cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Double-strand break-induced mitotic gene conversion: Examination of tract polarity and products of multiple recombinational repair events

Double-strand break (DSB)-induced gene conversion in yeast was studied in crosses betweenura3 heteroalleles carrying phenotypically silent markers at approximately 100-bp intervals, which allow high-resolution analyses of tract structures. DSBs were introduced in vivo by HO nuclease at sites within shared homology and were repaired using information donated by unbroken alleles. Previous studies with these types of crosses showed that most tracts of Ura+ products are continuous, unidirectional, and extend away from frameshift mutations in donor alleles. Here we demonstrate that biased tract directionality is a consequence of selection pressure against Ura+ products that results when frameshift mutations in donor alleles are transferred to recipient alleles. We also performed crosses in which frameshift mutations in recipient and donor alleles were arranged such that events initiated at DSBs could not convert broken alleles to Ura+ via a single gap repair event or a single long-tract mismatch repair event in heteroduplex DNA. This constraint led to low recombination frequencies relative to unconstrained crosses, and inhibited preferential conversion of broken alleles. Physical analysis of 51 DSB-induced products arising from multiple recombinational repair events suggested that hDNA formation is generally limiting, but that some hDNA regions may extend more than 600 bp. Among these products, markers separated by 20 by were independently repaired about 40% of the time.
Bloch waves and bloch bands of Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices

Bloch waves and Bloch bands of Bose-Einstein condensates in optical lattices are studied. We provide further evidence for the loop structure in the Bloch band, and compute the critical values of the mean-field interaction strength for the Landau instability and the dynamical instability.
Sulfuric acid aerosols in the atmospheres of the terrestrial planets

Abstract Clouds and hazes composed of sulfuric acid are observed to exist or postulated to have once existed on each of the terrestrial planets with atmospheres in our solar system. Venus today maintains a global cover of clouds composed of a sulfuric acid/water solution that extends in altitude from roughly 50 km to roughly 80 km. Terrestrial polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) form on stratospheric sulfuric acid aerosols, and both PSCs and stratospheric aerosols play a critical role in the formation of the ozone hole. Stratospheric aerosols can modify the climate when they are enhanced following volcanic eruptions, and are a current focus for geoengineering studies. Rain is made more acidic by sulfuric acid originating from sulfur dioxide generated by industry on Earth. Analysis of the sulfur content of Martian rocks has led to the hypothesis that an early Martian atmosphere, rich in SO 2 and H 2 O, could support a sulfur-infused hydrological cycle. Here we consider the plausibility of frozen sulfuric acid in the upper clouds of Venus, which could lead to lightning generation, with implications for observations by the European Space Agency's Venus Express and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Venus Climate Orbiter (also known as Akatsuki ). We also present simulations of a sulfur-rich early Martian atmosphere. We find that about 40 cm/yr of precipitation having a pH of about 2.0 could fall in an early Martian atmosphere, assuming a surface temperature of 273 K, and SO 2 generation rates consistent with the formation of Tharsis. This modeled acid rain is a powerful sink for SO 2 , quickly removing it and preventing it from having a significant greenhouse effect.
A US military perspective.

This paper discusses lipid therapy decision-making at the population level within the United States (US) Military Health Services System. The US Military Health Services System serves approximately 8.2 million beneficiaries fairly representative of the general population. Of its $680 million annual pharmacy expenditure, $45–$50 million is spent on lipid-lowering drugs. The military Medical Treatment Facilities (MTF) carry a Tri-Service Drug Formulary list, which serves as a bare minimum to which individual facilities may add other agents. The Department of Defense Pharmacoeconomic Center (PEC) performs cost-effectiveness analyses, establishes the Tri-Service Drug Formulary list and the National Mail Order Pharmacy formulary list, and provides drug treatment guidelines. Hyperlipidemia treatment guidelines published by the Pharmacoeconomic Center in 1995, which recommend the use of niacin, colestipol, and pravastatin, are currently under revision to take into consideration new drugs and new information in the field of lipid-lowering therapies. Future changes to the MTF outpatient formulary management may include the introduction of a Basic Core List of essential agents and a Master Pharmaceutical Agent List comprising the only drugs from which facilities may choose to add to their Basic Core List. These changes are designed to standardize drug availability across military facilities to leverage market share for lower drug prices.
Synthesis of a 1,2,3‐triazolo[1,5‐a]‐1,3,5‐triazine. A new heterocyclic system

The synthesis of 3-methyl-7-oxo-5-thioxo-4H,6H-1,2,3-triazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5- triazine (a new bicyclic system) is described. The key step involves reaction of 4-amino-5-methyl-1,2,3-triazole with carbethoxyisothiocyanate followed by cyclization with alkali.
Image information transfer properties of x‐ray fluorescent screens

The image information transfer efficiency for five x‐ray fluorescent screens (calcium tungstate, barium halide, and three rare earth screens) has been experimentally determined with monoenergetic x‐ray beams at energies of 18, 22, 32, 49, 51, 58, and 69 keV. The transfer efficiency, which is defined by the ratio of the output to input signal‐to‐noise ratios, was determined from measurements of (a) the fraction of incident x rays absorbed in the screen and (b) the statistical distribution of the number of light photons emitted from the screen per absorbed x ray which was determined by light photon counting techniques. Comparisons of the information transfer efficiency, the average number of light photons emitted per absorbed x ray, and the light output energy per Roentgen are given for the above screens and x‐ray energies.
Political Public Relations and the Promotion of Participatory, Transparent Government Through Social Media

Using data collected from more than 450 local government officials from municipalities across the United States, this study examines the impact that various community features have on local governments' social media use. It specifically addresses how staff and time resources, privacy concerns, citizen expectations, social media effectiveness, staff size, and public records requirements affect extent of use of social media for networking, research, and conferencing purposes. Ultimately, this examination of social media use reveals how they are used as a strategic and public relations function to promote more participatory and transparent government. Results indicate that, overall, citizen expectations and perceived social media effectiveness by government officials are strong predictors of social media use.
Interaction between phonological and semantic factors in auditory comprehension

Abstract This study compared Wernicke's and Broca's aphasic patients as to the influence of phonological vs semantic factors in their ability to make phonemic discriminations. Eight subjects of each diagnostic type participated in three experiments in which semantic processing played an increasing role. Experiment I was an auditory-auditory same-different match, Experiment II was an auditory-visual same-different match and Experiment III was an auditory vs visual multiple choice, introducing the possibility of either semantically or phonologically based errors. Wernicke's aphasics were more impaired than Broca's at all levels, but their performance was disproportionately impaired as semantic mediation was introduced. Semantically based errors outnumbered phonologically based errors in Experiment III, which showed that just as semantic processing demand increases the risk of phonological error, so does phonological difficulty increase the risk of semantic error.
An unusual presentation of a vascular birthmark: A focal area of congenital lipoatrophy on the buttock

A 3-year-old girl presented with a focal area of congenital lipoatrophy on the buttock. There was no history of trauma or injections to the site. An excisional biopsy of the lesion was performed. The pathology of the lesion was most consistent with a vascular malformation with capillary predominance. This is an unusual presentation of a capillary malformation that has not been reported in the literature. The normal clinical presentation, natural history, pathologic findings, and imaging findings of capillary malformations are reviewed. These characteristics are compared to other easily confused lesions, such as haemangiomas, including infantile, rapidly-involuting, and non-involuting haemangiomas. Usually, the clinical appearance of congenital vascular lesions confers the ability to correctly distinguish these birthmarks. However, as this case demonstrates, the possibility of a vascular lesion should be considered with any congenital cutaneous lesion regardless of its appearance.
Advantages of GaN in a high-voltage resonant LLC converter

LLC Resonant converters have been popular in recent years by providing highly-efficient, compact isolated power conversion for numerous applications. 48V to 12V and 400V to 12V step-down isolated converters are often required in server, telecom and automotive applications. While the switching losses in LLC converters are eliminated due to zero-voltage switching, the primary-side switch output capacitance limits switching frequency and thus places a lower-bound on the converter size. This switch-node capacitance can be significantly reduced by the use of high-voltage Gallium Nitride (GaN) power transistors. This paper demonstrates a 500W, 380V to 12V LLC converter using GaN transistors which achieves 97.85% efficiency with a 308 W/in3 power density.
Developing a Community Science Research Agenda for Building Community Capacity for Effective Preventive Interventions

Research has shown that prevention programming can improve community health when implemented well. There are examples of successful prevention in local communities, however many continue to face significant challenges, demonstrating a gap between science and practice. Common strategies within the United States to address this gap are available (e.g., trainings), but lack outcomes. Building community capacity to implement high quality prevention can help communities achieve positive health outcomes, thereby narrowing the gap. While there is ample research on the efficacy of evidence-based programs, there is little on how to improve community capacity to improve prevention quality. In order to narrow the gap, a new model of research—one based in Community Science—is suggested that improves the latest theoretical understanding of community capacity and evaluates technologies designed to enhance it. In this article, we describe this model and suggest a research agenda that can lead to improved outcomes at the local level.
Fermi-edge singularities in InGaAs and GaAs quantum wires

Abstract Strong Fermi-edge singularities (FES) were observed in the magnetoluminescencc spectra of' InGaAs quantum wires of electronic widths of Lww ≈ 500 A. These quasi-l-dimensional (1D) many-electron/ one-hole correlation effects cause a large shift in spectral weight from the band-edge to the conduction Fermi energy, when compared with unpatterned (2D) structures. While the FES effects in the InGaAs quantum wires arc associated with spatially direct transitions, we have also observed related effects in GaAs, where a Schottky gate bias is needed to induce the effect due to the dominantly spatially indirect nature of the transitions.
Fluoride varnish may improve white spot lesions

A randomised, parallel-group, controlled clinical trial. The test group had fluoride varnish applied onto the tooth surfaces with WSLs using a miniature cotton swab or brush and advised not to brush for four hours. The control group had saline solution applied. Status of the WSLs were assessed using a DIAGNOdent pen (KaVo, Biberach, Germany). Of the 110 participants recruited, 14 dropped out between the debonding and the six-month recall visit. There were statistically significant differences between the mean DIAGNOdent readings of the two groups at the three-month (P<0.05) and at the six-month follow-up visits (P<0.01). No adverse response or safety concerns in the use of fluoride varnish were reported by any of the subjects. A greater decrease in DIAGNOdent pen readings was found in the test group during the first six months after debonding. This may be taken to imply an improvement in the WSLs. Thus, topical fluoride varnish application appears to be a good method to treat WSLs and should be advocated as a routine measure after orthodontic treatment.
The Spectral Sensitivity of Single Units in the Nucleus Rotundus of Pigeon, Columba livia

Responses to diffuse monochromatic light were recorded from single units in the diencephalon of pigeon. Units were both excited and inhibited by light stimulation. Intensity-response functions based on latency measures to the first spike after stimulation were used to generate action spectra. One class of spectral sensitivity functions presumably from rods, showed peak sensitivities near 500 nm: these functions were unaffected by changing criterion values used to generate the functions. A second class of cone functions showed multiple peak sensitivities at 540 nm and 600–620 nm. These units shifted their peak sensitivities with a change in criterion values. Unit response types tended to be localized differentially in the nucleus rotundus. Excitatory units were located in the dorsal half of the nucleus, while inhibitory units were located in the ventral half, with a few exceptions. An attempt was made to integrate the present findings with previous behavioral, electrophysiological, photochemical, and anatomical data in the pigeon.
Analysis of mucolipidosis II/III GNPTAB missense mutations identifies domains of UDP-GlcNAc:lysosomal enzyme GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase involved in catalytic function and lysosomal enzyme recognition.

UDP-GlcNAc:lysosomal enzyme GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase tags newly synthesized lysosomal enzymes with mannose 6-phosphate recognition markers, which are required for their targeting to the endolysosomal system. GNPTAB encodes the α and β subunits of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase, and mutations in this gene cause the lysosomal storage disorders mucolipidosis II and III αβ. Prior investigation of missense mutations in GNPTAB uncovered amino acids in the N-terminal region and within the DMAP domain involved in Golgi retention of GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase and its ability to specifically recognize lysosomal hydrolases, respectively. Here, we undertook a comprehensive analysis of the remaining missense mutations in GNPTAB reported in mucolipidosis II and III αβ patients using cell- and zebrafish-based approaches. We show that the Stealth domain harbors the catalytic site, as some mutations in these regions greatly impaired the activity of the enzyme without affecting its Golgi localization and proteolytic processing. We also demonstrate a role for the Notch repeat 1 in lysosomal hydrolase recognition, as missense mutations in conserved cysteine residues in this domain do not affect the catalytic activity but impair mannose phosphorylation of certain lysosomal hydrolases. Rescue experiments using mRNA bearing Notch repeat 1 mutations in GNPTAB-deficient zebrafish revealed selective effects on hydrolase recognition that differ from the DMAP mutation. Finally, the mutant R587P, located in the spacer between Notch 2 and DMAP, was partially rescued by overexpression of the γ subunit, suggesting a role for this region in γ subunit binding. These studies provide new insight into the functions of the different domains of the α and β subunits. Background: Mutations in GNPTAB cause the lysosomal disorders mucolipidosis II and III αβ. Results: All reported missense mutations were studied and showed various consequences on its gene product, αβ GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase. Conclusion: Domains responsible for catalytic activity and lysosomal hydrolase recognition were identified. Significance: Analysis of patient mutations provided new insight into the functional domains of αβ GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase.
In vivo range of motion of the lumbar spinous processes

The study design included an in vivo laboratory study. The objective of the study is to quantify the kinematics of the lumbar spinous processes in asymptomatic patients during un-restricted functional body movements with physiological weight bearing. Limited data has been reported on the motion patterns of the posterior spine elements. This information is necessary for the evaluation of traumatic injuries and degenerative changes in the posterior elements, as well as for improving the surgical treatment of spinal diseases using posterior procedures. Eight asymptomatic subjects with an age ranging from 50 to 60 years underwent MRI scans of their lumbar segments in a supine position and 3D models of L2–5 were constructed. Next, each subject was asked to stand and was positioned in the following sequence: standing, 45° flexion, maximal extension, maximal left and right twisting, while two orthogonal fluoroscopic images were taken simultaneously at each of the positions. The MRI models were matched to the osseous outlines of the images from the two orthogonal views to quantify the position of the vertebrae in 3D at each position. The data revealed that interspinous process (ISP) distance decreased from L2 to L3 to L4 to L5 when measured in the supine position; with significantly higher values at L2–3 and L3–4 compared with L4–5. These differences were not seen with weight-bearing conditions. During the maximal extension, the ISP distance at the L2–3 motion segment was significantly reduced, but no significant changes were detected at L3–4 and L4–5. During flexion the ISP distances were not significantly different than those measured in the MRI position at all segments. Going from the left to right twist positions, the L4–5 segment had greater amounts of ISP rotation, while all segments had similar ranges of translation in the transverse plane. The interspinous process distances were dependent on body posture and vertebral level.
The omnipresence of case-based reasoning in science and application

A surprisingly large number of research disciplines have contributed towards the development of knowledge on lazy problem solving, which is characterized by its storage of ground cases and its demand-driven response to queries. Case-based reasoning (CBR) is an alternative, increasingly popular approach for designing expert systems that implements this approach. This paper lists pointers to some contributions in some related disciplines that offer insights for CBR research. We then outline a small number of Navy applications based on this approach that demonstrate its breadth of applicability. Finally, we list a few successful and failed attempts to apply CBR, and list some predictions on the future roles of CBR in applications.
Implementation of successive linear programming algorithms for non-convex goal programming

Abstract Computer implementation of an effective approach for the solution of non-linear, non-convex ratio goals problem is presented. The approach uses Charnes and Cooper's [11] linearization method of solution of ratio goals problem with a sequence of perturbed linear programming (LP) problems. For efficient solution, it incorporates the Opposite Sign Algorithm and the Negative Image Method, both of which use the available information from the most recently solved problem. The efficiency of these algorithms against a new start each time a new LP problem is set up for solution has been confirmed with computational testing on randomly generated problems.
Field Distribution of Dasineura oxycoccana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Adults, Larvae, Pupae, and Parasitoids and Evaluation of Monitoring Trap Designs in Florida

Blueberry gall midge, Dasineura oxycoccana (Johnson), is a pest of cultivated blueberries throughout the world. Larvae feed and develop in developing leaf buds, and also in flower buds of rabbiteye blueberries, which causes buds to fall off the plant. These injuries can cause up to 80% yield loss in heavy infestations. As the larvae are protected from insecticides, adults must be targeted with foliar applications. Consequently, the detection of adults through an effective monitoring program is critical to time insecticide sprays against the blueberry gall midge. Understanding the distribution of the midge and its parasitoids is also important information for developing a more effective pest management program. A comparison of three monitoring trap types demonstrated that bucket emergence traps and clear panel traps captured similar numbers of midges, although the bucket trap is more sensitive at low population levels. Using bucket emergence traps, we found that nearly 80% of the midges collected pupated within 48 cm of the blueberry bush, suggesting that a targeted soil treatment may be a viable integrated pest management tactic that could be included in a midge management program. Traps and bud samples demonstrated that adult and larval midges and parasitoids were randomly distributed throughout the field in both years, with the exception of larval aggregation in early 2012. As parasitoid distribution is parallel to host occurrence within blueberry plantings, this increases the potential for biological control activities against the blueberry gall midge in fields that do not receive broad-spectrum insecticide applications.
Tissue localization of T and B lymphocytes in lagomorphs: anatomical evidence for a major role of the gastrointestinal associated lymphoid tissue in generation of lymphocytes in the adult.

Abstract T and B cell domains are identified in rabbit lymphoid organs by immunofluorescence. The thymus is made up completely of T cells, the lymph node contains B cells in follicles and T cells in the diffuse cortex, the spleen contains B cells in the follicles of white pulp and T cells in the periaortic sheath with some overlap of T cells into B cell domains. The gastrointestinal lymphoid tissue contains a complex lymphoid cell organization. In the appendix at least seven zones may be recognized; T cells and B cells of different immunoglobulin classes are localized in different sites. T cells are localized in the dome overlying the follicles and thymus dependent area between the follicles. B cells of IgM, IgA, IgG and IgE classes are prominent in the center of follicles with lesser staining in the corona. The rim of the follicle contains null cells. The isthmus and mushroom submucosal tissue stain intensely for IgA, whereas IgE staining is less and IgM and IgG staining are very faint. These morphologic observations are consistent with other findings that suggest that the gastrointestinal lymphoid tissue is a major source of T and B cells in adult animals not only for the local production of secretory IgA and T cells which are released into the intestinal lumen but also for dissemination of T cells and B cells of other Ig classes to other lymphoid organs.
Electrowetting on flexible, transparent and conducting single-layer graphene

This paper reports the results of using graphene as a novel electrode material in the experiment of electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD). The device has a Teflon layer coated CVD graphene electrode which is patterned on transparent and flexible substrates such as PET films. By applying a potential difference between a liquid droplet and a graphene electrode, we observed a change in contact angle from 117° to 86° as the voltage is increased from 0V to 40V. We also demonstrated reversible electrowetting. By utilizing graphene as an electrode material we have achieved high breakdown voltage, transparency and flexibility, all of which will be beneficial for future applications such as flexible display technology and cell manipulation.
Low-temperature properties of two interacting magnetic impurities

Abstract We discuss a simple model consisting of four spins 1 2 ; S1 and S2 representing the impurity spins and s1 and s2 the conduction electron spin-densities at the impurity sites, coupled by three antiferromagnetic coupling: TK describing the local Kondo singlet-triplet splitting, J is the RKKY and K is a cross coupling between S1(S2) and s2(s1). This model has a critical point at J = 2K = 2TK with similar properties as the unstable fixed recently discovered by Jones, Varma and Wilkins: (i) a specific heat anomaly, (ii) a well-behaved uniform magnetic field susceptibility, (iii) a divergent staggered susceptibility, and (iv) a strongly varying expectation value with an average value of − 1 4 .
TU-B-BRA-02: X-Ray Plus Electron Radiotherapy with an Extendable MLC

Purpose: To demonstrate precision treatments with mixed electron and x‐rays beam without moving the patient or room re‐entry, focusing on concomitant electron boost and Intensity Modulated Photon and Electron Radiotherapy (IMPERT), the latter to reduce integrated dose to reduce secondary malignanciesMethod and Materials: X‐ray Plus Electron Radiotherapy (XPERT) utilizes an extendable multi‐leaf collimator(MLC) and accurate dose calculation. A commercial add‐on x‐ray MLC was used for shaping 6–21 MeV electron fields at source‐to‐collimator distances of 71.6 cm and 81.6 cm, projecting a maximum field size, with 8.6 cm air gap, of 19×17 cm2. The electron part of the treatment was forward planned using Monte Carlo simulation, validated with measurement. The x‐ray part was planned on a commercial planning system. IMPERT treatment of stylized phantoms were planned to give insight into choice of electron energy and dose, and IMRT optimization parameters for different sizes, shapes and positions of targets and organs‐at‐risk (OAR). IMPERT plans of patients were compared to the IMRT plan used to treat the patient. Results: 20–80% penumbra with 8.6 cm gap increased from 1–2.3 cm with decreasing energy. MLC scatter was 4–9% of the dose with decreasing energy and had a modest effect on the penumbra. A plan consisting of strip fields of increasing energy showed depth modulation of 2.0–6.5 cm at 80% of the maximum dose. In the stylized cases and the pediatric patient, IMPERT achieved comparable target coverage to IMRT with x‐rays alone, with reduced energy deposition in OAR and in normal tissue. Conclusions: XPERT treatment with a commercial add‐on x‐ray MLC and Monte Carlo dose calculation is clinically feasible. The thick leaves added manageable scatter while essentially eliminating leakage. IMPERT can be used to reduce integrated dose without compromising OAR avoidance and target coverage. Sponsored in part by Nucletron and LinaTech.
Early Mars: How Warm and How Wet?

Early in its history, Mars underwent fluvial erosion that has been interpreted as evidence for a warmer, wetter climate. However, no atmosphere composed of only CO2 and H2O appears capable of producing mean planetary temperatures even close to 0°C. Rather than by precipitation, aquifer recharge and ground water seepage may have been enabled by hydrothermal convection driven by geothermal heat and heat associated with impacts. Some climatic warming was probably necessary to allow water to flow for long distances across the surface. Modest warming could be provided by even a low-pressure CO2 atmosphere if it was supplemented with small amounts of CH4, NH3, or SO2. Episodic excursions to high obliquities may also have raised temperatures over some portions of the planet9s surface.
Seasonal occurrence of silicoflagellate morphologies in different environments of the eastern Pacific Ocean

Data on weekly to bimonthly particle flux collected by sediment traps in three environments show that forms of silicoflagellates do not have a simple and consistent relationship to either temperature or productivity of the overlying water column. Sites were located in the fjords of British Columbia, along a transect off the coast of southern Oregon, and in San Pedro Basin of the Southern California Bight. Either the “cool”Distephanus speculum or the “warm”Dictyocha messanensis may dominate at temperatures over a range from 10–19°C.D. speculum dominated high-productivity periods off Oregon, whileD. messanensis dominated during coastal upwelling events in the San Pedro Basin, regardless of surface temperature.Octactis pulchra showed no distinctive trend in the San Pedro Basin, the only locality where it was observed. The isolated presence ofD. speculum in the fjords, where mixed-zone salinity may be as low as 11‰, indicates a tolerance for hyposaline waters, but no other trends could be defined with respect to surface salinity.
Politics as the Mobilization of Anger: Emotions in Movements and in Power

In most academic research on politics, emotions are deemed important only to the realm of subjects or citizens, not to power. Emotions are presented as a problem power has to deal with, not something with which power is itself intimately involved. This article discusses recent attempts to reintroduce emotions into political analysis and argue that they are incomplete insofar as they look only at opposition social movements, not at mainstream parties. With a nod to Carl Schmitt, I argue that anger is not something that only occasionally bursts onto the political scene, but is central to ‘normal’ politics as well. Anger is central to politics both as a diffuse, untargeted sentiment citizens experience, usually economically, and as the emotion political organizers need to capture and channel, which they do by offering up an ‘enemy’ they identify as the source of the problem. Opposition movements and parties of power alike succeed when they persuade people to accept the enemy they propose.
The Liver Is a Site for Tumor-Induced Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Accumulation and Immunosuppression

Tumor-induced immunosuppression plays a key role in tumor evasion of the immune system. A key cell population recognized as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) contributes and helps orchestrate this immunosuppression. MDSC can interact with T cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells to create an environment favorable for tumor progression. In various tumor models, their presence at high levels has been reported in the bone marrow, blood, spleen, and tumor. We report for the first time that MDSC accumulate and home to the liver in addition to the other organs. Liver MDSC suppress T cells and accumulate to levels comparable with splenic MDSC. Additionally, hematopoiesis in the liver contributes to the dramatic expansion of MDSC in this organ. Furthermore, MDSC in the liver interact with macrophages, also known as Kupffer cells, and cause their up-regulation of PD-L1, a negative T-cell costimulatory molecule. The liver is thus an organ in which MDSC accumulate and can contribute to immunosuppression directly and indirectly. MDSC play a role in various pathologic states in addition to cancer, and these results contribute to our understanding of their biology and interactions with immune-related cells.
A finite branch-and-bound algorithm for two-stage stochastic integer programs

This paper addresses a general class of two-stage stochastic programs with integer recourse and discrete distributions. We exploit the structure of the value function of the second-stage integer problem to develop a novel global optimization algorithm. The proposed scheme departs from those in the current literature in that it avoids explicit enumeration of the search space while guaranteeing finite termination. Computational experiments on standard test problems indicate superior performance of the proposed algorithm in comparison to those in the existing literature.
The Relationship Between Student Use of Campus Green Spaces and Perceptions of Quality of Life

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. life satisfaction, university student satisfaction, quality of life of university students scale, green-use SUMMARY. Researchers have found that students’ perception of their overall academic experience and the campus environment is related to academic accomplishment. Additionally, studies have found that the designed environment of the university can influence the degree of stress students may feel. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between undergraduate university student use of campus green spaces and their perceptions of quality of life at a university in Texas. A total of 2334 students or 10% of the undergraduate student body received e-mails with information regarding the incentive for participation and instructions on accessing an online survey. The survey included questions that related to student use of campus green spaces, overall quality of life statements, an instrument to measure the quality of life of university students, and demographic questions. A total of 373 surveys was collected and analyzed to compare levels of quality of life of university students and the level of usage of campus green spaces. Demographic information collected allowed controlling for student grade classification, gender, and ethnicity. Frequency statistics determined that, on average, more than half the students were ranked as ‘‘high-users’’ of the campus green spaces, and very few students were considered ‘‘low-users.’’ Frequency statistics also determined that most students rated their overall quality of life and quality of life of university students positively. Additionally, this study found that undergraduate student use of campus green spaces and perceptions of quality of life were related to each other.
The Psychology of Enfranchisement: Engaging and Fostering Inclusion of Members through Voting and Decision-Making Procedures

Democratic systems have many advantages. They elicit perceptions of appropriateness and legitimacy, they engage the psychological investment and commitment of those participating in the system and invite the voluntary cooperation of these persons. We argue that these advantages are conferred in large part through two features of democratic institutions and societies: the participative nature of procedures used to elect leaders, and the fairness of decision-making procedures used by these leaders once in power. In particular, we emphasize the capacity of these procedures to engage community members and foster their inclusion, because they convey that members' concerns are taken seriously and that they are valued by the group that developed and employed those procedures, as well as by the leaders that utilize them. Implications for creating a sense of social inclusion in members of the population, and for encouraging public confidence among those who feel marginalized, in climates of distrust, and during times of crisis are discussed.
Transient kinetics of heparin-catalyzed protease inactivation by antithrombin III. Characterization of assembly, product formation, and heparin dissociation steps in the factor Xa reaction.

The kinetics of alpha-factor Xa inhibition by antithrombin III (AT) were studied in the absence and presence of heparin (H) with high affinity for antithrombin by stopped-flow fluorometry at I 0.3, pH 7.4 and 25 degrees C, using the fluorescence probe p-aminobenzamidine (P) and intrinsic protein fluorescence to monitor the reactions. Active site binding of p-aminobenzamidine to factor Xa was characterized by a 200-fold enhancement and 4-nm blue shift of the probe fluorescence emission spectrum (lambda max 372 nm), 29-nm red shift of the excitation spectrum (lambda max 322 nm), and dissociation constant (KD) of about 80 microM. Under pseudo-first order conditions [( AT]0, [H]0, [P]0 much greater than [Xa]0), the observed factor Xa inactivation rate constant (kobs) measured by p-aminobenzamidine displacement or residual enzymatic activity increased linearly with the "effective" antithrombin concentration (i.e. corrected for probe competition) up to 300 microM in the absence of heparin, indicating a simple bimolecular process with a rate constant of 2.1 x 10(3) M-1 s-1. In the presence of heparin, a similar linear dependence of kobs on effective AT.H complex concentration was found up to 25 microM whether the reaction was followed by probe displacement or the quenching of AT.H complex protein fluorescence due to heparin dissociation, consistent with a bimolecular reaction between AT.H complex and free factor Xa with a 300-fold enhanced rate constant of 7 x 10(5) M-1 s-1. Above 25 microM AT.H complex, an increasing dead time displacement of p-aminobenzamidine and a downward deviation of kobs from the initial linear dependence on AT.H complex concentration were found, reflecting the saturation of an intermediate Xa.AT.H complex with a KD of 200 microM and a limiting rate of Xa-AT product complex formation of 140 s-1. Kinetic studies at catalytic heparin concentrations yielded a kcat/Km for factor Xa at saturating antithrombin of 7 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 in agreement with the bimolecular rate constant obtained in single heparin turnover experiments. These results demonstrate that 1) the accelerating effect of heparin on the AT/Xa reaction is at least partly due to heparin promoting the ordered assembly of antithrombin and factor Xa in an intermediate ternary complex and that 2) heparin catalytic turnover is limited by the rate of conversion of the ternary complex intermediate to the product Xa-AT complex with heparin dissociation occurring either concomitant with this step or in a subsequent faster step.
Progress and New Developments in Carbon Capture and Storage

Growing concern over the impact on global climate change of the buildup of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere has resulted in proposals to capture carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) at large point sources and store it in geologic formations, such as oil and gas reservoirs, unmineable coal seams, and saline formations, referred to as carbon capture and storage (CCS). There are three options for capturing CO 2 from point sources: post-combustion capture, pre-combustion capture, and oxy-combustion. Several processes are available to capture CO 2 , and new or improved processes are under development. However, CO 2 capture is the most expensive part of CCS, typically accounting for 75% of overall cost. CCS will benefit significantly from the development of a lower cost post-combustion CO 2 capture process that can be retrofitted to existing power plants. Once captured, the CO 2 is compressed to about 150 atm and pipelined at supercritical conditions to a suitable storage site. Oil and gas reservoirs, because they h...
URETEROSCOPIC MANAGEMENT OF UPPER TRACT TRANSITIONAL CELL CARCINOMA IN PATIENTS WITH NORMAL CONTRALATERAL KIDNEYS

Purpose: The standard treatment for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma in patients with a normal contralateral kidney is nephroureterectomy with a bladder cuff or segmental ureterectomy. We evaluate whether ureteroscopic tumor resection with vigilant surveillance is a safe alternative in select patients.Materials and Methods: Patients with isolated upper tract filling defects on an excretory urogram and a normal contralateral kidney were diagnosed ureteroscopically with papillary low intermediate grade appearing transitional cell carcinoma. Biopsies of the lesions were obtained, and the tumors were treated with laser ablation or electrofulguration in the same sitting. Patients with cytopathological results of high grade transitional cell carcinoma underwent nephroureterectomy. Surveillance consisted of ureteroscopy every 3 months until tumor-free and ureteroscopy every 6 months thereafter.Results: Between 1989 and 1998, 23 patients with normal creatinine (mean 1.0, range 0.7 to 1.6) underwent uretero...
Realizable lower bounds for time delay estimation. 2. Threshold phenomena

In time delay estimation of narrowband signals the mean square error (MSE) plotted as a function of the signal to noise ratio (SNR) exhibits threshold phenomena. The thresholds divide the domain of SNR values into several disjoint segments. For very low SNR values the observations are dominated by noise and are essentially useless for delay estimation. Here the MSE is determined largely by the available a priori information. For intermediate SNR values, time delay estimates are possible, but are subject to ambiguities resulting from the oscillatory nature of the signal sample correlation. For very high SNR values, these ambiguities are resolvable and the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) yields a realistic bound for the attainable performance. A previous paper by Zeira and Schultheiss (see IEEE Trans. Signal Processing, vol.41, p.3102-3113, Nov. 1993) used the Barankin (1949) bound to obtain a realizable lower bound for the intermediate SNR region but left open the question where the transitions from low to medium and medium to high SNR operation occur. Since the attainable MSE in the three regions can be very different, the location of the SNR thresholds is of considerable practical interest. The present paper addresses this issue. It obtains threshold values for the single and two echo problems, with emphasis on the effect of echo separation in the two echo case. It concludes that the location of the thresholds is only weakly dependent on echo separation, even though the attainable MSE in both the intermediate and high SNR regions varies drastically as the echo separation changes. >
Improvement of Ratio-Type Estimators-II

This paper proposes a method for using multi-auxiliary information at both the design and the estimation stages of a sample survey. The proposed method is an extension of the classical multivariate method of Olkin (1958). The results of Agarwal and Kumar (1978) come out as a special case.
Fermi level tuning in (Y1 − yMy)1 − xUxPd3 (M = Th, La)

Abstract The effects of the increase of the U 5f binding energy and the decrease in the localized U 5f electron-conduction electron hybridization of the Kondo temperature, with U intersite interactions held constant to first approximation, are under investigation by means of electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat as a function of y for fixed values of x in the (Y 1 − y M y ) 1 − x U x Pd 3 (M = Th, La) systems.
Diabetes Risk Assessment of the UC Irvine Campus Population

Type 2 diabetes (T2D), historically affecting primarily older individuals, now affects younger people. Few studies have analyzed diabetes risk factors among younger individuals, including college s...
HIGH-RESOLUTION CT OF IDIOPATHIC INTERESTITIAL PNEUMONIAS

Important recent changes have occurred in our understanding of the IIPs. IPF (characterized histologically as UIP) is recognized as a progressive disease with a relatively poor prognosis, and with a characteristic CT appearance. The radiologist must be able to distinguish between UIP and the other IIPs. Complications of IPF include accelerated progression, lung cancer, and secondary infection. NSIP has a better prognosis than IPF, and has ground-glass attenuation as its salient CT feature. COP (formerly known as BOOP) is included as an IIP because its clinical, physiologic, and imaging features overlap with those of the other IIPs. It is characterized on CT by consolidation and ground-glass attenuation. AIP is the idiopathic form of ARDS. LIP and DIP are less common IIPs, both characterized by ground-glass attenuation.
Drug Interactions and the Pharmacist: Focus on Everolimus

OBJECTIVETo evaluate everolimus drug-drug and drug-food interactions, with an emphasis on patients with cancer.DATA SOURCESLiterature was accessed through PubMed (1990-March 2013) using Boolean combinations of the terms drug interactions, herb-drug interactions, food-drug interactions, everolimus, antineoplastic agents, hormonal, and breast neoplasms. In addition, reference citations from publications and the prescribing information for everolimus were reviewed.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTIONAll articles published in English, including human, animal, and in vitro studies, identified from the data sources were included.DATA SYNTHESISPatients with cancer are at increased risk for drug interactions because of the multiple medications they are prescribed to treat their disease and comorbid conditions. Everolimus, an oral mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, is indicated for the treatment in adults with progressive neuroendocrine tumors of pancreatic origin that are unresectable, locally advance...
Simplicial Models for Concurrency

We model both concurrent programs and the possible executions from one state to another in a concurrent program using simplices. The latter are calculated using necklaces of simplices in the former.
RECONSTRUCTION OF PARENTAL MICROSATELLITE GENOTYPES REVEALS FEMALE POLYANDRY AND PHILOPATRY IN THE LEMON SHARK, NEGAPRION BREVIROSTRIS

Because sharks possess an unusual suite of reproductive characteristics, including internal fertilization, sperm storage, relatively low fecundity, and reproductive modes that range from oviparity to viviparity, they can provide important insight into the evolution of mating systems and sexual selection. Yet, to date, few studies have characterized behavioral and genetic mating systems in natural populations of sharks or other elasmobranchs. In this study, highly polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to examine breeding biology of a large coastal shark, the lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, at a tropical lagoon nursery. Over six years, 910 lemon sharks were sampled and genotyped. Young were assigned into sibling groups that were then used to reconstruct genotypes of unsampled adults. We assigned 707 of 735 young sharks to one of 45 female genotypes (96.2%), and 485 (66.0%) were assigned to a male genotype. Adult female sharks consistently returned to Bimini on a biennial cycle to give birth. Over 86% of litters had multiple sires. Such high levels of polyandry raise the possibility that polyandry evolved in viviparous sharks to reduce genetic incompatibilities between mother and embryos. We did not find a relationship between relatedness of mates and the number of offspring produced, indicating that inbreeding avoidance was probably not driving pre- or postcopulatory mate choice. Adult male sharks rarely sired more than one litter at Bimini and may mate over a broader geographic area.
Embedment Cavities in Lacustrine Stromatolites: Evidence of Animal Interactions from Cenozoic Carbonates in U.S.A. and Kenya

Abstract Embedment structures are formed by the growth of a skeleton-producing host organism around a cavity maintained by an infesting organism. Through the process of embedding, the infesting animal passively produces a secure dwelling structure. This embedment ethology is common in modern and ancient marine settings. Previously unrecognized embedment cavities from ancient lacustrine stromatolites are identified and described here for the first time. Cenozoic lake deposits from the Washakie Basin in Wyoming and Turkana Basin in Kenya contain stromatolites with regularly pitted surfaces, which represent openings to embedment cavities. Stromatolitic laminae deflect downwards adjacent to the cavities. These cavities are circular to oval in cross-section and terminate with a blind base. A lack of branching, basal rootstock, and encrustation by stromatolitic laminae suggest that the cavities were not formed by the overgrowth of plant material, as has been suggested previously. Moreover, the rounded and evenl...