cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contribution of the nos-pdt Operon to Virulence Phenotypes in Methicillin-Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus

Nitric oxide (NO) is emerging as an important regulator of bacterial stress resistance, biofilm development, and virulence. One potential source of endogenous NO production in the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is its NO-synthase (saNOS) enzyme, encoded by the nos gene. Although a role for saNOS in oxidative stress resistance, antibiotic resistance, and virulence has been recently-described, insights into the regulation of nos expression and saNOS enzyme activity remain elusive. To this end, transcriptional analysis of the nos gene in S. aureus strain UAMS-1 was performed, which revealed that nos expression increases during low-oxygen growth and is growth-phase dependent. Furthermore, nos is co-transcribed with a downstream gene, designated pdt, which encodes a prephenate dehydratase (PDT) enzyme involved in phenylalanine biosynthesis. Deletion of pdt significantly impaired the ability of UAMS-1 to grow in chemically-defined media lacking phenylalanine, confirming the function of this enzyme. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that the operon organization of nos-pdt appears to be unique to the staphylococci. As described for other S. aureus nos mutants, inactivation of nos in UAMS-1 conferred sensitivity to oxidative stress, while deletion of pdt did not affect this phenotype. The nos mutant also displayed reduced virulence in a murine sepsis infection model, and increased carotenoid pigmentation when cultured on agar plates, both previously-undescribed nos mutant phenotypes. Utilizing the fluorescent stain 4-Amino-5-Methylamino-2',7'-Difluorofluorescein (DAF-FM) diacetate, decreased levels of intracellular NO/reactive nitrogen species (RNS) were detected in the nos mutant on agar plates. These results reinforce the important role of saNOS in S. aureus physiology and virulence, and have identified an in vitro growth condition under which saNOS activity appears to be upregulated. However, the significance of the operon organization of nos-pdt and potential relationship between these two enzymes remains to be elucidated.
The relative intensities of vibrational fine structure in two-photon transitions

Abstract A derivation of the relative intensities for vibrational fine structure of a two-photon transition is presented. It is found that as long as the inclusion of vibrations still leaves the transition far off resonance in one-photon, the Franck-Condon factor for a two-photon transition can be approximated by the square of the vibrational overlap between the initial and final states, just as in the one-photon case. This result lends support to the analysis of Dalby et al. on the 1 g ( 2 Π 1 2g )nsσ g ← x 1 Σ g + two-photon excitation of I2. More generally, when the far off resonance condition is not met, vibrational overlap with the expansion state need also be considered. Results of calculations on model systems are presented which explore the importance of inclusion of the expansion state vibrations in calculation of the relative intensities.
124. Optimizing Adenoviral-Based Vaccination by Combining an RGD-Modified Capsid with a Helper-Dependent Adenovirus

Replication-deficient adenoviral vectors (AdV) provide a potentially important approach to gene-based vaccination. However, several limitations have been identified with AdV vectors. The first generation of AdV vectors (FG-AdV), with the entire viral genome except for deletion of the E1/E3 regions, are replication incompetent but still express residual adenoviral genes that act as targets for anti-viral immune responses, limit antigen expression, suppress MHC expression and limit antigen-presenting cells function. Finally, since dendritic cells do not express the Coxsackie-Adenoviral Receptor (CAR), they are relatively refractory to transduction by FG-AdV, thus limiting antigen delivery and vaccination efficiency. So-called gutless or helper-dependent AdV vectors (HD-AdV), devoid of all viral genome were developed to address some of these issues. We recently evaluated HD-AdV and FG-ADV for the induction of anti-viral antibody responses and transgene-specific CTL response in a mouse vaccination model. Surprisingly, injection of 108 BFU of either vector resulted in high titers of anti-viral antibodies directed against viral capsid antigens. However, significantly higher CTL responses against the transgene antigen were induced by the HD-AdV. Next, to evaluate the impact as a cancer vaccine, mice were vaccinated with 108 BFU of HD-AdV and then challenged with a tumor expressing the transgene antigen (|[beta]|-gal). Complete tumor rejection was achieved with HD-AdV, but not by the same dose of FG-AdV and 60% higher CTL responses was induced with HD-AdV than mice vaccinated with FG-AdV.
Offshore and Onshore Wind Energy Conversion: The Potential of a Novel Multiple-Generator Drivetrain

A multiple generator drivetrain (MGD), where a single large generator in a wind turbine is replaced by multiple generators with the same or different rated powers, is proposed along with an automatic switch as an alternative to an existing MGD configuration. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons of a MGD with a conventional drivetrain are provided to better understand the advantages and disadvantages of having a MGD in wind turbines. New approaches for improving the efficiency and the reliability, expanding the operational range, and reducing the cost of a wind turbine are mentioned. A simple mathematical model for a MGD with electromagnetic clutches is developed, a novel prototype of a MGD is designed and fabricated, and experiments are conducted on the prototype. It is concluded that a multiple-generator drivetrain with generators operating individually or in parallel has a better potential of improving the efficiency and the reliability, expanding the operational range, and reducing the cost of offshore and onshore wind turbines than the existing MGD configuration.
Immunoassays and sequence-specific DNA detection on a microchip using enzyme amplified electrochemical detection

A CMOS fabricated silicon microchip was used as a platform for immunoassays and DNA synthesis and hybridization. The chip is covered with a biofriendly matrix wherein the chemistries occur. The active silicon chip has over 1000 active electrodes that can be individually addressed for both synthesis of DNA and protein attachment to a membrane on the chip surface. Additionally, the active chip can be further used for the detection of various analytes at the chip surface via digital read out resulting from the redox enzymes on the captured oligonucleotide or antibody.
White, black, or blue cops? Race and citizen assessments of police officers

Abstract Contemporary public policy presupposes that police officers should be racially representative of the areas in which they work in order to foster good police-community relations. This article examines citizen assessments of Black and White officers and preferences regarding the kind of officers they want assigned to their neighborhoods. In-depth interviews were conducted with 169 residents of three neighborhoods in Washington, DC. The findings suggest that neighborhood context influences residents' views on the behavior of White and Black officers; that African Americans' evaluations of White and Black officers often challenge the conventional wisdom; and that there is considerable support for a policy of deploying racially integrated teams of officers in Black neighborhoods.
Nitrogen balance in Iowa and the implications of corn-stover harvesting

Abstract Increased corn production and removal of corn stover for biofuel production can adversely affect water quality, soil fertility and productivity due to low nitrogen (N) use efficiency. In this study, the average annual county-level N balances in Iowa are calculated for three corn-involved rotations: corn-soybean (C-S), corn-corn-soybean (C-C-S) and continuous corn (C-C), receiving either synthetic-N or manure fertilizer under 0, 30, 50 and 75% corn stover removal scenarios. Geo-referenced data on soil, crop and livestock are used to estimate net changes in total N balance in the mineral form after accounting all soil N inflows and outflows. Under a zero stover removal scenario, a state average for net N was 34 kg ha−1 yr−1. Approximately 86% of the land area in the three corn-involved rotations receives synthetic-N fertilizer, and 24% of total synthetic-N treated land is estimated with net N of 24 kg ha−1 yr−1 (i.e., average net N for synthetic-N treated rotations) or more. Manure-treated rotations are estimated to have 2–6 times higher net N than synthetic-N treated rotations; continuous corn rotations contributing to a higher net N. The northern and central crop districts dominated by animal and corn production have higher net N. Removal of corn stover reduces net N, and synthetic-N treated rotations are estimated to be affected the most. The percentage of total synthetic-N treated rotations estimated with net N of 24 kg ha−1 yr−1 or more lowers from 24% under no stover harvesting to 3% under 75% stover (mass basis) removal scenario. Conversely, the areas with negative net N increase from 1% with no stover harvesting to 10% under 75% harvesting. This study will help prioritize the regions in which management practices that reduce nitrogen loss are most needed, and those regions most suitable from a nutrient balance standpoint for sustainable stover harvesting.
New Insights Into Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting Using a Dynamic Magnifier

This manuscript considers the design and performance of a piezoelectric vibration-based energy harvester with a dynamic magnifier (VEHDM) to a traditional single degree-of-freedom harvester (VEHS) using proper metrics. Past research has shown that the addition of the second magnifying mass can increase the peak power harvested by as much as 20 times [1] when compared to the VEHS; however, the metrics of performance comparison were not clearly defined, nor was the comparison carried at optimal loading conditions. For instance, the peak power was compared at different excitation frequencies and power not power per unit mass is used for comparison purposes. Additionally, the VEHDM is designed so that the magnifier mass and stiffness are considered independent of the primary stiffness and mass of the harvester. In this study, we determine the optimal properties of the magnifier, in terms of frequency ratios and resistance that maximizes both power and power density for a fixed frequency harmonic excitation. The optimized VEHDM is compared to a similarly optimized VEHS. Treating the magnifier as a tuned mass damper (TMD), i.e., simply adding the magnifying mass and stiffness to the optimized VEHS and then tuning the magnifier to split the resonance peak of the single mass harvester, increases the peak power harvested for mass ratios greater than one. However, the peak frequencies of excitation of the VEHS and VEHDM differ. Only at large values of the mass ratio does the excitation frequency of the VEHS and VEDHM coincide, making the VEHDM less efficient in terms of power per unit mass. Similarly, simply adding a magnifying stiffness and mass to the optimized VEHS and then tuning both the VEDHM to the VEHS’s to the same excitation frequency by changing the the uncoupled natural frequency of VEHDM’s magnifier components limits the performance of the VEDHM. In this case, the VEHDM generates the same amount of power as the VEHS. Nonetheless, the VEHS is more efficient in terms of power generated per unit mass. In order to match the single mass harvester’s power per unit mass, the optimal magnifier for the VEHDM is a rigid spring of negligible mass acting in series with the stiffness with the VEHDM’s piezoceramic element. However, significant gains in both peak power and peak power per unit mass for a fixed frequency excitation can be obtained by considering all the mass and stiffness elements in the VEHDM, while using the same piezoelectric in the VEHS.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Quantitative Phase Microscopy with Asynchronous Digital Holography System

We demonstrate a new method of measuring quantitative phase in biological materials. The method utilizes asynchronous digital holography, which uses a moving fringe created by acousto-optic modulators. Results are demonstrated on live cell samples.
Novel Copolymers of 4-Fluorostyrene. 11. Some Ring-substituted 1,1-dicyano-2-(1-naphthyl)ethylenes

Novel copolymers of trisubstituted ethylene monomers, ring-substituted 1,1-dicyano-2-(1-naphthyl)ethylenes, RC10H6CH˭C(CN)2 (where R is H, 2-OCH3, 4-OCH3) and 4-fluorostyrene were prepared by solution copolymerization in the presence of a radical initiator (ABCN) at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H and 13C-NMR. The order of relative reactivity (1/r 1) for the monomers is (5.86) > 2-CH3O (4.28) > 4-CH3O (2.87). Relatively high Tg of the copolymers in comparison with that of poly(4-fluorostyrene) indicates a decrease in chain mobility of the copolymer due to the high dipolar character of the trisubstituted ethylene monomer unit. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200–500°C range with residue (7.3–7.7% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500–800°C range.
Coordinated hydrological regimes in the Indo-Pacific region during the past two millennia

Instrumental data suggest that major shifts in tropical Pacific atmospheric dynamics and hydrology have occurred within the past century, potentially in response to anthropogenic warming. To better understand these trends, we use the hydrogen isotopic ratios of terrestrial higher plant leaf waxes ( delta D-wax) in marine sediments from southwest Sulawesi, Indonesia, to compile a detailed reconstruction of central Indo-Pacific Warm Pool (IPWP) hydrologic variability spanning most of the last two millennia. Our paleodata are highly correlated with a monsoon reconstruction from Southeast Asia, indicating that intervals of strong East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) activity are associated with a weaker Indonesian monsoon (IM). Furthermore, the centennial-scale oscillations in our data follow known changes in Northern Hemisphere climate ( e. g., the Little Ice Age and Medieval Warm Period) implying a dynamic link between Northern Hemisphere temperatures and IPWP hydrology. The inverse relationship between the EASM and IM suggests that migrations of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and associated changes in monsoon strength caused synoptic hydrologic shifts in the IPWP throughout most of the past two millennia.
Pronouns and agreement: The information status of pronominal affixes

Pronominal affixes are often assumed to represent an intermediate stage of diachronic development between independent pronouns like English he and redundant inflectional markers like English -s. The path of development would involve changes in distribution, form and function. Recently it has been proposed that pronominal affixes are functionally closer to the redundant subject agreement markers of English and German than to independent pronouns, because they cannot distinguish referentiality or definiteness. An examination of the use of pronominal affixes in connected speech in two unrelated polysynthetic languages, Central Alaskan Yup'ik Eskimo and Navajo, indicates that the affixes are actually essentially equivalent in referentiality and definiteness to the independent pronouns of English and German. Reference and definiteness are established in Yup'ik and Navajo in the same ways as in English and other languages, plus one more. Alternative constructions are used for non-referential mentions. In some cases, these systems actually show finer distinctions of referentiality and definiteness than those of English and other European languages.
Comparison of mechanical properties of Ni3Al thin films in disordered FCC and ordered L12 phases

Abstract We report the results of several experiments isolating the effect of long-range order on mechanical properties of intermetallic compounds. Kinetically disordered FCC Ni 3 Al (Ni 76%) thin films were produced by rapid solidification following pulsed laser melting. For comparison, compositionally and microstructurally identical films with ordered L1 2 structure were produced by subsequent annealing at 550°C for 2 h. These FCC and L1 2 Ni 3 Al thin films were tested by nanoindentation for hardness and Young's modulus, and the critical strain to fracture was measured by straining the substrate under four-point bending. Ni 3 Al thin films in the disordered phase were found to have nearly twice the critical strain to fracture, more than three times the fracture toughness, and about 20% lower hardness than in the ordered counterpart. Blunter crack tips and crack bridging observed in the disordered phase also illustrate increased ductility. The increased plasticity of Ni 3 Al due to chemical disorder is manifested both within the grains and at the grain boundaries. Young's moduli of the ordered and disordered materials were found to be indistinguishable.
Normative Theories of Punitive Damages: The Case of Deterrence

This essay argues that deterrence-based theories of punitive damages face difficulties that deterrence-based theories of criminal punishment and most other deterrence-based theories of private law do not face. The essay notes that deterrence-based theories of punitive damages can be distinguished from theories that justify the imposition of punitive damages based on retribution and compensation, although courts (including the U.S. Supreme Court) generally do not feel compelled to pick among theoretical justifications. This essay does not argue on behalf of any other justification; it argues against deterrence.The essay argues that it is significant that, unlike many modern deterrence theories of criminal punishment, many modern theories of punitive damages (such as Polinsky & Shavell) reject any primary significance of the mental state of the party who is liable for punitive damages. Deterrence theorists recognize that in the case of criminal sanctioning, those whom the state hopes to deter in the future must believe that the sanctions issued in the past were based on public judgments concerning the imposition and scale of the sanctions.The “common law” processes of punitive damages (e.g. punitive damages as currently practiced in the states that have not been significantly modified by statute) lack many of the features that would allow those whom the state hopes to deter in the future must to conclude that the punitive damages issued in the past were based on public judgments concerning the imposition and scale of the sanctions. This is a result of features of tort law as private redress, which are otherwise seen as hallmarks of tort law. For example, only the victim may request punitive damages, and may elect to forego them if she chooses and the factfinder, subject to state and federal constraints, is empowered to “legislate” the sanction without any of the usual inputs from both the electorate and experts that aid legislatures when promulgating a sentencing scheme.
Patch quality and context, but not patch number, drive multi-scale colonization dynamics in experimental aquatic landscapes

Colonization and extinction are primary drivers of local population dynamics, community structure, and spatial patterns of biological diversity. Existing paradigms of island biogeography, metapopulation biology, and metacommunity ecology, as well as habitat management and conservation biology based on those paradigms, emphasize patch size, number, and isolation as primary characteristics influencing colonization and extinction. Habitat selection theory suggests that patch quality could rival size, number, and isolation in determining rates of colonization and resulting community structure. We used naturally colonized experimental landscapes to address four issues: (a) how do colonizing aquatic beetles respond to variation in patch number, (b) how do they respond to variation in patch quality, (c) does patch context affect colonization dynamics, and (d) at what spatial scales do beetles respond to habitat variation? Increasing patch number had no effect on per patch colonization rates, while patch quality and context were critical in determining colonization rates and resulting patterns of abundance and species richness at multiple spatial scales. We graphically illustrate how variation in immigration rates driven by perceived predation risk (habitat quality) can further modify dynamics of the equilibrium theory of island biogeography beyond predator-driven effects on extinction rates. Our data support the importance of patch quality and context as primary determinants of colonization rate, occupancy, abundance, and resulting patterns of species richness, and reinforce the idea that management of metapopulations for species preservation, and metacommunities for local and regional diversity, should incorporate habitat quality into the predictive equation.
Duration of red-cell storage and complications after cardiac surgery

Background Stored red cells undergo progressive structural and functional changes over time. We tested the hypothesis that serious complications and mortality after cardiac surgery are increased when transfused red cells are stored for more than 2 weeks. Methods We examined data from patients given red-cell transfusions during coronary-artery bypass grafting, heart-valve surgery, or both between June 30, 1998, and January 30, 2006. A total of 2872 patients received 8802 units of blood that had been stored for 14 days or less (“newer blood”), and 3130 patients received 10,782 units of blood that had been stored for more than 14 days (“older blood”). Multivariable logistic regression with propensity-score methods was used to examine the effect of the duration of storage on outcomes. Survival was estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method and Blackstone's decomposition method. Results The median duration of storage was 11 days for newer blood and 20 days for older blood. Patients who were given older units had hig...
Characteristics of new Staphylococcus aureus-RBC adhesion mechanism independent of fibrinogen and IgG under hydrodynamic shear conditions.

Staphylococcus aureus infection begins when bacterial cells circulating in blood adhere to components of the extracellular matrix or endothelial cells of the host and initiate colonization. S. aure...
Acute rheumatic fever with Chorea

A 9-year-old girl was admitted for the recent onset of jerky, uncoordinated choreiform uncontrollable body movements that disappeared while sleeping, clumsiness (see supplementary video 1), slurred speech and episodes of uncontrollable crying.She had a history of mild sore throat 4 weeks before, followed after about 10 days by a non-pruritic, painless, erythematosus macular rash at legs gluteus …
Complete transcriptional profile of an environmental pathogen.

Evaluation of: Toledo-Arana A, Dussurget O, Nikitas G et al.: The Listeria transcriptional landscape from saprophytism to virulence. Nature 459 (7249), 950–956 (2009). Bacteria adapt to a variety of environmental conditions through changes in gene regulation and gene expression. Listeria monocytogenes is an environmental bacterium that exists as a saprophyte but is capable of transitioning into a pathogen upon ingestion by a susceptible host. In this report, Toledo-Arana et al. present the complete transcriptome of L. monocytogenes and identify a number of novel RNA regulatory elements that may facilitate bacterial adaptation to diverse environments. Their report illustrates a global coordination of transcriptional responses that takes place as the bacterium transitions from life in broth culture to life inside of an infected host.
Facial tracking with head pose estimation in stereo vision

Facial tracking is a key step for face modeling, coding and animation. In this paper we present a facial tracking method in stereo vision. We use an efficient representation of 3D face motion, consisting of global head motion and local facial deformation. Stereo vision is utilized to measure 3D coordinates of the face, the global and local motion parameters of the tracked face is solved respectively. From the 3D space to the left and right image space we employ reprojection to realize 3D tracking. Experimental results of our method are given to demonstrate its performance.
Fishes of Indiana streams: current and historic assemblage structure

We examined Indiana fish assemblages using taxonomy and ecological categories to assess temporal shifts in community structure and recent environmental relationships. Historic (1945) and recent (1996–2007) presence/absence data were compiled by subbasin and analyzed with Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) ordination and by species richness. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to test taxonomic identity and ecological category abundance data for explanation with recent (1996–2007) environmental variables. We found a decrease in assemblage heterogeneity for recent assemblages and an increase in the number of tolerant species per subbasin. Recent Indiana streams are dominated by tolerant fishes with generalist life history strategies and low functional variation. The use of ecological categories resulted in weaker relationships with environmental variables than analyses with taxonomic identities. Analyses using taxonomy resulted in strong assemblage explanation from stream size and flow variation, while analyses using ecological categories resulted in strong assemblage explanation from habitat variation in silt substrates and flow. Analyses of recent assemblage structure using ecological categories resulted in decreased assemblage variation among subbasins than in analyses using taxonomic identities. We found that fish assemblages of Indiana streams are structured primarily by habitat complexity and have been altered during the past 50 years through multiple disturbances including fragmentation, siltation, and species introductions.
Space-Time Trade-offs in the Relative Unranking of Binary Trees

The set of binary trees with n internal vertices can be totally ordered using a number of different representations. There are C n binary trees in any such order where C n denotes the nth Catalan number. Given a total order on the set of binary trees with n internal vertices and an integer i, 1 ≤ i ≤ C n , the unranking problem is to generate the binary tree whose ordinal number is i. Given a binary tree with T with ordinal number j < C n and an integer i, 1 ≤ i ≤ C n - j, a slight generalization of the unranking problem, called the relative unranking problem, is to find the binary tree with ordinal number i relative to T. The relative unranking problem is motivated by its application to computing a Steiner minimal tree in parallel. In this paper, a computationally efficient algorithm for solving the relative unranking problem is presented. The algorithm is based on a certain directed graph, called the feasible suffix graph, whose combinatorial properties are of independent interest. One of the salient features of the algorithm is that the unranking time can be traded for space. Computational experience with the algorithm is reported.
Managing the bottlenecks in parallel Gauss-Seidel type algorithms for power flow analysis

In the authors' earlier papers, the parallelization and implementations of Gauss-Seidel (G-S) algorithms for power flow analysis have been investigated on a Sequent Balance shared memory (SM) machine. In this paper, the authors generalize the idea to more general computer architectures and demonstrate how to effectively increase the speedup upper bounds of G-S algorithms by properly managing the bottlenecks on both Sequent Balance SRM and nCUBE2 distributed memory (DM) machines. For G-S algorithms, when the coloring process is used to schedule the processors, there is almost no sequential portion. Thus, the only decisive factor left, which has a direct impact on the speedup upper bound, is the synchronization overhead. Accordingly, the authors propose a new synchronization scheme which can reduce the synchronization overhead on the Sequent Balance machine, Also, on the nCUBE2 machine, a new clustered G-S algorithm is proposed and implemented. The algorithm carefully schedules their processors, computational loads and communication overheads for the best performance. In addition, the synchronization overheads and speedup upper bounds on both machines are analyzed in terms of power system size and number of processors. The competitiveness of G-S type algorithms is also discussed. >
Changes in energy metabolism, structure and function in alveolar macrophages under anaerobic conditions.

Summary. To determine whether the change in energy metabolism of guinea-pig alveolar macrophages (AM) would alter their function to resemble peritoneal macrophages (PM), AM were exposed to strict anaerobic environments for 96 h. Exposure of cultivated AM to hypoxic conditions resulted in a decreased activity of cytochrome oxidase, a key enzyme in oxidative phosphorylation, whereas pyruvate kinase activity, a key enzyme in glycolysis, increased to levels observed in PM. Under hypoxic conditions the total mitochondrial structure available for respiratory activity also decreased in the glycolytic energy-dependent AM. Accompanying the shift in energy metabolism, adaptive changes in the functional responses of lectin-receptor activity occurred in the AM exposed to hypoxic conditions. Culture of AM in an anaerobic environment led to a loss in their ability to mobilize their lectin receptors in response to cytochalasin B, whereas AM maintained in an aerobic environment could mobilize their receptors in response to either cytochalasin B and D. Alterations in O2 tension affect AM metabolism, morphology and function and indicate that the AM is able to change its energy metabolism according to environmental circumstances.
Modeling salient nursing care to bridge classroom to clinical

It is not possible to expose nursing students to all aspects of nursing practice while in school; educators must be creative to bridge the gap between classroom teaching and clinical practice. This qualitative study uses faculty made videos that model salient nursing care for students in the classroom setting followed by a structured debriefing session. The aim of the study is to analyze nursing student’s perceptions of this method of teaching. Bandura’s Social Learning Theory guides the study. Three themes emerge from viewing the videos and debriefing: the videos reinforce the learning; visual learning is valuable, and debriefing after the video is essential. Additionally, students enthusiastically support the method to enhance their learning.
The Estuary's Gift: An Atlantic Coast Cultural Biography

The Estuary's Gift: An Atlantic Coast Cultural Biography. David Griffith. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1999. 196 pp.
The Importance of Mineral Filler on Construction Specifications

Studies have been conducted to date to demonstrate how the dust content in hot-mix-asphalt (HMA) should be accounted for in construction specifications. It may be detrimental to pavement performance if a high change in the dust content from the actual target value is not captured during HMA production. A study was conducted to determine whether the present composite pay factor (CPF) in Florida reflects the laboratory predicted loss in cracking performance. Resilient modulus, creep and strength tests, along with the University of Florida fracture mechanics model were used on 18 Superpave mixtures. Based on the analysis conducted, it was found that the current CPF in Florida did not reflect the expected loss in performance. The results showed that a 2% increase in dust can be at least as or more detrimental than 0.7% reduction in the asphalt content. However, this was not reflected in the weighted factor assigned to dust in the CPF equation. In this research, a framework to identify performance-based accept...
A Review of Public Policy Issues in Promoting the Development and Commercialization of Pharmacogenomic Applications: Challenges and Implications

This article reviews the regulatory, social, policy, and other issues that will shape the development of pharmacogenomics applications. We identify and analyze 19 key public policy issues, ranging from the economic incentives for linked diagnostic-drug development, to the regulation of tests and drugs, and to privacy and informed consent. Challenging technical, business, and policy-related issues might either hinder progress in the field of pharmacogenomics or potentially accelerate it, depending on how they are addressed and resolved. How well the numerous important stakeholders - both private and public - address these issues will be critical for pharmacogenomics to deliver on its promise.
Effect of sequence and metal ions on UVB-induced anti cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer formation in human telomeric DNA sequences

Irradiation of G-quadruplex forming human telomeric DNA with ultraviolet B (UVB) light results in the formation of anti cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) between loop 1 and loop 3 in the presence of potassium ions but not sodium ions. This was unexpected because the sequences involved favor the nonphotoreactive hybrid conformations in K(+) solution, whereas a potentially photoreactive basket conformation is favored in Na(+) solution. To account for these contradictory results, it was proposed that the loops are too far apart in the basket conformation in Na(+) solution but close enough in a two G-tetrad basket-like form 3 conformation that can form in K(+) solution. In the current study, Na(+) was still found to inhibit anti CPD formation in sequences designed to stabilize the form 3 conformation. Furthermore, anti CPD formation in K(+) solution was slower for the sequence previously shown to exist primarily in the proposed photoreactive form 3 conformation than the sequence shown to exist primarily in a nonphotoreactive hybrid conformation. These results suggest that the form 3 conformation is not the principal photoreactive conformation, and that G-quadruplexes in K(+) solution are dynamic and able to access photoreactive conformations more easily than in Na(+) solution.
Instrumental Variable Treatment of Nonclassical Measurement Error Models

While the literature on nonclassical measurement error traditionally relies on the availability of an auxiliary data set containing correctly measured observations, we establish that the availability of instruments enables the identification of a large class of nonclassical nonlinear errors-in-variables models with continuously distributed variables. Our main identifying assumption is that, conditional on the value of the true regressors, some “measure of location” of the distribution of the measurement error (e.g., its mean, mode, or median) is equal to zero. The proposed approach relies on the eigenvalue–eigenfunction decomposition of an integral operator associated with specific joint probability densities. The main identifying assumption is used to “index” the eigenfunctions so that the decomposition is unique. We propose a convenient sieve-based estimator, derive its asymptotic properties, and investigate its finite-sample behavior through Monte Carlo simulations.
Natural history of multiple sclerosis

The natural history of multiple sclerosis (MS) has been reviewed extensively. Since the introduction of disease-modifying treatments, such as interferon-β, glatiramer acetate, and mitoxantrone, study of the natural history has become more than an academic issue as it influences the decision as to whether or not and when to initiate long-term treatments. Current understanding of MS pathogenesis suggests that axonal damage starts early in MS and that early intervention promises the benefit of preventing long-term disability. Clinical trials of MS are limited in duration given the time over which disability develops. Long-term benefit from these treatments remains to be established. Long-term benefit with minimal toxicity is optimized by treating patients who are at highest risk for an adverse outcome and are most likely to respond.
Treatment of chronic hepatitis B: A need for consensus

Chronic hepatitis B infection is a serious health threat in the Asia-Pacific area. A consensus meeting on the treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection was conducted in Hong Kong, in August 1997. It was generally agreed that treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection should be based on the understanding of the natural history of chronic hepatitis B infection. To date, interferon α is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved form of therapy for chronic hepatitis B infection. The overall response in Asian patients is unsatisfactory: approximately 15-20% will clear hepatitis B e antigen, but less than 5% will clear hepatitis B surface antigen. Newer immunomodulatory therapies are under trial. In contrast, nucleoside analogues, such as lamivudine (pending FDA approval) and famciclovir, have been shown to be potent suppressors of hepatitis B viral replication; however, their role as monotherapy in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection remains to be defined. Also, the issues of resistance to nucleoside analogues and withdrawal rebound need to be carefully studied. The future direction of therapy in chronic hepatitis B infection is probably a combination of nucleoside analogues or nucleoside analogues with immunomodulatory therapy.
Flexural Stiffness of Myosin Va Subdomains as Measured from Tethered Particle Motion

Myosin Va (MyoVa) is a processive molecular motor involved in intracellular cargo transport on the actin cytoskeleton. The motor’s processivity and ability to navigate actin intersections are believed to be governed by the stiffness of various parts of the motor’s structure. Specifically, changes in calcium may regulate motor processivity by altering the motor’s lever arm stiffness and thus its interhead communication. In order to measure the flexural stiffness of MyoVa subdomains, we use tethered particle microscopy, which relates the Brownian motion of fluorescent quantum dots, which are attached to various single- and double-headed MyoVa constructs bound to actin in rigor, to the motor’s flexural stiffness. Based on these measurements, the MyoVa lever arm and coiled-coil rod domain have comparable flexural stiffness (0.034 pN/nm). Upon addition of calcium, the lever arm stiffness is reduced 40% as a result of calmodulins potentially dissociating from the lever arm. In addition, the flexural stiffness of the full-length MyoVa construct is an order of magnitude less stiff than both a single lever arm and the coiled-coil rod. This suggests that the MyoVa lever arm-rod junction provides a flexible hinge that would allow the motor to maneuver cargo through the complex intracellular actin network.
Measuring Medicaid Physician Participation Rates and Implications for Policy

Policy makers continue to debate Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, and concerns remain about low provider participation in the program. However, there has been little research on how various measures of physician participation may reflect different elements of capacity for care within the Medicaid program and how these distinct measures correlate with one another across states. Our objectives were to describe several alternative measures of provider participation in Medicaid using recently publicly available data, to compare state rankings across these different metrics, and to discuss potential advantages and disadvantages of each measure for research and policy purposes. Overall, we find that Medicaid participation as measured by raw percentages of physicians taking new Medicaid patients is only weakly correlated with population-based measures that account for both participation rates and the numbers of physicians per capita or physicians per Medicaid beneficiary. Participation rates for all physicians versus primary care physicians also offer different information about state-level provider capacity. Policy makers should consider multiple dimensions of provider access in assessing policy options in Medicaid, and further research is needed to evaluate the linkages between these provider-based measures and beneficiaries' perceptions of access to care in the program.
History Education and the Use of Simulation/Games

History as a discipline has been made a sine qua non of precollege and university lower division schooling in order to foster proper citizenship in prospective new members of a society. In performing this task history has helped develop ethnocentric biases in young minds. The use of person-computer simulation may help students overcome the pitfalls of history education and acquire a sense of global interdependence.
Locally enhanced surface plasmons and modulated “hot-spots” in nanoporous gold patterns on atomically thin MoS2 with a comparison to SiO2 substrate

Plasmonic phenomena in metals have garnered significant scientific and technological interest in the past decade. Despite many promising applications based on plasmonics, one remaining challenge is to control the surface geometry or morphology of the metallic structures, which can significantly affect the plasmonic properties of nanostructures. Here, we report the morphological modulation of gold (Au) nanopatterns on atomically thin layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), compared to Au nanopatterns grown on SiO2/Si substrate. We have used electron energy loss spectroscopy in a scanning transmission electron microscope to probe the locally enhanced surface plasmons in nanoporous Au patterns grown on SiO2/Si substrate as well as on single- and few-layer MoS2 flakes. Thin flakes of MoS2 as substrates significantly influence the morphology of Au patterns, which locally alters the plasmonic behavior. Features such as nanoscale pores exhibit plasmon localization with strong near fields, akin to “hot spots.” Bound...
Frustrating a quantum magnet

Being able to determine the ground state of a frustrated quantum magnet has been a long-sought goal in condensed matter physics. In general, frustration results from the inability to achieve a desired outcome. In solid-state systems, frustration can arise in relation to electron spin, one of an electron's degrees of freedom. The antiferromagnetic (AFM) interaction between electron spins means that the spins minimize their energy by orienting opposite to their neighbors. For example, if spin A was “up,” spin B would be “down,” antiparallel to spin A. However, introducing the third spin, as in an antiferromagnetically coupled equilateral triangle of electron spins, presents frustration (see the figure, panel A). Here, spin C cannot simultaneously satisfy the up-down interactions with spins A and B. Because spin C cannot achieve its “desired outcome” of being oppositely aligned with both its nearest neighbors, it is “frustrated.” On page 655 of this issue, Fu et al. ( 1 ) investigate the ground state of such a system by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to measure the intrinsic low-energy spin excitation of the ideal frustrated quantum magnet ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2.
CONTEXT OF VULNERABILITY OF GBM: DESCRIPTIVE GENOMICS LEADING TO EMPIRIC THERAPEUTICS

BACKGROUND: The goal of genomics enabled medicine is to understand how specific molecular pathology of an individual tumor informs therapy tailored to specific vulnerabilities. Exploiting large datasets of human glioblastoma (GBM) and relevant, molecularly-profiled preclinical models enables an iterative learning-loop by which such profiling can produce hypotheses of effective, targeted treatment. Genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic profiling of glioblastoma enables depiction of driver-passenger relationships of molecular events among subgroupings of cases of the disease. The present study queries genomic profiles of GBM (TCGA) as well as a panel of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. Predictions of targets, and targeted drugs effective against those targets are tested empirically using short-term cultures of GBM PDX models. METHODS: Datamining of TCGA GBM combined with similar genomic profiling of a panel of orthotopic GBM PDX models establishes a data warehouse for discovery of subsets of the disease. These subsets, defined by driver-passenger relationships, partition GBM cases into discreet clusters, which enable follow-on bioinformatic queries for nodes of vulnerability. Short-term cultures of GBM PDX models afford testing cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and differentiation responses to a collection of annotated chemical entities characterized as inhibition a wide spectrum of cancer-related targets (n = 600), establishing a “chemical biology fingerprint” of GBMs of distinct contexts. The chemical biology fingerprints can be mapped against the genomic profiling to find and prioritize candidate therapeutic targets matched to the molecular profile. RESULTS: Human GBM profiling bins tumors into molecular contexts based on driver-passenger relationships; GBM PDX models reside in the same or analogous contexts as primary tumor samples. Within such contexts, biochemical signaling and pathway functions portray associated distinct prioritized candidate targets, which align to varying degrees with Chemical Biology Fingerprints (CBFs). CONCLUSIONS: Multi-omics characterization of human GBM uncovers subclusters of the disease with distinct and unique chemovulnerabilities. Single- and multi-agent studies will afford matching effective interventions tailored to individual tumors. Supported by NIH NCI U01CA168397. SECONDARY CATEGORY: Tumor Biology.
The dimensions of life quality in a community

In this study the dimensions of the quality of life construct were investigated; 454 residents of a large suburban community were asked questions on life changes, psychiatric distress, happiness, and effective participation in life concerns. Selected variables from this survey were factor-analyzed in order to define the dimensions of life quality and six demographic variables; age, sex, marital status, education, income, and religious participation were studied to see how they influenced those dimensions. The results of the analysis revealed that life quality is measurable in terms of a person's happiness, his community participation, and his preferences, answering three major questions that person may pose for himself: (1) How well do I like the life I lead? (2) In what meaningful ways do I spend my time? (3) Why? Each of the six demographic variables influenced these dimensions. Marital status and age, two life-cycle statistics, had the most powerful effects on quality-of-life ratings.
Introduction, Recovery, and Limited Establishment of Coleophora klimeschiella (Lepidoptera: Coleophoridae) on Russian Thistles, Salsola australis, in Southern California

Although case-bearing leafmining larvae of Coleophora klimeschiella Toll were released on Russian thistles, Salsola australis R. Brown (Chenopodiaceae), at 13 locations in southern California during 1977–85, this biological control agent remained tenuously established at only one site by late 1986. Neither insectary-reared or field-collected stocks released in field cages or in the open in numbers of 100–600 per site appeared to foster colony establishment. Poor host-plant adaptation as well as predation and parasitism by indigenous natural enemies are identified as possible sources of biotic resistance to the establishment of this imported insect. The predator, Phylobacnus atriplexus (Foster) (Coleoptera: Cleridae), and the primary parasite, Macroneura sp. (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae), found attacking C. klimeschiella , also are known from gall-midge hosts on native saltbushes ( Atriplex spp., also Chenopodiaceae).