cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
cis-acting elements involved in transcriptional regulation of the herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-associated promoter 1 (LAP1) in vitro and in vivo

Latency-associated promoter 1 (LAP1) of herpes simplex virus type 1 is required to generate a series of latency-associated transcripts (LATs) in sensory neurons of latently infected animals. Sequence analysis and DNA binding studies have suggested the existence of several cis-acting elements within LAP1 that are potentially important for promoter function, although their role in LAT gene expression during latency is largely unexplored. In this report, we present evidence that the LAP1 TATA box is essential for transcription initiation in vitro. A reduction in LAT synthesis measured by in situ hybridization and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) of rat brain tissue latently infected with a LAP1 TATA substitution virus demonstrated that this sequence was required for full LAP1 activity in vivo. Analysis of additional site-directed and 5'-deletion mutants of LAP1 by in vitro transcription-primer extension assays showed that upstream elements including the USF and cyclic AMP response element (CRE) site specifically contributed to LAP1 function and that sequences beginning at position -620 relative to the transcription start site were essential for full promoter activity. The combination of deleting USF, CRE, and TATA completely abolished LAT expression in the brain, identifying these as essential elements for the neuron-specific functioning of LAP1 during latency. Mutation of the transcription start site did not abolish transcription, suggesting the absence of an initiator element. However, one of the most exciting findings from this study is that the region downstream of the TATA box appears to contain a true enhancer that is not only essential for transcription, but also functional when positioned 1.6 kb downstream of the start site of transcription. It was concluded that (i) the TATA box was essential for full transcriptional activity from LAP1 both in vitro and in vivo, (ii) the USF element and CRE contribute to LAP1 function during latency in combination with the TATA element, (iii) multiple trans-acting factors besides the USF- and CRE-binding proteins were required for full promoter activity in vitro, and (iv) sequences downstream of the TATA box enhanced promoter activity in vitro.
An immunohistochemical approach for monitoring effects of exercise on tumor stromal cells in old mice.

Epidemiological evidence supports a protective effect of physical activity for breast cancer in older women, but the mechanisms are not well understood. We used 18-month-old BALB/c mice injected in the mammary fat pad with syngeneic 4T1 tumor cells as a model of invasive breast cancer. During the tumor progression phase, there was a significant decrease in labeling for F4/80, a marker for mouse macrophages, and CD34, a marker for vascular endothelial cells, in primary tumors from mice that ran higher average distances compared to mice that ran lower average distances ( p ≤0.05). These observations suggest that immunohistochemistry can be used to monitor stromal cell populations in tumors from old mice under exercise conditions. Keywords : breast cancer; exercise; aging; tumor stromal cells; tumor microenvironment; immunohistochemistry (Published: 11 August 2014) Citation : Pathobiology of Aging & Age-related Diseases 2014, 4 : 24824 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/pba.v4.24824
Belimumab: A BLyS-Specific Inhibitor for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Objective:To review the efficacy, safety, dosing, drug interactions, as well as economic and therapeutic considerations of belimumab, an investigational B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) inhibitor.Data Sources:A systematic, English-language MEDLINE search (1966-August 2010) was conducted using the search terms belimumab, Benlysta, B-lymphocyte stimulators, BLyS-specific inhibitors, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Press releases and bibliographies were reviewed for additional information and citations.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Belimumab was first identified and studied as a human protein target in 1999. Therefore, all published clinical trials and abstracts evaluating the safety and efficacy of belimumab for treatment of SLE as well as review articles from 1999 to present were evaluated for inclusion. Additional data were extracted from the manufacturer's Web site and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documents.Data Synthesis:Current therapies for SLE target nonspecific sites for inflammato...
Surface behavior in artificially constricted sand dollar eggs and egg fragments

In mathematical and computer models of cytokinesis in animal cells, it is sometimes assumed that the nature of the surface is such that it will develop furrowing behavior independently of the mitotic apparatus in response to folding and distortion. Similarly, it has been postulated that after the dividing cell has achieved a moderate degree of constriction, the process is completed with little or no additional energy or preorganized structure. The purpose of these experiments was to test those assumptions by artificially constricting the surface of Echinarachnius parma eggs with a pair of hooks at the time of cytokinesis. When the surface of unnucleated egg fragments or those containing single asters were constricted to 27–30 μm in diameter, no furrowing occurred in the constriction plane, and the fragments immediately rounded up when the hooks were removed. When fragments containing a single aster were reshaped into cylinders, the surface developed astral constrictions. When intact cells were constricted so that the constriction plane did not coincide with the plane of an astral center, no furrowing occurred. When the constriction plane and that of the astral center coincided or when they were very close, furrowing activity developed and then regressed. These results indicate that the sand dollar egg surface does not tend to develop furrowing activity in response to imposed folds and distortion independently of the mitotic apparatus. They also suggest that single asters can elicit contractile activity in nearby surface.
From Analysis of Mutants to Genetic Engineering

This chapter describes the research of developing transgenic barley for synthesis of recombinant proteins with practical significance and of metabolic engineering of proanthocyanidin-free barley. The results were obtained by graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and visiting scientists at the Carlsberg Laboratory from 1972-1996 and during the past ten years at Washington State University. It is written in appreciation of their enthusiasm, skill, and perseverance.
Polyreactivity of antibody molecules

Abstract The 'lock and key' hypothesis of antigen–antibody interaction has long dominated immunological thinking. However, studies demonstrating the existence of a large number of monoclonal antibodies that can bind to a variety of totally unrelated self and foreign antigens (i.e. polyreactive antibodies) has modified this view. We argue that the best explanation for polyreactivity is that the antigen-binding ‘pocket' of many antibody molecules is more flexible than previously thought and can change conformation to accommodate different antigens. In terms of biological function, we discuss the evidence for and against a role for polyreactive antibodies in immunological defense. We speculate that, paradoxically, because B cells that make polyreactive antibodies are capable of binding to many different endogenous host antigens, they might be involved in the induction and/or maintenance of immunological tolerance.
Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder Show Normal Responses to a Fear Potential Startle Paradigm

The present study utilized a fear potentiated startle paradigm to examine amygdala function in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Two competing hypotheses regarding amygdala dysfunction in autism have been proposed: (1) The amygdala is under-responsive, in which case it would be predicted that, in a fear potentiated startle experiment, individuals with autism would exhibit decreased fear conditioning and/or potentiation, and (2) The amygdala is over responsive, in which case an exaggerated potentiation of the startle response would be predicted. Fourteen adolescents and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and 14 age, gender, IQ, and anxiety level-matched typical adolescents and adults participated. Both participants with autism and typical participants potentiated the startle response following fear conditioning and no group differences in the latency or amplitude of the potentiated startle response were found. These results suggest that this aspect of amygdala function, namely fear conditioning and potentiation of the startle response, is intact in individuals with autism.
The Central Nervous System and the Onset of Puberty

The onset of puberty is a consequence of a complex sequence of maturational changes that are incompletely understood (Grumbach et al., 1974; Grumbach, 1975; Odell and Swerdloff, 1976). The development of secondary sex characteristics, the adolescent growth spurt, the attainment of fertility, and the psychosocial changes entrain from the maturation of the gonads and the increase in sex steroid secretion. Two independent but associated processes, controlled by different mechanisms but closely linked temporally, are involved in the increased secretion of sex steroids in the peripubertal and pubertal period. One has been designated “adrenarche,” the increase in adrenal androgen secretion (reviewed in Grumbach et al., 1978) which precedes by two years or so the second event, “gonadarche” or the pubertal activation of the hypothalamic—pituitary gonadotropin—gonadal apparatus (Grumbach et al., 1974). These two events and their role in puberty shall be considered separately.
Thermodynamic and Aerosol Controls in Southeast Pacific Stratocumulus

AbstractA near-large-eddy simulation approach with size-revolving (bin) microphysics is employed to evaluate the relative sensitivity of southeast Pacific marine boundary layer cloud properties to thermodynamic and aerosol parameters. Simulations are based on a heavily drizzling cloud system observed by the NOAA ship Ronald H. Brown during the Variability of the American Monsoon Systems (VAMOS) Ocean–Cloud–Atmosphere–Land Study—Regional Experiment (VOCALS-Rex) field campaign. A suite of numerical experiments examines the sensitivity of drizzle to variations in boundary layer depth and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentration in a manner consistent with the variability of those parameters observed during VOCALS-Rex. All four simulations produce cellular structures and turbulence characteristics of a circulation driven predominantly in a bottom-up fashion. The cloud and subcloud layers are coupled by strong convective updrafts that provide moisture to the cloud layer. Distributions of reflectivity calc...
An approximate solution for a pseudocapacitor

Transient analytical solutions are presented for the overpotential and the voltage for a porous electrode that includes both double-layer charging and a faradaic reaction. In addition, a simplified dynamic model is developed for the same process based on a second order, three-parameter polynomial approximate model. The effects of the parameters such as dimensionless exchange current density, conductivity ratio and applied current density on the voltage and overpotential distribution are presented. Also, using the exact transient solution an expression for the dimensionless interfacial current density is derived and the effects of the parameters mentioned above are presented. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
What is a Burin? Typology, Technology, and Interregional Comparison

Classification of artifacts has long marked a significant edge between theory and practice in archaeology. While considering classification to be a necessary methodological device, most practitioners also recognize that it carries with it built-in assumptions. This essay approaches the issue by way of a specific stone tool type from Old World sites: the burin. By asking “what is a burin?” the study shows the need to reconsider typologies to reflect changes in research questions and progress in dating methods, especially when working with museum collections and secondary data between regions and across national traditions, and the need to study whole collections from the perspective of technological choices.
Mechanisms Regulating the Protein Kinases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Reversible protein phosphorylation is a ubiquitous posttranslational modification in all eukaryotes. It is critically involved in the regulation of nearly all cellular processes and signaling pathways. Protein kinases, the enzymes that catalyze the phosphotransfer reaction, constitute one of the
Diffusion in the lower stratosphere as determined from lidar measurements of volcanic aerosol dispersion

Lidar measurements of the stratospheric aerosol layer from the Fuego volcanic eruption in 1974 are analyzed to yield estimates of effective vertical mixing coefficients K(z). The data at 19 deg N latitude give K(z) = 6.6 x 10 to the 2nd sq cm/sec for the altitude range of 19 + or - 1.5 km, while the data at 37 deg N yield K(z) = 13 x 10 to the 2nd sq cm/sec for 19 + or - 3.5 km. The variability in these values is about a factor of 2. These derived K(z) values are interpreted as being due mainly to diffusion.
Avian Soft Tissue Surgery

Basic surgical instrumentation for avian soft tissue surgery includes soft tissue retractors, microsurgical instrumentation, surgical loupes, and head-mounted lights. Hemostasis is fundamental during the surgical procedures. The indications, approach, and complications associated with soft tissue surgeries of the integumentary (digit constriction repair, feather cyst excision, cranial wound repair, sternal wound repair, uropygial gland excision), gastrointestinal (ingluviotomy, crop biopsy, crop burn repair, celiotomy, coelomic hernia and pseudohernia repair, proventriculotomy, ventriculotomy, enterotomy, intestinal resection and anastomosis, cloacoplasty, cloacopexy), respiratory (rhinolith removal, sinusotomy, tracheotomy, tracheal resection and anastomosis, tracheostomy, pneumonectomy) and reproductive (ovocentesis, ovariectomy, salpingohysterectomy, cesarean section, orchidectomy, vasectomy, phallectomy) systems are reviewed.
The conversion ratio (CR) for opioid rotation (OR) from strong opioids to transdermal fentanyl (TDF) in cancer patients.

9612 Background: Cancer patients frequently undergo OR for uncontrolled pain or opioid induced neurotoxicity (OIN). TDF is one of the most common opioids prescribed to cancer patients. However, the...
Copyright and Convergence: A Different Perspective

This paper argues that Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Company, Inc., did not eradicate cost recovery as a theory of copyright protection. Notwithstanding the Court's condemnation of the sweat of the brow theory of protection, courts continue to grant protection to persons with whom expression originates. Courts typically do so by holding that the creativity Feist supposedly requires for copyright protection inheres in choices the court identifies as necessary to create the expression. This point is familiar to anyone who has read cases extending protection to price lists for used cars or antique coins. I argue the point can also be seen in cases involving the filming of spontaneous news events, such as the Zapruder tape, George Holliday's filming of the beating of Rodney King, or the L.A. News Service's filming of the beating of Reginald Denny. One can identify choices made in such cases - the choice to focus for clarity rather than to achieve a distorted image, for example, or the choice of when to stop filming - but these choices do not reflect creativity in any meaningful sense. The price list and spontaneous news cases can be compared to part number cases, in which courts generally deny protection and disregard choices (such as the number of digits in the number) firms claim as reflecting creativity. I argue that all three types of cases are, for the most part, correctly decided, but that they cannot be distinguished by the concept of choice alone. The key is instead the relationship between the extension of rights and the desirability of variation or the need for cost recovery. To extend rights is to discourage copying and thus encourage greater variation of expression. Where the utility of expression relates inversely to variation, as with names, society is better off denying expression, so long as doing so does not squelch expression by eliminating the need for cost recovery. Where variation increases utility, protection is desirable. I also distinguish these arguments from the debate between property rules and liability rules. That debate ultimately turns on the socially optimal method of pricing where cost recovery is needed, not on the desirability of variation as such. Unless there is strong reason to believe that incentives are necessary to cover the costs of expression, given the disadvantages of judicial pricing, the only obvious case where a liability rule would be preferable to a property rule - where variation is undesirable - is also a case where no liability at all would be preferable to a property rule.
Serum Interleukin-6 Levels and Pulmonary Function in Ataxia-Telangiectasia

Objective To evaluate the potential link between systemic inflammation and impaired lung function in people with ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), we hypothesized that serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, a proinflammatory cytokine, would correlate inversely with lung function in subjects with A-T. Study design Consecutive subjects with A-T were recruited from the Johns Hopkins Outpatient A-T Clinical Center. Serum levels of IL-6 and 8 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Spirometry was performed in subjects ≥6 years of age on the same day that serum was obtained for measurements of cytokines. Results Approximately 80% of subjects had elevated serum IL-6 levels (>1.0 pg/mL). No association was found between elevated IL-6 and age. Elevated IL-8 levels were found in 23.6% of subjects, and all subjects with elevated IL-8 levels had elevated IL-6 levels. Subjects with elevated IL-6 levels (mean: 6.14 ± 7.47 pg/mL) had significantly lower mean percent forced vital capacity (FVC%, 50.5% ± 17.8%) compared with subjects with normal serum IL-6 levels (FVC% of 66.2 ± 16.1, P = .018). Greater IL-6 levels were associated with lower FVC% even after adjustment for receiving gamma globulin therapy ( P = .024) and supplemental nutrition ( P = .055). Conclusions An association was found between elevated serum IL-6 levels and lower lung function in subjects with A-T. In addition, subjects with both elevated IL-6 and IL-8 had the lowest mean lung function. These findings indicate that markers for systemic inflammation may be useful in identifying individuals with A-T at increased risk for lower lung function and may help in assessing response to therapy.
Poisoning by unknown agents.

1. Alan D. Woolf, MD, MPH* 1. 2. *Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School; Director, Program in Clinical Toxicology, Children’s Hospital, Boston; Director, Massachusetts Poison Control System, Boston, MA. A 16-year-old male who has asthma called 911 to report that he had taken 5 diazepam tablets (unknown strength) and 20 tablets of an over-the-counter cold remedy (each tablet contained 325 mg aspirin) in a suicide attempt. He was alert but mildly confused. He denied drinking ethanol, but complained of feeling cold and sick to his stomach. Upon arrival at the scene, emergency medical technicians found no empty pill bottles and reported the boy’s blood pressure at 100/70 mm Hg, pulse at 140 beats/min, and respiratory rate at 18 breaths/min and shallow. The patient developed hypotension in the emergency department and was noted to be hyperreflexic and tremulous. He was not wheezing. He complained of abdominal pain and retched repeatedly. Initial laboratory values included an elevated blood glucose of 11.93 mmol/L (215 mg/dL) and hypokalemia, with a potassium level of 2.5 mmol/L (2.5 mEq/L). Electrocardiography showed brief runs of a supraventricular tachycardia. Serum salicylate concentration was in the therapeutic range at 0.83 mmol/L (15 mg/dL). However, the patient was becoming more obtunded. An arterial blood gas measurement revealed a normal pH. A dose of activated charcoal was administered after orogastric lavage. The emergency physician was unclear if he should be implementing any other management and was confused by whether such a low aspirin level, in the context of a benzodiazepine overdose, was adequate explanation for the patient’s evident clinical manifestations and metabolic derangements. He notified the poison center, which suggested a specific diagnostic test. More than 2 million toxic exposures are reported to poison centers in the United States annually, over two thirds of which involve children and adolescents. The sick child or adolescent whose constellation of symptoms and signs may include poisoning among the possible choices in …
Low-dose aspirin for pre-eclampsia prevention in twins with elevated human chorionic gonadotropin

Low-dose aspirin for pre-eclampsia prevention in twins with elevated human chorionic gonadotropin
Der Lupo von Volkswagen

Mit dem Lupo bietet Volkswagen erstmalig ein Automobil unterhalb des Polosegments an. Seine geringe Aus;enlange macht den Lupo zu einem aus;erst kompakten und ubersichtlichen Automobil, das trotzdem einen aus;ergewohnlich geraumig gestalteten Innenraum bietet. Kompromis;losigkeit gegenuber den Entwicklungszielen zeichnen den Lupo aus. Die Liebe zum Detail und das hohe Fahrvergnugen werden Emotionen wecken.
A cis-acting peptide signal in human immunodeficiency virus type I rev which inhibits nuclear entry of small proteins

A peptide signal, which may control nucleo-cytoplasmic protein trafficking, was newly identified in human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) Rev, a lentiviral post-transcriptional transactivator. The sequence, in the amino-terminal portion of HIV-1 Rev, maintains a Rev mutant with a dysfunctional nuclear/nucleolar targeting signal outside of the nucleus, although this Rev molecule itself is small enough to pass through the nuclear pores. Transition of this sequence to the N-terminus of human T-lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV-I) p21x, which is usually located evenly distributed throughout the cell, resulted in capture of p21x in the cytoplasm. Mutational analysis clarified that a 14 residue peptide sequence was sufficient to display this inhibitory effect against nuclear entry. Furthermore, this HIV-1 Rev sequence was capable of inhibiting nuclear entry of a fragment of a human ribosomal protein, when it was fused to the carboxy terminus. The identified nuclear entry inhibitory signal (NIS) contains a conserved hydrophilicity motif, which forms an amphipathic helix. Significantly, this motif and its helical structure were shown to be important for NIS function and the HIV-1 Rev function itself. Possible roles for NIS as a molecular anchor are proposed herein.
Break-Even Income Analysis of Pharmacy Graduates Compared to High School and College Graduates.

Objective. To project the net cumulative income break-even point between practicing pharmacists and those who enter the workforce directly after high school graduation or after obtaining a bachelor’s degree.Methods. Markov modeling and break-even analysis were conducted. Estimated costs of education were used in calculating net early career earnings of high school graduates, bachelor’s degree holders, pharmacists without residency training, and pharmacists with residency training.Results. Models indicate that over the first 10 years of a pharmacist’s career, they accumulate net earnings of $716 345 to $1 064 840, depending on cost of obtaining the PharmD degree and career path followed. In the break-even analysis, all pharmacy career tracks surpassed net cumulative earnings of high school graduates by age 33 and bachelor’s degree holders by age 34.Conclusion. Regardless of the chosen pharmacy career track and the typical cost of obtaining a PharmD degree, the model under study assumptions demonstrates tha...
181 RISK OF PERSISTENT PULMONARY HYPERTENSION AMONG INFANTS DELIVERED BY ELECTIVE REPEAT CESAREAN SECTION WITH NO ANTECEDENT LABOR

National statistics indicate ˜ 8% of newborns are delivered by elective repeat cesarean section (CS). Kezler et al (1992) reported that among infants requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) between 1985-1991 at Georgetown University Medical Center, 18% were infants delivered by CS with no antecedent labor (NAL). 23% (10/44) had no other risk factors for pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). We performed a retrospective analysis of repeat CS deliveries at JCMCH between 1/2000 and 4/2004 (40 months) to compare neonatal outcomes among those infants whose mothers did or did not have antecedent labor (AL) before CS. (Table) Although no statistically significant differences are noted between groups, 3% of term newborns delivered by repeat CS with NAL developed clinically significant respiratory distress requiring NICU admission; 33% had echocardiographic evidence of PPHN, 33% required assisted ventilation, and 8% required transfer for possible ECMO. Repeat CS deliveries are not without risk. A brief trial of labor when deemed safe may be indicated prior to elective repeat CS to prepare the infants9 pulmonary circulation for successful transition from fetal to neonatal circulation following delivery.
ACTIVITY-ENHANCING ARENAS OF DESIGNS: A CASE STUDY OF THE CLASSROOM LAYOUT

To what extent does the spatial layout of a classroom affect the activities conducted in that setting? Five different layouts were examined in this study to address that question. Perceptions of how classroom spatial layouts differ in the way they influence teaching and learning activities were elicited from primary teachers and evaluated in terms of their educational perspectives. They were uncovered by assessing teachers’ beliefs about properties of various spatial designs, evaluating their spatial layout preferences, and by evoking their comments about the relative merits each layout has with respect to facilitating the conduct of activities in the classroom. The information collected in this way was evaluated and integrated with the use of similarity coefficients, q-mode factor analysis, and multi-dimensional scaling. Results from the case study strongly suggest that teachers perceive the influences exerted by various classroom spatial layouts on teaching and learning activities to differ, but their perceptions of such differences are clearly qualified by their educational perspectives.
Effect of Chinese tea extract on the immune function of mice bearing tumor and their antitumor activity

The dynamic changes of cellular immune function and antitumor effect of GTE (green tea extract) in the BALB/c mice bearing EAC, HAC and S-180 tumor were investigated. Results showed that intraperitoneal injection GTE daily dose of 80mg/kg stimulate the proliferation of T-Lymphocyte S-180 tumor bearing mice, the 125-IudR incorporation value (cpm) of control group was 932 and that of GTE treated group increased to 2988. The Natural Killer cell's activity (cpm) of treated group was raised from 10.7% of control group to 41%. Daily dose 50mg/kg inhibited the EAC, HAC and the life span of GTE mice bearing EAC ascites tumor prolonged 128%. The GTE were effective on growth activity against mouse Ehrlich tumor at a dose of 500mg/kg by oral administration (P less than 0.05), the inhibition ratio being about 32%. The authors suggested the mechanism of antitumor effects of GTE possible included both cellular immune function and the inhibition of tumor growth.
New shape-based auroral oval segmentation driven by LLS-RHT

A new method that exploits shape to localize the auroral oval in satellite imagery is introduced. The core of the method is driven by the linear least-squares (LLS) randomized Hough transform (RHT). The LLS-RHT is a new fast variant of the RHT suitable when not all necessary conditions of the RHT can be satisfied. The method is also compared with the three existing methods for aurora localization, namely the histogram-based k-means [C.C. Hung, G. Germany, K-means and iterative selection algorithms in image segmentation, IEEE Southeastcon 2003 (Session 1: Software Development)], adaptive thresholding [X. Li, R. Ramachandran, M. He, S. Movva, J.A. Rushing, S.J. Graves, W. Lyatsky, A. Tan, G.A. Germany, Comparing different thresholding algorithms for segmenting auroras, in: Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Technology: Coding and Computing, vol. 6, 2004, pp. 594-601], and pulse-coupled neural network-based [G.A. Germany, G.K. Parks, H. Ranganath, R. Elsen, P.G. Richards, W. Swift, J.F. Spann, M. Brittnacher, Analysis of auroral morphology: substorm precursor and onset on January 10, 1997, Geophys. Res. Lett. 25 (15) (1998) 3042-3046] methods. The methodologies and their performance on real image data are both considered in the comparison. These images include complications such as random noise, low contrast, and moderate levels of key obscuring phenomena.
High Transparent Conductive Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide Thin Films by Reactive Co-Sputtering (Postprint)

Al-doped ZnO films were fabricated using reactive magnetron sputtering simultaneously using separate Zn and Al targets. The AZO films showed high transparency in the visible region and low transmittance in the near IR regions.
Both Online and In-Person Library Orientations Have Positive Effects on Graduate Students’ Information Literacy Skills

Objective – To assess and compare the effectiveness of online and face-to-face library orientations. Design – Pretest/posttest. Setting – A public university in the United States of America. Subjects – Graduate students in a Master of Social Work program. Methods – At the beginning of the fall 2013 semester, students in 3 different sections of a social work research methods course were asked to complete a 17-question assessment to evaluate their information literacy skills and knowledge. Then, 1 section (Campus A) received a 50-minute in-class library orientation from a librarian, while the other 2 sections (Campus B and Off Campus) received orientation through asynchronous online video tutorials. Post library orientation, research labs were then held for all three class sections, during which students received some hands-on time working with a librarian. After the hands-on labs, students were invited to complete the posttest assessment, which consisted of the same 17 questions. Main Results – The researcher collected 59 pre-test and 27 posttest responses, although many respondents did not answer all the questions. Moreover, none of the posttest responses from the Off Campus students was deemed usable by the researcher. After attending the library orientation and lab sessions, students were more likely to choose the library or a librarian as their starting point for research (19% pretest, 40% posttest). Students’ ability to identify book or chapter title in a citation (48% pretest, 92% posttest), and determine whether common knowledge required citations (87% correct in pre-test, 100% posttest) also appeared to improve after the library sessions. In addition, students’ skills in assessing the scholarliness and credibility of an article by its abstract also improved. While there were some anecdotal variations between responses between Campus A and Campus B groups, no statistically significant differences were noted. Conclusion – The study results suggest that regardless of format, library orientations and hands on lab session had positive effects on graduate students’ information literacy skills and knowledge.
Stem and Progenitor Cells Isolated from Cord Blood

Cord blood (CB) has now been used to treat more than 25,000 patients with malignant and non-malignant disorders in a setting of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation. These have taken all place since the first CB transplant occurred in October 1988 in Paris, France with cells tested and frozen in my laboratory and hand-delivered to Paris. While there are advantages to using CB as a source of HSCs, the disadvantages include slower time to neutrophil, platelet, and immune cell recovery. This chapter reviews recent efforts to enhance the engrafting capability of CB cells through double CB transplantation, and methods to enhance the homing and engraftment of the limited number of cells present in a single CB transplantation. The length of time CB has been cryopreserved form and efficiently recovered with functional capability is now more than 23 years. Retrieved CB cells are also capable of generating induced pluripotent stem cells and endothelial colony-forming cells of high proliferative activity. Efforts to make CB a more efficient and efficacious source of transplantable cells continue.
Expected Time to Return to Athletic Participation Following Stress Fracture in Division I Collegiate Athletes

Objectives:The objective of this study was to evaluate and determine the expected time to return to athletic participation in Division I collegiate Track and Field athletes.Methods:All stress fract...
The dialectics of symbolic domination

In an influential article Michel Foucault (1982) depicts the goal of his work as an attempt to create a history of the different ways in which people become subjects. To begin with, people are turned into subjects through a process of objectification which is independent of them. For instance, they are objectified by the human sciences – the subject of labor becomes an object of study in economics – or by what Foucault calls “dividing practices,” such as the division between the mad and the sane. People, however, also turn themselves into subjects in another kind of objectification. They tie themselves to a particular identity whose full realization can be achieved only through the mediation, guidance, and ultimately submission to an outside authority – an authority who knows better. The idea is not new, but Foucault's use of it as a way of defining the predicament of people in Western societies merits attention. The emphasis on knowledge as power – the ability to define others or define how they define themselves – both recalls and anticipates the predicament of Others in relation to Western societies themselves. My aim in this chapter is to explore some of the ways in which Cypriots have become Western subjects. The emphasis will be on division, but not as in the construction of the Other as a passive, mirror image of the West, which in any case has received sufficient attention.
Star Formation Rates in Low Surface Brightness Galaxies

The low surface brightness (LSB) disk galaxies found in recent surveys (e.g.,\ Schombert et al. 1992, AJ, 103, 1107) tend to be blue and gas rich. These properties along with their low mean surface luminosity and H i densities imply an inefficient mode of star formation. The Hα images that we present of a sample of these galaxies show the weak star formation in these galaxies relative to high surface brightness, Hubble sequence spirals. Most LSB disks harbor only a handful of widely scattered H ii regions and generally have low total Hα fluxes. However, in some cases these scattered areas of star formation can be quite vigorous. For example, the giant LSB disk galaxy F568-6 contains a complex that is comparable in size, mass, and star formation rate to a luminous irregular galaxy, but contributes only about 5% of the galaxy's total blue luminosity (Bothun et al. 1990, ApJ, 360, 427). We present neutral hydrogen images of some of the largest known LSB galaxies. The gas in these galaxies is distributed in regularly rotating, giant, and also very low H i surface brightness disks. A preliminary analysis shows that if most of the gas is in atomic hydrogen, large parts of the disks have total surface densities below the threshold for star formation to set in.
Comparison of emergency department crowding scores: a discrete-event simulation approach

According to American College of Emergency Physicians, emergency department (ED) crowding occurs when the identified need for emergency services exceeds available resources for patient care in the ED, hospital, or both. ED crowding is a widely reported problem and several crowding scores are proposed to quantify crowding using hospital and patient data as inputs for assisting healthcare professionals in anticipating imminent crowding problems. Using data from a large academic hospital in North Carolina, we evaluate three crowding scores, namely, EDWIN, NEDOCS, and READI by assessing strengths and weaknesses of each score, particularly their predictive power. We perform these evaluations by first building a discrete-event simulation model of the ED, validating the results of the simulation model against observations at the ED under consideration, and utilizing the model results to investigate each of the three ED crowding scores under normal operating conditions and under two simulated outbreak scenarios in the ED. We conclude that, for this hospital, both EDWIN and NEDOCS prove to be helpful measures of current ED crowdedness, and both scores demonstrate the ability to anticipate impending crowdedness. Utilizing both EDWIN and NEDOCS scores in combination with the threshold values proposed in this work could provide a real-time alert for clinicians to anticipate impending crowding, which could lead to better preparation and eventually better patient care outcomes.
Intravenous Air: The Partially Invisible Phenomenon.

BACKGROUND:Air injection is carefully avoided during IV solution administration; however, ambient air is dissolved in all liquids used for intravenous (IV) therapy. A portion of this gas will come out of solution in the form of bubbles as the solution is warmed to body temperature in a fluid warming
A case of mistaken identity.

Genuine disseminated tumor cells arise late in the life of a tumor and resemble clones from primary breast cancers or their metastases.
Evaluating well-mixed room and near-field-far-field model performance under highly controlled conditions.

ABSTRACTExposure judgments made without personal exposure data and based instead on subjective inputs tend to underestimate exposure, with exposure judgment accuracy not significantly more accurate than random chance. Therefore, objective inputs that contribute to more accurate decision making are needed. Models have been shown anecdotally to be useful in accurately predicting exposure but their use in occupational hygiene has been limited. This may be attributable to a general lack of guidance on model selection and use and scant model input data. The lack of systematic evaluation of the models is also an important factor.This research addresses the need to systematically evaluate two widely applicable models, the Well-Mixed Room (WMR) and Near-Field–Far-Field (NF-FF) models. The evaluation, conducted under highly controlled conditions in an exposure chamber, allowed for model inputs to be accurately measured and controlled, generating over 800 pairs of high quality measured and modeled exposure estimate...
Enhanced Light Absorption in Fluorinated Ternary Small-Molecule Photovoltaics

Using small-molecule donor (SMD) semiconductors in organic photovoltaics (OPVs) has historically afforded lower power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) than their polymeric counterparts. The PCE difference is attributed to shorter conjugated backbones, resulting in reduced intermolecular interactions. Here, a new pair of SMDs is synthesized based on the diketopyrrolopyrrole–benzodithiophene–diketopyrrolopyrrole (BDT-DPP2) skeleton but having fluorinated and fluorine-free aromatic side-chain substituents. Ternary OPVs having varied ratios of the two SMDs with PC61BM as the acceptor exhibit tunable open-circuit voltages (Vocs) between 0.833 and 0.944 V due to a fluorination-induced shift in energy levels and the electronic “alloy” formed from the miscibility of the two SMDs. A 15% increase in PCE is observed at the optimal ternary SMD ratio, with the short-circuit current density (Jsc) significantly increased to 9.18 mA/cm2. The origin of Jsc enhancement is analyzed via charge generation, transport, and diffus...
Global synonymous mutagenesis identifies cis-acting RNA elements that regulate HIV-1 splicing and replication

The ~9.5 kilobase HIV-1 genome contains RNA sequences and structures that control many aspects of viral replication, including transcription, splicing, nuclear export, translation, packaging and reverse transcription. Nonetheless, chemical probing and other approaches suggest that the HIV-1 genome may contain many more RNA secondary structures of unknown importance and function. To determine whether there are additional, undiscovered cis-acting RNA elements in the HIV-1 genome that are important for viral replication, we undertook a global silent mutagenesis experiment. Sixteen mutant proviruses containing clusters of ~50 to ~200 synonymous mutations covering nearly the entire HIV-1 protein coding sequence were designed and synthesized. Analyses of these mutant viruses resulted in their division into three phenotypic groups. Group 1 mutants exhibited near wild-type replication, Group 2 mutants exhibited replication defects accompanied by perturbed RNA splicing, and Group 3 mutants had replication defects in the absence of obvious splicing perturbation. The three phenotypes were caused by mutations that exhibited a clear regional bias in their distribution along the viral genome, and those that caused replication defects all caused reductions in the level of unspliced RNA. We characterized in detail the underlying defects for Group 2 mutants. Second-site revertants that enabled viral replication could be derived for Group 2 mutants, and generally contained point mutations that reduced the utilization of proximal splice sites. Mapping of the changes responsible for splicing perturbations in Group 2 viruses revealed the presence of several RNA sequences that apparently suppressed the use of cryptic or canonical splice sites. Some sequences that affected splicing were diffusely distributed, while others could be mapped to discrete elements, proximal or distal to the affected splice site(s). Overall, our data indicate complex negative regulation of HIV-1 splicing by RNA elements in various regions of the HIV-1 genome that enable balanced splicing and viral replication.
Dune mobility in the St. Anthony Dune Field, Idaho, USA: Effects of meteorological variables and lag time

Abstract The St. Anthony Dune Field (SADF) is a ~300 km2 expanse of active to stabilized transverse, barchan, barchanoid, and parabolic sand dunes located in a semi-arid climate in southeastern Idaho. The northeastern portion of the SADF, ~16 km2, was investigated to examine meteorological influences on dune mobility. Understanding meteorological predictors of sand-dune migration for the SADF informs landscape evolution and impacts assessment of eolian activity on sensitive agricultural lands in the western United States, with implications for semi-arid environments globally. Archival aerial photos from 1954 to 2011 were used to calculate dune migration rates which were subsequently compared to regional meteorological data, including temperature, precipitation and wind speed. Observational analyses based on aerial photo imagery and meteorological data indicate that dune migration is influenced by weather for up to 5–10 years and therefore decadal weather patterns should be taken into account when using dune migration rates as proxies from climate fluctuation. Statistical examination of meteorological variables in this study indicates that 24% of the variation of sand dune migration rates is attributed to temperature, precipitation and wind speed, which is increased to 45% when incorporating lag time.
It's Not What You Know, It's Who Knows What You Know: An Econometric Analysis of the Effectiveness of Microfinance in the Presence of Endogenous Peer Effects

This study shows how social capital affects the outreach and operational self-sufficiency of microfinance institutions (MFIs) around the world. Defining social capital as social networks, social norms, and trustworthiness, this research merges quantitative data from the Microfinance Information Exchange and World Values Survey to empirically test a which aspects of social capital have the greatest influence on MFI performance in the presence of an endogenous peer effect between MFIs. Regression results show that aspects of social capital have a direct influence on MFI performance, suggesting a tradeoff between outreach and sustainability, and display a strong endogenous peer effect.
QPC: a compiler from physical models into qualitative differential equations

Qualitative reasoning can, and should, be decomposed into a model-building task, which creates a qualitative differential equation (QDE) as a model of a physical situation, and a qualitative simulation task, which starts with a QDE, and predicts the possible behaviors following from the model. In support of this claim, we present QPC, a model builder that takes the general approach of Qualitative Process Theory [Forbus, 1984], describing a scenario in terms of views, processes, and influences. However, QPC builds QDEs for simulation by QSIM, which gives it access to a variety of mathematical advances in qualitative simulation incorporated in QSIM. We present QPC and its approach to Qualitative Process Theory, provide an example of building and simulating a model of a non-trivial mechanism, and compare the representation and implementation decisions underlying QPC with those of QPE [Falkenhainer and Forbus, 1988; Forbus, 1990].
THE RISE AND FALL OF DEBIT-CREDIT BOOKKEEPING IN CHINA: HISTORY AND ANALYSIS

This paper presents a century-long history of the debit-credit method of double-entry bookkeeping in China. Since introduced to China at the turn of this century, debit-credit bookkeeping has gone ...
Toom’s Stability Theorem in Continuous Time

This paper provides a continuous-time analogue of Toom’s famous discrete-time stability criterion. Because of certain intrinsic differences between discrete and continuous time, simple analogues of Toom’s result are not true, the main problem being that discrete-time models can undergo a spatial shift at each time step and continuous-time models cannot. In our main result, we show that once such shifts have been neutralized, the stability properties of a discrete-time model and its continuous-time analogue are the same. This result applies to a large class of models with finite range interactions in finite dimensions, including many for which the stability question was previously unanswered. Its proof uses an improved version of Toom’s theorem that is found in [BG91]. We also obtain, as a byproduct of our analysis, an alternative criterion for stability in discrete time that is easy to check.
Situational Understanding: A Gurwitschian Critique of Theory of Mind

Gurwitsch’s account of how we encounter others provides a corrective contrast to contemporary approaches to social cognition. His analysis is based on phenomenology, but also appeals to psychology and studies of pathology. As such, it shows how there can be phenomenological intervention in the cognitive sciences. This chapter relates Gurwitsch’s analysis to contemporary discussions of theory of mind, primary intersubjectivity, and recent discoveries in neuroscience.