cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2212: Protein engineering of the decapping enzyme NudT16 enhances its ability to hydrolyze protein-conjugated ADP-ribose for post-translational site identification via mass spectrometry

During nonhomologous end joining of DNA follow double-stranded breaks, one common signaling response is the adenosine diphosphate ribosylation (ADP-ribosylation) of recruiter scaffold proteins. ADP-ribosylation is a post-translational modification (PTM) that occurs on aspartate, glutamate, lysine, arginine and cysteine on proteins and is mediated chiefly by polyadenosine ribose polymerases (PARP). Using NAD+ as its substrate, PARP transfers an ADP-ribose onto another protein, releasing a nicotinamide ring in the process; this modification presents as a mono-ADP-ribosylation (MARylation) or poly-ADP-ribosylation (PARylation). While site identification of MARylated protein can be achieved through tandem MS/MS and searching for peptides whose spectra have been shifted by 541.0611 Da, a similar approach for PARylated protein is confounded by the variable length and branching of its PTM. To this end, ADP-ribosylated protein is normally incubated with a snake venom phosphodiesterase (SVP) to leave a standardized phosphoribose tag of 212.0086 Da. It has been shown that a recombinantly-expressed Nudix protein NudT16 provides a cost-effective alternative to SVP to process ADP-ribosylated protein. NudT16 in the cell normally decaps small nucleolar RNA. Our studies here sought to utilize the x-ray crystallographic structure of NudT16 in complex with ADP-ribose in guiding rational design mutations to enhance binding of our desired ADP-ribose substrate and to widen the hydrolase’s active site to better accommodate a protein-conjugated ADP-ribose. Mutants have demonstrated improved catalytic efficiency for ADP-ribose hydrolysis. Radiolabeled immunoassays of PARylated protein concur with these kinetic experiments by showing a reduction of radiolabeled PARP. Rational design of a ADP-ribose-hydrolyzing NudT16 with comparable catalytic efficiency to SVP eases lead discovery of biological mechanisms that are mediated through ADP-ribosylation such as DNA repair. Citation Format: Puchong Thirawatananond, Robert L. McPherson, Jasmine K. Malhi, Anthony K. Leung, Sandra B. Gabelli. Protein engineering of the decapping enzyme NudT16 enhances its ability to hydrolyze protein-conjugated ADP-ribose for post-translational site identification via mass spectrometry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2212. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2212
Consumer preferences of electric and automated vehicles

In an effort to understand public acceptance and adoption behavior of smart vehicles technologies, this paper presents a detailed analysis of consumer preference for electric and autonomous vehicles. The analysis is based on the results of a recent survey conducted in the Chicago Metropolitan area. Multiple stated choice experiments are designed and the respondents are asked to choose the most preferable vehicle option to purchase among the four described alternatives: non-automated gasoline vehicle, non-automated electric vehicle, automated gasoline vehicle, and automated electric vehicle. This study adopts the random parameter logit model to estimate respondents' vehicle choice behavior while accounting for preference heterogeneity across respondents. We found that demographics, driving patterns, experience with technology and expectations for benefits/concerns affect participants' adoption behavior. It is also found that the possibility of imperfect performance in response to unexpected traffic situations is the most critical concern of respondents, while increased safety is the most significant expected benefit of automated vehicles. Young adults, well-educated and tech-savvy respondents, those with high annual VMT and those who have long-distance work trips are found to be more willing to choose automated and electric automated options.
Mail-Order Brides

“Mail-order bride” is a term applied to women of the Global South looking for husbands in the Global North. These women participate in commercial marriage migration by listing their pictures and profiles on International Marriage Agency (IMA) websites used to attract men of the Global North into initiating courtship. IMAs, which collect fees from men who purchase women's email addresses, expanded profiles, and other services, are complicit in promoting racial/ethnic stereotyping of women on their sites setting up unrealistic expectations in their future husbands. Women looking to immigrate through IMAs are less conservative than men expect, often wanting full employment outside the home in order to send money back to their families. In contrast, men are looking for “traditional” women focused on marriage and family they feel are no longer available in the Global North. Ultimately, the symbol of the “mail-order bride” both consolidates Northern anxieties about globalization in the bodies of “foreign” immigrant women and assuages those anxieties through the simultaneous recapture of the traditional homemaker. Keywords: marriage; immigration; objectification; cyberspace
Eczematous dermatitis in an infantile hemangioma with minimal or arrested growth

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) with minimal or arrested growth differ from standard IHs in that they have a reduced or absent growth phase. An association between IHs with minimal or arrested growth and superimposed eczematous dermatitis has not been described in the literature. We present a case detailing this association in which an IH with minimal or arrested growth responded well to treatment with propranolol and the superimposed eczema cleared completely with topical hydrocortisone.
Degenerate Pax2 and Senseless binding motifs improve detection of low-affinity sites required for enhancer specificity

Cells use thousands of regulatory sequences to recruit transcription factors (TFs) and produce specific transcriptional outcomes. Since TFs bind degenerate DNA sequences, discriminating functional TF binding sites (TFBSs) from background sequences represents a significant challenge. Here, we show that a Drosophila regulatory element that activates Epidermal Growth Factor signaling requires overlapping, low-affinity TFBSs for competing TFs (Pax2 and Senseless) to ensure cell- and segment-specific activity. Testing available TF binding models for Pax2 and Senseless, however, revealed variable accuracy in predicting such low-affinity TFBSs. To better define parameters that increase accuracy, we developed a method that systematically selects subsets of TFBSs based on predicted affinity to generate hundreds of position-weight matrices (PWMs). Counterintuitively, we found that degenerate PWMs produced from datasets depleted of high-affinity sequences were more accurate in identifying both low- and high-affinity TFBSs for the Pax2 and Senseless TFs. Taken together, these findings reveal how TFBS arrangement can be constrained by competition rather than cooperativity and that degenerate models of TF binding preferences can improve identification of biologically relevant low affinity TFBSs.
The Chaitanya Vaishnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami: When Knowledge Meets Devotion

The Chaitanya Vaishnava tradition is famous for its depth of devotion to Krishna, the blue-hued Deity. Chaitanya Vaishnavas are known for having refined the practice and aesthetics of devotion into a sophisticated science. This imposing devotional edifice was constructed upon a solid foundation of philosophical argument and understanding. In this book, Ravi Gupta sheds new light on the contribution of Chaitanya Vaishnavism to the realm of Indian philosophy. He explores the hermeneutical tools employed, the historical resources harnessed, the structure of the arguments made, and the relative success of the endeavor. For most schools of Vaishnavism, the supporting foundation consists of the philosophical resources provided by Vedanta. The Chaitanya tradition is remarkable in its ability to engage in Vedantic discourse and at the same time practice an ecstatic form of devotion to Krishna. The prime architect of this balance was the scholar-devotee Jiva Gosvami (ca. 1517 - 1608). This book analyses Jiva Gosvami's writing concerning the philosophy of the Vedanta tradition. It concludes that Jiva's writing crosses 'disciplinary boundaries', for he brought into dialogue four powerful streams of classical Hinduism: the various systems of Vedanta, the ecstatic bhakti movements, the Puranic commentarial tradition, and the aesthetic rasa theory of Sanskrit poetics. With training in and commitments to all of these traditions, Jiva Gosvami produced a distinctly Chaitanya Vaishnava system of theology.
Determination of the Possibility of Alternating-Current Voltage Stabilization Using a Polarity-Inverting Pulsed Converter. Part 2

The properties of ac voltage stabilizers based on an inverting pulsed converter in the presence of input voltage waveform distortions and sharp dips of voltage are estimated. The stabilizer performance was determined on the basis of the limiting continuous model thereof considered in Part I of this paper. For correction of the voltage waveform and elimination of sharp short-term surges and dips of the stabilizer output voltage, control of the instant output voltage is introduced to regulate the relative times that the key stays in extreme positions depending on the relation between the instant input voltage value and the selected output voltage. It is established that the stabilizer properties are influenced mainly by variable coefficients of the differential equations describing the limiting continuous model of the stabilizer. It is shown that, if the input voltage waveform is distorted because of periodic variations of the coefficients of differential equations, the output voltage will also contain high-order harmonics. Their intensity decreases with decreasing electrical impedance of the choke. It is also shown that surges of the stabilizer voltage are almost instantly compensated because of the change of relative times the key stays in extreme positions. However, this does not eliminate transition processes occurring as a result of drastic changes of the coefficients of differential equations of the limiting continuous model of the system. Comparison of the processes in the real discrete stabilizer model and in the stabilizer limiting continuous model for a quite realistic switching frequency showed their practical identity.
Pro-Inflammatory Signaling by Endothelial Focal Complexes in Lung

Ligation of integrins or subjecting them to mechanical stress induces signaling in intracellular protein complexes known as focal complexes (FC). Such integrin-mediated responses were likely participants in our previously reported finding that the αvβ3 integrin increased lung capillary permeability. We identified underlying signaling in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cell (BPAEC) monolayers exposed to soluble αvβ3 ligands. αvβ3 ligation induced tyrosine phosphorylation (TyrP) of FC-associated cytoskeletal proteins paxillin, cortactin, and ezrin, as well as the SH2 domain-containing proteins Shc and p125FAK. During ligation, αvβ3 aggregation occurred at the apical surface of endothelial cells (EC). In parallel, αvβ3 ligation increased endothelial cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), as determined by fura 2 ratio imaging. The [Ca2+]i increase was attributable to release of Ca2+ from endosomal stores and Ca2+ influx across the plasma membrane. Underlying mechanisms were αvβ3-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C-/gg1 (PLC-/gg1) and production of inositol (1,4,5) trisphosphate (InsP3). Further studies revealed that αvβ3 ligation triggered arachidonate release, which was attributable to the simultaneous increase in [Ca2+]i, cPLA2 (cytosolic phospholipase A2) membrane translocation, and MAPK (mitogen-activated tyrosine kinase) TyrP. Taken together, these findings established the αvβ3 integrin in lung EC displayed inflammatory potential in vitro. To understand the relevance of these mechanisms to inflammatory signaling in lung EC in situ, we used a new approach. Using high tidal volume ventilation (HV) in isolated, blood-perfused rat lungs, we subjected EC to mechanical stress. After 2 h, we perfused lungs with collagenase to obtain mixed cells, which we immune sorted (4/dgC) to isolate fresh lung EC (FLEC). Subjection of FLEC lysates to electrophoresis and immunoblotting indicated that HV as compared to low tidal volume ventilation (LV) markedly enhanced TyrP. The tyrosine kinase blocker genistein inhibited this response. Immunofluorescent labeling of FLEC indicated HV induced FC in which aggregates of αvβ3 co-localized with FAK. Immunoprecipitation revealed HV-mediated TyrP of the FC protein paxillin, along with paxillin-associated P-selectin expression. Both responses were genistein inhibitable. However, 2-h HV did not increase lung water. These results indicate that in lung EC, the αvβ3 integrin forms FC in vitro and in vivo in association with EC TyrP. These responses are associated with [Ca2+]i increase, arachidonate release, and P-selectin expression, effects capable of promoting lung leukocyte sequestration, which further enhances inflammation.
The Nature and Role of Performance Anxiety in Sexual Dysfunction

The area of sexual dysfunction has been an excellent arena for investigations of the means through which anxiety interferes with complex behavioral performance in general and sexual responsivity specifically. Historically, anxiety reduction has been a prominent theme in theories and treatment of sexual dysfunction since the late 1950s and 1960s (Brady, 1966; Lazarus, 1963; Wolpe, 1958). Key to both the conceptual and therapeutic genesis of this approach was Wolpe’s (1958) application of systematic desensitization to sexual dysfunction. Today, strands of his influence, such as the concept of reciprocal inhibition, continue to influence current conceptualizations of anxiety, the processes through which it inhibits sexual arousal, and techniques used to reduce its effects. This view was strongly reinforced by the pioneering work of Masters and Johnson (1966, 1970). Evidence of their influence is substantial and includes current nosological classification schemes (cf. DSM-III and DSM-III-R; American Psychiatric Association, 1980, 1987), a common definition of the sexual response cycle (Masters & Johnson, 1966), as well as widely accepted hypotheses of the etiology and maintenance of sexual dysfunction gleaned from their numerous case studies (Masters & Johnson, 1970).
Efficient workflow for simulation of multifractured enhanced geothermal systems (EGS)

Abstract The increasing demand for clean energy with minimum environmental impact motivates development of geothermal energy. Simulating a geothermal reservoir is complex and time consuming, mainly because of the systems spatial and temporal non-isothermal nature and the enormous size of the domain/reservoir. Simulations become even more complex when representing Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), where wells in a hot, low permeability reservoir are interconnected by hydraulic fracturing to provide pathways for injection of cold water, in situ heating, and consequent production of hot water. In this study, various issues related to simulation of enhanced geothermal systems are investigated and practical solutions are proposed. A comprehensive study was conducted to show the effect of different grid systems on predictions of the transient temperature of the produced water. It is shown that the performance of an EGS is affected by the transmissivity (product of permeability and width of the fracture) of the fracture more so than by the values of permeability and width of the fracture considered individually. A simplified model (downscaled model) reduces the simulation times significantly (by 1.5–14.5 times) without compromising the accuracy of the results. In the proposed model, only two simulations - capturing small portions of the top and bottom of a reservoir with two active hydraulic fractures is used to evaluate performance of the entire reservoir. The proposed model is proved to be robust when exposed to different scenarios created by varying the inclination of the wells with respect to horizontal, spacing of the hydraulic factures, and spacing between the injection and producing wells. Value of R2 close to unity (0.96–1.0) and smaller value of MAPE (Mean Absolute Percentage Error), less than 3% in comparison to the entire reservoir simulations, indicate the utility of proposed model.
What Is the Right Comparison? ROC Curve and Trade-Off Between Key Diagnostic Test Errors (ROCKE)

We discuss the implicit or explicit trade-offs between false positive and false negative tests errors provided by the information from the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. We discuss its impact for the evaluation of the performance of a new medical diagnostic test in comparison with an already established test. We discuss the comparability of a new test N with respect to a standard test S in terms of the seriousness of a False Positive error relative to a False Negative error using information from the ROC curve.
Fast spontaneous emission and high Förster resonance energy transfer rate in hybrid organic/inorganic plasmonic nanostructures

We report an experimental study of the plasmon-assisted spontaneous emission and the Forster resonance energy transfer between organic molecules and semiconductor colloidal quantum dots. The localized plasmonic field in the nanogap between a gold nano-popcorn's tips and a 5-nm separated gold film supports high photonic density of states and provides pathways for the light-matter interaction mechanisms. We demonstrate that, besides the total enhanced decay rate up to 66 times for quantum dots and molecules, the Forster resonance energy transfer efficiency and rate constant are simultaneously modified. While the energy transfer efficiency is reduced from 84% to 35% due to the non-radiative quenching effect and fast donor decay rate, the energy transfer rate constant is significantly increased from 4 to 20 ns−1. Our results have quantitatively elucidated decay mechanisms that are important toward understanding and controlling of the light-matter interaction at the nanoscale.We report an experimental study of the plasmon-assisted spontaneous emission and the Forster resonance energy transfer between organic molecules and semiconductor colloidal quantum dots. The localized plasmonic field in the nanogap between a gold nano-popcorn's tips and a 5-nm separated gold film supports high photonic density of states and provides pathways for the light-matter interaction mechanisms. We demonstrate that, besides the total enhanced decay rate up to 66 times for quantum dots and molecules, the Forster resonance energy transfer efficiency and rate constant are simultaneously modified. While the energy transfer efficiency is reduced from 84% to 35% due to the non-radiative quenching effect and fast donor decay rate, the energy transfer rate constant is significantly increased from 4 to 20 ns−1. Our results have quantitatively elucidated decay mechanisms that are important toward understanding and controlling of the light-matter interaction at the nanoscale.
Dan P. McAdams in Interview with Claude-Hélène Mayer; September 19, 2018

The author of George W. Bush and the Redemptive Dream, Dan P. McAdams describes his own perspective on psychological biography. McAdams argues that psychological biography is an artful enterprise, but he urges psychological biographers to draw upon evidence-based science for interpreting the individual life. One useful theoretical frame for applying scientific concepts to biography is McAdams's three-layered model of personality development over the life course, which conceives of the person as a social actor endowed with dispositional traits, a motivated agent guided by goals and values, and an autobiographical author who aims to create an integrative narrative to make sense of life.
High Prevalence of Connective Tissue Gene Variants in Professional Ballet

Background:There is a high prevalence of hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) in dancers. While there is no known genetic variant for HSD, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a genetic disorder ...
Characterizing the mechanosensitive response of Paraburkholderia graminis membranes.

Abstract Bacterial mechanosensitive channels gate in response to membrane tension, driven by shifts in environmental osmolarity. The mechanosensitive channels of small conductance (MscS) and large conductance (MscL) from Escherichia coli (Ec) gate in response to mechanical force applied to the membrane. Ec-MscS is the foundational member of the MscS superfamily of ion channels, a diverse family with at least fifteen subfamilies identified by homology to the pore lining helix of Ec-MscS, as well as significant diversity on the N- and C-termini. The MscL family of channels are homologous to Ec-MscL. In a rhizosphere associated bacterium, Paraburkholderia graminis C4D1M, mechanosensitive channels are essential for cell survival during changing osmotic environments such as a rainstorm. Utilizing bioinformatics, we predicted six MscS superfamily members and a single MscL homologue. The MscS superfamily members fall into at least three subfamilies: bacterial cyclic nucleotide gated, multi-TM, and extended N-terminus. Osmotic downshock experiments show that wildtype P. graminis cells contain a survival mechanism that prevents cell lysis in response to hypoosmotic shock. To determine if this rescue is due to mechanosensitive channels, we developed a method to create giant spheroplasts of P. graminis to explore the single channel response to applied mechanical tension. Patch clamp electrophysiology on these spheroplasts shows two unique conductances: MscL-like and MscS-like. These conductances are due to likely three unique proteins. This indicates that channels that gate in response to mechanical tension are present in the membrane. Here, we report the first single channel evidence of mechanosensitive ion channels from P. graminis membranes.
Validation of inverse stereology generation of two dimensional area gradations for computational modelling of asphalt mixtures

Over the last few years, several researchers have employed computational methods to model and investigate the overall behaviour of asphalt mixture composites and different factors that influence th...
Development of a DNA Adductome Mass Spectral Database

Mass spectrometry-based DNA adductomics is an emerging approach for the human biomonitoring of hazardous chemicals. A mass spectral database of DNA adducts will be created for the scientific community to investigate the associations between chemical exposures, DNA damage, and disease risk.
Rep. John Lewis Making 'Good Trouble' in Georgia

“Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” Rep. John Robert Lewis (1940-2020) It seems fitting that the civil rights movement was born in the district that John Robert Lewis represented in Congress for 34 years until his death on July 17. In the 1960s, Atlanta boasted a vibrant Black professional middle-class that became a cultural catalyst for civil rights activities. Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Ebenezer Baptist Church, the headquarters of Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and several historically Black colleges and universities were located there. Dr. King, who inspired, motivated, and mentored Rep. Lewis from an early age was also Atlanta-born. Lewis was dedicated to the civil rights movement and trained in nonviolent protests in his early 20s. In 1961 he was one of 13 original Black and white Freedom Riders traveling across the country trying to help enforce the Supreme Court’s decision in Boynton,1 declaring segregated interstate public transportation unconstitutional. Lewis and his colleagues were violently assaulted and arrested routinely but were committed to the cause. Lewis suffered injuries and incarcerations including 40 days in the Mississippi State Penitentiary. This essay demonstrates Congressman John Robert Lewis' dedication to all individual rights, including taxpayer rights.
“It takes a village to get through cancer,” A photo-elicitation study exploring lived experiences of community cancer survivors:

IntroductionCancer survivors continue to experience complications that last months to years following diagnosis and treatment, which can impact daily life. The purpose of this study was to explore ...
International law and mental health evaluations at Guantanamo: Is medical repatriation a solution for most detainees?

Abstract This article analyzes the ruling in al-Qahtani v. Trump which establishes a new legal mechanism for Guantanamo detainees being held in indefinite detention to receive independent psychiatric evaluations from mixed medical commissions in order to determine eligibility for repatriation on humanitarian grounds. The article first reviews how the U.S. government created a legal framework for Global War on Terror detainees that differs from established conventions under international humanitarian law to protect prisoners of war. It discusses the circumstances of a Guantanamo detainee named Mohammed al-Qahtani who was tortured in U.S. custody, according to Guantanamo's top official. The U.S. government has declined to refer legal charges against him but also refused to release him since he has been considered a threat to U.S. national security. The article analyzes how al-Qahtani's attorneys challenged the legality of his detention and referred to an independent psychiatric evaluation played to establish the legal basis for “irreparable harm.” al-Qahtani's independent psychiatric evaluation asserted that he displayed symptoms consistent with those exhibited by survivors of torture. Legally, the ruling establishes a precedent for Guantanamo detainees who are being held in indefinite detention to compel the U.S. government to clarify their legal status or arrange an examination by a mixed medical commission. Twenty-two other detainees out of the forty still at Guantanamo fall in this legal category, so the precedent has far-reaching consequences. Finally, the prospect of mixed medical commissions composed of international experts who are collaborating to render a medical opinion raises questions about how independent psychiatric evaluations would be conducted in practice.
Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel trisubstituted ethylenes: 11. Acetyl, methoxy, and halogen ring-substituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel trisubstituted ethylenes, acetyl, methoxy, and halogen ring-substituted octyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH2(CH2)6CH3 (where R is 2-acetyl, 2,3,4-trimethoxy, 2,4,5-trimethoxy, 2,4,6-trifluoro, 3,4,5-trifluoro, 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro, 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluoro, 3-bromo-4,5-dimethoxy, 5-bromo-2,3-dimethoxy, 3-chloro-2,6-difluoro) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The ethylenes were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and octyl cyanoacetate, and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis.
Dog Models of Aging.

As the most phenotypically diverse mammalian species that shares human environments and access to sophisticated healthcare, domestic dogs have unique potential to inform our understanding of the determinants of aging. Here we outline key concepts in the study of aging and illustrate the value of research with dogs, which can improve dog health and support translational discoveries. We consider similarities and differences in aging and age-related diseases in dogs and humans and summarize key advances in our understanding of genetic and environmental risk factors for morbidity and mortality in dogs. We address health outcomes ranging from cancer to cognitive function and highlight emerging research opportunities from large-scale cohort studies in companion dogs. We conclude that studying aging in dogs could overcome many limitations of laboratory models, most notably, the ability to assess how aging-associated pathways influence aging in real-world environments similar to those experienced by humans. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Animal Biosciences, Volume 10 is February 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
An In-Situ Method for Determining Microbial Manganese Oxidation Rates in Sediments

An in-situ dialysis technique has been developed to quantitatively examine chemical and bacterial rates of manganese oxidation in sediments under the constraint of diffusion-limited conditions. In a laboratory study of the technique using sediments which have been spiked with manganese oxidizing bacteria, the parameters for both abiotic and microbial processes determined directly with this method agree well with independent measurements of these quantities.
Impact of Microscope-Integrated OCT on Ophthalmology Resident Performance of Anterior Segment Surgical Maneuvers in Model Eyes.

PURPOSE The integration of swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) into the operating microscope enables real-time, tissue-level three-dimensional (3D) imaging to aid in ophthalmic microsurgery. In this prospective randomized controlled study, we evaluated the impact of SS microscope-integrated OCT (MI-OCT) on ophthalmology residents' performance of ophthalmic microsurgical maneuvers. METHODS Fourteen ophthalmology residents from a single institution were stratified by year of training and randomized to perform four anterior segment surgical maneuvers on porcine eyes with (MI-OCT+) or without (MI-OCT-) direct intraoperative OCT guidance. Subsequently, both groups repeated the same maneuvers without MI-OCT feedback to test whether initial MI-OCT experience affected subsequent surgical performance. Finally, the MI-OCT- group was crossed over and allowed to repeat the same maneuvers with direct MI-OCT guidance. Each resident completed a survey at the completion of the study. RESULTS With direct MI-OCT feedback, residents demonstrated enhanced performance in depth-based anterior segment maneuvers (corneal suture passes at 50% and 90% depth and corneal laceration repair) compared with the residents operating without MI-OCT. Microscope-integrated OCT+ residents continued to outperform the controls when both groups subsequently operated without MI-OCT. For clear corneal wound geometry, there was no statistically significant effect of MI-OCT as applied in this study. Overall, the resident surgeons rated their subjective experience of using MI-OCT very favorably. CONCLUSIONS Microscope-integrated OCT feedback enhances performance of ophthalmology residents in select anterior segment surgical maneuvers. Microscope-integrated OCT represents a valuable tool in the surgical education of ophthalmology residents.
Motorization in Developing Countries Implications for Public and Private Sectors

This paper was presented at the Fourth Annual Conference on Transportation, Traffic Safety and Health. October 21–22, 1998. Tokyo, Japan. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely of the author’s. They do not necessarily represent the views of the World Bank, its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. The author would like to acknowledge his appreciation for the able research assistance provided by Ely sa Coles.
Optimizing mandibulomaxillary plate fixation by computerized simulation

Current mandibulomaxillary fixation (MMF) systems tend to deform easily and maintain proper alignment between the mandible and maxilla relatively poorly, resulting in malocclusion in approximately 36% of cases. A novel device was designed to specifically minimize deflection leading to misalignment by optimizing the structural dimensions of a C-channel beam that directly bridges the mandible and maxilla. It is fixed in the oral cavity such that it resists bending forces produced by the mastication muscles and operates in the elastic region of its stress-deflection curve to minimize permanent misalignment. Simulations of the device's performance using Solidworks modeling software yielded deflection data in response to physiological loads. These results were used to fully characterize the effect of device dimensions and optimize the device design as a function of beam width and thickness and flange thickness. Simulations of the optimized device indicate maximum deflection significantly less than required and the final device is predicted to stabilize mandibulomaxillary alignment during fixation the typical 6-week healing period.
“So, You're a Muslim? (Not That There's Anything Wrong With That)”

(2011). “So, You're a Muslim? (Not That There's Anything Wrong With That)”. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 82, No. 8, pp. 43-53.
Gene Transmission Among Strains of Erwinia amylovora

Stable donor strains of Erwinia amylovora were obtained from strain EA178R1 (harboring an Escherichia coli F′lac) by selection for clones resistant to curing by acridine orange. These donor strains (EA178R1-99 and EA178R1-111) transfer chromosomal markers (arg, cys, gua, ilv, met, pro, ser, trp); the frequency of the appearance of recombinants prototrophic for Cys, Gua, Met, Ser, and Trp is highest (> 10−5), followed by recombinants prototrophic for Arg, Ilv, and Pro (10−7 to 10−5). The results of interrupted matings, as well as the frequency of transmission of various markers, suggest that cys is transferred as an early marker by both donor strains. The Hfr state of these donor strains is rather likely on the basis of the following observations. The donor strains exhibit a relatively efficient and possibly oriented chromosome transfer; the Lac+ character is not cured by acridine orange in these donor strains; and these donor strains do not transfer F.
Engineering principles in bio-molecular systems: From retroactivity to modularity

Modularity plays a fundamental role in the prediction of the behavior of a system from the behavior of its components, guaranteeing that the properties of individual components do not change upon interconnection. Just as electrical, hydraulic, and other physical systems often do not display modularity, nor do many biochemical systems, and specifically, genetic and signaling networks. Here, we study the effect of interconnections on the input/output dynamic characteristics of transcriptional components, focusing on a concept, which we call “retroactivity” that plays a role similar to impedance in electrical circuits. In order to attenuate the effect of retroactivity on a system dynamics, we propose to design insulation devices based on a feedback mechanism inspired by the design of amplifiers in electronics. In particular, we introduce a bio-molecular realization of an insulation device based on phosphorylation.
A Compendium of Private Equity Tax Games

This paper will describe and analyze tax strategies, lawful and unlawful, used by private equity firms to minimize taxes. While one strategy — the use of “carried interest” — should by now be well understood by tax practitioners and academics, the others remain far more obscure. In combination, these strategies allow private equity managers to pay preferential tax rates on all of their risky pay (through carried interest), pay preferential tax rates on much of their non-risky pay (through management fee waivers and misallocations of their expense deductions), and push much of the residual non-risky pay down to their funds’ portfolio companies who, unlike the fund, can derive significant tax benefits from the resulting deductions (through monitoring fees and management fee offsets).
An intricate arrangement of binding sites for the Ets family of transcription factors regulates activity of the alpha 4 integrin gene promoter.

Abstract alpha 4 integrins mediate cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions that are critical for maturation and function of the immune system as well as differentiation of skeletal muscle. Here we examine molecular mechanisms controlling the pattern of alpha 4 expression. The activity of constructs containing 5' deletion mutants of the alpha 4 gene promoter was compared in transfection assays into cell lines that express alpha 4 and cell lines that do not. The sequence between position -42 and -76 base pairs (bp) was required for efficient transcription in cells that express alpha 4, but it showed no activity in HeLa cells, which do not express alpha 4. Three binding sites for the Ets family of transcription factors are found in this region: two adjacent sites at positions -50 and -54 bp and a more 5' site at position -67 bp. Using a series of constructs containing deletions and mutations in this region, we found that the 3'-most site alone was sufficient for binding GA-binding protein alpha (GABP alpha)/GABP beta and for a low level of transcriptional activation. When all three sites were present, a second complex "a" was detected, which contains an unknown member of the Ets family. Formation of complex a was cell-type specific and correlated with a high level of transcription. Deletion of the 5'-most Ets site had no effect on binding to GABP alpha/GABP beta, but it eliminated a. Concomitant with this loss of a, a new Ets-1-containing complex "c" appeared. Complex c substituted efficiently for complex a in transcriptional activation. We conclude that although neither of the two 5'-most Ets sites alone binds nuclear protein, they appear to act as modulators which control the pattern of Ets proteins that bind the alpha 4 gene promoter. This arrangement of Ets sites, coupled with the tissue- and developmental-specific expression of Ets members, likely play a key role in defining the pattern of alpha 4 integrin.
Some criticisms of Carstairs-McCarthy’s conclusions

In his paper “Affixes, stems and allomorphic conditioning in Paradigm Function Morphology”,AndrewCarstairs-McCarthy (hereafterC-M) reacts to thoseparts of Inflectional Morphology (IM) that relate to his own research interests; here, I show that the central assertions in his paper rest on empirically indefensible assumptions and on faulty argumentation. The main points in C-M’s paper are that, contrary to the assumptions of IM: (a) concatenative andnon-concatenative inflectionplaydistinct roles in thearchitectureof a language’smorphology; (b) an affix can be related to a setσ ofmorphosyntactic properties in either of twoways: it can be an exponent of σ (i.e σ can specify its content), or it may require some accompanying piece ofmorphology to realise σ (i.e. σ can specify its context); (c) the association of a morphomic stemwith particular cells in a lexeme’s paradigm is not effected by multiple rules of exponence; and (d) a theory incorporating property co-occurrence restrictions is nomore restrictive than one incorporating disjunctive rule ordering. C-M’s argument in support of (a) is that the No Blur Principle (CameronFaulkner and C-M 2000) entails a fundamental distinction between concatenative and non-concatenative inflection; his argument in support of (b) is that the Peripherality Constraint (Carstairs 1987) entails a fundamental distinction between content properties and context properties. Thus, he argues that the assumptions of IM are incompatible with the No Blur Principle and the PeripheralityConstraint.But as I show in sections1and2, themere factof this incompatibility is not a convincing argument against the assumptions in IM, since neither theNoBlur Principle nor the Peripherality Constraint can be validlymaintained. In support of conclusion (c),C-Margues that the cells in a lexeme’sparadigmwith which amorphomic stem is assocated are stipulated enbloc; as I show in section 3, this claim is empirically unsupported. In support of conclusion (d), C-M argues that by recurring to property co-occurrence restrictions, virtually any instance of disjunctive ruleordering canbemimicked; as I show in section4, this claim is false. Though my arguments here are intended to point out the errors in C-M’s paper, I hope that theywill bemore generally seen as a reminder that in the study of human language, the need to subject one’s assumptions to a high standard of empirical verifiability is unrelenting.
Caenorhabditis elegans CED-9 protein is a bifunctional cell-death inhibitor

The Caenorhabditis elegans gene ced-9 prevents cells from undergoing programmed cell death and encodes a protein similar to the mammalian cell-death inhibitor Bcl-2. We show here that the CED-9 protein is a substrate for the C. elegans cell-death protease CED-3, which is a member of a family of cysteine proteases first defined by CED-3 and human interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE). CED-9 can be cleaved by CED-3 at two sites near its amino terminus, and the presence of at least one of these sites is important for complete protection by CED-9 against cell death. Cleavage of CED-9 by CED-3 generates a carboxy-terminal product that resembles Bcl-2 in sequence and in function. Bcl-2 and the baculovirus protein p35, which inhibits cell death in different species through a mechanism that depends on the presence of its cleavage site for the CED-3/ICE family of proteases, inhibit cell death additively in C. elegans. Our results indicate that CED-9 prevents programmed cell death in C. elegans through two distinct mechanisms: first, CED-9 may, by analogy with p35, directly inhibit the CED-3 protease by an interaction involving the CED-3 cleavage sites in CED-9; second, CED-9 may directly or indirectly inhibit CED-3 by means of a protective mechanism similar to that used by mammalian Bcl-2.
A 220-MS/s 9-Bit 2X Time-Interleaved SAR ADC With a 133-fF Input Capacitance and a FOM of 37 fJ/conv in 65-nm CMOS

This brief presents a 9-bit 2X time-interleaved successive approximation (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for high-speed applications. The proposed ADC fabricated in TSMC's 65-nm general-purpose process occupies an area of 0.0338 mm 2 and consists of two time-interleaved channels, each operating at 110 MS/s. The sampling capacitor is separated from the capacitive DAC array by performing the input and DAC reference subtraction in the current domain rather than as done traditionally in the charge domain. This allows for an extremely small input capacitance of 133 fF. The measured ADC SFDR is 57 dB and the measured ENOB is 7.55 bits at Nyquist rate while using 1.55-mW power from a 1-V supply.
A comparative evaluation of hybrid distributed shared-memory systems

Distributed Shared-Memory (DSM) systems are shared-memory multiprocessor architectures in which each processor node contains a partition of the shared memory. In hybrid DSM systems coherence among caches is maintained by a software-implemented coherence protocol relying on some hardware support. Hardware support is provided to satisfy every node hit (the common case) and software is invoked only for accesses to remote nodes. In this paper we compare the design and performance of four hybrid distributed shared memory (DSM) organizations by detailed simulation of the same hardware platform. We have implemented the software protocol handlers for the four architectures. The handlers are written in C and assembly code. Coherence transactions are executed in trap and interrupt handlers. Together with the application, the handlers are executed in full detail in execution-driven simulations of six complete benchmarks with coarse-grain and fine-grain sharing. We relate our experience implementing and simulating the software protocols for the four architectures. Because the overhead of remote accesses is very high in hybrid systems, the system of choice is different than for purely hardware systems.
Alternative recombination pathways in UV-irradiated XP variant cells

XP variant (XP-V) cells lack the damage-specific polymerase eta and exhibit prolonged replication arrest after UV irradiation due to impaired bypass of UV photoproducts. To analyse the outcome of the arrested replication forks, homologous recombination (HR, Rad51 events) and fork breakage (Rad50 events) were assayed by immunofluorescent detection of foci-positive cells. Within 1 h of irradiation, XP-V cells showed more Rad51-positive cells than normal cells, while neither cell type showed an increase in Rad50 foci. Beyond 1 h, the frequency of Rad51-positive cells reached similar levels in both cell types, then declined at higher UV doses. At these later times, Rad50-positive cells increased with dose and to a greater extent in XP-V cells. Few cells were simultaneously positive for both sets of foci, suggesting a mutually exclusive recruitment of recombination proteins, or that these pathways operate at different stages during S phase. Analysis of cells containing a vector of tandemly arranged enhanced green fluorescent protein genes also showed that UV-induced HR was higher in XP-V cells. These results suggest that cells make an early commitment to HR, and that at later times a subset of arrested forks degrade into double-strand breaks, two alternative pathways that are greater in XP-V cells.
Limits of Neutral Drift: Lessons From the In Vitro Evolution of Two Ribozymes

The relative contributions of adaptive selection and neutral drift to genetic change are unknown but likely depend on the inherent abundance of functional genotypes in sequence space and how accessible those genotypes are to one another. To better understand the relative roles of selection and drift in evolution, local fitness landscapes for two different RNA ligase ribozymes were examined using a continuous in vitro evolution system under conditions that foster the capacity for neutral drift to mediate genetic change. The exploration of sequence space was accelerated by increasing the mutation rate using mutagenic nucleotide analogs. Drift was encouraged by carrying out evolution within millions of separate compartments to exploit the founder effect. Deep sequencing of individuals from the evolved populations revealed that the distribution of genotypes did not escape the starting local fitness peak, remaining clustered around the sequence used to initiate evolution. This is consistent with a fitness landscape where high-fitness genotypes are sparse and well isolated, and suggests, at least in this context, that neutral drift alone is not a primary driver of genetic change. Neutral drift does, however, provide a repository of genetic variation upon which adaptive selection can act.
Tibial changes in experimental disuse osteoporosis in the monkey

The mechanical properties and structural changes in the monkey tibia with disuse osteoporosis and during subsequent recovery are investigated. Bone mending stiffness is evaluated in relation to microscopic changes in cortical bone and Norland bone mineral analysis. Restraint in the semireclined position is found to produce regional losses of bone most obviously in the anterior-proximal tibiae. After six months of restraint, the greatest losses of bone mineral in the proximal tibiae range from 23 percent to 31 percent; the largest changes in bone stiffness range from 36 percent to 40 percent. Approximately eight and one-half months of recovery are required to restore the normal bending properties. Even after 15 months of recovery, however, the bone mineral content does not necessarily return to normal levels. Histologically, resorption cavities in cortical bone are seen within one month of restraint; by two and one-half months of restraint there are large resorption cavities subperiosteally, endosteally, and intracortically. After 15 months of recovery, the cortex consists mainly of first-generation haversian systems. After 40 months, the cortex appears normal, with numerous secondary and tertiary generations of haversian systems.