cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors impacting rural Pacific Island veterans' access to care: A qualitative examination

Pacific Island veterans suffer from greater severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared with Caucasian veterans but face substantial barriers to mental health care. However, the factors that may dissuade or facilitate veterans in the Pacific Islands from seeking mental health care are not known. The main aim of this study was to identify how internal and external factors interact to impact wounded warriors' access to and use of mental health services. Veterans residing in 5 rural Pacific Island locations were mailed recruitment materials. Other veterans were made aware of the project by key stakeholders in their communities. Thirty-seven male veterans (across 5 focus groups) and 1 female veteran (via individual interview) participated. The study utilized an analytic design in which taped focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim and coded for major themes. Results indicated that most veterans identified Veterans Affairs (VA) as a positive source for health care. However, common concerns acknowledged were as follows: (a) difficulty navigating the VA system, (b) time associated with receiving care, (c) family stigma, (d) community stigma, (e) cultural differences, and (f) a lack of knowledge about VA services and benefits. Facilitators of care included the following: (a) individual knowledge and self-efficacy, (b) networking with other veterans, (c) family support, and (d) rural community support. All factor levels interacted in subtle ways to ultimately impact access to care. Next steps are described, including projects designed to better meet the needs of rural Pacific Island veterans. (PsycINFO Database Record
Assuming Personal Responsibility for Sexual Victimization: Harmful But Potentially Adaptive for College Women?

Survivors of sexual trauma often experience pervasive adverse cognitive attributions, such as assuming responsibility for victimization. In fact, these negative outcomes were recently included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) criterion for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have garnered substantial research attention devoted toward investigating the effectiveness of empirically supported trauma treatments in altering and reducing maladaptive belief systems. However, less is known about the ways that these negative cognitions may be inadvertently serving an adaptive role in young women’s healing and recovery from sexual trauma. The present study examined relationships between situational aspects of sexual victimization, personal responsibility, self-esteem, perceived future control, and perceived future likelihood of assault recurrence using path analysis in a sample of college women (n = 347) who had experienced sexual victimization. Increased physical h...
“Children in the Wind”: Reexamining the Golden Age of Childhood Film in Wartime Japan

Films about childhood enjoyed a boom during wartime Japan, from the 1930s to 1945, but most were aimed at adults. The author of this chapter, Harald Salomon, argues that films, along with print media, radio, and theater, helped shape an emotional repertoire that characterized Japanese society at this time. A focus on children was uniquely appropriate for this project, owing to what was perceived as the child’s innate innocence. For that reason, films that explored what was deemed the authentic emotional experience of childhood exposed truths about larger society overlooked by adults. Many films highlighted the adverse circumstances that children experienced through no fault of their own, something that their audiences could easily identify with. Films defined childhood as a separate sphere and stage of life that is crucial for personal development and promised that if virtuous and good children could endure hardship, then so could the audience.
Trajectories of Aging Among U.S. Older Adults: Mixed Evidence for a Hispanic Paradox.

Author(s): Tarraf, Wassim; Jensen, Gail A; Dillaway, Heather E; Vasquez, Priscilla M; Gonzalez, Hector M | Abstract: ObjectivesA well-documented paradox is that Hispanics tend to live longer than non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), despite structural disadvantages. We evaluate whether the "Hispanic paradox" extends to more comprehensive longitudinal aging classifications and examine how lifecourse factors relate to these groupings.MethodsWe used biennial data (1998-2014) on adults aged 65 years and older at baseline from the Health and Retirement Study. We use joint latent class discrete time and growth curve modeling to identify trajectories of aging, and multinomial logit models to determine whether U.S.-born (USB-H) and Foreign-born (FB-H) Hispanics experience healthier styles of aging than non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), and test how lifecycle factors influence this relationship.ResultsWe identify four trajectory classes including, "cognitive unhealthy," "high morbidity," "nonaccelerated", and "healthy." Compared to NHWs, both USB-H and FB-H have higher relative risk ratios (RRR) of "cognitive unhealthy" and "high morbidity" classifications, relative to "nonaccelerated." These patterns persist upon controlling for lifecourse factors. Both Hispanic groups, however, also have higher RRRs for "healthy" classification (vs "nonaccelerated") upon adjusting for adult achievements and health behaviors.DiscussionControlling for lifefcourse factors USB-H and FB-H have equal or higher likelihood for "high morbidity" and "cognitive unhealthy" classifications, respectively, relative to NHWs. Yet, both groups are equally likely of being in the "healthy" group compared to NHWs. These segregations into healthy and unhealthy groups require more research and could contribute to explaining the paradoxical patterns produced when population heterogeneity is not taken into account.
Factors associated with outcomes and inpatient 90-day cost of care in endometrial cancer patients undergoing hysterectomy - implications for bundled care payments

Abstract Objective To investigate the association of obesity and other comorbidities as well as route of surgery with postoperative outcomes, as well as 30- and 90-day inpatient cost of care after hysterectomy for endometrial cancer. Methods From the 2013 National Readmission Database release, patients who underwent hysterectomy for endometrial cancer were included. Obesity was classified as non-obese (body mass index [BMI] Results A total of 27,658 patients were identified. Compared to non-obese patients those with class III obesity had higher rate of any medical (non-surgical) complication (22.3% vs 17.2%, p = 0.004), and higher rate of 30-day readmission (6% vs 4.4%, p = 0.003), but similar rates of surgical complications. There were no significant differences in perioperative outcomes between non-obese patients and those with class I/II obesity. Non-obese patients had higher rates of traditional laparoscopy (8.4% vs 13.6%, p Conclusions Class III obesity was associated with higher medical (but not surgical) complication rates as well as increased overall inpatient care cost when compared to the non-obese population. Number of comorbidities significantly impacted the cost and outcomes after hysterectomy. As more healthcare initiatives focus on bundled payments, our results suggest that payment packages should adjust for obesity rates and medical comorbidities stratified by region and hospital type in order to fairly compensate for increased costs of care.
Anesthesia in the Inca empire

The Incas had no written language and their chroniclers say little about their surgery and nothing about their methods for relieving the pain it caused. It is possible that they did have some form of anesthesia. Available plants that had central effects include maize (which they used in different ways to prepare an alcoholic beverage called chicha), Datura, espingo, tobacco, San Pedro cactus, and coca. The Incas used chicha to induce unconsciousness during minor surgical operations and it was still being used in those regions in the 19th century to perform female circumcision. Datura, espingo, tobacco, and San Pedro cactus can produce a deep trance and, in all probability, anesthesia. There is evidence that they used Datura as a total or partial anesthetic. The Incas chewed coca leaves with lime and swallowed the resulting juice, and this allowed them to work long hours without eating or drinking. Modern-day Peruvian Indians say that coca only numbs the mouth, though it was observed in the 19th century that coca leaves placed in wounds provided pain relief. It is possible that the Incas used chicha - probably in combination with another narcotic - to achieve the total or partial anesthesia needed for their surgery. A decoction of coca leaves may have been used as a topical anesthetic.
A Comparison of the Anaerobic Filter and the Anaerobic Expanded/Fluidized Bed Processes

The anaerobic filter and the anaerobic expanded/fluidized bed processes represent advances in wastewater treatment technology for processing organic wastes. Literature data for both processes is presented and discussed. In addition, mass transport concepts are used to compare the substrate flux rates of both systems. It is concluded that the expanded/fluidized bed represents a more efficient design for anaerobic fermentation reactions.
Stent Graft-Induced Pseudoaneurysms in a Patient With Vasculo-Behçet Disease.

Behcet disease (BD) is a rare condition that causes pathologic abnormalities in multiple systems, with vascular complications, termed vasculo-BD, occurring in 7% to 29% of individuals with the disease. Arterial complications portend the highest mortality in vasculo-BD. Here, we present a case of a young woman with active vasculo-BD in whom endovascular repair failed, with development of stent graft-induced pseudoaneurysms at the proximal and distal extents of the stent graft, necessitating open descending thoracic aortic repair.
dyngraph2vec: Capturing Network Dynamics using Dynamic Graph Representation Learning

Abstract Learning graph representations is a fundamental task aimed at capturing various properties of graphs in vector space. The most recent methods learn such representations for static networks. However, real-world networks evolve over time and have varying dynamics. Capturing such evolution is key to predicting the properties of unseen networks. To understand how the network dynamics affect the prediction performance, we propose an embedding approach which learns the structure of evolution in dynamic graphs and can predict unseen links with higher precision. Our model, dyngraph2vec, learns the temporal transitions in the network using a deep architecture composed of dense and recurrent layers. We motivate the need for capturing dynamics for the prediction on a toy dataset created using stochastic block models. We then demonstrate the efficacy of dyngraph2vec over existing state-of-the-art methods on two real-world datasets. We observe that learning dynamics can improve the quality of embedding and yield better performance in link prediction.
Accounting for focal shift in the Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor

The Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor samples a beam of light using an array of lenslets, each of which creates an image onto a pixelated sensor. These images translate from their nominal position by a distance proportional to the average wavefront slope over the corresponding lenslet. This principle fails in partially and/or non-uniformly illuminated lenslets when the lenslet array is focused to maximize peak intensity, leading to image centroid bias. Here, we show that this bias is due to the low Fresnel number of the lenslets, which shifts the diffraction focus away from the geometrical focus. We then demonstrate how the geometrical focus can be empirically found by minimizing the bias in partially illuminated lenslets.
Promoting Information Communication Technology Adoption and Acceptance for Aging-in-Place: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The prevailing digital divide along with barriers to information communication technology (ICT) adoption among older adults is well elucidated. To contribute evidence on ICT education, a 2-year randomized controlled trial verified the long-term effect of a novel individualized ICT training program for older adults in demographic cohorts who are known to underutilize ICT (n = 42 in the training and n = 43 in a control group). Mixed-model repeated measures analysis of data was conducted from baseline and 6-month intervals (df = 4, 1) post training. Older adults in the training group engaged in a wide range of leisure (p = .03), health management (p = .006), and instrumental activities of daily living (p = .02) significantly more than those in the control group. They also reported significantly enhanced technology acceptance and sustained sense of independence in key ICT-based activities. The study supports the implementation of one-on-one ICT training programs to promote access and utilization of digital resources for aging-in-place.
Civil service reform, self‐selection, and bureaucratic performance

I use a formal model to analyze the effect of civil service protections on bureaucratic performance. In a two‐period model, a public manager observes a bureaucrat's actions for a period and decides whether to retain or attempt to remove the bureaucrat. Bureaucrats vary in terms of their intrinsic motivation and choose between careers in government or the private sector. I show that bureaucratic performance is greater in any separating equilibrium in which motivated bureaucrats choose government than in all equilibria in which they do not. Stronger civil service protections reduce the amount of effort that motivated bureaucrats must exert to distinguish themselves from their unmotivated peers in order to ensure retention. This strengthens incentives for motivated bureaucrats to choose careers in government. Stronger civil service protections, however, also reduce the ability of public managers to remove unmotivated bureaucrats. These competing effects yield a non‐monotonic and discontinuous relationship between civil service protections and bureaucratic performance. I use the model to analyze recent reforms to U.S. state and federal personnel management that have significantly rolled back traditional job protections.
Treatment approach to unilateral branch pulmonary artery stenosis

Unilateral proximal pulmonary artery stenosis is often seen in the setting of postoperative congenital heart disease. Accurate assessment of the hemodynamic significance of such a lesion is important so as to determine "When to intervene?" A thorough evaluation should include symptom assessment, anatomical assessment through detailed imaging, functional assessment using differential pulmonary blood flow measurement and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Symptoms of exertional dyspnea or intolerance, decreased pulmonary blood flow to stenosed lung, and abnormal exertional performance would be factors to pursue therapy in the setting of significant anatomical narrowing. Safe and effective therapy can be offered through transcatheter or surgical techniques and has been shown to improve exertional performance.
Fission Fragment Kinetic Energies of Cf 246 , Cf 248 , and Cf 254

Fission fragment kinetic energy spectra of ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{246}$, ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{248}$, and ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{254}$ were measured by comparison to ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{252}$. The most probable fragment energies were (in MeV): ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{246}$, 84.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.3 and 110.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.5; ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{248}$, 81.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.9 and 107.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.8; ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{254}$, 83.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2 and 103.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.
Computation of the Developable Form of a Planar Four-Bar Linkage

A developable mechanism is a linkage that has its axes located on a developable ruled surface and its links shaped to fit this surface in a stowed configuration. Our goal is to find a configuration of a four-bar linkage in which a circle passes through the four joint axes. This configuration can form the stowed position of the linkage with its links shaped to form a cylinder, in order to define a cylindrical developable mechanism. Our derivation shows that a general four-bar linkage has at least two configurations in which the joint axes lie on a circle, each of which can be used as the stowed configuration for a developable mechanism. We demonstrate these results with an example.
Abstract B13: Intrinsic microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 associates with poor patient survival and T-cell infiltration, and regulates immunosuppression in human and mouse melanoma models

Our research has identified microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase 1 (mPGES1) as an important downstream effector of the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) pathway often expressed by melanoma cells, and largely responsible for tumor-mediated immunosuppression. We observed clear correlations in expression and co-localization of COX2 and mPGES1, for which both are associated with increased expression of immunosuppressive markers in human melanoma. In a syngeneic melanoma mouse model, mPGES1 knockout increased melanoma expression of PD-L1 showing about 25% positive cells, increased infiltration of CD8a+ T cells (around 8 fold) and CD8a+ dendritic cells (around 10 fold) into tumors and suppressed tumor growth (around 70%). Durable tumor regression was observed in mice bearing mPGES1 knockout tumors that were given anti-PD-1 therapy. Analysis of a stage III melanoma tissue microarray revealed significant associations between high mPGES1 expression and low CD8+ infiltration, which correlated with poor survival. Collectively, our results are the first to illustrate a potential role for mPGES1-inhibition and selective targeting in melanoma immune evasion and in supporting the durability of response to PD-1 checkpoint immunotherapy. Research in the development of mPGES1 inhibitors is needed to validate their use as safe treatment options, but they appear attractive and feasible based on data to date. Citation Format: Sun-Hee Kim, Jason Roszik, Sungnam Cho, Dai Ogata, Suhendan Ekmekcioglu, Elizabeth A Grimm. Intrinsic microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 associates with poor patient survival and T-cell infiltration, and regulates immunosuppression in human and mouse melanoma models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Melanoma: From Biology to Target; 2019 Jan 15-18; Houston, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(19 Suppl):Abstract nr B13.
Introduction: How to Justify Democracy’s Trust in the Political Judgments of Ordinary People

How can we justify democracy’s trust in the political judgments of ordinary people? This is the question this book seeks to answer. By foregrounding the idea of political judgment in democracies, it situates the question between two dominant alternative paradigms of thinking about the reflective qualities of democratic life: on the one hand, recent epistemic theories of democracy, which are based on the assumption that political participation promotes truth, and, on the other hand, theories of political judgment that are indebted to Hannah Arendt’s aesthetic conception of political judgments. I will argue that a democratic theory of political judgments based on John Dewey’s pragmatism can navigate the shortcomings of both these paradigms. While epistemic theories are overly and narrowly rationalistic and Arendtian theories are overly aesthetic, the neo-Deweyan conception of political judgment proposed in this book suggests a third path that combines the rationalist and the aesthetic elements of political conduct in a way that goes beyond a merely epistemic or a merely aesthetic conception of political judgment in democracy. The justification for democracy’s trust in ordinary people’s political judgments, the book suggests, resides in an egalitarian conception of democratic inquiry that blends the epistemic and the aesthetic aspects of the making of political judgments.
Opinion: A risk-benefit framework for human research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has had a profound impact on the academic research enterprise. Over the span of just a few weeks in March 2020, most large U.S. research institutions closed the majority of their laboratories, studios, and offices, suspended travel and fieldwork, and paused the majority of human research, resulting in the halt of more than 80% of all on-site research activity (1). After months of limited operations, laboratory- and field-based research in the basic and natural sciences were among the first activities to resume. These activities presented relatively low risk for transmission with implementation of proper control measures such as face coverings, health screens, and social distancing. Performing human research during a global pandemic raises new ethical and practical challenges on a scale never before seen. To safely and ethically restart more of the human research portfolio, institutions must develop guiding principles and an explicit plan for managing human research during the pandemic. Image credit: Carey Lumeng (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI). Performing human research during a global pandemic, however, raises new ethical and practical challenges on a scale never before seen. Across the clinical, social, and behavioral sciences, human research can require close contact between researchers and participants, over variable observational periods, and across a variety of locations (e.g., clinics, schools, prisons). Therefore, research with human participants has been slower to resume given the risks associated with potential direct and/or airborne transmission between and among researchers and participants. Indeed, early evidence suggests that research disciplines that rely on face-to-face human contact are among the disciplines that have seen the steepest drop in productivity during the pandemic (2), despite the fact that human research constitutes a significant fraction of the research enterprise. Not all human research paused as stay-at-home orders were implemented across the United States. … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: stroh{at}med.umich.edu or nwigg{at}umich.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Rare but life-threatening aspiration pneumonia related to initiation of clobazam therapy

Abstract Clobazam (CLB) was approved in October 2011 by the United States FDA as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in patients older than the age of 2. Due to its unique chemical design and selective binding to the alpha-2 GABA-receptor, CLB has a decreased tendency for sedation compared to other benzodiazepines. A recent literature review shows that sedation, hypersalivation (drooling), and behavior changes are the most common side effects of CLB. It has also been shown that a patient's level of consciousness is indirectly related to the risk of aspiration. Hypersalivation is too is a significant predisposing factor for aspiration. In this report, we present three adult patients with epilepsy who had aspiration pneumonia during treatment with CLB. We would like to raise awareness of increased drooling and somnolence in patients with predisposing factors for aspiration such as treatment with CLB and emphasize vigilance in this regard.
Teaching and Assessing Communication Skills in Pediatric Residents: How Do Parents Think We Are Doing?

Abstract Objective Curricula designed to teach and assess the communication skills of pediatric residents variably integrates the parent perspective. We compared pediatric residents' communication skills in an objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) case as assessed by Family Faculty (FF), parents of pediatric patients, versus standardized patients (SP). Methods Residents participated in an OSCE case with a SP acting as a patient's parent. We compared resident performance as assessed by FF and SP with a behaviorally-anchored checklist. Items were rated as not done, partly done or well done, with well-done indicating mastery. The residents evaluated the experience. Results 42 residents consented to study participation. FF assessed a lower percentage of residents as demonstrating skill mastery as compared to SP in 19 of the 23 behaviors. There was a significant difference between FF and SP for Total Mastery Score and Mastery of the Competency Scores in three domains (Respect and Value, Information Sharing and Participation in Care and Decision Making). The majority of residents evaluated the experience favorably. Conclusion Involving parents of pediatric patients in the instructive and assessment components of a communication curriculum for pediatric residents adds a unique perspective and integrates the true stakeholders in parent—physician communication.
Clinicopathological significance of neutrophil-rich colorectal carcinoma.

AIMS The importance of the interaction between tumour cells and neutrophils has recently begun to emerge. However, the significance of tumour-infiltrating neutrophil (TIN) in colorectal carcinomas (CRCs) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance of TIN in CRCs. METHODS CRCs were evaluated for TIN and were classified as neutrophil-rich (NR), neutrophil-intermediate (NI) and neutrophil-poor (NP) based on the presence of >15, 5-15 and <5 TIN per 100 tumour cells, respectively. Various clinicopathological parameters were recorded in each case including age, gender, histological grade, tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, tumour location and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) status. RESULTS Among the 348 CRC cases reviewed, 38 cases were NR, 43 cases were NI and 267 cases were NP. High TIN was associated with higher histological grade (p=0.0222), right-sided tumour location (p=0.0025), advanced TNM stage (p=0.0346) and higher rate of MMR-deficient CRCs (p=0.0027). Patients with NR CRCs had significantly poorer 5-year recurrence-free survival comparing to patients with NI or NP CRCs on Kaplan-Meier analysis (p=0.0001) and high TIN remained an independent risk factor with multivariate analysis (p=0.0137; HR: 1.930, 95% CI: 1.144 to 3.255). NR CRCs are more commonly seen in MMR-deficient than in MMR-proficient CRCs (p=0.0006). Patients with MMR-deficient NR CRCs showed similar 5-year recurrence-free survival compared with MMR-proficient NR CRCs. CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal that high TIN confers poorer patient prognosis in both MMR-proficient and MMR-deficient CRCs.
Cytomorphologic features of intraductal salivary gland carcinoma: A multi-institutional study of 13 FNA cases with histologic, molecular, and clinical correlations

BACKGROUND Intraductal carcinoma of the salivary gland (IDC) is a rare cancer with potential actionable targets, including RET fusions. Histologic and molecular features of IDC were recently reported, but cytomorphologic data are limited. In the largest multi-institutional fine-needle aspiration (FNA) series, the authors describe the cytomorphologic features of 13 IDC cases with available clinical, radiologic, histopathologic, and molecular data. METHODS The cases included 13 FNAs for 9 low-grade (LG) IDCs and 4 high-grade (HG) IDCs with corresponding histopathology and available molecular, imaging, and clinical data. Smears and liquid-based preparations available for 12 FNAs were semiquantitatively scored for key cytomorphologic findings and correlated with the corresponding resection. RESULTS LG IDC FNAs showed a cellular, biphasic population of large, atypical ductal cells with mildly pleomorphic nuclei in a clean background and a minor population of small, uniform myoepithelial cells. In contrast, all HG IDC FNAs showed predominantly ductal cells with marked nuclear pleomorphism, coarse chromatin, and necrosis. With the Milan system, most LG and HG IDC FNAs were classified as either salivary gland neoplasms of uncertain malignant potential (54%) or malignant (31%). Immunohistochemistry showed ductal epithelial reactivity with mammaglobin, androgen receptor, and S100, whereas myoepithelial cells were positive for p63 and/or calponin. Among cases with next-generation sequencing, 4 LG IDCs showed NCOA4-RET gene fusions, whereas an HG IDC showed HRAS and PIK3CA mutations. CONCLUSIONS The cytomorphology of IDC overlaps with other benign and malignant salivary gland neoplasms. Immunohistochemistry limits the differential diagnosis, but definitive classification requires molecular analysis. A diagnosis of IDC has potential implications for patient management.
Delay analysis of micropipelines

In this paper, the behaviors of asynchronous linear micropipelines are investigated. By introducing logic delays for C-elements, the linear micropipelines can be fully described by sets of governing equations. The properties of logic delays are studied when a linear micropipeline reaches steady state.
Glutamine tRNACUG-Dependent, Nitrogen-Responsive Nuclear Gln3 and Gat1 Localization

A leucine-dependent pathway activates TorC1 kinase and its downstream stimulation of protein synthesis. However, Gln3 and Gat1, nitrogen-responsive transcription activators, don't respond to leucine-dependent TorC1 activation. This led us to conclude that excess nitrogen-dependent down regulation of Gln3 occurs via a second mechanism. A major site of Gln3/Gat1 control occurs at their access to the nucleus. In excess nitrogen, Gln3/Gat1 are sequestered in the cytoplasm in a Ure2-dependent manner. They become nuclear when nitrogen or glutamine is limiting. The sensitivity of Gln3 localization to glutamine and inhibition of glutamine synthesis by methionine sulfoximine (Msx) prompted us to investigate the effects of a glutamine tRNA mutation (sup70-65) on Gln3/Gat1 regulation. Contrary to prediction, we show nuclear Gln3 localization - elicited by short- and long-term nitrogen starvation, growth in proline, during Msx or rapamycin treatment or in a ure2Δ - is abolished by alteration of glutamine tRNACUG. In ...
SGA Requirements in Coming Years

Refineries report various physical and chemical properties of Smelting Grade Alumina, SGA, on Certificate of Analysis data sheets. Without strong understanding of customer needs this data may fall short of meeting the true needs of smelters and downstream customers. For example, improving excess fluoride control with no specification or target for the variability of Na2O content may be a challenge. Downstream customers for aluminum conductor products require excellent conductivity, but this does not always translate itself into alumina shipping limits for Cr2O3, MnO or V2O5. The author presents these and other examples for consideration during the joint sessions between Alumina & Bauxite and Aluminum Reduction Technology.
The association between race and frequent shunt failure: a single-center study.

Object Children experiencing frequent shunt failure consume medical resources and represent a disproportionate level of morbidity in hydrocephalus care. While biological causes of frequent shunt failure may exist, this study analyzed demographic and socioeconomic patient characteristics associated with frequent shunt failure. Methods A survey of 294 caregivers of children with shunt-treated hydrocephalus provided demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Children experiencing at least 10 shunt failures were considered frequent shunt-failure patients. Multivariate regression models were used to control for variables. Results Frequent shunt failure was experienced by 9.5% of the patients (28 of 294). By univariate analysis, white race (p = 0.006), etiology of hydrocephalus (p = 0.022), years-with-shunt (p < 0.0001), and surgeon (p = 0.02) were associated with frequent shunt failure. Upon multivariate analysis, white race remained the key independent factor associated with frequent shunt failure (OR 5.8...
Transcript analyses of the uvsX-40-41 region of bacteriophage T4. Changes in the RNA as infection proceeds.

The bacteriophage T4 genes uvsX (recombination protein), 40 (stimulates head formation), and 41 (DNA replication protein, part of the primase-helicase) are located together on the T4 genome (5'----3' uvsX-40-41). Previous analyses have indicated that all three proteins are expressed within 5 min after infection and that the level of 41 protein is less than that of uvsX. The mapping of transcripts from this region (reported here) shows that this expression arises from polycistronic messages detected between 2-4 min after infection, a time when phage-encoded factors are beginning to alter the host transcriptional apparatus. Major RNA 5' ends, 900 and 200 bases upstream of uvsX, show homology with previously deduced T4 transcription sites dependent on the T4 transcription factor motA (Guild, N., Gayle, M., Sweeney, R., Hollingsworth, T., Modeer, T., and Gold, L. (1988) J. Mol. Biol. 199, 241-258). Analysis of the 3' end of uvsX RNAs shows that initially most transcripts extend through gene 40 and 41, although approximately equal to one-fourth end just past uvsX (within gene 40). Later, more of the uvsX messages are monocistronic, having 5' ends close to the gene (200 and 55 bases upstream) and having the 3' end within gene 40. Thus, during infection the level of 41 RNA is lowered relative to uvsX message. Mapping of RNA expressed from an uvsX-40-41 plasmid in an uninfected cell gives 5' ends 700, 450, and 55 bases upstream of uvsX, i.e. positions different from those during T4 infection. This indicates that infection significantly changes the 5' ends for uvsX RNA, either by altering transcription initiation or RNA processing sites. In contrast, the majority of the uvsX RNAs expressed by plasmid in the uninfected cell do end at the stop mapped during infection. Thus, the host alone can produce this 3' end.
Geometric Methods for Feature Extraction and Dimensional Reduction: A Guided Tour

We give a tutorial overview of several geometric methods for feature extractionand dimensional reduction. We divide the methods into projective methods and methods thatmodel the manifold on which the data lies. For projective methods, we review projectionpursuit, principal component analysis (PCA), kernel PCA, probabilistic PCA, and orientedPCA; and for the manifold methods, we review multidimensional scaling (MDS), landmarkMDS, Isomap, locally linear embedding, Laplacian eigenmaps and spectral clustering. TheNystrom method, which links several of the algorithms, is also reviewed. The goal is to providea self-contained review of the concepts and mathematics underlying these algorithms.
The NASA Ames Controlled Environment Research Chamber: Present status

The Controlled Environment Research Chamber (CERC) at the NASA Ames Research Center was created for early-on investigation of promising new technologies for life support of advanced space exploration missions. The CERC facility is being used to address the advanced technology requirements necessary to implement an integrated working and living environment for a planetary habitat. The CERC, along with a human-powered centrifuge, a planetary terrain simulator, advanced displays, and a virtual reality capability, is able to develop and demonstrate applicable technologies for future planetary exploration. There will be several robotic mechanisms performing exploration taskes external to the habitat that will be controlled through the virtual environment to provide representative workloads for the crew. Finally, there will be a discussion of innovative new multidisciplinary test facilities, and how effective they are to the investigation of the wide range of human and machine problems inherent in exploration missions.
Sex, Sexuality, and the Anthropologist

Sex, Sexuality, and the Anthropologist. Fran Markowitz and Michael Ashkenazi. eds. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1999.230 pp.
Potassium conductance increased by noradrenaline, opioids, somatostatin, and G-proteins: whole-cell recording from guinea pig submucous neurons

Agonists at alpha 2-adrenoceptors, delta-opioid receptors, and somatostatin receptors were applied to dissociated guinea pig submucous plexus neurons; whole-cell recordings of membrane current showed that they increased the membrane potassium conductance. The conductance affected showed inward rectification, being described by Gag(max)/[1 + exp((V - V0.5)/k)] where V0.5 was about -65 mV and Gag(max) was about 10 nS. The agonists were ineffective when the potassium conductance of the neurons had first been increased by intracellular dialysis with purified guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP)-binding proteins (Gi or Go). Agonist actions were prevented by pertussis toxin, applied intracellularly (10-100 ng/ml for several minutes) or extracellularly 1-10 micrograms/ml for 1 hr); in the latter case, the agonist responses were reconstituted by intracellular dialysis with GTP-binding proteins.
Disparities in conditional net survival among non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivors: a population-based analysis.

AbstractWe evaluated the association of baseline prognostic factors with conditional net survival among survivors of six subtypes non-Hodgkin lymphoma using the SEER program data from 2000–2012. Among 2-year survivors, further prognosis markedly improved in Burkitt’s (BL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and became the same as for follicular lymphoma (5-year net survival ≥ 85%). Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) demonstrated the worst prognosis of all studied histologies up to 5 years of survivorship. Age and stage lost prognostic significance in BL within 2 years from diagnosis. Racial disparities in net survival disappeared within 2 years for all subtypes, except in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, where black patients had persistently worse prognosis, and in MCL, where they had unexpectedly better prognosis than other races after 2 years. Many baseline factors may lose their initial prognostic value for lymphoma survivors, which should be considered when counseling patients about their prognosis and lo...
Molecular Recombination in T4 Bacteriophage Deoxyribonucleic Acid III. Formation of Long Single Strands During Recombination

Evidence was presented to support the hypothesis that long single strands appearing at late times (15 min after infection) are produced as a result of recombination and not as a continuous elongation during the replication process. The production of long strands does not depend on the multiplicity of infection, and the first long strands appear at the time when 20 to 50 phage equivalent units of deoxyribonucleic (DNA) are synthesized, and not earlier. The addition of chloramphenicol at 5 min, which prevents molecular recombination but allows replication of DNA, prevents the formation of long, single strands. Chloramphenicol added between 8 and 10 min after infection, a time at which molecular recombination is fully expressed and covalent repair of recombinant molecules is allowed, does not prevent formation of long single strands. Cutting of single-strand DNA with a limited amount of endonuclease I allows confirmation that the fast-sedimenting characteristic of intracellular denatured DNA is caused primarily by the length of the strands, and not by the formation of aggregates. The computer simulation of two recombination models indicates the feasibility of random breakage and rejoining of molecules in generating long concatenates.
A colloid‐facilitated transport model with variable colloid transport properties

[1] Anomalous contaminant transport velocities in groundwater for species generally considered to be immobile are often attributed to the mechanism of colloid-facilitated transport. In some of the field observations attributed to colloid facilitation, an extremely small fraction of the total contaminant mass introduced to the groundwater is detected downstream. In this study, a new model of colloid-facilitated contaminant transport is proposed that explains this phenomenon as the variability of mobility of individual colloids in the population. The process of retardation via attachment and detachment of colloids on immobile surfaces is often modeled with time and space invariant parameters; here it is modeled assuming a diverse population of transport properties that account for the inherent variability of colloid size, surface charge and chemical properties, mineralogy, and the concomitant impact on colloid mobility. When the contaminant is assumed to irreversibly attach to or form colloids, the migration of the contaminant plume exhibits extremely non-Fickian behavior. The plume's center of mass travels with a velocity governed by the groundwater velocity divided by the mean colloid retardation factor. However, small quantities of contaminant attached to a few highly mobile colloids travel at velocities up to the groundwater velocity, far exceeding the velocity of the centroid of the plume. This paper introduces the colloid diversity model, presents some sensitivity calculations for an idealized case, and discusses the implications of such a model on data needs, simulation of field observations, and model scaling.
Singularities of a Manipulator With Offset Wrist

The singularities of manipulators with offset wrists are difficult to enumerate. This article presents a numerical study to illuminate singularity problems when using an offset wrist with an articulated regional arm. Ironically, the regional manipulator singularity problem is worsened when using a singularity-free offset wrist. No wrist singularities exist (they are forced by design to lie outside of joint limits). However, the existing regional arm singularities become skewed from the well-known singular configurations of common manipulators. The wrist offset also skews the well-known wrist singularities (though they hopefully still lie outside of joint limits, their locations are no longer easily determined). Thus, a zero-offset singularity-free wrist is preferable with regard to overall manipulator singularities.
Photo-elastic Properties of Transparent Cubic Crystals*

The photo-elastic coefficients of rock-salt, sylvite and fluorite were measured for the mercury lines 436, 546, and 578 μμ by means of a modified Soleil-Babinet compensator. Compared with glass the coefficient was positive for rock salt, negative for sylvite, positive for fluorite stressed normal to a cube face and negative for fluorite stressed normal to an octahedral face. For all cases, except that of fluorite stressed normal to octahedral faces, relative retardation (Δ) plotted against stress per cm2(f) gave a straight line for loads between 10 000 and 20 000 gg; this line extended cut the axis of Δ above zero. Therefore for cubic crystals the relation between photo-elastic effects and externally applied force is not the simple direct relation assumed for noncrystalline materials.
Micro Heat Exchangers Consisting of Pin Arrays

The performance of micro heat exchangers fabricated on silicon wafers and consisting ofpin arrays and straight channels is evaluated theoretically using three-dimensional numerical simulations. The coolant is liquid nitrogen and the objective is to maintain the wafer’s temperature below 90K so as to facilitate the use of high temperature superconductor interconnects in multichip modules. Both developing and periodic flows are considered. Comparisons of the performance of various geometric configurations are presented It is demonstrated that by proper selection of the heat of the heat exchanger’s geometry, the thermal resistance can be minimized.
Coalition structure values in differential information economies: Is unity a strength?

The coalition structure (CS) value, introduced by Owen [9] and Hart and Kurz [5], generalizes the Shapley value to social situations where coalitions form for the purpose of bargaining. This paper introduces the CS value to economies with differential information. We show that the private CS values exists and is Bayesian incentive compatible. Moreover, we construct examples that go against the intuitive viewpoint that “unity is strength.” In particular, we consider a three person economy in which two agents bargain as a unit against the third agent. We show that bargaining as a unit is advantageous if and only if information is complete. This result sheds new light on bargaining under differential information.
Temporal and spatial variability of vertical salt flux in a highly stratified estuary

[1] The temporal and spatial variability of vertical salt flux in the Fraser River Estuary, British Columbia, was investigated observationally, using several different direct and indirect indicators of buoyancy flux. Data were collected from the estuary using shipboard instrumentation, primarily an acoustic Doppler current profiler and a towed conductivity-temperature-depth unit. Direct estimates of buoyancy flux were made from along-channel control volume analyses and from measurements of overturn scales. The spatial and temporal evolution of the salt wedge structure through a tidal cycle was evaluated using the results of these buoyancy flux calculations, as well as gradient Richardson number, Froude number, and stratification profiles. Observations indicate that buoyancy flux is driven primarily by interfacial stress, and not bottom stress, as is common in many estuaries. Vertical salt flux, as opposed to seaward advection of high-salinity fluid, was found to be the dominant mechanism responsible for removal of salt from the estuarine channel during each daily tidal cycle. Buoyancy flux was highly variable in time and space, however, with vertical salt flux during ebb tides on the order of 2 to 3 times greater than that estimated during floods. This is due to an increase in the vertical shear of horizontal velocity and a sharp increase in stratification, which was observed during early ebb. Enhanced mixing was observed spatially within a region dominated by a channel constriction in which the channel narrows by approximately 25%.
Localized in vivo 31P NMR spectroscopy of skin flap metabolism.

We have used a rectangular surface coil and chemical shift imaging to conduct in vivo localized 31P NMR metabolic studies in a rat dorsal skin flap model. This approach permits regional comparisons without manipulation of either coil position or subject within the magnet bore. Both the PCr:P1 ratio (reflecting ischemia insult) and the PCr:ATP ratio (reflecting phosphagen reserves) decreased as functions of time and distance from the vascular pedicle. The maximum change was nearly 6-fold for the PCr:P, ratio, and 3-fold for the PCr:ATP ratio. Signal contamination from subjacent muscle is constant and does not interfere with the metabolic evaluations of skin flaps. This technique may facilitate a better understanding of cutaneous metabolic derangements, such as burns and skin flaps used in reconstructive surgery, as well as studies of pharmacologic regimens developed for their treatment. It also holds potential for application in the study of congenital and neoplastic metabolic disorders of skin.
MEK/ERK-mediated proliferation is negatively regulated by P38 map kinase in the human pancreatic cancer cell line, PANC-1.

Pancreatic carcinoma is characterized by a poor prognosis and lack of response to conventional therapy. The regulatory mechanisms for the rapid proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells and the particular aggressiveness of this cancer are still not fully understood. In mammalian cells, three MAPK families including ERK, JNK, and P38 MAPK have been characterized. ERK is known to play an important role in regulating pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. However, the role of P38 kinase in pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and its relationship with ERK are unclear. Using the specific P38 inhibitor, SB203580 we found that blockade of P38 MAP kinase significantly enhanced proliferation of the pancreatic cancer cell line, PANC-1 cell, in a concentration-dependent manner. In parallel with the stimulation of proliferation, blockade of P38 MAP kinase markedly induced MEK and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, indicating an interaction between MEK/ERK and P38 MAP kinase signaling. Clearly, the interaction between these kinase pathways does not involve transcription and translation because MEK/ERK was activated immediately upon SB203580 treatment. Furthermore, inhibition of the MEK/ERK cascade using the MEK inhibitor, PD098059 abolished SB203580-induced PANC-1 cell proliferation. From these results, we conclude that a MEK/ERK and P38 MAP kinase interaction is important for pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. Breaking the balance between these two signaling pathways will modify pancreatic cancer cell proliferation.