cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mutagenicity of Selected Chemicals in Unscheduled DNA Synthesis Assays

The basis for this assay rests on the fact that normal, semi-conservative DNA synthesis takes place only during the S phase of the cell cycle. If a cell is treated in such a way that the DNA is damaged it is oftentimes possible to detect an unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) occurring during portions of the cell cycle other than S. This UDS presumably represents an attempt by the cell to repair the damaged DNA. The types of DNA damage which may be repaired include alkylated bases and phosphate groups, single-strand breaks, and pyrimidine dimers.
The Nature of Rural High School Students’ Reading Engagement

The authors examined the dimensions of reading engagement for rural ninth-grade students who participated in a supplemental literacy intervention for students who struggled with school-based readin...
Threading carbon nanotubes through a self-assembled nanotube

Achieving the co-assembly of more than one component represents an important challenge in the drive to create functional self-assembled nanomaterials. Multicomponent nanomaterials comprised of several discrete, spatially sorted domains of components with high degrees of internal order are particularly important for applications such as optoelectronics. In this work, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were threaded through the inner channel of nanotubes formed by the bolaamphiphilic self-assembly of a naphthalenediimide-lysine (NDI-Bola) monomer. The self-assembly process was driven by electrostatic interactions, as indicated by ζ-potential measurements, and cation–π interactions between the surface of the SWNT and the positively charged, NDI-Bola nanotube interior. To increase the threading efficiency, the NDI-Bola nanotubes were fragmented into shortened segments with lengths of <100 nm via sonication-induced shear, prior to co-assembly with the SWNTs. The threading process created an initial composite nanostructure in which the SWNTs were threaded by multiple, shortened segments of the NDI-Bola nanotube that progressively re-elongated along the SWNT surface into a continuous radial coating around the SWNT. The resultant composite structure displayed NDI-Bola wall thicknesses twice that of the parent nanotube, reflecting a bilayer wall structure, as compared to the monolayer structure of the parent NDI-Bola nanotube. As a final, co-axial outer layer, poly(p-phenyleneethynylene) (PPE-SO3Na, MW = 5.76 × 104, PDI – 1.11) was wrapped around the SWNT/NDI-Bola composite resulting in a three-component (SWNT/NDI-Bola/PPE-SO3Na) composite nanostructure.
Situationen (er-)klären

Aktienanalysen tragen wesentlich bei zur Wissenstransformation in der Finanzwelt, sie ubersetzen Analysebefunde in handlungsrelevante Information fur InvestorInnen. Im Kommunikationsprozess navigieren die AnalystInnen zwischen widerspruchlichen Erwartungen, wie sich in der forschungsbasierten Schreibberatung zeigt (Teil III), ausgehend von ethnografischer Umweltanalyse (Teil I) und pragmatischer Textanalyse (Teil II). Auf der gegenuberliegenden Seite im Kommunikationsprozess stellt sich das Problem, dass sich die AnlegerInnen einer anschwellenden Flut von Informationen ausgesetzt finden, die sie nicht verstehen konnen, solange die Ubersetzungsleistung fehlt.
Does a Common Mechanism Engender Common Results? Sustainable Development Trade-Offs in the Global Carbon Offset Market

We investigate whether a common mechanism to achieve global sustainability goals produces uniform results in the world’s largest carbon offset market, the UN Clean Development Mechanism. Convention...
The Limits of Individual-Level Factors for Ghanaian and South African Girls’ Learning

Utilizing interviews from South Africa and targeted surveys from Ghana, this chapter examines how confidence and socioeconomic background work together to shape the learning of girls across these various contexts. The point of this chapter is to show why noncognitive skills emphasized in the existing literature on the education of youth are by themselves insufficient. Rather, girls in these contexts need strategies to respond to challenges as well as institutions that seek to create environments that eliminate the gendered barriers that they face.
Dependency Graph Based Failure Analysis for Private Clouds

This paper proposes the use of dependency graph based modeling to streamline the failure analysis process for private clouds. It discusses the engineering practices used to create such dependency graphs and shows how to merge traditional graph traversal techniques with data analytics for failure analysis. This methodology is then applied to Microsoft AzureStack and real-world results are presented for the same.
Thermal performance curves based on field movements reveal context-dependence of thermal traits in a desert ectotherm

Thermal traits likely mediate organismal responses to changing thermal environments. As temperatures increase, predicting species responses will depend on understanding how thermal traits vary within and among individuals and across time and space. We evaluated variation in thermal traits within and among individual Mojave Desert Tortoises, using GPS telemetry to quantify movement performance and animal-mounted sensors to measure carapace temperatures. We constructed thermal performance curves (TPCs) based on movement velocity and assessed variation in associated thermal traits by sex, season, and proximity to roads. We also examined the temperature-dependence of monthly home ranges and the frequency of high-displacement movements. Individuals exhibited lower variation in upper critical temperatures (CTmaxE) than in other traits, such as optimum temperatures and lower critical temperatures for movement. All thermal traits varied within individuals, either by season or proximity to roads. We also found that monthly home range size and the frequency of high-displacement movements increased with the time individuals spent within their optimal temperature range; however, this effect was only apparent during months with greater rainfall. Low standing variation in CTmaxE suggests that this trait may be constrained, limiting potential changes through acclimation or selection in warming environments. Our results demonstrate the modifying effect of rainfall on temperature-space use relationships and highlight the dependence of thermal traits on ecological and landscape contexts. Field-based TPCs derived from GPS movement tracks provided ecologically-relevant estimates of thermal traits and suggest an informative framework for unifying elements of thermal biology and spatial ecology.
Wearable Patch Based Estimation of Oxygen Uptake and Assessment of Clinical Status during Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Patients with Heart Failure

Abstract Background To estimate oxygen uptake (VO2) from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) using simultaneously recorded seismocardiogram (SCG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals captured with a small wearable patch. CPX is an important risk stratification tool for patients with heart failure (HF) owing to the prognostic value of the features derived from the gas exchange variables such as VO2. However, CPX requires specialized equipment, as well as trained professionals to conduct the study. Methods and Results We have conducted a total of 68 CPX tests on 59 patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (31% women, mean age 55 ± 13 years, ejection fraction 0.27 ± 0.11, 79% stage C). The patients were fitted with a wearable sensing patch and underwent treadmill CPX. We divided the dataset into a training–testing set (n = 44) and a separate validation set (n = 24). We developed globalized (population) regression models to estimate VO2 from the SCG and ECG signals measured continuously with the patch. We further classified the patients as stage D or C using the SCG and ECG features to assess the ability to detect clinical state from the wearable patch measurements alone. We developed the regression and classification model with cross-validation on the training–testing set and validated the models on the validation set. The regression model to estimate VO2 from the wearable features yielded a moderate correlation (R2 of 0.64) with a root mean square error of 2.51 ± 1.12 mL · kg–1 · min–1 on the training–testing set, whereas R2 and root mean square error on the validation set were 0.76 and 2.28 ± 0.93 mL · kg–1 · min–1, respectively. Furthermore, the classification of clinical state yielded accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.84, 0.91, 0.64, and 0.74, respectively, for the training–testing set, and 0.83, 0.86, 0.67, and 0.92, respectively, for the validation set. Conclusions Wearable SCG and ECG can assess CPX VO2 and thereby classify clinical status for patients with HF. These methods may provide value in the risk stratification of patients with HF by tracking cardiopulmonary parameters and clinical status outside of specialized settings, potentially allowing for more frequent assessments to be performed during longitudinal monitoring and treatment.
A behavioral method to estimate charge integration efficiency in cochlear implant users.

Abstract Background In cochlear implants, pulse amplitude (PA) or pulse phase duration (PPD) can be used to increase loudness. Loudness grows more slowly with increasing PPD, resulting in a larger dynamic range (DR), possibly reflecting “leaky” charge integration associated with neural degeneration due to hearing loss. Here, we propose a method to estimate charge integration efficiency for CI users. New method The DR was measured with increasing PA or PPD, relative to a common threshold anchor with a short PPD (25μs/ph); DRs were converted to the common unit of charge (nC). Charge integration efficiency was calculated as the dB difference in DR with increasing PPD or PA. Loudness growth functions were also compared as PA or PPD was increased relative to the common threshold. Results Ten CI ears were tested; all participants were adult users of Cochlear© devices. DR was significantly larger when PPD was increased, requiring (on average) 70 % more charge than when PA was increased. A significant correlation (p = 0.007) was observed between duration of deafness and charge integration efficiency, largely driven by a participant with long auditory deprivation in both ears. Loudness growth was slower when PPD was increased, consistent with previous studies. Comparison to Existing Methods. The present method offers a quick behavioral test with which to measure charge integration efficiency, which may be a useful measure of neural health. Discussion Charge integration efficiency may be used to probe neural health independent of absolute detection thresholds, which mostly reflect the proximity of electrodes to neural populations.
The impact of social norms on cross-state energy regime changes

Abstract We present a survey study that explores two experimental analysis: first, a cross-country norms effect on petition signing, and second, a cross-state comparison, focusing on clean energy adaptation instead of fossil fuel energy. In the first study, we use energy consumption information from the US, EU, and China. Using the first study as a pilot, we redesigned the second experiment by providing energy utilization for Arizonian and New Mexican to validate our norms by comparing their states' green energy consumption to the pioneer states separately. The results of the research point out that social norms can effectively influence the participants in different angles. The attendants are more likely to sign a petition—by seven percent—in favor of clean energy act when they have been provided with additional information. This research highlights that not only social norms could be compelling individuals’ behavior, but also that they are sensitive to the types of information which are disclosed to them.
XGBoost to Interpret the Opioid Patients' State Based on Cognitive and Physiological Measures

Dealing with opioid addiction and its long-term consequences is of great importance, as the addiction to opioids is emerged gradually, and established strongly in a given patient's body. Based on recent research, quitting the opioid requires clinicians to arrange a gradual plan for the patients who deal with the difficulties of overcoming addiction. This, in turn, necessitates observing the patients' wellness periodically, which is conventionally made by setting clinical appointments. With the advent of wearable sensors continuous patient monitoring becomes possible. However, the data collected through the sensors is pervasively noisy, where using sensors with different sampling frequency challenges the data processing. In this work, we handle this problem by using data from cognitive tests, along with heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). The proposed recipe enables us to interpret the data as a feature space, where we can predict the wellness of the opioid patients by employing extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), which results in 96.12% average accuracy of prediction as the best achieved performance.
Impact of Neighborhood Social and Environmental Resources on Medicaid Spending.

Introduction In an era of COVID-19, Black Lives Matter, and unsustainable healthcare spending, efforts to address the root causes of health are urgently needed. Research linking medical spending to variation in neighborhood resources is critical to building the case for increased funding for social conditions. However, few studies link neighborhood factors to medical spending. This study assesses the relationship between neighborhood social and environmental resources and medical spending across the spending distribution. Methods Individual-level health outcomes were drawn from a sample of Medicaid enrollees living in Baltimore, Maryland during 2016. A multidimensional index of neighborhood social and environmental resources was created and stratified by tertile (high, medium, and low). Differences were examined in individual-level medical spending associated with living in high-, medium-, or low-resource neighborhoods in unadjusted and adjusted 2-part models and quantile regression models. Analyses were conducted in 2019. Results Enrollees who live in neighborhoods with low social and environmental resources incur significantly higher spending at the mean and across the distribution of medical spending even after controlling for age, race, sex, and morbidity than those who live in neighborhoods with high social and environmental resources. On average, this spending difference between individuals in low- and those in high-resource neighborhoods is estimated to be $523.60 per person per year. Conclusions Living in neighborhoods with low (versus those with high) resources is associated with higher individual-level medical spending across the distribution of medical spending. Findings suggest potential benefits from efforts to address the social and environmental context of neighborhoods in addition to the traditional orientation to addressing individual behavior and risk.
Analysis of 56K genomes identifies the relationship between antibiotic and metal resistance co-Occurrence and the spread of multidrug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella

Salmonella enterica is common foodborne pathogen that generates both enteric and systemic infections in hosts. Antibiotic resistance is common is certain serovars of the pathogen and of great concern to public health. Recent reports have documented the co-occurrence of metal resistance with antibiotic resistance in one serovar of S. enterica. Therefore, we sought to identify possible co-occurrence in a large genomic dataset. Genome assemblies of 56,348 strains of S. enterica comprising 20 major serovars were downloaded from NCBI. The downloaded assemblies were quality controlled and in silico serotyped to ensure consistency and avoid improper annotation from public databases. Metal and antibiotic resistance genes were identified in the genomes as well as plasmid replicons. Co-current genes were identified by constructing a co-occurrence matrix and group the genes using k-means clustering. Three groups of co-occurrent genes were identified using k-means clustering. Group 1 was comprised of the pco and sil operons that confer resistance to copper and silver respectively. Group 1 was distributed across four serovars. Group 2 contained the majority of the genes and little to no co-occurrence was observed. Metal and antibiotic co-occurrence was identified in group 3 that contained genes conferring resistance to: arsenic, mercury, beta-lactams, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines. Group 3 genes were also associated with an IncQ1 class plasmid replicon. Metal and antibiotic co-occurrence was isolated to one clade of S. enterica I 4,[5],12:i:.
Cutaneous Carcinogenic Effects of Sunlight in Humans

For normal Caucasians, malignant melanoma of the skin is the most serious hazard of solar exposure, effecting people in their productive years, (age 25–60) (1) Only two-thirds survive 5 years. (2) Malignant melanoma is at present as common as Hodgkin’s disease (3) and is the leading cause of death of all skin disorders.(4) Many investigators have implicated solar exposure in the etiology of malignant melanoma. It is therefore, important for prevention, to evaluate the evidence for this relationship.
Structure of the Influenza Virion

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the influenza virus, which is presently available from biochemical and biophysical studies and from the electron microscopy. It attempts to design a model of the particle based on this information. Although much is known about these viruses, the available information is incomplete in many respects. For example, detailed information about a specific portion of the virion or about a specific biochemical process may be available, but from one virus strain only. Attempts to formulate a detailed model are also frustrated by the limitations of the experimental procedures themselves. Procedures employed to prepare a sample for viewing in the electron microscope may alter the structure of the virus. Disrupting the virion and separating its components for biochemical and biophysical analyses provides further opportunities for artifacts. However, these procedures also provide complementary information about the structure of the virion. Facts about the structure can be derived from the evidence at hand only, when a number of seemingly independent observations converge on and mutually support a conclusion. The structure proposed in the chapter is, therefore, intended to be a working model, based on the present state of knowledge. It is put forth at this time as much to provoke questions as to answer them.
Some Thoughts on Variable-Selection in Multiple Regression

The practice of variable-selection in multiple linear regression is examined both logically and statistically in terms of the major objectives of regression analysis. It is argued that in addition to goodness-of-fit considerations, due attention should ..
The Experience of Older Adults Living with HIV

This chapter depicts graphically the diversity of older people impacted by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease and the varied responses that they may have to their diagnosis. It is based on extensive and relatively unstructured narrative interviews with 15 older people living with HIV (PLWHIV), and provides a personal glimpse of the impact the HIV diagnosis has on their lives. The chapter opens with a biographical overview of the participants, followed by excerpts from their interviews, reflecting the range of their experiences pertaining to frequently mentioned aspects of living with HIV. The participants described the circumstances leading them to testing and their initial responses to the HIV diagnosis. Although at the time of their diagnosis, most of the participants had little understanding of HIV disease and what it might mean for them, they shared a sense that they had somehow become tainted or diminished because of it. The narrative research participants experienced a high degree of anxiety at the time of their HIV diagnosis. A number of specific issues were mentioned by the participants as being particularly stressful as they confront life as an older adult with HIV disease.
Textual genre analysis and identification

This chapter reports on a research program that investigates language and text from a rhetorical point of view. By rhetorical, we mean an approach that features the relationship between the speaker and the audience or between the writer and the reader. Fundamental to a rhetorical approach to language is an interest in linguistic and textual agency, how speakers and writers manage to use language strategically to affect audiences; and how audiences and readers, agents in their own right, manage, or not, to pick up on, register, and respond to a speaker or writer's bids. Historical and cultural factors play a central role in how speakers and writer settle into agent roles vis-a-vis listeners and readers. It is therefore no surprise that rhetorical approaches to language treat language, culture, and history as deeply permeable with one another. Rhetorical approaches to language have, since ancient Greece, been the dominant approach for educating language-users in the western educational curriculum [1].
Parallel Processing of Divisible Loads on Partitionable Static Interconnection Networks

We analyze the parallel time and speedup for processing a divisible load on (1) a linear array with a corner initial processor; (2) a linear array with an interior initial processor; (3) a mesh with a corner initial processor; (4) a mesh with an interior initial processor; (5) a b-ary complete tree with the root as the initial processor; (6) a pyramid with the apex as the initial processor. Due to communication overhead and limited network connectivity, the speedup of parallel processing for a divisible load on static interconnection networks with constant node degrees is bounded from above by a quantity independent of network size. It is shown that for the above six cases, as the network size becomes large, the asymptotic speedup is approximately $\sqrt{\beta}$, 2$\sqrt{\beta}$, β3/4, 4β3/4, (b−1)β, and 3β, respectively, where β is the ratio of the time for computing a unit load to the time for communicating a unit load. We also investigate divisible load distribution on hypercubes. Our strategy takes advantage of the recursive structure of a hypercube. It is proven that linear speedup can be achieved as the communication cost becomes smaller and smaller.
Hard Times and Protest in Latin America

It is natural to assume that hard economic times will lead to contentious challenges against political authority, but major scholars in the contentious politics field are dubious of this assumption and there has been surprisingly little direct research on the topic. This study examines this relationship using an original dataset of seven Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Venezuela for the years 1981-1995. In contrast to previous studies, this dataset allows us to examine overall levels of contentious challenges, as well as particular forms of contention, or contention focusing on particular demands. Regression analysis shows that economic hardship, measured by GDP growth and inflation, is not a major factor in overall levels of contention. The impacts are much more specified. Lower rates of GDP growth significantly increase the number of challenges demanding economic policy reform. Higher rates of inflation significantly increase the number of strikes. Overall, political and organizational factors are more consistently related to levels of contention.
Do Not Knock? Lovell to Stratton and Back Again

This article discusses a novel legal creation regarding how municipalities are attempting to prevent charitable and other non-commercial entities from canvassing and soliciting donations from residents. The article begins with a historical analysis of the commercial speech doctrine, and moves on to an overview of the Do Not Call registry as created by the federal Telemarketing Sales Rule. These two discussions are necessary to inform the remainder of the article, as an Ohio municipality has taken a cue from the Do Not Call registry and enacted a Do Not Knock registry, premised on the same legal reasoning that allowed for the Do Not Call list to be sustained. This development is a wholly new one, and one to which there is no easy answer as how the First Amendment will apply, and what protections it will offer.
Ketaset-Rompun Anesthesia Induces a Conditioned Taste Aversion in Rats

Two experiments paired a novel sucrose solution (conditioned stimulus, or CS) with injections of Ketaset-Rompun anesthesia (unconditioned stimulus, or US) to examine the effects of this anesthetic on the development of conditioned taste aversions (CTA) in Sprague-Dawley rats. Experiment 1 showed that using Ketaset-Rompun anesthesia as the US produced a reliable taste aversion, as rats injected with the anesthetic immediately after consumption of a novel sucrose solution drank significantly less sucrose on a 24-hr retention test compared to rats injected with an equivalent volume of saline at training. Additionally, Experiment 2 demonstrated that the level of Ketaset-Rompun-induced CTA varied with the CS-US interval. In this experiment, rats injected with the anesthetic demonstrated an aversion to sucrose at testing if the presentation of the CS was followed by injections of the US either immediately, 1 hr, or 2 hr later. However, when the US was administered 4 or 6 hr after presentation of the CS, no aversion to sucrose was manifested at testing. Furthermore, the results of Experiment 2 suggest that the largest CTA was obtained with the 2-hr delay condition. The methodological implications for researchers using Ketaset-Rompun for surgical interventions is considered.
Erythrocyte lead-binding protein after occupational exposure. I. Relationship to lead toxicity.

Abstract Lead content was determined in various fractions of red blood cell (RBC) hemolysates from normal controls and from three groups of lead-exposed workers: without toxicity, toxicity associated with high blood lead levels, and toxicity associated with low blood lead levels. The most significant finding was a decrease in the lead bound to a 10,000 molecular weight protein in the group of workers with toxicity at low blood lead levels (43 to 54 μg%). These results suggest that workers who have diminished capacity for synthesizing this low-molecular-weight lead-binding protein are at increased risk for developing lead toxicity at relatively low blood lead levels.
Studies on protein multimers. The association–dissociation behaviour of β-galactosidase in glycerol

1. The effect of glycerol on the association-dissociation behaviour of beta-galactosidases from Escherichia coli is described. Two strains, K12 and ML308, were used as sources of enzyme. The conditions used, involving glycerol at a concentration of 90%, result in dissociation of the active 540000-dalton form to inactive structural subunits of 135000 daltons. 2. A pH-dependent process, assumed to be cyclic in mechanism, allows reassociation to an active form indistinguishable from the initial protein. 3. The apparently identical structural subunits, if produced in the presence of EDTA, were found to give rise to two electrophoretically distinguishable species. 4. Enzymes from both strains of E. coli can be distinguished electrophoretically but exhibit the same behaviour in glycerol. 5. A scheme of the association-dissociation is presented that is consistent with the behaviour observed and that has some predictive value.
Fault tolerance of quantum low-density parity check codes with sublinear distance scaling

We discuss error-correction properties for families of quantum low-density parity check (LDPC) codes with relative distance that tends to zero in the limit of large blocklength. In particular, we show that any family of LDPC codes, quantum or classical, where distance scales as a positive power of the block length, $d \propto n^\alpha$, $\alpha>0$, can correct all errors with certainty if the error rate per (qu)bit is sufficiently small. We specifically analyze the case of LDPC version of the quantum hypergraph-product codes recently suggested by Tillich and Z\'emor. These codes are a finite-rate generalization of the toric codes, and, for sufficiently large quantum computers, offer an advantage over the toric codes.
Importance of serrated polyps in colorectal carcinogenesis

Colorectal cancer is an invasive neoplasm of the glandular epithelium of the colon and rectum that begins in a precursor lesion and expands to replace its lesion of origin. The majority of colorectal cancers arise from an adenoma, and the ‘adenoma to carcinoma’ pathway has been acknowledged for decades. More recently, another precursor lesion has been recognized: the serrated polyp. Serrated polyps are characterized by a sawtooth appearance of the crypt epithelium resulting from failure of apoptosis and a build-up of aging colonocytes. Although initially felt to be innocent of involvement in colorectal carcinogenesis, some types of serrated polyp are being increasingly recognized as precursor lesions, prone to develop into cancer, and likely to be a cause of ‘missed’ or interval cancers after colonoscopic screening. It is essential that gastrointestinal specialists appreciate the clinical significance of these lesions and what that means for colorectal cancer screening, and prevention. The purpose of this review is to highlight the importance serrated lesions of the colon and rectum, and to summarize current opinion on their natural history, diagnosis, surveillance and treatment.
Mechanically Tunable Nanophotonic Devices

We report a novel tunable nanophotonic device concept based on Mechanically Controlled Photonic Crystal (MCPC), which is comprised of a periodic array of high index dielectric material and a low index polymer. Tunability is achieved by applying mechanical force with nano-/micro-electron-mechanical system actuators. The mechanical stress induces changes in the periodicity of the photonic crystal, to which the photonic band structure is extremely sensitive. This consequently produces tunability much greater than that achievable by electro-optic materials such as liquid crystal. Our theoretical investigations revealed that we could achieve dynamic beam steering over a wide range of angles up to 75° with only 10% mechanical stretching. We also predicted tunable sub-wavelength imaging in which we could tune the frequency response and focal length of negative index PC lens. For experimental demonstration, we fabricated the PC structures on Si-on-insulator substrates. Optical characterizations clearly showed the anticipated negative refraction in which the incident beam was refracted back to the side it was incident. The experimental demonstration of negative refraction at optical frequencies in a Si-based photonic crystal structure is a significant step toward the next-generation nanophotonics.
The radiation grafting of vinyl monomers to cotton fabrics—I Methacrylic acid to terry cloth towelling

Abstract Cobalt 60 gamma and electron beam irradiation have been studied for the grafting of methacrylic acid in aqueous solution to cotton fabric. Dose rate effects led to greater degrees of grafting with gamma radiation. Doses higher than one or five megarads for gamma and electron beam irradiations, respectively, caused some degradation of the grafted side chains. The effect of monomer concentration was also investigated, high concentrations led to lower yields; this was ascribed to poorer penetration of the monomer solution into the fabric at lower water constants. The addition of small amounts of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate gave higher graft efficiencies due to crosslinking. Excellent yields and efficiencies were obtained under optimum conditions. The grafted products will have higher hydrophillicity and also ion exchange capacity compared with the original cotton fabric.
Estimation of catalyst activity profiles in fixed bed reactors

The description of the steady state operation of a fixed bed catalytic reactor requires a certain amount of information about the catalyst activity distribution. For a monofunctional catalyst with no transport limitations the total catalyst activity is sufficient for describing the steady reactor operation. The total activity can be easily estimated from measurements at the reactor exit. In the presence of diffusional limitations, or in the case of bifunctional catalysts, the reactor description requires knowledge of the detailed activity profile. This can be approximately determined by parametrization and estimation of the parameters from a few measurements along the reactor. An application of the parametrization technique is made to a simplified model of naphtha reforming.
Inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase synthesis by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides.

Oligodeoxynucleotides 18 nucleotides in length having sequences complementary to regions spanning the initiation codon regions of ornithine decarboyxlase or S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase mRNAs were tested for their ability to inhibit translation of these mRNAs. In reticulocyte lysates, a strong and dose dependent reduction of ornithine decarboyxlase synthesis in response to mRNA from D-R L1210 cells was brought about by 5′-AAAGCT GCTCATGGTTCT-3′ which is complementary to the sequence from - 6 to + 12 of the mRNA sequence but there was no inhibition by 5′-TGCAGCTTCCATCACCGT-3′. Conversely, the latter oligodeoxynucleotide which is complementary to the sequence from − 6 to + 12 of the mRNA of S-adenosyl methionine decarboxylase was a strong inhibitor of the synthesis of this enzyme in response to rat prostate mRNA and the antisense sequence from ornithine decarboxylase had no effect. The translation of ornithine decarboxylase mRNA in a wheat germ system was inhibited by the antisense oligodeoxynucleotide at much lower concentration than those needed in the reticulocyte lysate suggesting that degradation of the hybrid by ribonuclease H may be an important factor in this inhibition. These results indicate that such oligonucleotides may be useful to regulate cellular polyamine levels and as probes to study control of mRNA translation.
Childhood sexual abuse in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa: a pilot study

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this pilot study were to determine the feasibility and scientific merit of coordinating a large-scale investigation of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in outpatient-eating disordered women and to evaluate the usefulness and potential adverse effects of a semistructured trauma interview. METHOD: The sample was randomly selected from subjects participating in a naturalistic longitudinal study of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN). The refusal rate was 26%. Twenty women with DSM-III-R AN/BN were assessed with the traumatic antecedents interview (TAI); a brief semistructured follow-up interview was administered over the telephone 3 to 8 weeks after the first interview. Subjects also completed the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). RESULTS: Thirteen subjects (65%) reported CSA, and those with more comorbidity reported CSA more frequently. Subjects with a history of CSA had significantly higher scores on the DES. Minimal adverse consequences to the TAI were noted. CONCLUSIONS: The high compliance rate, high prevalence of CSA, and high DES scores among our pilot sample support the merit of studying CSA in a larger sample. Language: en
Thyroid Hormone-Mediated Growth and Differentiation of Growth Plate Chondrocytes Involves IGF-1 Modulation of β-Catenin Signaling

Thyroid hormone regulates terminal differentiation of growth plate chondrocytes in part through modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) has been described as a stabilizer of β-catenin, and thyroid hormone is a known stimulator of IGF-1 receptor expression. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that IGF-1 signaling is involved in the interaction between the thyroid hormone and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways in regulating growth plate chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation. The results show that IGF-1 and the IGF- receptor (IGF1R) stimulate Wnt-4 expression and β-catenin activation in growth plate chondrocytes. The positive effects of IGF-1/IGF1R on chondrocyte proliferation and terminal differentiation are partially inhibited by the Wnt antagonists sFRP3 and Dkk1. T3 activates IGF-1/IGF1R signaling and IGF-1-dependent PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling in growth plate chondrocytes undergoing proliferation and differentiation to prehypertrophy. T3-mediated Wnt-4 expression, β-catenin activation, cell proliferation, and terminal differentiation of growth plate chondrocytes are partially prevented by the IGF1R inhibitor picropodophyllin as well as by the PI3K/Akt signaling inhibitors LY294002 and Akti1/2. These data indicate that the interactions between thyroid hormone and β-catenin signaling in regulating growth plate chondrocyte proliferation and terminal differentiation are modulated by IGF-1/IGF1R signaling through both the Wnt and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. While chondrocyte proliferation may be triggered by the IGF-1/IGF1R-mediated PI3K/Akt/GSK3β pathway, cell hypertrophy is likely due to activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which is at least in part initiated by IGF-1 signaling or the IGF-1-activated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

Background: The timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis remains controversial.
Myristoyl esters of lactose.

Abstract Whereas lactose did not undergo a base-catalyzed transesterification with methyl esters of fatty acids, methyl β-lactoside reacted under identical conditions to give mono- and di-myristates. This difference in behavior is explained in terms of the formation of an unreactive, internally chelated potassium—lactose complex. Supporting evidence for this hypothesis is the observed change in the anomeric equilibrium of lactose in the presence of potassium carbonate. The monomyristates of methyl β-lactoside were assigned the structures of 3′ and 6′ derivatives, and it is concluded that the diesters are the 3′,6t, and 6,6′ derivatives.
Seasonal Variations of Climate Feedbacks in the NCAR CCSM3

AbstractThis study investigates the annual cycle of radiative contributions to global climate feedbacks. A partial radiative perturbation (PRP) technique is used to diagnose monthly radiative perturbations at the top of atmosphere (TOA) due to CO2 forcing; surface temperature response; and water vapor, cloud, lapse rate, and surface albedo feedbacks using NCAR Community Climate System Model, version 3 (CCSM3) output from a Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B emissions-scenario-forced climate simulation. The seasonal global mean longwave TOA radiative feedback was found to be minimal. However, the global mean shortwave (SW) TOA cloud and surface albedo radiative perturbations exhibit large seasonality. The largest contributions to the negative SW cloud feedback occur during summer in each hemisphere, marking the largest differences with previous results. Results suggest that intermodel spread in climate sensitivity may occur, partially from cloud and surface albedo feedback seasonality differe...
“Complete”and “Incomplete” Hemagglutin Formation in the Mouse.∗

SummaryInjection of human, sheep and rabbit erythrocytes into Webster mice results in the appearance of “incomplete” varieties of hemagglutinins detectable in albumin, with trypsinized cells, and by means of a Coombs' reagent. In some animals given small doses of antigen, the saline agglutinin does not appear. At the same time, the “incomplete” ones may be present in high titre and escape notice unless tested for specifically.
High performance gate-level simulation with GP-GPU computing

Functional verification of modern digital designs is a mission critical and time-consuming task. Verification is essential since it ensures the correctness of the final product; however, due to the complexity of modern designs, verification has become the primary bottleneck of time to market. Logic simulation forms the core of most current verification efforts, as it is almost ubiquitously used to verify the functional correctness of a design over a broad range of abstraction levels. In particular at the gate-level granularity, a design consists of millions of logic primitives, thus making simulation excruciatingly slow. In mainstream industry setups, complex digital systems are validated by distributing logic simulation tasks among vast server farms for weeks at a time. Yet, the performance of simulation keeps falling behind the demand, leading to incomplete verification and escaped functional bugs. It is no surprise that the EDA and semiconductor industries are always seeking for faster simulation solutions. Recently, advances in graphic processing unit (GPU) technology has made GPUs emerge as a cost effective parallel processing solution. Modern GPUs offer vast execution parallelism, which is a natural fit for the inherent parallel structure of gate-level netlists. Based on these observations, we propose novel algorithms for the efficient mapping of large netlists to the concurrent architecture of GPU hardware. Our GCS simulation architecture maximizes the utilization of concurrent hardware resources, while minimizing expensive communication overhead using a novel hybrid simulation method. Experimental results indicate that our GPU-based gate-level simulator delivers an order-of-magnitude performance improvement, on average, over commercial simulators on industrial-size designs.
JUVENILE TO ADULT SHIFT IN FEEDING STRATEGIES IN THE PEDUNCULATE BARNACLE POLLICIPES POLYMERUS (SOWERBY) (CIRRIPEDIA, LEPADOMORPHA)

Les juveniles de Pollicipes polymerus montrent un rythme de battement des cirres semblable a celui des Balanes, alors que chez les adultes les cirres restent en extension pendant l'alimentation. Le rythme decroit avec l'accroissement du taux d'oxygene, ce qui laisse supposer que ce comportement est partiellement lie a la fonction respiratoire. Les mouvements d'alimentation ont ete observes en meme temps que les battements des cirres. Le taux de battements s'eleve quand la temperature de l'eau passe de 10°C a 15°C, le Q10 etant de 4,6 entre ces limites. Il decroit jusqu'a ce que l'extension des cirres devienne le seul mode de capture de la nourriture, ceci quand les juveniles atteignent une taille de 14 mm, en diametre rostro-carenal. Le pourcentage de matiere organique particulaire dans l'intestin decroit en fonction inverse de la taille de l'animal. Les materiaux organiques de plus grandes dimensions forment une part plus grande du regime quand sa taille s'accroit.
Chronic Inhalation Toxicity and Carcinogenicity Testing of Respirable Fibrous Particles

On May 8-10, 1995, a workshop on chronic inhalation toxicity and carcinogenicity testing of respirable fibrous particles was held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The workshop was sponsored by the Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The goal of the workshop was to obtain input from the scientific community on a number of issues related to fiber testing. Major issues for discussion were: (i) the optimal design and conduct of studies of the health effects of chronic inhalation exposure of animals to fibers; (ii) preliminary studies which would be useful guides in designing the chronic exposure study; (iii) mechanistic studies which would be important adjuncts to the chronic exposure study to enable better interpretation of study results and extrapolation of potential effects in exposed humans; and (iv) available screening tests which can be used to develop a minimum data set for (a) making decisions about the potential health hazard of the fibers and (b) prioritizing the need for further testing in a chronic inhalation study. After extensive discussion and debate of the workshop issues, the general consensus of the expert panel is that chronic inhalation studies of fibers in the rat are the most appropriate tests for predicting inhalation hazard and risk of fibers to humans. A number of guidances specific for the design and conduct of prechronic and chronic inhalation studies of fibers in rodents were recommended. For instance, it was recommended that along with other information (decrease in body weight, systemic toxicity, etc.), data should be obtained on lung burdens and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis to assist in establishing the chronic exposure levels. Lung burden data are also important for quantifying aspects of risk assessment related to dosimetric adjustments before extrapolation. Although mechanistic studies are not recommended as part of the standard chronic inhalation studies, the expert panel stressed the need for obtaining mechanistic information as far as possible during the course of subchronic or chronic inhalation studies. At present, no single assay and battery of short-term assays can predict the outcome of a chronic inhalation bioassay with respect to carcinogenic effects. Meanwhile, several short-term in vitro and in vivo studies that may be useful to assess the relative potential of fibrous substances to cause lung toxicity/carcinogenicity have been identified.
Analysis of Mode Transitions in Biological Networks

This work presents a methodology for the analysis of mode transitions in biological networks. The proposed approach is predicated on the notion of orchestrating switching between the domains of attraction of the steady states of the constituent modes. Initially, the overall network is modeled as a switched nonlinear system that consists of multiple modes, each governed by a set of continuous-time differential equations. The transitions between the continuous modes are triggered by discrete events (changes in model parameters that correspond to alterations in physiological conditions). Then, following the characterization of the steady-state behavior of each mode, Lyapunov techniques are used to characterize the domains of attraction of the steady states. Finally, by analyzing how the domains of attraction of the various modes overlap with one other, a switching rule is derived to determine when, and if, a given mode transition at a given time results in the desired steady-state behavior. The proposed method is demonstrated using models of biological networks that arise in cell cycle regulation and the bacteriophage λ-switch system. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2005
All-to-all disjoint multipath routing using cycle embedding

In this paper, we evaluate the performance of disjoint multipath routing approaches for all-to-all routing in packet-switched networks with respect to packet overhead, path length, and routing table size. We develop a novel approach based on cycle embedding to obtain two node-disjoint paths between all source-destination pairs with reduced number of routing table entries maintained at a node (hence the reduced lookup time), small average path length, and less packet overhead. We study the trade-off between the number of routing table entries maintained at a node and the average length of the two disjoint paths by: (a) formulating the cycle-embedding problem as an integer linear program; and (b) developing a heuristic. We show that the number of routing table entries at a node may be reduced to at most two per destination using cycle-embedding approach if the average length of the disjoint paths are allowed to exceed the minimum by 25%.