cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compact Model-Based Microfluidic Controller for Energy Efficient Thermal Management Using Single Tier and Three-Dimensional Stacked Pin-Fin Enhanced Microgap

Overcooling of electronic devices and systems results in excess energy consumption, which can be reduced by closely linking cooling requirements with actual power dissipation. A thermal model-based flow rate controller for single phase liquid cooled single tier and three-dimensional (3D) stacked chips, using pin-fin enhanced microgap was studied in this paper. Thermal compact models of a planar and 3D stacked two-layer pin-fin enhanced microgap were developed, which ran 104-105 times faster than using full-field computational fluid dynamics/heat transfer (CFD/HT) method, with reasonable accuracy and spatial details. Compact model was used in conjunction with a flow rate control strategy to provide the needed amount of liquid to cool the heat sources to the desired temperature range. Example case studies show that the estimated energy savings in pump power is about 25% compared with pumping fluid at a constant flow rate.
Distributed non-parametric estimation in a bandwidth-constrained sensor network

Non-parametric estimation of an unknown position parameter in a bandwidth-constrained wireless sensor network (WSN) is considered in this paper. Due to bandwidth constraint, each sensor is restricted to send only one bit of information to a fusion center. We propose a non-parametric estimator that employs a recently introduced adaptive quantization (AQ) scheme. Specifically, the position parameter is estimated as the sample mean of the quantization thresholds used in AQ. The proposed non-parametric estimator is based on the fact that the AQ thresholds asymptotically converge (in mean) to the unknown position parameter, under the condition that the position parameter is an integer multiple of the stepsize used in AQ. When the condition is not met, there is a bias which can, however, be made negligible by choosing the stepsize to be small (compared with the position parameter). Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed non-parametric estimator.
Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus K3 and K5 proteins down regulate both DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR.

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent of multicentric Castleman’s disease, primary effusion lymphoma and Kaposi’s sarcoma. In this study, we show that like the C-type lectin DC-SIGN, the closely related DC-SIGNR can also enhance KSHV infection. Following infection, they are both targeted for down modulation and our data indicate that the KSHV MARCH-family ubiquitin ligase K5 is mediating this regulation and subsequent targeting for degradation of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR in the context of the virus. The closely related viral K3 protein, is also able to target these lectins in exogenous expressions studies, but only weakly during viral infection. In addition to requiring a functional RING-CH domain, several protein trafficking motifs in the C-terminal region of both K3 and K5 are important in regulation of DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR. Further exploration of this modulation revealed that DC-SIGN is endocytosed from the cell surface in THP-1 monocytes, but degraded from an internal location with minimal endocytosis in HEK-293 cells. Pull-down data indicate that both K3 and K5 preferentially associate with immature forms of the lectins, mediating their ubiquitylation and degradation. Together, these data emphasize the molecular complexities of K3 and K5, while expanding the repertoire of targets of these two viral proteins.
Hybrid Chalcogenide/Lithium Niobate Waveguides

We review recent work on a hybrid integrated optic platform consisting of lithium-niobate waveguides vertically coupled to high-index-contrast chalcogenide waveguides. This combination provides electro-optic control and tight bend radii needed for ring resonators.
Constancy of the minority carrier diffusion length with post-fabrication heat treatment in the CuxS/CdS solar cell

Abstract We have attempted to determine whether changes in the minority carrier diffusion length L n are primarily responsible for changes in the spectral response of closely stoichiometric Cu x S / CdS solar cells exposed to post-fabrication oxidizing and reducing heat treatments. Values for L n were determined from optical measurements of the relative variation in short-circuit current with wavelength. The diffusion lengths were on average about 0.3 μm for cells with Cu x S thicknesses of about 0.4 μm. For chalcocite cells progressively heated in hydrogen the diffusion lengths remained the same within the uncertainty of our measurements even though the spectral response generally increased and the stoichiometry improved. Our work suggests that the changes in spectral response with post-fabrication heat treatment are produced either by uniform changes with wavelength in the absorption constant of chalcocite or by changes in the junction collection efficiency.
Factors affecting code status in a university hospital intensive care unit.

The authors collected data on diagnosis, hospital course, and end-of-life preparedness in patients who died in the intensive care unit (ICU) with “full code” status (defined as receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation), compared with those who didn't. Differences were analyzed using binary and stepwise logistic regression. They found no differences in demographics, comorbidities, ventilator, hospital, or ICU days between groups. No-code patients were more likely to have higher APACHE-II scores (p < .0001), gastrointestinal/hepatic conditions (p < .01) and an advanced directive (p = .03). Patients dying with full code status were more likely to have previously coded (p < .0001), and had more central lines (p = .03). Implications are discussed.
Northeast Asia: Regionalism, a clash of civilizations, or a strategic quadrangle?

“Regionalism” has been a popular concept in Northeast Asia since the collapse of the Soviet Union, but there is little agreement about what the concept means or how to realize it in practical terms. Detailed examination of what has been happening in relations between the major powers in the region leads Gilbert Rozman of Princeton University to discern three different approaches to regionalism: economic regionalism, great power conflict, and civilizational clashes, each associated to some degree with the reasoning of one of the three major regional powers, Japan, China, and Russia. Economic regionalism is likely to provide most gains for all nations in Northeast Asia in the long term, but in the medium term, more great power and civilizational conflict can be expected.
Heritable translocation and dominant-lethal mutation induction with ethylene oxide in mice

Ethylene oxide was studied for induction of dominant-lethal mutations and heritable translocations in male mice. The chemical was prepared in water and injected intraperitoneally. The dominant-lethal study was conducted using a single injection of 150 mg/kg (maximum tolerated dose); in the heritable translocation study males were injected daily on weekdays for 5 weeks with 60 or 30 mg/kg dose per day. Results clearly showed that ethylene oxide is effective in inducing dominant-lethal mutations and that the 4 stocks of untreated females used do not differ or may differ only slightly in the ability of their eggs to repair ethylene oxide-induced lesions in male germ cells. Increases in the frequencies of heritable translocations were also observed at the 2-dose levels. These frequencies did not deviate significantly from those expected on the basis of dose-square kinetics.
Management Science Education

In this brief comment on education and management science I will focus my attention on what the universities should provide, recognizing 1 that this is only one part of a management scientist's education and 2 that not all management scientists fit into a single mold. In general the universities seem to be doing excellently in teaching the basic mathematical skills. They have developed courses covering all phases of mathematical programming, statistics, and stochastic processes. They are doing increasingly well in offering computer science courses relevant to management science e.g. simulation, file manipulation. By contrast, truly relevant courses in the behavioral sciences seem to be much less well developed as are courses centered on the philosophy and practice of management science and operations research.
Which cardiac disturbances should be treated with digoxin immune Fab (ovine) antibody

Abstract Digoxin excess can produce characteristic bradyarrhythmias, tachyarrhythmias, and hyperkalemia. The bradyarrhythmias, which consist of disturbances in conduction and block at the level of the atrioventricular and sinus nodes, are mediated by a direct and vagotonic effect. The vagotonic effect of excess digoxin may also result in a marked slowing of the sinus rate in the setting of severe toxicity. Digoxin increases automatic and triggered electrical activity in atrial muscle, His-Purkinje system, and ventricular muscle, which predisposes to tachycardias. Many of the tachyarrhythmias are relatively specific for the toxic effects of digoxin. Atrial tachycardias with variable atrioventricular block, accelerated junctional rhythms (especially in the setting of atrial fibrillation), and fascicular tachycardias are characteristic digoxin toxic rhythms. Digoxin-specific antibody fragments should be considered the treatment of choice for any digoxin toxic arrhythmia associated with hemodynamic compromise or the threat of hemodynamic compromise. Hyperkalemia, when due to acute severe digoxin toxicity, it also an appropriate indication for digoxin-specific Fab fragment therapy. When assessing the risk:benefit ratio for using digoxin-specific Fab fragment therapy, one needs to determine, in addition to the electrocardiographic manifestations and patient's hemodynamic status (1) the severity of toxicity, as indexed by the amount ingested and/or the serum digoxin concentration; (2) the expected time course for reversal of toxicity, which is usually determined by the status of renal function; (3) the need for digoxin to provide ventricular rate control or improved ventricular contractility and therapeutic alternatives to digoxin; (4) the presence of a strong allergy history; (5) the presence of such factors as increased age and severity of heart disease that may predispose to digoxin toxicity. The ECG response to digoxin-specific Fab fragments is usually within one hour. Observation for reversal of therapeutic effects of digoxin and the lowering of serum potassium concentration is warranted after administering digoxin-specific Fab fragments.
Meal-induced thermogenesis and macronutrient oxidation in lean and obese women after consumption of carbohydrate-rich and fat-rich meals

Objective To examine differences in meal-induced thermogenesis and macronutrient oxidation between lean and obese women after consumption of two different isocaloric meals, one rich in carbohydrate (CHO) and one rich in fat. Methods A total of 19 lean and 22 obese women were studied on two occasions, 1 wk apart. In one visit they consumed a CHO-rich meal and in the other visit a fat-rich meal. The two meals were isocaloric and were given in random order. Resting energy expenditure and macronutrient oxidation rates were measured and calculated in the fasting state and every hour for 3 h after meal consumption. Results Meal-induced thermogenesis was not different between lean and obese subjects after the CHO-rich (P = 0.89) or fat-rich (P = 0.32) meal, but it was significantly higher after the CHO-rich compared with the fat-rich meal in the lean and the obese individuals (P < 0.05). Protein oxidation rate increased slightly but significantly after the test meals in both groups (P < 0.01). Fat oxidation rate decreased after consumption of the CHO-rich meal (P < 0.001), whereas it increased after consumption of the fat-rich meal in both groups (P < 0.01). CHO oxidation rate increased in both groups after consumption of the CHO-rich meal (P < 0.001). Oxidation rates of protein, fat, and CHO during the experiment were not significantly different between lean and obese participants. Conclusion Meal-induced thermogenesis and macronutrient oxidation rates were not significantly different between lean and obese women after consumption of a CHO-rich or a fat-rich meal.
Cyclic pressure affects the biological properties of porcine aortic valve leaflets in a magnitude and frequency dependent manner.

An understanding of how mechanical forces impact cells within valve leaflets would greatly benefit the development of a tissue-engineered heart valve. Previous studies by this group have shown that exposure to constant static pressure leads to enhanced collagen synthesis in porcine aortic valve leaflets. In this study, the effect of cyclic pressure was evaluated using a custom-designed pressure system. Different pressure magnitudes (100, 140, and 170 mmHg) as well as pulse frequencies (0.5, 1.167, and 2 Hz) were studied. Collagen synthesis, cell proliferation, sGAG synthesis, α-SMC actin expression, and extracellular matrix (ECM) structure were chosen as markers for valvular biological responses. Results showed that aortic valve leaflets responded to cyclic pressure in a magnitude and frequency-dependent manner. Increases in pressure magnitude (with the frequency fixed at 1.167 Hz) resulted in significant increases in both collagen and sGAG synthesis, while DNA synthesis remained unchanged. Responses to pulse frequency (with the magnitude fixed at 100 mmHg) were more complex. Collagen and sGAG synthesis were increased by 25 and 14% respectively at 0.5 Hz; but were not affected at 1.167 and 2 Hz. In contrast, DNA synthesis increased by 72% at 2 Hz, but not at 0.5 and 1.167 Hz. Under extreme pressure conditions (170 mmHg, 2 Hz), collagen and sGAG synthesis were increased but to a lesser degree than at 170 mmHg, and 1.167 Hz. Cell proliferation was not affected. A notable decline in α-SMC actin was observed over the course of the experiments, although no significant difference was observed between the cyclic pressure and control groups. It was concluded that cyclic pressure affected biosynthetic activity of aortic valve leaflets in a magnitude and frequency dependent manner. Collagen and sGAG synthesis were positively correlated and more responsive to pressure magnitude than pulse frequency. DNA synthesis was more responsive to pulse frequency than pressure magnitude. However, when combined, pressure magnitude and pulse frequency appeared to have an attenuating effect on each other. The number of α-SMC actin positive cells did not vary with cyclic pressure, regardless of pulse frequency and pressure magnitude.
Development of an anatomically realistic left ventricle physical model and multi-modality experimental platform for validation of patient-specific computational simulations

Recent trends in bioengineering, also supported by the FDA [1], highlight the importance of experimental validation of numerical solvers used in medicine in order to use numerical solvers for surgical planning. Efforts to improve the diagnosis of left heart diseases have pointed to the importance of hemodynamic patterns in the left ventricle [2] and the use of CFD simulations could aid in repair and treatment of left heart disease. In this study, we aim to experimentally validate the Curvilinear Immersed Boundary solver (CURVIB) [3] to use patient specific data for simulations. As a first step, an idealized left heart model with a single deforming wall was used for comparison of the diastolic intra-ventricular flow field between experimental and CFD results. The inputs for the numerical solver include the dynamics of LV wall motion as well as the mitral and aortic flows. We have achieved good agreement between the experimental and CFD and our goal is to translate the solver to use clinical data. We present a reconstruction method for the LV deformation from normal volunteer MRI images and an anatomically realistic LV physical model that has been designed for validation.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Picard groups and class groups of monoid schemes

Abstract We study the Picard group of a monoid scheme and the class group of a normal monoid scheme. To do so, we develop some ideal theory for (pointed abelian) noetherian monoids, including primary decomposition and discrete valuations. The normalization of a monoid turns out to be a monoid scheme, but not always a monoid.
Combination therapy with acitretin for psoriasis

Numerous therapies exist for the treatment of psoriasis. A complete understanding of the benefits and potential risks of all therapeutic options is requisite in selecting an appropriate regimen for each patient. This paper examines the effectiveness of combination therapy with acitretin in treating difficult cases of psoriasis, which may require systemic medication or phototherapy. Combination therapy is often more effective than any single agent, as medications with different mechanisms of action work synergistically. Furthermore, using lower doses of two treatments in combination can minimize the potential side effects from a single agent at a higher dose.
Zinc chloride-catalyzed chloromethylation of resins for solid phase peptide synthesis

Abstract Zinc chloride has been found to catalyze chloromethylation of resins for solid phase peptide synthesis, producing low levels of chloromethylation more accurately and under more convenient conditions than does SnCl4. The preparation of a stable solution of the ZnCl4 catalyst in THF is described, and data are presented detailing the effects of varying temperature, time, and the concentrations of catalyst and chloromethyl methyl ether on the chloromethylation reaction.
The effect of pretraining and feedback on the reasoning of young children

Abstract Three experiments are reported in which kindergarten and first-grade children were given one-trial multidimensional reasoning tasks that were modifications of those used by T. C. Toppino (1980 , Journal of Experimental Child Psychology , 30 , 496–512). In the first two experiments, the nature of the stimulus compounds (partitioned or unitary) was varied in a series of tasks of increasing complexity. First-grade children (Experiment 1) and kindergarten children (Experiment 2) performed extremely well on all of the tasks presented. Experiment 3 was designed to identify factors that contribute to these high levels of performance, relative to those obtained under the conditions used by Toppino (1980) . The results indicated that a combination of feedback information and preliminary experience with simple forms of the tasks are sufficient to produce the high performance levels, and that the verbal labeling of stimulus components is not an essential constituent of the training.
A parallel algorithm for the quadratic assignment problem

In this paper we present a parallel branch and bound algorithm for the solution of quadratic assignment problems. The algorithm has been coded in VS/FORTRAN and run on an IBM 3090-400E vector multiprocessor. The algorithm is exact and finds all the solutions. Computational results on a variety of test problems are presented.
Comparison of goat milk standards with cow milk standards for analyses of somatic cell count, fat and protein in goat milk

Abstract Goat milk standards and cow milk standards were used to calibrate a Fossomatic-300 fluorescent cell counter and Dairylab II infrared milk analyzer for analyses of goat milk samples. Somatic cell counts (SCC) of goat milk were 27% lower (5.5 × 10 5 ml − 1 versus 7.0 × 10 5 ml − 1) when the Fossomatic-300 was calibrated with goat milk SCC standards than with cow milk SCC standards ( P P
Plasma Catecholamine Concentrations During Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery: The Link to Perioperative Myocardial Ischemia

Cardiac disease continues to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality following peripheral vascular surgical procedures. Although the mechanism of sudden myocardial infarction remains elusive, many possibilities exist. The role of catecholamines is intriguing in view of the evidence that beta-adrenergic blockers reduce cardiac morbidity and mortality in vascular surgical patients. To ascertain whether the plasma catecholamine levels rise significantly during abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, serial determinations of plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were performed in 18 patients. Epinephrine levels rose significantly from preoperative baseline values both during the operation and postoperatively, and norepinephrine levels rose significantly at 24 hours postoperatively. Although only one patient studied developed a myocardial infarction, the finding that patients undergoing aortic surgery uniformly experienced abnormally high serum catecholamine levels supports other evidence that perioperative myocardial ischemic events have a hormonal component.
Heavy-ion-induced fission — experimental status☆

Abstract The process of fission of a composite nucleus produced in heavy-ion collisions is characterized in terms of the experimental kinetic-energy, mass and angular distributions of the fission fragments. Measurements of associated particles, and possibly of γ-rays, emitted prior to scission demonstrate that heavy-ion fission is an inherently slow (~10 −20 – 10 −19 s) process that is dominated by overdamped collective motion in the exit channel. Experimental fission excitation functions are consistent with the fission barriers of the finite-range liquid-drop model. While fission fragment angular distributions are well described in terms of the transition-state model, for relatively small angular momenta and excitation energies, the model is inapplicable for composite nuclei with vanishing effective barriers and for high spins and excitation energies. Angular anisotropies for these latter systems suggest considerable relaxation of the tilting mode.
Continuous process improvement through inductive and analogical learning

This article presents a methodology for the continuous detection and definition of process performance improvement opportunities, especially as these pertain to the quality of operations (such as product quality). The problem is first reduced to an essentially pattern recognition formulation, for which an integrated and adaptive methodology combining analogical reasoning and symbolic induction is developed. The resulting classification of past records of data is used to support the construction of a decision support system for the generation/selection of operating suggestions leadin to performance improvements. The overall approach complements the usual set of statistical tools, commonly employed to address quality management problems. The basic methodology is also extended to handle fuzzy class definitions and function learning formulations. Case studies, covering both simulated and real industrial situations, illustrate the concepts and their practical utility.
Phylogeography of the bushmaster (Lachesis muta: Viperidae): implications for neotropical biogeography, systematics, and conservation

We used mitochondrial gene sequences to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among subspecies of the bushmaster, Lachesis muta. These large vipers are widely distributed in lowland tropical forests in Central and South America, where three of four allopatric subspecies are separated by montane barriers. Our phylogeny indicates that the four subspecies belong to two clades, the Central American and South American lineages. We use published molecular studies of other taxa to estimate a ‘reptilian mtDNA rate’ and thus temporal boundaries for major lineage divergences in Lachesis. We estimate that the Central and South American forms diverged 18-6 Mya, perhaps due to the uplifting of the Andes, whereas the two Central American subspecies may have diverged 11-4 Mya with the uprising of the Cordillera de Talamanca that separates them today. South American bushmasters from the Amazon Basin and the Atlantic Forest are not strongly differentiated, perhaps due to episodic gene flow during the Pleistocene, when suitable habitat for this species was at times more continuous. Our results agree with previous evidence that genetic divergence among some neotropical vertebrates pre-dated Pleistocene forest fragmentation cycles and the appearance of the Panamanian Isthmus. Based on morphological, behavioral, and molecular evidence, we recognize three species of Lachesis. In addition to L. muta, the widespread South American form, the Central American forms are treated as distinct species (L. meknocephak and L. stenophrys), each deserving of special conservation status due to restricted distribution and habitat destruction.
Convective Momentum Transport over the Tropical Pacific: Budget Estimates

Abstract ECMWF and NCEP–NCAR reanalyses are used to calculate convective momentum transport (CMT) as a momentum budget residual over several tropical oceanic convective regions, including the TOGA COARE Intensive Flux Array (IFA). Sources of uncertainty are quantified through intercomparison, and methods for minimizing uncertainty are discussed. The authors examine how the environmental shear of the time-mean, and time-varying, flow in these regions is modified by CMT, and compare the budget results with some parameterizations. The zonal residual is a significant term in the time-mean reanalysis budgets in all regions below 850 mb. Since the subcloud turbulent layer typically does not extend above 940 mb, this suggests a possibly important role for CMT by shallow convection. In the rest of the troposphere, the residuals are small, but a slight tendency for downgradient transport of zonal momentum, and smoothing of the environmental wind profile, is suggested. The main budget uncertainties associated with ...
Landmine detection using an ensemble of continuous HMMs with multiple features

We propose a landmine detection algorithm using ground penetrating radar (GPR) data that uses multiple features and an ensemble of continuous hidden Markov models (CHMMs). Our approach is motivated by the need for different features and multiple models to capture the large variations of mine and clutter types and the different environmental conditions. First, for each feature representation, we fit one continuous HMM to each of the N alarm signatures. For each fitted model, we evaluate the log-likelihood of each sequence. This will result in one N × N log-likelihood distance matrix for each feature. These log-likelihood matrices are combined and partitioned to identify K clusters of alarms where each cluster contain alarms that are similar with respect to one or more features. Second, we learn the parameters of one HMM per group using the relevant features identified in the clustering phase. The mixture of all learned models would be used to build a descriptive model of the data. The third step of our approach consists of training a Neural Network (NN) to fuse the results of the mixture models and assign a final confidence value. Results on large and diverse Ground Penetrating Radar data collections show that the proposed approach can identify meaningful and coherent HMM models that describe different properties of the data. Our initial experiments have also indicated that the proposed mixture model outperforms the baseline mixture model that uses one single feature representation.
A Bioluminescent Transposon Reporter-Trap Identifies Tumor-Specific Microenvironment-Induced Promoters in Salmonella for Conditional Bacterial-Based Tumor Therapy

Salmonella specifically localize to malignant tumors in vivo, a trait potentially exploitable as a delivery system for cancer therapeutics. To characterize mechanisms and genetic responses of Salmonella during interaction with living neoplastic cells, we custom designed a promoterless transposon reporter containing bacterial luciferase. Analysis of a library containing 7,400 independent Salmonella transposon insertion mutants in co-culture with melanoma or colon carcinoma cells identified five bacterial genes specifically activated by cancer cells: adiY, yohJ, STM1787, STM1791, and STM1793. Experiments linked acidic pH, a common characteristic of the tumor microenvironment, to a strong, specific and reversible stimulus for activation of these Salmonella genes in vitro and in vivo. Indeed, a Salmonella reporter strain encoding a luciferase transgene regulated by the STM1787 promoter, which contains a tusp motif, showed tumor-induced bioluminescence in vivo. Furthermore, Salmonella expressing Shiga toxin from the STM1787 promoter provided potent and selective anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo, demonstrating the potential for a conditional bacterial-based tumor-specific therapeutic.
Eating disorder prevention programs: A meta-analytic review.

This meta-analysis of eating disorder prevention programs found that intervention effects ranged from an absence of any effects to reductions in current and future eating pathology. Certain effects persisted as long as 2 years and were superior to minimal-intervention control conditions. Larger effects occurred for selected (vs. universal), interactive (vs. didactic), and multisession (vs. single session) programs; for programs offered solely to females and to participants over age 15; for programs without psychoeducational content; and for trials that used validated measures. The results identify promising prevention programs and delineate sample, format, and design features that are associated with larger effects, but they suggest the need for improved methodological rigor and statistical modeling of trials and enhanced theoretical rationale for interventions.
Bipolar electrodes for rapid screening of electrocatalysts.

We report a method for rapid screening of arrays of electrocatalyst candidates. The approach is based on simultaneous activation of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and Ag electrodissolution at the cathodic and anodic poles, respectively, of bipolar electrodes (BPEs). Because the electrochemical activity of the two poles is directly coupled via the BPE, the extent of Ag electrodissolution is directly related to the ORR activity. The screening process lasts ∼12 min. Because Ag dissolution provides a permanent record of catalyst activity, the screening results can be determined by simple optical microscopy after the electrochemical experiment. The method has the potential to provide quantitative information about electrocatalyst activity.
Template Switching During Break-Induced Replication Is Promoted by the Mph1 Helicase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Chromosomal double-strand breaks (DSBs) that have only one end with homology to a donor duplex undergo repair by strand invasion followed by replication to the chromosome terminus (break-induced replication, BIR). Using a transformation-based assay system, it was previously shown that BIR could occur by several rounds of strand invasion, DNA synthesis, and dissociation. Here we describe a modification of the transformation-based assay to facilitate detection of switching between donor templates during BIR by genetic selection in diploid yeast. In addition to the expected recovery of template switch products, we found a high frequency of recombination between chromosome homologs during BIR, suggesting transfer of the DSB from the transforming linear DNA to the donor chromosome, initiating secondary recombination events. The frequency of BIR increased in the mph1Δ mutant, but the percentage of template switch events was significantly decreased, revealing an important role for Mph1 in promoting BIR-associated template switching. In addition, we show that the Mus81, Rad1, and Yen1 structure-selective nucleases act redundantly to facilitate BIR.
Monitored daily ambulatory activity, inflammation, and oxidative stress in patients with claudication.

We determined the association between daily ambulatory activity and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and claudication. Patients with PAD (n = 134) limited by claudication were studied. Patients took 3275 ± 1743 daily strides for 273 ± 112 minutes each day, and their average daily cadence was 11.7 ± 2.7 strides/min. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein was significantly and negatively associated with the total number of daily strides (P .05). We conclude that higher levels of community-based, daily ambulatory activity are associated with lower levels of inflammation but are not associated with markers of oxidative stress.
Variable evolutionary response to regional climate change in a polymorphic species

The evolutionary response to regional and global climate change may vary in widespread polymorphic species, so predicting future genetic responses will require careful tracking of genetic variability in local populations. We surveyed chromosomal inversion polymorphisms in 25 populations of Drosophila robusta, many of which have been sampled repeatedly starting in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s up until 2007, across its range in the USA. Frequencies of some northerly, or cold-adapted, gene arrangements have declined in the face of increasing temperatures, whereas frequencies of several southern, or warm-adapted, gene arrangements were positively correlated with increasing temperature changes. Over a finer geographic scale, populations from the west-central part of the species range from the Ozark Plateau, Ouachita mountains, and eastern Oklahoma showed genetic differentiation between south-central Ozark and western Ozark/Ouachita regions that has persisted in the face of recent shifts in gene arrangement frequencies. Overall, populations of D. robusta exhibited dynamic genetic changes over time, with some populations shifting chromosome frequencies in just 10‐15 years. Some temporal genetic shifts were widespread and significantly correlated with temperature increases, but regions of the genome marked by different gene arrangements have responded in different sections of the species range. In some parts of the species range, chromosome frequencies shifted but were not associated with changing temperatures, showed little or no temporal change, or temporal shifts stopped for temperature sensitive gene arrangements near fixation. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 95, 702‐718.
Cost-effectiveness of HIV counseling and testing in US prisons

The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in correctional facilities is much higher than in the general population. However, HIV prevention resources are limited, making it important to evaluate different prevention programs in prison settings. Our study presents the cost-effectiveness of offering HIV counseling and testing (CT) to soon-to-be-released inmates in US prisons. A decision model was used to estimate the costs and benefits (averted HIV cases) of HIV testing and counseling compared to no CT from a societal perspective. Model parameters were HIV prevalence among otherwise untested inmates (1%); acceptance of CT (50%); risk for HIV transmission from infected individuals (7%); risk of HIV acquisition for uninfected individuals (0.3%); and reduction of risk after counseling for those infected (25%) and uninfected (20%). Marginal costs of testing and counseling per person were used (no fixed costs). If infected, the cost was $78.17; if uninfected, it was $24.63. A life-time treatment cost of $186,900 was used to estimate the benefits of prevented HIV infections. Sensitivity and threshold analysis were done to test the robustness of these parameters. Our baseline model shows that, compared to no CT, offering CT to 10,000 inmates detects 50 new or previously undiagnosed infections and averts 4 future cases of HIV at a cost of $125,000 to prison systems. However, this will save society over $550,000. Increase in HIV prevalence, risk of transmission, or effectiveness of counseling increased societal savings. As prevalence increases, focusing on HIV-infected inmates prevents additional future infections; however, when HIV prevalence is less than 5%, testing and counseling of both infected and uninfected inmates are important for HIV prevention.
Transport of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate into primary cultured cerebellar granule cells.

Abstract Transport of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (5-FTHF) into primary cultured cerebellar granule cells (CGC) was studied. Uptake of 5-FTHF into CGC was saturable with Km=2.86 μM and Vmax=40.8 pmol/mg protein/45 min in pH 7.4 medium. Uptake of 5-FTHF in the astrocytes has a similar style in the time curve. Uptake of 5-FTHF is characterized by countertransport because adding unlabeled 5-FTHF in the medium resulted in the efflux of labeled 5-FTHF. Uptake of 5-FTHF was inhibited by the structural analogs 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, methotrexate and folic acid (Ki=6.64, 7.69, and 19.38 μM, respectively). Uptake was significantly decreased by high concentrations of sodium azide and sodium arsenate but not by sodium cyanide. Uptake was also inhibited by p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate and by the anions probenecid and 4,4′-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid. Acute exposure of the cells to ethanol (100 mM) did not affect the uptake. It is concluded that CGC have a carrier-mediated system for the uptake of 5-FTHF and other folates.
CHD5 Is a Tumor Suppressor at Human 1p36

Cancer gene discovery has relied extensively on analyzing tumors for gains and losses to reveal the location of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, respectively. Deletions of 1p36 are extremely common genetic lesions in human cancer, occurring in malignancies of epithelial, neural, and hematopoietic origin. Although this suggests that 1p36 harbors a gene that drives tumorigenesis when inactivated, the identity of this tumor suppressor has remained elusive. Here we use chromosome engineering to generate mouse models with gain and loss of a region corresponding to human 1p36. This approach functionally identifies chromodomain helicase DNA binding domain 5 (Chd5) as a tumor suppressor that controls proliferation, apoptosis, and senescence via the p19(Arf)/p53 pathway. We demonstrate that Chd5 functions as a tumor suppressor in vivo and implicate deletion of CHD5 in human cancer. Identification of this tumor suppressor provides new avenues for exploring innovative clinical interventions for cancer.
Lack of Mutations in the Thyroid Hormone Receptor (TR) α and β Genes but Frequent Hypermethylation of the TRβ Gene in Differentiated Thyroid Tumors

Context: It remains inconclusive whether mutations in thyroid hormone receptor (TR) genes naturally occur in thyroid cancer and whether these genes could be suppressors of this cancer. Objectives: Our objectives were to examine further mutations of TRα and TRβ genes in thyroid cancer and also to examine their methylation as an epigenetic silencing mechanism in thyroid cancer. Experimental Design: Instead of using a cDNA sequencing approach used in previous studies, we used genomic DNA to sequence directly the coding regions of the TRα and TRβ genes to search mutations in various differentiated thyroid tumors and used methylation-specific PCR to analyze promoter methylation of these genes. Allelic zygosity status at TRβ was also analyzed. Results: We found no TRα gene mutation in 17 papillary thyroid cancers (PTCs) and 11 follicular thyroid cancers (FTCs), and no TRβ gene mutation in 16 PTCs and 12 FTCs. We also found no methylation of the TRα gene in 33 PTCs, 31 FTCs, 20 follicular thyroid adenomas (FTAs)...
Capitalizing on Bare Life: Sovereignty, Exception, and Gender Politics

This article examines the capital value of bare life as part of aid/development in (post)Taliban Afghanistan. I argue that the political production and spatial fixity of homo sacer "as the object of aid and protection" within specific geographic locations subsequently territorializes gendered bodies as a site for capital accumulation and exchange value through aid/development allocation. This occurs through a continual discursive reduction of "full or proper" human life to the remnants of bare life. This subjective reduction subsequently elicits capitalist-modernity as a prime method for rescuing bare life and transferring it to an image (and imaginary) of western political and economic life. Gendered multiplicities of bare life emerge from variant forms of political and economic opportunity among aid/development workers and Afghan recipients. I argue that the discursive framing of bare life is situated as a site for (re)constructing rights through "western" frameworks infused with geopolitical and economic exchange value.
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 pUL34 Plays a Critical Role in Cell-to-Cell Spread of Virus in Addition to Its Role in Virus Replication

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) pUL34 plays a critical role in virus replication by mediating egress of nucleocapsids from the infected cell nucleus. We have identified a mutation in pUL34 (Y68A) that produces a major defect in virus replication and impaired nuclear egress but also profoundly inhibits cell-to-cell spread and trafficking of gE. Virion release to the extracellular medium is not affected by the Y68A mutation, indicating that the mutation specifically inhibits cell-to-cell spread. We isolated extragenic suppressors of the Y68A plaque formation defect and mapped them by a combination of high-throughput Illumina sequencing and PCR-based screening. We found that suppression is highly correlated with a nonsense mutation in the US9 gene, which plays a critical role in cell-to-cell spread of HSV-1 in neurons. The US9 mutation alone is not sufficient to suppress the Y68A spread phenotype, indicating a likely role for multiple viral factors.
FPGA based visual prosthesis device for testing visual perception on non human primates

Researchers have been trying to develop a visual prosthesis device for last four decades. Earlier efforts were hindered by the shortcomings of technology. Recent technological advancements have improved the likelihood of developing a practical intracortical visual prosthesis device that can be implanted in blind human subjects. The requirement of such a device is to operate in real-time for a high density of implanted electrodes, low power, light weight and flexibility to adapt to different stimului and image processing conditions. It has been known since the early twentieth century that electrical stimulation of visual cortex produces visual percepts called 'Phosphenes.' However, practical experimental setups are lacking that demonstrate the integration of phosphenes into an larger visual perception. We have developed an experimental setup to test the possibility of inducing large-scale visual perception in a non-human primate by stimulating implanted microelectrodes. This will help to raise the confidence in the intracortical approach before an actual human implantation is attempted. This paper discusses the hardware architecture and experiments developed for a preliminary visual prosthesis device to test visual perception.
Secondary compounds in the diet of Colobus angolensis

Summary Four of the most important dietary items of Colobus angolensis in Kenya were tested for the presence of secondary compounds. Phytochemical screening tests found tannins, saponins and alkaloids to be present. Current theories concerning the relationship between social structure and resource availability for herbivorous primates are discussed. It is proposed that the presence of secondary compounds in the diets of primates may be more ubiquitous than previously assumed and adaptive behavioural patterns more individualized for geographical localities and species. RESUMEE Quatre de plus importants elements du regime du Colobus angolensis au Kenya sont analyses pour deceler la presence de composes secondaires. Des tests phytochimiques revelent la presence de tanins, de substances saponifiables et d'alcalorides. Les theories ‘courantes’ sur la relation entre la structure sociale et l'acces aux ressources chez les primates herbivores sont discutees. On propose que la presence de composes secondaires dans la regime des primates peut ětre plus generalisable que suppose anterieurement et que les schemas de comportement adaptatif sont plus particuliers selon les endroits et les especes.
Receptor phosphorylation mediates estradiol reduction of alpha2-adrenoceptor coupling to G protein in the hypothalamus of female rats.

Estrogen increases evoked norepinephrine release in the hypothalamus of female rodents, in part by reducing the ability of α2-adrenoceptors to act as negative feedback inhibitors of norepinephrine release. Estrogen enhancement of norepinephrine release in the hypothalamus correlates with decreased coupling of the α2-adrenoceptor to G protein. To determine the mechanism by which estrogen uncouples α2-adrenoceptors from G protein, we tested the hypothesis that estrogen increases α2-adrenoceptor phosphorylation. Short-term activation of endogenous serine/threonine phosphatases with protamine or treatment with exogenous phosphatase restored α2-adrenoceptor coupling to G protein to control levels in hypothalami from estrogen-exposed female rats. Additional experiments examined whether estrogen alters G protein-coupled receptor kinase expression or activity or serine/threonine phosphatase activity. These proteins are involved in G protein-coupled receptor phosphorylation, internalization, and recycling. Estrogen exposure reduced G protein-coupled receptor kinase mRNA, protein, and activity in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, estrogen treatment reduced serine/threonine phosphatase activity in the hypothalamus. Analysis of ligand binding in subcellular fraction demonstrated that estrogen decreases the fraction of internalized α2-adrenoceptors in the hypothalamus. Therefore, estrogen promotes norepinephrine release in the hypothalamus by stabilizing α2-adrenoceptor phosphorylation, uncoupling the receptor from G protein. Estrogen may stabilize α2-adrenoceptor phosphorylation by inhibiting receptor internalization and dephosphorylation.
Should the membranous labyrinth be destroyed because of vertigo

The purpose of this article is to determine if any change has occurred in the role labyrinthectomy plays in the therapeutic armamentarium of members of the American Neurotologic Society. Questionnaires were sent to all members and 42% of these were returned. Analysis of the questionnaires suggests that labyrinthectomy still remains an important tool in the surgical management of vertigo, although it is less frequently employed now than 10 years ago. This seems to be the consequence of increased valuation of even minimal levels of residual hearing.
A foray into Conficker's logic and rendezvous points

We present an in depth static analysis of the Conficker worm, primarily through the exploration of the client-side binary logic. In this paper, we summarize various aspects of the inner workings of binary variants A and B, which were the first in a chain of recent revisions aimed to keep this epidemic resistant to ongoing eradication attempts. These first two variants have combined to produce a multi-million node population of infected hosts, whose true main purpose has yet to be fully understood. We further validate aspects of our analysis through in-situ network analyses, and discuss some attribution links about its origins.
Arterial hypertension produced by experimental stenosis of the thoracic aorta.

Summary1. By stenosis of the thoracic aorta in dogs, arterial hypertension can be produced above and below the stenosis.2. This type of experimental hypertension has many of the characteristics observed in the hypertension occurring in coarctation of the aorta in man.