cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Classical molecular dynamics simulation of the photoinduced electron transfer dynamics of plastocyanin

Classical molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the nuclear motions associated with photoinduced electron transfer in plastocyanin. The blue copper protein is modeled using a molecular mechanics potential; potential parameters for the copper-protein interactions are determined using an x-ray crystallographic structure and absorption and resonance Raman spectra. Molecular dynamics simulations yield a variety of information about the ground (oxidized) and optically excited (charge-transfer) states: 1) The probability distribution of the potential difference between the states, which is used to determine the coordinate and energy displacements, places the states well within the Marcus inverted region. 2) The two-time autocorrelation function of the difference potential in the ground state and the average of the difference potential after instantaneous excitation to the excited state are very similar (confirming linear response in this system); their decay indicates that vibrational relaxation occurs in about 1 ps in both states. 3) The spectral densities of various internal coordinates begin to identify the vibrations that affect the optical transition; the spectral density of the difference potential correlation function should also prove useful in quantum simulations of the back electron transfer. 4) Correlation functions of the protein atomic motions with the difference potential show that the nuclear motions are correlated over a distance of more than 20 A, especially along proposed electron transport paths.
Terrorism and Probability Neglect

When strong emotions are involved, people tend to focus on the badness of the outcome, rather than on the probability that the outcome will occur. The resulting “probability neglect” helps to explain excessive reactions to low-probability risks of catastrophe. Terrorists show a working knowledge of probability neglect, producing public fear that might greatly exceed the discounted harm. As a result of probability neglect, people often are far more concerned about the risks of terrorism than about statistically larger risks that they confront in ordinary life. In the context of terrorism and analogous risks, the legal system frequently responds to probability neglect, resulting in regulation that might be unjustified or even counterproductive. But public fear is itself a cost, and it is associated with many other costs, in the form of “ripple effects” produced by fear. As a normative matter, government should reduce even unjustified fear, if the benefits of the response can be shown to outweigh the costs.
On the Co-originality of Liberalism and Democracy: Rationalist vs. Paradoxicalist Perspectives

When the commitment to liberal rights conflicts with the commitment to democratic procedures, which side ought to prevail? Whereas rights foundationalists hold that rights trump procedures and demo...
Demo: Ultra-constrained sensor platform interfacing

ABSTRACT In this work we expose the challenges of interfacing both conventional and new systems with an extremely resource constrained platform. We find that even when attempts are made to utilize an industry standard protocol (I2C), necessary protocol modifications for ultra-low power design means that interfacing remains non-trivial. We present a functional 0.4mm × 0.8mm ARM Cortex M0 with 3KB of RAM, 24 GPIOs, and an ultra-low power I2C interface. This chip is part of the Michigan Micro Mote (M3) project, which is designed to build a complete software and hardware platform for general purpose sensing at the millimeter scale. We demo an I2C interface circuit allowing commercial hardware to program and interact with the chip and present the beginning of the millimeter scale sensing revolution.
Preschool child care and parents' use of physical discipline

Parenting practices, including the use of physical discipline, are shaped by multiple influences. Although much research focuses on how parent, child, and dyadic characteristics shape parenting practices, extra-familial resources may also play a role. This paper focuses on how children's experiences of child care during the preschool years may affect one aspect of parenting—discipline practices. Using a rich, nationally representative data set, we explore the correlation between children's participation in centre based care, Head Start, or other non-parental care arrangements and parents' use of physical discipline, and related phenomena, parents' experience of domestic violence and parenting stress. We conduct probit regressions of parents' use of physical discipline, and parents' experiences of domestic violence, on preschool child care experiences. For disadvantaged groups of children, who have higher risks of experiencing physical discipline and witnessing family violence, we find that Head Start participation is associated with an increase in the likelihood that parents say they never spank their children and reduction in reports of domestic violence. And, for children in two-parent families, Head Start is associated with an increase in the likelihood that parents say they never spank their children and the likelihood that they do not say they would resort to spanking in a hypothetical situation. However, we find no evidence that non-parental child care is associated with a lasting reduction in parenting stress. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design of a service failure database for determining distribution reliability using approved reporting standards

This paper defines a software engineering problem to create a service failure database for the Cookeville Electric Department, a local distribution utility. Using reporting standards approved by the American Public Power Association (APPA), reliability indices such as CAIDI, SAIFI, ASAI and SAIDI were generated for a three year period. Through a Classical Software Engineering Paradigm, user friendly interfaces were designed to allow the operator to enter collected data, track in-progress service calls, and generate statistical data. Benefits such as graphical representation of the results, computer generated reports, and a maintainable database were some of the final objectives.
Rapid fabrication and characterization of MEMS Parylene C bellows for large deflection applications

We present a rapid, high-yield fabrication process for Parylene C microbellows for large deflection applications and their characterization. Bellows having different convolution number, wall thickness, inner diameter and outer diameter and layer height were fabricated using a lost wax-like process. The effect of design parameters on overall bellows performance was evaluated through load?deflection testing and finite element modeling (FEM) simulations. Large deflection (?mm) was achieved under relatively low applied pressure (?kPa). The onset of bellows hysteresis (4.19 kPa or 0.60 psi) was determined in mechanical testing and approximated by FEM. For the bellows tested, convolution number, wall thickness and outer diameter had the greatest impact on load?deflection (axial extension) performance. Demonstration of bellows for fluid pumping was achieved through integration with electrochemical actuators operated under low power (?3 mW). Combined with the biocompatibility, chemical inertness and low permeability of Parylene C, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) bellows have the potential to enable novel applications in MEMS actuators and microfluidic systems.
Conflict, learning, and frustration: a dynamic model of conflict over time

A continuing question in the study of conflict and conflict management is, "When is conflict helpful, and when is it harmful?" Though many have offered explanations for this (Jehn, Northcraft, & Neale, 1999), data in support of these notions have been less forthcoming, especially in relation to the helpfulness of conflict (De Dreu & Weingart, 2003). In this paper we present a dynamic model of conflict that we hope will both explain and clarify the confusion by conceptualizing conflict as simultaneously containing helpful (learning related) and harmful (negative sentiment related) components. We argue how both learning and negative emotion can inhibit or promote future conflict, constituting feedback loops. We then examine what this implies for conflict over time in terms of the efficacy of collaboration between parties who experience conflict.
Blended Learning -- Neither Shaken nor Stirred

Blended learning (BL) is a logical extension of the continuum that began with the use of a single instructional medium in a curriculum to the use of multiple media and methods of delivery in instructional units. It has enormous potential for improving learning and it brings with it several challenges regarding its appropriate use and its proliferation. The primary factor in the emergence of blended learning has been the proliferation of personal computers and computer workstations in the workplace coupled with the availability of new computer applications that have greatly improved the ability to produce and deliver quality training interventions to a broad audience. The benefits of adopting a BL approach to training are many and obvious but the challenges involved in shifting to BL are also numerous. This paper explores the promise and the costs of adopting a Blended Learning approach for equipment training in the semiconductor manufacturing environment
Después de la tormenta neoliberal: La política educativa latinoamericana entre la crítica y la utopía

This article, which has as its reference frame the extension of educative opportunities for kids, youngsters and adults of all social layers in Latin America (an extension that has marked the 20th century), shows how the expansion of educative services in preschool, primary school, secondary school and college benefited from the ideology of The Enlightenment, generating a significant educative expansion. Unity throughout the diverse educative experiences of the region could be the motto of this conversation about the greatness and the poverty of 20th century Latin American education. After taking stock of its expansion and its crisis, we will summarize a few of the main neoliberal proposals in education, specially the privatization agenda, which profoundly contravenes the principles of educative opportunity extension, educative quality, educative equality and access to education preached by liberal governments in the region. No wonder why the teacher and sociologist Daniel Filmus, who was Minister of Education, in the final passages of his article titled «Liberals are not what they used to be» (Filmus, 1996) offers a few critical insights on the utopian options for education, taking as a starting point the confirmation of a series of interconnected facts: a) an endemic crisis in the systems that reflects a real and symbolic displacement between the discourses of teachers and students; b) a displacement between the new generations and grown-ups, and c) a strong legitimacy crisis of the educative systems in terms of their effectiveness. The conclusion is that the battle of education is not just a technocratic activity, deployed in the bureaucratic desks or negotiated in the school rooms, the ministerial hallways or in the union’s backyards. But it is not just a fight to improve the educative opportunities of individuals. On the contrary, the fight for education is a matter of State, and a fight for the defense of the democratic covenant.
Endothelin receptor antagonism: what does the future hold?

The endothelins are a family (ET-1, ET-2, and ET-3) of naturally occurring polypeptides, with ET-1 being the most clinically pertinent isoform. ET-1 was formally identified in 1988, at which time it was viewed mainly as a potent vasoconstrictor; however, the biological understanding of endothelin has since rapidly evolved, and it is now appreciated that ET-1 is not only a potent vasoconstrictor but also that it has a prominent role in fibrogenesis, inflammatory states, oxidative stress, atherosclerosis, salt and water balance, and pulmonary artery hypertension.1–3 ET-1 binds to 2 receptors: ETA and ETB. In general, stimulation of these receptors has opposing actions. For example, ETA stimulation is vasoconstricting, as well as being profibrotic and proinflammatory, whereas ETB stimulation is vasodilatory, antiproliferative, and natriuretic. The ETB receptor also subserves a clearance role for ET-1. The varying distribution of the endothelin receptors in different tissues is responsible for the mixture of actions attributed to endothelin. For example, the renal medulla contains the highest concentration of endothelin receptors in the body.4 The renal cortex is also heavily populated with endothelin receptors (50% of the density of the medulla). The ETB receptor predominates in the kidney, composing 70% of the receptors in both locations. Thus, the important roles of ET-1 and the ETB receptor are in regulating renal hemodynamics and tubular transport processes, as well as mesangial and vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and mitogenesis.3 Likewise, ETA and ETB receptors are highly expressed in smooth muscle cells and foamy macrophages in atherosclerotic models. Stimulation of receptors in these locations is the basis of the proinflammatory and (pro)atherosclerotic actions of …
Carbon SP 2 -SP 3 technology: Graphene-on-diamond thin film UV detector

This work presents a graphene-diamond-metal thin film system as ultraviolet (UV) light sensor on a flexible substrate. New scientific and engineering breakthroughs are: (1) first experimental investigation of electrical and optical properties of carbon-based sp2-sp3 (graphene-diamond) junction; (2) a peel-and-stick fabrication process to make flexible diamond thin films from CVD-grown micro crystalline diamond (MCD) wafers; and (3) a sandwich-like vertical sensor structure with graphene as a transparent top electrode, and metal (Ti-Au) as an ohmic bottom contact electrode. As such, the proposed detector/architecture can open up a new class of scheme to build diamond-based, attachable, portable and wearable optoelectronic systems.
Two Nations, Revisited: The Lynching of Black and Brown Bodies, Police Brutality, and Racial Control in ‘Post-Racial’ Amerikkka:

In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson established the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders (NACCD) to examine the 1967 race riots that were taking place in Los Angeles, Chicago, Newark, a...
The history of colostomy in childhood.

Until the midnineteenth century, the only forms of anal atresia accessible by perineal Operation were those situated low down. Successes with blind puncture by trochar remained a matter of chance, and often Peritonitis or Perforation of the peritoneal cavity led to fatalities after apparent initial success. Patients with rectal cancer or colonic obstructions inevitably died of ileus. Injuries of the colon were left to follow a natural course and almost invariably resulted in death.
Foundation Problems in General Relativity

Historically, Einstein’s theory of general relativity arose from attempts to fit a theory of gravitation into the framework of the space-time concepts of the theory of special relativity [1]. The special theory, in turn, arose from attempts to fit a theory of light into the framework of the space-time concepts of Newtonian physics. Within the latter, the existence of an absolute time and of an absolute meaning of simultaneity of distant events had been taken for granted; furthermore, Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory of light (or indeed any wave theory of light) seemed to associate a material medium with Newton’s absolute space, and thus, in contrast to Newtonian point mechanics, to provide a physically preferred frame of reference. This appeared to offer the possibility of detecting effects due to motion with respect to the preferred frame. However, none of the expected effects could be observed, and it proved to be impossible to find an all-encompassing explanation for these negative results without transcending the bounds of the Newtonian concepts [2].
Do You Want to Ditch Sodium? Meet Nitric Oxide Synthase 1β at the Macula Densa.

Hypertension is present in about 40% of the world’s population, and it is responsible for 12.8% of total deaths.[1][1] However, these statistics do not include normotensive individuals who are salt (NaCl)-sensitive.[2][2] Salt sensitivity, independent of BP, is a risk factor for not only
In-Situ Measurements of Islanding and Strain Relaxation of Ge/Si(111)

We have measured strain relaxation and islanding in Ge films grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Si(111) at substrate temperatures between 450°C and 700°C in real time with reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED). At 450°C, we observe an oscillation of the surface lattice parameter for the first three bilayers (BL), followed by a sharp 2D-3D growth mode transition, when transmission diffraction features appear in RHEED. The surface lattice parameter then begins to relax at an initial rate of about 0.5%/BL. The mechanisms of island growth and strain relaxation change with growth temperature. At 500°C the surface lattice parameter begins to relax after only 1BL; at 550°C relaxation begins immediately. However, 3D spots do not appear until after 3.5BL at either temperature. The initial rate of strain relaxation decreases with increasing temperature until, at 700°C (when 3D spots never appear), it is only 0.04%/BL. This behavior may be explained by a temperature-dependent roughness length scale, as well as by differences in dislocation nucleation at low and high temperatures. At low temperature, atomic force microscope images show the development of small (1000A), faceted islands with aspect ratios (height/width) on the order of 0.07. The formation of well-defined facets is inhibited at higher temperatures. At 700°C, islands grow very large (lμm) from the outset, with aspect ratios less than 0.015. These islands cannot thicken much, because dislocations can glide in easily at their edges. The islands grow laterally quickly, and the strain in the “new” islands is not substantially less than that in the “old.” At 700°C, 28% of the Ge/Si misfit strain may be relieved by diffusion.
134. Euflammation: Induction of robust inflammation without sickness behavior

Sickness behavior is a hallmark of inflammation. This has been validated by research using acute high dose endotoxin/bacterial challenges to simulate inflammation. To mimic natural infection, we examined the effects of repeated low dose Escherishia coli on sickness behavior and local peripheral inflammation. Results showed a behavioral dose response, where increased amounts of E. coli caused more severe sickness behavior. However, animals that were given a sub-threshold dose of E. coli 24 h prior were able withstand a larger dose of E. coli on the second day without causing sickness behavior. By using the same methodology, animals receiving escalating sub-threshold doses of E. coli on days 1 and 2 could behaviorally tolerate a dose of E. coli 50X higher than what would normally cause sickness behavior acutely. ELISA data for IL-6 and IL1-beta levels in the peritoneal cavity showed increasing levels of E. coli caused increased levels of both cytokines and these increases were diminished by giving a sub-threshold dose of E. coli 24 h prior. In addition, after a 3-day escalating E. coli challenge, phagocytic index to E.coli in peritoneal macrophages increased 11 times and animals were refractory to LPS induced sickness behavior if LPS was given after the E.coli challenges. Thus, progressive controlled stimulation of innate immune activity produced a robust sickness-free inflammation, which we term euflammation.
Plantar and Medial Heel Pain: Diagnosis and Management

Heel pain is commonly encountered in orthopaedic practice. Establishing an accurate diagnosis is critical, but it can be challenging due to the complex regional anatomy. Subacute and chronic plantar and medial heel pain are most frequently the result of repetitive microtrauma or compression of neurologic structures, such as plantar fasciitis, heel pad atrophy, Baxter nerve entrapment, calcaneal stress fracture, and tarsal tunnel syndrome. Most causes of inferior heel pain can be successfully managed nonsurgically. Surgical intervention is reserved for patients who do not respond to nonsurgical measures. Although corticosteroid injections have a role in the management of select diagnoses, they should be used with caution.
The Stability of Islanded-Operation Microgrid with Various Types of Distributed Energy Sources

When a microgrid has various types of distributed energy sources such as wind,photovoltaic and battery energy storage devices,its dynamic response characteristics in islanded operation are different from that in its intetration with a grid through power electronic converters.For a microgrid with various types of distributed energy sources,this paper sets up its dynamic simulation model in islanded operation with PSACA/EMTDC,and studies its dynamic characteristics,pointing out that there are mainly problems in frequency stability when short failures occurred in the system,and furthermore analyzes the various factors influencing the system stability.
Is Adolescent Poly-tobacco Use Associated with Alcohol and Other Drug Use?

OBJECTIVES To examine associations between current multiple tobacco product use, and current use of alcohol and marijuana, binge drinking, and lifetime use of marijuana, alcohol, and other drugs among US high school students. METHODS Using 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data (N = 13,583 high school students), logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine if single tobacco product or multiple tobacco product users are more likely to engage in other risk behaviors than zero tobacco product users, controlling for demographic variables. RESULTS Overall, 23% of the sample used tobacco products and 10% of students reported current use of at least 2 tobacco products. Among single tobacco product users, the odds for engaging in risk behaviors ranged from 3.3 to 9.9 compared to non-tobacco users (p < .0001). Among multiple tobacco product users, the odds ranged from 1.5 to 4.7 (p < .01) compared to single tobacco product users. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest dual users are significantly more likely to engage in risk behavior than non-users and single product users. Future interventions should consider identifying dual-users as at higher risk, and targeting multiple risk behaviors.
Trophic niche partitioning and diet composition of sympatric fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Gulf of Alaska revealed through stable isotope analysis

Fin and humpback whales are large consumers that are often sympatric, effectively sharing or partitioning their use of habitat and prey resources. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the skin of fin and humpback whales from two regions in the western Gulf of Alaska, Kodiak, and Shumagin Islands, were analyzed to test the hypothesis that these sympatric baleen whales exhibit trophic niche partitioning within these regions. Standard ellipse areas, estimated using Bayesian inference, suggested that niche partitioning between species is occurring in the Kodiak region but not in the Shumagin Islands. Isotopic mixing models based on stable isotopes from whales and local prey samples, were used to estimate possible diet solutions for whales in the Kodiak region. Comparison of isotopic niches and diet models support niche partitioning, with fin whales foraging primarily on zooplankton and humpback whales foraging on zooplankton and small forage fish. The results of this study show that niche partitioning between sympatric species can vary by region and may be the result of prey availability, prey preferences, or both.
Abstract 4950: Collagen, type I, alpha 1 (COL1A1): a potential urinary biomarker that can distinguish between benign prostate hyperplasia and localized prostate cancer

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is the most frequent benign disease among men worldwide and its incidence increases with age. Prostate cancer (PCa) and BPH share similar symptoms and an elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) can be observed with either benign or malignant growth of the prostate. It is the demographic overlap of BPH and PCa, and the lack of discrimination between these two prostate diseases by PSA, that defines the diagnostic dilemma faced by clinicians when treating prostate disease. The goal of the current study was to identify novel non-invasive, biomarkers that can distinguish between BPH and PCa. We utilized iTRAQ (Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantitation) mass spectrometry techniques to sensitively and accurately identify the urinary proteome of men with BPH vs. men with PCa. We then performed functional enrichment analysis and pathways enrichment analysis of these proteins using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) tools to determine differentially expressed pathways and functions in PCa as compared to BPH. Network analysis identified differences in a number of signaling molecules including ERK1/2, TGFβ, PI3K, p38 MAPK and NFκB, with a high degree of interactivity. Protein expression was validated by immunoblot analyses using monospecific antibodies. Here, we focused on collagen, type I, alpha 1 (COL1A1), one of a number of extracellular matrix-associated proteins detected. We found that COL1A1 was significantly (P Citation Format: Andrej Jedinak, Camille Vuichoud, Andrew El-Hayek, Kevin R. Loughlin, Marsha A. Moses. Collagen, type I, alpha 1 (COL1A1): a potential urinary biomarker that can distinguish between benign prostate hyperplasia and localized prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4950.
One-Carbon Metabolism in Prostate Cancer: The Role of Androgen Signaling

Cancer cell metabolism differs significantly from the metabolism of non-transformed cells. This altered metabolic reprogramming mediates changes in the uptake and use of nutrients that permit high rates of proliferation, growth, and survival. The androgen receptor (AR) plays an essential role in the establishment and progression of prostate cancer (PCa), and in the metabolic adaptation that takes place during this progression. In its role as a transcription factor, the AR directly affects the expression of several effectors and regulators of essential catabolic and biosynthetic pathways. Indirectly, as a modulator of the one-carbon metabolism, the AR can affect epigenetic processes, DNA metabolism, and redox balance, all of which are important factors in tumorigenesis. In this review, we focus on the role of AR-signaling on one-carbon metabolism in tumorigenesis. Clinical implications of one-carbon metabolism and AR-targeted therapies for PCa are discussed in this context.
Corrosion fatigue of coated AISI 4340 high strength steel with dent damage

Tension-compression fatigue behaviour of a high-strength steel, coated with cadmium and zinc-nickel, with dent damage was investigated under saltwater environment. Dent damage exposed coated high-strength steel substrate to saltwater environment to study hydrogen reembrittlement. Three types of specimens were tested: cadmium and zinc-nickel-coated specimens with dent damage and uncoated specimens with similar dent damage that were shot-peened in a similar way as the coated specimens. The environmentally friendly zinc-nickel-coated specimens displayed similar fatigue behaviour like hazardous cadmium-coated specimens. Scanning electron microscopy with an apparatus Quanta 450 confirmed that damage mechanisms were similar in all 3 types of specimens.
Limiting Injury During Saphenous Vein Graft Preparation For Coronary Arterial Bypass Prevents Metabolic Decompensation

Standard harvest and preparation of human saphenous vein (HSV) for autologous coronary and peripheral arterial bypass procedures is associated with injury and increased oxidative stress that negatively affect graft performance. In this study we investigated the global metabolomic profiles of HSV before (unprepared; UP) and after standard vein graft preparation (AP). AP-HSV showed impaired vasomotor function that was associated with increased oxidative stress, phospholipid hydrolysis and energy depletion that are characteristic of mechanical and chemical injury. A porcine model (PSV) was utilized to validate these metabolomic changes in HSV and to determine the efficacy of an improved preparation technique (OP) using pressure-regulated distension, a non-toxic vein marker, and graft storage in buffered PlasmaLyte solution in limiting metabolic decompensation due to graft preparation. Deficits in vasomotor function and metabolic signature observed in AP-PSV could be largely mitigated with the OP procedure. These findings suggest that simple strategies aimed at reducing injury during graft harvest and preparation represents a straightforward and viable strategy to preserve conduit function and possibly improve graft patency.
Nationwide Prevalence of Self-Reported Serious Sensory Impairments and Their Associations with Self-Reported Cognitive and Functional Difficulties

Purpose To estimate the nationwide prevalence of self-reported serious vision impairment (SVI), serious hearing impairment (SHI), and serious dual sensory impairment (DSI; i.e., concomitant SVI and SHI) and to characterize their associations with self-reported cognitive, independent living, self-care, and ambulatory difficulties. Design The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide cross-sectional survey administered by the United States Census Bureau. Participants The 2011–2015 ACS sample contains data on 7 210 535 individuals 45 years of age or older. Methods Descriptive statistics for each of the 4 mutually exclusive sensory impairment categories no sensory impairment (NSI), SVI, SHI, and serious DSI were calculated using the weighted sample. Adjusted odds ratios using several logistic regressions were calculated using the unweighted sample to measure the magnitude of associations between sensory impairment status and the outcome difficulties. Main Outcome Measures Self-reported cognitive, independent living, self-care, and ambulatory difficulty. Results Among individuals 45 years of age or older, the estimated nationwide prevalence of self-reported SVI alone is 2.8%, that of SHI alone is 6.0%, and that of serious DSI is 1.6%. The prevalence of each sensory impairment increases with age. A greater proportion of American Indians or Alaskan Natives experience SVI (4.8%), SHI (8.5%), and serious DSI (3.7%) than any other race or ethnic group ( P P Conclusions The nationwide prevalence of self-reported serious sensory impairment increases with age and is distributed unequally among different racial and ethnic groups. Any sensory impairment is associated with greater cognitive and functional difficulties than NSI. Additionally, serious DSI is associated with greater difficulties than SVI or SHI alone, and SVI alone is more serious than SHI alone in each of the 4 cognitive and functional difficulties.
Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay factors cure most [PSI+] prion variants

The yeast prion [PSI+] is a self-propagating amyloid of Sup35p with a folded in-register parallel β-sheet architecture. In a genetic screen for antiprion genes, using the yeast knockout collection, UPF1/NAM7 and UPF3, encoding nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) factors, were frequently detected. Almost all [PSI+] variants arising in the absence of Upf proteins were eliminated by restored normal levels of these proteins, and [PSI+] arises more frequently in upf mutants. Upf1p, complexed with Upf2p and Upf3p, is a multifunctional protein with helicase, ATP-binding, and RNA-binding activities promoting efficient translation termination and degradation of mRNAs with premature nonsense codons. We find that the curing ability of Upf proteins is uncorrelated with these previously reported functions but does depend on their interaction with Sup35p and formation of the Upf1p-Upf2p-Upf3p complex (i.e., the Upf complex). Indeed, Sup35p amyloid formation in vitro is inhibited by substoichiometric Upf1p. Inhibition of [PSI+] prion generation and propagation by Upf proteins may be due to the monomeric Upf proteins and the Upf complex competing with Sup35p amyloid fibers for available Sup35p monomers. Alternatively, the association of the Upf complex with amyloid filaments may block the addition of new monomers. Our results suggest that maintenance of normal protein-protein interactions prevents prion formation and can even reverse the process.
Chapter 46 – Androgen-independent Prostate Cancer: The Evolving Role of Chemotherapy

Androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) is currently an incurable disease. Recent trials, however, suggest that AIPC can be responsive to novel chemotherapeutic agents. New approaches, including combination chemotherapy and biological therapy, are providing promise for longer survival and improved quality of life. The use of chemotherapy in AIPC has undergone a revolution in the past decade. Once labeled “chemotherapy resistant,” new agents have shown great promise in both palliative and response endpoints. While the new agents have been tested extensively in phase II trials, only a few phase III trials have been conducted using chemotherapy in AIPC in the past decade. Despite a dearth of phase III data, chemotherapy has been gaining momentum in a multitude of phase II trials, employing both single-agent and combination regimens. The microtubule inhibitors have been the targeted group of drugs, based on in vitro data. Sometimes, hormone therapies are also used along with chemotherapy. This is known as combination therapy. Although the studies are preliminary, combination therapy deserves further exploration.
ANALYSIS OF THE NEAR ULTRAVIOLET ABSORPTION SPECTRUM OF PYRAZINE

The absorption spectrum of pyrazine in the region 3200 A. has been photographed in the fourth order of a 150,000-line, plane grating. Consistent with the identification of this transition with a non-bonding nitrogen electron (P. Halverson and R. C. Hirt, J. Chem. Phys. 19 , 711 (1951)) the bands have the symmetrical appearance of infrared bands, indicating that the inertial constant is decreased only slightly by the transition. Rotational analysis of the fine structure shows the bands to be of the parallel type, that is the electronic transition moment is parallel to the axis of largest moment of inertia and perpendicular to the plane of the molecule. Strictly the bands are type C bands of an asymmetric top. The inertial constant determined from the spectrum is therefore the average of the two smallest moments and the lack of other precise data prevents the determination of the geometrical structure. The result for the ground state is B o = 0.2048 cm –1 which is consistent with dimensions interpolated between those of pyridine (Bak, Nygaard and Anderson, J. Mol. Spectroscopy , 2 , 361 (1958)) and those of s -triazine (J. E. Lancaster and B. P. Stoicheff, Can. J. Phys. 34 , 1016 (1956)), namely r o (CN) = 1.341 a, r o (CC) = 1.395 a., ≠ CNC = 116° and ≠ CCN = 122°. The 0—0 transition is shown to be at 30,875.80 cm –1 . The analysis also gives precise values for a number of the fundamental vibrational frequencies.
Robust stability and performance analysis of uncertain systems using linear matrix inequalities

A wide variety of problems in system and control theory can be formulated or reformulated as convex optimization problems involving linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), that is, constraints requiring an affine combination of symmetric matrices to be positive semidefinite. For a few very special cases, there are analytical solutions to these problems, but in general LMI problems can be solved numerically in a very efficient way. Thus, the reduction of a control problem to an optimization problem based on LMIs constitutes, in a sense, a solution to the original problem. The objective of this article is to provide a tutorial on the application of optimization based on LMIs to robust control problems. In the first part of the article, we provide a brief introduction to optimization based on LMIs. In the second part, we describe a specific example, that of the robust stability and performance analysis of uncertain systems, using LMI optimization.
Simple Acid Vapor Method for Production of HCl and DCl Gas for IR Spectroscopy

We report here a method that utilizes the vapor pressure of HCl(g) above a concentrated HCl(aq) solution as an extremely simple and safe method to produce small amounts of HCl vapor in an IR gas cell. This vapor pressure approach can also be used to produce DCl(g) by introducing a few drops of concentrated DCl(aq) into the gas cell.
Decreasing menopausal symptoms of Asian American breast cancer survivors through a technology-based information and coaching/support program

AbstractObjective:One of the most prevalent and distressing symptoms after breast cancer treatment is menopausal symptoms. Asian American breast cancer survivors have lower quality of life and often receive inadequate management of menopausal symptoms compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Technolo
Abstract TMP110: Design of the BP-COG Study of Blood Pressure Over the Life Course and Later-Life Cognition in Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites: A Pooled Cohort Analysis of ARIC, CARDIA, CHS, FOS, MESA, and NOMAS

Background: High blood pressure (BP), particularly in mid-life, increases the risk for late-life cognitive impairment and dementia (CID). The extent to which Blacks’ and Hispanics’ worse BP control...
Faith and History: Wilfred Cantwell Smith's Theory of Religion for the Twenty-First Century

Wilfred Cantwell Smith is perhaps the most important Canadian scholar of Religious Studies. At the seventh Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2018, former students acknowledged his influence. T...
An Effective Method for Online Disease Risk Monitoring

Many diseases can be prevented or treated if they can be detected early or signaled before their occurrence. Disease early detection and prevention (DEDAP) is thus important for health improvement ...
Annual variations in microcystin occurrence in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, based on high-throughput DNA sequencing, qPCR, and environmental parameters

Eldridge SLC, Wood TM. 2019. Annual variation in microcystin occurrence in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, based on high-throughput DNA sequencing, qPCR, and environmental parameters. Lake Reserv Manag...
Microwave Engineer’s Guide to the Design of Superconducting Qubit Circuits

Superconducting qubit circuits are one of the prime candidates for building the quantum computer. In this guide I will provide a complete microwave description of the superconducting qubit circuits consisting of the most popular superconducting qubit the "Transmon". Quantum interaction rate parameters related to simple impedance response formulas will allow microwave engineers to design and analyze superconducting qubit circuits without resorting to heavy machinery of quantum mechanical transformations. All formulas listed below are valid in the dispersive regime of low anharmonicity qubits. This work is a review of [1].
SLX4IP acts with SLX4 and XPF-ERCC1 to promote interstrand crosslink repair

Interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) are highly toxic DNA lesions that are repaired via a complex process requiring the coordination of several DNA repair pathways. Defects in ICL repair result in Fanconi anemia, which is characterized by bone marrow failure, developmental abnormalities, and a high incidence of malignancies. SLX4, also known as FANCP, acts as a scaffold protein and coordinates multiple endonucleases that unhook ICLs, resolve homologous recombination intermediates, and perhaps remove unhooked ICLs. In this study, we explored the role of SLX4IP, a constitutive factor in the SLX4 complex, in ICL repair. We found that SLX4IP is a novel regulatory factor; its depletion sensitized cells to treatment with ICL-inducing agents and led to accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase. We further discovered that SLX4IP binds to SLX4 and XPF-ERCC1 simultaneously and that disruption of one interaction also disrupts the other. The binding of SLX4IP to both SLX4 and XPF-ERCC1 not only is vital for maintaining the stability of SLX4IP protein, but also promotes the interaction between SLX4 and XPF-ERCC1, especially after DNA damage. Collectively, these results demonstrate a new regulatory role for SLX4IP in maintaining an efficient SLX4-XPF-ERCC1 complex in ICL repair.
Theorizing femininity in artificial intelligence: a framework for undoing technology’s gender troubles

This article responds to technofeminist calls to unpack the gendered politics of technologies and create critical crossover between their representation and design. I analyze feminized artificial i...
Narrative Budgets: Telling the Story of Your Library’s Value and Values

A library’s budget should be a reflection of its values and goals, but budget formats do not always lend themselves to telling the library’s story. Your budget message needs to be aligned with your library’s broader communication plan so that user experience is consistent with messaging from other library venues. Ideally, your budget, along with all library communication points, include language from your library’s values, mission, and vision statements and strategic plan. This article outlines traditional budget formats, introduces a format called Narrative Budgeting, and provides an example and outline for creating a narrative budget for your library using language from your library’s strategic plan and mission, vision, and values statements. Once set up, your Narrative Budget can be adapted and used to communicate with a variety of constituents to present an understandable and justifiable use of the library’s allocated resources.
Emerging areas in undergraduate computer science education: panel discussion

Change is constant, especially in Computer Science. The discipline continues to reinvent itself every 5-7 years. As Computer Science educators, it is in our best interest to look ahead and see how we can modify our curriculum and prepare our students for these changes. Emerging areas today include computer and network security, information assurance, robotics, bioinformatics, animation, game programming, web application development, embedded computing, wireless computing, and grid computing to name just a few. In light of traditional Computer Science jobs being outsourced, incorporating these topics into the curriculum may provide the edge needed for our graduates to be employable.
High Dietary Intake of Vegetable or Polyunsaturated Fats Is Associated With Reduced Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background & Aims We investigated associations of intake of total fats, specific dietary fats, and fats from different food sources with risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using data from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS). Methods We analyzed data from a total of 138,483 women and men who participated in the NHS or HPFS. A validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was sent to NHS participants in 1980, 1984, 1986, and every 4 years thereafter; dietary information was collected from participants in the HPFS in 1986 and every 4 years thereafter. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results After an average follow-up time of 26.6 years, 160 incident HCC cases were documented. Although there was a non-significant association between total fat intake and HCC, intake of vegetable fats reduced risk of HCC (HR for the highest vs lowest quartile, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39–0.96; Ptrend = .02), but not animal or dairy fats. Replacing animal or dairy fats with an equivalent amount of vegetable fats was associated with a lower risk of HCC (HR per 1 standard deviation, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.65–0.97). Among fat subtypes, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, including n-3 (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.41–0.96; Ptrend = .14) and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.34–0.86; Ptrend = .02), were inversely associated with risk of HCC. Higher ratios of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat to saturated fat were inversely associated with HCC risk (all Ptrend ≤ .02). In addition, when replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, the HR per 1 standard deviation was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.64–0.92). Conclusions In an analysis of data from 2 large cohort studies, we found higher intake of vegetable fats and polyunsaturated fats to be associated with lower risk of HCC. Replacing animal or dairy fats with vegetable fats, or replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, was associated with reduced risk of HCC.
Repeated Exposure to Multiple Concurrent Stresses Induce Circuit Specific Loss of Inputs to the Posterior Parietal Cortex

Severe loss of excitatory synapses in key brain regions is thought to be one of the major mechanisms underlying stress-induced cognitive impairment. To date, however, the identity of the affected circuits remains elusive. Here we examined the effect of exposure to repeated multiple concurrent stressors (RMS) on the connectivity of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) in adolescent male mice. We found that RMS led to layer-specific elimination of excitatory synapses with the most pronounced loss observed in deeper cortical layers. Quantitative analysis of cortical projections to the PPC revealed a significant loss of sensory and retrosplenial inputs to the PPC while contralateral and frontal projections were preserved. These results were confirmed by decreased synaptic strength from sensory, but not from contralateral, projections in stress-exposed animals. Functionally, RMS disrupted visuospatial working memory performance, implicating disrupted higher-order visual processing. These effects were not observed in mice subjected to restraint-only stress for an identical period of time. The PPC is considered to be a cortical hub for multisensory integration, working memory, and perceptual decision-making. Our data suggest that sensory information streams targeting the PPC may be impacted by recurring stress, likely contributing to stress-induced cognitive impairment.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Repeated exposure to stress profoundly impairs cognitive functions like memory, attention, or decision-making. There is emerging evidence that stress not only impacts high-order regions of the brain, but may affect earlier stages of cognitive processing. Our work focuses on the posterior parietal cortex, a brain region supporting short-term memory, multisensory integration, and decision-making. We show evidence that repeated stress specifically damages sensory inputs to this region. This disruption of synaptic connectivity is linked to working memory impairment and is specific to repeated exposure to multiple stressors. Altogether, our data provide a potential alternative explanation to ailments previously attributed to downstream, cognitive brain structures.
Reversing the Tide of Suburban Families? The Design, Marketing, and Occupancy of Urban Renewal’s High-rise Housing:

During the postwar urban renewal era, many US cities constructed high-rise downtown apartment buildings to lure families back from the suburbs. These projects met demand for high-end downtown housi...
Professionalizing the information security of family firms: A family essence perspective

ABSTRACTFamily firm leaders are often faced with conflicting pressures and goals. One such situation occurs when deciding whether to pursue professionalized management of a business function as opp...
Replication of bone-marrow pathophysiology.

A vascularized bone-marrow-on-a-chip incorporating patient-derived CD34+ cells recapitulates haematopoietic defects associated with bone-marrow injury.