cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ASP(ect) in English modal complements

In this paper, I argue in favor of a structure for modal complements making crucial use of the M(ood) and ASP(ect) Phrases. Deontic modals in English originate in ASP whereas epistemic modals are in M and select ASP Phrases as their complements. There are several arguments which I mention here briefly and then work out in later sections in more detail. The phrase structures used are Minimalist, and so are the underlying assumptions about features (even though the latter are not worked out). First, starting with the weakest argument, which I’ll only briefly mention in section 1, present tense deontic modals derive historically from perfective verb forms and the class is therefore called ‘preterite–present’. This suggests an ‘affinity’ with aspect. Second, deontic and epistemic predicates differ in that the latter but not the former can have auxiliaries and stative complements. This is accounted for if epistemics select an ASPP, but if deontics are in ASP in complementary distribution with other aspectuals. Third, double modal varieties of English typically have at most two modals with the epistemic preceding the deontic. This fits in if one modal is in ASP and the other in higher in the structure. Finally, I’ll look at the position of to, but will start with a note on terminology.
Programmable ligand detection system in plants through a synthetic signal transduction pathway.

Background There is an unmet need to monitor human and natural environments for substances that are intentionally or unintentionally introduced. A long-sought goal is to adapt plants to sense and respond to specific substances for use as environmental monitors. Computationally re-designed periplasmic binding proteins (PBPs) provide a means to design highly sensitive and specific ligand sensing capabilities in receptors. Input from these proteins can be linked to gene expression through histidine kinase (HK) mediated signaling. Components of HK signaling systems are evolutionarily conserved between bacteria and plants. We previously reported that in response to cytokinin-mediated HK activation in plants, the bacterial response regulator PhoB translocates to the nucleus and activates transcription. Also, we previously described a plant visual response system, the de-greening circuit, a threshold sensitive reporter system that produces a visual response which is remotely detectable and quantifiable. Methodology/Principal Findings We describe assembly and function of a complete synthetic signal transduction pathway in plants that links input from computationally re-designed PBPs to a visual response. To sense extracellular ligands, we targeted the computational re-designed PBPs to the apoplast. PBPs bind the ligand and develop affinity for the extracellular domain of a chemotactic protein, Trg. We experimentally developed Trg fusions proteins, which bind the ligand-PBP complex, and activate intracellular PhoR, the HK cognate of PhoB. We then adapted Trg-PhoR fusions for function in plants showing that in the presence of an external ligand PhoB translocates to the nucleus and activates transcription. We linked this input to the de-greening circuit creating a detector plant. Conclusions/Significance Our system is modular and PBPs can theoretically be designed to bind most small molecules. Hence our system, with improvements, may allow plants to serve as a simple and inexpensive means to monitor human surroundings for substances such as pollutants, explosives, or chemical agents.
Hand tracking in a natural conversational environment by the interacting multiple model and probabilistic data association (IMM-PDA) algorithm

Traditional image based hand tracking algorithms use a single model Kalman filter to estimate and predict the hand state (position, velocity, and acceleration) and do not consider multiple measurements with noise and false alarms. However, these approaches may fail in the case of large maneuvers and/or a clutter measurement environment. In this paper, we apply the interacting multiple model (IMM) to catch hand maneuvers and the probabilistic data association (PDA) method to process noisy measurements and false alarms. A theoretical framework of image based hand tracking by the IMM-PDA algorithm is set up. Experiment results from several long video segments show that the IMM-PDA algorithm gives a superior performance compared to single model based Kalman filters.
What information dissemination studies imply concerning the design of on‐line reference retrieval systems

The use of an on-line computer system for locating bibliographic citations has been hailed as an important innovation for coping with the “information explosion.” However, on-line reference retrieval is only one element in a large social system of information dissemination. To have a widespread impact, an on-line system must compete successfully with a multitude of other sources of references. This paper reviews studies of information dissemination as a basis for determining how on-line retrieval can best compete. It recommends the functional groups for whom an on-line system should be designed initially, and suggests the uses for which the system should be designed and the forms of written media that should be included in the system's initial data base. Finally, it presents criteria the system should satisfy to be as widely used and as comprehensive as other reference retrieval methods.
Undocumented immigrants: lack of equal protection and its impact on public health.

From the very beginning, America has had a complicated relationship with immigrants. 1 To those seeking to enter the country, America is perceived as “a shining beacon of hope, a promised land, acc...
Research Infrastructure for Collaborative Team Science: Challenges in Technology-Supported Workflows in and Across Laboratories, Institutions, and Geographies.

Summary Collaborative research has many challenges. One under-researched challenge is how to align collaborators’ research practices and evolving analytical reasoning with technologies and configurations of technologies that best support them. The goal of such alignment is to enhance collaborative problem solving capabilities in research. Toward this end, we draw on our own research and a synthesis of the literature to characterize the workflow of collaborating scientists in systems-level renal disease research. We describe the various phases of a hypothetical workflow among diverse collaborators within and across laboratories, extending from their primary analysis through secondary analysis. For each phase, we highlight required technology supports, and. At time, complementary organizational supports. This survey of supports matching collaborators’ analysis practices and needs in research projects to technological support is preliminary, aimed ultimately at developing a research capability framework that can help scientists and technologists mutually understand workflows and technologies that can help enable and enhance them.
Lethal paralysis of Caenorhabditis elegans by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Identification of host factors that interact with pathogens is crucial to an understanding of infectious disease, but direct screening for host mutations to aid in this task is not feasible in mammals. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a genetically tractable alternative for investigating the pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A P. aeruginosa toxin, produced at high cell density under control of the quorum-sensing regulators LasR and RhlR, rapidly and lethally paralyzes C. elegans. Loss-of-function mutations in C. elegans egl-9, a gene required for normal egg laying, confer strong resistance to the paralysis. Thus, activation of EGL-9 or of a pathway that includes it may lead to the paralysis. The molecular identity of egl-9 was determined by transformation rescue and DNA sequencing. A mammalian homologue of EGL-9 is expressed in tissues in which exposure to P. aeruginosa could have clinical effects.
Design, Modeling, and Characterization of a Novel Circular Surface Acoustic Wave Device

The design, modeling, and fabrication of a novel circular surface acoustic wave (SAW) device in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) are introduced. The results obtained in authors' previous work demonstrated that it is possible to design and fabricate SAW-based sensors in CMOS with comparable performances to conventional devices. It is of great interest to improve the transfer characteristics and to reduce the losses of conventional rectangular SAW architectures for obtaining highly selective sensor platforms. Performance deficiencies of regular SAW devices in CMOS were addressed with this new architecture for improved performance. A 3-D model for the novel architecture was constructed. A detailed finite-element analysis was carried out to examine the transient, harmonic, and modal behavior of the new architecture under excitation. The devices were fabricated in 0.5 mum AMI semiconductor technology and the postprocessing was carried out using cost-effective CMOS compatible methods. The results demonstrate that it is possible to obtain highly oriented SAWs by using the novel circular architecture. A 12.24 dB insertion loss improvement was achieved when compared with a conventional rectangular device that was fabricated in the same technology.
No strings attached: new insights into epithelial morphogenesis

The dramatic ingression of tissue sheets that accompanies many morphogenetic processes, most notably gastrulation, has been largely attributed to contractile circum-apical actomyosin 'purse-strings' in the infolding cells. Recent studies, however, including one in BMC Biology, expose mechanisms that rely less on actomyosin contractility of purse-string bundles and more on dynamics in the global cortical actomyosin network of the cells. These studies illustrate how punctuated actomyosin contractions and flow of these networks can remodel both epithelial and planarly organized mesenchymal sheets.
The Preparation of Hexanitrobibenzyl from TNT with sodium hypochlorite

A parametric study of the Shipp-Kaplan procedure shows promise for the use of reduced amounts of cheaper mixed solvent systems, the use of lower quantities of more concentrated hypochlorite, and elimination of the aging period. Use of methanol as the sole reaction solvent at 50°C shows promise; methanol with a hydrophobic cosolvent gave crude HNBB of high purity. Only a slight improvement in yield was obtained; under no conditions did it exceed 82%.
Excitation–Contraction Coupling in Na+–Ca2+ Exchanger Knockout Mice Reduced Transsarcolemmal Ca2+ Flux

Cardiac-specific Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) knockout (KO) mice surprisingly survive into adulthood without compensatory changes in protein expression levels. To determine how cardiac function is maintained in the absence of NCX, we investigated membrane currents, intracellular Ca2+, and action potentials (APs) in whole cell patch-clamped myocytes from wild-type (WT) and NCX knockout mice. There was no difference in resting Ca2+ or sarcoplasmic reticular Ca2+ load between KO and WT. During prolonged caffeine exposure, the decrease of the Ca2+ transient was drastically slowed in KO versus WT myocytes, indicating that no alternative Ca2+-extrusion mechanism is upregulated to compensate for the absence of NCX. Peak L-type Ca2+ current (ICa) was reduced by 62% in KO myocytes compared with WT. Nevertheless, the corresponding Ca2+ transients were similar, implying an increase in the gain of excitation-contraction coupling in KO cells. APs recorded from KO cells repolarized more rapidly than in WT. In WT myocytes, applying a KO AP waveform voltage clamp reduced Ca2+ influx via ICa by 59% compared with WT AP waveform clamps. Again, the corresponding Ca2+ transients remained similar. Our findings indicate that NCX KO myocytes limit Ca2+ influx to &20% of that in WT by reducing ICa and by abbreviating the AP. Contractility is maintained by an increase in the gain of excitation-contraction coupling resulting from both a more rapid repolarization of the AP and an as yet unidentified AP-independent mechanism.
New global tropical cyclone data set from ISCCP B1 geostationary satellite observations

In light of recently documented hypotheses relating long-term trends in tropical cyclone (TC) activity and global warming, the need for consistent reanalyses of historical TC data records has taken on a renewed sense of urgency. Such reanalyses rely on satellite data, but until now, no comprehensive global satellite data set has been available for studying tropical cyclones. Here a new hurricane satellite (HURSAT) data record is introduced that will facilitate the reanalysis of TCs by providing satellite imagery in a standard format for the period of record 1983 to 2005. The data are collected from Japanese, European and U.S. geostationary satellites and the infrared window channel data, which are particularly relevant for TC analyses, have been recalibrated to reduce inter-satellite differences. Observations are provided on a 0.07{degree sign}×0.07{degree sign} (~8km) Lagrangian grid that follows the TC center at 3-hourly intervals. The data set will be updated annually and work is also underway to expand the data set backward to the late 1970s.
Resonance Recombination Model and Quark Distribution Functions in the Quark-Gluon Plasma

We investigate the consequences of space-momentum correlations in quark phase-space distributions for coalescence processes at the hadronization transition. Thus far it has been proved difficult to reconcile such correlations with the empirically observed constituent quark number scaling (CQNS) at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). To address this problem we combine our earlier developed quark recombination model with quark phase-space distributions computed from relativistic Langevin simulations in an expanding quark-gluon plasma (QGP). Hadronization is based on resonance formation within a Boltzmann equation that recovers thermal equilibrium and obeys energy conservation in the quark-coalescence process, while the fireball background is adjusted to hydrodynamic simulations of semicentral $\mathrm{Au}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{Au}$ collisions at RHIC. To facilitate the applicability of the Langevin process, we focus on strange and charm quarks. Their interactions in the QGP are modeled using leading-order perturbative QCD augmented by effective Lagrangians with resonances that smoothly merge into hadronic states formed at ${T}_{c}$. The interaction strength is adjusted to reproduce the empirical saturation value for the quark-elliptic flow, ${v}_{2,q}^{\mathrm{sat}}\ensuremath{\simeq}7\text{\ensuremath{-}}8%$. The resulting \ensuremath{\phi} and $J/\ensuremath{\psi}$ elliptic flow recover CQNS over a large range in transverse momentum (${p}_{T}$) within a few percent. As a function of transverse kinetic energy, both the quark spectra from the Langevin simulations and the meson spectra generated via resonance recombination recover CQNS from zero to at least $3 \mathrm{GeV}$.
Stalking and Psychosocial Distress Following the Termination of an Abusive Dating Relationship: A Prospective Analysis

The purpose of the current study was to utilize a prospective methodology to better understand the extent to which women report stalking behaviors perpetrated by their abusive ex-partners and how these stalking experiences affect women’s psychological adjustment. Participants included 56 college women who completed measures of partner abuse and psychological adjustment prior to and after terminating an abusive dating relationship. A little over half of the women (51.8%) reported some type of stalking victimization following the termination of the abusive relationship. After controlling for baseline levels of psychological distress and partner abuse variables, experiences of post-relationship stalking victimization predicted greater levels of posttraumatic stress symptomatology and interpersonal sensitivity, whereas post-relationship stalking victimization was unrelated to depression and personal empowerment.
The Orexin-1 Antagonist SB-334867 Blocks Antipsychotic Treatment–Emergent Catalepsy: Implications for the Treatment of Extrapyramidal Symptoms

We have previously shown that the orexin-1 antagonist SB-334867 blocks the electrophysiological effects of haloperidol and olanzapine on the activity of A9 and A10 dopamine neurons. To evaluate if orexin-1 antagonists might block other effects of antipsychotic drugs in animals, we examined the effects of SB-334867 on behavioral, neurochemical, and neuroendocrine effects of antipsychotic drugs. Pretreatment with SB-334867 (0.01-10 mg/kg, intraperitoneal [IP]) significantly decreased the catalepsy produced by the administration of haloperidol (1 mg/kg, subcutaneous [SC]), risperidone (2 mg/kg, SC), and olanzapine (10 mg/kg, SC). Administration of SB-334467 also reversed catalepsy after it had been established in animals pretreated 2 hours earlier with haloperidol. However, pretreatment with SB-334867 (1-10 mg/kg, IP) did not block the decreases in exploratory locomotor activity produced by administration of haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg, SC) or risperidone (0.3 mg/kg, SC). In addition, pretreatment with SB-334867 (1-10 mg/kg, IP) neither blocked the increased levels of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the nucleus accumbens or striatum nor the elevation in serum prolactin produced by administration of haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg, SC) and risperidone (1 mg/kg, SC). Administration of SB-334867 alone neither changed locomotor activity and DOPAC or prolactin levels nor produced catalepsy. These results show that orexin-1 antagonists block the catoleptogenic effects of antipsychotics but do not block other locomotor, neurochemical, or neuroendocrine effects of antipsychotics. Because catalepsy is thought to be a good predictor of extrapyramidal symptoms in humans, treatment with orexin-1 antagonists might decrease the occurrence or severity of antipsychotic treatment-emergent extrapyramidal symptoms in humans.
Franz von Papen, the German Center Party, and the Failure of Catholic Conservatism in the Weimar Republic

No one stood more directly in the eye of the storm that descended upon Germany in 1933 than Franz von Papen. Not only did Papen play a crucial role in overcoming Reich President Paul von Hindenburg's resistance to Adolf Hitler's appointment as chancellor, but his presence in the newly formed Hitler cabinet provided it with an aura of conservative legitimacy that helped mollify the fears that many Germans might otherwise have felt about the so-called Hitler solution. To complicate matters further, Papen proved utterly incapable of containing the dynamism of the Nazi movement and watched ineffectually from the sidelines as the Nazis unleashed a veritable revolution in the spring of 1933 that either swept Germany's conservative institutions aside or, what proved more likely, forcibly coordinated them into the organizational structure of the Third Reich. Nowhere, however, was Papen's ineffectiveness—or, for that matter, his lack of civil courage—more apparent than in the summer of 1934, when the Nazis ruthlessly murdered two of his closest associates, along with several other prominent conservatives, in a two-pronged strike against both the more militant elements within the Nazi movement and a clique of anti-Nazi conspirators within Papen's own vicechancery.
Roseoloviruses and their modulation of host defenses

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), the prototypical human β-herpesvirus, encodes approximately 40 known gene products that function to subvert our host defense mechanisms. From HCMV, we have learned about interferon signaling, cytokine function, chemokine signaling, natural killer (NK) cells' cytotoxicity toward tumors and virus-infected cells, antigen processing and presentation, and protective initiation of the apoptotic signaling cascade. With each successive discovery of novel host evasion mechanism encoded by the cytomegaloviruses, we illuminate what these herpesviruses have learned over the course of their 100 MYr-long evolution with their hosts. As much as we have learned from HCMV, the other members of the human β-herpesvirus family, HHV-6 and HHV-7, are closely-related and yet largely unexplored. These viruses likely have much yet to teach us.
Emerging selection bias in large‐scale climate change simulations

[1] Climate change simulations are the output of enormously complicated models containing resolved and parameterized physical processes ranging in scale from microns to the size of the Earth itself. Given this complexity, the application of subjective criteria in model development is inevitable. Here we show one danger of the use of such criteria in the construction of these simulations, namely the apparent emergence of a selection bias between generations of these simulations. Earlier generation ensembles of model simulations are shown to possess sufficient diversity to capture recent observed shifts in both the mean surface air temperature as well as the frequency of extreme monthly mean temperature events due to climate warming. However, current generation ensembles of model simulations are statistically inconsistent with these observed shifts, despite a marked reduction in the spread among ensemble members that by itself suggests convergence towards some common solution. This convergence indicates the possibility of a selection bias based upon warming rate. It is hypothesized that this bias is driven by the desire to more accurately capture the observed recent acceleration of warming in the Arctic and corresponding decline in Arctic sea ice. However, this convergence is difficult to justify given the significant and widening discrepancy between the modeled and observed warming rates outside of the Arctic.
A 16-Mb MRAM featuring bootstrapped write drivers

A 16-Mb magnetic random access memory (MRAM) is demonstrated in 0.18-/spl mu/m three-Cu-level CMOS with a three-level MRAM process adder. The chip, the highest density MRAM reported to date, utilizes a 1.42/spl mu/m/sup 2/ 1-transistor 1-magnetic tunnel junction (1T1MTJ) cell, measures 79 mm/sup 2/ and features a /spl times/16 asynchronous SRAM-like interface. The paper describes the cell, architecture, and circuit techniques unique to multi-Mb MRAM design, including a novel bootstrapped write driver circuit. Hardware results are presented.
A Theoretical Model for Partial Rotation

A simple model which consists of a set of parallel strips with different anisotropy constants, interacting by the magnetic stray field, is investigated. It displays an incoherent reversal process similar to the partial rotation process observed in thin Permalloy films, and shows under certain conditions a unidirectional rotational hysteresis.
What is the quality of life in the oldest old

Background: Maintaining and improving quality of life has become a major focus in geriatric medicine, but the oldest old have received limited attention in clinical investigations. We aimed to investigate the relationship between self-perceived and caregiver-perceived quality of life (QOL), cognitive functioning, and depressive symptoms in the oldest old.Methods: This IRB-approved prospective study recruited community dwellers aged 90–99 years old. Collected data included neurological evaluation, DSM III-R criteria for dementia, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Dementia Rating Scale (DRS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Record of Independent Living (ROIL), and QOL assessment using the Linear Analogue Self Assessment (LASA).Results: Data on 144 subjects (56 cognitively normal (normal), 13 mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 41 dementia (DEM), 34 dementia with stroke and parkinsonism (DEMSP)) over a three-year period were analyzed. Mean ages ranged from 93 to 94 years, and the majority were female with at least high school education. Overall functional ability was higher in groups without dementia (p < 0.0001). All subjects reported high overall QOL (range 6.76–8.3 out of 10), regardless of cognitive functioning. However, caregivers perceived the subjects’ overall QOL to be lower with increasing severity of cognitive impairment (p < 0.0001). Lower GDS scores correlate with higher self-perceived overall QOL (ρ = −0.38, p < 0.0001).Conclusions: In our community sample of the oldest old, there was a fairly high level of overall QOL, whether or not cognitive impairment exists. Individuals perceive their QOL better than caregivers do, and the difference in subjects’ and caregivers’ perception is more pronounced for the groups with dementia. QOL is more strongly correlated with depressive symptoms than with dementia severity.
Spatially and Temporally Resolved Reflectivity Profiles of Crystalline Silicon Irradiated by 48 Ps Pulses of One-Micron Laser Radiation

Time-resolved reflectivity measurements have been performed on single-crystal silicon irradiated by intense 48 ps pulses of 1 micron radiation. The temporal evolution of the spatial profile of the laser-induced reflectivity changes has been monitored using spatial correlation and surface imaging techniques. These measurements resolve apparent discrepancies between previous spatially and temporally averaged measurements at this wavelength and similar measurements in the visible.
A power management scheme for the IEEE 802.11 based WLANs

Energy efficiency is an important aspect in wireless networks. We investigate the power management in the IEEE 802.11 and propose an enhanced power management scheme for the infrastructure mode network to improve energy efficiency. In our scheme, we set up multiple queues in an AP (Access Point) buffer, one queue for each station. The AP schedules the transmission sequence of buffered packets by piggybacking a bit map in TIM (Traffic Indication Map) message or data packets. Also, we propose to use the Queue-by-Queue algorithm to schedule the traffic in the AP. Our proposed power management scheme improves energy efficiency without degrading the response time of the system. Our simulation results are in good agreement with the analysis.
Illness in breastfeeding infants relates to concentration of lactoferrin and secretory Immunoglobulin A in mother’s milk

Background and objectives: This study aims to better understand the relationship between immune compounds in human milk and infant health. We hypothesized that the concentration of immune compounds in milk would relate to infant illness symptoms according to two possible theoretical paradigms. In the ‘protective’ paradigm, high concentrations of immune compounds prevent infant illness. The converse, the ‘responsive’ framework, posits that concentrations of immune compounds are elevated in response to infection. Methodology: Milk samples (n = 110) and illness data were collected among the Toba of Argentina from 30 mother–infant dyads. Samples were assayed for two immune proteins, lactoferrin and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). Generalized estimating equations were used to assess the relationship between immune composition of milk and symptoms of illness in infants. Results: Lactoferrin was positively associated with symptoms of illness in infants (odds ratios >1), both in the month preceding the sample collection and the subsequent month. sIgA was negatively associated with symptoms (odds ratios <1) in the preceding and subsequent months, an association which was particularly strong for gastrointestinal symptoms. Conclusions and implications: The two compounds investigated in our study had opposite relationships with symptoms of illness; the positive relationship between lactoferrin and illness lends support to our ‘responsive’ paradigm, and the negative relationship between sIgA and symptoms of illness was consistent with our ‘protective’ framework. That elevated lactoferrin is restricted to periods of illness suggests that there may be a cost to mother or infant associated with persistently elevated lactoferrin that is not incurred with elevated sIgA.
Boomerang Effect: the Convergence of National and Human Security

Partly as a result of the 11 September 2001 attacks on Washington and New York, policy decisions and future choices may well be driven by a blurring of concerns that involve state-centric security (in which military forces have traditionally been the best form of protection) and human security (in which instruments other than the military may prove the primary means of protection). The implications for the analyst and policymaker are tremendous. We may be witnessing a `boomerang effect' in which we must focus on both national and human security and yet realize that excessive focus on one aspect of security at the expense or detriment of the other may well cause us to be `boomeranged' by a poor balancing of ends and means in a changing security environment.
Feedback identification of continuous microbial growth systems

The fundamental problem of dynamic modeling of continuous culture systems for process control and optimization is addressed. Forcing a system to bifurcation via feedback control is a very promising method for model discrimination and identification. Dynamic information is obtained by using this technique, the dynamic behavior of the chemostat as predicted by unstructured models, the model with delay, and a structured model has been analyzed. The method exposes significant differences in the nonlinear dynamic structure of the various models and can be implemented to discriminate between various possible models for a continuous culture system.
A specification-based approach to testing software product lines

This paper presents a specification-based approach for systematic testing of products from a software product line. Our approach uses specifications given as formulas in Alloy, a first-order logic based on relations. Alloy formulas can be checked for satisfiability using the Alloy Analyzer. The fully automatic analyzer, given an Alloy formula and a scope, i.e., a bound on the universe of discourse, searches for an instance, i.e., a valuation to the relations in the formula such that it evaluates to true. The analyzer translates an Alloy formula (for the given scope) to a propositional formula and finds an instance using an off-the-shelf SAT solver. The use of an enumerating solver enables systematic test generation.We have developed a prototype based on the AHEAD theory. The prototype uses the recently developed Kodkod model finding engine of the Alloy Analyzer. We illustrate our approach using a data structure product line.
An Ancient RNase H1 Splice Junction Mutant Preserved in a 19-Million-Year-Old Genetic Fossil in Ape Genomes

A retroprocessed pseudogene (retropseudogene) descended from the gene encoding ribonuclease (RNase) H1 has been found in ape genomes that preserves a splice junction mutation event that altered the carboxyl-terminal end of the enzyme. The GT --> GC transition mutant at the 5' splice junction of RNase H1 exon 7/intron 7 led to the absence of exon 8 and more than 1 kb of intron 7 sequence being substituted. Comparison of source gene and pseudogene sequences indicates that the retrotranscription event occurred 19 million years ago. Present in these sequences is an in-frame stop and several available polyadenylation signals, suggesting that the mutant allele could have been translated. At the present time, the genetic fossil is the only evidence that the mutation ever occurred, and thus represents an archival marker of an ancient genetic event in primate evolution.
Comparisons of 6-n-Propylthiouracil (PROP) Sensitivity, Food Liking and Food Intake between Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian Women

Background: Previous studies have suggested that vegetarians have a lower risk of overweight and obesity than do non-vegetarians. However, little is known about how meat consumption interacts with taste perception, thereby influencing food intake and body weight. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of meat consumption with 6-npropylthiouracil (PROP) sensitivity, food liking, food intake and body mass index in female long term vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Methods: A cross-sectional design with a total of 94 racially diverse female subjects (mean age 23 years, 42 vegetarians, 52 non-vegetarians) living in the New York City area was used in this study. Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated using the measured weight and height and PROP sensitivity was assessed using a PROP filter paper disk method and a general Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS). The subjects also completed a questionnaire to report the food liking/disliking for 19 food items using a hedonic version of the gLMS. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Results: The PROP sensitivity of vegetarians was significantly higher than that of non-vegetarians. Vegetarians showed significantly less liking of fat foods than did non-vegetarians, whereas there was no significant difference in sweet foods liking. The BMI, energy, protein, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, B vitamins, iron, zinc, sodium, potassium, and alcohol intake values of the vegetarians were significantly lower than those of the non-vegetarians. Multiple regression results revealed that only vegetarian status significantly contributed to the predictions of all the dependent variables, energy intake, fat intake and BMI. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that a difference in taste perception between vegetarians and nonvegetarians may play a role in determining energy intake and weight status. Further studies are needed to examine the mechanisms by which habitual meat consumption affect taste perception and thus food intake.
A note on the relationships between organic matter and some geotechnical properties of a marine sediment

Abstract An analysis of the relationship between organic matter and liquid and plastic limits, and grain‐specific gravity of a marine sediment was accomplished by making a stepwise adjustment in the organic content of that sediment. The sample used was from Santa Barbara Basin (off southern California) and is typical of fine‐grained marine sediments: it is a clayey silt with a common suite of minerals and other constituents. During the experiment, texture and composition (except organic content) were constant; only the quantity of natural, indigenous organic matter was changed. A strong linear relationship exists between the independent variable, the amount of organic carbon present in the sample, and the dependent variables. Liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index all increased with increasing organic content over the range studied (0.57–3.20% organic carbon). Grain‐specific gravity decreased. All had linear correlation coefficients (r) greater than |0.90| and r 2 values greater than 90%, excep...
An exploratory study of kin ties among Korean immigrant families in Atlanta.

This paper examines the level and kinds of kin involvement among Korean immigrant families in Atlanta with a focus on the relationship between the nuclear family unit and cohabiting non-nuclear family members and between the nuclear family and other kin families. In 1980 census data showed there were 2762 Koreans or 902 Korean families in Atlanta almost all of whom arrived after 1970. About 96% of this studys sample of 116 married Korean adults (average age 39.6) have relatives in the US; 78% have relatives in Atlanta. 30% have at least 1 cohabiting elderly parent. 16% have 1 or more relatives other than a parent living with them often unmarried brothers or sisters. The average cohabiting family size is 4.32 much larger than the native average family size of 2.75. 47% reported that they had lived with relatives for 1 week or more after coming from Korea; this percentage rose to 65 for more recent arrivals. Most who had parents living with them received assistance from parents in the form of household work babysitting or help with a business; this assistance may be crucial to Korean families success. In return children provide their parents with as many opportunites for social interaction as possible. Assistance from relatives other than parents occurs in 3 stages: 1) the pre-immigration stage 2) the adjustment stage and 3) the settlement stage. During the first phase immigrants help their relatives come to the US. During the adjustment phase newcomers usually live with their relatives and receive help with such mundane tasks as opening a checking account applying for a social security number drivers training shopping finding a place to live and finding jobs. Relatives were far more important than friends or churches. 53% currently meet with kin once a week or more. 81% report kin as important or very important in their decision to immigrate to the US. 55% report being closer to kin in the US than they were in Korea; only 20% reported closeness to kin as being less in this country. These results show that immigration enhances kinship ties.
Perspectives on monitoring gradual change across the continuity of Landsat sensors using time-series data

Abstract There are many types of changes occurring over the Earth's landscapes that can be detected and monitored using Landsat data. Here we focus on monitoring “within-state,” gradual changes in vegetation in contrast with traditional monitoring of “abrupt” land-cover conversions. Gradual changes result from a variety of processes, such as vegetation growth and succession, damage from insects and disease, responses to shifts in climate, and other factors. Despite the prevalence of gradual changes across the landscape, they are largely ignored by the remote sensing community. Gradual changes are best characterized and monitored using time-series analysis, and with the successful launch of Landsat 8 we now have appreciable data continuity that extends the Landsat legacy across the previous 43 years. In this study, we conducted three related analyses: (1) comparison of spectral values acquired by Landsats 7 and 8, separated by eight days, to ensure compatibility for time-series evaluation; (2) tracking of multitemporal signatures for different change processes across Landsat 5, 7, and 8 sensors using anniversary-date imagery; and (3) tracking the same type of processes using all available acquisitions. In this investigation, we found that data representing natural vegetation from Landsats 5, 7, and 8 were comparable and did not indicate a need for major modification prior to use for long-term monitoring. Analyses using anniversary-date imagery can be very effective for assessing long term patterns and trends occurring across the landscape, and are especially good for providing insights regarding trends related to long-term and continuous trends of growth or decline. We found that use of all available data provided a much more comprehensive level of understanding of the trends occurring, providing information about rate, duration, and intra- and inter-annual variability that could not be readily gleaned from the anniversary date analyses. We observed that using all available clear Landsat 5–8 observations with the new Continuous Change Detection and Classification (CCDC) algorithm was very effective for illuminating vegetation trends. There are a number of potential challenges for assessing gradual changes, including atmospheric impacts, algorithm development and visualization of the changes. One of the biggest challenges for studying gradual change will be the lack of appropriate data for validating results and products.
Pain Management in Patients with Hepatic Impairment

Liver disease/cirrhosis affects an estimated 4.5–9.5 % of the overall population (Lim and Kim, Clin Liver Dis 12:733–774, 2008). As a pain management physician, it is very important to treat patients with medications that will not cause exacerbation or progression of their liver pathology.
Abstract 3772: Cyclin E as a prognostic marker and predictor of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant hormonal therapy in patients with stage II-III breast cancer

Purpose: While we know that many cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents act to modulate the cell cycle, the role of cyclin E as a predictive marker of response to chemotherapy is unknown. Given that the cell cycle is compromised in tumors that overexpress cyclin E, we hypothesized that cyclin E overexpression would predict decreased response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and increased risk of relapse in the subset of patients with pathologic complete response (pCR). Experimental Design: 286 women with a diagnosis of clinical stage II-III invasive breast cancer that had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel (or docetaxel) and FAC, FEC or AC followed by surgery were enrolled into this study. Histological sections from the pre- and post-therapy tissue sections of the patient samples were analyzed for cyclin E using immunohistochemistry (IHC). In breast cancers, high levels of cyclin E result in the expression of its low molecular weight isoforms (LMW-E) which are predominantly cytoplasmic due to the loss of the nuclear localization signal. LMW-E expression can be measured by cytoplasmic staining of cyclin E on IHC. The expression of cyclin E was correlated with response to treatment using multivariable logistic regression. Clinical-Pathological factors, disease-free (DFS), recurrence-free (RFS), and overall survival (OS) rates were also evaluated. Results: A complete pCR was obtained in 79 of 286 cases (31%). Patients with high pretreatment cytoplasmic cyclin E expression on IHC had a decreased pCR rate as compared to those patients with low cytoplasmic cyclin E levels (32.3% vs 67.7%). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, the strongest predictors of poor response to therapy (failure to attain pathologic complete response) were the cytoplasmic cyclin E expression and negative Her-2 status (p Conclusions: Cytoplasmic cyclin E expression is a strong predictive factor for pCR in breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy. Routine clinical assessment of cyclin E could be used to identify patients at high risk for poor response to neoadjuvant therapy or recurrence and stratified for more personalized therapy. Citation Format: Cansu Karakas, Ashleigh Francis, Min Yi, Aysegul Sahin, Khandan Keyomarsi, Kelly Hunt. Cyclin E as a prognostic marker and predictor of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant hormonal therapy in patients with stage II-III breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3772. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3772
Policies to promote carbon-less energy systems

Publisher Summary Several studies have shown that very large amounts of zero-carbon-emitting energy resources (“carbon-less energy”) must be deployed in the next few decades if humans are to grow in number and wealth, while avoiding a doubling of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere. This chapter contends that it is likely infeasible to deliver 22 TW of carbon-less power by 2050 by relying solely on “new” technologies. Given the lead-time associated with deploying large quantities of carbon-less energy, it will be necessary to pursue a strategy that combines two initiatives: first, expanded use of “current” technologies, such as energy efficiency, renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and biomass, and technologies that capture CO2 from fossil-fueled stationary sources for geologic disposal and second, adoption of policies designed to develop and deploy “new” technologies. The discussion argues that, at least in the U.S. context, political realities are likely to prevent either a pure regulatory approach or a pure advanced technology RD&D effort from being adopted and implemented at the requisite scale. While modest regulatory programs may well be adopted, the more ambitious programs needed to stimulate massive deployment of carbon-less energy resources are likely to be blocked by coalitions of industries that perceive themselves as losers under such programs. Similarly, absent the driver of a regulatory target, RD&D programs are not likely to attract adequate amounts of either public or private resources.
The Targis Microwave Treatment System for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Performance Characteristics and Clinical Experience

Evidence pertaining to the performance characteristics of the Targis microwave treatment system is reviewed, and clinical experience to date with the use of this system for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is summarized. The Targis system delivers effective doses of thermal energy and allows accurate targeting of obstructive prostatic tissue. The heating pattern generated by the microwave antenna of this system has been well characterized both in vitro and in vivo. The histopathologic effects of treatment have also been delineated. Data from a series of recent clinical trials have established the efficacy and safety of microwave treatment with this system, as well as the durability of treatment effects. Importantly, post-treatment catheterization is required only briefly in most patients. Based upon recent evidence, microwave treatment with the Targis system has emerged as an attractive alternative to medical management of BPH. A significantly higher proportion of patients receiving microwave rather than α-blocker treatment achieve substantial long-term improvements in symptoms, flow rates, and quality of life. Microwave treatment with the Targis system provides lasting patient benefits in a single procedure of 1 h or less. Treatment can be performed under topical urethral anesthesia alone in the office or clinic outpatient setting. This form of therapy is versatile, allowing patients of varying baseline symptom severities and prostate sizes to be treated with a high probability of success.
Multivariable Model State Feedback

Abstract A Model State Feedback (MSF) implementation of IMC controllers for multivariable processes is developed. Model State Feedback uses a linear combination of past and present process model states to form the IMC control efforts. Implementing the IMC control in model state feedback form compensates for past control effort saturation, which can lead to significant performance degradation in lead -lag IMC control implementations. Another potential source of performance degradation is the distortion of the control vector which occurs when components of the control vector are truncated due to control effort saturation. Saturation induced directionality problems are avoided by temporarily increasing filter time constants to bring the control vector into the constraint set. The required computations are straight forward because control efforts are available as explicit functions of filter constants. A defect of MSF implementations is that they can exhibit limit cycles, or large overshoots, for very small filter constants. A simple method for estimating the minimum filter time constants which do not lead to poor performance for SISO systems is presented. The method is an extension of that developed by Campo and Morari(1990).