cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Somatic mosaicism due to a reversion variant causing hemi-atrophy: a novel variant of dystrophinopathy

We describe a case of hemi-atrophy in a young adult male, with a positive family history of three maternal uncles with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The patient showed progressive weakness localized to the left side, an abnormal electromyography, and creatine kinase levels >3000 IU/l. Muscle biopsy showed both dystrophin-positive and -negative myofibers. An out-of-frame duplication variant in DMD, that is, c.(93+1_94-1)_(649+1_650-1)dup(p.?) resulting in duplication of exons 3-7 was inherited, but the muscle biopsy showed dystrophin mRNA with and without the duplication. Dystrophin quantification using mass spectrometry showed 25% normal dystrophin protein levels in the muscle biopsy from the stronger right side. Sex chromosome aneuploidy was ruled out. We conclude that the patient inherited the duplication variant, but early in development an inner cell mass underwent a somatic recombination event removing the duplication and restoring dystrophin expression. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a reversion leading to somatic mosaicism in DMD.
Extra, Diminutive Chromosomes in Oenothera

Although Euoenotherca has proved to be unusual -in many features of its cytogenetic behavior, it has shown very little tendency toward alteration in chromosome number. Most large genera of plants possess a considerable degree of aneuploidy or polyploidy, and this is true of some of the subgenera of Oenothera, such as Kneiffia or Hartmannia (Hecht, 1942). In Euoenothera, however, naturally-occurring aneuploids or polyploids have been conspicuous by their absence. The few plants with aberrant chromosome numbers which have been found (2n + 1, 3n, 4n) have been picked up in pedigreed cultures in experimental gardens. The cases to be reported here are the first cases of naturally-occurring euoenotheras with aneuploid chromosome numbers. The two strains under consideration are both characterized by the presence of extra, diminutive chromosomes. Both have come from California, but from widely separated localities within the state. One strain (Mono) was derived from seed collected in 1930 by Dr. D. A. Johansen in Mono Co., on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas, at an elevation of 9,000 ft. The second strain (Mataguey) was collected in 1934 by Dr. P. A. Munz, along Mataguey Creek, in the Volcan Mts., eastern San Diego Co., at an elevation of 3,700 ft. These localities are about 500 miles apart. Both strains belong to the hookeri alliance, but they differ materially in foliage characters and
2G/3G Inter-operation Network Optimization Principles and Strategy

The current network resource and subscriber resource are used to realize smooth transition of network and sub-scriber experience in the construction of TD-SCDMA network.2G/3G inter-operation is to resolve network residence,cell selection,cell reselection,handover in hybrid networking,as well as subscriber access control and network change strategy.
Fertilization Ratios of N–P2O5–K2O for Tifton 85 Bermudagrass on Two Coastal Plain Soils

Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] is widely grown throughout the southeastern United States and many other countries for forage. Tifton 85, a hybrid between C. dactylon and C. nlemfuensis, is currently the recommended cultivar for grazing and hay. This study was conducted to determine the response of Tifton 85 to six rates of N fertilization (224, 336, 448, 560, 672, and 784 kg ha–¹) and three rates of PK fertilization (50, 100, and 150% replacement of P and K removal) on two different soils, Carnegie (fine, kaolinitic, thermic Plinthic Kandiudult) and Fuquay (loamy, kaolinitic, thermic Arenic Plinthic Kandiudult), for 4 yr. In a randomized split-plot design, whole plots were N rates with PK rates randomized within whole plots. The optimal fertilization rate to provide maximum profits was determined. Though yields began to level off only at the 560 kg ha–¹ N application rate, rates from 224 to 448 kg ha–¹ N with 100% replacement of P and K uptake resulted in maximum economic return. At these N rates, based on actual nutrient uptake, the N–P₂O₅–K₂O ratio for fertilization of Tifton 85 should be approximately 4–1–5. At 336 to 448 kg ha–¹ N, a grower could expect approximately 19.6 to 23.0 Mg ha–¹ yr–¹ hay at 150 g kg–¹ moisture. Crude protein (CP) concentration and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of the harvested forage both responded positively to increasing rates of N application beyond the economically optimum rates.
Controversies in Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

This article examines a number of areas of disagreement surrounding antimicrobial susceptibility testing and discusses some of the useful susceptibility testing techniques for which no standardized procedures have been established.
Adaptation and Survival: New Meanings in Old Age

Evidently new skills based on new knowledge will have to be developed which will help old people adapt to necessary changes in the living environment. Living conditions such as long term care institutions can be designed both physically and socially which reduce the demand on adaptation capabilities.
Abstract 492: Automated circulating cell-free DNA purification from large volume draws

Circulating, cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) has emerged as an important tool in molecular oncology research. Because it is highly fragmented, present in small quantities, and highly susceptible to degradation, purification of ccfDNA poses unique challenges to researchers. While plasma is the main focus of many researchers for ccfDNA, recent work has shown that it is present in other biological fluids. Promega has developed a unique chemistry to selectively purify ccfDNA from plasma. The Maxwell RSC ccfDNA Plasma system is a completely automated system that allows purification of ccfDNA from 1ml of plasma. To add flexibility, we adapted the chemistry to automated platforms in 24-well configurations. These platforms include the Hamilton Microlab STAR series and the KingFisher Flex Processor. Because the biomarkers in ccfDNA can be of very low frequency, many researchers prefer to process volumes of samples >1ml which can exceed the capacity of many purification systems. Using a sequential bind strategy, we demonstrate that ccf DNA can be purified from at least 8ml sample draw using a fully automated method. Liquid draws tested include plasma and urine. DNA quantity was assessed by qPCR using an autosomal target, and quality was assessed using an internal PCR control. This study shows the flexibility and robustness of the Maxwell RSC ccfDNA chemistry. We successfully adapted it for purification from relatively large volume liquids in a fully automated manner making this a convenient option for early biomarker research. Citation Format: Robert Ray, Mark Bratz, Doug Wieczorek, Douglas White, Douglas Horejsh, Eric Vincent, Trista Schagat. Automated circulating cell-free DNA purification from large volume draws. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 492.
Neurotoxicity of Topical Medications (P01.040)

OBJECTIVE: Review the neurotoxicity of topical medications. BACKGROUND: Consistent documentation of topical medications during a physician visit is rare. Their omission may lead to delayed identification of potential side effects caused by their routine, prolonged or inappropriate use that could be clinically relevant. DESIGN/METHODS: We conducted a review of published articles in Pubmed and Medline using the search words 9topical drug toxicity,9 9neurotoxicity,9 9peripheral neuropathy,9 and 9CNS drug toxicity.9 RESULTS: We identified seven drugs with either central or peripheral neurotoxicity from topical use including lindane, retinoic acid, benzalkonium chloride, hexachlorophene, clioquinol, metronidazole and topical mercury compounds. We outlined their commercial availability, current indications, and their clinical toxicity profile. While clinical toxicity is sparsely reported, it is particularly striking in severity considering their use for relatively benign indications. Most are used as topical antiseptics, surgical scrubs, and over the counter coloring compounds. From milder side effects of occasional headaches and muscle spasms to disconcerting findings of irreversible blindness, seizures, and sensorimotor neuropathy, these drugs as a group deserve mention especially in light of their poorly documented and monitored use. Pertinent to this topic is the current use in clinical trials of enteric preparations of clioquinol in the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders and hematological malignancies. Clioquinol is a zinc and copper chelator. Both of these metals are implicated in the stabilization of amyloid plaques; hence its potential use in plaque dissolution. However case reports and in-vitro studies have implicated clioquinol-zinc chelate as a candidate agent responsible for subacute myelo-optic neuropathy questioning its safety. CONCLUSIONS: Topical medications are often dismissed as benign, assuming minimal absorption and limited systemic effects, and may be omitted from most medical documentation. Physicians should remain aware of their potential neurotoxicity and consider discontinuation if warranted. Disclosure: Dr. Menon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Koffman has received research support from Novartis.
Web-Based Accountability in the Nonprofit Sector: A Closer Look at Arts, Culture, and Humanities Organizations

ABSTRACTWeb-based accountability continues to be an important consideration for nonprofit organizations. This research examines the impact of certain variables on web-based accountability in the arts, culture, and humanities sector. A content analysis of eighty nonprofit organizations was performed and multiple statistical analyses were used. Findings indicated that regulatory measures, including the prosecution and a detection index, are the most significant variables for determining web-based accountability for this group of nonprofit organizations.
Distributed privacy-protecting DTN routing: Concealing the information indispensable in routing

Nodes in Delay Tolerant Networks (DTN) rely on routing utilities (e.g., probabilities of meeting nodes) to decide the packet forwarder. As the utilities reflect user privacy, nodes may be reluctant to disclose such information directly. Therefore, we propose a distributed strategy to protect the aforementioned private information in utility-based DTN routing algorithms while still guarantying the correctness of packet forwarding, namely meeting Relationship Anonymity (ReHider). We also present an enhanced version that can better prevent certain malicious behaviors (probing attack and brute-force attack). Initial analysis show the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Importance of depth in soil to corm survival in Erythronium americanum (Liliaceae)

Abstract Erythronium americanum (Trout Lily) is a common spring ephemeral in northeast forests. It is important to nutrient retention in the spring, serves as food for wildlife and has aesthetic value with its early visibility and attractive flower. Corms of E. americanum survive the winter and summer in a dormant state, and the plants expend energy using droppers to send corms deeper at the end of their active period in the spring. I investigated the importance of depth in soil to corm survival by planting ten corms at 1, 5 and 10 cm depth for both the summer of 2014 and the winter of 2014–2015 in a hardwood forest in southeastern New York State. In the winter, a second treatment was added in which snow was removed after each storm for the first and last four weeks of snow cover. During the summer, corms at 5 and 10 cm depth had a significantly greater chance of survival to fall than those at 1 cm. During the winter, corm survival to spring was higher at 10 cm depth than at 1 or 5 cm depth in the control...
Shareholder Decisionmaking in the Presence of Empty Voting and Hidden Ownership

We consider securities markets in which economic interests in firms and shareholder voting rights are traded independently; such markets allow for "empty voters" who hold voting rights in a firm that exceed their economic interests. We demonstrate that, in such settings, competitive equilibria generally do not exist and may be inefficient even when they do exist. As the competitive equilibrium solution concept does not provide useful predictions in the presence of empty voting, we focus on cooperative game-theoretic "core outcomes." We show that core outcomes always exist, are always efficient, and can be reached from any initial allocation through voluntary trading; moreover, at a core outcome, agents have efficient incentives with regards to information revelation.
Efficient production of formic acid by simultaneous photoreduction of bicarbonate and oxidation of glycerol on gold-TiO 2 composite under solar light

Abstract In this paper, we report the efficient production of formic acid through simultaneous photoreduction of bicarbonate and oxidation of glycerol in the presence of gold-TiO2 composite. Under solar light (solar simulator, AM 1.5 filter) the productivity of formate was 0.9 mmol/g cat-hr using TiO2 alone. The yield of formate was remarkably enhanced (7 mmol/g cat-hr) by combining plasmonic gold nanoparticles with TiO2. It was found that in the photocatalytic reaction, glycerol not only serves as an efficient hole sinks but also the oxidation of glycerol may produce additional formic acid further enhancing the overall productivity. When illuminated with 365 nm photon with energy sufficient to excite valence band to conduction band electronic transitions in the TiO2, the productivity of TiO2 alone dramatically improves in comparison to solar light. However, no effect of gold nanoparticles was observed under 365 nm irradiation. The improvement in product yield under solar light is attributed to the synergistic effect of strong plasmonic properties of gold nanoparticles in the visible wavelength range and superior hole scavenging activities of glycerol from gold-TiO2 composite surface.
Editorial overview: Preventive and therapeutic vaccines (B cell epitope vaccine).

During the preparation of this issue of Current Opinion in Virology, we have experienced a number of unusual, but not unexpected viral outbreaks. The Ebola epidemic began in late 2013 and has ravaged several countries in West Africa, claiming more than 11 000 lives and is still ongoing. A vaccine to stop the virus from spreading is unavailable. As herd immunity to Ebola in unexposed regions is mostly non-existent, it is just a matter of time for this devastating virus to cross over to new territories. In this part of the world, we are witnessing an increasing number of measles cases, a disease that was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000. The MMR vaccine is safe and effective but the irrationality of vaccine refusal prevents it from protecting our society against imported measles. Owing to the high efficiency of global air travel, we are destined to witness more emerging viral outbreaks in the near future. Vaccination will be the most cost-effective answer to prepare for this imminent threat. We shall capitalize on the many recent technological breakthroughs in biomedical sciences to accelerate vaccine discovery and improve existing vaccines.
Data abnormalities and drop outs in North Dakota air traffic control radar

To assess the radar systems in North Dakota (ND) and its surrounding areas and their ability to provide Detect and Avoid (DAA) capabilities for both manned and unmanned aircraft, a study was completed to understand their performance. This assessment will provide an evaluation of typical radar performance throughout the year, including rates of anomalous behavior. With the likely increase in airspace congestion due to the integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) over the coming years, the need for a reliable and robust radar system is critical. This investigation focused on both primary and secondary radar at the Air Route Surveillance Radar (ARSR) in Finley, ND and the Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR) in Fargo, ND. The work has shown that both radars produce data that includes drop outs and data anomalies. The data anomalies included: altitude discrepancies, repeated data, prolonged altitude failure, and multiple aircraft with the same ID number. Using a computer algorithm that was developed to process four weeks of data, the results showed that 34% of aircraft experienced drop outs at Fargo and 69% of aircraft at Finley. Also, between 1–26% of aircraft experienced data anomalies, depending on the type of anomaly and location. It was found that these anomalies typically occurred on the outside of the effective radar radius and near airports. An investigation was also done to understand if the behaviors were induced by the radar or the transponder on the aircraft. These findings will prove invaluable to the UAS industry and for the development of autonomous Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems.
From real materials to model Hamiltonians with density matrix downfolding

Due to advances in computer hardware and new algorithms, it is now possible to perform highly accurate many-body simulations of realistic materials with all their intrinsic complications. The success of these simulations leaves us with a conundrum: how do we extract useful physical models and insight from these simulations? In this article, we present a formal theory of downfolding–extracting an effective Hamiltonian from first-principles calculations. The theory maps the downfolding problem into fitting information derived from wave functions sampled from a low-energy subspace of the full Hilbert space. Since this fitting process most commonly uses reduced density matrices, we term it density matrix downfolding (DMD).
A multiphase level-set approach for all-Mach numbers

Abstract In this work, an alternate level-set-based approach is presented that applies uniformly to compressible and incompressible multiphase flows. Fundamental to this work, is the development of analytic transformations from a signed-distance function to species-mass conservation variables. Such transformations can be used to highlight compressible flow difficulties for level set methods, and develop interfacial reinitialization procedures based on different primitive variables. The proposed all-Mach method is based on preserving signed-distance functions within the context of a species-mass conservation equation to evolve the interface, and includes several reinitialization procedures that maintain the spirit of the signed distance function. In addition, we explore hybrid level-set reinitialization procedures that handle sub-grid-scale interfacial breakup. The model is demonstrated on concepts relevant to high-speed marine vehicles based on supercavitation, where a gaseous cavity surrounds a moving vehicle. Results indicate that the present algorithm preserves higher-order numerics, performs well on several incompressible and compressible validation cases, and extends to unsteady, three-dimensional flow.
Medulloblastoma in association with the Coffin-Siris syndrome

An 8-year old patient with Coffin-Siris syndrome is presented, who was found to have a medulloblastoma during the evaluation of apnea and ventilator dependency. Although several cases of Dandy Walker cysts and one case of brain-stem heterotopia have been described in this rare syndrome, this is the first report of medulloblastoma in a patient with Coffin-Siris syndrome. Possible pathogenetic mechanisms are briefly discussed.
Are all distributions easy

Complexity theory typically studies the complexity of computing a function h(x) : {0, 1}n → {0, 1}m of a given input x. We advocate the study of the complexity of generating the distribution h(x) for uniform x, given random bits. Our main results are: • There are explicit AC circuits of size poly(n) and depth O(1) whose output distribution has statistical distance 1/2n from the distribution (X, ∑ iXi) ∈ {0, 1}n × {0, 1, . . . , n} for uniform X ∈ {0, 1}n, despite the inability of these circuits to compute ∑ i xi given x. Previous examples of this phenomenon apply to different distributions such as (X, ∑ iXi mod 2) ∈ {0, 1}n+1. We also prove a lower bound independent from n on the statistical distance between the output distribution of NC circuits and the distribution (X,majority(X)). We show that 1− o(1) lower bounds for related distributions yield lower bounds for succinct data structures. • Uniform randomized AC circuits of poly(n) size and depth d = O(1) with error can be simulated by uniform randomized circuits of poly(n) size and depth d+ 1 with error + o(1) using ≤ (log n)O(log log n) random bits. Previous derandomizations [Ajtai and Wigderson ’85; Nisan ’91] increase the depth by a constant factor, or else have poor seed length. Given the right tools, the above results have technically simple proofs. ∗Supported by NSF grant CCF-0845003. Email: viola@ccs.neu.edu ISSN 1433-8092 Electronic Colloquium on Computational Complexity, Report No. 114 (2009)
Difficult Bile Duct Stones

Endoscopic sphincterotomy and standard extraction techniques are effective in about 90% of patients with bile duct stones. Difficulties are mainly encountered with stones greater than 10 mm in diameter. Mechanical lithotripsy is the simplest adjuvant technique. Extracorporeal and intraductal electrohydraulic and laser lithotripsy are effective and safe, but these expensive techniques are needed in very few patients. Surgery remains an important option.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from an Ornamental Crop as Impacted by Two Best Management Practices: Irrigation Delivery and Fertilizer Placement1

Abstract Agriculture is one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To date, much work on reducing GHG emissions has centered on row crops, pastures, forestry, and animal production systems, while little emphasis has been placed on specialty crop industries such as horticulture. In this horticulture container study, Japanese boxwood (Buxus microphylla Siebold & Zucc.) was used to evaluate the interaction of irrigation (overhead vs drip) and fertilizer placement (dibble vs incorporated) on GHG emissions (CO2, N2O, and CH4). Plants were grown in 11.4 L (#3) containers with a 6:1 pine bark:sand substrate with standard amendments. All containers received 6.35 mm (0.25 in) water three times daily. Gas samples were collected in situ using the static closed chamber method according to standard protocols and analyzed using gas chromatography. Total cumulative CO2 loss was not affected by differences in irrigation or fertilizer placement. Total cumulative N2O efflux was least for drip-irriga...
Evidence-Based Assessment of Bronchial Thermoplasty in Asthma: Mechanisms and Outcomes

Asthma is a heterogenous, chronic respiratory disease characterized by airway inflammation, obstruction, and hyperresponsiveness that results in debilitating respiratory symptoms. Despite advances in management strategies, severe asthmatics are often not responsive to the standard management and are disproportionately impacted. Bronchial thermoplasty offers a treatment option for this subgroup of severe asthmatics. Multiple clinical studies have examined bronchial thermoplasty effectiveness and safety in severe asthma. Recent post-market and translational studies have brought new insights into the mechanism of action behind bronchial thermoplasty. Bronchial thermoplasty is a treatment option for severe asthmatics who are not adequately controlled on their current treatment regimen.
Tumor-targeted IL-12 combined with tumor resection yields a survival-favorable immune profile.

Although accumulated evidence provides a strong scientific premise for using immune profiles to predict survival in patients with cancer, a universal immune profile across tumor types is still lacking, and how to achieve a survival-associated immune profile remains to be evaluated. We analyzed datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas to identify an immune profile associated with prolonged overall survival in multiple tumor types and tested the efficacy of tumor cell-surface vimentin–targeted interleukin 12 (ttIL-12) in inducing that immune profile and prolonging survival in both mouse and patient-derived xenograft tumor models. We identified an immune profile (IFNγHiCD8HiFOXP3LowCD33Low) associated with prolonged overall survival across several human tumor types. ttIL-12 in combination with surgical resection of the primary tumor transformed tumors to this immune profile. Intriguingly, this immune profile transformation led to inhibition of metastasis and to prolonged survival in both mouse and patient-derived xenograft malignant models. Wild-type IL-12 combined with surgery was significantly less effective. In the IL-12–sensitive C3H mouse strain, in fact, wild-type IL-12 and surgery resulted in shorter overall survival than in mice treated with control pDNA; this surprising result is believed to be attributable to IL-12 toxicity, which was absent in the mice treated with ttIL-12. The ttIL-12–induced immune profile associated with longer overall survival was also associated with a greater accumulation of CD8+ T cells and reduced infiltration of regulatory T cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and tumor-associated macrophages. The underlying mechanism for this transformation by ttIL-12 treatment was induction of expression of CXCL9 and reduction of expression of CXCL2 and CCL22 in tumors. ttIL-12 when combined with surgery led to conversion to the IFNγHiCD8HiFOXP3LowCD33Low immune profile, eliminated relapse and metastasis, and prolonged overall survival.
Seizure detection watch improves quality of life for adolescents and their families.

Abstract This article reports the findings from a pilot study conducted to explore the impact of using a wearable seizure detection device on quality of life for 10 adolescents with epilepsy and their parents. Quality of life in Epilepsy for Adolescent (QOLIE AD-48) and the Parent Response to Child Illness (PRCI) Scale were compared at study onset and 6 months after using the SmartWatch seizure detection device. At the conclusion of the study, a qualitative interview explored the adolescent's and parent's experiences with using the device. In this sample, the wearable seizure detection device was well accepted as a means to increase seizure safety for both adolescents and their caregivers. In addition, adolescents and parents felt more secure with the adolescent increasing independent activities when wearing the watch. Barriers to use included technical difficulties, such as false alarms, and the burden of adding another aspect to their epilepsy care. While these data cannot be generalized to all populations, findings suggest that further research with wearable seizure detection devices is warranted. Considering current sudden unexplained death from epilepsy (SUDEP) prevention guidelines that encourage seizure monitoring, especially during sleep, the wearable seizure detection device may provide adequate seizure monitoring without the negative consequences to the adolescent's developing autonomy.
SICO: Surgical Interception Attacks by Manipulating BGP Communities

The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the primary routing protocol for the Internet backbone, yet it lacks adequate security mechanisms. While simple BGP hijack attacks only involve an adversary hijacking Internet traffic destined to a victim, more complex and challenging interception attacks require that adversary intercept a victim's traffic and forward it on to the victim. If an interception attack is launched incorrectly, the adversary's attack will disrupt its route to the victim making it impossible to forward packets. To overcome these challenges, we introduce SICO attacks (Surgical Interception using COmmunities): a novel method of launching interception attacks that leverages BGP communities to scope an adversary's attack and ensure a route to the victim. We then show how SICO attacks can be targeted to specific source IP addresses for reducing attack costs. Furthermore, we ethically perform SICO attacks on the real Internet backbone to evaluate their feasibility and effectiveness. Results suggest that SICO attacks can achieve interception even when previously proposed attacks would not be feasible and outperforms them by attracting traffic from an additional 16% of Internet hosts (worst case) and 58% of Internet hosts (best case). Finally, we analyze the Internet topology to find that at least 83% of multi-homed ASes are capable of launching these attacks.
Fabricating Fe nanocrystals via encapsulation at the graphite surface

In this paper, the authors describe the conditions under which Fe forms encapsulated nanocrystals beneath the surface of graphite, and they characterize these islands (graphite + Fe) thoroughly. The authors use the experimental techniques of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) plus x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the computational technique of density functional theory (DFT). Necessary conditions for encapsulation are preexisting ion-induced defects in the graphite substrate and elevated deposition temperature of 875–900 K. Evidence of encapsulation consists of atomically resolved STM images of a carbon lattice, both on top of the islands and on the sloping sides. The nature of the images indicates that this carbon lattice corresponds to a graphene blanket consisting of more than one graphene sheet that drapes continuously from the top of the island to the graphite substrate. The formation of iron carbide is not observed based on XPS. Shapes of the island footprints are consistent with metallic Fe, predominantly in the hcp or fcc form, though larger islands tend toward bcc. Island structures with hexagonally close-packed lateral hcp or fcc planes are stabilized by their excellent lattice match with the graphite substrate. Evolution of island density with prolonged deposition time provides evidence of coarsening, perhaps via Smoluchowski ripening. The encapsulated Fe clusters are stable in air at room temperature, protected by smaller Fe clusters that decorate defect sites and block permeation of gases. DFT shows that two configurations of Fe are more stable within the gallery than adsorbed on top of the surface: a single atom of Fe and a film (slab) of metallic Fe. Comparison with other metals shows that encapsulated Fe is similar to Cu but dissimilar to Ru or Dy, leading the authors to conclude that carbon dissolution in the metal does not play a role in encapsulation.In this paper, the authors describe the conditions under which Fe forms encapsulated nanocrystals beneath the surface of graphite, and they characterize these islands (graphite + Fe) thoroughly. The authors use the experimental techniques of scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) plus x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and the computational technique of density functional theory (DFT). Necessary conditions for encapsulation are preexisting ion-induced defects in the graphite substrate and elevated deposition temperature of 875–900 K. Evidence of encapsulation consists of atomically resolved STM images of a carbon lattice, both on top of the islands and on the sloping sides. The nature of the images indicates that this carbon lattice corresponds to a graphene blanket consisting of more than one graphene ...
Thermodynamics of Homopeptide Aggregation

Amyloid aggregates are found in many neurodegenerative diseases including Huntington9s, Alzheimer9s, and prion diseases. The precise role of the aggregates in disease progression has been difficult to elucidate due to the diversity of aggregated states they can adopt. Here we study the formation of fibrils and oligomers by exon 1 of huntingtin protein. We show that the oligomer states are consistent with polymer micelles that are limited in size by the stretching entropy of the polyglutamine region. The model shows how the sequences flanking the amyloid core modulate aggregation behavior. The N17 region promotes aggregation through weakly attractive interactions, while the C38 tail opposes aggregation via steric repulsion. We also show that the energetics of cross-b stacking by polyglutamine would produce fibrils with many alignment defects, but minor perturbations from the flanking sequences are sufficient to reduce the defects to the level observed in experiment. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of this model for other amyloid forming molecules.
Urban College Students Negotiate Their Identities to Dis/Connect with Notions of Physics

Using ethnographic methods gathered from an insider (the physics teacher) this chapter distills stories of students in physics labs that highlight the intersections of masculinity, femininity and racialized subjectivities. Data suggests that White, middle class, masculine subjectivities align closely with conventional physics identities. This alignment affords male students the confidence to define ‘what counts’ as physics in laboratory spaces.
A new look at an old test: Normative data of the symbol digit modalities test -Oral version.

Abstract Background The Symbol Digit Modalities Tests (SDMT) is the most sensitive measure to multiple sclerosis (MS)-related cognitive dysfunction. However, existing normative data has been under scrutiny. Specifically, they are outdated, do not take into account gender, and are poorly stratified by education. More importantly, there exists no oral only version norms, which is typical administration among individuals with MS. Objective The present investigation aimed to develop updated normative data of the oral version SDMT in which age, gender, and education were taken into consideration. Methods A total of 675 healthy individuals, stratified by age, gender, and education completed the oral version SDMT. Results Significant effects were found for age, gender, and education, consistent with previous contentions. Specifically, performance on the SDMT tends to decline with age, with the most noticeable decline beginning in the third decade of life and continuing into the sixth decade. Women, in general perform better than men, with an average of 5.1 more points. Finally, education effects were apparent among those aged 25–54. Conclusion Based on these findings, updated normative data are provided. Utilization of these updated norms will result in a much needed and more accurate assessment of processing speed for individuals with MS.
Kenya’s Riverwood film industry: A theoretical postulation

This paper gives a brief background to film and cinema in both colonial and postcolonial Kenya, and introduces Kenya’s Riverwood film industry, briefly expounding the theoretical postulates that explain its inception and existence. It is a study is about the history of the Kenyan film story as produced by Riverwood-the Kenya’s film industry domiciled mainly along the vibrant River Road business hub in Nairobi (https://www.google.com/maps/@-1.282,36.827,19z?hl=en).
Care of Patients with Neurologic Disease

In this chapter, we review neurological disorders that may be seen among older adults with psychiatric illness.
The Technological Promise of Second Language Intelligent Tutoring Systems in the 21st Century

The technologies useful for second language teaching are changing rapidly, opening many new directions for developing intelligent tutoring systems. Two artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that promise to improve teaching by combining the best components of immersion and grammatical instruction are hypertext and natural language parsing. Each is suited to a different kind of language learning. Parsers offer broad sensitivity to syntactic and morphological forms of language, but they process semantic components only superficially and arbitrarily, with no sign of dramatic improvement in the foreseeable future. Hypertext offers an easy way to add semantics — not to the parser, but to the visible environment the student enters. Specifically, hypertext enables three methods of representing the semantics of a language: pictures, lexical browsers, and the emerging technology of cyberspace. The most important goal for language teaching in the 21st century is to exploit these methods of representing meaning and to integrate them with syntactic parsers to create enriched environments for second language acquisition.
Simulation of a Reacting Plasma: Preliminary Results

Electron-ion recombination is important to the study of any process involving plasmas. It provides a primary ionization-loss mechanism and a source of many highly excited and radical species. Using current techniques, detailed analysis of light emissions from this process is difficult. We present preliminary results of simulations of reacting plasmas which, eventually, should allow for a more quantitative analysis of experimental results.
Políticas de población, programas gubernamentales y fecundidad: una comparación entre el Brasil y México

El gobierno mexicano puso en practica programas de planificacion familiar desde los anos setenta, en contraposicion al gobierno brasileno que no ha implementado politicas de poblacion. En este articulo se estima la influencia de dichas politicas en las tendencias de fecundidad de mujeres de diferentes segmentos sociales, con modelos estadisticos que incorporan variables municipales e individuales. Se analizaron estados pobres y ricos, tanto del Brasil como de Mexico, usando datos de censos, estadisticas del registro civil y encuestas de salud y demografia. Las diferencias de fecundidad por grupo socioeconomico son mas acentuadas en los estados brasilenos que en los mexicanos. Los estados brasilenos mas pobres tambien presentan diferencias marcadas, pero en menor grado que los estados mexicanos pobres porque en estos, un alto porcentaje de partos ocurre en los hogares, debido a lo cual se limita la accesibilidad de las mujeres a los programas de planificacion familiar. Se concluye que las politicas de planificacion familiar disminuyen las diferencias de fecundidad entre mujeres de distintos niveles socioeconomicos. Mas aun, estas politicas serian mas eficaces si las mujeres de estados mexicanos pobres tambien tuvieran facil acceso a hospitales y clinicas publicos. La gran cobertura del parto en hospitales en el Brasil parece contrarrestar la ausencia de programas gubernamentales de gran alcance, sobre todo en los estados mas pobres
"Take my water": liberation through prohibition in San Pedro Chenalhó, Chiapas, Mexico.

This article explores changing views of alcohol in San Pedro Chenalho, a township in highland Chiapas, Mexico that has been profoundly transformed by the Zapatista democracy movement. The first part of the article provides an overview of drinking in Chenalho in the 1970s and 1980s when alcohol was still a strong symbol of community solidarity and an important part of healing ceremonies. The second part describes the period since the Zapatista uprising, a period in which indigenous women have begun to intensify their involvement in the political affairs of their communities. In their search for autonomy and to recover pride and dignity, both women and men supporters of the Zapatista movement reject alcohol as a symbol of political and economic domination. A commentary examines the relationship between the critiques of alcohol that have developed in Chenalho since the 1970s and political economy perspectives in alcohol studies. Both explanatory frameworks focus on the power structures in which alcohol sales and use are embedded.
Nigeria, Psychology in

Psychology is relatively new to Nigeria. Its origins can be traced to the offering of courses in counseling and educational psychology in departments of education at the few universities in the country at that time. As an academic discipline, psychology is said to have started in 1964 when the first department of psychology was established at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with 16 students and two lecturers (Olomolaiye, 1985). Psychology's identity in Nigeria has been that of a social-science discipline (Obot & Gire, 1995).
Damped Lyα Systems at z < 1.65: The Expanded Sloan Digital Sky Survey Hubble Space Telescope Sample

We present results of our Hubble Space Telescope Cycle 11 survey for low-redshift (z 0.1 ?. (2) The mean H I column density of Mg II systems with 0.3 ? ? W < 0.6 ? is = (9.7 ? 2.2) ? 1018 cm-2. For the larger REW systems in our sample, = (3.5 ? 0.7) ? 1020 cm-2. (3) The DLA incidence per unit redshift for 0 < z < 5 is nDLA(z) = n0(1 + z)?, where n0 = 0.044 ? 0.005 and ? = 1.27 ? 0.11. This parameterization is consistent with no evolution for z 2 (?? = 0.7, ?M = 0.3) but exhibits significant evolution for z 2. (4) The cosmological neutral gas mass density due to DLAs is constant in the redshift interval 0.5 < z < 5.0 to within the uncertainties, ?DLA ? 1 ? 10-3. This is larger than ?gas(z = 0) by a factor of ?2. (5) The slope of the H I column density distribution does not change significantly with redshift. However, the low-redshift distribution is marginally flatter due to the higher fraction of high column density systems in our sample. (6) Finally, using the precision of Mg II survey statistics, we show that under the assumption of constant DLA fraction and H I column density suggested by our current sample, there may be evidence of a decreasing ?DLA from z = 0.5 to 0.
Informed consent: right or rite?

matic growth of the doctrine of â€œ? In formed Consentâ€•â€”the full disclosure of the risks, benefits, and options associated with any experimental procedure. Yet proponents of this concept have generally failed to consider harmful reactions that might result from the information pro vided during an informed consent dis cussion. The issues are more complex than they seem initially, and the informed consent coin certainly has two sides. Although the legal concept of â€œ? con sentâ€•has been well established since the turn of the century, perhaps the earliest use of the phrase â€œ? informed consentâ€• arose in the case of Salgo versus Leland Stanford, Jr. Universiy Board of Trustees in 1957. In this case the plaintiff's pri mary claim was negligent performance of translumbar aortography, resulting in a paralysis of his lower extremities. The assertion was that the physician negli gently failed to warn the plaintiff that the risk of paralysis was inherent in the pro cedure. The Court of Appeals reversed a judgment for the plaintiffâ€”but it recog nized for the first time that a physician might be held liable for failure to provide
Spillover effect of HIV-specific foreign aid on immunization services in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Health aid to Nigeria increased tremendously in the last decade and a significant portion of the funds were earmarked for HIV-associated programs. Studies on the impact of HIV-specific aid on the delivery of non-HIV health services in sub-Saharan Africa have yielded mixed results. This study assessed if there is a spillover effect of HIV-specific aid on childhood vaccinations in Nigeria. METHODS: Multivariate logistic regression models were used to estimate the effect of aid disbursements in a previous year on the receipt of vaccines at the individual level in a given year. Estimations were done for approximately 11 700 children using data from demographic and health surveys conducted in Nigeria in 2003 and 2008. RESULTS: US$1 increase in HIV aid per capita was associated with a decrease in the probability of receipt of vaccines by 8-31%: polio first dose decreased by 8%; polio final dose by 9%; diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) first dose by 11%; DPT final dose by 19%; measles by 31%; final doses of polio and DPT plus measles vaccine by 8%. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-specific aid had a negative spillover effect on immunization services in Nigeria over the study period. Donors may need to rethink their funding strategies in favour of more horizontal approaches. (c) The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
High Levels of Free Gossypol in Hen Diets: Effects on Body Weight, Feed Consumption, and Egg Production

ABSTRACT EVIDENCE has been presented by a number of investigators in recent years showing that the toxic effects of cottonseed meal are due to its free gossypol content. The experiments with growing chickens by Lillie and Bird (1950) are in agreement with the above statement; and the results obtained by Heywang, Denton and Bird (1949) and Heywang, Bird and Altschul (1950), in separate experiments, indicated that free gossypol in cottonseed fed to hens is responsible for the decreased hatchability of their eggs, and that gossypol in the feed is related to the discoloration of eggs. Unpublished experiments in this laboratory have shown that pure gossypol injected into laying hens in the form of an oil solution is highly toxic and eventually produces death. A number of papers have appeared in recent years on the role of gossypol in cottonseed in the nutrition of growing chickens and laying hens. However, little work . . .
US state competitive strategies for the biotechnology industry

Abstract Individual states in the USA, large and small, are vying for competitiveness in commercial biotechnology. The result is a host of programs that target the industry from the laboratory bench to the marketplace.
Inflammation, antichymotrypsin, and lipid metabolism: autogenic etiology of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a multifactor pathology, some of whose causes have been inferred from genetic studies, primarily of associated early-onset cases. Much evidence implicates the Aβ amyloid peptide as a neurotoxic agent, with chronic inflammation as an accompanying physiological contributor to the disease. The two central questions of how Aβ kills neurons and of the autogenic basis of disease remain unanswered. We hypothesize that specific interactions of Aβ with the inflammatory serpin, α1-antichymotrypsin, abolish the serpin proteinase inhibitor activity and stimulate formation of the neurotoxic fibrillar form of Aβ. Further, the fibrillar Aβ interacts with specific cell surface receptors, prompting its own biosynthesis and disrupting cellular cholesterol metabolism. These molecular and cellular interactions autogenically sustain the processes of Aβ formation, fibrillization, and receptor interaction, the last of which culminates in neuronal death through disruption of cholesterol metabolism. BioEssays 20:1039–1046. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Characterization of fullerenes by laser-based mass spectrometry

Abstract Mass characterization of C60 related high-mass carbon clusters, called fullerenes, and their compounds is of increasing interest as the unique properties of these materials become known. We are using laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometers to investigate direct emission of positive and negative ions and also neutral desorption. We show results on the laser desorption process, namely, desorption thresholds for positive ion, negative ion and neutral desorption and velocity distributions of desorbed neutral particles. Furthermore, post-ionization with the wavelengths 118, 212.8, 266, 355, and 532 nm is investigated.
Nonlinear Smoothing Theory

Differential equations are developed for the smoothing density function and for the smoothed expectation of an arbitrary function of the state. The exact equations developed herein are difficult to solve except in trivially simple cases. Approximations to these equations are developed for the smoothed expectation of the state and the smoothing covariance matrix. For linear systems these equations are shown to reduce to previously derived results. An iterative technique is suggested for even greater accuracy in approximations for severely nonlinear systems.