cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Glaucoma-Associated Olfactomedin Domain of Myocilin Forms Polymorphic Fibrils That Are Constrained by Partial Unfolding and Peptide Sequence

The glaucoma-associated olfactomedin domain of myocilin (myoc-OLF) is a recent addition to the growing list of disease-associated amyloidogenic proteins. Inherited, disease-causing myocilin variants aggregate intracellularly instead of being secreted to the trabecular meshwork, which is a scenario toxic to trabecular meshwork cells and leads to early onset of ocular hypertension, the major risk factor for glaucoma. Here we systematically structurally and biophysically dissected myoc-OLF to better understand its amyloidogenesis. Under mildly destabilizing conditions, wild-type myoc-OLF adopts non-native structures that readily fibrillize when incubated at a temperature just below the transition for tertiary unfolding. With buffers at physiological pH, two main endpoint fibril morphologies are observed: (a) straight fibrils common to many amyloids and (b) unique micron-length, ~300 nm or larger diameter, species that lasso oligomers, which also exhibit classical spectroscopic amyloid signatures. Three disease-causing variants investigated herein exhibit non-native tertiary structures under physiological conditions, leading to a variety of growth rates and a fibril morphologies. In particular, the well-documented D380A variant, which lacks calcium, forms large circular fibrils. Two amyloid-forming peptide stretches have been identified, one for each of the main fibril morphologies observed. Our study places myoc-OLF within the larger landscape of the amylome and provides insight into the diversity of myoc-OLF aggregation that plays a role in glaucoma pathogenesis.
New equations for management

Research produces needed facts. Men planning the course of today's industry need facts. They need dimensional facts from the laboratory and pilot plant; and they need facts on the human element in industry--the customer, the worker, and the executive.
Charge Recombination Process in X-Ray Irradiated Pyrene-Doped Polystyrene as Studied by Optically Detected Electron Spin Resonance and Magnetic Field Dependence of the Recombination Fluorescence

The ODESR spectrum and magnetic field dependence on recombination fluorescence were observed for X-ray irradiated pyrene-doped polystyrene at temperatures of 242—348 K. The ODESR intensity as a function of the pyrene concentration, 0.1—8.9 wt%, showed an unusual minimum at about 1.0%. Two phases were separated in the magnetic field dependence of the fluorescence: one was sharp and saturates at fields of over 50 mT, while the other was broad with a dip at around 60—150 mT. The cause of this dip was naturally attributed to the ST−1 level crossing. The sharp magnetic field effect also showed a minimum at around a concentration of 1.0 wt%. These novel findings have been interpreted using a recombination model modified from the previous one for pyrene-doped ethylene–propylene rubber and polyethylene. The essential points of the present model are: (1) although electron hopping within the polystyrene molecule is rapid, electron transfer at the last step of recombination between the polystyrene anion and the pyre...
Fossil gap analysis supports early Tertiary origin of trophically diverse avian orders

Recent molecular studies have cited the general incompleteness of the fossil record to support claims that most extant avian orders diverged in the mid-Cretaceous, some 40 m.y. before their first fossil appearances in the early Cenozoic. To evaluate these assertions, I used gap analysis to estimate confidence intervals for the beginnings of the observed stratigraphic ranges for the related extant avian orders Strigiformes (owls), Caprimulgiformes (goatsuckers), and Apodiformes (swifts, hummingbirds), and for the origin of the common ancestor to this larger megaclade. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals for the origins of these groups extend no more than 2 m.y. before the Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary and are contained within the Paleocene for strigiforms, apodiforms, and the common ancestor to the megaclade. The confidence level that these orders diverged from a common ancestor after the K-T boundary exceeds 99%. Thus, the quality of the fossil record is consistent with the classical view that trophically diverse extant bird orders arose and diversified rapidly following the widespread extinction of other terrestrial groups at the K-T boundary.
The Metabolism of Neurons and Astrocytes Through Mathematical Models

Mathematical modeling of the energy metabolism of brain cells plays a central role in understanding data collected with different imaging modalities, and in making predictions based on them. During the last decade, several sophisticated brain metabolism models have appeared. Unfortunately, the picture of the metabolic details that emerges from them is far from coherent: while each model has its justification and is in agreement with some experimental data, some of the predictions of different models can diverge from each other significantly. In this article, we review some of the recent published models, emphasizing similarities and differences between them to understand where the differences in predictions stem from. In that context we present a probabilistic approach, which rather than assigning fixed values to the model parameters, regard them as random variables whose distributions are inferred on in the light of stoichiometric information and different observations. The probabilistic approach reveals how much intrinsic variability a metabolic system may contain, which in turn may be a valid explanation of the different findings.
Who is "the IT workforce"?: challenges facing policy makers, educators, management, and research

Despite over six decades of research on the role and definition of the IT workforce, there remain numerous, and often contradictory, definitions related to the identity of this group. The IT workforce is made up of IT professionals, computer scientists, software developers, and business professionals trained in MIS, as well as various occupational sub-categories in organizations including programmer, analyst, network specialist, and project manager, to name only a few. Despite this, some researchers, funding organizations, and practitioners refer to the "IT workforce" as if this term represents a homogeneous group of individuals that is clearly defined and understood. Our findings contradict this assumption, and raise a number of challenges for management, researchers, policy makers, educators, and funding agencies. We argue that a clear definition of the IT workforce would assist at all levels, and might bring some additional clarity to training, hiring, and retention issues.
Complex Flexor and Extensor Tendon Injuries

Complex hand injuries are those that involve significant soft-tissue loss with variable exposure of bones and/or joints, lacerated tendons, and neurovascular structures. Management of these injuries is optimally accomplished through the restoration of thin, pliable, ideally sensate tissue with reliable vascularity and a gliding surface to facilitate restoration of motion after repair. Unfortunately, optimal restoration may require complex surgical reconstruction and/or staged surgical procedures. This article presents an overview of some of the more commonly used options available to the reconstructive surgeon willing to tackle these difficult clinical cases.
Nonlocal Dielectric Effects in Core−Shell Nanowires†

We study the optical spectra and near fields of core−shell nanowires (nanoshells), using a recently developed finite-difference method that allows for a spatially nonlocal dielectric response. We first analyze the parameters of the nonlocal model by making comparisons with related experimental data and previous theoretical work. We then investigate how nonlocal effects are dependent on nanoshell features, such as shell thickness, overall size, and the ratio of core radius to shell radius. We demonstrate that the shell thickness along the longitudinal direction of the incident light is the primary controlling factor of nonlocal effects, which appear as anomalous absorption resonances and blueshifts in the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) positions, relative to local theory. In addition, we show that the amount of blueshift depends on the order of the LSPR. The optical responses of nanoshells immersed in various refractive index (RI) environments are also studied. We show that the nonlocal anomalo...
Advanced failure analysis of photon emission on FEOL failing of 45nm technology node

Global failure analysis techniques are very critical in the failure site isolation, especially continuous scaling down IC device. Active photon probing is most dominant technique of the global failure analysis technique. In this paper, two real case of the 45nm technology node was studied. Both of the unit failed in the FEOL. Thermally-induced Voltage Alteration (TIVA) and Light-induce Voltage Alteration (LIVA) were performed on the failed device. Detailed analysis on the difference and nature of TIVA and LIVA were studied in this real case. TEM and EDX result also confirm the electrical FA result.
A Dream Attained or Deferred? Examination of Production and Placement of Latino Administrators.

More work is needed to engage the talents and empower Latino students to reach their full academic potential. We suggest that one potential cause for Latino student underperformance is the underrepresentation of Latino school leaders. Research suggests that school leaders who understand the cultural background and lived experiences of students tend to be more effective in improving student outcomes. This study explores the production and placement of Latino school leaders in Texas over two decades, and whether Latino educators who have obtained principal certification are as likely as their White peers to obtain a school leadership position.
Lithe: enabling efficient composition of parallel libraries

For the software industry to take advantage of multicore processors, we must allow programmers to arbitrarily compose parallel libraries without sacrificing performance. We argue that high-level task or thread abstractions and a common global scheduler cannot provide effective library composition. Instead, the operating system should expose unvirtualized processing resources that can be shared cooperatively between parallel libraries within an application. In this paper, we describe a system that standardizes and facilitates the exchange of these unvirtualized processing resources between libraries.
TECHNICAL NOTE---Procurement Strategies with Unreliable Suppliers

We propose and analyze a general periodic-review model in which the firm has access to a set of potential suppliers, each with specific yield and price characteristics. Assuming that unsatisfied demand is backlogged, the firm incurs three types of costs: (i) procurement costs, (ii) inventory-carrying costs for units carried over from one period to the next, and (iii) backlogging costs. A procurement strategy requires the specification, in each period, of (i) the set of suppliers to be retained, (ii) their respective shares in this period's replenishments, as well as (iii) the traditional aggregate order placed (among the various suppliers). We show how the optimal procurement strategy can be obtained with an efficient algorithm. A base-stock policy is no longer optimal, but in each period there exists a maximum inventory level, such that orders are placed if and only if the starting inventory is below this threshold. In each period it is optimal to retain a given number of suppliers that are cheapest in terms of that period's effective cost rates, i.e., the expected cost per usable unit. The optimal number of suppliers to be retained in a given period depends on all current and future parameters and distributions, but this dependence can be aggregated into a single so-called benchmark cost measure. Under Normal yield and demand distributions, the suppliers' market shares are determined by a single aggregate score, itself the product of a simple reliability score and a cost score.
Pisces: An Environment for Parallel Scientific Computation

The Pisces 1 virtual machine retains sequential programming characteristics, yet allows for experimentation with the parallel languages that will drive the supercomputers of the 1990s.
Family Matters: Perceptions of Fairness Among Incarcerated Women

Perceptions of fairness affect how social actors behave and think. Incarcerated women perceive varying degrees of fairness in terms of their prison experiences and with respect to legal institutions that address family and related matters. The authors analyze census survey data produced by women in prison and during small group interviews with mothers in prison to examine how the law is understood by them, focusing on perceptions of fairness. All told, women perceive that when it comes to family matters, they are treated fairly within prison, yet they perceive injustices by the legal system. The authors conclude the article by proposing that women, to be reasonable parents once they leave prison, require transition programs, such as Reentry Court programs, that are comprehensive and gender sensitive.
Octave Spanning 1 GHz Ti:sapphire Oscillator For HeNe CH4-based Frequency Combs and Clocks

In this paper, we demonstrate a greatly improved octave spanning 1 GHz Ti:sapphire laser (Fortier, 2006) using the most broadband double-chirped mirror pairs, optimized Kerr-Lens modelocking (KLM) and an optimized output coupler. As a result the laser generates, at 9 W of pump power, 0.6 W-1 W of output power with an output spectrum of more than one octave as measured on a linear scale. The spectrum corresponds to a Fourier limited pulse of 3.5 fs duration. Second harmonic generation with this output in 1mm BBO directly generates 1f-2f beatnotes for carrier-envelop phase stabilization with >55 dB signal-to-noise (SNR) in 100 kHz bandwidth, and by difference frequency generation (DFG) in a 5 mm long PPLN radiation at 3.39 mum is generated. The 3.39 mum radiation is strong enough to result in a beatnote with a single frequency HeNe reference laser of 30 dB. This laser will serve as the clockwork of a HeNe CH4-based molecular clock (Foreman, 2005) with a measured Allan variance approaching 10~14 in 100 s and as an absolute femtosecond laser frequency comb for an optical arbitrary waveform generator.
Mineralocorticoid receptor blockade: new insights into the mechanism of action in patients with cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: aldosterone, cortisol, systolic left ventricular dysfunction, heart failure, myocardial infarction Abstract Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) blockade is effective in reducing total mortality and the incidence of heart failure in patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction (SLVD) associated with chronic heart failure or post myocardial infarction. Pre-clinical and clinical studies in SLVD have shown that MR blockade reduces sudden cardiac death, left ventricular remodelling, left ventricular hypertrophy, endothelial dysfunction, autonomic imbalance, renal dysfunction and improves fibrinolysis. While MR blockade promotes sodium excretion and the combination of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and a MR blocker have been shown to be more effective than either alone in causing natriuresis, it is unlikely that their beneficial effects can be explained solely on this basis. Aldosterone has been shown to have a number of adverse effects, including activation of other neurohumeral mediators, stimulation of active reactive oxygen species (ROS), activation of the NF-κβ and AP-1 signalling pathways, vascular inflammation and fibrosis, myocardial hypertrophy, autonomic imbalance, and a decrease in fibrinolysis. MR blockade is, however, effective both in situations with and without an increase in serum aldosterone level, since the MR can be occupied and activated by cortisol as well as by aldosterone. In view of these mechanisms, MR blockade may play an important role not only on SLVD, but also in essential hypertension with normal systolic function, diastolic heart failure, valvular heart disease, vascular stiffening with ageing, progression of renal disease, and diabetes mellitus. This hypothesis will, however, require further prospective evaluation.
Presidential address: Generations apart--bridging the generational divide in vascular surgery.

It is with humility and great honor that I stand before you today as the President of the Eastern Vascular Society. This Society has a very special place in my heart. I have been associated with the Eastern Vascular Society since its inception, and I have attended every one of its seventeen annual meetings. From my association with the Eastern Vascular I have gained much more than knowledge in cutting-edge techniques, useful clinical studies, and intriguing scientific observations. I have developed relationships, friendships, and a sense of belonging that I have enjoyed greatly and that I will treasure for years to come. The Eastern Vascular Society was founded in 1987 by leaders of vascular surgery on the East Coast of the United States, and rapidly became the largest regional society in terms of total membership. Many of the founders of the Eastern Vascular became presidents of the Society, colleagues I consider mentors and role models. The experience and hard work of these national leaders and their established groups provided an immediate source of excellent clinical and scientific presentations that played an essential role in the continued success of our annual meeting. We still maintain the original format of high-quality presentations followed by discussions informal enough to allow any member or attendee to discuss a paper or present his or her experience, a situation that many find awkward in the forum of a meeting of a national society. I do not think anyone highlighted the importance of such a discourse better than William Osler did in the Maryland Medical Journal in 1897:
Regulation of somatic growth and the somatotropic axis by gonadal steroids: primary effect on insulin-like growth factor I gene expression and secretion.

The site-specific regulation of somatic growth by sex steroids is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on somatic growth and pituitary GH and hepatic insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) secretion and synthesis in the adult female rat. Animals (200-250 g) underwent sham surgery or bilateral ovariectomy. Some ovariectomized (OVX) rats were given sc implants that provided almost physiological female E2 (OVX/E2) and male DHT (OVX/DHT) levels. Animals were killed 3, 7, 14, and 26 days later. Body weight gain was calculated, and pituitary GH content, pituitary GH messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, plasma GH, and circulating IGF-I concentrations were measured. Levels of hepatic IGF-I mRNA were measured at 26 days. Ovariectomy increased body weight gain (P < 0.001) in parallel with a significant elevation in plasma IGF-I (P < 0.001). Replacement of E2 markedly suppressed somatic growth (P < 0.001), plasma IGF-I conce...
'Lymphocyte-defined' antigens on corneal fibroblasts.

Human stromal (fibroblast) cultures were established from random, normal corneas obtained from the International Eye Bank in Baltimore. Cultures were assessed for the expression of Class I, Class II, monocyte/granulocyte and T-cell antigens before and after treatment with gamma or alpha interferon (IFN), interleukin 2, and 4 beta-phorbol 12 beta-myristate 13 alpha-acetate (PMA). Class I (B2 microglobulin) and monocyte/granulocyte (Leu M-1) antigens were evident before induction, natural killer cell (Leu 7) antigens were transiently expressed, and Class II (HLA-DR, Leu 10) antigens were not expressed until after induction with gamma IFN. PMA reduced the numbers of cells positive for Leu M-1 while alpha IFN and interleukin 2 had no effect on antigen expression. Kinetic studies of HLA-DR induction indicated that as little as 12 hours exposure to gamma IFN was sufficient to initiate induction and that 30% of the population was still expressing HLA-DR 7 days after removal of gamma IFN. The inducible expression...
Node capture attacks in wireless sensor networks: A system theoretic approach

In this paper we address the problem of physical node capture attacks in wireless sensor networks and provide a control theoretic framework to model physical node capture, cloned node detection and revocation of compromised nodes. By combining probabilistic analysis of logical key graphs and linear control theory, we derive a dynamical model that efficiently describes network behavior under attack. Using LQR and LQG optimal control theory tools, we develop a network response strategy, which guarantees secure network connectivity and stability under attack. Detailed simulations are presented to validate the methodology.
Medicare’s Bundled Payment Pilot For Acute And Postacute Care: Analysis And Recommendations On Where To Begin

In the National Pilot Program on Payment Bundling, a subset of Medicare providers will receive a single payment for an episode of acute care in a hospital, followed by postacute care in a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility, the patient’s home, or other appropriate setting. This article examines the promises and pitfalls of bundled payments and addresses two important design decisions for the pilot: which conditions to include, and how long an episode should be. Our analysis of Medicare data found that hip fracture and joint replacement are good conditions to include in the pilot because they exhibit strong potential for cost savings. In addition, these conditions pose less financial risk for providers than other common ones do, so including them would make participation in the program more appealing to providers. We also found that longer episode lengths captured a higher percentage of costs and hospital readmissions while adding little financial risk. We recommend that the Medicare pilot program ...
Overview of biological database mapping services for interoperation between different 'omics' datasets

Many primary biological databases are dedicated to providing annotation for a specific type of biological molecule such as a clone, transcript, gene or protein, but often with limited cross-references. Therefore, enhanced mapping is required between these databases to facilitate the correlation of independent experimental datasets. For example, molecular biology experiments conducted on samples (DNA, mRNA or protein) often yield more than one type of 'omics' dataset as an object for analysis (eg a sample can have a genomics as well as proteomics expression dataset available for analysis). Thus, in order to map the two datasets, the identifier type from one dataset is required to be linked to another dataset, so preventing loss of critical information in downstream analysis. This identifier mapping can be performed using identifier converter software relevant to the query and target identifier databases. This review presents the publicly available web-based biological database identifier converters, with comparison of their usage, input and output formats, and the types of available query and target database identifier types.
PIC: practical Internet coordinates for distance estimation

We introduce PIC, a practical coordinate-based mechanism to estimate Internet network distance (i.e., round-trip delay or network hops). Network distance estimation is important in many applications; for example, network-aware overlay construction and server selection. There are several proposals for distance estimation in the Internet but they all suffer from problems that limit their benefit. Most rely on a small set of infrastructure nodes that are a single point of failure and limit scalability. Others use sets of peers to compute coordinates but these coordinates can be arbitrarily wrong if one of these peers is malicious. While it may be reasonable to secure a small set of infrastructure nodes, it is unreasonable to secure all peers. PIC addresses these problems: it does not rely on infrastructure nodes and it can compute accurate coordinates even when some peers are malicious. We present PIC's design, experimental evaluation, and an application to network-aware overlay construction and maintenance.
Symmetry of ignorance, social creativity, and meta-design

Complex design problems require more knowledge than any one single person can possess, and the knowledge relevant to a problem is often distributed and controversial. Rather than being a limiting factor, "symmetry of ignorance" can provide the foundation for social creativity. Bringing different points of view together and trying to create a shared understanding among all stakeholders can lead to new insights, new ideas, and new artifacts. Social creativity can be supported by new media that allow owners of problems to contribute to framing and solving these problems. These new media need to be designed from a meta-design perspective by creating environments in which stakeholders can act as designers and be more than consumers.
Roger Tory Peterson: a biography

Carlson, Douglas. 2007. Roger Tory Peterson: a biography. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. xi + 296 p. $24.95, ISBN: 978-0-292-71680-3 (alk. paper).
Corpus callosum and visual cortex of mice with deletion of the NMDA-NR1 receptor. II. Attenuation of prenatal alcohol exposure effects.

Abstract Offspring of transgenic mice with deletion of the NMDA-NR1 (NR1) receptor received prenatal alcohol exposure during most of gestation. Before and after birth, offspring were sacrificed in order to examine the morphological consequences of the prenatal exposure. Previously, we reported that the dendritic arborization of corpus callosum projection neurons (CCpn) in visual cortex was abnormal in rats given prenatal alcohol exposure; the effects were dose-dependent [Neurotoxicol. Teratol. 24 (2002) 719–732]. The same parameters were examined in the transgenic mice. Crystals of DiI were placed into the CC of mice at different ages that had been prenatally exposed to alcohol. Controls included untreated transgenic mice, and transgenic mice with the same nutritional and handling stressors. Compared to Controls, prenatal alcohol exposure caused the NR1+/+ mice to expand the dendritic arbor of CCpn in visual cortex. The dendritic arbors had increased branch numbers and length; these increases were dose-dependent. In contrast, the prenatally exposed NR1−/− mice showed normal dendritic arbors with all prenatal alcohol doses. In addition, prenatal alcohol exposure was found to have morbidity and teratogenic effects on offspring. In seven separate indicators of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, only one indicator was present but reduced in NR1−/− offspring, indicating that total deletion of the NMDA-NR1 receptor throughout development largely blocks but sometimes attenuates the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. Similarly, in seven separate indicators of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, five indicators were attenuated in NR1+/− compared to NR1+/+ offspring, although affected more than in NR1−/−; this suggests a gene–dose effect. The results indicate that functional NMDA-NR1 receptors are necessary for the neurotoxic and teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. This study will aid in understanding how the NMDA receptors play an important role in prenatal alcohol effects on brain development.
Credit, Collateral and Financial Arrangements

The existence of collateral requirements to the exchange of securities in general reduces the efficiency of competitive equilibria. The general equilibrium analysis is presented in a world where reputation plays no role, and the lender always expects a future payment equal to the minimum between the original promise and the future market value of provided collateral. In this context, I show that collateral requirements result in two distinct problems for efficiency. I argue that two financial arrangements, tranching and financial pyramiding, arise in developed capital markets in response to the challenges posed by collateral requirements. If these arrangements are sufficiently developed, then the pareto efficiency of competitive equilibria is restored.
Blood platelets in heterophil anaphylaxis.

SummarySerum of rabbits immune to sheep erythrocytes injected intravenously in appropriate doses in guinea pigs and dogs produced a drastic reduction of the concentration of blood platelets even though these quantities of serum provoked only moderate shock or no shock.
Emission wavelength control in InAs(Sb) quantum dashes-in-a-well structures

The authors have explored emission wavelength control in InAs quantum dashes (QDashes) grown on InP substrates by manipulation of the InAs thickness and by incorporating Sb into the QDashes. It is found that by increasing the InAs coverage, the photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength can be extended up to 2.15 μm. The authors have also demonstrated that by introducing Sb into the InAs QDashes, the emission wavelength can be further increased to 2.25 μm. They have characterized surface morphology using atomic force microscopy to study the effect of both the above-mentioned techniques on the shape and size of InAs QDashes. Also, temperature-dependent PL studies are carried out to understand the carrier dynamics in InAs QDashes emitting at extended wavelengths. Based on these results, it is concluded that the incorporation of Sb is a better technique compared to increasing InAs coverage to extend the emission wavelength of InAs QDashes.
Within-tree Spatial Patterns of Platynota idaeusalis (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) on Two Apple Cultivars

Standard ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Stayman’ apple trees were sampled to determine spatial patterns of tufted apple bud moth, Platynota idaeusalis (Walker). Trees were divided into upper and lower levels vertically, and directionally into areas of the tree facing the row alleyway (BROW) and areas of the tree facing the tree row (WROW). In 1982 in unsprayed trees, significantly more summer-brood egg masses were deposited in the upper areas. Significantly more fall-brood egg masses were deposited in the upper and BROW areas. In 1983, low numbers of summer- and fall-brood egg masses were found, and there were no differences between levels or between row directions. Both broods of larvae were located more in the lower than upper levels. In sprayed trees, more larvae were found in the WROW areas, but in unsprayed trees there was no difference between row directions. Calculated sample sizes were large because of low proportions of infested spurs.
Structure and Biological Function of TRAF4

TRAFs( TNF receptor associated factors), a family of intracellular adaptor proteins with the same conserved C-terminal domain, can interact with a wide range of cell surface receptors including TNFR as signal transducers. Presently, 7 TRAFs have been identified in humans. TRAF4, one of the most primitive members of TRAF family, was originally identified from metastatic lymph nodes of breast cancer patients.Later studies showed that the overexpression and altered subcellular localization of TRAF4 could be detected in many kinds of solid tumors. TRAF4 plays a limited role in immunity, which is different from other TRAF family members. At present, it is known that TRAF4 mainly functions in regulating embryonic development,cell polarity, apoptosis and generation of reactive oxygen.
The Uniformed Services

With the succession of Iurii Andropov, the former chief of the KGB, to the head of the CPSU in 1982, Western observers speculated about the growing role and prominence of the “uniformed services” in the Soviet political system. Three main elements comprise the uniformed services—the security police (KGB), the regular police (militia), and the Soviet armed forces. Although each exists as a distinct entity, the three share several characteristics. Each is hierarchically organized and follows a code of strict discipline. The three services hold a monopoly on weapons and intelligence-gathering technology, and they control information vitally important to the policymakers. They also perform essential social control functions, frequently adopting similarly tough stances on law-and-order issues, dissent, and detente. Order and control have always been highly desired values in Soviet society, which helps to explain the size and power of the uniformed services. This chapter will examine these three institutions, analyzing for each its organizational structure, degree of party control, relative prestige, and influence on policy matters. We begin with the most notorious of the three, the KGB.
On rhetorical criticism, performativity, and white fragility

Robert L. Ivie, “Scrutinizing Performances of Rhetorical Criticism,” Quarterly Journal of Speech 80, no. 3 (1994)Ivie’s August 1994 essay was a prompt to think about how the performance of rhetoric...
Advances in Gallium Nitride-based Electronics

The III -nitrides AIN, GaN, InN and their alloys are a novel family of semiconductor materials for optoelectronics as well as for electronics. GaN-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have shown superior power density and operating temperatures at frequency ranges that are beyond the limits of devices fabricated from Si and other III-V materials. This paper presents the advances in the GaN HEMT technology.
Incremental prognostic value of myocardial perfusion imaging in patients referred to stress single-photon emission computed tomography with renal dysfunction.

Background— Coronary artery disease is the main cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with impaired renal function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic implications of single-photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT-MPI) in patients with impaired renal function. Methods and Results— We included 7348 consecutive patients (mean age, 64±13 years; 51% men) referred for SPECT-MPI between March 2002 and October 2006. Renal function was estimated using the estimated glomerular filtration rate formula. Patients were followed up for the incidence of all-cause mortality. Patients with decreased glomerular filtration rate were more often older, with higher prevalence of conventional risk factors ( P <0.001). After a median follow-up of 2.6 years (25th to 75th percentiles, 1.5 to 3.7), 693 (9.4%) patients died. The risk of death increased with worsening kidney function. At each stage of impaired renal function, patients with abnormal SPECT-MPI had increased hazard of adverse events ( P <0.0001). Using Cox proportional hazards analysis, the magnitude of total perfusion deficit and ischemia on MPI were associated with worse outcome after adjusting for confounding variables including glomerular filtration rate and ejection fraction. Conclusions— SPECT-MPI adds modest incremental prognostic information to identify patients at higher relative risk of death across a wide spectrum of renal function. Received October 27, 2008; accepted August 19, 2009. # CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE {#article-title-2}
The emergence and promise of telelactation

Although professional breastfeeding support positively influences breastfeeding behaviors, access to International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) is limited in many communities. Recognizing their unique role in the provision of breastfeeding support, the Surgeon General's Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding identifies increasing access to IBCLCs as a policy priority. Since 2015, a number of direct-to-consumer telelactation services have emerged to increase convenient access to professional breastfeeding support. This innovation in healthcare delivery allows IBCLCs to connect with breastfeeding mothers in their homes through 2-way video on personal devices such as tablets and smartphones. In this Viewpoint, we discuss the recent emergence of this form of lactation support, describe the offerings, and discuss the potential of telelactation to transform the delivery of professional breastfeeding support.
Immersive Virtual Reality for Pediatric Pain

Children must often endure painful procedures as part of their treatment for various medical conditions. Those with chronic pain endure frequent or constant discomfort in their daily lives, sometimes severely limiting their physical capacities. With the advent of affordable consumer-grade equipment, clinicians have access to a promising and engaging intervention for pediatric pain, both acute and chronic. In addition to providing relief from acute and procedural pain, virtual reality (VR) may also help to provide a corrective psychological and physiological environment to facilitate rehabilitation for pediatric patients suffering from chronic pain. The special qualities of VR such as presence, interactivity, customization, social interaction, and embodiment allow it to be accepted by children and adolescents and incorporated successfully into their existing medical therapies. However, the powerful and transformative nature of many VR experiences may also pose some risks and should be utilized with caution. In this paper, we review recent literature in pediatric virtual reality for procedural pain and anxiety, acute and chronic pain, and some rehabilitation applications. We also discuss the practical considerations of using VR in pediatric care, and offer specific suggestions and information for clinicians wishing to adopt these engaging therapies into their daily clinical practice.
Iranian Cinema’s ‘Quiet Revolution,’ 1960–1978

This article analyzes the movies produced in the two decades prior to the 1979 Revolution in Iran. It argues that these films influenced a cultural transformation we call a ‘quiet revolution.’ The ...
Hope and Depression: Light Through the Shadous

Publisher Summary The chapter explores the relationship of hope and the experience of dysphoria and depression. It hypothesizes that the hope theory can be used both to understand the onset and experience of depression, and to intervene to combat depressive symptoms. High-hope individuals set more goals than their low-hope counterparts. This engagement in more than one goal at a time ensures that a goal blockage is not devastating. The chapter uses the hope theory as an explanation for depression. Specifically, it discusses the roles of goal blockage, agency loss, and pathway reduction in the experience of dysphoria and depression. The Hope Scale is designed to measure an individual's belief that he or she has the capability to produce workable routes and requisite mental energy to initiate and sustain progress along those routes. Researchers have shown that, in addition to the beliefs about agency and pathways, high-hope people actually generate more pathways and sustain more agency than medium- or low-hope individuals. The chapter further enumerates the reasons why hopeful thinking protects against depression. The chapter suggests applications of hope in treating depression. It is believed that most nonbiological depressions can be explained as a lack of hopeful thinking and that depressive symptoms can be treated successfully by raising clients' hopes.
The Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib (VEPTR) for Idiopathic Early-Onset Scoliosis

Although many cases of infantile idiopathic scoliosis (IIS) resolve with observation or nonoperative treatment, some severe and/or progressive deformities may benefit from surgical intervention. We present a case of a patient with IIS who was treated initially with bracing. After documented curve progression despite bracing, he was treated with a unilateral rib to spine VEPTR construct. This construct was distracted over a 4-year interval. At most recent follow-up, the VEPTR construct has maintained control of his spinal deformity while preserving thoracic growth and avoiding spinal fusion.
Physical neglect in childhood as a predictor of violent behavior in adolescent males

Research has established that childhood maltreatment experiences are associated with negative outcomes in adolescence, including violent and antisocial behavior (Chapple et al., 2005). Neglect is the most prevalent form of childhood maltreatment (U.S. DHHS, 2012), the consequences of which require further investigation. This study used archival data to explore whether childhood physical neglect increased the likelihood of violent behavior in a random sample of 85 males between the ages of 12-19 held at a long-term detention facility in the Northeastern United States. An anonymous survey gathered background information and data regarding childhood physical neglect and violent behavior in adolescence. A step-wise hierarchal regression model controlled for the effects of age, self-esteem, personal competency, depression, chemical drug use, family violence and a childhood history of physical abuse. Results showed that a history of childhood physical neglect was the strongest predictor of violent adolescent behavior in this sample when the data was tested for all moderator and mediator effects.
Synthesis of normally-off boolean circuits: An evolutionary optimization approach utilizing spintronic devices

In this paper, we develop an evolutionary-driven circuit optimization methodology, which can be leveraged for the synthesis of spintronic-based normally-off computing (NoC) circuits. NoC architectures distribute nonvolatile memory elements throughout the CMOS logic plane, creating a new class of fine-grained functionally-constrained synthesis challenges. Spin-based NoC circuits synthesis objectives include increased computational throughput and reduced static power consumption. Our proposed methodology utilizes Genetic Algorithms (GAs) to optimize the implementation of a Boolean logic expression in terms of area, delay, or power consumption. It first leverages the spin-based device characteristics to achieve a primary semi-optimized implementation, then further performance optimization is applied to the implemented design based on the NoC requirements and optimization criteria. As a proof-of-concept, the optimization approach is leveraged to implement a functionally-complete set of Boolean logic gates using spin Hall effect (SHE)-magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), which are optimized for both power and delay objectives. NoC synthesis methodologies supporting NoC circuit design of emerging device and hybrid CMOS logic applications. Finally, Simulation results and analyses verified the functionality of our proposed optimization tool for NoC circuit implementations.
Coda: Cerebellar Dentate Integration of Sensory Influx and Volition for the Regulation of Motor Activity

Each of the preceeding chapters in this volume has introduced, developed, and summarized separate issues with respect to cerebellar dentate neurons. The structure and assembly of individual neurons and their components have been examined with the aim of elucidating their organization; neuronal interrelations have been examined in depth. As in a harmony, these relations can be broken down into two aspects—horizontal progression and vertical assembly. The horizontal aspect develops from the interweaving of the individual structures, their detailed synaptic connections. The vertical aspect emerges as the sum total of the various neural components within the dentate when all influx and output possibilities are considered. The dentate nucleus has been reconstructed as a totality, the mass has been measured and placed onto repeatable coordinates for experimentation. Component neurons have been counted, measured, examined individually and in groups, classified, and reexamined minutely to discover the secrets of their specific connectivity.
Quantum Jacobi forms in number theory, topology, and mathematical physics

We establish three infinite families of quantum Jacobi forms, arising in the diverse areas of number theory, topology, and mathematical physics, and unified by partial Jacobi theta functions.
Measured cup weights of ten raw leafy vegetables are lower than weights previously reported

Abstract Raw dark-green leafy vegetables (LVs) are excellent sources of vitamins A, C, K, folate and manganese. LV intake is reported in cups in the United States (US) and inaccurate cup weights could impact calculated nutrient composition. This project measured the cup weight of ten raw LVs purchased in Coralville, Iowa, compared them to weights reported in two US databases and the Nutrition Facts Label, and assessed changes in nutrient levels for a two-cup serving (one cup-equivalent, c-eq). Six individuals measured one package/head/bunch of each LV. Loosely/moderately packed pieces were weighed in a measuring cup to the nearest 0.1 g. Ready-to-eat produce was measured as purchased; heads/bunches were cut/torn into 2.5-cm pieces. All cup weights were significantly lower than weights previously reported (p
B Cell Depletion Reduces the Number and Function of T- Regulatory Cells and Enhances the Anti Tumor response

Abstract 3668 Poster Board III-604 Increasing evidence suggests that B lymphocytes play a central role in inhibiting the immune response against certain tumors, but the underlying mechanisms by which B cells facilitate tumor growth are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated how the presence or absence of B cells affects expansion and function of T- regulatory cells (‘Tregs’) in a murine tumor model (EMT-6). We compared tumor growth, and the number and function of T- regs cells in wild type immune competent mice ( ICM), B cell deficient mice ( BCDM) and /or in BALB-C mice following B- cell depletion induced by injection of anti murine CD20 antibodies (mCD20 Ab, 18B12, mouse IgG1,k, Biogen-IDEC) Mice were either tumor-naive or implanted with EMT6 mammary adenocarcinoma cells. Absence of B cells as in BCDM completely inhibited tumor growth in the majority of mice, while B cell depletion in normal mice substantially slowed the growth of EMT-6 tumors compared to wild type mice (ICM). Substantial T regs expansion, as defined by CD4+/CD25+/FOXP3+ cells, was evident on day 26 post tumor inoculation in EMT-6 tumor bearing ICM in comparison to the non- tumor bearing mice ( 15.2 +/− 1.2. % and 11.9 +/− 1.1% respectively), isolated from spleen as compared to naive or tumor bearing BCDM (10.1+/− 0.2% and 10.8+/− 1.2%) The percentage and absolute number of T-regs in the spleen, tumor draining lymph nodes and tumor bed were significantly reduced in the BCDM and/or B cell depleted ICM compared to tumor bearing ICM (10%+/−0.8, 13.9+/− 1.23% and 17+/− 1.3% respectively p<0.01. data from single cell suspensions isolated from spleens on day 20 post tumor inoculation). Similar effects of B cell depletion on the numbers of T-regs were observed in the setting of pre-established EMT6 mammary tumors. In contrast to tumor bearing mice, differences in T-reg number and function were minimal in tumor free B cell deficient or in B cell depleted naive mice compared to ICM. T-reg function, measured by suppression assay and proliferation assays, was also markedly reduced in tumor bearing BCDM compared to ICM. Combining B cell and T-reg depletion using i.p. injection of anti CD 25 antibody (PC61 or PBS) resulted in similar rates of tumor regression in B cell depleted mice as were seen in BCDM suggesting that the combination of B cells depletion and further depletion of Tregs augmented anti-tumor response. In conclusion, our studies indicate that B cell depletion may play a useful role in augmenting the T cell anti-tumor response, in part due to their effects on T-regulatory cell biology. Disclosures: Dunn: Biogen IDEC: Employment.