cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scanned 3-D Intracardiac ARFI and SWEI for Imaging Radio-Frequency Ablation Lesions

Radio-frequency ablation (RFA) is used to locally disrupt electrical propagation in myocardium and treat arrhythmias, and direct visualization of ablation lesions by acoustic radiation force methods may benefit RFA procedures. This paper compares four imaging modalities, B-mode, acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI), single-track-location shear wave elasticity imaging (STL-SWEI), and multiple-track-location shear wave elasticity imaging (MTL-SWEI), in their ability to resolve RFA lesions in four ex vivo experiments. Ablation lesions are shown to be marked by at least a local halving of ARFI displacements and doubling of shear wave speeds. In a controlled ablation of ex vivo porcine and canine cardiac tissue, STL-SWEI and ARFI are shown to have a similar CNR, better than MTL-SWEI and B-mode. The SWEI modalities are demonstrated to have improved imaging of distal lesion boundaries. Gaps smaller than 5 mm are visualized in ablation lines made of discretely spaced ablations, and complex structures are reconstructed through depth in an “x” ablation experiment. Scans of suspended atria show increased noise, but successfully visualize ablations in ARFI, MTL-SWEI, and STL-SWEI.
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING MODEL TYPE TWO STAY TWO STRAY (TSTS) WITH PAIKEM APPROACH IN LEARNING MATHEMATICS ON THE MATERIAL CIRCLE AT THE SECOND GRADE/CLASS VIII OF SMPN 1 MAKASSAR

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of cooperative learning model two stay two stray (TSTS) with PAIKEM approach in mathematics learning in eighth grade material loop 9 SMP Negeri 1 Makassar. This research is an experimental research. The study design used is Pre-Experimental Design, namely the One-group pretest posttest design.The study included all students of class VIII SMP Negeri 1 Makassar and the sample class VIII 9 selected by clusterrandom sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis and inferential statistical analysis. Class VIII 9 were given treatment that implement cooperative learning model two stay two stray with PAIKEM approach. The data collection technique used is the test result of learning, observation sheets, and sheets questionnaire. The results showed that: 1) the results of the eighth grade students to learn mathematics 9 SMP Negeri 1 Makassar after the implementation of cooperative learning model two stay two stray by more than 74.9 PAIKEM approach (KKM) are in thecategory medium with a mean of 76.15, an increase result of learning mathematics (the gain) class VIII 9 SMP Negeri 1 Makassar significantly and at the high category, the results of students' mathematics learning in class VIII 9 SMP Negeri 1 Makassar after being taught to use the implementation of cooperative learning model two stay two stray approach PAIKEM achieve mastery classical, which is only 87.2% (over 80%), the standard deviation of 8.84, 2) students in learning activities with the implementation of cooperative learning model two stay two stray with PAIKEM approachin the category is very active with an average score of 4,54; and 3) a student's response on learning with the implementation of cooperative learning model two stay two stray with PAIKEM approaches are in positive category. Based on the criteria of effectiveness, the general implementation of cooperative learning model two stay two stray with PAIKEM effective approach in mathematics learning material in class VIII Circle 9 SMP Negeri 1 Makassar
Plug-Coil-Plug Technique for Percutaneous Closure of a Complex Aortic Pseudoaneurysm

A 76-year-old male with Crohn’s disease and atrial flutter presented for evaluation of a complex aortic pseudoaneurysm. Eight years prior, he developed infective endocarditis of a bioprothestic aor...
Ocular Inflammation and Neovascularization

Neovascularization, also termed “angiogenesis,’ is the process of generating new capillary blood vessels as an extension of existing vasculature (1). Neovascularization is an integral part of normal developmental processes and numerous pathologies, ranging from tumor growth and metastasis to inflammation and ocular disease. This process is driven by a cocktail of proangiogenic growth factors and cytokines and is tempered by an equally diverse group of inhibitors of neovascularization.
Echographic Differentiation of Vascular Tumors in the Orbit

With standardized echography, based on the standardized A-scan method and aided by contact B-scan and Doppler techniques, all orbital lesions causing symptoms or signs can be detected reliably and accurately. With standardized echography, orbital lesions can be differentiated into 70 types of lesions or groups of conditions; the sensitivity of standardized echography in this differential diagnosis exceeds 90%, and its accuracy is more than 80%. Vascular orbital tumors (both neoplasms and malformations) are among the most thoroughly studied lesions in echographic differential diagnosis. With standardized echography, they can be subdivided into ten individual types or groups of lesions. They are: typical cavernous hemangiomas occurring in adults; highly sclerosed cavernous hemangiomas in adults; hemangiomas of the mixed (capillary and cavernous) type occurring in infants; cavernous hemangiomas in infants; the group of capillary hemangiomas hemangioendotheliomas, hemangio-pericytomas, angiofibromas and angiosarcomas (which cannot be further differentiated into individual lesions); lymphangiomas; A-V malformations (arteriovenous aneurysms of the orbit); varices; large ‘high-flow’ A-V fistulas of the brain that drain through the orbit and produce pathognomonic echographic patterns; and small ‘low-flow’ A-V fistulas of the brain that congest the orbit and produce characteristic echo-graphic signs which differ from the high-flow fistulas.
Evidence-based medicine and practice guidelines: an overview.

Recent years have witnessed a growing emphasis on evidence. The volume of scientific information has increased dramatically. Thousands of randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) are published each year. Systematic reviews,1 which summarize the evidence from multiple studies, and metaanalyses,2 which quantitatively pool data, are increasingly common in general medicine journals and specialty journals. The Cochrane Collaboration, a worldwide effort to conduct systematic reviews, is continuously updating its reports (and other systematic reviews) on an electronic database, the Cochrane Library, which is accessible on CDROMs and the Internet.3
Cluster expansion techniques applied to the study of alloy phase equilibrium

The basic formalism of the cluster expansion method is reviewed as it pertains to first-principles alloy thermodynamics. The formalism is applied to the calculation of the solid-state portion of the Cd-Mg phase diagram. The influence of cluster expansions of the configurational energy, elastic relaxation energy, and electronic and vibrational free energies is analyzed separately. Excellent agreement with experiment is obtained when all pertinent effects are included in the calculation.
Expanded Reporting Obligations for Financial Institutions in the New World of Tax Transparency

This article looks at FinCEN's current anti-tax avoidance measures, including the new account opening requirements, along with the requirements relating to cash purchases of high-end real estate with which title insurance companies and U.S. lenders must comply.
Abstract NS10: Patients with Mild and Moderate Stroke Have Frequent, Severe, and Persistent Impairment in Information Processing Speed

Background: One year after stroke 50-70% of survivors have information processing speed (IPS) impairment. IPS is a complex, elemental cognitive function with close but separate relationships with m...
Identification, Quantification, and System Analysis of Protein N-ε Lysine Methylation in Anucleate Blood Platelets

Protein posttranslational modifications critically regulate a range of physiological and disease processes. In addition to tyrosine, serine, and threonine phosphorylation, reversible N-e acylation and alkylation of protein lysine residues also modulate diverse aspects of cellular function. Studies of lysine acyl and alkyl modifications have focused on nuclear proteins in epigenetic regulation; however, lysine modifications are also prevalent on cytosolic proteins to serve increasingly apparent, although less understood roles in cell regulation. Here, the methyl-lysine (meK) proteome of anucleate blood platelets is characterized. With high-resolution, multiplex MS methods, 190 mono-, di-, and tri-meK modifications are identified on 150 different platelet proteins-including 28 meK modifications quantified by tandem mass tag (TMT) labeling. In addition to identifying meK modifications on calmodulin (CaM), GRP78 (HSPA5, BiP), and EF1A1 that have been previously characterized in other cell types, more novel modifications are also uncovered on cofilin, drebin-like protein (DBNL, Hip-55), DOCK8, TRIM25, and numerous other cytoplasmic proteins. Together, the results and analyses support roles for lysine methylation in mediating cytoskeletal, translational, secretory, and other cellular processes. MS data for this study have been deposited into the ProteomeXchange Consortium via the PRIDE partner repository with the dataset identifier PXD012217.
SEASONAL HYDROCLIMATE CHANGE IN THE SACRAMENTO RIVER BASIN, CALIFORNIA

Hydroclimate change that alters runoff seasonality is an increasing concern in snowmelt-influenced watersheds throughout the western United States. Detecting seasonal runoff change is complicated by the interaction of atmospheric and topographic influences and by human alteration of streamflow. Reconstructed or unimpaired discharges for 1921 to 1994 for the Sacramento River are employed as an indicator of natural discharge and are analyzed for evidence of seasonal change. Rescaled adjusted partial sums (RAPS) improve visualization of trends and fluctuations in annual discharge and the seasonal fractions of annual discharge. The statistical significance of trends indicated by the RAPS is evaluated using nonparametric tests. Small increasing trends beginning in the late 1940s in annual unimpaired discharges and the seasonal fractions for fall, winter, and summer are not statistically significant. In contrast, the spring fraction of annual discharges shows a decreasing trend beginning in the late 1940s that ...
A genome disconnect.

Chromatin loops and domains are major organizational hallmarks of chromosomes. New work suggests, however, that these topological features of the genome are poor global predictors of gene activity, raising questions about their function.
International Financial Aid, Catholic Social Doctrine and Sustainable Integral Human Development

Following World War II, the secular international agenda emphasized processes of developing the economically challenged and post-colonial nations of the world. The project was led by the Bretton Woods institutions and the United Nations. Bretton Woods focused primarily on economic issues: The IMF would establish order and liquidity in the international financial markets, and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) would rebuild from the war’s devastation and ultimately aim for “the eradication of poverty.” In contrast, the United Nations focused on the international recognition of human rights. Similarly, the Catholic Church expanded its teachings of social doctrine to address the same issues. Pope St. John XXIII addressed human rights and the roles of international organizations. Pope St. Paul VI emphasized economic and social development, particularly in relation to less developed nations. Catholic teachings regarding development have always gone beyond mere economic advances and have sought “integral human development.” In the words of Pope St. Paul, “[w]hat must be aimed at is complete humanism. And what is that if not the fully rounded development of the whole man and of all men” (Populorum Progressio 42). This chapter summarizes the secular and “Catholic” approaches to international development with an emphasis on the parallel tracks of economic development and human rights. The chapter then analyzes the impact of policies related to the critical role of financial aid. The analysis considers, first, the extent to which financial aid has been effective in promoting the development of poor nations; and second, whether economic progress alone achieves a desirable level of “integral human development,” as defined by St. Paul VI.
Sacred Substantiations: Lincoln Casts and Statuary in the American Imagination

On March 31, 1860, Abraham Lincoln waited in the studio of Leonard Wells Volk as a plaster mold hardened around his face and head. After one hour, Volk removed the mold; he later repeated the process for Lincoln’s hands. The resulting life casts elicited profound emotional reactions in those who saw them. Augustus Saint-Gaudens recognized and capitalized on their invaluable status as candid indexes of Lincoln’s likeness in his 1887 Chicago monument, Abraham Lincoln: The Man. In the words of sculptor Lorado Taft, “It does not seem like a bronze. . . . One stands before it and feels himself in the very presence of America’s soul.” It was also Saint-Gaudens who amplified the casts’ influence through the manufacture of a prized series of thirty-three bronze replicas. The actual and imagined characteristics of these casts—their sense of possessing a “soul,” and their physical manifestation of Lincoln’s touch—all warrant consideration of their place within the larger tradition of holy relics. This paper posits the Lincoln casts as “contact relics” and establishes the generative potential of such a numinous categorization for American audiences, especially in the wake of the Civil War. Volk’s direct impressions of Lincoln’s visage and hands provided the “blueprints,” so to speak, for an astonishingly wide variety of sculptural manifestations—from the iconic Lincoln Memorial (1920) by Daniel Chester French to Abraham Lincoln (1917) by George Grey Barnard. This essay argues that the cultural impact of this sculptural genealogy is largely indebted to the casts’ material substantiations of Lincoln’s bodily presence and touch. Indeed, by situating these objects between medieval and modern modes of viewing, it will become clear that the casts, as progeny of the original life molds, afforded an affective, even remedial, authenticity for subsequent Lincoln monuments in the American imagination.
Erratum: Polypyrimidine Tract-Binding Protein 1 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma by regulating alternative splicing of PKM.

Polypyrimidine Tract-Binding Protein 1 (PTBP1) is an essential RNA-binding protein that regulates diverse biological events through regulating alternative splice of mRNA. PTBP1 induces cancer-promoting splice variants and is related to tumorigenesis in several cancers. However, both the expression patterns and biological mechanisms of PTBP1 in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) are unclear. We investigated PTBP1 expression in 533 ccRCC patients from TCGA and 30 ccRCC patients by immunohistochemistry, and found that PTBP1 expression levels were significantly increased in ccRCC tissues and that high PTBP1 expression was closely correlated with advanced tumor stage, AJCC stage and poor prognosis. Cell biological assays with siRNA-mediated knockdown and lentivirus vector-mediated over-expression demonstrated that PTBP1 promoted proliferation, migration and invasion in ccRCC cells in vitro. Furthermore, PTBP1 increased the transformation from pyruvate kinase muscle 1 (PKM1) to PKM2. Knockdown of PKM2 mainly abolished PTBP1-induced proliferation, migration and invasion in ccRCC cells in vitro. In conclusion, our study indicates that PTBP1 plays a tumorigenic role in ccRCC by mediating PKM2 alternative splicing and it may be a potential prognostic marker and a promising target for treatment of ccRCC.
Within-treatment frequency of use versus abstinence as a predictor of longitudinal post-treatment follow-up assessments of drug use

Abstract Background Abstinence is a widely-used endpoint in clinical trials of stimulant use disorders. A quantitative measure of frequency of use may be a more sensitive endpoint; however, it is important to establish that it is associated with post-treatment drug use. We examine and compare how within-treatment abstinence and frequency of use are related to two post-treatment longitudinal measures of drug use. Methods For each of three existing stimulant use disorder clinical trial datasets, we examined the association between within-treatment frequency of use (based on urine screens), within-treatment abstinence, and post-treatment follow-up assessments of drug use (urine screens and reported days of use). In joint analyses that simultaneously model the effects of within-treatment abstinence and frequency of use, it is possible to discern their relative importance as predictors of post-treatment drug use during the 12 months following the end of treatment. Results Results indicate a quantitative measure of within-treatment frequency of use was associated with longitudinal post-treatment follow-up assessments of drug use. Results from joint analyses of post-treatment follow-up drug use assessed by urine screens suggest that within-treatment frequency of use, rather than abstinence per se, is predictive of post-treatment drug use. However, results from joint analyses of self-report of days of use are equivocal. Conclusion Results lend support to the use of a quantitative measure of within-treatment drug use as an alternative to complete abstinence. They suggest that some within-treatment use that fall short of complete abstinence may potentially represent clinically important improvements given their association with post-treatment drug use.
Growth rate assays reveal fitness consequences of β-lactamases.

Antibiotic resistance is a powerful model for studying evolutionary biology and population genetics. For the purpose of these evolutionary studies, fitness data have been approximated through susceptibility testing methods designed for clinical use in providing appropriate antibiotic therapies. An alternative approach for measuring fitness of microbes has experienced growing popularity: growth rates are a highly sensitive approach for measuring the fitness effects of antibiotics and resistance genes, but they differ from susceptibility testing in that a single concentration of antibiotic is used for the assay. Here we show that despite this key difference, the results of growth rates correlate well with clinical determination of resistance by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), while providing the sensitivity required for direct input as fitness values into mathematical models. This means that growth rates at a single sublethal inhibitory concentration can help us understand the fitness effects that result in clinical antibiotic resistance. By measuring the growth rates of sequenced clinical isolates obtained from Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center, we detected the fitness effects of individual resistance genes on bacteria exposed to different antibiotics. In our study, the CTX-M-15 gene conferred the highest fitness in assays with cephalosporins. These results show the strong fitness benefit conferred by CTX-M-15. Non-technical summary Antibiotic resistance is a global human health problem. We partnered with Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center to study antibiotic resistance in clinical isolates. We tested whether growth rates, a sensitive assay used to measure the fitness of bacterial samples, correlate with a clinical test to measure antibiotic resistance. We found a strong correlation between these two methods suggesting that growth rates could be reliably applied to evolutionary studies of clinically relevant problems. Moreover, the sensitivity of the growth rates assay enabled us to identify fitness effects of specific antibiotic resistance genes.
Erratum to Least Supersolution Approach to Regularizing Free Boundary Problems

The paper [2], Least supersolution approach to regularizing free boundary problems. Arch. Rational Mech. Anal. 191 (2009), no. 1, 97–141, deals with a class of regularizing elliptic free boundary problems that are models in combustion theory. More specifically, we study the limit free boundary problem arising from passing the limit as e → 0 of the following family of semilinear equations u = βe(u)F(∇u) in (SEe)
Depression among older adults with gastrointestinal malignancies.

Abstract Background Depression among older adults with cancer is under recognized and under treated. This study characterizes the burden of depression in older adults with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies prior to chemotherapy and its relationship with geriatric assessment (GA) domains, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and self-reported healthcare utilization. Methods Patients ≥60 years in GI oncology clinics at UAB were asked to complete a GA entitled the Cancer & Aging Resilience Evaluation (CARE). We examined depression using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) Depression four-item short form; moderate/severe depression was defined by a t-score ≥ 60. Multivariate analysis was used to examine associations between those with and without moderate/severe depression. Results Of 355 included patients, 46 had mild depression (13%) and an additional 46 patients had moderate/severe depression (13%). After adjustment for age, sex, education, cancer type, and cancer stage, those who reported moderate/severe depression had a significantly increased odds of reporting falls (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.94–8.26), dependence in IADLs (aOR 7.06,CI 2.91–17.1), dependence in ADLs (aOR 6.23, CI 2.89–13.4), malnutrition (aOR 5.86, CI 2.40–14.3), frailty (aOR 13.7, CI 5.80–32.1), and fatigue (aOR 11.2, CI 3.31–37.6). Moderate/severe depression was also significantly associated with worse physical (aOR 7.58, CI 3.30–17.4) and mental (aOR 26.3, CI 10.1–68.8) HRQOL sub-scores, without significant differences in healthcare utilization. Conclusions More than one out of eight older adults with a GI malignancy reported moderate/severe depression prior to chemotherapy, which was associated with impairments in several GA domains and HRQOL.
Life and Works

This chapter offers an introduction to Pico, his milieu and his work. Pico died young leaving a small body of work. Both life and work were fashioned by himself and his heirs as unique. He is the golden youth who became St. Pico, the gentleman-philosopher, and more recently, the young ‘modern’ genius, the last person who knew everything. But Pico’s history is the product of a larger set of relations: knowledge and power structures that supported his ambitions as scholar and actor in complex times. The work he produced was with their support and derived from multiple traditions, combining classical revivals and non-Christian ideas, particularly a signature combination of Platonism, Aristotelianism, and Kabbalism, to create a syncretic vision of the universe and the history of philosophy.
Emergency department visits for dental problems among adults with private dental insurance: A national observational study.

Abstract Objective Dental insurance may be a protective factor in reducing unnecessary emergency department (ED) use for nontraumatic dental pain. The purpose of this study was to 1) characterize patient demographics and identify risk factors associated with ED utilization for dental problems among individuals dually enrolled in medical and dental insurance and 2) investigate antibiotic and opioid prescription patterns among these patients following discharge. Further study of this unique population may provide insight into other causes of unmet dental need beyond lack of dental insurance. Methods Claims data from a large national managed health care plan from 2015 to 2018 were used to evaluate ED use for dental problems in patients with synchronous medical and dental insurance. National counts for ED visits, total visit costs, primary diagnoses, and outpatient treatments for antibiotics and opioids were assessed. Multivariable regression was used to assess any associated demographic and health-related variables. Results 1492 unique patients were admitted to the ED for dental pain and 429,376 unique patients presented for other symptoms. Utilization rates for nontraumatic dental pain were estimated to be 0.4% of all ED visits, with an average cost of $1487 per visit. Within three days following discharge from the ED, 58% of patients filled an opioid prescription and 38% filled an antibiotic prescription. Patients who presented for dental ED pain were more likely to be younger, live in a ZIP code with a lower median household income, have more medical comorbidities, and receive fewer preventive dental procedures within the prior year. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate a low rate of ED utilization for nontraumatic dental pain among dentally insured patients and highlight the protective value of prior dental visits for reducing ED use. Given high rates of antibiotic and opioid prescription fill following discharge, comprehensive ED guidelines regarding appropriate antibiotic and opioid treatment pathways may be helpful to provide more definitive care to patients with dental insurance.
Chinese Takings: Book Review of Chuanhui Wang, the Constitutional Protection of Private Property in China: Historical Evolution and Comparative Research (Cambridge University Press, 2016)

As China reemerges as a global economic power, the desire to invest and acquire property rights in China grows. Such acquisitions give pause to foreign investors accustomed to democratic protections against the state taking private property. Given that the Communist Party of China (CPC) holds a monopoly on political power, expropriation is an issue of international interest. Historically, protections for private property in China were limited, if not nonexistent, but recently China has begun to strengthen them. It is with this emergence that Chuanhui Wang produces his comparative study of takings law in his book The Constitutional Protection of Private Property in China: Historical Evolution and Comparative Research (Cambridge University Press, 2016). Wang examines whether and how China has historically protected private property. He then compares takings law in three countries: the United States, Germany, and India. Wang uses these case studies to evaluate the current state of Chinese law and offer suggestions for how China can better protect against government takings.
Beyond price and income: Preferences and food values in peri-urban Viet Nam

Abstract Sub-optimal diets are one of the most important risk factors contributing to the global burden of disease. Developing a better understanding of the drivers of food choice, including the role of individual preferences, is important to address this issue. The objective of this mixed methods research was to identify the relative importance of preferences for different food quality attributes (e.g. nutrition, food safety, price and convenience) that might influence shopping habits and food choice in the context of a rapidly changing peri-urban food environment in Hanoi Province, Viet Nam. A total of 264 women were randomly selected and interviewed using Best-Worst Scaling to elicit preferences among food quality attributes for different food groups (leafy green vegetables, fruits, instant foods, snack foods). A subset of these respondents (n = 40) participated in focus group discussions in order to explore their preferences and food values in more detail. The food quality attributes considered to be most important varied by food group with nutrition and food safety (both immediate and future health) ranking highest for leafy green vegetables and fruits, convenience for instant foods, and taste for snack foods. Price was considered least important across all food groups. Focus group discussions reinforced these results with additional insights particularly regarding trade-offs between nutrition, food safety, convenience, and price. This research demonstrates the feasibility of identifying important drivers of consumption in a South East Asian context using Best-Worst Scaling. These results could help inform the design of behavior change interventions and guide food system policies that seek to shift consumer choices towards healthier diets.
The Economic Dimension of Globalization

This chapter deals with economic globalization and focuses on America’s rejection of free trade and multilateral trade groups like NAFTA and its movement toward imposing tariffs and the resulting trade wars with China and Europe. The chapter opens with a discussion of the economic roots of protectionism, notably the digitalization of economies, growing inequality within states after the Great Recession. It describes the interdependence of the global economy owing to multinational corporations and banks, the outsourcing of work and production to different countries, and resulting complex production chains. The chapter explains Trump’s misunderstanding of trade deficits, his belief that they are a matter of national security, and why protectionism invites retaliation. The chapter discusses the sources of the Sino-American trade war, including China’s protectionist policies. It then describes the tit-for-tat evolution of the trade war and the failed efforts to bring it to an end, which led to several ceasefires. There ensues a discussion of Trump’s dislike of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the negotiations with Mexico and Canada to reform NAFTA, which resulted in minor changes but a new name. The chapter then discusses strains in U-S-EU trade relations, beginning with U.S. tariffs on metals that were especially harmful to auto manufacturers and the recriminations between America and its allies. The chapter closes with a description of the pain these trade conflicts have had on U.S. consumers and firms.
Clues to the function of bacterial microcompartments from ancillary genes

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are prokaryotic organelles. Their bounding membrane is a selectively permeable protein shell, encapsulating enzymes of specialized metabolic pathways. While the function of a BMC is dictated by the encapsulated enzymes which vary with the type of the BMC, the shell is formed by conserved protein building blocks. The genes necessary to form a BMC are typically organized in a locus; they encode the shell proteins, encapsulated enzymes as well as ancillary proteins that integrate the BMC function into the cell's metabolism. Among these are transcriptional regulators which usually found at the beginning or end of a locus, and transmembrane proteins that presumably function to conduct the BMC substrate into the cell. Here, we describe the types of transcriptional regulators and permeases found in association with BMC loci, using a recently collected data set of more than 7000 BMC loci distributed over 45 bacterial phyla, including newly discovered BMC loci. We summarize the known BMC regulation mechanisms, and highlight how much remains to be uncovered. We also show how analysis of these ancillary proteins can inform hypotheses about BMC function; by examining the ligand-binding domain of the regulator and the transporter, we propose that nucleotides are the likely substrate for an enigmatic uncharacterized BMC of unknown function.
Effects of drought stress and defoliation on soybean physiology and yield

iv GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 PAPER 1: EFFECTS OF DROUGHT STRESS AND DEFOLIATION ON PHYSIOLOGY, REGROWTH, AND SENESCENCE OF REMAINING LEAVES IN SOYBEAN 12 ABSTRACT 14 INTRODUCTION 15 MATERIALS AND METHODS 16 RESULTS 21 DISCUSSION 25 REFERENCES CITED 2714 INTRODUCTION 15 MATERIALS AND METHODS 16 RESULTS 21 DISCUSSION 25 REFERENCES CITED 27 PAPER 2: IMPACT OF DROUGHT STRESS AND DEFOLIATION ON YIELD OF SOYBEAN 39 ABSTRACT 4
A Community-Engaged Research Approach to the Development of an Assessment Tool for Historical Data Collection of SAARA Client Population

iv Introduction 5 Development of Research Topic 7 Study Purpose 13 Methods 13 Findings 16 Discussion 19 Strengths and Limitations 22 Next Steps 23 Key Learnings 23 Conclusion 27 Tables and Figures 28 Figure 1. Socio-Ecological Model 29 Figure 2. Modified Socio-Ecological Model with Application of Time Dimension...... 29 Figure 3. CBPR Process 30 Table 1. Sample Questions from Questionnaire 31 Table 2. Semi-Structured Follow-Up Interview Questions 31 References 32 Appendices 34 Appendix A. SAARA Brainstorming Session 35 Appendix B. Questionnaire 37
The System GI/G/1; Imbedded Markov Chains

In this chapter we first consider the system GI/G/1. Let W n denote the nth customer’s waiting time; then the sequence of random variables {W n ,n ≥ 0} forms a Markov chain. In Sections 8.2–8.3 we investigate the limit behaviour of W n and the associated idle times.
Recent Developments in the Numerical Analysis of Plasticity

The goal of this lectures is to survey some recent developments in the numerical analysis of classical plasticity and viscoplasticity. For the infinitesimal theory, the continuum mechanics aspects of the subject are currently well understood and firmly established. Classical expositions of the basic theory can be found in the work of HILL [1950], KOITER [1960] and others. On the mathematical side, classical plasticity experienced a significant development in the 70’s and early 80’s, starting with the pioneering work of DUVAUT & LIONS [1972]. The subsequent improvement of JOHNSON [1978], MATTHIES [1979], SUQUET [1979], TEMAM & STRANG [1980] and others produced at the beginning of the 80’s a fairly complete mathematical picture of the theory.
Genetic and Metabolic Controls for Sulfate Metabolism in Neurospora crassa: Isolation and Study of Chromate-Resistant and Sulfate Transport-Negative Mutants

Mutants of Neurospora resistant to chromate were selected and all were found to map at a single genetic locus designated as cys-13. The chromate-resistant mutants grow at a wild-type rate on minimal media but are partially deficient in the transport of inorganic sulfate, especially during the conidial stage. An unlinked mutant, cys-14, is sensitive to chromate but transports sulfate during the mycelial stage at only 25% of the wild-type rate; cys-14 also grows at a fully wild-type rate on minimal media. The double-mutant strain, cys-13;cys-14, cannot utilize inorganic sulfate for growth and completely lacks the capacity to transport this anion. The only biochemical lesion that has been detected for the double-mutant strain is its loss in capacity for sulfate transport. Neurospora appears to possess two distinct sulfate permease species encoded by separate genetic loci. The transport system (permease I) encoded by cys-13 predominates in the conidial stage and is replaced by sulfate permease II, encoded by the cys-14 locus, during outgrowth into the mycelial phase. The relationship of these new mutants to cys-3, a regulatory gene that appears to control their expression, is discussed.
MaJIC: a MATLAB just-in-time compiler

This thesis presents techniques, and a software architecture, developed by the author to improve the execution performance of MATLAB (a trademark of The Mathworks, Inc.). While previous approaches to this problem, notably the FALCON project, translated MATLAB code into equivalent Fortran or C source code suitable for batch compilation, MaJIC provides an interactive front end that looks like MATLAB and attempts to compile/optimize code behind the scenes in real time. To achieve the dual and contradictory requirements of high performance and low response time, MaJIC employs two techniques: just-in-time analysis and compilation, and ahead-of-time speculative analysis coupled with native compilation. Performance results show that just-in-time compilation provides near-zero response time and performance that supersedes MATLAB''s own compiler; speculative compilation masks at least a part of the response time due to native compilation and provides performance comparable to the best existing batch compiler.
A model of category learning with attention augmented simplistic prototype representation

Cognitive models has been a main tool for quantitatively testing theories on human cognition. The results of previous cognitive modeling research collectively suggest the comparative advantage of exemplar over prototype accounts in human cognition. However, we hypothesized that unsuccessful outcomes by traditional prototype models may be the unforeseen consequences of the algorithmic constraints imposed on the models, but not of the implausibility of the theory itself. To test this hypothesis, a new cognitive model based on prototype theory with a more complex and realistic attention system is introduced and evaluated in the present study. A simulation study shows that a new model termed CASPRE resulted in a substantial improvement as compared with the traditional prototype model in replicating empirical findings and that it performed marginally better than an exemplar model, thus confirming our hypothesis.
Hypergastromyzon eubranchus, a new species of gastromyzontin loach (Homalopteridae) from Sarawak

Hypergastromyzon eubranchus sp. nov. is described from the Lupar basin of Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. It differs from the only other known species ofHypergastromyzon, H. humilis, from the Kapuas basin of western Borneo, in having a very large gill opening instead of a greatly reduced one, 23–25 instead of 28–30 branched pectoral fin rays, and pelvic fins incompletely rather than completely united to each other posteriorly.
Femtosecond polarization detection using high-speed pulse shaping

We demonstrate a method for femtosecond, phase sensitive detection of optical polarization, using an acousto-optic pulse shaper to create a sequence of up to several hundred phase coherent pulses. Essential to this method is the ability of the acousto-optic pulse shaper to update the phase relation of the pulses in the sequence on a nanosecond timescale. The method is demonstrated by measuring the optical free induction decay of rubidium vapor, and can be particularly useful for experiments involving very low or very high optical densities. It can easily be extended to multidimensional spectroscopy.
Schumpeter and the theory of capitalist economic development

Abstract This paper gives a centenary appreciation of the contributions to economic thought of Joseph A. Schumpeter, with special focus on his work, The Theory of Economic Development (TED) it proceeds, first, by providing (in section 1) an overview of Schumpeter's life and works; second, by giving an interpretative exposition of the main themes of TED (in section 2) and Schumpeter's broader ‘economic sociology’ (in section 3) in terms of the place of these ideas in the history of economic thought; third, by examining the reception to TED and the impact of it and Schumpeter's dynamic methodology on the discipline (in section 4).
An alternative expression for the perturbative triples correction to Brueckner coupled-cluster doubles theory

Abstract The Brueckner model, which is a version of coupled-cluster theory where orbitals are optimized to yield zero single-excitation amplitudes ( T 1 = 0), naturally leads to the definition of an effective one-particle Hamiltonian F (or Brueckner Hamiltonian) which effectively accounts for correlation effects in an independent particle type model. We propose to use the eigenvalues of the F -matrix as an alternative approach to the perturbative triples corrections (T) of Brueckner doubles (BD) theory. The new method is tested in a highly demanding case, the ozone molecule with bond-lengths symmetrically stretched up to 1.3 R e . When compared with results obtained at the full singles, doubles, and triples coupled cluster (CCSDT), and multi-reference configuration interaction levels of theory, the new BD(T) model gives better quantitative agreement for total energies than the previously proposed approach.
The effects of temperature on the machining of metals

The machining behaviors of metals at various workpiece temperatures are studied by the milling operation. Cutting power was recorded; tool life, chip size, surface finish and the microstructures of chips were examined.
Reduction of extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking by wheel running in female rats

Rationale and objectives Previous work has shown that wheel running reduced the maintenance of cocaine self-administration in rats. In the present study, the effect of wheel running on extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking was examined. Female rats were trained to run in a wheel during 6-h sessions, and they were then catheterized and placed in an operant conditioning chamber where they did not have access to the wheel but were allowed to self-administer iv cocaine. Subsequently, rats were divided into four groups and were tested on the extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking while they had varying access to a wheel in an adjoining compartment. The four groups were assigned to the following wheel access conditions: (1) wheel running during extinction and reinstatement (WER), (2) wheel running during extinction and a locked wheel during reinstatement (WE), (3) locked wheel during extinction and wheel running during reinstatement (WR), and (4) locked wheel during extinction and reinstatement (WL). WE and WR were retested later to examine the effect of one session of wheel access on cocaine-primed reinstatement.
Benjamin Franklin's Printing Network: Disseminating Virtue in Early America – By Ralph Frasca

The year 2006 marks the three hundredth anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birth. Not surprisingly, the year has seen a variety of exhibitions, lectures, ceremonies, and books dedicated to celebrat...
Cross-generalization between an ecologically relevant stimulus and a pentylenetetrazole-discriminative cue

Twelve male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained in a two-choice pentylenetetrazole vs. saline drug discrimination (DD) task under an FR10 schedule of food reinforcement. Two-minute reinforced test sessions with the two training stimuli engendered exclusive injection-appropriate responding. Rats were injected with saline and then exposed for 20 min to the presence of a domestic cat pretreated with catnip. Immediately following the predator exposure, rats were tested for stimulus generalization in the DD task. The predator/prey interaction engendered 92% PTZ-appropriate responding. These data suggest that the interoceptive state associated with species-specific defense reactions in rats is similar to the cues produced by a pharmacological agent within a behavioral assay which has been suggested as an animal model of human anxiety.
Thermally stimulated current and high temperature resistivity measurements of 4H semi-insulating silicon carbide

Abstract High purity semi-insulating 4H SiC single crystals have potential applications for room temperature radiation detectors because of the wide band gap and radiation hardness. To control carrier lifetime, a key parameter for high performance radiation detectors, it is important to understand the nature of the deep traps in this material. For this purpose, we have successfully applied thermally stimulated current (TSC) and high temperature resistivity measurements to investigate deep level centers in semi-insulating 4H SiC samples grown by physical vapor transport. High temperature resistivity measurements showed that the resistivity at elevated temperatures is controlled by the deep level with an activation energy of 1.56 eV. The dominant traps revealed by TSC measurements were at 1.1–1.2 eV. The deep trap levels in 4H-SiC samples, the impurity and point defect nature of TSC traps peaked at ∼106 K (0.23 eV), ∼126 K (0.32 eV), ∼370 K (0.95 eV), ∼456 K (1.1–1.2 eV) are discussed.
Optimization strategies for off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography.

Abstract A step by step strategy of optimization of comprehensive off-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) separations is proposed. The goal of an optimization process in the separation sciences is either to achieve a given resolution (a target peak capacity in 2D-LC) within as short a time as possible or to reach the highest possible resolution in a given analysis time. The proposed method takes into account the characteristics of the columns used in the first and the second dimension and the number of fractions of the first dimension eluent that should be collected. The effect of the time spent during the analysis on the second dimension column to carry out necessary tasks that are not the separation itself (called the additional time) on the maximum peak capacity that is achievable was carefully investigated. It was shown that (1) an increase in the peak capacity of the first dimension column combined with the collection of larger volume fractions permits a significant reduction of the time needed to achieve the desired peak capacity; and (2) there is an optimum fraction collection ratio (or number of collected fractions per peak) which yields the target peak capacity in the minimum time. The proposed strategy was used for the optimization of the separation of samples of BSA tryptic digest by an off-line 2D-LC using an SCX ⊗ RP -HPLC method. As a result of this optimization, a peak capacity of 4000 could be achieved in about 5 h with the two columns available. The time needed for the optimized analysis was less than two thirds of the analysis time that would have been needed had the conventional rule of thumb of sample collection in comprehensive on-line 2D-LC (4 samples/peak) been followed.
Local, Point-Wise Rotational Transformations of the Conservation Equations into Stream-Wise Coordinates

Abstract In dealing with multidimensional simulations, many authors have shown that a major cause of numerical dispersion errors is due to the flow being skewed to the coordinate axes. Crane and Blunt [1] have shown that the stream-wise transformations can reduce the numerical errors associated with the multidimensional transport equations. However, it has been proven that no transformation can completely diagonalize the multidimension conservation equations. It shall be demonstrated that a subset of the multidimensional Euler equations can be diagonalized, but not the entire set. The formulation of the conservation equations into the local stream-wise coordinate system is extended to the time-dependent, two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) conservation equations. At any point in space, there exists a set of local rotations that aligns the fluid velocity vector coincident with the stream-wise coordinate; hence, the fluid velocity components orthogonal to the stream-wise coordinate are identically zero. Such transformations result in a subset of PDEs that are diagonalized, namely, the mass, total energy, and principal momentum density PDEs. However, the orthogonal momentum component conservation PDEs are not diagonalized and are multidimensional; these PDEs are responsible for streamline bending.
Elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein, umbilical vein varix, and mesenchymal dysplasia: are they related?

Objectives and Methods Variceal dilatation of the umbilical vein is a rare vascular anomaly of the umbilical cord. We present a patient case where dilatation of the umbilical vein was associated with an elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein on prenatal testing and mesenchymal dysplasia on pathological evaluation of the placenta. Results Alterations in the villous structure of the placenta as in mesenchymal dysplasia may lead to increased placental permeability causing an elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein on antenatal testing. Conclusion Abnormal testing should be an indication for close evaluation of the placenta and placental structures, as well as the fetus. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enol ether formation by disproportionation of the 1,5-biradical intermediate in the photocyclization of o-isopropoxybenzophenone

Abstract The 1,3-dioxane formed by uv irradiation of o-isopropoxybenzophenone is produced by intramolecular cyclization of a hydroxy enol ether, the disproportionation product of the 1,5-biradical formed by triplet state hydrogen abstraction. The enol ether is stable in the absence of acid.