cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stress and the nonsense-mediated RNA decay pathway

Cells respond to internal and external cellular stressors by activating stress-response pathways that re-establish homeostasis. If homeostasis is not achieved in a timely manner, stress pathways trigger programmed cell death (apoptosis) to preserve organism integrity. A highly conserved stress pathway is the unfolded protein response (UPR), which senses excessive amounts of unfolded proteins in the ER. While a physiologically beneficial pathway, the UPR requires tight regulation to provide a beneficial outcome and avoid deleterious consequences. Recent work has demonstrated that a conserved and highly selective RNA degradation pathway-nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD)-serves as a major regulator of the UPR pathway. NMD degrades mRNAs encoding UPR components to prevent UPR activation in response to innocuous ER stress. In response to strong ER stress, NMD is inhibited by the UPR to allow for a full-magnitude UPR response. Recent studies have indicated that NMD also has other stress-related functions, including promoting the timely termination of the UPR to avoid apoptosis; NMD also regulates responses to non-ER stressors, including hypoxia, amino-acid deprivation, and pathogen infection. NMD regulates stress responses in species across the phylogenetic scale, suggesting that it has conserved roles in shaping stress responses. Stress pathways are frequently constitutively activated or dysregulated in human disease, raising the possibility that "NMD therapy" may provide clinical benefit by downmodulating stress responses.
Detection of Lipid and Amphiphilic Biomarkers for Disease Diagnostics

Rapid diagnosis is crucial to effectively treating any disease. Biological markers, or biomarkers, have been widely used to diagnose a variety of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The detection of biomarkers in patient samples can also provide valuable information regarding progression and prognosis. Interestingly, many such biomarkers are composed of lipids, and are amphiphilic in biochemistry, which leads them to be often sequestered by host carriers. Such sequestration enhances the difficulty of developing sensitive and accurate sensors for these targets. Many of the physiologically relevant molecules involved in pathogenesis and disease are indeed amphiphilic. This chemical property is likely essential for their biological function, but also makes them challenging to detect and quantify in vitro. In order to understand pathogenesis and disease progression while developing effective diagnostics, it is important to account for the biochemistry of lipid and amphiphilic biomarkers when creating novel techniques for the quantitative measurement of these targets. Here, we review techniques and methods used to detect lipid and amphiphilic biomarkers associated with disease, as well as their feasibility for use as diagnostic targets, highlighting the significance of their biochemical properties in the design and execution of laboratory and diagnostic strategies. The biochemistry of biological molecules is clearly relevant to their physiological function, and calling out the need for consideration of this feature in their study, and use as vaccine, diagnostic and therapeutic targets is the overarching motivation for this review.
Separation of Powers or Division of Power

The rationale of the separation of powers is often elided with the rationale of checks and balances and with the rationale of the dispersal of power generally in a constitutional system. This paper however focuses resolutely on the functional sepaartion of powers in what MJC Vile called its "pure form". Rexeamining the theories of Locke, Montesquieu, and Madison, the paper seeks to recover (amidst all their tautologies and evasions) a genuine case in favor of this principle. The paper argues that the rationale of the separation of powers is closely related to that of the rule of law: it is partly a matter of the distinct integrity of each of the separated institutions (courts, legislature, and administration). But above all, it is a matter of articulated governance (as contrasted with compressed undifferentiated exercises of power).
A qualitative analysis of suicide risk factors, preferred means, and means restriction feasibility within a homeless shelter environment

Suicide completion rates among homeless individuals are approximately nine times higher than the general population. The purpose of this study was to capture the state of social support among homel...
In silico approaches to evaluate the molecular properties of organophosphate compounds to inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity in housefly.

Organophosphate compounds (OPC) have become the primary choice as insecticides and are widely used across the world. Additionally, OPCs were also commonly used as a chemical warfare agent that trig...
Residual stress measurements in melt infiltrated SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites using Raman spectroscopy

Abstract Raman spectroscopy was utilized to characterize the chemical composition and residual stresses formed in melt infiltrated SiC/SiC CMCs during processing. Stresses in SiC fibers, in SiC chemical vapor (CVI) infiltrated matrix, in SiC melt infiltrated matrix, and in free silicon were measured for two different plates of CMCs. Stresses in the free silicon averaged around 2 GPa in compression, while stresses in the matrix SiC were 1.45 GPa in tension. The SiC CVI phase had stresses ranging between 0.9 GPa and 1.2 GPa in tension and the SiC fibers experienced stresses of .05–0.7 GPa in tension. These results were validated with the proposed model of the system. While the mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion between the constituents contributes to the overall residual stress state, the silicon expansion upon solidification was found to be the major contributor to residual stresses within the composite.
Bimodal nanoparticle size distributions produced by laser ablation of microparticles in aerosols

Silver nanoparticles were produced by laser ablation of a continuously flowing aerosol of microparticles in nitrogen at varying laser fluences. Transmission electron micrographs were analyzed to determine the effect of laser fluence on the nanoparticle size distribution. These distributions exhibited bimodality with a large number of particles in a mode at small sizes (3–6-nm) and a second, less populated mode at larger sizes (11–16-nm). Both modes shifted to larger sizes with increasing laser fluence, with the small size mode shifting by 35% and the larger size mode by 25% over a fluence range of 0.3–4.2-J/cm2. Size histograms for each mode were found to be well represented by log-normal distributions. The distribution of mass displayed a striking shift from the large to the small size mode with increasing laser fluence. These results are discussed in terms of a model of nanoparticle formation from two distinct laser–solid interactions. Initially, laser vaporization of material from the surface leads to condensation of nanoparticles in the ambient gas. Material evaporation occurs until the plasma breakdown threshold of the microparticles is reached, generating a shock wave that propagates through the remaining material. Rapid condensation of the vapor in the low-pressure region occurs behind the traveling shock wave. Measurement of particle size distributions versus gas pressure in the ablation region, as well as, versus microparticle feedstock size confirmed the assignment of the larger size mode to surface-vaporization and the smaller size mode to shock-formed nanoparticles.
Maintenance Quality and Environmental Performance Improvement: An Integrated Approach

Womack et al. (1990) coined the term “lean production”. In the lean context, nonvalue- adding activity was viewed as any activity that does not lead directly to creating the product. The approach is based on reducing the non-value-adding activities which results in savings to the company. It has been reported that activities not adding value to the product comprise more than 90% of the total activity (Caulkin, 2002). Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is an approach which aims at the total elimination of all losses, including breakdowns, equipment set ups, adjustment losses, minor stoppages, reduced speed, defects and rework and all major yield losses. It may be said that the ultimate goal of TPM are few equipment breakdowns and zero product defects resulting in ultimate utilization of production assets and plant capacity. Romm (1994) indicates that environmental benefits are involved in the lean implementation. A strong relationship between lean manufacturing and environmental improvement has been reported (Waldrop, 1999; Pojasek and Five, 1999; Florida, 1996; Hart, 1997). The foregoing suggests that maintenance quality, which essentially has a similar objective to lean manufacturing, has a strong relationship with environmental improvement.
Practice Variation in Umbilical Hernia Repair Demonstrates a Need for Best Practice Guidelines.

Objective To evaluate and better understand variations in practice patterns, we analyzed ambulatory surgery claims data from 3 demographically diverse states to assess the relationship between age at umbilical hernia repair and patient, hospital, and geographic characteristics. Study design We performed a cross-sectional descriptive study of uncomplicated hernia repairs performed as a single procedure in 2012-2014, using the State Ambulatory Surgery and Services Database for Wisconsin, New York, and Florida. Age and demographic characteristics of umbilical hernia repair patients are described. Results The State Ambulatory Surgery and Services Database analysis included 6551 patients. Across 3 states, 8.2% of hernia repairs were performed in children Conclusions The age of pediatric umbilical hernia repair varies widely. As hernias may resolve over time and can be safely monitored with watchful waiting, formal guidelines are needed to support delayed repair and prevent unnecessary operations.
Co-treatment with probucol does not improve lung pathology in hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin-treated Npc1-/- mice.

We previously reported the altered pulmonary function and pathology found in the mouse model of infantile Niemann-Pick C1 disease, the Npc1−/− mouse. Despite its salutary properties on brain and liver parameters, we did not find efficacious effects of hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPBCD) on pulmonary pathology. Since we had previously shown the beneficial effects of probucol on the somatic phenotype in the Npc1−/− mice, we have now studied the effects of combined therapy with HPBCD and probucol on the lung with mostly negative results. Body weight and lung weight for body weight were increased in parallel while inspiratory capacity for body weight was markedly decreased. Other physical, biochemical, and pulmonary function parameters were not much changed. There were trends towards improved lung elastance (p = 0.09) and compliance (p = 0.07).
Reliable thermodynamic estimators for screening caloric materials

Abstract Reversible, diffusionless, first-order solid-solid phase transitions accompanied by caloric effects are critical for applications in the solid-state cooling and heat-pumping devices. Accelerated discovery of caloric materials requires reliable but faster estimators for predictions and high-throughput screening of system-specific dominant caloric contributions. We assess reliability of the computational methods that provide thermodynamic properties in relevant solid phases at or near a phase transition. We test the methods using the well-studied B2 FeRh alloy as a “fruit fly” in such a materials genome discovery, as it exhibits a metamagnetic transition which generates multicaloric (magneto-, elasto-, and baro-caloric) responses. For lattice entropy contributions, we find that the commonly-used linear-response and small-displacement phonon methods are invalid near instabilities that arise from the anharmonicity of atomic potentials, and we offer a more reliable and precise method for calculating lattice entropy at a fixed temperature. Then, we apply a set of reliable methods and estimators to the metamagnetic transition in FeRh (predicted 346 ± 12 K, observed 353 ± 1 K) and calculate the associated caloric properties, such as isothermal entropy and isentropic temperature changes.
Las esclavas que esclavizaron a los nacidos libres: Esclavas y sus amos en la literatura islámica

Resumen: Las esclavas, con mencion especial de las que cantan, tienen un lugar de preferencia en las fuentes literarias islamistas. Estas fuentes proveen un gran numero de cuentos en los que los amos de estas esclavas se enamoran de ellas y luego al afrontarse la posibilidad de separacion, y de hecho los dos se encuentran separados, se humillan y corren el riesgo de perder su honor, toda su riqueza y hasta sus propias vidas para reunirse con la chica que aman. En algunos cuentos, esclavas listas y doctas toman la iniciativa para preservar sus relaciones con los duenos, quienes parecen ser torpes y negados. A fin de cuentas, la chica suele recibir su libertad y se casa con el amo. A pesar de ser el amo legal de las esclavas, parece que hay una inversion de los papeles de amo/esclavo en estos cuentos y es la esclava la que controla el destino de los dos. Abstract: Slave-girls, and in particular singing slave-girls, hold a prominent place in Islamic literary sources. These sources provide quite a number of stories in which the masters of slave-girls fall deeply in love with them, and then, when faced with the prospect of separation or are indeed separated from them, humble themselves and risk losing their honour, all of their wealth, and even their own lives in order to be reunited with the girl whom they love. In some stories, intelligent and learned slave-girls take the initiative to preserve their relationships with their masters who are often depicted as inept and clueless. In the end, the girl is typically given her freedom and marries her master. Although the men are the legal masters of the slave-girls, it seems that there is an inversion of the master/slave roles in the tales and that it is the slave-girl who controls the destiny of both.
Akt/survivin pathway inhibition enhances the apoptotic cell death-induced by alpha-santalol in human prostate cancer cells.

Abstract We have shown previously that alpha-santalol, a major component of sandalwood oil inhibits growth of cultured prostate cancer cells in vitro by causing apoptosis, but the mechanism of cell death is not fully elucidated. The present study was undertaken to investigate the role of PI3K/Akt/survivin pathway in alpha-santalol-induced apoptosis employing cultured LNCaP and PC-3 human prostate cancer cells. Treatment of prostate cancer cells with alpha-santalol (20, 40 μM) resulted in the down regulation of survivin and p-AKT (s-473) expression and statistically significant reduction in total survivin levels as evidenced by survivin ELISA assay. Furthermore, inhibition of PI3K-Akt pathway by pharmacological inhibitor, LY294002 enhanced the apoptotic cell death induced by alpha-santalol as determined by cell viability, cellular morphology, active caspase-3 activity and expression of cleaved PARP, cleaved caspase-3 levels. In conclusion, the present study provides novel insight into the molecular circuitry of alpha-santalol-induced cell death and reveals that alpha-santalol targets Akt/Survivin pathway to induce cell death and that the cell death is increased in the presence of a known inhibitor of the pathway.
VO2 enabled reconfigurable nanophotonics

Dielectric and semiconductor meta-surfaces offer the potential to construct high-efficiency, compact optical components through nanoscale patterning. There currently is substantial interest in developing dynamically reconfigurable and switchable meta-structures, such that the behavior can be tuned in real-time. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate electrically and thermally tunable meta-structures that utilize metal-insulator phase transitions. We demonstrate 1) switching between dielectric and plasmonic resonances in VO2 Mie resonators and 2) electrically-controlled, continuous, broadband tuning of infrared reflection and absorption in hybrid Ge-VO2 structures.
Remake and Homage Noir

Remake Noir and Homage Noir offer a spectrum of response within neo-noir. The remake is fairly clear in intent, whereas the homage may be specific or more abstract. Whether remake or homage, it relies on the viewer’s ability to participate in an intertextual discussion. At one end, Farewell, My Lovely (Dick Richards 1975) reworks Raymond Chandler’s novel, and it remakes 1944 version, Murder, My Sweet (Edward Dmytryk). In the middle, Body Heat (Lawrence Kasdan 1981) pays homage to Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder 1944). And at the more abstract end of the spectrum, season one of True Detective (2014), created by Nic Pizzolatto, pays homage to a greater body of classic noir. Remake Noir and Homage Noir demonstrate intertextual post-classical meta-discussions while critiquing historical contexts.
Discovery of Face-On Counterparts of Chain Galaxies in the Tadpole ACS Field

The background field of the Tadpole galaxy image taken with the Hubble Space Telescope ACS contains 87 clump-clusters that are probably low-inclination versions of the 69 chain galaxies we found in a previous paper. This conclusion follows from the similarity in colors and apparent magnitudes of the brightest clumps in the clump-clusters and chain galaxies, and from the similarity between the distribution of axial ratios for the combined sample and the distribution for normal disk galaxies. These distributions are consistent with chains and clump-clusters being disks viewed at random angles with intrinsic axial ratios of 0.1-0.2 or less. The disks appear to be gas-rich galaxies at z=1 to 2 that are forming an early generation of stars in a small number of very large star complexes.
Answering the 'Serious Constitutional Question': Ensuring Meaningful Review of All Constitutional Claims

In 2012, the Supreme Court in Elgin v. Department of the Treasury clarified the standard that should apply when a federal statute purports to remove judicial review of all constitutional claims. The Court confirmed that, if a statute only channels judicial review of a constitutional claim into a specific avenue (for example, through administrative review and then the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals), then Congressional intent to do so need only be “fairly discernible.” Alternatively, if a statute precludes all judicial review of a constitutional claim, there must be “clear Congressional intent.” The Court explained that the reason for these differing standards is to avoid the “serious constitutional question that would arise if an agency statute were construed to preclude all judicial review of a constitutional claim.” Courts have a duty to protect and interpret the Constitution and claimants have a right to meaningful review of their constitutional claims. That serious constitutional question does arise when probationary federal public employees, who are not fully covered by Civil Service Reform Act (“CSRA”) protections, allege constitutional violations related to their employment. For example, the CSRA right to directly petition the Merit Systems Protection Board (“MSPB”) and to appeal to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals is unavailable to probationary federal public employees. Instead, probationary federal employees who allege that their employment was terminated in violation of the U.S. Constitution may only petition the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. If the Office of Special Counsel denies an employee’s claim, that claim is terminated without any further administrative or judicial review. This result raises the serious constitutional question, one that dates back to Marbury v. Madison, about the judicial duty of review of constitutional claims, particularly those involving individual rights. Given the lack of meaningful review of constitutional claims brought by federal probationary employees, a judicial remedy must be provided to ensure deterrence of unconstitutional acts by federal employers. That remedy should be extending a cause of action from Bivens v. Six Unknown Federal Agents to probationary federal employees who otherwise will not receive meaningful review of their constitutional claims.
Intraoperative Detection of Micrometastases in Whole Excised Lymph Nodes Using Fluorescent Paired-Agent Imaging Principles: Identification of a Suitable Staining and Rinsing Protocol

Correctly identifying nodal status is recognized as a critical prognostic factor in many cancer types and is essential to guide adjuvant treatment. Currently, surgical removal of lymph nodes followed by pathological examination is commonly performed as a standard-of-care to detect node metastases. However, conventional pathology protocols are time-consuming, yet less than 1 % of lymph node volumes are examined, resulting in a 30–60 % rate of missed micrometastases (0.2–2 mm in size). This study presents a method to fluorescently stain excised lymph nodes using paired-agent molecular imaging principles, which entail co-administration of a molecular-targeted imaging agent with a suitable control (untargeted) agent, whereby any nonspecific retention of the targeted agent is accounted for by the signal from the control agent. Specifically, it was demonstrated that by dual-needle continuous infusion of either an antibody-based imaging agent pair (epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeted agent: IRDye-800CW labeled Cetuximab; control agent: IRDye-700DX-IgG) or an Affibody-based pair (EGFR targeted Affibody® agent: ABY-029; control agent IRDYe-700DX carboxylate) at 0.3 ml/min. The results demonstrated the possibility to achieve >99 % sensitivity and > 95 % specificity for detection of a single micrometastasis (~0.2 mm diameter) in a whole lymph node within 22 min of tissue processing time. The detection capabilities offer substantial improvements over existing intraoperative lymph node biopsy methods (e.g., frozen pathology has a micrometastasis sensitivity <20 %).
Wide Input Range Auxiliary Power Supply for Industrial Applications Using 1.7kV SiC MOSFET

Auxiliary power supply (Aux-PS) is an essential part of electronic equipment in many industrial applications. 1700V SiC MOSFETs provide a good solution for such applications, providing the benefits of low on state resistance, smaller package, low switching loss and single switching implementation. This paper presents a design of a single end flyback auxiliary power supply with wide input voltage range using 1.7kV SiC MOSFETs for industrial applications. Special design tradeoffs for using SiC MOSFETs are discussed in detail such as gate driving voltage selection and isolation transformer design considerations. A 60W demonstration hardware is developed and tested at different working conditions. Special design tradeoffs needed for using SIC MOSFETs are discussed in detail such as gate driving voltage selection, isolation transformer design consideration and clamping circuit design details. The results verify the higher efficiency and better thermal performance of the proposed hardware compared with traditional Si solutions.
Digital Humanities Scholarship: A Model for Reimagining Knowledge Work in the 21 st Century.

The essay situates the academic subfield of the digital humanities (DH) as a notable example of late 20th century theories of knowledge (e.g. writings of Jean-Francois Lyotard and Fredric Jameson) that called for or predicted a shift from modern to postmodern cultures of knowledge work, knowledge organization, and knowledge production. The essay reviews DH as a case study of knowledge culture transitioning within the academic industry and suggests insights for how similar transitions may develop in other industries.
Urinary schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is the second most common socio-economically devastating parasitic disease after malaria, affecting about 240 million residents of developing countries. In Africa, it predominantly manifests as urogenital disease, and the main infective agent is Schistosoma hematobium. Endemicity is propagated by poor socio-economic status and environmental degradation due to rapid urbanization. Recreational swimming is a potent medium for the spread of disease in children and adolescents. Most affected individuals are asymptomatic. The male and female worms are equipped with an extraordinary capacity for immune evasion and are able to co-habit for several decades within the pelvic venous plexus. Eggs deposited in the bladder wall resist elimination by type 1 T lymphocytes. Instead, they are sustained by pro-fibrogenic encapsulation (as modulated by type 2 helper cells). Progressive bladder disease results in obstructive uropathy and predisposes to (mostly) squamous cell carcinoma. Schistosomal glomerulopathy manifests as a clinical spectrum of asymptomatic proteinuria, nephrosis and/or nephritic syndrome. Findings on renal biopsy may be influenced by co-morbidity with Salmonella bacteria, amyloidosis and hepatitis C infection. Potentially fatal Katayama fever and spinal radiculopathy may ensue in tourists visiting an endemic zone. Early detection by urine microscopy is hampered by low urinary excretion rates of the parasite eggs. Although useful in travelers with newly acquired disease, the results of the serological antibody assay may be false positive in residents of an endemic zone. Cystoscopy, however, may be invaluable. Due to its safety, effectiveness and once-daily dosing, praziquantel is the drug of choice. An integrated approach that includes mass chemotherapy, environmental health programs and public health education is the most cost-effective preventive strategy.
Scenario Aware Speech Recognition: Advancements for Apollo Fearless Steps & CHiME-4 Corpora.

In this study, we propose to investigate triplet loss for the purpose of an alternative feature representation for ASR. We consider a general non-semantic speech representation, which is trained with a self-supervised criteria based on triplet loss called TRILL, for acoustic modeling to represent the acoustic characteristics of each audio. This strategy is then applied to the CHiME-4 corpus and CRSS-UTDallas Fearless Steps Corpus, with emphasis on the 100-hour challenge corpus which consists of 5 selected NASA Apollo-11 channels. An analysis of the extracted embeddings provides the foundation needed to characterize training utterances into distinct groups based on acoustic distinguishing properties. Moreover, we also demonstrate that triplet-loss based embedding performs better than i-Vector in acoustic modeling, confirming that the triplet loss is more effective than a speaker feature. With additional techniques such as pronunciation and silence probability modeling, plus multi-style training, we achieve a +5.42% and +3.18% relative WER improvement for the development and evaluation sets of the Fearless Steps Corpus. To explore generalization, we further test the same technique on the 1 channel track of CHiME-4 and observe a +11.90% relative WER improvement for real test data.
Unified descriptor for enhanced critical heat flux during pool boiling of hemi-wicking surfaces

Abstract Boiling heat transfer is dictated by interfacial phenomena at the three-phase contact line where vapor bubbles form on the surface. Structured surfaces have shown significant enhancement in critical heat flux (CHF) during pool boiling by tailoring interfacial phenomena. This CHF enhancement has been primarily explained by two structural effects: roughness, which extends the contact line length at the bubble base, and wickability, the ability to imbibe liquid through surface structures by capillary pumping. In this work, we show that CHF enhancement on structured surfaces cannot be described by roughness or wickability alone. This result was confirmed using systematically designed micropillar surfaces with controlled roughness and wickability. Further, we performed a scaling analysis and derived a unified descriptor, which represents the combined effects of thin film density and volumetric wicking rate. This unified descriptor shows a reasonable correlation with CHF values with our experiments and literature data. This work provides important insights in understanding the role of surface structures on CHF enhancement, thereby providing guidelines for the systematic design of surface structures for enhanced pool boiling heat transfer.
A Study of Charm Production in the Strong Interactions Using a Prompt Muon Trigger

Our group is studying charm production in 200 GeV/c π- nucleon interactions via the process Open image in new window The experimental strategy is to trigger on a prompt muon from the semileptonic decay of one of the charm particles (C or \(\bar C\) , and to examine the decay of the associated state with open geometry and minimum bias.
Lesser Alkaloids of Cocaine-Bearing Plants. Part I: Nicotinoyl-, 2′-Pyrroloyl, and 2′- and 3′-Furanoylecgonine Methyl Ester—Isolation and Mass Spectral Characterization of Four New Alkaloids of South AmericanErythroxylum cocaVar.coca

Four new trace-level alkaloids of South American coca leaf, Erythroxylum coca var. coca, have been isolated from the bulk leaf/alkaloids matrix and characterized by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and synthesis. These alkaloids, nicotinoyl-, 2′-pyrroloyl- and 2′- and 3′-furanoylecgonine methyl ester, were detected in Peruvian coca leaf and/or in a commercial, industrial-grade extract of South American coca. Alkaloid isolation methodology included toluene extraction of the leaf followed by dilute acid/Celite and alumina column chromatography and recrystallization. This methodology also allowed for the detection and partial characterization of an additional 125–150 new tropane alkaloids in coca leaf. Forensic implications are discussed.
Typing Herpesvirus hominis Antibodies and Isolates by Inhibition of the Indirect Hemagglutination Reaction

Inhibition of the indirect hemagglutination reaction (IHA inhibition) was compared to several other methods for type-specific identification of Herpesvirus hominis (HVH) antibodies and isolates. The method appears to have the greatest value for typing antibodies for HVH type 1 and HVH type 2 in human sera; identification of antibody type was relatively simple and results were definitive. The IHA-inhibition test permitted serological diagnosis of HVH type 2 infection in three young adults with meningoencephalitis, thus extending the mounting evidence that nervous system involvement with this virus type is not limited to neonatal infections. II/I indexes of neutralizing or IHA antibody gave an accurate indication of the presence of HVH type 2 antibody in those sera containing type 2 antibody by IHA inhibition, but they indicated the presence of HVH type 2 antibody in one-half or more of the sera shown to contain only HVH type 1 antibody by IHA inhibition. For typing HVH isolates, the IHA-inhibition test gave results identical to those obtained by direct fluorescent-antibody staining using cross-absorbed conjugates, but the IHA-inhibition test was much more cumbersome and time-consuming to perform than was direct fluorescent-antibody staining. A microneutralization technique for virus typing also gave results identical to those obtained with direct fluorescent-antibody staining and IHA inhibition. However, typing HVH isolates by plaque size or the differential effect of incubation temperature was found to be less definitive and accurate.
Enemies and Friends: A Consideration of the Burnham Kidnapping

The relationships between the political and the spiritual, hostage-taker and victim, friends and enemies, the US and the Philippines are shaped and contested in the light of journalistic accounts of the Burnhams’ hostage crisis in 2001, and in particular Gracia Burnham’s reconstruction of it in her memoir. The following four distinct but related contexts are used as lens to explore the binarisms: 1) the psychosocial dynamics and literary traditions of captivity; 2) what used to be billed the “special” but has more recently and perhaps more accurately been called the “entangled” relationship between the United States and the Philippines; 3) the geopolitics of the “War (of and on) Terror” that broke out with full force during the Burnhams’ hostage days, and/or of the longer-term “clash of civilizations,” as it is sometimes called, between militant Islam and the globalizing Judeo-Christian West; and 4) the historic resurgence, in many areas of the world, of religion in personal and public life.
Creating the Permanent Prisoner

Of the 2.3 million people currently behind bars in the United States, only 41,000 - a mere 1.7% - are doing LWOP. Based on these numbers, one might well regard LWOP as the anomaly, and certainly not emblematic of the system as a whole. In this essay, I argue that it is LWOP that most effectively captures the central motivating aim of the contemporary American carceral system: the permanent exclusion from the shared social space of the people marked as prisoners. This exclusionist system has no real investment in successful reentry. Instead, a variety of penal practices combine to ensure against any meaningful loosening of control over the people the state has imprisoned. This essay explores the exclusionary effects of several such practices, including the destructive character of prison conditions, the increasing official reluctance to grant parole, and the collateral consequences of felony convictions, which heavily burden the prospects of newly released offenders. This way of framing American penal policy may seem to inappropriately sideline the more legitimate penological purposes - retribution, deterrence, etc. But there is a strikingly poor fit between these more familiar penological justifications and the actual practices of the penal system. By contrast, the exclusionary account offered in this essay is not only consistent with current penal practice, but also helps to make sense of the pervasive normative conception of prisoners as both noncitizens and nonhumans. This normative construction is a key component of the exclusionary project. If this project is to be abandoned and its destructive effects reversed, the implicit assumption that individuals who have been subject to criminal punishment have thereby forfeited their status as fellow citizens and fellow human beings must be confronted and rejected.
Downstream Natural Areas as Refuges for Fish in Drainage-Development Watersheds

Abstract Agricultural drainage development in southwestern Minnesota involves installation of tiles to drain subsurface waters, creation of tributary ditches, and channelization of existing streambeds. The presence, abundance, and diversity of fishes collected in downstream unmodified areas of drainage-developed and undeveloped streams indicate that any downstream impacts are much less severe than impacts demonstrated by others within developed areas. These natural areas appear to serve as reservoirs for stream biotas and should be preserved as refuges for fish species inhabiting those streams.
Interventions to improve patient education regarding multifactorial genetic conditions: A systematic review

The careful education of patients with complex genetic disease is essential. However, healthcare providers often have limited time to spend providing thorough genetic education. Furthermore, the number of healthcare professionals possessing strong genetics training may be inadequate to meet increasing patient demands. Due to such constraints, several interventions have been investigated over the past decade to identify potential resources for the facilitation of this specific type of patient education. This systematic literature review of these interventions for patient education attempts to elucidate the answer to the question: is there sufficient evidence for best practice for delivering genetic information to patients with multifactorial conditions? The various interventions (CD-ROM, group counseling, video/decision aid, and miscellaneous) were analyzed in terms of quality criteria and achievement of specific outcomes and were rated according to the Stetler model for evidence-based practice. Seven main outcomes were evaluated: (1) objective and subjective knowledge assessment, (2) psychological measures (general anxiety, depression, stress, cancer worry), (3) satisfaction/effectiveness of intervention, (4) time spent in counseling (time spent on basic genetic information vs. specific concerns), (5) decision-making/intent to undergo genetic testing, (6) treatment choice and value of that choice, and, finally (7) risk perception. Overall, the computer interventions resulted in more significant findings that were beneficial than any other category followed by the video category, although the group and miscellaneous categories did not measure all of the outcomes reported by the other two categories. Nevertheless, while these groups had neutral or negative findings in some of the outcomes, the computer intervention group showed significant improvement in genetics knowledge, psychological measures, satisfaction/effectiveness, time spent with counselor, and decision/intent to undergo testing.
Proof of a conjecture on immanants of the Jacobi-Trudi matrix

Abstract We prove a conjecture on characters of Sn which implies another conjecture (both due to Goulden and Jackson) that all immanants of the Jacobi-Trudi matrix H(ν,μ)= (h(νi-i)-(μj-j))i,j=1,…,n have nonnegative coefficients.
Progress toward a compact solid state active laser gyroscope

The two counter-propagating waves in a mode-locked ring laser--as opposed to a cw ring laser--can be totally uncoupled in phase. As a result, these lasers can be used as ultra-sensitive detectors of phase shifts, and in particular, laser gyros. Some of the implementations of these laser gyros are reviewed.
Self-complementarity of messenger RNA's of periodic proteins.

It is shown that the mRNA's of three periodic proteins, collagen, keratin and freezing point depressing glycoproteins show a marked degree of self-complementarity. The possible origin of this self-complementarity is discussed.
Introduction of Estrogen Receptor-α into the tTA/TAg Conditional Mouse Model Precipitates the Development of Estrogen-Responsive Mammary Adenocarcinoma

Conditional expression of estrogen receptor (ER)-α) was introduced into tetracycline-responsive MMTV-tTA/tetop-TAg mice to develop a mouse model of estrogen-responsive ER-α-positive mammary adenocarcinoma. Mammary adenocarcinomas developed in the mice with a mean latency of 11 months. Precursor lesions including ductal hyperplasia and hyperplastic alveolar nodules were present by the age of 4 months. The mammary adenocarcinomas exhibited histological features similar to human breast cancers. ER steroid-binding studies conducted on adenocarcinoma lysates demonstrated binding to estradiol. Tumor explant studies in the presence and absence of estradiol in ovariectomized athymic nude mice revealed that growth of mammary tumors was stimulated by estrogen. In addition, the presence of ER-α altered the tumor spectrum in other MMTV-targeted tissues in the tTA/TAg female mice. Lymphomas, which develop in 40% of tTA/TAg female mice, were found in only 4% of tTA/TAg/ER-α mice (P = 0.014, chi-square test). These experiments demonstrate that the introduction of an ER-α transgene targeted to mammary epithelial cells can be used to develop mouse models of ER-α-responsive mammary cancer.
The leadership crisis in internal medicine: what can be done?

During the 1990s, internal medicine will change. Whether that change will be in directions desired by internists will depend on whether effective leadership of the discipline is accepted by the aca...
Quantum activated rates—an evolution operator approach

This article presents a derivation of the rate of reaction in the quantum activated rate problem. In this problem, one studies the rate of a chemical reaction when the reaction is placed in a dissipative bath. Our derivation defines the rate in terms of the flux autocorrelation function and proceeds via the recently developed interaction representation for nonadiabatic corrections to adiabatic evolution operators. This methodology is an infinite order resummation of nonadiabatic corrections to evolution operators. The approach produces an analytic expression which yields accurate results over a range of temperatures, viscosities and system parameters through the Kramers turnover region.
Acute systemic changes in blood cells, proteins, coagulation, fibrinolysis, and platelet aggregation after frostbite injury in the rabbit☆

Abstract Acute systemic blood changes were measured in New Zealand white rabbits after severe and mild frostbite injury to the foot. There were observed after 72 hr. in the severely frostbitten rabbits, a decrease in erythrocytes, hematocrit, lymphocytes, and albumin, and an increase in total leukocytes, neutrophils, platelets, fibrinogen, and antithrombin III. Mildly frostbitten rabbits showed similar changes except for no changes in the platelets, albumin, and antithrombin III. In severely frostbitten rabbits, after 72 hr, the changes in the plasma coagulation tests were a prolonged partial thromboplastin time, an accelerated prothrombin time, and increased activities of Factors VII, IX, X, and XI. In mildly frostbitten rabbits there were a prolonged partial thromboplastin time and an increased activity of Factor VII. No changes in fibrinolysis were seen in either group of rabbits. Platelet aggregation, studied only in the severely frostbitten rabbits, showed a change only by an increase in the slope of the collagen-induced platelet aggregation. The blood changes observed in the rabbit model are different than those reported in human frostbite cases. No disseminated intravascular coagulation was apparent in the rabbit model after frostbite injury.
Practical Total Syntheses of Epiquinamide Enantiomers

Short and practical syntheses of epiquinamide and its enantiomer were accomplished with high overall yields and high stereoselectivity from readily available starting materials.
High-resolution four-dimensional carbon-correlated 1H–1H ROESY experiments employing isotags and the filter diagonalization method for effective assignment of glycosidic linkages in oligosaccharides

Abstract Four-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of oligosaccharides that correlates 1 H– 1 H ROESY cross peaks to two additional 13 C frequency dimensions is reported. The 13 C frequencies were introduced by derivatization of all free hydroxyl groups with doubly 13 C-labeled acetyl isotags. Pulse sequences were optimized for processing with the filter diagonalization method. The extensive overlap typically observed in 2D ROESY 1 H– 1 H planes was alleviated by resolution of ROESY cross peaks in the two added dimensions associated with the carbon frequencies of the isotags. This enabled the interresidue 1 H– 1 H ROESY cross peaks to be unambiguously assigned hence spatially proximate sugar spin systems across glycosidic bonds could be effectively ascertained. An experiment that selectively amplifies interresidue ROESY 1 H– 1 H cross peaks is also reported. It moves the magnetization of an intraresidue proton normally correlated to a sugar H-1 signal orthogonally along the z axis prior to a Tr-ROESY mixing sequence. This virtually eliminates the incoherent intraresidue ROESY transfer, suppresses coherent TOCSY transfer, and markedly enhances the intensity of interresidue ROESY cross peaks.
Hypertension in Chronic Dialysis Patients: Pathophysiology, Monitoring, and Treatment

The prevalence of hypertension in the population with ESRD is very high, approaching 100% in some populations, and may account for the fact that cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in ESRD. The pathophysiology of hypertension in ESRD is reviewed, suggesting multifactorial causes; a dominant cause is that of volume expansion and an inappropriate increase in systemic vascular resistance because of activation of the renin-angiotensin system. The primary goal in the treatment of hypertension should be to attain a dry-weight and maintain volume control through limiting salt and fluid intake and ultrafiltration of excess fluids. If this approach is unsuccessful, an array of antihypertensive medications are available to help control blood pressure in patients with ESRD.
HMG-CoA reductase, cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase, LDL receptor, SR-B1, and ACAT in diet-induced syndrome X

HMG-CoA reductase, cholesterol 7a-hydroxylase, LDL recep- tor, SR-B1, and ACAT in diet-induced syndrome X. Background. Long-term consumption of Western diets can lead to acquired syndrome X, which presents with obesity, insulin resistance, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. While plasma lipid ab- normalities in syndrome X have been well characterized, their molecular basis remains unclear. This study explored po- tential mechanisms of hypercholesterolemia in diet-induced syndrome X. Methods. Female Fischer rats were fed a high-fat, refined- carbohydrate (sucrose) diet (HFS) or standard rat chow (low- fat, complex carbohydrate, LFCC) for 20 months. Plasma lipids and hepatic tissue mRNA, protein, and/or activities of the key enzymes and receptors involved in cholesterol metabolism were determined. Results. The HFS group exhibited hypertension, hyperlipi- demia, insulin resistance, obesity, significant down-regulation of hepatic cholesterol 7a-hydroxylase (the rate-limiting step in cholesterol catabolism) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDL-R, the primary pathway of LDL clearance). In contrast, hepatic tissue acyl-coenzyme A:cholesterol acyl- transferase (ACAT-2, the primary enzyme involved in intra- cellular esterification of cholesterol) and scavenger-receptor class B, type 1 (SR-B1 or HDL receptor) were up-regulated. While 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase mRNA expression was increased, its protein abun- dance and activity were unchanged, and HMG-CoA reductase- to-cholesterol 7a-hydroxylase ratio was increased in HFS-fed animals. Conclusion. Hypercholesterolemia in diet-induced syn- drome X is associated with depressed cholesterol 7a-hydro- xylase, diminished LDL-R, elevated ACAT, and increased HMG-CoA reductase-to-cholesterol 7a-hydroxylase ratio. These findings point to impaired hepatic catabolism and up- take of cholesterol and inappropriate cholesterol production capacity as the underlying causes of hypercholesterolemia in rats with diet-induced syndrome X.
Design and operation of the battery power supply of a hypersonic-propulsion facility

A power supply composed of 1140 submarine lead-acid cells for operating split-ring plasma-arc heaters is briefly described, and its application to flight simulation is reviewed. Heavy current requirements lead to battery loading up to the limit imposed by the onset of the voltage-reversal phenomenon; the additional effect of circuit transients on arc stability is also discussed. Control equipment includes a water-cooled ballast resistor and separate switches to handle making and breaking functions. Remote operation ensures the basic safety of personnel.
Atomic data from the IRON Project XX. Photoionization cross sections and oscillator strengths for Fe I

Large-scale close coupling calculations for photoionization cross sections and dipole transition prob- abilities for Fe I are reported. The calculation included 52 LS terms of the target ion Fe II dominated by the congurations 3d 6 4s; 3d 7 ; 3d 6 4p; 3d 5 4s 2 ,a nd 3d 5 4s4p. The eigenfunction expansion of Fe II accounts for the pho- toionization of the outer 4s subshell, as well as the open inner 3d subshell, of the ground state 3d 6 4s 25 Do f Fe I. The results include energy levels for 1,117 LS bound states of Fe I, with n 10 and ' 7, 32 316 dipole oscil- lator strengths for transitions among the LS multiplets, and detailed photoionization cross sections, with exten- sive resonance structures, for all computed bound states. The present photoionization cross section for the ground state is up to three orders of magnitude higher than ear- lier results from central eld type approximations, but it agrees reasonably well with the cross section previously calculated using many-body perturbation theory.