cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 278: Role of AF4 and Dot1 in MLL-AF9 mediated leukemogenesis

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) is characterized by rearrangement of the MLL gene at chromosome band 11q23. MLL gene rearrangements give rise to chimeric proteins that contain the N-terminal portion of MLL fused to the C-terminal portion of over 50 different fusion partners. MLL chimeras do not retain the histone methyltransferase activity of wild type MLL and it is unclear how they deregulate the expression of MLL target genes. Our laboratory studies the two most common MLL fusion partners encountered in patients with leukemia, AF4 and AF9. We have previously shown that AF4 and AF9 heterodimerize and peptides that block this interaction are toxic to MLL leukemia cell lines. This supports the hypothesis that the interaction of MLL-AF9 with AF4 is required for leukemogenesis. However, we have also shown that AF4 and H3K79 methyltransferase, Dot1 have similar binding sites on AF9. Furthermore, we have found that Dot1 is required for immortalization of hematopoietic progenitor cells by MLL fusion genes. The work of Yokoyama and others demonstrated that AF4, ENL (a close homologue of AF9) and Dot1L do not exist in the same multimeric complex. To understand the role of AF4 and Dot1 in MLL-AF9 mediated leukemogenesis, we made point mutants of AF9 with differential binding for AF4 and Dot1. Based on our preliminary data and recent studies, we hypothesize that the binding of AF4 and not Dot1 to MLL-AF9 is required for MLL-AF9 mediated leukemogenesis. Nevertheless, Dot1 remains a critical factor in MLL-AF9 leukemia. We hypothesize that Dot1 recruitment is mediated by wild type AF9 rather than MLL-AF9. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 278. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-278
Ultrafiltration in the Concentration and Purification of Pneumococcus Specific Polysaccharides

In continuance of the chemical and immunological studies of the pneumococcus,1,2 methods of ultrafiltration previously described for use in the purification and concentration of other products3,4 have proved distinctly advantageous in the preparation of the type-specific carbohydrate from broth cultures. Simultaneous concentration and purification are accomplished and the injurious effects of heat and chemicals are avoided. In one instance a 16-hour culture of pneumococcus type VII grown in an infusion-free peptone broth was run through a Sharples supercentrifuge and the effluent ultrafiltered and washed on a 4% nitrocellulose (Parlodion) membrane at room temperature. The residue, which contained all of the specific polysaccharide, represented a 100-fold concentration of the original material; at the same time 98.26% of the nitrogen had been removed. Similar results in the concentration of the specific polysaccharide and the elimination of inert material have been obtained by the passage of from 10 to 12 ...
Studies on the insoluble residue of human costal cartilage.

SummaryHuman costal cartilage residue, remaining after the extraction of the protein polysaccharide light portion, was solubilized either by autoclaving in acetate buffer at pH 7.0 or by hot trichloroacetic acid extraction. The human costal cartilage residue was composed of a carbohydrate-rich collagen, a non-collagenous protein polysaccharide, and a protein polysaccharide-collagen complex. All three components were ionically bound to the acid mucopolysaccharides.
Analysis on the Running of Infectious Diseases Automated- alert and Response System in Jining City from 2011 to 2012

Objective To analyze the running of Infectious Diseases Automated- alert and Response System( CIDARS) in Jining city from 2011 to 2012 in order to improve its quality. Methods Statistical description,chi- square test and other methods were used to analyze and evaluate the data of the CIDARS from 2011 to 2012. Results From 2011 to 2012,a total of 2 279 signals were generated in Jining city on 14 kinds of infectious diseases in the system,with a positive rate of 0. 48%. Among them,236 were single disease warnings with a response timeliness ratio of 60. 17%( 142 /236); 2 043 were time series warning with a response timeliness ratio of 87. 07%( 1 779 /2 043). The difference was statistically significant( χ 2 = 115. 69,P 0. 01). The single disease response timeliness ratio and time series response timeliness ratio between different areas both showed statistically significant differences( χ 2 = 38. 94,P 0. 01; χ 2 = 257. 24,P 0. 01). The top 5 diseases of early warnings were infectious diarrhea,mumps,hand,foot and mouth disease,measles and influenza. The top 5 counties with the most warnings were Rencheng County,Jiaxiang County,Liangshan County,Jinxiang County and Zoucheng City. Conclusion The performance of communicable disease automatic early- warning system is fairly good in Jining city,and it has realized the goal of early warning for the outbreak of disease to some degree,but the positive rate of early warning signal is still low,and it needs further improvement.
The effect of laparoscopic follicular aspiration on ovarian steroidogenesis during the early preimplantation period

Seventeen patients were studied for the first 72 hours of the luteal phase after spontaneous ovulation or follicle aspiration. Nine patients (group I) underwent follicle aspiration after clomiphene citrate (CC) administration, three women were studied after CC for ovulation induction (group II), and five spontaneous ovulating subjects served as controls (group III). Serum progesterone (P) concentrations were significantly elevated in stimulated cycles with or without follicle aspiration, compared with subjects. Moreover, when aspirated subjects were compared with nonaspirated stimulated subjects, a significant difference in P concentration was identified. It can be concluded that with follicle aspiration, P decreases can be observed, but with multiple follicle development, inadequate P levels are not seen in these stimulated subjects. On the contrary, with such elevated P levels, endometrial advancement may. play a role in poor implantation success with human in vitro fertilization procedures.
The Biology and Psychology of Fear

Fear is an essential animal emotion. Its triggers, and the associated symptoms of anxiety or aggression fear can cause, have evolved to serve a number of very important purposes, and have served us well.
Walter Bagehot: Male Efficiency and Female Dignity

No one has been of greater consequence for the modern British monarchy than Walter Bagehot. He is the one authority that both defenders and critics of the Crown make it their business to know. Further, Bagehot has now served as an authoritative source on the monarchy for more than a hundred years. His ideas about the monarchy appear primarily in his analysis of parliamentary government, The English Constitution published in 1867. Legal experts on the constitution began to refer to Bagehot’s book from the 1880s onwards.1 Oxford and Cambridge dons began to teach it around the turn of the century.2 At around the same time civil servants began to cite Bagehot as an authority on royal finance and on the Crown’s relationship to the House of Lords.3 Every sovereign since George V has studied Bagehot. The current queen learned about Bagehot from the provost at Eton. The current heir to the throne has sought out Bagehot’s modern editor for advice and further reading on Bagehot.4 Even John Cannon and Tom Nairn, who have written very different histories of the modern British monarchy, agree that Bagehot remains the starting place for discussions of the monarchy. Nairn puts the case more vividly and less neutrally than Cannon. For Nairn The English Constitution is the ‘chief malefactor’ and Bagehot the ‘guilty party’ responsible for quashing reasonable republicanism in Britain and stamping out progressive criticism of the monarchy.5
The Diurnal Cycle of Warm Season Rainfall over West Africa. Part II: Convection-Permitting Simulations

AbstractConvection-permitting simulations at 3-km resolution using a regional climate model are analyzed to improve the understanding of the diurnal cycle of rainfall over West Africa and its underlying physical processes. The warm season of 2006 is used for the model simulations. The model produces an accurate representation of the observed seasonal mean rainfall and lower-troposphere circulation and captures the observed westward propagation of rainfall systems. Most of West Africa has a single diurnal peak of rainfall in the simulations, either in the afternoon or at night, in agreement with observations. However, the number of simulated rainfall systems is greater than observed in association with an overestimation of the initiation of afternoon rainfall over topography. The longevity of the simulated propagating systems is about 30% shorter than is observed, and their propagation speed is nearly 20% faster. The model captures the observed afternoon rainfall peaks associated with elevated topography (...
The Learning Curve in Prostate MRI Interpretation: Self-Directed Learning Versus Continual Reader Feedback

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the roles of self-directed learning and continual feedback in the learning curve for tumor detection by novice readers of prostate MRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A total of 124 prostate MRI examinations classified as positive (n = 52; single Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System [PI-RADS] category 3 or higher lesion showing Gleason score ≥ 7 tumor at MRI-targeted biopsy) or negative (n = 72; PI-RADS category 2 or lower and negative biopsy) for detectable tumor were included. These were divided into four equal-sized batches, each with matching numbers of positive and negative examinations. Six second-year radiology residents reviewed examinations to localize tumors. Three of the six readers received feedback after each examination showing the preceding case's solution. The learning curve, plotting accuracy over time, was assessed by the Akaike information criterion (AIC). Logistic regression and mixed-model ANOVA were performed. RESULTS. For readers wit...
Integrating Research and Practice: Looking Forward:

The ProblemThe diversity of issues illuminated in this collection of six articles is just another reminder that we still have a long way to go in our endeavor to cross between the worlds of researc...
Superelastic Pseudocapacitors from Freestanding MnO2 Decorated Graphene-Coated Carbon Nanotube Aerogels

In recent years, the demand for emerging electronic devices has driven efforts to develop electrochemical capacitors with high power and energy densities that can preserve capacitance under and after recovery from mechanical deformation. We have developed superelastic pseudocapacitors using ∼1.5 mm thick graphene-coated single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) aerogels decorated with manganese oxide (MnO2) as freestanding electrodes that retain high volumetric capacitance and electrochemical stability before, under, and after recovery from 50% compression. Graphene-coated SWCNT aerogels are superelastic and fatigue-resistant with high specific surface area and electrical conductivity. Electrodeposition of MnO2 onto these aerogels does not alter their superelasticity, with full shape recovery even after 10 000 compression−release cycles to 50% strain. Total (utilized) gravimetric capacitances of these aerogels before compression are similar to those under and after recovery from 50% compression over a wide ra...
Gating Compliance, a Reduction in Hair-Bundle Stiffness Associated with the Gating of Transduction Channels in Hair Cells from the Bullfrog’s Sacculus

The electrical response of any organ of the internal ear or lateral-line system depends upon the hair cell’s sensitivity to mechanical stimulation. This mechano-sensitivity resides in the hair bundle, a cluster of 20–300 stereocilia that extends from the apical surface of the cell. Sound, acceleration, or water motion causes movement of an accessory structure such as a tectorial membrane, otolithic membrane, or cupula, which in turn deflects the hair bundle’s tip. By opening transduction channels, excitatory deflection then produces a depolarizing receptor potential which modulates the cell’s release of synaptic transmitter and hence the activity in eighth-nerve fibers.
Neuromuscular Disease: Cardiac Manifestations and Sudden Death Risk

Cardiovascular complications of neuromuscular diseases disproportionately affect the cardiac conduction system. Cardiomyopathy and cardiac arrhythmias produce significant morbidity and mortality. Patients with neuromuscular diseases should be carefully and frequently evaluated for the presence of bradycardia, heart block, and tachyarrhythmias. Preemptive treatment with permanent pacemakers or implanted defibrillators is appropriate in patients with conduction system disease or who are at risk for ventricular arrhythmias.
A Note on Rem Rebound during Experimental Alcohol Withdrawal in Alcoholics

Until recently the effect of alcohol on rapid eye movement sleep (REM) appeared to be a relatively simple and clear aspect of the complicated relationship between alcohol and sleep. In normals, alcohol, even in moderate amounts, reduced REM (Gresham et al., 1963, Yules et al., 1966, Knowles et al., 1968). This was followed by a transient increase in REM, a “REM rebound,” and return to baseline. When increased REM was observed in patients in acute alcohol withdrawal, this was assumed to be a manifestation of the REM rebound following the reduction of REM by the alcohol (Gross et al., 1966, Greenberg and Pearlman, 1967, Gross and Goodenough, 1968, Johnson et al., 1970). Patients in delirium tremens were often observed to have very considerable increases of REM and a level of 100% REM was reported in several instances (Gross et al., 1966, Greenberg and Pearlman, 1967, Johnson et al., 1970). Under experimental conditions, alcoholics appeared to have the REM reduction during alcohol intake and transient REM rebound when alcohol intake was stopped (Greenberg and Pearlman, 1967, Gross et al., 1971, Gross et al., 1973a, Gross et al., 1973b). The high levels of REM observed clinically during alcohol withdrawal in alcoholics were assumed to be quantitative effects of more alcohol intake for longer periods of time than the alcohol administered to normals or experimentally given to alcoholics. There was no evidence that there might be anything more complex in the REM differences between normals and alcoholics than the alcoholics’ ability to tolerate greater alcohol intake, and thereby, produce greater REM reduction and subsequent rebound. The REM reduction and rebound effects appeared to be shared by the other sedative-hypnotics.
K-Ras Populates Conformational States Differently from Its Isoform H-Ras and Oncogenic Mutant K-RasG12D.

Summary Structures of wild-type K-Ras from crystals obtained in the presence of guanosine triphosphate (GTP) or its analogs have remained elusive. Of the K-Ras mutants, only K-RasG12D and K-RasQ61H are available in the PDB representing the activated form of the GTPase not in complex with other proteins. We present the crystal structure of wild-type K-Ras bound to the GTP analog GppCH 2 p, with K-Ras in the state 1 conformation. Signatures of conformational states obtained by one-dimensional proton NMR confirm that K-Ras has a more substantial population of state 1 in solution than H-Ras, which predominantly favors state 2. The oncogenic mutant K-RasG12D favors state 2, changing the balance of conformational states in favor of interactions with effector proteins. Differences in the population of conformational states between K-Ras and H-Ras, as well as between K-Ras and its mutants, can provide a structural basis for focused targeting of the K-Ras isoform in cancer-specific strategies.
Benign Conditions Associated with a Risk for the Subsequent Development of Cancer

The vast majority of breast conditions that are biopsied (sampled) are benign [1]. Some of these benign conditions are associated with the increased risk for the subsequent development of cancer and some are not 1–5 Those that are associated with an elevated risk can be placed into a spectrum of changes referred to as proliferative breast disease (with or without atypia). They are considered marker lesions in contrast to precursor lesions, which will be described in Chap. 4. Marker lesions are associated with risk for cancers in both breasts. If cancer develops in the same breast as a marker lesion, it is likely to arise at a location in that breast other than where the marker lesion was found, in contrast to precursor lesions, for which subsequent cancers are usually found in close proximity to where the precursor lesion was located.
Autonomously replicating single-copy episomes in Trypanosoma brucei show unusual stability.

Abstract We have obtained several autonomously replicating plasmids in procyclic Trypanosoma brucei. Two of these have been analyzed in detail. Both exist as monomeric single-copy episomes, which nevertheless demonstrate significant stability. These episomes transform procyclics at frequencies that are at least 60-fold higher than those achieved earlier with non-replicating molecules. A modified version of one of these episomes is able to replicate autonomously in bloodstream form T. brucei but it is unstable in this developmental stage of the organism. These episomes will prove useful as shuttle vectors, in functional complementation studies, in the construction of promoter-traps for the isolation of transcriptional promoters in T. brucei, and importantly, as models for the analysis of DNA replication in this ancient eukaryotic lineage.
Amazon.Com, Inc. Buys Whole Foods Market

After Amazon.com announced it would acquire Whole Foods, shares of supermarkets in the United States were hit hard; the same was true for grocers in Europe, as investors there worried about the possibility of Amazon moving beyond US borders in the grocery space. Because little had been said regarding the motivation behind the acquisition, the CEO of a large organic-foods supermarket group in Europe decided that the potential impact of this acquisition might warrant some reflection. He wanted to start by looking at the implications of the acquisition on Amazon's consolidated financial statements. Excerpt UVA-C-2409 Rev. Jan. 14, 2021 Amazon.com, Inc. Buys Whole Foods Market Gabriel Bertrand, CEO of a large organic-foods supermarket group in Europe, pondered the potential implications of Amazon.com's (Amazon) acquisition of Whole Foods Market (Whole Foods) for grocers around the world. After Amazon announced it would acquire Whole Foods, shares of supermarkets in the United States were hit hard; the same was true for grocers in Europe, as investors there worried about the possibility of Amazon moving beyond US borders in the grocery space. In the company's official press release announcing the acquisition, Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos commented, Millions of people love Whole Foods because they offer the best natural and organic foods, and they make it fun to eat healthy. Whole Foods Market has been satisfying, delighting and nourishing customers for nearly four decadesthey're doing an amazing job, and we want that to continue. But beyond that, he had said little regarding the motivation behind the acquisition. Bertrand decided that the potential impact of this acquisition might warrant some reflection. He wanted to start by looking at the implications of the acquisition on Amazon's consolidated financial statements. Company Description Founded by Bezos in 1994, Amazon was an Ecommerce and cloud-computing company headquartered in Seattle. It purchased consumer products that it resold to consumers online; had an online platform for third-party sellers to sell their merchandise; sold digital content subscriptions and electronic devices; offered cloud infrastructure through its Amazon Web Services (AWS) segment; and had an annual membership program (Amazon Prime) that included free shipping and access to unlimited streaming of movies and television programs. . . .
An Upper Extremity Risk Assessment Tool Based on Material Fatigue Failure Theory: The Distal Upper Extremity Tool (DUET).

Objective:Musculoskeletal tissues repeatedly loaded in vitro fail in accordance with material fatigue failure theory, and there is evidence to suggest that the same process occurs in vivo. The curr...
Fabrication and optical properties of highly transparent MgO ceramics by spark plasma sintering

Abstract Highly transparent MgO ceramics have been prepared via Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) at 1200 °C for 10–60 min, under a pressure of 100 MPa. All of the prepared ceramics were visually transparent and exhibited relatively high in-line transmittance. The ceramic sintered for 60 min demonstrated the highest in-line transmittance, of 60–80% in the 300 nm to 9 μm wavelength range; values that are close to that reported for MgO single crystals. Photoluminescence measurements revealed a peak located at ~360 nm, which was determined to be due to oxygen vacancy color centers induced by the reducing atmosphere of the SPS process in vacuum atmosphere.
2013 Name of the Year

The ninth annual Name of the Year vote was held at the American Name Society meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 3 2014.For 2013 we had twenty-two total nominees, eight fewer than last yea...
Re-envisioning Myth in Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Contrary to some commentaries, Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens maintains the mythic tenor of the popular film series but does so through a more subtle and nuanced use of mythological arch...
Transgender vaginoplasty: Techniques and outcomes

Gender affirmation surgery is paramount in the treatment of gender dysphoria for transgender individuals. For transgender women, vaginoplasty offers the opportunity for removal of masculine-appearing genitalia and replacement with a gender-congruent appearance. While numerous techniques have been described in the past, approaches have standardized considerably. Herein, we describe a technique to penile inversion vaginoplasty and focus on some of the critical steps of the procedure to try to optimize patient outcomes. We also review relevant literature regarding perioperative outcomes.
A VARIANT OF POLYOMA VIRUS ALTERED IN ITS PROCESSING OF LATE VIRAL RNA

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the variant of polyoma virus altered in its processing of late viral RNA. The 3049 variant of Py virus is altered in a step associated with the processing of its primary late transcript. It is recognized by its unusual phenotype in an indirect immunofluorescent test using antibody directed against capsid antigens. Cells infected with w.t. virus fluoresce only in the nucleus, whereas 3049 infected cells fluoresce in both nucleus and cytoplasm—a phenotype related to overproduction of viral proteins. In all early lytic events and in the amount and timing of viral DNA replication, 3049 and w.t. are the same. It is found that in the nucleus, at late times, the amount of high molecular weight and total nuclear viral RNA is the same. In 3049 infected cells, there is a three- to fivefold increase in the amount of viral capsid proteins and a difference in their relative distribution. The difference in relative distribution of 3049 capsid proteins suggests the possibility of a difference in the relative distribution of 3049 messages.
The Gendered Effects of Local Immigration Enforcement: Latinas’ Social Isolation in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Phoenix:

The 2017 revitalization of the controversial Security Communities program, which requires local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials in the United States, has made it urg...
Blocking and Permeability

There are two key elements in immunocytochemistry: (1) to allow binding of the antibodies only to appropriate sites and (2) to allow antibodies access to antigens inside cells. Antibodies are proteins and can bind to tissue in ways other than specific via Fab binding. If the antibodies bind nonspecifically, then the labeling will occur as if the antibodies were bound to an antigen. Blocking of these nonspecific sites is an important and necessary step. A second requirement is that tissues and cells must be treated to allow antibodies to get inside the membranes to the cytoplasm. This is called permeabilization of cells and is done with detergents.
Saving Elizabeth: Radical Control & the Puzzle of Authenticity

In their empirically informed work “Personality and Authenticity in light of the Memory-Modifying Potential of Optogenetics” Przemyslaw Zawadzki and Agnieszka Adamcyzk (2021) raise concerns about m...
Introduction to optoelectronic devices

Abstract As the optoelectronics market continues to grow at 20%–40% per year in many segments, many new practitioners join the field, without the benefit of the traditional graduate school training programs in laser and light-emitting diode physics, fabrication, or operation. Our goal in this chapter is to provide an introduction to optoelectronics for those transferring into this field. This introduction is intended to share the basic principles of the design and fabrication of lasers and optoelectronics for those who are not involved in core design activities, and also to serve as an introduction for those who want to pursue more rigorous studies.
COVID-19: What Intervention Policies Are Most Effective? A Brief Report Using Data from Government of Bahrain

[enter Abstract BodyTo shed light on intervention policies that can be most effective in addressing the novel COVID-19, we have performed some preliminary analyses . Our analyses are based on (a) a compartmental analytical model, and (b) data that we have received from the government of Bahrain. We have augmented this data by combining it with other sources, including data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), other countries (e.g., China), and some related studies in the literature. The policies we have analyzed based on our conversations with the government of Bahrain are discussed in Table 1, and our data sources are briefly described in Table 2. In what follows, we first provide a brief overview of our analytical model. We then discuss our results on comparing the impact of following different intervention policies.]
Synthetic Peptide Vaccines for Schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease that infects an estimated 200 million persons, leading to an estimated 800,000 to 1 million annual deaths. It ranks second only to malaria in terms of morbidity and mortality caused by a parasitic disease. In addition, there is increasing evidence that schistosome infection may have profound effects on growth in children (de Lima e Costa et al., 1988; Corbett et al., 1992; McGarvey et al., 1993). Three species of schistosomes account for the vast majority of human infection: Schistosoma mansoni, found in South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Middle East; S. haematobium, found in Africa and the Middle East; and S. japonica, found in Asia and Southeast Asia. In addition, there are other species of schistosomes that infect humans with varying degrees of success such as S. intercalatum and S. mekongi. Disease is caused by the host immune response to parasite eggs that become trapped in tissues, forming granulomas. Granulomatous responses then lead to the development of fibrotic lesions, which in turn lead to portal hypertension, shunting, and esophageal varices. One or more of these serious disease manifestations are found in S. japonicum- and mansoni-infected patients who have developed hepatosplenic disease.
Adaptive predictor-based output feedback control for a class of unknown MIMO systems: Experimental results

Experimental results are presented to validate a recently developed adaptive output feedback controller for a class of unknown MIMO systems. The control approach relies on three components, i.e. a predictor, a reference model, and a controller. Specifically, since the predictor is designed to predict the system's output for any admissible control input, controlling the uncertain system is reduced to controlling the predictor, which is a virtual system with known dynamics and full state available. Subsequently, a full state feedback control law is designed to control the predictor output to approach the reference system, while the reference system tracks the desired trajectory, accounting for the actuator amplitude and rate saturation constraints. Ultimately, the control objective of driving the actual system output to track the desired trajectories is achieved by showing that the system output, the predictor output, and the reference system trajectory all converge to each other. Theorems and the step-by-step implementation of the control strategy are presented. Finally, the control's efficacy is illustrated by a real time implementation of the proposed algorithm on an actual helicopter test bed.
Protein S deficiency in a living liver donor

Protein S deficiency is a thrombophilia associated with increased risk of thromboembolic episodes in affected patients. Traditionally, protein S deficiency in a potential donor was considered an absolute contraindication to living donor liver transplantation, both due to the increased risk incurred by the thrombophilic donor as well as the risk of transmitting the thrombophilia to the liver recipient, as protein S is predominantly produced by the liver. We present the first successful case of living donor liver transplantation using a donor with asymptomatic protein S deficiency. Interestingly, whereas the donor continued to have protein S levels approximately 50% of normal, the recipient maintained normal levels of protein S post-transplant, potentially due to compensation by extra-hepatic protein S production. We discuss the prior literature of protein S deficiency acquired via liver transplantation, and we evaluate potential criteria by which the safety of transplants utilizing this pool of donors may be enhanced.
Transformation of Metalaxyl by the Fungus Syncephalastrum racemosum

The fungus Syncephalastrum racemosum (Cohn) Schroeter was found to transform the fungicide metalaxyl [N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-N-(methoxyacetyl)-alanine methyl ester] in pure culture. After 21 days of incubation in a basal medium amended with 5 μg of metalaxyl per ml, more than 80% of the compound was transformed by the fungus. The transformation rates decreased as the concentrations of metalaxyl increased from 5 to 100 μg/ml. No transformation was observed when the concentration of metalaxyl was higher than 200 μg/ml. Two isomeric metabolites and a mixture of two other isomeric metabolites were isolated from the organic extract of the growth medium and identified as N-(2-methyl-6-hydroxymethylphenyl)-N- and N-(2-hydroxymethyl-6-methylphenyl)-N-(methoxyacetyl)-alanine methyl ester and N-(3-hydroxy- and N-(5-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-N-(methoxyacetyl)-alanine methyl ester according to their mass-spectral and nuclear magnetic resonance-spectral characteristics. Benzylic hydroxylation of the methyl side chains and/or aromatic hydroxylation appeared to be the major reactions involved in the metabolism of metalaxyl.
Remote Sensing of Volcano Surface and Internal Processes Using Radar Interferometry

We describe here the use of imaging radar interferometry for remote sensing studies of volcanoes. Interferometric radars measure topography precisely, map surface cover changes such as active lava flows, and resolve extremely small deformations of the surface over large areas. First we present a tutorial on the radar interferometry technique. We then describe how these detailed measurements of surface processes may be further analyzed to infer volume or other changes at depth and thus provide a window through which to view subsurface activity. Because the subsurface transport of magma within a volcano is an important indicator of potential (or ongoing) activity, the ability to monitor deformations when they are slow or small, and often aseismic, could provide advance warning of future activity. Because radar measurements are not affected by clouds, radar is a valuable means to gather information in challenging, and even dangerous, environments spread over the entire Earth. In this chapter we present the technique of radar interferometry in a tutorial manner, give several example analyses of active volcanoes, and discuss its usefulness for the study of volcanoes in a variety of environments.
Generalized and bounded policy iteration for finitely-nested interactive POMDPs: scaling up

Policy iteration algorithms for partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDP) offer the benefits of quick convergence and the ability to operate directly on the solution, which usually takes the form of a finite state controller. However, the controller tends to grow quickly in size across iterations due to which its evaluation and improvement become costly. Bounded policy iteration provides a way of keeping the controller size fixed while improving it monotonically until convergence, although it is susceptible to getting trapped in local optima. Despite these limitations, policy iteration algorithms are viable alternatives to value iteration.In this paper, we generalize the bounded policy iteration technique to problems involving multiple agents. Specifically, we show how we may perform policy iteration in settings formalized by the interactive POMDP framework. Although policy iteration has been extended to decentralized POMDPs, the context there is strictly cooperative. Its generalization here makes it useful in non-cooperative settings as well. As interactive POMDPs involve modeling others, we ascribe nested controllers to predict others' actions, with the benefit that the controllers compactly represent the model space. We evaluate our approach on multiple problem domains, and demonstrate its properties and scalability.
Carbon Disulfide (CS2) Mechanisms in Formation of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Formation from Unconventional Shale Gas Extraction and Processing Operations and Global Climate Change

Carbon disulfide (CS2) has been historically associated with the production of rayon, cellophane, and carbon tetrachloride. This study identifies multiple mechanisms by which CS2 contributes to the formation of CO2 in the atmosphere. CS2 and other associated sulfide compounds were found by this study to be present in emissions from unconventional shale gas extraction and processing (EP carbonyl sulfide (COS), carbon monoxide (CO), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are indirect greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to CO2 levels in the atmosphere. The heat-trapping nature of CO2 has been found to increase the surface temperature, resulting in regional and global climate change. The purpose of this study is to identify five mechanisms by which CS2 and the breakdown products of CS2 contribute to atmospheric concentrations of CO2. The five mechanisms of CO2 formation are as follows: Chemical Interaction of CS2 and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) present in natural gas at high temperatures, resulting in CO2 formation;Combustion of CS2 in the presence of oxygen producing SO2 and CO2;Photolysis of CS2 leading to the formation of COS, CO, and SO2, which are indirect contributors to CO2 formation;One-step hydrolysis of CS2, producing reactive intermediates and ultimately forming H2S and CO2;Two-step hydrolysis of CS2 forming the reactive COS intermediate that reacts with an additional water molecule, ultimately forming H2S and CO2. CS2 and COS additionally are implicated in the formation of SO2 in the stratosphere and/or troposphere. SO2 is an indirect contributor to CO2 formation and is implicated in global climate change.
Far-Infrared čerenkov Masers

A relativistic electron beam propagating near to a dielectric film will produce Cerenkov radiation. The beam couples most strongly to the axial component of the guided modes, and the strength of the coupling is determined by the evanescence of the wave. The characteristic scale length for this evanescence is approximately λβγ/2π, where λ is the wavelength of the radiation and β and γ are, respectively, the relative velocity and the relative energy of the beam electrons.
Flux enhancement during Dean vortex microfiltration. 8. Further diagnostics1

Abstract Controlled centrifugal instabilities (called Dean vortices) resulting from flow around a curved channel have been used to reduce both concentration polarization and membrane fouling during microfiltration. These vortices enhance back-migration through convective flow away from the membrane–solution interface and allow for increased membrane permeation rates. As part of an effort to further understand the opportunities and limitations of using Dean vortex microfiltration, we report here on a series of experiments in which the performance of runs in the presence of vortices are compared to that in the absence of vortices. They include changing the following variables: transmembrane pressure, particle suspension concentration, ionic strength of the solution, and the reversibility of changing flow rate (from high rates in the presence of Dean vortices to low rates in the absence of such vortices and the reverse procedure) within a particular experiment. Unexpected results were observed for the ionic strength and flow reversal cases. The flux decreased with increasing ionic strength, passed through a minimum and then increased to a constant value. In the same experiment, the flux decreased when the flow rate was reversed from a high to low and back to a high value, until the flux was not affected by changing flow rate. We explain these interesting observations by contrasting the behavior of aggregated colloids in solution and within the deposited cake layer on the membrane surface. Pressure effects on the cake layer are also considered.
Design of analog circuits using organic field-effect transistors

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) can be manufactured at low temperatures, enabling the fabrication of integrated circuits on flexible plastic substrates and the coverage of large areas at potentially low cost. This paper evaluates state-of-the-art OFET technology from the perspective of the analog circuit designer. Specifically, we review important OFET device performance metrics in comparison to generic silicon CMOS transistors. In addition, an overview of recent accomplishments in OFET-based analog design is presented.
MACH14: A Multi-Site Collaboration on ART Adherence Among 14 Institutions

The integration of original data from multiple antiretroviral (ARV) adherence studies offers a promising, but little used method to generate evidence to advance the field. This paper provides an overview of the design and implementation of MACH14, a collaborative, multi-site study in which a large data system has been created for integrated analyses by pooling original data from 16 longitudinal ARV adherence studies. Studies selected met specific criteria including similar research design and data domains such as adherence measured with medication event monitoring system, psychosocial factors related to adherence behavior, and virologic and clinical outcomes. The data system created contains individual data (collected between 1997 and 2009) from 2,860 HIV patients. Collaboration helped resolve the challenges inherent in pooling data across multiple studies, yet produced a data system with strong statistical power and potentially greater capacity to address key scientific questions than possible with single-sample studies or even meta-analytic designs.
Gertrude Bustill Mossell: Guiding voice for newly freed blacks

This article illuminates the life and work of Gertrude Bustill Mossell (1855–1948), a 19th‐century journalist who served as a guiding voice to newly freed African Americans. From the early 1870s until the turn of the century, Mossell a member of Philadelphia's African American aristocracy, wrote a women's column and news articles for a variety of newspapers and magazines, including the New York Freeman, New York Age, Indianapolis World, Woman's Era, and Colored American Magazine. Using some 50 extant articles from these publications, this study identifies the major themes in her work. It demonstrates that she wrote the first family advice column in the history of the African American press. In addition, it shows that she provided moral guidance and advocated racial reform and expanded rights for women. Finally, it considers Mossell as a case study of a 19th‐century African American woman journalist, identifying themes in her work that cohere with themes of other African American women journalists of the p...
A process for identifying marginal performers among students in a clerkship.

PURPOSE To evaluate a review process for identifying marginal performers among students in a clerkship. METHOD To better identify the marginal performers among the students participating in the medicine clerkship at the University of Minnesota Medical School--Minneapolis, the Medicine Clerkship Committee reviewed in 1990-91 and 1991-92 all students rated by faculty or housestaff as below expectations for any of nine areas of clinical performance (27 students of 890, 3%). (In the past, a student was considered to be a marginal performer only if he or she was assigned an unsatisfactory numerical grade, calculated from the nine ratings, or if written comments by housestaff and faculty and the opinions of the attending faculty and clerkship site coordinator indicated that the student should fail.) Chi-square analysis was used to compare the number of students judged to be marginal performers under the review process with the number of marginal performers in 1988-89 and 1989-90. The two groups were also compared based on their preclerkship performances on standardized examinations. RESULTS Ten of those reviewed (37%) were judged to have performed marginally. Although the study group's performance on standardized examinations was not different from that of students during the previous two years, significantly fewer students were identified as marginal performers before the review process began than afterwards (2 of 867, 0.2%, versus 10 of 890, 1.1%, p < .05). CONCLUSION Without changing the way in which faculty and housestaff evaluated students, the review process improved the medicine clerkship evaluation system by identifying significantly more students who were marginal performers.
Variability of The Rocket Propellants RP-1, RP-2, and TS-5: Application of a Composition- and Enthalpy-Explicit Distillation Curve Method†

We have recently introduced several important improvements in the measurement of distillation curves for complex fluids. This method is a significant improvement over current approaches, featuring a composition-explicit data channel for each distillate fraction (for both qualitative and quantitative analysis) and an assessment of the energy content of each distillate fraction, among other features. The most significant modification is achieved with a new sampling approach that allows precise qualitative as well as quantitative analyses of each fraction, on the fly. We have applied the new method to the measurement of a wide variety of fluids, including hydrocarbons, gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuels (both petroleum-derived and biodiesel), and crude oils. In this paper, we present the application of the technique to representative batches of the rocket propellants RP-1, RP-2, and TS-5. We not only present the distillation curves but also utilize the composition-explicit information to characterize distillat...
Incorporation of selenium into spermatogenic pathway in mice.

SummaryStudies were conducted on tissue distribution of high specific activity Se-75 in CD-I male mice. As a tracer (1 μc Se-75; 0.03 μg Se) and in the presence of carrier (72 μg Se) Se-75 showed a cumulation pattern in the testis-epididymis complex indicative of association with the wave of spermat-ogenesis.
Perceptions of the Quality of Student Teaching Supervision

Sixty-three recent graduates and 171 university supervisors of special education teacher preparation programs served as a sample in a survey determining perceptions of the quality of student teaching supervision. A questionnaire was completed by all randomly selected subjects from across the nation. The results indicated that slight differences of opinion were found between the perceptions of the recent graduates and the university supervisors related to the quality and nature of student teaching supervision. It is suggested that in some instances greater emphasis is placed on the prestudent teaching knowledge base than on the development of teaching competencies acquired by the student teaching experiences.
Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform Act of 1996: A Kansas Perspective

Government program deficiency payments traditionally have played an important role in stabilizing farm incomes. With the Federal Agricultural Improvement and Reform (FAIR) Act of 1996, net farm income risk most likely will increase because government payments no longer are tied directly to production levels or commodity prices. In a simulation covering Kansas farms from 1996 through 2002, we contrast, in this analysis, expected outcomes for farm income and its variability under FAIR with those of farm legislation in place before 1996. With FAIR, payments to Kansas farmers drop from $0.58 billion in 1996 to $0.35 billion by 2002. Based on projections, payments under the 1990 farm bill would have been only $0.21 billion in 1996, but would increase to $0.44 by 2002. Although average seven-year annual incomes will be higher with FAIR, income variability will increase substantially relative to previous legislation. The smallest increases in expected income and the greatest increases in income variability will occur in arid nonirrigated regions.
Developmental plasticity of the microscopic placental architecture in relation to litter size variation in the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus).

Fetal demand, shaped by factors such as number of fetuses, may alter placental regulation of exchange, even when maternal nutrition restriction is not overt. The marmoset is an interesting model in which to examine this aspect of placental function due to unique placentation that leads to multiple fetuses sharing a unified placental mass. We demonstrated previously that the triplet marmoset placenta exhibits significantly higher efficiency than does the twin placenta. Here, we test the hypothesis that this increased efficiency is due to changes in the microscopic morphology of the placenta. Stereology was employed to analyze the microscopic architecture of placentas from twin and triplet pregnancies. Compartments of interest were the trabeculae, intertrabecular space, fetal capillaries, and the surface area of the maternal-fetal interface. Placentas from the two litters did not differ significantly in overall volume or individual volumetric compartments, but triplet placentas exhibited significant expansion of the trabecular surface area in comparison to twins (p=0.039). Further, the two groups differed in the isomorphy coefficient, with triplet placentas having a significantly higher coefficient (p=0.001) and potentially a more complex microscopic topography. Differences in the maternal-fetal interface may be due to developmental constraints on gross placental growth that occur earlier in gestation, such that the only option for maintaining sufficient access to maternal resources or signaling pathways late in gestation is via an expansion of the interface. Despite the significant increase in overall surface area, individual triplet fetuses are associated with much less surface area than are individual twins, suggestive of alterations in metabolic efficiency, perhaps via differential amino acid transport regulation.
Urban spaces after socialism: ethnographies of public places in Eurasian cities

More than two decades after the fall of the Soviet Union, post-socialism as an analytical construct perseveres. Urban Spaces after Socialism upholds the legitimacy of such clumping in illustrating ...