cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Seroepidemiological Investigation and Analysis on Control Effect of HBV Immunity Among 1～59 Years Old Crowd in Yubei District of Chongqing

Objective To investigate the current situation of HBV infection and HBV immune level among the different crowd in Yubei District of Chongqing,and to provide a scientific basis for assessing the immunoprophylactic effect and developing the strategies of HBV control. Methods According to the proportion of population size of the region,multistage stratified random sampling was used to select 5,510 residents among the crowd aged from 1 to 59 years in Yubei District,and then seroepidemiological investigation was conducted among them.Hepatitis B virus markers(HBsAg,anti-HBs,anti-HBc,HBeAg,and anti-HBe) were detected using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Results The total positive rate of anti-HBs of the surveyed crowd was 20.60%, among them,the positive rates of anti-HBs in the age groups of 1～14 years,15～24 years,and 25～59 years were 47.41%,20.87%,and 10.66%,respectively.The total positive rate of HBsAg of the surveyed crowd was 8.64%,among them,the positive rates of HBsAg in the age groups of 1～14 years,15～24 years,and 25～59 years were 3.71%,8.04%,and 10.70%,respectively.The total positive rate of HBV of the surveyed crowd was 41.39%,among them,the positive rates of HBV in the age groups of 1～14 years,15～24 years,and 25～59 years were 12.11%,29.48% and 50.22%,respectively. Conclusions After hepatitis B vaccination more than twenty years in Yubei District of Chongqing,the immunization level of hepatitis B among the crowd is significantly improved,and the rate of HBV infection has declined greatly.Compared with five years ago,the immunization level of the population aged under 15 years increases by 20%,the serum carrier rate of the surface antigen of hepatitis B virus(HBsAg) reaches the national control target.
Mosaic H5 Hemagglutinin Provides Broad Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses against Influenza Viruses

UNLABELLED The most effective way to prevent influenza virus infection is via vaccination. However, the constant mutation of influenza viruses due to antigenic drift and shift compromises vaccine efficacy. This represents a major challenge to the development of a cross-protective vaccine that can protect against circulating viral antigenic diversity. Using the modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) virus, we had previously generated a recombinant vaccine against highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) based on an in silico mosaic approach. This MVA-H5M construct protected mice against multiple clades of H5N1 and H1N1 viruses. We have now further characterized the immune responses using immunodepletion of T cells and passive serum transfer, and these studies indicate that antibodies are the main contributors in homosubtypic protection (H5N1 clades). Compared to a MVA construct expressing hemagglutinin (HA) from influenza virus A/VN/1203/04 (MVA-HA), the MVA-H5M vaccine markedly increased and broadened B cell and T cell responses against H5N1 virus. The MVA-H5M also provided effective protection with no morbidity against H5N1 challenge, whereas MVA-HA-vaccinated mice showed clinical signs and experienced significant weight loss. In addition, MVA-H5M induced CD8(+) T cell responses that play a major role in heterosubtypic protection (H1N1). Finally, expression of the H5M gene as either a DNA vaccine or a subunit protein protected mice against H5N1 challenge, indicating the effectiveness of the mosaic sequence without viral vectors for the development of a universal influenza vaccine. IMPORTANCE Influenza viruses infect up to one billion people around the globe each year and are responsible for 300,000 to 500,000 deaths annually. Vaccines are still the main intervention to prevent infection, but they fail to provide effective protection against heterologous strains of viruses. We developed broadly reactive H5N1 vaccine based on an in silico mosaic approach and previously demonstrated that modified vaccinia Ankara expressing an H5 mosaic hemagglutinin prevented infection with multiple clades of H5N1 and limited severe disease after H1N1 infection. Further characterization revealed that antibody responses and T cells are main contributors to protection against H5N1 and H1N1 viruses, respectively. The vaccine also broadens both T cell and B cell responses compared to native H5 vaccine from influenza virus A/Vietnam/1203/04. Finally, delivering the H5 mosaic as a DNA vaccine or as a purified protein demonstrated effective protection similar to the viral vector approach.
Protective Behavioural Strategies While Drinking: Do They Protect Against Sexual Victimisation and Is This Protection Gendered?

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Although alcohol use has been linked to sexual victimisation among college students , the specific ways in which college students may be able to avoid the negative consequences of excessive drinking as they relate to sexual victimisation have not been fully explored. This study examines whether using protective behavioural strategies attenuates the risk of sexual victimisation for both male and female college students and whether this relationship is moderated by alcohol use. DESIGN AND METHOD: Data were obtained from the Fall 2012 National College Health Assessment Survey. This survey is conducted on college campuses across the USA and institutions that self-selected to participate in the survey. The sample used in the study includes 19 881 students (male and female) across 51 schools. RESULTS: Findings indicate that although women are more likely to use protective behavioural strategies, these strategies work to reduce the likelihood of experiencing sexual victimisation for both sexes among those who are high-frequency drinkers. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the frequency of alcohol use is important when considering the risk of sexual victimisation among college students, and protective behavioural strategies can help reduce this risk among frequent drinkers. [Daigle LE, Johnson LM, Napper SL, Azimi AM. Protective behavioural strategies while drinking: do they protect against sexual victimisation and is this protection gendered?. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;00:000-000].© 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs. Language: en
Epidemiological effects of the A (H1N1) influenza vaccine immunization program on students

Objective To evaluate the epidemiological effects of vaccine immunization program related to A(H1N1)influenza in the middle school students.Methods Non-randomized clinical trial was designed to assess the A(H1N1)influenza vaccine on its efficacy.14883 students from 8 middle schools in Zhejiang province were recruited and classified into vaccinated or control groups,based on the status of immunization with A(H1N1)influenza vaccine.All subjects were followed up through one epidemic period(6 months)and the incidence rates of influenza-like illnesses,A(H1N1)influenza,and seasonal influenza in these two groups were compared to evaluate the efficacy of the vaccine.Results There were 6334 subjects in the vaccinated group and 8549 in the control group.7441.75 person-years were followed from these two groups.The incidence rate of A (H1N1)influenza in vaccinated group was 1.64‰ per person-year,lower than that of the control group.The rate difference(RD)was-1.64‰ per person-year(95% confidence interval value from-3.04‰ to-0.23‰ per person-year),and the difference was significant(P=0.010).The incidence rate of influenza-like illnesses in vaccinated group was 21.47‰ per person-year,lower than that of the control group(22.69‰ per person-year)and the diffefence was not significant(P>0.05).The incidence rate of B influenza in vaccinated group was 6.63‰ per person-year,higher than that of control group(7.02‰ per person-year)but the difference was not significant(P>0.05).Conclusion This vaccine demonstrated a good epidemiological effect against the A(H1N1)influenza virus infection,observed through a student-immunization program.The cross-protection effect against the influenza-like illnesses and other seasonal influenzas was not noticed in this study. Key words: A(H1N1)influenza vaccine; Epidemiological effects; Evaluation
Asymmetric voltage dependence of embryonic cardiac gap junction channels

The voltage dependence of junctional conductance (Gj) and the unitary channel behavior of junctions in most pairs of 3-day, 7-day, and 18-day embryonic chick heart cells are symmetrical, i.e., they are independent of the direction of polarization of junctional potential (Vj). With either cell depolarized relative to its neighbor, unitary channel events have a maximal unit conductance (yj) near 240 pS and five substates at nearly equal 40-pS increments down to near 40 pS (6, 9). Using the dual patch-clamp technique, we demonstrate here that, in a fraction of such cell pairs, Vj-dependent channel kinetics are asymmetric. Depolarization of one cell causes a larger and faster voltage-dependent decline in Gj than the same depolarization of the other cell. In a typical asymmetric preparation, depolarization of the strongly Vj-dependent side caused an immediate series of 47 +/- 16 pS closing steps in single-channel current (ij), followed by virtual cessation of channel activity. After depolarization of the less Vj-sensitive side, channel activity (56 +/- 13 pS) continues for many seconds. The large-conductance states (160-240 pS) observed in the electrically symmetric junctions were absent from the asymmetric preparations. In these cell pairs, connexin (Cx) 42, Cx43, and Cx45 could be immunolocalized at the junctional surfaces. We postulate that the asymmetry of voltage dependence in some cell pairs results from a preponderance of heterochannels formed from these different connexins. The frequency of asymmetric pairs obtained from 3-day, 7-day, and 18-day embryonic hearts was 50% (4/8), 24% (6/25), and 12.5% (1/8), suggesting that the fraction of heterochannels in the junctions decreases with cardiac development.
Cambridge Companion to Christian Political Theology

Trying to cover the entire breadth of political theology would be a daunting and ambitious project. As the contributors of this volume write, the root of political theology can be dated back to the...
Ballistic transport and high thermopower in one-dimensional InAs nanowires

Electrical transport and thermoelectric properties of thin indium arsenide nanowires have been investigated in the temperature range between 100 K and 365 K. Charge carrier concentration was varied by a back-gate electrode. In nanowires with a diameter of 20 nm, discrete conductance plateaus are observed at low temperature indicating one-dimensional quantization of the density of states. A mean free path of 135 nm is extracted. At room temperature, the one-dimensional nature leads to drastically enhanced thermoelectric properties. A 100 % increase of the thermoelectric power factor σS2 (calculated from the electrical conductivity σ and the Seebeck coefficient S) is obtained in the nanowires compared to bulk InAs bulk material.
UXT Is a LOX‐PP Interacting Protein That Modulates Estrogen Receptor Alpha Activity in Breast Cancer Cells

The lysyl oxidase proenzyme propeptide region (LOX-PP) is a tumor suppressor protein whose mechanism of action is not completely understood. Here, the Ubiquitously expressed Transcript (UXT) was identified in a yeast two-hybrid assay with LOX-PP as bait and confirmed as a novel LOX-PP associating protein. UXT, a prefoldin-like protein, is ubiquitous in human and mouse. Since UXT modulates androgen receptor transcriptional activity in prostate cancer, we studied its role in breast cancer. Breast tumors and derived cell lines overexpressed UXT. UXT was able to associate with the estrogen receptor alpha (ER) and decrease its transcriptional activity and target gene expression. Conversely, UXT knockdown increased ER element-dependent transcriptional activity. Ectopic LOX-PP relocalized UXT to the cytoplasm and decreased its stability. UXT ubiquitination and depletion in the presence of LOX-PP was rescued by a proteasomal inhibitor. In summary, proteasome-mediated turnover of UXT upon interaction with LOX-PP releases repression of ER transcriptional activity. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 2347-2356, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Second order necessary conditions for general problems with state inequality constraints

This paper is a sequel to a previous article by the author, concerned with a certain canonical problem in optimal control involving constraints of the typeψα(t, x)⩽0, α=1,...,m. In that article, a set of second-order conditions necessary for a solution arc was obtained. In this paper, those results are extended to a general control problem involving the above type of constraints.
Use of Geophysical Logs for Quantitative Determination of Fracturing, Alteration, and Lithology in the Upper Oceanic Crust

The upper layers of the oceanic crust are characterized by large changes in geophysical properties both sub-areally and with submarine depth which belie their volcanic modes of origin. Feeder dikes connecting surface-flow basalts with the magma chamber below, produce new seafloor with similar volcanic structure worldwide within the spreading systems active on all mid-ocean ridges. All ocean crust consists of pillow basalts overlying sheeted dikes which in turn rest upon gabbroes which are the frozen remains of old magma chambers. Even the chemistry of the oceanic crust is essentially the same from ocean to ocean. It is the rare ocean basalt which differs from MORB, or mid-ocean ridge basalt composition. Yet geophysical properties of Mid-Atlantic Ridge flank crust can be very different from East Pacific Rise crust. For example, the seismic velocity in the very uppermost crust is often slower in the Atlantic than in the Pacific (Houtz and Ewing 1976). The most highly altered metamorphic rocks are invariably found in the Atlantic.
Estimating the causal effects of chronic disease combinations on 30-day hospital readmissions based on observational Medicaid data

Objective Demonstrate how observational causal inference methods can generate insights into the impact of chronic disease combinations on patients' 30-day hospital readmissions. Materials and Methods Causal effect estimation was used to quantify the impact of each risk factor scenario (ie, chronic disease combination) associated with chronic kidney disease and heart failure (HF) for adult Medicaid beneficiaries with initial hospitalizations in 2 New York State counties. The experimental protocol: (1) created matched risk factor and comparator groups, (2) assessed covariate balance in the matched groups, and (3) estimated causal effects and their statistical significance. Causality lattices summarized the impact of chronic disease comorbidities on readmissions. Results Chronic disease combinations were ordered with respect to their causal impact on readmissions. Of disease combinations associated with HF, the combination of HF, coronary artery disease, and tobacco abuse (in that order) had the highest causal effect on readmission rate (+22.3%); of disease combinations associated with chronic kidney disease, the combination of chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, and diabetes had the highest effect (+9.5%). Discussion Multi-hypothesis causal analysis reveals the effects of chronic disease comorbidities on health outcomes. Understanding these effects will guide the development of health care programs that address unique care needs of different patient subpopulations. Additionally, these insights bring new attention to individuals at high risk for readmission based on chronic disease comorbidities, allowing for more personalized attention and prioritization of care. Conclusion Multi-hypothesis causal analysis, a new methodological tool, generates meaningful insights from health care claims data, guiding the design of care and intervention programs.
Safety and efficacy of epicutaneous immunotherapy for food allergy

Food allergy is increasingly common in children, affecting about 4%-8%. The mainstays of management remain allergen avoidance and emergency preparedness to treat allergic reactions with emergency medications. Unfortunately, these approaches are unsatisfactory for many patients and their families as the restrictions, constant vigilance, and unpredictable severity of allergic reactions negatively impact quality of life. In recent decades, there has been significant interest in developing treatments for food allergy that lead to desensitization to increase thresholds for triggering allergic reactions and decrease the risk of reacting to allergen-contaminated food products. Epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPIT) is a novel therapy that is currently under investigation, delivering allergen via repeated applications to the skin and targeting antigen-presenting cells in the superficial skin layers. Murine models have demonstrated that allergen uptake is an active process by skin dendritic cells with subsequent migration to draining lymph nodes. Allergen exposure to the non-vascularized epidermis limits systemic absorption, contributing to the high-safety profile. Results from murine experiments showed that EPIT has comparable efficacy as subcutaneous immunotherapy in terms of challenge outcomes, airway hyper-responsiveness, and immunologic parameters. Several clinical trials of EPIT have recently been completed or are ongoing. Results support the high safety and tolerability of this approach. Efficacy data suggest that the change in threshold eliciting dose following 1 year of therapy is less than that seen compared to high-dose (2-4 g peanut protein) oral immunotherapy, but more prolonged treatment with EPIT appears to lead to increasing desensitization. Additional data from larger-scale studies should provide a more robust assessment of safety and efficacy of EPIT.
Predictors of post-discharge seizures in children with traumatic brain injury.

In traumatic brain injury (TBI), hyperglycemia and hypothermia are thought to be associated with poor outcomes, but have not been systematically studied in children. Thus, our aim was to evaluate whether serum glucose and temperature at admission, among other clinical variables, were associated with need for post hospital-discharge seizure medication in children diagnosed with TBI. We performed a retrospective study of 1814 children who were diagnosed with TBI at a tertiary pediatric hospital. Serum glucose levels at admission and temperature at initial presentation, 12, and 24 h were collected. Ongoing seizure activity was defined as discharge prescription of a seizure-modifying medication. We identified 121 patients with need for continued seizure medications, and 80 patients expired. Independent predictors of prolonged seizures included serum glucose levels above 140 mg/dl (p 1% temperature change in the first 24 h (p < 0.001). Multivariate regression adjusting for GCS revealed that bilateral bleed (p = 0.008), body-temperature instability (p = 0.026), subdural hematoma (p < 0.001), and mechanism of injury (p = 0.007) were predictive of prolonged seizure activity. In summary, we conclude that body temperature may be playing a more significant role than glycemic control in propensity for ongoing seizure activity in children sustaining TBI.
Molecular Arrangement and Mechanical Stability of Self-Assembled Monolayers on Au(111) Under Applied Load

The structure and the mechanical properties of self-assembled monolayers of unsubstituted and fluorinated alkylthiols, CH3 -(CH2 )n -S-H and CF3 -(CF2 )n -(CH2 )2 -S-H, has been studied by ARM. The viscoelastic properties of the films determine the behavior of contacts with tips having large apex radu (>1000 A). The thiols remain trapped in the contact area up to loads above the gold plastic yield. Using, sharper tips (~100 A), a much different behavior was observed. At low loads, images with √3 × √ 3 R30° periodicity were obtained for the unsubstituted thiols and an incommensurate structure for the fluorinated ones. These ordered structures disappear when the load exerted by the tip reaches a critical value of a few 100 nN. At this point, the Au(111) lattice is obtained. The process is reversible and the thiol lattice reappears when the load is decreased back to a low value.
Computer Aids to Testing — An Overview

This paper is intended to provide an overview of methods of Automatic Test Pattern Generation (ATPG) for digital logic networks. It will concentrate on methods which the author has found useful in his own experience; a good general review is given in the book by Breuer and Friedman [1].
Interprofessional Education: Teaming for Transition From Adolescence to Adulthood for People With Significant Disabilities

Purpose Life course outcomes for individuals with significant, high-need disabilities are far less favorable than the outcomes of people with other or no disabilities (Newman et al., 2011; Shattuck...
Humanifesto of the Decolonization of Criminology and Justice

I bear witness as a survivor of genocide orchestrated by imperialism and carried out by neocolonial stooges who proclaimed that ‘all is fair in warfare’ and that ‘starvation is a legitimate weapon of war’ even when Igbo women and innocent men made up the bulk of the 3.1 million people killed in Biafra in 30 months. I acknowledge the knowledge of the Indigenous peoples of this land and of every land that were colonized, chattelized, racialized, victimized, pulverized, dehumanized, genocidized, proletarianized, lumpenized, marginalized, and homogenized with the tools of criminology, among other tools, for the benefits of white-supremacist imperialist patriarchy. I testify that we are survivors who were never expected to survive to meet one another and raise our voices to say, Happy Survival! To say that we are survivors is not to suggest that we have completely restored our independence but to state that for as long as the forces of imperialism are entrenched, we are determined to resist. We will keep speaking truth to unjust power the way that our ancestors defiantly stuck out their tongues and flipped their middle fingers to force the conquerors to sign treaties recognizing our autonomy as human beings equal in beauty, wisdom, culture, courage and originality. This article outlines the decolonization paradigm in criminology, the rationale for this paradigmatic shift, the major contributions to this paradigm, and a projection of the future agenda of the paradigm.
DSM-5 substance use disorder symptom clusters and HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence

This study examines self-reported 30-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among 101 people living with HIV and substance use disorders (SUD) in New York City in terms of Diagnostic and Statis...
Mechanistic picture for chemo-mechanical couplings in a bacterial proton-coupled oligopeptide transporter from Streptococcus thermophilus

Proton-coupled oligopeptide transporters (POTs) use the proton electrochemical gradient to transport peptides across the cell membrane. Despite the significant biological and biomedical relevance of these proteins, a detailed mechanistic picture for chemo-mechanical couplings involved in substrate/proton transport and protein structural changes is missing. We therefore performed microsecond-level molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of bacterial POT transporter PepTSt, which shares ~80 % sequence identity with the human POT, PepT1, in the substrate binding region. Three different conformational states of PepTSt were simulated including, (i) occluded, apo, (ii) inward-facing, apo, and (iii) inward-acingoccluded, Leu-Ala bound. We propose that the interaction of R33 with E299 and E300 acts as a conformational switch (i.e., to trigger the conformational change from an inward- to outward-facing state) in the substrate transport. Additionally, E299 and E400 should disengage from interacting with the substrate either through protonation or through co-ordination with a cation for the substrate to get transported.
Association of psychological distress with reasons for delay in seeking medical care in rural patients with worsening heart failure symptoms

Background The impact of depressive symptoms and anxiety on rural patients' decisions to seek care for worsening heart failure (HF) symptoms remains unknown. The purposes of this study were (1) to describe rural patients' reasons for delay in seeking care for HF, and (2) to determine whether depressive symptoms or anxiety was associated with patients' reasons for delay in seeking medical care for worsening symptoms. Methods A total of 611 rural HF patients were included. Data on reasons for patient delay in seeking medical care (The Reasons for Delay Questionnaire), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), and anxiety (BSI-ANX) were collected. Statistical analyses included chi-square and multiple regression. Results A total of 85.4% of patients reported at least 1 reason for delay. Patients with higher levels of depressive symptoms were more likely to cite embarrassment, problems with transportation, and financial concerns as a reason for delay. Patients with anxiety not only cited nonsymptom-related reasons but also reported symptom-related reasons for delay in seeking care (ie, symptoms seemed vague, not sure of symptoms, symptoms didn't seem to be serious enough, and symptoms were different from the last episode). In multiple regression, patients with greater depressive symptoms and anxiety had a greater number of reasons for delay in seeking care (P = .003 and P = .023, respectively). Conclusions Our findings suggest that enhancement of patients' symptom appraisal abilities and improvement in psychological distress may result in a reduction in delay in seeking medical care for worsening symptoms in rural patients with HF.
Game—Constructivist Exercises to Enhance Teaching of Probability and Statistics for Engineers

A challenge in engineering education is the dominance of passive instructional methods such as lectures and memorization of facts. Constructivist teaching strategies, in contrast, increase students...
MitoWave: Spatiotemporal analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential fluctuations during I/R

Abstract Mitochondria exhibit unstable inner membrane potentials (ΔΨm) when subjected to stress, such as during ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Understanding the mechanism of ΔΨm instability involves characterizing and quantifying this phenomenon in an unbiased and reproducible manner. Here, we describe a simple analytical workflow called “MitoWave” that combines wavelet transform methods and image segmentation to unravel dynamic ΔΨm changes in the cardiac mitochondrial network during I/R. In vitro ischemia was affected by placing a glass coverslip on a monolayer of neonatal mouse ventricular myocytes for 1 h and removing the coverslip to allow for reperfusion, revealing complex oscillatory ΔΨm. MitoWave analysis was then used to identify individual mitochondrial clusters within the cells and track their intrinsic oscillation frequencies over the course of reperfusion. Responses segregated into five typical behaviors were quantified by MitoWave that were corroborated by visual inspection of the time series. Statistical analysis of the distribution of oscillating mitochondrial clusters during reperfusion showed significant differences between the five different outcomes. Features such as the time point of ΔΨm depolarization during I/R, area of mitochondrial clusters, and time-resolved frequency components during reperfusion were determined per cell and per mitochondrial cluster. Mitochondria from neonatal mouse ventricular myocytes subjected to I/R oscillate in the frequency range of 8.6–45 mHz, with a mean of 8.73 ± 4.35 mHz. Oscillating clusters had smaller areas ranging from 49.8 ± 1.2 μm2, whereas nonoscillating clusters had larger areas 66 ± 1.5 μm2. A negative correlation between frequency and mitochondrial cluster area was observed. We also observed that late ΔΨm loss during ischemia correlated with early ΔΨm stabilization after oscillation on reperfusion. Thus, MitoWave analysis provides a semiautomated method to quantify complex time-resolved mitochondrial behavior in an easy-to-follow workflow, enabling unbiased, reproducible quantitation of complex nonstationary cellular phenomena.
Vincenzo Colucci’s 1886 memoir, Intorno alla rigenerazione degli arti e della coda nei tritoni, annotated and translated into English as: Concerning regeneration of the limbs and tail in salamanders

Vincenzo Colucci taught and did research in several Italian veterinary schools during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Although he usually dealt with normal and pathological histology of ...
A broad-specificity O-glycoprotease that enables improved analysis of glycoproteins and glycopeptides containing intact complex O-glycans

Analysis of mucin type O-glycans linked to serine/threonine of glycoproteins is technically challenging, in part, due to a lack of effective enzymatic tools that enable their analysis. Recently, several O-glycan-specific endoproteases that can cleave the protein adjacent to the appended glycan have been described. Despite significant progress in understanding the biochemistry of these enzymes, known O-glycoproteases have specificity constrains, such as inefficient cleavage of glycoproteins bearing sialylated O-glycans, high selectivity for certain type of glycoproteins or protein sequence bias, that limit their analytical application. In this study, we examined the capabilities of an immunomodulating metalloprotease (IMPa) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The peptide substrate sequence selectivity and its impact on IMPa activity was interrogated using an array of synthetic peptides and their glycoforms. We show that IMPa has no specific P1 residue preference and can tolerate most amino acids at the P1 position, except aspartic acid. The enzyme does not cleave between two adjacent O-glycosites, indicating that O-glycosylated serine/threonine is not allowed at position P1. Glycopeptides with as few as two amino acids on either side of an O-glycosite were specifically cleaved by IMPa. Finally, IMPa efficiently cleaved peptides and proteins carrying sialylated and asialylated O-glycans of varying complexity. We present the use of IMPa in a one-step O-glycoproteomics workflow for glycoprofiling of individual purified glycoproteins granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase C (CD45) without the need for glycopeptide enrichment. In these examples, IMPa enabled identification of O-glycosites and the range of complex O-glycan structures at each site.
Atomic Force Microscopy of Polymer Surfaces

Applications of the atomic force microscope (AFM) to study surfaces of four types of polyimide are described. The results are discussed in terms of the JKR continuum theory of contact. Adhesion forces between the Si3N4 AFM tip and the polyimides were measured. Values of the work of adhesion extracted from these data are larger than expected. Molecular resolution is not possible on surfaces of soft materials like the polyimides.
Medical Applications of Electronic Nose Technology: Review of Current Status:

Electronic noses, or artificial sensors of odorants. have been developed over the last ten years to perform a variety of identification tasks in various industries. This powerful technology is only beginning to be introduced in the field of medicine, but is promising in its potential to assist in diagnosis. This article reviews electronic nose technology and some initial investigations of potential applicability of the technology in the field of medicine.
Macromodeling with SPICE for the voltage breakdown behavior in bipolar junction and field-effect transistors

This paper presents two macromodels using SPICE primitives to simulate the static current-voltage (I-V) output characteristics of bipolar junction and field-effect transistors (BJTs and FETs) with the collector-emitter and drain-source breakdown voltages taken into account. Both macromodels use a reverse biased diode and a resistor in series with a current-controlled or voltage-controlled voltage source. A practical circuit adopting the macromodel for the BJT (MPSA06) illustrates the voltage-clamped features.
Biblical Narrative and the Formation of Rabbinic Law

This book presents a new framework for understanding the relationship between biblical narrative and rabbinic law. Drawing on legal theory and models of rabbinic exegesis, Jane L. Kanarek argues for the centrality of biblical narrative in the formation of rabbinic law. Through close readings of selected Talmudic and midrashic texts, Kanarek demonstrates that rabbinic legal readings of narrative scripture are best understood through the framework of a referential exegetical web. She shows that law should be viewed as both prescriptive of normative behavior and as a meaning-making enterprise. By explicating the hermeneutical processes through which biblical narratives become resources for legal norms, this book transforms our understanding of the relationship of law and narrative as well as the ways in which scripture becomes a rabbinic document that conveys legal authority and meaning.
Implication of a Chromosome 15q15.2 Locus in Regulating UBR1 and Predisposing Smokers to MGMT Methylation in Lung

O 6 -Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a DNA repair enzyme that protects cells from carcinogenic effects of alkylating agents; however, MGMT is silenced by promoter hypermethylation during carcinogenesis. A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in an enhancer in the MGMT promoter was previously identified to be highly significantly associated with risk for MGMT methylation in lung cancer and sputum from smokers. To further genetic investigations, a genome-wide association and replication study was conducted in two smoker cohorts to identify novel loci for MGMT methylation in sputum that were independent of the MGMT enhancer polymorphism. Two novel trans -acting loci (15q15.2 and 17q24.3) that were identified acted together with the enhancer SNP to empower risk prediction for MGMT methylation. We found that the predisposition to MGMT methylation arising from the 15q15.2 locus involved regulation of the ubiquitin protein ligase E3 component UBR1. UBR1 attenuation reduced turnover of MGMT protein and increased repair of O6-methylguanine in nitrosomethylurea-treated human bronchial epithelial cells, while also reducing MGMT promoter activity and abolishing MGMT induction. Overall, our results substantiate reduced gene transcription as a major mechanism for predisposition to MGMT methylation in the lungs of smokers, and support the importance of UBR1 in regulating MGMT homeostasis and DNA repair of alkylated DNA adducts in cells. Cancer Res; 75(15); 3108–17. ©2015 AACR .
Slow wave Chebyshev transformers

The periodic structure to couple slow and fast wave transmission lines in MILOs, linear magnetrons, and BWOs is a stepped transmission line transformer. The slow wave structure is a coaxial line with rectangular corrugations on the outer conductor with smooth metallic walls for the inner conductor. The fast wave structure is a coaxial line with smooth inner and outer metallic conductors, or with outer conductors where the corrugation depth approaches zero. Unit cells, or quarter wave sections, are developed for both binomial and Chebyshev coefficients. The Chebyshev transformer is designed for arbitrary bandwidths from one to larger numbers, and when the bandwidth equals one, the binomial and Chebyshev transformers are identical. Chebyshev coefficients are found with an unpublished report by Ross E. Graves, Stanford University. They are then applied in calculating characteristic impedances for prescribed input and output line impedances. A unique modification is inclusion of slow/fast wave phase velocities with the characteristic impedances for each section of the line.
Ecocertification of Ecuadorian Bananas: Prospects for Progressive North–South Linkages

Results of our 2003 survey of Ecuadorian banana producers’ farming practices indicate that firms engaged in labeling schemes generate lower environmental risks than uncertified firms. Certified firms exhibit relatively comprehensive environmental management systems, while noncertified farms exhibited limited, uneven, and unstructured adoption of best management practices. We explore the specific circumstances that differentiate the more environmentally friendly firms from their conventional counterparts, and we identify the sustainability pathways available to differently situated firms engaged in banana production. We find that small certified operations mobilize social capital to engage alternative markets and add value to their products, while large certified firms rely on financial backing of international organizations to modernize their operations. For both large and small firms producing bananas in Ecuador, the sustainability gains we observe are premised on mobilization of external resources from actors in the industrialized world. We demonstrate that improved environmental performance of commodity production cannot be attributed to local resources, local dynamics, and local institutions. Our analysis also points to the limits of export of sustainability from rich nations to developing nation firms. Only a fraction of the industry participates in certification programs, and large segments of the population of firms are likely to remain unattractive and inaccessible to external resource providers. In this context, it appears that the state must define and enforce minimum environmental standards to progressively raise performance.
Flocculation of perfluorocarbon emulsions

Abstract Flocculation of oil-in-water emulsions composed of a perfluorochemical emulsified by phospholipids was studied using photon correlation spectroscopy and viscoelasticity measurements in unsteady oscillatory flow. Flocculation gives rise to emulsion instability but can be prevented by the addition of a negatively charged surfactant to phosphatidylcholine, the zwitterionic phospholipid used as a primary emulsifier, or by using a saccharide solution as a continuous phase. The study indicates that both electrostatic (Coulombic) repulsive forces and hydration (steric) forces play a role in preventing flocculation. Various minor components of the egg yolk phospholipids used in commercial emulsion preparation probably stabilize the emulsion by increasing both electrostatic and hydration repulsion.
Sea change: Exploring the international effort to promote marine protected areas

Citing multiple threats to marine biodiversity and resources, the international marine conservation community is promoting greater adoption of marine protected areas (MPAs). Like terrestrial protected areas, MPAs are characterised by debates over the appropriate role for scientific input and citizen participation and how to balance concerns for both social equity and ecological effectiveness. This paper explores how such debates are influencing the framing of MPAs as a global policy tool, based on an 'event ethnography' conducted at the 2008 World Conservation Congress in Barcelona. International non-governmental organisations (NGOs) dominated the discussions and agenda setting, although multiple concerns for MPAs were incorporated into the discussions. The framing of MPAs highlighted a global scale and vision, reflected by and reinforcing the dominant role of the big NGOs. However, it did not go unchallenged, nor is it prescriptive.
Health care delivery through a different lens: the lived experience of culture shock while participating in an international educational program.

Summary An international educational experience can enhance the curriculum of an undergraduate program in nursing and can promote student development. However, many students who participate in international programs experience the debilitating effects of symptoms that comprise a phenomenon that is sometimes labeled culture shock. The progress of American nursing students through the stages of adaptation to a different culture is examined through journal entries the students recorded while they were in England for a short-term experience in community health nursing. The benefits of participation in an international program are discussed. Also included are guidelines for faculty to help them recognize the symptoms described and to implement appropriate interventions.
Substrate-dependent mutant complementation to select fatty acid desaturase variants for metabolic engineering of plant seed oils

We demonstrate that naturally occurring C(14) and C(16)-specific acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) desaturases from plants can complement the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) auxotrophy of an Escherichia coli fabA/fadR mutant. Under the same growth conditions, C(18)-specific delta(9)-stearoyl (18:0)-ACP desaturases are unable to complement the UFA auxotrophy. This difference most likely results from the presence of sufficient substrate pools of C(14) and C(16) acyl-ACPs but a relative lack of C(18) acyl-ACP pools in E. coli to support the activities of the plant fatty acid desaturase. Based on this, a substrate-dependent selection system was devised with the use of the E. coli UFA auxotroph to isolate mutants of the castor delta(9)-18:0-ACP desaturase that display enhanced specificity for C(14) and C(16) acyl-ACPs. Using this selection system, a number of desaturase variants with altered substrate specificities were isolated from pools of randomized mutants. These included several G188L mutant isolates, which displayed a 15-fold increase in specific activity with 16:0-ACP relative to the wild-type castor delta(9)-18:0-ACP desaturase. Expression of this mutant in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in the accumulation of unusual monounsaturated fatty acids to amounts of >25% of the seed oil. The bacterial selection system described here thus provides a rapid means of isolating variant fatty acid desaturase activities for modification of seed oil composition.
Evidence for Collective Oblate Rotation in N = Z 68 Se

A $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray spectroscopic measurement of the $N\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}Z$ nucleus ${}^{68}\mathrm{Se}$ has been made following the ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}{(}^{58}\mathrm{Ni},2n)$ reaction at 185 and 220 MeV using Gammasphere and the Argonne Fragment Mass Analyzer. Despite a very low production cross section of $200(50)\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{b}$, two distinct rotational bands were found; the ground state band consistent with oblate collective rotation, and an excited band consistent with prolate rotation. These observations support long-standing predictions that nuclear ground states with substantial oblate $({\ensuremath{\beta}}_{2}\ensuremath{\sim}\ensuremath{-}0.3)$ deformation should exist in this region.
Mycobacterium marinum infections in transplant recipients: case report and review of the literature

Infections due to Mycobacterium marinum are rarely encountered following organ and tissue transplantation. Herein, we report a case of M. marinum infection in a kidney and pancreas transplant recipient who manifested clinically with multiple locally spreading sporotrichoid-like cutaneous nodules in his left forearm. In order to provide a general overview of post-transplant M. marinum infections, we reviewed and summarized all previously reported cases of this infection that occurred after transplantation. Including our index case, all 6 cases presented with multiple cutaneous and subcutaneous nodules that had spread locally in the involved extremity. One patient had lesions located in non-contiguous body sites suggesting either systemic dissemination or multiple sites of inoculation. In all but 1 patient, the cutaneous nodules appeared in an ascending pattern and following exposure to fish tanks or after contact with the marine environment. The diagnosis of M. marinum infection was suspected on clinical grounds and confirmed by mycobacterial culture. Treatment consisted of at least 2 active antibiotics (such as rifamycins, ethambutol, tetracyclines, or macrolides) for 4-9 months, resulting in clinical cure or improvement. Relapse was observed in 1 patient despite completing 6 months of antibiotic therapy. One patient had surgical excision of the lesions. In conclusion, M. marinum should be considered as the cause of cutaneous and subcutaneous nodules in transplant recipients, particularly in the context of fish tank or marine exposure. Compared with the immunocompetent hosts, M. marinum infection may have a more aggressive clinical course after transplantation, and may require a longer duration of antibiotic treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment may prevent local spread and potential systemic dissemination.
The Effect of Shelf Space Upon Sales of Branded Products

The influence of shelf space upon sales of branded products is tested in a randomized block field experiment. Sales of two brands of salt and powdered coffee cream are measured. Managerial implicat...
Pronoun assessment: a free speech technique.

A study of the free speech pronoun usage of 15 normal and 15 language-delayed children showed that it is possible to distinguish between children at five different levels of language development by...
Controversies and Considerations in the Diagnosis of Primary Cutaneous CD4+ Small/Medium T-Cell Lymphoma

Context.—Primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoma is a provisional and controversial entity with a broad differential diagnosis. Despite being an uncommon lymphoma, it is a frequent diagnostic consideration in cutaneous biopsies with a dense lymphoid infiltrate because it shows overlapping features with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (pseudolymphoma) and a variety of other primary cutaneous and systemic lymphomas. However, proper classification of this process is important for determining patient prognosis and treatment options. Objective.—To review the clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, and genetic features of primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoma and contrast those features with entities in the differential diagnosis. Data Sources.—Applicable literature will be reviewed with emphasis on current controversies and distinguishing characteristics. Conclusions.—Although many consider primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoma to be indistinguishable from reactive lympho...
Parenting Styles, Adolescents' Attributions, and Educational Outcomes in Nine Heterogeneous High Schools

This article examined the contemporaneous and predictive relations between parenting styles, adolescents' attributions, and 4 educational outcomes. Data were collected from adolescents attending 6 high schools in California and 3 high schools in Wisconsin during the 1987-1988 and 1988-1989 school years. The results of path analyses partially confirmed the central hypotheses. Adolescents who perceived their parents as being nonauthoritative were more likely than their peers to attribute achievement outcomes to external causes or to low ability. Furthermore, the higher the proportion of dysfunctional attributions made for academic successes and failures, the lower the levels of classroom engagement and homework 1 year later. Although adolescents' attributional style provided a bridge between parenting style and 2 educational outcomes, it did not fully explain the impact of parenting on those outcomes. Additional analyses within gender and ethnic subgroups reinforced the overall pattern of findings observed within the entire sample.