cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physiological and pharmacological implications of beta-arrestin regulation.

G protein-coupled receptor-targeted drug discovery as well as “compound reassessment” requires the utilization of diverse screens to determine agonist efficacies and potencies beyond the scope of ligand binding and G protein coupling. Such efforts have arisen from extensive studies, both in cellular and animal models, demonstrating that these seven transmembrane domain-spanning, G protein-coupled receptors may engage in more diverse functions than their name suggests and particular focus is drawn to their interactions with beta-arrestins (βarrestins). As regulators, βarrestins are involved in dampening G protein-coupling pathways. βArrestins can also play pro-signaling roles in receptor mediated events and the coupling of receptors to βarrestins may be as important as their potential to couple to G proteins in the physiological setting. In the last decade, the development of βarrestin deficient mouse models has allowed for the assessment of the contribution of individual βarrestins to receptor function in vivo. This review will discuss the current literature that implicates βarrestins in receptor function in respect to physiological and behavioral responses observed in the live animal model.
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE INITIAL INTERACTION BETWEEN OXYGEN AND A CLEAN Si(100) BY TIME OF FLIGHT AND RECOILING SPECTROSCOPY

The structure of both Si(100)in situ thermally annealed Si(100) at 1373 K and Si(100) exposed to dry oxygen at room temperature in the range 5 to 1700 Langmuirs, have been studied using time of flight and recoiling spectroscopy (TOF-SARS). Structural analyses were performed by recording the intensities of recoiled oxygen and silicon ions as a function of azimuthal angle. The results show that (1) the clean annealed Si(001) is dimerized, (2) oxygen chemisorbs at the surface at the Si-unsaturated bond, which are left unoccupied after the (2×1) reconstruction, and (3) at 100 L and above the Si surface is reconstructed into a (1×1) structure with the oxygen binding to the broken Si-Si dimer bonds.
Recurrent venous thromboembolism in patients with a partial deficiency of protein S.

Abstract Protein S is an antithrombotic plasma protein that serves as a cofactor for another plasma protein, activated protein C. Protein S is required for the expression of the anticoagulant effect of activated protein C, which inhibits blood clotting at the levels of factors V and VIII in the blood-clotting cascade. We postulated that patients deficient in protein S would have inadequate regulatory control of the clotting cascade and would be prone to thrombotic disease in a manner similar to that of patients congenitally deficient in protein C. To determine whether protein S deficiency is associated with recurrent thrombosis, we developed a functional assay for the plasma protein. With this assay, the protein S activity of normal persons ranges from 63 to 160 per cent. Using this test, we have now identified six unrelated persons with severe recurrent venous thrombosis who were deficient in protein S, with levels between 15 and 37 per cent while they were not receiving warfarin therapy. Our data sugges...
Simultaneous increased expression of E-rosette receptor (CD2, T11) and T cell growth factor receptor on human T lymphocytes during activation.

The E-rosette receptor (CD2, T11) is a differentiation antigen expressed on immature and mature human T lymphocytes. Activation of T cells from human peripheral blood with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or with monoclonal antibody to the CD3-Ti complex (anti-Leu-4) caused the expression of CD2 to increase 10- to 20-fold. Dual parameter correlated analyses with antibody to the T cell growth factor (TCGF) receptor (anti-Tac) and anti-CD2 antibody demonstrated that the increase in CD2 expression occurred at the same time and on the same cells that expressed the TCGF receptor after stimulation with PHA. The increased expression of CD2 and the initial expression of Tac were totally inhibited by cycloheximide, but were not affected by sufficient actinomycin-D to block the T cell proliferative response. The expression of CD2 was compared with the expression of CD4 and CD8, i.e., T cell differentiation antigens on cytotoxic/suppressor or helper T cells, respectively. Although virtually all of the small percentage of freshly isolated Tac+ peripheral blood cells belonged to the CD4+, CD8- subset, both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were equivalently activated by PHA to express Tac. By 20-30 hr after activation, the expression of CD4 or CD8 was initially decreased 10-50%. Subsequently, the expression of CD4 and CD8 returned to the levels on resting T cells but did not increase further. Therefore, the increase in CD2 expression does not reflect a universal property of cell surface antigens on activated T lymphocytes.
Infectious mononucleosis in the Negro; a review of the literature with a report of nine cases.

Summary 1. Nine cases of infectious mononucleosis in Negroes are reported. Eight of these were serologically confirmed. 2. These cases bring the total of sporadic cases reported to twenty-nine. Including the epidemic of forty-nine cases in 1945 at Fort Bliss, Texas, the total of cases in the Negro reaches seventy-eight reported throughout the literature. 3. Infectious mononucleosis at this hospital is at least as common in Negro children as in white children. 4. The majority of these patients were admitted because of suspected diphtheria. 5. This series further substantiates the conclusions made in 1945, that infectious mononucleosis is relatively as common in the Negro as in the white.
Agenda setting power, power indices, and decision making in the European union

Abstract The effective end in the mid-1980s of unanimity voting in the European Union has greatly increased interest in its policy-making process. Two basic frameworks have been offered to understand legislative dynamics in Europe: power index analyses of bargaining in the Council of Ministers based on cooperative game theory; and, noncooperative institutional analyses of the interactions among the Council, the Commission, and the European Parliament. We argue that the institutional approach generates considerably more insight into European policy making than does power index analysis. There are two major weaknesses in the power index approach. First, it fails to take into account the effects of differences in policy preferences of member governments on bargaining dynamics in the Council. Second, power index studies underestimate the important roles played by the Commission and the European Parliament under most of the legislative procedures used in Europe today. Our institutional analysis remedies these weaknesses by analyzing the impact on policy outcomes in terms of differences in the institutional location of agenda-setting power and veto power.
Challenges and Motivating Factors Related to Positive Airway Pressure Therapy for Post-TIA and Stroke Patients

Challenges adapting to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy are largely unexplored in patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack. This study, nested within a randomized controlled trial of CPAP use, employed qualitative methods to explore challenges and motivators related to CPAP at two time points: prior to initiating therapy and at a 1-month follow up. Emergent thematic analysis, an inductive, qualitative approach, revealed variations in how patients experienced and adapted to CPAP across five phases: (a) interpreting the sleep apnea diagnosis, (b) contemplating CPAP therapy, (c) trying CPAP therapy, (d) making mid-course adjustments, and (e) experiencing benefits from CPAP therapy. Patients all had mild to moderate sleep apnea, and frequently did not experience sleep apnea symptoms. A salient motivator for adhering to CPAP therapy for these patients was the desire to reduce the risk of subsequent cerebrovascular events. Self-determination theory guided the interpretation of results.
Effects of rapid shortening on rate of force regeneration and myoplasmic [Ca2+] in intact frog skeletal muscle fibres

1. The effect of rapid shortening on rate of force regeneration (dF/dtR) was examined in single, intact frog (Rana temporaria) skeletal muscle fibres (3.0 C). Step releases leading to unloaded shortening were applied after 500 ms of stimulation, during the plateau of an isometric tetanus. Initial mean sarcomere length ranged from 2.05 to 2.35 micrometer; force regeneration after shortening was at 2.00 micrometer. 2. Values for dF/dtR following a 25 nm half-sarcomere-1 release were 3.17 +/- 0.17 (mean +/- s.e.m., n = 8) times greater than the initial rate of rise of force before release (dF/dtI). As release size was increased from 25 to 175 nm half-sarcomere-1, the relationship between release size and dF/dtR decreased sharply before attaining a plateau value that was 1.34 +/- 0.09 times greater than dF/dtI. Despite wide variations in dF/dtR, the velocity of unloaded shortening remained constant (2.92 +/- 0.08 micrometer half-sarcomere-1 s-1; n = 8) for the different release amplitudes used in this study. 3. To investigate its role in the attenuation of dF/dtR with increased shortening, the effects of rapid ramp (constant velocity) shortening on intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were monitored using the Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent dye furaptra. Compared with an isometric contraction, rapid fibre shortening was associated with a transient increase in [Ca2+]i while force regeneration after shortening was associated with a transient reduction in [Ca2+]i. The greatest reductions in [Ca2+]i were associated with the largest amplitude ramps. 4. Cross-bridge-mediated modifications of the Ca2+ affinity of troponin C (TnC) may explain the fluctuations in [Ca2+]i observed during and after ramps. Associated fluctuations in TnC Ca2+ occupancy could play a role in the reduction of dF/dtR with increasing release size.
A Pain-free Lancet with a Small Needle for Glucose Measurement

A new lancet with an extremely small needle (0.15 mm diameter and 0.75 mm length) mounted on a small pedestal was tested in diabetic patients for blood glucose measurement in a randomized clinical study. A total of 37 diabetic patients were enrolled for the study. A pain scale categorized from 0 to 3 was created to measure the intensity of puncture pain which was explained to patients before testing. The patients’ fingers were punctured with their own old style lancets at least 1 hour before the punctures by the new lancets, and puncture pains recorded according to the pain scale. All patients tested with the new lancet reported no pain and recorded the puncture pain as scale 0. Among the total 37 patients tested with their old style lancets, 2 patients (5.40%) reported no pain and recorded the pain as scale 0, thirteen patients (35.14%) recorded as scale 1, 16 patients (43.24%) as scale 2, and 6 patients (16.22%) as scale 3. The average pain scale of the patients who used old style lancets was 1.702 with the standard error 0.133. The chi-square goodness-of-fit test shows that the proportion of the pain scales comes from the claimed distribution with unequal frequencies, and chi-square tests for independence indicate that neither sex nor age of the sample patients is related to the pain scales. The paired t-test to test the existence of any difference in pain levels between the new lancet and the old style lancet showed; t = 1.702/0.133 = 12.796 with p-value < 0.005 (df = 36). The average pain level from the old style lancet is significantly higher than from the new lancets. Pain-free needle puncture was achieved by limiting the puncture depth to less than 0.75 mm with a thin needle with a 0.15 mm diameter. By allowing patients to see the new lancets before testing, psychological pain anticipation was minimized as the very thin and short needle is visually less intimidating. With a pain free puncture, better compliance and improved subsequent glucose levels may be achieved.
Validity of disk galaxy simulations

Several n-body calculations have simulated disk galaxies by means of a large number of self-gravitating particles moving on a plane, and have indicated many features in agreement with observation, but also some major disagreements. Some gaps remain in the arguments that results of these simulations represent physically valid consequences of a model in which a disk galaxy is composed entirely of stars. A new formulation of the n-body calculation was designed in polar coordinates, and results obtained with it are used to complete the arguments that the disagreement with observation represents a deficiency in the physical model. The physical process of formation of barlike or two-armed spiral structures from a variety of initial conditions is described; the mechanism is not an m = 2 instability in an initially axisymmetric configuration.
The politics of a paradigm shift: Telecommunications regulation and the communications revolution

Abstract As a result of the convergence of telecommunications and mass communications technologies, American policymakers face a series of critical decisions about infrastructural investment, technical architecture, and regulation that will determine the character of the U.S. electronic industrial base. This article develops the argument that the current policy trajectory will likely lead to some awkward choices. Powerful vested interests have distorted the communications policy process. Regulatory inertia has come to tie the hands of the regulators as well as the hands of industry leaders. We argue that there exists a critical opportunity for independent communications policy research to make a difference and to anticipate and facilitate a paradigm shift in telecommunications regulation.
125 GeV Higgs boson and electroweak phase transition model classes

Recently, the ATLAS and CMS detectors have discovered a bosonic particle which, to a reasonable degree of statistical uncertainty, fits the profile of the Standard Model Higgs. One obvious implication is that models which predict a significant departure from Standard Model phenomenology, such as large exotic (e.g., invisible) Higgs decay or mixing with a hidden sector scalar, are already ruled out. This observation threatens the viability of electroweak baryogenesis, which favors, for example, a lighter Higgs and a Higgs coupled to or mixed with light scalars. To assess the broad impact of these constraints, we propose a scheme for classifying models of the electroweak phase transition and impose constraints on a class-by-class basis. We find that models, such as the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, which rely on thermal loop effects are severely constrained by the measurement of a 125 GeV Higgs. Models which rely on tree-level effects from a light singlet are also restricted by invisible decay and mixing constraints. Moreover, we find that the parametric region favored by electroweak baryogenesis often coincides with an enhanced symmetry point with a distinctive phenomenological character. In particular, enhancements arising through an approximate continuous symmetry are phenomenologically disfavored, in contrast with enhancements from discrete symmetries. We also comment on the excess of diphoton events observed by ATLAS and CMS. We note that although Higgs portal models can accommodate both enhanced diphoton decay and a strongly first-order electroweak phase transition, the former favors a negative Higgs portal coupling whereas the latter favors a positive one, and therefore these two constraints are at tension with one another.
Early Experience with Message-Passing on the SHRIMP Multicomputer

The SHRIMP multicomputer provides virtual memory-mapped communication (VMMC), which supports protected, user-level message passing, allows user programs to perform their own buffer management, and separates data transfers from control transfers so that a data transfer can be done without the intervention of the receiving node CPU. An important question is whether such a mechanism can indeed deliver all of the available hardware performance to applications which use conventional message-passing libraries.This paper reports our early experience with message-passing on a small, working SHRIMP multicomputer. We have implemented several user-level communication libraries on top of the VMMC mechanism, including the NX message-passing interface, Sun RPC, stream sockets, and specialized RPC. The first three are fully compatible with existing systems. Our experience shows that the VMMC mechanism supports these message-passing interfaces well. When zero-copy protocols are allowed by the semantics of the interface, VMMC can effectively deliver to applications almost all of the raw hardware's communication performance.
Variations in the circulating heparin levels during maintenance hemodialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Unfractionated heparin has remained the anticoagulant of choice in patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, wide variations in the heparinization responses have been observed in patients anticoag...
Alterations in the ecdysteroid and juvenile hormone esterase profiles of Trichoplusia ni parasitized by the polyembryonic wasp Copidosoma floridanum.

Trichoplusia ni parasitized by Copidosoma floridanum weighed more in the fourth and fifth instar than unparasitized controls. While parasitized and unparasitized fourth-instar larvae molted at the same time, parasitized fifth-instar larvae ceased feeding and initiated wandering 1 day later than unparasitized fifth-instar larvae. Measurement of hemolymph ecdysteroid, juvenile hormone esterase (JHE), and protein titers suggested that the delay in wandering had an endocrinological basis. Ecdysteroid titers of parasitized and unparasitized fourth-instar larvae were similar, but the ecdysteroid titer in parasitized fifth-instar larvae rose about 24 h later than in unparasitized fifth-instar larvae. Two major peaks of JHE activity occurred in unparasitized fifth-instar larvae, but only one occurred in parasitized fifth-instar larvae. JHE activity coincided on the first day of the fifth instar (L5D1) in both parasitized and unparasitized fifth-instar larvae; however, activity peaked and fell later in parasitized individuals. Few differences were noted in the hemolymph protein levels of parasitized and unparasitized hosts. Ligation of parasitized T. ni between the head and prothorax adversely affected C. floridanum development. Ligation before or immediately after ecdysis to the fourth instar inhibited differentiation of the C. floridanum morulae. C. floridanum ecdysed to the second instar or pupated in hosts ligated prior to wandering in the fifth instar, but the number of progeny that pupated and emerged as adult wasps was reduced relative to unligatured controls.
An aspect-oriented approach for implementing evolutionary computation applications

Object-oriented frameworks support design and code reuse for specific application domains. To facilitate the development of evolutionary computation (EC) programs, such as genetic algorithms, developers often extend and customize EC frameworks with application code that defines the EC problem being solved. The application code, however, crosscuts the EC framework whenever candidate solutions are encoded, decoded, evaluated, and output. A change in the application logic, such as adding a parameter to the problem being solved, requires additional changes across code that extends the framework. This paper presents Arachne, an aspect-oriented approach for developing EC programs that extracts the crosscutting concerns of an application code into aspects that can be woven into the EC framework at compile time. To facilitate applying Arachne, we implemented a prototype tool to support the automatic generation of aspect code for two widely used EC frameworks, JGAP and ECJ. We demonstrate Arachne by applying it to re-engineer EC benchmark programs and an industry-provided problem.
The Politics of Agency Termination: Confronting the Myth of Agency Immortality

This article examines agency mortality between 1946 and 1997 and argues that, contrary to popular belief, agencies are not immortal. Rather, agencies face significant risks of termination, particularly due to political turnover. When an agency's opponents gain power, the hazards of agency mortality increase. Principal among the findings of this paper are that 62% of agencies created since 1946 have been terminated and that political turnover is one of the primary causes of termination.
Search for disoriented chiral condensate at the Fermilab Tevatron

We present results from MiniMax (Fermilab T-864), a small test/experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron designed to search for the production of a disoriented chiral condensate (DCC) in p-p(bar sign) collisions at {radical}(s)=1.8 TeV in the forward direction, {approx}3.4<{eta}<{approx}4.2. Data, consisting of 1.3x10{sup 6} events, are analyzed using the robust observables developed in an earlier paper. The results are consistent with generic, binomial-distribution partition of pions into charged and neutral species. Limits on DCC production in various models are presented. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
Diversification and Innovation Revisited: An Absorptive Capacity View of Technological Knowledge Creation

The relationship between innovation and product diversification in firms has been studied and debated for decades. Early articles proposed a positive relationship, while subsequent research supported a negative influence on innovation from product diversification based on observable reductions in research and development expenditures. Such findings also suggest a negative influence on absorptive capacity from increasing product diversification. This paper uses an absorptive capacity perspective to revisit the relationship. Together with related literature on knowledge creation and transfer processes, a positive association between related product diversification by firms and the quantity of created technological knowledge is suggested. Evidence to support such a relationship is provided using patent data from technology-based firms in a sample of 1997 firm years between 1990 and 2006. Some evidence of a negative association between knowledge creation and very high levels of unrelated diversification is indicated, qualifying and supporting the “M-form” hypothesis. The findings more closely align understandings of the relationship between product diversification and innovation with the relationship between product diversification and firm performance.
Endometrial Glands Are Required for Preimplantation Conceptus Elongation and Survival

Endometrial glands secrete molecules hypothesized to support conceptus growth and development. In sheep, endometrial gland morphogenesis occurs postnatally and can be epigenetically ablated by neonatal progestin exposure. The resulting stable adult uterine gland knockout (UGKO) phenotype was used here to test the hypothesis that endometrial glands are required for successful pregnancy. Mature UGKO ewes were bred repeatedly to fertile rams, but no pregnancies were detected by ultrasound on Day 25. Day 7 blastocysts from normal superovulated ewes were then transferred synchronously into Day 7 control or UGKO ewes. Ultrasonography on Days 25‐65 postmating indicated that pregnancy was established in control, but not in UGKO ewes. To examine early uterine-embryo interactions, four control and eight UGKO ewes were bred to fertile rams. On Day 14, their uteri were flushed. The uterus of each control ewe contained two filamentous conceptuses of normal length. Uteri from four UGKO ewes contained no conceptus. Uteri of three UGKO ewes contained a single severely growth-retarded tubular conceptus, whereas the remaining ewe contained a single filamentous conceptus. Histological analyses of these uteri revealed that endometrial gland density was directly related to conceptus survival and developmental state. Day 14 UGKO uteri that were devoid of endometrial glands did not support normal conceptus development and contained either no conceptuses or growthretarded tubular conceptuses. The Day 14 UGKO uterus with moderate gland development contained a filamentous conceptus. Collectively, these results demonstrate that endometrial glands and, by inference, their secretions are required for periimplantation conceptus survival and development. conceptus, developmental biology, early development, embryo, female reproductive tract, gamete biology, implantation, pregnancy
Modeling and Dynamics Analysis of P2P Networks Based on Evolutionary Games

Cooperation has played a key role for good service performance in P2P network. However, without a proper incentive mechanism such cooperation cannot be maintained because nodes avoid spending their resources to share files. In this paper, we employ evolutionary game theory to analyze the dynamic evolutionary process of the mechanism. The game models are constructed based on the Stag Hunt Game (SHG) and Snowdrift Game (SG). The performance analysis of these two models shows that the system’s evolutionary direction depends on the nodes’ payoff matrix as well as on the differences of service capacity among nodes. Replicator dynamics and simulation results show that the cost-to benefit ratio is the key factor to increase the proportion of sharing nodes regardless of which game model is used. The results suggest conceptual guidelines to design a good incentive mechanism in the future.
Antide bioavailability: Single dose administration for suppression of testosterone and inhibin in male monkeys

The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single sc injection of Antide on testosterone (T) and inhibin secretion in intact male cynomolgus monkeys were examined. Fifteen primates were randomized to three groups receiving: propylene glycol and water vehicle, 3 mg/kg Antide, and 10 mg/kg of Antide. Antide at the 10 mg/kg dose caused long-term suppression of T ranging from 24-56 days. At the 3 mg/kg dose, suppression of T was of shorter duration. Serum Antide levels were significantly greater in the 10 mg/kg group than the 3 mg/kg group (p less than 0.02), both initially and through 35 days post-treatment. The duration of testosterone inhibition and sustained Antide levels were significantly correlated (p less than 0.01). Inhibin concentrations followed the same general pattern as testosterone reaching a nadir on day 21 post-treatment before subsequent recovery. The prolonged suppressive effect of Antide on T without detectable side effects makes this compound an excellent candidate for clinical evaluation.
Isotopes of cosmic ray elements from neon to nickel

We are reporting here on the results obtained from a balloon exposure of a cosmic ray detector flown in 1977. This detector, described elsewhere, Gilman and Waddington (1975), Young (1979), measures elemental charge from scintillation and Cherenkov signals and mass from Cherenkov and total energy determined from a measure of residual range in nuclear emulsion. The charge resolution obtained ranged from 0.19 to 0.21 charge units between neon and nickel. This resolution was sufficient to ensure that all but a few percent of the nuclei were correctly identified, even for those elements of low abundance that have neighbors with high abundances, such as Cl or Al. The mass resolution obtained for those nuclei that stopped in the emulsions ranged from 0.40 to 0.70 amu for A between 20 and 60 amu. This was not adequate to uniquely resolve neighboring mass peaks in many cases, but was adequate to draw a number of conclusions regarding many of the more abundant elements.
Lower hybrid waves in plasmas with negative ions

The ion-ion hybrid mode, with frequencies omega approximately=( omega /sub c+/ omega /sub c-/)/sup 1/2/, is briefly analyzed for a warm plasma containing positive ions (gyrofrequency omega /sub c+/), negative ions (gyrofrequency omega /sub c-/), and electrons. Experiments with SF/sub 6//sup -/ as the negative ion are proposed. >
GLOBAL PERCEPTIONS OF THE FIT BETWEEN PERSON AND WORK ENVIRONMENT (P-E FIT): DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL VALIDATION OF A NEW MEASURE

Research investigating the role of fit between individuals and their work environments employs a growing number of measures assessing subsets of work environments. Global perceptions of fit should be useful in anchoring research studies and developing the literature. In this study, two measures of global fit perceptions are developed and initial validity data are offered. Using data from 363 upper-division college students in a simulated job search scenario, evidence of the unidimensionality, reliability, and predictive validity is provided. Suggestions are provided for use of these measures of global perceptions to advance research in Person-Environment fit.
Amino acid composition of the proteins from chylomicrons and human serum lipoproteins.

By a combination of polyanion precipitation and ultracentrifugation, chylomicrons, very low density, low density, and high density lipoproteins have been isolated from human serum as discrete classes free from contamination with any other major class of lipoprotein or protein. After removal of the lipid, the proteins from each class were hydrolyzed and their amino acid compositions were determined by use of the amino acid analyzer. Application of the ''t'' test to the concentrations of amino acid residues showed that the amino acid composition of the proteins from each of these lipoprotein classes differs significantly from class to class. However, when the logarithms of the moles of amino acid residues are plotted, there are similarities in the amino acid ''profiles'' between the chylomicrons and high density lipoproteins on the one hand, and between the very low density and low density lipoproteins on the other. The differences in amino acid composition between the lipoproteins suggest that any metabolic interconversions between them probably do not occur by simple lipolysis.
Culture Change? A Secular Shift

Edited byJacquelyn H. Flaskerud, RN, PhD, FAANUniversity of California, School of Nursing, Los Angeles, California, USAIn May 2015, the Pew Research Center (PRC, 2015a) released a survey of changes...
Construction QA/QC Systems: Comparative Analysis

An analysis which compares the quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) systems adopted in the highway, nuclear power plant, and U.S. Navy construction areas with the traditional quality control approach used in building construction is presented. Full participation and support by the owner as well as the contractor and AE firm are required if a QA/QC system is to succeed. Process quality control, acceptance testing and quality assurance responsibilities must be clearly defined in the contract documents. The owner must audit these responsibilities. A contractor quality control plan, indicating the tasks which will be performed and the fact that QA/QC personnel are independent of project time/cost pressures should be submitted for approval. The architect must develop realistic specifications which consider the natural variability of material. Acceptance criteria based on the random sampling technique should be used.
Robust Guidance via a Predictor-Corrector Algorithm with Drag Tracking for Aero-Gravity Assist Maneuvers

An atmospheric guidance algorithm to support Aero-Gravity Assist (AGA) maneuvers is developed. The AGA maneuver is divided into four phases: (i) a capture phase, (ii) a cruise phase, (iii) an exit phase and (iv) a terminal phase. In the capture phase, the vehicle tracks a constant drag reference that controls the plunge of the spacecraft into the atmosphere, trying to protect it from excessive heating. During the cruise and exit phases, a reference trajectory planner based on a numerical predictor-corrector algorithm generates the references the spacecraft should fly, from the current to the atmospheric exit conditions. In the terminal phase, the remaining final orbit inclination error is reduced. The robustness of the guidance algorithm is increased by tracking the drag reference obtained from the reference trajectory planner instead of directly commanding the predicted control profile. Monte Carlo simulation results indicate the viability of the approach for on-board closed-loop guidance in the presence of large dispersions and modeling uncertainties.
Is it my cancer or am i just getting older?: Impact of cancer on age‐related health conditions of older cancer survivors

BACKGROUND The extent to which cancer exacerbates or creates new health conditions is a long-standing, unanswered question. The current prospective study examined the short-term impact of cancer on the functioning, development of, and worsening of age-related health conditions among older adults who develop cancer compared with age-matched controls. METHODS Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry data were linked with Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (MHOS) data. A total of 921 eligible cases were Medicare beneficiaries with diagnosis of breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer made between their baseline and follow-up MHOS. Using propensity score matching, 4605 controls without cancer were matched from the MHOS. Analysis of covariance and logistic regression were used to examine changes in physical functioning, activities of daily living, age-related conditions, and exacerbation of preexisting conditions for cases compared with controls. RESULTS Cancer groups demonstrated greater declines in activities of daily living and physical function compared with controls (mean, -1.53 [standard error, 0.14]), with the greatest change noted for patients with lung cancer (mean, -6.72 [standard error, 0.94]). Having a cancer diagnosis increased the risk of depression but did not increase the odds of developing arthritis in the hand and/or hip, urinary incontinence (except for prostate cancer), or vision and/or hearing problems. Having a cancer diagnosis also did not exacerbate the severity of arthritis or foot neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the current study suggest that cancer is a stronger driver for declines in physical functioning and an increased risk of depression in older adults. Interventions are needed to decrease these risks. Clinicians need to prepare patients and families for changes in functioning levels and interventions that limit the declines for older patients with cancer are needed. Cancer 2016;122:1946–53. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Increased Level of Thrombotic Biomarkers in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation Despite Traditional and New Anticoagulant Therapy.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the traditional oral anticoagulant, warfarin (W), and new anticoagulants, apixaban (A) and rivaroxaban (R), on the level of thrombotic biomarkers in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Circulating plasma levels of von Willebrand factor (vWF), prothrombin fragment 1.2 (F1.2), microparticle tissue factor (MP-TF), and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) were analyzed as potential markers of clot formation in 30 patients with AF prior to ablation surgery. Patients with AF were divided into 2 groups based on their usage (n = 21) and nonusage (n = 9) of any oral anticoagulant. Furthermore, those on anticoagulants were divided based on their use of newer (R and A, 16) or traditional (W, 4) anticoagulants. A statistical increase (P .05) in levels of any thrombotic biomarker between patients treated with the traditional anticoagulant, W, and those treated with new anticoagulants, R and A. Our data suggest that, despite the use of traditional or newer anticoagulants, prothrombotic biomarkers are still generated at increased levels in patients with AF. Further studies to confirm these findings are warranted.
A Heated Debate: Theoretical Perspectives of Sexual Exploitation and Sex Work

The theoretical and often political framework of sexual exploitation and sex work among women is widely and enthusiastically debated among academic and legal scholars alike. The majority of theoretical literature in this area focuses on the macro perspective, while the micro-level perspective as to theory and causation remains sparse. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the philosophical, legal, and political perspectives pertaining to sexual exploitation of women and girls while addressing the subsequent controversies in the field.
A1, a Bcl-2 family member, prolongs cell survival and permits myeloid differentiation.

A1, a bcl-2 family member, has been identified as a hematopoietic- specific, early inducible gene. In this study it is shown that stable transfection of A1 into an interleukin-3 (IL-3)-dependent myeloid precursor cell line, 32D c13, leads to a retardation of IL-3 withdrawal- induced cell death similar to that observed with transfection of bcl-2. However, unlike bcl-2. A1 expression permits the accumulation of differentiated myeloid cells both before and after IL-3 withdrawal. Total cell accumulation, on the other hand, is considerably greater after IL-3 deprivation in the bcl-2 transfectant than in A1-expressing cells. Cells cotransfected with the two genes behave similarly to cells singly transfected with bcl-2, except that viability following IL-3 withdrawal is somewhat further enhanced. These results suggest that these two proteins have distinct roles that may be related to the divergent regulation of their expression during myeloid differentiation.
Glomerulonephritis With Masked Monotypic Immunoglobulin Deposits and Concurrent Lymphomatous Infiltration

Kidney injury can be a complication of hematopoietic neoplasia by both direct and indirect mechanisms. Virtually all lymphomas and plasma cell dyscrasias can show kidney involvement, including parenchymal infiltration and by secondary injury. Recently, a unique form of glomerulonephritis with masked monotypic immunoglobulin deposits has been reported, which shows frequent association with hematopoietic neoplasia and a propensity for progressive kidney disease. In many instances, these cases are likely diagnosed as glomerulonephritis with dominant C3 due to the absence of immunoglobulin staining by routine immunofluorescence microscopy. The patient reported here showed lymphomatous infiltration on kidney biopsy and mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis with dominant staining for C3 without immunoglobulins on initial immunofluorescence; however, monotypic immunoglobulin G κ light chain was revealed after additional immunofluorescence staining was performed on the paraffin-embedded tissue. This patient's case highlights the evolving state of kidney biopsy interpretation and the expanding spectrum of kidney disease in the setting of hematopoietic neoplasia.
Mechanically controlled radical polymerization initiated by ultrasound

Mechanochemically controlled polymerization is rare in polymer chemistry. Now, it has been shown that mechanical force can initiate and control the polymerization of an acrylate monomer. Piezochemical reduction of a copper(II) precursor using mechanical agitation of piezoelectric nanoparticles generates the polymerization activator required for controlled radical polymerization.
Supplementation of corn dried distillers’ grains plus solubles to gestating beef cows fed low-quality forage: II. Impacts on uterine blood flow, circulating estradiol-17β and progesterone, and hepatic steroid metabolizing enzyme activity1

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementing dried distillers' grains plus solubles (DDGS) during late gestation on uterine blood flow (BF), circulating steroid hormones and hepatic steroid metabolizing enzymes, and calf and placental weights. Multiparous beef cows were randomly divided into a control group (CON; = 15) consuming a diet containing 90% corn stover and 10% corn silage (DM basis) for ad libitum intake and a treatment group (SUP; = 12) consuming the same diet and DDGS (0.3% of BW). Corn silage inclusion was increased to 30% as gestation progressed to meet increasing caloric requirements. Ipsilateral and contralateral uterine BF and cross-sectional area (CSA) of each uterine artery were measured by Doppler ultrasonography on d 180, 216, and 246 of pregnancy. Contralateral BF and CSA increased ( < 0.01) as gestation advanced. Ipsilateral BF and CSA was affected by a treatment × day of gestation interaction ( < 0.05). A main effect of treatment ( = 0.02) and day ( < 0.01) was observed for total BF; BF increased over time and SUP cows had greater BF than CON cows. Circulating concentrations of both progesterone (P4) and estradiol-17β (E2) were affected by an interaction of treatment and day ( < 0.01). Concentrations of circulating E2 steadily increased throughout the study and were greater in CON cows than in SUP cows by d 242. Concentrations of P4 also increased over time; P4 of CON cows was greater than that of SUP cows by d 242. Uridine 5'-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) activity increased with advancing gestation ( < 0.01). There was greater UGT activity ( < 0.05) and a trend for greater CYP1A activity ( = 0.06) in SUP cows than in CON cows. Activity of cytochrome P450 3A was greater ( < 0.01) in SUP cows and decreased ( < 0.05) with advancing gestation. Supplementing DDGS to cows fed low-quality forage during late gestation increased uterine BF but decreased circulating E2 and P4 concentrations and altered hepatic steroid metabolizing enzyme activity. It was anticipated that enzyme activity would reflect circulating hormone levels; however, our data suggests the observed increases in BF are not driven by alterations in hormone concentration. Therefore, further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
Optimized distributed work-stealing

Work-stealing is a popular approach for dynamic load balancing of task-parallel programs. However, as has been widely studied, the use of classical work-stealing algorithms on massively parallel and distributed supercomputers introduces several performance issues. One such issue is the overhead of failed steals (communicating with a victim that has no work), which is far more severe in the distributed context than within a single SMP node. Due to the cost of inter-node communication, it is critical to reduce the number of failed steals in a distributed context. Prior work has demonstrated that load-aware victim processor selection can reduce the number of failed steals, but it cannot eliminate the failed steals completely.In this paper, we present two different load-aware implementations of distributed work-stealing algorithm in HabaneroUPC++ PGAS library — BaselineWS and SuccessOnlyWS. BaselineWS follows prior work in implementing a distributed work-stealing strategy. SuccessOnlyWS implements a novel distributed work-stealing strategy that completely eliminate inter-node failed attempts by introducing a new policy for moving work from busy to idle processors. This strategy also avoids querying the same processor multiple times with failed steals. We evaluate both BaselineWS and SuccessOnlyWS by using up to 12288 cores of Edison, a CRAY-XC30 supercomputer and by using dynamic irregular applications, as exemplified by the UTS and NQueens benchmarks. We demonstrate that SuccessOnlyWS provides performance improvements up to 7% over BaselineWS.
Regulation of Elastically Coupled Myosin IC Molecules

The unconventional myosin Ic is thought to be the principal component of the motor that adjusts mechanical responsiveness during adaptation to prolonged stimuli by hair cells, the sensory receptors of the inner ear. To better understand myosin Ic's function, we introduce a theoretical description based on myosin Ic's chemomechanical cycle and consistent with recent single-molecule studies. Thermodynamic constraints imply that the nucleotide concentrations govern the dynamics of the cycle. We explicitly calculate the probabilities of myosin Ic's occupying the different states of its cycle and show their dependence on the external force, nucleotide concentrations, and availability of actin. This analysis highlights that the strongly actin-bound states of myosin Ic are dominated by the ADP state for small forces and by the ATP state for large forces. Integrating this single-molecule cycle into a simplified ensemble description, we predict that the average number of bound myosin heads is regulated by the external force and by the nucleotide concentrations. We use our description to discuss possible mechanisms for calcium to regulate a myosin ensemble with its implication for adaptation in hair cells.
The influence of Edward Young's St Kitts Creole in Pitcairn Island and Norfolk Island toponyms

Edward Young, the midshipman who sided with Fletcher Christian during the Mutiny on the Bounty, which took place in 1789, was an English and St Kitts Creole speaker. The influence of Young's Kittitian lexicon and grammar toponyms (placenames) in the Pitcairn Island language – Pitcairn – exists in features such as the use of articles and possessive constructions. Pitcairn was moved to Norfolk Island sixty-six years after the settling of Pitcairn Island in 1790 by the mutineers and their Polynesian counterparts. While Kittitian for ‘for, of’ and Kittitian-derived articles ha/ah only occur in a few documented placenames in Pitcairn, the fer and ar/dar elements of possessive constructions in placenames in Norfolk, the Norfolk Island language still spoken today by the descendants of the Pitcairners, are more common than in Pitcairn placenames. It is argued that the use of the for/fer possessive construction and article forms are key social deictic markers of identity and distinctiveness, especially in Norfolk placenames. Their usage delineates Pitcairn blood heritage and ancestry (Norfolk: comefrom) as either Pitcairner or non-Pitcairner, and has been expanded in and adapted to the new social and natural environment of Norfolk Island. The analysis draws on primary Norfolk placename data and compares it to secondary Pitcairn data.
Multiple Dimensions of Gender-Role Attitudes: Diverse Patterns Among Four East-Asian Societies

The existing literature simplifies the measure of gender-role attitudes into a single liberal-conservative scale, whether aggregating multiple statements or using only one statement on specialized roles for the two genders, “A man’s job is to earn money and a woman’s job is to look after the home and family.” Typically, a respondent occupies one position along the continuum. However, role expectations for the two genders can be more complex. Using data from four East Asian societies—China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea—in an international survey titled “Family and Changing Gender Roles,” this study explored four dimensions of gender-role expectations (male breadwinner, female income earner, male homemaker, and female homemaker roles) in addition to the typical global measure of gender roles. The findings show distinctive combinations of the attitudes toward the four dimensions by the society, shedding rich insights on belief systems of the four nations. These observed cross-cultural variations attest that reducing gender-role norms to a single liberal-conservative scale can lead to a misleading conclusion.
Progression of anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions to anal squamous cell carcinoma and clinical management of anal superficially invasive squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract Anal high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) are the precursors to anal squamous cell carcinoma. High-resolution anoscopy (HRA) uses a colposcope after application of acetic acid to visualize anal HSIL that are otherwise invisible. Magnification allows the identification of friability and abnormal vascular changes including punctation, mosaic pattern, and atypical vessels that are the hallmarks of HSIL. These areas are targeted for biopsy and in addition to identifying HSIL, sometimes yield a newly defined pathologic entity, superficially invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SISSCA). The evidence supporting progression of HSIL to cancer is reviewed including a discussion of the rate of progression. A strategy for following patients with HSIL at risk is recommended including the role of treatment of HSIL. An approach for managing patients with SISCCA is described including the roles of digital anorectal examination, HRA, and potential treatment of concomitant HSIL. Although great strides have been made in identifying HSIL and its role in progression to cancer including SISCCA, many questions remain unanswered.