cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Evolutionary Review of Human Telomere Biology: The Thrifty Telomere Hypothesis and Notes on Potential Adaptive Paternal Effects

Telomeres, repetitive DNA sequences found at the ends of linear chromosomes, play a role in regulat- ing cellular proliferation, and shorten with increasing age in proliferating human tissues. The rate of age-related shortening of telomeres is highest early in life and decreases with age. Shortened telomeres are thought to limit the proliferation of cells and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Although natural selection is widely assumed to operate against long telomeres because they entail increased cancer risk, the evidence for this is mixed. Instead, here it is proposed that telomere length is primarily limited by energetic constraints. Cell proliferation is ener- getically expensive, so shorter telomeres should lead to a thrifty phenotype. Shorter telomeres are proposed to restrain adaptive immunity as an energy saving mechanism. Such a limited immune system, however, might also result in chronic infections, inflammatory stress, premature aging, and death—a more ''disposable soma.'' With an increased reproductive lifespan, the fitness costs of premature aging are higher and longer telomeres will be favored by selection. Telomeres exhibit a paternal effect whereby the offspring of older fathers have longer telomeres due to increased telo- mere lengths of sperm with age. This paternal effect is proposed to be an adaptive signal of the expected age of male reproduction in the environment offspring are born into. The offspring of lineages of older fathers will tend to have lon- ger, and thereby less thrifty, telomeres, better preparing them for an environment with higher expected ages at repro- duction. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 23:149-167, 2011. ' 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
HLA-A, -B, -DR, -DQ ANTIGENS IN BLACK NORTH AMERICANS

HLA antigens of black North Americans are not as well-characterized as those of other ethnic groups. We present results from HLA typing of black Americans using the 10th International Histocompatibility Workshop (IHW) sera. 1502 black Americans are typed for HLA-A, -B antigens. 128 black Americans are typed for HLA-DR, -DQ antigens. New specificities and splits established by the 10th IHW are identified in our data. Antigen frequency, gene frequency and haplotype frequency are computed for each phenotype observed. Haplotype A30--Bw42--DRw18--DQw4 and haplotype Aw36--Bw53 in strong linkage disequilibrium is characteristic of this black population. DR and DQ association patterns are similar to those of white North Americans. A major difference is the association of DRw8 with DQw7 in blacks versus an association of DRw8 with DQw4 in whites.
On routing and flow control in data networks

In quasi-static adaptation, estimates (of delays, etc.) are gathered during sessions, which form the basis for updating the parameters of routing and flow control for the succeeding session. If the estimates do not converge, i.e., conditions are not quasi-static enough, link flows may exceed their limits (congestion). Approximations are derived for small step sizes of updating to compute probability of congestion. Selection of algorithm parameters is discussed.
Malignant Cancer and Invasive Placentation: a case for positive pleiotropy between endometrial and malignancy phenotypes

Cancer metastasis is an invasive process that involves the transplantation of cells into new environments. Since human placentation is also invasive, hypotheses about a relationship between invasive placentation in eutherian mammals and metastasis have been proposed. The relationship between metastatic cancer and invasive placentation is usually presented in terms of antagonistic pleiotropy. According to this hypothesis, evolution of invasive placentation also established the mechanisms for cancer metastasis. Here, in contrast, we argue that the secondary evolution of less invasive placentation in some mammalian lineages may have resulted in positive pleiotropic effects on cancer survival by lowering malignancy rates. These positive pleiotropic effects would manifest themselves as resistance to cancer cell invasion. To provide a preliminary test of this proposal, we re-analyze data from Priester and Mantel (Occurrence of tumors in domestic animals. Data from 12 United States and Canadian colleges of veterinary medicine. J Natl Cancer Inst 1971;47:1333-44) about malignancy rates in cows, horses, cats and dogs. From our analysis we found that equines and bovines, animals with less invasive placentation, have lower rates of metastatic cancer than felines and canines in skin and glandular epithelial cancers as well as connective tissue sarcomas. We conclude that a link between type of placentation and species-specific malignancy rates is more likely related to derived mechanisms that suppress invasion rather than different degrees of fetal placental aggressiveness.
WHAT IS SYSTEMS ENGINEERING? A CONSENSUS OF SENIOR SYSTEMS ENGINEERS1

Systems Engineering is an interdisciplinary process that ensures that the customer's needs are satisfied throughout a system's entire life cycle. This process includes understanding customer needs, stating the problem, discovering system requirements, defining performance & cost figures of merit, validating requirements, defining technical performance measures, prescribing tests, exploring alternative concepts, sensitivity analyses, functional decomposition, system modeling, system design, designing and managing interfaces, conducting design reviews, system integration, total system test, configuration management, risk management, reliability analysis, total quality management, project management, and documentation.
Correlations between radon and cloud condensation nucleus concentrations

A strong correlation has been observed between concentrations of radon (222Rn) and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) during long-distance transit flights over North America and during several days of observations over Arizona. The correlation coefficient between the compared observations was 0.92 for transit flights at altitude 2000–4000 m. Correlation coefficients for five altitude profiles, each from 300 to 4500 m over Arizona, were in the range of 0.73–0.95. Over oceans and snow-covered areas there was no correlation. There was no significant correlation for two vertical profiles over Arizona because of unusually high CCN concentrations between 2000 and 3000 m.
What and when to collect from infants with cystic fibrosis.

Perspective on the papers by Cipolli et al and Hilliard et al ( see pages 842 and 898 )
T-NDPack: Timing-driven non-uniform depopulation based clustering

Low-cost FPGAs have comparable number of Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs) with respect to resource-rich FPGAs but have much less routing tracks. This leads to the difficulty for CAD tools to successfully and optimally map a circuit into these devices. Instead of switching to resource-rich FPGAs, the designers could employ depopulation based clustering technique which underuses CLBs, hence improves routability by spreading the logic over the architecture. However, all depopulation based clustering algorithms to this date increase critical path delay. In this paper, we present a timing-driven non-uniform depopulation based clustering technique, T-NDPack, that targets critical path delay and channel width constraints simultaneously. We adjust the capacity of the CLB based on the criticality of the logic block. Paper analyzes the effect of depopulation strategies on area and delay performance. Results show that T-NDPack reduces minimum channel width by 11.07% while increasing the number of CLBs by 13.28%. More importantly, T-NDPack decreases critical path delay by 2.89%.
On the Precision of the coverages of β-content inner tolerance intervals

For samples of any given size n>-2 from a normal distribution, Gillespie (1984) has shown how to obtain the factor k so that the coverage of each tail will be at least 1-p. In order to show the effect of sample size on the coverage, this paper presents the maximum difference between the actual coverage and the required value, β, for the coverage.
Kinetics of Encephalitozoon Spp. Infection of Human Macrophages

Microsporidia are obligate intracellular, eukaryotic parasites that are known to infect a variety of invertebrate and vertebrate species and have been reported to include a broad range of host specificities for various cell types. Although it is clear that some species of microsporidia have the ability to disseminate, causing multiorgan infections, it is not understood how dissemination occurs. One hypothesis suggests that mononuclear phagocytes engulf the pathogen and migrate to various organs while the parasite persists and proliferates. This implies that microsporidia have developed methods by which to escape intracellular degradation and can, instead, use the host as a source of nourishment and a vehicle for dissemination. In our study, we investigated the infection kinetics of 2 Encephalitozoon spp. known to cause disseminated disease in humans. Using fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy, it was determined that spore adherence to the host was rapid (3–6 hr), as was the uptake and organizatio...
An angle-sensitive CMOS imager for single-sensor 3D photography

Conventional cameras capture 2D photographs at a single plane of focus. Acquisition of a 3D photograph with multiple planes of focus typically requires scanning the focus of a single camera [1], or using arrays of cameras or lenses [2]. This paper demonstrates a 150kpixel image sensor, which captures 3D scenes. The chip is manufactured in commodity 0.18μm CMOS and requires only a single convex lens at a fixed focal length in ambient light.
Efficient and accurate interference detection for polynomial deformation

We present efficient and accurate algorithms for interference detection among objects undergoing polynomial deformation. The scope of our algorithms include physically-based models undergoing dynamic simulation subject to non-penetration constraints, variational models, deformable models used in soft object animation, geometric models including polygonal meshes, parametric surfaces such as Bezier patches and B-splines, and solid models defined by such surfaces. Our algorithms use axis aligned bounding boxes and convex hulls of the objects to identify the object pairs in close vicinity. They use subdivision, convex hull properties and linear programming to perform surface intersection tests and loop intersection tests. Frame-to-frame coherence is utilized to achieve incremental computations. The resulting algorithms have been implemented and work well in practice. In particular we are able to compute all contacts accurately and at interactive speeds for flexible bodies undergoing second-order polynomial deformations.
Biologically effective doses of sunlight for immune suppression at various latitudes and their relationship to changes in stratospheric ozone

Using information on solar irradiance at different latitudes derived from a radiative transfer model and a detailed in vivo action spectrum for immune suppression in a murine system, we report here calculations of the "biologically effective" irradiance of sunlight for immune suppression. From 40 degrees N to 40 degrees S in summer, under normal stratospheric ozone concentrations this value ranged from 0.27 W/m2 (40 degrees N or S) to a peak of 0.33 W/m2 (20 degrees N or S) predicting that 50% immune suppression in the Balb/c mouse would occur after 21-26 min of sunlight exposure within this latitude range. We also found that the most effective wavelengths for immune suppression shift from a peak of 270 nm in the laboratory to near 315 nm in sunlight. Furthermore, using ozone depletion scenarios of 5 to 20%, at latitudes 20 degrees S and 40 degrees N, a 0.6% increase in biologically effective irradiance levels of solar UVB for immune suppression was predicted for each 1% decrease of ozone. This value rose to a nearly 1% increase for each 1% decrease in ozone at 60 degrees N latitude in wintertime. These data indicate that activation of immune suppression, in a murine model, requires relatively low levels of sunlight and that these levels are easily obtainable over most of the populated regions of the world. Since a UVB-activated photoreceptor, urocanic acid, regulates immune suppression in mice and since this same compound exists on other mammalian skin, including human skin, suppression of the mammalian immune system is predicted to increase if substantial stratospheric ozone depletion takes place.
Determination of the Elastic Modulus and Residual Stresses in Ceramic Coatings Using a Strain Gage

Formulas based on the beam theory are derived for calculating the in-plane elastic modulus and residual stresses in ceramic coatings. In addition to theoretical derivation, experimental data for SiC coating/graphite substrate composites are proposed. The results indicate that the modulus of SiC coatings is 359 GPa. The residual stresses are in compression and are functions of the ratio of substrate thickness to coating thickness.
Antifibrotic effects of suramin in injured skeletal muscle after laceration

Muscle injuries are very common in traumatology and sports medicine. Although muscle tissue can regenerate postinjury, the healing process is slow and often incomplete; complete recovery after skel...
Design and Testing of a Functional Arm Orthosis in Patients With Neuromuscular Diseases

The objective of this study was to determine the utility of a passive gravity-balanced arm orthosis, the Wilmington robotic exoskeleton (WREX), for patients with neuromuscular diseases. The WREX, a four-degrees-of-freedom functional orthosis, is energized by rubber bands to eliminate gravity and is attached to the wheelchair. The development and clinical testing of WREX is described in this report. Seventeen patients (14 boys and 3 girls) with muscular disabilities participated in the study. Ages ranged from 4 to 20 years. Criteria for inclusion included a weakened arm, use of a wheelchair, the ability to grasp and release objects, and the ability to provide feedback on device use. Testing consisted of administering the Jebsen test of hand function without WREX and then testing again after approximately two weeks of wearing the WREX orthosis. The timed results of each task within the test then were compared. Specific tasks related to vertical movement required less time to perform with the WREX. A large number of subjects were able to perform the Jebsen tasks with the WREX, where they were unable to perform the task without the WREX. Patients can benefit from WREX because it increases their performance in daily living activities and makes many tasks possible. The range-of-motion in the patients' arms increased considerably, while the time required to complete some of the Jebsen test tasks decreased. Most patients were very receptive to WREX, although a few were ambivalent.
A study of the effects of mutual coupling on the direction-finding performance of a linear array using the methods of moments

Summary form only given, as follows. Modeling a linear array as a set of uniformly positioned identical dipole antennas, and signals as coherent and nonrandom narrowband plane waves, the method of moments is applied to study the effects of mutual coupling on the direction-finding performance of the forward-backward linear prediction (FBLP) method. Galerkin's method is first applied to produce the voltage induced on the dipole loads by the assumed signals. Simulations show that when these voltages containing the effects of mutual coupling are used for processing, FBLP is incapable of extracting the directions of arrival with acceptable accuracy. A matrix which characterizes the mutual coupling among the dipoles is thus sought by again using Galerkin's method, and the outputs which would exist if mutual coupling were absent are than extracted from the sensor outputs. When these extracted data are used for processing, a significant improvement in the performance of PBLP is observed. >
Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Nitrogenated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations from 0.7 to 2.5 μm

The near-infrared (NIR) spectra and absolute band strengths of 10 nitrogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PANH) radical cations isolated in an argon matrix are presented and compared with the spectra of their parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) radical cations. The 0.7-2.5 μm (14,500-4000 cm−1) spectrum for the open-shell cation forms of two nitrogenated anthracenes (C13H9N and C12H8N2), four isomeric nitrogenated benzanthracenes (C17H11N), and four isomeric nitrogenated dibenzanthracenes (C21H13N) are reported. These ionized PANHs have allowed electronic transitions that give rise to strong absorption bands in the NIR. Low-lying excited states for these PANH ions are computed using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). The resulting vertical excitation spectrum characterizes the transitions, and leads to a simple model that predicts the qualitative trends in absorption energy. The direction of the shift depends on the position of the nitrogen atom within the PANH and the relative magnitudes of the donor and acceptor molecular orbitals involved in the transitions. As with non-nitrogenated PAHs, ionized interstellar PANHs can be expected to contribute to the mid-IR emission features from UV-rich as well as UV-poor regions, and add weak, broad band structure to the NIR region of the interstellar extinction curve.
Iterative processing algorithm to detect biases in assessments

In order to assess a large number of diverse projects as fairly and rapidly as possible, a procedure often adopted is to use a panel consisting of a large number of experts, only a small number of whom assess each project. Since no one expert assesses all the projects, conscious or unconscious bias regarding overall standards by any expert will advantage or disadvantage the projects assessed by that particular expert. This paper presents an iterative algorithm that has been used successfully to detect and correct for such biases. Each expert's assessments are modeled as differing from the ideal as a result of a shift of mean and having a standard deviation that is too low or too high. This model is used in conjunction with the concept of "paired assessments" to account for individual projects being of unusually high or low quality and so to evaluate the discrepancy from the ideal marks. The same computer program also has applications in the peer-review or expert-evaluation of research proposals, and any other situation involving subjective assessments by a restricted number of persons.
Engineering acidic Streptomyces rubiginosus d-xylose isomerase by rational enzyme design

To maximize bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass, all sugars must be utilized. Yeast fermentation can be improved by introducing the d-xylose isomerase enzyme to convert the pentose sugar d-xylose, which cannot be fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, into the fermentable ketose d-xylulose. The low activity of d-xylose isomerase, especially at the low pH required for optimal fermentation, limits its use. A rational enzyme engineering approach was undertaken, and seven amino acid positions were replaced to improve the activity of Streptomyces rubiginosus d-xylose isomerase towards its physiological substrate at pH values below 6. The active-site design was guided by mechanistic insights and the knowledge of amino acid protonation states at low pH obtained from previous joint X-ray/neutron crystallographic experiments. Tagging the enzyme with 6 or 12 histidine residues at the N-terminus resulted in a significant increase in the active-site affinity towards substrate at pH 5.8. Substituting an asparagine at position 215, which hydrogen bonded to the metal-bound Glu181 and Asp245, with an aspartate gave a variant with almost an order of magnitude lower KM than measured for the native enzyme, with a 4-fold increase in activity. Other studied variants showed similar (Asp57Asn, Glu186Gln/Asn215Asp), lower (Asp57His, Asn247Asp, Lys289His, Lys289Glu) or no (Gln256Asp, Asp287Asn, ΔAsp287) activity in acidic conditions relative to the native enzyme.
Performance of N*Nakagami cascaded fading channels in dual selection combining diversity

Diversity in cascaded Nakagami channels is studied. Average error probabilities and outage probabilities are calculated for dual selection combining algorithm in 2, 3, and 4-fold cascaded channels. Results demonstrate the existence of deterioration in the performance of wireless systems as the number of cascades increases from 1 to 4, and, the improvement gained through the implementation of selection combining diversity.
Cold Acclimation in Genetically Related (Sibling) Deciduous and Evergreen Peach (Prunus persica [L.] Batsch) (II. A 60-Kilodalton Bark Protein in Cold-Acclimated Tissues of Peach Is Heat Stable and Related to the Dehydrin Family of Proteins)

In several plant species, certain cold-regulated proteins share unique properties. These proteins are (a) heat stable and (b) hydrophilic and are related to the Group 2 late embryogenesis abundant or dehydrin family of proteins. Our previous work with sibling deciduous and evergreen peach genotypes demonstrated a correlation between the level of accumulation of certain bark proteins and cold-acclimation potential of these tissues. Here we identify a 60-kD bark protein in peach (Prunus persica [L.] Batsch), PCA60 ("peach cold acclimation"), that is accumulated during cold acclimation and is heat stable. Immunological studies indicated that this protein is related to the dehydrin family of proteins and accumulates at much higher levels in the bark tissues of the deciduous genotype than in the evergreen. Amino acid composition indicated that the 60-kD protein has a compositional bias for glycine (24%), glutamic acid/glutamine (11.4%), aspartic acid/asparagine (10%), and threonine (9.6%), contains relatively low levels of aromatic amino acids (phenylalanine and tyrosine), and is rich in hydrophilic amino acids. A novel characteristic of the 60-kD cold-acclimation protein is the presence of a repeating nine-amino acid sequence. A five-amino acid stretch, which is included within this repeating motif, shares striking homology with other cold-regulated proteins and dehydrins.
Cytotoxicity of silver solder employed in orthodontics.

Abstract Objective: To test the null hypothesis that the silver soldering employed in orthodontics is not cytotoxic for fibroblasts. Materials and Methods: This in vitro study was performed using a culture of mice fibroblasts (lineage NIH/3T3), divided into four groups (n = 10 each): control, negative control (stainless steel archwire), positive control (amalgam disks), and test group (silver soldering). After cell culture in complete Dulbecco modified eagle medium and achievement of confluence in 80%, the suspension was added to the plates of 24 wells containing the specimens and incubated in an oven at 37°C for 24 hours. The plates were analyzed on an inverted light microscope, photomicrographs were obtained, and the results were recorded as response rates based on modifications of the parameters of Stanford according to the size of the diffusion halo of the toxic substance and quantity of cell lysis. Results: The results revealed a maximum response rate for the silver soldering group, as well as severe...
Assimilation or Consciousness: Perceptions of U.S. Society Among Recent Latin American Immigrants to the United States

Two competing views of determinants of immigrants' perceptions of U.S. society and perceptions of discrimination against their own group are examined. Assimilation theory suggests a process leading to lesser discrimination and a more favorable evaluation of the host society as immigrants' economic position, and their knowledge of the culture and language improve. More recent conflict theories indicate a possible reversal in this causal sequence: greater familiarity with the culture and language and some economic advancement can lead to greater consciousness of the reality of discrimination and a more critical appraisal of the host society. These competing perspectives are examined on samples of Cuban and Mexican immigrants interviewed at the moment of arrival in the U.S. and reinterviewed three years after. Bivariate and multivariate regression results are mixed, but lean definitely in the direction of the conflictlconsciousness hypothesis. A LISREL model of immigrants' perceptions of society and discrimination confirms the basic similarity of causal effects across the two immigrant groups and the general agreement of those effects with conflict theory predictions. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Effects of safflower seed extract supplementation on oxidation and cardiovascular risk markers in healthy human volunteers

We previously demonstrated that safflower seed extract (SSE) and its major antioxidant constituents, serotonin hydroxycinnamic acid amides, suppressed LDL oxidation in vitro, decreased plasma autoantibody titres to oxidized LDL and attenuated atherosclerotic lesion formation in apoE-deficient mice. In this report, we examined whether SSE, rich in serotonin derivatives, could affect markers of oxidative stress, inflammation and aortic stiffness in healthy human subjects. Twenty Japanese male volunteers were studied at baseline, after 2.1 g SSE supplementation daily (providing 290 mg serotonin derivatives/d) for 4 weeks, and after a 4-week washout period. Significant reductions in circulating oxidized LDL, autoantibody titres to malondialdehyde-modified LDL, the soluble form of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), and urinary 8-isoprostane were observed after a 4-week intervention. Although there were no statistically significant differences in blood pressure or brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), an index of arterial stiffness, baPWV was lower than baseline in eleven of twenty subjects and was accompanied by a reduction in blood pressure. Statistically significant negative correlations were observed between the extent of initial cardiovascular risk markers (autoantibody titres, 8-isoprostane, sVCAM-1 and baPWV) and the effect of intervention. This suggested that individuals with elevated oxidative stress, inflammation, and/or arterial stiffness may receive more benefit from SSE supplementation.
Factors Affecting Flavor of Poultry Meat and Eggs

(1969). Factors Affecting Flavor of Poultry Meat and Eggs. World's Poultry Science Journal: Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 331-342.
Continuous Spectroscopy Characterization of Emulsions

ABSTRACT In emulsion polymerization, the formation of particles has an important effect on the rate of reaction and on the final properties of the latex. To investigate particle nucleation mechanisms in emulsion polymerization it is necessary to establish the initial conditions of the emulsified system before the reaction takes place. This research reports on a technique to continuously monitor the droplet size distribution of liquid-liquid emulsions using spectroscopy. The on-line particle characterization methodology is based on an integrated sampling and dilution strategy combined with spectroscopy methods. It is shown that the sampling system integrated with a multiwavelength turbidity detector provides reliable estimates of droplet populations as function of the dispersed phase concentration in emulsions of saturated hydrocarbons. The results provide not only the groundwork necessary for the elucidation of particle nucleation during emulsion polymerization process but also suggests the potential of t...
Efectos de los inductores antiepilépticos en la neuropsicofarmacología: una cuestión ignorada. Parte I: Resumen para los clínicos de la situación actual

Resumen La literatura sobre los inductores en la epilepsia y el trastorno bipolar esta contaminada por falsos negativos. Esta es la primera parte de una revision exhaustiva de los farmacos antiepilepticas (FAE) con propiedades inductoras que utiliza los mecanismos farmacologicos y la medicina basada en la evidencia para aportar recomendaciones practicas a neurologos y psiquiatras sobre el modo de controlar sus efectos. La carbamazepina, el fenobarbital y la fenitoina son potentes inductores con efectos clinicos relevantes. Se calculan sus factores de correccion para los farmacos inducidos que han sido estudiados. Estos factores de correccion son meras simplificaciones para orientar a los clinicos, ya que entre las personas existe gran variedad en la intensidad de los efectos inductores. A medida que se publique nueva informacion, deberan modificarse los factores de correccion. Algunos de estos factores son tan elevados que algunos farmacos (el bupropion, la quetiapina o la lurasidona) no deberan administrarse conjuntamente con los inductores potentes. El clobazam, la eslicarbazepina, el felbamato, la lamotrigina, la oxcarbazepina, la rufinamida, el topiramato, la vigabatrina y el acido valproico son inductores leves que pueden: a) ser inductores solo en dosis elevadas; b) combinar a menudo efectos inhibidores, y c) emplear meses en alcanzar sus efectos inductores maximos o su desaparicion, e indudablemente necesitan mas tiempo que los inductores potentes. Claramente los inductores potentes, y posiblemente los inductores debiles, tienen efectos relevantes en el metabolismo endogeno de: a) las hormonas sexuales; b) la vitamina D; c) las hormonas tiroideas; d) el metabolismo lipidico, y e) el acido folico.
ZnGeAs 2 thin films properties: A potentially useful semiconductor for photovoltaic applications

We have studied the chalcopyrite compound ZnGeAs 2 to access its potential as a novel photovoltaic material. Thin films of ZnGeAs2 have been produced by pulsed laser depositionThe films are deposited at 315 °C and are amorphous. They crystallize above 450 °C and improve in crystallinity up to and including 600 °C. At that temperature the Hall mobility is 55 ± 2 cm2/Vs , which is within uncertainty to the highest mobility ever reported for this material. We find a rather high carrier concentration, of order 1018 – 1019 for the annealed films, presumably due to the presence of Zn vacancies. The material is an effective light absorber, with an absorption coefficient of order 104 1/cm at 1.2 eV. These properties suggest ZnGeAs 2 may be used to produce cost effective and efficient solar cells.
Hepatitis B among Asian Americans: Prevalence, progress, and prospects for control.

After tobacco use, chronic hepatitis B (CHB) viral infections are the most important cause of cancer globally in that 1 out of 3 individuals have been infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Though infection rates are low (< 1%) in the United States, Asian Americans who comprise about 6% of the population experience about 60% of the CHB burden. This paper reviews the magnitude of hepatitis B (HBV) burden among Asian Americans and the progress being made to mitigate this burden, primarily through localized, community-based efforts to increase screening and vaccination among Asian American children, adolescents, and adults. This review brings to light that despite the numerous community-based screening efforts, a vast majority of Asian Americans have not been screened and that vaccination efforts, particularly for adults, are sub-optimal. Greater efforts to integrate screenings by providers within existing healthcare systems are urged. Evidence-based strategies are offered to implement CDC’s three major recommendations to control and prevent hepatitis B through targeted screening and enhanced vaccination efforts.
Imaging Apoptosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Quantitative imaging of apoptosis using 99mTc-labeled annexin V in rheumatoid arthritis challenges our conventional thinking on how disease progression or remission should be monitored and reported. Until now, we imaged collagen vascular diseases using radiographs to study bone morphology and using
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE REACTION $sup 3$He($gamma$,$pi$$sup +$)$sup 3$H UP TO 260 Mev

The differential cross section for the reaction $^{3}\mathrm{He}(\ensuremath{\gamma}, {\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+})^{3}\mathrm{H}$ was measured for photon energies of 180 to 260 MeV. A target of gaseous $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ at 20.4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and approximately one atmosphere pressure was irradiated by a 270-MeV bremsstrahlung x-ray beam. The reaction was observed by detecting ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}$-$^{3}\mathrm{H}$ coincidences. Tritons with energies between 9.7 and 24.5 MeV (momentum transfer 1.2 ${\mathrm{F}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ to 1.9 ${\mathrm{F}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) were observed at laboratory angles of 26\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, 30\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, 35\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, and 40\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. At 26\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} the cross sections in the center-of-mass system ranged from 2.55\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.34 \ensuremath{\mu}b/sr to 0.78\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.16 \ensuremath{\mu}b/sr, decreasing with increasing photon energy. Impulse-approximation calculations relate the cross section to the matter form factor of the 3-nucleon system under the assumption of identical wave functions for $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ and $^{3}\mathrm{H}$. Cross sections found in this experiment lie from 25% to 50% below the values predicted by this theory with form factors from electron-scattering data inserted.
Study on Friction Characteristics between Two Bodies under Vibration Working Case

This paper mainly focuses on vibration friction and discusses the dynamic characteristics of the friction under vibration working case. Many practical projects have already proved that under vibration working case, the friction coefficient and the friction force among work pieces and materials can be reduced obviously, and the wear and tear of the parts of machine can be obviously lightened, and the work efficiency can be improved greatly. In this paper, the influence on sliding friction of vibration both parallel and perpendicular to the sliding direction has been studied. Models for friction characteristics between two bodies under longitudinal and transverse vibration working case are set up. On the basis of these models, longitudinal vibration produces greater reduction in friction than transverse vibration at the same amplitude and frequency.
Recent Studies on Inverse Medium Scattering Problems

Regularized recursive linearization methods are presented for solving a two-dimensional inverse medium scattering problem, which reconstructs the scatterer of an inhomogeneous medium from the measurements of near field current densities. Energy estimates of the scattered field are obtained on which the Born approximation is based. The methods start from the Born approximation corresponding to the weak scattering, each update is obtained via recursive linearization with respect to the wavenumber or the spatial frequency by solving one forward problem and one adjoint problem of the Helmholtz equation. In the case that the weak scattering criterion is not satisfied, a technique based on a direct imaging algorithm may be developed to generate an initial guess. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the efficiency and robustness of the underlying computational method.
Role of Flagella in Mucosal Colonization

In recent years, different studies of bacterial flagella have unmasked novel features regarding their complex and sophisticated structure as well as their biological relevance beyond motility. This chapter focuses on these new structural and functional features of flagella, with emphasis on their ability to favor adherence, colonization, penetration, and translocation by bacterial pathogens and the resulting activation of innate immunity. For most bacterial pathogens, flagella and flagellum-driven motility are recognized as essential elements in their virulence scheme. Klose and Mekalanos constructed an rpoN (encoding s54)-null mutant of Vibrio cholerae and found that this strain was defective in motility, flagellation, and colonization in the infant-mouse colonization assay. In this study, they also identified three flagellar regulatory genes (flrABC), among which flrA and flrC encode σ54-activators; mutations in these two genes yielded mutants defective in colonization. Flagella purified from enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) and E. coli K-12 showed similar levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8) induction as those for H6 flagella, suggesting that this is a property of flagella of some pathogenic bacteria as well as some members of the normal flora. It is possible that the conserved regions play an important role in generating an optimal conformation of the hypervariable domain within the flagellin molecule and, in turn, on the flagellum filament in order to display proinflammatory epitopes effectively. Flagellar genes are highly conserved among gram-negative bacteria, and much similarity in structure and function exists.
Duress Is Not a Justification

In this response to Peter Westen's and James Mangiafico's article, The Criminal Defense of Duress: A Justification, Not An Excuse - And Why It Matters, Professor Huigens argues that Westen and Mangiafico (W&M)do not demonstrate that duress is a justification in the sense that they apparently mean: that duress is in all instances a justification and never an excuse. W&M argue that duress is a justification because, seen in context, a human threat is more grave than a natural threat, so that avoiding such a threat is a lesser evil. But there is nothing remarkable in this, because the facts that will support a duress defense often will also support a justification argument. In the framing of a justification argument, we always contextualize by allowing the defendant to argue both that he was justified and that he was reasonable even if he was mistaken about being justified. This does not preclude the defendant from making a third argument that, even if he was not actually justified, and even if he was at fault in mistakenly believing that he was justified, he still ought to be acquitted. The conditions of responsibility are not met where he makes a wrong choice under circumstances of hard choice, and he is not a fair candidate for punishment when most of those who would presume to punish him lack the moral right to do so, because they would have made the same wrong choice that he did in those circumstances.
Cell-Permeable Au@ZnMoS4 Core–Shell Nanoparticles: Toward a Novel Cellular Copper Detoxifying Drug for Wilson’s Disease

A layer-by-layer self-assembly method leads to the formation of Au@ZnMoS4 core–shell nanoparticles (NPs). The PEGylated Au@ZnMoS4 NPs are highly water-dispersible, exhibit no cytotoxicity, and can penetrate the cell membrane to selectively remove copper(I) ions from HepG2 cells in the presence of other endogenous and biologically essential metal ions, including Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+, and Fe2+, demonstrating their potential as a novel intracellular copper detoxifying agent.
TRANSMISSION RATES AND HIV VIRULENCE: COMMENTS TO MASSAD.

Massad (1996) analyzes a mathematical model of HIV virulence and concludes that the model supports Ewald's hypothesis (Ewald 1991, 1994) that, as transmission rates increase, HIV should evolve toward higher virulence. However, Massad's analysis contains an important error that invalidates this conclusion. Lipsitch and Nowak (1995) analyzed almost the same model and showed that, under the equivalent assumptions, the rate of sexual transmission has no effect on the level of virulence selected. Massad's model considers uninfected hosts, asymptomatic hosts infected with each of two strains of HIV (1 and 2), and hosts infected with each strain who have progressed to AIDS. The model (eq. 1 in the original paper) is:
A prospective randomized comparison of luteal phase versus concurrent follicular phase initiation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist for in vitro fertilization.

Abstract Objective To compare the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) initiation either preceding or concurrent with controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET). Design Fifty-five patients were prospectively randomized to receive either GnRH-a on cycle day 21 before COH until ovarian suppression was achieved (group I) or GnRH-a concurrently with COH commencing on cycle day 3 (group II). Main Outcome Measures Serum gonadotropin and ovarian steroid hormone levels, as well as fertilization, spontaneous abortion, and live birth rates. Results Twenty-six patients in group I and 29 patients in group II underwent COH for IVF-ET. Patients in group II had significantly higher serum luteinizing hormone, progesterone, and testosterone levels during stimulation with human menopausal gonadotropins (hMG) before oocyte retrieval ( P P P Conclusions The initiation of GnRH-a in the follicular phase concurrently with hMG is associated with evidence of premature luteinization, hyperandrogenemia, and poorer pregnancy outcome compared with luteal phase administration of GnRH-a before hMG for IVF-ET.
A personal (biased) perspective on cancer "vaccines".

The use of active specific immunotherapy (ASI) for cancer (cancer "vaccines") is still in its scientific infancy despite several decades of clinical and basic research. What has been established is the principle that stimulation of the immune response by "crude" (i.e., whole cell-derived) vaccines has led, in a proportion of patients, to rejection of tumor masses, in some instances for 10 years or more. Scientific investigations into the nature of recognition of tumor antigenic determinants (epitopes) by cytolytic T cells have begun to elucidate the mechanisms underlying rejection, making more precise vaccines possible. Yet there should be caution about assuming that a single epitope or even a few epitopes combined will be as effective as the "crude" materials, which might better be thought of as "polyvalent." ASI in at least one instance may have cured melanoma in a patient with metastatic disease, but that patient developed another immunologically and genetically distinct melanoma. This may provide an example of both immunological surveillance against the emergence of new melanomas and immunological selection of an immunologically resistant tumor. Combinations of vaccines with cytokines, cytolytic T cell infusions, or chemotherapy may improve the response rates and durations of survival achievable with vaccines alone. The best rationale for synthetically derived vaccines may be for prophylaxis-that is, as a true vaccine-where the use of tumor-derived materials in normal individuals is difficult to justify ethically.
Sexual contacts between psychotherapists and patients. A review of recent American literature

According to research in the USA, most psychotherapists reported sexual attraction to one or more of their patients during their career. Only a small minority, however, engaged in sex with their patients. There is a subgroup among offenders (i.e. repeaters) whose views on therapist-patient sex are distorted and grossly at variance with standard professional ethics. Nine of ten patients who have been involved in sex with their therapists are harmed by it. The clinical problems they present resemble those of incest and rape victims. In terms of prevention it seems worthwhile to train students and psychotherapist trainees in ethics and in how to handle sexual feelings. Efforts to rehabilitate offenders have met with little success so far. Prevalence of doctor-patient sex does not seem to differ across most clinical medical specialties.
Hepatic Safety of Buprenorphine in HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients With Opioid Use Disorder: The Role of HCV-Infection

Abstract Introduction Individuals with HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) infection, alcohol use disorder, or who are prescribed potentially hepatotoxic medications may be at increased risk for buprenorphine (BUP) associated hepatotoxicity. Materials and methods We examined a cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected patients receiving an initial BUP prescription between 2003 and 2012. We compared changes in alanine and aspartate aminotransferases (ALT and AST) and total bilirubin (TB) stratified by HIV status. We identified cases of liver enzyme elevation (LEE), TB elevation (TBE), and conducted chart review to assess for cases of drug induced liver injury (DILI) and death. We examined associations between age, sex, race, HIV-infection, HCV-infection, alcohol use disorder, and prescription of other potentially heptatotoxic medications with the composite endpoint of LEE, TBE, and DILI. Results Of 666 patients prescribed BUP, 36% were HIV-infected, 98% were male, 60% had RNA-confirmed HCV infection, 50% had a recent diagnosis of alcohol use disorder, and 64% were prescribed other potentially hepatotoxic medications. No clinically significant changes were observed in median ALT, AST and TB and these changes did not differ between HIV-infected and uninfected patients. Compared with uninfected patients, HIV-infected (OR 7.3, 95% CI 2.1–26.1, p = 0.002), HCV-infected (OR 4.9 95% CI 1.6–15.2, p = 0.007) or HIV/HCV co-infected patients (OR 6.9, 95%CI 2.1–22.2, p = 0.001) were more likely to have the composite endpoint of LEE, TB elevation or DILI, in analyses that excluded 60 patients with evidence of pre-existing liver injury. 31 patients had LEE, 14/187 HIV-infected and 17/340 uninfected (p = 0.25); 11 had TBE, including 9/186 HIV-infected and 2/329 uninfected (p = 0.002); 8 experienced DILI, 4/202 HIV-infected and 4/204 uninfected (p = 0.45). There were no significant associations with alcohol use disorder or prescription of other potentially hepatotoxic medications after adjustment for HIV/HCV status. Conclusions Liver enzymes and TB are rarely elevated in HIV-infected and uninfected patients receiving BUP. Risk of hepatotoxicity was greater in individuals infected with HIV, HCV, or HIV/HCV co-infection, who may benefit from increased monitoring.
Linking Network Structure to Collaborative Governance

Author(s): Ulibarri, N; Scott, TA | Abstract: How do social networks differ between highly collaborative and less collaborative forms of governance? Drawing on a prior study that characterized the level of collaboration for three federal hydropower relicensing processes, we develop exponential random graph models of meeting attendance and participation networks. We find that the highly collaborative relicensing process had lower overall density and a propensity for relatively fewer and stronger interactions. Reciprocity is highest in the high-collaboration process, indicating that it is characterized by mutual interactions. In the low-collaboration process, patterns of connections between any three members of the network displayed a more unidirectional structure, suggesting asymmetrical interactions between active versus passive members of the network. By linking network structure to collaborative dynamics, this study helps elaborate potential mechanisms of successful collaboration.
Using Design Thinking to Improve Psychological Interventions: The Case of the Growth Mindset during the Transition to High School.

There are many promising psychological interventions on the horizon, but there is no clear methodology for preparing them to be scaled up. Drawing on design thinking, the present research formalizes a methodology for redesigning and tailoring initial interventions. We test the methodology using the case of fixed versus growth mindsets during the transition to high school. Qualitative inquiry and rapid, iterative, randomized "A/B" experiments were conducted with ~3,000 participants to inform intervention revisions for this population. Next, two experimental evaluations showed that the revised growth mindset intervention was an improvement over previous versions in terms of short-term proxy outcomes (Study 1, N=7,501), and it improved 9th grade core-course GPA and reduced D/F GPAs for lower achieving students when delivered via the Internet under routine conditions with ~95% of students at 10 schools (Study 2, N=3,676). Although the intervention could still be improved even further, the current research provides a model for how to improve and scale interventions that begin to address pressing educational problems. It also provides insight into how to teach a growth mindset more effectively.