cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Faulting development in concrete pavements and overlays

The faulting model currently adopted in the Pavement ME design procedure accounts for the pavement response, climatic conditions, traffic, and erodibility of the base. The same faulting model is ap...
A bacterial checkpoint protein for ribosome assembly moonlights as an essential metabolite-proofreading enzyme

In eukaryotes, adventitious oxidation of erythrose-4-phosphate, an intermediate of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), generates 4-phosphoerythronate (4PE), which inhibits 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. 4PE is detoxified by metabolite-proofreading phosphatases such as yeast Pho13. Here, we report that a similar function is carried out in Bacillus subtilis by CpgA, a checkpoint protein known to be important for ribosome assembly, cell morphology and resistance to cell wall-targeting antibiotics. We find that ΔcpgA cells are intoxicated by glucose or other carbon sources that feed into the PPP, and that CpgA has high phosphatase activity with 4PE. Inhibition of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (GndA) leads to intoxication by 6-phosphogluconate, a potent inhibitor of phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI). The coordinated shutdown of PPP and glycolysis leads to metabolic gridlock. Overexpression of GndA, PGI, or yeast Pho13 suppresses glucose intoxication of ΔcpgA cells, but not cold sensitivity, a phenotype associated with ribosome assembly defects. Our results suggest that CpgA is a multifunctional protein, with genetically separable roles in ribosome assembly and metabolite proofreading. Adventitious oxidation of erythrose-4-phosphate generates 4-phosphoerythronate, which is detoxified by metabolite-proofreading phosphatases in eukaryotes. Here, Sachla & Helmann show that a similar function is carried out in Bacillus subtilis by a checkpoint protein involved in ribosome assembly.
How Rwandan Journalists Use WhatsApp to Advance Their Profession and Collaborate for the Good of Their Country

AbstractSocial media can create opportunities and networks that empower people and advance communities, especially in developing nations. This study examined how Rwandan journalists believe the pro...
Interactive Visualization of Interdependent Power and Water Infrastructure Operation

With increasing levels of drought across the world together with the rising demand of freshwater and energy consumption, the interdependence between power and water sectors is becoming increasingly important. However, as power and water system operators have traditionally operated their systems in isolation, there is a lack of understanding of the interdependence and interactions between these systems. This paper bridges this information gap by developing 2D and 3D visualization prototypes for interdependent power and water distribution systems. These prototypes aim to display and monitor a variety of water and energy variables, and to increase the observability and controllability for power and water distribution system operations. Visualization results show that the proposed prototypes successfully monitor the energy requirements for meeting the energy and water demands and capture operational decisions that can improve energy efficiency and reduce operating costs of interdependent systems.
Management of metastatic vertebral lesions by interventional techniques: Systematic review of outcomes.

Vertebral metastases represent an important cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Among all available treatments, interventional percutaneous techniques have recently emerged as potential strategies for the management of oncologic patients with vertebral lesions. Minimally invasive image-guided therapies include “ablative” and “consolidative” ones. According to the number of metastases and the patient's performance status, ablative techniques can be performed with a curative or a palliative purpose since necrosis induced by critic changes of intralesional temperature determines both tumor debulking and destruction of pain receptors. On the other hand, consolidative treatments are based on the injection of polymethylmethacrylate cement to improve structural vertebral integrity and obtain pain alleviation and prevention of skeletal-related events. This article reviews the current recommendations supporting the role of interventional radiology in the management of vertebral metastases, focusing on the last updates in literature.
Doing the Right Thing: The Critical Role of Students in the Tenure Campaign

The battle for tenure for Professor Nakanishi was one of many struggles during this past decade for equal representation and justice for Asian and Pacific Islanders. Students have played a key role in many of these struggles, and I believe that our participation reflects the growing power of our Asian and Pacific Islander student movement. By sharing lessons from this case, I hope that students in the future will continue to empower themselves and their communities.
‘Truth’ and ‘Discourse’ in the Social Construction of Economic Reality: An Essay on the Relation of Knowledge to Socioeconomic Policy

From time immemorial human beings have desired confident,1 if not absolute, knowledge. One is tempted to say that there are two types of people, those who require determinacy and closure, and those who can tolerate ambiguity and open-endedness. Most people seem to be of the former type, notwithstanding the views, first, that the desire for absolutes does not conclusively guarantee that an absolute actually exists, and second, that what people take as ‘fact’ may not actually constitute ‘reality’. This desire for confident knowledge has at least three sources: (1) the belief that action and policy based on knowledge should be predicated on truth rather than error; (2) the use of belief (assumed to be true knowledge) for purposes of social control, to either retain or change institutional arrangements and practices; and (3) the role of belief as psychic balm, to assuage the anxiety consequent to our living in a world of radical indeterminacy (uncertainty) in which, among other things, our importance as individuals and as a species in the universe seems problematic.
Ascertainment of delirium status using natural language processing from electronic health records.

Background Delirium is underdiagnosed in clinical practice, and is not routinely coded for billing. Manual chart review can be used to identify the occurrence of delirium, however, it is labor-intensive and impractical for large-scale studies. Natural language processing (NLP) has the capability to process raw text in electronic health records (EHRs) and determine the meaning of the information. We developed and validated NLP algorithms to automatically identify the occurrence of delirium from EHRs. Methods This study used a randomly selected cohort from the population-based Mayo Clinic Biobank (n=300, age>=65). We adopted the standardized evidence-based framework confusion assessment method (CAM) to develop and evaluate NLP algorithms to identify the occurrence of delirium using clinical notes in EHRs. Two NLP algorithms were developed based on CAM criteria; one based on the original CAM (NLP-CAM; delirium vs. no delirium) and another based on our modified CAM (NLP-mCAM; definite, possible, and no delirium). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were used for concordance in delirium status between NLP algorithms and manual chart review as the gold standard. The prevalence of delirium cases was examined using ICD-9, NLP-CAM, and NLP-mCAM. Results NLP-CAM demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 0.919, 1.000 and 0.967, respectively. NLP-mCAM demonstrated sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 0.827, 0.913 and 0.827, respectively. The prevalence analysis of delirium showed that the NLP-CAM algorithm identified 12,651 (9.4%) delirium patients, the NLP-mCAM algorithm identified 20,611 (15.3%) definite delirium cases and 10,762 (8.0%) possible cases.
Are Patients Taking Benzodiazepines at Increased Risk for Complications Following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Benzodiazepines are commonly taken by patients who are undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but there is a paucity of studies evaluating any associations. Therefore, we hoped to study if patients taking preoperative benzodiazepines would have increased complications following TKA. Methods Using a nationwide database, from 2010 to 2019, we evaluated patients undergoing primary TKA who either did or did not have a preoperative record of benzodiazepine prescription. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis, adjusting for multiple variables (age, gender, obesity, and Charlson comorbidity index), to determine the association of preoperative benzodiazepine use and adverse events in a matched cohort. Furthermore, we stratified patients by one vs multiple preoperative benzodiazepine prescription(s). We evaluated 90-day and 2-year rates of revision, resection, femur fracture fixation, manipulation under anesthesia (MUA), and delirium. Results Patients filling more than one preoperative benzodiazepine prescription had increased adjusted odds of 90-day (odds ratio [OR] = 1.198, confidence interval [CI] = 1.086-1.320) and 2-year (OR = 1.188, CI = 1.125-1.254) revision; 90-day resection (OR = 1.430, CI = 1.125-1.817); 90-day (OR = 1.639, CI = 1.255-2.141) and 2-year (OR = 1.646, CI = 1.412-1.919) femur fracture fixation; and 2-year delirium (OR = 2.288, CI = 1.564-3.382). Preoperative benzodiazepine users had decreased adjusted odds of 90-day (OR = 0.670, CI = 0.639-0.702) and 2-year (OR = 0.702, CI = 0.671-0.734) MUA. Conclusion After controlling for multiple variables, benzodiazepine use was associated with increased rates of revision, resection, femur fracture fixation, and delirium. Furthermore, benzodiazepine use was also associated with a decreased rate of MUA. Orthopaedic professionals can counsel patients taking this group of medications about the associated adverse events. Future studies should assess the use of other muscle relaxants in the prevention of knee stiffness and MUA.
Theoretical analysis of oxygen-bridged Cu pairs in Cu-exchanged zeolites

O- and O2-bridged Cu pairs in zeolitic environments are examined using density functional theory with cluster models. Both types of oxocation ([CuOCu]2+ and [CuO2Cu]2+) are found to be highly stable for conditions likely to exist in Cu-ZSM-5. A variety of geometric isomers with different electronic states and preferred Cu–Cu distances are described. Possible implications for “autoreduction”, NO decomposition, and other reactions involving Cu pairs in ZSM-5 are explored.
Irrationality: Philosophical Aspects

Over the past four decades, human reason and rationality has been among the most intensely investigated topics in psychology, cognitive science, and economics. At the heart of this debate is a view of human rationality, often associated with the Heuristics and Biases tradition, on which much of our reasoning and decision making is normatively problematic because it relies on heuristics and biases rather than rational principles. In this article we describe briefly some of the evidence that has been invoked in support of this contention and consider some of the more prominent critical responses, especially from evolutionary psychology and dual-process theorists.
Synergistic inhibitory effect of nicotine plus oral contraceptive on mitochondrial complex‐IV is mediated by estrogen receptor‐β in female rats

Chronic nicotine and oral contraceptive (NOC) exposure caused significant loss of hippocampal membrane-bound estrogen receptor-beta (ER-β) in female rats compared with exposure to nicotine alone. Mitochondrial ER-β regulates estrogen-mediated mitochondrial structure and function; therefore, investigating the impact of NOC on mitochondrial ER-β and its function could help delineate the harmful synergism between nicotine and OC. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that NOC-induced loss of mitochondrial ER-β alters the oxidative phosphorylation system protein levels and mitochondrial respiratory function. This hypothesis was tested in hippocampal mitochondria isolated from female rats exposed to saline, nicotine, OC or NOC for 16 days. NOC decreased the mitochondrial ER-β protein levels and reduced oxygen consumption and complex IV (CIV) activity by 34% and 26% compared with saline- or nicotine-administered groups, respectively. We also observed significantly low protein levels of all mitochondrial-encoded CIV subunits after NOC as compared with the nicotine or saline groups. Similarly, the silencing of ER-β reduced the phosphorylation of cyclic-AMP response element binding protein, and also reduced levels of CIV mitochondrial-encoded subunits after estrogen stimulation. Overall, these results suggest that mitochondrial ER-β loss is responsible for mitochondrial malfunction after NOC.
Topologies, migration rates, and multi-population parallel genetic algorithms

This paper presents a study of parallel genetic algorithms (GAs) with multiple populations (also called demes or islands). The study makes explicit the relation between the probability of reaching a desired solution with the deme size, the migration rate, and the degree of the connectivity graph. The paper considers arbitrary topologies with a fixed number of neighbors per deme. The demes evolve in isolation until each converges to a unique solution. Then, the demes exchange an arbitrary number of individuals and restart their execution. An accurate deme-sizing equation is derived, and it is used to determine the optimal configuration of an arbitrary number of demes that minimizes the execution time of the parallel GA.
Massive Pulmonary Embolism Permitting Paradoxical Systemic Arterial Embolism: Successful Surgical Management

Abstract The case of a young woman, receiving oral contraceptives, who developed massive pulmonary embolism producing circulatory collapse and paradoxical arterial embolism through a patent foramen ovale is documented. Limb viability was threatened. Emergency management included removal of arterial and pulmonary emboli, surgical closure of the patent foramen ovale, inferior caval partitioning, ovarian vein ligation, and short-term anticoagulation. Recovery was rapid and complete.
Performance Comparison of Multiuser Detectors with Channel Estimation for Flat Rayleigh Fading CDMA Channels

Since the conventional detector performs poorly in bandwidth-efficient Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems, several multiuser detectors were proposed recently. In this paper, we compare performance of the decorrelator, the two-stage detector (2S), and the decision-feedback detector (DF) for the Rayleigh flat fading synchronous CDMA channel. First, assuming perfect channel estimation, we show that the 2S and the DF have much lower bit error rate (BER) than the decorrelator, and prove that the ideal DF has unity Asymptotic Multiuser Efficiency (AME). Furthermore, we evaluate the performance of these detectors in the presence of channel mismatch. We model the Rayleigh flat fading channel as the second order Auto Regressive (AR) process, and use the Kalman filter as the channel estimator. The lower bounds on the BER of the 2S and the DF are derived. The analytical results and the simulations show that the estimation error accumulated due to cancellation of other users limits the performance of the 2S and the DF. Therefore, in the presence of channel mismatch, the decorrelator offers comparable or even better performance than more complex decision-feedback and two-stage detectors.
Modern Empirical Statistical Spectral Analysis

This paper has two aims: (1) to provide perspectives on the diverse paths of analysis which are available in 1980 to estimate the spectrum of an observed time series; and (2) to describe proposals for optimal statistical spectral estimation procedures which combine autoregressive spectral estimators and log spectral estimators. It is proposed that empirical statistical spectral analysis should be an adaptive procedure for forming an iterative spectral estimator (an iterative estimator is one composed of estimators obtained in different steps of the analysis). There are three parts: I. Basic concepts of time series spectral analysis; II. Entropy distances, autoregressive spectral estimators and log spectral estimators; III. An outline of empirical spectral analysis.
Comparison of Two Procedures for Assay of Free Amino Nitrogen

Wine yeasts are capable of utilizing nitrogen in two forms: free amino nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen. In this study, a total of 39 must samples were collected from New York State wineries and assayed for free amino nitrogen using formol titration and the o-phthaldialdehyde/N-acetyl-L-cysteine spectrophotometric assay (NOPA) method. These two procedures differ considerably in their chemistry and instrumentation required for analysis. Formol titration requires only a pH meter while the NOPA procedure requires a spectrophotometer with UV capability. Both methods have been used widely in the wine industry and it is important to know whether the two methods give comparable results. Our comparison presented here indicates they do yield similar results.
Counterexample generation meets interactive theorem proving: current results and future opportunities

This tutorial will explore the integration of counterexample generation with interactive theorem proving, a capability that has long been on the wish list of users and developers of interactive theorem provers. While the generation of counterexamples is an undecidable problem, recent methods have shown that it is possible to generate counterexamples to conjectures for many interesting problems. This tutorial will review current counterexample generation technology and how it can be used to design, analyze, and reason about systems. The tutorial will include a demo using ACL2s, the ACL2 Sedan. During the tutorial, we will also discuss the pedagogical use of counterexample generation in ACL2s to help freshmen students learn about logic and program verification. Finally, we will discuss future research opportunities.
Inheritance and Allelism Analysis of Hypernodulating Genes in the NOD3-7 and NOD2-4 Soybean Mutants

Hypernodulating soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] mutants derived from cv. Williams showed greater early-season dinitrogen fixation potential and partial tolerance to high levels of NO 3 - , Understanding genetic control is essential to manipulation of this trait. Genetic analysis of the NOD1-3 and NOD4 mutants, and the En6500 mutant, had previously shown that these three mutants were controlled hy the same recessive allele at the rj, locus, However, genetic control of two additional hypernodulating mutants, NOD3-7 and NOD2-4, remained to be verified. We investigated the inheritance and allelic relationship of these latter mutations in relation to those previously studied. The cultivar Harosoy 63 was crossed to the NOD3-7 and NOD2-4 mutants to produce F 1 hybrids, F 2 progeny, and F 2 -derived families. Phenotypic segregation was examined. For allelism tests. hypernodulating progeny exhibiting purple hypocotyl, which were isolated from the F 2 segregants of the crosses with Harosoy 63, were used for crossing with the NOD2-4 mutant. Resulting phenotypes were visually evaluated for hypernodulation at 14 d after planting (DAP) in the greenhouse. The results of genetic analysis indicated that a recessive allele was responsible for hypernodulation in the NOD3-7 and NOD2-4 mutants. Allelism analysis revealed that although the hypernodulating mutants were isolated from independent mutational events, the rj 7 locus controlled NOD-type hypernodulating mutants and the En6500 mutant.
The detection of insertion sequences within the human pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei which have been identified previously in Burkholderia cepacia

Using primers designed from the nucleotide sequences of five insertion elements identified previously in Burkholderia cepacia, the presence of two insertion sequences (IS406 and IS407) was detected in chromosomal DNA isolated from strains of the human pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei. The IS407 homologue was cloned from B. pseudomallei NCTC 4845 and nucleotide sequenced to confirm its identity and degree of homology with B. cepacia IS407. A PCR amplification product from B. pseudomallei NCTC 4845 DNA provided an IS407 probe which was used to determine, by Southern blotting, the number and location of copies of IS407 in ten strains of B. pseudomallei and four representatives from three of the five genomovars of B. cepacia.
DNA sequence data reveal polyphyly of Brexioideae (Brexiaceae; Saxifragaceae sensu lato)*

Previous molecular phylogenetic analyses have demonstrated that Saxifragaceae sensu lato are polyphyletic, with component lineages scattered throughout the eudicots. As part of our effort to elucidate the relationships of members of Engler and Prantl's Saxifragaceae s. l., we undertook a molecular systematic study of subfamily Brexioideae, which comprises three genera:Brexia, Ixerba, andRoussea. Not all taxonomic treatments have concurred, however, in placing these genera together. To elucidate relationships among these three genera as well as their relationships to other angiosperms we constructed large data sets ofrbcL, 18S rDNA, andrbcL + 18S rDNA sequences. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate clearly that Brexioideae are polyphyletic.Brexia is part of a celastroid clade that also includesParnassia, Lepuropetalon, and Celastraceae.Ixerba appears as sister to a large eurosid I clade;Roussea appears as part of Asterales. Molecular data, therefore, indicate that Brexioideae are a polyphyletic assemblage and component genera should ultimately be incorporated into other groups. Our studies continue to demonstrate the polyphyly not only Saxifragaceae s. l., but also of its constituent subfamilies.
Organic aerogels from the polycondensation of resorcinol with formaldehyde

The polycondensation of resorcinol with formaldehyde under alkaline conditions results in the formation of surface functionalized polymer “clusters”. The covalent crosslinking of these “clusters” produces gels which are processed under supercritical conditions to obtain low density, organic aerogels ( ⩽ 0.1 g cm−3). The aerogels are transparent, dark red in colour, and consist of interconnected colloidal-like particles with diameters of approximately 10 nm. The polymerization mechanism, structure and properties of the resorcinol-formaldehyde aerogels are similar to the sol-gel processing of silica.
Dynamic balance between activation and repression regulates pre-mRNA alternative splicing during heart development.

Cardiac troponin T (cTNT) exon 5 splicing is developmentally regulated such that it is included in embryonic but not adult heart. CUG-BP and ETR-3-like factor (CELF) proteins promote exon inclusion, whereas polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) and muscleblind-like (MBNL) proteins repress inclusion. In this study, we addressed what happens to these regulatory proteins during heart development to shift the regulatory balance of cTNT alternative splicing. Using dominant-negative proteins, we found that both CELF and PTB activities are required for appropriate splicing in cardiomyocytes. Two CELF proteins, CUG-BP and ETR-3, are nuclear and cytoplasmic in embryonic heart but are down-regulated in adult heart concomitant with loss of exon inclusion. In contrast, PTB and MBNL1 are expressed throughout heart development. The patterns of cTNT splicing and expression of its regulatory factors are conserved between mouse and chicken. Thus, alternative splicing is determined by a balance between positive and negative regulation, and modulation of expression levels of auxiliary splicing regulators may drive developmental splicing changes. ETR-3 and CUG-BP proteins are also down-regulated in other tissues during development, suggesting that CELF proteins play a broad role in developmental splicing regulation. Developmental Dynamics, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Electronic structure and phase equilibria in ternary substitutional alloys

A reliable and consistent scheme for studying phase equilibria in ternary substitutional alloys based on the tight-binding approximation is presented. With the electronic parameters obtained from linear muffin-tin orbital calculations, we show that the computed densities of states and band structures compare well with those obtained from more accurate ab initio calculations. Disordered alloys are studied within the tight-binding coherent-potential approximation formalism extended to multi-component alloys. The energetics of ordered systems is obtained through effective-pair interactions computed with the general perturbation method. Finally, partially ordered alloys are studied with a novel simplification of the molecular coherent-potential approximation combined with the general perturbation method. The formalism is applied to the study of bcc-based ternary Zr - Ru - Pd alloys which are promising candidates for medical implant device applications. Using the energetics obtained with the aforementioned scheme, we apply the cluster-variation method to study phase equilibria for particular pseudo-binary alloys, and show that the results are consistent with the observed behaviour of the electronic specific heat coefficient with composition for the system.
Assignment of resonances in the 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the carbon monoxide complex of sperm whale myoglobin by phase-sensitive two-dimensional techniques.

Phase-sensitive two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) experiments have been used to obtain extensive proton resonance assignments for the carbon monoxide complex of sperm whale myoglobin. Multiple quantum experiments were particularly important in the assignment procedure. The assignments are the most complete yet reported for a protein of such high molecular weight (approximately 18,000) and make possible new and comprehensive studies of the structure and dynamics of carbonmonoxymyoglobin in solution. Assignments for seven of the histidine residues are reported, including the critical proximal and distal histidines. Most of these are at variance with the assignments already in the literature. The present n.m.r. data indicate that histidines 24 (B5) and 119 (GH1) are hydrogen bonded to each other and, in contrast to neutron diffraction data, show that His24 does not protonate at pH greater than 5. The aromatic rings of all the phenylalanine and tyrosine residues undergo rapid flips about the ring axis. The side-chains of Leu89 (F4) and Phe138 (H15), which border a large hydrophobic cavity, are particularly mobile.
An encounter frequency account of how experience affects likelihood estimation.

When making judgments, people often favor information received from a few individual sources over largesample statistical data. Individual information is usually acquired piece by piece, whereas statistical information combines many observations into a single summary. We examined whether this difference in the frequency of encounters affects how data are weighted. In two experiments, subjects read statistical information indicating an event to be rare and contrasting information from individual cases suggesting the event to be common. We controlled whether the individual cases were summarized into a single summary like statistical information, or presented serially, case by case. Subjects’ estimates of event frequencies were higher when the individual cases were presented in serial, rather than summarized, format. A third study demonstrated that subjects treat each data sample as an instance, and do not weight according to sample size. These results support the conclusion that people weight information according to encounter frequency.
Conditional ablation of the osteoblast lineage in Col2.3Δtk transgenic mice

Two transgenic mouse lines were generated with a DNA construct bearing a 2.3-kilobase (kb) fragment of the rat α1 type I collagen promoter driving a truncated form of the herpes thymidine kinase gene (Col2.3Δtk). Expression of the transgene was found in osteoblasts coincident with other genetic markers of early osteoblast differentiation. Mice treated with ganciclovir (GCV) for 16 days displayed extensive destruction of the bone lining cells and decreased osteoclast number. In addition, a dramatic decrease in bone marrow elements was observed, which was more severe in the primary spongiosum and marrow adjacent to the diaphyseal endosteal bone. Immunostaining for transgene expression within the bone marrow was negative and marrow stromal cell cultures developed normally in the presence of GCV until the point of early osteoblast differentiation. Our findings suggest that the early differentiating osteoblasts are necessary for the maintenance of osteoclasts and hematopoiesis. Termination of GCV treatment produced an exaggerated response of new bone formation in cortical and trabecular bone. The Col2.3Δtk mouse should be a useful model to define the interrelation between bone and marrow elements as well as a model to analyze the molecular and cellular events associated with a defined wave of osteogenesis on termination of GCV treatment.
Blood-based biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease: plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42, and genetic variants

Identifying a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease that can be obtained from a blood sample has been a goal of researchers for many years. Over the past few years a number of investigators have studied several plasma biomarkers but most frequently plasma amyloid beta (Aβ)40 and Aβ42 while others have explored the use of genetic variants as biomarkers for diagnosis or risk. This review considers the cross-sectional and longitudinal data regarding plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 as diagnostic biomarkers as well as risk biomarkers. Review of recent genome-wide association studies indicates as many as 10 genetic variants have been associated with susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Further analysis suggests that these factors have modest effects on risk and are thus not helpful, as yet, in the diagnosis of disease. Until the function of these genes is understood, their role in risk and diagnosis will remain uncertain. Thus, there are several types of peripheral biomarkers under investigation, but more work is required before they can be deemed clinically useful.
State Building in the African Countryside: Structure and Politics at the Grassroots

This is a comparative analysis of institutions linking state and countryside in three West African regions: Senegal's groundnut basin, southern Cote d'Ivoire, and southern Ghana. It argues that conflicts within rural society, and between rural elites and governments, have been more important in shaping these linkages than much of state‐centric political science has allowed. Different patterns of economic and social organisation have produced regionally‐specific political dynamics that have, in turn, shaped institution‐building and state formation. The analysis shows African states to be more deeply embedded in localised power relations than many previous studies have suggested. It may shed light on sources of unevenness and variation in attempts to decentralise and democratise state structures in the 1980s and 1990s.
Economic contribution of families caring for persons with severe and persistent mental illness

The author suggests that family expenditures are a significant factor in the overall system of care and should be included in economic analyses of mental health services. Data indicate that family contribution should be viewed as a resource and may be serving as a substitute for resources from the formal mental health system. Suggestions for policy are presented that support the concept of “shared responsibility” between the family and the formal system.
Consumer health: a collaborative effort.

The Health Information Access Project is a public library initiative in partnership with Lancaster County Hospitals/Health Care Providers and United Way of Lancaster County that is designed to provide reliable health information to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, residents in a variety of forms. The project components include programming provided by Lancaster County Hospitals; an online Web portal for public access; collection enhancement of circulating books on consumer health/wellness at public libraries and hospital health libraries; and printed information in the form of flyers, brochures, etc., that will be distributed throughout the county at public libraries, hospitals, and other designated locations. The Health Information Access Project is funded by a Library Services and Technology Act Grant from Commonwealth Libraries.
Cancer vaccine development: protein transfer of membrane-anchored cytokines and immunostimulatory molecules.

Many tumor cells escape host-immune recognition by the down-regulation or lack of immunostimulatory molecules. Expression of immunostimulatory molecules on tumor cells by gene transfer can be used to induce an antitumor immune response. However, we have previously shown that protein transfer of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-linked costimulatory molecules is a successful alternative to traditional gene transfer in preparing such a tumor vaccine. Vaccination with membranes modified by protein transfer to express GPI-linked B7.1 (CD80), a costimulatory adhesion molecule, induces protective immunity in mice and allogeneic antitumor, T-cell proliferation in humans in vitro. Our goal is to develop an optimal tumor vaccine using tumor membranes modified by protein transfer to target and stimulate antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and T cells. We have investigated the efficacy of expressing GPI-anchored cytokine molecules on the surface of tumor cells. Expression of interleukin-12 (IL-12) on tumor-cell membranes in a GPI-anchored form induces a strong antitumor immune response that is comparable to the effects of secretory IL-12. Because many cytokines act synergistically, we are testing the membrane expression and immunostimulatory effects of cytokines individually as well as in combination to determine potential complementary effects of coexpression on the antitumor immune response. Ultimately, the protein-transfer vaccination may be used in humans alone or in multimodal combination therapies to induce tumor regression and to serve as a protective measure to prevent postsurgical secondary metastases.
Characterization of MOPC 315 IgA oligosaccharide processing intermediates.

Abstract The structures of α1,2-mannose containing partially processed asparagine-linked oligosaccharides on the α-chain of MOPC 315 IgA were characterized using specific glycosidases and acetolysis. Man 6 GlcNAc 2 , a substrate for a Golgi α1,2-mannosidase, was found to be a single isomeric structure. Likewise, Man 7 - 9 GlcNAc 2 were single isomers indicating an ordered sequence of removal of α1,2-linked mannose residues on this murine immunoglobulin heavy chain.
Independent effects of percentage of partial reward on resistance to extinction

Rats were trained in the straight runway under different percentages of partial reward and then extinguished. Within-day nonre ward-reward and reward-nonreward transitions were held constant during acquisition. The data showed that small percentage of partial reward led to greater resistance to extinction than did large percentage. The results were interpreted as supporting Amsel’s frustration hypothesis.
Tornadoes 2011: An Unprecedented Year

Tornado statistics are like baseball statistics. There are many ways to describe a season and the performance (or lack thereof) from the players. Unlike baseball, however, tornadoes and the atmosph...
Cyclic Quotients of Transitive Groups

Abstract Let A be a transitive subgroup of S n . We show that the largest cyclic quotient of A has order at most n . This can be interpreted as an equivalent result about extensions of constants in the Galois closure of a covering of curves over a finite field. We also prove that the point stabilizer in a finite primitive permutation group always has a faithful orbit.
Estramustine phosphate-hormone, chemotherapeutic agent, or both?

Estramustine phosphate, a combination steroid and alkylating agent, has been used for treatment of cancer of the prostate since 1969. We treated 32 patients with Stages C and D prostate cancer with this compound. Using the National Prostatic Cancer Project criteria of response, no patient achieved complete or partial objective response. Sixty-two per cent of the patients without prior hormonal manipulation and 12 per cent of those who were progressing following hormonal therapy met the criteria for a stable response. Both Stage C patients, 50 per cent of D1 and 28 per cent of D2 patients achieved disease stabilization for a mean duration of 14.8 months. There was no correlation between tumor grade and response to treatment. Fifty per cent of the patients whose elevated acid phosphatase declined remain stable, whereas 80 per cent in whom the acid phosphatase did not decline have progressed. Estramustine is effective in patients without prior hormonal manipulation. In those refractory to hormones, the prognosis is poor yet data exist to support the superiority of estramustine phosphate over conventional therapy.
A Critical Response to "The Psychology of Creativity: A Critical Reading"

A B S T R A C T Glaveanu (2014b) provides a wide-ranging analysis and cri- tique of the science of creativity. Many of his points are fair and reasonable, and addressing the questions he poses will unquestionably advance the field. But definitional issues re- ceive too much attention, and some of the arguments are over-extended. The six recommendations are difficult to argue against, but would following all of them lead to the more impactful field that Glaveanu desires? Glaveanu's (2014b) analysis of the field of creativity is provocative and provides further evidence that he is among the field's most insightful thinkers. Writing from his sociocultur- al perspective, he provides an in-depth analysis of the field and proposes six recommen- dations for moving the field forward. Glaveanu carefully frames his paper by noting that his analysis is focused largely on
Study on the Film Coating Methods on Inner Surface of Long-Straight Tubes

In this paper, a variety of previous coating methods are reviewed for the film coating on the inner surface of long-straight tubes. A new magnetron sputtering method is introduced for the film coating in the thin and long tubes made by the conductive and non-magnetic material. The coating process of this method is as follow: the long rod target connecting the cathode is penetrated in center of the coated tube connecting the anode; a solenoid coil with DC exciting current is set outside of the tube so the steady axial magnetic field is generated in the ring discharge area between target and the tube; the working gas flows through the tube from one end to the other, the gas discharge and the magnetron sputtering coating occures in the region corresponding to the solenoid coil; the homogeneous film is obtained on the whole inner surface of the tube when the solenoid coil moves along the tube. The principle and structure of the coating system are analyzed. The distribution of electromagnetic field and electron trajectory in the electromagnetic field are calculated within the discharge region. And distribution of the magnetic field is simulated by COMSOL multiphysicsn software.
A 20,000-hour endurance test of a structurally and thermally integrated 5-cm diameter ion thruster main cathode

A 5-cm diameter mercury ion thruster main cathode has completed over 20,000 hours of operation in an ongoing lifetime endurance test. The cathode operating parameters remained at acceptable performance levels throughout the test, the first 9175 hours of which were part of a thruster endurance test. After 20,000 hours, the cathode discharge was easily restarted, the tip orifice indicated negligible erosion and the tip heater showed no degradation. The cathode-isolator- vaporizer assembly, a major thruster subsystem, has thus successfully demonstrated an operational lifetime capability of 20,000 hours, which is the lifetime goal of the 8-cm diameter auxiliary propulsion ion thruster.
Effect of Time-Dependent Matrix Behavior on the Evolution of Processing-Induced Residual Stresses in Metal Matrix Composites

The usefulness of load-relaxation experiments in investigating the need for rate-dependent matrix material models for predicting the processing-induced residual stresses in metal matrix composites (MMCs) is examined in this study. The experimental data is used in the selection of the appropriate constitutive equations for modeling the cooling process after composite consolidation. Boron/Al-2024 MMC is chosen as the model material system. Bodner-Partom unified model and a classical creep-plasticity model based on the relaxation experiments are used to represent the rate-dependent behavior of Al-2024. The results show that conventional B-P model based on purely monotonic strain-rate tests is not able to capture the inelastic strain variations under practical cooling conditions. The classical creep-plasticity model has been shown to be an effective alternative for this purpose as it considers load-relaxation data while deriving the material constants for the constitutive equations.
Uniqueness theorems for Goursat-type problems

In this paper we prove uniqueness theorems for second-order hyperbolic equations in L2(Rd), d ≥ 1, and for second-order abstract hyperbolic equation in L2(H), H is a Hilbert space.
Are Latinos Republicans But Just Don’t Know It?: The Latino Vote in the 2000 and 2004 Presidential Elections

Every 4 years, during election season, we witness continuously growing appeals from Democrats and Republicans to the Latino electorate with the purpose of gaining enough of their vote to tilt the election to their respective advantage. Although Latinos regularly vote Democratic, Republicans assume that because of their continuing upward mobility and long-standing social conservatism, Latinos are in fact Republicans but just don’t know it yet. In this article, we test how likely Latinos were to abandon their historic attachment to the Democratic Party and identify with the Republican Party in 2000 and 2004. Our conclusion is that although Latinos may have increasingly voted for the Republican candidate in 2004 and over time may change their partisan preferences, the Hispanic electorate was far from abandoning its partisan attachment to the Democratic Party.
The mediating roles of perceived stress and health behaviors in the relation between objective, subjective, and neighborhood socioeconomic status and perceived health.

Objective, subjective, and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with perceived health, morbidity, and mortality. We investigated whether perceived stress and health behaviors mediated the relation between the three types of SES and perceived health. Participants (N = 508) attending a public clinic completed a computerized survey assessing objective SES (income, education, employment); health behaviors; perceived stress; and perceived health. They also indicated their social standing relative to others (subjective SES) and provided their current address to determine neighborhood SES. In a structural equation model including all three SES types, lower objective and subjective SES were related to poorer perceived health. When mediators were included in the model, there were significant indirect effects of (a) SES on health through stress and (b) SES on health through stress and health-compromising behaviors. Interventions to reduce the impact of stressors could improve the health of socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals.
Predictive value of blood and bone marrow flow cytometry in B-cell lymphoma classification: comparative analysis of flow cytometry and tissue biopsy in 252 patients.

OBJECTIVE To study the effectiveness of peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow flow cytometric immunophenotyping (FCIP) in predicting the histologic B-cell lymphoma type. PATIENTS AND METHODS We studied the FCIP results and tissue histopathology from 252 patients with B-cell lymphoma seen at Mayo Clinic's site in Rochester, MN, between January 1, 1997, and January 1, 2004, who had positive results on PB, bone marrow, or body fluid FCIP and a corresponding diagnostic tissue biopsy specimen. RESULTS Most of the B-cell lymphomas studied were low grade, with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma being most common. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping histogram analysis was more informative than tabulated percentage antigen positivity; surface immunoglobulin and CD20 staining intensity, CD5 and CD23 positivity, CD10 positivity, and the coexpression of CD11c/CD22 and CD103 were the most pertinent markers. Using these FCIP parameters and strict immunophenotypic definitions for CLL, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), and hairy cell leukemia, we obtained greater than 95% specificity for each diagnosis. However, we encountered the following exceptions to standard paradigms of B-cell lymphoma-associated FCIP: (1) CD5 expression by disorders distinct from CLL and MCL, (2) lack of uniform CD5 positivity in some CLL and MCL cases, (3) absence of CD10 in approximately 50% of follicular lymphomas, and (4) expression of CD103 by occasional marginal zone lymphomas. CONCLUSION Stringent interpretation of PB and bone marrow FCIP results enables identification of certain B-cell lymphoma types. However, the observed exceptions to accepted immunophenotypic paradigms highlight the occasional phenotypic overlap among diseases and emphasize that a systematic approach to FCIP interpretations is key to providing clinically useful diagnostic information.
Structured Carbon Nanotube/Silicon Nanoparticle Anode Architecture for High Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

Silicon is emerging as a very attractive anode material for lithium ion batteries due to its low discharge potential, natural abundance, and high theoretical capacity of 4200 mAh/g, more than ten times that of graphite (372 mAh/g). This high charge capacity is the result of silicon’s ability to incorporate 4.4 lithium atoms per silicon atom; however, the incorporation of lithium also leads to a 300-400% volume expansion during charging, which can cause pulverization of the material and loss of access to the silicon. The architecture of the anode must therefore be able to adapt to this volume increase. Here we present a layered carbon nanotube and silicon nanoparticle electrode structure, fabricated using directed assembly techniques. The porous carbon nanotube layers maintain electrical connectivity through the active material and increase the surface area of the current collector. Using this architecture, we obtain an initial capacity in excess of 4000 mAh/g, as well as increased power and energy density as compared to anodes fabricated using the standard procedure of slurry casting.
Relation Between Molecular Force Calculations and Observed Strengths of Enamel‐Metal Interfaces

Thermodynamic works of adhesion between a porcelain enamel and gold, platinum, palladium, graphite, and a gold-base metal alloy were determined from surface-tension and contact-angle measurements. Theoretical shear strengths in the order of 80,000 psi were calculated from these data. Mechanical strength tests indicated values, however, of only 3000 to 10,000 psi for these interfaces. Wetting forces were therefore strong enough to account for the observed interface strengths. The strengthening effect of metal oxides on the bond strength is discussed in terms of the polarization and dislocation theories.