cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loss of a 20S proteasome activator in Saccharomyces cerevisiae downregulates genes important for genomic integrity, increases DNA damage, and selectively sensitizes cells to agents with diverse mechanisms of action.

Cytoprotective functions of a 20S proteasome activator were investigated. Saccharomyces cerevisiae [Blm10][1] and human 20S proteasome activator 200 (PA200) are homologs. Comparative genome-wide analyses of untreated diploid cells lacking [Blm10][1] and growing at steady state at defined growth rates revealed downregulation of numerous genes required for accurate chromosome structure, assembly and repair, and upregulation of a specific subset of genes encoding protein-folding chaperones. [Blm10][1] loss or truncation of the [Ubp3][2]/[Blm3][2] deubiquitinating enzyme caused massive chromosomal damage and cell death in homozygous diploids after phleomycin treatments, indicating that [Blm10][1] and [Ubp3][2]/[Blm3][2] function to stabilize the genome and protect against cell death. Diploids lacking [Blm10][1] also were sensitized to doxorubicin, hydroxyurea, 5-fluorouracil, rapamycin, hydrogen peroxide, methyl methanesulfonate, and calcofluor. Fluorescently tagged [Blm10][1] localized in nuclei, with enhanced fluorescence after DNA replication. After DNA damage that caused a classic G2/M arrest, fluorescence remained diffuse, with evidence of nuclear fragmentation in some cells. Protective functions of [Blm10][1] did not require the carboxyl-terminal region that makes close contact with 20S proteasomes, indicating that protection does not require this contact or the truncated [Blm10][1] can interact with the proteasome apart from this region. Without its carboxyl-terminus, [Blm10][1](−339aa) localized to nuclei in untreated, nonproliferating (G) cells, but not during G1 S, G2, and M. The results indicate [Blm10][1] functions in protective mechanisms that include the machinery that assures proper assembly of chromosomes. These essential guardian functions have implications for ubiquitin-independent targeting in anticancer therapy. Targeting [Blm10][1]/PA200 together with one or more of the upregulated chaperones or a conventional treatment could be efficacious. [1]: http://www.yeastgenome.org/cgi-bin/locus.fpl?dbid=S000001887 [2]: http://www.yeastgenome.org/cgi-bin/locus.fpl?dbid=S000000953
Histories of the stress, strain-rate, temperature and spin in steady state penetration problems

Abstract Given the values of the two components of the velocity, temperature, hydrostatic pressure and work-hardening parameter at a large number of discrete points in a bounded 2-D domain, an algorithm has been developed to compute the streamline that passes through a desired point in the domain, and the time histories of the stress, strain-rate, temperature and the spin at a material particle, starting from the instant it occupied the desired point. Results for a few target points situated near the axis of symmetry in the steady state penetration problem involving a viscoplastic target and a rigid cylindrical penetrator are presented. Two nose shapes, namely a hemispherical and blunt, are considered.
Temporal Evolution of the Nanostructure and Phase Compositions in a Model Ni-Al-Cr Alloy

In a Ni-5.2 Al-14.2 Cr at.% alloy with moderate solute supersaturations and a very small gamma/gamma prime lattice parameter misfit, the nanostructural and compositional pathways during gamma prime(L12) precipitation at 873 K are investigated using atom-probe tomography, conventional transmission electron microscopy, and hardness measurements. Nucleation of high number densities (N(sub v) greater than 10(sup 23) per cubic meters) of solute-rich precipitates (mean radius = [R] = 0.75 nm), with a critical nucleus composition of Ni-18.3 plus or minus 0.9 Al-9.3 plus or minus 0.7 Cr at.%, initiates between 0.0833 and 0.167 h. With increasing aging time (a) the solute concentrations decay in spheroidal precipitates ([R] less than 10 nm); (b) the observed early-stage coalescence peaks at maximum N(sub v) in coincidence with the smallest interprecipitate spacing; and (c) the reaction enters a quasi-stationary regime where growth and coarsening operate concomitantly. During this quasi-stationary regime, the c (face-centered cubic)-matrix solute supersaturations decay with a power-law dependence of about -1/3, while the dependencies of [R] and N(sub v) are 0.29 plus or minus 0.05 and -0.64 plus or minus 0.06 at a coarsening rate slower than model predications. Coarsening models allow both equilibrium phase compositions to be determined from the compositional measurements. The observed early-stage coalescence is discussed in further detail.
Class I HDAC inhibition blocks cocaine-induced plasticity by targeted changes in histone methylation

The authors show that reducing histone deacetylase 1 expression or activity in the nucleus accumbens increases global levels of histone acetylation but also increases histone methylation, leading to reduced cocaine-induced changes in behavior. This effect is mediated in part by decreased GABAA receptor expression and decreased inhibitory tone on nucleus accumbens neurons.
Transcription in mosquito hemocytes in response to pathogen exposure

Mosquito hemocytes are blood cells that are fundamental for combating systemic infection. A study published in BMC Genomics shows that hemocyte gene transcription in response to immune challenge is pathogen-specific and reaffirms the primary role of these cells in immunity.
Matched-pair comparison of three different approaches for thymectomy in myasthenia gravis.

Background: Because of the lack of evidence-based data comparing different techniques for thymectomy (Thx), a matched-pair study was conducted to evaluate the role of thoracoscopic Thx (tThx) more objectively. Methods: Of 182 patients who underwent Thx, 3 groups according to the operation technique were matched for myasthenia gravis (MG) without thymoma, age, gender, and severity of MG. Twenty patients each who had Thx through anterolateral thoracotomy (aThx), extended median sternotomy (sThx), and tThx were compared for length of operation, postoperative morbidity, complete remission, quantification of improvement of MG, and cosmetic results. Results: Complete tThx required 197 ± 35 min as compared to 113 ± 43 min for sThx and 82 ± 27 min for aThx (P < 0.001). With zero mortality the overall postoperative morbidity rate was 25% for sThx versus 15% for aThx and 5% for tThx (P < 0.05). There was no difference in complete remission of MG. The median activities of daily living (ADL) scores improved by 6.0 (1–19) after tThx, 5.5 (2–4) after sThx, and 7.5 (0–12) after aThx. Best cosmetic results were achieved after tThx. Conclusions: There was adequate cumulative medium-term improvement of MG and less postoperative morbidity after tThx, which may become the preferred technique for Thx.
α7 nicotinic ACh receptors as a ligand-gated source of Ca(2+) ions: the search for a Ca(2+) optimum.

The spatiotemporal distribution of cytosolic Ca2+ ions is a key determinant of neuronal behavior and survival. Distinct sources of Ca2+ ions including ligand- and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels contribute to intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. Many normal physiological and therapeutic neuronal functions are Ca2+-dependent, however an excess of cytosolic Ca2+ or a lack of the appropriate balance between Ca2+ entry and clearance may destroy cellular integrity and cause cellular death. Therefore, the existence of optimal spatiotemporal patterns of cytosolic Ca2+ elevations and thus, optimal activation of ligand- and voltage-gated Ca2+ ion channels are postulated to benefit neuronal function and survival. Alpha7 nicotinic ­acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are highly permeable to Ca2+ ions and play an important role in modulation of neurotransmitter release, gene expression and neuroprotection in a variety of neuronal and non-neuronal cells. In this review, the focus is placed on α7 nAChR-mediated currents and Ca2+ influx and how this source of Ca2+ entry compares to NMDA receptors in supporting cytosolic Ca2+ homeostasis, neuronal function and survival.
A unified systems perspective of family firm performance

Abstract Theory and practice indicate that in family-influenced firms, the interaction of the family unit, the business entity, and individual family members create unique systemic conditions and constituencies that impact the performance outcomes of the family business social system. Habbershon and Williams [Fam. Bus. Rev. 12 (1999) 1] have suggested that these unique systemic family influences can be captured through an analysis of the resources and capabilities of the organization. In this paper, we pursue their line of thinking and more specifically examine the systemic relationship of resources and capabilities as a source of advantage or constraint to the performance outcomes for family-influenced firms. The idiosyncratic firm level bundle of resources and capabilities resulting from the systems interactions are referred to as the “familiness” of the firm. Wealth-creating performance for family-influenced firms is a function of the “distinctive familiness” generated by the family business system. The performance model focuses on a particular subset of family-influenced firms whose performance goal is transgenerational wealth and wealth creation potential. We refer to those families that meet this premise as “enterprising families.” We develop a unified systems model of performance that links the resources and capabilities generated in the enterprising families system with their potential for transgenerational wealth creation.
Scar/WAVE-1, a Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein, assembles an actin-associated multi-kinase scaffold

WAVE proteins are members of the Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) family of scaffolding proteins that coordinate actin reorganization by coupling Rho-related small molecular weight GTPases to the mobilization of the Arp2/3 complex. We identified WAVE-1 in a screen for rat brain A kinase-anchoring proteins (AKAPs), which bind to the SH3 domain of the Abelson tyrosine kinase (Abl). Recombinant WAVE-1 interacts with cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and Abl kinases when expressed in HEK-293 cells, and both enzymes co-purify with endogenous WAVE from brain extracts. Mapping studies have defined binding sites for each kinase. Competition experiments suggest that the PKA–WAVE-1 interaction may be regulated by actin as the kinase binds to a site overlapping a verprolin homology region, which has been shown to interact with actin. Immunocytochemical analyses in Swiss 3T3 fibroblasts suggest that the WAVE-1 kinase scaffold is assembled dynamically as WAVE, PKA and Abl translocate to sites of actin reorganization in response to platelet-derived growth factor treatment. Thus, we propose a previously unrecognized function for WAVE-1 as an actin-associated scaffolding protein that recruits PKA and Abl.
The CAFO Hothouse: Climate Change, Industrial Agriculture and the Law

The issue of climate change has at long last made its way into mainstream policy discussions in the United States. However, the focus both in the United States and internationally has been on reducing energy production and transportation emissions. This has led the media, policy makers and the public to overlook industrial agriculture, one of the principal contributors to global greenhouse emissions. Industrial agriculture – particularly industrial livestock activity – emits significant (and growing) amounts not only of carbon dioxide, but also of more pernicious greenhouse gases, including nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4). In fact, greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture far exceed those from transportation. Yet, for reasons both cultural and political, agriculture remains almost unregulated.This lack of regulation stems in large part from a concerted effort by corporate growers to portray themselves as small farmers who live off the land in harmony with their surroundings. But the truth is that they are not and they do not. Unlike their smaller, family-farm predecessors, factory farm/industrial livestock operations (called concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs) do not operate at near equilibrium with their immediate environment. Instead, environmental, social, nutritional and public health costs are externalized and livestock operations are consolidated to maximize animal protein output. As global demand for meat rises, it spurs conversion of forests to pasture and to fields on which to grow feed crops. This in turn elevates the need for fossil fuel-based fertilizers and increases manure production. These factors combine to exacerbate carbon, methane and nitrous oxide emissions. The emissions in turn accelerate climate change, causing a pernicious feedback loop. Legal responses to climate change have largely ignored CAFOs, and national regulations are few. Meanwhile, national economic policies favor industrial agriculture through subsidies, price controls and import levies. Ironically, this preferential regulatory treatment reflects the national attachment to and political and cultural cachet of family farms. The policies are depicted as integral to a broad-based cultural effort to protect small farms even as their ruinous impact on those same family farms continues unchecked. This essay explores how industrial livestock operations contribute significant amounts of greenhouse gases while receiving little criticism but extensive financial incentives. It discusses the range of climate change impacts from factory-farming operations and explores their direct and indirect climate costs. It then summarizes the scientific, economic and regulatory responses to the issue. The essay concludes by offering some thoughts on solutions that link social farming paradigms, ethical imperatives, and climate change mitigation all at once.
Current Trends In Educational Leadership For Student Success Plus Facilities Planning And Designing

Many school leaders today are experiencing many challenges to ensure that their schools are successful. Since the passage of No Child Left Behind Act, school leaders have been faced with making sure that all students, regardless of language and/or background, are successful on the state assessment test. If students do not make AYP Annual Yearly Progress based on set standards, the school leader is viewed as not being effective. The school leader/administrator is at the front-line for their school’s progress on a daily basis and just to name a few items, school safety, appropriate curriculum and accommodations for students, high quality instruction service to all students and utilizing technology to enhance instruction and management tasks (Lashway, 2003). This research paper will discuss aspects and trends in leadership in the following areas: leadership standards, leadership development, shared leadership, support for school leadership, change in mission, facility planning and designing, classroom configuration, use of school time, early programs, special programs, school transfer, use of technology and virtual schools.
SpAM: Sparse Additive Models

We present a new class of models for high-dimensional nonparametric regression and classification called sparse additive models (SpAM). Our methods combine ideas from sparse linear modeling and additive nonparametric regression. We derive a method for fitting the models that is effective even when the number of covariates is larger than the sample size. A statistical analysis of the properties of SpAM is given together with empirical results on synthetic and real data, showing that SpAM can be effective in fitting sparse nonparametric models in high dimensional data.
A Proposal for Apportioning the House

year 2012 will mark a full century in which the size of the House of Representatives has held constant at 435.1 The 1910 census determined the population of the United States to be 92,228,496, which amounted to an average of one representative for every 212,000 persons. Following the 1910 census, Congress passed Public Law 62-5, which fixed the House size at 435. The law has never been repealed. In 2000, the census showed the population of the United States to be 298,757,310, or about 300 million. Consequently, in 2000, there was one representative for every 687,000 persons counted in the census, a more than threefold increase in district size since 1910. The average district size today is already greater than the populations of the four least populous states. According to population estimates, this average will further increase to 712,000 in 2010 and over 1 million by the middle of the twenty-first century. The 2010 census offers a great opportunity to renew debate about an increase in the size of the House.
Structure of B-DNA with Cations Tethered in the Major Groove†,‡

Here, we describe the 1.6-A X-ray structure of the DDD (Dickerson -Drew dodecamer), which has been covalently modified by the tethering of four cationic charges. This modified version of the DDD, called here the DDD 4+ , is composed of (d(CGCGAAXXCGCG)) 2, where X is effectively a thymine residue linked at the 5 position to an n-propyl-amine. The structure was determined from crystals soaked with thallium(I), which has been broadly used as a mimic of K + in X-ray diffraction experiments aimed at determining positions of cations adjacent to nucleic acids. Three of the tethered cations are directed radially out from the DNA. The radially directed tethered cations do not appear to induce structural changes or to displace counterions. One of the tethered cations is directed in the 3 ' direction, toward a phosphate group near one end of the duplex. This tethered cation appears to interact electrostatically with the DNA. This interaction is accompanied by changes in helical parameters rise, roll, and twist and by a displacement of the backbone relative to a control oligonucleotide. In addition, these interactions appear to be associated with displacement of counterions from the major groove of the DNA.
Admittance Compensation in Current Loop Control for a Grid-Tie LCL Fuel Cell Inverter

Current loop transfer function of a single-phase grid-tie inverter has been systematically derived with representations of conventional transfer function format using admittance terms for controller design and loop compensation. The power circuit adopts the LCL type filter to allow universal output that can be operated in both standalone and grid-tie modes. The proposed admittance compensation along with a quasi-proportional-resonant compensator is designed to achieve high gain at the fundamental frequency while maintaining enough stability margin. The proposed current loop controller and admittance compensation have been simulated and tested with a 5-kW fuel cell prototype. Without the admittance path compensation, simulation results indicate that the system cannot start up smoothly and the zero current command cannot be tracked very well. At first simulation cycle, the power flow erratically fed back to the inverter that may cause catastrophe failure. With admittance path compensation, the time-domain current steady-state error can be easily reduced with the loop gain design in frequency-domain. Simulation and experimental results show that the inverter is capable of both standalone and grid-tie connection mode operations and smooth power flow control even with zero current command.
Record of Historical Gulf of Mexico Storms Preserved In the Stratigraphy of Gum Hollow Delta, Nueces Bay, Texas, U.S.A.: An Example of Tropical-Cyclone-Induced Hyperpycnal Deposition

Abstract Gum Hollow Delta is a small microtidal, aggradational to slightly progradational, hyperpycnal, tropical-cyclone-dominated delta in Nueces Bay (Texas). The delta formed over the past 80 years following anthropogenically diverted, high sediment-laden stream runoff through Gum Hollow Creek into Nueces Bay. Gum Hollow Delta formed episodically due to high runoff and increased discharge in Gum Hollow Creek and temporarily elevated sea level during Gulf of Mexico tropical cyclones. The delta is 600 m long, 1000 m wide, and 1.6 m thick. Fifty-one vibracores were taken along four dip transects and two strike transects to delineate the internal sedimentology, architecture, and geochronology of the delta. The delta consists of nine bedsets (tempestites) representing deltaic growth events. Internal stratigraphic correlations were constrained by the identification of significant widespread flooding surfaces and by 137Cs geochronology. Flooding surfaces formed as storm surges produced short-term base-level rises in Nueces Bay, which were followed by rapid hyperpycnal sedimentation events. Tropical cyclones such as the 1933 Hurricane (Hurricane Eleven), 1945 Hurricane (Hurricane Five), and the 1949 Hurricane (Hurricane Ten) and named hurricanes Alice (1954), Carla (1961), Beulah (1967), Celia (1970), Allen (1980), and Bret (1999) produced significant base-level rises and deltaic depositional events. Distributary-channel avulsions are also associated with the landfall of these tropical cyclones. Comparison of the timing of the deposition of these hyperpycnal tempestites, constrained by 137Cs geochronology, historical aerial photographs, and the historical record of Gulf of Mexico tropical cyclones indicate that the Gum Hollow Delta preserves an 80-year record of storminess.
Estimating medical costs with censored data

Incompleteness of follow-up data is a common problem in estimating medical costs. Naive analysis using summary statistics on the collected data can result in severely misleading statistical inference. This paper focuses on the problem of estimating the mean medical cost from a sample of individuals whose medical costs may be right censored. A class of weighted estimators which account appropriately for censoring are introduced. Our estimators are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal with easily estimated variances. The efficiency of these estimators is studied with the goal of finding as efficient an estimator for the mean medical cost as is feasible. Extensive simulation studies are used to show that our estimators perform well in finite samples, even with heavily censored data, for a variety of circumstances. The methods are applied to a set of cost data from a cardiology trial conducted by the Duke University Medical Center. Extensions to other censored data problems are also discussed.
Assessment and treatment of depression in the cancer patient

The prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of depression in the cancer patient are reviewed. Although frequently encountered in the cancer patient population, depression often remains undiagnosed and untreated. This carries grave consequences in that depressed cancer patients experience a poorer quality of life, are less compliant with medical care, have longer hospital stays, and have higher mortality rates. Diagnostic assessment of depression in the cancer patient raises difficulties both upon phenomenological and etiological grounds. In particular, the presence of neurovegetative symptoms which may be secondary to either cancer or depression may cloud the diagnostic picture. Due to the serious consequences of unrecognized depression, a more sensitive inclusive approach to diagnosis is recommended in the clinical setting. Finally, the limited data regarding treatment of depression in patients with cancer is reviewed. This includes a discussion of both psychosocial and pharmacological interventions which are shown to alleviate depression, improve quality of life measures, improve immune function, and lengthen survival time.
Neonatal Jaundice in the Home: Assessment with a Noninvasive Device

Hyperbilirubinemia continues to be the major reason for hospital readmissions of neonates. This is particularly true for neonates who are discharged before the 72-hour physiological jaundice occurs. A small descriptive study reveals that use of a noninvasive bilirubinometer can be of assistance in screening for elevated bilirubin levels of newborns visited at home.
A population-based examination of cigarette smoking and mental illness in Black Americans.

Introduction: This study examines the relation between tobacco use and cessation with lifetime and past year mental illness in a nationally representative sample of Blacks.
Side-channel attack pitfalls

While cryptographic algorithms are usually strong against mathematical attacks, their practical implementation, both in software and in hardware, opens the door to side-channel attacks. Without expensive equipment or intrusive monitoring, these attacks bypass the mathematical complexity and find the cryptographic key by observing the power consumption or the execution time variations of the device in normal operation mode. The power traces of 8000 encryptions are for instance sufficient to extract the secret key of an unprotected ASIC AES implementation, which is orders of magnitude smaller than the 2128 tests required to brute force the algorithm. A careful implementation can address these vulnerabilities, yet the solutions conflict with the common design goals to optimize for area, performance and power consumption. This paper introduces the side-channel attack pitfalls, which help create or facilitate the observation of the information leakage, discusses mitigation strategies and identifies opportunities for future research.
Total Virus and Bacteria Concentrations in Indoor and Outdoor Air.

Viruses play important roles in microbial ecology and some infectious diseases, but relatively little is known about the concentrations, sources, transformation, and fate of viruses in the atmosphere. We have measured total airborne concentrations of virus-like and bacterium-like particles (VLPs between 0.02 and 0.5 μm in size and BLPs between 0.5 and 5 μm) in nine locations: a classroom, a daycare center, a dining facility, a health center, three houses, an office, and outdoors. Indoor concentrations of both VLPs and BLPs were ∼105 particles m–3, and the virus:bacteria ratio was 0.9 ± 0.1 (mean ± standard deviation across different locations). There were no significant differences in concentration between different indoor environments. VLP and BLP concentrations in outdoor air were 2.6 and 1.6 times higher, respectively, than in indoor air. At the single outdoor site, the virus:bacteria ratio was 1.4.
CB1 Receptor-Mediated Signaling Mechanisms in the Deleterious Effects of Spice Abuse

Abstract Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, the active component of Cannabis sativa preparations such as hashish and marijuana, signals through cell surface receptors. Two types of cannabinoid receptors have been cloned and characterized. Cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) is ubiquitously expressed presynaptically in neurons of the brain, at both inhibitory interneurons and excitatory neurons. Cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2R) is expressed in microglial cells, astrocytes, and some subpopulations of neurons at both presynaptic and postsynaptic terminals. To mimic the effects of marijuana, synthetic cannabinoids have been sprayed onto plant material and subsequently packaged and sold as “Spice” or “K2.” These synthetic cannabinoids have been shown to retain their affinity and activity for CB1R and CB2R. This chapter is focused on CB1R and CB2R signaling, as well as on the role of CB1R signaling in the deleterious effects of Spice abuse.
Layered shielding design for an active neutron interrogation system

Abstract The use of source and detector shields in active neutron interrogation can improve detector signal. In simulations, a shielded detector with a source rotated π/3 rad relative to the opening decreased neutron flux roughly three orders of magnitude. Several realistic source and detector shield configurations were simulated. A layered design reduced neutron and secondary photon flux in the detector by approximately one order of magnitude for a deuterium–tritium source. The shield arrangement can be adapted for a portable, modular design.
Controller Workload Models for Generic High-Altitude Airspace

Nine controller workload models are evaluated based on their ability to use sector and traffic data to estimate subjective controller workload measurements in generic highaltitude airspace. The evaluation utilized data from a human-in-the-loop simulation involving five recently-retired controllers working on five current high-altitude sectors using tools and procedures appropriate for future generic airspace. Workload models based only on aircraft count and sector capacity estimate controller workload less accurately than models that are a linear combination of 3–17 workload factors. Existing workload models like Dynamic Density and Simplified Dynamic Density achieve errors that are at least 8% lower when their parameters are estimated with training data from this generic highaltitude human-in-the-loop simulation. However, the square of the correlation (R) values for the Dynamic Density and Simplified Dynamic Density models are at least 0.3 lower in generic high-altitude airspace than in other types of airspace, so these models explain less of the variation in controller workload ratings in generic high-altitude airspace than in other airspaces. A new model referred to as Dynamic Density for generic high-altitude airspace achieves error values that are at least 10% lower than those achieved by any other model in generic high-altitude airspace, but does not achieve R values as large as those reported for other models in other types of airspace.
Experimental Transmission of African Swine Fever Virus by the Soft Tick Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) marocanus (Acari: Ixodoidea: Argasidae)

A total of 1,600 Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) marcocanus larvae were fed on a pig with a viremia of 10(7.4) HAd50/ml of African swine fever virus (ASFV). Infected larvae were sampled daily for 15 d, and nymphs were sampled at least once per instar until they became adults. Initial titers of 10(4.48) HAd50 per larva declined to 10(4.04) within 2 d. Larval titers reached a maximum of 10(6.0) HAd50 per larva 10 d after the infective blood meal. Nymphs of each instar were fed on a susceptible pig and in each case transmitted ASFV by bite. Virus titers for first to fourth instars ranged from 10(4.61) to 10(3.34) HAd50 per nymph. Transstadial survival occurred in subsequent first, second, third, and fourth instars with an 89% survival rate over 250 d. Approximately 30% of adult ticks that were infected as larvae remained infected and transmitted ASFV to susceptible pigs 588 d later. In addition, ASFV was recovered from the same adult ticks 655 d after the infective blood meal.
Heat Transfer Enhancement from Surfaces with Cavities

Three dimensional single and multiple cavity flows with heat transfer enhancement are to be investigated. Cavities are composed of spherical dimples with various depths and dimple distances. They are placed on a flat, heat conducting channel. When fluid flows over the cavities, its flow characteristics such as pressure, temperature, velocity profiles, and turbulent shear stresses change. This study investigates the relationship of these characteristics to the heat transferring phenomena on the surface. The results of the computational study of the impact of single concave cavity on the aerodynamic resistance and heat transfer coefficient compared with experimental data are presented.
Exploring the impact of multiple sclerosis on couples: a pilot study.

There are many words in our everyday vocabulary that we use so often we rarely think critically about their meaning. For me, the word scholarly fits into that category. We use the word scholarly to describe some people's careers, particular publications, specific presentations, or actual discussions. Sometimes we identify individuals as being scholarly.
The analysis of application status of radiation therapy devices and quality control condition in Beijing

Objective To explore the application status of radiation therapy devices and machine-room protection condition in Beijing, and to analyze the issues existing in those applications and the current conditions of quality control (QC). Methods During the detection of radiation health prevention capacity in radiation therapy devices, all information including their types and status, machine-room protection conditions and their QC equipments were also collected and analysed. Results There were 25 hospitals in Beijing (not including military hospitals) conducting radiation therapy which had 49 radiation therapy machines. Among them, there were 35 medical electron lineal accelerators, 5 60Co tele-therapy machines, 5 after-loading γtherapy machines, 2 intra-operative radiation therapy machines, 1γknife and 1 X-ray therapy machine. Each machine placed in a separate room and its protection condition met the requirement of national standard. All hospitals had simulators, dosimeters and physicists. Conclusion In spite of the fact that there were total 49 machines in 25 hospitals, the number and grade of the machines between hospitals were much different. Some machines with high failure rate were too old to meet the demands of modern accurate radiation therapy. Although all the machine-rooms reached national protection standard, the annual personal dose equivalent of the radiation staff was in a lower level. The number and skills of the physicists, as well as outfitted quality control equipments among these 25 hospitals were very disparate. What most of the hospitals can do was only basic absolute dose measurement, sometimes the measurements had big deviation. Since the modern radiation therapy technique is improved rapidly, we must establish a whole quality control measures and procedures, together with correspondent quality control equipment, in order to guarantee precise performance of radiation therapy.
Influenza surveillance in Japan

In Japan, under the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases, clinically diagnosed influenza cases have been reported by approximately 5,000 influenza sentinel clinics and influenza virus isolation have been reported by prefectural and municipal public health institutes (PHIs). Influenza virus strain surveillance have been conducted by PHIs and National Institute of Infectious Diseases for selectin of vaccine strains. Weekly influenza case and influenza virus isolation data have been submitted to WHO FluNet website. In addition, HI antibody prevalence have been monitored by the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Vaccine-preventable Diseases. Various information about influenza surveillance in Japan is available on the Infectious Disease Surveillance Center website (http://idsc.nih.go.jp/iasr/index.html).
Abstract 2713: Combination of PLK1 and PI3K inhibitors shows strong synergy in anaplastic thyroid cancer

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is the most aggressive thyroid cancer with median of 6 months of survival from diagnosis. Molecular alterations are well defined recently. p53 mutations, and activation of PI3K, RAS and BRAF are among the most common alterations. PLK1 overexpression has also been identified in ATC. We have previously shown that PLK1 inhibitors are effective in ATC cell lines. However PLK1 inhibition in cell lines with PI3K activation resulted in escaping growth arrest and subsequent mitotic catastrophe through mitotic slippage. Since the PI3K activation is common in ATC, there is risk of generating polyploid, genetically unstable cell populations by targeting these tumors with a PLK1 inhibitor. So we tested the effect of combining PLK1 and PI3K inhibitors in ATC cell lines. We combined PLK1 inhibitor BI6727 and PI3K inhibitor BKM120 and measured the cell viability using Alamar Blue. Combination of these two drugs resulted in significant synergy in mouse derived PTEN deleted ATC cell lines. We observed the same synergy in the human ATC cell lines with PIK3CA mutations. BI6727 showed significant G2/M arrest in the cell lines. The combination two drugs enhanced the G2/M arrest. In a low dose that the single drugs showed no inhibition in cell cycle, combination resulted in G2/M arrest. We treated the cells with a dual PI3K and PLK1 inhibitor Rigosertib. Although we have seen some sensitivity of the cells with PIK3CA mutation, the cell lines with PTEN were strongly resistant to Rigosertib. Our results show that combination of PLK1 and PI3K inhibitors is an effective treatment for ATC cells with PI3K activation. This combination results in cell cycle arrest suggesting the role of using combination therapies in this aggressive cancer. Citation Format: Emrullah Yilmaz, Arturo Orlacchio, Antonio Di Cristofano. Combination of PLK1 and PI3K inhibitors shows strong synergy in anaplastic thyroid cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2713.
Residential burglary victimization: Household- and country-level mixed modeling

The current study employed the International Crime Victimization Survey for 142,665 subjects in 35 countries to compare residential burglary patterns across countries by their developmental levels. The mixed-level modeling shows that households in less developed countries were more likely to experience residential burglary than those in highly developed countries. In addition, married status and low income levels were positively, while living in a detached house was negatively, related to burglary victimization. These findings are consistent with routine activity theory.
Part III. Chemistry, host entry, and metabolic fate of carcinogens

The skin, respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal tract are the organ systems through which environmental carcinogenic agents gain entry into the host. Of the several sources of carcinogenic agents, this report is concerned with the two most common in the respiratory environment—urban polluted air and cigarette smoke. Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are the most ubiquitous and are present in the highest concentrations. Certain exogenous and endogenous factors significantly modify the biologic action of carcinogenic hydrocarbons. Exogenous factors includes (1) the simultaneous presence and action of anticarcinogenic agents in the environment, (2) their occurrence in a physical state compatible with inhalation and deposition in the respiratory tract, and (3) the presence of factors modifying the host response, particularly in relation to the normal physiologic defenses. The endogenous factors include: (1) the vehicle serving the carcinogenic agents as it affects persistence at site of entry and rate of systemic distribution, (2) the rate of metabolism in the hepatobiliary system, and (3) the existence of anatomic or metabolic abnormalities modifying the tissue response. The metabolism of carcinogenic P AH is, in the truest sense, a pharmacologic detoxification process since the metabolites are either weakly or, as is more common, wholly noncarcinogenic. This suggests that carcinogenic PAH, as they occur in the environment, are the proximate carcinogens. The complexity of the carcinogenic process is emphasized by the multiplicity of factors, many of them noncarcinogenic in themselves, that are concerned with the pathogenesis of neoplastic disease.
Eating and Feeding Disorders

Eating and feeding disorders are characterized by aberrant eating and weight-control behaviors and endocrine dysregulation. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013) includes specific diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), binge eating disorder, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, rumination disorder, pica, and other specified feeding and eating disorders. The majority of research is focused on AN, BN, and symptomatically similar subdiagnostic threshold presentations, and thus this chapter concentrates on AN and BN. Although eating and feeding disorders can occur across all ages and in females and males, AN and BN most often develop during adolescence and predominate in females. AN typically onsets during mid- to late-adolescence (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), while BN tends to begin in later adolescence (Fairburn et al., 2000; Le Grange et al., 2004). Patterns of extreme dietary restriction, which can be punctuated by loss of control overeating and compensatory behaviors, and weight fluctuations are common in AN and BN. Some of the endocrine alterations observed in eating and feeding disorders may be an adaptation to starvation or malnutrition, existing as a mechanism to save energy and promote survival. Hypogonadism is the most striking endocrine change in patients with eating disorders, with amenorrhea as the main manifestation. Other endocrine alterations may include low T3 syndrome, hypercortisolism, loss of bone mineral density, and changes in the somatotropic axis and the glucose homeostasis. Hypoleptinemia, caused by food restriction and by the decrease of adipose tissue mass, seems to be the mediator of these endocrine changes. Many of these deficiencies normalize with nutritional rehabilitation. However, some dysregulations in appetite-regulating hormones are counter to what would be expected as an adaptive response to malnutrition and/or persist postrecovery, suggesting the possibility that some endocrine abnormalities may play a mechanistic or etiologic role in disordered eating.
Main Spatial Mechanisms in SGL

The chapter describes main spatial mechanisms of SGL with the help of progress points or “props” as integration of emerging control with the reached locations in navigated spaces and use of improvised 3D graphics. Different mechanisms activated by the SGL rules for both breadth and depth evolution of spatial scenarios are explained and exhibited, including parallel, sequential, synchronous, asynchronous, alternative, sliding, repetitive, cyclic, looping, slinging, whirling, and other variants. All these, especially if used together, are allowing for the overall vision, investigation, analysis, and control of large distributed spaces, with great power and clear and compact linguistic expressions.
Fungal Genomes and Insights into the Evolution of the Kingdom.

The kingdom Fungi comprises species that inhabit nearly all ecosystems. Fungi exist as both free-living and symbiotic unicellular and multicellular organisms with diverse morphologies. The genomes of fungi encode genes that enable them to thrive in diverse environments, invade plant and animal cells, and participate in nutrient cycling in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The continuously expanding databases of fungal genome sequences have been generated by individual and large-scale efforts such as Genolevures, Broad Institute's Fungal Genome Initiative, and the 1000 Fungal Genomes Project (http://1000.fungalgenomes.org). These efforts have produced a catalog of fungal genes and genomic organization. The genomic datasets can be utilized to better understand how fungi have adapted to their lifestyles and ecological niches. Large datasets of fungal genomic and transcriptomic data have enabled the use of novel methodologies and improved the study of fungal evolution from a molecular sequence perspective. Combined with microscopes, petri dishes, and woodland forays, genome sequencing supports bioinformatics and comparative genomics approaches as important tools in the study of the biology and evolution of fungi.
Stress and Human Psychopathology

A major contribution to modern understanding of diseases resulting from stressful interaction between the environment and the individual has been made by Selye, who introduced a new concept in medicine known as “disease of adaptation.”
Abstract 210: The Association of Body Mass Index with Time to Target Temperature and Outcomes in Postarrest Patients Treated with Therapeutic Hypothermia via an External Cooling System

Background: Regarding the use of TH for post-cardiac arrest patients, preliminary evidence suggests that more rapid attainment of target temperature (32-34oC) may improve outcomes. We hypothesized ...
Unheard Complaints: Integrating Captioning Into Business and Professional Communication Presentations:

This article explores pedagogical frameworks closely associated with d/Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons from the perspective of a disabled instructor to increase student awareness of the needs of d...
Evaluating research and education performance in Indian agricultural development

India's agricultural research spending has long been regionally uneven. Regional research intensity ratios, which account for size differences, indicate research spending has consistently favored southern and western states over northern, central, and eastern ones. Farm production patterns have, however, changed in recent years and regional output growth is being driven by new commodity mixes. In this paper we ask which region had the highest factor productivity growth and rate of return to investments in public agricultural research and higher education. Our analysis relies on a 1980–2008 Indian agricultural production and policy dataset together with a dual heteroscedastic production frontier to decompose total factor productivity (TFP) growth into formal technical progress and efficiency elements. The model's regional flexibility affords region-to-region comparison of multiple research return rates, TFP growth, and the elements influencing them. Regardless of return-rate measure or allocation scenario evaluated, the North has enjoyed the highest return to research spending, and the Central and East the lowest. Factor productivity growth has however been strongest in the South, primarily on account of efficiency gains. Overall, though, the technical progress and productivity growth easily attributable to government-supported research has been rather low. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Some Problems of Estimation for Mixed-Weibull Populations which Arise in Fatigue or Strength Models

A problem arises in estimating the distribution of a mixture of Weibull populations when only incomplete samples are available. If Weibull populations with the same known shape parameter are mixed by some distribution then the resulting survival distribution can be transformed, into a mixed-exponential survival distribution of the form \(R(t) = \int_0^\infty {{e^{ - \lambda t}}} dG(\lambda )\).The hazard rates of all such mixed distributions are known to be decreasing. A parametric family of such mixtures can be introduced by setting \( - \ln R(t) = \alpha Q(t\beta )for t >0 \), where Q is the induced hazard function and α, β > 0 are unknown. Mild restrictions on G are known which ensure regular behavior of q =Q’. If q is standardized by setting \(q(0) = \int_0^\infty lambda dG(\lambda ) = 1 \), then αβ becomes the initial hazard rate and β measures the rate of decrease from this value. Thus the transformed conditional reliability increases with age.
The personal web

The world-wide-web was originally intended to be a global distributed information space for publishing and sharing of information. The concept of the Personal Web is to extend the design of the web beyond a global information space into a global platform for personal services that provides first class support from the perspectives of users. The objectives of the Personal Web include extending its architecture to provide support for the prospective memory tasks of users; reduction of working cognitive load; facilitation of engagement in users web tasks and ubiquitous web interactions across users computing ecosystem of devices. Building on recent advances in mobile and cloud technologies, the Personal Web will set a people-centric agenda for web technology advancement that will fundamentally change users experience with web.