cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incorporating prior information into signal-detection analyses across biologically informed gene-sets

Signal detection analyses are used to assess whether there is any evidence of signal within a large collection of hypotheses. For example, we may wish to assess whether there is any evidence of association with disease among a set of biologically related genes. Such an analysis typically treats all genes within the sets similarly, even though there is substantial information concerning the likely importance of each gene within each set. For example, deleterious variants within genes that show evidence of purifying selection are more likely to substantially affect the phenotype than genes that are not under purifying selection, at least for traits that are themselves subject to purifying selection. Here we improve such analyses by incorporating prior information into a higher-criticism-based signal detection analysis. We show that when this prior information is predictive of whether a gene is associated with disease, our approach can lead to a significant increase in power. We illustrate our approach with a gene-set analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which implicates a number of gene-sets containing SOD1 and NEK1 as well as showing enrichment of small p-values for gene-sets containing known ALS genes.
3 Steady-State Kinetics

Publisher Summary There are four stages in the kinetic analysis of enzyme mechanisms. The first stage is determining the kinetic mechanism that defines the order of combination of substrates and release of products. The second stage is to determine the relative rates of the various steps in the kinetic mechanism; this is quantitative information. This includes determining whether the substrates are sticky and which are the slow steps that limit V and V/K . A number of new methods have been developed in this area, and these are described in the chapter. The third stage is to determine the chemical mechanism. It involves determining the type of acid–base chemistry as well as whether a reaction is concerted or stepwise. The fourth stage of analysis is the determination of transition state structures. Steady-state kinetics applies whenever the concentration of the substrate is well above that of the enzyme, so that the rate of change of substrate concentration greatly exceeds the rate of change of the concentration of any enzyme form.
Forced Child-Family Separations in the Southwestern US Border Under the “Zero-Tolerance” Policy: the Adverse Impact on Well-Being of Migrant Children (Part 2)

The article examines the situation of minors from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras who have been forcibly separated from their parents at the southwestern US border. It reviews international standards and national contexts regarding the rights of children and protection of families in the evolving human rights crisis. It draws from extensive research on the multidimensional effects of institutionalization and intercountry adoption, as well as the delivery of services to unaccompanied minors through refugee resettlement programs. It analyzes the well-being of this population, including their physical, emotional, psychological, and mental health, and developmental needs and socioeconomic condition. The article concludes that the zero-tolerance policy that resulted in forced family separation policy and their associated detention and resettlement practices violate the rights of children and have serious implications for the health and well-being of children and their families. It proposes recognition of well-being as a right of migrating children, which must be ensured in tandem with their safety and search for permanency to achieve the goals of the child welfare system in the USA.
Effectiveness of center-mounted airbag in far-side impacts based on THOR sled tests.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the protection offered by a center-mounted airbag in far-side impacts using the Test device for Human Occupant Restraint (THOR) anthropometric test device (AT...
Spinal cord motor neuron plasticity accompanies second-degree burn injury and chronic pain.

Burn injuries and associated complications present a major public health challenge. Many burn patients develop clinically intractable complications, including pain and other sensory disorders. Recent evidence has shown that dendritic spine neuropathology in spinal cord sensory and motor neurons accompanies central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system (PNS) trauma and disease. However, no research has investigated similar dendritic spine neuropathologies following a cutaneous thermal burn injury. In this retrospective investigation, we analyzed dendritic spine morphology and localization in alpha-motor neurons innervating a burn-injured area of the body (hind paw). To identify a molecular regulator of these dendritic spine changes, we further profiled motor neuron dendritic spines in adult mice treated with romidepsin, a clinically approved Pak1-inhibitor, or vehicle control at two postburn time points: Day 6 immediately after treatment, or Day 10 following drug withdrawal. In control treated mice, we observed an overall increase in dendritic spine density, including structurally mature spines with mushroom-shaped morphology. Pak1-inhibitor treatment reduced injury-induced changes to similar levels observed in animals without burn injury. The effectiveness of the Pak1-inhibitor was durable, since normalized dendritic spine profiles remained as long as 4 days despite drug withdrawal. This study is the first report of evidence demonstrating that a second-degree burn injury significantly affects motor neuron structure within the spinal cord. Furthermore, our results support the opportunity to study dendritic spine dysgenesis as a novel avenue to clarify the complexities of neurological disease following traumatic injury.
Actuation Dependency of Frequency Tuning in MEMS Resonators

This letter shows that active tuning of MEMS resonators through temperature is highly dependent on the actuation mechanism used, and demonstrates the adverse effects of using substrate conductive heating characterization results to predict device’s performance in their final application, where Joule heating is most likely to be used. A buckled VO2-based SiO2 tunable MEMS resonator is used in the study, where the thermal frequency stability or active tuning of the resonant frequency is thermally induced. The VO2 phase transition is triggered by substrate heating and Joule heating. When using Joule heating, the increasing strain energy during the phase transition results in a monotonic increase in resonant frequency, with a maximum resonant frequency shift of 11.9%. For substrate heating, the resonant frequency shift is non-monotonic and shows a 10.6% increase followed by a 7.8% decrease. The different frequency shift patterns that are observed for two heating mechanisms can be attributed to different stress-strain responses. [2019-0256]
How bugs are fixed: exposing bug-fix patterns with edits and nesting levels

A deep understanding of the common patterns of bug-fixing changes is useful in several ways: (a) such knowledge can help developers in proactively avoiding coding patterns that lead to bugs and (b) bug-fixing patterns can be exploited in devising techniques for automatic program repair. This work includes an in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis over 4,653 buggy revisions of five software systems. Our study identifies 38 bug-fixing edit patterns and exposes 37 new patterns of nested code structures, which frequently host the bug-fixing edits. While some of the edit patterns were reported in earlier studies, these nesting patterns are new and were never targeted before.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN – Contraception

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews current methods of contraception, their usage, advantages and disadvantages, mechanisms of action, effectiveness, and major and minor adverse side effects. The possible future methods of contraception are also discussed. Couples who desire to avoid or terminate an unwanted pregnancy, contraceptive measures and induced abortion are available. Patterns of contraceptive used vary widely around the world. Contraceptive measures either prevent fertilization or disrupt pre-embryo transport or implantation. These measures are used to prevent unwanted pregnancies. The combination pill is the most popular reversible contraceptive measure. Some other common contraceptive methods are intrauterine devices, placement of spermicides, diaphragm, surgical sterilization, or male and female condom. The ultimate contraceptive would be one that could be used by either sex, is free, never fails, is completely reversible, does not interfere with sexual activities, does not require conscientious adherence to the method, and has no adverse side effects. There is presently no contraceptive method that satisfies all of these criteria. New contraceptive measures may be developed in the future including the use of antibodies to reproductive hormones or structures, hormonal administration or barrier. An unwanted pregnancy can result from the inherent failure of a contraceptive.
On the effects of memory and topology on the controllability of complex dynamical networks

Recent advances in network science, control theory, and fractional calculus provide us with mathematical tools necessary for modeling and controlling complex dynamical networks (CDNs) that exhibit long-term memory. Selecting the minimum number of driven nodes such that the network is steered to a prescribed state is a key problem to guarantee that complex networks have a desirable behavior. Therefore, in this paper, we study the effects of long-term memory and of the topological properties on the minimum number of driven nodes and the required control energy. To this end, we introduce Gramian-based methods for optimal driven node selection for complex dynamical networks with long-term memory and by leveraging the structure of the cost function, we design a greedy algorithm to obtain near-optimal approximations in a computationally efficiently manner. We investigate how the memory and topological properties influence the control effort by considering Erdős-Renyi, Barabasi-Albert and Watts-Strogatz networks whose temporal dynamics follow a fractional order state equation. We provide evidence that scale-free and small-world networks are easier to control in terms of both the number of required actuators and the average control energy. Additionally, we show how our method could be applied to control complex networks originating from the human brain and we discover that certain brain cortex regions have a stronger impact on the controllability of network than others.
Exploring the Essay Rating Judgements of English Instructors in the Middle East

English writing is becoming increasingly crucial to university students’ academic success internationally. However, essay rating is subject to variability between raters (Cumming, Kantor, & Powers, 2002). Current research suggests that factors such as raters’ backgrounds and local assessment policies and practices complicate the essay rating experience in Middle East (ME) contexts (Latif & Haridy, 2018). This study serves as an exploratory analysis to describe the rating behaviours of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers in the ME. We focused on two contexts: English-medium universities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and Turkey. We recruited five native-English-speaking (NES) teachers from each context to participate in the study. We collected data via think-aloud-protocols (TAP) of participants rating sample essays and semi-structured interviews that covered their professional backgrounds and experiences. Findings point to commonalities across contexts, such as evaluating the connections between rubric criteria but several group-specific factors also emerged including attention being paid to different rubric criteria. Findings may help build a more comprehensive understanding of scoring decisions as a function of raters’ context and experiences in these settings.
Hinduism in America: A Convergence of Worlds: by Jeffery D. Long, New York, Bloomsbury, 2020, 304 pp., $29.95 (paperback), ISBN 1474248454

This book is as much a personal journey for Long whose first encounter with Hinduism was through George Harrison’s song, My Sweet Lord, as it is an exploration of a story of two worlds, one of Hind...
Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cell Differentiation in Cancer: Transcriptional Regulators and Enhanceosome-Mediated Mechanisms.

Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs) are a sub-population of leukocytes that are important for carcinogenesis and cancer immunotherapy. During carcinogenesis or severe infections, inflammatory mediators induce MDSCs via aberrant differentiation of myeloid precursors. Although several transcription factors, including C/EBPβ, STAT3, c-Rel, STAT5, and IRF8, have been reported to regulate MDSC differentiation, none of them are specifically expressed in MDSCs. How these lineage-non-specific transcription factors specify MDSC differentiation in a lineage-specific manner is unclear. The recent discovery of the c-Rel-C/EBPβ enhanceosome in MDSCs may help explain these context-dependent roles. In this review, we examine several transcriptional regulators of MDSC differentiation, and discuss the concept of non-modular regulation of MDSC signature gene expression by transcription factors such as c-Rel and C/EBPs.
Is Pay Too High and are Incentives Too Low? A Wealth-Based Contracting Framework

In the wake of the recent financial crisis, US executive compensation has, once again, come under fire from regulators, politicians, the financial press, the general public, and some academics. Although the critiques are varied, many identify the level of pay and performance-based incentives as two key areas of concern. And, as is often the case in the wake of a crisis, proposals have been put forward to resolve the “problems” with executive pay and incentives. A deficiency with all of these proposals, however, is the failure to articulate a framework for determining the appropriate level of executive incentives. Rather, the proposals simply discuss ways firms or regulators might get executives to hold greater incentives without identifying how one should determine whether or when an executive has enough (or too much) incentives. In this paper, we lay out an economic framework for thinking about how much performance-based incentives an executive should have. In doing this, we emphasize how performance-based incentives are linked to executive pay levels, as well as to the level of executives’ wealth. We also make clear both the benefits and costs of performance-based incentives.
Improving the rate of colorectal cancer screening with the "80% in every community" campaign.

ABSTRACT Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks third in both cancer diagnoses and cancer-related deaths in men and women in the United States. Fortunately, both incidence and deaths have declined due to the increased use of CRC screening to find and remove precancerous polyps and to diagnose CRC at earlier, more treatable stages. Deaths from CRC have shifted to a new demographic, with a recent increase in incidence of 2% per year in people younger than 55 years. The American Cancer Society has issued a qualified recommendation that screening start at the age of 45 years because of this increase in early-onset CRC. There are multiple CRC screening test options. Professional organizations vary in their screening guidelines, but regardless of these differences, screening has been shown to save lives. Currently, one out of every three adults aged 50-75 years are not screened as recommended. The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (NCRCRT) has placed a high priority on screening people who remain unscreened. Nurse practitioners can improve the screening rates in outpatient clinics and health systems by adopting the campaign, "80% in Every Community," which has a goal to reduce disparities and improve screening rates in underserved and rural populations. The NCRCRT resources will help clinics and health systems reach the screening goal of 80% in every community.
Visualization and Documentation of Capsule and Melanin Production in Cryptococcus neoformans

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen primarily targeting immunosuppressed populations in both resource-rich and resource-limited nations. Successful treatment is limited to a few antifungals that have become compromised by cryptococcal resistance, leading to intensive research seeking new drug candidates. Two distinguishing hallmarks of this species are the ability to develop a polysaccharide capsule and melanization of the fungal cells. These also act as virulence factors, protecting this pathogen in the host as well as in the environment. Here we describe two classic methods to document capsule and melanin. Although initially described and documented several decades ago, these methods remain relevant in spite of the advent of more sophisticated methodology, due in part to their simplicity and cost efficiency. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Capsule visualization by India ink counterstaining Basic Protocol 2: Assessment of melanin on solid media Alternative Protocol: Quantification of melanin production in liquid medium.
Who Owns the Data? A Systematic Review at the Boundary of Information Systems and Marketing.

This paper gives a systematic research review at the boundary of the information systems (IS) and marketing disciplines. First, a historical overview of these disciplines is given to put the review into context. This is followed by a bibliographic analysis to select articles at the boundary of IS and marketing. Text analysis is then performed on the selected articles to group them into homogeneous research clusters, which are refined by selecting "distinct" articles that best represent the clusters. The citation asymmetries between IS and marketing are noted and an overall conceptual model is created that describes the "areas of collaboration" between IS and marketing. Forward looking suggestions are made on how academic researchers can better interface with industry and how academic research at the boundary of IS and marketing can be further developed.
Compensation Models, Patient Volume, and the Pro Forma

Thirty-two percent of physicians “leave (their current position) to seek higher compensation.” Unfortunately, resident physicians and early careerists routinely enter into contractual arrangements based on the good faith produced during the recruitment process. Nevertheless, a lack of remuneration comprehension could significantly affect a physician’s expected compensation immediately upon employment or soon after. From multi-specialty groups, to partnerships, to managed care companies, to hospitals, the growing physician shortage has created a countless quantity of employment opportunities and compensation models. To ensure adequate access and tolerable call coverage, while mitigating too much financial burden born by the employer, creative compensation models have been developed. What follows are the most prevalent compensation models, their advantages, and the associated financial dangers of which you should be aware. Note: The nomenclature may change from location to location; nevertheless, the premise and the highlighted potential hazards remain consistent. This chapter will discuss the various employment models and compensation formulas that physicians of all ages might consider when they are in the position of engaging in employment contracts.
Restrictions on Foreign Investment: Developments in Japanese Law

MR. TATSUTA: Thank you, Doug. Since the age of the gods, Japan has repeatedly opened and closed its door. According to legend, sunshine returned to our ancestors when the Goddess of the Sun peeped through a crack by the rock door of a cave where she had locked herself. After three hundred years of isolation under the Shogun, Japan opened its door wide and achieved rapid modernization in the twentieth century--thanks to the advanced civilization and technologies of the Western countries.
Motivation in project-based classrooms: new measures better coupled to students' experiences

Project-Based Science (PBS) has traditionally been proposed as a comprehensive approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed, in part, to better motivate students to learn. As PBS units became more widespread in schools, initial evaluations of their impact focused primarily on documenting important learning outcomes such as performance on unit assessments and standardized exams (Herman, Mackenzie, Sherin, & Reiser, 2002). The motivational impact of PBS units is not so well documented. In particular, little has been done to study motivation across PBS units or across school years. Traditional measures of motivation, first developed primarily by educational and developmental psychologists, were essentially inherited by the learning sciences community and have not been efficient indicators of the impact of curricular innovations on student motivation. We argue for new motivation-related measures that are more closely coupled to the actual experiences of students in projects and report on our initial attempts to develop such measures.
Teaching and Learning with Mobile Computing Devices: Case Study in K-12 Classrooms

While ownership of mobile computing devices, such as cellphones, smartphones, and tablet computers, has been rapid, the adoption of these devices in K-12 classrooms has been measured. Some schools and individual teachers have integrated mobile devices to support teaching and learning. The purpose of this qualitative research was to describe the early uses of mobile computing devices in these K-12 classrooms. With data from nine purposively selected teachers, participant descriptions were developed and five themes emerged that included (a) ownership and control impacted use of mobile computing devices; (b) administrators champion teachers’ uses of mobile computing devices especially for student accountability; (c) teachers use devices to enhance their curricula and as motivation for their students; (d) teachers receive and seek out rele vant professional development; and (e) technical issues were common, but support was available. Implications of these themes are also considered.
On Stress Interaction in Fatigue and a Cumulative Damage Rule

The paper presents the underlining physical concepts as well as the results of an investigation of the interaction of repeated stress cycles of variable amplitude in producing progressive (fatigue) damage. The materials investigated were 2024 aluminum alloy and 4340 aircraft steel; and the applied load spectra were based on simplified exponential distributions of gust loads and maneuver loads, as suggested by Lundberg. The fatigue tests were performed on rotating bending fatigue machines of special design, in which randomized sequences of load amplitudes, derived from the given spectra, were applied. The results of the investigation support the proposition of a quasi-linear cumulative damage rule, deviating significantly from the simple linear (so-called Miner) rule, but equally easy to apply in design. They also demonstrate the lack of design significance of the conventional endurance limit in ferrous metals.
In vivo mutation of the alpha 2A-adrenergic receptor by homologous recombination reveals the role of this receptor subtype in multiple physiological processes.

Publisher Summary α 2 -Adrenergic receptors ( α 2 ARs) are broadly associated with inhibitory actions of norepinephrine and epinephrine. Studies with drugs designed as α 2 AR agonists and antagonists have shown that α 2 ARs participate in a wide range of central nervous system activities, including central regulation of blood pressure, sedation and analgesia, control of affect, and modulation of pituitary hormone release. In the periphery, α 2 ARs inhibit neurotransmitter release from peripheral nervous system neuronal terminals, inhibit insulin secretion by pancreatic β cells, and participate in the regulation of water and electrolyte balance in the kidney. The α 2 ARs that elicit these varied responses represent a structural and functional family of receptor subtypes defined by pharmacological measurements and molecular cloning. Interest of studies has been to establish a mouse line that expressed a mutant α 2A AR receptor with selectively altered signal transduction capabilities. Studies have shown that mutation of the highly conserved aspartate residue at position 79 in the α 2A AR to asparagine (D79N) results in a receptor that is uncoupled from a single signaling pathway. In this purpose the two-step “hit and run” gene-targeting approach is successfully used in mouse embryonic stem cells to establish a mouse line with this D79N α 2A AR mutation. Such studies reveal that the α 2A AR subtype has a role central to several of the clinically desirable effects of α 2A R agonists, suggesting that these functions cannot be separated by administering subtype-specific drugs. Null mutation of the α 2B AR subtype has revealed that this subtype mediates the increase in blood pressure immediately following α 2A R agonist administration. Thus, drugs that are selective for the α 2A AR subtype relative to the α 2B AR subtype may hold promise as improved antihypertensive agents. Sedative side effects might be eliminated if high-affinity partial agonists are developed, especially if higher receptor occupancy is needed to evoke sedation in contrast to hypotension.
Development of Monoclonal Hybridoma Cell Lines and Extracting Antibody Against Fummonisin B1

Objective : To acquire monoclonal hybridoma cell lines against fummonisin B 1 (FB 1 ) and extract monoclonal antibody against FB 1 . Methods : Coupling antigens of FB 1 -KLH and FB 1 -BSA with chemical methods and immune 6-8 weeks old female BALB/c mice with FB 1 -KLH. Integrating spleen cells with sp2/0 myeloma cells to acquire hybridoma cell lines secreting McAb against FB 1 . The method of multiple subclones was used to select cell lines stably secreting McAb. McAbs was got from ascites and purified. The subclass of antibody was measured and the molecular weight was identified. The specificity and sensitivity of McAb were identified with indirect competitive inhibition ELISA. Results : The results of serum from immuned mice showed that after five times of immunization the titer stables at 1A—10 -6 , and the McAb belongs to IgG1 subclass, the light chain was Io, the molecular weight of heavy and light chain were 55kDa and 32kDa, respectively. ELISA results showed that McAb could react with FB 1 . The linear range indirect competitive inhibition ELISA is 10-500ng/ml. Conclusion : The monoclonal hybridoma cell lines and the high specificity,high sensitivity of FB1-McAb was got.
In-Class and Out-of-Class Experiences of International Graduate Students in the United States

This qualitative case study aims to understand participants’ perceptions of In-Class and Out-of-Class experiences of graduate students in the United States. Data were collected as part of a larger mixed-methods study involving 110 participants identified by the institution’s Center for International Education. The participants consisted of 12 graduate students enrolled in doctoral degree programs in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States who represented the following countries: Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Norway, Mexico, and China. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and coded using consensual qualitative research methodology (Hill, et al. , 2005). To highlight our findings and ensure the privacy of our participants, we created three firstperson composite portraits (Rossman & Rallis, 2003). Common themes are presented with the participants’ rich descriptions. Implications and directions for future research are discussed. Key words: International students; Challenges; Benefits; Recruitment; Qualitative
Diverticulitis in HIV-infected patients within the United States.

Objectives Diverticulitis in patients on immunosuppressant therapy has been associated with increased mortality, but there are no data for HIV-infected patients. Our aim was to compare the outcomes of hospitalizations for diverticulitis in patients with and without HIV infection. Methods Cross-sectional study of hospitalizations in the United States accessed through the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. Patients hospitalized for diverticulitis in 2007–2011 were included in the analysis. The primary outcomes of interest were mortality and surgical therapy rates. Patients from 2003 to 2011 were utilized to analyse trends in prevalence. Results There were 2375 patients with HIV infection hospitalized for diverticulitis and 1 160 391 patients without HIV infection hospitalized for diverticulitis from 2007 to 2011. The patients with HIV infection were younger and more likely to be male and nonwhite (P < 0.001 for all). There were also differences in insurance types (P < 0.001) and hospitals [size (P = 0.008), type (P < 0.001) and location (P < 0.001)]. After multivariate analysis, patients with diverticulitis and HIV infection had a significantly increased in-hospital mortality rate [odds ratio (OR) 3.94 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.52–10.20)] and a lower rate of surgical intervention [OR 0.74 (95% CI 0.57–0.95)]. From 2003 to 2011, there was a linear increasing trend in the prevalence of HIV infection among patients hospitalized for diverticulitis (P < 0.001). Conclusions HIV-infected patients with diverticulitis had increased mortality and received less surgical treatment in comparison to the general population. Diverticulitis in HIV-infected patients increased in prevalence over the study period.
Evaluation of radioactive waste from rubidium-82 generators

2104 Objectives Bracco’s CardioGen-82 (Rb-82 Generator) is the only generator-based PET myocardial perfusion agent approved by the FDA. Our laboratory evaluated byproduct wastes from Rb-82 generator quality control and clinical procedures and formulated an appropriate waste disposal plan. Methods Two separate waste streams from Rb-82 generators were identified including a quality control vial waste stream and a patient effluent waste stream. Radionuclidic impurities in these waste streams, consisting of both strontium-82 (Sr-82) and strontium-85 (Sr-85), were monitored during the span of several generators using a GM survey meter with pancake probe. Radionuclidic impurity levels were calculated from generator quality control (QC) data. Appropriate disposal methods and disposal time sequence were evaluated. Results Radiation levels in both waste streams were in the range of 0.05 to 0.4 mR/hr after a decay period ranging from 28 to 56 days. As a result, the appropriate waste elimination method chosen was sanitary sewage disposal. Concentration of radionuclide impurities, calculated from QC data at time of disposal from two generators was 0.000026 μCi/mL of Sr-82 and 0.000192 μCi/mL of Sr-85 for QC vial waste and 0.000026 μCi/mL of Sr-82 and 0.000192 μCi/mL of Sr-85 for patient effluent waste, respectively. The total mean activity of radionuclide impurities, at time of disposal, was 0.106 μCi of Sr-82 and 0.803 μCi of Sr-85 with a total mean waste volume of 4340 mL. The waste disposal time was synchronized with the generator exchange to allow for sufficient radionuclide decay. Conclusions Radiation levels in Rb-82 generator waste streams were evaluated. An appropriate waste disposal method, consisting of sanitary sewage disposal, was formulated and radionuclide levels calculated. Waste disposal time was synchronized to generator exchange to allow for adequate decay
Vascular Wall Imaging by MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the arterial wall yields a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis, which can provide an early indication of cardiovascular disease risk and enables assessing the efficacy of novel cardiovascular drugs. In this overview, we address the technical requirements and the clinical relevance of vessel wall MRI. We describe the use of “black blood” imaging sequences, which are needed for good discrimination between the lumen and the artery wall. Furthermore, we discuss how multiple contrast weighted imaging can enable us to visualize components within the plaque to help us predict which plaques are prone to rupture and would cause cerebrovascular events. We also touch on the use of contrast agents for imaging biological processes in atherosclerosis. Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI performs a kinetic analysis of the uptake of gadolinium-based contrast agents in the atherosclerotic plaque and estimates the area and permeability of microvessels in the plaque. Ultra small particle iron oxide is another contrast agent that can enter the plaque where it is specifically taken up by macrophages, and thus reflects plaque macrophage content. Novel developments in this area include the employment of lipoprotein bearing contrast agents and the use of particles that contain contrast agents, as well as ligands targeting a specific molecule. In experimental studies, this “molecular imaging” approach has been proved to enable visualization of cellular and molecular targets in atherosclerosis. This can be of great use in enhancing our understanding of the atherosclerotic disease process and evaluating therapy in the future. Keywords: atherosclerosis; vessel wall; black blood imaging; multiple contrast weighted imaging; contrast enhanced MRI; molecular MRI
Training of HMM recognizers by simulated annealing

Hidden Markov models (HMM) are the basis for some of the more successful systems for continuous and discrete utterance speech recognition. One of the reasons for the success of these models is their ability to train automatically from marked speech data. The currently known forward-backward and gradient training methods suffer from the problem that they converge to a local maximum rather than to the global maximum. Simulated annealing is a stochastic optimization procedure which can escape a local optimum in the hope of finding the global optimum when presented with a system which contains many local optima. This paper shows how simulated annealing may be used to train HMM systems. It is experimentally shown to locate what appears to be the global maximum with a higher probability than the forward-backward algorithm.
Assessing Empathy: A Slumdog Questionnaire

Abstract (E): Applying recent theories of embodied cognition to Danny Boyle’s 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire , this essay contrasts Vittorio Gallese’s notion of the "shared manifold" of human experience to earlier models of identification drawn from Freudian psychology and Alvin Goldman’s simulationist theory of mind, and also proposes a fourth notion of empathy: "getting under the skin." Focusing on Slumdog ’s "blue boy" scene, which evoked strikingly different reactions from viewers around the world, this essay argues that viewer identification and empathy, while possibly universal phenomena, are simultaneously subject to cultural and historical constraints. Creating emotional bonds between viewers and filmic protagonists thus remains a complicated challenge for filmmakers aiming to reach a global audience. Abstract (F): Cet article applique les theories recentes de cognition corporelle au film Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle, 2008). Il oppose la notion du "partage multiple" de l’experience humaine ("shared manifold") de Vittorio Gallese a des modeles plus anciens bases sur le concept freudien d’identification mais aussi a la theorie simulationniste de l’esprit d’Alvin Goldman, tout en proposant une quatrieme forme d’empathie qui consiste a se « glisser sous la peau » de quelqu’un d’autre. Analysant une scene qui a suscite des reactions tres diverses parmi les spectateurs du monde entier, l’article demontre que tant l’identification que l’empathie, qui sont sans doute des phenomenes universellement partages, subissent aussi des contraintes culturelles et historiques. La production de liens emotionnels entre spectateurs et personnages reste donc un defi tres complexe pour tout realisateur desireux de toucher un public global.
Predictions for impactor contamination on Ceres based on hypervelocity impact experiments

New experiments predict that Ceres should be extensively contaminated with meteoritic debris derived from the asteroid belt. All types of impactors likely contribute to the contamination. Ceres may accrete debris more efficiently if it is ice-rich because of enhanced projectile survival and retention in porous ice targets. Experiments indicate that if a silicate regolith lag protects subsurface ice, then some of the projectile should be injected into the regolith during high-angle impacts, thereby hiding part of the projectile component from view. If impacts excavate ice, sublimation will gradually concentrate projectile relics into a surficial lag. In contrast, if the near-surface lacks ice, then accreted meteoritic debris should be distributed throughout a vertically mixed regolith. High-resolution images may reveal pristine projectile relics lining some crater floors. Moreover, we predict that the surface of Ceres is not exclusively endogenic and may be dominated by delivered exogenic debris.
Biochemical characterization of the TATA-binding protein-Gal4 activation domain complex.

It has been suggested that complexes between gene-specific activators and the TATA-binding protein (TBP) play an important role in the expression of many genes. However, few detailed studies of well defined activator-TBP complexes have been reported. An analysis of the biochemical properties of the complex formed by the acidic activation domain (AAD) of the yeast activator Gal4 and TBP is presented here. This is shown to be composed of two AAD and one TBP molecule. DNA binding experiments reveal that TATA-containing DNAs and the Gal4 AAD bind TBP competitively, suggesting that the AAD and TATA boxes recognize overlapping surfaces of TBP. The kinetics of the formation and dissociation of the AAD2-TBP complex is also probed. The impact of these findings on models for Gal4-mediated transcriptional activation is considered.
Using Climate Divisions to Analyze Variations and Trends in Alaska Temperature and Precipitation

AbstractBy extending the record of Alaskan divisional temperature and precipitation back in time, regional variations and trends of temperature and precipitation over 1920–2012 are documented. The use of the divisional framework highlights the greater spatial coherence of temperature variations relative to precipitation variations.The divisional time series of temperature are characterized by large interannual variability superimposed upon low-frequency variability, as well as by an underlying trend. Low-frequency variability corresponding to the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) includes Alaska’s generally warm period of the 1920s and 1930s, a cold period from the late 1940s through the mid-1970s, a warm period from the late 1970s through the early 2000s, and a cooler period in the most recent decade. An exception to the cooling of the past decade is the North Slope climate division, which has continued to warm. There has been a gradual upward trend of Alaskan temperatures relative to the PDO since 1920,...
Androgenic repression of hexobarbitone metabolism and action in Crl:CD‐1 (ICR)BR mice

Mice of the Crl:CD-1 (ICR)BR strain exhibit a sexual dimorphism in hexobarbitone metabolism and action. Compared to females, males have a lower Vmax and a higher Km for hepatic microsomal hexobarbitone hydroxylase. In agreement with the enzyme studies, hexobarbitone-induced sleeping times were greater for males than for females. Results from experiments measuring hexobarbitone metabolism and action in castrate, testosterone and gonadotropin-treated mice indicate that the sexual differences in drug metabolism and action found in Crl:CD-1 (ICR)BR mice are due to the normally repressive effects of testicular androgens on the activities of the hepatic mono-oxygenases. These findings are in dramatic contrast to studies with rats where it has been shown that androgens induce mono-oxygenases. Furthermore, in the case of the mouse, changes in the activity of hexobarbitone hydroxylase in response to alterations in androgen levels require weeks, while in the rat, androgenic-induced changes are apparent within a matter of days.
Phenyl lead (IV) azides—preparation, properties and infra-red spectra☆

Two stable tetravalent lead azides, triphenyl lead azide and diphenyl lead diazide have been prepared and characterized. Physical properties such as crystal morphology, infra-red spectra, X-ray diffraction, solubility and thermal behaviour are reported.
Energy loss of a relativistic ion in a plasma

The stopping power of a plasma for a relativistic heavy ion is calculated in a simplified derivation. The total contribution results from (1) individual electron scattering in the Coulomb field of the ion wherein large momentum transfers are involved and (2) small momentum transfers in which quantized plasma oscillations are excited. The resulting general formula for the stopping power is in agreement with a specialization of the results of a more elaborate treatment by Tsytovich. The nonrelativistic limit of the general formula agrees with an expression given earlier by Larkin from field-theory techniques and by the author in a Born-approximation approach. However, the general formula differs slightly in its details from that given by Hayakawa and Kitao.
Nonrandom distribution of chromosomal proteins during cell replication.

The distribution of chromatin-associated proteins in replicating Chinese Hamster ovary cells has been examined using the method described by Taichman and Freedlender (Taichman, L., and Freedlender, E.F. (1976), Biochemistry 15, 447). Cells are grown for several generations in [14C]lysine and thymidine, and then for one generation in the presence of [3H]lysine and 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrUdRib) and a further generation in cold amino acid and BrUdRib. This protocol produces equal amounts of unifilarly (heavy-light) and bifilarly (heavy-heavy) substituted DNA. Chromatin containing the two types of DNA are separated by sucrose-gradient centrifugation after ultraviolet irradiation. The results indicate that some of the chromatin proteins can segregate with the DNA strand synthesized in the same generation when the cells subsequently replicate. Using chromatin with a protein to DNA ratio of 2.6, in different experiments, 5-22% of the chromatin proteins were estimated to segregate with the appropriate DNA strand, while the remaining proteins were randomly distributed to daughter chromatin. The segregating proteins have not been specifically identified but they migrate in sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis in the region where the four smaller histones migrate.
Co-ordinated movements to avoid collisions of a twin-robot system

Abstract A method of modelling collision avoidance between separate coordinated arms in the process of changing hands is presented. The shortest distance between two forearms is chosen as the criterion for kinematic modelling. Trajectories of various geometries are classified with respect to different collision situations. Parameters to be adjusted to avoid collisions are also discussed. To illustrate the modelling technique, two redundant anthropomorphic robots are considered to cooperate in rotating a wheel.
Experimental and theoretical studies of counterflow spray diffusion flames

An experimental and theretical study is performed of the structure and extinction of counterflow diffusion flames in which heptane and methanol sprays, transported in nitrogen streams, burn in oxidizers consisting of oxygen-nitrogen mixtures richer than air. The experiments identify a vaporization plane and a reaction sheet and determine the distance between them as a function of the rate of strain. The theory predicts this distance as well as the conditions for flame extinction. Axial velocity profiles are measured by LDV to determine the strain rate at extinction just upstream of the reaction sheet in the oxidizer stream. Overall rate parameters, extracted from experimental extinction results by use of the theory, compare favorably with rate parameters derived previously from counterflow pool-burning experiments.
Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and force-plate analysis of gait in dogs with healed femora after leg-lengthening plate fixation.

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was used to measure bone mineral density of four regions in healed femora of nine dogs after fracture fixation with a leg-lengthening plate. Six to 85 months (mean, 46 months) after surgery, the bone mineral density of healed femora was not significantly different from the contralateral uninjured femora (P > .05; power = 0.8 at delta = 15%). Radiolucencies around the proximal screws, apparently associated with screw loosening, were seen on radiographic views of the healed femora of three dogs. In one of these dogs, one screw in the proximal metaphysis had broken. Force-plate analysis of gait was also performed on dogs at the time of bone mineral density measurement. Peak vertical force was decreased in the pelvic limb with the healed fracture compared with the contralateral unoperated limb (P < 0.05). Clinically apparent lameness in three dogs did not appear to be associated with altered bone mineral density and may have been caused by hip osteoarthritis, a nondisplaced hairline diaphyseal fracture, and screw loosening in conjunction with extensive post-traumatic soft tissue injury.
Guideline for disinfection and sterilization of prion-contaminated medical instruments.

From Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Health Care (both authors), and the Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina School of Medicine (both authors), Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Received November 9, 2009; accepted November 19, 2009; electronically published January 6, 2010. 2010 by The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. All rights reserved. 0899-823X/2010/3102-0001$15.00. DOI: 10.1086/650197 epidemiology of the creutzfeldtjakob disease prion
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

Study objectives Examine whether cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) improves sleep in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as nightmares, nonsleep PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, and psychosocial functioning. Design RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WITH TWO ARMS: CBT-I and monitor-only waitlist control. Setting Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. Participants Forty-five adults (31 females: [mean age 37 y (22-59 y)] with PTSD meeting research diagnostic criteria for insomnia, randomly assigned to CBT-I (n = 29; 22 females) or monitor-only waitlist control (n = 16; nine females). Interventions Eight-session weekly individual CBT-I delivered by a licensed clinical psychologist or a board-certified psychiatrist. Measurements and results Measures included continuous monitoring of sleep with diary and actigraphy; prepolysomnography and postpolysomnography and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS); and pre, mid, and post self-report questionnaires, with follow-up of CBT-I participants 6 mo later. CBT-I was superior to the waitlist control condition in all sleep diary outcomes and in polysomnography-measured total sleep time. Compared to waitlist participants, CBT-I participants reported improved subjective sleep (41% full remission versus 0%), disruptive nocturnal behaviors (based on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-Addendum), and overall work and interpersonal functioning. These effects were maintained at 6-mo follow-up. Both CBT-I and waitlist control participants reported reductions in PTSD symptoms and CAPS-measured nightmares. Conclusions Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) improved sleep in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder, with durable gains at 6 mo. Overall psychosocial functioning improved following CBT-I. The initial evidence regarding CBT-I and nightmares is promising but further research is needed. Results suggest that a comprehensive approach to treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder should include behavioral sleep medicine. Clinical trial information TRIAL NAME: Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Of Insomnia In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00881647. Registration number NCT00881647.