cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Genome-Wide Small Interfering RNA Screen Identifies Host Factors Required for Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Infection

ABSTRACT Viruses are dependent on their host cells for replication and thus have evolved in intimate association with them. The identification of host factors required for viral infection has led to advances in both viral and cellular biology. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a negative-sense RNA virus, replicates in all eukaryotic cells in culture, suggesting that the host requirements for its replication are ubiquitous. In this study, we performed a genome-wide small interfering RNA screen of human cells in culture and identified multiple cellular genes that influence the entry and replication of VSV. From a list of >300 genes, we selected the most promising candidates to perform further analysis to assign their functions to either the entry or intracellular replication step of infection. We implicate 3 new factors in VSV entry and 20 new factors in viral gene expression. These proteins have diverse cellular roles, including S -adenosylmethionine synthesis, respiration, and host translation machinery, underscoring the intimate relationship between VSV and the host cell. Together, these results provide a curated list of genes required for VSV replication. IMPORTANCE Replication of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) has long served as a model for understanding host-virus interactions and neuropathogenesis. We performed a genome-wide analysis of host factors and revealed genes critical for viral replication, including some involved in vesicular trafficking, cell cycling, and protein modification. Our results provide an enriched list of host factors that are required for specific stages of VSV entry and gene expression. This study may also potentially expand the repertoire of targets for antiviral therapy against negative-strand RNA viruses.
What Do You Recommend? Implementation and Analyses of Collaborative Information Filtering of Web Resources for Education

This article examines results from one pilotstudy and two empirical studies of acollaborative filtering (CF) system applied ineducational settings. CF is a populartechnology in electronic commerce, whichleverages the interests of entire communitiesto provide targeted, personalizedrecommendations of interesting products orresources to individuals. In electroniccommerce, entertainment, and related domains,CF has proven an accurate and reliable tool;yet educational applications remain limited.From analyses of data from these three studies,we believe that CF holds promise in educationnot only for the purposes of helping learnersand educators find useful resources forlearning, but as a means of bringing togetherpeople with similar interests and beliefs, andpossibly as an aid to the learning processitself.
Religiosity, self-control, and antisocial behavior: Religiosity as a promotive and protective factor

Abstract Three hypotheses with the potential to provide information on the role of religiosity as a promotive and protective factor in early adolescence were tested. Adolescents (N = 166, M age = 13 years, 49% female, 49% European American, 45% African American) and mothers reported their own personal importance of religion and the frequency of their attendance of religious services. Greater mother importance and attendance was associated with greater adolescent importance and attendance. Mother importance was indirectly linked to adolescent antisocial behavior through adolescent importance. Less adolescent importance and attendance were associated with low self-control and low self-control was associated with more antisocial and rule-breaking behavior. Adolescent importance also moderated the links between low self-control and antisocial and rule-breaking behavior such that low levels of self-control were more strongly associated with more antisocial and rule-breaking behavior among adolescents reporting low religious importance compared to adolescents reporting high religious importance.
Preparing personnel with expertise in severe disabilities in the electronic age: Innovative programs and technologies

Teacher shortages in special education in general and, specifically, in severe disabilities continue to be acute, despite concentrated personnel preparation efforts. The application of telecommunications technologies is viewed as a potentially effective way to systematically impact these shortages. We describe two federally funded distance education programs in the area of severe disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte project (UNC Charlotte) and project UPLIFT (Utah Consortium for Low Incidence Faculty and Teachers), each of which uses a multi-university consortium. We also discuss the technologies employed in each project. Preliminary data illustrating the use of end of course student evaluations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of distance education course delivery in the area of severe disabilities. The potential benefit of preparing personnel via distance delivery through using multi-university consortia is discussed and topics for future research are suggested.
Privatisation in post‐communist societies

(1991). Privatisation in post‐communist societies. Communist Economies and Economic Transformation: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 5-39.
GABAA Receptor Imaging With Positron Emission Tomography in the Human Newborn: A Unique Binding Pattern

Abstract Flumazenil is a specific, reversibly bound antagonist at benzodiazepine binding sites of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors; these sites can be imaged using positron emission tomography with 11C-flumazenil. We reported an exponential decline of flumazenil volume of distribution (proportional to receptor binding) of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors in children 2 to 17 years. Six newborns (33.3-46.7 weeks' postconception) were studied. All had experienced epileptic seizures and undergone 60-minute dynamic 11C-flumazenil–positron emission tomography imaging after injection of 0.4 mCi/kg of 11C-flumazenil. All newborns were scanned during their natural sleep. Binding potential (indicating flumazenil receptor binding) was calculated using Logan-plot analysis. Visual and quantitative analyses showed highest receptor binding in the amygdala-hippocampus region, sensory-motor cortex, thalamus, brainstem and basal ganglia, in that order. Cerebellum and most of the cerebral cortex showed relatively low binding. This is the first demonstration of gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor binding in human neonates and is strikingly different from that in older children/adults, showing a programmed pattern of expression. The ontogeny data of flumazenil receptor binding from children may contribute to understanding regional differences in synaptic plasticity and improve rational therapeutic use of drugs acting at the gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptor in the pediatric population.
The end of the Korean Vowel Shift controversy

The Korean Vowel Shift hypothesis (KVS) has been one of the most firmly entrenched tenets of Korean historical phonology since the 1960s, despite a number of published critiques from both theoretical and empirical standpoints. This paper aims to end the controversy over the KVS by demonstrating that the Mongolian loanwords, the purported primary philological evidence for the shift, do not support the KVS hypothesis. The reason for this is that the Old Mongolian vowel system that provided the source for the loans was almost certainly based on an RTR contrast, rather than the palatal contrast assumed by the KVS.
Recruitment Strategies for a Home-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Breast Cancer Patients

Recruiting cancer patients for randomized trials investigating psychosocial interventions presents several unique challenges. This paper describes the challenges and yields for different recruitment methods used in Moving Forward, a randomized trial of a home-based moderate-intensity physical activity program for early-stage breast cancer survivors. Recruitment methods included letters sent to patients by their oncologists, direct referrals from oncologists, in-person recruitment in oncology clinics, referrals from nurses and medical assistants, passive recruitment, other mailings, and community outreach strategies. Of the 424 screenings completed, 86 (20.3%) participants were randomized. Physician letters yielded the greatest number of initial screenings (147; 34.7%) and participants randomized (28; 32.5%). In-person recruitment also proved to be a productive recruitment strategy; 14 (16.3%) of the participants were recruited via this strategy. Community outreach efforts did not provide as great a yield and were labor intensive. We discuss suggestions for recruitment of cancer patients in future trials.
Determining PCB Sorption/Desorption Behavior on Sediments Using Selective Supercritical Fluid Extraction. 3. Sorption from Water

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) with pure CO2 was used to quantitatively remove PCBs from historically contaminated sediments without substantially disturbing their bulk organic or inorganic matrix as evidenced by only small or undetectable changes in thermal gravimetric behavior, elemental (C, H, N, S) composition, ionic conductivity, and pH determined before and after SFE. The extracted PCBs were then spiked into water with the parent sediment, and sorption was allowed to occur for up to 18 days. The selective SFE conditions developed in part 1 were used to determine the proportion of PCBs which could be extracted under four conditions of increasing stringency. Comparing the selective SFE behavior of the PCBs from the water/sediment sorption samples to the original historically contaminated sediments demonstrated that 18 days was not sufficient for PCBs to migrate to the “slower” sediment-binding sites (those sites requiring more rigorous SFE conditions), which the PCBs had occupied in the historic...
Reinforcement of a Rubbery Epoxy Polymer by Mesostructured Silica and Organosilica with Wormhole Framework Structures

Mesostructured forms of silica (denoted MSU-J) and aminopropyl-functionalized silica (denoted AP-MSU-J) with wormhole framework structures are effective reinforcing agents for a rubbery epoxy polymer. At loadings of 2.0-10 wt %, MSU-J silica with an average framework pore size of 14 nm (65 °C assembly temperature) provides superior reinforcement properties in comparison to MSU-J silica with a smaller average framework pore size of 5.3 nm (25 °C assembly temperature), even though the surface area of the larger pore mesostructure (670m 2 g -1 ) is substantially lower than the smaller pore mesostructure (964 m 2 g -1 ). The introduction of 5.0 and 10 mol % aminopropyl groups in the wormhole framework walls decreases the textural properties in comparison to the pure silica analogs. AP-MSU-J organosilicas increase the tensile strength as well as the strain-at-break of the rubbery epoxy mesocomposites in comparison to MSU-J silica as a reinforcing agent. The improved toughness provided by the aminopropyl functionalized mesostructures is attributable in part to covalent bond formation between the mesostructured silica walls and the cured epoxy matrix and to a more ductile mesostructure framework in comparison to a pure silica framework. An organosilica derivative containing 20 mol % aminopropyl groups, but lacking a mesostructured framework, provides little or no improvement in polymer tensile properties, demonstrating that an ordered porous network is essential for polymer reinforcement. In general, the reinforcement benefits provided by mesostructures with larger framework pores are superior to those provided by smaller pore derivatives, most likely because of more efficient polymer impregnation of the particle mesopores. The presence of a mesostructured form of the organosilica is essential for improving the mechanical properties of the epoxy polymer.
Fragmentation and polymeric complexes of albumin in human urine

Summary Analysis of urine proteins of some individuals with proteinuria by SDS-PAGE and silver staining revealed protein bands in urine which did not appear to be present in plasma. The bands migrated with apparent molecular weights of 260000, 180 000,110 000,45 000,40 000, 30 000,24 000,18 000 and 11000. These bands were shown to be albumin polymer and fragments by using a polyclonal antibody to (a) immunoprecipitate radiolabelled urine proteins, and (b) identify bands blotted from SDS-PAGE gels onto nitrocellulose paper. The specificity of the polyclonal antialbumin antibody was confirmed by using two mouse monoclonal antibodies raised against human albumin which, between them, recognized the same protein bands on nitrocellulose paper as did the polyclonal antibody. The results of these studies of albumin in human urine confirm that albumin exists as polymer and also show that albumin fragmentation occurs in urine. Fragmentation occurs by proteolysis of the albumin molecule both at sites within and outside disulfide loops. The predominant cleavage site appears to be approximately two-fifths of the distance from one end of the albumin molecule to produce disulfide-linked fragments of about 45000 and 30 000 molecular weight.
Interpersonal Trauma and PTSD: The Roles of Gender and a Lifespan Perspective in Predicting Risk

Research has shown that women’s increased risk for interpersonal trauma (IPT) may place them at heightened risk for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, research has not shown whether the timing of IPT exposure and revictimization impact PTSD development, and whether this may also account for observed gender disparities in PTSD. Consensus coding was used to group 180 undergraduate participants into one of four IPT exposure groups: no exposure, childhood only, adolescent/adulthood only, life span. Women were significantly overrepresented in the life span-exposure group that experienced IPT in both childhood and adolescence/adulthood. IPT-group membership significantly predicted PTSD symptoms, with post hoc analyses revealing that the life span-exposure group reported significantly more PTSD symptoms than the no-exposure and adolescent/adulthood-only groups, but did not differ from the childhood-only group. A generalized linear model revealed that when both gender and IPT group were considered in relationship to PTSD symptoms, only IPT-group membership significantly predicted PTSD symptoms.
Interaction of the N-Ethylmaleimide–Sensitive Factor with AMPA Receptors

Glutamate receptors mediate the majority of rapid excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS) and play important roles in synaptic plasticity and neuronal development. Recently, protein-protein interactions with the C-terminal domain of glutamate receptor subunits have been shown to be involved in the modulation of receptor function and clustering at excitatory synapses. In this paper, we have found that the N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF), a protein involved in membrane fusion events, specifically interacts with the C terminus of the GluR2 and GluR4c subunits of AMPA receptors in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, intracellular perfusion of neurons with a synthetic peptide that competes with the interaction of NSF and AMPA receptor subunits rapidly decreases the amplitude of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), suggesting that NSF regulates AMPA receptor function.
Modeling environment loading effects: a review

Abstract Temporal variations in the geographic distribution of atmospheric, hydrologic and oceanic mass load and deform the surface of the Earth. In many instances, the deformation is large enough to be detected with space based geodetic techniques as well as with terrestrial gravity observations. For example, atmospheric loading induced crustal deformations on the order of 20 mm are possible at high latitudes with accompanying changes in gravity of 6 μGals. Non-tidal ocean loading effects can typically cause 5 mm (2 mm root-mean-square, RMS) in vertical positioning at coastal geodetic sites with displacements of up to 10 mm possible. Deformation associated gravity changes are usually on the order of 2–3 μGals, however peak-to-peak changes of 5 μGals are also predicted. The effects of regional ground water variations on geodetic measurements are less well known. Model results indicate that annual changes in gravity and vertical positioning can be as large as 2 μGals and 5 mm for sites where there is significant annual snowfall. We present a review of work done to date to address these issues.
The Clinical Treatment of School Refusal Behavior: A Survey of Referral and Practice Characteristics.

Youngsters with problematic nonattendance present a difficult dilemma for school psychologists and educators, particularly because of the prevalence and heterogeneity of the behavior. However, because of the information gap that often exists between researchers and practitioners, essential facts about the characteristics and treatment of this population are often unavailable to school personnel. This is unfortunate given that such personnel usually make initial decisions about referral and/or school-based intervention. Therefore, clinicians were surveyed about recently referred and treated cases of school refusal behavior. Data were obtained on clinical prevalence, demographic characteristics, length of absenteeism, severity, etiology, and length, type, and success of treatments used. Recommendations are made with respect to the initial referral and treatment of this population.
Proinflammatory and regulatory cytokine production associated with innate and adaptive immune responses in children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental regression

We determined innate and adaptive immune responses in children with developmental regression and autism spectrum disorders (ASD, N=71), developmentally normal siblings (N=23), and controls (N=17). With lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a stimulant for innate immunity, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 59/71 (83.1%) ASD patients produced >2 SD above the control mean (CM) values of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and/or IL-6 produced by control PBMCs. ASD PBMCs produced higher levels of proinflammatory/counter-regulatory cytokines without stimuli than controls. With stimulants of phytohemagglutinin (PHA), tetanus, IL-12p70, and IL-18, PBMCs from 47.9% to 60% of ASD patients produced >2 SD above the CM values of TNF-alpha depending on stimulants. Our results indicate excessive innate immune responses in a number of ASD children that may be most evident in TNF-alpha production.
Frustrated spin-Peierls chains

We study the phase diagram, ground-state properties, and excitation gaps of a frustrated spin-Peierls chain, i.e., a spin-Peierls chain with both nearest-neighbor exchange {ital J}{sub 1} and next-nearest-neighbor exchange {ital J}{sub 2}. The phase diagram is calculated using a bosonization renormalization-group method. We propose a bond-operator mean-field approximation to calculate the ground-state properties and excitation gaps.
Acute Pediatric Encephalitis Neuroimaging: Single-Institution Series as Part of the California Encephalitis Project

Abstract Purpose Diagnosing pediatric encephalitis is challenging because of varied clinical presentation, nonspecific neuroimaging features, and rare confirmation of causality. We reviewed acute neuroimaging of children with clinically suspected encephalitis to identify findings that may correlate with etiology and length of stay. Methods Imaging of 141 children with clinically suspected encephalitis as part of The California Encephalitis Project from 2005 to 2012 at a single institution was reviewed to compare the extent of neuroimaging abnormalities to patient age, gender, length of stay, and unknown, possible, or confirmed pathogen. Scan review was blinded and categorized by extent and distribution of abnormal findings. Results Abnormal findings were evident on 23% (22/94) of computed tomography and 50% (67/134) of magnetic resonance imaging studies in the acute setting. Twenty children with normal admission computed tomography had abnormal findings on magnetic resonance imaging performed within 2 days. Length of stay was significantly longer among children with abnormal acute magnetic resonance imaging ( P P P = 0.8). Conclusion Abnormal magnetic resonance imaging findings are more common than abnormal computed tomography findings in pediatric encephalitis. Increasing complexity of magnetic resonance imaging findings correlated with disease severity as evidenced by longer length of stay, but were not specific for an identifiable pathogen using a standardized diagnostic encephalitis panel.
Developmental expression and hormonal regulation of different isoforms of the transcription factor E75 in the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta.

E75A and E75B, isoforms of the E75 orphan nuclear receptor, are sequentially up-regulated in the abdominal epidermis of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) during larval and pupal molts, with E75A also increasing at pupal commitment (Zhou et al., Dev. Biol. 193, 127–138, 1998). We have now cloned E75C and show that little is expressed in the epidermis during larval life with trace amounts seen just before ecdysis. Instead, E75C is found in high amounts during the development of the adult wings as the ecdysteroid titer is rising, and this increase was prevented by juvenile hormone (JH) that prevented adult development. By contrast, E75D is expressed transiently during the larval and pupal molts as the ecdysteroid titer begins to decline and again just before ecdysis, but in the developing adult wings is expressed on the rise of 20E. Removal of the source of JH had little effect on either E75C or E75D mRNA expression during the larval and pupal molts. At the time of pupal commitment, in vitro experiments show that 20E up-regulates E75D and JH prevents this increase. Neither E75A nor E75D mRNA was up-regulated by JH alone. Thus, E75C is primarily involved in adult differentiation whereas E75D has roles both during the molt and pupal commitment.
Parenting Style and Child Outcomes in Chinese and Immigrant Chinese Families-Current Findings and Cross-Cultural Considerations in Conceptualization and Research

Abstract Parenting style is an important familial variable in the study of child development. Unlike research on white populations, results on how parenting style affects child outcomes are less conclusive in Chinese and Chinese immigrant families. This is largely due to problems associated with applying western typologies, such as Baumrind's prototypes, in research on Chinese families. Studies that use an orthogonal approach, in which different parenting dimensions are examined, yield more interpretable data. This article examines current research on the associations between the two key parenting dimensions of warmth and control on child outcomes in Chinese and Chinese immigrant families. Warmth is associated with positive child outcomes. However, the effect of parental control on child psychosocial outcomes is unclear. Qualitative differences in Chinese parenting call for more research that focuses on conceptualizing and operationalizing dimensions of Chinese parenting that are both culturally specific ...
Protein composition of the hyaline layer of sea urchin embryos and reaggregating cells

The protein composition of the sea urchin embryo hyaline layer has been studied by 125I surface labeling. The electrophoretic patterns of iodinated proteins indicate that the composition of the hyaline layer is species and stage-specific. Dissociation of iodinated embryos removes some labeled proteins of apparent molecular weights of 290,000, 175,000, 145,000, 110,000, 70,000, and 50,000. The electrophoretic pattern of labeled proteins found in the intact embryo is reestablished on the surface of aggregates following reaggregation. The possible function of these proteins with respect to cell adhesion, cell-sorting behavior and morphogenesis is discussed.
Photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer in bimetallic donor-acceptor assemblies

A series of bimetallic complexes containing an (α-diimine)(CO)3Re1 chromophore and a covalently attached ruthenium pentaammine moiety has been prepared and characterized. Ground state properties, including absorption spectra and redox potentials, are consistent with very weak metal-metal interaction in these systems. However, picosecond luminescence decay profiles indicate that emission from the Re → α-diimine 3MLCT excited state is strongly quenched by attachment of the Ru center for complexes in both ReI/RuII and ReI/RuIII oxidation states. Such behaviour is consistent with extremely rapid photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer processes, and the data are interpreted in light of the ‘superexchange’ mechanism. No short-lived transients are observed for the ReI/RuIII bimetallic complexes, suggesting that electron transfer may occur from the 1MLCT state in these systems.
Tune up! tips & tricks for your audience to get the most from your presentation

How many times have you attended some sort of a training session or conference where the presenter reads the screen? Have you ever thought about whom your audience is or what shoes you are wearing? As an audience member, have you ever tried to take notes from a slide that has so much information you forgot what the topic was?This paper will focus on giving the presenter, as well as the presentation, a "tune-up." Whether you are a first time presenter or a seasoned trainer, come learn how to make minor adjustments so that your audience gets the most out of your presentation. The presentation will explore topics such as using PowerPoint as a presentation aid (not as the speaker), establishing rapport with your audience, dynamic opening and closings, appropriate use of humor, the importance of dry-runs, adding spice, and how to make certain that your learners walk out with valuable knowledge, not just another handout from just another presentation.
Extraction of Water-Soluble Accelerators in Water Cure

Abstract No measurable quantity of the water-soluble accelerators tested was extracted from the rubber during the water extraction. Therefore, these accelerators will not be extracted during vulcanization in water. The softening action observed in water-cured latex products is due to the extraction of water-soluble nonrubber components from the rubber film. The water-soluble accelerators tested have a selective solubility for rubber which is many times greater than their solubility in water.
Approaching the minicomputer on a silicon chip: progress and expectations for LSI circuits

Technological progress in semiconductor integrated circuits during the last five years has been truly astounding, and the results of this progress are being aggressively exploited in the designs of new minicomputers. During the 1960s, effort in minicomputer design was concentrated on applying the low price, high speed, and ever-increasing complexity offered by the integrated circuit industries to the original architectures so as to provide greater speed and particularly lower cost. Much of this effort consisted of substituting first MSI and now LSI circuits for the simpler integrated circuits with which previous minicomputers were implemented without greatly changing either architecture or structure and programs. With such substitution, however, tremendous decreases in system cost and some increases in speed were accomplished. Most recently, new structures and architecture are being examined so as to further extend the capabilities as well as economy of minicomputers.
Assertion training: A review of the literature.

Assertion training has come into prominence as a clinical technique. However, research has not kept pace with its growing popularity. This review emphasizes the following areas: the concept of assertive behavior, self-report and behavioral assessment of changes in assertive behavior, clinical applications, and experimental research. Differences in the application of assertion training to normal and psychiatric populations are outlined, and future directions are discussed.
Multifunctional Nano-Architecture for Biomedical Applications

A multifunctional architecture for biomedical applications has been developed by deliberately combining the useful functions of superparamagnetism, luminescence, and surface functionality into one material. Good control of the core−shell architecture has been achieved by employing a sol−gel synthesis. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are first coated with silica to isolate the magnetic core from the surrounding. Subsequently, the dye molecules are doped inside a second silica shell to improve photostability and allow for versatile surface functionalities. The architecture has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy, UV−vis absorption and emission spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and magnetometry. The hybrid nanoparticles exhibit improved superparamagnetic behavior over the as-received nanoparticles with a significant decrease in the blocking temperature. The architecture shows emission properties similar to those of the free dye molecules, sug...
Modeling of Thermodynamic Properties and Phase Equilibria for the Al-Sm Binary System

The phase equilibria associated with the binary Cu-Mg system are analyzed by applying results from first-principles calculations to a general solution thermodynamics treatment. Differing from previously reported models, we employ a four-species association model for the liquid, while the terminal and intermediate solid phases are modeled as substitutional solutions with one or two sublattices, respectively. The zero-Kelvin enthalpies of formation for the intermediate compounds, Cu2Mg-C15 (cF24) and CuMg2-Cb (oF48) are computed using the Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP). The Gibbs free energy functions for the individual phases are evaluated, and the resulting binary phase diagram is presented over the full composition range. While the phase diagram we propose exhibits only modest deviation from previously reported models of phase equilibria, our treatment provides better agreement with experimental reports of heat capacity and enthalpy of mixing, indicating a more self-consistent thermodynamic description of this binary system.
Reduced mitochondrial DNA content associates with poor prognosis of prostate cancer in African American men.

Reduction or depletion of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been associated with cancer progression. Although imbalanced mtDNA content is known to occur in prostate cancer, differences in mtDNA content between African American (AA) and Caucasian American (CA) men are not defined. We provide the first evidence that tumors in AA men possess reduced level of mtDNA compared to CA men. The median tumor mtDNA content was reduced in AA men. mtDNA content was also reduced in normal prostate tissues of AA men compared to CA men, suggesting a possible predisposition to cancer in AA men. mtDNA content was also reduced in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissue from AA men. Tumor and BPH tissues from patients ≥60 years of age possess reduced mtDNA content compared to patients 7 compared to ≤7, whereas reduced mtDNA content was observed in tumors of Gleason grade >7 compared to ≤7. Together, our data suggest that AA men possess lower mtDNA levels in normal and tumor tissues compared to CA men, which could contribute to higher risk and more aggressive prostate cancer in AA men.
Différences suivant le sexe des vélocités sanguines après angioplastie et stenting carotidien

Des differences entre sexes ont ete demontrees dans les velocites sanguines par echographie-Doppler (ED) chez les malades ayant une stenose carotidienne. Actuellement, l'ED est la methode la plus utilisee pour suivre les malades apres angioplastie et stenting carotidien (ASC). Pour identifier de possibles differences entre les sexes des velocites carotidiennes, nous avons analyse notre experience de l'ED realisee avant et immediatement ASC. Dans une serie de 47 ASC realisees au cours d'une periode de 2,5 ans chez 31 hommes et 15 femmes, nous avons realise une arteriographie carotidienne et une ED en pre-operatoire et dans les 24 heures suivant l'ASC. Les profils de velocite carotidienne ont ete compares avec le degre arteriographique de stenose carotidienne. Les differences de velocites sanguines entre les sexes ont ete etudiees en utilisant des tests statistiques parametriques et non parametriques. Globalement, les femmes avaient des velocites sanguines medianes plus importantes de 5 a 10% par rapport aux hommes, bien que la difference ne soit pas statistiquement significative. L'ED realisee immediatement apres l'ASC montrait que les velocites sanguines medianes etaient tres semblables chez les hommes et les femmes (p > 0,4). En conclusion, bien que les femmes aient des velocites sanguines carotidiennes plus elevees que les hommes, les differences entre les sexes sont notablement absentes au cours du suivi par ED apres stenting carotidien. Nos donnees indiquent que des criteres similaires doivent etre utilises apres ASC pour interpreter les profils de velocites carotidiennes aussi bien chez les hommes que chez les femmes.
The effect of filler content and size on the mechanical properties of polypropylene/oil palm wood flour composites

The effect of filler content and size on the mechanical properties of a new type of wood-based filler, oil palm wood flour (OPWF), in polypropylene (PP) was investigated. Four sizes of OPWF filler at different filler loadings were compounded using a twin screw compounder. All sizes of filler showed a similar trend of declining mechanical properties with increasing filler content. In terms of size, the composites filled with larger-sized filler showed higher modulus, tensile and impact strengths, particularly at high filler loadings. The OPWF used in this study was not treated with any coupling agent.
Collagen corneal shields enhance penetration of topical prednisolone acetate.

Abstract We used an animal model to compare the corneal and aqueous penetration of topical prednisolone acetate 1% with and without the presence of a commercially available collagen corneal shield. A significant (P
The Effects of Artificial Beach Nourishment on Marine Turtles: Differences between Loggerhead and Green Turtles

Marine turtle reproductive success is correlated with the stability and quality of the nesting environment. Female marine turtles show fidelity to nesting beaches, making artificial beach nourishment practices directly relevant to their recovery. We evaluated the impacts of artificial beach nourishment on Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) between artificially nourished and nonnourished beaches. We observed reduced nesting success (ratio of nesting emergences to emergences not resulting in nest deposition) for both species. This negative effect lasted for one season in Loggerheads and for at least one season in Green turtles. Physical attributes of the fill sand did not impede nesting attempts. We argue that the decrease in nesting success resulted from an altered beach profile not favorable for nest deposition, which subsequently improved in later seasons as the beach equilibrated to a more natural slope. We observed a 52.2% decrease in reproductive output (hatchlings km 21 yr 21 ) for Loggerheads one year postnourishment, with a 44.1% increase observed the two seasons postnourishment. In Green turtles, a 0.8% reduction was observed the first season postnourishment, despite a 13% increase in the nonnourished area. The reduction in reproductive output in both cases was primarily a consequence of decreased nesting success, lowering nest numbers. These results reveal stronger negative effects of beach nourishment on Loggerheads compared to Green turtles and the importance of minimizing excessive nonnesting emergences associated with artificial beach nourishment. Nourished areas also experienced more than 600% increase in the number of Loggerhead hatchlings disoriented by artificial lighting over two years postnourishment.
Constitutionalism, Judiciary, and Democracy in Islamic Societies

This article reconsiders the relationship between secularism, liberalism, and democracy in non-secularized societies by focusing on judicial activism. The goal is to identify the forms of constitutionalism and judicial review that are necessary for the sustainability of democracy in societies where exclusive and holistic interpretations of religion remain pervasive. How is it possible to prevent majority rule from decaying into the tyranny of the majority in such societies? Neither the guardianship regimes embodied by the Iranian and Turkish republics nor Islamic democracy provide viable models that overcome the tension between constitutionalism and democracy. However, a conflict between these two principles in Islamic societies is avoidable. Judicial review, sanctioned by democratically written liberal constitutions and not guarded by non-elected institutions such as military, would be a guardian of individual and minority rights in Islamic societies.
Six degree-of-freedom hand/eye visual tracking with uncertain parameters

Algorithms for 3D robotic visual tracking of moving targets whose motion is 3D and consists of translational and rotational components are presented. The objective of the system is to track selected features on moving objects and to place their projections on the image plane at desired positions by appropriate camera motion. The most important characteristics of the proposed algorithms are the use of a single camera mounted on the end-effector of a robotic manipulator (eye-in-hand configuration), and the fact that these algorithms do not require accurate knowledge of the relative distance of the target object from the camera frame. This fact makes these algorithms particularly useful in environments that are difficult to calibrate. The camera model used introduces a number of parameters that are estimated on-line, further reducing the algorithms' reliance on precise calibration of the system. An adaptive control algorithm compensates for modeling errors, tracking errors, and unavoidable computational delays which result from time-consuming image processing. Experimental results are presented to verify the efficacy of the proposed algorithms. These experiments were performed using a multi-robotic system consisting of Puma 560 manipulators. >
Placing the food system on the urban agenda: The role of municipal institutions in food systems planning

Food issues are generally regarded as agricultural and rural issues. The urban food system is less visible than such other systems as transportation, housing, employment, or even the environment. The reasons for its low visibility include the historic process by which issues and policies came to be defined as urban; the spread of processing, refrigeration, and transportation technology together with cheap, abundant energy that rendered invisible the loss of farmland around older cities; and the continuing institutional separation of urban and rural policy. Despite its low visibility, the urban food system nonetheless contributes significantly to community health and welfare; to metropolitan economies; connects to other urban systems such as housing, transportation, land use, and economic development; and impacts the urban environment. We examine existing or potential city institutions that could offer a more comprehensive look at the urban food system. These include the city department of food, the food policy council, and the city-planning department.
Coupled Renewal Model of Ocean Viscous Sublayer, Thermal Skin Effect and Interfacial Gas Transfer Velocity

A previously developed renewal model included parameterizations for the thermal skin effect and interfacial gas transfer velocity. The more readily available cool skin data were used for an adjustment of the gas transfer parameterization. In this work, the renewal concept is extended to include the velocity difference across the viscous sublayer and to account for the stage of surface wave development. As a result, the empirical coefficients that enter the renewal model have been specified more accurately using laboratory data on the surface wind drift current. In addition, the coefficient linking the cool skin and gas transfer parameterization formulas has been determined from the probability distribution function for renewal events. A comparison of the upgraded renewal model with the thermal skin data collected during the COARE and more recent field programs and with gas transfer data collected during GasEx-01 experiment suggests that the renewal model can be a useful tool for producing a physically based parameterization for the interfacial CO2 transfer velocity. Model uncertainties associated with the effect of surface films are discussed.
Atomistic modeling of elasticity, plasticity and fracture of protein crystals

The structure and behavior of proteins plays an overarching role in determining their function in biological systems. In recent years, proteins have also been proposed as basis for new materials to be used in technological applications (Langer and Tirrell, Nature, 2004). It is known that protein crystals show very interesting mechanical behavior, as some of them are extremely fragile, while others can be quite sturdy. However, unlike other crystalline materials like silicon or copper, the mechanical properties of protein crystals have rarely been studied by atomistic computer modeling. As a first step towards more fundamental understanding of the mechanics of those materials, we report atomistic studies of mechanical properties of protein crystals using empirical potentials focusing on elasticity, plasticity and fracture behavior. Here we consider the mechanics of a small protein α-conotoxin PnIB from conus pennaceus. We use large-scale atomistic simulations to determine the low-strain elastic constants for different crystallographic orientations. We also study large-strain elastic properties including plastic deformation. Furthermore, we perform systematic studies of the effect of mutations on the elastic properties of the protein crystal. Our results indicate a strong impact of mutations on elastic properties, showing the potential of mutations to tailor mechanical properties. We conclude with a study of mode I fracture of protein crystals, relating our atomistic modeling results with Griffith's theory of fracture.
The Rise of Grubstreet

Hail the lowly Grubstreet hack! In the yeasty lingua franca of eighteenth-century studies, where everything from certain genres to individualism is always described as ‘rising’, today's academic trends may herald ‘the rise of Grubstreet’. I comment below on three recent events in eighteenth-century studies, all of which are gradually bringing so-called Grubstreet productions into increasingly closer proximity with eighteenth-century mainstream culture: the impact of textual studies, the republication of ephemera, and scholarship's radical quantitative trend.
Death Statistics for Cerebrovascular Disease: A Review of Recent Findings

There is a large margin of error in death statistics. Mortality statistics for cerebrovascular disease show, however, the well-known rise in frequency with age, the higher frequency in men than women which is likely to affect all countries in the coming years, and the greater involvement of nonwhite Americans and Japanese than of white Americans and Japanese Americans. I believe that incidence figures, when they become available in future years, will confirm these findings. Environmental factors, such as a "water factor," also relate to cerebrovascular death rates. Possibly the biggest factor in the medical environment, causing artificial swings in both mortality and incidence figures, will be shown to be the changing diagnostic habits of physicians. From the viewpoint of etiology, the coexistence of hypertension and cerebrovascular disease dominates the epidemiological picture. The geographic distribution of cerebrovascular mortality in the U.S.A., and the higher mortality in Negroes and in the elderly, ...
The impact of ASIC devices on the SEU vulnerability of space-borne computers

Application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) offer a number of advantages over traditional multicomponent microcircuits, including reductions in both size and power dissipation, and are therefore prime candidates to replace such microcircuits in space borne electronics systems. The results of recent tests of the susceptibilities of various ASIC devices to cosmic ray and trapped proton induced single event upset (SEU) and latchup are reported and are compared to the susceptibilities of the devices that they would replace. This comparison leads to a discussion of the impact of ASIC devices on the SEU susceptibility of spaceborne computers. >
A 22nm high performance and low-power CMOS technology featuring fully-depleted tri-gate transistors, self-aligned contacts and high density MIM capacitors

A 22nm generation logic technology is described incorporating fully-depleted tri-gate transistors for the first time. These transistors feature a 3rd-generation high-k + metal-gate technology and a 5th generation of channel strain techniques resulting in the highest drive currents yet reported for NMOS and PMOS. The use of tri-gate transistors provides steep subthreshold slopes (∼70mV/dec) and very low DIBL (∼50mV/V). Self-aligned contacts are implemented to eliminate restrictive contact to gate registration requirements. Interconnects feature 9 metal layers with ultra-low-k dielectrics throughout the interconnect stack. High density MIM capacitors using a hafnium based high-k dielectric are provided. The technology is in high volume manufacturing.
Design parameters for rotating cylindrical filtration

Rotating cylindrical filtration displays significantly reduced plugging of filter pores and build-up of a cake layer, but the number and range of parameters that can be adjusted complicates the design of these devices. Twelve individual parameters were investigated experimentally by measuring the build-up of particles on the rotating cylindrical filter after a fixed time of operation. The build-up of particles on the filter depends on the rotational speed, the radial filtrate flow, the particle size and the gap width. Other parameters, such as suspension concentration and total flow rate are less important. Of the four mechanisms present in rotating filters to reduce pore plugging and cake build-up, axial shear, rotational shear, centrifugal sedimentation and vortical motion, the evidence suggests rotational shear is the dominant mechanism, although the other mechanisms still play minor roles. The ratio of the shear force acting parallel to the filter surface on a particle to the Stokes drag acting normal to the filter surface on the particle due to the difference between particle motion and filtrate flow can be used as a non-dimensional parameter that predicts the degree of particle build-up on the filter surface for a wide variety of filtration conditions.
A correlation approach to time-frequency representations

A method for analyzing and understanding time-frequency representations is introduced. The method is based on a nonstationary correlation function. Using this function and a specified estimation method, a Wiener-Knitchine-type spectral density for time-varying signals is defined. This spectral density provides many time-frequency representations and allows simple intuitive understanding of their properties. >