups (group 1A, n = 73; 1B, n = 32; 1C, n = 99), and 90% had preoperative coronary arteriography. Operative mortality rates (30 day) for groups 1A, 1B and 1C were 1.4, 9.4 and 4.0%, respectively; that for group 2 (no preoperative arteriography, n = 23) was 4.3%. Definition of coronary anatomy by angiography seems important in most patients ≥50 years old who are candidates for aortic valve replacement, and bypass grafting is recommended for those with significant coronary artery disease.
From knowledge to action : lessons and planning strategies from studies of the upper San Pedro basin

This paper summarizes a project that analyzed previous research undertaken in the upper San Pedro basin of Arizona (USA) and Sonora (Mexico). Various groups had undertaken the previous research over the past decade. A literature review and an e-mail survey resulted in a list of 10 lessons for watershed planning research as well as suggested watershed planning strategies.
Phage-Mediated Acquisition of a Type III Secreted Effector Protein Boosts Growth of Salmonella by Nitrate Respiration

Information on how emerging pathogens can invade and persist and spread within host populations remains sparse. In the 1980s, a multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium clone lysogenized by a bacteriophage carrying the sopE virulence gene caused an epidemic among cattle and humans in Europe. Here we show that phage-mediated horizontal transfer of the sopE gene enhances the production of host-derived nitrate, an energetically highly valuable electron acceptor, in a mouse colitis model. In turn, nitrate fuels a bloom of S. Typhimurium in the gut lumen through anaerobic nitrate respiration while suppressing genes for the utilization of energetically inferior electron acceptors such as tetrathionate. Through this mechanism, horizontal transfer of sopE can enhance the fitness of S. Typhimurium, resulting in its significantly increased abundance in the feces. IMPORTANCE During gastroenteritis, Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium can use tetrathionate respiration to edge out competing microbes in the gut lumen. However, the concept that tetrathionate respiration confers a growth benefit in the inflamed gut is not broadly applicable to other host-pathogen combinations because tetrathionate respiration is a signature trait used to differentiate Salmonella serotypes from most other members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Here we show that by acquiring the phage-carried sopE gene, S. Typhimurium can drive the host to generate an additional respiratory electron acceptor, nitrate. Nitrate suppresses genes for the utilization of energetically inferior electron acceptors such as tetrathionate while enhancing the luminal growth of S. Typhimurium through anaerobic nitrate respiration. Pathways for anaerobic nitrate respiration are widely conserved among members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, thereby making our observations relevant to other enteric pathogens whose relative abundance in the intestinal lumen increases during infection.
Lesions Produced by a New Lungworm in Beagle Dogs

An enzootic lungworm infection caused by a nematode not previously found in the dog, and probably representing a new species in the Filaroides-Metathelazia group, was found during postmortem examination of Beagle dogs purchased from a commercial breeder. Abnormal respiratory signs were not present, and clinicopathologic tests did not aid in the antemortem detection of infected dogs. Lungworms were present only in alveoli and terminal and respiratory bronchioles. In the majority of dogs there was a focal, granulomatous reaction directed against the adult lungworm, but a remarkably broad spectrum of other pulmonary changes was also seen, including some that mimic drug-induced and neoplastic lesions. Preliminary evidence suggests this lungworm may be present in a number of kennels that breed Beagles for use in research.
Tolbutamide and Glyburide Differ in Effectiveness to Displace α-and β-Adrenergic Radioligands in Pancreatic Islet Cells and Membranes

Previous in vivo findings indicated that α-adrenergic blocking agents enhanced tolbutamide-induced insulin secretion, whereas β-blockade attenuated it. In the present study, the interaction of tolbutamide and glyburide with the rat islet adrenergic receptors is examined directly by determining the effectiveness of these drugs to displace the specific α- and β-adrenergic radioligands, [3H]-clonidine and [3H]-dihydroalprenolol (DHA). It was found that both tolbutamide and glyburide had affinity constants for the adrenergic receptors that were similar to those for the natural receptor ligands and powerful antagonists. Tolbutamide displaced both α- and β-radioligands but had a higher affinity at the β-receptor. Glyburide also displaced radioligands from both types of receptors but had a higher affinity for the α-receptor. This study suggests that these two sulfonylurea hypoglycemic agents may affect insulin secretion by different mechanisms.
Suicide ideation and behaviours after STN and GPi DBS surgery for Parkinson’s disease: results from a randomised, controlled trial

Background The risk of suicide behaviours post–deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery in Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains controversial. We assessed if suicide ideation and behaviours are more common in PD patients (1) randomised to DBS surgery versus best medical therapy (BMT); and (2) randomised to subthalamic nucleus (STN) versus globus pallidus interna (GPi) DBS surgery. Methods In Phase 1 of the Veterans Affairs CSP 468 study, 255 PD patients were randomised to DBS surgery (n=121) or 6 months of BMT (n=134). For Phase 2, a total of 299 patients were randomised to STN (n=147) or GPi (n=152) DBS surgery. Patients were assessed serially with the Unified Parkinson9s Disease Rating Scale Part I depression item, which queries for suicide ideation; additionally, both suicide behaviour adverse event data and proxy symptoms of increased suicide risk from the Parkinson9s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were collected. Results In Phase 1, no suicide behaviours were reported, and new-onset suicide ideation was rare (1.9% for DBS vs 0.9% for BMT; Fisher9s exact p=0.61). Proxy symptoms of relevance to suicide ideation were similar in the two groups. Rates of suicide ideation at 6 months were similar for patients randomised to STN versus GPi DBS (1.5% vs 0.7%; Fisher9s exact p=0.61), but several proxy symptoms were worse in the STN group. Conclusions Results from the randomised, controlled phase of a DBS surgery study in PD patients do not support a direct association between DBS surgery and an increased risk for suicide ideation and behaviours.
The cognitive performance of patients with multiple sclerosis during periods of high and low fatigue

The objective of this study was to examine whether multiple sclerosis (MS)-related fatigue affects patients' cognitive performance. Thirty patients who had substantial fatigue in conjunction with MS and who reported marked diurnal variability in the severity of their fatigue were tested on two occasions: during a period of high fatigue and during a period of relatively low fatigue. The order of these sessions was counterbalanced across patients. During both sessions, patients completed a questionnaire concerning their present state of fatigue and a battery of neuropsychological tests of planning, selective attention, and paired associate learning. Although patients confirmed greater fatigue during the period of high fatigue and felt they had performed more poorly during this period, there were no differences in cognitive performance that could be attributed to fatigue. Instead, all subjects showed improvement from the first to the second session regardless of whether the latter entailed a period of high or low fatigue. In contrast to studies reporting fatigue-related declines in MS patients' cognitive performance, no differences in performance were found when MS patients were tested during periods of high versus low fatigue. These contrasting results, stemming from differences in experimental design, are discussed in terms of their implications for assessing cognitive function in patients with MS.
Towards a viable hydrogen storage system for transportation application

Abstract Hydrogen energy may provide the means to an environmentally friendly future. One of the problems related to its application for transportation is “on-board” storage. Hydrogen storage in solids has long been recognized as one of the most practical approaches for this purpose. The H-capacity in interstitial hydrides of most metals and alloys is limited to below 2.5% by weight and this is unsatisfactory for on-board transportation applications. Magnesium hydride is an exception with hydrogen capacity of ∼ 8.2 wt.%, however, its operating temperature, above 350 ° C, is too high for practical use. Sodium alanate (NaAlH4) absorbs hydrogen up to 5.6 wt.% theoretically; however, its reaction kinetics and partial reversibility do not completely meet the new target for transportation application. Recently Chen et al. [1] reported that ( Li 3 N + 2 H 2 ⇔ LiNH 2 + 2 LiH ) provides a storage material with a possible high capacity, up to 11.5 wt.%, although this material is still too stable to meet the operating pressure/temperature requirement. Here we report a new approach to destabilize lithium imide system by partial substitution of lithium by magnesium in the (LiNH2+LiH⇔Li2NH+H2) system with a minimal capacity loss. This Mg-substituted material can reversibly absorb 5.2 wt.% hydrogen at pressure of 30 bar at 200 ° C. This is a very promising material for on-board hydrogen storage applications. It is interesting to observe that the starting material (2LiNH2+MgH2) converts to ( Mg ( NH 2 ) 2 + 2 LiH ) after a desorption/re-absorption cycle.
Determining analysis of variance sample size for detecting specified trends or interactions

The alternative procedure for determining analysis of variance sample size proposed by Schwertman (1987) considered only detecting a maximum deviation between the population means with a specified power. We extend this procedure to a general linear contrast between the means and apply this generalized methodology to trend and interaction analysis of factorial design experiments. Computer simulations of several different two way and three way factorial designs demonstrate the practicality of this methodology. This new technique should enable the statistician to design experiments more efficiently as well as to determine the probability of detecting trends or interaction for a specified sample size.
Progress toward science results with the ACES spectrograph

The use of spectrographs with telescopes having high order adaptive optics (AO) systems offers the possibility of achieving near diffraction-limited spectral resolution on ground-based telescopes, as well as important advantages for instrument design. The small stellar image diameters obtained with adaptively corrected systems allow high resolution without a large loss of light at the spectrograph entrance slit, as well as greater spectral coverage per exposure. The adaptively corrected echelle spectrograph (ACES), designed at Steward Observatory for a spectral resolution R ≈ 200,000, couples the telescope pupil to the instrument with a 10 mm diameter near single-mode optical fiber. Initial observations at the 2.5m telescope on Mt. Wilson validated the concept of achieving high spectral resolution with an adaptively corrected telescope and fiber coupled spectrograph. However the transmission of multiple modes in the fiber lead to a wavelength-dependent variation in illumination that made flat fielding impossible. In this paper we describe instrument design improvements, the installation and testing of a new CCD detector, and testing aimed at understanding and eliminating the fiber-related transmission problems to permit science quality imaging.
Methionine Metabolism in Humans: New Perspectives on Epigenetic Inheritance

Epigenetic control by methylation is directly dependent on SAM/methionine. Free methionine aside from being used for protein synthesis is activated to universal methyl group donor SAM and the methyl group from it can be transferred mainly onto DNA, histones, mRNA and noncoding (Nc) RNA, in the nucleus and onto various cytosolic recipients by specific methyltransferases. The product S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) from methyltransferase reaction is cleaved into free homocysteine and adenosine. Homocysteine has two fates, one to enter methionine resynthesis which requires methionine synthase (MetS), the coenzymes N5-methyltetrahydrofolate (vitamin B9) and methylcobalamin (vitamin B12). The second option of homocysteine is to enter cysteine synthesis pathway which requires cystathionine -synthase (CBS), serine, vitamin B6 (pyridoxal phosphate) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CGL). I predict serine and vitamin B6 are the critical diverting factors in a fully developed organism where the methylation is minimal and all other factors such as MetS, B9, B12, ATP, Methionine adenosyltransferase (MAT), are more relevant during normal development or in abnormal deregulated cancer cell metabolism. In a developed organism the demethylation pathway would play a critical role during tissue regeneration and must involve hydroxylation (CH2OH), oxidation (CHO) and decarboxylation (COOH) and the corresponding hydroxylase, oxidase and decarboxylase. The hydroxylation is predicted to involve vitamin C (ascorbate) and decarboxylation would involve (vitamin B6). The control of methylation and equally the demethylation is extremely crucial for epigenetic control mechanisms (gene suppression/expression) and any dysregulation would cause abnormal tissues/cancer.
The interaction of popular and clinical diagnostic labeling: The case of Embrujado

This paper explores the effect of a popular diagnosis of distress, “bewitchment,” on diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of psychiatric illness in a small group of Hispanic patients in New Mexico. Two major approaches to such “culture‐bound” illnesses in clinical settings are critiqued and synthesized in suggesting a practical way to understand how both folk and psychiatric explanations can affect experience with, and of psychiatric patients who present with their own culturally patterned diagnoses. Further study suggests that clinically focused ethnography can address the issue of change or persistence in both lay and clinical explanations of illness as they interact in a clinical setting.
A diagnostic marker for speech delay associated with otitis media with effusion: backing of obstruents.

A companion paper in this issue reported diagnostic accuracy findings for a marker (the Intelligibility-Speech Gap) to identify speech delay associated with otitis media with effusion (SD-OME). The present paper reports findings for another possible diagnostic marker for SD-OME—Backing of Obstruents. Conversational speech samples and citation forms from 48 speech-delayed children with positive and negative histories for OME were analysed using both perceptual and acoustic methods. The perceptual findings indicated significant trends for backing to be more prevalent in children with positive compared to negative histories of OME. Among a number of candidate speech error variables, lowered first spectral moments on lingual stops and sibilant fricatives as obtained from moments analysis emerged as a promising acoustic correlate of backing. Positive and negative predictive values, and sensitivity and specificity values for the acoustic marker, were above 75% for each of three stimulus words targeting /k/, /z/ and /b/. Discussion considers alternative explanatory perspectives on the ontogenetic development of backing in children who have experienced the fluctuant hearing loss associated with early recurrent OME.
The Whittier Narrows, California Earthquake of October 1, 1987—Buildings at Risk

Abstract Current methods of risk assessment require determining the incidence of damage to the elements at risk in order to establish vulnerability. Recent disasters can provide extremely useful information for calibrating various parameters of damage rates. It is necessary to produce estimates of the elements at risk and apply the best information available concerning damage. This requires considering the total physical context in which the disaster occurred. We estimate population, number of buildings, building floor area, and building replacement cost for the Modified Mercalli Intensity VI, VII and VIII areas for the Whittier Narrows Earthquake and calculate incidence rates.
Don’t Lions Help Lambs? Small Bank Supply and Small Business Activity

I study whether the supply of small banks in a local area impacts small business activity. By using a natural experiment together with a triple differences estimation based on a propensity score matched sample, I am able to identify the exogenous effect of small banks’ market presence. Although small banks may have a comparative advantage in relationship banking, I find that their market share in the local area does not have a significant impact on small business activity. My results imply that relationship banking is not crucial for average small businesses and that large banks’ entrance to the local banking industry does not necessarily threat local small businesses’ development.
Abstract A46: Regulation of genomic Myc binding by Pin1 in serum-stimulated fibroblasts

The transcription factor Myc9s induction of its pro-oncogenic target genes is regulated by Serine62 (S62) phosphorylation and the Pin1 prolyl-isomerase, where pS62-Myc is isomerized at Proline63 by Pin1 and this facilitates its recruitment to select target gene promoters. It is also known that Myc is an early serum response gene that controls cellular transition from quiescence to proliferation. In order to examine the global effects of Pin1 on Myc activity, we have performed unbiased genome-wide RNA-seq and ChIP-seq for Myc in primary murine embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) derived from Pin1 wild-type and knockout mice. The MEFs were serum starved for 72 hours and serum stimulated for 4 hours. Through RNA-seq we have observed a striking blunting of serum responsive genes in the Pin1 null cells. From our highly reproducible ChIP-seq data (6719 regions, IDR Citation Format: Yulong Su, Carl Pelz, Soren Impey, Rosalie Sears. Regulation of genomic Myc binding by Pin1 in serum-stimulated fibroblasts. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Myc: From Biology to Therapy; Jan 7-10, 2015; La Jolla, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2015;13(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A46.
On nonhomogeneous elliptic equations involving critical Sobolev exponent

Abstract Let p = 2 N N − 2 , N ≧ 3 be the limiting Sobolev exponent and Ω ⊂ ℝ N open bounded set. We show that for f ∈ H −1 satisfying a suitable condition and f ≠ 0, the Dirichlet problem: { − Δ u = | u | p − 2 u + f on Ω u = 0 on ∂ Ω admits two solutions u 0 and u 1 in H 0 1 ( Ω ) . Also u 0 ≧ 0 and u 1 ≧ 0 for f ≧ 0. Notice that, in general, this is not the case if f = 0 ( see [P]).
Sibling Relationships in Emerging Adulthood: Associations with Parent–Child Relationship

Conflicting theories (e.g., compensatory and congruence) describe the effect of the parent–child relationship on sibling relationship quality. By identifying specific parenting factors (i.e., Care and Control) and specific aspects of the sibling relationship (i.e., Affect, Behaviors, and Cognitions), the current study sought to examine the factors related to either theory in order to better understand the sibling relationship in emerging adulthood. Data were collected from 575 undergraduate students. A factorial MANOVA tested the relationship between parenting style and sibling relationship quality, measured by the Lifespan Sibling Relationship Scale. Results primarily supported the congruence hypothesis and revealed that parental Care and Control are important variables in understanding the sibling relationship. Additionally, the findings were consistent across racial/ethnic groups.
The Case for Policy-Focused Political Analysis

Political scientists often characterize American politics as a game among undifferentiated competitors, played out largely through campaigns and elections. Their process-obsessed accounts treat electoral victory as the sole prize of politics. To the extent that these accounts pay attention to public policy at all, it is through the study of congressional roll-call votes - undifferentiated yes-no statements that are treated simply as a proxy for the ideological leanings of legislators. Yet politics is not exclusively or even mainly about elections. It is primarily a contest to exercise authority - winners are positioned to use the control of political authority to impose their preferences on losers through public policies. Policies are not a side-show; for the most organized and enduring political actors they are the central object of contestation, and elections are just one means to that end. Policies are also more than roll-call votes; they are shifts in governing authority that can have pervasive and enduring consequences for politics and society and thus naturally attract extensive organizational focus over long periods of time. Because of this, policy deserves a central position in the analysis of political systems - a position it has lost in modern political science, at a considerable cost to our understanding. This paper outlines the advantages of a more policy-focused political analysis. These include its more accurate portrayal of the institutional environment of modern politics, the elevation of “multi-venue” and “longitudinal” politics to more central theoretical status, and a focus on substantive outcomes that allows a more accurate mapping of interests and strategies. The paper highlights particular dimensions on which this more policy-focused political analysis could best be advanced.
Citizenship in an Unequal World: A Discussion of The Birthright Lottery: Citizenship and Global Inequality

We inhabit a thoroughly globalized world. People are increasingly and visibly connected by a “World Wide Web,” by a world market, and by universalist discourses of human rights and democracy. At the same time, full citizenship in a political community—and the rights conferred by such citizenship—is an exclusive status that remains, remarkably, tied to accidents of birth and historical circumstance. And what one has a right to—gainful employment, education, health care, political voice, mere presence—is largely a function of whether one has the precious status of citizenship or is, alternatively, regarded as an alien. Ayelet Shachar's The Birthright Lottery: Citizenship and Global Inequality is a compelling account of the moral arbitrariness of this state of affairs. A study in “normative political theory,” it is a work of political science that incorporates legal theory, moral philosophy, political economy, and public policy. The author tackles issues of increasing global political importance—global disparities of wealth; unequal access to clear air, water, and a secure place to live; and the increasingly contentious politics of immigration and immigrant rights.So it seems fitting to invite a range of political science scholars who work on these topics to comment on the book. The basic editorial charge of this symposium is thus straightforward: How do you assess Shachar's arguments and the attention she focuses on the phenomenon of “birthright lottery”? How does this argument bear upon the topics and approaches that characterize your own scholarship? And how do these topics and approaches shed light on the book and its arguments? While the focus of the symposium is this provocative book, the discussion of it should also be regarded as an opportunity to address the question of whether or not the bases of citizenship need to be fundamentally reconceived, and in what ways political science can and should contribute to such a rethinking.—Jeffrey C. Isaac, Editor
The Congruent Number Problem

(1980). The Congruent Number Problem. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 87, No. 1, pp. 43-45.
Diagnosis and Handling of Sudden Vibration on D5TC2F42 Turbine of 350MW Unit

General situation of the unit of Huaneng Nantong Power Plant is introduced. The GE D5TC2F42 subcritical condensing turbine is mid-reheat,single shaft,double casing,double discharge with impulse blade. To tackle the sudden vib- ration problem on the GE 350MW turbine of unit 4 in this Power Plant,diagnosis and analysis were implemented. It was concluded that the cause of sudden vibration was misalignment of couplings. After taking the measures of rejoining the couplings and decrease the top clearances of the bearings,the vibration issue was successfully solved.