cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hb Seal Rock [(alpha 2)142 term-->Glu, codon 142 TAA-->GAA]: an extended alpha chain variant associated with anemia, microcytosis, and alpha-thalassemia-2 (-3.7 Kb).

Hb Seal Rock was first reported in a young African-American woman and her 2-year-old daughter (1). It is an extended α chain variant which, like Hb Constant Spring, is present in small quantity and is expressed as an α thalassemia. The mutation, TAA→GAA affects codon 142 of the α2 gene. In this family, the index case was a compound heterozygote for Hb Seal Rock trait and for α-thalassemia trait(-3.7 kb).Her hematologic expression was similar to mild Hb H disease, presumably because the Seal Rock mutation affects the α2 gene that is normally responsible for approximately 70% of α-globin synthesis. Her daughter had only Hb Seal Rock trait, but was phenotypically α-thalassemia-2 trait due to the expression of the Seal Rock mutation on one of her α2-globin genes, the other three α-globin genes being unaffected.
Milk progesterone enzyme immunoassay: modifications and a field trial for pregnancy detection in dairy cows.

Abstract A milk progesterone enzyme immunoassay was modified to shorten the antibody :antigen incubation time and tested in a field trial. Coupling the antibody to paper fibers at pH 7 increased the binding activity of the paper-antibody conjugate to allow incubation for 3h at room temperature with no significant loss of competitive binding of progesterone. The relationship between progesterone concentrations measured by the modified and original enzyme immunoassays was r=.94 (n=80 pairs). Milk samples (n=67) collected 21 d after artificial insemination were classified by the original and modified methods as being from pregnant or nonpregnant cows using both spectrophotometric and visual evaluations. Comparison to subsequent rectal palpation or return to estrus showed that the two methods were comparable. A field trial was conducted involving 622 cows and 40 producers using the modified enzyme immunoassay method. The overall field trial accuracy of the enzyme immunoassay in diagnosing the cow's reproductive status for a single sample on d 21 after breeding was 71% for correct diagnosis of pregnancy and 81% for correct diagnosis of nonpregnancy. It was concluded that the modified method is a valuable technique for rapid monitoring of milk progesterone concentrations.
Closed loop direct metal deposition : art to part

Abstract The direct metal deposition (DMD) process is drawing considerable contemporary interest due to its capability to deliver “Art to Part”. DMD can reduce the lead time for a concept to product by eliminating several intermediate steps. The most attractive feature of the process is that not only can it produce functional parts but it can also be interfaced with the homogenization design method, heterogeneous solid model and computer aided design software to produce “Designed Material” with desired properties generally not observed in nature. Closed loop DMD is a synthesis of multiple technologies including lasers, sensors, computer numerical controlled work handling stage, CAD/CAM software and cladding metallurgy. This paper describes the methodology used to produce a designed macro- and microstructure and reviews the state of the art for closed loop DMD.
Cytoskeletal organisation and modification during pollen tube arrival, gamete delivery and fertilisation in Plumbago zeylanica

The cytoskeletal organisation of the isolated embryo sac and egg cells of Plumbago zeylanica was examined before, during and after pollen tube penetration into the embryo sac to determine the potential involvement of microtubules and actin filaments in fertilisation. Material was singly and triply stained using Hoechst 33258 to localise DNA, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled anti-alpha-tubulin to detect microtubules and rhodamine-phalloidin to visualise F-actin. Microtubules in the unfertilised egg cell are longitudinally aligned in the micropylar and mid-lateral areas, aggregating into bundles near the filiform apparatus. In the perinuclear cytoplasm of the egg cell, microtubules become more or less randomly aligned. F-actin bundles form a longitudinally aligned mesh in the chalazal cytoplasm of the egg cell. In the central cell, microtubules and F-actin are distributed along transvacuolar strands and are also evident in the perinuclear region and at the periphery of the cell. During pollen tube penetration, sparse microtubule bundles near the pathway of the pollen tube may form an apparent microtubular 'conduit' surrounding the male gametes at the delivery site. Actin aggregates become organised near the pathway of the pollen tube and at the delivery site of the sperm cells. Subsequently, actin aggregates form a 'corona' structure in the intercellular region between the egg and central cell where gametic fusion occurs. The corona may have a role in maintaining the close proximity of the egg and central cell and helping the two sperm cells move and bind to their target cells. The cytoskeleton may also be involved in causing the two nuclei of the egg and central cell to approach one another at the site of gametic fusion and transporting the two sperm nuclei into alignment with their respective female nucleus. The cytoskeleton is reorganised during early embryogenesis.
Phase, structural and microstructural investigations of plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite coatings

Abstract The properties and performance of plasma sprayed hydroxyapatite (Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 6 (OH) 2 , i.e. HA) coatings are closely related to their manufacturing process. The objective of the current study is to investigate the phase, structure and microstructure of the coatings and their formation mechanism due to different processing parameters. Hydroxyapatite powders were atmospherically plasma sprayed (APS) using various process parameters. The phase, structure and microstructure of the coatings were investigated and their microhardness measured. Both crystallinity and hydroxyl contents decreased with increasing spray power and stand-off distance (SOD), and increased from the coating interface to the surface. Crystallinity alone cannot reflect coating quality due to the existence of various forms of HA, i.e. unmelted, recrystallized and dehydroxylated, as well as the gradient structures consisting of these forms. Coating microstructure varied from a porous structure to a smooth glassy structure or a typical lamellar structure, and some newly formed nanocrystalline regions were revealed. These effects were associated with the temperature–time experiences of particles, their cooling rates and the heat and hydroxyl accumulation during coating buildup. The coating with highest recrystallization displayed the highest microhardness.
Temperature effects on a high Q FBAR in liquid

Abstract In this paper, we present the analysis of temperature effects on a zinc oxide (ZnO)-based film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) having a high quality factor (Q) in liquid environments. Q up to 120, an improvement of at least 8× greater than state-of-the-art devices in liquids, is achieved by integrating a microfluidic channel with thickness comparable to the acoustic wavelength in the FBAR. However, the FBAR has a significant temperature sensitivity, which degrades Q and shifts its resonant frequency, resulting in undesirable false-positive/negative responses. To minimize the temperature sensitivity, we analyze sources of temperature effects and characterize FBAR's resonant frequency in a Pierce oscillator. The frequency shift is compensated by tuning the supply voltage of the oscillator, achieving a large tunability of −4300 ppm/V. Measurements demonstrate that Q variation is well controlled within −2.5% per centigrade for a FBAR with a channel thickness of 3.9 μm while the temperature coefficient of oscillation frequency (TCF) reduces from −112 ppm/K to less than 1 ppm/K.
Common promoter deletion is associated with 3.9-fold differential transcription of ovine CCR5 and reduced proviral level of ovine progressive pneumonia virus.

Summary Chemokine (C-C motif) Receptor 5 (CCR5) is a chemokine receptor that regulates immune cell recruitment in inflammation and serves as a coreceptor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A human CCR5 coding deletion (termed delta-32) results in strong resistance to HIV infection, and sequence variants in CCR5 regulatory regions have been implicated in delayed progression to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Both ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPPV), also known as maedi-visna, and HIV are macrophage-tropic lentiviruses, have similar genomic structures, and cause lifelong persistent host infection, suggesting CCR5 may have a role in regulating OPPV provirus levels. Therefore, the ovine CCR5 genomic sequence was determined, and sequence variants were obtained from the open reading frame and surrounding regulatory sites. One CCR5 variant contained a 4-base deletion within a binding site for octamer transcription factors in the promoter region. A test for differential transcription from each allele in heterozygous animals showed a 3.9-fold transcription difference (P < 0.0001). OPPV proviral levels were also measured in 351 naturally exposed Rambouillet, Polypay and Columbia sheep. Deletion homozygotes showed reduced OPPV proviral levels among these animals (P < 0.01). The association of this CCR5 promoter deletion with OPPV levels will need to be validated in additional populations before the deletion can be recommended for widespread use in marker-assisted selection. However, because of the large impact on transcription and because CCR5 has roles in inflammation, recruitment of effector cells, and cell-mediated immunity, this deletion may play a role in the control of infections of many diverse pathogens of sheep.
Influence of patient head positioning on measured axial tooth inclination in panoramic radiography

Objective: Panoramic radiographs are routinely used to assess the mesiodistal axial inclination of teeth (MDAI) in orthodontic treatment. These radiographs are sensitive to minor deviations from standard head position that result in image distortions. The aim of this study is to measure and quantify the changes in MDAI on panoramic radiograph resulting from changes in patient head position. Materials and Methods: The testing devise was a human skull with guide wires placed on the facial surface of the teeth and alveolar process along the long axis of each tooth. Panoramic radiographs were captured digitally with the orientation of the skull in Frankfurt horizontal plane parallel to the floor and with 1°, 2°, 5°, 7°, and 10° both superior and inferior rotations. The mesiodistal tooth angulations were determined using MIPAC software (DentalEye and LEAD Technologies, Inc. 2005). Results: The more distal the position of the tooth in the arch the greater the change in MDAI with a change in vertical head positi...
Early Detection of Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli in Sugarcane Leaves by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

A real-time, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was developed for detecting Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli in sugarcane leaf tissue. Real-time PCR assays were conducted on the youngest, fully expanded leaf of three cultivars collected bi-weekly from field nurseries between 11 April and 19 July 2005. L. xyli subsp. xyli infection was detected in leaves collected at all sampling dates, including those from 1-month-old plants on 11 April. Assays conducted on older, more rapidly growing plants (28 July and 21 October 2005) indicated that leaf position affects assay efficiency. Conventional PCR was less efficient than real-time PCR for detecting L. xyli subsp. xyli in leaf tissue. Real-time PCR was used to rank cultivars for susceptibility to L. xyli subsp. xyli infection based on the relative titer of L. xyli subsp. xyli in leaves of inoculated, 3- and 4-month-old greenhouse-grown plants. The ranking of cultivars by real-time PCR was in close agreement with the ranking determined by tissue-blot enzyme immunoassay performed on tissue from 7- to 9-month-old stalks.
Identification and validation of suitable endogenous reference genes for gene expression studies in human peripheral blood

Gene expression studies require appropriate normalization methods. One such method uses stably expressed reference genes. Since suitable reference genes appear to be unique for each tissue, we have identified an optimal set of the most stably expressed genes in human blood that can be used for normalization. Whole-genome Affymetrix Human 2.0 Plus arrays were examined from 526 samples of males and females ages 2 to 78, including control subjects and patients with Tourette syndrome, stroke, migraine, muscular dystrophy, and autism. The top 100 most stably expressed genes with a broad range of expression levels were identified. To validate the best candidate genes, we performed quantitative RT-PCR on a subset of 10 genes (TRAP1, DECR1, FPGS, FARP1, MAPRE2, PEX16, GINS2, CRY2, CSNK1G2 and A4GALT), 4 commonly employed reference genes (GAPDH, ACTB, B2M and HMBS) and PPIB, previously reported to be stably expressed in blood. Expression stability and ranking analysis were performed using GeNorm and NormFinder algorithms. Reference genes were ranked based on their expression stability and the minimum number of genes needed for nomalization as calculated using GeNorm showed that the fewest, most stably expressed genes needed for acurate normalization in RNA expression studies of human whole blood is a combination of TRAP1, FPGS, DECR1 and PPIB. We confirmed the ranking of the best candidate control genes by using an alternative algorithm (NormFinder). The reference genes identified in this study are stably expressed in whole blood of humans of both genders with multiple disease conditions and ages 2 to 78. Importantly, they also have different functions within cells and thus should be expressed independently of each other. These genes should be useful as normalization genes for microarray and RT-PCR whole blood studies of human physiology, metabolism and disease.
Management of chilli thrips Scirtothrips dorsalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on peppers by Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

Abstract Chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood, recently established in southeast of the United States, poses an economic threat to a wide-range of ornamental and vegetable plants. In this study, we examined biological control of chilli thrips with a predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, and the insidious flower bug, Orius insidiosus Say. Laboratory tests showed that at equivalent rates, O. insidiosus was a more effective predator of adult thrips compared with A. swirskii , although the same trend was not observed with thrips larvae. At a rate of 20 predators per infested pepper plant, both predator species maintained ⩽0.5 thrips per leaf and 40% damage on control plants. Slightly less effective control was observed in a second study, where a reduced rate of predators (10 per plant) resulted in approximately 20% foliar damage, while damage was > 90% on control plants. Plants treated with O. insidiosus alone or in combination with A. swirskii had consistently fewer adult thrips and plant damage compared with A. swirskii alone. Furthermore, we observed different susceptibilities to thrips among pepper varieties, with damage lowest on ‘Trinidad perfume’ and ‘Brigadier hybrid’ compared with ‘Large red cherry’, and ‘Serrano’. Our results show that both predators were effective predators of chilli thrips on pepper and suggest that both species could be used in combination without decreased efficacy through intraguild predation.
Velocity Modulation Infrared Laser Spectroscopy of Molecular Ions

We have measured 62 lines in the v 4 band of the ammonium ion (NH4 +) using infrared diode laser velocity modulation spectroscopy of a hydrogen/ammonia discharge. The transitions were fitted to a fourth order spherical rotor hamiltonian yielding v 4 = 1447·2158(50) cm-1, B 4 = 5·85121(24) cm-1 and 2B 4ζ4 = 5·3757(11) cm-1. As in methane, the v 4 band is strongly perturbed by the higher frequency v 2 band. A comparison of the measured molecular properties with ab initio calculations is given.
Optimal Data-Based Binning for Histograms

Histograms are convenient non-parametric density estimators, which continue to be used ubiquitously. Summary quantities estimated from histogram-based probability density models depend on the choice of the number of bins. We introduce a straightforward data-based method of determining the optimal number of bins in a uniform bin-width histogram. By assigning a multinomial likelihood and a non-informative prior, we derive the posterior probability for the number of bins in a piecewise-constant density model given the data. In addition, we estimate the mean and standard deviations of the resulting bin heights, examine the effects of small sample sizes and digitized data, and demonstrate the application to multi-dimensional histograms.
Minireview: PRKAR1A: Normal and Abnormal Functions

The type 1alpha regulatory subunit (RIalpha) of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) (coded by the PRKAR1A gene) is the main component of type I PKA, which regulates most of the serine-threonine kinase activity catalyzed by the PKA holoenzyme in response to cAMP. Carney complex (CNC), or the complex of spotty skin pigmentation, myxomas, and endocrine overactivity, is a multiple endocrine (and not only) neoplasia syndrome that is due to PRKAR1A-inactivating mutations. The R1alpha protein and PRKAR1A mRNA have been found to be up-regulated in a series of cell lines and human and rodent neoplasms, suggesting this molecule's involvement in tumorigenesis and its potential role in cell cycle regulation, growth, and/or proliferation. Alterations in PKA activity elicit a variety of effects depending on the tissue, developmental stage, degree of differentiation, and cAMP levels. In addition, RIalpha may have functions independent of PKA. The presence of inactivating germline mutations and the loss of its wild-type allele in some CNC lesions indicate that PRKAR1A might function as a tumor suppressor gene in these tissues, but could PRKAR1A be a classic tumor suppressor gene? Probably not, and this review explains why.
Monte Carlo simulation of Nb Kα secondary fluorescence in EPMA : comparison of PENELOPE simulations with experimental results

Secondary fluorescence across phase boundaries is a difficult problem encountered in several electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) situations: diffusion couples; small phases enclosed in a larger phases; eutectic intergrowths; and thin films. In some cases, it is possible to construct nondiffused couples and to measure the amount of secondary fluorescence across the phase boundary, but in most cases this is difficult, time consuming, expensive, or impossible. It is thus desirable to model the secondary fluorescence by Monte Carlo methods. Here we compare the results of experimentally measured secondary fluorescence of Nb K a with results from the PENELOPE Monte Carlo program, and find that there is close correspondence.
Stereoselective synthesis of 2-deoxy-β-glycosides from glycal precursors. 2. Stereochemistry of glycosidation reactions of 2-thiophenyl- and 2-selenophenyl-α-d-gluco-pyranosyl donors

Abstract We have demonstrated that 4-O-acetyl-6-bromo-3-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-2-deoxy-2-thiophenyl-1-trichloroacetimido-α- d -glucopyranose 11b is the most efficient and selective donor for use in the synthesis of 2-deoxy-β-glycosides of the series of glycosyl donors examined. Unlike the 2-selenophenyl substituted donors 8 which proved to be configurationally unstable under standard TMS-OTf promoted glycosylation conditions, giving rise to α-manno glycosides 14 , 17 and 20 from β-gluco donors 8 , the 2-thiophenyl substituted donors 9 and 11 appeared to be completely configurationally stable (at C(2)). The main problem with imidates 11 is that the stereoselectivity of their reactions with alcohols is substrate dependent, with best selectivity for the desired β-glycosides 35 and 42 being obtained with the least sterically hindered alcohols. The fact that the α-glycosides 36 and 43 comprise up to 20–50% of the product in glycosidation reactions of hindered secondary alcohols supports the thesis that the reaction stereoselectivity is not governed by the intermediacy of episulfonium ions ( 47 and 47′ ), but rather that substitution reactions of oxonium ions 46 and its conformationally inverted isomer 46′ play a dominant role.
Role of Growth Factors in Pancreatic Cancer

Human pancreatic cancers overexpress a number of important tyrosine growth factor receptors and their ligands. These include the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and related receptors, multiple ligands that bind to EGFR, certain fibroblast growth factors (FGF) receptors (FGFR) and ligands, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and its receptor. The excessive activation of mitogenic signaling cascades that are modulated by these overexpressed ligands and receptors is compounded by the presence of mutations in the K-ras oncogene. Pancreatic cancers also overexpress transforming growth factor betas (TGF-βs) that usually inhibit the growth of epithelial cells. Pancreatic cancers, however, underexpress the type I TGF- βreceptor and harbor mutations in the smad4 gene, alterations that prevent TGF-ss from inhibiting cancer cell growth but that do not confer onto pancreatic actions that promote cancer growth in vivo. Together, these perturbations confer onto pancreatic cancer cells a tremendous growth advantage.
Heme carrier protein 1 (HCP1) genetic variants in the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study participants

Heme carrier protein 1 (HCP1) has been identified as a possible heme carrier by in vitro analysis. To determine the association of mutations within the HCP1 gene with iron phenotypes, we examined the entire coding region of the HCP1 gene in 788 US and Canadian participants selected from the Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening (HEIRS) Study using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography. We sequenced the exon and flanking intronic regions if variants were detected. We tested 298 non-C282Y homozygotes from four racial/ethnic backgrounds (White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic) selected because they had high serum ferritin (SF) and transferrin saturations (TS). As controls, we chose 300 other random participants of the same racial/ethnic backgrounds from the same geographic locations. From the 333 HEIRS Study C282Y homozygotes, we selected 75 based on high SF and TS, 75 based on low SF and TS; and 75 were selected randomly as controls. Thirty-five of the randomly selected C282Y homozygotes were also included in the high and the low SF and TS groups due to numerical limitations. We identified eight different HCP1 genetic variants; each occurred in a heterozygous state. Except one, each was found in a single HEIRS Study participant. Thus, HCP1 variants are infrequent in the populations that we tested. Five HEIRS Study participants had non-synonymous, coding region HCP1 variants. Each of these five had TS above the 84th gender- and ethnic/racial group-specific percentile (TS percentiles: 84.7, 91.3, 97.9, 99.5, and 99.9).
Properties of a bidisperse particle–gas suspension Part 2. Viscous relaxation time small compared with collision time

The properties of a dilute bidisperse particle–gas suspension under low Reynolds number, high Stokes number conditions are studied in the limit τv [Lt ] τc, where τc is the time between successive collisions of a particle, and τv is the viscous relaxation time. In this limit, the particles relax close to their terminal velocity between successive collisions, and we use a perturbation analysis in the small parameter e, which is proportional to τv/τc, about a base state in which all the particles settle at their terminal velocities. The mean velocities of the two species are O(e) different from their terminal velocities, and the mean-square velocities are O(e) smaller than the square of the terminal velocity. The distribution functions for the two species, which incorporate the first effects of collisions between particles settling at their terminal velocities, are derived. The velocity distribution is highly anisotropic in this limit, and the mean-square velocity in the vertical direction is twice that in the horizontal plane. The distribution function for each species is singular at its terminal velocity, and the distributions are non-zero in a finite region in velocity space between the two terminal velocities.
Theorems of Delange, Wirsing, and Halász

In this chapter we study the mean-value behaviour of those complex-valued multiplicative functions g(n) which satisfy |g(n)| ≤ 1 for every positive integer n. For the whole of the present chapter g(n) will denote such a function.
The ATTENDING System: Anesthesiology

The implementation of the ATTENDING system, which critiques anesthetic management, was the start of our exploration of the critiquing approach (P. L. Miller 1984). ATTENDING is designed to critique an anesthetist’s plan for general or regional anesthesia. A plan for general anesthesia, for instance, includes the choice of drugs and techniques proposed for: 1. Premedication 2. Induction of anesthesia (putting the patient to sleep) 3. Intubation (passing an endotracheal tube in to the patient’s trachea to secure and protect his airway) 4. Maintenance of anesthesia (keeping the patient asleep)
Extending the Time Window for Endovascular and Pharmacological Reperfusion

Pharmacological and device-induced reperfusion therapies have demonstrated increasingly positive outcomes regarding both reperfusion efficacy and 90-day functional outcomes after acute ischemic stroke. However, presently, only a minority of patients are eligible for these treatments. Less than 10 % of all ischemic stroke patients receive intravenous thrombolysis in most centers and it has been projected that only approximately 7-15 % of ischemic stroke patients are eligible for acute endovascular intervention. Making these effective therapies safely available to a much larger number of patients is critical for expanding the benefits of acute ischemic stroke treatment. In this article, we summarize the key results from the clinical trials, challenges, and exciting novel opportunities to increase patient eligibility for these therapies as well as for better outcomes for stroke patients.
The Executive Branch and International Law

This article challenges the view that the constitutional obligation of the President of the United States to “take care that the laws [are] faithfully executed” does not oblige him to conform American foreign policy to customary international law. In particular, it argues that rules of customary international law were not among the “laws” to which the constitutional language refers, that the federal courts’ authority to create federal common law does not extend to the types of questions addressed by customary international law, and that in any event decisions by the judiciary requiring the President to conform to customary international law would raise serious separation of powers problems.
Scheduling methods for multi-user optical wireless asymmetrically-clipped OFDM

Diffuse optical wireless (DOW) systems have the advantage that they do not require point-to-point siting so one transmitter can communicate with several receivers. In this paper, we investigate multiple access scheduling methods for downlink orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) in diffuse optical wire- less networks. Unlike the radio frequency (RF) channel, the DOW channel has low-pass filter characteristics and so requires different scheduling methods than those developed for the RF channel. Multi-user diversity orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems nominate a cluster of subcarriers with the largest signal-to-noise-ratio for transmission. However, in a DOW channel, most users would choose the lowest frequency clusters of subcarriers. To remedy this problem, we make two proposals. The first is to use a variable cluster size across the subcarriers; the lower frequency clusters will have fewer subcarriers while the higher frequency clusters will have more subcarriers. This will equalize the capacity of the clusters. The second proposal is to randomize a user's cluster selection from a group of clusters satisfying a minimum threshold. Through simulation it is shown that combining these strategies can increase the throughput while ensuring a fair distribution of the available spectrum.
Modernization and Participation in the Leninist Developmental Strategy

The Soviet Union achieved its stability in the early stages of development not by institutionalizing participation but by forcing departicipation and substituting a functionally distinct form of political activity—involvement in co-production. These policies constitute essential complements in the Leninist developmental strategy. The ability of enlisted involvement to block the growth of participatory pressures tends to decline in later stages of development, however. The result is spontaneous withdrawal from the institutions of coproduction and the rise of participatory pressures. This pattern is documented with evidence from Soviet electoral and membership statistics, Soviet reports of opinion surveys, Western interviews of Soviet emigres, and cross-national estimates of political dissidence. The Leninist crisis of participation requires a policy response to close the participation-institution gap once again. The alternative policy responses of Soviet general secretaries are characterized as totalitarian, authoritarian, liberal, and socialist.
UPTAKE OF TRITITATED THYMIDINE BY LEUKEMIC CELLS: EFFECT OF VARIOUS LEUKOCYTE PREPARATIONS.

SummaryHomogenates of normal and chronic myelocytic leukemic leukocytes inhibit the uptake of tritiated thymidine by leukocytes from patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia. However, intact leukocytes from patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia elaborate a factor which increases the uptake of the labeled thymidine whereas normal leukocytes inhibit thymidine uptake under these conditions. The observations suggest that local bone marrow concentrations of stimulatory and inhibitory substances may influence leukopoiesis.
Study on Flame Retardant Vinyl Ester Resin Matrix Composites

A flame retardant vinyl ester resin and its composites is studied.The vinyl ester resin is prepared with a cross linker which has the flame retardant characteristics instead of styrene.The curing process is given by the determining the gel time,viscosity and reaction activity.The mechanical property and flame retardant property of the vinyl ester resin and its composites is tested.The result shows that the flame retardant property of the resin and its composites increases greatly when the mechanical property is constant.The limit oxygen index of the composites is 30.6 and it has flame retardant property.
Investigation and analysis on iodine nutrition of pregnant women in Zhoushan islands

Objective To access the iodine nutrition of pregnant women in Zhoushan islands and provide references for developing and improving scientific strategy of iodine supplementation.Method 105 pregnant women who were in different pregnancy period and local permanent residents in two communities(villages) of two districts were sampled randomly.Iodized salt samples,drinking water samples and urine samples were tested respectively to measure the concentrations.The thyroids of sample were checked by ultrasonography and blood samples were tested for thyroid function accessment.Result The median salt iodine concentration was 0 mg/kg and mean was 10.21 mg/kg.Only 17 of 103 salt samples were adequately iodized salt with a qualified rate of 17.47%.The medians of water iodine and urinary iodine concentration were 11.55 μg/L and 98.72 μg/L respectively.The total goiter rate was 35.53% and the total thyroid dysfunction rate was 58.10%.Conclusion The level of urinary iodine of pregnant women in Zhoushan city was significantly lower than WHO/UNICEF/ICCIDD recommended standards.The total goiter rate and the total thyroid dysfunction rate were significantly higher than those in other cities of Zhejiang province.
Analysis on the Situation of Checking and Tracking of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Cases from Internet-based Reporting of non Tubercular Institutions in Huaibei City

Objective To analyze the situation of checking and tracking of pulmonary tuberculosis(TB) patients from internet-based reporting of non tubercular institutions in Huaibei city,and provide a basis for developing measures to increase the TB case detection rate.Methods Data of the monthly reports of the TB control program in 2008 in Huaibei city were used to analyze the status of referral and tracing of TB patients reported by network system from non tubercular institutions.Results According to the network system,in 2008,there were 783 cases of Pulmonary TB Patients or suspected cases reported by non tubercular institutions in Huaibei city which should be transferred to the hospitals.In fact,there were only 345 cases of TB patients by trans-hospital arrived in tubercular institutions voluntarily.The visiting rate of TB patients transferred to the hospitals voluntarily was 44.06%.However,by way of tracking from tubercular institutions,the total visiting rate increased to 94.89%(743 cases),it was significantly higher than that of TB patients transferred to the hospitals voluntarily(P0.01).Conclusion The internet-based reporting from non Tubercular Institutions became an important channel to enhance the TB case detection rate.Tubercular Institutions should improve checking and tracking ability of TB patients.
Approximate inference for clusters in solution spaces

This work proposes new approximate (and exact) inference methods for reasoning about an important and hard-to-compute property of the solution space of combinatorial problems, namely clusters of solutions. Given a constraint satisfaction problem (CSP), we can think of two solutions as being "connected" if they differ in the value of only one variable. Clusters of solutions can thus be defined in a natural manner: two solutions s1 and s2 are in the same cluster if and only if there is a path of connected solutions from s1 to s2. The main question we seek to address is, given a CSP, how many solution clusters does it have?.
Problems of Hypersonic Flight at the Re-Entry of Satellite Vehicles

Flow problems of hypersonic flight at the re-entry of slender or blunt satellite vehicles have been examined using the presentation of flow regimes in the Mach number vs. Reynolds number flow diagram. The border lines of continuum flow have been re-evaluated first for slender bodies i. e., flow along flat plates. In contrast to a former study by Tsien, emphasis is placed on the existence of a compressible boundary layer and its growth with Mach number as well as on the conditions for the free path length at the body wall for various cooling conditions. As a result, the border line for distinct slip effects (λ/δ = 0.10) is located at much smaller Reynolds numbers (for a given Mach number) than the so-called “slip flow limit” according to Tsien. For instance, at M = 10, the shift is a factor 4 × 103 to 105 in Reynolds number depending on the cooling conditions. For higher Mach number, the shift is even greater. For blunt bodies, that is stagnation point flow, similar border lines are established following a discussion by M. C. Adams and R. F. Probstein. Interesting regions are formed by the intersection of the boundaries for: disappearance of the inviscid flow layer, distinct shock wave, merging of shock wave and flow layer, distinct slip effects at moderately and completely cooled wall, and eventually the boundary for the cease of continuum theory behind the shock. Results of experimental investigations in the Berkeley Low Density Tunnel agree with the border lines for distinct slip effects presented here for both slender body and stagnation point flow.
How a paracrisis situation is instigated by an online firestorm and visual mockery: Testing a paracrisis development model

Abstract On the framework of cognitive appraisal theory, the current research proposes a paracrisis development model that illustrates how the cognitive appraisal of social norms and visual mockery in the social media evokes negative affect and subsequent coping behaviors in terms of boycotts. To test the model, an online experiment was conducted simulating a real-world paracrisis situation in which a user's Facebook commentary regarding a company's billboard ad sparked a social media outcry. Results of the study showed that both social proof and visual mockery played a role in the negative climate of opinion and perception of a crisis. Social proof and visual mockery also aroused negative affect. Notably, visual mockery affected negative affect of self rather than others, while social proof had a greater impact on negative affect of others than self. The elicited negative affect not only increased boycott intentions but it also mediated the effect of visual mockery on boycott intentions. In conclusion, the paracrisis development model showed empirical evidence for the role of social media triggered events in forming a crisis perception and potentially leading to boycotts in the interplay of social proof and visual mockery.
Renal-sparing surgery for renal and transitional cell carcinoma.

Renal-sparing surgery for kidney tumors has received considerable attention over the past several years, with some authors suggesting that such procedures may be carried out in patients with a normal contralateral kidney [1]. There are obvious indications for renal-sparing procedures in patients with a solitary kidney or bilateral renal tumors, but with a few minor exceptions such a treatment plan has not been proven safe in patients with a normal opposite kidney. In this chapter I will present the counterevidence to this ultraistic point of view, as well as a discussion of the procedures currently used to to manage bilateral tumors or tumors in a solitary kidney.
The Dopamine Prediction Error: Contributions to Associative Models of Reward Learning.

Phasic activity of midbrain dopamine neurons is currently thought to encapsulate the prediction-error signal described in Sutton and Barto’s (1981) model-free reinforcement learning algorithm. This phasic signal is thought to contain information about the quantitative value of reward, which transfers to the reward-predictive cue after learning. This is argued to endow the reward-predictive cue with the value inherent in the reward, motivating behavior towards cues signaling the presence of reward. Yet theoretical and empirical research has implicated prediction-error signaling in learning that extends far beyond a transfer of quantitative value to a reward-predictive cue. Here, we review the research which demonstrates the complexity of how dopaminergic prediction errors facilitate learning. After briefly discussing the literature demonstrating that phasic dopaminergic signals can act in the manner described by Sutton and Barto (1981), we consider how these signals may also influence attentional processing across multiple attentional systems in distinct brain circuits. Then, we discuss how prediction errors encode and promote the development of context-specific associations between cues and rewards. Finally, we consider recent evidence that shows dopaminergic activity contains information about causal relationships between cues and rewards that reflect information garnered from rich associative models of the world that can be adapted in the absence of direct experience. In discussing this research we hope to support the expansion of how dopaminergic prediction errors are thought to contribute to the learning process beyond the traditional concept of transferring quantitative value.
A practical schema theorem for genetic algorithm design and tuning

This paper develops the theory that can enable the design of genetic algorithms and choose the parameters such that the proportion of the best building blocks grow. A practical schema theorem has been used for this purpose and its ramification for the choice of selection operator and parameterization of the algorithm is explored. In particular stochastic universal selection, tournament selection, and truncation selection schemes are employed to verify the results. Results agree with the schema theorem and indicate that it must be obeyed in order to ascertain sustained growth of good building blocks. The analysis suggests that schema theorem alone is insufficient to guarantee the success of a selectorecombinative genetic algorithm.
Cystatin C Predicts Renal Recovery Earlier Than Creatinine Among Patients With Acute Kidney Injury

Introduction Serum cystatin C increases earlier than creatinine during acute kidney injury. However, whether cystatin C decreases earlier during recovery is unknown. This retrospective study aimed to determine the temporal trend between creatinine and cystatin C in acute kidney injury. Methods We identified hospitalized patients with nonoliguric acute kidney injury who had serial creatinine and cystatin C values measured between May 2015 and May 2016. Demographic and laboratory data, causes of acute kidney injury, and relevant comorbidity data were collected through chart review. Results For the 63 identified patients, mean (SD) age was 58.7 (13.9) years; male sex, 62%; white race/ethnicity, 95%. Baseline median (range) creatinine was 1.1 (0.5–3.0) mg/dl; 13% were kidney transplant recipients and 37% received corticosteroids. Comorbidities included malignancy (38%), diabetes mellitus (33%), heart failure (19%), and thyroid disorder (16%). The cause of kidney injury was acute tubular necrosis in 71%, 61% had acute kidney injury stage III, and 33% required dialysis. Cystatin C began to decrease before creatinine in 68% of patients: 1 day earlier, 46%; 2 days earlier, 16%; and 3 days earlier, 6%. In 24% of cases, both began decreasing on the same day; in only 8%, cystatin C decreased after creatinine. Overall, cystatin C mean (95% confidence interval) decrease was 0.92 (0.65–1.18) days before creatinine ( P Conclusion In summary, cystatin C decreases before creatinine in most hospitalized patients with acute kidney injury. If confirmed in large prospective studies, these findings may have important management implications, possibly shortening hospital stay and reducing costs.
The Neurocircuitry of Fear and PTSD

Research on the neurocircuitry of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has its roots in animal models of fear conditioning. In vivo imaging studies have revealed that the same basic circuitry involved in rodent contextual fear conditioning and extinction is dysfunctional in humans with PTSD. In this chapter, we briefly describe the paradigms and methods used in functional neuroimaging studies of PTSD and review functional neuroimaging findings in this disorder. In general, the amygdala is hyperresponsive, and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is hyporesponsive in PTSD, likely reflecting a failure of the vmPFC to inhibit fear responses. In addition, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and insula are hyperresponsive. The hippocampus functions abnormally in PTSD, although the direction of this abnormality varies across studies. Hypotheses and implications regarding these functional deficits are discussed.
Targeting FGFR for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer has been detailed at the molecular level in very high definition. These molecular characterizations have allowed for the establishment of at least 5 distinct subtypes of the disease. Importantly, breast cancer subtyping can predict for tumor recurrence and drives the clinical application of endocrine and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2)-targeted therapies. Recent studies have revealed that these subtypes of breast cancer are not static definitions and that through disease progression breast cancers have the ability to switch subtypes to acquire resistance to these therapies. In addition to therapeutic failure in the metastatic setting, other patients’ primary tumors can only be defined as the poorly understood basal subtype, a classification that is synonymous with the description of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Unfortunately, these patients are not candidates for any currently approved molecular therapies and they are left with suboptimal, highly cytotoxic chemotherapies as treatment options. Therefore, recent research has focused on identifying the molecular drivers of TNBC and metastatic breast cancer that has undergone subtype switching and become resistant to endocrine and Her2-targeted therapies. One emerging target for the treatment of these advanced forms of breast cancer is the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR). FGFR plays critical roles in the metastatic progression of TNBC and the acquisition of resistance to targeted therapies as well as chemotherapy. Herein, we review the current understanding of how FGFR is regulated in breast cancer and what approaches are currently being taken to pharmacologically target FGFR function as a therapeutic option for breast cancer patients. In addition to being amplified at the genomic level, FGFRs are highly inducible genes and their biology is made more complex by factors that include alternative splicing, differential subcellular localization and the presence of several different coreceptors and ligands. Finally, gatekeeper mutations in the receptor and activation of alternative growth factor pathways can give rise to acquired resistance to FGFR inhibitors. Recent clinical trials using FGFR kinase inhibitors emphasize that these biological factors need to be taken into diagnostic consideration when identifying the optimal patient population for FGFR-targeted therapies.
Impact of hospital teaching status on stage I pancreatic cancer survival.

257Background: Burke et al. (2017) revealed that academic hospitals had lower patient mortality rates for common conditions compared to community-based hospitals. We conducted a retrospective study...
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE REAL LEGAL WORKPLACE

Very little—other than the people and potted plants—in a contemporary law office is natural. Those who spend time working in such a place are surrounded by artifacts of human ingenuity. The environment they inhabit is almost entirely “built.” It consists of desks, chairs, tables, books, telephones, pads, pencils, paper clips, staplers, copy machines, tiled floors, plastered walls, glass doors, synthetic rugs, filing cabinets, . . . Many of these objects and instruments are so old and familiar as to feel natural. They mix with thousands of other unnatural forms we take for granted and intuitively weave into our everyday work lives. Over the last several decades, computers and related information devices have taken up residence in this landscape, gradually fading into the background. The predominant artificiality of the legal workplace—or any office for that matter— has been true for centuries. Lawyers in Elizabethan England may have contented themselves with rougher furniture—and clumsier forms of pen, ink, paper, and case books— but they occupied an already unnatural information system instantly recognizable by 21st century lawyers. Law itself has always been highly “artifactual,” or artificial, like human language and its other cultural outgrowths. Such things occupy a midplace between the born and the made, between the naturally evolved and the humanly contrived. Law is a societal technology, one grand hybrid of artifice and evolution. It’s not coincidental that law, genetics, and software each involve “code” as a core instrument. We tend to think of legal “technology” as coextensive with modern information and communications technology, even though technology goes back to earliest days of law, and reaches into its innermost core. (Something very similar is true of music—its electronic dimensions barely go back a century, but sophisticated technology has been involved in musical instruments since at least the Renaissance.) Nonetheless, recent legal technology certainly is dominated by computing and telecommunications. Our era is witnessing especially rapid change in the balance between the amount of working knowledge that is encoded in the human mind and that which is encoded