cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of GTP‐binding proteins in hormone and drug action: Adenylate cyclase and other transduction processes

A large number of surface membrane receptors are coupled to proteins (N or G) that bind GTP. The N proteins generally consist of three distinct subunits, designated α, β, and γ, of which only the α-subunit binds and degrades GTP to GDP. The α subunits are homologous in structure at the GTP-binding domains but vary in function. When activated by GTP-γ-S and Mg ions or by homones and GTP, α-subunits are released from the complexes with the β/γ-subunits remain membrane-bound during the activation of the α-subunits. The α-subunits regulate adenylate cyclase; activate phospholipases that break down phosphoinositides to inositol-trisphosphate and diacylglycerides; regulate potassium channels and voltage-activated calcium channels; and may regulate Mg ion channels and glucose transport. Based on the varied actions of the same α-subunit and evidence that the α-subunits are modified by kinases and possibly other protein-modifying enzymes, it is proposed that these GTP-binding proteins are the primary messengers of hormone action; when released from their moorings with β/γ-complexes (and receptors) into the cytosol the α-proteins are suggested to regulate several signal-amplifying processes (enzymes, channels, transporters) and are subject to alterations in structure and function. In this sense the α-GTP-binding programs can be considered as “programmable messengers.”
Evaluating Craving in Crack‐Cocaine Abusers

The authors evaluated the psychometric properties of a 33-item Likert-scale questionnaire assessing subcomponents of craving in 77 crack-cocaine abusers. Split-half and test-retest correlations were moderate to strong, indicating good internal reliability. High correlations with traditional visual analog scale measures of drug thoughts and cravings (but not other symptoms) support the questionnaire's validity as a measure of subjective craving. An exploratory factor analysis indicated that craving in these treatment-seeking crack-cocaine abusers is motivated both by the positive reinforcing properties of cocaine and by seeking relief from negative symptoms. A previous study using a similar questionnaire found that craving in non-treatment-seeking drug users was motivated primarily by the desire and intention to use cocaine. The results support the notion that subcomponents of craving exist and may vary with motivational state (i.e., those in treatment vs. non-treatment-seekers).
High pass output matching technique with enhanced third harmonic rejection for CDMA power amplifiers

This paper presents an alternative output matching technique using high pass configuration with improved third harmonic rejection characteristics for high-power amplifiers. By adding very small capacitor to the conventional high pass output matching circuits, phase of the third harmonic termination could be adjusted to have better performance. With an improved third harmonic rejection, we demonstrated better power-added efficiency(PAE) and linearity i.e. adjacent channel power ratio(ACPR) at the same time through the stringent trade-off of efficiency versus linearity. US-PCS (1850-1910MHz) power amplifier module employing the proposed output matching circuits is showing 1.23% higher PAE and 4.0dB better ACPR than the counterpart without an additional third harmonic rejection circuit.
Regulation of feed-forward and feedback strategies at the human ankle during balance control

The dynamics of sway during quiet stance have often been approximated by the movement of an unstable inverted pendulum. Controlling this unstable load requires the nervous system to balance the reliance on feed-forward volitional activation and feedback mechanisms such as stretch reflexes. It has been demonstrated that reflex excitability is heightened when postural stability is threatened by destabilizing forces in the environment. However, the relationship between postural stability, volitional activation, and stretch reflex excitability remains unclear. We addressed this question by characterizing feed-forward and feedback activation strategies during balance of a simulated inverted pendulum. We hypothesized that feed-forward co-contraction and stretch reflex amplitude would scale together as the external support provided by the environment was reduced. Electromyographic (EMG) responses in 5 muscles of the lower limb were used to characterize co-contraction patterns and stretch reflex amplitude as subjects stabilized the simulated loads. Our results revealed that co-contraction magnitude did indeed scale with increasingly destabilizing torques; however reflex amplitude was attenuated as stability was reduced. These findings suggest that the contribution of feedback mechanisms to postural stability depends on both the level of stability provided by the environment and how the environment influences the pattern of volitional activation.
Sustainability and Livelihood Diversification among the Maasai of Northern Tanzania

Maasai people in East Africa are attempting to craft new sustainable livelihoods in response to increasing population pressure, a fluctuating livestock population, reductions in grazing areas, and a modernization process that places increased emphasis on a monetary economy. The adoption of cultivation by pastoral Maasai living in northern Tanzania over the last 40 years has been the most significant step in this livelihood diversification. The rapid social and economic changes that have accompanied diversification have challenged current attempts to integrate people into conservation efforts, especially in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the newly proposed Wildlife Management Areas of Tanzania. This paper examines the addition of agriculture to the livestock-based economy of Maasai people in northern Tanzania, how this relates to the literature on sustainable livelihoods, and the implications for conservation policy.
SdiA Aids Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Carriage by Cattle Fed a Forage or Grain Diet

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) causes hemorrhagic colitis and life-threatening complications. The main reservoirs for EHEC are healthy ruminants. We reported that SdiA senses acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) in the bovine rumen to activate expression of the glutamate acid resistance (gad) genes priming EHEC's acid resistance before they pass into the acidic abomasum. Conversely, SdiA represses expression of the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) genes, whose expression is not required for bacterial survival in the rumen but is necessary for efficient colonization at the rectoanal junction (RAJ) mucosa. Our previous studies show that SdiA-dependent regulation was necessary for efficient EHEC colonization of cattle fed a grain diet. Here, we compared the SdiA role in EHEC colonization of cattle fed a forage hay diet. We detected AHLs in the rumen of cattle fed a hay diet, and these AHLs activated gad gene expression in an SdiA-dependent manner. The rumen fluid and fecal samples from hay-fed cattle were near neutrality, while the same digesta samples from grain-fed animals were acidic. Cattle fed either grain or hay and challenged with EHEC orally carried the bacteria similarly. EHEC was cleared from the rumen within days and from the RAJ mucosa after approximately one month. In competition trials, where animals were challenged with both wild-type and SdiA deletion mutant bacteria, diet did not affect the outcome that the wild-type strain was better able to persist and colonize. However, the wild-type strain had a greater advantage over the SdiA deletion mutant at the RAJ mucosa among cattle fed the grain diet.
Prognosis of metastatic carcinoma of the lung in the bevacizumab era: comparison between the major histologic types of lung cancer.

Background In October 2006, bevacizumab was approved for treatment for patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer other than squamous carcinoma. Our hypothesis was that the change in survival after approval of bevacizumab for metastatic adenocarcinoma would show differences from that of small-cell carcinoma and squamous carcinoma. Methods Data was obtained from the National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry for patients with lung cancer diagnosed between January 2004 and November 2007. In addition to known characteristics predicting survival differences (histotype, age, gender, and race) we compared 1-year survival experience in those diagnosed before (January 2004–September 2006) and after (October 2006–November 2007) introduction of bevacizumab. Results Of 24,575 patients meeting criteria, 16,081 (65.4%) died within 1 y. Adjusted for age, gender, and race, patients with squamous carcinoma showed a 13% decline (95% CI 7%–20%) in survival times. By contrast, the 1% increment for adenocarcinoma and the 1% decrement for small cell carcinoma might well have been due to chance ( P > 0.05 for each analysis). Conclusions Life expectancy for metastatic adenocarcinoma (for which bevacizumab is approved) and metastatic small-cell carcinoma (bevacizumab not approved) did not change statistically. On the other hand, life expectancy for patients with metastatic squamous carcinoma (bevacizumab not approved) of the lung has declined since the approval of bevacizumab. This likely reflects increased classification of tumors previously diagnosed as poorly differentiated non-small-cell carcinoma as poorly differentiated squamous carcinoma. Hence, life expectancy of metastatic adeno, squamous, and small-cell-lung cancer has not improved after introduction of bevacizumab.
Overview of the physics and engineering design of NSTX upgrade

The spherical tokamak (ST) is a leading candidate for a Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) due to its compact size and modular configuration. The National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX) is a MA-class ST facility in the US actively developing the physics basis for an ST-based FNSF. In plasma transport research, ST experiments exhibit a strong (nearly inverse) scaling of normalized confinement with collisionality, and if this trend holds at low collisionality, high fusion neutron fluences could be achievable in very compact ST devices. A major motivation for the NSTX Upgrade (NSTX-U) is to span the next factor of 3–6 reduction in collisionality. To achieve this collisionality reduction with equilibrated profiles, NSTX-U will double the toroidal field, plasma current, and NBI heating power and increase the pulse length from 1–1.5 s to 5–8 s. In the area of stability and advanced scenarios, plasmas with higher aspect ratio and elongation, high βN, and broad current profiles approaching those of an ST-based FNSF have been produced in NSTX using active control of the plasma β and advanced resistive wall mode control. High non-inductive current fractions of 70% have been sustained for many current diffusion times, and the more tangential injection of the 2nd NBI of the Upgrade is projected to increase the NBI current drive by up to a factor of 2 and support 100% non-inductive operation. More tangential NBI injection is also projected to provide non-solenoidal current ramp-up as needed for an ST-based FNSF. In boundary physics, NSTX measures an inverse relationship between the scrape-off layer heat-flux width and plasma current that could unfavourably impact next-step devices. Recently, NSTX has successfully demonstrated substantial heat-flux reduction using a snowflake divertor configuration, and this type of divertor is incorporated in the NSTX-U design. The physics and engineering design supporting NSTX Upgrade is described.
Introduction of the mercury transposon Tn501 into Rhizobium japonicum strains 31 and 110

Transposon Tn501, which encodes resistance to mercuric ions, was introduced into Rhizobium japonicum 110 and 31 by conjugal transfer. The transposon donor plasmid (pMD100) was able to mobilize into R. japonicum, but could not be maintained. Hg2+-resistant colonies were recovered at a frequency of 1.9 × 10−8/recipient for strain 110, and 1.7 × 10−7/recipient for strain 31. Presence of Tn501 in Hg-resistant isolates was verified by Southern analysis and demonstrating transposition of Hg resistance. Transposon mutagenesis has been used to generate auxotrophic mutations at low frequency.
A test of the optimal classifier's independence assumption in perceptual categorization.

Observers completed perceptual categorization tasks that included separate base-rate/payoff manipulations, corresponding simultaneous base-rate/payoff manipulations, and conflicting simultaneous base-rate/payoff manipulations. Performance (1) was closer to optimal for 2:1 than for 3:1 baserate/ payoff ratios and when base rates as opposed to payoffs were manipulated, and (2) was more in line with the predictions from the flat-maxima hypothesis than from the independence assumption of the optimal classifier in corresponding and conflicting simultaneous base-rate/payoff conditions. A hybrid model that instantiated simultaneously the flat-maxima and the competition between reward and accuracy maximization (COBRA) hypotheses was applied to the data. The hybrid model was superior to a model that incorporated the independence assumption, suggesting that violations of the independence assumption are to be expected and are well captured by the flat-maxima hypothesis without requiring any additional assumptions. The parameters indicated that observers’ reward-maximizing decision criterion rapidly approaches the optimal value and that more weight is placed on accuracy maximization in separate and corresponding simultaneous base-rate/payoff conditions than in conflicting simultaneous base-rate/payoff conditions.
P-brush: Continuous valued MRFs with normed pairwise distributions for image segmentation

Interactive image segmentation traditionally involves the use of algorithms such as graph cuts or random walker. Common concerns with using graph cuts are metrication artifacts (blockiness) and the shrinking bias (bias towards shorter boundaries). The random walker avoids these problems, but suffers from the proximity bias (sensitivity to location of pixels labeled by the user). In this work, we introduce a new family of segmentation algorithms that includes graph cuts and random walker as special cases. We explore image segmentation using continuous-valued Markov random fields (MRFs) with probability distributions following the p-norm of the difference between configurations of neighboring sites. For p=1 these MRFs may be interpreted as the standard binary MRF used by graph cuts, while for p=2 these MRFs may be viewed as Gaussian MRFs employed by the random walker algorithm. By allowing the probability distribution for neighboring sites to take any arbitrary p-norm (p ≥ 1), we pave the path for hybrid extensions of these algorithms. Experiments show that the use of a fractional p (1 <; p <; 2) can be used to resolve the aforementioned drawbacks of these algorithms.
Graphical program development with PECAN program development systems

This paper describes the user's view of the PECAN family of program development systems. PECAN is a program development system generator for algebraic programming languages. The program development systems it produces support multiple views of the user's program, its semantics, and its execution. The program views include a syntax-directed editor, a declaration editor, and a structured flow graph editor. The semantic views include expression trees, data type diagrams, flow graphs, and the symbol table. Execution views show the program in action and the stack contents as the program executes. PECAN is designed to make effective use of powerful personal machines with high-resolution graphics displays and is currently implemented on APOLLO workstations.
The COG and COPI Complexes Interact to Control the Abundance of GEARs, a Subset of Golgi Integral Membrane Proteins

The conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex is a soluble hetero-octamer associated with the cytoplasmic surface of the Golgi. Mammalian somatic cell mutants lacking the Cog1 (ldlB) or Cog2 (ldlC) ...
Analysis of Subassemblies of Pertussis Toxin Subunits In Vivo and Their Interaction with the Ptl Transport Apparatus

Pertussis toxin (PT) has an AB5 structure that is typical of many bacterial protein toxins; however, this toxin is more complex than many toxins since it is composed of five different subunit types, subunits S1 to S5. Little is known about how PT assembles in vivo and how and when it interacts with its secretion apparatus, known as the Ptl transporter. In order to better understand these events, we expressed subsets of the genes encoding the S1, S2, and/or S4 subunits of PT in strains of Bordetella pertussis that either did or did not produce the Ptl proteins. We found evidence to suggest that certain subassemblies of the toxin, including subassemblies consisting of the S1 subunit and incomplete forms of the B oligomer, can form in vivo, at least transiently. These results suggest that the B oligomer of the toxin does not need to completely form before interactions between the S1 subunit and B-oligomer subunits can occur in vivo. All subassemblies localized primarily to the membrane fraction of the cell. Moreover, we found that Ptl-mediated secretion occurs in a strain that produces S1 and an incomplete complement of B-oligomer subunits. These results indicate that subassemblies of the toxin consisting of the S1 subunit and a partial B oligomer can interact with the Ptl system.
Mechanisms and timescales of generating eruptible rhyolitic magmas at Yellowstone caldera from zircon and sanidine geochronology and geochemistry

We constrain the physical nature of the magma reservoir and the mechanisms of rhyolite generation at Yellowstone caldera via detailed characterization of zircon and sanidine crystals hosted in three rhyolites erupted during the (c. 170–70 ka) Central Plateau Member eruptive episode—the most recent post-caldera magmatism at Yellowstone. We present 238 U– 230 Th crystallization ages and trace-element compositions of the interiors and surfaces (i.e. unpolished rims) of single zircon crystals from each rhyolite. We compare these zircon data with 238 U– 230 Th crystallization ages of bulk sanidine separates coupled with chemical and isotopic data from single sanidine crystals. Zircon age and trace-element data demonstrate that the magma reservoir that sourced the Central Plateau Member rhyolites was long-lived (150–250 kyr) and genetically related to the preceding episode of magmatism, which occurred c. 256 ka. The interiors of most zircons in each rhyolite were inherited from unerupted material related to older stages of Central Plateau Member magmatism or the preceding late Upper Basin Member magmatism (i.e. are antecrysts). Conversely, most zircon surfaces crystallized near the time of eruption from their host liquids (i.e. are autocrystic). The repeated recycling of zircon interiors from older stages of magmatism demonstrates that sequentially erupted Central Plateau Member rhyolites are genetically related. Sanidine separates from each rhyolite yield 238 U– 230 Th crystallization ages at or near the eruption age of their host magmas, coeval with the coexisting zircon surfaces, but are younger than the coexisting zircon interiors. Chemical and isotopic data from single sanidine crystals demonstrate that the sanidines in each rhyolite are in equilibrium with their host melts, which considered along with their near-eruption crystallization ages suggests that nearly all Central Plateau Member sanidines are autocrystic. The paucity of antecrystic sanidine crystals relative to antecrystic zircons requires a model in which eruptible rhyolites are generated by extracting melt and zircons from a long-lived mush of immobile crystal-rich magma. In this process the larger sanidine crystals remain trapped in the locked crystal network. The extracted melts (plus antecrystic zircon) amalgamate into a liquid-dominated (i.e. eruptible) magma body that is maintained as a physically distinct entity relative to the bulk of the long-lived crystal mush. Zircon surfaces and sanidines in each rhyolite crystallize after melt extraction and amalgamation, and their ages constrain the residence time of eruptible magmas at Yellowstone. Residence times of the large-volume rhyolites (� 40–70 km 3 ) are � 1 kyr (conservatively <6 kyr), which suggests that large volumes of rhyolite can be generated rapidly by extracting melt from a crystal mush. Because the lifespan of the crystal mush that sourced the Central Plateau Member rhyolites is two orders of magnitude longer than the residence time of eruptible magma
Practice patterns, satisfaction, and demographics of reproductive endocrinologists: results of the 2014 Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Workforce Survey

Objective To identify the current and future state of the practice of reproductive medicine. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) None. Intervention(s) Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure(s) The survey included 57 questions designed to assess practice patterns/metrics and professional satisfaction and morale. Result(s) A total of 336/1,100 (31%) responded, and they were 38% women, 61% men, and 76% Caucasian, with a mean age of 54. Respondents averaged 2.3 jobs and averaged 53 hours of work per week: 44% work in academia and 50% in private groups. Average practice size was 5.5, with an average of 470 fresh IVF cycles performed per year. Percent effort included 63% infertility, 10% endocrinology, 10% surgery, and 9% research. Respondents performed an average of 13 major surgeries, 69 minor surgeries, and 128 oocyte retrievals per year. A total of 60% were salaried, and 40% were equity partners. Compensation was highly skewed. Greater than 84% had a positive morale and had a positive view of the future, and 92% would again choose REI as a career. The most satisfying areas of employment were patient interactions, intellectual stimulation, interactions with colleagues, and work schedule. The least satisfying areas were work schedule and financial compensation. Training was felt to be too focused on female factor infertility and basic research with insufficient training on embryology, genetics, male factor infertility, and clinical research. In the next 5 years, 57% suggested that the need for specialists would stay the same, while 20% predicted a decrease. A total of 58% felt we are training the correct number of fellows (37% felt we are training a surplus). Compared with academia, those in private practice reported higher compensation, less major surgery, more IVF, less endocrinology, and less research. Men worked more hours, conducted more surgery and IVF cycles, and had higher compensation than women. Morale was similar across age, gender, practice type, and geography. Conclusion(s) Our subspecialty has an extremely high morale. We are a middle-aged subspecialty with disparate compensation and a focused practice. Some respondents sense a need for a change in our training, and most anticipate only mild growth in our field.
Word Stress: Disentangling stress and pitch-accent: a typology of prominence at different prosodic levels

There are numerous studies devoted to the typological examination of stress (e.g. Hyman 1977, Liberman & Prince 1977, Hayes 1980, 1995, Prince 1983, Halle & Vergnaud 1987, Goedemans and van der Hulst 1996, Elenbaas & Kager 1999, Gordon 2002, Hyde 2002, Heinz 2009, van der Hulst & Goedemans 2009, van der Hulst et al 2010). This research program has produced many interesting observations and theoretical treatments of stress. Nevertheless, despite the advances it has made, stress typology is subject to limitations that make its findings difficult to situate within a broader theory of linguistic prominence encompassing intonation and prosodic constituency. In particular, even early stress typologists (e.g. Hyman 1977) observed that most typological and theoretical work on stress is based on descriptions gleaned from grammars, for which it is plausible, even likely, that the reported stress patterns are based on words uttered in isolation, where the word is equivalent to an utterance. In such cases, the reported stress patterns more accurately reflect phraseor utterance-level prominence rather than true word-level stress. This chapter represents a preliminary attempt to tease apart word-level stress from prominence associated with larger prosodic units with an eye toward creating a typological database of both types of prominence and their relationship to each other. In particular, we focus here on the ability of peripheral syllables to bear prominence at both the word and phrase level. While this endeavor might seem premature due to the relative paucity of thorough descriptions that disambiguate prominence attributed to different constituents, there is a clear trend toward increasing awareness among linguists of the important distinction between wordlevel stress and higher-level prominence. Grammars are thus more likely nowadays to provide explicit, even if cursory, statements about whether their description of prominence refers to word-level stress or phrase-level prominence. Genetti’s (2007) grammar of the Tibeto-Burman language Dolakha Newar provides an example of a recent grammar with a detailed prosodic description featuring a five-page description of stress, a 22-page chapter on prosody, including phrasal accent and intonation, as well as several representative pitch and intensity traces. Closely intertwined with this movement toward greater clarity of prosodic descriptions is the now ubiquitous availability of free acoustic analysis software, in particular, Praat (Boersma & Weenink 2010), which allows for both rapid confirmation of impressionistic judgments about stress and phrasal prominence and the possibility of more systematic quantitative study of acoustic correlates of prominence of different types. Some grammars now include representative displays such as pitch traces, waveforms, intensity curves, that provide some sense of how prominence is acoustically manifested. The incorporation of phonetic data of this sort is
The Three-Point Problem in a Coordinated Field

An improved method of solving the classical three-point problem, particularly adapted to orientation or location in a previously co-ordinated field, and to calculation by machine instead of by loga...
The Country of Consciousness

If philosophy begins in the East with these questions from the mystical Upanishads, perhaps it can be shown that philosophy is ending in the West with the same questions. The Existentialist quest for self-knoweldge and the authentic self, as charted in the philosophies of Martin Heidegger and Gabriel Marcel, may well be the Western equivalent to Eastern path philosophy, presenting us with a final, over-coming or fulfillment of Western philosophy?what Heidegger calls the "end of philosophy"1 itself. That end of philosophy, it might be argued, is to be found in the origins of Eastern thought, the Vedas and Upanishads, toward which the thinking of these two philosophers move.
Cover Use and Predator-related Mortality in Song and Savannah Sparrows

The predicted relationship between mortality risk and sparrow community structure is simple. It is as- sumed that the risk of predation is nonrandom across a given landscape because of the patchiness of veg- etation used as cover, and that prey species segregate spatially according to their specific abilities to utilize areas of varying risk. Unfortunately, unlike seed use and availability, predation risk is very difficult to quantify. This is so because observations of predatory
Reevaluating the Antebellum Slave Community: A Comparative Perspective

During the 1970s a huge outpouring of revisionist works drastically altered our understanding of antebellum slavery in the Unites States South. Despite differences in approach and emphasis, most of these works shared a common thrust: the accentuation of slave culture and community. Beginning at least in part as an effort to refute Stanley M. Elkins's thesis that southern slavery left its victims depersonalized, docile "Samboes," slavery revisionism soon widened its focus to deal with the slaves' folklore, religion, family lives, community organization, and resistance. ' Relying heavily on previously little-used black sources such as slave autobiographies, interviews, folktales, and songs, historians came to see southern blacks as subjects in their own right rather than simply as objects of white oppression.2 A common recognition spread that the slaves' lives were by no means entirely prescribed by their masters. As George P. Rawick puts it, "While from sunup to sundown the American slave worked for another and was harshly exploited, from sundown to sunup he lived for himelf and created the behavioral and institutional -basis which prevented him from becoming the absolute victim. ' 3
Deteminiation of benzen in human plasma by HS-SPME-GC

Objective:To establish a headspace solid——phase microextraction——gas chromatography method for determining benzene in human plasma.Methods:The headspace solid-phase microextraction was capillary chromatogram column,1.0 ml blood plasma sample was sealed in vials of the headspace,and clamed for 30 min at 60℃,then a set of SPME got air in the headspace to be sample.Results:The regression equation of the method was Y=4.73 10-5X+0.0892,r=0.9995,fine linear relation was at the range of 0 to 10the limit of detection for methanol was 0.12 μmol/L.The RSD(%) were 6.21%,4.37%,and 5.13%,respectively.The recovery rates for low,moderate and high scalar blood sample were 96.1%,108.0%,and 97.8%,respectively.Conclusion:The method is suitable for the determination of benzene in human plasma.
Survival of Dengue virus in post mortem samples of tissues from experimentally infected Rhesus monkeys.

Dengue virus was shown to persist at 4° C for at least 96 hours and at room temperature for at least 24 hours in tissues removed from experimentally infected monkeys. Virus could not be recovered from samples of the same tissue stored at -70° C for 1 week.
Transatlantic tussles in the fission race

Atom-smashing was as popular as barrel-smashing in the 1930s. Ernest Rutherford, who many believed was a force of nature, inspired experimental physicists to probe the atomic nucleus, which he had discovered with brute force. His early discoveries all employed the simple sources that nature offered the would-be students of alpha and beta rays. However, his transmutation of the nitrogen nucleus at the end of the First World War persuaded him that nature needed help from man if the nucleus was to yield its secrets.
TH-F-202-01: MRI Basics

MRI has excellent soft tissue contrast and can provide both anatomical and physiological information. It is becoming increasingly important in radiation therapy for treatment planning, image-guided radiation therapy, and treatment assessment. It is critically important at this time point to educate and update our medical physicists about MRI to prepare for the upcoming surge of MRI applications in radiation therapy. This session will review important basics of MR physics, pulse sequence designs, and current radiotherapy application, as well as showcase exciting new developments in MRI that can be potentially useful in radiation therapy. Learning Objectives: 1.To learn basics of MR physics and understand the differences between various pulse sequences 2.To review current applications of MRI in radiation therapy.To discuss recent MRI advances for future MRI guided radiation therapy Partly supported by NIH (1R21CA165384).; W. Miller, Research supported in part by Siemens Healthcare; G. Li, My clinical research is in part supported by NIH U54CA137788. I have a collaborative research project with Philips Healthcare.; J. Cai, jing cai
Review: NAATs diagnose C difficile; vancomycin improves cure, and fidaxomicin reduces recurrence.

Source Citation Butler M, Olson A, Drekonja D, et al. Early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of Clostridium difficile: Update. Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 172. AHRQ Publication No. 16-...
Nash equilibrium, refinements of

Game theory studies decisions by several persons in situations with significant interactions. Two features distinguish it from other theories of multi-person decisions. One is explicit consideration of each person’s available strategies and the outcomes resulting from combinations of their choices; that is, a complete and detailed specification of the ‘game’. Here a person’s strategy is a complete plan specifying his action in each contingency that might arise. In non-cooperative contexts, the other is a focus on optimal choices by each person separately. John Nash (1950; 1951) proposed that a combination of mutually optimal strategies can be characterized mathematically as an equilibrium. According to Nash’s definition, a combination is an equilibrium if each person’s choice is an optimal response to others’ choices. His definition assumes that a choice is optimal if it maximizes the person’s expected utility of outcomes, conditional on knowing or correctly anticipating the choices of others. In some applications, knowledge of others’ choices might stem from prior agreement or communication, or accurate prediction of others’ choices might derive from ‘common knowledge’ of strategies and outcomes and of optimizing behaviour. Because many games have multiple equilibria, the predictions obtained are incomplete. However, equilibrium is a weak criterion in some respects, and therefore one can refine the criterion to obtain sharper predictions (Harsanyi and Selten, 1988; Hillas and Kohlberg, 2002; Kohlberg, 1990; Kreps, 1990).
Mathematical Sociology: Some Educational and Organizational Problems of an Emergent Sub-Discipline.

Summary Three major areas of mathematical sociology are critically reviewed: analysis of measurement, statistical analysis and model building. Next, some social problems, created by the introduction of mathematics into sociology, are discussed. These include the emergence of inflated expectations for mathematical sociology which are subsequently disappointed, and the potential status threat which mathematical sociology poses for non‐mathematical sociologists. Examples of mathematical applications in the construction of causal models, population projection and the analysis of stability in social groups are discussed. Following this, the role of mathematics in the education of undergraduate sociology majors is considered. Neither mathematics nor statistics should be required of such persons, but they should be encouraged to acquire a mathematical background if interested. Statistics should, however, be required of sociology graduate students. The graduate training of mathematical sociologists should emphasi...
Gender comparisons of injection drug use practices in shooting galleries

Previous research studies and anecdotal evidence portray shooting galleries as locales that place injection drug users at great risk for HIV infection, drug use and violence. Collectively, these studies highlight the need to intervene with injectors who frequent shooting galleries. However, few researchers have studied an often-forgotten risk group – women injecting drug users who frequent shooting galleries – and compared their risk behaviors to their male counterparts. To address this gap in the research literature and to evaluate the functionality of the shooting gallery as a setting for HIV prevention, we collected data on risk practices from 201 injectors (101 men and 100 women) who were recruited from eight shooting galleries in Miami, Florida. Results indicate that, compared with men, women injectors engaged in a similar variety and frequency of injection risk behaviors and had more shooting companions. While only minor gender differences were apparent, relatively few injectors – male or female – adhered to current recommendations for needle hygiene practices. Needle hygiene practices existed equally among injectors of both sexes, however very few adhered to current recommendations. Furthermore, contrary to common images of shooting galleries, use of other drugs was infrequently reported, episodes of violence or victimization were uncommon, and sexual contact almost never occurred. Operators of shooting galleries, both men and women, indicated their willingness to participate in HIV prevention efforts. Implications of these findings for HIV intervention indicate that (1) there is a great need to intervene with both men and women IDUs who frequent shooting galleries and that (2) shooting galleries can be an optimal setting for HIV prevention.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy for high-risk prostate cancer (5 treatment days): Toxicity results of a phase II trial.

46Background: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for high-risk prostate cancer (CaP) remains investigational not only due to undetermined efficacy but also due to concerns for the potential toxicity when the treatment volumes extend beyond the prostate gland itself. Methods: Men with high-risk CaP, as defined by Gleason score > = 8, clinical stage T3-T4, or initial PSA > = 20 ng/mL, were enrolled on a multicenter phase II trial and were treated with 40 Gy to prostate and 25 Gy to pelvic nodes in 5 fractions and 9 months neoadjuvant and concurrent ADT. Treatment with ADT and pelvic nodal radiation was at the discretion of the treating physician. Follow-up assessment was with CTCAE v4 and Expanded Prostate Composite Index (EPIC). Results: A total of 61 patients were treated, with a median follow-up of 12 months. Forty (64.4%) received ADT and 23 (37.1%) received nodal radiation. The median initial PSA was 8.1 ng/mL and 8% of patients had clinical T3-T4 disease; 45.9% and 39.3% had Gleason score 8 and 9-1...
Estimation of parameters in single phase grid connected and stand-alone inverter system

The control of single phase grid connected and stand-alone inverters are very important for power electronics and power systems applications. The controller design for each topology needs an accurate plant model. The plant model depends on the system parameters (equivalent loss resistance, filter inductance and capacitance) which are not fixed. This paper proposes model reference based adaptive control (MRAC) to estimate the system parameters for accurate plant modeling. Simulation and experimental results presented validate the proposed scheme.
Upper Airway Stimulation for Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An Evaluation and Comparison of Outcomes at Two Academic Centers

Study Objectives:Data from patients at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) undergoing upper airway stimulation (UAS) were analyzed. We hyp...
Foreignness and Vengeance: On Rizal's El Filibusterismo

Author(s): Rafael, Vicente | Abstract: Philippine national hero Jose Rizal's (1861-1896) second novel, El Filibusterismo (1891) was written in Castilian, a language only 1% of the population could read, and published in Ghent. It is read in every school in the Philippines, but in an English translation, or is known by comic book or film versions. Much of its original nuance is simplified. In Spanish dictionaries, one of the definitions of filibustero is that of a pirate, hence a thief. But as one who, we might say in English, "filibusters", s/he is also one who interrupts parliamentary proceedings, smuggling his or her own discourse into those of others. In either case, we can think of the filibustero as an intruder, breaking and entering into where s/he does not properly belong, and doing so by surprise and often in disguise. Small wonder then that by the latter nineteenth century, "filibustero" was also glossed as "subversive," in the sense of a disruptive presence, a figure who by word or deed, suddenly and surreptitiously steals upon the social order.
Ilusiones duraderas: La organización social del engaño y el secreto

Los sociologos teorizan que las personas obedecen los preceptos de los estados y otras organizaciones por interes propio o por la legitimidad percibida de las autoridades. No obstante, algunas organizaciones se basan en mentiras, o en secretos, y pareceria que estas deberian disolverse rapidamente, dada la facilidad con la que puede emerger la verdad. Este articulo sienta las bases de una sociologia del engano, centrandose en las mentiras y secretos que se sostienen por anos o incluso decadas. Las ideas de Goffman y Simmel nos proporcionan un punto de partida teorico. Luego, analizaremos el esquema Ponzi de Bernard Madoff como un estudio de caso. A partir de este y otros ejemplos, el articulo culmina en una teoria que distingue las barreras al conocimiento, las barreras a la capacidad de cuestionar, las barreras a la divulgacion, las barreras a la percepcion, las barreras a la capacidad de creer, y las barreras a la accion. En conjunto, estas barreras pueden contrarrestar la tendencia natural entropica que tiene la informacion a filtrarse y difundirse, en parte porque la efectividad de un tipo de barrera puede causar imperfecciones en otras de ellas.
Modeling Ratchetting and Anisotropic Deformation with Hardening Dynamic Recovery Format Models

ABSTRACT Unified creep plasticity models which employ a hardening dynamic recovery format for internal stress evolution typically suffer from inability to properly model unloading/reloading behavior of metals. In this paper, a memory surface associated with long range backstresses is introduced to address these problems.
Serendipity in Catalysis Research: Boron-Based Materials for Alkane Oxidative Dehydrogenation.

ConspectusLight olefins such as ethylene and propylene form the foundation of the modern chemical industry, with yearly production volumes well into the hundreds of millions of metric tons. Currently, these light olefins are mainly produced via energy-intensive steam cracking. Alternatively, oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of light alkanes to produce olefins allows for lower operation temperatures and extended catalyst lifetimes, potentially leading to valuable process efficiencies. The potential benefits of this route have led to significant research interest due to the wide availability of natural gas from shale deposits. Advances in this area have still not yielded catalysts that are sufficiently selective to olefins for industrial implementation, and ODH still remains a holy grail of selective alkane oxidation research. The main challenge in selective oxidation lies in preventing the overoxidation of the desired product, such as propylene during propane oxidation, to CO and CO2. Research into selectiv...
The Caregiver Burden of Delirium in Older Adults With Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders.

OBJECTIVES To measure the burden of delirium in older adults with or without Alzheimer disease or related disorders (ADRDs). DESIGN Prospective, observational cohort. SETTING Inpatient hospital and study participants' homes. PARTICIPANTS A subset (n = 267) of older medical and surgical patients and their caregivers enrolled in the Better Assessment of Illness study. MEASUREMENTS Delirium burden was measured using the DEL-B instrument (range = 0-40, with higher scores indicating greater burden) in caregivers (DEL-B-C) and patients 1 month after hospitalization. Severity of cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA]), delirium presence (Confusion Assessment Method [CAM]), and delirium severity (CAM-Severity [CAM-S]) were measured during hospitalization and at 1-month follow-up. ADRD diagnosis was determined by a clinical consensus process. RESULTS For patients with (n = 56) and without (n = 211) ADRD, both DEL-B instruments had good internal consistency. DEL-B-C scores had a median (interquartile range) among caregivers of patients with and without ADRD of 9 (5-15) and 5 (1-11), respectively (P < .05). If the patient developed delirium, caregivers experienced greater burden (β[delirium × ADRD] = -.29; P = .42), regardless of ADRD status. Further, caregiver burden was modestly correlated with patient MoCA scores (Spearman correlation coefficient, ρ = -0.18; P = .01). Patients with ADRD who developed delirium self-reported less burden than those without ADRD (β[delirium × ADRD] = -.67; P = .044). As with caregivers, delirium burden was modestly correlated with patient MoCA score (ρ = -0.18; P = .005) and correlated with the CAM-S in patients without ADRD (ρ = 0.38; P < .001) but not for patients with ADRD (ρ = -0.07; P = .61). CONCLUSIONS Delirium resulted in the same degree of increased caregiver burden regardless of whether a patient had ADRD, signifying delirium is equally stressful to caregivers, even among those with experience caring for someone with a chronic cognitive disorder. Delirium burden is only modestly associated with degree of cognitive impairment, suggesting that other aspects of delirium contribute to burden. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:2587-2592, 2019.
Induction of Noninflammatory Pain in an Experimental Foot Lameness Model in Horses.

Abstract The mechanism by which nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs mitigate pain caused by a heart bar shoe (HBS) model of lameness is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if this HBS model of lameness induces inflammation in horses. Five healthy adult horses from a university teaching herd were enrolled. A custom HBS was applied to the left front foot of each horse, followed by induction of the American Association of Equine Practitioners Lameness Score of 4. Inflammatory markers including serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration, local venous tumor necrosis factor alpha and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) concentrations, and foot temperature were measured before lameness induction and 1, 3, and 13 hours after lameness induction. Lameness induction using the HBS model did not significantly increase production of plasma SAA, tumor necrosis factor alpha, or PGE2 concentrations at measured time points. Immediately and 1 hour after lameness induction, dorsal coronary band temperatures were higher in the left front foot compared with the right front foot, but there was no difference at 3 or 13 hours. In conclusion, the HBS model did not induce inflammation as assessed by select inflammatory markers, suggesting that the HBS model induces mechanical rather than inflammatory pain. This should be considered when using the HBS model to assess analgesic drugs in horses.
Introduction: Approaching the Holocaust in the Twenty-First Century

This collection of essays reflects current approaches to Holocaust literature and culture. Holocaust writing since the turn of the millennium is characterized by a variety of different genres, effects, and forms of representation. The corresponding scholarship engages with and responds to this literature and other Holocaust cultural artifacts as it measures both their efficacy and their uniqueness. The chapters herein reflect diverse generational perspectives—survivor writing, second and third generations—and genres—memoirs, poetry, novels, graphic narratives, films, video-testimonies, and other forms of literary and cultural expression. Together the chapters represent a chorus of generational voices that are deeply engaged in making emphatic the complexities of witnessing, of testimony, and of transmission in their attempts to locate a fitting response to art made of atrocity.
Evaluating Web-Based Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests for Cancer Susceptibility

PURPOSERecent years have seen direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing for cancer susceptibility change dramatically. For one, a new model now dominates the market where tests are advertised to con...
LUS+: Extension of the LUS designator concept to differentiate most sequence alleles for 27 STR loci

Abstract We previously proposed representation of STR sequences using the LUS to expedite use of sequence-level information in probabilistic genotyping. To consider the greater diversity of allele sequences now known, here we surveyed datasets representing >3000 individuals from 12 population groups. From 1059 ForenSeq Universal Analysis Software (UAS) range alleles detected for 27 STR loci, we identified additional motifs that could be referenced in designations to differentiate >99 % of alleles. To further assist labs with probabilistic interpretation of sequence-based STRs, we include lookup tables for conversion of UAS range sequences to LUS/LUS+ alleles, and provide LUS and LUS+ allele frequency tables.