cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ANTIFERTILITY ACTIVITY OF AN OXIDIZED POLYPHENOLIC ACID FROM LITHOSPERMUM RUDERALE.

The antifertility activity of an oxidized polyphenolic acid from Lithospermum ruderale was investigated. A polyphenolic acid was isolated from the roots of Lithospermum ruderale and was named lithospermic acid(LA). No biological activity of LA was observed in the rat or the chicken. When LA was oxidized enzymically a substance was obtained which inactivated exogenous and endogenous gonadotropins in the female rat and prevented ovulation in the laying hen. A cold water root extract was partitioned into 5 fractions which were administered orally to immature female rats. Only the original extract and 1 fraction composed of oxidized LA revealed a signigicant (p less than .05) inactivation of exogenous gonadotropin. In an additional study the same cold water extract fraction as well as enzymically oxidized lithospermic acid revealed antiovulatory properties when injected into the laying hen. These results indicate that oxidized LA present in the Lithospermum ruderale roots is responsible for some of the antigonadotropic effect oberved with the cold water extracts.
Social organization as a correctional ideology: Breaking new ground

This paper examines the importance of the prison environment and its social organization as factors which reinforce the continued socialization of criminal careers. The authors analyze contemporary research findings within the context of prison administration and conclude that if behavioral change is to become a realistic by-product of incarceration, then we may need to reformulate the correctional ideology upon which penal policies rest. A social organization framework; consistant with empirical data, is then provided as the basis for an ideology leading to new generation prisons.
Effect of flower shape and size on foraging performance and trade-offs in a tropical hummingbird.

Matches between the bills of hummingbirds and the flowers they visit have been interpreted as examples of coadaptation and feeding specialization. Observations of birds feeding at flowers longer or shorter than their bills combined with a lack of experimental evidence for foraging trade-offs, however, fail to support these interpretations. We addressed these inconsistencies by considering a seldom-studied dimension of hummingbird–flower relationships, the shape of bills and flowers, through experiments on the Purple-throated Carib, Eulampis jugularis, and its major food plant, Heliconia, in the eastern Caribbean. Bills of male E. jugularis are considerably shorter and straighter than bills of females. We examined foraging performances and trade-offs during visits to natural heliconias and 34 artificial flowers of differing length and curvature. Supporting predictions based on matches between bill and flower morphology, handling times of females were significantly shorter than those of males at the long, c...
National science foundation funding in economics and chemistry

Despite equivalent success rates, the probability of obtaining an NSF grant is substantially higher for chemists than for economists. The evidence indicates that NSF funds are more scarce for economists and that the quality of funded proposals as measured by institutional affiliation is greater for economists than for chemists. Administrators should be aware that when the supply of funds varies among disciplines, the probability of being funded and the expected value of an award will also vary among departments.
Review: remote patient monitoring of patients with heart failure reduces mortality and heart failure admissions.

Source Citation Klersy C, De Silvestri A, Gabutti G, Regoli F, Auricchio A. A meta-analysis of remote monitoring of heart failure patients. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009;54:1683-94. 19850208
Evidence for a Catalytic-Centre Heterogeneity of Molybdoferredoxin from Clostridium pasteurianum

Molybdoferredoxin, the high-molecular-weight component of clostridial nitrogenase has been separated into two components by gradient chromatography on DEAE-cellulose. One component when combined with azoferredoxin, the low-molecular-weight component of nitrogenase, does not reduce acetylene, evolve hydrogen from dithionite or hydrolyse ATP; the other does. Compared with the active component, the inactive species lacks molybdenum and approximately two thirds of the iron. Both species can be identified by their electron paramagnetic resonance spectra. Active molybdoferredoxin has resonances at g= 4.27, 3.78 and 2.01, whereas the inactive species has signals at g= 2.05 and 1.92. Apart from the difference in their catalytic centre, the protein moiety of both species seems to be identical as based on subunit composition, sedimentation and electrophoretic behaviour, amino acid composition and immunological reaction with a molybdoferredoxin antiserum. The method currently employed for purification of nitrogenase proteins and the fractionation of molybdoferredoxin is described. The consequence of this finding influences previously reported physico-chemical data of molybdoferredoxin.
ESTIMATING THE COST OF LEISURE TIME FOR RECREATION DEMAND MODELS

Abstract In this paper, we propose a method of determining the opportunity cost of leisure time with an empirical recreation demand application. Typically, the opportunity cost of leisure time is assumed to be some fraction of the wage rate. This practice has limitations. First, it assumes that individuals can trade time for money at their wage. Second, it offers no guidance about how to value the time of an individual who is not in the labor force. This paper proposes a method of determining this cost that does not suffer from these drawbacks. An empirical example is provided which demonstrates the proposed approach and contrasts it with commonly applied approaches.
Radiological findings in early vesico-ureteral reflux among spinal cord injury patients

1. A normal intravenous pyelogram does not exclude the possibility of vesicoureteral reflux. Of 40 patients who showed reflux on cystograms, 10 had intravenous pyelograms which showed no abnormality. 2. On the other hand, 30 of these patients (75 per cent.) had intravenous pyelograms which were abnormal. Some of the changes, although slight, were clearly significant. Others might have been coincidental. 3. Although not pathognomonic, the most important changes are caliectasis and ureteral dilatation without mechanical obstruction. 4. The significance of reflux may be gauged by its extent, its duration, its constancy, and the capacity of the ureter to compensate. A single cystogram is not sufficient for evaluation of these factors, but the extent of the reflux, as revealed in this study, correlates well with observed abnormalities in the intravenous pyelogram. 5. The radiological observations support the view that, in this group of patients, reflux results from inflammatory changes in the lower ureteral segment.
The relationship between ethics and job satisfaction: An empirical investigation

The relationship between ethics and job satisfaction for MIS professionals is examined empirically. Five dimensions of job satisfaction are examined: (1) satisfaction with pay, (2) satisfaction with promotions, (3) satisfaction with co-workers, (4) satisfaction with supervisors and (5) satisfaction with the work itself. These dimensions of satisfaction are compared to top management's ethical stance, one's overall sense of social responsibility and an ethical optimism scale (i.e., the degree of optimism that one has concerning the positive relationship between ethics and success in his/her company).
Development and Implementation of a Real-Time See-Through-Wall Radar System Based on FPGA

This paper presents the development of a low-cost real-time ultrawideband (UWB) see-through-wall (STW) imaging radar system. The designs of the microwave front end, the UWB data acquisition, and the system integration are discussed in detail. As for the most challenging task, the UWB data acquisition, we introduce a custom low-cost module based on commercial field-programmable gate array (FPGA) boards and low-speed analog-to-digital converters. The introduced module does not require a custom implementation of high-speed wideband mixed-signal circuitry but only depends on the FPGA firmware design, which favors a rapid system prototyping. The data acquisition module accomplishes a 100-ps equivalent-time sampling resolution at 100-Msamples/s real-time rate, while the developed STW system provides a 2-D real-time view of motion with a 1.5-ms speed behind walls. The system allows for an easy reconfiguration to support multiple operating frequency ranges, pulse sampling resolutions, and array deployments, thus providing a tremendous experimental flexibility. Our studies indicate that utilizing available technologies and off-the-shelf components could produce a practical stand-alone STW system at reasonable design effort and cost, which will lead to a better understanding of the challenging problems associated with STW technology.
Protecting and preserving traditional knowledge and plant genetic resources: is ASEAN there yet?

The treatment of traditional knowledge (TK) and plant genetic resources is timely international topics for debate with the focus on preventing the misappropriation and misuse of these resources, and on promoting the equitable sharing of benefits that arise from utilization and commercialization. In this paper, the initiatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member countries toward safeguarding TK associated with plant genetic resources are reviewed. While Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines have national frameworks in place for the protection of TK and plant genetic resources, other ASEAN member countries do not. In addition, true regional cooperation among ASEAN countries in the area of TK and plant genetic resources has yet to be realized. After a review of these cases, this paper will argue that a single unique model or solution for all ASEAN member countries cannot meet the wide range of concerns and objectives that exist to protect TK and plant genetic resources. Instead, what is suggested is to create a mix of solutions to better handle TK and plant genetic resources issues.
Charging service elements for an electric vehicle charging service provider

Electric vehicles are often seen as a key element in smart grids. Potentially, electric vehicles can be used for providing grid services, both for peak shaving and for ancillary services. To achieve this, an aggregator or charging service provider could control the charging of large electric vehicle fleets or, if sufficient information is available to the vehicle, the EV itself can control the charging and provide these services. In the literature, little attention is devoted to the charging services offered to the EV user. This paper outlines a set of building blocks for such end-user charging services. These building blocks can easily be transformed into objectives and constraints in a charging schedule optimization problem formulation. The focus of this paper is on describing the various potential service elements rather than on assembling actual products from these elements.
Acquired subglottic stenosis—depth and not extent of the insult is key

In contrast to skin, mucosal wound healing has not been extensively studied. Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is an excellent model for such investigation. The main objective of this pilot study was to develop a chronic model of SGS in a small animal (i.e. rabbit). In so doing, a serendipitous observation was made that the development of SGS is directly related to depth of the injury and is independent of circumferential extent. Animals with deep injury (i.e. deep to the lamina propria, reaching the perichondrium), independent of age and circumferential extent, experienced respiratory obstruction resulting from edema and granulation tissue formation and died or had to be sacrificed in the acute period. This was in contrast to no risk of mortality in the more superficially injured group. Histology was used to characterize this model of SGS. In the mucosal epithelium, or mucosa, changes of inflammation, squamous metaplasia, basal cell hyperplasia, necrosis and ulceration were only seen acutely and total regeneration of the epithelium was achieved by the end of the study period. In contrast, changes within the lamina propria, including chronic inflammatory cellular infiltrates and fibroplasia, were lasting and resulted in fibrotic repair, not regeneration. These findings are quite similar to the healing events in skin and suggest that SGS is the mucosal equivalent of a 'keloid' or, perhaps more appropriately, a 'hypertrophic scar.' Likewise, cartilage degeneration and deformation were persistent markers of the chronic phase of healing. Like the lamina propria, the response to injury was reparative. Therefore, injury to the connective tissue is a critical component of development of SGS.
PRENATAL SPECIFICATION OF CALLOSAL CONNECTIONS IN RHESUS MONKEY

Anatomical tracing and quantitative techniques were used to examine the tempo and pattern of maturation for callosal projection neurons in the monkey prefrontal cortex (PFC) during fetal and postnatal development. Nineteen monkeys were injected with retrograde tracers (fluorescent dyes, horseradish peroxidase conjugated to wheat germ agglutinin [WGA-HRP] or HRP crystals) at various ages between embryonic day 82 (E82) and adulthood. The size of injection sites was varied in fetal, newborn, and adult cases. In adults, labeled neurons were found in greatest density in the homotopic cortex of the opposite hemisphere and considerable numbers were also observed in a constellation of heterotopic areas including the medial and lateral orbital cortex, the dorsomedial convexity, and the pregenual cortex. The majority of labeled neurons were consistently concentrated in the lower half of layer III in all areas. In cases with large injection sites, callosal neurons of layer III formed a continuous and uninterrupted band that extended over the entire lateral surface of the prefrontal cortex spanning both homotopic and heterotopic areas. In contrast, in cases with small injection sites, the labeling of layer III neurons exhibited discontinuities. Between embryonic ages E82 and E89, injections limited to the cortical layers labeled only a small number of neurons in the opposite hemisphere, indicating that few callosal axons have invaded the cortex by this age. However, by E111 comparable injections labeled a large number of callosal neurons and many features of their distribution were adult-like. The number and constellation of cytoarchitectonic areas that were labeled in the frontal cortex of the opposite hemisphere were the same as in adults and the majority of callosal neurons were found in supragranular layer III. Finally, in fetal animals beyond E111, labeled neurons extended as a nearly unbroken band over a wide expanse of the dorsolateral PFC, resembling the pattern seen in adult monkeys with large injections. The conclusion we draw from these results, together with our earlier findings (Schwartz and Goldman-Rakic: Nature 299:154, 1982), is that callosal neurons whose axons enter the cortical layers of the primate prefrontal cortex achieve their mature laminar and areal distribution prior to birth and do so largely by cumulative processes.
Photonic Bandgaps in Mie Scattering by Concentrically Stratified Spheres

The Mie formulation for homogeneous spheres is generalized to handle core/shell systems and multiple concentric layers in a manner that exploits an analogy with stratified planar systems, thereby allowing concentric multi-layered structures to be treated as photonic bandgap materials. Representative results from a Mie code employing this analogy demonstrate that photonic bands are present for periodic concentric spheres, though not readily apparent in extinction spectra. Rather, the periodicity simply alters the scattering profile, enhancing the ratio of backscattering to forward scattering inside the bandgap, whereas modification of the interference structure is evident in extinction spectra in accordance with the optical theorem
Statistical Methods for Quantifying the Effect of the El Niño—Southern Oscillation on Wind Power in the Northern Great Plains of the United States:

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is a well-known source of inter-annual climate variability for both precipitation and temperature in the northern Great Plains of the United States. In order to determine if ENSO has similar impacts on wind speed and wind power, we applied statistical methods, including the sign test and resampling, to hourly airport wind speed measurements for the past half century at two airports in North Dakota and at another two in South Dakota. There is strong statistical evidence that ENSO has a small effect on wind speeds in some months, which affects the amount of wind power a typical utility scale wind turbine can produce. During the El Nino phase, we found monthly mean wind power production to decrease generally, consistent with the mean wind speed decreasing and the probability of a low-speed wind event increasing, at two locations in South Dakota. The ENSO connection was weaker and harder to detect in North Dakota, but we found evidence that the sign of the ch...
Thermal Transmittance and Air Permeability of Plain Weave Fabrics

The findings of earlier research on the influence of particular yarn and fabric structural variables on heat transfer and air flow through fabrics are used in explaining similarities and difference...
Stable Integration Vector for Nutrient Broth-Based Selection of Attenuated Listeria monocytogenes Strains with Recombinant Antigen Expression

Recombinant Listeria monocytogenes strains induce strong cellular immune responses and may prove useful for antigen delivery for the vaccination of humans. However, the genetic systems currently available for the stable expression of recombinant antigens by L. monocytogenes rely on the use of antibiotic resistance genes. We report on a derivative, pPL2dalGlnA, of the Listeria monocytogenes pPL2 integration vector that completely lacks drug resistance genes. The selectable markers in pPL2dalGlnA are glutamine synthetase (GlnA) and alanine racemase (Dal). This novel vector was stably maintained in auxotropic L. monocytogenes strains that normally require d-alanine. The pPL2dalGlnA vector also partially restored the ability of an L. monocytogenes Δdal Δdat strain to colonize the spleens and livers of infected mice. A novel, highly attenuated strain of L. monocytogenes with quadruple deletions was also engineered by deleting the L. monocytogenes actA and plcB virulence genes from a Δdal Δdat strain. Infection of mice with recombinants of this mutant strain that express the antigen from pPL2dalGlnA were shown to elicit CD8+ T-cell responses to human immunodeficiency virus Tat. This vector system is thus useful for stable antigen expression and vaccination studies.
The effect of serum albumin on the efflux of K-42 from frog sartorius muscle.

The effect of serum albumin on the washout of K42 from isolated frog sartorius muscles, previously labeled in vitro with this isotope, has been investigated. Incorporation of 1% serum albumin in the washout fluid has been found to cause a significant reduction in the rate constant for K42 loss from the muscle fibers. A similar reduction in the rat constant for K42 efflux was observed when the medium, though not containing protein, was exhaustively dialyzed before use against a solution containing serum albumin. Addition of 10−6 M HgCl2 to “dialyzed” Ringer increased the rate of loss of K42 from the fibers. Effects similar to those obtained with serum albumin were observed when 10−4 M cysteine was incorporated in the washout fluid. 3-mercapto-propanol gave rise to transient reductions in the rate of K42 efflux, but, following prolonged exposure to this agent, the efflux rate was increased. 2′3-dimercapto-propanol (BAL) increased the rate of K42 loss from the fibers. It is suggested that this effect of serum albumin is due to its sequestering action on toxic substances (tentatively identified as heavy metals) normally present in trace amounts in Ringer's solutions.
On reflected and transmitted stress waves at an elastic-plastic boundary

AbstractA theoretical analysis for the reflected and transmitted waves at an elastic-plastic boundary is presented. The basis of this analysis is the linear elastic wave theory in a hard load-bar and the one-dimensional, strain-rate-independent theory of finite-amplitude plastic waves in a soft specimen. The constitutive relationship during dynamic plastic deformation is an experimentally determined dynamic response function in the soft material. The analysis predicts results that agree very closely with experimental results.
Fracture of an Acetabular Component Inserted without Cement: A Case Report

The use of acetabular components without cement for total hip arthroplasty has increased dramatically in the last decade, for several reasons. With increased follow-up, fixation of sockets with cement has proved to be problematic, with as many as 48 per cent of such sockets reported to be radiographically loose at twenty years1,9,10,15,19,20. In a study of 330 total hip replacements performed with cement, Schulte et al. noted that 23 per cent of the ninety-eight hips in the patients who were alive at a minimum of twenty years had a loose or revised acetabular component. Kavanagh et al.10 reviewed the results of the first 333 Charnley total hip replacements performed with cement at the Mayo Clinic and found possible loosening of thirty-three (48 per cent) of sixty-nine cups in patients who were followed for twenty years. Sockets designed to be inserted without cement are so-called user-friendly. They are technically easy to insert, and the position of the cup can be readily changed intraoperatively. Growth of bone into the sockets is reliable, as has been shown in many studies of retrieved specimens5,6,8,12,17. Elevated modular polyethylene liners may improve positioning of the socket (by modifying the angle of abduction or anteversion) and can accommodate multiple sizes of the femoral head, which is useful in revision operations. Clinical and radiographic results of total hip arthroplasty without cementing of the acetabular component have been quite satisfactory11,13,14. However, when the results of such arthroplasties are evaluated, it should be kept in mind that loosening of cemented sockets historically has not been a major problem until at least five to ten years after the operation16. Although …
Privacy enablement in a surveillance system

This paper presents mechanisms for privacy protection in a distributed, multicamera surveillance system. The design choices and alternatives for providing privacy protection while delivering meaningful surveillance data for security and retail environments are described, followed by performance metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of privacy protection measures and experiments to evaluate these in retail store video. The paper concludes with a discussion including five principles for data presentation of privacy protection systems.
Mesonotal scale pattern polymorphism and a temperature-induced phenocopy in Aedes hendersoni (Diptera: Culicidae).

A considerable polymorphism in mesonotal scale patterns was observed in a number of populations of Aedes hendersoni . Scale patterns ranged from the most frequently observed black SOLID to that of all SILVER (the complete absence of black scaling). The relative effects of genetic and environmental influences were examined to determine the basis for increased silver scaling. Selection for individuals with all silver scaling was unsuccessful. However, increased silver scaling was observed in males reared from the egg stage at 20 °C compared to those reared at 27 °C. Modification of the gene expression for silver scaling by external influences (phenocopy) apparently depends on temperature and sex in this species. Use of mesonotal scale patterns in taxonomic classification of Ae. hendersoni is unreliable.
Retropharyngeal and epidural abscess from a swallowed fish bone

Retropharyngeal abscess is not uncommon, but the incidence of epidural extension of a retropharyngeal abscess is very rare. Intraspinal involvement of the deep neck infection should be suspected if the patient has neurologic deficits. Emergent surgical drainage and aggressive antibiotic treatment are necessary. The outcome is strongly associated with the level of neurologic function at the time of diagnosis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography is an excellent diagnostic method for any deep neck infection. A case is presented in which a perforating pharyngeal foreign body (fish bone) induced a retropharyngeal and epidural abscess. The literature is reviewed to improve the early recognition and treatment of this complication of deep neck infection.
ATIS-a modular approach (Advanced Traveler Information Systems)

The author describes a modular approach to the design of an in-vehicle navigation and route guidance system that supports a phased implementation of the technology, and anticipates expected differences in implementation in different parts of the world and for different makes and models of vehicle. A series of sensors in the vehicle are used to determine the vehicle's position by dead reckoning and map-matching. The system then calculates the best route to the selected destination, taking into account the real-time traffic information received from a traffic management center, and presents route guidance instructions to the user as the route is traversed. Attention is given to modularity considerations, vehicle positioning, driver support, vehicle-to-infrastructure communications, and the role of standards. >
Rust-Bio: a fast and safe bioinformatics library.

We present Rust-Bio, the first general purpose bioinformatics library for the innovative Rust programming language. Rust-Bio leverages the unique combination of speed, memory safety and high-level syntax offered by Rust to provide a fast and safe set of bioinformatics algorithms and data structures with a focus on sequence analysis.
A Quantitative Comparison of Energy Consumption and WSN Lifetime for LEACH and LEACH-SM

Extending the period of operation (lifetime) of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is one of the most critical issues. Their limitations are due to limited energy resources. Available research results reveal that significant improvement in WSN lifetime can be achieved by adding spares (spare nodes). At the moment of WSN deployment, the minimum required coverage of WSN targets is assured by the primaries (primary nodes). Spares, if activated, would provide an above-threshold (more than required), redundant target coverage, so can be switched off initially. They are ready to be switched on when any primary exhausts its energy. The spares must be properly managed. Mismanagement includes redundant and above-threshold coverage, which increase transmission of redundant data to cluster heads (collecting information from regular nodes, that is, primary nodes that are not cluster heads). Therefore, mismanaged spares can shorten WSN lifetime instead of extending it. To extend WSN lifetime, we propose the LEACHSM protocol, which modifies the prominent LEACH protocol by providing an optimal energy-saving spare management, including spare selection. LEACH-SM adds the spare selection phase to LEACH. This paper presents a quantitative comparison of energy consumption and WSN lifetime for both protocols.
Precision energy measurement of γ rays from 15N, 16O, and 57Fe

Abstract The recently reported value of (6129.170±0.043) keV for the γ-ray energy from the 16 O second-excited state has been used to establish, as secondary energy standards, several other γ-rays frequently found in accelerator and reactor experiments. A 50 cm 3 Ge(Li) detector having a resolution (fwhm) of 4.5 keV at E γ =6 MeV was used together with two sample-transfer systems from the 3.5 MeV Van de Graaff for simultaneous measurements on mixed radioactive sources. Computer fitting techniques were applied to the data. Results (activity or reaction − γ-ray energy) were as follows: 15 C − (5297.86±0.15) keV ; 16 N − (7115.15±0.14) keV ; 56 Fe ( n ,γ) 57 Fe doublet - (7631.33±0.17) and (7645.74±0.17) keV [Q=(7646.29±0.17) keV ] . For the particular detector used it was shown that the possible systematic error introduced by the so-called “boot-strapping” method of comparing full-energy peaks with pair-escape peaks was ≤0.10 keV.
Fabrics Capable of Capacitive Energy Storage

Flexible and lightweight fabric supercapacitors were seamlessly integrated into "smart" garments as an energy source. The electrochemical behavior of porous carbons applied with a traditional printmaking technique (screen printing) onto woven cotton and polyester fabrics was studied in non-toxic, non-flammable aqueous electrolytes. The porous structure of fabrics makes them ideal for supercapacitor applications that need porous films for ion transfer between electrodes. Electrodes derived from activated carbon (YP17) showed a high specific capacitance of 91 F/g on cotton and 85 F/g on polyester (i.e., ~0.43 F/cm2). Replacing conventional activated carbon with high surface area titanium carbidederived carbon (TiC-CDC) and adding highly conductive carbon onions, the capacitance can be improved to 160 F/g.
A new geometrical channel model for vehicle-to-vehicle communications

We have presented a new analytical model of the Doppler spectrum in the V2V environment based on scattering objects distributed along both sides of the roadway. Comparisons with examples of measured spectra from the suburban environment show improved agreement with the shape of the spectra compared to the double-ring model. We believe the new model could be beneficial for both wireless emulators and network applications. For example, the model would improve the accuracy of wireless emulators, in turn making more accurate hardware performance evaluations (such as BER) possible. Similarly, an accurate physical level channel model allows the evaluation of different MAC protocols under realistic conditions.
Structure-function analysis of the Yhc1 subunit of yeast U1 snRNP and genetic interactions of Yhc1 with Mud2, Nam8, Mud1, Tgs1, U1 snRNA, SmD3 and Prp28

Yhc1 and U1C are homologous essential subunits of the yeast and human U1 snRNP, respectively, that are implicated in the establishment and stability of the complex of U1 bound to the pre-mRNA 5' splice site (5'SS). Here, we conducted a mutational analysis of Yhc1, guided by the U1C NMR structure and low-resolution crystal structure of human U1 snRNP. The N-terminal 170-amino acid segment of the 231-amino acid Yhc1 polypeptide sufficed for vegetative growth. Although changing the zinc-binding residue Cys6 to alanine was lethal, alanines at zinc-binding residues Cys9, His24 and His30 were not. Benign alanine substitutions at conserved surface residues elicited mutational synergies with other splicing components. YHC1-R21A was synthetically lethal in the absence of Mud2 and synthetically sick in the absence of Nam8, Mud1 and Tgs1 or in the presence of variant U1 snRNAs. YHC1 alleles K28A, Y12A, T14A, K22A and H15A displayed a progressively narrower range of synergies. R21A and K28A bypassed the essentiality of DEAD-box protein Prp28, suggesting that they affected U1•5'SS complex stability. Yhc1 Arg21 fortifies the U1•5'SS complex via contacts with SmD3 residues Glu37/Asp38, mutations of which synergized with mud2Δ and bypassed prp28Δ. YHC1-(1-170) was synthetically lethal with mutations of all components interrogated, with the exception of Nam8.
Assessing changes in amphibian population dynamics following experimental manipulations of introduced fish.

Sport-fish introductions are now recognized as an important cause of amphibian decline, but few researchers have quantified the demographic responses of amphibians to current options in fisheries manage- ment designed to minimize effects on sensitive amphibians. Demographic analyses with mark-recapture data allow researchers to assess the relative importance of survival, local recruitment, and migration to changes in population densities. I conducted a 4-year, replicated whole-lake experiment in the Klamath Mountains of northern California (U.S.A.) to quantify changes in population density, survival, population growth rate, and recruitment of the Cascades frog (Rana cascadae) in response to manipulations of non-native fish populations. I compared responses of the frogs in lakes where fish were removed, in lakes in their naturally fish-free state, and in lakes where fish remained that were either stocked annually or no longer being stocked. Within 3 years of fish removals from 3 lakes, frog densities increased by a factor of 13.6. The survival of young adult frogs increased from 59% to 94%, and realized population growth and recruitment rates at the fish-removal lakes were more than twice as high as the rates for fish-free reference lakes and lakes that contained fish. Population growth in the fish-removal lakes was likely due to better on-site recruitment of frogs to later life stages rather than increased immigration. The effects on R. cascadae of suspending stocking were ambiguous and suggested no direct benefit to amphibians. With amphibians declining worldwide, these results show that active restoration can slow or reverse the decline of species affected by fish stocking within a short time frame.
Enhanced detection of chromosomal abnormalities in chronic lymphocytic leukemia by conventional cytogenetics using CpG oligonucleotide in combination with pokeweed mitogen and phorbol myristate acetate

Reproducible cytogenetic analysis in CLL has been limited by the inability to obtain reliable metaphase cells for analysis. CpG oligonucleotide and cytokine stimulation have been shown to improve metaphase analysis of CLL cytogenetic abnormalities, but is limited by variability in the cytokine receptor levels, stability and biological activity of the cytokine in culture conditions and high costs associated with these reagents. We report here use of a novel, stable CpG, GNKG168 along with pokeweed mitogen (PWM) and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for conventional cytogenetic assessment in CLL. We demonstrate that the combined use of GNKG168+PWM/PMA increased the sensitivity of detection of chromosomal abnormalities compared to PWM/PMA (n=207, odds ratio=2.2, p=0.0002) and GNKG168 (n=219, odds ratio=1.5, p=0.0452). Further, a significant increase in sensitivity to detect complexity ≥3 with GNKG168+PWM/PMA compared to GNKG168 alone (odds ratio 8.0, p=0.0022) or PWM/PMA alone (odds ratio 9.6, p=0.0007) was observed. The trend toward detection of higher complexity was significantly greater with GNKG168+PWM/PMA compared to GNKG168 alone (p=0.0412). The increased sensitivity was mainly attributed to the addition of PWM/PMA with GNKG168 because GNKG168 alone showed no difference in sensitivity for detection of complex abnormalities (p=0.17). Comparison of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) results with karyotypic results showed a high degree of consistency, although some complex karyotypes were present in cases with no adverse FISH abnormality. These studies provide evidence for potential use of GNKG168 in combination with PWM and PMA in karyotypic analysis of CLL patient samples to better identify chromosomal abnormalities for risk stratification.
Fat Women Take Center StageReview of Female Bodies on the American Stage: Enter Fat Actress, by Jennifer-Scott Mobley

It’s difficult not to be ensnared by a book that plunges feet first into feminist textual analyses of, among many other works, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Hairspray, and Mike & Molly. Jennifer-Scott ...
Computational Models of Closed–Loop Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical intervention that sends electrical signals to the brain to effectively alleviate the symptoms of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. Although the conventional high frequency DBS shows remarkable therapeutic success, it is desirable to overcome the downsides of such a form of open–loop DBS. Using computational models, we explore a closed–loop DBS paradigm, multi–site delayed feedback stimulation (MDFS), that may potentially overcome the drawbacks of constant high frequency DBS. We first develop a biological-faithful computational network model of basal ganglia and thalamus in parkinsonian conditions. The model mimics the pathological neuronal activity observed in the basal ganglia in parkinsonian conditions, such as increased firing rate, bursting patterns, and synchronization. We then evaluate the outcome of closed–loop MDFS being applied to the parkinsonian network by examining both quantitative measures of neurons in the basal ganglia and the relay error of thalamocortical (TC) neurons. Our computational results show that closed–loop MDFS significantly diminish TC relay error by breaking the bursting pattern and desynchronizing the synchronized clusters in the basal ganglia. The design of MDFS suggests that it is superior to open–loop stimulation in that not only the stimulation signal is guided by changes in neuronal activities specific to disorders being treated, but also MDFS shows much lower energy consumption compared with the conventional high frequency DBS. To support the computational results and feasibility of closed–loop DBS, we further review some previous work that validates the evaluation measure of TC relay error and some recent experimental studies that validate the on–demand type of DBS.
Theodicy in the Face of Children's Suffering and Death

Discusses the complex issues of Christianity's perspectives and theologies regarding the death of children and illustrates how such contemplations get expressed in particular pastoral responses.
Kernel Data Attack Is a Realistic Security Threat

Altering in-memory kernel data, attackers are able to manipulate the running behaviors of operating systems without injecting any malicious code. This type of attack is called kernel data attack. Intuitively, the security impact of such an attack seems minor, and thus, it has not yet drawn much attention from the security community. In this paper, we thoroughly investigate kernel data attack, showing that its damage could be as serious as kernel rootkits, and then propose countermeasures. More specifically, by tampering with kernel data, we first demonstrate that attackers can stealthily subvert various kernel security mechanisms. Then, we further develop a new keylogger called DLOGGER, which is more stealthy than existing keyloggers. Instead of injecting any malicious code, it only alters kernel data and leverages existing benign kernel code to build a covert channel, through which attackers can steal sensitive information. Therefore, existing defense mechanisms including those deployed at hypervisor level that search for hidden processes/hidden modules, or monitor kernel code integrity, will not be able to detect DLOGGER. To counter against kernel data attack, by classifying kernel data into different categories and handling them separately, we propose a defense mechanism and evaluate its efficacy with real experiments. Our experimental results show that our defense is effective in detecting kernel data attack with negligible performance overhead.
Center for Lunar Exploration Operations (CLEO)

The lunar scientific community is currently exploring and planning a new vision of scientific experimentation and exploration using the lunar surface as a platform for scientific investigations that include Earth observations, lunar science, Solar System studies, and the Universe that are uniquely enabled on the lunar surface. This lunar exploration science begins with robotic precursor missions, eventually followed by human missions to the lunar surface. The concept of a central lunar operations facility can be envisioned to support the challenge of coordinating lunar operations and science across a myriad of participating institutions. A Center for Lunar Exploration Operations (CLEO) could be implemented at a facility such as the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center where significant infrastructure is readily available.
Abstract A33: Optimizing NGS-based shRNA screening experiments and data analysis

Pooled small hairpin RNA (shRNA) screening emerges as a powerful tool for loss-of-function studies in mammalian cells and searching for novel or synthetic lethality-based therapeutic targets of human tumors. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is becoming a standard technology to read out hairpin representations with high resolution and allowance of massive multiplexing. However, the extraction of robust biological signals from high-throughput NGS-based shRNA screening (shSeq) data remains challenging due to low knock-down efficacy and off-target effects of shRNAs, sequencing errors, artificial mutations, etc. In this presentation, based on our in vitro shSeq screens in human cancer cells by Illumia MiSeq, we report a discovery of an unexpected recurrent distribution pattern of identified hairpin counts across number of allowed mismatches during read deconvolution. By exhaustive analysis of within and between-group noise, we develop a procedure to optimize both experimental and analytical parameters for shSeq screens and suggest a set of default parameters that perform well consistently. We observe that over 10% of recovered hairpin reads have at least one mismatch from the reference sequence, which cannot be explained by sequencing error only. We also notice that there are more mismatched reads at later time point than at initial one. And computational analysis of such dynamic process reflects higher evolutionary mutation rate (>10^-5) in cancer cells than common sense (~10^-9). Artificial mutations that might cause a high percentage of mismatches are further explored and interesting mutation patterns are identified. Citation Format: Jiyang Yu, Ying Gao, Wenyang Zhong, Lei Chen, Donald Apanovitch, Max Follettie, Paul Rejto, Kim Arndt. Optimizing NGS-based shRNA screening experiments and data analysis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Synthetic Lethal Approaches to Cancer Vulnerabilities; May 17-20, 2013; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(5 Suppl):Abstract nr A33.
Implementation of Multi-Time Step Adams-Bashforth time marching scheme for CAA

In many flow calculations, the range of length and time scales is large. To accurately resolve all scales, the time step chosen is based on the smallest scale and on the stability. When using a single step time marching scheme, such as a Runge-Kutta scheme or a single step Adams-Bashforth scheme, this might result in excessive temporal resolution than necessary for the required solution accuracy. In this work a multistep Adams-Bashforth scheme is used, in which different regions of the computational grid are made to march in time with different time steps based on their local stable time step and on local minimum length and time scales. This results in saving computational effort and therefore gives smaller run times. When the grid is optimally divided into regions using different time steps, the run times can be greatly reduced. This method is validated on a benchmark problem.
An On-Farm Method for Determination of Sulfonamide Drug Residues in Turkeys. 1. An Agar-Diffusion Analysis for Sulfadimethoxine in Whole Blood

A simple and inexpensive sulfonamide-screening test was evaluated using turkeys. An agar-diffusion procedure was developed to estimate the levels of sulfonamides in the edible tissues of turkeys by determining the drug level in whole blood. The analysis was adapted for use on whole blood that was easily collected from live birds on the farm with minimal equipment and skill. This Whole Blood Sulfa Test (WBST) was quantified by the use of a standard curve and was successfully applied to on-farm use in the Pacific Northwest. Agar plates were prepared using fortified Mueller-Hinton medium. Bacillus megaterium spores were applied to the agar to form confluent growth, and paper discs (10 mm) were laid onto the agar. Whole blood was collected from commercial turkeys prior to marketing, and the blood was immediately applied to the test paper discs. After incubation, blood that contained sulfa inhibited bacterial growth around the disc, and the clear zones of inhibition were measured. The WBST was consistently accurate to 1.22 ppm, and sulfa levels were detected as low as .04 ppm. Results were attained in 12 hr and were relatively inexpensive at $3.00/test/flock.
Study on Product Liability Prevention Based on the Relative Laws and Standards

It is important to study the problem of product liability prevention because the product safety problem becomes obviously severe and the producer of the products must be responsible for the defect products.Safety requirements of the products are studied based on product liability laws and product safety standards and product liability prevention methods are developed.
Contact strength analysis on independent suspending frame of double horizontal arms of the mini-typed multiple functioned vehicle

On the basis of contemporary principle of contact dynamics,combining with knowledge of finite element and utilizing the 3D modeling software Pro/E,the grid partition software HyperMesh and finite element analysis software Ansys,the contact strength analysis was carried out on the independent suspending frame of double horizontal arms of the mini-typed multiple functioned vehicle.By carrying out comparison on the computed result with the result of experiment it was shown that the being established finite element model was basically tally with the strength characteristics of the original structure.
RO-06INCIDENCE OF CATARACT DEVELOPMENT IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS RECEIVING CRANIOSPINAL IRRADIATION

RO-06. INCIDENCE OF CATARACT DEVELOPMENT IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS RECEIVING CRANIOSPINAL IRRADIATION Ros Whelan, Todd Hankinson, Kathleen Dorris, Benjamin Saccomano, Michael Handler, Arthur Liu, Molly Hemenway, and Jennifer Madden; Children’s Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA OBJECTIVE: Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is an important component of therapy for some children with brain tumors. CSI has been associated with numerous late effects, but there is a paucity of data regarding cataract development following CSI. We investigated the incidence of cataracts in children treated at our institution. METHODS: Single center retrospective analysis of children with primary intracranial neoplasms who received CSI between 07/2007 and 06/2015. Data included tumor histologyand location, radiation dose, cataract development and intervention. RESULTS: Sixty-five children received CSI over that time period (57 embryonal tumors, 5 germ cell tumors, 3 pineal tumors) and 46 had eye exams. Median CSI dose was 23.4 Gy (range 12 36 Gy). With a median follow up of 25.0 months, thirteen (28%) developed cataracts with a median time to develop cataracts of 27.6 months (range 20-60 months). Six have required intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Development of cataracts is a significant risk in children who require CSI for the treatment of a brain tumor. Routine eye exams should be included with long term follow-up. Further study will better delineate risk factors for the development of cataracts, allowing appropriate screening and management for these patients. Neuro-Oncology 18:iii159–iii164, 2016. doi:10.1093/neuonc/now082.6 #The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.