cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Evaluation of HbF-Associated Region of BCL11A Locus

Abstract Abstract 2148 The severity of the major β-globin disorders, sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia, is modified by the residual level of fetal hemoglobin (HbF, α2γ2). Reactivation of HbF by derepression of γ-globin gene expression constitutes a major therapeutic goal, though an incomplete understanding of globin gene regulation has limited such efforts. The postnatal level of HbF is a highly heritable quantitative trait. Genome-wide association (GWA) studies have identified several HbF-associated loci, including the BCL11A gene. BCL11A has been demonstrated to be a bona fide repressor of γ-globin expression in mouse and man. However, the mechanisms by which common genetic variation modulate BCL11A expression remain poorly understood. Numerous GWA studies, conducted in both healthy individuals and those with hemoglobinopathies, and including populations of European, Asian, and African ancestries, have consistently found that HbF-associated variants cluster within a 14-kb region of the second intron of BCL11A. At least twenty HbF-associated SNPs have been identified within this region, with various of these genetic markers considered as “tag SNPs” most strongly associated with HbF levels depending on the particular GWA study. Based on patterns of linkage disequilibrium among SNPs, several common haplotypes have been identified. The tag SNP-dense intronic region, more than 55 kb downstream of the BCL11A transcription start site, demonstrates evolutionary sequence conservation. Here we show that this region of BCL11A is decorated by epigenetic features in human erythroid precursors indicative of distal regulatory potential. Specifically, this intronic region is marked by the presence of the histone modifications H3K4me1 and H3K27ac and the absence of H3K4me3, indicating an enhancer signature. The erythroid transcription factors GATA1 and SCL/TAL1 co-occupy discrete sequences within this region, with the binding peaks of these master erythroid regulators overlapping those of the histone marks. Furthermore, this tag SNP-dense intronic region of BCL11A displays CpG hypomethylation and exhibits DNase I hypersensitive sites restricted to the erythroid lineage but not other lineages that express BCL11A. Moreover, in in vivo transient transgenic assays, this region displays erythroid-restricted enhancer activity. A minimal 1.8-kb sequence possessing erythroid enhancer function has been mapped. This region includes GATA1 and SCL/TAL1 binding sites. We hypothesize that common polymorphisms are in linkage disequilibrium with functional variants that modulate erythroid enhancer activity. These studies further delineate pathways critical for hemoglobin switching and serve as an example of how common genetic variation may influence traits by affecting non-coding regulatory elements. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Broad TCR repertoire and diverse structural solutions for recognition of an immunodominant CD8(+) T cell epitope.

Crystal structure analysis combined with sequencing approaches uncover a broad T cell receptor repertoire and reveal the structural basis of influenza M1 epitope recognition. A keystone of antiviral immunity is CD8+ T cell recognition of viral peptides bound to MHC-I proteins. The recognition modes of individual T cell receptors (TCRs) have been studied in some detail, but the role of TCR variation in providing a robust response to viral antigens is unclear. The influenza M1 epitope is an immunodominant target of CD8+ T cells that help to control influenza in HLA-A2+ individuals. Here we show that CD8+ T cells use many distinct TCRs to recognize HLA-A2–M1, which enables the use of different structural solutions to the problem of specifically recognizing a relatively featureless peptide antigen. The vast majority of responding TCRs target a small cleft between HLA-A2 and the bound M1 peptide. These broad repertoires lead to plasticity in antigen recognition and protection against T cell clonal loss and viral escape.
D'Annunzio’s Il piacere: A Generational Gaze on New Values:

This paper centers on the nature of Gabriele d’Annunzio’s first, and very influential novel, Il piacere, and its influence on Italian thought at the time. I argue that Il piacere is truly a breviar...
Crystal structure of 2-azido-1,3-bis-(2,6-diiso-propyl-phen-yl)-1,3,2-di-aza-phospho-lidine

The title compound, C26H38N5P, was synthesized by reacting 2-chloro-1,3-bis­(2,6-diiso­propyl­phen­yl)-1,3,2-di­aza­phospho­lidine with sodium azide and a catalytic amount of lithium chloride in tetra­hydro­furan. The title compound is the first structurally characterized 2-azido-1,3,2-di­aza­phospho­lidine and exhibits a P atom in a trigonal pyramidal geometry. The azide P—N bond length of 1.8547 (16) A is significantly longer than the P—N separations for the chelating di­amine [P—N = 1.6680 (15) and 1.6684 (14) A]. The sterically hindered 2,6-diiso­propyl­phenyl groups twist away from the central heterocycle, with dihedral angles between the central heteocyclic ring and benzene rings of 76.17 (10) and 79.74 (9)°. In the crystal, a weak C—H⋯N link to the terminal N atom of the azide group leads to [100] chains.
A systematic experimental investigation of thermal degradation mechanisms in lidded flip-chip packages: Effects of thermal aging and cyclic loading

This research effort is geared towards establishing a robust virtual-qualification methodology for thermal performance of flip-chip packages. In the experimental analysis presented here, test vehicles were designed and tested for degradation in the module-level thermal interface material under high temperature storage (at 100C, 125C and 150C) exposure and deep thermal cycling (−40C/+125C) conditions. The experiments conducted in this study will encompass a wide range of thermo-mechanical conditions that not only explore known JEDEC variables but also provide unique insights into understanding the effects of indirect thermal degradation drivers such as package assembly loads and chip-junction temperature variations during thermal power inputs during readouts.
Effects of obesity on insulin and glucose metabolism in cyclic heifers.

Effects of degree of obesity on basal concentrations of insulin, glucose, thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), estradiol-17 beta (E) and progesterone (P) were measured in serum from 50 estrous and 73 diestrous Holstein heifers and the insulin response to glucose infusion was assessed in diestrous obese (n = 7) and lean (n = 7) heifers. Basal concentrations of glucose, T4, T3, E and P were not correlated with degree of obesity, although concentrations of glucose, T4 and T3 were higher (P less than .05) at estrus than diestrus. Basal concentrations of insulin at estrus and diestrus were positively correlated (r = .6; P less than .001) with degree of obesity but this relationship was different (P less than .001) between estrus and diestrus. Furthermore, there was interaction (P less than .001) between body condition and stage of the estrous cycle only for basal concentrations (mean +/- SE) of insulin, with the difference in insulin levels (microU/ml) between 12 obese and 12 lean heifers at diestrus (11.7 +/- 1.3 vs 6.7 +/- .6; P less than .05) increasing during estrus (21.9 +/- 2.4 vs 10.8 +/- 1.3; P less than .001). Insulin response to glucose infusion was greater in obese than in lean heifers, whether determined as actual concentration (P less than .01) or as insulin response areas (P less than .05) above base-line concentrations. Obese heifers were less responsive to insulin since hyperinsulinemia and euglycemia coexisted, and because glucose fractional removal rates were similar in both groups after glucose infusion in spite of greater concentrations of insulin in obese heifers. Thus, obesity in heifers was associated with insulin resistance, basal hyperinsulinemia and greater glucose-induced secretion of insulin.
The Pradakṣiṇā-Sūtra of Chang Tsiang-Kuin

The Pradakṣiṇā-sūtra (Ch 0048, 13–71, first edited in my Khotanese Buddhist Texts (1951), 72–74) is so named in line 62. It is, however, concerned with the pradakṣiṇā of the caitya (baśa, loc. sing., older balśa, rendering Buddhist Sanskrit both caitya and stūpa). It is therefore parallel to the BS Caitya-pradakṣiṇā-gāthā (Tibetan, Peking edition No. 697). Though highly divergent this text has been valuable in confirmation. Susumu W. Nakamura published a study of pradakṣiṇā in the Semitic and Oriental Studies presented to W. Popper, 1951, pp. 345–354. The five advantages of satkārya-caryā‘reverential conduct’ are in the Ekottarāgama (Taishō, No. 125, 647a). In the Saka text there is reference to ten advantages.
Strategic Entry into Global Manufacturing Industries: Evidence and New Theoretical Dimensions

This paper develops a theory of strategic entry groups, entry-site strategic groups, and subsequent mobility across strategic groups within heterogeneous industries. We illustrate the concepts by discussing strategies followed by members of one strategic entry group in the medical diagnostic industry.
Effects of temperature on ultraviolet-induced erythema of human skin. I. Convective cooling.

Convective cooling of human skin to 20°C or less for 1 h immediately after ultraviolet-B irradiation (UV-B, 290–320 nm) results in a significant increase in erythemal threshold when erythema was observed at 4–6 h postirradiation. Cooling the skin immediately before UV-B irradiation showed no consistent influence on the erythema response. In neither case was an effect of cooling on erythemal threshold apparent when erythema was evaluated at 24 h postirradiation. These effects may be due to alterations in the diffusion kinetics of chemical mediators of inflammation, modification of vascular responsiveness, or reflect changes in temperature-dependent cellular repair or expression of UV-induced damage.
A modular approach to marine macrolide construction. 3. Enantioselective synthesis of the C1-C28 sector of spongistatin 1 (altohyrtin A).

A completely stereocontrolled approach to assembly of the major C1−C28 subunit of spongistatin 1 (altohyrtin A) is described. Key steps included the control of two asymmetric aldols by means of Fujita−Nagao (chiral N-acyl-1,3-thiazolidine-2-thione auxiliary) and Mukaiyama (BF3·OEt2-promoted enolsilane coupling) protocols in complex settings.
Exploring Unconventional Risk-Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases: Has Opioid Therapy Been Overlooked?

Approximately 2150 adults die every day in the U.S. from Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) and another 115 deaths are attributed to opioid-related causes. Studies have found conflicting results on the relationship between opioid therapy and the development of cardiovascular diseases. This study examined whether an association exists between the use of prescription opioid medicines and cardiovascular diseases, using secondary data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) 2015 survey. Of the 1829 patients, 1147 (63%) were male, 1762 (98%) above 45 years of age, and 54% were overweight. The rate of cardiovascular diseases was higher among women [(p < 0.001), 95% CI: 0.40–0.51]. The covariates were age, race/ethnicity, sex, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension; and were adjusted. Diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension were significant predictors of CVD [(p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.57–0.78); (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.34–0.44); (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.49–0.59)]. There was no significant association between prescription opioid medication use and coronary artery disease [first opioid group p = 0.34, Prevalence Odds Ratio (POR): 1.39, 95% CI: 0.71–2.75; second opioid group: p = 0.59, POR: 1.20, 95% CI: 0.61–2.37, and third opioid group: p = 0.62, POR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.45–1.6]. The results of this study further accentuate the conflicting results in literature. Further research is recommended, with a focus on those geographical areas where high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases exists.
LibRA: On LinkedIn based Role Ambiguity and Its Relationship with Wellbeing and Job Performance

Job roles serve as a boundary between an employee and an organization, and are often considered building blocks in understanding the behavior and functioning of organizational systems. However, a lack of clarity about one's role, that is, one's work responsibilities and degree of authority, can lead to absenteeism, turnover, dissatisfaction, stress, and lower workplace performance. This paper proposes a methodology to quantitatively estimate role ambiguity via unobtrusively gathered data from LinkedIn, shared voluntarily by a cohort of information workers spanning multiple organizations. After successfully validating this LinkedIn based measure of Role Ambiguity, or LibRA against a state-of-the-art gold standard, drawing upon theories in organizational psychology, we examine the efficacy and convergent validity of LibRA in explaining established relationships of role ambiguity with wellbeing and performance measures of individuals. We find that greater LibRA is associated with depleted wellbeing, such as increased heart rate, increased arousal, decreased sleep, and higher stress. In addition, greater LibRA is associated with lower job performance such as decreased organizational citizenship behavior and decreased individual task performance. We discuss how LibRA can help fill gaps in state-of-the-art assessments of role ambiguity, and the potential of this measure in building novel technology-mediated strategies to combat role ambiguity in organizations.
Thermal Analysis of Mesophases

Liquid crystals and mesomorphic materials are generally described as states of matter, which exhibit spontaneous anisotropic features usually associated with solid crystals as well as flow properties commonly related to ordinary liquids. Depending on the particular compound such states can be caused by fusion or solvation. In the former case, the various thermotropic phases are obtained in reproducible temperature ranges, while in the latter, the lyotropic phases are realised in certain concentration intervals. This distinction is not always sharp, since certain lyotropic phases show a definite thermotropic behavior (1).
Making the Diagnosis of Myositis: Skin Biopsy and Interpretation

Skin biopsy can be a valuable tool in the assessment of the cutaneous lesions of dermatomyositis (DM) and serves to distinguish it from other skin diseases that mimic dermatomyositis. The characteristic histologic findings include vacuolar dermatitis, a pattern seen across a spectrum of cutaneous disorders, including lupus erythematosus. Thus, a diagnosis of dermatomyositis is difficult to make on histopathology alone as the entire clinical picture must be carefully considered. Direct immunofluorescence can provide limited additional information, and additional special stains including immunostains are not necessary. Clinical-pathologic correlation remains the gold-standard criterion for diagnosis.
Shear-induced particle migration of semi-dilute and concentrated Brownian suspensions in both Poiseuille and circular Couette flow

Abstract Neutrally buoyant colloids with small Reynolds numbers pose interesting challenges particularly when they undergo shear thinning and Brownian diffusion. Two basic flows including Poiseuille and Couette flows accompanying shear-induced particle migration are investigated in this study using direct numerical simulations (DNSs). A scaled viscosity model of colloidal suspensions considering both the shear rate and bulk particle volume fraction is employed to describe the shear-thinning behavior of suspensions. The constitutive diffusion equation proposed by Phillips et al. [Phys. Fluids A 4, 30-40 (1992)] is used to model the dynamics of suspension flow. We vary the Peclet number Pe, from 10−2 to 103 for the semi-dilute and dense suspensions with the bulk particle volume fraction ϕb, ranging from 10% to 50%. It was found that, in the limit of vanishing inertia, the distribution of volume fraction gradually flattens by increasing Brownian force. In a Poiseuille flow, the velocity of suspensions decays as the Brownian motion becomes stronger, leading to the flow rate reduction. For a circular Couette flow, the Brownian diffusion enhances the velocity of suspensions and increases the friction coefficient at the inner cylinder wall. Our study reveals that the Brownian motion is more critical for higher volume fraction values.
Sub-Nyquist Ultra-Wideband Sparse Signal Reception via Variable Frequency Comb

We demonstrate a new class of ultra-wideband (UWB) sparse radio frequency (RF) signal receiver relying on direct sub-sampling in frequency domain and compressive sensing (CS) techniques. The sampling process is realized with a hybrid RF-photonic architecture for discrete Fourier transform (DFT) on broadband RF signals using a variable-pitch frequency comb. Sub-sampled DFT coefficients are used to recover the input RF signal which is sparse in a chosen domain. Instead of digitizing signals with a full-rate analog to digital converter (ADC), the new approach requires sub-rate quantization, reducing hardware complexity via sub-sampling in frequency domain. Both simulated and experimental verifications were achieved by high-fidelity reception of various sparse signals within 3 GHz to 7.9 GHz band.
Nonylphenol, Octylphenol, and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates Dissemination in the Canadian Freshwater Environment

Nonylphenol, octylphenol, and nonylphenol ethoxylates are manmade compounds that are only discharged in the environment due to anthropogenic activities. The objectives of this study were to determine the current concentrations of these substances in the Canadian freshwater environment and to determine if past regulatory actions were beneficial to the environment. Freshwater samples (n = 241) were collected and analysed for 4-nonylphenols (NP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO), nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO), and octylphenols at 35 sites in Canada from 2014 to 2019 with individual compound concentrations ranging from 1.29 to 477.22 ng/L. In addition, 18–65% of the samples were reported to be under the laboratory detection limit, depending on the compound. Sampling sites were categorised into five groups based on the dominant activities present upstream in their watersheds: mixed use sites; municipal waste water treatment plant (MWWTP)-associated sites; textile mill-associated sites; urban; and reference sites. All four compounds in the study were detected more frequently in urban and MWWTP-associated sites than at other locations. Additionally, there is a statistically significant (p < 0.05) downward temporal trend in NP concentrations in Canadian surface waters from 2014 to 2019. There were no exceedances of the Canadian Water Quality Guideline of 1000 ng/L.
Exploring preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK after participating in a learning activity types short course

Preparing preservice teachers to teach effectively with digital technologies and media (DTM) is at the heart of initial teacher preparation as digital access continues to increase throughout society. The development of preservice teacher technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) is important in order to create DTM-rich instruction. This study investigated preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK after participating in learning activity types short courses, and the relationship between preservice teacher perceptions and observed practice. Data collection occurred using a pre-post self-report survey and preservice teacher lesson plans collected before and after short course implementation in two educational technology courses. Results from structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis indicated no significant differences in preservice teacher self-reported technological content knowledge (TCK), technological pedagogical knowledge (TPK), and TPACK, significant differences in preservice teacher enacted TCK, TPK, and TPACK, and no significant relationship between preservice teacher self-reported and enacted TPACK. Implications for practice or policy: Teacher educators may consider using learning activity types short courses for preservice teachers’ enacted TPACK development, while using other strategies for self-reported TPACK development. Teacher education programs can determine preservice teachers’ readiness for teaching with DTM by assessing both preservice teachers’ knowledge and beliefs. Teacher education programs may consider using both self-report and performance-based assessments of preservice teachers’ knowledge as there may be discrepancies in what preservice teachers believe and how they enact their knowledge in practice.
The Grounds of the Disclosure Requirement for Informed Consent.

In their important and insightful article, Joseph Millum and Danielle Bromwich distinguish two informational requirements for valid consent—the disclosure requirement and the understanding requirem...
Metabolites from midtrimester plasma of pregnant patients at high risk for preterm birth.

BACKGROUND There is an increased awareness regarding the association between exposure to environmental contaminants and adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth. Whether an individual's metabolic profile can be utilized during pregnancy to differentiate the subset of patients who are ultimately destined to delivered preterm remains uncertain but could have MEANINGFUL clinical implications. OBJECTIVE We sought to objectively quantify metabolomic profiles of patients at high risk of preterm birth by evaluating midtrimester maternal plasma and to measure whether endogenous metabolites and exogenous environmental substances differ among those who ultimately deliver preterm compared with those who deliver at term. STUDY DESIGN This was a case-control analysis from a prospective cohort of patients carrying a singleton, nonanomalous gestation who were at high risk of spontaneous preterm birth. Subjects with a plasma blood sample drawn at RESULTS A total of 42 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 25 (59.5%) delivered preterm at CONCLUSION Both endogenous metabolites and exogenous exposures differ in maternal plasma in the midtrimester among patients who ultimately delivered preterm compared with those who deliver at term.
Evaluation of methods for the inference of ancestral recombination graphs

The ancestral recombination graph (ARG) is a structure that describes the joint genealogies of sampled DNA sequences along the genome. Recent computational methods have made impressive progress towards scalably estimating whole-genome genealogies. In addition to inferring the ARG, some of these methods can also provide ARGs sampled from a defined posterior distribution. Obtaining good samples of ARGs is crucial for quantifying statistical uncertainty and for estimating population genetic parameters such as effective population size, mutation rate, and allele age. Here, we use simulations to benchmark three popular ARG inference programs: ARGweaver, Relate, and tsdate. We use neutral coalescent simulations to 1) compare the true coalescence times to the inferred times at each locus; 2) compare the distribution of coalescence times across all loci to the expected exponential distribution; 3) evaluate whether the sampled coalescence times have the properties expected of a valid posterior distribution. We find that inferred coalescence times at each locus are more accurate in ARGweaver and Relate than in tsdate. However, all three methods tend to overestimate small coalescence times and underestimate large ones. Lastly, the posterior distribution of ARGweaver is closer to the expected posterior distribution than Relate9s, but this higher accuracy comes at a substantial trade-off in scalability. The best choice of method will depend on the number and length of input sequences and on the goal of downstream analyses, and we provide guidelines for the best practices.
The Dressmaker's Dummy

THE CHRISTMAS I WAS TWELVE my father took me to New York City. Even then, it seemed strange to take a trip for its own sake. In my family a trip had to count for something. You had to come back with a dress that could only be bought in New York City or a divorce that could only be obtained in Las Vegas. My aunt Anna asked my father if he was strong enough to travel yet. "I'll be fine," he said. "It's a good thing to leave Richmond every five years. It expands the brain cells." Anna drove so slowly to the station that my father fretted about missing the train. "I bet you'll get a speeding ticket coming to pick us up," he said. I didn't like New York much. We ate lunch at the Plaza Hotel, in a big wood-paneled room where women walk in between the tables modeling dresses. My father laughed at them. He leaned his head back and I saw the loose skin on his neck. Seeing his oldness made me lose my appetite. I waited for him to finish the bottle of white wine and I understood why Aunt Anna had been so unwilling for him to leave Richmond. "Haven't you had enough?" I asked. "Almost, but not quite enough." After lunch we walked in the park. I was cold and ran in circles around my father. He stopped and couldn't remember which path led out of the park. Under a bush, I saw a man's shoe. I kicked at it and realized that it was attached to the rest of his body. My father pushed the branches aside and looked in at the man. I stood behind him and he pushed me away. "Is he dead," I asked. My father leaned down and touched the man's hand. I imagined its damp ness.
Chapter Fourteen Plant soluble sulfotransferases: Structural and functional similarity with mammalian enzymes

This chapter presents the knowledge of plant soluble sulfotransferases (STs) that have been characterized at the molecular level, with an emphasis on their proposed biological function and on the structural determinants involved in substrate recognition and catalysis. The evolutionary link among soluble STs from different phyla is obvious in their common structural domains and the similarity in the chemical structure of their substrates. Recent studies on plant soluble STs have benefited from the Arabidopsis genome project. It is now possible to undertake a systematic characterization of the biochemical and biological functions of all soluble STs present in a higher plant. Future progress in the field will depend on the identification of the unknown metabolites, through the development of methods of extraction and purification compatible with the retention of the labile sulfate group.
Exploring SWOT analysis – where are we now?

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the use of the strategic management tool, Strengths‐Weaknesses‐Opportunities‐Threats or SWOT analysis, and to assess how the methodology has been used as well as changes to the methodology. The findings both for and against SWOT analysis should lead to a balanced view of the technique as well as yield ideas for needed theory building.Design/methodology/approach – Using the ABInform Global® database, academic peer‐reviewed articles were compiled indicating SWOT as one of the article's key index and search words.Findings – The use of SWOT analysis continues to permeate the academic peer‐reviewed literature. Research supports SWOT analysis as a tool for planning purposes. Over the past decade, SWOT research has focused on analyzing organizations for recommended strategic actions. As a methodology for strategic positioning, SWOT analysis has been extended beyond companies to countries and industries and is used in virtually every published business case positi...
The Administrative Shuffle: First-Term Changes in Presidential Staffing

Personnel changes are part of a normal cycle of a presidency and occur for many different reasons and at different times. An examination of change in presidents’ initial appointments shows great variation in the proportion of cabinet, EOP, and White House staff positions that turnover. Few changes are made until the second and third years of the administration, with changes in the cabinet occurring later than in the EOP/WHS. The most common reasons involve policy or performance issues that dissatisfied the president and personal reasons related to family and career. Policy and performance concerns are more likely to lead to change early in an administration while later departments tend to be for personal reasons. Overall, changes among President Obama’s senior advisors do not differ radically from his predecessors.
Origin of multiple species of yeast enolase A on isoelectric focusing.

Abstract On isoelectric focusing, bakers yeast enolase A has been shown to resolve into one major and at least two minor species. Refocusing of individual species isolated by electrofocusing shows the minor species to be formed from the major one. The extent of formation of the minor species increases with electrofocusing time and decreasing quantity of protein electrofocused, suggesting that the protein, on dissociating, tends to change into forms(s) with more alkaline isoelectric points.
Predicting the reactivity of hydride donors in water: thermodynamic constants for hydrogen.

The chemical reactivity of hydride complexes can be predicted using bond strengths for homolytic and heterolytic cleavage of bonds to hydrogen. To determine these bond strengths, thermodynamic constants describing the stability of H+, H˙, H−, and H2 are essential and need to be used uniformly to enable the prediction of reactivity and equilibria. Due to discrepancies in the literature for the constants used in water, we propose the use of a set of self-consistent constants with convenient standard states.
Modification of behavioral effects of cocaine by selective serotonin and dopamine uptake inhibitors in squirrel monkeys.

Modification of the behavioral effects of cocaine by the selective serotonin (5-HT) uptake inhibitors citalopram and fluoxetine and the selective dopamine (DA) uptake inhibitor GBR 12909 was investigated in squirrel monkeys trained under a fixed-interval schedule of reinforcement or a two-lever cocaine-discrimination procedure. Under the fixed-interval schedule cocaine (0.03–1.78 mg/kg) produced dose-related increases in response rate, reaching an average maximum of 215% of control after a dose of 0.3 mg/kg. Similar rate-increasing effects were seen with GBR 12909 (3.0 or 10.0 mg/kg), but not citalopram (10.0 or 17.8 mg/kg) or fluoxetine (10.0 mg/kg). Pretreatment with citalopram or fluoxetine attenuated the rate-increasing effects of cocaine and produced an overall downward shift in the cocaine dose-response function. Pretreatment with GBR 12909, on the other hand, produced an overall leftward shift in the cocaine dose-response function. Under the drug-discrimination procedure cocaine (0.03–1.78 mg/kg) engendered dose-related increases in the percentage of cocaine-appropriate responses, as did GBR 12909 (1.0–17.8 mg/kg) but not citalopram (1.0–17.8 mg/kg). Pretreatment with citalopram attenuated the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine and produced an overall rightward shift in the cocaine dose-response function, whereas pretreatment with GBR 12909 produced an overall leftward shift in the cocaine dose-response function. The results show that selective 5-HT and DA uptake inhibitors can modify the rate-altering and discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine in qualitatively different ways and suggest a modulatory role for 5-HT uptake inhibition in the behavioral effects of cocaine.
Intertemporal borrowing to sustain exogenous consumption standards under uncertainty

Abstract Consider an agent who is attempting to maintain a given consumption level over time, in the face of a stochastic technology. He is permitted to borrow and lend at given rates of interest. The main results are: (i) if the borrowing rate of interest exceeds the lending rate, the expected net indebtedness of the agent must grow unboundedly large, unless the consumption target is attainable with at most one loan, and (ii) the probabilities of the two events: becoming increasingly indebted, and accumulating unbounded wealth, sum to unity.
Interaction Between Loop Diuretic-Associated Mortality and Blood Urea Nitrogen Concentration in Chronic Heart Failure

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a surrogate for renal neurohormonal activation, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), could identify patients destined to experience adverse outcomes associated with the use of high-dose loop diuretics (HDLD). Background Loop diuretics are commonly used to control congestive symptoms in heart failure; however, these agents cause neurohormonal activation and have been associated with worsened survival. Methods Subjects in the BEST (Beta-Blocker Evaluation of Survival Trial) receiving loop diuretics at baseline were analyzed (N = 2,456). The primary outcome was the interaction between BUN- and HDLD-associated mortality. Results In the overall cohort, HDLD use (≥160 mg/day) was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.35 to 1.80). However, after extensively controlling for baseline characteristics, this association did not persist (HR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.89 to 1.25). In subjects with BUN levels above the median (21.0 mg/dl), both the unadjusted (HR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.34 to 1.88) and adjusted (HR: 1.29; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.60) risk of death was higher in the HDLD group. In patients with BUN levels below the median, there was no associated risk with HDLD (HR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.75 to 1.34) and after controlling for baseline characteristics, the HDLD group had significantly improved survival (HR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.96) (p interaction = 0.018). Conclusions The risk associated with HDLD use is strongly dependent on BUN concentrations with reduced survival in patients with an elevated BUN level and improved survival in patients with a normal BUN level. These data suggest a role for neurohormonal activation in loop diuretic–associated mortality.
Control theory based airfoil design for potential flow and a finite volume discretization

This paper describes the implementation of optimization techniques based on control theory for airfoil design. In previous studies it was shown that control theory could be used to devise an effective optimization procedure for two-dimensional profiles in which the shape is determined by a conformal transformation from a unit circle, and the control is the mapping function. The goal of our present work is to develop a method which does not depend on conformal mapping, so that it can be extended to treat three-dimensional problems. Therefore, we have developed a method which can address arbitrary geometric shapes through the use of a finite volume method to discretize the potential flow equation. Here the control law serves to provide computationally inexpensive gradient information to a standard numerical optimization method. Results are presented, where both target speed distributions and minimum drag are used as objective functions.
The national perspective: Fostering the enhancement of STEM undergraduate education

This chapter considers how best to integrate STEM education into the larger context of the undergraduate experience to address important national concerns.
Effects of Triadimefon on the Metabolism of Cultured Hepatocytes

The liver, being the major site of metabolism, plays a critical role in xenobiotic biotransformation and clearance. Quantifying the links between central hepatic and xenobiotic metabolism is critical to understanding toxicant-induced hepatic injury. Conazoles are a class of azole fungicides used to prevent fungal growth in fruits, vegetables and seeds, and for the treatment of fungal infections. Certain conazoles (such as triadimefon) are found to be tumorigenic in rats and mice. In this study, cultured primary rat hepatocytes were treated to varying doses (less than or equal to 0.3 mM) of triadimefon on a temporal basis with daily media change. Following exposure, supernatant was collected daily for 3 days and concentration of various metabolites (triadimefon, glucose, urea, albumin, amino acids, fatty acids, cholesterol etc.) in the media and supernatant were quantified. Albumin production was reduced in 0.3 mM triadimefon treated cells by the end of three days whereas urea production was not significantly affected. Metabolic network flexibility analysis (MNFA) demonstrated that by the end of the three day period, 0.3 mM triadimefon treated cells exhibited a major switch in hepatic metabolism by producing glucose, instead of glucose consumption. We also observed fatty acid oxidation instead of fatty acid synthesis in 0.3 mM triadimefon treated cells. Fatty acid oxidation also caused higher flux through the TCA cycle which in turn drove gluconeogenesis in these cells. It is likely that fatty acid oxidation is active in order to supply energy that is required by the phase I oxidation of triadimefon detoxification.
Anorexia nervosa and schizophrenia in an adolescent female

A 14-year-old adolescent female with a previously unrecognized psychosis of 2 year's duration developed anorexia nervosa. The correct psychiatric diagnosis was made during a standardized clinical interview. On the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Scale for Children it was possible for the patient to reveal her psychotic symptoms. This case supports the view that anorexia nervosa may exist in a continuum that parallels ego development, ranging from neurotic, to character disorder, to psychotic.
Organic Phosphorus Sequestration in Subtropical Treatment Wetlands

Diffuse phosphorus pollution is commonly remediated by diverting runoff through treatment wetlands to sequester phosphorus into soil layers. Much of the sequestered phosphorus occurs in organic forms, yet our understanding of its chemical nature is limited. We used NaOH-EDTA extraction and solution 31P NMR spectroscopy to speciate organic phosphorus sequestered in a large treatment wetland (STA-1W) in Florida, USA. The wetland was constructed on previously farmed peat and was designed to remove phosphorus from agricultural runoff prior to discharge into the Everglades. Unconsolidated benthic floc that had accumulated during the 9-year operation of the wetland was sampled along transects through two connected cells dominated by cattail (Typha dominigensis Pers.) and an additional cell colonized by submerged aquatic vegetation, including southern water nymph (Najas guadalupensis(Spreng.) Magnus) and coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum L.). Organic phosphorus was a greater proportion of the sequestered phosphorus in the cattail marsh compared to the submerged aquatic vegetation wetland, but occurred almost exclusively as phosphate diesters and their alkaline hydrolysis products. Itwas therefore markedly different from the organic phosphorus in mineral soils, which is dominated typically by inositol phosphates. Phosphate diesters are readily degradable in most soils, raising concern about the long-term fate of organic phosphorus in treatment wetlands. Further studies are now necessaryto assess the stability of the sequestered organic phosphorus in response to biogeochemical and hydrological perturbation.
Polynomial approximation of nonlinear regression functions

In the present paper a nonlinear regression function is approximated by a polynomial estimator according to the expectation of the quadratic L 2-distance as risk is given. For special experimental designs with repeating experimental points this estimator coincides with the estimator by the method of the reproducing kernel. Considerations about the relation for the sample size and the degree of the approximation polynomial and about the quadratic mean are given.
Exploiting context analysis for combining multiple entity resolution systems

Entity Resolution (ER) is an important real world problem that has attracted significant research interest over the past few years. It deals with determining which object descriptions co-refer in a dataset. Due to its practical significance for data mining and data analysis tasks many different ER approaches has been developed to address the ER challenge. This paper proposes a new ER Ensemble framework. The task of ER Ensemble is to combine the results of multiple base-level ER systems into a single solution with the goal of increasing the quality of ER. The framework proposed in this paper leverages the observation that often no single ER method always performs the best, consistently outperforming other ER techniques in terms of quality. Instead, different ER solutions perform better in different contexts. The framework employs two novel combining approaches, which are based on supervised learning. The two approaches learn a mapping of the clustering decisions of the base-level ER systems, together with the local context, into a combined clustering decision. The paper empirically studies the framework by applying it to different domains. The experiments demonstrate that the proposed framework achieves significantly higher disambiguation quality compared to the current state of the art solutions.
Single-port hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection in the porcine model: feasibility and validation of a novel robotic lightweight endoscope positioner

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and validity of a modified single-port robotic lightweight endoscope in the performance of single-port hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection in the porcine model. Task completion times were recorded for each component of the procedure: port placement, docking of the surgical robot, operative time for the procedures. For each task, linear regression modeling was performed using SPSS to determine whether a correlation existed between task completion time and increasing surgeon experience. All robotic-assisted LESS procedures were performed successfully without the addition of laparoscopic ports or open conversion. Regression analysis demonstrated a strong correlation between the number of procedures and task completion time for robot docking and pelvic lymph node dissection, correlation coefficients 0.74 and 0.77, p = 0.001, respectively. This study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of a new, compact single-port robotic voice-activated endoscope at improving laparoscope guidance during the performance of single-port hysterectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection in the porcine model. Further work is needed to better define the ideal operative procedure for single-site surgery in oncology and integration of new single-port robotic platforms into clinical practice.
Multiple Wannier power laws for 3e escape.

A pair of generalized coordinates is introduced to describe Wannier threshold effects in three- and four-particle systems. In the case of four-particle breakup, they indicate the presence of multiple unstable normal modes in the breakup configuration and thus reveal a new feature in the Wannier formalism: the occurrence of a secondary Wannier power law. This prediction is in accord with recent experimental observations of a break in the cross section near threshold for triple photoionization in oxygen and in neon.
Expression and shifting subcellular localization of the transcription factor, Foxd3, in embryonic and adult pancreas

Abstract Multipotent progenitor cells self renew throughout an animal’s lifetime and can differentiate to give rise to different cell types. Before we can fully understand the developmental potential of progenitor cells and control their differentiation both in vivo and in vitro as stem cells, identification and characterization of the genes that control stem cell fate must first be obtained. Foxd3, a member of the forkhead family of transcriptional regulators, is required for the maintenance of embryonic stem cells and trophoblast stem cells of the early mouse embryo. We describe here the expression of this protein in the developing pancreas. Foxd3 is expressed in most beta cells and infrequently in alpha and PP cells but is not expressed in somatostatin cells. The subcellular localization of Foxd3 varies with fat content in the diet; with a high fat diet the protein is found primarily in the cytoplasm while a low fat diet results in nuclear localization. Foxd3 is differentially localized in a rat model of diabetes: it is nuclear in ZDF rats but cytoplasmic in their lean counterparts. Foxd3 is nuclear in LepOb/Ob mice.
The role of zooplankton in the nitrogen dynamics of a shallow estuary

The rates of ammonia and urea release by selected species of copepods collected from the estuary at Beaufort, North Carolina, during September through April in 1973 and 1974 varied with species, sex, season, and feeding state. The rate of ammonia assimilation by phytoplankton was greatest in September and April, and there were no significant differences associated with tidal changes. Rates of ammonia assimilation by phytoplankton ranged from 1 to 101 mg N m−3 day−1 while ammonia release by Zooplankton ranged from 0.1 to 9.7 mg N m−3 day−1. The productivity of the phytoplankton in the estuary must depend largely upon regenerated nitrogen since the maximum rate of assimilation of ammonia by phytoplankton was often the same as total-nitrogen uptake estimated from primary productivity. The average rate of ammonia release by zooplankton was 8% of the average, ammonia assimilation by phytoplankton. I conclude that, while all sources of regenerated nitrogen are used and therefore of value in a system depending almost totally upon regeneration, Zooplankton are not the major source of regenerated nitrogen in this estuary.
Carotid-cavernous fistula as a mimicker of myasthenia gravis.

Background A carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) is an abnormal communication between the carotid arterial system and the cavernous sinus. Common symptoms of CCFs include proptosis and ophthalmoplegia, but fluctuating diplopia and presence of ptosis are not typical. Case description We present an unusual case of CCF with fluctuating binocular diplopia and ptosis, mimicking myasthenia gravis. Electrodiagnostic testing, which included repetitive nerve stimulation and single-fiber electromyography, was normal. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and orbits was initially normal, but later magnetic resonance angiography revealed enlargement of the left superior ophthalmic vein along with a left CCF. Patient underwent a successful left cavernous sinus embolization. Conclusion Fluctuating ophthalmic symptoms are a typical presentation of myasthenia gravis; however, there may be an association of these symptoms with a CCF. Repetitive nerve stimulation and single-fiber electromyography played a key role in diagnosis of this case, as the normal result led to further investigations revealing a CCF.
A paradoxical flame‐retardant effect of nitrates in ATH‐filled ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer

In the course of a study of metal salts as flame retardants, it was surprisingly found that metal nitrates reduced the flammability of ATH-filled ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA). The limiting oxygen index (LOI) of ATH-filled EVA was increased by the nitrates in the order of Cu(NO3)2·3H2O > (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6 > Zn(NO3)2·6H2O > Fe(NO3)3·9H2O > Al(NO3)3·9H2O > NaNO3. The effects were not caused by the water of hydration. All metal nitrates except NaNO3 reached a UL 94 V-2 rating at 3 phr. Based on TGA, DSC, FTIR, and gas detection, the proposed mechanism of the flame-retardant effect of nitrates is the oxidative degradation of the polymer to produce noncombustible products (CO2 and nitrogen oxides) at a rate sufficient to interfere with the normal combustion process despite the exothermicity of the oxidative degradation. It is possible that surface carboxylic acid structures also contribute to the flame-retardant effect. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Implementation of a 3GPP LTE turbo decoder accelerator on GPU

This paper presents a 3GPP LTE compliant turbo decoder accelerator on GPU. The challenge of implementing a turbo decoder is finding an efficient mapping of the decoder algorithm on GPU, e.g. finding a good way to parallelize workload across cores and allocate and use fast on-die memory to improve throughput. In our implementation, we increase throughput through 1) distributing the decoding workload for a codeword across multiple cores, 2) decoding multiple codewords simultaneously to increase concurrency and 3) employing memory optimization techniques to reduce memory bandwidth requirements. In addition, we analyze how different MAP algorithm approximations affect both throughput and bit error rate (BER) performance of this decoder.