cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid quantification of the G143A mutation conferring fungicide resistance in Virginia populations of Cercospora sojina using pyrosequencing

Abstract Quinone outside inhibitors (QoI) inhibit a wide spectrum of fungal pathogens, but there is high risk of resistance development with this class of fungicides. QoI resistance in Cercospora sojina, the causal agent of frogeye leaf spot in soybean, has been confirmed from 14 states. An amino acid substitution at position 143 of the cytochrome b (cytb) gene was confirmed as the mechanism of resistance. Cercospora sojina has not been well characterized in the mid-Atlantic U.S. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine if QoI-resistant C. sojina is present in Virginia, (ii) develop a pyrosequencing-based method to quantify G143A frequencies, and (iii) determine frequencies and distributions of QoI-resistant C. sojina. Based on in vitro fungicide sensitivity and PCR detection of the G143A mutation, QoI-resistant C. sojina was confirmed from nine Virginia soybean fields in 2015. A pyrosequencing assay to amplify amino acid position 143 was designed to detect frequencies of the G143A substitution from mixtures of C. sojina DNA. This assay was used to quantify G143A frequencies within fields sampled in a statewide survey from 2015 to 2017. G143A frequencies ranged from 1 to 99% (mean = 27%), with 80% of fields having a mutation frequency ≤50% and 40% with frequencies
Penalized k-means algorithms for finding the correct number of clusters in a dataset.

In many applications we want to find the number of clusters in a dataset. A common approach is to use the penalized k-means algorithm with an additive penalty term linear in the number of clusters. An open problem is estimating the value of the coefficient of the penalty term. Since estimating the value of the coefficient in a principled manner appears to be intractable for general clusters, we investigate "ideal clusters", i.e. identical spherical clusters with no overlaps and no outlier background noise. In this paper: (a) We derive, for the case of ideal clusters, rigorous bounds for the coefficient of the additive penalty. Unsurprisingly, the bounds depend on the correct number of clusters, which we want to find in the first place. We further show that additive penalty, even for this simplest case of ideal clusters, typically produces a weak and often ambiguous signature for the correct number of clusters. (b) As an alternative, we examine the k-means with multiplicative penalty, and show that this parameter-free formulation has a stronger, and less often ambiguous, signature for the correct number of clusters. We also empirically investigate certain types of deviations from ideal cluster assumption and show that combination of k-means with additive and multiplicative penalties can resolve ambiguous solutions.
Percutaneous closure of restrictive‐type perimembranous ventricular septal defect using the new KONAR multifunctional occluder: Midterm outcomes of the first middle‐eastern experience

Objectives To evaluate the safety, efficiency, and midterm outcomes of transcatheter perimembranous ventricular septal defect (pmVSD) closure using the new KONAR-MF™ VSD occluder. Background Off-label percutaneous pmVSD closure is a well-established procedure with promising results. Yet, interventionists are still searching for the ideal device. Methods Between June 2018 and March 2019, 20 patients with hemodynamically significant but restrictive-type pmVSD underwent an attempted transcatheter closure using the new KONAR-MF™. All implantations were performed retrogradely under general anesthesia, transoesophageal echocardiography, and fluoroscopic guidance. Prospective follow-up using transthoracic echocardiography and electrocardiogram was done until August 2019. Results The median age was 6.4 years (8 months to 43.4 years), and the median body weight was 17.3 (9-74) kg. The mean defect size on the left ventricular aspect was 11.7 ± 2.8 mm. All devices were successfully and rapidly implanted. One device embolized in the pulmonary artery, 24 hr after implantation and was percutaneously retrieved with no complication. Over a mean follow-up period of 8.2 ± 3.0 months, complete closure was achieved in 84.2% of patients. One new onset of mild aortic regurgitation was detected before discharge and remained stable. Tricuspid valve regurgitation, complete heart block, major complication, and death were not observed. Conclusions Transcatheter pmVSD closure using the KONAR-MF™ can be successfully performed in adult and pediatric patients. It is a safe and promising device, designed to provide high conformability to septal defects with a lower risk of heart block. Retrograde implantation allows procedural flexibility, efficient deliverability, and control of valvular interferences.
Familial Adenomatous Polyposis: Management of Upper Gastrointestinal Polyps

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is known for its association with development of hundreds to thousands of colorectal adenomas and colorectal cancer (CRC). After CRC, the second most common malignancy in FAP is duodenal adenocarcinoma. Over the last several decades, optimized colonoscopic surveillance and timely referral for prophylactic colectomy have reduced morbidity and mortality from CRC in FAP. However, as survival of patients with FAP continues to improve, management of upper gastrointestinal tract neoplasia is critically important. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the approach to surveillance of gastric, duodenal, and ampullary polyps that arise in individuals with FAP, specifically focusing on clinical features, management, and chemoprevention.
HotDedup: Managing Hot Data Storage at Network Edge through Optimal Distributed Deduplication

The rapid growth of computing capabilities at network edge calls for efficient management frameworks that not only considers placing hot data on edge storage for best accessibility and performance, but also makes optimal utilization of edge storage space. In this paper, we solve a joint optimization problem by exploiting both data popularity (for optimal data access performance) and data similarity (for optimal storage space efficiency). We show that the proposed optimization is NP- hard and develop a 2⌈2Γ⌉ - 1 + e-approximation algorithm by (i) making novel use of δ-similarity graph to capture pairwise data similarity and (ii) leveraging the k-MST algorithm to solve a Prize Collecting Steiner Tree problem on the graph. The proposed algorithm is prototyped using an open-source distributed storage system, Cassandra. We evaluate its performance extensively on a real-world testbed and with respect to real-world IoT datasets. The algorithm is shown to achieve over 55% higher edge service rate and reduces request response time by about 30%.
Persistent Cough as a Predictor of Poor Responsiveness in Asthma Patients.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The aim of this study is to establish a correlation between persistent cough (PC) and asthma diagnosis and its severity. We hypothesize that patients with past or current diagnosis of PC may have more severe asthma diagnosis and thus poor responsiveness to treatment. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective chart review. METHODS A retrospective review was performed on 699 charts that had a positive immunoglobulin E (IgE) allergy blood test between 2014 and 2018, and a positive asthma diagnosis. Patient demographics and asthma severity parameters such as number of clinic and emergency department (ED) visits, asthma treatment, and number of medications were recorded, as well as PC diagnosis. Logistic regressions were used to analyze the likelihood of severe asthma diagnosis in patients with PC. RESULTS A total of 55% of patients were treated with oral corticosteroids in the PC group, compared to 41% in those without (P < .001). The mean number of hospitalizations from the ED was higher for patients with PC 0.65 (2.47) versus 0.38 (1.18) P < .05. Patients with asthma and PC, positive to lamb's quarter 2.92 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.63, 5.22; P < .001), showed a higher likelihood of ED visits. Positivity to cat dander 2.09 (95% CI 1.03, 4.59; P < .05), lamb's quarter 2.96 (95% CI 1.50, 5.79; P < .002), dog dander 3.37 (95% CI 1.54, 8.45; P < .004) showed a higher likelihood of hospitalizations due to asthma. CONCLUSION Patients with PC, especially those with a positive IgE allergy class test to cat dander, dog dander, house dust, Alternaria tenuis, or lamb's quarter can have a more severe asthmatic presentation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 Laryngoscope, 2021.
Equilibrium and Sustainability in Federal Systems

The sustainability of federal states depends heavily on their ability to maintain an acceptable balance between national and subnational power. Static models of constitutional design, in which the allocation of power among the different actors is considered fixed and permanent, are neither descriptively accurate nor normatively desirable. In fact, the allocation of competencies in federal states is subject to regular adjustment by constitutional actors in an ongoing process of intergovernmental contestation, in turn resulting, if things go well, in dynamic re-equilibration of the system. The specific tactics actors deploy in the course of contestation are shaped in part by the pathways that the federal constitution formally provides to each level of government to influence policy making at the other level. However, constitutional actors also from time to time create informal and extraconstitutional methods of influence when formal pathways seem to them insufficient. A dynamic, contestatory model clarifies that the real threat to the sustainability of federal states is not constitutional rigidity in the face of changing circumstances, but a failure of governments to engage in contestation of the kind and intensity necessary to keep the system in balance. This can occur when officials collude across the federal divide rather than compete; when asymmetries of power become so severe that one level becomes able consistently to overpower the other; and when non-territorial political cleavages become more politically salient than territorial ones. In short, a dynamic model of a constantly moving equilibrium provides a more realistic and insightful account of how federal states survive than the classic, contractarian account of national constitutions.
Chemotaxis Receptor in Bacteria: Transmembrane Signaling, Sensitivity, Adaptation, and Receptor Clustering

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an understanding of the chemotaxis receptor in bacteria. Chemotaxis is the phenomenon in which somatic cells, bacteria, and other single-cell or multicellular organisms direct their movements according to certain chemicals in their environment. Bacteria rapidly respond to changes in concentrations of critical chemicals in their environment by chemotaxis—that is, a swimming pattern biased toward or away from particular stimuli. The chemotaxis pathway includes chemosensory receptors and a phosphotransfer system known as the two-component signal transduction pathway. Most bacterial chemoreceptors belong to a family of transmembrane methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs). This study begins by describing signaling at the periplasmic ligand binding domain, using the examples of Salmonella tryphimurium aspartate receptor (Tar) mutant in apo and liganded (Asp bound) forms and the wild-type Tar of apo and liganded forms. Ligand binding induces small conformational changes, which are transmitted through the transmembrane helices to the cytoplasmic domain and affect the phosphorylation rate of the bound histidine kinase. Following this, the study provides an understanding of signaling in the cytoplasmic domain, using the example of E coli serine receptor (Tsr), Q mutant. Furthermore, it describes adaptation of the chemotaxis pathway, which enables the cell to adapt to a constant background stimulus so that it can chemotax up a small concentration gradient superimposed on a large background level of attractant. Finally, it deals with clustering of the chemoreceptor and sensitivity.
SU-E-J-116: Uncertainties Associated with Dose Summation of High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy and Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy for Gynecological Cases

Purpose: Determining the cumulative dose distribution (CDD) for gynecological patients treated with both high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is challenging. The purpose of this work is to study the uncertainty of performing this with a structure-guided deformable (SGD) approach in Velocity. Methods: For SGD, the Hounsfield units inside specified contours are overridden to set uniform values. Deformable image registration (DIR) is the run on these process images, which forces the DIR to focus on these contour boundaries. 18 gynecological cancer patients were used in this study. The original bladder and rectum planning contours for these patients were used to drive the SGD. A second set of contours were made of the bladder by the same person with the intent of carefully making them completely consistent with each other. This second set was utilized to evaluate the spatial accuracy of the SGD. The determined spatial accuracy was then multiplied by the local dose gradient to determine a dose uncertainty associated with the SGD dose warping. The normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) was then calculated for each dose volume histogram (DVH) that included four different probabilistic uncertainties associated with the spatial errors (e.g., 68.3% and 95.4%). Results: The NTCPsmore » for each DVH (e.g., NTCP-−95.4%, NTCP-−68.3%, NTCP-68.3%, NTCP-95.4%) differed amongst patients. All patients had an NTCP-−95.4% close to 0%, while NTCP-95.4% ranged from 0.67% to 100%. Nine patients had an NTCP-−95.4% less than 50% while the remaining nine patients had NTCP-95.4% greater than 50%. Conclusion: The uncertainty associated with this CDD technique renders a large NTCP uncertainty. Thus, it is currently not practical for clinical use. The two ways to improve this would be to use more precise contours to drive the SGD and to use a more accurate DIR algorithm.« less
The Defence of French: A Language in Crisis?

As Robin Adamson explains in The Defence of French: A Language in Crisis?, due to the long history of centralized power and of governmental control of language, the French have a singular relationship with their mother tongue. It is not surprising then that France’s defense of its language is uniquely passionate and uniquely polemical. By referencing past works on the subject, and through her own analysis of the history and current state of the defense of the French language, the author evaluates the situation, draws her own conclusions as to whether or not the language is endangered, and makes a prognosis about its future. Assisting the reader through this rather dense work is a list of the abbreviations of the 34 organizations and political bodies referenced throughout the work as well as frequent tables that depict timelines and break down the information into bite-sized pieces.
ATP Synthesis, Chemistry of

The universal carrier of free energy in all living organisms is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Virtually all energy-requiring biological processes are coupled to the enzymatic hydrolysis of ATP to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi). The enzyme complex that synthesizes the bulk of the cellular ATP is called F1F0–ATP synthase. F1F0–ATP synthase is found in energy-converting membranes, such as the inner membrane of mitochondria, the plasma membrane of bacteria, and the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts, where it harnesses the potential energy of a transmembrane electrochemical gradient that is generated during oxidation of foodstuffs or photosynthesis. F1F0–ATP synthase is a rotary molecular motor enzyme: The energy released in the membrane-bound part (F0) of the enzyme during ion translocation is transmitted to the catalytic sites on the membrane extrinsic part (F1) via rotation of a central domain made of polypeptides from both F0 and F1. This specialized topics review summarizes our current understanding of the biological process of ATP synthesis and emphasizes recent insights into the atomic structure of ATP synthase and the fascinating mechanism of subunit-rotation-induced energy coupling.
Simulating percentile points: stopping rules, precision, and scale

Two stopping rules are defined for the purpose of minimizing the number of iterations needed to provide simulated percentile points with a certain precision: one stopping rule is a result of defining precision relative to the scale of the random variable while the other is a result of defining precision relative to the tail area of the distribution. A simulation experiment is conducted to investigate the effects of the stopping rules as well as the effects of changes in scale. The effects of interest are the precision of the simulated percentile point and the number of iterations needed to achieve that precision. It is shown that the stopping rules are effective in reducing the number of iterations while providing an acceptable precision in the percentile points. Also, increases in scale produce increases in the number of iterations and/or decreases in certain measures of precision
Use of an Antibody to Study the Location of Cardiolipin in Mitochondrial Membranes

Abstract Rabbit antiserum to cardiolipin, which is reactive with the polar head but not the nonpolar fatty acid moieties of cardiolipin, was used to explore the location of the polar head of cardiolipin in mitochondrial membranes. Only a few per cent of the cardiolipin in intact mitochondria from rat liver, blowfly flight muscle, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Neurospora and none of the cardiolipin in intact beef heart mitochondria is available for binding of anticardiolipin antibody. Freezing and thawing, aging at 45°, or sonication, in the absence or presence of the antibody, increased only slightly the anticardiolipin antibody binding activity of various types of mitochondria. The only mitochondrial preparation showing complete ability to bind anticardiolipin antibody was a mitochondrial precursor fraction isolated from glucose-repressed, anaerobic yeast cells. The isolated outer and inner membrane fractions from rat liver mitochondria also showed very little capacity to bind the antibody; both the cytoplasmic side and the matrix side of the inner membrane, which contains most of the cardiolipin showed little antibody binding activity. Removal of the F1 ATPase molecules from inner membrane vesicles of beef heart mitochondria also failed to unmask antibody binding activity. Neither oxidative phosphorylation nor energy-linked Ca++ transport in intact rat liver mitochondria were influenced by addition of excess anticardiolipin antibody. It is concluded that the polar heads of most of the cardiolipin molecules in the mitochondrial membranes are buried within the structure of the membrane or shielded by the binding of other membrane components.
Surgical treatment for intramedullary spinal cord melanocytomas: Report of 3 cases

Spinal meningeal melanocytomas are rare lesions that are histologically benign and can behave aggressively, with local infiltration. The authors present their experience with intramedullary spinal cord melanocytomas consisting of 3 cases, which represents the second largest series in the literature. A retrospective chart review was performed following identification of all spinal melanocytomas treated at the author's institution, based on information obtained from a neuropathology database. The charts were reviewed for patient demographics, surgical procedure, clinical outcome, and long-term tumor progression. Three patients were identified in whom spinal melanocytoma had been diagnosed between 1989 and 2006. The patients' ages were 37, 37, and 48 years, and the location of their tumor was C1-3, T9-10, and T-12, respectively. All 3 had complete resection with no adjuvant radiotherapy during follow-up periods of 16, 38, and 185 months, respectively. One patient demonstrated a recurrence 29 months after resection and the other 2 patients have demonstrated asymptomatic recurrences on imaging studies obtained at 16 and 38 months following resection. With these cases added to the available literature, the evidence strongly suggests that complete resection is the treatment of choice for spinal melanocytomas. Even with complete resection, recurrences are common and close follow-up is needed for the long term in these patients. Radiation therapy should be reserved for those cases in which complete resection is not possible or in which there is recurrence.
Vertical dipole above a dielectric or metallic half space: Energy-flow considerations.

The emission pattern from a classical dipole located above and oriented perpendicular to a metallic or dielectric half space is calculated for a dipole driven at constant amplitude. Emphasis is placed on the fields in the metal or dielectric. It is shown that the radial Poynting vector in the metal points inwards when the frequency of the dipole is below the surface plasmon resonance frequency. In this case, energy actually flows out of the interface at small radii and the power entering the metal can actually oscillate as a function of radius. The Joule heating in the metal is also calculated for a cylindrical volume in the metal. When the metal is replaced by a dielectric having permittivity less than that of the medium in which the dipole is immersed, it is found that energy flows out of the interface for sufficiently large radii, a result reminiscent of the Goos-Hanchen effect.
Measurements of Turbulence Structure Near the Ground Within the Frequency Range from 0·5 to 0·01 Cycles Sec1

Comprehensive measurements of the space and time variations in the orthogonal components of wind velocity at a height of 2 m. were obtained from records of five bivanes equipped with heated-thermocouple anemometers during Project Prairie Grass. These data have been processed to obtain spectral estimates ofEulerian scales of turbulence within the frequency range from about 0.5 to 0.01 cycles sec −1 . Analysis of results for twelve experiments shows that space spectra within this frequency range are dominated by fluctuations in the u-and v-components which tend to have equivalent transverse and longitudinal dimensions at high frequencies in all thermal stratifications. This equivalence decreases slowly with decreasing frequency in unstable stratification; in stable stratification, the longitudinal dimensions for both velocity components increase rapidly relative to the transverse dimensions as the frequency decreases. Scale estimates show an approximate linear relation with inverse wave number over the entire frequency range. It is demonstrated that the Eulerian space and time correlation functions for unfiltered data are connected by the substitution x = Ut and that a two-thirds power law fits both correlation functions at high levels of turbulence (unstable stratification).
Role of NO mechanism in cardiovascular effects of diaspirin cross-linked hemoglobin in anesthetized rats

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the cardiovascular actions of diaspirin cross-linked hemoglobin (DCLHb) was studied in anesthetized rats. The regional circulatory and systemic hemodynamic effects of DCLHb (400 mg/kg iv) were studied using a radioactive microsphere technique in control (untreated) and L-arginine (a NO precursor) pretreated rats. DCLHb produced a significant increase in blood pressure (75%), cardiac output (42%), stroke volume (36%), and total peripheral resistance (45%), without affecting heart rate, when administered to control rats. L-Arginine pretreatment significantly attenuated DCLHb-induced systemic hemodynamic effects. DCLHb-induced increase in blood flow to the skin and spleen was completely blocked, and that to the heart was partially blocked, by L-arginine pretreatment, suggesting that cardiovascular actions induced by DCLHb could be antagonized by the NO precursor L-arginine. The NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) produced significant increases in regional vascular resistance, leading to a decrease in blood flow to all the organs except the heart, where an increase in blood flow and a decrease in vascular resistance was observed. DCLHb, when administered in L-NAME-pretreated rats, accentuated the decrease in blood flow to the gastrointestinal system, spleen, mesentery and pancreas, skin, and musculoskeletal system. These studies provide evidence that the NO precursor L-arginine can attenuate the effects of DCLHb and that DCLHb can potentiate the effect of the NOS inhibitor L-NAME. The role of NO in the mechanism of action of DCLHb was further studied by estimating plasma guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) in control, DCLHb-treated, L-NAME-treated, and L-NAME followed by DCLHb-treated rats. DCLHb and L-NAME significantly decreased the concentration of circulating cGMP in blood plasma. L-NAME pretreatment potentiated DCLHb-induced decrease in cGMP levels. Because the formation of cGMP is stimulated by NO, these studies provide additional evidence for the involvement of NO in the mechanism of action of DCLHb. It is concluded that NO plays an important role in the cardiovascular effects of DCLHb.
Characterization of gp120 and Its Single-chain Derivatives, gp120-CD4 and gp120-M9: Implications for Targeting the CD4i Epitope in HIV-1 Vaccine Design

Single-chain derivatives of gp120 linked to the first two domains of CD4 (gp120-CD4D12) or to the CD4 analogue CD4M9 were assessed for their abilities to elicit CD4induced neutralizing antibodies. Both complexes showed binding to a CD4i epitope as defined by the mAb 17b. Addition of exogenous CD4 did not increase 17b binding to gp120-CD4D12 but augmented binding to gp120-M9 perhaps reflecting the lower binding affinity of M9 to gp120 compared to CD4D12 or suggesting that M9 does not completely fill the CD4 binding site of gp120. Vaccination of guinea pigs and rhesus monkeys with recombinant protein or DNA prime followed by protein boosting generated broadly neutralizing antibodies only for sera generated against gp120-CD4D12. Passage of these sera over a CD4D12 affinity column removed neutralizing activities. Rhesus monkeys were also immunized with gp120-human CD4 or gp120-rhesus CD4 complex. Virusneutralizing antisera were observed for each of these groups, but titers were much greater for the gp120-human CD4 complex. Neutralizing antibody titers showed a significant correlation to CD4 antibody titer for both vaccine groups. These data suggest that most neutralizing antibodies generated by gp120-CD4 complexes are directed against CD4. from 2005 International Meeting of The Institute of Human Virology Baltimore, USA, 29 August – 2 September 2005
Synthesis of GaN by high-pressure ammonolysis of gallium triiodide

Abstract The ammonothermal conversion of GaI 3 to both cubic (zinc-blende) and hexagonal GaN was explored in detail. Gallium triiodide, anhydrous NH 3 , and in some cases CuI or LiI co-mineralizers, were sealed in quartz tubes and heated in a pressurized autoclave from 300°C to 515°C. At hot-zone temperatures above 430°C, a deposit of mostly c-GaN collects in the upper portion of the tube, and deposits of phase-pure c-GaN were reliably produced on a 50–60 mg scale when CuI co-mineralizer was added. Crystal morphologies of these microcrystalline c-GaN products are highly dependent on growth conditions and range from triangular prisms to triangular plates, dendritic crystals, and irregular particles. Hexagonal GaN products were either in the form of microrods or micron sized prisms. Nanorods, of presumably h-GaN, also formed in some reactions in low yields, intermixed with microcrystalline c-GaN products.
Radiative proton capture to excited states in 16O.

The radiative proton capture reaction on $^{15}\mathrm{N}$ was measured over the energy region ${E}_{p}$=20\char21{}90 MeV. Presented are experimental differential cross sections at ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\ensuremath{\gamma}}$=60\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} for captures populating the ground and various excited states of $^{16}0$. Differential cross sections and analyzing-power angular distributions are presented at a proton energy of ${E}_{p}$=49.69 MeV. Calculations from a phenomenological direct-semidirect and a more detailed relativistic model describe cross sections well, but are less satisfactory in describing analyzing powers. Results of the energy-dependence measurements show that there are giant resonances built on all the excited states investigated.
User studies informing E-table interfaces

In this paper, we describe a series of user studies that were used to advance understanding of how people use electronic tables (E-tables) and inform the development of a web-based statistical table browser for use by non-specialists. Interviews and focus groups with providers, intermediaries, and non-specialist end users; transaction log analysis; and e-mail content analysis were used to develop a user-task taxonomy for government statistical data. These studies were the basis for a prototype web-based interface for browsing statistical tables. Two usability studies with 23 subjects and two eye-tracking studies with 21 subjects were conducted with this interface and paper, PDF, and spreadsheet interfaces. The results of the needs assessment, prototype development, and user studies provide a foundation for understanding E-tables in general and guiding continued design of interfaces for E-tables.
The Meaningful Construction of Inequality and the Struggles Against It: A ‘Strong Program’ Approach to How Social Boundaries Change:

When it comes to issues of equality and redistribution, sociologists are particularly prone to think in anti-cultural terms. External, objective, and material forces are conceived as determining unequal distributions without reference to the wills of actors - via hegemony, domination, subordination. But if inequality is imposed by material and coercive force, then it can be remedied only by accumulating power and counter-force, and by exercising them in an instrumental and potentially coercive way.What is missing from this account is meaning, the recognition of its relative autonomy. The imposition of inequality, and struggles over justice, inclusion, and distribution, are mediated by cultural structures. Inequalities are nested inside the discourse of civil society, and so are demands for equality. Vis-a-vis the binary codes of civil society, protest movements pollute hegemonic forces and purify subordinate groups in its name.
Family relationships and adolescent well-being: are families equally protective for same-sex attracted youth?

Existing research suggests that sexual minority youth experience lower levels of well-being, in part because they perceive less social support than heterosexual youth. Sexual minority youth with strong family relationships may demonstrate resilience and increased well-being; however, it is also possible that the experience of sexual stigma may make these relationships less protective for sexual minority youth. Using two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we explore the links between same-sex attraction, family relationships, and adolescent well-being in a sample of over 13,000 7th–12th grade adolescents (51 % female, 52 % non-Latino/a white, 17 % Latino, 21 % African American, and 7 % Asian). Specifically, we examine whether lower levels of parental closeness, parental involvement, and family support among same-sex attracted youth explain in part why these youth experience increased depressive symptoms and risk behaviors, including binge drinking, illegal drug use, and running away from home, relative to other-sex attracted youth. Second, we ask whether family relationships are equally protective against depressive symptoms and risk behaviors for same-sex attracted and other-sex attracted youth. We find that same-sex attracted youth, particularly girls, report higher levels of depressive symptoms, binge drinking, and drug use in part because they perceive less closeness with parents and less support from their families. Results also suggest that parental closeness and parental involvement may be less protective against risk behaviors for same-sex attracted boys than for their other-sex attracted peers. Findings thus suggest that interventions targeting the families of sexual minority youth should educate parents about the potentially negative effects of heteronormative assumptions and attitudes on positive adolescent development.
Therapeutic approaches to slowing the progression of diabetic nephropathy – is less best?

Objective: Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are known to reduce proteinuria and have been the first-line agents in the management of diabetic nephropathy for the past 20 years. This review covers recent studies that compare the benefit of additional blockage of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system through combination therapy with an ACE inhibitor and ARB, or a direct renin inhibitor (DRI), to monotherapy.
Discrimination of speed and direction of rotation in the pigeon: A mirror-image effect

Pecks to a 15-rpm clockwise visual stimulus were reinforced on a mult VI 30-sec EXT schedule. Pecks were extinguished in the presence of: Part A, a dark key; Part B, a 10-rpm clockwise stimulus; Part C, a 15-rpm counterclockwise stimulus. In Parts A and B, the results indicated that responding to counterclockwise rotations mirrored the pattern of responding to clockwise rotations. In Part C a different pigeon learned to discriminate between clockwise and counterclockwise rotations, but generalization tests 5 and 12 days after the original tests showed emergence of the mirror effect noted in the first two parts.
Low Protein Cage-Layer Diets and Amino Acids

Abstract PREVIOUS studies at this station by Britzman and Carlson (1965) have shown that a 10% protein layer diet supplemented with methionine was adequate for 50 to 60% egg production for 7 months. This diet was made up largely of corn but contained some soybean meal. Further supplementation with amino acids did not enhance egg production, egg size, Haugh unit values, shell thickness or body weight. Dietary additions of methionine, lysine, glycine, valine, arginine, isoleucine and tryptophan, in that order, were added consecutively at the level of 125% of the standard of Johnson and Fisher (1958) to test for the effect of supplemental responses. Another basal diet used by Britzman and Carlson (1965) was formulated by diluting a typical diet with glucose. It was calculated to contain 11 percent protein and contained a ratio of corn to soybean meal protein of 60:40 as recommended by Bray (1960). This basal diet was…
REDISTRIBUTION IN A MICRONESIAN COMMERCIAL ECONOMY

When the people of Pohnpei, in the Eastern Caroline Islands, voted against Free Association with the United States in the 1983 Federated States of Micronesia plebiscite, expatriate observers were stunned. How could people so tied to an economy utterly dependent upon American subsidies oppose a new political relationship that guarantees the FSM SUS1.4 billion ver the next 15 years? American policy in Micronesia has favoured the development of this dependent commercial economy, and the existence of small trade stores in nearly every community suggests that the Pohnpei themselves have eagerly participated in the evolution of a consumer culture. Yet many Pohnpei stated that they oppose an extension of political relations with the U.S. precisely because of the underlying economic issues: in calling for independence, as they did, they explicitly recognized that they were rejecting the economic transformation planned for them (Petersen, 1984a, 1985a, 1986). This paper seeks to examine the place of these trade stores within contemporary Pohnpei economy, society, and culture, in order to provide one source of understanding for recent Pohnpei political events. While Pohnpei certainly remains well-situated within the Micronesian cash economy, fundamental notions of capitalist commercial enterprise, within which this cash economy is subsumed (e.g. profit, debt, and credit) explain neither the history of individual Pohnpei stores nor the political economic context in which a society, ostensibly dependent upon commerce, turns willingly toward less commercial conditions. In short, I am suggesting that Pohnpei trade stores do not play a genuinely commercial role in the Pohnpei economy; the profit and loss, credit and debt activities of these stores can be better understood as reinforcing social, economic, political, and cultural aspects of the native Pohnpei redistributive economy. Indeed, commercial activities, especially retail sales, in many Pacific island societies might be better understood in terms of indigenous redistributive concepts than as failed examples of nascent capitalism. Some scholars, notably Romola McSwain (1977), report that such commercial failures occur as the result of ignorance and the tyranny of traditional social ethics. Storekeepers who fail are 'bewildered' and attribute their losses to the vaguely perceived malevolence of Europeans. This paper seeks to demonstrate that on Pohnpei these failures are in some degree deliberate, and are purposefully employed as a means of integrating cash into traditional social life with as little disruption as possible. McSwain is concerned specifically with demonstrating that among the people of Karkar Island in Papua New Guinea's Madang Province, 'considerable economic, political and educational change has occurred over a relatively long period, yet the traditional intellectual system remains, leading to a situation of potential frustration' (1977:xvi). While the data from Pohnpei are in complete agreement with the first part of
Vibrational relaxation in the group IVA trimethylmetal chlorides

Abstract The temperature dependence of the polarized and depolarized Raman spectra of the ν 2 , ν 4 , ν 6 and ν 7 modes were measured for t -butyl chloride and the analogous group IVA trimethylmetal chrlorides (silicon, germanium and tin). Analysis of the lineshapes revealed that isotropic second moments and vibrational relaxation times for a given mode remained approximately constant through the series. This tranferability of relaxation parameters between molecules extended to modulation times calculated from the Kubo formalism. The above results are in contrast to earlier studies on molecules of dissimilar structure. They provide some preliminary evidence that the mechanism of vibrational relaxation may be the same for equivalent modes in members of the series.
Abstract 4158: The p53 gain-of-function mutation p53R172Hpromotes oral cancer progression in response to DNA damage

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide, presenting high mortality rates and a severe impact on the quality of life of patients and survivors. Oral cancers arise from the accumulation of genetic alterations. Some of the most prevalent mutations found in patients with oral cancer involve mutations in Ras and p53 genes, although the mutation rates exhibit geographical variation, most likely as a result of different exposure to carcinogens. Most p53 mutations result in the expression of mutant forms of p53, rather than inactivation of the p53 gene. To determine the role of these mutations during oral cancer development we generated mice in which the endogenous K-rasG12D allele and p53 gain-of-function mutation p53R172H could be activated exclusively in the oral epithelium. We found that the p53R172H mutation, but not deletion of p53, cooperates with K-rasG12D to initiate oral tumor formation, accelerates oral tumor growth and promotes progression to squamous cell carcinoma. Expression profiling of the tumors that developed in these mice revealed that cyclin B1 was overexpressed in the oral tumors that expressed p53R172H compared to tumors with no p53. To expand the functional studies, we generated cell lines from these mouse oral tumors. Similar to the primary tumors, cell lines derived from the tumors expressing p53R172H generated tumors that grew faster upon injection in nude mice than cell lines that lacked p53. Using these cell lines we found that the expression of cyclin B1 was dramatically induced in the p53R172H cells in response to DNA damage, suggesting that cyclin B1 may contribute to the oncogenic properties p53R172H in oral tumor cells in response to DNA damage. Notably, we observed DNA damage in the oral tumors, as determined by staining for γ-H2AX. Since these tumors were initiated by oncogenic K-ras, we speculated that oncogene activation induced DNA damage in the tumors, thereby allowing the induction of cyclin B1 expression. Consistent with this hypothesis we found that suppressing K-ras in cells that express p53R172H resulted in significant reduction in cyclin B1 expression, indicating that p53R172H can induce the expression of cyclin B1 in response to oncogenic K-ras. In addition, we found increased DNA damage in the oral tumors that expressed p53R172H compared to tumors that lack p53, suggesting that p53R172H may modulate the DNA damage response. Together, these findings indicate that p53R172H may promote oral tumor progression in response to DNA damage, and suggest that attenuation of the DNA damage response may contribute to the oncogenic properties of mutant p53. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4158.
Single fault-tolerant distributed shared memory using competitive update

Abstract In this paper, we propose a single fault-tolerant distributed shared memory (DSM) that uses a competitive update protocol. In this update protocol, multiple copies of each page may be maintained at different nodes. However, it is also possible for a page to exist in only one node, as some copies of the page may be invalidated. We propose an implementation that makes the competitive update protocol recoverable from a single node failure, by guaranteeing that at least two copies of each page exist. We also present a mechanism that maintains consistency between shared data and process local state after recovery, by updating shared data and process local state atomically. The paper presents evaluation of the recoverable DSM using an implementation. It is shown that the overhead of making the DSM recoverable measured in terms of the number of messages and the amount of data transferred is small in many applications.
Upregulation of spinal cannabinoid-1-receptors following nerve injury enhances the effects of Win 55,212-2 on neuropathic pain behaviors in rats

AbstractExogenous cannabinoids are effective in attenuating neuropathic pain behaviors induced by peripheral nerve injury, but the mechanisms of their effectiveness remain unclear. Here we examined the expression of spinal cannabinoid-1-receptors (CB1Rs) following chronic constriction sciatic nerve
Noncoding RNA genes.

Some genes produce RNAs that are functional instead of encoding proteins. Noncoding RNA genes are surprisingly numerous. Recently, active research areas include small nucleolar RNAs, antisense riboregulator RNAs, and RNAs involved in X-dosage compensation. Genome sequences and new algorithms have begun to make systematic computational screens for noncoding RNA genes possible.
Energy gaps of the A − 15 superconductors Nb 3 Sn, V 3 Si, and Nb 3 Ge measured by tunneling

Tunnel junctions with good quasiparticle (Giaever) and pair (Josephson) tunneling characteristics have been made on electron-beam coevaporated thin films of some important high-temperature superconductors which have the $A\ensuremath{-}15$ crystalline structure. Using the thermally grown oxide of niobium tin to make Nb-Sn---oxide---Pb junctions we estimate the gap, ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{\mathrm{N}\mathrm{b}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{S}\mathrm{n}}$, as a function of composition from the current-voltage characteristics. Stoichiometric ${\mathrm{Nb}}_{3}$Sn is strong coupling with $\frac{2\ensuremath{\Delta}}{{k}_{B}{T}_{c}}=4.2\ensuremath{-}4.4$ whereas with less tin Nb-Sn has a low ${T}_{c}$ and becomes weak coupling. On vanadium silicon we could only make good junctions by evaporating a thin silicon layer, with thickness in the range 1.6-16 nm, on the fresh $A\ensuremath{-}15$ film before junction fabrication. V-Si is essentially weak coupling for all compositions with $\frac{2\ensuremath{\Delta}}{{k}_{B}{T}_{c}}=3.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2$. The characteristics of tunnel junctions on high-${T}_{c}$ niobium-germanium films always show evidence for multiple gaps and the data on this interesting material are more difficult to interpret.
POLIOMYELITIS ANTIBODIES IN HUMAN COLOSTRUM AND MILK.

Clarified human milk and serum from nursing mothers were tested against each of the three types of purified concentrated poliomyelitis antigens with the use of the microimmunodiffusion technique. Precipitin lines were obtained with both milk and serum. The continuity of the reaction lines of milk with those of the corresponding sera indicates that the antibody in milk is identical with that of serum.
Fluorescence methods to assess multidrug resistance in individual cells

Purpose: Microscopic methods to measure the activity of drug extrusion systems important in multidrug resistance in individual cells were developed. Methods: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) and parental lines of hamster CHO and pituitary GH3 cells were incubated with the acetoxymethylester (AM) forms of several fluorescent calcium-sensing dyes, fura2, indo1 and fluo3. The AM forms of these compounds are hydrolyzed by intracellular esterases and then trapped in cells, and the AM forms of the dyes are excellent substrates for P-glycoprotein (Pgp). Results: The fluorescent free acid forms of fura2, indo1 and fluo3 did not accumulate in MDR lines unless a chemosensitizer such as cyclosporin A, R(+)verapamil, quinidine, or progesterone was included during loading to prevent the cells from extruding the AM forms of the dyes before they could be hydrolyzed. Cyclosporin A increased the fluorescence due to intracellularly trapped fura2 free acid from 8- to 20-fold and was maximally effective at <5 μM. Fluorescence microscopy was employed to measure fura2 free acid accumulation by parental and MDR cell lines using excitation at the Ca2+-insensitive wavelength. When MDR cells were incubated with rhodamine 123 and fura2/AM, no fluorescence was detectable. Cellular fluorescence was dramatically increased by inclusion of cyclosporin A, quinidine, progesterone, or R(+)verapamil. There was no measurable decline in the fura2 free acid fluorescence in 1 h while the fluorescence due to rhodamine 123 diminished rapidly in cells overexpressing Pgp. Conclusions: These fluorescence methods detect drug-extruding activity in individual cells and therefore have the potential to provide complementary information to studies quantifying protein or mRNA levels of Pgp or other efflux pumps. In addition, they provide a rapid and quantifiable method for screening multidrug resistance reversing agents.
Brain histogenesis in vitro: Reconstruction of brain tissue from dissociated cells

Comparative studies of the aggregative behavior of cells dissociated from different areas of embryonic chick and mouse brains show that each of the regionally differentiated lobes (cerebrum, optic tectum, and cerebellum), and the stem areas (diencephalon and medulla), form characteristic aggregates distinctive in size and shape. Bispecific co-aggregates are produced by commingling dissociated mouse cerebrum cells with chick cells from various brain regions, or from non-nervous tissues; the size of these co-aggregates and the extent of internal sorting out of cell types is closely related to the degree of homology between the interacting cell populations, e.g. co-aggregates of the closely homologous mouse and chick cerebral cell types contain homogeneous tissue fabrics of intermingled mouse and chick cells.